Former Coach exec joins REI as CIO
Outdoor gear and apparel retailer REI made a formal announcement about three executive appointments that have taken place since the fall.
The company said that retail veteran Christine Putur joined REI as its new chief information officer in November after four years as executive VP and CIO at Coach. Putur succeeds former REI CIO Julie Averill, who left the company in the spring to become CTO at Lululemon.
Prior to Coach, Putur was at Staples for 13 years, holding numerous IT roles before taking on the global CIO role in July 2011. Putur is also on the board of Information Services Group, a global technology research and advisory firm.
In other appointments, REI said Wilma Wallace joined REI in October as the co-op's new VP, general counsel and legal secretary. Most recently, she was in an interim general counsel position at Enveritas. Prior to that, she spent more than two decades as a senior leader on the legal team at Gap Inc.
Also, Chris Speyer" Speyer joined REI in October as VP of private brands. Previously, he spent nearly five years as COO and then CEO at Accell North America. Prior to that, he spent 10 years at Calgary's Forzani Group, serving in operational and merchant roles.
"I couldn't be more excited about the talented group of leaders joining the team this year, said REI CEO Jerry Stritzke, CEO, REI, which has 153 stores in 36 states. “Each of these leaders will contribute significantly to that mission.”
The company said that retail veteran Christine Putur joined REI as its new chief information officer in November after four years as executive VP and CIO at Coach. Putur succeeds former REI CIO Julie Averill, who left the company in the spring to become CTO at Lululemon.
Prior to Coach, Putur was at Staples for 13 years, holding numerous IT roles before taking on the global CIO role in July 2011. Putur is also on the board of Information Services Group, a global technology research and advisory firm.
In other appointments, REI said Wilma Wallace joined REI in October as the co-op's new VP, general counsel and legal secretary. Most recently, she was in an interim general counsel position at Enveritas. Prior to that, she spent more than two decades as a senior leader on the legal team at Gap Inc.
Also, Chris Speyer" Speyer joined REI in October as VP of private brands. Previously, he spent nearly five years as COO and then CEO at Accell North America. Prior to that, he spent 10 years at Calgary's Forzani Group, serving in operational and merchant roles.
"I couldn't be more excited about the talented group of leaders joining the team this year, said REI CEO Jerry Stritzke, CEO, REI, which has 153 stores in 36 states. “Each of these leaders will contribute significantly to that mission.”