Vertex Energy, Inc

Good morning and welcome to the Vertex Energy second quarter 2023 earnings conference call. All participants will be in listen-only mode. Should you need assistance, please signal a conference specialist by pressing the star key followed by zero. After today's presentation, there will be an opportunity to ask questions. To ask a question, you may press star then one on your touchtone phone. To withdraw from the question queue, please press star then two. Please note this event is being recorded. I would now like to turn the conference over to John Ragazzino, Investor Relations. Please go ahead.

Thank you. Good morning, and welcome to Vertex Energy's second quarter 2023 results conference call. On the call today are Chairman and CEO Ben Cower, Chief Financial Officer Chris Carlson, Chief Operating Officer James Rain, Chief Strategy Officer Alvaro Ruiz, and Chief Commercial Officer Doug Hawke. I want to remind you that management's commentary and responses to questions on today's conference call may include forward-looking statements, which by their nature are uncertain and outside of the company's control. Although these forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations and beliefs, actual results may differ materially. For discussion of some of the risk factors that could cause actual results to differ, please refer to the risk factors section of Vertex Energy's latest annual and quarterly filings with the SEC. Additionally, please note that you can find reconciliations of the historical non-GAAP financial measures discussed on our call in the press release issued today. Today's call will begin with remarks from Ben Cowart, followed by an operational review from James Rain, a financial review from Chris Carlson, followed by a review of our commercial strategy by Doug Hoff. At the conclusion of these prepared remarks, we will open the line for questions. With that, I will turn the call over to Ben.

Thank you, John, and good morning to those joining us on the call today. During the second quarter of 2023, market shifts in refining margins combined with startup expenses associated with our renewable diesel facility impacted profitability at the Mobile facility. While several factors associated with the startup and optimization of our RD facility affected financial results for the quarter, the primary limiting factor on expected financial performance is attributed to the volatility of market conditions for refined fuels and products. Without compromising safety or quality, our goal is to maximize profitability in these ever-changing market conditions. To that end, Vertex has been laying the groundwork for strategic pathways that we believe can help us accomplish our performance goals as an energy transition company. This broader strategy... centered on creating a vertically integrated renewable fuels-focused company, is built on three key principles, which our team will elaborate on in greater detail throughout the call. First, our commercial strategy. Advancements in our feed origination and product marketing strategy are crucial to capturing opportunities along the full value chain. These are core competencies that Vertex has developed over more than several decades, and we have recently made significant progress here, as Chief Commercial Officer Doug Pogg will address on the call today. Second, continued operational excellence in the form of reliability and attention to safety. The reliable, smooth operations of our facilities provides the consistency and visibility required to execute on our strategic vision and continue to scale the business going forward. Our operational team continues to perform exceptionally well, which Chief Operating Officer Jane Durang will cover shortly. Third, capital efficiency. Our focus on the efficient use of capital through continued balance sheet improvement and enhanced risk management strategies remain a key priority for the business as we continue to grow, which our Chief Financial Officer Chris Carlson will discuss. Going forward, we will continue to develop and leverage expertise as we build on our accomplishments to date and execute a much larger vision for the future of Vertex. With the commitment to providing our stakeholders with an increasingly clear view of the path ahead. With that, I'd now like to hand the call over to James Rain, our Chief Operating Officer, who will provide an update on our operations during the quarter.