5 Questions With… Thi Lee

“T” Lee leads the Risk Management practice at Pine Gate where she directs insurance placements, supports financial closes, and provides risk management consultation to business units. 

1. What does Pine Gate Renewable’s mission of “getting solar done” mean to you?

From my point of view, anything that includes the words “getting done” means a commitment to excellence in execution and results.  

I think we know who we are, what we want, and why.   

• We are a group of ambitious, hardworking, technical people that know how to develop, finance, and be a trusted custodian of long-term income producing assets
• We do that well, at scale, faster than most, and we just get better and better at it.  

• Taking part in the energy transition is our why. Ultimately, we want to be on the right side of history and protect the future of our planet

2. What are you most optimistic/excited about in this industry?

The renewable energy sector will grow at an enormous scale and plays an increasingly critical role in the energy transition. We used to think in megawatts, now gigawatts. We used to think in millions, then billions, and now trillions. With real dollars and relentless commitment there is a better than good chance we’ll be able to achieve long-lasting results.    

3. What’s the best business advice you’ve ever received?

Here are a few:

• Culture eats strategy for breakfast. Work for a good group of people; otherwise, it’s a waste of time.
• Tony Stark without all the infrastructure is a normal human being. That is how the ordinary becomes the extraordinary, so go build things!
• People don’t like completely new things, they like the familiar done differently. Understand that real change is really hard.

• The best way to get what you want is to deserve what you want. Be exceptional. Companies that command astronomical value do so because they are exceptionally excellent at what they do.
• In theory, every potential issue is important. In practice, every potential issue can’t be of equal importance. (Welcome to my world!) 

4. What is an unknown skill you possess outside of your day job?

I am not good at most things. Send me to the wilderness, and I won’t make it. Zero survival skills. Luckily, I live in an area where there are 10 Costcos within a 30-mile radius. 

5. What’s one thing still on your bucket list that you hope to achieve in the next 5 years?

I don’t like the idea of having a bucket list, so every few months I give myself permission to do one thing that I haven’t done before or haven’t done for a long time. Hopefully, by the time I’m all gray and wrinkled, I would want nothing more than just sitting around and hanging out with the great grandkids. But between now and the next 5 years, I plan to eat well, rest well, spend time with family and friends, enjoy my job, and drive for meaningful results in partnership with exceptional insurance brokers and risk advisors at Marsh.