Nick and Marcia DeVincenzo have, between them, more than 65 years of Exchange experience.
Nick, manager of the Pacific Regional Distribution Center in South Korea, started with the organization at the Atlantic Transportation Center in April 1988, when he was 17.
Marcia, a JDA specialist in Korea, joined the Exchange in June 1993 as a distribution clerk in at the Oakland Distribution Center.
They had their first date in late 1999 and have been married since 2003. Together, they have seen much of the world while working for the Exchange, but it wasn’t always easy—especially for Marcia. Twice, she resigned from the Exchange when Nick received an overseas assignment. She always made her way back to retain her Exchange career.
Their experiences have made them empathetic toward couples who PCS together.
“Throughout my career, I’ve always tried to give special consideration to those folks who PCS with Exchange managers because I firsthand understand their challenges,” Nick said. “I can’t tell you how fortunate we were for the special consideration others made for Marcia to continue her career following me over the last two decades in areas she was unfamiliar with. Unfortunately, there are many that are not as fortunate as we have been.”
Nick and Marcia say they’ve always been a team—and on Aug. 31, they will retire as a team after a wealth of Exchange experiences.
The early days
Nick DeVincenzo was still in high school when he clipped an article about the Exchange out of a local newspaper, later being selected from a 26-candidate pool of applicants for a TFT HPP-4 position in Bayonne, N.J. Three months later, he became full time when he graduated from high school.
He planned to stay with the organization about a year, earning enough money to buy a new car and then pursue college. Nick began an auto-detailing business at the age of 19, received a real estate license at 21 and never pursued a degree, . but he remained with the Exchange.
Marcia had worked in different jobs in California when a friend of hers recommended she come to the Oakland DC to fill out an application.
“I didn’t think they were going to call me, because they told me they weren’t hiring at the time,” she says. “But a few days later, I received a phone call asking me to come in for an interview. I got a temporary job, and six months later, I became permanent. I’ve always been passionate about work and I’m detail-oriented and I loved the Oakland DC family. I was so blessed to have this opportunity— little did I realize I would travel the world and retire from my career in Korea.”
In October 1999, Nick was promoted from Dallas to the Oakland Distribution Center, where he managed the storage section. At the time, Marcia was working on the appointments desk at the DC.
“Our offices were about 50 feet away from each other,” Nick says. “I started on a Tuesday and met Marcia on Wednesday.” Two days later, the DC held its annual Unity Day, a celebration of the deeply mixed cultures of the Oakland team. Nick mentioned to the DCM secretary, Nancy, “I’m going to marry her.”
“Nancy turned to me and said, ‘Good luck. You know how many guys have tried to date her? She won’t date anyone from AAFES.’ I guess it was my New Jersey ‘charm’ that won her over,” Nick says.
Their first date was on Christmas Day at Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco. They were engaged 11 months later and married in 2003.
Sharing the rewards of deployment
Nick deployed to Kuwait in August 2003, three months before their wedding. “I came home for my wedding on R&R and flew back to Kuwait 10 days later.” Marcia joined Nick in deploying five months later when an opportunity opened. They both considered their deployments the highlight of their careers.
“At that point in our career, neither one of us had any family in the military,” Nick says. “So being there, seeing those 18- and 19-year-old Soldiers in their Humvees protecting us in convoys going into Iraq—you felt like you were doing something to take care of them. In my 35-year career, I’ve had some amazing experiences, but nothing topped those 14 months that I spent in Kuwait.”
One day, Nick was boarding a C-130 aircraft in Baghdad, returning to Kuwait. A chaplain came aboard and asked if anyone had an issue flying with HR. “I later found out that he meant ‘human remains’,” Nick says. “They had a brief ceremony when they secured the two bodies on an air pallet at the back of the plane—I will never forget the emotions I felt that day accompanying those two fallen heroes back to Kuwait. Seeing that, it really hit home, the sacrifices that the military puts forward each day. That was the point in my career that my level of passion intensified threefold.”
Challenges in Okinawa and Germany
Nick came back from deployment to a promotion; he became the Okinawa Distribution Center manager. Marcia accompanied him but had to resign from her West Coast DC PB night shift manager position to travel with Nick to Okinawa.
“The Exchange tries to find positions for spouses, but in OCONUS it’s difficult,” Nick says. “She was fortunate that within about eight weeks, she received an offer for a position in the Finance & Accounting directorate.”
In 2008, they moved to Germany, where Nick was the Europe Regional Fleet Manager, based at the Giessen Distribution Center. It was another promotion for Nick—and another challenge for Marcia.
Nick adds, “It took a little more than five months for her to find a permanent position until someone gave her an opportunity in the RE directorate.”
