NextEnergy Names President & CEO

NextEnergy, the state of Michigan's renewable energy industry accelerator, announced Tuesday that Ronald J. Gardhouse will be its third president and CEO.

Gardhouse has served as the interim president and CEO since the June departure of Keith Cooley. Gardhouse has served as a member of NextEnergy's board of directors and treasurer and chair of the finance committee since 2003.

NextEnergy chairman Chris Rizik said Gardhouse "has provided outstanding leadership within the organization through his role as treasurer and chair of the finance committee, and his guidance in the development of our strategic business plan. With Ron's leadership experience and demonstrated commitment to NextEnergy, we believe he is uniquely positioned to lead the organization."

Gardhouse has more than 30 years of executive level finance and operational experience in the automotive industry at the OEM and tier-one supplier levels. Unique to this experience have been a number of entrepreneurial assignments at international locations in emerging markets and a start-up operation bringing new technology to the industry. For 25 years Gardhouse held senior level positions at Chrysler, including president of Asia-Pacific operations in Singapore, Deputy Managing Director in Mexico City, assistant corporate controller, treasurer and other operating and financial positions.

"The last seven years as a board member have provided valuable experience," Gardhouse said. "Not long after assuming the Interim CEO position in June, I was hooked and knew that NextEnergy is where I belong. I am excited about the role that NextEnergy can have in reshaping Michigan's future and deeply appreciate the professional opportunity to move NextEnergy's mission forward and take the organization to the next level."

Founded in 2002 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, NextEnergy serves an important role in bringing promising energy technologies to maturity and scale in the marketplace as well as assisting the diversification of existing businesses into the advanced energy field.

(c) 2010, WWJ Newsradio 950. All rights reserved.