Ralph Petta Recognized for 25 Years of Service

Ralph Petta, and Adm. (ret.) William G. Sutton

At the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association all-team Spring Program Status Update meeting, ELFA President and CEO William G. Sutton, CAE, recognized Ralph Petta, Chief Operating Officer, for his 25 years of service to the association.

Petta joined the association staff in April 1987 and has served as Director of State Government Affairs, Vice President of Research and Industry Services, and Interim President. He also served as chief staff person for the association’s Foundation for several years.

In his current role, he is responsible for day-to-day ELFA operations and staff coordination of programs and services designed to add value to the association’s member organizations.

He reportedly is a very good musician.

Leasing News recognized Mr. Petta as Leasing Person of the Year for 2009 due to his leadership and years of service to the industry.

http://leasingnews.org/archives/Jan2010/1_05.htm#poy

http://leasingnews.org/archives/Jan2010/1_08.htm#poy

 

 

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Classified Ads---Sales Manager

(These ads are “free” to those seeking employment or looking
to improve their position)

Fort Myers, Florida Very experienced and strong skills with both Captive and Specialty Sales Management. Over 25 years , will relocate and travel---successful and team player. e-mail: tlinspections@gmail.com

Free Posting for those seeking employment in Leasing:
http://www.leasingnews.org/Classified/Jwanted/Jwanted-post.htm

All “free” categories “job wanted” ads:http://www.leasingnews.org/Classified/Jwanted/Jwanted.htm

Mesa Leasing in Liquidation

Mesa Leasing, a subprime leasing company in San Diego, California announced April 10th that it was liquidating. They stated the owners wanted to retire. On October 19th announced it was suspending general lease funding on October 31, 2011, but continuing to operate (collect and service its $4 million lease portfolio) at its existing location. Mesa’s decision to suspend its lease originations was made because they stated their principle investor has suspended funding because of concerns about the economy.

Mesa rejoined the "Story Credit" list June, 2011 announcing they would be doing deals in Arizona, California, Idaho, Oregon, Nevada, Utah, and Washington. They had previously rejoined July 28, 2010 to do "story credit" in California only. Jeff Macdonald said he had again connected with his investors, and secured ability for transactions in California. Jeff started the company in 1999 and hopefully will become active again with new investors. Dave Watt is chairman, Mellanie Martin, broker contact, and Chelsea MacDonald is documentation/customer service, according to their

In the April 10th announcement, Mellanie Martin, Mesa Leasing Inc.'s former VP of Sales had this to say about the funding source's untimely liquidation: "The time I had at Mesa wasn't long enough for me but I meant some amazing people in the Leasing Industry who have taught me a lot. I plan on continuing my career in the Leasing Industry, and am currently seeking a position where I can maintain all my Broker Relationships!"

mellanie@equipmentcap.com

 

 

 

 

 

Top Stories March 26 --March 30

http://www.leasingnews.org/items/presshat-notext.gif

Here are the top ten sorties opened by readers:

(1) Jim Reed Passes Away

http://leasingnews.org/archives/Apr2012/4_10.htm#reed

(2) Mesa Leasing in Liquidation

http://leasingnews.org/archives/Apr2012/4_12.htm#mesa

(3) Law firm suing bank after losing $400G to Nigerian scam

http://leasingnews.org/archives/Apr2012/4_12.htm#suing

(4)   Leasing News Bulletin Board Complaint Ratings

http://leasingnews.org/archives/Apr2012/4_10.htm#bbc

(5) Who’s Ratings Have Changed Since January

http://leasingnews.org/archives/Apr2012/4_10.htm#bbc

(6) Leasing 102 by Mr. Terry Winders, CLP
   Terminating a lease

http://leasingnews.org/archives/Apr2012/4_10.htm#terminating

(7) Lawyers Against Evergreen Clause Abuse

http://leasingnews.org/archives/Apr2012/4_10.htm#lawyers

(8) Ralph Petta Recognized for 25 Years of Service

http://leasingnews.org/archives/Apr2012/4_12.htm#petta

(9)  Why I Became a CLP
    Jerry Newell, Exec. VP, Bank of the West

http://leasingnews.org/archives/Apr2012/4_12.htm#clp

(Tie)

(10) New Hires

http://leasingnews.org/archives/Apr2012/4_12.htm#hires

(Tie)

(10) 3 Lawyers Against Evergreen Clause Abuse

http://leasingnews.org/archives/Apr2012/4_12.htm#lawyers

Most Recent “Credit Story List”

Alphabetical list - click on company name to view more details
Advantage Funding Agility Ventures Allegiant Partners Incorporated American Leasefund, Inc.  Bankers Capital  Black Rock Capital BSB Leasing, Inc	Calfund, LLC Cobra Capital, LLC Dakota Financial Financial Pacific Leasing Forum Financial Services, Inc. Gonor Funding Maxim Commercial Credit  National Machine Tool Financial	Northwest Leasing Company, Inc.  Pawnee Leasing Corporation P&L Capital Corporation  Standard Professional Services, LLC Summit Leasing, Inc. TEAM Funding Solutions

To qualify for this list, the company must be a funder (as qualified by Leasing News and on the “Funder List, meaning we have verified with their banker, investor, or they are a public company, that 50% of their transactions are "full recourse.") They also have to have a good reputation as evidenced by an acceptable Better Business Bureau Rating and no history of complaints at Leasing News, as well as notifying lessees in advance when the lease will end and what the residual will be, specifically not automating extra lease payments, or insisting their discounter follow the same policy. We reserve the right to not list a company who does not meet these qualifications.

These companies may accept and compete in "A" and "B" marketplaces, but also specialize in "C" and "D" credits, often new businesses, or businesses where the principal(s) have Beacon score around 600 or previous difficulties or the equipment may be considered poor collateral or attracting problems; meaning to become comfortable with the credit and financial situation you need to learn the "story" to make a positive decision, often requiring further security, shorter term, or additional guarantors. Their specialty is not being a “cookie cutter” and often require full financial statements and tax returns as well as a “story about the company, its history, goals, circumstances” to fully understand the full financial picture.

Leasing News encourages companies who are listed to contact us for any change or addition they would like to make. Adding further information as an "attachment" or clarification of what they have to offer would be helpful to readers is very much encouraged.

New Hires---Promotions

Andrew T. Brandman appointed Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer of CIT Group.” He most recently served as Chief Administrative Officer and Executive Vice President at NYSE Euronext. Prior to this role, he held a number of positions of increasing responsibility at NYSE Euronext, including Chief of Staff to the Chief Executive Officer, Head of Financial Planning & Administration and Head of Business Controlling. Previously, he was a director at Credit Suisse First Boston’s Infrastructure group. Prior to CSFB, Brandman was Chief of Staff for the Global Fixed Income and Treasury Division at Banco Santander Central Hispano. From 1991 to 1997, he held various positions at Union Bank of Switzerland. Mr. Brandman is a 1991 graduate of Clark University."
http://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewbrandman

Ken Fosina hired as executive vice president of ATEL Leasing. Previously he was a principal with FCC Consulting (August, 2003-Present); Vice President, Finance & Operations FFC Consulting - WiLine Networks (November 2007 – October 2011);GM, Affymetrix Customer Financing FFC Consulting - Affymetrix September 2008 – March 20100;GM, UIC Global Customer Financing FFC Consulting - Universal Instruments (March 2007 – December 2008);GM, Credence Capital FFC Consulting – Credence Systems (August 2003 – December 2008);Founder, Vice President of Sales & Marketing, Determine Software (July, 1999-June, 2003);District Manager Mellon Bank - US Leasing (February 1991 – July 1999);Account Executive Financing for Science & Industry Account Executive Financing for Science & Industry (September 1988 – December 1990);University of Richmond B.A., English Swim Team Captain Activities and Societies: Swim Team, Phi Kappa Sigma
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/ken-fosina/9/607/a12

Chris Gerber has joined Mitsui Rail Capital as director of sales and marketing. Previously he was Director of Sales Egencia, an Expedia Inc. company (2010 – 2012); sales and leadership, GE Capital (1992-2010); Sales Manager Itel Rail Corporation (A GE Capital Company) (1987 – 1992); train operations and management, BNSF Railway (1980 – 1987) Washington - Idaho - Montana - Oregon; Lean Six Sigma Greenbelt Certification; Supply Chain Management University of Wisconsin; DePaul University, B.A. Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Business/Managerial Economics; Purdue University, MBA Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.), Business Administration and Management, General.
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/chris-gerber/4/884/9b3

Rob Johnson as the new TestDRIVE© product manager, UK.Drive Software Solutions is a privately owned UK software company focused on Fleet, Vehicle Management, Contract Management and Leasing solutions. The core product, DRIVE is an Oracle based single generic product applicable to vehicle fleet management and leasing requirements worldwide. DRIVE is a proven product and is currently installed and operating globally.

