Michael Ahearn

Biography

 Michael J. Ahearn currently serves as Executive Chairman of First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ: FSLR). He co-founded First Solar and served as its Chief Executive Officer during 2000 through 2009. During that period First Solar grew from a start-up company with an advanced semiconductor technology for manufacturing low cost photovoltaic devices into a global leader in the solar power industry. In 2009, revenue and net income exceeded $2 billion and $600 million, respectively, and the company was named to the S&P 500. In addition to First Solar, Michael serves on one other “for-profit” board of directors — an early stage company named Fluidic that is developing a potentially disruptive battery technology. Prior to First Solar, Michael served as a managing partner in True North Partners, an early stage investor in disruptive innovations (of which First Solar was one). In addition to Endeavor, Michael is a member of the board of trustees of The German Marshall Fund (GMF), a non‐partisan public policy and grant-making institution based in Washington, D.C. Michael also serves on the board of directors of The O’Connor House, a non-profit organization recently founded at the initiative of Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. Michael lives in Phoenix, Arizona. He holds B.S. and J.D. degrees from Arizona State University.

Research Interest

 Business & Management