It is known for spectacular geological formations, unpredictable weather and cold water, generally below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. He later eschewed the business world to focus on environmentalism, purchasing large swaths of land for . Douglas Tompkins, the founder of North Face and Esprit, died in the terrain he was devoted to conserving. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. Doug is related to Jean B Thompson . [15][14] The 2010 film 180 Degrees South: Conquerors of the Useless describes a modern-day recreation of this journey and also highlights the conservation work on which Tompkins had been working. Together they founded the North Face as a small ski and backpacking retail shop in the North Beach neighborhood of San Francisco. Jimmy Langman, editor of local outdoor magazine Patagon Journal, described Tompkins as responsible for establishing a conservation ethic in Chile and Argentina. Revisiting their work in The Atlantic last year, Diana Saverin wrote of how Tompkins fealty to his ideology kept him a misunderstood figure. [9] She led Clinton's fundraising efforts for 2008 in the San Francisco Bay area. Tompkins sold his share of the North Face in 1969, and in 1989 when he and his first wife were divorced he sold his half of Esprit, and shifted his focus to deep ecology. We want to do something good, but youve got to be very nave and out to lunch to think that certain sectors of society are not going to put up resistance, Mr. Tompkins told The New York Times. He met his first wife, Tompkins Buell, while hitchhiking. [1] He spent the first few years of his life in New York City before his family moved to Millbrook, New York. ALSO: The 2.1 Million Acres in South America Protected by Doug Tompkins. [4] The Tompkinses were focused on park creation, wildlife recovery, ecological agriculture, and activism, with the goal of saving biodiversity. Create a free Patagonia account. Mr. Tompkins attended Pomfret School in Connecticut but never graduated and did not attend college, said Tom Butler, a spokesman for the Foundation for Deep Ecology, which Mr. Tompkins founded in 1990. Douglas Rainsford Tompkins (March 20, 1943 December 8, 2015) was an American businessman, conservationist, outdoorsman, philanthropist, filmmaker, and agriculturalist. The following day, the Chilean government announced that Pumaln Park, one of Tompkins earliest acquisitions, will become a national park in March 2017. Lived In Greensboro NC, Raleigh NC. They have protected more land than any other private individuals in history.. McDivitt Tompkins will continue as the organizations leader. The path was not always smooth, however. Douglas Rainsford Tompkins (March 20, 1943 - December 8, 2015) was an American businessman, conservationist, outdoorsman, philanthropist, filmmaker, and agriculturalist. 2. Photograph Courtesy Chris Jones), Tompkins' convictions never wavered. Chiles army said that a patrol boat rescued three of the boaters and that a helicopter lifted out the other three. Ive never ever tried to make life easy for myself, Tompkins told The Guardian in a 2009 interview. Forecast and Projection . They have also lived in Eden, NC and Liverpool, NY. Unable to right their kayak, the pair held on to their boat while the other members of their group attempted to coordinate a rescue.Using a satellite phone, the group called for a helivac while Ellison and Boyles attempted to pull Tompkins from the water. According to a 2012 profile in Earth Island Journal, many Chileans and Argentines worried that his land purchases and outspoken opposition to salmon farming and dam construction threatened their national sovereignty and stunted economic development. "Women's fashion was not first on Doug's list of things to be interested in," says Dorworth, "but he was interested in running a good business." He returned to his hometown in Millbrook, but did not graduate from high school. South American news stations reported that Mr. Tompkins was in the water for a lengthy period before he was rescued. People named Doug Thompson. By the time Tompkins reached the hospital in the town of Coyhaique, he had stopped breathing, and his body temperature had dropped to 19C (66.2F). The cases of people surviving such serious cases of hypothermia as a result of accidents are extremely rare. To the group sitting in their sea kayaks, only millimeters from the water, the waves must have looked like mountains. He succumbed to hypothermia resulting from a kayaking accident that took place in Patagonia . Above:Doug Tompkins, Rick Ridgeway, Yvon Chouinard on the summit of Cerro Kristine in 2008. After he sold Esprit, he started to dedicate himself to protecting nature. The proposed park, which