United States Postmaster General
The Postmaster General of the United States is the chief executive officer of the United States Postal Service; Megan Brennan is the current Postmaster General.
Appointed members of the Board of Governors of the United States Postal Service select the Postmaster General and Deputy Postmaster General, who then join the Board.
| United States Postmaster General | |
|---|---|
 Seal of the former Post Office Department | |
| United States Postal Service | |
| Style | Madam Postmaster General |
| Status | Chief executive |
| Seat | 475 L'Enfant Plaza SW, Washington, D.C. |
| Appointer | Board of Governors |
| Term length | No fixed term |
| Formation | 1775 |
| First holder | Benjamin Franklin |
| Deputy | Deputy Postmaster General |
| Salary | $276,840[1] |
| Website | about.usps.com |
History
The office, in one form or another, is older than both the United States Constitution and the United States Declaration of Independence. Benjamin Franklin was appointed by the Continental Congress as the first Postmaster General in 1775, serving just over 15 months.
Until 1971, the postmaster general was the head of the Post Office Department (or simply "Post Office" until the 1820s).[2] During that era, the postmaster general was appointed by the President of the United States, with the advice and consent of the United States Senate.[3] From 1829 to 1971, the postmaster general was a member of the President's Cabinet.
The Cabinet post of Postmaster General was often given to a new President's campaign manager or other key political supporter, and was considered something of a sinecure. The Postmaster General was in charge of the governing party's patronage, and was a powerful position which held much influence within the party.
In 1971, the Post Office Department was re-organized into the United States Postal Service, an independent agency of the executive branch. Therefore, the Postmaster General is no longer a member of the Cabinet and is no longer in the line of presidential succession. The postmaster general is now appointed by nine "governors," appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate. The governors, along with the postmaster general and the deputy postmaster general, constitute the full Postal Service Board of Governors.[3][4]
The Postmaster General is the second-highest paid U.S. government official, based on publicly available salary information, after the President of the United States.[5]
Postmasters General under the Continental Congress
| Name | Date appointed |
|---|---|
| Benjamin Franklin | July 26, 1775 |
| Richard Bache | November 7, 1776 |
| Ebenezer Hazard | January 28, 1782 |
Postmasters general over the U.S. Post Office Department, 1789–1971
As non-Cabinet department, 1789–1829
| Name | State of Residence | Date appointed | President(s) served under |
|---|---|---|---|
| Samuel Osgood (pictured right) Federalist | Massachusetts | September 26, 1789 | Washington |
| Timothy Pickering Federalist | Pennsylvania[6] | August 12, 1791 | Washington |
| Joseph Habersham Independent | Georgia | February 25, 1795 | Washington, Adams, Jefferson |
| Gideon Granger Democratic-Republican Party | Connecticut | November 28, 1801 | Jefferson, Madison |
| Return J. Meigs, Jr. Democratic-Republican Party | Ohio | March 17, 1814 | Madison, Monroe |
| John McLean Democratic-Republican Party | Ohio | June 26, 1823 | Monroe, J. Q. Adams |
As cabinet department, 1829–1971
- Parties
No party Federalist Democratic-Republican Democratic Whig Republican
Postmasters General over the U.S. Postal Service, 1971–present
| Name | Date appointed[7] | President(s) served under |
|---|---|---|
| Winton M. Blount | July 1, 1971 | Nixon |
| E. T. Klassen | January 1, 1972 | Nixon, Ford |
| Benjamin F. Bailar | February 16, 1975 | Ford, Carter |
| William F. Bolger | March 15, 1978 | Carter, Reagan |
| Paul N. Carlin | January 1, 1985 | Reagan |
| Albert Vincent Casey | January 7, 1986 | |
| Preston Robert Tisch | August 16, 1986 | |
| Anthony M. Frank | March 1, 1988 | Reagan, H.W. Bush |
| Marvin Travis Runyon | July 6, 1992 | H.W. Bush, Clinton |
| William J. Henderson | May 16, 1998 | Clinton, Bush |
| John E. Potter | June 1, 2001 | Bush, Obama |
| Patrick R. Donahoe | January 14, 2011 | Obama |
| Megan Brennan | February 1, 2015 | Obama, Trump |
Note that, while the above table indicates the President under which each postmaster general served, these postmasters general were appointed by the governors of the Postal Service and not by the President.