John Marshall was named senior vice president and regional marketing manager for Hana Financial for its Atlanta, Georgia office. Previously he was vice-president sales and marketing, FFTRANS Corp.(February 2011 –March 2012);Director, International Business Development CIT (November 2005 – May 2010);Vice President, Trade Credit and Political Risk Marsh and McLennan (2002 – 2005);Vice President, Trade Credit and Political Risk Aon Risk Services (November 1995 – September 2001); Assistant Vice President, Credit Analyst , Dun & Bradstreet (May 1992 – October 1994);State University of New York at Buffalo Economics, Chinese (1990 – 1992),Canisius College undergrad, undergrad (1988 – 1990) Kenmore West (1984 – 1988)
http://www.linkedin.com/in/johnmarsha

Avi Oster named Managing Director Judicious Advisors LLC, greater New York City area. Previously Managing Director Capital Management Solutions LLC (2010-2012); Director of Banking & Securitization Aquate Group Ltd.(2008 – 2010);Managing Director, Head of US Commercial Assets CIFG Privately Held (2006 – 2008);Director, Debt Principal Finance & Securitization Group Dresdner Kleinwort Public Company; (2005 – 2006);Director, Conduit Securitization Group Credit Agricole CIB (2001 – 2005);Director, Asset-Backed Securitization Group SG Cowen Public Company; 501-1000 employees (1996 – 2001);Director, Asset-Backed Securitization Group PNC Securities Corporation (1995 – 1996);Vice President, Securitization Group Chemical Securities Inc. Public Company; (1993 – 1995);Director/Head of Asset-Backed Commercial Paper Group Standard & Poor's Public Company; (1984 – 1993);University of Massachusetts at Amherst - Isenberg School of Management MS, Accounting (1983 – 1984);University of Massachusetts at Amherst - Isenberg School of Management MBA, Finance (1981 – 1983).
http://www.linkedin.com/in/avioster

Bill Purcell hired as Senior Vice President, TIP Capital, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. Previously he was an independent consultant; President & CEO US Bank Equipment Finance (1990-2005); a past partner of the private equity firm, Aequitas Capital Management. "USBEF President and CEO Bill Purcell came up through the ranks of a machine tool finance company in New Jersey that U.S. Bancorp Equipment Finance acquired in 1990. He went on to hold positions with U.S. Bancorp Equipment Finance as regional manager, national sales manager, executive vice president and president of middle-market leasing, until taking the roles of president and CEO early in 2002."
http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2003/01/13/focus3.html
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/bill-purcell/8/495/88b

Greg Sanker has joined EverBank Commercial Finance Healthcare Platform as Business Development Manager. Previously he was Vice President Cleveland Medical Mart (June 2009 – March 2012); VP Strategic Business Development, GE Healthcare (August, 2008-October, 2008), Strategic Business Development, CitiCapital (February, 1997-August,2008).He is a Regional Board Member of the Healthcare Information Management Systems Society (“HIMSS”).President-Elect, Northern Ohio Chapter of HIMSS Northern Ohio Chapter of HIMSS. Bowling Green State University B.A., Economics
http://www.linkedin.com/in/gregsanker

Ward van den Dungen has joined the IAA-Advisory Board. He "...is a finance executive with over 25 years’ international experience in the office equipment industry. Based in the Netherlands he has worked in business development, marketing, portfolio finance and financial control. For the last 12 years he specialised in leasing and financial services. He worked in Europe & North America in captive and vendor finance. His experience spans programme negotiation, captive and vendor finance company operations, business development, financial products, asset management, managed services and lease accounting." "Ward joined Océ Technologies B.V. (now a division of Canon) in 1985 having gained a degree in Economics Marketing and Finance. Working initially in marketing and pricing, Ward moved 8 years later to finance and business control. From 2000 he was the corporate leasing manager of Océ Technologies. With global responsibilities for strategy, policy and procedures of the Océ Group Leasing and Financial Services Division, he evaluated selected & exploited captive versus 3rd party co-operation funding to make the most of widely different regional business opportunities."
http://nl.linkedin.com/pub/ward-van-den-dungen/a/666/39

 

 

 

Top Stories

Here are the top ten sorties opened by readers:

(1) Jim Reed Passes Away
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Apr2012/4_10.htm#reed

(2) Mesa Leasing in Liquidation
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Apr2012/4_12.htm#mesa

(3) Law firm suing bank after losing $400G to Nigerian scam
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Apr2012/4_12.htm#suing

(4)   Leasing News Bulletin Board Complaint Ratings
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Apr2012/4_10.htm#bbc

(5) Who’s Ratings Have Changed Since January
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Apr2012/4_10.htm#bbc

(6) Leasing 102 by Mr. Terry Winders, CLP
   Terminating a lease
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Apr2012/4_10.htm#terminating

(7) Lawyers Against Evergreen Clause Abuse
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Apr2012/4_10.htm#lawyers

(8) Ralph Petta Recognized for 25 Years of Service
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Apr2012/4_12.htm#petta

(9)  Why I Became a CLP
    Jerry Newell, Exec. VP, Bank of the West
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Apr2012/4_12.htm#clp

(Tie) (10) New Hires
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Apr2012/4_12.htm#hires

(Tie)(10) 3 Lawyers Against Evergreen Clause Abuse
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Apr2012/4_12.htm#lawyers

 

Leasing Industry Help Wanted

Advance Restaurant Finance Looking for sales reps to call on small to medium sized retail merchants nationwide. Experience preferred in this industry, but open to ambitious "make sales" self-motivators. Base salary, commissions,full benefits available. Email with resume to: slohmann@arfcash.com * Fast Approvals * No Need to Change Credit Card Processors "When bank financing is unavailable, we are your best alternative for an unsecured working capital loan up to $1,000,000 per location." www.arfcash.com

Leasing Sales Representative Long Island, NY Hiring experienced or new to business sales reps. Transactions in all states / all industries. Send resume to: info@sterlingcap.net or fax 631-414-7571. About the Company: Sterling Capital Leasing, LLC is a national small ticket/middle market leasing company

www.sterlingcap.net

Inside Sales Manager Irvine, California First Year Expect $125k with base salary & commission to direct small ticket sales team. Click here for more information. GeNESIS provides game-changing technology, tools and training as well as pre-qualified leads to help great salespeople be more successful and make more money. www.gen-cap.com

For information on placing a help wanted ad, please click here:
http://www.leasingnews.org/Classified/Hwanted/Hwanted-post.htm

Please see our Job Wanted section for possible new employees.

 

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Why I Became a CLP

Jerry Newell, Executive Vice President
Equipment Finance Division
Bank of the West

In July 1994 I took over management of the Bank of the West Equipment Leasing business. I had 15 years of bank commercial lending and credit administration experience, but no background in the equipment leasing and finance industry. I learned the business through on the job experience, working with knowledgeable colleagues, reading and course work.

