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######## surrounding the article denotes it is a press release, it was not written by Leasing News nor has the information been verified, but from the source noted. When an article is signed by the writer, it is considered a byline. It reflects the opinion and research of the writer.

If Someone Told Me What I Would Go Through
Daymond John Quote

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NVLA 2023 Annual Conference Recap
By Edward P. Kaye

The National Vehicle Leasing Association (NVLA) held its 2023 annual conference, “On the Road Again,” deep in the heart of Texas at the Sheraton Austin Hotel at the Capitol, bringing together 150 vehicle lessors, lenders, service providers, and various industry experts and professionals.

Kenn Sopp, NVLA President

Independent lessors are a resilient group, entrepreneurial in spirit, and continuously evolving their business models to stay ahead of the curve. With the landscape of vehicle leasing and transportation rapidly evolving, this event was an essential rendezvous for those keen to stay at the forefront of this dynamic sector.

Notably, the conference took place in Austin, Texas, a fitting location in one of the fastest-growing tech hubs in the United States. Attendees likely witnessed a city that embraces autonomous vehicles providing ridesharing services around downtown. For those of us that have never seen an autonomous vehicle in action, it was clearly a view into the future of transportation.

The keynote address “Electric Evolution: How the Rise of EVs and IRA are Affecting Leasing,” given by Stewart Stropp, executive director of J.D. Power’s EV practice, set the tone for much of the conference, and EV discussions and commentary seemed to make their way into almost every session. “It is unprecedented how many new products are coming to market,” he stated. Adding that the pace of adoption on a state by state basis is critical for lessors to consider as they get more lessees interested in EVs. However, he acknowledges, we have a long way to go with only a 9% market share of new EV sales forecast YE2023.

Stewart Stropp, Executive director of J.D. Power’s EV practice delivering the keynote address.

A panel discussion covering the EV revolution immediately followed the keynote address included Glen Stancil of Merge Electric Fleet Solutions, a charging infrastructure development firm, Jeff Williams of Absolute Results, an automotive sales training and marketing firm, and yours truly of Inspiration Mobility, an EV only lessor, fleet management company and infrastructure development firm immediately followed the keynote.

The panel facilitated a lively debate with respect to the numerous risks of EV adoption for traditional vehicle lessors. For example, how do you set residual values with limited market data? What happens to EV resale values when and if government subsidies end? Is the EV revolution a “Big Short” moment waiting to happen? And is the EV revolution being driven by ignorance and corruption, creating an electric automotive catastrophe waiting to happen?

The EV Revolution panel discussion (L-R Doug Moore, moderator, Glen Stancil, Ed Kaye, Jeff Williams)

With respect to residual values for internal combustion engine (“ICE”) vehicles, Morgan Hansen, Managing Director, Data Science for J.D. Power Data and Analytics division, led a session on Used Market and Residual Values. Reduced post pandemic vehicle production will impact the used market and drive wholesale vehicle prices up this year, he stated. Referencing the current UAW strike, “shocks to the system now may have a long term impact” on vehicle values in the future, he added. “We are not in a normal time in our market,” he concluded.

“The number of compliance issues and regulation is staggering,” Sloan Schickler, Esq., my former law partner and a regular contributor to Leasing News, stated as she led a session on regulation and compliance for lessors. The session covered, in part, commercial finance disclosure laws, the Corporate Transparency Act, and new reporting requirements to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (“FinCEN”). Schickler also established the Women in Leasing Roundtable Lunch which attracted a record number of attendees this year.

Other sessions and panel discussions included:

Insurance Coverage and Claims Administration
Lender Roundtable
Used Vehicle Market Conditions and Outlook
What Does the Future Look Like for Three Top Lessors
Unleashing the Potential of Your Leasing Sales Team, and
Expand Your Business Through Equipment Leasing

These sessions were highly informative, offering a deep dive into the industry’s latest trends, challenges, and potential solutions. Experts and practitioners shared their experiences and insights, fostering engaging discussions among attendees.

The 2023 President’s Award was awarded to both Doug Moore and P.J. McMahon for their dedication to the vehicle leasing industry, the NVLA, and the annual conference. Doug Moore is the Director of Cathedral Automotive, an industry consulting firm. Moore was also this year’s conference master of ceremonies. McMahon is a Vice President and Leasing Sales Manager for The Bancorp Bank Commercial Fleet & Equipment Leasing.

Doug Moore receives the NVLA President’s Award.

P.J. McMahon receives the NVLA President’s Award.

The Clemens-Pender Lessor of the Year award was awarded to Chris Pontarelli of G.T. Leasing in Jacksonville, Florida. The Clemens-Pender Lessor of the Year Award was established in 1977 and is the highest honor to be awarded by the NVLA. It is given annually to the lessor who best exemplifies the principles for which Jack Clemens and Frank Pender, the NVLA's founders, stood.

Christopher Pontarelli receives the Clemens-Pender Lessor of the Year Award from Kenn Sopp.

The 2023 NVLA Conference in Austin, Texas, was a resounding success. It brought together industry leaders, innovators, and professionals to discuss the transformative changes reshaping the world of vehicle leasing. From sustainability to the nuts and bolts of setting residuals, this event offered a glimpse into the future of transportation and how the industry is evolving to meet the changing needs of consumers and commercial fleets.

It was evident that the vehicle leasing industry is embracing innovation, technology, and sustainability, and this event served as a catalyst for the continued growth and development of this dynamic sector. As attendees left Austin and got on the road again, they left with a clearer vision of the road ahead, ready to embrace the exciting challenges and opportunities that lie in the ever-evolving world of vehicle leasing.

