Aug. 8. By Dave Vieser. Affinity Energy, a Charlotte firm whose president is Cornelius resident Allan Evora, is celebrating 20 years in business this summer. The company provides design controls for solar farms, data centers and medical campus energy plants, and Evora is thrilled.

Allan Evora

“We’ve always remained committed to providing the best service to customers by hiring exceptional engineers and staff who believe in our mission,” said Evora, who employs 17 professionals.

Evora, 55, started the company in 2002, taking advantage of a rapid growth in the need for designs services, ultimately expanding their scope of work into renewable energy projects. Some of their clients include Atrium Health, Bank of America, Duke Energy, Novant Health and UNC.

In its early years, the company was located on Bailey Road in Cornelius. They moved their growing business to Charlotte in 2011 near the Huntersville border.

Allan’s wife Mary Evora serves as the company’s finance manager.

They have lived on Lagoona Drive for 10 years.

Mary Evora

“The stars aligned and we were able to find property in Cornelius. Even though we had moved elsewhere we frequently found ourselves trailering personal watercraft and boats to the lake to enjoy boating and watersports such as wakeboarding, skiing and later wakesurfing,” Allan says.

The Evoras said living in Cornelius gives their kids “plenty of reasons” to want to come home.

Son Daniel, 23, graduated from UNC in 2021, and is a software developer in Seattle. Daughter Alanna, 21, is a senior at Elon University and is finishing up a dual major in biology and computer science. Elise, 18, is a rising senior at Lake Norman Charter.

Allan is bullish on Affinity’s future. Being in a part of the country that was an early adopter of renewable energy technologies has been a big help.

“We are poised for growth and expansion in the upcoming years,” he said.