The Carolina Center for Foreign Investment, LLC, headquartered in Greenville, S.C., was designated as an EB-5 regional center by USCIS in June 2009. The regional center is authorized to direct foreign capital into projects and businesses that will foster the creation of jobs in the United States, and is allowed to create investment opportunities in a variety of industries, including hospitality and tourism, automotive research, technology, mixed-used development, manufacturing, and health services. The Carolina Center for Foreign Investment is designated to operate in the states of South Carolina and North Carolina in their entirety.
The regional center aims to make its mark in the Carolinas by creating jobs through the development of sustainable real estate projects which qualify for EB-5, and by adhering to its core values of trust, experience and transparency. The driving force behind the regional center is The Furman Co., Investment Advisory Services, LLC, which has more than 120 years of experience owning and operating South Carolina’s oldest real estate firm. The Furman Co. has an extensive background in corporate developments and master-planning communities, and was awarded the Carolinas Chapter of the Counselors of Real Estate Creative Thinkers Awards.
As the president and primary shareholder of The Furman Co., Stephen Navarro manages Furman’s three operating companies which specialize in risk management, investment advisory services, and development. Mr. Navarro’s leadership has enabled Furman to initiate major developments in the Upstate South Carolina real estate landscape. He is also the executive vice president of CBRE, the world’s largest real estate firm, where he represents institutional, corporate, and high-net worth individuals. His advisory services encompass over 23 states and four countries, and include built-to-suit-transactions, development projects, and public sector advising for the federal government and various municipalities. Mr. Navarro is a Board of Directors member and trustee of the Urban Land Institute, a trustee of the Counselors of Real Estate Foundation, and a member of the Clemson University Advancement Road for Real Estate Development.
Allan Ballew is the executive vice president and principal of Furman Co., and also serves as the managing principal of the Carolina Center for Foreign Investment, LLC. He has more than 20 years of real estate finance experience, having worked with complex public and private corporate entities. Mr. Ballew was also the chief investment officer for a commercial investment fund totaling more than $400 million. He is a member of the Urban Land Institute, a founding member of the ULI South Carolina Center for Sustainable Leadership, and has served as State Treasurer, and as a member of the State Advisory Committee. Mr. Ballew is recognized as an expert in the investment and commercial real estate industry, having received Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM) designation.
If you are interested in contacting the Carolina Center for Foreign Investment, LLC, you may do so by filling out the form on the right side of this page.