Yvon Chouinard Net Worth and salary: Yvon Chouinard is an American rock climber and outdoor equipment manufacturer who has a net worth of $1.5 billion. Yvon Chouinard earned his net worth as the founder of the outdoor gear and clothing company, Patagonia. Patagonia manufactures environmentally-friendly outdoor clothing and products that also happen to be fashionable and trendy.

He is also the Founder of Black Diamond Equipment. Yvon has been an avid rock climber and instructor most of his adult life. He was born in Lewiston, Maine on November 9, 1938. Along with rock climbing, Chouinard is passionate about surfing, fishing, kayaking, writing and more. Yvon reportedly lived off of 50 cents a day for most of his twenties. He founded Patagonia in 1973 with the goal of making clothing that could withstand extremely cold and windy weather that is frequently experienced in the harshest parts of South America. In 1985 the company was doing $20 million in sales. By 1990 sales were $100 million. Today Patagonia’s annual retail revenue is approximately $800 million. Yvon Chouinard never took a penny of outside investment and still owns 100% of his company. Incredibly, Patagonia spends just 1/2 of 1% of sales on advertising each year. The company donates 10% of pretax profits to environmental charities every year. Chouinard has remained on the rock climbing frontier for his entire life. He is notable for extensive climbing in Pakistan as well as the European Alps. Yvon met and married Malinda Pennoyer in 1971. They are still married today. Together they have two children, Flether and Claire. Yvon has been described as the world’s most “reluctant” billionaire.

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