August 22, 2015
Massachusetts

Mass. Clean Energy Center CEO stepping down for new executive role

David Harris, Associate editor, Digital | Boston Business Journal | Aug 20, 2015 | www.bizjournals.com

The CEO of the publicly funded Massachusetts Clean Energy Center announced Thursday that she would leave next month for an executive-level job at SunEdison, the world’s largest clean-energy developer.

In an email to staff at the state agency, Alicia Barton said she would step down from her role and transition to a new job as chief operating officer within the global utility-scale renewable energy group at SunEdison (NYSE:SUNE).

Barton has held the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center job for the past three years. Steve Pike, MassCEC’s general counsel, will serve as the acting CEO while he and the board of directors start the search for a permanent appointment for the position, she said.

“The most difficult part of this transition involves leaving behind the incredible group of friends and colleagues I have here at MassCEC,” said Barton in the email. “In looking back on the past three years, the accomplishment I am most proud of is having had the chance to assemble and to lead the amazingly talented and dedicated professionals in this agency. Together we have consistently set our sights high, accomplished many important goals, and performed our mission with a level of excellence I am extremely proud of.”

In her new role at SunEdison, Barton said she would be based out of Boston.

MassCEC, which was launched in 2009, provides early stage investments to startup companies, funds renewable energy rebates for residents and businesses and supports the development of a clean energy workforce.




Here's Barton's full email:

Dear colleagues:
I am writing to announce that I have made the difficult decision to step down from my role as CEO of the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center effective September 15, 2015. Later that month, I will begin a new role as the Chief Operating Officer within the global utility-scale renewable energy group at SunEdison, the world's largest renewable energy developer. It has been a true honor and a pleasure to serve as CEO over the last three years and I have not come to the decision to move on easily.
I am also pleased to announce that Secretary Beaton has asked Steve Pike, MassCEC’s General Counsel, to serve as the Acting CEO while he and the Board of Directors start the search for a permanent appointment for the position. I offer my sincere thanks to Steve for agreeing to serve in this capacity, and I look forward to working closely with Steve and everyone at MassCEC to ensure this transition has as little impact on our daily work as possible.
The most difficult part of this transition involves leaving behind the incredible group of friends and colleagues I have here at MassCEC. In looking back on the past three years, the accomplishment I am most proud of is having had the chance to assemble and to lead the amazingly talented and dedicated professionals in this agency. Together we have consistently set our sights high, accomplished many important goals, and performed our mission with a level of excellence I am extremely proud of. Along the way, we managed to create nation-leading programs, to deliver clean energy projects that are improving the environment while creating savings for consumers, and to advance the progress of clean energy companies in our state. The mission of MassCEC to build a sustainable clean energy future is inherently ambitious and I have tried every day to serve this agency with an enthusiasm and seriousness to match that enormous task. Thank you for joining me in charging hard towards that goal, and for the opportunity to have served as your CEO. I have learned a great deal from each and every person here.
Although this transition comes with the sadness of leaving good friends, I am confident that under the leadership of Secretary Beaton as our Board Chair, MassCEC will continue to drive important clean energy progress for Massachusetts. I have pledged to Secretary Beaton my full assistance in ensuring a smooth transition that will allow MassCEC to continue advancing the Baker Administration’s energy and environmental goals for the Commonwealth.
In my new role I will continue to be based in Boston and expect to stay engaged with our local clean energy business community. I will spend my remaining weeks at MassCEC preparing for this upcoming transition, and I will say a more formal goodbye to our team in September. Until then, I will only say thank you for your work on behalf of the Commonwealth-- I hope each of you are as proud of your work as I am.


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