Schedule of Events

Managed Solutions, in a wide variety of forms and structures, is rapidly becoming an important component of many equipment leasing companies’ product offerings in today’s marketplace. Customers are demanding bundled, flexible solutions that obviate the traditional tenet of long-term equipment ownership. Many of the fundamentals which the industry has taken for granted - from hell-or-high-water contractual obligations, to free assignability of agreements and payment streams, to the insulation from non-performance risk by third parties, to underlying ownership of actual repossessable assets – may no longer be valid. Additionally, Managed Solutions brings significant changes in how the capital markets will fund not only these structures but also the industry as a whole. With the potential to represent more than 22% of industry originations in a few years, Managed Solutions is quickly and dramatically reshaping the equipment leasing industry.

The Alta Group, authors of the Equipment Leasing and Finance Foundation’s recently published Managed Solutions study “Managed Solutions Transactions: Evolutionary or Revolutionary” will provide an overview of the salient industry changes as dimensioned in the study. Audience participation via question-and-answer will enable attendees to learn from the experience of the panel, and get answers to individual challenges they and their companies face today.

Diane Croessmann
Worldwide Managing Director Lenovo PCaaS and Financial Services
Lenovo

John C. Deane
CEO
The Alta Group

Mike Infante
Chief Credit & Risk Officer
Cisco Systems

Vikas Malhotra
Vice President
Genpact, LLC

John Rees
Global Head of Industry & Vendor Management
Societe Generale Equipment Finance

Ken Turner
Director - Risk & Program Management
Microsoft Financing

The scale and frequency of cyber attacks on financial institutions is enough to take anyone by surprise. Even amidst a number of high profile attacks on global organizations, businesses and governments, there are still millions which go unreported. Recent research suggests that over 317 million pieces of malicious software were created in 2014: a number which will only continue to rise.

These attacks take a number of forms and the effects can range from inconvenient to disastrous for a business. Perhaps of greatest concern to most companies are those attacks which seek to exploit security vulnerabilities in order to access sensitive data, especially that belonging to customers. In the hands of cyber criminals, this stolen data can be used to commit financial fraud, identity theft and extortion.

These attacks are inexpensive to carry out from anywhere in the world and offer criminals great reward for little risk. Whereas Distributed Denial of Service (DDOS) attacks, such as those perpetrated on a number of US banks over recent years, can incapacitate a website and cause inconvenience, the loss of customer data has much further reaching business and regulatory implications.

Ray Pompon
Director of Security
Linedata Lending and Leasing

This session will provide insights into the process of obtaining financing through the capital markets by means of a securitization transaction. We will discuss the challenges for an issuer in a securitization transaction and provide tips for making a securitization transaction proceed more smoothly.

Andy Fletcher
Senior Vice President and General Counsel
Stonebriar Commercial Finance LLC

Marc Klyman
Shareholder
Vedder Price P.C.

Steve White
Executive Vice President and Senior Managing Director-Capital Markets
Stonebriar Commercial Finance LLC

The content of this session is meant to be an interactive workshop with a primary focus on discussing how equipment finance companies can leverage digital innovation to develop customer intimacy. The session will include a panel discussion with the 2016 ELFA Operations & Technology Excellence Award winners and will provide equipment finance business and technology leaders with insight into the application of technology in order to rapidly go to market with solutions that will not only deliver critical business value, but enable sustainable and scalable long term growth while mitigating risk and managing costs.

In addition, the session will include an overview of summary highlights of the 2016-17 Business Technology Performance Index (BTPI) survey results. The BTPI has been produced annually in conjunction with ELFA for the last 14 years and provides valuable insight into current trends in technology and operations in the equipment leasing and finance industry. This year’s BTPI will look to introduce survey data to understand where equipment leasing and finance companies are on the customer intimacy spectrum.

Moderator:

Deborah Reuben
President
Reuben Creative LLC

Speakers:

Jeff Boots
Manager
Capgemini America, Inc.

