Mission Statement

Senior Credit Officer experienced in middle-market leasing; structured, vendor and 3rd party to the fortune 1000. Proactive team builder, originations capable with strong work ethic. Email: kyletrust@hotmail.com

Senior Management: Baltimore, MD

25 year veteran of commercial and equipment leasing seeking a senior management position with leasing or asset based financing company in the southeast (Florida preferred) Email: kellogg_md@yahoo.com

Senior Management: Chicago, Illinois

Twenty plus years. Senior sales and marketing management most recently Building "businesses" from scratch. Leveraging leadership, administrative, operations, financial, auditing background. WANTED: challenging new opportunity. Email: edok@sbcglobal.net

Senior Management: Denver, CO. Fortune 500 GM/SVP wants to team up with aggressive lender looking for Western expansion mid-market equip. finance/leasing. 20+ years experience within Rocky Mountain/Southwest and Ca markets. Email: legal@csotn.com

Senior Managment: Irvine, CA.

Credit executive, portfolio manager and syndication facilitator. Extensive business building experience in small and mid-ticket operations. Highly innovative. Fortune 100 audit and technology skills. Bottom-line manager. Email: lenhubbard@bigfoot.com

Senior Management: Long Island, NY

Degree Banking/Finance. 13 years leasing exp. Now prez young leasing company where promises were not met. Interested in joining established firm with future. Email:bob33483@yahoo.com

Senior Management: Portfolio Management Consultant; 25+years experience in Collections, Customer Satisfaction, Asset Management, Recoveries, Continuous Process Improvement, Back end Revenue Generation, Cost per Collection Analysis. $5+Billion Portfolio expertise. Email: efgefg@rogers.com

Senior Management: San Francisco, CA., 25 years experience w/global leasing company, sales,marketing,business dev., P&L responsibility, asset mgmt, brokering and re-marketing. Interested in joining an est. firm with a future. Email:rcsteyer@yahoo.com

Senior Management: Somerville, NJ.

28 year veteran in Construction Equipment/Transportation.

Full P&L responsibility, profit driven, team builder, sales manager, strong portfolio management skills. Will consider relocation. email: leasingman_95@hotmail.com

Senior Management: Tampa FL.20+ years of small to middle ticket finance, operations and sales management experience. Outstanding record of revenue enhancement, operational improvement and team development. Email: rlindcpa@earthlink.net

Full listing of 89 job wanted ads at: http://64.125.68.90/LeasingNews/JobPostings.htm

[Headlines]

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DVI Case Could Yield Results Today

ABS Net

A court hearing today could decide the fate of DVI Financial's troubled securitization trusts, and the outcome could affect the degree to which other issuing entities are insulated from the companies that create them.

The Delaware bankruptcy court holding the hearing is expected to approve a long-delayed transfer of servicing duties on the medical-equipment leases backing DVI's issues to Lyons Financial, a unit of trustee U.S. Bank. Because bankrupt DVI is currently servicing the credits, it's likely that the transfer will help abate massive collateral delinquencies and help bondholders collect some of the $1.6 billion that they are owed.

However, it's possible that the servicing transfer could be delayed by numerous lawsuits that DVI's unsecured creditors filed this week. The plaintiffs, who are seeking to break open the bankruptcy-remote trusts to collect on DVI's debts, oppose the transfer because such a move would make it harder for them to seek claims from the securitization trusts in the future. Rulings are expected next week.

Unsecured creditors usually don't take that step, but DVI's complicated legal structure opened the door for such actions. Even if the lawsuits don't delay the servicing transfer, the threat they pose could influence the structuring of future securitization trusts. If a decision comes down in the creditors' favor, it could increase other securitization trusts' exposures to similar claims.

The plaintiffs in the DVI case include equipment vendors and manufacturers, a municipality owed taxes by DVI and parties that have filed separate suits against former DVI officials. In one action, equipment manufacturer Toshiba America called the servicing transfer "unconstitutional," complaining that it could strip the company of its ability to recover money it is owed - even though DVI bondholders would still receive payments tied to leases on Toshiba's equipment.

Also scheduled are rulings on lawsuits that DVI's unsecured creditors filed in November and December. The November suit challenged DVI's ability to swap poorly performing leases out of its securitization vehicles for stronger collateral. The December action sought to block holders of bonds from DVI Business Credit Receivables Corp. from liquidating the deals' underlying assets.

(Leasing News was the first to break the DVI story; all from insiders.

There are several lawsuits in progress.

( http://www.leasingnews.org/Conscious-Top%20Stories/DVI_Fraud_cont.htm )

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What Lessors Are Saying About Value-Added Services

ELA News On Line

Over the last year offering value-added services have been promoted within the leasing industry as a way to increase business and earn more in the face of narrowing margins. ELA asked lessors how they are incorporating value-add services into their service offerings, and what results they’re seeing. Overall, it seems lessors are combining solid industry knowledge, personal service and technology to create the most effective value-adds for their customers.

Chris Bucher, Hibernia National Bank, said his firm has technology-based value added services in development and hopes to deploy them by mid-year. Though he hasn’t experienced a demand from leasing customers for value-added services, Bucher believes in being proactive. He sees the leasing arm of Hibernia offering value-adds as an alignment with Hibernia Bank’s value-added services, and part of an overall trend in the banking industry to add value and differentiate. “The technology is within our reach, so we’re leveraging it,” Bucher said.

Rich Miller, IDB Leasing, said that since IDB’s percentage of direct leasing customers is relatively small, they don’t do much in the way of value-added services beyond correspondence through monthly statements. Although they have considered offering insurance products, Miller said, “Value-adds are something to think about and we could be doing more, but they’re not something we’re focusing on.”

At Capital Advance Leasing, Scott McCullum finds relationship responsiveness and continual communications are fundamental value-adds which he believes many lessors are missing in their services. One of Capital Advance Leasing’s most successful value-adds has been implementing weekly customer e-mail updates. “That little step that we implemented has had huge impact with customers,” said McCullum. The reaction from lessees of Capital Advance’s communicative nature has been such that they look to Capital Advance in a wider advisory capacity for anything from new bank lines to insurance company recommendations.

Steve Trollope, Arrow Capital Corporation, strongly believes that valued-added services considerably strengthen their competitive advantages in acquiring new vendor business, as well as maintaining existing vendor partner relationships. He notes that traditional value-added services such as high service levels, fast credit approval, and simple documentation are no longer primary value-add metrics. Trollope said, “While they are important, other value-add services are increasingly becoming important such as web-based vendor program capabilities. Arrow Capital presently provides its vendor partners with comprehensive web-based finance program solutions. Offering this particular value-added service strongly differentiates us from our competition and truly helps us “win” business.”

Rick Zywotko of Computer Connection Corporation, a remarketer of networking equipment (WAN), offered value-added services he believes resonate with their customers. Computer Connection charges no fees for auditing or storage (within reasonable limits), and they maximize return on the asset at lease end, which they are able to achieve because of their knowledge of the networking equipment space, longevity and reputation. “We are celebrating 30 years in business this summer—a considerable milestone in the computer equipment space—and our commitment to quality is key to the value-added services that our customers absolutely appreciate,” said Zywotko.

According to Patrick Byrne, Balboa Capital Corporation, in 2004 his firm is focusing on value-adds that target their existing customers. He noted, “We are currently in the process of introducing new products and services to improve customer retention by increasing convenience, improving billing and asset management, and meeting long-term customer needs.” This company-wide effort includes sales, marketing, operations, and customer support. He added, “We have established a lofty goal for repeat business in the coming year and will be closely monitoring our success rate.”

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Welch and Wetlaufer Photograph

http://graphics7.nytimes.com/images/2004/02/04/business/04JACK.jpg

Marina Garnier, photographer, New York Times.