Edward P. Kaye
SVP Sales and Business Development
Inspiration Mobility
Washington, DC
SVP, Sales & Business Development
202.644.9497 (D
646.294.6333 (M)
ekaye@inspirationmobility.com
www.inspirationmobility.com

Ed Kaye is a longtime supporter of Leasing News and sits on its Advisory Board contributing articles as well as features. He is the SVP of Sales and Business Development at Inspiration Mobility, the first electrification accelerator with a mission to decarbonize ground transportation at scale by accelerating the transition to EVs (www.inspirationmobility.com). He is a past president of the NVLA and currently sits on its board of directors. He can be reached at ekaye@inspirationmobility.com or 646-294-6333.

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New Hires/Promotions in the Leasing Business
and Related Industries

Craig Colling, CLFP, was promoted to Senior Vice President,, Vendor Channel Leader at Ascentium Capital, a Division of Regions Bank, Kingwood, Texas. He is located in Scottsdale, Arizona. He originally joined Ascentium Capital, December, 2017, which was sold to Regions Bank, where he became Senior Vice President, 2020.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigcolling/

Javier Gadala was promoted to Regional Sales Manager, Mitsubishi HC Capital America, their Fulshear, Texas office. He is located in Greater Houston, Texas. He joined the company October 2021, Regional Sales Manager. Previously he was Regional Sales Manager, Hitachi Capital America Vendor Services, Houston, Texas area; Sales/Strategic Account, XL Parts (October, 2013 - August, 2016); Commercial Account Manager, Advance Auto Parts (April, 20111 - October, 2013): Regional Manager, Balboa Capital (March, 2009 - April, 2011). Full Bio:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/javier-gadala-67589510/details/experience/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/javier-gadala-67589510/

Aaron Gaffner was hired as Senior Loan Specialist, Alta Financial, San Jose, California. He is located in Melville, New York. He remains President, Theodore Funding and Consulting Group (2004 - Present); remains Marketing Director, Bong Spirit Imports, LLC (February, 2017 - Present). He joined World Business Lenders, LLC, July, 2014, as Senior Finance Specialist, promoted Wholesale Account Executive (March, 2015 - July, 2016). Full Bio:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-gaffner-0a534b5/details/experience/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-gaffner-0a534b5/

Andrew Larson was promoted to Managing Director, Post Road Equipment Finance, Westport, Connecticut. He is located in the Greater Minneapolis-St. Paul area. He joined the company October, 2022, Vice President. Previously, he was at Mitsubishi HC Capital America, Inc. (July, 2020 - September, 2022). He joined TCF Bank April, 2017, Territory Sales Executive, promoted September, 2018, Territory Sales Manager; Commercial Portfolio Manager, U.S. Bank (July, 2016 - April, 2017).
https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewlarson2

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Leasing and Finance Industry Help Wanted

Downfalls of Hiring in a Challenging Rate Environment
By Ken Lubin, ZRG Partners, Managing Director

Increased Wage Pressure:

To attract and retain top talent familiar with fluctuating interest rate challenges, firms might have to offer premium remuneration, adding to their cost pressures.

Risk of Overexpansion:

Diversification can be a double-edged sword. While it can offer insulation against risks in one segment, moving into too many new areas too quickly can strain resources and dilute the company's core focus.

Talent Retention:

Economic fluctuations may lead to lay-offs, creating an atmosphere of insecurity. This can result in higher turnover rates, with professionals continuously seeking perceived stability elsewhere.

Challenges and Mitigation Strategies

Uncertainty in Forecasting:
Volatile interest rates make it difficult to predict growth, lease defaults, or payment delays.

Mitigation: Firms can employ more dynamic forecasting tools, using real-time data and AI-driven analytics for more accurate predictions.

Training and Development:

With a constantly evolving economic landscape, equipping new hires with the latest industry knowledge becomes crucial.

Mitigation: Regular training workshops, industry seminars, and courses can ensure the team stays updated.

Cultural Integration:
Rapid hiring can sometimes neglect the importance of cultural fit, leading to potential discord within teams.

Mitigation: Strengthening on boarding processes, mentorship programs, and team-building activities can foster better integration.

Conclusion
While challenging interest rate environments present numerous complexities to the equipment leasing and finance industry, strategic hiring can be a significant asset. By recognizing the potential benefits, pitfalls, and adopting mitigation strategies, firms can position themselves to not just survive but thrive amidst uncertainty.

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

"What is the Ultimate Hire? The Ultimate Hire is the professional that every business, team or leader needs in their organization. This is the high performance individual that always rises to the top, brings the team to the next level and can significantly add to the bottom line. The Ultimate Hire is the person that you can't afford to be without. Finding, Attracting, Hiring and Retaining these professionals is critical to the success of your business. We have identified these traits and can help you find these top professionals."

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The Power of Numbers

Sales Makes it Happen by Scott Wheeler, CLFP

The commercial equipment finance and leasing industry is filled with figures (yields, equipment cost, balance sheets, profitability, term, volume, delinquencies, etc.). Numbers are the universal language; and originators understand the power of numbers when they are prospecting for new relationships.

What statements are more powerful?

“My company has tasked me to increase my activity in the widget industry in the fourth quarter of 2023.”

OR:

“My company has provided me with access to $10.0MM to employ in the widget industry in the 4th quarter. Mr. Vendor, how much of that $10.0MM could you and your clients utilize over the next 60 days?”

