Florida EB-5 Foreign Investor Speakers Karen Caco, Attorney, International Immigration Services, PA
She is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, the State Bar of Florida, the Federal Bar Association, the International Bar Association based in London, U.K. and the Immigrant Investors Association. Karen advises both US based and foreign corporations plan their immigration strategies. Her practice takes her all over the United States and worldwide where she assists businesses and individuals with all of their immigration needs. While she is involved in all facets of immigration law, her area of concentration lies in business immigration, million dollar green cards, worldwide consular assistance, extraordinary ability filings, H-1B visas and complex appeals. She has been interviewed many times by local and state newspapers on immigration issues as well as NBC and ABC. She writes a bi-weekly immigration column for The Vista Seminal, a Spanish-language newspaper in Southwest Florida. Stephen Yale-Loehr, Attorney, Miller Mayer
Mr. Yale-Loehr is currently co-author of Immigration Law and Procedure, the leading multi-volume treatise on immigration law published by LexisNexis Matthew Bender. He also teaches immigration and asylum law as an adjunct professor at Cornell Law School. In 1994 and 1995 he was a Senior Associate (Non-Resident) for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington, D.C., working on immigration policy issues. Until 1994 he was the Co-Editor of Interpreter Releases and the Executive Editor of Immigration Briefings, two leading immigration law newsletters. Until 1990 he was an adjunct professor at the Georgetown University Law Center teaching international trade law and immigration law. He is a member of the New York State, District of Columbia, and Tompkins County bar associations, the American Bar Association and the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA). He chairs AILA's Business Immigration Committee and is a member of AILA's Investor Visa and Immigration Reform committees. He is also listed in Who's Who in America and An International Who's Who of Corporate Immigration Lawyers, where he is listed as one of the best immigration lawyers in the world. Because of his prominence in immigration law he is frequently quoted in the media. He has also testified before Congress on immigration issues. Mr. Yale-Loehr is the coauthor of many books, including America's Challenge: Domestic Security, Civil Liberties and National Unity After September 11, Balancing Interests: Rethinking the Selection of Skilled Immigrants, J Visa Guidebook, Understanding the Immigration Act of 1990, and Understanding the 1986 Immigration Law, and numerous law review articles. He also co-authors a bi-monthly immigration column for the New York Law Journal. He is the 2001 recipient of AILA's Elmer Fried Award for Excellence in Teaching and the 2004 recipient of AILA's Edith Lowenstein Award for Excellence in Immigration Law. Specifically, with respect to the EB-5 immigrant investor program he has been chair, co-chair, or a member of the EB-5 Investors Committee of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) since 1996. He has spoken on EB-5 issues at various immigration conferences around the country, and writes an annual EB-5 update article for the AILA annual conference handbook. Stephen also set up the Invest In the USA association (IIUSA) to promote the EB-5 program and to liaise with the immigration agency. Mark Ivener, Attorney, Ivener & Fullmer
His books include Handbook of Immigration Law; Doing Business in the USA Under Free Trade; Get The Right Visa; A Complete Guide To Getting An American Visa (in Japanese); and Have You Thought About Immigrating To The US? (in Spanish). In addition, he has authored many articles for such publications as the International Law Journal, the Canadian-American Bar Association Newsletter, Business and the Law. A leader in his field, Mark Ivener is a founder of the National Consortium of Immigration Law Firms (IMMLAW) and the Alliance of Business Immigration Lawyers (ABIL). He is listed in the Martindale-Hubbell Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers (Immigration & Naturalization), the International Who's Who of Corporate Immigration Lawyers and Chambers Global and U.S.A. Also, Mark Ivener was the only immigration attorney named in the Top 100 Wealth Advisors and Managers in the Americas by Citywealth magazine. Edward Beshara, Attorney, Beshara, PA
