The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) has announced more details on the breakout sessions for this year’s 30th annual conference coming up August 15 – 17 in Omaha, Nebraska. Prospective attendees are being urged to register online by August 1 and make hotel reservations by July 25 to get the best conference rates.
The breakout sessions will be held concurrently in three rounds on the afternoon of Wednesday, August 16, following the morning general session panels and keynote address from Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts. The breakout sessions reiterate this year’s conference theme of “Tested. Proven. Driven.”
“Our conference theme is Tested. Proven. Driven., which describes not just our molecule but the people of the ethanol industry as well,” said Brian Jennings, ACE Executive Vice President. “Time and time again, our industry (and our product) rises above the many tests and hurdles in our path. We’re committed to the success of farmers, rural communities and to making ethanol the consumer fuel of choice.”
Breakout sessions tailored to ethanol plant boards of directors are included in the conference agenda. Kcoe Isom will lead one session providing boards of directors with a framework for understanding their roles and responsibilities. Another discussion, led by Ascendant Partners, will focus on succession planning and retention for ethanol company boards. Additionally, CPA firm Eide Bailly will cover best practices and safeguards to protect shareholders and ensure ethanol plants are protected from fraud.
New technology and efficiency improvements are other topics to be discussed during the ACE conference breakout panels. Fluid Quip Process Technologies will share opportunities for diversification in the ethanol industry. Representation from ICM Inc. will shed light on plant efficiency improvements that focus on creative solutions to move toward product diversification for long-term profitability. Christianson’s biofuels consultants will illustrate the industry’s progress by sharing trends in ethanol efficiencies using data from their biofuels benchmarking program.
Two of this year’s breakout sessions will cover retail-related subjects. A panel of two ethanol plants, Glacial Lakes Energy and Siouxland Ethanol, will provide examples of how well-executed retail promotions can successfully introduce higher ethanol blends. Also, fuel marketers Bosselman Enterprises and Husker Ag will share how ethanol producers and fuel marketers are improving the availability of competitively priced ethanol through direct marketing.
“The agenda is focused on what is being done to grow demand for ethanol here at home, through E15 and flex fuels, and around the world, based on ethanol’s octane and carbon reduction value,” Jennings said.
To learn more about the breakout sessions and conference agenda, click here.
