March Up 18% from February Reports ELFA MLFI-25
    2018 1st Quarter 23.5B Compared to $21.0B in 2017

(Chart: Leasing News)

The Equipment Leasing and Finance Association’s (ELFA) Monthly Leasing and Finance Index (MLFI-25), which reports economic activity from 25 companies representing a cross section of the $1 trillion equipment finance sector, showed their overall new business volume for March was $9.1 billion, up 2 percent year-over-year from new business volume in March, 2017. Volume was up 18 percent month-to-month from $7.7 billion in February. Year

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(Chart: ELFA)

Receivables over 30 days were 2.00 percent, up from 1.60 percent the previous month and up from 1.40 percent the same period in 2017. Charge-offs were 0.51 percent, up from 0.28 percent the previous month, and down from 0.68 percent in the year-earlier period.

Credit approvals totaled 75.2 percent in March, up from 74.2 percent in February. Total headcount for equipment finance companies was up 0.3 percent year over year. During 2017, headcount was elevated due to acquisition activity at an MLFI reporting company.

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(Charts: ELFA)

 

 

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New Hires/Promotions in the Leasing Business
and Related Industries

Rebecca Chandler has joined North Star Leasing, Boston, Massachusetts/Burlington, Vermont, as Chief Operating Officer. Previously, she was Special Projects Consultant, Bankwell (October, 2017 - March, 2018); Chief Financial Officer, Nations Equipment Finance (November, 2010 - April, 2017); Vice President, Finance, Tower Three Partners (July, 2009 - November, 2010); Sr. Financial Analyst, FirstLight Financial Corporation; Finance Manager, Private Equity, GE Asset Management (2005 - 2007); Project Accountant, GE Commercial Finance (2002 - 2005); Supervising Sr. Staff Accountant, KPMB, LLP (1999 - 2003). Education: Trinity College of Vermont. B.S., Accounting (1995 - 1999). https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-chandler-7b79b87/

Barb Chiavelli was hired as Commercial Finance, Repo Rig - StarFire Finance, Greater New York Area. She is located in Carmel, New York. She continues as Independent Commercial Finance Consultant (February, 2013 – Present). Previously, she was Marketing Manager, Centra Funding, LLC. (November, 2017 - April, 2017); Commercial Finance Consultant, Ascentium Capital (February, 2014 - not listed); Owner, Starfire Financial (2013 – January, 2014); Commercial Finance Professional, Commercial Finance (May 2012 – February 2013); Commercial finance consultant, Quail Capital (August 2010 – April 2012); Equipment leasing, MT Corporation (June 2003 – March 2006). Certifications: Paralegal, NY, License Certificate. Volunteer Experience & Causes: Grants for emergency vet care - Cruelty Reporting, Animal Rescue, Animal Welfare. Education: Sobelsohn, Paralegal Certificate, Law (1986 – 1999), Paralegal studies.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/barb-chiavelli/

Andrew Eller, CLFP, was promoted to Vice President, Operational Risk Management, First American Equipment Finance, Fairport, New York. He joined the firm May, 2011, as Sales Support Intern; promoted August, 2013 as Assistant Vice President, Finance; promoted June, 2015, Assistant Vice President and Assistant Controller; promoted Assistant Vice President, April, 2017. Prior, he was Auditor, Deloitte (December, 2011 - August, 2013); Sales Support Intern, First American Equipment Finance (May, 2011 - December, 2011); Player Personnel Intern, Arena Football League (January, 2008 - September, 2008); Player Personnel Intern, Buffalo Bills (June, 2007 - September, 2007); Athletic Department Intern, St. John Fisher College (September, 2006 - January, 2007). Association: Certified Leasing and Finance Professional Foundation, Member of Board of Directors (2015 - Present); Secretary, January, 2017. Education: St. John Fisher College, MBA, Accounting (2010 - 2011); St. John Fisher College, BS, Sports Management (2003 - 2007). https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-eller-mba-clfp-48635b29/

Kenneth Evans was hired as Business Development Officer of Key4Green, Key Equipment Finance, Superior, Colorado. He is based in Saratoga Springs, New Year. "Key4Green is designed to help companies finance energy efficient and renewable equipment to optimize cash flow by introducing cost reductions and lower expenses related to repair and maintenance of outdated equipment. The Key4Green team works alongside companies to identify possible tax credits, rebates, grants, or other financial advantages that might be available." Prior, he was Partner and Director of Finance, ReWire Group (September, 2014 - April, 2018); Business Development Executive, Global Accounts, S&P Capital IQ (October, 2010 - September, 2014); Consultant, Envisonetics, LLC (January, 2008 - October, 2010); Vice President, Financial Sponsors Group, Deutsche Bank (July, 2000 - January, 2008); Vice President, Project Finance, Greenwich Partners (July, 1998 - July, 2000); Associate, Fixed Income Research, BlackRock (January, 1997 - July, 1998); Analyst, Municipal Finance, First Albany Corp (July, 1994 - June, 1997). Education: Union College, Bachelor's Degree, Economics. Activities and Societies: Captain of varsity basketball team (4-year letter winner) Sigma Chi Fraternity. Shenendehowa High School.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kennethhevans

Cameron Fisher was promoted to Business Development Executive, GreatAmerica Financial Services, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He joined the firm September, 2015, as Vendor Relationship Manager.  Previously, he was Customer Support Administrator, Collabrance, LLC (October, 2014 - September, 2015); Wireless Consultant, Z Wireless (June, 2013 - August, 2014).  Education: Linn-Mar High School, High School Diploma (2007 - 2011). https://www.linkedin.com/in/cameron-fisher-8b6b95104/

Kyle Horsford was hired as Commercial Lender, CH Brown, LLC, Amarillo, Texas.  Education: West Texas A&M University, Agriculture Business & Economics.  https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-horsford-a16200161/

Robert Gordon "Gordy" Iler, Jr. was hired as National Sales Manager, Summit Funding Group, Mason, Ohio. Previously, he was Senior Financial Sales Executive, IBM Global Financial (November, 1998 - April, 2018); Financial Services Sales Rep, Mainline Financial Services (2008 - 2009); Senior Financial Sales Executive, IBM Global Financing (1998 - 2008).  Education:  University of Southern California. Bachelor of Science, Business Administration/Finance/Marketing (1978 - 1982).
https://www.linkedin.com/in/gordy-iler-7ab7258/

Ed Maron was hired as Senior Vice President, New Business Development, Huntington Business Finance, a division of Huntington National Bank, Columbus, Ohio.    He is located in Boston, Massachusetts. Previously, he was Senior Vice President, RBS Citizens Asset Finance (May, 2014 - April, 2018); Managing Director and Principal, Middlesex Capital Corporation (2011 - April, 2014); Vice President, AIG (2012 - 2014); Director, Advisory Service Group, Key National Finance (2008 - 2011); Director, UBS Investment Bank (2006 - 2008); Managing Director, BTMU Capital Corporation (2004 - 2006); Director, Dexia Credit Local (2002 - 2004); Director, Pricewater/House/Coopers/Dexia (2000 - 2004); Vice President, Fleet Capital Corporation (1997 - 2000); Director of Leasing, Leasing Solutions (1992 - 1997); Regional Marketing Manager, Enterprise Computer Services (1990 - 1991); Commercial Loan Officer, Essexbank (1983 - 1985). Education: Northeastern University, Master, Business Administration; Finance (1981 - 1983). Providence College. Bachelor of Science, Biology (1976 - 1980). received full tuition scholarship.  Continuing Education: Chartered Financial Analyst. Successfully completed Level 1. Registered General Securities Representative. Series 7, Series 63.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/edward-maron-374b1b21/

