(Washington, D.C.) DC Green Bank announced today the departure of the bank’s inaugural Chief Executive Officer, Eli Hopson, and an orderly transition to interim-CEO Jean Nelson-Houpert, the bank’s current Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Hopson leaves DC Green Bank after 2.5 years of committed service, growing the institution’s investment portfolio from approximately $2 million in loan commitments in his first fiscal year to nearly $30 million in his third fiscal year in charge. He is leaving his post as DCGB CEO to join the Coalition for Green Capital as its Chief Operating Officer and Executive Director, supporting the non-profit financial institution’s planned application to the Environmental Protection Agency to serve as the United States’ first national green bank to finance green projects and initiatives across the country.
During Mr. Hopson’s tenure, DC Green Bank saw incredible growth, not only in terms of the size of its investments, but also in capacity and stakeholder relationships. Beginning as its first employee in April 2020 in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, he oversaw the hiring of the bank’s Leadership Team and closed the bank’s first loan, well ahead of most green banks’ initial investment timetables. As of his departure the bank is positioned to take the next step in its maturation process while marshaling the tremendous amount of resources set to come into the District following the passage of the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act in 2021 and the Inflation Reduction Act in 2022.
“It has been the pleasure of my career to lead DC Green Bank from its very first days of operation and to serve the residents of the District,” said Hopson. “I want to thank the Board of Directors and our outstanding staff for their trust in my leadership and for supporting me throughout my tenure. We have achieved an incredible amount in our nearly three years together, and I aim to ensure that the new national green bank builds on the outstanding work we did together right here in DC. It is bittersweet as my time with the bank comes to an end; however, I know that the future of the institution is in fantastic hands and that the District will continue to be a national leader that everyone will look to for inspiration.”
“We greatly appreciate Eli’s thoughtful service to the District and DCGB as our inaugural CEO. This pioneering venture is a proven model of partnership to ensure that the future of our city is cleaner, greener, and more inclusive with real investments in climate mitigation. The Board wishes Eli every success in his next role to ensure that this country demonstrates strong climate leadership from coast to coast,” said Chair of the DC Green Bank Board of Directors, Brandi Colander. “It is indeed a testament to the success of the green bank model to see it elevated at the national level, we are grateful that our own leadership, from the nation’s capital will continue to shape that work. As we make this transition, we are fortunate to have a proven leader in Ms. Nelson-Houpert that can step into the role of interim-CEO. Ms. Nelson-Houpert has demonstrated a solid handle of the DCGB mission, is a seasoned professional and financial institution veteran prepared to lead. We thank her tremendously for her service.”
Ms. Nelson-Houpert joined the DC Green Bank staff in September 2020 as part of the Leadership Team and quickly provided project finance deal due diligence and implemented strong financial and accounting policies to ensure the institution could fulfill its mission in line with its core values.
“I want to express my gratitude to the Board for their confidence in me to step into the interim-CEO role and I want to voice my sincere congratulations to Eli on his important new opportunity,” said Ms. Nelson-Houpert. “Working with Eli over these last years to establish and grow the bank to where we are today has been an amazing experience. I look forward to continuing the hard work to fulfill our mission, partnering closely with the Board, city leadership, our wonderful staff, and the communities we serve to support the transition to a cleaner DC.”
Mr. Hopson’s last day with the bank will be October 14th. Ms. Nelson-Houpert’s interim-CEO leadership is effective immediately. The DC Green Bank Board of Directors will continue to support the smooth transition of leadership and oversight of governance duties.
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