Full Biography for Tullio "Til" Bertini

Candidate for
Governing Board Member; San Mateo Community College District

I have been a resident of San Mateo County since 1946, when I came from Italy with my parents and settled in South San Francisco. My father died in 1947, I became the main support for my mother, working as a dishwasher and busboy. I graduated from South San Francisco High School in 1948, worked my way through college, San Mateo Junior College, San Jose State and San Francisco State, as a recreation director, sales clerk, and as grocery clerk at Brentwood Markets. I graduated from college in 1956 with a BA and MA degree and began teaching Industrial Arts at Capuchino High School in San Bruno. In 1955 I married Jeanne Daly, a Millbrae elementary school teacher. We have been married for 44 years and have two boys, Rob and Bill. I gradually became involved in teaching electricity and electronics at the high school level. In 1978 I started teaching part time at the College of San Mateo, which led to a temporary teaching assignment from 1980 to 1984.In 1984 I taught one year at San Mateo High School, then in 1985 became an Assistant Principal at Burlingame High School. I retired from education in 1990. In 1998 and in the Fall of 1999 I returned to teaching part time an electronics course at Skyline College in San Bruno. In 1959 I moved to Millbrae and became active in the community. In 1974 I created the Second Fire Station Bond Committee and became chairman of the Committee. We were able to pass the issue and build a second fire station in Millbrae. At the same time I ran for City Council and was elected. In 1978 I ran again and was re-elected, and served as Mayor for the city in 1978. In 1982 I decided not to run again because I wanted to devote more time to my family and children. A year later I applied for a position on the Planning Commission and was appointed by the City Council. Because of my experience in teaching at the College of San Mateo I wanted to be able to use some of my experience in education in a positive way, thus I decided to run for the Trustee position in 1987 and was defeated. In 1989 I ran again and was elected. I also ran for re-election in 1993 and was re=elected. I ran again in 1997 and was defeated. In 1998 I finished writing a book which was published in May 1998. The title of the book is TRAPPED IN TUSCANY, Liberated by the Buffalo Soldiers. It is the the story of my life, an American boy from Boston, being trapped in war time Italy from 1939 to 1946. I have an interest in Italian language and culture. I have taught Italian at the high school level and in evening adult school programs. I also have been active with Italian-American organizations helping to promote italian cultural activities.