SEIA appoints Tom Kimbis as interim president

May 31, 2016
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
Kimbis is to become SEIA's interim president as of 1 June, as a permanent replacement for former CEO Rhone Resch is found. Source: Flickr - Solar Power International

The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) has appointed Tom Kimbis, general counsel and current VP of executive affairs for the company, as the new interim president.

Kimbis succeeds former CEO and president Rhone Resch on an interim basis, who stepped down from the position last month, after 12 years of leadership.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Try Premium for just $1

  • Full premium access for the first month at only $1
  • Converts to an annual rate after 30 days unless cancelled
  • Cancel anytime during the trial period

Premium Benefits

  • Expert industry analysis and interviews
  • Digital access to PV Tech Power journal
  • Exclusive event discounts

Or get the full Premium subscription right away

Or continue reading this article for free

Kimbis is to resume the new role as of 1 June, but as worked at SEIA since 2010, acting as the primary liaison for the solar industry to the federal executive branch and overseeing the association’s legal affairs department, according to SEIA. The group also stated that Kimbis has overseen its consumer protection campaign and has been actively involved in federal policy related to large-scale solar projects.

Kimbis is bringing to the role an extensive background in the industry; including 16 years in renewable energy, nine of which were at the US Department of Energy.

SEIA is currently in the process of finding a permanent replacement for Resch. 

16 June 2026
Napa, USA
PV Tech has been running PV ModuleTech Conferences since 2017. PV ModuleTech USA, on 16-17 June 2026, will be our fifth PV ModulelTech conference dedicated to the U.S. utility scale solar sector. The event will gather the key stakeholders from solar developers, solar asset owners and investors, PV manufacturing, policy-making and and all interested downstream channels and third-party entities. The goal is simple: to map out the PV module supply channels to the U.S. out to 2028 and beyond.
13 October 2026
San Francisco Bay Area, USA
PV Tech has been running an annual PV CellTech Conference since 2016. PV CellTech USA, on 13-14 October 2026 is our third PV CellTech conference dedicated to the U.S. manufacturing sector. The events in 2023, 2024 and 2025 were a sell out success and 2026 will once again gather the key stakeholders from PV manufacturing, equipment/materials, policy-making and strategy, capital equipment investment and all interested downstream channels and third-party entities. The goal is simple: to map out PV manufacturing in the U.S. out to 2030 and beyond.

Read Next

January 23, 2026
US renewables developer Hecate Energy has entered into a definitive business combination agreement with SPAC firm EGH Acquisition Corp (EGH).
January 23, 2026
US cadmium telluride (CdTe) thin-film solar manufacturer First Solar is facing a class action lawsuit investigation into its business practices following a downgrade in its stock.
January 22, 2026
Newly tightened federal permitting procedures for solar and wind projects are onerous, but can be navigated with proper planning, write Allison Chapin and Michael Downs.
January 21, 2026
Yield Energy has launched Yield Edge, a distributed energy resource management system (DERMS) for grid-ready flexibility from farms.
Premium
January 21, 2026
To say that it has been a busy time for the US solar industry lately would be an understatement, especially at the policy and tariff level.
January 21, 2026
Energy generation and storage developer Estuary Power has completed the final phase of construction at its Escape solar project in Lincoln County, Nevada. 

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
February 3, 2026
London, UK
Solar Media Events
March 24, 2026
Dallas, Texas
Solar Media Events
April 15, 2026
Milan, Italy
Solar Media Events
June 16, 2026
Napa, USA
Solar Media Events
October 13, 2026
San Francisco Bay Area, USA