WTCA member returns to San Francisco

SAN FRANCISCO, CA, U.S.A. - San Francisco is one of the world’s most iconic and international cities. As such it really needed its own World Trade Center facility- which had been lacking since the WTC Bay Area closed during the last recession.

Bay Area native Mike Mattox of Access the USA purchased the WTC San Francisco license in 2013’s 4th Quarter and it began operating in 2014’s 1st Quarter. Mike had gotten to know WTCA via becoming first a member and then the largest private sponsor of WTC Tacoma. He worked very closely with Anthony Hemstad, WTC Tacoma’s President/CEO, on several projects and attended the WTCA GA in Mumbai as well as the WTCA Membership Meeting in New York. Mattox was so impressed by the potential within WTCA that he decided to buy a license himself and was thrilled to see the San Francisco license was available.

Mattox observed, “No other organization exists that brings together so many dynamic, independent entrepreneurs with an international vision. I wanted to be part of that and thought we could add significantly to the WTCA’s future growth.”

As Mattox was impressed with how Hemstad had turned around the WTC Tacoma and brought it 500% growth during Hemstad’s tenure as President there, Mattox brought Hemstad on as the WTC San Francisco’s first President.

Hemstad said, “Being WTC San Francisco’s first President is a great opportunity. Mike has a vision of really working with other WTCs and to build business between WTCs themselves. That is something we experimented with at WTC Tacoma but didn’t really have the resources or products to make it work. WTC San Francisco will be in a much stronger position to roll-out meaningful new programs.”

WTC San Francisco will initially focus on foreign direct investment, primarily via the US Government’s EB-5 Immigrant Investor visa program. Wherever possible this will be done via partnering with WTCs in various countries. This can be a significant financial benefit to WTCA members.  There will be a program on this at the WTCA General Assembly in Bucharest and also a future article on the program. WTCA members interested in this opportunity in the meantime can contact Anthony Hemstad via Anthony@wtc-sf.com.

WTC San Francisco is currently in rented space but is beginning talks with real estate developers to find and brand a building as the WTC San Francisco.

WTC San Francisco is already planning to host WTC delegations from China and India in the coming months.