Orange County, CA.
Operations/Credit Manager with 15 Years Experience, Middle & Large Ticket, initiated policies for Patriot Act and Sarbanes Oxley, Team Motivator.
E-mail: equiplender@aol.com

Experienced Credit, Collections, lease and Finance operations. Manager w/expertise in improving bottom line performance, excellent trainer, manager, motivator. Get result/keep the customer coming back.
Email: rgmorrill@comcast.net

New York, NY.
10+ years in equipment leasing/secured lending. Skilled in management & training, documentation, policy and procedure development & implementation, portfolio reporting. Strong work ethic.
Email: dln1031@nyc.rr.com

Wayne, NJ
20+ heavily experienced collection/recovery VP looking to improve someone's bottom line. Proven, verifiable track record. Knowledge of all types of portfolio. Will relocate
Email: cmate@nac.net

When ELT E-News Daily last examined the office equipment leasing market in November 2004, lessors' experiences indicated inconsistencies in performance from firm to firm. However, the overall expectation was for improvement in 2005. We revisited some of the lessors who commented for the previous article, as well as asked other lessors for their viewpoint on the current state of office equipment leasing.

Marc Keepman, President, KLC Financial, Inc., said last November that his firm had been hoping for more growth by that time and customers were taking longer to decide on deals, but that he was extremely optimistic for 2005. This year seems to have met his expectations, as he commented, “We are doing well. 2005 has been fairly brisk, as we had hoped it would be. The office equipment sector has picked up.”

Keepman added that, overall, business is very good. He noted a number of factors that have spurred improvement in office equipment leasing: rising interest rates have not slowed the market, lessees are eager to get new equipment and to roll out their growth plans, and lenders have funding available and are searching for loans making lessors' funding job a little easier.

Mike Jones, General Manger, Office Equipment Group, US Express Leasing, commenting on his remarks at the end of 2004, said, “At that time, USXL was optimistic that our focus on providing independent dealers with proactive personal service would resonate and provide our organization growth. Six months have passed and based on our market penetration and positive feedback from our dealer partners, there is no question that the future is bright.”

Jones said that USXL's base of quality dealer relationships has been growing every month at a steady pace due to several factors, and that the most satisfying has been referrals that they receive from their existing dealers. He noted that although the market continues to evolve, it has been evident that independent dealers want quick, flexible and customer-centric execution. He added, “Although the market continues to change, our core values and optimism remain the same. This is a great time to be in the office products market.”

Gilbert Benes, Director of Lease Operations for BBH Financial Services Company which leases mail-handling, mail-sorting, and computer equipment, saw weak performance in the first five months of 2005, but said that business has picked up quite a bit since. He said, “With eight interest rate increases in the last year, lessees seem to be anticipating higher rates in the future, so they are locking in their rates.”

Benes believes the next six months will be fairly strong based on order quotes from BBH's parent company, which account for 80 percent of their leasing business, as well as feedback from other dealers in the market. “For most of the areas we deal in everyone sees things picking up,” Benes said.

Service contracts continue to be an important component of BBH's office equipment leasing offering. Benes commented, “We find organizations, especially at the smaller, mom-and-pop level, enjoy a comfort level in having their lease and service agreements bundled.”

Kevin Clune, President, Clune & Company, LC , said his firm is seeing much the same as last year when they reported inconsistent volume levels reported by most of their vendors, adding however, there is “a sense that the tide is indeed rising.”

Clune noted an unfortunate negativity with the leasing industry in general, exclusive of the Norvergence situation and shared by more and more vendors as well as lessees. He believes that charges imposed upon lessees, especially in the small ticket arena, have given the industry a well-deserved black eye.

Tony Golobic, Chairman and CEO, GreatAmerica Leasing Corporation, said that the office equipment leasing market is more rate competitive than ever before, and commented, “This is nothing new and we at GreatAmerica have come to expect it.” Golobic expressed surprise, though, at what he called many, if not the majority, of the competitors in this market who are making attempts at trying to commoditize it. He explained, “Many office equipment lessors are experiencing disappointing leasing volumes in this market. These companies are now completely focused on trying to offer the lowest rate factors, knowing full well what they are going to need to do (such as proliferation of fees and inventive end-of-term practices) in order to get the financial return they need.” He said that this approach is resulting in very adversarial relationships between the leasing industry and its dealer-customers, adding, “It is definitely not doing much for our reputation with lessees.”

Golobic said that GreatAmerica offers proof lessors do not have to approach the office equipment market this way. He said, “Instead, we charge a somewhat higher rate on the front end so we do not do things that would ultimately harm our dealer partners, nor their customers.” While he said this approach makes their initial sales effort more challenging, it enables a feeling of pride in their company and maintains positive long-term relationships with their dealers.

Golobic added, “And yes, in this competitive market, one can still be successful by being a value-add player. We at GreatAmerica are doing well with our office equipment volume, growing by 20 percent for the fiscal year ending May 31, 2005.”

This was announced earlier, but is getting play on internet media, but for those who may have missed it:

General Electric has announced the reorganization of its 11 businesses into six operating units categorized by industry: GE Infrastructure, GE Industrial, GE Commercial Financial Services, NBC Universal, GE Healthcare, and GE Consumer Finance. The GE Infrastructure unit will encompass Aircraft Engines, Rail, Energy, Oil & Gas, and Water, while GE Industrial will include Plastics, Silicones/Quartz, Consumer & Industrial, Security & Sensors, Automation, and Equipment Services. Meanwhile, Commercial Finance and Insurance will fall under the Commercial Financial Services unit.

