In August 2014, REI promoted Susan Viscon to SVP of merchandising. In her expanded role, Susa oversees both the company’s merchandising and private brands’ divisions. Over the past 18 years, she held a variety of roles in merchandising from inventory analyst to general merchandising manager. She was named SVP of merchandising earlier this year. Viscon joined REI in 1997.
What first drove you to become an outdoor enthusiast? I had the good fortune of growing up in rural Washington and Idaho, where much of my childhood consisted of riding bikes to the local swimming hole on the river and exploring our backyard forest. I also have fond memories of catching the Saturday morning ski bus to Crystal Mountain. Our family excursions included weekend drives to remote places to hunt chanterelle mushrooms, and camping and fishing in the beautiful national wilderness. These experiences built a strong foundation for a lifelong love and appreciation of the outdoors, one that I am helping to instill in my own children. We love to hike as a family and venture into the outdoors together while on vacation.
Susan Viscon
How did you find your way into your retail career? I had applied to law school when I received an offer to join Dillard’s department stores’ executive training program. At the time, I decided to take a break and make $22,000 a year instead of paying $22,000 a year for law school. I instantly loved the work and seeing the results of my decisions. Those feelings remain strong today.
What’s great about working in the outdoor industry? Dillard’s was a great place to learn the ropes, like retail financials, presenting and defending strategies, and thickening your skin a bit. I appreciated how holistic their training program was with exposure to store roles, visual, marketing and buying. After six years I found myself loving the retail business, but wanting to focus on specialty. I knew of REI’s reputation and was fortunate to land an inventory analyst position. I instantly knew the culture and environment was something special. The people were so genuine and focused on the customer with every decision. My first outdoor show was energizing. There was this clear feeling of unity and enthusiasm within the entire industry. It is a rare thing.
Was there anyone who stood out as a mentor for your career? I’ve had the benefit of working around great REI leaders, some of whom have been my mentors and advocates. One individual who stands out is Matt Hyde because he had such a different and expansive way of looking at the business and thinking big. Matt taught me to be curious and seek others’ insights to help shape a better solution. He is an incredible visionary who had a deep understanding of REI, but also a keen sense of the marketplace and what we needed to do in order to compete. Another inspiration for me is former REI CEO Sally Jewell. She had a formula – 1/3 family, 1/3 work and 1/3 community – that inspired me to invest time in the community and industry leadership, which continues today. It’s that foundation that enables and encourages me to carve out time for opportunities like serving as a board member for the Outdoor Industries Women’s Coalition.
What’s the biggest misperception around REI? The biggest misperception is that REI’s dividend is just a way to discount product. We are owned by our members and have established incredible relationships with so many of our customers. Members write us every day about how great service from our employees changed their experience and how they have 100 percent confidence in the gear they bought with us to enjoy the outdoors. This is a powerful connection. The dividend is one way we celebrate the co-op’s success with our members, but every year we also give millions of dollars back to nonprofit programs to make sure we can all enjoy future outdoor experiences. It’s a pretty incredible circle.
What’s one passion the industry may be surprised to know about you? My husband and I own a winery. He has been making wine since 2003, and it has been a decade-long dream to open a tasting room. Last year, we made the leap and opened our doors, and he now does it full-time. I’m his certified wine tester, and even our daughters help out during crush.
If you could have any super power, what would it be? I would love the power to add a secret unplanned extra day to each month. Who wouldn’t love to wake up and realize that it was your “extra” day and you could enjoy any adventure you wanted with your free time?
