About RPMG
When You Deal With Us, You Deal With The Producer
RPMG is an ethanol marketing company that consistently provides the most reliable and professional services to our plants and consumers. We offer our plants renewable and sustainable energy solutions, as well as a diversified platform, transparency and strength in volume. For our consumers, we supply consistent and reliable delivery of products along with upfront communication and efficiency. By delivering exemplary service and continuous improvement of systems and technology, our clients receive extraordinary value for their commitment.
RPMG History
RPMG was founded in Minnesota by two producer ethanol plants who wanted to gain economies of scale in marketing their ethanol production. Established in 1996, we increased to five plants by the year 2000 and have experienced steady growth ever since. Today, we are working with a staff of more than 45 employees and marketing ethanol for 19 plants producing over 2 billion gallons annually.
In 2008, co-product marketing was added to the business. We currently market DDG for 15 plants producing in excess of 2.5 million tons annually, and market corn oil for 16 plants producing over 650 million pounds annually.
RPMG Advantages
As a Minnesota-based company established in 1996, we have a successful track record and strong historical advantage over our competitors. We have been producing and marketing ethanol and distiller grains profitably for over twenty years and plan on a solid future ahead. Our relationships and our delivery methods are second to none; utilizing multiple methods to reach every U.S. market with success.
RPMG boasts a seasoned staff of merchants, a proactive logistics team, along with a best-in-class compliance department. Because of these valuable offerings, we get the first and last call from customers spanning the Atlantic to the Pacific. We also have a list of alternative ethanol grades created exclusively for export markets or the specifics of domestic refiners while providing flexible delivery, product and pricing.
Our Team
Doug Punke, CEO
Doug is a 27-year veteran of Cargill. His background includes seven years in Cargill's grain division and nine years with Cargill Corn Milling. Most recently, he was VP of Cargill Energy Risk Management Services, which provides risk management services to a broad base of industrial clients. Doug is a graduate of the University of Illinois.
Steve Dietz, COO
Steve spent five years with ADM and four years as the General Manager of a full-service grain elevator in Illinois. Prior to joining RPMG in 2008, Steve spent four and a half years at Golden Grain Energy, an ethanol plant in Iowa, as their Risk Manager. He brings over 25 years of experience in the grain and ethanol industries and has a solid knowledge of the petroleum, ethanol, co-product, and grain markets. Steve is a graduate of Iowa State University.
Paula Rheault, CFO
Paula spent 11 years as CFO and Controller at Minnesota Energy, an ethanol plant and full service grain elevator including agronomy feed and fuel services. She was also an accountant for three years at a hospital in Minnesota and spent two years at a tier two railroad. Paula has been with RPMG since 2007 and brings over 30 years of accounting and management experience that is critical to RPMG's foundation. Paula graduated from Mankato State University with a BS in Accounting and Finance.
Todd Kruggel, Director of Ethanol Marketing
Todd has been with RPMG since its inception in 1996. With a degree in Sales and Marketing, Todd led RPMG's trading as the company grew to over one billion gallons. He brings a tremendous knowledge base of the ethanol industry and has developed invaluable relationships in the petroleum industry.
Patrick Griffin Boyle, Vice President of Operations
Patrick has been a part of the RPMG team since 2008. Prior to joining RPMG he worked at CHS, Inc as a Commodity Merchandiser on the winter wheat desk. While he currently serves as a Senior Trader for ethanol and biodiesel, since joining RPMG Patrick has taken on the responsibility of developing and growing RPMG's corn oil marketing and biodiesel trading, and has also worked as a Senior DDG merchandiser. Patrick holds a B.S. degree in Economics from Minnesota State University, Mankato and a Master's degree in Management from St. Mary's University in Minneapolis.
Mathias Peterson, Ethanol & Denaturant Trader
Mathias joined RPMG in 2013 where he first started working at the DDGS desk as a merchandiser. Prior to RPMG he spent several years farming and brings a sound agricultural background and understanding of markets to RPMG. In 2017 he started his current role as an ethanol and denaturant trader. Mathias holds a B.S. degree in Animals Science and Economics from The Univeristy of Minnesota - Twin Cities.
