Neil Peters-Michaud’s entrepreneurial journey began with a simple yet impactful idea: to turn electronic waste into a valuable resource. As the co-owner and CEO of Cascade Asset Management, Neil’s company is thriving by addressing the growing issue of electronic waste, transforming it into refurbished products and recycled commodities that benefit the planet and people alike.
Originally from the Bay Area, Neil’s path to entrepreneurship started at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he earned both a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Studies and Philosophy and an MBA degree in Entrepreneurship. It was during his time at UW-Madison that he began to develop the vision for Cascade Asset Management.
In between his undergraduate and graduate experiences, Neil managed the development of the SWAP surplus property program at the University. He notes, “That’s where we were exposed to all the computers at the University that we were trying to find another home for — whether we were repurposing it, reselling it, or recycling the scrap. Sometimes the only option was to landfill all the surplus waste. I realized it would be a good opportunity to potentially branch out and create a business in this new industry to see if we could turn this waste product of used electronics into a resource.” He entered the MBA program with this business idea in mind.
As part of the Weinert Applied Ventures in Entrepreneurship (WAVE) practicum, he developed the idea with classmates Andy Garni, David Nussbaum, and other faculty and program staff into a business concept that eventually became Cascade Asset Management. This new company earned one of the first investments from the WAVE program.
Together with his wife Jessica, Neil launched Cascade in 1999 in Madison. What started as a small venture has since expanded into a rapidly growing business with over 115 employees and additional locations in Indiana and Florida. Cascade’s Asset Management’s mission is clear: securely and safely transform unwanted computer equipment into quality, affordable refurbished products and sustainable resources that contribute to the growing demands for eco-friendly solutions.
“There’s a lot of good information that I learned in the classes, but in order to get through the challenging times of actually being an entrepreneur, the most impactful resource is the connections that I built in school.”
While Cascade Asset Management is thriving, Neil’s commitment to giving back to the entrepreneurial community continues through his work as a WAVE advisory board member. As someone who credits much of his early success to mentorship and connections he gained through the WAVE program, Neil now plays an active role in helping current student entrepreneurs across campus. Cascade also paid back a generous return on the initial WAVE investment to fund the Grace Michaud scholarship for entrepreneurship students and to fund other student business startups out of WAVE.
“I love the opportunity to still be engaged and involved, whether it’s at Badger sporting events, through the board, or with the alumni. There is still a good network of people in my class where we get together and share stories. So that connection has not been lost. It’s wonderful being a student and it was some of the best days of my life and I hope everyone who is a student treasures it.”
Author’s Note: Cascade Asset Management, based in Madison, Wisconsin, was sold by Neil and Jessica to Sage Sustainable Electronics, headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, in January 2025. Neil continues to serve in an executive leadership role in the new company. The story was written in fall 2024.
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