Orlando, Florida is strategically located in Central Florida and is part of the growing residential and commercial development, aerospace defense, simulation, laser, and high tech and of course tourism industry. Beshara, P.A. is the U.S. firm which is a member of an international group of Immigration firms in Australia, Malaysia, Singapore, China, and New Zealand. Beshara, P.A. has offices in Sydney and Melbourne. As Founder and Managing Partner of Beshara, P.A., Edward Beshara has been exclusively practicing U.S. Immigration Law and Procedures since 1983 in Orlando, Florida. He established the Orlando office and has management responsibility overseeing the Orlando practice. Beshara, P.A. is well known and respected within the Immigration industry, by colleagues, the USCIS, business and cultural community. Mr. Beshara’s clients include the world’s largest multinational corporations and Fortune 500 companies from Australia, the U.S. and other countries. He also provides U.S. immigration and U.S. consular strategic planning to all types of corporations, businesses, executives, professionals and family members, serving clients in Florida, nationally and internationally. Ilona Vega, Enterprise Florida Ms. Vega serves as Manager of International Business Development for Enterprise Florida. In this capacity, she promotes Florida as a business location to international firms and entities, and assists them to establish or expand operations in the state. She has assisted a number of large-, medium- and small-sized firms from around the globe to set up manufacturing, distribution, and other types of operations throughout the state. Enterprise Florida (http://www.eflorida.com/) is a not-for-profit corporation that supplanted the Florida Department of Commerce in 1996; its chairman is Governor Charlie Crist. The organization facilitates job creation in the state by promoting exports of Florida manufactured goods and assisting companies to establish in the state of Florida. Enterprise Florida – headquartered in Orlando - operates a network of 14 international offices. Its international unit is based in Miami. Before joining Enterprise Florida, Ms. Vega worked for Lucent Technologies where she served as Director of Public Affairs for the Caribbean & Latin America region. Ms. Vega earned her Masters Degree in International Affairs at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs in New York City and her Bachelor of Arts from Villanova University in Villanova, Pennsylvania. Carmenza U. Gonzalez Ms. Gonzalez has over 20 years of experience in international business development. Prior to joining the EDC, she was director of international services for Florida Hospital, an international sales manager for Mattel Toys and a government relations officer for the Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee for the 1984 Olympic Games. She is a founding member of the Orlando Area Committee of Foreign Relations and currently serves on the board of directors for the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando, also in the Government Body of AthenaPowerLink and serves as an Administrative Board member with SunTrust Bank. She is an advisory board member for the British American Chamber of Commerce, member of the Greater Orlando Chamber of Commerce, the Brazilian Chamber of Commerce and the Asian American Chamber of Commerce. She is a former member of the National Society of Hispanics MBAs and the Florida American College of Healthcare Executives (FCHE). In 2006, Carmenza was recognized as a "Prominent Colombian Abroad" in the professional category by the Premios Colombia Exterior a la Excelencia and as a "Women's Achievement Award" honoree by the Central Florida's Women's Executive Council in the professional category. Carmenza recently received the Ana G. Mendez University System Metro Orlando Campus (AGMUS) Presidential Medal for her valuable contribution to the strengthening of their educational endeavors. Furthermore, she is also part of the Advisory Committee for the Center for U.S. Global Engagement's Impact '08 Campaign. She is a graduate of the Executive M.B.A. Certificate Program at Rollins College and obtained her B.A. in International Affairs at Rollins College, Orlando, Florida. She also is a Certified International Trade Specialist from the American Graduate School of International Management, Phoenix, Arizona and a graduate of the Leadership Orlando Class 60. Jeffrey B. Carr, EPR, Corporate President & Economist Feel free to visit our EB-5 web site at http://www.eb5economics.com/ Larry Behar, Attorney
With the support of the international community, Attorney Behar, who is trilingual in English, French and Spanish, quickly expanded his niche immigration practice representing thirty six (36) different nationalities. Attorney Behar’s clients have come to rely on his firm for answers to difficult immigration issues. The firm, established since 1979 in Fort Lauderdale, typically generates business immigration solutions by representing entrepreneurs, investors, multinational companies, professionals and completes family reunifications. The firm is also of counsel to Becker Poliakoff, a law firm of 125 attorneys. Along with his wife Claire, Attorney Behar travels extensively throughout the world bringing international issues to the table of several marketing committees and is on the board of numerous philanthropic and charitable organizations. Author of a book in three (3) languages “How to Immigrate to the U.S.A.”, he has been a resident of Broward County, Florida for over 30 years and a past president of the economic committee for The Broward Alliance. Boyd Campbell, General Counsel, Alabama Center for Foreign Investment (ACFI)
