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AAFM New and Approved Certified Trainers in Wealth Management and Tax

By AAFM Certification Training Board

02 March, 2007

AAFM Approved Certified Trainers in Wealth Management, Tax, Compliance, Risk, Internatinal Investing, and Trusts. These professors are part of the AAFM Alliance with the Diamond Graduate Law Program and the Royal Society of Fellows under the recommendation of Prof. Byrnes and Prof. Mentz. These professors conduct courses that are approved for AAFM Certification Training 2007.

SALLY AMIRGHAHARI, JD, LLM
 
Sally Amirghahari works in the law areas of Tax, Estate Planning, General Business, Contract, Corporate Law and Tax Dispute Resolutions since 1985 in Orange County and Los Angeles County, California. Her experience in Tax and Estate Planning includes preparation of wills, revocable living trusts, irrevocable insurance trusts, power of attorney for health care, power of attorney for assets, family limited partnerships, family gifting strategies and other estate planning strategies. She is also Senior Editor and Director of Online Education for International Business Law Services (IBLS) in California.

She is a California Notary Public and member of National Notary Association. She is also a member of Delta Theta Phi Law Fraternity, International and Member of GGU and CSUF alumni. She has a Master of law in taxation (LL.M.) from Golden Gate University School of Law, a Juris Doctor (J.D.) from University of West Los Angeles School of Law, and a Bachelor Degree with Honors from California State University. Professor Amirghahari is fluent in Farsi.
WILLIAM ANDREWS
 
KITHSIRI L. DE SILVA
 
Kithsiri L. De Silva is revenue official that specializes on the taxation of multinational enterprises. He commenced his tax career as an assessor in the Sri Lankan Department of Inland Revenue where he worked for eleven years specializing in tax intelligence. The Commonwealth Fund subsequently assigned him to the Technical Cooperation (CFTC) as a tax expert to the Department of Taxes, Kenya. After his stint in Kenya, he joined the Department of Taxes, Kenya. Then, he joined the Department of Taxes in Botswana where he worked for sixteen years and served as assistant commissioner in charge of the investigation and intelligence division. During this period he conducted and concluded several highly successful investigations of large multinational companies operating in South Africa. He emigrated with his family to New Zealand and is presently employed as an investigator at the Corporate Segment of the Department of Inland Revenue, New Zealand.
Kithsiri De Silva has devoted much of his time to the teaching of taxation. He has lectured at the Academy of Administrative studies in Sri Lanka, the Department of Taxes and Institute of Bankers in Botswana, and the Institute of International Taxation in Johannesburg, South Africa. At the invitation of the Commonwealth Association of Tax Administrators in 1996, he presented a paper on the taxation of multinational enterprises at the 17th CATA technical conference held in Harare, Zimbabwe. He has trained Revenue officials in Botswana, Zambia and Swaziland on Tax intelligence and the investigation of multinational enterprises.

De Silva's research papers on taxation have focused on developing countries and covered administrative and organizational aspects of tax intelligence and investigation work. His paper on Botswana's Corporate Tax Intelligence System was published by the IBFD. He has presented papers on Sub Sharan Taxation, transfer pricing and the investigation of multinational companies in Africa at international seminars and conferences.

Between government contracts, De Silva has worked as a tax consultant to several companies in Sri Lanka. This has tempered his view of Taxation giving him an insight and an appreciation of the view of tax as seen from the taxpayer's perspective. De Silva is an honors graduate of the university of Ceylon. 
 
