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| Florida UPMA Officers Bios |
 Anthony D. "Tony" Leonardi, President Florida UPMA
Tony’s postal career began in June of 1994. He started as a Letter Carrier,
then moved up to Supervisor, working in those positions for four years
each. In 2002, he earned the title of Postmaster, a position he has never
vacated. Since then he’s served in numerous OIC positions, and is currently
Postmaster of Mims Florida.
Prior to the merger of NAPUS and The League, Tony served in the following positions in NAPUS: He was National Membership Chair in 2007-2008; National PM Rep in 2009; and National Vice President for Area 2 in 2010-2011 before assuming his responsibilities as National President for the term of 2014-2017. In November of 2016 Tony began serving as National Co-President of UPMA, representing over 25,000 active and retired members. He is committed to bringing these two organizations together to improve the quality of life of all Postmasters and Managers across this great country.
He believes to ensure this we must face the future united and confident
with a common vision. Tony currently lives in Alexandria Virginia with
his wife Karyn and his daughter Isabella.
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 Mike McManus, Immediate Past President Florida UPMA
A fiscal 2018 greetings to our members. FY 2018 has started off with a whirl wind of activity. I will save my thoughts on how we and the USPS handled the holiday season for another article.
Two subjects that need immediate attention are our upcoming state convention
slated in June 2018. We will be on the East coast of the state below Melbourne.
Florida is such a large state we always consider travel from all points
to the convention, this year’s location is centrally located as possible
as allowing us to try new areas of the state. You will find more information
at http://www.upmafl.org/convention.htm on the exact dates and special
incentives to attend. We will have the District manager’s forum along with
training and special guests.
Whether you’re interested in upward mobility in UPMA or in the Postal Service
this convention will be the place to be. You will have opportunity to meet
and discuss your issues and concerns with District leadership and UPMA
Executive members. The convention will begin Thursday evening, classes
on Friday and Saturday returning home on Sunday. The hotel is family friendly,
you can stay the entire time or just come for one day.
If you’re interested in becoming more involve with UPMA we welcome you
with open arms. Our organization is growing and with growth opportunity
is always around the corner. We have a wide range of positions for every
skill set. We will be electing a new President and several other key positions.
Running the risk of repeating myself, your chapter needs you, your fellow
postmasters, managers needs you, you associate members need you, If not
you, then who?
If I can leave you with one closing thought for you and all our members:
get involved. Our employer, our organization and our world are changing
at a blistering pace. With new technologies, policies and procedures, the
old days of just riding the wave are gone. The slogan of “I didn’t know"
just doesn’t cut it anymore. If you don’t sharpen your skills, sharpen
your knowledge, sharpen your networking, you will be ill prepared to perform
you duties efficiently and effectively. Knowledge is the “new currency”,
how wealthy are you? Are you investing in yourself, do you have a savings
plan?, do you have a goal? Thank you for your time and hope to see you
at the state convention in June.
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 Craig N. Albright, Vice President Florida UPMA
922 Volusia Timber Ct.
Lake Helen, FL 32744-3422
(Cell): (386) 852-7124
(Home): (386) 677-9363
(e-mail): cnalbright@gmail.com
From North Charleston, SC - Moved to Gainesville, FL and enrolled in University of Florida in 1986
Graduated from University of Florida in 1989
Started to work with United States Postal Service in 1999
Served as Postmaster, Lake Helen, FL (2017) and Postmaster of De Bary,
FL (2019-Present)
Moved to Lake Helen, FL (2021)
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 Lori McDonough, Secretary / Treasurer Florida UPMA
Lori started her career with the Postal Service in 1987 as a PTF Clerk
in Burdett NY. Later, she transferred to Interlaken, NY, coincidentally
where our Editor, Ralph Viegelmann was her Postmaster. After transferring
as a clerk to Wellsburg, NY then to Watkins Glen, NY, she became Postmaster
of Montour Falls, NY in 2001. Lori, with her husband Bob and their two
boys, Tommy and Robby sold their sheep farm in Watkins Glen, NY and relocated
to a warmer part of the country, Smithville, GA in 2005 where she became
Postmaster after being OIC.
