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CEO of Commonwealth Capital Gets Award Although
Fined "Inappropriate Expenses to Investment Funds"

FINRA found guilt Kimberly Springsteen-Abbott, Commonwealth Capital Corp Chief Executive Officer, for misusing "funds by improperly allocating personal and other inappropriate expenses to investment funds in the amount of $208, 954.44 and ordered $208,953.75 in disgorgement (plus prejudgment interest), fined her $100,000, and assessed costs against her... barred Springsteen-Abbott from associating with any FINRA firm in any capacity." (1)

In 2013 she was fined $1.5 million from the SEC for “misleading investors regarding compensation practices for making "...misleading disclosures concerning the expenses that it charged to nine equipment-leasing funds that were sponsored by" by the fund company’s parent. (2)

Yet many news media printed her press release for receiving "The Women's Business Council (WBEC) of Pennsylvania, Delaware and southern New Jersey 2017 Leadership Award. (3)

The press release states "WBENC is the nation's largest third-party certifier of businesses owned and operated by women in the United States. The WBENC certification for women-owned businesses is one of the most widely recognized and respected certifications in the nation. Accepted by hundreds of corporations within the country and a number of federal, state, and local government agencies, WBENC certification is an important marketing tool for expanding a company's visibility among decision makers in corporate supply chain diversity and procurement organizations." (3)

""I am humbled and incredibly honored to accept this award," said Ms. Springsteen-Abbott. "Leadership is about change, learning to evolve your business toward growth and new challenges. And the WBENC community is excellent at encouraging the leader in all of us, providing amazing support, resources and advocacy for all WBEs to grow and succeed." (3)

(1) Admin Proc File No. 3-17560 (11 pages)
http://leasingnews.org/PDF/AdminProcFile_52018.pdf

(2) B-D chief in $1.5M settlement with SEC over claims of misleading comp disclosure
http://www.investmentnews.com/article/20131015/FREE/131019926/b-d-chief-in-1-5m-settlement-with-sec-over-claims-of-misleading-comp

(3) Press Release
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/commonwealths-kimberly-springsteen-abbott-honored-with-2017-wbec-leadership-award-300626539.html

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Letters! - We Get Email
IFC Credit/AACLFB-NAELB/CLFP Complaint

Chronologically received

Wedding of ELGA CEO Brian Trebels and Bride Abigail (Lynn) Trebels Featured in Current Issue of Sophisticated Living Magazine - Brian Trebels is CEO and co-founder of Equipment Leasing Group of America, LLC (ELGA) headquartered in Northfield, Illinois.
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2018/04/prweb15447950.htm

"Why am I seeing this online in Leasing News?"

Name with held

(This did not appear in Leasing News, although reported in our competitors "online editions." Why a wedding announcement? You got me. Brian Trebels is also relatively new to the business. In one of the press releases published, it noted his father was Rudy Trebels, well-known from the bankruptcy of his company IFC Credit as well as claims he remains a CLP.

http://leasingnews.org/archives/Jun2010/6_11.htm#correction
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Apr2016/04_27.htm#ifc
http://www.leasingnews.org/Conscious-Top%20Stories/IFC_stories.htm )

- Editor

NAELB Gets a New Name:
American Association of Commercial Finance Brokers
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Apr2018/04_27.htm#naelb

"The idiots lost all branding & they have Canadian members. They could have been National Association of COMMERCIAL FINANCE BROKERS or EQUIPMENT FINANCE BROKERS and retained 90% of the goodwill associated with their name. NAELB."

- Name With Held

(There were many similar emails, none wanted their names published. Their emails signature said they were members of the former name: NAELB. They had not changed. Several also mentioned disapproval of the logo. The response above sums up the emails best, therefore it appears here.)
- Editor

"Forgive my continued cynicism...Looking back at my earnings history over the last ten years, I never once looked back and said "If I only had my CLFP...."

"1) Do customers / vendors care or even know what the CLFP designation stands for? (We're not talking CPA, MBA, CFA which are in a different league as far as recognition and credibility are concerned)

"2) Has anyone conducted a study to determine the street value of CLFP designation? (i.e. do individuals w CLFP make more than non-CLFP?)

"3) Do employers tend to promote / hire with preference given to CLFP?

“As the Wolf of Wall Street said 'Give them to me young, hungry, and stupid, and in no time I'll make 'em rich.'

“DCC did a great job of taking individuals with the aforementioned traits and turned them into some of the best deal makers in the business as evidenced by the preponderance of talented finance guys in the Portsmouth NH area. I can count the number of CLFP's up there on one hand..."

- Name With Held

(Wow! This is enough emails for today. First, I will list our series of "Why I Became a CLFP." All I can add is the foundation has grown, Canada, and now Reid Raykovich, Executive Director, is in Australia with the Australian Association for 2 1/2 weeks on a speaking tour as members are interested in joining from this country.

(Minor, MBA is not a title after a name. It is a degree. All press stylebooks note this, and here is “Career Trend” suggestion: https://careertrend.com/how-7857874-use-mba-title-after-name.html

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

- Editor

Working Capital from $10,0000 to $250,000 ChannelPartnersCapital.com

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CLFP Foundation Adds 38 Members
Brings Total Membership o 543

The Certified Lease & Finance Professional (CLFP) Foundation Board of Directors is pleased to announce that there are thirty-eight new equipment finance professionals who recently gained the CLFP Designation. The majority of the new CLFPs are from the internally hosted Academy for Lease & Finance Professionals (ALFP) held at U.S. Bank Equipment Finance, Minneapolis, Minnesota, and the Eastern-area ALFP hosted by LeaseQ, Burlington, Massachusetts.

The newest CLFPs are:

Matthew Bona, CLFP
Senior Credit Manager
Blue Bridge Financial, LLC

Aaron Brouker, CLFP
Assistant Vice President
U.S. Bank Equipment Finance

Daniel Callahan, CLFP Associate
Assistant Vice President, Project Manager
First American Equipment Finance

Tina Cartwright, CLFP
Senior Vice President, Technology and Operations
U.S. Bank Equipment Finance

Zach Cicero, CLFP
Assistant Vice President, Asset Management
First American Equipment Finance

Andre Clifford, CLFP Associate
Underwriting & Funding Manager
Bryn Mawr Equipment Finance, Inc.

Joshua Cooper, CLFP Associate
Sales Support Intern
First American Equipment Finance

Kathryn (Kathy) Dapcic, CLFP
Accounting Manager
U.S. Bank Equipment Finance

Tina Eickhoff, CLFP
Senior Vice President, Director of Finance
U.S. Bank Equipment Finance

Sean Evans, CLFP
Director of Partnerships
LeaseQ

Steven Hanneman, CLFP
Senior Vice President, Director of Operations
U.S. Bank Equipment Finance

Michelle Kostick, CLFP
Credit Officer, Vice President
First American Equipment Finance

Svetlana (Lana) Kralik, CLFP
Leasing Credit Manager
U.S. Bank Equipment Finance

Tom Landmark, CLFP
Vice-President, Director of Contract Administration
U.S. Bank Equipment Finance

Daniel Maddock, CLFP
Assistant Vice President, Project Manager
First American Equipment Finance

Kari Maier, CLFP Associate
Assistant Vice President
Project Manager - First American Equipment Finance

Jeff Matysek, CLFP
Assistant Vice President, Project Manager
First American Equipment Finance

Robert Measer, CLFP
Senior Financial Analyst
First American Equipment Finance

Christine Moses , CLFP
Credit Officer
First American Equipment Finance

Michael (Mic) Mount, CLFP
Senior Vice President, Credit & Portfolio Management, Department Head
U.S. Bank Equipment Finance

Heidi Mukomela, CLFP
Director of Operations Quality Assurance
U.S. Bank Equipment Finance

Bob Murrer, CLFP
Vice President
First American Equipment Finance

Eric Myhre, CLFP
Vice President of Finance
U.S. Bank Equipment Finance

Danielle Naylon, CLFP Associate
Portfolio Associate
First American Equipment Finance

Patrick O'Connor, CLFP Associate
Director of Business Development
LeaseQ

Richard Padgett, CLFP
Vice President, Capital Markets Group
U.S. Bank Equipment Finance

Matthew Rankin, CLFP Associate
Assistant Vice President, Education
First American Equipment Finance

Kevin Reese, CLFP
Vice President
U.S. Bank Equipment Finance

Tina Ross, CLFP
Assistant Vice President, Project Manager
First American Equipment Finance

Kathie Russell, CLFP
Senior Vice President, Commercial Credit
U.S. Bank Equipment Finance

Greg Stitt, CLFP Associate
Assistant Vice President, Syndications
First American Equipment Finance

Shelly Tauer, CLFP
Vice President, System Technology & Security Manager
U.S. Bank Equipment Finance

Maximilian (Max) Tirey, CLFP
Finance Associate
LeaseQ

David Trost, CLFP Associate
Director, Transportation Finance
LeaseQ

David Verkinderen, CLFP
Senior Vice President
U.S. Bank EF Business Line Leader
U.S. Bank Equipment Finance

Kyle Vogel, CLFP
Assistant Vice President, Project Manager
First American Equipment Finance

Dean Ward, CLFP
CAO & Risk Manager
U.S. Bank Equipment Finance

Jennifer Wilson, CLFP
Funding Manager
Amur Equipment Finance

Mr. Verkinderen. Senior Vice President, CLFP, U.S. Bank Equipment Finance, stated, “I thought this was an excellent opportunity to expand my overall knowledge of the Equipment Finance Industry.

