LINCOLN, Nebraska – The Nebraska Ethanol Board (NEB) today welcomes three Nebraska ethanol producers to the board as voting members. Todd Good from Archer Daniels Midland (ADM), Joe Shanle from Trenton Agri Products (TAP), and Brent Hoops from Chief Ethanol were appointed by Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen to fill the three newly-created ethanol producer seats on the NEB, effective immediately.
“We’re very excited to welcome ethanol producers to the NEB, and Todd, Joe, and Brent are all excellent choices,” Nebraska Ethanol Board (NEB) Executive Director Ben Rhodes said. “All of them are highly respected in the industry, with each bringing vast experience and expertise to the table. Having their voices—and votes—in the room moving forward marks a critical component of the NEB’s long-term goal to deliver maximum value for Nebraska’s ethanol producers. We thank them for their willingness to serve and know they will do a terrific job.”
The NEB’s strategic plan legislation, Legislative Bill (LB) 815, passed earlier this year by the Nebraska Legislature with supermajority support and subsequently signed into law by Gov. Pillen, includes provisions adding three ethanol producer seats to the NEB. The seats became open on Sept. 1 and were required to be filled with initial appointees within 30 days. Good, Shanle, and Hoops have immediate voting privileges at NEB meetings with the announcement from the Governor’s office of their appointments.
Todd Good is the plant manager at ADM Corn Processing in Columbus. With 24 years of ethanol and oilseeds industry experience, Good has worked in several roles at ADM, including plant engineer, extraction superintendent, and plant superintendent, before assuming his current role in July 2019. Good is widely respected in the Nebraska ethanol industry for his expertise and leadership. He grew up on his family’s farm in Indiana and holds a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. Good served as an ex oficio ethanol producer advisor to the NEB from August of 2024 to now.
“I’m excited to join the NEB as a voting member at such a critical time in the industry,” Good said. “Having served as an advisor for the past few years, I know firsthand that the NEB is heading in the right direction. As a voting member, I will bring the producer perspective to all board meetings and events, and make decisions with the industry’s best interests in mind. I’m looking forward to helping shape the conversation as we move ahead.”
Joe Shanle is the vice president of operations at TAP in Trenton. Shanle has significant experience in ethanol plant management, including past roles as production manager at Flint Hills Resources and senior plant manager at Midwest Renewable Energy before joining TAP as plant manager in 2020 and promoting in 2023 to vice president of operations. Shanle holds a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Hastings College and an MBA from Chadron State College. Shanle also served as an NEB ex oficio ethanol producer advisor from August of 2024 to now.
“I’m thrilled to be joining the NEB in a voting seat,” Shanle said. “This industry provides many benefits to our state, and the NEB has been involved in much of its development. As an official member, I will ensure that producer interests are properly voiced and that the NEB’s work continues to show results for the industry. I look forward to working with the Board to make sure that Nebraska continues to lead the ethanol industry in the future.”
Brent Hoops serves as the commodities director at Chief Ethanol Fuels, where he leverages his extensive experience in agriculture and commodities trading to enhance the company's operations. His agricultural background includes 15 years as a commercial producer of corn and soybeans in Adams County, Nebraska. He also has worked as a commodities trading adviser, where he assisted farmers with risk management and grain marketing. In his current role, Hoops focuses on optimizing ethanol production margins and exploring the emerging role of carbon markets in both the ethanol and corn sectors. He holds an engineering/industrial management bachelor’s degree from the United States Military Academy at West Point.
“I’m honored to join the NEB as one of the initial ethanol producer appointees,” Hoops said. “The industry is changing, and the NEB is doing its part to change with it. Being one of the ethanol producer voices in the room is a perfect opportunity to represent my colleagues and ensure the NEB remains responsive to producers’ needs. As the ethanol industry continues to develop, I look forward to helping steer the conversation.”
Gov. Pillen also reappointed Jamie Bearup to the NEB labor position for a four-year term, and Scott McPheeters was reappointed for another term, now in the general farming position. McPheeters replaces Michael Thede, who retired from the NEB at the conclusion of his term on Aug. 31.
“The NEB thanks Mike Thede for his 20 years of dedicated service,” Rhodes said. “Thede’s farming expertise and steady presence was appreciated as he helped navigate the ebb and flow of the ethanol industry over the past two decades. We are thankful for all he did for us and wish him the best in his next endeavors.”
The NEB now has nine voting members, each representing a sector of the fuel value chain. Ethanol producers Good, Shanle and Hoops join Chairman Jan tenBensel (wheat), Vice Chairman Scott McPheeters (general farming), Secretary Randy Gard (petroleum marketers), Jamie Bearup (labor), Taylor Nelson (corn), and Tracy Zink (sorghum) as voting members. The Board is also supported by a technical advisor. University of Nebraska-Lincoln Chemical Engineering Professor Dr. Hunter Flodman holds that position.
The Nebraska Ethanol Board works to ensure strong public policy and consumer support for biofuels. Since 1971, the independent state agency has designed and managed programs to expand production, market access, worker safety and technology innovation, including recruitment of producers interested in developing conventional ethanol, as well as bio-products from the ethanol platform. For more information, visit www.ethanol.nebraska.gov.
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