Here is John F. Welch Jr., the former chairman of General Electric, with his fiancée, Suzy Wetlaufer, at the White House Correspondents' Dinner last year. Mr. Welch has a deal with HarperCollins, including an advance said to be $4 million, to produce a how-to book on business with the title "Winning. See News Briefs.

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Weekly Bulletin Board Complaint Report

“I am writing as a warning on a current scam taking place by ************. I found this company on the internet under a search for equipment leasing & financing at ************. The website was very professional and prompted me to call. I talked with rep ******** who seemed very knowledgeable about leasing and did not pressure sell. He told me that in order to start the lease process that I would have to send an up front deposit which would apply toward my first payment if approved and would be returned if I was denied financing. I questioned this practice and he assured me this was an industry standard practice and that they needed a monetary commitment, so I would not take my business elsewhere after they put in all the effort on my lease. So I was still skeptical and called the Better Business Bureau and Chamber of Commerce that are listed on their literature about their membership status. ******checked out as a long time member in good standing, so I felt confident that I could send the deposit, and felt that it would speed up the process.”

The broker who wrote this was asked for copies of the check, copies

of literature, or any agreements. The complaint was made in November. The broker has never returned e-mails.

2. This started in early December and concerns a major leasing company in California who’s salesman approved a lease for $150,000 for a company with a proposal letter. Only $36,000 was funded, and through a third leasing company, not theirs, and they later denied the remaining amount.

The problem stems that the vendor received a copy of an approval, shipped the equipment, received $36,000 for one part of the system, and now is suing the “lessee” for the remainder.

The complaint centers on whether the leasing company actually made an approval to the lessee for $150,000. Whether the vendor should have shipped on an approval, or order for part of the system, is not the complaint.

In finally receiving and reviewing all the documents, hearing from

both sides, the applicant admitted in a fax “ I was stupid because

I now see “the first approval had no dollar amount on it, in addition, there was a second approval for the remainder of the equipment, but he did not like the terms and conditions. The vendor shipped without any purchase order from either party, and after waiting two years, was now suing the applicant for payment for parts II and II to the full

system. The applicant asked what he could do. An SBA loan

was recommended, if he could apply, as the title at best was

not clear and it was not a lease/finance situation.

3. From late December: A broker has a signed commitment letter and was successful in getting the lease approved, but the approval is not the same as the commitment letter. It is higher. The price of the equipment changes, and so did the lease rate.

The broker says he earned the money because he got the lease approved. A day before we were to print the complaint, the broker

sent a cashier’s check by Federal Express, return all advance money.

4. A telephone call from an applicant regarding finding his “leasing

company” listed on our complaint bulletin board, and the party

had not returned his $8,000. He wanted to know more about

the original complaint. We told him what we required, and he

stated he was going to let the “leasing company” know he would

be filing a complaint. We have not heard back or received

the documents we requested.

5. Physician found Leasing News by going on Google and typing

in “where to file fraudulent leasing complaint.” He said we came

up number one. We explained the procedure, advised he tell

the party he would be filing a complaint. Have not heard back

from the Physician. This was three weeks ago.

6. It appears the person named in the alleged false employment application was arrested as we received a copy of the public

arrest document from a reader. It appears Rick Wilbur dodged another bullet.

Richard Wilbur

Managing Partner

Media Capital Associates, LLC

rick@mediacap.com

(480) 941-8558 ext #104

[Headlines]

Charlie Lester Joins Group to Create New Agreement Form

“LPI Financial Services will be glad to participate in the fund to

develop the standard proposal agreement on behalf of LPI and the brokers we

work with. This is the most controversial area of our business and having a

standard format would give all of us a more comfortable feeling that we have

done our best to meet the letter and intent of the law.

“Thanks to you and Ken Greene for supporting this effort. How about 4 installments of $50 each? If you charge interim rents, you could net up $43 or more. Add an Evergreen

and you can make another $200. Maybe the unscrupulous use of interim rents

and Evergreens by some funding sources could be your next project.

“We will forward LPI's proposal to Ken for review.”

Charlie Lester

LPI Financial Services

clester@lpifinancial.com

Here are others that have joined the effort to date:

Ben Carlile

Allegiant Partners Incorporated

Warren Hawkins

Bank Partners

Paul Behechti

Bridge Capital Leasing

Gary Saulter

Chase Industries

Gary Trebels, CLP

Vice-President

IFC Credit Corporation

Theresa Kabot

Kabot Commercial Leasing

The people who are donating $200 to this effort, also are presenting the documents their company uses today, and their experience. The form will be generic, and hopefully

valid in most states. It certainly will spell out what is "earned"

for working on an application.

If you have the faith that if the lease does not go through, you

will return all the money, that is your choice.

If you want to be remunerated for your time and effort, we

hope to make this form available "for free" to all readers,

once we find six more who want to "donate" $200 to this effort.

While we do not want to give legal advice, particularly realizing that states differ and there are also licensing issue, we asked Ken Greene for some "generic" help.

He has agreed to perform this service, review the forms, and then devise a "generic one" to help brokers retain expenses, particularly if an application is not approved or terms and conditions change.

"I am glad to help if a pool of leasing companies would like to get together and hire me to put together a thorough form. It can still be simple, but it should be internally consistent and not appear to be punitive in nature."

Ken

Kenneth C. Greene

Law Offices of Kenneth C. Greene

980 Magnolia Avenue Suite 6C

Larkspur, CA 94939

Vox: 415 461 3777

Fax: 415 461 3733

E-Mail: keng@kengreenelaw.com

Website: www.kengreenelaw.com

For those who participate, Ken Greene is willing to do extra work for a minimal fee on the form for their specific needs. Each company will sign an agreement regarding this form to cover expenses incurred should a lease not go forward, plus give other clauses for specific terms and conditions to be covered in the proposal. Should we not obtain the $2,000 needed, all money will be returned. As per our policy, we also reserve the right to refuse a sponsorship.

[Headlines]

Leasing News Advisory Board

The Leasing News Advisory Board is chosen by the publisher. They are not financially compensated. They participate in the overall direction of our electronic newspaper. As per a “printed” newspaper procedure, it is the editor's sole discretion as to what is printed and not printed; not the board of directors or any advisory board

The purpose is to give more business advice, procedural viewpoint, help promote the

growth of Leasing News, contribute their experience and knowledge toward the

policy and mission; to help this electronic newspaper grow.

Here is our current Advisory Board:

http://www.leasingnews.org/editorial_staff.htm

Bob Baker, CLP

Wildwood Financial Group

Ellisville, Missouri

Bob Baker has been in the finance and leasing business for over 30 years and is currently serving on the Board of Directors of the United Association of Equipment Leasing (UAEL), after serving four years as a regional chair and serving on both the Education and the Nomination-and-Election Committees. He was the 33rd individual to receive CLP (Certified Leasing Professional) certification from the UAEL, and remains one of fewer than 233 leasing professionals who have received this recognition.

Mr. Baker has served on the advisory boards of the Manifest Group, Business Credit Leasing and participated in the annual round table for Colonial Pacific Leasing. He has also served in a broad spectrum of leasing positions, including VP of Sales, VP of Operations, as well as President of his own leasing company.

He also served as educational chairman of the National Association of Equipment Lease Brokers (NAELB) and is an active member of the Eastern Association of Equipment Lessors (EAEL); he has been published numerous times in many equipment leasing journals.

---

Steve Crane, CLP

Bank of the West

Walnut Creek, California

Steve Crane has been in the equipment leasing industry for over 22 years. He currently holds the position of Vice President and Marketing Manager for Bank of the West in the San Francisco area, where he has been for 9 years. Prior to this, Steve spent 9 years as a principal in Taylor Financial, an equipment lessor in Oakland, California. He has also worked at CIT, Ingersoll-Rand Financial and Westinghouse Credit in various capacities. Steve holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the California State University, Sacramento in Finance and Marketing and earned his Certified Lease Professional (CLP) designation in 1999.

