UL Solutions Presents Watts of Love Founder with Hero Award

On May 14, 2024, the American Red Cross of Greater Chicago held its 22nd annual Heroes Breakfast, honoring individuals and groups for acts of immense bravery, dedication and service to the community. At this year’s event, UL Solutions presented Nancy Economou, founder and CEO of our nonprofit partner Watts of Love with the Global Citizenship Hero award.

Through Watts of Love, Economou provides UL Certified sustainable solar lighting solutions to communities in need around the world. Watts of Love empowers recipients via solar power and also helps them achieve financial freedom. After witnessing the dangerous consequences of families using kerosene for illumination in the Philippines, she designed and patented a solar light to aid these communities and help promote financial literacy by enabling families to save funds previously spent on kerosene or batteries, instead funneling them toward entrepreneurship and education.

As a sponsor of the Red Cross Heroes Breakfast, UL Solutions presented the Global Citizenship Hero award to Economou at the event. A number of Economou’s colleagues from UL Solutions were also in attendance to show their support.

“It was an honor to have my award sponsored by UL Solutions. As I reflect on the impact of the relationship between our two organizations, I can’t help but think of all the thousands of families that now have a brighter future,” Economou said.

“UL Solutions is proud to support Nancy and Watts of Love in their mission to bring people the power to raise themselves out of the darkness of poverty through solar lighting. Nancy is a true hero, and I was honored to be able to present her the Global Citizenship Hero award at the American Red Cross Heroes Breakfast,” said Linda Chapin, executive vice president and chief human resources officer for UL Solutions.

Pictured above are Economou’s colleagues from UL Solutions, including Linda Chapin, executive vice president and chief human resources officer; Kathy Seegebrecht, regional vice president, Americas; Al Zucco, vice president, Human Resources and Safety and Sustainability; Ken Boyce, vice president, Principal Engineering; Barb Guthrie, vice president, Corporate Sustainability; Dorothea Duenow, senior program manager, Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG); Jean Venegas, project coordinator, Safety and Sustainability; Tina Vaughn, senior manager, Community Affairs and Engagement, UL Research Institutes and UL Standards & Engagement.