James Woolsey
Former Director U.S. Central Intelligence Agency
James Woolsey is a foreign policy specialist and former Director of the Central Intelligence Agency. Woolsey serves as a Vice President and officer in Booz Allen Hamilton’s Global Resilience practice. He is currently Co-Chairman of the Committee on the Present Danger. He is also Chairman of the Advisory Boards of the Clean Fuels Foundation and the New Uses Council, and a Trustee of the Center for Strategic & International Studies and the Center for Strategic & Budgetary Assessments. He also serves on the National Commission on Energy Policy.
Woolsey served in the U.S. Government on five different occasions, where he held Presidential appointments in two Republican and two Democratic administrations. He was also a partner at the law firm of Shea & Gardner in Washington, DC, where he practiced for 22 years in the fields of civil litigation and alternative dispute resolution. Woolsey received his BA degree from Stanford University an MA from Oxford University and an LL.B from Yale Law School.
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John E. Ferrell
United States Department of Energy, Washington, D.C.
John Ferrell serves as director of the Office of Fuels Development and technology lead for the Office of Biomass Program. He is responsible for the planning, development and management of the Feedstock Platform. The Feedstock Platform is coordinated with the Department of Agriculture and is conducted through the Department of Energy's national laboratories, as well as land grant universities under the Regional Feedstock Development Sun Grant Initiative. Research directed by Ferrell at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, USDA and selected land grant universities led to the development and deployment of over 100,000 acres of short rotation hybrid poplars for the production of fiber and energy.
Ferrell is chair of the Woody Biomass Utilization Group which is an interagency federal effort to promote the recovery and use of forest and woodland by-products.
Ferrell received a MS in Resources Management from Syracuse University and SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry and a BS in Biology from Kalamazoo College.
www.energy.gov
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Governor Brad Henry
State of Oklahoma
A third generation Oklahoman, Brad Henry was elected Governor of Oklahoma in 2002. Throughout his term, the governor has worked to build a better Oklahoma by strengthening the state public education system and making health care more accessible and affordable to the citizenry. In his inaugural address, he urged citizens to celebrate Oklahoma's many accomplishments, put aside their differences and rally together for the good of their beloved state. As he often likes to say, "We are all Oklahomans first."
Before his election as governor, Brad Henry served ten years in the Oklahoma State Senate, chairing the Senate Judiciary Committee and serving as vice-chair of the Senate Economic Development Committee. The governor attended the University of Oklahoma as a President's Leadership Scholar and earned a bachelor's degree in economics in 1985. In 1988, he was awarded his law degree from the University of Oklahoma College of Law, where he served as managing editor of the Law Review.
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Richard Hess
Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho Falls, ID
J. Richard Hess is the biomass program technology manager for the Idaho National Laboratory (INL). The INL supports the Department of Energy Biomass Program in developing technology for feedstock supply and conversion of biomass to valuable fuels, chemicals, materials and power. The INL Biomass Program includes an emphasis on lignocellulosic feedstock supply systems, which includes feedstock characterization / development, harvesting, collection, storage, preprocessing, handling and transportation issues associated with biorefining biomass into fuels and chemicals.
Hess graduated in 1992 with a PhD in Agricultural Plant Sciences from Utah State University. Following graduation, Hess served as an Agriculture Congressional Science Fellow in the U.S. Senate working extensively on biomass and agricultural R&D policy issues. At INL, Hess's personal research interests are centered on biomass feedstock production and supply systems from the perspective of the crop plant and plant material properties' impact on feedstock supply and biorefining. Hess has been at INL for 14 years and during his tenure, has led the formation of several public / private sector partnerships for biomass feedstock R&D.
www.inl.gov
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Anna Rath
Director of Business Development, Ceres, Thousand Oaks, CA
Anna Rath joined Ceres as director of business development in 2004. In this role, she leads Ceres' business development activities including the evaluation of new business opportunities, development of collaborations and other business building activities. She was invited to speak on the topic of dedicated energy crops this year at BIO's World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology and Bioprocessing and the Renewable Fuels Association's National Ethanol Conference among others. Prior to joining Ceres, she was a consultant with McKinsey & Company. She holds a JD from Yale Law School and an MS in Human Genetics from the University of Michigan.
www.ceres.org
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Yates Adcock
Adcock Ranch, Seminole, OK
Yates Adcock is the owner of Adcock Ranch in Seminole, Okla. He also serves as the manager of Middle Creek Ranch in Saguache, Co., president of the Canadian Valley Electric Coop in Seminole and cooperator with the Noble Foundation in Ardmore. Adcock's expertise is in production agriculture and exploring new agriculture opportunities. He earned a BS in Animal Science from Oklahoma State University and a MBA from Oklahoma City University.
