September 14, 2012
by Kat Anderson
The Guild celebrated the long career of bookkeeper Raul Ticzon during an Italian-themed luncheon on Tuesday in the offices at 433 Natoma. Ticzon retired after 31 years on the San Francisco staff.
Ticzon began his career with newspapers when he was hired to the payroll department of the Newspaper Printing Company (the entity created by the joint operating agreement between the Chronicle and the Examiner). That was in 1975. He joined the staff of the Guild in 1981.
Tuesday’s celebration opened with greetings from The Newspaper Guild-CWA President Bernie Lunzer and Secretary-Treasurer Carol Rothman, the union’s top international officers in Washington, D.C., who were patched in by teleconference. They loomed over the plates of chicken marsala on the Guild’s new 55-inch high definition monitor, recently installed in the conference room.
“You’re at the point we all want to reach someday,” Lunzer told Ticzon, “so congratulations on your retirement.”
Membership coordinator Margo Brenes (pictured with Ticzon, above) handled the arrangements and created a festive atmosphere for the send-off. Dozens of Guild staffers, from the present and the past, joined in on congratulating Ticzon on his well-earned respite from the daily grind of number-crunching. Attendees Tuesday included former Executive Officer Doug Cuthbertson, former Treasurer George Powell, longtime staff rep Linda Frediani, Erin Tyson-Poh, and the entire San Francisco staff.
“You could not ask for a better bookkeeper than Raul,” said Carl Hall, the Guild’s current executive officer. “He can add, subtract, multiply, divide and do all kinds of other operations most of us liberal types never quite seem to master. He’s also a true supporter of this union, and all our members are truly grateful for his many years of loyal service and hard work.”
Ticzon, who hails from the Philippines, is planning to use his free time to visit his family back home, and to hang out with his four grandchildren here in the Bay Area. He also hopes to resume his championship bowling career, having started that with the paper’s bowling league many years ago.
