| 7:30 am - 8:30 am |
Breakfast
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| 8:00 am - 3:30 pm |
FEW Golf Outing
Gateway National Golf Links
Learn More | Register Now |
| 8:30 am - 10:00 am |
 Colocated Event
Ethanol 101 Summit
(Tuesday, June 2 — 8:30 am - 10:00 am)
View Agenda | Learn More |
| 8:30 am - 10:00 am |
Concurrent Panels
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 FEW: Track 1: Production and Operations – Biological Processes
Managing and Maximizing Fermentation Performance
(Tuesday, June 2 — 8:30 am - 10:00 am)
Moderator: Shannon Zhao, Staff Scientist - Technical Service Biofuels, Novonesis
- Megan Brock, Tradeshow and Event Manager, Hamilton Company
Optimizing Yeast Management with In-line Sensor Control
- Sol Martinez, Associate Research Director, National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Center
Adapting Microbiological Techniques for Routine Evaluation of Yeast Performance in Ethanol Fermentation
- Joel Sirois, President & CEO, BioIntelligence Technologies Inc.
Listening to the Yeast: Intracellular Intelligence to Maximize Yield in Fuel Ethanol Fermentation Control
- Kerry Hollands, Senior Lead Scientist, IFF
Consistent High Yields, Fast: How a Multifaceted Innovation Strategy Delivers High-Performance Fuel Ethanol Yeast
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 FEW: Track 2: Production and Operations – Mechanical Processes and Plant Control
Energy Strategy and Decarbonization Pathways for Ethanol Plants
(Tuesday, June 2 — 8:30 am - 10:00 am)
Moderator: Maha Dakar, Chemical Engineer, KATZEN International, Inc.
- Yanhong Zhang, Research Scientist, National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Center
Quantify the Production of Ethanol and Carbon Dioxide on a Fermenter Basis
- Chuck Gallop, Director of Innovation, ICM, Inc.
Plant Expansion Considerations: Capacity Growth, Energy Strategy, and CI Reduction
- Junli Liu, Senior Research Scientist, Purdue University
Achieving a Carbon-Neutral Bioethanol Refining Process Using a Fully Electrically Driven Ultrasonic Separation
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 FEW: Track 4: Leadership and Financial Management
Positioning Ethanol Plants for Carbon and Fuel Programs
(Tuesday, June 2 — 8:30 am - 10:00 am)
- Jessica Karras-Bailey, Principal, RTP Environmental Associates, Inc.
How the Trump Presidency Is Impacting Your Plant
- Robert Anderson, Director, Energy Compliance Services, Weaver
RFS Updates, SREs & Market Outlook: What’s Ahead for Ethanol
- Rachel Vanourny, Marketing Manager, Fluid Quip Technologies, LLC
Leading for Profitability and Sustainability: A Comprehensive Plant Strategy
- McCord Pankonen, Strategic Initiatives, Phibro Animal Health - Phibro Ethanol
Training the Carbon-Aware Ethanol Plant: Building Operational Capability for Measurable Carbon Intensity and Carbon Market Performance
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 FEW: Track 5: AI, Digitalization and Advanced Process Control
Understanding RFS, LCFS, and State-Level Policy Shifts
(Tuesday, June 2 — 8:30 am - 10:00 am)
- John Oyen, Director of Business Development, ABB, Inc.
AI is Everywhere and Nowhere, or Is It?
- Matthew Dickinson, Director of Analytics, CTE Global, Inc.
Making Sense of Everything: A Framework for Focused Analytics
- Adam Cooper, Sales Engineer, dataPARC
AI Readiness for Ethanol Producers: Practical Applications and Future Capabilities
- Alan Raveling, Senior Technologist, Interstates, Inc.
