Speaker Biographies

Ann Partlow

General Partner, Earthrise Capital

Ann Partlow served as financial advisor and portfolio manager to members of the Rockefeller Family at Rockefeller & Co. from 1974 until she began the formation of Earthrise Capital, a venture fund for sustainable energy, water and agricultural technology investments, in late 2004. As founder of the Socially Responsive Investment Group at Rockefeller & Co., she created and managed two pooled funds for public and private equities, the first, Odyssey Fund, established in 1978. Odyssey Fund was the earliest "mission related" investment fund specifically for businesses with innovative products and services addressing key social and environmental issues, such as energy, water, health care and education. The Fund produced an excellent long term investment record over 25 years. Ann also created and managed a successful large cap fund, Libra Fund, for investment in mainstream companies with histories of good corporate stewardship.

Ann's investment experience includes geothermal energy, wind turbine companies and large-scale waste-to-energy generators, as well as photovoltaic companies such as Evergreen Solar, one of the leading independent producers today, and fuel cell producers, such as Ballard Power. Her environmental investments have also included water treatment technologies, air pollution control products and numerous recycling methodologies, as well as sustainable agricultural technologies such as biopesticides, pheromones, and communications and information technology for improved management of agricultural inputs.

Ann has served as director and trustee of many companies, both for-profit and non-profit. She is Treasurer and Trustee of the Friends of Women's World Banking (WWB), the microfinance institution, which she served on the WWB Board for many years as Trustee and Treasurer. Ann also serves as a member of the Advisory Committee of the Cleantech Venture Forum, and as a member of the Investment Committee of Commons Capital, a private equity fund sponsored by Investors' Circle, the angel network. Ann was the recipient of the Group's first Social Venture Pioneer Award in 1996. Ann is also a member of the Investor Collaboration Working Group of the Clean Energy Initiative, a consortium of environmental investors, foundations and state energy funds working together to enhance the development and funding of clean energy.