Senator, HUD Deputy Assistant Secretary, Treasury Acting Assistant Secretary to Participate in Novogradac Opportunity Zones Conference
Distinguished Guests, Keynote Speakers Highlight of Washington, D.C., Event
SAN MATEO, Calif., Oct. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Sen. Tim Scott (R-South Carolina), U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Deputy Assistant Secretary Robbie Myers and U.S. Department of the Treasury Acting Assistant Secretary Kevin Salinger will deliver keynote speeches today and Friday at the Novogradac 2026 Fall Opportunity Zones Conference at The Fairmont in Washington D.C.
The senior administration officials will speak from their breadth of experience and deep knowledge about the opportunity zones (OZ) incentive. Scott will provide a keynote message via video while Myers and Salinger will deliver keynote speeches in person at the event.
"We at Novogradac are excited to have a member of Congress and trusted advisors to President Donald Trump join us at our opportunity zones conference–a clear reflection of the past achievements and future possibilities of OZs," said Michael J. Novogradac, managing partner of Novogradac. "Our data estimates that more than $100 billion has been raised and invested in opportunity zones, providing transformative equity capital for America's economy and distressed communities. On behalf of our entire organization and all the participants of the conference, I express my thanks to Sen. Tim Scott, Deputy Assistant Secretary Myers and Acting Assistant Secretary Salinger for joining us to discuss what has been achieved and how best to achieve so much more."
Scott is in his second full term as a United States senator from South Carolina. He is the longest-serving Black senator in American history. Scott was instrumental in the passage of the OZ tax incentive, authoring the legislation that was signed into law as part of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and the 2025 legislation that improved and made it permanent. He chairs the Senate Banking Committee and the National Republican Senatorial Committee, as well as serves as a senior member of the Senate Finance Committee. He has represented South Carolinians in various capacities for more than three decades. Before being appointed to the U.S. Senate in 2013 to complete his predecessor's term, Scott served in the U.S. House of Representatives, representing of South Carolina's 1 st congressional district; on the South Carolina General Assembly; and on the Charleston County Council.
"Opportunity zones provide the right incentives for the private sector to do what it does best: generating wealth and creating even greater opportunities for hardworking Americans. This has generated more than $100 billion in investments in overlooked communities across the country, and I can't think of better people championing opportunity zones than my friends at Novogradac," said Scott. "Every American deserves a chance to achieve his or her American dream, and Novogradac's leadership on the OZ initiative is taking that hope and turning it into a reality."
Myers is the deputy assistant secretary for strategic communications and advisor for opportunity zones at HUD. Myers served at HUD during the first Trump administration, where he saw the implementation of opportunity zones under former HUD Secretary Ben Carson. He continues to promote this initiative as OZ advisor for HUD Secretary Scott Turner. Myers has worked for former U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Newt Gingrich, served in the Senate under now-Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-South Dakota), worked for two governors and former U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Rick Perry. He is a graduate of Florida International University and holds a master's degree in political management from George Washington University.
"Opportunity zones have stood the test of time and politics to be one of the most transformative policies of the Trump administration," said Myers. "Opportunity zones will bring vital economic development and community revitalization to the most underserved rural, tribal and urban cities across America. Now that President Trump's Working Families Tax Cuts have made opportunity zones permanent, Secretary Scott Turner is laying the groundwork to make phase two of the program even more successful."
Salinger is acting assistant secretary for tax policy at the U.S. Department of Treasury. He oversees Treasury's Office of Tax Policy and provides advice on federal tax policy, legislation, regulations and guidance. Salinger was appointed to his role at Treasury in April 2025. Salinger has played a key role in shaping and issuing Treasury guidance with respect to the OZ incentive. Salinger is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley, and has a juris doctorate from Harvard Law School. He began his career as a tax associate, then spent more than a decade at Jefferies, where he was the managing director and head of tax counsel and advisory.
Jason Watkins, chair of the conference and a partner in Novogradac's Atlanta metro office, expressed excitement in having the slate of special guests attending Novogradac's conference as the dawn of OZ 2.0 approaches.
"To have these individuals willing to engage and participate in our conference at this important moment speaks to the incentive's mutually advantageous foundation for the public and private sectors," said Watkins. "It's a driver for change in communities across America and we saw the economic power that the incentive can have in OZ 1.0. We are excited about what having OZs as a permanent part of the tax code will bring. And these three individuals, along with so many professionals from the OZ community, will join us to further those goals and strengthen that relationship."
The Novogradac 2026 Fall Opportunity Zones Conference is co-hosted by Bonaventure, Greenberg Traurig LLP, JTC Group and OZfile. Ackman-Ziff, Argosy Capital, Bilzin Sumberg, Centennial Advisers, CIM Group, Hogan Lovells Cadwalader, Jeffer Mangels Butler & Mitchell, LLP, Kinect Real Estate Partners, OpportunityZones.com, Opportunity Zone Development Group, OZPros, OZXPro, Redbrick LMD, Sidley Austin LLP, Snell & Wilmer, Sponsor Counsel, Standard Asset Management & Investments and VF Law are sponsoring the conference.
About Novogradac
Novogradac, which has been in business for more than 35 years, has grown to more than 800 employees and partners with offices in more than 25 cities. Tax, audit and consulting specialty practice areas for Novogradac include affordable housing, community development, historic rehabilitation and renewable energy. For additional information on Novogradac's personnel and areas of expertise, visit www.novoco.com or call (415) 356-8000.
SOURCE Novogradac & Company LLP