Leasing News - information, news, education and entertainment for the commercial bank, finance and leasing industry

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Naughty or Nice: GasBuddy Study Reveals
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######## surrounding the article denotes it is a “press release,” it was not written by Leasing News nor has the information been verified. The source noted. When an article is signed by the writer, it is considered a “byline.” It reflects the opinion and research of the writer.

The Top Four Leasing/Finance Funder Websites
In North America

Alexa Rank is a rank (number) used to measure the popularity of a website among millions of other websites on Internet. For example, a website with a rank of 1 means it is the most popular website on Internet (i.e. google.com) and is on the first position of the Alexa global rank. It is similar to golf, the lower the number, the better the score.

The only change is that Crestmark is above 1,000, so they are off the list this time period.

If your company is a recognized Funder by Leasing News and has less than a 1,000 rating, please email kitmenkin@leasingnews.org to be included in the next Company listing.

It should be noted bank owned and subsidiaries often are in the bank internet listing therefore not counted, as well as both brokers and super brokers are not included.

The following are funder ratings below 1,000 from siteworth traffic on one month with the two previous ratings below:

Clicklease
146,117
131,804
108,027
https://leasingnews.org/Funders_Only/New_Broker.htm#click

National Funding
300,148
266,984
268,272
https://www.nationalfunding.com/

Balboa Capital
640,952
672,455
796,868
https://leasingnews.org/Funders_Only/New_Broker.htm#balboa

TimePayment
904,471
953,620
726,652
https://leasingnews.org/Funders_Only/New_Broker.htm#time

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Story Credit Financing
Business Loans, SBA Loans, Working Capital

Balboa Capital Corp.
Bankers Capital
Black Rock Capital Investment
BSB Leasing, Inc
Calfund
Dakota Financial

Financial Pacific Leasing
Forum Financial Services, Inc.
Gonor Funding
Maxim Commercial Capital, LLC
North Mill Equipment Finance

Pawnee Leasing Corporation
P&L Capital Corporation
Providence Equipment Finance
Quality Leasing Co. Inc.
SLIM Capital, LLC
TEAM Funding Solutions

Alphabetical list-click on company name to view more details

Here are funders who take "A" and "B" rated applicants. They are also more interested not in "application only." They become more comfortable learning more, beyond reviewing financial statements and tax returns, additional collateral, learning more about the story behind the business as qualifiers.

To qualify for this list, the company must be a funder (as qualified by Leasing News) and are on the “Funder List” and not a "Broker” or “Super Broker.”

Leasing News reserves the right to not list a company who does not meet these qualifications.

Funder List “A”
http://www.leasingnews.org/Funders_Only/Funders.htm

We encourage companies who are listed to contact us for any change or addition they would like to make. Adding further information as an "attachment" or clarification of what they have to offer would be helpful to readers is also very much encouraged."

Full List:
https://leasingnews.org/Story_Credit/Story_Credit.htm

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New Hires/Promotions in the Leasing Business
and Related Industries

Chandler Culveyhouse was hired as Director of Product and Business Applications, Financial Partners Group, Red Bank, New Jersey. She is located in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Previously, she was Associate Business Analyst, Eze Software (SS&C Exe, a unit of SS&C Technologies) (September, 2021 - December, 2022); Staffing Manager, Robert Half (April, 2021 - September, 2021); Quality Control Analyst, CIT Bank (September, 2015 - April, 2021).
https://www.linkedin.com/in/chandler-culveyhouse-1078821a9/

Steve Gloriod was promoted to Vice President Sales, CSI Leasing Inc., St. Louis, Missouri. He joined CSI January, 2012, as Associate Account Executive, promoted July, 2014, Account Executive. Previously, he was an Insurance Agent, Bankers Life and Casualty (2009 - 2012); Claims Representative, CCMI (2007 - 2009). https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-gloriod-416ab247/

Jaime Hudson was hired as Account Manager, Dealer Development, Equify Financial, Fort Worth, Texas. She is located in Irvine, California. Previously, she was Lease Administrator/Sales Operations Advocate, Small Ticket Capital Markets Advocate, CoreTech (June, 2020 - September, 2020); Office Manager/Transaction Coordinator/ Sales Support Manager, Nexseer Capital (February, 2017 - April, 2020); Funding Coordinator, TopMark Funding, LLC (November, 2016 -November, 2017); Vendor Services Relations Manager (Balboa Capital (May, 2014 - April 2016).
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaime-hudson-771948230/

Patrick Manning was promoted to Chief Executive Officer, ROK Financial, Great River. New York. He joined ROK July, 2020, as Chief Revenue Officer, promoted December, 2021. Previously, he was at National Business Capital and Services, starting October, 2017,Vice President of Business Development, promoted June, 2018, Executive Vice President of Sales, promoted October, 2019, Executive Vice President.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-manning-80012647/

