Equipment Finance Cares held its New York/New Jersey event last week at the Rockland County Country Club in Sparkill, NY, with more than 40 equipment finance professionals representing 31 organizations in attendance.

“We had a great turnout for our first Northeast event,” Jesse Johnson, vice president of sales and marketing for JDR Solutions and founder of Equipment Finance Cares, said. “We had 14 total sponsors and Equipment Finance Cares will be donating to all of the foundations that were showcased during the event.”

The program offered two industry thought leading panels. Lisa Rafter, publisher of Monitor, moderated an operations panel, which featured Paul Vecker of Macrolease, Nancy Robles of Eastern Funding and Denny Smith of Peapack Capital. The second panel focused on sales and was moderated by Johnson and featured Shawn Arnone of Key Equipment Finance, Stephanie Hall of Bank Financial and Keith Smith of Star Hill Financial.

The panel discussions touched on topics such as challenges equipment finance organizations are facing today; overcoming pandemic-related business disruption; diversity, equity and inclusion; and the mental health of employees. Foundations showcased during the event included The Epic School, Cookies for Kids with Cancer, Magic Charities, Special Olympics NY, Love Life Now Foundation, the Equipment Lease & Finance Foundation and the Chris Walker Fund.

“It was such an honor to moderate a panel which included some of our industry’s most respected thought leaders,” Rafter said. “And, maybe more importantly, an honor and a privilege to attend an industry event that allows us to give back and support charities which are near and dear to us. Equipment Finance Cares is doing important work.”

Below is a sample of attendee feedback from the event:

• “Thanks for the opportunity to not only meet with folks active in equipment finance but those who believe in giving back as well.”
• “It is such a pleasure to meet other people passionate about helping others in equipment finance and discuss timely topics of how we can do a better job of it during these difficult times.”
• “It was fantastic, loved the panel discussions and thought leadership. Looking forward to attending the next one.”
• “We’re lucky to work in an industry with so many people willing to share their success and challenges and to give so much to those [who] would need our empathy and resources.”
• “Very well done. Refreshing to hear frank and honest conversation on current topics.”

The next Equipment Finance Cares event will be held on Nov. 17 from 1:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. PST. Regents Capital will host the event at its office in Costa Mesa CA.