Former National Biodiesel Board chair Gary Haer was honored Tuesday with the industry’s Eye on Biodiesel Inspiration Award during the 2021 virtual National Biodiesel Conference and Expo.

Gary Haer is the Vice President, Special Projects for NBB member company, Renewable Energy Group (REG), one of the nation’s largest producers of both biodiesel and renewable diesel in the United States. As the biodiesel industry began to take shape in early 2000, Haer served as the National Sales and Marketing Manager for biodiesel at West Central, a farm cooperative in Iowa. In 2006, Renewable Energy Group, Inc. emerged from the West Central business and Haer took the helm of the Sales and Marketing department, including market and distribution infrastructure development for national and international biomass-based diesel sales.

Haer was elected to NBB’s Governing Board in 2004 as the Secretary and worked his way to Vice Chairman and eventually Chairman of the Board in 2011. He was the first non-farmer Chair of the NBB and led the organization during a time of the industry’s greatest growth in production and membership.

Listen to NBB CEO Donnell Rehagen present the award to Haer and his acceptance remarks:
2021 Biodiesel Conference Inspiration Award - Gary Haer, REG (3:17)