FOCUS ON BUSINESS. Message from the Postmaster IN THIS ISSUE. Newsletter for the Postal Customer Council of Kentuckiana. October 2011 Vol. 19 No.

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1 FOCUS ON BUSINESS October 2011 Vol. 19 No. 3 Newsletter for the Postal Customer Council of Kentuckiana Message from the Postmaster The Kentuckiana PCC hosted the local National PCC Day on September 21, 2011 at the Main Post Office on Gardiner Lane. There were over 60 members in attendance. The PCC event presented three educational seminars for attendees. Members were shown the new USPS.com website and many of the new features for ease of use. The Kentuckiana District Manager David Dillman gave a state of the Postal Service seminar and follow up after the Postmaster General Speech outlining the current changes the Postal Service is engaged in and the impacts of those changes to our business partners. We raffled off four gift certificates and enjoyed a great lunch hosted by the PCC. The best part of the day would have to be when the Kentuckiana PCC was announced for earning the Premier Gold Award status for All in attendance seemed to enjoy the day and were given plenty of information to take back with them. We took a group photo that will be our back drop this year at our General Meeting for all to see. We have an exciting year ahead of us in the PCC and look forward to having record numbers in attendance at each meeting to push Kentuckiana forward as a leader within the Postal Customer Councils. Thank you for your investments in the mail and the Postal Service. Richard Curtsinger, Postmaster, Louisville Postal Customer Council of Kentuckiana P.O. Box Louisville, KY IN THIS ISSUE USPS Marketing News Kentuckiana Postal Customer Council Members New Board Member Spotlight General Meeting Agenda Flat Stanley with David Dillman, USPS District Manager, Alisa Zanetti, USPS Marketing Manager Richard Curtsinger, Postmaster Louisville

2 2011 PCC Board of Directors: President Secretary Keith Ballard Ron Miller, Retired Fulfillment Concepts United States Postal Service Phone (502) Phone (502) Co-Chair - Industry Treasurer Anita Corder Madonna Gammel United Mail, LLC Gannett Direct Marketing Phone (502) Phone (502) Fax (502) mgammel@gdms.com acorder@united-mail.com Co-Chair - Postal Richard Curtsinger U. S. Postal Service Phone (502) Fax (502) richard.curtsinger@usps.gov Directors: Director of Membership Debbie Maupin Scot Mailing & Shipping Phone (502) debbie.maupin@scotmailing.com Director of Programs/Education Steve Gregory, Retired United States Postal Service swgregory1@yahoo.com Director of Communications US Postal Service Advisor Kerry Starks Thomas Long Presbyterian Church USA US Postal Service Phone (502) Phone (502) kerry.starks@pcusa.org Thomas.C.Long@usps.gov PCC Website What: PCC General Meeting When: Thursday, November 17, :30AM 1:30PM Where: Zorn Ave Meeting Agenda: 11:30 a.m. Registration & Raffle Ticket Sales 11:55 a.m. Welcome-Keith Ballard (PCC President) 12:00pm 12:25pm 12:30pm 12:45pm 1:30pm 1:40pm Luncheon PCC Announcements-Richard Curtsinger(Louisville Postmaster) First Time Attendees Introduction-Debbie Maupin (PCC Membership Director) Sponsor Presentation/Raffle Drawings Introduction of Seminar and Presenter-Keith Ballard (PCC President) Seminar- Bring Professionalism To Your Mailing Operation Presented by Mark Hale (Onsite Management,LLC) BME Q&A-Ron Burch (USPS) Wrap up-next meeting topics RSVP: Karen Wohlleb, USPS Phone: (502) FAX: (502) karen.m.wohlleb@usps.gov

3 TREASURER S REPORT The Kentuckiana Postal Customer Council has been diligent in keeping expenses to a minimum and currently has a balance of $ These funds support the organization s efforts to provide education and affordable meetings for our members. Through the contributions of our generous sponsors and their raffle items, the Kentuckiana PCC has been able to maintain the funds to support the organization. Thanks for your support! Madonna Gammel PCC Treasurer Any Changes? Send any changes you have to your business such as mailing address, address, phone numbers, etc. so that we can update our database. Changes should be ed to kerry.starks@pcusa.org In addition, if you have employees that are no longer with your company and still receiving the PCC Newsletter, let us know so their names can be deleted from our database. Thanks! PASSPORT APPLICATIONS AND PHOTOS Available at the following Post Offices: Downtown 835 S 7th St. 8:30 to 4:00 Fourth St. Fourth Street Live 9:00 to 4:00 Hikes Point 3050 Hunsinger Ln 8:30 to 4:30 Jeffersontown 3801 Billtown Rd 9:00 to 4:30 Lyndon 8127 Old LaGrange Rd 8:30-4:30 Sat 9:00-2:00 Main Office 1420 Gardiner Ln 8:30-4:30 Sat 9:00-1:00 1. We need your attendance. Come to the meetings to meet others from the mailing industry and take advantage of the training programs and seminars. 2. We need your feedback. Let the board members know what type of programs would benefit you and your company. Tell us when it s good and when it could be better. 3. We need meeting sponsors. For a $100 raffle prize donation, you get five minutes to tell the meeting Middletown 119 S Evergreen Rd. 8:30-4:30 Okolona 7400 Jefferson Blvd 8:30-5 :00 Sat 9:00-1:00 St. Matthews 4600 Shelbyville Rd 8:30-4:30 Sat 9:00-12:30 Shively 3131 Crums Ln. 8:30-5:00 Standiford 4440 Crittenden Dr. 8:30-5:00 Standiford 4440 Crittenden Dr. 8:30-5:00 Sat 9:00-1:00 Calling All PCC Members! The PCC needs member support in the following key areas: attendees something about your organization. 4. We also need donations from companies to put in new member bags. If you have any items that new PCC members may find interesting, let us know. This is an inexpensive way to place your company name in front of members. Please be an active member. If you can help with any of these things, let your board members know.

