Kevin Smith (in the picture) takes over from Sarah Slusser as Cypress Creek Renewables CEO.  (Photo Credit: Cypress Creek Renewables)
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Former Arevon Energy CEO Joins Cypress Creek Renewables

Kevin Smith succeeds long-time CEO Sarah Slusser as the US renewable energy developer prepares for its next phase of growth

Anu Bhambhani

  • Cypress Creek Renewables has named Kevin Smith as CEO, replacing Sarah Slusser, who had led the company since 2019

  • Smith previously served as the CEO of Arevon Energy and earlier as CEO Americas at Lightsource bp

  • He will lead EQT-backed Cypress Creek, which currently has operating and under-construction assets of more than 3 GW

Cypress Creek Renewables, the US-based independent power producer (IPP), has announced the appointment of Kevin Smith as the company’s new Chief Executive Officer (CEO), along with the departure of its long-time CEO, Sarah Slusser, who held the position since 2019 (see Cypress Creek Renewables Rejigs Leadership).

Until recently, Smith was the CEO of the American utility-scale solar and storage company Arevon Energy, having earlier served as the CEO Americas at Lightsource bp. At Arevon, the company’s Chief Operating Officer (COO), Justin Johnson, has been named the Interim CEO, effective February 20, 2026.  

Smith takes over from Slusser as the CEO of a company that has commercialized 15 GW of project capacity and maintains a portfolio of over 3 GW of operating and under-construction assets. Its O&M platform, Cypress Creek Solutions, operates more than 4 GW of energy assets in 24 US states, says the company.

Cypress Creek management credits Slusser with positioning the company for long-term growth while leading it through major federal tax policy shifts and its 2021 acquisition by EQT.

Smith said, “Cypress Creek has built a strong, differentiated platform with significant growth potential,” said Kevin Smith. “I look forward to working alongside the team and our partners at EQT to scale the business, enhance enterprise value, and strengthen the Company’s position as a leading renewable energy platform in the U.S.”