Paul Jacobs to Receive Outstanding Alumni Award From MSU

RADIO ONLINE | Thursday, April 15, 2021

Paul Jacobs

Michigan State University's school of Communication, Arts and Sciences has announced Paul Jacobs, Vice President/General Manager of Jacobs Media and President of jacapps, is a recipient of its Outstanding Alumni Award. Jacobs is one of five MSU graduates receiving the honor at the school's annual Alumni Awards Celebration Program, which will be held virtually on May 20. Since the award's inception in 1949, only 229 alumni (out of more than 55,000 graduates) have been so honored.

"When I attended MSU, I was probably one of the more unlikely people who would ever have been considered for this award," observed Jacobs. "It took me a while to figure out what I wanted to do with my life, but the University afforded me the opportunity to find my true love - radio - and this launched my career. I will be forever grateful to MSU for providing the resources and inspiration that set my career on its proper path and empowered me to have an impact on my industry. I'm also particularly proud of the fact that I will be joining my brother, Fred, who received this same honor in 2012."

A graduate in 1976 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Advertising, Jacobs has gone on to have an impactful career in broadcasting, beginning his journey in radio sales at Detroit stations WNIC and WRIF, before becoming a General Manager of stations in Dallas and Detroit (WDFX, The Fox).

In 1991, Jacobs joined his brothers Fred and Bill at Jacobs Media, a consulting and research company for the radio industry. The company has focused on the growth and transformation of the radio industry through its numerous initiatives, including the DASH Conference, its engagement with the Consumer Electronics Show, public and Christian radio and more.

Fred Jacobs commented, "Paul has been a shining example of the spirit and commitment to excellence he first experienced in the old TV/Radio Department at MSU. From the Union Building to becoming a highly-regarded media thought leader - it's been a great run."

In 2008, Jacobs Media launched jacapps, now one of the largest mobile applications development firms in the U.S. Paul Jacobs serves as its President and "guiding light," leading the company through the development of more than 1,300 mobile applications for radio stations and other brands throughout the world.

Jacobs was inducted into the Michigan Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2016 and received the Conclave's Rockwell Award in 2019.