MBI International President/CEO to Head Broin’s Research and Development Division

Sioux Falls, S.D. - The Broin Companies, the nation’s largest dry mill ethanol producer, announced today the hiring of Dr. Mark Stowers as the Vice President of Research and Development. Stowers will join Broin Companies from MBI International in Lansing, Mich., where he has served as the President and CEO since 2001. MBI International is a leading firm focused on the development, scale-up, and commercialization of products from biotechnology.

"We are extremely fortunate to have someone with Mark’s background and expertise to head our research and development division," Jeff Broin, President and CEO of Broin Companies said. "MBI International is an industry leader in technology advancement and Mark is known around the world for his work with biorefining processes and cellulose to ethanol conversion. He will continue to maintain our position at Broin as a leader in research and development while taking us to new heights in this fast-paced changing industry."

Stowers has spent the majority of his career in the biotechnology field, including contributing to the creation of industry guidelines for the regulation of food and food processing to assure the safety of foods produced by genetic modification. His guidelines were adopted by the Food and Drug Administration in 1992. Since joining MBI International, Stowers has guided an organization that has developed new agricultural chemicals, food ingredients, drug intermediates, polymers, and structural materials. Stowers has been involved in numerous projects funded through the U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which are focused on the use of renewable resources to produce new chemical intermediates and materials through fermentation.

"The Broin Companies’ record in innovation, technology development, and commercial implementation is the best in the industry," Stowers said. "I am looking forward to joining the team at Broin and helping bring continued innovation and enhanced performance to Broin’s premier partner plants as well as growing the company’s biorefining capabilities."

A native of Houston, Texas, Stowers graduated from Appalachian State University with a Bachelor of Science in biology before earning his Master of Science and Ph.D. in microbiology from North Carolina State University. He completed post-doctoral studies at Cornell University’s Boyce Thompson Institute. Stowers previously served in research management positions at the Eastman Kodak Company and executive management positions at Monsanto Company and Seminis, Inc.