Katie O'Mara, CLFP, was hired as Vice President, Acquisitions and Syndications, First Commonwealth Equipment Finance, Indiana, Pennsylvania. She is located in Downingtown, Pennsylvania. Previously, she was Vice President, Small Ticket Credit Operations, Bank Financial (July, 2020 - December, 2022); Credit Manager, FirstLease (June, 2019- June, 2020. She started at Beneficial Bank, November, 2010, as Vice President, Credit and Administrative Originations; promoted April 2015, Vice President Credit and Collections, co-launching Conestoga Equipment Finance Corp., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Conestoga Bank, acquired by Beneficial Bank in 2016; Senior Credit Analyst, Marlin Leasing (March, 2010 - November, 2010); Assistant Credit Manager, Leasing, Court Square Leasing Corporation (December, 2003 - May, 2009); Vendor Services, Patriot Commercial Leasing (October, 2000 - December, 2003); Vendor Support, Court Square Leasing Corporation (July, 1998 - September, 2000); Vendor Support, Keystone Financial Leasing (December, 1994 - July, 1998). Certification: CLFP, CLFP Foundation, Issued November, 2019.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/katieomara/

Beata Nicpon was promoted to Vice President Operations Encina Equipment Finance, LLC., Westport, Connecticut. She is located in the New York City Metropolitan Area. She joined the firm June, 2018, as Assistant vice President, Operations. Previously, she was CA, CIT Bank N.A. (March, 2016 - May, 2018). She joined GE Capital August, 2008 Account Manager, promoted June, 2010, Global Asset Management, promoted October, 2013, Transaction Coordinator; Corporate Service Specialist CitiCapital, a subsidiary of ContiGroup (April, 2007 - August, 2008)), Accounting Associate, SS&C GlobeOp (March, 2006 - March, 2007).
https://www.linkedin.com/in/beata-nicpon-2653b313/

Elizabeth Perkins was hired as Vice President, Documentation and Funding, Wingspire Equipment Finance, Tustin, California. She is located in Rapid City, South Dakota. Previously, she was at City National Finance, LLC, starting 2016 as AVP, Documentation Manger promoted June, 2016, AVP, Capital Markets, Documentation Manager; Vice President Operations, BCiCapital, Inc., FKA City National Capital Finance (June, 2016 - December, 2022): AVP, Equipment Finance Documentation Manager, Bridge Funding Group, Inc. (a BankUnited company) (September, 2014 – June, 2016); Senior Operations Consultant, Bank of America Leasing & Capital (October, 2008 – March, 2013); Officer, Documentation Specialist, SunTrust Equipment Finance & Leasing Corp. (2013 – 2013); Documentation Specialist and Inside Sales, GE Capital (November, 2006 – October, 2008); Operations Accountant, JPMorgan Chase (August, 2004 – April, 2005); Asset Manager, GSA Management, LLC (February, 1998 – August, 2004).
https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabeth-perkins-992911140/

Leasing and Finance Industry Help Wanted
Excellent Compensation/Marketing Support/Work

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2022 Reflection

Sales Makes it Happen by Scott Wheeler, CLFP

Originators throughout the commercial equipment finance and leasing industry are having a record-breaking production year in 2022. Commercial clients have reacted to supply chain issues, inflation, and rising interest rates with a sense of urgency to acquire equipment NOW rather than waiting until equipment prices and financing costs go higher. Competition within the industry continues to be strong and originators are being forced to offer more value to capture their fair share of business. As originators reflect on 2022 and plan for 2023 the following questions should be considered:

What went "right" in 2022? Which relationships produced the most efficient business?
What have you learned over the past year? How have your lessons learned made you a stronger originator?
What will you be doing differently in 2023?
Do you rely on past relationships or are you aggressively building a network of vendors and end-users for the future?
What value do you bring to every relationship and every transaction? How has this value improved over the last year? What do you need to continue working on to improve your value proposition for 2023?

Success is a journey. Career advancement is a continuous process. The year-end is an excellent time to reassess your progress.

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

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

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

ELFA Releases Compensation Report for Small
and Medium-Sized Equipment Finance Businesses

WASHINGTON, D.C., The Equipment Leasing and Finance Association released a report detailing compensation practices at small and medium-sized equipment leasing and finance companies. The 2022 Small and Medium Enterprise Compensation Survey reveals trends in pay—including salaries, bonuses, benefits and commission—at bank, captive and independent equipment finance companies. The survey is part of the Knowledge Hub, ELFA’s source for business intelligence on the equipment finance industry.

