Key insights for Leasing Industry Professionals

https://www.bancofcal.com/about­us/news­events

Banc of California Announces Key Additions to its Commercial Bank IRVINE, Calif.­­(BUSINESS WIRE)­­ Banc of California announced today four key additions to its Commercial Bank. ● David Park has joined the Bank as Managing Director, Business Banking. Mr. Park joins Banc of California from City National Bank where he served as Senior Vice President and Head of Business Banking. Over his 9­year tenure at City National Bank, he founded and expanded the Business Banking Group and also served as manager of SBA lending. Mr. Park holds a B.A. in Economics from University of California­Irvine and an M.B.A. from University of Southern California. He also serves as faculty for the Pacific Coast Banking School’s Bank Leadership course. ● John Chung has joined the Bank as Senior Vice President and Director of Sales for the Business Banking Division. Mr. Chung joins Banc of California from City National Bank where he served as Senior Vice President and Team Lead for Business Banking. Previously, Mr. Chung focused on business development and client relationship management at First Citizens, Wells Fargo, GE Real Estate, and California National Bank. Mr. Chung holds a B.A. from Northwestern University. ● Jessica Batarseh has joined the Bank as Vice President and Relationship Manager for the Business Banking Division. Ms. Batarseh joins Banc of California from City National Bank where she served as Vice President and Business Banking Relationship Manager. Previously, Ms. Batarseh focused on business development and client relationship management at Automatic Data Processing (ADP).

Ms. Batarseh holds a B.S. from California State University­Northridge. ● Matthew Smith has joined the Bank as Vice President and Relationship Manager focused on middle market lending and sponsor finance. Mr. Smith joins Banc of California from California Bank & Trust with prior experience at OneWest Bank and Wells Fargo Bank.

“David, John, Jessica, and Matt bring deep expertise and extensive leadership experience to serve the unique needs of California’s leading entrepreneurs and private businesses,” said Jeffrey Seabold, Chief Banking Officer for Banc of California. “We are excited that David Park will lead our business banking team.

His leadership will be instrumental in helping to expand our reach in the business banking market across Southern California.”

Mr. Park, Mr. Chung, Ms. Batarseh, and Mr. Smith will be based at the Bank’s Downtown Los Angeles office and will work closely with Banc of California’s robust treasury management and lending teams.

“As California’s Bank, we are excited to continue to build upon our strong commercial banking capabilities focused on serving California’s leading entrepreneurs and private businesses,” said Steven Sugarman, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer for Banc of California.

About Banc of California, Inc. Banc of California, Inc. (NYSE: BANC) provides comprehensive banking services to California’s diverse private businesses, entrepreneurs and homeowners. Banc of California operates over 100 offices in California and the West.

Forward­Looking Statements This press release includes forward­looking statements within the meaning of the “Safe­Harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are necessarily subject to risk and uncertainty and actual results could differ materially from those anticipated due to various factors, including those set forth from time to time in the documents filed or furnished by Banc of California, Inc. with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should not place undue reliance on forward­looking statements and Banc of California, Inc. undertakes no obligation to update any such statements to reflect circumstances or events that occur after the date on which the forward­looking statement is made.

Banc of California Announces Quarterly Common Stock Dividend IRVINE, Calif.­­(BUSINESS WIRE)­­ Banc of California, Inc. (NYSE: BANC) today announced that its Board of Directors has declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.12 per share on its outstanding common stock.

The dividend will be payable on January 4, 2016 to stockholders of record as of December 15, 2015. Based on the trading price of $15.23 as of close of market on November 27, 2015, the cash dividend results in an annualized dividend yield of 3.15%.

Banc of California maintains a Dividend Reinvestment Plan (DRIP) which allows stockholders to automatically acquire shares at a 3% discount from the applicable market price. All registered stockholders with holdings maintained at the Company’s transfer agent, Computershare, are eligible to participate in the DRIP program. For more information on the Company’s DRIP program, please contact Investor Relations through IR@bancofcal.comor at (855) 361­2262.

About Banc of California, Inc. Banc of California, Inc. (NYSE: BANC) provides comprehensive banking services to California’s diverse private businesses, entrepreneurs and homeowners. Banc of California operates over 100 offices in California and the West.

Forward­Looking Statements This press release includes forward­looking statements within the meaning of the “Safe­Harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are necessarily subject to risk and uncertainty and actual results could differ materially from those anticipated due to various factors, including those set forth from time to time in the documents filed or furnished by Banc of California, Inc. with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should not place undue reliance on forward­looking statements and Banc of California, Inc. undertakes no obligation to update any such statements to reflect circumstances or events that occur after the date on which the forward­looking statement is made.

http://www.teqlease.com/about­us/newsroom/news­releases/

TEQlease Capital Provides Equipment Financing for Triview Glass Industries Calabasas, CA June 25, 2015 — TEQlease Capital, a nationwide provider of equipment lease financing solutions, announced today that the company has provided equipment lease financing for Triview Glass Industries, a premier glass cutting company on the West Coast. “The equipment financed (a glass cutting CNC) is an integral machine for providing unique and innovative services to our industry clients nationwide” said Alexander Kastaniuk, Triview Glass Industries President. “This machine will help offset labor and maintenance expenses while providing an array of revenue generating opportunities for years to come.

Despite prefunding deadlines and other hurdles, we were able to successfully move the project forward.”

“When our ability to provide competitive financing combines with support for our local businesses, it’s a win­win” said TEQlease Capital President Mike Lockwood. “We continue to lead the way in offering sensible and equipment­relevant lease finance options for our customers nationwide. Working on projects like this is something we strive for every day.” FINANCING FOR MANUFACTURERS TEQlease specializes in financing for manufacturers in industries that include: wood, steal, glass, plastics, foods and consumer products. Financing options range from 3­7 years with market­friendly payment options that match our client’s monthly, seasonal or annual preferences. With over 25 years of experience in manufacturing equipment financing, TEQlease continues to provide top service for both clients and vendors nationwide.

ABOUT TRIVIEW GLASS INDUSTRIES Founded in 2009, Triview Glass Industries is a full service glass fabricator working out of an 80,000 square foot "State of the Art" facility in City of Industry, California. Triview manufactures a wide variety of architectural and decorative glass products. ABOUT TEQlease TEQlease

Capital is a nationwide provider of equipment lease financing solutions across all industries, including manufacturing, education, distribution, financial services, healthcare, and retail organizations. Founded in 2000, the company is based in Calabasas, California.

EQUIPMENT LEASING FOR BUSINESS AND EDUCATION

TEQlease Capital, a nationwide provider of equipment lease financing solutions, announced today that the company has provided The Academy Charter School, a New York K­7 charter school, with a comprehensive equipment lease financing solution for IT infrastructure equipment, security systems, school furniture and other equipment for its new building and school expansion in Hempstead, New York. “As part of our mission we offer an exceptional interdisciplinary curriculum in a technology­rich environment that challenges students to explore connections across subjects and use experiential learning to bridge the gaps between theory and practice,” said Wayne Haughton, Executive Director of The Academy Charter School. “The financing from TEQlease Capital has allowed us the flexibility and customization we needed to expand into a new building to accommodate the newly introduced middle school.” “The Academy Charter School is an innovative school and we are very pleased to provide the equipment lease financing that the school required to expand,” said Mike Lockwood, president of TEQlease Capital. “We are deeply committed to helping public, private and charter schools with the funding they need to educate their students. In addition, we are excited to be part of such a special project, and we take pride in knowing that our efforts go to an excellent cause and help shape the minds of the future.” ABOUT The Academy Charter School The Academy Charter School is a New York based charter school in operation since 2009. The Academy Charter School currently caters to students K­7 and is expanding to host grade 8 in coming years. The Academy Charter School provides an exceptional interdisciplinary curriculum that allows their students to thrive both in and out of the classroom. For more information, please contact The Academy Charter School at 516­408­2200. ABOUT TEQlease TEQlease Capital is a nationwide provider of equipment lease financing solutions across all industries, including manufacturing, education, distribution, financial services, healthcare, and retail organizations. TEQlease Capital’s Education Finance group has a unique focus on providing solutions to educational institutions. Founded in 2000, the company is based in Calabasas, California

https://www.accruit.com/1031­news

Avoiding Cash Boot in a 1031 Real Estate Exchange

The reinvestment goal of any 1031 tax ​ deferred exchange​ should be to buy ​ replacement property​ of equal or greater value and to use up all the exchange proceeds in the closing of the replacement property without getting any cash back. Receiving cash, sometimes called ​ boot​ , won’t generally terminate the ​ like­kind exchange​ , however, it will likely trigger a taxable event for the ​ taxpayer​ , and should be avoided.

Sometimes, the taxpayer receives their replacement property settlement statement, and it shows that they are getting cash back. What possibly could have caused this? Below are a few examples of what may have

caused the cash back scenario and what can be done to fix the settlement statement prior to the closing in order to avoid the cash boot: ●

Other credits may appear on the settlement statement

●

Taxpayer loan terms may need to be adjusted

●

Taxpayer may be purchasing other properties

Credits on the Settlement Statement Contributing to Cash Boot If the settlement statement has a credit for earnest money that the taxpayer paid out of pocket, the settlement agent can show an offsetting debit line item and title it “Reimbursement of prepaid earnest money to the ​ buyer​ .” However, if the ​ qualified intermediary​ was instructed to pay the earnest money out of the exchange proceeds prior to closing, this offsetting debit is not an option because the taxpayer can’t be reimbursed for an item that they did not prepay out of their pocket.

If the other credits include a credit for property taxes, rent, or security deposit prorations, the taxpayer should consider asking the ​ seller​ to pay these items to the taxpayer outside of closing or to ask the closer to show these items as paid outside of closing and not as a credit line item. Even though these non­exchange items are customarily shown as a credit, it is best if they are handled outside of the closing.

Adjusting Loan Terms to Avoid Cash Boot If a taxpayer is buying replacement property and is obtaining a loan as a part of the purchase, care must be taken to ensure that all of the exchange proceeds are reinvested into its acquisition. There have been lenders who have advised clients to combine exchange proceeds with a high balance loan, allowing the taxpayers to receive excess cash back in the closing process. In their opinion, the cash back is related to the loan proceeds rather than the exchange proceeds. Unfortunately, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) does not interpret cash back through the closing that way. From the IRS’s perspective, the taxpayer is tapping equity through the exchange, and the equity (cash) received will be considered taxable boot if it is done through the closing. A better route would be to: ● Lower the loan amount or ● Consider a principle reduction on the settlement statement for the amount of the excess cash back If the goal is to get some cash back without triggering taxation, one can ​ refinance the relinquished property prior to starting an exchange or refinance the replacement property after the exchange is complete​ .

Refinancing the ​ relinquished property​ prior to selling is generally discouraged unless you can argue that the refinance was not in anticipation of the upcoming exchange or it was for independent business reasons.

The preferred method is to refinance the replacement property after the exchange is complete.

Purchasing Additional Properties to Avoid Cash Boot If cash remains after the measures above are taken, there is a chance the taxpayer has the intent to purchase more than one replacement property. If that is the case, the closer should only credit the buyer for

proceeds needed to purchase the property, without sending cash back to the buyer. The remaining proceeds will be held by the qualified intermediary pending further purchase transactions.

If the taxpayer is struggling to find properties to consume their remaining exchange proceeds and still within the 45­day ​ identification period​ , they should call their qualified intermediary or counsel to discuss alternative forms of investment. Many taxpayers do not realize that investing in certain ​ energy royalty interests​ , water rights, or ​ passive fractional interests (Delaware Statutory Trusts)​ may qualify as like­kind under the 1031 rules and allow them to further their tax deferred reinvestment goals.

PwC and Accruit Celebrate Five Years in Unified Like­Kind Exchange Practice

In November 2010, PwC and Accruit joined forces to provide comprehensive 1031 ​ like­kind exchange​ (LKE) programs that combine PwC’s LKE tax and technology capabilities with Accruit’s ​ qualified intermediary​ (QI) expertise.

With more than 30 years of like­kind exchange experience between them, the two companies deliver integrated 1031 like­kind exchange program services to more than 170 clients across 20 industries.

Section 1031 of the ​ Internal Revenue Code​ allows a company to defer taxes associated with the sale of business or investment assets provided that the revenue from the sale is reinvested into other assets that are of like­kind to those sold. This is known as a like­kind exchange (LKE). Companies conducting multiple like­kind exchanges each year or complex personal property exchanges can benefit from a like­kind exchange program in which exchanges are managed on an ongoing, programmatic ​ basis​ .

Said Brent Abrahm, founder and CEO of Accruit, "Our partnership with PwC has been of great value to the marketplace. The synergies in tax and QI services, as well as the fact that both of our companies prioritize the role that technology has to play in the industry, have enabled us to deliver a robust solution that is otherwise unavailable."

In 2015, two prominent studies emerged citing the benefits that like­kind exchanges bring to the U.S. economy. One study, underwritten by the Federation of Exchange Accommodators, found that ​ a repeal of like­kind exchanges from the U.S. tax code would result in a slowing of economic growth and a reduction of GDP​ . The other, authored by finance professors Dr. David Ling and Dr. Milena Petrova, concluded that like­kind exchanges encourage investment, ​ lead to job creation, and contribute significantly to federal tax revenue​ .

According to David Fowler, co­leader of PwC's LKE Services practice, "Fifteen years ago, we set out to create the leading LKE practice in the industry by leveraging our tax expertise with cutting edge technology and understanding the importance of excellent customer service to be successful in the marketplace. Our joint business relationship with Accruit has helped us achieve our goal, and we look forward to serving our clients with Accruit for the next 15 years."

http://advantagefund.com/category/news­releases/

Advantage Funding & Road America Form New Partnership Advantage Funding announced a new partnership with Road America, a leading independent provider of roadside assistance services throughout the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

“Road America and Advantage Funding are partnering to bring easy, low­cost financing and leasing terms to Road America’s 15,000 service providers,” said Al Damiani, CEO of Advantage Funding. “Competitive rates, flexible terms, and 100% financing for qualified buyers will help make it easy for Road America service providers to finance their next truck.”

Since 1978, Road America has supplied emergency road assistance to millions of customers of corporate clients. “This new partnership is a reflection of our ongoing commitment to build meaningful and lasting relationships with our valued service providers,” said Bonnie Verhulst, Director of Provider Network. Road America, part of MAPFRE ASISTENCIA, a leading multinational insurance, reinsurance and services company founded in 1989, is a leader in the North America roadside assistance market, maintaining partnerships with major corporations and serving over 30 million corporate customers. Road America aims to uphold quality service during times of roadside emergencies by providing fast, accurate and reliable services for its customers.

Advantage Funding, based in Lake Success, N.Y. and founded in 1997, is dedicated to providing equipment financing and leasing solutions for ground transportation. The company specializes in commercial,

Advantage Funding Hires Cooksey, Expanding Mid­South Sales Advantage Funding, a leader in U.S. ground­transportation finance, today announced the addition of Janet Cooksey to its growing truck­ finance sales team reporting to Carol Dmytriw, National Sales Manager.

Cooksey will serve as Regional Sales Manager, capitalizing on her transportation financial services experience in over­the­road (OTR), regional­haul and vocational trucks as well as trailer financing, in the company’s Mid­South Region.

“Janet will bring Advantage Funding’s value­added products and services to markets in Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama and Kentucky,” said Don Coolbaugh, Chief Sales Officer. “Transportation firms across the U.S. depend on us for customized financing and highly personable service. Adding Janet to our team means that more firms will experience the difference that is Advantage Funding.”

Prior to her appointment with Advantage Funding, Cooksey served as Regional Sales Manager for Charlotte­based Commercial Credit Group, Inc., where she sold more than $20 million in truck financing.

Before Commercial Credit, Cooksey served for 14 years as District Finance Manager for Volvo Financial Services and eight years as District Finance Manager for Mack Financial Services. She also handled Volvo Construction Equipment, averaging $110 million in total annual sales. Volvo Financial Services, based in Greensboro, N.C., provides captive financing for both Volvo Trucks and Mack Trucks. Previously, Cooksey managed Credit and Collections for Phoenix­based Republic Services, Inc./Browning Industries.

“I have extensive experience in the over­the­road and regional­haul vocational truck and trailer segment,” said Cooksey. “I see opportunity to open a whole new industry for Advantage Funding and bring a new product nameplate to the transportation industry in the Mid­South. I think Advantage will be a major player in this market.”

Cooksey attended Chadwick University in Birmingham, Ala., where she studied economics.

Advantage Funding, based in Lake Success, N.Y. and founded in 1997, is dedicated to providing equipment financing and leasing solutions for ground transportation. The company specializes in commercial,

vocational­truck and dealership transportation funding nationwide. The funder also provides debt financing for established Buy Here Pay Here/Lease Here Pay Here dealers.

http://www.advantageleasing.com/news/advantage­promotes­vice­president­michael­elton­to­pr esident/

Advantage+ Promotes Vice President Michael Elton to President Brookfield, Wis. – – Michael Elton has been promoted to president and chief operating officer of Advantage+, a privately owned, nationwide direct lender based in suburban Milwaukee, company officials said this week. Elton also was elected to the company’s board of directors.

Elton replaces his father, Larry, as president of the 23­year­old company; the elder Elton will continue to serve as chief executive officer and chairman of the board.

“Mike’s been gradually and effectively taking on more responsibilities,” Elton said, noting that his son will be the company’s first chief operating officer. “And despite the limp­along economy, the last two years were our best ever. Our team is smart, strong, and eager for more success. Mike will lead well.”

Elton, 46, earned a bachelor’s degree in business from the University of Wisconsin­Madison in 1991. After college, he worked for several years as a marketing analyst for Success Business Industries. In 1995, Elton left Success and partnered with his brother, Keith, as the owners and operators of Mike’s Ice, a wholesale ice manufacturer and distributor. The brothers sold the company in 1999.

Elton then joined Advantage+ as a collections department employee. He moved up the corporate ladder from there, advancing to a sales position in 2001 and then to vice president of sales in 2005, the same year he was named to the company’s management team.

About Advantage+ Advantage+, a nationwide ​ direct lender​ , offers equipment and working capital loans of $2,000 to $200,000 to small and mid­size companies. The company also provides custom customer finance programs for manufacturers, distributors, and dealers. In addition, Advantage+ also makes direct loans to equipment buyers. The company makes more than one­third of its new loans to existing or previous customers.

Since Advantage+ was founded in 1992, the company has lent $500 million dollars to more than 20,000 businesses. Its managers and a few outside investors own the company. Advantage+ augments its growing capital base with loans from its partner ​ banks​ , which support small business and free­market capitalism.

http://www.aig.com/press­releases_3171_438003.html

AIG Announces New Executive Leadership Team NEW YORK­­(BUSINESS WIRE)­­Dec. 10, 2015­­ American International Group, Inc.(NYSE:AIG) announced today the formation of a new Executive Leadership Team, designed to execute AIG’s strategic priorities and provide value to its approximately 90 million clients around the world.

“Our new management structure will ensure we have strong end­to­end accountability within the customer segments, so we can transform into a more efficient, less complex organization with accelerated decision­making in response to our clients’ needs,” said Peter D. Hancock, AIG President and Chief

Executive Officer. “We are moving forward with a continued sense of urgency on our four strategic priorities: narrowing our focus on clients, products, and geographies where we can grow profitably; driving for efficiency; growing through innovation, and optimizing our data assets and client relationships; and returning excess capital to shareholders.

“The Executive Leadership team is a dynamic, highly skilled group of executives, with deep experience in successful execution,” added Mr. Hancock.

Reporting to Mr. Hancock on the Executive Leadership Team will be the following individuals: ● Douglas Dachille – Chief Investment Officer. Doug will oversee the Science function, and Murli Buluswar, Chief Science Officer, will report to him. ● Philip Fasano – Chief Information Officer. ● Martha Gallo – Chief Auditor. Martha will continue to report both to the Board’s Audit Committee and to Mr. Hancock. ● Kevin Hogan – CEO of Consumer. The Japan operations and the Consumer Claims organization will report to Kevin. ● Jeffrey Hurd – Executive Vice President – Transformation, Human Resources, and Administration. ● Seraina Maag – CEO of Regional Management & Operations. The Regional CEO & President roles (Americas, EMEA, and Asia Pacific) will be consolidated into one role with oversight of country management. Seraina will also assume oversight of Operations. ● Thomas Russo – General Counsel – Legal, Compliance, Regulatory Affairs, and Government Affairs. ● Sid Sankaran – Chief Financial Officer. Sid will maintain oversight of Enterprise Risk Management.

Alessa Quane will become Chief Risk Officer and will continue in the role of Chief Corporate Actuary, reporting both to Sid and to the Board’s Risk and Capital Committee. ● Robert Schimek – CEO of Commercial. The UK operations and the Commercial Claims organization will report to Rob. ● Brian Schreiber – Chief Strategy Officer, and Head of Corporate Marketing and Communications.

David Herzog will continue as Chief Financial Officer through the filing of AIG’s 2015 Form 10­K. Sid Sankaran will continue as Chief Risk Officer until he becomes Chief Financial Officer (at which time Alessa Quane will become Chief Risk Officer and continue in the role of Chief Corporate Actuary). All other Executive Leadership Team appointments are effective immediately. David Herzog, John Doyle, Jose Hernandez, and Eric Martinez will leave the company after a period of transition.

“Several of our senior leaders will depart the company,” said Mr. Hancock. “I am grateful for their years of distinguished service. Their leadership has been invaluable in positioning AIG for long­term growth and sustainable profitability.”

American International Group, Inc. (AIG) is a leading global insurance organization serving customers in more than 100 countries and jurisdictions. AIG companies serve commercial, institutional, and individual customers through one of the most extensive worldwide property­casualty networks of any insurer. In addition, AIG companies are leading providers of life insurance and retirement services in the United States.

AIG common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and the Tokyo Stock Exchange.

AIG Announces Pricing of the Sale of Ordinary H Shares of PICC Property and Casualty Company Limited

American International Group, Inc. (NYSE:AIG) announced today that it has priced the sale of 361 million ordinary H shares of PICC Property and Casualty Company Limited (PICC P&C) by means of a placing to certain institutional investors.

Upon the closing of the placing, which is scheduled for December 10, 2015, and is subject to customary closing conditions, AIG will receive gross proceeds of approximately US$751.8 million, based upon a purchase price of HK$16.14 (approximately US$2.08) per share. Thereafter, AIG will continue to be the largest holder of PICC P&C H shares, with a position of approximately 851 million shares, representing 5.74 percent of the total issued share capital of PICC P&C. “During our third quarter earnings call, we disclosed that narrowing our focus is one of AIG’s four strategic priorities,” said Peter D. Hancock, President and Chief Executive Officer of AIG. “By continuing to de­risk our position in PICC P&C, we are focusing AIG’s capital in our core markets and enhancing our financial flexibility. We continue to greatly value our strategic partnership with PICC P&C.” The ordinary H shares have not been and will not be registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act), or any other applicable law, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act and any other applicable law.

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the ordinary H shares, nor shall there be any sale of the ordinary H shares in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation, or sale would be unlawful.

This press release contains “forward­looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In particular, no assurance can be given that AIG will be able to complete the placing of the PICC P&C ordinary H shares, or, if completed, what the net proceeds will be from the placing.

These forward­looking statements are not historical facts but instead represent only AIG’s belief regarding future events, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and outside AIG’s control. Except for AIG’s ongoing obligation to disclose material information as required by federal securities laws, AIG is not under any obligation (and expressly disclaims any obligation) to update or alter any projections, goals, assumptions, or other statements, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

American International Group, Inc. (AIG) is a leading global insurance organization serving customers in more than 100 countries and jurisdictions. AIG companies serve commercial, institutional, and individual customers through one of the most extensive worldwide property­casualty networks of any insurer. In addition, AIG companies are leading providers of life insurance and retirement services in the United States.

AIG common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and the Tokyo Stock Exchange.

Additional information about AIG can be found at ​ www.aig.com​ | YouTube:​ www.youtube.com/aig​ | Twitter: @AIGinsurance | LinkedIn:​ http://www.linkedin.com/company/aig AIG is the marketing name for the worldwide property­casualty, life and retirement, and general insurance operations of American International Group, Inc. For additional information, please visit our website at www.aig.com​ . All products and services are written or provided by subsidiaries or affiliates of American International Group, Inc. Products or services may not be available in all countries, and coverage is subject to actual policy language. Non­insurance products and services may be provided by independent third parties. Certain property­casualty coverages may be provided by a surplus lines insurer. Surplus lines insurers do not generally participate in state guaranty funds, and insureds are therefore not protected by such funds.

Altec Announces New Engineless Chipper Altec is excited to announce the launch of the DRM12he engineless chipper. This 12 inch controlled­feed drum style chipper is operated with hydraulic power from the tow vehicle creating a Modular Production System (MPS), thus removing the need for a traditional engine.

The absence of the engine eliminates routine repair and maintenance expenses associated with combustion style engines and offers a more efficient uptime. The MPS provides hydraulic and electrical connections from the chipper to the tow vehicle by utilizing a quick connect system that makes hooking and unhooking fast and easy.

The DRM12he also provides the following features: ● Push button start/stop ● A cutting drum that stops in less than 10 seconds after power is stopped ● On board diagnostics for hydraulic system oil level, temperature and filtration ● Weight savings of over 1,100 pounds for a normal 12 inch drum chipper The DRM12he is equipped with the Altec Panic Bar System and other popular features that made our standard 12 inch drum chipper, the DRM12, a customer favorite.

For more information on the DRM12he and other Altec equipment, call 800­958­2555 or visit www.altec.com.

Altec is a leading equipment and service provider for the electric utility, lights and signs, telecommunications, contractor, and tree care markets. The company provides products and services in more than 100 countries throughout the world.

Altec CEO Urges Senate to Pass Budget Agreement ltec’s Chairman and CEO, Lee Styslinger III joined with other CEOs of America’s leading companies in supporting the two­year budget agreement passed this week by the House of Representatives and is urging the Senate to reach agreement on the legislation. Styslinger is a member of the Business Roundtable (BRT), an association of corporate leaders working to promote sound public policy to strengthen and grow the U.S. economy.

“The leadership demonstrated by House members in voting for the two­year budget and debt limit agreement will help lead toward economic stability”, said Styslinger. “It is an important first­step in helping the U.S. deal with its significant fiscal challenges. While far from perfect, this legislation will help support consumer confidence and generate business investment. It is now up to the Senate to act on this agreement in a bipartisan fashion. We encourage Congress and the Administration to continue to enact policies that will help lead toward much needed economic growth.”

Styslinger was a key member of George W. Bush’s Export Council and was responsible for advising the President on government programs that affected U.S. trade performance, export expansion and economic growth.

Business Roundtable is an association of chief executive officers of leading U.S. companies. BRT member companies produce $7.4 trillion in annual revenues and employ more than 16 million people. Member companies also invest $158 billion annually in research and development.

Altec is a leading equipment and service provider for the electric utility, telecommunications, contractor, lights and signs, and tree care markets. The company provides products and services in more than 100 countries throughout the world.

http://www.ameriquestcorp.com/news/

Corcentric Partners with Institute of Finance and Management for New Live Webinar on Top Five Procure­to­Pay Trends of 2016 Corcentric, a provider of cloud­based financial process automation solutions, announced it will sponsor a free webinar hosted by Institute of Finance and Management, “​ Unveiled: Top 5 Trends for Procure­to­Pay 2016​ ,” on Wednesday, December 9, 2015, at 2:00 PM ET/11:00 AM PT. Attendees of this event will be provided insights on the top five trends – operational and technological – that will impact procure­to­pay in 2016. Key takeaways will include: ● How these trends will impact the solutions organizations implement ● Expert advice on how financial operations can take advantage of these trends ● Real­world examples of companies that have already addressed these trends through automation Hosting the webinar is AP automation industry leader Rob DeVincent, Vice President of Product Marketing at Corcentric, along with Mark Brousseau, noted analyst and President of Brousseau & Associates. Bringing more than 20 years of industry experience to the event, both presenters will offer unique perspective and expertise to share with attendees.

“Quick adaption to today’s automation and procurement trends is a catalyst for change and innovation, which can ultimately bring about success,” said Mark Brousseau, President of Brousseau & Associates. “By being closely tapped into these trends and their direct effect on organizational systems, businesses are given an upper hand to better lead a company in such a competitive field.”

For additional information, or to register, please visit: ​ Unveiled: Top 5 Trends for Procure­to­Pay 2016 About Corcentric For more than 15 years, Corcentric’s cloud­based financial process automation solutions have revolutionized how the world’s largest organizations manage and protect their financial assets. By connecting best practices with deep expertise, Corcentric’s ground­breaking Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable automation solutions have enabled organizations to reduce costs, streamline processes, and provide unmatched visibility executives need to make critical business decisions. More information can be found at ​ corcentric.com​ .

Corcentric Explains How Daimler Trucks Transformed its National Accounts Parts Programs for Growth and Profitability

Corcentric, a provider of cloud­based financial process automation solutions, announced it will host a free webinar ​ “How Daimler Trucks Transformed Their National Accounts Parts Program”​ on Wednesday, December 16, 2015, at 2:00 PM ET/11:00 AM PT. Daimler Trucks North America sells to and services customers through a network of hundreds of dealers and distributors across the US. Daimler needed a single solution to streamline and grow their national accounts program.

Attendees at this event will learn how Daimler was able to:

Regain control: with centralized billing and payments and accurate pricing, every time.

Improve cash flow: with on time, guaranteed payments.

Reduce costs: with end­to­end billing and receivables management.

Minimize risk: with comprehensive and flexible credit and collections management.

Working with Corcentric, Daimler now provides its national accounts with a seamless, private­labelled experience that ensured consistent pricing and billing across an extensive sales network. That, in turn, helped Daimler increase sales and brand loyalty.

For additional information, or to register, please visit: ​ How Daimler Trucks Transformed Their National Accounts Parts Program​ .

About Corcentric For more than 15 years, Corcentric’s cloud­based financial process automation solutions have revolutionized how the world’s largest organizations manage and protect their financial assets. By connecting best practices with deep expertise, Corcentric’s ground­breaking Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable automation solutions have enabled organizations to reduce costs, streamline processes, and provide unmatched visibility executives need to make critical business decisions. More information can be found at ​ corcentric.com​ .

http://amerisourcefunding.com/Newsroom

Amerisource Promotes Allison Billings to Regional Market Manager for Texas Amerisource is pleased to announce the promotion of Allison Billings to Regional Market Manager of Texas.

Allison joined Amerisource in 2007 and has held positions in credit, underwriting and client services over the past 8 years. Allison will be based in Amerisource’s corporate headquarters in Houston, Texas and will be responsible for managing the Company's extensive referral network and originating new asset based lending and factoring opportunities.

“We are thrilled to have Allison join our business development effort,” said Michael Monk, managing partner of Amerisource, “We continue to grow our nationwide ABL and factoring originations team, and Allison will be a great asset for us in her new role.”

Allison holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance and a Certificate in International Business from Texas A&M University and holds active Series 7 and Series 66 licenses. Allison is an active member of the Commercial Finance Association, Association for Corporate Growth and Turnaround Management Association and also a member of Big Brothers Big Sisters non profit organization.

Amerisource Closes $800,000 Facility for a Staffing Company Amerisource Funding announced the closing and funding of an $800,000 line of credit for a California based staffing company. Proceeds of the facility are being used to support ongoing working capital needs. The Company provides staffing services for technology, banking and engineering companies. Recent growth in sales has led to a sharp increase in employees and higher ongoing operational costs for the Company. Due to the Company’s heavy concentration in one industry, traditional bank financing was unavailable. The

Company’s banker instead referred it to Amerisource as a stable source of working capital to support the Company’s continuing growth.

Founded in 1984 and headquartered in Houston, Texas, Amerisource is one of the largest and fastest­growing independent commercial finance companies in the country. Amerisource provides working capital financing and outsourced receivables management to small and middle market companies with financing needs from $50,000 to $10,000,000. Core products include ​ asset­based lending revolvers​ ,​ accounts receivable factoring​ , ​ seasonal bank "over­lines"​ , ​ outsourced A/R, credit and collections management​ , ​ debtor­in­possession ("DIP") financing​ , ​ trade finance for importers​ , and ​ export factoring​ .

Amerisource also provides ​ portfolio management and servicing​ for banks through its private label program America's Back­Office for Lenders (TM)​ and ​ portfolio acquisitions and liquidations​ .

https://www.a2sb.com/about/news/

Safe Online Holiday Shopping

It’s that time of year again – food, fun, parties, and lots of online shopping. Online shopping can be a savior, allowing you to find the perfect gift while saving time, but it can also end with identity theft, malware on your computer, and other cyber unpleasantness. Rather than letting it ruin your holiday season, you can take a few simple security precautions, and be careful where you shop, to help reduce the chances of you being a cyber victim.

When purchasing online this holiday season—and all year long—keep these tips in mind to help minimize your risk: 1. Be cautious what devices you use to shop online. Mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets, make shopping convenient at anytime and place, but they frequently lack the security precautions of a regular computer. If you use a mobile device to shop, make extra sure you are taking all the precautions listed below.

2. Do not use public computers or public wireless for your online shopping. Public computers and wireless networks may contain malicious software that steals your information when you place your order, which can lead to identity theft.

3. Secure your computer and mobile devices. Be sure to keep the operating system, software, and/or apps updated/patched on all of your computers and mobile devices. Use up­to­date antivirus protection and make sure it is receiving updates.

4. Use strong passwords. The use of strong, unique passwords is one of the simplest and most important steps to take in securing your devices, computers, and online accounts. If you need to create an account with the merchant, be sure to use a strong, unique password. Always use more than ten characters, with numbers, special characters, and upper and lower case letters. Use a unique password for every unique site. The August Newsletter contains more information about the dangers of password reuse and is available at: ​ http://msisac.cisecurity.org/newsletters/2015­08.cfm 5. Know your online shopping merchants. Limit your online shopping to merchants you know and trust.

If you have questions about a merchant, check with the Better Business Bureau or the Federal Trade Commission. Confirm the online seller’s physical address, where available, and phone

number in case you have questions or problems. Do not create an online account with a merchant you don’t trust.

6. Pay online with one credit card. A safer way to shop on the Internet is to pay with a credit card rather than debit card. Debit cards do not have the same consumer protections as credit cards.

Credit cards are protected by the Fair Credit Billing Act and may limit your liability if your information was used improperly. By using one credit card, with a lower balance, for all your online shopping you also limit the potential for financial fraud to affect all of your accounts. Always check your statements regularly and carefully, though.

7. Look for “https” when making an online purchase. The “s” in “https” stands for “secure” and indicates that communication with the webpage is encrypted. This helps to ensure your information is transmitted safely to the merchant and no one can spy on it.

8. Do not respond to pop­ups. When a window pops up promising you cash or gift cards for answering a question or taking a survey, close it by pressing Control + F4 for Windows and Command + W for Macs.

9. Be careful opening emails, attachments, and clicking on links. Be cautious about all emails you receive, even those purportedly from your favorite retailers. The emails could be spoofed and contain malware.

10. Do not auto­save your personal information. When purchasing online, you may be given the option to save your personal information online for future use. Consider if the convenience is really worth the risk. The convenience of not having to reenter the information is insignificant compared to the significant amount of time you’ll spend trying to repair the loss of your stolen personal information.

11. Use common sense to avoid scams. Don’t give out your personal or financial information via email or text. Information on many current scams can be found on the website of the Internet Crime Complaint Center: ​ http://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx​ and the Federal Trade Commission: http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/scam­alerts​ .

12. Review privacy policies. Review the privacy policy for the website/merchant you are visiting. Know what information the merchant is collecting about you, how it will be stored, how it will be used, and if it will be shared with others.

One of the employees of Ann Arbor State Bank, Jim Phelps, went MOVEMBER! Jim was able to raise over $3,500 dollars – which will be donated to ​ Safehouse Center​ , the Washtenaw County based Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence support center. “I was very pleased with the response of my co­workers, family and friends who helped in this effort. It was money raised for a great cause.”

https://ascentiumcapital.com/news.aspx

ASCENTIUM CAPITAL SURPASSES $1.5 BILLION IN FUNDED VOLUME

Ascentium Capital, a leading national commercial lender, announced that it surpassed $1.5 billion in funded volume since its inception on August 4, 2011. Third quarter also resulted in strong financial performance with a funded volume increase of 48 percent over the same period last year.

“Ascentium Capital’s momentum led to a remarkable third quarter. Our net investment reached $790 million, representing a 53 percent increase from the previous year,” stated Tom Depping, Chief Executive Officer at Ascentium Capital. “We continue to invest in the right infrastructure to drive efficiencies and to ensure our financial products meet the needs of the continually changing business environment nationwide.”

Ascentium continues to expand its national footprint and serves several industries including healthcare, technology, energy, franchise, and other specialized markets. Chief Sales and Marketing Officer, Richard Baccaro comments, “Our growth is driven by the talent of our people and our customized finance platform.

Ascentium’s strategic niches are in growth­mode and we will be intensifying recruitment to meet the demand for our vendor programs.”

As a direct lender, Ascentium Capital specializes in providing business financing, leasing, and loans for equipment manufacturer and distributor programs as well as direct to businesses nationwide. The company is backed by the strength of leading investment firms Vulcan Capital and LKCM Capital Group, LLC.

ASCENTIUM CAPITAL ANNOUNCES RECORD SECOND QUARTER GROWTH

Ascentium Capital, a leader in providing commercial financing across the United States, announced strong financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2015, with a record funded volume increase of 51% over the same period last year.

“We had an impressive second quarter with assets reaching $773 million, representing a 55% increase,” commented Tom Depping, Chief Executive Officer at Ascentium Capital. “Performance continues to be driven by the diversity and strength of our equipment vendor relationships and our flexible product offering that complements the capital acquisition needs of small businesses.”

Ascentium Capital is ranked by the Monitor as the third largest private­independent finance company by new business volume. “Ascentium’s sales activity has strong momentum due to our specialized business development managers, customized marketing, and our proprietary platform. Combined, these propelled our credit application activity which increased 59%,” remarked Richard Baccaro, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer.

As a direct lender, Ascentium Capital specializes in providing business financing, leasing, and loans for equipment manufacturer and distributor programs as well as direct to businesses nationwide. The company is backed by the strength of leading investment firms Vulcan Capital and LKCM Capital Group, LLC.

http://www.askounisdarcy.com/news_publications.html

Lyon Financial Services, Inc. v. Illinois Paper and Copier Co., 732 F.3d 755 (2013)

This appeal presents a question with important implications for commercial transactions: When a representation of law is made in a contract, when (if ever) is it actionable? The question arises in the context of a commercial financing arrangement between Illinois Paper and Copier Company, a seller of office equipment, and Lyon Financial Services, Inc., a finance firm based in Minnesota. Under a master contract signed in October 2008 and governed by Minnesota law, Lyon had a right of first refusal to provide lease financing for Illinois Paper's customers. Under the contract Lyon had the option to purchase office equipment supplied by Illinois Paper and lease the equipment to Illinois Paper's customers who were interested in this form of financing. Illinois Paper expressly warranted in the contract that “all lease transactions presented to [Lyon] for review are valid and fully enforceable agreements.” At issue here is a lease of office equipment to the Village of Bensenville, Illinois. Lyon purchased a copy machine

from Illinois Paper and leased it to the Village for a term of six years. Under Illinois law, however, the lease was unenforceable; the Illinois Municipal Code provides that municipal equipment leases may not exceed five years. When the Village stopped paying, Lyon sued Illinois Paper for breach of the contractual warranty.

Illinois Paper argued that the warranty was a representation of law, not fact, and as such was not actionable in a suit for breach of contract or warranty. The district court agreed and granted Illinois Paper's motion for judgment on the pleadings. Because Minnesota law applies, we are called on to predict how the Minnesota Supreme Court would answer the central legal question presented here. We find ourselves genuinely uncertain about the answer. In the tort context, Minnesota courts adhere to the maxim that a person may not rely on another's representation of law, so where reliance is an element of a tort claim (as in cases alleging fraud), representations of law are not actionable. The question has not arisen in the contract setting, however. The Minnesota Supreme Court has not addressed the enforceability of representations of law in contract or warranty law. Furthermore, although federal courts have predicted that reliance would be an element of a breach­ofwarranty claim in Minnesota, the Minnesota Supreme Court has not grappled with the issue for more than 60 years, and the prevailing understanding of warranty has since changed. In the absence of more recent controlling precedent, the best course is to ask the state supreme court for a definitive resolution of these important questions of state law. We respectfully certify the questions set forth at the end of this opinion to the Minnesota Supreme Court. I. Background Illinois Paper, a Delaware corporation based in Bolingbrook, Illinois, sells copy machines and other office equipment. Lyon Financial Services, a Minnesota corporation headquartered in Marshall, Minnesota, is a financial­services firm specializing in business­equipment financing. Lyon is a subsidiary of U.S. Bancorp and does business as U.S. Bancorp Business Equipment Finance Group. In October 2008 Lyon and Illinois Paper entered into a master agreement providing that Lyon would have the “first right of review” of all of Illinois Paper's “maintenance inclusive transactions” for customers inquiring about lease financing. For a period of 90 days

http://assuredguaranty.newshq.businesswire.com/all_news

Kroll Bond Rating Agency Affirms Assured Guaranty Municipal’s AA+ Financial Strength Rating with Stable Outlook HAMILTON, Bermuda­­(​ BUSINESS WIRE​ )­­Kroll Bond Rating Agency (KBRA) today affirmed its insurance financial strength rating of AA+, with a Stable Outlook, for Assured Guaranty Municipal Corp. (AGM), a financial guaranty subsidiary of Assured Guaranty Ltd. (together with its subsidiaries, Assured Guaranty)(NYSE:AGO).

In the report, KBRA noted the following key strengths supporting AGM’s AA+ rating: ● AGM demonstrates the ability to withstand KBRA’s conservative stress case loss assumptions across the breadth of its insured portfolio. ● AGM’s substantial and continuing runoff in structured finance exposures should continue to moderate risk. Structured finance exposure is down nearly 80% since 2009. ● AGM’s mature and high­functioning operating platform is supported by strong governance and risk management systems. ● AGM’s tested management team, given their experience through the credit crises, is well positioned to address future portfolio risk issues, should they develop.

In response to the report, Dominic Frederico, President and CEO said: “KBRA subjected our insured portfolio to rigorous statistical modeling with elevated levels of assumed economic stress, including case by case stress analysis of our Puerto Rico, residential mortgage­backed and other distressed credits. They found that, even in this highly unlikely scenario, AGM was able to pay all claims and expenses in full and on time with a comfortable balance remaining.

“Significantly, KBRA assigned more severe stress assumptions to our insured Puerto Rico transactions than when they originally rated AGM AA+ in November 2014. In the new analysis, loss severities ranged from 10% to 55% on different Commonwealth issuers, with higher severities in the first three years. KBRA further assumed that two of AGM’s unaffiliated reinsurers would not perform, requiring AGM to shoulder those reinsured losses.

“The economic assumptions in KBRA’s capital model are far worse than what would be expected in normal circumstances, and AGM’s strong AA+ performance shows the high level of protection available to investors in AGM­insured bonds.”

Any forward­looking statements made in this press release reflect Assured Guaranty’s current views with respect to future events and are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements involve risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in these statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, those resulting from changes in rating agency models or opinions, adverse credit developments in AGM’s insured portfolio and the impact of those developments on rating agency models and opinions, other risks and uncertainties that have not been identified at this time, management’s response to these factors, and other risk factors identified in Assured Guaranty’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward­looking statements, which are made as of December 10, 2015. Assured Guaranty undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward­looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

Assured Guaranty Ltd. is a publicly traded (NYSE: AGO) Bermuda­based holding company. Its operating subsidiaries provide credit enhancement products to the U.S. and international public finance, infrastructure and structured finance markets. More information on Assured Guaranty Ltd. and its subsidiaries can be found at ​ AssuredGuaranty.com​ .

Assured Guaranty Ltd. Reports Results for Third Quarter 2015

Net income was $129 million, or $0.88 per share, for third quarter 2015, compared with $355 million, or $2.09 per share, for third quarter 2014. Net income was $627 million, or $4.13 per share, for nine months 2015, compared with $556 million, or $3.13 per share, for nine months 2014.

Operating income1​ ​ was $164 million, or $1.12 per share, for third quarter 2015, compared with $177 million, or $1.05 per share, for third quarter 2014. Operating income was $582 million, or $3.84 per share for nine months 2015, compared with $410 million, or $2.31 per share, for nine months 2014.

Operating shareholders' equity1​ ​ per share and adjusted book value1​ ​ per share reached new records of $41.87 and $59.97, respectively.

Third quarter 2015 share repurchases totaled $135 million, or 5.4 million shares.

By reaching agreements in early October with certain providers of representations and warranties (R&W), the Company has completed its direct pursuit of R&W claims in its insured residential mortgage­backed securities portfolio.

http://www.atel.com/ventures/news/

True North Therapeutics Announces $40 Million Series C Financing True North Therapeutics, a biotechnology company developing novel therapies that selectively inhibit the Complement system to treat rare diseases, announced today that it has completed a $40 million Series C equity financing. Proceeds from the financing will be used to advance the clinical development of its lead complement inhibitor, TNT009, for Cold Agglutinin Disease (CAD), as well as other rare diseases targeting the Complement system. The Series C round is led by New Leaf Venture Partners, a leading institutional healthcare fund, and includes participation by other new investors Perceptive Advisors and Cowen Private Investments, as well as existing investors Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, MPM Capital, OrbiMed, SR One, and Baxalta Ventures. In conjunction with the financing, Isaac Manke, PhD, Partner at New Leaf Venture Partners, will join the True North Therapeutics board of directors.

The Series C financing will provide True North with funding to accelerate clinical development of TNT009 through potential registration­enabling clinical studies for CAD, a rare autoimmune disease involving destruction of red blood cells causing anemia, fatigue and potentially fatal thrombosis. In addition, funding will be used to advance TNT009 and other complement inhibitors from True North’s pipeline to treat additional rare diseases targeting the Complement system. True North initiated a Phase 1a clinical study with TNT009 earlier in 2015 and plans to begin a Phase 1b clinical study later this month in patients.

Imergy’s Vanadium Flow Batteries Go to Work in China The company providing the batteries is ​ Imergy Power Systems​ . I spoke with Imergy President and COO Tim Hennessey. He said that by putting solar panels on the towers, they could power the towers for 8 cents a kWh, as opposed to 40­50 cents using diesel. But, using batteries provides flexibility. The power can also come from the grid. They also have the option to charge them up using diesel when prices, which tend to fluctuate wildly, are low. According to Hennessey, as many as a million towers could eventually be involved.

Imergy is working with Juno Capital Group to implement this deal.

Flow batteries represent a branch of the battery development tree that was aimed at large scale applications, like utilities. The difference between flow batteries and other batteries is the architecture.

While most batteries are designed for portable use with an emphasis on compact size, flow batteries forego this in exchange for a number of performance advantages.

By configuring the batteries so that the electrolytes are stored in separate tanks rather than residing in the power cells, they get very fast charge and discharge times, extremely long life and they can be designed with energy and power specified independently.

This last item is a big deal. Most batteries give you a set power output for a given energy capacity, they are linked by the underlying chemistry.

So, generally speaking, if you need a burst of power, then you need to buy a large battery with a high energy capacity­­and pay accordingly Not so with a flow battery, if you want high power/low energy or vice versa, just specify that and you pay for just what you need. For utility applications such as this one, energy is far more important than power.

Speaking of cost, the economics are good because of the extremely long life. Unlike most batteries, electrodes are not consumed by the reaction. The fact that vanadium is a very abundant element which also helps keep the cost down.

But this is not something you would ever expect to see in your laptop cell phone. A typical 5 kW Imergy battery is about the size of a small dumpster. But then again, one of those could power a 5 HP motor for five hours wiht pwer to spare.

The other thing that makes the economics of these batteries is their considerable life expectancy. Unlike many other batteries where the chemical reaction that produces power also consumes the electrodes, that is not the case with these. A single battery should last the life of a long­term project, while other batteries might need to be replaced several times. Efficiency, at 75%, is a little below the best out there, but from a cost standpoint, these are quite attractive.

http://www.bakerdonelson.com/NEP/

Daniel J. Jones Joins The Daschle Group

(Washington, D.C. / December 15, 2015) The Daschle Group, A Public Policy Advisory of Baker Donelson, announces the addition of Daniel J. Jones, who joins as senior vice president and public policy advisor.

"Dan brings experience and insight that will be invaluable to our clients as he provides first­class strategic counsel on a wide range of domestic and international matters," said Former U.S. Senator and Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D­SD), The Daschle Group's founder and chief executive officer. "He is an excellent addition to our group and I look forward to working with him to achieve our client objectives in the transparent, innovative and bipartisan manner of The Daschle Group."

"Senator Daschle and his team are widely recognized for their extensive understanding of policy­making, both domestically and internationally, and I look forward to working with the team to develop effective strategies for our domestic and international clients," said Mr. Jones.

Mr. Jones joins The Daschle Group having worked for the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence since 2007. There he advised senior officials on matters relating to foreign affairs, national security, defense policy and intelligence oversight. During this period, Mr. Jones also worked with national and international media organizations, interest groups and other stakeholders in the context of building issue­oriented coalitions. Previously, he worked for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), where he provided strategic

guidance and tactical support to complex international investigations. Prior to his time with the FBI, Mr. Jones served as a teacher with Teach for America.

Scott Campbell, managing shareholder of Baker Donelson's Washington, D.C. office and president of the Howard Baker Forum, said, "Dan joins a powerful team of professionals at The Daschle Group. Their partnership with Baker Donelson's bipartisan group of seasoned Washington government relations and public policy professionals is a potent combination in providing our clients with long­term strategic counsel that is essential to protecting and advancing their businesses."

About The Daschle Group The Daschle Group, A Public Policy Advisory of Baker Donelson, is a full­service strategic advisory firm that advises clients on a broad array of economic, policy and political issues. Founded by former U.S. Senator and Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle and leading law and government affairs firm Baker Donelson, The Daschle Group is dedicated to achieving the public policy goals of its clients through creative strategies that promote transparency, flexibility and innovation. The Daschle Group works with Baker Donelson's Government Relations and Public Policy Group, founded by former Senate Majority Leader Howard Baker, continuing Senator Baker's legacy of respectful discourse, principled compromise, bipartisanship and finding practical solutions to difficult public policy challenges facing the nation.

Joel R. Buckberg Named Leader of Baker Donelson's Commercial Transactions and Business Counseling Group.

(Nashville, TN / December 15, 2015) The law firm of Baker Donelson has named Joel Buckberg as the first practice group leader of the Firm's newly formed Commercial Transactions and Business Counseling Practice Group.

"This group was formed to meet the needs of business clients and potential business clients for legal services in specialty practice areas, and to assist with counseling on their commercial activity. Our practice group serves clients in planning and pursuing their business interests in global trade and international business, gaming, hospitality, franchising, travel industry, aviation and medical office facility ownership and management, as well as serving as general counsel to businesses without in­house lawyers. I look forward to working with these highly regarded practitioners as they continue to successfully serve our clients," said Mr. Buckberg, who leads more than 90 attorneys across the Firm's 19 offices.

Mr. Buckberg​ is a shareholder in the Firm's Nashville office, where he counsels clients on business transactions and operations, particularly in hospitality, franchising and distribution, including strategic planning, development, disclosure, equity and debt financing, mergers and acquisitions, system policy and practice development, regulatory compliance and commercial contracts. Prior to joining Baker Donelson, he was executive vice president and deputy general counsel of Cendant Corporation.

Mr. Buckberg, who also serves as co­chair of the Firm's Franchise and Hospitality Industry Service Team, has been listed in Best Lawyers in America® in the area of franchise law since 2008 and was named the Best Lawyers' 2014 Nashville Franchise Law "Lawyer of the Year." He has been recognized by Franchise Times as a "Legal Eagle" for nine consecutive years and serves as a legal advisor and trainer for the International Franchise Association's Fran­Guard compliance and business culture training program. He served for four years as administrator for the International Franchise Association's Franchise Compliance Training Program and is currently a legal advisor and trainer for IFA's Fran­Guard compliance and business culture training program.

