Join American Lending Center (ALC), a leading EB-5 regional center headquartered in Irvine, California, at the EB-5 & Global Immigration Pitch Day Silicon Valley hosted by EB5 Investors Magazine.
Free Registration: Potential EB-5 Investors can register here: LINK
At this exclusive in-person event, ALC leadership will be on-site to meet with attendees, engage directly with prospective investors, and discuss personalized strategies for navigating U.S. residency through the EB-5 program.
Designed for Silicon Valley’s global talent community, the event offers a unique opportunity to connect face-to-face with industry experts and explore immigration pathways in an evolving landscape.
The EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act has reshaped the investor visa landscape—introducing greater transparency, reducing risk, and accelerating access to key benefits such as work and travel authorization. As 2026 emerges as a pivotal year for EB-5 investors, understanding your options—and acting strategically—has never been more important.
With the September 30, 2026 expiration of “grandfathering” protections and the program facing a potential sunset in 2027, international professionals must carefully evaluate long-term pathways to stability and opportunity in the United States.
Importantly, EB-5 is a pathway to engineer your own American Dream!
EB-5 does not require employer sponsorship, and you can apply for work authorization while you wait for the adjudication of your application in the United States. To learn more, check out ALC’s analysis @ JD Supra: LINK.
Meet ALC Leadership
American Lending Center’s executive team will be on-site to connect directly with attendees and provide insights on EB-5 strategy, policy developments, and investment considerations, including:
- Gary N. Merson, President, ALC
- Chris Mason, Chief Communications Officer, ALC
- Gino Zhao, VP Investor Relations, ALC
Bringing together decades of experience across government, finance, and immigration policy, ALC’s leadership offers attendees a valuable opportunity to engage in meaningful, one-on-one conversations about navigating today’s complex U.S. immigration environment.
For international professionals and entrepreneurs, EB-5 represents a powerful pathway to stability, mobility, and long-term opportunity in the United States.
Who Should Attend:
- Engineers, tech professionals, and H-1B visa holders in Silicon Valley exploring long-term U.S. residency options .
- International professionals and entrepreneurs seeking a reliable pathway amid visa uncertainty
- Individuals considering EB-5 investment in 2026
ALC Leadership Bio:
Gary N. Merson, President, ALC
Gary N. Merson is the President of ALC, bringing more than 25 years of experience in government and the private sector with expertise in U.S. immigration law, policy, and compliance. Most recently, he served as Chief of Staff at the Office of the Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
In that role, he led EB-5 stakeholder engagement and policy initiatives and chaired an interagency working group with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the Department of State to improve coordination of visa queues and Visa Bulletin cutoff dates. He also served as Chief Counsel (Minority) for the House Judiciary Committee’s immigration subcommittee, where he contributed to bicameral, bipartisan EB-5 reform efforts that helped shape the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act. His career additionally includes senior roles at the White House National Security Council and the DHS Office of Strategy, Policy, and Plans.
Chris Mason, Chief Communications Officer, ALC
Christopher Mason is ALC’s Chief Communications Officer, bringing more than a decade of leadership experience across the public and private sectors. He has deep expertise in stakeholder engagement, cross-border investment, and strategic communications, making him a key addition to ALC’s executive team.
From 2010 to 2020, Chris held senior roles within the federal government, including serving as the Chief Economist for the Immigrant Investor Program Office (EB-5) at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). In this role, he led teams responsible for reviewing billions of dollars in foreign investment supporting U.S. economic development projects, while also driving EB-5 program integrity initiatives and key regulatory and policy reforms.
In the private sector, Chris has advised Fortune 100 companies, global financial institutions, and multinational corporations on compliance, risk management, and international communications strategies. He has also served as a Risk Officer for one of the largest U.S. banks headquartered in New York, bringing a strong risk-informed perspective to executive decision-making.
Gino Zhao, VP, Investor Relations, ALC
Gino Zhao is a leading expert in EB-5 investor relations, with over a decade of experience at American Lending Center (ALC). Throughout his tenure, he has maintained a flawless track record—ensuring that every EB-5 investor successfully obtains their visa status without a single dollar of investment capital lost.
Beyond EB-5, Gino plays a key role in ALC’s mission-driven team, contributing to projects that foster job creation and economic growth. To date, ALC has helped create or retain over 140,000 jobs, making a lasting impact on communities across the U.S.
