The Renewable Fuels Foundation announces eight 2025 recipients of the Robert Sather Memorial Scholarship, which annually offers opportunities for students and members of the Renewable Fuels Association’s Young Professionals Network (YPN) to attend the National Ethanol Conference. The event takes place February 17-19 in Nashville and is the nation’s most widely attended executive-level conference for the ethanol industry. Recipients are:
- Paige Madison is working toward a master’s degree in animal science at South Dakota State University.
- Katherine Ludolph is working on a degree in agriculture business at Fort Hays State University, while also serving as a merchandiser assistant at East Kansas Agri-Energy.
- Robert Alex Lowe is a special projects manager at KAAPA Ethanol.
- Bailey Masat is a commodities and marketing manager at Redfield Energy.
- Denae Reeves is a compliance specialist at Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy.
- Nick Thone is a grain manager and merchant at Aztalan Bio.
- Tim Daniel is co-founder of Rimba, sustainability compliance automation software for renewable energy projects.
- Kate Littrel is the executive assistant at Renewable Fuels Nebraska.
“The Foundation is happy to offer scholarships to these eight deserving young men and women for the 30th annual National Ethanol Conference, and we’re sure it will be a memorable experience for them,” said Neal Kemmet, Foundation chairman and president and general manager for Ace Ethanol in Stanley, Wisc. “As we look back to the roots of our industry, these newer members are sure to see how far our industry has come, and the great potential that lies ahead. We look forward to seeing them at the conference—and watching how they advance in their careers in the years to come.”
The NEC scholarship program is named in honor of Robert “Bob” Sather, an educator who helped found Ace Ethanol. Sather was a longtime chairman of the Renewable Fuels Foundation, whose mission is to meet the research and education needs of the U.S. fuel ethanol industry. The aim of the Bob Sather Memorial Scholarship is to reach young adults aspiring to a career related to renewable fuels, open new doors for them, and present new perspectives on ethanol’s place in our world today and in the future.