SEIA hires natural gas trade group VP as new executive director

The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), the US trade group for solar energy manufacturers, component suppliers, and distributors, has hired a new executive director.   

Rhone Resch, who for the last seven years had been vice president of the Natural Gas Supply Association (NSGA), one of the natural gas trade groups, and worked at the US Environment Protection Agency (EPA) before that, will take over for interim executive director Scott Sklar on Sept. 1. Sklar, who had headed SEIA for 13 years until stepping down in 2000, had been asked to come back while a search was conducted for a replacement after Glenn Hamer resigned from the position in April (see PI 6/2004, p. 86).

In a strange twist of fate, the person who had asked Sklar to take over temporarily, SEIA's board president Chet Farris, left the association in July after resigning as CEO of Shell Solar's California-based operation. Chris O'Brien, the Washington, D.C. representative for Sharp Solar USA has taken over the SEIA presidency. Shell Solar's Gordon Handelsman will now represent the company on the SEIA board.

Sklar says SEIA had considered several industry people for the role of executive director, but chose Resch due to the »breadth and depth« of his knowledge of the energy business. He characterizes Resch as a dedicated environmentalist who is strong on policy and environmental analysis. Sklar adds that Resch was looking for a move to »cleaner options,« more in line with his work at the EPA. Sklar will stay on until Sept. 15 to help Resch make the transition into his new position.

William P. Hirshman
© PHOTON International, September 2004