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June 1, 2026

Broker Fair Returns to New York
https://brokerfair.org/

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New Hires/Promotions in the Leasing Business
and Related Industries

Griffin Dulligan was promoted to Vice-President, North Mill Equipment Finance (NMEF), Norwalk, Connecticut, January, 2026. He joined NMEF January, 2021, Credit Manager, promoted AVP-Credit, December, 2022. Full Bio: https://www.linkedin.com/in/griffin-dulligan-04b9b11a1/details/experience/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/griffin-dulligan-04b9b11a1/

Stan Grabish was promoted to Director, GA Group, Atlanta, Georgia. He is located in the Atlanta Metropolitan Area. He joined GA Group (February, 2025 - February, 2026); Director, Huron, (2024 -2025); Associate Director, RedRidge (2022 - 2024); Founder, FinAdvst.com (2023 - 2022); Director,
ARG Transaction Services (2021 - 2022). Full Bio:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/stan-grabish-mba-cira/details/experience/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/stan-grabish-mba-cira/

Tonja Hooton was promoted to Director, Manager, LEAF Credit Underwriter, Moberly, Missouri. She is located in Sedalia, Missouri. Senior Credit Underwriter/ Vice President (February, 2014 - Present); Credit Analyst (June, 2021 – February, 2024); Workforce Specialist, Workforce Development Board of Western Missouri, Inc. (January, 2019 - September, 2021); Collector, LEAF Financial Corporation (March, 2008 - September, 2021).
https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonja-hooton-aa339391/

Daniel Waller announces his new position is as Retired, February, 2026, Nutrien Financial, He is located at the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. He joined Nutrien Finance (March, 2023); Senior Capital Markets Executive, Daniel Waller (December, 2018 - April, 2019); SVP/Managing Director, Capital Markets, Wells Fargo Vendor Financial Services, (March, 2016 - December, 2019); Managing Director, Capital Markets, GE Capital (December, 1997 – February, 2016). Full Bio:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielwaller/details/experience/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielwaller/

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Funders Taking "New" Broker Business List
Five Do Not Require that Brokers Be Licensed

BSB Leasing
Bankers Capital
C.H. Brown Company
Forum Financial Services
Leasing Solutions
Maxim Commercial Capital
TimePayment

The following “funders” have informed Leasing News they will consider business from “new” third party originators. Many companies require a certain length of time in business and other requirements, such as a specific volume of business. These “funders” will consider submissions from those new in the leasing and finance business:

Name In Business Since Contact Website Leasing Association	Employees	Geo Area	Dollar Amount	Business Reports	A	B	C	D	E
BSB Leasing, Inc. 1992 Colorado, Hawaii Don Meyerson, Pres. DMyerson@bsbleasing.com www.bsbleasing.com NAELB (click here for further description)	16	National	$10,000 Minimum Application Only to $250,000 Financial Statement Transaction Up to $1MM Business Loans Up to $500K	BBB CNI 1 CNI 2 Search	Y	N	N	Y	Y
Bankers Capital 1990 James Aiksnoras Vice President Sales & Marketing 508-351-6000 Jamesa@bankers-capital.com www.bankers-capital.com AACFB, NEFA (footnote)	6	National	$40,000 +	Search	Y	Y	N	N	N
C.H. Brown Company a Subsidiary of Platte Valley Bank Wheatland, Wyoming Kit West Business Development Director/Broker Relations (307) 241-7005 kwest@chbef.com www.chbef.com AACFB, NEFA, & NAFA (National Aircraft Financing Association) (click for more info)	23	National	$15,000 minimum*		Y	N	Y*	N	N
Forum Financial Services, Inc. 1996 Tim O'Connor 972.690.9444 ext. 225 tim@forumleasing.com 240 Lake Park Blvd. Suite 112 Richardson, TX 75080 www.forumleasing.com AACFB, ELFA, NEFA	7	Nationwide	$50,000 - $1.5 million (Our average size transaction is $250,000. Preferred range $100,000 - $500,000)	BBB	NR	N	N/R	N/R	N/R
Leasing Solutions Palisades, New York Steve Geller, General Manager 914-552-0842 sgeller@leasingsolutionsllc.com AACFB, CLFP (click for more info)	1	Nationwide	Very Small to Large (please see footnote)		Y	N	Y	N	N
Maxim Commercial Capital 2008 Donald S. Cosenza SVP of Business Development donald@maximcc.com 213-425-3163 213-480-4840 x2002 maximcc.com AACFB, CLFP, ELFA, NEFA (click here for more info)	30	Nationwide	$5,000 - $3 million		Y	Y	Y	N	Y
Timepayment Corp Burlington, Massachusetts 1989 Caitlin Keefe Broker Channel Manager caitlin.keefe@timepayment.com 855-259-1034 www.timepayment.com/lease-brokers AACFB, ELFA, NEFA (Footnote)	175	National	$500 to $1 million		Y	N	N	Y	Y

