Breakout Session IV

A Vision for Public Policies That Achieve Broad Public Goals (Roundtable)

 

Al Mannato

Al Mannato is the Fuels Issues Manager in the Downstream Department at the American Petroleum Institute. His responsibilities include providing leadership and guidance on fuels issues to API members, identifying and resolving fuels related issues and developing consensus industry positions, developing comprehensive comments and position papers on behalf of API and its members on proposed regulatory and legislative actions affecting fuels, and actively communicating member company positions on fuels issues. He has been at API for over seven years. He worked for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on mobile source (fuels and vehicle) issues for over 15 years, and he also has experience in the electric utility industry. Al Mannato holds a BA in Political Science from the University of Rhode Island, and a JD from American University’s Washington College of Law.

 

Ernie Shea

Ernie Shea is the Project Coordinator for the 25x‘25 renewable energy initiative. The goal of the grassroots led and supported project is to make sure that 25 percent of the nation's energy will come from renewable energy by 2025. The 25x’25 initiative has brought together environmentalists, state and federal lawmakers and business groups who see the wisdom of cutting the country's reliance on foreign energy sources by building wind farms in rural areas and turning corn, canola and other crops into biodiesel. Farm leaders created 25x’25 after the 2001 terrorist attacks.

 

Suzanne Hunt   

Suzanne Hunt has directed the Worldwatch Institute’s bioenergy program since April, 2005. She coordinated the landmark study, Biofuels for Transportation: Global Potential and Implications for Sustainable Agriculture and Energy in the 21st Century. Under her leadership, a team of international experts in the field of bioenergy has assessed the opportunities and risks of large-scale international development of biofuels. Ms. Hunt meets regularly with government, industry, and civil society leaders and with the media, appearing on CNN International, Voice of America, and public radio. She speaks frequently before diverse audiences ranging from European Parliamentarians to farm associations in places such as the World Bank, the United Nations, Yale University, Brussels, and Capitol Hill.

Ms. Hunt has extensive environmental research, policy, education and planning experience. Most recently, as a research fellow at Environmental Defense, her work focused on social and environmental safeguard policy reform at the International Finance Institutes.

Ms. Hunt’s agricultural roots sparked her involvement with the world of biofuels when she initiated the use of biodiesel at her family farm and winery, Hunt Country Vineyards, in its efforts to become a more environmentally responsible business. Ms. Hunt is a co-founder of “SmartFuel,” an organization dedicated to teaching children principles of science and business through hands-on biodiesel production as a cleaner-burning fuel for their school buses. In addition she is a founding steering committee member of the “BioEnergy Wiki”, an information sharing hub. She also serves on the Board of Directors of the “Sustainable Biodiesel Alliance” as well as the “Renew the Earth” organization.

Ms. Hunt has a BS in Environmental Science from Penn State and a dual master’s degree in International Affairs and Natural Resource Management from American University and the UN’s University for Peace in Costa Rica.

 

Jack Huttner

Jack Huttner is vice president of biorefinery business development at Genencor, the enzyme division of Danisco A/S. His multifunction team is responsible for building a sustainable business in the emerging cellulosic biofuels sector.

Prior to his current role, Huttner had global responsibility for communications and external affairs at Genencor International, Inc. (NASDAQ: GCOR) an industrial biotechnology leader. Huttner helped shape Genencor’s leadership position in corporate citizenship, social responsibility and stakeholder engagement.

Huttner was instrumental in the formation of the industrial sections of both BIO in Washington, DC and EuropaBio in Brussels. He continues to hold leadership positions at both industry organizations. He has also worked directly with the OECD, environmental NGO’s, farm interests and other stakeholders to develop common positions in support of industrial sustainability and the biobased economy.

In 2001, Huttner was appointed by President Clinton to co-chair the Bioenergy Technical Advisory Committee formed by an Act of the U.S. Congress to oversee the federal government’s $300 million bioenergy R&D budget. In 2004, he was re-appointed by President Bush to a new three-year term on the committee.


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