Matt Niemeyer, Corn Oil Merchandising Manager
Matt has over 20 years of experience in the animal nutrition industry, starting with Purina Mills in Saint Louis, MO. He moved up to Minnesota with Land O Lakes Purina Feed and then went on to Cargill Animal Nutrition to be a merchant for the Upper Midwest. Prior to RPMG, he was at Cargill as a Regional Sales Manager of Co-Products for the brewing industry in the upper Midwest. Matt is a graduate of Kansas State University.
Natalie Brekken, Corn Oil Merchandising Assistant
Natalie joined the RPMG team in 2012 after spending the previous 5 years with Cargill in various business units including Industrial Oils and Lubricants, Horizon Milling, and the Brewers Residual Solutions Team. Prior to Cargill she was with Restaurant Technologies Inc. Natalie currently serves as a merchandising assistant for our corn oil team. Natalie is a graduate of St. Mary's University in Minneapolis with a degree in Marketing.
Jim Montbriand, DDGS Marketing Manager
For 14 years, Jim was a Senior Merchandiser of Distillers Grains at Commodity Specialists Co./CHS. He has been with RPMG since 2008 and has been a critical part of the development and growth of the Co-Products division. Jim has a great knowledge base of the distillers and grain markets and has spent the past 26 years developing solid customer relationships in the industry. Jim is a graduate of St. Cloud State University.
Trevor Kallop, DDGS Marketing Manager
Trevor joined the RPMG team after spending the past 5 years with Cargill merchandising non-grain feed ingredients. More specifically, Trevor worked as a DDGS export manager and spent the last four years merchandising DDGS as a marketer for Cargill. Previous to his work at Cargill Trevor spent 4 years working in Boston for a publishing company as a print buyer. Trevor graduated from the University of Albany in New York.
Phil Phillips, Technical Director
Phil has over 20 years of experience in the brewing industry, encompassing 5 different breweries from small craft breweries, up to multi-million beer barrel breweries in various production positions including Master Brewer and Plant Manager. Prior to RPMG, he spent nine years with Cargill Malt in roles including North American Technical Services Manager, leveraging his diverse brewing experience to provide customer solutions; and R&D operations in Cargill Malt's pilot malting and brewing facility. Prior to brewing, Phil served in the U.S. Navy, Nuclear Power Program.
Jessica Hoffmann, Chief Compliance Officer
Jessica has been with RPMG since 2007, starting out in the ethanol billing department and through the years transitioning to her current post as Regulatory and Compliance Manager. Her main focus at RPMG is to provide a strong understanding and effective implementation of state, federal and international compliance programs, such as the federal Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS2) and the California Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS). Jessica is a graduate of Ridgewater College, Hutchinson and Minnesota State University, Mankato.
Scott Kuehn, Systems & Data Manager
Scott has been affiliated with RPMG since its inception in 1996. He provided IT related services and support on an as needed basis until 2006 when he became a full time employee. Prior to joining RPMG, he was a Software Engineer at Unisys Corporation in the Twin Cities for 19 years. Scott is a graduate of Minnesota State University – Mankato with a degree in Computer Science and Mathematics.
Kristin Oftos, Controller
Kristin has been a member of the RPMG team since 2009 and is responsible for managing the day to day operations of the RPMG Accounting team. She most recently worked as an accountant for G & K Services and was Operations Manager for a law firm in the Minneapolis/St Paul Area. Kristin is a graduate of Concordia University - St. Paul and completed her Master's Degree in Organizational Leadership from St. Catherine University in May 2013.
David Pascoe, PhD, Senior Nutritionist
David joined RPMG in Nov. 2020. He has over 13 years’ experience in animal nutrition. Prior to RPMG he did some independent consulting but had served more than 11 years with Cargill animal nutrition in their global research and development team and their U.S. commercial business. He worked across animal species to create new customer feed solutions with technology application, managing IP, and regulatory policy. Prior to Cargill he managed a research and development lab in Duluth, MN. David is a graduate of University of Minnesota – Twin Cities.
Erin Alves, Director of Logistics
Erin joined RPMG as Director of Logistics in 2024. She comes to RPMG with a combined 19 years of railroad experience across three Class I carriers. Erin holds a Bachelor degree in Biological Psychology from the College of William and Mary and a Master’s degree in Educational Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania.