FirstPathway Weblog

Friday January 20,2012 – United States Senator Ron Johnson visited FirstPathway Partners today to express his appreciation for the significant economic and job creation impact FirstPathway Partners has had on Southeast Wisconsin under the Federal EB5 Regional Center Program. FirstPathway Partners was honored to host the senator and hear his insights. 

Senator Johnson is a United States Senator of the 112th Congress representing the state of Wisconsin, and a member of the Republican Party.  Prior to his election to the Senate, he was chief executive officer of PACUR, LLC, a Wisconsin polyester and plastics manufacturer.

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On Thursday, December 8, 2011 Bob Kraft, Chairman and CEO of FirstPathway Partners, joined Milwaukee Mayor, Tom Barrett as he presented a bronze bald eagle sculpture to the city of Ningbo, China in celebration of Milwaukee’s five-year anniversary with the City.  In 2006, Milwaukee signed a cooperative MOU with Ningbo, China.

The gift, a beautifully carved, 6 ft., bronze bald eagle, created by artist Mike Capser, symbolizes the American spirit and continued development of a dynamic partnership between Ningbo and Milwaukee. The sculpture will be on display at the Ningbo Museum. This gift is in response to the 2008 presentation of Ningbo’s two stone lions to the city of Milwaukee. The lions can be seen at the entrance of the Zeidler Municipal Building on Broadway St. in downtown Milwaukee.

First Pathway Partners, Chairman/CEO and MMAC China Council Co-Chair Bob Kraft, spoke on behalf of Milwaukee Business leaders at the event.

Last Week, Chairman, Huo Guanglai and GM, Yuan Chao of the Beijing Ducks hosted former Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle, Foley & Lardner Partner Marc Marotta, and FirstPathway Partners President Bob Kraft and Director of China Operations Dan Redford at a Beijing Ducks basketball game at the Shougang Steel Arena. The Beijing Ducks are Beijing’s premier Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) team.

The delegation toured the campus of the Shougang Steel’s Arena, which includes an international basketball gymnasium, training facilities, tennis courts, and engineering academy.

This year the Ducks are led by NBA star Stephen Marbury. We are happy to say that the Ducks walked away with a huge victory and are the early favorite for the CBA championship!

Marotta is a former Marquette University basketball player and Chairman of the board for the Milwaukee Bradley Center, home of the NBA Bucks.

FirstPathway Partners is proud to support a growing dynamic partnership between the Beijing Ducks and the city of Milwaukee. In 2006, the Ducks came to Milwaukee to train with Bucks, building lasting friendships and a long-term relationship. We look forward to welcoming the Ducks back to Milwaukee in the near future.

Today University of Wisconsin Milwaukee Chancellor, Michael Lovell, signed an MOU with CERNET Education Development Co., in Beijing. This MOU will serve to increase enrolment of Chinese students at UWM while also heightening the University’s international profile. “UWM is striving to become more internationally and globally engaged, and is committed to recruiting students from all areas of the world, particularly from vital international partners such as China,” –Lovell. This fits with UWM’s current goal of increasing international enrolment to 3,000 within the next 5 years. Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett was present in China for the signing

Under the MOU, CERNET will establish a Wisconsin International Academy in Milwaukee to provide support services and housing for the Chinese students studying English through UWM’s Intensive English Program and once they qualify for degree programs within the University. According to The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, “UWM’s Intensive English Program now serves students from more than 30 countries speaking 20 different languages.” There are currently international students, from 94 countries enrolled at UWM.

CERNET Education Development Co., was founded by the Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China to develop a nationwide marketing network and service support system to actively integrate cooperative high-quality academic or vocational educational service businesses with well-known universities and educational leaders throughout the world. Cernet currently has operations with The University of Massachusetts.

The event received an enormous amount of press both in the US and China, including an article on Sohu.com, China’s largest web portal. Featured  were Bob Kraft, former Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle, and Marc Marotta.

