04.15.16
Rhone Resch has announced his decision to step down as President and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) on May 31, 2016. SEIA will name an interim leader and begin the executive search process before his departure.
“During his 12 years of leadership at SEIA, Rhone grew the organization from a grassroots collective of solar companies into a formidable national association with a strong presence in Washington and members that range from local family businesses to blue chip and Fortune 500 companies,” said Nat Kreamer, chairman of SEIA’s board of directors. “That unified front has been the hallmark of SEIA for the last 12 years and recently helped us secure a huge win at the federal level with the extension of the solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC), ensuring the solar industry’s role as an economic engine of growth for the United States for years to come.”
“I am honored to have been able to contribute to building an industry that has such a positive impact on the U.S. economy, our energy security and the environment,” Resch said in a letter to membership. “With the ITC extended through 2021 and solar energy markets growing throughout the country, now is the right time for me to move on to new challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. “
The policy victories that SEIA achieved under Rhone’s leadership made solar a significant part of America’s energy mix. Since 2004, the industry has installed more than 30 gigawatts (GW) of solar in the U.S. while reducing technology costs by more than 80%. This created more than 200,000 well-paying jobs and pumped more than $150 billion into the economy during difficult economic times.
“During his 12 years of leadership at SEIA, Rhone grew the organization from a grassroots collective of solar companies into a formidable national association with a strong presence in Washington and members that range from local family businesses to blue chip and Fortune 500 companies,” said Nat Kreamer, chairman of SEIA’s board of directors. “That unified front has been the hallmark of SEIA for the last 12 years and recently helped us secure a huge win at the federal level with the extension of the solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC), ensuring the solar industry’s role as an economic engine of growth for the United States for years to come.”
“I am honored to have been able to contribute to building an industry that has such a positive impact on the U.S. economy, our energy security and the environment,” Resch said in a letter to membership. “With the ITC extended through 2021 and solar energy markets growing throughout the country, now is the right time for me to move on to new challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. “
The policy victories that SEIA achieved under Rhone’s leadership made solar a significant part of America’s energy mix. Since 2004, the industry has installed more than 30 gigawatts (GW) of solar in the U.S. while reducing technology costs by more than 80%. This created more than 200,000 well-paying jobs and pumped more than $150 billion into the economy during difficult economic times.