Thank You to our speakers, sponsors and exhibitors
Co-Host
Diamond Sponsor
Congressman Jared Polis Steve Hill David Hirson
Edward Beshara
Dawn Lurie
Elizabeth Peng
Lili Wang
Joseph McCarthy
Elliot Winer
Marsha Corchado
Aaron Goforth
George Ekins
Michael Homeier
Al Rattan
Henry Liebman
Mike Xenick
Bernard Wolfsdorf
Jason Gurvitz
Nima Korpivaara
Bill Gresser
Jeff Campion
Patrick Hogan
Brandon Meyer
John Tishler
Paul Fuhrman
Carlos Colombo
Jonathan Bloch
Reid Thomas
Catherine Holmes
Katie Wu
Steve Anapoell
Clem Turner
Kevin Carreno
Steve Hill
Cletus Weber
Kevin Jeffers
Taher Kameli
Dan Healy
Kevin Wright
Trevor Saliba
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Laura Reiff
Gold Sponsors
Silver Sponsors
Letter from the Host Dear Conference Attendees, Welcome to the inaugural Las Vegas EB-5 Conference, presented by EB5 Investors Magazine and EB5Investors.com. Recently, the EB-5 program has undergone a number of developments: the Department of Homeland Security sent USCIS a Policy Memorandum outlining suggested changes, and USCIS responded; SEC and USCIS issued a joint investor alert; and there were calls from multiple government entities for interagency cooperation. The EB-5 program continually evolves, and I hope that this conference, along with the latest issue of EB5 Investors Magazine, can provide investors, attorneys, and other EB-5 professionals with valuable information about these changes. The speakers at our panels are some of the most distinguished professionals in the EB-5 industry. Our beginner sessions should be useful for attendees newer to EB-5 and looking to expand their knowledge, and our advanced sessions should offer fresh perspectives on topics of interest for industry veterans. I am also honored to have Congressman Jared Polis as a special guest and keynote speaker. As the current Chair of the NewDem Coalition’s Immigration task Force and an advocate for EB-5 recognition, reform, and expansion, Polis can offer informative insights on the status of EB-5 on Capitol Hill. We are also grateful to have David Hirson, Joseph McCarthy, and Dawn Lurie co-hosting this event. The team at EB5Investors wants to acknowledge all of our speakers, sponsors, attendees, and the conference committee co-chairs for making the 2014 Las Vegas EB-5 Conference possible. It is an honor to serve you as the host of this distinguished event. Our team is here to enrich your experience at our conference, so do not hesitate to ask our team for introductions to our panelists, sponsors, or attendees. Sincerely,
Ali Jahangiri President of EB5 Investors Magazine | EB5Investors.com
info@eb5investors.com · 949-271-9039
Conference 2014
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Agenda Registration
8:00 - 9:00
9:00-9:45
Break
9:45 to 10:00
10:00-10:50
10:50 to 11:00
Las Vegas EB-5
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Positives of the EB-5 Program: From the Perspective of Steve Hill, Executive Director of Nevada’s Governor’s Office of Economic Development
Breakfast & Keynote
Panel 1 · Beginner
Panel 2 · Advanced and Special Topics
Understanding EB-5 Essentials
EB-5 Direct Projects—Alternatives to Regional Centers
Moderator: Cletus Weber, Peng & Weber PLLC
Moderator: Edward Beshara, Beshara Professional Association
Speakers: Joseph McCarthy, American Dream Fund Kevin Wright, Wright Johnson
Speakers: Nima Korpivaara, Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy, LLP Elizabeth Peng, Peng & Weber PLLC
Break
11:00 11:50
12:00-1:00
Panel 3 · Beginner
Panel 4 · Advanced and Special Topics
I-924 Filing an Regional Center Designation: Start to Finish
The Regional Center Roller Coaster
Moderator: Dawn Lurie, Polsinelli, PC
Moderator: Catherine Holmes, Jeffer Mangels Butler & Mitchell LLP
Speakers: Aaron Goforth, Wright Johnson Michael Homeier, Homeier & Law, PC Elliot Winer, Northeast Economic Analysis Group
Speakers: Henry Liebman, American Life, Inc. Regional Center George Ekins, American Dream Fund Jeff Campion, Pathways Al Rattan, USA Continental Regional Center
Lunch
Keynote with Congressman Polis Q&A with Congressman
Panel 5 · Beginner
Panel 6 · Advanced and Special Topics
Successful Partnerships between Developers and Regional Centers
EB-5 Securities—Just another Offering?
Moderator: Joseph McCarthy, American Dream Fund, Inc.
