Barry R. Shear, President | Co-owner

President, Barry Shear, has always been committed to the widespread implementation of solar power and the legislative policies that promote the growth of renewable energy systems. Barry founded Eagle Point Solar and built it into one of the larger solar developers in the Tri-State region of Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin. Prior to founding Eagle Point Solar, Barry was a business turnaround specialist for 17 years and part owner and CEO of Help At Home, Inc., a large homecare provider with operations in 16 states and 180 operating units, providing over 13 million hours of care the last year of his ownership.  

Barry graduated from the University of Iowa in 1976 with a bachelor’s in business administration (B.B.A.) and has earned a wide reputation as a vigorous advocate for solar energy. He feels that energy from renewable resources is the Industrial Revolution of the 21st century.  

In 2014, Barry concluded a two-year legal struggle to provide third-party power in Iowa. His case went all the way to the Iowa Supreme Court and was hailed nationwide as an important and pivotal moment for the future of solar energy. On July 11, 2014, the Iowa Supreme Court ruled in favor of Eagle Point Solar, allowing the Dubuque-based company to sell solar energy “output” to the City of Dubuque from a panel array located on the municipal building. 

This ruling allows Eagle Point Solar and other providers of alternative energy to sell “output” from solar arrays placed on the user’s property.  This ruling now makes 3rd party solar projects viable. Solar developers can now go to any municipality,  university, wastewater treatment plant, churches, and any other non-taxable entity to install 3rd party owned solar plants to their roof or on their property.  

Barry also became the first recipient of the Bill Yerkes Award. The award was presented to Barry on August 19, 2014, during the annual Solar World Solar Summit held in Portland, Oregon. The award recognizes those who embody the passion, vision, and pioneering spirit of the award’s namesake. Yerkes is remembered as one of the vanguards of the solar energy revolution.  

In 2020 Barry sold Eagle Point Solar and retired for the second time.  Retirement did not sit well with Barry so in early 2022 Barry partnered with Matthew Shear and Tyler Billmeyer to form Midwest Solar Services (MWSS).  MWSS is in the business of servicing existing solar arrays and solar power plants to offer maintenance, monitoring, repairs, and optimization of solar arrays.  As President of MWSS, Barry will see to the capitalization and strategic direction of the Company to provide necessary services to the marketplace.