Obama picks REI CEO Sally Jewell for Interior secretary

President Obama on Wednesday announced that Sally Jewell, CEO of outdoor gear and apparel retailer Recreational Equipment Inc., is his choice to succeed Ken Salazar as head of the Department of the Interior, the Business Journals reported.

The president praised Jewell for REI's retail success — its annual sales total $1.8 billion — and for its environmental consciousness. The Kent, Wash.-based company has donated millions of dollars to protect trails and parks, Obama noted, and its stores get…