SALT LAKE CITY – Caroline Klein, the chief communication officer for the Smith Entertainment Group, has passed away at the age of 40 after a multi-year battle with cancer.
Klein was hired by the organization in 2022, working across public relations, community relations, and broadcasting for both the Jazz and the Utah Mammoth.
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Though fans will largely recognize Klein from her appearances leading press conferences for the Smith Entertainment Group, her full impact with the organization will be felt for years to come.
During her three years in Utah, Klein helped develop SEG+, the streaming platform for the Jazz and Mammoth, while relaunching the team’s broadcasts on KJZZ in the Intermountain West.
She also oversaw the production of the “Note Worthy: 50 Seasons of Jazz Basketball,” which launched in the summer of 2024.
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“Utah lost a legend yesterday in the passing of Caroline Klein,” Charman and CEO of the Smith Entertainment Group said. “She was truly one of a kind, [Ashley] and I and the rest of the SEG team will miss her every single day.”
A native of Wisconsin, Klein earned a bachelor’s degree from Boston University before working for PR firms in New York and Chicago.
Prior to joining the Jazz, she spent a decade working in the tourism and hospitality industry in California.
Klein is survived by her husband, Mike Gartlan. The couple celebrated their first wedding anniversary in August.
Ben Anderson is the Utah Jazz insider for KSL Sports and the co-host of Jake and Ben from 10-12p with Jake Scott on 97.5 The KSL Sports Zone. Find Ben on Twitter at @BensHoops, on Instagram @BensHoops, or on BlueSky.