We use cookies to improve your browsing experience, analyze site traffic, and serve you better. By continuing to use this site, you consent to our use of cookies. LEARN MORE HERE

Board & Leadership Team

  • Office Hours:

    8:00 am - 4:30 pm,  Monday-Friday

  • Corn Receiving:

    7:30 am - 4:30 pm, Monday-Friday

  • DDG Loadout:

    7:30 am - 3:30 pm, Monday-Friday

  • WDG Loadout:

    24/7

Trusted Leadership

Walt Wendland, Chairman & President

With deep agricultural roots in Iowa and South Dakota, Walt Wendland brings decades of ethanol industry leadership to Ringneck Energy. Having helped build and manage multiple successful ethanol operations, he leads with hands-on vision, a commitment to innovation, and a focus on sustainability, safety, and community impact.

Ringneck Energy - Leadership - Walt Headshot
Walt Wendland

President, Chaiman of the Board

Walter Wendland - President & Chairman

Walter Wendland serves as President and Chairman of Ringneck Energy. As a lifelong farmer (Iowa since 1975; South Dakota since 2007), he brings a producer’s mindset to plant performance. His background spans managing an 800-cow dairy with full operational responsibility and running a 20-year byproducts business supplying feed nutrients.

Before Ringneck, Walter led Golden Grain Energy and Homeland Energy Solutions. He remains active industry-wide through leadership and board roles with the Renewable Fuels Association and Iowa Renewable Fuels Association, Renewable Products Marketing Group, Guardian Energy, and ERI (captive insurance). He also serves as President of the South Dakota Ethanol Producers Association and on the U.S. Grains Council ethanol A-Team. In all of his work, he always has a clear aim - advance American energy independence.

View Bio

Board of Directors

Ringneck Energy - Leadership - Chad Headshot
Chad Friese

Director

Chad Friese - Director

Chad Friese is the General Manager/CEO of Chippewa Valley Ethanol Company (CVEC), where he oversees day-to-day operations and full P&L. He joined CVEC in 2008 as Commodities Manager and stepped into the CEO role in 2013, applying 25+ years in ag business and risk management to run a safe, reliable plant that serves farmers and producers in Swift County, Minnesota. 

Raised on a central Minnesota farm, Chad led Red River Grain as General Manager for a decade and served as Commodities Risk Manager at Granite Falls Energy before CVEC. He works closely with industry peers, serving on boards for the Renewable Fuels Association, American Coalition for Ethanol, Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association, Renewable Products Marketing Group, Ringneck Energy, Guardian Energy. He is Vice Chair at RPMG, Secretary at MBA and Guardian Energy Hankinson, Chairman at Guardian Energy Management, and Board Chair for Guardian Energy Lima. In each role, he’s focused on practical performance and transparent governance.

View Bio
Ringneck Energy - Leadership - Jeff Headshot
Jeff Goebel

Director

Jeffrey Goebel - Director

Jeff Goebel farms with his family across Potter, Sully, and Stanley counties and owns JDG Farms, Inc. Raised in Gettysburg and trained in ag production at Lake Area Technical College, he brings hands-on field experience to decisions about feed, fuel, and farmer returns. When Jeff isn’t farming or spending quality time with family, he can be found serving his community and church.

View Bio
Ringneck Energy - Leadership - Kenton Headshot
Kenton Johnson

Director

Kenton Johnson - Director

Kenton Johnson is a row-crop farmer south of Granite Falls, Minnesota, and CEO/owner of Prairie View Farms, Inc., a family operation since 1990. A Yellow Medicine East alum and SMSU grad (B.S., Ag Business Management), he raises corn and soybeans and stays active with the Minnesota Corn and Soybean Growers.

Johnson has served on boards across the ethanol supply chain, including Heron Lake BioEnergy, Granite Falls Energy, Bushmills Ethanol, and Platinum Ethanol, as well as Platinum Grain, a commercial elevator. He joined the Ringneck Energy board in 2015 and is a member of the American Coalition for Ethanol board.

