The National Equipment Finance Association (NEFA) hosted the Midwest Regional Ice Fishing event on Feb. 5 in Minneapolis.

“The event offered attendees a lunch and learn workshop, four hours of fishing on Lake Minnetonka, and a networking dinner at Lord Fletcher’s restaurant,” Chad Sluss, CEO of NEFA, said.

The day started with a collaborative workshop, hosted by Channel Partners Capital, in which RJ Grimshaw of Able Leadership, shared practical insights on integrating AI into equipment finance operations. The session, “Revolutionizing Equipment Finance Sales with AI: Tactical Tools in Action,” focused on empowering professionals to drive innovation from within their organizations.

“This wasn’t about replacing jobs; it’s about amplifying human excellence,” Grimshaw said. “We explored how finance professionals can become internal champions of innovation, using AI to solve real challenges while staying true to their organization’s values.”

The session demonstrated how tools like ChatGPT and Claude can enhance daily operations without disrupting existing workflows.

“The most valuable innovations often come from within,” Grimshaw said. “Today’s workshop was about giving professionals the tools to lead change in their organizations, regardless of their role.”

Following the educational workshop, attendees spent four hours at Lake Minnetonka fishing and networking. Attendees could win prizes for guessing the depth of the ice and catching either the first, largest or most fish; there was even a prize for no fish caught. After ice fishing, attendees went to Lord Fletcher’s to share stories of the monster fish they caught (or lost) and connect with industry colleagues.

“This year’s event was the largest in our history since we started the ice fishing event over 10 years ago,” Daryn Lecy of Oakmont Capital Services and title sponsor for the event, said. “I look forward to this favorite gathering of tremendous people, getting outdoors to network and having a great time on the lake each year!”

NEFA thanks the sponsors who made the event possible, including title sponsor Oakmont Capital Services, supporting sponsors Channel, Dedicated Financial GBC, ECS Financial Services and Solifi, and education host Channel.