GE CEO Jeffrey Immelt says the reorganization, which takes effect July 5, will "reduce $200 million to $300 million of cost in savings and structural redundancies" and "result in substantial gains in productivity;" job reduction and plant closures.

Immelt also expects the new company structure to expedite GE's "progress in developing markets like China, India, and the Middle East." IBM recently announced that it was cutting back employees worldwide, but also is hiring 14,000 new employees in India This is more a re-alignment to expand in Europe, India, and basically overseas markets, especially finance in India and China, as well as Europe, where they have an affiliation that is “saving” the airline industry by not calling past due loans or leases, actually extending terms and agreements, which meets all legal reporting requirements.

“I found the Parker advertisement in USAtoday when I was in the US a few weeks ago. I contacted them after my return from Germany and they initially appeared to be straight. Located in Europe, it is extremely difficult to obtain financing for new projects of any kind. Germany's economic situation is in a free fall with 48,000 LLC companies folding annually, retail sales down 40% and about 14% jobless, with more jobs moving offshore.

“ The socialistic systems have simply over taxes and over regulated business to the maximum and now business, including the Deutsche Bank moved offshore. There are billions in private hands, but this enormous amount of money is not being spent, because nobody knows what the system will take next. There is simply no confidence in the market.

“There is a government change coming in September, which will remove Schroeder's (Captain Hollywood!) Red/Green government, but will replace it with an equally incompetent Black/Yellow combo. The problem is that the socialistic system has exploded to a point that it is a cancer like independent body totally out of control. The system has installed itself so that there is no direct means for the people to stop or change anything. You would not believe what is going on here. There is no critical media coverage in the United States that in anyway reflects the true situation here!

“I have an extremely interesting and highly potential project. Can you eventually recommend a good solid trustworthy and innovative broker that can help me solicit the funding I need to get this project moving? Any assistance would be greatl appreciated.

“On a closing note, I placed an advertisement in the German FAZ newspaper and received 17 responses from agents and potential investors. Virtually all of them were mainly interested in upfront payments of different sizes and with different titles. I am looking for money! I've invested US$ 350,000.00 in my project, because I believe in it. I'm not sending anyone money to see what they can do. This is would be simply stupid! You know the old saying "HOW ME".

James L. Leach
ICS
ICSWorldwide@aol.com
I have a very interesting project with considerable long term potential

-----------------------------------------------------------------
#### Press Release #####################

Pawnee Leasing Corporation (est. 1982), a small-ticket funding source specializing in start-up business and less traditional credits up to $30,000, is pleased to announce the promotion of Gary H. Souverein to President and COO of Pawnee Leasing Corporation.

Souverein previously served as Executive Vice President of the company and has served in various roles for the company since 1993.

“I'm looking forward to building upon the successful business model Sam has so greatly enhanced during his operational leadership of the company. I'm confident about Pawnee's future as we have a great management group, employee team and independent broker network that will continue our strong history of results.” Souverein stated.

You can contact Pawnee Leasing Corporation toll free at (800) 864-4266 or by e-mail at arrow@pawneeleasing.com. Member NAELB, UAEL & EAEL.

SALES: Seeking energetic, self motivated sales pro, nationwide opportunities, equipment/ transportation leasing and financing (buses, livery, limousines, ambulances, paratransit, funeral vehicles). Direct experience helpful/ not required. We are willing to train the right person. Moderate travel /extensive phone work required. Highest commissions paid in the industry. Fax or email resume to 718-392-5427 or dcoolbaugh@advantagefunding.us

About the Company: Advantage Funding is a leading commercial and consumer vehicle and equipment financing and leasing company, Long Island City, NY.

www.advantagefund.com

SFBI Recruiters

Need:
- Need fast turn around?
- Need a base salary and a good comp plan?
- Do you need competitive rates ?
- Need personalized expert service for   your vendors?
- Sales Reps w medical leasing vendors   needed nationally.
- Sales Reps w Specialty Trucking vendors   needed nationally!

Contact: Fred St Laurent, SFBI Professional Recruiting. Email: Fred@sfbirecruiter.com

www.sfbirecruiter.com

Wanted: Energetic, self-motivated outside sales professional in Pacific NW.
For full job description go to http://www.dolsenleasing.com/Careers.cfm

In business since 1958, DLC is an independent funding source servicing the $10K-250K market in 11 western states.

www.dolsenleasing.com

Tax Manager

Tax Manager

Seeking Tax Manager for Marshall, MN Headquarters. Responsible for management of USBancorp small ticket leasing division for a multi - billion dollar portfolio including oversight of compliance with all sales, use, rental, property, excise and miscellaneous taxes pertaining to the business of leasing. Four-year college/ university degree; or 2-4 years related work exp. and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience.