A graduate of Vanderbilt University School of Law and the Owen Graduate School of Management, Mr. Buckberg is formerly a trustee of Congregation Micah, currently serves as a trustee of The Immune Deficiency Foundation and is a member of the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary.

http://www.balboacapital.com/blog/

The $25,000 Tax Deduction You Need To Know About

Are you looking to make the most of the 2015 holiday season? It’s the busiest time of the year for business owners, but that doesn’t mean you can’t find time to celebrate with friends and family members and create lasting holiday memories. All you need to do is plan ahead. Stocking and tracking inventory, adding part­time workers, and staying on top of sales and expenses can help ensure that everything runs smoothly.

This can free up your busy schedule and enable you to make time for holiday parties and other related functions. Having some extra time can also come in handy if you are looking to invest in your business so you can take advantage of the ​ Section 179​ tax deduction. This Balboa Capital small business blog post explains.

Time is Running Out With the Section 179 tax deduction, you can deduct up to $25,000 of the purchase price of ​ qualifying equipment​ that you acquire and put into use on or before December 31, 2015. There are many types of equipment, vehicles and technology that are eligible for this great tax deduction, so check with your accountant or tax advisor prior to making any purchases.

Get New Equipment for 2016 Do you have equipment or software that is outdated and needs to be upgraded? Do you want to add a new piece of equipment to help your business stay ahead of the competition? Whatever the case, now is the time to invest in your company so you can take advantage of the Section 179 tax deduction. As reported in our recent nationwide survey, many small business owners think the economy will end the year on a positive note, and over 50% of them are planning to invest in their companies during the remaining days of 2015.

One of these businesses might be a competitor of yours.

Financing Fit for the Busy Holidays As mentioned earlier, the holidays are a busy time for business owners. Here at Balboa Capital, we will be fully staffed throughout December, and we are ready to help you get financing… fast. You can apply for an equipment lease in just minutes, and get a credit decision instantly. We even offer same­day funding

How To Put Glassdoor To Work For Your Company Here’s a question: What is the first thing that job seekers see when they look up your company on the Internet? If your business has a presence online, they will most likely see reviews from current and/or former employees on job boards and recruiting websites. If your company does not have favorable reviews, top talent might be sending their cover letters and resumes elsewhere. Glassdoor is one of the fastest growing

job­related websites in the country, and it provides job seekers with company reviews and ratings. If you aren’t putting Glassdoor to work for your business, now is the time. This Balboa Capital ​ small business blog post has the story.

Over 8 Million Reviews and Counting As of this blog article, Glassdoor has over 8 million company reviews, CEO approval ratings, salary reports, interview reviews and more. The site provides a wealth of information to job candidates who are researching companies and employment opportunities. Getting started with Glassdoor is easy; you will just need to create an account and complete the required form fields. If you want to expand your company’s recruiting and branding efforts on Glassdoor, you can upgrade to the Glassdoor for Employers plan. This lets you promote ​ job openings​ , and integrate Twitter, Facebook and YouTube feeds to your profile. Glassdoor for Employers also provides access to analytics reports.

Leverage Glassdoor to Attract the Best Talent Once your Glassdoor page is live, you will need to stay on top of it by posting company news, awards and pictures. You also have the ability to respond to reviews, and flag reviews that might not be authentic, or that don’t meet Glassdoor’s guidelines. Positive reviews and ratings can help influence candidates’ decisions when they are seeking employment. Lastly, your company’s Glassdoor reviews will produce an average star rating that will appear in searches on the Internet. A higher star rating can result in a greater number of clicks to your Glassdoor page.

Bank of America Names Paul Lambert Market President for Chicago

Bank of America today announced that Paul Lambert has been named market president, serving as the company’s enterprise leader in Chicago. Lambert will succeed Tim Maloney who led the market since 2009 and intends to retire in early 2016.

In this role, Lambert will work across the region to connect Bank of America’s business lines to deliver integrated financial services to individuals, families and businesses. He will also lead Bank of America’s corporate social responsibility work in the market, which leverages the unmatched capabilities of the company to help partners, people, communities and a broad client and customer base more effectively address a wide range of issues.

“Paul’s leadership in Chicago will ensure we are helping all of our customers and clients live their financial lives, through the power of every connection we can make with them,” said Bank of America Chief Executive Officer Brian Moynihan.

Lambert brings outstanding leadership credentials to the market president role including his current position as division executive for Mid America for Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He oversees more than 1,500 financial advisors across eight Midwestern states. He joined Merrill Lynch in 1992 and has served with distinction in positions of increasing leadership responsibility. Additionally, he served as Chicago Market Integration executive, working closely with Maloney and the local leadership team on the bank’s business integration efforts.

An active community leader, Lambert currently serves on the board of Chicago Run and leads its fundraising efforts with the Bank of America Chicago Marathon. He and his wife are also active in the Hinsdale Community House where his wife serves as a trustee.

Bank of America Bank of America is one of the world's leading financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small and middle­market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk management products and services. The company provides unmatched

convenience in the United States, serving approximately 47 million consumer and small business relationships with approximately 4,700 retail financial centers, approximately 16,100 ATMs, and award­winning online banking with 32 million active users and more than 18 million mobile users. Bank of America is among the world's leading wealth management companies and is a global leader in corporate and investment banking and trading across a broad range of asset classes, serving corporations, governments, institutions and individuals around the world. Bank of America offers industry­leading support to approximately 3 million small business owners through a suite of innovative, easy­to­use online products and services. The company serves clients through operations in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and more than 35 countries. Bank of America Corporation stock (NYSE: BAC) is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

Bank of America Increases Prime Lending Rate Bank of America Corporation announced today that it is increasing its prime lending rate to 3.50 percent from 3.25 percent, effective immediately.

Bank of America Bank of America is one of the world's leading financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small and middle­market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk management products and services. The company provides unmatched convenience in the United States, serving approximately 47 million consumer and small business relationships with approximately 4,700 retail financial centers, approximately 16,100 ATMs, and award­winning online banking with 32 million active users and more than 18 million mobile users. Bank of America is among the world's leading wealth management companies and is a global leader in corporate and investment banking and trading across a broad range of asset classes, serving corporations, governments, institutions and individuals around the world. Bank of America offers industry­leading support to approximately 3 million small business owners through a suite of innovative, easy­to­use online products and services. The company serves clients through operations in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and more than 35 countries. Bank of America Corporation stock (NYSE: BAC) is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

http://www.elfaonline.org/News/

EQUIPMENT LEASING AND FINANCE INDUSTRY CONFIDENCE REMAINS STEADY IN DECEMBER The ​ Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation​ (the Foundation) releases the December 2015 ​ Monthly Confidence Index for the Equipment Finance Industry​ (MCI­EFI) today. Designed to collect leadership data, the index reports a qualitative assessment of both the prevailing business conditions and expectations for the future as reported by key executives from the $1.046 trillion equipment finance sector. Overall, confidence in the equipment finance market is 60.2, unchanged from the November index.

When asked about the outlook for the future, MCI­EFI survey respondent Valerie Hayes Jester, President, Brandywine Capital Associates, Inc., said, “December activity is strong as we traditionally experience a last minute push to acquire equipment from procrastinators. Looking a bit further out we still see uncertainty as events continue to unfold, gas prices decrease and the presidential election continues to baffle.”

December 2015 Survey Results: The overall MCI­EFI is 60.2, unchanged from the November index.

• When asked to assess their business conditions over the next four months, 12.5% of executives responding said they believe business conditions will improve over the next four months, a decrease from 14.8% in November. 75.0% of respondents believe business conditions will remain the same over the next four months, an increase from 74.1% in November. 12.5% believe business conditions will worsen, an increase from 11.1% the previous month.

• 8.3% of survey respondents believe demand for leases and loans to fund capital expenditures (capex) will increase over the next four months, a decrease from 22.2% in November. 79.2% believe demand will “remain the same” during the same four­month time period, up from 66.7% the previous month. 12.5% believe demand will decline, an increase from 11.1% who believed so in November.

• 25.0% of executives expect more access to capital to fund equipment acquisitions over the next four months, an increase from 22.2% in November. 70.8% of survey respondents indicate they expect the “same” access to capital to fund business, a decrease from 77.8% the previous month. 4.2% expect “less” access to capital, an increase from none last month.

• When asked, 45.8% of the executives report they expect to hire more employees over the next four months, a decrease from 48.1% in November. 50.0% expect no change in headcount over the next four months, up from 48.1% last month. 4.2% expect to hire fewer employees, up from 3.7% in November.

• 4.2% of the leadership evaluate the current U.S. economy as “excellent,” an increase from 3.7% last month. 95.8% of the leadership evaluate the current U.S. economy as “fair,” up from 92.6% in November.

None rate it as “poor,” a decrease from 3.7% the previous month.

• 8.3% of the survey respondents believe that U.S. economic conditions will get “better” over the next six months, a decrease from 18.5% who believed so in November. 79.2% of survey respondents indicate they believe the U.S. economy will “stay the same” over the next six months, an increase from 77.8% the previous month. 12.5% believe economic conditions in the U.S. will worsen over the next six months, an increase from 3.7% who believed so last month.

• In December, 50.0% of respondents indicate they believe their company will increase spending on business development activities during the next six months, an increase from 44.4% in November. 45.8% believe there will be “no change” in business development spending, a decrease from 51.9% the previous month. 4.2% believe there will be a decrease in spending, an increase from 3.7% last month.

December 2015 MCI­EFI Survey Comments from Industry Executive Leadership:

Independent, Small Ticket

“Application and funding volume continues to be steady. We are expecting little change in either direction.

Delinquencies are still in the historical low range. Growing originations is still the biggest challenge with the economy growing so slowly.” David T. Schaefer, CEO, Mintaka Financial, LLC

Bank, Middle Ticket “The manufacturing segment of the U.S. economy has slowed substantially over the last several months.

This will have a direct impact on the equipment finance industry. I anticipate marginal growth, if any, for the first half of 2016.” Thomas Jaschik, President, BB&T Equipment Finance

“We continue to see a mixed agriculture economy with less investment in the cash grain sector and some protein sectors, while continued investment in other ag sectors. We expect flat growth in 2016 and a slight uptick in portfolio stress. We continue to provide value add solutions to customers looking to make capital investment.” Michael Romanowski, President, Farm Credit Leasing Services Corporation

Why an MCI­EFI? Confidence in the U.S. economy and the capital markets is a critical driver to the equipment finance industry.

Throughout history, when confidence increases, consumers and businesses are more apt to acquire more consumer goods, equipment and durables, and invest at prevailing prices. When confidence decreases, spending and risk­taking tend to fall. Investors are said to be confident when the news about the future is good and stock prices are rising.

Who participates in the MCI­EFI? The respondents are comprised of a wide cross section of industry executives, including large­ticket, middle­market and small­ticket banks, independents and captive equipment finance companies. The MCI­EFI uses the same pool of 50 organization leaders to respond monthly to ensure the survey’s integrity.

Since the same organizations provide the data from month to month, the results constitute a consistent barometer of the industry's confidence.

How is the MCI­EFI designed?

The survey consists of seven questions and an area for comments, asking the respondents’ opinions about the following: 1. Current business conditions 2. Expected product demand over the next four months 3. Access to capital over the next four months 4. Future employment conditions 5. Evaluation of the current U.S. economy 6. U.S. economic conditions over the next six months 7. Business development spending expectations 8. Open­ended question for comment

How may I access the MCI­EFI? Survey results are posted on the Foundation website, ​ http://www.leasefoundation.org/research/mci/​ , included in the ​ Foundation Forecast newsletter​ and included in press releases. Survey respondent demographics and additional information about the MCI are also available at the link above.

About the Foundation The Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation is a 501c3 non­profit organization dedicated to inspiring thoughtful innovation and contributing to the betterment of the equipment leasing and finance industry.

Funded through charitable individual and corporate donations, the Foundation focuses on the development of in­depth, independent research and resources for the advancement of equipment finance industry knowledge

2016 ECONOMIC OUTLOOK FORECASTS 4.4% GROWTH IN EQUIPMENT AND SOFTWARE INVESTMENT

Investment in equipment and software is expected to grow 4.4% in 2016, according to the ​ Annual 2016 Equipment Leasing & Finance U.S. Economic Outlook​ released today by the ​ Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation​ . The moderate growth forecast reflects economic crosswinds, as weakness in the global economy (particularly China), low commodity prices, and a strong dollar are diminishing businesses’ incentive to invest, while a strengthening U.S. economy and elevated propensity to finance should propel growth in the equipment finance sector. The Foundation’s report, which is focused on the $1.046 trillion equipment leasing and finance industry, highlights key trends in equipment investment and places them in the context of the broader U.S. economic climate. The report will be updated quarterly throughout 2016.

William G. Sutton, CAE, President of the Foundation and President and CEO of the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association, said, “Building on the forecast that the equipment finance industry will surpass the $1 trillion mark in 2015, this Outlook for 2016 projects decent, but not robust, equipment finance growth in the coming year. Navigating a changing marketplace, the equipment finance industry will adapt to economic and policy shifts as it always has—and will continue to find new opportunities for growth.”

Highlights from the study include:

• As domestic strength offsets global headwinds, U.S. GDP growth is expected to tick up to 2.8% in 2016 from 2.6% in 2015. Over the last 12 months, several key drivers of growth in recent years faltered, while other sectors that have lagged began to pick up steam. This fundamental shift will underpin U.S. economic expansion in 2016.

• The U.S. credit system is healthy and financial stress is muted, limiting financial risks going into next year.

Solid U.S. economic data are setting the stage for gradual Fed interest rate increases in 2016, which may alleviate spread compression for equipment lessors.

• Equipment and software investment growth rebounded to a 7.4% pace in Q3 2015 from a 1.7% annual pace in Q2 2015, but investment is up only 2.5% year­on­year—the slowest annual growth rate in two years.

Continued moderate growth in equipment and software investment is expected in Q4 2015 and into 2016.

• The ​ Foundation­Keybridge U.S. Equipment & Software Investment Momentum Monitor​ , which is included in the report, tracks 12 equipment and software investment verticals. In 2016, as in 2015, negative global trends are expected to hurt certain equipment verticals, while signs of strength in the U.S. economy will fuel continued gains in others: 1.

Agriculture machinery investment growth will likely remain weak over the next three to six months.

2. Construction machinery investment growth may slow somewhat, yet remain solid over the next three to six months.

3.

Materials handling equipment investment growth should remain weak over the next three to six months.

4. All other industrial equipment investment growth is likely to slow over the next three to six months.

5. Medical equipment investment growth is expected to stabilize over the next three to six months.

6. Mining and oilfield machinery investment growth should remain strongly negative over the next three to six months.

7. Aircraft investment growth may increase over the next three to six months.

8.

Ships and boats investment growth is poised to strengthen in the next three to six months.

9.

Railroad equipment investment growth is likely to remain negative over the next three to six months.

10.

Trucks investment growth should remain steady over the next three to six months.

11.

Computers investment growth rates appear set to increase moderately over the next three to six months.

12.

Software investment growth may strengthen over the next three to six months.

The Foundation produces the Equipment Leasing & Finance U.S. Economic Outlook report in partnership with economics and public policy consulting firm Keybridge Research. The annual economic forecast provides a three­to­six month outlook for industry investment with data, including a summary of investment trends in key equipment markets, credit market conditions, the U.S. macroeconomic outlook and key economic indicators. The report will be updated quarterly throughout 2016.

http://barnettcapital.com/blog/news/

November, 2014: Barnett Finances Single Family Value Add Borrower was under contract on a million dollar single family home located in an affluent Chicago suburb and had to meet a tight deadline to close. Further, other business endeavors tied up the cash that would traditionally be required as a down payment. Barnett was able to structure financing to provide 100% of the $675,000 purchase price and delay equity contribution until the Borrower’s had additional liquidity.

Additionally, the loan provided the Borrower a line of credit for renovations as a safety net in case of future cash shortages.

December, 2014: Barnett Meets Year End Deadline to Save Borrower’s Home and Place of Business.

Borrower was days away from the judicial sale of a commercial property. The next property in line for foreclosure was the borrower’s home. Working with the borrower, Barnett was able to buy the distressed note from the lender for $950,000 to stop the imminent foreclosure on both properties. At closing, the borrower gave Barnett ownership of the commercial property and signed a five year lease, allowing the borrower to continue operating its business without interruption. In addition, Barnett restricted the note, reducing the loan balance on the borrower’s principal residence.

http://www.bluestreetcapital.com/news­0

Small Business Poised to be Growth Engine in 2015

Thomson Reuters/PayNet just announced the December release of the Small Business Lending Index (SBLI), which is a leading economic indicator of GDP, increased 6% to 129.8 compared to 122.6 in December 2013.

This reflects a 10% increase from 117.6 in November 2014, providing further evidence to support a growing U.S. economy in 2015. At 129.8, SBLI stands near its all­time high of 132.0, which was reached in October 2014. Trend­line growth, although slightly lower than last month, continued at a healthy 7% over the prior year representing organic expansion above the normal replacement levels for business equipment.

According to PayNet, this report signals a business cycle continuing to expand and shows financial risks remain low.

Equipment & Software Investment to Reach All­Time High in 2015 A forecast released this week reports that investment in equipment and software will reach an all­time high in 2015. As the U.S. economy continues to improve, business investment is forecast to reach a record $1.484 trillion in 2015.

The Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA) which represents the $903 billion equipment finance sector, announced this forecast among its Top 10 Equipment Acquisition Trends for 2015 this week.

As business investment grows, demand for equipment financing will increase as businesses will use financing for a majority of their equipment and software expenditures. In 2015, 62 percent or $922 billion of investment in plant, equipment and software in the United States is expected to be financed through loans, leases and lines of credit. A majority of businesses—seven out of 10—will use at least one form of financing to acquire equipment.

Another key factor of the forecast reveals that businesses will invest in equipment not just to replace aging assets, but also to aid in expansion. The pent­up replacement demand that has driven equipment investment in previous years may be supplemented by long­awaited expansion investment as capacity utilization rates in some industries reach or surpass levels historically known to spur business investment.

In 2015, businesses will find opportunities presented by a steadily improving economy and favorable credit conditions as they make their decisions for equipment replacement and expansion. Equipment financing continues to be a critical source of funding for a majority of U.S. businesses, allowing them to acquire the equipment they need to operate and grow.

https://newsroom.bmoharris.com/

Positive Outlook for 2016: Business Leaders Expect U.S. Economy to Continue to Improve ­ BMO Harris Bank Study

Over 80 percent of respondents expect the U.S. economy either to improve or stay the same in 2016 ­ More than 70 percent of respondents expect to see business growth in 2016; only two percent believe their business will shrink CHICAGO, ILLINOIS­­(Marketwired ­ Dec. 17, 2015) ­ BMO Harris Bank released a study today that found business owners and executives in the United States are looking ahead to 2016 with high expectations for the U.S. economy. Positive sentiment increased considerably compared to the results of the same survey last year.

Over 80 percent of respondents expect the U.S. economy either to improve or stay the same in 2016, while only 17 percent expect the economy to get worse. In addition, 70 percent of respondents believe their businesses will grow in the coming year, with two percent forecasting a decline in business growth.

"The survey results reinforce what we are hearing from our commercial customers, who continue to invest in their businesses and drive our economy forward," said David Casper, President and Chief Executive Officer, BMO Harris Bank. "We are encouraged by these findings, and we look forward to helping our customers, and prospective customers, meet their financial needs in the coming year."

The survey asked 839 business owners and executives if they believe the U.S. economy will improve, stay at the same level or worsen in 2016. ● 49 percent expect the economy to improve (38 percent last year) ● 34 percent expect the economy to remain the same (41 percent last year) ● 17 percent expect the economy to worsen (21 percent last year) The survey also asked the same respondents if they believe their business will grow, stay at the same level, or shrink in 2016: ● 71 percent predicted growth in 2016 for their business (56 percent last year) ● 27 percent expect their business to remain at the same size (37 percent last year) ● Two percent believe their business will shrink in 2016 (seven percent last year) "Businesses are reaping the benefits of investments and productivity improvements, and buoyant consumer demand is creating opportunities," said Michael Gregory, Head of U.S. Economics, BMO Capital Markets.

"However, as we look ahead to 2016, we see challenges for businesses, including a strengthening U.S. dollar and escalating labor costs. As such, economic prospects depend critically on continued business investments and productivity improvements."

The survey results cited from the 2015 Business Report conducted by Pollara were compiled from a random sample of owners or senior decision makers from 839 businesses across the US. Research was conducted between October 31 and November 9, 2015. A probability sample of this size would yield results accurate to ± 3.4 per cent, 19 times out of 20.

About BMO Harris Bank BMO Harris Bank provides a broad range of personal banking products and solutions through more than 600 branches and approximately 1,300 ATMs in Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, Minnesota, Arizona and Florida. BMO Harris Bank's commercial banking team provides a combination of sector expertise, local knowledge and mid­market focus throughout the U.S. For more information about BMO Harris Bank, go to the ​ company fact sheet​ . Banking products and services are subject to bank and credit approval. BMO Harris Bank N.A. Member FDIC. BMO Harris Bank is part of BMO Financial Group, a North

American financial organization with approximately 1,600 branches, and CDN $642 billion in assets (as of Oct. 31, 2015).

BMO Harris Bank Increases US$ Prime Lending Rate to 3.50 Percent CHICAGO, ILLINOIS­­(Marketwired ­ Dec. 16, 2015) ­ BMO Harris Bank announced today that it is increasing its US$ prime lending rate from 3.25 percent to 3.50 percent, effective December 17, 2015.

About BMO Harris Bank BMO Harris Bank provides a broad range of personal banking products and solutions through more than 600 branches and approximately 1,300 ATMs in Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, Minnesota, Arizona and Florida. BMO Harris Bank's commercial banking team provides a combination of sector expertise, local knowledge and mid­market focus throughout the U.S. For more information about BMO Harris Bank, go to the ​ company fact sheet​ . Banking products and services are provided by BMO Harris Bank N.A. and are subject to bank or credit approval. BMO Harris Bank® is a trade name used by BMO Harris Bank N.A. Member FDIC. BMO Harris Bank is part of BMO Financial Group, a North American financial organization with approximately 1,600 branches, and CDN $642 billion in assets (as of October 31, 2015).

Damali A. Sahu Appointed to Bodman PLC Executive Committee

Bodman PLC is pleased to announce that Damali A. Sahu has been appointed to the firm’s Executive Committee.

Sahu is a member of Bodman’s Banking Practice Group and is based in the firm’s Detroit office. The fourteen­member Executive Committee guides Bodman’s strategic direction, policies, and business operations.

“The firm will benefit from Damali’s unique perspective as we continue to meet the evolving challenges of the legal marketplace,” said Bodman Chairman Ralph E. McDowell in announcing the appointment. “Damali has been an important contributor to several firm management committees. I look forward to working with her in her new role.”

In addition to her service on the Executive Committee, Sahu will continue as co­chair of Bodman’s Diversity Committee and as a member of the Associate Review and Compensation Committee and the Lawyer Recruiting and Personnel Committee. She is a past member of the Strategic Planning Committee.

Sahu concentrates her legal practice in representing lenders in commercial loan originations. She represents major lenders nationally with a particular focus on loans to companies in the technology and life sciences sector. Sahu is listed in The Best Lawyers in America under Banking and Finance. She has been recognized by Michigan Super Lawyers as a Rising Star in Banking Law and by DBusiness magazine as a Top Lawyer. In 2008, Michigan Lawyers Weekly named her one of Michigan’s “Up & Coming” lawyers.

She is secretary, treasurer, and a founding member of the board of directors of University YES Academy, a college preparatory public charter school in Detroit. She is also an active volunteer with VIP Mentoring, a Detroit­based nonprofit that matches at­risk children with adult mentors.

Bodman PLC Welcomes Six New Attorneys Bodman PLC is pleased to announce that six new attorneys have joined the firm: Alex E. Haney, Kristen T. Hansen, Zackery T. Hugg, Kristen M. Benvenuti Pytel, Jasmine D. Rippy, and Erica J. Shell.

Haney is a staff attorney with Bodman’s Enterprise Procurement Group in the Troy office. He represents business clients in the drafting and negotiation of vendor contracts. Before joining Bodman, Haney worked as a commercial law clerk at a Michigan­based global manufacturer of high­technology products where he reviewed, drafted and revised corporate supply agreements, contract amendments, and real estate leases.

He is a graduate of the University of Michigan Law School.

Hansen is an associate with the Business Practice Group in the Troy office. She represents business clients in connection with corporate formations, mergers, acquisitions, and other commercial transactions. Before joining Bodman, Hansen served as a judicial intern for Judge Avern Cohn of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. She is a graduate of the Indiana University Maurer School of Law. Hugg is a staff attorney with the Enterprise Procurement Group in the Troy office. He represents business clients in commercial transactions and intellectual property matters, including the drafting of IP and confidentiality agreements. Before joining Bodman, Hugg acted as independent counsel to a local law firm.

He is a graduate of the Thomas M. Cooley Law School.

Pytel is a staff attorney with the Enterprise Procurement Group in the Troy office. She represents business clients in connection with a variety of commercial transactions, including the drafting and negotiation of vendor contracts for a variety of goods and services. Before beginning her legal career, Pytel enjoyed a successful career in communications and public relations. She is a graduate of Wayne State University Law School.

Rippy is an associate with the Banking Practice Group in the Detroit office. She concentrates her practice in representing lenders in commercial loan originations. Before joining Bodman, Rippy served as a judicial extern to Judge Jack Zouhary of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio and to Judge Thomas Tucker of the United State Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. She is a graduate of the University of Toledo College of Law. Shell is an associate with the Litigation and Alternative Dispute Resolution Practice Group in the Detroit office. She represents clients involved in complex commercial litigation matters. Before joining Bodman, Shell worked as a judicial intern for Judge Nancy G. Edmunds of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. She is a graduate of Wayne State University Law School.

NOTICE OF EXPIRATION OF THE TEMPORARY FULL FDIC INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR NONINTEREST­BEARING TRANSACTION ACCOUNTS By operation of federal law, beginning January 1, 2013, funds deposited in a noninterest­ bearing transaction account (including an Interest on Lawyer Trust Account) no longer will receive unlimited deposit insurance coverage by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).Beginning January 1, 2013, all of a depositor’s accounts at an insured depository institution, including all noninterest­bearingtransaction accounts, will be insured by the FDIC up to the standard maximumdeposit insurance amount ($250,000), for each deposit insurance ownership category.

BankUnited Culminates Banner Year With Flurry Of Branch Openings In Florida

On track to open 17 new branches in 2011, BankUnited (NYSE: BKU), headquartered in Miami Lakes, Fla., crowns a year of exceptional growth by launching four new locations before the end of the year.

"We are aggressively building BankUnited," said BankUnited Chairman President and CEO John Kanas.

"We plan to grow as Florida's economy continues to rebound and have made commercial lending a primary focus."

BankUnited is the second largest depository institution in Florida based on assets and, for the nine months ended September 30, 2011, new loans increased at an annualized growth rate of 180 percent.

With year end branch openings in Tampa, Orlando, Boca Raton and West Palm Beach, BankUnited provides a wide range of commercial and consumer banking services in 14 Florida counties through more than 90 branch locations. Earlier this year, BankUnited completed a $9 million refurbishment that included a physical overhaul of its branches as well as a brand new logo and signage.

Recognition BankUnited has received during 2011 includes topping the FDIC list of most profitable banks in Florida, earning two consecutive five­star ratings from Bauer Financial in its first evaluation opportunities since the bank was established and being named sixth on a national performance ranking of the largest U.S. publicly traded banks and thrifts by Bank Director magazine.

Since November 7, BankUnited has expanded to open the following branches:

Buchalter Nemer Welcomes Intellectual Property and Litigation Shareholder Dylan Wiseman

Buchalter Nemer is pleased to announce that Dylan Wiseman has joined the firm in San Francisco as a Shareholder in its Intellectual Property and Litigation Practice Groups.

Mr. Wiseman focuses his practice on intellectual property protection, including representing employers in litigation matters involving, trade secrets and unfair competition, employee mobility, customer and employee non­solicitation restrictions, and the infringement of other forms of intellectual property. Mr. Wiseman’s diverse group of clients includes, fashion designers, aerospace firms, biomedical companies, inventors, high­tech companies, e­commerce firms, real estate companies, casinos, healthcare companies, sporting goods companies, television stations, renewable energy companies, and insurance brokerages.

Mr. Wiseman has extensive jury trial experience. He has been lead trial counsel in several complex­designated unfair competition jury trials, including an eight week jury trial. Mr. Wiseman joins Buchalter from the Sacramento office of Littler Mendelson, where he joined as an associate and had been a Shareholder since 2005. Mr. Wiseman was resident in Littler’s Sacramento and San Jose offices.

“Strengthening our trade secret litigation capabilities has been a real priority for us,” said Adam Bass, President and Chief Executive Officer of Buchalter Nemer. “I’m so pleased to welcome Dylan as we continue to strategically expand, and we are excited that his practice further enhances the legal services we offer our national and international business community clients.”

In 2009, 2010, and 2012 Mr. Wiseman taught continuing education seminars regarding trade secret and unfair competition litigation for the State Bar of California’s Labor and Employment Law Section. An award winning lecturer, he has also taught continuing legal education seminars regarding trade secret protection, social media and confidentiality, BYOD devices, and computer forensics and eDiscovery.

“My trade secret and employee mobility litigation practice fits well within Buchalter’s full­service platform,” added Wiseman. “I am excited to join Buchalter’s extremely talented Intellectual Property and Litigation teams and am eager for my clients to experience the benefits of Buchalter’s depth of subject matter expertise.”

Mr. Wiseman graduated with honors from the University of California, Davis. He earned his J.D. from Santa Clara University School of Law.

Jeffrey Kapor Honored at the 2015 Southern California Apparel Awards Jeffrey Kapor received the Professional Service Provider Award at the 2015 Southern California Apparel Awards, hosted by the Los Angeles Business Journal. The Apparel Awards recognize dynamic leaders representing apparel, denim, active­wear, couture, swimwear, and accessories companies that are based in Southern California. Jeffrey has been instrumental in the massive growth of the Southern California apparel industry over the past four decades and has guided apparel and other consumer clients through their start­ups, capital transactions, mergers and acquisitions, and public offerings.

Please join us in congratulating Jeffrey!

Buyers Laboratory Launches New Corporate Website Buyers Laboratory, LLC (BLI), the experts in document imaging equipment and solutions, is pleased to announce the launch of its new corporate homepage,​ www.Buyerslab.com​ . The new site provides a more engaging, informative user experience with improved navigation, detailed product pages and dedicated search widgets for finding specific product test reports and BLI Awards.

The new site has a strong focus on the editorial content written by the company’s team of editors, analysts and researchers. This content focuses on products tested in the lab as well as trends in the market, industry events and customer profiles.

“Our new homepage is a much more accurate representation of the brand’s identity and corporate message,” said Gerry Stoia, President and Chief Executive Officer of Buyers Lab, LLC. “It highlights all that BLI has to offer including, state of the art testing facilities, a team of product experts, analysts and consultants, and a robust database with online web tools, just to name a few.”

“The new site represents just one of the major changes happening at BLI along with a new facility, and the acquisition of InfoTrends.”

In addition, the new site includes a responsive design for convenient mobile browsing as well as social sharing capabilities for news articles on the site.

Buyers Lab Acquires InfoTrends Expanding Services for the Office Technology, Production Printing and Imaging Industries

Fairfield, NJ – Buyers Lab LLC (BLI) announced that it has acquired the assets of InfoTrends, a division of Questex Media Group LLC. BLI is the largest independent authority and provider of competitive intelligence, testing and reviews on multifunction (MFP), copier, printer, scanner and software solutions and products.

InfoTrends provides strategy, business development, and operations assessment services for technology vendors, resellers, and service providers in the production printing & digital media, office technology & services, and consumer & pro imaging industries.

In conjunction with the transaction, all InfoTrends employees will join the Buyers Lab organization creating a global team of over 125 professionals capable of providing critical planning and go­to­market services including in­depth market research, competitive intelligence, sales training, product testing, content creation, and customer engagement.

“We’ve long held that BLI and InfoTrends are highly complementary businesses with a shared focus on the digital imaging and document solutions markets,” said Gerry Stoia, President and Chief Executive Officer of Buyers Lab, LLC. “Combining BLI’s independent testing and industry leading product knowledge with InfoTrends market research and consulting expertise is a powerful combination and will allow the merged entity to deliver more value to the global customers we serve. We’re thrilled to be joining forces with the talented analysts and professionals at InfoTrends.”

“InfoTrends and BLI have many shared values around client service, quality research, and excellence of our professional staff,” commented Jeff Hayes, President of InfoTrends. “We are excited about the many opportunities created by the combination of these two great companies.”

The Right Questions to Ask About Leasing

With all of its benefits, if you’re thinking about equipment leasing, you’re already on the right track. It’s important to note, however, that in order to reap the rewards, you’ll need to know exactly what you’re getting into when it comes time to sign that lease. And when this time does come, knowing which questions to ask will help you obtain the most favorable leasing terms.

Questions to Ask When Leasing What type of lease are you being asked to sign?

When it comes to equipment leasing, there are many types of leasing options. While something like a deferred billing lease means payments won’t start until 30, 60, 90, or even 180 days after the lease commencement date, something like a step lease increases in payment amounts over time to match anticipated change in capital flow. To learn more about the leases Byline Financial Group offers, ​ click here​ .

Is there a buyout option?

Often times when leasing, you may have a choice between a Fair Market Value (FMV) and a $1 buyout option. An FMV option means you can buy the equipment for its fair­market price at the end of its lease. A $1 buyout option means you can purchase the equipment for $1 once the lease expires. It’s important to keep in mind, however, that while the $1 buyout option may sound better, the FMV option generally has lower monthly payments during the leasing term.

Do I need to insure the equipment?

Depending on the company and the lease type, you may be required to insure your leased equipment. In the event that it’s not an option, you may find higher monthly payments in order to cover this fee.

How long is the lease for?

Lease length differs from equipment to equipment. Depending on the equipment’s likelihood to become obsolete, you may be interested in a shorter or longer lease. Additionally, it’s important to note that while longer leases will generally have lower monthly payments, you may end up paying more in the end.

Can I terminate the lease early?

Sometimes you may find you don’t need your equipment as long as you thought. Other times you may find it’s necessary to upgrade to new equipment before the lease ends. It’s important to ask if you can pay off your lease early, and if so, whether or not there is a prepayment penalty and how much that may be.

Can I add to the lease?

This policy may differ from company to company. Many don’t mind if you add to your already existing lease.

However, expect payments to recalculate accordingly.

There are many benefits when it comes to leasing equipment. In order to really prosper, however, it’s important to know which questions to ask when it comes time for signing the lease. Fortunately, with our list of questions, obtaining the most favorable leasing terms for your company will be easy. For further inquiry into the equipment leasing process, or to get started with leasing your equipment today

Byline Heads to Vegas for the AAEP Annual Convention to Educate Goers About the Advantages of Medical Veterinary Equipment Leasing Equine practitioners take over the “entertainment capital of the world” for the American Association of Equine Practitioners Annual Convention, December 5­9. Held at the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV, 4,000 veterinary technicians, support staff, students and assistants will gather for educational seminars, opportunities to network, and a host of fun activities.

Alan and Cindy will be representing Byline, keeping convention­goers up­to­date on the latest in medical and​ veterinary equipment leasing needs​ . In addition to the variety of educational sessions offered, 400 exhibitors will also be in attendance. Planning on attending? Be sure to say hello and find out everything we have to offer when it comes to leasing medical and veterinary equipment

Caine & Weiner and 71lbs Announces Partnership to Collect Your Shipment Refunds

Woodland Hills, CA— Caine & Weiner and 71lbs are excited to announce their newly formed partnership to assist with collecting your FedEx and UPS shipment refunds. This partnership is especially timely with the holidays fast approaching when company’s shipment volumes are at their highest.

Did you know that every FedEx & UPS parcel shipment comes with a money­back­guarantee? If your overnight shipment is late, even by 60 seconds, you should get 100% of your money back. If your ground shipment is late, even by one day, you should also get a full refund. You only have 15 days to claim a refund for a service delivery. 71lbs has developed a “set­and­forget” system that allows their customers to easily and automatically collect late­shipment refunds owed to them via the FedEx & UPS money­back­guarantee.

How does it work? ● Shipping accounts are monitored for late deliveries ● Claims for refunds are automatically filed on your behalf ● Refunds get credited back to your shipping accounts ● No sign­up fee, monthly dues or contractCaine & Weiner’s partnership with 71lbs allows our clients to collect on their refunds even faster. View the link below for more information so that you are well equipped and ready to collect refunds on late shipments throughout the year and over the upcoming holiday season. See also attached case studies and important holiday shipment information.

Caine & Weiner (​ www.caine­weiner.com​ ) is celebrating its 85th year of continuous service as a global provider of highly effective and results oriented 1st and 3rd party commercial and consumer accounts receivable management services and innovative outsourcing solutions. To serve the domestic market, the Los Angeles­based enterprise maintains a network of five full­service call centers strategically located throughout the U.S. Through their active partnership with Global Credit Solutions (GCS), Caine & Weiner has established an international presence in over 90 countries. Caine & Weiner has been in operation since their beginning in 1930 and is a founding member of the Commercial Collection Agency Association (CCAA), certified by the Commercial Law League of America (CLLA). Caine & Weiner is also a certified member of the International Association of Commercial Collectors (IACC) and member of the American Collectors Association (ACA).

71lbs created a “set­and­forget” system that allows SMBs to automatically collect on their FedEx & UPS late shipment refunds. Did you know every FedEx & UPS shipment comes with a money­back­guarantee? If your overnight or ground shipment is late, even by 60 seconds, you have the right to 100% of your money back. Most companies don’t file their late shipment claims

Caine & Weiner Announces Newly Redesigned Website

Caine & Weiner is proud to announce the launch of the newly, redesigned version of its website, www.caine­weiner.com, as part of the company’s 85th anniversary celebration. Key features of the site include a cleaner, more attractive design, a more engaging user experience and enhanced navigation.

Also included in the redesign is a new live chat feature which allows prospective and current clients an opportunity to communicate with a client services manager in real­time. Other highlights include new alliance partnership information, Caine & Weiner’s best­in­class client reporting tool, CW Connect, which allows clients 24/7 secure access to their account information, and the Experian Educator tool which offers credit education services.

The site’s refreshed and simplified look, combined with enhanced content, improved search functionality, and optimization for mobile devices allows users to better interact with Caine & Weiner online.

“Our purpose for redesigning the Caine & Weiner website was two­fold: maximize the user experience by utilizing the most progressive technology available and update the look and content of the site to reflect Caine & Weiner’s 85 years of experience in the accounts receivable management industry,” said Greg A. Cohen, President & CEO. Caine & Weiner (​ www.caine­weiner.com​ ) is celebrating its 85th year of continuous service as a global provider of highly effective and results oriented 1st and 3rd party commercial and consumer accounts receivable management services and innovative outsourcing solutions. To serve the domestic market, the Los Angeles­based enterprise maintains a network of five full­service call centers strategically located throughout the U.S. Through their active partnership with Global Credit Solutions (GCS), Caine & Weiner has established an international presence in over 90 countries. Caine & Weiner has been in operation since their beginning in 1930 and is a founding member of the Commercial Collection Agency Association (CCAA), certified by the Commercial Law League of America (CLLA). Caine & Weiner is also a certified member of the International Association of Commercial Collectors (IACC) and member of the American Collectors Association (ACA).

Capital One Financial Corporation to Webcast Conference Call on Fourth Quarter 2015 Earnings Eastern Time,Capital One Financial Corporation (NYSE: COF) will release its Fourth Quarter 2015 earnings results. Additionally, the company will host a conference call at 5:00 p.m. Eastern time to review financial and operating performance for the quarter ending December 31, 2015.

The call will be webcast live and the earnings release will be available on the company's homepage at www.capitalone.com​ . A replay of the webcast will be available 24 hours a day, beginning 2 hours after the conference call, until 5:00 p.m. Eastern time on February 9th​ ​, 2016, through the company's homepage.

About Capital One Capital One Financial Corporation (​ www.capitalone.com​ ) is a financial holding company whose subsidiaries, which includeCapital One, N.A., and Capital One Bank (USA), N.A., had $212.9 billion in deposits and $313.7 billion in total assets as ofSeptember 30, 2015. Headquartered in McLean, Virginia, Capital One

offers a broad spectrum of financial products and services to consumers, small businesses and commercial clients through a variety of channels. Capital One, N.A. has branches located primarily in New York, New Jersey, Texas, Louisiana, Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia. A Fortune 500 company, Capital One trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "COF" and is included in theS&P 100 index.

Capital One Canada Competition Results in $35,000 Donation to A Child's Voice Foundation

TORONTO, Dec. 15, 2015 /CNW/ ­ ​ Capital One Canada​ will donate $35,000 to ​ A Child's Voice Foundation​ as a result of an internal contest that empowers associates to compete to win funds to support their charity of choice. The "Who Wants to Be a Philanthropist" contest gives Capital One's Canadian associate­base an opportunity to champion a charity or cause they believe in and engages the Canadian associates to vote on which charities will receive the top prizes.

A Child's Voice Foundation, championed by Capital One associate Sharon Lui, will receive the $35,000 grand prize. Associates at the company also voted to donate $20,000 to the Palliative Home Care Society ofGreater Montreal and $10,000 to the Sunnybrook Hospital Odette Cancer Centre for coming in second and third place respectively.

"This donation from Capital One means our children will know that someone cares," said Roslyn Yearwood, Executive Director, A Child's Voice Foundation. "We now have the funds to provide the necessary supports that will improve the quality of life of the children we serve. Capital One has helped A Child's Voice be a place "Where Kids Come First".

"I decided to support A Child's Voice because they are a small charity that is focused on turning No into a Yes for ill or disabled kids who have a critical need for a product or service that will enhance their quality of life," said Lui. "I love the Who Wants to be a Philanthropist contest because it gives me an opportunity to show my own children that through passion and commitment, anything can happen if you use your voice to speak up for others."

Launched in 2007, the "Who Wants to Be a Philanthropist" contest is designed to give Capital One's Canadian associates a strong voice in how the company allocates its charitable dollars. The program was built on the premise that Capital One's charitable giving should represent the dedication of its associates and the passion they have for the community.

"We created this program because we value our associates' input into how we invest in the community," saidNathalie Clark, Vice President, Capital One Canada. "It also gives them a platform to share their passions for their community, connect on a personal basis, and rally behind a cause that is having a positive impact on Canadians."

Cassiopae Participating in CREFC Europe Autumn Conference

(CREFC) Europe Autumn Conference​ in London on November 9th and 10th. ​ CREFC Europe​ is the trade association for the commercial real estate (CRE) finance industry in Europe.

The Conference provides the opportunity for hundreds of CRE finance market professionals to explore current and emerging challenges in the industry.

Cassiopae’s flexible ​ real estate finance software​ enables businesses to use one system to manage real estate debt, assets, properties, and development operations.

Cassiopae Product Manager, Conor O’Flynn, will be attending the event. If you would like to arrange a meeting to discuss Cassiopae’s real estate software

Cassiopae at Finance Professional Show in London Cassiopae will join over 90 lenders and providers and 1600 attendees at theannual​ Finance Professional Show​ in London on November 4th. The event is being held at Olympia Central in London.

The exhibition brings together individuals and firms specialising in residential mortgages, secured loans, commercial finance, bridging finance, equity release and the insurance market.

Cassiopae Business Development Manager, Matt Francis, will be at the event. If you would like to arrange a meeting to discuss Cassiopae’s asset finance software,

Cat Financial President named to Nashville Business Journal Power 100 List

From its offices on West End Avenue, Caterpillar Financial provides financing for billions of dollars worth of construction equipment around the world. Kent Adams leads the construction giant's lending arm, a position he's held since 2005. Under Adam's leadership, the firm has rebounded from the doldrums of the recession.

In 2014, the company posted before­tax profits of more than $750 million.

But Adam's influence in Nashville business goes far beyond leading a company that controls $35 billion in assets. He's also the current chairman of the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce. It's a powerful position that gives Adams latitude over the direction the region's largest business group decides to take. Additionally, Adams sits on the Nashville board of directors for the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta.

To view the full list of Nashville Business Journal's Power 100

JIM MUELLER JOINS CELTIC BANK AS VICE PRESIDENT, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Celtic Bank is pleased to announce that Jim Mueller has been hired as Vice President of Business Development in the SBA and Commercial Lending department. Jim will be based out of Fresno, California.

Jim has over 15 years of industry experience, and has distinguished himself as a top producer for the last eight years. He recently served as SVP at Umpqua Bank, and has served in various other capacities at leading small business lending institutions across the country.

"We are excited that Jim has joined the Celtic Bank team," said Reese S. Howell, Jr., Chief Executive Officer. "Jim has an impressive history of assisting small business owners and brings a wealth of experience to our organization."

Jim brings with him valued team member Erik Shorey, a credit analyst with over ten years of SBA financing experience, most of which he earned as a member of Jim’s high­performing team.

TRENT WARDROP JOINS CELTIC BANK’S MARKETING TEAM Celtic Bank is pleased to announce that Trent Wardrop has been hired as Marketing Automation and Operations Manager in the Celtic Bank Marketing Department. Trent will be based in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Trent joins Celtic Bank with over 10 years of experience in marketing. Most recently, he served as the VP of Marketing for Inside Real Estate, a SLC­based startup offering marketing automation and customer relationship management to real estate brokers and agents. "I’m thrilled to be part of the Celtic team," said Trent. "It’s unusual to find an organization so committed to both client and employee happiness. I’m sure that this is a key factor in the bank’s continued growth."

"We are thrilled to have Trent join our organization," said Linda Howell, Chief Marketing Officer at Celtic Bank. "His knowledge and vast experience will be instrumental to our ongoing business development efforts."

Trent earned a Bachelor’s Degree in English from the University of Utah and a Juris Doctor Degree from Whittier Law School, with a concentration in Business Law.

MGMA 2015 ANNUAL CONFERENCE, NASHVILLE, TN

Medical Group Management Association Annual Conference brings together thousands of administrators, chief executive officers and chief operating officers from various specialties and facility sizes, as wells as physicians, various other attendee types, and high­profile keynote speakers.

Chapman and Cutler LLP Recognized by the Human Rights Campaign

hapman named one of the Best Places to Work for LGBT Equality, receiving a 100% score on the annual Corporate Equality Index.

CHICAGO, December 3, 2015 – For the seventh year in a row, Chapman and Cutler received a perfect, 100% score on the Human Rights Campaign’s (HRC) Corporate Equality Index (CEI), earning the firm a place among the HRC’s Best Places to Work for LGBT Equality.

Chapman joins the ranks of 407 major U.S. businesses, including 95 Am Law 200 law firms, which also earned top marks this year. The 2016 CEI rated a total of 156 law firms in the report, which evaluates LGBT­related policies and practices including non­discrimination workplace protections, domestic partner benefits, transgender­inclusive health care benefits, competency programs, and public engagement with the LGBT community. In all categories, Chapman and Cutler received the highest rating possible.

“Workplace equality is a core value we live by, both in and out of the office,” notes Tim Mohan, the firm’s Chief Executive Partner. “Our dedication to diversity and inclusion enhances our ability to serve our clients and provides a strong platform for growth and advancement among the attorneys and support professionals within our firm.”

A record­breaking number of businesses received a 100% score in 2016, even with the CEI’s demanding new global criteria this year. “Today, businesses no longer reserve basic workplace fairness for part of their

workforce, but are instead making protections on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity consistent across their global operations,” said HRC President Chad Griffin.

Chapman has long been committed to providing a fair and inclusive workplace. In 1998, Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley and Equality Illinois gave Chapman and Cutler a special commendation for providing insurance benefits for domestic partners and encouraging broader participation in civic and pro bono activities.

Chapman attorneys participate in programs with Lambda Legal, a national organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people. Additionally, Chapman’s internal LGBT Affinity Group monitors policies and helps implement the firm’s Diversity Action Plan, which includes a supplier diversity program.

About Chapman and Cutler Chapman and Cutler LLP is a national law firm with a practice that is focused on financial services transactions and clients. Founded in 1913, the firm has more than 235 attorneys with offices in Chicago, New York City, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, and Washington, DC. For more information, please visit chapman.com​ .

Chapman and Cutler Counsels Institutional Investors in $140 Million Project Financing of Hydroelectric Generation Facilities

Chapman and Cutler served as investors’ counsel in the private placement of notes issued by Cube Hydro North America I, LLC, a portfolio company of I Squared Capital dedicated to the development, acquisition, and operation of small to mid­sized hydropower plants in North America.

The project finance team of Chapman’s institutional private placement group focuses on the representation of institutional investors as lenders in renewable energy and other project finance transactions. In this instance, Chapman assisted investors in purchasing $140 million in senior secured notes issued by Cube Hydro. This is one of the latest project finance transactions in the renewable energy space for the firm, which frequently represents investors, issuers, purchasers, government entities, and other participants in a wide variety of project financings.

Due to the firm’s niche experience working with hydroelectric plants and other renewable energy projects, Chapman attorneys were able to provide investors with the technical and industry knowledge necessary for the successful issuance of the private placement notes.

“We were pleased to use our experience in energy and project finance to help build a mutually beneficial partnership between Cube Hydro and its investors,” said Bruce Bedwell, a partner in Chapman’s Corporate Finance Group and a lead attorney for this transaction. “The strong investor interest in this project demonstrates the value of hydropower and reinforces the commitment to clean energy Chapman shares with Cube Hydro.”

The issuance of the notes will help Cube Hydro optimize its existing capital structure, fund business requirements, and return capital to its equity owners. Cube Hydro currently owns a portfolio of thirteen hydroelectric plants located in New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia with a total capacity of 106 megawatts, and is in the process of identifying additional assets with opportunity for future development.

Bruce Bedwell and Chapman partner Mike Robson led the deal team, with additional assistance from Philip Edison, Kristin Parker, Nicole Windsor, Kristyn Dunn, and Bernita Blades. ​ Click here​ for more information on Chapman’s renewable energy practice.

Slowdown on Main Street: JPMC Report Makes Sense of Mixed Economic Messages

A new report from the JPMorgan Chase Institute has found a slowdown in everyday consumer spending growth, uncovering new details about consumer spending at a local level.

"This slowdown in growth is one of several puzzling pieces of the overall picture of our U.S. economy," said Diana Farrell, President and CEO, JPMorgan Chase Institute.

"Our new data series aims to clear up some of the ambiguity relative to consumer spending growth now and in the future."

Whether it's the local coffee shop or the hair dresser who knows your family secrets, one thing is clear: neighborhood shops may be feeling a pinch. While spending growth at small and medium enterprises (SMEs) slowed to a lesser extent than large businesses, SMEs account for nearly 70 percent of local consumer commerce sales, meaning that they contributed nearly as much to the slowdown as their larger counterparts. These changes could impact the vibrancy of neighborhoods, which need small businesses to give streets character and foot traffic—and provide local jobs.

In Atlanta, Megan Kreitner Ouzts has noticed a slowdown at her charcuterie store, The Spotted Trotter.

"We've definitely seen a dip in sales in all of 2015," she says. "We've usually been increasing year over year since 2011, but for the first time ever sales have been decreasing." The city has experienced significant growth recently, making it an exciting place to be an entrepreneur. But small businesses may now be competing with one another in an over­saturated market. "In speaking with other small businesses I've heard a general consensus that sales are tough," says Ouzts. She thinks that a lot of people are shopping online to find discounts that small stores can't give.

The data also indicates that older and higher­income people are tightening purse strings, while younger and lower­income people have continued to spend at stable rates. When looking at how age and income impacted this slowdown in consumer spending growth, middle­ and high­income consumers ages 35 to 64, and consumers 65 and older, contributed the most. Over the 34 months studied, from October 2012 to June 2015, they did the bulk of local spending.

