Community Housing Partners (CHP), which provides affordable and sustainable housing throughout the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic, is pleased to welcome Eric Penrod as the new Director of the CHP Energy Solutions Training Center.
Penrod brings more than 20 years of experience in workforce development, instructional design, and organizational training. In his new role, he oversees the Training Center’s curriculum, educational programs, and partnerships serving professionals in weatherization, building science, energy efficiency, and related fields.
“Eric brings a strong combination of workforce development experience, instructional expertise, and a practical understanding of what it takes to build effective training programs,” said Mark Jackson, CHP’s Vice President for Energy Solutions. “We’re excited to have him leading the Training Center and building on the strong foundation that Phil Hull and the Training Center team have established over the years.”
Penrod joins CHP following a career focused on helping organizations develop safer, more capable, and better-prepared workforces. As an OSHA Authorized Instructor, he has designed and delivered training across manufacturing, construction, government, education, and military sectors. His work has included curriculum development, instructional design, learning management systems, and workforce training strategy.
Eric holds a Master of Arts in teaching. His previous roles include leading a training squadron in the United States Air Force, teaching fifth-grade special education, and serving as the Lead (Pb) Manager for the Ohio Weatherization Training Center.
A lifelong Appalachian with more than four decades of roots in the region, Penrod brings a practical perspective and a strong appreciation for building meaningful relationships. He sees training as more than a means of meeting regulatory requirements, emphasizing the importance of giving people the knowledge, skills, and confidence they need to succeed in their work.
“I’m excited to join CHP and be part of an organization with such a strong commitment to workforce development and energy efficiency,” Penrod said. “The Training Center has built an impressive reputation, and I’m looking forward to working with the team, our partners, and the people we serve to continue expanding opportunities to learn and grow.”
Penrod succeeds Phil Hull, who retired from CHP earlier this year after 16 years with the organization, including 12 years as Training Center Director. During his tenure, Hull helped expand the Training Center’s reach beyond Virginia, broaden its educational offerings, and launch CHP’s second campus in Baltimore, Maryland.
Penrod will build on that foundation as CHP continues to develop the workforce needed to advance energy efficiency, healthy homes, and sustainable communities.
Founded in 1975, Community Housing Partners (CHP) provides quality-built, responsibly managed, service-enriched homes for low-income individuals and families across the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic. Through its mission to create homes and communities that are healthy, sustainable, and affordable, CHP has been a leading advocate of affordable housing development for 50 years. CHP’s activities include real estate development, construction, energy services and training, asset management, property management, realty and homeownership, and comprehensive resident services.