Lisa Rafter,
Publisher,
Monitor

It truly is surreal to me that Monitor is 50 years old. It might be even more surreal that I started with Monitor in 1987, which is 36 years ago. It’s so cliché, but where oh where does the time go? In 1987, I was an English major at St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia. I never even heard of equipment finance; now it’s part of my everyday vernacular and an industry I hold near and dear to my heart.

Monitor has covered equipment leasing and finance since 1974. We’ve followed the industry from its nascent roots as a new option for businesses to acquire equipment to its booming growth in the 1980s, consolidation in the 1990s, the financial crisis of 2008 and the recent industry trend towards digitization, online platforms and the emergence of fintech startups —  50 years of informing, inspiring and educating.

As publisher, I am incredibly proud of how far we’ve come as an industry and a publication. We started 50 years ago as a small 12-page black and white tabloid newspaper with a few hundred dedicated readers, and now we have over 15,000 readers, a beautiful full color magazine and multiple digital products. We’ve interviewed and featured countless industry leaders, launched podcasts, livestreams and conferences, and recently started a streaming video service just to keep up with the times!

None of this would have been possible without you, our loyal readers. You’ve been with us through every decade, and we are honored to have been a part of your lives for 50 years. We’ve all seen the ups and downs of our industry and the trends that have come and gone, but one thing has remained constant: your love for Monitor. This means the world to us.

Equipment finance is now a $1 trillion industry. We continue to adapt and innovate in ever-changing economic and political environments. What makes our industry unique is the energetic, entrepreneurially spirited and connected people. It’s an industry inside joke that once you enter equipment finance, you can never leave! People like me and so many of you have spent our entire careers in this wonderful industry that we call home.

On behalf of the entire Monitor team, I’d like to thank you for your support, feedback and enthusiasm over the years. We look forward to continuing to bring you the best of the best for many more years to come. Enjoy this special 50^th Anniversary commemorative issue. We look back at some of the most memorable moments and most impactful leaders over the past five decades. We’ve also invited some of our favorite contributors to share their thoughts and memories of this amazing industry!

Yours Warmly,

Lisa H. Rafter