We at IIUSA HQ have been hard at work getting the pieces in place for a successful 2016. It is with that in mind that we provide you with some important details on what is on the horizon for IIUSA as an organization and a reminder of why we do the work we do.
There is a lot of work to do to address the differences of opinion within the EB-5 industry before the legislative process picks up again and makes such efforts more difficult. The only way our industry can succeed is to speak with as unified a voice as possible by engaging in the processes that underpin IIUSA as an association – as we have done for over 10 years as your representative in government and public affairs.
Accordingly, below are details on IIUSA’s policy making and internal political processes that are designed so members steer the direction of the organization. Our system requires your participation early and often to successfully result in association policies that reflect the consideration of diverse ideas and compromise. Last minute engagement with IIUSA policy making processes will not get the desired results for anyone involved in EB-5. That is why we are starting our work again now and need you to get engaged today, with an eye towards the culminating event in our internal processes: IIUSA Annual Membership Meeting on Wednesday April 20, 2016 in Washington, DC
IIUSA Membership
The People & Processes that lay the groundwork for a successful EB-5 trade association
Representing EB-5 Stakeholders for a Decade…and Counting!
As an IIUSA member, you have made a firm commitment to serve your community with excellence and integrity, to stand up for economic development and job growth in the United States in the 21st century.
Founded in 2005, IIUSA is your national not-for-profit industry trade association for the EB-5 Regional Center Program, representing the industry in government and public affairs. Since our founding, we have been telling the story of how the EB-5 Program has become an integral part of U.S. economic development policy – with operations covering advocacy, industry development, and education/research. An integral part of IIUSA’s mission is to stimulate economic development and job growth through continued success of the program as well as advance and maintain industry standards and best practices.
Your membership supports IIUSA efforts to ensure that the EB-5 Regional Center Program (“the Program”) is made a permanent tool of 21st century U.S. economic policy via legislative action by Congress. It also supports IIUSA efforts to protect the long term viability and success of the Program through professional development and advocacy in public and government affairs.
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Member Benefits
A reminder of why you continue supporting IIUSA year after year
IIUSA members are rewarded for their annual dues contributions with benefits that are designed to enhance their organization’s EB-5 know-how. While the member categories and benefits are listed in the matrix below, a few notable benefits include enhanced visibility (listing on our Member Directory) access (member alerts and other digital publications, access to Member Portal) and government relations (strength of the industry’s leading professional advocacy organization representing your business interests in government and public policy formation).
Visibility – Building & Maintaining Your Company’s Presence within the EB-5 Marketplace
Membership Logo
IIUSA will provide a limited use license of the displayed 2016 logo to any member in good standing. The logo may be used to indicate that an individual or organization is a member of IIUSA. This can be displayed on an a firm’s website, business cards, classified advertisements that list the name of a company or organization, or other like print/electronic promotions … Fill out and
return the Limited Use Agreement Today
Listing on Member Directory
As a member organization, you are listed and easily searchable on the IIUSA member directory within the member portal. Visit the directory today!
Advertisement & Sponsorship Opportunities
IIUSA provides its members an unparalleled platform from which they can advertise its products/services to thousands of EB-5 stakeholders in the U.S. and across the world. Whether you are interested in print advertisement in the Regional Center Business Journal, listing your organization’s events on our public-facing industry calendar, or sponsoring webinars and conferences, IIUSA has a suitable medium to reach your intended audience.
Publish in IIUSA’s Quarterly Magazine, Regional Center Business Journal
Speaking Opportunities at Conferences and on webinars
Members are eligible to speak on panels at IIUSA conferences as on IIUSA webinars, held monthly. In 2015, over 100 IIUSA members spoke at the EB-5 Advocacy Conference (May) and EB-5 Market Exchange (October) and 30+ speakers participated on webinar panels.
Full Listing of IIUSA Member Benefits
(click below to view PDF)
Access – Stay in the know on the ever-changing world of EB-5
All-Access Pass
The highest level of industry intelligence at your fingertips. Make the All-Access Pass (AAP) your go-to place for everything EB-5: Webinars, Multimedia, Research, Analysis and More!
To learn more about the AAP or purchase today for $999, click here.
IIUSA Member Portal
IIUSA’s ever growing industry database can be accessed in our Member Portal. Updated on a daily basis, the Member Portal has over 1,000 documents (totaling tens of thousands of pages) easily accessible including resources, presentations and files relating to advocacy, economic methodology, litigation, securities laws, USCIS adjudication and SEC enforcement actions. Login now! Unable to login, email us at [email protected].
