Leader Insights

A Return to Normalcy: Construction Industry Optimism Remains High

A record-setting level of optimism was reported in Wells Fargo’s annual construction industry forecast. John Crum, national sales manager of the Construction Group at Wells Fargo Equipment Finance analyzes the data, explains why equipment rental has been on the rise and what challenges and opportunities lie ahead. ... read more

2018

Vendor Finance in 2018: Dexter Provides a Multi-Faceted Perspective

With the help of a few vendor-experienced friends, Dexter Van Dango explores several topics relevant to vendor finance, including strong new business volume, market volatility, the employment market, managed services and regulatory changes.... read more

May/June 2018

On-Demand Vendor Finance: Creating Innovative Solutions to Exceed Customer Expectations

In a Q&A with Monitor, top vendor finance leaders — Jeff Berg from DLL, Anthony Cracchiolo from U.S. Bank Equipment Finance and Jim Kelly from Wells Fargo Vendor Financial Services — rate 2017 and provide an outlook for the year ahead. They examine how customer needs have changed over the last five years and share the innovative approaches their companies have employed to keep vendor partners, and end-users, satisfied.... read more

May/June 2018

Buy Desk Perspective: Optimism at the Dawn of Market Change

New tax legislation, accounting rules and rising interest rates will shake things up in 2018. After years of low spreads, too much money and too few deals, the marketplace may be on the brink of change. We tapped two capital markets veterans for their thoughts.... read more

March/April 2018

Sources of Optimism: Maintaining a Competitive Edge in Equipment Funding

Developments both in the public and private sector have fueled optimism in the ever-positive equipment leasing industry. In this year’s Funding Sources roundtable, representatives from Stearns Bank, Financial Pacific Leasing and Ascentium Capital share their thoughts on the current equipment acquisition environment, fintech and more.... read more

March/April 2018

Top Five Private Independents: Each Creates a Unique Blueprint for Success

In an exclusive Monitor roundtable, the leaders of the top five private independent equipment finance companies discuss how their teams rose to face the challenges of 2017. They discuss the increasing importance of technology in their businesses and share their views on the stock market correction, tax reform and how to attract top talent.... read more

March/April 2018

Smart Contracts: The Future of Documentation & Collections

As the financial world has become increasingly digital, smart contracts — predicted to eliminate paper contracts entirely as well as many collection efforts — are on the cutting edge of forward thinking legal innovation. Joseph Bonanno examines the steps required to make these contracts the norm as well as the legal issues surrounding their use.... read more

January/February 2018

Imagine the Possibilities: Technology and the Asset Manager’s Challenge

Comparing the current state of the asset management process to a complex Rube Goldberg machine, Ivory Consulting’s Joseph Moore insists there must be a more streamlined way to get the job done using technology that exists today. He encourages asset managers to reimagine the process and focus on the results which could be achieved via automation.... read more

January/February 2018

Data-Enabled Technologies Drive Enhanced Asset Focus

The simultaneous emergence of several enabling technologies is priming a revolution in product and services innovation and changing how we understand and anticipate customers’ needs. Ian Robertson says lessors who utilize these asset information-related opportunities can differentiate themselves from their competition.... read more

January/February 2018

Equipment Finance 2.0: This is Not Your Father’s Leasing Company

Long gone are the days when asset managers relied on Green Guides and paper documents were stored in fireproof filing cabinets. Dexter Van Dango examines data-driven processes, blockchain technology and the demise of traditionally documented transactions. He urges equipment finance companies to challenge their thinking about all aspects of the business before they are left behind.... read more

January/February 2018

The Worst Loans Are Made in the Best Times: Credit Managers Lead the Fight Against Complacency

With a record-breaking year on the books, the equipment finance industry has benefitted from a lengthy economic expansion. While it can be easy to relax into the false sense of security a period of abundance can bring, credit managers continue to exercise caution, keeping a vigilant eye out for the slightest negative signs or factors that may affect business.... read more

January/February 2018

The Ripple Effect: Modern Asset Managers Master the Complexities of Market Interplay

The markets equipment finance companies serve are always in a state of flux, as are regulations and the state of the economy. Lisa Miller checks in with three asset managers on how they manage to provide accurate valuations in such a dynamic environment.... read more

January/February 2018

Commitment to Digital Business Sparks Sales: 2017 Best Year on Record Since Recession

IT spending is on the upswing, according to data from Gartner. John Lovelock examines the reasons behind the increase, including a commitment to digital business and a declining U.S. dollar. As software overtakes hardware and service-based models replace traditional ownership, he says businesses that fail to keep up with technological advancements will be left behind.... read more

November/December 2017

Seeing Clearly: 2017 Provides Improved Clarity for Equipment Finance Landscape

With more than half of 2017 in the books, Ralph Petta and Anthony Cracchiolo provide an update on the equipment finance industry from the ELFA’s perspective. They discuss struggling sectors and the 2016 election, improved performance in 2017 and what the association is working on and expecting in the next year.... read more

September/October 2017

Skillful Sailing: Extraordinary Performance Driven by Cultural Winds

The culture of a company — the invisible force that determines vision and values — will ultimately determine its success or failure. Dexter Van Dango embarks on an expedition to uncover the power of culture. He examines recent cultural breakdowns that made headlines and shares insights from equipment finance leaders on the impact of corporate culture on their organizations.... read more

September/October 2017