Dawn Lurie, Polsinelli, PC
Speakers: Patrick Hogan, CMB Regional Centers Paul Fuhrman, Colony Capital Jonathan Bloch, Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP
Speakers: Steven Anapoell, Greenberg Traurig LLP Kevin Carreno, FINRA Board of Governors Micke Xenick, InvestAmerica Capital Advisors John Tishler, Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP Trevor Saliba, NMS Capital
Moderator: 1:10 to 2:00
info@eb5investors.com · 949-271-9039
Conference 2014
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Agenda
Break
2:00 to 2:10
2:10-3:00
Panel 7 路 Beginner
Panel 8 路 Advanced and Special Topics
Best Practices: The Investor Application Process from I-526 to I-829
EB-5 Marketing Panel: The Rusiness of Doing Business in the Realm of the EB-5 Program Moderator: Dawn Lurie, Polsinelli, PC
Moderator: David Hirson, Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy, LLP
Speakers: Marsha Corchado, CanAm Enterprises, LLC Taher Kameli, CFIG Regional Center Reid Thomas, NES Financial Kevin Wright, Wright Johnson
Speakers: Edward Beshara, Beshara Professional Association Cletus Weber, Peng & Weber PLLC
3:00 to 3:10
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Break
3:10-4:00
Panel 9 · Beginner
Panel 10 · Advanced and Special Topics
Who Should Represent EB-5 Investors? Ethical Issues
EB-5 Market Update: What is Hot in EB-5 Right Now: Audience Q&A Session with Migration Consultants. What’s Going on in China? Moderator: David Hirson, Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy, LLP
Moderator: Jeff Campion, Pathways
Speakers: CanAchieve Immigration Consultants Lili Wang, New City Advisors Katie Wu, Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy, LLP Kevin Jeffers, Pinnint Hong Kong Ltd
Speakers: Elizabeth Peng, Peng & Weber PLLC Carlos Colombo, Colombo & Hurd Brandon Meyer, Meyer Law Group Break
4:00-4:10
1:10 to 2:00
Panel 11 · Beginner
Panel 12 · Advanced and Special Topics
Hot Topics—EB-5 Latest Developments
Program Advocacy and How the EB-5 Program Could Change in 2014 and Beyond
Moderator: Bernard Wolfsdorf, Wolfsdorf Immigration Law Group Speakers: David Hirson, Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy, LLP Ali Jahangiri, EB5 Investors Magazine Clem Turner, Homeier & Law, P.C. Jason Gurvitz, World Language Communications
info@eb5investors.com · 949-271-9039
Moderator: Laura Reiff, Greenberg Traurig LLP Speakers: Dan Healy, Civitas Patrick Hogan, CMB Regional Center Bill Gresser, EB-5 New York State Regional Center
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Keynote Speaker Jared Polis, Congressman 2nd Congressional District of Colorado Since 2009, Congressman Polis has represented the second congressional district of Colorado in the United States House of Representatives. He is co-chair of the New Democrat Coalition’s Immigration Task Force and an active proponent of the EB-5 program. Congressman Polis authored the American Entrepreneurship and Investment Act (H.R. 5874), which, if signed into law, would strengthen the EB-5 program by making the adjudication process faster and more efficient, expanding and permanently reauthorizing the regional center program, and creating a Start-Up visa. The Start-Up visa would allow foreign business owners who have already attracted investments for their businesses to locate their companies within the United States and would give the business owners residency, providing a counterpart for the economy-boosting benefits of the traditional EB-5 investment. He is committed to providing solutions for the United States’ flawed immigration system. On Capitol Hill, Congressman Polis serves on the Committee on Education and the Workforce, the Committee on Rules, and the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee. He is also an involved philanthropist, and founded the Jared Polis Foundation in 2000. The Jared Polis Foundation offers Teaching Recognition Awards and a Community Computer Connection program that donates computers to schools in need and non-profit organizations. Congressman Polis has also founded two charter schools, which service at-risk students and student immigrants who are 16 to 21 years of age. His philanthropic involvement has earned him titles and awards, such as Outstanding Philanthropist during Colorado’s National Philanthropy Day, the Kauffman Foundation Community Award, and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Colorado Humanitarian Award.
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Special Guest & Breakfast Speaker Steve Hill, Director Nevada Governor’s Office of Economic Development Steve Hill is the director of the Governor’s Office of Economic Development. He was appointed to this position by Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval after the office’s inception in 2011. The Governor’s Office of Economic Development seeks to foster Nevada’s economy through expanding and retaining businesses, encouraging entrepreneurs and new businesses, and facilitating community development. Prior to accepting this appointment, Mr. Hill was CalPortland’s senior vice president (responsible for operations in Nevada and Arizona) chairman of service for the 1st Bank of Nevada, chairman of the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce State Policy Task Force, and commissioner on the Nevada Commission on Economic Development. Mr. Hill is also a founder of Silver State Materials, a concrete, sand and gravel supplier in the Las Vegas area since 1987, which was purchased by CalPortland in 2008. He is a former chair of the Chamber’s Board of Trustees and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Las Vegas, and has served as chairman of government affairs for the Las Vegas Chamber, the Associated Builders & Contractors and the Associated General Contractors. In recent years, Mr. Hill has served as a member of the Nevada Savings and Government Efficiency (SAGE) Commission; the Clark County Growth Task Force; the Trauma System Development Task Force; the RTC Regional Fixed Guideway Citizens Advisory Committee; the Clean Water Coalition; the Legislative Interim Advisory Committee on Air Quality; and as chairman of the Governor’s Construction Liability Insurance Task Force. Mr. Hill received a degree in mechanical engineering from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology.
info@eb5investors.com · 949-271-9039
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Conference Committee Co-Chairs Ali Jahangiri, President EB5 Investors Magazine and EB5Investors.com Ali Jahangiri is the founder and president of EB5Investors.com, a digital publishing platform designed to facilitate interaction among the EB-5 community. Together with EB5 Investors Magazine and conferences, this community increases program transparency and the flow of information. Mr. Jahangiri has worked in the digital and publishing industry for the past decade, pioneering multiple portals with a subscriber base of over 4,000 professionals. He founded and operated Healthnews from 2002 to 2009, and LawQA from 2010 to 2012, and is founder and board member of Gen Next, a PAC committed to finding long-term solutions for future generations. In 2009, Mr. Jahangiri to the State of California’s Law Revision Committee. After graduating the University of California, Irvine and Loyola Law School, Mr. Jahangiri practiced corporate securities law with Stradling, Yocca, Carlson, & Rauth. David Hirson, Immigration Attorney Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen and Loewy, LLP David Hirson co-manages and leads the team in Fragomen’s Irvine office, and is the partner in charge of Fragomen’s consular practice. Mr. Hirson has been certified continuously as a specialist in immigration and nationality law by the State Bar of California and the Board of Legal Specialization since 1990. He files regional center applications and individual green card applications for investors under EB-5, and is a direct investment and regional center expert. Mr. Hirson handles the immigration accounts of Fortune 500 companies, and has won several awards, including Best Lawyers in America, International Who’s Who of Business Lawyers, and Best Immigration Lawyers in the United States. He is also a member of the legislative committee of IIUSA.