Jennifer Martin was promoted to Vice President, Originations, Key Equipment Finance, Albany New York. She joined the firm in 1995 as Originations Manager, Key Equipment Finance; promoted  February, 2007, Communications Chair for Key4Women Capital Regional Steering Committee; promoted, August, 2013, Senior Project Manager; Promoted, June, 2014, VP, Vendor Program Development and Originations Control.  Education: Certified Six Sigma Green Belt (May, 2014). College at St. Rose, Psychology 2001 - 2003).  South Colonie (1987 - 1991). https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenmartinkef/

Darren Schulman was promoted to President, 6th Avenue Capital, New York City. He joined the firm March, 2017, as Chief Operating Officer. Previously, he was Chief Operating Officer, CAPIFY (November, 2009 - March, 2017); President/CFO, MRS Associates (May, 2003 - May, 2010); Independent Consultant (November, 2002 - May, 2003); Chief Operating Officer, Connecticut Bank of Commerce (March, 2002 - January, 2003); EVP and Board Member, MTB Bank (March, 1983 - March, 2002). Community Service: Volunteer: President, 2007 - 2009, currently volunteering in different positions.  Temple Emanu-EL of Westfield (July, 2007 - Present).  Education: City University of New York, Brooklyn College. BS, Accounting.  Activities and Societies: State of New York Award Winner. https://www.linkedin.com/in/darrenschulman/

Jeremy Smith was hired as Senior Vice President, New Business Development, for Huntington Equipment Finance, a division of Huntington National Bank, Columbus, Ohio.  He is located in Chicago, Illinois. Previously, he was Managing Director, Originations, PNC (2016 - 2018); Executive Director, Senior Territory Manager, Originations, J.P. Morgan (2011 - 2016); Business Development Officer, Citizens Commercial Banking (2007 - 2011); Portfolio Manager, Fifth Third Bank (2005 - 2007). Education: DePaul, University. BS, Finance. https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremy-smith-2096a713/

Kalah Sprabeary was hired as Director of Business Operations, HUB Funding Solutions. She is based in Lubbock, Texas. Previously, she was Vice President of Business Development, Madison Capital, LLC. (October, 2017 - April, 2018); Account Manager, West Texas and New Mexico, Capital Asset Resources (December, 2016 - October, 2017); Realtor, Listing Specialist, The AMP Team/Keller Williams Realty (May, 2015 - October, 2017); Managing Partner, State Line Equipment Leasing (September, 2013 - December,2016).  Community Service: Volunteer: Committee Member, Next Gen - LAR (February, 2013).  Committee Co-Chair, United Way of Lubbock (December, 2012 - Present).  Committee Chair, United Way of Lubbock (December, 2011 - December, 2012). Campaign Committee, Professional Division, United Way of America (December, 2010 - December, 2011).  Education: Texas Tech University.  Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) English Language, Literature. General. https://www.linkedin.com/in/kalah-sprabeary-53068057/

Travis Teal has joined Madison Capital Owings Mills, Maryland as Vice President and National Sales Manager "...to lead the sales team and foster a business culture consistent with the company’s successful 40-year track record and its future growth plans." Previously, he was Vice President, Business Banking Manager, Bay Bank (October, 2015 - March, 2018); AVP Branch Manager V, SunTrust Bank (June, 2014 - October, 2015); AVP Market Leader IV, BB&T (November, 2013 - June, 2014); Store Manager, Wells Fargo (January, 2008 - October, 2013). Community Service: Volunteer: Student Mentor, JA Worldwide (February, 2015 - Present).  Participate, Leadership Howard County (August, 2017).  Advisory Board Member, JA Worldwide
(February, 2015 - Present). https://www.linkedin.com/in/travis-teal/

Amy Tieu was promoted to Key4Green Specialist, Business Development, Key Equipment Finance, Superior, Colorado.  She is based in the Greater Salt Lake City Area. “Key4Green is designed to help companies finance energy efficient and renewable equipment to optimize cash flow by introducing cost reductions and lower expenses related to repair and maintenance of outdated equipment. The Key4Green team works alongside companies to identify possible tax credits, rebates, grants, or other financial advantages that might be available.” She joined the firm July, 2014, as Assistant Vice President, Commercial Banking. Previously, she was Prime Brokerage, Associate, Royal Bank of Scotland (May, 2012 - June, 2014): Operations Analyst, Goldman Sachs (May, 2009 - May, 2012). Education: University of Utah.  Bachelor of Science (BS), Mathematics. https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-tieu-8839ba61/

Alex Wall was hired as Director of Business Development, Velocity Funding Group, Melville, New York. Previously, he was ISO Manager/Business Development, Crestwood Capital Services (February, 2016 - January). https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-wall-49036312a/

Riley Whittman was hired as Senior Transaction Coordinator, Equipment Finance, Midland States Bank, Clayton, Missouri. Previously, she was at Scottrade, starting April, 2011, as Bank Customer Service Center Representative; promoted January, 2012, Service Center Bank Specialist; promoted Inside Specialist, Scottrade Bank Equipment Finance, January, 2014. Prior, she was Billing Specialist, Country Finance (January, 2010 - April, 2011). Education: Southern Illinois University, B.A., Fashion, Merchandising (2005 - 2009).  Northern Illinois University, Undecided (2004 - 2005).
https://www.linkedin.com/in/riley-wittman-58781057/

 

Leasing Industry Ads---Help Wanted
Now’s the Time to Apply

We are looking for: Account Executive Senior Account Executive National Sales Manager 2018 Interns for Sales, Operations, or Accounting What sets CoreTech apart from other equipment leasing companies is our team members and impeccable reputation. Are you unhappy with the ethics of your company and the promises made to you? Join our team, positions are available in Newport Beach, CA and remotely. To learn more, please click here www.coretechleasing.com CoreTech specializes in assisting medium to large size companies throughout various markets including: Legal, Medical, Manufacturing, Education, Corporate and Semi-Conductor Over 100 law firms trust CoreTech for their leasing needs, why wouldn't you?

 

[headlines]
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SB 1235 Still Alive, Headed for May 8th Hearing
California to Require APR Disclosures Business Loans/MCA

Steve Glazer
California State Senator

The bill was amended by its author Senator Steve Glazer-D, Contra Costa County, as noted by Tom McCurnin, Leasing News Legal Editor (1). It had a hearing on April 18, conferred again, and on April 25th, was sent by the author's amendments, read a second time and amended again after hearing from industry representatives opposing it, referred to the Judiciary Committee for a hearing on May 8th. (2)

www.debanked.com, "Leading news source for all things alternative finance. Think online lending, merchant cash advance, small business lending, Bitcoin," reported on April 18th, including a transcript and video from the hearing. including testimony from those who opposed the bill (which was reported in Leasing News Briefs in full (3).  First, Joseph Looney, COO & General Counsel, RapidAdvance, on behalf of the Small Business Finance Association (4). He testified, "The APR disclosure included in the Bill is problematic as it will create confusion. The CFPB has recently concluded the APR is confusing, does not provide as much value as thought and is extremely complicated for creditors to calculate. In fact, the CFPB is making the APR less important by moving it to the end of some disclosures and completely removing it in some cases. The APR is so complicated to calculate there are numerous pages in the Code of Federal Regulations devoted to explaining the calculation."

