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New Hires/Promotions in the Leasing Business
and Related Industries

Harmony Houston was promoted to Administrative Operations Manager, Reliant Capital, Columbus, Ohio. She is located in Huntington Beach, California. She joined Reliant July, 2022, as Operational Specialist.  Previously, she was Claims Resolution Specialist, Zinna Health (July, 2021 - July, 2022); Claims Specialist, MaxRev Billing (February, 2021 - June, 2021).
https://www.linkedin.com/in/harmony-houston-6934b5ba/

Scott Hoover was hired as Senior Business Development Manager, Special Accounts, New Lane Finance, Center City, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Previously, he was Account Manager First National Capital Corporation (September, 2023 - July, 2024); Regional Sales Manager, Balboa
Capital (August, 2022 - July, 2024); Vice President, Sales and Strategic Partnerships, Alliance Funding Group (January, 2021 - July, 2022); Senior Relationship Manager, Mechanics Bank (November, 2018- December, 2020).
https://www.linkedin.com/in/scotthooverbdo/

Michael Karman was promoted to Chief Sales Officer, Navitas Credit Corporations, a United Community Bank Company, Ponte Vedra, Florida. He is located in Concord, Massachusetts. Previously, he was Senior Vice President (October – July, 2024) Previously, he was  Co-President & Chief Commercial Office; Amur Equipment Finance (January, 2015 - August, 2018); Senior Vice President, Ascentium Capital (August, 2011 - December, 2014). Full Bio:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-karman-bb7541110/details/experience/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-karman-bb7541110/

Leif Oldert was promoted to as Vice President, Human Resources, Clicklease, Salt Lake City Metropolitan Area. He joined as Director of Human Resources (July, 2021-121 - July, 2024).
Full Bio:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/leifoldert/details/experience/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/leifoldert/

Mathew Padden, CLFP was announced Business Project  Manager, Mitsubishi HC Capital America, Inc., Itasca, Illinois. He joined the company April, 2023, Manager Business Project Integrations, promoted Senior Manager, Business Project Integrations, (May, 2024 - July, 2024); Manager, Business Project Integrations, ENGS Commercial Finance Co. (May, 2022 - April, 2023). He joined Padco Financial Services August, 2003, Collection Representative promoted May, (2006 - January, 2011);
Jointed Member, Board of Directors, May, 2006 - May, 2022); promoted Vice President of Funding Operations (January, 2011 - May, 2022).
https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-padden-clfp-b7363320

 

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Six-Month Review Of Commercial Equipment
Finance And Leasing Industry
By Scott Wheeler, CLFP

A six-month review of the commercial equipment finance and leasing industry confirms that business has been consistently inconsistent for 2024. A good month followed by a not so good month; a good day followed by a not so good day.

The positive news is that plenty of strong opportunities remain for originators and companies that are willing to put in the extra work and offer superior products and services.

There is certainly no need to panic, and sufficient data indicates the current transition the industry is experiencing will be temporary and CapEx will increase significantly over the coming months. Below are a few comments:

• "Flow business" appears to be down for the first half of 2024. Stronger production months have often been the result of a few larger, non-flow, transactions.
• Dollars funded have remained relatively flat (up or down just a few percentage points). However, for most industry participants, the number of transactions funded is down significantly. If the cost of equipment has risen by 20% or 30% over the past three to four years, then a company doing the same volume as 2021 is actually generating  fewer transactions.
• The disparity between average producing originators and top producers continues to grow. Order-takers and commodity-driven originators are falling behind as value-ust Because You Are Right…
• The one lesson learned in every transitional period is, "The Equipment Matters," and the strongest companies are equipment knowledgeable and equipment centric.
• Most companies are working through the challenges of their legacy portfolios. Easy money and cutting corners caused many companies to fund less than desirable assets for several years. Industry portfolios usually run off relatively quickly and therefore, challenges (even the most painful) are usually short lived. Once again, the lesson learned is that there is a reason to limit terms on assets that have a useful life of three or five years.
• Assets funded over the past year are generally much stronger credits and higher-yielding assets. These assets are a result of the industry normalizing and will be aggressively sought after in the capital markets when rates eventually decrease. Now is the time to be an aggressive originator because assets will most likely increase in value over time.

2024 offers an excellent opportunity for long-term industry players (companies and individual professionals) that focus on the future and their ability to provide superior products and services to the strongest vendors and end-users.

