Dive Brief:

• Ventura-Calif.-based Patagonia, which saw revenues of $600 million in 2013, has tapped Chief Operating Officer/Chief Financial Officer Rose Marcario to lead the company beginning Feb. 7. She will be its first female CEO in 20 years.

• Marcario has been at Patagonia since 2008, and in addition to her roles as COO/CFO, she has headed the outdoor clothing retailer’s Patagonia Works holding company. The business has tripled its profits since her arrival.

• This move signals that Patagonia wants her in charge of its core apparel business, of its expansion into food, and of the expansion of its “$20 million & Change” project, which invests in companies like itself with a commitment to an environmental sustainability mindset.

Dive Insight:

Founder Yvon Chouinard, whose autobiography is entitled Let My People Go Surfing, is still involved with the company, and his deep sense of eco-consciousness and employee empowerment is widely seen as remaining a key driver of Patagonia’s approach to business. Marcario has proven since 2008 that she is all set to build on Patagonia’s success without sacrificing this ethos.