Kelly Abney, the Postal Service’s chief logistics officer, retired July 5.
Abney led the redesign of the organization’s transportation network, including its shift away from air transport. He also oversaw the deployment of a state-of-the-art logistics systems platform.
His efforts led to “the reduction of over a billion dollars in costs from our transportation budget while improving service reliability,” Postmaster General Louis DeJoy wrote in a memo announcing Abney’s retirement.
DeJoy praised Abney’s ability to create an environment where collaboration is recognized and rewarded, including the implementation of two employee recognition programs — Driver of the Year and Carrier of the Year, both of which were presented at the recent National Postal Forum.
He also served as an advisor for the rollout of the COVID-19 test kit programs for the White House and Health and Human Services Department.
Abney brought more than 30 years of logistics and procurement experience with him when he arrived at USPS in 2022, including serving in senior supply chain positions at Walmart, Sears/Kmart, Payless Cashways and XPO Logistics.