NCERC Director Honored with Illinois Corn Growers' Ethanol Award
News Release
Contact: Courtney Breckenridge
cbreckenridge@ethanolresearch.com
Office: 618-659-6737 ext. 230
EDWARDSVILLE – NCERC Director John Caupert has been called the most enthusiastic person in ethanol, and that passion was recognized Tuesday when the Illinois Corn Growers Association honored him with its Ethanol Award during the group’s annual board meetings in Bloomington.
“I’m honored to accept this award from our friends at Illinois Corn, who have been incredible supporters of the NCERC’s mission since long before the Center even existed,” Caupert said. “Thank you to the ICGA for recognizing me with this honor, and for their continued dedication to our mutual goal: furthering advances in the ethanol industry.”
The Illinois Corn Growers Association’s ethanol award celebrates the contributions of those that promote the ethanol industry. ICGA President Paul Taylor said the Center’s 10th anniversary and successes under Caupert’s direction made him an obvious choice for the award.
“Under John’s leadership, the NCERC has become a unique facility that is available for any industry partner to use. This year as we celebrate 10 years of NCERC making public and private research more available to the ethanol industry, we also celebrate John’s guidance and leadership to the industry for making it happen,” Taylor said.
Caupert has more than two decades of experience in the agriculture and biofuels industries and was hired to the NCERC post in 2006. Caupert’s expertise has made him a sought after voice, conducting dozens of public speaking engagements each year to a diverse range of audiences. He is frequently called upon to educate and inform members of academia, industry leaders and policymakers about the latest news and needs of the biofuels industry. In 2012, He was recognized as an industry leader in the Business Journal’s “Who’s Who in Energy”.
Caupert earned his Bachelor of Science (1989) and Master of Science (1995) in Agribusiness Economics & Agriculture Policy from Southern Illinois University Carbondale. He remains active at his alma mater, now serving in his third term as the President of the College of Agricultural Sciences – Alumni Board of Governors. Caupert, his wife Jodee, and their daughter Jaynanne reside in the growing community of Waterloo, Illinois, where he was elected to the School Board in April 2013.
“At heart, I’m still a farm boy from Southern Illinois who firmly believes that agriculture – and ethanol – represent some of the greatest things about America,” Caupert said. “Ethanol is a homegrown fuel that creates jobs, economic stimulus and reduces our nation’s dependence on foreign oil. It’s pretty easy to advocate for an industry that generates such as tremendous benefits for consumers and for our country.”
About The NCERC
The NCERC is a nationally recognized research center dedicated to the development and commercialization of biofuels, specialty chemicals and other renewable compounds. The Center’s fully functional dry grind pilot plant and laboratories are equipped with advanced biofuels capabilities including corn fractionation, pretreatment, and a fermentation suite with 5, 30, 150 and 1500L scale-up. Facilities are staffed by industry veterans with more than 100 years of collective experience in fermentation and biofuels production. This knowledgeable team has the flexibility and expertise to design and carry out projects in any region of the advanced biofuels or specialty chemicals space. For more information, contact Courtney Breckenridge, (618) 659-6737 ext. 230, cbreckenridge@ethanolresearch.com, or visit http://www.ethanolresearch.com.
