Friday, July 28, 2006
Hot, but not as---
Headlines--- Welcome new Readers ######## surrounding the article denotes it is a "press release"
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Welcome new readers, especially those that joined our mailing list. We don't sell or share our list with anyone. We send out e-mail notices when Leasing News is posted or "extra" news, when it appears important. Leasing News appears only when there is enough news to make it worthwhile for you to read us. We don't print every day. We also try to minimize the amount of press releases. We try to live up to our goal of "independent, fair and accurate news about the equipment leasing industry." At one time, we had readers only in the United States, but have grown to Canada, Europe, Asia, India, Africa, Australia, and the Ukraine. Whether we are read in China, don't know, but we surely get a lot of spam from there. In fact, more from China than Nigeria. Please note on our "tool bar" the group of "lists," which we are somewhat famous or "infamous," depending on your view point. Yes, our ombudsman program has returned a lot of money to customers. And there are those who would rather stay under their rock, then be exposed to sun light. On the right of the masthead, you can go to past "top stories" or conduct a search in our "archives." All is free. No charge. Or the collection of "This Day in American History" or view our "classified ads," where you will find people looking for a job (free), or help wanted ( paid by employers,) outsourcing services.We invite your comments. If you like our edition, please send to a friend and ask them to subscribe. We are the only "inside" trade publication regarding the equipment leasing industry and its street smart players. -------------------------------------------------------------- Classified Ads---Sales
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Joins "Broker/Lessor" list Third Column: YES - Year Company Started | YELB - Years in equipment Leasing Business A - City Business License | B- State License | C - Certified Leasing Professional |
Leasing News has also up-dated this list, breaking it into two, "A" and "B," due primarily to its technical size. The coordination to the name of the company to the list has caused us some problems, so we divided the lists. The first is by "employee" and the second are those where we don't know how many employees, so it is "alphabetical." In both, you can click on the main list and go to the specific company without going down the list. "A" "B" These lists will continue to grow and become "expanded" with links to current and past news stories about their companies. Our Leasing News Advisory Board member Phil Dushay believes we will reach 800 "broker/lessors." Next week, the Funder list will be up-dated, almost doubling the size, and the following week, Leasing News introduces a new list. Kit Menkin was on the Business Journal Advisory Board for over twenty years and was instrumental in the "list" concept.
---------------------------------------------------------------- Bank and Thrift Executive Compensation To view the SNI report, please go here: ---------------------------------------------------------------- EPlus settles with GMAC Commercial Finance, pays $6M washington.bizjournals.com by Neil Adle, Staff Reporter EPlus has settled a lawsuit with GMAC Commercial Finance in a deal that includes a cash payment of $6 million, which ePlus says it has paid. The Herndon-based company, a seller of cost-management products and services for businesses, was sued by Southfield, Mich.-based GMAC in January of 2005, seeking repayment of three promissory notes totaling about $10.65 million. GMAC's claim against ePlus was for $13.4 million, including interest and legal fees, with the trial set to begin July 24. The suit was in connection with an alleged breach of warranties regarding an assignment of debt from ePlus, as lessor, for leases with Cyberco Holdings, a now defunct tech company that was based in Grand Rapids, Mich. In June of this year, a Cyberco principal pled guilty to fraud, money laundering and conspiracy. Cyberco, related affiliates and at least one principal are in Chapter 7 bankruptcy, and no future payments are expected from Cyberco, ePlus said in a statement Thursday. The U.S. Attorney has asserted that Cyberco defrauded approximately 40 financial institutions of approximately $90 million, says ePlus (NASDAQ: PLUS). Company executives say they believe they had a strong case but on advice of counsel decided a settlement was the right move. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Gerry Egan Video Out on Monday-"Free"
As noted in Leasing News with Gerry and Jamie on their Grand Teton trip, he was working on a video project. It is finished. The first part will be issued on Monday, July 31st, at www.naelb.org. It will be "free" to anyone who wants to view it. The title, " On Being a Broker." This is sponsored by The National Association of Equipment Leasing Brokers (NAELB.)
