NJBIZ, a statewide publication focused on business news and innovation, has named James Spano, the Co-Founder of Sol-REIT, as one of this year’s honorees part of the 2022 NJBIZ’s Leaders in Finance reception. The award is given to individuals or businesses who have made significant contributions to finance leadership in their field.
Each year, NJBIZ, a statewide publication focused on business news and innovation, hosts the finance leadership Awards to recognize individuals or businesses who have made significant contributions to finance leadership in their field. This year, James Spano, the Co-Founder of Sol-REIT, was selected as one of the recipients of the award.
Spano was selected according to his work at Sol-REIT, where he has been a driving force behind the company’s commitment to financial leadership. As a result, Sol-REIT has become one of the most innovative clean energy finance companies in the country.
This particular NJBIZ Award is given to individuals or businesses who have made significant contributions to finance leadership in their field. Additionally, the award highlights the importance of finance leadership in the workplace and celebrates the successes that can be achieved when these values are embraced.
James Spano is also the managing director of Spano Partner Holdings. As a developer and prominent advocate of renewable energy, Mr. Spano strives to maintain the highest quality standards and finds creative solutions to move development forward, from inception through execution and commissioning. Mr. Spano’s strong financial background, as well as, his expertise in real estate and land development have given him a perspective that is unique among solar energy financiers.
The company’s commitment to finance leadership starts with its founders, and James Spano has been a champion of finance leadership since the company’s inception. In addition to their financial strides, Spano Partners Holdings also has also been recognized for its dedication to diversity and inclusion, creating an inclusive environment for everyone who works at the company.
Spano's recent achievement was inspired by the words of his father, who always told him:
"Any business agreement that doesn’t benefit both parties will never leave you satisfied irrespective of which side of the agreement you are on! And you can never have a good agreement with a bad counterparty."
This philosophy has helped guide Spano in his business dealings, and it is a major contributor to Sol-REIT's success with finance leadership.
Over the course of his career, James Spano has learned a lot about business. Two of the most important lessons he’s learned to build successful businesses are the following:
When Spano was first starting out in business, he made a lot of mistakes. However, he didn’t let these mistakes discourage him. Instead, he learned from them and became a better businessman as a result.
Spano said, "Had I known what I know now earlier in my life, I would not have made the mistakes that have opened the pathway to what I know today. In other words, without my failures, I would not have acquired the skills that have provided long-term success."
Spano has learned a great deal about business throughout his career, but the two lessons that stand out most are his realization of mistakes and anticipation of the unexpected.
"Regardless of how well-thought-out a strategy is, the unexpected must be anticipated and prepared for. Never put yourself in a situation where there are no options or solutions. The real estate catastrophe of the previous decade startled even the most successful business people. They survived because they had other options," says Spano.
In order to be successful in any field, you need to have a passion for what you do. For James Spano, his passion comes from sustainability and philanthropy.
Spano explained, "I find it exhilarating knowing the impact I’m having on an industry that is supporting the most important environmental needs to address climate change by creating financial platforms that exponentially increase the amount of renewable energy development in the United States."
Indeed, Spano's efforts to promote finance leadership in the renewable energy industry are one of the many ways he is working to make the world a more sustainable place. The financing platform he created at Sol-REIT will exponentially increase renewable power generation having a significant impact on carbon emission reductions.
Spano's dedication to finance leadership has helped him create successful businesses. By promoting finance leadership in the fields of renewable energy and engineering, Spano Partners Holdings is helping to create a more sustainable future for us all.
Spano Partners Holdings is a great testament to the New Jersey economy's durability. As a generational NJ real estate development company caught up in a devastating real estate crash, Spano Partners Holdings was able to work in strategic partnership with New Jersey to re-purpose its assets under programs encouraging solar energy development in New Jersey and become a significant contributor to the state's clean energy goals, both in policy development and solar development. Then, by vertically integrating numerous renewable energy financing and energy storage firms, more employment has been created, strengthening the broader NJ economy.
Congratulations to James Spano and his firms on their success with finance leadership. Their dedication and passion has helped them create successful businesses and make a positive impact on the world.
This award will be presented on April 27th, 2022 at the Doubletree by Hilton Somerset Hotel and Conference Center at 200 Atrium Drive from 8-10 a.m. Tickets are on sale here. Congratulations, James Spano!