He received his law degree from Jones School of Law in Montgomery, Alabama, in 1987, and served as a law clerk for the Alabama Supreme Court before opening his law practice. Mr. Campbell has worked with individual foreign investors and multinational corporations in order to meet their needs and assist them in complying with U.S. immigration laws. He is a noted speaker on issues involving U.S. immigration law and served on the American Bar Association's Coordinating Committee on Immigration Law from 1994 to 1998. He is a founding member of the International Law Section of the Alabama State Bar. Mr. Campbell has 20 years of experience in working with foreign nationals to address legal matters involving U.S. immigration laws and is well-suited to serve as General Counsel for the Alabama Center for Foreign Investment. Laura McLoughlin, Regional Manager, Moneycorp Inc
Originally from North West of England, Laura studied in Wales and received a BSC in Economics and Law. Laura is extremely active in the British and American community and holds positions in the other British America Chambers and Councils throughout Florida, currently serving as Vice President of the British American Chamber of Commerce of Central Florida. Henry Liebman, President and Co-Founder, Director American Life, Inc.
Mr. Liebman also served as Of Counsel for immigration matters to Musik Peeler & Garret, a Los Angeles-based law firm, and was a founder of Northwest International Bank, serving as the bank's first Board Chairman and now as a Director. In addition to his professional activities, during the past 20 years, Mr. Liebman has been actively involved in commercial real estate management and investment. Mr. Liebman's unique business and legal background provides particular value to American Life Inc. and its investors. Michael Sears, Founder & Managing Principal, Capital Area Regional Center (CARc)
There he initiated and/or managed $ billions of commercial loans and equity investments in a wide variety of real estate backed transactions. At GMAC he worked closely with high net private investors, institutional investors and lenders; as well as with domestic and foreign governments. His commercial finance projects in Washington, DC included the Washington DC National’s professional baseball stadium and Gallery Place; as well as the financing of the Time Warner Center and origination of the first commercial mortgage issued after 9/11/2001 in New York City. John Tung, Founder & Managing Principal, Capital Area Regional Center (CARc)
As a young recruit in the South African army, Morris was trained as a field engineer. Among his other duties was to lay and clear mine fields during his service in Angola during the turbulent mid-70’s. Today, this investment guru’s major concern is guiding his young wealth management firm, Mirzam, through the daily perils of the volatile American “financial jungle.” Born and educated in South Africa, Morris founded Sirius Financial Navigation in 2000. Prior to that, he was Senior Executive Financial Planner in the Private Bank Division at one of the country’s four major banks. Morris moved his family to the United States in August 2006 and founded Mirzam in affluent Tequesta, Florida. His major objective is to replicate the success of Sirius, a financial planning company providing consulting and investment advice to a large number of South Africa’s most wealthy professional and business people. Taher Kameli, Attorney, The Law Offices of Kameli & Associates, P.C., Chicago, Illinois
Throughout his career, Mr. Kameli has dedicated himself to issues arising from our current age of globalization. He specializes in immigration and corporate law, and is a strong advocate for international business. He has been working with investments through the EB5 Program for many years, and has successfully relocated many businesses internationally through the E2 visa. He has built a strong presence for himself and his firm overseas, with an office in Dubai and an extensive network and referral basis throughout the Middle East and the world. Furthermore, he has a weekly international show, broadcast in several countries in the Middle East region, during which he informs foreign investors about United States Immigrant Investment programs. Todd Baldwin, CPA
He is a very system oriented leader in the community by streamlining accounting functions and providing his staff with the best of education to enable them to achieve the best results for the clients of Baldwin Accounting CPA. He is a member of the AICPA and the FICPA. He is also a treasurer for the German American Business Chamber. Through hard work and persistence, he has managed to expand his own business while helping clients do the same. Todd takes pleasure in being able to personally relate to his clients, as he has dealt with many of the same issues they face. Todd Speaks Dutch and some German. Brian Su, Artisan Business Group
