The memorandum summarizes the author's attendance at the 2011 National Postal Forum conference from May 1-4 in San Diego. The conference provided educational sessions, workshops and a trade show on latest mailing industry technologies and strategies. Key benefits included gaining valuable insights from postal executives, learning about new initiatives and intelligence mail programs, earning professional certificates for attended sessions, and networking with industry leaders. The author found the conference to be highly informative for staying updated on industry changes and helping their organization improve mail processing and reduce costs.

2. 1 – Process (activity mapping of a step by step defined activity or series of activities) 2 – Errors (Non conformance or inability to successfully execute activity) 3 – Productivity (level of work load capability) 4 – Measure (comparison of average/benchmark to contracted level of performance) 5 – Analyze (breakdown and study of where process and activity works and does not work) 6 – Define (state problem and impact to process) 7 – Control (series of standards used in correction process) 8 – Root Cause (identified reason for non conformance) 9 - Voice of Customer (Feedback on expectation level) 10 - Pain Threshold (point of how bad error hurts service – monetary, time, confidence) 11 – Process Improvement (series of corrective actions to correct errors or enhance services) 12 – Follow Up (checkpoint to assure that solution does in fact work) 13 – Documentation (physical record of events to assure replication and also future “error

4. I received the show directory before leaving home and reviewed the floor plan, highlighting the booths I wanted to definitely visit.

5. I made appointments for those exhibitors I definitely wanted to see.

6. I went equipped with my laptop, pens, pads, and pencils, anything that would save time.

7. I arrived early and was first in line when the doors open.

8. Attended numerous workshops.

9. I strengthened my business vendor relationships both new and old. .

10. I made new friends and took lots of business cards for that purpose. .

11. I have shared all information I learned and brought back with me with all my managers who in turn will share with their staff and anyone in our organization that might benefit.

