During January’s LINK presentation, Senior Vice President of Corporate Communication and Brand Marketing Sandi Lute provided an overview of the work her teammates do—but she also made it clear that telling the Exchange story is part of every associate’s job.
“Communicating the Exchanges’ culture and mission is a key skill associates should know how to do, particularly those in leadership positions,” she told an online audience of about 200.
Lute talked about phrases familiar to the Exchange workforce, including “We Go Where You Go,” “Serving Those Who Serve,” “Family Serving Family” and more.
“They’re not just slogans dreamed up in a brainstorming session,” she said. “These are thoughtfully crafted branding statements that weave the culture and the mission of the Exchange in a consistent brand voice that conveys the relevancy and value the Exchange brings to the military community.”
The military community is close to Lute’s heart—she’s been part of it all her life. She was born at Keesler Air Force Base in Mississippi, where her father was assigned during his early days in the Air Force. Assignments followed at Goodfellow AFB in San Angelo, Texas, and Kelly AFB (now closed) in San Antonio. Her father served five solo tours to Thailand during the Vietnam War. Her brother was born at Wilfred Hall Hospital at Lackland AFB. The family PCS’d to Kadena AB in Okinawa, then returned to San Antonio.
The family then PCS’d to Hickam AFB in Hawaii, where Lute began her Exchange career in 1982, working at the Hickam Shoppette. She advanced through a series of creative and leadership roles in visual marketing, merchandising, branding and Corporate Communication, assuming her current title in October 2021.
“When it comes to my love for the military, all I can say is I was born this way,” she said. “I live and breathe a connection to the military, and my Exchange career has allowed me to keep that connection serving those who serve.”
Lute told her audiences about several Corporate Communication and Brand Marketing resources that can help associates find the right talking points to stay on course with the brand messaging, including:
- The Exchange Hub, which Lute called “an ever-growing treasure trove of Exchange information for customers, associates and stakeholders, highlighting value, relevancy and programs that enhance Quality of Life for Warfighters and families.”
- About the Exchange, a section about corporate knowledge that can be found at the bottom of the ShopMyExchange.com home page
- The Exchange Post, which features editorials from Director/CEO Tom Shull and other senior leaders; the Family Serving Family series about associates with deep connections to the military, the Exchange or both; updates on strategic priorities; and more. “If you’re not reading this,” Lute said, “you’re missing out on a chance to connect how you as an individual associate connect to the strategic priorities, and that will help you write your goals each year.”
- Exchange social media, which associates are invited to follow at @exchangeassoc on Facebook, Instagram and X. “The Exchange Post and Exchange social media programs lean heavily into internal marketing of ‘family serving family’,” Lute said. “Each year, a new Exchange anniversary brand is unveiled and kicks off a series of associate stories.” Lute showed a slide of more than 40 teammates who were highlighted on social media or in the Exchange Post in 2025.
- Serving Heroes Champion of the Week, a social media campaign that celebrates associates whose work received high praise from customers. “These associates are more than just service champions,” Lute said. “These are brand champions delivering a level of service so important to the customer, they took the time to submit a comment about it.”
Lute shared other examples of Corporate Communication and Brand Marketing’s work, highlighting store teams, career opportunities, disaster support, school meal programs, command and community engagement, distribution center teams and more.
She also shared examples of Exchange advertising.
“Advertising is a core function of marketing the exchange brand,” she said. “In these examples of digital and print community publication ads placed in 2025, you can see the Exchange brand colors and statements are consistently used in the messaging. These are all brand statements that reflect the Exchange benefit and it’s critical for branding to be consistent, regardless of the channel ,to help the authorized Veteran, the potential new associate and the current customer.”
Lute concluded by saying that branding comes in many forms.
“Every touch point is a branding moment,” she said. “Good customer service is a reflection of our brand promise. Customer complaints—they’re a brand opportunity. Customer compliments—they’re a brand celebration. Consistent messaging is critical in preventing brand fragmentation for customers and stakeholders.
She encouraged her audience to be involved.
“Seek out the information that is readily available to you in the Exchange Post, Exchange Associate social media, on ShopMyExchange.com and in Exchange advertising,” she said. “Know how your role supports organizational strategies and accomplishments. Share the Exchange brand story with those you meet, those you love and those you serve with.”
LINK (Leaders Inspiring Networks & Knowledge) aims to strengthen workplace culture, boost morale and reinforce the value of connection. Each month, a senior leader hosts a session via Teams aligned to key business priorities.
Active associates who were unable to attend Lute’s presentation can view it here.
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