Columbia Sportswear Co. CEO Tim Boyle and REI Co-op CEO Jerry Stritzke (pictured above) joined the growing ranks of executives denouncing President Trump’s executive order banning travel to the U.S. from seven Muslim-majority countries.
“Perhaps more than most companies, we understand the challenges of providing security for individuals in this country and around the world,” wrote Boyle, adding that Columbia’s diversity contributes to its success. “Any of our team members can easily end up working closely with a colleague or customer many time zones away, bridging cultural and language differences to find solutions to reach a common goal,” he continued.
Stritzke wrote in his letter, “We know our employee base and our membership span the political spectrum on any given issue. And we embrace respectful dialogue and debate. But it’s important for me to be incredibly clear about the following – we are an organization, and a country, based on inclusion. We believe we are better when we come together, when we are open and when we are welcoming.”
The letters can be read in full as reported by the Portland Business Journal (Columbia) and the Co-op Journal (REI).
Photo courtesy REI
