FORT LEE, Va., 2014-8-14 — /EPR Retail News/ — Defense Commissary Agency Director and Chief Executive Officer Joseph H. Jeu announced changes in four senior leadership positions within the Sales, Marketing & Policy Group. Changes take effect Aug. 10.
Randall L. “Randy” Chandler, currently director of sales, will become director of operations and policy, a position currently held by Delbert L. “Del” Myrick. Myrick will take over as director of business development, currently led by Gordon J. Jones. Jones will become deputy director of sales, vice Traci L. Russ, who will now serve as director of sales.
“It’s important we nurture our ‘brain trust’ and develop crossover expertise throughout our organization, but especially at the top,” said Jeu. “We must sustain our forward momentum in these days of rapid change and dynamic projects in sales, store formats, category management, customer insights and more. These position exchanges will enrich each individual’s experience and talents and strengthen our team overall.”
Chandler, new director of operations and policy, has served as sales director since July 2013. He is noted as being one of the early founders of the agency’s marketing business unit.
Chandler’s commissary career began in 1979 with the Marine Corps Commissary System. Eventually, Chandler would become store director of the Hadnot Point Commissary at Camp Lejeune, N.C., before becoming a Marine Corps representative to the DeCA Transition Team that helped merged four military commissaries into one agency in 1991. He left government service to work for industry, returning in 2005 after seven years to become store administrator at Charleston Air Force Base Commissary, S.C.
Myrick, new director of business development, has served as director of operations and policy since 2011. He was previously chief of enterprise business solutions in the information technology directorate, director of operations for DeCA’s then East Region and other headquarters-level positions. From 2001 to 2004, he was store director for Fort Myer Commissary, Va.; and 1996-2001, Zone 24 Manager at Fort Belvoir Commissary, Va.
Myrick started his commissary career in 1984 as a produce manager at March Air Reserve Base, Calif., and went on to various management positions at Barksdale Air Force Base, La.; Lowry Air Force Base, Colo.; March Air Reserve Base; and commissaries in England and Germany.
Russ, the new director of sales, has served as the deputy sales director since July 2013. She was previously director of the Business Development Directorate that focuses on E/M-commerce and shopper insight initiatives. She served from 2008 as executive officer to DeCA’s deputy director.
Russ began her commissary career in 1985 as a part-time sales store checker. In 1991, she entered the commissary career program as a grocery department manager. She has subsequently served in various positions within the commissary system, including many projects at headquarters and region level, and tours as store director at Menwith Hill, England, from 1998 to 2000; store administrator at Mannheim, Germany, from 2000 to 2001; and store director at Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., from 2001 to 2003.
Gordon Jones, new deputy director of sales, has served as director of business development since August 2013. He was chief of the E/M-commerce division after serving as a supervisory business analyst from 2011 to 2012 in the now-defunct requirements and strategic integration directorate.
Jones began his commissary career in 1984, holding a variety of field positions ranging from store director at Altus Air Force Base, Okla., to zone manager in Würzburg, Germany. His headquarters-level assignments include a tour as a supervisory commissary management specialist and chief of the perishable markets division of the Marketing Business Unit. He is a retired Navy Reserve commander who served as a logistics officer in Baghdad, Iraq, from March 2006 through March 2007.
About DeCA: The Defense Commissary Agency operates a worldwide chain of commissaries providing groceries to military personnel, retirees and their families in a safe and secure shopping environment. Authorized patrons purchase items at cost plus a 5–percent surcharge, which covers the costs of building new commissaries and modernizing existing ones. Shoppers save an average of more than 30 percent on their purchases compared to commercial prices – savings amounting to thousands of dollars annually. A core military family support element, and a valued part of military pay and benefits, commissaries contribute to family readiness, enhance the quality of life for America’s military and their families, and help recruit and retain the best and brightest men and women to serve their country.
Media Contact:
Kevin L. Robinson
(804) 734-8000, Ext. 4-8773
kevin.robinson@deca.mil