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Michael Caruso, who is currently deputy editor of WSJ. magazine, succeeds Carey Winfrey, who retired last month after ten years as Smithsonian’s top editor. Caruso has served as editor-in-chief at Details, Men’s Journal and Los Angeles. He’s also worked at Portfolio and the Village Voice.
Press release
Michael Caruso Named Smithsonian Magazine Editor-in-Chief
New York, N.Y. – Smithsonian magazine is proud to announce the appointment of Michael Caruso as editor-in-chief, becoming only the fourth editor in the magazine’s 41-year history. Caruso, who currently serves as deputy editor of The Wall Street Journal magazine, replaces Carey Winfrey, who retired in September after serving in the top editorial post at the magazine for 10 years.
Caruso has been a journalist for more than 25 years and has served as editor-in-chief of such major magazines as Los Angeles magazine, Men’s Journal and Details, and was founding editor of Maximum Golf. He has also held senior roles at The Village Voice and Portfolio, among others.
“I’m honored to be joining Smithsonian, a magazine brand that is loved by more than 7 million readers and is part of the largest and most prominent museum and research complex in the world,” said Caruso. “It’s also a privilege to be following Carey Winfrey, who had a superb run as editor; my challenge is to continue the legacy of journalistic excellence while evolving our brand for the future multimedia needs of our consumer.”
In making this announcement, Tom Ott, president of Smithsonian Enterprises, said, “Michael impressed us as someone filled with energy, intelligence and curiosity, all hugely important traits for running a magazine like Smithsonian. He presented a tremendous vision for the future of the magazine, as well as ways to leverage multi-media platforms to enhance the reach and significance of our brand. We have no doubt, given his experience and success leading other major magazines, that he will make the Smithsonian brand—a true national treasure—even stronger in the years ahead.”
Caruso is a graduate of Columbia University in New York City.
