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ELFA Monthly Reflects 35 Companies (MLFI-25)
Fourth Quarter and End-of-Year Press Releases Differ Here

(Leasing News Chart)

The Equipment Leasing and Finance Association’s (ELFA) Monthly Leasing and Finance Index (MLFI-25), which reports economic activity from 35 companies, reported $12.1 billion, up 66% from month-to-month and down 6 percent from the previous year, while many fourth quarter and yearly reports that appeared in Leasing News were very good to strong. Evidently not like MLFI-25 are reporting that does not reflect the fourth quarter, but year-end renewal of yearly contracts. (1). Note the December, 2019 to December, 2020, in ELFA Chart below.

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(ELFA Chart)

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(ELFA Chart)

Full Listing of 35 MLFI Participants

1. Bank of America Global Leasing
2. Bank of the West
3. BB&T Bank
4. BMO Harris Equipment Finance
5. Canon Financial Services
6. Caterpillar Financial Services
7. CIT
8. Citizens Asset Finance
9. Dell Financial Services
10. DLL
11. Fifth Third Bank
12. First American Equipment Finance, a City National Bank Company
13. Frost Equipment Leasing and Finance
14. GreatAmerica Financial Services
15. Hitachi Capital America
16. HP, Inc.
17. HPE Financial Services Company
18. Huntington Equipment Finance
19. John Deere Financial
20. Key Equipment Finance
21. LEAF Commercial Capital Inc.
22. M&T Bank
23. Marlin Capital Solutions
24. Merchants Bank Equipment Finance
25. PNC Equipment Finance
26. Societe Generale Equipment Finance
27. Siemens Financial Services
28. Stearns Bank
29. Stonebriar Commercial Finance
30. TCF Capital Solutions, a division of TCF National Bank
31. TD Equipment Finance
32. TIAA Commercial Finance, Inc.
33. US Bancorp Business Equipment Finance
34. Volvo Financial Services
35. Wells Fargo Equipment Finance
    
    

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An Interview with Larry Hartman
regarding Acquiring "Turnkey Search"
By Christopher Menkin, Editor

 

Larry Hartman, CEO of ZRG Partners, reports his company has made a major move into sports, entertainment and media. A longtime friend from Rockford Industries, where now retired Leasing News Legal Editor Tom McCurnin was the house attorney. Their documentation manager eventually went to work for American Leasing and is now retired. Hartman has seen his recruiting firm in the lending and commercial finance grow worldwide and was open to talking about the growth of his company, particularly during COVID-19.

"As you know, we started ZRG focused 100% in commercial lending in 2000 and we were known for that doing CEO, Head of Sales, Chief Risk officer, Head of Operation type searches in lending.  I spent the first part of my career in leasing and lending, as a co-founder of Rockford Industries, which was ultimately sold to American Express. 

"After leaving American Express, I had a non-compete in lending for several years, so I joined Ken Vancini, who had started ZRG in 2000, and we began our journey serving lending clients with executive recruiting and advisory work.   Through the years, we developed some very interesting hiring tool that are part of our "Z Score platform” that basically brings credit scoring logic and methodology to hiring.  For most companies, there is plenty of great data to support every credit  and business decision but when it comes to hiring, the process reverts to gut feel and no real data to drive the final hiring decision.  Having been part of credit scoring development at Rockford and American Express, this just seemed natural, why not do this in hiring?

"So, this has been a hallmark of our search offerings for two decades. Back to your questions about ZRG, about five years ago, we took on private equity capital and started to grow at a different pace. Today, we have a 250 person global firm that is targeted to do $100 Million in revenues in 2021 with many sectors covered including financial services, life sciences, industrial, consumer, and technology. Additionally, we have expanded our company globally with officers around the world including Europe, Asia, the Middle East and South America. We completed searches in 40 countries last year alone so the firm has really evolved from the early days."

(I asked him to tell more about this most recent acquisition in the sports space and what is the strategy going forward?)

"We have been recognized twice in the past four years in the executive recruiting world as the fastest growing global search firm. We have been growing through acquisitions and organically as well. This is our fourth acquisition in the past few years. The Turnkey acquisition is an important one for us, as it allows us to enter the sports space with an amazing team.

"Our approach to bringing data and analytics to hiring really will resonate with top professional sports and college teams as they build out their organizations. Turnkey is a 20-year old specialty search firm that is the number one niche firm doing senior level sports and entertainment searches, so this is quite exciting. As a few examples, they just completed the Atlanta Falcons Head Coaching search, they did the head of the ACC search and were part of the recent University of Texas head coach search. Additionally, they completed the CFO for the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Head of Diversity for the Orlando Magic."

(What did he see in the future for Leasing News Readers?)

"The great news is we see growth and expansion ahead for many. 2020 was a year to hold on and make sure portfolios performed and capital was adequate, so less growth for sure, but we are seeing a shift as companies now believe it is time to take the foot off the brake and tap the accelerator. We are now part of more senior sales leadership roles as senior credit and operations talent searches. Talent is open to moving and we expect to see a shift in rosters in 2021 for many firms."

(To learn more about ZRG acquiring "Turnkey Search," a major move into sports, entertainment & media, please see today's "News Briefs.")

Leasing News
Help Wanted Ads

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Opportunity

This is a crazy time! there is no other way to describe it but with adversity comes opportunity.
Fortunately, yes, I said fortunately. I have been an executive search professional through 2 major downturns, 9/11, and the great recession. Now it looks highly likely that I am entering my third (perhaps I am bad luck and you don’t want to hang out with me). With each of these downturns, I have learned that there is tremendous opportunity to be had. It does not happen instantly; a bit of patience, ingenuity, empathy and persistence are involved. In our instant gratification world, this is difficult but bear with me. There are a few things we can and should all be doing.

Communicating with those we care about.  Many people are lonely and a quick phone call, face time, or even text can go a long way. It doesn’t just have to be family members or friends, but it can be colleagues, clients, vendors, etc.

