Jeanne McCaherty, CEO of Guardian Energy Management LLC, was elected chairperson of the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) this week, becoming the first female chair in the organization’s history, and first among any national ethanol trade association. The election occurred at RFA’s annual membership meeting, held virtually this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

As CEO of Guardian Energy Management, McCaherty, of Prior Lake, Minn., provides executive management for Guardian Energy LLC, Guardian Energy Holdings LLC, and Hankinson Renewable Energy LLC, three leading ethanol biorefining businesses. She has a master’s degree in biochemistry from the University of Missouri and serves on the Board of Directors for the Renewable Product Marketing Group LLC, and the Board of Directors for the Minnesota Biofuels Association. McCaherty, a longtime proponent and advocate for low-carbon renewable fuels, also serves on the Minnesota Governor’s Biofuels Council to develop recommendations to increase the incorporation of biofuels in transportation fuels in Minnesota. She succeeds Neil Koehler, co-founder and co-CEO of Pacific Ethanol, in chairing the RFA Board.

Erik Huschitt, CEO of Badger State Ethanol, was elected as the RFA board’s Vice Chairman. Huschitt, of Monroe, Wisc., has been with Badger State since January 2002 and currently serves as president of the Wisconsin Biofuels Association. The RFA board also re-elected Treasurer Charlie Wilson, Trenton Agri Products; Secretary Rick Schwarck, Absolute Energy; and President Geoff Cooper, RFA’s Chief Executive Officer.