About Us

Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow

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SIRE: Farmer-Owned Sustainability

SIRE originated from a visionary group of local farmers who saw an opportunity to add value to their crops while supporting the local community. After grassroots fundraising gathered over $60 million in investment, the farmer-owned cooperative broke ground on a state-of-the-art, 110 million-gallon-per-year dry-mill ethanol facility. When SIRE became incorporated in 2005 and began production in 2009 on its 275 acres, it quickly became a major economic engine for the region, purchasing over 42 million bushels of corn annually from local farmers.

Today, hundreds of area farmers hold ownership stake in the company. By producing high-quality, low-carbon ethanol and feed products, SIRE exemplifies agricultural innovation and sustainability.

The founding farmers’ vision of communal progress through smart business lives on. As SIRE continues to implement energy-efficient technologies and explore renewable partnerships, they empower area growers to advance regenerative practices that benefit both family farms and the planet.

Farmers Fueling Our Future

Our Commitment to Sustainability

Sustainability has been a core value for SIRE since our founding farmers envisioned a community-centered ethanol facility. Upgrades have put our energy efficiency in the top 15% of peer plants. We also pursue partnerships to develop lower-carbon fuels, like our recent collaboration with Gevo to promote eco-friendly farming methods. This allows us to reward sustainable growing with higher profits for both our supplying farmers and our facility.

We implement regenerative agriculture practices with farmers across our supply chain to increase sustainability from the ground up. Our motivation is twofold: environmental stewardship is simply the right thing to do, and the growing biofuel market favors low-carbon ethanol. This unique business model exemplifies the visionary and community-focused spirit that has defined SIRE from the beginning.

2019 11 8 Corn Pile Ann Reis

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Our Leadership Team

The core of who we are and what we do is all because of our rockstar people. Each one has helped shape SIRE into the sustainable, farmer-focused plant that it is today. Meet some of our awesome people below!

Mike Jerke

CEO
Mr. Jerke began his tenure at SIRE in 2018 and has spent over 20 years in the ethanol industry in similar executive roles for businesses in Iowa and Minnesota. Mr. Jerke was a founding member of the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association and the Minnesota Biofuels Association. He currently sits on the executive board of the Renewable Fuels Association.

Mike is responsible to the board of directors and is in charge of the general oversight of the business.

Ann Reis

CFO
Ms. Reis has been with SIRE since 2021. Previously she was AVP – Finance Controls and Governance for Lincoln Financial and prior to that was the Director of Finance, Internal Audit for ConAgra. Ms. Reis began her career with PwC.

Ann is responsible for the functions and team that makes up the admin/accounting group. This includes accounting, finance, human resources, investor relations, information technology and regulatory compliance.

Kristan Barta

Director of Commodities
Ms. Barta has been at SIRE since the beginning of operations. Initially, as Commercial Manager for Bunge while officing at SIRE. She was hired into her current role in 2019. Prior to her connection with SIRE, Ms. Barta held various merchandising leadership roles and has an extensive background in the grain industry.

Kristan is responsible for the functions and team that makes up the commodity group. This includes corn origination, co-product marketing, ethanol marketing, truck/rail logistics, and scale and probe operations.

Ben Parsley

Director of Operations
Mr. Parsley was initially brought onboard at SIRE in 2022 as Innovation Manager and assumed his current duties in 2023. Previously, Mr. Parsley was a Data Scientist for Direct Automation, a Research Engineer for Cargill, and spent over 6 years with POET in Research and Quality positions.

Ben is responsible for the functions and team that makes up the operations group. This includes processing, material handling, engineering, maintenance, quality and permitting.

Board Members

Karol D. King

Board Member
Mr. King, the Board’s Chairman has a long career as a corn, popcorn, and soybean farmer near Mondamin, IA and owner of a number of ag-related businesses, including King Agri Sales, Inc. (marketer of chemicals, fertilizer and equipment) and Kelly Land Trucking, LLC. In addition, Mr. King has held leadership positions in numerous local and national ag producer groups, in particular the Iowa and National Corn Growers Associations and US Feed Grains Council Board. Mr. King attended Iowa State University.

Theodore V. Bauer

Board Member
Mr. Bauer’s background as a farmer and agri-businessman, as well as his past service on a number of civic and corporate boards, including the Iowa Quality Producers Alliance, an organization devoted to value-added agriculture and rural economic development, are important factors qualifying Mr. Bauer as one of the Board’s Series A independent directors. Mr. Bauer is the President of Lake Anita Farms, LLC, owner and operator of a farming operation near Audubon, IA, and co-founder and director of Templeton Rye Spirits LLC from 2005 to 2007. Mr. Bauer has an Ag Business degree from Iowa State University and is a graduate of the Texas A&M TEPAP program.

Michael K. Guttau

Board Member
Mr. Guttau was recruited to serve as an independent Series A Board member and as the “audit committee financial expert” given his background and experience as a banking executive and board member of a number of banking and civic organizations. Mr. Guttau’s experience includes more than 30 years as a rural banker and currently serves as Chairman of the Board at Treynor State Bank, providing a long-term view of agriculture and ag-related businesses. In addition to his many leadership position for Iowa and national banking and finance boards, Mr. Guttau received a B.S. in farm operations from Iowa State University in 1969 and completed numerous U.S. Army education programs from 1969 to 1978.

Jill Euken

Board Member
Ms. Euken brings substantial experience and expertise in the agricultural sector and the bioeconomy industry which provide invaluable insights to our Board. Her leadership roles within the Iowa State University Bioeconomy Institute demonstrate the ability to consider and pursue innovative or new approaches which is critical to the long-term success of our ethanol plant and the agriculture and renewable fuels industries. In addition, her service on business development organization boards such as the Ag Ventures Alliance and the Iowa Quality Producers Alliance, reflect her dedication to value-added agriculture and rural economic development, which are important factors to our Board and its members.

Kevin Ross

Board Member
Following the resignation of The Honorable Hubert M. Houser from the Board in December 2020, the Board's Nominating Committee appointed Kevin Ross to the Board vacancy to serve through the 2022 annual meeting of the Company. Mr. Ross is an experienced owner-operator in the agriculture industry, managing his own row crop, hay, and cattle operation in Minden, Iowa for over two decades. Mr. Ross brings with him a wealth of experience, having served for 16- plus years as a founding board member and executive committee member of Western Iowa Energy, LLC—a biodiesel plant in Wall Lake, Iowa—and previously served as the chairman of the board of the National Corn Growers Association. Mr. Ross served as a board member of the Iowa Corn Growers Association from 2008 to 2015 and as President 2011 to 2012. Mr. Ross holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Studies from Iowa State University.
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