IIUSA hosted its 2nd Annual EB-5 International Investment & Economic Development Forum – Laguna Hills, CA (4/30-5/1) earlier this month. In attendance were 350+ international investment and economic development professionals from all over the world. It is important for global industries like the EB-5 Regional Center Program to get together in person from time to time to network, do business, and learn from experts on trending industry topics – all in the name of professional development!
IIUSA is the industry trade association of EB-5 Regional Centers dedicated to industry best practices and regulatory compliance. To continue the process of professional development in important areas of the EB-5 Regional Center Program, attendees immersed themselves into the topics covered by featured speakers. Attendees also went to the quarterly EB-5 Engagement with USCIS at its California Service Center, where statistics confirmed that FY2012 is on a record breaking pace for capital formation, economic development, & U.S. job creation – all at no cost to the American taxpayer.
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“Host-City Sponsors”
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Featured Speakers
“CIS Ombudsman Office Update”
- Frederick R. Troncone, Senior Advisor, Office of CIS Ombudsman, U.S. Department of Homeland Security
“FOIA Report: ’08-’09 I-829 RFEs/Denials & ’10 USCIS EB-5 Training Materials” (with new article on I-829 trends published in the Forum Handbook)
- Robert C. Divine, Vice President, IIUSA; Shareholder & Head of Immigration Practice, Baker Donelson; Former Chief Counsel/Director, USCIS
- Stephen Yale-Loehr, President Emeritus, IIUSA; Of Counsel, Miller Mayer, LLP; Adjunct Professor, Cornell University Law School
“EB-5 Regional Center Program: Legislative Update”
- Russell Cartwright, President, Cartwright & Riley, Inc.
- Tom Loeffler, Partner, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer Feld, LLP
- Hans Rickhoff, Senior Counsel, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer Feld, LLP
Guest of Host-City Sponsor: USA Continental Regional Center
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Featured Panels
“Practical Implications of EB-5 Program Future: Backlogged? Lapsed? Discontinued?”
- David Hirson, Partner, Fragomen Immigration Law Group
- H. Ronald Klasko, Chair, AILA EB-5 Committee; Partner, Klasko, Rulon, Stock, & Seltzer, LLP
- Brandon Meyer, Principal, Meyer Law Group
“Feasible, Reasonable, & Reproducible: EB-5 Compliant Business Plans & Economic Analyses”
- K. David Andersson, President, IIUSA; President, Whatcom Opportunities Regional Center
- Kimberly Atteberry, President, Vermilion Consulting, LLC; Former Economist, U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security
- Suzanne Lazicki, President, Lucid Professional Writing
“EB-5 Program Reform: Legislative, Regulatory, & Administrative”
- Jeffrey B. Carr, President, Economic & Policy Resources
- Ed Carroll, Parner, Carroll & Schribner, P.C.
- Joseph C. McCarthy, Chair, IIUSA Legislative Committee; President, American Dream Fund, Inc.
“Global Perspective: Competition for Immigrant Investor Capital”
“Investor Profiles: Observations from Abroad”
- David Enterline, Associate, Taipei Commercial Law Firm (Taiwan)
- John Jiang, Managing Director, MICON International, LLC
- Taher Kameli, President, Chicagoland Foreign Investment Group
- Joe Sloboda, Vice President of Project Development, Exclusive Visas, Inc.
“Regional Center Roundtable: Different Models & Best Practices”
- K. David Andersson, President, IIUSA; President, Whatcom Opportunities Regional Center
- Patrick F. Hogan, Director, IIUSA; President, CMB Regional Centers
- Henry Liebman, Director, IIUSA; President, American Life, Inc.
- Tom Rosenfeld, Director, IIUSA; President, CanAm Enterprises, LLC
- William J. Stenger, Director, IIUSA; President, Jay Peak Resort
“Risk Management in EB-5: U.S. Securities Law, Liability, Insurance & Litigation Case Studies”
- Jorge Cordova, Senior Parner, Global Citizen Advisors
- Michael G. Homeier, Founder Shareholder, Homeier & Law, P.C.
- David Souders, Commercial Insurance Broker, Todd & Associates, Inc.
“Importance of Independent Analysis in EB-5”
- Ronald Fieldstone, Partner, Arnstein & Lehr, LLP
- David Fuller, Managing Director, HVS
- John Roth, Principal, Roth Immigration Law Firm
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Other Sponsors
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Additional Exhibitors:
Alliance of Business Immigration Lawyers – American Life, Inc – Citibank
EB5 Global – Henley & Partners, Ltd. – Jay Peak Resort – Klausner Holding USA
Midwest Center for Foreign Investment – The Private Bank of California
TriCities Investment District – US Immigration Fund Von Trapp Family Lodge
YK America Regional Center
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Books by IIUSA Members that were on-sale in Exhibit Hall:
“The Global Residence and Citizenship Handbook”
by Christian H. Kälin, Henley & Partners, Ltd.
In-depth yet practical information on th emost important issues concerning international residence and citizenship planning for private clients. It is the quintessential guide for global citizens and their advisers, such as law firms, tax consultants, private banks and family offices.
“Green Card Stories”
by Ariana Lindquist, Saundra Amrhein, Laura Danielson, & Stephen Yale-Loehr
A coffee table style book that depicts 50 recent U.S. immigrants – each with permanent residence or citizneship – in powerfully written short narratives and compelling portraits. Each story is as old as the foundation of this nation, but also reflects the global trends and conflicts of the 21st century.
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2012 IIUSA EB-5 International Investment & Economic Development Forum
Welcoming the World as Partners in Regional Economic Development! See you next year!
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Photos
- Brandon Meyer & Ron Klasko discuss the future of EB-5. (Photo provided by Texas Urban Triangle Regional Center)
- Laguna at its best. (Photo provided by Texas Urban Triangle Regional Center)
- Sold out affair! (Photo provided by Texas Urban Triangle Regional Center)
Welcome!