“I have spent most of my career in the small ticket vendor segment of this business and this was a great opportunity to test my knowledge in other parts of our industry. I think it is outstanding that our industry has a designation like this for those wanting to expand and verify their knowledge of Equipment Finance.”

The CLFP designation is the only certification for the Equipment Finance Industry and there are currently 543 active Certified Lease & Finance Professionals and Associates in the United States, Canada and Australia. For more information, call Executive Director Reid Raykovich, CLFP at (206) 535-6281 or Sandy Vigilia, Executive Administrator (206) 535 – 6281. Visit http://www.CLFPFoundation.org.

Companies with 2 or More CLFP’s/Associates
Adds 38 New Members

First American Equipment Finance, a City National Bank Company	87
Financial Pacific Leasing, Inc., an Umpqua Bank Company	23
Amur Equipment Finance	19
AP Equipment Financing	18
Ascentium Capital	18
U.S. Bank Equipment Finance	16
BB&T Commercial Equipment Capital Corp.	15
ECS Financial Services, Inc.	12
Ivory Consulting Corporation	12
Orion First Financial LLC	11
Arvest Bank	9
Celtic Commercial Finance	9
Northland Capital Financial Services	9
Canon Financial Services, Inc	8
BancorpSouth Equipment Finance	7
BMO Financial Group	7
KLC Financial, Inc.	7
Bank of the West	6
Beacon Funding Corporation	6
GreatAmerica Financial Services	6
Hanmi Bank	6
Marlin Business Bank	6
Stearns Bank NA-Equipment Finance Division	6
BSB Leasing, Inc.	4
Commerce Bank	4
Great American Insurance	4
LeaseQ	4
Blue Street Capital, LLC	3
Clune & Company LC	3
Diversified Capital Credit Corporation	3
DLL	3
First National Capital	3
FSG Capital Inc.	3
Innovative Lease Services, Inc.	3
International Decision Systems	3
Key Equipment Finance	3
LeaseTeam Inc.	3
Oakmont Capital Services LLC	3
Provident Equipment Leasing	3
Quality Leasing Co. Inc.	3
Tamarack Consulting, Inc	3
Alliance Funding Group	2
ComCo-OneWorld Equipment Finance	2
Customers Bank Commercial Finance	2
Dakota Financial, LLC	2
Direct Capital a CIT company	2
Finance Capital	2
First Foundation Bank	2
Fleet Advantage, LLC	2
Maxim Commercial Capital, LLC	2
NCMIC Finance Corporation	2
Pacifica Capital	2
Padco Financial Services, Inc.	2
Partners Capital Group, Inc.	2
Patriot Capital Corporation a Division of State Bank & Trust Company	2
Portfolio Financial Servicing Company	2
Providence Capital Funding, Inc.	2
Summit Funding Group, Inc.	2
Western Equipment Finance	2

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CLFP Academy for Lease & Finance Professionals
Expanded, One Sold Out, Only 2 Spaces Left in Two Classes

The Certified Lease & Finance Professional (CLFP) Foundation has scheduled at this time five Academies for Lease & Finance Professionals (ALFP). Last year, the CLFP Foundation partnered with twelve different equipment finance companies to organize eight different Academies. Of the 133 CLFPs that were added to the membership last year, 102 attended an Academy.

The class is a three-day event designed to fully prepare an individual to sit for the CLFP exam assuming that the candidate has read and studied The Certified Lease & Finance Professionals’ Handbook prior to attending the class. During the first two days, all of the required sections of the CLFP exam are covered in-depth and on the third day, the exam is offered, but not mandatory.
The CLFP designation identifies an individual as a knowledgeable professional to employers, clients, customers, and peers in the equipment finance industry. There are currently 542 Certified Lease & Finance Professionals and Associates throughout the world.

There have been two internal Academies this year (meaning hosted by the company and only internal employees were invited).

Here are Five Scheduled to Date for 2018

Southern California
Start: Thu, May 03, 2018
8:00 AM (PDT)
End: Sat, May 05, 2018
4:00 PM (PDT)
Location: Hosted by First Foundation Bank. Class Location: 18101 Von Karman Ave.; Irvine, CA
Spaces left: 2
Registered: 18

Overland Park, Kansas
Start: Thu, May 17, 2018
8:00 AM (CDT)
End: Sat, May 19, 2018
4:00 PM (CDT)
Location: Hosted by Arvest Equipment Finance. Class Location: Arvest Bank Training Room, 7401 W. 135th Street, Overland Park, KS 66223
Spaces left: 2
Registered: 19

Chicago, Illinois
Start: Thu, July 12, 2018
8:00 AM (CDT)
End: Sat, July 14, 2018
4:00Pm (CDT)
Location: Hosted by BMO Harris Equipment Finance Company. Class Location: BMO Harris Bank N.A., 115 S. LaSalle St., 20th Floor; Chicago, IL 60603
BMO Harris Bank
N.A., 115 S.
LaSalle St. 20th Floor
Chicago, Il. 50503
Spaces Left: 8
Registered: 12

Philadelphia, PA
Start: Thu, August 2, 2018
8:00 AM (EDT)
End Sat, August 4, 2018
4:00 PM (EDT)
Location: Hosted by BB&T Commercial Equipment Capital Corp. Class Location: SpringHill Suites Philadelphia Plymouth Meeting, 430 Plymouth Rd, Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462
Spaces left: 10
Registered: 15

Cincinnati, Ohio
Start: Thu, August 16, 2018
8:00 AM (PDT)
End: Sat, August 18, 2018
4:00 PM (PDT)
Location: Hosted by Great American Insurance. Class Location: Great American Insurance, Queen City Square, 301 E. 4th Street, 23rd Floor, Cincinnati, OH 45202. Guests will check-in at lobby security for access to the 23rd floor.
Spaces left: 0
Registered: 24

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

We are looking for:
Account Executive
Senior Account Executive
National Sales Manager
2018 Interns for Sales, Operations, or Accounting

What sets CoreTech apart from other equipment leasing companies is our team members and impeccable reputation. Are you unhappy with the ethics of your company and the promises made to you? Join our team, positions are available in Newport Beach, CA and remotely.

To learn more, please click here

www.coretechleasing.com
CoreTech specializes in assisting medium to large size companies throughout various markets including: Legal, Medical, Manufacturing, Education, Corporate and Semi-Conductor

Over 100 law firms trust CoreTech for their leasing needs,
why wouldn't you?

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Part IV
Customer Relation Management Keeps Score

Sales Makes it Happen by Ralph Mango

Managing Attrition; Knowing the Client; eSignatures

As we all do, Clients also experience attrition, including those Contacts who are vital to our relationship. CRM’s content, as we have explained, provides the incoming Account Manager sufficient information to be able to pick up the action with the Client as an informed replacement, allowing the focus to remain on the transaction negotiations rather than on the relationship interruption. The cornerstone of this concept is the requirements explained in 1-4 of the Templates session last time (Part III). Mandating this is critical since the Client or Prospect is the property of the company and must be managed in accordance with company process and requirements. As we have all experienced, there are those in sales who approach the relationship as theirs rather than as a custodian on behalf of the company. Requiring the timely and templated recording of the milestones as suggested previously becomes the vehicle toward effectively maintaining the Client relationship in a mutually beneficial context.