Mike McKie
Vice President, I.T. Program Management
LEAF Commercial Capital

Mitch Mitchell
Industry Principal, Lending
Pegasystems

Tom Pundyk
President & CEO
National Leasing

Michelle Speranza
Vice President, Marketing & Communications
LEAF Commercial Capital

This session will debut the findings of the Foundation’s new Market Sizing Study. Presenters will provide results of the end-user survey and share analysis for a comprehensive look at the current state of the equipment finance market place and forecast future potential growth.

Takeaway intelligence includes:

• Overall equipment investment by type of equipment, and by end user industry.
• Methods that businesses are using to finance their equipment investment.
• Analysis of past behavior and future projections

The market sizing report will also include high level data from ELFA's Survey of Equipment Finance Activity as well as interviews with industry executives.

Martha Ahlers
Vice President, COO
United Leasing & Finance

Jack Bowman
Senior Consultant, Economics & Country Risk
IHS Global Insight

Anthony Cracchiolo
President & CEO
U.S. Bank Equipment Finance

James Cress
Vice President & General Manager
Stryker Flex Financial

Jeffry Elliott
Chief Administrative Officer
Huntington Equipment Finance

In this session we will provide an overview of funding options considered by market participants, the benefits and challenges of these options, and how these options may be impacted by in an increasing interest rate environment and impending regulations to become effective over the next several years. The presentation will include real-world examples which illustrate the potential impacts for lessors of equipment in various industries as well as for their customers.

Quentin Cote
VP Funding and Development
Mintaka Financial, LLC

John Gibson
Partner
PwC

Chris Gigliotti
Director - Financial Instruments, Structured Products & Real Estate Group
PwC

Charles Wendel
President
Financial Institutions Consulting, Inc.

Borrower demand, technology and competition have driven innovation into all aspects of the small balance commercial loan market place. This session will focus on innovations in underwriting and analyzing small business creditworthiness and the impact that innovation has had on expanding the overall market. The session will include the sources and uses of both traditional and non-traditional data, how it is assembled to provide credit risk insights and provide an assessment of the effectiveness and compromises related to different credit decision approaches. The session will provide multiple perspectives on the issues associated with expanded data sets and increased use of automation in small business credit decisioning.

Gavin Harding
Senior Business Consultant
Experian

Bryan J. Mitchell
Executive Vice President
Channel Partners Capital, LLC

Aaron Peck
Managing Director
Monroe Capital LLC

Eli Sethre
CFO
Channel Partners Capital, LLC

As we’ve all learned, a crisis is a terrible thing to waste. Regulators and accounting firms have been busy putting in place new accounting standards to create more accurate financial reporting. “The new standard addresses concerns from a wide range of our stakeholders—including financial statement preparers and users—that the existing incurred loss approach provides insufficient information about an organization’s expected credit losses,” stated FASB Chair Russell G. Golden. CECL creates challenges to lending, and it requires changes to lending operations – which could actually prove quite useful to lenders.

This session will provide an overview of the new loan loss accounting requirements, their impact on lending, and the operating changes needed to adapt.

Rod Hurd
Chief Financial Officer
Bridgeway Capital Advisors

William Phelan
President
PayNet, Inc.

The value of digital adoption for the eLeasing space has been well demonstrated by improved customer services and new operational efficiencies. However, the modern economy is quickly moving towards digital, and this is more than just a value-add to equipment leasing operations. As investors and funding sources start to analyze the asset-level data, there must be audit-ability to provide regulators real-time transparency across document types within digital technology. If the recent turmoil in the marketplace lending industry has taught us anything, it’s that digital technology and processes must support to best practices to provide greater transparency for funders, investors, custodians, rating agencies and customers. Attend our session and learn how asset level data can help lenders, why a technology platform exchange that is specific to leasing is so important and the overall impact of digital technology in the lending space.

Brian Kelly
Vice President of Business Development
eOriginal Inc.

Dominic Liberatore
Deputy General Counsel
DLL

David T. Schaefer
CEO
Mintaka Financial, LLC

Scott Stewart
CEO and President
OnePlace Capital, a division of Bank Midwest

In this session we will provide an overview of the political and policy landscape and current tax reform proposals, their likely possibilities and potential timing for passage, as well as provide insights on how the various proposals might impact equipment lessors. This topic is important for lessors to assist them in recognizing the potential implications for tax reform and to aid them in developing plans to adapt and prepare for future tax law changes.

