CV :: Michael M. Wood, Chairman
Michael M. Wood
is Chairman of Redwood Investments LLC, a Washington, DC investment
company concentrating in media, real estate, and alternative energy.
On July 2, 2012 the firm, through its subsidiary Redwood
Acquisitions, acquired CSP Information Group, Inc. (link
to press release here)
From 2006-2009 he was US Ambassador to Sweden. Shortly after being
sworn in June 5, 2006, he announced that his top priority was
cooperation between the U.S. and Sweden in alternative energy
technology. During his three years in Sweden he traveled to all 21
län (counties) looking for alternative energy companies that could
benefit from cooperation with American venture capital and research
institutions. The Ambassador’s list of the best of these Swedish
companies contains 52 firms and the embassy estimates the resulting
volume of activity between Swedish firms and US interests is
$150-200MM. The most important results were in biofuels, automotive
engine technology, and alternative jet fuel.
In recognition for this work, on May 4, 2009 the King of Sweden
bestowed on Wood the insignia of Commander Grand Cross, Order of the
Polar Star, a medal given by Sweden’s Royal Family to people of
foreign birth who make significant contributions to Sweden.
Prior to becoming ambassador, Wood was co-founder and CEO of Hanley
Wood LLC, the leading media company in the construction industry and
one of the ten largest business-to-business media companies in the
U.S. On August 1, 2005 Wood and private equity partner Veronis
Suhler Stevenson sold Hanley Wood to JPMorgan Partners (now CCMP
Capital).
In addition to his investing activities at Redwood, Wood is on the
Board of Trustees for The American-Scandinavian Foundation in New
York and the Board of Directors of Capital Partners for Education in
Washington, DC.
Wood grew up in Flint, Michigan and graduated from Yale in 1969. On
June 13, 2009 he received an honorary degree, Doctor of Humane
Letters, from Kettering University in Flint for his work as
ambassador. He and his wife Judy have two grown children; Mike (37)
and Kimberly (34), and six grandchildren. The family lives in
Washington, DC.