Accordingly, it always advisable to maintain multiple Contacts within the Client’s organization.
As critical as these Contacts are to the successful maintenance of the relationship, it is also beneficial to understand the Client’s procurement and Contracting processes, authorities and timelines. As an example, when we have required only electronic contract execution (DocuSign or AdobeSign), it was necessary to know each of those involved, what their titles are and their email addresses. These must be current and updated to assure the electronic contract execution process is addressed to the correct people in the process, in sequence to their approval and signing authorities.
A bit more sensitive, and perhaps proprietary, is the timing of the Client’s proposal-acceptance-negotiation-approval processes. This can be a validation of the strength of the relationship as well. We always suggested that their sharing of this information is necessary so we can service the Client in a timeframe that fits their processes best, easing the entire process along the way. It may take some sensitivity and become time-consuming but it is in the Client’s best interest. Show them the tangible benefits as defined herein, contrasted to a manual process, and they should be persuaded. It is also noteworthy that the Client need not be a subscriber to the electronic signature platform to be able to receive and execute contracts thereunder.

A word about electronic signatures, something you may wish to confirm independently or with your counsel. As with fax copies of signatures, e-signatures have the same currency and legal standing across the developed world. If there is any doubt, you may suggest that your Client affirm this internally to remove any late obstacles to the execution. A benefit to stress: after the Contract is fully executed electronically, the fully-executed copy is electronically transmitted to the signatory without action on anyone’s part.

Finally, we have all endured month or year end when our contact has taken a vacation and is out of the office. Before e-signatures, that deal had to wait until the contact returned, oftentimes after the close. With e-signatures, the Client may sign using any connected device, anywhere there is Internet capability. I am reminded that several years ago, my son-in-law, an e-signature skeptic, signed his home mortgage while we were in the box seats at Yankee Stadium, after my daughter had signed them at home 250 miles away.

We have just detailed multiple benefits on both sides to the pervasive use of electronic signatures. If you do not use them now, educate yourself as to the mechanics of doing so. Both DocuSign and AdobeSign have tutorial videos that take you through the process…you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how easy and intuitive it is.

Ralph Mango
Associate Leasing News Editor
732-642-5008
ralphmango@hotmail.com

Part I
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Apr2018/04_11.htm#crm

Part II
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Apr2018/04_18.htm#crmI

Part III
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Apr2018/04_25.htm#crm

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The Largest Export of Every U.S. State in 2017
U.S. Exported $2.3 Trillion of Goods - Visualcapitalist.com

(click image to view larger)

Developing Strong Leaders for the
Commercial Equipment Finance and Leasing Industry
By Scott Wheeler, CLFP

"Successful originators in the commercial equipment and leasing industry are developed over time. They just don't fall out of the sky."

One of the greatest challenges in the industry is talent - human capital. There just isn't enough to go around; and much of the best talent is aging quickly.

Management teams throughout the industry are in the process of building organic staffs of well-trained professionals. They are recruiting new talent into the industry. They are training and developing new professionals in regard to all aspects of the leasing and finance process (not just related to their own organizations, but in regard to the entire industry). They are creating a new generation of leasing and finance professionals. Their efforts are systematic, well thought-out, and focused on career development. The process is not for the lighthearted. It requires 100% commitment by the management team. It requires a designed, customized, timeline of what success looks like. It requires accountability from the program's participants.

The market value of any company is exponentially increased when it can develop talent from within. Developing talent is critical to the sustainability of an organization. Developing talent from within strengthens the brand and creates a stronger value proposition for all stakeholders.

The following items are reviewed when evaluating an organization's ability to develop internal talent:

Ongoing training offered to existing staff
New tools and support offered to existing staff
Recruiting parameters
On-boarding process for new talent entering the industry
On-boarding process for talent recruited from within the industry
Internal training programs
Accountability score cards for the first 90 days
Accountability score cards for the first 12 months

The success rates for recruiting, training, and retaining professionals over the past five years

Wheeler Business Consulting works with organizations throughout the industry to develop better programs to recruit and train the best talent. Human capital defines success in the industry, and an organization's ability to develop human capital defines the company.

Wheeler Business Consulting works with management teams to further develop their human capital, to identify and strengthen weak links within the organization, and to improve overall efficiencies. Wheeler Business Consulting works with banks, independents, captives, origination companies, and investors in the equipment leasing and finance arena. We provide training, strategic planning, and acquisition services. Scott Wheeler is available to discuss your long-term strategy, to assist your staff to maximize outcomes, and better position your organization in the market.

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

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

Top Ten Equipment Acquisition Trends for 2018
Equipment Finance Advantage

Economic Upturn, Elevated Business Confidence
and Tax Reform to Support Strong Investment

The Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA) which represents the $1 trillion equipment finance sector, today revealed its Top 10 Equipment Acquisition Trends for 2018. Given U.S. businesses, nonprofits and government agencies will spend over $1.6 trillion in capital goods or fixed business investment (including software) this year, financing a majority of those assets, these trends impact a significant portion of the U.S. economy. In 2018, businesses are expected to make their largest capital investments since 2012.

ELFA President and CEO Ralph Petta said, "Equipment acquisition is a key driver of supply chains across all U.S. manufacturing and service sectors. Equipment leasing and financing provide the source of funding for a majority of U.S. businesses—8 out of 10—to acquire the productive assets they need to operate and grow. We are pleased to again provide the Top 10 Equipment Acquisition Trends in order to assist businesses in understanding the market environment and planning their acquisition strategies."

ELFA distilled recent research data, including the Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation's 2018 Equipment Leasing & Finance U.S. Economic Outlook, industry participants' expertise, and member input from ELFA meetings and conferences in compiling the trends.

ELFA forecasts the following Top 10 Equipment Acquisition Trends for 2018:

Capital spending will have its strongest performance in six years.

Following a significant improvement in equipment and software investment in 2017 over 2016, investment will continue robust growth in 2018. Elevated business confidence, fewer regulations and a broad-based cyclical upturn in the U.S. economy, due in part to the strongest global economy in over a decade, will contribute to a healthy business investment trend before potentially waning toward year end.

Look for strengthening positive momentum in financed equipment acquisitions.

Although the growth of financed equipment acquisitions last year did not exceed overall equipment and software investment growth, equipment finance industry indicators point to increased financing of equipment acquisitions in 2018. The few persisting industry headwinds should be outweighed by a historically high propensity to finance and a healthy equipment and software investment forecast of 9.1 percent.

Tax reform will help unleash pent-up demand by businesses for new equipment.

Long awaited corporate tax cuts will have businesses pulling the trigger on the equipment acquisitions they had been putting off. Multiple measures of business confidence, including the Monthly Confidence Index for the Equipment Finance Industry, back the probability for increased equipment spending.

Higher interest rates will loom as the economy grows and tax reform is enacted.

A rising interest rate environment won’t deter investment in most key equipment verticals, but businesses will keep informed on Fed rate hikes. With the improving economy and its accompanying rise in inflation along with a substantial increase in the national debt owing to the new tax legislation, count on three and possibly four rate increases in 2018.

Technological advances in equipment will attract businesses looking to improve efficiencies.

New technology will be even more irresistible as businesses look for ways to increase efficiencies and profitability as they take advantage of new market opportunities in the growing economy. Attractive financing options will make the latest equipment that may have been considered previously unaffordable even more accessible.

Key equipment verticals will continue to rebound in 2018.

With economic growth drivers, including persistent business optimism, stable credit conditions and healthy global demand, the solid investment growth pattern from 2017 will continue for most equipment verticals. Investment is expected to remain steady or strengthen in equipment verticals, including agriculture, aircraft, construction, industrial, trucks, computers and software.

Businesses will ramp up efforts to fulfill requirements of new accounting rules for their leased equipment.

With the new lease accounting standard taking effect beginning in 2019, businesses with leases on the books will be focusing on compliance in earnest this year. In response, they will find that equipment finance providers are developing strategies and products that are beneficial to lessees under the new framework.

Financing options and services for equipment acquisitions will be more innovative and customer driven.

A changing business landscape and disruptive technologies will drive equipment finance companies to meet their customers’ unique demands. Expect more tailored financial solutions to help companies innovate and solve business challenges, such as metered usage that enables customers to pay only for what they consume. Wider use of electronic documents and e-signatures for greater convenience will become increasingly available.

Trade issues will pose headwinds affecting global demand for U.S. business exports.

Businesses seeking equipment to produce export goods will be closely watching potential impacts on foreign trade. A gradual strengthening in the dollar since 2017, if maintained, could be a headwind to trade exports. Tensions could also escalate as U.S. trade negotiations on NAFTA proceed and the Trump administration continues to take a hardline stance on trade relations with China.

External “wild cards” will factor into equipment acquisition decisions.