Richard Duke, J.D., LL.M, CWM
 
A native Alabamian, J. Richard Duke is a Vestavia Hills (suburb of Birmingham) lawyer whose practice is unique to Alabama. Richard Duke, born and raised in Lineville, Alabama, is the Principal of Duke Law Firm, P.C., a small niche law firm that has, since 1992, developed an international practice, working with clients and other professionals around the world. Duke Law Firm represents private banking departments of foreign banks and foreign financial institutions in providing guidance for U.S. persons who want their money managed either directly or through established foreign structures (such as foreign trusts, foreign corporations, foreign limited liability companies or foreign insurance products). The firm ensures that clients and prospective clients, including foreign banks and foreign financial institutions, are compliant with the newly adopted USA Patriot Act, the withholding and qualified intermediary rules under U.S. regulations and "Know Your Customer" rules of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). Duke Law Firm also represents clients on investments into the U.S. (inbound planning), in addition to representing U.S. private clients in international estate planning, foreign business tax planning, international asset protection planning, investing through foreign banks or foreign investment management institutions, and accessing the worldwide market and international insurance products. Duke Law Firm has also been engaged by professionals to represent clients who are being audited by the IRS with respect to international transactions.

He is member of the Committee of Academic Advisors and Visiting Professor of Law Graduate International Taxation (LL.M.) Program, Miami, Florida; Adjunct Professor of Law at the Cumberland School of Law of Samford University (International Tax and Asset Protection Planning). He was also member of the Editorial Advisory Board of the ASSET PROTECTION JOURNAL, A Panel Publication, Aspen Publishers, Inc., (New York, New York, 1999-2002); member of the Editorial Advisory Board of VAULT, O.F.C. Publications Inc., (Quebec, Canada); co-author of Offshore Tax Strategies newsletter; editorial advisor to Global Asset Protection, Global e- Commerce Monitor and Asset Protection Forum.

Prof. Duke is a member of the American Bar Association; Alabama State Bar; The Florida Bar; Auburn University Bar Association (member, Board of Directors); and Birmingham Bar Association; International Tax Planning Association; Member and Distinguished Fellow of The Royal Society Of Fellows (RSOF) (2002-); Member of the Faculty Advisory Board, Royal Society Of Fellows Law Review; Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners; International Tax Planning Association; The Offshore Institute, 1994-1999; International Bar Association (Section on Business Law; Committee on Taxes); Inter-American Bar Association; Tax Section of the American Bar Association (Committee on Corporate Stockholders' Relationships, 1975-1977; Committee on Closely Held Corporations, 1977-1990; Committee on Individual Investments and Workouts, 1995-); Real Property, Probate & Trust Law Section of the American Bar Association (Committee on Asset Protection Planning, 1997-; International Estate Planning Committee, 1999-); International Law and Practice Section of the American Bar Association (Committees on International Taxation, 1995-; and Committee of International Private Client Planning, 1995-); Tax Section of the Alabama State Bar and The Florida Bar; Samford University Professional Advisors Council (1996-).

Graduate Law: Master of Laws in Taxation, University of Miami School of Law; Law: Doctor of Jurisprudence, Cumberland School of Law of Samford University Undergraduate: Bachelor of Science, Business Administration, Auburn University

He has published numerous law reviews and articles on Taxation, Compliance, Trusts and Estates, including: Chapters, Tax Compliance and Reporting For Offshore Trusts and Uses of Foreign Life Insurance in International Estate Planning, Asset Protection Strategies: Planning with Domestic and Offshore Entities (The American Bar Association, 2002); U.S. Tax Treatment of Low-Tax Jurisdictions, International Taxation of Low-Tax Transactions, Bureau of National Affairs International Inc. (London, England, 1996); chapter entitled Use of Trusts by U.S. Citizens in International Tax Planning, Trust in Prime Jurisdictions, Kluwer Law International (The Hague/London/Boston, 2000).
 
