Five years ago today, Scott Clavenna and Rick Thompson started Greentech Media and GTM Research. 

The idea was to differentiate the company by offering an integrated news and analysis site in the alternative energy and greentech sector. Instead of simply reporting the news, the integrated site also offered vast data resources from a team of industry thought-leading analysts in solar like Shyam Mehta, Shayle Kann, Brett Prior, and MJ Shiao and smart grid analysts David Leeds, Emma Ritch and Ben Kellison. Backing up the analysis and news team was a business development group led by Vice President John Keough that found innovative ways to give vendors in the greentech market access to customers.

Our birthday corresponds with a site redesign and a fresh new face for GTM, our first since January 2010.

There have been challenges as well as victories at GTM over the last five years, as at any startup. But in the face of those struggles, the company has grown from a good idea into an independent, thriving voice and leading media outlet in greentech. Through the years -- and I say this as employee number one -- the uniting theme has been hard work and big fun. Lots of firms' marketing materials say that, but I will shout from the rooftops that this is the most gratifying job I've ever had in my life.

Of course, the real heroes are our readers -- hundreds of thousands of smart energy experts who keep us on our toes and let us know in no uncertain terms when we do wrong and right. We appreciate your readership, your comments, and the work you do every day to further the cause of a more rational and efficient energy industry. As always, we welcome your comments and feedback. Send tips to [email protected].

We also have a great graphics department which does stuff like this fifth anniversary celebration of Greentech Media statistics. Thanks for reading.