Climate First Bank announced the appointment of Chris Castro as Executive Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer. Founded in 2020, Florida-based Climate First Bank is a digital community bank focused on combating the climate crisis through innovative and sustainable banking solutions, including financing for solar PV, and energy retrofits and infrastructure.

In his new role, Castro will support executive leadership to improve operations, offer sustainability consulting, accelerate strategic market expansion, enable new partnerships, engage in public relations and external affairs, and drive business development.

Lex Ford, CEO and President of Climate First Bank, said;

“Climate First Bank is focused on driving generational investments into clean energy – and Chris is exactly the leader to help do just that. His extensive experience with, and passion for, sustainability aligns perfectly with our mission to combat the climate crisis. As Chief Sustainability Officer, Chris will play a pivotal role in advancing our sustainability initiatives, innovative financing solutions, and driving positive environmental impact.”

Castro initially joined Climate First Bank in 2020 as a Founding Director and Executive Committee, helping with its launch. Beginning in July 2022, Castro was appointed by the Biden-Harris Administration to serve as the inaugural Chief of Staff for the newly formed Office of State and Community Energy Programs (SCEP) and Senior Advisor for the Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy (EERE) at the U.S. Department of Energy. In that role Castro managed a portfolio of $16 billion in grants and technical assistance programs to support states, tribes, local governments, and community institutions in transitioning towards a 100% carbon-free, clean energy future.

Prior to his role at the DOE, Castro worked for nearly a decade at the City of Orlando, Florida, in various roles, including Senior Advisor to Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and Director of Sustainability & Resilience. In 2008, he co-founded IDEAS For Us, a global UN-accredited nonprofit advancing community-led sustainability action projects around the world, and also started Citizen Energy, a clean-energy consulting firm that works to implement turn-key clean energy solutions for the small and mid-size real estate markets, specializing in commercial and multifamily buildings. Castro also co-created Fleet Farming, an urban farming social enterprise program to transform lawns, schoolyards, and underutilized land into microfarms throughout Central Florida.

Castro said:

“I’m truly honored to rejoin Climate First Bank and continue to contribute to its mission of catalyzing sustainable and inclusive financing to enable solutions to the climate crisis. I look forward to working with the team to lead our sustainability portfolio, develop innovative partnerships and new financing tools, and ultimately help scale our impact to new markets nationwide.”