FROSTBURG, Md., Oct. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — On September 28, 2021, the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) Announced its 2021-2022 Appalachian Leadership Institute (ALI) Fellows. Len Jornlin, CEO of Optimize Renewables, was selected to participate in this, the third, ALI class.
The new class Includes 40 Fellows representing a variety of disciplines and backgrounds from 13 Appalachian States and includes professionals who live and/or work in the Region in a variety of sectors including education, healthcare, economic development, tourism, and others. Each Fellow brings a unique perspective on the Region’s diverse challenges, opportunities, and strategies.
“I’m thrilled to be included in this year’s Appalachian Leadership Institute Class,” Jornlin said. “Our entire company is. It’s an honor. We live here. We work here. We are a catalyst for a region transitioning from an extraction economy to a clean-energy economy.”
The ALI’s objective is to empower Fellows to take action to impact the future of the Appalachian Region with collaborative solutions. Jornlin intends to participate fully in his ALI Fellowship role.
“We are already actively engaged in Appalachian Maryland having lived and worked here for nearly 17 years,” Jornlin noted. “Optimize Renewables is currently working to plan and implement five resilient microgrids in the region, with universities, a hospital, a municipality, and a manufacturer. We will apply the same holistic, collaborative Public-Private Partnership (P3) approach that has enabled us to develop, finance, and execute such projects in highly-challenging markets – including vital applied training curriculum – in distressed areas throughout the balance of Appalachia.”
During his 31-year career, Jornlin and his teams have been responsible for over 2.5 Gigawatts of renewable energy and resiliency projects in over 40 countries on five continents. His focus for much of the last decade has been on the North American market, with a special emphasis on his home state of Maryland. In fact, at his last three companies – all Maryland-based – Jornlin and his co-founding partners created over 600 local jobs.
“We want to build a community reinvestment loop throughout Appalachia,” Jornlin continued. “Regional finance is a significant part of that equation, but so is education. In western Maryland we’re currently building a workforce development program and academic ecosystem that integrates a spectrum of applied learning opportunities from technical training through to a four-year collegiate degree.”
Jornlin joins fellow Marylander Chandler Sagal, Director of Grants and Development for Allegany College of Maryland, Cumberland, Maryland, in the 2021-2022 ALI Class. Sagal plays an integral role on the Allegany College campus supporting capital projects and enhancing existing programs through the addition of new equipment and instructional support.
As a part of the Leadership Institute, each Fellow will participate in an extensive, nine-month series of skill-building seminars featuring regional experts, peer-to-peer learning, and case study analysis. The program begins in October and culminates with the Class of 2021-2022’s graduation in July 2022.
“I am honored to congratulate the 2021-2022 class of Appalachian Leadership Institute fellows. These phenomenal Appalachians are the driving force of change in their communities,” said ARC Federal Co-Chair Gayle Manchin. “Their perseverance and dedication to the region is evident, and I have no doubt that this program will aid them in continuing to help their communities grow and thrive. The work of this class of fellows—and the ones who came before– gives me hope to the future of our Region and is a testament to all that can be accomplished when Appalachians work together.”
Upon completion of the program, Appalachian Leadership Institute Fellows will automatically become part of the Appalachian Leadership Institute Alumni network, a peer-to-peer working group committed to Appalachia’s future.
ARC is a collaboration between 13 states and the Federal government.
Media Contact
Michael Wright, Optimize Renewables, 1 3017789300, [email protected]
SOURCE Optimize Renewables