Spending among the group's high earners, who alone generated nearly a quarter of all local commercial spending in late 2014, was down 1.3 percentage points (from +1.0 percent in early 2014 to ­0.3 percent in the first half of 2015). Among its middle­income earners, spending was down 1.2 percentage points. While the report doesn't offer detail on the causes behind these changes, it's possible that this could be because retirees are downsizing, while young people are building families and buying homes.

There's No Place Like Home... Except When Shopping The Institute also found that consumers are increasingly likely to go outside their metropolitan area to make purchases. According to the report, spending growth has significantly slowed when looking at purchases made within consumers' local neighborhoods and metropolitan areas, but has accelerated when considering purchases made by consumers outside the metropolitan area.

Not surprisingly ­ at least not to the JPMorgan Chase Institute, which recently issued a report on the impact of declining gas prices on consumer spend ­ the local slowdown in consumer spending growth can partly be attributed to lower gas prices, since people are spending less at their nearby pump.

The report focuses on businesses located in 15 U.S. metro areas, from the corner florist to department stores. The study looked at a wide range of day­to­day purchases—orange juice, t­shirts, movie tickets, haircuts—and analyzed spending growth in different categories. These transactions go beyond what is included in existing private or government data. Unlike other think tanks, the JPMC Institute has access to frequent, real­time reporting, geographic detail and both retail and consumer habits. In fact, JPMorgan Chase Institute researchers analyzed 12.4 billion anonymized and aggregated Chase credit and debit card point­of­sale transactions, not online purchases. It broke them down based on age, income and zip code and isolated local spending by calculating how far consumers traveled to shop in 15 metropolitan areas from Miami to San Francisco.

Given the mixed signals about the direction of the United States economy, the report's granular data provides a crucial local perspective. Updated quarterly, the data will be a new resource for policy makers who want to look at what's really happening in urban economies. And while this new information about consumer spending growth raises new questions­ like what is causing older consumers to spend less? Or is e­commerce to blame? It may provide another good reason for consumers to shop local this holiday season.

Serena Williams Named "Sportsperson of the Year" by Sports Illustrated

Serena Williams recently completed what was arguably the greatest season of her historic career, compiling a 53­3 record while winning three Grand Slam titles and notching her 700th career win.

With her title at Wimbledon she completed her second "Serena Slam" – winning four Grand Slam events in a row – and brought her career major championship tally to 21. She's just one Grand Slam title shy of Steffi Graf's record of 22 titles in the Open Era. Williams also finished the season at No. 1 for the fifth time in her career, the first woman to finish in the top spot for three years in a row since Graf did so in the 1990s.

This spectacular season is the reason she was named Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year for 2015.

It's an honor given by the publication to an athlete who embodies the spirit of sportsmanship and achievement.

Williams, one of 12 Sportsperson finalists, faced diverse competition for the honor, including NBA star Stephen Curry, mixed martial arts master Ronda Rousey and Triple Crown­winning horse American Pharoah.

Professional tennis player Andy Roddick made the case for Williams in November in an ​ essay​ for SI.com, explaining that while many may talk about her dominance, it is her "nuance to get through matches and win deciding sets" that makes her stand apart from other contenders.

"Each win reminds me of all the hard work I put in growing up with my mom and dad and Venus on and off the court."

Following a Dream "I've been on this journey since I was 17 years old and followed the same dream every year," she said.

"Each win reminds me of all the hard work I put in growing up with my mom and dad and Venus on and off the court."

She added that no amount of winning will ever give her the comfort to rest on her laurels.

"I'm training like I always do," she said. That includes keeping her mental game in check. "I really believe in the power of positive thinking. When I'm down, I'm focused on my next point. I just keep pushing myself.

"Tennis is a physical and mental game. The balance of both is essential to the game."

Staying Positive She had to rely on positive thinking in several close calls this summer. Somehow, someway, it carried her through.

"It's important to breathe and take it all in sometimes," she added. "I love what I do even when I'm nervous. I just try to do my best."

Williams will seek to match Graf's 22 when the 2016 Grand Slam season kicks off in Melbourne, Australia, on January 18, 2016

After strong third quarter, CHG­MERIDIAN continues on growth track

Good European business continued to drive Weingarten (Baden­Wuerttemberg, Germany)­based technology managers CHG­MERIDIAN's success throughout the third quarter of 2015. The group, which has 40 branch offices representing it in 23 countries, posted strong gains in every European market apart from Eastern Europe; by the end of the third quarter, its new investment volumes had climbed to €718 million, a 6.0% increase on the same period last year (end of September 2014: €679 million). Growth in Northern Europe (from €9 million to €29 million) is largely attributable to their incorporation of the Acento group, which took place during the middle of last year.

The American market was weaker in terms of new business, but in gross profit it was stronger than ever before. Whereas new investments in the Americas region totaled €92 million as of September 30, 2015 (down from €113 million Jan­Sep 2014), gross profit in the same region increased by 52%, from €12 million in September 2014 to €19 million this year. Domestic business proved to be another strong growth driver.

Though new investment volumes were around €12 million higher abroad than inland during the first three quarters of 2015 (€365 million vs. €353 million), Germany maintained first place in terms of gross profit (€69 million). Gross profit from the rest of the world totaled €53 million, a more than 43% increase compared to a year ago (September 30, 2014: €37 million).

As the close of the year approaches, CEO Jürgen Mossakowski is optimistic that the company will finish ahead of 2014 in terms of the most important key figures. "Our customers' investment volumes remain high, and our services are clearly resonating with many customers, including more and more new ones. In times of low interest rates, it's important to offer more than just financing solutions." To underscore this, Mossakowski mentions that more than one fourth of the company's new investment volumes are still coming from new customers. "That shows me," he says, "that our business model remains an attractive one."

CHG­MERIDIAN also reached record levels in terms of remarketing used IT equipment, successfully remarketing around 363,000 used devices (end of September 2014: 320,000 units). Of these, 84,000 underwent eraSURE certified data deletion (compared to 75,000 during the first nine months of 2014) at the company's own Technology and Service Centers in Groß­Gerau (Germany) and Skien (Norway) ­ also the highest number yet.

Employees at the main office in Weingarten can also look forward to their big move into the company's new headquarters. "Everything's going according to plan," says Jürgen Mossakowski. "The new building will be finished in time for our scheduled move in the spring of 2016."

CHG­MERIDIAN AND RAVENSBURG TOWERSTARS START THE SEASON TOGETHER

Fans and CHG­MERIDIAN employees kick off season together with official jersey handover

Main sponsor role reaffirms CHG­MERIDIAN's unreserved support for Ravensburg Towerstars and scope of sponsorship

CHG­MERIDIAN staff actively promoting regional social activities through team tickets to Towerstars games

Once again, Weingarten (Baden­Wuerttemberg, Germany)­based technology managers and financial experts CHG­MERIDIAN have reaffirmed their unreserved commitment to their role as the main sponsor of the Ravensburg Towerstars. As the company announced to mark the start of the season, the Towerstars will be able to count on CHG­MERIDIAN's active support throughout the coming season as well.

"We've been supporting the Towerstars for more than ten years now, and for a good reason: because we share traditions as well as our passion for an exceptional team sport," said Frank Kottmann during Thursday's official jersey handover at CHG­MERIDIAN's Weingarten headquarters. "We wish General Manager Rainer Schan, Coach Daniel Naud, Assistant Coach Christopher Oravec, and the rest of the team great success at their first official game and throughout the upcoming season," Kottman added.

Rainer Schan, General Manager of the Ravensburg Towerstars, described the partnership as an exceptional one. "CHG­MERIDIAN and the Towerstars have been a strong team for many years now. Without this level of trust, ice hockey at this level and with this degree of importance to the entire Bodensee­Upper Swabia region would surely be impossible," said Rainer Schan.

Zonamerica Deploys Cloud Solution for the Region with Cisco and Logicalis

An icon regarding technological innovation, the Uruguayan private free zone decided to purchase this Cloud service for both its customers and those who are outside the business park and require greater security for their data processing Zonamérica implemented a cloud­based Cisco® collaboration solution to provide services to the clients of this free zone situated in Montevideo. This innovation confirms Zonamérica's role as a technology leader in Uruguay providing to its customers solutions to improve the efficiency and productivity of their processes and jobs. This is the first project in Uruguay to deliver cloud­based services build on the Cisco Unified Computing System™ (Cisco UCS®). The solution built for Zonamérica provides computing, storage, memory and software via an auto­provisioning system to the 200 customers within the park. The datacenter in Jacksonville enables Zonamérica to provide the service to external customers across Uruguay and around the world.

The particularity of the benefits of this solution is that it provides an excellent service not only to Zonamérica's customers but also to those that are not within this business and technology park, who want a safe environment to process their data. This happens thanks to three Data Centers: two located in the park to provide service to the clients in this space and also the international ones, and one in Jacksonville, to provide service to the Uruguay companies. All of them will have access to a secure collaboration service that includes virtual desktop telephony, unified communications and Jabber® for mobile devices, as well as the setup of passwords, mail, virtual servers, firewall and Internet services.

At the start of the implementation, the virtual server solution became available, and once in operation launched the self­supply. Through this action, much of Zonamérica servers migrated to virtual. In parallel, virtual server solutions inside and outside the park are being sold. The next advancements were made with firewall, virtual desktops and PBX, the latter two assembled with each other. When speaking of virtual desktop, this solution is being offered including the machine, telephonic line, control firewall and mail services.

From the Cloud point of view, Zonamérica offers its park customers and those who are outside of it, operational efficiency, cost savings and more efficient obsolescence management with all the speed benefits that the centralized system provides under a safe environment; in turn, it is a source of income, customer wise.

Cisco and Zonamérica's relationship began 20 years ago with the implementation of switches and routers.

Soon after, wireless was added; both indoor and outdoor, then came security, and in this last stage, cloud services. This latest solution was the leap that allowed them to resell their products beyond the park and be applied to small and large companies. This creates greater flexibility, and it is exactly what Zonamérica is aiming for. Logicalis has been the partner of choice to implement and support many of these solutions, becoming a strategic supplier for ZA. Precisely, while continuing to grow from this new solution, the next step between Cisco and Zonamérica is the new Colombian project. A new free zone is being built, exclusive for services, where it will have a data center and telecommunications infrastructure.

The Internet of Everything (IoE) is being implemented too, since the park is a small city to integrate all services provided in the latter. Zonamérica distributes energy and water, recycles waste and has transportation services. The computerization of this entire framework using IoT technologies is being analyzed, such as connecting power meters, bus transportation and intelligent parking, along with monitoring and access control.

Supporting quotes: ● Jaime Miller, Zonamérica's General Manager.

"For Uruguay, Zonamérica has always been an icon in terms of technological innovation, and we wanted to continue in that line looking for new experiences. It keeps on positioning us as leaders in the search of innovation. Therefore, we seek a first­tier supplier as Cisco, to provide customers Cloud services without reservations. We have an unwavering commitment to quality with our customers. We always try to offer the best solution. Being in a free zone opens us to the world and leads us to always seek the best suppliers available globally because it does not bind us to tariff or tax barriers. Liability to the customer is crucial and we need a solution that would give us security. And we found it in Cisco, not only as a trademark or for its technical support, but their relationship with local partners ­ Logicalis, in this case ­ which can give us support and maintenance service. It puts us in a different category regarding Cloud". ● Gabriel Sakata, General Manager of Cisco in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay.

"Cisco is increasing its focus on Uruguay, accompanying its leadership in innovation development and business growth in the country. Zonamérica is a clear example of this process. Cisco has been announcing that the evolution of the Internet of Everything is been challenging CIOs to understand how with the evolution of ICTs our client's business models can evolve too. And Cisco is aiming to lead this transition and help the CIOs of our customers in this process". ● Federico Bisetti, Sales Manager for Cisco Paraguay and Uruguay.

"Having implemented several private clouds for companies, this is the first project of Public Cloud in Uruguay on Cisco servers, which has allowed Zonamérica to provide Cloud services not only within the park, but outside it and even internationally, given that it has customers in other countries in the region", notes Federico Bisetti, Sales Manager for Cisco Paraguay and Uruguay. ● Gabriel Szlaifsztein, IT manager of Zonamérica “From the technical point of view, we chose Cisco because it was the alternative that best met and still meets all Zonamérica's needs and to its customers and disparate companies: from 3 to 3000 employees.

Starting from financing to the robustness of the solution, alternatives and growth, Zonamérica is an organization that always wants to be on the cutting edge of innovation and the only one in Latin America that implemented this solution with the technology and the ‘One Stop Solution’ format. This led to several challenges, because between us and our business partners we had to spend time, not only to implement but to perfect the curve that leaves us in a privileged position compared to the rest, all because we have

implemented Cisco's cloud services. Most important of all, we achieve a solution model that is replicable in our next new free zone: Cali, Colombia. ● Washington Rodriguez Cambre, engineer for Cisco Systems in Uruguay.

"This project is a clear example of what cloud services are and what integration is with the infrastructure already assembled. Zonamérica became a reference point, company and technology in Uruguay. It provides services nationally and internationally. The idea is to continue working with Zonamérica when it comes to innovation and technology and help it through the growth it is experiencing. We have to try to be innovative and in the forefront of technology". ● Sergio Vidal, Sales Manager of Logicalis "For our company this project has been a major challenge, since it represented the first Cloud implementation (UCS Director) in the Latin American sphere. The experience was rewarding and successful, generating a unique local know­how to replicate these projects in the region. Zonamérica is a key strategic customer with whom we worked for about 17 years, and with whom we shared several large projects over time".

About Zonamérica Zonamérica is the first private free zone in Uruguay, and also the main Business and Technology park in Latin America. With an existing operation in Montevideo (Uruguay) and a development phase in Cali (Colombia), Zonamérica is a place where infrastructure, legal framework and human resources get together to offer the "One Stop solution" concept. It has a modern business environment, providing a competitive advantage for companies to do business with the region and the world. It is a technology business park, located in Montevideo, has 92 acres, 28 buildings and 350 customers, employing 10,000 people. It is a small corporate town with a combination of offices and warehouses.

About Logicalis Logicalis is a global supplier of integrated solutions and services for Information and Communication Technologies based on a broad expertise in communications and collaboration, data center services and cloud and managed services. The Logicalis Group is a division of Datatec Limited with presence in 60 countries; has more than 6,500 employees to meet the needs of about 25 thousand customers, with invoicings of over 6 billion. In Uruguay it's been operating for over 17 years, has 60 employees and is one of the leading IT companies in the country. For more information, visit ​ www.logicalis.com​ .

About Cisco Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) is the worldwide leader in IT that helps companies seize the opportunities of tomorrow by proving that amazing things can happen when you connect the previously unconnected. For ongoing news, please go to ​ http://thenetwork.cisco.com​ .

Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. A listing of Cisco's trademarks can be found at ​ www.cisco.com/go/trademarks​ .

Third­party trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners. The use of the word partner does not imply a partnership relationship between Cisco and any other company.

Saudi Telecom Company Becomes the First Service Provider in Middle East and North Africa to Deploy Cisco Virtualized Packet Core Technology STC achieves a Landmark Deployment to Transform Mobile Service Delivery in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Saudi Telecom Company (STC), the largest telecommunication services provider in the Middle East and North Africa and the leading operator within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, has selected​ Cisco Virtualized Packet Core (VPC)​ to transform its mobile service delivery model and expand its customer offering in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

With its wide international presence, STC looked for a mobile platform that could deliver the network elasticity and service agility needed to support the rapid growth and evolving demands of today's market. By implementing Cisco VPC, STC becomes the first service provider to deploy the most advanced and latest Cisco solution in the Middle East and North Africa.

Mobile traffic from smartphones and other portable devices, along with new digital traffic types like Machine to Machine (M2M) communications and Internet of Things (IoT) applications are creating huge volumes of mobile data traffic. To keep pace, operators like STC must continually expand their mobile networks.

Solutions like Cisco VPC will particularly help STC address new demands while reducing network capital and operational expenditures. VPC will allow STC to simplify and accelerate the process of adding new enterprise customers from all vertical sectors including healthcare, transportation, retail, banking etc. and launching new applications to market.

The Cisco VPC will provide a universal mobile packet core to support all STC’s wireless services in a single solution. It allows STC to take advantage of wide range of capabilities together with the flexibility, efficiency, and scale of virtualized cloud services. These same capabilities will also make it easier for STC to create innovative new services and bring them to market faster.

As the industry's most complete, fully virtualized evolved packet core, the new Cisco VPC solution significantly enhances service agility for service providers, enabling them to scale capacity and introduce new services much faster and more cost­effectively. As part of its ongoing efforts to deliver a superior mobile experience, STC’s new mobile platform will provide customers in the Kingdom with greater network speeds and a higher quality of service over 4G LTE and beyond. STC Mobile Network is transforming in order to address technology market transitions involving video, cloud, and security, all fueled by the Internet of Things (IoT), which is creating new opportunities for global service providers and their customers.

Eng. Nasser Al Nasser, SVP for Technology & Operations, STC said: “Cisco has been a longstanding strategic STC partner and we are delighted to be expanding our strong relationship in order to deliver even more capabilities to our customers throughout the Kingdom. As a leading provider of ICT services in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, STC’s goal is to maintain its leadership position by continuously innovating to meet the ever­changing customer needs. Cisco Virtualized Packet Core solution will give us the flexibility we need to launch new services quickly and seamlessly for our valued customers.”

Eng. Rabah Zarzour, Client Executive, Service Provider Sales, Saudi Arabia, Cisco said: “As businesses evolve and the speed of change rapidly increases, communication and information will be crucial. That is why Cisco is committed to working closely with leading service providers like STC to deliver intelligent networks, new capabilities like cloud and greater bandwidth on integrated products, services, and software platforms. We are truly honored that STC’s continues to have confidence in Cisco, and we look forward to

working together long into the future. Our joint goal is to continue to innovate and transform our technology solutions in order to help customers like STC deliver better and more robust services for their customers.”

This latest agreement with STC represents another major milestone in both companies long­standing strategic relationship aimed at delivering state­of­the­art telecommunications services.

Citizens Financial Group Announces Prime Rate Change Citizens Financial Group, Inc. (NYSE:CFG) announced today that Citizens Bank, N.A. and Citizens Bank ofPennsylvania have raised their prime­lending rates to 3.50 percent from 3.25 percent, effective Thursday, December 17, 2015.

About Citizens Financial Group, Inc. Citizens Financial Group, Inc. is one of the nation’s oldest and largest financial institutions, with $135.4 billion in assets as of September 30, 2015. Headquartered in Providence, Rhode Island, Citizens offers a broad range of retail and commercial banking products and services to individuals, small businesses, middle-market companies, large corporations and institutions. In Consumer Banking, Citizens helps its retail customers “bank better” with mobile and online banking, a 24/7 customer contact center and the convenience of approximately 3,200 ATMs and approximately 1,200 Citizens Bank branches in 11 states in the New England, Mid-Atlantic and Midwest regions. Citizens also provides mortgage lending, auto lending, student lending and commercial banking services in select markets nationwide. In Commercial Banking, Citizens offers corporate, institutional and not-for-profit clients a full range of wholesale banking products and services including lending and deposits, capital markets, treasury services, foreign exchange and interest hedging, leasing and asset finance, specialty finance and trade finance. Citizens operates through its subsidiaries Citizens Bank, N.A., and Citizens Bank of Pennsylvania. Additional information about Citizens and its full line of products and services can be found at ​ www.citizensbank.com​ .

Citizens Financial Group to Announce Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2015 Results on January 22, 2016

Citizens Financial Group, Inc. (NYSE: CFG) announced today its plans to release fourth quarter and full year 2015 results on Friday, January 22, 2016 at 7:00 am ET. The news release and supplemental materials will be available at​ http://investor.citizensbank.com CFG management will host a live conference call that morning with details as follows: Time: 9:00 am (ET) Dial­in:

Individuals may call in by dialing (800) 288­8975, conference ID 372328

Webcast/Presentation: The live webcast will be available at ​ http://investor.citizensbank.com​ , under Events Replay Information:

A replay of the conference call will be available beginning at 11:00 am ET on January 22 through February 22, 2016. Please dial (800) 475­6701 and enter access

code 372328. The webcast replay ​ http://investor.citizensbank.com​ , under Events.

About Citizens Financial Group, Inc. Citizens Financial Group, Inc. is one of the nation’s oldest and largest financial institutions, with $135.4 billion in assets as of September 30, 2015. Headquartered in Providence, Rhode Island, Citizens offers a broad range of retail and commercial banking products and services to individuals, small businesses, middle­market companies, large corporations and institutions. In Consumer Banking, Citizens helps its retail customers “bank better” with mobile and online banking, a 24/7 customer contact center and the convenience of approximately 3,200 ATMs and approximately 1,200 Citizens Bank branches in 11 states in the New England, Mid­Atlantic and Midwest regions. Citizens also provides mortgage lending, auto lending, student lending and commercial banking services in select markets nationwide. In Commercial Banking, Citizens offers corporate, institutional and not­for­profit clients a full range of wholesale banking products and services including lending and deposits, capital markets, treasury services, foreign exchange and interest hedging, leasing and asset finance, specialty finance and trade finance. Citizens operates through its subsidiaries Citizens Bank, N.A., and Citizens Bank of Pennsylvania. Additional information about Citizens and its full line of products and services can be found at ​ www.citizensbank.com​ .

Coats Rose Ranked in 2016 “Best Law Firms” Coats Rose, P.C. has been recognized in the 2016 “Best Law Firms” survey by U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers® in national and metropolitan rankings across four of the firm’s offices in Houston, Austin, San Antonio and New Orleans. The firm was recognized nationally in three practice areas for ​ Construction Law​ , Construction Litigation and ​ Real Estate Law​ .

Firms included in the 2016 “Best Law Firms” list are recognized for professional excellence with persistently impressive ratings from clients and peers. Achieving a ranking signals a unique combination of quality law practice and breadth of legal expertise.

For rankings across metropolitan regions, Coats Rose was recognized in 12 practice areas, including:

Coats Rose Welcomes Three New Attorneys to Houston Office

today announces the addition of three new associates to the firm’s Houston office. Greer Kuras joins Coats Rose’s public finance section, Nick Nieto joins the litigation section and Kevin Falvo joins the firm’s affordable housing practice group.

As an attorney in Coats Rose’s public finance and real estate sections, ​ Greer Kuras​ specializes in the acquisition and development of land, the creation of special purpose districts and the financing of public infrastructure through tax­exempt bonds. Greer represents landowners; homebuilders; residential and commercial real estate developers; special purpose districts, such as municipal utility districts; and other governmental and private entities involved in all phases of real property development throughout Texas.

Nick Nieto​ ’s practice at Coats Rose is focused primarily on construction, surety and real estate law. Nieto has experience recovering unpaid balances on residential and commercial projects, and has assisted both contractors and sureties in their assertion and defense of bond claims. He has also been involved in the negotiation of construction contracts, settlement agreements and promissory notes. Additionally, Nieto has

assisted in filing and removing liens on residential and commercial projects, resolving disputes over title to real property, and asserting inverse condemnation claims arising from eminent domain proceedings.

Kevin Falvo​ is an associate in Coats Rose’s affordable housing practice group. His practice is focused on affordable housing development, including HUD preservation, LIHTC development, PHA and HUD regulatory work, and associated title and real estate matters.

Airplaco and Gunite Supply Partners with Commercial Industrial Finance to Offer Capital Financing to Customers

CINCINNATI­­(​ BUSINESS WIRE​ )­­Airplaco and Gunite Supply (​ http://www.airplaco.com​ ; http://www.gunitesupply.com​ ), worldwide manufacturers of specialty construction equipment, are proud to announce their partnership with Cincinnati based Commercial Industrial Finance (CIF), a subsidiary of CBank.

Effective September 1, 2015, Commercial Industrial Finance will be the provider of capital financing to domestic customers looking for alternative options when purchasing equipment from Airplaco and Gunite Supply. “CIF has a tremendous amount of experience financing construction equipment and working with contractors and they have been terrific to work with; we are very excited to be able to offer flexible purchase options to our customers.” —Ken Segerberg, Business Unit Leader, Equipment Division Mesa Industries.

According to Bob Rinaldi, CEO of Commercial Industrial Finance & a director of CBank, “It’s especially gratifying to develop a sales­aid finance program with Airplaco and Gunite Supply, a local business that manufactures their products right here in the US and sells them throughout the world. Together, we are equipping their customers’ businesses for success by providing them much needed business capital. By assisting Airplaco, Gunite and their customers, Commercial Industrial Finance continues to live out its tag line – Our business is improving yours!”

Commonwealth Capital Receives WBENC Certification for 8th Year

Commonwealth Capital Corp., a firm that specializes in structuring information technology, medical technology and material handling equipment leases for Fortune 500 and investment­grade U.S. companies, has received its national recertification as a Woman’s Business Enterprise by the Women’s Business Enterprise Council PA­DE­sNJ for the eighth consecutive year. “We are pleased to be recertified as a woman­owned business” stated Springsteen­Abbott. We want to continue to expand into new markets and the WBENC certification provides us with opportunities to learn and grow”. Founded in 1997, WBENC is the leading women­owned registering authority in the United States. Their certification process includes an in­depth review of the business and a site inspection to confirm it is at least 51 percent owned, operated and controlled by a woman or women. In March of this year, WBENC recognized 50 Top Fortune 1000 corporations for exhibiting exemplary leading supplier diversity programs, including Allstate, AT&T, Dell, Pitney Bowes, and Raytheon. Founded in 1978, Commonwealth Capital Corp. is a national equipment leasing and financial services company with locations in Clearwater, Florida and Greater Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Kimberly A. Springsteen­Abbott CEO, 2015 ­ 2016 NAPW VIP Woman of the Year Circle

The National Association of Professional Women (NAPW) honors Kimberly A. Springsteen­Abbott as a 2015­2016 inductee into its VIP Woman of the Year Circle. She is recognized with this prestigious distinction for leadership in business. NAPW is the nation's leading networking organization exclusively for professional women, boasting more than 700,000 members and over 200 operating Local Chapters.

Kimberly A. Springsteen­Abbott is the Chief Executive Officer of Commonwealth Capital Corp. She has more than three decades of experience in the financial services industry, more specifically in the real estate, energy and leasing sectors of Alternative Investments.

As the sole shareholder of Commonwealth Capital Corp and subsidiary companies, Mrs. Springsteen­Abbott’s responsibilities include business strategy, product development and portfolio oversight.

She is responsible for general operations of the equipment leasing / portfolio management side of the business and oversees all CCC operations, as well as CCSC SEC / FINRA compliance. Additionally, she oversees all corporate daily operations and training, as well as develops long­term corporate growth strategies.

From 1980 to 1997, Mrs. Springsteen­Abbott was employed with Wheat First Butcher Singer, a regional broker / dealer located in Richmond, VA. At Wheat, she served as Senior Vice President and Marketing Manager for the Alternative Investments Division. She is a member of the Equipment Leasing Association, the Financial Planners Association and previously served on the Board of Trustees for the Investment Program Association. Mrs. Springsteen­Abbott holds her FINRA Series 7, 63 and 39 licenses.

About NAPW NAPW’s mission is to provide an exclusive, highly advanced networking forum to successful women executives, professionals and entrepreneurs where they can aspire, connect and achieve. Through innovative resources, unique tools and progressive benefits, professional women interact, exchange ideas, advance their knowledge and empower each other.

Commonwealth Capital Corp. Snags DiversityBusiness.com Annual Summit

Commonwealth Capital Corp. recently received awards Commonwealth Capital Corp., an equipment leasing and financial services company, was recently honored with four awards during DiversityBusiness.com’s 15th Annual National Summit held at the Harvard Club in New York City. This year, the company was recognized as one of the Top 50 Women Owned Businesses in Florida, one of the Top 100 Privately­Held Businesses in Florida, one of the Top 100 Diversity­Owned Businesses in Florida, and one of the Top 500 Women­Owned Businesses in the U.S. Hosting a major business summit for the 15th year, DiversityBusiness.com announces the Div500 each year, qualifying an annual listing of the Top 500 diversity­owned businesses. Ranging in revenue size from

$20 million to more than $1 billion, the companies listed on the Div500 represent the nation’s top companies and challenge the belief that diversity­owned businesses are small or insignificant.

“We are proud and honored to be recognized by DiversityBusiness.com as one of the top women­owned businesses in the country,” said Commonwealth Capital Corp. chairman and chief executive officer Kimberly Springsteen­Abbott. “DiversityBusiness.com’s annual summits bring together entrepreneurs, government agencies, non­profits and Fortune 500 corporations to celebrate the important role diversity plays in the ongoing strength and continuing growth of our national economy. It is a prestigious group of business leaders and we are humbled by their acknowledgement.”

Founded in 1978, Commonwealth Capital Corp. is a Women’s Business Enterprise National Council­certified national equipment leasing and financial services company with locations in Clearwater, FL and Chadds Ford, PA.

Thoughts on Front Office Efficiency

Copal Amba’s Model2Cloud is an innovative platform that caters to the evolving needs of sell­side research publishing with the support of interactivity. The aim of Model2Cloud is to transform an analyst earnings model to an interactive, web­based model while maintaining relevant logic and charting.

Model2Cloud provides the option of building reports based on HTML5 and JavaScript standards in order to provide support for any operating system on any device, be it IOS, Android or Windows.

Model2Cloud provides the freedom and flexibility to access and use original analyst models in decision making. It also offers investors unprecedented interactivity and helps investment firms keep their clients connected with them.

The heart of the Copal Amba Model2Cloud platform is the Copal Amba Excel Conversion Engine, the main components of which are: ● ● ● ●

An engine to convert any Excel model into HTML and CSS. This may include single Excel sheet or multiple Excel sheets A Script engine that converts all the model behaviour (Excel formulas) to JavaScript­based functions.

A UI scripting library that generates charts and data tables, and pushes the Excel UI to the Web Mapping engine to map UI elements with the generated JavaScript functionality

Can the Compliance function be run like a business?

This was the topic of discussion at the Copal Amba breakfast event held recently in New York.

It was interesting to see the level of discussion and interaction amongst the audience profile which comprised primarily of Chief Compliance Officers and Heads / Co­Heads of the Compliance function.

The speaker, a senior Compliance executive at a buy side firm, addressed key issues covering: ● Can the compliance function be seen as an asset rather than cost center? ● Managing the rising cost of compliance – both real and hidden ● Managing compliance talent, career progression and skill shortage ● Putting it all together: Running it like a business Over 85% of the attendees found the session highly relevant and insightful.

What is The Cost of Delay for Upgrading Your Firm’s Infrastructure?

Sustained corporate success and the ability to adapt to change have long gone hand­in­hand; the average life span of a corporation has been steadily decreasing for decades. Standard & Poor’s data shows that it was 61 years in 1958, 25 years in 1980, and just 18 years in 2011. In today’s business world, many more companies merge, are acquired, or go through some other form of transformation which feeds into the data—all which means business as a whole is more dynamic than it was 60 years ago as the pace of change accelerates.

The right technology is an essential building block to successful adaptation in today’s market—and that includes legal where it is leveraged as a crucial part of law firm productivity and client service. With these positive changes in the use of technology comes challenges as well including at least these: – Law firms are faced with exponentially increasing pressures from both corporate and private clients when it comes to cybersecurity.

– Decreasing useful life of the technology and equipment the firms have come to rely on to compete, adapt and succeed.

Earlier this year, Legaltech News reported in its 2014 Global Law Firm Cyber Survey that, “79 perceof respondents said cyber and privacy security was included as one of the top 10 risks in their firms’ overall risk strategy, but more than half (51 percent) also said either that their firms hadn’t taken measures to insure their cyber­risk or that they weren’t aware of whether their firm had taken appropriate measures.”

A different report from Chase Cost Management reported that 80 of the 100 biggest law firms have been hacked since 2011 and this year, firms will typically ​ spend​ more than $6.9 million on information security, or 1.92 percent of their gross annual revenues. It comes as no surprise that these investments are the result of client demands and the obligations to protect data.

Where is the money going? It was noted during ILTA panel discussions that the biggest ROI for enhancing a firm’s security is training personnel –but across the board, IT departments are struggling to simultaneously meet all of these demands. The 2015 TrustWave Security study shows 66% of IT pros are pressured to implement security products with all of the latest features, despite 3 out of 10 not having the financial or staffing resources to do so effectively.

It is a complex landscape and all of these actions are important – increasing spend on security measures and training the people inside of law firms—but, here’s another: don’t forget to pay attention to the fundamentals like your equipment and technology lifespan itself. In fact, focusing on this fundamental can lead to a solution firms can take to bolster security and alleviate financial burdens.

Specifically, it is oftentimes overlooked that law firms—as businesses—are successful based on their use of equipment and not from the ownership of that equipment—and it is clear that the useful lifespan and the security lifespan of your firm’s technology and equipment are decreasing. This means it may not be

strategic in the current environment to own equipment, as the depreciable life will most likely will outlast the equipment’s useful life as well as its security protocols.

Corporation Service Company Named Best for Entity Management and Matter Management

Corporation Service Company®(CSC®), a leading global provider of business, legal, and financial services, has been named #1 for both Entity Management and Matter Management solutions by readers of the New York Law Journal.

Results of the New York Law Journal's 2015 "Reader Rankings" were announced today in a special section of the legal daily. The annual online survey covered more than 100 categories, encompassing the areas of technology, research, accounting, insurance, financial services, litigation support, education, and more. In all, more than 8,400 readers cast their votes for nearly 500 companies this year.

For the fifth year in a row, CSC took first place for Entity Management. For the third time in a row, CSC took top honors for Matter Management.

"We're thrilled to receive these honors again," said CSC Vice President Jennifer Kenton. "Client satisfaction is our top priority, and the effort we've put into developing and supporting our solutions has clearly paid off.

We thank each and every one of you for your continued business with us."

The cloud­based CSC Entity Management platform puts vital corporate data into a secure, centralized portal, making it easy to track entity information, manage DBA portfolios, create and maintain minute books, create and update officer and director slates and safeguard important business documents, along with a host of other business­critical functions.

CSC Matter Management is the total solution for any legal department's needs, whether the focus is on contracts, litigation or transactions. CSC Matter Management offers a powerful, intuitive tool for filing, tracking, routing, and reporting on all legal matters. Both solutions are fully integrated with CSC's industry­leading registered agent service.

Corporation Service Company Announces Winner of the 2014/2015 Online Brand Protection Scholarship In the fall of 2014, Corporation Service Company opened a contest for students to submit an essay surrounding online brand protection for the chance to win a $1,000 scholarship. Out of 17 submissions from students across the nation, Jillian Schutawie has been chosen as the winner.

The contest asked students to submit a 500­word essay explaining their plan of action as a member of a major corporation launching a new brand. Specific questions addressed how they would determine if their brand was available for registration as a domain, as well as how they would identify where to register their trademarks, and what tools they would use to monitor improper use of their brand.

Jillian's essay presented the most comprehensive plan of action for a new brand in the online space.

A current sophomore at St. Joseph's University in Philadelphia, PA, Jillian stressed the importance of registering not just a brand name as a domain but all variations of a brand to ensure consumers can find that brand online. Also included in her submission were recommendations for trademarking not just a brand name, but all its characteristics from the logo to the slogan, as well what tools were best to monitor brands online.

Creekridge Capital® Adds Technology Sales Manager Creekridge Capital®, an independent, national commercial finance company, has added Doug Andring as a Vice President Regional Sales Manager to their technology channel sales force.

Mr. Andring comes to Creekridge with over 25 years of experience in the leasing industry. At Creekridge, he will be responsible for identifying, implementing and growing Creekridge’s technology vendors. He will work out of Creekridge’s Texas office and report to Brent Broussard, Sr. Vice President of Sales for Creekridge’s technology channel.

“Doug is a proven leader in developing and growing successful vendor relationships and we are very excited to have him join our team. His experience and knowledge will be an asset in helping us continue to build the technology channel,” stated Mr. Broussard.

About Creekridge Capital® Creekridge Capital® is a national commercial finance company specializing in custom vendor programs and creative lease lines­of­credit for companies across the United States. Creekridge is a privately owned and independently operated finance company that serves all industries, but focuses on healthcare and technology. For more information, visit ​ www.creekridgecapital.com​ .

Creekridge Capital® Expands Technology Sales Team

Mr. O’Neill comes to Creekridge with over 15 years of leasing experience and will be responsible for identifying, implementing and growing Creekridge’s technology vendors in their Northeastern region. He will work out of Creekridge’s New Jersey office and report to Brent Broussard, Sr. Vice President of Sales for Creekridge’s technology channel.

“We are excited to have Chris join our team. His business development experience will be beneficial to the growth of our sales team,” stated Mr. Broussard.

About Creekridge Capital® Creekridge Capital® is a national commercial finance company specializing in custom vendor programs and creative lease lines­of­credit for companies across the United States. Creekridge is a privately owned and independently operated finance company that serves all industries, but focuses on healthcare and technology. For more information, visit ​ www.creekridgecapital.com​ .

CSI Leasing Kicks Off New Fiscal Year, Announces $1 Billion in Lease Originations During Fiscal Year 2015 and Several Officer Promotions

CSI Leasing, Inc. (CSI) recently held its annual sales meeting to review fiscal year 2015 and kick off fiscal year 2016. During the meeting, president and COO, Steve Hamilton announced that, for the first time in company history, CSI exceeded $1 billion in new lease originations in one year.

“I am pleased to announce that we hit such an incredible landmark last year,” said Hamilton. “Reaching $1 billion in new lease volume throughout the course of one year is a true accomplishment and I want to thank everyone at CSI for all their hard work and dedication.”

Hamilton also reviewed the recent investment in CSI by Century Tokyo Leasing Corporation (CTL). In March, CTL purchased approximately 35 percent of the common stock of CSI. Several CTL executives were present at the meetings and offered further insight into how the two companies can work together.

“I see tremendous potential in the near future for CSI and CTL,” said Toshio Kitamura, of CTL’s global business department, who was recently appointed to CSI’s board of directors. “With our combined global network, increasing portfolio and the right synergy, the future success of our two companies is unlimited.”

Fifteen officer promotions were announced at the meeting, including three sales executives who were promoted to district managers.

CSI Latina Financial Receives OPIC Award

CSI Leasing, Inc. is pleased to announce that its wholly­owned subsidiary, CSI Latina Financial, Inc., has received an Impact Award from The Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC). The award recognizes exceptional achievement in international private sector development and was presented May 19 at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce with many dignitaries present, including U.S. National Security Advisor Susan Rice.

OPIC recognized seven of its business alliances that exemplify the breadth of geography, size, sector and positive development impact that can result from OPIC finance and insurance support. CSI Latina received the American Small Business Award. Based in Miami, CSI Latina provides crucial growth and support to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in developing Latin American countries. Empowered by multiple OPIC loans, CSI Latina offers leases on items ranging from machinery to communications technology to furniture. This vital support allows growing SMEs and enterprises to overcome budget constraints and achieve greater financial flexibility.

Carlos Milian, executive vice president for CSI Latina, accepted the award on behalf of CSI. “I am humbled to be able to accept this award from OPIC,” said Milian during his acceptance speech. “OPIC not only helped us expand our financing needs when we initiated our business in Latin America, it helped us navigate through the global financial crisis, where the lending market dried up almost overnight. OPIC was there for us then and remains here today to help us with our current financing needs. This is why we have such a strong relationship with OPIC and attribute much of our success to them.”

OPIC is a U.S. Government development finance institution. It mobilizes private capital to help address critical development challenges and in doing so, advances U.S. foreign policy and national security priorities.

Because OPIC works with the U.S. private sector, it helps U.S. businesses gain footholds in emerging markets, catalyzing revenues, jobs and growth opportunities both at home and abroad. OPIC achieves its mission by providing investors with financing, political risk insurance, and support for private equity

investment funds, when funding cannot be obtained elsewhere. Established as an agency of the U.S. Government in 1971, OPIC operates on a self­sustaining basis at no net cost to American taxpayers.

Joseph D. Simon Authors Bloomberg BNA Portfolio on Mortgage Rules

Cullen and Dykman LLP partner Joseph D. Simon has authored “CFPB Mortgage Rules Under the Dodd­Frank Act,” the latest volume of Bloomberg BNA’s Banking Portfolio Series. The new portfolio provides a comprehensive overview of mortgage rules issued by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau under the Dodd­Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. The Bloomberg BNA Banking Portfolio Series is designed to provide assistance on topics germane to banking and finance lawyers. The portfolio authored by Mr. Simon addresses key rules adopted under the Dodd­Frank Act, including the rule that requires lenders to determine a borrower’s ability to repay a mortgage before making a loan to that borrower. Cullen and Dykman LLP associate Elizabeth A. Murphy contributed significant assistance in preparing the portfolio.

Mr. Simon advises financial institutions on a wide range of issues, including truth­in­lending, RESPA, truth­in­savings, financial privacy, currency transaction and IRS reporting obligations. He has represented financial institutions on various types of regulatory applications, including bank holding company filings, branch applications, and mortgage banking license applications. Mr. Simon has written extensively on the mortgage regulations promulgated under the Dodd­Frank Act and has worked with several financial institutions on meeting the new origination and servicing requirements imposed by those regulations.

How to Choose the Right Nonprofit

‘Tis the season of giving, and this year you want to put a nonprofit on your list. Even though you’re probably running around like a crazy person getting everything ready, you know you’ve got it good and you want to help others. That’s natural and frankly, awesome.

“When you think about Thanksgiving and the religious holidays in particular, they tend to make us feel like it’s our responsibility to give back,” said Art Taylor, president and CEO of the Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance.

But with high overhead costs and executive salaries, it’s hard to know whether you’re giving to the cause or another lease on a sports car for the organization’s CEO. To choose the right nonprofit, you have to do your homework.

“I think you need research to find a charity that is accomplishing the purpose that you want it to have,” said Sarah Rebosa of law firm ​ Cullen and Dykman​ who advises clients on charitable giving and long­term financial planning. “I also think it’s important on the financial side because there’s a lot of scams, every charity has different overheads and different intents.”

AUTOMATED UNDERWRITING: STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES

Strengths, weaknesses and moving forward with consistent lending practices in a digital age – these were the topics of discussion from ​ Dave Schaefer, CEO​ of Orion First Financial during the AltLend conference in NYC. Inconsistency in completely manual underwriting is a real issue, which can potentially jeopardize either party involved. To curb this, Schaefer advocated an automated underwriting system to create consistency when assessing risk and other factors – as long as there’s still a human at the helm. “I like eyes on a deal,” he said, and continued, “We’ve got guarantors that have nothing to do with the business,” as he cited an example of an applicant with poor credit, whose 80 year old father, with great credit, portrayed himself as a young construction worker. “I’m still a big believer in the review and subjectivity.”

It may sound convoluted and impartial, but the context is quite clear. Like most speakers at AltLend, Schaefer is in favor of using an automated system to reduce risk, as utilizing a system to objectively “weed out” the bad deals, would allow a human underwriter more concise parameters to review each request and make the most accurate determinations possible.

While there are some companies who rely heavily on applicant filtering with automated technologies, there will always be people involved. Finding the optimal balance between the two is driving the crusade in search for an automated system’s “perfect tune” – the proverbial holy grail.

The other side of the scenario? People often make mistakes, whether intentional or unintentional. Schaefer has seen first hand the favoritism of biased lending as he experimented a few years back, when he submitted the same loan application to 6 underwriters. He received 3 approvals and 3 denials, which made it clear that reliance on subjectivity had to be balanced with objective policies, procedures and protocols – perfect for a machine.

While the concepts may be simple, the technicalities, technology, systems, policies, procedures and other unforeseen obstacles make an undertaking such as this a noteworthy challenge.

A recent article published in DeBanked covers more on this topic, other guest speakers and related topics from this year’s AltLend conference:

2015 SMALL BUSINESS LENDING FORUM Orion First Financial hosted their annual ​ Small Business Lending Forum​ in the beautiful Foss Waterway Seaport in Tacoma, WA. This year’s assemblage of 92 influential industry leaders, speakers and lenders sought to instill and create a unique synergy. Orion First Financial’s CEO, David Schaefer, opened with his remarks and outline for the day. Additionally, Washington’s 6th Congressional District representative,​ Derek Kilmer ​ spoke on topics related to small business lending, the government’s influence and our role in improving the future of small businesses as a whole – because as he put it, they are “the backbone” of our nation.

The keynote speaker, Bill Stainton spoke on the dynamics of management and how specific techniques yield different results in

August 10, 2015; Orion First Financial hosted their annual ​ Small Business Lending Forum​ in the beautiful Foss Waterway Seaport in Tacoma, WA. This year’s assemblage of 92 influential industry leaders, speakers and lenders sought to instill and create a unique synergy. Orion First Financial’s CEO, David Schaefer, opened with his remarks and outline for the day. Additionally, Washington’s 6th Congressional District representative,​ Derek Kilmer ​ spoke on topics related to small business lending, the government’s influence and our role in improving the future of small businesses as a whole – because as he put it, they are “the backbone” of our nation.

The keynote speaker, Bill Stainton spoke on the dynamics of management and how specific techniques yield different results in a team environment; an important consideration to small business lenders as they lead their business’ through change. Ralph Petta, COO of the ​ ELFA​ (Equipment Leasing and Finance Association) reviewed the sheer size, importance and impact small businesses make in America today, with additional focus on their direct correlation to national fiscal health. Next, the Panel, moderated by Bob Rinaldi (CEO of ​ Commercial Industrial Finance​ ) and alternative lending leaders, Robert Peterson (Senior Vice President at ​ Route 66 Ventures​ , LLC), Tabitha Creighton (Co­Founder and CEO at InvestNextDoor) and Brij Patel (President at​ Alliance Funding Group​ and co­founder of ​ Quick Bridge Funding)​ discussed an expansive array of topics and questions. The Panel shed valuable, first­hand experiences, insight and opinion on new trends in market lending practices and what could be done to improve the industry. The audience also engaged in a Q&A with the panelists.

David Schaefer’s closing remarks focused around the importance of overcoming hurdles in the small business lending industry – as a team. Small businesses in our country and the world are essential to innovation and organic growth. A more proactive focus on providing and developing solutions to enable their success results in a better climate for everyone. The evening ended aboard the yacht, Emerald Star, and cruised past Tacoma’s iconic waterfront towards the Narrows Bridges, returning during a beautiful Pacific Northwest sunset cast upon Mt. Rainier. For many, the cruise was a chance to unwind, shake hands and enjoy the company of other industry professionals, united under one goal: improving access to capital for small businesses.

Orion First Financial (​ @OrionFirst​ ) is a portfolio services management leader in the small business lending marketplace. Orion specializes in underwriting, contract servicing, commercial collections, and strategic advisory services to those originating loans in the SMB market. As a multifaceted and innovative company, Orion can effectively engage with Alternative Lenders, Leasing Companies, Equipment Vendors/Manufacturers, Banks and Financial Institutions. Orion’s skilled team, efficient technology platform and best practices approach, generate exceptional industry performance metrics that translate into better profits, less stress and enriched customer relationships for their clients.

Customers Bank Agrees To Acquire Student Checking Customers And Refund Management Disbursement Business From Higher One, Inc. Customers Bancorp, Inc. ("Customers") (NYSE – CUBI), through its subsidiary Customers Bank announced today that it will acquire the One Account Student Checking and Refund Management Disbursement Services business ("Disbursements") of Higher One, Inc. ("Higher One") – the leading provider of refund disbursements to about 800 higher education campuses across the United States. The Disbursements business primarily provides educational institutions with a comprehensive turnkey technology­based solution for the disbursement of student financial aid to the students, through deposit accounts opened by students with Higher One's partner banks or to student accounts with other banks. Customers Bank has been a Higher One partner bank since August 2013. Approximately 2.0 million students currently have deposit accounts with Higher One's partner banks, and over 500,000 new student accounts are opened with partner banks annually. The Higher One business unit has processed over $70 billion in student refund payments over its 14 years of operations. Customers expects the acquired business unit to add about $65­75 million annually in mostly interchange income. In addition, Customers anticipates onboarding approximately $250 million of additional core demand deposits from students currently utilizing Higher One disbursement related bank accounts at another partner bank. Customers Bank intends to combine this new business with its BankMobile division offering state­of­the­art digital banking services to students across the country.

"We are very enthusiastic about combining the Disbursements business with our BankMobile Technologies platform," stated Jay S. Sidhu, Chairman & CEO of Customers and BankMobile. "By providing a superior product that is easier to use and is more affordable, we hope to create an 'Uber like banking experience' at BankMobile."

Customers and Higher One have entered into an Asset Purchase Agreement (the “Agreement”) which includes non­compete, consulting services and transitions services provisions. Pursuant to the Agreement, Customers acquires all assets of the Disbursements business, including all property and equipment, existing contractual relationships with vendors and educational institutions, and all intellectual property, assumes certain normal business related liabilities, and commits to hire approximately 225 current Higher One employees primarily located in New Haven, Connecticut that manage the business and serve the customers.

Customers intends to retain these team members in New Haven. Customers will pay Higher One an aggregate of $42 million in cash in connection with the acquisition of the Disbursements business. Under the Agreement, Customers will pay Higher One $17 million in cash at closing and make cash payments of $10

million each on the first and second anniversaries of the closing. Customers also will pay Higher One $5 million in cash for Higher One’s services under a transition services agreement.

Customers will not assume any regulatory compliance related liabilities for any possible violations of laws or regulations by Higher One identified prior to the closing date as a result of the Agreement. "We plan to leverage our strong Risk Management and Compliance functions and make that a strength for this business", stated Sidhu. The transaction must be approved by the Higher One stockholders, a vote of which is expected to occur in the first quarter of 2016. Customers believes the transaction will close by July 1, 2016, giving it enough time to ensure that the compliance and risk management functions and processes are strong and systems are fully compliant with new Department of Education rules.

Customers launched its BankMobile business in January 2015 creating the first no­fee digital bank in the United States. "We believe it is important to provide middle class Americans and the underbanked and unbanked consumers a very attractive digital banking option. BankMobile currently offers no fee banking, lines of credit to qualified customers, and access to 55,000 ATMs across America for free, charges no overdraft fees and pays a higher than average interest rate for savings. We hope to bring all or most of these banking services to students across America in a favorable and supportive manner with absolute compliance with banking regulations and Department of Education rules regarding banking services for students", Sidhu continued.

"The combined businesses will be reported prospectively in Customers' communications with investors as a separate business segment. The strategic combination of Customers' BankMobile business with the Disbursements business will provide about 2.0 million student depositors with the financial stability of a well­capitalized bank, state­of­the­industry deposit services and access to their money delivered nearly wherever and whenever the student needs them at no or low cost to the student, and provides Customers with the opportunity to become the bank of choice for life for the current student customers as well as many more future students", Sidhu continued.

"Customers Bank's acquisition of the Disbursements business is a wonderful strategic transaction for Customers and will greatly accelerate the development and profitability of our BankMobile product offering," stated Sidhu. Sidhu continued, "This transaction, combined with our plans to combine BankMobile with the Disbursements business and charge students no or low fees to use the student deposit product, is uniquely structured to address consumer and banking compliance issues that have challenged this business for the past half­decade. With this combination we believe we will provide an extremely compliant "best­in­class" deposit account for college students that includes a strong financial literacy and money management component. We look forward to welcoming our new team members and to building a really special business together. This acquisition is not expected to have a material impact to Customers core operating earnings or capital in 2016."

Jay Sidhu named Lehigh Valley Business’ Executive of the Year Customers Bank Chairman and CEO Jay Sidhu was named Executive of the Year during Lehigh Valley Business’ 2015 Business of the Year Awards on December 8, 2015 at ArtsQuest in Bethlehem, Pa. Lehigh Valley Business’ prestigious Business of the Year Awards honor for­profit companies and executives of the Greater Lehigh Valley, which includes Berks County, for bolstering the region’s economy. The Executive of the Year award category recognizes a dynamic leader who is committed to excellence, business growth and the community.

