The U.S. Postal Service, an organization inextricably associated with the delivery of lots and lots of paper, is creating a new enterprise focused on the online sphere, according to a memorandum today from Postmaster General Pat Donahoe. The “digital solutions” group is intended “to better explore growth opportunities in the digital space, and to translate those opportunities into new streams of revenue, enhance the value of our current offerings, and improve customer experiences,” Donahoe told Postal Service officers in the memo obtained by Federal Times.
The venture comes as the agency is under pressure from Congress and postal employee unions to explore alternatives to service cutbacks. “We are convinced there is growth potential in this dynamic digital environment,” Donahoe said.
Heading the group will be Paul Vogel, who has been USPS president and chief marketing/sales officer. Vogel, who started with the Postal Service as a clerk and letter carrier in 1969 while working his way through college, later left for consulting work on international business and business strategies, according to his official bio. He returned to the Postal Service two years ago.
“Paul has a great track record of driving successful new initiatives within the Postal Service,” Donahoe wrote. “In addition to his excellent recent service as chief marketing/sales officer, he was instrumental in establishing our transportation partnership with FedEx, he stood up and launched our global business, and he played a vital role in early efforts to realign our operational network.”
The digital solutions group will begin “with a matrixed structure and will grow into a separate business unit over the coming year with the flexibility to explore, pursue and/or create quickly evolving digital technologies,” Donahoe continued. “Paul will be taking us into new waters in a number of ways that should generate a lot of external interest and excitement.”
Replacing Vogel as chief marketing/sales officer will be Coca-Cola executive Nagisa Manabe. At the soft drink giant, Manabe served as vice president of new growth platforms, according to Donahoe’s memo. Before that, she was vice president of marketing for Diageo Guinness USA Inc., part of the company that makes Johnnie Walker whiskey, Smirnoff vodka, and Guinness beer. Manabe “will lead our efforts to frame a new generation of ideas to better promote and grow our organization,” Donahoe said.
11 Comments
With her background at Coca Cola and liquor companies, I predict Nagisa Manabe will be the best thing to happen to the Postal Service since Bob Bernstock.
Closing the barn door after the horses are out, why wasn’t the postal service trying to do this when everybody else did, instead of trying to play catch up. Back in the late 70’s when USPS gave away the package business to UPS, and FEDEX, and the Union told them that it was a bad idea, now they are trying to get it back, to late Pat, you and your predecessors messed up, and now along with everything else you did, and with a health shove from the Congress, we employees will have to pay the ultimate price, while you and your overpriced management team get more bonuses, and remain unaccountable for your mismanagement. Just another glaring example of the poor management that got us to where we are, along with a health shove from congress
Day late and a dollar short again! Ya know, I think we should bring back out the dinosaurs stamps! The people in charge have brains about the same size!
What the postal service needs is some young blood to come in and lead us into the 21st century. What does a guy like this Vogel bring to the table. What does he know about the digital age. We need someone like that Zuckerberg dude. Vogel is a dinosaur.
Please!!! Congress FIRE our Management!!!!! signed the WORKERS, not the people watching us work!!!!
“paul has a great track record” thats why the PO is headed for the shitter.. CALL or WRITE your CONGRESS person Make them investigate the IGNORANCE of mgmt and the CORRUPTION! In the interim,We have to give this chick a try !!! she was the VP of johnnie walker,smirnoff and guiness beer..she has something going for her!
Ya gotta wonder why a Harvard graduated world hopping savvy exec would even consider USPS as a “career move”…running from something?
do you know how many people come to my post office everyday looking to send a fax…we could rake in big money but the post office thinks FAX is the enemy..AT+T is in the cell phone and ipod business…stop fighting the future remember Kodak
It is sad to hear that Fed-Ex and UPS are doing so well and that the is losing business because of E-mail. The management at the USPS for the last 35 years I have been employed are not only incompetent but are LIARS
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Too little, too late. Idiots as usual! And turning down FedEx assistance – PROVES clowns run the USPS.