Louis DeJoy

Louis DeJoy (born c. 1957) is an American businessman and investor and major Republican Party fundraiser. He was appointed in May 2020 by the Board of Governors of the United States Postal Service (USPS) to serve as the 75th United States Postmaster General and chief executive officer (CEO).

Louis DeJoy
75th United States Postmaster General
Assumed office
June 16, 2020
PresidentDonald Trump
Preceded byMegan Brennan
Personal details
Bornc. 1957[1]
Brooklyn, New York City, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse(s)Aldona Wos
Children2
EducationStetson University (BBA)

Early life and education

DeJoy was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York.[2][3][4] He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in accounting from Stetson University.[5] After graduating from college, DeJoy became a Certified Public Accountant.[6]

Career

Business

DeJoy was CEO of High Point, North Carolina-based New Breed Logistics from 1983 to 2014, and retired after his company was acquired by Connecticut-based freight transporter, XPO Logistics, for a reported $615 million. Following that acquisition, he served as CEO of XPO's supply chain business in North America until his retirement in 2015, and was appointed to a strategic role on XPO Logistics' board of directors where he served until 2018.[7]

At the time of his naming as Postmaster General, DeJoy was president of LDJ Global Strategies, a Greensboro, North Carolina-based boutique firm with interests in real estate, private equity, consulting and project management.[8] As of August 12, 2020 he serves on the Elon University board of trustees.[9]

Republican Party

DeJoy has served as a major donor and fundraiser for Donald Trump.[10][11] In April 2017, DeJoy was named one of three deputy finance chairmen of the Republican National Committee, along with Trump's lawyer Michael Cohen and the venture capitalist Elliott Broidy.[12] In May 2019, DeJoy became local finance chairman for the planned 2020 Republican National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina.[13]

U.S. Postmaster General and CEO

The USPS Board of Governors announced DeJoy's appointment as Postmaster General and CEO on May 6, 2020, despite concerns about conflicts of interest.[14][15] That day, the National Association of Letter Carriers president Frederic Rolando congratulated DeJoy on his appointment but warned of politicization of the USPS, saying "Keeping politics out of the Postal Service and maintaining its independence is central to its success..."[16] DeJoy's appointment was controversial because of his political bias[17][18], as well as because of his financial position. While he divested some investments before taking on his role (shares in UPS and Amazon), he did not divest his $30-$75 million equity stake in XPO, a subcontractor for USPS. Additionally, when he sold his Amazon shares, he purchased stock options in the company that represent between 20-100% of his prior holdings.[19][20]. Finally, DeJoy is the first postmaster in two decades without prior experience in the United States Postal Service.[21]

Upon assuming office as Postmaster General, DeJoy began taking measures, such as banning overtime and extra trips to deliver mail, to reduce costs. Critics said these measures would result in slowing of the mail service.[22][23][24] Congressional Democrats called for the measures to be rolled back.[25] More than 600 high-speed mail sorting machines were dismantled and removed from postal facilities without explanation,[26] raising concerns that mailed ballots for the November 3 election might not reach election offices on time.[27] Mail collection boxes were removed from the streets in many cities; after photos of boxes being removed were spread on social media, a postal service spokesman said they were being moved to higher traffic areas but that the removals would stop until after the election.[28]


On August 7, 2020, DeJoy announced he had reassigned or displaced 23 senior USPS officials, including the two top executives overseeing day-to-day operations.[29][25] DeJoy said he was trying to breathe new life into a "broken business model."[30] Rep. Gerald E. Connolly, who chairs the House committee that oversees the post office, said the reorganization was "deliberate sabotage".[25]

In a letter to postal workers on August 13, 2020, DeJoy confirmed reports of delays in mail delivery, and called the delays “unintended consequences” of changes that eventually would improve service.[31] At the same time that DeJoy was taking measures that slowed down mail delivery, President Trump admitted in a TV interview that he was blocking funds for the postal service in order to hinder mail-in voting.[32]

After congressional protests, the USPS inspector general began a review of DeJoy's policy changes and whether he was complying with federal ethics rules.[33]

Personal life

DeJoy is married to Aldona Wos, a Polish-American physician and former Ambassador to Estonia during the George W. Bush Administration.[34] Since 2017, Wos has served as the Vice Chair of the President's Commission on White House Fellowships. The couple has two children and reside in the Irving Park Historic District in Greensboro, North Carolina.[35]