After 5 years in the business I viewed the CLP exam as an opportunity to test my knowledge of every aspect of the leasing business and round out my skills. While I was well versed in the management of the business (including credit, documentation, operations, accounting, and tax), I had never worked directly in lease sales and my pricing and structuring skills needed help. I used the CLP study guide and related courses to work on those areas and to reinforce other areas. The CLP exam was comprehensive and rigorous and I was very glad that I took the preparation seriously. I passed the exam the first time and received my CLP on October 15, 1999.

I believe strongly in the importance of education, both higher education and continuing education while working. There is no better, more comprehensive educational program in the equipment leasing and finance industry than the CLP exam, including the related study guide and preparatory course work. No matter what area of the industry you are working in, an overall knowledge and understanding of equipment leasing and finance will both assist you in achieving top performance in your current role, plus better position you for advancement.

In addition to improving your skill set, the CLP designation also provides credibility in the leasing industry. When I’m talking to another industry participant or interviewing a potential employee, or when our Indirect Equipment Finance team is reviewing an applicant for Bank of the West funding programs, when we see the CLP designation it gives us comfort to know we are dealing with a knowledgeable leasing professional.

I can honestly say that the CLP preparation and exam provided an excellent foundation for me during 18 years managing Bank of the West Equipment Finance Division through periods of both heady growth and deep economic turmoil. I would encourage all industry participants to become a CLP and to support the CLP Foundation.

Why I Became a CLP series:
http://www.leasingnews.org/CLP/Index.htm

 

***********Announcement*********************************

Lori Dean, Arvest Equipment Finance, New CLP

The Board of Directors of the CLP Foundation would like to extend its congratulations to the Equipment Leasing and Finance Industry’s newest Certified Lease Professional:

Lori Dean, CLP
Operations Manager, Vice-President
Arvest Equipment Finance
Fort Smith, AR

The letters "CLP" behind Lori’s name are a visible recognition of her experience in the industry and her professional achievement in having passed the CLP Exam.

“Lori makes number 4 for AEF!
With number 5 starting his studies now! “

Kyle Gilliam, CLP
President, Arvest

The CLP Foundation is the official governing body for the Certified Lease Professional ("CLP") Program. The CLP designation sets the standard around the world having presence in the U.S. & Canada and a Certified Lease Specialist (CLS) designation in the Ukraine and Moldova for those new to the industry. The Foundation has also provided CLP handbooks to introduce the industry in India with the ultimate goal to advance professionalism in the leasing and finance industry worldwide. This designation identifies and recognizes individuals within the equipment leasing and finance industry who have demonstrated their competency through continued education, testing and conduct. The letters "CLP" behind their name represent a visible recognition of this professional achievement and status. The CLP Program is the only recognized certification program worldwide in the equipment leasing and finance industry.

We invite you to visit our site -- www.clpfoundation.org for detailed information about the CLP Foundation and the CLP Program.

******Announcement**************************************

 

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3 Lawyers Against Evergreen Clause Abuse

Jim Coston
Coston & Coston LLC
105 W. Adams Street
Suite 1400
Chicago, Illinois 60603
(312) 205-1010
jcoston@costonlaw.com

(In 1998, he was elected to the United Association of Equipment
Leasing Board of Directors, and in 2003-04 was the first
attorney to become UAEL President.)

Michael J. Witt, Esq.
MICHAEL J. WITT LAW OFFICES
4342 Oakwood Lane
West Des Moines, IA 50265
Tel: (515) 657-8706
Mobile: (515) 868-1067
Fax: (515) 223-2352
witt-law@live.com

(Former Advanta Leasing
and Wells Fargo Equipment Finance attorney)

Kevin E. Trabaris, Principal
Trabaris, P.C.
707 Skokie Boulevard, Suite 600
Northbrook, IL 60062
Direct: (847) 205-4377
Mobile: (847) 840-4687
Fax: (848) 260-5768
kevin@trabaris.com
www.trabaris.com

"In my career, I’ve repeatedly seen this provision misused
by unscrupulous lessors and think it’s a bad idea for both
the lessee and the lessor.”

The original intention of the Evergreen clause in an equipment leasing contract was to have an alternative to when the lessee did not exercise the residual at the end of the contract. Often the clause calls for an automatic additional twelve months when the residual is not resolved.

In most cases, the lessor notifies the lessee that the residual will be due, often ninety days in advance. However, often there is nothing in the contract that requires the lessor to notify the lessee regarding the expiration of the contract.

Contrarily, many small ticket lessors do not notify the lessee, and automatically continue the lease, often via an ACH or continued billing, which often goes unnoticed until many payments have already been made.

Leasing News would like to see an industry standard that lessees are notified in advance of the expiration of their contract regarding its termination.

This list of attorneys agrees with this and will be available to lessees, sometimes able to help them without a fee, or at a reduce rate, in an effort to end the abuse of Evergreen clause leases.
kitmenkin@leasingnews.org

 

((Please click on ad to learn more))
(Leasing News provides this ad “gratis” as a means
to help support the growth of Lease Police)

Friends of Jim Reed--Remembered

Jim Reed, 91, president of Security Exchange Leasing (SEL), Glendora, California, passed away. He had started SEL in 1972, specialized in small ticket leasing, active in the Western Association of Equipment Leasing and United Association of Equipment Leasing, according to Leasing News archives.

“I met Jim when he first entered the equipment leasing business, a very long time ago. We did a few deals for him while he was ‘learning the ropes” and got to know each other through the process. He was a gentleman and an honorable man. Jim was one of those guys that did the right thing even if no one was looking.

“I’m saddened to hear of his passing.”

Rick Wilbur
Managing Partner
CHARTERCAPITAL

“I will miss Jim Reed. He was such a nice man and was honest has they come. I sat in silence when I heard of his death and thanked god that I had a chance to meet such a nice man early in my leasing career. He gave me a look of what a good company looks like. I will miss him. “

Barbara Griffith
Southern California Leasing, Inc.

 

 

“I was sorry to hear about the passing of Jim Reed. I never met Jim, but from everything I knew he was one of the few people in our Industry whom everyone liked and respected.

“I will tell you an interesting story, told to me by Claude Lanselle, about how Jim and Claude first encountered each other. It had nothing to do with leasing - it was far more ‘direct.’

“According to Claude during WW-II Jim was a bomber pilot in the European Theater. During late 1944/45 Claude was fighting with the French Resistance in Northern France, an area where Claude was originally from (Claude used to say that he came from the one part of France where people preferred drinking beer). One day, by mistake, Claude and his mates were on the wrong end of an air strike by US bombers. Claude, having nearly been killed, remembered the date.

“Many years later Claude said that he and Jim were talking about their experiences in the War. Claude happened to mention that he was on the wrong end of a US air strike, and told Jim the date. Jim also remembered the day, and where he was. It turned out that Jim's plane was one of the planes that mistakenly dropped the bombs on Claude's unit. Apparently, it didn't stop them from being friends. As I said, from everything I know everyone in the Industry liked Jim Reed.

“I have not spoken with Claude in almost 7 years, and I am not sure how he is doing, but perhaps it might be worth trying to contact him about his first encounter with Jim Reed. In this regard I am copying Maurice Lanselle, Claude's son, on this email. Maurice, as I remember, lives in France. Perhaps he can send this on to Claude, and ask his Father to contact you.