He concluded, "While we do not support the Bill as it imposes consumer disclosures such as the APR on small business transactions, we are supportive of the idea of providing businesses with cost disclosures."

The other quoted in the article was Katherine Fisher, Partner at Hudson Cook, LLP, on behalf of the Commercial Finance Coalition (CFC) (5). She spoke as a lawyer, "It’s important to note that SB 1235 aims at providing comparable disclosures across very different financing types. Commercial Finance Coalition members mostly engage in “accounts receivable purchase transactions.” These transactions are also known as merchant cash advance or factoring, and involve a business selling its receivables at a discount. For example, if a business’s sales go down, the business can pay less. If a business’s sales go up, the business can pay more. And if a business is burned down in a fire, the business can pay nothing until it can reopen its doors.

"SB 1235 would require disclosure of an Annual Percentage Rate (or APR).

"There are two problems with requiring an APR disclosure or even an “Estimated APR”:

"First – SB 1235 fails to address the complexity of calculating APR for different types of commercial finance transactions. This creates a significant litigation risk and minefield for finance providers making a good faith effort to disclose APR, and may stifle small business financing in California.

"Second – Requiring an Estimated APR disclosure creates an unfair disadvantage for offers of “accounts receivable purchase transactions” – or factoring. Again, these transactions are purchases, and do not need to be “paid back” unless the business has sufficient sales. Also, this disclosure could confuse a business owner who is looking for alternatives to lending. "

As noted in the deBanked.com article, the author moved forward with the bill to a May 8th hearing.

(1) California Interest Rate Bill for Commercial Loans/
  Stripped, But Still Requires APR Disclosure
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Apr2018/04_16.htm#california

(2) Today As Amended:
https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billCompareClient.xhtml?bill_id=201720180SB1235

(3) What Got Said in the California Senate Hearing About                    
       Commercial Loan Disclosures
https://debanked.com/2018/04/what-got-said-in-the-california-senate-hearing-about-commercial-loan-disclosures/

(4) “Washington, D.C.—The Small Business Finance Association (SFBA) today released its best practices for the alternative finance industry. Centered on four principles—transparency, responsibility, fairness, and security—the best practices outline the steps the industry should take to best serve its small business customers.”
http://sbfassociation.org/sbfa-best-practices-for-alterative-finance-industry/

(5) Commercial Finance Coalition Board/Service Providers
https://www.commercialfinancecoalition.com/about-cfc/

 

 

[headlines]
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LendingClub was sued for the fees it charges
— how you can avoid being overcharged

By Maria LaMagna, MarketWatch

Some businesses and consumers paid more than they expected on their loans and this week they’re seeing some repercussions for their lender.

LendingClub LC, +3.25% a company that pairs borrowers and investors for peer-to-peer lending, was sued by the Federal Trade Commission this week, after regulators said the company did not make its fees clear enough.

“We’re thankful for the federal regulator using its enforcement authorities, particularly while the CFPB has dialed that back significantly under its new leadership,” said Rebecca Borne, senior policy counsel at the Center for Responsible Lending, a nonprofit based in Durham, N.C.

Here’s what happened and how you can avoid the same unwelcome surprise on a loan:

What happened at LendingClub

The Federal Trade Commission said LendingClub lured in new customers promising “no hidden fees,” but when the consumers got their loans, “origination fees” — fees lenders sometimes charge to take out the loan — were factored into their interest rates.

LendingClub in a blog post said the company does “not agree” with the FTC on the topic and is “very disappointed that it was not possible to resolve this matter constructively with the agency’s current leadership.”

The company does explain how it charges fees on its website, on a page called “Rates & Fees,” it said. But the FTC took issue with the company saying it has “no hidden fees” in some of its company literature.

How to avoid the same fate

Some lenders, such as Marcus (part of Goldman Sachs GS, +0.45% ), SoFi and LightStream, do not charge fees, such as origination fees, on their loans, said Nick Clements, co-founder of personal-finance company MagnifyMoney. But others, including Prosper, Avant and LendingClub, do charge. In general, lenders that require higher credit scores for their borrowers also have fairly good terms, including low fees, Clements said.

How can you tell if you are being overcharged?

Pay attention to both the interest rate advertised, as well as the annual percentage rate (APR), Clements said. If they’re different, the lender is likely factoring additional fees into your annual percentage rate.

You may need to borrow more money than you expected if that’s the case, he said, because the total amount you would receive will be less than you asked for.

Research several lenders before choosing which one you want, he said. And if there are any unfamiliar terms, or any confusion about how much you’ll pay back monthly, ask.

www.marketwatch.com

 

 

Funders Looking for Broker Business
Update

To qualify for this list, the company must be a funder (as qualified by Leasing News) and on the “Funder List,” an acceptable Better Business Bureau Rating and no history of complaints at Leasing News. Also, it is their practice to notify 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.
There is no advertising fee or charge for a listing. They are “free.” Leasing News makes no endorsement of any of the companies listed, except they have qualified to be on this specific list.
We encourage companies who are listed to contact us for any change or addition they would like to make. We encourage adding further information as an "attachment" or clarification of what they have to offer would be helpful to readers.

Please send company name, contact/email or telephone number as well as a URL to attach or description to kitmenkin@leasingnews.org

Alphabetical list - click on company name to view more details

1st Enterprise Bank Leasing Advantage Funding Allegheny Valley Bank Leasing  Allstate Leasing American Leasefund, Inc. Bankers Capital  Barrett Capital Corporation Black Rock Capital Boston Financial & Equity Corp. BSB Leasing, Inc. Calfund, LLC Celtic Bank Chesapeake Industrial Leasing Co., Inc.

Cobra Capital LLC Dakota Financial  Exchange Bank Leasing (formerly Dumac Leasing) FirstLease, Inc. First Federal Leasing First Foundation Bank First Midwest Equipment Finance Financial Pacific Leasing Forum Financial Services, Inc. Gonor Funding Lease Corporation of America Madison Capital

Mesa Leasing National Equipment Finance NexTier Leasing NFS Leasing, Inc Northwest Leasing Company, Inc P&L Capital Corporation Padco Financial Services Pawnee Leasing Corporation RLC Funding Standard Professional Services, LLC Summit Leasing, Inc. TEAM Funding Solutions TimePayment Your Leasing Solution, LLC

Full Site Information:
http://www.leasingnews.org/Funders_Only/New_Broker.htm

 

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

Ascentium Capital Announces $330 Million Securitization
Ninth Securitization Since 2012/Passed $4.0 Billion Originations

Ascentium Capital issued a $330 million small ticket equipment securitization of Ascentium Equipment Receivables 2018-1 Trust.

This represents the company’s ninth securitization since 2012 and the first time a non-investment grade, independent equipment finance company received triple AAA and Aaa ratings from both Standard & Poor's and Moody’s.

Tom Depping, Chief Executive Officer, Ascentium Capital, commented, “These top ratings confirm our successful long-term business model, proprietary credit model, and commitment to risk management.”

Ratings are based on the strong financial condition of the company and consistent collateral performance that results in a stable portfolio.