His extensive network of Chinese government and business connections, together with the amalgam of his Chinese background, U.S. education and multinational work experience, leave him well placed to bridge the business knowledge gap between the two cultures. Mr. Su is able to give his clients a unique inside view of what is happening in China found nowhere else. Mr. Su has helped identifying and establishing partnership contacts for the South Dakota EB-5 projects in China early this year (2008). Mr. Su has also advised a number of EB-5 projects on marketing their projects in Asia. Robert P. Gaffney, Law Offices of Robert P. Gaffney
Mr. Gaffney, who is fluent in Mandarin Chinese, received his B. A. degree in Chinese Studies, with highest honors, from the University of California in 1973. He attended the University of Michigan, Center for Chinese Studies as a National Defense Foreign Language Fellow between 1973 and 1976. He is a long-time member of the Association of Asian Studies, a member of the San Francisco-Shanghai Sister City Committee, and a regular speaker on topics of the U.S. legal system and business practices to business groups and visiting foreign delegations. Mr. Gaffney is widely recognized as a leading practitioner in the highly specialized area of EB5, or alien entrepreneur visas, representing individual investors in obtaining permanent residence, and counseling U.S. business in the development of investment opportunities designed to qualify foreign direct investors for immigrant status under the EB5 provisions. Mr. Gaffney also has extensive experience representing professional employees, as well as managers and executives of multinational firms, and skilled workers in obtaining U.S. temporary employment visas and permanent residence status. Ron Drinkard, Director, Alabama Center for Foreign Investment
Upon retirement from banking he started a governmental relations business, The Ron Drinkard Group, LLC. Drinkard's background in banking, economic development and governmental relations combined with his dedicated community involvement and civic and charitable organizations throughout the state of Alabama are strong assets for the Alabama Center for Foreign Investment, LLC. Michael Gibson, USAdvisors.org
Grant Kaplan, Law Offices of Grant Kaplan
At the offices in Boca Raton, the practice concentrates specifically on immigration matters across the spectrum, focusing on business related visas, including L-1, E, O and EB-5 visas, as well as H-1, Trainee visas, Adjustments of Status and complex immigration litigation. Attorney Kaplan frequently represents clients before Immigration Judges, the Board of Immigration Appeals, District Courts and U.S. Circuit Courts. Although his office is located in Boca Raton, Florida, attorney Kaplan is qualified to represent clients in immigration cases throughout the U.S. and travel to foreign embassies and consulates to directly handle problematic situations for immigration clients. The Law Offices of Grant Kaplan represents both individuals and corporations in family-based, employment-based and all Immigrant and Non-Immigrant visa matters. Stefano Riznyk CEO of ImmigrationCasePrep.com
Stefano is a member of the California Bar and an AILA member. He has been an international business and immigration attorney for the past 18 years. He has over 12 Who's Who inclusions to his credit. He has conducted seminars on immigration law in England, Wales, Scotland, Monaco, Hong Kong, Canada, the United States, as well as at Oxford and Duke Universities. He has spoken on a number of radio stations on the topic, and is known for his cutting-edge creative and persuasive style when it comes to difficult cases, an area he enjoys. Stefano is also the author of a 4.75-hour DVD that, for the first time in history explains US immigration law to the world in easy language (www.US-Immigration-Explained.com). It has been approved by the State Bars of CA, FL, and NY for 4 hours of MCLE. It does not seek to replace an attorney, nor is it a do-it-yourself. It acts as a helicopter, explaining the terrain of immigration, better preparing a client for their first consultation with an attorney and helping the client understand the foundations. The program explains every single visa and Green Card (medical excepted) and customers receive a 100% refund if they hire an immigration lawyer on the web site's attorney list. The project took over a year and involved digesting three feet of legal material in order to make it easy-to-understand, but also comprehensive enough that lawyers are now using it to train new paralegals. As a result of Stefano's position as CEO of US-Immigration-Explained.com, he has had to be on the pulse of American business. Having attended 19 conferences last year, he has been educated in SEO, e-commerce, press relations, and the cutting edge of Internet business. As these conferences were global in nature, he has enjoyed the rare opportunity of talking to people worldwide about their goals and aspirations with respect to investing in the United States.