-----

Phil Dushay

Global Financial Services

Manhattan, New York

Phil Dushay was born in Brooklyn, New York, started in the importing business, and from a friend who was in the automobile leasing business, joined him to develop equipment leasing. He spun the company off in 1980 to start Global Financial Services in Manhattan, not specializing in any specific field although the company developed a following in non-profit and various church and religious organizations throughout the United States. In 1989, he expanded into other financial products as his customers were asking for assistance in the growth of their companies. In 2003, he created a new division to train independent salesmen in all the aspects of finance, including leasing ,accounts receivable financing, business acquisitions, debt restructuring, working and venture capital. His students have found great success and he finds most of his time now to developing entrepreneurs, who also utilize his knowledge and sources of funds.

He has been married to his wife Laurie for 34 years. They have three children; two girls and a boy. Both of his daughters are married. They have four grandchildren (three girls and a boy aged 8, 5, 3 and two weeks.) His son Marc has worked for Global Financial Service for eight years.

Ken Greene, Esq.

Larkspur, California

Kenneth Greene, founder and principal of the firm received his B. A, at
Brandeis University, located in Waltham, MA, graduating cum laude. He
received his J.D. at Santa Clara University in 1980, also graduating
cum laude.

Mr. Greene began his leasing career with BankAmerilease, then practiced
with several firms prior to establishing his own practice. He has been
associated with the Equipment Leasing Association ("ELA"), United Association of
Equipment Leasing ("UAEL"), Eastern Association of Equipment Lessors
("EAEL"), California Bankruptcy Forum ("CBF"), and American Bankruptcy
Institute ("ABI"). He has served twice on the Board of Directors of
UAEL, and has also been its Legal Committee Chairman, Legal Line Editor, and
Regional Committee Chair. He also currently serves on the ELA Service
Providers Business Counsel for 2001-2002, and served as the UAEL Chair
of the Spring Education Conference in San Francisco for the year 2000.

Mr. Greene is a frequent writer and lecturer on matters of leasing law
and other related legal issues. He is an acknowledged contributor on
bankruptcy issues to Miller & Starr, California Real Estate 2d (Bancroft Whitney),
contributed to UAEL'S Leasing Professionals' Handbook, the Monitor, and
has been a frequent contributor to UAEL's Newsline. He lectures on leasing
law and documentation, litigation and collection matters, and has produced
and presented seminars to leasing companies on enhancing the
attorney-client relationship. He currently serves on the Advisory Board for Leasing
News. He has also instructed on law and documentation for the UAEL CLP
Academy, and has taught nationally for Euromoney Lease Training.

Mr. Greene has also recently launched his entertainment practice, has
formed a production company, and is involved in working with artists,
including musicians, actors, and writers, with respect to legal , as
well as business matters. He is also active in civic matters as well, having
served on the Board of Directors of the Marin Symphony Orchestra and
participating in numerous other community affairs and events. He has been married to his wife Barbara for 20 years, and is the very proud father of Alex, 14 (and 5'11"!) and beautiful Gigi, 12.

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Bruce Kropschot

Vero Beach, Florida

Bruce Kropschot is President of Kropschot Financial Services of Vero Beach, Florida, a merger and acquisition advisory firm for the equipment leasing and financing industry, which he founded in 1986.

Mr. Kropschot has been active in the equipment leasing industry for 30 years and has served as a senior executive of 3 large leasing companies. Kropschot Financial Services has arranged the sale of over 130 equipment leasing and specialty finance businesses and numerous portfolios.

The firm also arranges lease funding, subordinated debt and equity for leasing companies and performs business valuations.

Mr. Kropschot is a CPA and holds BBA and MBA degrees in accounting and finance from the University of Michigan.

He has served on the Board of Directors of Equipment Leasing Association, Eastern Association of Equipment Leasing and United Association of Equipment Leasing.

---

Fred St. Laurent

Z Resource Group

Atlanta, Georgia

Fred St Laurent is a seasoned marketing professional with a real understanding of the Financial Services Industry. Having been a member of Equipment Leasing Association, United Association of Equipment Leasing and National Association of Equipment Leasing and an active member of the Leasing News Advisory Board, he has been a participant in many forums on behalf of ethics related issues, and has published articles and spoken publicly about his views concerning topics related to the future of the Industry.

He began his recruiting career being trained in the trenches as a Project Coordinator with Management Recruiters International, learning from thousands of financial professionals before being promoted to a Senior National Recruiter. He has been mentored under some of the best Financial Professionals and Recruiters in the industry. His relationships are structured as partnerships with the goal of building highly productive teams. He has a depth of sales management experience, having developed marketing plans, hired and trained sales teams, and has a firm grasp on what elements are required to create an environment of success for both clients and candidates.

Bob Teichman, CLP

Teichman Financial Training

Sausalito, California

Bob Teichman, CLP was born in New York. After attending the High School of Music & Art and the New York College of Music, he received his undergraduate degree from Columbia College. He pursued his graduate studies in Geneva, Switzerland.

He started in automotive leasing in 1963 in sales, then moved into equipment leasing in the late 1960’s. For over 20 years he provided funding for leasing companies as an officer of both bank and non-bank lenders. Along the way, he started several successful leasing companies. His company, Teichman Financial Training, located in Sausalito, California, was founded in 1998 and provides lease education and consulting services to lessors, funders, brokers and other members of the financial community.

He is active in the United Association of Equipment Leasing (“UAEL”). For three years he was the Chairman of their Education Committee with responsibility for the Certification Program and Educational Programs. He was also a member of other committees including the Standards Committee. Bob recently finished serving his fourth year as a member of UAEL's Board of Directors.

Bob is a frequent speaker at leasing industry events, and has written articles for UAEL’s Newsline and other industry publications. He is a co-author of the Leasing Professional’s Handbook.

He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the CLP Foundation.

Ginny Young
Brava Capital
Orange, California

Ginny is the owner of Brava Capital which is a commercial finance
company in Orange, CA which specializes in franchise financing. Brava
was started in 1995 after Ginny sold her 50% share of Pacific Funding
Group, Inc.(PFG) ,to her partner. PFG specialized in franchise finance
as well. Prior to that, she was Vice President of Topa Thrift and Loan
She was a very active member of the United Association of Equipment
Leasing having chaired various committees, worked on regional committees,
speaker/panelist at annual conferences, '99 ACE Conference Chair, membership chairman, and served on the Board of Directors for 4 years. She has a BS in psychology form UCLA.

Leasing News Policy ( on our web site and printed in every edition

of our e-mail:)

http://www.leasingnews.org/policy.htm

Our Mission:

http://www.leasingnews.org/Mission_Statement.htm

[Headlines]

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Leasing Industry Help Wanted

Current Openings

Account Excecutives
Contract Administrator

Sales Representatives

Account Executives

IFC Credit Corporation is seeking Account Executives ready to roll up their sleeves in establishing strategic financing alliances with select vendors and manufacturers in healthcare, industrial and technology marketplace segments. Proven track record of success in equipment financing a must. Specific industry and collateral experience a plus. Hiring now in major markets throughout the country. Email your resume to pmcdermid@ifccredit.com

About the Company: IFC Credit Corporation is located at 8700 Waukegan Rd., Morton Grove,
IL 60053 www.ifccredit.com

[Top]

Contract Administrator

Contract Administrator: Ridgewood, NJ. Position requires admin,. exp,. and includes working w/customers, salespeople, vendors, funding sources and internal sources to document, fund, book and track leases.
Email: twslevin@ffcsi.com

ABOUT THE COMPANY: First Financial Corporate Services, Inc. is a four year old high growth technology leasing company. www.ffcsi.com

[Top]

Sales Representatives

Seeking Sales Representative preferably in Midwest area, will consider out of area. Minimum 3+ years vendor experience. No requirement for market type. DVI and ORIX sales representative encouraged to apply. Please contact Susan M. Adamatis, Vice President - 800/669-7527 ext 1255 or
e-mail: susana@netlease.com

About the company: Netlease is located at
80 North Gordon, Elk Grove Village, Illinois, 60007
www.netlease.com

Sales: Seeking salespeople with 1+yrs. experience in Medical Leasing. Unlimited growth potential. AFG welcomes any HPSC employees who are looking for a new home!
E-mail: ecarlberg@alliancefunds.com

About the Company: Alliance Funding Group, Inc. 2099 S. State college Blvd., Suite 100 Anaheim, CA. 92806 www.alliancefunds.com

[Top]

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"ELA Release 2003 Annual Report of Progress; Now Available Online"

ELT E-News Daily

The 2003 ELA annual report, entitled, “Report of Progress 2003”, is now

available online. Please visit

http://www.elaonline.com/aboutela/ELAAnnualRpt.pdf

to look at this informative report, which gives an overview of ELA and describes the

highlights of 2003. The Key Member Contact from each member company will

receive a hard copy in the mail shortly.

