Irwin S. `Bick' Bickson, 81; Held First Budget Rent a Car Franchise

Services and burial for Irwin S. "Bick" Bickson, 81, a Chicagonative who was the first franchisee of Budget Rent a Car Corp., wereheld Wednesday in Hawaii.

He died Saturday in Queen's Medical Center, Honolulu.

Mr. Bickson spent more than 20 years here after graduating fromthe University of Chicago Law School. Most the time, he operated achain of currency exchanges. Earlier, he was a driving force ingetting state-regulated currency exchanges established in Illinois inanswer to a number of bank closings during the Depression.

He was awarded Budget's first franchise in 1959 and ran thebusiness from a downtown Chicago location for two years. During thatperiod, he made a number of personal and business trips to Hawaii,then decided to relocate there.

Mr. Bickson sold his Chicago operation but remained with Budgetby opening up another franchise in Hawaii. For the next decade, heand his wife, Joan, established Budget Rent a Car as the No. 1 rentalfirm on the islands.

He sold his franchise to Budget in the early 1970s, though hestayed with it as managing director of the Hawaii operation. Hiswife was director of operations and human resources for Budget, apost she still holds.

In 1985, he joined Budget International. His new role requiredtraveling across the country and abroad, passing on his operating andmarketing techniques to Budget operators and employees. He was stillactive until his death.

Mr. Bickson was involved in a number of civic pursuits,including serving as chairman of the board of the Hawaii VisitorsBureau.

Besides his wife, he leaves three sons, Martin, Raymond andMichael; four daughters, Sharon Blakely, Diane Just, Beth Milici andNalani; nine grandchildren, and a great-granddaughter.