GRAPEVINE, Texas — The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) presented Bob Reynolds, the president of Downstream Alternatives, with a Lifetime Appreciation Award today at the 20th Annual National Ethanol Conference. Reynolds has played an integral part in the expansion of ethanol in today's transportation fuel market. Bob Dinneen, president and CEO of the RFA, noted, "Bob is that rare individual who can take complex, technical issues and distill them for the masses. He spent his entire professional career working on fuel quality issues. When he founded Downstream Alternatives, he did so to make sure that as renewable fuels, like ethanol, were introduced to the market, consumers would see no degradation in product quality. That meant working with the ethanol industry to establish appropriate standards and practices, working with auto companies to appreciate their current and future fuel system needs, and working with refiners and gasoline marketers to assure proper transportation and blending equipment compatibility. Bob was always able to move between and among these varied stakeholders with credibility and high regard. His work for the Renewable Fuels Association over the years had been immeasurable. I consider Bob a valued technical consultant, a generous mentor, a passionate advocate for renewable fuels, and a close friend." During his long and illustrious career, Reynolds authored numerous studies on the transportation and logistics of oxygenated fuels and was deeply engaged in projects involving fuel blending, product quality assurance, and terminal operations. In his nearly three and a half decades of working with the RFA, Reynolds had a hand in nearly every aspect of the downstream portion of the fuels industry. The ethanol industry continues to benefit from his work in developing fuel standards and technical guidelines for auto manufacturers and his ability to find common ground within the oil and automotive industries. Reynolds was a long-time member of RFA's technical committee and held a seat on several others, including the National Conference of Weights & Measures and ASTM International. Reynolds has been previously recognized for his contributions to the industry with the ASTM Award of Appreciation in 2006 and the ASTM Award of Excellence in 2009, 2010 and 2014.