The report summarizes ELA’s 2003 activities in five major areas: Advocacy,

Business Development, Access to Capital, Industry Knowledge, and

Professional Competency. These have been identified by the ELA Board of

Directors as the major areas of member and industry service for ELA. The

report also describes the composition of the ELA membership and leadership,

in addition to providing general information about the leasing industry.

[Headlines]

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

Training, Human Resources Expert Joins The Alta Group

http://two.leasingnews.org/photos/ljackson.jpg

Glenbrook, Nev.,—Lynda Jackson, founder and CEO of Corporate Learning Systems, is the newest principal of The Alta Group, an international consulting and training firm serving the equipment leasing industry. Jackson, who has worked in the equipment leasing industry for more than 30 years, has a passion for maximizing human resources and helping companies evaluate their training return on investment (ROI).

Jackson’s custom training programs are not focused solely on simple task performance but on training and cultivating leaders and professionals who know how to add value to an organization by seizing opportunities to improve products, services and customer service.

Jackson joins The Alta Group’s professional development team to help senior executives implement systems that manage learning, evaluate training and HR performance and consider the ROI. She brings 25 years of experience in small-ticket leasing and lending to her training and consulting work, having held various administrative, sales, sales management and executive positions with leading financial services and leasing corporations. Jackson is also a member of the International Society for Performance Improvement.

"As companies recognize the need to increase their investment in workplace learning and performance measurement initiatives, the breadth of training and business experience in The Alta Group uniquely qualifies us to help them invest wisely and achieve the greatest return on their investment," Jackson says.

“We are delighted that Lynda is joining us as our newest principal. She has excellent industry experience and an innovative approach to providing equipment leasing and financing specific training and development programs. Lynda will complement Alta’s Professional Development Division, which includes Shawn Halladay, Jack Asinger and Joe Cannon, by providing additive experience and capabilities,” concludes John Deane, founding principal of The Alta Group.

The Alta Group (www.thealtagroup.com) is an international consulting and training firm serving the equipment leasing and finance industry. It is composed of more than 20 professionals--former CEOs, company founders, and industry organization leaders--who collectively have more than 500 years of experience. The company was founded in 1992 by Norm Chapman, John Deane, John Giddens and Bill Montgomery.

[Headlines]

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

Synovus Completes Acquisition of Peoples Florida Banking Corporation

COLUMBUS, Ga.----Synovus (NYSE:SNV), the Columbus, Georgia-based, diverse financial services company, today announced the completion of its acquisition of $255.6 million asset Peoples Florida Banking Corporation, the parent company of Peoples Bank.

"We are very excited about this acquisition because it's an important step in our expansion in Florida," said Richard Anthony, Synovus President and COO. "By adding a high performing bank like Peoples Bank in the north Tampa bay area, we are strengthening our presence in the state and adding a leadership team that will add value to Synovus."

David W. Dunbar, Chairman, President and CEO of Peoples Bank added, "It is a great day for Peoples Bank because we share the same values and service standards that Synovus is known for. Our customers will enjoy the same responsiveness and support from the people they know best. We will now have more products and solutions through the Synovus family of companies. Our partnership will definitely give our customers an additional edge."

Peoples Bank currently operates four offices, including its headquarters in Palm Harbor, Florida, and branch offices in Port Richey, Clearwater and Oldsmar. Peoples Bank is a state-chartered, independent commercial bank organized and founded in 1996. The bank provides a comprehensive range of financial services to individuals, corporations, professional associations, nonprofit organizations and local governments in the Tampa Bay, Florida area.

Synovus (NYSE:SNV) is a diversified financial services holding company with more than $22 billion in assets based in Columbus, Ga. Synovus provides integrated financial services including banking, financial management, insurance, mortgage and leasing services through 40 affiliate banks and other Synovus offices in Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina, Florida and Tennessee; and electronic payment processing through an 81-percent stake in TSYS (NYSE:TSS), the world's largest third-party processor of international payments. Synovus is No. 20 on FORTUNE magazine's list of "The 100 Best Companies To Work For" in 2004. See Synovus on the Web at www.synovus.com.

CONTACT:Synovus, Columbus Media Relations Aimee Davis, 706-644-0528 or Investor Relations Patrick A. Reynolds, 706-649-4973

[Headlines]

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

GE Energy Financial Services Launched

--Delivers GE’s financial services to the global energy industry

--Expanding activities from ‘Wellhead to Wall Socket’

STAMFORD, Conn. -- GE Commercial Finance (GECF) announced today it has centralized energy-related financial services within an expanded global business unit, GE Energy Financial Services (EFS). The move is part of a GE-wide initiative to enhance customer and industry focus.

“The financial requirements of energy customers are constantly evolving,” said Alex Urquhart, EFS president and chief executive officer. "With EFS, they now have a complete range of energy financial products and services provided by experienced energy professionals. EFS’s focus -- and strength -- is delivering meaningful financial solutions for the energy industry, from wellhead to wall socket.”

In the past five years, GE more than doubled energy assets under management to over $12 billion. To expand its range of its products and services, EFS added an Energy Commercial Solutions unit headed by James Kelly. This new group provides equipment, fleet, real estate and vendor financing programs to energy companies, in conjunction with EFS’s structured financial solutions. GE’s Global Project & Trade Finance business, which invests in energy project debt, is now part of the GE energy finance unit. EFS expects to provide $3 to $4 billion a year to energy companies.

About GE Energy Financial Services

Based in Stamford, Conn., GE Energy Financial Services (EFS) provides enterprise financial solutions to the global energy industry from wellhead to wall socket – including utilities, independent power generators, as well as transmission and distribution, oil & gas, refining, pipeline, coal mining, and energy technology companies. EFS’s more than 200 professionals provide a range of financial products including structured equity, senior debt, leases, partnerships and project finance, as well as corporate, equipment, fleet, real estate and vendor finance. (http://www.geenergyfinancialservices.com). EFS is a unit of GE Commercial Finance, a global, diversified financial services company with assets of over US$217 billion. GE is a diversified manufacturing, technology and services company with operations worldwide.

CONTACT:

GE Energy Financial Services - Ken Koprowski, 203-961-5743

[Headlines]

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

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Redefining Small Business...Upwards

By Charles B. Wendel, President

Financial Institutions Consulting

It seems that every bank defines its small business segment somewhat

differently. However, most banks base their definition on revenue

and, to a lesser degree, on loan needs. That emphasis exists largely

because it allows for an objective and simple approach to

categorization.

In the past year, we have seen increased interest on the part of some

of the most innovative small business players in rethinking their

definition. Typically, the foundation is still revenue based, but the

number that serves as the cap is heading upwards.

WHY REVENUES ARE THE NORM

Segments are meant to be actionable. Both consultants and bankers

have seen segmentation schemes that are elegant in their design, but

impractical to execute. I remember one consulting colleague from

years ago producing 20+ segments for a consumer-banking client. It

was brilliant analysis, but it was worthless.

