Opportunity Zone Magazine Opportunity Zone Magazine Volume 1, Issue 1 | Page 90

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OPPORTUNITY ZONE MAGAZINE | VOLUME 1
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ISSUE 1
He called on investors to “look for those opportunities where
you can make a difference.” Ex p o at tende e s s a id t hey were i mpre s s e d w it h t he
Opportunity Zone Expo.
“We’re coaxing capital into these [Opportunity Zone]
communities with powerful incentives,” Rothfus added
added. “If done right, this is going to create returns for the
investors in 10 years. They’re incentivized to be there for
the long haul.” Timothy Trifilo, a partner in CohnReznick’s tax practice, said
he came away with a lot of business cards and met many new
contacts within the Opportunity Zone community.
Rothfus called the zones “an opportunity to create hope
and real change. It’s an opportunity to get more Americans
back in the game. Too many people have been marginalized,
sidelined in our society.”
He added that there will be the question of whether
Opportunity Zones are “some giveaway” or something
“truly transformative.”
“It’s up to you how t h at stor y i s w r it ten,” Rot h f u s
concluded. “I’m overwhelmed by what I’m seeing here.
The people who came out for this, the folks who organized
this, understand what this is. It’s an opportunity to get
our fellow citizens back in the game while making sure
capital continues to grow. That’s how we’re going to pull
ourselves out of this.”
“I found the conference to be very impressive in terms of the
quality of speakers and panels, the networking that went on,
and the venue,” he said.
“Amazing job,” added Lance Growth, chief executive officer
and co-founder of Growth 1031. “Everyone there left with a
better understanding of the area. I personally gained a lot of
perspective to share with my clients. A very large group of
San Diego professionals attended, and everyone raved about
the connections they made and the great time they had.”
Michael Hines, a regional director with First Foundation
Bank, complimented expo founder Ali Jahangiri and his team
for a “top-class conference.”
“The content, panelists and sponsors were all amazing,”
Hines said.
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