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Dawn Lurie, Immigration Attorney Polsinelli Dawn Lurie is a shareholder and immigration attorney at Polsinelli, where she works on compliance, visa processing, and EB-5 foreign investment. She has over 20 years of experience advising on U.S. and global immigration issues, and is ranked as a leading business immigration lawyer by Best Lawyers, Legal 500 and several other publications. Ms. Lurie has worked with high-net-worth individuals for almost 20 years through the EB-5 investor visa program. Ms. Lurie’s focus is on regional center representation and compliance wherein she helps companies establish management programs and compliance to assist the organization of executives and professional employees in various locations around the world. She has worked with and advised a wide variety of companies in sectors such as healthcare, multimedia, retail and service industries, and manufacturing. Ms. Lurie regularly speaks and writes about immigration matters. Joseph McCarthy, Partner McAdam & McCarthy LLP Joseph McCarthy practices at McAdam & McCarthy, located in Los Angeles, and is also a principal of American Dream Fund. His primary legal focus includes all areas of EB-5 foreign investment immigration, and he has successfully received regional center designation from USCIS for multiple regional centers throughout the United States. His legal practice also includes litigation, business law, international law, environmental law, contract negotiation and partnership and limited partnership agreements. Mr. McCarthy is an active member of AILA, and is also a member of IIUSA, the Los Angeles County Bar Association, the State Bar of Washington, the State Bar of California and the King County Bar Association. Attorney McCarthy earned his undergraduate degree in geology from Whittier College, his master’s degree from the Colorado School of Mines, and his law degree (with honors) from the Seattle University School of Law.
info@eb5investors.com · 949-271-9039
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Speakers Aaron Goforth, President Wright Johnson, LLC Aaron Goforth is the president and managing director of Wright Johnson, an industry leader in preparing economic analyses and business plans for regional centers working with the EB-5 program. Before joining Wright Johnson, Mr. Goforth worked for Merck & Co., Inc. in various capacities, including manager of strategic planning and customer marketing. He left Merck as one of their leaders in US commercial operations, and was responsible for Merck’s U.S. primary care portfolio. Mr. Goforth has degrees in both business and economics, has EB-5 practical experience, is proficient in both RIMS II and IMPLAN, and is an expert in developing and implementing project strategy and analysis. As the lead of the input/output analysis division of Wright Johnson, Mr. Goforth has supervised the successful completion of more than 150 EB-5 related economic analyses. Al Rattan, President USA Continental Regional Center Al Rattan is the manager and co-founder of USA Continental Regional Center, LLC. USA Continental Regional Center is based in Murrieta, CA and received designation by USCIS as a regional center in 2011. With an extensive background in international business and real estate development, Mr. Rattan is a driving force behind the regional center, which works in conjunction with Rattan’s real estate company, Continental East Development. Mr. Rattan has 30 years of construction and development projects valued at over $200 million. USA Continental Regional Center continues to engage in new EB-5 projects, including the Antelope Square shopping center, Continental Medical Center, and a medical office building housing RadNet, a medical imaging center. USACRC is also looking forward to two assisted living senior centers; one in Moreno Valley, CA, and the other in Indio, CA. Las Vegas EB-5
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Bernard Wolfsdorf, Managing Partner Wolfsdorf Immigration Law Group Bernie Wolfsdorf is a past president of AILA and managing partner of the top-rated Wolfsdorf Immigration Law Group, a firm with offices in Los Angeles and New York. With 18 lawyers and about 50 professionals, the firm is known worldwide for its excellence in providing top-quality global immigration representation. For the past four years, Mr. Wolfsdorf was named the “most highly rated immigration lawyer” by Who’s Who Legal, the official researcher for the American Bar Association (ABA) and the International Bar Association (IBA). Chambers Global World’s Leading Lawyers for Business guide called him a “cutting-edge thinker.” An immigrant himself, Mr. Wolfsdorf has a deep appreciation for his clients. He began his career as a corporate and securities attorney; however, he found that immigration law was much more rewarding. He started the Wolfsdorf Immigration Law Group, and it is now one of the largest specialty immigration practices in the United States.
