Ethanol industry trade group Growth Energy has bolstered its communications staff with two hires, following the exit of two public affairs execs last month.
Chris Thorne, who led PA for the Washington, D.C.-based organization in two-plus years, decamped for The Beer Institute in April. Stephanie Dreyer, a senior PA associate for Growth Energy, moved to the Truman National Security Project in February.
The trade group, which counts about 75 producers and 25,000 grassroots supporters of the fuel among its members, has brought in Michael Frohlich, who held PR posts at the National Association of Manufacturers National Biodiesal Board, as press secretary to head media relations. It has also added Fleishman-Hillard vet Michael Lewan as a public affairs associate.
Gasoline is blended with a maximum 10% ethanol under federal regulations, a share the industry is trying to expand to 15% for all vehicles under a waiver push known as E15.
The moves cement the ethanol sector’s PR team ahead of the 2012 presidential election.