New Hires/Promotions in the Leasing Business
and Related Industries

Shadie Alcaraz was hired as Director of Business Development, West Coast Region, working remotely from Bakersfield, California. Previously, she was a Finance Manager at Diamond Truck Sales Inc. (August, 2020 - December, 2024); Administrative Assistant, Weatherford (September, 2012 - August, 2017).
https://www.linkedin.com/in/alcarazshadie/

Ryan Hartley was promoted to Operations Manager, Short Term Leasing, Foss National Leasing, Markham, Ontario, Canada. He is located in Greater Toronto Area, Canada. He joined Foss January, 2015, Operations Specialist, promoted August, 2016 Client Service Representative, promoted September, 2017, Account Executive, promoted October, 2019, Short Term Leasing Specialist/Account Executive, (November, 2000 - January, 2025). Previously, he was at Lease Plan Canada for 4 years, from Operations Specialist (January, 2015) to Account Executive (September, 2017 - October, 2019).
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-hartley-6a433b7b/

Scott Lipka was hired as Senior Business Development Manager, Trio Capital,  West Chester, Pennsylvania, where he is also located. Previously, he was Sales Team Lead, Meridian Equipment Finance (October, 2022 - October, 2023); Broker Relationship Manager, Firstlease (September, 2018 - October, 2022); VP, Director of Syndication & Broker Services, Conestoga Equipment Finance (February, 2014 - September, 2018); Senior Account Executive, Susquehanna Commercial Finance (August, 2012 - January, 2014). Full Bio:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-lipka-86923912/details/experience/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-lipka-86923912

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Results from Wheeler Business Consulting
2024 Compensation and Production Survey

In December 2024, Wheeler Business Consulting LLC conducted its ninth annual industry-wide compensation and production survey of originators. A total of 91 individuals participated in the survey. The sample group was made up of 32% bank originators, 47% originators from independent finance and leasing companies, and 21% from syndication/broker companies. The survey included 16% of originators with less than 5 years of experience, 15% of originators with 5 to 10 years of experience, and 69% with 10 years or more of experience. The survey consisted of 70% small-ticket originators, 29% middle-market originators and 1% large-ticket originators. The survey confirmed that the commercial equipment leasing and finance industry remains a lucrative opportunity for originators with 50% of originators indicating incomes above $200.0K in 2024 (22.9% above $300.0K in 2024). 92% of the survey participants are satisfied with their current position within the commercial equipment finance and leasing industry. 

Originators' Compensation
Originator's incomes above $200.0K decreased from 55.2%  in 2023 to 50.0% in 2024 (compensations above $300.0K decreased from 32% in 2023 to 22.8% in 2024.  Lower level compensations (below $125.0K) remained relatively the same for 2024 over 2023. The largest increase  was compensation between $125.0K  and $200.0K which increased from 23.9% in 2023 to 30.0% in 2024. This  increase was largely caused by a decrease in the upper ranging compensation levels. 

Originators' Production                                                                                                                                 Production remained strong for originators with 65.5% of originators producing in excess of $10.0M in 2024. It is notable that originators producing in excess of $35.0M decreased by 4% in 2024 over 2023 (from 29.0% in 2023 to 25.0% in 2024) . Production under $10.0M remained the same for 2023 and 2024 at 32%. Production between $15.0M and $25.0M increased the greatest of any category from 11.3% in 2023 to 20.2% in 2024 (this increase was a result of  3.8% of originators improving  their 2024 production over 2023 and a 7.4%  decrease  in production of those originators who produced more than $25.0M in 2024 over 2023.)

Additional information from survey:

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Leasing and Finance Industry Help Wanted
Excellent Compensation/Marketing Support

Three Rules to Create More Sales
By Steve Chriest

Rule #1 - Everyone in an organization is a salesperson.
Rule #2 – Not everyone believes rule number one.
Rule #3 - Everyone has customers.

The most successful, customer-centric organizations we encounter work hard to create a culture that champions all customers, including the company's employees - their "key receivers."

Managers in these organizations recognize that they oversee a volunteer workforce and they realize that their success as managers depends, to a large degree, on their ability to persuade employees to work at fulfilling the company's mission.

We don't think it is an accident that companies that are satisfied with their implementation of highly complex CRM (Customer Relationship Management) systems share a common approach to managing their employees.

Instead of simply announcing the arrival of new CRM software, managers solicited input from all affected business units during the project's planning phase, launched modules in stages to promote user adoption, and addressed the cultural shift issues that a major change in software often entails. In short, they approached their employees as customers of the new software system!

A willingness to accept the three rules that apply to all organizations today, and a commitment to treat everyone in the organization as a "customer," helps create a true customer-focused enterprise. In these organizations, providing excellent customer service becomes the habit of the company's "key receivers."

Steve Chriest
800-570-7145
schriest@sbcglobal.net
http://www.openadvance.com

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Leasing News Advertising Rates
Display and Help Wanted

Rate Chart per month

Size  (pixels width by height)	One Month	Three Months	One Year
Small - 500p x 300p	$795	$750	$695
Medium - 500p x 400p	$895	$850	$795
Large - 500p x 470p	$995	$950	$895
Extra Large - 600p x 480p	$1,095	$1,045	$995

 

Full Rate Chart with Samples and Explanations: https://leasingnews.org/Pages/ad_rates102022.html

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

Amur Equipment Finance Celebrates Record Origination Year and Other 2024 Milestones

GRAND ISLAND, NEBRASKA — Amur Equipment Finance (“Amur”), a leading independent equipment finance company, is proud to announce a record-breaking year on a number of fronts. Amur funded over $960 million to nearly 11,000 customers in 2024, both records. As well, Amur’s portfolio crossed $2 billion in early 2024 and is on track to exceed $3 billion in 2025.

