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United States Postmaster General

Updated: Wikipedia source

United States Postmaster General

The United States postmaster general (PMG) is the chief executive officer of the United States Postal Service (USPS). The PMG is responsible for managing and directing the day-to-day operations of the agency. The PMG is selected and appointed by the Board of Governors of the Postal Service, which is appointed by the president. The postmaster general then also sits on the board. The PMG does not serve at the president's pleasure and can only be dismissed by the Board of Governors. The appointment of the postmaster general does not require Senate confirmation. The governors and the postmaster general elect the deputy postmaster general. The most recent officeholder is Louis DeJoy, who was appointed on June 16, 2020. DeJoy resigned on March 24, 2025.

Infobox

Style
Postmaster General
Status
Chief executive
Member of
Board of Governors of the United States Postal Service
Seat
475 L'Enfant Plaza SW, Washington, D.C. 20260
Appointer
Board of Governors
Term length
No fixed term
Constituting instrument
Postal Reorganization Act of 1970, 39 U.S.C. § 203
Formation
1775
First holder
Benjamin Franklin
Deputy
Deputy Postmaster General
Salary
$303,460

Tables

· List of postmasters general › Under the Continental Congress (1775–1789)
No.
Name
Start
End
1
Benjamin Franklin
July 26, 1775
November 7, 1776
2
Richard Bache
November 7, 1776
January 28, 1782
3
Ebenezer Hazard
January 28, 1782
September 26, 1789
· List of postmasters general › US Post Office Department (1789–1971) › As non-Cabinet department (1789–1829)
John Adams(1797–1801)
John Adams(1797–1801)
Name
John Adams(1797–1801)
Thomas Jefferson(1801–1809)
Thomas Jefferson(1801–1809)
Name
Thomas Jefferson(1801–1809)
James Madison(1809–1817)
James Madison(1809–1817)
Name
James Madison(1809–1817)
James Monroe(1817–1825)
James Monroe(1817–1825)
Name
James Monroe(1817–1825)
John Quincy Adams(1825–1829)
John Quincy Adams(1825–1829)
Name
John Quincy Adams(1825–1829)
No.
Name
State
Start
End
President(s)
4
Samuel Osgood
Massachusetts
September 26, 1789
August 12, 1791
George Washington(1789–1797)
5
Timothy Pickering
Pennsylvania
August 12, 1791
January 1, 1795
6
Joseph Habersham
Georgia
February 25, 1795
November 28, 1801
John Adams(1797–1801)
Thomas Jefferson(1801–1809)
7
Gideon Granger
Connecticut
November 28, 1801
March 17, 1814
James Madison(1809–1817)
8
Return Meigs
Ohio
March 17, 1814
June 26, 1823
James Monroe(1817–1825)
9
John McLean
Ohio
June 26, 1823
March 4, 1829
John Quincy Adams(1825–1829)
· List of postmasters general › US Post Office Department (1789–1971) › As cabinet department (1829–1971)
William Barry
William Barry
No.
10
Name
William Barry
State
Kentucky
Start
March 9, 1829
End
April 10, 1835
President(s)
Andrew Jackson(1829–1837)
Amos Kendall
Amos Kendall
No.
11
Name
Amos Kendall
State
Kentucky
Start
May 1, 1835
End
May 18, 1840
John Niles
John Niles
No.
12
Name
John Niles
State
Connecticut
Start
May 19, 1840
End
March 4, 1841
Francis Granger
Francis Granger
No.
13
Name
Francis Granger
State
New York
Start
March 6, 1841
End
September 18, 1841
President(s)
William Henry Harrison(1841)
Charles Wickliffe
Charles Wickliffe
No.
14
Name
Charles Wickliffe
State
Kentucky
Start
September 18, 1841
End
March 4, 1845
Cave Johnson
Cave Johnson
No.
15
Name
Cave Johnson
State
Tennessee
Start
March 6, 1845
End
March 4, 1849
President(s)
James K. Polk(1845-1849)
Jacob Collamer
Jacob Collamer
No.
16
Name
Jacob Collamer
State
Vermont
Start
March 8, 1849
End
July 22, 1850
President(s)
Zachary Taylor(1849–1850)
Nathan Hall
Nathan Hall
No.
