Plug’n Drive Founder and CEO Receives WiRE Woman of the Year Award

Plug’n Drive’s founder and President and CEO, Cara Clairman, has received the Women in Renewable Energy (WiRE) Woman of the Year Award. This award recognizes a Canadian woman in the energy sector ‘who has served the industry with distinction, gone above and beyond the call of duty and contributed significantly to the expansion and improvement of the power sector’.

“This year marks the third annual Woman of the Year Award”, said Joanna Osawe, WiRE Co-Founder and Co-chair. “Cara certainly impressed the slate of expert judges with her story and accomplishments.” All nominees are evaluated on their merits of excellence in leadership, advocacy, research and development, community engagement and efforts to increase the adoption of clean energy technologies. “Cara is innovative and entrepreneurial,” said Rebecca Black, WiRE Co-Founder. “She personifies the positive impact that diverse perspectives can bring to the benefit of the clean energy and clean tech sectors.”

Cara has more than 20 years of experience in energy and has devoted her career to advancing sustainability in the sector. Cara founded Plug’n Drive while working at Ontario Power Generation (OPG) in 2008. Since taking Plug’n Drive outside of OPG in 2011, she has turned it into a thriving non-profit organization that is recognized as a Canadian leader in the electric vehicle industry. In 2017, Cara led Plug’n Drive through an incredible year of expansion, including the launch of the world’s first Electric Vehicle Discovery Centre in Toronto, where consumers can learn about and test drive electric vehicles in a sales-free and no pressure environment.

“On behalf of Plug’n Drive’s Board of Directors, we wholeheartedly congratulate Cara and Plug’n Drive on this well-deserved recognition,” said David Collie, President and CEO, Electrical Safety Authority and Chair of Plug’n Drive’s Board of Directors. “Cara’s commitment to excellence, tenacity and ability to forge partnerships has allowed her to build an incredibly successful model that will continue to grow and benefit the electricity sector for years to come.”

WiRE is a non-profit organization that advances the role and recognition of women working in the energy sector. womeninrenewableenergy.ca