State of Wisconsin Investment Board, Madison, and the pension fund of...

State of Wisconsin Investment Board, Madison, and the pension fund of Newell Co., Freeport, Ill., were among the investors in the Mason Wells Leveraged Buyout Fund I, which closed last week, after raising $175 million in commitments — $28 million more than projected. The fund will focus on leveraged buyouts, private recapitalizations and expansion financing for middle-market companies. Mason Wells, based in Milwaukee, is a private equity firm with more than $270 million in assets under management that specializes in opportunities in basic industries throughout the Great Lakes region.