Kalyan Makam, Chief Executive Officer, remarked,” 2024 was a remarkable year for Amur. It was a year that presented tremendous opportunity, with many others in our industry pulling back. I’m so proud of our group and our partners for seizing the opportunity – strengthening relationships and building new ones, serving new customers, expanding our presence in key industries like construction, specialty vehicles and franchise, the list goes on.

“With our extremely strong capital position, scaled platform and dedicated and talented team, we’re well positioned to set even more records in 2025 and beyond.”

Beyond the records, 2024 was a very exciting year for Amur in a number of other areas. In 2024, Amur launched its Leading Edge product for construction and specialty vehicles, featuring its fastest approvals ever, brought on Rich Chenitz, an industry leader as its Chief Commercial Officer, and launched a franchise-specific vertical led by an longstanding industry expert. It also rolled out several enhancements to its platform to augment its differentiated, best-in-class service experience.

Amur received a record number of financing applications in 2024, demonstrating its increased market coverage and the strength of its decisioning platform. As well, a record percentage of Amur’s originations were with “A” credit customers, a market segment historically dominated by banks, underscoring the surging market demand amongst the super-prime cohort for Amur’s competitive financing solutions. This strong shift ‘up- market’ contributed to a record-setting weighted-average FICO score in 2024.

Looking ahead to 2025, Amur’s experience in 2024 drives its commitment to double-down on its dedication to product and service excellence to further cement its position as a leading independent in Equipment Finance. Highlights include:

Enhanced Product Suite & Partner Experience Vendor and broker partners will have access to TRAC leases, newly redesigned partner portals and additional self- service documentation capability in 2025.

• Expanded Team Amur will grow its team in 2025 in order to expand its presence in key markets and sectors and provide even greater support to partners and customers.

“As we reflect on the success of 2024, Amur is proud to be the trusted provider of innovative financing solutions to so many nationwide. Thank you to the record number that allowed us to equip you to win in a hugely successful 2024.

*     *     *
About Amur Equipment Finance, Inc.
Amur Equipment Finance (GoAmur.com) is one of the largest and fastest growing independent providers of commercial equipment finance in America, dedicated to serving its customers and partners with fast, flexible, and customized solutions. With a growing team of nearly 300 talented employees, an efficient, purpose-built processing platform designed to deliver an excellent partner experience, and a sole focus on the equipment finance market, Amur is well-positioned to continue to serve the financing needs of its customers and partners well into the future. Headquartered in Grand Island, NE since 1996, Amur has been a Great Place to Work® certified company for seven consecutive years. GoAmur.com.

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

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News Briefs

Aurora, Continental and Nvidia announce partnership
    at CES to Power Thousands of Driverless Trucks at Scale
https://www.freightwaves.com/news/aurora-continental-and-nvidia-announce-partnership-at-ces?oly_enc_id=7354E3969723H7B

U.S. Dockworkers, Employers Resume Talks
    Under Looming Strike Deadline
https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-dockworkers-employers-resume-talks-under-looming-strike-deadline-2ea9145d?st=1jUSgb&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink

US opens another Tesla probe, latest focused
    on tech that remotely returns car to driver
https://www.pressdemocrat.com/business/?ref=menu

Business Bankruptcies in US
    Reach Highest Level Since 2010
https://www.pymnts.com/economy/2025/business-bankruptcies-reach-highest-level-since-2010/

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Unemployed Office Workers Are Having a Harder
    Time Finding New Jobs
https://www.wsj.com/economy/jobs/job-search-workers-unemployment-months-5a4cfcee?st=W4VdA2&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink

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Sports Briefs---

A 49ers player's wife may have just leaked
the biggest free agency news yet
https://www.sfgate.com/49ers/article/49ers-players-wife-leaked-biggest-free-agency-news-20020480.php

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California News Briefs---

Live Updates: L.A. Wildfires Force Thousands
  to Evacuate Pacific Palisades
https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/01/07/us/palisades-brush-fires-california

Pacific Palisades fire burning out of control
  as thousands evacuate amid dangerous windstorm
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-01-07/life-threatening-and-destructive-wind-storm-to-hit-southern-california-what-to-know

Biden establishes 2 new national monuments in
   California, as part of final big environmental push
https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2025/01/07/biden-establishes-two-new-national-monuments-in-california-as-part-of-final-big-environmental-push/

Soaring electricity bills could hobble
 California’s green energy push: report
https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2025/01/07/pge-power-energy-electric-california-economy-bill-fire-green-newsom/

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Gimme that Wine

 

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

Napa government says winery owes $8 million
   after contentious legal battle
https://www.sfchronicle.com/food/wine/article/hoopes-vineyard-napa-penalty-20018873.php

Former Constellation Brands Executive Robert Hanson Appointed  
  CEO of The Duckhorn Portfolio Following Completion
of $1.95 Billion  Transaction with Butterfly
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250106578304/en/Former-Constellation-Brands-Executive-Robert-Hanson-Appointed-CEO-of-The-Duckhorn-Portfolio-Following-Completion-of-1.95-Billion-Transaction-with-Butterfly

From Bible to desert: Israeli wine industry
gains global recognition
https://www.jpost.com/consumerism/consumer-news/article-835509