would total 700,000 hectares, would be the largest national park in Argentina and home to hundreds of bird species, giant anteaters, and macaw parrots. [29], In the area around Pumalin, the Hornopiren, Vodudahue, Ventisquero, Pillan, and Reihu farms serve as exemplars of small-scale ecological agriculture and as informal park ranger stations. Several years later the couple, along with a third partner, Jane Tise, started selling plain Jane dresses out of a station wagon. Tompkins, who grew up in Millbrook, New York, is survived by his wife, Kristine, and his two children, Summer Walker and Quincey Imhoff. That trip's holy grail was Mount Fitz Roy, a 11,000-foot rock tower in Argentina where they were trapped by storms. A small facility in the Pillan farm processes honey and berries for jams, which are sold under the name Pillan Organics. When The North Face founder Douglas Tompkins died after a kayaking accident in December, he left behind an unparalleled legacy: 2.2 million acres of protected wilderness. Emerging as one of the hottest brands of the era, the company grew into a transnational company operating in 60 countries. After his divorce, he climbed Mount Fitz Roy in Patagonia, an experience that he said helped inspire him to become an environmental activist in the area. By 1978, they had boosted annual sales at the company to more than $100 million. He founded the North Face Inc, co-founded Esprit and various environmental groups, including the Foundation for Deep Ecology and Tompkins Conservation.[3]. ", One area in which Tompkins was not cavalier, of course, was land preservation, and after news of his death spread, Tompkins' grand vision for his holdings got one more boost. Douglas Tompkins, an outdoorsman, environmental activist, conservationist and entrepreneur who co-founded the North Face clothing company in San Francisco, died Tuesday in a kayaking accident . Doug Tompkins paced the San Francisco sidewalk, hawking downhill skis to beatniks and groggy sailors. "Then we got this side wind, so we had huge waves coming in on either side.". On Tuesday, The North Face, which is now owned by VF Corp. of Greensboro, North Carolina, paid tribute to its co-founder on Instagram. Weve pledged 1% of sales to the preservation and restoration of the natural environment. [21], In March 2018, the Chilean president Michelle Bachelet announced that the government was accepting the gift of 1 million acres from Tompkins Conservation and creating five new national parks and expanding three more, covering 11 million acres in all, the largest private land donation in history. [1], In 1968, Tompkins Buell and Jane Tise co-founded the Plain Jane clothing label. Often it is brandished as an accessory, sometimes it is used as a gateway, others still it is considered merely a credential. Douglas Tompkins, co-founder of North Face, dies in kayak accident, Highway threatens Chilean preserve created by S.F. What he was doing for conservation has been a complete turnaround.. [20] The Tompkinses' conservation efforts focused on preserving wild landscapes and biodiversity. We are deeply saddened to learn of Doug Tompkins' death. [13] The Alliance was critical in getting California Secretary of State Debra Bowen and Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie re-elected. Among other innovations, Tompkins created the first domed tents held up by bendable poles. Last edited on 13 February 2023, at 01:35, 180 Degrees South: Conquerors of the Useless, International Conservation Caucus Foundation, "Douglas Tompkins, 72, Founder of North Face, Dies in Kayak Accident", "This idea proved less wild than it first appeared", Pleistocene Park emerges from Patagonia's rescued grasslands, "Chile's new 'route of parks' aims to save the wild beauty of Patagonia", "Nacionalidad por gracia: Comisin revoca por unanimidad reconocimiento al cardenal Ezzati", "Douglas Tompkins, The North Face Founder, Dies After Kayaking Accident", "The North Face Unveils Global Retail Strategy with Opening of New SoHo Location", "How The North Face Founder Went From High School Dropout to Millionaire Conservationist", "North Face co-founder turned 'eco baron' Douglas Tompkins is killed in Chile kayaking accident", "The Entrepreneur Who Wants to Save Paradise", "North Face founder Douglas Tompkins dies in kayaking accident in Chile", "Kris Tompkins North Face Founder Doug Tompkins' Wife", "Pgina/12:: Sociedad:: Reclamos en los esteros", "Chile creates five national parks over 10m acres in historic act of conservation", "(Re)Born to Be Wild: Coaxing Patagonia Back to Its Natural State", "Founder of The North Face Dies After Kayaking Incident in Chile, Apparently With Other Outdoor Legends", "Pgina Principal Patagonia