Build a blog, create a voice, be an expert. This is an amazing opportunity to get your voice and expertise heard. We are all experts in something. Be the expert, share your ideas and communicate. It has never been easier to do this. You can start with free accounts and templates at weebly.com or wix.com

Get outside your comfort zone.   Whether you believe it or not, we are all outside our comfort zones right now. It is not a time to hibernate but a time to expand. This is not a time to say you don’t have time, because all you have is time. Embrace it.

Believe in yourself.   For me this is the hardest thing. Believing that I will make it through these tough times, or believing in my ability, or believing that others believe in me. When I really think about it, I have made it this far what is going to stop me from the next part of the journey.
Life is going to throw curve balls and knuckle balls. Sometimes it will be a hard ball, sometimes it will be balloon, but no one ever said this was going to be easy. Let’s take advantage of the tough times, rather than the tough times taking advantage of us. Go outside, breathe some fresh air, and sweat! We are all in the same boat, be the one who is growing faster than the others. There is amazing opportunity to be had.

Ken Lubin
Managing Director
ZRG Partners, LLC
Americas I EMEA I Asia Pacific
C: 508-733-4789
https://www.linkedin.com/in/klubin/

Ken Lubin is a Managing Director with ZRG Partners, Founder of Executive Athletes, Founder of the Ultimate Hire, US Olympic Committee Career Advisor, and Death Race Winner. Ken is a master in getting people out of their comfort zone.  He helps people achieve their dreams and companies achieve their goals by helping them realize the high performance life

While he leads the global executive search initiative in several specialty finance niches;  Ken is also the Founder of Executive Athletes LLC, an online community which consists of over 18k+ business professionals www.executiveathletes.com that compete globally in high level athletics and are leaders in the world of business. In addition to being an initial founder of The 431 Project, he is on the board of the Friends of Tuckerman Ravine.

The Ultimate Hire Collection:
http://leasingnews.org/Conscious-Top%20Stories/ultimate.html

 

  

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Accurate Data

Sales Makes it Happen by Scott Wheeler, CLFP

Customer relationship management (CRM) is discussed in this column for obtaining and retaining clients.  For companies and individual not familiar with its usage and costs, please go to:

The Best CRM Software for 2021
https://www.pcmag.com/picks/the-best-crm-software

Kit Menkin, Editor

Is your Customer Relationship Data (CRM) up to date? Is your data accurate? Or are you working with old information and assumptions?

The market has changed significantly over the last year and top originators have kept their CRM's up to date. Even credit departments are re-profiling existing vendors and end-users to ensure that they are making decisions based upon the correct assumptions.

I recently had an originator claim that 30% of his old vendors no longer align with his company's focus. The misalignment was not caused by the finance company's capabilities but changes in the vendors (i.e., the vendors were selling different equipment, referring smaller transactions, their marketing channels had changed, ownership changed, the financial condition of some old vendors had deteriorated, etc.). Another originator claimed that she was waiting for her existing end-users to return to their previous purchasing practices (pre-COVID-19) and was assuming that these practices would resume shortly. What if they don't? What if some increase their purchasing practices and others decrease their buying patterns (which will most likely be the case)?

Successful originators always have up-to-date CRM's and they depend upon accurate data to properly attack the market. Top originators assume that vendors and end-users are constantly changing. Top originators alter their strategies to serve those stakeholders which best align with their capabilities. Alignment can only be determined with up-to-date accurate data.

Order via Amazon: https://www.createspace.com/5355516  

Scott A. Wheeler, CLFP
Wheeler Business Consulting
1314 Marquis Ct.
Fallston, Maryland 21047
Phone: 410 877 0428
Fax: 410 877 8161
Email: scott@wheelerbusinessconsulting.com
Web: www.wheelerbusinessconsulting.com 

Sales Makes it Happen articles:
http://www.leasingnews.org/Legacy/index.htm

 

The Electric Vehicle Future is here
By Alan Levine, Partner, Madison Capital, LLC

The first electric vehicles were introduced around 1890 with a range of 14 miles. For the next 30 years, the concept went dormant. There was sporadic interest but no private or Government support as the US economy and auto and truck sales were generally strong and kept growing.

The number 1 selling Model in the US remains a pickup truck, primarily used in many types of businesses with gas costs covered in job pricing and no legislation for mandatory electric units on the horizon.  Therefore, there was no reason to break a working US economic model, the petroleum business and gas driven vehicles.

Moving to the 1960’s, with US oil shortages and the ARAB oil embargo, electric vehicle excitement came back strong.  The government finally thought about emissions and pollution. With government financial support in the form of loans and tax incentives, the interest in electric vehicles grew stronger.

The Lunar Rover, the first vehicle on the moon, was electric (1969).

The Research and Development Act of 1976 authorized the Energy Department to support research for electric vehicles. Then, foreign manufacturers got on the bandwagon to support their US market sales.

The first electric units had short ranges and slow speeds. In the 1990’s, The Clear Energy Act and the 1992 Clean Air Act lit the electric vehicle fire again. In 1997, the Toyota Prius became the first mass produced electric vehicle.

In 2006, a small start-up Tesla Motors, hit the US market with the support of a large government loan paid back years earlier than allowed by loan terms. Tesla’s first units had a range advertised at close to 200 miles +/-.  That was way more that than 45-mile range some of the first US units, before Prius.

Charging stations were then increased, as well as batteries kept and keep getting better, vehicle ranges longer, and more models are available (competition).

It is predicted that by 2028, 28% of vehicles will be electric, 58% by 2040, and 90% by 2050. Predictions are 90% of vehicles will be electric by 2050. It may happen faster than that due to all the advantages of leasing.

Telsa built 509,737 electric vehicles in 2020 and delivered 499,550.

There is no contest that Telsa with its electric pick-up truck, along with Ford and others are changing the marketplace.  Replacing gasoline, engine repair, and perhaps better tires, make electric vehicle more attractive, particularly electric trucks who also can draw electric for refrigeration.

Self-driving trucks and vehicles already being tested.

Volvo VNR Electric has entered the marketplace with a manufacturing plant in Dublin, Virginia. They will offer a complete range of electric heavy-duty trucks in Europe in 2021. This will be followed by the development of electric vehicles for heavy long-haul operations, including battery-electric and fuel-cell electric trucks with a longer range. Volvo Trucks plans to start selling electric trucks powered by hydrogen fuel cells in the second half of this decade, and the objective is to have a fossil-free product range by 2040.