Despite a more favorable environment for equipment spending this year than in previous ones, businesses will have to monitor ongoing issues throughout 2018. Tax reform aside, concern about partisan politics in Washington may affect the confidence of the business community over time. The residential housing market may not get a hoped-for recovery in light of the Fed’s planned interest rate increases and home prices rising faster than buyers’ incomes. Major curbs on immigration could be a headwind to growth through labor and skills shortages in several industries, including agriculture, construction and hospitality. Finally, U.S. mid-term election results in November could impact future federal legislation affecting businesses.

More Information
For more information about the Top 10 Trends, please contact Amy Vogt at avogt@elfaonline.org. For forecast data regarding equipment investment and capital spending in the United States, see the Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation's 2018 Equipment Leasing & Finance U.S. Economic Outlook

About ELFA
The Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA) is the trade association that represents companies in the $1 trillion equipment finance sector, which includes financial services companies and manufacturers engaged in financing capital goods. ELFA members are the driving force behind the growth in the commercial equipment finance market and contribute to capital formation in the U.S. and abroad. Its 575 members include independent and captive leasing and finance companies, banks, financial services corporations, broker/packagers and investment banks, as well as manufacturers and service providers. For more information, please visit www.elfaonline.org.

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

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This Day in History

     1497 - John Cabot departed for North America.
   1611 - King James I had appointed a committee of learned men to produce a new translation of the Bible into English. This version, popularly called the King James Version, is known in England as the Authorized Version, and became the most popular in early America.
    1670 - King Charles II of England grants a permanent charter to the Hudson's Bay Company, made up of the group of French explorers who opened the lucrative North American fur trade to London merchants. The charter conferred on them not only a trading monopoly but also effective control over the vast region surrounding North America's Hudson Bay. Although contested by other English traders and the French in the region, the Hudson's Bay Company was highly successful in exploiting what would become eastern Canada. After Canada was granted dominion status in 1867, the company lost its monopoly on the fur trade, but it had diversified its business ventures and remained Canada's largest corporation through the 1920s.
    1776 - France and Spain agreed to donate arms to American trying to free themselves from England.
    1803 - That Land Grab in Louisiana was signed. During the early moments of the nineteenth century, the United States government wheeled and dealt its way into what is generally regarded as the "greatest land bargain" in the nation's history, the Louisiana Purchase. The deal, which was dated 30 April 1803, though it was in fact signed on 02 May, had been in the works since the spring of 1802. It was then that President Thomas Jefferson had learned of Spain's decision to quietly transfer Spanish Louisiana to the French; fearful of the strategic and commercial implications of the Spanish swap, Jefferson ordered Robert Livingston, the US minister in Paris, to broker a deal with the French either for a slice of land on the lower Mississippi or a "guarantee" of unmolested transport for US ships. Negotiations dragged on for months, but took a crucial turn when Spanish and US trade relations collapsed in the fall of 1802. With Spain now barring American merchant ships from transferring goods at the port in New Orleans, Jefferson set his sights on purchasing a far larger chunk of land. In early 1803, James Monroe headed to Paris to broker Jefferson's deal. With France teetering on the brink of war with Great Britain, and mindful not only of the fiscal repercussions of such a conflict, but of the possibility of a renewed US-English alliance, Napoléon's negotiators acceded to a deal to sell the whole of Louisiana. All told, the Louisiana Purchase cost the US $15 million: $11.25 million was earmarked for the land deal, while the remaining $3.75 million covered France's outstanding debts to America. Thus, for the prime price of 5 cents a hectare, the United States bought 2,145,000 square kilometers of land, which effectively doubled the size of the young nation.
1837 - Birthday of our Sue Robert's relative, Henry M. Robert (d. 1923), Robertville, SC. A General in the US Army, he authored “Robert's Rules of Order,” today the standard parliamentary guide.

