Jesse Gee has spent over two decades building and refining his business expertise to become a successful entrepreneur. At the age of 17, he obtained his first position as a marketing representative, working in the home improvement industry. A quick learner, Jesse advanced from there to a management role, before branching into sales.
From his position in outside sales, Jesse transitioned into finance, helping to launch a start-up, Freestand Financial, which offered home improvement loans. In 1999, Jesse Gee acquired Freestand. What began as a nascent, home improvement lender was transformed into a fully integrated mortgage, banking, and insurance firm. Under Jesse’s leadership within six years, the company grew to over 1,000 employees in 30 locations, across 12 states with an aggregate loan volume of over $1.5 billion annually.
In 2005 Jesse accepted an offer to sell his interests in the firm to Foundations Financial Group and started a new company, Venture Commercial. At Venture, Jesse put his finance and construction background to work, creating a lending and commercial development business that focused on commercial loans, including acquisition, development, construction and permanent financing. Four years later in 2009, Jesse sold Venture Commercial to enter the exciting, fast-growing solar energy industry.
As Chairman of Erus Energy, Jesse has helped guide the company to become one of the top solar energy providers in the US. Over the first 6 years in the solar business, Erus has grown from a single location in Phoenix, Arizona to serving over 15 major US markets with thousands of installations to date. Erus is a fully integrated solar energy provider offering solutions to residential, commercial, and industrial clients.
In August of 2016 GPB Capital, a New York-based private equity and asset management firm, acquired Erus Energy in its quest to build a billion dollar, fully integrated green energy business.
As one of the ways Jesse gives back to the community, he started the Jesse Gee Scholarship Fund, a scholarship for business students designed to help them financially as they further their education. In addition to the scholarship opportunity Jesse offers start-up funding and growth capital to entrepreneurs and businesses.
Jesse currently serves on a number of boards in the energy, finance, and construction industries and has interests in several businesses. He also runs a successful blog providing tips for entrepreneur success. Read it Here.
