Dan Prescher

Dan is a native of Omaha, Neb., and a graduate of the University of Iowa Writers’ Workshop. Dan and his wife, Suzan Haskins, ran a successful marketing and corporate communications business in Omaha until 2001, when they decided to live the dream before they were too old to enjoy it.

They joined the International Living team, sold the house and cars, and have lived offshore ever since. They’ve managed International Living offices in Ecuador and Mexico and have also lived in Panama and Nicaragua on assignment.

Dan will speak at the Ultimate Event III.

Suzan Haskins

Suzan Haskins was born in Tulsa, Okla., and grew up in Dodge City, Kan.; Fargo, N.D.; and Middletown, N.J., before moving to Omaha, Neb., in 1976. She has a degree in journalism from the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

She spent the early years of her career working in television production, advertising, and marketing in Omaha. After spending several years as VP/ creative director for one of Omaha’s largest ad agencies, she eventually started her own company, Haskins & Co. (later called Roughwriters), to provide business-to-business marketing services to Omaha’s largest corporations.

In 2001, she left Omaha, along with her husband, Dan Prescher, to join the staff of International Living in Quito, Ecuador. From there, the Haskins/Prescher team moved to Mexico. In 2006 and early 2007 they lived in Panama and Nicaragua before recently returning to Mexico.

Suzan is International Living’s Latin America editorial director and is responsible for the company’s Latin America-based publications.

Suzan will speak at the Ultimate Event III.

Lee Harrison

Lee came to International Living after a 30-year career in the U.S. electric power industry in many diverse locations. After 12 years with Bechtel Power Corp. where he started as an electrician, Lee moved to Exelon Generation (the nation’s largest power generator), where he ultimately served as a director. Taking advantage of a post-merger early retirement offer, he left in 2001 at age 49 and moved to Cuenca, Ecuador.

Now he lives and works in Uruguay, spending part of his time at the beach resort of Punta del Este, and also part time in Montevideo. He is currently working as IL’s Latin America roving editor, roaming Central and South America in search of the best retirement destinations and property buys.

Lee will speak at the Ultimate Event III.

Steenie Harvey

Steenie Harvey has been writing for International Living for the past 14 years. As the magazine's "roving Euro editor," she travels every month--not just to Europe, but also further afield. In the last year she has investigated real estate in Thailand, Austria, Spain, Scotland, the Greek island of Crete, Poland, Switzerland, and the French West Indies.

When she's not on the road, Steenie lives in county Roscommon, Ireland. The author of Live Well in Ireland, and Adapter Kit--Ireland, her latest book is called Adapter Kit--a Guide to European Vacation Rentals.

Steenie will speak at the Ultimate Event III.

Lief Simon

Lief travels most of the year in search of real estate opportunities around the world. In addition to excellent potential returns and the opportunity to travel, he feels that international real estate offers two key benefits to the investor: diversification and asset protection. Lief looks for one of two market situations when identifying opportunities to invest: an abundance of opportunity created by a market distortion (crisis investing) or a chance to follow the path of progress (new infrastructure or trends).

For example, Lief told his readers to buy property in Argentina shortly after the 2001 financial crisis, when CNN was busy showing riots in the streets. Lief and several forward-thinking readers who followed his lead have since enjoyed appreciation of at least 100% on buys they made in Buenos Aires…plus rental income. He’s also turned readers on to investments in Mexico, Nicaragua, and Romania, buys that have appreciated 160% in 18 months, 120% in 12 months, and 82% in 15 months, respectively.

Lief has bought real estate in 16 countries and currently holds real estate investments in a dozen countries. He has lived and worked on five continents and traveled to more than 40 countries. His MBA in international management is from Thunderbird, The Garvin School of International Management, and he has worked for an accounting firm, an international oil company, and as the CFO for a hospitality design and consulting firm that renovates hotels around the world.

He is the founding editor of Global Real Estate Investor and is a contributing editor to International Living. Since "retiring" at the end of 2006, Lief has started working more directly with developers, consulting on marketing and project funding.

Lief Simon will speak at the Ultimate Event III.

Glynna Prentice

Glynna is the editor of our Mexico Insider publication. She's traveled the world extensively, and has worked overseas in various positions including international banking in Brazil... and strategic consulting for Price Waterhouse in Spain. Right now Glynna is investigating some of the latest investment and asset protection opportunities south of the US border.

She also holds degrees in journalism from the Columbia University in New York and an MBA from the University of Chicago.

