Round Pond Postmaster Steve Culpovich started working for the United States Postal Service in 1985 as a “casual” or temporary employee earning $5 per hour.
This July, USPS presented Culpovich with a Service Award Pin in recognition of 30 years of federal employment.
The three decades include four years in the U.S. Air Force.
Born in Winslow, Culpovich volunteered in the early 1970s, during the Vietnam War. He completed basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas and technical school at Lowry Air Force Base in Denver, Col., where he remembers waking up to a view of the Rocky Mountains.
For the majority of his time in the Air Force, Culpovich was stationed at Myrtle Beach Air Force Base, where he specialized in avionics, primarily working on the A-7D Corsair.
At Myrtle Beach, Culpovich would often work the late shift and sleep on the Grand Strand, the city’s famous beach, during the morning hours.
He served brief stints at Eglin Air Force Base, also in Florida, and Cannon Air Force Base, near Clovis, N.M.
The most exotic stretch of Culpovich’s service was a winter-long stay at the Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base in Thailand.
“It’s a beautiful country,” Culpovich recalls. While there, Culpovich took full advantage of every opportunity to explore the country on USO tours, where, in the mountains of the southeast Asian country, he saw ancient ruins and wild tigers.
By age 24, Buck Sgt. Culpovich, in addition to Thailand, had traveled to 48 states, Canada and Mexico. “I knew that I wanted to be in Maine,” he said.
Following his departure from the Air Force, Culpovich returned to his pre-military job at the Scott Paper factory in his hometown of Winslow, where he worked for about 7-8 years before his career change.
Culpovich started his first postal service job in July 1985. During the early days, he had to work odd jobs to supplement his part-time income. As a temporary employee he accepted every job available, working as a clerk, a carrier, a janitor and, eventually, a part-time supervisor.
Culpovich labored in a “temporary” job in the Fairfield Post Office for eight years before, nearly 10 years into his USPS career, he landed a permanent position in Waterville.
Later, Culpovich was the OIC (Officer In Charge) at post offices in Anson and Hinckley. Finally, after applying for “many” postmaster jobs south of Augusta (he and his wife, Deborah, wanted to move closer to the coast) Culpovich visited Round Pond for the first time.
“I had no clue where this was,” Culpovich said. He remembers driving into the village, watching the harbor come into view. “I said, ‘Oh! This could be nice,'” he recalls. “Turns out it was.”
Culpovich started Aug. 5, 1995, just over 16 years ago. Today, he and Deborah live in Round Pond.
“I like it here,” Culpovich said. “I like the people, love the environment.”
Culpovich is a nature enthusiast. He loves animals – caring for his pets and feeding birds and chipmunks joined photography as his chief pastimes outside work.
His office windows look out on a wide field where he sometimes sees foxes, wild turkeys and as many as a dozen deer. His customers have reported seeing moose crossing the parking lot, although a sighting has thus far eluded Culpovich.
He enjoys his work. “I like working with people,” Culpovich said, and he credits his coworkers – “incredibly capable” postmaster relief Lisa Genthner and “a great carrier and sub-carrier” in Tracy Smith and Jennifer Dorwort – for making his job easier.
He owes a debt to his predecessor, long-time Postmaster Georgia Leeman, he said, for her knowledgeable assistance.
The customers, too, help make the post office a pleasant work atmosphere. Culpovich claims there are still a handful of residents he doesn’t know, but during a Sept. 23 interview at his office, he greeted each customer by name.
“I enjoy [the customers],” Culpovich said. “They’ve treated me quite well.”
“They forgive me for my shortfalls and I do the same, so we get along quite well,” he said.
The postal service has seen well-publicized changes and challenges since the beginning of Culpovich’s career. “We’ve lost 50 percent of our first class mail in less than 10 years,” he said, as customers increasingly opt for email and other modes of communication.
Although the post office, too, utilizes changing technology – Culpovich spends more time at his computer than ever before – some things remain the same. The Round Pond Post Office is considered a “manual” office and the postmaster still uses a large, wooden drawer to make change. “This is nice because it’s quiet,” he said.
Culpovich plans to finish his career in Round Pond. He figures on putting in another 6-8 years before retirement.
“The Postal Service owes a great deal to the loyalty and dedication of its employees,” USPS District Manager Deborah Essler wrote in the letter accompanying Culpovich’s pin. The award, she said, is “a symbol of… deep appreciation for a career of commendable service.”
