Donnel Baird
Born1981
Brooklyn, New York
EducationDuke University (Bachelor's) Columbia Business School (MBA)
OccupationCEO of BlocPower

Donnel Baird (born 1981) is an African American entrepreneur and community organizer. He is the CEO and founder BlocPower.[1]

Early life and education

In the 1980s, Baird's family immigrated to the United States from Guyana, a Caribbean nation, following an economic decline.[2] He is the oldest child of Guyanese immigrants and he has a younger sister.[2] Baird's family of four started their life in a one-bedroom apartment with a shared bathroom with a neighbor in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. His father worked cleaning boilers while his mother was in a teacher program in York college and while in elementary, he witnessed a fight turned shooting. Living in a decrepit building, his family experienced leaving stoves and oven during winter to provide heat that ran on natural gas while opening windows to release harmful gas.[3][4]

Baird's parents divorced, and his mother and both of the children moved to Atlanta.[2] He attended a prep school and later moved on to Duke University. During his time at Duke, the police shooting of Amadou Diallo had a profound effect on Baird and sank him to depression. His relationship with historian Larry Goodwyn and classmate Mariana Arcaya urged Baird to pursue environmental issues and racial equity.[3]

Baird earned his bachelor's degree at Duke University,[5] after-which he moved back to New York and spent four years as a community organizer, working to bridge the gap between the privileged students he encountered at Duke and the underprivileged kids he grew up with in his neighborhood.[3] He wanted to create a business that could address the intersection of climate change, energy waste in buildings, public health, and poverty by providing employment opportunities for low-income families.[6] Additionally, he become a political organizer with Change To Win Labor Federation, focused on partnering with the Department of Energy to help create green energy jobs under the Obama Administration, giving him the experience to eventually launch BlocPower in 2013, a company that aims to make buildings more energy-efficient and create green jobs in underserved communities.[4][7][3] He continued his graduate study at Columbia Business School earning a Master of Business and Administration (MBA) in 2013.[5]

BlocPower

During his last semester at Columbia Business School, Baird launched BlocPower, a Brooklyn-based technology company whose goal is to upgrade residential homes and buildings in underserved communities while combating the environmental crisis.[8] This is done through installing solar panels and retrofit of efficient electric heating and cooling systems which lower utility costs and providing financial help during installations.[3] The company is under the support of significant investing groups such as Goldman Sachs and Kapor Capital.[3]

BlocPower has gained significant recognition for its innovative approach to bringing clean energy solutions to disadvantaged communities. Leveraging data analytics and software technologies, the company identifies buildings that can benefit from energy-efficient upgrades and facilitates the financing and implementation of these improvements. The company utilizes data-driven approaches to identify and retrofit buildings with energy-efficient technologies, reducing carbon emissions and lowering energy costs for building owners. BlocPower has successfully transformed numerous buildings into energy-efficient and sustainable spaces, positively impacting both the environment and the local communities.[3][6]

Social impact and recognition

Baird's work with BlocPower has garnered widespread recognition and accolades. In 2014, he was named a "Champion of Change" by the White House for his efforts in advancing clean energy and economic opportunity.[9] He has also been recognized as a Crain’s "40 Under 40" list of influential young leaders. Baird's achievements have been featured in numerous media outlets, including The New Yorker, Forbes, and Fast Company, amongst others. Baird was featured on Time magazine's 100 Next in 2022.[8] He has also been invited to speak at events such as TED and the World Economic Forum in Davos.[10]

Beyond his role at BlocPower, Baird remains actively involved in various social and environmental initiatives. He serves on the board of several organizations, including the New York Federal Reserve Bank 2nd District Advisory Board, Al Gores Climate Reality Project, and various NGOs, including a seven year term on the Board of the Sierra Club Foundation and a one year term on the Board of The Sunrise Movement.[9]

Personal life

Donnel Baird's personal life has been greatly influenced by his wife and family. His wife played a crucial role in shaping his career path, encouraging him to pursue entrepreneurship instead of law school. This decision proved to be a turning point for Baird, as he went on to establish a successful Silicon Valley startup. His wife's support and belief in his abilities helped him navigate the challenges of starting a company, while she worked hard to support their family during the early stages of the business.[11]

References

  1. ↑ "Donnel Baird". whitehouse.gov. 2014-04-30. Retrieved 2024-01-15.
  2. 1 2 3 "Power for the People". Columbia Magazine. Retrieved 2023-07-01.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Herman, Biz. "Block by block, he aims to fight injustice and save the planet". Washington Post. Retrieved 2023-06-24.
  4. 1 2 "Donnel Baird". The Climate Reality Project. Retrieved 2023-06-24.
  5. 1 2 "Donnel Baird". Columbia Entrepreneurship. Retrieved 2023-06-23.
  6. 1 2 Charles, Dan (2020-10-18). "Fighting Climate Change, One Building At A Time". NPR. Retrieved 2023-07-06.
  7. ↑ "Donnel Baird '13BUS, Founder of BlocPower". Columbia Entrepreneurship. 2017-08-29. Retrieved 2023-06-30.
  8. 1 2 Kluger, Jeffrey (2022-09-28). "2022 TIME100 Next: Donnel Baird". Time. Retrieved 2023-07-06.
  9. 1 2 "City, state and business leaders talk about tackling the nation's energy issues". Washington Post Live. May 11, 2015.
  10. ↑ "TEDxStanford | TED". www.ted.com. Retrieved 2023-06-25.
  11. ↑ "Goldman Sachs | Launch With GS". Goldman Sachs. Retrieved 2023-06-24.
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