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

Wheeler Business Consulting is working with individual originators and sales teams throughout the industry to ensure that they are well positioned in the market, capturing their fair share of business, and outperforming the competition. To schedule a one-on-one meeting contact Scott Wheeler at: scott@wheelerbusinessconsulting.com

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Leasing and Finance Industry Help Wanted
Excellent Compensation/Marketing Support
Plus other openings for successful, growing funders

Story Credit Financing
Business Loans, SBA Loans, Working Capital

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

Financial Pacific Leasing Forum Financial Services Gonor Funding Maxim Commercial Capital North Mill Equipment Finance

Pawnee Leasing Corporation P&L Capital Corporation 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 Listings:
https://leasingnews.org/Story_Credit/Story_Credit.htm

 

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Workplace Trends: How Careers are
Evolving in the Age of Technology
By Ken Lubin, ZRG Partners, Managing Partner

The workplace is changing rapidly due to advances in technology, automation, and artificial intelligence (AI). These disruptive forces are leading to major shifts in the job landscape now and in the future. Here are some of the key trends that are transforming careers and skill demands in the modern workforce:

Rise of Automation: Repetitive, routine tasks are increasingly being handled by automated systems powered by AI and machine learning. Jobs that involve a lot of predictable physical work or data processing are most susceptible to automation. This includes positions like assembly line workers, clerks, cashiers, telemarketers etc. The upside is that automation frees up human time and energy for higher-level work. The challenge is displaced workers may need retraining.

Growing Demand for Tech Skills: As companies adopt new technologies, there is a pressing need for talent with skills in areas like data analytics, cyber security, cloud computing, machine learning etc. Tech-focused roles like data scientists, IoT engineers, AI developers are highly sought after. Even non-tech roles now look for some degree of digital literacy. Lifelong learning is essential to stay updated.

Rise of Alternative Business Models: The traditional 9-5 office job is changing. Alternate models like remote work, freelancing, gig economy jobs are becoming more mainstream. Permanent jobs are declining while temporary and contract-based projects are increasing. This provides flexibility but less stability. Self-driven professionals who can thrive in flux will adapt best.

Need for Human Skills: Despite automation, human skills like critical thinking, creativity, emotional intelligence and design thinking remain hard for technology to replicate. Jobs that require these intrinsically human strengths will be invaluable. Empathy, leadership, entrepreneurship - these skills will only grow in demand.

Blurring Industry Lines: Career trajectories are no longer linear or confined to one industry. Domains like healthcare, finance and engineering are integrating with each other, as technology converges. Cross-functional roles, diverse experiences and outside perspectives will be advantageous. An interdisciplinary outlook is beneficial.

The workplace evolution is well underway. Emerging technologies are disrupting old norms and creating new opportunities. Adaptability and learning agility will be essential as we navigate this sea change. By cultivating future-ready skills, we can all thrive in the careers of tomorrow.

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

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4 Reasons You Should Be Email Marketing
By Alex Vasilakos

It’s a new year, you have gone through your marketing budget, are checking off the things you wanted to do this year and are happy that you have accomplished so much.

• Social Media Marketing? Check!
• Search Engine Optimization? Check!
• Pay Per Click Marketing? Did a few months with good return, but still, Check!
• Generating some amazing content for our blog? Check!

Wait…you forgot something. How about your email marketing campaigns? Do you have an existing database of customers to whom you should be sending out updates to on a regular basis? How about all those contacts you received from your last tradeshow or convention? How are you staying in front of them? Did you just expand  offering? How are you communicating this to your existing customers?
Email marketing is the most effective way to drive repeat business and stay in front of your already loyal customers. Email marketing should, without question, be a part of your marketing for the year. We feel strongly that email marketing should always be a part of your yearly marketing strategy budget especially since 95% of internet users maintain 1 email account and 91% of email users check their email at least once a day and 70% always open emails from their favorite companies

By treating email marketing as an engaging dialogue between you and your loyal customers, you can leverage email to accomplish your objectives and help increase your online marketing ROI. Still not convinced? Here are four reasons why you should consider an email marketing campaign as part of your marketing budget:

• Very inexpensive form of marketing compared to direct mail

Email marketing certainly is an affordable way to stretch that already tight marketing dollar. There is also a very low cost with email marketing, with no need for printing and postage. Email marketing is quick and you can tailor the process to your customers. Schedule emails based on metrics, open rates and click through rates of your database to get better engagement. This contrasts to direct mail where you are at the whim of the postal service and unaware if the user received the piece you sent or just threw it away.