A -Accepts Broker Business | B -Requires Broker be Licensed | C -Sub-Broker Program
| D -"Private label Program" | E - Also "in house" salesmen

Help Wanted Ad
Ameris Bank Equipment Finance

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Momentum Over Motivation
By Ken Lubin, Managing Director, ZRG Partners

Everyone loves to talk about motivation — that spark of energy that gets you started, the rush that makes you feel unstoppable. But the truth is, motivation is unreliable. It fades the moment life gets busy, stress kicks in, or things stop going your way.

Momentum, on the other hand, is different. Momentum compounds. It’s the result of showing up, even when you don’t feel like it. It’s built one small, consistent action at a time. It doesn’t ask how you feel; it just asks that you move forward.

You don’t need to feel good to move forward. You need to move forward to feel good.

I see it in business all the time — the people who win aren’t the ones who wait for inspiration. They’re the ones who make the calls, write the proposals, and push the deals forward day after day. Same thing in training: some of my best workouts have been when I didn’t want to do them. I’ve learned that once you start, everything shifts. The energy comes after the action, not before it.

Momentum is what separates professionals from amateurs. Professionals act because it’s who they are. Amateurs act only when they feel like it. When you rely on motivation, you’ll always find excuses. When you rely on momentum, you create results.

So if you’re tired, unmotivated, or just not feeling it today — good. That’s your chance to build momentum. Start small. Take one step. Then another. Before you know it, you’ll be back in motion, and motion always beats mood.

Keep showing up. Keep moving forward. Because momentum doesn’t just create success — it creates confidence, clarity, and power.

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

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2026 Major Finance/Leasing Conferences
Updated

How fraud is impacting consumer, commercial, and LHPH leasing today
Why legacy prequalification and soft-pull workflows are now a liability
What a “Fraud Stack” looks like in practice (identity, device, behavior, and data integrity layers)
Where to place controls in the leasing workflow for maximum impact
How dealers, lessors, and lenders can reduce losses while improving conversion and data quality

March 4, National Vehicle Leasing Association
Nashville, Tennessee
https://www.nvla.org/page/2026Conference

Attorney Sloan Schickler, Schickler & Schickler will be presenting a legal update for 2026 and moderating a panel on e-signatures and electronic vaulting.

March 4-6, Funders Forum/Broker Expo
Hollywood, Florida. Tee Off Funders Forum 2026
Dan Marino Guest Speaker
https://myemail.constantcontact.com/---Networking-Starts-Here---Kick-Off-Funders-Forum-at-the-RBFC-Golf-Tournament-.html?soid=1133130637774&aid=jJMUS1-TyJY

Bob Rodi, Member at Franchise Loans Direct, will cover the Forum for Leasing News readers; his second time Attending.

March 30-April 1, NEFA Spring Conference
Huntington Beach, CA
https://www.nefassociation.org/event/2026-spring-conference/

Don Cosenza, CLFP, Senior Vice President, Maxim Commercial Capital, will cover the conference for Leasing News readers.

April 14-16, ELFA National Funding Conference
Chicago, Illinois
https://www.elfaonline.org/events/national-funding-conference

Randy Haug, LTi Technology Solutions, will be covering the conference for Leasing News readers.

May 5–May 7
American Association of Commercial Finance Brokers
Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista, Disney Springs, Orlando, Florida
https://community.aacfb.org/events/event-description?CalendarEventKey=0225cc0e-d3ce-43de-9459-019843a144e1&Home=%2fevents%2fcalendar

Leasing News coverage by Vicki Shimkus, CLFP, Finance, Brokers Relationship Manager, Ameris Bank Equipment.

September 28-30, NEFA Fall Conference
Omni Atlanta Hotel at Centennial Park
https://www.nefassociation.org/event/2026-fall-conference/

October 21-23, AACFB Commercial Financing Expo
Hilton Irvine, Irvine, California
https://community.aacfb.org/events/event-description?CalendarEventKey=068b9817-3c58-4aaf-b21d-01999b13a2e4&Home=%2fevents%2fcalendar

October 25–27, ELFA Annual Conference
JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa, Palm Desert, CA
Online Scheduling Coming later.

