St. Cloud, Minn.-based Stearns Bank appointed Heather Braithwaite to lead its new sustainable energy division..Braithwaite, vice president and director of sustainable energy, will lead the bank’s work efforts to provide sustainable energy financing and banking solutions to customers across North America.Braithwaite has nearly 20 years of experience in energy and financial services, most recently as chief investment officer at the Collective Clean Energy Fund, where she developed financing tools for clean energy projects in Colorado. “Her extensive industry knowledge will help supercharge our national presence in the sustainable energy space and deliver innovative solutions to both new and existing customers,” said Stearns Bank President Heather Plumski. According to Stearns Bank, projections show the U.S. solar industry is expected to generate $120 billion in economic impact, while the global renewable energy market could reach $1.98 trillion by 2030.