• It’s effective and very targeted

You can proactively communicate with your existing customers and prospects instead of passively waiting for them to return to your website. You can segment your lists and easily target your email to talk to a segment, specific product or direct the user to targeted landing pages tailored to them.

• Quick and immediate response time

Emails are sent directly to someone’s inbox, and what happens? We live in an age where we are all connected to our inbox and, if someone likes what they see or are enticed by a subject line, they open the email and visit it from their mobile, tablet, laptop, desktop or some other device. You also receive immediate results, allowing you to gauge the success of the campaign and you can start tailoring future campaigns based on the overall result.

• Brand awareness and building loyalty

With a consistent stream of communication to your customers, they will constantly be aware of current information, products, news, and more. They will be more up-to-date about your company and its activities and, by maintaining this constant communication, you strengthen and single-handedly improve the ROI of all your leads and build a strong customer loyalty to your brand.

Overall, it is time to put your email marketing campaign to work for your business. It is a highly effective way to engage with your customers and ultimately bring in new business.

Alex Vasilakos
Digital Marketing Consultant.
Vasilakos Design: Use the Power of Imagination
o: 518-727-7921 |  m: 518-727-7921  
|  t: @avasilakos |
web: www.vasilakosdesign.com

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Watch at Home this July 4th
by Fernando Croce, Leasing News Movie Reviewer

With the Fourth of July just ahead, we at Leasing News are proud to recommend five red, white and blue movies that are sure to get audiences laughing, cheering, and saluting.

Silver Lode (1954): Independence Day celebrations make for a bitterly ironic backdrop in this exceptional Western, directed by cinematic pioneer Allan Dwan (“Sands of Iwo Jima”). John Payne plays Dan Ballard, a respected citizen in a frontier town who’s looking forward to his wedding on the Fourth of July to Rose (Lizbeth Scott). Dream turns to nightmare, however, when a federal marshal (the dependably slimy Dan Duryea) rides into town to accuse him of murder. As the townspeople turn against him, Dan must evade the marshal’s men and stay alive long enough to clear his name. Crafted with the director’s trademark unpretentious dynamism, the movie is frequently interpreted as a covertly subversive critique of persecution during the McCarthy Fifties. More than anything, however, Dwan’s mini-classic remains a sturdy, exciting yarn.

The Music Man (1962): For a melodious choice for Fourth of July viewing, check out this classic musical, which unfolds during celebrations of the holiday. Set in the 1910s, it follows Harold Hill (Robert Preston), a fast-talking con-man who arrives at his latest target, a small Iowa town brimming with naïve locals. Posing as a band conductor, he has a plan of bilking the townspeople out of money by putting together a band in need of expensive uniforms and instruments. His scheme however is complicated by Marian Paroo (Shirley Jones), a young librarian who sees through his guise. As they develop feelings for each other, Harold’s decision to escape with the band’s funds grows complicated. Anchored by Preston’s joyous turn, this is a quintessential slice of American nostalgia.

Nashville (1975): The U.S. Bicentennial commemoration is among the many plot strands in this dizzying, crazy-quilt musical drama, considered by many to be director Robert Altman’s masterpiece. Taking place at the titular Tennessee town during the Grand Ole Opry, it follows the intersecting lives of a large group of characters in a cross-section of politics and the country music industry. Among them is a beloved but unstable singer (Renee Blakley), an aspiring songbird (Barbara Harris) on the run from her husband, a womanizing guitarist (Keith Carradine), a star of patriotic tunes (Henry Gibson), and a scatterbrained British reporter (Geraldine Chaplin). Juggling numerous characters across a massive canvas, Altman offers an ambitious, senses-tingling epic that combines his trademark corrosive humor with a palpable sense of marvel at our collective human comedy.

The Sandlot (1993): A coming-of-age comedy along the lines of “Stand by Me,” this nostalgic look at the mischievous ups and downs of childhood has become a cult favorite. Set in the early 1960s in the San Fernando Valley, it centers on Scotty Smalls (Tom Guiry), a shy fifth grader who tries to find new friends during the summer. He finds them in a group of boys who spend their time playing baseball in the local sandlot. The episodic narrative recounts their misadventures, including the crush one of them has in a teenage lifeguard and the gang’s attempts to recover a baseball from a feared mutt they call “The Beast.” Among the highlights in this fond family tale from director David Mickey Evans is a game played at night illuminated by Independence Day fireworks.

