For the 10th anniversary of the Top Solar Contractors list, we’re sharing Q&A’s with the people who make the industry run every day. Read more interviews here.

How’d you get started in solar?

Wrapping up my collegiate career in 2006, I was somewhat listless and apathetic toward almost everything. That year, An Inconvenient Truth came out and I decided that I wanted to do something to affect positive change related to climate. Solar and wind were on a 40% year over year growth trajectory at that time (and still are) so I sent my resume out to two dozen or so companies in that space. IPS, Minnesota’s oldest solar company and employing about eight people at the time, was the only one to call me back. The rest, as they say, is history.

What’s your favorite part about being in the solar industry?

There are so many things I love about being in the industry but the people I work with are No. 1.

What has surprised you the most about the solar industry in the last 10 years?

Even though the industry has grown tremendously, it’s still pretty small. I see the same faces all the time and love to keep up with folks over the years.

What are your solar predictions for the next 10 years?

Solar will find a lot of allies in the electrification sector, including heating and transportation. We’ll be looking for places to send our energy, and they’ll be looking for sources of cheap, clean electricity.

How does the Top Solar Contractors list help your company?

In the beginning, it lent a lot of credibility to our small business, and still does today. It’s also a way to push our team to new heights, trying to beat last year’s statistics and keep growing, which we’ve been able to do.

Do you have any special memories around the list or the Gala over the last 10 years?

2019 was the first time we brought most of our team with us to accept the Greenest Contractor Award. It was really fun to share that moment as a group. Also, each year we love to stand up as one of the only companies to appear on the list since its inception.