Hayes Barnard

HAYES BARNARD is the Founder, Chairman and CEO of GoodLeap, the world-positive lender delivering a financial technology platform focused on deploying clean energy solutions. GoodLeap is currently the #1 residential solar lender in the U.S financing 30% of all residential solar loans in the United States. Prior to founding GoodLeap (which was previously name Loanpal), Hayes was the founder and CEO of Paramount Solar, an early-stage residential solar company that created the first centralized sales centers to provide solar systems to homeowners. This new solar energy model enabled the company to quickly garner significant market share, as well as the attention of SolarCity, which acquired Paramount Solar in 2013 after a successful five year partnership. For an additional three years after the acquisition, Hayes lead SolarCity as Chief Revenue Officer and grew the business over 400 percent, until Hayes returned to his entrepreneurial roots and created GoodLeap. Hayes is also the Founder, Chairman and CEO of GivePower, a nonprofit organization that provides solar-based solutions to power life’s basic needs such as food, water, education, communications, and the internet for people in developing regions of the world. Since its inception in late 2013, the foundation has affected the lives of more than 400,000 people across 17 countries, installed solar for light in over 2,700 schools, and powered ranger stations to protect conservation lands in Virunga National park and in Sarara, Kenya to help protect endangered wildlife. Most recently, GivePower has begun deploying solar-powered water desalination systems, capable of delivering up to 70,000 liters of clean, healthy drinking water, every day, to coastal regions facing water scarcity.