Bill Gresser, President EB-5 New York State Regional Center William (“Bill”) Gresser is the president and founder of EB-5 New York State, LLC. The company was formed in 2007 and was designated as an EB-5 Regional Center by USCIS in 2009. EB-5 New York State has successfully completed job-creating EB-5 projects in New York State, and is one of a select group of regional centers which have completed EB-5 investment projects through the U.S. government’s I-829 approval process. In addition, Mr. Gresser manages a regional center outside of New York State, and is actively engaged in EB-5 projects throughout the United States. Mr. Gresser is a member of the board of directors of the IIUSA industry association and is a regular speaker regarding the EB-5 program. Mr. Gresser has a Bachelor of Arts, Master of Business Administration and Juris Doctor degrees from Georgetown University.
info@eb5investors.com · 949-271-9039
Conference 2014
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Brandon Meyer, Principal Meyer Law Group Brandon Meyer is a principal at Meyer Law Group, where he devotes his practice to providing quality legal representation to clients ranging from EB-5 Regional Center operators and individual investors to multinational corporations. Mr. Meyer does his due diligence on each case he encounters and focuses on getting the job done right. He dedicates his time to helping each of his EB-5 clients present a rock solid case. The EB-5 program allows Mr. Meyer to exercise his interdisciplinary knowledge in business, finance, and tax, among other areas. He appreciates working with EB-5 clients because every case is different. Mr. Meyer is an authority in business immigration, authoring several noteworthy articles on the subject including, most recently, “You Can’t Always Get What You Want: The AAO and Material Change.”
Carlos Colombo, Founding Partner Colombo & Hurd, PL Carlos M. Colombo is a founding partner of the AV-Rated law firm of Colombo & Hurd, PL, where he leads the firm’s corporate, international and business immigration practices. With offices in Orlando, Miami, Brazil and Colombia, Mr. Colombo has created one of the most successful boutique law firms in the United States. Mr. Colombo assists both businesses and individuals in mergers and acquisitions, international franchise structuring, complex business structuring, international business transactions, and obtaining temporary visas and permanent resident status in a variety of categories, including visas for business partners, managers, executives, treaty investors and traders, and numerous world recognized sport figures, entertainers and celebrities. Having personally experienced the hardships of the United States immigration system, Mr. Colombo understands the challenges that individuals and companies face in the context of U.S. immigration and international commerce.
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Catherine DeBono Holmes, Senior Member Jeffer Mangels Butler & Mitchell LLP Catherine D. Holmes is a senior member of JMBM’s global hospitality group, Chinese investment group and financial and investment services group. She has practiced law at JMBM for nearly 30 years. Within the global hospitality group, Ms. Holmes specializes in resort and urban mixed-use developments, hotel management and franchise agreements, resort and hotel purchase and sale transactions, and public-private hotel developments. Within the Chinese investment group, Ms. Holmes specializes in EB-5 immigrant investment offerings and hotel and real estate transactions made by Chinese investors in the United States. Within the financial and investment services group, she focuses on business formations for entrepreneurs, private securities offerings, structuring and offering of private investment funds, and business and regulatory matters for investment advisers, securities broker-dealers, insurance agents, mortgage banks, mortgage brokers, consumer finance lenders, real estate brokers, accountants, attorneys and banks. Clem Turner, Shareholder Homeier & Law, P.C. Clem Turner is an EB-5 corporate and securities attorney who practices with Homeier & Law at the firm’s New York office. His practice concentrates on entrepreneurial law, corporate law, business transactional law, and private and public securities law. Mr. Turner has applied his understanding of these areas to EB-5 capital raises, and has advised regional centers and corporations seeking EB-5 capital for a number of industries, including technology, retail, hospitality, manufacturing, food services, and senior and assisted living. He has handled various EB-5 transactions over the past year, with an aggregate deal valuation of more than $500 million. Mr. Turner frequently speaks at EB-5 events and seminars across the United States. He earned his undergraduate degree in psychology from Princeton University and his legal degree from Georgetown University Law School. He is licensed to practice law in California and New York.
info@eb5investors.com · 949-271-9039
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Cletus M. Weber, Founder Peng & Weber PLLC Cletus M. Weber is an EB-5 immigration attorney and a founder and senior lawyer at Peng & Weber, PLLC. Mr. Weber has over 20 years of legal experience, with a concentration on EB-5 immigrant investors. He has been featured multiple times in the media, including in the Seattle Times, the Daily Telegraph, and HR Magazine. He was the associate editor for Immigration Practice Pointers: Tips for Handling Complex Cases and Immigration Options for Investors & Entrepreneurs. Mr. Weber has served as discussion leader at several workshops and conferences. He received his bachelor’s degree in business administration from the College of William and Mary in Virginia and obtained his Juris Doctor degree at the National Law Center, George Washington University. He is admitted to practice law before the Washington State Supreme Court, the U.S. District Court for Western District of Washington, and the U.S. Supreme Court, Washington, D.C. Dan Healy, CEO Civitas Capital Group Dan Healy is the CEO of Civitas Capital Group, responsible for the general management of the Civitas Capital Group family of companies. A seasoned real estate investor, Mr. Healy has been responsible for the origination, financing and management of dozens of real estate investments across virtually all property types. He also has significant experience in securities compliance. Prior to forming Civitas, Mr. Healy served in senior executive roles with Royalton Real Estate Capital, LLC and Highland Capital Management, LP, a $30 billion asset manager. While at Highland, he served as chief compliance officer of an affiliated FINRA-member broker-dealer. Mr. Healy holds a Master of Business Administration from Southern Methodist University and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Texas at Dallas.
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Edward Beshara, Managing Partner Beshara Professional Association Edward Beshara, managing partner of Beshara PA, has been exclusively practicing U.S. business immigration law since 1983, and has represented foreign national investors and corporate clients in EB-5 since 1991, concentrating on the EB-5 Regional Center process for over 10 years. Currently, Mr. Beshara is an active member of IIUSA and serves on the best practices committee. He has a Juris Doctor degree (University of Florida), two Bachelor of Laws degrees, and is a Bar member in Florida and Victoria, Australia. Mr. Beshara is a Past President of AILA (CFL) (National Board of Governors), and has received the highest AV Rating as an international preeminent immigration attorney. Mr. Beshara achieved AILA’s (CFL) highest award for outstanding contributions and was named one of the Best U.S. Immigration Lawyers in America.
