It's Stars & Stripes (& Stamps) 'Forever' in Delray Beach

Delray Beach O-I-C Joel Ouellette presents plaque of Four Flag stamps to US Representative Ted Deutch at Fourth of July celebration.

Story & Photo:  LuAnn Warner, West Palm Beach Customer Relations Coordinator
The Four Flags stamps were sparkling on the fourth of July in Delray Beach. Joel Ouellette, Officer-In-Charge of Delray Beach spoke about the history of stamps at the Lawton Chiles Pavilion to local citizens.
The crowd was gathered on America’s holiday to celebrate the reading of the Declaration of Independence by US Representative Ted Deutch. Prior to the reading, Joel presented the Congressman with a plaque of the four stamps that represent an important theme in America’s development as a nation: Freedom, Liberty, Equality, and Justice. Joel stated that “stamps are as much an American Icon as are the flag and the Declaration of Independence.” The symbolism of the flags on the stamps clearly sparked patriotic enthusiasm in the crowd as Joel was applauded when he handed the flag stamps over to the Congressman. The red, white and blue audience recited the Pledge of Allegiance and sang along to “God Bless America.”
The Four Flags stamps were issued in 2012, as a reminder to Congress passing legislation in 1818 stating that the number of stars on the flag should match the number of states in the Union. The legislation also specified that new stars would be added to the flag on the July 4 after a state’s admission. The flag’s 50th star was added on July 4, 1960, after Hawaii became a state on August 21, 1959. Currently, the U.S. flag consists of 13 stripes and 50 stars.
Thanks to the efforts of Joel on this Independence Day, the U.S. Postal Service continued its tradition of honoring those Stars and Stripes. Also aiding in the event was Tom Noone, A/Manager, Customer Services, Delray Beach. 

(L to R) Tom Noone, A/Manager, Customer Services, Delray Beach, joined Joel Ouellette, Delray Beach O-I-C at the Fourth of July celebration.



Univision On-Air Personality Promotes Postal Products

Giselle Blondet, one of Univision’s most popular on-air personalities, is promoting postal products and services in four vignettes to be aired on the Hispanic network beginning in August.
Recently, USPS Headquarters contacted South Florida Marketing Manager Alain Iglesias to coordinate logistics for filming in a Miami Shores neighborhood.
Customer Relations Coordinator Mirtha Uriarte photographed Blondet who shared how she relies on the Postal Service to connect her loved ones near and far in each vignette.
The first vignette, featuring the Priority Mail Flat Rate, opens with commotion inside Blondet’s home office. Her assistants desperately look for a shipping box as a client has doubled an order, and there’s no time to go to the Post Office to get another box. Blondet enters the room with Priority Mail Flat Rate boxes. She explains she ordered the boxes through es.USPS.com and that her letter carrier had just delivered them to the front door. She also mentions the variety of boxes available and one flat rate depending on box size … and that their clients will know the date when they can expect their order.
The other three vignettes address the convenience of “Pay, Print, Ship” which allows consumers to ship from home on their schedule with free box delivery and free package pick up; Priority Flat Rate shipping now offering enhanced tracking and including insurance (up to $50), and the ease of preparing international service online.
Retail Manager Charisse Nadal ensured that all was “quiet on the set” during filming.

Photo Credit:  Mirtha Uriarte, Miami Customer Relations Coordinator

Hats Off to Fort Lauderdale CAP!

The Communications Ambassador Program is making a difference in Fort Lauderdale. Just ask the ambassadors who’ve been in compliance with all facets of the program and achieved 100 percent scores for four consecutive weeks.

Hats off to Lori Chomiak, Letter Carrier, Sunrise Branch; Ed Drozdowski, Manager, Customer Service Operations, Fort Lauderdale; Gloria Humphrey, Letter Carrier, Lauderridge Carrier Annex; Tony Rachel, Letter Carrier, Lauderridge Carrier Annex; Chandra Shields, Letter Carrier, Fort Lauderdale Main Office Carrier Annex; and Leona Yerks, Letter Carrier, Tamarac Branch. These employees understand that communication is the key to success in everything that we do. 

With the many changes and announcements occurring with our Postal Service today, it is more important than ever that ALL employees are current with information through postings, personal conversations, and feedback. The success of the Postal Service is directly related to employees having a clear understanding of challenges facing our business and how employees can make positive contributions.

“The Ambassador Program is excellent to communicate information that we otherwise may not hear about,” said Ambassador Chandra Shields, Fort Lauderdale Main Office Carrier Annex.

“Communicate means to share with others, and the Communications Ambassador Program allows me to share interesting information about the Postal Service with my co-workers,” said Ambassador Lori Chomiak, Sunrise Branch.

“The Ambassador Program is the best!  With so many changes and challenges, the information it provides is an awesome resolution,” said Ambassador Gloria Humphrey, Lauderridge Carrier Annex.

BSN Trio Ranks # 1 in Area

The South Florida District Business Service Network (BSN) was ranked number one in the Southern Area for the month of May.  The ranking is based on several factors:   promptly responding to inquiries, treating callers as valued customers, demonstrating ability to resolve problems, providing accurate information, and understanding each customer’s business.  Hats off to BSN Representatives Vivian Plather, Barry Stein, and Iliana Valdes who take great pride in handling over 300 managed accounts and helping their customers’ businesses grow.  In addition to handling service issues, the BSN trio keeps customers up to date on all promotions, price cases, and regulation changes. 

Happy 50th Birthday, Mr. ZIP!

Happy Birthday, Mr. ZIP! You’re half a century old this month!

The Postal Service adopted the popular cartoon figure as the trademark for the Zoning Improvement Plan or ZIP Code, which began on July 1, 1963. Immediately following the implementation of the ZIP Code system, Mr. ZIP began appearing in various forms around big cities and small towns. His likeness soon was displayed everywhere, from local Post Offices to the sides of mail delivery vehicles. It was these images of Mr. ZIP that first made him into a household name and called early attention to the ZIP Code system.

Mr. ZIP was not always postal.

Harold Wilcox, son of a letter carrier and a member of the Cunningham and Walsh advertising agency, created Mr. ZIP for use in a bank-by-mail campaign by Chase Manhattan Bank. Wilcox's design was a childlike sketch of a postman delivering a letter. The figure was used only a few times, then filed away.

The American Telephone and Telegraph Company acquired the design from the Cunningham and Walsh agency and made it available to the Post Office Department without cost. Post Office Department artists retained the face but sharpened the limbs and torso and added a mail bag.

In October 1962, the new Mr. ZIP was unveiled by the Post Office Department at a convention of Postmasters. Mr. ZIP, who has no first name, appeared in many public service announcements and advertisements urging postal customers to use the five-digit ZIP Code.

With the introduction of the nine-digit ZIP Code, or ZIP+4, in 1983, Mr. ZIP went into partial retirement. Today Mr. ZIP still is used occasionally by the Postal Service.
If you like nostalgia, learn more about the exciting life of Mr. ZIP at the Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum at http://www.postalmuseum.si.edu/zipcodecampaign/p4.html.