These commercial vehicles will join fleets to be leased with many different plans. The future of electric vehicles is here.

Allan Levine, Partner
MADI$ON CAPITAL
alevine@madisoncapital.com

Allan Levine, co-founder of Madison Capital, and for most or most of his career served as President and Chief Operating Officer of the company. He is active in the local chapter of the National Vehicle Leasing Association. He also has served on The Equipment Leasing and Finance Association’s Committee for Independent Leasing Companies and its Future Council group. He served on the board and was editor of the Eastern Association of Equipment Leasing's quarterly publication, until it merged with what is now the National Equipment Finance Association. He is on the Leasing News Advisory Board.

 

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Alternative Finance Network Joins
Financing Cannabis Funding Sources

Alternative Finance Network
Scott Jordan
303-889-2750
sjordan@altfinnet.com
www.AltFinNet.com

Scott Jordan likes to be recognized as The "Marijuana Money Man."  He states he has created a virtual marketplace for cannabis business owners seeking funding for equipment finance, real estate and working capital. His says his company is "combining the best of breed of lenders that have been vetted and have helped him complete over $5 million in deals since 2014. This provides a 1-stop shopping experience for cannabis borrowers.

The Alternative Finance Network completes deals from $250K up to $20 million with access to private money, credit union and bank rates starting as low as 7.75%.

The company has reportedly  been providing  funding for many of the most well-known brands in the  industry companies  like Harborside, Weed Maps, The Green Solution and  more  and is  open to working  with  brokers  on deals  in excess of $250,000.

To  find out about the Alternative Finance Network Click www.AltFinNet.com
Here for More Information if the link doesn’t work click here https://media.publit.io/file/h_480/Marijuana-Money-Man_10-Final.mp4

Alliance Commercial Capital
Alternative Finance Network
Cannabis Equipment Leasing
International Financial Services (IFS)
Number One Enterprise
Prime Commercial Lending
Slim Capital
Vertical Companies
XS Equipment Leasing Solutions

Labrador Dog Mix
Des Moines, Iowa  Adopt-a-Dog

Athena
Female
Born 2015
38 Lbs.

Athena arrived at ali in 2017 with a young puppy, after they were both found under an abandoned home in Oklahoma. It was obvious that athena was a street dog and never knew the love or touch of a human. She was a great mom and her puppy was adopted quickly. Athena is still learning how to be a dog and interact with humans. She has made small but noticeable improvements while she has been here and potty trained herself! While still a little afraid of new people and quick movements, she is walking on a leash and if done slowly, she will allow some human touch. She loves her peanut butter and chew toys! Athena will most likely always be a shy girl and will need someone who is willing to accommodate her special emotional needs. With the right person, who will give her lots of time and lots of love, she can be a great companion. She would prefer a home without other animals or children.

Open by Appointment only 515-285-7387 to schedule.

Animal Control Services for the City of Des Moines are overseen by
ARL Animal Services.
 4521 SE 14th St,
Des Moines, IA 50320
(515) 285-7387
Phone: (515) 284-6905

Contact:
https://www.animal-lifeline.com/contact

Sunday - CLOSED
Monday - CLOSED
Tuesday - 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday - 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Thursday - 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Friday - 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Saturday - 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Closed on all major holidays

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Leasing News Advisor
Dale Davis

Dale R. Davis
President
Endeavor Financial Services
DDavis@EndeavorFS.net
(877) 727-4327, ext. 207
(877) 337-3227
www.EndeavorFS.net

Dale joined the Leasing News Advisor Board on January 26, 2007. He has been active in the vehicle and equipment leasing business since 1978.

Dale was the President of the National Vehicle Leasing Association (NVLA) in 2005-2006. He was presented with the association’s Lifetime Achievement award in 2007.

Dale is a contributing author to “Foundations of Leasing", an industry publication. He is also active with local community groups and the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Dale is married and has four children.

News Briefs---

ZRG Acquires Turnkey Searchs
    "major move into sports, entertainment & media"
http://leasingnews.org/PDF/turnkey2021.pdf

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You May Have Missed---

Biden Team to Buy 200 Million More Doses,
    Speed Up Vaccinations
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-01-26/biden-team-tells-governors-it-will-speed-up-vaccine-delivery

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Sports Briefs---

Packers QB Aaron Rodgers:
    'I don't think there's any reason why I wouldn't be back'
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/packers/2021/01/26/aaron-rodgers-expects-return-green-bay-2021/4266689001/

No one makes baseball Hall of Fame;
    former Cardinal Rolen finishes fourth
https://www.stltoday.com/sports/baseball/professional/cardinal-beat/no-one-makes-baseball-hall-of-fame-former-cardinal-rolen-finishes-fourth/article_37fa01f6-6d76-5ad6-9d42-25eb9699cebf.html

Opinion: Sarah Thomas earning Super Bowl officiating
      bid is a crucial moment in sports history
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/columnist/mike-freeman/2021/01/19/nfl-referee-sarah-thomas-working-super-bowl-lv-history/4218571001/

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California Nuts Briefs---

Coronavirus: California data show substantial
     learning loss, inequity
https://www.mercurynews.com/2021/01/26/coronavirus-california-data-show-substantial-learning-loss-inequity/?

