SolaREIT Spotlight: April
Jeff Gorman
At SolaREIT, our mission to accelerate the clean energy transition is powered by a diverse team of passionate and talented individuals. Each team member is crucial in delivering innovative financing solutions to solar and battery energy storage developers and landowners. As a minority and women-owned business, we know that the unique contributions of every person on our team drive our collective success.
This month, we're happy to shine the spotlight on Jeff Gorman, Senior Vice President of Business Development. Jeff brings extensive industry experience and entrepreneurial drive to our team, helping to shape SolaREIT's growth and culture since joining in May 2021.
Tell us a little bit about yourself and your background.
I've been working in energy and development since 2000. New York born and raised, I attended the University of Michigan and currently live in New York with my wife and three kids. Before joining SolaREIT, I spent over four years at the AES Corporation as a Project and Business Development Director, focusing on originating, developing, acquiring, and financing commercial distributed generation and utility-scale solar and battery storage projects. Prior to that, I worked at SunEdison for nearly four years in solar project origination and development, with a particular focus on the New York market. My career also includes experience at IVG Energy and Morgan Stanley, where I spent 11 years in energy trading and commodities.
What inspired you to join SolaREIT?
From 2000 to 2020, I worked for big publicly traded companies, and at age 42 knew it was now or never to try and do something entrepreneurial. It was the combination of that entrepreneurial itch, loving and believing in the SolaREIT business model, and coming back full circle to work with two friends from SunEdison that really inspired me to join.
What has been your most rewarding experience at SolaREIT?
I began right around the time Laura Klein started, and just being a part of the growth and success here from the beginning has been incredible. Watching how we've evolved and expanded since those early days has been truly rewarding.
How do you see the future of renewable energy, and SolaREIT's role in it?
The market is going through a tricky time in the current political environment, but it will prevail. The developers who can look around the corner, avoid getting stuck in quicksand will benefit tremendously. SolaREIT's model is nimble and flexible, and that is crucial in the type of environment we are experiencing today. Throughout my 25-year career working across power markets and renewable energy, I've seen our industry's resilience through the ups and downs of various market cycles, and this adaptability is exactly what makes SolaREIT's approach so valuable. Our sector is stronger than it has ever been and I’m extremely bullish on the future.
What has surprised you most about working at SolaREIT?
In my career up until SolaREIT, I always had to adapt to an already existing (sometimes) cumbersome and ingrained culture. With SolaREIT, I've had the opportunity to help steer culture, hire the right people, and build a business that is incredibly valuable to the entire sector. We now have a fantastic culture that eclipses any place I have worked at in my 25-year career.
What do you enjoy doing outside the office?
I love coaching my kids' soccer teams, where I enjoy watching them develop skills and learn about teamwork. In the kitchen, cooking serves as both a creative outlet and a way to bring family together around the table. I also prioritize fitness through regular sessions with my trainer, which helps me maintain energy for both work and family life.