Glynna will speak at the Ultimate Event III.

Jessica Ramesch

Jessica Ramesch studied international politics and diplomacy with a full academic scholarship from the University of Richmond. She obtained her B.A. with honors and went on to work as a writer at the Panama Canal Authority while moonlighting as a GMAT/GRE instructor at Kaplan-Edutech.

Before joining International Living, Jessica spent four years touring the world as head of shipboard guest relations training at Carnival Cruise Lines. After attaining the rank of second officer, she decided to abandon ship and live the good life as a landlubber. No stranger to “international living,” she has called the U.S., India, and Panama home, and speaks Spanish, French, Italian, and some Portuguese. Jessica enjoys writing, traveling, learning new things, and digging in to great food.

Jessica will speak at the Ultimate Event III and at the Live and Prosper in Panama Seminar.

Martina Dunphy

Martina Dunphy, IL's director, joined the group in October 2000. Originally from Kilkenny, Ireland, Martina came to work for International Living in Waterford, and has worked her way steadily up the ladder. Her horizons have broadened both within the group…and geographically. In January 2006, Martina took IL’s advice, packed bag and baggage, and moved to Panama City, where she managed International Living’s growing office in Casco Viejo.

From this base, Martina managed International Living's local office operations in Panama, Mexico, Honduras, Nicaragua, and France. Martina returned to Ireland in 2007 to take up the position of director of International Living. She is a lifetime overachiever, having graduated high school early, earned her business management degree at night, and won several awards in Ireland for her efforts and results. Martina continues her studies with the Chartered Institute of Management Accounting.

Martina Dunphy will speak at the Ultimate Event III.

Ronan McMahon

Ronan has been active in the real estate industry his whole adult life. He's the Executive Director of Pathfinder, which specializes in finding offshore real estate before most people catch on... and at prices you'd only think to find in history books.

Ronan discovered places in Nicaragua, Panama, Honduras, Argentina…long before the rest of the world had caught on to the incredible bargains and engaging lifestyles.

Ronan will speak at the Ultimate Event III.

Charles Butler

Chuck Butler is director of EverBank World Markets and the author of the popular Daily Pfennig newsletter. With a career in investment services and currencies extending over 30 years, Mr. Butler oversees all aspects of customer service and the trading desk for EverBank World Markets.

Mr. Butler is also a frequently quoted and respected analyst of the currency market; in the past two years alone he has appeared on, was featured or quoted in, or referenced by: The Wall Street Journal, U.S. News and World Report, CBS MarketWatch, USA Today, CNN, the Chicago Tribune, and many other publications.

Butler’s “A Pfennig for Your Thoughts” is delivered via e-mail to thousands of market-watchers globally to help traders stay on top of the economic, currency, and market happenings. The Daily Pfennig (as it is more commonly called today) has become a popular resource for currency investors and traders alike over the past 11 years (sign up at www.everbank.com). Mr. Butler was previously the chief international bond trader and director of risk management for Mark Twain Bank, and has held significant positions in the investment industry since 1973.

Robert Chernik

With 35 years of senior experience, Mr. Chernick brings a track record of success and professionalism to the Liberty Cove project. He is the President Emeritus and board member of a Public International Merchant Bank who specialized in the real estate industry, and as such Mr. Chernick has proven himself to be in the upper echelon of financial executives in the industry.

As vice chairman of a private company, he was a founder of and responsible for developing the Four Seasons Destination Resort in Scottsdale, Ariz., a $125 million project encompassing an interval ownership element. Additionally, from 1970 until present, he has raised capital and developed in excess of $500 million of real estate in Canada and the United States.

Larry C. Grossman

Larry is a certified investment management analyst--one of only about 1,500 in the United States--and was one of the first financial advisers to develop a compliant method for helping clients take their IRAs and pension plans offshore for asset protection and greater investment diversification. He specializes in domestic and international financial planning and investment management.

Don Hosmer

Donald Hosmer has been CEO and president of Royale Energy Inc. since 1995. He has successfully directed the funding of 200 oil and natural gas wells throughout the major geologic basins in the U.S. Under his leadership, Royale became the largest independent natural gas producer that explores, develops, produces, and markets natural gas in California. In September 2004, Royale Energy was ranked eighth for highest return on stockholders' equality for all publicly traded oil and gas companies. In August 2006, Royale was named to Fortune's Small Business 100 Fastest-Growing Small Public Companies list. Mr. Hosmer is also a member of the Speakers Bureau of the Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPPA) and is registered as an oil and gas industry expert on Business Wire’s ExpertSource service.

