Jeff Broin
| Jeff Broin | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | August 25, 1965 |
| Residence | Dell Rapids, South Dakota |
| Alma mater | University of Wisconsin–River Falls |
| Employer | POET |
| Title | Founder and Executive Chairman of the Board |
Board member of | GrowthEnergy, ACORE Leadership Council |
Jeff Broin (born August 25, 1965) is the founder of U.S.-based POET, LLC, a producer of ethanol and other biorefined products. He currently serves as Executive Chairman on POET's board of directors.
Life and career
Jeff Broin grew up near Kenyon, MN.[1] His first experience with ethanol production came in 1983 when his father, Lowell Broin, built a small distillery on his family’s farm to boost the family’s income.[2][3]
In 1987, they purchased a 1 million-gallon-per-year ethanol plant out of foreclosure in Scotland, SD.[4][5] Shortly after graduating from the University of Wisconsin–River Falls with a degree in agricultural business,[6] Broin became general manager of the Scotland plant at age 22. He lived there during renovation to save money.[7]
In the 1990s, Broin and his brothers began designing, building, managing, and investing in new plants, and the company, called Broin Companies, expanded.[8] In 2007, Jeff Broin became sole owner and changed the company’s name to POET.[9] Today, POET has 27 ethanol plants producing 1.7 billion gallons of ethanol annually.[10]
Jeff Broin serves on several boards of directors and committees including Growth Energy and the ACORE Leadership council. He received the “High Octane Award” at the Fuel Ethanol Workshop and Expo in 2010.[11]
Cellulosic ethanol
Broin has led POET in efforts to be one of the first in the world to commercialize cellulosic ethanol (ethanol made from material besides grain or sugar). POET, as part of a joint venture with the Netherlands-based DSM, is in the midst of construction on Project LIBERTY, which will produce 25 million gallons of cellulosic ethanol per year, and plans to start the plant in early 2014.[12]
The company has operated a pilot cellulosic ethanol plant since 2008 at the site of their first grain ethanol plant in Scotland, SD.[13]
Personal life
Broin is married and has three children.[14]
References
External links
[1] McElroy, Anduin Kirkbride (May 22, 2007) A Poetic Journey Ethanol Producer Magazine [2] Growth Energy Leadership and Board of Directors Retrieved Oct. 7, 2011 [3] Dolan, Kerry A. (Nov. 24, 2008) Mr. Ethanol Fights Back Forbes [4] ACORE Phase II of Renewable Energy in America National Policy Forum Speakers Retrieved Oct. 10, 2011 [5] Winchester, Cody (Sept. 26,2011) Poet hails $105 million loan guarantee Argus Leader [6] POET (Sept. 23, 2011) DOE grants final approval on POET cellulosic ethanol loan guarantee Retrieved Oct. 10, 2011