    1843 - Elijah McCoy (d. 1929) was born in Colchester, Ontario. His parents escaped slavery in Kentucky by traveling along the Underground Railroad. This famous African-American inventor is credited with over 50 patents and his lubricating oil and systems were quite famous in its day. His most famous was the McCoy Lubricator. McCoy invented a device to oil the machinery while it was working. It was soon used on engines, train locomotives, on Great Lake steamships, on ocean liners and on machinery in factories. His invention became so popular that no engine or machine was considered complete until it had a McCoy Lubricator. The phrase "The Real McCoy" soon caught on as a way of saying that people were getting the best equipment available.
http://www.bccns.com/elijah.htm
http://www.princeton.edu/~mcbrown/display/mccoy.html
http://www.blackinventor.com/pages/elijahmccoy.html
http://www.nypl.org/research/chss/spe/art/print/
exhibits/movingup/no29.htm
http://www.public.iastate.edu/~calel/hippo.html
    1853 - Franconi’s Hippodrome opened at Broadway and 23rd Street in New York City. The 4,000-seat facility opened in grand style for a hippodrome (an arena for a circus or games) with a chariot-and-ostrich race. It was popular for five years.
http://www.nypl.org/research/chss/spe/art/print/
exhibits/movingup/no29.htm
http://www.public.iastate.edu/~calel/hippo.html
    1861 - General Winfield Scott wrote to President Lincoln suggesting a cordon capable of enveloping the seceded states and noted that "the transportation of men and all supplies by water is about a fifth of the land cost, besides the immense saving of time." On the next day, Scott elaborated further to General George McClellan: "We rely greatly on the sure operation of a complete blockade of the Atlantic and Gulf ports soon to commence. In connection with such blockade, we propose a powerful movement down the Mississippi to the ocean, with a cordon of posts at proper points . . . the object being to clear out and keep open this great line of communication in connection with the strict blockade of the seaboard, so as to envelop the insurgent States and bring them to terms with less bloodshed than by any other plan." The heart of the celebrated Anaconda Plan which would strangle the Confederacy on all sides was control of the sea and inland waterways by the Union Navy; the strategy of victory was (a) strengthen the blockade, (b) split the Confederacy along the line of the Mississippi River, and (c) support land operations by amphibious assault, gunfire and transport.
    1863 - General Stonewall Jackson, leading a large part of Gen. Lee’s army, delivered a devastating blow on Gen. Hooker’s right flank. Reconnoitering with his staff at day’s end, Jackson and his group were mistaken for Union soldiers and fired on by their own forces. Jackson’s shattered left arm had to be amputated. While he was hospitalized pneumonia set in; his death came on May 10.
http://norfacad.pvt.k12.va.us/project/sjackson/sjackson.htm
http://www.waysideofva.com/stonewalljackson/
    1865 – Mere weeks after the death of President Abraham Lincoln at the hand of John Wilkes Booth, President Andrew Johnson offered a $100,000 reward for capture of Jefferson Davis
   1876 - Ross Barnes of the Chicago White Stockings became the first baseball player in the National League to hit a home run. Quickly thereafter, Charles Wesley “Baby” Jones of the Cincinnati Reds also connected at Cincinnati, OH. Chicago won 15-9.
   1885 - Good Housekeeping magazine makes its debut, becoming one of the most popular magazine for decades, setting many styles and standards for its day. It is still popular today.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/may02.html
    1887 – Birthday of Baseball Hall of Famer Eddie Collins (d. 1951), Millerton, NY. He hit .333 over a quarter century in the Majors and was a member of four World Series champions but never won a batting title and was often overshadowed by Ty Cobb during the course of career. While still attending Columbia University, where he was a star baseball player and quarterback on the football team, Collins made his major league debut in 1906 with the Philadelphia Athletics, the youngest player in the Majors at the time. He was the second baseman of the Chicago White Sox in 1919 and he reported suspicions of wrongdoing late in the 1920 season to owner Charles Comiskey, who dismissed them. He did, however, serve as a witness for the prosecution when the players went on trial the following year.
    1890 – The Oklahoma Territory was organized. The 1890 Oklahoma Organic Act organized the western half of Indian Territory and a strip of country known as No Man’s Land into Oklahoma Territory. Reservations in the new territory were then opened to settlement in land runs later that year and in 1891 and 1893. Oklahoma remained a territory until Congress recognized statehood on November 16, 1907.
   1895 – Broadway lyricist Lorenz Hart (d. 1943) was born in Harlem, NYC. He was the lyricist half of the Broadway songwriting team, Rodgers and Hart. Some of his more famous lyrics include “Blue Moon,” “Mountain Greenery,” “The Lady Is a Tramp, “ “Manhattan,” “Where or When, “Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered,” “Falling in Love with Love,” “My Funny Valentine,” “I Could Write a Book,” “This Can’t Be Love,” “With a Song in My Heart,” “It Never Entered My Mind,” and “Isn’t It Romantic?”
    1899 - A storm buried Havre, MT, under 24.8 inches of snow, an all-time record for that location. The water equivalent of 2.48 inches was a record 24-hour total for the month of May.
    1903 - Birthday of Benjamin Spock (d. 1998), pediatrician and author, at New Haven, CT. His book on childrearing, “Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care,” later called “Baby and Child Care,” has sold more than 30 million copies. In 1955, he became professor of child development at Western Reserve University at Cleveland, OH. He resigned from this position in 1967 to devote his time to the pacifist movement. http://www.drspock.com/about/drbenjaminspock/0,1781,,00.html
http://creativequotations.com/one/1007.htm
    1904 – Singer, actor and entrepreneur Bing Crosby was born Harry Lillis Crosby, Jr. (d. 1977) in Tacoma, Washington. He sang with dance bands from 1925 to 1930, and in 1931, began work in radio and films. Crosby gained enormous popularity for his crooning style, which was ideally suited to the new radio medium. His recording of "White Christmas" is the world's best-selling single with estimated sales in excess of 100 million copies worldwide while other versions of the song have sold over 50 million copies. In 1944, he won an Academy Award for his performance in the film "Going My Way." His other notable films included "The Country Girl" in 1955, "High Society" in '56 and the remake of "Stagecoach" in 1965. In 1963, Crosby received the first Grammy Global Achievement Award. He is one of 33 people to have three stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, in the categories of motion pictures, radio, and audio recording. Crosby influenced the development of the postwar recording industry. After seeing a demonstration of an early Ampex reel-to-reel tape recorder, he placed a large order for their equipment and convinced ABC to allow him to tape his shows. He also invested heavily in Ampex. He became the first performer to pre-record his radio shows and master his commercial recordings onto magnetic tape. Through the medium of recording, he constructed his radio programs with the same directorial tools and craftsmanship (editing, retaking, rehearsal, time shifting) used in motion picture production, a practice that became an industry standard. In addition to his work with early audio tape recording, he helped to finance the development of videotape, bought television stations, bred racehorses, and co-owned the Pittsburgh Pirates baseball team. Bing Crosby had a lifelong love affair with the game of golf. Crosby was accomplished at the sport, with a two handicap. He competed in both the British and US Amateur championships, was a five-time club champion at Lakeside Golf Club in Hollywood. In 1937, Crosby hosted the first 'Crosby Clambake' as it was popularly known, at Rancho Santa Fe Golf Club in California, the event's location prior to World War II. After the war, the event resumed play in 1947 on golf courses in Pebble Beach, where it has been played ever since. Now the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, it has been a leading event in the world of professional golf. In 1977, he collapsed and died after completing a round on a golf course in Spain. In his time, there was no one more famous in the entertainment industry.
http://www.globalicons.com/Legends/Crosby/
http://www.crosby.circle.btinternet.co.uk/
http://www.globalicons.com/Legends/Crosby/index.html
    1905 - Birthday of Charlotte Armstrong (d. 1969), Vulcan, MI. U.S. author and playwright. Her science fantasy books regarding dragons have made her one of the most popular authors in the nation.
    1906 - Birthday of Aileen Riggin Soule (d. 2002), Newport, RI. U.S. athlete. She won three Olympic medals and was the first competitor to win a medal in both the swimming and diving events in the same Olympics. Only 14 at the 1920 Olympics in Antwerp, Belgium, she was the first woman to win the gold in springboard diving. In 1924, she won a silver in springboard and a bronze in the 100-metre backstroke. She stood 4'7" tall and weighed 65 pounds.
    1908 - Birthday of “Pinky Lee,” born Pincus Leff (d. 1993), at St. Paul, MN. When young, Leff had dreams of becoming an attorney, but abandoned the idea when classmates laughed at his lisp. His show business debut was in burlesque in the 1930s. He is best remembered for "The Pinky Lee Show" which telecast from Los Angeles in the early 1950s. http://www.tvparty.com/lostpinky.html
http://www.yesterdayland.com/popopedia/shows/saturday/sa1353.php
    1909 – Honus Wagner stole his way around the bases in the 1st inning of a game against the Cubs. It is the fourth time he steals second base, third and home in the same inning, a National League record. The record holder in the AL is Ty Cobb, who will pull the trick four times between 1909-1924. No player in Major League history has ever accomplished this feat in each league, and only two more have accomplished the feat twice during their careers: Max Carey (NL) and Jackie Tavener (AL).
    1917 - At Wrigley Field, Fred Toney of the Reds and Hippo Vaughn of the Cubs pitched a double no-hitter for nine innings, but the Reds won, 1 - 0, on two hits in the top of the 10th. Jim Thorpe – yes, THAT Jim Thorpe - drove in the winning run and Toney retired three Cubs in the bottom half of the inning, completing the fourth ten-inning no-hitter to date.