Rainelda Mata-Kelly

Rainelda Mata-Kelly practices commercial and shipping law at the Law Offices Rainelda Mata-Kelly. In 1982, she graduated magna cum laude with a degree in law and political science at Santa Maria La Antigua University in Panama. She then went on to Cornell University Law School and obtained a master's of law, specializing in commercial and maritime law. Upon graduation, she became the founder, resident lawyer, and manager of the London office of a Panamanian law firm. In 1991, she became a Miami correspondent for La Prensa, the Panamanian newspaper, and then went on to be the executive editor of La Prensa.

Ms. Mata-Kelly has been external legal adviser to the Asociacion de Usuarios de la Zona Libre de Colon (Colon Free Trade Zone Merchants Association), member of the editorial board of La Prensa, and external executive director and legal adviser to INTERED (Internet Service Providers' Association).

As of 1989, she has also owned her own private practice in the areas of corporations, immigration, commercial, real estate and shipping law of Panama.

Robert Kroesen

Robert Kroesen is a Panamanian of Dutch origin. He lived in the United States for many years where he obtained his marketing degree and worked as a consultant with a marketing research firm. He later returned to Panama and for several years has advised companies and several Panama law firms on their global marketing and public relations strategies. He also became involved in one of the largest reforestation projects in Panama, and, together with some of the most important legal firms and consultants around the world, is advising individuals on forestry programs and its residence/citizenship possibilities.

Turalu Brady-Murdock

Turalu Brady Murdock is vice president/counsel of the Latin America/Caribbean Division of First American Title Insurance Co. based in south Florida. She has been employed by First American since 1976 in various capacities. In the Santa Ana, Calif., national legal department, she was a national title counsel; in the Denver regional office, she functioned as the Rocky Mountain regional counsel; and in the New Orleans regional office, she was the Southeast regional operation manager.

Tuey received her B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley, and a J.D. with scholastic merit from Western State University College of Law, California. Tuey is a member of the California and Colorado Bar Associations. She has also been active in the California Bar Legal Education Section, the American Land Title Association, and the American Bar Association Title Insurance and International Law Sections.

Tuey is active in church, community, and civic organizations, having been a member of her local PTA board, a committee member of the Irvine Sister Cities Foundation, president of the Returned Peace Corps Volunteers of Orange County ,the Louisiana Peace Corps Association and the Returned Peace Corps Volunteers of South Florida in Miami. Tuey served for many years as a national board member of the National Peace Corps Association, Washington, D.C.. She was a Girl Scout leader, a junior high religion teacher, and a board member of Louise S. McGehee School in New Orleans. Tuey is married with four children and one grandchild, and lives in Coral Springs, Fla. She was a Peace Corps volunteer in Colombia, South America, for two years and a teacher for eight years prior to entering law school. She has lectured extensively on title insurance related issues throughout the United States, the Caribbean, and Latin America.

Joel M. Nagel

Joel M. Nagel is founder and managing partner of the international law firm of Nagel & Associates, LLC. The firm is Pittsburgh’s first law boutique focusing exclusively on international commercial transactions and immigration.

With offices in Pittsburgh, Nagel & Associates has grown 30-fold in business activity since its inception in 1992. In addition to his work as a lawyer, Mr. Nagel is known as a visionary and dealmaker providing international business leverage for leading corporations, entrepreneurs, and individuals.

Among Mr. Nagel’s recent accomplishments is structuring a 2,500-acre international hotel resort complex in Nicaragua for an investor group. He also has structured a three-acre boutique resort in Ambergris Caye, Belize; helped create the first African and Central American motorbus distribution facility for a major U.S. bus line; and established worldwide financial institutions for banks, insurance companies, hedge funds, and mutual funds.

Sought for his entrepreneurial instincts, Mr. Nagel serves on the boards of 15 client companies and is involved with strategic planning initiatives directed toward growth and “best practices” management. With an investor’s perspective, Mr. Nagel also has helped fund technology ventures. He serves on the advisory board of the Western Pennsylvania Adventure Capital Fund, which invests in early-stage, mostly technology companies in southwestern Pennsylvania.