17
Name
Nathan Hall
State
New York
Start
July 23, 1850
End
August 31, 1852
President(s)
Millard Fillmore(1850–1853)
Samuel Hubbard
Samuel Hubbard
No.
18
Name
Samuel Hubbard
State
Connecticut
Start
August 31, 1852
End
March 4, 1853
James Campbell
James Campbell
No.
19
Name
James Campbell
State
Pennsylvania
Start
March 7, 1853
End
March 4, 1857
President(s)
Franklin Pierce(1853–1857)
Aaron Brown
Aaron Brown
No.
20
Name
Aaron Brown
State
Tennessee
Start
March 6, 1857
End
March 8, 1859
President(s)
James Buchanan(1857–1861)
Joseph Holt
Joseph Holt
No.
21
Name
Joseph Holt
State
Kentucky
Start
March 9, 1859
End
December 31, 1860
Horatio King
Horatio King
No.
22
Name
Horatio King
State
Maine
Start
February 12, 1861
End
March 4, 1861
Montgomery Blair
Montgomery Blair
No.
23
Name
Montgomery Blair
State
District of Columbia
Start
March 5, 1861
End
September 24, 1864
President(s)
Abraham Lincoln(1861–1865)
William Dennison
William Dennison
No.
24
Name
William Dennison
State
Ohio
Start
September 24, 1864
End
July 25, 1866
Alexander Randall
Alexander Randall
No.
25
Name
Alexander Randall
State
Wisconsin
Start
July 25, 1866
End
March 4, 1869
John Creswell
John Creswell
No.
26
Name
John Creswell
State
Maryland
Start
March 5, 1869
End
June 22, 1874
President(s)
Ulysses S. Grant(1869–1877)
James Marshall
James Marshall
No.
27
Name
James Marshall
State
Virginia
Start
July 3, 1874
End
August 24, 1874
Marshall Jewell
Marshall Jewell
No.
28
Name
Marshall Jewell
State
Connecticut
Start
August 24, 1874
End
July 12, 1876
James Tyner
James Tyner
No.
29
Name
James Tyner
State
Indiana
Start
July 12, 1876
End
March 3, 1877
David Key
David Key
No.
30
Name
David Key
State
Tennessee
Start
March 12, 1877
End
June 2, 1880
President(s)
Rutherford B. Hayes(1887–1881)
Horace Maynard
Horace Maynard
No.
31
Name
Horace Maynard
State
Tennessee
Start
June 2, 1880
End
March 4, 1881
Thomas James
Thomas James
No.
32
Name
Thomas James
State
New York
Start
March 5, 1881
End
December 20, 1881
President(s)
James A. Garfield(1881)
Timothy Howe
Timothy Howe
No.
33
Name
Timothy Howe
State
Wisconsin
Start
December 20, 1881
End
March 25, 1883
Walter Gresham
Walter Gresham
No.
34
Name
Walter Gresham
State
Indiana
Start
April 3, 1883
End
September 4, 1884
Frank Hatton
Frank Hatton
No.
35
Name
Frank Hatton
State
Iowa
Start
October 14, 1884
End
March 4, 1885
William Vilas
William Vilas
No.
36
Name
William Vilas
State
Wisconsin
Start
March 6, 1885
End
January 6, 1888
President(s)
Grover Cleveland(1885–1889)
Donald Dickinson
Donald Dickinson
No.
37
Name
Donald Dickinson
State
Michigan
Start
January 6, 1888
End
March 4, 1889
John Wanamaker
John Wanamaker
No.
38
Name
John Wanamaker
State
Pennsylvania
Start
March 5, 1889
End
March 4, 1893
President(s)
Benjamin Harrison(1889–1893)
Wilson Bissell
Wilson Bissell
No.
39
Name
Wilson Bissell
State
New York
Start
March 6, 1893
End
March 1, 1895
President(s)
Grover Cleveland(1893–1897)
William Wilson
William Wilson
No.
40
Name
William Wilson
State
West Virginia
Start
March 1, 1895
End
March 4, 1897
James Gary
James Gary
No.
