REI has named Mary Beth Laughton, a former REI board director with experience at Sephora, Athleta and Nike on her resume, to serve as President beginning on Feb. 3, 2025, and then taking on full CEO responsibilities on March 31, 2025.
Laughton will replace Eric Artz, who will be retiring in March. Artz, who had previously been the outdoor retailer’s COO, took over the CEO role in February 2019 when the previous CEO, Jerry Stritzke, resigned after an investigation into a personal consensual relationship he had had with another leader in the industry. Artz was named to the role on a permanent basis in May 2019.
“Eric has led and stabilized REI through some of the most challenging years the retail sector and our co-op ever faced,” said Chris Carr, Chair of the REI board of directors in a statement. “REI is in a strong position today because he always kept our purpose, values and people as his north star.”
Laughton said she welcomes the challenges that come with leading a retail organization like REI. “No other company balances purpose and performance quite like REI, and we must ensure it thrives for generations to come,” she said in a statement. “That is a big responsibility — one I embrace with utmost respect for our millions of members and the thousands of employees whose passion for life outside and deep expertise set the co-op apart.”
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Earlier this month, REI shut down its Experiences business, which had provided adventure travel, day tours and classes for 40 years, with Artz noting that the segment had been losing “millions of dollars every year.” The move eliminated 180 full-time positions and 248 part-time guides from REI’s payroll.
