Wientzen First DMA Executive To Speak At NALC Biennial Meeting

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NEW YORK, July 21, 2004 - The Direct Marketing Association's (The DMA) President & CEO, H. Robert Wientzen, spoke yesterday at the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) 64th Biennial National Convention in Honolulu, Hawaii. This occasion marks the first time that a DMA executive has addressed an NALC biennial convention.

"We - mailers and Postal Service employees - have something in common," Wientzen told attendees. "We all need a Postal Service that is reliable; offers affordable rates; provides a continuation of the high-quality, universal service that you've provided since the late 18th century; and, importantly, is flexible and competitive enough to survive in the rapidly changing, increasingly Web-driven communications and delivery marketplace."

Wientzen said that The DMA and the NALC must work closely to overcome the serious challenges facing the future of the Postal Service. Not only should the two bodies work cooperatively to pass through Congress systemic postal reform legislation, but he also insisted that they should collaboratively "explore creative ways to grow mail volume and Postal Service revenue."

"We are continuing to work with employee groups - and all involved stakeholders - to get meaningful and systemic postal reform legislation through Congress and on the President's desk," said Jerry Cerasale, senior vice president, government affairs, The DMA. "We're here at the NALC's biennial convention to let letter carriers know that we are all in this together - that the health and vitality of the Postal Service is crucial to all of our families. And we are continuing to work cooperatively to ensure a successful future for the U.S. Postal Service that will last for many generations to come."

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