There is a really good piece in Fast Company about Patagonia CEO Rose Marcario, who announced this week that she is stepping down.
No successor has been named.
What's interesting about the story is how Marcario's impact is calculated. here's an excerpt:
"Marcario joined Patagonia as chief financial officer in 2008, and she stepped into a different company than the one you think of today. While the brand was iconic, its internal operations weren’t as strong as its image. Although the company had been founded on a commitment to grassroots environmental organizations, that part of the brand was often viewed, at least externally, as an appendage to the apparel business.
"But Marcario brought a laser focus to her work, working quickly to review supply chains and streamline production, helping the company eliminate waste and excess packaging, develop new technologies such as recycled down and Yulex natural rubber wetsuits, and expand its Free Trade certified standards, all bringing the brand’s commitment to the environment even closer to its products.
Marcario, the story suggests, is an exemplar of a new kind of capitalism, "continually proving that a commitment to the environment and sustainability could also be good for business. Since she joined Patagonia, it has quadrupled its sales and become a $1 billion company."
Terrific company … an extraordinary story … and definitely worth reading here.
