The Certified Lease & Finance Professional (CLFP) Foundation announced the formation of The Academy for Lease & Finance Professionals (ALFP). A new product offered by the CLFP Foundation, the ALFP is a three-day event designed to fully prepare an individual to sit for the CLFP exam. During the first two days, all of the required sections of the CLFP exam are covered in-depth and on the third day, the exam is offered, but not mandatory.

Brian Schonfeld, CLFP, president of the CLFP Board of Directors and project and information manager at Pawnee Leasing Corporation stated, “We are very excited to announce the ALFP. It is the result of a lot of hard work by both our Executive Director and Board of Directors and we believe this to be the most effective and efficient way to prepare for the industry’s preeminent leasing and financing certification, the CLFP designation.”

The first ALFP will be held in Irvine, CA on May 7–9, 2015 and is hosted by Banc of California. David Normandin, CLFP, immediate past president of the CLFP Board of Directors and SVP, Lease Finance at Banc of California noted, “We are pleased to support the CLFP Foundation and the commercial finance industry by hosting the first Academy for Lease & Finance Professionals. We are honored that the CLFP Foundation selected Banc of California for this event and look forward to its success.”

The CLFP designation identifies an individual as a knowledgeable professional to employers, clients, customers and peers in the equipment finance industry. There are currently 229 Certified Lease & Finance Professionals and Associates throughout the world.