------------

I” provide equipment financing in the widget industry and I am delighted to assist you with your next equipment acquisition.”

OR:

“I am a player in the widget industry. I funded ten transactions in the amount of $3.8MM last month specifically in your industry; and I would be delighted to provide you with the same services that I provide for my top 20 clients. On average, my top clients have funded seven schedules over the past three years.”

Top producers are proud of their numbers and are willing to share their success with new prospects.

Scott A. Wheeler, CLFP
Wheeler Business Consulting
1314 Marquis Ct.
Fallston, Maryland 21047
Phone: 410 877 0428
Fax: 410 877 8161
Email: scott@wheelerbusinessconsulting.com
Web: www.wheelerbusinessconsulting.com

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

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Leasing/Finance/Business Training
to Learn the Industry and Help Place Their Deals

These companies train and instruct on the method, rules, and sales abilities to both find and close transactions. Several also serve in placing the transaction for the student, who will earn a commission. Many have gone into business and have become successful.

All means of learning financing include from business loans, equity loans and equipment and vehicle leasing, as well as finding your niche.

Many will continue with the training approach, learning and placing transactions, almost like a franchisee. Others will choose to become independent originators, often starting their own super broker company.

Commercial Capital Training Group

Commercial Finance Academy

Global Leasing

Wheeler Leasing School

Full List:
https://leasingnews.org/Conscious-Top%20Stories/School-Franchisors.htm

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U.S. Government Unveils Plans for
$50 Billion Seven Clean Hydrogen Hubs
By Matthew W. Daus, Esq.

Gerry Images via Current

The US government has unveiled plans to develop seven regional clean hydrogen hubs across the nation.

The seven hydrogen hubs will be used to spur growth in the U.S. hydrogen market and bolster the country’s capability in supporting the clean energy carrier.This will ensure hydrogen is able to take a prominent role in the nation’s decarburization aspirations.

The creation of these hubs has also been backed with $50 billion (£41 billion) in funding by the government.

Once complete, the clean hydrogen hubs will be capable of collectively producing more than three million metric tons of green hydrogen per year, helping to achieve nearly one third of the 2030 US clean hydrogen production goal.

The seven clean hydrogen hubs include:

Mid-Atlantic Hydrogen Hub
Appalachian Hydrogen Hub
California Hydrogen Hub
Gulf Coast Hydrogen Hub
Heartland Hydrogen Hub
Midwest Hydrogen Hub
Pacific Northwest Hydrogen Hub

Source: Current News
Click Here to Read More
https://www.current-news.co.uk/us-government-unveils-plans-for-seven-clean-hydrogen-hubs

News Briefs---

GM to delay all-electric truck production
at Michigan plant until late-2025
https://www.cnbc.com/2023/10/17/gm-to-delay-ev-truck-production-at-michigan-plant.html

Rite Aid files for bankruptcy, announces financial
restructuring plans amid opioid complaints, lawsuits
https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/News/rite-aid-files-bankruptcy-announces-financial-restructuring-plans/story?id=104005932

CVS, Walgreens and Rite Aid are closing
thousands of stores. Here’s why
https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/16/business/drug-stores-closing-rite-aid-cvs-walgreens/index.html

Amazon Sending Members "Your New Pharmacy
is Amazon Pharmacy,” delivered to you door, prime member
Extra, 24/7 Pharmacist. Covered by Most Insurance
https://pharmacy.amazon.com/?ref_=EM_ACQ_EVR_23W42/

The rise of freight brokerages
Proliferation of freight brokerages giving
truckers a lifeline unlike any other in history
https://www.freightwaves.com/news/freight-recession-unlike-any-other-in-history

United Airlines to Change Its Boarding Process,
a Win for Window Seats
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/17/business/united-airlines-boarding-window-seats.html

Computer & Communications Industry Association
president says government has failed to deliver
evidence of antitrust harm in Google Search case
https://legalnewsline.com/stories/650363537-computer-communications-industry-association-president-says-government-has-failed-to-deliver-evidence-of-antitrust-harm-in-google-search-case

What the Israel-Hamas war means for US markets
CNN Business
https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/17/investing/premarket-stocks-trading/index.html

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The Richest Billionaire In Every State 2022
Four States: California (with 186 billionaire residents),
New York (135), Florida (78) and Texas (67)
https://www.visualcapitalist.com/mapped-the-richest-billionaires-in-us-states/

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Sports Briefs---

Kim Ng, first female general manager, leaves Marlins
for same reason Derek Jeter did
https://www.latimes.com/sports/story/2023-10-16/kim-ng-leaves-marlins-general-manager-dodgers-yankees-red-sox-mets

49ers RB McCaffrey’s injury not
considered long-term: report
https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2023/10/17/49ers-rb-mccaffreys-injury-not-considered-long-term-report/

Draymond Green questionable for season opener
and will miss Golden State Warriors’ remaining preseason games
https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2023/10/17/draymond-green-out-for-warriors-remaining-preseason-games/

Defending champion LSU is No. 1 in women’s
preseason AP Top 25 for 1st time
https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/sports/defending-champion-lsu-is-no-1-in-womens-preseason-ap-top-25-for-1st-time/

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California News Briefs---

Sunnyvale-based LinkedIn cuts over 600 jobs
in second round of layoffs this year
https://www.mercurynews.com/2023/10/17/microsoft-owned-linkedin-cuts668-jobs-in-second-round-of-layoffs-this-year/

