Presented by Yamaha Motor Corp USA and Warrior Boats Inc.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 19, 2024
Contact: Denny Fox, 920-505-0122
Anglers Insight Marketing LLC (AIM™)
AIM Welcomes Forever Barnwood and Adventure
Recreational Finance To 2024 Partners List
Got your eye on a new or new-to-you boat, or need to re-power your current ride? Or have you always wanted to add a reclaimed barnwood look to your family room or other space in your home or business? Then check out the newest sponsors of the 2024 AIM Weekend Walleye Series, Forever Barwood and Adventure Recreational Finance.
“Each of these cool finds offer a unique opportunity for both you out there in Fan Nation, and to our teams shopping for new equipment or a new look for their AIM trophy room,” said Denny Fox, AIM national tournament director. “They’re now two of our 15 Presenting and Supporting partners who support AIM’s Catch-Record-ReleaseÔ format that we began 11 years ago because they believe in what we’re doing. And we believe in them, too.”
You may be familiar with the co-founder of Forever Barnwood. He’s AIM angler Chad Bleeker, who with Jason A. Bast, started Forever Barnwood in a three-bay former auto repair shop in Ellsworth, WI in 2017.
“In 2015, I was a builder and I had built a model home and used reclaimed barnwood for a bar in the basement,” Bast said, “and I was never able to source that same wood again. That was the inspiration for developing a product that had all the attributes of reclaimed planks, and that was repeatable and scalable, and that could be used in multiple ways. Chad and I set out to do it.”
It took them nearly two years of research with help from grad students at the University of Wisconsin at River Falls. “They basically took our formula and completed it, making our product commercially safe, food safe, with no smell,” he recalled.
Success came knocking. They quickly outgrew the former auto shop digs, and Bast and Bleeker’s little idea is now in a 40,000-sqare-foot facility in nearby Plumb City, with 15 employees.
“We’re now nationwide six years later. We’re the only company that does everything from floor to ceiling. We do flooring, solid beams, hollow box beams, shelves, countertops, shiplap, anything in your house you can think of,” he said.
And they’re doing it with wood that was previously just thrown away, turned into pulp, or left in the woods.
“We start with circle sawn Wisconsin white pine. We’re using part of the tree that would normally be discarded. We like it because it’s got character. We ran more than a million board feet of wood through our facility last year. The lumber mills were happy to see their scrap go to good use,” Bast said. They now sell to contractors, homeowners and designers through their website, foreverbarnwood.com.
So why would an innovative, ground-breaking company like Forever Barnwood sponsor an innovative, ground-breaking walleye tournament like AIM? Easy.
“Chad has been fishing AIM in our Forever Barnwood boat, and AIM has grown every year. This year we doubled our marketing budget to get more visibility by outdoor enthusiasts,” Bast said. Forever Barnwood is also now a sponsor of the Larry Smith Outdoors Show, and soon you’ll see a syndicated show called “Renovation Hunters” featuring Bast and Bleeker.
It’s the same story for Adventure Recreational Finance. The company co-founded by Shirley A. Hetrick specializes in putting new and used boat and motor buyers and banks together, both through dealers and private owner-to-owner sales. Headquartered in Sheffield Lake, Ohio, Hetrick began her career in Rhinelander, WI, then worked with dealers in Ohio to secure financing. And now, she works with dealers and private buyers throughout the nation.
And, if you mention you saw this at AIM, there’s a sweet discount waiting for you. More on that.
“We finance boats for dealers, but we also do private party deals. If you want to buy your neighbor’s boat, we can do that. I’m very familiar with pro fishermen, so yes, that’s in my wheelhouse, for sure,” she said.
How does that happen? “Fill out an application online on our website. I’m then able to do a soft credit inquiry that will not affect your credit score. Once I have your score, I call and talk rates and terms. I work with several different banks. I’m searching for the best interest rates and terms. I have that conversation to ascertain what your needs are,” she said.
Got a potential credit problem? “I also have non-prime banks I can go to as well that I’ve been working with more than 20 years,” she added.
If she’s putting together a private party deal, she recommends that any potential buyer should consider a mechanical inspection, or survey.
“I help put a purchase agreement together if it’s a private party. I try to make it as easy as possible. Before we even started business, I wanted a company you can call, and we’ll answer. Some anglers call to pick my brain and I’m okay with that. I thrive in working with the boating community in person, not just through email or indirectly,” she said. Cost for her hard work? For private party and dealer transactions, Hetrick charges a fee, but, if you mention you heard about her through AIM, that fee is discounted to just $399.
“We’re a Midwest-based business and we want to support anglers in the Midwest. We help a lot of people finance the boat of their dreams, whether you’re a weekend angler, a professional angler or a guide. We work with NPAA (AIM is a member of the National Professional Anglers Association, or NPAA) to help grow the sport of fishing, and we just feel that working with AIM is another great partnership.”
It’s these types of partnerships that keep AIM growing as the most lucrative walleye fishing tournament series for your buck, period. With a potential cash prize pot of $28,000, incentive cash offered by sponsors Warrior Boats, Yamaha and Garmin, that’s no brag, just fact.
Anglers, the time to register for AIM qualifiers is NOW. AIM’s season begins in about three weeks. Learn how at aimfishing.com.
You know you want to. You know you can.
Anglers Insight Marketing LLC (AIM™) is a unique tournament organization created and owned by many of the most accomplished and recognizable professional walleye anglers, along with others who share the mission of advancing competitive walleye fishing and making it sustainable into the future.
AIM is committed to marketing excellence on behalf of its tournament competitors, the tournament host communities, and the brands that partner with it. AIM is also committed to maintaining healthy fisheries across the nation by the development of the exclusive AIM Catch-Record-Release™ format which is integral to its dynamic events and unparalleled consumer engagement. For more information about AIM™, AIM Pro Walleye Series™, AIM Weekend Walleye Series, AIM sponsors and AIM anglers, visit www.aimfishing.com.
AIM Presenting Sponsors: Yamaha Motor Corporation U.S.A. and Warrior Boats inc.
AIM Supporting Sponsors: Mercury Marine, Garmin, Power Pole, Worldwide Marine Insurance, Off Shore Tackle, Gemini Sport Marketing, JT Outdoors Products, McQuoids Inn, Rosemore Outdoor Gear, Outdoor Authority fish house rentals, Adventure Recreational Finance, Oconto County WI. Odyssey Battery, Forever Barnwood