12. Personal Planner National Postal Forum4/30/2011 - 5/4/2011San Diego Convention CenterSan Diego, CA My Expo Conference Calendar<br />TitleStartEndLocationSunday, May 01 2011POSTNET to Post Grad – Get Your Mail the Intelligent Mail Barcode Degree10:30:00 AM11:30:00 AMRoom 2Opening Session - PCC Leadership Conference11:45:00 AM12:45:00 PMBallroom 6ANPF Orientation1:30:00 PM2:30:00 PMRoom 2Webinars – Effective Tool to Educate, Communicate and Train1:30:00 PM2:30:00 PMRoom 5AWelcome Reception5:30:00 PM7:00:00 PMSan Diego Marriott Hotel - Coronado TerraceMonday, May 02 2011Continental Breakfast7:00:00 AM8:00:00 AMLobby Ballroom 20PMG Opening General Session8:00:00 AM9:00:00 AMBallroom 20Quality Control in Mail Center Operations10:00:00 AM11:00:00 AMRoom 6EPCC Communication: Are You Reaching Your Audience?11:15:00 AM12:15:00 PMRoom 5AMonday Luncheon12:15:00 PM2:00:00 PMExhibit Halls A&B2011 PCC Awards – An Excellent Tutorial2:00:00 PM3:00:00 PMRoom 5APeer-to-Peer RoundtablesFacilitator (J. Mullan)4:30:00 PM6:00:00 PMBallroom 6C (Six Sigma Methodology)Areas Reception5:30:00 PM7:00:00 PMSan Diego Convention Center - Sails PavilionTuesday, May 03 2011Dynamic Tools and Tips for PCC Success8:00:00 AM9:00:00 AMRoom 5AThe War on Undeliverable As Addressed (UAA) Mail - News from the UAA Front8:00:00 AM9:00:00 AMRoom 6DContinental Breakfast9:00:00 AM10:00:00 AMExhibit Halls A&BDocument Management - Digital Mail On Ramp10:00:00 AM11:00:00 AMRoom 9Career Transition11:15:00 AM12:15:00 PMRoom 3Buffet Luncheon12:15:00 PM2:00:00 PMExhibit Halls A&BThe Color of Mail2:00:00 PM3:00:00 PMRoom 9Protect Your Employees and Secure Your Mail Center3:15:00 PM4:15:00 PMRoom 10PCC Reception8:00:00 PM11:00:00 PMHilton Bayfront Hotel - Indigo BallroomWednesday, May 04 2011Quality Control in Mail Center Operations8:00:00 AM9:00:00 AMRoom 3Continental Breakfast9:00:00 AM10:00:00 AMExhibit Halls A&BGeneral Session Luncheon12:15:00 PM2:00:00 PMSan Diego Convention Center - Ballroom 20Cost Savings through Mailpiece Design2:15:00 PM3:15:00 PMRoom 4NPF Closing Event7:00:00 PM10:00:00 PMSan Diego Convention Center - Ballroom 20<br />My Expo ExhibitorBooth Number(s)Engineering Innovation, Inc.626Lorton Data, Inc.627Neopost USA1418Pitney Bowes918SCLogic726Stamps.com933US Postal Service934AFMS1342Bear River Associates1641Charnstrom Company, Inc.1622Mail: The Journal of Communication Distribution1643Mailing & Fulfillment Service Association5Mailing Systems Technology Magazine1147Midwest Direct1626Printing Impressions1442Time Customer Service, Inc.840Tritek Technologies, Inc.1548United States Postal Service/PCC8XPO1602<br />NPF Presenter / Speaker <br />JAMES P MULLAN <br />OCE BUSINESS SERVICES @ CHUBB & SON<br />Sessions:<br />Quality Control in Mail Center Operations 5/2/2011 10:00 AM 11:00 AM <br />Career Transition 5/3/2011 11:15 AM 12:15 PM <br />Quality Control in Mail Center Operations 5/4/2011 8:00 AM 9:00 AM <br />_____________________________________________________________________________________________<br />Dear James P Mullan, Thank you for your recent submission to present a workshop at the 2011 National Postal Forum (NPF) event in San Diego, CA. I am pleased to inform you that your session “Career Transition” has been accepted. As a presenter at the National Postal Forum you are entitled to a complimentary full registration. We thank you again for your participation at the NPF and look forward to seeing you in San Diego. If you have any questions, please contact Lori Miller at lmiller@npf.org or (703)293-2318 or Debbie Branagan at deborah.l.branagan@usps.gov or (202)268-7738. Sincerely, Lori Miller Coordinator, Business Sessions National Postal Forum (703)293-2318 O (703)218-5020 F <br />______________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />As you know, as one of our speakers you have also been selected to facilitate a table at the National Postal Forum’s Peer-to-Peer Roundtable session on Six Sigma. The reason I’m writing to you today is to see if you would be willing to present a class called How to Incorporate Six Sigma Tools in Your Mail Center. The original presenter has regretfully had to cancel her appearance in San Diego, but the Review Panel feels that this subject is one that would be well received by the Forum attendees. Since she has just cancelled, she was not able to provide us with any material other than the brief description in her original proposal (below).<br />See how Lean Sigma Tools can easily be utilized in your mail center. After providing an explanation of Lean Sigma, this workshop will discuss its philosophy and implementation strategies. See actual examples of Lean Sigma applications in a mail center and ways to utilize the Five Ss and Muda. Hear the benefits of applying Poka-Yoker (the elimination of human error through mistake proofing a process) and ideas for implementation.<br />The session has been scheduled twice—Tuesday @ 11:15 am-12:15 pm and Wednesday @ 8:00am-9:00am. We realize you have already another session scheduled at the same time on Tuesday, but if you’d be willing to lend your Six Sigma expertise to the participants, we can certainly reschedule one of the Tuesday sessions.<br />If you are able to present the Six Sigma workshops, it would be greatly appreciated, not just by the National Postal Forum, but by our attendees too. Please let me know if you are in a position to assist.