Randy Haug, LTi Technology Solutions, will be covering the conference gore Leasing News readers.

November 11–13, SF Net, 81st Annual Convention
Marriott Hotel. Los Angeles, California
https://www.sfnet.com/home/events/event-detil/2025/11/11/default-calendar/sfnets-81st-annual-convention

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Top Ten Most Read by Readers
February 9 - February 12

(1) New Hires/Promotions in the Leasing Business
and Related Industries
https://leasingnews.org/archives/Feb2026/02_12.htm#hires

(2) New Hires/Promotions in the Leasing Business
and Related Industries
https://leasingnews.org/archives/Feb2026/02_09.htm#hires

(3) In Your Career, Don’t Make These 5 Mistakes
By Ken Lubin, Managing Director, ZRG Partners
https://leasingnews.org/archives/Feb2026/02_09.htm#hires

(4) BriteCap Financial Surpasses
$1 Billion in Total Originations
https://leasingnews.org/archives/Feb2026/02_09.htm#in

(5) The Power of Data
By Scott Wheeler
https://leasingnews.org/archives/Feb2026/02_12.htm#power

(6) Why I Became a CLFP
Ashley Smith, CPA, CISA
https://leasingnews.org/archives/Feb2026/02_12.htm#why

(7) SLIM Capital, LLC., Celebrates 10 Years of
    Innovation, Growth, and Trusted Partnerships
       in Equipment Finance
https://leasingnews.org/archives/Feb2026/02_09.htm#slim

(8) Leasing News Advisory Board Chair
Shari L. Lipski, CLFP
https://leasingnews.org/archives/Feb2026/02_12.htm#shari

(9) Saluting Leasing News Advisory Board Member
Vickie Shimkus, CLFP
https://leasingnews.org/archives/Feb2026/02_09.htm#hires

(10) News Brief: Ford CEO admits that ‘the customer
has spoken’ after EV push drives major
quarterly loss
https://nypost.com/2026/02/11/business/ford-ceo-admits-that-the-customer-has-spoken-after-ev-push-drives-major-quarterly-loss/

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Ranked: EV Share of New Car Sales
by Country in 2025

News Briefs

T.S.A. Workers Brace for Another Shutdown
They Didn’t Cause
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/14/us/politics/tsa-homeland-security-shutdown.html

Anderson Cooper will exit ’60 Minutes
https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2026-02-16/anderson-cooper-will-exit-60-minutes

Elon Musk’s Starlink crackdown cripples attacks
on Ukraine as Russian casualty rates soar
https://nypost.com/2026/02/16/world-news/elon-musks-starlink-crackdown-cripples-russian-attacks-on-ukraine-as-casualty-rates-soar/

After 75 years, Jack in the Box
still has a head for business
https://www.mercurynews.com/2026/02/16/after-75-years-jack-in-the-box-still-has-a-head-for-business-2/

Costs from Trump's tariffs paid mainly by
US firms and consumers, NY Fed says
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c78x9256pn7o

Tax Deadlines Accidentally Got Turned Off for Three Years.
Now What?
https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/tax-deadline-waiver-changes-ab456be5?st=9rBZuR&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink

Downtown Manhattan comes roaring back
after 9/11, pandemic with most office leases in 6 years
https://nypost.com/2026/02/16/business/downtown-manhattan-posts-banner-year-after-9-11-pandemic/

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The Break Is Over. Companies Are
Jacking Up Prices Again.
https://www.wsj.com/business/price-increases-consumers-busin

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Sports Briefs

In the shadow of the Super Bowl,
Great America slowly dies
https://www.sfgate.com/travel/article/super-bowl-great-america-21316236.php

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California News Briefs

Gasoline-Starved California Is Turning
to Fuel From the Bahamas
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/gasoline-starved-california-turning-fuel-160000840.html

California imposes sweeping changes
to blackjack in card rooms
https://www.courthousenews.com/california-imposes-sweeping-changes-to-blackjack-in-cardrooms/

Santa Clara County eliminates 365 jobs
amid Trump-induced budget challenges
https://www.mercurynews.com/2026/02/16/santa-clara-county-eliminates-365-jobs-amid-trump-induced-budget-challenges/

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Gimme that Wine

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

This month-long event makes wine tastings at 50+
Sonoma wineries, shops, and hotels just $15.
https://www.7x7.com/sonoma-sips-affordable-wine-tasting-2675264323.html

Five major wine events scheduled across East Coast
in the coming weeks
https://www.pennlive.com/food/2026/02/five-major-wine-events-scheduled-across-east-coast-in-the-coming-weeks.html

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