Leaving California: What’s the best state
to move to in 2023?
https://www.mercurynews.com/2023/10/17/leaving-california-whats-the-best-state-to-move-to-in-2023/

Silicon Valley philanthropist offers
$1 lease for homeless housing
https://sanjosespotlight.com/san-jose-philanthropist-john-sobrato-offers-1-lease-for-temporary-interim-homeless-housing/

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Gimme that Wine

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

Wine of the week: Canvasback, 2019 Syrah,
Walla Walla Valley, California
https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/lifestyle/wine-of-the-week-canvasback-2019-syrah-walla-walla-valley/

Wine Spectator's New York Wine Experience
is this weekend
https://www.winespectator.com/articles/wine-spectator-editors-guide-to-the-2023-ny-wine-experience-grand-tastings

At Long Last, Grenache Is a Rising Star.
Here’s Why
https://www.meiningers-international.com/wine/insights-wine/long-last-grenache-rising-star-heres-why

Introducing Ojai Mountain Winery:
A New Era of High-Altitude Wines
https://www.winebusiness.com/news/article/278061

Napa's Most Expensive Wines
Putting Best Foot Forward
https://www.wine-searcher.com/m/2023/10/napas-most-expensive-wines

Family behind award-winning Wilson Artisan Wineries
never intended to build an empire
https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/lifestyle/family-behind-award-winning-wilson-artisan-wineries-never-intended-to-build/

