Mr. Joseph Melookaran, of Overland Park, Kansas, is a Certified Public Accountant and President of JMA Chartered, an accounting and information technology firm headquartered in Kansas. Mr. Melookaran began his career in Bombay, India with Coopers and Lybrand International before emigrating to the United States in 1983 where he established his accounting firm.

Mr. Melookaran holds several leadership positions in several community organizations including Chairman of the Asian American Chamber of Commerce of Kansas City and First Vice President of the International Relations Council. He also serves as a member of the Executive Committee of the Minority Business Advisory Program of Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, and Advisory Council member of First National Bank.

Mr. Melookaran's firm has received numerous awards including the "2004 Top Ten Small Business" from the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, the "2003 Professional Service Firm of the Year" from the City of Kansas City, Missouri Small Business Division, "Supplier of the Year 2004" from the Minority Supplier Council of Kansas City, and the "Top 25 Minority Owned Business" and "Top 25 Technology Firm" from the Kansas City Business Journal. He is also the Paul Harris Fellow of the Rotary International Foundation. Mr. Melookaran received a Bachelor of Arts in Business from Kerala University, India.