Lee Enterprises adds two more experts to alt fuels consultancy
July 18, 2012
BY Lee Enterprises Consulting
Biodiesel and renewable energy consulting firm Lee Enterprises Alternative Fuels Consulting has added two more names to its growing roster of experts: Ken Arnold and Katrina Cornish.
Arnold earned a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Tennessee and has more than 30 years of experience in chemical manufacturing and biodiesel. He founded Memphis Biofuels, a biodiesel and chemical plant, in 2006 and was involved in its purchase, including the raising of equity and due diligence. It closed in 2009 and Arnold was part of the group that bought it in 2010, establishing Agrileum LLC. Remaining as part of the new ownership, Arnold successfully led the recommissioning of the plant to record monthly production and revenues. As part of the Lee Enterprises team, Arnold will assist biodiesel plants with procuring feedstock, selling offtake and a variety of other day-to-day operational matters.
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Cornish earned a doctoral degree in plant biology from the University of Birmingham, England. She is a Fellow of the Association for the Advancement of Science and has more than 30 years of research, development and commercialization experience in government, academia and the private sector, including extensive consulting. She is an Ohio research scholar and endowed chair in bioemergent materials at The Ohio State University where she also has a courtesy appointment in the department of chemistry and biochemistry. Cornish is research director for the development of Buckeye Gold (rubber dandelion), with a collaboration of seven faculty, and interfacing with other universities in the U.S. and Canada and several major rubber and automobile companies, and she is an adjunct professor of polymer science at the University of Akron. Cornish will handle biopolymers, biobutanol, bioproducts and biofuels, emerging technologies and feedstocks. Cornish has 165 papers and patents across a wide diversity of areas from biochemistry-based nuclear and plastidic engineering to crop development, novel biopolymers, processing engineering, product development and relevant industrial standards and regulatory affairs. Cornish’s licensed patents form the foundation of the alternate natural rubber industry in the U.S. and have led to approximately $200 million in investment, with several independent companies commercializing production and/or product, including under a true biorefinery format.
Lee Enterprises CEO Wayne Lee said his group is currently positioned to handle virtually every type of alternative or renewable fuel matter for a variety of clients worldwide, and will continue its expansion as necessary.
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“Dr. Cornish is a recognized professional in her field and her work is widely known worldwide,” Lee said. “Ken Arnold has been in the biodiesel and a chemical field for many years, knows most of the producers and suppliers, and understands the operations as well as anyone. We are proud to have these two as the newest members of our team.”
Arnold said, “I have been around this industry for quite some time. Lee Enterprises has very clearly established itself as the premiere alternative and renewable fuels consulting group.” He noted that the group’s continued expansion and wide variety of experts has made it “the obvious first call” that anyone in alternative and renewables should make.
“They have such a broad presence in alternative and renewable fuels, and good working relationships with the top professionals in these industries,” Cornish said. “I am quite excited about being part of such a major talent pool.”
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