Al Curtiss, Sr., Industry Stalwart, Dies
Allen Curtiss, Sr., an industry stalwart instrumental in the creation of the mail and distribution profession, died February 1, 2021.
He was 84 years old.
As a support services manager at AT&T and later as an executive and operations manager for leading outsourcing companies, Curtiss was considered an expert in administration services, mail and distribution.
In the early 1980’s Curtiss was instrumental in the start of the Mail Systems Management Association and would serve as President. He helped launch the Certified Mail and Distribution Systems (CMDSM) professional certification and, later as VP of Education, helped ready candidates for the honor. He was a columnist for MAIL Magazine, spoke at conferences, and was active in building networks of fellow professionals.

Al Curtiss, Sr. with Sugar Ray Leonard and Al Curtiss, Jr. at MAILCOM 2004.
“Al was a great friend and a true professional to all that knew and worked with him,” said Lance Humphries, CMDSM, MCOM, MAILCOM Managing Director.
“I had the pleasure and honor of knowing him for over 30 years and he was always kind and helpful to everyone he met. His knowledge and wisdom for many in the mail and print industry has been an invaluable asset in thier professional education and development.”
His work in education continued with the start of MAILCOM in the early 1990’s where he served as Program Director, a job he held for the next 25 years. He is remembered by the thousands who saw him over the years as a true professional, always looking to educate and assist younger colleagues.
Besides his work in program operations, Al is equally remembered for his beautiful voice. Many spring and fall MAILCOM conferences were opened with Al singing “God Bless America”.
When he began work at AT&T Bell Labs in the 1970’s, there was no email, little faxing, and only mainframe computers. Postal mail remained the primary component of corporate communications along with the telephone. The decades that followed would see the introduction and integration of electronic technologies. Adapting to the technology of the times was Al Curtiss’ hallmark.
” I am eternally grateful for his friendship and guidance over the years, and he will be missed by all his MAILCOM family, friends, and associates,” Humphries said.
Search the Official Mail Guide
LATEST NEWS
-
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Postal Service today reported its financial results for the first quarter of its fiscal year 2021 (Oct. 1, 2020 – Dec. 31, 2020), as the [...]
-
WASHINGTON, DC — During today’s meeting of the U.S. Postal Service Board of Governors, Ron A. Bloom was unanimously elected by his fellow Governors to serve as the 24th [...]
-
The NBC News4 I-Team reports the number of positive COVID cases among postal workers doubled in the DC area with at least 7 deaths … (click to read more) Click for OIG [...]
-
WASHINGTON, DC — Addressing the USPS Board of Governors at its February meeting, U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy apologized for the poor mail service across the [...]
-
WASHINGTON, DC — U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy told the USPS Board of Governors at their February 9, 2021 meeting that the Post is working on a ten-year strategy [...]
-
WASHINGTON, DC — U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy told the virtual MTAC meeting held on January 26 that announcement on a second round of postage rate hikes in 2021 [...]
-
Most college mail centers were built well before e-commerce existed. Original construction plans didn’t anticipate the impact that a surge in packages would have on their [...]
-
MBA Group, direct marketing and transactional communication industry specialists, have invested in three state-of-the-art Fusion Cross inserters from BOWE SYSTEC UK at their [...]
-
Carol Stream, IL-based TEAM Concept Printing and Thermography Inc. recently expanded and brought finishing in-house, thanks to the Rollem Insignia7H die cutting system. The [...]
-
NAPM’s 2021 Virtual Annual Conference will be held February 16-25, 2021, featuring USPS executives and others responsible for postal regulatory/oversight. Education [...]
