Contact:
Leigh Winterbottom
Efficiency Vermont
802-860-4095 x1116
lwinterbottom@veic.org

VEIC Welcomes new executive director

April 11, 2008-The Board of Directors of the Vermont Energy Investment Corporation (VEIC) is delighted to announce that Scott Johnstone will become its new Executive Director in June 2008.  VEIC is a nonprofit energy services organization, best known for operating Efficiency Vermont, Vermont's nationally acclaimed statewide energy efficiency utility. 

'VEIC sought a new Executive Director to lead it through its next phase of development as the urgency and demand for energy services grow', said Chip Stone, VEIC's Board President, and we have found that leader in Scott Johnstone.'   Scott brings a wealth of wisdom and experience from his roles in both the private and public sectors in Vermont.  He has demonstrated his leadership talents at developing strategic direction, fostering innovation, building effective partnerships, and producing measurable results. He is coming to VEIC from the Chittenden County Metropolitan Planning Organization, where he has been the Executive Director since 2005.  Prior to that, Scott was a senior project director at Stone Environmental, a private environmental consulting firm, with a focus on water resources.  He served as the Secretary of the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources from 2000 - 2003, where he developed innovative approaches to addressing many of Vermont's pressing environmental issues.  Scott is a Professional Engineer with an engineering degree from the University of Maine.

'I am so pleased to join the VEIC team.  It is a rare opportunity to join an organization with such a demonstrated record of success coupled with the chance to dive deeply into helping both our state and our world make progress in addressing our energy needs and lessening our climate challenges.' said Johnstone.

Beth Sachs, co-founder and current Executive Director of VEIC, is stepping down from the role that she has held since its creation in 1986, and will be staying on at VEIC to lead its new business development activities and special projects.

VEIC provides energy planning, design, implementation and evaluation services to clients throughout North America and beyond.  Its mission is 'to reduce the costs – both monetary and environmental – of energy use', and VEIC has adopted very ambitious goals to reduce climate change emissions through its work on advanced efficiency and renewable energy projects worldwide.  Under contract to the Vermont Public Service Board, VEIC provide the services of 'Efficiency Vermont' to all Vermonters.  VEIC has a staff of 150 and operates out of offices in Burlington, Rutland and New Jersey.

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