4 Frequently Asked Questions 2011 Holiday Shipping Cut Off Dates Domestic Mail Class/Product First Class Mail Priority Mail Express Mail* Cut Off Date Dec-20 Dec-21 Dec-22 Parcel Post DNDC Drop Ship DDU Drop Ship Dec-15 Dec-19 Dec-22 International Mail** Express Mail Military APO/FPO** * Some Express Mail destinations may have extended service commitments ** See additional information below Military Mail Addressed To Express Mail Military Service (EMMS)1/ First-Class Mail Letters and Cards Priority Mail Parcel Airlift Mail (PAL) 2/ Space Available Mail (SAM)3/ Parcel Post APO/FPO AE ZIPs Dec-17 Dec-10 Dec-10 Dec-3 Nov-26 Nov-12 APO/FPO AE ZIP 093 N/A Dec-3 Dec-3 Dec-1 Nov-26 Nov-12 APO/FPO AE ZIPs Dec-17 Dec-10 Dec-10 Dec-3 Nov-26 Nov-12 APO/FPO AA ZIP 340 Dec-17 Dec-10 Dec-10 Dec-3 Nov-26 Nov-12 APO/FPO AP ZIPs Dec-17 Dec-10 Dec-10 Dec-3 Nov-26 Nov-12 1/ EMMS: is available to selected military /diplomatic post offices. Check with your local Post Office to determine if this service is available to an APO/FPO/DPO address. 2/ PAL: is a service that provides air transportation for parcels on a space-available basis. It is available for Parcel Post items not exceeding 30 pounds in weight or 60 inches in length and girth combined. The applicable PAL fee must be paid in addition to the regular surface price for each addressed piece sent by PAL service. 3/ SAM: parcels are paid at Parcel Post prices with maximum weight and size limits of 15 pounds and 60 inches in length and girth combined. SAM parcels are first transported domestically by surface and then to overseas destinations by air on a space-available basis.

5 For Internal Use Only LEANER, FASTER, SMARTER JANUARY 22, 2012 MAILING SERVICES PRICE CHANGE BACKGROUND: Prices for most Postal Service mailing services will change on January 22, Mailing services includes First-Class Mail, Standard Mail, Periodicals, Package Services and Extra Services. Prices for shipping services will also change on January 22. We will provide customers the new shipping services prices later this fall. While actual percentage price increases for various products and services varies, the overall average price increase across all mailing services is capped by law at 2.1 percent, the rate of inflation as measured by the Consumer Price Index. FIRST-CLASS MAIL HIGHLIGHTS: Letters (1 oz.) 1-cent increase to 45 cents. This is the first increase in the price of a First-Class Mail stamp since May Single-piece letters additional ounce rate unchanged at 20 cents. Postcards 3-cent increase to 32 cents Letters to Canada or Mexico (1 oz.) 5-cent increase to 85 cents Letters to other international destinations 7-cent increase to $1.05 The second ounce will be free for First-Class Mail Presort pieces weighing between one and two ounces. ADDITIONAL PRICE ADJUSTMENT HIGHLIGHTS: The price increase for Standard Mail Letters is slightly below the overall average at less than 1.9 percent A new 3-month pricing option will be available to rent PO Boxes for people on the move and others that need a PO Box for a shorter time period. Delivery Confirmation will be free for several parcel products as the Postal Service continues to make tracking an integral component of parcels mailed at commercial rates. PERCENTAGE OF PRICE CHANGE BY CLASS OF MAIL: Class Percent Change First-Class Mail Standard Mail Periodicals Package Services Extra Services * *With the exception of Delivery Confirmation and Confirm, most Extra Services prices increase at about 2.1 %. Adding Delivery Confirmation and Confirm services as included services for some parcels results in the overall price reduction for Extra Services. ROLE OF THE POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION: The new prices were filed with the Postal Regulatory Commission on Oct. 18, The Commission has 45 days to review the prices to verify they comply with the overall 2.1 percent price cap for each class of mail. The new prices will go into effect on Jan. 22, October

