Longtime Friend of Leasing Passes Away
Past President United Association of Equipment Leasing

George J. Davis, II
May 3, 1950 - July 29, 2016
(Photo: 1999 “Newsline”)

From Bob Rodi, longtime friend:

"George J. Davis, II, Fortune Financial, Inc., Bend, Oregon, was hospitalized with a disease that took the physicians a while to figure out, Creutzfeld-Jakob Disease or CJD. Reportedly, it only afflicts 300 people in the US every year. It is that rare. He passed 4:30 Friday morning and his wife, Karen, called me. Because the disease is so rare, they were literally going to ship his body to Portland to study his brain in an attempt to learn what caused it. Currently there is no cure for this.

"The really strange thing is that there have been two cases of this in Bend, Oregon, of all places, in the past year. He had an MRI on or about June 6, was admitted 5 days later and 5 weeks later he was dead.

"His wife Karen asked me to inform his friends as they were not going to have a service, and planned to have him cremated with ashes spread to some of their favorite places. I showed her what I had written, which is what she wanted. George was my friend for 30 years. He was a good guy, but an even better human being. Least I could do is give him a heartfeltsendoff.
“It is more a celebration of his life than a story about his death, which is the way he would have wanted it:

"It is with great sadness that I report the passing of George J Davis II, Fortune Financial, Bend, Oregon. George was born May 3, 1950 and he passed peacefully this past Friday, July 29, 2016. George is survived by his wife of 42 years, Karen Davis, who was affectionately known to his many friends in the leasing industry by 'Lovey', which was George’s nickname for her.

"George was like the guy in the Dos Equis commercial. He was an interesting man in the room, primarily because of the life he led prior to the getting into the equipment leasing business. George was born in the Portland, Oregon in 1950. His family later moved to Washington State. To this day, he is one of the youngest people in the history of the State of Washington to become an Eagle Scout, a goal which he achieved at the age of 15. George went on to attend Colorado College, where he earned his undergraduate degree in finance and accounting. While attending college in Colorado Springs, George worked at the Broadmoor, a Five Star resort, in Colorado Springs. During his tenure at the Broadmoor, George began as a waiter, and was eventually trained as a sommelier, which led to his expertise as a wine connoisseur. He also made the best Caesar Salad, tableside, in the true tradition of a 5 star resort.

"After graduating from Colorado College, George went on to earn his Master’s degree in International Business Management from the prestigious Thunderbird University, Phoenix, Arizona. In order to earn his degree at Thunderbird, George was required to deliver his Master’s Thesis in French, which he spoke rather fluently. George also spoke French quite fluently. His Spanish language skills were always valuable for conversing with golf course maintenance crews at the many Western Association of Equipment Lessors\United Association of Equipment Leasing (UAEL) Golf Tournaments in which he participated.

"After graduating from Thunderbird, George worked for the US State Department, joining the Foreign Service where he was dispatched to Costa Rica to work on the Costa Rican Rural Electrification Project. During his tenure in Costa Rica, George had the opportunity to learn about coffee and tobacco, both of which were grown prolifically on the Island nation. After his tenure with the Foreign Service was completed, George returned to the States and owned a small group of tobacco and liquor stores, which he subsequently sold. He then did a short stint in the banking business.

"He founded Fortune Financial, circa 1980. He was the quintessential 'one man shop' for the 35 years that he was in business specializing in niche transactions that paralleled his life experiences such as leasing coffee roasters and espresso machines. He also leased chicken coops, trash receptacles, covers for 'gondola' cars on trains carrying grain and coal, irrigation systems and many other types of equipment.

"George also gave back to the industry in many ways. He was a board member for UAEL and ascended the chairs to serve as President of UAEL in 1999. He was one of the founders of CLP Foundation and was instrumental in its growth and development, serving on the Certified Leasing Professional Foundation Board and as its president in 2003. He was a fixture at UAEL conferences for more than 25 years and remained active in the leasing business up until the time of his passing last week.

"Most importantly George leaves behind many friends in the industry. Taken from us at 66, much too young, his quick with and kind manner will be sorely missed. He was a friend to everyone yet an enemy to no one which is a claim that not many of us can make.

"Rest in Peace, George. I will miss you.”

Bob Rodi
brodi@franfund.com
VP Credit and Risk Management
FranFund, Inc.

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 New Hires/Promotions in the Leasing Business
and Related Industries

Brian Doherty, CSM, is now Managing Partner, World Bridge Partners of Cleveland, Ohio. He is a well-known Leasing & Equipment Finance Recruiter.  Previously, he was owner of Sales Consultants of Broadview Heights (August, 1996-July, 2016); Manager/Executive Recruiter Management Recruiters International  (June, 1982 – August, 1996). Education: Cleveland State University, BSBA, Marketing (1975 – 1979).
https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-doherty-csm-4b611711

Matt Franklin was hired as Vice President at Nations Equipment Finance; based out of the Greater Atlanta area, "...responsible for growing NEF’s lease and loan origination activities in the Southeastern U.S."  Previously, he was Director, Southeast Originations, NXT Capital (August, 2013 – May, 2016); Director, Southeast, Capital Equipment Finance, CIT (June, 2012 – August, 2013); VP, Business Development, AIG Commercial Asset Finance, AIG (April, 2007 – June, 2012); Vice President,  Director of Sales, Synovus Capital Finance, Synovus Financial (2001 – 2007); VP, Product Manager, The CIT Group (2000 – 2001); VP Business Development, Transamerica (1999 – 2000); Account Executive, GE Capital (1995 – 1999); VP, Portfolio Management, American Finance Group (1989 – 1995). Honors: Eagle Scout.  Education: Southern Methodist University, Cox School of Business, BBA, Finance (1983 – 1986). Activities and Societies: Sigma Chi Fraternity. Harvard University, Math, Statistics, and Social Research. Activities and Societies: Graduate Study at Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-franklin-13bb3311

Julie Murphy was hired as Vice President Marketing at Commercial Credit Group Inc.; based out of Charlotte, North Carolina.  Previously, she was Director of Competition & Production, Charlotte Roller Girls (July, 2015-July, 2016); Director of Marketing, Okuma America Corporation (December, 2008 – July, 2016); Director of Marketing, Cronatron Welding Systems/Lawson Products (July, 2006 – November, 2008); Brand Manager, Imre Communications (July, 2004 – June, 2005); Strategic Marketing & Brand Manager, Louisiana-Pacific Corporation (August, 1999 – July, 2004); Product Manager, Barnhardt Manufacturing (November, 1994 – August, 1999). Certifications: CMM, Association of Strategic Marketing (February, 2011 – December, 2012). Organizations: Women in Manufacturing, Conference Planning Committee member, starting September, 2014. Organizations: Non-profit experience: South Elementary School PTA (President, Membership Chair), Brawley Middle School PTA (Communications/PR Chair), Lake Norman High School Band Boosters (President, Vice President, Communications/PR Chair), Plaza-Midwood Neighborhood Association (President, Committee Chair) Charlotte Ad Club. Education: University of North Carolina at Charlotte, MBA, Marketing (1991 – 1996); Miami University, BS, Marketing (1982 – 1986). Activities and Societies: Student Advertising Club Sorority VP & Pledge Trainer Resident Assistant.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jmurphymktgqueen

