REI Co-op president and CEO Eric Artz, announced Jan. 23 that he will retire in March and the outdoor specialty retailer co-op’s board has named a former board member and executive with other active lifestyle brands as his successor. 

Mary Beth Laughton will join REI as president on Feb. 3, before assuming full CEO responsibilities on March 31, according to a release. She has held leadership roles at Nike, Athleta and Sephora and has also been a board member for Impossible Foods and Instacart. The company said she will spend her first weeks at the company touring the co-op’s stores and distribution centers to familiarize herself with operations and co-op culture. 

“Mary Beth has the ideal experience to build on this foundation and to lead REI forward into our next chapter,” said Chris Carr, chairman of REI’s board, in a release. “The world needs a strong REI, and we are confident Mary Beth will hit the ground running.”  

REI, headquartered near Seattle, operates as a co-op, with members getting additional benefits compared to non-member shoppers. It has more than 180 stores across the United States, including one in Kennewick at 129 N. Ely St. in the Highlands Center.  

Artz has been at REI since 2012 and served as the co-op’s chief operations officer before taking the helm in May 2019. REI has struggled in recent years, laying off nearly 170 corporate staff in 2023 as the company saw sales drop following the Covid-19 pandemic. This month the company laid off more than 400 employees as it shut down REI Experiences, which offered classes, day trips and adventure packages, with REI leaders saying the service was unprofitable. 

“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,” Carr said in a letter from the board. 

The co-op’s board and executive leaders said they are focused on ensuring stability for its employees, members, and partners while building on the growth the co-op saw at the end of 2024. REI expects to meet its 2024 goals of break-even operating profit (pre-dividend operating income) and near break-even free cash flow.