John A. Gronouski

John A. Gronouski
56th United States Postmaster General
In office 1963–1965
Preceded by	J. Edward Day
Succeeded by	Lawrence F. O'Brien
Personal details
Born	October 26, 1919 Dunbar, Wisconsin
Died	January 7, 1996(1996-01-07) (aged 76) Green Bay, Wisconsin
Spouse(s)	Mary Louise Metz
Children	Stacy Ann Gronouski Jennings Julie Kay Gronouski Glieberman
Profession	Politician

John Austin Gronouski (October 26, 1919 – January 7, 1996) was the Wisconsin state commissioner of taxation and the United States Postmaster General.

Biography

Gronouski was born in Dunbar, Wisconsin. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 1942, and then served as a navigator in the Air Force until October 1945. He earned his M.A. in 1947, and his PhD in 1955, both from the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

In 1952, he ran in the election for United States Senate against Joseph McCarthy (who won reelection).

In 1959, he joined the Wisconsin Department of Revenue, and was named the executive director of the Revenue Survey Commission. In 1960 he became the Wisconsin state commissioner of taxation, and he supported John F. Kennedy in the election campaign that year. After his well regarded revamping of the Wisconsin tax system, he was appointed postmaster general by President Kennedy in 1963. He was the first Polish-American Cabinet officer. As Postmaster General, he promoted the original five-digit zip code system, and worked to end racial discrimination against postal employees.

He left the post office in 1965, when President Lyndon B. Johnson appointed him United States Ambassador to Poland.

After the Nixon administration assumed power in 1969, he was asked by Johnson to become the founding dean of the LBJ School. He remained dean until 1974.

He served as one of the members of the member Eisenhower Commission (on international radio broadcasting) and as Chairman of the Board for International Broadcasting during the Carter Administration.

He retired, and moved to Green Bay, Wisconsin, where he lived for the rest of his life.

References

• Archives of the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at The University of Texas at Austin
• Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum
• Miller Center of Public Affairs, University of Virginia
• New York Times obituary

Political offices
Preceded by J. Edward Day	United States Postmaster General Served under: John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson 1963–1965	Succeeded by Lawrence F. O'Brien