Sunrun announced that Mary Powell, a Sunrun director and former president and CEO of Green Mountain Power, will become the company’s next CEO, effective August 31, 2021. Powell will succeed Sunrun co-founder Lynn Jurich, who is transitioning to executive co-chair of the board after building and leading the company for nearly a decade as CEO.
As executive co-chair, Jurich will work closely with Powell and the senior management team to ensure a smooth and successful transition, as well as to accelerate innovation for full-home electrification and advance Sunrun’s strategic development efforts and key partnerships. Edward Fenster will continue as executive co-chair and maintain his existing responsibilities. Powell’s appointment follows a thorough process conducted by the company’s board of directors, with the assistance of a leading executive search firm that evaluated both internal and external candidates.
“I am beyond excited to be joining this team of talented and passionate Sunrunners, whose incredible work has helped to transform the lives of 600,000 customers by providing them with a renewable, more resilient and affordable energy experience. With climate-related risks on the rise, an electric grid system well over 100 years old, and a national focus on addressing climate change, Sunrun’s mission to build a planet powered by the sun is more critical than ever,” said Mary Powell, director and incoming CEO. “I am looking forward to using my experience leading energy companies to accelerate home electrification, drive innovation for customers and generate long-term sustainable value for all of our employees, customers and financial partners.”
Powell is a proven leader and innovator within the energy sector. She most recently served as the CEO and president of Green Mountain Power Corporation from 2008 to 2019. Under her leadership, GMP delivered on an ambitious energy vision, transitioning from a traditional grid model to one that uses microgrids, renewable generation and energy storage to provide energy services to 75% of the residential and commercial customers in the state of Vermont. Powell is nationally recognized for her work disrupting the energy system and has received numerous industry awards, including Fast Company’s “100 most creative people in business” in 2016, Utility Dive’s “Executive of the Year” in 2019, and a top 25 “Most Influential Women of the Mid-Market” by CEO Connection in 2017 and 2018. She is also a seasoned board member with experience guiding companies at the forefront of the industry. Powell joined Sunrun’s Board in 2018, where she played an important role in developing Sunrun’s strategic plan and overseeing the Company’s growth to become the industry leading residential solar and storage provider.
“I am incredibly proud of the progress we continue to make in advancing our mission to create a planet run by the sun. When Ed and I started the company in 2007, we invented the ‘solar-as-a-service’ model to make solar energy affordable for homeowners and scalable for the planet. Today, Sunrun is one of the largest global owners of solar energy systems and has expanded its offerings to include battery service and EV charging to enable a customer-led clean energy revolution,” said Lynn Jurich. “Given our strong foundation and the positive financial and operational momentum underway, I believe now is the time to make this transition and welcome Mary as Sunrun’s next CEO.”
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