William J. Henderson joined Netflix in January 2005 as chief operations officer after serving as the United States Postal Service (USPS) postmaster general and chief executive officer from 1998 until his retirement in 2001. Before he was promoted to the post office’s highest position, he served as the USPS’s chief operating officer 1994-98 and earlier held postal management positions in Chicago; Greensboro, N.C.; Memphis; and Stockton, Calif., gaining experience in labor relations, human resources and line management.

Keynoting at the Entertainment Supply Chain Academy (ESCA) inaugural event, Henderson explains in a quick chat what drew him to the private sector, and the similarities he sees between the world's largest online DVD rental service and most sophisticated postal service.

Q: What attracted you to Netflix after a career in the postal system?
A: My experience with complex automated plants combined with my curiosity about DVD delivery via the Internet and USPS were an ideal combination.  (Netflix CEO) Reed Hastings called me and we discussed the opportunity.  It was a match based on my experience and curiosity factors.

Q: Were you a Netflix customer before you joined the company?
A: I started my Netflix membership early on – about 2001. I found it by word of mouth. A friend of mine told me it “was the coolest thing in the world.” I signed up right away. My experience is quite common. More than 90 percent of Netflix members say they refer Netflix to a friend. More than 85 percent of Netflix members say they joined in part because of a personal recommendation from a friend.

Q: Are advances in technology keeping pace with Netflix’s growth?
A: The selection and deployment of automation as Netflix grows. Today we have 4.9 million members. Our goal is to have 20 million members by 2010-2012.