125 Years of Family Serving Family – Gloria Sylvia, Northern Alaska General Manager

Gloria Sylvia was so impressed with her experiences at the Exchange at a young age that she decided to make a career here.

One in a series honoring the Exchange’s 125 years of family serving family

Gloria Sylvia remembers what the Exchange meant to her mother, a long-serving manager. She was so impressed with her early experiences that she decided to make a career for herself here.

Sylvia, the general manager for the Northern Alaska Exchange, describes her 35-year career as a thank-you note.

“The Exchange was always there for me and they still are,” she said. “I am proud to have been on both sides of family serving family.”

Sylvia is the only family member who still works for the Exchange. She met and married her husband, Michael Robert Sylvia, who retired from the Exchange in 2015. She also has a sister and an uncle who logged 30 and 35 years of service, respectively, for the Department of Defense’s largest retailer.

Those familial connections gave her a head start in what the Exchange means.

“They provided me with a great deal of knowledge about our customers and our Exchange mission of serving those who serve,” she said.

Sylvia also is proud of a long military tradition in her family.

Her husband served in the Army. Her father served in the Philippine Navy for 20 years. Her father-in-law served in the Korean War and retired from the Navy and Air Force.

In addition, her stepfather retired from the Army and a cousin has had multiple deployments in the Army.

Sylvia enjoys meeting new faces every day, especially those who are just starting their military careers.

“We are there in places all over the world taking care of service members and their families,” she said. “I understand how hard it is for most of our younger customers being so far from home and family. Just seeing an associate who can speak to them and understand what they do for our country makes a huge difference. Their smiles when they realize we are there for them are so precious.”

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