Elizabeth Peng, Senior Attorney Peng & Weber PLLC Elizabeth Peng is the co-founder and senior attorney at Peng & Weber, PLLC and has two decades of experience representing clients nationwide in immigration law. In addition to aiding those looking to utilize the EB-5 program, such as individual investors and regional centers, Peng & Weber also works with universities, businesses and research institutions. Ms. Peng received her Bachelor of Law and Master of Laws at China University of Political Science and Law, and her Juris Doctor at the University of Kansas School of Law. She has published writing and paneled at workshops about EB-5 (with a focus on investors from China) and has been a member of AILA for almost 20 years. Ms. Peng is fluent in Mandarin Chinese, and is admitted to practice law in Washington, D.C., Kansas, Washington State, and the U.S. Supreme Court.
info@eb5investors.com · 949-271-9039
Conference 2014
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Elliot Winer, Chief Economist Northeast Economic Analysis Group Elliot Winer established Northeast Economic Analysis Group (NEEAG) in 2010, providing professional economic analysis and assistance with a focus on Targeted Employment Area (TEA) analysis within the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program. Prior to establishing NEEAG, Mr. Winer was the chief economist and director of economic analysis for the Massachusetts Department of Workforce Development for 12 years. He coordinated the development of such widely acclaimed Massachusetts labor market information publications as Career Moves and the Regional Labor Market Information Profiles, and managed both the industry and occupational employment forecasts for Massachusetts and the design and development of a new job vacancy survey. Mr. Winer was the recipient of the Commonwealth Corporation 2005 Excellence in Research and Evaluation Award, and has served on various economic advisory boards. He is currently a member of the Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM) Executive Advisory Board. George Ekins, Principal American Dream Fund, Inc. George Ekins is a principal of American Dream Fund, LLC, which owns and operates four EB-5 Regional Centers throughout the United States. Mr. Ekins has extensive experience in organizing, administering, and promoting EB-5 capital projects. He played an active role in ADF’s W Hotel project in Hollywood, CA, and spent four months promoting the project in more than twenty cities throughout China and South Korea. He played an active role in overseeing the completion of I-526 petitions, sources of funds and RFE responses for the project, which successfully raised $20 billion in EB-5 capital. More recently, Mr. Ekins has been involved in the successful raise of more than $50 million in EB-5 capital for a Florida project. He is a licensed commercial real estate broker, holds a Bachelor of Arts in international business and is conversant in Mandarin Chinese.
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Henry Liebman, Principal American Life, Inc. Henry Liebman is the CEO and co-founder of American Life, Inc., one of the earliest regional centers. As CEO, he oversees all daily company operations and strategic planning. He has over 20 years of experience with immigration law, real estate law, real estate management, and investment. Mr. Liebman has served as managing partner of Coe Nordwall Liebman, LLC, founded Northwest International Bank, and is the author of The Immigration Handbook, published in the United States, Spain and the United Kingdom. He is frequently invited to speak on business and immigration topics for organizations throughout the Northwest and abroad. Mr. Liebman earned his bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Washington, and received his Juris Doctor from the University of Puget Sound. Jason Gurvitz, Translator World Language Communications Jason has been a Spanish, English, and Portuguese translator, editor, simultaneous interpreter and Title III (DOJ, DOD, FBI) Certified transcriber/translator with more than 15 years’ experience, having done tens of thousands of pages in the areas of legal, immigration, finance, marketing, education, insurance, medical/pharmaceuticals/bio-tech, politics, counterterrorism, subtitles, and much more. An abbreviated list of those companies and organizations Jason has provided translations for include DOD, DHS, FBI, DEA, US Army, the Department of the Interior, CAL TRANS, the European Union, Lexmark, Taimweser, Chevron, Texaco, Petro Ecuador, and Honda. Jason has also translated two novels from Spanish to English and has interpreted Spanish/ English for hundreds of conferences and meetings including depositions, pre-trial prep, court trials, hearings, client meetings on-site at state and federal prison systems, and in highly classified settings, as well as legal analysis, and phone interviews.
info@eb5investors.com · 949-271-9039
Conference 2014
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Jeff Campion, CEO Pathways Jeff Campion manages Pathways, which maintains strategic alliances with several regional centers to match investor capital to projects. Mr. Campion is an attorney specializing in representing foreign, high net-worth clients and their businesses. He regularly travels to Latin America to speak on complex immigration-related issues, including citizenship and immigration options. Mr. Campion received his Juris Doctor with Honors from the University of Florida College of Law. He also received his Bachelor of Business Administration in international finance and marketing from the University of Miami. Mr. Campion speaks conversational Spanish and Portuguese. He is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), and was a board member for the Miami Chapter of the United States-Mexico Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Campion is also a member of the IIUSA Best Practices Committee and a board member of the AILA Mexico chapter.
John Tishler, Partner Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hamptom, LLC John D. Tishler is a partner in Sheppard Mullin’s corporate practice group in the firm’s Del Mar Heights office. Mr. Tishler’s practice encompasses domestic and international capital markets, corporate finance, corporate governance, business transactions, merges and acquisitions and technology. He advises established NYSE, NASDAQ and international exchange issuers and smaller high-growth clients on capital structures, equity and debt offerings, the EB-5 investment program, securities compliance, strategic partnerships, and corporate restructuring. Mr. Tishler regularly speaks and writes on corporate governance, capital markets transactions, EB-5 investments, emerging growth company issues and uncommon interpretations and approaches to transactional lawyering.
