Patrick R. Donahoe

Patrick Donahoe
73rd United States Postmaster General
In office December 6, 2010 – February 1, 2015
President	Barack Obama
Deputy	Ronald Stroman
Preceded by	John Potter
Succeeded by	Megan Brennan
Personal details
Born	Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Alma mater	University of Pittsburgh MIT Sloan School of Management

Patrick R. Donahoe was the 73rd United States Postmaster General, having been appointed to the post on October 25, 2010. A 35-year veteran of the Postal Service, he reported to the Postal Service Board of Governors.

Before being Postmaster, Donahoe served as the 19th deputy postmaster general. He entered the Postal Service as a clerk in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.^[1][2]

Donahoe is a 1977 graduate of the University of Pittsburgh where he majored in economics. He also graduated from the MIT Sloan School of Management, where he was a Sloan Fellow.^[3]

His predecessor, Postmaster General John E. Potter testified before the Senate^[4] that if the Postal Service is not able to readjust their payment toward the pre-funding of retiree health benefits, as mandated by the Postal Accountability & Enhancement Act of 2006,^[5] the USPS would be forced to consider cutting delivery to five days per week during the summer months of June, July & August. Donahoe echoed his predecessor's views on five-day delivery when he assumed office in 2011.

On February 6, 2013, Donahoe announced that the Postal Service would implement five-day mail delivery beginning August 5, a move he claimed would save $2 billion annually. Later the same day, the national board of the National Rural Letter Carriers' Association voted unanimously to call for his dismissal.^[6] July 16, the House passed the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations bill, which included language protecting six‐day mail delivery, thereby blocking Donahoe's plan.

Donahoe retired on November 14, 2014,^[7] and Megan Brennan, the first female Postmaster General, was appointed as his successor the following February.^{[8][9][10][11]}

References

1. "The Postmaster General and Executive Leadership Team". United States Postal Service. July 2012. Retrieved November 15, 2014.
2. "Patrick R. Donahoe". United States Post Office. Archived from the original on August 21, 2012. Retrieved 2012-11-17. Appointed Postmaster General by the Postal Service Board of Governors in October, 2010, Mr. Donahoe began his 37-year USPS career as a clerk in Pittsburgh, PA
3. "AllGov - Officials". Retrieved 2014-09-30.
4. "Postmaster General/CEO John E. Potter Before the Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management" (PDF). January 28, 2009.
5. "Postal Accountability & Enhancement Act of 2006". December 7, 2006.
6. Davidson, Joe (February 6, 2013). "Postal Union Wants Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe Ousted". The Washington Post.
7. Sarah A. McCarty (November 14, 2014). "U.S. Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe announces resignation as postal workers protest proposed cuts". Alabama Media Group.
8. Bigalke, Jay (November 14, 2014). "First woman postmaster general starts Feb. 1". Linn's Stamp News. Archived from the original on November 17, 2014. Retrieved November 15, 2014.
9. "U.S. Postal Service Selects First Female Postmaster General". Time. November 14, 2014. Retrieved November 15, 2014.
10. Nawaguna, Elvina (November 14, 2014). "U.S. Postmaster General Donahoe to retire; Megan Brennan to succeed". Reuters. Retrieved November 15, 2014.
11. "Postal Service Board of Governors selects Megan Brennan as 74th Postmaster General and CEO of the United States Postal Service" (Press release). United States Postal Service. November 14, 2014. Retrieved November 15, 2014.