Alum Scott Weiss’s academic journey took an unexpected turn when he studied abroad at Copenhagen Business School in Denmark. As he descended into the Kastrup airport, looking out the airplane window, he saw massive wind turbines spinning over the sea. During the next six months, living in a city where biking was the norm, recycling was second nature, and sustainability was a communal effort, he began to see the world differently.

“I had little awareness of environmental sustainability before that time,” Weiss said. “It is woven into the society in Denmark, and I wanted to bring that mindset back to the U.S. It wasn’t just an abstract issue but a way of life.”

When he returned to campus for his senior year, Weiss took an environmental chemistry class to fulfill a science requirement. “It was serendipitous timing. I really started to understand the science of climate change and it was hard to look away. I was working toward a business degree and now have this issue I think is important — how do I combine the two?”

After graduation, Weiss took a finance role at CarMax, but his interest soon shifted back to environmental issues, prompting him to pursue an MBA with a focus on renewable energy finance at the George Washington University. While there, he gained valuable experience at local organizations and joined Apex Clean Energy, a renewable energy organization that develops, constructs, and operates utility-scale wind and solar power facilities across North America.

“I joined at a time when it was more of a startup than I realized,” he said. “I supported a bit of everything. As the company and industry were coming of age it was a great time to be a part of it,” he said. “There were no set rules. We invented industry trends and the parameters used for projects to come together.”

Now with the organization for 12 years, Weiss, the executive vice president and head of project delivery, has overseen billions of dollars in renewable energy projects in the U.S. For Weiss, these projects represent not only professional milestones but also deeply meaningful achievements. Two projects stand out as sources of great pride. “Aviator Wind was the largest single-phase, single-site wind project in the country at the time of construction,” Weiss said. “And we just started work on Rocky Forge Wind, Virginia's first onshore wind project.” This project holds special significance as it offers an opportunity to contribute directly to his home state. 

For Weiss, the success he has achieved in his career and with the organization aligns perfectly with his passion. “The better we do for the environment, the better we do as a company,” Weiss said. “There is absolutely no separation. We are creating value, and we are also doing good for society. It is business with a purpose, and that feels very worthwhile to me.”