New Hires/Promotions in the Leasing Business
and Related Industries

Ryan Blomberg was hired as Business Development Manager, Business Development Manager, New American Funding, Tustin, California. He is located in the Greater Minneapolis-St. Paul Area. Full Bio:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-blomberg-a7945477/details/experience/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-blomberg-a7945477/details/experience/

Ashley Smith, CLFP, was hired as Vice President of Business Development, Alliance Funding Group, Tustin, California. Previously, she was self-employed as President, Aviation Schools Online (August, 2013 - Present). She joined VFI Corporate Finance (January, 2017 - June 2024). Full Bio:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashley-smith-1b1a451b/details/experience/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashley-smith-1b1a451b/

Kyle Popelar was promoted to Vice President of sales, Equipment Finance, Asset Management, CSI Leasing Inc., St. Louis, Missouri. He joined CSi as Technology Finance & Lifecycle Management Specialist (December, 2015, promoted Account Executive (February, 2018 - June 2024).
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kpopelar/

Taylor Weeks was hired as Senior Vice President of Sales, Mazuma Capital Corporation, Draper, Utah. He is located in the Salt Lake City Metropolitan Area. Previously, he was at Onset Financial, starting April, 2013, National Account Manager, promoted August, 2017, National Marketing Manager, promoted Vice President of Sales (May, 2019 - June 2024).
https://www.linkedin.com/in/taylor-weeks-31158253/

Larra Wells was promoted to Relationship Manager,  Wells Fargo, Irving, Texas.  She joined Wells March, 2016, Inside Sales Manager Vendor Financial Services, Transaction Center of Excellence March, 2016, promoted Regional Representative, Vendor Financial Services, Office Imaging (October, 2016 - June 2024). Previously, she was a GE Capital. She began her career at GE Capital, starting March, 2004, Regional Sales Representative, promoted March, 2006, Program Development Manager, promoted Contracts Team Leader (July, 2007 - February, 2009).
https://www.linkedin.com/in/larrawells/

Lance Woods was hired as Junior Account Executive, MAZO Capital Solutions, Irvine, California.  He is located in Carey, Ohio. Previously, he was an Intern, Long Road Risk Management Services, Internship (June, 2023 - December, 2023).
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lanwoods/

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ZRG Secures $120 Million In Debt Financing
From Main Street Capital
By Scott A. Scanlon, Co-CEO Hunt Scanlon Ventures

ZRG, a global talent advisory firm, has secured $120 million in debt financing from Main Street Capital Corporation and its affiliates.

ZRG CEO Larry Hartmann, explained, “It is a great time to acquire niche talent advisory and management businesses and build out our capabilities across executive search, interim, RPO, and consulting.

“This additional financing from Main Street Capital, combined with our recent equity raise with a consortium of investors, positions us strongly to achieve our strategic objectives.”

Financial Flexibility

The $120 million debt financing follows closely on the heels of ZRG’s recent equity raise managed by RFE Investment Partners, ZRG’s primary financial sponsor, further solidifying the firm’s financial foundation and capacity for expansion.

Ron Ahuja, Principal of RFE Investment Partners, said, “We are excited to partner with Main Street Capital, as this strategic debt refinancing will provide ZRG with greater financial flexibility and a strong balance sheet, while serving as the catalyst to execute on the company’s long-term growth plan.”

John Watson, director at Main Street Capital, said, “We are impressed with ZRG’s data driven and tech-enabled approach to candidate placement and are excited to support the business and RFE as they execute on their M&A strategy.”

With over 30 offices on five continents, ZRG provides people solutions for the complex talent issues that its corporate and private equity clients face on a day-to-day basis.

ZRG’s core offerings include executive search focusing on senior global leadership as well as a growing suite of on-demand (interim) talent offerings to help clients fill open roles and address project-based work with specialized talent. The firm’s consulting and advisory solutions focus on key issues like “culture fit,” strategic alignment, coaching, and sales optimization.

Three years ago ZRG acquired Walking the Talk, a leading consulting and advisory firm focused on culture transformation. Earlier that year it acquired leading sports recruiters Turnkey Search. Last year, ZRG acquired The Registry, an interim solutions platform focused on higher education and considered the gold-standard in its sector. Hunt Scanlon Ventures facilitated all three transactions and served as a strategic advisor to ZRG.

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Lovern J. Gordon, CLFP, Love Life Foundation
Wins Massachusetts Award

Lovern J. Gordon, CLFP, was recognized by the Massachusetts Commission on the on the Status of Women as a Commonwealth Heroine for here tireless work. She was presented by the award on the Status of Women alongside other amazing awardees, for her tireless work around hashtag#DVawareness.

She was nominated by State Senator, Michael Brady, and she said she was surprised by the Citation at the State House ceremony.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/loverngordon/

 

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

Visualizing the Tax Burden of Every U.S. State

This map graphic visualizes the total tax burden in each U.S. state as of March 2024, based on figures compiled by WalletHub.

It’s important to understand that under this methodology, the tax burden measures the percent of an average person’s income that is paid towards state and local taxes. It considers property taxes, income taxes, and sales & excise tax.