"The learning module highlights what makes being a lease broker both a rewarding and challenging career. Gerry Egan, a past NAELB President, with over twenty-five years as a lease broker and sales trainer, coaches the viewer in understanding the role of a leasing broker, embracing that role, selling it, taking pride in it and using it to the best advantage for all parties involved," a NAELB press release states.
Gerry Egan NAELB gave Leasing News an exclusive preview of the first module. It is something a group can view, or listen to, as sound is also very clear and distinct. This is not only a valuable tape to someone entering the business, but to those with experience, and as important, to other staff employed in the industry to understand the basics and the professionalism of equipment leasing brokers and their view of their role in creating good, repeat business. In the first session, Gerry highlights some of the things that make being a lease broker a rewarding and challenging career. "I've always been proud to be in business for myself but not always about being an equipment leasing broker. My first ten years in this business were spent in a direct funding environment where I was taught to pity and look down a little on independent brokers. It wasn't until I went out on my own as a broker that I came to appreciate both what a great financial opportunity it was and the vital role that independent brokers play in so many business transactions. "I've tried hard in the years since to live up to that opportunity and to that role. That's why I was thrilled that NAELB asked me to help launch their Distance Learning program by sharing some ideas about what it means to be a broker. It's my fervent hope that this program will help guide newer brokers to establish their businesses on a firm foundation of pride and principle and will serve as a reminder and a source of renewal for more experienced brokers. I thank the NAELB for giving me this opportunity to speak to you." Running time: 18 minutes, twelve seconds. Note: The second and third modules will only be available to NAELB members. "The second module is scheduled to be released at the NAELB Western Regional Meeting on September 8 and 9, 2006 at the Wyndham Hotel Orange County in Costa Mesa, CA. The module will discuss the give and take of the vendor relationship. "The third and final module for the year will be released at the NAELB Eastern Regional Meeting on November 3 and 4, 2006 at the Renaissance Concourse Hotel in Atlanta, GA. The module will discuss ways to get the most from sales efforts by obtaining the right information immediately." The series is a part of the NAELB Distance Learning Initiative, whose goals include providing members with easily-accessible, industry specific training programs, and serving the interests of members through educational opportunities. In addition, NAELB members have available "funder" telephone conference sessions and other services designed to help the equipment leasing broker community. The West Coast regional meeting is expected to have a large turn-out. September 8-9th Western Regional Meeting To learn more, please call: Agenda Registration form: Eastern Conference Meeting November 3-4, Atlanta, Georgia About the National Association of Equipment Leasing Brokers The NAELB is an organization formed to promote the interests of equipment leasing brokers through education, advocacy, improved communication with funders and programs designed to upgrade the professionalism and profitability of brokers, funders and others engaged in the business of equipment lease financing. (NAELB has over 800 members, the largest equipment leasing association membership.) For more information about NAELB, please visit www.naelb.org. Gerry and Jamie Gerry on the Road Again
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-------------------------------------------------------------- Due Diligence on Steroids by Shawn Halladay (This blog which appeared last week on www.leasingnotes.com is being passed around on the anti-leasing company blogs and web sites, and seems to aroused NorVergence lessees and others in the same vein to no end, stating Mr. Halladay speaks for the entire equipment leasing industry. (I think Mr. Halladay would be flattered to hear that, and thought readers might like to determine if the accusation is valid. editor)
As reported in Leasing News, the NorVergence bankruptcy trustee is bringing suit against Thomas Salzano and seven other NorVergence insiders. The lawsuit, filed last Friday in US Bankruptcy Court in Newark, seeks to recover more than $144 million from various parties. The NorVergence trustee, in other legal actions, also is trying to recover money from at least 36 companies such as vendors that did business with NorVergence prior to its bankruptcy, and at least 34 shareholders of the privately held company. The trustee maintains that these shareholders received payments for their investment in the company, which should be returned. The interesting aspect of the litigation, though, is that the trustee also has included roughly 26 banks and leasing companies in the suit as parties to the fraud. According