leadership
Ken Gray holds a Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Maryland, and a Juris Doctor degree from Regent University, Virginia Beach, VA. An experienced litigator and practicing attorney in Colorado Springs, Ken is admitted to practice before the Colorado Supreme Court, the Montana Supreme Court, and the U.S. Supreme Court. He became involved with REI when he was asked to help mentor a member of the Laotian Supreme Court who was visiting the U.S. as part of the REI Fellowship program. Seeing the potential that REI had to reach out to people of influence, he became a member of the REI Board of Directors in 2012.
Ken Gray
Chairman, Board
of Directors
Doug believes that his business, legal, non-profit and overseas experiences will serve him well as the new REI President and CEO. Prior to his appointment in May 2018, Doug worked as a systems analyst for the United Technologies Research Center, a litigation attorney for two of Maine’s leading law firms, and in leadership for a non-profit organization. He has spent a fair amount of time overseas, including three years in South Korea and eight years in Singapore. Doug received a B.A. from Amherst College and a J.D. from Cornell Law School.
K. Douglas Erdmann
President and CEO
A graduate of MacMurray College in Illinois with a degree in biology and secondary education, Brian began his career as a science teacher, eventually becoming a school principal in the Chicago suburbs. In the 1990s, he and his wife accepted a three-year assignment with a not-for-profit organization in the Philippines where they developed a love for Asia. He became involved with REI in 1999, serving first as Vice-director of REI’s work in Vietnam, and then as Director of REI-Vietnam in 2004. Empowering future generations has compelled him for the past four decades.
Brian Teel
Senior Vice President
Jay joined the REI team as the Director of Operations in the spring of 2014. His role includes four distinct functions – Chief Financial Officer, Director of Administration, Corporate Treasurer and Corporate Secretary. Jay has a B.A. in Business Administration from Dordt College and brings to his roles over 30 years of non-profit leadership experience, specializing in both finance and human resources. Jay has lived in the Colorado Springs area for a majority of his life and enjoys the Colorado Rocky Mountains and simply being outdoors with his wife and two sons.
Jay Smidt
Vice President for Administration & CFO
board of directors
Ken Gray
Chairman of the Board
Member since 2012
K. Douglas Erdmann
President and CEO
Member since 2018
Brian Teel
Senior Vice President
Member since 2009
Scott Ainslie
Member since 2018
Linda Bruce
Member since 2011
Brian Gibbs
Member since 2020
Gail Jones
Member since 2014
David Lyons
Member since 2014
Leon Neumann
Member since 2018
Dr. Brent Senior
Member since 2014
Zachary Sparks
Member since 2017
Paul Yankey
Member since 2016