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Yvonne Anderson
Clean Cities program manager, Association of Central Oklahoma Governments, Oklahoma City, OK
Yvonne Anderson serves as the Central Oklahoma Clean Cities Program Manager for the Association of Central Oklahoma Governments (ACOG). Anderson has spearheaded significant public outreach efforts and media coverage, including workshops, special events, an education program for 4,500 students, and an alternative fuels exhibit that drew more than 25,000 attendees.
Anderson was instrumental in opening one private and two public E85 stations. She initiated and ushered through legislation that requires all state flexible-fuel vehicles to operate on E85 when the fuel is comparably priced with gasoline and the fueling station is within a five-mile radius. Yvonne addressed legislative committees, secured a bill sponsor and cosponsor, and worked with a legislative researcher to draft language for the bill.
www.acogok.org
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Chris Benge
Oklahoma House of Representatives, Berryhill, OK
Representative Chris Benge is a native Tulsan and serves in the Oklahoma House of Representatives. Benge began his legislative career in 1998 when he was elected to the Oklahoma House of Representatives District 68.
Benge has been chairman of the Appropriations and Budget Committee since 2005 and is a member of the Banking Subcommittee and the Insurance and Retirement Subcommittee.
In 2005, Governor Henry appointed Benge as co-chair of the Hydrogen Fuel Cell Initiative Task Force. Most recently, he was appointed a member of the National Conference of State Legislatures Budget & Revenue Committee.
His civic memberships include the Southwest Tulsa Chamber of Commerce, Townwest Sertoma Club, Sand Springs Rotary Club and the board of directors for Goodwill Industries.
Benge graduated with a BS in business from Oklahoma State University, Tulsa, Okla.
www.okhouse.gov
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Dr. Joe Bouton
Director of Forage Improvement Division, The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, Ardmore, OK
Dr. Joe Bouton is Director of the Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation Forage Improvement Division, and Professor Emeritus at the University of Georgia. Bouton develops forage and bioenergy cultivars for Southern USA. He is best known for the release and commercialization of ‘Alfagraze’ alfalfa, “MaxQ” tall fescue, and ‘Durana’ and ‘Patriot’ white clovers. His switchgrass cultivar, “NF/GA 993”, is currently under seed production for future release as a biofuels crop for the southern region.
For his achievements, Bouton was presented the Carl Sprengel Research Award by the American Society of Agronomy, named Man of the Year in Service to Southeastern Agriculture by Progressive Farmer Magazine, and awarded a Creative Research Medal by the University of Georgia.
www.noble.org
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Dr. Robert Brown
Center for Sustainable Environmental Technologies and the Office of Biorenewable Programs, Iowa State University, Ames, IA
Dr. Brown is a Bergles professor in Thermal Science at Iowa State University (ISU). He is a professor of mechanical engineering, chemical and biological engineering and agriculture and biosystems engineering. His research focuses on the thermochemical processing of biomass into energy, fuels and chemicals.
Brown is the Iowa Farm Bureau Director of the Office of Biorenewables Programs, coordinating research in bioenergy and biobased products at ISU. He published the textbook Biorenewable Resources: Engineering New Products from Agriculture and established the first graduate program in the United States to offer degrees in biorenewable resources at ISU. Brown is a Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineering.
www.me.iastate.edu
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Eric Burch
Communications Director, Indiana Office of Energy & Defense Development, Indianapolis, IN
Eric Burch provides public outreach and communications assistance for the Indiana Office of Energy and Defense Development (OED). OED administers Indiana's strategic energy plan, Hoosier Homegrown Energy, that details the energy related vision and goals of Indiana. These goals include working closely with groups and individuals dedicated to energy efficiency, conservation and reducing our dependence on foreign energy sources.