AI Ready or Not, Here It Comes and How to Be Ready for It
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Sustainable Fuels Summit
Global SAF Markets: Policy, Pricing and the Path to Scale
(Tuesday, June 2 — 8:30 am - 10:00 am)
- Timothy Hughes, Project Director, CAAFI (Com'l Aviation Alt. Fuels Init)
The Promise, Progress & Potential for Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF)
- Kristine Klavers, Managing Director, SAF & RD, EcoEngineers
SAF in a Fragmented World: Aligning Global Demand Growth with Regional Opportunities & Compliance Requirements
- Sofía Cabrera, Price Reporter - Sustainable Aviation Fuel, S&P Global Commodity Insights
Decoding SAF Pricing: The Impact of Regulatory Frameworks on Market Dynamics
- Mengying Wu, Postdoctoral Associate, Harvard University
Policy Interactions and the Cost of Decarbonizing Aviation
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Carbon Capture & Storage Summit
Understanding Subsurface Risk and Opportunity in Carbon Storage
(Tuesday, June 2 — 8:30 am - 10:00 am)
- Spencer Crouch, Director of CCUS, BKV dCarbon Ventures
Subsurface Design of the High West CCS Project in Louisiana
- Jim Cron, Senior Principal Engineer, Geostock Sandia, LLC
What a difference a Basin can make: Comparative Analysis of Drilling Operations in Illinois and Williston Basins
- Muhammad Zulqarnain, Senior Consultant, Advanced Resources International
Why Pressure-Based AoR Models Can Overestimate Risk in CO2 Storage
- Laura Norris, Senior Consultant, Battelle Carbon Services
From Uncertainty to Opportunity in Iowa’s Subsurface: Reconsidering Carbon Storage While Exploring Hydrogen Potential
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| 10:00 am - 10:30 am |
Networking Refreshment Break
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| 10:30 am - Noon |
Colocated Event
Ethanol 101 Summit
(Tuesday, June 2 — 10:30 am - Noon)
View Agenda | Learn More |
| 10:30 am - Noon |
Concurrent Panels
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FEW: Track 1: Production and Operations – Biological Processes
Fermentation Hygiene and Contamination Control – Part 1: Cleaning and CIP Strategies
(Tuesday, June 2 — 10:30 am - Noon)
- Rachael Baker, Technical Specialist, IFF
The Hidden Driver of Fermentation Success: Hygiene Audit Training
- Nick LeFebvre, Technical Team Manager, Lallemand Biofuels & Distilled Spirits
Balancing Acid and Caustic Cleaning: A Practical Guide to Reducing Contamination in Ethanol Plants
- Jennifer Starner, Senior Research Scientist, Kurita America
Improving CIP Increases Plant Performance and Profitability
- Brent Ziegler, Manager Area Technical Support, Ecolab, Inc.
Improving Production Outputs from Optimized Hygiene Practices
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FEW: Track 2: Production and Operations – Mechanical Processes and Plant Control
Engineering Thermal Systems for Low-Carbon Ethanol Production
(Tuesday, June 2 — 10:30 am - Noon)
- Bill Frede, Project Development Manager, P1 Service, LLC
Beating the Heat: Aligning Cooling Infrastructure with High-Output Ethanol Production
- Eric Chase, President, Chase Nedrow Industries
Thermal Efficiency Improvements in Ethanol Fired Equipment as a Pathway to CI Reduction and 45Z Value
- Jim Koontz, Executive Vice President, Rock Energy Storage
Increase Revenue via Reducing the Carbon Intensity of Ethanol Production via Thermal Energy Storage (TES)
- Faisal Braish, Vice President of Business Development, SCS Energy
Heat-Recovery-Driven Cogeneration in Ethanol Plants
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FEW: Track 4: Leadership and Financial Management
Understanding and Maximizing 45Z Tax Credits
(Tuesday, June 2 — 10:30 am - Noon)
- Rebecca Johnson, Tax & Research Manager, Christianson PLLP
45Z Success Strategies: From Facility Setup to Selling Credits
- Joe Regnery, CCO, New Phase Energy
Optimizing 45Z Tax Credits Under the Provisional Emission Value/Provisional Emission Rate Process
- Andrea Foglesong, Vice President/Sr EHS Consultant, PROtect, LLC
Using the 45Z Rounding Bands to Your Advantage
- Faith Larson, Vice President of Business Development & Legal Counsel, Mickelson & Company, LLC
Landscape of the 45Z Tax Credit Transfer Market
