PACENation, the national membership association for PACE financing, announced the recipients of the 2022 PACESetter Awards and honored two PACE Champions and the winner of the Chair’s Award for their distinguished leadership in the PACE marketplace. PACESetters were honored in several categories, including promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in the PACE marketplace, program design & implementation, advocacy and policy innovation, innovative financial institutions, and innovative deals of the year.
“On behalf of the PACE community, it is an honor to congratulate these extraordinary leaders, whose vision and perseverance have helped thousands of American property owners to save energy, reduce carbon emissions, and strengthen their homes and businesses against natural disasters,” said Mary Luévano, Acting Executive Director of PACENation. “To date, PACE financing has created 170,000 local jobs, injected $21 billion into local economies, and reduced carbon emissions by over 13.9 million metric tons.”
“We are humbled by the recognition from PACENation and our peers in the PACE industry and grateful to receive the 2022 PACE Champion Award at the PACENation Summit this week,” commented Priscilla Sims Brown, CEO of Amalgamated Bank. “Expanding access to equitable financing is a high priority for Amalgamated Bank and we are excited to be working collaboratively with PACENation’s members to advance that mission.”
“I’m delighted to receive this recognition from PACENation,” commented PACE Champion Award winner Andy Holzhauser, a partner with Donovan Energy. “We spend a lot of time in the trenches, but it is important to step back to measure and celebrate our progress. The PACE industry potential to address a critical challenge is enormous and I’m excited to work with PACENation and my industry colleagues to help realize that potential.”
2022 PACE Champions
PACE Champions are recognized for extraordinary leadership over multiple years to strengthen and expand the PACE marketplace. The 2022 PACE Champions are:

• Priscilla Sims Brown, Amalgamated Bank
• Andy Holzhauser, Donovan Energy

2022 Chair’s Award
The Chair’s Award was established to recognize the individual contribution of a person who has dedicated significant time and energy to advancing the mission of PACE.

• Colin Bishopp, Allectrify

2022 PACESetters
PACESetter Awards are designed to recognize individuals and teams whose efforts have advanced PACE as a critical public policy tool that strengthens communities. The 2022 PACESetters are:
PACESetter: Promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the PACE Marketplace

• Byron DeLear, Ygrene
• Rhonda Talford Knight, Bricker & Eckler
• Emily Schapira, Philadelphia Energy Authority
• Kevin Spath, City of Dallas Economic Development Office

PACESetter: Program Design & Implementation

• Mohammed Elahi, Cook County Economic Development Division
• Wendy O’Malley, MassDevelopment
• Seth Lutter, Montana Facilities Finance Authority
• Adam Gill, Montana Facilities Finance Authority
• Rachel Brombaugh, King County WA
• Morgan Torres, King County WA
• Alysse Lembo-Buzzelli, Connecticut Green Bank
• Michael Yaki, Petros PACE Finance
• Genevieve Sherman, Nuveen Green Capital

PACESetter: Advocacy and Policy Innovation

• Paula Latasa, 350 Deschutes
• Diane Hodiak, 350 Deschutes
• AnnaMaria Kowalik, IECA
• Shaina Kilcoyne, Municipality of Anchorage, AK
• Beau Engman, PACE Equity
• Accepting the award for NJ PACE: Jonathan Cloud, Victoria Zelin, and Gus Escher
• Kristina Klimovich, IEA
• Gwen Yamamoto, Hawaii Green Infrastructure Authority
• Philippe Hartley, CleanFi
• Brian Scott, PACE Alberta
• Leigh Bond, PACE Alberta

PACESetter: Innovative Financial Institutions

• Forbright Bank
• Kitsap Bank
• Poppy Bank

PACESetter: Innovative Deals of the Year
Under $5M

• Arlington Federal Credit Union for the Rocklands BBQ Project (Arlington, VA)

$5M-$50M

• PACE Loan Group for the RBC Gateway Hotel Project (Minneapolis, MN)

$50M+

• GreenRock and Poppy Bank for the Chinese Hospital Project (San Francisco, CA)
• Petros PACE Finance for the 111 Wall St. Project (New York, NY)

PACENation is the national nonprofit association that works alongside policymakers, businesses and community stakeholders to strengthen and expand access to assessment-based financing for residential and commercial projects that increase energy efficiency, clean energy, clean drinking water, and resilience against natural disasters. Our membership community includes state and local governments, environmental and faith-based organizations, energy efficiency and climate policy experts, small businesses, PACE administrators, and PACE lenders. Members may have different individual goals, but they share a desire to create resilient and resource-efficient communities.
For more information about us or to join PACENation, please visit PACENation.org, register for our newsletter, or follow us on Linkedin, Facebook, and Twitter.