First Military Clothing Conference in Three Years is a Hit With Managers

The Exchange’s first Military Clothing Conference in three years was a success, setting the stage for future conferences.

“It went really well,” said Dan Koglin, Exchange vice president of hardlines, who oversee the MCS line of business. “MCS is a small but tight community. It’s good to reconnect people and get a lot of mentorship. A lot of these folks have been doing this for a long time, and one of the reasons for doing this is to hook them up with those who are newer to it.”

Koglin said the conference included a lot of good information from vendors, as well as buyers and other Exchange teams.

“It’s a special mission,” Koglin said of Military Clothing stores. “We had a lot of good feedback, and we always ask them what they’d like to see next time.”

JR Chidester, divisional merchandise manager for Military Clothing, agreed that the conference went well.

“We’ve gotten a lot of good feedback from store managers,” Chidester said. “You can tell they’re 100% engaged.”

One of the highlights of the conference was late-afternoon sessions with the store managers and the buying staff.

“This gave them the opportunity to voice concerns,” Chidester said. “There was a lot of good feedback from both sides on different topics.”

Managers who attended the last conference, in 2020, said they enjoyed reconnecting with MCS teammates in person.

“We kept in touch for a little bit after the last conference,” Mary Ellis, MCS manager at Schofield Barracks, said of her Pacific Region teammate, Karl Franklyn, MCS manager in Okinawa. “Karl was new then, but seeing him again, it’s like three years haven’t passed. It’s fun for me as a seasoned Military Clothing Store manager. I still enjoy it.”

Koglin said the current plan is to have a Military Clothing Conference every two years.

Check out all the coverage from the conference:

Watch Now! The Military Clothing Conference Kicks Off

Military Clothing Store Conference Highlights Exchange’s Essential Service

MCS Conference Patch Honors Beloved Military Clothing Store Manager Jackie Arns

From the Military Clothing Conference: Vendors Receive Recognition for Excellence

At the Military Clothing Conference: Stores Recognized For Outstanding Performances

To watch a highlights video from the conference, click here.

To view a Flickr album of photos from the conference, click here.