Maria del Mar is currently involved in two entrepreneurial ventures. She is co-founder of Creativa , a business consultancy that provides innovative, results-driven marketing solutions for entrepreneurs. And she is a partner at Conexus Global Services – a full-service concierge company that offers exclusive connections and provides red carpet treatment to facilitate the lifestyle of foreign investors and delegations seeking the American Dream!
Justine Assal, CMC
Justine has obtained the highest designation of Certified Mortgage Consultant from the National Association of Mortgage Brokers and is Vice President of ACM Home Loans. She has built a reputation of integrity and tenacity and seems to have a strange attraction to the intense, ever changing world of mortgages and real estate. She is also a Finance instructor for the Florida Association of Realtors as a GRI-1 Instructor and for The Florida Association of Mortgage Brokers. She is currently President of the British-American Chamber of Commerce and currently sits on the board of trustees of the Orlando Ballet. Justine is also active on the certification committee of the National Association of Mortgage Brokers in an ongoing effort promote education and professionalism of the mortgage industry. She also plays an active role with Orlando Regional Realtors Association, Orlando International Council, and Osceola County Association of Realtors, and Kissimmee Chamber of Commerce. Justine Assal has built a reputation of honesty, integrity, diligence, and expertise and is often requested to speak on the subject of residential mortgages. DeCartlon Armstrong
After returning from Walter Reed Army Medical Center, DeCarlton received a WWP Backpack while stationed at Ft. Campbell in Kentucky. In January 2005 DeCarlton returned Jacksonville, Florida where he lives with wife and children. DeCarlton is an ordained minister and works as a WWP Alumni to aid other service members in making the transition into a successful civilian lifestyle. DeCarlton also works with One Church One Child in the state of Florida. Stephan Rubin, Ruden Closky
Mr. Rubin has been recognized by the Orlando Business Journal as being among their "Best of the Bar" in Central Florida. As a member of The Florida Bar’s Business Law Section (BLS), he is actively involved in the Corporations, Securities & Financial Services Committee, of which he is a past chair. Over the past years, his projects have included numerous revisions to Florida’s business entity statutes. He is a member of the BLS Executive Council and serves as Vice Chair of both its Continuing Legal Education (CLE) Committee and its FICPA Liaison Committee. Mr. Rubin is licensed to practice law in all Florida state courts as well as in the United States District Courts for the Northern and Southern Districts of Florida. He also holds a Master of Accounting degree and is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) licensed in the State of Florida. For several years, Mr. Rubin served as outside general counsel to Winterfest, Inc., the not-for-profit corporation responsible for the annual Winterfest Boat Parade in Fort Lauderdale, Florida which is the largest one-day live audience event in the State of Florida and the seventh largest one-day spectator event in the country, and continues to serve on its advisory board. He is also a former member of the Secured Lenders of South Florida Association, the Broward Alliance Film & Television Commission, and the Broward County School Board's Technology Advisory Committee. While in law school, Mr. Rubin was Galleys Editor of The Florida Law Review and received several awards for his contributions to the journal. Publications Scott W. Barnhart, Associate Professor of Finance at Florida Atlantic University and Founder, Barnhart Economic Services
Dr. Barnhart has consulted on cases ranging from stock valuation and ownership disputes to violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act, to personal injury and wrongful birth. He has also applied Input-Output models (RIMS II) to study the impacts of EB-5 regional center businesses. Dr. Barnhart teaches Corporate Finance, Financial Institutions and Investments. His research interests are in the areas of mutual funds, futures markets, corporate governance, exchange rates and the application of econometrics in testing financial theories. His research has been published in the Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, the Review of Economics and Statistics, the Journal of Empirical Finance, the Journal of Banking and Finance, Financial Review, the Journal of International Money and Finance, the Journal of Futures Markets, and other finance and economics journals. Lisa Krueger Khan, PA
Ms. Khan is a sole practitioner with Immigration Law Offices of Lisa Krueger Khan, PA and is Of Counsel to the firm of Hendry, Stoner, Calandrino & Brown, both in Orlando, Florida. Ms. Khan was formerly a partner with Hendry, Stoner (2001-2004) and an associate attorney with Judith G. Cooper, PC in Houston, Texas (1997-2001). Ms. Khan has been practicing exclusively in the area of Immigration and Nationality Law since 1997. She is licensed to practice law in Florida, Washington State and Texas. Ms. Khan is presently the Executive Vice Chair for the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA)- Central Florida Chapter. Prior AILA positions include: Section Coordinator in the Houston Chapter from 1998-2000; INS Houston District Office Liaison from 2000-2001; Education Chair for the Central Florida Chapter for 2002-2003, and Regional Vice Chair- Orlando for the Central Florida Chapter for 2004-2005, 2005-2006 and 2006-2007.
