Board of Directors.
Jo Anne Sanford
The principal in Sanford Law Office and a founding partner in Blount Street Advisors, Jo Anne Sanford is a Raleigh attorney and consultant to clients in the regulated industry arena. Representing three Fortune 500 companies regarding regulatory compliance and policy, Sanford focuses on their North Carolina infrastructure investment opportunities, particularly in the areas of communications, electricity and water. Ms. Sanford’s career of 32 years with state government included 20 years with the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office, and then 12 years with the North Carolina Utilities Commission, where she served as Chair for over a decade. Her extensive professional and civic non-profit board and commission experience have included the SECU, the North Carolina Center for Public Policy Research, NCSU’s Board of Visitors, Burning Coal Theatre, and four national boards associated with utilities.
Richard Harkrader
Richard Harkrader, CEO of Carolina Solar Energy LLC, is an architect emeritus, a building contractor and real estate developer and founder and partner of numerous businesses. He started Carolina Solar Energy LLC, http://carolinasolarenergy.com in 2004 to develop utility scale solar photovoltaic electric generation. As of the July 2012, CSE has developed, built and operates over 18.6 MWdc of utility scale solar generators in NC. Mr. Harkrader is an advocate for renewable energy and energy efficiency, serving three times as Chair of the NC Sustainable Energy Association, where he remains a board member. He served from 1998 to 2002 as the Governor’s environmental representative on the NC Legislative Study Commission on Electric Utility Deregulation and from 2003 to 2005 as Vice Chair of NC GreenPower, a non-profit providing clean electricity to North Carolinians, which he helped establish. Mr. Harkrader lives in Durham, NC.
Arnie Katz
Arnie Katz recently retired after 27 years at Advanced Energy, a Raleigh-based firm specializing in training, consulting, and research in energy efficiency. He served as Director of Training and Senior Building Science Consultant and director of the NC Healthy Housing Training Center. He has presented at numerous national and regional conferences, primarily on cost-effective energy efficiency for affordable housing and the connections between energy efficiency and occupant health. He has published widely in both trade and consumer publications and served as Technical Editor for the Exemplary Home Builders Field Guide. Most recently, he co-authored “Weatherization and Opportunities to Improve Health Conditions in Homes” in Healthy and Safe Homes published by the American Public Health Association. He currently consults with the National Center for Healthy Housing and its sister organization, Healthy Homes Solutions, as well as for Advanced Energy.
Lem Lasher
R. Lemuel “Lem” Lasher, Director: Lem Lasher has enjoyed a long and distinguished career in the information technology industry. He presently serves as founder and managing director of Boehme Eckhart, LLC, a Consulting and Advisory firm focused on Digital Strategy, Innovation & Globalization. From 1990 to 2013 Mr. Lasher served in various executive capacities with Computer Sciences Corporation, including: Vice President, Strategic Projects; Vice President Managing Director & General Manager South West Europe, and President CSC France; and Chief Innovation Officer and corporate vice president for the Office of Innovation; and President, Global Business Solutions Group. Prior to joining CSC, Mr. Lasher was Vice President for Integrated Software Resources, Inc. Mr. Lasher is Adjunct Professor for Innovation at Imperial College Business School, London, UK, a member of the Board of Directors of the India-U.S. World Affairs Institute and of Leading Edge Only.
