North Texas EB-5 Regional Center, located in Dallas, was designated as an EB-5 Regional Center by USCIS in October 2010. The regional center allows foreign investors to invest in projects that will create jobs and stimulate the economy through the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program. North Texas EB-5 Regional Center is authorized to offer EB-5 investment opportunities in a variety of fields, including multifamily residential buildings, office buildings, hotels, restaurants and mixed use developments. Its geographic scope includes both Dallas County and Kaufman County and can also be increased to include the entirety of Dallas and the Fort Worth Metroplex.
North Texas EB-5 Regional Center chose Dallas as its location because it is one of the most dynamic metropolitan areas in the United States. It is home to quality transportation, infrastructure, a diverse collection of industries, a young and talented labor force, and a pro-business environment. Its prime location allows it to effectively foster economic growth and create more opportunities in its area. The Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex’s rapid growth make it a desirable location for EB-5 projects.
Two key figures in the founding and operation of North Texas EB-5 Regional Center are Steven A. Shelley and Abteen Vaziri. Steven Shelley is the president of North Texas EB-5 Regional Center and also senior vice president of Capital Markets. He received his bachelor’s degree in business administration from Baylor University and received his master’s degree in business administration from Texas Tech University. At Pillar, the company that operates the regional center, Shelley manages the domestic oil and gas assets, oversees acquisitions and dispositions, and handles the loan portfolio of commercial, land and non-agency residential properties. Shelley is skilled in formulating creative financial solutions and has worked on a variety of projects at Pillar, most notably on the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services EB-5 program. He has also taken part in projects that involved urban natural gas drilling in western Dallas County and facilitating multiple U.S. Housing and Urban Development loans.
Abteen Vaziri is the managing director of North Texas EB-5 Regional Center. He is responsible for managing the day-to-day activities of the regional center. Vaziri has been instrumental in updating and preparing all project and regional center documentation, TEA designation and economic studies. He then verifies these documents to ensure that they are in compliance with the standards of USCIS. Vaziri also serves as the regional center’s point of contact with foreign investors. He is also skilled in communicating with EB-5 immigration attorneys, economists, securities attorneys, brokers and agents.
Vaziri graduated from the University of Texas at Dallas with a bachelor’s degree in computer science and received his Master of Business Administration in finance from Southern Methodist University’s Cox School of Business. He also studied two years in Germany. Prior to his work in the Capital Markets group, Vaziri worked as a research analyst at Bonanza Capital and as a research analyst and director of research at Precept Capital Management. Vaziri is also well equipped to communicate with foreign investors as he is a U.S. immigrant himself.