Bainbridge Graduate Institute announced the addition of an Outdoor Industry Concentration to its MBA in Sustainable Business program.

“With a number of exemplary companies and a natural concern about the environment, the outdoor industry was the perfect opportunity for our first MBA industry concentration,” says Jill Bamburg, Dean of the MBA Program.

The Outdoor Industry Concentration is for MBA students from the industry who want to combine their general business education with a focus on real-world projects and industry-specific challenges.

“As an employee of the industry and a student of BGI, I see the Outdoor Industry Concentration as an amazing opportunity to create both broader and deeper collaboration within the industry,” says Kirk Myers, Class of 2008.

To ensure students receive a rich and yet pragmatic educational experience, BGI has consulted with some of the most respected outdoor industry executives in the business and formed an Outdoor Industry Concentration Advisory Council including:

  • Steve Rendle, President, Americas of The North Face
  • Sarah Severn, Director of Horizons, Corporate Responsibility of Nike
  • Gary Smith, President/General Manager of Timberland Outdoor Group & SVP Global Supply Chain of Timberland
  • Rick Ridgeway, Vice President of Communications and Environmental Initiatives & Mountaineer of Patagonia
  • Sheryl O'Loughlin, CEO of Clif Bar
  • Diana Simmons, Sustainability Manager of Clif Bar
  • Jared Fischer, Director of Escape Adventures
  • Brooke Williams, Executive Director of the Murie Center
  • Chris Van Dyke, President & CEO of NAU
  • Matt Hyde, SVP Marketing and Merchandising of REI
  • Kevin Hagen, Program Manager of Corporate Social Responsibility of REI

Steve Rendle, President, Americas of The North Face, says of the initiative “The BGI Outdoor Industry Concentration is a perfect opportunity to rally companies already passionate about the outdoors to develop sustainable business practices. It will bring multiple industry stakeholders-even competitors-together to dialogue and learn. Our love for the outdoors makes it only natural that our business models incorporate a vision and strategies that drive a strong understanding and commitment to environmental and social responsibility. We feel this is a win-win situation for everyone from the environment to industry to shareholders.”

According to Bamburg, the concentration will offer hands-on projects and research, internships and placement opportunities, workshops, mentoring and advising with Council members and others. “It’s critical that our students see business from the practical side as well as the academic side. This gives them a chance to apply their learning in real time and see immediate results.”