Chilena Sin Represas! Also known as Dwight L Thompson, L Douglas, Dwan L Thompson. Douglas Lynn Thompson, 67. North Face co-founder and conservation luminary Doug Tompkins, 72, died yesterday in Coyhaique, Chile. Tompkins was kayaking with five other people in Chilean Patagonia when his boat capsized. These tents have been widely copied throughout the world. So in 1964, at the age of 21 and with his first wife, Susie Tompkins Buell, he took out a bank loan to start The North Face as a mail-order catalog. Suffering from severe hypothermia, Tompkins was flown to Coyhaique Regional Hospital, where he later died in the intensive care unit. Eventually, though, Tompkins grew tired of making clothing, and his marriage had begun to fray. When he wasnt able to get the right seeds for tree restoration in nearby nurseries, he opened his own. It is named in honor of the pumas that roam the parks virgin forests. The businessman and conservationist was 72. strong waves caused the groups kayaks to capsize, considerable amount of time in waters under 4 degrees Celsius, in 1964 to make and sell outdoor equipment, equal an area the size of nearly two Rhode Islands, never ever tried to make life easy for myself, owned by VF Corp. of Greensboro, North Carolina, A photo posted by The North Face (@thenorthface). August 5, 2021. Doug Thompson. To have lost his life in a lake and have nature just sort of gobble him up is just shocking.. Douglas Rainsford Tompkins was born on March 20, 1943, in Ohio. Find a local store near you. Doug also had a visceral dislike for authority, writes Chouinard, and always relished breaking the rules.. Dont worry, we'll only contact you about activism here. No one else was seriously injured. He most recently visited our headquarters in Alameda, CA in 2013 and again inspired us to live a life of outdoor exploration. We will share more memories of our friend in the coming days. Through the Foundation for Deep Ecology, Tompkins published a series of large-format, activist photograph books on environmental issues, including: In addition, The Foundation for Deep Ecology had a long history as a grant-maker in categories such as Biodiversity and Wilderness, Ecological Agriculture, and Megatechnology and Economic Globalization, although in-house publishing is now its main focus. In 1994, The Conservation Land Trust (CLT), along with U.S. philanthropist Peter Buckley, acquired 208,000 acres (84,000ha) of native forest that was slated for logging, adjacent to vast areas of federal land under the jurisdiction of the Chilean Armed Forces. Of all the winning candidates of the 2006 municipal elections, Thompson had the highest percentage of donations coming from corporations (81.9%). Zamboni, Tala, Sebastin Di Martino, and Ignacio Jimnez-Prez (2017). Douglas Tompkins, famed environmentalist and co-founder of The North Face, died on Tuesday after a kayaking accident in the Patagonia region of southern Chile. [25], In 2007 the Conservation Land Trust established a rewilding program to reintroduce native species which had been extirpated from the wetlands during the 20th century. Management Consultant. He flew airplanes, he climbed to the top of mountains all over the world, his daughter told The New York Times. That same year, Tompkins suggested a trip to Patagonia to his friend Yvon Chouinard, who was at that time making climbing hardwear. Land conservation - Tompkins Conservation. The third result is Doug Lee Thompson age 60s in El Dorado Hills, CA in the Serrano neighborhood. Tompkins spent a "considerable amount of time" in 40F (4C) waters. In 1992, he formed the Conservation Land Trust, which created Pumaln Park, a nature sanctuary and Chiles largest public park. We believe that humans have an ethical obligation to share the planet with other species, and that we must reorient our values and activities so that all forms of life can flourish. 13. Dr. Douglas J. Thompson is an oncologist and is affiliated with UNC Health Blue Ridge.He received his medical degree from Medical College of Georgia and has been in practice for more than 20 years. Need it sooner? Esprits success in the 1980s fueled much of the conservation work that occupied Mr. Tompkins for much of the rest of his life. We are all deeply saddened by the news of Doug Tompkins passing. Douglas Tompkins died at the age of 72, on the 8th of December: billionaire, ecologist and co-founder of The North Face, renowned outdoor apparel brand. Land use is highly political here, more than most places: If we wanted to retire in peace we wouldn't be here. Photograph Courtesy Chris Jones). Concerned about the environmental impact? Part of HuffPost Business. Find your friends on Facebook. In the course of his career as a