Veteran newspaperman Tom Vartabedian will be joined by his daughter Sonya in presenting a talk titled “Keeping Journalism in the Family” May 2 during a dinner-meeting of St. James Armenian Church Men’s Club, according to the Armenian Weekly.
Sonya (Vartabedian) Sico was recently promoted to city editor of The Newburyport Daily News, capping a career that spans nearly 25 years. In her new role, she handles a modest but energetic news staff and dictates editorial policy for this seacoast-based community north of Boston.
In addition, she edits the Newburyport Magazine, which was recently presented with a first-place award by the New England Press Association, an honor she received previously while editing the social and features section of her paper.
Vartabedian-Sico is a 1988 honors graduate of Northeastern University, Boston, where she interned at some of the leading papers throughout Greater Boston and the North Shore. Her first job was with The Haverhill Gazette where her dad, long-time Armenian journalist, spent four decades before retiring in 2006.
Both received their early training serving as correspondents with the Armenian Youth Federation, reporting on chapter activities as teenagers.
During his four-plus decades with The Haverhill Gazette, Tom Vartabedian received a number of awards from the Associated Press, United Press International and New England Press Association. He still contributes a weekly column five years after retiring.
He was inducted as a master member into the NEPA and remains occupied corresponding for Armenian papers throughout the country, including The Armenian Weekly where he has remained attached for 50 years.
Last year he received the Merrimack Valley Distinguished Citizen Award presented by the Boy Scouts of America marking its centennial of Scouting.
He has taught Armenian School at St. Gregory Church in North Andover over 30 years and shares his free time presenting genocide lectures to high schools throughout the North Shore as part of the Merrimack Valley Genocide Curriculum Committee.
He is also a member of the Lowell ARF Committee, Armenian National Committee of Merrimack Valley and Armenian Genocide Commemorative Committee of Merrimack Valley.
