ACORE Announces Newly Elected Board Members

The American Council On Renewable Energy (ACORE) today announced the election of John Geesman and Dan Reicher as Co-Chairs of the Board of Directors along with the election of Sue Tierney, Mel Jones, and Howard Learner to the Board of Directors.

Mr. Geesman was appointed to the California Energy Commission in 2002 after a lengthy career as an investment banker specializing in the debt markets. He serves as the presiding member of the Commission's Renewables Committee and its Facilities Siting Committee, and as the associate member of its Research and Development Committee.

Mr. Geesman said, "I am enthused and humbled to step into such an important role at ACORE, which has done so much these past five years to elevate the priority of renewable energy in the minds of financiers and policymakers. Our challenge now is to forge a common vision among all elements of the renewables movement and achieve the game-changing potential these technologies offer."

Mr. Reicher is President of New Energy Capital, a New England-based company that invests in, owns, and operates renewable energy and distributed generation projects. He is also an advisor to the CleanTech Fund of Vantage Point Venture Partners and General Electric’s Ecomagination Advisory Board and is a member of the board of the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy. From 1997 to 2001, Mr. Reicher was Assistant Secretary of Energy for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).

Mr. Reicher noted, "I am honored to continue to help ACORE in its spectacular growth as the nation’s leading organization advancing the renewable energy industry. Over the last five years ACORE has done an impressive job in linking finance, technology and policy in support of this fast-growing energy source that is so vital to our future."

The outgoing Chairman is Robert L. Pratt, Senior Vice President of the Henry P. Kendall Foundation and previously Director of the Massachusetts Renewable Energy Trust.

"I am pleased to have such terrific Co-Chairs as John and Dan take the lead for ACORE at a time when the organization is growing so well. My three-year tour as Chairman of the Board of ACORE has been exciting and hugely rewarding, and I’m delighted to turn over the chair to John and Dan for the next three years," remarked Mr. Pratt.

The Board filled an open position by electing Dr. Susan Tierney as a member of the Board of Directors and Co-chair of ACORE’s senior Advisory Board. Dr. Tierney, a Managing Principal at Analysis Group, is an expert on energy policy, regulation and economics, especially in the electric and gas industries. She previously served as Assistant Secretary for Policy at the U.S. Department of Energy, Massachusetts Secretary for Environmental Affairs, Commissioner at the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities, and executive director of the Massachusetts Energy Facilities Siting Council. She serves on the National Commission on Energy Policy, National Academy of Sciences Committee on Enhancing the Robustness and Resilience of U.S. Electrical Transmission and Distribution to Terrorist Attack. She chairs the boards of the Energy Foundation and of Clean Air – Cool Planet; and is a director of Catalytica Energy Systems Inc., Northeast States Center for a Clean Air Future, EPRI, and Climate Policy Center. She is a member of the Massachusetts Renewable Trust Advisory Council, and the Environmental Advisory Council of the New York ISO.

Dr. Tierney remarked that, "ACORE’s mission is absolutely critical to this nation’s economic and environmental security – and I’m thrilled to lend my hand in supporting the organization."

ACORE held its annual Board elections in October, resulting in the election of Mel Jones and Howard Learner to the Board of Directors.

Mel Jones, President and Chief Executive Officer of Sterling Planet, has helped chart the course of the green power marketing industry. His prior 20 years of electric utility experience have been instrumental in Sterling Planet's early success. Mr. Jones has played a key role in creating strategic partnerships with utility companies, environmental organizations, green product manufacturers and other strategic partners.

"I am excited about being elected to the ACORE Board of Directors. The thing I am most proud about ACORE is that it represents all renewable energy technologies. Subsets of the industry (i.e. wind and solar) has credible trade associations that advance their individual issues. ACORE has developed an excellent reputation in advancing the entire renewable energy industry. I am honored to be a part of ACORE's leadership team," stated Mr. Jones.

Mr. Learner is an experienced attorney who serves as President of the Environmental Law and Policy Center, the Midwest’s leading environmental legal advocacy and eco-business innovation organization. He is responsible for the overall strategic leadership and program direction for ELPC's work to promote clean energy development solutions to global warming problems, improve the Midwest's environmental quality, and preserve the region's natural resources and heritage.

Mr. Learner noted, "I look forward to working together with my fellow Board members to make ACORE even stronger and more effective, especially going into the 2007 Farm Bill process. Increasing America’s clean renewable energy development is key to improving our national energy security and helping to solve our global warming problems."

The newly elected Chairmen and Board members will take their seats at the Annual Membership Meeting on November 29th, being held in conjunction with ACORE's Phase II policy forum in Washington, D.C. on November 30th.

The national policy forum, entitled "Phase II of Renewable Energy in America: Market Forecasts and Policy Requirements," has been sold out, with pre-registrations being capped off last week at 450 people. The conference is being held in the Cannon Caucus Room, which holds 350-400 people. "The interest this year is unprecedented," said Mike Eckhart, ACORE President, "and we intend to create, on Thursday, a new vision for how much renewable energy will contribute to our nation’s future energy supply. The answer will surprise many people."

Tom Weirich
American Council On Renewable Energy (ACORE)
Ph: +1-202-393-0001 x7582
Email: weirich@acore.org

About ACORE

ACORE, a 501(c)(3) membership nonprofit organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., is dedicated to bringing renewable energy into the mainstream of the US economy and lifestyle through information and communications programs. ACORE provides a common platform for the wide range of interests in the renewable energy community including renewable energy industries, associations, utilities, end users, professional service firms, financial institutions and government agencies. ACORE serves as a forum through which these parties work together on common interests. Membership information is available at: www.acore.org.

This release was published on openPR.