Under Jay Sidhu’s leadership over the last six years, Customers Bank has grown from a $250 million­asset bank to a $7.6 billion­asset high­performing bank with locations in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Massachusetts. Customers Bancorp’s stock price has increased six­fold

over the same period. Sidhu also led the establishment of BankMobile, a division of Customers Bank that is the country’s first fee­free, branch­free bank based on a mobile app.

“The key to business success is to surround yourself with people who are better than you, communicate to them your strategy and goals, and make it your passion to help them succeed,” said Sidhu. “Throughout the region, we are blessed with excellent educational institutions, a high quality of life and the availability of a superior workforce. Together, we can make our region the center for growth industries of the future.”

Customers Bank has also been named one of the Lehigh Valley Business’ Fastest Growing Companies of 2015.

About Customers Bancorp, Inc. and Customers Bank Customers Bancorp, Inc. is a bank holding company located in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania engaged in banking and related businesses through its bank subsidiary, Customers Bank. Customers Bank is a community­based, full­service bank with assets of approximately $7.6 billion. A member of the Federal Reserve System and with deposits insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Customers Bank provides a range of banking services to small and medium­sized businesses, professionals, individuals and families through offices in Pennsylvania, New York, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and New Jersey. Committed to fostering customer loyalty, Customers Bank uses a High Tech/High Touch strategy that includes use of industry­leading technology to provide customers better access to their money, as well as Concierge Banking® by appointment at customers’ homes or offices 12 hours a day, seven days a week. Customers Bank offers a continually expanding portfolio of loans to small businesses, multi­family projects, mortgage companies and consumers.

Customers Bancorp, Inc.'s voting common shares are listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol CUBI. Additional information about Customers Bancorp, Inc. can be found on the company's website, ​ www.customersbank.com​ .

About Jay Sidhu Jay S. Sidhu is Chairman and CEO of Customers Bancorp, Inc., Customers Bank and BankMobile, a division of Customers Bank. When Sidhu joined the company in 2009, Customers Bank, previously known as New Century Bank, was a $250 million asset­troubled bank. Today it is a $7.6 billion asset high­performing bank extending from Boston to Philadelphia and the surrounding area. Before assuming leadership at Customers, Sidhu was Chairman and CEO of Sidhu Advisors, LLC, a private equity and financial services consulting company based in Palm Coast, Fla. and Reading, Pa., from 2006 to 2009. Prior to that he was Chairman and CEO of Sovereign Bancorp, Inc. and Sovereign Bank, a $90 billion financial institution, until his retirement on Dec. 31, 2006.

Mr. Sidhu has been recognized as Financial World’s CEO of the year, Turnaround Entrepreneur of the Year, the Chamber of Commerce’s Large Business Leader of the Year, the Caron Foundation’s Citizen of the Year, and has also been the recipient of many awards and other honors, including the National Liberty Museum’s Hero of Liberty Award. He has served on numerous business and not­for­profit boards of directors, including the Board of Banco Santander in Madrid, Spain; as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Wilkes University; and as Chairman of the Board of Atlantic Coast Financial Corporation.

He has a master’s degree in business administration from Wilkes University and is a graduate of Harvard Business School’s CEO Leadership Course and London Business School’s program for Growth Companies.

Active in community affairs and a strong supporter of education, he has helped his alma mater, Wilkes University, establish the Jay Sidhu School of Business and Leadership with a goal of becoming one of the prominent business and leadership development schools in the northeastern United States.

Dexter Apache Holdings, Inc. Acquires Dalton Ag Products

Dexter Apache Holdings, Inc.​ , an Iowa based employee owned company with diverse interests in manufacturing, financial services and distribution has acquired 100% of the interests of Cox Manufacturing Company, operating as ​ Dalton Ag Products​ , headquartered in Lenox, Iowa. Founded in 1996, Dalton is a respected provider of fertilizer application equipment, primarily for the agriculture industry. Dalton offers products for both dry fertilizer and liquid nitrogen applications, including tool bars, spreaders, running gears, tanks and trailers.

The acquisition of Dalton Ag Products further diversifies Dexter Apache Holdings portfolio of companies and leverages its competencies as a provider of high quality, highly engineered products and services. Patrick D. Albregts, President and CEO of Dexter Apache Holdings, Inc. commented, “We are extremely pleased to have Dalton Ag Products join our family of companies. Dalton will serve as an important growth engine for Dexter Apache Holdings and allows us to leverage a number of important synergies between our companies while adding further diversification to our business. They are also a great complement to the ownership culture we have here at Dexter Apache.”

Dalton will remain headquartered in Lenox, Iowa. Rob Cox, President and Owner of Dalton will continue to serve as the company’s President. Cox commented, “I am pleased for our employees who will become owners of Dexter Apache and I am excited for our dealer network and their customers who will remain the focus of Dalton Ag Products. This sale will be a major boost to Dalton’s future growth and it’s a real win for rural Iowa and Lenox which we are proud and grateful to call our home.”

Dexter Apache Holdings, Inc. was founded in 1894 as The Dexter Company. In addition to Dalton, Dexter Apache Holdings, Inc. owns six other businesses. Dexter Laundry, Inc., located in Fairfield, Iowa, is a leading manufacturer of commercial laundry equipment for self­service Laundromats, hotels, motels, hospitals, universities and care giving facilities. Leer, Inc., headquartered in New Lisbon, Wisconsin, is a leading manufacturer of ice merchandisers and walk in freezers and coolers. Apache Stainless Equipment Corporation, located in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, provides stainless tanks and food processing equipment to a variety of industries. Crystal Group operates out of Hiawatha, Iowa and is a leading provider of rugged IT products for high impact, high demand environments. Dexter Financial Services, Inc., located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is a full service provider of financial products for Dexter Laundry customers. Century Laundry Distributing, Inc., located in Cedar Rapids, distributes commercial laundry equipment primarily in Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota, Wisconsin and North and South Dakota.

Dilworth Paxson LLP Named One of U.S. News – Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms” in 2016

Dilworth Paxson LLP has been honored with both national and metropolitan rankings by U.S. News – Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms” for 2016. Announced today, the rankings are based on a rigorous evaluation process that includes the collection of client and lawyer evaluations, peer review from leading attorneys in their field, and review of additional information provided by law firms as part of the formal submission process. Receiving a tier designation reflects the high level of respect a firm has earned among lawyers and clients in their communities and practice areas.

Dilworth was named a Metropolitan Tier 1 “Best Law Firm” in Philadelphia for four practice areas by U.S. News – Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms” for 2016. Those practice areas are Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law; Corporate Law; Litigation – Bankruptcy; and Public Finance Law. The Firm also received Metropolitan Tier 1 recognition in the Litigation – Constructionpractice area in New Jersey.

The Firm was ranked a Metropolitan Tier 2 “Best Law Firm” for the Trusts and Estates Law practice area in Philadelphia, and in the Construction Law practice area in New Jersey. Additionally, Dilworth’s Philadelphia office received a Metropolitan Tier 3ranking for the Litigation – Antitrust practice area.

Dilworth was also honored among law firms across the country, earning a National Tier 2 “Best Law Firm” ranking in the practice area of Public Finance Law, in addition to aNational Tier 3 recognition in two practice areas, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law; and Corporate Law. The rankings can be seen in their entirety by visiting ​ http://bestlawfirms.usnews.com/

Former Federal Prosecutor Joins White Collar Team at Dilworth Paxson LLP

Dilworth Paxson LLP has announced a significant addition to its White Collar/Corporate Investigations practice group with former Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Kyriakakis joining the Firm as Of Counsel.

Kyriakakis spent eight years as a federal prosecutor, serving as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in both the Eastern District of New York and the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. He has handled grand jury investigations and prosecutions in a wide range of criminal matters, including complex economic crimes, healthcare fraud, obstruction of justice, intellectual property, and environmental offenses. His experience gives him valuable insights into how prosecutors make charging decisions, enabling him to help clients avoid investigations and, when necessary, successfully defend against potential charges.

“The continued expansion of our White Collar/Corporate Investigations practice group comes at a time of heightened government scrutiny of potential misconduct by individuals in the corporate setting,” said Dilworth Executive Chairman and CEO Ajay Raju. “Anthony’s experience in the U.S. Attorney’s Office, where he worked closely with government agencies and Department of Justice attorneys, makes him a forceful advocate for clients who face government inquiries. We’re very pleased to have him at Dilworth.”

“I had the privilege of supervising Anthony while at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and I know that he is both a highly skilled investigator and trial attorney who will add significant depth to our practice group,” said Linda Dale Hoffa, the former chief of the criminal division at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Philadelphia. Hoffa joined Dilworth earlier this year as Co­Chair of the White Collar/Corporate Investigations practice group.

Kyriakakis said he was drawn to Dilworth by the exceptional quality of its lawyers, the firm’s distinguished history, and Dilworth’s longstanding commitment to public service in Philadelphia and the broader region. “I am delighted to join Dilworth and its growing White Collar/Corporate Investigations team,” said Kyriakakis.

Kyriakakis currently serves as a fellow at the Center for Health Law, Policy and Practice at Temple Law School and teaches courses on sentencing at both Temple Law and Penn Law. He is also a board member for the Center for Families and Relationships, a non­profit organization that works to strengthen low­income families in Philadelphia by providing counseling and other services. Prior to serving as a federal prosecutor, Kyriakakis was in private practice at Cravath, Swaine & Moore in New York. He is a former law clerk for Third Circuit Judge Julio M. Fuentes. He obtained his J.D.cum laude from Harvard Law School and his B.A.

CHILDREN'S TV PRODUCER WINS DIRECT CAPITAL'S 20TH ANNIVERSARY COMPETITION Rhode Island’s Whooplah LLC takes home $10,000 prize for entrepreneurial zeal PORTSMOUTH, N.H. (January 14, 2014) ­ A Rhode Island­based entrepreneur who produces children’s television programming has won Direct Capital’s national “Small Biz, BIG Success” award competition and the $10,000 prize that goes with it, the company announced today.

William Culbertson and his North Smithfield company, Whooplah LLC, won the national competition by producing ​ this video.​ that described his work. Culbertson has created a children’s television program from scratch – even sewing his puppets by hand and creating elaborate scenes from recycled materials.

Whooplah plans to use the $10,000 prize money to go into production on an upcoming series for PBS. Direct Capital sponsored the competition as part of its 20th anniversary celebration. Companies competed for the award by producing videos that explain how they will use the prize money; how they make every interaction with their customers remarkable; their passion, scrappiness, and creative problem­solving skills.

“Culbertson’s passion for his business and his scrappiness in finding creative solutions to put it all together really came through in his video submission. We are thrilled to be able to give Whoopla a jump start in 2014,” said Stephen Lankler, senior vice president for the Portsmouth, NH­based company.

Whoopla was chosen by a panel of judges from the Direct Capital executive staff, based on the judging criteria ​ found here.​ Over the last several months, small businesses across the country had the chance to enter to win the $10,000 to help fund the project of their choice.

Direct Capital was started in Portsmouth 20 years ago this November. Since its inception, the company has lent $2.25 billion to more than 80,000 businesses across over 1,000 different industries. The company was recently named to the Inc. 500/5000 list of the fastest­growing private U.S. businesses.

Direct Capital’s growth has been accelerated by its unique, tech­enabled approach to delivering fast, easy, affordable financing to small businesses. No other online lending platform exists today to instantly deliver 30 day to 7­year financing for every major need of a small business, franchisee or customer of a large equipment vendor.

To learn more about the award, ​ follow this link.​ Learn more about Culbertson’s production, ​ Pollywod Pond.

About Direct Capital Direct Capital is the leading technology­powered lender for small businesses, featuring the only digital platform that instantly delivers 30­day to 7­year financing for any business need. With 20+ years of experience, the company has lent $2.25 billion to more than 80,000 businesses across over 1,000 different industries. Direct Capital was recently named to the Inc. 5000 list of the fastest­growing private U.S. businesses and has the industry’s highest customer satisfaction score. You can follow Direct Capital on Twitter at ​ http://twitter.com/DirectCapital​ or subscribe to its PointBlank blog at ​ http://blog.directcapital.com

CIT AGREES TO ACQUIRE TECHNOLOGY­DRIVEN LENDER DIRECT CAPITAL

June 24, 2014 – CIT Bank, the U.S. commercial bank subsidiary of CIT Group Inc. (NYSE: CIT), a leading provider of commercial lending, leasing and advisory services, entered into an agreement to acquire Portsmouth, New Hampshire­based Direct Capital Corporation, a provider of financing to small and mid­sized businesses. The transaction will expand CIT’s small business and middle market lending and equipment leasing capabilities and will allow Direct Capital’s highly experienced team of professionals to offer CIT’s broad range of products and services to its customers. As part of the acquisition, Christopher J. Broom, Co­founder and Chairman of Direct Capital, and James P. Broom, Chief Executive Officer of Direct Capital, will continue to lead the business. The acquisition is expected to close in the third quarter following the satisfaction of regulatory requirements and contractual conditions to closing. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed. “Through its customer­centric approach and unique value­added technology platform, Direct Capital has established itself as a leader in providing small and midsized businesses fast, flexible and affordable financing,” said Nelson J. Chai, President of CIT Group Inc., Chairman and CEO of CIT Bank.

“Direct Capital’s proprietary online lending platform, LendEdge, will complement our existing small business and midmarket customer offerings as we continue to provide financing to these important sectors of the U.S. economy. I look forward to working with Chris, Jim and the entire Direct Capital team and building on their success.”

Doosan Group Chairman Yongmaan Park Delivers ‘Tea of Love’ to Soldiers Doosan Group Chairman Yongmaan Park visited soldiers of the Korean Army’s Mount Baekdu unit (ROK Army 21st Division) in Yang­gu, Gangwon Province, on Dec. 14, presenting 8,000 boxes of instant coffee sticks (20 servings per box) and monetary gifts as part of the “Tea of Love” campaign.

Doosan has carried out the “Tea of Love” community involvement campaign every winter since 1991. The company has delivered 37.02 million servings of tea and coffee to soldiers at 355 military units over 25 years.

Five Doosan affiliates, including Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction and Doosan Infracore, also plan to participate in the “Tea of Love” campaign to support other army units within this month.

Doosan Acquires Project in South African Power Market

Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction (Vice Chairman & CEO Geewon Park) announced on Dec. 8 that it has been awarded a USD 204 mil. project to refurbish the aged facilities at the Morupule A power plant, commissioned by Botswana Power Corporation.

Located 260km northeast of the Botswanan capital Gaborone, Morupule A thermal power plant has a capacity of 132MW (33MW X 4 units). The aged power plant’s operation has been suspended in 2012, since it came online in 1986.

Doosan will replace, repair or overhaul the plant equipment and improve the air quality control of the station.

When the project reaches its completion which is scheduled for two years, the renewed power station will be capable to supply power for Botswana with higher consistency and reliability.

“Through efforts to expand and diversify our markets, we have made inroads into new markets including Botswana this year. We will continue to strive to help deliver more power in South Africa, serving our customers with advanced power solutions and services,” said Heung gweon Park, CEO of Doosan’s Turbine/Power Generator BG.

The International Energy Agency expects the power output in Sub­Saharan Africa to grow rapidly from the current 90GW to 385GW by 2040.

Nancy Geary, CPA, CLP Awarded Cindy Spurdle Award of Excellence

The Board of Directors of the Certified Lease Professional (CLP) Foundation is proud to announce that Nancy Geary, CPA, CLP, Partner at ECS Financial Services, is the second recipient of the annual Cindy Spurdle Award of Excellence.

Cindy Spurdle was the first and only Executive Director of the CLP Foundation since its inception in May of 2000 until June 2012. The award was created to acknowledge the CLP who has contributed the most to the industry and best represents the CLP ideals. When asked about the award, Ms. Geary stated, “I am honored to be the recipient of this wonderful award. I am a huge supporter of the CLP Foundation and its contribution to the industry, and am happy to be serving on the CLP Board of Directors during this time of growth and expansion. I would encourage every company in the industry to include the CLP Handbook in its employee training toolbox, and add obtaining the CLP designation to each employee’s goals for the coming year. The knowledge gained in preparing for the exam will be valuable to any level of industry member, and the designation serves as an indicator of the individual’s commitment to education and ethics.” The CLP designation identifies you as a knowledgeable professional to employers, clients, customer, and peers in the leasing industry. There are currently 195 Certified Lease Professionals throughout the world.

ECS Financial Services, Inc. satisfies key management and operational standards required by Sarbanes­Oxley Act through completion of SAS 70 Type I Audit

ECS Financial Services, Inc., a leading provider of lease portfolio management and consulting to the leasing and financial services industries, announced that it has successfully completed SAS 70 Type I Audit for its lease portfolio management outsourcing services. "A SAS 70 Audit is the primary means by which a service

provider can convey the integrity and validity of its internal controls and operating procedures," states Shari L. Lipski, CLP, Principal, ECS Financial Services, Inc. "This self­initiated audit process demonstrates our commitment to delivering the highest quality of service to the leasing and finance industry. It confirms for others what ECS’ clients have experienced for decades – reliability. This audit exemplifies our dedication to helping our clients build a better business by minimizing risk, increasing value, and providing continuous improvement.” The SAS 70 Type I Audit found ECS’ processes and systems are well documented, organized, and properly controlled to meet SAS 70 requirements. The auditor's report was issued through the standards and guidance established by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), which puts the highest scrutiny on a company’s controls and processes. “ECS recognizes the value in business partners and the impact of our services to our client’s operations," comments Sam Oliva, Managing Partner, ECS Financial Services, Inc. “The audit looked very closely at our information technology and security procedures. It speaks highly of the emphasis we place on the accuracy and consistency of our operations. By attaining the SAS 70 certification, our clients are ensured that ECS satisfies specific management and operational standards and demonstrates that ECS Financial Services is a service provider you can rely on.” About ECS ECS Financial Services, Inc. (www.ecsfinancial.com) is a leading outsource provider dedicated to helping equipment leasing companies thrive. Our lease portfolio management, sales and property tax compliance, and accounting services are focused entirely on equipment lessors’ needs and make critical contributions to their success. As one of the only CPA firms that specialize in equipment leasing, our knowledge is broad and deep. We offer more than four decades of experience and the expertise of numerous Certified Leasing Professionals, as well as proven success managing large and complex portfolios and resolving tax and accounting issues. SAS 70 Background This is an internationally recognized auditing standard developed by the AICPA and represents that a service organization has been through an in­depth audit of their control activities, which includes information technology and related processes. The successful completion of these audits validates high standards for management objectives including security, availability, operational process integrity, maintainability, performance, and customer service.

3 Ways to Keep a Sale Alive Despite Complications Many decisions aren’t made by a single person. In fact, there are often quite a few people involved in making a purchase decision. Therefore, a good salesperson must be prepared to adjust to any complications they encounter.

Here are 3 common issues many sales teams encounter and how to successfully handle each situation.

1. The buyer leaves the company.

This is fairly common. If you’ve been working at your job for any length of time, you’ve probably come across this at least once. It’s not uncommon for people to leave their jobs for retirement or new opportunities.

Either way, you’re in a bit of a pickle. Your point of contact at a company is now gone. There may be a replacement, who you now have to build a new relationship with, or ­ worse ­ they might not have a replacement.

What do you do now?

If you have any other points of contact, you need to give them a call. Being informed in this situation is important to keeping the sale alive. Ask them if they know who is taking over responsibilities or who you might talk to instead. Once you know, you can reintroduce yourself and confirm a need still exists.

There will still be a delay. Even if you’re looking at an internal replacement, you might have to wait on interviews and approval and the replacement getting comfortable in their position. If it’s external, you could be looking at months.

The best thing to do is to get information and stay in touch. Don’t lose a relationship with the company. If you’ll stay present ­ without being annoying or pushy ­ you are in a great position once the replacement takes over.

2. The buyer loses their budget.

Maybe your prospect lost a project they were counting on or maybe they lost a major account, but now they don’t have the budget to make a purchase. It happens, and it can be a serious problem. It doesn’t, however, mean you’re losing a sale. Quite the contrary.

What do you do now?

Now it’s time to look to a longer­term strategy instead of counting your money. Keep yourself top­of­mind in a way that isn’t annoying. Ask open­ended questions like, “What can I do to help you get the equipment you need until funding comes back?”

Depending on your company, there are a few ways to help the situation. This could take the form of a free trial (if they’re a larger prospect or customer), creative discounts, rental programs, or maybe even lease­to­own programs.

Whatever you decide to do, design your strategy to keep the conversation alive. If you can keep building a relationship and providing value, you’ll be top­of­mind when they’re able to buy.

3. The buyer chose a competitor.

This is the ultimate interruption. Your prospect, who you’ve been talking to for weeks, nay months about buying your equipment, has bought from the competition. You feel betrayed. You want to make angry phone calls. But that’s a bad reaction.

What do you do now you’ve lost the deal?

Simply put, don’t freak out and don’t burn your bridges. What happened has happened, and there isn’t anything you can do about it. However, you can maintain the relationship and bide your time.

Sure, this isn’t going to earn you any money in the short term, but you still have an opportunity here. If you continue to help and maintain your relationships, you can open up new opportunities for service, aftermarket parts, and even big sales for other equipment.

Interruptions are an unavoidable part of the sales process. Often, you have to hurry up and wait. And it’s easy to let a difficult obstacle derail a deal. But if you can prepare and keep your composure, interruptions become nothing more than objections you can overcome.

2 Cold Calling Mistakes That Are Undermining Your Efforts

Cold calling may not be the most fun part of your job, but it’s still a necessity. Sure, it’s a great way to prospect and start a conversation. But it also leads to some potentially awkward phone conversations, which could spoil future business.

Unfortunately, too many people don’t think about a cold call before they jump into it. Sure, they’ve got their script, but do you know about your prospect or are you prepared for when the conversation makes a left turn into unscripted territory?

Today, let’s look at two of the biggest, most common cold calling mistakes that are undermining your entire strategy.

1. Lack of Information

Often, sales reps will call a company they know nothing about. Even your most experienced reps go into some of their cold calls without having a clear picture of who the prospect they’re calling is. That’s not necessarily the problem.

The best sales teams are coached for this situation, and the reps know they should start by explaining who they are and asking about the organization. This is a smart start. The worst that happens is you’re talking to the wrong person, but you still gain valuable insight that preps you for the next call.

Unfortunately, not everyone takes this approach. Too often, sales reps miss out on planning a more customized, on­target approach to their sales calls . . . all because they didn’t ask a single question about the prospect.

Remember, people are self­centered. Your prospect doesn’t want to hear about you, your company, or your product, especially not in a cold call. They’re only interested in helping themselves.

It’s your job to identify how you can help them.

2. Relying Too Much on Mail

A big mistake sales reps have a habit of falling into is assuming that mail or email is a magic wand for making a sale. Email can be a great tool, but you can’t fall into the trap of thinking it can do everything for you. Otherwise, would you really be needed?

No.

It’s also important to remember that your prospects are receiving a lot of emails every day. Don’t assume that just because you wrote something, they’re going to read it with interest. In fact, most emails never make it further than a trash bin.

A smart salesperson understands that email can help you introduce yourself to a prospect before you cold call. It’s a great tool, yes, but it also requires some understanding on your part. You need to know something about your prospect.

Element closes rated ABS notes offered through new US$4.8 billion Chesapeake Funding II LLC conduit to fund U.S. fleet assets

Element Financial Corporation (TSX:EFN) (“Element” or the “Company”), one of North America’s leading fleet management and equipment finance companies, today announced that the Company has closed Chesapeake Funding II LLC, the new US$4.8 billion rated asset backed security (“ABS”) funding conduit that Element has established as the permanent funding platform for its U.S. fleet management business. In conjunction with the establishment of this new ABS conduit, the Company today issued US$1.5 billion in variable funding notes and is expected to close an additional US$1.8 billion in term notes on December 31, 2015. Subsequent to these issuances, the Company will have un­drawn commitments of US$1.5 billion from Chesapeake Funding II LLC to fund future growth in fleet assets. Interest rate spreads for these notes were in line with previously funded fleet ABS transactions. Proceeds from the notes will be used to repay a portion of Element’s three­year term senior secured credit facility. Element is one of the world’s largest fleet management companies serving more than 5,000 commercial and industrial business customers with equipment financing and servicing solutions for more than 1.6 million cars and light duty trucks in operation across North America, Australia and New Zealand. Chesapeake Funding II LLC was established on the same structuring principles as Element’s initial fleet ABS conduit, Chesapeake Funding LLC, which has closed more than 17 offerings in the term market since 1999 and has issued more than US$7.7 billion in ABS securities to private and public investors since 2003 including four offerings totaling more than US$2.2 billion in 2009 in the wake of the financial crisis. “By gaining early access to our new rated Chesapeake ABS conduit to permanently fund the U.S. fleet assets that we recently acquired from GE, we are ahead of schedule in bringing the funding costs attributable to these assets in line with the US$90 million to US$95 million in integration cost savings that we had earmarked for the GE fleet acquisition,” noted Steven K. Hudson, Element’s Chief Executive Officer. “I’m particularly pleased that in the context of the current market, the response to the offering that we closed today was very strong with orders exceeding supply by a factor of almost two to one,” said Michel Beland, Element’s Chief Financial Officer. JP Morgan Securities LLC acted as the sole structuring agent and lead arranger for these transactions together with a syndicate of 14 lenders. About Element Financial Corporation With total assets in excess of $23.5 billion, Element Financial Corporation is one of North America’s leading fleet management and equipment finance companies.

Element operates across North America in four verticals of the equipment finance market ­ Fleet Management, Rail Finance, Commercial & Vendor Finance, an

eOriginal Named as Leader in 2015 Aragon Research Tech Spectrum for Digital Transaction Management

the digital transaction experts, has been named a “Leader for Digital Transaction Management (DTM)” in the 2015 Aragon Research Tech Spectrum for DTM – Moving Beyond Paper.

As a leading technology research and advisory firm, Aragon Research’s ranking of eOriginal solidifies the company’s position as a leader in DTM. The company was also named “Hot Vendor for DTM” by Aragon Research in late July and was recognized as the best known provider of DTM Asset Management services in a May 2015 report titled ​ “Digital Transaction Management and the Rise of Digital Assets”.

In Aragon Research’s Tech Spectrum report, eOriginal’s ability to track all aspects of the lifecycle of a digital transaction sets the company apart from its competitors. eOriginal outperforms other providers as a pioneer in DTM Technology, being recognized for the company’s eAsset® Management Services, innovating Datalytics™ compliance solution and biometric capabilities, enabling the use of alternative methods of eSignature, such as voice, fingerprint, etc., to be attached to a contract or other document in a compliant and legally­verifiable methodology.

The Aragon Research Tech Spectrum, the firm’s newest market evaluation tool, analyzes and depicts both emerging and mature markets and vendors to help enterprise planners better understand and navigate technology provider options.

“Increasingly, CEOs, CFOs and other executives are beginning to understand the need and benefit of keeping documents in a digital environment, which is driving demand to manage those documents beyond just a eSignature,” said Jim Lundy, CEO of Aragon Research. “As a pioneer in DTM technology, eOriginal has carved out a strong position with financial asset management and is creating a system of record for many lenders and other financial service organizations.

“Aragon Research’s Tech Spectrum further demonstrates how DTM continues to gain acceptance and adoption in the marketplace,” said Stephen Bisbee, president and CEO of eOriginal. “As that occurs, eOriginal will continue to grow as decision makers better understand that eSignature is only the tip of the iceberg of the digital transformation.”

eOriginal and Topaz Systems Inc. Celebrate 10 Years of eSignature Partnership

the digital transaction experts, and ​ Topaz Systems Inc.​ , a global leader in electronic signature technology, celebrated their 10 year anniversary of eSignature partnership today. Over the past decade, the duo has collaborated successfully to provide wide­ranging benefits to our mutual customers. The eOriginal­Topaz relationship emerged during the dawn of the eSignature era, when adoption of eSignature technology was met with uncertainty due to legality concerns.

“Ten years ago adoption of eSignature technology was as an uphill battle because businesses did not comprehend the management of digital documents and the enforceability of the signature,” said Stephen Bisbee, president and CEO of eOriginal. “Partnering with Topaz Systems brought the industry a step closer to where it is today – with digital contracts being easily executed across the world.”

Together, eOriginal and Topaz worked to bring compliant technology solutions and peace­of­mind to the customer. Ten years later, the partnership has enabled businesses across industries with a proven product that provides Uniform Electronic Transaction Act (UETA) and Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act (ESIGN) compliance.

“As the eSignature industry has experienced significant adoption growth, Topaz has continued to enjoy our partnership with eOriginal, to bring optimal solutions to our mutual customers,” explained Tony Zank, founder and president of Topaz Systems. “By capturing biometric data during the signing ceremony, we can assure that every document is validated and legally enforceable –attributes of the eSignature industry that are essential in the 21st century.”

About Topaz Systems, Inc. Topaz Systems is a leading developer and manufacturer of electronic signature software and hardware, and has been based in Southern California since 1995. Topaz provides all the hardware, software, intellectual property and expertise to enable paperless document creation, signing, and authentication of electronic forms with digital handwritten signatures. Topaz has developed an extensive eSign patent portfolio, and is the recipient of multiple industry awards including being a multiple consecutive winner of the Deloitte Technology Fast 50 and Fast 500, along with Inc 500 and 5000 awards for outstanding growth.

Nations Equipment Finance Names SVP ­ Business Development in Southern U.S.

Nations Equipment Finance​ has named James White as Senior Vice President ­ Business Development. In this role, James will be responsible for growing Nations' lease and loan origination activities in the Southern portion of the United States. White joins Nations with over 30 years' experience in the equipment financing industry.

"I have referred business to Nations for several years and I am very excited to represent them as an employee. Nations has always been transparent to their clients with their structuring and pricing process allowing them to consistently deliver the best solution for each individual business's needs. You don't find that anywhere else in this industry. Working for a true lender like Nations provides me with a direct lending platform and an unparalleled transaction process which will allow me to deliver more value to my clients," White said.

Randy Hicks, EVP said, "We have had great success working with James in the past and are excited to have him join our team here at Nations. His extensive experience and equipment financing knowledge has already made him a key addition to Nations. We view hiring James as part of our continued effort to grow our company and be a leader in our industry. We are confident that James will use Nations' financing solutions to meet the needs of his clients."

Federal Reserve Announces Hike In Short­Term Interest Rates Information received since the Federal Open Market Committee met in October suggests that economic activity has been expanding at a moderate pace. Household spending and business fixed investment have been increasing at solid rates in recent months, and the housing sector has improved further; however, net exports have been soft. A range of recent labor market indicators, including ongoing job gains and declining unemployment, shows further improvement and confirms that underutilization of labor resources has diminished appreciably since early this year. Inflation has continued to run below the Committee's 2 percent longer­run objective, partly reflecting declines in energy prices and in prices of non­energy imports.

Market­based measures of inflation compensation remain low; some survey­based measures of longer­term inflation expectations have edged down.

Consistent with its statutory mandate, the Committee seeks to foster maximum employment and price stability. The Committee currently expects that, with gradual adjustments in the stance of monetary policy, economic activity will continue to expand at a moderate pace and labor market indicators will continue to strengthen. Overall, taking into account domestic and international developments, the Committee sees the risks to the outlook for both economic activity and the labor market as balanced. Inflation is expected to rise to 2 percent over the medium term as the transitory effects of declines in energy and import prices dissipate and the labor market strengthens further. The Committee continues to monitor inflation developments closely.

The Committee judges that there has been considerable improvement in labor market conditions this year, and it is reasonably confident that inflation will rise, over the medium term, to its 2 percent objective. Given the economic outlook, and recognizing the time it takes for policy actions to affect future economic outcomes, the Committee decided to raise the target range for the federal funds rate to 1/4 to 1/2 percent.

The stance of monetary policy remains accommodative after this increase, thereby supporting further improvement in labor market conditions and a return to 2 percent inflation.

In determining the timing and size of future adjustments to the target range for the federal funds rate, the Committee will assess realized and expected economic conditions relative to its objectives of maximum employment and 2 percent inflation. This assessment will take into account a wide range of information, including measures of labor market conditions, indicators of inflation pressures and inflation expectations, and readings on financial and international developments. In light of the current shortfall of inflation from 2 percent, the Committee will carefully monitor actual and expected progress toward its inflation goal. The Committee expects that economic conditions will evolve in a manner that will warrant only gradual increases in the federal funds rate; the federal funds rate is likely to remain, for some time, below levels that are expected to prevail in the longer run. However, the actual path of the federal funds rate will depend on the economic outlook as informed by incoming data.

The Committee is maintaining its existing policy of reinvesting principal payments from its holdings of agency debt and agency mortgage­backed securities in agency mortgage­backed securities and of rolling over maturing Treasury securities at auction, and it anticipates doing so until normalization of the level of the federal funds rate is well under way. This policy, by keeping the Committee's holdings of longer­term securities at sizable levels, should help maintain accommodative financial conditions.

Voting for the FOMC monetary policy action were: Janet L. Yellen, Chair; William C. Dudley, Vice Chairman; Lael Brainard; Charles L. Evans; Stanley Fischer; Jeffrey M. Lacker; Dennis P. Lockhart; Jerome H. Powell; Daniel K. Tarullo; and John C. Williams.

EverBank Commercial Finance Survey: M.D.’s prioritize equipment upgrades, facility expansion for 2015

EverBank Commercial Finance, Inc.​ , a subsidiary of EverBank, today released results from a survey of medical doctors conducted at this year’s Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) annual meeting in Chicago. Findings showed the top priorities for capital spending for the majority of M.D.’s in the New Year will be upgrading existing equipment or technology (60 percent) and expanding into a new building or facility (21 percent).

While practice improvements and expansion are on the agenda for many M.D.’s, there are concerns about reduced reimbursements. The majority (62 percent) identified reduced reimbursements as the greatest challenge their business will face in 2015. Economic conditions presented noticeably less of a concern (21 percent), as did competition (11 percent).

“Despite concerns about reimbursements, we’re witnessing an appetite for upgrading among physicians,” said Justin Tabone, General Manager for EverBank Commercial Finance’s Healthcare business. “While the Affordable Care Act has introduced an element of uncertainty for some M.D.’s, financing presents a strategic capital expenditure option for equipment acquisition challenges.”

Survey findings did show some trepidation among physicians when it came to the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Approximately one in three (31 percent) M.D.’s said the ACA had a negative impact on their business, while 35 percent reported that they were still unsure about the effect the ACA has had on their practice.

Deal volume within the medical space is likely to continue. The survey found practitioners expect a strong deal market in 2015, with two­thirds (67 percent) of respondents whose practices are privately owned saying they anticipate entertaining an acquisition opportunity with a hospital in the next 12 to 18 months.

“The medical office space, particularly in the middle market, continues to see steady consolidation as practitioners look to increase the efficiency of their operations,” said Doug Misner, Sales Leader for EverBank Commercial Real Estate. “Within our own business, we have seen an uptick in acquisition financing inquiries as well as facility and equipment upgrade interest. As we look to 2015, we expect to see those financing needs continue and are looking at the best financial structures to help our clients with their growth plans.”

Below are other key survey findings, anticipating developments for the radiology sector in 2015.

Regulatory

Thirty­four percent of respondents characterized the ACA as having either a positive impact or no impact on their businesses.

Capital Expenditures In addition to the 60 percent of respondents who identified upgrading existing equipment or technology as their top capital expenditure priority in 2015, 21 percent prioritized expansion into new facilities and three percent indicated a focus on office improvements in the New Year. The remaining 16 percent said purchasing or leasing new equipment or technology was essential.

M.D.’s making equipment upgrades and acquisitions said they would rely heavily on financing. A third plan to acquire equipment in 2015 through financing, while 30 percent plan to use cash, 25 percent will use a lease, and 12 percent will use grants.

Ownership Sixty­eight percent of respondents indicated that they own medical office real estate. Of that group, 96 percent plan on holding onto their property in 2015.

Of the 32 percent of respondents who lease their medical space, 56 percent will not make any changes in 2015 to their current contract. Thirty­three percent will be reviewing or renewing their contract, and 11 percent are looking to buy property.

“With interest rates expected to finally increase in late 2015, we are seeing some practitioners look to take advantage of low rates today and move into ownership opportunities,” said Tabone. “Given our expertise across the medical office spectrum, we’re focused on supporting our clients as they grow their businesses at any stage in the lifecycle – whether it’s through their equipment upgrades, financing a new acquisition or purchasing new medical office space.”

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ABOUT EVERBANK FINANCIAL CORP EverBank Financial Corp, through its wholly­owned subsidiary EverBank, provides a diverse range of financial products and services directly to clients nationwide through multiple business channels.

Headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, EverBank had $20.5 billion in assets and $14.5 billion in deposits as of September 30, 2014. With an emphasis on value, innovation and service, EverBank offers a broad selection of banking, lending and investing products to consumers and businesses. EverBank provides services to clients through the internet, over the phone, through the mail, at its Florida­based financial centers and at other business offices throughout the country. More information on EverBank can be found at www.abouteverbank.com​ .

ABOUT EVERBANK COMMERCIAL FINANCE, INC. EverBank Commercial Finance, a subsidiary of EverBank, provides equipment financing, asset­based lending and specialized financial solutions to U.S.­based businesses. The Vendor Finance Group serves manufacturers, dealers and value­added resellers in the industrial equipment, healthcare, office technology and indirect markets. The Capital Equipment Finance Group structures transactions to meet the capital needs of middle­market companies. The Lender Finance Group offers a variety of credit and non­credit products to specialty finance businesses on a national basis. For more information, please visit:​ www.everbankcommercialfinance.com​ .

EVERBANK COMMERCIAL FINANCE LAUNCHES FUNERAL VEHICLE FINANCING SEGMENT

Inc.​ today announced the appointment of David Silvers to lead the firm’s funeral vehicle financing segment, a new business line within the industrial group. Silvers will report to Ray Sullivan, sales leader of EverBank Commercial Finance’s Industrial Group.

“David will be an invaluable addition to the EverBank Commercial Finance team as we expand our specialty vehicle unit to encompass funeral vehicles,” said Sullivan. “David’s deep expertise in the field will enable us to continue to deliver to our customers unparalleled industry knowledge and tailored financing options that meet all of their business needs.”

Silvers joins EverBank Commercial Finance from First Source Bank, where he spent nearly a decade. In his role as leader of First Source’s funeral car financing division, Silvers worked directly with dealers, financing and leasing vehicles for funeral homes throughout the U.S.

ABOUT EVERBANK COMMERCIAL FINANCE, INC. EverBank Commercial Finance, a subsidiary of EverBank, provides equipment financing, asset­based lending and specialized financial solutions to U.S.­based businesses. The Vendor Finance Group serves vendors, dealers and manufacturers in the industrial equipment, healthcare, office equipment and technology markets. The Lender Finance Group offers a variety of credit and non­credit products to specialty finance businesses on a national basis. For more information, please visit:​ www.everbankcommercialfinance.com

ABOUT EVERBANK FINANCIAL CORP EverBank Financial Corp, through its wholly­owned subsidiary EverBank, provides a diverse range of financial products and services directly to clients nationwide through multiple business channels.

Headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, EverBank had $19.8 billion in assets and $13.9 billion in deposits as of June 30, 2014. With an emphasis on value, innovation and service, EverBank offers a broad selection of banking, lending and investing products to consumers and businesses. EverBank provides services to clients through the internet, over the phone, through the mail, at its Florida­based financial centers and at other business offices throughout the country. More information on EverBank can be found at​ www.abouteverbank.com/ir​ .

FARMERS & MERCHANTS BANCORP ANNOUNCES INCREASE IN THE YEAR­END CASH DIVIDEND

Farmers & Merchants Bancorp (OTCQX: FMCB) (the Company) announced today that the Board of Directors declared a yearend cash dividend of $6.50 per share of common stock, an increase over the cash dividend declared in November of 2014. The cash dividend will be paid on January 2, 2016, to shareholders of record on December 4, 2015. Total cash dividends declared during 2015 were $10.16 million, or $12.90

per share of common stock, a 2.4% increase from $9.92 million declared the prior year. This is the 81st consecutive year that the Company has declared cash dividend payments to common shareholders. The Company has now increased the annual declared cash dividends for 51 consecutive years. Kent A. Steinwert, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer stated, “We are pleased that Farmers & Merchants Bancorp’s strong third quarter and year­to­date 2015 financial performance allowed us to increase the cash dividend in keeping with our founding principal of sharing a portion of the Company’s profits with shareholders. Importantly, the Company’s record performance in the third quarter and year­to­date 2015 continues to build upon record profit years in 2012, 2013 and 2014. The Board of Directors and executive managers are optimistic about the Company’s outlook for the remainder of 2015 and into 2016.” Farmers & Merchants Bancorp earned record net income of $7.0 million in the third quarter of 2015 and $20.2 million for the nine months ending September 30, 2015, representing increases of 9.5% and 7.3% over the same periods the prior year. Earnings per share of common stock outstanding for the nine­month period were $25.70, up from $24.19 the prior year. Return on average assets for the nine months was 1.12%, and return on average equity was 11.13%. ***************************** Farmers & Merchants Bancorp is the parent company of Farmers & Merchants Bank of Central California, also known as F&M Bank. Founded in 1916, F&M Bank is a locally owned and operated community bank which proudly serves California through 25 convenient locations. The Bank recently expanded into the Bay Area with new full service branches in Walnut Creek and Concord. The FDIC awarded F&M Bank the highest possible rating of "Outstanding" in their CRA Evaluation, and the Bank has received BauerFinancial’s “Five­Star, Superior Bank” award for safety and soundness for 25 consecutive years, longer than any other commercial bank in the State of California. The Bank offers a full complement of loan, deposit, equipment leasing, and treasury management services to businesses, as well as a full suite of consumer banking products. For more information about Farmers & Merchants Bancorp and F&M Bank visit www.fmbonline.com.

Forward­Looking Statement Statements concerning future performance, developments or events, expectations for growth and income forecasts, and any other guidance on future periods, constitute forward­looking statements that are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from stated expectations. Specific factors include, but are not limited to, loan production, balance sheet management, levels of net interest margin, the ability to control costs and expenses, interest rate changes, the competitive environment, financial and regulatory policies of the United States government, ongoing drought conditions in California and general economic conditions. Additional information on these and other factors that could affect financial results are included in our Securities and Exchange Commission filings. The Company disclaims any obligation to update any such factors or to publicly announce the results of any revisions to any forward­looking statements contained herein to reflect future events or developments.

FARMERS & MERCHANTS BANCORP REPORTS RECORD THIRD QUARTER AND YEAR­TO­DATE EARNINGS (Lodi, California, October 29, 2015) ­ Farmers & Merchants Bancorp today announced record net income for third quarter and year­to­date 2015. For the quarter ending September 30, 2015, Farmers & Merchants Bancorp reported net income of $7.0 million, a 9.5% increase from net income of $6.4 million earned in third quarter of 2014. Earnings per share of common stock for the quarter were $8.96, up 8.3% from the same period in 2014. Net interest income for the quarter ending September 30, 2015 was $22.2 million, up 11.4% from the same quarter in 2014. Non­interest income for the quarter increased 27.1% over the same quarter in 2014. Return on average assets for the third quarter of 2015 was 1.14%, and return on average equity was 11.50%. Total assets at quarter­end were $2.5 billion, up 13.8% from the third quarter of 2014. Total loans outstanding reached $1.9 billion, an increase of 18.2%, and total deposits of $2.1 billion increased 13.7% from the prior year. The Company’s loan quality remained strong with non­performing loans as of September 30, 2015 totaling only 0.15% of total loans. In addition, the Company’s loan loss

reserve was $39.1 million, or 2.04% of total loans, representing an increase of $4.8 million from the same period in 2014. The Company’s tier 1 leverage capital ratio was 10.44% at September 30, 2015, resulting in the highest possible regulatory classification of “well capitalized.” For the nine­month period ending September 30, 2015, net income was $20.2 million, up 7.3% from the prior year, and earnings per share of common stock outstanding were $25.70, up from $24.19 in 2014. Net interest income increased to $63.6 million for the nine­month period in 2015, up 11.5% from the same period in 2014. Non­interest income for the first nine months increased 11.7% over the same period in 2014. For the first nine months, return on average assets was 1.12%, and return on average equity was 11.13%. Kent Steinwert, Farmers & Merchants Bancorp’s Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, stated, “We are very pleased with the Company’s strong performance in 2015, following record net income in 2014, and despite many headwinds impacting our industry, we have a positive outlook for the remainder of 2015 and into 2016. Bank credit quality remains excellent and capital ratios remain well above all regulatory well­capitalized measures.

We have maintained a 5­Star rating from BauerFinancial for 25 consecutive years, longer than any other commercial bank in the state of California.”

EQUIPMENT LEASING AND FINANCE INDUSTRY CONFIDENCE REMAINS STEADY IN DECEMBER

The ​ Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation​ (the Foundation) releases the December 2015 ​ Monthly Confidence Index for the Equipment Finance Industry​ (MCI­EFI) today. Designed to collect leadership data, the index reports a qualitative assessment of both the prevailing business conditions and expectations for the future as reported by key executives from the $1.046 trillion equipment finance sector. Overall, confidence in the equipment finance market is 60.2, unchanged from the November index.

When asked about the outlook for the future, MCI­EFI survey respondent Valerie Hayes Jester, President, Brandywine Capital Associates, Inc., said, “December activity is strong as we traditionally experience a last minute push to acquire equipment from procrastinators. Looking a bit further out we still see uncertainty as events continue to unfold, gas prices decrease and the presidential election continues to baffle.”

December 2015 Survey Results: The overall MCI­EFI is 60.2, unchanged from the November index.

• When asked to assess their business conditions over the next four months, 12.5% of executives responding said they believe business conditions will improve over the next four months, a decrease from 14.8% in November. 75.0% of respondents believe business conditions will remain the same over the next four months, an increase from 74.1% in November. 12.5% believe business conditions will worsen, an increase from 11.1% the previous month.

• 8.3% of survey respondents believe demand for leases and loans to fund capital expenditures (capex) will increase over the next four months, a decrease from 22.2% in November. 79.2% believe demand will “remain the same” during the same four­month time period, up from 66.7% the previous month. 12.5% believe demand will decline, an increase from 11.1% who believed so in November.

• 25.0% of executives expect more access to capital to fund equipment acquisitions over the next four months, an increase from 22.2% in November. 70.8% of survey respondents indicate they expect the “same” access to capital to fund business, a decrease from 77.8% the previous month. 4.2% expect “less” access to capital, an increase from none last month.

• When asked, 45.8% of the executives report they expect to hire more employees over the next four months, a decrease from 48.1% in November. 50.0% expect no change in headcount over the next four months, up from 48.1% last month. 4.2% expect to hire fewer employees, up from 3.7% in November.

• 4.2% of the leadership evaluate the current U.S. economy as “excellent,” an increase from 3.7% last month. 95.8% of the leadership evaluate the current U.S. economy as “fair,” up from 92.6% in November.

None rate it as “poor,” a decrease from 3.7% the previous month.

• 8.3% of the survey respondents believe that U.S. economic conditions will get “better” over the next six months, a decrease from 18.5% who believed so in November. 79.2% of survey respondents indicate they believe the U.S. economy will “stay the same” over the next six months, an increase from 77.8% the previous month. 12.5% believe economic conditions in the U.S. will worsen over the next six months, an increase from 3.7% who believed so last month.

• In December, 50.0% of respondents indicate they believe their company will increase spending on business development activities during the next six months, an increase from 44.4% in November. 45.8% believe there will be “no change” in business development spending, a decrease from 51.9% the previous month. 4.2% believe there will be a decrease in spending, an increase from 3.7% last month.

December 2015 MCI­EFI Survey Comments from Industry Executive Leadership:

Independent, Small Ticket “Application and funding volume continues to be steady. We are expecting little change in either direction.

Delinquencies are still in the historical low range. Growing originations is still the biggest challenge with the economy growing so slowly.” David T. Schaefer, CEO, Mintaka Financial, LLC

Bank, Middle Ticket “The manufacturing segment of the U.S. economy has slowed substantially over the last several months.

This will have a direct impact on the equipment finance industry. I anticipate marginal growth, if any, for the first half of 2016.” Thomas Jaschik, President, BB&T Equipment Finance

“We continue to see a mixed agriculture economy with less investment in the cash grain sector and some protein sectors, while continued investment in other ag sectors. We expect flat growth in 2016 and a slight uptick in portfolio stress. We continue to provide value add solutions to customers looking to make capital investment.” Michael Romanowski, President, Farm Credit Leasing Services Corporation

Why an MCI­EFI? Confidence in the U.S. economy and the capital markets is a critical driver to the equipment finance industry.

Throughout history, when confidence increases, consumers and businesses are more apt to acquire more consumer goods, equipment and durables, and invest at prevailing prices. When confidence decreases, spending and risk­taking tend to fall. Investors are said to be confident when the news about the future is good and stock prices are rising.

Who participates in the MCI­EFI? The respondents are comprised of a wide cross section of industry executives, including large­ticket, middle­market and small­ticket banks, independents and captive equipment finance companies. The MCI­EFI uses the same pool of 50 organization leaders to respond monthly to ensure the survey’s integrity.

Since the same organizations provide the data from month to month, the results constitute a consistent barometer of the industry's confidence.

How is the MCI­EFI designed?

The survey consists of seven questions and an area for comments, asking the respondents’ opinions about the following: 1. Current business conditions 2. Expected product demand over the next four months 3. Access to capital over the next four months 4. Future employment conditions 5. Evaluation of the current U.S. economy 6. U.S. economic conditions over the next six months 7. Business development spending expectations 8. Open­ended question for comment

How may I access the MCI­EFI? Survey results are posted on the Foundation website, ​ http://www.leasefoundation.org/research/mci/​ , included in the ​ Foundation Forecast newsletter​ and included in press releases. Survey respondent demographics and additional information about the MCI are also available at the link above.

2016 ECONOMIC OUTLOOK FORECASTS 4.4% GROWTH IN EQUIPMENT AND SOFTWARE INVESTMENT Investment in equipment and software is expected to grow 4.4% in 2016, according to the ​ Annual 2016 Equipment Leasing & Finance U.S. Economic Outlook​ released today by the ​ Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation​ . The moderate growth forecast reflects economic crosswinds, as weakness in the global economy (particularly China), low commodity prices, and a strong dollar are diminishing businesses’ incentive to invest, while a strengthening U.S. economy and elevated propensity to finance should propel growth in the equipment finance sector. The Foundation’s report, which is focused on the $1.046 trillion equipment leasing and finance industry, highlights key trends in equipment investment and places them in the context of the broader U.S. economic climate. The report will be updated quarterly throughout 2016.

William G. Sutton, CAE, President of the Foundation and President and CEO of the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association, said, “Building on the forecast that the equipment finance industry will surpass the $1 trillion mark in 2015, this Outlook for 2016 projects decent, but not robust, equipment finance growth in the coming year. Navigating a changing marketplace, the equipment finance industry will adapt to economic and policy shifts as it always has—and will continue to find new opportunities for growth.”

• As domestic strength offsets global headwinds, U.S. GDP growth is expected to tick up to 2.8% in 2016 from 2.6% in 2015. Over the last 12 months, several key drivers of growth in recent years faltered, while other sectors that have lagged began to pick up steam. This fundamental shift will underpin U.S. economic expansion in 2016.

• The U.S. credit system is healthy and financial stress is muted, limiting financial risks going into next year.

Solid U.S. economic data are setting the stage for gradual Fed interest rate increases in 2016, which may alleviate spread compression for equipment lessors.

• Equipment and software investment growth rebounded to a 7.4% pace in Q3 2015 from a 1.7% annual pace in Q2 2015, but investment is up only 2.5% year­on­year—the slowest annual growth rate in two years.

Continued moderate growth in equipment and software investment is expected in Q4 2015 and into 2016.

• The ​ Foundation­Keybridge U.S. Equipment & Software Investment Momentum Monitor​ , which is included in the report, tracks 12 equipment and software investment verticals. In 2016, as in 2015, negative global trends are expected to hurt certain equipment verticals, while signs of strength in the U.S. economy will fuel continued gains in others: 1.

2.

