Michael Crooke, Founding CEO, Revolution Living
Michael Crooke is Chief Executive Officer of Revolution Living, a company recently created by
America Online Inc. co-founder Steve Case. Mr. Crooke is former President and Chief
Executive Officer of Patagonia, Inc
Before arriving at Patagonia in 1999, Crooke was CEO/Chairman of Pearl Izumi, a cycling and
performance apparel company based in Colorado. In addition, he was General Manager of
backpack manufacturer Kelty Packs for several years and has worked with other outdoor
companies, including Yakima and Moonstone Mountaineering.
Crooke served five years on the board of the Conservation Alliance, the outdoor industry's
environmental grant-giving organization, including one year as board president. He continues
to champion responsibility for business enterprises worldwide, specifically the successful
integration of environmental activism, social integrity, and healthy financial performance.
Crooke holds a bachelor's degree in Forestry and an M.B.A. from Humboldt State University.
In addition, he served as a Navy SEAL with Underwater Team 12 (UDT12) for four years after
successfully graduating from BUDS training (Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL) in the 1970s.
Crooke is currently a student in the Ph.D. program in Management at Claremont Graduate
University.
He was only the second person to run Patagonia and its parent company, Lost Arrow Corp. He
previously was chief executive and chairman of Pearl Izumi, a cycling apparel company, and a
managing director of Kelty Packs, a backpack-maker.
Privately held Revolution Living, invests in businesses that promote more balanced and
sustainable lifestyles. Its holdings include Flexcar, a car-sharing service; Lime, a media
company; Miraval: Life in Balance, a resort in Tucson; and a minority stake in Gaiam Inc., a
distributor of yoga and pilates videos and equipment. It is a subsidiary of Revolution LLC, an
investment vehicle that Case launched last year.