Dan Cirucci: Stu Bykofsky: A One-Of-A-Kind Philly Character

Sunday, June 24, 2012

Stu Bykofsky: A One-Of-A-Kind Philly Character

Stu Bykofsky is a Philadelphia treasure.
Stu Bykofsky has been a columnist with the Philadelphia Daily News since 1987.

Prior to the column, his assignments included theater critic, TV critic, copy editor and general assignment features reporter.

Stu is a native of New York City but you'd never know it. His love of Philadelphia is so true and so relentless that you could swear he was born and raised on one of Philly's neighborhood street corners.

As a journalist, Stu's writing is in the tradition of Damon Runyon and H. L. Mencken. He can be outraged, funny, fearless, irascible, profane, compassionate or provocative at any given moment -- and sometimes all of these things at once. To be sure, he does not mince words.

It should come as no surprise that Stu has won numerous public service and journalism awards. His professional affiliations include the Society of Professional Journalists, the National Society of Newspaper Columnists and Philadelphia's Pen and Pencil Club. And he supports civil-rights, human-rights and animal causes.

He's been at the Daily News for 40 years now* and on Friday evening at the behest of Daily News columnist Dan Gross and Steve Esack of the Allentown Morning Call (both Bykofsky proteges) a group of Stu's friends gathered at Philly's Pen & Pencil Club to salute him.

It was a wonderful evening -- full of funny stories, warm memories and keen observations on the state of journalism in general and the newspaper business (such as it is) in particular.

Since Stu is an animal lover also on hand were some traveling treasures from the Philadelphia Zoo including a snake, a lizard and a wise old owl.

We hope you enjoy these photos from a unique evening -- a happy collection of animals (human and otherwise) who are part of the legion of Stu's avid admirers.

*BTW: Stu assures us that he'll keep on writing just as long as the Daily News keeps on publishing. Buy the paper!

Stu Bykofsky (left) Steve Esack and Dan Gross (right).

Stu with a mock Daily News front page saluting his 40 years.

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About Dan Cirucci

He's been cited by the late Rush Limbaugh, quoted in the New York Times, featured at Real Clear Politics and Lucianne.com and interviewed across all media.

He's Dan Cirucci, the founder and editor-in chief of the Dan Cirucci Blog, a Save Jersey blog columnist, frequent guest on the Matt Rooney radio show and one of the most widely honored public relations professionals in his field. He's also been a public relations consultant to numerous organizations and individuals and hosted The Advocates on RVN-TV.

Inducted into the Philadelphia Public Relations Hall of Fame, for many years he served as a Lecturer in Corporate Communication at Penn State University. A former President of the Philadelphia Public Relations Association (PPRA) he has lectured at Rowan University, Temple University, The College of New Jersey and Arcadia University. He has conducted workshops on public relations for thousands of participants throughout the nation and has taught countless others the art of public speaking. He has also advised numerous lawyers, judges, public officials and political candidates.

Cirucci is a prolific writer and his op-ed pieces have appeared in the Philadelphia Daily News, Philadelphia Inquirer, Courier-Post, Broad and Liberty and other print and online platforms.

A native of Camden NJ, Cirucci is a former President of the Philadelphia chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators. Cirucci served as Associate Executive Director of the Philadelphia Bar Association for nearly 30 years. He served as Chair of Penn State University's Professional Advisory Board for the Corporate Communication major at Penn State Abington and on the Pennsylvania Bar Association's Judicial Selection Commission.

He received his MA degree from Rowan University and his BA from Villanova University. He has been named a Distinguished Alumnus of Rowan's public relations program and received the E. A. "Wally" Richter Leadership Award, the highest honor from the National Association of Bar Executives' Communications Section. He has also been honored by numerous other local, state and national groups.

In his hometown of Camden, Cirucci taught fifth grade at the Ulysses Wiggins Elementary School named for the founder of the Camden NAACP. There he was one of the first teachers in the country to teach African-American history to inner city students. He later served as editor of a local weekly newspaper, as Assistant to the Township Manager of Cherry Hill Township and as Associate Director of Communications at the New Jersey State Bar Association.

Cirucci's passions include all things Italian, politics, the popular culture, books and authors, art, communication, music, theatre, movies, dining and travel.

He and his wife Carole have two grown children and seven grandchildren.

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