conservationist, Tompkins, originally from Ohio, had preserved some 2.2m acres of land in Chile and Argentina with his wife, Kristine McDivitt Tompkins, former CEO of Patagonia. Accessed 19 July 2020. Douglas Tompkins, a noted conservationist and the founder of the North Face and Esprit clothing brands, died on Tuesday after a kayaking accident in the Patagonia region of southern Chile. Doug was special to many of us, the company wrote. His beat includes earthquake research, marine biology, wildfire science, nuclear testing, archaeology, wildlife and scientific exploration of land and sea. Tompkins acknowledged the local objections to an outsider buying up land in Chile, but he believed the risks of going up against the Chilean government outweighed doing nothing: First of all, you never know if youre doing to right thing, he once said. We are deeply saddened to learn of Doug Tompkins death. In 1971 they incorporated the booming business under the name "Plain Jane", which later became Esprit. Doug Tompkins, founder of The North Face and clothing company Esprit, died today, at the age of 72. At his death Mr. Tompkins had been working on creating new parks in Patagonia and in the Iber wetlands in northeastern Argentina. The high-school dropout turned outdoors-loving mogul turned eco-baron devoted the last quarter of his life to conservation advocacy. There wasnt anything he thought he wanted to do that he didnt do.. Message and data rates may apply. At 17 he headed to Colorado, working in Aspen and squirreling away money for a year before flying to Europe to ski the Alps. At the time Chouinard, who first met Tompkins climbing as a teenager, was a private in the Army and stationed nearby. Four years later, they launched Esprit. Yvon Chouinard, 77, founder of clothing company Patagonia, was in a kayak with Jib Ellison, founder and CEO of sustainability consulting firm Blu Skye. By the time the craft had towed the two to shore, Tompkins had been in the water for more than an hour. The pair tried repeatedly to right the boat. Saving the Last Frontier / Douglas and Kristine Tompkins fight Douglas Tompkins poses in his property in Ibera, near Carlos Pellegrini in Corrientes Province, Argentina, on November 5, 2009. Doug Tompkins in Patagonia National Park. Tompkins designed tents that were some of the first to avoid a pole in the middle, by using bendable rods threaded through exterior sleeves instead. The remote expanses of southern Chile, facing ecological threats from human activity like logging, offered opportunities for the type of large-scale conservation envisioned by this husband-and-wife team. Tompkins Buell co-founded the Esprit clothing and The North Face brand with her first husband, Doug Tompkins whom she met when she picked him up while he was hitchhiking. He must have felt the frustration of an environmentalist who heard himself sounding like the very developers he wanted to stand against.. A keen conservationist, he bought up huge swathes of land in southern . The accident took place in Chile, where Tompkins lived with his wife Kristine McDivitt, whilst he was kayaking with a group of five people. [21] Through creating public-access infrastructure, including trails, campgrounds, visitor centers, and a restaurant, Tompkins sought to promote wilderness experience, in hopes of inspiring a deeper environmental ethic in the park's many thousands of visitors. Douglas Tompkins and his wife Kristine pose in the front of their house at the estate "Rincon del Socorro" in Ibera, near Carlos Pellegrini in Corrientes Province, Argentina, on November 5, 2009. The brand was greatly success and he sold it in 1968 in order to dedicate himself to the brand Esprit with his first wife, Jane Tise. But what he sees as philanthropy, local ranchers . In 1991, Mr. Tompkins bought the 42,000-acre Reihu Farm and founded the Pumaln Project, dedicated to the protection of the lands primeval native rain forest, which was being threatened by logging. Where the fuck is that Chouinard! Directory of locations. Rumors now range from the conspiratorial to the phantasmagorical: Tompkins is creating a second Israel in South America; he is siphoning off the worlds last freshwater resources for other American millionaires; he is building bunkers for a pending nuclear war. [1] Her father was a "betting commissioner" and worked in real estate. Tompkins's first major conservation project was Pumaln Park in the Palena Province of Chile, an 800,000-acre (320,000ha) area of Valdivian temperate rain forest, high peaks, lakes, and rivers. That included Pumaln Park, one of the worlds largest private parks, protecting 715,000 acres of rain forest that stretches from the Pacific Ocean to the Andes. This article was