Tamyra Fuller, better known as Tami, has been performing the duties of postmaster in the Schuyler Post Office since December, but in August, Fuller was officially sworn in to the position after a 26-year tenure with USPS and a long list of locations across the Midwest.
The Sun asked Fuller about her life, career and her time in Schuyler.
Question: What is your story?
Answer: I grew up in a family of drag racers. My family owned an oil field truck hauling and a truck and tire repair business. Graduated high school in Russell, Kansas. Attended Fort Hays State University where I met my future husband, Chad Fuller. We got married in McCook and had one son, Raymond. We moved for Chad's teaching and coaching job to Philipsburg, Kansas, Nehawka and then to Syracuse. In Syracuse we had our second son Andrew. Chad took an assistant principal job in David City so we moved again. We had had lots of wrestling over the years with both our boys. Our oldest son, Raymond, graduated from David City Public Schools. In 2017, our family had a life-changing event. My husband, Chad, had an accident on a Slip-and-Slide and became a quadriplegic. We are extremely thankful he survived. He now works as a project coordinator at Butler County Community Hospital (Butler County Health Care Center.) Our youngest son is a sophomore at David City Public Schools. We have raised Labrador Retrievers in the past and now have a yellow Lab, Creed, and a Bernedoodle, Jake. They have allowed us to live here but only because we feed them.
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Q: How did you come to work with USPS?
A: I started with the United States Postal Service as a non-career casual Christmas helper for three months in Russell, Kansas. The work was fun and I felt like I provided a great service for our customers. After those three months I knew where I wanted to work for the rest of my life. Unfortunately I had to wait for a year for the Postal Exam 473 to be offered and then wait on an eligible register list to be hired.
Q: When did you start working for USPS and what is the best part?
A: In 1996, I got hired as a part-time flexible distribution clerk in Hays, Kansas. My job was to sort mail for all the ZIP codes in the United States and load and unload trucks. My future husband (Chad) moved to McCook to student teach and I was able to transfer to the McCook post office. While in McCook, I learned how to carry mail and deliver to our customers in a safe and efficient manner. This fulfilled my need to serve and provide the customers with the best service possible. We moved to Philipsburg, Kansas but I continued to work in McCook for two years with a new baby. It was 90 miles to work and 90 miles home but I loved my job and there was not a job around Philipsburg that I could transfer to. A job opened in Stockton, Kansas' post office and my transfer was accepted, now I only must drive 23 miles to work. I delivered mail on a walking route in Stockton and absolutely loved being outside, even when there were four-foot drifts with 50 mph winds or it was 100 degrees outside. I loved the interaction with my customers and the ability to keep an eye on the neighborhoods. From Stockton, Kansas, I transferred to the Smith Center, Kansas post office and got trained to work at the retail counter and provide the customers with their mailing needs at the best price. We moved to Nehawka for my husband's job and I was able to transfer to Nebraska City's post office. While in Nebraska City, my husband took a teaching and coaching position in Syracuse. Nebraska City was still close enough to Syracuse for me to drive to work. The post office had supervisor positions open in Omaha so I applied and had two interviews. I was selected for the 16-week Supervisor Customer Service Program. I passed through the program and got a rural supervisor position at Stoneyridge Post Office in Omaha. A position opened in Lincoln at the Cheney Ridge Post office in which I was selected as a supervisor of customer service. In Lincoln I worked at Cheney Ridge, College View, Gateway Station, Main Office and Indian Village as a delivery supervisor. I also worked as a customer service support supervisor at the main office in Lincoln and a manager of customer service at College View Station.
Q: What's the best part of being postmaster in Schuyler?
A: Being able to interact daily with customers with so many different cultures and customs. I love helping people.
Q: What do you do on a daily basis?
A: Sort the mail for the carriers in the morning to make sure the mail is ready for them when they come in for the day so they can deliver timely. Make sure the box section mail is sorted and delivered, that there is nothing left in our office and that everything is out for delivery each day. Work the window and help our customers with all their mailing needs. Answer any question they may have and help with passports, passport photos and money orders. Of course, administration work is a good part of my job daily. I am the face of the post office and I want our customers to have the best experience possible. I love to go to different businesses on my lunch break and try new places to eat. I like to ask how I can help businesses grow their business. I am here to make sure we deliver to everyone, every day, without exception.
Q: In your time with USPS, what is the biggest thing you have learned?
A: That my customers deserve the best experience possible, whether it is in our lobby, on the street or in our community. I will go that extra mile to help them. Without our customers, the postal service does not exist. We deliver for America.