to the suit, those financial institutions that did business with NorVergence knew, long before the company's demise, that a scam was being perpetrated. The suit contends that the leasing companies ignored red flags, such as high numbers of first-payment defaults and delays in Matrix box installations, and continued to do business with NorVergence, rather than bailing out, thereby contributing to NorVergence collapse. I fully understand the trustee's motivation in attempting to recover, from whatever source, as much money as he can for the bankruptcy estate, having been involved as in expert in similar cases. The ramifications of the suit for the leasing industry, however, could be staggering. I see two basic issues here. The first, and easiest to address, is the inference that very large and reputable leasing companies such as CIT, Citigroup, and Wells Fargo Financial Leasing sat in their offices rubbing their hands in glee as they willingly broke the law over what, to them, were relatively insignificant profit opportunities. I find the notion that companies such as these, in large numbers, knowingly defrauded their customers as being farcical. If they knew, as the suit contends, that NorVergence was a Ponzi scheme, then they also would have known that doing these deals also would contribute to their own losses. I don't think so. You can argue all you want that there could have been more analysis of the equipment, but this suit is pushing the issue a bit far. Perhaps the most disconcerting aspect of this lawsuit are the implications going forward if the trustee is successful. Essentially, the NorVergence trustee is trying to place the responsibility and attendant liability to detect potential frauds against their customers on the shoulders of the leasing companies. Under the NorVergence trustee's view of the world, lessors would be held to a fraud-detection standard equal to, if not higher, than that of an auditor under Statement of Auditing Standard 99. This concept is patently absurd both from a rational and cost perspective. Who will want to be a lessor, or at what cost, if this suit is successful? Long live litigation!! Shawn D. Halladay http://www.thealtagroup.com/bios-halladay.php --------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------- Bank of the West earnings jump 11 percent
Bank of the West reported its second quarter earnings came in at $148.7 million, up 11 percent from the $133.6 million earned in the second quarter of 2005. The leasing division projects 140 employees and reports continued growth, originally an outgrowth of the First National Bank of San Jose (Ed Merrill.)
Don J. McGrath, Chairman/CEO "As for most banks, the flat yield curve and net interest margin compression continued to impact our performance," said Don J. McGrath, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Bank of the West. "During the second quarter, we introduced a business plan to enhance the delivery of a standardized product set with a consistent platform of distribution channels, to be implemented throughout our 19-state network. I am optimistic that these measures, along with process adjustments and a more decentralized infrastructure will serve us well going forward." The bank is wholly owned by BNP Paribas, a French financial giant with 11,000 employees. It is the third largest commercial bank based in the West, seventh largest bank holding company West of the Mississippi, and has $55 billion in assets and 681 locations. -------------------------------------------------------------- Canadian Professional Lease Training Program Launched
While the Equipment Leasing Association ponders whether it will support and endorse the Certified Leasing Association (CLP), the 260 member Canadian Finance and Leasing Association (CFLA) and CLP Foundation have announced an agreement that will provide the framework for a future Canadian equipment and automotive lease professional certification program. The CFLA also announces an agreement with the 300 member United Association of Equipment Leasing (UAEL) that will establish a comprehensive professional training program for the Canadian leasing industry. CFLA has asked Hugh Swandel of Swandel and Associates of Winnipeg, Manitoba, to lead the development of the curriculum and structure of the program. They will adapt the UAEL training materials and the CLP Foundation program for the Canadian market, expanding the education program to include vehicle leasing as well. "We are confident that with the expertise of Swandel and Associates, the CLP Foundation and the UAEL, Canada's first-ever comprehensive training for lessors will be a success," said CFLA President and CEO, David Powell. "Building from the program, our next step will be looking at how to implement the Certification Program and the CLP designation as part of the Canadian leasing industry." "The CLP Foundation looks forward to working closely with the CFLA, Swandel and Associates and the UAEL to establish the CLP designation as a recognized credential throughout the Canadian leasing industry" said CLP Executive Director, Cynthia "Cindy" Spurdle. "The CFLA, CLP and UAEL are committed to promoting the highest standards of knowledge and professionalism in the North American leasing industry," said Joe Woodley, UAEL's Executive Director, in La Quinta, California. The CLP Foundation is the official governing body for the Certified Lease Professional ("CLP") Program. It is endorsed and supported by the Eastern Association of Equipment Lessors, National Association of Equipment Leasing Brokers, and the United Association of Equipment Leasing. Leasing News series: "Why I became a CLP:" For more information about Swandel and Associates go to, For More Information please contact: David Powell, President and CEO or Cindy Spurdle, Executive Director CLP Foundation
