Meet Sean Ribble, Senior Director, Originations

Leadership Spotlight: Sean Ribble

Sean Ribble has been a long time Nuveen Green Capital leader, lending his energy and expertise to the Mountain West, Texas, and Oklahoma regions.

What do you do in your current role?

I am a Senior Director of Originations, leading the Mountain West/Texas/Oklahoma region by generating market awareness, establishing strategic partnerships, and most importantly, negotiating and executing C-PACE financing for ground-up, rehabilitation, and adaptive reuse projects for clients across the country. To do so, I am directly overseeing/involved in the initial negotiations of the loans, as well as managing the team from diligence item collection to credit approval and servicing/asset management for the portfolio. We are a full-service, portfolio lender, so it is key that the regional director be involved in all forms of the relationship – origination to payoff.

What led you to this career path?

Since graduating I was a career community banker for over a decade – working for two regional banks and attending graduate school for banking. Through that experience, I had the opportunity to originate some of the first C-PACE transactions for the state of Colorado. I was intrigued by the concept of aligning public interest in building efficiency with a creative financing tool. Through those projects, I was invited to present at the state’s sustainability conference, at which time I realized the impact and broad application of the C-PACE program. I determined that I wanted to be on the ground floor of the movement and help in establishing the program awareness across all business verticals. 

What do you see in the future for clean energy and this business?

Creative financing has proven the ability to run parallel path with clean energy and public interest. C-PACE and other financial programs will continue to serve a vital role in the revitalization of commercial real estate in our communities, as well as for broader needs, such as infrastructure and utilities. The evolution of financial structuring and emphasis on public-private partnership will help to mold the future of clean energy as individual financial sectors verticals cannot solve it alone.

How and why is this important to you?

It was important to me that I apply my banking and financial background toward something positive – for years I had been seeking ways to work on creative financing structure for other community-focused needs such as affordable housing (LIHTC). My having the opportunity to work on some of the first C-PACE transactions led me to see it as a tremendous opportunity for broader impact and a way to leverage my knowledge and experience.

What is important to you with regard to helping to run this business?

Our executive team are seen as pioneers of the C-PACE industry. I am fortunate to have joined their organization almost five years ago as they have had a clear vision since their taking the risk to create Greenworks Lending. My decision to step away from the banking sector and into C-PACE was not purely based on my intrigue for the program, but the culture and involvement from Jessica, Ali, and Drew. It is rare to find an executive team that is so knowledgeable, intelligent, driven, and personable. From the moment I had my interview call to today, I have not doubted the future success of our team, and that is a direct result of Nuveen Green Capital’s transparent culture that motivates its members to push for innovation, creative problem solving, and pride in their work.