USPS Mail Carrier Chris Malinowski retires after half century of service in Arlington Heights on Friday, August 1, 2025 (CARDINAL NEWS). YouTube Tips ⓘ
If you have gained the respect of your co-workers and your customers, you’ve done very well in your career. USPS Mail Carrier Chris Malinowski retired Friday, August 1, 2025, after serving the Regent Park neighborhood in Arlington Heights across Kensington Road from Prospect High School in Mount Prospect since August 12, 1973. He worked two years for the United States Postal Service (USPS) before beginning his permanent route, and he consistently worked his route for 52 years.
Those years from 1973 to 2025 involved some wear and tear on his body, but he learned to pace himself. Weather and dogs were issues, but he survived the heat and the cold. He recalled that -20°F in 1984 or 1985 was probably the worst weather he endured during his career. Also, lightning was a hazard of the job, and once he felt his hair raise when light struck nearby.
He was never bitten by dog, but he had to use his letter satchel like a matador several times to evade close calls with aggressive dogs.
Speak a few minutes with Chris Malinowski and you soon realize you are speaking with a positive leader, who lacks bitterness and has spent his energy making things better in his long career.
Unofficial summer is lingering on through September 2025, but Chris Malinowski’s final delivery day after being on the job for five decades was Friday, August 1, 2025. Several neighbors met him Friday to thank him, and some gave him small gifts. Now that his career is over, he says time goes fast. He told residents of Regent Park it has been a pleasure and an honor to be their mail carrier for over half a century. He thanked neighbors, and said that he’s seen a lot changes. He said he’s had a lot of nice conversations with people.
Malinowski said residents have been very friendly, and he has become very close with many of them — like family. He said that’s gonna hurt the most about ending his career. I’ve been so close with them. “You know the kids … I think I watched them grow up and then come back by their parents’ house and with their own kids.” He said his job has been quite an adventure, but now it’s time to hang up his satchel. He said he had to end his career sooner or later. Everybody has to quit eventually.
His co-workers love him too. Malinowski worked hard as a union steward to help support his co-workers, and he told one of the residents on his last day on his route that he is still involved with the union. Co-workers, who benefited from his union work, and who worked by his side, organized a retirement party for Malinowski. In addition, his branch covering Arlington Heights, Elk Grove Village and Rolling Meadows was named after him … “Chris Malinowski Branch No. 2810.”
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