NEW IN THE OMG:
-
Spring 2020 Tech
Vote by Mail Automation
-
Spring 2020 Tech
Omega Flats Mixed Mail Sorter
-
Spring 2020 Tech
Card Mailing System
-
Spring 2020 Tech
PB Intelligent Lockers
-
Spring 2020 Tech
Seal-Tight Concentrate
-
Spring 2020 Tech
Mail Tray Carts
-
Spring 2020 Tech
Tabbing & Labelling System
-
Spring 2020 Tech
EZ-Letters Sorting Solution
-
Spring 2020 Tech
SMART Shipping System
-
Spring 2020 Tech
Make Shaped Mail
-
Spring 2020 Tech
Correct Elect Vote by Mail
-
Spring 2020 Tech
Prepare USPS Mailings In Cloud
-
Spring 2020 Tech
Convert Flats To Envelopes
INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT
-
Accuzip CEO
How to Add Value to Mailed Communications
-
Carousel 4
Johnson & Quin Installs Truepress
-
Carousel 4
The Wisdom Of Ben Franklin, Printer-Mailer
-
BOWE CEO John Lombard
Aggressively Improving Material Processing Operations
-
Carousel 4
The Key to Midwest Direct’s 35 Years of Success
-
Carousel 4
Odd Ways The USPS Delivers Mail
-
Carousel 4
Kevin O’Connor: Mail Industry Is Not Dying, Digitally Evolving
-
Carousel 4
Mail In The Wrong Hands Can Be Dangerous
-
Carousel 4
Sorter Tray Racks Speed Mail Processing
-
Carousel 4
Mail Collection Box History
-
Carousel 4
Fulfillment Robots Are Coming (Video)
-
Carousel 4
Kirk-Rudy Turns 50!
-
Carousel 4
Engineering Innovation Marks 10th Year
-
Carousel 4
GENERATE EXCITEMENT with the Power of Paper
-
Carousel 4
Electronic Return Receipt Cuts Costs
-
Carousel 4
More Cool Conveyors
-
Carousel 4
Daily Emailed Pictures Of Your Incoming Mail
-
Address/Barcode Printers
Effective Communications in the Global Marketplace
Top Print-Mail Service Providers
THE BUSINESS OF MAIL
-
Carousel 1
Incoming Mail Becomes Digital With Eco-Mail
-
Carousel 1
CEO Built LetterLogic from Basement Up …
-
Bowe Direct Mailer
BOWE Introduces Direct Mailer Inserting System
-
Carousel 1
Flying Air Taxi Begins Tests
-
Carousel 1
Mailer Uses Online App To Outsource Document Mailings
-
Carousel 1
East Tenn State Gives Students Parcels On-Demand
-
Carousel 1
Low-Cost Envelope Printer
-
Carousel 1
How To Reduce Undeliverable (UAA) Mail In USA, Globally
-
Carousel 1
SendPro Shipping Tool Is UKC’s New Best Friend
-
Carousel 1
Vitamix Mailcenter Ship Solution
-
Carousel 1
ODMS’ Growth Formula: Hard Work, Great Technology, Good Service
-
Bike Delivery
UPS eBike Begins Service
-
Carousel 1
University of Pittsburgh’s New Intelligent Parcel Lockers
-
Carousel 1
Driverless Truck Delivers Beer In Colorado
-
Carousel 1
Credit Union Brings Doc Processing Back In-House
-
Carousel 1
UPS Begins Drone Delivery Test Flights
-
Carousel 1
JLS Tests Neopost’s IS-6000 Mailing System
-
Carousel 1
Using Informed Visibility to Add Value to Mail
-
Address/Barcode Printers
Effective Communications in the Global Marketplace
-
Carousel 5
Matrix Imaging, A Pioneer In Transactional Mail
-
Carousel 5
Penn State Automates Acceptance-Letter Mailing Process
-
Carousel 5
Postal Center International (PCI) Shifts To Inkjet Printing
-
Carousel 5
IMS Moves To Full Color Production Inkjet
-
Carousel 5
Utility Billing Firm AVR Prints With AcceleJet
-
Carousel 5
How Adding Services Help InPlants Survive
-
Carousel 5
JLS Mailing Services Soars With 100% Solar Power
-
Carousel 5
Compu-Mail Sees More Dynamic Mailing With Inkjet Press
-
Carousel 5
IWCO Installs Truepress Inkjet Web Press
-
Carousel 5
Action Mail Picks Phoenix Printer