“Best regards,”

Bob Homans

Jim Reed Passes Away
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Apr2012/4_10.htm#reed

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April 12 FDIC Beige Book Report

Reports from the twelve Federal Reserve Districts indicated that the economy continued to expand at a modest to moderate pace from mid-February through late March. Activity in the For most Districts reporting on financial services, banking conditions remained stable, with modest improvements in demand for lending. Loan demand was reported as improved in New York, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Richmond, Chicago, Kansas City, Dallas, and San Francisco, while lending activity was unchanged in St Louis. The Dallas District reported improved sentiment by national and regional banks due to improved middle-market and large corporate lending. Contacts in Cleveland, Richmond, and San Francisco reported that increased competition among lenders has been driving more aggressive loan pricing. In general, the demand for commercial and industrial loans remained steady, while several Districts reported an increase in commercial real estate lending activity. The Philadelphia and Cleveland Districts reported increased lending for multifamily housing and health care, and contacts in Richmond cited increased lending to small business to finance inventory and capital expenditures. Consumer lending has remained stable or risen modestly across a few Districts. The Cleveland and Richmond Districts reported increased home equity and auto lending, while bankers in Chicago noted improved credit availability for auto loans and credit cards. Several Districts reported that credit standards remain stable, but Richmond bankers reported that they were offering easier terms to attract new commercial borrowers. Several Districts reported increased credit quality, as delinquencies have continued to decline and few problem loans have been reported.

Boston, Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, and San Francisco Districts grew at a moderate pace, while Cleveland and St. Louis cited modest growth. New York reported that economic growth picked up somewhat. Philadelphia and Richmond cited improving business conditions. The economy in Minneapolis grew at a solid pace and Kansas City's economy expanded at a faster pace.

Manufacturing continued to expand in most Districts, with gains noted in automotive and high-technology industries. Manufacturers in many Districts expressed optimism about near-term growth prospects, but they are somewhat concerned about rising petroleum prices. Demand for professional business services showed modest to strong growth and freight volume was mainly higher. Reports on retail spending were positive, with the unusually warm weather being credited for boosting sales in several Districts. While the near-term outlook for household spending was encouraging, contacts in several Districts expressed concerns that rising gas prices could limit discretionary spending in the months to come. New-vehicle sales were reported as strong or strengthening across much of the United States.

Tourism increased in most reporting Districts. Residential real estate showed some improvement, with many contacts citing expansion in the construction of multi-family housing. Activity in nonresidential real estate increased or held steady in most Districts. Agricultural conditions were generally favorable. Mining activity expanded and oil extraction rose, while natural gas drilling slowed. Banking conditions were largely stable, with some improvement seen in loan demand. Several Districts reported increased credit quality.

Hiring was steady or showed a modest increase across many Districts. Difficulty finding qualified workers, especially for high-skilled positions, was frequently reported. Upward pressure on wages was constrained. Overall price inflation was modest. However, contacts in many Districts commented on rising transportation costs due to higher fuel prices.

Boston
http://www.federalreserve.gov/monetarypolicy/beigebook/beigebook201204.htm?boston

New York
http://www.federalreserve.gov/monetarypolicy/beigebook/beigebook201204.htm?new_york

Philadelphia
http://www.federalreserve.gov/monetarypolicy/beigebook/beigebook201204.htm?philadelphia

Cleveland
http://www.federalreserve.gov/monetarypolicy/beigebook/beigebook201204.htm?cleveland

Richmond
http://www.federalreserve.gov/monetarypolicy/beigebook/beigebook201204.htm?richmond

Atlanta
http://www.federalreserve.gov/monetarypolicy/beigebook/beigebook201204.htm?atlanta

Chicago
http://www.federalreserve.gov/monetarypolicy/beigebook/beigebook201204.htm?chicago

St. Louis
http://www.federalreserve.gov/monetarypolicy/beigebook/beigebook201204.htm?st_louis

Minneapolis
http://www.federalreserve.gov/monetarypolicy/beigebook/beigebook201204.htm?minneapolis

Kansas City
http://www.federalreserve.gov/monetarypolicy/beigebook/beigebook201204.htm?kansas_city

Dallas
http://www.federalreserve.gov/monetarypolicy/beigebook/beigebook201204.htm?Dallas

San Francisco
http://www.federalreserve.gov/monetarypolicy/beigebook/beigebook201204.htm?san_francisco

 

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### Press Release ############################

United Capital Refinances Debt
for Multi-Unit Jiffy Lube® Operator

HUNT VALLEY, MD –- United Capital Business Lending, a national business lender specializing in franchise finance, announced today that it provided $3,500,000 in financing to Jiffy Lube® owner, Griffin Fast Lube, LLC. United Capital refinanced 27 existing locations for the Utah based franchisee. Griffin Fast Lube, LLC operates more than 50 Jiffy Lube® automotive shops in Utah, Nevada and Colorado.

Lex Lane, VP, United Capital

“United Capital is committed to working closely with Jiffy Lube® franchisees to provide financing for new store development, acquisitions, remodels and debt refinancing,” says Lex Lane, vice president and business development officer for United Capital. “We’re proud to be associated with the Jiffy Lube® brand.”

United Capital Business Lending is a subsidiary of BankUnited (NYSE: BKU), the largest bank headquartered in Florida with over $12 billion in assets.

In addition to Jiffy Lube®, the United Capital team has financed franchisees for Subway®, Denny’s®, Dunkin’ Donuts® , Popeye’s®, Five Guys® Burgers and Fries and Buffalo Wild Wings® among others.

For information about financing for franchise acquisition, new unit development, remodeling or debt refinancing, call United Capital at 866-218-4793 or visit the company’s website at www.unitedcapitalbusinesslending.com.

#### Press Release #############################

Gary DiLillo, President 440.871.0555 or gary@avptc.com To learn more about the benefits of outsourcing personal property tax, please click here.

 

German Shepherd Labrador Retriever mix

San Diego, California-- Adopt-a-Dog

Dalia
German Shepherd Labrador Retriever mix
Female-Spayed
28.6 lbs
Estimated DOB: 11/4/2011

"Hello! Ideally I should go to a home that is very active and has the time to take me on very long walks. So, can I be your exercise buddy? Please stop by soon!"

Helen Woodward Animal Center
A non-profit organization #23-7228287
Location: 6461 El Apajo Road Rancho Santa Fe, CA 92067

Adoption Center Hours: 12-6 M-F, 10-6 Sat, 11-6 Sun. (Holiday Hours)
Friday summer hours -12:00-7:00pm starting Friday, April 6th.
Phone: (858) 756-4117

Adoption form:
http://www.animalcenter.org/_downloads/ad_AdoptionApplicationDogs.pdf

 

Adopt-a-Pet by Leasing Co. State/City
http://www.leasingnews.org/Conscious-Top%20Stories/Adopt_Pet.htm

Adopt a Pet
http://www.adoptapet.com/ 

Fernando's View
By Fernando F. Croc

The latest from a pair of distinctive directors ("Damsels in Distress," "Mirror Mirror") hit theaters, while DVD viewers are treated to an Oscar winner ("The Iron Lady"), a remarkable documentary ("Into the Abyss"), and classic laughs ("Buck Privates").

In Theaters:

Damsels in Distress (Sony Pictures Classics): Following a nearly 15-year hiatus from the screen, writer-director Whit Stillman makes a welcome return with this typically elegant and witty comedy of social mores. Following the relationships of a group of young characters in an university, the story centers on a trio of lively coeds, Violet (Greta Gerwig), Rose (Megalyn Echikunwoke), and Heather (Carrie MacLemore). As they welcome new student Lily (Analeigh Tipton) into their midst, the girls organize musical numbers, negotiate with their frat-house counterparts across campus, and basically enjoy their seclusion from the perils of the outside world. With a sure and delicate touch that pricks his characters' pretensions without ridiculing them, Stillman offers a charming and insightful portrait of youthful dreams, doubts and desires.

Mirror Mirror (Relativity): Imagine a live-action version of the "Shrek" movies, and you get a feeling for this knowing, visually splashy fantasy. Reimagining the beloved fable of Snow White, the movie follows the adventures of a young maiden (Lily Collins) whose beauty makes her the target of the jealous Evil Queen (Julia Roberts). Instead of being chased all over the kingdom, however, Snow White decides to fight for her rightful place at the throne with the help of the seven brave, diminutive rebels she meets along the way. Can she triumph with the Prince (Armie Hammer), or will the Queen's wily sorcery spoil the fable's happy ending? With a cast clearly having fun under the direction of Tarsem Singh ("The Cell"), this lighthearted fairy-tale should please audiences who like their Disney with a little attitude.