Las Vegas EB-5
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Jonathan Bloch, Co-Chair Private Equity and Venture Capital Jonathan Bloch is co-chair of the Private Equity and Venture Capital practice and a member of the corporate practice group in the firm’s Los Angeles office, where he works with real estate developers and energy infrastructure companies in negotiating, documenting and obtaining EB-5 loans. He has more than 15 years of experience in venture capital, private equity and alternative investments focused on large institutional investors, and he specialized in operations, sophisticated fund formation issues and legal and regulatory compliance. Mr. Bloch was the founder and senior managing director of a large fund-of-funds firm (over $700 million in investments), which was targeted at venture capital, growth equity, medium-size buyout funds and cleantech investing. At the firm where Jonathan served as acting general counsel, he reviewed and negotiated limited partnership agreements and side letters for over 30 partnerships. Kevin Carreno, Small Firm Governor FINRA Board of Governors Kevin A. Carreno has over 28 years’ experience as a securities regulatory and compliance lawyer. He also has over 25 years’ experience in the brokerage industry as an owner, principal and senior manager with several brokerage firms. He is currently serving a three-year term on the FINRA Board of Governors as a small firm governor. Mr. Carreno is a graduate of the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs with an engineering degree, and of the University of Denver College of Law with a Juris Doctor. He currently holds the Series 4, 7, 24, 53 and 79 licenses and is a member of the Colorado and Florida Bars. Mr. Carreno served in the U.S. Air Force for five years on active duty, and 18 years in the AF Reserve, before retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel.
info@eb5investors.com · 949-271-9039
Conference 2014
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Kevin Jeffers, Managing Partner Immco Kevin Jeffers is the managing partner of Immco, a professional EB-5 consulting company with offices in China and India. The company’s extensive and qualified fundraising network included licensed immigration agents, immigration and securities lawyers, and financial services advisers. Immco gives developers looking for EB-5 as a capital source for their projects immediate access to qualified investors. Mr. Jeffers has been working in China since 1990, and is based in Shanghai, China, with offices in Beverly Hills, CA. Mr. Jeffers’s EB-5 experience began in 2009, and the company has raised over $50 million in EB-5 capital for various projects. Mr. Jeffers is one of the first EB-5 professionals to engage the due diligence services of a registered securities dealer and investment advisor. He also works with a nationally known accounting firm to audit funds in compliance with state and SEC requirements. Kevin Wright, Principal Wright Johnson LLC Kevin Wright is the Principal of Wright Johnson, and specializes in EB-5 immigration law. As an accomplished researcher, analyst and professional author, Mr. Wright has assisted many entrepreneurs in receiving regional center designation and subsequent approval of their specific projects. As an IMPLAN software specialist, he has authored numerous econometric analyses, in many divergent industries, that demonstrate the employment and economic impacts of these various projects to USCIS. The regional center application process requires Mr. Wright to have an expertise in business plan writing, private placement composition, econometric analysis, and complexities of government reporting requirements, all coupled with the hands on experience necessary to successfully work within this highly specialized industry. Wright Johnson, LLC has a 100 percent success rate in the client receiving regional center designation.
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Laura Reiff, Shareholder Greenberg Traurig, LLP Laura Foote Reiff is an EB-5 immigration attorney and co-managing shareholder of Greenberg Traurig, LLP, and co-chair of their business immigration and compliance group. Ms. Reiff assists businesses in establishing, managing, and utilizing EB-5 Regional Centers, and also individual investors who seek conditional permanent residence and removal of conditions. She is a member of the Labor and Employment Subcommittee of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and is the Essential Worker Immigration Coalition’s legal counsel. Ms. Reiff is also a member of the District of Columbia, Maryland, American, and Federal Bar Associations. She was selected as one of the United States’ Top 20 Most Powerful Immigration Lawyers by Human Resource Executive Magazine in 2011. Ms. Reiff earned her undergraduate degree in legal institutions, economics, and government, magna cum laude, from American University and earned her law degree, with honors, from George Washington University Law School. Lili Wang, Managing Partner New City Advisors Ms. Wang is a managing partner of New City Advisors and a managing director at Bonwick Capital Partners. New City Advisors is dedicated to providing institutional-grade services connecting investors to best-in-class projects. Bonwick Capital is a full-service Wall Street investment bank whose partners consist of Goldman Sachs alumni. The combined platforms offer comprehensive advisory, marketing, syndication services to EB-5 projects, as well as a full suite of other financial services, such as investment banking, capital placement, and private equity. The platform is a fully licensed broker-deal and registered investment advisor under FINRA and the SEC. Ms. Wang graduated from Stanford University with dual Bachelors of Arts in economics and comparative literature, and a Masters of Science in industrial engineering. She is fluent in English and Mandarin, and proficient in Spanish, French, and Arabic.