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Beshara, P.A., whose main office is in Orlando, Florida, has formed a strong local and national referral basis from attorneys, accountants, business and ethnic communities. This referral basis extends to Australia and other countries. Mr. Beshara exclusively practices in the area of U.S. Business and Family Immigration Law and procedure.
Ilona Vega represents Enterprise Florida, the official economic development and trade promotion organization of the State of Florida. Florida is the fourth-largest US state, a leading high-tech center, and the most significant center in the US for trade with Latin America and the Caribbean. Florida has a large and growing presence of firms from Europe, Asia and other markets who have established operations in Florida to take advantage of its strategic location.
Carmenza U. Gonzalez joined the EDC as Vice President of International Business Development in 2001. In her role, she manages and directs the EDC's foreign direct investment (FDI) activities in the Metro Orlando region. These activities include implementing marketing programs, coordination of inbound and outbound missions that result in overseas companies expanding into the area. In addition, she also manages the International Trade and Export Promotion activities. 
Mr. Carr has more than 25 years of experience in economic analysis, economic forecasting, regional impact analysis (including EB-5 project development-job impact analysis since 2006) tax-fiscal impact analysis, tax revenue forecasting, and preparing and presenting state economic-fiscal data to Wall Street bond rating agencies. In addition to more than 150 completed consulting assignments over the last 25 years, Mr. Carr has served as the consulting State Economist and Principal Tax Revenues Forecaster-Analyst for more than 17 years including the past four Governors of Vermont. He has been the State Economic Forecast Manager for his state for the New England Economic Partnership for the past 17 years. He serves as a consulting economist to a number of businesses, municipal and county governments, and business associations throughout New England and in New York state.
Attorney Behar was born in Cairo, Egypt, and raised in Montreal, Canada. After securing an undergraduate degree from McGill University and a civil law degree from the University of Montreal, he completed his common law education at Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale in 1979. He is “AV” rated by Martindale Hubbell. 
Boyd Campbell was born in Germany and has practiced immigration and nationality law in Montgomery, Alabama, since 1988. He is a graduate of Montgomery public schools, the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and Columbia University in New York, New York. 
Laura moved to Central Florida in March 2005 to establish Moneycorp Inc, a subsidiary of TTT Moneycorp Limited located in Knightsbridge London. As the Regional Manager, Laura leads a team of specialists who assist clients who need to exchange and transfer their currency as well as companies who work in partnership by introducing their clients to them. Having worked in London and Spain for the company, Laura is recognized as a leader in her industry and continues to strive for excellent levels of customer service and satisfaction.
Mr. Liebman graduated from the University of Washington in 1973, receiving a BA in Political Science. Since receiving his JD from the Puget Sound School of Law in 1980, Mr. Liebman has had over twenty years experience in real estate law as Managing Partner of Coe Nordwall Liebman LLC and currently at Liebman-Mimbu PLLC. 