Chuck Sharbrough was promoted to Senior Vice President, Senior Sales Manager, Specialty Markets, Wells Fargo Equipment Finance, Irvine, California. He joined the bank 2012 as Territory Manager. He started his career at GE Capital, 1995, rising to Vice President, Senior Account Representative when promoted in 2000 to Senior Vice-President, Region Sales Manager; 2010, promoted to Senior Vice President, National Cross Sell Leader, leaving after 17 years on May, 2012. Education: California State University-Long Beach, Bachelor of Arts, Organizational and Behavioral Communications.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/chuck-sharbrough-45455717

Frank Stellato was hired as Sales Executive, CSG Financial; based in the Greater Boston area. "(He)...will be responsible for new lease originations within the office technology space while developing relationships with manufacturers, dealers, and end users."  He began his career in 1998 in sales for Northern Business Machines, promoted to Senior Sales Executive. Education: Education: Emerson College, BFA, Film/Cinema/Video Studies, Film and Media (1975 – 1978). Beverly High School (1970 – 1973).
https://www.linkedin.com/in/frank-stellato-51a0943

Rennee Waun was promoted to Vice President, Portfolio Services, Financial Pacific Leasing, a subsidiary of Umpqua Bank, Federal Way, Washington.  She joined FinPac November, 1996, and is very well respected by her peers.  She began her career in the industry as Collections Manager, GreenTree Financial (1987-1996).
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rennee-waun-243b9a18

 

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

Element Adds New Truck and Equipment Team Members,
Promotes Long-Time Employees

SPARKS, Md.,– Element Financial Corporation (EFN: TSX), one of North America's leading fleet management and equipment finance companies, today announced the expansion of its Fleet Management Truck and Equipment team: Don Davis, regional vice president, Southwest, Truck Sales; Jeff Holtshopple, regional vice president, West, Truck Sales; Larry Galasso, regional vice president, Northeast, Truck Sales; and Don Bailey, residual value manager.

Element also bolstered the Truck & Equipment team by promoting Naeem Morris to regional vice president, Midwest, Truck Sales; Steve Byrd, CTP, to manager, Truck Services, Paola Bennett, manager, Business Development and Brad Hewitt, vice president, National Accounts.

"The expanded Element Fleet Truck and Equipment team puts together a group of talented industry veterans who will continue delivering and empowering extraordinary results for our clients," said Mike Quimby, general manager, Truck and Equipment.

More on the new hires and promotions:

• Don Davis, Regional Vice President, Southwest, Truck Sales
  New to Element, Don Davis has more than 25 year’s experience in the transportation finance / fleet management industry that includes UPS, Penske, Ryder and Element Commercial Vendor Finance. He will be based in the Dallas/Fort Worth area and is a graduate of Texas A&M University.

• Jeff Holtshopple, Regional Vice President, West, Truck Sales
  Also new to the Element team, Jeff Holtshopple brings over 20 years of finance industry experience, including stints at Capital One Equipment Finance and Citizens Business Bank. Based in California, he holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Wisconsin Madison.

• Larry Galasso, Regional Vice President, Northeast, Truck Sales
  Larry Galasso brings over two decades of industry experience to Element, include time spent working for Ryder System and Lily Transportation. Responsible for the Northeast region, Galasso is based out of New Hampshire.

• Don Bailey, Residual Value Manager
  Don Bailey brings extensive analytical and strategic financial planning experience to the Element team. He most recently worked for Penske and prior to that, served the U.S. Air Force as a MSgt (retired) during which time he earned several certifications, including a General Electric Six Sigma Green Belt.

•  Naeem Morris, Regional Vice President, Midwest, Truck Sales
  Naeem Morris spent the last two years as senior vice president, Sales at GE Capital Fleet Services (now Element Fleet Management) managing high profile clients with an impressive 100 percent retention rate. Prior to that role, he worked at a variety of automotive financing companies including Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and Daimler Truck Financial. Based in Chicago, Morris is completing his MBA at DePaul University.

• Steve Byrd, CTP, Manager, Truck Services
  Steve Byrd has over three decades of transportation experience, with 10 years working at Element. Based in Colorado, he is an active member of many industry organizations including the Technology and Maintenance Council and the National Private Truck Council. Byrd holds the distinction of Certified Transportation Professional® (CTP).

• Paola Bennett, Manager, Business Development
  As manager of Business Development, Paola Bennett will focus on assisting the team in the growth and maintenance of key accounts and manage the efforts of streamlining the reporting and data collection. An Element employee for four years, she previously served with the Strategic Consulting organization. Bennett is based in Fort Lauderdale and earned her MBA from Florida Atlantic University.

• Brad Hewitt, Vice President, National Accounts
  Brad Hewitt has worked in truck sales for Element since 2002 and recently earned a promotion to vice president. Hewitt resides in the Minneapolis area and is the reigning Element Sales Executive of the Year, a distinction he has earned for three consecutive years.

Rounding out the team are John Vaughn, National Account Manager, who is focused on the agricultural industry and Chris Hepler, VP Regional Manager, Southeast, Truck Sales. Hepler recently earned the CTP designation, joining a group of transportation professionals who are raising industry standards and increasing the respect and prestige of the private fleet/transportation professional.

For more information about Element's fleet management business, visit www.elementfleet.com. For more information about Element Financial Corporation, visit www.elementcorp.com.

About Element Financial Corporation
With total assets of approximately $23C billion, Element Financial Corporation is one of North America's leading fleet management and equipment finance companies. Element operates across North America in four verticals of the equipment finance market – Fleet Management, Rail Finance, Commercial & Vendor Finance, and Aviation Finance.

(Leasing News provides this ad as a trade for appraisals
and equipment valuations provided by Ed Castagna)

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

Ascentium Capital Celebrates Five Years
 of Providing Financing to Businesses Nationwide

Kingwood, Texas– Ascentium Capital, a national commercial lender providing comprehensive finance solutions announced the celebration of five years in business.

Ascentium Capital was founded on the foresight to develop a technologically progressive finance company that serves businesses by providing affordable access to capital, quickly and efficiently. During the first five years, Ascentium Capital has provided over $2 billion in financing nationwide.

Tom Depping
President/CEO
Ascentium Capital

“We are grateful for the trust that our equipment vendors and clients place in us and very proud of our employees who helped us get here. Our mission to assist businesses has driven the company to add value, convenience and flexibility throughout the finance experience,” remarks Tom Depping, President and CEO of Ascentium Capital.

Ascentium Capital’s executive management team brings over 150 years of combined experience in commercial lending. Today the company offers a comprehensive suite of financial products that can be tailor-made to bring about a meaningful difference to our clients.
These efforts drive organic growth and capture market share in specialized industries including technology, healthcare, franchise, and telecommunication. Key accomplishments include:

• Manage over $1.2 billion in assets
• Profitable for 18 consecutive quarters
• Average annual origination growth rate of 45% since inception
• AAA ratings from Moody’s and DBRS on senior class of notes
• National sales offices with representation in over 30 states

Richard Baccaro
Chief Sales and Marketing Officer
Ascentium Capital

“We pride ourselves on staying in touch with our customers allowing us to anticipate their needs. Our consultative approach to business financing has long been a proponent under which our employees create value for our clients," said Richard Baccaro, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer.

As a direct lender, Ascentium Capital LLC specializes in providing a broad range of financing, leasing and working capital 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 firms Vulcan Capital and LKCM Capital Group, LLC. For more information, please visit AscentiumCapital.com

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

 

 

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Nationwide Sales Positions Available   Medical, Commercial and Industrial  Transportation, FF&E, Technology Superior pricing - Superior Buying window  - Superior back office - Superior stability For more info click here www.bankozarks.com/equipment Bank of the Ozarks Recognized as the top performing bank in the United States, based on financial performance, five years in a row (2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015).

