Late last night, the USPS Board of Governors announced that it has selected Louis DeJoy of Greensboro, NC to serve as the next Postmaster General and Chief Executive Officer of the U.S. Postal Service. Dejoy will replace Megan Brennan, who retires after more than three decades of dedicated USPS employment, including more than five years as PMG.

Louis DeJoy is a former business executive with 35 years of experience in the fields of transportation and logistics. As Chairman and CEO of New Breed Logistics, DeJoy’s company spent decades serving as a subcontractor for the Postal Service, as well as other public and private companies, providing supply chain logistics, program management, and transportation support. New Breed’s contracts with the Postal Service have included various deals to privatize mail processing work previously done by Mail Handlers and other postal employees. Several years ago, New Breed merged with XPO Logistics, which continues to perform subcontracted work from the Postal Service (e.g., mail handler work at the STC in Salt Lake City).

Upon his appointment, the BOG praised Dejoy’s experience and issued a statement acknowledging the importance of the critical public service role of the USPS, and the urgent need to strengthen it for future generations. And Dejoy simultaneously issued a statement praising postal employees: “Having worked closely with the Postal Service for many years, I have a great appreciation for this institution and the dedicated workers who faithfully execute its mission. I look forward to working with the supporters of the Postal Service in Congress and the Administration to ensure the Postal Service remains an integral part of the United States government. Postal workers are the heart and soul of this institution, and I will be honored to work alongside them and their unions. It will be an incredible honor to serve as Postmaster General, and I commit myself to upholding the Postal Service’s cherished role in our nation,” said Mr. DeJoy.

At the same time, Dejoy’s appointment is undoubtedly a reflection of the Trump Administration’s attempt to influence future postal operations. DeJoy is known as a Republican mega donor, holding several fundraisers in his home for President Trump, Vice President Pence, and other politicians; in 2016 alone, DeJoy gave more than $400,000 to Trump campaign funds and the 2017 inaugural committee. DeJoy’s wife, Dr. Aldona Wos, is vice-chair of the President’s Commission on White House Fellowships, and recently was nominated as U.S. Ambassador to Canada.

The question presented, therefore, is whether PMG DeJoy will use his obvious experience in postal logistics to preserve and grow the Postal Service as a unique and thriving public institution, or whether the new PMG will seek to use his position and authority to try to implement the misguided goals of the Trump Administration that are aimed at privatizing and ultimately destroying the Postal Service. The NPMHU looks forward to having a productive relationship with Postmaster General DeJoy while we jointly work to return the Postal Service to sound financial footing while maintaining its status as one of the most trusted agencies of the Federal Government. As always, the NPMHU will hope for the best while planning for the worst.

Welcome to the Postal Service, General DeJoy.

source: NPMHU