Born in Lewiston, Maine, Yvon Chouinard (1938–) is the visionary founder of Patagonia, a Ventura, California outdoor clothing company committed to performance and environmental sustainability. A passionate climber, blacksmith, and environmentalist, Chouinard turned his passion into purpose.

At 19, he invented a reusable chrome-molybdenum steel piton to scale rock faces—an innovation that became the world standard for climbing gear. “The goal of climbing that mountain should really be to achieve personal growth,” he said. “If you compromise the process, you’re the same person coming down as when you went up.”

In 1974, Chouinard launched Patagonia with a commitment to "climb clean." He wrote, “Re-examine your motives for climbing. Employ restraint and good judgment. Remember the rock, the other climbers.”

Patagonia has donated millions to environmental causes and offers paid time off for employees to volunteer. It even provides a $2,000 subsidy toward hybrid vehicle purchases. The company often ranks on Fortune's “Best Companies to Work For” list.

Calling Patagonia “a tool of change,” Yvon Chouinard walks the talk and has built one of the most values-driven companies in the world. He believes, “Returning to a simpler way allows us to regain our dignity, puts us in touch with the land, and makes us value human contact again.”