SAN LUIS OBISPO – Paul Cousineau, a longtime executive with Dow Jones & Company, was named 2009 Honored Alumnus in the College of Liberal Arts at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.
 
The director of Innovation and Continuous Improvement at Dow Jones, Cousineau is recognized nationally as a leading executive in the printing and publishing industry, including manufacturers of supplies, systems and equipment. He has been instrumental in the technical advances and improvements to Dow Jones publications The Wall Street Journal and Barron's since graduating from Cal Poly's Graphic Communication Department in 1985.
 
Cousineau was selected Honored Alumnus based on professional achievements, community service, contributions to his field of endeavor and his commitment to help Cal Poly prepare work-ready graduates in the graphic communication industry.
 
"My experiences at Cal Poly provided a foundation that I have been able to build upon throughout my career," Cousineau said. "Cal Poly's philosophy of 'learn by doing' is the key. If students embrace this methodology while in college and during their careers, there is no doubt they will succeed. To this day, I continue to stretch the boundaries of what I do by getting in there and learning something new. It keeps me fresh and relevant in an ever-changing environment."
 
Cousineau's selection for this prestigious honor is particularly noteworthy because it was made by diverse array of educators across a broad spectrum of disciplines, said Harvey Levenson, Cal Poly's Graphic Communication department head.
 
"This group recognized that the focus of Dow Jones' business is interdisciplinary, embracing fields such as communications, technology, graphics, journalism, writing and publishing," Levenson said. "Paul Cousineau has influenced the best practices in the industry as he helped Dow Jones improve communication through effective print technology."
 
Cousineau serves on Cal Poly's Graphic Communication Department advisory board. He has supported research and student development through his role on the board of directors of the Technical Association of the Graphic Arts (TAGA), where he is executive vice president. He served as the Newspaper Association of America (NAA) Printing Technology Committee chairman through August 2008 and has spoken at various events for NAA over the years, including Nexpo and Superconference conventions. Cousineau is also a member of the SNAP Committee (Standards for Newspaper Advertising Production). He is active in Lions Clubs International and serves in various capacities at the state, district and club level.
 
Honored Alumnus is the highest distinction a university places on one of its graduates.