The report is based on a survey of ELFA member companies conducted by Vault Consulting, LLC. A total of 46 companies participated in the survey. The respondents reported 1,118 employees for 19 specialized revenue and support positions, ranging from CEO to collections staff to sales staff. The data are displayed by company type, new business volume, region and market segment.
Highlights from the survey include:

The five highest paid positions, based on average total compensation, were CEO/President, CFO, Head of Sales, Senior Sales Representative and Team Leader. Total compensation is based on average base salary and average bonus/commission.
Compared to the last SME Compensation Survey in 2021, the average total compensation of the top five positions changed by the following percentages: CEO/President -6%; CFO +41%; Head of Sales -6%; Senior Sales Representative +6%; and Team Leader +22%.
A bonus/commission was reported for 79% of the submitted employees. A total of 85% of sales staff received a bonus/commission and no companies reported commission only sales staff.
The top quantitative factor used to determine executive leadership incentives was profitability (95%) and the top qualitative factor was managerial effectiveness (74%).

How to Access the Report
Participation in the 2022 Small and Medium Enterprise Compensation Survey is a benefit of ELFA membership, and ELFA member respondents receive a complimentary copy of the report. Non-respondents may purchase a copy from the ELFA website at https://bit.ly/ELFA2022Comp.

The report is part of the ELFA Knowledge Hub, the source for business intelligence in the equipment finance industry. Visit the hub at www.elfaonline.org/KnowledgeHub.

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 580 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. ELFA has been equipping business for success for more than 60 years. For more information, please visit www.elfaonline.org.

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

Pyrenean Shepherd
Redbank New Jersey Adopt a Dog

Petey

Male
Three Years Old
Neutered
Coat Length: Medium
White, Cream/ Black Brindle
House Trained
Vaccinations Up-to-Date
Good in Home with
Other Dogs, Children
Affectionate, Gentle, Friendly
Quiet, Couch Potato
Adoption Fee: $300

Meet Petey

Petey is a Pyrenees mix, 3years old/neutered/UTD, who loves kids and dogs (cats not so much). Petey’s family is in a huge predicament with their living situation and is unable to keep him. They are absolutely heartbroken. They want him to go to the best family who will love him just as much as they do.

He is a sweet boy … a gentle giant. Petey has a high prey drive so he will chase rabbits and squirrels if he sees them. A fenced in yard is recommended so he can run because that’s what he enjoys. He is medium/low energy in our home. He is ok on leash… but will suddenly pull if he sees a critter or another dog. Petey loves the dog park … doggie daycare and his furry sister Sailor. So another dog is a plus but not needed. He loves curling up in bed or the couch with his mom for butt rubs and is a really good boy.

He’s crate trained… he loves his crate if needed. His amber sweet eyes will melt your heart.

Please consider giving him the home he deserves and apply through Home Free Animal Rescue.

Home Fee Animal Rescue
64 White Street
Red Bank, NJ 07701
HomeFreeAnimalRescue@gmail.com
https://www.homefreeanimalrescue.com

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Critical News About Utah and Missouri Disclosure Laws
By Ken Greene, Leasing News Legal Editor

Sometimes I feel like the harbinger of bad news, but occasionally I get to play Santa and deliver presents. Today I get to enjoy the latter.

We recently reported on Utah, which has an effective date of January 1, 2023 for its new commercial disclosure laws.

Utah Disclosure Law: https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title7/Chapter27/C7-27_2022050420220504.pdf

Absent from the article was any mention of an enormous exemption for purchase money security interests (PMSI’s) which, for the equipment industry, may almost be the exception that obviates the rule.

Pursuant to Utah Code §27-102(8) “the provisions of this chapter [the Commercial Financing Registration and Disclosure Act] do not apply to: …a commercial financing transaction that is a purchase-money obligation as defined in Section 70A-9a-103.

Utah Code §70A-9a-103 defines Purchase Money Security Interest/Obligation as follows:

Purchase-money security interest - Application of payments - (1) In this section:(a)"purchase-money collateral" means goods or software that secures a purchase-money obligation incurred with respect to that collateral; and (b)"purchase-money obligation" means an obligation of an obligor incurred as all or part of the price of the collateral or for value given to enable the debtor to acquire rights in or the use of the collateral if the value is in fact so used.

Just about any money used to purchase equipment or software will fall in this category, whether the vendor or a lender finances it. There will be some scenarios, perhaps sale-leasebacks and/or other unusual transactions that fall beyond the scope of the PMSI exemption but, for the most part, PMSI transactions are exempt from disclosure and registration in Utah. There is no similar exemption in California.