MICHAEL EULA, JD, LLM
 
Michael Eula is a graduate cum-laude with a degree in history from Rutgers University. He holds two masters' degrees and a Ph.D. in history from the University of California, specializing in economic history. Professor Eula earned his J.D. from Newport University School of Law in California, and completed the LL.M. in international taxation at Regent University School of Law in May of 2003. He has served as an Administrative Law Judge in Riverside County, California, since 1999. He is currently a full-time professor of history and American Studies in the College Honors Program at El Camino College in Torrance, California, and has been on the faculty since 1989. He has been a Visiting Assistant Professor of History at the University of California. In addition, he has been a Visiting Associate Professor of History at Chapman University, California.
He has published twenty-seven scholarly books, articles, and book reviews in a variety of areas, including political theory, military strategy, and economic history. Ha has been named a National Endowment for the Humanities Fellow three times, and has received numerous grants for his research, including grants from the New Jersey Historical Commission and the University of California. He has served in three branches of the United States military: active duty in the Coast Guard (stationed as a search and rescue boat coxswain in southern Florida in the 1970s), and then went on to service as a reservist in first Naval, and then Army, intelligence.

He is currently practicing international tax law, and combining his practice with scholarly activities on the fields of law and economics.
 
 
ALWYN DE KOKER, MT
 
Alwyn de Koker is Professor of Taxation in the School of Accountancy in the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. He is a member of the Committee of Academic Advisors and Adjunct Professor at the St Thomas University School of Law and was formerly an Honorary Professor in the School of Law at Regent University, Virginia Beach, USA.
He is an Executive Board member of the Royal Society of Fellows and an Advisory Board member of the Foundation for Fiscal Studies. He is also an Advisory board member of the Royal Society of Fellows Law Review.

He obtained his Bachelors degree in accounting from the University of Cape Town and holds a Master of Commerce in Taxation and a Higher Diploma in Taxation from the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. Professor de Koker is a member of the Public Accountants' and Auditors' Board in South Africa and a member of the South African Institute of Chartered Accounts. He is also a Vice-President of the Offshore Institute in Geneva, Switzerland.

Professor de Koker has received significant awards such as Distinguished Lecturer. He has delivered papers on international tax, which is his area of expertise, at various conferences worldwide. He has published extensively and is the author, amongst others, of the definitive tax work entitled Silke on South African Income Tax and the Silke Tax Yearbook as well as co-author of Value-Added Tax in South Africa published by LexisNexis.
 
PROF. GEORGE S. MENTZ
 
Prof. George S. Mentz, JD, MBA, CWMTM, CAM, CTEP, CPM, MFP, is the first person in the United States to achieve "Quad Designation Status" as a JD, MBA, licensed Master Financial Planner Professional, and Certified Financial Consultant. Mr. Mentz is presently serving as President and Professor for The American Academy of Financial Management Worldwide TM. Prof. Mentz and his companies have consulted with Wall Street firms, trained thousands of financial professionals, and instructed and presented strategies to several hundred thousand people internationally on wealth management, financial planning, e-commerce, and estate planning. Mr. Mentz is a Licensed Attorney and Counselor of Law (LA), and has researched, published, and presented worldwide in multiple venues such as television, radio, journals, magazines, websites, national conferences and more. Mr. Mentz also holds faculty appointments in California, Colorado, Chicago, Florida, Dubai, Singapore, UAE, and several others. In years past, Prof. Mentz was Editor and Faculty Advisor for the Orignial Tax and Estate Planning Law Review.

Prof. Mentz has recently received a national faculty award for online teaching, a distinguished faculty award for online teaching excellence, and a meritorious service medal from charitable organization. Prof. Mentz is certified in online course instruction and certified in online course development. Prof. Mentz is the author or editor for over 22 published books and training manuals, and Mentz has held board positions to the International Advisory Board of the Global Finance Forum in Switzerland, the World E-Commere Forum in London, The ERISA Fiduciary Guild, and the AML Committee for ICA USA. Mentz has also been accepted as an Expert in NASD Arbitration. Mentz is a member of the KGLG Class Action and Securities Law Firm where over 18,000 people have sought his legal counsel in the last few years.

Prof. Mentz has been quoted of featured in the Wall Street Journal, The Hindu National, El Norte Latin America, the Finanical Times, The China Daily, & The Arab Times. His research, publications, and speeches have been syndicated into over 100 countries.
 