41
Name
James Gary
State
Maryland
Start
March 5, 1897
End
April 21, 1898
President(s)
William McKinley(1897–1901)
Charles Smith
Charles Smith
No.
42
Name
Charles Smith
State
Pennsylvania
Start
April 21, 1898
End
January 8, 1902
Henry Payne
Henry Payne
No.
43
Name
Henry Payne
State
Wisconsin
Start
January 9, 1902
End
October 4, 1904
Robert Wynne
Robert Wynne
No.
44
Name
Robert Wynne
State
Pennsylvania
Start
October 10, 1904
End
March 5, 1905
George Cortelyou
George Cortelyou
No.
45
Name
George Cortelyou
State
New York
Start
March 6, 1905
End
January 14, 1907
George Meyer
George Meyer
No.
46
Name
George Meyer
State
Massachusetts
Start
January 15, 1907
End
March 4, 1909
Frank Hitchcock
Frank Hitchcock
No.
47
Name
Frank Hitchcock
State
Massachusetts
Start
March 5, 1909
End
March 4, 1913
President(s)
William Howard Taft(1909–1913)
Albert Burleson
Albert Burleson
No.
48
Name
Albert Burleson
State
Texas
Start
March 5, 1913
End
March 4, 1921
President(s)
Woodrow Wilson(1913–1921)
Will Hays
Will Hays
No.
49
Name
Will Hays
State
Indiana
Start
March 5, 1921
End
March 3, 1922
President(s)
Warren G. Harding(1921–1923)
Hubert Work
Hubert Work
No.
50
Name
Hubert Work
State
Colorado
Start
March 4, 1922
End
March 4, 1923
Harry New
Harry New
No.
51
Name
Harry New
State
Indiana
Start
March 4, 1923
End
March 3, 1929
Walter Brown
Walter Brown
No.
52
Name
Walter Brown
State
Ohio
Start
March 5, 1929
End
March 4, 1933
President(s)
Herbert Hoover(1929–1933)
James Farley
James Farley
No.
53
Name
James Farley
State
New York
Start
March 4, 1933
End
September 10, 1940
President(s)
Franklin D. Roosevelt(1933–1945)
Frank Walker
Frank Walker
No.
54
Name
Frank Walker
State
Pennsylvania
Start
September 10, 1940
End
May 8, 1945
Robert Hannegan
Robert Hannegan
No.
55
Name
Robert Hannegan
State
Missouri
Start
May 8, 1945
End
December 15, 1947
Jesse Donaldson
Jesse Donaldson
No.
56
Name
Jesse Donaldson
State
Missouri
Start
December 16, 1947
End
January 20, 1953
Arthur Summerfield
Arthur Summerfield
No.
57
Name
Arthur Summerfield
State
Michigan
Start
January 21, 1953
End
January 20, 1961
President(s)
Dwight D. Eisenhower(1953–1961)
Edward Day
Edward Day
No.
58
Name
Edward Day
State
California
Start
January 21, 1961
End
August 9, 1963
President(s)
John F. Kennedy(1961–1963)
John Gronouski
John Gronouski
No.
59
Name
John Gronouski
State
Wisconsin
Start
September 30, 1963
End
November 2, 1965
Larry O'Brien
Larry O'Brien
No.
60
Name
Larry O'Brien
State
Massachusetts
Start
November 3, 1965
End
April 10, 1968
Marvin Watson
Marvin Watson
No.
61
Name
Marvin Watson
State
Texas
Start
April 26, 1968
End
January 20, 1969
Winton Blount
Winton Blount
No.
62
Name
Winton Blount
State
Alabama
Start
January 22, 1969
End
January 1, 1971
President(s)
Richard Nixon(1969–1974)
No.
