MANAGUA, Nicaragua, Dec. 10 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Former United States Ambassador John F. Maisto, a past White House adviser for the Western Hemisphere, and who led U.S. diplomacy at the Organization of American States and the Summit of the Americas, has joined the board of directors of ECI Development, Ltd., a regional Central American resort and retirement community developer with properties in Belize, Nicaragua and Costa Rica.
Maisto served as ambassador to Nicaragua in the mid-1990s, and was in charge of $900 million in U.S. government aid programs, including obtaining $100 million in new economic development initiatives, benefiting hundreds of thousands of people. He gives ECI a seasoned diplomatic veteran with more than 20 years of Central American experience at a time when the company is targeting the North American baby boom generation that's soon to retire and seek a go-to destination. ECI recently completed acquisition of property in the heart of Ambergris Caye, Belize, and last year purchased 3km of oceanfront land in Costa Rica. As well, ECI's Gran Pacifica Resort, a 2,500 acre property in Nicaragua, is ready to launch a second wave of construction of Pacific beachfront residential, condominium and hotel units.
One of the reasons Maisto was attracted to ECI is its "social heart" and humanitarian focus on providing health and education benefits in communities surrounding its properties. In Nicaragua's Villa El Carmen, for example, the company is assisting 6,000 students and 60 teachers in 12 schools, working closely with local government officials. Gran Pacifica also is investing in the future development of Nicaraguans by creating significant jobs in the resort's construction, ongoing operation and supply chain.
"The government of Nicaragua is on board at all levels," he said.
Another reason ECI's work appeals to Maisto is Central America's continuing growth in trade and investment opportunities on the global stage, having devoted his diplomatic career to the peace and prosperity of the region, with Costa Rica's and Panama's booms as major examples.
Maisto is ECI's second recent high-level addition. In September, ECI tapped Martin Roberts as president/COO, with 35 years of construction management experience, including 18 years as CEO of The Westchester Group, Inc., a custom home building company in Tampa.
For more detail, visit www.markminer.com/maisto.htm.
SOURCE ECI Development, Ltd.
For further information: Mark Miner, +1-412-370-5302, mark@markminer.com, for ECI Development, Ltd.
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