Mr. Sears has nearly 35 years experience in all facets of real estate development and finance. He is a founding member of CARc, and is the founder and Managing Principal of Global Capital Markets Advisors, LLC, its Fund Manager. Mr. Sears has operated or been a senior executive of a number of companies providing financial advisory, investment management, banking and development services to domestic and international investors and corporations, as well as governments and government sponsored enterprises. His investment, finance, development experience and focus include urban mixed use real estate, hospitality, sports and entertainment facilities. Until January of 2006, when he resigned to further develop the CARc JOB Funds, Mr. Sears was the Managing Director for GMAC Commercial Holding Capital Markets’ New York City and Washington, DC offices. 
Mr. Tung has over 30 years of real estate and investment management and banking experience and has executed real estate investment transactions valued well in excess of $7 billion. He is a founding Principal of CARc, and since 1995 has been a managing principal of Equibase Capital Advisors, Inc. (formerly Cornerstone Advisors), a private Chicago based real estate investment management company serving high net worth individuals, institutional investors and pension funds. At Equibase Mr. Tung is responsible for structuring, organizing, and managing private real estate investments and investments for key pension fund clients, including the AFL-CIO Building Investment Trust.
Robert P. Gaffney received his Juris Doctor Degree from University of California, Hastings College of the Law and was admitted to the bar in 1980. Mr. Gaffney is a California State Bar Certified Specialist in Immigration and Nationality Law." He is a long-standing member of the Immigration and Nationality Law panel of the Lawyer Referral Service of the San Francisco Bar Association. Through his private law practice in San Francisco, Mr. Gaffney has over 25 years of experience counseling a wide range of corporate and individual clients in areas of employment-related, investment, and family based visa and immigration matters.
Ron Drinkard is a lifelong resident of Alabama who graduated from Troy University in Troy, Alabama, with a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting. He is also a graduate of the Louisiana State University School of Banking in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Drinkard was Director of Area Development for the Metropolitan Development Board of Birmingham, Alabama, before moving to an industrial development position with the Alabama Development Office in Montgomery. From 1979 to 1985, Drinkard was Vice President for Industrial Development at AmSouth Bank in Montgomery and from 1985 to 2005, he served as Senior Vice President of SouthTrust Bank/Wachovia. 
Grant Kaplan has over 25 years of experience in International law with an active legal practice in Johannesburg, South Africa, offices in Boca Raton, Florida, and a representative office in London as well as associated offices worldwide. He is admitted to the Washington State Bar, the 9th and 11th Circuit Court of Appeals, the District Courts of Washington D.C. and Colorado and the U.S. Supreme Court. He is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, The Federal Bar Association and the American Bar Association.
Stefano Riznyk is CEO of ImmigrationCasePrep.com, a firm that creates immigration cases for immigration attorneys nationwide. As a result, he is on the pulse of the current trends amongst immigration lawyers and is aware of the types of cases they receive and the issues they deal with. At this point in time, with the exception of waivers and appeals, most of the work attorneys send him is business-related as a result of the current state of our dollar, which makes investments in the US attractive.
Shelby Scarbrough combines an entrepreneurial background with the pride and responsibility of public service to bring new perspectives to each endeavor. Her skills and experience blend protocol with practicality for business and government executives alike. She demonstrates a diverse background with experience in small business, entrepreneurship, government affairs, international relations, public relations, marketing, fundraising and philanthropy. Shelby served as a political appointee in the Reagan and Bush administrations. Throughout her career, Shelby worked with such notable figures as: His Holiness, Pope John Paul II; Presidents Reagan, Bush, Ford, Carter and Nixon; President Walesa of Poland; Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth and members of the Royal Family; Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher; and Nelson Mandela. She planned events in locations ranging from the Vatican and Buckingham Palace to the Kremlin and the White House. She served as the deputy lead for Washington, DC for the state funeral of President Reagan. Upon departing government service, Shelby founded Practical Protocol, an international special events management and business protocol training organization specializing in custom-designed plans that address the unique needs of high-profile clients. Shelby also co-founded a non-profit organization called "Tech-Knowledge International (TKI)" to promote US goods and services to foreign governments and foreign companies around the world. In 1995, she created a patient liaison service for world-renowned pediatric cardiac surgeon William I. Norwood's cardiac center in Switzerland and helped move the center back to the US. A champion of customer service and of the small business owner, Shelby is also a Burger King franchisee with 10 restaurants in Northern Virginia. 