Much of Mr. Nagel’s focus is on helping clients select the right jurisdiction for a transaction and the best vehicle to reduce taxation and protect assets, such as joint ventures and other international legal structures. In Belize, he has pioneered the licensing of international structures for foreign banks, mutual funds, hedge funds, and insurance companies. He created the firm’s Personal Asset Protection Program and has developed sophisticated international estate plans encompassing trusts, corporations, partnerships, and insurance products.

Mr. Nagel has been quoted in U.S. News & World Report on the benefits of retiring abroad. He has authored articles for International Living magazine, The Oxford Club, Island Properties and Hemispheres newsletter, and has lectured at conferences and seminars sponsored by the Central American International Investment Symposium, International Living, Assetstrategies.com, The Oxford Club, The Sovereign Society, The Hermitage Forum, and The Money Expo.

In 2001-2002, Mr. Nagel was president of the Rotary Club of Pittsburgh. During his tenure, the club launched the widely publicized, first annual “Ducky Derby” to raise funds for charity. He also helped solicit donations and land for the Roberto Clemente Health Clinic in LaReforma, Nicaragua, to serve thousands of underprivileged citizens. In 2005-2006, Mr. Nagel served as regional district governor for the 53 Rotary Clubs in western Pennsylvania, where he helped spearhead philanthropic projects all over the world, was a leader in the Hurricane Katrina disaster recovery effort, and helped launch a teen leadership program to fight the spread of drugs. His efforts also helped raise over $2 million for Rotary charities.

Earlier in his career, Mr. Nagel was an attorney with Buchanan Ingersoll, one of the nation’s largest law firms. Previously, he served in the Office of the Chief Counsel for International Commerce of the U.S. Department of Commerce. He also completed a clerkship at the Commission of the European Communities in Brussels, Directorate-General’s Office for Competition. Mr. Nagel is a former Fulbright Scholar and studied law in Europe. He speaks fluent German.

Thomas Phelan

Thomas Phelan has been active in the investment field including real estate and the stock market for over 25 years. With the emergence of 80,000,000 baby boomers set to retire over the next dozen years, Thomas has focused his endeavors on the evolving IRA (individual retirement account) with special attention to how an IRA can own foreign property and or a business.

Thomas is a national speaker on the subject of the self-directed IRA and he is a frequent "guest speaker" for prominent IRA custodians as PENSCO, a recognized leader in the IRA industry. He has written numerous articles on the IRA for Early to Rise (ETR) and he has been published by Escape Artist and The Wall Street Journal. He has been a guest speaker at several of ETR's Wealth-Building Conferences.

Thomas began his career with a degree in law and he has held a Series 7 Stock Broker's License while working for Smith Barney in New York. He has held various insurance licenses and real estate licenses in California and New York. Thomas is a Certified 1031 Exchange Specialist and has written Continuing Education approved 1031 Exchange Course for Colorado and Minnesota. He has conducted 1031 Exchange Classes for many prestigious national real estate firms including: Coldwell Banker, Re/Max, Century 21, Prudential, and ERA.

Brendan Sharkey

Brendan Sharkey has a wealth of marketing experience working in a variety of industries, across a number of continents. Brendan has been with HTH Worldwide for over seven years and currently serves as the director of individual travel programs. In this role, Brendan has developed thousands of partnerships in the online travel, insurance agency, and search engine arena, including Yahoo, Frommer’s, Blue Cross, and Wells Fargo. Brendan’s experience includes advertising sales for Dun and Bradstreet as well as marketing to commercial clients, agents, and general agents for two major health plans in the mid-Atlantic.

From the nuts and bolts of travel and international health insurance to the crucial themes of global health and safety, Brendan is frequently called upon to discuss the global insurance landscape. His most recent contributions include CNBC Squawk Box, WGN AM Talk News Radio, ABC Radio Network's The Expat Show, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Consumer Reports Magazine, The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Insure.com, Health Insurance Underwriter, among others. A serial expatriate, Brendan now lives in the U.S. but has resided in Scotland, Canada, and Australia. He holds a bachelor's degree of commerce (marketing) from Griffith University in Australia.

Robert E. Bauman

Mr. Bauman is a former member of the United States House of Representatives from Maryland (1973-1981). He is also a former federal official and state legislator; member of the Washington, D.C., Bar; graduate of the Georgetown University Law Center (1964) and the GU School of Foreign Service (1959).