During her 30-year career, Marcia has worked in Logistics, Loss Prevention, Real Estate, Information Technology, Finance & Accounting, Services & Food and the Executive Group, as well as deploying. She’s worked in HQs, two DCs Oakland and West Coast. She held overseas positions in Okinawa, Germany and now Korea. “She has held about 18 positions, and had to resign twice because of overseas assignments,” Nick says. “She has accomplished a tremendous amount in her 30-year career, and I’m very proud of her.”
Marcia adds: “I take marriage very seriously. I follow my husband where he goes. It’s like the Exchange motto, ‘We go where you go.’ But it can be very challenging.”
Back to the States—and beyond
In 2011, the DeVincenzos returned to the States, where they worked out of the Dallas headquarters where he was promoted to an executive role. “Again, I was fortunate that my leadership team looked beyond the degree and had faith in my capabilities,” Nick says.
In 2014, Nick was promoted and named Chief of Fleet Operations, which he says was his favorite position with the Exchange.
“I’ve always had a passion for the fleet operations and our drivers,” he says. “Talking to them and understanding the challenges they face each day gives you a greater appreciation for the sacrifices they and their families make.”
Other highlights include rebranding the fleet with teams led by Sandi Lute, now senior vice president, brand marketing, and Johnny Olson, the Exchange creative director who also retired this month.
“Their teams helped us promote the fleet, giving great opportunities to those seeking to work for the Exchange,” Nick says. “We hired a number of Veterans who didn’t even know the Exchange has a private fleet. This was during the peak of the driver shortage and they, along with HR, helped us to recruit and retain experienced drivers. Bradley Wacks, two-time Driver of the Year, from our Dayton terminal, was our ambassador at a number of truck shows and events, talking to potential drivers to strengthen our fleet.”
Of the 18 positions Marcia has held her most memorable was at HQs, as executive assistant to retired Chief Financial Officers Renee Figge and then Jim Jordan. “I learned so much and had an amazing team of mentors,” Marcia says. She also holds in high regard Jamie Richardson, Ken Jacquin, Tommy Ward (Senior Vice President of the Exchange Credit Program), Brian Poss (retired) and Brad Bingham, current Exchange CFO, who all contributed to her success.
Marcia is happy to be retiring from Logistics, which has always held a big piece of her heart.
“As much as I enjoyed each role at the Exchange, Logistics was my first directorate, and I made some amazing friends and the directorate is like a part of my family,” she says.
In 2019, Nick had another overseas promotional opportunity to move to Camp Humphreys in South Korea when he became the Pacific Regional Distribution Center Manager. At this point, Marcia had been promoted six times since arriving in Dallas in 2011. This time, Marcia didn’t have to spend several months looking for a job.
“We’re very grateful to Karen Stack, Jim Jordan and Alan French for seeking opportunities for Marcia to continue her career, even though she had to once again take a step back,” Nick says. “It was just a relief that she didn’t have to struggle to find a position as she did in Okinawa and Germany. A lot of people aren’t as fortunate as we were. We have a sincere appreciation for what the Exchange leadership has done for us and would love to see others have the same success.”
Nick says that during the past 10 years or so, he feels the Exchange has done better raising awareness and working with family members of those PCSing. “Another definition of Family Serving Family is giving consideration to those Exchange families relocating,” he says. “I’ve recruited some amazing talent that would have otherwise been overlooked if I haven’t given Exchange PCS family members consideration. It’s important to consider the family members who sacrifice to PCS for the Exchange mission.
“Marcia and I have been an inseparable team for the last 23 years,” he adds. “She has been through some challenges throughout her career following me—however, she is always laser focused and pushes forward. I’ve never seen a person who has held so many positions in so many career cones and on four continents and maintains a positive attitude even through the challenging times. We would need an hour to highlight her Exchange career. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to retire as a team with my wife and best friend and we are so grateful to the Exchange and our leadership for giving us this opportunity. Likewise, my success would have been limited if not for the amazing support of my wife!”
They plan to retire in Citrus County Florida, where they recently purchased land, about an hour north of Tampa. They plan to pursue real estate as a team and travel—domestically.
But they won’t forget the Exchange.
“The Exchange has consistently been an integral part of our family, and it will forever remain our preferred shopping destination regardless of the base access challenges,” Nick says. “Being overseas for so many years, you form a bond with the Exchange, as it was there to support us—we will continue to support it. I define ‘family serving family’ as taking care of our associates, military community, leadership, and most importantly, one another!”
Nick and Marcia have chosen to not have a virtual retirement ceremony due to the time difference between South Korea and the United States. They say they’d still love to hear from their Exchange family, so if you’d like to wish them well, please comment on this story.
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