Simply put, revenues work well as a frame for this segment. Revenues

provide a relatively objective metric. Certainly among smaller

entities, companies of the same size tend to have the same financial

services needs. The microbusiness's requirements are largely

homogeneous; so too are the needs of the five or ten million-dollar

company.

WHY THE CAPS ARE INCREASING

As mentioned above, each bank applies slightly different definitions

to its commercial and corporate business segments. We often find

traditional cutoffs as follows:

$0-1 million: microbusinesses

$1-10 million: small business

$10-250 million: middle market

$ 250+ million: large corporate

Here's what we think may be happening:

1. BRANCH-BASED MICROBUSINESSES ARE BEING REDEFINED UPWARDS TO

INCLUDE COMPANIES UP TO $2-5 MILLION. Cost-based economics are

driving this change, as well as the belief that product requirements

are largely similar. This organizational approach makes sense for

those banks that wish to put their marketing focus on larger

companies. It is not necessarily a bad decision to broaden the micro

definition, but it is probably not the way to achieve growth in this

segment due to the likelihood of greater variability in the quality

of attention customers receive from branches.

2. THE CORE MIDDLE MARKET IS BEGINNING TO UNDERGO MAJOR DEFINITIONAL

CHANGES. In our view, the major definitional problems relate to the

middle market and not small business directly. However, as banks

reexamine their position in the middle market, it has a domino-like

impact on their small business focus.

Historically, middle market groups have defined themselves very

broadly (for example, $10-250 million). In fact, we even know one

bank that includes $1+ billion companies as part of its middle

market. But, companies from $10-250 million can be very different

and, certainly, offer different profit potential to the bank.

At many banks, middle market profitability has been eroding in recent

years. Why? While interest margins have been squeezed, many banks

have failed to reposition their sales approach to include an emphasis

on non-credit product areas. In addition, in many cases, the

productivity revolution that transformed consumer banking has missed

the middle market.

Oftentimes, smaller middle market companies are served with the same

infrastructure and cost base as much larger companies, but this

group's economics cannot support this misalignment. Therefore, more

senior managers are further segmenting the middle market to create a

low-end middle market group. This group usually consists of companies

of revenues from roughly $10 million to $25+ million.

The primary emphasis for this change is cost. These customers will

either be denied an expensive RM or will be handled by a banker who

"owns" hundreds of accounts and often is telephone-based. Credit

responsibility is centralized; products become more standardized;

pricing and fee exceptions are kept to a minimum.

The above approach sounds as if it refers more to a small business

than a middle market company, and that is exactly the point. Banks

want to bring the "technology" of small business and the small

business value chain (forgive the jargon, please) to the middle

market. Frankly, in some instances, they also want to introduce into

the traditional middle market what many consider a more innovative

small business culture.

While the major push is cost-based, this change can result in very

positive revenue impact. Many lower-end companies are lost within a

middle market group. If a bank unit's marketing cap is $100 million

or $250 million companies, the tendency is for bankers to head in

that direction rather than focus on small players. The bigger

companies provide the big payoff both to the bank and the banker.

Setting up a dedicated lower-end middle market group highlights that

segment. However, economic success also demands that the product

offer focus on capturing both the commercial and personal business of

the owner (again, as with small businesses.) Most of these companies

are owned by one or two people; their personal economics are totally

intertwined with their business.

3. WHERE TO PUT THE LOWER-END CUSTOMER. Is this new sub-segment

better served in the small business or middle market organization?

This topic is being evaluated at many banks today. There is no

uniform answer to this question. Housing the group in retail should

lead to reduced costs and increased emphasis on a factory approach to

the business; of course, that can be both good and bad. Maintaining

it in the middle market may ensure consistency and a high level of

professional responsiveness, but also can result in lower returns.

The analytic approach that seems to make the most sense with this

client base begins with developing an in-depth understanding of the

characteristics of an individual bank's current lower-end middle

market portfolio (how many and with what profits) as well as an

assessment of the larger low-end segment across the relevant

catchment area.

As with microbusinesses, we think the organizational trends are

clear, but each bank needs to conduct a self-assessment of

capabilities and goals to determine whether it should join or fight

the wave.

*********************************************************************

***

BUSINESSFIRST

SMALL BUSINESS WEBINAR SERIES

Our Webinar series on the small business segment will continue in

March with:

Small Business Credit Scoring & Risk Management

Featuring:

* Rhonda Swider, Vice President, Risk Management, First Tennessee

* Mark Weber, Senior Vice President, Business Banking, PNC Bank

* Joel Pruis, Credit Practice Manager, Baker Hill

March 18, 2004 (Thursday) at 1:30 pm EST.

For more information or to register, please visit

http://www.ficinc.com/BusinessFirstForum.htm

********************************************************

NOW AVAILABLE FOR ONLY $500: SMALL BUSINESS STATE OF THE MARKET REPORT - a comprehensive study of the small business market and its use of financial services products and providers. By joining the perspective of over 400 small business owners with FIC's extensive knowledge of the small business market and financial services industry, the report looks at market size, use of products, product providers, credit cards, credit, primary providers, delivery

channels, online banking, and segmentation. For more information or

to purchase, e-mail: mharvey@ficinc.com.

=====================================================

ABOUT FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS CONSULTING

FIC is a strategy consulting firm addressing issues related to growth

and profitability for financial services clients. We emphasize

practical, bottom-line results based on quantitative and qualitative

research and an in-depth understanding of industry dynamics. For

more information about our consulting services or if you have

questions or comments, please e-mail info@ficinc.com.

FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS CONSULTING, INC.

475 Fifth Avenue, 11th Floor

New York, NY 10017

212-252-6700

www.ficinc.com

[Headlines]

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News Briefs---

Report: Companies make lots of pink-slip plans in January

http://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/employment/

2004-02-03-challenger-layoff-plans_x.htm

Ford sales down nearly 10 percent, GM down

almost 2 percent in January

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/business/20040203-1342-autosales.html

Welch Makes Another Major Book Deal http://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/04/business/media/04book.html

Tyco Reports Largest Profit in Two Years

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/04/business/04conglomerate.html?pagewanted=all

Tyco Jury to View Divorce Deal http://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/04/business/04tyco.html?pagewanted=all

Mardi Gras minus beer on floats? Sacrebleu!
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/News/5642A65CF1C84
E5086256E300011EEBD?OpenDocument&Headline=
Mardi+Gras+minus+beer+on+floats%3F+Sacrebleu!+++

Venture funding heats up

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2004/02/03/BUGGA4NC5418.DTL&type=business

Why this one is scarier/new level of sophistication, damage

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2004/02/03/BUGOL4ND9D1.DTL&type=business

[Headlines]

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"Gimme that Wine"

Near the Bottom of the Globe, Pinots Emerge

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/04/dining/04WINE.html?pagewanted=all

Global Wine Partners LLC formed by MKF and IWC

http://www.winebusiness.com/News/SiteArticle.cfm?AId=82848&issueId=82797

Brown-Forman Makes Cuts, Management Changes at California Wineries

http://www.winespectator.com/Wine/Daily/News/0,1145,2332,00.html

Grgich sexual harassment may go to trial by summer http://www.napanews.com/templates/index.cfm?template
=story_full&id=96C52A9E-31AB-4206-BA1E-4A77C4ABA3F4

Governor Proposes Making New York a Reciprocal Direct Shipping State

http://winebusiness.com/news/SiteArticle.cfm?AId=82350&issueId=82313

Cold Stabilization, Tartrate crystals and Wine

http://wine.about.com/cs/winemaking/a/coldstab.htm

[Headlines]

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This Day in American History

1746- Birthday of Thaddeus Kosciusko, Polish patriot and American Revolutionary War figure. Born at Lithuania, he died at Solothurn, Switzerland, Oct 15, 1817.

