diff --git a/proto/usergroup_pb2.py b/proto/usergroup_pb2.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b6ef76f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/proto/usergroup_pb2.py
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+# Copyright 2016 The Chromium Authors. All rights reserved.
+# Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style
+# license that can be found in the LICENSE file or at
+# https://developers.google.com/open-source/licenses/bsd
+
+"""Protocol buffers for Monorail usergroups."""
+
+from __future__ import print_function
+from __future__ import division
+from __future__ import absolute_import
+
+from protorpc import messages
+
+
+class MemberVisibility(messages.Enum):
+  """Enum controlling who can see the members of a user group."""
+  OWNERS = 0
+  MEMBERS = 1
+  ANYONE = 2
+
+
+class GroupType(messages.Enum):
+  """Type of external group to import."""
+  CHROME_INFRA_AUTH = 0
+  MDB = 1
+  BAGGINS = 3
+  COMPUTED = 4
+
+
+class UserGroupSettings(messages.Message):
+  """In-memory busines object for representing user group settings."""
+  who_can_view_members = messages.EnumField(
+      MemberVisibility, 1, default=MemberVisibility.MEMBERS)
+  ext_group_type = messages.EnumField(GroupType, 2)
+  last_sync_time = messages.IntegerField(
+      3, default=0, variant=messages.Variant.INT32)
+  friend_projects = messages.IntegerField(
+      4, repeated=True, variant=messages.Variant.INT32)
+  notify_members = messages.BooleanField(5, default=True)
+  notify_group = messages.BooleanField(6, default=False)
+# TODO(jrobbins): add settings to control who can join, etc.
+
+
+def MakeSettings(who_can_view_members_str, ext_group_type_str=None,
+                 last_sync_time=0, friend_projects=None, notify_members=True,
+                 notify_group=False):
+  """Create and return a new user record in RAM."""
+  settings = UserGroupSettings(
+      who_can_view_members=MemberVisibility(who_can_view_members_str.upper()),
+      notify_members=notify_members, notify_group=notify_group)
+  if ext_group_type_str:
+    settings.ext_group_type = GroupType(ext_group_type_str.upper())
+  settings.last_sync_time = last_sync_time
+  settings.friend_projects = friend_projects or []
+  return settings