Maria del Mar Velasco, a true advocate of entrepreneurship, has been dedicated to the success of leading business owners throughout the world. At the Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO), she managed a team that produced high-impact international conferences for over 7000 entrepreneurs from 38 countries. Through her business development work at Latina Style Magazine, she empowered Latina entrepreneurs. And while at the Greater Washington Initiative (GWI)- Maria del Mar promoted the Washington DC area and connected foreign investors and dignitaries with local companies and resources. She assited in the launch of the International Gateway, a division of the Greater Washington Board of Trade that was created to foster international trade. Maria's bi-cultural background, multi-lingual skills and experience traveling and working in over 30 countries makes her a true global player. 
Cindy Boyd is an experienced entrepreneur who is recognized for creating, high performance, client - focused teams. Her commitment to excellent client service has enabled her companies to grow quickly, with two of them appearing on the Inc. 500 fastest growth list.
Justine is originally from London, England and has lived in Central Florida on and off since the early 80’s. In 1999 she obtained her mortgage broker’s license with the intention of working part time while she stayed home with young children. By 2000, part time had become more than full time and saw the onset of grey hair and a growing number of companies that she and her husband are partners in, including a Real Estate investment company, and most importantly what is now ACM Home Loans, a Correspondent Mortgage Lender. 
DeCarlton Armstrong was born at Ft. Lee Virginia. DeCarlton spent most of his youth in Germany and Dallas Texas. After high school and college courses he joined the Navy where he served as an Aviation Bose Mate. After four years and two months in the Navy where he was assigned to the USS John F. Kennedy DeCarlton went into the Navy Reserve Program at NAS Jacksonville. DeCarlton went on to do a lateral change into the Army and was assigned to the 101st Airborne Division for five years. While assigned to the 101st, DeCarlton reenlisted at Ground Zero in New York City in the summer of 2002. After reenlistment he was deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). DeCarlton was placed on Temporary Duty Retirement Leave (TDRL) in 2004 and is fully retired from the Army as of 2008. 
Mr. Rubin concentrates his practice in general corporate representation, securities,
mergers and acquisitions, and debt and equity financing. His practice also regularly
includes health, employment, intellectual property and real estate law.
He assists clients in structuring, negotiating and documenting their transactions,
while always working towards the clients’ ultimate objectives. From choice of entity
and governing documents (such as limited liability company operating agreements) to
ongoing issues such as employment, confidentiality, noncompetition and intellectual
property licensing, he understands what clients need. Mr. Rubin has structured
strategic business relationships, including joint ventures and distribution
arrangements, for numerous clients and has facilitated several small and mid-cap
companies with obtaining debt and private placements of equity. He has also
represented numerous buyers and sellers in the disposition of businesses, including
by sale of assets, stock and merger.
Dr. Barnhart received his M.S. in economics from Florida State University and Ph.D. in economics from Texas A&M University. Professor Barnhart is the Program Director of both the MBA with Financial Planning Track and the Certified Financial Planner™ Certificate Program at Florida Atlantic University, and has recently been elected to serve on the board of directors of the Southern Finance Association. Prior to moving to Florida, Dr. Barnhart held the position of Associate Professor and Breazeale Scholar of Financial Planning at Clemson University, where he spent 10 years.
Lisa Krueger Khan received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Business Administration/Political Science with high honors from Principia College, Elsah, IL in 1989. She attended the University of Auckland, New Zealand on a Rotary Foundation Scholarship in 1990. Ms. Khan received her law degree in 1994 from the University of Michigan Law School. In the same year, she also received a master’s degree in Political Science from the University of Michigan Rackham Graduate School | HOME | AGENDA | SPEAKERS | VENUE | SPONSORS | RESOURCES | CONTACT | SITE MAP USAdvisors.org © 2008 All Rights Reserved |
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