A Message From the Board: Announcing a Leadership Transition

Dear REI employees and co-op members, 

After twelve years with REI, including six as president and CEO, Eric Artz has this morning announced to our employees that he will retire at the end of March. Eric shared his intentions to retire with the board of directors as part of a planned succession process and will actively support REI’s next CEO during the transition. 

The board is pleased to announce that Mary Beth Laughton, a former REI board director, has accepted our invitation to become REI’s next president & CEO. Mary Beth’s first day with the co-op will be on February 3. Initially, she will join REI as president, giving her time to focus on getting to know our people and our membership before stepping into the responsibility of CEO and the day-to-day running of the co-op on March 31. 

I would like to thank Eric on behalf of the board for his service. REI is in a strong position today because he always kept our purpose, values, and people as his north star. Since joining REI in 2012, he carried forward the long traditions of the co-op while pushing us to embrace new opportunities. As CEO since 2019, Eric has been a true steward, navigating some of the most challenging times in retail and our industry. Through it all, he put the co-op first and never lost sight of harnessing our co-operative spirit to do what’s right for the planet, our people and the long-term health of the outdoors.   

As we look to the future, I am confident that Mary Beth has the right experience to lead REI into its next chapter. She is a highly accomplished and innovative retail and digital leader, known for her collaborative approach and steadfast dedication to aligning business success with purpose and values. As an avid hiker, she has a deep passion for the outdoors and believes strongly in the role that nature has in grounding us mentally and physically.   

Mary Beth grew up outside Chicago and is currently living in the Portland area with her husband, Brad, two teenaged children and two dogs, Bodie and Stella. She will be based in the REI office in Issaquah, WA, when she is not visiting stores, distribution facilities and spending time with employees, members, partners and advocates for the outdoors.  

Most recently, Mary Beth led Nike's global retail and digital direct-to-consumer business. Previously, as CEO of Athleta, a certified B Corp, Mary Beth led the company through a period of significant revenue growth. Earlier in her career, she ran Sephora’s North America stores and digital, with a focus on customer experience and operational excellence. In addition to her previous service as a board director for REI, today she serves on the board of directors of Instacart, an innovative grocery retailer and was formerly a board director of Impossible Foods.    

While leadership transitions naturally bring change, REI’s purpose and commitment to the fight for life outdoors will not waver. Thank you for your commitment to REI and our community.   

With gratitude,   

Chris Carr  

Chair, Board of Directors  

REI Co-op 

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