Tom Slunecka, former executive director of the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council (EPIC) is the recipient of the Illinois Corn Growers Association’s 2007 Ethanol Innovation Award.

“It is no secret ethanol production is growing at a record pace, but equally important is the significant increase in public use and acceptance of e10 and e85. Part of what is driving this is a new awareness of ethanol from coast to coast that didn’t exist even two years ago. EPIC, under Tom’s able leadership, has played a major role in this ethanol awakening,” said Steve Ruh, president of ICGA of Sugar Grove.

Slunecka served as executive director of EPIC, a non-profit alliance of ethanol industry leaders, from its formation until he recently accepted a position in the ethanol industry with KL Process and Design Group.

ILGA also presented its Ethanol Innovation Award to David M. Christopher, Executive Vice President Finance and Marketing for Gas City, Ltd.

Christopher has been with GasCity since July of 2005 and the company began selling E85 with in a month after he started. Working closely with VeraSun Energy Corp. as an ethanol supplier they began with 10 locations carrying E85. Based on their positive experience this expanded rapidly to 30 stations in suburban Chicago and Northern Indiana.