<br />______________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />Last Year’s Speaker Evaluation – “Train the Trainer”<br />Dear James Mullan:<br />The National Postal Forum would like to thank you for participating as a speaker at the 2010 Forum in Nashville, TN. The Nashville Forum was one of the most successful in many years by any measure. Your efforts to help educate the mailing community have helped keep the program vibrant and informative. The feedback we have received from attendees has been positive and we are looking forward to another successful Forum in San Diego, CA. <br />As you know, our attendees fill out Workshop Evaluation Forms for each session they have attended. As we did last year, we thought it would be helpful to share those evaluation results with you:<br />Scale of 5 - 1<br />(5 = Excellent, 4 = Very Good, 3 = Good, 2 = Fair, 1 = Poor)<br />Train the Trainer Average of COMM Track Workshop<br />Ratings<br />Overall Session4.41Overall Session4.43 <br />Level of Detail4.32Level of Detail4.48<br />Format of Workshop4.23Format of Workshop4.37<br />Speaker Presentation Skills4.41 <br />Slides, Overheads or Handouts4.40 <br />______________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />At The National Postal Forum<br />PMG CONTINUES EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENTS - LAYERS ELIMINATED, EXECUTIVE RANKS REDUCED<br />Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe today announced a newly redesigned Postal Service, one that is better positioned for growth, reflects further alignment within the organization to achieve core business strategies and, when fully implemented, will help realize approximately $750 million of annual cost savings.<br />“I am confident that we have developed a strong plan that takes a key step toward a leaner and less bureaucratic structure. One that is fair to our employees and one that will meet the future needs of our customers and the mailing industry,” Donahoe said.<br />About 7,500 positions will be eliminated across the organization through the redesign that also includes the closing of seven district offices, and offers voluntary early retirement and limited financial incentives to those who meet specific qualifications.<br />The seven district offices that are closing are Columbus, Ohio; Southeast Michigan/ Troy, MI; Northern Illinois/ Carol Stream, IL; Southeast New England/ Providence, RI; Southern Georgia/ Macon, GA; Big Sky/ Montana (Billings); and Albuquerque, NM. District offices house only administrative functions and do not affect customer service, mail delivery, Post Office operations or ZIP codes. The functions of these seven districts will be assumed by district offices within close proximity.<br />“It’s critical that we adjust our workforce to match America’s changing communications trends as mail volumes continue to decline,” Donahoe said. “At every step and with every change, our focus remains on our customers and continuing to provide outstanding customer service.”<br />Today’s announcement focused on the administrative and executive corps. Additional staff reductions will occur as the Postal Service makes necessary changes to its network and retail operations. The full scope and financial impact of these personnel actions should be realized in one calendar year, by March 2012.<br />While cost savings will be realized, the main objective of the restructuring is to enhance and strengthen customer service and relationships. The realignment flattens the organization, enabling flexibility to more quickly adapt to changing market forces and continuing mail volume decline.<br />The Postal Service is streamlining operations and improving efficiencies across the organization in order to protect its ability to provide affordable, universal mail service. By modifying networks, consolidating functions and restructuring administrative and processing operations, the Postal Service is adapting to meet the evolving needs, demands and activities of its customers.<br />“Mail remains valuable. It is at the heart of a $900 billion industry that continues to drive commerce and the American economy,” Donahoe said. “We will continue to work with Congress and our employees to achieve the long-term, structural and legislative changes we know we need to remain a viable organization.”<br />PMG PATRICK DONAHOE REACTS TO PRC DECISION ON FIVE-DAY MAIL DELIVERY<br />Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe issued the following statement today.<br />“We have received the Commission’s advisory opinion on our proposal to move to a five-day delivery schedule. We have been awaiting the document and look forward to studying the views expressed by the Commissioners. Five-day delivery is an integral part of our action plan for the future.<br />“It’s important to remember that the Postal Service came well-prepared to this undertaking. Based on extensive outreach to our customers and other stakeholders, we developed an operational plan, analyzed the potential cost savings, and conducted extensive market research to document customer reaction and estimate mail volume changes that could result from implementation of this plan.<br />“Following tremendous losses in mail volumes and revenues, the Postal Service remains in the midst of a period of great financial instability. On March 30, 2010, we presented a compelling case to the PRC, reflected in the testimony of Postal experts in operations, marketing and finance, as well as a highly respected market research firm and academician. Their testimony demonstrated that the plan would effect a $3.1 billion annual saving and allow the Postal Service to continue providing excellent service in an economical and efficient manner.<br />“The Commission’s opinion is advisory only, and therefore, is not a final determination on the merits of our proposal. We remain convinced of our findings. As such, we will also continue to press our case with the Congress on this matter.”<br />WHERE IS THE MAILING INDUSTRY’S FUTURE?<br />MAILERS QUERY POSTAL SERVICE TOP LEADERS<br />Simplicity and making it easier to do business with the Postal Service were the themes earlier this week at the National Postal Forum, where the Postal Service’s executive leadership team addressed a standing-room-only crowd during the Postmaster General’s Executive Session.