One of the bright stars of Indiana's energy program is BioTown, USA. This internationally renown model project is taking the small Indiana community of Reynolds and building the infrastructure to turn both human and livestock waste into energy. The goal is to provide the town's complete energy needs from renewable sources.
Prior to joining OED, Burch spent 25 years as a broadcast journalist, winning numerous state, regional and national awards.
www.energy.in.gov
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Beth Calabotta
Monsanto Company, St. Louis, MO
Beth Calabotta is the biodiesel and oilseed innovations technical lead at Monsanto Company. Her current responsibilities include industrial uses of oilseeds and associated products, including biodiesel. During her 18 year career at Monsanto, she has held numerous positions in engineering, manufacturing and research.
Calabotta is Monsanto's representative to the National Biodiesel Board, is a board member of the National Biodiesel Foundation and serves as a board member for the industrial steering committee for the department of chemical engineering at the University of Iowa. Calabotta holds an undergraduate degree in chemical engineering and an MBA.
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Lance Cargill
Oklahoma House of Representatives House Speaker, Harrah, OK
Lance Cargill is the House Speaker for the Oklahoma House of Representatives. He is the nation's youngest House State Speaker at the age of 35 and began his first term as Speaker in January 2007. He was first elected to the state House in 2000 representing House District 96.
Cargill's first legislative session as Speaker was marked by new conservative reforms: continued tax relief for working Oklahomans, a cut in government spending and landmark legislative accomplishments such as pro-life and immigration reforms. Cargill has advanced causes including increased standards of excellence for children's education and more involvement by faith-based organizations in societal concerns.
Cargill graduated in 1993 with a BS in economic and political science at Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Okla., and graduated in 1996 with a law degree from Vanderbilt Law School.
www.okhouse.gov
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James Covey
Oklahoma House of Representatives Democratic Floor Leader, Custer City, OK
James Covey is a member of the Oklahoma House of Representatives and serves as Democratic Floor Leader. He is as a member of the National Wind Coordination and Oklahoma Farmers Union Sustainable Energy Committee promoting ethanol production in Oklahoma. He is also president of the Oklahoma Renewable Energy Council.
He is a member of the Appropriations and Budget Committee, Rules Committee, Energy and Technology Subcommittee, Aerospace and Technology Subcommittee and Natural Resources, Agriculture and Commerce Subcommittee.
Representative Covey has worked diligently to help develop the strengths of Oklahoma by authoring legislation in support of ethanol, oil seed and biodiesel production. Areas of emphasis include developing wind power projects and other renewable energies. The Trucking One-Stop Shop Act that was signed into law in 2004 is an example of the determination Covey has to streamline government.
In 2002, the Oklahoma Renewable Energy Council named Covey the Champion of Renewable Energy in Legislature.
Covey graduated in 1973 from the University of Oklahoma with a BS in Business Administration.
www.okhouse.gov
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Ken Crawford
Regents Professor, NWS director of Integrated Surface Observing Systems, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK
Dr. Ken Crawford, a Regents' Professor of Meteorology at the University of Oklahoma, is director of the Oklahoma Climatological Survey and is the State Climatologist for Oklahoma. He came to OU in 1989 following a 30-year career with the National Weather Service. Crawford was a co-creator of the Oklahoma Mesonetwork, a statewide network of 116 automated observing stations that acquire and transmit mesoscale weather observations on an around-the-clock basis, and co-leader of a program to use data from the Oklahoma Mesonetwork in 250 public and private Oklahoma schools. In addition, Crawford helped design OK-FIRST, an award-winning program (Harvard University, 2001) developed to bring National Weather Service and Mesonet products to public safety officials across Oklahoma.
Crawford is a Fellow of the American Meteorological Society, serves as one of their councilors and was awarded the prestigious 'Cleveland Abbe Award' in 2002. He is a longtime member of the National Weather Association, was its national president in 1988, served as councilor in 1990-1991 and was 'Member of the Year' in 1991. Crawford is the immediate past president of the American Association of State Climatologists.