See also

References
  1. "Lawmakers from Both Parties Want Postal Service to Undo Changes That Are Slowing Mail". NBC News. Associated Press. August 6, 2020. Retrieved August 11, 2020.
  2. Naylor, Brian (May 7, 2020). "New Postmaster General Is Top GOP Fundraiser". NPR.org. Retrieved May 11, 2020.
  3. Alexander, Peter; Clark, Dartunorro; Talbot, Haley (May 7, 2020). "Top Republican donor tapped to lead struggling U.S. Postal Service". NBC News. Retrieved May 11, 2020.
  4. Dunn, Mackenzie (May 14, 2016). "From Family Business to million dollar corporation, entrepreneur Louis DeJoy shares his success story". Elon News Network. Retrieved July 20, 2020.
  5. "About The Louis DeJoy and Aldona Z. Wos Family Foundation". Louis DeJoy Aldona Wos Family foundation. Retrieved May 11, 2020.
  6. "About The Louis DeJoy and Aldona Z. Wos Family Foundation". Louis DeJoy Aldona Wos Family foundation. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
  7. Arcieri, Katie (December 15, 2015). "Triad CEO retires from firm that bought his company, joins board of directors". Triad Business Journal. Retrieved May 7, 2020.
  8. Finnegan, Daniel (February 7, 2020). "County approves sale of downtown building to Louis DeJoy's company". Triad Business Journal. Retrieved May 7, 2020.
  9. "Trustees". Elon University. Retrieved August 12, 2020.
  10. Estes, Adam Clark (August 7, 2020). "What's wrong with the mail". Vox. Retrieved August 11, 2020.
  11. Pierce, Charles P. (August 10, 2020). "Destroying the Postal Service Is the Most Republican Thing Trump Has Ever Done". Esquire. Retrieved August 11, 2020.
  12. Bernstein, Andrea; Marritz, Ilya (May 26, 2017). "The President, His Business Partner, and the Fundraiser". WNYC. Retrieved August 13, 2020.
  13. Finnegan, Daniel (May 7, 2020). "Lead fundraiser for Charlotte RNC named postmaster general. He starts in June". Triad Business Journal. Retrieved August 13, 2020.
  14. "Board of Governors Announces Selection of Louis DeJoy to Serve as Nation's 75th Postmaster General". United States Postal Service. May 6, 2020.
  15. Sherman, Donald (July 19, 2020). "Trump's new postmaster general could corrupt a key institution ahead of Election Day". NBC News. Retrieved August 13, 2020.
  16. "Statement of NALC President Fredric Rolando on the Appointment of Louis DeJoy as Postmaster General". National Association of Letter Carriers.
  17. Newsom, John (May 7, 2020). "Greensboro's Louis DeJoy named nation's new postmaster general". Greensboro News and Record. Retrieved July 27, 2020.
  18. Earle, Travis (July 24, 2020). "Trump's New Postmaster General Could Destroy The Postal Service". HillReporter.com. Retrieved July 27, 2020.
  19. CNN, Marshall Cohen (August 12, 2020). "Financial disclosures reveal postmaster general's business entanglements and likely conflicts of interest, experts say". CNN. Retrieved August 15, 2020.
  20. CNN, Marshall Cohen and Kristen Holmes (August 14, 2020). "Exclusive: Postal service inspector general reviewing DeJoy's policy changes and potential ethics conflicts". CNN. Retrieved August 15, 2020.
  21. "Congress urges Postal Service to undo changes slowing mail". AP News. August 6, 2020. Retrieved August 6, 2020.
  22. Daly, Matthew (July 15, 2020). "Mail delays likely as new postal boss pushes cost-cutting". Associated Press. Retrieved July 16, 2020.
  23. Johnson, Jake (July 22, 2020). "Maine Letter Carriers Allege USPS Leadership 'Willfully Delaying' Mail to Sabotage Postal Service From Within". Common Dreams. Retrieved July 27, 2020.
  24. Katz, Eric (July 20, 2020). "Looking to Cut Costs, New USPS Leader Takes Aim at Overtime and Late Trips". Government Executive. Retrieved July 27, 2020.
  25. Bogage, Jacob (August 7, 2020). "Postal Service overhauls leadership as Democrats press for investigation of mail delays". The Washington Post.
  26. Gordon, Aaron (August 13, 2020). "The Post Office Is Deactivating Mail Sorting Machines Ahead of the Election". Vice. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
  27. Behrmann, Savannah (August 13, 2020). "What's going on with the post office? Here's what we know". USA Today. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
  28. Bogage, Jacob (August 14, 2020). "Postal Service will stop removing mailboxes". The Washington Post. Retrieved August 15, 2020.
  29. Axelrod, Tal (August 7, 2020). "New postmaster general overhauls USPS leadership amid probe into mail delays". The Hill. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
  30. Wirebeck, Taft (August 7, 2020). "'Wholly off-base': Greensboro's Louis DeJoy, new postmaster general, says he's not beholden to Trump". Greensboro News and Record. Retrieved August 8, 2020.
  31. Gardner, Amy; Dawsey, Josh; Kane, Paul (August 13, 2020). "Trump opposes election aid for states and Postal Service bailout, threatening Nov. 3 vote". The Washington Post.
  32. "Trump admits he's blocking postal cash to stop mail-in votes". AP NEWS. August 14, 2020. Retrieved August 15, 2020.
  33. CNN, Marshall Cohen and Kristen Holmes (August 14, 2020). "Exclusive: Postal service inspector general reviewing DeJoy's policy changes and potential ethics conflicts". CNN. Retrieved August 15, 2020.
  34. Norcross, Jack (May 7, 2020). "Elon University trustee Louis DeJoy selected to lead U.S. Postal Service". Elon University. Retrieved May 10, 2020.
  35. "Louis DeJoy: Entrepreneurial Life Story in a Democracy". uncp.campuslabs.com. Retrieved May 11, 2020.
Government offices
Preceded by
Megan Brennan		 United States Postmaster General
2020–present		 Incumbent
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.