Get on board; it’s time to catch The Benjamin fever! We need your good news. Your entries must be received by May 31, 2008, but don’t worry! You are on time for next year’s competition, which begins June 1, 2008. Below are the guidelines for applying for The Benjamin Award.
The Benjamin Award, the Postal Service’s highest public relations honor, recognizes postmasters, managers, supervisors, and customer relations coordinators for conducting the greatest number of community outreach activities, obtaining the greatest amount of positive news coverage, or both. We regularly post these stories in the Daily News Digest, a daily compilation of news stories, which is read by many throughout the organization, including the postmaster general. The Benjamin Award is a nonmonetary award that is administered by Headquarters Public Affairs and Communications.
Participation is by self-nomination only. The program is open to postmasters, executive and administrative schedule (EAS) managers, supervisors, and customer relations coordinators.
A submission must involve the activity only of the participant, not the participant’s manager or employee. Participants must submit their own material from their own offices.
Send all submissions directly to:
GOOD NEWS
COMMUNITY RELATIONS
UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE
475 L’ENFANT PLAZA SW RM 10541
WASHINGTON DC 20260-3100
The annual Good News program starts June 1 of the current year and ends May 31 of the following year. Headquarters Public Affairs and Communications must receive all submissions within 30 days of an event or media coverage.
Headquarters Public Affairs and Communications uses a cumulative point system to determine the winners. Each documented and qualifying activity, event, newspaper clipping, and Postal Service appearance noted above will count as one point. Headquarters Public Affairs and Communications verifies entries. When more than one radio or television station airs a story, the participant will receive one point for each station. Because this is an award for individual recognition, only participants involved in the activities will receive points, and not their employees, coworkers or supervisors.
The point system evaluates participants on six levels divided into two categories, postmaster and non-postmaster. Participants must meet the minimum points required for their category and level. The following table shows the six levels of point requirements.
Within each area, participants with the highest number of points in the six levels will be selected as winners. Each area may have one winner per level and so may have up to six winners. Headquarters notifies district managers of all winners before it notifies the winners directly. All decisions are final.
A participant who has received The Benjamin Award three consecutive times is not eligible to compete for the two consecutive years immediately following the third win.
The awards are presented at the national conventions of the League of Postmasters, the National Association of Postmasters of the United States (NAPUS), and the National Association of Postal Supervisors (NAPS). If a winner is not scheduled to attend one of these conventions, Headquarters Public Affairs and Communications will send The Benjamin Award to the field Public Affairs and Communications manager who will coordinate a presentation ceremony with the appropriate officials.
Submit entries that are local and pertain to the area in which you work. Entries must include clippings or narrative descriptions plus your contact information. Your entries must mention your name or your Post Office and clearly must show that you are promoting the Postal Service. For newspaper articles, submit either the original or a copy of the article showing the date, name, city, and state of the newspaper. For appearances at the Rotary Club, Chamber of Commerce, and similar meetings, you must provide a contact and telephone number for verification.
All entries must include a completed submission cover sheet, which you can get from Headquarters Public Affairs and Communications via fax or e-mail, or you can get the submission form from Postal Bulletin 22180 (5-11-06, page 18). Use one submission sheet to cover all the entries sent in one envelope.
For additional information on The Benjamin Award:
Note: You must be registered to use TTOE. To register, call 800-332-0317, option 1, extension 2925, and follow the prompts to leave a message. (Wait 48 hours after registering before placing your first order.)
Or contact the Public Affairs and Communications office in your area, as follows:
PAUL SMITH
MANAGER PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND COMMUNICATIONS
EASTERN AREA US POSTAL SERVICE
615 CHESTNUT ST 15TH FL
PHILADELPHIA PA 19197-0593
Telephone: 215-931-5054
MONICA HAND
MANAGER PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND COMMUNICATIONS
NY METRO AREA US POSTAL SERVICE
412 EIGHTH AVE RM 5114
NEW YORK NY 10199-9681
Telephone: 212-330-3118
DEBRA HAWKINS
MANAGER PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND COMMUNICATIONS
NORTHEAST AREA US POSTAL SERVICE
6 GRIFFIN RD N
WINDSOR CT 06006-9876
Telephone: 860-285-7265
LARRY DINGMAN
Acting MANAGER PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND
COMMUNICATIONS
SOUTHEAST AREA US POSTAL SERVICE
225 N HUMPREYS BLVD 5TH FL
MEMPHIS TN 38166-0832
Telephone: 901-747-7544
JIM MRUK
MANAGER PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND COMMUNICATIONS
GREAT LAKES AREA US POSTAL SERVICE
244 KNOLLWOOD DR 4TH FL
BLOOMINGDALE IL 60117-2208
Telephone: 630-539-6565
DON SMERALDI
MANAGER PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND COMMUNICATIONS
PACIFIC AREA US POSTAL SERVICE
11255 RANCHO CARMEL DR
SAN DIEGO CA 92197-0100
Telephone: 858-674-3149
LUIS CASANOVA
MANAGER PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND COMMUNICATIONS
SOUTHWEST AREA US POSTAL SERVICE
7800 N STEMMONS FREEWAY STE 450
DALLAS TX 75247-4220
Telephone: 214-819-8748
Teresa Rudkin
Acting MANAGER PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND
COMMUNICATIONS
WESTERN AREA US POSTAL SERVICE
1745 STOUT ST STE 1075
DENVER CO 80299-7500
Telephone: 303-313-5125
DEBORAH YACKLEY
MANAGER PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND COMMUNICATIONS
CAPITAL METRO AREA US POSTAL SERVICE
16501 SHADY GROVE
GAITHERSBURG MD 20898-9998
Telephone: 301-548-1465
We encourage you to participate. Spread the word about the many good deeds that you do in your community every day. Make it a yearly resolution to Catch The Benjamin Fever!
— Strategic Communications and Outreach,
Public Affairs and Communications, 5-8-08
