Oct. 16--PEKIN -- Ron Miller has resigned as president and CEO of Pekin ethanol producer Aventine Renewable Energy Holdings Inc., the company announced Thursday.

His resignation is effective Oct. 23.

Miller, who could not be reached for comment Thursday, resigned to pursue "new opportunities," according to the company news release. He was president since 2000.

Replacing Miller at the helm is George T. Henning Jr., who will be interim CEO and president. Henning joined the company as interim chief financial officer this spring after Aventine filed for bankruptcy.

"(Miller) has been with Aventine since its formation and was a central part of Aventine's birth and growth," said Bobby Latham, Aventine's chairman of the board, in the release.

"Ron's leadership will be missed, but the company understands and respects his decision to make a fresh start, just as the company prepares for its fresh start through the bankruptcy process. We wish him the very best. We likewise pledge our full support to the management team in place," Latham said in the release.

Henning, 68, is a retired financial executive with more than 35 years of senior financial management experience, most recently with LTV Corp., the Cleveland-based steel producer.

"I came out of retirement to assist Aventine. I'm here to get people over the hump and back in operation," said Henning.

The company started in Pekin in 1904 as Corn Products Co., producing products such as Mazola corn oil and Argo corn starch. Alcohol fuel became the chief product when Texaco bought the company in 1980, changing the name to Pekin Energy Co. Williams Bio-Energy acquired the company in 1995, operating it until 2003 when Morgan Stanley purchased the plant and renamed it Aventine Renewable Energy.

In April, Aventine filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, the latest victim in an industry stung by volatile commodity prices and shrinking profit margins.

Steve Tarter can be reached at 686-3260 or starter@pjstar.com.

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