New postmaster feels at home

Even before Jenny Gollhofer graduated from high school, she started on a career path that brought her to the U.S. Post Office in Owatonna.  
The New Richland native took the civil service exam during her senior year. She recently took over as postmaster, following in the footsteps of her mentor Jan Guse, who retired last year.  
“I’ve been in Owatonna since I was 18, so this is home for me,” she said. “I realized early on that this was a career more than a job.”  
Postal service is something of a tradition in Gollhofer’s family. Her husband started with her when they graduated from high school and is now a city carrier in Faribault. The couple has two daughters, ages 8 and 10.  
Both of Gollhofer’s parents are postal service workers, as are her husband’s father and sister. At family gatherings, they have to put a limit on the amount of time they can spend talking about post office business, she said.  
After starting as a clerk in Owatonna, Gollhofer worked as a supervisor for 17 years. In September, she’ll celebrate her 24th year in the same location, something she considers an advantage. 
“I’ve seen the needs of the community, I’ve seen where it grows,” she said. “You come to love the area that you’re in, and you care about the job. As businesses come in, you work with them to help them grow... You have more of a connection to the community and what they need to succeed.”  
Located at 209 Broadway St., the Owatonna post office serves the city as well as rural routes that were once in Medford’s service area, with 50 employees. Gollhofer has high praise for the staff, who managed record-setting parcel volumes over the holiday season. 
Carriers and clerks also worked long hours to keep the post office open during the COVID-19 pandemic, filling in gaps when staff members got sick. On top of that, they helped other communities.  
“We had people going all the way to Rochester to make sure they could get the mail out,” she said, adding the clerks worked extra hours, too. “They’re just excellent people.”  
The Owatonna post office recently held a hiring fair to fill several open positions. Gollhofer said she enjoyed meeting people but didn’t get a lot of interest. She understands the world is different these days but has also seen first-hand the advantages of working for the post office. 
“It’s a great career. There are great benefits and growth opportunities as well,” she said. “If you can foresee a future, there are some great jobs available.” 
Anyone interested in a career with the postal service will find job listings and more information at usps.com/careers.