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FEW: Track 5: AI, Digitalization and Advanced Process Control
Real-World Applications of AI in Ethanol Plants
(Tuesday, June 2 — 10:30 am - Noon)
- Nitin Ranjan, Founder & CEO, GOLGIX
How an Ethanol Producer’s AI Journey Is Reducing Variability, Detecting Contamination, and Protecting Fermentation Yield
- Israel Talpaz, Co-Founder & CEO, SeeTree
AI-Driven Intelligence for Smarter Ethanol Operations
- Timothy Daniel, Founder & CEO, Rimba
AI Utilization and Implementation for Compliance, Traceability, and Mass Balance in Ethanol Production
- Jeff Schreiner, Sr. Vice President of Global Collaboration, Cultura Corporation
Turning Sustainability Data into Bankable Clean Fuel Credits
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Sustainable Fuels Summit
SAF Economics and Investment Signals
(Tuesday, June 2 — 10:30 am - Noon)
- Sofía Cabrera, Price Reporter - Sustainable Aviation Fuel, S&P Global Commodity Insights
Ethanol-to-Jet: Cost Structure, Pricing Signals, and Market Outlook
- Azadeh Rohani, Senior Consultant, Worley Consulting
The Great Ethanol Pivot: Navigating CCUS, SAF, and the Post-OBBBA Incentive Landscape
- John Pierce, Partner, Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP
The EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) – Impacts on U.S. Sustainable Aviation Fuel Markets and Transatlantic Aviation
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Carbon Capture & Storage Summit
Navigating Class VI Permitting and Project Readiness for CO2 Storage
(Tuesday, June 2 — 10:30 am - Noon)
- Michael Hillix, Principal Geoscientist & Energy Advisor, University of North Dakota – Energy & Environmental Research Center
Reducing Regulatory Burden and Expanding Market Eligibility in Ethanol-Focused CCS Projects
- Kacey Garber, Senior Project Professional, SCS Engineers
Streamlining the Class VI Injection Well Pre-Operational Testing Process Through Early Drilling Integration and Coordinated Testing
- Charles Hostetler, Senior Project Manager, SCS Engineers
The Pros and Cons of Geophysical Imaging Methods in Class VI Dynamic Model Calibration Workflows
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| Noon - 1:00 pm |
Networking Lunch
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| 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm |
Colocated Event
Ethanol 101 Summit
(Tuesday, June 2 — 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm)
View Agenda | Learn More |
| 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm |
Concurrent Panels
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FEW: Track 1: Production and Operations – Biological Processes
Fermentation Hygiene and Contamination Control – Part 2: Microbial Risk and Fermentation Protection
(Tuesday, June 2 — 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm)
- Marina Tschida, Sr. Chemical Engineer, Ecolab, Inc.
The Fundamentals of Cleaning Science
- Anne Chronic, Director, Technical Services, Phibro Ethanol
Microbial Control in Today’s Operations
- Lindsey Mathiesen, Regional Sales Manager, Lallemand Biofuels & Distilled Spirits
Infection Control Strategies for High-Solids Fermentation
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FEW: Track 2: Production and Operations – Mechanical Processes and Plant Control
Decarbonizing Ethanol Plants with MVR and Electrification
(Tuesday, June 2 — 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm)
- Caldwell Reed, Vice President of Sales & Project Management, Piller TSC Blower Corporation
Profitably Decarbonizing Ethanol Production with Mechanical Vapor Recompression
- Bill Schafer, CEO, Energy Integration, Inc.
Not All MVR Projects Are Created Equal
- Rachel Vanourny, Fluid Quip Technologies, LLC
Pioneering Mechanical Vapor Recompression (MVR) Solutions for Efficiencies
- Jack Roback, Director of Business Development of Biofuels, Antora Energy
The Electric Ethanol Plant: A Case Study in Whole-Plant Steam Electrification
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FEW: Track 4: Leadership and Financial Management
Building a Successful Compliance Strategy for IRA Projects
(Tuesday, June 2 — 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm)
- Stephanie Thimmesch, Project Controller, ICM, Inc.