In addition, we will examine how CEOs, CFOs and other lease industry executives can utilize the substantial cash/tax savings generated by a Like Kind Exchange (LKE) Program to improve the yields and profitability of their leases as well as provide competitive pricing advantages in the marketplace. We will also explore creative ways to use like-kind exchange to manage business real estate investments to enhance overall company profitability.

Randa Barsoum
Partner
PwC

Andrew Fishburn
Vice President, Federal Government Relations
ELFA

Jeff Nelson
Managing Director
PwC

Studies show that culture impacts business and financial performance. GreatAmerica, First American and National Leasing have all been recognized for company culture in recent years. Each equipment finance firm has a unique approach to hiring, retaining and recognizing talent. This session will provide attendees with an overview of the HR philosophies, internal communications strategies and unique employee programs utilized in each business.

Moderator:

Nathan Gibbons
Vice President, Learning & Development
First American Equipment Finance, a City National Bank Company

Speakers:

Stan Herkelman
President
GreatAmerica Financial Services

Tom Pundyk
President
National Leasing

Alan Sikora
CEO
First American Equipment Finance, a City National Bank Company

While the economy is still very good, these are not easy times to be a lender. Lending volume goals, collectively, exceed the growth in the market, meaning that most lenders plan is to take share from other lenders, so by definition some must fail. Competitive pressures, recent low loss levels, and low cost of funds, have combined to compress margin below long-tern averages, and in some cases have led to aggressive underwriting. Meanwhile regulatory pressures continue to grow, particularly for bank lessors, changing the economic and logic of the markets they focus on. The bright spot is the economy, which is still strong, but which is beginning to show signs of turning, as delinquency and defaults have begun increasing from historic lows. In short, "it was the best of times, it was the worst of times."

Thomas S. Chen
Managing Director/Vice Chairman
Morgan Stanley

Tom Ware
Senior Vice President - Analytics & Product Development
PayNet, Inc.

Craig Weinewuth
President & CEO
ENGS Commercial Finance Co.

This panel will unpack the hype vs. the reality of where Fintech is truly affecting the equipment leasing and finance market. It will address the trends leading to the rise of Fintech financing and the technology that is enabling its growth. The panel will begin with an summary of research work done by the Alta Group providing an overview of Fintech in the leasing and asset finance market with examples of current Fintech participation on both a direct and partner basis. The discussion among the panel participants will include and overview of the impact industry participants are feeling from Fintech in their market and the opportunities and headwinds introduced by this significant market shift. The discussion will address the advantage of having technology enabled, transparent, real-time access to customers, sales partners, brokers, banks, and other third parties on driving growth. Panelists will discuss the current industry regulatory environment and turbulent economic conditions that are playing a continual role in the available financing options and the demand for them. The discussion will continue with a conversation about the rise of marketplace funding, and the associated automation of the syndication process, reviewing the impact on the distribution channel for loan distribution and who will be the primary players in the capital markets and sources of funding.

Charles Anderson
CEO
Currency

Nicholas Roberto
Chief Credit & Operations Officer
Quick Bridge Funding

Rob Snow
Chief Credit Officer
Blue Bridge Financial, LLC

Wayne I. Super
Managing Director
Cisco Systems Capital Corporation

Patricia Voorhees
Director
The Alta Group

The Small Ticket Business Council Steering Committee luncheon program will feature a panel discussion about the workforce of 2025, with a focus on the millennial population, followed by a review of the 2016 Small Ticket Market Trends Survey including an interactive discussion.

Moderator:

Kris Darby
Vice President, Risk Management
Western Equipment Finance, Inc.

Speakers:

John Beard
General Manager – LEAF Dealer Solutions
LEAF Commercial Capital

Jeff Berg
Executive VP, Country Manager
DLL

Tom Ellis
Senior Vice President
U.S. Bank Equipment Finance

Miles Herman
President & COO
LEAF Commercial Capital

David Normandin
Senior Vice President
Banc of California

Mark Scardigli
First VP
Marlin Business Corporation

The luncheon will focus on interaction and networking and include two parts to facilitate discussion.

