ACE Elects Board of Directors During Annual Business Meeting
The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) elected and re-elected members to its board of directors during the organization’s annual business meeting on August 19, ahead of ACE’s 39th annual conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Board members re-elected to three-year terms include David Kolsrud with Badger State Ethanol, Harmon Wilts with Chippewa Valley Ethanol Company, Chris Wilson with Mid-Missouri Energy, Ben Rhodes with Nebraska Ethanol Board, Dave Ellens with Soth Dakota Corn Growers Association, and, additionally, Andrew Larson with ICM, inc., was elected to serve on the board, succeeding Adam Anderson.
ACE also welcomed two new members to its board: Kim Herzog, CCO of Encore Energy and Bill Pracht, president and CEO of East Kansas Agri-Energy.
“After several years as an ACE member, Encore is thrilled to deepen our involvement by joining the Board of Directors,” said Herzog. “ACE’s incredible team consistently delivers value-added events and initiatives, and the membership is full of industry experts with vast experience that we’re grateful to learn from. We look forward to contributing our own expertise to the board, giving back to an organization that has provided so much value to us.”
“I’m honored to represent East Kansas Agri-Energy on the ACE board,” said Pracht. “I look forward to bringing an open mind and years of experience to a great board and working together to build a better industry.”
ACE Welcomes Ben Rhodes as Chief Marketing Officer, names Ron Lamberty Chief Strategy Officer
The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) announced that Ben Rhodes, executive director of the Nebraska Ethanol Board (NEB), will serve as ACE’s chief marketing officer (CMO) beginning September 28. Rhodes will join ACE’s Ron Lamberty to intensify the organization’s efforts to develop new domestic and international markets for ethanol. Lamberty will take on the new title of chief strategy officer.
“We enthusiastically welcome Ben Rhodes to our team to help expand markets for ethanol,” said Brian Jennings, ACE CEO. “The combination of Ben Rhodes and Ron Lamberty solidifies and strengthens ACE’s unparalleled reputation of working with wholesalers and retailers to increase sales of ethanol-blended fuel just as access to key E15 markets is poised to be unlocked”
Since April 2025, Rhodes has served as the executive director of the Nebraska Ethanol Board. In that role, he has led the organization’s operations, personnel and projects, including stewardship of the NEB’s groundbreaking E30 fuel demonstration in non-flex fuel vehicles. Rhodes spent almost four years in total on the NEB staff after previous career stops in pharmaceuticals and communications. A west Omaha, NE, native, Rhodes holds a BA and an MBA from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
“I’m excited to be joining ACE at such a transformative time in the ethanol industry,” Rhodes said. “With so many new and expanded markets on the imminent horizon, my vision as CMO is to help lead those conversations moving forward. I’ve long respected the great work ACE does to deliver results for ethanol producers and add value to agriculture. I want to thank Brian, Ron, and the ACE Board of Directors for this opportunity, and I can’t wait to get started.”
“Ethanol’s value versus gasoline in today's marketplace, coupled with the daily mention of E15 in fuel industry news and record E85 sales, is driving increasing interest in higher ethanol blends,” said Lamberty. “Ben's addition to the ACE team gives us the ability to reach more prospective fuel retailers at this critical time and help them ‘do the math’ confirming the profit opportunity E15 and flex fuels provide, turning interest into new gallons. And as oil and electricity continue to increase in cost, Ben's experience with E30 and helping expand E85 use while at NEB will help ACE maintain ethanol’s place in the low-carbon fuels discussion.”
“During the last twenty-six years, Lamberty has led ACE’s unique and highly successful approach to developing new ethanol markets while providing me and the entire organization with strategic guidance and leadership on a wide range of issues,” said Jennings. “Fittingly, Lamberty will now assume the role of chief strategy officer to better describe his work.”