Our Team

Corinne Verdery serves as Chief Executive Officer of Caruso, one of the largest and most admired privately held real estate development and management companies in the U.S. As CEO, Verdery is focused on continuing the stellar performance and growth the company has achieved since it was founded more than 35 years ago.

Verdery joined Caruso in 2016 and was previously Chief Development Officer, overseeing Caruso’s development business which includes acquisitions, design, construction and tenant services. Focusing on doubling the size of the company and its offerings in Southern California, she oversaw the development of the Forbes triple five-star resort Rosewood Miramar Beach in Montecito and Palisades Village, a first of its kind mixed-use project in Pacific Palisades, as well as the acquisition of new Caruso properties. In addition, she managed new zoning approvals for 333 La Cienega, expansion of The Lakes in Thousand Oaks and directed the renovation of significant tenant spaces across the Caruso portfolio.

Verdery has more than 30 years of experience specializing in the industry. She joined Caruso from NBCUniversal, where she was the Chief Real Estate Development Officer. In that position, she was responsible for overseeing the 25-year multibillion-dollar NBCUniversal Evolution Plan, a vital component to the company’s overall long-term growth and success.

Verdery was also SVP of Oasis West Realty/Alagem Capital Group, where she successfully spearheaded the development and entitlement process of The Beverly Hilton and the five-star Waldorf Astoria Hotel in Beverly Hills, which included the passage of a citywide ballot, 19 public hearings and a voter referendum.

Verdery graduated from Pepperdine University Graziadio Business School and USC School of Architecture. She currently serves on the Board of Adventist Health Glendale Foundation and the Board of Trustees for San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance.

As Chief Financial and Revenue Officer, Jackie Levy serves as a key executive team member, trusted CEO advisor, and strategic business partner to support the Company’s financial vision and to ensure the success of Caruso’s multi-billion-dollar portfolio of award-winning properties. He is responsible for aligning finance, leasing, marketing, and operations on developing business models and pricing strategies in a highly competitive and complex business environment and industry. Under Levy’s leadership, Caruso’s operating portfolio has achieved approximately 20% cumulative NOI growth year over year.

Having spent 16 years with Caruso, Levy has over 20 years of industry experience. Levy began his career in the shopping center industry at Westfield, with roles at multiple properties, before joining Caruso as the General Manager of The Grove and The Americana at Brand. He later served as Vice President of Operations, Senior Vice President of Operations and Executive Vice President of Operations, before assuming his role as Chief Business Officer in 2019. With Levy’s oversight, The Grove and The Americana at Brand have achieved the distinction of being ranked amongst the top ten highest sales-performing shopping centers in the world, while 8500 Burton Way has realized record rents in the Los Angeles market. As Chief Business Officer, Levy was responsible for the operations of all operating properties in the portfolio, encompassing retail, residential, office, hotel, and F&B. Levy also was integral in expanding the company’s asset base to include class-A innovative office space, reimagining the office experience for its Fortune 300 tenant, CBRE.

Levy graduated from San Diego State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in communications.

Ben Howell oversees Caruso’s legal affairs, representing Caruso and directing its outside counsel in the company’s acquisition and financing transactions as well as its litigated matters. Since joining the company in 2012, Howell has led Caruso’s legal team in closing over $2.5 billion in financing and refinancing transactions and has been integrally involved in its development projects, including Palisades Village and Rosewood Miramar Beach Montecito. Howell provides legal advice to all of the company’s business units and collaborates with Caruso’s project teams on land-use and entitlement matters. As Chief Business Officer, Howell also leads the team responsible for providing shared services to Caruso’s operating business, including the human resources, risk management, security, and information technology functions.

Previously, he was an attorney at Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP, where his private practice focused on real estate and corporate transactions for a range of clients, from private-equity funds to publicly traded companies.

