While he was attending Oklahoma State University, Brad Bingham and his roommate went to a career fair. As they were looking around, Bingham’s roommate pointed out the Exchange table and mentioned that his previous roommate had gone to work for the organization.
“I went by and talked to them and thought it was interesting,” said Bingham, who is now the Exchange’s director/CEO. “I thought it was a unique organization with a uniquely important mission.”
He interviewed with the Exchange, was hired, moved to Dallas and joined the financial management training program in 2006. He most recently served as deputy director and chief financial officer before assuming his new role June 8.
The Exchange Post talked to Bingham about his background and what’s in store for the Department of War’s largest retailer.
What is the biggest challenge facing the Exchange?
Higher inflation is eating into customers’ discretionary spending. What we’re going to contend with is decreasing demand for discretionary items as spending shifts to necessities like groceries and living expenses.
Other challenges include more customers living off-installation, the rise of online shopping and how to increase foot traffic to our brick-and-mortar stores. In-store sales decreases are the biggest long-term challenge for the retail industry today. My biggest concern is how the Exchange addresses sales migration from in-store to online.
You deployed to Kuwait and Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom. What were the rewards of deployment?
To be on the ground and see the sacrifices troops and our teammates make in hostile and austere locations was incredible. You can’t experience that by watching the news … to go to the dining facility and sit across from someone who has all of their gear and is ready to go on a mission. Or to fly in a C-130 with folks sitting across from you wearing helmets and Kevlar vests and having their weapon with them. It was an awe-inspiring reminder of how important it is to fulfill our We Go Where You Go commitment to the heroes who selflessly serve.
What’s the most significant event that’s happened during your time with the Exchange?
Being able to educate stakeholders of the significant costs “consolidation” of military resale would create was a really important moment. It was not a quick thing. It took years of evaluating and analyzing numbers and sharing the facts with people who would listen. The hard work to ensure that the long-term viability of the hard-earned Exchange benefit was not diminished or weakened was a total team effort.
Did you have any jobs before the Exchange?
In college, to help pay rent, I was an intramural sports official. I officiated flag football, basketball and softball. I also worked at my family’s RV business in the summertime when I was young. I washed RVs, helped in the parts and service department. I even sold a few recreational vehicles.
What do you do in your spare time?
My wife, Jennifer, and I have been blessed with two wonderful children, Emily and Brooks. They’re both getting into sports now, so I coach my daughter’s softball team and my son’s baseball team. We have two dogs—they’re bernedoodles. Cali is 5 and Georgia is 2 ½. We do a lot of barbecuing. I have two smokers and really enjoy smoking meats and cooking on the grill for family and friends.
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