Author: Finn J. D. John

Finn J.D. John (finnjohn.com or @offbeatoregon on Twitter) is from Oregon”s north Willamette Valley and is a graduate of Central Catholic High School in southeast Portland. Since 2008, Finn, a longtime newspaper reporter and editor, has produced a weekly syndicated column titled “Offbeat Oregon History, ” which is published in thirteen different Oregon community newspapers around the state. Finn teaches new media communications at Oregon State University and is a public historian by avocation. He maintains a website at www.offbeatoregon.com as both a public history resource and a laboratory in which to experiment with trans-media franchise building and social media tools. Currently the “Offbeat Oregon” franchise includes a daily RSS news feed and iTunes podcast feed optimized for smartphone use, an active Facebook page and a Twitter feed; future plans include an Instagram account and a YouTube channel. He is currently working on a narrative nonfiction book about ex-president and former Oregonian Herbert Hoover, who, before becoming the most hated president of the twentieth century, saved the entire nation of Belgium from starving to death during World War II. Finn lives near Albany with his wife, Natalie, and son, Nathaniel.