Portrait
Name
State
Start
End
President(s)
10
William Barry
Kentucky
March 9, 1829
April 10, 1835
Andrew Jackson(1829–1837)
11
Amos Kendall
Kentucky
May 1, 1835
May 18, 1840
Martin Van Buren(1837–1841)
12
John Niles
Connecticut
May 19, 1840
March 4, 1841
13
Francis Granger
New York
March 6, 1841
September 18, 1841
William Henry Harrison(1841)
John Tyler(1841-1845)
14
Charles Wickliffe
Kentucky
September 18, 1841
March 4, 1845
15
Cave Johnson
Tennessee
March 6, 1845
March 4, 1849
James K. Polk(1845-1849)
16
Jacob Collamer
Vermont
March 8, 1849
July 22, 1850
Zachary Taylor(1849–1850)
17
Nathan Hall
New York
July 23, 1850
August 31, 1852
Millard Fillmore(1850–1853)
18
Samuel Hubbard
Connecticut
August 31, 1852
March 4, 1853
19
James Campbell
Pennsylvania
March 7, 1853
March 4, 1857
Franklin Pierce(1853–1857)
20
Aaron Brown
Tennessee
March 6, 1857
March 8, 1859
James Buchanan(1857–1861)
21
Joseph Holt
Kentucky
March 9, 1859
December 31, 1860
22
Horatio King
Maine
February 12, 1861
March 4, 1861
23
Montgomery Blair
District of Columbia
March 5, 1861
September 24, 1864
Abraham Lincoln(1861–1865)
24
William Dennison
Ohio
September 24, 1864
July 25, 1866
Andrew Johnson(1865–1869)
25
Alexander Randall
Wisconsin
July 25, 1866
March 4, 1869
26
John Creswell
Maryland
March 5, 1869
June 22, 1874
Ulysses S. Grant(1869–1877)
27
James Marshall
Virginia
July 3, 1874
August 24, 1874
28
Marshall Jewell
Connecticut
August 24, 1874
July 12, 1876
29
James Tyner
Indiana
July 12, 1876
March 3, 1877
30
David Key
Tennessee
March 12, 1877
June 2, 1880
Rutherford B. Hayes(1887–1881)
31
Horace Maynard
Tennessee
June 2, 1880
March 4, 1881
32
Thomas James
New York
March 5, 1881
December 20, 1881
James A. Garfield(1881)
Chester A. Arthur(1881–1885)
33
Timothy Howe
Wisconsin
December 20, 1881
March 25, 1883
34
Walter Gresham
Indiana
April 3, 1883
September 4, 1884
35
Frank Hatton
Iowa
October 14, 1884
March 4, 1885
36
William Vilas
Wisconsin
March 6, 1885
January 6, 1888
Grover Cleveland(1885–1889)
37
Donald Dickinson
Michigan
January 6, 1888
March 4, 1889
38
John Wanamaker
Pennsylvania
March 5, 1889
March 4, 1893
Benjamin Harrison(1889–1893)
39
Wilson Bissell
New York
March 6, 1893
March 1, 1895
Grover Cleveland(1893–1897)
40
William Wilson
West Virginia
March 1, 1895
March 4, 1897
41
James Gary
Maryland
March 5, 1897
April 21, 1898
William McKinley(1897–1901)
42
Charles Smith
Pennsylvania
April 21, 1898
January 8, 1902
Theodore Roosevelt(1901–1909)
43
Henry Payne
Wisconsin
January 9, 1902
October 4, 1904
44
Robert Wynne
Pennsylvania
October 10, 1904
March 5, 1905
45
George Cortelyou
New York
March 6, 1905
January 14, 1907
46
George Meyer
Massachusetts
January 15, 1907
March 4, 1909
47
Frank Hitchcock
Massachusetts
March 5, 1909
March 4, 1913
William Howard Taft(1909–1913)
48
Albert Burleson
Texas
March 5, 1913
March 4, 1921
Woodrow Wilson(1913–1921)
49
Will Hays
Indiana
March 5, 1921
March 3, 1922
Warren G. Harding(1921–1923)
50
Hubert Work
Colorado
March 4, 1922
March 4, 1923
51
Harry New
Indiana
March 4, 1923
March 3, 1929
Calvin Coolidge(1923–1929)
52
Walter Brown
Ohio
March 5, 1929
March 4, 1933
Herbert Hoover(1929–1933)
· List of postmasters general › US Postal Service (1971–present)
Winton Blount
Winton Blount
No.
62
Name
Winton Blount
Start
January 1, 1971
End
January 1, 1972
President(s)
Richard Nixon(1969–1974)
Ted Klassen
Ted Klassen
No.