As a bonus gift, Utah also expressly exempts subsidiaries of depository institutions. Utah Code §7-27-102(1). I have also learned that there will be no regulations, as in California, just the five-page law. In total, these are much more favorable laws to the equipment finance industry than those in California.

A huge shout out to Mr. Scott Chait, a partner at the RIMÔN PC law firm in Bedminister, New Jersey, for bringing this to my attention.

Missouri (the “Show-Me” state) is making industry friendly progress in getting its new commercial finance disclosure law enacted. As previously reported, there is a House bill as well as Senate bill. The House bill moved out of Committee with exemptions for purchase money security interests (like Utah), true leases, subsidiaries of depository institutions, and factoring. It also specifically excludes a private right of action for non-compliance, which means only the Utah attorney general or his delegates has enforcement powers.

The House Bill: https://house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills221/hlrbillspdf/5401H.05C.pdf
The Senate Bill: https://www.senate.mo.gov/22info/pdf-bill/intro/SB963.pdf

It is fascinating to watch the sea changes as state after state enact commercial disclosure laws in the shadow of other states that have come before them. Each state (hopefully) learns from the actions and missteps of the states that went before it. It seems the laws are becoming more lenient, less cumbersome, and perhaps more realistic. The question now is whether the first states to do this, like California and New York, will amend their disclosure laws in a nod to their successors and what they have learned.

Ken Greene
Tel: 818.575.9095
Fax: 805.435.7464
ken@kengreenelaw.com
Alternate: kengreenelaw@outlook.com

Ken Greene Leasing & Finance Observations
https://leasingnews.org/Pages/greene_observations.htm

