Biography
Ted was born in 1946 in Santa Monica California to Mary Puntillo and Ted Puntillo Sr. The family moved to Sacramento in 1947 when Ted Sr. was released from the Army Air Corps. Ted was raised in Sacramento where he attended St. Patrick's grammer school, Christian Brothers High School, and finally graduating from Luther Burbank Senior High School in 1964. Ted attended Sacramento City College and received an AA degree in Criminal Justice in 1966. Ted worked in construction as a laborer and apprentice carpenter from 1964 to 1966. Ted also worked as a fingerprint examiner at CII from 1965 to 1966. He also attended the FBI fingerprint school, and was certified as a Fingerprint Examiner 1 in 1965.
In August of 1966 Ted enlisted in the Army and volunteered for Viet Nam duty. Ted was sent to Military Police School in Ft Gordon Ga. and then sent to the Republic of Viet Nam in May of 1967. Ted served as a Military Police Officer in Viet Nam and was in the middle of the Tet Offensive in February of 1968. In one night, February 1st, 1968 half of his platoon was killed at an ambush at BOQ 1 on the outskirts of Saigon. Ted returned home on May 14th, 1968. He was then ordered to serve the remainder of his enlistment at Ft. Hamilton in Brooklyn, New York. Ted was interviewed and selected to serve in the elite Armed Forces Police in New York City. He was promoted to Sgt E-5 and fulfilled the remainder of his tour with the Armed Forces Police in New York City. This outfit was a joint forces unit that comprised of Navy, Marines, Air Force, Army and Coast Guard Military Police, who worked jointly with the local police and the FBI investigating military crimes and apprehending AWOL soldiers.
Ted was honorably discharged in August of 1969. He received the Viet Nam Service medals, the Good Conduct medal, and several unit citations. Upon being released he immediately went to work for the US Postal Service while attending Sac State to complete his bachelor's degree. Ted graduated from Sac State in 1972. He had earned a BA in Criminal Justice. Ted wanted to be a police officer but as luck would have it, he injured his back in August of 1972 and required surgery that made him ineligible for a Police career. Ted stuck with the Postal Service, and decided to make a difference. He ran for shop steward to represent his fellow workers, and was elected by a wide margin. He then ran for Clerk Craft President of the American Postal Worker Union in Sacramento and again was elected by a landslide. Ted was reelected a second time and served two full terms representing over 2000 clerks.
Ted met his wife Joyce in 1975 at work. They were married a year later, and have been married over 25 years now.
Ted then decided to try his hand at management. He was promoted to Postal Supervisor in 1978. He performed a myriad of jobs in management, from Manager of Retail Sales, to Postmaster of Auburn California for six months. Ted has been at the Davis Post Office as Postmaster since 1981. Ted & Joyce had two daughters, April born in 1980 and Sadie born in 1983. Together with his family, Ted got heavily involved in the Davis community. Ted joined the Rotary in 1983 and has served on almost every committee they have. He has been Rotary President, and is currently chair of the Elderly Nutrition Program commonly called Meals on Wheels. He has chaired this committee for the past 3 years and a total of 5 years altogether. Ted has also chaired the Rotary Garage Sale committee, and has generated over $16,000.00 for Rotary Charities in the past three years.
Ted has always tried to make the Davis Post Office a business that is part of the community and sensitive to its needs. Ted has personally brought the Davis Post Office to National prominence. This office has received numerous awards for service and efficiently. The Postmaster General himself visited the Davis Post Office to congratulate the Postmaster and staff for doing such an outstanding job. The Davis Post Office also sponsors many community events. This is unheard of in other communities. This office also received the Green and Clean Award in the year 2000 from the City of Davis for being an environmentally conscious business. This office sponsors UCD athletics, Davis High School athletics, DDBA music program in the summer, Davis Chamber of Commerce activities, Fourth of July activities in Community Park, Yolo Hospice, and numerous other good causes to numerous to mention.
Ted has also been a Chamber member since the mid 1980's. He has supported the Chamber and local businesses since he arrived here in 1981.
Ted has been a volunteer Firefighter since 1994. In that time he has studied and become an EMT on his own time. He has also responded to hundreds of 1st alarm emergencies in this city. He has been cited by the American Red Cross with an award for life-saving for performing CPR on a woman who had collapsed from a heart attack and stopped breathing in a restaurant in Sacramento. She ultimately lived. He is currently president of the Davis Volunteer Firefighters Association and a very active volunteer firefighter. He knows first hand the requirements and needs of the Fire & Police Department.
Ted has also served on the board of the Davis Volleyball Club, and been a co-chair on the Measure U School bond measure which was successful. He has also served on the Finance Committee of Measure I, a recent school bond measure. He was the organizer & leader of the Stephanie Barba Fundraiser which raised over $30,000.00 in one month to aid the family of Stephanie Barba, a young high school student who had terminal cancer. The money helped pay for the very expensive experimental treatment that she received in Europe prior to her death. Ted currently serves on the Yolo County Transportation Advisory Board.
Recently Ted was named Rotarian of the Year for the year 2000. He was also named Davis Citizen of the Year for the year 2000. He was awarded these honors because of his huge commitment to this community through his volunteer work.
Ted is currently planning to retire after 36 years in Federal Service. His retirement date is November 30th,2001. He plans to concentrate on this campaign between December & March, and then look for other employment that would be compatible with a city council seat, if he is elected.
He now lives in the home he & his father built in 1985 on Montgomery Avenue in South Davis. He lives there with his wife Joyce, daughters April & Sadie, and his 81 year old father Ted senior. He helps his father with his "Toads of Davis" book sales, and is still working on his home. Ted's hobbies include working on his 59 Chevy Pickup, working out at 24 hour Fitness, and refinishing old furniture and antiques. Ted responds to 1st Alarm fires about once every two weeks. He loves firefighting. He spends most of his evenings now reading the numerous plans and plan updates for the city. He expects to be up on all city issues by November. He looks forward to serving the citizens of this city as a council person in March 2002.