US Postmaster General and CEO of the US Postal Service, John Potter, will retire on December 3after nearly 10 years as head of the world’s largest postal operator and after 32 years of service
with the organisation.Patrick Donahoe, currently Deputy Postmaster General and Chief Operating Officer, has been namedby the Governors of the Postal Service to succeed Potter.
During his decade at the helm, Potter embarked on transforming the USPS into a modernorganisation. He modernised management, introduced long-term, strategic thinking necessary in acomplex and changing marketplace, and transformed the Postal Service into a service-drivencustomer-focused and cost-sensitive organisation.
His main accomplishments include eliminating more than $20 billion in costs during the last 10years, with cumulative savings of more than $50 billion; building a leaner, more flexible workforceand increasing efficiency and productivity through technology and the expansion of automation inmail processing and delivery; and creating a 10-year action plan that is a blueprint for necessaryoperational, legislative and regulatory changes to the current business model to ensure a viablePostal Service for decades to come.
Potter expressed his pride in the performance of the men and women of the Postal Service, sayingits accomplishments resulted from the thousands of employees who dedicated themselves to meetingcustomer needs in a rapidly changing technological and communications environment. “I fullyappreciate their support in maintaining the tradition of trust that dates back to Benjamin Franklinand the founding of our nation. It is our people that define our organisation and it is theirdedication and sense of purpose that drives our business.”
Louis J. Giuliano, Board of Governors chairman, noted Potter’s many accomplishments in thankingthe Postmaster General for his years of service. “You have been a steadying and far-sighted leaderthroughout a period of dynamic change in America’s use of the mail and during times of economicuncertainty,” he said. “The hallmark of your success was your ability to build respectfulrelationships with all stakeholders, customers and employees that built a trusted level ofcredibility. We unreservedly regard your tenure as one of great accomplishment.”
Donahoe, currently Deputy Postmaster General, will become the 73rd Postmaster General inDecember. Potter credits Donahoe and his entire service team with regularly exceeding demandingperformance goals and setting new records for on-time delivery and operational efficiency.
Donahoe began his career as a clerk in Pittsburgh in 1975, and in 2001, became responsible forall facets of mail operations, including processing delivery, retail, engineering, transportationand facilities. He has served in a variety of senior management positions in operations and humanresources before becoming Deputy Postmaster General in 2005.
Giuliano cited Donahoe’s outstanding performance as one of the main reasons the Board choseDonahoe to build on the Postal Service’s achievements and lead the organization through a changingbusiness environment.
Donahoe said he appreciated the confidence of the governors in naming him the next PostmasterGeneral. “Our challenge going forward is to implement the ambitious plan now in place to assure thecontinued viability of the Postal Service in fulfilling its mission of providing reliable,self-supporting, universal mail service to our nation. While we are confronted by challenges, I amconfident we will succeed,” he declared.
