Nampa, Idaho, (June 29, 2017) — Pacific Press^® has been blessed by many long-term employees over the years and the longest-serving employee is Paul B. Ricchiuti. He started in 1955, as a design and layout artist for Pacific Press^® in Mountain View, California. He spent a decade working as an illustrator/designer with Arthur S. Maxwell, editor of Signs of the Times^®. In its 143 year history, Pacific Press^® has had 16 presidents. Paul served under eight of them. He turns 92, next week, on the 4th of July, and still volunteers as the archivist and curator of the Pacific Press^® museum.

A man of many talents, Paul is a renowned oil painter who specializes in western-themed artwork. He is also an award-winning author, mostly of children's books, and is the recipient of the Certificate of Merit from International Authors and Writers Who's Who, Cambridge, England, 1986, and the Distinguished Leadership Award from the American Biographical Institute for Outstanding Service to the Literary Profession. He credits Arthur S. Maxwell for his success, and says, "He gave me a love of words."

At a chapel held in his honor this past Monday, Paul regaled coworkers with stories from the past that included the time he was sent to gather some memento from the original Pacific Press^® building in Oakland after it had burned down. Paul, a gifted storyteller, recounted that a portion of window frame fell down onto the ground from where he picked it up, still smoldering. An on-duty police officer told him to put it down. When Paul explained that he'd been sent by Pacific Press^® in Mountain View, the officer gave him a hard hat and took him through the building and encouraged him to take whatever he wanted.

"It's a real honor," says Dale Galusha, president of Pacific Press^®, "to have had Paul working here for the past 60 years. He is a reminder to us all, of our history, our heritage, our hope, and our mission."