Agriculture machinery investment growth will likely remain weak over the next three to six months.

Construction machinery investment growth may slow somewhat, yet remain solid over the next three to six months.

3.

Materials handling equipment investment growth should remain weak over the next three to six months.

4.

All other industrial equipment investment growth is likely to slow over the next three to six months.

5.

Medical equipment investment growth is expected to stabilize over the next three to six months.

6.

Mining and oilfield machinery investment growth should remain strongly negative over the next three to six months.

7.

Aircraft investment growth may increase over the next three to six months.

8.

Ships and boats investment growth is poised to strengthen in the next three to six months.

9.

Railroad equipment investment growth is likely to remain negative over the next three to six months.

10.

Trucks investment growth should remain steady over the next three to six months.

11.

Computers investment growth rates appear set to increase moderately over the next three to six months.

12.

Software investment growth may strengthen over the next three to six months.

The Foundation produces the Equipment Leasing & Finance U.S. Economic Outlook report in partnership with economics and public policy consulting firm Keybridge Research. The annual economic forecast provides a three­to­six month outlook for industry investment with data, including a summary of investment trends in key equipment markets, credit market conditions, the U.S. macroeconomic outlook and key economic indicators. The report will be updated quarterly throughout 2016.

FAIRFIELD CAPITAL GROUP, LLC,Steve Cain Rejoins Fairfield Capital

Fairfield Capital Group, LLC (​ www.fairfieldcapital.net​ ) today announced that Stephen R. Cain has rejoined the company as Managing Director in its Chicago office. Mr. Cain was an original member of Fairfield Capital when it was launched in 2004, but later left to form his own investment advisory firm, Cain Capital Partners, LLC. He has a 25+ years of increasing executive responsibility in credit and underwriting with Citicorp Leasing and Fleet Capital Leasing. For the last 15 years he has focused on new business development. He has a B.B.A. degree with honors from University of Wisconsin and an M.B.A. degree from the University of Chicago. He will be based in Chicago with responsibility for new business and capital markets activities.

“We are very pleased to have Steve on board once again as we expand our client base with small and mid­sized equipment leasing and finance companies” said Dana J. Pasternak, Managing Director and Founder. “We focus on helping these clients locate funding sources for “challenged” lease and loan transactions, i.e., those involving lessees/borrowers that are highly­leveraged and typically have credit ratings in the B­ to BB range or equivalent if unrated. Steve’s extensive experience with underwriting “fallen angel” credits will be invaluable in assisting our clients both on the buy­ and sell­side of these transactions”

Fairfield Capital Group, LLC was founded in 2004, and since that time has provided capital markets solutions to the equipment finance and leasing industry. While Fairfield Capital’s client focus is primarily

on investors, we also work with issuers—whether manufacturers financing their own equipment sales or end­users trying to finance new equipment acquisitions, but encountering difficulty in raising debt or lease capital.

Fairfield Capital Adds New Managing Director

Fairfield Capital Group, LLC (​ www.fairfieldcapital.net​ ) today announced that Fred Marchini had joined the firm as a Managing Director effective January 15, 2015. Mr. Marchini will have responsibility for capital markets activities, and oversight of Fairfield Capital’s relationships with existing clients. He has over 30 years experience in the equipment finance and leasing industry—both with the industrial and captive finance companies BarclaysAmerican and Pitney Bowes Credit Corp., as well as the equipment finance groups of a number of large, international banks including Bank of Scotland, Barclays Bank and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation.

Dana Pasternak, Managing Director and Founder of Fairfield Capital, said that “we have known Fred and admired his work for many years, and are very pleased to have someone of his experience and business development skills on our team. Fred will be based in our New York office and can be reached at Fred@fairfieldcapital.net.”

Fairfield Capital Group, LLC, which was founded in 2004, provides capital markets solutions for the equipment finance and leasing industry. We maintain relationships with dozens of institutional investors, and use this knowledge and our many years of experience to help investors create liquidity in their portfolios—whether to manage asset, credit or residual exposure, accelerate income recognition, or just to find a home for that difficult­to­place B/B­ rated deal. Whether you are on the buy­side or sell­side, Fairfield Capital can make your deal happen.

Mary Platt Elected Vice Chancellor of the Philadelphia Bar Association

Mary F. Platt, Esquire, Counsel at Fineman Krekstein & Harris, P.C. in Philadelphia, was elected by members of the Philadelphia Bar Association to Vice Chancellor of the Bar Association. Ms. Platt will serve as Vice Chancellor next year and Chancellor­Elect in 2017, and will lead the Philadelphia Bar Association as Chancellor in 2018.

Ms. Platt has been an attorney for over 30 years, and focuses her practice on litigation and alternative dispute resolution. She has represented clients ranging from global companies to individuals and closely­held businesses in class actions and individual cases involving a wide variety of practice areas. She has handled matters for clients involving business disputes, antitrust claims, intellectual property, restrictive covenants, trade secret misappropriation, consumer protection and unfair competition claims, employment claims, real estate and environmental issues, insurance coverage, construction disputes, toxic tort and product liability claims, and attorney malpractice claims.

Ms. Platt resides in Newtown Square, PA. She is currently Assistant Treasurer of the Philadelphia Bar Association and as an officer, serves on its Board of Governors and in the Chancellor’s Cabinet. She has

held several other leadership positions at the Philadelphia Bar Association, including Treasurer, elected member of the Board of Governors, chair of the Law Practice Management Division, and chair of the Federal Courts, City Policy and Women in Profession Committees. She also is a Zone 1 Delegate to the House of Delegates of the Pennsylvania Bar Association.

Fineman Krekstein & Harris is a full­service law firm that represents clients in litigation, corporate transactions, estate and business planning, real estate transactions, land use matters, and regulatory agency and tax appeals. The firm has offices in Center City Philadelphia and Cherry Hill, New Jersey.

First Business Economic Survey of The Greater Milwaukee Region Shows Record Setting Sales and Capital Expenditure for 2015 The results of the annual First Business Economic Survey were released today at the Key Industries for Wisconsin in 2016 and Beyond in Brookfield, WI. Each fall, First Business takes the pulse of local businesses through an annual economic survey in the Greater Milwaukee Region, Southeast Wisconsin, Dane County, and Northeast Wisconsin. The survey focuses on the current year’s actual and next year’s predicted: sales revenue, total operating costs, capital expenditures, profitability, number of employee, changes in wages, and changes in pricing.

First Business has annually underwritten the survey to help business owners achieve a broad based and up­to­date understanding of the local business climate, which includes information that can be utilized in planning for the coming year.

"I’m pleased to see this year’s survey reflecting record setting sales and capital expenditures for 2015, and optimism for 2016 driven by improved internal efficiencies, increased marketing efforts, and investing in new talent," commented Dave Vetta, President & CEO of First Business Bank – Milwaukee. “These are good signs for everyone in the Greater Milwaukee Region.” the results of the annual First Business Economic Survey were released today at the Key Industries for Wisconsin in 2016 and Beyond in Brookfield, WI. Each fall, First Business takes the pulse of local businesses through an annual economic survey in the Greater Milwaukee Region, Southeast Wisconsin, Dane County, and Northeast Wisconsin. The survey focuses on the current year’s actual and next year’s predicted: sales revenue, total operating costs, capital expenditures, profitability, number of employee, changes in wages, and changes in pricing.

First Business has annually underwritten the survey to help business owners achieve a broad based and up­to­date understanding of the local business climate, which includes information that can be utilized in planning for the coming year.

"I’m pleased to see this year’s survey reflecting record setting sales and capital expenditures for 2015, and optimism for 2016 driven by improved internal efficiencies, increased marketing efforts, and investing in new talent," commented Dave Vetta, President & CEO of First Business Bank – Milwaukee. “These are good signs for everyone in the Greater Milwaukee Region.”

A summary of the Greater Milwaukee Wisconsin findings released at the Key Industries for Wisconsin in 2016 and Beyond event includes: ● 75% of respondents indicated that 2015 either lived up to expectations or was better than expected in terms of overall performance. ● In 2015, those who saw an increase in Actual Sales were at 72%, tying the precious year’s historic high. Furthermore, the percentage of respondents who saw a decrease in sales was just 11%, a new historic low. ● 54% of respondents saw an increase in Actual Profitability in 2015, down from 62%, the previous year’s historic high.

● ●

48% of respondents (a new historic high) increased their Actual Number of Employees in 2015.

73% of respondents saw Actual Wages increase in 2015 (a new historic high), and a new historic low 2% reported a decrease in Actual Wages. ● In 2015, 30% of respondents reported an increase in Actual Capital Expenditures (a significant decrease from the previous year’s historic high 59%), but those reporting a decrease were at a historic low 9%. ● The number of respondents who saw Actual Total Operating Cost as a Percentage of Revenue increase in 2015 was at 48%. ● 44% of respondents saw an Actual Pricing increase in 2015, down significantly from the previous year, and most (53%) saw prices remain the same.

The outlook for 2016 is very positive, very slightly below the record­breaking levels observed the previous year. Projected Sales and Profits are strong, with hiring expected to continue.

Download the full First Business Economic Survey Report for Greater Milwaukee Wisconsin at: www.firstbusiness.com/survey​ .

2015 First Business Economic Survey Results Released

First Business released the 2015 First Business Economic Survey Results for the Northeast Region today at the New North Summit. First Business gathers the insight of local business leaders through an annual economic survey in Northeast Wisconsin, Dane County, the Greater Milwaukee Area, and Kenosha/Racine/Walworth Counties.

The 2015 First Business Economic Survey was completed by 391 respondents in four regions in Wisconsin, with 62 coming from the Northeast Region. Respondents self­reported their industry; 30% were in Professional Services, 26% in Manufacturing, 10% in Non­Profit, and others represented Retail, Food and Beverage, High Tech/Biotech and other sectors.

“The findings in the survey confirm much of what companies were feeling in 2015. The opportunities to grow are available with the largest constraint to this growth being access to a capable workforce,” said Mickey Noone, President – Northeast of First Business Bank. “The indications for 2016 are encouraging as efforts for increase capital purchases remains high which should lead to higher levels of capacity and productivity.”

A summary of the Northeast Wisconsin findings released at the New North Summit includes: ­65% of respondents indicated that 2015 either lived up to expectations or was better than expected in terms of overall performance. ­ Actual Sales saw a decline from the historic high of 64% of respondents who saw an increase in sales in 2014 to a still­strong 58% who saw an increase in 2015. Optimism remains very strong; 78% expect a further increase in Projected Sales for 2016. ­46% of respondents saw an increase in Actual Profitability in 2015, down from 54%, the previous year’s historic high. ­Down from 2014’s historic high of 50%, 31% of respondents increased their Actual Number of Employees. ­67% of respondents saw Actual Wages increase in 2015, and a new historic low 2% reported a decrease in Actual Wages ­34% of respondents reported an increase in Actual Capital Expenditures but those reporting a decrease were at a historic low 16%. ­The number of respondents who saw Actual Total Operating Cost as a Percentage of Revenue increase in 2015 was at 40%, just two points above the historic low.

­41% of respondents reported utilizing more than 90% of operating capacity. 33% utilized between 70­90%, while 26% % utilized less than 70% of operating capacity.

The outlook for 2016 is very positive, though not at the record­breaking levels observed the previous year.

Projected Sales and Profits are strong, with hiring expected to continue at a higher rate and no layoffs expected.

About First Business First Business Financial Services, Inc. (Nasdaq: ​ FBIZ​ ) is a Wisconsin­based bank holding company, focused on the unique needs of businesses, business executives, and high net worth individuals. First Business offers commercial banking, specialty finance, and private wealth management solutions, and because of its niche focus, is able to provide its clients with unmatched expertise, accessibility, and responsiveness.

FIRST FINANCIAL APPOINTS JOHN First Financial Corporate Services, Inc. (FFCSI), an independent provider of equipment leasing and financial solutions, today announces the hiring of John Sandoval to serve in a dual role as Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer.

Mr. Sandoval will be responsible for the daily finance and operations of the company, and will further assist in the company’s continued growth plans.

Mr. Sandoval joins First Financial with over 25 years of leasing, finance, and strategic business development experience. He most recently served as Executive Vice President of CHG­MERIDIAN USA where he helped start and grow the US & Canadian operations of CHG­MERIDIAN. “We are extremely pleased to have someone with John’s experience and leadership capabilities as our new CFO and COO,” said Tom Slevin, Co­Founder and Co­President. “He will be a great complement to our existing team.”

Prior to joining First Financial, Mr. Sandoval was responsible for nearly all facets of the US operations at CHG­MERIDIAN USA. He also helped grow two other start­up operations during his career, including Bank of the West Direct Bank Equipment Leasing Group, and City National Bank Equipment Leasing. He is a graduate of the University of Colorado with degrees in Finance and Economics, and holds an MBA from the University of Southern California where he focused on Entrepreneurship and Marketing.

“John is a seasoned leasing and banking veteran with a superb track record in financial and strategic management,” said Richard Stebbins, Co­Founder and Co­President. “He has a keen understanding of operations, which will help us implement greater efficiencies and drive sustainable results.”

About First Financial Corporate Services, Inc. For more than 15 years, FFCSI has been a trusted provider of healthcare, IT, and material handling equipment leasing to commercial clients and hospitals throughout the U.S. FFCSI delivers flexible and cost­effective financing solutions for a broad range of equipment types, designed to help its clients manage equipment lifecycles and maximize the cost­effectiveness of capital acquisitions.

Headquartered in Southern California, First Financial has multiple regional office locations across the U.S. and Canada including Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, New Jersey, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Francisco, Seattle, and Ontario, Canada. For additional information,

FIRST FINANCIAL HIRES MURRAY PICKREM AS VICE PRESIDENT OF SALES AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT First Financial Corporate Services, Inc. (FFCSI), an independent provider of equipment leasing and financial solutions, today announces Murray Pickrem has joined the company as Regional Vice President with a focus in the material handling industry. Managing a new office located in Orlando, FL, Pickrem will be responsible for expanding and supporting the company’s MHE corporate portfolio throughout the Southeast.

Pickrem brings a wealth of industry experience to First Financial, having spent more than 20 years working with companies such as Siemens, Exide, ACT, and The Raymond Corporation Group of Companies.

Through his extensive roles in sales management and national account sales, Murray was instrumental in acquiring numerous national corporate accounts, developing new business opportunities and creating customized solutions to meet customer needs.

“We’re excited to welcome Pickrem to our team, especially as we are experiencing a year of growth and expansion,” said David Sanborne, National Sales Manager and Senior Vice President. “Given his proven track record in sales and management within the material handling industry, Pickrem will be a huge asset to our company, the clients we serve, and those were are developing.”

Headquartered in Southern California, First Financial has multiple regional office locations across the U.S. and Canada including Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, New Jersey, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Francisco, Seattle, and Ontario, Canada. Pickrem will work out the Orlando office, and can be reached directly at 863­224­4995 or mpickrem@ffcsi.com.

About First Financial Corporate Services, Inc. For more than 15 years, FFCSI has been a trusted provider of healthcare, IT, and material handling equipment leasing to commercial clients and hospitals throughout the U.S. FFCSI delivers flexible and cost­effective financing solutions for a broad range of equipment types, designed to help its clients manage equipment lifecycles and maximize the cost­effectiveness of capital acquisitions. For additional information,

First National Capital Provides $2.6 Million Operating Lease for Multiple Cranes

First National Capital Corporation (FNCC), a full­service commercial equipment and aviation finance provider, has announced that they have funded a package of large mobile cranes for one of largest crane operators in the United States.

The customer stated that "After looking into multiple other proposals, FNCC was able to deliver aggressive pricing while still being able to customize the structure to meet our specific cash flow and covenant management needs. FNCC's willingness to listen and respond to our unique requirements was a clear differentiator for FNCC amongst it's competitors".

With offices in Foothill Ranch, California; Houston, Texas; and Nashville, Tennessee, First National Capital Corporation provides cost­effective equipment finance and leasing solutions to a wide range of capital­intensive industries including aviation, construction, manufacturing, energy and mining, healthcare, technology, retail and wholesale. The Company's unique capital structure allows it to provide an aggressive cost of funds to a very diversified range of credit profiles.

First National Capital Posts Record Funded Volume in Second Quarter

National Capital Corporation (FNCC), a full­service commercial equipment and aviation finance provider, has announced that the company posted a "best quarter ever" record $85.8 million in funded volume for the second quarter of 2014.

Keith Duggan President and CEO stated, “We are extremely proud of our 2014 year­to­date results, especially our record second quarter volume, this despite the greatly increased levels of competition in the marketplace." Duggan went on to say, "I am pleased that we were able to successfully differentiate ourselves and continue to add value for our customers. Helping fuel FNCC’s record growth was our continued focus on state­of­the­art customer care initiatives along with commitment to the vertical markets we serve.”

"I want to thank our employees, customers and business partners for their ongoing commitment to FNCC which has enabled us to report another outstanding sales and financial performance."

With offices in Foothill Ranch, California; Houston, Texas; and Seattle, Washington, First National Capital Corporation provides cost­effective equipment finance and leasing solutions to a wide range of capital­intensive industries, including aviation, construction, manufacturing, energy and mining, transportation and private equity sponsored companies. The Company’s unique capital structure allows us to provide an aggressive cost of funds to a more diversified range of credit profiles.

First Niagara and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Syracuse Celebrate Grant with Some Friendly Competition The Boys & Girls Clubs of Syracuse is pleased to announce that it has been selected by First Niagara to receive a grant for $20,000 and what better way to celebrate than to hold an obstacle course for both the kids and bank leaders. The funding will help the organization continue its mission to inspire and enable all young people in the Syracuse area to realize their full potential as productive, responsible and caring citizens.

“First Niagara has a long history of supporting the Boys & Girls Clubs of Syracuse,” said senior vice president and market executive David Kavney. “This organization is instrumental in helping children and teens with critical issues such as educational and career development, and health and life skills.”

“We deeply appreciate First Niagara’s longstanding commitment to our organization and mission, said Derrick Dorsey, executive director for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Syracuse. “This grant will provide learning tools which help promote financial literacy and money management skills for our teen members.”

About First Niagara: First Niagara, through its wholly owned subsidiary, First Niagara Bank, N.A., is a multi­state community­oriented bank with approximately 410 branches, $38 billion in assets, $28 billion in deposits, and approximately 5,800 employees. It provides financial services to individuals, families and businesses across

New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Massachusetts. For more information, visit​ www.firstniagara.com or contact Helen Tederous, Corporate Communications at (716) 697­2335 or at Helen.Tederous @fnfg.com.

About Boys & Girls Clubs of Syracuse: Since 1892, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Syracuse has empowered thousands of young people most in need to achieve great futures as productive, caring, responsible citizens. The organization serves 1200 youth (ages 6­19) annually at four city locations (East Fayette Street, Shonnard Street, Hamilton Street and Central Village) and Huntington K­8 School. The clubs provide a safe environment, caring adult mentors, fun, friendship and high impact youth development programs during critical non­school hours. Priority programs emphasize academic success, good character and citizenship, and healthy lifestyles

Money Magazine Selects First Niagara as Best Regional Bank Headquartered in Northeast MONEY Magazine has named First Niagara Group (NASDAQ:FNFG) the best bank in the Northeast in its just­released “Best Banks in America 2015­2016” rankings.

In achieving the top ranking, MONEY cited First Niagara’s Pinnacle Plus Checking, emphasizing the wallet­friendly feature of allowing customers to avoid fees when using ATMs in the U.S. and Canada.

MONEY selected the Best Banks in America after surveying “the 50 largest brick­and­mortar banks and the 25 largest online banks by consumer deposits.” The national personal finance publication asked banks to verify information about account terms, ATM networks, branch hours, mobile­app features, and other perks.

MONEY then chose the best banks “based largely on maintenance fees and ease of waiving them, ATM fees, and checking account yields; savings account yields, preferential loan terms, ATM­fee reimbursements, and geographic reach were considered tiebreakers.” Full coverage of MONEY’s Best Banks in America survey is available at http://time.com/money/4079923/best­regional­banks­northeast­first­niagara­2015/?xid=tcoshare “We have made a company­wide commitment to customer service that makes banking with First Niagara fast, easy, simple and secure,” said Mark Rendulic, Head of Consumer Financial Services. “We place our customers and their needs first, in everything we do. This ranking marks the latest recognition of the investments we’ve made to enhance the customer experience, as well as our on­going efforts to position First Niagara as a leader in the banking industry.”

Earlier this year, customers ranked First Niagara in the top 5 of American Bankerand the Reputation Institute’s U.S. Bank Reputation Survey. And in a recent J.D. Power Survey, 92% of First Niagara’s branch customers said that they would be “likely advocates” of First Niagara as a banking partner to their friends and family – a result that puts First Niagara among top financial institutions with best­in­class customer experience.

First Niagara is the only 2015­16 MONEY Magazine Best Bank that is headquartered in Upstate New York or any one of the company’s seven regional markets in the Northeast United States: Western New York, Central New York, Eastern New York, Tri­State, Western Pennsylvania, Eastern Pennsylvania and New England.

About First Niagara First Niagara, through its wholly owned subsidiary, First Niagara Bank, N.A., is a multi­state community­oriented bank with approximately 390 branches, $39 billion in assets, $29 billion in deposits, and approximately 5,400 employees providing financial services to individuals, families and businesses across New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Massachusetts

Flagstar Bank Hires Commercial Banking Veteran, Drew Ottaway

Andrew W. (Drew) Ottaway has joined Flagstar Bank, Troy, as executive vice president and managing director of Lending. In this capacity, Ottaway will be responsible for all non­mortgage lending, including commercial real estate, large corporate lending, middle market, and warehouse lending. Additional areas of responsibility will include consumer finance, equipment finance, government banking, treasury management, and strategic alliances.

“We are pleased to have someone with Drew's strong experience, Michigan background, and professionalism join Flagstar in this very important role,” said Alessandro DiNello, president and CEO of Flagstar. “Building the bank's balance sheet will be critical to the continued diversification of our earnings, and Drew will play a big part in that effort.”

Ottaway brings over 25 years of banking experience in Southeast Michigan, focused primarily in commercial lending and credit administration. He held several leadership roles at Comerica Bank, most recently serving as senior vice president and chief credit officer for Wealth Management and the Retail Bank. He began his career at the National Bank of Detroit.

He has been involved in the community as a board member and volunteer with organizations such as Boys Hope Girls Hope, Paint the Town, and Junior Achievement of Southeastern Michigan. Professional affiliations have included the Risk Management Association, Turnaround Management Association, and the ESOP Association.

He earned a B.A. degree from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, and an M.B.A in Finance locally from the University of Detroit.

Flagstar Bank Hires Commercial Banking Veteran, Drew Ottaway Andrew W. (Drew) Ottaway has joined Flagstar Bank, Troy, as executive vice president and managing director of Lending. In this capacity, Ottaway will be responsible for all non­mortgage lending, including commercial real estate, large corporate lending, middle market, and warehouse lending. Additional areas of responsibility will include consumer finance, equipment finance, government banking, treasury management, and strategic alliances.

“We are pleased to have someone with Drew's strong experience, Michigan background, and professionalism join Flagstar in this very important role,” said Alessandro DiNello, president and CEO of Flagstar. “Building the bank's balance sheet will be critical to the continued diversification of our earnings, and Drew will play a big part in that effort.”

Ottaway brings over 25 years of banking experience in Southeast Michigan, focused primarily in commercial lending and credit administration. He held several leadership roles at Comerica Bank, most recently serving as senior vice president and chief credit officer for Wealth Management and the Retail Bank. He began his career at the National Bank of Detroit.

He has been involved in the community as a board member and volunteer with organizations such as Boys Hope Girls Hope, Paint the Town, and Junior Achievement of Southeastern Michigan. Professional affiliations have included the Risk Management Association, Turnaround Management Association, and the ESOP Association.

He earned a B.A. degree from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, and an M.B.A in Finance locally from the University of Detroit.

About Flagstar

Flagstar Bancorp, Inc. (NYSE: FBC) is a $12.5 billion savings and loan holding company headquartered in Troy, Mich. Flagstar Bank, FSB, the largest bank headquartered in Michigan, provides commercial, small business, and consumer banking services through 99 branches in the state. It also provides home loans through a wholesale network of brokers and correspondents in all 50 states, as well as through 14 retail centers in 10 states. Flagstar is the 10th largest national originator of mortgage loans and a top 20 mortgage servicer, handling payments and record keeping for over $74.3 billion home loans for nearly 370,000 borrowers.

Flagstar Bank Signs Naming Rights Agreement For Historic Strand Theatre in Pontiac, Mich.

Flagstar Bank and Encore Performing Arts Center today announced that Flagstar will be the naming rights partner of the historic Strand Theatre located at 12 N. Saginaw St., in downtown Pontiac. The venue will be named the Flagstar Strand Theatre for the Performing Arts and is slated to open in mid­2016. Encore Performing Arts Center, a 501 (c)(3) charitable organization, will direct all theater operations and programming.

The historic theater, which opened for vaudeville acts in 1921, is undergoing a $20­million­dollar transformation into a premier destination for live entertainment, education, and the performing arts. With 846 permanent theater­style seats, the Flagstar Strand Theatre will offer superior sight lines and acoustics, premier food and beverage selections from Slows Bar­B­Q, valet parking, and other amenities for guest comfort and convenience. The Flagstar Strand will feature a diverse mix of national touring shows and artists from all genres of music, theatrical productions, comedy, and family entertainment.

“We’re excited about helping to renovate and preserve this architectural gem in Pontiac,” said Alessandro DiNello, president & CEO of Flagstar Bank. “We love the fact that the Flagstar Strand is designed to be more than an entertainment destination. There’s a whole community aspect to it with arts and educational programming focusing on children and seniors that was very appealing to us. And as a major employer with our headquarters in Oakland County, getting involved in all the great things happening in Pontiac was a slam dunk for us.”

“This is an ideal partnership,” said Bill Lee, president & CEO of Encore. “Our shared initiatives of community, education, and the redevelopment of downtown Pontiac resonate to the collective core of this project, while providing a broad array of live entertainment to a wide and diverse audience base,” said Lee. With comfort, convenience, and great shows, the Flagstar Strand Theatre will offer a one­of­a­kind live entertainment experience for all of our guests.”

The naming rights agreement gives Flagstar high visibility through signage on the marquee, box office, VIP lounge, and other prominent locations inside and outside the theater, as well as name and logo placement on all theater branding. Other benefits of the relationship include founding partner status as well as community engagement and educational outreach opportunities and promotions.

About Flagstar Flagstar Bancorp, Inc. (NYSE: FBC) is a $12.1 billion savings and loan holding company headquartered in Troy, Mich. Flagstar Bank, FSB, the largest bank headquartered in Michigan, provides commercial, small business, and consumer banking services through 100 branches in the state. It also provides home loans through a wholesale network of brokers and correspondents in all 50 states, as well as through 13 retail centers in nine states. Flagstar is the 10th largest national originator of mortgage loans and a top 20

mortgage servicer, handling payments and record keeping for over $76 billion of home loans for nearly 380,000 borrowers. For more information, please visit flagstar.com.

About The Strand Theatre for the Performing Arts The Strand Theatre for the Performing Arts in downtown Pontiac will be a premier destination for live entertainment, education, and the performing arts. Ideally designed with 846 luxury seats, the historic Strand will provide a unique and extraordinary entertainment experience from every seat with intimate sight lines, pure state of the art acoustics, and premier food and beverage selections provided by the award winning Slows Bar­B­Q. Shows at The Strand will consist of a diverse and plentiful mix of the world’s finest and well­known artists and performers from various genres to include classical, jazz, contemporary, rock, classic rock, blues, gospel, Christian, R&B, country, theatrical productions, comedy, and family entertainment.

Fleet Financing Resources Renew and Increase Vendor Program Agreement with Wells Fargo Equipment Finance, Inc.

Fleet Financing Resources, LLC. (FFR), announced today that they have renewed their vendor program financing agreement with Wells Fargo Equipment Finance Inc. (WFEFI). Initiated in 2003, funded volume of the program exceeds $210 million; the renewal also includes a $11 million increase in the total discretionary guidance amount.

“Of the various lending partners with whom we have forged funding platforms, we highly value the solid relationship with Wells Fargo Equipment Finance and are grateful for the increase in the facility to $85 million. $45 million of the total is provided via a combination of Ultimate Net Loss and Recourse Pools” reported Dave Reynolds, President and CEO of Fleet Financing Resources. “WFEFI continues to be a premier partner as a result of their outstanding servicing and overall partnership excellence.”

FFR, a national lender, manages a current portfolio receivable of $135 million in titled transportation equipment including motor coaches, buses of all sizes, school transportation, vocational trucks, and all livery related vehicles.

Fleet Financing Resources Reports 1Q Earnings with Originations Up 22% Fleet Financing Resources (FFR) reports strong growth in first quarter volume. For the period ending March 31, 2015, as compared to 1Q 2014, funded volume was up 22% at $12.5 million. Additionally, Interest Income increased by 10% while Net Income went up 17%.

FFR’s President and CEO Dave Reynolds comments for expansion: we are very happy with our first quarter results as it is always our lightest volume quarter. Return on volume has decreased to 6.8% from 7.5% the prior year, putting us in the same rate compression boat as the majority of the industry.

FFR, a national lender, manages a current portfolio receivable of $130 million in titled transportation equipment including motor coaches, buses of all sizes, school transportation, vocational trucks, and all livery related vehicles.

Fora Financial Continues on the Path for Rapid Growth

Company continues to grow by implementing new technologies to provide funding to small businesses with transparency, security and protection from fraud NEW YORK, NY – February 25, 2015 – Fora Financial, provider of flexible, working capital solutions to small businesses, has grown very quickly year after year since it first opened its doors in 2008. And 2014 was no different. In terms of the total amount funded, the Company grew by more than 44 percent. Fora Financial also increased the number of businesses funded and the amount of total transactions by approximately 35 percent. By the end of 2014, its staff grew to 87 people.

Fora Financial will continue to work hard in 2015 to provide flexible small business loans and merchant funding to small businesses in need of financing to sustain or grow their enterprise.

Why so much growth? In addition to its proven track record of helping small business owners realize their dreams, management at Fora Financial believes a contributor to the high rate of growth in 2014 was the introduction of major technology initiatives that provide customers with both what they want and need. The Company introduced new third­party technology solutions to its proprietary software that utilize proven and trusted bank notification and customer user ID verification systems. These systems help create a faster processing time while also providing customers with an even greater sense of security and protection from fraud.

As with any year, the Company had its challenges and triumphs. In the case of 2014, its greatest challenge was how it could continue growing and helping more small businesses as it was getting closer to exceeding its sources of business funding. As a solution, Fora Financial worked hard to identify and secure additional funding.In 2014, the Company established a relationship with a state charted bank, allowing it to offer small business loans in 49 states. In November, it extended its senior credit facility and secured working capital financing needed to achieve its continued growth plans through mid 2016. The company also welcomed a community­based, full­service bank with assets of more than $6.5 billion as a business­funding partner.

Last but not least, the people at Fora Financial are extremely proud of being honored as 2014 Financial Services Company of the Year and Gold Stevie Award® Winner in the 2014 American Business Awards.

The Company was also recognized by Inc. Magazine in its annual Inc. 500/5000 list, ranking as the 659th fastest­growing company and ranked 40th for the fastest growing financial services company in the United States. These honors are acknowledgements of the great amount of time and effort the team invests every day in making the Company the most innovative and transparent firm in the industry to help fund small business owners nationwide.

Fora Financial will continue to work hard in 2015 to provide flexible small business loans and merchant funding to small businesses in need of financing to sustain or grow their enterprise. The Company will also continue to place a high value on trust, transparency, and provide businesses with quick, customized financial solutions utilizing its state­of­the­art technology platforms.

Fora Financial's Mallinger an Industry Pioneer, Earns Certified Lease Professional Status

Fora Financial, provider of flexible, working capital solutions to small businesses, announces that Andrew Mallinger, Vice President of Strategic Partnerships at the firm, has attained the Certified Lease Professional (CLP) designation.

I decided to take the exam because it gives me a much better understanding of challenges and opportunities in the equipment leasing arena,” said Mallinger. “It also helps me to understand how our working capital solutions at Fora Financial can help our partners and clients reach their business objectives.

Mallinger is one of the first in the working capital industry to attain the CLP designation. There are currently only 223 CLPs in the world. The CLP designation identifies an individual as a knowledgeable professional to employers, clients, customers and peers in the equipment finance industry.

According to Fora Financial’s President and Founder Daniel Smith, “Andrew’s hard work and commitment to obtaining his CLP designation helps our company to maintain our leadership edge in the industry. If there is anything we can do to help our customers and partners—which include leasing professionals—to grow their businesses, I am in complete support.”

Recently, Fora Financial has substantially increased its presence in the equipment leasing space, increasing its number of deals 371% from 2013 to 2014, and increasing the amount of money advanced in those deals by 817%. Smith added, “Working closely with equipment leasing brokers and lenders has helped us to grow our business while expanding our reach significantly to help even more small businesses with their funding needs.”

Fora Financial is an active member in the National Equipment Finance Association (NEFA) and the National Association of Equipment Leasing Brokers (NAELB).

For more information on Fora Financial, please visit ​ www.forafinancial.com​ . For more information about the CLP designation, visit ​ www.clpfoundation.org​ .

Fora Financial offers flexible, working capital solutions to small businesses in need of financing to sustain or grow their enterprise. The Manhattan­based company places a high value on trust and transparency and provides businesses with quick, customized financial solutions utilizing its state­of­the­art technology platforms. Founded in June 2008, Fora Financial has a total of 90 employees who have provided almost $295 million to over 6,700 customers.

Forsythe Wins 2015 Nutanix Outstanding Innovation Partner of the Year Award

Forsythe, one of the largest independent IT integrators in North America, was selected by Nutanix as 2015 Outstanding Innovation Partner of the Year at the .NOW Partner Conference. The Partner of the Year Awards reward Nutanix partners that have made outstanding contributions to bringing Nutanix solutions to the market. Forsythe was selected to receive the Nutanix Outstanding Innovation Award based on its strength in helping enterprise­class clients with their hyper­converged infrastructure.

“Our partners are a critical component to our business success and Forsythe was instrumental in helping Nutanix break into key enterprise­class accounts,” said Chris Morgan, VP, Americas Channel and Distribution, Nutanix. “By combining Nutanix’s hyperconverged technology with complementary products and services, Forsythe helps address mission­critical, application­specific virtualized infrastructure and workload placement needs for our mutual clients. We’re pleased to recognize Forsythe for its contributions in helping to bring Nutanix solutions to the market.”

Forsythe also provides a wide range of solutions and services around hyperconverged and converged infrastructure, storage, systems compute, migration, data center strategy, cloud, hybrid data center, managed hosting, managed services and many others. Forsythe Data Centers offers private, secure data center suites that support the high density power and cooling needed to support hyperconverged, converged and private cloud technologies. The Forsythe Integration and Configuration Center (FICC), one of the largest vendor­independent facilities in the United States, is ISO 9000:2008 certified for consistent, documented, high­quality processes and services to configure, test and install equipment and software from more than 60 IT manufacturers and vendors including Nutanix.

“Forsythe is honored to be recognized for our work helping enterprise clients implement Nutanix solutions,” said Brian Peterson, Forsythe vice president of systems compute and enablement. “Nutanix’s innovative technology makes virtualization easier and accelerates the time­to­value for our clients by simplifying and speeding up infrastructure deployment as well as simplifying infrastructure management.”

About Forsythe Founded in 1971, ​ Forsythe​ is one of the largest independent IT integrators in North America, serving approximately 1,000 U.S. and Canada­based companies. Forsythe provides independent consulting, hosting solutions and technology financing, as well as IT products and services from leading IT infrastructure manufacturers and vendors. Clients come to Forsythe for help optimizing cost, managing risk, improving performance and enabling innovation within their IT and data center operations to deliver greater value to their business. Forsythe's experience crosses all facets of the data center. Forsythe is 100­percent employee­owned, with nearly 1,000 employees in 40 locations and more than $1 billion in annual revenues.

Forsythe Data Centers, Forsythe Hosting Solutions, Forsythe International Inc., Forsythe/McArthur Associates Inc., Forsythe Solutions Group Inc., Forsythe Technology Canada Inc., KillerIT, Meta7 and Synnefo Technology Solutions are wholly owned subsidiaries or divisions of Forsythe Technology Inc.

Meta7 Expands its Oracle Service Offerings

Meta7, the Oracle­focused, consulting­centric division of Forsythe, is pleased to announce expanded offerings to clients. Services include Architecture & Design, Engineered Systems & Appliances, Consolidation & Virtualization, Database Consulting and License Optimization as well as Infrastructure Solutions, Cloud Solutions and Financial Services for your Oracle hardware and software investments. Visit the new Meta7 ​ website​ for more details about Meta7’s offerings.

Meta7 is led by client and sales leader John Bonapace, a 25­year Oracle veteran, and consulting and solutions leader Paul Zajdel, an Oracle/Sun expert with more than 20 years in the industry, most recently at Oracle, and previously as former director of Forsythe’s Oracle/Sun practice.

"The impact on our customers' business and IT systems is exciting to see,” said Bonapace. “Since our April launch, we have engaged with clients on a number of projects. We are helping one client modernize their five­year­old infrastructure, bringing substantial cost savings, as well as security and performance

improvements. We are working with another to simplify their myriad Oracle platforms. The standardization will likely include use of the Oracle cloud."

"We are able to take on these projects and exceed clients’ expectations because of the excellent talent we have hired,” said Zajdel. “Our consultants have worked at some of Oracle's biggest customers, with huge investments of Oracle technology; they bring a wealth of experience to our clients. Combined with our strong relationship, we can vastly improve a client’s overall experience with their Oracle environment, and maximize their return."

Meta7, an Oracle Platinum Partner, also offers the benefit of a state­of­the­art, independent Technology Evaluation Center where clients can conduct proofs of concept, technology demonstrations, technology “bake­offs” and hands­on training.

About Meta7

Meta7 was launched in April 2015 to help clients maximize the value of their Oracle environment now and in the future. Meta7 is the Oracle­focused division of Forsythe

Investment in Equipment to Reach New High in 2015 Investment in new equipment is expected to hit an all­time high in 2015, according to a recent news release by the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association. Equipment purchasing activity has been steadily improving over the past twenty­four months with businesses acquiring equipment to gain both efficiencies and growth. Business managers are taking advantage of historically low interest rates and lenders are anxious to lend money to companies of all sizes.

Many businesses are considering accelerating their equipment acquisitions in the first half of 2015 in anticipation of a possible increase in interest rates by the Federal Reserve later in the year. Although no one can predict when rates may rise, the Fed has repeatedly indicated a willingness to take action if unemployment rates continue to fall and GDP shows further improvement. No matter when short term rates begin to increase, now is an excellent time to be buying capital equipment. Equipment prices remain reasonably low and borrowing costs are at near historically low levels. Businesses are thinking and acting long term and making moves to lock in their equipment financing now, rather than waiting and missing out on the current buying opportunities.

Navigating the capital markets requires a strong, knowledgeable partner. FSG Capital is a trusted financial partner that takes the time to fully understand its client’s needs and most importantly, is able to offer customized financing solutions that match short and long term goals. It is our past experiences and daily market engagement that set us apart from the competition and encourages our clients to build long lasting, mutually beneficial relationships with our team of advisors.

The Section 179 Deduction: Congressional Delays Continue Since its enactment in 1958, Section 179 of the Internal Revenue Code has provided small businesses with an important first year tax deduction for both new and used equipment acquisitions. By claiming an upfront

tax deduction for the cost of equipment, a business is able to reduce its overall equipment carrying cost through an acceleration of its tax benefit.

For much of its history, Section 179 provided relatively small deduction limits of less than $25,000 annually.

However, beginning in 2003, Congress began increasing the Section 179 expense limit in response to continuing recessionary fears. In 2003, the Section 179 limit was increased from $25,000 to $100,000. In 2008, the limit was again increased to $250,000. Since 2010, the Section 179 limit has been established at $500,000 with the limit phased out when capital expenditures for a year exceed $2 million. Such increases in the deduction limit have been made as part of the annual ‘tax extenders’ legislation whereby Congress regularly extends 55 different tax breaks for both business and individual taxpayers.

Congress has yet to pass tax extender legislation for 2014. As a result, the Section 179 deduction limit reverted to only $25,000 beginning January 1, 2014. This represents a very significant curtailment in tax benefits for small businesses. Congressional inaction has likewise resulted in a high degree of uncertainty for businesses making equipment purchase decisions with respect to the resulting tax benefits. While in June 2014, the House passed HR 4457, America’s Small Business Tax Relief Act of 2014, which permanently extends the Section 179 deduction limit at $500,000 annually, the Senate has yet to pass any extender legislation in spite of bipartisan calls for such action. The current administration has rejected the permanent nature of the House bill extension demanding that revenue offsets must be in place to cover the approximate 10­year cost of $70 billion.

So, where does that leave us? Most Congressional commentators remain very bullish that tax extender legislation for 2014 will ultimately be passed, albeit not until late in the year (e.g., immediately before November elections). Such a late year extension will necessitate retroactive effect to January 1, 2014. While lawmakers will surely pat themselves on the back for bestowing the continuation of decades­old tax benefits, they will ignore the practical effect of the uncertainty they have created for the American taxpayer through their delay.

While the reinstatement of the Section 179 deduction limit to $500,000 is one consideration in a small business owner’s equipment acquisition decision, it is certainly not the most important. The impact of greater capacity and/or capabilities on sales growth and operating efficiencies remains the principal consideration for most business owners when making a new investment. Through the first half of 2014, we have seen greater optimism of businesses reflected in their buying patterns and continued increases in equipment acquisitions, in spite of the delays surrounding the higher Section 179 deduction limit.

Meet Your Digital Twin: Internet For The Body Is Coming And These Engineers Are Building It November isn’t the best time to visit Helsinki. But the gloom that envelops the Finnish capital every autumn didn’t stop some 15,000 visitors from descending on​ Slush​ , one of the world’s largest tech gatherings, which drew 1,700 startups this year as well as Google, Nokia and GE. This shouldn’t be surprising. Although there are only 5.4 million Finns, they’ve had an outsized influence on the technology of our modern lives. Finland, after all, is the home of the open­source operating system Linux as well as Nokia, which set off the explosive growth of mobile communications. “We have a tradition of working together,” says Peter Vesterbacka, co­founder of Rovio, the company behind Angry Birds, who helped start Slush in 2008. “Maybe it has something to do with our cold winter. If you don’t get your house built, you’ll die.”

GE is tapping into this spirit. Last year, the company’s healthcare business opened the Health Innovation Village, a startup incubator that is helping 26 local companies develop products tied to healthcare and

medicine. The Village just partnered with the U.S.­based StartUp Health, the world’s largest digital health hub, which opened its first international location in Helsinki in November.

But GE is also using local brainpower to change the face of medicine by moving healthcare ​ into the cloud​ .

Its engineers in Helsinki are specifically looking at patient monitoring. They are building wireless tools that could one day be no larger than a Band­Aid and constantly stream heartbeat, blood pressure, respiration and other information into the cloud, where software could analyze it, alert doctors to anomalies and looming crises, and effectively create our ​ digital twins​ .

“The same transformation that happened with mobile phones is taking place in patient monitoring,” says Erno Muuranto, the engineer leading the effort. “The world is going wireless and wearable. We could run hospitals like smart factories. Wireless sensors and data analytics will help correctly diagnose patients in the ambulance. It will allow us to administer correct treatment faster, which could lead to faster discharge. It will also allow us to monitor people remotely from home. All of this will help improve care and costs.

Clarke Energy Deploys GE’s First 616 Diesel Engine in Queensland, Australia, for Local Power Station Backup Power Project

Diamantina Power Station (DPS) in the city of Mt. Isa in the Australian state of Queensland has selected Clarke Energy to supply and install the country’s first highly efficient 2.6­megawatt (MW) 616 diesel engine from GE’s Distributed Power business (NYSE: GE). GE’s 616 diesel unit will help give the station needed “black start” capabilities to allow the plant to return to service in the event of a system outage.

DPS operates in an isolated regional grid that is not connected to the National Electricity Market. The Mount Isa region is affected by high levels of lightning activity during summer that can interrupt power supplies. As a result, the new black start capability is critically important to this regional network.

The DPS site, which is jointly owned by APA Group and AGL Energy, includes a 242­MW natural gas combined­cycle power station and the adjacent, 60­MW Leichhardt Power Station (LPS)—an open cycle, dual­fueled gas turbine plant that provides backup power with “black start capabilities.” The need for the 616 unit is to ensure that black start is available under any circumstance as the loss of this facility would impose serious difficulties for the region in the event of a system black out. The GE 616 will be used as a black start diesel unit for the combined­cycle power plant.

“We selected Clarke Energy to supply and install the black start capability due to the high reliability of GE’s 616 diesel engine and local presence of Clarke Energy,” said DPS Manager Mark Magnowski. “This project will help secure the current and future power supply needs of North West Queensland.”

“The deployment of GE’s 616 engine will enable DPS to have a reliable, efficient and dependable black start capability,” said Greg Columbus, Clarke Energy managing director. Clarke Energy is GE’s authorized distributor of diesel and natural gas engines in Australia.

With Clarke Energy providing excellent local project development and life cycle services, GE continues to rapidly expand its diesel and natural gas engine technology offerings in Australia, providing customers

needing electricity for their operations on or off the grid with reliable, efficient power generated by engines that can run on diesel or a wide variety of fuels, from natural gas and biogas to coal seam gas. The company also provides mechanical drive and gas compression products with GE’s Waukesha gas engines.

“Being able to work with Clarke Energy to offer GE’s 616 diesel engine technology, which will provide black start capabilities at the Diamantina Power Station, highlights the important role that distributed energy technologies are playing in strengthening local energy security,” said Bart Simes, regional manager for GE’s Distributed Power business. “This project helps show the global utility sector needs a full range of natural gas and diesel solutions to ensure the availability of their power plants worldwide.”

The 616 unit is scheduled to be delivered in June 2016 and enter commercial service in August 2016.

In April 2015, GE announced Clarke Energy would serve as GE’s first authorized distributor for diesel engine sales and services with responsibility for stationary power generation in Australia as well as Nigeria and India.

About Clarke Energy

Clarke Energy is a leader in the engineering design, installation and long­term maintenance of gas engine­based power plants. The company is the authorised distributor and service provider for GE’s Jenbacher gas engines in 17 countries. Clarke Energy employs over 1,000 staff and has over 4,800 MW of Jenbacher generation equipment installed in its operational areas.

Follow Clarke Energy on Twitter ​ @ClarkeEnergy ​ and on ​ LinkedIn​ or ​ Facebook​ .

About GE’s Distributed Power Business

GE Power’s Distributed Power business is a leading provider of engines, power equipment and services focused on generating power at or near the point of use. Distributed Power offers a diverse product portfolio that includes highly efficient, fuel­flexible, industrial gas engines generating 100 kW to 10 MW of power for numerous industries globally. In addition, the business provides life cycle support for more than 35,000 gas engines worldwide to help you meet your business challenges and success metrics— anywhere and anytime. Backed by our authorized service providers in more than 170 countries, GE‘s global service network connects with you locally for rapid response to your service needs. GE’s Distributed Power business is headquartered in Jenbach, Austria.

About GE

GE (NYSE: GE) is the world’s Digital Industrial Company, transforming industry with software­defined machines and solutions that are connected, responsive and predictive. GE is organized around a global exchange of knowledge, the "GE Store," through which each business shares and accesses the same technology, markets, structure and intellect. Each invention further fuels innovation and application across our industrial sectors. With people, services, technology and scale, GE delivers better outcomes for customers by speaking the language of industry. ​ www.ge.com

About GE Power

GE Power is a world leader in power generation with deep domain expertise to help customers deliver electricity from a wide spectrum of fuel sources. We are transforming the electricity industry with the digital power plant, the world’s largest and most efficient gas turbine, full balance of plant, upgrade and service solutions as well as our data­leveraging software. Our innovative technologies and digital offerings help make power more affordable, reliable, accessible and sustainable.

BeiGene selects GE’s FlexFactory™ biomanufacturing platform for pilot cGMP production facility in China

GE Healthcare’s Life Sciences business​ and ​ BeiGene, Ltd​ . today announced that BeiGene has selected GE’s FlexFactory​ ™ biomanufacturing platform for its first current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) biomanufacturing facility in Suzhou, China. Currently under construction, the facility is expected to be operational by 2017.

BeiGene is a clinical­stage biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing innovative, molecularly­targeted and immuno­oncological drugs that address severe unmet medical needs in a variety of cancer indications. ​ Announced in August 2015​ , the company’s new pilot­scale facility will manufacture monoclonal antibodies in its biologics pipeline for clinical trial use.

Predominantly based on single­use technologies, the integrated FlexFactory platform installed at the Suzhou facility will help Beigene to significantly reduce the build­up and commissioning time and help to increase the speed to global markets, including the United States, Europe and China.

John V. Oyler, Chief Executive Officer, BeiGene, said: “We’re excited to be working with GE in connection with our new pilot production facility as we seek to accelerate and expand our development programs. GE’s FlexFactory gives us the speed, flexibility and quality that allows us to continue to focus on developing global, potentially best­in­class drugs for various cancer treatments.”

Olivier Loeillot, General Manager, Commercial BioProcess Asia, GE Healthcare Life Sciences, said: “BeiGene is an outstanding exponent of the new wave of exciting biopharma companies coming out of China. Their need to accelerate the development pathway and then reach the market quickly, coupled with a desire to meet global regulatory standards, is something GE is well­placed to support. Not just with the exceptional scalability and applicability of the FlexFactory, but with all the accompanying support for validation, training, and service.”

We want answers but ask for data: Rethinking business intelligence

Too often we see decision makers take the wrong approach to decision making. If we want timely, insight­driven decisions to be the norm, we need to educate executives at all levels on how to ask questions, not ask for data or technology. Combining better processes and smart tools with a shift in skills and

resources, and greater use of personalization, will increase the speed to insight, enable more effective decisions, and reduce the cost of business operations.

In this series we will explore how enterprises can transform the impact data and analytics can have on decision making.

The problem When business executives need to decide on a course of action they typically ask IT for an extract or report from a central system, maybe the ERP or the data warehouse, and then use the data to prove an underlying belief about the cause or effect of a situation. These beliefs are based on experience but may not reflect the underlying truth that only a deeper interpretation of the data can reveal. As Malcom Gladwell outlines in Blink, we all rely on our unconscious mind to make decisions, but when it comes to complex, infrequent, or critical decisions, intuition will not deliver the best outcome.

Let me give you an example: Do you think the senior executives at 20th​ ​ Century Fox used intuition or insight to sign over product merchandising rights for all Star Wars films to George Lucas in return for a cut to his studio pay check in 1977? That decision is believed to have cost the studio billions of dollars, as the franchise grew and revenues from merchandise outstripped those from cinema viewings and content licensing.

An alternative approach As analytics, and in particular predictive analytics, becomes more prevalent, business executives are hearing of new ways to gain more insightful information for better business decision making. Big data, cloud, the internet of things, data visualization, agile—they all have a role to play, but the key element is the process, especially the start and end points.

By shifting the point at which the business engages with technology and combining traditionally separate functional teams we believe that we can rewire the analytics process and reimagine the way businesses industrialize decision making.

Meeting the challenges of model risk management In our risk management assessment study, 100% of the CROs we surveyed agreed that increased regulations are a key issue for risk management in financial services. Data management, data governance, and data quality—especially when related to risk reporting—are very topical. Fraud is another area seeing a lot of focus, especially in the area of operations risk, where it becomes much more difficult to quantify and manage as banks move to online channels.

Essentially, what this means is that, while obligations to comply with regulations are increasing, the banks' book size is not following at the same pace—hence the costs to manage these are putting pressure on the banks. Data quality, inefficient reporting, and fragmented systems add to the difficulty, not just from a compliance perspective but also from a business perspective. Because of a lack of proactive risk management, resources and spend get diverted to regulatory compliance. For most banks, the cost of managing risk has increased by 25% in the last three years. And while costs increase, significant time is spent on non­strategic activities—22% of risk managers' time is spent on data management, cleansing, and reconciliation, and another 22% is spent on risk reporting for internal use. There is, therefore, a need for banks to think of alternative ways to manage their spend and increase efficiency in order to keep pace with regulatory compliance issues.

