President's Message

August 8, 2006
Charles Mapa, President

Greetings Fellow Postmasters and LEAGUE Members

Transition … LEAGUE Leadership

Fellow Leaguers,

I am excited to be writing my first column to you as the President of the National League of Postmasters! I’m just back from the National Convention in Nashville, Tennessee, where, according to everyone I spoke to, a tremendous convention was had by all. We had about 140 first timers, who each had an opportunity to have his picture taken with our Postmaster General Jack Potter. What a thrill for all who participated in that event! Postmaster General Potter publicly thanked our Past National President Steve LeNoir not only for the leadership he had provided the LEAGUE, but also the leadership and example he provided the entire Postal Service. I’m sure that Steve will not find the famous Horatio Post Office the same place that he left. Postal Service technology has invaded that sleepy little town in South Carolina. I only hope that he has enough electrical outlets to run it all! Steve told me that his PMR of many years has been a real trooper. While she was born before the computer generation, she did not let that stop her. During Steve’s four-year absence, she conquered the computer and everything else the Postal Service sent her way. Also leaving the National Board are Executive Vice President Bob Frakes, Postmaster of Clinton, Missouri, and National Vice President O’B Rock, Postmaster of Albion, Rhode Island. I was in the trenches with them on the National Board during some tough times and know that we all owe them a tremendous debt of gratitude for their great problem solving skills. I miss them already!

As your new president, I am comforted by the very strong board you have elected. I have worked with, or have close associations with each of them. New to the board this year, besides myself, are Bob Bittner from New York and Deb Egemo from Indiana. They both bring tremendous postal knowledge and energy to our board. A spirited election for executive vice president prompted four committed national vice presidents to step forward, hoping to be elected. When the dust settled, it was clear that Mark Strong from Arizona would be our new Executive VP. The LEAGUE is in good hands! We’ve already put the election behind, in true LEAGUE spirit, and are gelling into the team that will lead this organization into the future.

We’ve realized that the future is here. In just days, I will select a new National Editor. Many thanks to Jana Tuck from Michigan who served well in that position for the last four years. Our new editor will have fresh, newly defined duties, and we will expect many innovations from that person.

All the craft unions will be commencing pay negotiations in August, and the management associations will likely follow with pay consultations soon. Your LEAGUE pay talks team will be Steve LeNoir, Mark Strong, and myself. Steve and I were part of the pay talks team last year, and Mark has become an expert in NPA. I’m confident that we will represent all Postmasters effectively this year in pay consultations. Postal Headquarters leaders have hinted that health benefits might be on the table this year, and the Work Service Credits issue has still not been resolved. We will have our work cut out for us!

Legislatively, it has been a big year. Congress has recessed and it looks as if postal reform, according to Bob Brinkmann, our talented legislative consultant, it may die on the vine. Speaking of legislation, our National Legislative Committee Chair of many years, Joe Gerace, will be stepping down. Joe’s name has become synonymous with legislation and I must chuckle a little thinking about Joe, “the PAC man,” in front of the National Convention and at Forum putting the squeeze on Postmasters for PAC funds. Thank you so much, Joe. By the time you read this article, I will have selected a new chair to the National Legislative Committee.

We’ve had good news on the membership front. The National Membership Committee, chaired by Marge Oehlke from Wisconsin, had a busy, productive year. Thanks to the hard work of the committee, and so many others from around the country, we finished the convention year in the black, membership-wise. Top signer? No surprise to me that it was that member-signing juggernaut, Linda Rumney, National Secretary/Treasurer from West Virginia and last year’s Eagle Award winner. Congratulations, Linda on the repeat! The membership team has generated tremendous energy and looks forward to another successful year. We can all help them by signing a member or two ourselves. Thank you, Marge, for your great leadership on this very important committee.

One of the convention highlights came on the banquet night when Wesley Gordon, Postmaster of Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin, was announced as National Postmaster of the Year. One would have thought that Wisconsin Branch had just won the World Cup Soccer Championship as they tightly circled Wes in jubilant celebration. Wes, you done us all proud! Congratulations to each Branch Postmaster of the Year.

At our National Convention, I promised a bright future for the LEAGUE. I do see a bright future for the LEAGUE. My optimism is based on my faith, the tremendous Postmasters that make up the LEAGUE, and the dynamite National Board that you have elected. I hope that you see great changes in how the LEAGUE operates. I hope that you develop a deep appreciation for all that the LEAGUE does for Postmasters and for all the benefits we have to offer. My door is always open to any of you, just as it has always been to the President’s office at LEAGUE Headquarters. Today is Tuesday; Gwen and I arrived home from the National Convention just three days ago. We are doing some last minute packing. My good friend Rod Rodinsky, retired Past President of the California Branch, has offered to help reduce the burden of moving for us by driving our fifth-wheel trailer (which we’ve been living in for two years) 600-plus miles to Arizona where we’ll park it for the time that we are serving you in Washington D.C. Long-time Postmaster friend David Nelson and his wife, Susie, have already taken our cat for us. The LEAGUE is full of people like Rod and David and Susie who just show up when you most need them. Our dog is with our son, our Dodge pickup to my brother-in-law’s. I turn over my Gold Run Post Office accountability soon. Friday is my last day in my post office after 21 years there as Postmaster. My community will bid me “aloha” on Saturday at a big town barbecue. Sunday, it’s goodbye to Saint Dominic Catholic Church where Gwen and I have been active for 25 years. Sunday night we’ll spend with my daughter, Brenna, son-in-law, Alex, and our grandchildren. Monday morning it will all be in the rear view mirror as we embark on our new life and begin our 2,500-mile journey to Alexandria, Virginia. Let the adventure begin!

--Charles Mapa, LEAGUE President