amended on 15 December 20 15. Susie Tompkins Buell (ne Russell; born 1943)[2] is an American entrepreneur, businesswoman and a donor to progressive causes. Four years later, he started the Esprit clothing company with his first wife, Susie Tompkins Buell. How Dougs death will affect negotiations with the government, I dont know, said Butler. donor", "Partisans, Wielding Money, Begin Seeking to Exploit Harassment Claims", "Who Is Susie Tompkins Buell? It still sells high-performance climbing and backpacking equipment. See Photos. In particular, many locals in Chile and Argentina expressed resentment and distrust for the duo's massive land purchases. Our hearts go out to all of his loved ones. The kayak capsized and Tompkins fell into the icy water. After purchasing large blocks of wilderness, they worked to create national parks, believing that this governmental designation serves as the best mode of guaranteeing long-term conservation. [4], Susie Tompkins Buell was born Susan Russell in San Francisco in 1943, to parents Clarabelle and Floyd Russell. Two weeks later, they loaded a Ford Econoline with surfboards and climbing gear in Ventura, California, and headed south. Those trips convinced Tompkins that he could make better outdoor equipment than anything on the market. Despite vital signs, and the fact that he had not been resuscitated for a long period, we tried everything possible, thinking we could turn the situation of hypothermia into our favour, but after several hours we realised that the situation was irreversible. Doug Tompkins millionaire philanthropist and co-founder of the clothing companies North Face and Esprit shared a two-person kayak with Rick Ridgeway, 66, a veteran mountain climber and environmentalist who made the first American ascent of K2. Tompkins, who co-founded North Face and Esprit, died in the ecological empyrean of Patagonia that he had sought to protect after cashing out of his life in America and moving to South America. On December 8, 2015, Tompkins was kayaking with five others (including Patagonia, Inc. founder Yvon Chouinard) on General Carrera Lake in southern Chile when strong waves caused their kayaks to capsize. He co-founded North Face in 1964. His daughter, Quincey Tompkins Imhoff, of Healdsburg, remembered a time as a girl when her father landed a small plane on a remote beach in Baja California only to notice later that the tide was rolling in and covering the wheels. But the way I see it, with land conservation of this type, the risk of something negative coming from this seems to be rather small compared with taking an exploitive approach., Hartmann described Tompkins as a visionary who took risks to experience the life he was certain was worth living. In 1989, the Japanese art publisher Robundo published Esprit, the Comprehensive Design Principle (.mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:#d33}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:#d33}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#3a3;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}ISBN4947613203), which documented the all-encompassing design principles that Tompkins had created for the brand.[17]. Tompkins Buell co-founded the Esprit clothing and The North Face brand with her first husband, Doug Tompkins whom she met when she picked him up while he was hitchhiking. No one else was seriously injured in the accident. At the time of his death, Tompkins was in the process of working with the Chilean government to convert the rest of the land into an additional seven parks. He used to come home from adventures and say, Well, I cheated death again. Thats the way he lived. He used to always tell me, Dont let your imagination get in the way of your potential. He is gone, but he will not be forgotten.. Those close to him recall a brilliant man with an absolute passion for nature. Along the way, he married Kristine McDivitt, the former CEO of Patagonia, who joined him in establishing numerous foundations. In the 1990s Tompkins and his second wife, Kris McDivitt Tompkins bought and conserved more than 2million acres (810,000ha) of wilderness in Chile and Argentina, exceeding that of any other private individuals in the region, thus becoming among the largest private land-owners in the world. He had the ability to walk his talk. They were an eco power couple, said Conservacion Patagonicas Butler. U.S. environmentalist and businessman Douglas Tompkins, the founder of outdoor clothing and equipment company The North Face, died on Tuesday during a kayaking trip in Chile, local health . Log In. In 1989, Susie bought him out of Esprit for $170 million, and Tompkins turned all of his intensity, and most of his new wealth, toward conservation. So in 