SALT LAKE CITY, UT (BRAIN)—Smith Optics received top honors as REI’s Vendor Partner of the Year for 2009. The announcement was made at last week's Outdoor Retailer Winter Market trade show.
“REI’s ability to serve our members and customers begins with providing the right assortment of outdoor products from the top companies in the retail industry today,” said Angela Owen, REI’s vice president of Merchandising. “We value our partnerships with these leaders in product quality and innovation, outdoor stewardship and performance, and we’re grateful for the opportunity to recognize our standout vendors each year.”
“Smith Optics’ selection as REI’s 2009 Vendor Partner of the Year was a difficult choice to make because of the quality of all our top vendors,” Owen said. “However, Smith stood out for its commitment to our partnership, shared values, product inspiration and innovation, and outstanding financial results in an extraordinarily challenging year. Smith excelled as a true partner in every sense of the word—making exceptional efforts to listen and engage with us so they truly understand REI and our members’ needs.”
Planet Bike won in REI's Action Sports category.
