If you were to ask Mike Richter what his NHL hockey career and his current role as president of Brightcore Energy have in common, he would answer simply in one word: potential.
“That one word is what sports are all about, what college helps us to discover and what we strive to fulfill everyday in our personal and professional lives,” he said.
Richter’s pursuit of fulfilling his potential led him to a 15-year career with the New York Rangers where he was a three-time NHL All-Star and Stanley Cup Champion and Olympic medalist.
But, the real impact came when Richter went on to receive his degree in Ethics, Politics and Economics with a concentration in Environmental Politics from Yale University.
He quickly became a key spokesperson for environmental issues, such as resource efficiency and climate change. He speaks frequently about environmental regulations and public policy before many audiences, including The Senate Special Committee on the Climate Crises. Throughout the past decade, Richter served on boards of the Sierra Club Foundation, The Nature Conservancy and Riverkeepers.
The common thread in all of Richter’s experiences – from athletic to professional – is performance.
Brightcore Energy was founded on the concept of fulfilling potential.
“The majority of our nation’s buildings simply don’t perform well. They leak energy, causing businesses, schools and municipalities to waste a significant amount of money every month that they could use in much better ways,” Richter said. “Any form of waste inefficiencies – actually anything under maximum performance – makes reaching potential impossible.”
PUBLIC SPEAKING
Mike speaks frequently about environmental regulations and public policy before many audiences, including The Senate Special Committee on the Climate Crises, environmental conferences and media appearances in radio, TV and podcasts.
- Invited Speaker and Panel Participant at several nationwide conferences for the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG), a global community for middle market M&A dealmakers and business leaders focused on driving corporate growth.
- Appeared numerous times on Fox Business News, CNN, local and national radio
- Appeared local and national TV and print advertisements.
US Senate Special Committee on Climate Change
"I was on a panel with mostly winter outdoor athletes. They were fantastic, speaking about snowmelt and mountaineering and how they have witnessed their sport be compromised by these changes. We all discussed what that means to the broader industry and society. The point is that EVERY aspect of our society is negatively affected by climate disruption. And, importantly, this is not a 'sometime in the future' issue. The problem is here now and the threat grows every day."
Greenbuild International Conference & Expo
“The majority of our nation’s buildings simply don’t perform well. They leak energy, causing businesses, schools and municipalities to waste a significant amount of money every month that they could use in much better ways. Any form of waste inefficiencies – actually anything under maximum performance – makes reaching potential impossible.”
Higher Ed Facilities Forum 2021
"I had someone come up to me and say 'You're an unlikely environmentalist'. I replied, "What does an environmentalist look like?' Think about it. I've never met anybody that is serious about their athletic career that isn't pretty anal about how they eat, when they sleep, how they recover, how they hydrate. Why am I an environmentalist? Because the environment in which you live, breath, and consume is going to affect your health, and your health always affects your performance."
NHL/White House Roundtable
"We face enormous challenges and will need every tool at our disposal to get it right. Using the EPA’s and NHL's platform to inform the public on the latest science and solutions is a step in the right direction.
Fantastic leadership by Omar Mitchell, Melissa Parnagian and the entire NHL Green effort to host a White House/NHL round table on climate change with EPA Administrator Michael Regan."
IN THE PRESS
NHL.COM: Richter continues advocacy for NHL Green, healthy environment
NHL legend Mike Richter finds himself back in Westchester — where the NY Rangers train — providing modern energy-efficiency strategies for businesses so that we’re all not skating on thin ice.
What Facilities Leaders Can Learn from Mike Richter’s Legendary Hockey Career
"Your body is your Ferrari. That's your performance vehicle. Why would you ever go to a gas station to fill it up with muddy gasoline and expect it to perform well? It's a pretty good analogy. Why do we expect the best of ourselves when we're not putting ourselves in an environment that is the best?”
This Hall of Famer Now Brings His A-Game to the Boardroom
Brightcore President Mike Richter spoke with Westchester Magazine about how his athletic drive (as a former US Hall of Fame goalie for the NY Rangers) ties into his role as President of Brightcore.
MORE HEADLINES
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Winter athletes warn Senate Democrats: Climate change is ‘melting away’ our sports
Sustainable Rink Zone Podcast Series Episode 1 – Greener Rink
Skating on Thin Ice: How Climate Change Could Hurt Hockey's Future