63
Name
Ted Klassen
Start
January 1, 1972
End
February 16, 1975
President(s)
Richard Nixon(1969–1974)
Benjamin Bailar
Benjamin Bailar
No.
64
Name
Benjamin Bailar
Start
February 16, 1975
End
March 15, 1978
President(s)
Gerald Ford(1974–1977)
William Bolger
William Bolger
No.
65
Name
William Bolger
Start
March 15, 1978
End
January 1, 1985
President(s)
Jimmy Carter(1977–1981)
Paul Carlin
Paul Carlin
No.
66
Name
Paul Carlin
Start
January 1, 1985
End
January 7, 1986
President(s)
Ronald Reagan(1981–1989)
Albert Casey
Albert Casey
No.
67
Name
Albert Casey
Start
January 7, 1986
End
August 16, 1986
President(s)
Ronald Reagan(1981–1989)
Preston Tisch
Preston Tisch
No.
68
Name
Preston Tisch
Start
August 16, 1986
End
March 1, 1988
President(s)
Ronald Reagan(1981–1989)
Anthony Frank
Anthony Frank
No.
69
Name
Anthony Frank
Start
March 1, 1988
End
July 6, 1992
President(s)
Ronald Reagan(1981–1989)
Marvin Runyon
Marvin Runyon
No.
70
Name
Marvin Runyon
Start
July 6, 1992
End
May 16, 1998
President(s)
George H. W. Bush(1989–1993)
William Henderson
William Henderson
No.
71
Name
William Henderson
Start
May 16, 1998
End
May 31, 2001
President(s)
Bill Clinton(1993–2001)
John Potter
John Potter
No.
72
Name
John Potter
Start
June 1, 2001
End
December 6, 2010
President(s)
George W. Bush(2001–2009)
Patrick Donahoe
Patrick Donahoe
No.
73
Name
Patrick Donahoe
Start
January 14, 2011
End
February 1, 2015
President(s)
Barack Obama(2009–2017)
Megan Brennan
Megan Brennan
No.
74
Name
Megan Brennan
Start
February 1, 2015
End
June 15, 2020
President(s)
Barack Obama(2009–2017)
Louis DeJoy
Louis DeJoy
No.
75
Name
Louis DeJoy
Start
June 15, 2020
End
March 24, 2025
President(s)
Donald Trump(2017–2021)
Doug TulinoActing
Doug TulinoActing
No.
–
Name
Doug TulinoActing
Start
March 25, 2025
End
July 14, 2025
President(s)
Donald Trump(2025–present)
David Steiner
David Steiner
No.
76
Name
David Steiner
Start
July 14, 2025
End
present
President(s)
Donald Trump(2025–present)
No.
Portrait
Name
Start
End
Ref.
President(s)
62
Winton Blount
January 1, 1971
January 1, 1972
Richard Nixon(1969–1974)
63
Ted Klassen
January 1, 1972
February 16, 1975
Richard Nixon(1969–1974)
Gerald Ford(1974–1977)
64
Benjamin Bailar
February 16, 1975
March 15, 1978
Gerald Ford(1974–1977)
Jimmy Carter(1977–1981)
65
William Bolger
March 15, 1978
January 1, 1985
Jimmy Carter(1977–1981)
Ronald Reagan(1981–1989)
66
Paul Carlin
January 1, 1985
January 7, 1986
Ronald Reagan(1981–1989)
67
Albert Casey
January 7, 1986
August 16, 1986
Ronald Reagan(1981–1989)
68
Preston Tisch
August 16, 1986
March 1, 1988
Ronald Reagan(1981–1989)
69
Anthony Frank
March 1, 1988
July 6, 1992
Ronald Reagan(1981–1989)
George H. W. Bush(1989–1993)
70
Marvin Runyon
July 6, 1992
May 16, 1998
George H. W. Bush(1989–1993)
Bill Clinton(1993–2001)
71
William Henderson
May 16, 1998
May 31, 2001
Bill Clinton(1993–2001)
George W. Bush(2001–2009)
72
John Potter
June 1, 2001
December 6, 2010
George W. Bush(2001–2009)
Barack Obama(2009–2017)
73
Patrick Donahoe
January 14, 2011
February 1, 2015
Barack Obama(2009–2017)
74
Megan Brennan
February 1, 2015
June 15, 2020
Barack Obama(2009–2017)
Donald Trump(2017–2021)
75
Louis DeJoy
June 15, 2020
March 24, 2025
Donald Trump(2017–2021)
Joe Biden(2021–2025)
Donald Trump(2025–present)
–
Doug TulinoActing
March 25, 2025
July 14, 2025
Donald Trump(2025–present)
76
David Steiner
July 14, 2025
present
Donald Trump(2025–present)

References

  1. CNN
    https://www.cnn.com/2020/09/15/politics/dejoy-usps-hires/index.html