Navigating Prevailing Wage and Apprenticeship Requirements in Ethanol Projects
- Kathryn Mueller, Manager, Christianson PLLP
PWA Lessons Learned
- Alan Cordova, Vice President of Strategy & Partnerships, Empact Technologies
De-Risking Tax Credit Returns: Strategic Compliance Management for Ethanol Producers in the IRA Era
- Rebecca Johnson, Tax & Research Manager, Christianson PLLP
45Z in 2026: Navigating Regulatory Change and Credit Monetization
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FEW: Track 5: AI, Digitalization and Advanced Process Control
Digital Strategies for Maintenance and Asset Performance
(Tuesday, June 2 — 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm)
- Greg Giernoth, Director of Reliability, Novaspect, Inc.
Managing Maintenance and Reliability Data Silos
- Kelly Whittenberg, O&M Data Analytics Lead Engineer, Black and Veatch Corp
Real-Time Data Analytics Applied to Balance of Plant Assets for Ethanol
- Matthew Nylund, Flow, Density, and Viscosity Specialist, Emerson
Non-Invasive Technology Increases Efficiency and Reduces Maintenance
- Iuri Bazalia, Business Development Manager - Americas, Tranter, Inc.
Unlocking Operational Excellence Through Digital Innovation in Heat Exchanger Services
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Sustainable Fuels Summit
Unlocking New Feedstocks and Maximizing Processing Efficiency for SAF Scale
(Tuesday, June 2 — 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm)
- Sofía Cabrera, Price Reporter - Sustainable Aviation Fuel, S&P Global Commodity Insights
SAF Feedstocks: The Influence of Availability, Regulation, and Pricing on Market Development
- Luis Hoffmann, Global Licensing Director, Sustainable Fuels, Sulzer Chemtech Ltd
BioFlux™ Technology for SAF and Renewable Diesel Production from Contaminated Feedstocks
- Bill Morphew, Global VP of Sales, CPM | Crown
Maximizing Operational Efficiency in Biodiesel Plants
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Carbon Capture & Storage Summit
Operational Risk Management in CO2 Injection and Storage
(Tuesday, June 2 — 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm)
- Tim Eggeman, Chief Technology Officer, New Phase Energy
Keys to Success Execution of CCS Projects in the US Ethanol Industry
- Sylvain Riba, President and CEO, Geostock Sandía
On-Site CCS Insight
- Zach Freund, Consultant, Advanced Resources International
Mitigating Risks of CO2 Injection – Best Practices and Industry Learnings
- Chad Roller, Research Scientist, University of Oklahoma
Safe and Secure CO2 Storage
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| 2:30 pm - 3:00 pm |
Refreshment Break
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| 3:00 pm - 4:30 pm |
Colocated Event
Ethanol 101 Summit
(Tuesday, June 2 — 3:00 pm - 4:30 pm)
View Agenda | Learn More |
| 3:00 pm - 4:30 pm |
Concurrent Panels
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FEW: Track 1: Production and Operations – Biological Processes
Enzyme Science Driving Fermentation Efficiency
(Tuesday, June 2 — 3:00 pm - 4:30 pm)
- Matthew Ban, Director of Technical Services, CTE Global, Inc.