-------------------------------------------------------------- LeaseCompare.com Names Most Requested Vehicles CINCINNATI---Automobile Consumer Services, Inc. (ACS), the leader in online direct-to-consumer auto leasing, released a list of the top 10 most requested vehicles from its popular auto leasing website www.LeaseCompare.com during the first half of 2006. Information was collected from more than one million lease quote requests.
A complete list of how every vehicle ranks can be found at www.LeaseCompare.com. Thanks to the high price of fuel, the Honda Civic continues to move up in the rankings while sport utilities have virtually dropped off the Top 10 lists. The new re-designed Toyota Camry makes its debut on the new list along with the ever popular Honda Odyssey minivan. The only domestic model represented was the Chevrolet Corvette and it holds second place on both lists. "Many people are dumping their gas-guzzling SUVs right now causing market prices to drop," says Tarry Shebesta, President of ACS and a certified lease consultant. "In volatile market conditions, leasing makes a lot of sense. With a lease, you don't have to worry about market fluctuations because the lease-end value on which the lease is based is locked in. At the end of a lease, you just turn your vehicle back in. You don't have to worry about finding a buyer in an adverse market cycle." LeaseCompare.com is an alternative to dealer leasing and, as the name suggests, provides an interactive tool to instantly evaluate leasing options from a number of sources. Customers can lock in the lease quote they like and apply for credit online. ACS facilitates leases that customers choose from LeaseCompare.com. About Automobile Consumer Services, Inc. (www.ACScorp.com) Based in Cincinnati, Automobile Consumer Services, Inc. (ACS) is a leading provider of direct-to-consumer auto leasing through its popular website LeaseCompare.com. Founded in 1989, ACS's mission is to provide services that enhance the experience of buying or leasing a car. ACS achieves this by leading the industry with innovative proprietary technology, superior customer service, and years of industry experience. -Tarry E. Shebesta, OCLC (Ohio Certified Lease Consultant) --------------------------------------------------------------
Sales Training Doesn't Work - And What To Do About It by Steve Chriest For some time now I've known that sales training doesn't work. That isn't to say that sales training doesn't benefit some salespeople, sometimes, but it doesn't work for most organizations for a variety of reasons. There are, fortunately, steps managers can take to change this reality. The number of reasons sales training doesn't work for most selling organizations are as numerous as they are complex. Besides important reasons like lack of executive sponsorship of the training, sales management's unwillingness or inability to reinforce and sustain the training, and the absence of a plan to incorporate new concepts and skills into a sales process that will be followed by all members of the sales team, the chief reason sales training doesn't work, in my opinion, is that few managers understand that sales training doesn't change behavior. Thousands of training companies offer sales training for cold-calling, prospecting, planning account strategies, sales call planning, presenting to clients, negotiating and so on, and while many of these contain useful information, there isn't one sales training program I'm aware of that will, by itself, change any salesperson's behavior. So, what is it that changes selling behaviors? The academic answer may be complex, but for us regular folks it's pretty simple - salespeople, like anyone, will change their behavior when they perceive that there is something substantial in it for them to change. Changing behavior is a process, and like all processes, it must be managed. Behavior isn't changed in the same way you flip on a light switch. Salespeople almost never raise their hands to request sales training from their managers, and it's difficult to convince most salespeople that they need to change their selling behaviors. An effective prescription for changing selling behaviors will include a consensus among senior manager of the relevance of the sales training to the most important strategic objectives of the business. Senior managers are much more likely to encourage and support a sales training initiative that promises to positively impact critical strategic objectives than sales