Howell graduated from the UC Berkeley School of Law where he was named Order of the Coif and was a member of the Law Review. Howell served as a law clerk to Hon. Harold Baer, Jr., in the Southern District of New York. He graduated from Stanford University, where he received a degree in Modern Thought and Literature. Howell serves on the board of Larchmont Charter School, a public K-12 school that is committed to serving a diverse student population.

Dave Williams has been the principal force in designing and creating the unique ambiance and close attention to high-quality detail that has become synonymous with Caruso properties. His signature “Caruso-style” designs have garnered national acclaim as being the country’s most innovative and successful across many project types, including retail, mixed-use, Class-A innovative office, residential and hospitality. Within his 25 years at Caruso, he has led the design for every project but one, Rick Caruso’s very first venture.

Under Williams’ direction, several of Caruso’s properties, including The Grove, The Americana at Brand, The Commons at Calabasas and The Promenade at Westlake, have been awarded the industry’s highest honors, such as Gold Nugget Awards, ICSC’s International Design and Development Awards, and the Urban Land Institute’s Award for Excellence.

Williams has assembled and led a renowned team of highly talented designers, firms and artisans for all aspects of Caruso developments. He has a proven ability to achieve excellence through great vision, intelligent decision-making, remarkable attention to detail, and an unparalleled commitment to the guest experience and the surrounding communities.

A registered architect, Williams holds a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture from Ohio State University. He has nearly 40 years of experience in urban, resort, residential, retail and entertainment design and planning, 30 years of which he has led all disciplines of project design teams.

Respected throughout the industry for his wealth of experience and expertise, Williams has been a panelist and speaker at the USC Lusk Center for Real Estate, the Urban Land Institute, the International Council of Shopping Centers, The Ohio State University School of Architecture and many more high-profile speaking engagements.

Philipp Posch oversees Hospitality and Residential Operations for the Caruso portfolio, lending his sought-after expertise in hotels, residential and restaurants. He plays a central role in building and executing a strategic plan for growing and evolving our hospitality business while further elevating service levels across Caruso’s diverse asset class.

With nearly 25 years of experience in hospitality, Posch comes to Caruso with a proven track record of successful developments and operations across the industry. His passion and prodigious knowledge make him an expert in the field, having managed world-class properties like the Hudson Yards for Equinox Holdings, as well as the Trump Organization, where he brought Forbes Five-Star Ratings to Trump Chicago’s restaurant and Trump International Hotel & Tower in Vancouver. Prior to his time at these two revered companies, Posch honed his skill set all across the world, including Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group in Singapore and Bangkok, and Gansevoort Hotel Group and Starwood Hotel Group in New York City.

Posch obtained his degree from Ecole Hotelière de Lausanne (EHL) in Switzerland.

Bryce Ross is responsible for the management and execution of the company’s development growth strategy and new project pipeline, which is focused on doubling the size of the company’s portfolio of best-in-class assets in high barrier of entry markets throughout California. Ross is currently managing new development projects, including resort, mixed-use properties, retail and residential.

Ross joined Caruso in 2010 to lead acquisitions for Caruso Capital Partners, a partnership with Texas Pacific Group designed to make acquisitions and new investments in development, opportunistic, and value-added opportunities up to $1 billion in capitalization. Ross later joined Caruso’s executive development team responsible for the oversight of acquisitions for the firm. He came to Caruso from the Festival Companies and its $800 million Festival Retail Fund partnership with Goldman Sachs as the Director of Acquisitions and Development. Prior to The Festival Companies, Ross served as the Director of Commercial Development at the Westfield Group, where he was responsible for the management and execution of commercial redevelopment projects across Westfield’s United States portfolio.

Ross graduated with a Master of Architecture with a focus in real estate development from the University of Michigan Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning, as well as a Bachelor of Science in architecture from Lawrence Technological University, where he graduated cum laude and was awarded as a member of the Tau Sigma Delta Honors Society. While attending graduate school at the University of Michigan, Ross served as a Graduate Student Instructor, teaching undergraduate courses and working as a research assistant in the university’s environmental sustainable design program.