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Monday, November  28,  2011 – FirstPathway Partners was on site to celebrate the construction kick-off of its most recent project, a world class 201-room, 4-star, full-service, Marriott Hotel.  Armed with sledgehammers, Mayor Tom Barrett and FirstPathway Partners Chairman and CEO Bob Kraft were in attendance alongside representatives from Jackson Street Management, Marriott and White Lodging to bring down the first wall on the site that will later be transformed into the new Marriott.

This catalytic project funded in part by the FirstPathway EB5 program will create jobs, enhance the neighborhood and help many deserving family’s make their American dream come true.

The project is scheduled for completion in 2013. It will be the first full-service hotel built downtown in more than 20 years. The project will be located in the heart of the downtown central business district of Milwaukee, WI, USA on the southwest corner of East Wisconsin Avenue and North Milwaukee Street, surrounding the Johnson Bank building.

The iconic $54 Million dollar, 10-story, 197,000 square foot hotel will feature a luxurious high-end restaurant, lobby bar, Starbucks, a jeweler, 15,000 square feet of meeting/banquet space, and 60 underground parking stalls.  Hotel amenities will include a fully equipped fitness center, a swimming pool, business center, concierge service, and gift shop.

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Bob Kraft Chairman and CEO of FirstPathway Partners, shakes hands with Siva Yam, CPA, CFA, President of the U.S.-China Chamber of Commerce.

Monday, November 14, 2011 – This week Bob Kraft Chairman and CEO of FirstPathway Partners attended the 12th Annual U.S.-China Trade Conference in Chicago sponsored by the U.S.-China Chamber of Commerce. The Honorable Yang Guoqiang, Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Chicago, was the keynote speaker at the event.

FirstPathway Partners is a proud supporter of The United States of America-China Chamber of Commerce (USCCC) , a not-for-profit, bi-national membership organization dedicated to developing increased U.S.-China trade and investment activities by assisting American and Chinese companies, professionals and the general public to better understand the business environments and cultural traditions relevant to successfully doing business in both countries.

Director of China Operations Dan Redford attended “Invest USA,” a forum held in Beijing, by AmCham China. The event highlighted the enormous opportunities for Chinese individuals and companies to export to, invest in, and expand operations to the United States. Present at the event were delegations led by the mayors of Changsha and Xiangtan, as well as the Governor of Hawaii, Neil Abercrombie. We here at FPP are excited to be part of the growing relationship between the United States and China.

On Thursday, December 8, 2011 Bob Kraft, Chairman and CEO of FirstPathway Partners, will join Milwaukee Mayor, Tom Barrett as he presents a bronze bald eagle sculpture to the city of Ningbo, China in celebration of Milwaukee’s five-year anniversary with the City.  The sculpture will be on displayed at the Ningbo Museum.

For a list of activities surrounding the historic events or to attend an EB5 seminar hosted by Mr. Kraft please contact info@firstpathway.com.

Last month, FirstPathwayPartners COO, Daniel Wycklendt traveled to China on a mufti city tour to educate investors though our latest EB5 seminar series.  This trip marked the 8^th visit by a top ranking company executive this year.  Wycklendt would like to wish a warm thank you to all the gracious investors and agents who hosted him throughout his trip.

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On Wednesday September 28th 2011, Alejandro Mayorkas, Director of USCIS addressed the U.S. Chamber of Commerce on the importance of immigrants in American competitiveness, growth and prosperity. Throughout his address, Director Mayorkas commented on upcoming policy changes to the EB5 program aimed at streamline the process and delivering meaningful case information on a real time basis.

“We have made significant changes in the way we adjudicate cases in the immigrant investor or EB-5 program, a program that is designed to create American jobs.  We have retained business analysts to support our adjudicators, and received more than 75 applications for additional economists.  We will be hiring corporate expertise, issuing new policy guidance in the next few weeks. And currently we have outstanding a targeted request for proposal to re-engineer our business process from beginning to end. “-Alejandro Mayorkas, Director of USCIS

The policy changes advocated by Director Mayorkas seek to advance those already seeking to access to benefits for which they are eligible, keep pace with the dynamism of modern business and simplify job creation for American citizens.

In one of the strongest indications of the day, The U.S. Chamber of Commerce signaled their willingness to advance the EB5 program, publicizing the movement.