A Minnesota corn grower has been named to the board of directors for Growth Energy.

Gary Pestorious is a fifth-generation farmer and CEO of a family-run 12,500-acre farming operation in Freeborn County, Minn. He is a member of the Minnesota Corn Growers Association and has served as Chairman of POET-Glenville, a 44-million gallon farmer-owned ethanol plant, since production began 10 years ago.

Pestorious also served three years on the Board of Directors of the American Coalition for Ethanol, representing the Minnesota Corn Growers Association, as well as on the board of the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council, until its merger with Growth Energy last year, and previously served as a member of the Renewable Fuels Association in his role for the last 10 years as Chair of POET-Glenville. He also serves on the boards of POET-Hanlontown (Iowa), a 50-million gallon-a-year plant, and POET-Lake Crystal (Minn.), a 55-million gallon-a-year plant, and serves as Chair of SoyMor, a 30-million gallon biodiesel plant.

Pestorious takes the seat previously held by Darrin Ihnen, of South Dakota, who recently assumed new responsibilities as President of the National Corn Growers Association.