Applied Economics - Part 1 of the session will look at how independents can use key findings from the Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation's Applied Economics Handbook, using real-world examples from the CEO of an independent leasing company.

Managed Solutions - In Part 2, a panel will lead attendees in a discussion of managed solution transactions (MSTs). According to a new Foundation study, MSTs are becoming a major new offering of equipment finance companies and are likely to continue growing as a proportion of U.S. equipment leasing volumes. MSTs combine equipment with services into a single “bundle” that enable customers to make use of third-party service providers in order to avoid the hazards and obligations of equipment ownership, and realize the benefits of aligning their costs more closely with their business demands through more flexible payment, pricing, termination and re-financing terms.

Moderator:

Connie Eimers
President
Vision Financial Group, Inc.

Speakers:

Andrew Bender
CEO
GSG Financial

Chris Enbom
CEO
Allegiant Partners

Dave Mirsky
CEO
Pacific Rim Capital, Inc.

Dan Mandy
Director of Business Development
Winthrop Resources Corporation

This session will begin with a presentation on the current state of the banking industry and predications for the future. A peer discussion will follow on the impact changes will have on the equipment leasing and finance industry. Discussion topics to include:

• Which economic trends do you believe we will be talking about a year from now?
• What is most exciting about the future of banking?
• Ten years from now (Oct-2026), what will the largest banks in the U.S. look like?
• If you could change one thing in the U.S. economy, what would you change?

Moderator:

Alan Sikora
Chair, Financial Institutions Business council Steering Committee
CEO, First American Equipment Finance, a City National Bank Company

Speaker:

Scott A. Anderson, Ph.D.
Chief Economist
Bank of the West

The luncheon will focus on the value that captive and vendor financing programs provide to manufacturer partners both from the lens of the manufacturer as well as the captive or vendor. The equipment financing industry is in transition and so is the role of the captive and vendor financier. A panel of representatives from manufacturers, vendors and captives will share their perspective on the evolving value of captive and vendor financing program and how to stay relevant in a rapidly changing environment.

Moderator:

Mike Sweeney
SVP Originations – Vendor Finance
EverBank Commercial Finance, Inc.

Speakers:

Andrew Blacklock
Senior Director Strategy and Product Development
Cisco Systems Capital Corporation

Mike Hampton
Vice President & Unit Leader: Technology and Health Care
Bank of the West

Mike Sheehy
Director, Global Retail Operating Platforms
John Deere Financial

Gary Weiss
Director of Leasing Operations
Pentax Medical Co.

"Next Generation" Leaders talk about: Recruiting, Retention, Corporate Culture and Innovation

The “graying of the industry” is a recurring discussion among ELFA members. Some say there aren't enough young people coming into our industry to replace the senior people nearing retirement. Others talk about the need for youthful, tech-savvy workers with a fresh perspective on equipment finance to help drive innovation.

ELFA has previously hosted sessions to discuss topics such as generational compatibility, corporate culture, technological innovation, mentorship, and recruitment and retention strategies; however, these sessions were all led by senior executives discussing top management perspectives.

Our panel is comprised of millennial generation employees. They will offer candid feedback regarding their experiences. We will discuss how to recruit the best and brightest people to your firm, and how to motivate and retain them. Please join a candid conversation with next generation industry leaders concerning topics important to your company.

Moderator:

Bill Verhelle
Member
Harvard Partners LLC

Speakers:

Debbie Devassy
Shareholder
Askounis & Darcy, PC

Jon Gerson
President
Executive Solutions for Leasing and Finance

Nathan Gibbons
Vice President, Learning & Development
First American Equipment Finance, a City National Bank Company

Martin Klotzman
Marketing and Operations Manager
Ivory Consulting Corporation

The last fifteen years has marked by an explosion of information - some useful and some not. Five exabytes of content were created between the birth of the world and 2003. Today, roughly the same amount is created every day.