Living former Postmasters General
As of November 2017, there are four living former Postmasters General, the oldest being Anthony M. Frank (1988–1992, born 1931). The most recent Postmaster General to die was Paul N. Carlin (1985-86), on April 25, 2018. The most recently serving Postmaster General to die was Marvin Travis Runyon (1992–2000), on May 3, 2004.
| Name | Term of office | Date of birth |
|---|---|---|
| Anthony M. Frank | 1988–1992 | May 31, 1931 |
| William J. Henderson | 1998–2001 | June 16, 1947 |
| John E. Potter | 2001–2010 | 1956 (age 62–63) |
| Patrick R. Donahoe | 2011–2015 | c. 1955 (age 63–64) |
See also
- Postmaster General (disambiguation)
- John Henninger Reagan, the only Postmaster General of the Confederate States of America
Notes
- ^ O'Keefe, Ed (May 10, 2011). "Salaries of top Postal Service executives revealed". Washington Post. Retrieved 5 September 2011.
- ^ Publication 100 – The United States Postal Service: An American History 1775–2006. United States Postal Service, May 2007. Also available in PDF format.
- ^ a b United States Postal Service. "Postmasters General". about.usps.com. Retrieved 2018-05-18.
- ^ United States Postal Service. "About the Board of Governors". about.usps.com. Retrieved 2018-05-18.
- ^ Michael B. Sauter and Jon C. Ogg. "The 10 Highest-Paid Government Jobs". 24/7WallSt.com. Retrieved 5 September 2011.
- ^ "Wayback Machine". 2 February 2017.
- ^ Since July 1, 1971, the Postmaster General has been appointed by and serves under the Board of Governors of the United States Postal Service.
External links
- Official site
- Papers of Arthur E. Summerfield, Postmaster General, 1953–1961, Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library
Albert Sidney Burleson (June 7, 1863 – November 24, 1937) was a conservative Democrat and United States Postmaster General and Representative. He is known for gaining cabinet support for instituting racial segregation in the US Post Office, which President Woodrow Wilson applied to other federal agencies.
Albert Vincent CaseyAlbert Vincent Casey (February 28, 1920 – July 10, 2004) was a United States Postmaster General, publisher of The Los Angeles Times, and an attendee of the Bohemian Grove. He received two degrees from Harvard University in 1948.
Casey was born in Arlington, Massachusetts. He served in the United States Army for four years during World War II. He served on the New York State Financial Control Board when it was first formed in 1975. He spent eight years as President of Times Mirror Company and was CEO of American Airlines from 1974 to 1985. He was a Distinguished Executive at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. He died at his home in Dallas, Texas.
Anthony M. FrankAnthony Melchior Frank (born May 31, 1931) served as the United States Postmaster General from March 1, 1988 to July 6, 1992.
Benjamin F. BailarBenjamin Franklin Bailar (April 21, 1934 – February 20, 2017) served as the United States Postmaster General from February 16, 1975 to March 15, 1978. He took office on February 16, 1975, succeeding Elmer T. Klassen. Previously, he had served as Senior Assistant Postmaster General, Chief Financial Officer, and Deputy Postmaster General.
Ebenezer HazardEbenezer Hazard (January 15, 1744 – June 13, 1817) was an American businessman and publisher. He served in a variety of political posts during and after the American Revolutionary War: as Postmaster of New York City; in 1776 as surveyor general of the Continental Post Office; United States Postmaster General where he served from 1782 to 1789.
In 1792 he published the first English translation of A Short Account of the Mohawk Indians, their Country, Language, Figure, Costume, Religion, and Government (1644), compiled from letters written by Dutch minister Johannes Megapolensis to friends about his years of ministry near present-day Albany, New York.
Frank Comerford WalkerFrank Comerford Walker (May 30, 1886 – September 13, 1959) was an American lawyer and politician. He served as the United States Postmaster General between 1940 and 1945. He also served as the chairman of the Democratic National Committee from 1943 until 1944.
Frank Hatton (U.S. politician)Frank Hatton (April 28, 1846 – April 30, 1894) was an American politician and newspaperman. He was a Union Army veteran of the American Civil War, served as United States Postmaster General, and later edited The Washington Post.