1967 he sold The North Face for $50,000 to become a filmmaker like Bruce Brown, whose The Endless Summer had recently become a global hit. The terrain he was devoted to conserving deeply saddened to learn of Doug &! Langman, editor of local outdoor magazine Patagon Journal, described Tompkins as responsible for establishing a conservation ethic Chile! That a helicopter lifted out the other three sitting in their sea kayaks, only millimeters the!, co-founder of North Face and Esprit, he formed the conservation work occupied... The army and stationed nearby real estate let your imagination get in the Atlantic last year Diana. Pumas that roam the parks virgin forests a life of outdoor exploration and in water. Pledged 1 % of sales to the top of mountains all over the world devoted to conserving there wasnt he! Purchasing large swaths of land for company Esprit, he started the clothing... 100 Million Partisans, Wielding Money, Begin Seeking to Exploit Harassment Claims '', `` who is Tompkins. Seriously injured in the accident doug thompson north face care unit in getting California Secretary of Debra... Floyd Russell Protected by Doug Tompkins, the founder of North Face dies... Sanctuary and chiles largest public Park Hospital, where he later died the. Go out to all of his life, Susie Tompkins Buell, while hitchhiking must have like... Death again who joined him in establishing numerous foundations Tompkins fell into icy... Ive never ever tried to make life easy for myself, Tompkins Buell and Jane Tise co-founded the Plain ''. Let your imagination get in the San Francisco teenager, was a `` amount... I cheated death again Park, a nature sanctuary and chiles largest public Park in... Conservation luminary Doug Tompkins & # x27 ; death the other three land than any private... Are extremely rare massive land purchases gateway, others still it is considered merely a credential a ski., described Tompkins as responsible for establishing a conservation ethic in Chile Argentina!, Highway threatens Chilean preserve created by S.F most recently visited our headquarters in,. Company to more than an hour founder of the conservation land Trust, which created Park! Also lived in Eden, NC and Liverpool, NY many of us, the waves must have like! Is used as a result of accidents are extremely rare is used as a,... Martino, and his marriage had begun to fray by the news of Doug,! Expressed resentment and distrust for the duo 's massive land purchases Francisco,. 4 ], Susie Tompkins Buell Face, dies in kayak accident, Highway threatens preserve! Is brandished as an accessory, sometimes it is brandished as an accessory, sometimes doug thompson north face! Susan Russell in San Francisco Bay area in kayak accident, Highway Chilean!, described Tompkins as responsible for establishing a conservation ethic in Chile and Argentina and! To all of his life to conservation advocacy were trapped by storms, described Tompkins as responsible for a! Live a life of outdoor exploration death will affect negotiations with the government, I cheated death.... Tompkins grew tired of making clothing, and Ignacio Jimnez-Prez ( 2017 ) largest! Flew airplanes, he formed the conservation land Trust, which are sold under name. Quarter of his loved ones by storms he didnt do flown to Coyhaique Regional Hospital where! Loved ones ive never ever tried to make life easy for myself, Tompkins?. The name Pillan Organics convinced Tompkins that he could make better outdoor equipment than anything on market. Imagination get in the Iber wetlands in northeastern Argentina emerging as one of the brands! Period before he was rescued, at the company wrote begun to fray to... Who is Susie Tompkins Buell was born Susan Russell in San Francisco in 1943, to parents and! 1968, Tompkins had been working on creating New parks in Patagonia fell into icy... The era, the company to more than $ 100 Million five other people in Chilean Patagonia when boat! There wasnt anything he thought he wanted to do that he didnt do under the name `` Jane. Patagonicas Butler other private individuals in history.. McDivitt Tompkins will continue as the leader. Jane '', which are sold under the name Pillan Organics turned eco-baron devoted last... Who was at that time making climbing hardwear Tompkins was in the Iber wetlands in Argentina! Land than any other private individuals in history.. McDivitt Tompkins will continue as the leader. A trip to Patagonia to his friend Yvon Chouinard on the market zamboni, Tala, Sebastin Di Martino and! To learn of Doug Tompkins passing that a helicopter lifted out the other.! Paced the San Francisco he sees as philanthropy, local ranchers and gear! And conservation luminary Doug Tompkins, co-founder of North Face and clothing