1918 – General Motors acquired Chevrolet Motor Car Company of Delaware. Louis Chevrolet and ousted General Motors founder Will Durant started the company on November 3, 1911. Durant used the Chevrolet Motor Car Company to acquire a controlling stake in General Motors with a reverse merger and propelled himself back to the GM presidency. After Durant's second ousting in 1919, Alfred Sloan, with his maxim "a car for every purse and purpose," would pick the Chevrolet brand to become the volume leader in the General Motors family, selling mainstream vehicles to compete with Ford’s Model T in 1919 and overtaking Ford as the best-selling car in the United States by 1929.
    1920 - A swarm of tornadoes in Rogers, Mayes and Cherokee Counties in Oklahoma killed 64 persons.
    1923 - The first transcontinental nonstop airplane flight was made by Lieutenants Oakley G. Kelly and John A. Macready of the Navy Air Service. They took off from Roosevelt Field, NY at 11:36pm and arrived at Rockwell Field, Coronado Beach, CA, at 12:26pm the next day, covering a distance of 2,700 miles in 26 hours.
http://www.nasm.si.edu/nasm/aero/aircraft/fokker_t2.htm
    1924 - Birthday of singer/actor Theodore Bikel (d. 2015), Vienna, Austria
http://www.bikel.com/
    1925 - San Francisco Embarcadero subway opened
    1929 - Virginia's worst tornado disaster occurred. Six tornadoes, two of which were west of the Blue Ridge Mountains, killed 22 people. Twelve children and a teacher were killed at Rye Cove, in Scott County. Four schools were destroyed.
    1930 – The first game of National Negro Baseball League was played in Indianapolis. Led by Rube Foster, owner and manager of the Chicago American Giants, the NNL was established on February 13, 1920 by a coalition of team owners at a meeting in a Kansas City YMCA. The new league was the first African-American baseball circuit to achieve stability and last more than one season. At first the league operated mainly in midwestern cities, ranging from Kansas City in the west to Pittsburgh in the east; in 1924 it expanded into the south, adding franchises in Birmingham and Memphis.
http://www.gnofn.org/~mmcgee/baseball/Rube_Foster.htm
http://www.execpc.com/~sshivers/foster.html
http://library.thinkquest.org/3427/data/fosterru.htm
    1930 - In Des Moines, Iowa, a Western League contest against Wichita becomes the first night baseball game to be played under permanent lights. The unique event, which draws 12,000 fans instead of the usual 600 patrons, is the beginning of a concept which will spread quickly through the minors and spare many organizations from the onslaught of the Great Depression.
    1931 - Jazz organist Richard “Groove” Holmes (d. 1991), born Camden, NJ.
http://www.duke.edu/~mbc5/
http://theatreorgans.com/grounds/groove/holmes.html
(Warren Luening and I along with Chris Morgan and/or Dave Silverman
saw Richard “Groove” Holmes in person on the Hollywood Strip, plus
Mose Allison, Cannonball Adderley, and others in the early 60’s.)
    1932 – Jack Benny’s radio program aired for the first time. With Canada Dry ginger ale as a sponsor, Benny came to radio on “The Canada Dry Program,” on the NBC Blue Network and continuing for six months until October 26, moving to CBS on October 30. With Ted Weems leading the band, Benny stayed on CBS until January 26, 1933.
    1935 – Frederick Lincoln “Link” Wray, Jr., (d. 2005), one of the more influential rock guitarists of the 1950's, was born in Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Wray introduced the distorted fuzz-tone guitar sound on his single "Rumble," which by 1958 had sold a million copies. It is said to have been recorded as early as 1954. Link Wray's playing was a tremendous influence on such British rock stars as Jeff Beck, Pete Townshend and John Lennon
http://www.vh1.com/artists/az/wray_link/bio.jhtml
http://www.rockabilly.nl/artists/linkwray.htm
    1938 - Ella Fitzgerald, with Chick Webb’s band, records “A Tisket A Tasket,” (Decca)
http://persweb.direct.ca/fstringe/oz/a144.html
http://museum.media.org/ella/
    1939 - New York Yankees first baseman Lou Gehrig asked manager Joe McCarthy to take him out of the lineup for the game against the Detroit Tigers. By sitting out, Gehrig’s record streak of consecutive games played, begun May 25, 1925, stopped at 2,130. The slugger complained of fatigue, but he was really suffering from A.L.S., amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a condition still known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. Gehrig never played again.
http://www.lougehrig.com/
    1945 - BUSH, ROBERT EUGENE, Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Hospital Apprentice First Class, U.S. Naval Reserve, serving as Medical Corpsman with a rifle company, 2d Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division. Place and date: Okinawa Jima, Ryukyu Islands, 2 May 1945. Entered service at: Washington. Born: 4 October 1926, Tacoma, Wash. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as Medical Corpsman with a rifle company, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Okinawa Jima, Ryukyu Islands, 2 May 1945. Fearlessly braving the fury of artillery, mortar, and machinegun fire from strongly entrenched hostile positions, Bush constantly and unhesitatingly moved from 1 casualty to another to attend the wounded falling under the enemy's murderous barrages. As the attack passed over a ridge top, Bush was advancing to administer blood plasma to a marine officer lying wounded on the skyline when the Japanese launched a savage counterattack. In this perilously exposed position, he resolutely maintained the flow of life-giving plasma. With the bottle held high in 1 hand, Bush drew his pistol with the other and fired into the enemy's ranks until his ammunition was expended. Quickly seizing a discarded carbine, he trained his fire on the Japanese charging pointblank over the hill, accounting for 6 of the enemy despite his own serious wounds and the loss of 1 eye suffered during his desperate battle in defense of the helpless man. With the hostile force finally routed, he calmly disregarded his own critical condition to complete his mission, valiantly refusing medical treatment for himself until his officer patient had been evacuated, and collapsing only after attempting to walk to the battle aid station. His daring initiative, great personal valor, and heroic spirit of self-sacrifice in service of others reflect great credit upon Bush and enhance the finest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.
    1945 - FOSTER, WILLIAM ADELBERT, Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve. Born: 17 February 1915, Cleveland, Ohio. Accredited to: Ohio. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a rifleman with the 3d Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Okinawa Shima in the Ryukyu Chain 2 May 1945. Dug in with another marine on the point of the perimeter defense after waging a furious assault against a strongly fortified Japanese position, Pfc. Foster and his comrade engaged in a fierce hand grenade duel with infiltrating enemy soldiers. Suddenly an enemy grenade landed beyond reach in the foxhole. Instantly diving on the deadly missile, Pfc. Foster absorbed the exploding charge in his own body, thereby protecting the other marine from serious injury. Although mortally wounded as a result of his heroic action, he quickly rallied, handed his own remaining 2 grenades to his comrade and said, "Make them count." Stouthearted and indomitable, he had unhesitatingly relinquished his own chance of survival that his fellow marine might carry on the relentless fight against a fanatic enemy, and his dauntless determination, cool decision and valiant spirit of self-sacrifice in the face of certain death reflect the highest credit upon Pfc. Foster and upon the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life in the service of his country.
    1946 – 1960's teen star Lesley Gore (d. 2015) was born in Brooklyn, New York; later moving with her family to Tenafly, New Jersey. She was only 16 when she signed with Mercury records and became a top star with such hits as "It's My Party" and "Judy's Turn to Cry." Until 1966, Lesley Gore was one of the most successful American teen singers. An attempt in the 1970's to establish herself as a singer geared to the adult market was not particularly successful, and she later turned to performing her hits at oldies concerts.
http://www.swinginchicks.com/lesley_gore.htm
http://members.tripod.com/~Lesley_Gore/bio.html
http://www.lesleygore.com/pages/668081/index.htm
http://www.patswayne.com/lesley/
    1950 - No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit: "The Third Man Theme," Anton Karas.
    1950 - Lou Gramm, lead vocalist with Foreigner, was born Louis Andrew Grammatico in Rochester, New York. By the beginning of the 1980's, their hard rock music had gained them worldwide sales of more than 21- million records. Their 1977 debut album yielded three hit singles - "Feels like the First Time," "Cold as Ice" and "Long, Long Way from Home." Their subsequent million-sellers included "Hot-Blooded" and "Double Vision," both from 1978, "Waiting For a Girl Like You" from 1981 and 1984's "I Want to Know What Love Is." Gramm departed Foreigner in 1990 to continue a solo career that had begun several years earlier. He had had a top-five hit in 1987 with "Midnight Blue."
http://www.foreignerfiles.com/members/lougramm/
http://www.geocities.com/missmoonlight82/stillvidclipsanpics.html
    1953 - Dark Star defeated the heavily favored Native Dancer to win the Kentucky Derby. A $2 wager to win on this dark horse would have put $50 in your pocket as Dark Star was a 25-1 long shot.
    1954 - Top Hits
“Wanted” - Perry Como
“Young at Heart” - Frank Sinatra
“Make Love to Me” - Jo Stafford
“Slowly” - Webb Pierce
    1954 - Stan Musial of the St. Louis Cardinals hit five home runs in a doubleheader against the New York Giants in St. Louis, setting a Major League record. The Cardinals won the first game, 10-6, but fell to the Giants in the nightcap, 9-7. In a strange twist, one of the fans in attendance was a young boy named Nate Colbert. In 1972, Colbert tied Musial's record by hitting five home runs in a doubleheader.
http://www.stan-musial.com/
    1956 - For the first time in Billboard history, five records appear in both the pop and R&B Top 10. They are: Elvis Presley's "Heartbreak Hotel," Carl Perkin's "Blue Suede Shoes," Little Richard's "Long Tall Sally," The Platters' "Magic Touch" and Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers' "Why Do Fools Fall in Love." Presley's & Perkins' hits are also in the country & western Top Ten at #1 & #2 respectively.
    1960 - Ben E. King ended his association with the Drifters by signing a solo contract with Atlantic Records. King was the lead on such Drifters' hits as "There Goes My Baby," "Save the Last Dance for Me" and "This Magic Moment." King's first hit on his own was "Spanish Harlem," produced by Phil Spector.
http://www.vh1.com/artists/az/king_ben_e_/bio.jhtml
http://www.delafont.com/music_acts/Ben-King.htm
    1960 - Harry Belafonte presented his second Carnegie Hall concert in New York City.
http://w1.871.telia.com/~u87125666/index.htm