In 2010, Lori was promoted to PM of Plains, GA where she became Jimmy Carter’s
Postmaster, her claim to fame. PostPlan moved her on to PM Cuthbert, GA
and later promoted to PM Leesburg, GA. In preparation for retirement, Lori
and her husband decided to go further south to a quaint, little town in
FL called High Springs. This is where she is currently PM and plans to
retire from in 5 yrs, 6 mos and 25 days . When she is not counting the
days until retirement, she enjoys watching Hallmark movies with her husband,
reading and hanging out with family and friends.
Throughout Lori’s Postal career she has had the opportunity to serve in various jobs, such as a Review Board Member, Transfer Official, Postmaster Essential Facilitator, SOX SME and Retail Kaizen Team Member to name a few. She was a member of NAPUS since 1993 and has served as an officer on the Executive Board in both New York state and Georgia fulfilling various positions. Currently, as Secretary for Florida UPMA, she looks forward to joining the board in serving our members and working to move the new organization forward.
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 John Newbold, Editor Florida UPMA
John Started as a career Postal employee in 1981in Buzzards Bay, MA after
serving several casual appointments. Worked as a Window clerk in Falmouth
and Woods Hole, MA and City carrier in Cedar Grove, NJ before transferring
to Longwood FL in 1987.
When Mid FL was opened I was excessed from Longwood and in 1991 transferred
to Plymouth, FL as a Window clerk. Promoted to Postmaster in Plymouth,
FL in 2005.
I have attended every NAPUS National convention since 1989, first as a
guest of my mother, Janet Buck West Falmouth Postmaster retired, and then
as a member after joining NAPUS after my first OIC appointment.
I also have a sister that recently retired after 40 years as a City carrier
in Fort Lauderdale, FL.
Married in 2002 and currently live in Apopka, FL. My wife, Gale, and I like Line Dancing, tailgating at UCF home games, boating, traveling, and most Sunday’s you can find me on the golf course.
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 Erica Carmichael, Vice President Florida UPMA
She began her first Postal career in 1990 as a casual in Valdosta, GA and
in 2001 was hired as a Part- Time Flexible (PTF) Clerk in Valdosta, GA.
where she maintained a commitment to providing excellent customer service.
During her 17 year career, Ms. Carmichael has served as Supervisor, Customer Service in Valdosta, GA, (A) Station Manager in Savannah and Saint Simmons Island and OIC in Tifton, GA. She was selected to Postmaster of Madison, FL in 2014, where she currently serves.
Ms. Carmichael has served on various District Teams including, Function
4, City Route Inspections, Rural Adjustments, District Intervention and
Safety. She is a certified Postmaster Essentials Facilitator and is in
the EAS Leadership Development Program. She enjoys serving in UPMA, meeting
new people and staying informed.
Ms. Carmichael has a beautiful daughter (Alexis) who is a Senior in High
School and a loving mother who is a Breast Cancer Survivor.
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 Richard (Rick) Pasek, Vice President Florida UPMA
Rick is the Postmaster of Palatka, FL. He has been with the United States
Postal Service 24 years (11 years as a Postmaster), and proudly served
in the U.S. Navy for 4 years. Rick was elected as one of two (2) UPMA Vice
Presidents for the Suncoast District and is very happy and excited to be
in this role. This is the second year being a VP. .
When he was a supervisor in Saint Augustine 2004- 2007 his then Postmaster,
Stephen Kirkland, invited him to go with him to a NAPUS meeting at Gator
Landing Restaurant (now called Corky Bells) overlooking the Saint John’s
River in Palatka. He remembers walking into the large room where the lunch/meeting
was being held and was pleasantly taken back by all the Postmasters that
were in attendance. There was at least 20-25 Postmasters there and thoroughly
enjoyed the meeting. Everyone was engaged and you could see the comradely
in the room. At that moment Rick realized he wanted to be a Postmaster
and be a part of such a great association. Rick became a member of UPMA
(NAPUS) as soon as he became a Postmaster in 2007. He started attending
all the meetings and state conventions. Not only has he been able to receive
valuable training and information at the meetings/conventions, but the
networking with all the Supervisors, Station Managers, Postmasters, Mpoo’s,
District Managers and even the Area Vice President. This organization has
been nothing short of exemplary for him. Rick says "it is reassuring
to know that I am a part of an association that has my back". He knows
and feels that he has improved as a Postmaster with the time that he has
invested into UPMA.