DR. ROBERT MUNRO, CRA, CWM
 
Dr. Robert Munro is the Co-Director of the Center for International Financial Crimes Studies at the College of Law, University of Florida, and a Senior Research Fellow and Director of Research for North America of CIDOEC at Jesus College, Cambridge University.

He holds Masters degrees from the University of Iowa and LSU, a Juris Doctor from the College of Law of the University of Iowa, a Ph.D. from the University of Florida, and has done further graduate studies at Jesus College, Cambridge University, Oxford University and the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies of the University of London. He is the author of twenty-three published books including the five-volume MONEY LAUNDERING, ASSET FORFEITURE AND INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL CRIMES and the three-volume CYBERCRIME AND SECURITY.

His expertise is concentrated on International Financial Crimes, Organized Crime and Intelligence Analysis and he has addressed audiences at Cambridge University, the University of Florida, the University of London, the CIA and the U.S. State Department. He has also created, organized and chaired over 20 conferences on these topics in Miami, Aruba, Curacao, the Bahamas, Washington, D.C., New York City and San Francisco. He is a Barrister and an Attorney at Law.
 
BASIL NEVIL NEWTON, B. Pr., LLM
 
Basil Newton obtained his B. Procurationis (equivalent to the Juris Doctor degree in the United States) from the University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, and his LL.M. in South African Taxation from the University of Cape Town, South Africa. The International Bureau of Fiscal Documentation in Amsterdam conferred him a Research Fellowship in International Taxation. He is actually an adjunct professor to the Master of Laws Program in International Taxation at two United States Universities. Previously lectured on the OECD and United Nations Model Double Taxation Conventions and Transfer Pricing at Stellenbosch University. Submitted papers on International and South African aspects of transfer pricing, Thin capitalization and double taxation Conventions to the university of Cape Town and International Bureau of Fiscal Documentation, Amsterdam. Prepared diploma courses in international tax issues, which are to be published by Kluwer law publishers.
Currently lecturing in the field of double taxation conventions, international tax planning, and trust law and taxation aspects thereto as well as consulting in international tax structuring.
 
ANA PENN, JD, LLM
 
CEO and Executive Director of International Business Law Services , (IBLS), www.IBLS.com headquartered in Irvine, California. Designed to help business and legal professionals understand Internet laws and regulations. IBLS provides worldwide interactive source of information and counsel for legal issues relating to the Internet. Ms. Penn coordinates and directs IBLS' legal and management teams, consisting of law professors, attorneys, finance, marketing and IT professionals. In addition, Ms. Penn is teaching law courses at St. Thomas University, School of Law, Miami, Florida, and Nova Southeastern University, Wayne Huizenga Graduate School of Business and entrepreneurship, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.

Professor Penn has a master of law in International Banking and Financial law from Boston University, School of Law, Boston, Massachusetts; a master of law in Taxation from Golden Gate University, School of Law, California and a Juris Doctor degree from Western State University, College of Law, California. She also studied European Community law at Cambridge University, Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, England. She frequently lectures at European Schools and conferences throughout the United States. 
 
ROY ROHATGI, Esq.
 
Roy Rohatgi is a recognized attorney from Calcuta University in India. He holds a B.S.C with major in Economics from London University, England. Professor Rohatgi is a Fellow of both the Institute of Charter Accountant of England and Wales, and the Institute of Chartered Accountants in India. He worked for Arthur Andersen & Co. in London, and founded and directed its Indian branch. He has built a solid reputation for his regular writings on international Taxation issues published in professional journals and conferences in India and abroad. He is currently writing a book on International Taxation to be published by Kluwer Law. 
 