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This Day in History

     1763 – Fifty-Seven whites enter Conestoga Indian settlement and, in violation of a treaty made between the tribe and William Penn — to last "as long as the sun should shine, or the waters run in the rivers" — shot, stabbed, and hatched the three men, two women and one young boy they found there (more on 27 December).
    1774 - After Paul Revere warned Portsmouth, NH of possible attack, Massachusetts militiamen successfully attacked the arsenal of Fort William and Mary and confiscated all arms and gun powder. Actually, this was the first shot of the Revolutionary War and not in Boston Common as history books report. Revere did not finish his ride, nor did he communicate about the lantern signals, but he did warn several towns and woke up many farmers to warn other farmers about the possible attack, making it to the town of Portsmouth.
http://www.nhssar.org/essays/FortConstitution.htm
http://www.seacoastnh.com/history/rev/willmary.html
http://www.seacoastnh.com/arts/please052299.html
    1782 – Charleston, SC was evacuated by British. There were more battles in South Carolina as the British fought to conquer this land more than others in the colonies at the time, and this was a major event in the American Revolutionary War. The British had captured Charleston on May 12, 1780.
http://web.ftc-i.net/~gcsummers/revolution.htm
http://www.patriotsofcharleston.com/
    1793 - Kentucky was the first state to authorize a road. They authorized Daniel Weisiger, Bennett Pemberton, and Nathaniel Sanders as “commissioners to receive subscriptions in money, labor or property,” to raise a fund for clearing a wagon road from Frankfort, Kentucky, to Cincinnati, Ohio.
    1798 - David Wilkinson of Rhode Island patented both the nut and bolt machine, and the screw.
    1799 – George Washington died at his home in Mt. Vernon, VA at the age of 67.
    1819 - Alabama became the 22nd state. Deep in the “Heart of Dixie,” (one of the state's nicknames), Alabama was first inhabited by the Creek Indians (Alabama means ‘tribal town'), then explored by the Spanish, settled by the French, and then controlled by the British. The region was ceded to the U.S. following the American Revolution. The Confederacy was founded in Alabama; the state flag still bears a resemblance to the Confederate Battle Flag. Alabama's motto, "Audemus jura nostra defendere – We Dare Defend Our Rights" - has been taken very seriously throughout the state's history, especially in the 1950s and 1960s, as it was the site of landmark civil rights actions. The state tree, pinus palustris or Southern longleaf pine, and the camellia, the state flower, are plentiful throughout the state, as is the state bird, the yellowhammer, which is also the state's other nickname.
    1863 - President Lincoln announces a grant of amnesty for Mrs. Emilie Todd Helm, Mary Lincoln's half-sister and the widow of a Confederate general. The pardon was one of the first under Lincoln's Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction, which he had announced less than a week before. The plan was the President's blueprint for the reintegration of the South into the Union. Part of the plan allowed for former Confederates to be granted amnesty if they took an oath to the United States
    1885 - Birthday of Ethel Browne Harvey (d. 1965), Baltimore, MD. U.S. cell biologist, embryologist, most noted for her findings about cell division, bringing her international fame. Using sea urchins, she was able to excite cell division without maternal or paternal nucleus. Harvey speculated that her parthenogenetic meogones might mean that fundamental characteristics of living matter (such as cell division) were cytoplasmic, while genes controlled later, more specialized characteristics (like eye color). Today, sea urchins are very much in demand by connoisseurs, not only for their taste but supposed aphrodisiac ability, attributed to Dr. Harvey's work.
    1896 - Birthday of James Doolittle (d. 1993) at Alameda, CA. He was a flying instructor during World War I and a Reserve officer in the US Army Air Corps, but he was recalled to active duty during World War II. Lieutenant General in the US Army Air Force, he was the first person to fly across North America in less than a day. Doolittle studied as an undergraduate at University of California, Berkeley, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in 1922 and earning a doctorate in aeronautics from the MIT in 1925. He was a pioneer in instrument landing techniques during the 1920s when flying was still in its infancy. On Apr 18, 1942, Doolittle led a squadron of 16 B-25 bombers, launched from aircraft carrier USS Hornet, on the first US aerial raid on Japan of World War II.   Until that time, after the attacks on Pearl Harbor, the US was not faring well against the Japanese. The daring raid was considered dangerous because the thought was that B-25s could not take off from a carrier. While the damage to Tokyo was slight, it pierced the Japanese feeling of invincibility and turned US morale around that continued through the remainder of the war. He was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for this accomplishment. Doolittle also headed the Eighth Air Force during the Normandy invasion.
    1897- Birthday of Margaret Chase Smith (d. 1995) at Skowhegan, ME. Smith was the first woman to be elected to both houses of Congress (1941 to the House and 1949 to the Senate). She was also one of seven Republican senators to issue a “declaration of conscience” to denounce Senator Joseph R. McCarthy's communist witch-hunt.
    1902 - The ship, "Silverton," set sail from the Bay Area to lay the first telephone cable between San Francisco, California and Honolulu, Hawaii. The project was finished by January 1, 1903.
