Resident named to fill postmaster slot

WESTFIELD (MA)– The position of postmaster of the Westfield, Massachusetts Post Office is no longer vacant or being filled temporarily. As of April 30, Westfield resident and a 27-year postal service veteran, Mark Edstrom filled the position and plans to stay until he retires
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When Edstrom, a former postmaster in both Greenfield and Ware, was offered the post at the Westfield office—which is less than three miles from his home—he found he could not say “no.” Besides welcoming the opportunity to serve in his hometown, the commute to his new job is much quicker he noted.

Edstrom started his post office career as a clerk in October of 1978 with the Jamestown, New York Post Office. He said he had not planned on going into “postal work,” but his aunt saw otherwise.

“My aunt sent me an application to take the (Postal Service) test,” said Edstrom. “I got a job and from there only saw the opportunities available to me with the Postal Service.”

Taking advantage of those opportunities, Edstrom went from the position of clerk to postmaster in just 13 years.

He worked in Jamestown until 1983, and from there became a postal inspector in Washington, D.C. for three months before being assigned to Hartford, Conn.

While at the Hartford branch, which also oversees Springfield, Mass. and New Haven, Conn., Edstrom was given the job in the finance department at the Springfield district in 1987. In 1990 he was promoted to manager of safety and health, and one year later, was assigned as postmaster in Greenfield.

After eight years with Greenfield, Edstrom took the job of postmaster in Ware, shortening his commute by about 20 miles, and finally, on April 30, he became postmaster in Westfield.

“I hope to be here until I retire,” said Edstrom. “It seems like there is a very dedicated group of people working here, and that’s what I’ve seen in only two weeks.”

The new postmaster quickly discovered that there would be no time to slowly ease into his new job. On his second day of work he was handed the huge task of rerouting the 29 mail routes in Westfield, along with adding two and a half more routes.

“We’re adjusting the routes and learning what works best,” said Edstrom. “It will take some time, but the public has been very understanding.”

Edstrom said the reason for adjusting the routes is because the Westfield community has grown so much in the past two years, and continues to grow.

“Westfield’s not done growing,” he said, pointing out the building project on Court Street. “We want to make sure mail goes out on a consistent basis and in a timely manner.”

A dedicated employee, Edstrom was recently recognized for attaining 2,000 hours of sick time, and not having missed a day of work in seven years.