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This Day in History

    1767 - Boundary between Maryland and Pennsylvania, the Mason Dixon line, was agreed upon, a major step in establishing “state” territories.
http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/us/A0832111.html
http://www.gamber.net/gamber/mason-dx.htm
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2002/04/0410_020410_TVmasondixon.html
http://www.appalachiantales.com/masondixon.htm
    1775 - Falmouth, the original capital of Maine (later to be called Portsmouth) burned by British
http://www.mainehistory.org/facts/Falmouth_Fire.pdf
    1776 - At the Battle of Pelham, Col. John Glover and the Marblehead regiment with 750 soldiers collided with British Forces in the Bronx. Sir William Howe, Commander-in-Chief of the British army, landed 4,000 English and Hessian troops near the stables on Pelham Parkway in an action which became the first permanent invasion of the American mainland in the American Revolution. Howe's objective was to outflank the American army by marching west across today's Bronx along the Boston Post Road. This would also cut off Washington's vital supply route from New England and enable the British to surround Washington and quickly end the rebellion. However, 600 seamen considered to be the first “Marines,” from the Boston area, led by Colonel John Glover, and fighting from behind Pelham Manor's stone walls put an end to Howe's plan and saved Washington's army. The main significance of the Battle of Pelham lay in the fact that it bought time for Washington to remove the American army from an extremely perilous position and to retreat to White Plains. It is for this reason that the Battle of Pelham has been called the battle that saved the American Revolution.
http://1-14th.com/GenGlover.htm
http://www.angelfire.com/ca4/gunnyg/vignettes22.html
http://www.speakeasy.org/~docschlk/glover.htm
http://www.marblehead.com/glovers/
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0883890577/avsearch-bkasin-20/
103-9138784-6331807
    1836 - Birthday of Ellen Browning Scripps (d. 1932), born London, England. Assisted her brother in numerous ways on his way to acquiring the Detroit Evening News and was a Jane-of-all-trades from proof to writing to make it a success. She then turned all of her energies and money to helping her brother Edward who was beginning a newspaper career in Cleveland. Through wise investments in newspapers as well as real estate, she became a multi-millionaire whose philanthropic works included the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla (both with Edward), then singly endowed the Scripps College for Women in Claremont, CA., and helped establish the San Diego Zoo.
http://www.sandiegohistory.org/bio/scripps/ebscripps.htm
    1842 - The first telegraph cable was laid by Samuel Morse in New York Harbor between Battery and Governors Island. The next day, the cable stopped working when a ship, in raising its anchor, had caught and wrecked 200 feet of it. Another cable was laid the following year for commercial use by Samuel Colt. It was insulated with cotton yarn, beeswax, and asphaltum encased in a lead pipe, and connected New York City with both fire Island and Coney Island.
    1859 - U.S. Marines reach Harper's Ferry, VA and assault the arsenal seized by John Brown and his followers. Colonel Robert E. Lee has Lieutenant JEB Stuart carry a note to Brown demanding his surrender. Brown refuses and closes and bars the doors of the Engine House. Stuart waves his hat up and down as a signal to begin the assault. The Marines attack the doors with sledgehammers, but to no effect. They find a heavy ladder and use that as a battering ram. In two blows, they create a small opening in the right hand door which is split, and they storm into the building. Lieutenant Israel Green, who leads the assault, attacks Brown with the dress sword he brought by mistake from Washington. The sword, which was never meant for combat, bends on Brown’s leather belt. Green grasps the sword by the ruined blade and hits Brown over the head with it, knocking him unconscious. The raid is over.
       1863 - Union General Daniel Sickles returns to visit his old command, the Third Corps of the Army of the Potomac. He was recovering from the loss of his leg at Gettysburg and the visit turned sour when the army's commander, General George Meade, informed Sickles that he would not be allowed to resume command until he completely recovered from his injury at Gettysburg. Meade posted Sickles' troops at the left end of the Union line. The Army of the Potomac was arranged in a three-mile long, fishhook-shaped line on the top of Cemetery Ridge and Culp's Hill. On the morning of July 2, Sickles noticed that just in front of his position was a section of high ground. In his estimation, this rise could be used by the Confederates to shell the Union position. Sickles expressed confusion over his orders and three times Meade explained that Sickles was to hold the end of Cemetery Ridge. Sickles was unhappy with the explanation, failing to understand that Meade was fighting a defensive battle. He moved his corps forward anyway, and the move nearly cost the Union the battle. A furious Meade ordered Sickles to withdraw his troops, but the Confederates were already attacking. After heavy losses, the Third Corps moved back to Cemetery Ridge. Despite his wound, Sickles hurried back to Washington to conduct damage control. One of his first visitors was President Lincoln. Sickles was one of the few Democrats who welcomed Lincoln to Washington in 1861 and Lincoln remembered that gesture. Sickles gave his account of the battle and justified his move. He even claimed that his action prevented Meade from retreating and therefore prevented a Union defeat. This began a war of words between Meade and Sickles that lasted the rest of their lives. When the reports on the battle were filed that fall, Sickles did not fare well. Many, such as General Governor K. Warren and General-in-Chief Henry Halleck, blasted Sickles for his actions.
http://www.civilwarhome.com/sicklesbio.htm
    1867 - The American flag flew for the first time in Alaska, marking the formal transfer of this massive northern territory from Russia to the United States. Separated from the far eastern edge of the Russian empire by only the narrow Bering Strait, the Russians had been the first Europeans to significantly explore and develop Alaska. During the early 19th century, the state-sponsored Russian-American Company established the settlement of Sitka and began a lucrative fur trade with the Native Americans. However, Russian settlement in Alaska remained small, never exceeding more than a few hundred people. Seeing the giant Alaska territory as a chance to cheaply expand the size of the nation, William H. Seward, President Andrew Johnson's secretary of state, moved to arrange the purchase. Agreeing to pay a mere $7 million for some 591,000 square miles of land, a territory twice the size of Texas and equal to nearly a fifth of the continental United States, Seward secured the purchase of Alaska at the ridiculously low rate of less than 2¢ an acre. He was seriously criticized for the purchase and it took Congress over a year to approve as people called the land “nothing but an ice box.” The museum in Juneau, Alaska has a full collection of historic events.