Kinetics are King: Linking Enzyme Strategy, Yeast Response, and Fermentation Results
- Malcolm Johal, Account Manager, Novonesis
Overcoming Biological Bottlenecks: Advancing Throughput and Efficiency in the Ethanol Industry
- Sang-Kyu Lee, Scientist, IFF
Accelerating Bioprocess Performance with Next Generation Amylases: Rapid Protein Engineering and Innovation at IFF
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FEW: Track 2: Production and Operations – Mechanical Processes and Plant Control
Optimizing Distillation, Dehydration and Evaporation Systems in Ethanol Plants
(Tuesday, June 2 — 3:00 pm - 4:30 pm)
- Luana Pacheco, Process Engineer, RCM Engineering-Thermal Kinetics
Strategies for Successful DD&E Revamps in Fuel Ethanol Plants
- Grant Romme, Process Engineer, Koch Engineered Solutions
Beer Stripping Columns: Advanced Tower Internals Solutions Increase Profitability and Reliability at Ethanol Facilities
- Shrikant Rathi, Director, Praj Americas Inc.
Next-Generation Alcohol Solutions for Fuel Ethanol Plants: Improving Energy Efficiency and Carbon Intensity
- Mark Binns, Technical Business Director, Hengye, Inc.
Molecular Sieve Dehydration Mass Balance – What Can We Learn
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FEW: Track 4: Leadership and Financial Management
Compliance Strategies for Evolving Fuel Programs
(Tuesday, June 2 — 3:00 pm - 4:30 pm)
- Joseph Ulfig, Senior Manager, Weaver
EPA QAP Overview: What Fuel Ethanol Producers Should Expect in 2026
- Preston Brown, President & Founder, incite.ag
Stacking Programs: Evolving 45Z Preparedness into Multi-Program Compliance
- Danielle Anderson, Senior Government Policy & Advocacy Manager, Christianson PLLP
Farm CI and Plant-Level Readiness for State Clean Fuel Programs
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FEW: Track 5: AI, Digitalization and Advanced Process Control
Building the Smart Ethanol Facility with Digital Tools and Automation
(Tuesday, June 2 — 3:00 pm - 4:30 pm)
- Adam Cooper, Sales Engineer, dataPARC
Improving Ethanol Plant Performance Through Operational Data Visibility
- Christian McDermott, SVP Americas, Voovio
Successfully Digitalizing Operations, Training, and Maintenance in an Ethanol Facility: A Case Study with EKAE
- Meera Mahadevan, Technical Account Manager, Siemens Industry, Inc.
Commission Faster, Train Smarter: Digital Twin Applications for the Next Generation of Bioethanol Facilities
- Peter Francino, Software Business Development, Schneider Electric
A Path Toward Autonomous Operations
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Sustainable Fuels Summit
Preparing Lipid Feedstocks for HEFA SAF Production
(Tuesday, June 2 — 3:00 pm - 4:30 pm)
- Bryan Yeh, Vice President of Engineering & US Operations, Canary Renewables Corp.
Pretreatment Considerations and Options for the HEFA Process
- Fahmi Kresmagus, Senior Business Development Manager, Clariant Corporation
Beyond Bleaching: Optimized Pretreatment of Low CI Feedstocks for RNF via High Performance Adsorbents
- Randy Alexander, Chief Operating Officer, Reactor Resources LLC
Safer and Smarter Catalyst Sulfiding for HEFA Renewable Fuels Units
- Matthew Clingerman, Head of Licensing Technology Development, Sulzer Chemtech USA Inc.
Unlocking Value from Corn Oil via SAF Production
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Carbon Capture & Storage Summit
Monitoring, Measurement and Verification Technologies for Storage Projects
(Tuesday, June 2 — 3:00 pm - 4:30 pm)
- Shirley Indriati, Program Manager CCS Development, Battelle
Test before you invest: Using Step Rate and Injectivity Testing to Ensure Ethanol Plants’ CCS Success
- James Aiken, Vice President, Barr Engineering Co.
Monitoring Vegetative Stress at a CO2 Injection Well Using Vegetation Indices and Prediction Limit Statistical Methodologies
- Jason Vanderkooi, Division Manager – Carbon Services, Battelle
An Overview of Compliance Monitoring for CO2 Sequestration
- Alex Henson, Account Manager, SGS Beta
Quantifying CO2 Capture, Utilization, and Removals (CCU) via Carbon-14 Biogenic Content Measurement
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| 4:30 pm - 6:00 pm |
Expo Grand Opening & Welcome Reception
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