EVP/CMO Talks About His Exchange Career and What’s Coming Up for MD

For Eric Sidman, who became Exchange executive vice president and chief merchandising officer in June, the new role was a natural segue.

He had spent all 17 of his Exchange years in Merchandising, starting in 2007 when he helped launch the then-new Planning, Allocation and Replenishment (PAR) team. Since 2020, he had been senior vice president of MD. In between, he held other positions in MD.

Sidman’s road to CMO included a 2016 promotion to vice president of Store Experience and Design in Customer Experience. He assumed the role of vice president of Consumables Convenience Channel Division the following year before being named senior vice president of Merchandising in October 2020 and then CMO in 2024.

The Exchange Post recently talked with Sidman about his role and his career.

What exciting things are coming up for Merchandising?

“This past year we have contracted with several new partners like Home Depot and Bass Pro Shops, with additional partnerships in the works. We’re in the process of changing our approach to how Merchandising does business. We’re building tools and processes that will look more commercially aligned with how merchandising is done in the civilian world, while keeping true to the fact that we have a mission to serve. It will require us to re-tool and adapt current practices to the need of the business.

“We need to rethink how we choose the products that go into our stores. For a while now, we’ve done things a certain way, but now it’s time to adapt to how business has changed. Our teams have done great work with the tools they’ve had, but shifting our approach will help us keep up with the new demands ahead.

“We need to look for opportunities to continue to reinvest in and grow the Express convenience-store business. Then there’s e-commerce growth and how to do that profitably. With MILITARY STAR expansion, we need to continue to study how the product and merchandising side of the organization can support that growth with promotions and/or products that promote the use of the card. Those are the strategy pillars that will drive the merchandising over the next couple years.”

What do you hope to bring to the CMO role?

“My goal is to stay closely connected with every level of my team. To lead, I need to truly understand the concerns, challenges and goals of our people. That’s why I am dedicating time and effort to digging deep—to hear directly what’s happening on all levels. This isn’t about catching people off guard; it’s about building trust. Our team does far more things right every day than wrong, and by identifying areas for growth together, we can make a lasting impact.

“I try to bring a common sense approach to things. I’m big on family, so supporting our MD ‘family’ is important for me. I want to know what tools and process they need so they can focus on value added work. I always told myself that if I got into a position of influence, that’s how I would manage. It seems to work out well. The relationships I’ve built over the years are the foundation for my being effective.”

When did you know that you would stay at the Exchange?

“There is a distinct moment. The Exchange was standing up a new group, hiring a new team and the processes weren’t defined. Those years were tough, and the change we were going through was not very popular. We all received negative feedback, which in my career was not exactly normal for me. I’d had always had several exciting assignments and risen through the ranks pretty quickly in my career. I started here when I was 29 so finding something else would not have been too difficult.

“But when I was sent to Pacific Region on store visits and traveling with a group, one of the commercial flights we got on to go to Okinawa was at least two-thirds packed with what looked like newly enlisted or fresh out of basic soldiers in uniform. That was one of those moments for me. I’d done the civilian rat race, where CEOs came and went and stock price was the most important thing. I realized that the Exchange gave a different meaning to why you do what you do and who you serve. I was sitting in the middle of a group of kids who had probably just gotten their first assignment, going off to a part of the world they’d probably never seen before, and this is who I get to do my job for.

“Serving those who serve became my career choice.”

Where else have you traveled for the Exchange?

“I’ve been all over the place, aside from downrange. My travels have taken me around the globe at least three times. When we were doing PAR training, we visited Italy, Germany, the U.K., Hawaii, Guam, Japan/Okinawa, Korea, all three CONUS regions within a 2 month period. The different things I’ve been exposed to in my career are pretty amazing.

“In the past year, I got to go to Camp Hansen in Okinawa and see one of the top-selling Hunt Brothers Pizza stores. You just sit there in awe at how many people in the military community line up just to get a taste of home.”

What’s the most significant thing that’s happened since you joined the Exchange?

“It’s inspiring to see how far some of the people who started with me have come, achieving incredible growth and stepping into leadership roles. I’m proud of those journeys. Now, what excites me most is the opportunity to invest in and support the new talent joining our organization. Helping them grow and develop is essential, because they are the future leaders who will shape our path for the next 15 to 20 years. That’s the legacy I’m excited to be part of—lifting others up and building a strong, thriving future.

“I’ve had a hand in influencing and shaping some of the things—not all, but some—that Merchandising has developed and created over the years. The way we look, feel and act, and what we bring to our customers, is different today than it was when I first got here, and we still have much to accomplish.”

What was your first job before the Exchange?

“When I graduated from University of Central Florida, I went to a job fair and sought any position that fit with my degree. By chance, the recruiter from Office Depot thought I would be a good fit in a merchandising position, and so began my journey. That’s where I cut my teeth in merchandising and supply chain. I was young and naïve and thought I should be promoted quickly, but I didn’t know at the time that you sometimes had to mature through positions in order to excel.

“After several years at OD I was getting hit up by recruiters for other companies, and one day I picked up the phone and a recruiter called me up and said, ‘Hey, we’ve got a job open in Texas.’ From OD I was recruited to Radio Shack in Fort Worth, where I took on management responsibilities and spent a few years in various positions in Merchandising before I got a call from AAFES. So here I am.”

What do you like to do in your spare time?

“During football season, it’s watching my son, who’s a junior this year, playing high school football. My daughter who is my oldest is away at college. During free time, my wife and I like to get out and watch live music around Dallas-Fort Worth. We like to watch ’80s and ’90s cover bands, or anything acoustic. Anyone playing an instrument always fascinates me because I’ve never been able to. We have all our family living here so we stay pretty busy at family events or functions.”

What does ‘family serving family’ mean to you?

“I would do any job in the world if it meant my family was cared for. If it meant mopping floors, I’d do it without hesitation. I’ve always believed that the job itself doesn’t matter as much as what it allows me to provide for my family. I think most people can relate to that—to working hard so they can support their loved ones and create a life that strengthens family bonds.

“At the Exchange, our purpose goes beyond just providing for our own families; it extends to the connections we build during everyday work. The people we work with become like family, and we support one another so that everyone can take care of their families. It creates a ripple effect: we build trust, we form deep bonds, and we do the right thing for each other. That’s what makes our work meaningful.”