George Sakellaris is Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Ameresco, Inc. (NYSE:AMRC), a a leading energy infrastructure solutions provider.

A visionary and entrepreneur, he founded Ameresco in April 2000. He aspired to build an entirely product-neutral and supplier-independent energy company that had the skills, capabilities and foresight to create independent energy solutions that went beyond just conservation; one that addressed a customer’s entire energy stream including supply and demand, energy efficiency and renewable energy.

Early in his career, Mr. Sakellaris worked at the utility New England Electric System (NEES), where he welcomed the challenge to establish NEES Energy, a company that would promote energy efficiency, thereby avoiding the need to build new power generation plants. He then purchased the business known as NEES Energy in 1991 and renamed it NORESCO. He built NORESCO into an industry-leading independent energy services company before selling it to Equitable Resources in 1997, where he continued to lead NORESCO and was also appointed as a Senior Vice President of Equitable Resources (NYSE:EQT), a Fortune 500 Energy Company.

Today, Mr. Sakellaris leads Ameresco, a public company dedicated to helping customers reduce costs, enhance resilience, and decarbonize to net zero in the global energy transition. The company is a trusted full-service partner with a comprehensive portfolio of implementing smart energy efficiency solutions, upgrading aging infrastructure, and developing, constructing, and operating distributed energy resources. Headquartered in Framingham, MA, Ameresco has more than 1,500 employees providing local expertise in North America and Europe.

With more than 30 years of experience in the energy industry, Mr. Sakellaris has worked to create budget-neutral business models for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects. His dedication and influence in promoting energy efficiency dates back to his involvement with the Electrical Power Research Institute (EPRI) where he championed the development of demand side management (DSM) programs that were widely implemented across the country. Additionally, he was a founding member of the National Association of Energy Service Companies (NAESCO) where he served as the first president and advocated for the new industry.

Mr. Sakellaris earned both M.B.A and M.S.E.E. degrees from Northeastern University and a B.S.E.E. degree from the University of Maine – Orono. In May 2012, the University of Maine granted him an Honorary Doctorate for his lifetime of achievements, recognizing his dedication and exemplary leadership in the field of energy efficiency and renewable energy. In May 2017, the University of Maine honored Mr. Sakellaris with his induction as a Hall of Fame Member of the Francis Crowe Society.

He has received numerous honors recognizing his leadership in the energy industry, including the Northeast Clean Energy Council’s Decade of Influence Award in 2017 and CIO Review’s recognition of Ameresco among the 20 Most Promising Energy Technology Solutions Providers in 2016. Earlier accolades include the Finance Monthly CEO Award (2015), Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year (New England – Energy, Cleantech & Natural Resources, 2011). In 2020, he was named an Environment + Energy Leader 100 Honoree, received a Silver Best in Biz Award for Executive of the Year, and was a finalist for the S&P Global Platts Global Energy Awards – Lifetime Achievement.