Evan Wilkoff, Executive Vice President of Capital Markets, commented,  “We are very pleased with the confidence that our investors have in Ascentium Capital as further evidenced by the participation of 30 unique investors in this transaction. We will continue with our diversified funding strategy that helps maintain our strength and stability.”

 (April 13 announced surpassing $4 billion in originations since the Company's founding in August, 2011).

As a direct lender, Ascentium Capital LLC specializes in providing a broad range of financing, leasing and small business loans. The company’s offering benefits equipment manufacturers and distributors as well as direct to businesses nationwide. Ascentium Capital is backed by the strength of leading investment firm Warburg Pincus LLC. For more information, please visit www.AscentiumCapital.com.

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

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

NAELB Gets a New Name:
 American Association of Commercial Finance Brokers

Louisville, Ky., - In response to a shifting equipment finance industry, the National Association of Equipment Leasing Brokers (NAELB) announced today at its 2018 Annual Conference that the association has changed its name to the American Association of Commercial Finance Brokers (AACFB) and will launch a new brand identity and vision for supporting commercial finance brokers.

Established in 1990, the NAELB is the only member-based trade association in the equipment finance industry formed and managed by brokers, for brokers. As a resource to equipment finance brokers around the country, the association hosts several annual events for networking and education and has fostered an online community forum based on sharing experiences and mentoring new brokers in order to promote the mutual success of all members. 

Through the new name and branding, the association will continue its mission to support commercial finance brokers by modernizing the resources available to members through its membership benefits program, improving access to member directories for matching deals with funding sources, and guiding new brokers into the commercial finance industry.

Rodney Blecha, President of the Board of Directors of the NAELB, commented,  “The decision to rebrand was not taken lightly, but it grew increasingly necessary over the last few years,” explained. “NAELB Boards have been discussing changing the name and branding for years, but it was clear to the current Board that the time had come to regroup and refocus the association’s vision in order to continue delivering value to commercial finance brokers. By rebranding, we aim to reposition the association as the first stop for brokers in the modern finance industry, doubling down on our commitment to educate, prepare, and support both new and tenured commercial brokers, while remaining a valuable network through which they can match deals with funding sources.”

As the approximately $1 trillion commercial finance industry shifts with the business climate of the 21st century, successful brokers will be able to adapt to new finance regulations, utilize expanded funding products, and implement today’s technology solutions to streamline business. By implementing the name and brand change, the NAELBhas committed itself to adapt to these changes in order to deliver the highest value to its members and remain the first stop for commercial finance brokers.

###

About American Association of Commercial Finance Brokers (AACFB)
The American Association of Commercial Finance Brokers (AACFB) is the premier trade
association empowering independent commercial finance brokers. The AACFB represents the expanding interests of its growing membership by providing best practice education and networking opportunities, while promoting a culture of ethics. For more information visit: www.aacfb.org

Fernando's View
By Fernando F. Croce

A pair of bold and unsettling features (“You Were Never Really Here,” “Zama”) shake up the box-office, while DVD releases serve up affable humor (“The Disaster Artist”), ardent romance (“Call Me by Your Name”), and a screwball classic (“The Awful Truth”).

In theaters:

You Were Never Really Here (Amazon Studios): Beauty and brutality are boldly blurred in this strikingly drama from Scottish director Lynne Ramsay (“We Need to Talk About Kevin”). In a fierce, award-winning performance, Joaquin Phoenix stars as Joe, an ex-government agent who deals with combat fatigue while hiring himself out to rescue girls caught in sex-trafficking rings. His newest assignment turns out to be his deadliest, as he’s paid by a politician to save a young woman called Nina (Ekaterina Samsonov) from a secret brothel. What Joe soon realizes is that his corrupt client wants him dead after finishing the job, and he finds himself with Nina on the run from deadly henchmen. Creating an atmosphere of tangible dread, Ramsay offers an immersive thriller that seems to bleed from its protagonist’s dangerous psyche.

Zama (Walt Disney Motion Pictures): Directing her first feature in a decade, Argentinean filmmaker Lucrecia Martel (“The Headless Woman”) scores with this half-droll, half-unsettling, wholly original historical drama. Based on the acclaimed novel by Antonio di Benedetto and set in 18th-century South America, the film follows the woozy trajectory of Don Diego de Zama (Daniel Gimenez Cacho), a Spanish officer assigned with surveying the tropical colonies. Waiting patiently to be reassigned to a different outpost, he finds himself stuck in a blackly comic bureaucratic nightmare where he interacts with coquettish mistresses, sullen superiors and mysterious natives. When new orders finally arrive, Zama is send into the jungle, where dangerous rebels dwell. Featuring endlessly inventive visuals and a pointed indictment of colonialism, Martel’s film is one of the year’s true marvels. With subtitles.

Netflix Tip: Though she never achieved the level of same she deserved, Susan Anspach (1942-2018) graced many a 1970s feature with her blend of grace and flakiness. So check out Netflix for her finest movies, which include “Five Easy Pieces” (1970), “Play It Again, Sam” (1972), “Blume in Love” (1973), and “Montenegro” (1981).

On DVD:

The Disaster Artist (A24): Fondly hailed by cult audiences as one of the best “bad” movies ever made, Tommy Wiseau’s “The Room” and its making are the subject of James Franco’s behind-the-scenes comedy. Franco also stars as Wiseau, an eccentric outsider with dreams of making it big in Hollywood despite his lack of what could be charitably called traditional talent. Unable to break into Los Angeles’ mainstream movie world, he becomes obsessed with proving himself by directing his own personal masterpiece. What follows is a humorous glimpse of the many weird gaffes, lines and details that went into of “The Room,” focusing on Wiseau’s fluctuating bond with fellow struggling actor Greg Sestero (Dave Franco). Celebrating cinema and friendship, Franco’s affable film has reminded many a critic of Tim Burton’s classic “Ed Wood.”

Call Me by Your Name(Sony): A specialist in humid emotions that sneak up on the viewer, Italian director Luca Guadagnino (“A Bigger Splash”) does some of his most subtle work in this poignantly wistful romance, set in the summer of 1983. In a seaside villa in Lombardy, 17-year-old Elio Perlman (Timothee Chalamet) luxuriates in the local beauty with his family. His holiday, along with his life, is changed by the arrival of Oliver (Armie Hammer), a twentysomething medical student who comes to work with Elio’s father (Michael Stuhlbarg). Soon, Elio finds himself beguiled by the awakening of a new desire—one that grows more intense by the day. Directing a script from veteran filmmaker James Ivory, Guadagnino charts the characters’ passion with impeccable grace, aided immensely by the performances by Chalamet and Hammer.

The Awful Truth (Criterion): One of the most beloved sub-genres in classical Hollywood, the screwball comedy is perfectly embodied in this scintillating 1937 hit, which scored Leo McCarey a Best Director Oscar. The story follows the romantic fluctuations of a wealthy married couple, Jerry (Cary Grant) and Lucy (Irene Dunne), who very much doubt each other’s commitment to marital fidelity. When Jerry comes back from a supposed business trip with a suspicious tan and Lucy becomes involved with her music teacher (Ralph Bellamy), they decide to get a divorce. The two of them soon realize that they still have feelings for each other, which is a problem since they’re already in new relationships. Steered with impeccable timing by comic veteran McCarey (“Duck Soup”), Grant and Dunne are marvelous in this endlessly entertaining classic.

German Shepherd Mix
Elysian Park, North Central Shelter, Los Angeles, CA

Bella
ID#A1741836

"My name is Bella and I am a spayed female, black and tan German Shepherd Dog mix.