For complete description and application, click here.

www.usbank.com

SUPERIOR, CO. – Key Equipment Finance, one of the nation's largest bank-affiliated equipment financing companies and an affiliate of KeyCorp (NYSE: KEY), announces the appointment of Jeffrey L. Gocken to national sales manager for its construction and industrial vendor leasing segment. In this role, Gocken is responsible for managing the U.S. field and inside sales teams. His office is located at the Key Equipment Finance office center in Downers Grove, Illinois.

Prior to joining Key, Gocken was regional sales director for the north central U.S. at DeLage Landen Financial Services. He held a similar position at Deutsche Financial Services and previously worked for AT&T Capital as national program manager and corporate liaison for the U.S. dealer network of a significant construction equipment account. Gocken earned his bachelor of arts degree in communications from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and his juris doctorate with honors from the University of Maryland at Baltimore.

“Jeff has more than 17 years of construction and material handling industry experience,” said Paul A. Larkins, president and chief executive officer, Key Equipment Finance. “It is gratifying to know that Key Equipment Finance attracts candidates of Jeff's caliber.”

“Jeff is a valuable addition to our team,” said Adam Warner, president and chief operating officer, express leasing services at Key Equipment Finance. “With a proven background in sales, credit and operations, he will help us expand our construction and industrial business segment.”

Key Equipment Finance is an affiliate of KeyCorp (NYSE: KEY) and provides business-to-business equipment financing solutions to businesses of many types and sizes. The company focuses on four distinct markets:

· businesses of all sizes in the U.S. and Canada (from small business to large corporate);

· federal, provincial, state and local governments as well as other public sector organizations; and

· lease advisory services for manufacturers' captive leasing and finance companies.

Headquartered outside Boulder, Colorado, Key Equipment Finance manages a $12 billion equipment portfolio with annual originations of approximately $5 billion. The company has major management and operations bases in Toronto, Ontario; Albany, New York; Chicago, Illinois; Houston, Texas; London, England; and Sydney, Australia. The company, which operates in 25 countries and employs 1,100 people worldwide, has been in the equipment financing business for more than 30 years. Additional information regarding Key Equipment Finance, its products and services can be obtained online at KEFonline.com.

Cleveland-based KeyCorp is one of the nation's largest bank-based financial services companies, with assets of approximately $91 billion. Key companies provide investment management, retail and commercial banking, consumer finance, and investment banking products and services to individuals and companies throughout the United States and, for certain businesses, internationally. The company's businesses deliver their products and services through branches and offices; a network of approximately 2,200 ATMs; telephone banking centers 1-800-KEY2YOU® (1-800-539-2968); and a website, Key.com®, that provides account access and financial products 24 hours a day.

CIT Names Timothy Eichenlaub as Senior Managing Director
and Head of Global Sponsor Finance

NEW YORK, -- CIT Group Inc. (NYSE: CIT), a leading provider of commercial and consumer finance solutions, today announced the appointment of Timothy Eichenlaub as Senior Managing Director and Head of Global Sponsor Finance, where he will be responsible for developing and managing relationships with financial sponsors and private equity firms engaged in leveraged buyouts, management buyouts, recapitalizations and other leveraged transactions. Global Sponsor Finance is a unit of CIT's Investment Banking Services group, formed recently to provide sophisticated financing solutions and advisory services to the Company's vast mid-market client base.

"We are pleased that Tim has joined CIT at this pivotal time for our Company and the Commercial Finance group," said Rick Wolfert, Vice Chairman, CIT Commercial Finance. "With more than 20 years of experience in sponsor finance, Tim's expertise and relationships in the financial sponsor community will further expand CIT's service offerings to existing and potential clients across major market sectors. We look forward to Tim's insights and contributions both in North America and in Europe."

Mr. Eichenlaub joins CIT from GE Commercial Finance. At GE, he held Managing Director positions in both the Merchant Banking Group and the Commercial and Industrial Finance business. Following GE's acquisition of Heller Financial in 2001, Mr. Eichenlaub joined GE's Merchant Banking Group where he was responsible for teams covering private equity groups in the southern and western U.S., the Syndications team, the Mezzanine Capital team, and the team focused on equity co-investments and buyout fund investments.

Prior to that, Mr. Eichenlaub was Executive Vice President and Head of Capital Markets for Heller Financial's Corporate Finance Group. There, he oversaw the Syndications, Mezzanine Capital, and Bank Debt Participations teams.

Mr. Eichenlaub holds a M.S. in Industrial Management from the Georgia Institute of Technology and a B.A. from Grove City College.

CIT Group Inc. (NYSE: CIT), a leading commercial and consumer finance company, provides clients with financing and leasing products and advisory services. Founded in 1908, CIT has nearly $60 billion in assets under management and possesses the financial resources, industry expertise and product knowledge to serve the needs of clients across approximately 30 industries. CIT, a Fortune 500 company and a component of the S&P 500 Index, holds leading positions in vendor financing, factoring, equipment and transportation financing, Small Business Administration loans, and asset-based lending. CIT, with its Global Headquarters in New York City and Corporate Offices in Livingston, New Jersey, has approximately 6,000 employees in locations throughout North America, Europe, Latin and South America, and the Pacific Rim. For more information, visit
http://www.cit.com .

LGI Financial Solutions (LGI), a leading provider of managed financial services, and GlobalTech Financial (GTF), the preeminent supplier of outsourced lease administration and portfolio management services, today announced a new strategic alliance designed to assist manufacturers, banks and captive finance organizations lower their costs and improve the operational efficiencies of their customer financing programs.

