Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance's 1st Executive Director, Ben Taube, Sets Ambitious Energy-Saving Goals for Region
Washington, D.C., July 19, 2007 – The new executive director of the Atlanta-based Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance (SEEA; www.seealliance.org), Benjamin L. Taube, has set an ambitious goal of reducing the 11-state region’s projected energy growth by half within the next 10 to 15 years through deployment of energy-efficiency practices and programs. Taube’s goals for SEEA also include building an effective organization that will bridge the gap on energy and sustainability strategies across the Southeast, a region that lags behind other parts of the country in adopting energy-efficiency practices.
SEEA was initiated by and operates under the auspices of the Alliance to Save Energy. Its board, chaired by Georgia Institute of Technology School of Public Policy Professor Dr. Marilyn Brown, recently appointed Taube as SEEA’s first executive director. Prior to assuming that post earlier this month, he had served as public affairs manager for the GREENGUARD Environmental Institute, director of government affairs for EcoSMART Technologies, environment and energy manager for the city of Atlanta, policy analyst for the city and county of Denver, and environmental planning consultant for Denver-based Carter and Burgess, Inc.
“Ben brings to his new post important experience in areas that are essential to being an effective head of such an organization – public policy, public affairs, project management, business operations, and marketing,” said Alliance President Kateri Callahan. “And, importantly, all of his work experience has been in the fields of energy and the environment.”
Callahan added, “Ben brings a passion for energy efficiency, along with a tremendous set of skills.”
SEEA promotes energy efficiency in 11 southeastern states – Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia – to achieve a cleaner environment, a more prosperous economy, and a higher quality of life in the region.
“I am extremely excited to be the executive director of SEEA,” Taube said. “There are many inspiring opportunities in the Southeast to increase energy efficiency, and I am eager to work with the 11 SEEA states to make energy efficiency a reality. From Arkansas to Virginia and Florida to Kentucky, SEEA has the ability to make significant strides to increase the awareness of energy-efficiency strategies within both the public and private sectors.”
The Alliance to Save Energy is a coalition of prominent business, government, environmental, and consumer leaders who promote the efficient and clean use of energy worldwide to benefit consumers, the environment, economy, and national security.
The Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance (SEEA) promotes energy efficiency for a cleaner environment, a more prosperous economy, and a higher quality of life in the Southeastern region of the United States. SEEA goals are to position energy efficiency as a viable tool for strengthening the regional economy and protecting the environment; promote energy efficiency to increase electric reliability; empower consumers at all income levels through education on the benefits of energy efficiency, including energy savings and quality of life; and promote the development of a vibrant energy services industry throughout the Southeast, and growing markets for energy efficient products. SEEA can be contacted at www.seealliance.org or 1-866-900-SEEA