http://www.polskiinternet.com/english/info/thadeuskosciuszko.html

1789- The only president to receive the unanimous vote of the presidential electors was George Washington of Mount Vernon, Virginia, who received all of the 69 votes cast by the lection from the 10 states that voted this day. A nearly unanimous vote took place in November 1816, when James Monroe of Virginia received 231 of the 232 votes casts by the electors from 24 states. The dissenting vote was cast by William Plumer of New Hampshire. Presidential electors met and chose George Washington as America's first president. The Federalist Parry was formed by those who had supported ratification of the Constitution. Its first candidate was Washington. As president, Washington guided the new government as it moved from the concepts expressed in the Constitution into a functioning federal republic, and he firmly established many traditions and precedents which still guide how we as a nation view the presidency. After serving two terms in that office, he refused to seek a third one, believing that two terms were the most that any president should serve. The Federalist, considered pro-English, enjoyed considerable success until 1800, when Thomas Jefferson, a Democratic-Republican, defeated John Adams for the presidency. Eventually the party lost its supporters and ceased to exist about 1820. Alexander Hamilton was one of the party’s founders and foremost leaders. As a point of history, by April 6 the first Congress was formally organized. by its end in 1791 the first Congress consisted of 26 senators of whom 17 supported the Washington administration and 9 were generally in opposition. In the House the division was 38 and 26. Senators were chosen by each of the state’s legislators until the 20^th century by the 17^th amendment.

http://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/common/briefing/Direct_Election_Senators.htm

1810- The Cumberland Presbyterian Church was organized in Tennessee as an outgrowth of the Great Revival of 1800. Standing between Calvinism and Arminianism, the denomination holds a "medium theology" which affirms unlimited atonement, universal grace, conditional election, eternal security of the believer and salvation of all children dying in infancy.

1826- The Last of the Mohicans by James Fennimore Cooper is published. One of the earliest distinctive American novels, the book is the second of the five-novel series called the "Leather-stocking Tales." He continued to write about the American frontier in his third book, The Pioneer, which featured backcountry scout Natty Bumppo, known in this book as "Leather-stocking." The character, representing goodness, purity, and simplicity, became tremendously popular, and reappeared, by popular demand, in five more novels, known collectively as the "Leather-stocking Tales." The second book in the series, The Last of the Mohicans, is still widely read today. The five books span Bumppo's life, from coming of age through approaching death.

1841-Plagued by poor investment decisions and an uncertain economic climate, the Bank of the United States was forced to call it quits on February 4, 1841. It was a painful end for an institution that had suffered through one of the more contentious episodes in the nation’s early financial history. Indeed, the Bank was the direct product of President Alexander Hamilton’s controversial push for a national banking system. Despite the staunch objections of Thomas Jefferson, the federal government chartered the first Bank of the United States in 1791. However, Jefferson kept up his attack, and in 1811, led his supporters in Congress in a successful attempt to block the renewal of the bank’s charter. Buoyed by a confluence of conditions, including state banks’ recent run of woes and political shifts in the House, pro-bank forces forged a new charter in 1816. Under the charge of Nicholas Biddle, the revived Bank of the U.S. enjoyed some healthy years. However, before long, the Bank faced another round of opposition, this time led by President Andrew Jackson, who fiercely opposed the notion of a central bank system. A nasty and protracted political battle ensued, as the president attempted to use his executive power to do away with the bank. Jackson eventually won out, and when the bank’s charter expired in 1836, Biddle shifted course and reestablished the Bank of the United States as a state institution based in Pennsylvania. Biddle’s bank limped on for a few more years before being finally shut down on February 4, 1841.

1847- Magnetic Telegraph of Maryland opened four offices in New York City for $250 a year, Philadelphia for$ !50, in Baltimore for $150, and Washington, DC for $50 a year to become the first Telegraph company. At first, messages were sent by pigeons across the Hudson River from Jersey City, NJ to New York City. Later, a lead pipe enclosing a covered wire saturated with pitch was laid under the river. The rates from Baltimore to Washington were e1`0 cents for the first 10 words an 1 cent for each additional minute. The rates form New York to Washington were 50 cents for the first 10 words and 5 cents for each additional word.

1861- The Apache Wars: The period of conflict known as the Apache Wars began at Apache Pass, AZ, when Army Lieutenant George Bascom arrested Apache Chief Cochise for raiding a ranch. Cochise escaped and declared war. The wars lasted 25 years under the leadership of Cochise and, later, Geronimo.

1861- the first Confederate congressional session took place, lasting until March 16. Its official title was Congress of the Confederate States. The president of the Senate was Alexander Hamilton Stephens of Georgia, the president pro tempore was Robert Mercer Taliaferro Hunter of Virginia, and the secretary of the Senate was James H. Nash of South Carolina. The House of Representatives under the permanent constitution met in Richmond ,VA, on February 18, 1861. Emmet Dixon of Georgia was elected clerk and Thomas Salem Bocock of Virginia was elected speaker. The session adjourned on April 21, 1862. The first order of business was drafting a constitution. They used the U.S. Constitution as a model, and most of it was taken verbatim. It took just four days to hammer out a tentative document to govern the new nation. The president was limited to one six-year term. Unlike the U.S. Constitution, the word "slave" was used and the institution protected in all states and any territories to be added later. Importation of slaves was prohibited, as this would alienate European nations and would detract from the profitable "internal slave trade" in the South. Other components of the constitution were designed to enhance the power of the states--governmental money for internal improvements was banned and the president was given a line-item veto on appropriations bills. The Congress then turned its attention to selecting a president. The delegates settled on Jefferson Davis, a West Point graduate who was the U.S. Secretary of War in the 1850s and a senator from Mississippi. It was emphatic that the purpose of the confederacy was to preserve slavery. There were many rich slave owners in the south and the loss of their property would mean not only substantial loss of their assets, but future income as they would have to pay for work on their farms and other businesses. ( an irony of the times, there were Negroes who were also “slave owners” At the turn of the century, there were slaves also owned in the North.)

Here is one county, Lowndes District in the County of Lowndes, State of Alabama, to give you an idea of the division of “property.”

http://www.ccharity.com/census/1850lowndes.htm

This will substantiate that there were “free Blacks” who also owned “Black slaves.”

http://americancivilwar.com/authors/black_slaveowners.htm

Slave Census of Connecticut and Washington, 1790. It is also correct many of the Northern states began to outlaw slavery in their state after the ratification of the constitution.

http://www.ctnow.com/extras/html/slaveowners.htm

But make it clear, the purpose of the Confederate States of America was to preserve slavery and was so stated in their constitution.

1873- Birth of George Bennard, American Methodist evangelist. He penned over 300 Gospel songs during his lifetime, but is primarily remembered today for one: "The Old Rugged Cross."

1895 - In Chicago, Illinois, the Van Buren Street Bridge opened. It was the first rolling lift bridge. It consisted of two arms meeting at the center of the river. The bridge was operated by two 50horsepower electric motors on each side of the bridge.

http://www.chicagohs.org/fire/ruin/pic0093.html

http://www.deldot.net/static/projects/archaeology/
historic_pres/delaware_bridge_book/PAGE_162.PDF

http://tigger.cc.uic.edu/depts/ahaa/imagebase/intranet/chiviews/page177.html

1902-Birthday of Charles Augustus Lindbergh, American aviator, nick named

“Lucky Lindy,” was the first to fly solo and nonstop over the Atlantic Ocean, New York to Paris, May 20-21, 1927. He became a Nazi sympathizer, accepting awards from

Adoph Hitler and after the war, efforts were made to downplay his lobbying

for the Nazi regime. Born at Detroit, MI; died at Kipahula, Maui, HI, Aug 27,1974.