 

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 You Should Care About Your “Trust Factor”
FinTech #102 by Brittney Holcomb

Trust is a major factor that seems to be ruling the sales cycle lately. More and more businesses have been making decisions based on the “trust” factor. How many times have you researched a company online and read their reviews before ultimately deciding to work with them?

Establishing trust with your target audience seems to be quite imperative to help boost sales these days. The “‘trust” factor is even more important in the financial industry sales cycle. Companies that play games with “interim rent,” “Evergreen Clauses,” or keep deposits when they can’t get the lease or finance approved have added to this.
 
So how do we combat this and start building trust with our potential customers.

Ever hear of a saying similar to “Trust is easy to lose and even harder to ever get back”? The best way to prevent losing trust is to build and establish it right out of the gate.

Being an authority online defines you as a thought leader in the financial industry who translates their knowledge in a meaningful and resourceful way to their consumers. Business men and women love sales people who share knowledge and resources. This share and receive scenario often results in a bond of trust with the industry.

Financial professionals are using the Internet as a tool to portray themselves as a valuable resource to both corporate American and small business owners, which after the trust is built, ends up leading to more online and offline business opportunities.

The internet is a beautiful place for creating a name for yourself in the industry.

Blogs, social media, directories, and forums all contribute to helping currant your content so that you are reaching the right people at the right time.

Before generating content, establish your persona – who are you and how you can benefit your customer without pushing a sale down their throat.

Knowing what your potential customer likes to read also plays a big role in developing the content you need to create to build yourself as a resource for them.

Along with consistently publishing content, consider engaging with other professionals in your space. Share and comment on other industry blogs, or even write response pieces to other blogs. Engagement will help you gain recognition from consumers that follow industry leaders similar to you.

Write about your experiences, your knowledge, and make it personal.
Share on line, in print in local and business publications, and your
website.

One of the most important things to remember when writing response pieces is, while being controversial is okay at times, it should always be constructive.

Get into a routine of scheduling out regularly published thought pieces on your blog. Thought pieces can include anything from your business’ recently closed transactions to pieces about updates or major changes in the industry.

Aside from publishing content, you can also build online authority by promoting and collecting customer reviews. Customer reviews, common for those who visit restaurants or recommend hotels is such a major player in today’s marketing field.

 As mentioned before, potential customers are researching previous reviews written about past experiences with your business, before they decide to or not to work with your business. Highlighting any positive reviews will not only help build your online authority but it could be the deal breaker for a potential consumer. Even Google AdWords allows advertisers to highlight their consumer reviews right in the ad copy which helps build instant trust with any consumer searching for your services online.

Banks, leasing companies and financial service companies need to make the ‘trust’ factor an important part of their marketing campaign more so than ever. Once you are able to gain the respect and trust of your potential customer, growing your business becomes much easier.
 

Brittney Holcomb is the Director of Paid Search at The Finance Marketing Group. She works exclusively with finance companies and banks to help better develop their business online through digital marketing strategies. Brittney has been trained by some of the top leaders in the industry giving her a vast knowledge she is able to pass along to her client base.

eMail: brittney@financemarketing.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittney-holcomb-02101834

Previous Financial Technology Articles
http://www.leasingnews.org/Conscious-Top%20Stories/fintech.html

Leasing/Finance Conferences --- 2016

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NAELB 2016-2017 President Mike Parker said, "Attendees can expect outstanding education and networking activities in Cincinnati. For example, we learned a lot from our attempt at a Speed Dating session during the 2016 NAELB Annual Conference and we're looking forward to offering a chance for brokers to meet with Funders and Service Providers in a speed dating setting on Friday to better plan their exhibit hall time on Saturday morning.” 
added .

Advantage Funding
Amerisource
Bankers Capital
Bryn Mawr
Channel Partners
Cobra Capital
Financial Pacific
First Federal
First Lease
Fora
InstaCOVER
Maxim
Navitas
NFS Leasing
NCMIC
North Mill
Pawnee
Rapid Advance
Quality
United Financial

Registration and Events

Member:
o Broker Member $125
o Additional Broker Member   $115
o Associate Member $260
o Additional Associate Member $200
o Funder Member $260
o Additional Funder Member $200

Non-Member
o Broker Non-Member $200
o Associate Non-Member $360
o Funder Non-Member $360

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CFLA 2016 Program
https://members.cfla-acfl.ca/cfladocs/CFLA%202016%20FINA
L%20CONFERENCE
%20WEB%20PROGRAM.pdf

Hotel Accommodations
https://members.cfla-acfl.ca/Conference2016/Hotel.aspx

 

Members*
First delegate $1,390
Second delegate $1,325
Third delegate $1,260
Fourth delegate FREE
Additional delegate $1,260
Daily rate - Wednesday $585,
Thursday $775, Friday $295
Chairman's Banquet Only $185
Companion’s registration $365

Non-Members
First time $1,390
Second-time + $1,810
Daily rate - Wednesday $715,
Thursday $905, Friday $425
Chairman's Banquet Only $285
Companion's registration $525
Students $25

 

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Second Annual Conference
Announcing Our Second Annual 
October 4th - 6th, 2016
Red Rock Casino & Resort
Las Vegas, Nevada

Christopher "Kit" Menkin, Leasing News, will be speaking at the “Reporters Viewpoint” panel discussion to address the whole conference about the state of the leasing industry. He is looking forward to meeting readers as well as the Financial Technology and Business Loan Funders not familiar with Leasing News who are attending the conference.

Kris D. Roglieri

National Alliance of Commercial Loan Brokers
by Kris Roglieri, Co-Founder of NACLB
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Aug2016/08_03.htm#nation

Q&A with Kris Roglieri Co-Founder of NACLB
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/qa-session-naclb-co-founder-kris-roglieri-brittney-holcomb?trk=hp-feed-article-title-like


Register
http://www.eventbrite.com/e/naclb-2016-registration-24321457133

Go to our website for more information: www.naclb.org

 

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Lend360
October 5 – 7
Chicago Marriott Magnificent Mile
Chicago, Illinois

Attendee Registration Rate
$2,400

Lenders/Venders/Investors
Agenda
http://www.lend360.org/

List of Exhibitors
http://www.lend360.org/exhibitors/

 

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October 6-8, 2016
NEFA 2016 Funding Symposium
Radisson Blu Mall of America
Minnesota

"The Women in Leasing LinkedIn Group would like to cordially invite you to our October luncheon at Cedar + Stone, Urban Table in the JW Marriott Hotel (Bloomington, MN) on Thursday, October 6th from 12:00pm – 2:00pm. The lunch is being co-hosted by ECS Financial Services and Financial Pacific Leasing, an Umpqua Bank company.

"If you plan on attending the 2016 NEFA Funding Symposium, the restaurant is located on the opposite side of the host hotel in the Mall of America.

"Please RSVP no later than Thursday, September 22nd to Shari Lipski @ SLipski@ECSFinancial.com"

Registration
https://nefassociation.site-ym.com/general/register_member_type.asp?

Information on 2016 Funding Symposium
http://www.nefassociation.org/events/
EventDetails.aspx?id=702539&group=

The NEFA conference hotel is just five miles from the Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport which has direct flights to one hundred and fifty-five other cities and connections to hundreds more. It’s also convenient to both downtown Minneapolis and downtown Saint Paul.