Crawford earned his BS in 1966 at the University of Texas in Austin, his MS in 1967 at Florida State University and his PhD in 1977 at the University of Oklahoma.
www.ocs.ou.edu
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Dr. Jeffery Dahlberg
Research Director, National Grain Sorghum Producers, Lubbock, TX
Dr. Jeffery Dahlberg currently serves as the research director for the National Grain Sorghum Producers where he provides leadership in areas of research and education, works on strengthening research funding for public sector sorghum researchers and strengthens collaborative ties among sorghum scientists. He also serves as the president of the Whole Grains Council. The primary responsibility of the Council is to provide leadership and education on getting Americans to eat a healthier diet by increasing their daily intake of whole grains.
Dahlberg received his BA in biology from Occidental College, MS in agronomy and plant genetics from the University of Arizona and PhD in plant breeding from Texas A&M. Prior to graduate school, Dahlberg served as a volunteer for the United States Peace Corp in West Africa where he set up Agriculture research stations.
www.sorghumgrowers.com
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Terry Detrick
American Farmers & Ranchers, Oklahoma City, OK
Terry Detrick, a farmer and rancher from Ames in Northwest Oklahoma, is vice president of American Farmers and Ranchers Mutual Insurance Company (AFR), previously The Oklahoma Farmers Union, which has originated studies on renewable fuel production for Oklahoma. As a result, Oklahoma Sustainable Energy LLC (OSE) was formed to receive investments from Oklahomans to build the first major ethanol plant in Oklahoma and has allied with Chaparral Biofuels LLC to form Oklahoma Ethanol, LLC, (OE) to complete the ethanol project. Detrick serves as President of OSE and a manager of OE.
Detrick also serves as vice-president of the newly formed Plains Oilseed Products Cooperative (POP Coop) facilitating the first major opportunity for Canola and Sunflower production and crushing in the state.
Detrick is past president of the Oklahoma and National Association of Wheat Growers and has served on many state, national and international committees and boards and has been very active in national farm policy development. Detrick also serves on the Cattlemen's Beef Board by Federal Appointment.
Detrick and his son, Brad, operate and manage a 3,000 acre farm and ranch operation which produces small and course grains, oilseeds, hay and beef cattle.
Detrick has been active in education, agriculture,cooperative services and rural development since receiving his Bachelors Degree in Business and Education from Phillips University in 1968.
tdetrick@afrmic.com
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Craig Eppling
General Motors
Craig Eppling is the public relations manager for General Motors' South Central Region. He is responsible for media relations and public relations strategy to improve opinion and consideration of General Motors, its policies and its products in an eight-state geographical area.
During his 23-year tenure with GM, Eppling has held several customer and service-related positions with GM's vehicle, sales, services and marketing divisions, each expanding his product knowledge and understanding of the complex and highly competitive auto industry.
Eppling entered the field of automotive communications as a staff assistant in charge of press materials at GM's corporate offices in Detroit. He established and managed Chevrolet's first Texas communications office in 1995 and was named regional GM public relations manager in 2000.
A native of New Orleans, Eppling has been associated with the automotive industry his entire life. As a teenager, he worked in service and sales at a Chevrolet dealership his father managed. Upon receiving his bachelor's degree in business from Louisiana State University, Eppling returned to the dealership and later was hired by General Motors as a customer service representative.
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David Fleischaker
Secretary of Energy, State of Oklahoma
David Fleischaker is the Secretary of Energy, State of Oklahoma, appointed by and serving Governor Brad Henry. Fleischaker is also president and chief executive officer of Jolen Operating Company, a domestic oil and gas exploration and production company. Trained as an attorney, Fleischaker spent 10 years in Washington, D.C. where he practiced as a trial attorney with the United States Department of Justice and then in private practice representing local governments and environmental groups in environmental litigation.
Fleischaker has written about public affairs, energy and environmental matters. His articles have appeared in USA Today, The Los Angeles Times, The Oklahoman and The Oklahoma Gazette and his commentary on National Public Radio, All Things Considered. He has an undergraduate degree from Brandeis University and a law degree from the University of Texas.
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Noel Gollehon
Economic Research Service, USDA, Washington, D.C.
