President of Loews Reportedly Picked to Head Postal Service

Preston Robert Tisch, president of Loews Corp., has been selected as the next postmaster general, informed sources said Tuesday.

Tisch, 60, reportedly was picked by the Postal Board of Governors, who then briefed key members of Congress on the choice.

Sources with ties to Congress, the postal board and a postal employees union identified Tisch to the Associated Press, on the condition that they not be identified.

A public announcement was scheduled for this morning. Postal officials refused to comment and there was no answer at Tisch’s New York office. His family-run business includes interests in hotels, tobacco, insurance and theaters.

The outgoing postmaster, Albert V. Casey, was congratulated at the board’s monthly meeting Tuesday for a sweeping reorganization of the postal bureaucracy. During his seven-month tenure, Casey “paid a significant price in dollars, aggravation, perhaps even health,” board Chairman John R. McKean said.

While apparently healthy now, Casey had surgery while he was postmaster for removal of growths in his throat.

Casey has said that the cost of renting a hotel room in Washington for his short tenure was more than his $86,200 annual salary.

Leaves Aug. 15

Casey will leave the Postal Service Aug. 15 to take a teaching position at Southern Methodist University.

Although Casey announced that he would be a short-term postmaster on the day he took office, the board went down to the wire in picking his successor.

At one point it had hoped to make a selection by July, so there would be a longer overlap period between Casey and his successor. An announcement also had been expected in connection with Tuesday’s board meeting.

Casey leaves the Postal Service at a time when it is setting new records for on-time mail delivery.

Reports Better Service

Michael S. Coughlin, senior assistant postmaster general in charge of the operations support group, one of those interviewed for the top job, told the board that service is better than a year ago for all categories of Express Mail and for five of the six categories of first-class mail.

The only exception is stamped first-class mail delivered within the local area. That mail is supposed to be delivered overnight if it is deposited by 5 p.m. Coughlin said the Postal Service is able to do this 96% of the time, the same as last year’s performance.