Under this alliance, LGI and GTF will now be able to offer clients an integrated “end-to-end” customer financing solution that includes the following “best practices” capabilities – originations, transaction processing, funding, billing, collections, tax administration, asset management and program management services. LGI will manage and provide all “pre-funding” services while GTF will provide all “post-funding” services. In addition to developing new customers, members of both organizations will focus on developing additional program offerings and providing enhanced portfolio management services.

Citing the tremendous breadth of services now available, Carolyn H. Byrd Chairman and CEO of GlobalTech Financial said “Today's announcement expands the collective value our two organizations can provide our clients. Our combined experience, expertise and operational capabilities will enable our customers to economically achieve their business and financial objectives. Simply stated, we've synergistically aligned our two companies to provide our clients with the services they need and value they deserve.”

Echoing Ms. Byrd's remarks, Clark Covert, LGI's Chairman and CEO, said “Today's announcement benefits companies of all sizes. Now, small, medium and large corporations, banks and captive finance organizations can intelligently and confidently outsource all of their customer financing activities without sacrificing program performance or service levels commitments. We believe our aligned capabilities can enhance any company's customer financing program!”

Established in 1988 and based in Austin, TX, LGI Financial Solutions is a leading provider of managed financial services. Strategically partnered with a number of major banks and lending institutions, LGI provides the strategic consulting, transaction processing and program management services our clients need to successfully support their consumer, commercial, government and international customer financing programs.

GlobalTech Financial was established in 2000 to manage the processing and servicing of business loans and leases granted by Coca-Cola Financial Corporation. Since that time, GTF has selectively added senior executives and staff with extensive multi-functional experience, established key strategic alliances, and expanded its customer base to create a world-class portfolio servicing organization.

Walnut Creek, CA –PLM Trailer Leasing, a leading refrigerated equipment provider to the cold supply chain, announces the appointment of Rick Adams to the position of President. Mr. Adams replaces David Jardine who is retiring after 14 years with PLM.

In making the announcement, Marubeni America Corp. COO, Shigemasa Sonobe said, “Mr. Adams' appointment comes at a strategic time in our company's growth and he offers us a unique grasp of the critical factors necessary to establish and maximize long-term customer relationships. Under Rick's direction, the company will execute important sales initiatives and implement productivity enhancements that will enable PLM to realize the rapid growth objectives planned for the next three years.” PLM has 25 branch offices and 5,450 refrigerated trailers serving every major metropolitan market throughout the United States.

Mr. Adams, who will lead operations from Dallas, TX, joins PLM after 13 years with GE Trailer Fleet Services (formerly TIP). During his tenure with GE, Mr. Adams held various management positions, most recently as the Regional Operations Manager for the Southwestern Region, the largest of five regions within GE. He brings over 20 years of management experience in the transportation equipment industry to PLM.

Mr. Jardine joined PLM in 1992, and became President of PLM Trailer Leasing soon after Marubeni America Corporation purchased the company in 2000. Under Jardine's leadership, PLM concentrated on the core business of refrigerated trailer rental and leasing, effectively making PLM the market leader to companies involved in the cold supply chain.

PLM Trailer Leasing, the operating name of MAC Trailer Leasing LLC, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Marubeni America Corporation, the North American arm of Tokyo-based Marubeni Corporation, one of the top five “Sogo Shosha” Japanese trading companies. PLM is a niche company, focused on creative value contributions to temperature-controlled transportation, distribution, and storage businesses. For more information, visit www.plmtrailer.com

Priscilla Yata
PLM Trailer Leasing
Phone Number: 925-946-4290
Fax Number: 925-946-4298
E-mail: pyata@plmtrailer.com

Jeff Kocim has joined AIG Commercial Equipment Finance, Inc. (AIGCEF) as Vice President – Railcar and Locomotive Leasing and Finance. This represents AIGCEF's entry into the rail market. Mr. Kocim comes to AIGCEF with over twenty years experience financing and leasing railcars and locomotives under full service, operating and long term net lease structures. Mr. Kocim will lead the effort to provide leasing and structured non-recourse debt products to both users and investors of rail equipment. He earned his Bachelor of Science and MBA (Phi Beta Kappa) from Northern Illinois University and is a Chartered Financial Analyst. Jeff is based in Naperville, IL and can be reached at (630) 577-1474 or at jeff.kocim@aig.com.

1961- The public learned of President John Kennedy's letter assigning Vice President Lyndon Johnson the high priority task of unifying the United States satellite programs. In 1983, on the same date, astronaut Sally Ride landed at Edwards Air Force Base aboard the 100-ton Space Shuttle Challenger completing her voyage as the first American woman in space. These two events evidence the nation's leap from an age of earth-bound methods of communication and travel into the space age.