Member Alerts & Updates
IIUSA publishes members-only alerts on breaking EB-5 news and industry developments, sent directly to your inbox. Member alerts can be anything from notices or analysis of USCIS stakeholder calls to advocacy alerts on the latest legislative news from Capitol Hill.
IIUSA is here to keep you informed so you can keep your business humming with detailed market insights!
Government Affairs – Shape the Future of the EB-5 Program
IIUSA is an important partner of Congress, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), U.S. Department of State, U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Bureau of Economic Analysis, and other pertinent federal agencies in the development of best practices, providing feedback on policies, regulations, and other practical issues, and ensuring the integrity of the EB-5 Regional Center Program as its utilization grows.
As the industry’s leading professional advocacy organization, IIUSA is actively representing your business interests in government and public policy formation through industry’s leading professional advocacy organization representing your business interests in government and public policy formation through IIUSA’s experienced government affairs team. experienced government affairs team.
IIUSA Leadership Fund
In 2015, over 30 organizations contributed to IIUSA’s Leadership Fund, which are directly allocated to IIUSA’s government affairs budget, which funds all advocacy efforts, including government and public affairs. IIUSA stands hand-in-hand with its members to achieve the goal of a permanent EB-5 Regional Center Program with maximized capacity for economic impact.
Stay tuned for notifications regarding updated levels and benefits associated with contributing to the leadership fund.
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Process –
The nuts and bolts of IIUSA member-driven political and policy making process
Bylaws
The IIUSA Bylaws serve as the association’s constitution. They can only be amended by vote of the membership, and have evolved alongside the organization since they were ratified over a decade ago in 2005. The bylaws establish the major structural units of IIUSA: Officers, Directors, advisory council, standing committees, and – of course – the membership. The bylaws also detail important procedures relating to powers and authority, eligibility, voting and actions by the Board, and other relevant aspects of our policy deliberation process such as budgeting, bylaws, best practices, and more.
Any member can recommend amendments to the bylaws by submitting the recommended revisions in writing at least 30 days prior to the annual meeting for consideration by the Bylaws Committee. The bylaws may be amended by a 2/3 vote of all members present and subsequent 2/3 vote of Regional Center members present at the Membership Meeting. Official solicitation of such recommendations will begin this month, along with other components of our upcoming membership meeting.
Board of Directors Election Process
IIUSA is committed to an open elections process. Nominees, whether recommended by the Nominations Committee or not, have the right to campaign for member support so long as they do not use the IIUSA platform to do so. It is expressly prohibited for nominees to use committee listservs or any other IIUSA listserv to contact members for campaigning purposes. Nominees are permitted to use the member directories in the IIUSA member portal ( http://member.iiusa.org/directory/all) solely as reference for contact information.
At the Annual Meeting, each member in good standing will receive a ballot to cast one vote per open seat. In 2016, ballots will be provided at the Annual Meeting on Wed 4/20 (2-5pm EST). Members will have until Thursday to cast their vote via ballot with results announced on Friday (4/22) in the morning. Members will cast one vote for each open office and directorship. All votes must be cast in person. Members can cast four votes for the same person for each directorship opening if they choose. The nominees with the four highest vote counts will win the open directorship seats.
The Nominations Committee’s recommended slate of candidates will be printed on the ballot along with space to write in any nominations made from the floor of the Annual Meeting. After the Nominations Committee Chair presents the committee recommendation to the membership, and prior to taking any votes, there will be a call for nominations from the floor. Anyone can be nominated (including self-nominations) at this time to contest any open seat. All nominees and/or a proxy will have the opportunity to give a brief two minute speech.
Committee Service
IIUSA committees play an integral role in the formulation of IIUSA policies and procedures. Over the past twelve months, IIUSA’s 10 standing committees have accomplished a great deal and made IIUSA as an organization stronger in the process. Committees are tasked with initiatives such as developing industry best practices to providing thoughtful analyses of legislative proposals, to supporting IIUSA’s staff and advisers on efforts ranging from association building to membership growth, and everything in between.
Committee assignments for 2016-2017 will be formed within two weeks after the annual IIUSA Membership Meeting on April 20th. All IIUSA members in good standing are eligible to serve on a committee. If you are interested in serving, please fill out the committee participation request form, due on April 6. 2016.
Are you unsure which committee assignment is right for you?
IIUSA welcomes its members in good standing to attend and observe our in-person committee meetings at the EB-5 Advocacy Conference on April 20th between 9am and 12pm. Please contact us at [email protected] if you would like to sit in.
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2016-2017 IIUSA Standing Committees
Association Building – Lead IIUSA’s outreach to interest groups whose members are benefiting from the EB-5 Regional Center Program and are natural strategic partners in advocacy, education, and/or otherwise.
