Innovative Product Achievements competitors

While growing up on a farm in Iowa, Dave VanderGriend learned early on how farming affects both rural communities and the global economy. Dave began working in the ethanol industry in the 1970s and later became vice president of operations for High Plains Corporation, an ethanol production company. In 1995, he used this knowledge to create ICM with the goal of advancing renewable energy using efficient, streamlined methods that sustain agriculture and reduce waste. The company began as a 20-employee fabrication shop. ICM has since become the ethanol industry’s leading provider of process technology, which has been integrated into more than 100 plants worldwide. Dave is passionate about supporting projects that involve people, food, energy and environmental restoration in developing countries. He also affects change on a national level as president of Urban Air Initiative, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving air quality and protecting public health by reducing vehicle emissions. In 2012, Dave received the Renewable Fuels Association Leadership Award for his role in advancing the ethanol industry through improved efficiencies and technological development that helps increase profitability throughout the industry.