Effective on April 14, 2023, the Board of Directors of Vertex Energy, Inc. appointed Mr. Douglas S. Haugh, as the Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) of the Company. Mr. Douglas S. Haugh, age 52, Mr. Haugh served as the President of Parkland USA from November 2017 to December of 2022. Parkland USA, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Parkland Corp.

From a small North Dakota business, Mr. Haugh grew Parkland USA during his tenure there, increasing revenues over 10-fold to $3.8 billion annually and to 3,000 employees across 15 states in the retail c-store, commercial fuels, wholesale fuels, industrial fuels, propane, lubricants and marine businesses. Before Parkland USA, Mr. Haugh had over twenty-five years' experience working in the energy and technology industries building businesses organically and by working with both buyers and sellers on dozens of M&A transactions. Mr. Haugh has led growth strategies in the retail convenience store, fuels marketing, supply & trading, renewable products, lubricants, technology, and distribution sectors.

Mr. Haugh began his career with Exxon, serving in marketing, distribution and business development. Mr. Haugh currently serves as a member of the Board Directors of BioBlend Renewable Resources, LLC, a manufacturer of biodegradable and environmentally acceptable lubricants (EALs) for agriculture, construction equipment, energy, food handling, government, marine, mining, rail, oil and gas industries and as Board Chairman and member of the Compensation Committee of Trux Inc., which offers dump truck logistics software and hauling management for contractors, fleet owners, material providers, brokers, and owner operators. Mr. Haugh also serves on the Board of Directors of the National Association of Convenience Stores.

Mr. Haugh obtained a Batchelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from Clemson University and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Phoenix.