Burkhartsmeyer joins GridStor with more than 25 years of financial and operational experience in the utility and renewable energy sectors
PORTLAND, Ore. August 2, 2023 – GridStor, a developer and operator of grid-scale battery energy storage systems, announced today that Frank Burkhartsmeyer has been appointed as the company’s chief financial officer (CFO), effective August 28. Burkhartsmeyer has more than 25 years of financial and operational experience in the utility and renewable energy development sectors, including most recently as executive vice president of strategy and business development and CFO at NW Natural (NYSE: NWN), a natural gas distributor.
“Frank is a proven finance leader who brings to GridStor a 25-year track record of value creation in the utility and renewable energy sectors,” said Chris Taylor, CEO of GridStor. “We are thrilled to welcome Frank to the team and look forward to leveraging his talent to accelerate our growth and build the leading battery storage developer and operations platform in North America.”
As CFO, Burkhartsmeyer will report to Taylor and will be responsible for overseeing GridStor’s finance organization as the company moves forward with plans to build emission-free batteries to power regional energy grids in California and other states.
“I am excited to join GridStor and look forward to working with Chris and the rest of the leadership team to help drive forward the company’s commitment to a future in which reliable electricity is delivered without carbon pollution,” said Burkhartsmeyer. “GridStor’s strategic vision, strong financial backing, competitive pipeline of both origination and acquisition opportunities, and depth of technical talent position the company for market-leading returns in the energy storage industry.”
Prior to his role at NW Natural, Burkhartsmeyer served as president and chief executive officer at Avangrid Renewables (formerly Pacificorp Power Marketing), an early mover in the renewable energy industry. He also served as managing director of corporate strategy at ScottishPower and treasury director at PacifiCorp. Burkhartsmeyer holds a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Oregon and a Bachelor of Arts degree from University of Montana.
GridStor develops and operates battery facilities directly integrated with American power infrastructure, storing electricity to deliver when it is most needed. GridStor is backed by Goldman Sachs Asset Management and comprises a team of seasoned energy professionals with a record of past accomplishments in energy storage and clean energy project acquisition, development, and management.
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About GridStor
GridStor is enabling the transition to a clean energy grid by deploying flexible grid-connected batteries at scale. GridStor develops, acquires, and operates utility-scale, standalone battery storage projects primarily across North America. Visit us at www.gridstor.com and on LinkedIn.
About Goldman Sachs Asset Management
Bringing together traditional and alternative investments, Goldman Sachs Asset Management provides clients around the world with a dedicated partnership and focus on long-term performance. As the primary investing area within Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS), we deliver investment and advisory services for the world’s leading institutions, financial advisors and individuals, drawing from our deeply connected global network and tailored expert insights, across every region and market—overseeing more than $2.6 trillion in assets under supervision worldwide as of March 31, 2023. Driven by a passion for our clients’ performance, we seek to build long-term relationships based on conviction, sustainable outcomes, and shared success over time. Follow us on LinkedIn.
