EB5 Investors Magazine is pleased to announce the Top 10 Business Plan Writers. To be eligible, distinguished business plan writers needed to draft business plans for groups involved in EB-5 funding.
Phil Cohen
Strategic Element
Phil Cohen is President of Strategic Element Inc., active in the EB-5 industry since 2010. He has led efforts to raise billions in EB-5 capital, including large and complex projects. Cohen founded and published the original EB-5 Definitive Guide and is a speaker at various EB-5 conferences, including EB-5 Investors and the American Immigration Lawyers Association.
William Dean
Pinnacle Plan Writing
William Dean leads business development at Pinnacle Plan Writing. He has 20 years of experience in business planning and collaborates with immigration attorneys and visa applicants on E-2, L-1, NIW, and EB-5 petitions. Since 2008, he has worked on over 3,500 visa business plans. He previously served as VP of Immigration at Masterplans for 18 years and was a trial paralegal at Stoel Rives LLP. He graduated from Brown University.
Jillian Fortuna O’Brien*
Baker Tilly
Jillian Fortuna O’Brien is a member of Baker Tilly’s EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program Team. She has 12 years of experience managing an approved EB-5 regional center, overseeing $72 million in investments and related legal and financial aspects. Fortuna O’Brien serves on IIUSA’s Best Practice Committee and holds a Juris Doctor from Suffolk University Law School, along with membership in the Massachusetts State Bar.
Aaron Goforth
Wright Goforth
Aaron Goforth is the Principal of the EB-5 consulting firm Wright Goforth. He has eight years of experience in foreign direct capital raises and works with clients on project structuring and capital acquisition in compliance with U.S. regulations. Prior to Wright Goforth, he was a partner and president at Wright Johnson and a partner at Baker Tilly. He has overseen capital raises totaling over $2 billion for commercial real estate projects, primarily attracting investment from Asia, Latin America, and India.
Matt Jarman
Greengate Consulting
Matt Jarman is the founder and CEO of Greengate Business Associates. With over 25 years of business experience, he offers business plans, feasibility studies, and strategic reports, assisting clients with their EB-5, L-1, and E-2 immigration processes. He has supported over $600 million in U.S. inbound investment. Jarman is also CEO of UK-based GGBA Ltd., utilizing global mobility and investor networks to aid various clients.
Matthew Khalili
The Plan Writers
Matthew Khalili is the CEO of The Plan Writers, specializing in EB-5 applications for entrepreneurs and business immigrants. With over a decade of experience, Khalili has helped 5,000+ entrepreneurs raise over $1 billion in financing and secure numerous approved visas. He also serves as an expert witness on EB-5 business plans. Previously, he led multiple startups, earning accolades such as Internet Retail Top 500 and Inc. 5,000 Fastest Growing Companies. Khalili holds an MBA from the University of Southern California.
Suzanne Lazicki
Lucid Professional Writing
Suzanne Lazicki is the founder of Lucid Professional Writing, focusing on business plans for EB-5 and E-2 investments. Since 2010, she has written numerous successful business plans and maintains an extensive library of business and immigration resources. Lazicki runs a blog to provide EB-5 news and analysis. Her work includes articles published in “Immigration Options for Investors & Entrepreneurs.”
Marisa Marconi
Pinnacle Plan Writing
Marisa Marconi is the founder and lead consultant at Pinnacle Plan Writing. With over 15 years of experience in the business planning industry, she has developed thousands of plans for EB-5, E-2, and L-1 visa petitions. Marconi works closely with issuers, investors, regional centers, attorneys, and industry groups, providing consulting, project management, and development plans for direct and regional center projects. Marconi earned her degree from Columbia University and now resides with her wife and son in Portland, Oregon.
Paul Monson
Joorney
Paul Monson is Partner and Chief Commercial Officer at Joorney, specializing in EB-5 business planning. He has worked in the immigration field for over a decade, supporting attorneys with credible and strategic EB-5 business plans. Monson translates complex project concepts into narratives required for EB-5 filings. He has overseen many EB-5 business plans and market analyses across multiple industries.
Warren Oakes*
Baker Tilly
Warren Oakes is a Manager at Baker Tilly, overseeing EB-5 consulting and advisory services, with expertise in business plan writing and economic analysis. His early experience in the EB-5 sector involved working for a regional center that funded mixed-use developments in Southern California. He later contributed to an EB-5 education platform and spent nearly a decade at a U.S. immigration law firm, focusing on compliance and structuring EB-5 projects across various industries.
Bernard Rojano
Xecute
Bernard Rojano is the founder and principal consultant at Xecute Business Plan Solutions. He provides services in project management, business plan writing, and regional center operations. He also consults on economic impact and job creation and assists with L-1 and E-2 petitions. With over 35 years in management, planning, and finance, he has extensive experience in mergers and acquisitions and business development consulting.
(*) These winners share the award.
EB5Investors.com Staff
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