John A. Gronouski

John Austin Gronouski Jr. (October 26, 1919 – January 7, 1996) was the Wisconsin state commissioner of taxation and served as the United States Postmaster General from 1963 until 1965 under Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson.

John Gronouski
United States Ambassador to Poland
In office December 7, 1965 – May 26, 1968
President	Lyndon B. Johnson
Preceded by	John M. Cabot
Succeeded by	Walter J. Stoessel Jr.
56th United States Postmaster General
In office September 30, 1963 – November 2, 1965
President	John F. Kennedy Lyndon B. Johnson
Preceded by	J. Edward Day
Succeeded by	Larry O'Brien
Personal details
Born	John Austin Gronouski Jr. (1919-10-26)October 26, 1919 Dunbar, Wisconsin, U.S.
Died	January 7, 1996(1996-01-07) (aged 76) Green Bay, Wisconsin, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Mary Metz
Children	2
Education	University of Wisconsin–Madison (BA, MA, PhD)
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Army
Years of service	1942-1945
Unit	United States Army Air Forces
Battles/wars	World War II

Biography

Gronouski was born in Dunbar, Wisconsin, the son of Mary (Riley) and John Austin Gronouski. He was of Polish and Irish descent.[1] He graduated from the University of Wisconsin in 1942, and he joined the military during World War II. Gronouski served as a navigator in the Air Force until October 1945. Gronouski married the former Mary Louise Metz on January 24, 1948. They had two daughters, Stacy Ann Jennings and Julia Kay Glieberman.

He earned an M.A. in 1947 and a Ph.D. in 1955, both from the University of Wisconsin.[2] In 1952, he ran for the United States Senate against Joseph McCarthy, who won reelection. In 1959, Gronouski joined the Wisconsin Department of Revenue and was named the executive director of the Revenue Survey Commission.

John Gronouski, Ambassador to Poland, meets his friends Wiesław and Longina Czajkowski with Chairman of the Polish-American Chamber of Commerce in Detroit, Chester A. Kozdroj and his wife Helena at the U.S. Embassy in Warsaw, September, 1966.

In 1960, he became the Wisconsin state commissioner of taxation, and he supported John F. Kennedy for President. In 1963 Gronouski was appointed Postmaster General, the first Polish-American Cabinet officer. As Postmaster General, Gronouski promoted the original five-digit zip code system, and worked to end racial discrimination against postal employees.[3] After he left the Cabinet on November 2, 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson appointed him to be Ambassador to Poland.

After President Richard M. Nixon took office in 1969, Gronouski became founding dean of the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin. Gronouski served as dean until 1974.[4] He served as a member of Eisenhower Commission (on international radio broadcasting) and as the Chairman of the Board for International Broadcasting during the Carter administration.[5]

In retirement, Gronouski lived in Green Bay, Wisconsin, where he died on January 7, 1996. He is interred in Allouez Catholic Cemetery and Chapel Mausoleum in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

References

1. Thomas, Robert McG. (1996-01-10). "John Gronouski, 76, Kennedy-Era Postal Chief". The New York Times.
2. http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/dictionary/index.asp?action=view&term_id=985&search_term=gronouski
3. "John A. Gronouski (1963)". Miller Center of Public Affairs. 2016-10-04. Retrieved December 26, 2017.
4. "The LBJ Advantage".
5. "Gronouski, John".

• Archives of the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at The University of Texas at Austin
• Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum
• New York Times obituary

External links

• Appearances on C-SPAN

Political offices
Preceded by J. Edward Day	United States Postmaster General Served under: John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson September 30, 1963–November 2, 1965	Succeeded by Lawrence F. O'Brien
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by John M. Cabot	United States Ambassador to Poland 1965–1968	Succeeded by Walter J. Stoessel Jr.