    1870 - Chew Tilghman of Philadelphia, PA., received a patent for his invention of a sandblasting process for cleaning, engraving, cutting and boring glass, stone, metal and other hard substances.
    1873 - Football rules were formulated at a meeting held in New York City and attended by delegates from Columbia, Princeton, Rutgers, and Yale universities.
    1898 - The United States flag was raised in Puerto Rico.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/oct18.html
    1890 – John R. Owen, Jr. is first man to run 100 yard dash in under 10 seconds.
http://www.michtrack.org/HOF/hofowens.htm
    1900 - Birthday of Lotte Lenya, born Karoline Wilhelmine Blamauer (d. 1981), Vienna, Austria. Actress-singer, a star of the musical stage in pre- Hitler Berlin before fleeing to the United States, she popularized much of the music of her first husband's music, composer Kurt Weill. She starred in the stage version (1928) and then film (1931) of “The Threepenny Opera.” Following Weill's death and the increase of Hitler's anti-Jewish campaign, she immigrated to the U.S. and led a revival of Weill's works including the Three Penny for which she won the 1956 Tony award. She appeared in Broadway production of “Cabaret” (1966), in such films as “The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone” (1961), but perhaps best known to American audiences as the Russian nurse Rosa Klebb with a knife in her shoes in "From Russia with Love" (1964).
http://www.tvtome.com/images/people/271/8/53-32178.jpg
http://www.kwf.org/pages/ll/llbio.html
http://www.tvtome.com/tvtome/servlet/PersonDetail/personid-271853
    1904 - Birthday of A.J. Liebling (d. 1963), New York, NY. American journalist and author who said, “Freedom of the press belongs to those who own one.”
    1906 - A hurricane struck South Florida drowning 124 persons stranded in the Florida Keys.
    1906 - Birthday of James David Brooks (d. 1992), at St. Louis, MO. During the Depression, Brooks worked as a muralist in the Federal Art Project of the works Progress Administration. His best-known work of that period was “Flight,” a mural on the rotunda of the Marine Air Terminal at La Guardia National Airport in New York. It was painted over during the 1950s but restored in 1980. Brooks served with the US Army from 1942 to 1945. When he returned to New York, his interest shifted to abstract expressionism. His paintings were exhibited in the historical “Ninth Street Exhibition” as part of the Museum of Modern Arts exhibits “Twelve Americans” and “New American Painting,” among others.
    1908 - Birthday of author/writer Marshall Winslow Stearns (d. 1966), Cambridge , MA
http://www.keough.net/category/us/0195012690.html
    1918 – Birthday of pianist/songwriter Bobby Troup (d. 1999), Harrisburg, PA. Actor, jazz pianist, singer, and songwriter, he wrote the song “Route 66" and acted in the role of Dr. Joe Early with his wife Julie London in the television program “Emergency” in the 1970s.
http://www.emergencyfans.com/basement/articles/bio-troup.htm
http://www.emergencyfans.com/people/bobby_troup.htm
    1919 - Singer Anita O'Day, born Anita Belle Colton (d. 2006), Chicago , IL .
http://www.anitaoday.com/
http://www.geocities.com/BourbonStreet/Delta/3898/anitabio.html
    1922 – “Robin Hood,”starring Douglas Fairbanks, opened at Grauman's Egyptian Theater in Hollywood. Searchlights crossed the sky for the first time at a Hollywood premiere. As a publicity stunt two weeks before the premiere, Fairbanks had posed atop a New York hotel in costume, with bow and arrow, for photographers. He and several others shot arrows from the building and accidentally injured a man through an open window (the man agreed not to press charges). Fairbanks was born in Denver, Colorado, in 1883 and began appearing onstage in 1901. He married in 1907 and had one son, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., but the marriage ended in divorce. By 1915, he had switched to the fledgling film industry, where he was regularly cast as a swashbuckling hero. By 1918, he had appeared in more than 24 films. In 1919, Fairbanks teamed up with fellow stars Charlie Chaplin and Mary Pickford and director D.W. Griffith to launch the United Artists Corporation.
The following year, Fairbanks and Pickford married. As a wedding present for Pickford, Fairbanks bought an estate with 22 rooms on 18 acres, and Beverly Hills' first swimming pool. The couple dubbed the property "Pickfair."
Meanwhile, Fairbanks continued to star in the United Artists' films, including “The Three Musketeers” (1921), “Robin Hood” (1922), and “The Thief of Baghdad” (1924). Unlike many other early stars, Fairbanks successfully made the transition to sound, but his career faded as he aged. In 1933, he and Pickford divorced and, in 1936, he married the former Lady Sylvia Ashley, a chorus girl who had married an English lord. He died in 1939.
    1926 - Singer/guitarist/song writer Charles Edward Anderson “Chuck” Berry (d. 2017) born St. Louis, MO. One of the pioneers of rock and roll music, with songs such as “Maybelline" (1955), “Roll Over Beethoven" (1956), “Rock and Roll Music" (1957) and Johnny B. Goode" (1958), Berry refined and developed rhythm and blues into the major elements that made rock and roll distinctive. Writing lyrics that focused on teen life and consumerism, and developing a music style that included guitar solos and showmanship, Berry was a major influence on subsequent rock music.
http://home.swipnet.se/~w-20401/chuck/berry.htm
http://www.chuckberry.com/
http://www.history-of-rock.com/berry.htm
http://www.crlf.de/ChuckBerry/bibliography.html
http://www.rocksite.info/r-berry-chuck.htm
    1929 - The Judicial Committee of England's Privy Council ruled that women were to be considered as persons in Canada. Previously, under English common law, women were persons in matters of pains and penalties, but were not persons in matters of rights and privileges.
    1930 - A big, early season lake effect snowstorm on the lee shores of Lake Erie and Ontario dumped 48 inches of snow just south of Buffalo , NY and 47 inches at Gouverneur, NY.
    1935 - Tommy Dorsey cuts “ I'm Getting Sentimental Over You.”
    1941 - Humphrey Bogart movie "The Maltese Falcon" is released, from the novel of the same name by Dashiell Hammett.
http://www.filmsite.org/malt.html
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0033870/
http://www.awerty.com/maltese2.html
