U.S. Postal Service appoints 1st Latina postmaster of Manhattan
MANHATTAN (WABC) -- The U.S. Postal Service is celebrating the first Latina woman ever promoted to the role of Manhattan Postmaster.
A ceremony was held at noon Friday at the James A. Farley Post Office Building in Midtown to celebrate Wanda Diaz's promotion, which comes at the start of National Hispanic Heritage Month.
Diaz brings more than 25 years of New York City postal experience, beginning her career as a letter carrier in the Bronx in 1996.
"I wanted to go into management, so I started taking promotional tests," she said.
The native of Puerto Rico will oversee all delivery and retail operations in what is widely regarded as the cultural, financial, media and entertainment capital of the world.
"There no words to describe the excitement," she said.
She was previously an area manager, running 10 Post Office locations. Now, she'll supervise 66.
"We have to deliver to America," she said. "We have great plans, great leadership."
Those who know Diaz will tell you when it comes to customer service, she delivers every time.
"New York is one of the toughest districts to deliver mail in," said Jimmy Warden, with the National Association of Postal Supervisors. "Just going across town can take you two hours...to bring mail service back to third in the county, that's quite an accomplishment."
She is supported by 4,000 employees who work in 66 offices and 55 retail locations across the borough's 22.83 square miles.
She is now responsible for maintaining the seven-days-per-week postal deliveries of mail, including checks, ballots, and packages, for 8.8 million customers.
Diaz is just the 46th American Postmaster of New York, a position that dates back to 1659, while the city was under Dutch rule.
She is the third woman to hold the position, and she hopes her journey inspires others.
"Don't give up until you accomplish your goal," she said.
In 1775, Ebenezer Hazard began serving as the first American Postmaster of New York, under the authority of the Continental Congress.
William Bogardus served as New York's first postmaster, in 1664 under British Rule.
The first record of postmaster in the city dates back 363 years, to an official repository for overseas mail designated for New Amsterdam, a Dutch outpost.
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