Tobi Lemahieu

Tobi LeMahieu is listed by Regional Business Fund, Inc. as its Fund Manager, with direct contact through the West Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission phone line and email domain. RBF, Inc. describes itself as a non-profit economic development corporation formed to promote business and economic development in West Central Wisconsin.

RBF, Inc. is governed by a board representing the seven participating counties and contracts with the West Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission to administer its loan programs. In that operating context, LeMahieu’s role is tied to the administration of RBF’s business finance products, including revolving loan, micro loan, growth loan, technology enterprise, facade, EDA, and Capital Catalyst funds.

The West Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission has provided economic-development consulting services in the seven-county region for more than 40 years and administers revolving loan fund and business finance tools as part of its economic-development work. WCWRPC has also been an EDA-designated Economic Development District since March 1980.

Public sources reviewed did not disclose LeMahieu’s education history, prior employment, or start date with RBF/WCWRPC.

• RBF’s stated purpose is to provide low-interest loan funds to businesses that expand within the region, diversify the economy, add new technology, revitalize downtown buildings, create or retain quality jobs, and leverage private capital investment in the region.
• RBF is not presented publicly as an angel investor or equity VC firm; its public materials describe loan funds, gap financing, patient debt, and revolving loan programs.
• The Micro Loan Fund targets startup or newly established small businesses that are unable to access traditional bank or credit-union financing; loan sizes are $5,000 to $30,000 at a fixed 4% interest rate.
• The Technology Enterprise Fund is described as “quasi-equity” or “patient debt” for new and emerging technology companies; eligible companies must be technology-specific businesses processing or developing patentable technology or intellectual property, have fewer than 100 FTE employees, and raise at least a 1:1 private-capital match.
• The Capital Catalyst Revolving Loan Fund addresses gaps in private capital markets for long-term, fixed-rate, low-down-payment, low-interest financing and is designed to stimulate commercial lending rather than substitute for private capital.
• The standard Revolving Loan Fund provides gap financing for commercial and industrial projects that deliver regional economic benefit, including expansion, job creation or retention, technology addition, diversification, and private-capital investment.