"The shelter thinks I am about 1 year and 2 months old.
I weigh approximately 63 pounds.

"I have been at the shelter since Feb 23, 2018."

Adoption fees include spay/neuter surgery, all animals will be sterilized prior to release.

For more information about this animal, call:
Los Angeles Animal Services - North Central Shelter at (888) 452-7381
Ask for information about animal ID number A1741836

North Central Shelter
3201 Lacy Street, Los Angeles, CA 90031 Directions
888-4LAPET1 (888-452-7381)
(213) 485-5767

Shelter Hours
Monday & Holidays: Closed
Tuesday-Saturday: 8am-5pm
Sunday: 11am-5pm

Ten Best Places to Hike with Your Dog in Los Angeles
http://dogtime.com/dog-health/general/21569-top-10-best-places-to-hike-with-your-dog-in-los-angeles

Elysian Park
A hidden spot close to downtown, this park boasts loads of grassy areas for your pup to run free. The hiking trails are leisurely and the foot traffic is generally sparse, so this is a great place to bring a dog that may be a little shy or isn’t used to vigorous exercise.

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

 

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Jim Johnson, President and CEO Since 1974
Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association
Passed Away

Jim Johnson
1939 - 2018

“Never give up. The only option is deciding how best to fight back.”

"OOIDA is mourning the loss of Jim Johnston, its resilient leader whose enduring visions secured a position on the frontlines for truckers’ rights for more than four decades. Johnston served as OOIDA president and chief executive officer since 1974. He served eight five-year terms and was currently serving his ninth term.

"From its humble beginnings in an office trailer chained to a light pole at a truck stop in Grain Valley, Jim nurtured OOIDA to its current status as the largest national organization of professional truckers in the country. The determination, strength of character and personal charisma that helped him persevere through the difficulties of OOIDA’s early years also served to make Jim an outspoken champion for the rights and well-being of all professional truckers.

"Jim was very much a full time CEO. He continued to be regularly consulted by the administration, congressional leaders and the Department of Transportation on regulatory issues affecting the trucking industry. He continued to work full time up until only days before his passing and remained dedicated to his core mission and that of the Association – fighting for the rights of truckers.

"Jim was always proud of the ability of you, our OOIDA members, to pull together and work on issues to improve the industry. We invite you to leave your comments below in tribute to this remarkable man."
    www.ooida.com/JimJohnson?

Obituary

Jim was born in Summerfield, Mass., on July 23, 1939, to Richard and Dorthea Johnston. He was raised in Davenport, Iowa.

Jim enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1956, where he worked on a ship as a boiler man. After completing his military service, Jim started his trucking career as a driver and an owner-operator. In 1969, Jim's trucking career brought him to Grain Valley. In the early 70's things were hard for truckers. Shutdowns across the country and fuel shortages made small business truckers realize they needed an association that could communicate their concerns to lawmakers. As a small business trucker himself, in 1973, Jim with the help of others, formed Owner Operator Independent Drivers Association, OOIDA. Jim was elected president of OOIDA in 1974. A title he held up until his passing at which time he was serving his ninth term. Anyone that knew Jim knew of his unrelenting commitment to small business truckers. It was his passion.

Although the world knew Jim as the president of OOIDA, we his family knew the other side of Jim. The side that had a need for speed. He liked anything with a motor. From bulldozers, tractors to boats and cars. The faster it was the more he liked it. There are many reasons his boat is named "Speedo". Jim loved spending time at Pomme De Terre Lake where he had a second home along with two additional businesses.

Anyone that had the opportunity to meet this man would all agree on one thing. Jim was the most determined man they would ever meet. They might even say that he was extremely stubborn. The word "quit" was not in his vocabulary. With that being said, Jim was the most generous man that anyone could meet. There are countless lives that he has touched. Not only was he a very successful businessman, he was an amazing family man, and a great friend. Jim will be missed by many but his legacy will continue on.

Jim is survived by his wife, Karen Johnston of the home; his brother, Chuck Johnston and his wife, Diana, of Grain Valley; their children and spouses; nieces; nephews; grandchildren; and great-grandchildren.

News Briefs----

Subway plans to close 500 more US stores
  Last Year Closed 800 Stores
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/subway-plans-500-us-store-closings-amid-global-growth/ar-AAwjBLG

Credit scores could jump 30 points this month
New standards strip all tax liens from credit reports
https://www.cnbc.com/2018/04/18/credit-scores-could-jump-30-points-this-month.html

Former HSBC exec gets 2 years in prison
   for currency scam
https://nypost.com/2018/04/26/former-hsbc-exec-gets-2-years-in-prison-for-currency-scam/

Amazon stock surges as quarterly profits double
Whole Foods — also beat analyst predictions
https://nypost.com/2018/04/26/amazon-stock-surges-as-quarterly-profits-double/

 
California Bill to create banks for cannabis businesses
    clears hurdle in Legislature
https://www.sfchronicle.com/business/article/Bill-to-create-banks-for-cannabis-businesses-12864628.php

Collection Profession Leaders Weigh in on Key Risks
   Facing Credit Execs
https://www.credittoday.net/public/Collection-Profession-Leaders-Weigh-in-on-Key-Risks-Facing-Credit-Execs.cfm

 

 

[headlines]
--------------------------------------------------------------

You May Have Missed---

The 5 Best Benefits Big 4 Firms Offer
http://www.vault.com/blog/salary-and-benefits/the-5-best-perks-big-4-firms-offer-their-staff/

 

[headlines]
--------------------------------------------------------------

Stop Action

Slowly as in an underwater dance
the shortstop dips to take the ball
on a low hop, swings back his arm, balancing
without thought, all muscles intending
the diagonal to the first baseman's glove.

As the ball leaves his hand, the action stops —
and, watching, we feel a curious poignancy,
a catch in the throat. It is not this play only.
Whenever the sweet drive is stopped
and held, our breath wells up like the rush

of sadness or longing we sometimes feel
without remembering the cause of it.
The absolute moment gathers the surge
and muscle of the past, complete,
yet hurling itself forward — arrested
here between its birth and perishing.

Written by Conrad Hilberry, published in
“Line Drives,” 100 Contemporary Baseball
Poems edited by Brooke Horvath and Tim Wales,
published by Southern Illinois University Press

[headlines]
--------------------------------------------------------------

Sports Briefs---

2018 NFL Draft first round grades
https://www.theringer.com/nfl/2018/4/26/17288060/2018-nfl-draft-grades

Woman in Reuben Foster case recants domestic violence claim
http://www.nbcsports.com/bayarea/49ers/woman-reuben-foster-case-recants-domestic-violence-claim 

The Highest-Paid MLB Players for the 2018 Season
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2772472-the-highest-paid-mlb-players-for-the-2018-season

Jon Gruden's presence felt during first practice back with Raiders
https://www.yahoo.com/sports/grudens-presence-felt-during-first-011825286.html

 

[headlines]
--------------------------------------------------------------

California Nuts Briefs---

Marin median home price up 23 percent to $1.144M
http://www.marinij.com/sanrafael

 

[headlines]
--------------------------------------------------------------

“Gimme that Wine”

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

Fast-rising Napa, Sonoma winegrape prices spill
  over into Central Coast, Oregon vineyards
http://www.northbaybusinessjournal.com/northbay/sonomacounty/8205085-181/sonoma-napa-california-oregon-wine