California eviction ban to be extended through June
    in deal between Newsom, top Democrats
https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article248701960.html?ac_cid=DM371586&ac_bid=-753133013

California utility to pay $2 billion settlement
    in deadly 2018 Woolsey fire
https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2021/01/26/utility-to-pay-2b-settlement-in-deadly-2018-california-fire/

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“Gimme that Wine”

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

Why the Post-Pandemic Era Could Be
    "The Roaring '20s' for Restaurants
https://www.restaurantbusinessonline.com/financing/why-post-pandemic-era-could-be-roaring-20s-restaurants

4 Wine Trends You’ll Be Seeing Everywhere
    in 2021, According to a Master Sommelier
https://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/shopping-storing/beverages/wine-trends-2021

Free Wine App
https://www.nataliemaclean.com/mobileapp/

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

This Day in History

    1772 - The "Washington and Jefferson Snowstorm" occurred. George Washington reported three feet of snow at Mount Vernon and Thomas Jefferson recorded about three feet at Monticello.
    1778 – Marines landed at New Providence, Bahamas and the American flag flew over foreign soil for the first time. The first American soldiers sent forth from the fledgling nation’s shores were a detachment of Marines. That amphibious raid, the first in what remains today a Marine specialty, aimed to seize guns and gunpowder from a British fort.
    1785 - The University of Georgia was founded, the first public university in the United States.  
    1805 - Southeastern New York and New England were in the middle of a 3-day snowstorm. Snow fell continuously for 48 hours in New York City where two feet reportedly accumulated.
    1810 - The third U.S. Census recorded a population of 7,239,881, an increase of 1,931,298 over the 1800 Census. The 1810 census included one new state: Ohio. Black population rose by 481,361 to 1,278,110. Of this total, 186,746 were free citizens, a group omitted in the 1800 census. The center of population moved to a point 40 miles northwest of Washington, DC.
    1825 – Congress approved Indian Territory in what is present-day Oklahoma, clearing the way for forced relocation of the Eastern Indians on the "Trail of Tears."   The Indian Removal Act of 1830 included members of the Cherokee, Muscogee, Seminole, Chickasaw, and Choctaw nations, removing them from their ancestral homelands in the Southeast to an area west of the Mississippi River.  The relocated people suffered from exposure, disease and starvation while en route, and more than ten thousand died before reaching their various destinations. 
    1830 - The landmark Webster-Hayne debates took place January 19-27. They began when Senator Samuel A. Foot of Connecticut offered a resolution to restrain sale of public lands in the West. Sen. Thomas Hart Benton of Missouri replied by declaring that eastern interests were trying to check the prosperity of the West. He was supported by Sen. Robert Y. Hayne of South Carolina, who defended states’ rights. Hayne stated that “the very life of our system is the independence of the states, and that there is no evil more to be depreciated than the consolidation of this government.” Sen. Daniel Webster of Massachusetts replied by criticizing the tendency of some senators “to habitually speak of the union in terms of indifference, or even of disparagement.” The debate evolved into a discussion of the powers of the Constitution and the nature of the Union. In his speech of Jan. 26-27, Webster declared that the states were sovereign only in that area where their power is not qualified by the Constitution, and that the Constitution and the government were sovereign over the people. “Liberty and Union, now and forever, one and inseparable!” was included in the speech delivered by Daniel Webster of Massachusetts in debate with Sen. Robert Y. Hayne of South Carolina. Webster held that the union was stronger than the separate states and that its acts could not be nullified by them.
    1832 – Lewis Carroll (d. 1898) was born Charles Lutwidge Dodgson in England.  His most famous writings are “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland,” its sequel “Through the Looking Glass,” which includes the poem “Jabberwocky,” and the poem “The Hunting of the Snark,” all examples of the genre of literary nonsense. He is noted for his facility at word play, logic, and fantasy.
    1850 - Birthday of Samuel Gompers (d. 1924), one of the key figures of the U.S labor movement, was born in England. In 1863, Gompers immigrated to New York with his family and soon joined his father working as a cigar maker in various New York sweatshops. Although he became heavily involved in the cigar makers' union, Gompers was hardly an advocate of labor's more left-leaning tendencies. As he rose to prominence in the union, Gompers gradually articulated his belief in strikes and boycotts tempered by responsibility and reason. In addition, he focused almost solely on economic goals and hailed binding contracts as a key to improving the lives of workers. In 1886, Gompers spearheaded the formation of the American Federation of Labor (A.F. of L.) He ruled the A.F. of L. for forty years, save for 1895, when a brief burst of socialist sentiment forced him out of office. Gompers shaped the A.F. of L. into his conservative ideal, leading the organization to eschew overt political affiliations, most notably radicalism, in favor of broad patriotic values. However, as employers and politicians increasingly marshaled tough tactics to quell the rising tide of labor, Gompers was forced to choose sides, and in 1908, he supported William Jennings Bryan's failed run for the Oval Office. A few years later, Gompers became a fierce ally of President Woodrow Wilson and Gompers used the pulpit of the A.F. of L., as well as the recently formed Pan American Labor Federation, to push the government's policy in World War I.
    1870 - At the then Indian Asbury University, Kappa Alpha Theta, the first women's Greek letter society, or sorority, was founded. The university is now called DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana.  http://www.kappaalphatheta.org/kat_v35/home/home_body.cfm
    1870 – Virginia ratified the 15th Amendment and was readmitted to the Union.
    1880 - Thomas Alva Edison patented the electric incandescent lamp.
    1885 - Birthday of Jerome Kern (d. 1945), American composer, New York City. In addition to scores for stage and screen, Kern wrote many memorable songs, including “Ol' Man River,” “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes,” “I Won't Dance,” “The Way You Look Tonight,“ “All the Things You Are,” and “The Last Time I Saw Paris.”
    1888 - In Washington, D.C., the National Geographic Society was founded.  http://www.nationalgeographic.com/