  2. "39 U.S. Code § 203 – Postmaster General; Deputy Postmaster General"
    https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/39/203
  3. about.usps.com
    https://about.usps.com/who/leadership/board-governors/
  4. about.usps.com – Newsroom
    https://about.usps.com/newsroom/national-releases/2020/0506-bog-announces-selection-of-louis-dejoy-to-serve-as-nations-75th-postmaster-general.htm
  5. "39 U.S. Code § 202 – Board of Governors"
    https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/39/202
  6. about.usps.com
    https://about.usps.com/who/leadership/officers/pmg-ceo.htm
  7. Time
    https://time.com/7271271/louis-dejoy-resigns-postmaster-general/
  8. United States Postal Service
    https://about.usps.com/who-we-are/postal-history/pmg-franklin.pdf
  9. National Archives and Records Service
    https://www.archives.gov/research/post-offices/postmaster-letters-1789-1836.html
  10. The United States Postal Service: An American History 1775–2006
    http://about.usps.com/publications/pub100.pdf
  11. Roosevelt: The Party Leader, 1932–1945
    https://web.archive.org/web/20200709184650/https://uknowledge.uky.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=&httpsredir=1&article=1098&context=upk_united_states_history
  12. The New York Times
    https://www.nytimes.com/1933/01/11/archives/farley-and-howe-to-rule-patronage-to-ease-roosevelts-burden-they.html
  13. "About the Board of Governors"
    https://web.archive.org/web/20110927084552/http://about.usps.com/who-we-are/leadership/board-governors.htm
  14. Mailbox Near Me
    http://mailboxnearme.net/history-of-usps/
  15. "List of Postmasters General"
    https://about.usps.com/who/profile/history/list-of-postmasters-general.htm
  16. "U.S. Postmasters General"
    https://postalmuseum.si.edu/topics/us-postmasters-general
  17. Since July 1, 1971, the postmaster general has been appointed by and serves under the Board of Governors of the United S
  18. Editor & Publisher Magazine
    https://www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/new-postmaster-general-named,102483
  19. "Postmaster General John E. Potter to Retire"
    https://about.usps.com/news/national-releases/2010/pr10_pm096.htm
  20. "Donahoe Sworn In as 73rd Postmaster General of the United States"
    https://about.usps.com/news/national-releases/2011/pr11_005.htm
  21. "Postmaster General Donahoe to Retire February 2015"
    https://about.usps.com/news/national-releases/2014/pr14_060.htm
  22. "Megan Brennan 74th Postmaster General of the United States"
    https://about.usps.com/news/national-releases/2015/pr15_009.htm
  23. "United States Postal Service Announces Retirement of Postmaster General Megan J. Brennan"
    https://about.usps.com/newsroom/national-releases/2019/1016-usps-announces-retirement-of-pmg-megan-j-brennan.htm
  24. "Board of Governors Announces Selection of Louis DeJoy to Serve as Nation's 75th Postmaster General"
    https://about.usps.com/newsroom/national-releases/2020/0506-bog-announces-selection-of-louis-dejoy-to-serve-as-nations-75th-postmaster-general.htm
  25. WFED
    https://federalnewsnetwork.com/people/2025/03/dejoy-leaves-usps-amid-search-for-new-postmaster-general/
  26. "Postal Service Board of Governors appoints David Steiner to be 76th Postmaster General and CEO of the United States Postal Service"
    https://about.usps.com/newsroom/national-releases/2025/0509-usps-bog-appoints-david-steiner-to-be-76th-pmg-and-ceo-of-usps.htm
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