REI's Rock'N'Roll Recap

by K. Douglas Erdmann, President & CEO

Back before Spotify and other music streaming services were available, if one wanted to listen to music in their car, one did it the old-fashioned way. . . turning on the radio. Of course, it would be important to pick the right radio station as different stations had different types of music. In my opinion, where we lived then in Maine, the best music was found at “Oldies 100.9.” My children would look at me aghast as I drove and sang along with various 50’s and 60’s pop songs.

So, humor me as I give you a little reprise of what’s happened in the world of REI with reference to some of my favorite numbers.

I’ll start off with the best band ever, the Beach Boys (right?), and one of their hits “Wouldn’t It Be Nice.” The song is about a couple in love dreaming about a wonderful future.

“We could be married. And then we'd be happy. Oh, wouldn't it be nice?”

Doug rockin' with the Beach Boys (in his dreams)

Aren and Anna Thomas, two twenty-somethings on our staff married in June. A few months later they moved to Morocco, where Aren had served previously learning how to run a rock-climbing gym. Now, Aren and a partner will start their own rock-climbing gym with the goal of training locals in business skills.

“We Can Work It Out” by the Beatles is about resolving differences and cooperating. In Indonesia our country leader has brought together a very different team (a local with a background in homeland security, an Australian engineer, and two Americans with agricultural backgrounds) to form an Indonesian foundation. This foundation will allow REI to introduce new technologies (like bio-char production) and provide university business training and agricultural extension work.

The eclectic team (along with Doug and Andy from HQ) forming REI's new Indonesian foundation at its official launch

“Be My Baby” by the Ronettes is the song for Egypt, where our staff ladies continue to train local women to be doulas. Cairo has one of the highest C-section rates in the world. Training doulas helps give women who want it the option of a natural birth.

“Get a Job” by the Silhouettes is the right song for Vietnam, not because we’re helping people get jobs there, but because of our focus on sending ex-pat men and women who have, or who have had, jobs (doctors, nurses, businesspeople) to train Vietnamese professionals and university students, who have or will soon have jobs. This year we sent nine teams comprised of 29 professionals on short-term training trips to improve the skills and develop relationships with local people. We also brought three Vietnamese doctors and two Vietnamese professors to the U.S. for further training and relational impact.

David Stott, retired CFO and REI Board member, teaching business principles to students at the prestigious University of Economics in Ho Chi Minh City.

You may not remember the title of Sam Cooke’s hit, “Wonderful World,” but you may remember the lyrics: “Don't know much about history Don't know much biology Don't know much about a science book. Don’t know much about the French I took.”

Not exactly affirming of the value of education! This song is offered by way of contrast to the work REI does in three different countries - teaching university students in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, and leading and teaching at an international school in Djibouti. Education is critical to the development and well-being of any country. Sorry Sam Cooke!

“Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrill is about overcoming obstacles to achieve an important goal, certainly is appropriate for our newest sending country, Singapore. It took a lot of work, particularly by James Ong, our Singapore director, to get REI up and running. Then, James got hit with some significant health challenges. He has persisted, and it is exciting to see him send out his first staff couple. The Ngs and their two young boys will be moving in February to join the staff team teaching in Uzbekistan.

Josiah and Tricia Ng, with their boys and their parents at pre-field training at the HQ preparing to be sent to Uzbekistan as REI (Singapore)'s first official overseas staff couple

Of course, I need to end with the Beach Boys song. “I Get Around,” which seems just the right song to describe the efforts of yours truly, who by the end of this year will have travelled to Djibouti, Dubai, Egypt, Indonesia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Joyce usually accompanies me on these trips, but I took Andy Petersen, our Director of Advancement, on my last trip, and he has produced a fun five-minute video of what “Getting Around” REI looks like. You can view it by clicking here: Getting Around REI.

So there you have it. REI in 2025, thanks to “Oldies 100.9!”