Salt Lake City —Smith Entertainment Group (SEG) and the Utah Jazz announced the appointment of Caroline Klein in the newly created position of Chief Communications Officer, effective Aug. 1.

Her responsibilities include strategic communications in public relations, community relations, and broadcasting, along with coordination of large-scale marketing initiatives through all the company’s platforms. Other duties involve government relations and crisis communications as a public-facing representative of the Jazz in the community.

“Caroline will be a tremendous addition to our executive team with her skills and experiences. She will work as a highly visible representative of the Smith Entertainment Group with business leaders, community partners, diverse media outlets, and local government officials,” says Jim Olson, SEG and Utah Jazz president. “She has a gift in storytelling that inspires action and builds communities. Her leadership ability will be invaluable in elevating the impact of the Jazz.”

With more than 15 years of strategic communications experience on domestic and international levels, Klein joins the SEG executive team after 10 years with the Preferred Hotel Group in Newport Beach, Calif., which manages and operates six travel and hospitality brands, including Preferred Hotels & Resorts. Culminating in the CCO role, Klein built and evolved the company’s public relations, social media, and corporate communications functions, orchestrating multiple extensive global marketing communications campaigns and serving as a key executive on new brand launches and pivotal rebrandings.

Previously, Klein worked at several PR agencies in New York City and Chicago, specializing in travel and hospitality. She holds a B.S. in Journalism from Boston University.

About Smith Entertainment Group

Smith Entertainment Group (SEG) is a sports, technology and entertainment investment group focused primarily on the state of Utah. SEG’s portfolio includes the Utah Jazz (NBA), Real Salt Lake (MLS), Vivint Arena, Rio Tinto Stadium, Salt Lake City Stars (NBA G League), Utah Jazz Gaming (NBA 2K League), Real Monarchs (MLS NEXT Pro), management of the Salt Lake Bees (MiLB), Zone Sports Radio Network, and other Utah-centric business ventures. 

About the Utah Jazz

Founded as the 18th member of the National Basketball Association (NBA) in 1974, and located in Salt Lake City since 1979, the Utah Jazz are committed to excellence as a team and in the community. On the court, the Jazz are the second-winningest team in the NBA over the last 30 years, having won 11 division titles and two Western Conference championships along with 17 seasons of 50-plus wins, and are supported by one of the most passionate fan bases in all of sports. The Utah Jazz also operate the Junior Jazz program, the largest and longest-running youth basketball league in the NBA, featuring more than 60,000 players and an additional 13,000 volunteers who take part annually across six states. For more information on the Utah Jazz, visit www.utahjazz.com.