Hamilton (2020): Fans of musical theater and American Revolution buffs should rejoice at this recording of a live performance of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s award-winning Broadway smash, available on Disney Plus. Miranda also plays the eponymous character, Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, in a tuneful retelling of America’s past that imagines historical figures portrayed by performers of color. An orphaned immigrant who comes to New York in 1776 as the United States prepares to fight for freedom from English rule. Struggles follow victory as the young nation comes together, and Alexander crosses paths with such luminaries as Thomas Jefferson (Daveed Diggs) and Aaron Burr (Leslie Odom Jr.). With a score that includes audience favorites like “Satisfied,” “Wait for It,” “My Shot” and “The Room Where It Happens,” this production gives viewers the lavish stage experience.

Fernando Croce is a nationally recognized film reviewer and has been contributing to Leasing News since 2008. His reviews appear each Friday.

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Butte, MT
699 Centennial Ave.
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bsbanimalshelter@bsb.mt.gov
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News Briefs

How thousands of Americans got caught in fintech’s false promise
    and lost access to bank accounts
https://www.cnbc.com/2024/07/02/synapse-fintech-fdic-false-promise.html

America’s red-hot job market just won’t quit
"openings jumped higher to 8.14 million in May"
https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/02/economy/us-jolts-job-openings-layoffs-may/index.html

New Overtime Protections Go Into Effect
For A Million Workers
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/new-overtime-protections-take-effect

Tesla exceeds expectations as its
EV sales start to rebound
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2024/07/02/tesla-second-quarter-ev-sales/

The 15 U.S. states with the highest cost of living
for single people—No. 1 isn’t California, New York or Hawaii
https://www.cnbc.com/2024/07/02/us-states-with-the-highest-cost-of-living-for-single-people.html

Analysts have a bleak outlook for car dealers
    after CDK cyberattack
https://www.thestreet.com/automotive/analysts-bleak-outlook-car-dealers-cdk-cyberatttack

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2024 Monitor 100: Banks Pull Back
     From Equipment Finance
  By Rita E. Garwood, Editor in Chief Monitor
https://www.monitordaily.com/article-posts/2024-monitor-100-banks-pull-back-from-equipment-finance/

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Sports Briefs---

What Steph Curry says about Klay Thompson’s
    departure from Warriors
https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/07/02/what-steph-curry-says-about-klay-thompsons-departure-from-warriors/?amp_js_v=0.1&usqp=mq331AQIUAKwASCAAgM=

U.S. eliminated from Copa America with 1-0 loss
to Uruguay, increasing pressure to fire Berhalter
https://www.pressdemocrat.com/sports/?ref=menu

[headlines]
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California News Briefs---

Historic PAGA Reform Signed by Governor Newsom
   Better, Fairer System for Workers and Employers
https://fixpaga.com/2024/07/01/historic-paga-reform-signed-by-governor-newsom/

State Farm seeks major rate hikes for
   California homeowners and renters
https://www.northbaybusinessjournal.com/article/insurance/state-farm-california-insurance-rate-hike-062824/ 

San Francisco Bay Area Councilman
  Says He's Priced out of Town and is Moving
https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/06/29/im-playing-the-lottery-twice-a-week-newark-councilman-resigns-says-hes-priced-out-of-town/

Movie chain shuts San Francisco South Bay
as cinema chain’s fate turns murky
https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/07/02/san-jose-mountain-view-south-bay-economy-movie-film-jobs-layoff-covid/

The 'longest-running show in Hollywood'
   is an iconic hot dog stand
https://www.sfgate.com/la/article/pinks-hot-dogs-hollywood-los-angeles-richard-pink-19524656.php

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Gimme that Wine

 

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

"Anderson Valley: A Coastal Love Affair with Wine"
   Documentary Premieres at Mendocino Film Festival
      to Rave Reviews
https://www.winebusiness.com/news/article/289447

Is Malbec ready to be a terroir wine?
Global Malbec Masters competition
https://www.thedrinksbusiness.com/2024/07/is-malbec-ready-to-be-a-terroir-wine/

One-of-a-kind electric Maserati, a tribute
to red wine, to be auctioned at Napa gala
https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/napa/maserati-art-electric-car-napa-gala-auction-wine/