    1942 - Vice. Adm. William F. Halsey replaces Vice Adm. Robert L. Ghormley as commander, South Pacific. The man nicknamed "Bull" by the press began his military career as a destroyer commander during World War I. Halsey was made a captain at the age of 53, earned his naval aviator's wings, and was promoted to vice admiral in 1940. But it was the bombing of Pearl Harbor that would mark out his future for him. Halsey's task force was one of the few functioning battle groups left after the destruction of so much of the American fleet, placing him in the position of making the unpredictable and aggressive strategic decisions for which he would become renowned.
    1945 - Paul Robeson, African-American actor, singer, athlete and activist, receives NACCP Spingarn Medal
    1945 - THOMPSON, MAX, Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company K, 18th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Haaren, Germany, 18 October 1944. Entered service at: Prescott, Ariz. Birth: Bethel, N.C. G.O. No.: 47, 18 June 1945. Citation: On 18 October 1944, Company K, 18th Infantry, occupying a position on a hill near Haaren, Germany, was attacked by an enemy infantry battalion supported by tanks. The assault was preceded by an artillery concentration, lasting an hour, which inflicted heavy casualties on the company. While engaged in moving wounded men to cover, Sgt. Thompson observed that the enemy had overrun the positions of the 3d Platoon. He immediately attempted to stem the enemy's advance single-handedly. He manned an abandoned machinegun and fired on the enemy until a direct hit from a hostile tank destroyed the gun. Shaken and dazed, Sgt. Thompson picked up an automatic rifle and although alone against the enemy force which was pouring into the gap in our lines. He fired burst after burst, halting the leading elements of the attack and dispersing those following. Throwing aside his automatic rifle, which had jammed, he took up a rocket gun, fired on a light tank, setting it on fire. By evening the enemy had been driven from the greater part of the captured position but still held 3 pillboxes. Sgt. Thompson's squad was assigned the task of dislodging the enemy from these emplacements. Darkness having fallen and finding that fire of his squad was ineffective from a distance, Sgt. Thompson crawled forward alone to within 20 yards of 1 of the pillboxes and fired grenades into it. The Germans holding the emplacement concentrated their fire upon him. Though wounded, he held his position fearlessly, continued his grenade fire, and finally forced the enemy to abandon the blockhouse. Sgt. Thompson's courageous leadership inspired his men and materially contributed to the clearing of the enemy from his last remaining hold on this important hill position.
    1950 - Top Hits
“Goodnight Irene” - The Weavers
“All My Love” - Patti Page
“Harbor Lights” - The Sammy Kaye Orchestra (vocal: Tony Alamo)
“I'm Moving On” - Hank Snow
    1953 - Willie Thrower becomes the first black NFL quarterback in modern times. (Blacks played football with whites during the reconstruction period, following the Civil War).
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/columnists/20020224finder0224p1.asp
http://sport.guardian.co.uk/Print/0,3858,4395488,00.html
http://www.pittsburghpa.net/sports/columnists/20020829finder4.asp
    1954 - "The Week in Religion" aired for the last time over Dumont television. First broadcast in March 1952, this ecumenical Sunday evening panel show divided the hour into 20-minute segments each for Protestant, Catholic and Jewish news.
    1956 - Football commissioner Bert Bell turned thumbs down on the use of radio-equipped helmets by NFL quarterbacks.
    1956 - Martina Navratilova was born in Prague, Czechoslovakia. In 2005, Tennis magazine selected her as the greatest female tennis player for the years 1975 through 2005 and she is considered one of the best female tennis players of all time.
http://www.fortunecity.com/lavendar/sidjames/126/martina.html
http://www.wtatour.com/players/playerprofiles/playerbio.asp?PlayerID=140007
    1956 - Top Hits
“Rock-in Robin” - Bobby Day
“Tears on My Pillow” - Little Anthony and The Imperials
“Bird Dog” - The Everly Brothers
    1956 - A 21-year-old Elvis Presley pulls into a Memphis gas station where he starts to attract a crowd of autograph seekers. After repeatedly asking Elvis to move on so he can resume normal business, station manager Ed Hopper slaps Presley on the head and finds himself on the receiving end of a punch in the eye from Elvis. Station employee Aubrey Brown tries to help his boss but is no match for Presley. After police are called, Hopper and Brown are charged with assault and are eventually fined $25 and $15 respectively.
    1957 - “Colt 45,” Wade Preston starred in this ABC western as Christopher Colt, son of the inventor of the Colt revolver, and a government agent. Character actor Donald May replaced Preston and played the role of Sam Colt, Jr., Christopher's cousin, until early 1960 when Preston returned to the show. My father, Lawrence Menkin, wrote several of these episodes. He basically said the actor Wade Preston never caught on and theme was pretty lame and needed to be “wild,” but the producer would hear none of it.
    1958 - Top Hits
It's All in the Game - Tommy Edwards
Rock-in Robin - Bobby Day
Tears on My Pillow - Little Anthony and The Imperials
Bird Dog - The Everly Brothers
    1961 - The movie version of the Broadway musical “West Side Story” opens at New York 's Rivoli Theater. The musical, featuring music and lyrics by Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim, retold the story of Romeo and Juliet but set the action in contemporary New York. In the story, star-crossed lovers Maria and Tony are torn between their feuding cultures: Maria's brother leads a Puerto Rican gang that is at odds with Tony's Anglo gang. The movie won 10 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Director, and Supporting Actor and Actress.
    1961 - Trumpeter Wynton Marsalis born New Orleans, LA.
    1961 - "Le Bateau," by French painter Henri Matisse, went on display in the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. The painting attracted large numbers (over 100,000) of viewers. For 47 days, nobody realized that "Le Bateau" was hanging upside down.
    1966 - Top Hits
“Reach Out I'll Be There” - Four Tops
“Last Train to Clarksville” - The Monkees
“Psychotic Reaction” - Count Five
“Blue Side of Lonesome” - Jim Reeves
    1967 – American League votes to allow Athletics to move from Kansas City to Oakland and expand the league to 12 teams in 1971 with the addition of the Kansas City Royals and Seattle Pilots. The Pilots relocated to Milwaukee to become the Brewers.
    1967 - Tamla-Motown releases Smokey Robinson & the Miracles "I Second That Emotion." The record climbs to #4 on the pop chart and Number One of the R&B, making it their biggest hit since "Shop Around" in 1960.
    1968 - Circus Circus Casino opened in Las Vegas “to attract all members of the family.” The football-field-sized casino and big top was a giant pink and white oval shaped circus tent across from the Riviera Hotel. To separate the gamblers from their kids, as required by law, a second level contained midway games and attractions for the tykes, but still in view of the circus acts. Circus Circus in Reno, Nevada is very popular with families, also due to the low prices of the rooms.
