Jeff Anthony will lead the Energy Innovation Center as both director and a member of the Mid-West Energy Research Consortium’s business development division, M-WERC announced on Tuesday.
M-WERC unveiled plans for the $9.6 million center last week. The center will be located in the Century City Tower, formerly the Eaton Corp. research building, and will provide space for 60 tenants, including startup companies, industry associations, academic researchers, and government energy programs, working on innovation in energy, power and control.
The state is backing the development of the EIC with more than $900,000 in seed funding.
As director of the EIC, Anthony will focus on expanding membership and industry participation in M-WERC, which is a consortium dedicated to leveraging the talent and innovation of the energy, power and control industry cluster in the Midwest. The energy consortium, comprised of more than 75 members across eight states, focuses on technology innovation, market and industry expansion, public policy support, workforce development, and organization development and strategic collaboration.
“I’m very excited to be a part of M-WERC,” said Anthony, a Whitefish Bay native who has more than 20 years of experience in the energy industry and project management. “This region of the country has a long history as a hub for new and exciting technologies and (I) look forward to building on that history to create a global center of excellence in the energy power and control sector. The EIC is a perfect showcase for the future of the industry and Milwaukee.”
Anthony’s career in energy has included roles at General Electric and We Energies. Prior to joining M-WERC and the EIC, he served as senior director of membership and business development for the American Wind Energy Association in Washington, D.C.
He completed a Bachelor of Science in Nuclear Engineering at Purdue University and also holds an MBA degree from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.
“We’re very happy to have Jeff on our team,” said Alan Perlstein, executive director and CEO of M-WERC. “His experience working with utilities, startups and renewable energy organizations is a great asset for M-WERC and we are looking forward to continued success.”
