Michelle Speranza, CLFP,
SVP and Chief Marketing Officer ,
LEAF Commercial Capital

Just for a moment, think back on the leaders you’ve admired most in your career.

Who believed in you? Who challenged you? Who inspired you?

In this fifth annual Women’s Issue of the Monitor, you’ll meet dozens of women who believe in the people they lead. Women who see potential where others might not, and who aren’t afraid to challenge them when they aren’t sure they’re up to it. Women who inspire not just by what they do, but by who they are.

Their stories are as unique as they are. Women from all kinds of backgrounds with all kinds of viewpoints bring fresh ideas and new ways of thinking to an industry that evolves as quickly as the businesses it serves.

But as varied as these stories are, don’t be surprised as you read them if you see a little of yourself in them, and maybe a little of what you aspire to become. Whether you’re relatively new to the industry or have been part of it for years, there’s a lot to learn from the women profiled in these pages.

Some may give you confidence in the direction you’re going. Some may challenge you to

get out of your comfort zone and explore new possibilities. But this issue as a whole will help you get to know some of the brightest, most accomplished women in the industry today – and what it is that makes so many want to follow in their footsteps.

Sincerely,

Michelle Speranza, CLFP

In addition to celebrating this year’s top women in equipment finance, this issue of Monitor provides advice for women looking to climb the ladder and an overview of important topics discussed on Monitor’s W Podcast.

We also include the annual Bank 50 ranking in this issue. While the banks of equipment finance continued on a steady trajectory of growth in 2022 and predicted a continued upward momentum in 2023, it’s hard to say if they will achieve that feat by year’s end.

Paul Bent and Gary LoMonaco from The Alta Group ask an important question in their co-authored feature: Is fraud preventable? They believe it can be and outline various ways to prevent fraud in your business.

We also provide highlights from the 62nd annual ELFA Convention, including Scott Nelson’s top five AI takeaways from the event and a recap of Ivory Consulting Corporation’s 40th anniversary celebration, as well as a recap of NEFA’s activities this year.

In The Tomorrow Zone, Deborah Reuben interviews Marti Grimminck about GenZ’s approach to AI and other emerging technology and discusses how leaders can harness perspectives of the younger generation to shape the future.

In Crunching the Numbers, Bill Bosco delivers the third installment of his CFO Chats series in which a salesperson and a CFO discuss a new task force designed to improve a company’s return on invested capital.

And in Tipping the Scales, Ken Greene dissects a recent bankruptcy trend toward the release of non-debtor third parties without the consent of creditors and how this could potentially impact guarantees.

In the meantime, stay tuned for our Jan/Feb issue, focused on Best Companies, and submit your early bird registration for Converge 2024, which will be held in Philadelphia May 15-16.

From all of us at Monitor, we wish you a happy and healthy holiday season!

Sincerely,

Rita Garwood