Karen Key

Director Shipping Production Services USPS

Karen Key is the Director, Shipping Products and Services in the Product Innovation organization. In this role, Karen is responsible for developing new solutions and enhancements for all domestic shipping products, including Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail, First-Class Package Service (Commercial and Retail), Parcel Select, Parcel Select Lightweight, USPS Retail Ground, Bound Printed Matter (Parcels), Media Mail and Library Mail, as well as Returns. She also has product development responsibility for Pickup Services, Extra Services, Value-Added Services and Expedited Packaging Supplies. She oversees ongoing coordination with Operations, Engineering, Delivery, Post Office Operations, Finance, Legal and other major functional stakeholder groups at the Postal Service to ensure successful implementation of projects in these critical growth areas for the Postal Service.

Karen has served in a variety of leadership positions with increasing responsibilities. These include Manager Shipping Products Development, Manager Shipping Products, Manager Outbound Parcels, Manager Expedited Operations, Manager Expedited Products and Manager Marketing (a) in the Chicago and Gateway districts. Her past efforts as a Marketing Specialist contributed to the success of both the Expedited Package Services and Field Retail Operations strategic business units.

Most recently, Karen completed the implementation of Premium Forwarding Service Local; Placement of Quick Reference Codes on Returns Labels for Package Pickup, Collection Box Decal for Post Office Locator and on Expedited Packaging Supplies for Package Pickup; Online Refunds for Priority Mail Express and Extra Services; IMD Full Acceptance at 13,065 Non-Retail System Software Sites; Redesign of the PS Form 3849, We Redeliver for You!; and Elimination of Four Extra Services Forms at 17,880 Retail Software Sites and 1,391 Contract Postal Units. Her other credits are Extra Service Simplifications, which simplified the complexity of the services and provided ease of use for both internal and external customers. She also led the USPS Package Simplification efforts that included providing customers with day-certain delivery information and free insurance with Priority Mail. She developed Parcel Select value added enhancements that have been embraced by e-commerce merchants that include Sunday Delivery and Same Day. Through her efforts, our Package Pickup program has grown and our Extra Services and Value-Added Services better meet the needs of our customers. One other major effort that is now under way is Returns Simplification, which can help us achieve our goal of being America’s round-trip shipper of choice.

Karen has a proven track record of creativity, leadership and teamwork to design and execute solutions that create customer value and meet changing customer needs.

Karen is a graduate of Webster University, where she earned a Master of Business Administration, and the University of Alabama, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. She also has completed both the Advanced Leadership Program and the Executive Leadership Program. She is a certified Lean Six Sigma Green Belt.