    1894 - The University of Chicago played its first basketball game, beating the Chicago YMCA Training School 19-11. The University of Chicago became the first basketball team to play a full schedule of games, ending with a 6-1 record.
    1900 - Birthday of Hyman Rickover (d. 1986) in Russia.  American naval officer, known as the “Father of the Nuclear Navy.” Admiral Rickover directed development of nuclear reactor powered submarines, the first of which was the Nautilus, launched in 1954. Rickover was noted for his blunt remarks: “To increase the efficiency of the Department of Defense,” he said, “you must first abolish it.” The four-star admiral was forced to retire at the age of 81, after 63 years in the Navy. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
    1901 – Art Rooney (d. 1988) was born in Coulterville, PA.  He founded the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1933. Since the league's inception in 1920, the NFL had wanted a team in Pittsburgh due to the city's already-long history with football and when the state of Pennsylvania relaxed its blue laws against Sunday activities, they finally awarded the franchise to Rooney.  After decades as the NFL’s doormats, they won four Super Bowls while Rooney was still CEO and they were the first NFL team to win six. 
    1908 - Birthday of trumpet player Oran “Hot Lips” Page (d. 1954), Dallas.
http://legacyrecordings.com/hotlipspage/
http://www.legacyrecordings.com/hotlipspage/main.html
http://www.musicweb.uk.net/encyclopaedia/p/P3.HTM
http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/recordings.asp?oid=8019
    1918 - Birthday of bandleader Lyle Russell “Skitch” Henderson (d. 2005), Halstad, MN.  Best known as the bandleader for “The Tonight Show” with Steve Allen and then Johnny Carson.  
http://www.newyorkpops.org/html/skitch_henderson.html
    1918 - The first Tarzan film, “Tarzan of the Apes,” is released. The silent movie, based on Edgar Rice Burroughs' novel, was the first in a long line of Tarzan productions. Olympic champion swimmer Johnny Weissmuller starred in 11 Tarzan movies from 1932 to 1948 and contributed Tarzan's signature yodel to the TV show, which ran from 1966 to 1969. The character was also featured in a radio show starting in 1932 and in a long-running comic strip.
    1921 - Birthday of Donna Reed (d. 1986), born Donna Belle Mullenger, Dennison, IA.   She who won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in “From Here to Eternity” (1954). Also remembered for her role in "It's a Wonderful Life," but perhaps best known for her TV series "The Donna Reed Show” (1958-1966), winning 1963 Golden Globe for Best TV Star--female. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donna_Reed
    1927 - The Harlem Globetrotters opened their first tour with a game in Hinckley, IL. Founded by Abe Saperstein as a spin-off from the great Harlem Renaissance team, the Globetrotters quickly became fan favorites around the world.  http://harlemglobetrotters.com/
    1927 - Birthday of jazz pianist Don Shirley (d. 2013), Kingston, Jamaica.
http://www.donshirley.com/
http://artists.spun.com/don_shirley
http://www.donshirley.com/bio.html
    1930 – Birthday of Bobby ‘Blue' Bland was born Robert Calvin Brooks (d. 2013), Rosemont, TN. Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame singer: “That's the Way Love Is,” “Call on Me,” “Turn on Your Love Light,” “Ain't Nothin' You Can Do.”  Original group: The Beale Streeters with Johnny Ace. His grainy vocal style is a mixture of gospel and blues, and he had considerable influence on singers as diverse as Rod Stewart and Al Green. "Call on Me" and "That's the Way Love Is" was a double-sided million-seller for Bland in 1963. But white audiences didn't begin to buy his records until he recorded his "California Album" and "Dreamin'" in the early '70s. They proved to be the most popular LPs of his career. When I lived in New Orleans for a long summer in 1958 with my friend Warren Luening, Jr. and his family, Bobby “Blue” Bland was number one on the radio. I could do a pretty good impression of Bobby “Blue” Bland, including imitating his stand and manners. I knew most of his songs by heart. I have never missed a chance to see him when he was in the San Francisco Bay Area, including spending my birthdays after midnight, at his New Year's Eve Show, at the San Carlos Circle Star Theater. (B.B.King also shared the stage.) 
http://www.rockhall.com/hof/inductee.asp?id=68 
http://data.sonicnet.com/artists/news/620757/01262000/bland_bobby.jhtml
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/stores/artist/glance/-/101654/
002-1241397-9042458
    1931 - Birthday of Rudy Maugeri (d. 2004), baritone singer and arranger for the Crew-Cuts, in Toronto, Canada. All four members of the group were students at St. Michael's Cathedral Choir School in Toronto. They were discovered in 1954 by Mercury Records while they were singing in Cleveland under the name of the Canadaires. They became the Crew-Cuts after the popular hair style of the time. One of the first white groups to record rock 'n' roll versions of black rhythm-and-blues hits, the Crew Cuts are best known for their 1954 million-seller "Sh-Boom."
http://www.fullyalivecenter.org/morebios.htm
    1933 – Jerry Buss (d. 2013) was born in Salt Lake City.  He was the majority owner of the LA Lakers NBA championship team, winning 10 titles that were highlighted by the team's Showtime era during the 1980s. He is a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a contributor. Buss also owned other professional sports franchises in Southern California.
    1936 – Actor Troy Donahue (d. 2001) was born Merle Johnson, Jr. in NYC.  Donahue became a popular male sex symbol of the 1950s and 1960s.
    1939 – Birthday of Julius Lester (d. 2018), re-teller of legends and folklore of the American South, born St. Louis, Missouri. Since the early 1970's, Lester has served as a professor at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.
http://www.eduplace.com/kids/hmr/mtai/lester.html
http://www.scils.rutgers.edu/~kvander/cool6.html
    1941 - Birthday of vibe player Bobby Hutcherson (d. 2016), Los Angeles, CA
http://www.vh1.com/artists/az/hutcherson_bobby/bio.jhtml
http://www.grunthos.demon.co.uk/dialogue.htm 
    1943 - The first air attack on Germany by the Army Air Force in World War II was made by the 8th Air Force led by Brigadier General Haywood Shepherd Hansell III from bases in England. The targets were naval bases and docks at Wilhelmshaven and factories in Emden in northwest Germany. The Americans lost three planes on the mission, two Liberators and one Flying Fortress. Of 64 planes participating in the raid, 53 reached their targets. The German loss was 22 fighter airplanes and 3 bombers. The B-17 Flying Fortresses, capable of sustaining heavy damage while continuing to fly, and the B-24 Liberators, long-range bombers, became famous for precision bombing raids. The premier example was the raid on Wilhelmshaven, commanded by Brig. Gen. Newton Longfellow. The 8th Air Force was amazingly effective and accurate in bombing warehouses and factories in this first air attack against the Axis power. 