From this data we can see that New York has the highest total tax burden. Residents in this state will pay, on average, 12% of their income to state and local governments.

Breaking this down into its three components, the average New Yorker pays 4.6% of their income on income taxes, 4.4% on property taxes, and 3% in sales & excise taxes.

At the other end of the spectrum, Alaska has the lowest tax burden of any state, equaling 4.9% of income. This is partly due to the fact that Alaskans do not pay state income tax.

Hate Paying Taxes?
In addition to Alaska, there are several other U.S. states that don’t charge income taxes. These are: Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming.

It’s also worth noting that New Hampshire does not have a regular income tax, but does charge a flat 4% on interest and dividend income according to the Tax Foundation.

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63rd Annual ELFA Convention
Call for Proposals

You are invited to submit a high-caliber educational session proposal for 2024.

• Submission Deadline: Wednesday, July 17.
• Submission Method: Electronic submission only
• Convention Theme: Next Level Success - Elevate your business, your career and our industry with new technology, business models, markets and talent.
• Convention Date: Oct. 27-29, Austin, Texas

Full Instructions:
https://www.elfaonline.org/education-networking/2024/ac/63rd-annual-convention-call-for-proposals

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Watch at Home
by Fernando Croce, Leasing News Movie Reviewer

A recent Oscar winner (“Anatomy of a Fall”), a sensitive drama (“Dogfight”), a surreal trip (“Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas”), a classic chiller (“Peeping Tom”) and a prophetic satire (“To Die For”) comprise the latest batch of Criterion releases.

Anatomy of a Fall (2023): Ambiguity in its many shades is the subject of Justine Triet’s acclaimed French drama, which won an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. In the chilly expanses of Grenoble, a mysterious event forever changes the life of novelist Sandra (Sandra Huller). When her husband Samuel (Samuel Theis) is found dead from a fall by their blind son, Daniel (Milo Machado Grainer), she finds herself the main suspect in a case that might be an accident, a suicide, or a murder. Thrust into a ruthless trial, Sandra sees every detail turned into a piece of evidence—a courtroom ordeal that reaches its pinnacle when Daniel steps in as a witness. Searching for truth in a landscape of doubt, Triet’s film is consistently engrossing. With subtitles.

Dogfight (1991): An underrated director of uncommon sensitivity, Nancy Savoca (“Household Saints”) takes an affecting look at an unlikely romance in this comedy-drama set largely over the course of one night in 1963. Eddie Birdlace (River Phoenix) is a callow Marine hoping to have a good time in San Francisco before being deployed overseas. Him and his buddies set up what they call a “dogfight,” a cruel prank which requires each man to bring an unattractive date. Eddie decides to bring Rose (Lili Taylor), a plain waitress and aspiring folk singer he’s just met, though his original intentions make way for budding affection as they get to know more about each other. Analyzing romance, war and cultural shifts with a tender touch, Savoca’s film is anchored by terrific performances by Phoenix and Taylor.

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998): Terry Gilliam (“Brazil”) brings his peerlessly outlandish eye to this remarkable adaptation of gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson’s study of America at a psychedelic crossroads. Johnny Depp is wildly inspired as Thompson’s stand-in, a magazine writer and inveterate stoner named Raoul Duke who drives to Las Vegas with his volatile attorney, Dr. Gonzo (Benicio Del Toro). There on an assignment to cover a motorcycle race, Duke instead dives headfirst into a maelstrom of drugs and oddball characters that quickly blurs the lines between reality and hallucination. Using surreal camerawork to translate the author’s prose to the screen, Gilliam fashions an unforgettable trip through a desert inhabited by one bizarre cameo after another. While the results may not be for everybody, there’s no denying the feverish imagination at work.

Peeping Tom (1960): Released in the same year as “Psycho,” this British drama is every bit as unsettling a study in obsession and voyeurism. Carl Boehm is unforgettable as Mark Lewis, a lonely young Londoner who works as a photographer at a seedy studio by day and kills women by night. The son of a scientist who used to experiment on him, he’s obsessed with capturing moments of terror, filming his victims’ final moments in a kind of private documentary about fear. When his friend Helen (Anna Massey) learns about his murderous work, his journey into madness accelerates. Originally dismissed by critics as lurid junk, the film has since been rediscovered as a masterpiece from the great director Michael Powell (“The Red Shoes”), a lacerating and darkly profound work.

To Die For (1995): Nicole Kidman gives an exuberant comic performance in this withering satire of obsessive fame from experimental indie stalwart Gus Van Sant (“Drugstore Cowboy”). She stars as Suzanne Stone, a ruthlessly ambitious young woman working as a weather reporter at a small-town TV station. As she dreams of moving onto bigger things in the news field, she begins to see her earnest husband, Larry (Matt Dillon), more as an obstacle than a loved one. Manipulating an infatuated high-school student, Jimmy (Joachin Phoenix), she comes up with a scheme to murder Larry. With suspicions growing after things don’t go as planned, Suzanne becomes even more fixated on reaching the spotlight. With a cast that includes Casey Affleck and Illeana Douglas, the movie remains sharp, provocative, and prophetic.

