Former U.S. Interior Secretary and REI CEO Sally Jewell joined Elon University President Connie Ledoux Book in LaRose Digital Theatre on Oct. 30, 2025, for a conversation on leadership, ethics and business as a force for good.
A campus conversation hosted by the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business in LaRose Digital Theatre brought together former U.S. Secretary of the Interior and REI CEO Sally Jewell and Elon University President Connie Ledoux Book on Oct. 30, 2025.
Dean Haya Ajjan of the Love School of Business introduced the event, which is part of the proposed Center for Humanity in Business.
President Book invited Jewell to begin with her college experience and first steps after graduation. “When the yearbook asked for our career plans, I wrote dental hygienist,” Jewell said. “I loved science and the outdoors, but my father urged me to choose a practical degree.”
At the University of Washington, a nudge from friends and family shifted her path. “Warren, who later became my husband, was studying mechanical engineering. His homework looked more interesting than mine. After talking with his sister, who is an engineer, I switched my major.”
Her first engineering role brought rapid learning. “It was culture shock. I learned how little I knew, and how far respect and curiosity could take you.”
A few years later, a bank recruited her to evaluate oil and gas collateral. “It was the same industry from a different seat,” Jewell said. “I did not know anything about banking. No idea what double-entry bookkeeping was.” She enrolled in night classes in accounting so she could read financial statements with confidence.
The lesson, she told students, was simple. “When you understand the numbers and the realities on the ground, you can make decisions that hold up. Sometimes the right answer is no.”
When asked about leading REI, Jewell explained what makes the co-op model distinct. “Members own the company. You buy a membership once and receive a dividend based on what you spend,” she said.
That structure shaped how she communicated inside the business. “There is no mission without margin. When people understand the metrics and why profitability matters, they become owners of the outcome. Profit lets you invest in sustainability, community engagement and employee well-being.”
She joined REI’s board and later stepped into operating roles. “I did not know retail, so I called experts, learned what to measure and shared those measures in town halls. If you explain what moves the needle and why it matters, people will help you move it.”
Turning to her public service as the 51st U.S. Secretary of the Interior under President Barack Obama, Jewell described it as leading a large, mission-driven organization.
“The Interior manages about one-fifth of the land in the United States,” she said. “That includes national parks, wildlife refuges, Bureau of Land Management areas, partnerships with tribal nations, and even dams and offshore energy. Those responsibilities can pull in different directions, so the mandates often conflict.”
Her approach to the Interior centered on people and process. “Bring people together as human beings. Listen for shared interests. Be transparent about tradeoffs. Then set clear expectations and measure what matters.”
Throughout the day, including classroom visits and small group sessions, Jewell returned to a guiding idea.
“We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors. We borrow it from our children,” she said. “Choose organizations you are proud of. Align daily decisions with long-term impact.”