Netflix Tip: Though one of the most distinctive filmmakers of the 1990s, Whit Stillman has spend almost a decade and a half away from the screen. To celebrate his return with this week's "Damsels in Distress," revisit his witty earlier titles with Netflix: "Metropolitan" (1990), "Barcelona" (1994) and "The Last Days of Disco" (1998).

On DVD:

The Iron Lady (The Weinstein Company): Arguably the greatest living actress, Meryl Streep scores another triumph (and her third Oscar) with her complex performance as controversial British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. Taking place as a series of flashbacks, the movie recounts how Thatcher (played as a young woman by Alexandra Roach) rose from her working-class origins to start a political career that challenged the United Kingdom's stereotypes about gender roles. Though it touches many of her career benchmarks (including her party's sweeping victory in the early 1980s and the conflict over the Falkland Islands), the movie's focus is more on the protagonist's relationship with her longtime husband Denis (Jim Broadbent). Directed by Phyllida Lloyd ("Mamma Mia!"), this is an elegant showcase for Streep's typically meticulous acting.

Into the Abyss (MPI): One of the world's most renowned filmmakers, veteran German director Werner Herzog ("Grizzly Man") continues his streak of fascinating documentaries with this probing portrait of capital punishment. Subtitled "A Tale of Death, A Tale of Life," the film chronicles the real-life story of 28-year-old Michael Perry, a Death Row inmate with eight days left before his execution. Convicted of a triple murder in Texas, Perry is just one of the people interviewed here; others include his accomplice serving a life sentence, families affected by the crimes, and members of the community shaken by the events. Though the subject matter sounds grim, Herzog uses his an absorbing camera and bottomless curiosity to weaves together an unsentimental yet unforgettable mosaic of trauma, redemption and emotion.

Buck Privates (Universal): Bud Abbott and Lou Castello went from vaudeville duo to comic superstars in this very enjoyable 1941 comedy, being now released in a special anniversary DVD. Abbott and Costello star as Slicker and Herbie, a couple of bumbling salesmen who join the Army in order to avoid being fined by a police officer, only to find themselves being shipped to boot camp. While the boys haplessly make their way through drills and get on the bad side of their rough sergeant, a fancy-pants millionaire (Lee Bowman) and his former chauffeur (Alan Curtis) also enlist and vie for the affections of the same woman (Jane Frazee). Full of hilarious classic routines and swinging numbers from the Andrew Sisters, Abbott and Costello's breakout hit still retains the irrepressible energy that brought joy to audiences during those World War II years.

John Kenny Receivables Management www.jrkrmdirect.com • End of Lease Negotiations & Enforcement • Fraud Investigation • Credit Investigations • Asset Searches • Skip-tracing • Third-party Commercial Collections The Solution to Your Credit & Accounts Receivable Needs John Kenny 315-866-1167 |  John@jkrmdirect.com

 

(Leasing News provides this ad as a trade for investigations
and background information provided by John Kenny)

 

News Briefs----

Small business owners' business outlook improves dramatically,---PNC survey finds
http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20120411/STAFFING/304059999/1220/newsletter03#

In Atlanta, Foreclosure notices drop to 3-year low
http://www.ajc.com/business/foreclosure-notices-drop-to-1413982.html#fadetoblack

Bad News for Banks Isn’t Good for Corporates, Either
http://www3.cfo.com/article/2012/4/credit_european-credit-eurozone-non-performing-loans-ltro

Law firm suing bank after losing $400G to Nigerian scam http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/04/11/minnesota-law-firm-sues-wells-fargo-for-36g-fraud-loss/?test=latestnews

Matt Lauer considered leaving "Today"--
http://www.nypost.com/p/blogs/thespread/matt_lauer_considered_leaving_with_ j9wRSxZRmhu59MdkNXY46M

[headlines]
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You May Have Missed---

Best and worst jobs of 2012
http://blog.sfgate.com/hottopics/2012/04/11/best-and-worst-jobs-of-2012-range-from-software-engineer-to-lumberjack/?tsp=1

 

[headlines]
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SparkPeople--Live Healthier and Longer

Why Getting Outside is So Good for You
http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/wellness_articles.asp?id=1680

 

 

[headlines]
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Sports Briefs----

Warren Sapp Files Bankruptcy
http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/warren-sapp-nfl-great-files-for-chapter-7-bankruptcy-040612

Sacramento Kings owners heading to New York to make case to the NBA
http://www.sacbee.com/2012/04/11/4407295/sacramento-kings-owners-heading.html

 

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Spring Poem

Mending Wall

by Robert Frost

SOMETHING there is that doesn’t love a wall,
That sends the frozen-ground-swell under it,
And spills the upper boulders in the sun;
And makes gaps even two can pass abreast.
The work of hunters is another thing:
I have come after them and made repair
Where they have left not one stone on a stone,
But they would have the rabbit out of hiding,
To please the yelping dogs. The gaps I mean,
No one has seen them made or heard them made,
But at spring mending-time we find them there.
I let my neighbour know beyond the hill;
And on a day we meet to walk the line
And set the wall between us once again.
We keep the wall between us as we go.
To each the boulders that have fallen to each.
And some are loaves and some so nearly balls
We have to use a spell to make them balance:
“Stay where you are until our backs are turned!”
We wear our fingers rough with handling them.
Oh, just another kind of out-door game,
One on a side. It comes to little more:
There where it is we do not need the wall:
He is all pine and I am apple orchard.
My apple trees will never get across
And eat the cones under his pines, I tell him.
He only says, “Good fences make good neighbors.”
Spring is the mischief in me, and I wonder
If I could put a notion in his head:
“Why do they make good neighbors? Isn’t it
Where there are cows? But here there are no cows.
Before I built a wall I’d ask to know
What I was walling in or walling out,
And to whom I was like to give offence.
Something there is that doesn’t love a wall,
That wants it down.” I could say “Elves” to him,
But it’s not elves exactly, and I’d rather
He said it for himself. I see him there
Bringing a stone grasped firmly by the top
In each hand, like an old-stone savage armed.
He moves in darkness as it seems to me,
Not of woods only and the shade of trees.
He will not go behind his father’s saying,
And he likes having thought of it so well
He says again, “Good fences make good neighbors.”

[headlines]
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California Nuts Briefs---

UC Davis pepper-spraying of protesters should not have happened, panel says
http://www.contracostatimes.com/news/ci_20372551/uc-davis-pepper-spray-report-due-at-noon

 

[headlines]
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“Gimme that Wine”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJnQoi8DSE8 

Sonoma Coast is a sweet spot for Syrah
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2012/04/08/FDBS1NU3KK.DTL&type=wine

Documentary of 2011's difficult crush debuts April 13
http://www.winesandvines.com/template.cfm?section=news&content=99479&htitle=
Sonoma%20Wine%20Harvest%20Stars%20in%20Film&

Free Mobile Wine Program
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Feb2010/2_26.htm#mobile

Wine Prices by vintage
http://www.winezap.com
http://www.wine-searcher.com/

US/International Wine Events
http://www.localwineevents.com/

Winery Atlas
http://www.carterhouse.com/atlas/\

Leasing News Wine & Spirits Page
http://two.leasingnews.org/Recommendations/wnensprts.htm