He is editor of The Sovereign Society Offshore A-Letter; and was author, editor, or co-author of Forfeiting Our Property Rights, The Cato Institute (1995) (with Hon. Henry Hyde); The Offshore Money Manual 2000, Sovereign Society, (1999); The Oxford Club Wealth Protection Series, (1995-2005); Forbidden Knowledge, (Sovereign Society 2004); The Complete Guide to Offshore Residency, Dual Citizenship, and Second Passports (Sovereign Society 2005); with articles and reviews for The Cato Institute and in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, The Baltimore Sun, The Wall Street Journal, Human Events, and National Review. Mr. Bauman also serves as legal counsel to International Living.

Mr Bauman will speak at the Ultimate Event III.

Paul & Maria Reynolds

Paul A. Reynolds graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada and has obtained the Certified International Property Specialist designation from NAR. For the past 30 years, Paul has combined his financial services and real estate experience in Canada and Argentina. He and his wife Maria are the principal owners of Reynolds Propiedades & Relocation.

Maria Reynolds graduated with a Bachelor of Science in engineering from the University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. She has15 years combined engineering and real estate experience in Canada and Argentina. Reynolds Propiedades has provided expatriate real estate and relocation services in Argentina for 39 years. The firm has three offices in Buenos Aires, another in Patagonia, and one in Punta del Este, Uruguay. Their 80 team members are internationally trained and are 100% bilingual (Spanish and English). Reynolds Propiedades & Relocation are members of both the Argentine Canadian and British Chambers of Commerce and sole Argentine member of Leading Real Estate Companies of the World.

Neil George

Neil George is an investor, philanthropist, and the editor of Personal Finance, Inner Circle, Bond Desk, The Partnership, and By George, published by KCI Communications of Falls Church, Va., and VNR Publishing of Bonn, Germany. Mr. George has worked in six continents with a select group of financial institutions in investment banking, bond trading, brokerage, and asset management starting with Merrill Lynch International Bank in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Latin America. Mr. George also helped to found and build the International Markets Division of Mark Twain Bank now part of U.S. Bank, He has served as chief economist to institutions including Mark Twain Bank, Mercantile Bank, and British and Chinese-based Guinness Flight. In addition to his published work, he also serves as an adjunct professor and board member of Webster University's School of Business and Technology and on boards of philanthropic foundations supporting education, research for specific childhood diseases as well as providing funding for the protection of animal rights and welfare. Mr. George earned an MBA in international finance from Webster University in Europe and his bachelor’s degree in economics from Kings College.

Christopher Hancock

Christopher Hancock has spent the last two years doing investment research primarily focused on emerging markets, specifically China and Hong Kong. After witnessing firsthand--from the doorstep of mainland China--the greatest industrial revolution and economic growth story since America's railroads catapulted it to greatness, he decided to postpone a career in the public sector.

After working with Citigroup in Hong Kong on the challenges and opportunities associated with the forthcoming RBM flotation reform, Christopher left many of his friends behind and decided to return to the States to pursue a career in equity research. Christopher’s desire to work for an independent firm led him to Agora Financial, where he now is the editor of Free Market Investor. Christopher travels extensively and utilizes his contacts across the globe to recommend the best international investments in the world right now for his subscribers.

Sven Lorenz

Mr. Lorenz is a respected market commentator and analyst and a published book author. In the past he has held non-executive directorships at companies active in asset management, publishing, and IT. Mr Lorenz is a director of Speymill Macau Property Co. Ltd., an AIM-listed offshore property fund company with a focus on residential property in Macau and $150 million in equity. With a 12.5% stake, he is the second-largest shareholder in PEH Wertpapier AG, a leading German asset management boutique with approximately $6 billion of assets under management.

He is a non-executive board member of Verein zur Foerderung der Aktionaersdemokratie eV (Association for Enhancing Shareholder Democracy), which, since 1991, has established itself as one of Germany’s most active charitable organisations for protecting the legal rights of minority shareholders. He is managing director of Dixcart Bay Hotel Ltd., which runs the oldest hotel on Sark, one of the British Channel Islands. He lives in the Channel Islands and London, where he manages his personal investments.

Richard Luchsinger

Richard Luchsinger, CFP, has been licensed in the securities industry since 1985. Rich is currently the associate director of Sovereign International Asset Management Inc., overseeing off-shore investments, asset-protection planning, and IRA real estate purchases. Rich has arranged IRA real estate purchases for clients all over the world. Rich graduated from the University of Wisconsin and has a master's degree in international administration. Prior to the investment business, Rich spent seven years in Africa and the Middle East and ran an international consulting company in Washington, D.C.

Rich will speak at the Ultimate Event III.