- Sally Jewell, chief operating officer of Seattle-based Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI), has been elected to the board of trustees of the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA). The board is the governing body for the non-partisan park watchdog organization.“Sally Jewell’s business acumen and passion for the outdoors are a strong addition to the organization,” said NPCA President Thomas C. Kiernan.
Jewell, who has been named as the successor to REI President and CEO Dennis Madsen upon his retirement in early 2005, has nearly 20 years experience in the finance and banking industry. During the past four years, she has helped to establish outdoor retail cooperative REI as a model financial performer and is credited with promoting a market-driven strategy that better anticipates and responds to the changing needs and interests of people who enjoy outdoor recreation. She has also championed the growth of REI’s own line of outdoor gear and apparel, which has earned wide consumer acceptance to become one of the industry’s most popular brands.
Jewell currently serves as a board member for Premera, parent company to Premera Blue Cross and other subsidiaries, as well as on the University of Washington board of regents. In addition, Jewell is also a founding board member and immediate past-president for the Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust, which is dedicated to enhancing the long-term environmental and economic vitality of the I-90 corridor from Puget Sound across the Cascade Mountains.
“The National Parks Conservation Association is committed to the stewardship of America’s national parks, so they can be enjoyed for future generations,” said Jewell. “I’m honored for this opportunity to contribute to its important work of protecting our amazing natural heritage.”
Jewell’s initial term on NPCA’s board of trustees will be for three years.
Since 1919, the nonpartisan NPCA has been the leading voice of the American people in the fight to safeguard our National Park System. NPCA, its members, and partners work together to protect the park system and preserve our nation’s natural, historical, and cultural heritage for generations to come.
NPCA’s National Park Information Center & Gallery, located in Seattle’s historic Pioneer Square, can be reached at 206-903-1444.
# # #
