Now Serving Celebrity Chefs Stamps

The Postal Service has cooked up a feast of 20 million Limited Edition Forever stamps featuring Celebrity Chefs — James Beard, Joyce Chen, Julia Child, Edna Lewis and Edward (Felipe) Rojas-Lombardi — who revolutionized the nation’s understanding of food.  By integrating international ingredients and recipes with American cooking techniques and influence, these chefs introduced new foods and flavors to the American culture.

On Wednesday, October 1 at 6 p.m., South Florida’s very own celebrity --- Chef Allen (Susser), Julia Child’s friend and colleague --- will prepare one of her legendary desserts at a stamp dedication at Books and Books at 265 Aragon Avenue in Coral Gables. The dedication and dessert-tasting event will take place in the terrace where Celebrity Chefs stamps may be purchased. (This is an off-the-clock event for postal employees.)

About Chef Allen …

Chef Allen comes from a family heritage rich with celebrating life through food. The impact was so deeply interesting that he made an early commitment to his career goal in the Culinary Arts.

Chef Allen pursued classical cooking techniques from opportunities and fulfilled a personal goal with tenure in the kitchens of Le Bristol Hotel in Paris and Le Cirque Restaurant in New York. He chose Miami to blaze his own signature and forge his career. 

The James Beard Foundation's Best Chef Award is among his many culinary accolades.

Hispanic Heritage Month

The Postal Service honored Hispanic American musician Lydia Mendoza with a stamp last year. 

Hispanic Heritage Month, when the nation honors Hispanic Americans who have made valuable contributions to society, is September 15-October 15.

This year’s theme: “Hispanics: A Legacy of History, a Present of Action, and a Future of Success.”
Hispanics, the nation’s fastest growing ethnic group, comprise 17 percent of the population, or 53 million people. Thirty-eight million are Spanish-speaking Hispanic Americans, making the United States home to the largest number of Spanish speakers outside of Mexico.

The Postal Service has more than 57,000 employees of Hispanic descent.  

Lights, Camera, Action! USPS Seeks Employees for Holiday Commercial

Lights, camera, action!

The Postal Service is seeking employees to appear in a TV commercial for this year’s holiday season.

The commercial will be similar to a 2013 holiday spot that showcased employees as the cornerstone of the Postal Service. This sentiment will also be part of the new commercial, along with a message about how USPS employees are preparing for their busiest season.

All city letter carriers, mail handlers, retail and mail processing clerks, and maintenance bargaining unit employees are welcome to audition. No prior acting experience is required.

Here’s how to apply:

• Create a video of yourself, with your name, job description, how long you’ve been with the Postal Service, and why you want to be in the new commercial. Your video doesn’t need to be professional, but make sure you can be clearly seen and heard.
• Upload your video, and complete the online form with some important information to help the Postal Service learn more about you.
• Hit “Submit” to make sure your video is reviewed.

If applying from your home computer, you’ll need to access LiteBlue (liteblue.usps.gov). You'll need your Employee ID and USPS Self Service Password.  Your Employee ID is the 8-digit number printed above the words "Employee ID" on your paycheck earnings statement. Your USPS Self Service Password is the new security standard that is used to access many USPS self-service applications. If you have not set up your password in the Self Service Profile (SSP) application or you have forgotten your Self Service Password, you’ll be able to apply for or request a reminder at LiteBlue.

Submissions are due by Monday, September 29, at 12 p.m. EDT.  Applicants must receive approval from their managers prior to selection and production of the commercials.

Employees must have special permission to view streaming content that originates on external sites if they’re using the postal network and their ACE computers. Videos also can be viewed outside the postal network, using personal computers or smart devices.

Attorney General Praises Inspectors for Parton Murder Investigation

L to R:  Miami Division Postal Inspectors Juan Vargas, Delfin Alvarez, and Otto Fernandez.

On September 10, Attorney General Eric Holder presented a superior performance award to Miami Division Postal Inspectors Delfin Alvarez, Otto Fernandez, and Juan Vargas in a Washington DC ceremony.

Our Inspectors were part of a litigative team recognized for the successful identification, arrest and prosecution of Pikerson Mentor who murdered Miami Letter Carrier Bruce Parton on his route on December 6, 2010.  Mentor shot and killed Parton, and then fled from the scene in Parton’s postal truck. Two accomplices followed in a getaway car. The conspirators took Parton’s arrow key and, during the next six months, used that key to facilitate a massive identity theft and tax fraud scheme.

After collecting, reviewing, and organizing thousands of pages of phone, debit card, and tax records over a span of two years, the team successfully identified the defendants involved in the murder and identity theft.

Following a two-week trial involving approximately 40 witnesses, Mentor was convicted on all 14 counts of the indictment and sentenced to life in prison. His accomplices, Wilfred Georges and Saubnet Politesse, were sentenced to 15 years and 21 years in prison, respectively. Four other members of the identity theft ring received prison sentences of up to three years.

Boynton Beach Scores 100% RCEs

Boynton Beach Downtown Station T-7 Linnie O’Brien  (left) and SSDA Fran Ewing (right) each earned two perfect scores on the Retail Customer Experience (RCE).

At the district quarterly performance meeting, the Boynton Beach Downtown Station was recognized for providing outstanding service to its retail customers. Boynton Beach Downtown Station Sales and Services Distribution Associate (SSDA) Fran Ewing and SSDA T-7 Linnie O’Brien contributed to customer satisfaction.  Each earned two Gold Star Awards for perfect retail transactions.