Chairperson for the 2016 Funding Symposium is Jim Peach, CLFP, VP/Sales Manager, Stearns Bank, in Albany, Minnesota. Working with a dedicated team of volunteers, the Chairperson pulls together the educational lineup of the conference.

Said Jim Peach, “we get great feedback from the attendees following each NEFA conference and we’ve used that to focus our educational sessions on things that are both timely and important to NEFA Members.”

 

For more information, visit: www.NEFAssociation.org 
or call: 847-380-5050.

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October 23 -25th
2016  55th Annual Conference
Palm Desert Springs
Palm Desert, California

More Information plus Register
http://www.elfaonline.org/events/2016/ac/reg.cfm 

Monday, September 19, 2016
Last day to receive the special ELFA convention rate for your accommodations at the JW Marriott Desert Springs.

Monday, October 10, 2016
Last day for mail-in and online registrations. After this date registrations can be made on-site. Please note: There are no refunds of registration fees after this date.

Keynote speaker Joe Scarborough will provide timely analysis 
and insight into the upcoming presidential and congressional elections.

 

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Money20/20
October 23 – 26
Las Vegas, Nevada
(85% of exhibit space/sponsorship booked)

http://www.money2020.com/

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October 24-26, 2016
100th Anniversary Annual Meeting
American Financial Services Association
The Breakers Palm Beach
Palm Beach, Florida

Join us for the latest on the political landscape, compliance and regulatory challenges, business trends, and enjoy plenty of networking opportunities.

Sessions will cover the overall industry challenges as well as operational issues relevant to specific market sectors. The final day of the meeting - called Spotlight Compliance - will shine light on the ever changing legal, regulatory and compliance realms that are so important in today's financial businesses.

 AFSA’s 350 members include consumer and commercial finance companies, vehicle finance/leasing companies, mortgage lenders, credit card issuers, industrial banks and industry suppliers. The association was founded in 1916 as the American Association of Small Loan Brokers. The group formed to promote state laws that would make small loans more readily available to average Americans, who had few options at the time to receive small personal loans.

info@afsamail.org

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November 11-12, 2016
2016 Western Regional Meeting
Doubletree by Hilton Hotel Anaheim-Orange County
Orange, CA

 (Sorry, no further information available)

 

 

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

Saddle Brook, New Jersey –– NEC Financial Services, LLC, a leader in providing technology financing and leasing for businesses of all sizes throughout the United States, is proudly celebrating its 30th anniversary.

Established in 1986, as a wholly owned subsidiary of NEC Corporation of America, NEC Financial Services provides sales finance and equipment leasing services to Channel Partners and their customers, as well as group financing and treasury operations to the NEC affiliates in the U.S. and Mexico. As a member of the NEC group of companies, NEC Financial Services has the capacity to fund and manage its entire portfolio of SMB and Enterprise level transactions.

From its headquarters in Saddle Brook, New Jersey, NEC Financial Services has a highly qualified and dedicated team of professionals supporting the sales efforts of technology solution partners by providing a streamlined and value-added approach that is focused on the requirements of both commercial as well as State and Local government and Education (SLED) customers.

Herschel Salan
President
NEC Financial Services

“We are grateful for and can attribute our success to our many channel partners, our customers and our team members, past and present, for making this milestone anniversary possible,” said Herschel Salan, president of NEC Financial Services. “Their sustained support has fueled our achievements for the past three decades and we look forward to continuing to serve them well into the future.” 

NEC Financial Services information: www.neclease.com
Blog: www.NECToday.com  

About NEC Financial Services, LLC NEC Financial Services, LLC is a leading technology financing partner providing leasing and finance on all business technology equipment. NEC Financial Services is a wholly-owned subsidiary of NEC Corporation of America, a leading technology integrator who delivers one of the industry’s strongest and most innovative portfolios of communications, analytics, security, biometrics and technology solutions backed by the resources of NEC Corporation, a global technology leader with a presence in 160 countries and $25 billion in revenues.

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

 

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Fernando's View
By Fernando F. Croce

Tense action (“Jason Bourne”) and an inspiring real-life chronicle (“Miss Sharon Jones!”) debut in theaters, while new DVD releases serve up an impressionist biopic (“Miles Ahead”), heartfelt nostalgia (“My Golden Days”), and a zany classic (“The In-Laws”).

In Theaters:

Jason Bourne (Universal Pictures): Returning to the popular series’ original focus after 2012’s “The Bourne Legacy,” this tense thriller reteams Oscar-nominated filmmaker Paul Greengrass (“Captain Phillips”) with star Matt Damon. Damon plays the eponymous protagonist, the lethal ex-CIA operative last seen eluding the government agencies that trained him. It’s been 10 years, and Bourne finds himself a wanted man once more in an even more volatile global scenario. As the CIA director (Tommy Lee Jones) assigns a skilled computer hacker (Alicia Vikander) along with a former colleague (Julia Stiles) to track him down, he becomes entangled with a ruthless terrorist network known as Iron Hand. With the safety of the world on the balance, Bourne once more steps into the international ring. Fans of the franchise’s earlier installments will surely be pleased with the film’s balance of action and intrigue.

Miss Sharon Jones! (Starz Digital Media): A veteran documentarian known for impassionedly political projects (“Harlan County U.S.A.,” “American Dream”), Barbara Kopple turns to a less weighty but no less inspiring subject in this intimate account of soul singer Sharon Jones. Born in Georgia and raised in New York City, Jones’ challenging early years gave little indication of her showbiz future, yet her perseverance paid off as she and her band The Dap Kings would go on to release several acclaimed albums. In a life full of obstacles, including being diagnosed with cancer, it’s genuinely uplifting to witness her courage and high spirits. Following the singer as she works on her recent comeback, Kopple’s film mixes revealing glimpses into Jones’ personal beliefs and concerns with rousing footage of her performances.

Netflix Tip: With a career spanning multiple decades and mediums, Garry Marshall (1934-2016) left his mark on 1970s TV as well as feel-good films of the 1980s and 1990s. So check out some of his most beloved work on Netflix, ranging from “The Flamingo Kid” (1984) and “Nothing in Common” (1986) to “Pretty Woman” (1990) and “The Princess Diaries” (2001).

On DVD:

Miles Ahead (Sony Pictures): Don Cheadle both directs and gives a boldly layered performance in this intriguing biopic about legendary jazz musician Miles Davis. Eschewing the genre's conventional arcs, the film mainly centers on Davis during the late 1970s, when he experiences visions of his x-wife Frances (Emayatzy Corinealdi) and deals with a magazine writer (Ewan McGregor) working on an article about his industry comeback. Structuring the story as a series of invigoratingly jumbled leaps between past and present, reality and fantasy, Cheadle avoids many of the solemn cliches associated with biopics about great artists. The result is not merely a showcase for an actor's outstanding impression, but also a bravura narrative experiment that offers its own cinematic impressionism to visualize the risky adventure of jazz.

My Golden Days (Magnolia Pictures): A remarkably inventive and personal filmmaker, Arnaud Desplechin ("A Christmas Tale") gazes back at his own youth in this graceful comedy-drama, set in the French director's hometown of Roubaix. Unfolding in various decades and settings, the zigzagging story centers on Paul Dedalus (Mathieu Amalric, Desplechin's longtime leading actor), who recalls his teenager years in the midst of Cold War paranoia. There are bright and melancholy encounters with family and friends, but the pivotal character in his memories may be Esther (Lou Roy-Lecollinet, in a memorable debut), Paul's first love as he ventures into Paris. With reserves of humor and rue that evoke the days of the French New Wave, Desplechin creates a heartfelt, involving and emotionally ravishing constellation of privileged moments. With subtitles.