Noel Gollehon is an agricultural economist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Economic Research Service and has worked with the organization for 20 years in various research and administrative positions.
Gollehon's research focuses on water quantity and quality issues in agriculture, national/regional irrigation and confined livestock waste. He has led award-winning research teams and is called on as a water-use expert for the USDA and other government agencies.
Gollehon graduated with a PhD in agricultural economics from the University of Nebraska.
www.ers.usda.gov
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Duane Grant
Grant Four D Farms, North Rupert, ID
Duane Grant is the owner of an 18,000 acre irrigated row crop farm on the Snake River plain of southern Idaho. With annual sales exceeding $17 million, products include malt barley, potatoes, sugarbeets, corn, dry beans, alfalfa hay, onion seed and four separate market classes of wheat. Grant's current cropping systems utilize genetically modified and conventional crop varieties.
Grant serves on the USDA Advisory Committee on Biotechnology and 21st Century Agriculture and as vice chair of the board of directors for Snake River Sugar Company. He has served as a stakeholder representing agricultural producers on the Pew Foundation Initiative for Food and Biotechnology Stakeholder Forum. Grant was a charter member of the National Association of Wheat Growers and U.S. Wheat Associates Joint Biotechnology Committee from 1997 to 2005. He was named the 2003 Eisenhower Foundation Agriculture Fellow to study marketing food produced through transgenic technology in the European Union. Grant served as the U.S. Agricultural Producer representative on the 2003 German Marshal Fund project "The Transatlantic Relationship: The Hunger Crisis in Southern Africa, and Genetically Modified Food." Grant recently completed work on a $950,000 USDA Rural Development project which has established the feasibility of supplying 800,000 tons of straw annually to a bio-cellulose based ethanol plant.
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Dr. Ray Huhnke
Professor of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK
Dr. Ray Huhnke, P.E., is a Professor of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering at Oklahoma State University and Associate Director of the Sun Grant Initiative - South Central Region. He is team leader on a multidisciplinary, multi-institutional project to convert low-cost biomass into liquid fuel and other value-added products. His primary research focus is the harvesting, handling, storage, and gasification of perennial grasses.
osu.okstate.edu
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Dr. Lance Lobban
Director of the School of Chemical, Biological and Materials Science, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK
Dr. Lance Lobban has been director of the School of Chemical, Biological and Materials Science at the University of Oklahoma since 1998, and he is also a Francis W. Winn Chair. His areas of expertise include chemical reaction engineering and catalysis, and he has been involved in energy-related research in areas such as the conversion of natural gas to liquid fuels and chemicals, photocatalytic oxidation, and modeling of solid oxide fuel cells.
www.ou.edu
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Dr. Richard Mallinson
Professor of Chemical Engineering at the University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK
Dr. Richard Mallinson is professor of chemical engineering at the University of Oklahoma. He joined the faculty in 1983. His research interests include biomedical engineering, polymer science, energy and fuels.
Mallinson's energy related research began with studies of coal and shale oil liquefaction and currently focuses on natural gas conversion, gas vehicle fuel storage and transportation. He also has developed projects related to polymerization and catalytic reaction engineering.
Mallinson has directed research programs funded by U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Air Force, the State of Oklahoma and private companies. He was director of the Institute for Gas Utilization Technologies of the Sarkeys Energy Center from the mid 90s until 2003. Mallinson is a member of the American Chemical Society and American Institute of Chemical Engineers.
Mallinson graduated with BS in chemical and biomedical engineering at Tulane University, New Orleans, La. He earned a MS and PhD in chemical engineering from Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind.
www.coe.ou.edu
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Dr. Mark McCaslin
President of Forage Genetics International, Prior Lake, MN
Dr. Mark McCaslin is the co-founder and president of Forage Genetics International (FGI). McCaslin has been an alfalfa breeder for over 30 years and is responsible for developing over 250 alfalfa varieties.
FGI has grown to become the world's largest alfalfa breeding and seed production company. The company has successfully launched several new alfalfa traits, including the introduction of Roundup Ready Alfalfa in 2005.
