The National Biodiesel Board (NBB) has announced that Kurt Kovarik, a senior adviser for Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), has accepted the position of Vice President of Federal Affairs and will join NBB the week of January 8.

“Kurt’s decades of experience in the United States Senate will serve us well as we navigate the federal policy issues that most affect our industry. His long history of working on energy and tax legislation, his familiarity with the key players in Washington and his knowledge base on biofuels are all reasons why we are so happy to have him on our team,” said Donnell Rehagen, chief executive officer at the National Biodiesel Board.

Kovarik has served as the legislative director for Senator Grassley since January 2017, after serving as a legislative assistant for 16 years. He first joined Senator Grassley’s office as a press intern in August 1997. Kovarik negotiated and led Senator Grassley’s efforts on the inclusion of biodiesel in the Renewable Fuel Standard, developed strategies to expand and extend the biodiesel tax incentive, and advocated increased use of biofuels through oversight activities.