     1621-Myles Standish, one of the Mayflower Pilgrims, was unanimously chosen military captain of the colony.
http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/users/deetz/Plymouth/standishwill.html
    1631-the first militia was formed by the Court of Assistants of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, Boston, MA, which ordered “ that there shall be a watch of 4 kept(every) night at Dorchester and another of 4 att Waterton, the watches to begin at sunset.”
    1724-birthday of Lyman Hall, Signer of the Declaration of Independence. When the war reached Savannah. Hall's property was burned and he stood accused of high treason. He fled to Charleston, which was also overtaken by the British Born at Wallingford, CT, he died at Burke County, GA, Oct 19, 1790. http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/signers/hall.http://www.lyman-hall.com/ htm
    1770 - The British government moved to mollify outraged colonists by repealing almost all of the Townshend Acts. Initially passed in the summer of 1767, the Townshend Acts were the British government's fiscal and political play to maintain its power over the American colonies. The bills, named after their sponsor, Charles Townshend, not only suspended America's uppity body of representatives, but also levied a controversial package of revenue taxes, including duties on paint, paper and tea. While English leaders viewed colonial control as a historically justified stance, Americans were of a far different mind: they believed the acts smacked of undue meddling. This sent the colonies into a heated, and sometimes violent, frenzy of protest. America's outrage eventually prompted the British to roll back all of the acts and revenue duties, save for the now infamous tea tax.
    1776 - Halifax resolution for independence was adopted by North Carolina.
    1776 - the first Declaration to form an independent Union started 225 years ago with a resolution adopted by the Provincial Congress of North Carolina at Halifax, NC, authorizing the delegates from North Carolina to the Continental Congress to vote for a Declaration of Independence.http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/apr12.html
    1777-birthday of Henry Clay, statesman, born at Hanover County, VA. Was the Speaker of the House of Representatives and later became the leader of the new Whig party. He was defeated for the presidency three times. Clay died at Washington, DC, June 29, 1852. http://www.henryclay.org/
    1811-the first settlers to reach the Pacific coast left New York City on September 6, 1810, on the S.S. Tonquin, a 290-ton vessel captained by Jonathan Thorn. They rounded Cape Horn on December 25, 1810, landing on April 12, 1811, at Cape Disappointment, WA, a promontory at the mouth of the Columbia River. The enterprise was sponsored by John Jacob Astor.
    1858 - Salt Lake City offers an uneasy welcome to Alfred Cummings, its first non-Mormon governor, which signals the end of the so-called "Utah War." The Mormon acceptance of a gentile governor came after more than a year of tensions and military threats between the U.S. government and Brigham Young's Utah theocracy. Sometimes referred to as the Utah War, this little-known conflict arose out of fundamental questions about the autonomy of the Mormon-controlled territory of Utah. Was Utah an American state or an independent nation? Could the Mormon Church maintain its tight controls over the political and economic fate of the territory while still abiding by the laws and dictates of the United States? Mormon citizens began manufacturing arms and ammunition in preparation for war. Much to the embarrassment of the Buchanan administration, severe weather and the Nauvoo Legion's scorched earth tactics initially stymied the federal troops. After a hard winter spent at the burnt out shell of Fort Bridger, the American force prepared to make another attempt to push through the Wasatch Mountains and down into Salt Lake. By this time, Young was ready for peace, but he remained so distrustful that he ordered some 30,000 people to abandon Salt Lake and other northern settlements and make an unnecessary retreat southward. When Cummings finally arrived in Salt Lake on this day in 1858, the city was nearly deserted. Young peacefully relinquished the governorship and all of his other governmental roles, agreeing to become solely the spiritual leader of Utah Mormons. In exchange, Buchanan gave all Utah residents a blanket pardon for any involvement in the conflict. Several months later, two brigades of American soldiers established Camp Floyd south of Salt Lake City, the largest garrison in the nation until the Civil War. With the threat of a bloody conflict diminished, Mormon refugees began returning to their homes. Though tensions between the Mormons and the federal government continued for decades, the Utah War ended the dream of a Mormon state geographically and politically separated from nonbelievers. Henceforth, Utah Territory was clearly a part of the American union, and it was granted full statehood in 1896.
    1859-the first Billiard match to attain international fame was played in Detroit between Michael Phelan of New York City and John Seereiter of Detroit for the championship of the world and a 415,000 purse. Phelan, known as the “father of billiards,” won the championship by a score of 2,000 against his competitor's 1,904. The best run made by Phelan was 129 points. The game was played on a 6-by-12 four-pocket table with four balls. Pushing and crouching were allowed.
    1861- after months of escalating tension, Major Robert Anderson refused to evacuate Fort Sumter at Charleston, SC. Confederate troops under the command of General PT. Beauregard opened fire on the harbor fort at 4:30 AM ( the first gun was fired by Edmund Ruffin, a 67-year-old Virginian) and continued until Major Anderson surrendered on Apr 13. No lives were lost despite the firing of some 40000 shells in the first major engagement of the American Civil War.
    1861-the same morning, off Charleston, SC, the side-wheeler Harriet Lane fired a shot across the bow of the merchantman steamer Nashville to force it show its colors. The Nashville hoisted a U.S. ensign and was allowed to proceed, even though it was a Confederate ship. The Harriet Lane, 270 feet long with a 22-foot beam, had been built by William Henry Webb in 1857 as a Treasury Department revenue cutter and was transferred to the Navy in 1858. It was named after a niece of President James Buchanan and was the first federal steamer named for a woman. On January 1, 1863, the Harriet Lane was captured by Confederate forces in Galveston Bay, after desperately resisting boarding parties from four rebel ships.
    1864 - During the American Civil War, Major General Nathan Bedford Forrest's Confederate raiders attack the isolated Union garrison at Fort Pillow, Tennessee, overlooking the Mississippi River. The fort, an important part of the Confederate river defense system, was captured by federal forces in 1862. Of the 500-strong Union garrison defending the fort, more than half the soldiers were African-Americans. After an initial bombardment, General Forrest asked for the garrison's surrender. The Union commander refused, and Forrest's 1,500 cavalry troopers easily stormed and captured the fort, suffering only moderate casualties. However, the extremely high proportion of Union casualties--231 killed and more than 100 seriously wounded--raised questions about the Confederates' conduct after the battle. Union survivors' accounts, later supported by a federal investigation, concluded that African-American troops were massacred by Forrest's men after surrendering. Southern accounts disputed these findings, and controversy over the battle continues today. The enlistment of African-Americans into the Union army began after the enactment of the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, and by the war's end 180,000 African Americans had fought in the Union army and 10,000 in the navy.
    1867-birthday of Johnny Watson, also known as “Daddy Stovepipe,” Mobile, AL
    1877-- The first catcher's mask is used in a baseball game.
    1883-Birthday of Imogen Cunningham, pioneer photographer of plants and portraits.
    1892-George C. Blickensderfer of Stanford, CT received a patent for a portable typewriter.
    1892—Jazz clarinetist Johnny Dodds birthday
http://www.redhotjazz.com/jdodds.html
    1900-Joseph Bohomiel(Joe) Lapchick, Basketball Hall of Fame player and coach born at Yonkers, NY. Lapchick played basketball for pay form an early age. In 1923 he joined the original Celtics, one of the greatest pro teams of any era. The Celtics revolutionized the game with Lapchick as the great center. He began coaching at St. John's University in 1937, left for the New York Knicks in 1947, and returned to St. John's in 1957. the Celtics were inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1959, and Lapchick followed as an individual in 1966. Died at New York, NY August 10,1970.