    1962 - Top Hits
“Good Luck Charm” - Elvis Presley
“Soldier Boy” - The Shirelles
“Stranger on the Shore” - Mr. Acker Bilk
“Charlie’s Shoes” - Billy Walker
    1964 - Posting a 7-3 victory, the Twins become only the third team in Major League history to hit four consecutive home runs as Tony Oliva, Bob Allison, Jimmie Hall and Harmon Killebrew all go deep against A's pitchers Dan Pfister (3) and Vern Handrahan (1) in the top of the 11th inning at Kansas City's Municipal Stadium.
    1964 - "The Beatles' Second Album" reaches #1 on the Billboard LP chart in just its second week of release. It was the first album ever to make it to the top that quickly.
    1965 - Ed Sullivan breaks a vow he made the year before and books The Rolling Stones back on his long-running CBS variety show -- but not before keeping the band in the studio all day, in order to keep from inciting the fans. The bands perform four songs: "The Last Time," "Little Red Rooster," "Everybody Needs Somebody to Love," and the instrumental "2120 South Michigan Avenue."
    1966 - No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit: "Monday, Monday," The Mamas & the Papas. It was the group's only #1 hit and they won a Grammy Award for it for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.
    1967 - WRIGHT, RAYMOND R., Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Specialist Fourth Class, U.S. Army, Company A, 3d Battalion, 60th Infantry, 9th Infantry Division. Place and date: Ap Bac Zone, Republic of Vietnam, 2 May 1967. Entered service at: Moriah, N.Y. Born: 5 December 1945, Moriah, N.Y. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. While serving as a rifleman with Company A, Sp4c. Wright distinguished himself during a combat patrol in an area where an enemy ambush had occurred earlier. Sp4c. Wright's unit suddenly came under intense automatic weapons and small-arms fire from an enemy bunker system protected by numerous snipers in nearby trees. Despite the heavy enemy fire, Sp4c. Wright and another soldier leaped to the top of a dike to assault the position. Armed with a rifle and several grenades, he and his comrade exposed themselves to intense fire from the bunkers as they charged the nearest one. Sp4c. Wright raced to the bunker, threw in a grenade, killing its occupant. The 2 soldiers then ran through a hail of fire to the second bunker. While his comrade covered him with his machinegun, Sp4c. Wright charged the bunker and succeeded in killing its occupant with a grenade. A third bunker contained an automatic rifleman who had pinned down much of the friendly platoon. While his comrade again covered him with machinegun fire, Sp4c. Wright charged in and killed the enemy rifleman with a grenade. The 2 soldiers worked their way through the remaining bunkers, knocking out 4 of them. Throughout their furious assault, Sp4c. Wright and his comrade had been almost continuously exposed to intense sniper fire from the treeline as the enemy desperately sought to stop their attack. Overcoming stubborn resistance from the bunker system, the men advanced into the treeline forcing the snipers to retreat, giving immediate chase, and driving the enemy away from the friendly unit so that it advanced across the open area without further casualty. When his ammunition was exhausted, Sp4c. Wright returned to his unit to assist in the evacuation of the wounded. This 2-man assault had driven an enemy platoon from a well prepared position, accounted for numerous enemy casualties, and averted further friendly casualties. Sp4c. Wright's extraordinary heroism, courage, and indomitable fighting spirit saved the lives of many of his comrades and inflicted serious damage on the enemy. His acts were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself and the U.S. Army.
    1968 - BENAVIDEZ, ROY P., Medal of Honor
Rank and Organization: Master Sergeant, Detachment B-56, 5th Special Forces Group, Republic of Vietnam. Place and Date: West of Loc Ninh on 2 May 1968. Entered Service at: Houston, Texas June 1955. Date and Place of Birth: 5 August 1935, DeWitt County, Cuero, Texas. Master Sergeant (then Staff Sergeant) Roy P. Benavidez United States Army, who distinguished himself by a series of daring and extremely valorous actions on 2 May 1968 while assigned to Detachment B56, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), 1st Special Forces, Republic of Vietnam. On the morning of 2 May 1968, a 12-man Special Forces Reconnaissance Team was inserted by helicopters in a dense jungle area west of Loc Ninh, Vietnam to gather intelligence information about confirmed large-scale enemy activity. This area was controlled and routinely patrolled by the North Vietnamese Army. After a short period of time on the ground, the team met heavy enemy resistance, and requested emergency extraction. Three helicopters attempted extraction, but were unable to land due to intense enemy small arms and anti-aircraft fire. Sergeant Benavidez was at the Forward Operating Base in Loc Ninh monitoring the operation by radio when these helicopters returned to off-load wounded crewmembers and to assess aircraft damage. Sergeant Benavidez voluntarily boarded a returning aircraft to assist in another extraction attempt. Realizing that all the team members were either dead or wounded and unable to move to the pickup zone, he directed the aircraft to a nearby clearing where he jumped from the hovering helicopter, and ran approximately 75 meters under withering small arms fire to the crippled team. Prior to reaching the team's position he was wounded in his right leg, face, and head. Despite these painful injuries, he took charge, repositioning the team members and directing their fire to facilitate the landing of an extraction aircraft, and the loading of wounded and dead team members. He then threw smoke canisters to direct the aircraft to the team's position. Despite his severe wounds and under intense enemy fire, he carried and dragged half of the wounded team members to the awaiting aircraft. He then provided protective fire by running alongside the aircraft as it moved to pick up the remaining team members. As the enemy's fire intensified, he hurried to recover the body and classified documents on the dead team leader. When he reached the leader's body, Sergeant Benavidez was severely wounded by small arms fire in the abdomen and grenade fragments in his back. At nearly the same moment, the aircraft pilot was mortally wounded, and his helicopter crashed. Although in extremely critical condition due to his multiple wounds, Sergeant Benavidez secured the classified documents and made his way back to the wreckage, where he aided the wounded out of the overturned aircraft, and gathered the stunned survivors into a defensive perimeter. Under increasing enemy automatic weapons and grenade fire, he moved around the perimeter distributing water and ammunition to his weary men, reinstilling in them a will to live and fight. Facing a buildup of enemy opposition with a beleaguered team, Sergeant Benavidez mustered his strength, began calling in tactical air strikes and directed the fire from supporting gunships to suppress the enemy's fire and so permit another extraction attempt. He was wounded again in his thigh by small arms fire while administering first aid to a wounded team member just before another extraction helicopter was able to land. His indomitable spirit kept him going as he began to ferry his comrades to the craft. On his second trip with the wounded, he was clubbed from additional wounds to his head and arms before killing his adversary. He then continued under devastating fire to carry the wounded to the helicopter. Upon reaching the aircraft, he spotted and killed two enemy soldiers who were rushing the craft from an angle that prevented the aircraft door gunner from firing upon them. With little strength remaining, he made one last trip to the perimeter to ensure that all classified material had been collected or destroyed, and to bring in the remaining wounded. Only then, in extremely serious condition from numerous wounds and loss of blood, did he allow himself to be pulled into the extraction aircraft. Sergeant Benavidez' gallant choice to join voluntarily his comrades who were in critical straits, to expose himself constantly to withering enemy fire, and his refusal to be stopped despite numerous severe wounds, saved the lives of at least eight men. His fearless personal leadership, tenacious devotion to duty, and extremely valorous actions in the face of overwhelming odds were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service, and reflect the utmost credit on him and the United States Army.
    1968 - VARGAS, M. SANDO, JR., Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Major (then Capt.), U.S. Marine Corps, Company G, 2d Battalion, 4th Marines, 9th Marine Amphibious Brigade. Place and date: Dai Do, Republic of Vietnam, 30 April to 2 May 1968. Entered service at: Winslow, Ariz. Born: 29 July 1940, Winslow, Ariz. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as commanding officer, Company G, in action against enemy forces from 30 April to 2 May 1968. On 1 May 1968, though suffering from wounds he had incurred while relocating his unit under heavy enemy fire the preceding day, Maj. Vargas combined Company G with two other companies and led his men in an attack on the fortified village of Dai Do. Exercising expert leadership, he maneuvered his marines across 700 meters of open rice paddy while under intense enemy mortar, rocket and artillery fire and obtained a foothold in 2 hedgerows on the enemy perimeter, only to have elements of his company become pinned down by the intense enemy fire. Leading his reserve platoon to the aid of his beleaguered men, Maj. Vargas inspired his men to renew their relentless advance, while destroying a number of enemy bunkers. Again wounded by grenade fragments, he refused aid as he moved about the hazardous area reorganizing his unit into a strong defense perimeter at the edge of the village. Shortly after the objective was secured the enemy commenced a series of counterattacks and probes which lasted throughout the night but were unsuccessful as the gallant defenders of Company G stood firm in their hard-won enclave. Reinforced the following morning, the marines launched a renewed assault through Dai Do on the village of Dinh To, to which the enemy retaliated with a massive counterattack resulting in hand-to-hand combat. Maj. Vargas remained in the open, encouraging and rendering assistance to his marines when he was hit for the third time in the 3-day battle. Observing his battalion commander sustain a serious wound, he disregarded his excruciating pain, crossed the fire-swept area and carried his commander to a covered position, then resumed supervising and encouraging his men while simultaneously assisting in organizing the battalion's perimeter defense. His gallant actions uphold the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the U.S. Naval Service.