<br />“We want to share some of our strategies with you and better explain some of our key priorities,” said Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe, who was joined onstage by Chief Operating Officer Megan Brennan, Chief Information Officer Ellis Burgoyne, President and Chief Marketing/Sales Officer Paul Vogel, Deputy Postmaster General Ron Stroman, General Counsel Mary Anne Gibbons and Chief Financial Officer Joseph Corbett for informal conversations with mailers.<br />The first phase of installing 100 Flats Sequencing System machines will be completed by June and will result in a reduction of almost 1,100 delivery routes, Brennan said. But work remains on improving national critical entry times for First-Class Mail, Periodicals and Standard Mail flats.<br />Continued improvements to Full Service Address Correction Service; increased tracking for mailpiece, trays and containers; and full tracking of all barcoded packages by October were among the customer improvements announced by Burgoyne.<br />Two new electronic programs — eDropShip and electronic payment — will replace cumbersome paper-based systems for mail acceptance and billing.<br />After reiterating the Postal Service commitment to a national advertising campaign reinforcing the value of mail, Vogel said that $10 million in revenues already have been achieved through Every Door Direct Mail — a product that simplifies creating and delivering marketing mail.<br />Other customer-focused products being considered include an expansion of Reply Rides Free to include a free second ounce, and ways to provide free business-to-consumer shipping for online purchases, added Vogel.<br />DONAHOE VOWS TO STRENGTHEN INDUSTRY<br />ANNOUNCES AD CAMPAIGN TO PROMOTE MAIL<br />Addressing mailing industry representatives at the opening session of the National Postal Forum, Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe reiterated his pledge to stay focused on perfecting the Postal Service’s core function of delivering the mail — while making it easier for mailers to do business with the agency. He also announced plans to launch a major advertising campaign later this year to promote direct mail and strengthen the industry.<br />Donahoe vowed that as the Postal Service continues to redesign internal activities to meet its four business strategies, he will make sure the value that businesses get from using the mail is strengthened and improved.<br />“Our goal is to focus on what we do best: delivering — to help you grow your business,” said Donahoe. “This is especially important to how we serve this industry. We provide a platform for your commerce. The better the platform, the better we can meet your needs.”<br />In announcing the advertising campaign to build awareness about the benefits of direct mail to grow business, Donahoe pointed out that Americans still value the delivery of printed communications and advertising. Despite ever-expanding channels of electronic communications, Donahoe said he believes mail will remain a powerful tool that businesses can use to reach customers.<br />When used in conjunction with other media, Donahoe added that mail can improve overall response rates of a marketing campaign. By simplifying the mailing process and making it easier and more convenient for businesses to use the mail, the Postal Service will encourage more businesses to incorporate mail into their marketing strategies, and mail volumes will grow.<br />“You will see a lot from us in the coming year that reflects on this focus,” Donahoe said. “That extends to innovation, the way we approach the marketplace, strengthening our systems and processes, and removing barriers to growth.”<br />Some Vendor Highlights<br />INTELISENT showcased a new and exciting ways to leverage mail tracking data and ACS information, and how to incorporate this actionable data into an overall marketing strategy with unique applications and solutions. <br />SITMA demonstrated a high speed envelope inserting system. They had a total system solution for bar code driven variable set cut sheets that are letter folded with additional onsets placed into a #10 envelope.<br />SATORI SOFTWARE showcased their new data enhancement services. They believe mailers will be able increase their per-job revenue and help their clients achieve better results.<br />NASML MTAC Association provides a forum to represent the common – systemic interest(s) of our members; mail stakeholders and mail service - logistics providers (MSP) with the USPS. <br />ENGINEERING INNOVATION unveiled their new Parcel sorter which will automatically dimension parcels for USPS processing with Cubic or Commercial Plus rates. We will also be showcasing the updated letter sorter with mixed weight permit capabilities to replace postage meters. <br />CHARNSTROM featured their Industrial Sorters and Tables along with tote racks and their brightly colored Postal Size Corrugated Totes. Also, Charnstrom's new line of tamper proof security mailing bags along with a small sampling of their famous mail carts. <br />DATATECH SMARTSOFT demoed their new PAVE Certified postal software, AccuMail frameworks Mailers Edition. AccuMail is designed to simplify the whole process of running a mailing job, making it easier and faster. Feedback on the new software has been great, with customers who have been using the software telling us it has cut in half the amount of time spent setting up their jobs. <br />POWDERSAFE PS400 Complete Portable Suspicious mail and package containment system. Used in 22 countries, made in Australia, new to the US. Training DVD, Isolation Examination Chamber, Transport Chamber, Mailroom Sort Chart Poster, Mailroom Suspicious L/P Poster <br />