Dr. DANIEL SCHWARTZ RIBBENS, LLB, LLM, DCL
 
Obtained his B.A. and LL.B from the Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, and his LL.M. and D.C.L (Doctor in Civil Law) from McGill University, Montreal, Quebec. He holds a Ph.D. from Cambridge University, 1986. Thesis titled "In Quest of the Appropriate Code for the Ideal Form for the Proprietary Business." Professor Ribbens has been Public Prosecutor for the Department of Justice in Hohannesburg; Commercial Law attorney for top law firms in Johannesburg for more than 20 years, and Legal Advisor for the Merchant Bank and Stockbrokers in Johannesburg. As legal advisor for the Merchant Bank, he acted as liaison between the Merchant Bank's attorneys and the Listings Committee of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. From 1986 to 1994, he worked as Intellectual Property Attorney for a law firm in Pretoria. His expertise is concentrated in the areas of commercial law, corporate finance, company law, stock exchange listings, debentures, schemes of arrangements, takeover bids and share incentive schemes.

His successful law practice has been combined with a prominent teaching experience. From 1975 to 1985 he was Senior Lecturer and Associate Professor of Company, Partnership and Insolvency Law at the University of South Africa. From 1987 to 1992, he was part-time lecturer of Company and Partnership Law at the University of Cape Town. He was also part-time lecturer in Trust and Legal Entities, Derivatives Actions, Class and Public Interest Actions at the International Law and Tax Institute in Johannesburg.

Professor Ribbens has given numerous conferences in his areas of expertise world wide. He has published law reviews and a great number of other legal writings.
 
GORDON ROBERT RUSSELL, JD, LLB, MLS
 
Obtained his J.D. from the University of New Mexico in 1994, his LL.B. from the University of Western Ontario (graduated in top 20 of his class) in 1987, and his M.L.S. from Brigham Young University in 1982. He graduated Cum Laude from Brigham Young University when obtaining his B.A. in History and Political Science in 1978.

Professor Russell was Associate Professor and Director of Library & Information Technology at Southern New England School of Law. During June 1995 and May 1996, he was Associate Professor and Associate Law Library Director of University of New Mexico Law Library. He was also Head of Public Services of the University of New Mexico Law Library for three years, and Head of Reference Department at the University of Miami Law Library for two years.

Professor Russell has extensive experience teaching advanced legal research; advance electronic research; interviewing, negotiation and Counseling; and legal research and writing.
  
GEORGE SUMERFIELD, JD
 
Is a practicing attorney at STADHEIM & GREAR, Chicago, Illinois since 2000. He is responsible for all phases of intellectual property licensing, litigation and appeals to the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. From 1998 to 2000 he worked as Intellectual Property attorney at HILL & SIMPSON PC, Chicago, Illinois. From 1996 to 1998, he worked as Intellectual Property attorney for RADER, FISHMAN & GRAUER, Chicago, Illinois. He worked for the Intellectual Property Department of PENNIE & EDMONDS, Washington, D.C., from 1991 to 1996. He completed a fulbright fellowship at the OFFICE FOR INVENTIONS AND TRADEMARKS, Bucharest, Rumania. He was an investigative attorney at the U.S. International Trade Commission from 1988 to 1990. From 1987 to 1988, he worked as Intellectual Property attorney for Varnum, Riddering, Schmidt & Howlett.

Obtained his J.D. from Wayne State University Law School and is member of the following Bar Associations, U.S. Supreme Court; U.S. Courts of Appeal for the Federal and Seventh Circuits; U.S. District Courts for the Northern District of California, the Eastern and Western Districts of Michigan, the District of Connecticut, the District of Arizona, the Northern District of Illinois, and the Northern District of Texas; the United States Court of Federal Claims; and the State of Michigan; American Bar Association; American Intellectual Property Law Association; International Federation of Intellectual Property Law Counselors (FICPI).

