By: Kim Herzog, Chief Commercial Officer, Encore Energy Services
My ethanol story started nearly 20 years ago in ‘Reaction Kinetics and Reactor Engineering’ class, which was part of my chemical engineering curriculum in college. While there were many things I learned in these courses that felt very abstract (e.g., thermodynamics and fluid dynamics to name a few!), learning about ethanol was super interesting given the real-world application. My story continued after college when I joined a start-up catalysis company. I was the third employee, and our mission was to transform chemical analysis using catalysis. Our first product was a catalytic micro-reactor that paired with gas chromatographs and helped quantify abstract compounds, where standards were hard to come by. This was my first ethanol experience where I moved from strictly learning about ethanol, to learning about ethanol AND trying to help the ethanol industry. We worked with several ethanol plants and had the opportunity to install our micro-reactor on a chromatograph at the Iowa State University Bioeconomy Institute.
Upon my transition to Encore Energy Services, I was thrilled to know my involvement in the ethanol industry would continue! Since starting at Encore in 2008, I have worked with ethanol plants on their energy strategy, natural gas delivery/balancing, and more. While the duration of relationships with the various plants varies, several pre-date my time at Encore and extend back over a decade. In addition to being a deep-rooted energy partner to our ethanol customers, Encore also wants to ensure we are supporting and engaging in the ethanol industry, which is why we joined ACE. I love being involved in ACE as it has provided valuable insight regarding the various challenges, victories, and evolutions of the industry.
As I reflect on what I love most about the ethanol industry, the answer is obvious...the people! I feel blessed to have met so many wonderful people and to have now worked with them long enough to call them true partners and friends.
I am also blessed to be a mother of two young children. When we drive past the corn fields of Nebraska, it is fun for them to see the corn grow! We enjoy talking about how the farmers prep the fields, plant the seeds, wait for the corn to grow, use the big combines to harvest, and then let the land rest for the winter to get ready for the next season. Seeing the industry through their eyes has given me an even deeper connection to the ethanol industry and its importance in our future!
I appreciate the opportunity to share my ethanol story, and while no one knows with certainty what lies ahead, I am extremely excited to be a part of this continuously evolving and vital industry!