Ralph Petta issued the following updated statement about the coronavirus to members of the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association:

ELFA is closely monitoring and evaluating the situation around the COVID-19 coronavirus. Given the growing health concerns related to the virus, the association has made a number of changes to our event schedule. These changes are in keeping with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which as of March 16 is urging a nationwide halt to gatherings of more than 50 people for the next eight weeks. We apologize for any inconvenience the changes listed below may cause, but as always, the safety of our participants, community and staff are our priority and we believe these changes are in the best interest of everyone involved:

• IMN/ELFA Investors Conference, March 25 in New York City – CANCELLED
• Principles of Equipment Leasing and Finance Workshop, April 7-9 in Chicago – POSTPONED
• Women’s Leadership Forum, April 20-21 in Chicago – CANCELLED
• Best Practices Roundtables, April 21 in Chicago – CANCELLED
• Emerging Talent Networking Event, April 21 in Chicago – CANCELLED
• National Funding Conference, April 21-23 in Chicago – IN-PERSON EVENT CANCELLED
• Legal Forum, May 3-5 in Washington, D.C. – CANCELLED

We will continue to monitor health professional advice and updates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and World Health Organization regarding the COVID-19 coronavirus and follow the guidelines from these agencies and local health departments. We are evaluating all subsequent ELFA events and activities and will make any necessary modifications to our upcoming event schedule as needed to ensure the health and safety of our members, staff, vendors and others. We will share updates via the ELFA website at www.elfaonline.org/events. For questions regarding ELFA events, please contact [email protected].

Although the upcoming event schedule has changed, what hasn’t changed is ELFA’s commitment to our membership. While we have instituted some operational changes, permitting staff to work from home in order to practice social distancing, the entire team remains fully functional and focused on serving our members and delivering on our mission. Please know that ELFA is here for you during this challenging time. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to us.