training that delivers entertainment, and little else, to the sales team. The next step, and this one is absolutely critical, is to communicate to the sales managers and the sales team the direct connection between the sales training and the strategic objectives of the business. Now, perhaps for the first time, the sales team can see the potential impact of their activities on important business objectives, instead of seeing only their effect on the top line and on their commission checks. Once the sales team understands their role in helping the company achieve the strategic business objectives, they must clearly see how changing their selling behaviors will help them directly impact the objectives and how they will personally benefit from the change. Money is always an important factor, but so is personal development and growth as a sales professional. The failure of sales training costs companies billions of dollars annually and wastes everyone's time, but it doesn't have to be that way. When sales training is an integral part of a well thought out plan for changing behaviors to meet strategic objectives, the sales training can work, selling behaviors can change, and the company, its managers and the sales team can win. Copyright © 2006 Selling Up TM . All Rights Reserved. About the author: Steve Chriest is the founder of Selling Up TM ( www.selling-up.com ), a sales consulting firm specializing in sales improvement for organizations of all types and sizes in a variety of industries. He is also the author of Selling Up, The Proven System for Reaching and Selling Senior Executives. You can reach Steve at schriest@selling-up.com .
-------------------------------------------------------------- Cash Flow Driving AG business By Gene Lucht, Iowa Farmer Today www.iowafarmer.com A tractor for sale is parked along a highway in North Central Iowa. The competition among financing companies for agricultural equipment might have led to lower agricultural financing for Iowa farmers. However, that does not mean that ag equipment finance companies have been offering some of the same gimmicks as automobile companies. The same trends that have led to more competition among farmers and grain buyers have led to strong competition between lenders, and that has benefited many farmers in recent years. "The equipment business is a bit like farming," says Steve Swartzrock, president of Swartz-rock Implement in Charles City. "We both use a ton of cash and the margins are extremely small." That means financing is important to both businesses. And Swartzrock says Iowa still has plenty of competition in the lending business, meaning interest rates and lending costs may be slightly lower for Iowa farmers than for their counterparts in other parts of the nation. But the major trend in the financing of farm equipment in recent years has been an increased emphasis on cash flow. "It's all about cash flow," Swartzrock says. Greg Roberg, vice president of AgDirect, a financing and leasing program that is a part of FCS-America, agrees cash flow is the key in agricultural lending today. Many farmers have done more leasing and less buying of equipment in recent years, but he says equipment sales have actually been very good in 2004 and 2005, as well as in the first half of 2006. In one area, farmers appear to have come full-circle. A decade or two ago, farmers tended to buy their own small spraying equipment, Roberg says. Then, as they began to cover more acres and require more spraying they leased or just hired a professional. Now, with even more acres, they are starting to buy more sprayers. In fact, the first three months of 2006 showed sprayer sales up 37 percent over the previous year. And that means equipment loans. Leasing also remains a strong trend in the equipment market, Roberg adds. But he says the agricultural equipment industry hasn't turned to as many gimmicks and special promotions as the auto industry. Carmakers used a variety of "employee" pricing plans and long-term 0 percent interest programs to promote car sales in recent years. Roberg and Swartz-rock both say the agricultural equipment industry has offered some similar types of programs, they haven't been as prevalent as in the auto business. One possible reason for that, they say, is that while cars and pickup trucks may still be marketed as luxury or entertainment or lifestyle items, farmers generally tend to treat equipment as a business expense. They're dealing with larger amounts of money and they tend to spend more time seeing how a purchase pencils out. That may mean fewer financial gimmicks to sell tractors. It doesn't, however, mean that manufacturers won't offer incentives. Some may offer a lower base price if the buyer uses the company financing, for example. And Swartzrock says while there is much competition in the financing side of the business, dealing with finances for both the dealer and the buyer has been made easier by computer technology and software that allow them to simply plug in prices and payment programs and then spit out payment schedules and rates. "That really makes me look better," Swartzrock says. "It makes some of that easier to do."
