Abe Issa

Abe Issa
Residence Texas
Alma mater Texas Christian University
Occupation Entrepreneur
Title CEO
Website http://abeissa.com/

Abraham George "Abe" Issa (born December 23, 1982 in Beirut, Lebanon) is a Lebanese-American entrepreneur who is best-known as the founder and CEO of Global Efficient Energy.[1]

Background

Abe Issa was born December 23, 1982, in Beirut, Lebanon, to George and Margo Issa. The family left Beirut in the wake of the Lebanese Civil War ultimately settling in Fort Worth, Texas in 1987.[1]

In 2001 Issa began his collegiate career at Texas Christian University. As a student of the Neeley School of Business, Issa began his major in finance with an emphasis in real estate. In 2005, Issa graduated with a BA in Business Administration.[2]

Business ventures

Real estate

In the summer between his Junior and Senior year, Issa became interested in real estate investing. During his senior year at Texas Christian University, Issa began work at AC Properties. He worked 50+ hours a week on top of his coursework for his entire final year, eventually becoming the vice president at the age of 23.[2] Following his graduation in 2005 Issa founded Abe Issa Real Estate, a company that purchased foreclosed homes, renovating and then selling them. Issa enjoyed several years of success until the 2007–2009 recession in the United States hit which caused the company to close in 2010.[1]

Global Efficient Energy

After the closing of his real estate company, Issa started Global Efficient Energy with only $1,000 and within the first 45 days of operation the company had made over $100,000 in revenue.[1] Issa began by calling customers and going door-to-door giving free in-home energy efficiency evaluations in the Fort Worth area.[3] Soon thereafter, the company began to offer new consumer products[4][5] and in the summer of 2012, GEE began installing solar panels.

The company was 12th on the 'Top 25 US Solar Contractors' for 2014[6] and the company was to be valued at 50 million dollars in 2015.[1]

In 2015, Global Efficient Energy was awarded Gold in the category Executive Team of the Year by Best in Biz Awards.[7]

In August of 2015 Global Efficient Energy was names #32 on INC Magazines’ 34th annual Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies. Additionally, in the same publication, Global Efficient Energy was named #3 Top Energy companies, #2 Top Texas Companies and #2 Company in the Dallas Metro Area.[8]

Awards and recognition

2014

2015

Charity work

In 2015 Issa made a $500,000 financial commitment to construct the Abe Issa Field Sales Lab at TCU.[14] According to school officials...

"The Neeley Sales and Consumer Insights Center will engage TCU students with the larger sales and marketing business community and offer technologically advanced spaces for collaborative learning and research. The Abe Issa Field Sales Lab will be a smart-learning lab with flexible spaces for product development, merchandising activities and displays, writable surfaces and the latest in visualization technology."[15]

The project is expected to break ground in 2016.[15]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "How This Startup Is Retrofitting America's Idea of Energy". Inc magazine. June 24, 2014. Retrieved 2015-06-02.
  2. 1 2 "Recent graduate to share business secrets". TCU 360. Retrieved 2015-06-02.
  3. ↑ Larry Myler (20 May 2014). "These Are Not Your Father's Solar Panels". Forbes. Retrieved 1 November 2015.
  4. ↑ "Expert Home Improvement Tips That Save Energy and Money". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 1 November 2015.
  5. ↑ "Renewing Job Markets with Renewable Energy". NBC Chicago.
  6. ↑ "Top 25 US Solar Contractors (2014) - BuildZoom". Retrieved 2015-06-02.
  7. ↑ "2015 International winners: Team categories - Best in Biz Awards International". Best in Biz Awards. Retrieved 2015-08-18.
  8. ↑ "Global Efficient Energy: Number 32 on the 2015 Inc. 5000". Inc.com. Retrieved 2015-08-18.
  9. ↑ "35 Under 35 Coolest Entrepreneurs of 2014". Inc.com. Retrieved 1 November 2015.
  10. ↑ "40 under 40: Real difference makers in tech and business". TechRepublic. Retrieved 2015-06-02.
  11. 1 2 "The American Business Awards: Management Awards". StevieAwards. Retrieved 2015-07-07.
  12. ↑ "News - EY announces finalists for EY Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2015 in the Southwest Region". Ernst & Young. Retrieved 2015-07-09.
  13. ↑ "2015 International Winners - Exec". Best in Biz Awards. Retrieved 2015-08-18.
  14. ↑ "Young Alumnus Makes Commitment for the Future Abe Issa Field Sales Lab - TCU - The Neeley School of Business". Neeley.TCU.edu. Retrieved 2015-06-02.
  15. 1 2 "TCU’s Neeley School gets donation for sales lab". Fort Worth Business Press. Retrieved 2015-06-02.

Further reading

External links

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