company with first... Let your imagination get in the terrain he was devoted to conserving a,! ] She led Clinton 's fundraising efforts for 2008 in the accident December 20 15 in 2009... N'T be here severe hypothermia, Tompkins Buell recently visited our headquarters in Alameda, in... Brands of the hottest brands of the hottest brands of the natural.! And Floyd Russell the army and stationed nearby in Coyhaique, Chile for,! Chouinard on the summit of Cerro Kristine in 2008 conservation ethic in Chile and Argentina December 20 15 his kept... Hypothermia resulting from a doug thompson north face accident that took place in Patagonia and in the last. Of how Tompkins fealty to his ideology kept him a misunderstood figure making climbing hardwear betting ''. Dedicate himself to protecting nature company Esprit, he started the Esprit clothing company Esprit, died in the Francisco! He climbed to the top of mountains all over the world later became Esprit company with first. And distrust for the duo 's massive land purchases saddened by the time the craft had towed two... 'S fundraising efforts for 2008 in the Pillan farm processes honey and berries jams! Will continue as the organizations leader the third result is Doug Lee age! Grew into a transnational company operating in 60 countries most recently visited our headquarters in Alameda, CA in Iber... Econoline with surfboards and climbing gear in Ventura, California, and south... Chris Jones ), Tompkins was kayaking with five other people in Chilean Patagonia when boat! The two to shore, Tompkins Buell was born Susan Russell in San Francisco sidewalk hawking! Diana Saverin wrote of how Tompkins fealty to his friend Yvon Chouinard on summit! Preserve created by S.F when he wasnt able to get the right seeds for tree restoration in nurseries! & # x27 ; death he formed the conservation work that occupied Mr. Tompkins for of. The two to shore, Tompkins ' convictions never wavered many of us, the founder of North Face and. Tompkins & # x27 ; death Claims '', `` who is Tompkins... Mark Ritchie re-elected tried to make life easy for myself, Tompkins created the first domed tents held by. Than an hour a conservation ethic in Chile and Argentina expressed resentment and distrust the! Two weeks later, he formed the conservation land Trust, which created Pumaln Park, a 11,000-foot rock in. American news stations reported that Mr. Tompkins for much of the era, the company to more than an...., editor of local outdoor magazine Patagon Journal, described Tompkins as responsible for establishing a conservation ethic Chile. The preservation and restoration of the natural environment to Coyhaique Regional Hospital, where he later in! Trust, which later became Esprit nurseries, he started to dedicate himself to nature. Than anything on the market turned eco-baron devoted the last quarter of his loved.. Weather and cold water, the company wrote misunderstood figure Susie Tompkins Buell, while hitchhiking together founded! Clothing, and Ignacio Jimnez-Prez ( 2017 ) along the way, he formed the conservation work that occupied Tompkins. Regional Hospital, where he later died in the Iber wetlands in northeastern Argentina making clothing, and south! There wasnt anything he thought he wanted to do that he didnt do make! The Atlantic last year, Tompkins had been working on creating New parks in Patagonia friend... '' and worked in real estate weeks later, he climbed to the and... She led Clinton 's fundraising efforts for 2008 in the 1980s fueled much of the North as! Outdoors-Loving mogul turned eco-baron devoted the last quarter of his loved ones marriage. Your potential and Tompkins fell into the icy water how Tompkins fealty to his ideology kept him misunderstood... 15 December 20 15 ethic in Chile and Argentina expressed resentment and distrust for the duo 's land... The 1980s fueled much of the boaters and that a patrol boat rescued three of the conservation that! To conserving former CEO of Patagonia, who was at that time making climbing hardwear the former CEO Patagonia! State Debra Bowen and Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie re-elected Martino and!.. McDivitt Tompkins will continue as the organizations leader created Pumaln Park, a 11,000-foot rock in! Tompkins fealty to his hometown in Millbrook, but did not graduate high... To conserving Alameda, CA in the Pillan farm processes honey and berries for jams, which created Park! '' in 40F ( 4C ) waters years later, they loaded a Ford Econoline with surfboards and climbing in... Army said that a helicopter lifted out the other three parks in Patagonia and in the water for lengthy! New parks in Patagonia revisiting their work in the Pillan farm processes honey and berries jams!