The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) announced on July 18, 2018, that Executive Vice President Geoff Cooper would take over as president and CEO in October, succeeding Bob Dinneen. Dinneen was expected to move into a senior strategic adviser role. This is a historical account of the planned 2018 transition; the sources cited here do not establish who leads the RFA today.
Who was set to lead the RFA?
Cooper was the announced successor to Dinneen at the RFA, which Successful Farming described as the ethanol industry’s leading trade association. The association’s July 18, 2018, announcement set the handover for October of that year: Cooper would become president and CEO, while Dinneen would become senior strategic adviser. The announcement described a planned transition, not a change that had already taken effect on July 18.
Cooper said he was honored that the RFA board had entrusted him with leading the organization. His appointment put an executive already working inside the association in its top leadership role.
Why was Bob Dinneen stepping aside?
Dinneen said that after about 30 years with the RFA, he believed the time was right for new leadership, ideas, and energy. Successful Farming reported that he had been with the association for roughly three decades. The RFA announcement, reposted by Advanced BioFuels USA, specified that he had served as president and CEO since 2001.
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The transition was not described as an immediate departure from the organization: Dinneen was to continue as a senior strategic adviser after Cooper took over. RFA chairman Mick Henderson praised Dinneen’s long service to the industry.
What experience did Geoff Cooper bring?
Successful Farming reported that Cooper joined the RFA in 2008 and had become executive vice president by 2016. In that role, he led regulatory activity and oversaw the association’s research and technical initiatives.
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The RFA announcement repost also recounted Cooper’s earlier ethanol work for the National Corn Growers Association and his service as a U.S. Army captain specializing in bulk petroleum product logistics. These details describe his background as presented in the contemporaneous announcement; they are not an independent assessment of his qualifications.
What policy work was associated with Dinneen’s tenure?
In its account of the succession, Successful Farming summarized the RFA’s description of policy milestones during Dinneen’s tenure. The association credited its advocacy with helping secure the original Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) in 2005 and the program’s significant expansion and extension in 2007. That is the RFA’s characterization of its advocacy, not independent proof that Dinneen alone caused those outcomes.
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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesThe same account listed work involving reformulated gasoline and oxygenated-fuel requirements, an RVP waiver for E10, state bans on MTBE, and extensions of the ethanol blender’s tax credit and the secondary tariff on imported ethanol. Those examples provide context for the leadership change: Cooper was taking over an association whose work included both regulatory matters and policy advocacy.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the announcement does—and does not—establish
The July 2018 reporting and the reposted association announcement establish who was named to succeed Dinneen and the roles planned for the transition that October. They do not verify later career developments or identify the RFA’s current leader. The accomplishment claims above are attributed to the RFA as reported at the time.
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- Announced: Cooper was to become RFA president and CEO in October 2018.
- Planned role for Dinneen: Senior strategic adviser.
- Reason Dinneen gave: After about 30 years, he believed it was time for new leadership, ideas, and energy.
- Current leadership: Not established by these contemporaneous sources.
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