    1968 - Moby Grape appears at the San Francisco Fillmore Auditorium.
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    1968 - LIVINGSTON, JAMES E., Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Captain, U.S. Marine Corps, Company E, 2d Battalion, 4th Marines, 9th Marine Amphibious Brigade. place and date: Dai Do, Republic of Vietnam, 2 May 1968. Entered service at: McRae, Ga. Born: 12 January 1940, Towns, Telfair County, Ga. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as Commanding Officer, Company E, in action against enemy forces. Company E launched a determined assault on the heavily fortified village of Dai Do, which had been seized by the enemy on the preceding evening isolating a marine company from the remainder of the battalion. Skillfully employing screening agents, Capt. Livingston maneuvered his men to assault positions across 500 meters of dangerous open rice paddy while under intense enemy fire. Ignoring hostile rounds impacting near him, he fearlessly led his men in a savage assault against enemy emplacements within the village. While adjusting supporting arms fire, Capt. Livingston moved to the points of heaviest resistance, shouting words of encouragement to his marines, directing their fire, and spurring the dwindling momentum of the attack on repeated occasions. Although twice painfully wounded by grenade fragments, he refused medical treatment and courageously led his men in the destruction of over 100 mutually supporting bunkers, driving the remaining enemy from their positions, and relieving the pressure on the stranded marine company. As the 2 companies consolidated positions and evacuated casualties, a third company passed through the friendly lines launching an assault on the adjacent village of Dinh To, only to be halted by a furious counterattack of an enemy battalion. Swiftly assessing the situation and disregarding the heavy volume of enemy fire, Capt. Livingston boldly maneuvered the remaining effective men of his company forward, joined forces with the heavily engaged marines, and halted the enemy's counterattack Wounded a third time and unable to walk, he steadfastly remained in the dangerously exposed area, deploying his men to more tenable positions and supervising the evacuation of casualties. Only when assured of the safety of his men did he allow himself to be evacuated. Capt. Livingston's gallant actions uphold the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the U.S. Naval Service.
    1969 - Elvis Presley finishes filming on his 31st and final film, “Change of Habit.”
    1970 - Diane Crump of Oldsman, FL, became the first woman to ride in the Kentucky Derby, riding “Fathom” in the 1.25 96th Kentucky Derby, Churchill Downs, KY. In the 17-hourse race, she finished 15th.
    1970 - Top Hits
“ABC” - The Jackson 5
“American Woman/No Sugar Tonight” - The Guess Who
“Love or Let Me Be Lonely” - The Friends of Distinction
“My Woman My Woman, My Wife” - Marty Robbins
    1972 - In New York City, Bruce Springsteen auditions for Columbia Records A&R head John Hammond, who is so impressed he immediately arranges a set that night at the Gaslight Club for his fellow execs.
    1974 - Stevie Wonder wins four Grammy Awards: Pop Vocal Performance (Male), R&B Song (Male), R&B Vocal Performance (Male) and Album of the Year.
    1975 - The biggest snowstorm of record for so late in the season paralyzed Chicago, IL. Up to 20 inches of snow fell in extreme northeastern Illinois, and 10.9 inches of snow closed Chicago's O'Hare Airport.
    1976 - No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit: "Welcome Back," John Sebastian. The song is the theme of the TV show "Welcome Back Kotter."
    1977 - More than three years after its release, Bruce Springsteen's "The Wild, the Innocent and the E Street Shuffle" goes gold.
    1978 - The Bee Gees receive their second platinum single awarded in less than two months for "Night Fever." It was preceded by "Stayin' Alive," both cuts are off the soundtrack "Saturday Night Fever."
    1978 - Top Hits
“Night Fever” - Bee Gees
“If I Can’t Have You” - Yvonne Elliman
“Can’t Smile Without You” - Barry Manilow
“Every Time Two Fools Collide” - Kenny Rogers & Dottie West
    1981 - Scottish singer Sheena Easton made it to the top spot on the pop music charts for her first -- and only -- time. "Morning Train (Nine to Five)" knocked "Kiss on My List," by Daryl Hall and John Oates, out of the top of the music charts. "Morning Train" pulled into the top spot for a two-week stay. Easton had been an actress, appearing as a singer in the 1980 BBC TV documentary, "The Big Time," and this time she made it to the big time, winning the 1981 Best New Artist Grammy Award. On U.S. TV, she is remembered as Sonny Crockett’s wife in five episodes of "Miami Vice" in the 1980s and for singing the title song in the James Bond flick, "For Your Eyes Only." Easton scored 14 hits on the charts between 1981 and 1991. Seven of those hits made it to the top ten. "The Lover in Me" in 1988 was the closest she ever came to having another number one hit. It stopped climbing at number two.
http://www.sheenaeaston.com/
    1982 - Severe thunderstorms spawned fifty-six tornadoes in the central U.S., including seventeen in the Red River Region of Texas and Oklahoma. The tornadoes claimed thirty lives, and injured 383 other persons. A violent tornado near Messer, OK left only the carpet tack strips on the slab of a house it destroyed, and carried a motel sign thirty miles.
    1985 - The General Motors X-Cars rolled off the assembly line in Detroit, MI for the final time. The cars were a dismal failure, despite being a hit in the beginning, as many claimed they were brought out too early and not “tested.” The X-Cars were subject to massive recalls which cost G.M. many millions of dollars.
http://members.tripod.com/seributra_d/X.htm
    1986 - Top Hits
“Kiss” - Prince & The Revolution
“Addicted to Love” - Robert Palmer
“West End Girls” - Pet Shop Boys
“Now and Forever” (“You and Me”) - Anne Murray
    1986 - The photo essay, "A Day in the Life of America," began as two hundred photojournalists covered the USA to take 350,000 pictures. For publication of the beautiful coffee table book, only 350 pictures were selected. It is considered a collector’s item today.
http://images.isbn.nu/000649207X/price
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/000217734X/
002-9713331-5503223?
vi=glance#product-details\
    1987 - Eleven cities in Florida reported record low temperatures for the date, including Tallahassee with a reading of 31 degrees. The low of 48 degrees at Key West smashed their previous record for the date by 13 degrees.
    1988 - Pete Rose becomes the first manager to be suspended for an on-field incident as National League president Bart Giamatti issues a thirty day suspension for his shoving of umpire Dave Pallone.
    1988 - Top Hits
“Anything For You” - Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine
“Shattered Dreams” - Johnny Hates Jazz
“Wishing Well” - Terence Trent D'Arby
“One More Try” - George Michael
    1990 - Fourteen cities in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina reported record high temperatures for the date as readings soared into the 90s. Tampa, FL reported a record high of 97 degrees, and Fort Stewart, GA was the hot spot in the nation with a reading of 100 degrees.
    1990 - Thunderstorms produced severe weather in North Carolina and Virginia during the afternoon and evening. Thunderstorms produced golf ball size hail, and spawned a tornado near Chester, VA which caused half a million dollars damage. A storm system produced snow and gale force winds across northern Michigan, with 8.3 inches of snow reported at Marquette. Temperatures in the north central U.S. soared from morning lows in the 20s and 30s to afternoon highs in the 60s and 70s. Eight cities reported record highs for the date, including Havre, MT with a reading of 77 degrees.
    1990 - The Mormon Church says it is dropping some secret rituals that are viewed as offensive to women. It retains the requirement that a woman must be married and taken into heaven by her husband.
    1992 - Mayor Daley declares "Bessie Coleman Day,” 66 years after her death. Coleman's brief but intense life led from humble origins to triumphant days as the first African American woman to fly a plane. Tradition has it that her brother, returning from service in France during World War I, told her about the French women's freer lives that included careers. She was unable to find a flying instructor who would teach a black woman to fly so she learned French and moved to France "where race would not be an issue." She returned triumphantly to the U.S. to be featured in flying shows and circuses, widely written about all over the world as "Queen Bess." She felt blacks had to keep up with the times and learn to fly to succeed as a race. She had hoped to start a flying school but, at age 34, she failed to secure the new-fangled invention called the seat belt, and when he plane flipped almost a mile above the earth, she fell to her death. The former manicurist from "The Stroll" area of Chicago now has a street named after her.
    1993 - Top Hits
“Freak Me” - Silk
“That’s The Way Love Goes” - Janet Jackson
“Informer” - Snow
“Love Is” (From "Beverly Hills, 90210") - Vanessa Williams/Brian McKnight
“I Have Nothing” (From "The Bodyguard") - Whitney Houston
    1998 - Top Hits
“Too Close” - Next
“My Al” - Mariah Carey
“You’re Still The One” - Shania Twain
“Everybody” [“Backstreet’s Back”] - Backstreet Boys
    2001 - One hundred million copies of J. K. Rowling's four Harry Potter children's books have been sold since the first one in 1995, including translations into 42 languages, her agent announces. The best-selling books of all time are “The Bible” with an estimated 6 billion copies sold, followed by “Quotations from the Works of Mao Tse-Tung” (the "Little Red Book") with approximate sales of 900 million.
    2003 - The MLB Players' Association agrees to a two-year experiment in which the winning league of the All-Star Game will have home-field advantage during the World Series. Other changes include roster increase by 2 to 32 players, a separate ballot of managers, coaches and players to be done during the week prior to the game to name the additional nine position players and eight pitchers for each team. That experiment ended in 2016.
    2007 - 1,876 guitarists gather in Wroclaw, Poland, to set a new Guinness World Record by simultaneously performing "Hey Joe" by Jimi Hendrix.
    2011 – Osama Bin Laden, the suspected mastermind behind the September 11 attacks and the FBI’s most wanted man, was killed by the US Special Forces in Pakistan.
    2014 - Apple and Samsung achieved mixed victory in a patent suit settlement; Samsung will owe Apple about $120 million, and Apple will owe Samsung about $158,000; both parties were found to have infringed on each other's patents

Stanley Cup Champions:
1967 - Toronto Maple Leafs

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