Corporate Governance

William L. Jones has served as Chairman of the Board and as a director since March 2005. Mr. Jones is a co-founder of Pacific Ethanol California, Inc., or PEI California, which is one of our predecessors, and served as Chairman of the Board of PEI California since its formation in January 2003 through March 2004, when he stepped off the board of directors of PEI California to focus on his candidacy for one of California’s United States Senate seats. Mr. Jones was California’s Secretary of State from 1995 to 2003. Since May 2002, Mr. Jones has also been the owner of Tri-J Land & Cattle, a diversified farming and cattle company in Fresno County, California. Mr. Jones has a B.A. degree in Agribusiness and Plant Sciences from California State University, Fresno.

Michael D. Kandris has served as a director since June 2008 and as our Chief Operating Officer since January 6, 2013. Mr. Kandris was appointed as our Co-Chief Executive Officer and Co-President in May 2020 and became our sole Chief Executive Officer and President in September 2020. Mr. Kandris served as an independent contractor with supervisory responsibility for plant operations, under the direction of our Chief Executive Officer, from January 1, 2012 to January 5, 2013. Mr. Kandris was President of the Western Division of Ruan Transportation Management Systems from November 2008 until his retirement in September 2009. From January 2000 to November 2008, Mr. Kandris served as President and Chief Operating Officer of Ruan Transportation Management Systems, where he had overall responsibility for all operations, finance and administrative functions. Mr. Kandris has 30 years of experience in all modes of transportation and logistics. Mr. Kandris served on the Executive Committee of the American Trucking Association and as a board member for the National Tank Truck Organization until his retirement from Ruan Transportation Management Systems in September 2009. Mr. Kandris has a B.S. degree in Business from California State University, Hayward.

Douglas L. Kieta has served as a director since April 2006. Mr. Kieta works as a consultant through Century West Projects, Inc., of which he is the President and an owner, providing project and construction management services. Prior to 2009, Mr. Kieta was employed by BE&K, Inc., a large engineering and construction company headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, where he served as the Vice President of Power from May 2006 to January 2009. From April 1999 to April 2006, Mr. Kieta was employed at Calpine Corporation where he was the Senior Vice President of Construction and Engineering. Calpine Corporation is a major North American power company which leases and operates integrated systems of fuel-efficient natural gas-fired and renewable geothermal power plants and delivers clean, reliable and fuel-efficient electricity to customers and communities in 21 states and three Canadian provinces. Mr. Kieta has a B.S. degree in Civil Engineering from Clarkson University and a Master’s degree in Civil Engineering from Cornell University.

Gilbert E. Nathan has served as a director since November 2019 and, prior to formally joining our Board as a director, served as an advisor to our Board since November 2015. Mr. Nathan is the Managing Member of Jackson Square Advisors LLC, which he founded in 2015. He serves on the Board of Directors of Ready Capital Corporation, a public company, and also serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Keycon Power Holdings LLC, a position he has held since November 2018, and as a liquidating trust board member of Hercules Offshore Liquidating Trust. He previously served on the boards of directors of Owens Realty Mortgage, Inc. and Emergent Capital, Inc. From 2013 to 2015, Mr. Nathan was a Senior Analyst with Candlewood Investment Group, an investment firm with significant debt and equity investments in the ethanol industry. From 2002 to 2012, Mr. Nathan was a Principal at Restoration Capital Management, an investment firm focused on distressed investments, event driven situations, and high-yield debt. Mr. Nathan has a B.S. degree in Management, Major in Finance from the A. B. Freeman School of Business at Tulane University.

Dianne S. Nury has served as a director since November 2019 and, prior to formally joining our Board as a director, served as an advisor to our Board since August 2018. Ms. Nury has served since 1990 as President and Chief Executive Officer of Vie-Del Company, a family-owned winery, distillery and fruit juice processor manufacturing liquid ingredients for spirits, wine, food and beverage companies. Ms. Nury serves on the Board of Directors and is a former Chairman of the Board of the Wine Institute, the largest advocacy and public policy association for California wine. Ms. Nury is a member of the Juice Products Association, the national trade association representing the fruit and juice products industry, and formerly served as Chairman of its Board of Directors. She is a member of the Board of Directors of the Agricultural Foundation for California State University at Fresno, where she serves as the Vice Chairman of the Viticulture and Enology Industry Advisory Board. Ms. Nury previously served on the USDA Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee. Ms. Nury is a Board Member of the Foundation for Clovis Schools, Clovis, California, and previously served on the Board of Trustees of the Saint Agnes Medical Center, Fresno, California. Ms. Nury has a B.S. degree in Business from California State University at Fresno.

John L. Prince has served as a director since July 2005. Mr. Prince is retired but also works as a consultant. Mr. Prince was an Executive Vice President with Land O’ Lakes, Inc. from July 1998 until his retirement in 2004. Prior to that time, Mr. Prince was President and Chief Executive Officer of Dairyman’s Cooperative Creamery Association located in Tulare, California, until its merger with Land O’ Lakes, Inc. in July 1998. Land O’ Lakes, Inc. is a farmer-owned, national branded organization based in Minnesota with annual sales in excess of $6 billion and membership and operations in over 30 states. Prior to joining the Dairyman’s Cooperative Creamery Association, Mr. Prince was President and Chief Executive Officer for nine years until 1994, and was Operations Manager for the preceding ten years commencing in 1975, of the Alto Dairy Cooperative in Waupun, Wisconsin. Mr. Prince has a B.A. degree in Business Administration from the University of Northern Iowa.

Terry L. Stone has served as a director since March 2005. Mr. Stone is a Certified Public Accountant with over forty years of experience in accounting and taxation. He has been the owner of his own accountancy firm since 1990 and has provided accounting and taxation services to a wide range of industries, including agriculture, manufacturing, retail, equipment leasing, professionals and not-for-profit organizations. Mr. Stone has served as a part-time instructor at California State University, Fresno, teaching classes in taxation, auditing and financial and management accounting. Mr. Stone is also a financial advisor and franchisee of Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC. Mr. Stone has a B.S. degree in Accounting from California State University, Fresno.