    1944 - The siege of Leningrad began with German bombing of the city. The bombing continued for 430 hours. The suffering of the people of Leningrad during the 880-day siege was one of the greatest tragedies of World War II. More than half the population of Russian’s second largest city died during the winter of 1942. The siege finally ended on January 27, 1944.
    1944 - The Boston Braves fired manager Casey Stengel, who becomes the victim of an ownership change.  He caught on with the minor league Milwaukee Brewers, winning the pennant in 1944, and then was hired by George Weiss to manage the Kansas City Blues beginning 1945.  After Stengel achieved success at the helm of the Oakland Oaks of the Pacific Coast League, he went on to become manager of the New York Yankees in 1949. He won the World Series in each year from 1949-53, the only manager to do so in Major League history. He took the Yankees to the World Series every year but 1954 and 1959 during his tenure that ended after the 1960 Series. Famous “Stengelisms” include: "The Yankees don't pay me to win every day - just two out of three;" "The secret of managing a club is to keep the five guys who hate you away from the five guys who are undecided;" and "You have to draft a catcher, because if you don't have one, the ball will roll all the way back to the screen." When he was fired after losing the 1960 World Series, he quipped, “I’ll never make the mistake of being 70 again.”  He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1966.
    1945 - The Russians liberated the Auschwitz concentration camp, where the Nazis had murdered 1.5 million men, women and children, including more than one million Jews.
    1947 - Top Hits 
For Sentimental Reasons - Nat King Cole 
A Gal in Calico - Johnny Mercer 
Ole Buttermilk Sky - The Kay Kyser Orchestra (vocal: Mike Douglas & The Campus Kids) 
Rainbow at Midnight - Ernest Tubb
    1948 - Wire Recording Corporation of America unveiled the first magnetic tape recorder, the ‘Wireway' machine containing a built-in oscillator. It sold for $149.50.
    1951 – Nuclear testing began at the Nevada Test Site with a one-kiloton bomb dropped on Frenchman Flat.
    1955 - Birthday of John G. Roberts, Jr., Chief Justice of the US Supreme Court, born Buffalo, NY.
    1955 - Top Hits 
“Mr. Sandman” - The Chordettes 
“Let Me Go, Lover!” - Teresa Brewer 
“Earth Angel (Will You Be Mine)” - The Penguins 
“Loose Talk” - Carl Smith
    1956 - Elvis Presley, "Heartbreak Hotel" released today.  Presley's first on his new record label RCA Victor, it topped Billboard’s Top 100 chart for seven weeks, Cashbox's pop singles chart for six weeks, was No. 1 on the Country and Western chart for seventeen weeks and reached No. 3 on the R&B chart, becoming Presley's first million-seller, and one of the best-selling singles of 1956.  In 1995, "Heartbreak Hotel" was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame and, in 2004, Rolling Stone magazine named it one of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time." That year, it was also included in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's "500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll.”    
    1958 - Little Richard enters Oakwood College in Huntsville, Alabama. It's a school for blacks run by the Seventh Day Adventist Church. Little Richard explains while flying over the Philippines on tour, the wing on his plane caught fire and his prayers that the flames go out were answered. As a result, he says he's giving up rock and roll so he can serve God.
http://www.littlerichard.com/
    1959 - Birthday of Anthony Cris Collinsworth, sportscaster, former football player, born Dayton, OH.
    1961 - Leontyne Price debuted at New York's Metropolitan Opera House, singing the role of Leonora in "Il Trovatore." Price was the seventh black singer to make a debut at the Met, the first was Marian Anderson in 1955.
    1962 - Elvis Presley received his 29th gold record for “Can't Help Falling in Love,” just weeks after receiving one for the soundtrack to his seventh movie, “Blue Hawaii.”
    1962 - Joey Dee and the Starliters' "Peppermint Twist" hits #1
    1962 - Benny Goodman Band enplanes for Soviet tour; first jazz band to play Russia.
    1963 - Top Hits 
“Walk Right In” - The Rooftop Singers 
“Hey Paula” - Paul & Paula 
“Tell Him” - The Exciters 
“The Ballad of Jed Clampett" - Flatt & Scruggs
    1964 - Senator Margaret Chase Smith (R-MA) announces her candidacy for President of the United States at a Women's National Press Club luncheon. In her statement, she acknowledged that many think that "No woman should ever dare to aspire to the White House - and that this is a man's world and should be kept that way." She received 27 votes at the national convention which nominated Barry Goldwater.
    1966 - Oswego, NY, was in the midst of a five-day lake effect storm which left the town buried under 102 inches of snow.
    1967 - During a preflight test for what was to be the first manned Apollo mission, a fire claimed the lives of three U.S. astronauts; Gus Grissom, Ed White and Roger Chaffee. After the disaster, the mission was officially designated Apollo 1. The Apollo program was designed to land humans on the Moon and bring them safely back to Earth. Six of the missions (Apollo 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, and 17) achieved this goal. Apollo 7 and 9 were Earth orbiting missions to test the Command and Lunar Modules and did not return lunar data. Apollo 8 and 10 tested various components while orbiting the Moon and returned photography of the lunar surface. Apollo 13 did not land on the Moon due to a malfunction, but also returned photographs. The six missions that landed on the Moon returned a wealth of scientific data and almost 400 kilograms of lunar samples. Experiments included soil mechanics, meteoroids, seismic, heat flow, lunar ranging, magnetic fields, and solar wind experiments.