THOMAS GIONIS, JD, LLM
 
Dr. Thomas A. Gionis, a United States Fulbright Scholar in Law, United States Fulbright Senior Specialist Program, serves as Chairman of the American Board of Healthcare Law and Medicine, and is an Adjunct Professor of Law, St. Thomas University School of Law ( Miami, Fl) in the Walter H. and Dorothy B. Diamond International Tax LL.M. Program where he obtained his LL.M. degree. Dr. Gionis previously taught International Health Law and Human Rights as an Adjunct Professor of Law at STU. While obtaining his LL.M. at STU, Dr. Gionis served as Editor-in-Chief of the Royal Society of Fellows Law Review, the official publication and law review of the International Tax LL.M. Program at STU and the Royal Society of Fellows. Additionally, Dr. Gionis is a Fellow of the American College of Legal Medicine; Fellow, International College of Surgeons; and Fellow, Royal College of Surgeons.

After completing high school at 16 years of age, Dr. Gionis completed approximately 3 ½ years of college in one (1) year, and started medical school at 17 years of age. He received his M.D. degree at 21, in 1975, from the Medical University of South Carolina, whereupon Dr. Gionis was reported as the youngest person in the United States to complete this accomplishment. Dr. Gionis trained in general, thoracic and cardiovascular surgery at Tulane Medical Center - Charity Hospital, New Orleans, La., and completed his Emergency Medicine Research Fellowship at Harvard University - Massachusetts General Hospital.

Dr. Gionis received his JD from the John Marshall Law School, Chicago (Cum laude). He was a member of his law school's Dean's List for every semester of law school, was in the upper five in class standing, was a member of the Honors Program and was selected as the Editor-in-Chief of the John Marshall Law Review. Dr. Gionis is a member of the Phi Delta Phi Legal Honors Society. Within one (1) year of graduation from law school, Dr. Gionis published three law reviews articles (John Marshall Law Review; Southern Illinois University Law Journal; American University Law Review). Concurrent with his first year of law school studies in Chicago, Dr. Gionis completed the Masters in Healthcare Administration (MHA) program, at Seton Hall University, Center for Public Service. Dr. Gionis delivered the Commencement address at the Seton Hall graduation. Dr. Gionis also holds a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from the Pepperdine University , Graduate School of Business, where his thesis was selected for inclusion in the Graduate School of Business Library.

As a United States Fulbright Scholar in Law, Dr. Gionis lectures world-wide on the law of corporate director fiduciary duties; professional attorney ethics; the Sarbanes-Oxley Act; international law; the international protection of human subjects of clinical research and experimentation; global commerce law and E-commerce, and the law of scientific evidence law. Dr. Gionis has lectured regularly at Harvard University for the past 14 years.
 
KNUT OLSEN, LLM
 
Knut Olsen has 25 years experience within taxation. He started his carrier as a tax and VAT inspector in Norway, a position he held for 7 years, before he established his own account and tax-advising bureau. For 4 years he was a lecturer at Directorate of Taxes' education for County Tax Inspectors where he had the sole responsibility for the whole tax syllabus for the 2 nd year students. He was also lecturing at The Norwegian School of Management, Ostfold Regional College and Oslo Advanced College. Since 2005 PricewaterhouseCoopers has engaged him as a developer and lecturer of international tax courses for their employees.

Knut Olsen is a PhD student at Dundee University in Scotland, where his topic is within international petroleum taxation. He fulfilled a LLM in international taxation at St. Thomas University, Miami in 2003. He is also authorized as a legal service provider, (equal to a chartered tax advisor) and as an authorized account. Furthermore he has Special Subject Examination in Tax Law and 3 years of examination of law.

James A. Lavorgna, J.D., LL.M, CWM, CFP  

Mr. Lavorgna has been in the financial services industry for 30 years, and currently has offices in Martinsville, Virginia and Vernon, NJ. He is the President and CEO of Business Services International, Inc. and Forsyth Wealth Management, Inc., a registered investment adviser.