A California native, McCaslin earned his BS and MS degrees in agronomy at the University of California Davis, Davis, Calif., and received his PhD in plant breeding from Cornell University, Ithaca, NY.
www.foragegenetics.com
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Vance McSpadden
Oklahoma Petroleum Marketers Association, Oklahoma City, OK
Vance McSpadden joined Oklahoma Petroleum Marketers & Convenience Stores Association as the executive director in 1992. He is responsible for the overall operation of the more than 300 member state trade association, lobbying efforts at the state level and liaison with state agencies relating to the petroleum marketing and convenient store industry.
McSpadden's prior industry experience includes sales account manager for a major oil company, petroleum equipment salesman for major regional companies and major petroleum consignee of his own business in Muskogee, Oklahoma. McSpadden's extensive background in the petroleum marketing industry allows him to provide excellent leadership as the state association director.
McSpadden is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma. His professional and civic activities include past president of PMAA State Association Executives, Graduate of the Oklahoma Leadership Class of 2000, President of Grace United Methodist Church Men's Group and Chairman of the Board of Trustees.
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Terry Peach
Secretary of Agriculture, State of Oklahoma
Terry Peach is Oklahoma’s Secretary and Commissioner of Agriculture. He also presides as the President of the State Board of Agriculture. He is a member of numerous agricultural and civic organizations, including the Oklahoma Farm Bureau and the Oklahoma Farmers Union. Peach operates the family farm and ranch that includes several thousand acres of wheat and grassland.
A third-generation farmer from Mooreland, Peach served as the Oklahoma executive director of the Farm Service Agency for seven years, delivering federal agriculture programs to Oklahoma farmers and ranchers through more than 60 county offices across the state and receiving the agency’s Distinguished Service Award for Outstanding Leadership. Peach earned a degree in agricultural education from Oklahoma State University, and taught agriculture in the Oklahoma school system.
www.ok.gov/~okag
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Steven Phillips
National Bioenergy Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO
Steven Phillips is a senior engineer at the National Bioenergy Center headquartered at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Golden, Co. He has over 22 years of experience in thermochemical process research, primarily in the conversion of biomass into fuels and power.
Phillips and the Thermochemical Users Facility Team at NREL started the design and construction of the Thermochemical Process Development Unit (TCPDU) in 1994. The TCPDU is a state-of-the-art, ½-ton/day pilot plant for producing syngas and pyrolysis oils from a wide variety of biomass feedstocks. The research focused on developing and demonstrating biomass conversion technologies that will overcome the barriers to successful commercial deployment of renewable biomass energy.
Phillips' current research focuses on the technoeconomic modeling of biomass-to-liquid fuels process. He was a lead author on a biomass to ethanol design report for a 2000 ton/day process.
Prior to joining NREL, Phillips worked at the Dow Chemical Company investigating catalytic fluidized bed processes for making styrene and at the National Semiconductor Corp. developing photolithographic processes for semiconductor production.
Phillips received a BS and MS in chemical engineering from Brigham Young University.
ww.nrel.gov/biomass/national_bioenergy.html
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Clay Pope
Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts, Loyal, OK
Clay Pope, executive director of the Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts, served in the Oklahoma House of Representatives from 1994 through 2004. Prior to his service in the Legislature, Pope served as agriculture and trade assistant to Congressman Glenn English in Washington, D.C. During his tenure in the Oklahoma House of Representatives, Clay served as chairman of the Agriculture and International Trade Committee of the National Conference of State Legislatures and vice chairman of the Oklahoma House Agriculture Committee. He also served on the Intergovernmental Advisory Panel to the U.S. Trade Representative.
Pope received the Farm Bureau Legislative Meritorious Service Award and was named Agriculture Man of the Year for Oklahoma by Progressive Farmer magazine in 1999. In 2005, Pope was named a 'Graduate of Distinction' from the College of Agriculture at Oklahoma State University.
Pope is a farmer and rancher and holds a BS in agriculture communications from Oklahoma State University.
www.oacd.us
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Dr. Daniel Resasco
School of Chemical, Biological and Materials Engineering, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK
Dr. Daniel Resasco is a S.A. Wilson Professor of Chemical Engineering at the University of Oklahoma. His research interests are in the area of heterogeneous catalysis. Resasco has published over 110 articles in peer reviewed journals including articles that focus on the catalytic strategies for improving fuel quality. He is an editor for the Journal of Catalysis and member of the executive committee for Nanonet Oklahoma. Resasco received the Oklahoma Chemist of the Year award in 2004 and Regents Award for Superior Research in 1999. Resasco founded Southwest Nanotechnologies (SWeNT) in 2001 based on his research on single-walled nanotubes at the University of Oklahoma.
