2. 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
3. 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.
4. 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
6. “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
7. “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
8. 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