Labor, finance, Human Resources are areas where Rick has improved by attending the State Conventions and listening to the guest speakers that present on these subjects.
Finally, let’s all commit to actively recruit more supervisors, OIC’s,
Station Managers, Postmasters to become a part of this great and wonderful
association. Rick is in the planning stages of having a UPMA meeting in
the 321 area and hope we can all make it and bring a neighboring office
manager who is not a member to see what they are missing.
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 David Blaesing, Executive Vice President Florida UPMA
David has a postal career of almost 16 years. He has been a Casual mail
handler, a TE City Carrier, a CCA City Carrier, a PTF City Carrier and
a Regular City Carrier in cities like Milwaukee and Oak Creek, WI, Mechanicsville,
VA, Daytona Beach, FL and Orlando, FL.
David has served 3 years as a 204B in 8 separate stations located in Orlando,
FL before becoming a Supervisor in Winter Haven, FL in 2015. He was an
OIC Manager in Winter Haven for 3 months during Hurricane Matthew. He was
an OIC starting in May 2018 for the Dundee/Waverly, FL offices before becoming
a Postmaster for the same offices. He has served as a City Route Inspection
team member for the Orlando area and for the Suncoast District for about
2 years. He also has been a Political Mail SME for MPOO B group in 2020.
David joined UPMA at a Employee Career Conference in 2016 and attended
his first National Conference just recently in 2021 in Sandusky, OH. David
has been in some form of Management or a Business Owner since leaving the
Marine Corps in 1985 after serving four years. He has served 3 years as
a County Jailer while attending college in Brevard, NC from 1985 to 1988.
David has three grown children ages 38, 40 and 41. He also has six grandchildren
from 4 to 18 years old. He is married to Amy Blaesing who works in Payroll
for Orlando Health and have been together for 10 years. They both love
roller skating, bowling, motorcycle riding, camping, watching movies at
the theatres, and the beach.
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 Patricia Copeland, Vice President Florida UPMA
Patricia has been Postmaster of the Palm Beach, FL Post Office since 2010.
After 17 years as a Supervisor she began her tenure as Postmaster in 2005
when she was promoted to Postmaster, Belle Glade FL.
Her career has taken her into multiple functional areas of the Postal Service. Patricia has held varying levels of responsibility in Mail Processing, Operations Support, and Customer Services Operations.
She is a US Department of Labor Certified Injury Compensation Specialist,
a certified EEO Counselor/Investigator, a certified facilitator for Stephen
Covey's Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, as well as a facilitator
for various Postal Service training initiatives.
Though her career has provided her a wealth of experience, it is her walk
of faith with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit that has provided her greatest
joy.
She is blessed to be married to Ralph Johnson, the blessed mother of Joshua
Johnson and blessed to have raised her niece Tiahna Freeman.
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 Robert L. Gentry, Vice Presidnet Florida UPMA
Robert began his career in 1998 as a city carrier in Pensacola FL.
He began to 204B in 2002 in Pensacola and continued several 204B assignments
in the Gulf Atlantic District.
He was Supervisor at Murray KY in 2017 - became Postmaster of Hopkinsville
KY in August 2019. In 2021 he lateraled into the Manager Customer Service
position At the Warrington Post Office in Pensacola Fl.
Robert is an Air Force Veteran and held a position with the Department
of Justice before his career with the Postal Service.
He attended Emory-Riddle Aeronautical University for areonautical engineering, University of Maryland, general studies, Pensacola Junior Collegge for criminal justice and is a graduate of the Federal Law Enforcement Academy, Glynco, GA
Robewrt has been married to his wife Naomi for over 20 years and has one
haughter, Isabella who is a combat medic in the U.S. Army stationed in
Fort Drum..
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