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WESTMONT – After the departure of the Westmont Post Office's previous postmaster, longtime USPS worker Shenita Robinson-Hodge was asked to assume Westmont's interim postmaster duties, and was then was hired full time in May.
Following an Aug. 6 installation ceremony, Westmont Suburban Life editor Alex Soulier sat down with Robinson-Hodge to gauge her excitement level and see what the post office has to offer the Westmont community.
Soulier: What United States Post Office position have you previously held?
Robinson-Hodge: I've worked for the post office for more than 15 years, doing everything from being a city letter carrier to participating on all kinds of teams. Previously I was postmaster of the Western Springs, and before then I was supervisor of the Westmont office.
Soulier: What are some of the duties of a postmaster?
Robinson-Hodge: Postmasters run the community's post office, overseeing delivery and the window, paying all the bills, ensuring quality costumer service, helping people, tracking hours and overtime and making sure people are paid on time. You name it, I do.
Soulier: Sounds like a pretty hectic day-to-day job.
Robinson-Hodge: It makes for a busy day, and there is never a dull moment. I like being active so this suits me well. I think I am naturally a people person, so my favorite part of the job is dealing with the businesses, carriers, people and clerks. It keeps me on my feet and I love the person-to-person interaction.
Soulier: Have you set any goals or expectations for yourself?
Robinson-Hodge: My main goal is customer service. I want to make sure that Westmont residents are happy with the USPS. I want to see the complaints go down. The ultimate goal is to help the public in any way possible. Career wise, I want to be here for a while – I don't have my eyes on any other job, this is where I want to be.
Soulier: What do you say to critics who claim that the USPS is an outdated or antiquated service?
Robinson-Hodge: Although I think that the younger generation tends to do a lot of things online, there are so many people who do things by mail. Young and old people love getting cards and some people still love collecting stamps. And I also think that there are services that cannot be done online. More and more, you hear about online security breeches, whereas we pride ourselves on being a secure, dependable and extremely reliable service.
Soulier: Why is the post office still a preferred option when there are so many private mail carriers out there?
Robinson-Hodge: I think postal service is more cost effective. Most people that leave us and say they are going to use one of our competitors come back because we are a less expensive option.
Soulier: What did it mean to you to have so many friends and family members present at the installation?
Robinson-Hodge: It was awesome, made me feel great. To have so many people come and support you, compliment you, that's a wonderful treat and a humbling experience. In addition to my family and friends, I also felt the support of God. With his guidance I have come this far and i will continue to grow and go further.