NASHVILLE, Tenn., Sept. 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Silicon Ranch Corporation, the U.S. solar platform for Shell and one of America's largest independent solar power producers, today announced and welcomed Jim Bausell as its Executive Vice President for Business Development. The newest addition to Silicon Ranch's management team will lead the company's ambitious growth strategy as it expands its solar portfolio across the United States.
"This is an exciting day for our company and for rural communities across America," said Silicon Ranch Co-Founder and CEO Matt Kisber. "We have long admired Jim's ability to build powerful brands, inspire high performance teams, and execute a business strategy to serve utility and corporate customers alike. His expertise, experience, and strength of character make him the perfect fit for Silicon Ranch. Our customers and partners will benefit greatly from his involvement, especially those in the rural communities we serve."
Bausell joins Silicon Ranch with more than 40 years of technology and energy executive leadership, in addition to deep entrepreneurial experience. For the past 20 years, he held two separate leadership roles at the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), the national trade association representing more than 900 consumer-owned electric utilities. Recruited by NRECA in 1997 at the advent of retail deregulation in the utility industry, Bausell built a national business development team and energized a key accounts program involving hundreds of utility professionals across 47 states. From 1997 to his retirement in 2016, energy revenue from commercial and industrial customers grew from $4 billion to more than $13 billion.
As Chief Operating Officer at Touchstone Energy, Bausell coalesced more than 750 electric co-ops into a unified national brand. Under his leadership, Touchstone Energy soared to the highest customer satisfaction score of any electric utility network in the country, as measured by the American Customer Satisfaction Index. In this role, Bausell conceived and launched Co-op Web Builder, a website design and management service that today manages websites for more than 500 utilities. Recognizing that the strongest brands deliver the best customer experience, Bausell also created the Co-op Connections Card, a membership program that, among other benefits, has saved consumers more than $100 million in prescription drug costs over the past decade.
According to Bausell, his new role with Silicon Ranch is a unique opportunity to infuse his personal passion with his professional experience. "The energy landscape in this country is at an inflection point, and solar is clean, affordable, reliable, and in a word, powerful," said Bausell. "No company is better positioned to deliver these benefits to rural America than Silicon Ranch, and I am proud to work with this team of dedicated professionals to serve communities across the country. Let the sun shine in!"
About Silicon Ranch Corporation
Silicon Ranch is the U.S. solar platform for Shell and one of the largest independent solar power producers in the country. Silicon Ranch develops to own all of its projects for the long-term, a distinction that means the company is deeply committed to its partners and communities and stands behind the performance of its facilities day in and day out. The company's operating portfolio includes more than 120 facilities across 14 states from New York to California, including the first large-scale solar projects in Georgia, Tennessee, Arkansas, and Mississippi. To learn more, please visit www.siliconranch.com and follow on Twitter @SiliconRanchCo.
Media Contact
Silicon Ranch Corporation
Matt Beasley
+1 615 577 4616
matt.beasley@siliconranch.com
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SOURCE Silicon Ranch Corporation