    1908 -- A fire that began in a dump in the Chelsea section of Boston, Massachusetts spread through the community and ignites oil tanks on the Chelsea Creek, eventually rendering 17,000 people homeless.
    1913---Jazz vibraharp player and bandleader Lionel Hampton was born in Louisville, Kentucky. He is best known for his association with Benny Goodman, and for leading his own big band. Hampton was with the Goodman quartet for the legendary 1938 Carnegie Hall Jazz Concert, where his performance on such tunes as "Stompin' at the Savoy" and "Avalon" established him as a major jazz soloist. Hampton put together his own band after leaving Goodman in 1940, leading an orchestra on and off for more than 30 years. The Lionel Hampton band's theme song was "Flying Home."
    1915-birthday of guitarist “Hound Dog” Taylor, Natchez, MShttp://www.zicline.com/semaine16/houndog.htm
    1918-singer Helen Forrest born Atlantic City, NJ.http://www.davidmulliss.com.au/HelenForrest/helenforrest.htm
    1924--Birthday of Canadian dance band vocalist Lorraine McAllister, in Saskatoon. She was long associated with her husband Dal Richards's Vancouver orchestra.
    1926---birthday of Andrew “Blueblood” McMahon, Delhi, LA
    1926-Smith Wildman Brookhart, Republican of Iowa, was ousted by the US Senate of a vote of 45-41. A recount of the votes in the election had proved the winner to be Daniel Frederic Steck,, the Democrat candidate, who served from April 12, 1926 to March 3, 1931.
    1927 - an F5 tornado wiped Rock Springs, Texas "off the map". 235 of the town's 247 buildings were completely destroyed. The tornado was over 1 mile wide when it passed through the town. 74 people were killed.
    1930-birthday of vocalist Bob Lee, Tuscalossa, AL
    1930--, Herbert Khaury, better known as Tiny Tim, was born in New York City. With his ukulele and his squeaky falsetto voice, he became the most successful novelty act of the 1960's. "Tip Toe Through the Tulips," a Top-20 hit in 1966, is the Tiny Tim record most people remember. He died of a heart attack on November 29th, 1996, after performing his signature song at a benefit in Minneapolis.
    1933- Ruth Bryan Owen, is appointed U.S. envoy to Denmark, the first woman to represent the US as a foreign minister.
    1934-the highest-velocity natural wind ever recorded occurred in the morning at the Mount Washington, NH, Observatory. Three weather observers, Wendell Stephenson, Alexander McKenzie and Salvatore Pagliuca, observed and recorded the phenomenon in which gusts reached 231 miles per hour--"the strongest natural wind ever recorded on the earth's surface." The 50th anniversary was observed at the site in 1984, with the three original observers participating in the ceremony
    1934 -- F. Scott Fitzgerald's Tender Is the Night is published, but the novel about rich expatriates is unenthusiastically received during the Great Depression.
http://www.sc.edu/fitzgerald/biography.html
    1939-Woody Herman cuts Woodchopper's Ball.
    1940-pianist/composer Herbie Hancock born Chicago, IL
http://www.herbie-hancock.com/
    1944-- John Kay, leader of Steppenwolf, was born in Germany. His real name is Joachim Krauledat. Steppenwolf began as a Toronto-based band called the Sparrow in 1964. The group moved to the US in 1966 before splitting up in 1967. Kay then formed Steppenwolf, using some of the members of the Sparrow. The name Steppenwolf is taken from the Herman Hesse novel. Steppenwolf had a dozen hits in the late '60s and early '70s, the biggest of which were "Born to Be Wild" and "Magic Carpet Ride." The original band broke up in 1972. After bogus groups began performing under the Steppenwolf name, John Kay reformed the band in the 1980s.
    1945--ERWIN, HENRY E. (Air Mission) Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army Air Corps, 52d Bombardment Squadron, 29th Bombardment Group, 20th Air Force. Place and date: Koriyama, Japan, 12 April 1945. Entered service at: Bessemer, Ala. Born: 8 May 1921, Adamsville, Ala. G.O. No.: 44, 6 June 1945. Citation: He was the radio operator of a B-29 airplane leading a group formation to attack Koriyama, Japan. He was charged with the additional duty of dropping phosphoresce smoke bombs to aid in assembling the group when the launching point was reached. Upon entering the assembly area, aircraft fire and enemy fighter opposition was encountered. Among the phosphoresce bombs launched by S/Sgt. Erwin, 1 proved faulty, exploding in the launching chute, and shot back into the interior of the aircraft, striking him in the face. The burning phosphoresce obliterated his nose and completely blinded him. Smoke filled the plane, obscuring the vision of the pilot. S/Sgt. Erwin realized that the aircraft and crew would be lost if the burning bomb remained in the plane. Without regard for his own safety, he picked it up and feeling his way, instinctively, crawled around the gun turret and headed for the copilot's window. He found the navigator's table obstructing his passage. Grasping the burning bomb between his forearm and body, he unleashed the spring lock and raised the table. Struggling through the narrow passage he stumbled forward into the smoke-filled pilot's compartment. Groping with his burning hands, he located the window and threw the bomb out. Completely aflame, he fell back upon the floor. The smoke cleared, the pilot, at 300 feet, pulled the plane out of its dive. S/Sgt. Erwin's gallantry and heroism above and beyond the call of duty saved the lives of his comrades.
    1945--*HASTINGS, JOE R. Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Army, Company C, 386th Infantry, 97th Infantry Division. Place and date: Drabenderhohe, Germany, 12 April 1945. Entered service at: Magnolia, Ohio. Birth: Malvern, Ohio. G.O. No.: 101, 8 November 1945. Citation: He fought gallantly during an attack against strong enemy forces defending Drabenderhohe, Germany, from the dug-in positions on commanding ground. As squad leader of a light machinegun section supporting the advance of the 1st and 3d Platoons, he braved direct rifle, machinegun, 20mm., and mortar fire, some of which repeatedly missed him only by inches, and rushed forward over 350 yards of open, rolling fields to reach a position from which he could fire on the enemy troops. From this vantage point he killed the crews of a 20mm. gun and a machinegun, drove several enemy riflemen from their positions, and so successfully shielded the 1st Platoon, that it had time to reorganize and remove its wounded to safety. Observing that the 3d Platoon to his right was being met by very heavy 40mm. and machinegun fire, he ran 150 yards with his gun to the leading elements of that unit, where he killed the crew of the 40mm. gun. As spearhead of the 3d Platoon's attack, he advanced, firing his gun held at hip height, disregarding the bullets that whipped past him, until the assault had carried 175 yards to the objective. In this charge he and the riflemen he led killed or wounded many of the fanatical enemy and put 2 machineguns out of action. Pfc. Hastings, by his intrepidity, outstanding leadership, and unrelenting determination to wipe out the formidable German opposition, cleared the path for his company's advance into Drabenderhohe. He was killed 4 days later while again supporting the 3d Platoon.
    1945 – President Franklin D. Roosevelt, 63, on the 83 rd day of his fourth term, dies of a cerebral hemorrhage in Warm Springs, Georgia, with the love of his life with him (no, it wasn't Eleanor); Vice-President Harry S. Truman was sworn in as president the next day.
    1945 -Antlers, Oklahoma was leveled by an F5 tornado. 600 buildings were destroyed and 700 were damaged. 69 people were killed and 353 were injured. This disaster would have commanded national and local attention if it was not overshadowed by the death of President Roosevelt. Even nearby local newspapers had more information on the president than the tornado.
    1947-- David Letterman Birthday, born Indianapolis, Ind.http://www.intac.com/~fredman/letterman/bio.htmlhttp://www.cbs.com/latenight/lateshow//
    1950---Top Hits
If I Knew You Were Comin' I'd've Baked a Cake - Eileen Barton
Music, Music, Music - Teresa Brewer
Peter Cottontail - Gene Autry
Long Gone Lonesome Blues - Hank Williams
    1952- Buddy Morrow records “Night Train.”
http://www.buddymorrowproductions.com/
    1955-The Kansas City Athletics, transplanted from Philadelphia, opened their first season in their new home by defeating the Detroit Tigers, 6-2, at Municipal Stadium. The A's finished the year in sixth place with a record of 63-91. They never won a pennant in Kansas City and moved to Oakland after the 1967 season.
