Abbreviation question

Factual Questions
1

Can anyone decipher this?

We are doing business with a company in France and I just received a legal document with a cover letter. The letter is signed with a strange abbreviation that has made me wonder who to address the reply to.

It is signed like this (names obviously changed):
Jane Doe (this is included as part of the pre-printed stationary along with address, phone etc)

Then right next to the name, someone has hand written
“p.o Jane Smith”

The “po” does not stand for “post office” or “purchase order”

is this a French abbreviation that means “now known as” or something? Since the name is female and the first name has not changed, I am assuming she got married and changed her name and is just using up her old stationary.

Any ideas Dopers? I’d hate to start this collaboration out on the wrong foot by addressing the woman incorrectly.

Thanks for any help

2

Could it be Personnel Officer or Procurement Officer? These are from www.acronymfinder.com.

3

It stands for par ordre, meaning “by order.” This would indicate that Jane Doe had instructed Jane Smith to send the letter on her letterhead.

4

A-ha, that must be it.

Thanks a lot Nametag!

Thanks to you too, dantheman. Great site there.

5

Yup, I use it a lot for work. You can also go to www.libraryspot.com for a list of other acronym sites.