By Jonathan Mao • UC Davis 2014
Benjamin Finkelor, executive director of the UC Davis Energy Efficiency Center, has earned a 2013 Green Leadership Award from the Sacramento Business Journal.
The Business Journal’s Green Leadership Awards seeks to honor those who “have a strong commitment to making the Sacramento region a thriving hub for clean technology.” This year, 19 individuals and companies were honored on March 22 at the Sheraton Grand Sacramento. Other individuals who were honored included Gary Simon, the CEO of CleanStart, who received a lifetime achievement award.
Ben Finkelor was part of the group writing the 2005 proposal that led to the development of the Energy Efficiency Center, which focuses on introducing energy-efficient technologies into the marketplace. As executive director, Ben Finkelor manages research collaborations among university researchers and utilities, NGOs and businesses.
In a special publication about the award winners, the Business Journal noted Finkelor’s work “mentoring … graduate student researchers who develop business models around existing and emerging energy-efficiency technologies. Many have gone on to positions at utilities and in business.”
The Journal quoted SMUD chief customer officer Elisabeth Brinton as saying Finkelor’s work at the Energy Efficiency Center shows a maturity beyond his years. “It is something beyond book learning … a leadership skill that he definitely has.”