    1967 - EVANS, DONALD W., JR., Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Specialist Fourth Class, U.S. Army, Company A, 2d Battalion, 12 Infantry, 4th Infantry Division. Place and date: Tri Tam, Republic of Vietnam, 27 January 1967. Entered service at: Covina, Calif. Born: 23 July 1943, Covina, Calif. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. He left his position of relative safety with his platoon which had not yet been committed to the battle to answer the calls for medical aid from the wounded men of another platoon which was heavily engaged with the enemy force. Dashing across 100 meters of open area through a withering hail of enemy fire and exploding grenades, he administered lifesaving treatment to 1 individual and continued to expose himself to the deadly enemy fire as he moved to treat each of the other wounded men and to offer them encouragement. Realizing that the wounds of 1 man required immediate attention, Sp4c. Evans dragged the injured soldier back across the dangerous fire-swept area, to a secure position from which he could be further evacuated. Miraculously escaping the enemy fusillade, Sp4c. Evans returned to the forward location. As he continued the treatment of the wounded, he was struck by fragments from an enemy grenade. Despite his serious and painful injury he succeeded in evacuating another wounded comrade, rejoined his platoon as it was committed to battle and was soon treating other wounded soldiers. As he evacuated another wounded man across the fire covered field, he was severely wounded. Continuing to refuse medical attention and ignoring advice to remain behind, he managed with his waning strength to move yet another wounded comrade across the dangerous open area to safety. Disregarding his painful wounds and seriously weakened from profuse bleeding, he continued his lifesaving medical aid and was killed while treating another wounded comrade. Sp4c. Evan’s extraordinary valor, dedication and indomitable spirit saved the lives of several of his fellow soldiers, served as an inspiration to the men of his company, were instrumental in the success of their mission, and reflect great credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of his country.
    1967 - Residents of Chicago, IL began to dig out from a storm which produced 23 inches of snow in 29 hours. The snow paralyzed the city and suburbs for days, and business losses were enormous
    1967 - The United States, United Kingdom, and Soviet Union signed the Outer Space Treaty in Washington, DC, banning deployment of nuclear weapons in space, and limiting use of the Moon and other celestial bodies to peaceful purposes.  “Gort, Klaatu barada nikto.”
    1968 - Seven weeks after singer Otis Redding's death, his song "(Sittin' on) The Dock of the Bay" was released. It hit #1 on March 16, 1968, staying at the top for a month. In 1960, Redding began his recording career with Johnny Jenkins and The Pinetoppers on Confederate Records. He sang duet with Carla Thomas and charted 11 hits. Redding, from Dawson, Georgia, died in a plane crash at Lake Monona near Madison, Wisconsin. The crash also killed four members of the Bar-Kays. "The Dock of the Bay," Redding's only number one song, was recorded three days before his death.
    1968 - The Bee Gees gave their first American concert as a group, earning $50,000 to play at the Anaheim Convention Center in California. The Beatles were paid the same amount to perform at the Hollywood Bowl a few years prior.
    1971 - The first US postage stamp depicting a Jew was the three-cent bright red-violet postage stamp to commemorate the centenary of the birth of labor leaser Samuel Gompers, one of the founders of the American Federal of Labor. The stamps were printed by rotary press, 70 stamps to the pane.
    1971 - Top Hits 
“Knock Three Times” - Dawn 
“Lonely Days” - Bee Gees 
“Stoney End” - Barbra Streisand 
“Rose Garden” - Lynn Anderson
    1972 - The New Seekers received a gold record for “I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing” on this date. The song was an effective campaign tool for Coca-Cola television commercials.
http://www.lyricsfreak.com/t/the-new-seekers/51115.htm 
    1973 - DVN Day. The US and North Vietnam, along with South Vietnam and the Viet Cong, signed the official "Agreement on ending the war and restoring peace in Vietnam." Signed at Paris, France, to take effect January 28 at 8 AM Saigon time, thus ending US combat role in a war that had involved American personnel stationed in Vietnam since defeated French forces had departed under terms in the Geneva Accords in 1954.  Thus ended the longest war in US history. This is the same agreement as was drafted the previous October.
3 million Americans were enlisted in the military 
47,366 Americans died in combat in the Vietnam war
· 275,000 Americans experience a death in their family
· 1.4 million saw someone in their family wounded
· 6.5 million served in armed forces, 1 million+ saw combat
Peace negotiations between the United States and North Vietnam had been ongoing since 1968. Richard Nixon was elected President that year, largely on the basis of his promise to find a way to "peace with honor" in Vietnam. Four years later, after the deaths of thousands more American servicemen, South Vietnamese soldiers, North Vietnamese soldiers, and Viet Cong fighters, the Paris Peace Accords were signed, and America's participation in the struggle in Vietnam came to a close. Most Americans were relieved simply to be out of the Vietnam quagmire. At home, the war seriously fractured the consensus about the Cold War that had been established in the period after World War II--simple appeals to fighting the red threat of communism would no longer be sufficient to move the American nation to commit its prestige, manpower, and money to foreign conflicts. For Vietnam, the accords meant little. The cease-fire almost immediately collapsed, with recriminations and accusations flying from both sides. In 1975, the North Vietnamese launched a massive military offensive, crushed the South Vietnamese forces, and reunified Vietnam under communist rule. Contrary to popular belief, both the Korean War and Viet Nam War were bad for the economy, resulting in areas of high unemployment, high inflation, and a larger disparity in income between the wealthy and not wealthy. Richard Nixon inherited this from Lyndon Johnson who in turn took over from John F. Kennedy who inherited it from Dwight Eisenhower. Whether President Kennedy would have listened to the public, or not have been fooled by the military as history has shown Johnson was fooled, is debated by historians. It cost Johnson the election, and he shortly thereafter died a broken man. Ironically, within weeks of the departure of American troops, the war between North and South Vietnam resumed. For the Vietnamese that remained and did not flee to the United States, the war didn't end until April 30, 1975, when Saigon fell to Communist forces. Today, we not only trade with the country but have built American industrial plants in North Viet Nam.
    1973 - The UCLA Bruins, led by center Bill Walton, beat Notre Dame, 82-63, to set an NCAA record with their 61st consecutive victory. The Bruins broke the record set by the University of San Francisco in 1956 when Bill Russell played center for the Dons.
    1976 - “Laverne and Shirley” premiered on TV. This ABC sitcom was a spin-off of the popular TV show “Happy Days” that was also set during the 50's in Milwaukee, WI. Penny Marshall, sister of series co-creator, Garry Marshall, starred as Laverne DeFazio with Cindy Williams as Shirley Feeney. The two friends worked at a brewery and shared a basement apartment. Also featured in the cast were Phil Foster as Laverne's father, Frank DeFazio; David L. Lander as co-worker Andrew ‘Squiggy” Sguiggman; Michael McKean as co-worker Lenny Kosnowski; Betty Garrett as landlady Edna Babis and Eddie Mekka as Carmine Ragusa, Shirley's sometime boyfriend.
