"Kum & Go and Green Plains Energy Co. are deserving winners of these awards as they've going to great lengths to make biodiesel and ethanol available to Iowa [image-nocss] drivers," Northey said. "Iowa is continues to be the leader in the production of renewable fuels and is fortunate to have retailers like these that make those products available to Iowans."
The awards were designed to recognize businesses that market the renewable fuels they have available through creative efforts including, but not limited to: hosting special events highlighting their renewable fuels, development of creative signage, initiation of new advertisements or marketing efforts and dramatically increase pump availability.
The winners were announced and recognized during the Petroleum Marketers & Convenience Stores of Iowa annual meeting in Des Moines on January 11.
Kyle Krause, president and CEO of Kum & Go is the 2011 Secretary's Biodiesel Marketing Award winner. Under Krause's leadership, Kum & Go has become the leading retailer of biodiesel, offering it at more locations in Iowa than any other retailer.
Specifically, Kum & Go offered a 2% biodiesel blend at nearly 60% of their stores selling diesel; however, more than 87% of the diesel fuel sold by Kum & Go in 2010 was blended with biodiesel.
Krause was nominated for the award by Grant Menke of the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association.
Roger Baschke of Green Plains Energy is the 2011 Secretary's Ethanol Marketing Award winner. Green Plains Energy C is an early adopter and long-time supporter of renewable fuels. It has been offering E10 to customers since the early 1980s, and when the next blend of ethanol was introduced, E85, it expanded its fuel offerings.
Green Plains Energy has also been quick to adopt the news ethanol blend, E15, which is currently available at three of their seven retail locations. It is also upgrading its original E85 dispensers to blender pumps so additional blends will be available to customers.
To advance ethanol sales, it has held station grand openings and special events to notify customers of the availability of these less expensive fuel choices.
Baschke was nominated for the award by the Iowa Corn Promotion Board and Iowa Corn Growers Association.
Iowa is the leader in the production of renewable fuels. According to the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association, Iowa has 40 ethanol refineries with a combined annual capacity of nearly 3.7 billion gallons and 13 biodiesel facilities that are capable of producing 315 million gallons a year.
"Iowa is truly the national leader in renewable fuels, and that would not be possible without support from the Petroleum Marketers & Convenience Stores of Iowa and its retail members across the state that market these home-grown fuels," said Northey.
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