About CTLR’s #HumansOfCleantech

Modeled after the New York Times' Humans of New York series, this is an idea by Peter Kelley and the RenewComm team for us to showcase our members!

Follow #humansofcleantech on LinkedIn for more in this series. #climatetech #energytransition #cleantechleadersroundtable 

I WAS BORN A ST. LOUIS CARDINALS FAN.

When I was three and a half years old, we moved to upstate New York, and I quickly realized we couldn’t watch any Cardinals games live. 

So, I switched my allegiances and now I’m a lifelong Mets fan. 

…BEEN HOPING FOR ANOTHER WORLD SERIES TITLE SINCE 1986.

My goal growing up was to be a professional baseball player. Baseball was really my true passion, but I was good but I wasn’t great, so I focused more on swimming. I played water polo in the Empire State Games, which is kind of like New York State’s version of the Olympics, and even started a water polo club in college. After high school I went to Clemson University, so I’ve got orange in my blood. Diehard Tigers fan. And then you know, I love watching my Buffalo Bills, the only true New York football team. So I guess you could say I’m a glass half full kind of guy, an eternal optimist. I think one of these days, hopefully in my lifetime (knock on wood), I’ll see them win a Super Bowl.

I am a very social person (my kids say I talk too much).  I love being around family and friends. I did not have a job coming right out of college, but knew I wanted to be in DC and work on “The Hill”. 

SO I CAME UP HERE AND LITERALLY WALKED THE HALLS OF CONGRESS PASSING OUT MY RESUME.

Back in high school, I interned for our local congressman, Congressman Amo Houghton.  He was someone I really looked up to, a true consensus builder, and someone who put country above party.  My political leanings are like that. I want to see things get done for the greater good. To me, compromise is not a negative word and doesn’t mean capitulate.  Fortunately, for me, Amo introduced me to Congressman John McHugh who gave me my first paid job on the Hill.

Ironically, the Congressman wasn’t on any of the energy committees, but he was on Intelligence and was a senior member on the House Armed Services Committee. I was actually on the Hill on 9/11 - forever etched into my head. 

DURING MY TIME ON THE HILL, ENERGY SECURITY WAS A TOPIC THAT CAME UP A LOT.

It’s something I really started gravitating towards.  After seeing the reelection process kind of up close and personal, I said, you know what, I think I’m good being the behind the scenes guy and never putting my name on a ballot. I left Capitol Hill to go to Constellation Energy, and that’s where I started to cut my teeth in energy efficiency and renewable energy. 

IN THIS INDUSTRY, WE’RE AT THIS AMAZING INFLECTION  POINT WITH THE PASSAGE OF THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT (IRA).

For really the first time ever, our industry has policy certainty and the CleanCapital team is ready to provide the “rocket fuel” to our developer partners  to help get renewable projects built and  more clean electrons on the grid. That’s our mandate, and it’s a really exciting time to be working in the sector.