6 PCC MEMBER SPOTLIGHT Debbie Maupin SCOT Mailing & Shipping Systems, Inc. Marketing Manager Debbie Maupin joined SCOT just over three years ago. Having had previous experience in advertising and marketing, she brings a new vision to marketing the mailing equipment industry and to the local community. Debbie is a local girl, growing up in Louisville, attending Western Kentucky University and The University of Louisville, majoring in Broadcast Communications. Once she discovered that there wasn t as much income to be made in broadcasting as she thought through a recommendation she moved into sales. This all started with a local radio station that her parents listened to and who heard an ad for a sales rep, suggesting that their daughter try it. After 6 years in the radio industry, she wanted to get to know the strategic side of media. From there she went to work for a top agency, buying and negotiating media schedules for clients such as Papa John s Pizza, Sullivan University and Heaven Hill. After a stent in media buying, she was convinced to go after a position with a local TV station to do what she loved most, selling. After 12 successful years, she left the industry to join her friends at Scot Mailing & Shipping, creating a position with the company that had not been explored. Debbie coordinates the marketing for the company.be it from bi-monthly e-newsletters, to writing and creating TV ads for the company. It has become a very fulfilling position. She also contacts and communicates with potential customers in the outlying reaches of the company s territories, and even sells something once in a while. Debbie is in a happy relationship and has two children, one daughter (age 26) living the dream in NYC and a 23 year old son that also works for SCOT Mailing & Shipping. In her free time and kinder weather, she enjoys fishing and boating, and in the unkind months, watching sports and cooking. Educational Update Steve Gregory, PCC Director of Education Every year the PCC board selects an education seminar series that we believe will be interesting and relevant to the membership. The series for this year, starting at the November meeting, will be on Mail Center Management. The seminars will be from this year s National Postal Forum and will be presented by knowledgeable Postal staff or industry leaders. One seminar will be presented at each meeting and the four seminars will result in a Mail Center Management Professional Certificate from the National PCC at the end of the series. Industry education is one of the primary missions of the PCC so we want to encourage feedback and suggestions from the membership. Please see one of the board members at the next meeting and let us know what would help your business Marketing News: First-Class Option Lightweight Shipping In The Package Arena There s a new competitive shipping product from the Postal Service First-Class Package Service. On Oct. 1, the USPS began accounting for the former First- Class Mail commercial base and commercial-plus packages as competitive under this new product name. They also were removed from the market-dominant regulated product list. The market for packages weighing under a pound is highly competitive. Now that we have flexibility, we can make this an even more attractive option, especially for online retailers and other businesses that ship a lot of lightweight packages. Commercial base prices are available for eligible packages weighing no more than 13 ounces. Commercial-plus machinable packages can weigh less than 16 ounces. This change does not affect retail single-piece First-Class Mail packages. For more information, refer to the Domestic Mail Manual.

7 Frequently Used Numbers General Information Zip Code Information Rates and Product Line Information Hours of Operation Passport Information Vacation Holding of Mail Residential Customer Services Consumer Affairs/Complaint & Suggestions/Insured Claims Business Customer Services Express & Priority Mail Services Corporate Account Status Express Mail Complaints Bulk Mailings Bulk Mail Applications/Permits Human Resources Hiring Information Employment Verification Postal Service Employment Code Mail Processing Operations Postal Inspection Service Louisville Post Offices Anchorage Carriers, Anchorage Retail Services, Baxter Carriers, Baxter Retail Services, Beechmont Retail Services, Buechel Carriers, Buechel Retail Services, Camp Taylor Carriers, Cherokee Carriers, Cherokee Retail Services, Downtown Post Office Fern Creek Carriers, Fern Creek Retail Services, Fourth Street Post Office, Highview Carriers, Iroquois Hikes Point, Jeffersontown Lyndon Main Post Office Retail, Martin Luther King, Jr. P. O / Middletown Okolona, Plainview Retail, Pleasure Ridge Park, St. Matthews, Shelby, Shively, Standiford Retail, Valley Station

8 Postal Customer Council of Kentuckiana P.O. Box Louisville, KY FIRST CLASS MAIL POSTAGE & FEES PAID U.S.P.S. PERMIT NO. G-10 USPS Trivia Contest Bring completed answers to the PCC General Meeting on 11/17/2011 to be entered in a special prize raffle drawing. ZIP CODE MATCH China, TX Beverly Hills, CA New York, NY Louisville, KY Panama City Beach, FL Salt Lake City, UT NAME