    1497-the first European to set foot on the North American continent after the Vikings was John Cabot ( also spelled Cabot, Cabotto, Caboote, Gabote, Calbot, or Talbot), a mariner who was probably born in Genoa, Italy. In 1496, King Henry VII of England granted Cabot a charter to sail west to Asia and set up a spice-trade monopoly. Cabot's ship, a 70-foot caravel called the Matthew, embarked from Briston, England, on May 27, 1497, and arrived on the coast of Newfoundland---or possibly Maine---on June 24. After planting the English and Venetian flags, Cabot and his men spent a few hours exploring the landing site, and then returned to their ship.
http://www.nmm.ac.uk/education/fact_files/fact_cabot.html
http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/journals/EH/EH33/croxto33.html
    1579-the first Christian religious service in English on the Pacific Coast was the Holy Communion service conducted at San Francisco Bay, CA, by the Reverend Francis Fletcher, who read from the Book of Common Prayer of the Church of England. Fletcher was chaplain on Sir Francis Drake's ship, the Golden Hind, during its voyage of cirumnagation from 1577 to 1580. Drake named the place Nova Albion, Latin for New England. A 57 foot marble cross commemorates the event in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, Ca. There is a controversy this day to where he actually anchored, many think it is Bolinas Bay in Marin County, as his log so indicates, and a plaque so describes (but that is another story). He navigated the North Coast of California.
http://www.longcamp.com/nav.html
    1647-The first woman in America to appeal for the right to vote was Margaret Brent, a niece of Lord Baltimore, the founder of the colony of Maryland. She came to America from England in January, 1638, and was the first woman in Maryland to own property in her own name. She became one of the colony's principal landowners and a person of influence, raising troop of soldiers in 1644. On June 24, 1647, she appealed for the right to vote in the colonial assembly by virtue of her position as secretary to Governor Leonard Calvert, asking for a “place and voyce,” but was ejected from the meetings. At the death of Calvert, she became his executor and acting governor, president over the General Assembly, but was refused a voice in the affairs of the government as “it would set a bad example to the wives of the colony.” She moved to Virginia in 1650.
http://www.earlyamerica.com/review/1998/brent.html
    1714-considered the birthday of Matthew Thorton, signer of the Declaration of Independence, born at Ireland . He died this date, 1803, at Newburyport, MA.
http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/signers/thornton.htm
    1813-birthday of Henry ward Beecher, famous American clergyman and orator, born at Lichfield, CT. Died March 8, 1887, at Brooklyn, NY. His dying words were, “ Now comes the mystery.”
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USASbeecher.htm
    1842 -- Ambrose Bierce born (1842-1914) Meigs County, Ohio. American newspaper columnist, satirist, essayist, short-story writer and novelist, disappeared in the Mexican Revolution. Presumably died in the siege of Ojinega, January 1914. Strongly influenced by Edgar Allan Poe. His experiences in the Civil War marked him for life.
http://www.literature-web.net/bierce
http://www.creative.net/~alang/lit/horror/abierce.sht
    1869-Mary Ellen Pleasant, abolitionist, officially becomes Voodoo Queen in San Francisco, CA
http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/BHM/mepleasant.html
    1880- "O Canada," with music by Calixa Lavallee and French lyrics by Judge A.B. Routhier, was performed for the first time at the Skaters' Pavilion in Quebec City. Three bands, playing together, performed "O Canada" during a banquet at a national convention of French Canadians. Canada's future national anthem was reported to have been received enthusiastically.
    1880- Agnes Nestor birthday - U.S. labor leader. AN emerged as the leader of the 1898 women glove-maker's strike in Chicago when she was only 18. The strike victory ended the pay deduction women had to pay for the rental of the machines the women used to sew gloves. A short time later she led the women into their own union because men did not always support women's needs. She held posts with the International Glove Workers Union for the rest of her life and served as president of the Chicago Women's Trade Union League 1913-1948. She was a long time advocate of the eight-hour day that became a reality in 1937. Child labor, minimum wage, maternity-health, and women's suffrage were also part of her life's work.
http://www.kentlaw.edu/ilhs/images/hall/nestor.jpg
http://womenshistory.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site =
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USAWkenney.htm
http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/5728/
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.u
http://womenshistory.about.com/library/bio/blbio_nestor_agnes.htm k/USAWnestor.htm
    1880, "O Canada," with music by Calixa Lavallee and French lyrics by Judge A.B. Routhier, was performed for the first time at the Skaters' Pavilion in Quebec City. Three bands, playing together, performed "O Canada" during a banquet at a national convention of French Canadians. Canada's future national anthem was reported to have been received enthusiastically.
    1885-the first Episcopal bishop who was African-[American was the Reverend Samuel David Ferguson, who was elected to the House of Bishops of the Protestant Episcopal Church. He was consecrated in 1885, at Grace Church, New York City as the successor of the Missionary Bishop of Liberia.
http://newark.rutgers.edu/~lcrew/blackexperience.html