The In-Laws (Criterion): Comic duos don’t come much zanier than the one embodied by Peter Falk and Alan Arkin in this hilarious 1979 caper, directed by Arthur Hiller (“Love Story”). The mismatched pair is comprised of mild-mannered dentist Sheldon (Arkin) and freewheeling CIA agent Vince (Falk), who come together when their kids decide to get married. Plans of getting to know each other are quickly derailed, however, when Vince’s latest mission sends the two men to Central America in a maelstrom of stolen government secrets, gun-toting assassins and music-loving dictators. Never mind getting home in time for the wedding—can they escape with their very lives? Featuring a treasure trove of memorable lines and surprising slapstick, the movie is above all a master class in impeccable comic chemistry thanks to Falk and Arkin.

Australian Cattle Dog/Mix - Puppy
Bend, Oregon  Adopt-a-Dog

Blondie
Animal ID   33082481
Breed Australian Cattle Dog/Mix
Age   2 months 26 days
Sex   Female
Size   Small
Color Buff/White
Spayed/Neutered
Declawed    No
Housetrained       Unknown
Site   Humane Society of Central Oregon
Location     Puppy Pen
Intake Date 8/1/2016
Adoption Price     $200.00

Hello from little miss Blondie! Blondie is an absolutely adorable 3 month old Australian Cattle Dog puppy. She was found wandering all by herself and luckily brought here to HSCO to be taken care of. Little Blondie is going to need lots of love and a dedicated owner to help her be the very best dog she can be. Cattle Dogs are very intelligent, high energy dogs who need regular exercise and mental stimulation to keep them happy. Blondie will need to start with the very basics of training, including general obedience and housetraining. A training course would be a great way for Blondie to bond with her new family. Are you the perfect person to help Blondie blossom into a wonderful dog? Come meet her!

Contact:
http://www.hsco.org/contact

Humane Society of Central Oregon
61170 S.E. 27th St., Bend
541/382-3537
Open M-F 10am-5:30pm
Saturday 10am-5pm
Closed Sundays & major holidays

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

News Briefs---

U.S. Private Employers Added 179,000 Jobs in July,
     Survey Finds
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2016/08/03/us/politics/ap-us-adp.html?_r=0

Mortgage rates hit 2nd lowest level of 2016
  25yr 2.89%  30yr 3.23% 30yr jumbo 3.62%
http://www.bankrate.com/finance/mortgages/mortgage-analysis-080416.aspx?ic_id=Top_Financial%20News%20Center_link_1

Former Directors/Officers, Midwest Bank
 the largest local bank failure, makes $26.6 Million Settlement
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20160804/NEWS01/
160809911/midwest-bank-the-largest-local-bank-failure-settlement-since-the-bust

Bottled water on track to outsell soda
    for the first time ever
http://nypost.com/2016/08/04/bottled-water-on-track-to-outsell-soda-for-the-first-time-ever/

Construction is officially underway on the Wynn casino
  Wynn Boston Harbor to open in June 2019
http://www.boston.com/news/business/2016/08/04/construction-officially-underway-wynn-casino

Illegal in Massachusetts:
  Asking Your Salary in a Job Interview
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/03/business/dealbook/wage-gap-massachusetts-law-salary-history.html?src=me&_r=0

 

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

--You May Have Missed It

Why George W. Bush stood there and took the wrath of a soldier's mom.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/commentary/ct-trump-purple-heart-george-bush-perspec-20160803-story.html

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

SparkPeople--Live Healthier and Longer

Spring Rolls 
  Three: 156 Calories
https://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=770785

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

Baseball Poem

	Double Play
	From the book
	That Sweet Diamond
	by Paul B. Janeczko, Carole Katchen (Illustrator)

 

The runner is
a non-swimmer in deep water,
inching from the bag
timid
returning in alarm.

The shortstop and second baseman
are schoolboys
passing secrets
behind the pitcher's back.

Moving before the pitch,
the shortstop dashes to the bag
glove up in anticipation
as runner and
peg from his partner at second
approach.
He drags the toe of his right shoe
across the bag
as the ball slaps home
and he leaps
to avoid the spikes.

Resting in air
safely above the slide
long enough to throw to first
before he tumbles to the dirt,
his eyes on the ball
the mitt
until
the umpire's confirmation of perfection.

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

Sports Briefs----

U.S. expectations high for large medal haul in Rio
http://www.latimes.com/sports/olympics/la-sp-oly-us-hopes-20160804-snap-story.html

If Pele doesn't light the Olympic cauldron in Rio, then who?
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/if-pele-doesnt-light-the-olympic-cauldron-in-rio-then-who-182818238.html?nhp=1

Nick Foles picks Chiefs
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2016/08/04/nick-foles-picks-the-chiefs/

Shanahan picks off Ryan pass
http://atlantafalcons.blog.ajc.com/2016/08/04/shanahan-picks-off-ryan-pass/

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

California Nuts Briefs---

California Pushes Ahead on Twin Water Tunnels Under Estuary
http://www.courthousenews.com/2016/08/04/california-pushes-ahead-on-twin-water-tunnels-under-estuary.htm

Wine’s economic impact on California $57B, nation $114B
http://www.northbaybusinessjournal.com/industrynews/5929429-181/wines-economic-impact-california?artslide=0

 

BART is Just One Piece of the SF Bay Area Commuting Puzzle
http://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/news/2016/07/28/bart-is-just-one-piece-of-the-commuting-puzzle.html

 

(Leasing News provides this ad as a trade for investigative
reporting provided by John Kenny)

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

“Gimme that Wine”

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

Drink the Islands:
 These Mediterranean Wines Are Ideal for Summer
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-08-02/drink-the-islands-these-mediterranean-wines-are-ideal-for-summer

California Wine Shows Strength in Challenging Economy
http://www.wineinstitute.org/resources/pressroom/08042016

Following Napa, Sonoma County grape harvest begins
http://www.pressdemocrat.com/business/5925691-181/following-napa-sonoma-county-grape

Rosé? No way. All the wines you're missing
   by ordering only the pink stuff
http://www.chicagotribune.com/dining/restaurants/ct-rose-wine-alternatives-food-0810-20160803-story.html

