(September 30, 2010) Washington – The Renewable Fuels Association announced today that Chuck Woodside, General Manager of farmer-owned KAAPA Ethanol in Minden, Nebraska, will be the new RFA Chairman. KAAPA Ethanol is a 60 million gallon per year farmer-owned ethanol facility. Woodside is succeeding Chris Standlee, Executive Vice President of Abengoa Bioenergy, who served for three one-year terms. The election was held as part of the RFA’s Annual Membership Meeting held in Washington, DC this week.

“The RFA remains the most effective voice for American ethanol producers, and I am honored the producer members of the board have selected me to lead the association,” said Woodside. “The ethanol industry is facing unprecedented challenges and on the precipice of unparalleled opportunity. As Chairman, I will seek to work with my fellow RFA members and those ethanol producers unaffiliated with the RFA to produce sound policy and market expansions that allow this industry to thrive.”

Woodside underscored numerous activities that will be the focus of the RFA in the year to come, including: efforts to extend current tax incentives for ethanol use, expanding ethanol markets through higher ethanol blend such as E15 and above, modifying fuel regulations to allow greater ethanol blending, challenging regulation of biogenic emissions by EPA, addressing incomplete science with respect to low carbon fuel regulations, developing next generation ethanol technologies, and expanding the market for distillers grains and other ethanol co-products.

“This is an exciting time for American ethanol production,” Woodside said. “If acted upon correctly, all of the challenges and opportunities before the industry will usher in a golden era of American ethanol production and help turn the corner toward true energy security in this country. The RFA and its members stand ready, as they always have, to help this industry build bridges and move ever forward.”

The RFA is also pleased to announce Neill McKinstray, Vice President and General Manager, Ethanol Division of The Andersons, Inc., as Vice Chairman, taking the position left vacant by Woodside’s election. The Andersons manage three ethanol facilities in Albion, Michigan, Clymers, Indiana, and Greenville, Ohio.

“From infrastructure needs to concerns over crucial public policies, the RFA has led the ethanol industry into battle and found common ground with our opponents in order to get things done,” said McKinstray. “I am honored my colleagues have given me an opportunity to help lead this organization and this industry in what is an unprecedented time of excitement and challenge.”

Also taking positions of leadership within the RFA are:

Treasurer: Randall J. Doyal, CEO of Al-Corn Clean Fuel in Claremont, Minnesota.
Secretary: Walter Wendland, CEO of Golden Grain Energy in Mason City, Iowa.
President: Bob Dinneen

A complete list of RFA membership can be found here.

About the Renewable Fuels Association: Organized in 1981, RFA serves as the voice of the ethanol industry, providing advocacy, authoritative analysis, and important industry data to its members, Congress, federal and state government agencies, strategic partners, the media and other opinion-leader audiences. The RFA is governed by a Board of Directors comprised of a representative from each producer member. The Board meets several times a year to set Association policy.