On the Move in the Advanced Bioeconomy: GFBiochemicals, Faegre Baker Daniels, American Coalition for Ethanol, Global Bioenergies

GFBiochemicals has appointed three new senior team members as the company gains momentum, producing levulinic acid at commercial scale.  Alexander Krapivin and Daniela Ribezzo both join as Global Business Development Managers.  Bart Engendahl brings his R&D expertise as Senior Scientist to the company’s technology and application development. Mr. Krapivin was previously at Dow Corning, Mrs. Ribezzo at Polyscope, and Mr. Engendahl at DSM.

Faegre Baker Daniels has appointed John Kirkwood as a partner in the firm’s corporate practice and national energy and natural resources industry team. Kirkwood assists developers, investment banks and governmental entities in securing debt and equity financing for the industrial biotech industry, including biofuels, renewable chemicals and related low-carbon clean energy, and bio-based products. He also represents companies, investment banks and governmental entities in all aspects of public finance matters. Kirkwood was named one of the Top 125 People in the Advanced Bioeconomy last year in The Digest.

The American Coalition for Ethanol re-elected Ron Alverson, representing Dakota Ethanol, John Christianson, on behalf of Christianson and Associates, Doug Punke, CEO of the Renewable Products Marketing Group and Brian Wilcox, from the Nebraska Public Power District,  as ACE directors. Kenton Johnson of  Granite Falls Energy, Mike Clemens of the North Dakota Corn Growers Association were elected for the first time.

Global Bioenergies appointed former BP chief bioscientist John Pierce as the new Chairman of its board of directors. Global Bioenergies is one of the few companies worldwide, and the only one in Europe, that is developing a process to convert renewable resources into hydrocarbons through fermentation. The Company has initially focused its efforts on the production of isobutene, one of the most important petrochemical building blocks that can be converted intofuels, plastics, organic glass and elastomers.