1904 – Birthday of MacKinlay Kantor, novelist (Andersonville) , born Webster City, Iowa. died on October 11, 1977 His best seller was a story about the infamous Andersonville prison of Civil War fame, into which tens of thousands of Northerners were inhumanely confined under obscene conditions.

http://www.lib.uiowa.edu/spec-coll/MSC/IaAuthor/Kantor/kantor.html

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0452269563/inktomi-bkasin-20/002-1958450-0644835

1908-Birthday of trumpet player Mannie Klein, New York City

http://www.trumpetjazz.com/artists.cgi?name=Manny+Klein&x=5&y=9

http://www.jazzoracle.com/reviews/

http://ms.cc.sunysb.edu/~alhaim/recordingsanalysis.htm

http://user.tninet.se/~npt755v/bosw2.htm

1913- birthday of Rosa Lee Parks, civil rights leader who refused to give up the seat on the bus, Tuskegee, AL.

http://www.grandtimes.com/rosa.html

http://www.rosaparks.org/

1914—Pellagra is caused by a deficiency of the B vitamin niacin. Dr. Joseph

Goldberger of the U.S. Public Health Service at the Mississippi State Penitentiary, eight miles east of Jackson, MS, began the first public finding. Twelve convicts agreed to submit to a restricted-diet test in exchange for an offer of pardon made by Governor Earl LeRoy Brewer. The test was held from February 4, 1915 to April 19,1915. Six of the 11 convicts ( one was excused) developed pellagra, confirming suspicions that pellagra is caused by a deficiency of the B Vitamin niacin. Pellagra was common, particularly in the South, until news of this experiment became known by newspapers of the time.

1921- birthday of author Betty Freidan, Peoria, IL, founder of the National Organization for Women ( NOW, author of the “Feminine Mystique.”

1928- Regal Theater opens in Chicago, great jazz venue during the 1930’s,1940’s.

http://www.suba.com/~scottn/explore/sites/theaters/regal.htm

http://www.angelfire.com/il2/regalthe/

http://jazzinstituteofchicago.org/index.asp?target=/jazzgram/bronzeville/bronzeville47.asp

1930-The first mosaic pavement similar to the mosaics of the ancient world was laid on Canal Street, New Orleans, LA. The mosaic effect was secured by mixing chipped meteorite, crown point spar, and mica with the cement, then pouring the mixture into diamond-shaped brass stripped forms, sanding it down and polishing it. It was part of the project referred to as the ‘Beautification of Canal Street.”

http://theoldentimes.com/canal_st.html

http://www.hfmgv.org/exhibits/dpc/cityscapes/charles.asp

1932- the third Winter Olympics opened at Lake Placid, NY, with 32 women and 274 men athletes representing 17 nations. This was the only edition of the Winter games in which athletes form the US won more medals ( six gold, four silver and two bronze) than athletes form any other country. The games closed on February 15^th.]

1933 -- Angered by increasing farm foreclosures, members of Iowa's Farmers Holiday Association threaten to lynch banking representatives and law officials who institute foreclosure proceedings for the duration of the Depression. In April at Primghar, 600 farmers battle the sheriff and his deputies to prevent a foreclosure. During the battle many farmers take a beating. A group of them then turn up at the courthouse, drag a district judge from his chair, put a rope around his neck, & threaten to hang him unless he promises not to issue any more eviction notices. That same month, when state officers in Crawford County are beaten and driven off, the Iowa governor put three counties under martial law, and the National Guard starts rounding up farmers who are fighting foreclosures. Farmers outside Sioux City did not cooperate with the association, selling

produce at the best price they could, in addition, President Roosevelt promised

farmers change and help. The crisis here also help Roosevelt defeat Hoover.

http://www.hooverassociation.org/arhell.htm

http://www.sos.state.ia.us/publications/redbook/history/7-1.html

1934-Birthday of piano player Wade Legge, Huntington, WV

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00000JA8W/inktomi
-musicasin-20/002-1958450-0644835

^{1937-Glen Gray and Casa Loma
Band record LarryCliniton’s “Study in Brown.”}

1938 - Thornton Wilder's play, "Our Town", opened in New York City at the Henry Miller Theatre. The play won the writer a Pulitzer prize.

1938 –Guitarist/vocalist Joe Beard Birthday

http://www.jazznow.com/1001NS/NSJBeard.html

http://www.audioquest-music.com/catalog/1039.html

http://www.worcesterphoenix.com/archive/music/98/09/11/JOE_BEARD.html

1939 - World mile record-holder, Glenn Cunningham, said in a newspaper, "running a four-minute mile is beyond human effort," adding that the best mile run will always be 4:01.66. That mark has been since been broken several times. Jim Ryun did it on several occasions; and more recently a time of 3:44:39 was set by Noureddine Morceli from Algeria.

1941- USO founded’ provides support worldwide for US service people and their families. The United Service Organizations (USO) centers have served as a home away from home for hundreds of thousands of Americans.

http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/feb04.html

1945-Birthday of tenor sax player John Stubblefield IV, Little Rock AR

http://www.russpix.co.uk/stubb.html

http://www.arjazz.org/artists/hof/1998/98_stubblefield.html

1947—Top Hits
For Sentimental Reasons - Nat King Cole
A Gal in Calico - Johnny Mercer
Oh, But I Do - Margaret Whiting
Rainbow at Midnight - Ernest Tubb

1948- Vincent Fournier, better known as Alice Cooper, was born in Detroit. His rock 'n' roll horror show in the 1970's featured chicken-killing and snake-fondling while singing such songs as "Refrigerator Heaven" and "I'm Eighteen." Cooper went into semi-retirement in 1977, when alcohol problems forced him to undergo hospital treatment. He later returned to performing.

http://www.geocities.com/Broadway/Alley/3246/

http://www.alicecoopershow.co.uk/portal.htm

1952 - Former baseball great, Jackie Robinson, was named Director of Communication for NBC, becoming the first black executive of a major radio-TV network.

1953 - Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis took a dramatic turn when they starred in the film, "The Stooge", premiering at the Paramount Theatre in New York City.

1955—Top Hits
Sincerely - McGuire Sisters
Hearts of Stone - Fontane Sisters
Melody of Love - Billy Vaughn
Let Me Go, Lover! - Hank Snow

1957 - New York's Smith-Corona Manufacturing Inc. began to sell portable electric typewriters. The first "portable" machine weighed 19 pounds! Soon, other manufacturers began offering similar models that were made of lighter weight plastics.

1962- birthday of country singer Clint Black, born Katy, LA.

http://www.countrystars.com/index.html?/artists/clint.html

http://clintblack.com/bios.html

1962-The first U.S. helicopter is shot down in Vietnam. It was one of 15 helicopters ferrying South Vietnamese Army troops into battle near the village of Hong My in the Mekong Delta. The first U.S. helicopter unit had arrived in South Vietnam aboard the ferry carrier USNS Core on December 11, 1961. This contingent included 33 Vertol H-21C Shawnee helicopters and 400 air and ground crewmen to operate and maintain them. Their assignment was to airlift South Vietnamese Army troops into combat.

1963—Top Hits
Walk Right In - The Rooftop Singers
Hey Paula - Paul & Paula
The Night Has a Thousand Eyes - Bobby Vee
The Ballad of Jed Clampett - Flatt & Scruggs
1964- The federal government put an end to one of the nation's more shameful bits of legislation by authorizing the Twenty-fourth Amendment, which effectively outlawed the poll tax. The tax stemmed back to the 1880s, when members of the burgeoning Populist party began to build a potentially potent coalition of African American and lower class white voters in the South. Across the region, planters, merchants, and industrialists moved to preserve their power and pushed for the passage of a deliberately prohibitive poll tax. The legislation, adopted by a host of Southern states, proved all too effective, as scores of African-Americans, as well as the "poorer sort" of whites, simply could not afford to pay the tax and thus lost the right to vote. However, thanks in large part to the efforts of Senator Spessard L. Holland of Florida, the once recalcitrant Congress slowly came around to the cause of outlawing the tax and passed the Twenty-fourth Amendment. On January 23, 1964, the amended was ratified by the South Dakota legislature, giving it the three-fourth majority necessary to make it the law of the land.

