AGENDA:

Wednesday, August 14

5:30 PM - 7:00 PM       Welcome Reception

*Sponsored by Iowa Corn Growers Association, Kansas Corn Growers Association, Missouri Corn Growers Association, Indiana Corn Marketing Council, Minnesota Corn Growers Association, Ohio Corn & Wheat, Illinois Corn Growers Association, Nebraska Corn Board, Michigan Corn Growers Association, and the Kentucky Corn Growers Association

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Thursday, August 15

7:30 AM                       Registration Open

7:30 AM - 8:30 AM        Continental Breakfast

*Sponsored by: CoBank & Farm Credit Services of America

8:30 AM - 11:45 AM      General Session

• Keynote/Welcome: Nebraska Governor Ricketts
• "What it Takes:" Updates from ACE Leadership
• Keynote: Exports & Trade - U.S. Grains Council CEO, Ryan LeGrand
• Capitalizing on Carbon

12:00 PM - 1:00 PM      Lunch & Awards Presentation

*Sponsored by: Fagen Inc.

1:30 PM - 4:45 PM        Breakout Sessions - 3 Rounds, 3 concurrent sessions

• Preventing a Budget Blowout: Natural Gas Market Dynamics and Risk Management Strategies for Natural Gas Procuremnt - Ken Graeber, President & CEO, Encore Energy Services
• Improving Profitability in Challenging Market Conditions - Dr. Stephan Blum, Whitefox
• Overcoming the Margin Squeeze: An Evaluation of Strategies to Manage Your Plant's Cost of Capital - Christianson PLLP
• Talent Development Solutions for the 21st Century - Vikki Nicometo, Talent Advisor, KCoe Isom
• Becoming Multilingual - The Art of Communication - Janice Fairbairn, Market Development Manager, Wired Within
• How Biorefineries Can Achieve Success by Adopting Focused Strategies - Steve Hartig, VP of Technology Development, ICM, Inc.
• Energy Savings, Improved CI Scores, and Your Bottom Line

5:00 PM - 6:30 PM        Networking Reception

*Sponsored by: RPMG

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Friday, August 16, 2019

7:30 AM - 8:30 AM        Continental Breakfast

8:30 AM - 12:00 PM      General Session

Sponsor the 2019 Conference!

Join these great 2019 ACE Conference Sponsors!

2018 Annual conference

conference Photos

• Click here to view photo coverage from AgWired.

Conference Coverage

• Click here to read articles and listen to interviews with conference attendees from agwired.

Presentations:

*Speaker presentations are being added as permission is granted; check back for periodic additions, or contact Shannon Gustafson at sgustafson@ethanol.org if you're seeking one in particular.

• Future Fuels: John Eichberger, Fuels Institute

• Strategic Planning for Ethanol Plant Boards of Directors: John Christianson, Christianson PLLP

• Strategic Planning for Ethanol Plant Boards of Directors: Donna Funk, KCoe Isom

• Positioning Your Plant to Maximize the Opportunity Created by Low Carbon Fuel Markets: Zhichao Wang, Ph.D., EcoEngineers

• Workforce Management and Benefits Trends and Insights: Connie Lindstrom, Jennifer Quale, John Patock, and Kristie Haefner, Christianson PLLP

• Combined Heat and Power: Transforming Ethanol Plants Profitability, Carbon Intensity and Value: Bernie Hoffmann, TotalGEN Services, LLC

• Tax Reform One Year Later: Donna Funk, KCoe Isom

• Making Rural America Great Again - Uncovering the Plot to Keep Ethanol Down: Dave VanderGriend, Urban Air Institute, Doug Durante, Clean Fuels Development Coalition

• How Performance Based Control Technologies Address Cooling Capacity Issues and Deliver Profit DollarS: Andrew ledlie, solenis

• Benefits of Membranes for Ethanol Dehydration: Paul Kamp, Whitefox Technologies

• Ethanol and DDG Exports: Max Thomasson & Sean Broderick, CHS, Inc.
  

• What Do Tariffs and Trade Tensions Mean for Exports? Jon Doggett, National Corn Growers Association
  

• Corn Oil to Renewable Diesel: Proven Product Diversification Strategy for Tomorrow's Biorefinery: Adam Belyamani, Saola Energy

2018 ACE Conference Testimonials

“I really enjoy attending the ACE conference. It has always provided great networking opportunities for attendees. The atmosphere feels like a family gathering, where conversations are centered around the future of the ethanol industry and valuable feedback is received from plant executives and board members.” Adam Belyamani, COO, Saola Energy

“Networking was definitely one of the best benefits as a first-time conference attendee.” Emily Koop, KS Corn Growers Association

“I enjoyed the update of current happenings in the ethanol world as relayed by the ethanol producers that were at the ACE meeting. Frank discussion and concern were refreshing. I also enjoyed listening to the sessions – especially the fuel station managers on the last day.” Dale Ihry, ND Corn Growers Association

"I think the leadership in ACE is some of the best in the industry and I wanted to show our support and be engaged. I thought ACE did a nice job of focusing on the key points and issues and allowing us a forum to hear. I’d recommend people attend the ACE conference — we can’t make the changes needed by the industry if we aren’t at the table.” Erik Huschitt, CEO & GM Badger State Ethanol

“Meeting new individuals who are also passionate about alternative fueling and gaining some knowledge on other retailers, producers, and other uses of ethanol in the supply chain were highlights of the ACE conference, as well as learning how other parts of the country market and dispense the alternative fuel. I would highly recommend the ACE conference to anybody who would like to network, learn more, and share ideas about the alternative fuel industry.” Glenn Badenhop, Owner of American Freedom Energy c-store

“ACE does an excellent job at picking speakers relevant to the most pressing issues and topics at the time. ACE’s meetings are great — very informative and showed a good thought process. All employees were thoughtful and cordial.” Jan Lundebrek, CVEC

“The session with the fuel retailers was my favorite part of the ACE conference as they provided the best perspective on how the general population perceives ethanol. If the goal is to sell more ethanol, I feel it’s important to understand what people outside the industry think so we can figure out how to influence them and the general consumer.” Kim Herzog, Encore Energy

“The ACE conference provides many opportunities for networking with producers, ACE staff and other industry supporters and vendors. It's a valuable event for anyone involved or interested in the biofuels industry who wants to become more informed and meet many of the leaders in the industry.” Jerry Tegels, Buckman

“I enjoy the ACE conference as I was able to reconnect with those who we went with to the ACE Washington, D.C. fly-in.” Jerry Calease, Golden Grain Energy