UPDATED 5/07! It's all about the power plant: Here's the confidential letter of intent and a press release about the investors

One of the things we'd like to alert the public to is the power plant component of this venture.

When Tradewinds stopped negotiations with Kamehameha Schools for use of KS lands for their project and secured an option to buy the old O‘okala mill site, Tradewinds’ business plan shifted from a large veneer mill and true co-generation facility employing 400 people to a small veneer mill and oversized power plant employing only 100 people.

We believe that rather than the mill, the power plant is the important nut in the deal. The veneer mill has a low probability of success-- and we have lots of documents to show that posted here on the website-- but once in place the power plant can become something beyond the forest products plant. In fact, the power industry is a good business in Hawai'i and has a high probability of success.

We ask you to take a look at who the only major potential investor is that Tradewinds has attracted: Rockland Capital Energy Investors, an international investment company "focused on the acquisition, development, and optimization of companies and projects in the North America and European energy sector” (www.rocklandcapital.com). Rockland has no prior experience in wood mill co-generation facilities. Under the terms of the letter of intent (see attached confidential letter of intent), once the power plant is built, Rockland has an option to secure 45.5% interest in Tradewinds along with the power to appoint three of the five board members.

But don’t take only our word for it. Look at the press release from Veber Partners, the boutique investment and banking firm that arranged Tradewinds Forest Products phase 1.5 fundraising round of $6.0 million (attachment below). It states, “Rockland Capital (www.rocklandcapital.com), a Houston-based investment group with interests in co-generation facilities, was the majority investor in the round.” The release goes on to say, “The project is sponsored by Don Bryan, CEO of Timber Exchange, Rockland Capital, an energy focused private equity fund, several Northwest angel investors, and Veber Partners.” And again, toward the end of the release, “Don has been joined by Rockland Capital Energy Investments of Houston, Texas (www.rocklandcapital.com) to drive the project to completion.”

It’s simple. If you want to know what kind of project this is, follow the money.

Protect O'okala Ad Hoc Steering Committee