    1954 - Bill Haley and His Comets recorded "Rock Around the Clock" for Decca Records on this day. The song was recorded at the Pythian Temple, “a big, barn like building with great echo,” in New York City. "Rock Around the Clock" was formally released a month later. Most rock historians feel the tune, featured in the 1955 film "Blackboard Jungle", ushered in the era of rock 'n' roll. It hit number one on June 29, 1955 and stayed there for eight weeks, remaining on the charts for a total of 24 weeks. The record has now sold over 25,000,000 copies.
    1955- the announcement was made that a polio vaccine developed by American physician Dr. Jonas E. Salk was "safe, potent and effective." Incidence of the dreaded infantile paralysis, or poliomyelitis, declined by 95 percent following introduction of preventive vaccines. The announcement of the discovery of a vaccine against polio, was made on the ten year anniversary of the death of Franklin Delano Roosevelt from complication of the disease, his deteriorating illness kept from the public for perhaps up to two years as others ran the government. With the end of the World War II only months away, the nation and the world were stunned by the "sudden" death of the president shortly into his fourth term of office. Roosevelt, 32nd president of the US ( March 4, 1933 to April 12,1945), was the only president to serve more than two terms--- he was elected to four consecutive terms. He died in Warm Springs, Georgia with the woman he loved present(it was not Eleanor Roosevelt ).
    1957-Alan Freed's Rock 'n' Roll Easter Jubilee opens for a ten-day run at Brooklyn Paramount. Buddy Knox, Charlie Gracie and Bo Diddley are also included on the show.
    1958---Top Hits
Tequila - The Champs
He's Got the Whole World (In His Hands) - Laurie London
Book of Love - The Monotones
Oh Lonesome Me - Don Gibson
    1961-At the third annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, Ray Charles wins three trophies, including Best Pop Single for "Georgia On My Mind". Marty Robbins took home a statue for Best Country and Western Performance for "El Paso"
    1963 -- Police use dogs and cattle prods on peaceful civil rights demonstrators in Birmingham, Alabama.
    1963-- Bob Dylan performs a spectacular concert at Town Hall in New York, which is recorded for a never-released live album on Columbia
    1964 - Arnold Palmer won his fourth Masters title and became the first golfer to make career earnings of $506,496
    1966-The Atlanta Braves brought major league baseball to the South but lost their regular season opener, 3-2, to the Pittsburgh Pirates in 12 innings. The Braves finished the season in fifth place with a record of 85-77. They won the first division pennant in 1969.
    1966---Top Hits
The Ballad of the Green Berets - SSgt Barry Sadler
(You're My) Soul and Inspiration - The Righteous Brothers
Daydream - The Lovin' Spoonful
I Want to Go with You - Eddy Arnold
    1966 -- Jan Berry, who I went to University High School in Los Angeles, half of the hit making surf-rock vocal duo Jan & Dean, runs his Corvette into an parked truck on L.A.'s Whittier Boulevard. Berry suffers total physical paralysis for over a year as well as extensive brain damage which makes it nearly impossible to return to performing. They do give it a try in 1973 but are not well received. He was never the same as before the accident.
    1966---Jan Berry, the younger half of Jan and Dean was paralyzed after he ran his Corvette into a parked truck on a side street in Beverly Hills. Berry suffered total physical paralysis for over a year as well as extensive brain damage which made it impossible to return to performing. The pair started their hit streak in 1958 with "Jennie Lee" and followed with "Baby Talk", "Surf City", "Sidewalk Surfin'", "Drag City", "Dead Man's Curve", "The Little Old Lady From Pasadena" and "Popsicle". Jan's accident ended their career as hit makers, although they attempted a comeback in 1978 after the biographical movie, Dead Man's Curve, was shown on TV.(They were in the same high school as I, University High School).
    1967-Ray Piecuch, a cowboy poet from New Hampshire, completed his yearlong 3,500 mile ride across country on his horse, Bo, with a champagne celebration at Baker Beach, San Francisco.
    1967-Show:"Busted" Benefit for SF Mime Troupe
Jefferson Airplane, Grateful Dead, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Moby Grape Andrew Staples, The Loading Zone, @ Fillmore Auditorium, San Francisco
    1969--After scoring a series of instrumental hits in the early 1960s including "Walk Don't Run" and "Slaughter on Tenth Avenue", The Ventures were back on Billboard's Hot 100 for the last time with the theme from the TV show, Hawaii Five-0.
    1969-The Fifth Dimension score their first #1 and their eighth Billboard Top 40 hit with "Aquarius / Let The Sunshine In".
    1974---Top Hits
Sunshine on My Shoulders - John Denver
Hooked on a Feeling - Blue Swede
Bennie & The Jets - Elton John
A Very Special Love Song - Charlie Rich
    1981-First flight of shuttle Columbia . Two astronauts (John Young and Robert Crippen), on first manned US space mission since Apollo-Soyuz in July 1976, spent 54 hours in space (36 orbits of Earth) before landing at Edwards Air Force Base, CA, Apr 14.
    1981 - The space shuttle Columbia is launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, becoming the first reusable manned spacecraft to travel into space
    1983 -- Harold Washington is elected the first black mayor of Chicago.
    1982---Top Hits
I Love Rock 'N Roll - Joan Jett & The Blackhearts
We Got the Beat - Go-Go's
Make a Move on Me - Olivia Newton-John
Big City - Merle Haggard
    1985-The first US Senator to fly in space was Jake Garn, Republican Senator for Utah, who joined the crew of Space Shuttle Discovery as a “congressional observer” when the shuttle lifted off from Cape Canaveral, FL, on April 12, 1985. A former Navy pilot, Garn had taken several months of astronaut training. Another senator, John Herschel Glenn, Jr., of Ohio, was an astronaut in the 1960's, before he entered politics.
    1985 - Key West, Florida set a new record for April rainfall in a 24 hour period as 6.06 inches of rain were recorded, eclipsing the previous record of 6.04 inches which fell on April 29, 1941. In addition, the heavy rainfall shattered the old record for this date set back in 1931 when 1.49 inches of rain fell. 
    1987-“21 Jump Street” premiers on TV. Youthful big city cops busted crime in the local schools and colleges in this Fox police drama. Starred Johnny Depp as Tom Hanson, Holly Robinson Peete as Judy Hoffs, Dustin Nguyen as H.T. Ioki, Peter DeLuise as Doug Penhall, Frederic Forrest as Captain Jenko, Steven Williams as Captain Adam Fuller and Richard Grieco as Dennis Booker. It was one of the Fox network's early hits.
    1987 - Larry Mize, 28, hit a miracle shot -- a 140-foot chip -- to win the Masters golf title in Augusta, GA. Mize defeated Greg Norman and Severiano Ballesteros in a playoff.
    1988-- Sonny Bono succeeds in his bid to become mayor of his hometown, Palm Springs, CA.
    1989 - Twenty-two cities in the south central and eastern U.S. reported record low temperatures for the date, including Elkins WV with a low of 15 degrees, and Baton Rouge LA with a reading of 37 degrees.
    1990---Top Hits
Love Will Lead You Back - Taylor Dayne
I'll Be Your Everything - Tommy Page
All Around the World - Lisa Stansfield
Hard Rock Bottom of Your Heart - Randy Travis
    1993--- The Grateful Dead sang the US national anthem before the San Francisco Giants' home opener.
    1996-The Detroit Red Wings set a National Hockey League record by winning their 61 st regular season game, 5-3, over the Chicago Blackhawks. The previous record was held by the 1976-77 Montreal Canadiens. Detroit finished the season with 62 wins, 13 losses and 7 ties.
    1996 - Duluth, Minnesota recorded 1.7 inches of snow on this day to raise its seasonal snowfall total to 132.8 inches -- its snowiest winter on record. The old record was 131.6 inches set back in 1949-50.
    2000- In San Francisco, the North Beach Playground and Pool was renamed the Joe DiMaggio North Beach Playground and Pool. The Recreation and park Commission voted 20 years earlier to rename the park after DiMaggio.
    2008 -- With her latest single, "4 Minutes," Madonna beats Elvis as the artist with the most al-time Top Ten Hits on the Billboard charts (37).
    2010 - One-inch diameter hail falls in Fresno, CA. Two condominiums are destroyed by thunderstorms in California's San Joaquin Valley. Up to three funnel clouds were also seen in the region.

NbA Finals Champions This Date

    1954-Minneapllis Lakers
    1958—St. Louis Hawks