There is more than enough economic data being pumped into our business lives. How do we evaluate all of this economic data? How do we use it to make business decisions that are more likely to increase shareholder value, enhance customer satisfaction and increase employee engagement? How do we profit from this explosion of economic data? Coming to the rescue is the art of applied economics - your framework to filter all of the economic data that floods your inbox each day, and to make the most effective use of it. The session will be organized using the Foundation's recently published Applied Economics Handbook. We will discuss what applied economics is, and is not.

Then we will show you how to forecast demand using economic data and how to align a portfolio to emerging market trends uncovered by using applied economics. Finally, we'll talk about how to anticipate shifts in your portfolio's performance when the principles of applied economics are brought to bear.

Then these concepts will be brought to life with four case studies delivered by industry leaders. Learn:

• How one lessor uses data from Equipment Data Associates to help tailor its sales strategy by region
• Why an independent decided to expand into the industrial equipment vertical
• How economic data plays into assessing vulnerabilities in the portfolio of a bank-owned lessor
• How a FinTech digital lender integrates a variety of economic data points into their underwriting model and takes a holistic view of creditworthiness to more accurately evaluate risk in a short time frame.

We will encourage audience participation throughout.

Andrew Bender
CEO
GSG Financial LLC

Jeff Jensen
Senior Director
Keybridge Research, LLC

Mike Romanowski
President
Farm Credit Leasing Services Corporation

Brian L. Shields
Head of US Business Development
Funding Circle USA

Scott Thacker
CEO
Ivory Consulting Corporation

Adam Warner
President
Key Equipment Finance

Recent legal decisions highlight (i) the importance of the distinction between a true lease and a secured transaction for (a) enforcing auto-renewal provisions and (b) when initially booking a deal and enforcing that deal after a default; (ii) the extra thought to be given to financing equipment transactions that include services to be provided for that equipment; and (iii) the importance of clearly delineating the calculation of damages after a default. Recent regulations promulgated by the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau which, despite the use of the term "Consumer," can apply to transactions entered into by ELFA companies (particularly, with small businesses).

Andrew Fishburn
Vice President, Federal Government Relations
ELFA

Edward Gross
Shareholder
Vedder Price, P.C.

Robert W. Ihne
Consultant
Legal Consultant

Dominic Liberatore
Deputy General Counsel
DLL

In this informative session we will discuss the various digital marketing technologies used today such as marketing automation systems, email platforms, website content management systems (CMS) and paid search advertising mediums. The session will focus on how companies are currently leveraging these technologies to meet their marketing objectives.

From inadequate budgets to lack of system integration, this session will also touch on the challenges many businesses are facing when it comes to implementing a digital marketing strategy.

The final aspect of this session we will go over “doing more with less”. The discussion will be on the allocation of resources within a digital marketing strategy. This includes the balancing of in-house, outsourced or a combination of resources to execute the tactical side of digital marketing.

Jake Dacillo
Marketing Director
Balboa Capital

Matthew Doty
Vice President, Corporate Communications
GreatAmerica Financial Services

It’s hard to walk down the street or read your News App these days without experiencing or hearing about the disruption that technology advancements are creating for individuals and businesses. Equipment leasing and financing is no exception. Robotics, blockchain, Internet of Things, Digital, Sharing, Sensors: all of these things and more are impacting the assets our Industry underwrites as well the systems, processes and capabilities providers use today to manage the financing. Not since the industrial revolution have opportunities and challenges demanded such innovative new solutions for a changing world.

Join us for an interactive and thought provoking discussion on how these forces are impacting the equipment finance industry today and in the future. Hear examples about how equipment finance companies are improving their business including taking customer experience to a whole new level.

Moderator:

Deborah Reuben
President
Reuben Creative LLC

Speakers:

Kristian Dolan
Solution Architect/Co-Owner
Tamarack Consulting

Tiffany Johnston
Financial Services Principal
Deloitte Consulting

Leonard Lane
SVP, Product Management
Odessa Technologies

Diwakar Singhal
Senior Vice President
Genpact, LLC