Giant Eagle's Shapira Nominated to USPS Board of Governors

David S. Shapira, executive chairman of Giant Eagle, has been nominated by President Barack Obama to serve on the U.S. Postal Service’s board of governors.

In announcing Shapira's nomination, which was part of several others for key administration posts, President Obama said: “These men and women bring extraordinary dedication to their roles and will serve the American people well. I look forward to working with them in the months and years to come."

The nine-member USPS board of governors functions like the board of a private company, according to agency's website, and is also responsible for choosing the postmaster general. Appointments are for nine-year terms, and no governor may serve more than two terms. Members are appointed by the president and approved by the Senate.

As described on the USPS website, the board directs the exercise of the powers of the Postal Service, directs and controls its expenditures, reviews its practices, conducts long-range planning and sets policies on all postal matters, as well as overseeing service standards, capital investments and other duties.

In terms of qualifications, USPS board of governors nominees "shall be chosen solely on the basis of their experience in the field of public service, law or accounting or on their demonstrated ability in managing organizations or corporations (in either the public or private sector) of substantial size, except that at least four of the governors shall be chosen solely on the basis of their demonstrated ability in managing organizations or corporations (in either the public or private sector) that employ at least 50,000 employees.”

Shapira was CEO and chairman of Pittsburgh-based Giant Eagle from 1980 until 2012 when his daughter, Laura Karet, assumed the post. Shapira was previously the company’s president from 2005 to 2012.  He is a trustee of Oberlin College and is past chairman and a current trustee of Carnegie Mellon University, as well as a director of EQT Corp. and a member of the advisory board of Aquatech International. A former director of Mellon Bank Corp., Shapira previously served on the boards of the Pittsburgh Regional Alliance, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh. The Pittsburgh native holds a B.A. in economics from Oberlin College and an M.A. in economics from Stanford University.