Erik Lensch ’92

Erik Lensch ’92 has a "passion for making the world and the environment a better place.” That passion has led Lensch to create and serve as managing partner of Leyline Renewable Energy. The company, located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, provides development-stage capital for “green” energy projects and helps guide the projects from concept to completion with development and construction risk management processes.

Lensch wanted to start his own business after working in the corporate world for more than 13 years in the financial services sector. “Since then I’ve bought and sold multiple businesses and am the owner of several privately held ventures, including the Honeysuckle Teahouse and the Looking Glass Café,” he adds.

Lensch graduated in 1992 with a bachelor of science in business administration and marketing. While his original plan was to attend for a year or two and then transfer to another school, he soon realized how great Radford University truly was and stuck around. That, he explains, has made all of the difference in his career.

"The Radford University experience has had a great impact on me," Lensch says. He adds that his most memorable classes were in accounting and marketing. “What has carried me further in the business world than anything else were the discussions and debates I had in those classes.”

Lensch says that he fell in love with the college community during his time at Radford University. Like many college students, Lensch worked a part-time job to help pay for school and he even became a brother with Phi Sigma Kappa, something that he was unsure of at first. “I recommend all students try something that takes them out of their comfort zone,” Lensch says. “They will be thankful they did – I know I am.”