    1895-birthday of William Harrison “Jack” Dempsey, boxer born at Manassa, CO. Dempsey boxed under several pseudonyms in western mining camps, came east and picked up Jack “Doc” Kearns as his manager. After defeating all available heavyweights, Dempsey took on champion Jesse Williard in Toledo, OH, on July 4, 1919. Dempsey won when Willard failed to answer the bell for the fourth round. He reigned as champ for seven years but defended his title only six times, losing to Gene Tunney in 1926. Following his boxing career, he became a successful New York restaurateur. Died at New York, NY, 1983.
    1900-Blues singer-guitarist Memphis Minnie born Algiers, LA.
http://www.blueflamecafe.com/index.html
http://www.ping.be/ml-cmb/mmindex.htm
    1916-birthday of John Ciardi, American poet, citric, translator, teacher, etymologist and author of children's books, born at Boston, MA. John Anthony Ciardi's criticism and other writings were often described as hones and sometimes as harsh Died at Edison, NJ, March 30, 1986.
http://www.poets.org/poets/poets.cfm?prmID=697&CFID=
9794231&CFTOKEN=6584556
    1916 - The most lucrative movie contract to the time was signed by actress, Mary Pickford. She inked the first seven-figure Hollywood deal. Pickford would get $250,000 per film with a guaranteed minimum of $10,000 a week against half of the profits, including bonuses and the right of approval of all creative aspects of her films. Not a bad deal for the former vaudeville and stage actress, who once appeared on Broadway with Cecil B. DeMille in "The Warrens of Virginia" for a measly $25 a week.
    1917- Portia White birthday - Afro-Canadian concert and operatic contralto. Died 1968.
http://www.ac.wwu.edu/~jay/pages/docs/who.html
http://www.acappellacanada.ca/cdwhite/portia.html
    1922 - The American Professional Football Association took on a new name. They decided to name themselves the National Football1924 - Six men at a rock quarry south of Winston-Salem, NC, sought shelter from a thunderstorm. The structure chosen contained a quantity of dynamite. Lightning struck a near-by tree causing the dynamite to explode. The men were killed instantly. League.
    1929-Bessie Smith records sound-track for her only movie, “St. Louis Blues.”
http://www.blueflamecafe.com/index.html
    1930-Dr. Albert Hoyt Taylor and Leo C. Young of the Naval Aircraft Radio Laboratory, Anacostia, DC (now part of Washington DC), discovered radar by noting that airplanes reflect radio waves even though they fly above the transmitter and receiver, rather than between them.
    1931- Lili de Alvarez shocks social propriety by playing at Wimbledon in shorts instead of the longish, hampering dresses that were de rigueur.
    1936-Mary Jane McLeod Bethune, born in Mayesville, SC, in 1875, the daughter of slaves, became the first Federal administrator who was an African-American woman. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt named her director of the Negro Division of the National Youth Administration, thus becoming the first African-American woman to receive a major federal appointment. In 904, Bethune founded the Daytona Normal and Industrial Institute for Negro Girls, later known as Bethune-Cookman College, located in Daytona Beach,Fl. She was also the founder and first president of the National Council of Negro Women. In 1991, he home and offices in Washington, DC, were designated a national historic landmark.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/kids/dreamteam/marybethune.html
http://www.nahc.org/NAHC/Val/Columns/SC10-6.html
    1942- Mick Fleetwood, drummer with Fleetwood Mac, was born in London. Originally a blues band when it was formed in 1965, Fleetwood Mac developed into a pop group that put out one of the world's best-selling albums, "Rumours," in 1977. It sold 15-million copies. In 1980, Mick Fleetwood recorded a solo album in Ghana with African musicians. Fleetwood Mac made a comeback in 1987 with the album "Tango in the Night."
    1944-- Jeff Beck, one of the great rock guitarists, was born in Surrey, England. Beck's first important band was the Yardbirds, where he was the replacement for Eric Clapton in 1964. In 1967, he formed the Jeff Beck Group with Rod Stewart and Ron Wood. The beginnings of heavy metal could be heard in the group's blues-based songs. The Jeff Beck Group broke up after only two albums, and Beck was then sidelined for 18 months with a fractured skull suffered in a car accident. A new Jeff Beck Group put out two more LPs before Beck formed a band with two former members of Vanilla Fudge, Tim Bogert and Carmen Appice. But that group dissolved as well, in 1974. Beck then began playing fusion music, often in collaboration with keyboards player Jan Hammer. Jeff Beck has made only rare appearances since 1980, but his aggressive style has heavily influenced rock guitarists who followed him.
    1944—Pianist Bruce Johnston was born in Chicago. He joined the touring version of the group in 1965 when Brian Wilson decided to quit touring after a nervous breakdown. Johnston has continued to be associated with the Beach Boys over the past quarter century, both as performer and producer. Bruce and I played in each other bands in high school and college. He was rock and I was either Dixieland or big jazz band music.
http://www.allmusic.com/cg/x.dll?UID=2:55:11|PM&p=amg&sql=B18553
http://www.del-fi.com/albumcovers/ac71228.html
    1948-In the early days of the Cold War, the Soviet Union challenged the West's right of access to Berlin. The soviets created a blockade, and an airlift to supply some 2,250,000 people resulted. The airlift lasted a total of 321 days and brought into Berlin 1,592,787 tons of supplies. Joseph Stalin finally backed down and the blockage end May 12, 1949.
