USAA Creates Chief Brand Office to Unify Brand Voice
July 21, 2020
SAN ANTONIO – USAA has announced three new appointments to lead the company’s new Chief Brand Office as it nears its 100th birthday in 2022.
Tony Wells has been appointed to a newly created role, Chief Brand Officer. He will have oversight of several functions to include Marketing, Military Affairs, Corporate Communications, Brand Shared Services, Diversity & Inclusion and Corporate Responsibility, including the USAA Foundation and the USAA Educational Foundation.
“As a 35-year member, I’m humbled to lead USAA’s legendary brand, built on decades of service and commitment to the military community,” said Tony. “Bringing these functions together under a Chief Brand Office allows us to increase our impact in protecting, promoting and advocating for the brand that means so much to generations of service members.”
Tony has led marketing teams at USAA since 2017 and brings extensive industry experience having held Chief Marketing Officer roles at Schneider Electric, ADT Security and 24 Hour Fitness. He sits on the board of directors for Pattern89. Tony is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy and served as a Marine infantry officer.
Mayra Rivera has been promoted to the role of Chief Marketing Officer. In her 20 years with USAA, Mayra has led creative/campaign development, client management, media, sponsorships, and agency management. She also helped to establish USAA’s national advertising and sponsorship programs. She is involved with the Alliance of Inclusive and Multicultural Marketing (AIMM) and the Association of National Advertisers (ANA), and is co-founder of USAA’s diversity business group dedicated to supporting Hispanic employees.
Lindsey O’Neill has been promoted to Chief Communications Officer. Since coming to USAA in 2014, Lindsey has held various roles within Corporate Communications and served as Chief of Staff for USAA’s CEO and Property & Casualty Insurance Company President. Prior to USAA, she led communications teams at National Instruments. She is involved with the Arthur W. Page Society for senior public relations and corporate communications executives and educators.
USAA’s Brand teams recently showed their agility during the pandemic by pivoting quickly to showcase its service and support through the return of $800 million to its members in auto dividends, and the USAA and The USAA Foundation, Inc. donations of $10.7 million in support of COVID-19 relief efforts. Over the past year, the team launched USAA’s new brand campaign with a focus on sharing how USAA is “Made For” its military members and their families. USAA and its leadership team also are strong supporters of military-focused initiatives, elevating the meaning and reason to recognize Memorial Day and Veterans Day, as well as celebrating unique military moments like branch of service birthdays and the Army-Navy Game. They have been strong voices in supporting the Association of National Advertiser’s #SeeHer campaign, and diversity in advertising and the industry.