United by their desire to make MEC successful, our executive team is tasked with embracing change, seeking out new ideas and finding talented people to keep Mountain Equipment Company humming.
Peter Hlynsky
Chief Executive Officer
Peter has an extensive background as an executive leader across a range of industries in Canada, the US, Australia and Europe. He brings a broad range of experience with a focus on balancing financial stability while managing culture to ensure long-term business success. He’s a Chartered Accountant with a wealth of knowledge in everything from operational improvements to transaction services.
Peter has been a member of MEC since 1995. Some of his adventures include ski touring in Canada, hiking in the Andes, rafting the Amazon River, diving off Fiji, surfing in California and lots of kayaking through Desolation Sound and the Gulf Islands. Growing up on the North Shore near Vancouver, he has fond memories of riding his 1990s rigid mountain bike wearing hockey equipment as padding (gear has come a long way). These days, you can find Peter and his wife introducing their three kids to his favourite old trails in the mountains.
Chris Speyer
Chief Merchandising Officer
Chris brings a wealth of experience and a deep passion for the outdoors. Raised in Ottawa, Chris developed his love for nature through activities like skiing at Camp Fortune, riding bikes on the Parkway and skating on the canal. His connection with MEC dates back to the 90s, when he relied on MEC gear for his outdoor adventures in Calgary.
With past roles at Elgin Sports, Forzani Group, the Accell Group and REI, Chris’s leadership style focuses on building strong, value-driven teams and brands. He is also a dedicated family man who loves sharing outdoor adventures with his wife and kids.
Chris is also deeply committed to his community, having served as executive sponsor for REI’s PRISM Inclusion Network and as Board Chair for People for Bikes. An avid trail runner, cyclist and skier, he looks forward to making a meaningful impact at MEC.
Cameron Lawrence
Chief Financial Officer
As the Chief Financial Officer, Cam brings deep financial leadership, operational discipline and a lifelong passion for the outdoors to the executive team.
Prior to MEC, he served as Chief Financial Officer at GNC, a global health and nutrition retailer, where he helped advance digital and e-commerce capabilities, strengthened private-label and supply chain resilience and executed significant balance-sheet optimization.
Cam has also held senior finance leadership roles at high-growth and innovation-focused companies, including Crafty and PNI. He further expanded his leadership experience as CEO of Newlab, a venture platform supporting founders in sustainable materials and next-generation manufacturing.
Outside of work, Cam is an avid skier and devoted hockey dad who loves exploring the outdoors.
Erik Garrett
Chief Information Officer
Erik is seasoned technology leader who is living his career dream of working for MEC, a brand that has been influencing him from a young age.
Since the early 2000s, Erik has built a technology career on two basic principles – keep learning and keep improving. Having worked across multiple industries, Erik brings a breadth of experience that’s needed to keep pushing MEC’s Information Technology forward in the ever-changing retail landscape.
Erik was drawn to the outdoors from a very young age, having grown up on the West Coast, and attributes this inspiration to the old MEC print catalogues. Now settled on the North Shore of Vancouver, Erik spends his time mountain biking, hiking, camping and snowboarding.
Catherine Lau
General Counsel and Corporate Secretary
Catherine leads and oversees MEC’s legal, governance, privacy and real estate matters. She brings over 15 years of legal experience to our team, and prior to joining MEC, was Senior Counsel at TELUS and associate at Borden Ladner Gervais, LLP.
She currently serves on the board of Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue, along with the Women General Counsel of Canada. She enjoys giving back to the community and has volunteered with various community groups, including the TELUS Victoria Community Board.
Catherine enjoys biking, hitting the ski hill and travelling with her family. A couple past highlights include visiting the ruins in Machu Picchu and snorkelling near Maldives and the Great Barrier Reef.
Paul Reid
Senior Vice President, Operations
Paul brings more than 35 years of retail operations experience, with a deep commitment to leadership development and people-first culture.
Paul spent 27 years with the Forzani Group and has served as President of several retail businesses operating across Canada and the United States. Starting on the sales floor and advancing into senior leadership, Paul has helped grow and scale retail businesses by opening hundreds of stores, shaping merchandising strategies, leading learning and development programs and creating internationally award-winning digital retail concepts.
At MEC, Paul oversees all customer-facing operations, including stores, Learning & Member Experience (LMX), Retail Operations, Workforce Planning, Facilities, Customer Care & Order Management, and Corporate Group Sales.
Growing up in Alberta, Paul spent his winters skiing and snowboarding in the Rockies and summers paddling and sailing on the lakes. He’s also run marathons, surfed in Australia, and hiked in New Zealand and Guatemala.
Janet Hughes
VP People
Janet is passionate about building high-performing teams and driving innovation in engagement, retention, and People strategy. As a champion of the employee experience, she blends strategic vision with hands-on expertise in all aspects of human resources, talent acquisition, and organizational development. Guided by her philosophy of "caring enough to get it right," Janet ensures sustainable growth and impactful results.
Originally from Toronto, Janet relocated to British Columbia to pursue both her bachelor's and master's degrees and holds a CPHR designation. With over 20 years of HR leadership experience, she has been recognized as a finalist for Canadian HR Leader of the Year and HR Team of the Year at the Annual Canadian HR Awards. Janetbrings a wealth of experience across diverse industries, including film and animation, technology and game design, and education, before finding her perfect fit at MEC.
An outdoor enthusiast, Janet recharges in the waves off Tofino's incredible beaches, trail running through BC’s forests, and exploring alpine routes in the winter months.
Michele Guimond
VP Marketing
Michele leads the group that’s responsible for sharing the MEC brand with the world. A dedicated people leader, she’s known for her ability to build strong culture as well as strong teams. She’s been a proud MEC member for ages, and she brings a depth of skills in brand strategy and operations to her role.
Before MEC, Michele led marketing at top-tier retail brands going through periods of rapid growth (including Arc’teryx and Aritzia). As a leader who’s also a creative at heart, she believes in the power of good storytelling and leading with high-quality creative to elevate a brand.
One of her favourite aspects of her work is how it links with her love for the outdoors. She’s an avid backcountry skier, downhill mountain biker and trail runner, and she spends every opportunity planning adventures outdoors.
Leah Nielsen
VP Digital and eCommerce
Leah leads the eCommerce and digital group that’s responsible for providing a seamless omni-channel shopping experience. She brings 15 years of eCommerce experience to MEC with a focus on the outdoor industry and has a passion for connecting members with the gear they need to get outside.
Before joining MEC, Leah led digital teams with other well-known brands including Arc’teryx, Patagonia and SAXX.
Leah has been a proud MEC member for 25 years. Fun fact: Leah’s journey in the outdoor industry began at MEC, where she started as a cashier and clothing team member at the Toronto and Vancouver stores! When she is not at work, Leah can be found running, cycling, sea kayaking and exploring new trails in and around her home in Squamish.
Kristin Paul
VP Merchandising
Kristin leads the product teams to help make the key decisions about the gear MEC members rely on for all of their outdoor adventures. Across all categories, Kristin ensures that every piece of gear we sell meets the high standards of performance, durability and sustainability that outdoor enthusiasts expect.
With over eight years of successive merchandise leadership experience at MEC and product development with other large-scale retailers beforehand, Kristin brings extensive product and retail insight to her role.
Outside of MEC, Kristin spends her time road and gravel biking, canoeing with her family and hiking around her home in Squamish. Her passion for the outdoors drives her dedication to providing members with the best gear to fuel their own adventures.
