Executive Profiles
The 2015 Executive Excellence Awards: Don Rench
By GIANNI TRUZZI January 23, 2015
This article originally appeared in the February 2015 issue of Seattle magazine.
Don Rench
Chief Legal Officer, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary, Outerwall
Fourteen years at Outerwall hasnt given Don Rench any chance to get into a rut. When he joined the company, it was a startup called Coinstar and the legal work focused largely on patents related to its coin-counting kiosks. When the company launched its Redbox video rentals, his effort shifted to contracts and partnerships. A wave of acquisitions brought new regulatory work, followed by a round of divestments.
Each year, I can say, Oh, I got to do this! he says happily. Its almost like its been working for three of four different companies.
Rench provides a steady rudder through each business sea change, looking around corners for risks, supporting managements strategic vision. They have to understand what that continuum of risk looks like to make the best decisions, he explains.
Even through changes of CEOs and strategies, Outerwall has remained a place where Rench and his department are seen as adding value to the business through their advice. Im glad were not just a check the box and talk to legal kind of place, he says.
As for the future, Rench says, You have to go in to work with an open mind every day, expecting something new to learn. Thats kind of what the practice of law is.