The National Equipment Finance Association said its 2011 Funding Symposium drew more than 150 brokers, lessors, funding sources and other service providers to Minneapolis, MN, from Thursday, September 15 through Saturday, September 17, making it one of the best conferences so far in the group’s brief history.

Gerry Egan, executive director of NEFA, said, “The number of new members and first time attendees, along with the new funding source and service provider exhibitors, are all clear signs of both the resilience, and determination to move forward, of the members of this industry. There is so much funding available for America’s small business owners,” said Egan. “The challenge for our members today is to communicate that fact to America’s business owners in spite of all the negative publicity to the contrary.”

The symposium also served as the annual business meeting for NEFA and the association’s directors and officers for 2012 were elected. The newly elected executive committee includes Hugh Swandel, of The Alta Group, as president; John Rosenlund, CLP, of Portfolio Financial Servicing, as vice president; John Donohue, of Direct Capital, as Treasurer; Frank Peretore, Esq., of Peretore & Peretore, as secretary; and Chris Enbom, CLP, of Allegiant Partners, as immediate past-president.

Newly elected directors are Kyle Gilliam, CLP, of Arvest Equipment Finance; Brad Harmon, CLP, of First Star Capital; Jesse Johnson, of LeaseTeam; Jim Merrilees, CLP, of RTR Inspection Services; and Bruce Smith, CLP, of Diversified Capital Credit and Health Care Equipment Funding.

They join re-elected directors Tara Aasand, of Great American Insurance Group; William Ford, Jr., of Ford Financial Services; Terey Jennings, CLP, of Financial Pacific; Tim Mathison, of P&L Capital; David Normandin, CLP, of Normandin Consulting; and Gary Souverein, of Pawnee Leasing.

In addition, a special NEFA Member of the Year award was presented to Chris Walker, CLP, of GreatAmerica Leasing. NEFA president, Chris Enbom, said “We chose Chris Walker for this honor not just because of his many years of dedicated service to the industry, our association, and virtually everyone who ever met him, but also because the quiet dignity and incredible courage with which Chris has faced a life threatening illness serves as a shining example and inspiration to all of us. We were delighted to have Chris’ wife, Jean, with us at the funding symposium to see Chris accept this award.”

Other awards recognizing their contribution as volunteers to the association were given to outgoing board members and executive committee officers. Recipients included Nancy Geary, CPA, CLP, of ECS Financial Services, who served as this year’s treasurer; Randy Haug, of LeaseTeam, as immediate past-president; Scott Wheeler, CLP, of Wheeler Business Consulting, as director; Chris Walker, CLP, of GreatAmerica Leasing, as director; Frank Peretore, Esq., of Peretore & Peretore, as director; and Tara Aasand, of Great American Insurance Group, as 2011 Funding Symposium Conference Chairperson.