1964 - United States weekly publication Newsweek was the first American magazine to carry a cover story on the Beatles.

. 1966 -- Bill Graham's first non-benefit show. Also, about this time, author Ken Kesey disappears (to Mexico). Graham presents The Jefferson Airplane at the Fillmore Auditorium, 1805 Geary Street, in San Francisco, California.

http://www.winelady.com/records/bgposters.html

1969 - 33-year-old John Madden became head coach of the NFL’s Oakland Raiders. In his first season Madden took the Raiders to a 12-1-1 record and earned them a spot in the AFC Conference Championship Game. Madden went on to become the youngest head coach in the modern NFL era to win 100 games in his first ten seasons.

1969- owners of the 24 major league baseball clubs elected attorney Bowie Kuhn commissioner for a one-year term at a salary of $100,000. Kuhn, who succeeded William D. Eckert, became baseball’s fifth commissioner. He served until 1984 when he was replaced by Peter Ueberroth.

1971—Top Hits
Knock Three Times - Dawn
Lonely Days - Bee Gees
Rose Garden - Lynn Anderson
Flesh and Blood - Johnny Cash

1973-Birthday of boxer Oscar de La Hoya, Los Angeles, CA, Feb 4, 1973.

1974 - Patricia Hearst, the 19-year-old daughter of publishing billionaire William Randolph Hearst, is kidnapped from her Berkeley, California, apartment. Stephen Weed, Hearst's fiancé‚, was beaten unconscious by the two abductors. Soon, a ransom demand came from the Symbionese Liberation Army (SLA), a radical activist group led by Donald DeFreeze. DeFreeze had formed the SLA in 1973 after he escaped from prison. On November 6, 1973, the SLA shot and killed Marcus Foster, Oakland's superintendent of schools, with bullets laced with cyanide. Less than a month before Hearst's kidnapping, an SLA bomb-making factory was discovered by the police.

The SLA instructed William Hearst to distribute $70 million in food to the poor in Oakland to have Patty released. The Black Muslims, Malcolm X's former organization, were chosen to manage the food distribution, which turned into a riot when more than 10,000 people showed up and fought for the food. However, DeFreeze and the SLA did not release Patty. The Hearst story took a strange and unexpected turn two months after the abduction, when the SLA robbed the Hibernia Bank in San Francisco. The surveillance cameras clearly showed that Patty Hearst was one of the machine gun-toting robbers. Soon after followed a taped message from the SLA in which Hearst claimed that she had voluntarily joined the SLA and was now to be known as "Tania."

On May 17, 1974, police were tipped that the SLA leaders were at a Los Angeles home. With 400 police and FBI agents outside the house, a tremendous gun battle broke out. The overwhelming firepower of the police eventually caused a fire to break out. DeFreeze and five other SLA members died in the fire. However, Hearst was not inside the house. She was not found until September 1975. Patty Hearst was put on trial for armed robbery and convicted, despite her claim that she had been coerced, through repeated rape, isolation, and brainwashing, into joining the SLA. Prosecutors believed that she actually orchestrated her own kidnapping because of her prior involvement with one of the SLA members. Despite any real proof of this theory, she was convicted and sent to prison. President Carter commuted Hearst's sentence after she had served two years. Hearst is currently seeking a pardon.

1976- US District Court Judge John W.Olvier upheld the ruling of a baseball arbitrator Peter Seitz that had declared pitchers Andy Messersmith and Dave McNally to be free agents. The two had refused to sign contracts for 1974 as a test case and had argued that baseball’s hallowed reserved clause bound them to their respective clubs, not in perpetuity but for only one year beyond the expiration of their last signed contract.

1976 – A US Senate subcommittee reveals Lockheed Aircraft Corporation made payments abroad of $22 million in bribes to sell planes. Lockheed admits payments in Japan, Turkey, Italy and Holland.

1977-1977-"American Bandstand" celebrates its twenty-fifth anniversary with an ABC-TV special hosted by Dick Clark. An incredible "all-star band" made up by Chuck Berry, Seals & Crofts, Gregg Allman, Junior Walker, Johnny Rivers, the Pointer Sisters, Charlie Daniels, Doc Severenson, Les McCann, Donald Byrd, Chuck Mangione and three quarters of Booker T and the MGs. They join and jam together for a rendition of "Roll Over Beethoven."

1979—Top Hits
Le Freak - Chic
Y.M.C.A. - Village People
Da Ya Think I’m Sexy? - Rod Stewart
Why Have You Left the One You Left Me For - Crystal Gayle

1983 - Singer Karen Carpenter died of heart failure due to anorexia nervosa at age 33, at her parents' home in Downey, California. The singer, who had performed with her brother, Richard, would be best-remembered for her songs (They Long to Be) Close to You and We've Only Just Begun, which dominated the songs of choice for weddings throughout the '70s and '80s. The untimely death of the young, velvet-throated Grammy Award winner saddened and shocked the world. Her death shed new light on the devastating consequences of anorexia, an eating disorder brought on by compulsive dieting. At one low point in Carpenter's career, she was forced to cancel a command performance before Queen Elizabeth II of England, and a concert tour of Europe and the Orient, due to the illness. Standing five feet, four inches, she had dieted down to 90 pounds.

1987—Top Hits
At This Moment - Billy Vera & The Beaters
Open Your Heart - Madonna
Land of Confusion - Genesis
You Still Move Me - Dan Seals

1987 -Sacramento Kings score only 4 points 1st quarter against the Lakers; fewest in a period since introduction of 24 second shot-clock in 1954

1987- “Stars & Stripes”, skippered by Dennis Connor, defeated the Australian boat “Kookaburra III” for the fourth straight time to sweep the America’s Cup challenge and return the prized trophy to the US. This was the last Cup defense to be contested by 12-meter yachts. It came four years after Australia II with John Bertrand as skipper wrested the Cup from the US for the first time ever.

1987 - Flamboyant pianist Liberace died at age 67 in his block-long palace in Palms Springs, California, officially of a brain disease, although it was a complication of AIDs. At one time, the entertainer was the highest-paid performer in Las Vegas.

1996 - NBC aired the first of two parts of the mini-series Gulliver's Travels, starring Ted Danson as the title character. The venture, with its huge financial investment, had the potential for being a giant flop, but it was a gamble that paid off. The show was NBC's highest-rated miniseries in four years, and most critics praised its faithfulness to the Jonathan Swift tale.

1997 –Simpson Guilty!!! A civil jury in Santa Monica, California found O.J. Simpson liable for the deaths of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and Ronald Goldman. The jury awarded $8.5 million in compensatory damages to Goldman’s parents. A few days later, the jury added $25 million in punitive damages to go to Nicole Brown Simpson's estate and Goldman’s father. Simpson was later ordered to give up his Heisman Trophy and nearly $500,000 in valuables, including his golf clubs, to help satisfy the judgment.

1997- Mario Lemieux of the Pittsburgh Penguins scored into an empty net to become the seventh member of the NHL’s t00-goal club. Pittsburgh beat the Vancouver Canuks, 6-4. Players who previously scored 600 goals are Gordie Howe, Bobby Hull, Marcel Dionne, Phil Esposito, Mike Gartner and Wayne Gretzky, who got his 600^th goal in his 720^th game, one more than Lemieux required.

1998-Microsoft founder/multi-billionaire Bill Gates gets a pie thrown in his face in Brussels Belgium.

http://www.zpub.com/un/bill/pie.html

http://home.epix.net/%7Etjwagner/gates.html

http://www.bitstorm.org/gates

2001- Indianapolis Colts start Peyton Manning became just the third quarterback on NFL History to play in two Pro Bowl

s before his 25^th birthday. Brett Favre and Drew Bledsoe were the other two.

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