Napa County winegrape value hits record $750M
  with big cabernet sauvignon jump
http://www.northbaybusinessjournal.com/northbay/napacounty/8257347-181/napa-county-winegrape-value-hits

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

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

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

This Day in History

     1773-The British Parliament passes the Tea Act, a bill designed to save the faltering East India Company by greatly lowering its tea tax and thus granting it a monopoly on the American tea trade. The low tax allows the East India Company to undercut even tea smuggled out of America, and many colonists view the act as another example of taxation without representation. When three tea ships, the Dartmouth, the Eleanor, and the Beaver, arrived in Boston Harbor, the colonists demanded that the tea be returned to England. After Massachusetts Governor Thomas Hutchinson refused, Patriot leader Samuel Adams organized the so-called "Boston Tea Party" with about sixty members of the "Sons of Liberty." On December 16, 1773, the Patriots boarded the three British ships disguised as Mohawk Indians, and dumped 342 chests of tea into Boston Harbor. The destroyed tea was valued at approximately ten thousand pounds. Parliament, outraged by the Boston Tea Party and other blatant destruction of British property, enacted the Coercive Acts, also known as the Intolerable Acts, in the following year. The colonists in turn responded by calling the first Continental Congress to consider a united American resistance against the British
    1791-Birthday of American artist and inventor, Samuel Finley Breese Morse, after whom the Morse code is named, born at Charleston, MA, and died at New York ,NY, April 2, 1872. Graduating from Yale University in 1810, he went to the Royal Academy of London to study painting. After returning to America he achieved success as a portraitist. Morse conceived the head of an electromagnetic telegraph while on shipboard, returning from art instruction in Europe in 1832, and he proceeded to develop his idea. With financial assistance approved by Congress, the first telegraph line in the US was constructed between Washington, DC and Baltimore, MD. The first message tapped out by Morse form the Supreme Court Chamber of the US Capitol building on May 24, 1844, was, ‘What hath God wrought?”
    1805-The first American flag flown over a fortress of the Old World
was flown when Lieutenant Presley Neville O’Bannon of the Marines raised the colors over the Tripolitan fortress at Dama, on the north coast of Africa (now in Libya). After marching 800 km from Egypt, US agent William Eaton leads a small force of US Marines and Berber mercenaries against the Tripolitan port city of Derna. Lieutenant Presely O’ Bannon, commanding the Marines, performed so heroically in the battle that Hamet Karamanli presented him with an elaborately designed sword that now serves as the pattern for the swords carried by Marine officers. The phrase "to the shores of Tripoli" from the official song of the US Marine Corps also has its origins in the Derna campaign.
    1810 -- Ludwig van Beethoven gives the world a romantic piece for piano, with the dedication, "For Therese, as a remembrance." Nowadys nobody remembers Therese. The publisher couldn't read Beethoven's handwriting & to this day the piece is known as "Fur Elise." 
While Beethoven never married, he came very close several times, and had many loves of his life as a musician and composer. "We can only speculate upon whether it was Beethoven's intention to write the piece in the letters of the name of his beloved. The famous melody starts with the tones E - D# - E, or enharmonically E - Eb - E, which in German languages equivalents E - Es - E, the "tuneable" letters in the name ThErESE or EliSE.
http://users.sowega.net/chanhtu/furelise.html
http://www.8notes.com/scores/7063.asp
http://www.ezfolk.com/uke/tabs1/fur-elise/fur-elise.html
    1813 -- US burns captures York (today called Toronto) and then
proceeds to burn it to the ground in an unsuccessful attempt to gain control of Lake Ontario. There is the fight regarding boundaries, fishing, and as important, over 300,000 loyalist left after the revolutionary war, many to Canada where England granted land to those who opposed the revolution and assisted the British. There were still hard feelings between the two groups, as Canada was a province
of England and many believed the colonist here were still a threat.
    1816-The first tariff passed by Congress for protection rather than primarily for revenue was the “act to regulate the duties on imports and tonnage.”
    1822-Birthday of Ulysses S. Grant, 18th president of the US (Mar 4, 1869—Mar 3, 1877)., President Lincoln promoted Grant to lieutenant general in command of all the Union armies Mar 9,1864, changing the direction of the war effort.. On April 9, 1865, Grant received General Robert F. Lees surrender, at Appomattox Court House, VA, which he announced to the Secretary of War as follows: “General Lee surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia this afternoon on terms proposed by myself. The accompanying additional correspondence will show the conditions fully.” Nicknamed Unconditional Surrender Grant,” Grant was a brilliant, inventive, creative General, who did like to drink, but a controversial president, who failed in his second attempt for the presidency and reported died he died at Mount McGregor, NY, July 23, 1885,a “broken man,” four days after completing his memoirs. He was buried at Riverside Park, New York, NY, following a huge parade. Grant’s Tomb was dedicated in 1897. So now you know who is buried at Grant’s Tomb.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/apr27.html
    1825 The industrialist Robert Owen sets up Utopian Socialist Colony at New Harmony, Indiana. About 1,000 settlers were attracted to the 20,000acres made available. Dissension arose and there waas lack of dirction among those who were supposed to cooperate. Owen left in 1827. In 1828 the community ceased to exist as a Utopian enterpise.
    1825 -- The first strike for the 10-hour work-day, by carpenters in Boston.
1848 Slavery abolished in all French territories.
http://www.info-france-usa.org/atoz/overseas.asp
    1864--On his birthday, Grant officially issued orders to his armies that would lead to the end of the American Civil War. The plan called for Sherman to advance on Confederate forces through Georgia, Siegal to move through the Shenandoah Valley, Butler to advance up the James River toward Richmond and Meade to follow and engage the Army of Northern Virginia under Robert E. Lee.
    1865- The Sultana, heavily overloaded with an estimated 2,300 passengers, exploded in the Mississippi River, just north of Memphis, en route to Cairo, Illinois. Most of the passengers were Union soldiers who had been prisoners of war and were eagerly returning to their homes. Although there was never an accurate accounting of the dead, estimates range from 1,450 to nearly 2,000. Cause of the explosion was not determined, but the little-known event is unparalleled in US history.
    1865 - Actor John Wilkes Booth, the assassin of President Lincoln, was shot and killed in a barn near Port Royal, Virginia, by federal cavalrymen after they set the barn on fire. 
    1875-John McClosey was the first Catholic priest from the United States to be made a cardinal, under the title of Santa Maria supra Minervam by Pope Pius IX. The investiture was made in the cathedral on Mott street, New York City.
    1880 –Francis D. Clarke and M.G. Fooster secured a patent on a “device for aiding the deaf to hear” that made its own electricity and operated by bone conduction. The first electrical hearing aid produced commercially was the Acousticon, invenented by Miller Reese Hutchinson of New York City in 1901. The first hearing aid using transistors was manufactured by Sonotone Corporation, Elmsford, NY, and offered for sale on December 29,1942. It weighted 3.5 ounces and was three inches long.