info@eb5investors.com · 949-271-9039
Conference 2014
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Marsha Corchado, Vice President of Client Relations CanAm Enterprises, LLC Marsha Corchado is a vice president of client relations at CanAm Enterprises, LLC. CanAm is one of the leading sponsors of immigration-linked investment funds. With more than 25 years of experience, CanAm has raised $1.4 billion in EB-5 capital for more than 40 project loans with total project costs of approximately $3.5 billion, and has helped create an estimated 38,000 new, full-time jobs for the U.S. citizens. Ms. Corchado oversees the development of I-924 exemplar, I-526 and I-829 petitions and responses to requests for evidence. In addition, Ms. Corchado manages CanAm’s fund administration for six EB-5 regional centers and monitors investors and EB-5 job creation. Ms. Corchado earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Barnard College of Columbia University and a Master of Science degree in human resources management and development from New York University. Michael Homeier, Founder Homeier & Law, P.C. Michael Homeier is an EB-5 attorney and founder of Homeier & Law, P.C. Mr. Homeier practices corporate, transactional, business financing, and general business law, and has nearly 30 years of experience working at both private law firms and as in-house corporate counsel. The firm is a leader in EB-5 securities and corporate transactions, and has represented clients on over 90 EB-5 projects and regional centers. Mr. Homeier represents EB-5 Regional Centers and assists with project structuring, as well as drafting and negotiation of securities and business documents. He is a professor of law and regularly speaks at business law, EB-5, and business financing-related engagements. Mr. Homeier earned his law degree from the University of Southern California and his undergraduate degree from the University of California, Los Angeles. He is a member of AILA and the State Bar of California.
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Mike Xenick, President/CEO InvestAmerica Capital Advisors Mr. Xenick has been an investment banker for over 20 years, working to raise millions of dollars of debt and equity capital for middle market companies. At InvestAmerica, Mr. Xenick leads the firm’s EB-5 advisory services and support practice. InvestAmerica offers a full-service suite for EB-5 investors, including performing due diligence, supporting and advising regional centers, and coordinating efforts with other EB-5 professionals. Xenick developed the principles for InvestAmerica while he was managing partner of LCG Capital Advisors, a boutique lower middle market investment bank in Tampa, FL, co-founding LCG’s FINRA-registered broker/dealer, representing dozens of the firm’s clients in raising debt/equity capital and merger and acquisition transactions. He holds bachelor and master degrees in accounting from the University of Florida, is a CPA, and holds FINRA Series 7, 79, 24 and 63 securities registrations. Nima Korpivaara, Associate Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen and Loewy, LLP Nima Korpivaara is an EB-5 immigration attorney at Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen and Loewy, LLP. Mr. Korpivaara works in the firm’s Irvine office and handles many EB-5 and immigration related cases. Mr. Korpivaara deals exclusively in immigration and has experience with a variety of different applications and processes. He has successfully processed a large volume of immigrant and nonimmigrant cases with an emphasis on PERM labor certification applications and H-1B visa petitions. He also has experience handling I-9 and E-Verify compliance issues. Mr. Korpivaara is active in the immigration law community and holds memberships to AILA and the Beverly Hills Bar Association. Attorney Korpivaara is admitted to practice in California and received his Juris Doctor in 2011 from the University of West Los Angeles School of Law. Prior to this, he received his undergraduate degree from the University of Denver.
info@eb5investors.com · 949-271-9039
Conference 2014
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Patrick Hogan, President/CEO CMB Regional Centers Patrick Hogan is the president, CEO and managing member of CMB Regional Centers. Having gained considerable experience in the EB-5 investment field since 1994 has made Mr. Hogan one of the most experienced practitioners in the EB-5 industry. The original focus of CMB was to assist communities that had been devastated by the loss of tens of thousands of jobs when a military base was closed. Mr. Hogan is considered to be a seasoned expert in the EB-5 industry. As a member of the IIUSA board of directors, Mr. Hogan has been an active participant in furthering industry best practices and program reauthorization. Mr. Hogan is a frequent expert panelist on EB-5 issues and has testified about the EB-5 program and CMB Regional Centers’s successes before a State of Ohio subcommittee on economic development.
Paul Fuhrman, Principal Colony Capital, LLC Paul Fuhrman, principal of Colony Capital, LLC, is responsible for the identification, evaluation and consummation of new investments. Mr. Fuhrman also serves as the CEO of Colony’s asset management company, Colony AMC, LLC. Prior to joining Colony in 2008, Mr. Fuhrman was a partner at Latham & Watkins LLP, where he was co-chair of the firm’s global real estate practice group. Mr. Fuhrman received his Juris Doctor from Loyola Law School, Los Angeles in 1995, and his Bachelor of Arts from the University of California, Los Angeles in 1991. Mr. Fuhrman has also been a periodic guest lecturer at the University of Southern California and University of California, Los Angeles law schools on the subject of real estate financing and investing.
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Reid Thomas, Executive Vice President NES Financial Reid Thomas is the corporate executive responsible for the sales and marketing organizations at NES Financial. He has over 20 years of executive management experience at high-growth private and public companies. Under Mr. Thomas’s leadership, NES Financial has defined products and strategies that have led to the company’s recognition as one of the fastest growing private companies in America. A key contributor to this growth has been the success of its EB-5 suite of solutions, where NES financial is the industry leader for escrow administration services. Mr. Thomas is an active participant in the EB-5 community and speaker at industry events.
