Summers sun shines like his Dad

Lee Summers, director of EOS Energy, the solar power specialists, is not just following in his father’s impressive footsteps in the family business, but is perhaps even on his way to out-shining him, particularly when it comes to collecting awards.

pic: Lee Summers collects his Rising Star Award

His father, Gary, is Midlands Entrepreneur of the Year – a familiar and much respected figure in the Warwickshire business community where he runs his diversified Alumet Group of companies – all of them much celebrated in their fields for their excellence, innovation and green ethos.

  Lee has already earned the Rising Star trophy at The Energy Innovation Awards, and was named Environmental Individual of the Year at the Summit Skills Awards.

  At present he is short-listed as a finalist to win Outstanding Individual at the Energy Institute Awards; Emerging Professional at the Birmingham Post Awards; and Outstanding Commitment at The Family Business Awards.

  Lee, 30, is a steering group member of RETA (Renewable Energy Technology Alliance) and runs the Alumet Group’s subsidiary, EOS Energy, the pride of the group which is one of the leading installers of small to medium PV (Photovoltaic) panel systems in the country.

  Lee did not immediately join his father’s firm. He started out as an environmental manager for a company in Glastonbury. It was only when Gary decided to diversify from his core specialist construction business into a renewable energy division that Lee decided to put his experience and enthusiasm into the company. In turn, Gary put his faith into his son – and Lee has come up trumps.

  He, his father and senior colleagues celebrated their joint success recently at the inaugural Renewables Awards in Coventry, where 800-odd industry professionals applauded as EOS Energy carried off a “double”.

  The firm was named Commercial Renewables Project of the Year for their £3.1m Hendra Holiday Park project in Cornwall – a solar farm consisting of 5,000 PV modules mounted on a unique system.

  This was followed at the same event by the presentation to EOS of the coveted Commercial Installer of the Year award, which came with commendations for excellence in all areas of business and an innovative campaign that secured funding so EOS can offer free PV systems to clients across the UK.

pic: Alumet / EOS Energy is a family business - CEO Gary Summers (centre) with his children (L-R) Alex, Blake and Lee

  “Winter may be just round the corner, but for us Summers always here,” quipped Gary, whose younger son and daughter also work for the Alumet Group.