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/

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

      1693 - It is believed that a monk named Dom Perignon invented champagne at the Benedictine Abbey of Hautvillers in the region of Champagne, northern France. He made the first champagne by re-fermenting a certain wine in the spring and then placing it in strong, sealed bottles so that the wine would become sparkling. Dom Perignon was the Cellar master for 47 years until his death in 1715. The sparkling wine was crude and perhaps the first one to produce what we drink today was Mme. Nicole-Barbe Clicquot, who developed the sur pointe process that clarified the sediment out of sparkling wines. She was also an astute business person, especially in a day that women did not run business. Nicole Barbe Clinquot was the daughter of the mayor of Reims who, at 20, was widowed with a daughter after three years of marriage to a vintner. She vowed to carry on her husband's business. She developed the process of remuage (moving) in which the bottles of wine are stored upside down (on their corks or sur pointe) and then the bottles are shaken periodically and then rotated to force the sediments in the wine to settle down on the cork. After a certain period, the cork is quickly removed, the sediment is expelled by the wine gases and then the bottle is quickly re-corked. The widow Clinquot also invented pink champagne. My favorite in Louis Roederer, but a Grand Madame Clinquot, now that is a fine sparkling wine! Here is a secret. You can serve “Champagne” with everything. If you cannot match a wine to a food, serve “Champagne.” Next, a very good beer. Don’t laugh, some fine beer goes with everything (especially if it is “fresh.”) Now what does this have to do with American History? Nothing, but thought you would like to know more about sparkling beverages.
http://www.umc.fr/encyclopedie/vignes_au_plaisir/veuve_clicquot.htm
    1735 - Freedom of the press was established in the United States when John Peter Zenger, publisher of the New York Weekly Journal, won an acquittal of the libel charges placed by Gov. William Crosby. The royal governor had tried to censor Zenger's attacks on the British crown.
    1753 - George Washington became a Master Mason.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/aug04.html
    1790 - U.S. Coast Guard founded. 
    1830 - Plans for the city of Chicago laid out.
http://www.1upinfo.com/encyclopedia/C/Chicago-history.html
http://www.aviewoncities.com/chicago/chicagohistory.htm
    1838 - Emancipation of slaves in the Bahamas and Grenada this day by the British. A rumor started in the South that slaves would try to escape to the Bahama’s and fear of this lead to stricter attitudes and positions of slavery, especially by the many large slave owners who relied on the “free” labor at their farms, called plantations.
    1861 - In order to help pay for the Civil War effort, the US government levied the first income tax as part of the Revenue Act of 1861.  It taxed at 3% all income over $800.  The tax was rescinded in 1872.
    1867 – Jacob Ruppert (d. 1939) was born in NYC.  Known as Colonel Ruppert, he was already a well-known figure when he purchased the New York Yankees, then a perennially bad team, in January, 1915. Ruppert briefly served in the National Guard, earning the title Colonel. He also served in four terms in the United States Congress from 1899-1907.  Under his ownership the Yankees became the first part of the greatest sports dynasty in history.  In 1920, the Yankees purchased Babe Ruth from the Boston red Sox. Ruppert also oversaw the self-financed construction of Yankee Stadium in 1923. He owned the Yankees until his death in 1939, overseeing the franchise during one of its most glorious eras, during which the team won 9 pennants and 6 World Series titles. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2013. 
    1873 - While protecting a railroad survey party in Montana, Custer and his 7th Cavalry clash for the first time with the Sioux Indians, who will defeat them three years later at Little Big Horn. During the previous two years, Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer and his 7th Cavalry had not fought a single battle against the hostile Indians of the western Plains. Hungry for action, Custer was pleased when the 7th Cavalry was ordered to help protect a party of surveyors laying out the route for the proposed Northern Pacific Railroad. The new transcontinental railroad (the third in the United States) was to pass through territory controlled by hostile Sioux Indians. Custer was optimistic that the assignment would give him a chance to improve his reputation as an Indian fighter. Initially, the military escort saw little action. The hostile Indians seemed to be avoiding or ignoring the survey party. For Custer, the mission turned into something of a lark. He spent much of his time shooting buffalo, antelope, elk, and other animals. To find good hunting, he often led the 7th Cavalry far away from the survey party and the main body of the military escort.
On this day in 1873, Custer was far ahead of the rest of the force, camping along the Tongue River in southeastern Montana. Suddenly, a large band of Sioux warriors appeared on the horizon and attacked. The Indians were led by Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull, but the young braves seemed to have attacked impetuously and with little planning. Custer, who had been taking an afternoon nap, reacted quickly and mounted an effective defense. After a brief skirmish, the Indians withdrew. Since only one soldier and one Indian were killed in the skirmish, Custer's short battle along the Tongue River seemed relatively insignificant at the time. However, Custer's easy escape in his first encounter with Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse may have given him a dangerously scornful view of their fighting abilities. It helped to confirm his belief that the Plains warriors tended to flee rather than fight. As a result, when Custer again encountered Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse at the Little Big Horn River three years later, his greatest fear was that they would withdraw before he could attack, and he rushed in without proper reconnaissance. That time, though, the Indians stood and fought, leaving Custer and more than 200 of his men dead.
    1874 - Methodist clergyman John H. Vincent (1832-1920) and Ohio manufacturer Lewis Miller established the Chautauqua Assembly in northwest New York state a summer retreat center combining recreational activities with the training of Sunday School teachers and other church workers.
    1875 - The first Convention of Colored Newspapermen was held in Cincinnati, Ohio. The convention's aim was to promote the establishment of United States newspapers that would focus on the African American community.
    1881 - 122ø F (50ø C), Seville, Spain (European record)
    1882 - A vivid aurora was visible from Oregon to Maine, down the east coast as far as Mayport, FL, and inland as far as Wellington KS. Observers at Louisville KY noted "merry dancers" across the sky, and observers at Saint Vincent, MN, noted it was probably the most brilliant ever seen at that location.
    1885 – Standard Oil of New Jersey was founded.  Established in 1870 by John D. Rockefeller as a corporation in Ohio, it was the largest oil refiner in the world of its time.  In 1885, Standard Oil of Ohio moved its headquarters from Cleveland to its permanent headquarters at 26 Broadway in NYC. Concurrently, the trustees of Standard Oil of Ohio chartered the Standard Oil Co. of New Jersey (SOCNJ) to take advantages of New Jersey's more lenient corporate stock ownership laws. These are the forerunners of today’s Exxon-Mobil.
    1897 - Blackman Henry Rucker appointed Collector of Internal Revenue for Georgia
    1904 - Pianist/alto sax/trumpet player Kenneth Anderson born Pittsburgh, PA. (see the list: 
http://jazzinstituteofchicago.org/index.asp?
target=/jazzgram/bronzeville/union/part3.asp )
    1905 - Piano player Joseph Louis “Red” Cayou (d. 1994) born New Orleans, LA. 
    1909 - The Washington Nationals completed a marathon run of eight straight doubleheaders, a Major League record until the Boston Braves topped it in 1928.
    1910 - Birthday of American composer William Howard Schuman (d. 1992), who won the first Pulitzer Prize for composition and founded the Juilliard School of Music, born at New York City. His compositions include “American Festival Overture,” “New England Triptych,’ the baseball opera “The Mighty Casey” and “On Freedom's Ground,” written for the centennial of the Statue of Liberty in 1986. He was instrumental in the conception of the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts and served as its first president. In 1985, he was awarded a special Pulitzer Prize for his contributions. He also received a National Medal of Arts in 1985 and a Kennedy Center Honor in 1989.
