This document summarizes the 2013 NADO Training Conference held in San Francisco, CA focused on broadening economic development. It discusses the Northwest Regional Planning Commission which serves 12 counties and tribal nations in Wisconsin with a population of 181,000 over 10,615 square miles. It established a venture fund and operates six business incubators totaling 180,000 square feet. Specific examples provided include Botanic Oil Innovations, which was started and later sold, and Wolf Wood, Inc., a new business started in 2011 that develops thermally modified wood products using a European process.

1. NADO
TRAINING CONFERENCE
AUGUST 26, 2013
SAN FRANCISCO, CA
“Broadening Economic Development”

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

5. ENTERPRISE CENTER NETWORK
• 18 current
company
tenants
• 21 graduated
companies

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

9. WISCONSIN BUSINESS
INNOVATION CORPORATION
MYRON SCHUSTER
mschuster@nwrpc.com
www.nwrpc.com

10. GO PACK GO!