    1969 - The Temptations' "I Can't Get Next To You" hits #1
   1969 - At a Rock 'n' Roll revival concert at New York's Madison Square Garden, Bill Haley is given an eight minute standing ovation.
    1969 - The Jackson 5 make their US network TV debut on “Hollywood Palace.” The group includes Jackie (18), Tito (15), Jermaine (14), Marlon (12) and Michael (10).
    1971 - The final issue of "Look" magazine was published. It had been a must-see publication
    1972 - Overriding President Nixon's veto, Congress passed a $25 billion Water Pollution Control Act.
    1974 - Top Hits
“I Honestly Love You” - Olivia Newton-John
“Nothing from Nothing” - Billy Preston
“Then Came You” - Dionne Warwicke and Spinners
“Please Don't Stop Loving Me” - Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton
    1974 - Chicago Bull Nate Thurmond becomes the first in NBA to complete a quadruple double: 22 pts, 14 rebounds, 13 assists and 12 blocks.
    1975 - Simon and Garfunkel reunite on "Saturday Night Live."
    1975 - John Denver's LP Windsong hits #1
    1976 - No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit: "If You Leave Me Now," Chicago . The song is the group's 11th top 10 hit and the first to go to No. 1.
    1977 - One of the more popular black rock and roll acts this year is the Brothers Johnson (George and Louis). Their "Strawberry Letter 23" is certified gold on this date, having recently hit Number One on the R&B chart and #5 on the pop chart.
    1977 - Reggie Jackson made history and earned the nickname, Mr. October. Regg-a-roo (as Howard Cosell called him) hit three home runs on three successive pitches. He led the New York Yankees to an 8-4 thrashing of the Los Angeles Dodgers and rookie manager Tommy Lasorda in Game 6 of the World Series. Three different pitchers served up the gopher balls to Jackson. The New York Yankees won the series, 4 games to 2; their first Series title in 15 years.
    1981 - Though it yielded only one minor hit single in "Backfired," "Koo Koo," the solo album by Blondie's Deborah Harry, goes gold today
    1982 - Top Hits
“Jack and Diane” - John Cougar
“Who Can It Be Now?” - Men at Work
“Eye in the Sky” - The Alan Parsons Project
“I Will Always Love You” - Dolly Parton
    1983 - Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton received some gold to add to their collections -- for their smash, " Islands in the Stream."
    1986 - Huey Lewis and The News had the number one album in the U.S. "Fore" was perched at the pinnacle of popdom for one week. "Fore" featured these tracks: "Jacob's Ladder," "Stuck with You," "Whole Lotta Lovin'," "Doing It All for My Baby," "Hip to Be Square," "I Know What I Like," "I Never Walk Alone," "Forest for the Trees," "Naturally" and "Simple as That."
    1987 - Thunderstorms in northeastern Texas produced golf ball size hail at Atlanta , along with wind gusts to 86 mph, and four inches of rain. Damage from the storm was estimated at more than a million dollars. Sunny and mild weather continued across much of the rest of the nation.
    1988 - “Roseanne” appears on TV. This comedy showed the blue-collar Conner family trying to make ends meet. Rosanne played wise-cracking Roseanne Conner, John Goodman played her husband Dan and Laurie Metcalf played her sister Jackie. The Conner children were played by Sara Gilbert (Darlene), Alicia Goranson and Sarah Chalke (Becky) and Michael Fishman (D.J.). The last episode aired Nov 14, 1997 but it remains popular in reruns. During the short-lived revival (March 27, 2018, to May 22, 2018), the series reached No. 3, with an average of 18 million viewers per episode within the span of its nine episodes. In 1993, the episode "A Stash from the Past" was ranked No. 21 on TV Guide’s 100 Greatest Episodes of All-Time. In 2002, Roseanne was ranked No. 35 on TV Guide’s 50 Greatest TV Shows of All-Time. In 2013, it was ranked No. 32 on TV Guide’s 60 Best Series of All-Time.
    1988 - Eight cities in the southwestern U.S. reported record high temperatures for the date, including Red Bluff CA with a reading of 96 degrees.
    1989 - Unseasonably cold air began to invade the central and eastern U.S. Light snow fell across northern Maine and snow was also reported in the Great Lakes Region including the Chicago area. Bismarck, ND was the cold spot in the nation with a low of 9 degrees above zero. Five cities in Florida reported record high readings for the date, as temperatures warmed above 80 degrees. Miami reported a record high of 90 degrees.
    1989 - Hurricane Jerry made landfall on the upper Texas coast, the latest ever for a storm in this region. The center of this very small storm passed closest to Galveston, TX which reported sustained winds of 75 mph with gusts to 100 mph
    1990 - Top Hits
“Praying for Time” - George Michael
“I Don't Have the Heart” - James Ingram
“Ice Ice Baby” - Vanilla Ice
“Friends in Low Places” - Garth Brooks
    1991 - 3.9 inches of snow fell at Rochester, MN, the greatest ever so early in the season
    1995 - The Houston Oilers football team gave the world a view of family values. Houston Oiler David Williams missed a game against the New England Patriots to stay with his wife Debi, the day after she gave birth to their son Scot Cooper. The offensive linesman was docked $110,000 for the missed game. "Whatever the fine, it's money well spent," said Williams. "I don't regret what I've done." In a poll, 9 out of 10 football fans backed his decision. He had tried to make the game but was not able to make the last plane out of Houston, plus there was fog in New York delaying other planes. Houston owner Bud Adams insisted Williams made the wrong decision
http://tampabayonline.net/reports/top100/no43.htm
http://www.northwaychristian.org/Sermons/2002-06-16.htm
    1996 - The American Basketball League, a new professional league for women, opened its inaugural season with three games. The New England Blizzard defeated the Richmond Rage, 100-73, the Columbus Quest beat the Seattle Reign, 82-75, and the San Jose Lazers took the measure of the Atlanta Glory, 78-70. The Colorado Xplosion and the Portland Power were idle on the league's first night.
    2004 - After 5 hours, 49 minutes and 471 pitches, the Red Sox outlasts the Yankees, 5-4, in Game 4 of the league championship. Boston's DH David Ortiz, who is the first player in baseball history to hit two walk-off home runs in during the postseason, ends the longest game in ALCS series history at 1:22 a.m. with a two-out single into center scoring Johnny Damon from second in the 14th inning at Fenway Park.
    2010 – The US government determined that China is helping Iran bypass UN sanctions and is helping them, improve their missile technology and develop nuclear weapons.
    2019 – The first all-female spacewalk occurred by NASA astronauts Christina Koch and Jessica Meir outside the International Space Station.

World Series Champions:
  1977 - New York Yankees

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