The Nebraska Ethanol Board (NEB) has confirmed Ben Rhodes as its new executive director. Rhodes had been serving as interim executive director since Feb. 12 and was made permanent by a vote of the NEB on April 9.

“I’m honored and excited to lead the NEB moving forward,” Rhodes said. “This is a transformative time in the renewable fuels industry, with great progress made and many opportunities ahead. The NEB, as the only state agency in the country devoted to the promotion and development of the ethanol industry, is in prime position to capture and create value for our state’s producers. Under my administration, the NEB will continue and advance our diligent work on behalf of this state.”

Rhodes first joined the NEB staff in 2022 as the ethanol program manager. In that role, he was responsible for overseeing the NEB’s research and technical projects, as well as contributing to policy and market development efforts. He holds a bachelor’s degree and has an MBA in progress, both from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

“The NEB has a 50-year proven history of delivering results for the industry and Nebraska, and as executive director I will focus my efforts on continuing that trend,” Rhodes said. “I’d like to thank NEB board members and staff for their support, and I greatly look forward to working with Nebraska’s ethanol producers and our other partners to achieve the industry’s goals.”