    1948-Thomas Dewey of New York became the first presidential candidate to be re-nominated after a defeat. He lost to Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1944 and won re-nomination this day in 1948. He was defeated in the 1948 election by Harry S. Truman, Roosevelt's vice-president who assumed office after the death of the president in office. The newspapers of the day had printed up early morning editions that “Dewey Won,” but Truman who stomped for election all over the United States pulled one of the biggest American political upsets. He won 24,104,836 popular votes to Dewey's 21,969,500; the electoral vote was 304 to 189. Dewey actually received 22,006,285 votes in 1944 but only 99 electoral votes. In the 1948 election, Strom Thurmond, States Right Democrat, 1,169,312; Henry A. Wallace, Progressive, 1,157,172, which pollsters said would draw votes from Truman in the South. The key was Truman went out and worked for the votes, train stop- to-train stop, where the mustached Dewey and his advisors thought he had the election in the bag.
    1949-“Hopalong Cassidy” premiered on television this day in 1949. A western series starring William Boyd in the title role as a hero who wore black and rode a white horse, Topper. The original episodes were segments edited from 66 movie features of Hopalong Cassidy and his sidekick, Red Connors ( Edgar Buchanan). The films were so popular that Boyd produced episodes especially for TV with Gabby Hayes as his sidekick. During his reign, Hoppy had many sidekicks. It was popular for us boys to wear his two six guns and black hat. Television was about to introduce many Western heroes, as all the Saturday Western movies were brought back to the tube.
http://www.yesterdayland.com/popopedia/memories/
show_mem.php?ID=SA1564
    1951—Top Hits
Too Young - Nat King Cole
On Top of Old Smokey - The Weavers (vocal: Terry Gilkyson)
How High the Moon - Les Paul & Mary Ford
I Want to Be with You Always - Lefty Frizzell
    1952- President Harry Truman signs the bill that directs women be commissioned officers in the Army, Navy, and Air Force as various medical specialists such as dentists, doctors, osteopaths, and veterinarians.
    1952 - Thunderstorms produced a swath of hail 60 miles long and 3.5 miles wide through parts of Hand, Beadle, Kingsbury, Miner and Jerauld counties in South Dakota. Poultry and livestock were killed, and many persons were injured. Hail ten inches in circumference was reported at Huron SD
    1952 - Eddie Arcaro set a thoroughbred racing record for American jockeys by winning his 3,000th horse race.
    1953 - Al Kaline signed with the Detroit Tigers on this day (following his graduation from high school). The future all-star of the Tigers was 18 years old.
http://www.baseballhalloffame.org/hofers_and_honorees/
hofer_bios/kaline_al.htm
    1955- In an effort to speed up the game, primarily for television viewers, major league baseball announces a new rule which requires a pitcher to deliver the ball within 20 seconds after taking a pitching position.
    1957-Duke Ellington and Ella Fitzgerald session on Verve “ Take the A Train.”
    1959—Top Hits
Personality - Lloyd Price
Lonely Boy - Paul Anka
Along Came Jones - The Coasters
The Battle of New Orleans - Johnny Horton
    1961- The public learned of President John Kennedy's letter assigning Vice President Lyndon Johnson the high priority task of unifying the United States satellite programs. In 1983, on the same date, astronaut Sally Ride landed at Edwards Air Force Base aboard the 100-ton Space Shuttle Challenger completing her voyage as the first American woman in space. These two events evidence the nation's leap from an age of earth-bound methods of communication and travel into the space age.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/jun24.html
    1964--Sam Cooke starts a two week stay at New York's Copacabana Club. A 70-foot billboard announcing the engagement is erected in Times Square
    1967—Top Hits
Groovin' - The Young Rascals
She'd Rather Be with Me - The Turtles
Windy - The Association
All the Time - Jack Greene
    1970-On an amendment offered by Senator Robert Dole (R-Kansas) to the Foreign Military Sales Act, the Senate votes 81 to 10 to repeal the Tonkin Gulf Resolution. In August 1964, after North Vietnamese torpedo boats attacked U.S. destroyers (in what became known as the Tonkin Gulf incident), President Johnson asked Congress for a resolution authorizing the president "to take all necessary measures" to defend Southeast Asia. Subsequently, Congress passed Public Law 88-408, which became known as the Tonkin Gulf Resolution, giving the president the power to take whatever actions he deemed necessary, including "the use of armed force." The resolution passed 82 to 2 in the Senate, where Wayne K. Morse (D- Oregon) and Ernest Gruening (D-Alaska) were the only dissenting votes; the bill passed unanimously in the House of Representatives. President Johnson signed it into law on August 10. It became the legal basis for every presidential action taken by the Johnson administration during its conduct of the war.
    1970 ---In the last game ever played at Crosley Field, Lee May and Johnny Bench hit back-to-back home runs in the eighth to give the Reds a 5-4 win. After the game home plate is presented to Mayor Eugene Ruehlman and is flown by helicopter to the Reds' new home, Riverfront Stadium.
    1971 -- First "White House Enemies List" is circulated by the staff of Special Presidential Counsel Charles W. Colson. John Dean, Counsel to President Nixon, described a "siege mentality" in the White House. Dean testified Nixon approved a plan to use wiretaps, burglary & other forms of surveillance against citizens he considered radical or subversive. Dean also made public a White House "enemies list" of 256 persons in the media, business, entertainment, politics & the academic world. The idea was to "use the available federal machinery to screw our political enemies" through such government actions as tax audits.
He also said the CIA was used to "block a full FBI investigation of Watergate".