Thomas Veje is responsible for the direct oversight and coordination of all construction endeavors for Caruso. From inception to closeout, Veje prepares and distributes all project-related budgets and schedules, while issuing and managing all contracts related to construction management, design, and engineering production drawings. Other key responsibilities include supervision of tenant coordination, engineering, cost control, schedule adherence and quality assurance. His expertise spans wide, ranging from minor tenant improvements to $100 million mega-projects, including luxury retail, multifamily residential, mixed-use properties, office, historic reuse, and world-class resorts.

While Veje has been part of the Caruso family for over 20 years, his construction project management experience extends nearly 15 years prior. Known throughout the industry as a strong team leader, he is a results-driven manager and savvy builder of projects. All of the projects he has been responsible for have won numerous prestigious design and construction awards, including ICSC Global Best of the Best, ULI Global Award for Excellence, and ENR Best Project.

His impressive resume includes all construction types and uses, ranging from Type I high-rise commercial and residential, Type II & III retail to Type V multifamily and hospitality. Under his guidance, the team has consistently executed the Caruso promise to deliver the highest-quality product to customers through an acute attention to detail, adherence to budgets, and strict enforcement of final delivery timelines, delivering sustainable and operationally outstanding projects.

Due to his vast wealth of knowledge and myriad accolades, Veje has been a speaker at the USC Viterbi School of Engineering, as well as the ICSC CenterBuild Conference. He graduated from California Polytechnic State University with a degree in civil engineering.

Sunil Watumull is responsible for operations across Caruso’s portfolio of retail and residential properties. From property management and security to concierge services and events, his focus is to deliver best-in-class experiences for guests, tenants and employees. In his 10 years at Caruso, Watumull has proven adept in all areas of the business. His time at Caruso began with his leadership of residential operations at The Americana at Brand Luxury Apartments followed by 8500 Burton Way, before moving on to open Palisades Village to high acclaim as the property’s general manager. His skill set continues to raise the standard for operations, combining his focus on top-tier service with his experience in managing a range of luxury asset classes, including hotel, high-rise condominium, multifamily, mixed-use and retail properties.

Watumull’s 17 years of industry expertise can be seen in his unrelenting attention to detail, a quality that has been utilized in his previous roles at Four Seasons and The Related Companies. Across his career, he has developed a commitment to excellence through outstanding leadership and establishing unparalleled operations.

Watumull graduated from Pomona College in Claremont, California with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics.

Banyon Hutter is responsible for executive protection, investigations, security, health, safety, and emergency preparedness across the Caruso portfolio. In addition to overseeing the company’s security program, he has developed industry-leading security systems, policies, practices, and procedures to ensure the safety of Caruso’s employees, guests, and residents. Previously, Hutter was a Senior Vice President at Allied Universal, overseeing some of the most prestigious assets in Southern California. His primary responsibilities included personnel, continuity planning, fire safety, crime prevention, evaluation, and application of technology-based solutions. In addition, Hutter currently serves as Sector Chief for the Commercial Facilities Sector as part of the FBI’s Los Angeles InfraGard Program and sits on the LAFD Foundation Board of Directors.

Additionally, he has and continues to work with Local, State, and Federal Law Enforcement agencies on initiatives specific to Counter-Terrorism and Crime Prevention. Hutter graduated from the USAF Security Forces Academy and later served in the USAF, deploying to Pakistan and Iraq during Operation Iraqi and Enduring Freedom, attending several other schools in line with his military service. Some of the most notable include Counter-terrorism, Integrated Base Defense, Physical, Cyber, Information Security, the US Army and Department of Defense Crime Prevention School, and Airman Leadership School, finishing with the highest academic honor as a Distinguished Graduate.

Hutter also attended the University of Phoenix, where he received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration.

Julie Jauregui is an inspiring leader across numerous facets of Caruso, devoting nearly 15 years of her expertise to the organization. In her tenure, she has made significant impacts to the business across multiple assets. In her current position, Jauregui oversees the operations for the Valley region properties, while heading up events for the entire retail portfolio. Jauregui is responsible for developing and implementing successful financial strategies while maintaining strong brand representation and exceptional guest service standards. She is responsible for leading the development and execution of Caruso signature events, while working with our clients to create unique activations and experiences, aligning all programming with the overall brand strategy.

Jauregui has honed her strong operational and merchandising skills with over 20 years of experience in the Retail industry. Prior to joining Caruso, she held various leadership roles, including Retail Operations Manager for Disneyland Resort, where she was instrumental in the unveiling of Disney’s California Adventure Park and its retail offering, Regional Manager for Williams Sonoma, Inc., and District Manager for The Limited, Inc., leading the LA Market through rapid growth and expansion of its men’s division, Structure, Inc.

Carolyn Liikala is a seasoned leader in corporate strategy, innovation and venture capital. As SVP of Corporate Strategy and Development at Caruso, she oversees strategic projects, innovation initiatives and digital transformation efforts. Her role is pivotal in driving Caruso towards long-term goals, embracing digital advancements, and uncovering new growth opportunities.

Previously, she was a Partner at Silicon Foundry (acquired by AT Kearney), where she led corporate venture capital and innovation projects for Fortune 500 companies such as Nestle, Target, BASF, Qualcomm, Belgium Post and Royal Bank of Scotland. She played a key role in launching Estee Lauder’s Innovation Lab, British Petroleum’s corporate venture capital arm, and facilitated over 50 pilot projects, 20 investments and 4 acquisitions between startups and her clients. Liikala has also launched several successful accelerators and incubators for high-growth tech startups around the world.

Fluent in English, Spanish, and Italian, Liikala graduated with honors from UC San Diego’s School of Political Science. She is currently a Venture Partner at a NYC-based impact venture fund focused on supporting mission-driven founders and an Advisor at The Sea League, a non-profit focused on making ocean sports accessible and inclusive for future generations.

Since joining the Caruso team, Kathleen Vu has provided visionary leadership for all Human Resources (HR) initiatives, including employee relations, organizational development, compliance, compensation, benefits, recruitment, polices and procedures. She has developed strategies to further the company’s overall business plan, direction and culture. While she serves as an advisor to the CEO on people operations, Vu has also proven superior technical HR competencies through problem-solving and collaboration with the Executive team to analyze productivity across all departments. Her strategy and leadership have helped build an exceptional HR program that plays a key role in important organizational and cultural initiatives, ensuring a high-performing organization overall.

With 15 years of experience prior to joining Caruso, Vu was Head of HR at Ring Video Doorbell, leading the charge on compliance, operations, total rewards, talent management and talent acquisition for more than 1000 multi-state employees and international operations. She also worked devoted her expertise to TrueCar, Inc., where she specialized in workforce planning, organizational design, coaching and talent management.

Vu received a Bachelor of Science in Health Care Administration from California State University Long Beach.

With over 20 years of experience in the hospitality and real estate sectors, Corey Conrad currently serves as Senior Vice President, Leasing & Brand Partnerships at Caruso. He is responsible for integrating brands into the consumer journey across the Caruso Portfolio, including leasing, events, activations, concerts, pop-ups, filming, photoshoots and all out-of-home media. Under his leadership, the department has seen a 254% increase in gross advertising and sponsorship revenue while deepening relationships with some of the world’s most iconic brands.

Prior to joining Caruso, Conrad cultivated a distinguished career marked by success at sbe Entertainment where he led Global Partnerships for the Hotel, Restaurant & Nightlife group – managing partnerships across the vast portfolio of over 100 properties spanning four continents. Before that, Conrad excelled in his roles at The London West Hollywood, Harry Morton Holdings and The Hollywood Reporter.

Conrad graduated from Belmont University in Nashville, TN with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree. Conrad and his wife, Angel Carter Conrad, are co-chairs of The Kids Mental Health Foundation’s annual Kids Mental Health Day. They live in Los Angeles with their daughter and two dogs.