    1892-Birthday of composer and conductor Howard Fogg, a pioneer in the composition and synchronization of film soundtracks, was born in Lewiston, Maine. Fogg spent much of his life in Montreal. In 1934, he wrote what is considered the first original composition for a Canadian film - the music for a documentary called "Rhapsody in Two Languages." Fogg died in 1953.
    1899 - In Chicago, Illinois, the Western Golf Association was founded. 
    1899 - A tornado struck Kirksville, MO, killing 34 persons and destroying 300 buildings.
    1900-Birthday of Walter Lantz, originator of Universal Studios’ animated opening sequence fro their first major musical film, The King of Jazz. Walter Lantz is best remembered as the creator of Woody Woodpecker, the bird with the wacky laugh and the taunting ways. Lantz received a lifetime achievement Academy Award for his animation in 1979. He was born at New Rochelle, NY, and died March 22, 1994, at Burbank, California.
    1903 - In Long Island, New York, Jamaica Race Track opened. Spectators included Lillian Russell and Diamond Jim Brady. 
    1904 -- Congress extends the Chinese Exclusion Act indefinitely (first passed in 1882; again in 1902 extending the act for 10 years), making it unlawful for Chinese laborers to enter the US & denying naturalized citizenship to the Chinese already here. 
    1912 -one of the worst tornado outbreaks in Oklahoma's history occurred. 16 tornadoes rated F2 or greater touched down in the state with 6 of them rated F4. 29 people were killed.
    1915-the temperature at Washington, DC hit 92 degrees, the highest ever in April. New York City hit 92 degrees as well.
    1927-Birthday of 1927 Coretta Scott King, civil rights activist, wife of Martin Luther King, Jr. 
    1931--- 100ºF (38ºC), Pahala, Hawaii (state record)
    1932--Birthday of Casey Kasem, famous countdown disc jockey.
    1932-Birthday of Maxine Brown of the country trio, the Browns, born in Samti, Louisiana. Their recordings of "The Three Bells," "Scarlet Ribbons" and "The Old Lamplighter" were big hits on both the country and pop charts in 1959 and '60. Maxine tried a solo career after the Browns broke up in 1967, but had only one minor hit.
    1938 - On Victor Records, Tommy Dorsey and his orchestra recorded "I Hadn’t Anyone ’til You", featuring Jack Leonard on vocals. 
    1939-- drummer Jerry Mercer of the Montreal-based rock group April Wine was born. Mercer replaced April Wine's original drummer, Richie Henman, in 1974. April Wine was Canada's leading touring band of the '70s, and among their hits were 1972's "You Could Have Been a Lady" and "Roller" from 1979. Their biggest international success came in the following decade when "Just Between You and Me" made number 21 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1981. April Wine also appeared with the Rolling Stones at a Toronto night club in March 1977. 
    1942 -a destructive tornado, rated F4, tracked through Rogers and Mayes counties in Oklahoma. The town of Pryor was hit squarely. 52 people were killed and damage amounted to $2.5 million.
    1944- Cuba Gooding of the '70s soul group the Main Ingredient born. Perhaps his son Cuba Gooding, Jr., is better known as an actor; Early on, he landed guest starring roles on shows like "Hill Street Blues" (1981) and "MacGyver" (1985). His first major role was in the 1991 box office surprise Boyz n the Hood (1991). He followed this success with supporting roles in major films like A Few Good Men (1992), Lightning Jack (1994) and Outbreak (1995).
In 1996, Cuba was cast as an arrogant but loyal football player in the Tom Cruise-Cameron Crowe film Jerry Maguire (1996). The film became a huge box office smash and earned Cuba an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. His "Show Me The Money" line in the movie became a nationwide catchphrase. The role elevated him to superstar status, as many of Hollywood's top producers began to "show him the money" to appear in their films.
    1947-Peter Ham of Badfinger is born. One of rock music's true talents who died way to soon.
    1948 - Kate Pierson of The B-52s is born in Weehawken, N.J. The group's biggest hits are the 1989 songs ``Love Shack'' and ``Roam,'' both of which reach No. 3 on Billboard's Hot 100. Pierson also sings backup on R.E.M.'s top 10 hit ``Shiny Happy People.'' Both bands are based in Athens, Ga.
    1949---Top Hits
Cruising Down the River - The Blue Barron Orchestra (vocal: ensemble)
Forever and Ever - Perry Como
"A" You’re Adorable - Perry Como
Candy Kisses - George Morgan
    1950 --The modern state of Israel is officially recognized by the British government.
    1951-Birthday of Ace Frehley, former lead guitarist with the theatrical rock group Kiss, was born in New York. Kiss, known for their painted faces and extravagant on-stage antics, was one of the biggest-selling acts of the 1970's. Frehley was recruited for the band through an ad in The Village Voice. The critics almost unanimously panned Kiss's heavy-metal thudding, but their albums sold in the millions. Frehley left Kiss in 1983.
    1956 - At age 31, Rocky Marciano, undefeated in 49 professional bouts (43 knockouts and six title defense), announced his retirement as World Heavyweight Boxing Champion.
    1956- Capitol Records signs Gene Vincent, intending to market him as the next Elvis; "Be-Bop-a-lula." http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xdid7_gene-vincent-be-bop-alula_music
    1957-- Elvis makes his second and last appearance outside of the US, wearing his classic gold lame suit for the last time as he plays Toronto's Maple Leaf Gardens.
    1957---Top Hits
Little Darlin’ - The Diamonds
All Shook Up - Elvis Presley
Mama Look at Bubu - Harry Belafonte
Gone - Ferlin Husky
    1959 - "Personality", by Lloyd Price was released. From the 1950s to the early 1960s, Price had 10 songs on the nation’s pop music charts.
    1959 - Sheena Easton is born in Bellshill, Scotland. Her biggest hit is ``Morning Train (Nine to Five),'' which tops Billboard's Hot 100 for two weeks in 1981.
    1959-- Lloyd Price single "Personality" is released. 
    1963-- Martha and the Vandellas had their first entry on the Billboard rhythm-and-blues chart, "Come and Get These Memories." Three months later, the Motown group would have its biggest hit, "Heat Wave."
    1963-- Little Peggy March's "I Will Follow Him" hits #1 
    1964-John Lennon's "In His Own Write," a collection of funny poems and drawings, is published in the U.S.
    1965---Top Hits
Game of Love - Wayne Fontana & The Mindbenders
Mrs. Brown You’ve Got a Lovely Daughter - Herman’s Hermits
I Know a Place - Petula Clark
This is It - Jim Reeves
    1968-US Vice President Hubert announces his candidacy for the Democratic presidential nomination. In an interview, he said he supported the current US policy of sending troops "where required by our own national security." On 31 March 1968, President Lyndon B. Johnson, frustrated with his inability to reach a solution in Vietnam, announced that he would neither seek nor accept the nomination of his party for re-election. This set up a contest for the Democratic nomination. Humphrey's main competition was Senator Eugene McCarthy [ (D-Minnesota), who had come within a few hundred votes of beating Lyndon Johnson in the New Hampshire primary. Robert Kennedy had entered the race and won most of the Democratic primaries until he was assassinated in June. When the Democratic National Convention opened in Chicago in August, a conflict immediately erupted over the party's Vietnam platform. While demonstrations against the war took place in the streets outside the convention hall, Humphrey won the party nomination. He was ultimately defeated in the general election by Republican Richard Nixon, who criticized the Johnson's handling of the war and ran on a platform of achieving "peace with honor" in Vietnam.
    1968-Jimmy Ellis won a 15-round decision over Jerry Quarry to capture the heavyweight championship. This fight at Oakland, CA, was the final in an eight-man elimination tournament to select a champion to replace Muhammad Ali, form whom the title was stripped.
    1968-Simon & Garfunkel's "Mrs. Robinson" is released. It is from
