Hayes Barnard

Hayes Barnard is an American billionaire entrepreneur. He is the founder, chairman, and CEO of GoodLeap, a sustainable energy financing company. Barnard is also the founder, chairman, and CEO of GivePower, a nonprofit that facilitates solar powered projects to provide clean water and energy systems to underserved communities. His father left when Barnard was three years old. Barnard graduated from the University of Missouri with a degree in management and marketing. He won a football scholarship to Central Missouri State, but was injured during his freshman year and subsequently transferred to the University of Missouri, where he graduated with a degree in management and marketing.

Career In 1995 Barnard went to San Francisco to be a part of the hi-tech boom. His first jobs were manning booths at trade shows. In September 2003, Barnard founded Paramount Equity Mortgage (later renamed to Loanpal and subsequently rebranded to GoodLeap), one of the first to provide online In 2008, he founded Paramount Solar, a subsidiary of Paramount Equity Mortgage, and became CEO.

In 2011, Guthy-Renker became an investor and business partner assisting in the growth of Paramount Equity Mortgage and Paramount Solar. and Barnard became SolarCity's Chief Revenue Officer. As Chief Revenue Officer, he managed a team of 8,000. He was also responsible for the company's growth and grew megawatts installed 300% from 2013 to 2015.

In 2014, Barnard founded GivePower that develops clean water and energy systems in underserved communities in developing countries. GivePower has developed water and energy systems in 17 countries, The organization also assisted the Sioux Nation in North Dakota in developing a 300-kilowatt solar farm in North Dakota, the first solar farm in the state.

In 2016, Barnard left SolarCity and took on the role of chairman and CEO of Loanpal, a financial technology platform that provides financing for clean energy products.

In 2020, Barnard started an asset management fund, GoodFinch. "good for life, earth and prosperity."

In October 2022, Barnard ranked #271 on the Forbes 400 list with an estimated net worth of $4 billion.

In 2021, the USC Marshall School of Business established the Hayes Barnard Sustainability Fellowship, an initiative designed to support MBA students dedicated to sustainable business practices. Funded by Barnard, the fellowship provides financial assistance to students pursuing sustainability-focused projects and research.

In May 2023, Barnard delivered the keynote address at the 140th commencement of the University of Texas at Austin.