Steven Anapoell, Shareholder Greenberg Traurig, LLP Steven Anapoell focuses his practice on forming private equity, distressed debt, real estate, venture capital and special strategy funds, mergers and acquisitions, private and public securities offerings, debt and equity investments and financings, and structuring and negotiating complex corporate transactions. Mr. Anapoell has experience in representing start-up and emerging growth companies and regularly advises clients on such issues as capital formation and financing strategies, general corporate governance and tax planning. He also advises clients interested in raising capital for, and establishing, regional centers to administer projects qualifying for investment under the EB-5 entrepreneur investment program.
info@eb5investors.com · 949-271-9039
Conference 2014
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Taher Kameli, Principal Kameli & Associates EB-5 immigration attorney Taher Kameli is the principal of the law offices of Kameli & Associates. He has a proven successful track record in immigration law, particularly regarding the EB-5 visa and E-2 visa processes. Kameli & Associates’ ability to exceed its clients’ goals has resulted in numerous referrals for its services. Mr. Kameli has worked on more than 4,000 cases throughout his career and has been successful in obtaining hundreds of nonimmigrant and immigrant visas. He earned his bachelor’s degree from the State University of New York, Stony Brook and his law degree from Washburn University School of Law. Mr. Kameli is licensed to practice law in the State of Illinois, Washington, D.C., the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth and Seventh Circuits, the US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and the United States Supreme Court.
Trevor Saliba, Founder & CEO NMS Capital Group, LLC Trevor Saliba is founder, chairman and CEO of NMS Capital Group, LLC and its group companies: NMS Capital Asset Management, Inc., NMS Capital Securities, LLC and NMS Financial Services, LLC. Prior to founding NMS, Mr. Saliba was managing director of Platinum Capital Limited, a London based investment firm registered with the FSA. Mr. Saliba has advised on more the 35 cross-border transactions between USA and China counterparties. He is an alumnus of Harvard Business School and La Salle University holding a master’s degree in finance and bachelor’s degree in business administration. He holds the FINRA Series 7,24,63,65,79 and 99. NMS Capital Group, LLC, is a privately held, global, multi-disciplined financial services firm providing investment banking, asset management and management consulting services to clients located in the United States, Asia, Europe and the Middle East.
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Co-Host
USA Continental Regional Center USA Continental Regional Center is a well-respected regional center in the real estate industry. USA Continental offers projects without bank debt, and is backed by Continental East Development, a developer with solid liquidity and a proven track record. Located in Southern California, home of several worldrenowned medical centers, USA Continental develops projects that utilize their expertise in the healthcare field. While offering a proven track record in the health sector, USA Continental is also approved in other industry sectors, including hotels and retail shopping centers. Because of its financial strength and the strength of its principals, who collectively have more than 50 years of development expertise, USA Continental is able to offer its investors sound investments with viable exit strategies.
info@eb5investors.com · 949-271-9039
Diamond Sponsor Civitas Capital Group The Civitas Capital Group family of companies offers a range of products and services for institutional investors, family offices and qualified individuals. Through its affiliates, the firm offers alternative investment strategies, including EB-5 funds, as well as traditional wealth management and financial planning services. The firm’s expertise with EB-5 investments began with the City of Dallas Regional Center (CDRC), one of the most successful regional centers in the United States. Through this unique public-private partnership with the City of Dallas, Civitas has attracted more than $200 million in EB-5 capital to job-creating investments in a range of industries. As the firm expanded its EB-5 platform to other markets in Texas through the Civitas Texas Regional Center, a 43-county regional center encompassing five of Texas’s most populous cities and their surrounding areas, the Civitas reputation for sophisticated and prudent investment management has only grown.
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Gold Sponsor CMB Regional Centers CMB Regional Centers runs one of the oldest active regional centers in the EB-5 industry, and the company founder and president, Patrick F. Hogan, has been involved with the EB-5 program since the establishment of the Regional Center Pilot Program. Today, CMB operates three regional centers—CMB Export, LLC in California, CMB Summit in Ohio and the State of Iowa Regional Center. These regional centers operate with a statewide geographic scope. CMB is currently filing for new regional center applications in Texas, Florida, Georgia, Nevada, Arizona, Pennsylvania and Illinois. The investment focus for each regional center is infrastructure construction, working in partnership with government and public/private partnerships. CMB has raised over $850 million in investor capital, which has been combined with approximately $5 billion in public and private funds.
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Gold Sponsor
World Language Communications World Language Communications is an international language service provider serving blue chip companies, governments, clinics, law firms, media companies, institutions and associations around the world. They are based in Los Angeles and specialize in translation and interpretation. World Language Communications works with hundreds of clients in countless industries, customizing each project according to the individual needs of the client, region, dialect, and demographic. They provide a full range of services, including document translation, website translation, interpretation, subtitling, multicultural consultation, website localization and much more. Their language experts provide translation in languages ranging from the most commonly spoken ones, such as English to Spanish and English to Chinese, and also in any language and language pair from all areas of the world. Many of their translators have advanced legal, medical, business, technology, education and media degrees.
Silver Sponsor
Silver Sponsor
Beshara Professional Association
Wright Johnson
Beshara PA features an international team of professionals, including corporate and tax attorneys and accountants, bankers, business brokers and management consultants, business planners and economists.
Wright Johnson is a national leader in EB-5 regional center consulting for regional center applications and EB-5 immigration visa applications. They have worked with over 300 clients in the EB-5 process, and over 50 of their clients have received USCIS designation.
Fragomen
NMS Capital Group
Established in 1951, Fragomen has become the world’s largest provider of immigration services into the United States and more than 140 other countries. Fragomen has been recognized as the Corporate Immigration Law Firm of the Year by the International Who’s Who of Business Lawyers from 2005 to today.
NMS Capital Group, through its group subsidiaries and affiliates, is a global, privately held, independent, diversified financial services firm providing investment banking, asset and wealth management and consulting services.
info@eb5investors.com · 949-271-9039
Conference 2014
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