REI Co-op Celebrates Susan Viscon’s Nearly 30 Years of Leadership; Names Matthew Thurston Chief Impact Officer

After nearly three decades at REI Co-op, Susan Viscon will leave the co-op at the end of 2026, closing an extraordinary chapter of leadership and impact. Mary Beth Laughton, president and chief executive officer, shared the following message reflecting on Susan’s lasting contributions to REI and announcing the next chapter of leadership for the co-op’s impact work under new Chief Impact Officer Matthew Thurston:

After nearly 30 years with REI, and the last several weeks working with me to plan a thoughtful transition, Susan Viscon has made the decision to leave the co-op at the end of this year.

It’s hard to capture everything Susan has contributed since joining REI in 1997 in her first role as an inventory analyst. Over the years, she took on increasing responsibility across the business, spending 25 years in Merchandising and ultimately serving as Chief Merchant before moving into Corporate Development and Investment and, most recently, serving as our Chief New Ventures and Impact Officer.

Susan has helped shape so much of what defines REI today, from #OptOutside and Force of Nature to our Product Impact Standards and Path Ahead Ventures. She has also brought a perspective to the entire co-op that is all her own, shaped by deep knowledge of REI and our industry, a genuinely curious mind and the courage to think differently.

I’m incredibly grateful for Susan’s leadership, partnership and friendship, and for the lasting mark she has made on REI.

While we’re making a leadership transition, our commitment to impact isn’t changing. It's fundamental to who we are and how we’ve always operated as a co-op, and this team’s work will stay at the heart of it. We advocate for the places we love, invest in the outdoor community, and use our voice and our business to help create a better future outside. That work matters and will always be part of who we are. Our members, employees and partners count on us to show up for the outdoors, and impact is what connects our business to our mission: a healthy, thriving co-op lets us keep investing in the outdoors and our communities, and the stronger the business, the more impact we can have. 

To lead our important impact work forward, I’m pleased to share that Matthew Thurston will step into the role of Chief Impact Officer, effective 12/1. He will lead the Impact division, which spans Sustainability & Human Rights, Path Ahead Ventures, Community & Government Affairs, and the REI Fund, reporting to me and sitting on the Executive Leadership Team.

Matt has spent 16 years at REI, beginning in product and our global supply chain and expanding to support Impact across our operations. He understands both our business and our purpose. He has been an important voice in how we show up on the issues that matter to the outdoors, including our work to protect public lands and make the outdoors more welcoming and inclusive for everyone. He’ll build on the strong foundation Susan helped create and continue evolving how this work advances our mission and serves our members. 

Over the next few weeks, Susan, Matt and I will work closely together to ensure a smooth transition. To Susan I want to say, thank you. You’ve given so much to this co-op and the outdoor community, and REI is better because you were here. And Matt, congratulations. I’m excited to have you step into this role and continue this important work.

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