    1903 – The Wright Brothers make the first powered flight at Kitty Hawk, NC. Coincidentally this was the same date in 1782 that the Montgolfier brotherssucceeded in launching the first piloted ascent into the sky in a balloon, in France. The three-second flight attempt stalled after takeoff and caused minor damage to the Flyer. Following repairs, the Wrights took off again on December 17, 1903, making two flights each from level ground into a freezing headwind gusting to 27 miles per hour. The first flight, by Orville at 10:35 am, of 120 feet in 12 seconds, at a speed of only 6.8 miles per hour over the ground, was recorded in the famous photograph. The next two flights covered approximately 175 and 200 feet, by Wilbur and Orville respectively. Their altitude was about 10 feet above the ground.
http://www.wam.umd.edu/~stwright/WrBr/wrights/1903.html
    1910 - Tenor sax player Budd Johnson (d. 1984) born Dallas, Texas.
    1911 - The elusive object of many expeditions dating from the 7th century, the South Pole was located and visited by Roald Amundsen with four companions and 52 sled dogs. All five men and 12 of the dogs returned to base camp safely. The next to visit the South Pole, January 17, 1912, was a party of five led by Captain Robert Scott, all of whom perished during the return trip. A search party found their frozen bodies 11 months later.
    1917 – June Taylor (d. 2004) was born in Chicago. Best known as the founder of the June Taylor Dancers, who were featured on Jackie Gleason’s various television variety programs. In 1946, Taylor met Gleason at a Baltimore nightclub. The two became friends when Taylor helped Gleason overcome a case of stage fright. In 1948, Taylor made her television debut on “The Toast of the Town” starring Ed Sullivan, where six of her original dancers appeared as The Toastettes. Two years later, Taylor joined Gleason's Cavalcade of Stars and followed him, along with 16 dancers, to “The Jackie Gleason Show,” where her signature was the overhead camera shot of the dancers making kaleidoscopic geometric patterns, reminiscent of the work of Busby Berkeley. She won an Emmy for choreography in 1955.
    1920 - Trumpet Player Clark Terry (d. 2015) was born in St. Louis.
http://hardbop.tripod.com/terry.html
    1922 – Don Hewitt (d. 2009), the creator of CBS’ “60 Minutes” was born in NYC. At the time of his death, “60 Minutes” was the longest-running prime-time broadcast on American television. Under Hewitt's leadership, “60 Minutes” was the only news program ever rated the nation’s top-ranked television program, an achievement it accomplished five times. Hewitt produced the first televised presidential debate in 1960, between candidates Richard Nixon and John F. Kennedy.
    1924 - The temperature at Helena, MT plunged 79 degrees in 24 hours, and 88 degrees in 34 hours. The mercury plummeted from 63 above to 25 below zero. At Fairfield, MT, the temperature plunged 84 degrees in just 12 hours, from 63 at Noon to 21 below zero at midnight
    1934 - The first streamlined steam locomotive was introduced by the New York Central Lines between Albany and Kamer, NY. Built in West Albany, NY, it was named the “Commodore Vanderbilt” after the founder of the New York Central Lines. It developed 4,075 horsepower.
    1939 - Jimmy Lunceford Band records “Uptown Blues,” New York City.
    1939 - League of Nations, the international peacekeeping organization formed at the end of World War I, expels the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in response to the Soviets' invasion of Finland on October 30. President Roosevelt, although an "ally" of the USSR, condemned the invasion, causing the Soviets to withdraw from the New York World's Fair. And finally, the League of Nations, drawing almost its last breath, expelled it.
    1939 – Ernie Davis (d. 1963), the first African-American to win the Heisman Trophy, was born in New Salem, PA. After his All-American career at Syracuse University, Davis was drafted #1 by the Washington Redskins who traded him immediately to the Cleveland Browns. He never played a professional game, as he was diagnosed with leukemia in 1962 and died at the age of 23. Davis was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1979.
    1944 - NEPPEL, RALPH G., Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company M, 329th Infantry, 83d Infantry Division. Place and date: Birgel, Germany, 14 December 1944. Entered service at: Glidden, lowa. Birth: Willey, lowa. G.O. No.: 77, 10 September 1945. Citation: He was leader of a machinegun squad defending an approach to the village of Birgel, Germany, on 14 December 1944, when an enemy tank, supported by 20 infantrymen, counterattacked. He held his fire until the Germans were within 100 yards and then raked the foot soldiers beside the tank killing several of them. The enemy armor continued to press forward and, at the pointblank range of 30 yards, fired a high-velocity shell into the American emplacement, wounding the entire squad. Sgt. Neppel, blown 10 yards from his gun, had 1 leg severed below the knee and suffered other wounds. Despite his injuries and the danger from the onrushing tank and infantry, he dragged himself back to his position on his elbows, remounted his gun and killed the remaining enemy riflemen. Stripped of its infantry protection, the tank was forced to withdraw. By his superb courage and indomitable fighting spirit, Sgt. Neppel inflicted heavy casualties on the enemy and broke a determined counterattack.
    1944 - THOMAS, CHARLES L., Medal of Honor
