WATERTOWN, Mass.—Veteran newspaperman Tom Vartabedian will be joined by his daughter Sonya in presenting a talk titled “Keeping Journalism in the Family” on May 2 during a dinner-meeting of the St. James Armenian Church Men’s Club.
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.
The magazine gained top national honors with Community Newspapers, Inc., one of the leading newspaper ownerships throughout the country.
The Newburyport News is a sister publication of the Pulitzer Prize-winning paper the Eagle-Tribune, which covers more than 20 cities and towns in Merrimack Valley and southern New Hampshire.
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 Weekly columnist, spent four decades before retiring in 2006.
Both received their early training serving as correspondents with the Armenian Youth Federation (AYF), reporting on chapter activities as teenagers.
She and husband Pat—a former sports correspondent—reside in nearby Amesbury.
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.
His hobbies include photography, racquetball, mountain climbing, and sailing.
He is married to the former Nancy Yeghoian, a retired schoolteacher, and they live in Haverhill. Together, they enjoy three children and five grandchildren, with another on the way.
The presentation will take place inside Keljik Hall at the Charles Mosesian Cultural and Youth Center, on 465 Mount Auburn St., beginning at 6:15 with a social hour and mezza, dinner (losh kebab and kheyma) at 7 p.m., followed by the program. Cost is $12; ladies welcome. For more information, contact Bob Semonian, chairman of the speakers committee at (617) 923-0727 or bobsemonian@comcast.net.
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