Trusted advisors, business leaders, value-driven thought leaders.
Progressive Energies benefits from the knowledge and insight provided by members of its board of directors. Each of these individuals offers their own expertise and together their counsel guides Progressive Energies with clarity of purpose and commitment to serving customers with integrity.
Steven W. Gage
The owner and operator of five grain elevators and fertilizer plants in Missouri and Kansas, Steve brings a specific ag expertise to his role as a Progressive Energies board member. In addition to this point of view, he is also involved in real estate transactions ranging from commercial, to agricultural, to housing developments. Steve has also developed his own finance corporation and insurance agency.
Known in the region as a “respected maverick,” Steve brings significant grassroots support to Progressive Energies along with the best model for work ethic possible. He’s an entrepreneur, innovator, and above all, a doer. His involvement in a project means it gets done. Early on Steve devoted a significant part of his energy to the renewable fuels industry.
Russ Danielsen
For more than 20 years, Russ has been president of Southern Iowa Oil, a company that wholesales and retails gas, diesel, propane, and bulk oil. His vocation gives him the opportunity to be active in the Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Stores of Iowa as well as the Iowa Propane Association. This experience in the petroleum industry translates into key input for this renewable energy company.
Very active in his community of Corydon, Iowa, Russ is considered a motivator by his peers and someone who displays a rock solid temperament. Progressive Energies staff and customers seek his opinions and are never disappointed in the counsel he provides.
Jerry Uitermarkt
As a compliment to Progressive Energies CEO, Clete McQuinn, Jerry is also a certified public accountant with solid business sense and understanding of the business world. He studied accounting at Mankato State College (now Minnesota State University), earning a bachelor’s degree with highest honors. Jerry went on to work for one of the “big eight” accounting firms before co-founding Schuring, Uitermarkt, Sims, McCleish, and Ver Meer. This firm has offices in Pella and Des Moines, Iowa, as well as Stanberry, Missouri.
Clete McQuinn and Pat Lappe
Progressive Energies CEO Clete McQuinn and COO Pat Lappe also serve on the company’s board of directors.
The principals of Progressive Energies, Inc. have over sixty years combined experience in the world of project development and the biodiesel industry. Their leadership in the industry has provided many successes for our clients.
Clete McQuinn, C.P.A., President and Chief
Executive Officer
Clete brings the benefit of both his certified public accountant status as well as experience in the dynamic aeronautics industry to his role at Progressive Energies. A graduate of Northwest Missouri State University, he spent 20 years in the role of senior executive, gaining experience in structuring transactions, project financing, and private equity placements.
Prior to beginning his career with Progressive Energies, Clete’s work included serving as president and CEO for an aircraft parts manufacturer and supplier as well as being executive vice president and CFO of another aviation enterprise. He developed a thorough understanding of compliance and regulatory matters while in these roles.
“Our passion for renewable fuels is surpassed only by our desire to add value to our customers’ businesses.”
In the transition from aviation to alternative energy, particularly liquid renewable fuels, Clete now considers himself to be involved in an industry which will make a positive difference for Progressive Energies’ clients as well as the nation.
Patrick Lappe, Chief Operating Officer
After completing his education in economics, finance, and ag business, Pat Lappe joined the animal fat and oils industry where he learned early on how critical adding value to ag commodities is to the rural economy. His desire to see the ag sector, and its investors, prosper led him to a passion for bringing projects from inception to reality.
Most recently, Pat served as director of construction for a renewable energy company. In that position, Pat worked with projects from their infancy to production, putting his education and experience to work to find solutions to concerns, and developing innovative ideas for an industry creating significant opportunity for producers, investors, and consumers.
“Progressive Energies helps our clients reach their goals - including profitable production during challenging times.”
As a principal in Progressive Energies, Pat takes the strengths gained from his experience and lessons learned from early projects and puts that knowledge to work for his customers’ benefit. He managed construction of biodiesel facilities, and was also involved in procurement, marketing services, and project development.
His hands-on approach and experience in processing fats and oils adds value to his relationship with Progressive Energies customers.
Mark Vermeer, P.E., Director of Construction Services
Mark offers Progressive Energies customers a potent combination of engineering skills and experience along with the business sense that comes from nearly 30 years in the ag construction industry. His degree in civil engineering along with a masters of business administration and hands-on experience uniquely qualify him for his role as director of construction services.
With experience ranging from project management and business development to consulting, engineering, and design-build activities, Mark’s experience speaks for itself. He is a registered professional engineer licensed in Iowa and several other states. Mark is also a member of the National Council of Examiners for Engineers and Surveyors (NCEES). His expertise includes start-up companies, as well as the development and management of turnkey biodiesel projects when he worked for a renewable energy company.
Tim VandyGriff, Director of Risk Management and Procurement
Progressive Energies recognizes risk management as one of the most critical components of successful renewable energy projects. With a background as a market analyst, Tim seeks to assist our customers in achieving profitability. “I believe in Progressive Energies’ concept and our vision for where the energy industry is going,” he remarked.
A student of the energy sector, Tim sees present inefficiencies in the U.S. being maximized. “I think as we move further down the timeline, we’re going to find out just exactly how volatile energy prices can be,” he commented. “We will probably see some cleansing as the liquid renewable fuels industry matures.”
Tim’s vocation and avocation are trading. He has built connections over the years to benefit his clients. Tim focuses on his customers’ success and believes in assisting them mitigate risk. By building relationships with suppliers throughout the industry, Tim is able to maintain access to feedstocks and other inputs even in periods of tight availability.
Megan Fry, Technical Manager
With a focus on finding a career giving her the opportunity to use science for the greater good, Megan earned a degree in mechanical engineering from Iowa State University where she studied alternative energy, biorenewable resource technology, as well as biodiesel utilization and production as part of her coursework.
Upon graduation, Megan took that knowledge to a position with one of the Midwest’s leading biodiesel producers, with an emphasis in quality control. She now serves as technical manager for Progressive Energies.
Megan’s hands-on experience includes working with biodiesel start-up projects, biodiesel production, and lab start-ups. She has trained lab technicians on ASTM D6751 compliant testing, and worked on boiler expansion, drawing review, BQ-9000 certification, and plant maintenance. Megan has also conducted HAZOP analysis of facilities, operator training, and control screen review.
