This year’s Eye on Biodiesel Initiative award was presented to HERO BX founder Samuel P. “Pat” Black, III.
With a vision to help revitalize Erie, Pennsylvania with a return to a booming manufacturing sector, Black founded Lake Erie Biofuels dba HERO BX in 2005. He envisioned a company that would create meaningful jobs, spur technological innovation and produce eco-friendly products. HERO BX is the largest biodiesel plant in the Northeastern United States, and they operate a production facility in Moundville, Alabama, and a blending and distribution terminal in North Hampton, New Hampshire. November of 2017 marked the ten-year anniversary of the first production batch at the Erie plant and was celebrated across the HERO BX family. This year, Black combined his philanthropic mindset with his passion for biodiesel and commissioned a book, “The Biodiesel Solution,” to help bring the biodiesel story to a mainstream audience and to capture the early history and numerous achievements of the industry as a collective.
Listen to the award presentation and Pat’s comments here: Pat Black award