--------------------------------------------------------------- GATX Corporation Reports 2006 Second Quarter Results
CHICAGO----GATX Corporation (NYSE:GMT) today reported 2006 second quarter net income from continuing operations of $40.3 million or $.70 per diluted share compared to net income of $34.5 million or $.62 per diluted share in the second quarter of 2005. Net income from continuing operations for the first six months of 2006 was $88.2 million or $1.53 per diluted share, compared to $62.9 million or $1.14 per diluted share in the comparable prior year period. Full press release here: ### Press Release ########################### MicroFinancial Incorporated Announces Second Quarter 2006 Results (Revenue in the second quarter of 2006 was $8.2 million compared to $10.2 million in the second quarter of 2005)
WOBURN, Mass.----MicroFinancial Incorporated (AMEX-MFI), a financial intermediary specializing in vendor based leasing and finance programs for transactions in the $500 to $15,000 range, today announced financial results for the second quarter and the six months ended June 30, 2006. Net income for the quarter was $0.5 million or $0.04 per diluted share based upon 13,928,808 shares, compared to a net loss of $0.2 million, or ($0.02) per share based on 13,584,524 shares in the second quarter of 2005. Revenue in the second quarter of 2006 was $8.2 million compared to $10.2 million in the second quarter of 2005. Revenue from leases was $0.7 million, rental income was $5.6 million, income on service contracts was $0.5 million and other revenue components contributed $1.4 million for the current quarter. Full press release here: ### Press Release ########################### Commonwealth Capital promotes Hank Abbott as President/ Commonwealth Capital Corp. (CCC) is pleased to announce that Hank Abbott has been promoted to President. Mr. Abbott, age 55, joined Commonwealth in 1998, as a Portfolio Manager. Mr. Abbott will serve as President of CCC and Commonwealth Income and Growth Funds (CIGF), Inc and as a Director of the parent and its affiliates. Mr. Abbott is a registered principal of the broker/dealer. He is responsible for lease acquisitions, equipment dispositions and portfolio review. Additionally, Mr. Abbott is also responsible for oversight of residual valuation, due diligence, equipment inspections, negotiating renewal and purchase options and remarketing of lease equipment. Mr. Abbott serves as senior member on the Portfolio Advisory Committee, the Audit Committee, the Disaster Recovery Committee and the Facilities Committee. James Green has been promoted to Vice President. Mr. Green, age 31, joined Commonwealth in 2005 and serves as Vice President and Portfolio Manager of CCC and Commonwealth Income and Growth Funds (CIGF), Inc. Mr. Green is responsible for lease acquisitions, lease contract administration, portfolio analysis, and the sale of off-lease equipment.
Hank Abbott Prior to Commonwealth, Mr. Abbott had been active in the commercial lending industry, working primarily on asset-backed transactions for more than 30 years. Mr. Abbott attended St. John's University and holds his NASD Series 7, 63 and 24 licenses. Mr. Abbott was a founding partner of Westwood Capital LLC in New York, a Senior Vice President for IBJ Schroeder Leasing Corporation and has managed a group specializing in the provision of operating lease finance programs in the high technology sector. Mr. Abbott brings extensive knowledge and experience in leasing and has managed over $1.5 billion of secured transactions. Mr. Abbott is a member of the Equipment Leasing Association and the Investment Program Association.