Banking – Establish an industry-leading voice for the growing banking constituency in the EB-5 Regional Center industry through by developing educational materials and best practices for banking services that intersect with EB-5 related transactions (escrow, bridge (or other) loans, fund administration, return of capital, etc.).
Best Practices – Develop recommended industry best practices that align the interests between investor, project, and Regional Center to the greatest extent possible by contributing to a transparent and informed marketplace that is defined by the highest degree of professional behavior.
Compliance – Proactively seek out market intelligence to inform IIUSA of current trend drivers, while contributing to market transparency by making potentially aggrieved parties aware of IIUSA’s industry code of ethics policies and enforcement processes to address unethical behavior in the marketplace.
Editorial – Curate IIUSA’s industry-leading quarterly magazine, the Regional Center Business Journal (and other select publications), by providing essential input into the industry data collection/analysis process and carefully considering submissions for publication on various communication platforms.
Investor Markets – Track how world events are driving EB-5 investor market demand around the world and report through IIUSA’s various communication platforms, while also providing essential input into IIUSA’s market research efforts that empower member marketing decisions.
Membership – Improve IIUSA’s value proposition to members through consistent benefits analysis, recommending new programming, and leading outreach efforts to desirable new members. Also facilitate feedback loop between leadership and membership.
International Subcommittee: Recruit desirable new members based outside of the United States, while leading efforts to develop partnerships with international governmental entities and interest groups.
Public Policy – Consider public policy issues, both proactively and reactively, while developing and recommending industry positions for IIUSA’s advocacy and government affairs activities.
Public Relations – Provide ongoing input to IIUSA public affairs strategy and its implementation, while assisting with outreach efforts to members and media alike.
Technology – Lead IIUSA efforts in understanding members technology needs, delivering empowering, cutting-edge industry technology tools to members, and optimizing all facets of IIUSA’s existing web presence.
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11th Annual IIUSA Membership Meeting
Wednesday April 20, 2016 – 2:00-5:00pm
Each spring, IIUSA members gather in Washington D.C. for the annual Membership Meeting and Advocacy Conference. The meeting itself is the culmination of months of hard work from dozens of members, directors and staff and provides a platform for each and every member to have a say in the future of the EB-5 industry trade group.
Important Dates & Deadlines
Please click the timeline below to view the important dates and deadlines, and accompanying links, in PDF.
Please note that while the deadlines in the timeline are those specified by IIUSA bylaws, reports to the membership and other communications are often submitted in advance of these dates. We already have the gears turning, so stay tuned!
Meeting Agenda
- Welcoming Remarks from K. David Andersson, IIUSA President: “State of the Association & Industry
- Vote on Committee Recommendations: The membership will vote on any committee recommendations requiring a vote (such as 2016-2017 budget, bylaws amendments if there are any to consider, best practices, or otherwise).
- Committee Reports: Each committee chair will present annual reports, summarize the year ahead and give membership opportunity to provide input.
- Annual Elections: IIUSA will hold its annual elections for officer and board seats. All three officer (President, Vice President, Secretary-Treasurer) as well as three board seats are up for re-election. Officers are elected for one-year terms while members of the Board of Directors are elected for three-year terms.
Candidates will address members during the annual meeting on Wednesday (4/20), votes are eligible to be cast through Thursday (4/21), and results will be announced on Friday (4/22).
To nominate someone (including yourself) for any of the positions cited above, please complete the form linked to below.
The IIUSA Nominations Committee “shall consider and recommend one or more candidates qualified to serve in each Officer and Director position to be filled at the next annual meeting. The report and recommendations of the Nominating Committee shall be in writing and circulated to all members with the duly required notice for the annual meeting at least two (2) weeks in advance of the applicable Annual Meeting.” IIUSA members may also make nominations (including self) from the floor of the annual meeting to contest any seat.
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EB-5 Advocacy Conference Tickets & Sponsorship Slots Available Now!
IIUSA cordially invites you to join us in our nation’s capital from April 20-22, 2016 for the 9th Annual EB-5 Regional Economic Development Advocacy Conference. We are proud to host this conference at the vibrant Marriott Marquis, completed in May of 2014 with the help of EB-5 investment. The largest hotel in Washington, D.C., the Marquis will be the setting for the industry’s cornerstone event combining the right balance of grassroots advocacy, advanced education, and business development opportunities.
IIUSA is proud to announce that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Immigrant Investor Program Office (IPO) Chief Nicholas Colucci will serve as a Guest of Honor speaker on April 21st.
Don’t miss the opportunity to hear from Mr. Colucci, and other high level government speakers, on the future of the EB-5 Program!
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