the soundtrack of “The Graduate.”
    1969-Joe Cocker makes his American debut on the "Ed Sullivan Show" before embarking on a tour.
    1970-The Civic Center branch of Surety National Bank became the first bank to be fully automated opened in Los Angeles, CA. It contained six telestations equipped with closed-circuit television and monitored by a teller. A “validator” provided instant validation of checks by code rather than by signature. A money machine dispensed cash in an envelope. This was well before ATM’s. Not known what
happened to Surety National Bank. 
    1973---Top Hits
Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree - Dawn featuring Tony Orlando
Sing - Carpenters
The Cisco Kid - War
Superman - Donna Fargo
    1974- Waylon Jennings's first number-one single, "This Time," entered the country charts in the US.
    1975-Saigon is encircled by North Vietnamese troops.
    1976 - Maxine Nightingale was awarded a gold record for the single, "Right Back Where We Started From", which spent 2 weeks at #2. In the early 1970s, Nightingale was in the productions of "Hair", "Jesus Christ Superstar", "Godspell" and "Savages". 
    1976--- Bruce Springsteen's meteoric career rise is stalled when he sues manager Mike Appel for fraud and breach of contract, keeping him from performing or recording for over a year.
    1976 ---: After years of alleged physical and verbal abuse, and having left over the Fourth of July with nothing but pocket change and a gas station credit card, Tina Turner files for divorce from her husband of sixteen years, Ike.
    1979-Stevie Wonder makes a surprise appearance at a Duke Ellington tribute concert at UCLA's Royce Hall. He performs "Sir Duke and Ellington's "C-Jam Blues." 
    1980-Three years and a day after opening its doors, New York's legendary disco, Studio 54 shuts down due to numerous questionable activities. Several movies about the club and its attendees will make it appears the club was open for longer, but it was not.
    1981---Top Hits
Kiss on My List - Daryl Hall & John Oates
Morning Train (Nine to Five) - Sheena Easton
Being with You - Smokey Robinson
A Headache Tomorrow (Or a Heartache Tonight) - Mickey Gilley
    1981-Xerox introduces its STAR 8010 information system, the first computer on the market to boast a mouse and a point-and-click interface. The STAR was based on cutting-edge work at Xerox's Palo Alto Research Center, which had developed a graphic user interface using a mouse for a machine called the Alto. The mouse, first demonstrated in 1968 by Douglas Engelbart of the Stanford Research Institute, would not catch on until the Apple Macintosh was introduced in 1984. Xerox devoted nine years and some $50 million to developing the STAR, but the product failed, partly because of its high price of $16,500, It had no easy language to learn and no spreadsheet capabilities, and one of the major developers Alan Kay went on to Atari and then to Apple, to help in development of its computer.
384 KB (expandable to 1.5MB) of real memory 
10, 29 or 40 MB hard drive 
17-inch display 
mouse 
8" floppy drive 
Ethernet connection
http://www.digibarn.com/collections/systems/xerox-8010/index.html
http://www.thocp.net/hardware/xerox_star.htm
http://xeroxstar.tripod.com/index.html
    1986 - No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit: ``Addicted to Love,'' Robert Palmer. This is Palmer's first No. 1 single.
    1987 - Forty-two cities in the western and south central U.S. reported record high temperatures for the date. The afternoon high of 87 degrees at Olympia WA was an April record, and highs of 92 degrees at Boise ID, 95 degrees at Monroe LA, and 96 degrees at Sacramento CA tied April records. (The National Weather Summary) More than 300 daily temperature records fell by the wayside during a two week long heat wave across thirty-four states in the southern and western U.S. Thirteen cities established records for the month of April.
    1988 - observers at the Mount Washington Observatory in New Hampshire reported over 7 feet of snowfall in a 10 day period, bringing their total for April to 89.9 inches. This set a new record for April snowfall on the mountain breaking the old standard of 89.3 inches set in 1975. Records have been kept on the summit since December of 1932.
    1989 -severe thunderstorms struck Omaha, Nebraska. Hail up to 4.5 inches in diameter fell. 3 inches of rain in a relatively short period of time caused flooding of streets with 3 feet of water reported at some intersections.
    1989---Top Hits
Like a Prayer - Madonna
Funky Cold Medina - Tone Loc
I’ll Be There for You - Bon Jovi
The Church on Cumberland Road - Shenandoah
    1990 - Thunderstorms produced severe weather in eastern Texas and the Lower Mississippi Valley. Severe thunderstorms spawned thirteen tornadoes in Texas and twelve in Louisiana. A tornado southwest of Coolidge TX injured eight persons and caused more than five million dollars damage. There were also eighty-five reports of large hail and damaging winds, with baseball size hail reported at Mexia TX and Shreveport LA. Forty-three cities in the eastern U.S. reported record high temperatures for the date. Records highs included 94 degrees at Charleston WV, 95 degrees at Baltimore MD and96 degrees at Richmond VA.
    1994-The first criminal convicted on the evidence of DNA matching was Timothy W. Spencer, who died in the electric chair in Greensville Correctional Center, Greensville, VA. Spencer was convicted of murdering four women in Richmond, VA, in 1987. DNA from his cells were matched with DNA found in evidence at the scene of the crime, a process also known as genetic fingerprinting.
    1995- The US Justice Department files an antitrust suit to block Microsoft from buying Intuit, makers of the popular Quicken financial software, for $2.1 billion. The suit argued that financial software was one of the only remaining software sectors not dominated by Microsoft. Intuit dominated about 70% of the personal finance software segment, while Microsoft Money held only 22%. Microsoft voluntarily abandoned the merger in May.Of all the products developed by Microsoft to date, Microsoft Money never took off compared to Quicken.
    1995- Ross Glatzer, president of Prodigy Services Co., the leader of the pack on the Internet, quits amid tension between parent companies IBM and Sears. IBM reportedly wanted more power over the online venture, which had just started showing signs of profitability. The two companies had invested $1 billion in the venture since 1985. In March, Prodigy's second-in-command, Scott Kurnit, left the company to join MCI's new Internet venture. The company continued to struggle after Glatzer's departure. In 1996, Prodigy's management purchased the company and began transforming it into an Internet service provider.
    1996-- Barry Bonds, joins his father and godfather, becoming only the fourth major leaguer to hit 300 homers and swipe 300 bases as he homers for the Giants' in a 6-3 victory over the Marlins. Bobby Bonds, Willie Mays and Andre Dawson are the only other 300-300 players. 
    2000 ---Sixteen players of the Tigers and White Sox are suspended for a total of 82 games for participating in two brawls at Comiskey Park five days ago making it the most severe punishment ever given for a bench-clearing incident. Both managers, Phil Garner and Jerry Manuel, are suspended for eight games each.
    2011 - An estimated 305 tornados between the 27th and 28th sets a record for the largest outbreak ever recorded, including two EF-5s, four EF-4s and 21 EF-3s. Arkansas through Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, southern Tennessee, Virginia to Pennsylvania and New York were all affected. An estimated 300 died including 210 in Alabama alone. This brought the April total past 600, the most in any month in recorded US weather history.
    2011--Rod Stewart was honored at the 28th annual ASCAP Pop Awards in Los Angeles for the string of hits he wrote in the 1970s that included "Maggie May", "You Wear It Well", "Tonight's The Night" and "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy".