Elgin Courier-News | Elgin native sworn in as city’s new postmaster

Elgin Courier-News | Elgin native sworn in as city’s new postmaster

Elgin Courier-News | Elgin native sworn in as city’s new postmaster

elgin post office randall road

Tom Castillo became emotional as he was sworn in as the new Elgin Postmaster.

“I didn’t think this would be like this,” said Castillo, his voice breaking.

Family, friends, city officials and officials from the regional office were on hand for his swearing in. “I love the postal service. I raised six kids doing this job,” Castillo said.

As postmaster, Castillo said he wants to foster the kind of workplace and culture there that continues to help employees raise families while working too.

The job, he said “is one of the best things that ever happened to me,” he said.

An Army Veteran and Elgin native who was born at Saint Joseph Hospital, Castillo started working at the U.S. Postal Service in 1986.

Michael Young, manager of post office operations for the district, performed the swearing in and gave Castillo a glowing recommendation.

In 2008, Castillo joined a postal service program that gives employees a chance to see what it is like to work in management and decide whether or not it is something they wanted to pursue, Young said.

“He was someone we needed in management … no matter what job,” Young said.

Castillo worked under him at first, Young said. He remembers getting phone calls on a Saturday morning to warn him there may be a problem at the office.

When Young told Castillo he was on his way, the new management recruit stopped him. “He said ‘Don’t worry, boss, I’ve got it handled,’” Young said. “He said ‘If we need you, I will call.’”

Those problems were always handled, Young said.

“Tom is very dedicated — he bleeds postal blue,” Young said — adding that on the day of his swearing in, that blue might actually be for the Cubs.

When it came time to move Elgin’s last postmaster, Sue Meathe, to Schaumburg, she told Young she wouldn’t leave unless she knew Castillo would get the job, he added.

“Sue (Meathe) knew that Tom would be the best fit for the Elgin family,” Young said.

In his years with the post office, Castillo has worked all over the region — Mount Prospect, Barrington, Villa Park, Maple Park, Kaneville and others before coming back to Elgin.

One of the things he’s appreciated about the Postal Service is its willingness to hire military veterans like himself. Now, Castillo noted, many mechanics jobs in the office are filled exclusively by veterans.

There are 15 or 20 veterans working in the Elgin Post Office. That includes the Post Office at 66 Grove Court, the Postal Annex off of Randall Road, and the Postal Store in the Otter Creek Shopping Center.

Altogether, there are 78 full-time city carriers for Elgin and South Elgin, which the Elgin Post Office also delivers. In total, about 150 people work at or out of those locations.

The entire Elgin postal service area covers from Bartlett Road in the east to Route 47 in the west.

Janelle Walker is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.