Lake Worth Celebrates Achievements

At a recent quarterly meeting, the Lake Worth Post Office was recognized for its positive contributions to the success of the district.  In turn, Lake Worth Postmaster Glenn Guice thanked employees for their dedication and commitment to the Postal Service and its customers at a breakfast in their honor.  Also recognized were employees who received Service Awards for their career milestones: Letter Carrier Dennis Blazok (30 Years), Administrative Assistant Angela Hartwell (30 Years), Letter Carrier Lisa Mooney (25 Years), and Carlos Vasquez (25 Years).

MPOO 8 Retail Associates Earn Perfect RCE Scores!

Lucerne Station Manager, Customer Services Mark Berger (right) recognized Retail Associate Daniyel Jordain (left) for a perfect score in the Retail Customer Experience (RCE).

Manager, Post Office Operations Robert Weiser recognized Retail Associates who earned perfect scores in the Retail Customer Experience (RCE) in Quarter 4: Mary Allen, Port Salerno Post Office; Edgar Braga, Loxahatchee Post Office;  Kenneth Decker, Palmetto Branch (Boca Raton); Cynthia Grandison, Jog Road Station (Boynton Beach); Robert Hackshaw, Palm Beach Main Post Office; Daniyel Jordain, Lucerne Station (Lake Worth);  Hazel Moran, Boynton Beach Main Post Office; Cordelia Williams, Palm Beach Worth Ave. Station; Floyd Spanier, Port Saint Lucie Main Post Office; Joan Yoson-Weber, Hobe Sound Post Office; and Sally Wollersheim, Port Salerno Post Office.

Jensen Beach Carrier Wins Triathlon

Earlier this summer, Jensen Beach, FL, Letter Carrier Chad Bosch won the Treasure Coast Sprint Triathlon. He finished first out of 148 competitors. He event consisted of a quarter-mile swim, a 12-mile bike ride, and a 3.1-mile run.  Bosch has worked 10 of his 13-year career at the Jensen Beach Post Office.

SFL PCCs Bring Home the Gold

During National Postal Customer Council (PCC) Week, all three South Florida Postal Customer Councils were recognized for being as good as gold.

L to R:  Customer Relations Coordinators Amy McCall (Fort Lauderdale), Mirtha Uriarte (Miami), and Gale Jackson West Palm Beach)

On September 12, representatives of the South Florida District and mailing industry met at the Carolina Club in Margate, FL, for “National PCC Day.”  District Manager Jeffery Taylor presented the Executive Boards of the PCC of Broward County, the Miami-Dade County PCC, and the PCC of the Palm Beaches and Treasure Coast with the 2014 Premier PCC Recognition Program Gold Level Certificate Award. To attain gold recognition, each PCC completed established a local PCC website, conducted a minimum of six PCC events (meetings, training sessions, vendor shows, conferences, seminars, etc.) and listed on National PCC website on usps.com, held a minimum of eight executive board meetings per year, conducted at least six general membership meetings per year (including education workshops), established working committees (Communication, Education, and Membership), conducted a local PCC Recognition Program, and shared at least one “Best Practice” that is applicable nationwide

Vice President, Area Operations, Southern Area Jo Ann Feindt returned home to South Florida to be the keynote speaker at this local event.  She also introduced the video message from Postmaster General Patrick R. Donahoe.  Program Manager, Business Mailer Support Lance Bell traveled from Postal Headquarters to share his expertise.  Phoenix Package Logistics Chief Executive Officer Norman Kravitz, Miami-Dade County Courthouse Mailroom Supervisor Adam Lopez, and American Sales Industries Chief Executive Officer Pat Talerico gave testimonials on the value of the mail.

The Postal Customer Council is a network of business mailers and representatives of the U.S. Postal Service, who gather regularly to discuss and resolve local mailing issues as well as develop content-rich education programs. On both the national and local levels, Postal Customer Councils work to continually improve communications between the Postal Service and its customers by promoting an effective networking platform.

L to R:  South Florida District Manager Jeffery Taylor; Hialeah Postmaster Orlando de la Osa; Miami Beach Postmaster Lockey Anderson; Postal Customer Council (PCC) Industry Co-Chairperson Lynn Hamilton (accepting Gold Level Premier Award on behalf of the Miami-Dade County PCC); Homestead Postmaster Lettie Carroll; Opa Locka Postmaster Manuel Ferrer; Miami-Dade County Courthouse Mailroom Supervisor Adam Lopez; Customer Relations Coordinator Mirtha Uriarte; Miami Postmaster Enrique Suarez; and Vice President, Area Operations, Southern Area Jo Ann Feindt.

L to R:  Vice President, Area Operations, Southern Area Jo Ann Feindt; West Palm Beach Customer Relations Coordinator Gale Jackson; Postal Customer Council (PCC) of the Palm Beaches and Treasure Coast Industry Co-Chairperson Alfred Smith (accepting Gold Level Premier Award on behalf of the PCC of the Palm Beaches and Treasure Coast); American Sales Industries Chief Executive Officer Pat Talerico; West Palm Beach Postmaster Richard Fermo; and South Florida District Manager Jeffery Taylor.

Front Row:  Priority One Credit Union Marketing Consultant Dianna McKenzie-Baine.  Back Row, L to R:  Pitney Bowes Enterprise Solutions Consultant Roland Murillo; Fort Lauderdale Customer Relations Coordinator Amy McCall; Fort Lauderdale Officer in Charge Sarah Augustine; BrainSell Services Marketing Consultant Bob Licari; Phoenix Package Logistics Chief Executive Officer Norman Kravitz; South Florida District Manager Jeffery Taylor (presenting Gold Level Premier Award to the Postal Customer Council of Broward County); Neopost Account Executive Paul Mabel; PCI Customer Service Manager Laura Shtrax; Broward County Postal Customer Council Industry Co-Chairperson David Newell; and Fort Lauderdale Postmaster Scott Bower.