James Green Previously Mr. Green was employed at GATX Technology Services from 2001-2004. GATX was one of the largest independent IT Leasing Lessors in the country, and Mr. Green was responsible for pricing and structuring of all PC/Client Server, Datacom and Telecom leases, approximately $200 Million annually. Mr. Green was also responsible for the management of an acquired banking machine portfolio, lease workouts, and contributing to GATX's initial Sarbanes Oxley compliance testing. Mr. Green attended the University of Michigan and Northeastern University. Mr. Green is currently studying for his NASD Series 22 License, is a member of the Equipment Leasing Association, and has completed their Advanced Principals of Leasing training. Founded in 1978, Commonwealth Capital Corp. has acquired more than $400 million of leases in 46 states. Commonwealth focuses on high-tech equipment because it represents a niche market in which they've been operating since inception. Their 12- to 36-month leases often end with renewal or outright purchase by the owners of the equipment. To date, Commonwealth has offered more than 23 investment programs to thousands of investors. From the two office locations, Pennsylvania and Florida, Commonwealth has grown slowly over the years, according to plan, with a focus on quality leasing and investor service, rather than quantity. Currently, Commonwealth employs a staff of over 60 in both its locations. Commonwealth's management team consists of men and women with strong backgrounds in all facets of the leasing and securities industries, from acquisitions, finance, portfolio management, residual value forecasting and asset remarketing, due diligence and compliance. This team, possessing a combined 100+ years of experience, manages the entire lease acquisition, operation and liquidation processes. ### Press Release ########################### First Fleet Promotes Patrick Devine to VP, Finance FORT LAUDERDALE, FL - - First Fleet Corporation, a national provider of asset management, financial services and high technology operational support to the nation's private truck fleets, today announced the promotion of Patrick Devine, CPA, to vice president, finance. During his career, he has garnered both private industry and "Big 4" public accounting firm experience. In his new position, Devine will be actively involved in the implementation of new business strategies and developing diversified funding strategies for PHH FirstFleet, the recently formed truck group that combines the resources of PHH Arval and First Fleet Corporation. He will also be responsible for administration of the finance department. "Since coming on board three years ago, Patrick has proven to be a very capable, focused and results-oriented financial executive. His promotion is a direct result of his accomplishments in helping to smooth the financial integration of First Fleet and PHH Arval following the acquisition. He has had a positive impact on the accounting team and our company," said Michael C. Lewis, president and general manager, First Fleet Corporation. Prior to joining the company in 2003 as corporate controller, Devine served as assistant controller of Interval International in Miami. Before that, he was at Carnival Corporation, where he was senior audit associate. He began career as an auditor at Coopers & Lybrand [now PriceWaterhouse-Coopers]. A California native, he received a bachelor of science degree in accounting from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, CA. Devine is a certified public accountant. ### Press Release ########################### ORIX Commercial Finance Hires Director Basic Industries Atlanta, GA, . Nicholas C. Mast has joined the Commercial Finance unit as Director - Basic Industries and will be located in Chicago, IL. In his new role, Nick will be responsible for the development of the unit's origination in the following industry sectors: Automotive, Packaging, Manufacturing, Metals, Printing, Chemicals, Environmental Technologies, Industrial Technologies and Plastics. Tom Forbes, Managing Director of Commercial Finance said, "We are very pleased to have Nick on our team and look forward to utilizing his marketing, development and relationship skills as we continue to grow this segment of our business. Nick is a high-caliber financial services executive who brings over 20 years of experience in banking and corporate lending. Nick's primary focus will include senior secured lending as well as equipment and asset-centric financing." Prior to ORIX, Nick served as Senior Vice President of Commercial Banking for McDonald Investments/Keybanc Capital Markets with responsibility for institutional debt capital markets, senior relationship management and business development. Before joining Key, Nick was Managing Director and Regional