As a function, model risk management is deeply affected by the above­mentioned challenges. There is now deeper scrutiny on work that is done—e.g., model documentation, model validation, relevance in the model, data in the model—which leads to increased MRAs (matters requiring attention) and MRIAs (matters

requiring increased attention). For an MRIA, typically we need to remediate processes, models, and documentation within 12 months; for an MRA, no later than 18 months. One of the main challenges here is the need to reconcile finance, risk, and treasury data, which is usually not available within banks at the same level of aggregation. Once this is integrated, there is a need to maintain standards of data—the processes need to be documented and the output of data monitoring needs to be tracked. There is a need to document all the technical decisions made: Why was one particular method chose instead of another? How is the model appropriate for the portfolio? Technical documentation has expanded to include far more than the model and its output. All of the above has led to increased demands for resource allocation to regulatory activities. Regulations such as CCAR and SR – 11 bring with them specific needs requiring greater expertise, data, time, resources, and transparency of modeling processes.

Meeting these challenges means having core, niche expertise as well as an understanding of the tools and processes to assess risk. "Readymade" software brings a certain black box approach that limits the scope of model validation— one needs to balance this approach. There is a need not only to understand alternative methods and choices in model design, but also to understand and work with data.

You can view our ​ webinar​ on this topic here to understand this in greater detail. We give you detailed examples on how the solutions above have generated impact for our clients.

CFPB to DC Circuit: $109M Fine Against PHH Corp. Justified to Deter Bad Behavior In a response brief to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”) said that its recalculation of a fine against PHH Corporation that increased the penalty from $6.4 million to $109.2 million was justified to ensure that PHH did not “keep the fruits of its kickback scheme” and “encourage others to take advantage of areas of statutory uncertainty.”

The DC Circuit stayed the $109.2 million civil penalty against PHH Corporation while the mortgage lender appealed the CFPB decision announced in June 2015 by CFPB Director Richard Cordray.

The $109.2 million penalty was substantially more than the $6.4 million fine an Administrative Law Judge (“ALJ”) assessed against PHH in November 2014 for allegedly demanding that mortgage insurers purchase reinsurance from a PHH subsidiary. Cordray agreed with the ALJ’s findings — that PHH had engaged in a mortgage insurance kickback scheme under the Real Estate Settlement Proceedings Act (“RESPA”) — but disputed the ALJ’s disciplinary action, which assessed the $6.4 million penalty based on all mortgages that closed on or after July 21, 2008.

Instead, Cordray said that PHH should have been penalized for each payment it received as a purported kickback after July 21, 2008, which raised the penalty to $109.2 million. PHH was also ordered to make certain disclosures to the Bureau and abandon the captive reinsurance market for 15 years. Cordray then instituted an August 5, 2015, deadline for the company to pay the penalty.

PHH petitioned the D.C. Circuit to stay the August 5 payment deadline while the company appealed. PHH argued that complying with the CFPB’s order would irreparably harm its business because certain provisions of the Bureau’s order were “impermissibly vague.” In addition, PHH said the order would deprive the company of due process. PHH also contends that the CFPB is unconstitutional because its structure — with Cordray as the sole authority for final decisions — violates the separation of powers doctrine.

Final briefs in the case are due in mid­December with argument scheduled for next spring. A ruling is expected by the fall of 2016 in this closely­watched case that is the first test of the CFPB’s enforcement powers.

The attorneys at Glass & Goldberg in California provide high quality, cost­effective legal services and advice for clients in all aspects of commercial compliance, business litigation and transactional law. Call us at (818) 888­2220, send an email inquiry toinfo@glassgoldberg.com or visit us online at ​ glassgoldberg.com​ to learn more about the firm and to sign up for future newsletters.

U.S. Trustee Program Settles with Wells Fargo for Errors Affecting Homeowners in Bankruptcy

A $81.6 million settlement has been reached between the Department of Justice’s U.S. Trustee Program and Wells Fargo Bank N.A. over the bank’s failure to provide homeowners in bankruptcy with legally required mortgage payment change notices.

Wells Fargo acknowledged that it had failed to provide homeowners in Chapter 13 bankruptcy with payment change notices (PCNs) in a timely manner. The bank also said it had failed to perform escrow analyses for nearly 68,000 accounts of homeowners in bankruptcy between December 2, 2011, and March 31, 2015.

These failures violate Bankruptcy Rule 3002.1, which requires mortgage lenders and servicers to file and serve a notice 21 days before making any adjustments to a Chapter 13 debtor’s monthly mortgage payments. As part of the settlement agreement, Wells Fargo agreed to revise its internal processes and submit to compliance oversight by an independent reviewer. The settlement was filed in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Maryland, but affects homeowners in bankruptcy nationwide.

The $81.6 million settlement will be paid out as follows: ■ $53.6 million to over 42,000 homeowners whose payments increased without receipt of the required notice by Wells Fargo. Payment will be in the form of a credit to the homeowners’ mortgage accounts.

■ $10 million to compensate additional homeowners who were not fully compensated through the initial crediting process.

■ $1.5 million to approximately 3,000 homeowners whose payments decreased, but absent the proper notice, they paid more than the amount due.

■ $1 million to about 2,400 homeowners who made a lump sum payment to satisfy escrow shortages but whose statements did not decrease to account for the payment.

■ $4.5 million in escrow credits to approximately 6,000 homeowners who did not receive escrow statements in a timely manner as required.

■ $4 million to almost 6,000 homeowners who did not receive timely notice and whose escrow accounts had surpluses not refunded or credited by Wells Fargo.

■ $4 million to almost 12,000 homeowners for failure to perform an escrow analysis where a homeowner is not already receiving compensation for an untimely or missed PCN. ■ $3 million to about 8,000 homeowners already completed by Wells Fargo.

The settlement resolves the bank’s issues with the U.S. Trustee, but does not provide protection from any lawsuits filed by affected consumers or third parties.

The attorneys at Glass & Goldberg in California provide high quality, cost­effective legal services and advice for clients in all aspects of commercial compliance, business litigation and transactional law.

Joëlle Boisvert recognized as one of Canada’s Most Powerful Women

Gowlings is delighted to announce that ​ Joëlle Boisvert​ , a leading litigator and managing partner of the firm’s Montréal office, has been recognized as one of ​ Canada's 100 Most Powerful Women​ by the Women’s Executive Network (WXN).

Launched in 2003, WXN’s Top 100 Awards celebrate the incredible accomplishments of Canada’s female executive talent, as well as their organizations and networks. Boisvert was recognized in the KPMG Professionals category for her exceptional leadership skills, her dedication to mentoring and her unwavering commitment to her clients. The awards gala will be held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre on Nov. 26.

“Joëlle exemplifies all the qualities of a true leader,” said Scott Jolliffe, Gowlings chair and CEO. “She is an exceptional motivator who is constantly looking to help both colleagues and clients reach their goals. We are extremely fortunate to have her here at Gowlings.”

With her unique combination of expertise, skills and personality, Boisvert has earned a reputation as one of Canada’s top litigators and business advisers. Her clients, who include large national and international companies, turn to her to gain strategic business and legal advice for a variety of complex dispute matters.

As the first woman to lead Gowlings’ Montréal office, Boisvert is committed to promoting the advancement and leadership of women in all areas of professional and commercial activity. As Montréal managing partner, she has made great strides in advancing Gowlings’ position in the Québec market, and has developed a strong brand presence for the office. Boisvert is also a leading force in Québec’s legal community, having contributed to the Barreau du Québec’s professional development committee and other Barreau projects since 2000.

A complete list of award recipients can be found ​ here​ .

About Gowlings Gowlings is a leading Canadian and international law firm, with over 700 legal professionals serving clients in 10 offices across Canada and around the world. Whether your needs relate to business law, high­stakes litigation or intellectual property matters, we provide a full range of legal services to meet your unique needs and rise to any challenge that comes your way.

In 2016, Gowlings is joining forces with Wragge Lawrence Graham & Co to create a new international legal practice called Gowling WLG. With more than 1,400 legal professionals in 18 cities across Canada, the U.K., Europe, Asia and the Middle East, Gowling WLG will continue to provide clients with world­class legal expertise and outstanding multi­jurisdictional support.

Karen Hennessey named among Lexpert​ 's ​ "Rising Stars: Leading Lawyers Under 40​ " for 2015

Gowlings is pleased to share that ​ Karen E. Hennessey​ , an Ottawa­based partner and leader of the firm’s Corporate Commercial Group, has been named among Lexpert’s “Rising Stars: Leading Lawyers Under 40” for 2015.

Hennessey received the award in recognition of her steadfast dedication to clients, in­depth legal expertise and longstanding involvement with local charity groups. She was honoured alongside the other “Rising Stars” winners at a gala dinner at the Royal York Hotel in Toronto on November 19.

“Across our firm, Karen is known as a talented, hard­working business lawyer who has a deep understanding of her clients’ challenges and plays a critical role in their success,” said Scott Jolliffe,

Gowlings chair and CEO. “She brings the same energy, insight and determination to her many charitable activities in the Ottawa community. We’re delighted, but hardly surprised, that Karen’s efforts have been recognized through this great honour.”

Head of Gowlings’ Corporate Commercial Group, Hennessey provides legal advice on a wide range of complex business issues to help companies of all sizes achieve their goals. She holds a diverse background in corporate and commercial law, including mergers and acquisitions, incorporations, reorganizations, corporate governance and shareholder agreements.

As part of her practical approach to legal service delivery, Hennessey is renowned for her ability to act as a “legal quarterback,” assembling specialized teams across multiple practice areas at Gowlings to meet her clients’ unique needs. She also acts as outside general counsel for a number of public and private sector entities.

Outside of the office, Hennessey shares her time and talents with numerous charitable and non​ ­profit groups. She serves as a director and corporate secretary for the Christmas Cheer Foundation, which supports local groups that assist disadvantaged families during the holiday season.

Hennessey also serves as a board member of both the Ottawa Ronald McDonald House and the Hnatyshyn Foundation, which promotes and funds emerging and established artists in Canada. In addition, she actively volunteers with the City View Curling Club.

Awarded annually by Lexpert, the “Rising Stars” prize celebrates lawyers from across Canada who are under the age of 40 and consistently surpass expectations inside and outside of the office. Winners are chosen by an advisory board of distinguished members of the legal community.

Gowlings congratulates all of this year’s “Rising Stars” honourees. A complete list of 2015 recipients is featured in the November/December issue of Lexpert.

In 2016, Gowlings is joining forces with Wragge Lawrence Graham & Co to create a new international legal practice called Gowling WLG. With more than 1,400 legal professionals in 18 cities across Canada, the U.K., Europe, Asia and the Middle East, Gowling WLG will continue to provide clients with world­class legal expertise and outstanding multi­jurisdictional support

2016 Dates Announced for Sales Simplicity Seminars with Alex Rogers

(Cedar Rapids, Iowa) – GreatAmerica Financial Services Corporation and Collabrance LLC announced today they will host four Sales Simplicity Seminars in 2016 in California and Iowa. The training will be conducted by Alex Rogers, founder of the Master IT consulting firm CharTec. The seminars are for companies ready to transition to an as­a­Service model.

“Solution Providers must move beyond just selling technology and into solving business problems,” said Greg VanDeWalker, GreatAmerica Unified Communications and IT Group Senior Vice President and General Manager. “This training helps Solution Providers profitably deliver their products and services in the way their clients want to consume technology.”

Former attendee Bryan Currier, President of Advantage Technologies talked about the impact of the training on his business. “If I can take a Hardware as a Service model, and bundle everything together, it is a far likelier scenario the customer is going to see the value of the overall solution,” said Currier. “That is the power of the CharTec methodology.”

“Several partners who implemented strategies from Sales Simplicity Seminars are seeing instant results,” said Lindsay Dick, Director of Sales for Collabrance LLC. “They’ve improved their close ratio by overcoming

objections they couldn’t in the past, and closing larger deals faster because the structure of the training showed them how to properly create value, kill alternatives, and justify the cost of their solution during the sales process.”

Rogers says the workshops can improve the number of first appointments, and show how discovery can uncover latent challenges experienced by prospects. “The Sales Simplicity Seminars brought together very high caliber businesses ready to take their sales to the next level,” said Rogers. “Attendees were able to implement the strategies immediately with tremendous ROI.” Since founding CharTec in 2009, Rogers has helped Solution Providers close $1 million MRR deals, achieve record margins, and increase sales by 200 percent.

The dates and locations for the four Sales Simplicity Seminars: Selling Everything­as­a­Service are as follows: January 20 & 21 – CharTec Headquarters, Bakersfield, CA April 12 & 13 – GreatAmerica Headquarters, Cedar Rapids, IA June 21 & 22 – GreatAmerica Headquarters, Cedar Rapids, IA August 2 & 3 – GreatAmerica Headquarters, Cedar Rapids, IA Registration is open for all four events, and seats can be secured by visiting: www.greatamerica.com/chartec​ .

About CharTec CharTec is the SMB Channel’s leading provider of sales, marketing, and operations training for managed services and technology solutions providers. As the largest technology training facility in North America, CharTec’s 20,000­square foot, custom­built center is the training hub for all businesses within the technology sector. In addition to their training, CharTec is a channel friendly partner that helps you deliver a truly unique managed service offering with Hardware­as­a­Service (HaaS) solutions.

CharTec’s success is fueled by its partners’ success, which is why it invests so heavily in training and partner support. While attending the monthly CharTec Academy, partners not only participate in five­star trainings but also have complete access to CharTec’s own 21­year­old, multimillion dollar managed service practice, ARRC Technology. As a measure of leading by example, ARRC Technology has been listed five times as one of the fastest­growing companies on the Inc. 500/5000. www.chartec.com

About GreatAmerica Financial Services Corporation Founded in 1992, GreatAmerica is a national lessor that helps their customers be more successful. The Unified Communications & IT Group at GreatAmerica is dedicated to understanding the IT, Managed Services and Telecommunications industries, working with thousands of telecom providers, MSPs and independent VARs to help them evolve their business. www.greatamerica.com

About Collabrance LLC Collabrance, a subsidiary of GreatAmerica, partners with Service Providers determined to offer an exceptional IT experience to their customers. Collabrance provides a standards­based technology offering and remote services delivered by a team of technical experts focused on people, not just technology.

Collabrance offers flexible financing for partners wishing to differentiate themselves through a total technology solution in a single payment. To ensure partners’ success and profitability in Managed IT Servic​ es, Collabrance also provides business planning, training, and access to industry experts.​ www.collabrance.com

Do You Make it Easy for Customers to Buy?

One common obstacle in making a sale, is how difficult you make it for customers to buy from you. Do you make it easy for customers to buy? One methodology to make buying easier is through custom leasing.

Custom leasing programs can help companies sell more by taking the pain out of the sale process.

Imagine for a moment a very busy manager who needs to buy a new piece of equipment. He is incredibly busy and narrows down the choice to two options identical in price and comparable in features and functionality. Both of the sales representatives from the competing customers were savvy enough to ask early on in the sales process, “Are you planning for a cash purchase or to utilize financing?” The buyer says he is going to lease because currently cash is tight. The first sales representative says, “Great, let us know the contact information of your leasing company and I will send the paperwork over.”

And, now the buyer who is not a leasing expert begins the confusing and time consuming process of shopping for a lease.

But, the second sales representative offers a different option….

“You are planning on using a lease? No problem. We have our own financing option and it is market competitive. Were you thinking of an FMV lease or a $1 out lease? $1 out? Great. Let me run a quick credit check and I’ll calculate the payment for you. Were there any special terms you required? Yes? You would like to defer the first payment for 60 days? We can accommodate that. Can I call you back later this afternoon?”

Later that same day.

Sales representative #2 states….

“Your credit was fine. Here are your payment plans for 36 or 48 month options and we were able to approve no payments for the first 60 days. Should I draw up the documents for you? We can deliver your equipment tomorrow.”

I don’t want to over simplify the sales process and buyer’s interactions. The point is that making it easy for customers to find a good lease without having to do a lot of leg work is a competitive advantage. I am astonished more companies don’t utilize it.

Customers will pay more for convenience. For example, think about the $25 early boarding fees airlines routinely charge. On a $300 ticket that is an 8% markup, and it doesn’t cost the airline a cent to deliver!

Convenience and being easy to work with will help you sell more at a higher margin.

The Linkedin Lunch Method One of the great puzzles of all sales people is how to meet more qualified prospects. Conventional wisdom is to go to more events to network or make more cold calls. Both can work, but they rely on an element of luck. Most people are not a good fit for your product or service.

Cold calling and traditional networking are also rejection intensive. The majority of the people you cold call are not happy to hear from you and they can beat down even the toughest sales people if you are not on guard. Making meaningful connections with new people at events is very difficult and can take time to nurture.

Fortunately, there is a much easier way to grow your network. I call it the Linkedin Lunch method. Yes, I am assuming, you already have a Linkedin account. If you do not have a Linkedin account—then ​ sign up ​ for one now! It will be the most important thing you do to grow your network.

Assuming you already have an established network, search for a company that you know is in your sweet spot of doing business AND where you have someone in your network who already has a connection there.

The person you are trying to connect with will be in your friend’s 1st​ ​ tier and your 2nd​ ​ tier.

Now here is the trick: do not use Linkedin’s introduction tool or InMail. Both have low acceptance and conversion rates. They can be effective, but you are going for a much higher conversion rate. Instead, reach out to your contact by phone. Ask them how well they know the person you want to meet and if they know them fairly well, ask them to invite you and them to lunch. They should tell the other person they would like to have lunch with you both to introduce everyone together.

You should offer to buy lunch for all three of you. When you are at the lunch, keep it light and do not press for a business meeting. It is an introduction. Focus on making a good first impression and if possible try to be helpful in some way. Come prepared with questions about their business. One of my favorite question to ask people, especially really successful ones is, “how did you get started?” People love to tell their origin story and it will help you learn the types of things that most important to them and will give you many clues into how they buy and how they think about relationships.

If you can go on 2­3 Linkedin Lunches a month, you will be well on your way to growing your network of valuable contacts and eventually growing your business.

Hitachi Capital America Recognized as One of the Leading Companies in Energy Financial Services Innovation

Hitachi Capital America (“HCA”) has received Energi’s 2014 Excellence in Energy Innovation Award for being a leader in the implementation and financing of energy innovation. Energi, a leading provider of Insurance and Risk Management Programs to the energy industry, recognized Hitachi Capital America as being the “Best of the Best” within the Energy industry at the annual Energi Risk Management & Insurance Summit in San Antonio, Texas.

“Hitachi Capital America’s focused commitment to navigating complex transaction structures and appropriately apportioning the associated risks have enabled them to set a future standard of excellence amongst industry peers in providing unique financing solutions to help advance the deployment of clean technology in our community,” said Brian K. McCarthy, President and CEO of Energi. “They are truly a ‘best­in­class’ provider of financing solutions for the energy sector.”

“We are very honored to receive this recognition from our peers in the energy sector,” said Mark Duncan, Vice President and General Manager, Structured Finance, Hitachi Capital America. “This is particularly gratifying as Hitachi Capital, Hitachi Consulting, and Hitachi America Ltd, have identified the energy sector as a key growth market for Hitachi in North America for the coming years. Through our Structured Finance division, we have developed a specialization in financing the energy sector, lending in support of a wide range of energy efficiency and other clean technology installations. HCA prides itself on being a reliable financing partner that knows the importance of responding quickly to opportunities and our ability to work with clients to achieve their transaction objectives.”

Hitachi Capital approved the following personnel changes for Hitachi Capital America (HCA), Hitachi Capital Canada (HCC) and Canadian Leasing Enterprises (CLE) segments

Yoshiyuki "Jimmy" Kume, CEO and board director will be retiring from HCA & HCC but will remain at HCA until June 2015. As CEO of HCA since April 2008, Kume has been instrumental in successfully guiding the company through the “financial crisis of 2008 and 2009” and refocusing its growth on International expansion, initially into Canada.

Chihiro "Chris" Shirai, currently executive officer, co­head of International business for Hitachi Capital, residing in London, will move to the U.S. and assume the roles of chairman, CEO and board director of HCA in addition to his other International responsibilities for Europe. Shirai will also become a director of HCC and CLE. William H. "Bill" Besgen, president, COO and director of HCA will be promoted to vice chairman of HCA’s board of directors reporting to Chris Shirai and will continue to serve as president, CEO and board director of HCC and board director for CLE. Besgen has been with HCA since its founding in the U.S. 25 years ago, starting as EVP and COO before being promoted to president, COO and director of the company in 2004.

Prior to joining HCA, he held senior management positions with Citicorp in both its Direct and Vendor Equipment Finance and Leasing business.

Ryan Collison will be promoted to president, COO and board director of HCA and will continue to be EVP & COO of HCC. Collison joined HCA as SVP, chief technology officer in 2005 and in 2009 was promoted to SVP, chief credit officer. Prior to joining HCA, Ryan held senior management positions with GE Capital for 25 years in its Business Development and IT business.

Luc Robitaille will become a board director for HCC & CLE. Robitaille is the President of CLE, a company based in Trois­Rivieres, Quebec & Burlington, Ontario, Canada. HCA acquired CLE in May 2014.

Robert "Bob" Otto will become President of HCA’s Automotive Finance Division, will be promoted to EVP of HCA and will continue to be an EVP of HCC. Otto has been with HCA for the past 14 years and was responsible for developing its Automotive Finance business to what it is today, serving over 2,500 dealers nationwide and in Canada and having strong relationships with some of the major truck manufacturers, including Isuzu, Mitsubishi and Hino. Prior to joining HCA, Otto had over 26 years' experience with major U.S. truck manufacturers including 16 years with General Motors Corp.

Terry Hatfield will be promoted to EVP of HCA. In addition to continuing to be CFO of HCA, her responsibilities will be expanded to include managing H.R. and IT functions for the company. Hatfield will also continue to be an EVP of HCC. Hatfield started her career with HCA as a trainee in 1991 and gained her CPA while working there. She has held positions of increased responsibility, not only in the accounting and finance area, but also in the IT area of the company.

According to Bill Besgen, "These appointments will position Hitachi Capital America Corp. in the future for continued long­term expansion growth in the Americas, initially via its automotive vendor relationships and thereafter with Hitachi's globally established manufacturing companies."

ImageNet Consulting Reaches Major IT Milestone With Go Live of InfoLease® 10 Successful launch of International Decision Systems, Inc. (IDS) InfoLease® 10 portfolio management software is a significant step in helping ImageNet Consulting, LLC (ImageNet) achieve improved efficiencies and streamlined performance to enable its future growth.

InfoLease 10’s extensible web services capabilities was instrumental in ImageNet’s decision to upgrade its software. The ability to push and pull data from its ERP system, in­house origination system and InfoLease is critical to its goal of achieving real­time information and eliminating manual processes.

ImageNet upgraded its solution to InfoLease 10 within 8 weeks and achieved rapid adoption by its staff.

According to Rocky Frost, Vice President of Contracts at ImageNet, "Using InfoLease 10, we are integrating across our business for greater transparency and uniting each part of the revenue cycle for seamless financial performance. By helping to manage processes, InfoLease 10 assists us in streamlining steps along the lifecycle."

"IDS is thrilled to have ImageNet live on InfoLease 10, as they join the ranks of customers of all sizes operating on the platform," said Michael Campbell, CEO of IDS. "We’re pleased to see customers experiencing almost immediate gains in efficiency."

"Thinksmart has been a long­standing and valued IDS customer for a number of years,” said Jonathan Power, Managing Director of EMEA at IDS. “As the first financial institution to deploy InfoLease 10 in Europe, this announcement represents a great endorsement of the value of IDS’s technology platform. We look forward to many more years of successful partnership with Thinksmart."

About ImageNet Consulting, LLC ImageNet Consulting brings to market a simple mission: “Provide information technology solutions that improve our client’s bottom line.” Through our manufacturer­agnostic and solution­led approach, we are able to offer best­in­class technologies to meet our customer’s needs. Our clients range from small businesses to Fortune 500 companies across multiple vertical markets. ImageNet Consulting is headquartered in Oklahoma City, OK with offices in New Mexico, Colorado, Oklahoma, Texas, Missouri and Florida. For more information, visit ​ www.imagenetconsulting.com​ .

About International Decision Systems IDS is the leading global provider of software and solutions for the equipment and asset finance industry. As the most trusted software provider, IDS has a proven track record of serving more than 250 customers in over 30 countries around the world. IDS solutions are powerful and functionally­rich, yet flexible to meet each organization’s business needs. Customers appreciate being part of a large, global user community supported by the strongest platform and the most experienced software provider in equipment financ

Thinksmart Selects IDS InfoLease® to Support Its Expansion Plans

Thinksmart Limited, a leader in the UK B2B and B2C digital, paperless, retail point of sale finance in the UK, has selected InfoLease from International Decision Systems (IDS) as its core asset finance and portfolio management system.

Thinksmart markets financial and leasing products to both consumers and businesses in the UK via retail distribution partnerships. Thinksmart chose the InfoLease 10 platform to underpin its future growth plans to build long term value by delivering innovative and differentiated financial products across the UK. "A major factor in our decision to select InfoLease was the functional breadth to handle our business,” said David Twigg, COO at Thinksmart. “We also recognised that the open technology provided by InfoLease not only supports our current business requirements but also provides the flexibility needed to allow us to pursue new growth avenues in the future, especially in the retail / consumer finance market."

"Thinksmart has been a long­standing and valued IDS customer for a number of years,” said Jonathan Power, Managing Director of EMEA at IDS. “As the first financial institution to deploy InfoLease 10 in Europe, this announcement represents a great endorsement of the value of IDS’s technology platform. We look forward to many more years of successful partnership with Thinksmart."

About Thinksmart ThinkSmart is a financial technology company, listed on the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX: TSM) and a leader in B2B and B2C digital, paperless, retail point of sale finance in the UK, since 2003. As an intermediate finance company, ThinkSmart provides differentiated products to retailers in multiple sectors at the point of sale, in­store, online and through contact centers. ThinkSmart’s products create value and advantage, as they help both consumers and business customers to choose more of the products they want, more often, where transaction values range from £250 to £15,000. ThinkSmart’s proprietary and proven technologies, include; SmartCheck an intelligent credit decision engine optimised for digital channels, e­signature providing paperless transactions for both in and out­of­store customer journeys and online basket integration.

About International Decision Systems IDS is the leading global provider of software and solutions for the equipment and asset finance industry. As the most trusted software provider, IDS has a proven track record of serving more than 250 customers in over 30 countries around the world. IDS solutions are powerful and functionally­rich, yet flexible to meet each organization’s business needs. Customers appreciate being part of a large, global user community supported by the strongest platform and the most experienced software provider in equipment finance

IronPlanet to Promote Tom Falbo’s Corvette Collection with Leake

IronPlanet​ , the leading online marketplace for used heavy equipment and trucks, and Leake Auction Company, one of the first car auctions in the country, announced an agreement to jointly market 40 Corvettes from renowned Corvette aficionado and classic car collector Tom Falbo of Smithers, WV. The collection will be sold without reserve during Leake’s Oklahoma City auction, February 19, 20 and 21 in the Cox Pavilion on the Fairgrounds. The collection features Corvettes from 1957­1975, with twenty from 1967.

For decades Tom Falbo amassed a large collection of vehicles. After accumulating some of the rarest and most desirable Corvettes ever produced, Tom decided to fine tune his collection. Many of the Corvettes are documented, numbers matching originals with low mileage. In addition to the 40 Corvettes, 75 other vehicles will also be offered without reserve.

“This collection was a huge find for us. We had to extend our Oklahoma City auction to three days to accommodate it,” stated Richard Sevenoaks, president of Leake Auction Company. “We believe this auction will set the market for Corvettes with forty crossing the block without reserve.”

Highlights from the collection include: ● 1967 Corvette Convertible – black with red stinger, red leather interior, 427 CID/435 HP/4­Spd ● 1967 Corvette Coupe – white with red stinger, red vinyl interior, 427 CID/435 HP/4­Spd ● 1967 Corvette Coupe – red with black stinger, red leather interior, 427 CID/400 HP/4­Spd ● 1967 Corvette Coupe – black with red stinger, red vinyl interior, 427 CID/400 HP/4­Spd ● 2005 Ford GT – red with a white stripe, black leather interior, 5.4L, 550 HP,V8,6­Spd ● 1970 Pontiac GTO The Judge Convertible – gold metallic, tan interior, 400 CID, 360 HP 4­Spd ● 1956 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz Convertible – light green, light green leather interior, 365 CID, 325 HP, V8, auto transmission “We are excited to partner with Leake to promote this impressive collection of automobiles,” said Gregory J. Owens, IronPlanet Chairman and CEO. “As the leading online marketplace for buying and selling used equipment and trucks, IronPlanet is thrilled to bring this classic car collection to our customers and to provide Leake global exposure to our 1.4 million registered users.”

For more information about the Falbo collection or other vehicles consigned to the auction, visit LeakeCar.com or call 918.254.7077. VIN numbers for vehicles consigned to the auction are available on Leake’s website. Admission to the auction is $20 for adults, $15 for seniors and military with ID and $7 for children under 12.

About IronPlanet IronPlanet is the leading online marketplace for used heavy equipment and an innovative participant in the multi­billion dollar heavy equipment auction market. Since 2000, IronPlanet has sold over $4 billion of used equipment online and has built a database of more than 1.4 million registered users worldwide. IronPlanet connects buyers and sellers of used equipment with its exclusive IronClad Assurance® buyer protection program and family of sites including IronPlanet®, GovPlanet®, TruckPlanet®, Cat Auction Services, Kruse Energy and Equipment AuctioneersSM​ ​, allEquip® and Asset Appraisal ServicesSM​ ​. IronPlanet is backed by Accel Partners, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Caterpillar, and Volvo. For more information, visit www.ironplanet.com.

About Leake Leake Auction Company was established in 1972 as one of the first car auctions in the country. Forty­three years later the auction company has sold over 35,000 cars and currently holds auctions in Tulsa, Oklahoma City and Dallas. Recently they have been featured on several episodes of two reality TV series – Fast N’ Loud on Discovery and The Car Chasers on CNBC Prime.

For media purposes only, hi­resolution photos and VINs are available upon request.

Cool Customer: Molly MacDonald Founder + CEO The Mobile Locker Co.

OUR INTERVIEW WITH MOLLY Q: What does your company do?

Molly: We provide secure, convenient storage for events with our trucks which are locker rooms on wheels.

Our focus is on road races and OCR/mud runs, and we are now expanding to spectator and stadium events as well.

Q: How did you come up with this great idea?

Molly: As a runner, I found that, at races, when the gear storage option was secure, it wasn’t convenient, and when it was convenient, it wasn’t secure! I came up with the idea of a locker system that would give runners quick access to their stuff, started talking to other runners and got great feedback on the concept.

After a year and half of planning, later I launched my company.

Q: How does it work?

Molly: We sync up with event organizers, they promote us to their runners, and then they just tell us where to park! We operate independently so the event can add our amenity without adding to their plate. Runners get a key and can access their locker anytime before and after the event, and we’ll hold the key for them while they race so they don’t have to worry about losing the key. This is especially popular for OCR events like Spartan Races where they’re going through muddy courses!

Q: What did you choose the Isuzu NPR­HD for your business?

Molly: Our entire business centers around the trucks, so we needed reliable vehicles.​ Marty’s Isuzu​ dealership found the right truck, coordinated with​ Supreme​ to help us order our box, and recommended an installer. Our truck had to look great inside and out, and Marty’s helped make sure we covered all our bases, like selecting an opaque roof to the truck box to let in natural light and installing interior lights. We had the inside walls painted with chalkboard paint so customers could write messages, which is so fun!

Q: Do you drive the truck yourself?

Molly: Yes, I’m in the trucks every week! I didn’t have previous experience driving a large truck, but they drive so well! They’re 20′ long, 11’3″ high, but are such comfortable drives and my team loves driving them.

A former staff member recently wrote me an email saying she missed driving the truck, which I loved to hear!

Q: Why did you finance your truck with us?

Molly: One of my business partners found Marty’s after doing some research on dealers in our area, and I am very happy with Isuzu Finance. After I purchased the vehicles, Ken Handleman from ​ Isuzu​ and Mike Varous from Isuzu Finance even came to my office to discuss how they could continue to be part of things as we grow. It’s nice to know I have the support I need as our business grows.

Customers Bank Selects SuperTRUMP for its New Commercial Finance Business Ivory Consulting’s flagship product, SuperTRUMP, supports the newly formed Customers Bank Commercial Finance Group WALNUT CREEK, CA – November 4, 2015 – Ivory Consulting Corporation announced today that Customers Bank has chosen Ivory Consulting’s flagship product SuperTRUMP as their pricing solution for equipment leases and loans in its Commercial Finance Group headquartered in Portsmouth, NH. Using SuperTRUMP, the Commercial Finance Group will be able to build a solid foundation for its loan, capital lease and off­balance sheet product programs.

“SuperTRUMP will give us a strong competitive edge as we develop our commercial finance and leasing programs, both important components of our strategic growth plan,” said Samuel Smith III, Managing Director and new leader of the Commercial Finance Group. “As a long­time user of SuperTRUMP, I’m confident that having it as one of our tools will significantly increase our ability to succeed as a new business line within the Bank.”

“We are pleased that the members of Customers Bank Commercial Finance Group, previous users of SuperTRUMP, chose to use SuperTRUMP again,” said Scott Thacker, CEO, Ivory Consulting Corporation.

“We are excited to welcome Samuel Smith and his team back to our family of loyal customers. “Since 1983, Ivory has grown in response to our customers’ needs, and that is evident in the high level of loyalty which we enjoy.”

Ivory Consulting’s SuperTRUMP for Web Now Available in the Oracle Cloud Marketplace Ivory Consulting Corporation, a leading provider of sophisticated lease and loan software, software customizations and consulting services to the equipment leasing and finance industry and Gold level member of Oracle PartnerNetwork (OPN), today announced that its flagship product, SuperTRUMP for Web, is now available in the ​ Oracle Cloud Marketplace(link is external)​ , offering added value to Oracle Sales Cloud customers. ​ SuperTRUMP for Web(link is external)​ enables financial institutions to model and price leases and loans to help improve efficiency and productivity by providing access to all customer history, pipeline opportunities, pricing quotes and transactions in Oracle Sales Cloud. It incorporates up­to­date lease accounting and tax classification tests, pre­ and after­tax cash flow analyses and pro­forma accounting output, as well as functionality for after­tax pricing, collateral curves, mid­term adjustments and early terminations.

The Oracle Cloud Marketplace is a one­stop shop for Oracle customers seeking trusted business applications and service providers offering unique business solutions, including ones that extend Oracle Cloud Applications. ​ Oracle Cloud(link is external)​ delivers the industry’s broadest suite of enterprise­grade public cloud services, including software as a service (SaaS), platform as a service (PaaS), infrastructure as a service (IaaS), and data as a service (DaaS).

“With SuperTRUMP for Web in Oracle Sales Cloud, our customers can benefit from a streamlined lease and loan quote­to­fund process, as well as the business insight gained from pricing data, quotes and customer information in Oracle,” said Jeff Ellis, vice president, sales and business development, Ivory Consulting.

“Ivory Consulting’s participation in the Oracle Cloud Marketplace further extends our commitment to the

Oracle community and enables customers to easily reap the benefits of SuperTRUMP for Web. We look forward to leveraging the power of the Oracle Cloud to help us achieve our business goals.”

The ​ Oracle Cloud Marketplace(link is external)​ offers an intuitive user interface to browse and search for available applications and services, as well as user ratings and reviews to help customers determine the best business solutions for their organization. With its new automated application installation features, customers can easily deploy provider business applications from a centralized cloud interface.

PHILADELPHIA PUBLIC AUCTION FOR USED BUCKET TRUCKS, UTILITY EQUIPMENT, CARS, SERVICE TRUCKS, WORK VANS AND MORE! AUGUST 17TH, 2013 JJ Kane today announced their large public auction in Philadelphia, PA August 17th 2013 when more than 350 items will be sold. Auction items include many used bucket trucks for sale, in addition to digger derricks, forestry / tree care equipment, service trucks, cars, vans, pickups, forklifts and much more! Many items are being sold by local companies and utilities such as: PPL Electric Utilities, PSE&G Co, PECO An Exelon Company, Baltimore Gas & Electric, PEPCO, Atlantic City Electric, Asplundh Tree Expert Co., Townships, Boroughs & Municipalities, area contractors and others.

The auction is live with bidding starting at 8:30 a.m. Saturday August 17th, and buyers do not have to be present to participate. Bidders can inspect auction equipment on Friday August 16th, 8 a.m. ­ 4 p.m. and also at 7:30a.m. on auction day, August 17th. The auction is live, on­site in Plymouth Meeting, PA (Philadelphia area) and items are added to the auction daily. Companies looking for used bucket trucks and other construction equipment are encouraged to sign up for the weekly email updates to stay informed.

LOCATION The auction sale will be held at the Danella Line Services Yard, 1402 Conshohocken Road, Plymouth Meeting, PA, 19462, just off Exit 18 of I­476. Below are directions from all areas.

From Philadelphia Airport, Delaware & Walt Whitman Bridge – Airport take I­95 South, Delaware take I­95 North & Walt Whitman Bridge take I­76 West. Then all ways take I­476 North to exit 18B (Norristown). Turn right on Chemical Road, go ¼ mile and then turn right on Ridge Pike, go 1 ½ miles and then turn left on Conshohocken Road, go 250 yards to sale site on right.

From Pocono’s, NJ Turnpike & Harrisburg – Pocono’s take I­476 South, NJ Turnpike take I­276 West to exit 20 (I­476 South) & Harrisburg take I­76 East which becomes I­276 East in Valley Forge to exit 333 (I­476 South). Then all ways take I­476 South to exit 18 (Norristown). Turn right on Ridge Pike, go 1 mile then turn left on Conshohocken Road, go 250 yards to sale site on right

SOUTHERN COMPANY, AGL RESOURCES CONDUCT PUBLIC AUCTION OF EXCESS EQUIPMENT AND AUTOS Southern Company (Georgia Power Company and Alabama Power Company), AGL Resources, Georgia Electric Membership Cooperatives, Rental Companies, and other local fleets will be selling excess equipment, cars and other miscellaneous construction tools Thursday August 16th, at public auction in Villa Rica, GA. All items will sell to the highest bidder and will be sold without minimums or reserves. This auction is open to the public.

Preview day is Wednesday August 15, 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. All items will be available for public viewing and operation. The auction will be held Wednesday August 16, at 8:30 a.m. EDT. Registration is free.

Items selling include: cars, vans, yard carts, SUVs, pickup trucks and miscellaneous tools being retired from fleets. In addition, backhoes, tractors, farm equipment, underground equipment, trailers, bucket trucks and digger derricks will be available. All items can be purchased in person or online via simultaneous bidding.

JJKane Auctioneers has been retained to conduct this auction. Details for equipment and registration can be found at: www.jjkane.com JJ Kane Auctioneers is a nationwide company that connects sellers and buyers. We specialize in "Large Consolidated Absolute/Unreserved Public Auction Sales" of equipment utilized in the power line, utility, government, telecommunication, construction, forestry and transportation industries.

Environmental Law Group at Jennings, Haug & Cunningham Expands

PHOENIX (October 16, 2015)­Jennings, Haug & Cunningham is pleased to announce that Eileen J. Sahai has joined the firm's environmental and regulatory law group. Ms. Sahai joins the firm's environmental attorneys Karen Gaylord and Ronnie Hawks, who represent clients throughout Arizona in environmental law matters ranging from permitting to highly­complex superfund matters.

Ms. Sahai is experienced in a wide range of federal environmental law matters. Her practice has also involved counseling clients on the risks associated with corporate transactions, environmental permitting and zoning and assisting clients with CERCLA cost recovery actions. Ms. Sahai will be supporting the environmental law group in advising clients on issues related to environmental permits, regulatory compliance, site cleanups and litigation.

Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Sahai practiced environmental law with a mid­size law firm in New York. Ms. Sahai also served as a law clerk for the Honorable Michael Miller, now a judge on the Arizona Court of Appeals. Additionally, during law school Ms. Sahai served as a judicial intern for U.S. Magistrate Judge Jonathan Feldman of the Western District of New York.

Ms. Sahai earned her law degree from the University of Maryland School of Law in 2008 and graduated from Johns Hopkins University with her Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations and Spanish in 2002.

She is conversational in Gujrati, Hindi, and Spanish.

About Jennings, Haug & Cunningham, L.L.P. Founded in 1937 in Arizona, Jennings, Haug & Cunningham is a litigation law firm with extensive trial, litigation management, dispute resolution and complex litigation experience. The firm's 24 attorneys focus in areas of financial institution litigation, environmental law, construction and contract litigation, surety and fidelity law, lawyer and professional liability, complex civil litigation, personal injury, employment, probate and estate planning, and municipal risk litigation for businesses and individuals. For additional information, visit ​ www.jhc­law.com

Ten Jennings, Haug & Cunningham Partners Named to 2016 Best Lawyers in America List Haug & Cunningham is pleased to announce that ten of the firm's attorneys were named to The Best Lawyers in America® 2016 list, a peer­review ranking publication for the legal profession, in the areas of Construction Law, Construction Litigation, Environmental Law, Personal Injury, Arbitration, and Mediation.

Best Lawyers compiles its lists of outstanding attorneys by conducting exhaustive peer­review surveys in which thousands of leading lawyers confidentially evaluate their professional peers. The firm's 2016 Best Lawyers in America® include: Mark E. Barker was recognized for the eighth consecutive year his work in construction law, and construction litigation.

James Csontos was recognized for the fifth consecutive for his practice in construction law, and construction litigation.

Jack Cunningham was recognized fourth consecutive year for his work as defense counsel in personal injury litigation.

Karen Gaylord was named to the list for the eighth consecutive year for her work in environmental law.

William F. Haug, was recognized for the ninth consecutive year for his practice in construction law, construction litigation, mediation and arbitration.

D. Kim Lough was recognized for his ninth consecutive year in construction law, and construction litigation.

Ronnie Hawks was recognized for the sixth consecutive year, this year for work in environmental litigation.

Edward Rubacha was recognized for the fifth consecutive for his work in construction law, and construction litigation.

Chad Schexnayder was named to the list for the seventh consecutive year in construction litigation.

Thomas Chamberlin was named to the list for the first time this year in his work with plaintiffs in personal injury litigation.

About Jennings, Haug & Cunningham, L.L.P. Founded in 1937 in Arizona, Jennings, Haug & Cunningham is a litigation law firm with extensive trial, litigation management, dispute resolution and complex litigation experience. The firm's 23 attorneys focus in areas of financial institution litigation, environmental law, construction and contract litigation, surety and fidelity law, lawyer and professional liability, complex civil litigation, personal injury, employment, probate and estate planning, and municipal risk litigation for businesses and individuals. You can find firm bios at: www.jhc­law.com​ for each of the attorneys being recognized as BL 2016.

Smart Policy Ushering in New Energy Paradigm Mike Gordon, CEO of Joule Assets and Co­Chair of Sustainable Westchester, ​ published a byline in The Hill last month, “Smart Policy Ushering in a New Energy Paradigm”. In his piece, Gordon describes the advent of local energy policies such as Community Choice Aggregation (CCA), introducing the model as part of a Triple Play in energy reform, which also includes micro­grids and community solar.

“The triple play of Community Choice, micro­grid development, and community­owned solar is a coup for regulators and community leaders, achieving goals that local policymakers aim to encourage, such as local economic development, resilience, and clean energy. These policy levers add services, without raising taxes”, says Gordon.

He explains that one of a municipality’s greatest challenges is to provide value to their constituency without increasing taxes or costs for the community. CCA not only provides value to the community and the environment, but does so at reduced cost.

What is CCA; how does it work?

Gordon describes CCA as, “an energy procurement model that enables communities to become the default power supplier in preference to the current default provider, which is usually the utility. This is a key step in the “think global, act local” movement and the next frontier seems inevitable: locally sourced energy.”

CCA provides municipalities with the ability to aggregate buying power and bid into electricity markets. The more households that participate, the better market clout communities will have to receive low­cost supply options, with a 100% green supply source as an option as well. Municipalities then have the option to choose electricity suppliers for the town, giving residents the choice to opt­up for 100% renewables, to have a fixed lower rate for a traditional supply mix, or to opt­out.

Westchester County’s pilot program, a first for New York State, makes New York the 7th​ ​ state in the country to adopt a model that puts communities in charge and enables innovations like micro­grids and local energy sources to be integrated into the system.

How can CCA, micro­grids and community solar make a difference in terms of grid reliability?

These models will strengthen grid reliability, improve infrastructure and provide low rates for electricity.

Whether sourced locally, from green resources or a traditional supply mix, CCA creates a model for municipalities to strengthen their local economies and to make their communities more sustainable.

Sourcing electricity from renewables and creating micro­grids within communities results in improved grid reliability during inclement weather—preventing power outages and unnecessary stress on the grid.

Ultimately, this shift in the energy model to one of community empowerment provides immense value to residents and local businesses through affordable clean energy solutions.

“Indeed, the positive effects of Community Choice Aggregation are manifold,” said Gordon, “small businesses can thrive without any tax increases, communities are engaged, and there is a virtuous cycle as local communities gain payment and savings for smart energy choices.”

What is Cleantech? Defining Joule's Role in the Sector Clean technology, often called Cleantech, is a term generally used to define technologies that either reduce or optimize the use of natural resources, while improving the sustainability of the planet and its ecosystems.

Cleantech is often centered on sustainable energy through reduced dependency on fossil fuels by means of renewable energy generation and energy conservation measures, the provision of clean water, pollution reduction, recycling and waste management.

Within each of the areas mentioned above, cleantech can be further divided into several sub­classes. Here at Joule Assets, we focus primarily on the demand side—energy management and efficiency technologies to smartly reduce energy consumption and monetize savings. In order to further understand ​ Joule’s role in the sector​ , it is important to gain an understanding of the full cleantech umbrella.

A short rundown on the different areas of cleantech: Sustainable Energy (Renewable Generation and Energy Conservation) ● Wind power – a sustainable resource, typically exploited in the form of wind farms, often offshore. A wind farm consists of a group of individual wind turbines connected to one another, which generate electricity without producing any greenhouse gas emissions. ● Hydroelectric power – refers to the use of the gravitational force of water flowing to produce electricity. Once constructed, a hydroelectric power­plant will produce very low levels of greenhouse gases compared to fossil fuel­based techniques. ● Solar energy – there are two common techniques that are used to generate electricity from solar energy: photovoltaics (PV) and concentrated solar power systems (CSPs). The first use the photovoltaic effect to directly convert light into an electrical current, while the second uses lenses or mirrors to focus a beam of light directly onto a small area which converts into heat which subsequently drives a heat based engine to generate electricity. ● Geothermal energy – this is the heat from the Earth itself. This heat can be used in a similar fashion to the directed light beams for CSPs to heat up water to drive heat engines thus generating electricity. ● Energy Efficiency technologies—refers to a variety of innovative energy conservation measures (ECMs), such as LED lighting, Heating Air Conditioning and Ventilation (HVAC) upgrades, smart thermostats, and building automation and controls systems, Reducing energy demand results in reduced need of energy production and it’s resultant pollution. ● Demand Response (DR)—involves energy management programs that utilize building controls to automate a reduction in energy consumption during peak hours when the electric grid is under stress. Customers who participate in DR are compensated for the energy they do not use (save) during these times.

Clean Water, Pollution Reduction, Recycling and Waste Treatment In addition to sustainable energy developments, cleantech also encompasses a variety of solutions for clean water, pollution reduction, recycling and waste management. For instance, water treatment refers to the treatment of raw water to ensure that it is safe for consumption, and wastewater treatment technologies convert wastewater into water that can then be entered into the water cycle or reused. Other trends in the cleantech sector involve deploying air monitoring stations to get annual reports on the volume of pollutants in each area, which are then used to file requests for environmental remediation of the location or to spur regulatory reform to improve air quality.

The adoption of clean technologies, such as the sustainable energy sources listed above, as well as shifting consumer behavior to adopt smarter and more efficient energy technologies is very beneficial both environmentally and economically.

That’s why Joule Assets works with a host of actors within the clean­tech sector, such as project developers, manufacturers, contractors, and consultants. Joule’s primary focus is on the energy efficiency aspect of the cleantech sector, financing retrofits for HVAC, building controls and innovative lighting solutions.

For instance, our ​ latest financing product is designed for LED project developers​ to scale their lighting businesses as the market transforms into a service based industry. Joule’s lighting partners will benefit from

a shared savings agreement, which enables customers to remain cash flow positive while earning ongoing revenues from their smart lighting installation.

This is how we make it happen: ● A contractor conducts an audit of a building and creates a scope of work, calling for financing to complete the LED lighting project. ● Once developed, the scope of work is sent to us at Joule where our expert team analyzes the project design, energy savings potential and customer viability. ● Subject to the project analysis, the project may beapproved in which case we finance the installation. ● Upon project completion, all parties benefit from a share of the savings achieved.

Capturing the Opportunity Project developers, customers and financiers all have a great opportunity to benefit from the growing LED market, as the sector is expected to generate $120B in savings by 2030. One of the biggest barriers to keeping up with consumer demand for LED projects is a lack of access to effective financing products. Joule manages a dedicated pool of capital and possesses the market expertise required to access these transform your business model to succeed as the market evolves.

Ultimately Joule is proud to play a part in the cleantech sector by connecting contractors with the financing capability needed to close deals. It is a fantastic space, containing a variety of maturing and budding technologies that will help us in collectively making the planet cleaner and our societies more sustainable.

Stay tuned for more info regarding the cleantech field, and ​ follow

MIDWEST INDEPENDENT BANK, K2 CAPITAL FORM LEASING PARTNERSHIP MINNEAPOLIS ­ K2 Capital Group LLC, a national provider of equipment leasing solutions, announced recently the company has formed a partnership with Midwest Independent Bank (MIB), a bankers' bank headquartered in Jefferson City, MO. MIB is a full­service banking organization providing correspondent services to more than 600 community banks in the Midwest.

K2 Capital will offer equipment leasing solutions to MIB and its respondent banks. Traditionally, community banks have not had the expertise or resources to offer equipment leasing to their commercial clients. The new K2 Capital partnership allows MIB's many bank partners to offer leasing to their customers.

With assets of approximately $290 million, MIB provides compliance, regulatory, lending and other back­office services to community banks in four Midwest states. Until now, MIB was not able to offer leasing as a product solution. The partnership with K2 Capital changes that.

"In today's environment, community banks have to provide a wider array of solutions to their customers in order to stay competitive," said Bill Lloyd, MIB Executive Vice President of Commercial Lending. "We believe equipment finance will be an important addition to our clients' product mixes. With this partnership, we are now able to offer competitive, creative leasing solutions to our bank partners."

K2 Capital already works with dozens of community banks across the country. This new partnership strengthens its connection to the community bank industry and increases its opportunity to provide creative finance solutions to creditworthy commercial customers.

"Community banks are competing for quality earning assets every day," said Tom Grady, K2 Capital's Vice President of Capital Markets. "We believe equipment leasing is an important option for them to offer their customers. If you're going to compete in the C&I space, you have to have that option available. We're happy

to provide the expertise and know­how in order for these community banks to win more business and retain their existing relationships."

K2 Capital Group is headquartered in Minneapolis and has additional offices in Illinois, Arizona and Colorado. The company offers equipment leasing directly to end users as well as private­label financing solutions to medical equipment manufacturers. The company also offers customized leasing programs for commercial banks that do not have a leasing program of their own.