View Bio
Ringneck Energy - Leadership - Gary Headshot
Gary Johnson

Director

Gary Johnson - Director

Gary Johnson comes to the Ringneck board as a builder and community partner. A longtime Fort Pierre contractor and seed-capital investor, he leads A-G-E Corporation Contractors & Redi-Mix, the team that handled site work, utilities, and rail grade construction for Ringneck’s Onida facility. He’s spent his career doing everything from heavy civil projects across central South Dakota to teaching construction management for ten years at South Dakota State University.

Johnson’s civic track record runs deep: twelve years on the local school board; two terms as President of the Associated General Contractors of South Dakota; and service with The Beavers Charitable Trust Board. A Sully Buttes graduate who earned his degree at Black Hills State, he attended the early seed meetings that helped launch Ringneck and remains invested in keeping value close to home. He and his wife, Carol, have four children and four grandchildren.

View Bio
Ringneck Energy - Leadership - Sherry Headshot
Sherry Jean Larson

Director

Sherry Larson - Director

Sherry Larson brings a wealth of financial discipline and knowledge to the board. As Senior Vice President, Controller at the Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA), she leads accounting for roughly $1B in annual revenues across 14 legal entities.

A Minnesota CPA with an MBA from St. Cloud State and a B.S. in Accounting from the University of Evansville, Sherry chairs the board of Granite Falls Energy (governor since 2016) and previously served on the board of Heron Lake Bioenergy. Her background spans CFO of Quam Construction, 15 years at Christianson & Associates advising ethanol and ag manufacturers, and early experience with Schlenner Wenner & Co. Active in her community through Junior Achievement and as a founding member of Wings of Hope, she joined the Ringneck Energy board in September 2025.

View Bio
Ringneck Energy - Leadership - Tim Headshot
Tim Luken

Director

Timothy Luken - Director

Timothy W. Luken, Age 65, Pierre, South Dakota. Mr. Luken is an at-large director serving on the Ringneck Energy board. Mr. Luken is currently retired General Manager and SeniorMerchandiser for Oahe Grain Corporation in Onida, South Dakota from 2007 to June 2025. Mr. Luken has led several expansion projects for Oahe Grain Corporation. He was also General Manager of Lebanon Equity exchange Lebanon South Dakota from 1989 to 2007. Mr. Luken has served on the board of directors for South Dakota Feed and Grain Association and has been a director for the Sully County Rail Authority for the past 18 years. Mr. Luken was instrumental in establishing the location of Ring Neck Energy. Mr. Luken has 46 years of experience in grain risk management and marketing.

View Bio
Ringneck Energy - Leadership - Scott Headshot
Scott Mundt

Director

Scott Mundt - Director

Scott Mundt is CEO of Dakota Ethanol in Wentworth, South Dakota. Since 2005, he has led multiple expansions and capital improvements at Dakota Ethanol, pairing disciplined production management with a safety-first culture to keep the value flowing back to the farmers and producers. 

Beyond the plant, Scott represents Dakota Ethanol’s interests across the industry by serving on different boards, including Ringneck Energy, Guardian Energy, the Renewable Products Marketing Group, and the Renewable Fuels Association.

View Bio
Ringneck Energy - Leadership - Dale Headshot
Dale Schwade

Director

Dale Schwade - Director

For 52 years, Dale Schwade owned and operated a full-service country grain elevator, making the daily calls on grain merchandising, safety, and operations. He chaired the Pro Corn Ethanol board for 15 years, gaining firsthand perspective on plant performance, risk, and returns across changing markets.

Today, Dale manages Schwade Investments, LLC, and works alongside his son on their grain operation. Raised on a farm and trained in Agri Business (NEICC), he’s also served 35 years on the CUSB Bank board and on his community’s Industrial Development Board.

View Bio
Ringneck Energy - Leadership - Steve Headshot
Steve Sukup

Director

Steve Sukup - Director

Steve Sukup leads Sukup Manufacturing Co., makers of grain storage, drying, and handling equipment. Since starting as CFO in 1994 and becoming President & CEO, he’s helped the company expand from core handling equipment into bins, dryers, and advanced solutions. Today, Sukup employs 800+ people across multiple locations.