General Manager of the Chicago branch of Banque Paribas (now BNP Paribas). Prior to BNP Paribas, Nick held various business development roles in the Midwest with Bank of America, CIBC and Harris Trust. Commercial Finance is part of the Corporate Finance Group of ORIX USA Corporation. The Corporate Finance Group provides senior secured, unsecured, mezzanine and structured finance credit products to companies throughout the U.S. and Canada. ORIX USA Corporation, together with its wholly owned subsidiaries, is a division of ORIX Corporation, Japan's leading diversified financial services provider. Based in Tokyo with operations in 23 global markets, ORIX Corporation is a publicly traded company listed on the Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya and New York Stock Exchanges. CONTACT: Tom Forbes - Managing Director ### Press Release ########################### THAT WAS THE WAVE THAT WAS San Francisco's Bay Area's string of hot days is longest on record -- www.sfgate.com
(we have never used the swimming pool so much since the kids grew up. editor) The Great Heat Wave of 2006 was not just an epic meteorological event -- it was an epochal one, unprecedented in the north state's weather annals, meteorologists agree. It has been hotter for longer than ever before, and the weather patterns that caused the scorching temperatures were positively freakish. The region's last significant hot spell -- in 1972 -- lasted two days, and never in the past has the Bay Area suffered through as many consecutive days of temperatures above 110. "We've had several one-day wonders over the years," said consulting meteorologist Mike Pechner in Cordelia, "but nothing of this extent and duration. It has been truly extraordinary. "From an historical perspective, what happened in the nine Bay Area counties was particularly noteworthy. We didn't set many all-time temperature records in the Bay Area, but we did set records for the number of consecutive days with temperatures above 110." Pechner said there was no previous record of Bay Area temps hitting 110 degrees for four consecutive days. According to Pechner, who uses data from the National Weather Service and Bay Area Air Quality Management District, there were five consecutive days this month with temperatures above 110: July 21 (111 degrees, Vacaville); July 22 (114 degrees, Morgan Hill); and July 23-25 in Rio Vista (110 degrees, 113 degrees, and 111 degrees, respectively). ((Los Gatos/Saratoga had neighborhoods reporting 108 to 110. Yesterday is was only 96. The mean average weather.com says in the area is 71 (although I would say it is 78-80.) It was only 94 yesterday, with a very nice breeze. It is expected to be only 92 this weekend. We are all very much looking forward to it. Have a nice weekend. editor.))
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News Briefs---- Fed report sees growth slowing NetBank issues earnings warning After Fed approves Basel II, industry Oil profits continue to bubble Aging grids cited in blackouts Microsoft alters strategy to reach emerging markets ---------------------------------------------------------------
You May have Missed--- Should kids be left fortunes, or be left out? ----------------------------------------------------------------
"Gimme that Wine" RAVENS TO RICHES Wine Prices by vintage US/International Wine Events Winery Atlas Leasing News Wine & Spirits Page ----------------------------------------------------------------
Calendar Events This Day Hamburger Day Peru: Independence Day ----------------------------------------------------------------
Today's Top Event in History 1900 -- Louis Lassen of Louis' Lunch in New Haven, Conn., reportedly created the hamburger sandwich when he tossed a grilled beef patty between two slices of white bread for a customer in a hurry . http://whatscookingamerica.net/History/HamburgerHistory.htm ----------------------------------------------------------------
This Day in American History 1746-Thomas Heyward birthday, American Revolutionary soldier, signer of the Declaration of Independence. Died Mar 6, 1809. --------------------------------------------------------------
Baseball Poem Polo Grounds Rolfe Humphries Time is of the essence. The rhythms break, Time is of the essence. Remember Terry? Time is of the essence. The shadow moves Time is of the essence. The crowd and players --------------------------------------------------------------
SuDoku The object is to insert the numbers in the boxes to satisfy only one condition: each row, column and 3x3 box must contain the digits 1 through 9 exactly once. What could be simpler? http://leasingnews.org/Soduku/soduko-main.htm |
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Independent, unbiased and fair news about the Leasing Industry. |
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