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AAFES MD — PAR

AAFES Merchandising Directorate Reorganizes PAR Team

• DALLAS
he Army & Air Force Exchange Service PAR Directors
(AAFES) Merchandising Directorate (MD)
Treorganized its Planning, Allocation and
Replenishment (PAR) team over a four-month pe-
riod earlier this year, with the goal of serving Ex-
change clientele better.
According to Eric Boen, MD PAR vice president
(VP), the reorganization of PAR — which was ef-
fectively completed on the last day of summer,
Sept. 21 — “is an effort to better align our struc-
ture with current best practices in industry, by fo-
cusing efforts into a single discipline or center of
excellence (CoE) that allows associates to establish Boen Robuck Strano Worrell
processes and expertise within one of three areas:
‘Planning,’ ‘Allocation,’ or ‘Replenishment.’ PAR director of the Specialty Store-Consumables PAR STAFF INPUT
“Establishing consistent, long-term, and sus- Division, an entity which has since been reimag-
tainable processes positions PAR to better manage ined into the Convenience Channel Division — Boen said that the new PAR directors and the
the ongoing and different seasonal trends of the said he was “appointed into” the “recreated” VP PAR manager staff had much input into the suc-
extensive breadth of categories and retail channels of MD PAR position. cessful transition of PAR from a category-based
sustained by our supply chain.” Further personnel changes included Martha structure to a discipline-focused team effort.
Robuck, who transitioned from her role as direc- “This could not have happened without the
tor of PAR Hardlines to director of Planning; Shir- hard work and dedication of the PAR manager
BROAD STROKES ley Strano, who transitioned from director of PAR staff,” Boen said, including Todd Anderson; Kevin
Softlines to director of Allocation; and Kim Wor- Brett; Diane Frye; Genny Garcia; Ed Madden; An-
Boen said that among the “broad strokes” of rell, who transitioned from director of PAR Con- gie Porter; Amy Ralston; Linda Wiley; and Alan
the reorganization, managers and associates “have sumables to director of Replenishment. Sekikawa, “as well as its directors,” Martha Ro-
transitioned from a category focus to a discipline- Based on these personnel transitions, Boen buck, Shirley Strano and Kim Worrell.
based focus where best practices can be established noted, “There is a fundamental shift in the com- Although the reorganization was completed on
and propagated amongst team members within munication structure; however, service levels and the last day of summer, as of mid-October, Boen not-
the same discipline, be it Planning, Allocation, or overarching support is expected to improve over ed, “We are in an ongoing evaluation phase to en-
Replenishment.” time.” sure validity and effectiveness of the new structure.”
In PAR, Boen — who had previously served as —E & C NEWS

PAR Managers

Sekikawa Ralston Porter Frye Madden Garcia Brett Wiley Anderson

—Continued from 3, ASER
and SASC chairmen Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-Texas) and Sen. James In- views on eliminating the remaining exchange merchandise restrictions
hofe (R-Okla.), copying ranking minority members Rep. Adam Smith altogether.
(D-Wash.) and Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.), seeking the committees’ views “We also seek the committees’ views regarding the elimination of
on the elimination of the remaining exchange merchandise restrictions. the remaining exchange merchandise restrictions … which are outdated
The main thrust of the letters regarded overturning an ASER provi- and stifle the military exchanges’ ability to meet the needs and expecta-
sion that prohibited the sale of most foreign name-plated automobiles tions of military customers,” the letter stated. “The elimination of the
by military exchanges overseas, in response to a Jan. 29, 2018, letter restrictions will allow the exchanges to provide a full selection of mer-
sent to Patrick Shanahan, deputy secretary of Defense, by four Republi- chandise and services to our service members and their families.”
can House members, Reps. Tom Graves (Ga.), Jim Jordan (Ohio), Martha Further, Stewart noted, “The modification of the restrictions on over-
Roby (Ala.) and Trent Kelly (Miss.), on behalf of constituents working in seas automobile sales, combined with the elimination of the above-ref-
plants assembling such autos. Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Nissan, Toyota and erenced merchandise restrictions, will support the Department’s efforts
other foreign name-plated cars are built in states represented by the four to modernize military exchange operations and improve the quality of
House members. life of our service members and their families.”
Stewart’s October 2018 correspondence also seeks the committees’ —E & C NEWS

10 | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018 EXCHANGE and COMMISSARY NEWS