    1916 - Denmark agreed to cede the Danish West Indies, including the Virgin Islands, to the United States for $25 million. The deal took effect the following March 31. 
    1919 - Birthday of Glenn Clarence Cunningham (d. 1988) at Atlanta, KS. The "Kansas Ironman," American track athlete and 1934-37 world record holder for the mile, member of the US Olympic teams in 1932 and 1936.  On June 16, 1934, at Princeton, NJ, Cunningham set a world record for the mile (4:06.7 min).
        1921 - Radio station KDKA provided its listeners with the first-ever broadcast of a Major League game. Harold Arlin was the first play-by-play announcer as he detailed the action of the Pittsburgh Pirates win over the Philadelphia Phillies, 8-5.  This trend grew slowly as owners feared drops in gate admissions to those listening on the radio.  The last holdouts were the New York teams - the Giants, Dodgers and Yankees - who combined to block radio broadcasts of their games until 1938.  The Golden Age of Radio is generally acknowledged as the 1920s into the 1950s, when television took hold as the broadcast medium.  Despite that, radio remains a favorite listening medium as every team has a radio network and several have multi-lingual stations as well.  During that period, many notable broadcasters, such as Mel Allen, Red Barber, Harry Caray, Russ Hodges, Ernie Harwell and Vin Scully, began their careers.
    1927 - The General Electric Station in Schenectady, New York, station 2XAG which was later named WGY, began experimenting with operations from a 100,000-watt transmitter. The FCC would later regulate the power of AM radio stations to not go over 50,000 watts on "clear channels" where few stations would interfere with each other. 
    1927 - For Victor Records in Bristol, Tennessee, singer Jimmie Rodgers recorded his first songs. On the record he sang "Sleep Baby Sleep" and "Soldier’s Sweetheart."   Not to be confused with rock ‘n’ roller of the same name.
    1930 - The temperature at Moorefield, WV, soared to 112 degrees to establish a state record, having reached 110 degrees the previous day. Widespread drought after April of that year caused some towns to haul water for domestic use, and many manufacturing plants were barely operational.
    1934 - Mel Ott became the first Major Leaguer to score 6 runs in one game.
    1936 - "Long" John Woodruff wins an Olympic gold medal in the 800-meter run.
http://www.fay-west.com/connellsville/historic/woodruff.php
http://www.greaterconnellsville.org/woodruff/commemorativeprintform.htm
    1940 - "Crime Doctor" introduced a new radio hero. CBS radio presented Dr. Benjamin Ordway, the show’s main character, as an amnesia victim. A former criminal, he got hit on the head, and began to work as a crime fighter.
    1944 - Nazi police found Anne Frank and her family, hiding in secret rooms above her father’s factory in Amsterdam, Holland. Anne was 15 years old at this time and had kept a diary during the two years of hiding from the Nazis. After the arrest, Anne and her sister were taken to a concentration camp. Anne Frank would die at Bergen-Belsen. Later Anne's diary was found and has since been translated into 30 languages, and adapted as both a play and a Hollywood film. 
    1944 - No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit: "Swinging on a Star," Bing Crosby.
    1947 - Top Hits
“Peg o’ My Heart” - The Harmonicats
“That’s My Desire” - The Sammy Kaye Orchestra (vocal: Don Cornell)
“I Wonder, I Wonder, I Wonder” - Eddy Howard
“Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! (That Cigarette)” - Tex Williams
        1953 – Don Larsen of the St. Louis Browns – later of World Series perfect game fame, went 3 for 3 and established a record for consecutive hits by a pitcher with 7. The rookie hurler will hit .284 in 81 at bats this season.
    1954 - In Saskatchewan, Canada, the uranium rush began. 
    1954 - Alfred Hitchcock's “Rear Window” had its world premiere at New York's Rivoli Theater. 
    1954 - No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit: "Sh-Boom," The Crew-Cuts.
    1955 - Top Hits
“Rock Around the Clock” - Bill Haley & His Comets
“Ain’t That a Shame” - Fats Domino
“Learnin’ the Blues” - Frank Sinatra
“I Don’t Care” - Webb Pierce
    1955 – “To Catch a Thief,” starring Cary Grant and Grace Kelly and directed by Alfred Hitchcock, debuted in New York on this date. The film later received an Oscar for Best Color Cinematography. 
    1956 - At Wendover, Utah, Wilhelm Herz was clocked at 210 miles per hour, making him the first person to race a motorcycle over 200 miles-per-hour.
    1956 - Elvis Presley record "Hound Dog" b/w "Don't Be Cruel" is released.
    1956 - The Platters' "My Prayer" hits #1
    1957 - A world record was set by Florence Chadwick who swam the English Channel in 6 hours, 7 minutes. 
    1957 - Juan Fangio won his last car race, winning the world auto driving championship for the fifth consecutive year.
    1957 - The Everly Brothers make their second appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show and introduce their upcoming single, "Wake Up Little Susie," a song which would go on to cause some major controversy and be banned from some radio stations. 
    1957 - The Brooklyn Sports Authority, seeking a way to keep the Dodgers in Brooklyn, received an engineering report on a 50,000-seat stadium in the downtown area. It will cost an estimated $20.7 million, including the land site. Indications are that there will be trouble finding a market for the bond issue, particularly since the city was pushing for them to move to a new site in Flushing Meadows, Queens – the eventual site of Shea Stadium.  Dodgers’ owner Walter O’Malley responded, “we’re not the Queens Dodgers, we’re the Brooklyn Dodgers.”
    1958 - Billboard magazine introduces its "Hot 100" chart, a list of the 100 best-selling pop singles in the country. This list replaced multiple charts the magazine had previously published, including Best Sellers in Stores and Most Played in Juke Boxes. The first song to top the Hot 100 list was "Poor Little Fool" by Ricky Nelson.
    1958 - Dumont TV Network crumbles. My father was a producer/writer/director for the Dumont network, creating among shows such as “Harlem Detective,” “Captain Video,” “Hands of Murder.” He met often with Dr. DuMont, who he once gave one of the exploding cigars I put in his pocket as a kid. Dumont was a scientist and not a “showman,” losing Jackie Gleason among others. My father worked right under Ted Bergman, who I remember my father respected.  Dr. DuMont is best known for improvements to the cathode ray tube in 1931 for use in television receivers. Seven years later, he manufactured and sold the first commercially practical television set to the public. In June 1938, his Model 180 television receiver was the first all-electronic television set ever sold to the public, a few months prior to RCA’s first set in April 1939. In 1946, DuMont founded the first television network to be licensed, the DuMont Television Network, initially by linking station WABD (named for DuMont) in New York City to station W3XWT, which later became WTTG, in Washington, DC (WTTG was named for Dr. Thomas G. Goldsmith, DuMont's Vice President of Research, and his best friend.) DuMont's successes in television picture tubes, TV sets and components and his involvement in commercial TV broadcasting made him the first millionaire in the business.
http://members.aol.com/cingram/television/dumont2.htm
http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/D/htmlD/DuMont/DuMont.htm
    1961 - 108ø F, Spokane, WA (record)
    1962 - Jamaica Independence Day. National holiday observing achievement of Jamaican independence from Britain. Annually the first Monday in August.
    1963 - The Beatles appear on the US record charts for the first time as "From Me to You" debuts at #116 in Billboard. Unfortunately, it stays there, due to problems with its American label (Vee Jay) and a cover version by Del Shannon that got the jump on it. It would take a massive promotional blitz by Capitol over the next five months to ensure a Beatles hit in America with the single "I Want to Hold Your Hand" b/w "I Saw Her Standing There" (Capitol 5112).
    1963 - Top Hits
“So Much in Love” - The Tymes
“Fingertips - Pt 2” - Little Stevie Wonder
“(You’re the) Devil in Disguise” - Elvis Presley
“Ring of Fire” - Johnny Cash
    1963 - In his first at-bat in two months after breaking his left foot, Mickey Mantle slams a pinch-hit home run in the ninth inning to beat the Orioles, 11-10.
