1. FINNY JACOB
17008,Prestwick Circle,Edmond,Oklahoma 73012,USA
Email:finnyjacob@gmail.com | Mobile: 405-657 0312
PROFILE Trained practitioner in inter-government,political,and public relations with 21 years of
experience in US GovernmentService working together with the state governments and civil
society groups ofsouthern India.Strengths include analytical writing, advocacy, government
liaison, eventmanagement,team leadership, newsroom management,and mass media
relations
EXPERIENCE POLITICAL/ECONOMIC SPECIALIST, U.S. CONSULATE GENERAL, CHENNAI, INDIA
FROM MAY 1993-NOVEMBER 2014
Responsibilities included establishing and maintaining contacts with senior government
leaders in South India; Advocacy consultation; Monitoring,analyzing and reporting political
and economic developments ofregional and national importance;Managing diplomatic and
public outreach programs ofvisiting senior US Governmentofficials in South India
CHIEF SUB-EDITOR/CHIEF REPORTER, MALAYALA MANORAMA, KERALA
1981-1993
Joined the Malayala Manorama,one of India’s largest-selling newspapers,as Editorial
Trainee in 1981;moved up as Sub-Editor, Senior Sub-Editor/Senior Reporter,and Chief
Sub Editor/ChiefReporter.Edited the Weekend Magazine, worked as Main-Desk Chief,
Editor of the Year Book, and Officiating News Editor at the state capital for six years. On
special assignments covered national elections,interviewed political leaders,and led
reporting teams on major events
EDUCATION/
TRAINING
CMS COLLEGE, KOTTAYAM / KERALA UNIVERSITY (1980)
M.A. (ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE)
(Three-year Bachelors Program and a tw o-year Master’s Program. Was College topper for B.A.)
BHARATIYA VIDYA BHAVAN, KOCHI, KERALA (1981)
POST GRADUATE DIPLOMA IN JOURNALISM
WESTMINSTER PRESS CENTER, UNITED KINGDOM (1982)
Short term Course in New spaper Design
FOREIGN SERVICE INSTITUTE, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, ARLINGTON,
VIRGINIA
Tw o training programs on Political Tradecraft for Foreign Service Nationals (2004 and 2010)
AWARDS AND
PRIZES
 Three individual Meritorious Honor Awards from the DepartmentofState (1995, 2000,
and 2003
 One Mission Honor Award from the U.S. Ambassador in India (2014)
 Two Group Meritorious Honor Awards,Departmentof State (2007,2014)
 One Group Superior Honor Award, Departmentof State (2012)
 Kerala State Journalism Award for the “BestReporter of the Year-1992”
 Harry Brittain Fellowship ofthe Commonwealth Press Union (1992)