As released by Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy, LLC
Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy (SIRE) today announced that CEO Mike Jerke will retire at the end of 2025 after seven years of leadership. He will remain with the company through 2026 to support a smooth transition.
“Mike guided SIRE through industry volatility and the challenges of COVID, modernized our plant with new technologies, and advanced key carbon sequestration initiatives,” said Karol King, Chairman of SIRE’s Board of Directors. “His leadership positioned SIRE for long-term growth, including our selection for the Tallgrass Trailblazer CO₂ pipeline.”
The Board has named Eric Jon Fobes as SIRE’s next President and CEO, effective September 29, 2025. Mr. Fobes brings more than 20 years of executive experience in the energy and ethanol industries, with a strong track record in trading, marketing, asset management, and mergers and acquisition strategy.
Most recently, he led renewable fuel trading, distribution, and risk management for a national travel center company, overseeing the largest retail consumption of renewable fuel in the country, along with rapid expansion of E15 gasoline offerings across their network. He also executed the acquisition of an ethanol plant and directed major process technology upgrades. Prior to that, he managed global ethanol operations for four leading international energy and commodity firms.
“Eric’s deep commercial expertise and understanding of the ethanol business will position SIRE as a leader in a dynamic and evolving industry,” King said.
Jon Leafstedt and Patrick Fitzgerald, principals with Kincannon & Reed, a leading executive search firm focused on the food, agribusiness, and renewables sectors, conducted a nationwide search for SIRE and assisted the Board in the recruitment of Eric Fobes.
About Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy, LLC: SIRE is located on 275 acres in Council Bluffs, Iowa, operating a 140 million gallon per year ethanol plant. SIRE began producing ethanol in February 2009 and sells its ethanol, distillers grains, corn syrup, and corn oil in the continental United States, Mexico and the Pacific Rim.