    1964 - After disappearing on June 21, three civil rights workers were found murdered and buried in an earthen dam outside Philadelphia, MS. The three young men were workers on the Mississippi Summer Project organized by the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) to increase black voter registration. Prior to their disappearance, James Chaney, Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner were detained by Neshoba County police on charges of speeding. When their car was found, burned, on June 23, President Johnson ordered an FBI search for the men.
    1964 - No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit: "A Hard Day's Night," The Beatles.
    1966 - John Lennon's comment that the Beatles were "more popular than Jesus Christ" was re-printed in an American teen magazine called Datebook and was widely reported in North America. The statement, made to London Evening Standard journalist Maureen Cleave several months earlier, caused a public outcry in the US and led to mass destruction of Beatle records. Thirty-five radio stations banned all Beatles songs and even the Ku Klux Klan made threats against the group. What Lennon actually said was "Christianity will go. It will go. It will vanish and shrink. I needn't argue about that, I'm right and I will be proved right. We're more popular than Jesus Christ now; I don't know which will go first - rock 'n roll or Christianity. Jesus was all right, but his disciples were thick and ordinary. It's them twisting it that ruins it for me."
    1968 - The Newport Pop Festival begins in Costa Mesa, California. 100,000 fans come out to hear Sonny & Cher, Tiny Tim, Jefferson Airplane, Steppenwolf, the Grateful Dead, the Byrds, Iron Butterfly and Eric Burdon and The Animals.
    1969 – The Pirates’ Willie Stargell became the first player to hit a home run completely out of Dodger Stadium. The 512-foot, 7th-inning, bases-empty blast breaks a 3-3 tie, on the way to the Pirates’ 11-3 win.  It was the last appearance of Don Drysdale's career, as in 6 days, he will make his retirement official.
    1971 - Top Hits
“You’ve Got a Friend” - James Taylor
“Mr. Big Stuff” - Jean Knight
“Draggin’ the Line” - Tommy James
“I’m Just Me” - Charley Pride
    1972 – “Superfly,” starring Ron O'Neal, opened in theaters. Directed by Gordon Parks, Jr., “Superfly's” success at the box office and unexpected acclaim prompted two sequels. The plot centers on a Harlem drug dealer who wants to retire. Curtis Mayfield's dynamic soundtrack set it apart from similar low-budget films. 
    1973 - Maureen McGovern's "The Morning After (The Song from the Poseidon Adventure)" hits #1 
    1974 - Paul Simon's "Love Me Like A Rock" is released.
    1974 - No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit: "Feel Like Makin' Love," Roberta Flack.
    1979 - Top Hits
“Bad Girls” - Donna Summer
“Good Times” - Chic
“Ring My Bell” - Anita Ward
“You’re the Only One” - Dolly Parton
    1979 – The incomparable Willie Mays was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame along with Hack Wilson and Warren Giles.
    1980 - A record forty-two consecutive days of 100 degree heat finally came to an end at the Dallas-Fort Worth Airport. July, 1980 proved to be the hottest month of record with a mean temperature of 92 degrees. There was just one day of rain in July, and there was no measurable rain in August. There were 18 more days of 100 degree heat in August, and four in September. Hot weather that summer contributed to the deaths of 1200 people nationally and losses from the heat across the country were estimated at $20 billion.
    1980 - After a five-year hiatus, John Lennon and Yoko Ono begin recording their album "Double Fantasy" at New York's Hit Factory Studio. The LP would go to number one in the US after its release in November, less than a month before Lennon was gunned down outside his New York apartment. "Double Fantasy" received the 1981 Grammy Award for Album of the Year. 
    1981 - A United States court ordered striking air traffic controllers back to work and fined their union $2.4 million a day for the duration of the strike.    
    1983 - During warm-ups, New York Yankee outfielder Dave Winfield threw a baseball and accidentally killed a seagull. When the game was over, Toronto police surrounded the batter and arrested him for "causing unnecessary suffering to an animal."
    1986 – Lefty Steve Carlton, nearing the end of his career and now pitching for the SF Giants, recorded his 4,000th strikeout, fanning Reds CF Eric Davis at Candlestick Park.  He finished his career with 4,136, second all-time to Nolan Ryan.
    1987 - Top Hits
“Shakedown” - Bob Seger
“I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” - U2
“I Want Your Sex” - George Michael
“Snap Your Fingers” - Ronnie Milsap
    1988 - Congress votes $20,000 to each Japanese-American interned in World War II.  President Franklin Roosevelt ordered the incarceration shortly after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor.  He ordered the forced relocation and incarceration in camps in the interior of the country of between 110,000 and 120,000 people of Japanese ancestry who had lived on the Pacific coast. Sixty-two percent of the internees were US citizens.
    1989 - Thunderstorms produced severe weather from eastern Nebraska and northeastern Kansas to the Great Lakes Region, with 150 reports of large hail or damaging winds during the afternoon, evening, and nighttime hours. Thunderstorms produced tennis ball size hail at Claremont, MN, and wind gusts to 75 mph at Milwaukee, WI. Thunderstorms representing what once was Hurricane Chantal produced five inches of rain at Grant, MI, and deluged Chicago, IL, with more than three inches of rain in three hours
    1995 – Long-time coach Jimmie Reese, whose 23 years in an Angels uniform equals longest in club history, is inducted into the Angels' Hall of Fame. The former roommate of Babe Ruth began his career as a batboy for the Pacific Coast League's Los Angeles Angels in 1917.
    1995 – “Babe,” the charming sleeper hit about a pig who learns to be a sheep dog, debuted in United States movie theaters. The gentle film, with state-of-the-art computer technology, thrilled audiences young and old, and the film garnered many awards and nominations, including the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture - Comedy/ Musical, and it was nominated for a Best Picture Oscar. Veteran actor James Cromwell received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Farmer Hoggett, and director Chris Noonan received the New York Film Critics Circle Awards for Best New Director. The National Society of Film Critics declared it Best Film of the Year. Christine Cavanaugh supplied the voice of the hero pig, and Roscoe Lee Browne was a moving narrator. Babe was based on the book "The Sheep-Pig" by Dick King- Smith. 
    1997 - The world's oldest person, Jeanne Calment, died aged 122 years and 164 days in Arles, France.
    1998 - Yankees' slugger Darryl Strawberry hits a game-tying pinch-hit grand slam in the ninth inning of New York's 10-5 win becoming the second Major Leaguer to hit two pinch-hit grand slams in one season.
    2000 - With 32 home games remaining, the Astros, who moved from the pitcher-friendly Astrodome to homer-haven Enron Field this season, set a franchise-record by already hitting 83 homers at home this season.
    2001 - Top Hits
“Bootylicious” - Destiny's Child 
“Loverboy” - Mariah Carey Featuring Cameo
“Let Me Blow Ya Mind” - Eve Featuring Gwen Stefani
“Hit 'Em Up Style (Oops!)” - Blu Cantrell
    2009 - A Federal jury ruled that a 25-year-old Boston University graduate student must pay $675,000 to four music companies for illegally downloading and distributing more than two dozen songs. The man said that he would file for bankruptcy protection. 
    2010 - The group led by Nolan Ryan and Chuck Greenberg was confirmed as the winning bidder in the court-ordered auction of the Texas rangers, part of the bankruptcy proceedings for owner Tom Hicks’ sports properties group. The winning bid, valued at $385 million in cash, beat one from Mark Cuban, owner of the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association; its total value reaches $593 million when the portion of Hicks's debts assumed by the new owners is taken into account.
    2013 – Major League Baseball handed out 13 suspensions in the Biogenesis scandal, in one of the largest disciplinary actions in history. Alex Rodriguez was suspended for 211 games - through the end of the 2014 season - but decided to appeal, the only one of the 13 to do so. Seven Major Leaguers were handed 50-game suspensions that effectively ended their seasons, while five minor leaguers were also disciplined. Ironically, Rodriguez played his first game of the season for the Yankees and was mercilessly booed at home.