Western Region recognizes Neren Ruiz, Allidrea Henderson and Mi Suki Swatzell for their outstanding hard work and unwavering dedication to our customers.
Neren Ruiz
Food Concept Manager, Starbucks
Davis-Monthan AFB
Neren Ruiz has demonstrated exceptional leadership, resilience and commitment to operational excellence while leading the Starbucks team. During significant staffing changes, she successfully trained and developed an entirely new team within days, while providing ongoing coaching and support to ensure long-term success. Her dedication to strengthening associate knowledge, improving execution and maintaining high operational standards has directly improved facility performance. Through her focus on training, accountability and continuous improvement, the Starbucks operation has achieved measurable progress in daily execution and inspection results. Neren consistently embraces feedback and turns inspection opportunities into actionable improvements. As a result, inspection scores have steadily improved, demonstrating her ability to understand expectations, implement corrective actions and drive sustainable results. Neren’s leadership, determination and partnership with her team exemplify the Exchange’s values. Her commitment to developing associates, strengthening operational standards and pursuing continuous improvement demonstrates the positive impact of engaged leadership and sets an example for others.
Allidrea Henderson
Owner, Olive & Atlas
Mountain Home Main Exchange
Allidrea Henderson launched her boutique Olive & Atlas in March 2026 and has already made a remarkable impact in just a few months. Through her innovative retail concept and commitment to creating a unique customer experience, she has built a loyal customer base that continues to return and support her business. Her success is reflected in more than $20,000 in sales, generating approximately $2,000 in income for the Exchange. As a Veteran and military spouse, Allidrea is passionate about growing her brand and has expressed interest in expanding to additional installations as her family’s military journey continues. Her entrepreneurial spirit, dedication and business acumen make her a valued partner, and the Mountain Home AFB Exchange is proud to support her continued success.
Mi Suki Swatzell
Customer Experience Associate, Peterson Main Store
Peterson SFB Exchange
Suki has been a valued associate at the Peterson main store for more than 20 years, building strong and lasting relationships with customers, associates and the leadership team. Many regular customers specifically look for Suki at checkout because they know they will be greeted with a friendly smile and exceptional service. Suki consistently leads by example and continues to deliver outstanding results, including leading the main store with 99 approved MILITARY STAR card applications year to date. She is dependable, positive and always willing to go above and beyond to help others. Whether assisting a customer, supporting a teammat, or sharing her knowledge through training, Suki approaches every opportunity with a “get it done” attitude. Thank you, Suki, for your dedication, commitment and the positive impact you make every day. Every team needs an associate like Suki, and we are fortunate to have her on ours!
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