Resasco received a BS in chemical engineering at the Universidad Nacional del Sur, Argentina in 1975 and a PhD in chemical engineering at Yale University in 1984.
www.cems.ou.edu
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Steven Rhines
Vice President, General Counsel and Director of Public Affairs, The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, Ardmore, OK
Steven Rhines serves as vice president, general counsel and director of public affairs for The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation. Prior to coming to the Noble Foundation in 2001, Rhines practiced patent law in the Dallas office of Sidley Austin, LLP. The Noble Foundation is a nonprofit institution conducting agriculture consultation and educational programs as well as agricultural and plant science research to enhance agriculture regionally, nationally and worldwide.
www.noble.org
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J. Curtis Rich
Van Ness Feldman, Washington, D.C.
Curt Rich heads Van Ness Feldman's Public Policy practice group. He represents companies, trade associations and local governments before Congress and federal agencies on issues related to tax policy, energy, the environment, natural resources and appropriations. As Legislative Counsel to the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association from 1996 to 1999, he represented nearly 1,000 distribution and generation electric cooperatives that operate in 46 states. Rich also served as Legislative Counsel to U.S. Senator Max Baucus (D-MT).
Rich's experience at the firm includes representing fuel feedstock, production and distribution interests on energy, energy tax and environmental policy matters; representing rural electric cooperatives in their efforts to develop renewable energy incentive programs; and working with Native American Tribes to seek federal policies that address tribal economic development issues.
Curt Rich received a BA from Whitman College in 1986 and a JD from the University of Montana in 1992.
www.vnf.com
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Lloyd Ritter
Director of Green Capitol LLC and Former Senior Energy and Environmental Counsel to Senator Harkin, Washington, D.C.
Lloyd Ritter is the director of Green Capitol, a consultancy formed in 2006 based in Washington D.C. The company specializes in clean energy and environment advocacy, strategic planning and public policy development. Green Capitol has advised a wide array of businesses, trade groups and non-profit organizations including the Governor's Ethanol Coalition, Natural Resources Defense Council and BIO.
Prior to forming Green Capitol, Ritter was a senior counsel to the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee where he advised chairman Harkin and committee democrats on key policy issues. Ritter designed the 2002 farm bill's first ever energy title for Harkin and was a leading staffer orchestrating the passage of the Renewable Fuels Standard as part of the 2005 energy bill.
Ritter holds a BA in Political Science and JD with certificates in environmental and international law.
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John Sellers, Jr.
Grassland Agriculture Program, Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, Iowa State University
John and his wife Jean own and operate a 360 acre farm near Corydon, in South Central Iowa. They have a forage, cow-calf, and custom grazing operation and have over 100 acres of native grass plantings for biomass production and wildlife habitat.
John is coordinator of the Grassland Agriculture Program with the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture at Iowa State University.
John is a long time Soil and Water District Commissioner and is a member of the Iowa State Soil Conservation Committee.
John has twice served as president of the Iowa Forage and Grassland Council and is presently serving a second term as a Producer Member of the American Forage and Grassland Council Board of Directors.
John is also active in the Renewable Energy and Sustainable Agriculture arenas.
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J. D. Strong
Chief of Staff, Office of the Secretary of the Environment, State of Oklahoma
As Chief of Staff to the Secretary of the Environment, J. D. Strong administers and coordinates numerous activities within Oklahoma's Environmental Cabinet. He coordinates many activities delegated to the Secretary of the Environment by Governor Brad Henry. Over his 11 year tenure, Strong coordinated both the Governor's Tar Creek Superfund Task Force and the Governor's Animal Waste and Water Quality Protection Task Force. He is actively involved in efforts to address interstate water pollution concerns, particularly regarding excess phosphorus pollution in watersheds shared with the State of Arkansas.
