kayak
REI CIO Julie Averill. (REI Photo)

Julie Averill is the CIO for REI, the outdoor retailer and member cooperative, overseeing and directing the company’s technology investments across its 143 stores, REI.com and mobile properties. That includes everything from in-store and online systems to business intelligence, inventory, and tools to make employees be more efficient.

“Ultimately, my job is to help our members enjoy the outdoors,” she explains. “Technology is a critical piece of this—it helps create a great member experience, builds community, gives access to the gear we sell and inspires outdoor adventures.”

We caught up with Averill for this week’s installment of Working Geek. Continue reading for her answers to our questionnaire.

Julie Averill, Chief Information Officer, REI

Julie-Averill-Headshot_web
Julie Averill

Current Location: I split my team between our new IT Eastgate campus (80%) and the REI Kent Campus (20%).

Computers: MacBook Air at work and MacBook Pro at home

Mobile devices: iPhone 6s and Apple Watch

Favorite apps, cloud services and software tools: My phone is splattered with apps, organized in folders by topic. I like to stay connected, so my most frequent apps are news (NPR and NYT) and social/cloud (Instagram, Slack, Facebook, Dropbox—even SnapChat to stay current with my teenager).

Describe your workspace. Mobile. In the REI Eastgate campus, there are no private offices. I carry my MacBook Air with me wherever I go and work on a couch, in the cafeteria or near the ping-pong table.

Why does it work for you? We work to create an open workplace at REI and I enjoy the accessibility and interactions. Impromptu conversations with my team help spark much of our work and that doesn’t happen if I’m stowed away in an office.

Your best advice for managing everyday work and life? Learn how to shut it off. I have three kids at home, each of whom leads a very busy life. It is important for me to make it to most of their games and performances. I work hard at work so that I can be present at home.

Your preferred social network? How do you use it for business/work? Text.  My leadership team and I are split between two different buildings (Kent and Eastgate), so we text a lot to stay in touch. We are a casual group and have pretty informal communication throughout the day. For anything that is longer than a sound bite, we email, set up a Skype or discuss at our Friday morning breakfasts.

Current number of unanswered emails in your inbox? Um, 232. But, in my defense I am just returning from a 2 week international trip, and most of them are read, just not actioned.

Number of appointments/meetings on your calendar this week? 28

Everyday work uniform? Whatever is comfortable – it’s REI so an active lifestyle is encouraged. Many people ride their bikes to work and store them inside. You’ll see people planking at 3:00 or doing yoga during the lunch hour.

How do you make time for family? Deliberately. If I need to work late, I try to do that on nights when my kids are at soccer practice. I’ve worked hard over the last couple of years to find balance.

Best stress reliever? I love to get out on the water, especially the Puget Sound. I have several kayaks, a little boat, and a stand-up paddle-board. Being on the water gives me a sense of place and peace. When I need to unplug, you’ll find me in almost any weather on the water.

Night owl or early riser? Early riser.

What are your sleep patterns? Typically asleep by midnight and up by 5.

Where do you get your best ideas? I like to talk to people and make connections. I do a lot of networking, listen to my team and read news/tech pubs. I ask a lot of questions and try to understand why things are happening; I use this as inspiration for our work.

Writer and journalist Madeline Vuong contributed to this feature.

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