Regional NBB meetings offer outstanding opportunity for collaboration, feedback

NBB recently hosted a set of regional meetings to get feedback and offer support to members across the country. The meetings facilitated information-sharing and collaboration on hot-topic issues that affect members nationwide. They also allowed for more concentrated discussions on regional efforts.

“The biodiesel industry has many commonalities that run throughout, but is a very diverse group from region to region,” said Doug Whitehead, NBB director of operations and membership. “Each location is unique to the industry and provides a different set of opportunities and challenges.”

Meetings held in May included Atlantic City, N.J., Sacramento, Calif., and Des Moines, Iowa, with the final meeting scheduled for Houston July 16-17. NBB has hosted smaller informal regional meetings in the past with the success of those events leading to the larger, more formal effort.

“The regional meeting here was an awesome opportunity to spend quality time with our national leaders discussing the regulatory issues, successes, and challenges that affect us in California,” said Jennifer Case, president and CEO of New Leaf Biofuel. “It was also really helpful to have NBB come out West because the distance often prevents California biodiesel producers from attending the Midwest and D.C. meetings.”

NBB’s three annual membership meetings in January, June and November are focused on national efforts and the general business of the trade association and are located in Washington, D.C., St. Louis, Mo., and in conjunction with the National Biodiesel Conference & Expo. While important to the overall benefits to the industry, the smaller regional settings allowed for more in-depth discussions on topics such as state and regional policies, local infrastructure, and market opportunities.

NBB is the national trade association representing America’s first advanced biofuel. The group works to create sustainable biodiesel industry growth through education, communication, governmental affairs, technical and quality assurance programs.