Description:
Henry McKoy seems like a force of nature preaching the need of a more sustainable world/economy benefiting all. He speaks on behalf of the Triple Bottom Line of people-planet-profits. No one is more deserving of recognition than him on behalf of being an ambassador for sustainability.

Executive Summary:

Henry McKoy is the founder and CEO of Fourth-Sector Financial which has been at the forefront of thought on green banking and investment. Henry was touting green finance and investment and triple bottom line companies when no one else were talking about it. And he practices what he preaches in that for him each of the bottom lines are critical to the overall success of making this a better world. He is one of the most respected persons in the field and even through the most challenging times has managed to keep Fourth-Sector growing as other organizations have fallen by the wayside. In 2009 alone, he has been a part of a group invited to the White House by the President; he has been asked to the US House to be a part of a Congressional Green Roundtable; he has advised State and Local Government; and has donated his time to countless entrepreneurs starting out in the sustainability space. He is considered the leading thinker in the sustainable financing space and is invited to speak to and advise leaders all across the country. As he does all of this, he never stops promoting NC as the emerging center of this movement and he never forgets the community aspect even as the environmental and economic legs of the 3 legged stool gets the most attention. Henry sits on dozens of boards at the local, state and national levels that include affordable housing, economic education, workforce development, responsible investing, and many others. In all of those he continually pushes for inclusion of environmental and social principals. In 2009, he was appointed by Governor Bev Perdue to the NC Economic Development Board because of his relentless push for North Carolina becoming the sustainable capitol of the world. Anyone who knows Henry should feel good about that appointment. He is one of the few people that seems to be universally respected and admired as a leader of leaders - which is critical in this space of sustainability. And he may be one of the most connected individuals in the space because he seems to know everyone involved in sustainability from financiers to entrepreneurs to CEOs to leaders in the public, private and non-profit sectors. He can talk about high-level finance, policy, theory, technology, science and even sustainable art. He can talk green jobs and community development. In the young field of modern sustainability; I don't know many people more accomplished and respected in this area than Henry McKoy. Yet, he maintains a great humility about him that has made him a beloved figure in the space. I think Sustainable NC should honor his accomplishments by recognizing his incredible presence in this area locally, statewide and nationally.

What specific results have been achieved?

Henry McKoy has been able to get public, private, and non-profit sectors to work together in unprecedented ways. His group at Fourth-Sector Financial has developed what is believed to be the first vehicle for effectively financing energy-efficiency retrofits for state and local government and in the process he has brought some of the world's largest enterprises in partnership with his team. Beyond that, Fourth-Sector is the organization that is sought out for some of today's toughest finance challenges related to sustainable enterprises. Much of Henry's work is done quietly and thoughtfully, yet he is so prolific in his reach. He has contributed a powerful voice to NC leadership on why sustainability needs to be the cornerstone of NC's future economic development strategy. As an award winning former banker who had great success throughout his career, he brings a great level of credibility to this movement that has proved valuable in bringing more business and finance leaders to the table. Early in his career, he demonstrated that a financial institution could be extremely profitable, while positively impacting the environment and the community. Fourth-Sector is a higher level of that work.

In what ways are the efforts of this organization/individual unique and innovative?

Henry McKoy is simply unique. He is unique because he stands out for a number of reasons in the sustainability space. The Fourth-Sector model is truly one that brings together the public, private, and non-profit sectors in unique ways. It truly treats each bottom line as part of the whole - people, planet, and profits. That is the most innovative aspect of his work, in that he can really balance those aspects of sustainability. He has a unique voice that allows him to literally speak to the President of the United States and the president of a small community organization in an engaging way. His authentic voice is that of compassion and caring, while never losing the intellectual understanding of the problems. There is no organization creating more unique and innovative solutions to sustainability problems - namely how to strategize about growth and financing of enterprises - than Fourth-Sector Financial. Henry saw this need before most anyone else did. He and Fourth-Sector were certainly the first to focus on green financing in North Carolina, even before Bank of America and Wachovia launched their green lending practices. He foresaw the need for sector specific financing that understood green business and entrepreneurship. Even now, as the sector has gotten more traction, Fourth-Sector and Henry McKoy is still the go to expert in this area, highly sought after.

How has the broader community been impacted?

This may be Henry's greatest impact. The world of green and sustainability has been largely a monolithic world with little diversity. And where there has been diversity in recent years, it has largely been from the traditional areas where people of color engage - activism. Henry may be the only green financier of color and certainly among the few. This sends a broader message to all communities that there is a place at the table for everyone and that it is not always in stereotypical roles. He is one of the few individuals in this entire space that is as respected by the professional class as he is by the activist class. That is a testament to Henry's unique voice in this space. One of his most incredible feats is the amount of his time that he gives to others via his board duties, his charitable work, speaking in elementary-middle-and-high schools, and his mentorship of entrepreneurs and students. Because Henry advises in so many areas of the public sector, private sector, and non-profit sector, the broader community has been incredibly impacted by his work and his endeavors. He is considered an expert and member of so many communities that he is able to be unique in bringing those worlds together in a way that goes beyond his day to day work and will have a much longer term impact.