• FORT LEE

During a Sept. 30 ceremony, Norman Brown, the Marketing director of the Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA), retired from government service after more than 40 years.

His position as director of Marketing will be integrated in the duties of the new Omni-Channel and eCommerce director.

BROWN’S CAREER

Throughout his commissary career, Brown has checked every box, amassing a body of work too large to note on any career award citation.

Brown began his civil service career after serving 10 years in the Air Force. He eventually became a noncommissioned officer with the Air Force Commissary Service (AFCOMS), a predecessor commissary service to DeCA.

He left active duty in 1995 and began his DeCA career as a commissary officer at the Rock Island Arsenal, Ill., store.

With DeCA, he would proceed to serve in an abundance of leadership positions, including chief of store operations for the then Northern Area at Fort Meade, Md.; executive officer for the then Eastern Region at Virginia Beach, Va.; store director at NS Norfolk, Langley AFB and Fort Monroe in Virginia; and two stints as executive officer to two DeCA directors sandwiched between a tour as director of Workforce Development.

As director of Marketing since 2021, Brown was responsible for managing worldwide marketing operations. He also oversaw patron awareness, branding, consumer advocacy, social media, marketing and business analytics.

“The Air Force taught me discipline, leadership, resilience and the value of service,” Brown said. “Transitioning to DeCA allowed me to continue serving, this time in support of troops and their families in a way that often goes unseen.

“Groceries may seem simple on the surface, but behind every stocked shelf is a mission of care, support and gratitude to those who serve.”

RECOGNITION

DeCA Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) John Hall recognized Brown for taking the agency to a level of marketing it had never experienced before.

“Norm started something that DeCA had never done before — commercial marketing,” said Hall before presenting him with a Civilian Career Service Award during his retirement ceremony on Sept. 23. “We started advertising and geofencing.”

In marketing, businesses use geofencing to identify and connect with potential customers based on their location.

“Thanks to Norm and his team, we’ve been very successful over the past 18 months in enticing more customers to shop in our stores,” Hall noted. “I want to thank you for the things you accomplished for DeCA — you set the stage. And I think you put us in a place where we can really market ourselves and get more customers shopping.”

SEEING THE WORLD

Before serving as the Marketing director, Brown served as Europe Area director, working out of Kapaun Air Station, in Kaiserslautern, Germany, since 2013. There he was responsible for 33 commissaries in 10 countries and five time zones.

“One of the many unexpected gifts in my career with DeCA has been the opportunity to travel and see the world,” Brown said. “From Europe to the Pacific and many places in between, I’ve been incredibly privileged to witness the global footprint of our mission, and meet different people and learn from the different cultures of the world.”

CAREER SUMMARY

Hall summarized Brown’s career as one defined by how much Brown mentored others and helped advance their careers.

However, Brown said it was his DeCA teammates who motivated him.

“I’ve had the pleasure to work alongside some of the finest people, both civilian and military, who exuded pure professionalism and integrity,” Brown said. “They inspired me every day.

“I may be turning in my badge and my ID, but I will always keep with me the pride of having served a mission far greater than myself.”

Source: AAFES

Edited by Larry Lapka