New Loma Linda Postmaster Welcomed With Trial by Fire

Dan Mesa has left little doubt in many minds that he can handle being Loma Linda’s Postmaster.

As acting postmaster, he’s overseen the merging of post offices, the closure of the historic Bryn Mawr office, the end of Sunday delivery and the beginning of street delivery for the community of Bryn Mawr.

“I went here 10 years without anything happening,” Mesa said. “And then all of a sudden boom.”

But with a struggling economy and the Postal Service forced to find ways to cut, changes were needed, he said.

Mesa, who had been acting postmaster for about two years, was officially sworn in as the city’s postmaster Oct. 21. He takes over for the previous postmaster, who transferred to a different position.

He has already been in charge of everything from overseeing mail distribution to personnel matters. His new title will change his duties very little. The office had been trying to reorganize since the closure of Bryn Mawr, he said.

They are still in the process of merging the post offices, he said.

He is responsible for 8,954 deliveries, covering the city of Loma Linda and community of Bryn Mawr. He is in charge of 24 employees and services 14 carrier routes and 1,408 Post Office boxes.

Mesa began his career in 1977 as a letter carrier at the La Puente Post Office. He’s held several customer service positions in the San Diego District, including supervisor of customer services in Loma Linda and Redlands, and acting manager customer service at the Del Rosa Station in San Bernardino.

Mesa spent two years in the U.S. Air Force then joined the California Air National Guard before retiring after 21 years of military service. Mesa has two daughters, three sons, and seven grandchildren, according to his bio.