Citation: For extraordinary heroism in action on 14 December 1944, near Climbach, France. While riding in the lead vehicles of a task force organized to storm and capture the village of Climbach, France, then First Lieutenant Thomas's armored scout car was subjected to intense enemy artillery, self-propelled gun, and small arms fire. Although wounded by the initial burst of hostile fire, Lieutenant Thomas signaled the remainder of the column to halt and, despite the severity of his wounds, assisted the crew of the wrecked car in dismounting. Upon leaving the scant protection which the vehicle afforded, Lieutenant Thomas was again subjected to a hail of enemy fire which inflicted multiple gunshot wounds in his chest, legs, and left arm. Despite the intense pain caused by these wounds, Lieutenant Thomas ordered and directed the dispersion and emplacement of two antitank guns which in a few moments were promptly and effectively returning the enemy fire. Realizing that he could no longer remain in command of the platoon, he signaled to the platoon commander to join him. Lieutenant Thomas then thoroughly oriented him on enemy gun dispositions and the general situation. Only after he was certain that his junior officer was in full control of the situation did he permit himself to be evacuated. First Lieutenant Thomas' outstanding heroism was an inspiration to his men and exemplifies the highest traditions of the Armed Forces.
    1946 – The United Nations voted to establish headquarters in NYC.
    1947 - Part-time auto racer and full-time promoter Bill France, Sr., tried to bring some order to the chaotic world of stock car racing by opening a 3-day meeting at the Streamline Hotel in Daytona Beach, Florida, among several warring factions. The result of the meeting was the creation of NASCAR, the National Association of Stock Car Automobile Racing, the body that has governed the sport ever since.
    1951 - Top Hits
“Sin (It's No)” - Eddy Howard
“Slowpoke” - Pee Wee King
“Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer” - Gene Autry
“Let Old Mother Nature Have Her Way” - Carl Smith
    1953 - 18-year old Sandy Koufax signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Until that date, Koufax reportedly had played no more than 20 games of baseball and was primarily a basketball player who walked on to the University of Cincinnati team as a freshman. During the next 12 seasons, he posted a 167-87 record, 2.76 ERA and 2,396 strikeouts, threw four no-hitters including a perfect game, 7-time All-Star, 4-time World Series champ, 2-time World Series MVP, one-time NL MVP, 3-time Cy Young Award winner and became the youngest inductee into the Baseball hall of Fame at age 35.
    1953 - "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas," recorded earlier in the year by 10-year-old Gayla Peevey, inspired an Oklahoma City fund-raising effort to buy a hippopotamus for the Oklahoma City Zoo. Oklahomans raised $4,000 for the cause, with much of the money coming from children. The zoo bought a 3-year-old hippo named Matilda who had eight offspring and died in 1998.
    1954 - Birthday of Alan Kulwicki (d. 1993), auto racer, born at Greenfield, WI. Kulwicki was NASCAR's Rookie of the Year in 1987 and Winston Cup champion in 1992. He won 24 NASCAR races in 207 starts. He died in a plane crash, April 1, 1993. Maybe John Madden is right to travel by bus. Kulwicki was safer on the race track than in the air.
    1959 - Guy Mitchell achieves his second Billboard number one hit with "Heartaches by the Number."
    1959 - Top Hits
“Heartaches by the Number” - Guy Mitchell
“Mr. Blue” - The Fleetwoods
“In the Mood” - Ernie Field's Orch.
“The Same Old Me” - Ray Price
    1961 - In a public exchange of letters with South Vietnamese President Ngo Dinh Diem, President John F. Kennedy formally announces that the United States will increase aid to South Vietnam, which would include the expansion of the U.S. troop commitment. Shortly after President Kennedy was assassinated, there were more than 16,000 U.S. advisers in South Vietnam. Kennedy's successor, Lyndon B. Johnson, rapidly escalated the war, which resulted in the commitment of U.S. ground forces and eventually more than 500,000 American troops in Vietnam.
    1962 – NASA’s Mariner 2 became the first spacecraft to fly by Venus.
    1963 - The Beatles' "I Want to Hold Your Hand" begins a five week stretch at number one on the UK record charts, replacing their own "She Loves You".
    1963 - The dam containing the Baldwin Hills Reservoir burst, killing five people and damaging hundreds of homes in LA.
    1964 - The Supreme Court ruled that Congress can use the Constitution’s Commerce Clause to fight discrimination. (Heart of Atlanta Motel v. United States).
    1967 - Top Hits
“Daydream Believer” - The Monkees
“The Rain, the Park and Other Things” - The Cowsills
“I Say a Little Prayer” - Dionne Warwick
“It's the Little Things” - Sonny James
    1968 - Tommy James and the Shondells' "Crimson and Clover" is released.
    1968 - Iron Butterfly's epic "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" goes gold.
    1969 - San Diego wide receiver Lance Alworth sets a professional record with a pass reception in his 96th straight game.
    1970 - While golfing great Lee Trevino won only two tournaments during the year, he still became the top golf money-winner with his yearly earnings averaging $157,037.
    1970 - The National Press Club finally voted to admit women members.
    1972 – Astronaut Gene Cernan became the last person to walk on the moon, after he and Harrison Schmitt completed the third and final extra-vehicular activity (EVA) of the Apollo 17 mission.
    1974 - David Crosby and Graham Nash perform together in San Francisco at a benefit concert for the United Farm Workers and Project Jonah, a whale protection media project.
    1975 - Top Hits
“Fly, Robin, Fly” - Silver Convention
“Let's Do It Again” - The Staple Singers
“Saturday Night” - Bay City Rollers
“Love Put a Song in My Heart” - Johnny Rodriguez
    1977 - "Saturday Night Fever" premieres in New York City. It not only makes a star out of John Travolta but spreads the disco craze throughout the country. The soundtrack is full of recent and soon-to-be dance hits by the Bee Gees, the Trammps, Kool and the Gang, MFSB, K.C. and the Sunshine Band and Yvonne Elliman. It will be one of the biggest-selling albums of all time.
    1980 - At Yoko Ono's request, at 2 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, John Lennon fans around the world mourn him with ten minutes of silent prayer. In New York over 100,000 people converge in Central Park in tribute and in Liverpool, a crowd of 30,000 gatherers outside of St. George's Hall on Lime Street.