    1979 - Top Hits 
“Le Freak” - Chic 
“Y.M.C.A.” - Village People 
“Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?” - Rod Stewart 
“Why Have You Left the One You Left Me For” - Crystal Gayle
    1979 - Rod Stewart's album "Blondes Have More Fun" became number one on the Billboard chart. Sales of the album were spurred by the single "Do Ya Think I'm Sexy?" and the success represented a comeback for Stewart.
    1980 - Through cooperation between the U.S. and Canadian governments, six American diplomats secretly escaped Iran in the culmination of the ‘Canadian Caper.’  They had evaded capture during the seizure of the United States embassy in Tehran and the taking of embassy personnel as hostages on November 4, 1979.  
    1984 - Center Wayne Gretzky of the Edmonton Oilers scored a goal against the New Jersey Devils to extend his streak of scoring either a goal or an assist to 51 games, an NHL record. The Great One was stopped by the Los Angeles Kings, a team he later played for, the next night.
    1984 – Michael Jackson suffered second degree burns to his scalp during the filming of a Pepsi commercial.
    1987 - Top Hits
“At This Moment” - Billy Vera & The Beaters 
“Open Your Heart” - Madonna 
“Control” - Janet Jackson 
“Cry Myself to Sleep” - The Judds
    1989 - Michael Jackson gave what was billed as his last concert performance in Los Angeles. The show marked the end of Jackson's "Bad" world tour, which had begun 16 months earlier in Japan. In the audience at the LA concert were such stars as Elizabeth Taylor, Jane Fonda, Phil Collins, Tiffany and members of Motley Crue. The "Bad" tour included 123 concerts in 15 countries, with a total attendance of 4.4-million and a box office gross of over 125-million dollars, both record figures. Jackson's "Bad" LP sold more than 20-million copies worldwide.
    1989 - The last half of January was bitterly cold over most of Alaska. Nearly thirty stations established all-time record low temperatures. On this date Tanana reported a low of -76 degrees. Daily highs of -66 degrees were reported at Chandalar Lake on the 22nd, and at Ambler on the 26th.
    1990 - Another in a series of cold fronts brought high winds to the northwestern U.S., and more heavy snow to some of the higher elevations. The series of vigorous cold fronts crossing the area between the 23rd and the 27th of the month produced up to 60 inches of snow in the Cascade Mountains of Washington State.
    1991 - The New York Giants defeated the Buffalo Bills 20-19, to win Super Bowl XXV. Buffalo kicker Scott Norwood saw his 47-year field goal attempt sail wide right with eight seconds to play. It is perhaps one of the most remembered losses in NFL history. 
http://images.nfl.com/history/images/0127.jpg
    1991 - Whitney Houston performed "The Star-Spangled Banner" at the Super Bowl game - sort of. What the crowd heard was a pre-recorded version while Houston and an orchestra performed on the field. A blend of Houston's live vocals and the pre-recorded version, released as a single, became a hit because of patriotism sparked by the Persian Gulf War. 
    1992 - Country singer Wynonna Judd made her debut as a solo artist on the American Music Awards show on ABC TV. The Judds, the award-winning duo of Wynonna and her mother Naomi, broke up in 1991 because of Naomi's ill health. 
    1993 - Warner Brothers announced it was releasing Ice-T from his recording contract. The company cited "creative differences" for the decision, which followed the previous year's controversy over Ice-T's "Cop Killer." Police and others said the track advocated the killing of police. Several of Ice-T's concerts had to be cancelled when off-duty police refused to provide security for the shows. Ironically, he went from a regular detective on “Homicide,” Baltimore, MD., to a key detective on “Law and Order, Criminal Intent,” New York City.
    1993 - Fans at a Clovis, New Mexico club, expecting to see a group called Yukon Jack, got a shock when Garth Brooks and his band walked on stage. The surprise performance was arranged by Brooks' booking agent - a longtime friend of the club's owner. 
    1994 - A frigid arctic air was in place over New England and New York as a massive 1052 millibar high pressure provided ideal radiational cooling. Crown Point, NY dipped to 48 degrees below zero and Shoreham, VT shivered with 46 degrees below zero. Burlington, VT broke its old record daily low by 9 degrees with a reading of 29 degrees below zero and Caribou, ME set a record low for the third day in a row with a temperature of 23 degrees below zero 
    1997 - National Semiconductor agreed to sell its Fairchild Semiconductor business to the unit's management. The separation of the two companies would allow National Semi to focus on expensive custom chips instead of high-volume, low-cost chips, which Fairchild specialized in.
    1997 - Ottawa native Alanis Morissette's "Jagged Little Pill" was named favorite album at the American Music Awards in Los Angeles. Presenter Paula Abdul accepted the award for Morissette, who was on vacation in India. Morissette was also picked as favorite female artist. Timmins, Ontario, native Shania Twain captured the trophy for best female country artist.
    1998 - The Spice Girls' "Girl Power: Live in Istanbul" video was released by Virgin Music Video, and was later certified platinum.
    2005 - Month-to-date snowfall at Boston Logan International Airport totaled 43.1 inches, making January the snowiest month on record.
    2005 – The UN General Assembly designated January 27 as International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust.”  In doing so, the UN rejected any denial of the Holocaust as a historical event and remembered the words of General Dwight Eisenhower who directed the photographic preservation of the concentration camps when they were liberated in 1945.
    2006 – Western Union discontinued its telegram and Commercial Messaging services.
    2010 – Steve Jobs CEO of Apple, unveiled a new invention, a tablet PC called the iPad, at a press conference in San Francisco.  As of September 2020, Apple has sold more than 500 million iPads though sales peaked in 2013.  It is the most popular tablet computer by sales as of the second quarter of 2020.
    2014 - Edward Snowden, the former National Security Agency contractor who had been granted temporary asylum in Russia, claimed that his decision to leak classified NSA documents about mining emails and telephone call logs has resulted in several significant threats to his life.
    2014 - The U.S. Postal Service will soon implement a rate hike in postage, approved last December the price of first-class postage stamps to 49 cents from 46 cents.
    2015 – Boston and much of New England were buried under more than two feet of snow with winds exceeding 70 mph.
    2017 – President Donald Trump issued an executive order banning travel to the US from seven mostly Muslim countries and suspending admission for refugees.

Super Bowl Champions:
    1991 - New York Giants