Director of Economic Development Services Beth Zafonte was recognized for her service as chair of Invest in the USA's (IIUSA) 2015-2017 Association Building Committee during the organization's annual meeting in Washington, D.C., on April 26, 2017. As committee chair, she was tasked with building strategic partnerships with IIUSA in advocacy and education, leading outreach to interest groups that benefit from the EB-5 Regional Center Program. The program, which was due to expire on April 28, 2017, was extended by Congress until September 30, 2017, with no changes to program policy. During this timeframe, Zafonte will continue her efforts with IIUSA and other association leaders to achieve a legislative solution and long-term reauthorization of the program.

Zafonte has more than 30 years of experience in the practice of economic development incentives throughout the United States representing a broad range of national and locally based private developers, various Fortune 500 corporations, and manufacturing concerns on a national basis. She represents both public and privately held companies, as well as institutions, in connection with location and real estate decisions specifically related to determining eligibility for, and the procurement of, economic development incentives and real estate financing. Throughout the course of her career, Zafonte has been involved in projects that have used more than $3 billion worth of incentives.

An active voice in the real estate and immigrant investor communities, Zafonte serves on various committees for other prominent industry organizations. She is vice president of WX New York Women Executives in Real Estate and a member of the Economic Development Committee for the Real Estate Board of New York. She is also a member of Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW) NY, where she previously served as Foundation Chapter Champion, Director and Community Outreach Chair.