Midwest Independent Bancshares, Inc. (MIB, Inc.) is the bank holding company of Midwest Independent Bank (MIB), which is wholly owned. MIB is a "bankers' bank" which provides a wide array of correspondent banking services to over 600 financial institutions throughout the Midwest. MIB is based in Jefferson City, MO. MIB, Inc. also offers auditing, training and consulting services to community banks through MIB Banc Services, LLC and is the majority owner of First Bankers' Banc Securities, Inc. (FBBS). FBBS offers investment products to community banks in over 25 states.

GIVE LEASE A CHANCE If you were ever picked last for a team sport at recess, you have a good idea how the lease finance industry feels these days. Despite outperforming every major asset class for the last five years, leases account for less than 1% of total assets for the average U.S. bank. In the immortal words of Rodney Dangerfield, lease finance can't get no respect.

Leasing is a common finance tool used by more than 90% of U.S. businesses which lease everything from printers and computers to manufacturing equipment and even the buildings they call headquarters. The U.S. leasing industry is massive, with more than $680 billion in commercial leasing volume annually1. ​ Yet, despite significant demand for leasing by their commercial customers, many banks are reluctant to dedicate human resources or portfolio shelf space to it. The most recent data from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC) shows that leased assets make up just 1.4% of an average bank's total loan portfolio, or a miniscule 0.73% of a bank's total assets.

For most bankers, leasing is a four­letter word. Exactly why that is is debatable, although advance rate likely has something to do with it. Unlike typical real­estate­secured debt that requires a sizeable down payment, leases generally are 100% financings. And there are other differences. Instead of acting as lender, a lease requires the bank to serve as a lessor. Throw in the mix a new set of documents and agreements, sales tax filings, depreciation

considerations and other servicing duties and you just killed any chance of getting a banker excited about leasing.

While banks offer a number of reasons why they don't offer leasing, performance isn't one of them.

Thought leadership: Brian Madison on the transformation into "solutions financiers" Key Equipment Finance's Brian Madison recently sat down with the Equipment Finance Advisor to discuss how equipment finance companies need to culturally transform from “product financiers” to “solutions financiers” in order to meet the evolving needs of borrowers and lessees.

"There is a change in the marketplace that's in front of us and it happens to be people are getting used to acquiring goods a certain way now, more on a consumption or utility basis," says Madison, senior vice president, U.S. manufacturing & vendor alliances for Key Equipment Finance, "and therefore we as an industry have to move away from being product financiers to solutions financers."

The resulting eqiupment finance solutions are often described as non­standard financing agreements, a specialty of Key Equipment Finance.

"It's really undrestanding deeply what the client is looking to accomplish," Madison says.

He goes on to describe the benefits and risks from this industry trend.

Article: Oregon manufacturers can benefit from equipment financing solutions Food. Lumber. Boots. These are just a few of the products manufactured in Oregon, where the sector acccounts for more than 50% of gross state product.

In a ​ recent article on the the Oregon Manufacturing Extension Partnership​ website, our own Beau Conway, senior vice president, equipment finance officer and KeyBank manufacturing chair, describes some of the strengths of the state's manufacturing sector.

"While the apparel and technology industries receive most of the media attention in Oregon," Conways says, "manufacturing is still the most important sector to our economy."

Conway goes on to outline some of the customizeable financing solutions available to manufacturers. These include: ● Real Estate Lending ● Working Capital Lines of Credit ● SBA Real Estate and Equipment ● Tax Exempt Financing (Industrial Development Bonds) ● Treasury / Cash Management ● Investment Services ● General Banking Services ● Employee Banking Services "Manufacturing has always been a focus sector for KeyBank," Conway says, "and as an Equipment Finance expert I spend much of my time working with companies across all manufacturing.

LEASEQ, DAVINCI COMPASS INC. PARTNER TO PROVIDE AUTOMATED EQUIPMENT FINANCING TO RESTAURANT INDUSTRY

LeaseQ​ , an online marketplace connecting businesses, equipment sellers, and equipment finance companies to make selling and financing equipment fast and easy, and Canadian food service equipment manufacturer group DaVinci Compass Inc., owner of Picard Ovens, Sipromac and Lambertson Inc., today announced a partnership to provide automated equipment financing to restaurant industry borrowers. The partnership signals LeaseQ's entry into the Canadian food and beverage market, and provides 4,000 dealers across DaVinci's multi­national dealer network access to the LeaseQ platform for more financing options and increased conversion rates.

The partnership is a milestone for both companies and falls in line with the industry's trajectory as the equipment finance market is expected to surpass $1 trillion in 2015, according to 2015 ​ State of the Equipment Finance Industry Report​ , published by the Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation (ELFF).

The group of Picard Ovens, Sipromac and Lambertson represent LeaseQ's first manufacturer partner in both the Canadian food and beverage market and in the food packaging industry as a whole.

“The food and beverage market is unique in that it requires great flexibility and speed in financing many different types of equipment,” said Cory Damm, vice president and general manager for the Food & Beverage Vertical Market Group at LeaseQ. “Our partnership with Picard Ovens, Sipromac and Lambertson allows us to serve up countless financing options to a strong network of 4,000 dealers—which they can then pass on to their borrowers.”

LeaseQ is the manufacturer group's first online financing platform partner and represents a transition to a new kind of financing.

“We were offering financing, but it was the old way of doing things,” said Vincent Tourigny, vice president of Picard Ovens, Sipromac and Lambertson Inc. “Our dealers often do business with end users who don't qualify for traditional financing, and with the LeaseQ solution, we can provide more end users with increased access to new equipment, greater productivity, cost savings and higher profits.”

In celebration of the partnership, LeaseQ is offering 90 days of no payments for all Picard Ovens, Sipromac and Lambertson products purchased directly or through a dealer by the end of the 2015 calendar year, with available financing term lengths up to five years. For more details visit ​ www.leaseq.com​ .

About LeaseQ LeaseQ is an online marketplace that connects businesses, equipment sellers, and equipment finance companies to make selling and financing equipment fast and easy. The LeaseQ platform is a free, cloud­based SaaS solution with a suite of on­demand software and data solutions for the equipment leasing industry. LeaseQ provides business process optimization (BPO) and information services that streamline the purchase and financing of business equipment across a broad array of vertical industry segments. For more information about LeaseQ visit ​ www.leaseq.com​ .

About DaVinci Compass Inc., Sipromac, Picard Ovens & Lambertson Inc. DaVinci Compass Inc. is a Canadian holding company aiming to create a group of manufacturers of commercial foodservice and food processing equipment that build 100% of their products in America. The company's mission is to manufacture high quality equipment and offer the best service of the industry.

DaVinci acquired Sipromac in 2011, Picard Ovens in 2014 and announced its acquisition of Lambertson Inc. in 2015.

DAVINCI COMPASS ACQUIRES LAMBERTSON INDUSTRIES INC.

DaVinci Compass Inc. is glad to announce its third strategic acquisition. After Sipromac in 2011, Picard Ovens in 2014, DaVinci has acquired Lambertson Industries as of August 28, 2015. Lambertson Industries is a leading manufacturer of Stainless Steel Commercial Kitchen Equipment, based in Sparks, Nevada and has been renamed Lambertson Inc. following the acquisition.

Lambertson product line will allow our Group to extend our product offering and to strengthen our Dealer network in America.

With Lambertson’s product being 100% built in America, this acquisition fits our values to develop and manufacture high quality commercial foodservice and food processing equipment.

Mr. Jason Weiss has stepped down as President of Lambertson Industries Inc. as of August 28, 2015. Dave Couture, President & CEO of DaVinci and Vincent Tourigny, Vice President & CFO would like to welcome Eric Flickinger as a shareholder of Lambertson Inc. Mr. Flickinger will be acting as Operation Manager of Lambertson Inc. About DaVinci, Sipromac & Picard Ovens DaVinci Compass is a Canadian holding company aiming to create a Group of manufacturers of commercial foodservice and food processing equipment that build 100% of their products in America.

Sipromac is a manufacturer of Packaging & Food Processing Equipment based in Canada.

Picard Ovens is a manufacturer of Bakery and Pizza ovens and is also based in Canada.

Mississippi Public Service Commission Approves Utility­Scale Solar Power Facilities

Todd Guerrero in Kutak Rock’s Minneapolis office assisted Origis Energy USA, Inc. on a 52 MW solar energy project to be located in Sumrall, Mississippi. Origis is partnering with Mississippi Power Company on the project, which is part of a significant recently­approved utility­scale portfolio of solar photovoltaic installations in Mississippi, making Mississippi Power Company the largest provider of renewable energy in the state. In addition to Origis, Mississippi Power is collaborating with two other solar energy developers along with the U.S. Navy to build 105 MW of solar power at three different locations in the company’s service territory.

London Burns Lauded for Pro Bono Work

Kutak Rock attorney London Burns recently has been recognized for her pro bono work in Arizona.

In 2014 she won the For the Love of Justice Pro Bono Award from the Volunteer Lawyers Program (VLP), and in October 2015 she was named the Attorney of the Month by the VLP. Burns believes that pro bono service is an investment in the community, and that the positive results of the VLP inspires more attorneys to participate. She acts as liason between the VLP and the attorneys in Kutak Rock's Scottsdale office.

To read the Maricopa Lawyer article about Burns' pro bono work and her designation as Attorney of the Month, see page 13 ​ here​ .

The Volunteer Lawyers Program is a joint venture of Community Legal Services and the ​ Maricopa County Bar Association​ .

Missouri Lawyers Weekly: Greer Lang and Eric Schmitt named 2016 Missouri Lawyers Award Winners Lathrop & Gage Partners ​ Greer Lang​ and ​ Eric Schmitt ​ were recently selected as 2016 Missouri Lawyers Award winners by Missouri Lawyers Weekly. Lang was named one of the year's Influential Appellate Advocates and Schmitt, a Missouri State Senator, was named a Legal Champion. ​ Click here​ to see the full list of award winners.

Law360: Stacy Harper Discusses New Payment Model from U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Lathrop & Gage Partner ​ Stacy Harper​ shared her knowledge and experience in the Health Law section of Law360.The article, “HHS To Increase Hospitals' Burden For Post­Discharge Care,” highlights the new U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ payment model, which creates more responsibilities for hospitals after preforming joint replacements.

LEAF’s Asset­Backed Securitizations From 2012, 2013 and 2015 Upgraded by Moody’s

LEAF Commercial Capital, Inc. (“LEAF”) a leading independent equipment leasing and finance company headquartered in Philadelphia, PA, has announced that Moody's has upgraded five securities and affirmed sixteen others from the LEAF Receivables Funding, LLC, Series 2012­1, 2013­1 and 2015­1. The transactions are securitizations of small­ticket equipment leases serviced by LEAF Commercial Capital, Inc. The securities being upgraded included Classes E­1 and E­2 from 2012­1 and Classes D, E­1 and E­2 from 2013­1. The ratings of all other Classes in the aforementioned securitizations were affirmed.

Matthew Goldenberg, Senior Vice President and Treasurer of LEAF, stated, “LEAF Commercial Capital is pleased with Moody’s decision to upgrade five securities from the LEAF ABS program. It is validation of our strong and consistent portfolio performance and demonstrates our commitment to our Investors.”

About LEAF Commercial Capital, Inc. LEAF Commercial Capital, Inc. (“LEAF”) is one of the leading equipment leasing and finance companies in the U.S. Headquartered in Philadelphia, PA. LEAF serves the small­ to mid­ticket equipment finance marketplace and maintains a nationwide origination footprint, working with manufacturers as well as vendors of business­essential equipment and software in a variety of industries. www.LEAFnow.com.

LEAF Announces Securitization of $336 Million of Leasing Assets a leading independent commercial equipment leasing and finance company headquartered in Philadelphia, PA, announced today, the closing of a new securitization transaction, LEAF 2015­1, which was completed on April 30, 2015.

Through LEAF 2015­1, LEAF securitized a portfolio of approximately $336 Million of commercial equipment leases and loans through the issuance of equipment contract­backed notes. The transaction is the fourth securitization that LEAF has sponsored since its inception and its largest single issuance to date. The portfolio of leases and loans encompasses a diverse array of equipment types, from office automation, telecommunications solutions, technology and network infrastructure, light industrial and healthcare­related equipment.

Credit Suisse Securities (USA), LLC was the book runner and structuring agent of the notes with Guggenheim Securities, LLC and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC as co­managers. LEAF will continue to be the servicer of the assets. LEAF issued nine fixed rate classes of notes that were rated by Moody's and DBRS. The transaction achieved efficient Triple­A pricing, with a larger proportional size of Triple­A bonds than previously offered. This was a private offering made to qualified institutional buyers pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, by LEAF Receivables Funding 10, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of LEAF Commercial Capital, Inc. Miles Herman, President and Chief Operating Officer of LEAF, stated, "LEAF Commercial Capital is pleased with the continued, strong receptivity from our diverse investor base making 2015­1 our largest securitization to date. This successful transaction is an endorsement by investors and rating agencies of the strong and consistent results of our portfolios. This achievement will continue to support LEAF’s strong origination growth this year."

About LEAF Commercial Capital, Inc. LEAF Commercial Capital, Inc. (“LEAF”) is one of the leading equipment leasing and finance companies in the U.S. Headquartered in Philadelphia, PA. LEAF serves the small­ to mid­ticket equipment finance marketplace and maintains a nationwide origination footprint, working with manufacturers as well as vendors of business­essential equipment and software in a variety of industries. www.LEAFnow.com.

FROM THE UK TO USA ­ LEASEPLAN USA NAMES DAWN DEVONSHIRE­MCALEER NEW STRATEGIC ACCOUNTS SALES VICE PRESIDENT ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Dawn Devonshire­McAleer joins LeasePlan USA as strategic accounts sales vice president, client relations, to accommodate a surge of new accounts acquired this year.

As LeasePlan USA continues on its growth trajectory with an increase of incoming accounts through the end of the year, the team welcomes Dawn Devonshire­McAleer as strategic accounts sales vice president, client relations.

She brings more than 10 years of professional fleet management experience from her previous role in LeasePlanUK, along with innovative consulting solutions she is excited to share with her new client portfolio.

“My goal is to provide best practices and innovation that will make fleet management easier for my clients,” she said.

“Dawn’s valuable global expertise and thought leadership will, without a doubt, bring a fresh approach to her clients in the U.S.,” said Bryan Steele, senior vice president of client relations.

In her new role, Devonshire­McAleer will be responsible for key accounts where she will deliver strategic value and work in partnership with clients to identify areas of greater fleet efficiencies and cost savings.

“We welcome exceptional talent like Dawn to our team with the confidence that these fleet management professionals will deliver the most excellent service and allow us to continue on our path of growth,” said Jon Toups, chief commercial officer at LeasePlan USA. LeasePlan’s internal growth mirrors its increasing footprint in the United States and worldwide, with a recent landmark expansion of 1.5 million vehicles managed globally.

About LeasePlan: LeasePlan is the world’s leading provider of fleet and vehicle management solutions. Our global group manages 1.5 million vehicles and provides services in 32 countries. LeasePlan prides itself on delivering high­touch service and innovative products that offer total cost reduction for fleets. With more than 50 years of fleet experience, LeasePlan’s experts find ways to get the most out of clients’ vehicles, budget and time.

Find out why LeasePlan clients agree that it’s easier to leaseplan.

INSIGHT PROGRAM PROMOTES LEADERSHIP AT LEASEPLAN USA ALPHARETTA, Ga. — LeasePlan USA celebrated its first cohort’s graduation from the Insight leadership program, reflecting LeasePlan’s commitment to employee development now and in the future.

An inaugural group of 22 LeasePlan employees recently graduated from Insight, a rigorous year­long program focused on training, educating and grooming the next generation of company leaders.

The program, which required approximately 60 hours of participation, took employees through a series of personal assessments, community service activities, career development workshops and mentoring sessions to gain and foster essential leadership and business skills.

“Witnessing the innovation and teamwork this group had to offer makes me very excited for the future of this company,” said President and CEO Michael Pitcher, who also participated in the program as a mentor.

In fact, all of LeasePlan USA’s executive leadership team served as mentors and speakers, guiding employees from across the organization.

“This is a significant investment for employees, but the way we see it, it’s also an investment in our future,” said Mary Christy, senior vice president of human resources. “Developing talent is the best way to keep it.”

The inaugural Insight group was made up of employees from all departments and levels of seniority.

“The program has been an incredible experience on both a personal and professional level,” said Kyle Uhlis, remarketing account manager supervisor. “It has been a pleasure to get to know the other individuals I would not normally encounter, and see different perspectives from their everyday work experiences.”

The Insight program also prompted employees to reflect about future trends and how to stay on the forefront of innovation.

“Our industry and our clients’ needs will change in years to come. We need to make sure we are a step ahead and are able to meet these needs later on,” said Alison Kirkland, director of marketing. “This program helped us get there!”

A second Insight cohort with 25 employees is already in training, with several first­cohort graduates now acting as mentors.

FROM THE UK TO USA ­ LEASEPLAN USA NAMES DAWN DEVONSHIRE­MCALEER NEW STRATEGIC ACCOUNTS SALES VICE PRESIDENT

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Dawn Devonshire­McAleer joins LeasePlan USA as strategic accounts sales vice president, client relations, to accommodate a surge of new accounts acquired this year.

As LeasePlan USA continues on its growth trajectory with an increase of incoming accounts through the end of the year, the team welcomes Dawn Devonshire­McAleer as strategic accounts sales vice president, client relations.

She brings more than 10 years of professional fleet management experience from her previous role in LeasePlanUK, along with innovative consulting solutions she is excited to share with her new client portfolio.

“My goal is to provide best practices and innovation that will make fleet management easier for my clients,” she said.

“Dawn’s valuable global expertise and thought leadership will, without a doubt, bring a fresh approach to her clients in the U.S.,” said Bryan Steele, senior vice president of client relations.

In her new role, Devonshire­McAleer will be responsible for key accounts where she will deliver strategic value and work in partnership with clients to identify areas of greater fleet efficiencies and cost savings.

“We welcome exceptional talent like Dawn to our team with the confidence that these fleet management professionals will deliver the most excellent service and allow us to continue on our path of growth,” said Jon Toups, chief commercial officer at LeasePlan USA. LeasePlan’s internal growth mirrors its increasing footprint in the United States and worldwide, with a recent landmark expansion of 1.5 million vehicles managed globally.

About LeasePlan: LeasePlan is the world’s leading provider of fleet and vehicle management solutions. Our global group manages 1.5 million vehicles and provides services in 32 countries. LeasePlan prides itself on delivering high­touch service and innovative products that offer total cost reduction for fleets. With more than 50 years of fleet experience, LeasePlan’s experts find ways to get the most out of clients’ vehicles, budget and time.

Find out why LeasePlan clients agree that it’s easier to leaseplan.

GROWTH MILESTONES COINCIDE WITH OPENING OF NEW LOCATION FOR LEASETEAM LeaseTeam, Inc., the premier solution provider in the equipment finance marketplace, is pleased to announce that it has opened a new office location in the Kansas City, Kan., area. The location will serve as the home office for Executive Vice President Jeff Van Slyke and a team of employees from various business units across the company. The opening of the new workspace comes alongside the exciting announcements of recent growth milestones achieved by LeaseTeam, including being named to Inc. magazine’s 2015 Inc. 5000 list and the hiring of the company’s 100th employee. The distinguished 2015 Inc. 5000 list recognizes the fastest growing privately held companies in America and LeaseTeam’s inclusion is a reflection of its 81% sales growth over a three­year period from 2011 to 2014. It also places the company among the 150 fastest growing companies from a regional area consisting of Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska. In addition to this remarkable growth in revenue, the company has also experienced rapid employee growth over the same three­year period, with over 40 percent of the company having been hired during this time (LeaseTeam recently eclipsed the 100­employee mark this year). “It’s an incredible time for LeaseTeam,

both in terms of the work we are doing and the growing number of employees that are doing it,” said Van Slyke. “Achieving the kind of growth necessary to make the Inc. 5000 is pretty uncommon when you’ve been in business for over 25 years, but it speaks volumes to our people, our solutions and our industry. As we looked to the future, opening up a Kansas City office allowed us to expand our footprint to access additional talent and resources.” About LeaseTeam, Inc. LeaseTeam, Inc. is a market­leading software and business solutions company serving over 250 financial organizations throughout North America and the United Kingdom. With over 25 years of experience and expertise in the equipment finance and leasing industry, its innovative technologies continue to streamline lease and loan processing for users. LeaseTeam’s ASPIRE™, an end­to­end lease and loan management platform, allows businesses to stop talking about front­ and back­end processes, and start

LEASETEAM’S ASPIRE™ SELECTED TO POWER CUSTOMERS BANK’S NEWLY LAUNCHED COMMERCIAL FINANCE BUSINESS

LeaseTeam, Inc., the premier solution provider in the equipment leasing and finance marketplace, is pleased to announce that Customers Bank, a community, full­service business bank, has selected ASPIRE as the end­to­end lease and loan management solution for its Commercial Finance business. The new business unit will offer equipment finance and leasing products and services for a broad range of asset classes, as well as service vendors, dealers, independent finance companies, bank­owned leasing companies and strategic direct customers. ASPIRE will enable Customers Bank to facilitate transactions with ease, simplify its credit adjudication processes and everything in between, all from a single system.

“ASPIRE will provide everything in an end­to­end operating system solution that our commercial finance and leasing business was looking for,” said Samuel H. Smith III, managing director of the Customers Bank Commercial Finance division. “LeaseTeam understands our unique challenges and is providing customized solutions that will enable us to process our transactions more efficiently while providing the flexibility for our future growth and expansion into new business channels and markets. We are very pleased with the progress we have made as a result of the expert guidance that Randy Haug and his team have provided.”

“We’re delighted to add Samuel H. Smith III and his trusted and experienced team to our growing family of bank equipment finance companies nationwide,” said Randy Haug, co­founder and executive vice president at LeaseTeam. “The synergies between our group at LeaseTeam and Sam’s team were immediate. We are currently putting our combined years of experience, trust and integrity to work in the deployment of ASPIRE, which is being configured specifically for the success of Customers Bank Commercial Finance and its clients.” About Customers Bancorp, Inc. and Customers Bank Customers Bank Commercial Finance (“CBCF”) is located in Portsmouth, NH and is a division of Customers Bancorp, Inc. CBCF provides an array of lease and financing products through Vendor, Direct and Capital Markets origination channels focused on the Industrial; Transportation; Construction

LINEDATA AND NETWORTH ANNOUNCE PARTNERSHIP OFFERING INTEGRATED SOLUTION FOR THE TRANSFER AGENCY MARKET Linedata (NYSE Euronext: LIN), the global solutions provider dedicated to the investment management and credit industries, today announced a partnership with NetWorth Services, Inc. (NetWorth), a leading SaaS Fintech and information service company specialising in cost basis calculations and analysis.

The partnership will offer Linedata Admin Edge clients access to NetBasis, NetWorth’s automated solution for the calculation and reporting to the IRS of the adjusted cost basis of sold mutual funds. NetBasis will automatically interface with Linedata Mshare transfer agency system, drawing on the data required to determine the adjusted cost basis for mutual funds. Linedata Mshare forms a key part of the Linedata Admin Edge platform, an end­to­end fund administration solution for third party administrators, mutual funds, hedge funds and liquid alternative funds.

The automation of these processes will enable Linedata Admin Edge users to work more efficiently, maintain compliance and optimize costs. NetBasis will calculate the adjusted cost basis for covered and uncovered mutual funds, using a default tax lot accounting method or the elected Cost Basis Method Election provided which includes FIFO, LIFO, Specific, LOFO, HIFO, Average Single Category, Average Double Category and LGUT. The cost basis reporting solution also adjusts mutual fund data for any corporate actions, including name changes, splits, mergers, dividends and capital gains reinvested, and tracks and reports on wash sales.

“We know that cost basis calculations are a challenge for our Linedata Admin Edge clients, and we have addressed that by providing an integrated solution, says John Hanna, Business Development Manager at Linedata. “Partnering with NetWorth has enabled us to do that quickly, cost­effectively and with the recognized experts in the field, so that our clients are getting access to the best system on the market, but with the chore of setting up and maintaining the interface managed by Linedata on their behalf.”

“Although well intended, the cost basis reporting requirements have created an industry cost structure that is both an unproductive burden on its core business as well as an elevated operating budget that is unsustainable over time,” says Nico Willis, CEO at NetWorth. “We believe that Linedata and NetWorth built an industry ‘Best of Breed” straight through processing solution that will promote bottom line cost efficiencies while meeting the necessary challenges of cost basis compliance reporting.”

ABOUT LINEDATA Linedata is a global solutions provider dedicated to the investment management and credit community, with close to 1000 employees in 16 offices across the globe. Linedata has been at the service of the financial industry from day one, and applies its market and client insight to provide innovative and flexible mission­critical software and services that help its clients grow in over 50 countries. As a pioneer for over 15 years with the set­up of SaaS infrastructure for the financial industry, Linedata remains committed to this model throughout the global financial community and for its full range of products. Headquartered in France, Linedata achieved revenues of EUR 158.0 million in 2014. This company is listed on Euronext Paris compartment B FR0004156297­LIN – Reuters LDSV.LN – Bloomberg LIN:FP.

ABOUT NETWORTH SERVICES NetWorth Services, Inc. is a leading SaaS Fintech and information service company headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, with an office in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Its flagship product, Netbasis, is an award­winning cloud application that quickly and accurately determines the adjusted cost basis for volume transacted securities. NetWorth Services offers a suite of cloud­based financial solutions that allow businesses and governments to work more efficiently, maintain compliance, optimize costs, and create new pathways to profit. NetWorth solutions have been adopted by many leading financial institutions, transfer agencies, tax preparation software companies, accounting firms, money managers, government agencies, Fortune 500 companies, universities, endowments and individual investors. For more information: www.networthservices.com and www.netbasis.com.

LINEDATA INNOVATIONS DELIVER ENRICHED FUNCTIONALITY TO THE TRANSFER AGENCY MARKET

Linedata (NYSE Euronext: LIN), the global solutions provider dedicated to the investment management and credit industries, today announced version 10.8 of transfer agency solution Linedata Mshare, delivering enhanced Private Equity functionality, new Cost Basis capabilities and updates to the Allocations module.

Linedata Mshare forms a key part of the Linedata Admin Edge platform, an end­to­end fund administration solution for alternative, traditional and liquid alts funds.

As fund administrators increasingly look to gain further business from existing clients and to engage new business, using one technology platform to administer different types of fund is highly effective in terms of cost and resources. Theenriched Private Equity functionality now available in Linedata Mshare 10.8 enables Linedata clients to offer a wider range of services without having to cope with the demands of additional software. New in this release isdistribution waterfall functionality, required when a Private Equity fund liquidates its underlying holdings in order to distribute the fund’s assets. Also included is Private Equity recallable capital calls, which give the ability to recall capital in the event a capital call was overinvested.

This latest version of Linedata Mshare also includes an automated solution for cost basis tax reporting for US clients. This new module will calculate the adjusted cost basis for covered and uncovered mutual funds, using a default tax lot accounting method or the elected Cost Basis Method Election provided which includes FIFO, LIFO, Specific, LOFO, HIFO, Average Single Category, Average Double Category and LGUT. The cost basis reporting solution also adjusts mutual fund data for any corporate actions, including name changes, splits, mergers, dividends and capital gains reinvested, and tracks and reports on wash sales. This module is supplied by cost basis calculation specialists NetWorth Services, Inc. There are also several enhancements around the partnership performance fee side to facilitate specific partnership agreements such as transfer of beneficial ownership. As the transfer agency component of Linedata Admin Edge, Linedata Mshare, with its private equity and shareholder accounting capabilities, is well placed to deal with a wide variety of instruments and fund types, and with complex fund structures such as partnerships.

“These latest developments ensure that Linedata Mshare remains the transfer agency solution of choice for any firm addressing alternative, traditional, liquid alts or complex fund structures,” says Justin Hayes, Product Manager at Linedata. “Linedata continues to invest in its back office products to ensure that our clients can rely on us to meet their administration system needs, in terms of automation, functionality, scalability, regulatory updates and new instrument coverage. These new developments will enable our clients to expand their administration offering.”

ABOUT LINEDATA Linedata is a global solutions provider dedicated to the investment management and credit community, with close to 1000 employees in 16 offices across the globe. Linedata has been at the service of the financial industry from day one, and applies its market and client insight to provide innovative and flexible mission­critical software and services that help its clients grow in over 50 countries. As a pioneer for over 15 years with the set­up of SaaS infrastructure for the financial industry, Linedata remains committed to this model throughout the global financial community and for its full range of products. Headquartered in France, Linedata achieved revenues of EUR 158.0 million in 2014. This company is listed on Euronext Paris compartment B FR0004156297­LIN – Reuters LDSV.LN – Bloomberg LIN:FP.

Edward Allely joins expanding Linklease team as Operations Director Linklease, the region's leading SME equipment leasing business has strengthened its executive team with the appointment of Edward Allely as Operations Director.

Edward will be responsible for developing and executing Linklease's operating strategy across the region as it scales up its platform and assets under management.

With over 15 years of financial services experience which includes undertaking senior positions with leading banking and financial services organisations in the Middle East and Europe, Edward brings a high degree of leadership, commercial and SME acumen to the role.

Edward was previously the Chief Executive Officer of Gulf Finance UAE; a leading SME financing organisation and joined the business in 2008 as its Director of Strategy. Earlier, Edward worked in senior strategy roles with prestigious global banks including Barclays Bank and Lloyds TSB in his native UK.

Steve Williams, Chief Executive Officer, Linklease said, "We're delighted to have Edward onboard as the newest member of our executive team. He is an important appointment given his extensive regional and SME experience, and adds the necessary leadership and depth to help Linklease continue its growth trajectory by capitalising on the opportunities ahead of us."

Edward added, "It's great to have joined Linklease at such an exciting time. I am looking forward to working with Steve and the rest of the team to provide SMEs across the Middle East with an appealing alternative to traditional finance whilst generating strong returns for our investors."

Linklease hits AED 10 million leasing milestone after securing new printing technology client

After less than six months of trading, Linklease has reached its first major milestone by delivering leasing deals with a cumulative value of AED 10 million.

The achievement follows Linklease signing its newest client; an award­winning UAE based printing company with a four year sale and lease­back agreement valued at AED 1.5 million for industrial printing technology.

Steve Williams, Chief Executive Officer, Linklease said, “Innovation is key in the rapidly evolving and competitive printing sector. For this reason, we are looking forward to seeing our client use their new technological advantage to now also precipitate a broader strategic advantage too."

"On a very practical basis, that advantage will be delivered by the printing technology enabling our client to move more jobs through their shop and get them into the hands of satisfied customers quicker, without a big upfront financial investment or tying up valuable sources of credit."

At the conclusion of the lease, in addition to purchasing or returning the equipment to Linklease, the client has the additional option of signing a new leasing agreement with upgraded printing equipment. This third option ensures they can continue benefiting from the most technologically­advanced machinery.

Android Pay Available for M&T Bank Customers

Beginning today, M&T Bank customers can add their M&T Bank debit or credit card to Android Pay, the convenient way to pay with an Android phone. The free new service from Google allows customers to use their Android phone (running 4.4 or higher) to pay for purchases at more than one million stores across the U.S.

M&T Bank customers can load their M&T Bank debit or credit cards to Android Pay to make payments at merchants that accept contactless payments. Customers do not need to have their card with them to make a payment – purchases can be made by simply unlocking their phone and placing it over the terminal.

“For smartphone users, we understand their device can assist in many aspects of their day­to­day lives, including being their digital wallet,” said Paris Roselli, M&T Bank Senior Vice President of Digital and Telephone Banking. “Android Pay is a great complement to our credit and debit card products, and this enhancement reflects our efforts to invest in services that improve the customer experience.”

Android Pay is supported by an industry­standard technology called “tokenization,” where a unique virtual account number is generated and stored on the Android device. The virtual account number provides an extra layer of security because the card number is not stored on the phone, or transmitted when a payment is made.

Android Pay is the latest in a series of digital services enhancements from M&T Bank to make managing finances more convenient. In 2014, M&T Bank launched Apple Pay, a new M&T Online Banking channel and M&T InfoPLU$ for Mobile and Tablet, an application for commercial banking customers, as well as redesigned the M&T Mobile Banking and M&T Mobile Banking for Business applications.

M&T Bank, Salvation Army Launch 30th Annual ‘Gift of Warmth’ Drive M&T Bank is launching its 30th annual “Gift of Warmth” to collect new mittens, gloves, scarves and hats for needy Western New Yorkers. Donations can be made at area M&T branches until Dec. 31.

Children and families served by ​ The Salvation Army of Buffalo​ will benefit from this winter­clothing drive, which each year collects approximately 3,500 items of winter outerwear.

“The crisp days of fall remind us that the harsh Buffalo winter is coming,” said Jim Jarosz, M&T Bank Group Vice President for Retail Banking in Western New York. “Through our longstanding relationship with The Salvation Army, we have been able to help more of our neighbors across Western New York stay warm and healthy.”

Donations may be dropped off at any of the 112 M&T branches throughout Western New York beginning on Nov. 30, 2015 and continuing through Dec. 31, 2015. Most branches are open weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Individuals interested in making a donation should visit ​ https://locator.mtb.com​ to find the nearest branch and its hours of operation.

In addition to M&T branches, collection bins will also be located at several senior and health care facilities throughout the month of December.

“The Salvation Army is blessed to have partnered with M&T Bank for the Gift of Warmth campaign for more than 30 years,” said Major Thomas Applin, Executive Director of The Salvation Army of Buffalo. “This strong alliance has intersected with many individuals, groups and businesses in the community, motivating them to help collect coats, gloves, scarves and other winter outerwear for the less fortunate. Thousands living in the area have been served creating warm hands and hearts because of this campaign. We are indebted to everyone involved, especially M&T Bank!”

M&T Bank and the Salvation Army of Buffalo have worked together for more than 30 years to help those in need of winter clothing in Western New York. What started as an idea by one employee to help local families in 1985 has evolved into a robust partnership. Since 2012, Western New Yorkers have donated more than 15,000 items of winter accessories to support the program.

About the Salvation Army The Salvation Army has been supporting those in need without discrimination since 1865. Nearly 33 million Americans receive assistance from The Salvation Army each year through the broadest array of social services that range from providing food for the hungry, relief for disaster victims, assistance for the disabled, outreach to the elderly and ill, clothing and shelter to the homeless and opportunities for underprivileged children. About 83 cents of every dollar raised is used to support those services in nearly 9,000 communities nationwide.

About M&T Bank Corp.

M&T Bank Corp. is a financial holding company headquartered in Buffalo, New York. M&T’s principal banking subsidiary, M&T Bank, operates banking offices in New York, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Connecticut, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia. Trust­related services are provided by M&T’s Wilmington Trust­affiliated companies and by M&T Bank.

Macquarie Infrastructure Debt Investment Solutions provides £80 million debt refinancing for Cottsway Housing Association Macquarie Infrastructure Debt Investment Solutions (MIDIS) has arranged and financed an £80 million loan to the largest housing association in West Oxfordshire, Cottsway Housing Association (Cottsway). The debt facility will be drawn down in two tranches and will mature in 2055. In addition to the £80 million facility, MIDIS and Cottsway have signed an agreement whereby Cottsway can efficiently request to borrow an additional £50 million under substantially similar terms.

MIDIS has made 26 debt investments since 2012 and this marks its first into the regulated social housing sector. The sector was previously reliant on bank funding pre­financial crisis and is now looking to the institutional investor base to meet its long term funding requirements. The transaction is structured to give investors suitable protections whilst maintaining flexibility to allow Cottsway to manage their business with the freedom they require. The investment is secured against a portion of Cottsway’s 4,500 social housing properties.

MIDIS has been awarded mandates in excess of £3 billion and deployed over £1.3 billion into debt investments across 13 infrastructure subsectors since 2012. These include fixed, floating and inflation linked debt investments in transport, regulated utilities, social infrastructure, solar photovoltaic (PV), and wind.

Kit Hamilton, Managing Director of MIDIS said: “Investing in a regulated asset class like social housing provides our investors with the opportunity to de­risk and diversify their portfolios. With strong demand for social housing, we are pleased to provide our investors with a robust asset over the forty year term and provide Cottsway with a flexible debt funding solution.

“Underpinning our strategy to increase MIDIS’ investment in the social housing sector, we have hired Will Meers who, in his previous role, was responsible for advising many of the largest Housing Associations on their debt and derivative portfolios.”

Richard Reynolds, Cottsway said: “This transaction leaves Cottsway well placed to pursue our strategic objectives of meeting the significant excess demand for affordable housing in our region. We look forward to a long­term partnership with MIDIS who demonstrated a clear understanding of our needs in tailoring a solution, and whose capacity for delivering additional financing in future represented a compelling proposition.”

Robert St John, Partner at Centrus Advisors LLP which advised Cottsway on the financing said: “Having carefully considered the merits and implications of a listed bond issue and in the light of market conditions, a decision was taken to proceed with a private placement. Following meetings, arranged by Centrus, with a selected number of institutional investors, MIDIS was chosen as the preferred investor. We are delighted to have worked with both Cottsway and MIDIS to bring this financing to a successful conclusion.”

Macquarie Group Capital Notes 2 Offer closes

Macquarie Group Limited (ASX; MQG; ADR: MQBKY) (MGL) today announced that it has closed its offer of Macquarie Group Capital Notes 2 (MCN2) (the Offer), raising approximately $A531m. All valid Securityholder Applications were accepted in full. As announced to the ASX on 26 November 2015, allocations to Syndicate Brokers and Institutional Investors were determined following the Bookbuild.

MCN2 are expected to commence trading on ASX on a deferred settlement basis from approximately 10:00am (Sydney time) on Monday, 21 December 2015 under the code “MQGPB”. Trading on a normal settlement basis is expected to commence on Wednesday, 23 December 2015.

Holding statements CHESS and issuer sponsored holding statements indicating the number of MCN2 allocated to successful Applicants are expected to be dispatched by Tuesday, 22 December 2015. Refunds for any invalid Applications are expected to be dispatched by Tuesday, 22 December 2015.

Applicants can confirm their holding before receiving their holding statement in the following ways: ● Broker Firm Applicants should contact their Syndicate Broker; and ● Other Applicants can call the MCN2 Offer Information Line on 1300 306 413 (within Australia) or +61 1300 306 413 (international) (Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5.30pm, Sydney time).

Any successful Applicant wishing to trade their MCN2 prior to receiving their holding statement is responsible for confirming their allocation to ensure they do not sell any MCN2 that they do not own. Any person who sells MCN2 before receiving their holding statement does so at their own risk.

First Distribution Payment Distributions on MCN2 are scheduled to be paid on 17 March and 17 September each year, commencing on 17 March 2016. The record date for the first MCN2 distribution is expected to be 9 March 2016.

The Distribution Rate for the first Distribution will be calculated and announced to the ASX in December 2015.

Issue Date VWAP For the purposes of the MCN2 Exchange calculations, the Issue Date VWAP is $A81.33.

Tax Ruling As noted in the Prospectus, MGL applied for a class ruling to confirm the Australian tax consequences for certain holders of MCN2. The ATO is expected to issue this class ruling shortly. A copy of the class ruling will be made available at macquarie.com.au and on the ATO website at ​ www.ato.gov.au​ .

Participation by related parties of MGL In compliance with ASX requirements, MGL advises that 4,600 MCN2 were issued to related parties of MGL in aggregate.

Largest holders and holder distribution schedule A statement of the 20 largest MCN2 holders, including the number and percentage of MCN2 held by those holders, and the distribution schedule of MCN2 holders are attached.

Further information The Offer was made under a prospectus dated 1 December 2015. For more information visit www.macquarie.com.au​ or call the call the MCN2 Offer Information Line on 1300 306 413 (within Australia) or +61 1300 306 413 (international). The line is open from Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5.30pm, (Sydney time).

Definitions Unless otherwise defined, capitalised words used in this announcement have the meanings given to them in the Prospectus.

Disclaimer This announcement does not constitute an offer of any securities (including the MCN2) for sale or issue. No action has been taken to register or qualify MCN2 or the Offer or to otherwise permit a public offering of MCN2 outside Australia. In particular, this announcement does not constitute an offer of securities for sale in the United States. Neither the MCN2 nor the MGL Ordinary Shares have been or will be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act), or the securities laws of any state or other jurisdiction of the United States, and they may not be offered, sold or resold in the United States or to, or for the benefit of, any U.S. person (as defined in Regulation S under the Securities Act) except pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act.

DODD­FRANK REVISITED (AGAIN) It seems as though every few weeks a new bank subsidiary is alerted to the fact that federal preemption no longer protects it in terms of state licensing and usury issues. We will address this in a panel at this year's ELFA Annual Convention and have written about it extensively in our newsletter and elsewhere.

An added unwelcome by­product of Dodd­Frank is that some state attorneys, general and regulators, are likely to be more aggressive in dealing with usury and licensing issues. While only California has a broad lenders license that affects non­bank commercial lenders, many states place restrictions on business conducted by purchasers of retail installment paper, motor vehicle financings, micro­ticket loans and other transactions. High­interest (high­risk) lenders and lessors are particularly vulnerable in several states. This is a prime example of "look before you lend" because the penalties can be severe, including criminal prosecutions.

Tales from the Asset Manager 2015 This year’s Tale from the Asset Manager begins at a well­known truck dealership on Valley Boulevard in Fontana, California.

10:00 AM The customer stepped out of his taxi onto the dealership lot and walked to the office ready to pick up the keys to his 2008 Freightliner Columbia 120. Documentation had been signed, insurance confirmed and the vehicle title was being readied for reassignment. The only items left to do were the test drive and the verbal interview with Maxim’s funding coordinator.

The dealership had washed and waxed the rig the previous evening in preparation for pick­up. After being cleaned, the truck was parked at the front of the lot—ready to roll out.

When the customer walked in, he was greeted by a polite, but frantic F&I manager who explained that Maxim was ready to fund once the verbal was complete. However, the verbal could not be completed until after the test drive… and the test drive could not be completed until the truck was located.

11:00 AM The truck was confirmed missing from the lot. The F&I Manager called and explained the situation to the Maxim team. Luckily, Maxim required a GPS unit be installed in the vehicle before funding. The unit was pinged and the truck was pinpointed to an address just a few miles down the road from the dealership.

12:00 PM Local police investigators made it out to the dealership lot and confirmed the missing vehicle along with the GPS location information. The cops then tracked the truck to a nearby garage. When they walked in, they found piles of tractor­trailer parts and—in the very back—a chop shop with the missing Freightliner already in the process of being stripped.

The criminal disassembling the truck had stopped for lunch and was halfway through his sandwich when the police cuffed him. The truck and its identifiable parts were returned to the dealership, but the policed stayed at the garage. As more affiliates came to the shop throughout the day, the police were able to link up and shut down an entire big rig chop shop crime ring in the Southern California area.

You Don’t Know Max! 5 Maxim Facts to Help You Help More Customers.

1. Maxim can get your customer working capital by leveraging their assets.

Because every Maxim deal is secured with hard asset collateral or real estate equity, we use a sale­leaseback structure to offer cash out at a 2:1 collateral to funding ratio. Customers can use asset­secured funds for cash advance payoffs, debt restructures, partner take outs, tax lien and judgment payoffs—just to name a few.

1. Maxim can fund businesses in any industry.

Yes, really. Although every industry does not utilize qualifying collateral business asset, Maxim deals can be secured with liens on business or personal, residential or commercial real estate. We will take any position on a property if we calculate available equity; and we can get a real estate­backed deal completed in about 1/3 of the time it takes a conventional mortgage lender. Some of the industries that we have served include: Legal, Medical, Beverage, Restaurant, Hotel, Recycling and Manufacturing along with Construction & Trucking.

1. Our programs and pricing are competitive.

Maxim offers two distinct funding programs—each with effective rates that start in the high teens and go up from there. These programs offer various cash down or asset­backed products with a wide range of pricing tiers and terms. So if you were thinking Maxim was just an end­of­the­line lender, think again.

1. All our customers don’t have bad credit, some just need to overcome bad situations.

It’s a fact; the average credit score for customers in our Business Financing program is 680. Some customer’s just lack business history, have a recent BK, are on tax lien payments plans, are starting a new business, show losses on their financials, etc. Maxim can help your customers with all types of challenges get financing they need and move their businesses onward and upward.

1. We’re growing and we’d love for you to grow with us!

Over the past 2 years, the Maxim team has grown from 10 to 22 people—to offer faster processing on your deals and better service for all our customers. Our funding volume has also more than doubled… and we want you to grow with us! Please contact our team to discuss how we can help you get your next asset­backed, challenging deal approved, closed, and funded today!

MB Financial Trades at New American Financial Exchange, Opening a Pathway to Reducing Transaction Costs and Lowering the Cost of Loans to Businesses

MB Financial Bank, a founding member of the newly created American Financial Exchange (AFX), was proud to make one of the early trades in the ground breaking opening of the innovative electronic marketplace. The exchange will give hundreds of mid sized banks across the United States more access to lend and borrow short­term funds in a transparent marketplace, while providing small businesses across the country more access to capital at a lower cost.

David Greiwe, Senior Vice President and Treasurer, represented MB at the AFX grand opening. Greiwe noted the significance of the exchange to MB Financial, “our hope for this exchange is to ultimately improve liquidity in interbank lending leading to better transparency in pricing both for banks as well for our customers. The future is bright for mid sized banks, its customers and local economies. With this exchange, the outlook only looks brighter. We are honored to be a founding participant.”

The American Financial Exchange’s chairman and CEO, Dr. Richard Sandor commented, "We are proud and honored to have MB as one of our Founding participants. They are thought­leaders and we look forward to working with them as we develop the AFX marketplace. “Sander continued, “Our goal is to serve the needs of mid­sized American banks such as MB who are the real engines of growth in our local economy.

We hope an efficient, low­cost and transparent market can bring direct benefits to their customers." Find out more about The American Financial Exchange at ​ http://www.theafex.com​ .

About MB Financial MB Financial Bank N.A. is a Chicago­based commercial bank with approximately $15 billion in assets and a more than one hundred year history of building deep and lasting relationships with middle­market companies and individuals. MB Financial Bank offers a full range of powerful financial solutions and the expertise and

experience of bankers who are focused on their clients’ success. MB Financial Bank is a wholly­owned subsidiary of MB Financial, Inc. (NASDAQ: MBFI).

LinkedIn Ireland surpasses 1,000 jobs milestone as it celebrates 5 year anniversary

At an event to celebrate its fifth anniversary in Ireland,​ LinkedIn​ (NYSE: LNKD) today announced it now employs 900 people, an increase of 300 over the past twelve months, with more than 100 additional open positions at present. LinkedIn was joined at the event by An Taoiseach Enda Kenny TD. LinkedIn’s 900 employees are engaged in sales and marketing, engineering, data insights and analytics, and include a variety of regional leadership roles. The open roles include sales managers, insight analysts, applied scientists, HR managers and finance managers.

LinkedIn also announced that the next phase of construction has commenced on its international headquarters in Dublin. This site is being developed on 17,507sq m and seven hundred construction jobs are involved over the course of the project, which is expected to be completed at the beginning of 2017.

Commenting during a visit to the site, An Taoiseach Enda Kenny TD said: “It is a fantastic endorsement for Ireland that one of the leading internet companies in the world has selected Dublin as the location for its international headquarters. In a short space of time, LinkedIn has become a major employer in Ireland and continues to grow. The calibre of people employed by LinkedIn reflects the quality of the Irish workforce and is another reason why Ireland is seen as a global centre for technology and internationalisation. The Government plans to keep the recovery going by keeping Ireland competitive for new investment and jobs."

Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Richard Bruton TD, who is this morning hosting the Dublin jobs plan forum, added: “Ireland’s success in attracting and growing jobs in the world’s biggest ‘born on the internet’ companies brings huge knock­on benefits – including extra jobs in supply and service companies, as well as a huge gain for our reputation. Encouraging jobs growth in these companies is a key aim of the Action Plan for Jobs, and today’s announcement that LinkedIn, one of the world's biggest names in this area, is making a major investment in its operations here, and will soon employ 1000 people here, is a great boost. I wish Sharon and the team every success with its operations here, and look forward to continue working with them as they continue to invest and grow jobs here” Martin Shanahan, CEO, IDA Ireland, said: “Since establishing its international headquarters in Dublin five years ago, LinkedIn has developed its business significantly, creating jobs in key areas such as data analysis and applied science. The decision by the company to develop and construct its international headquarters here is testament to Ireland’s reputation as a global leader in technology and big data.”

Sharon McCooey​ , Senior Director International Operations and Dublin Site Lead, LinkedIn, added: “As one of LinkedIn’s first employees in Ireland, it has been fantastic to be part of driving the evolution of the company. We have grown from a team of three to a workforce of 900 people in five short years and we continue to expand with the construction of our new international headquarters here in the city centre. Our location at the heart of Europe’s digital ecosystem means that we are ideally placed for the future.”

John Herlihy​ , LinkedIn EMEA Managing Director, said, “Ireland is a great place to do business and is a hugely important base for LinkedIn. Having recently joined the LinkedIn team, I’m looking forward to a bright future as we grow and expand our team in Dublin.”

About LinkedIn

LinkedIn connects the world’s professionals to make them more productive and successful and transforms the ways companies hire, market and sell. Our vision is to create economic opportunity for every member of the global workforce through the ongoing development of the world’s first Economic Graph. LinkedIn has more than 400 million members and has offices around the world.

LinkedIn Appoints New Managing Directors for EMEA and APAC Regions LinkedIn​ Corporation (NYSE: LNKD), the world's largest professional network on the Internet with over 400 million members worldwide has appointed ​ John Herlihy​ as a Managing Director for the Europe, Middle East and Africa Region. In this role, Herlihy will lead LinkedIn’s business efforts in EMEA, overseeing the company’s strategic direction while continuing to drive business and member growth. LinkedIn also appointed ​ Olivier Legrand​ as its Managing Director for the Asia­Pacific region, effective January 1, 2016.

With this new appointment, Legrand will have a dual role, continuing to serve as Head of Marketing Solutions for LinkedIn in the region.

John Herlihy joins LinkedIn having spent the last decade at Google, where he was VP of SMB Sales and Head of Google Ireland. In that time, John grew and led Google’s EMEA online sales and operations from 50 to over 2,500 talented people, working with customers across over 100 markets, from its Dublin headquarters. Prior to that John held several leadership positions at leading tech companies both in Europe and the United States. He is an active non­executive director of a number of private and public companies, primarily in finance, biotech, software and agri­food sectors.

Herlihy will take over from ​ Ariel Eckstein​ who has been LinkedIn’s Managing Director in EMEA for the past four years. Eckstein recently took on a global leadership role at LinkedIn, heading up a worldwide team that looks after the needs of the company’s largest customers.

Singapore­based Legrand, who joined LinkedIn in 2012 to drive the Marketing Solutions business in the Asia­Pacific region, is a senior executive with more than a decade of leadership, marketing and business development experience in the region. Before joining LinkedIn, he was General Manager of The Wall Street Journal Digital Network for Asia. Legrand will succeed Hari Krishnan, who has been Managing Director for the Asia­Pacific region since January 2013. Krishnan oversaw a business in the region that continues to post healthy growth, including a member base that more than doubled to 78+ million (as at Q3 2015) in less than three years. This includes 33+ million in India, 7+ million in Australia and 15+ million in S.E. Asia.

Krishnan, LinkedIn’s first employee in Asia will be leaving after six years at the company, during which he served as Country Manager for India (November 2009 – December 2012) before becoming the Managing Director for Asia­Pacific. He will be joining PropertyGuru Group as its President and Chief Business Officer.

About LinkedIn LinkedIn connects the world’s professionals to make them more productive and successful and transforms the ways companies hire, market and sell. Our vision is to create economic opportunity for every member of the global workforce through the ongoing development of the world’s first Economic Graph. LinkedIn has more than 400 million members and has offices around the world.

Accelerating with QuantumBlack

We’re delighted to announce the acquisition of ​ QuantumBlack​ , a London­based company with roots in Formula 1 motor racing that is pioneering the use of big data and advanced analytics to improve organizational performance.

The deal is our fourth acquisition of 2015, in areas ranging from ​ product design​ to ​ pricing optimization​ .

