President Leo A. Falcam

Parent Category: Government Former Presidents

Leo A. Falcam was the Fifth President of the Federated States of Micronesia. Often referred to as the Veteran, President Falcam may be one of the last of the 'leadership' that established the footing for Micronesian's progress towards sovereignty and self-governance.
 
Born during the period of Japanese era in Micronesia, President Falcam was raised in an environment of restriction and discipline which may have contributed to his 'no-nonsense, decisive' form of leadership.
 
The President's educational background began during the Japanese administration and continued under the administration of the US Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (TTPI), as a scholarship recipient to the University of Hawaii where he graduated in 1962 with a Bachelor Degree in Sociology.
 
After graduating from UH, President Falcam, taught briefly in Pohnpei before joining the US TTPI Government in 1962, at the Headquarters in Saipan, as a Political Affairs Officer for the TTPI High Commissioner.
 
In 1964, President Falcam was appointed Assistant District Administrator for Ponape District. The following year, he left for Princeton University in New Jersey, where he completed his gradute program at the Woodrow Wilson School in the field of Public Administration and International Affairs.
 
In 1966, President Falcam returned to the TTPI Administration as an Executive Officer under the Office of the High Commissioner. In his capacity as Executive Officer under the Office of the High Commissioner. In his capacity as Executive Officer, President Falcam became the first Micronesian to serve as acting High Commissioner for the TTPI.
 
In 1972, President Falcam became the first native District Administrator for Ponape District. He served during the Micronesia island's transition from TTPI's Administration to independence and self governance.
 
In 1975, President Falcam chaired the Pohnpei Delegation to the Micronesian Islands Constitutional Convention, which identified the plurality of the Micronesian islands as separate nations. He is among the framers of the navigational instrument of the Nation's political course, the FSM Constitution.
 
After serving as District Administrator for Ponape, President Falcam in 1976, was assigned to establish and head the Micronesia/Washington Office in DC.
 
Following the formation of the Federated States of Micronesia, President Falcam returned to the newly established Government and became on May 1979, the first elected Governor of the new State of Pohnpei.
 
In 1983, the newly established Pohnpei State held it's Constitutional Convention and elected President Falcam as Chairman of the Convention.
 
In 1984, President Falcam was appointed as the nation's first Post Master General, a position he served until his election to the Fifth FSM Congress in 1987, as Pohnpei States' Senator at large.
 
As a freshman in Congress, he had concurrent vice-chairmanship on the Committees of Judiciary and Governmental Operations; and Health, Education and Social Affairs and a member of External Affairs Committee.
 
He chaired the National Capital Development sub-committee during the Sixth FSM Congress and served on the following committees: Judiciary and Governmental Operations and Health, Education & Social Affairs in the Sixth FSM Congress.
 
President Falcam served the Eight and Ninth Congress, as vice-chairman of the Committee on the External Affairs and was a member of the committees on Resources and Development and Judiciary and Governmental Operations.
 
President Falcam's extensive public sector involvement include service as President of the FSM Bank; member of the Bank's Board of Directors; member of the Pohnpei Agriculture and Trade School Board of Trustees and the PATS PEACE Foundation.
 
On May 1997, ten years to the date of his election to Congress, President Falcam was elected the fourth Vice President of the Federated States of Micronesia.
 
Two years later, on May 11, 1999, Leo A. Falcam was seated as the Fifth President of the Federated States of Micronesia.
 
In January 2001, President Falcam was elected Chairman of the Standing Committee for the Pacific Islands Conference of Leaders. A Conference of Heads of Governments from 21 Pacific Islands Nations.