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

Mixed Breed (Medium)
Draper, Utah  Adopt-a-Dog

Rosie

HSUT-A-34168
Female
10.8 lbs.
1 month, 3 weeks
Location: Tiny Town, DT37
Adoption Fee: $250

Sweet girl, loves belly rubs and often sleeps on her back. Right in the middle in size shows great attributes from all the puppies.

Adoption Center in Murray, 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM, 7 days a week

UTAH HUMANE Society of Utah
242 South 300 West
Murray, UT 84107
(801) 261-2919
https://www.utahhumane.org/about-us/contact-us

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B2B Business Finance
September 23-24 The Wynn, Las Vegas

The inaugural B2B Finance Expo will debut in Las Vegas this Fall from September 23-24 at The Wynn. Powered by deBanked in collaboration with the Small Business Finance Association (SBFA), the conference will bring together the leading lenders, funders, and brokers from across the spectrum of commercial finance, leasing, mortgage, and revenue-based capital products.

Steve Denis, Executive Director of the SBFA, said, “The goal is to bring together leaders in commercial finance at an upscale event focused on delivering value to participants.

“Our content will gather industry leaders’ perspectives on partnerships, capital markets, diversifying income streams, and compliance in an environment that balances education, growth, and relationship building.”

Sean Murray, deBanked founder, said, “We’ve produced nearly 20 commercial finance related conferences since 2018. Brokers from all segments of commercial finance looking for a valuable conference to expand their network, learn, and grow their business should attend B2B Finance Expo in Las Vegas this year. It’ll be the biggest one of its kind this Fall.”

The SBFA is a non-profit advocacy organization dedicated to ensuring Main Street small businesses have access to the capital they need to grow and strengthen the economy. The SBFA’s mission is to educate policymakers and regulators about the technology-driven platforms emerging in the small business lending market and how their member companies bridge the small business capital gap using innovative financing solutions. Attendees of the conference will have the opportunity to support this initiative.

To register: https://www.b2bfinexpo.com/page/3861631/registration

To inquire about sponsorship, complete this form here:
https://www.b2bfinexpo.com/page/3798733/sponsorship-info

 

News Briefs

Regional Banks Want to Slim Down.
   Hedge Funds Smell a Bargain. After failures, 
      the lenders  are paying fund managers to share risk
https://www.wsj.com/finance/banking/regional-banks-want-to-slim-down-hedge-funds-smell-a-bargain-f4e1d0fe?st=gqm4xx6ahzah8oh&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink

Nvidia becomes Wall Street’s
    most valuable company
https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/06/18/nvidia-wall-streets-most-valuable/

How A.I. Is Revolutionizing Drug Development
    The Terray Therapeutics campus in Monrovia, Calif.
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/17/business/ai-drugs-development-terray.html

Best Buy trains 30,000 for Microsoft
    AI laptops launch, Others Follow
https://www.bostonglobe.com/2024/06/19/business/best-buy-microsoft-ai-laptops-launch/

Ship attacked by Yemen’s Houthi rebels in fatal
    assault sinks in Red Sea in their second sinking
https://www.bostonglobe.com/2024/06/19/world/ship-attacked-by-yemens-houthi-rebels-fatal-assault-sinks-red-sea-their-second-sinking-2/

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How to keep your pet safe in a heat wave
   "I've never seen an overhead cat."
https://www.bostonglobe.com/2024/06/19/metro/should-i-still-take-my-dog-for-a-walk-during-a-heat-wave/

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Sports Briefs---

At Willie Mays Plaza, SF Giants and
   fans celebrate life of a legend
https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2024/06/19/at-willie-mays-plaza-sf-giants-and-baseball-fans-celebrate-life-of-a-legend/

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California News Briefs---

California to return 2,800 acres of ancestral
   land to Shasta nation
https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/article289368040.htmlNewsom’s office says

San Jose OKs new protections for tens of
thousands of mobile home park residents
https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/06/19/san-jose-oks-new-protections-for-tens-of-thousands-of-mobile-home-park-residents/

San Jose approves sanctioned encampment plan
for 500 homeless people near waterways
https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2024/06/19/san-jose-approves-sanctioned-encampment-plan-for-500-homeless-people-near-waterways/

California home insurer with 9,000 policies
   withdraws from state
https://www.sfchronicle.com/california/article/home-insurance-occidental-19521130.php

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Gimme that Wine

 

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

Could smoke from the Point Fire damage local
   wine grapes months before harvest?
https://www.northbaybusinessjournal.com/article/industrynews/point-fire-wineries-smoke-taint-sonoma-county/

Ram's Gate Winery Winemaker Joe Nielsen named
a Wine Spectator "Star of California Chardonnay"
https://www.winebusiness.com/news/article/288933

Wine Spectators - Comprehensive Guide to Everything
Point Noir - Names Castle Rock a Great Pinot Noir Value
https://www.winebusiness.com/news/article/288939    

Senior associate winemaker for Francis
Ford Coppola’s Inglenook retires
https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/lifestyle/francis-ford-coppola-inglenook-napa-valley/