Mr. Lavorgna, a Wealth Manager and Investment Advisor, has been listed in the  2005-2006 "Guide to America's Best Financial Planners" published by the Consumers' Research Council of America. He works directly with clients and their advisors to provide financial planning, pre-immigration planning, risk management, investment, retirement, tax, asset protection, and estate planning services in both domestic and international markets.  He has done extensive financial and estate planning for professional athletes, high net worth individuals and business owners.  He also works with non-profit organizations and clients that have an interest in charitable giving, family wealth planning, and asset protection.  Throughout his career, he has given many lectures and seminars on financial planning, asset protection and estate planning. 

He also provides: global estate planning; asset protection planning through domestic and offshore financial centers; and has planning experience designing offshore structures and international private placement life insurance. He also has experience in testing, developing and enhancing the tax and estate planning aspects of financial planning and asset allocation software tools for Wealth Managers.

He has expertise in Trust Centered Estate Planning, Global Estate and Gift Tax Planning, Wealth Management, Investment Management, Charitable Planning, Personal Financial Planning, Asset Protection Planning, U.S. International Tax Planning, Pre-Immigration Planning, Offshore Tax Structures and Private Placement Life Insurance.

Mr. Lavorgna was an adjunct professor for investments and financial planning at Sussex County Community College during the 1980's and currently teaches accounting, computerized accounting and business law, a course he developed, for the Patrick Henry Community College distance-learning program. He is a thesis promoter and also teaches international tax credits as a visiting professor for St. Thomas University School of Law Masters of Laws Graduate International Taxation program.  He is also a Certified Trainer for the American Academy of Financial Management.

He has been a radio talk-show guest, been quoted in and written articles for local newspapers, and has independently published numerous articles and two books.

Mr. Lavorgna has earned an Associates Degree In Business and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Finance from Upsala College, a Juris Doctor Degree from The Thomas M. Cooley Law School (JD), and a Masters of Law (LL.M.) with a concentration in International Taxation and Offshore Financial Centers from St. Thomas University School of Law, and a Certified Financial Planning ( CFP®)

designation from the College for Financial Planning. He is a Chartered Wealth Manager (CWM) and a Chartered Trust and Estate Planner (CTEP).

He is a member of the Financial Planning Association, National Association of Tax Practitioners, the American Bar Association, and is a Distinguished Fellow of and the current President of the Royal Society of Fellows for International Tax.

He is licensed to sell insurance and securities (Series 7, 24, 63), is a Registered Investment Advisor Associate of Forsyth Wealth Management, and a Registered Principal Principal fo Syndicated Capital, Inc., NASD, SIPC.

Vernon K. Jacobs, C.P.A., CWM

Vernon K. Jacobs is the President of Offshore Press, Inc., Editor and publisher of the online Wealth Protection Research Library, co-author of The Offshore Tax Manual and co-author of Risk Management for Amateur Investors.

He is an independent tax accountant and consultant who presently concentrate on offering tax services for U.S. persons with offshore investments or entities and for non U.S. persons who have tax obligations in the United States.

Mr. Jacobs is a CPA and was an auditor with Deloitte, Haskins and Sells from 1962 through 1966. DH&S is now part of Deloitte Touche. He formerly was the chief accountant for Old American Insurance Co., and V.P./Controller for the company. He developed a reputation in the industry for creative tax planning for insurance companies. While he was with the insurance company, he completed the exams for the Fellow, Life Management Institute (FLMI) and the Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) programs.

He was the founding Editor of the extremely popular Tax Angles tax advisory newsletter, served as the Editor of The Small Business Tax Report, as the Tax Editor of the Real Estate Intelligence Report, Tax Editor for Private Practice, Consulting Editor for The Journal of Accounting and EDP, and the author of hundreds of articles published by dozens of magazines and newsletters.

He also developed and published one of the first tax planning software programs for micro-computers; a program to analyze tax shelters; a program to analyze divorce tax settlements and a program to analyze pension distribution options and published The Financial Systems Report, a newsletter on financial planning software.

Mr. Jacobs was a college instructor and has been a featured speaker at dozens of financial and tax seminars for CFP's, CLU's, CPA's and lawyers. He was also a seminar instructor for the College of Financial Planning.

