The CEO of Wisconsin’s Badger State Ethanol died on Sunday of an apparent heart attack at the age of 71.

John Malchine was a co-founder of the ethanol plant and served as chairman of its board since May 2000. The facility began production in November 2002. He was also one of the original board members of the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council.

The Journal-Times of Racine, near Malchine’s hometown of Norway, has a good article about him.

Domestic Fuel reporter Chuck Zimmerman interviewed Malchine last year at the Indy 500.