Members of the Board of Governors


Secretary of the Board of Governors

Michael J. Elston

About the Board of Governors

The Board of Governors of the U.S. Postal Service is comparable to a board of directors of a publicly held corporation. The Board consists of up to nine Governors, the Deputy Postmaster General, and Postmaster General. Making a full Board composed of 11 members. The Governors are appointed by the President of the United States with the advice and consent of the Senate.

The Board of Governor’s composition and statutory duties are regulated by a set of bylaws. The Board’s meetings must also be compliant with the Government in the Sunshine Act, which legislates transparency practices such as open session meetings.

The nine governors select the Postmaster General, who becomes a member of the Board, and those 10 select the Deputy Postmaster General, who also serves on the Board. The Postmaster General serves at the pleasure of the governors for an indefinite term and the Deputy Postmaster General serves at the pleasure of the governors and the Postmaster General.

In 1970, when the Board was established by the Postal Reorganization Act, the governors of the Postal Service were appointed for terms of nine years. The first nine appointments were for staggered terms of one to nine years. Subsequent appointments were made for the full nine years. On December 20, 2006, President George W. Bush signed the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act, P.L. 109-435, which changed the terms of subsequently appointed governors from nine to seven years. The Act also added professional qualifications for the governors. The governors are chosen to represent the public interest generally and cannot be representatives of special interests. Not more than five of the nine may belong to the same political party. They shall be chosen solely based on their experience in the field of public service, law or accounting. However, at least four of the governors shall be chosen solely based on their demonstrated ability in managing organizations or corporations (in either the public or private sector) that employ at least 50,000 employees.

Appointments are made when vacancies occur or for the remainder of unexpired terms. Each governor’s term expires on December 8 of a given year. Governors may continue to serve following expiration of their term or until a successor is appointed but not for more than one year. No person may serve more than two terms as a governor.

The Board directs the exercise of the powers of the Postal Service, directs and controls its expenditures, reviews its practices, conducts long-range planning, approves officer compensation and sets policies on all postal matters. The Board takes up matters such as service standards and capital investments.

The governors employ a full-time corporate secretary who serves as the primary staff assistant to the Board and supervises other members of the staff of the Office of the Board of Governors. The secretary is generally responsible for coordinating the resources of the Postal Service so that the Board fulfills its statutory duties in the most efficient and informed manner possible. Michael J. Elston is the secretary of the Board.

The Board of Governors meets on a regular basis. Meeting locations are generally in Washington, D.C., but may be scheduled in some other city where the members can see firsthand a Postal Service or large mailer's operation and provide access to the Board to customers from other parts of the country.

All meetings are open to the public unless the Board specifically votes to close all or part of a meeting in line with exemptions permitted by the Government in the Sunshine Act [5 U.S.C. 552b(b)].

Each governor receives $300 per day for not more than 42 days of meetings each year and travel expenses, in addition to an annual salary of $30,000.


Board bylaws Government in the Sunshine Act

Contact information

For package inquiries and other information, visit our customer support page.

Please only use the following email for inquiries regarding Board of Governors duties and responsibilities:
BOG-Inquiries@usps.gov

Committees

The USPS Board has chartered four standing committees to help fulfill its various responsibilities. The Board Chairman appoints a Committee Chairman, Vice Chairman (if applicable), and membership. The Committees report on their activities and recommendations to the Board regularly.

The Audit and Finance Committee helps the Board with responsibilities relating to the Postal Service’s financial statements, accounting, audits. Including reviewing financial integrity, review of financial reporting processes, and compliance with legal and regulatory requirements. For further details on the functions and duties of this Committee see the charter below.

Audit and Finance Committee Charter

Members

  • Governor Tangherlini, Chair
  • Governor Kan
  • Governor Martinez

The Compensation and Governance Committee helps establish an effective governance structure by evaluating Board practices and policies. The Committee also ensures that the Postal Services has a total compensation plan, implementation process, and performance assessment for leadership. For further details on the functions and duties of this Committee see the charter below.

Compensation and Governance Committee Charter

Members

  • Governor Hajjar, Chair
  • Governor Duncan
  • Governor Kan

The Operations Committee helps monitor the ongoing operations of the Postal Service and the execution of key long-term strategies. The Committee also receives briefings on matters such as past and prospective volume and service performance. For further details on the functions and duties of this Committee see the charter below.

Operations Committee Charter

Members

  • DPMG Tulino, Interim Chair
  • Governor Hajjar
  • Governor Kan
  • Governor Stroman

The Election Mail Committee provides assistance to the Board in carrying out its responsibilities by having the responsibility to oversee, review and monitor the Postal Service’s preparations for activities surrounding elections and making recommendations to the Board on this issue.

Election Mail Committee Charter

Members

  • Governor McReynolds, Chair
  • Governor Hajjar
  • Governor Stroman