As CEO and president, Michael Potts leads Rocky Mountain Institute, a Coloradobased “think-and-do-tank” with approximately 80 architects, scientists, engineers, communicators, and administrators. In addition, as part of his concerted outreach efforts, Michael frequently speaks to business leaders about transforming the way we source and use energy.

An active trustee before joining RMI’s leadership team in early 2007, Michael quickly applied his business acumen to help reshape the work of the Institute. Under his leadership, RMI sharply focused its efforts and staff structure toward accelerating the nation’s shift to a new energy era based on efficiency and renewable energy resources. A major outcome of this effort is “Reinventing Fire, Bold Business Solutions for the New Energy Era,” authored by Chief Scientist Amory Lovins and RMI staff. RMI is also executing strategic in-market initiatives to drive industry change, including Next-Generation Utility (electricity), RetroFit (commercial buildings) and Project Get Ready (electric vehicles).

Throughout his business career, Michael built high-performance teams to drive industry innovation. Prior to RMI, Michael was CEO of American Fundware, maker of the award-winning FundWare software suite for non-profits, which nearly tripled in revenue during his tenure and was acquired in 2002 by Intuit, maker of QuickBooks and TurboTax. Previously, in leadership roles at Recognition International, BancTec and IBM, Michael catalyzed dramatic company growth, domestically and internationally, in the fields of distributed computing and document image processing.

Michael received a BA from Beloit College in Wisconsin. In addition to his work at RMI, Michael serves on commercial and non-profit boards that align with his passion for innovation and spiritual growth.