Rocco Forino, majored in international business and finance and graduated from Quinnipiac University in Connecticut. In 1999, right out of college he started an online marketplace with three partners called echain to solve the global semiconductor shortage connecting chip manufacturers’ unsold inventory with the market. Thereafter, he worked at a Reuters’ subsidiary in NYC as a financial analyst to rank the largest deal makers. He then moved on to become a serial entrepreneur the next twenty years, building various successful consumer businesses.

Rocco expanded his family’s business to become the nationwide number one provider of brand refresh programs, renovating and refreshing well known hotel brands like Hilton and Omni, as well as those of luxury retailers like Hermes, Fendi and Coach.

When the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 introduced the Opportunity Zones program, Rocco saw the immediate impact. In 2019 he authored the book ‘Opportunity Zone Millionaire’ and built an investment platform called DealConnect Hub that enabled investors to find the OZ deals that matched their exact investing criteria. The book and the platform enabled him to work closely with OZ sponsors in attracting investment and creating positive social impact nationwide.

Rocco in turn developed a passion for impact investing, realizing how hard it was to launch a tech company from one of the poorest cities in America. He personally invested in a real estate fund that transforms distressed mobile home communities into desirable affordable manufactured housing for American workers.

Rocco also has a key supporting role in helping build out one of the largest Opportunity Zones in America. Located near Reno Nevada, this is a 3000 acre town development that is neighboring the next Silicon Valley, including a planned downtown, an airport, affordable housing, commercial and industrial buildings totaling over two billion in exit value for its investors.

You may get a copy of his book on Amazon