Advanced-energy group names new chief

The Arkansas Advanced Energy Association and its educational affiliate announced their new executive director, Lauren Waldrip, in a news release Wednesday.

Waldrip previously served as partner at the public affairs and relations firm Campbell Ward and brings more than seven years of public affairs and public relations experience, according to the release. As executive director of the Arkansas Rice Federation, she worked on advocacy efforts with the public service commission. “Lauren’s previous experiences coupled with her untraditional approach and big-picture mindset make her an ideal fit for the future growth of our organization,” said Heather Nelson, president of Seal Solar and board chairman for the Advanced Energy Association. “We are proud to have her leadership during such a pivotal time in our industry.”

One of Waldrip’s first tasks will be to prepare for the associations’s annual EmPOWER event that will be held Oct. 14, according to the news release. The gathering brings in advanced energy related organizations from around Arkansas, like bio-fuels, solar power, performance contractors and electric vehicles, as well as the customers they serve.

The association describes itself as “the business voice for advanced energy in Arkansas” and is focused on growing the state’s economy through expanded use of these technologies that make the “energy supply more secure, clean and affordable,” according to its website. It is a chapter of the national business organization Advanced Energy Economy.

Its members include manufacturers, energy providers, entrepreneurs, small-business owners, educators, researchers and public institutions.

“I have admired the progressive work of this sector from the sidelines for years while noticing the extensive benefits recognized across the industry far beyond their membership,” Waldrip said in a statement. “I’m eager to tell that story in a way that enables our continued growth as the voice of advanced energy in Arkansas.”