More than 80 executives and industry leaders gathered last week at the headquarters of VF Corp. in Denver, Colorado, for the Outdoor Industry Association’s (OIA) Rendezvous, marking the first time the event has been held in roughly a decade.
The meeting brought together brands, retailers, and other stakeholders to discuss pressing issues in the outdoor industry, including participation, public lands, sustainability, and how companies can work together more closely going forward.
“We reinstated the OIA Rendezvous as part of a coordinated effort to unify the outdoor industry,” said Kent Ebersole, OIA president. “That unity begins at the top, so we knew we needed industry leaders together to help shape the future.”
Attendees such as Patagonia CEO Ryan Gellert, REI Chief New Ventures and Impact Officer Susan Viscon, Youngone Corp. Senior Vice President Diana Seung, and Black Diamond President Neil Fiske shared their takeaways from the discussions, which focused on collaboration, industry growth, and translating sustainability commitments into concrete actions rather than lofty goals.
Ebersole said the conversations were candid, particularly as executives discussed challenges facing the industry.
“Trust is paramount and expected in outdoor sports because the risks associated with many are higher than traditional sports,” he said. “That ethos certainly carries forward into offices and boardrooms and was apparent at Rendezvous.”
He pointed to early sessions that helped set the tone for the event.
“From my perspective, the speakers and attendees all were forthcoming,” Ebersole said, noting remarks from leaders including Mary Beth Laughton, CEO of REI, and Ryan Gellert, CEO of Patagonia, during the opening discussions.
Gellert emphasized the broader responsibility companies have within the outdoor sector.
“I think we’re all responsible for being stewards of the soul of the industry,” Gellert said. “By soul, I don’t mean who’s allowed to participate. I think it’s about really protecting the joy and the specialness of being outdoors and not just thinking about it as a commercial endeavor.”
Collaboration and Operational Sustainability
A consistent theme was the need for broader collaboration beyond traditional sustainability efforts, Ebersole said. Attendees stressed that sustainability must be embedded in business strategy and operations, not treated as a high-level aspiration.
That collaboration could extend into marketing, trade issues, and policy advocacy, as well as efforts to increase participation in outdoor activities, particularly among younger consumers.
“It was incredibly energizing to be in a room with so many passionate industry leaders discussing important topics like public lands, participation, and government affairs,” said Diana Seung, senior vice president of Youngone Corp. “It was a powerful reminder of how impactful it is to convene as an industry, and especially meaningful to reconnect with old friends and meet new ones.”
Susan Viscon, chief new ventures and impact officer at REI, said in-person discussions remain important for tackling complex industry issues.
“The conviction to do the hard work and do it together is born from face-to-face conversations,” Viscon said. “Rendezvous has brought together the right stakeholders from brands and crafted the topics that are pertinent to our future.”
Defining What Comes Next
The next step will be turning the discussions into a clear operational plan for how companies work together more consistently, Ebersole said.
“This is something we need to define in the coming weeks and begin building into a clear plan,” he said. “The good news is we already have a framework in place within the organization, and now it is about expanding it.”
That could include a larger role for OIA in coordinating industry programs and bringing leaders together more regularly.
“What we heard, or believe we heard, is that leaders in the room are ready for OIA to take a more active role in leading industry-wide programs — perhaps a consolidated industry marketing message — bringing together brands, retailers, and suppliers to build a broader coalition,” Ebersole said.
Neil Fiske, CEO of Black Diamond, said the industry now needs to move from discussion to execution.
“My big takeaway here is that it’s time to do it,” Fiske said. “We’ve got the tools, the will, the values, and the purpose, and there just has to be absolutely relentless focus on operationalizing our objectives and driving it through so everybody feels empowered.”
Industry Leaders Weigh the Challenges Ahead
Several attendees said the conversations highlighted both the potential for collaboration and the scale of the work ahead.
“I came away from Rendezvous reminded that there are important conversations we have to keep alive,” said Wes Allen, principal at Sunlight Sports. “There were leaders at the event who can make a real difference in the entire industry’s success when we’re pointed the same direction.”
Allen said discussions around public lands and sustainability also underscored how much work remains.
“It seems like a good relaunch. But there is so much work to do, both on the health of the industry and our societal impact, that it’s also just a very small start,” he said.
Others focused on the opportunity to rebuild a stronger collective voice for the industry.
“I think one of the big takeaways around collaboration is this opportunity to come back together again as leaders in the industry to hash out the tough issues and figure out ways that we can work together and build our voice again,” said Clint Todd, chief legal officer at Nite Ize.
Troy Sicotte, president of Mountain Hardwear, said the industry has common ground on key issues.
“There’s a desire, a willingness, and a common ground. Together we are a force,” Sicotte said. “There’s never been a more important time to come together to make a difference for the future of the outdoor industry.”
A Shift Toward Coordinated Action
For OIA, Ebersole said the gathering signaled that the industry is moving toward more coordinated efforts rather than individual company initiatives.
“The Rendezvous made it clear that the industry is moving beyond alignment and conversation into a more coordinated, action-oriented model,” he said. “There is a shared recognition that the challenges ahead, from trade to participation to public lands to sustainability and regulation, are too large for individual companies to solve on their own.”
According to Ebersole, OIA’s role will be to help organize those efforts and provide structure for industry-wide collaboration.
“What’s emerging is a shift toward a more unified industry approach, with OIA serving as the connective tissue,” he said.
Following the Rendezvous, OIA plans to bring the industry together again in Washington, D.C., for its Capitol Summit on April 28–29, 2026, where outdoor business leaders will meet with policymakers to address trade, public lands, sustainability, and other federal policy issues.
Editor’s note: Chris Goddard and Chris Denny, the authors of this story, are the president of CGPR and the owner of Denny Ink, respectively.
