REI Co-op creates new chief customer officer and chief digital officer roles

By

Gabriella Lacombe

Published
Sep 26, 2018

REI Co-op has appointed its first chief customer officer, Ben Steele, and first chief digital officer, Curtis Kopf.  

Steele is the company's current chief creative officer and will continue to serve in that role as his position with REI expands. As chief customer officer, he will manage the outdoor lifestyle company's digital, marketing, brand, stewardship and customer insights capabilities. 

Steele has served as the company's chief creative officer for four years, and has been at the helm of brand engagement efforts like #OptOutside and Force of Nature. He currently serves on the board of the national parks non-profit NatureBridge, and previously served as executive creative director at Hornall Anderson, a Seattle-based media company.

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In his new role, Kopf will control all of REI’s digital efforts, including REI.com and the REI app. He currently serves as the senior vice president of customer and digital experience at Premera Blue Cross, and previously held executive rolls at Alaska Airlines, Microsoft and Amazon.

With these new appointments, the company hopes to innovate and enhance customer experience with the brand on all fronts.

"While we often go outside to disconnect, we have also seen that technology can be a powerful enabler in helping people fall in love with the outdoors,” said REI CEO Jerry Stritzke in a release. “These new roles reflect our belief that we can inspire outdoor adventures through all touch points: in stores, through guided outdoor experiences, in local communities and via thoughtful use of technology.”

The outdoor lifestyle co-operative operates 153 stores in 35 states and the District of Columbia, as well as an e-commerce platform and mobile app.