Board of Directors

REI is the nation's largest consumer cooperative with 3.7 million active members. REI is operated by a skilled professional management team and staff, and the company is overseen by a board of directors selected from REI's membership.

The following links provide more information on REI's board, its responsibilities, and the co-op's governance.

The co-op's board has 13 members. Ten of the directors are elected from REI's membership and serve three-year terms. REI's CEO is a member of the board by virtue of the position. Each year, one of the outside directors is elected to serve as the board's chairman. The board currently has two appointed member serving a one-year term.

REI's board is legally responsible by statute, and its Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws, for the overall direction of the affairs and the performance of REI. The board carries out this legal responsibility by establishing broad policy, and by monitoring management within the framework of these broad policy guidelines

Specifically, the Board:

  • Elects board officers;
  • Selects the Chief Executive Officer and evaluates performance;
  • Approves the long range plan and annual plan;
  • Approves capital and corporate expense budgets;
  • Monitors the organization's operating performance;
  • Determines the distribution of profits;
  • Monitors the performance of the employee pension plan;
  • Reviews and amends REI's governance documents.

The Board of Directors operates by committee. Current committees are:

  • Executive
  • Nominating and Governance
  • Compensation
  • Audit and Finance

The full board generally meets six to eight times per year. Committees meet from six plus times per year, depending on the committee. The REI annual meeting, which is held the last Monday of March, is open to members. The board encourages members to attend the annual meeting and to share suggestions, comments, or questions at anytime by mail or e-mail. The board or an individual director can be contacted as follows:

By mail:
REI Board of Directors
P.O. Box 1938
Sumner, WA 98390

By e-mail:
board@rei.com

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