Ryan Popple
Ryan Popple, board member and former CEO of Burlingame electric bus manufacturer Proterra, died Wednesday at age 44, according to a statement from the company.
“Ryan embodied entrepreneurial spirit and devoted his life to creating a better future,” the company’s statement said. “His legacy lives on not only at Proterra, but with the communities around the world who can breathe easier and imagine a brighter future thanks to Ryan’s inspiring and transformational vision.”
Proterra did not release a cause of death. Popple became Proterra’s CEO in 2014 and last year became its executive director. In February, Popple stepped down to join G2 Venture Partners as a partner, according to his LinkedIn profile.
Proterra was founded in 2004, initially developing hybrid buses and later focusing on fully electric models. Under Popple’s leadership, the company grew exponentially, receiving a $1 billion valuation in 2019.
Proterra buses are used within the San Mateo County Transit District and Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority fleet, among many others around the nation.
Popple served as an armor cavalry officer in the U.S. Army, deployed in Iraq between 2000 and 2004. He graduated from Harvard Business School in 2006 and later joined Tesla, rising to senior director of finance in 2008, according to LinkedIn.
According to a 2016 article interview from The Mercury News, Popple and his wife had three children.
“Above all, Ryan was a husband, father, and friend. We mourn with his family,” Proterra’s statement said.
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