CHAOS COORDINATOR. Jenny Hauck, pictured, has 12 years of experience in the Wisconsin post office game. As of this November, Hauck is at the helm of Eau Claire's USPS sphere.

Eau Claire's new United States Post Office (USPS) Postmaster, Jennifer (Jenny) Hauck, is calm for one brief moment. All the postal carriers – AKA Santa's elves, this time of year – have left for their routes. On her desk, a carved wooden countdown calendar shows just 10 days until Dec. 25, Christmas Day. Her dog-shaped wall clock barks 10 times with the sound of a miniature schnauzer. Her name plate stands resolute: “Chaos Coordinator.”

As Eau Claire's postmaster, Hauck oversees a total of 123 employees between the retail facility on Madison Street and the postal carrier hub off Western Avenue. “This is our peak time right now,” she said.

“The peak officially starts on Nov. 15 and ends on Jan. 1. Right now, our carriers are delivering from 100 to 200 packages a day, compared to the 15 to 25 packages a day during the rest of the year,” she continues. “And our team aims to do so on time, completely – and safely.”

Hauck is no stranger to hard work. The oldest of six, she grew up on a dairy farm just outside Rice Lake. One semester away from earning her R.N. license, the L.P.N. switched careers and joined the local post office as an entry-level clerk. There, Hauck's boss saw her potential as a future leader and postmaster.

Hauck's current boss, who was also a colleague a few years ago, saw that very same potential, Hauck said. That person has guided Hauck through all the positions she has held the past four years, all of which have paved the way toward becoming Eau Claire's postmaster.

Over her 12-year career, Hauck aimed to do everything in her power to learn and gain as much experience as possible. She worked her way up to a supervisor position at the Eau Claire Processing and Distribution Center – later serving as postmaster in the smaller, rural Wisconsin communities of Chetek, Barron and Grantsburg. Prior to landing her current role, Hauck traveled the state, ensuring compliance with overtime rules and regs.

In July 2025, Hauck was named officer in charge of the Eau Claire post office, and officially installed as postmaster in November 2025.

"Ultimately, we are a customer-service oriented organization,” she concluded. “All our employees work very hard to fulfill customer satisfaction. My goal as postmaster is to have open communication and an open door for employees and customers alike. I want to know about any issues so we can work on resolution. I also want to create a culture of, yes, working hard – and yet laughing, a sense of humor, is good.”

The United States Post Office retail shop in Eau Claire is located at 225 E. Madison St. • The Eau Claire USPS Annex is located at 1420 N. Hastings Way