USGBC names new president, CEO

The U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) board of directors has named Mahesh Ramanujam president and CEO effective Nov. 4, 2016. He also will serve as president and CEO of Green Business Certification Inc., (GBCI) USGBC’s sister organization.

Ramanujam, formerly COO of the Council, takes the reins from Rick Fedrizzi, USGBC’s founding chair, who had previously announced plans to leave the organization toward the end of 2016.

“It is an incredible honor for me to lead and serve this impressive and dynamic organization,” says Ramanujam. “I am grateful for the opportunity to continually develop and enhance USGBC’s capabilities and performance to ensure we deliver the future that our founders envisioned – transforming the way our buildings and communities are designed, built and operated so they enable a healthy and prosperous environment that improves the quality of life for people everywhere.”

“We look forward to Mahesh's leadership of USGBC and GBCI,” says Fiona Cousins, USGBC’s board chair. “Mahesh has already contributed a great deal to the organization and brings a strong mixture of vision and pragmatism to the organization, which will be crucial as the organization, and the world, continues to change.”

Ramanujam joined USGBC in 2009 as senior vice president of technology and was named COO in September 2011. In December 2012, he was named president of GBCI. In 2015, when Fedrizzi announced his plans to leave USGBC, USGBC’s board named Ramanujam incoming CEO.

“Since joining the USGBC team more than seven years ago, I have felt enormously appreciative to be in a position that allows me to give back and serve the critical mission of our organization,” Ramanujam adds. “Our work has had a tremendous impact on millions of people as we strive to improve and enhance our world. USGBC is not just about buildings. It is about bold leadership to create business and community transformation while driving sustainability for all.”