Meet Our Team

Timothy A. Carone is the President and Director of The Team Carone Foundation. Mr. Carone is a well-known figure in the northwest communities having spent his entire life here. Formerly a Public Works Superintendent for the Village of Prairie Grove and most recently a Sr. Project Manager at Terra Technologies LLC. Mr. Carone is recognized as a behind-the- scenes collaborator, able to get things done in the community through collective participation. His breadth and depth of knowledge of the local community and its dynamics is a reason why Team Carone has been successful in raising funds locally and directing those funds for local use even though the Foundation leverages resources throughout the nation to fulfill its mission. Mr. Carone met his wife while both were students at Cary-Grove High School and were married in 2004.

Jennifer Cruz is the Director of Treasury and Secretary for this great foundation. Jennifer along with her husband Vince are raising 4 children who all attend Cary schools. Jennifer actively supports all of her children’s activities, fosters their growth and ensures they have a sense of community. Jennifer also volunteers with the CRHP ministry at Saints Peter and Paul.

Professionally, Jennifer is a Vice President of North American Client Services – Operations at Discover Financial Services where she leads a team of 100+ Professionals ensuring the team provides premier service along with continuous delivery of an always on payment network for every customer where ever, whenever, however. She has known the Carone family for over 25 years and her husband’s family has a strong and rich history with the Carone family. Making them Family.

Bob is a born and raised in Cary-Grove Trojan and still lives in the area with his wife and three children. Bob is active in the Cary-Grove community sitting on the governing board of Holy Cross Lutheran Church and active in Cary youth sports. 

Professionally, Bob focuses on evaluating debt and equity investments in domestic healthcare companies. Currently as a Senior Vice President at Golub Capital and previously at General Electric Capital Corp. (GE Capital). Bob has been referred to as a "college sports bigamist" enjoying split Big-10 sports allegiances, having earned a B.S. from University of Illinois in economics (go Illini!) and an M.B.A. and J.D. from University of Wisconsin (on Wisconsin!). He has known the Carone family for over 25 years and is honored and excited to be a part of the Team Carone Foundation.

Hello! My name is Tony Colatorti. I am 46 years old and live in Crystal Lake IL. I have a loving wife and 3 beautiful children. I have owned and operated Cucina Bella, an Italian restaurant in Algonquin, for 13 years. I’ve had the pleasure of knowing & having a friendship with Tim Carone for almost 10 years. Throughout the years, Rick frequented my restaurant and loved our grilled calamari! When asked to cater for the Shut Down Cancer fundraiser, I was more than happy to contribute for this amazing cause. I whole heartedly feel strongly for this organization and what it does and stands for. I would like to contribute more than just the food I cater. I am honored to be a part of the Team Carone Foundation and look forward to helping create a legacy 5 years and counting, all in memory of Rick and his legacy he’s left behind.

Kristen grew up in Crystal Lake, graduating from Crystal Lake Central High School in 1997. Her family has had the pleasure of knowing the Carone family for years. Moving back to the area in 2011 to raise her own family, she reconnected with Tim and Kim and quickly came to realize that most who have the fortune of knowing them can consider them to be more like family than friends. She and her husband, Brett, have attended the Music Fest since it’s inception and look forward to it every year. The genuine love and respect the Carone family has for each other is humbling and unmatched.  When presented with the opportunity to be a part of this incredible legacy in the name of Rick Carone and pancreatic cancer research, Kristen considered it a no-brainer. In her professional and personal life she has seen the devastation of all types of cancer, notably pancreatic cancer in another very close friend. She continues to be amazed by and is proud of the accomplishments of The Carone Foundation and it’s relentless commitment to Project Purple.

Kristen lives in Crystal Lake with her husband and two young daughters. She attended Southern Illinois University for both her baccalaureate and medical degrees and University of Illinois at Chicago for residency.  Professionally, she is an Emergency Medicine Physician, serves on the education committee for the Illinois College of Emergency Physicians, and has been practicing Emergency Medicine in the northwest suburbs for nearly a decade. She enjoys volunteering in her daughters’ classrooms and has recently become an active volunteer for CASA of McHenry County.