    1982 - Marcel Dionne of the Los Angeles Kings scored the 500th goal of his career in a 7-2 loss to the Washington Capitals. Dionne played from 1971-72 through 1988-89 and finished his career with 731 goals.
    1983 - Top Hits
“Say Say Say” - Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson
“Say It Isn't So” - Daryl Hall-John Oates
“Union of the Snake” - Duran Duran
“Tell Me a Lie” - Janie Fricke
    1985 - UCLA defeated American University, 1-0, with a goal in the eight overtime period to win the NCAAA soccer championship in the longest game in US college soccer history.
    1985 - The United States' high school football coach with the most wins called it quits. After 43 years, Gordon Wood, 71, of Brownwood High School in Central Texas, retired. Wood had a career record of 405 wins, 88 losses and 12 ties. The football stadium at Brownwood High was rebuilt and named after him.
    1985 - Wilma Mankiller takes the oath of office as the principal chief of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, the first time a woman has headed a major Native American tribe. ERRATA: Several people have written regarding Wilma Mankiller to say that her title was the first time since the European annexation of Amerindian lands and rights that a woman was recognized by the white people as a tribal chief. Evidently women “were” tribal leaders before the coming of the Europe
    1986 - Elton John records a live version of "Candle in the Wind" in Australia with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. The song is released as a single and hits #6 on the chart.
    1986 - The experimental aircraft Voyager, piloted by Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager, took off from Edwards Air Force Base in California on the first non-stop, non-refueled flight around the world. On December 14, 1986, Yeager and Rutan began their history-making flight in the Voyager, flying the maximum circumference of the globe in nine days, three minutes and forty-four seconds.
    1987 - A powerful storm spread heavy snow from the Southern High Plains to the Middle Mississippi Valley, and produced severe thunderstorms in the Lower Mississippi Valley. During the evening a tornado hit West Memphis, TN killing six persons and injuring two hundred others. The tornado left 1500 persons homeless and left all of the residents of Crittendon County without electricity. Kansas City, MO was blanketed with 10.8 inches of snow, a 24-hour record for December, and snowfall totals in the Oklahoma panhandle ranged up to 14 inches. Strong winds, gusting to 63 mph at Austin, TX, ushered arctic cold into the Great Plains, and caused considerable blowing and drifting of snow.
    1988 - The Miami Heat defeated the Los Angeles Clippers in Los Angeles to earn the first victory in the franchise's history. The Heat, in their first season, had gone 17 games without a win, an NBA record for most consecutive defeats at the start of a season.
    1989 - High winds and heavy snow prevailed from Montana to Colorado. Snowfall totals in Wyoming ranged up to 20 inches at Burgess Junction, leaving up to 48 inches on the ground in the northeast sections of the state. Wind gusts in Colorado reached 87 mph south of the town of Rollinsville. Strong northwesterly winds continued to produce heavy snow squalls in the Great Lakes Region. Totals in northeastern Lower Michigan ranged up to 29 inches at Hubbard Lake, with 28 inches reported at Posen. Two day totals in northeastern Wisconsin ranged up to thirty inches.
    1991 - Top Hits
“Black or White” - Michael Jackson
“It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday” - Boyz II Men
“All 4 Love” - Color Me Badd
“For My Broken Heart” - Reba McEntire
    1997 - Phoenix Coyote Mike Gartner is 5th NHL player to score 700 goals
http://www.neutralzonehockey.com/gartner.htm
   1997 - Elton John's tribute to Princess Diana, "Candle in the Wind 1997," was at its ninth week at number 1 on the Billboard chart. The record would eventually pass Bing Crosby's "White Christmas" to become the largest selling single of all time.
    1999 - Top Hits
“Smooth” - Santana Featuring Rob Thomas
“Back At One” - Brian McKnight
“I Wanna Love You Forever” - Jessica Simpson
“I Knew I Loved You” - Savage Garden
    2002 - A powerful Pacific storm system plowed into the western United States during the 13th-16th, producing high winds, heavy rains, significant mountain snowfall and causing 9 deaths (Associated Press). Rainfall amounts exceeding 10 inches occurred in parts of California, and wind gusts over 45 mph produced up to 1.9 million power outages during the period.
    2008 - An Iraqi journalist threw his shoes at President George W. Bush during a news conference in Baghdad; Bush was not hit.
    2012 - Twenty-eight people, including the gunman, are killed in Sandy Hook (CT) Elementary School. 20-year-old Adam Lanza fatally shot 20 children and 6 adult staff members. Prior to driving to the school, Lanza shot and killed his mother at their Newtown home. As first responders arrived at the scene, Lanza committed suicide by a shot to the head.
    2014 - Almost 200 nations at the U.N. Climate Change Conference in Peru join an emissions reduction accord requiring each nation to post its plan online in 2015; the public can then pressure noncompliant nations to keep and strengthen their commitments.
    2016 – Amazon announced its first delivery by drone 2 km from their warehouse in the UK.
    2017 - The Walt Disney Company buys most of 21st Century Fox for $52.4 billion.
    2018 - Reuters US reported that pharmaceutical company Johnson & Johnson knew for decades their talc was contaminated with asbestos. On May 19, 2020, J&J announced it was stopping the sales of its talc-based baby powder in the US and Canada. On June 23, 2020, the Missouri Court of Appeals upheld a jury verdict that J&J’s talcum powder caused 0varian in 22 women and ordered the company to pay $2.1 billion

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