REI Co-op Honors the Legacy of Jim Whittaker, Everest Mountaineering Legend and Former CEO

Seattle – We are deeply saddened by the passing of Jim Whittaker. Jim will be remembered as a true trailblazer and generous leader, and as one of the most important voices in the history of our co-op and the outdoor community.

Jim showed the world what’s possible when courage is grounded in purpose. When he became the first American to summit Mount Everest on May 1, 1963, alongside Nawang Gombu Sherpa, he expanded our sense of what exploration can be. The achievement brought national recognition and helped carry REI into a new era.

For REI, Jim’s legacy is at our very core. Hired in 1955 by REI Co-op co-founder Lloyd Anderson as our first full-time paid employee, Jim was an early leader and went on to serve as the second CEO from 1971 to 1979. During his tenure, he helped shape a co-op rooted in stewardship, humility, and a belief that time outside should be shared widely and protected fiercely. Under his leadership, membership grew from just under 250,000 to more than 900,000 at the time of his retirement.

Long before outdoor advocacy was commonplace, Jim gave his voice—and his leadership—to protecting the places we love, reminding us that wild places endure only if we choose to care for them. His testimony before the U.S. Congress in 1968 began his congressional work and later helped establish North Cascades National Park (WA), the Pasayten Wilderness (WA), and Redwood National Park (CA).

Throughout his life, Jim measured success not by personal achievement, but by the communities he built, the responsibility he modeled, and the countless people he inspired to step outside and discover something larger than themselves. Our hearts go out to his loving family, including his wife Dianne Roberts and his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

We owe Jim our deepest gratitude for his leadership and are inspired by his example. It is now our charge to carry his spirit forward.

About the REI Co-op