 Paulus was a passionate advocate for the works and careers of his colleagues.He co-founded the American Composers Forum in 1973, the largest composer service organization in the U.S., and served as the Symphony and Concert Representative on the ASCAP Board of Directors from 1990 until his death (from complications following a stroke in July 2013) in 2014.Paulus was born in Summit, New Jersey, but his family moved to Minnesota when he was two.