NADO TRAINING CONFERENCE

AUGUST 26, 2013

SAN FRANCISCO, CA

“Broadening Economic Development”

NORTHWEST REGIONAL PLANNING COMMISSION

Ashland, Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, Iron, Price, Rusk, Sawyer, Taylor, Washburn, and Tribal Nations of: Bad River, Lac Courte Oreilles, Lac Du Flambeau, Red Cliff, St. Croix

Population: 181,000

Size: 10,615 sq. miles

Created: 1959

NWRPC = UNIQUE

Venture Fund – Wisconsin Rural Enterprise Fund (WREF)

Enterprise Center Network – Six Business Incubators located

throughout the Region totaling 180,000 square feet

Business Start-up & Sold – Botanic Oil Innovations, Inc.

New Business Start-up – Wolf Wood, Inc.

WREF, LLC

• Eight investor members have invested $2,125,000 into fund

• WREF has invested $2,077,880 in 13 different companies

• Return on investments has been $473,386 as of 7/31/13

ENTERPRISE CENTER NETWORK

• 18 current company tenants

• 21 graduated companies

“AND WE START AND MANAGE OUR OWN”

Business start-up and sold:

• Botanic Oil Innovations, Inc.• Dietary Supplements – all natural “cold-

pressed” oils• Bulk natural ingredients – sold to other

companies• Pharmaceutical• Nutraceutical• Cosmetics

• Cancer Treatment Research

“NEW BUSINESS START-UP”

New business started June, 2011• Wolf Wood, Inc.

• Research, development and manufacture of thermally modified wood products

• European technology• Kiln purchased from Denmark

Company, manufactured in Spain

• Characteristics of Thermally Modified Wood

• Dimensionally stable• Water repellent – will not rot• Insect resistant• Retains surface color throughout its

thickness• Totally natural – no chemicals used in

process

WOLF WOOD, INC.

• Research (develop recipes) for low-value, underutilized wood species found in Northern Wisconsin (soft maple, basswood, etc.)

• Develop thermally-modified wood components for wood products industries such as window, door, flooring, utensils, outdoor furniture, etc.

• Partnership with University of MN-Duluth – Natural Resource Research Institute

Wisconsin

Oven-roasted

Lignocelluslosic

Fiber

WISCONSIN BUSINESS INNOVATION CORPORATION

MYRON SCHUSTER

mschuster@nwrpc.com

www.nwrpc.com

GO PACK GO!