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/examiner/archive/
1996/12/08/NEWS16113.dtl
    1972 - "I Am Woman", by Helen Reddy, was released by Capitol Records. The number one tune (December 9, 1972) became an anthem for the feminist movement. Reddy, from Australia, made her stage debut when she was only four years old. She had her own TV program in the early 1960s. Reddy came to New York in 1966 and has appeared in the films "Airport 1975", "Pete's Dragon" and "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band". Reddy also had four million-sellers: "I Am Woman", "Delta Dawn", "Leave Me Alone (Ruby Red Dress)" and "Angie Baby". She had a total of 14 hits on the pop music charts.
http://www.helenreddy.com/
    1983-Pitcher Don Sutton of the Milwaukee Brewers struck out Alan Bannister of the Cleveland Indians, the 3,000 th strikeout in his career. The Brewers won, 6-2. Sutton wound up his career with 3,574 strikeouts.
    1972 -Rainier Park Ranger Station in Washington State had 4.4 inches of snow on this day. This turned out to be the last snowfall for the 1971-72 season and brought the seasonal total to 1122 inches -- a new single season snowfall record for the U.S.
    1973- In his first year of eligibility, Warren Spahn receives 316 of the 380 votes cast to become a member of the Hall of Fame. The southpaw, who recorded thirteen 20-win seasons, retired as the winningest left- handed pitcher in big league history with 363 victories.
    1975—Top Hits
Love Will Keep Us Together - The Captain & Tennille
When Will I Be Loved - Linda Ronstadt
Wildfire - Michael Murphey
You're My Best Friend - Don Williams
    1975--The U.S. Attorney in Newark, New Jersey hands down indictments to 19 music industry executives in a two year investigation. Counts of income tax evasion and payola are leveled. Among those named include: Clive Davis, former president of Columbia Records and Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, architects of the Philadelphia sound of the 70's.
    1980-- Nelson Doubleday and Fred Wilpon purchase the Mets for an estimated $21.1 million. The price tag is the highest amount ever paid for a baseball franchise.
    1983—Top Hits
Flashdance...What a Feeling - Irene Cara
Time (Clock of the Heart) - Culture Club
Electric Avenue - Eddy Grant
You Can't Run from Love - Eddie Rabbitt
    1984-Joe Morgan of the Oakland A's hit the 256 th home run of his career to break the record held by Rogers Hornsby for most home runs by a second baseman.
    1985 - The 1983 Heisman Trophy winner, Mike Rozier, jumped from the United States Football League to the Houston Oilers of the NFL. Rosier signed for more than two million dollars over a four-year period.
    1987 - Thunderstorms spawned six tornadoes in eastern Colorado. Baseball size hail was reported near Yoder, CO, and thunderstorm winds gusting to 92 mph derailed a train near Pratt, KS. The town of Gould, OK, was soaked with nearly an inch and a half of rain in just ten minutes.
    1988 - Forty-three cities reported record high temperatures for the date. Valentine NE reported an all-time record high of 110 degrees, and highs of 102 degrees at Casper, WY, 103 degrees at Reno, NV, and 106 degrees at Winnemucca, NV, were records for the month of June. Highs of 98 degrees at Logan, UT, and 109 degrees at Rapid City, SD, equaled June records. Lightning killed twenty-one cows near Conway, SC
    1989- Paul Simon brought his "Graceland" tour to Moscow, playing the first of two concerts before 5,000 people in Gorky Park. It was Simon's first appearance in the Soviet Union.
    1991—Top Hits
Rush, Rush - Paula Abdul
Losing My Religion - R.E.M.
Unbelievable - EMF
The Thunder Rolls - Garth Brooks
    1992 - Portland, Oregon became the first city outside of New York to host the NBA (National Basketball Association draft). At the Portland Memorial Coliseum, the first overall pick went to the Orlando Magic who picked 7'1" center Shaquille O'Neal of LSU.
    1998 - AT&T announced that it was buying cable TV giant TCI for $31.7 billion. The deal let AT&T move closer to its goal of providing local phone and high speed Internet service to millions of U.S. homes
    1999-Eric Clapton puts 100 of his guitars up for auction in New York at Christie's to raise money for his drug rehab clinic, the Crossroads Centre in Antigua. His 1956 Fender Stratocaster, named Brownie, was sold for a record $497,500. The guitar was used to record "Layla." The auction helped raise nearly $5 million for the clinic.
    2001-- Believed to be an historical first, sixty-eight major league umpires participate in a pre-season session to practice calling strikes as defined by the rule book. With the help of minor leaguers wearing tapes nine inches above their belts, the men in blue get a good look at pitches, normally called balls, which now will considered a strike as the correct interpret ion of the zone will be enforced this upcoming season.

The ump showed up early.
Sharply dressed
His pants, meticulously creased.
His gold watch glinting in the 4 o'clock
End of March southern California sun.
He held a sour look
It was his first line of defense.

The manager of the Astros
Was what you might call
An easy going type.
A long-time bachelor, and a slob to boot.
He always had a quick sly grin
Popped his gum unceasingly.
His face like an old first-baseman's glove;
Tanned brown with wear,
The stitching undone,
Staggeringly wrinkled from so much daily use.

He strolled over to home,
Tugging at the bottom of his extra-large shirt
Which barely covered the expanse of his girth,
Slapped the ump on the back
and announced that the teams
were a little behind getting the field ready
and could we start the game at a quarter past?

The ump looked at his watch without saying a word
Held up his right hand for a moment,
Then brought it down like an ax,
"Play Ball!" he shouted
2 inches from the Astros manager's leathery face.