Employee Spotlight: William Rupp, Business Development Executive 

From NASA Mission Control to Carbon-Negative AI: Will Rupp on Building What’s Next 

Behind every project CEG delivers is a team of people who bring deep technical knowledge, a drive to solve hard problems, and a genuine commitment to making an impact. 

Our Employee Spotlight series puts a face to that work — introducing the individuals whose expertise and curiosity shape what we do and how we do it. 

In this installment, we’re sitting down with William Rupp, one of CEG’s Business Development Executives, to hear about his path from the construction field to business development, the projects pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in energy and infrastructure, and what keeps him motivated after nearly a decade at CEG. 

Here’s what he had to say. 

What do you do in your role at CEG? 

I’m currently a Business Development Executive at CEG. I identify and work with clients to uncover opportunities for energy infrastructure improvements, then coordinate their needs with our internal teams to develop projects and make sure we’re providing real value to our customers. 

You’ve held several roles at CEG. Can you walk us through your path here? 

I began my collegiate career as a Division I wrestler while studying civil engineering. I eventually left wrestling to focus on academics and picked up a second major in physics. Throughout college, I interned with the Federal Aviation Administration, working in their air traffic control tower construction department for two summers. 

After graduating, I joined one of the largest infrastructure contractors in the world as a project manager on a multi-billion-dollar interstate reconstruction project outside of Washington, D.C. After about a year and a half learning the ins and outs of construction management, I made the switch to CEG as an Associate Project Manager. 

From there, I became a Project Manager for the NASA JPL Phase III Data Center project and moved out to LA. That kicked off what I’d call my tour of construction projects… IRS in New York, NAPA in Northern California, and others. I transitioned into a Senior Project Manager role, providing pre-construction support to development projects and getting heavily involved in the NREL project. That’s ultimately what led to my move into the business development side of the company. 

What do you consider one of your biggest accomplishments thus far? 

Taking over as project manager for the Phase III NASA data centers and delivering the project on time and on budget, without impacting any of NASA’s critical missions. That included supporting their Mars 2020 mission timeline. The stakes were incredibly high, and making sure that nothing we did caused disruption to their operations was something I was very proud of. 

What projects are you working on currently, and what excites you about them? 

Right now I’m focused on developing CEG’s carbon-negative energy generation and AI data center program. We’re working with several clients who are developing thermochemical conversion of waste products to energy, a process that converts biomass into a synthesis gas that can then be used to generate power. 

For our first pilot project, the client has purchased an existing biomass power plant in Northern California. We’re working to make it net carbon negative by using a pyrolysis process to remove the carbon from the combustion cycle, generate a syngas, and use that power to run a new AI data center that we’re also helping to design, fabricate, and build. We expect to move into construction by the end of the year, with an estimated two-year build. 

The way this program came together is a story in itself. I built a relationship with a business partner in Southern California who was working to develop a platform around net carbon-negative biomass power plants. Through that relationship, we helped him identify outside investors, with the understanding that if we served as the financial advisor, we could also be the construction provider. That introduction led to their owner’s rep, a technical consultant, who was impressed enough with our capabilities to introduce us to other clients working on similar projects. From there, we expanded into engineering services for their broader portfolio. 

Day-to-day, that looks like regular client meetings and working sessions with the owner’s rep, coordinating their expectations with our internal team, working through the decisions and information we need to deliver, and structuring the contracts and other arrangements for what is ultimately a $150 million EPC project. 

What challenge does this project solve beyond the client itself? 

AI is obviously a major topic in our society right now, both the positives and the concerns. People are excited about the increased efficiency and intelligence it can bring to to humanity, but we’re also worried about its environmental footprint. This will demonstrate that AI can be implemented in a way that doesn’t cause negative impacts to the environment. That means removing carbon emissions from power generation, identifying water conservation strategies to minimize consumption, and designing the data center itself to be easy to build and replicate. If we can prove this model works, it has the potential to scale. 

What’s the most meaningful or rewarding part of your job? 

I love creating an impactful project and being part of a larger purpose and mission. Whether that’s on the implementation side — making sure we’re achieving every goal we set out to accomplish — or on the development side, where we’re creating something that never existed before and provides real benefit to our clients and broader societal goals. That’s what keeps me motivated. 

What do you think is the most pressing challenge that CEG helps solve? 

One of the biggest challenges we help solve is bringing a value-based focus to energy efficiency and sustainability. A lot of clients approach it purely as a renewable generation strategy. CEG’s approach is different — we take a deeper dive to identify better ways to achieve the same results, and we help clients unlock the ability to do it without straining their capital budgets. 

Has CEG supported your professional development over the years? 

Absolutely. I’ve been with CEG for going on seven and a half years, and I’ve achieved numerous advancements along the way. I’ve always had strong mentorship and guidance — a real team of role models I could look up to and learn from. The amount of training and certifications I’ve been through is almost too many to count. During my time in the construction department, I became certified in just about everything you can think of related to the industry. Now, as part of the business development team, we do regular sales training as well. CEG has always invested in helping me grow. 

What’s a fun fact about you? 

I like to spend my weekends participating in athletic competitions. I live in San Diego, which is a very fitness-based community, so there’s always something to train for and compete in: races, hybrid athlete competitions, you name it. I spend a lot of time preparing and then competing in those events. 

What do you hope for in the near future — for your career and for CEG? 

I want to see the successful execution of these power plant and data center projects through to completion. I think there’s a huge and growing market here. As we get deeper into it, we’re seeing increased interest, and I’d love to see CEG grow its footprint in that space and become a major competitor in the power generation and AI construction industry. 

Is there anything else you feel is important to your story at CEG? 

It’s a company you can trust. If you put the work and the effort in, CEG will look out for you. I’ve spent the vast majority of my career here and I plan to spend the rest of it here too. 

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Interested in exploring a career where you can make a real impact while working alongside smart, driven people? 

At CEG Solutions, we’re always looking for curious problem-solvers who want to grow, take ownership, and help shape the future of energy and infrastructure. Explore open roles and learn more about life at CEG on our Careers page.