REI picks next general counsel

REI Co-op has hired Minnie Alexander as vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary, effective May 31.

Alexander is joining REI from The Walt Disney Company, where she has been assistant general counsel. Her previous work includes being in-house counsel at Campbell Soup Company and an attorney with law firm Dorsey & Whitney. She succeeds Wilma Wallace, who was promoted to senior vice president, chief diversity & social impact officer and chief legal officer in the fall of 2021.

Alexander’s role will entail leading and helping to implement the specialty outdoor retailer’s strategies by integrating legal considerations into the company framework, plans and execution. She will also ensure compliance with REI’s co-operative business model for the interests of its members and to the benefit of the outdoor industry, the company states.

‘I have been a member of the REI community for more than 20 years,’ Alexander says in a statement. ‘I am excited to help bring to life REI’s vision of enabling more people to enjoy time outside because I believe in the restorative power of nature. As a lawyer, being the general counsel for a company like REI is a great opportunity to put my legal skills to work for a company that I love.’
 

CHIEF SUPPLY CHAIN OFFICER
REI has also hired Sylvia Wilks as the company’s first senior vice president and chief supply chain officer, effective May 23.

Supply chain management has become an increasingly high-profile area for companies as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic and related disruptions. In the newly created role, Wilks will be responsible for the strategic leadership of REI’s end-to-end global value chain.

She is joining the company from TireHub. Her supply chain and direct procurement leadership experience also includes roles at Kimberly-Clark and Starbucks Corporation.

REI describes itself as the largest US consumer co-op, with a membership of 21.5 mn.

Eric Artz, REI Co-op president and CEO, says in a statement: ‘Sylvia and Minnie join our team from customer-centric organizations that are deeply focused on creating best-in-class experiences. Their talent will help REI deliver on our promise to inspire and enable a life outside for everyone by serving our members, employees and broader outdoor community. As we grow to a 50-mn-member community by 2030, their leadership of our supply chain and legal functions will be instrumental.’