Other duties for Strong include coordinating Federal Clean Water Act grant programs in Oklahoma, tracking environmental legislation and working with state legislators to draft sound environmental policy. Strong also works with Oklahoma's environmental agencies to ensure coordination and efficiency, handles public relations for the Secretary of the Environment, assists with the Governor's environmental public relations efforts and coordinates various task forces and work groups designed to address critical environmental issues facing the state. Currently, Strong is coordinating a massive buyout assistance program to relocate families and businesses from the most perilous hazards associated with the Tar Creek Superfund Site.
Strong graduated from Oklahoma State University with a degree in wildlife ecology and a minor in agronomy (range management and ecology).
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David Terry
Governors’ Ethanol Coalition, Washington, D.C.
David Terry is project coordinator for the Governors' Ethanol Coalition in Washington, D.C. and has worked with the coalition since 2004. Terry is the president of Stateline Energy LLC, a small business created to provide governmental affairs, strategic guidance and project implementation assistance for state and local energy and environmental organizations.
Prior to founding Stateline Energy, LLC, he was the managing director of the National
Association of State Energy Officials from 1995-2004. Terry led the organization's energy programs and coordinated its clean energy, energy efficiency issues development and government affairs. He has 15 years of experience working on a range of energy, environmental and economic issues for such organizations as the National Academy of Sciences.
Terry was a statistical analyst for a consumer products market research firm and a researcher for The Washington Post, prior to working in the field of energy. He received a BS from Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio, and completed graduate coursework in statistics and marketing at Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.
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Robert White
Ethanol Promotion and Information Council, Omaha, Nebraska
Robert White is director of operations for the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council (EPIC), a non-profit alliance of ethanol industry leaders that work to increase consumer demand for ethanol. White has spearheaded the nationwide pump branding program and the E85 program, building awareness and promoting the use of alternative fuel nationwide. He works with association affiliate members and is a sought after technical expert for the industry on ethanol-blended fuels.
www.epicinfo.org
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Robert Whitson
Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Oklahoma State University
Dr. Robert E. Whitson has served as vice president of the Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources at Oklahoma State University since May 2005. He also serves as dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, director of the Ag Experiment Station and director of the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service. Recently, Whitson was appointed to the Governor's Science and Technology Council.
Before coming to OSU, Whitson served as associate vice chancellor and associate dean of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Texas A&M University and deputy director of the Texas Ag Experiment Station. He also served as department head of Rangeland Ecology and Management during his tenure at Texas A&M, as well as interim director of their Animal Science department.
Whitson earned his MS in agricultural economics and BS in range management from Texas Tech University as well as his PhD in agricultural economics from Texas A&M University.
www.dasnr.okstate.edu
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Jay Wolf
Owner of Wagonhammer Cattle Co., Albion, NE
Jay Wolf, a third generation cattleman from Albion, Neb., owns Wagonhammer Cattle Co. located in eastern Sandhills near Bartlett, Neb. Wolf and his family run a 2,000 cow operation raising purebred Angus seed stock, club calves and commercial cattle. Wagonhammer Cattle Co. has a 4,500 head feed yard near Albion. Wolf graduated in 1980 with a BS in Agriculture from the University of Nebraska. He worked as a banker in Denver for four years before entering the family business. Wolf is the president of Nebraska Cattlemen, representing 3,000 of Nebraska's ranchers and feeders.
www.wagonhammer.com
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Dr. Jizhong Zhou
Institute for Environmental Genomics, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK
Dr. Jizhong Zhou is a presidential professor in the Department of Botany and Microbiology and director for the Institute for Environmental Genomics, University of Oklahoma. His expertise is in molecular biology, microbial genomics, microbial ecology, molecular evolution, theoretical ecology and genomic technologies.
Zhou is an internationally known leader in studying functional genomics of environmental microorganisms and a pioneer in developing genomic technologies for environmental studies. He received the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers in 2001 and numerous other awards. He is currently an editor for Applied and Environmental Microbiology. Zhou chaired three international conferences on microbial genomes and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology. He has authored more than 170 publications on microbial genomics, genomic technologies, molecular biology, molecular evolution, microbial ecology, bioremediation, bioenergy, global changes and theoretical ecology.
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