Steve brings that same results mindset to Ringneck. A former Iowa legislator (Speaker Pro Tem, 1994–2002) and past member of the State of Iowa Judicial Nominating Commission, he stays engaged on industry and community boards, including the Iowa Motor Truck Association, Iowa Public Television, the Harkin Institute, and Ringneck Energy. He also serves as President of Golden Rule Insurance Co. and Vice Chair of Golden Grain Energy. Steve is an Iowa State University industrial engineering graduate and a recipient of ISU’s Process in Engineering Award.

View Bio
Ringneck Energy - Leadership - Todd Headshot
Todd Yackley

Director

Todd Yackley - Director

Todd Yackley has spent nearly four decades building Yackley Ranches Partnership, a family farming and ranching operation spanning Sully, Hughes, Potter, Stanley, and Hyde counties. Todd is an SDSU Ag Business grad (’85) and Sully Buttes alum. He and his wife, Tanya, have three children and eight grandchildren - three generations in the same community Ringneck serves.

At the board table, Todd champions dependable operations and sees Ringneck as a proven Onida asset that strengthens corn and feed markets in the area.

View Bio

Our Board brings together seasoned professionals from agriculture, ethanol production, finance, and rural development all aligned on the mission to deliver clean, efficient energy and value to producers and investors.

Executive & Management Team

Ringneck Energy - Leadership - Aaron Headshot
Aaron Riedell

CEO

Ringneck Energy - Leadership - Danci Headshot
Danci Baker

CFO

Ringneck Energy - Leadership - John Headshot
John McManus

Environment/Health/Safety Manager

Ringneck Energy - Leadership - JR Headshot
JR Baer

Operations Manager

Ringneck Energy - Leadership - Alex Headshot
Alex Stanley

Lab Manager

Ringneck Energy - Leadership - Eric Headshot
Eric Duttenhoeffer

Maintenance Manager

Ringneck Energy - Leadership - Tate Headshot
Tate Rinehart

Maintenance Supervisor

Ringneck Energy - Leadership - Lance Headshot
Lance Schrieber

Grains Manager

Ringneck Energy - Leadership - Jesse Headshot
Jesse Hanson

Grains Supervisor

https://ringneckenergysd.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/cropped-Ringneck-Energy_Icon.png
Ann Peacock

Commodity Originator

Ringneck Energy - Leadership - Blume Headshot
Michael Blume

Commodity Coordinator

Ringneck Energy - Leadership - Teri Headshot
Teri Carter

Controller

Ringneck Energy - Leadership - Barb Headshot
Barb Gilliland

Account Payable Specialist

Ringneck Energy - Leadership - Rory Headshot
Rory Mennenger

Accounts Receivable/HR Specialist

Ringneck Energy - Leadership - Sasha Headshot
Sasha Bertsche

Communications Coordinator/Admin Assistant

Our Leadership Philosophy

At Ringneck Energy, leadership is built on:

  • Integrity & Accountability

    Clear responsibility at every level, transparent governance, and honest reporting.

  • Safety & Environmental Stewardship

    Commitment to maintaining the highest safety standards and protecting air, water, and land.

  • Operational Excellence

    Constant efforts toward efficiency, quality control, and reliable production.

  • Community & Producer Partnership:

    Deep respect for rural traditions, working closely with farmers, suppliers, and local communities.

  • Innovation & Sustainability

    Investing in best practices, modern ethanol technologies, and efficient wet distillers feed strategies.

Why Our Team Matters

Our success depends on strong leadership with:

  • Experience across ethanol production, agriculture, and commodity markets.

  • Local knowledge of Iowa and South Dakota farming and fuel‑markets.

  • Commitment to both producers’ profitability and environmental responsibility.

  • Hands‑on focus — we don’t just strategize; we roll up our sleeves in operations, safety, and continuous improvement.

Connect with Us

We believe in open, responsive leadership. If you have questions about Ringneck Energy’s governance, operations, or sustainability practices, please reach out via our Contact Us page or through our Community & Investor Relations portal.

Connect with us
Scroll to Top