Saint Paul -- Governor Tim Pawlenty today announced the appointment of Sarah Caruso, Diana Lewis, and Edward Oliver to the Minnesota State Arts Board.

Sarah Caruso, of Hopkins, is a strategic planning and marketing consultant at Northampton Partners, a firm she founded in 1999. She was employed at General Mills in Golden Valley from 1986-99, where she managed large consumer brands, including Wheaties and Cheerios. Caruso previously served on the Board of the Children's Theatre Company in Minneapolis, and as Chair of the Board of the PACER Center, a nonprofit organization serving the needs of children and families with disabilities. Caruso received a Bachelor's of Arts degree in Economics from Smith College in Massachusetts, and a Master's of Business Administration degree from Stanford University. She is appointed to a four-year term that expires on January 1, 2007. Caruso serves as an At-Large member and replaces Penelope Haru Snipper on the Board.

Diana Lewis, of Sunfish Lake, has been employed at Ecolab, Inc. in St. Paul since 1988. She is currently the Senior Vice President for Human Resources. From 1968-1988, Lewis was employed at the Pillsbury Corporation in Minneapolis. She has served on the Board of Directors for the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, the McPhail School of Music, the Metropolitan State University Foundation, and the Minneapolis YWCA. Lewis received a Bachelor's of Arts degree in Math and Business from the University of Minnesota. She is appointed to a four-year term that expires on January 1, 2007. Lewis serves as the member from the Second Congressional District and replaces Benjamin Vander Kooi on the Board.

Edward Oliver, of Deephaven, served in the State Senate from 1993-2003, representing the Lake Minnetonka area. He was instrumental in the cooperative effort to create the Minnetonka Center for the Arts. Oliver and his wife Charty have been active members and participants in several community art organizations. Some of Oliver's past community involvement includes work with the Minnesota Opera, Art on the Lake, the United Way, and the Boys and Girls Club of the Twin Cities. In April 2003, Governor Pawlenty appointed Oliver to represent Minnesota on the Great Lakes Commission. He is the owner of Oliver Financial. He received a Bachelor's degree in Economics from the University of Minnesota. Oliver is also a veteran of the United States Air Force. He is appointed to a four-year term that expires on January 1, 2007. Oliver serves as an At-Large member and replaces Sara Perlman Barrow on the Board.

The Minnesota State Arts Board attempts to enrich the quality of life in Minnesota by making the arts accessible to all citizens, nurturing creative activities, encouraging the development of innovative forms of artistic expression, and preserving the State's diverse artistic heritage. The Board provides grants and services to individual artists, arts organizations, schools, colleges and universities, communities, and other organizations that sponsor arts activities. The Board is made up of eleven members appointed by the Governor.