Benjamin Finkelor currently serves as Program Manager for the UC Davis Energy Efficiency Center (EEC).  He provides guidance to a team of Emerging Venture Analysts (Business and Engineering Graduate Student Researchers) who, in collaboration with the Center for Entrepreneurship, develop viable business models around existing and emerging energy efficiency technologies.  Ben joined the University and helped launch the EEC in April 2006.

Before joining the UC Davis staff, Ben served as Director of Business Development for Sierra Energy, a local clean technology start-up, and as Interim Executive Director for CleanStart, a regional business incubator designed to support local clean technology ventures and entrepreneurs. CleanStart was born out of an innovative needs assessment study that was jointly funded and managed by the California Energy Commission, the Sacramento Municipal Utility District, and the McClellan Technology Incubator.  Ben coordinated and managed this underlying year-long study through a contract with the California Institute for Energy and the Environment.

Ben attended the UC Davis Graduate School of Management, where he studied Technology Management under Professor Andrew Hargadon. He graduated as a member of the Beta Gamma Sigma Honors Society in June of 2004. While earning his M.B.A., he secured an emphasis in Corporate Environmental Management through a joint program at the Bren School of Environmental Science & Policy at University of California, Santa Barbara. His coursework and multiple class projects focused on innovation in clean technology. Ben's internship was as a Clean Technology Analyst for the California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS). There, he was a part of a four member team within the Alternative Investment Management group that developed the recently approved Environmental Technology Investment Program--a $200 million allocation of private equity funds that invests in Clean Technology as part of the State's "Green Wave Initiative."

Ben currently serves as Secretary to the Board of the newly developed non-profit Renewable Energy Institute International, has over 10 years experience in sales, marketing, and business development, and has a BA degree in Communications from UC San Diego.