Granger, New YorkGranger is a town in Allegany County, New York, United States. The population was 538 at the 2010 census. The town was named after Francis Granger, United States Postmaster General.
The town lies on the county's northern border and is northwest of Hornell, New York.
Harry Stewart NewHarry Stewart New (December 31, 1858 – May 9, 1937) was a U.S. politician, journalist, and Spanish–American War veteran. He served as Chairman of the Republican National Committee, a United States Senator from Indiana, and United States Postmaster General.
James Campbell (postmaster general)James Campbell (September 1, 1812 – January 27, 1893) was a politician from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He served as Attorney-General of Pennsylvania and United States Postmaster General during the presidency of Franklin Pierce.
James William MarshallJames William Marshall (August 14, 1822 – February 5, 1910) was a United States Postmaster General under President Ulysses S. Grant as well as a government administrator in several capacities for presidents Lincoln, Grant, and Hayes. Marshall was the third to last surviving cabinet member of the Grant Administration.
Jesse M. DonaldsonJesse Monroe Donaldson (August 17, 1885 – March 25, 1970) was the first United States Postmaster General to have started his career as a letter carrier.
John A. GronouskiJohn Austin Gronouski, Jr. (October 26, 1919 – January 7, 1996) was the Wisconsin state commissioner of taxation and served as the United States Postmaster General from 1963 until 1965 under Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson.
John Milton NilesJohn Milton Niles (August 20, 1787 – May 31, 1856) was a lawyer, editor, author and politician from Connecticut, serving in the United States Senate and as United States Postmaster General 1840 to 1841.
Larry O'Brien Championship TrophyThe Larry O'Brien NBA Championship Trophy is the championship trophy awarded annually by the National Basketball Association (NBA) to the winner of the NBA Finals. The name of the trophy was the Walter A. Brown Trophy until 1984.
The current design, depicting a basketball over a hoop and basket, was first awarded in 1977 still under its original name, which was changed in honor of former NBA commissioner Larry O'Brien who served from 1975 to 1984. Before joining the NBA, O'Brien was the United States Postmaster General under President Lyndon B. Johnson from 1965 to 1968.
Postmaster GeneralA Postmaster General, in many countries, is the chief executive officer of the postal service of that country, responsible for oversight over all other Postmasters. The practice of having a government official responsible for overseeing the delivery of mail throughout the nation originated in England, where a Master of the Posts is mentioned in the King's Book of Payments, with a payment of £100 being authorised for Tuke as master of the posts in February 1512. Belatedly, in 1517, he was officially appointed to the office of Governor of the King's Posts, a precursor to the office of Postmaster General of the United Kingdom, by Henry VIII. In 1609 it was decreed that letters could only be carried and delivered by persons authorised by the Postmaster General.Other examples include:
Postmaster General of Canada, beginning in 1867
Postmaster-General's Department, Australia, beginning in 1901
Postmaster-General of New Zealand, 1858–1989
Postmaster General of Sri Lanka, beginning in 1815
Postmasters General of Ireland, 1784–1831
Postmaster General for Scotland, 1616–1707 then as Deputy Postmaster General for Scotland, 1710–1831
United States Postmaster General, beginning in 1775
Postmaster General of Hong Kong, beginning in 1860
Postmaster General of Army of the Republic of Nicaragua, beginning February in 1856, Colonel Alex P. Jones
Robert E. HanneganRobert Emmet Hannegan (June 30, 1903 – October 6, 1949) was a St. Louis, Missouri politician who served as Commissioner of Internal Revenue from October 1943 to January 1944. He also served as chairman of the Democratic National Committee from 1944 to 1947 and United States Postmaster General from 1945 to 1947. After his political career, in 1947, Hannegan and partner Fred Saigh purchased the St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball. But Hannegan, ill with heart disease, sold his share in the team to Saigh a few months before his death.
Thomas Lemuel JamesThomas Lemuel James (March 29, 1831 – September 11, 1916) was an American journalist, government official, and banker who served as the United States Postmaster General in 1881.
William J. HendersonWilliam J. Henderson (born June 16, 1947) served as the United States Postmaster General from May 16, 1998 to June 1, 2001.Henderson is a director of LiveRamp. His total 2010 remuneration for this role was $100,000.
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