He has been licensed to sell life and annuity products and had a series 7 license. He was a Member of the Board for the Kansas City International Association of Financial Planners and the Kansas City Charter Life Underwriter Society until he chosen to work as a fee only tax advisor.

Mr. Jacobs is presently a member of the American Institute of CPAs, the International Trade Club of Kansas City, the International Tax Planning Association and is an Associate Member of the American Bar Association.

Jeffrey Lewis, CFA, CWM

Jeffrey D. Lewis, CFA, is currently the marketing director for the Bolton Financial Group, a Managed Futures manager-of-managers. He is responsible for marketing the firm's products to wealthy individuals and institutions globally.

Jeff graduated from Dartmouth College with an A.B. in both History and Economics, and he received highest honors in History. He attended the Kenan-Flagler Business School, University on North Carolina-Chapel Hill, where he concentrated in Finance.

He has worked in Private Wealth Management for Goldman, Sachs & Co. in their Memphis office, where his clients were wealthy families in the southeast. His specialties were portfolio management and restricted stock. He and his team managed several hundred million dollars of assets.

He has also worked for Cazenove Incorporated as a corporate finance analyst/associate.

In addition, he worked as vice president for Lewis Auto Glass, a family-owned auto glass wholesaler, where he was in charge of business development and regional offices.

He was awarded the Chartered Financial Analyst designation in 2000. He is a member of the Memphis society of the Certified Financial Analysts Institute. He also holds his Series 7, 31, and 66 licenses.

Vickie R. York, J.D., CWM  

Miss York is an attorney licensed in the state of North Carolina. Among her specialties are immigration law, estate administration, litigation and divorce planning.

She works directly with clients and their advisors providing immigration services in the areas of business and family immigration issues, helping clients obtain visas and permanent residency. She also works directly with pre-immigration issues and planning, as well as handling estate administration.

Her work consists of intra-company transfers, labor certification, family visas, professional work visas, treaty trader and investor visas, student and exchange visitor visas, permanent residence through investor visas, U.S. citizenship and naturalization matters.

She also concentrates in the area of divorce financial planning. She is currently a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst candidate at the Institute for Divorce Analysts.

Miss York is licensed to practice law in the State of North Carolina and in the North Carolina Western District Federal Court. She is a member of the North Carolina Bar Association and the Iredell County Bar Association.

She was also a Professor of American Government and Constitutional Law and Civil Liberties at Lenoir-Rhyne College, Hickory, NC.

Miss York earned her Juris Doctor from The Thomas M. Cooley Law School where she received a Certificate of Achievement Award in Litigation. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Lenoir-Rhyne College in  Hickory, NC.

She earned the Picket Award, which is an award for a student with a perfect 4.0 average for Social Science. She is also a lifetime member of the Kappa Omega Chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha, a national Political Science Honor Society and is also Phi Beta Kappa and a member Mu Sigma Epsilon Society.

Karl Bareither, CLU

Karl Bareither, CLU is founder and president of FBR System, Inc., a fee-based family business planning firm, that uses a holistic process approach to transfer wealth and renew both business and family. His approach is based on shifting focus to the entire family and is designed to meet the goals of all family members through a comprehensive planning process that focuses on renewing the quality of life for business owners and family members alike. Karl teaches you how you can become a family business wealth planning specialist, facilitator, and mediator.

Working with family businesses, he has also developed tools that enabled him to move beyond tax, legal, and financial planning. During this course, Karl teaches you the principles of what he has taught many advisors, which is how to use this system to make the entire family your client, not just the business owner.

Karl has written a book, Becoming a Wealth Transfer Specialist, which describes this system and recounts many of his experiences working with businesses and families.

He is a Chartered Life Underwriter, a Qualifying and Life Member of the Million Dollar Round Table and has also been admitted to the Top of the Table.

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