Military Resale Alliance Meets at Exchange HQ to Discuss Strengthening Benefits

Merchandising and marketing leaders from across military resale came to Exchange headquarters on Feb. 27 and 28 for the Military Resale Alliance’s annual meeting, a gathering to discuss plans to continue strengthening exchange and commissary benefits.

Formed in January 2019, the alliance is made up of the Exchange, Navy Exchange Service Command, Marine Corps Exchange, Coast Guard Exchange and the Defense Commissary Agency.

Since 2019, the alliance has achieved more than $194 million in value for the military community. More than $115 million of that was passed on to exchange and commissary shoppers through discounts, promotions and military-exclusive pricing.

Exchange Director/CEO Tom Shull showed his appreciation for the alliance’s teamwork.

“I would like to acknowledge the amazing work you have done to execute critical cooperative efforts to strengthen the benefits DeCA, MCX, NEX, CGX and AAFES are privileged to provide,” Shull said. “Since 2019, this team saved over $190 million through joint buying, delivering lower prices, better promotions and exclusive value to our military community.”

Shull singled out national-brand agreements as a “game-changer.”

“Just last year, AAFES and NEXCOM launched a historic agreement with The Home Depot, opening 77 main store concepts,” Shull said. “Now, the major appliance category is generating more than $100 million in additional revenue. “Partnerships with Gap, Old Navy and American Eagle are generating another $24 million in revenue. Your results are further proof that  we are truly better together.”

Exchange Director/CEO Tom Shull speaks to members of the Military Resale Alliance at Exchange headquarters during the Alliance’s annual meeting. (Photo by Leah Miller, Exchange Senior Marketing Manager)

Shull offered special thanks to Rich Honiball, Executive Vice President and Global Chief Merchandising Officer at NEX; Jennifer Wible, Chief Operating Officer at MCX; Anne Hargrove, COO at CGX; and Ed Walters, Executive Director, DeCA; as well as Karen Cardin, Exchange Executive Vice President and Chief Merchandising Officer, for their efforts.

“Looking forward to seeing even stronger results in the coming year,” Shull said. “This meeting is the first step in that journey. All ideas to strengthen Quality-of-Life benefits must be pursued with an urgency that keeps the needs of Warfighters and the broader military mission first.”

Cardin told the Exchange Post that by combing their orders, alliance members are able to negotiate lower prices or better terms.

“It helps us to give shoppers a lower price,” Cardin said. “It also helps us to provide even more earnings for critical Quality-of-Life programs.”

For 2024, the teams’ priorities included working with key vendors to increase the quantity of merchandise the exchanges are able to receive.

“There are several key partners that provide a limited quantity of merchandise to the military market,” Cardin said. “We’re working together to get bigger allotments of units when companies launch a product.”

The alliance is also studying how it can share additional brands with each exchange’s private labels.

“For instance, we carry some of the Navy Exchange’s private label, and NEXCOM carries some of ours,” Cardin said. “Sharing private labels helps to offer more great products at even lower prices.” All the exchanges and DeCA presented private brand portfolios during the meeting.

“The alliance recently marked five years of teamwork across military resale,” said Exchange Senior Vice President Sandi Lute. “Even during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the alliance banded together to provide the best possible support to service members, retirees and military families. Its all-for-one mentality has strengthened each organization’s Service-specific support to its unique customer base.”

The exchanges and DeCA will continue their tradition of commemorating Veterans Day by presenting those who served with a free challenge coin. The teams have partnered in this united sign of appreciation since 2020.

“The Veterans Day commemoration is just one sign of the alliance’s aligned efforts,” Lute said. “Other Department of Defense commemorations, such as National Vietnam War Veterans Day and Month of the Military Child, are examples of how the teams collaborate to honor those who serve and have served.”