Ethanol Industry Loses Pioneer
The renewable fuel industry received a jolt in the form of Kathy Bryan’s death. She was the founder of BBI International, a global bio fuels consulting and publishing company. She is considered to be a pioneer for the ethanol-based bio fuel industry. In the early 80s when very few people knew about ethanol as a viable alternative fuel she and her family operated a small ethanol plant. She worked for the creation of the Minnesota Ethanol Commission and became its first Chair, where she was instrumental in formulating the state’s aggressive ethanol policy, a program so successful it came to be known as the “Minnesota Model”. As a board member of the Renewable Fuels Association she lobbied for ethanol at the national level, later on.
She succumbed to a metastatic ovarian cancer that was diagnosed in May 2008. She is survived by her husband Mike Bryan, six children and three step-children.
Renewable Fuels Association President and long time personal friend of the Bryans Bob Dinneen issued the following statement:
“Kathy was an indefatigable optimist and her confidence that ethanol would succeed was never shaken by misinformed detractors or volatile market conditions. She knew ethanol would prevail because it was the right thing to do for farmers, for the environment and for national security. It is no exaggeration that the U.S. ethanol industry would not be what it is today without Kathy’s passion and perseverance.”
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July 15th, 2009
Sorry we lost a ‘less dependent on foreign oil’ person. While the aim was also to help the farmer, I regret that eventually lead to the corn gone sky high. Let’s push for the air car while hydrogen/electric become a more feasible form of transportation.
July 23rd, 2009
This is a sad loss. She was seen as mainstream so she made a great advocate for the possibilities for ethanol. Sure we had a rough start with the whole “food for fuel” fiasco, but anything worth while will have a rough start. Let’s continue Kathy’s work.
October 18th, 2009
We were useing alcohol long before the 80’s and we just put a different name on it and you had a pick of what king of gas you used. This is not new this is a old pratice and not you do not have much of a pick on what you put in your gas tank. The only people that make money are the ones that are to be feeding us.
February 17th, 2010
Kathy and Mike were friends and Kathy will be missed by all who knew her. If it wasn’t for the pioneers, we’d still be heating over an open fire.