We’ve also entered into a number of strategic partnerships, some involving equity investments. Behind these deals is a deliberate strategy to bring new tools, technologies, and capabilities to McKinsey clients, says ​ Daniel Pacthod​ leader of our New Ventures unit: “Clients are asking us for more than just advice.

We’re building some terrific new capabilities organically and we’re actively looking for partnerships or acquisitions where it makes sense.”

QuantumBlack’s roughly 45 employees will continue to operate from their existing premises in London’s Tech City under the company’s distinctive name. However, the acquisition opens the door to work jointly with McKinsey teams on client projects across a wide range of industries.

“Differences between teams [in Formula 1] are measured in milliseconds so they look for every available opportunity to make improvements,” says QuantumBlack co­founder Simon Williams. “Analyzing data at scale is a way to optimize the performance not only of cars but also of engineering teams and whole organizations.”

Dr. Nicolaus Henke​ , head of ​ McKinsey Analytics​ , said “Data analytics is one of the most disruptive and potentially transformative developments in management. QuantumBlack, through its Nerve platform, combines data from disparate sources to produce meaningful data around human endeavor—something that previously has not been reliably measured. This is why we’re so excited about the combination of our organizations—together we can provide our clients with a completely new means of making decisions and converting knowledge into action.”

“We’ve always been strong when it comes to working at the leadership level, and we bring fantastic analytical skill,” says Jeremy Palmer, QuantumBlack’s Chief Executive. “But what we haven’t yet had is the kind of broad domain expertise and implementation capabilities that McKinsey brings.”

Bill Wiseman​ , head of McKinsey Analytics in Asia, said “McKinsey and QuantumBlack worked together for more than a year in a number of industries. This approach to organizational performance requires not only a flair for statistics but also industry expertise, experience implementing change programs, and earned credibility with senior executives—all of which are McKinsey strengths.”

In a typical project, once objectives are agreed upon with the client, the first step is to bring together large amounts data from disparate sources—everything from engineering systems to performance­management systems to email servers. The consulting team then applies sophisticated analytical techniques (usually including machine learning) to find out what drives performance and uses data visualization to render the findings in a way that brings them alive for client executives. At this point, the rubber really meets the road: working with the client to decide on a course of action, align employees and other stakeholders, and make change happen over weeks and months.

Sven Smit​ , head of McKinsey Western Europe, notes that the McKinsey and QuantumBlack teams worked together successfully on a number of client projects before an acquisition was mooted. Even so, he concedes that making acquisitions work is never easy. The keys to success?

“We’re doing what we advise clients to do in these circumstances: get to know each other really well and develop a winning shared forward plan and put real resources into post­deal support. The deal doesn’t end when the ink is dry.”

Mechanics Bank goes on hiring binge to become a more aggressive lender (Video) Mechanics Bank​ is hiring seasoned bankers to step up its lending in 2016.

Mechanics spent much of the summer strengthening its credit and finance groups to set the stage for expanding its commercial banking team. Business lending and commercial real estate lending are expected to be high on the bank's agenda in the year ahead.

The Walnut Creek­based bank plans to hire an additional 60 to 70 people in the months ahead, adding to its workforce of 420 people, said CEO ​ Kenneth Russell​ , who has worked with the bank's new ownership since the late 1980s.

"Because of the legacy of the Ford Group, we have a trail of talent. We know where the people are," Russell said of his recent efforts to hire eight to 10 key people. "It was like the Blues Brothers putting the band back together."

A recent interview with Russell and Mechanics Bank Chairman ​ Carl Webb​ was an opportunity to discuss the vision for the Bay Area's largest community bank since Ford Financial Fund bought a 70 percent stake in the bank last April.

"We're every bit as pleased five months post­close as we were ahead of the acquisition. But you always find things once you get the keys and look under the hood," Webb said. "To a large extent this acquisition has been surprise­free."

Webb and his team appear to be rebuilding Mechanics Bank after prior leadership made substantial job cuts and pulled back on lending and visibility in the community.

"This bank had cut too deeply. That was evident to us early on," Webb said. "I characterize it as the new Mechanics Bank."

(The hiring was readily apparent on a recent visit to headquarters, with a crowded parking lot and cubicles dotting what had been open floor space.)

"We're trying to re­engage the lending efforts here. That is job one," Webb said. "To get the bank back in the market, become more visible and I would even say more aggressive in our lending.

Med One Capital Creates Board of Directors to Aid in Governance of Company During Future Expected Growth

After experiencing steady expansion for the past few years, Med One Capital is creating a Board of Directors to guide the further development of the company.

Med One Capital, a medical equipment leasing and rental company, has recently established a Board of Directors to guide the future growth of the company. Comprised of prominent local business leaders, this board will help in the governance of the company as it continues to develop and expand.

The company has experienced significant growth in the last few years, and they expect to see further growth, as is seen in their decision to seek the help of the new Board of Directors. In recent months Med One Capital has created many new positions within their corporate office as well as within multiple distribution centers throughout the country.

The Board of Directors will convene during the 2015 and 2016 business year. Med One Capital is pleased to announce that the board will be comprised of the following members: Med One President and CEO Larry R. Stevens; Med One Executive Vice President and Co­Owner Brent H. Allen; Principal at Robert C. Gross Associates and former banking president and state government executive Robert C. Gross; current President of the Days of 47 Committee and past President and CEO of the Utah Workers Compensation Fund Lane A Summerhays; insurance and commercial lending specialist and Senior Vice President at the Buckner Company Randy C. Emery; Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at Arches Health Plan of Utah Tricia L. Schumann; marketing, brand strategy and PR expert William J. Brady of Eli Kirk Riser; and Ray, Quinney and Nebeker senior partner Michael W. Spence. Med One welcomes these new board members and looks forward to the experience and insight they will bring to their new responsibilities.

Med One Celebrates One Year Anniversary in Northern California Med One would like to recognize our one year anniversary in Hayward, California. Starting with one employee, the location has consistently grown our rental offering in the Northern, California market. The location has quickly expanded to five employees with no signs of slowing down. In just a short year the Hayward distribution center has added a territory sales manager, operations manager, delivery vehicles with drivers, and a biomedical technician.

The Hayward office primarily provides rental services for surrounding healthcare facilities. The devices being rented include infusion pumps, patient monitors, ventilators, beds and more. They provide responsive delivery services with all equipment cleaned and tested by certified technicians.

For more information about rental inventory or to request a quote online please visit our equipment section

BENEFITS AND ADVANTAGES OF BEING A DIVERSE SUPPLIERBy Mary Kariotis, Leasing & Financing President at Merrimak Capital Co. LLC

Everyone knows someone who is just entering the workforce, recently lost a job or is middle­aged and attempting to re­emerge after time off. Speaking from experience, this can be intimidating and is more than often downright scary. By 2004, I personally had worked my way to having had a very successful career by achievement and economic standards. From 2004 through 2008, I saw myself as semi­retired, though always having the intention to eventually go back to work full­time. The economic crisis in 2008 caused monetary constraints requiring that I re­enter the marketplace with committed staying power. Upon my re­entry, I was afraid I was a “has­been,” and found myself floundering as to how to compete in a constrained economy within a growing information age that I knew very little about. I was lucky, though, as I re­emerged with secret weapons: skills and passion for account development, an unwavering work ethic and a purpose of perseverance with partnership.

It is my experience and assumption that the average American business person may never have heard of supplier diversity, and has little to no idea what supplier diversity is, let alone the advantages it bestows. For those that have heard of supplier diversity, opinions vary on what it truly means, what the benefits actually

are, how to leverage the status, and most importantly, what the supplier diversity advocates within a corporation can do to promote success for their suppliers.

I personally had no idea about the initiative until one of our highly coveted customers, Cargill, Incorporated, educated me about the initiative and explained and demonstrated what it meant for their corporation. Our company, Merrimak Capital (the industry’s leading North American based independent lessor and asset recovery company), became certified in 2009 and has since added over 50 of the largest U.S. corporations with continued expansion and accelerated growth for the foreseeable future. Two of the first accounts that Merrimak engaged were PepsiCo and Cargill, Incorporated. Today they continue to be Merrimak’s two largest customers and are the building blocks and champions for our continued growth. Our progression and success are directly correlated to the knowledge, understanding, respect and obligations associated with being a diverse supplier.

When diversity is introduced into supply chains, vastly improved and innovative products and/or solutions emerge coupled with a competitive edge. To the surprise of many, supplier diversity initiatives are not driven from government compliance. More and more corporate accounts are developing strong social supplier diversity spend initiatives providing opportunities for the diverse supplier to compete against the largest and best in their class. Opportunities to compete would not be so readily available without diverse status.

Without question, successes for diverse suppliers contribute to job creation and opportunities for the middle class.

Truth be told, if my cold calling campaign ever began with entitlement because I was WBENC certified, doors would have slammed. Instead, with my assimilating back into the market by identifying needs, providing solutions, having a purpose and most importantly gaining the advocacy and support from the supplier diversity professionals, our company’s successes continue to soar. Our business has consequently enjoyed nearly 40% growth in lease originations every year since 2009, increased profit margins, entered into and operates into new international markets, and has expanded upon our service offerings.

We should all be grateful for the supplier diversity champions within the corporations we serve. They tirelessly advocate on our behalf. As ecstatic as I have been to be awarded large multimillion dollar contracts, the pride that the supplier diversity professional exudes in celebrating our successes can bring equal joy in a different way. Comments such as “I am going to help you grow your business” continue to ring in my ears. These professionals tirelessly make introductions, come up against internal walls and adversity, face humility, and yet continue strategizing for our future successes. The diversity supplier professional unequivocally plays a key role on the supplier’s team that is unfortunately not always appreciated or recognized.

Now for the important question: while being overwhelmed with the demands of a growing business, attaining goals, managing the company infrastructure and celebrating successes, how does one give back beyond outside of obligatory monetary donations? Where can a difference be made? We need to join together to share our secret. Our young women, minorities, and veterans need to be informed and educated about the incredible supplier diversity initiative, how to work its power, and need to be aware of the extraordinary opportunities that it affords. I am humbled by the gift I have been given and it will be my lifelong obligation to find ways to give back.

WCEO Merrimak Beats Expectations

There are very few qualities in life that resonate like integrity. In business, it’s the one true indicator of sustainability and strength. Integrity is a way of life for Mary Kariotis, CEO of Merrimak Capital. “One can always find quick and easy ways to maximize profitability, but I firmly believe it must be done without any principle compromised,” she said. It’s with this philosophy as a backbone that has enabled Merrimak to become the industry’s leading lessor and asset recovery company providing competitive and transparent service offerings. According to Kariotis, transparency and disclosure lead not only to customer retention and trust, but also to increased profitability. “Transparency aligns with our purpose; it is one of our stronghold principles and creates true vested outsourcing,” she said.

The company manages the full equipment lifecycle, maximizing resale values, and providing sustainable recycling services. Merrimak continues to enter new markets, expand its global footprint in providing solutions and creating innovative product offerings. In theory, the leasing business is a pre­established monotonous industry. “Yet at Merrimak, the environment is exhilarating, full of innovation, and brimming with entrepreneurship. We wouldn’t have it any other way,” said Kariotis. “We serve our customers as a united team and all employees are aware of this initiative which is based on 100­percent customer satisfaction and company growth.”

Merrimak manages some 200,000 assets and has added more than 50 of the Fortune 500­level accounts since 2009, with PepsiCo and Cargill being the company’s two largest customers. “While we typically win 40 percent of our bids, securing the Cargill and PepsiCo contracts were significant milestones for us. In doing so, we displaced the largest non­bank financial institutions and largest based independent lessors in the industry,” she said. “We do all we can to provide true value­added service. Both Cargill’s and PepsiCo’s supplier diversity teams have been instrumental in Merrimak gaining exposure to the executive management teams within both organizations. Merrimak collectively determines where it can provide improved solutions and strategies, ultimately strengthening and expanding the partnerships. These relationships are a perfect example of a win­ win solution and vested outsourcing.”

Merrimak provides asset tracking and asset recovery services as stand­alone offerings generating revenue.

These service offerings also allow Merrimak to better support its leases. Since Merrimak is the actual reseller, end of term chargebacks are minimized and/or eliminated. This is atypical in the industry and a true benefit for its customers. Merrimak also provides lease analysis of competitive terms and conditions.

Companies never really know their lessor or asset recovery supplier until the actual transaction is complete.

“We promote customer collaboration and work to help our customers develop best­of­ class practices within their own organizations,” she said. “This is our company culture; we have found our identity and sense of purpose to be having today’s decisions build tomorrows partnerships.”

Firm Recognized by Martindale­Hubbell as a 2016 U.S. Top Ranked Law Firm Mitrani, Rynor, Adamsky & Toland, P.A. was once again given the prestigious distinction by Martindale­Hubbell as one of their "Top U.S. Law Firms." This accolade is given based upon the fact that 1 in every 3 lawyers at MRAT has an "AV Pre­eminent Rating." This honors MRAT as one of only 2,513 firms in the U.S., which have achieved such a rating.

Firm’s $30 Million trial judgment upheld on appeal.

The Third District Court of Appeal upheld the lower court’s judgment awarding Mitrani Rynor’s client over $30 million dollars in a case arising out of a real estate fraud.

Isaac Mitrani tried the case below and also presented oral argument to the appellate court. The trial was covered in the Miami Herald and other publications; see “Don Pan owners ordered to pay $30 Million in civil suit.”

Arctic Cat Names GE Capital CDF Exclusive NA Dealer Financer

Arctic Cat​ , a manufacturer of recreational products, has chosen ​ Commercial Distribution Finance​ , a business of ​ GE Capital​ , as an exclusive provider for dealer inventory financing across North America.

The financing will consolidate all of ACAT’s North American dealers onto one technology platform and provide it leading edge tools to help manage its businesses.

“We’re consolidating our North American dealer­inventory financing under CDF because of their expertise in our industry and their leading technology solutions,” said Chris Eperjesy, CFO at Arctic Cat. Headquartered in Minnesota, Arctic Cat has been manufacturing snowmobiles, all­terrain vehicles (ATVs) and side­by­sides since 1960 and has had a long­standing relationship with CDF in the U.S. The new, exclusive dealer financing agreement extends the U.S. relationship and establishes a new financing relationship covering Canada.

“We are excited and honored that Arctic Cat has chosen to bring its entire North American dealer network onto the CDF platform,” said Jeremy Jansen, president of CDF’s motorsports group.

Volvo Group Trucks EVP Announces Exit

Mikael Bratt, a member of the ​ Volvo Group​ ’s executive team, announced that he intends to leave his position as executive vice president of group trucks operations. He has been recruited as business area president with the automotive safety company Autoliv.

To replace Bratt, Volvo will begin global recruitment process will commence at the beginning of next year.

Bratt will remain in his current position for up to six months until a new head of the Volvo Group’s global production organization is appointed.

“It is with mixed feelings that I leave the Volvo Group after 27 fantastic years,” said Bratt. “The group has entered a new exciting phase, at the same time, my new job as head of a complete business area offers a challenge that I cannot resist.”

The Volvo Group is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of trucks, buses, construction equipment and marine and industrial engines. The Group also provides solutions for financing and service.

Monroe Capital Agents $31.4 Million Credit Facility to Worldwise, Inc. Monroe Capital LLC today announced it acted as sole lead arranger and administrative agent on a $31.4 million unitranche credit facility to support the recapitalization of Worldwise, Inc. (“Worldwise”) and ongoing innovation and product development, as well as future acquisitions by private equity sponsor, Mistral Equity Partners.

Based in Novato, California and founded in 1990, Worldwise is a leading supplier of pet products including pet bedding, travel bags and accessories, cat toys, catnip, cat scratchers and dog toys. Worldwise’s products are sold throughout the world at over 30,000 doors across multiple retail channels, including mass merchandisers, grocery, drug, home/value, pet specialty, and e­commerce channels. The company's portfolio of brands include SmartyKat, TrustyPup, Petlinks, Hear Doggy!, Sherpa, and goDog. Worldwise recently acquired Quaker Pet Group and continues to look for strategic add­on acquisitions.

About Monroe Capital Monroe Capital LLC is a leading provider of senior and junior debt and equity co­investments to middle­market companies in the U.S. and Canada. Investment types include unitranche financings, cash flow and enterprise value based loans, asset based loans, acquisition facilities, mezzanine debt, second lien or last­out loans and equity co­investments. Monroe Capital prides itself on its flexible investment approach and its ability to close and fund transactions quickly. Monroe is committed to being a value­added and user­friendly partner to owners, senior management and private equity sponsors. Monroe has been recognized by Global M&A Network as the 2013, 2014 and 2015 Small Middle Markets Lender of the Year, Private Debt Investor as the 2013 Unitranche Lender of the Year and the 2014 Senior Lender of the Year, and the U.S. Small Business Administration as the 2015 Small Business Investment Company (SBIC) of the Year. To learn more about Monroe Capital LLC, visit​ www.monroecap.com​ .

Monroe Capital Provides $14.5 Million Financing to Nelbud 360 Services Group, Inc. Monroe Capital LLC today announced it acted as sole lead arranger and administrative agent on a $14.5 million senior credit facility to support the merger of Nelbud 360 Services Group, Inc. (“Nelbud 360 Services”) and TEAM Services, LLC (“TEAM”). Nelbud 360 Services is an existing portfolio company of Source Capital, LLC. Based in Indianapolis, Indiana and founded in 1981, Nelbud 360 Services is a leading provider of commercial kitchen fire prevention and equipment maintenance including kitchen exhaust cleaning, technical services, fire protection services, and wastewater management. TEAM is a provider of full service electric and mechanical solutions including HVAC services, electrical, refrigeration, kitchen equipment, and plumbing and drain cleaning services. The merger will allow the company to broaden its service offering and further expand its geographic presence in the Midwest.

About Monroe Capital Monroe Capital LLC is a leading provider of senior and junior debt and equity co­investments to middle­market companies in the U.S. and Canada. Investment types include unitranche financings, cash flow and enterprise value based loans, asset based loans, acquisition facilities, mezzanine debt, second lien or last­out loans and equity co­investments. Monroe Capital prides itself on its flexible investment approach and its ability to close and fund transactions quickly. Monroe is committed to being a value­added and user­friendly partner to owners, senior management and private equity sponsors. Monroe has been

recognized by Global M&A Network as the 2015, 2014, and 2013 Small Middle Markets Lender of the Year, Private Debt Investor as the 2014 Senior Lender of the Year and the 2013 Unitranche Lender of the Year and, the U.S. Small Business Administration as the 2015 Small Business Investment Company (SBIC) of the Year. To learn more about Monroe Capital LLC, visit​ www.monroecap.com​ .

Leslie A. Berkoff, Esq. Named Fellow Of The American Bar Foundation

Leslie A. Berkoff, a partner at the Garden City law firm of Moritt Hock & Hamroff LLP, has been named a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation (ABF). Founded in 1952 by the American Bar Association, the ABF is widely recognized as the premier institute in the United States for social science research on law. Its mission is to serve the legal profession and the public through empirical research, publications, and programs that advance justice and the understanding of law and its overall impact on society.

Membership as a Fellow of the ABF is strictly limited to one percent of the lawyers admitted to practice in the United States and its territories. In order to earn this honor, Ms. Berkoff had been recommended and nominated by the organization’s national Fellows Officers and the Fellows leadership within the state of New York. The ultimate selection as a Fellow of the ABF serves as a recognition of a lawyer whose career has demonstrated extraordinary leadership in the profession, service to society, and commitment to the ideals and objectives of the American Bar Association.

A partner with Moritt Hock & Hamroff, where she also serves as Chair of the firm’s Bankruptcy practice group, Ms. Berkoff concentrates her practice in the area of bankruptcy and restructuring litigation and corporate workouts. She represents a variety of corporate debtors, trustees, creditors and creditor committees both nationally and locally. In addition to her practice, Ms. Berkoff frequently serves as a mediator, and is on the Mediation Panels for the Eastern, Southern and Northern Districts of the United States Bankruptcy Courts in New York and the United States Bankruptcy Courts in Delaware and the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, as well as the Commercial Mediation Panel for Nassau County. She is also an inaugural member of the Chapter 11 Lawyers and Judges Advisory Committee for the United States Bankruptcy Court, Eastern District of New York. More recently, Ms. Berkoff was appointed to serve as the Business Law Section Liaison to the Dispute Resolution Section Advisory Committee of the American Bar Association. Ms. Berkoff earned her J.D. from Hofstra University School of Law. Moritt Hock & Hamroff LLP with offices on Long Island and Manhattan provides a wide range of legal services to businesses, corporations and individuals worldwide.

Attorney James Chou Joins Moritt Hock & Hamroff As Partner­ New Hire Continues Firm’s Growth

Marc Hamroff, managing partner of Moritt Hock & Hamroff LLP, is pleased to announce that James P. Chou, Esq. has joined the firm as a Partner in its Litigation Practice Group, resident in the firm’s New York City office.

“Our firm is delighted to welcome James to the team. His outstanding reputation as a leader in the business litigation sector adds exceptional value to Moritt Hock and Hamroff, and we look forward to working with

James as we continue to grow our practice on Long Island, New York City and nationwide,” stated Marc Hamroff.

James P. Chou concentrates his practice on all facets of complex commercial litigation for hedge funds, private equity funds, financial institutions and multinational corporations. Mr. Chou is an accomplished trial lawyer who has litigated major cases before various courts and tribunals. He also advises leading investment fund clients and their portfolio companies in managing and assessing litigation risks relating to highly sophisticated transactions. Mr. Chou earned his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center and his B.A. from New York University, magna cum laude, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Chou was a senior litigator in the New York City office of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP. He is a past president of the Asian American Bar Association of New York and currently serves as a member of its Advisory Committee and as vice chair of its Judiciary Committee Moritt Hock & Hamroff LLP with offices on Long Island and Manhattan provides a wide range of legal services to businesses, corporations and individuals worldwide.

Ned May Joins Napier Park Global Capital’s Private Equity Group as Director Napier Park Global Capital (“Napier Park”), a global alternative asset management firm, announced today that Ned May has joined the firm’s private equity group, Napier Park Financial Partners, as a director.

“We are delighted to welcome Ned to the firm,” said Manu Rana, managing director and co­head of Napier Park Financial Partners. “He has a deep understanding of the financial services industry and a strong track record of investing in this sector.”

“Ned shares our passion for identifying and partnering with innovative, high­growth companies,” added Steve Piaker, managing director and co­head of Napier Park Financial Partners. “I am confident he will be a tremendous addition to our growing team.”

May has over 10 years of experience investing in and advising financial services businesses. Most recently, May served as a vice president at Morgan Stanley Global Private Equity, Morgan Stanley’s middle­market private equity fund, where he helped to lead the team’s efforts in the financial services sector. Prior to Morgan Stanley, May was an associate at Lightyear Capital and, before that, an analyst in the Investment Banking Group at Keefe, Bruyette & Woods. May earned a Bachelor’s degree from Williams College and an MBA from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

About Napier Park Financial Partners Napier Park Financial Partners (“Financial Partners”) is the private equity group of Napier Park Global Capital and focuses on making investments in companies capitalizing on growth opportunities created by the intersection of financial services and technology­enabled products and services. Financial Partners targets investments of $5 million to $30 million and works in partnership with its portfolio company management teams and co­investors to build value. Current and prior portfolio companies backed by Financial Partners span the following key industry subsectors – Payments Technology and Services, Banking & Lending Technology and Services, Insurance Technology and Services, Banking and Specialty Finance, Asset and Wealth Management, and Business Services and Outsourcing. For more information, visit http://www.napierparkglobal.com/cgi­bin/equity.pl#/growth­equity/overview​ .

About Napier Park Global Capital Napier Park Global Capital is an independent alternative asset management firm that manages $6.2 billion as of September 30, 2015. The firm offers a diversified product mix including hedge funds, private investments, CLOs and structured credit to large, sophisticated institutional investors. Napier Park Global

Capital has offices in New York, London and Switzerland. For more information visit www.napierparkglobal.com​ .

JOSEPH LANE JOINS NAPIER PARK GLOBAL CAPITAL AS MANAGING DIRECTOR Napier Park Global Capital (“Napier Park”) announced today that Joseph Lane has joined the firm’s private equity group, Napier Park Financial Partners, as a managing director. “We are excited to welcome Joe to Napier Park,” said Manu Rana, managing director and co­head of Napier Park Financial Partners. “Joe brings extensive leadership, governance and investment experience across the broadest range of commercial finance opportunities. Joe’s experience, relationships and judgment will be invaluable as we continue to partner with leading operators and provide them with capital to help achieve their business objectives.” “At $4 billion and with privileged partnerships with leading operators, the size and scope of Financial Partners’ income and leasing investment portfolio is already significant,” said Lane. “By adding my own skills and experience to such a high­quality team as Napier Park, I look forward to the opportunity to create additional value for our partners as we pursue new opportunities in familiar markets.” Prior to joining Napier Park, Lane held a number of executive roles in the commercial finance sector, including CEO of GE Technology Finance; president of IBM Credit Corporation, one of the largest captive finance organizations globally; and, president and CEO of GATX Capital. Lane also co­founded Sinter Partners, an investment and advisory partnership. He is a past chairman of the Equipment Leasing & Finance Association, and a trustee and chairman of the Equipment Leasing and Finance Foundation. He is also currently on the boards of the South Bronx Educational Foundation and Inner City Foundation for Charity & Education as well as an Associate Fellow of Davenport College at Yale University. Lane received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Yale University, where he continues to be actively involved with the Yale Entrepreneurial Institute. About Napier Park Global Capital Napier Park Global Capital is an independent alternative asset management firm that manages $6.4 billion as of June 30, 2015. The firm offers a diversified product mix including hedge funds, private investments, CLOs and structured credit to large, sophisticated institutional investors. Napier Park Global Capital has offices in New York, London and Switzerland. For more information visit www.napierparkglobal.com About Napier Park’s Financial Partners Group Napier Park’s Financial Partners Group is the private equity investment group of Napier Park Global Capital and is focused exclusively on making investments in the financial services industry. Financial Partners’ real assets funds seek to create differentiated

Summit Commercial Finance partners with Mintaka Financial

​ Mintaka Financial LLC​ , announced today that ​ Summit Commercial Finance​ has invested in Mintaka Financial, joining the company with 11 other leading commercial finance firms as an equity stakeholder.

“Mintaka Financial is pleased to have Summit Commercial Finance on our team as we continue to expand our commercial finance products to small businesses across the country. Summit has long been a recognized leader in the equipment finance industry and our shared vision for empowering small businesses to thrive by delivering sustainable, viable lending solutions makes for a fitting partnership.” said David Schaefer, CEO of Mintaka Financial.

“A core value at Summit Commercial Finance is to align with prominent organizations and people.

Mintaka Financial’s employees and equity partners help us achieve this objective and present a great opportunity for Summit to expand our platform delivering superior solutions for our customers.” said Scott Forrest, Founder & CEO of Summit Commercial Finance.

Founded in 1998, Summit Commercial Finance provides customized equipment financing and leasing options to U.S. companies across a wide range of industries. More information about Summit Commercial Finance can be found at​ summitcommercialfinance.com

Mintaka Financial LLC, located in Gig Harbor, WA, was established in December 2004 as a commercial finance company specializing in serving the needs of small businesses across the United States.

Mintaka Financial is a direct small business lender that originates commercial loans through a limited group of independent small business finance companies that share ownership in Mintaka. These companies are specialists in small business credit service, selected to participate in the Mintaka program based on their experience, reputation in the industry, and their dedication to building long term relationships with their small business clients. For more information regarding Mintaka Financial, visit mintakafinancial.com

2015 Funding Symposium Discount Registration Opens Raleigh, NC (June 30, 2015) – Early, discount registration is open as of July 1, for NEFA’s 2015 Funding Symposium, October 7­10, in Atlanta, Georgia.

The ​ Funding Symposium​ , to be held this year at the JW Marriott Atlanta Buckhead Hotel, draws lessors, brokers, funding sources, service providers and other commercial equipment finance professionals from around the US and Canada for industry networking, leading edge funding source and service provider exhibits, and focused educational opportunities. “Add in how easy it is to get to Atlanta, and the abundance of great restaurants, clubs and shopping in the upscale Buckhead area where we’ll be and we expect a great turnout for the Symposium” said Gerry Egan, Executive Director of NEFA.

“Under the guidance of Conference Chairperson, Bob Hanna, of Weltman, Weinberg & Reis Co., L.P.A., and a sharp team of NEFA Member Volunteers, we’ve drastically expanded the education offerings” Egan said.

“This year’s Funding Symposium will offer more education, more exhibitors, more sponsors, and more opportunities to create and cultivate the relationships that build your business and make you money.”

Through July 31, the earliest registrants can take advantage of Super Saver registration discounts which is an exceptional value” said Egan. “Early Bird pricing will then follow through the end of August, followed by regular pricing. Of course, people can register right up to and at the event.”

The JW Marriott Atlanta Buckhead, home of the 2015 Funding Symposium, is a small, modern, luxury hotel attached to Buckhead’s famed Lennox Square Shopping Mall. The hotel offers a special, discount room rate for NEFA Funding Symposium Attendees.

About National Equipment Finance Association

The National Equipment Finance Association (NEFA) is a national association serving small to mid­sized independent equipment finance companies, lessors and brokers. NEFA is a strong association offering enhanced educational programs and premium networking opportunities with broad geographic and industry segment diversity. The mission of NEFA is to provide a forum for members to pursue personal and professional growth and promote ethical business practices through advocacy, networking and industry involvement. For more information, visit:​ www.NEFAssociation.org​ or call: 847­380­5050.

First FinTech Company To Sponsor Major College Bowl For the first time ever, a major FinTech company and small business lender, ​ National Funding​ , has announced that it will be the title sponsor of the 2015 Holiday Bowl in San Diego. The National Funding Holiday Bowl pits USC versus Wisconsin.

Founded in 1999 by USC alumnus David Gilbert, National Funding is a San Diego­based financial technology company serving small to medium­sized businesses nationwide.

“National Funding has helped small businesses – locally and nationally — with the capital they need to grow their operations for nearly 20 years,” says David Gilbert, CEO, National Funding. “After a breakthrough year for the company, it felt like the right time for our company to give back to our community and make a bold statement in our industry by sponsoring this bowl.”

National Funding is on pace for a record­breaking year with a 67% revenue jump from 2014 and the company recently doubled its office space to accommodate employee count up to 273. The company’s rapid growth underscores a surge in the FinTech industry overall which took on more than $12B in investment in 2015, triple the amount from the previous year.

The 2015 National Funding Holiday Bowl kicks off Wednesday, Dec. 30 at 7:30 p.m. and will feature the 25th​ ​­ranked USC Trojans (8­5) from the Pac­12 against the Wisconsin Badgers (9­3) from the Big Ten. The game will be played at Qualcomm Stadium.

The mission of the non­profit National Funding Holiday Bowl is to generate tourism, exposure, economic benefit and civic pride for San Diego and its citizens by producing the nation’s most exciting and entertaining bowl game and festival of events. Since its inception in 1978, the organization has generated $730 million in economic benefit for the San Diego region.

More information on the game can be found at www.SanDiegoBowlGames.com.

About National Funding Founded in 1999, National Funding is one of the country’s leading financial technology companies for small and medium­sized businesses, providing ​ working capital loans​ , equipment financing, ​ merchant cash advance​ and credit card processing. National Funding has provided more than $1 billion in capital for over 20,000 businesses nationwide. The company believes in American small business owners, and strives to provide fast turnaround, flexible solutions and great service to all of its customers and clients in a diverse range of industries including: construction, excavation, manufacturing, retail, packaging, printing, restaurant, telecommunications, trucking, transportation, and waste management, among others. The company was recognized on the Inc. 500 | 5000 list for the past three years, as well as placing on San Diego Business Journal’s Fastest Growing Companies for the past three years. For more information, please visit: www.nationalfunding.com, or connect with us on ​ Facebook​ or ​ Twitter​ .

National Funding Inc. Announces Expansion To Keep Pace With SMB Demand

National Funding Inc., a leading small business lender, announced a multi­million dollar expansion to its center of operations in the Eastgate Technology Park in the University Towne Centre® (UTC) area of San Diego. National Funding has increased its current physical headquarters from 22,097 to 44,194 square feet — encompassing the entire two­story building. With this expansion, management projects employment levels to increase from its current 167 employees to 273 employees.

Initially leased in 2013, the National Funding facility is located at 9820 Towne Centre Drive, San Diego. The expansion adds an entire floor to the current space, doubling the financial technology firm’s footprint.

Administrative and operations offices will occupy the first floor while account managers will be located on the second floor. Team members gain a new game room and additional kitchen area.

The investment reflects the 172% growth National Funding has seen over this last three­year span. With the employee occupancy maximum up to 273, the goal is to expand its ability to provide ​ working capital​ , merchant cash advances​ , and ​ equipment financing​ to small businesses nationally.

When asked about the expansion and what it means for National Funding, Chief Executive Officer David Gilbert said, “Planning the new facility is a reflection of our continued belief in small business, and our preparation to handle the growth that the company is experiencing. The Irvine Companies Office Properties space in the UTC area provides easy access to professionals. We’re located in a prime business destination near local universities and urban amenities. It’s an ideal environment to fuel our growth in people and innovative financial products.”

“National Funding is a growing small business lender, and we are pleased to accommodate their expanding workforce needs,” said John Turner, Regional Vice President, San Diego, Irvine Company Office Properties.

“The flexibility within our San Diego portfolio provides companies of all sizes with the opportunity to maintain a longstanding relationship with us – including through growth periods.”

He added, “National Funding is a great example of the diverse array of companies we are attracting to our portfolio, companies who are seeking amenities and the type of workspace that attracts and retains top talent and inspires employees.”

Established locally in the San Diego area since 1999, National Funding has now undergone two expansion projects within the Golden Triangle to maintain demand. When the current location was chosen in 2013, the company stated they based the selection on the highest value proposition for both clients and employees.

With this change, National Funding is capitalizing on that growth they foresaw only a couple years ago.

About National Funding San Diego­based National Funding is a financial technology company serving small to medium­sized businesses nationwide. It provides working capital loans, equipment financing, merchant cash advances and credit card processing​ . National Funding serves a wide diversity of businesses including, but not limited to: trucking, restaurants, retail, automotive repair, construction, excavation, multimedia, manufacturing, telecommunications, printing, packaging, waste management, and more.

National Leasing Launches Mobile Quoting Technology

WINNIPEG, Dec. 8, 2015 ­ National Leasing, part of the CWB Group of Companies (TSX: CWB), today announced the launch of National Leasing Interactive, an online quoting system that equipment sellers can use anywhere, anytime from their desktop or mobile device.

This new way to quote financing rates means consumers are finding out exactly what it would cost to lease equipment for their business in seconds. Depending on the complexity of the transaction, this process can currently take hours, in some cases days.

“We are thrilled to make history in the equipment financing sector by releasing National Leasing Interactive to equipment sellers across Canada,” says Tom Pundyk, President & CEO, National Leasing. “Now an agriculture equipment retailer will be able to tell a farmer exactly how much it will cost to finance everything from a skid steer to a grain bin in seconds. This is just one example of the kind of quoting technology that is now available to all sectors.

“Today, consumers expect everything to be instantaneous,” says Pundyk. “National Leasing has always been known for quick turn­around times on funding decisions thanks to our proprietary software Fast Credit™ which previously won technology awards. Today, National Leasing Interactive shows we are passionate about delivering technology innovations and driving new mobile experiences for equipment sellers, which ultimately gets assets into the hands of business owners more quickly and helps Canadian businesses grow.”

As the rollout begins, equipment sellers are invited to visit ​ nationalleasing.com/interactive​ to sign­up for access or contact their local National Leasing Account Manager.

National Leasing scoops up two new workplace awards “We believe in giving National Leasing employees the tools they need to live balanced and fulfilled lives,” says ​ Grant Shaw​ , Vice President, Strategy & Culture. “Whether that means an on­site gym and fitness studio, support with ​ professional development​ , or free fruit Tuesdays, we’ll do it if it leads to happy, healthy employees. After all, our employees are our greatest asset.”

It’s that sentiment that recently earned National Leasing a spot on ​ Canada’s 10 Most Admired Corporate Cultures™​ list and ​ Manitoba’s Top 25 Employers​ list.

Waterstone Human Capital​ founded Canada’s 10 Most Admired Corporate Cultures™ 11 years ago to recognize best­in­class Canadian organizations for having cultures that enhance performance and sustain a competitive advantage. On Nov. 19, it awarded National Leasing the title for the second time.

“It’s an honour to be named one of Canada’s 10 Most Admired Corporate Cultures™ again,” says Shaw.

“We work hard to ensure our employees are happy and supported, and this award reinforces why we do these things and inspires us to keep reaching for bigger and better initiatives.”

NEF Names James White SVP – Business Development Nations Equipment Finance, LLC (“Nations”) has named James White as Senior Vice President – Business Development. In this role, James will be responsible for growing Nations’ lease and loan origination activities in the Southern portion of the United States. White joins Nations with over 30 years’ experience in the equipment financing industry.

“I have referred business to Nations for several years and I am very excited to represent them as an employee. Nations has always been transparent to their clients with their structuring and pricing process allowing them to consistently deliver the best solution for each individual business’s needs. You don’t find

that anywhere else in this industry. Working for a true lender like Nations provides me with a direct lending platform and an unparalleled transaction process which will allow me to deliver more value to my clients.”

White Said.

Randy Hicks, EVP said “We have had great success working with James in the past and are excited to have him join our team here at Nations. His extensive experience and equipment financing knowledge has already made him a key addition to Nations. We view hiring James as part of our continued effort to grow our company and be a leader in our industry. We are confident that James will use Nations’ financing solutions to meet the needs of his clients.”

James can be reached at (281) 378­1541 or email jwhite@nationsequipmentfinance.com and will work out of our Houston, TX office.

Rating Action: Moody’s upgrades Nations Equipment Finance Funding II, LLC , Series 2014­1

Moody’s has upgraded two securities and affirmed one security from Nations Equipment Finance Funding II, LLC, Series 2014­1 The complete rating actions are as follow: Issuer: Nations Equipment Finance Funding II, LLC, Series 2014­1 Class A Notes, Upgraded to A2 (sf); previously on Oct 13, 2014 Definitive Rating Assigned A3 (sf) Class B Notes, Upgraded to Baa1 (sf); previously on Oct 13, 2014 Definitive Rating Assigned Baa2 (sf) Class C Notes, Affirmed Ba2 (sf); previously on Oct 13, 2014 Definitive Rating Assigned Ba2 (sf) RATINGS RATIONALE The upgrades were prompted by accretion of credit enhancement due to the sequential pay structure, overcollateralization and non­declining reserve account. The transaction features an overcollateralization target of 25% of the current pool balance and a floor of 12.5% of the original pool balance.

The collateral pool consists of a concentrated number of obligors, with a majority of them exposed to the oil and gas industry. The balance of securitized loans from the obligors exposed to the oil and gas industry is approximately 58% of the collateral pool. This industry concentration introduces highly correlated obligor default risk and volatility into the transaction. The transaction has seen lifetime cumulative net loss (CNL) to date of 1.17%.

Below are key performance metrics (as of November 2015 distribution date) for the affected transaction.

Performance metrics include pool factor which is the ratio of the current collateral balance and the original collateral balance at closing; total hard credit enhancement (expressed as a percentage of the outstanding collateral pool balance) which typically consists of subordination, overcollateralization, reserve fund as applicable; and excess spread per annum.

Issuer – Nations Equipment Finance Funding II, LLC, Series 2014­1 Pool factor — 53.48% Total Hard credit enhancement –Class A — 45.33%; Class B — 33.8%; Class C — 24.04% Excess Spread per annum — Approximately 1.4% The principal methodology used in these ratings was “Moody’s Approach to Rating ABS Backed by Equipment Leases and Loans” published in January 2015. Please see the Credit Policy page on www.moodys.com for a copy of this methodology.

Factors that would lead to an upgrade or downgrade of the rating: Up Levels of credit protection that are greater than necessary to protect investors against current expectations of loss could lead to an upgrade of the rating. Moody’s current expectations of loss may be better than its original expectations because of lower frequency of default by the underlying obligors or appreciation in the value of the equipment that secure the obligor’s promise of payment. The US macro economy and the transportation and construction markets are primary drivers of performance. Other reasons for better performance than Moody’s expected include changes in servicing practices to maximize collections on the loans or refinancing opportunities that result in a prepayment of the loan.

Down Levels of credit protection that are insufficient to protect investors against current expectations of loss could lead to a downgrade of the ratings. Moody’s current expectations of loss may be worse than its original expectations because of higher frequency of default by the underlying obligors of the loans / leases or a deterioration in the value of the equipment that secure the obligor’s promise of payment. The US macro economy and the transportation and construction markets are primary drivers of performance. Other reasons for worse performance than Moody’s expected include poor servicing, error on the part of transaction parties, lack of transactional governance and fraud.

REGULATORY DISCLOSURES For further specification of Moody’s key rating assumptions and sensitivity analysis, see the sections Methodology Assumptions and Sensitivity to Assumptions of the disclosure form.

The analysis includes an assessment of collateral characteristics and performance to determine the expected collateral loss or a range of expected collateral losses or cash flows to the rated instruments. As a second step, Moody’s estimates expected collateral losses or cash flows using a quantitative tool that takes into account credit enhancement, loss allocation and other structural features, to derive the expected loss for each rated instrument.

In rating this transaction, Moody’s CDOROM™ is used to model the expected loss for each tranche.

Moody’s CDOROM™ is a Monte Carlo simulation tool which takes each underlying asset default probability as input. Each underlying asset default behavior is then modeled individually with a standard multi­factor model incorporating both intra­ and inter­industry correlation. The correlation structure is based on a Gaussian copula. Each Monte Carlo scenario simulates defaults and if applicable, recovery rates, to derive losses on a portfolio. For a synthetic transaction, the model then allocates losses to the tranches in reverse order of priority to derive the loss on the tranches. By repeating this process and averaging over the number of simulations, Moody’s can derive the expected loss on the tranches. For a cash transaction, the portfolio loss, or default, distribution produced by Moody’s CDOROM™ may be input into a separate cash flow model in accordance with its priority of payment to determine each tranche’s expected loss.

Moody’s quantitative analysis entails an evaluation of scenarios that stress factors contributing to sensitivity of ratings and take into account the likelihood of severe collateral losses or impaired cash flows. Moody’s weights the impact on the rated instruments based on its assumptions of the likelihood of the events in such scenarios occurring.

For ratings issued on a program, series or category/class of debt, this announcement provides certain regulatory disclosures in relation to each rating of a subsequently issued bond or note of the same series or category/class of debt or pursuant to a program for which the ratings are derived exclusively from existing ratings in accordance with Moody’s rating practices. For ratings issued on a support provider, this announcement provides certain regulatory disclosures in relation to the rating action on the support provider and in relation to each particular rating action for securities that derive their credit ratings from the support provider’s credit rating. For provisional ratings, this announcement provides certain regulatory disclosures in relation to the provisional rating assigned, and in relation to a definitive rating that may be assigned

subsequent to the final issuance of the debt, in each case where the transaction structure and terms have not changed prior to the assignment of the definitive rating in a manner that would have affected the rating.

For further information please see the ratings tab on the issuer/entity page for the respective issuer on www.moodys.com.

For any affected securities or rated entities receiving direct credit support from the primary entity(ies) of this rating action, and whose ratings may change as a result of this rating action, the associated regulatory disclosures will be those of the guarantor entity. Exceptions to this approach exist for the following disclosures, if applicable to jurisdiction: Ancillary Services, Disclosure to rated entity, Disclosure from rated entity.

Regulatory disclosures contained in this press release apply to the credit rating and, if applicable, the related rating outlook or rating review.

Please see www.moodys.com for any updates on changes to the lead rating analyst and to the Moody’s legal entity that has issued the rating.

Please see the ratings tab on the issuer/entity page on www.moodys.com for additional regulatory disclosures for each credit rating.

NetApp and Baird to Host a Tech Talk on NetApp’s Emerging Technology and Solutions

NetApp (NASDAQ: NTAP) and Baird will hold a tech talk to discuss NetApp’s emerging products with Brendon Howe, senior vice president, emerging products and solutions. Following brief opening remarks from NetApp, a question and answer session will be moderated by Baird. Interested parties can find more information on NetApp’s Investor Relations website at ​ investors.netapp.com​ .

No new financial information will be discussed during this conference call.

Date: Thursday, December 10, 2015 Time: 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time / 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time Speaker: Brendon Howe, senior vice president, emerging products and technology Moderator: Jayson Noland, Baird Dial in #: 800­524­8850 or 416­204­9702 / Reservation code: 9221425 Webcast: ​ investors.netapp.com Replay available for 1 week: 888­203­1112 or 719­457­0820/ Reservation code: 9221425 About NetApp Leading organizations worldwide count on NetApp for software, systems and services to manage and store their data. Customers value our teamwork, expertise and passion for helping them succeed now and into the future. To learn more visit ​ www.netapp.com​ .

NewStar Financial to Participate in the Bank of America Merrill Lynch 2015 Leveraged Finance Conference

NewStar Financial, Inc. (NASDAQ:NEWS) announced today that it is scheduled to participate in the Bank of America Merrill Lynch 2015 Leveraged Finance Conference in Boca Raton, Florida on Thursday, Interested

parties can access presentation materials on the Investor Relations section of NewStar's website at: www.newstarfin.com​ .

About NewStar Financial, Inc.: NewStar Financial, Inc. (Nasdaq:NEWS) is an internally­managed commercial finance company with specialized direct lending platforms that provide flexible debt financing options to companies and private equity firms in the middle market with proceeds typically used to fund acquisitions, working capital, growth strategies, and recapitalizations, as well as, equipment purchases. The company originates credit investments directly through teams of experienced, senior bankers and marketing officers organized around key industry and market segments. It also offers investment opportunities for qualified institutions to invest in managed credit funds that co­invest in middle market loans that it originates. NewStar is headquartered in Boston MA and has regional offices in Atlanta GA, Darien CT, Chicago IL, Dallas TX, Los Angeles CA, San Francisco CA and Portland OR.

NewStar Announces Pricing of Senior Note Offering and Increases Size to $80 Million NewStar Financial, Inc. (Nasdaq:NEWS) ("NewStar") announced today that it priced its previously announced offering of senior notes, consisting of $80 million in aggregate principal amount of its 7.25% Senior Notes due 2020 (the "Notes"). The Notes will be issued as additional notes under the same indenture as the Company's $300 million of 7.25% Senior Notes due 2020 that were originally issued on April 22, 2015 (the "Existing Notes"), all of which remain outstanding. The Notes will be treated as a single class with the Existing Notes, and will have the same terms as and be fungible with the Existing Notes.

The Notes will be issued and sold at a price of 99.01% of face value (plus accrued interest from November 1, 2015). The proceeds, after the payment of fees and expenses, to NewStar of this offering are expected to be approximately $78.0 million (not including pre­issuance accrued interest). Subject to customary closing conditions, the closing of this offering is expected on or about November 13, 2015. NewStar intends to use the proceeds of this offering, after the payment of fees and expenses, for general corporate purposes.

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC is acting as sole book­runner for the offering.

The Notes are being offered pursuant to a shelf registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") and declared effective on November 2, 2015. A prospectus supplement and the accompanying base prospectus relating to the notes will be filed with the SEC. You may obtain these documents, when available, for free by visiting EDGAR on the SEC website at ​ www.sec.gov​ . Alternatively, copies may also be obtained from J.P. Morgan Securities LLC at the following address: 383 Madison Avenue, New York, New York, 10179, or by calling 1­866­803­9204.

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of the Notes, in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction.

Forward­Looking Statements: This press release includes "forward­looking statements", including statements regarding the completion of NewStar's offering of senior notes, which are statements other than statements of historical fact. These forward­looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance as to the completion or timing of the offering. Among the important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those results indicated in the forward­looking statements include uncertainties relating to market conditions for corporate debt securities generally and for the securities of companies in our industry and for NewStar in particular.

Additional information about these and other risk factors can be found in NewStar's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including Item 1A ("Risk Factors") of our 2014 Annual Report on Form 10­K , as amended.

Nixon Peabody represents supply chain work management software provider in acquisition Upland Software, Inc. (Nasdaq: UPLD), a leading provider of cloud­based Enterprise Work Management software, has acquired Ultriva, a cloud­based manufacturing and supply chain work management software provider.

With this acquisition, Upland will broaden its Enterprise Work Management offerings by adding a suite of cloud­based supply chair work management applications. Ultriva Lean Suite is a single source for supply chain communication providing a basis for multi­enterprise, multi­tier, end­to­end supply chain collaboration.

Ultriva works with customers in the industrial, automotive, health care and aerospace industries to optimize their supply chain using applications that allow companies to collaborate with their customers, plants, and suppliers to streamline and optimize material flows.

Nixon Peabody Silicon Valley partner Greg O’Hara and Los Angeles associate Stephen Reil led the deal team representing Ultriva with assistance from partners Robert Thompson, Alexandra Lopez­Casero, Justin Thompson, and David Foster, counsel Dale Hudson, and paralegal Mina A. Gonzaque­Taylor.

Business Lease Financing: Smart Cash Flow Management We recently blogged about the advantages of business lease financing, sharing just some of the reasons why leasing can be a key element in effective cash flow management. In this post, we’re taking a step back and sharing why managing your cash flow is at the heart of business stability – and even growth.

Cash flow management challenges Unless you have significant amounts of liquidity – and that can be tough with a newer or growing business – you can run into problems whenever the amount of cash that needs to go out exceeds the amount that’s coming in.

That sounds simple enough, but here is one common scenario. You have a decent number of customers and you’re keeping your employees busy with work. BUT, you need to pay your employees every two weeks and your customers take 30 days – or sometimes more – to pay their invoices. So, even though you didn’t do anything wrong, you’re in a cash crunch.

Benefits of business lease financing When you lease equipment, rather than buying it, there’s often little to no cash outlay up front – which frees up your cash flow to take care of business, whether that means meeting payroll, taxes or other necessary expenses. You’ll lock in with a fixed lease payment, so you won’t have unexpected drains on your liquidity by a payment unexpectedly going up, and manufacturer’s warranties apply for lease arrangements, covering repairs and even some maintenance costs.

Then, you can use the cash that you saved by leasing to take advantage of early pay discounts on your payables, to increase your sales force to gain customers, or any other way that makes sense to grow your

business. Here are ​ more useful cash flow management tips from Inc.com​ as well as some from the ​ U.S. Small Business Administration Learning Center​ and the ​ Fox Small Business Center​ .

Looking for the right business lease financing program?

Here are ​ options that we provide​ . Note that we offer both loan and lease options and offer credit decisions with 24 hours (we know how time is of the essence!). We accept “application only” deals up to $150,000 and we finance start­ups and owner/operator business applications. ​ Contact us about your equipment lease financing needs — or loan requirements – online​ or by calling us at 203­354­3654. We’re here to help!

Business Equipment Leasing: Pros and Cons

As you run your business, equipment will wear out or become outdated – and, as your business grows, you’ll probably find yourself needing more of it. Whenever you need to replace or add to your business’s equipment, it’s important that you decide whether it makes more sense to lease what you need or buy it outright. To help you decide, here are some pros and cons of business equipment leasing.

Financial benefits of equipment leasing By leasing, you aren’t tying up capital that could be used in more beneficial ways for your business, which could include hiring the star salesperson or by paying invoices early to get a better deal. Plus, there’s typically little to no initial outlay of cash with leasing, which helps with your cash flow management – a crucial element of business success.

Plus, as you pay your lease payments on time, you build up a reputation as a business that meets its commitments, which helps boost your business line of credit. This also helps with cash flow management.

As just one scenario, perhaps there is a company that you’d really like as a customer, but you need to outlay some cash to get their program started. With a boosted business line of credit, though, you can do just that, further expanding your company’s reach.

That’s not all! With business equipment leasing, you are locked into the cost at signing, so you won’t have to worry about rising payments (helping you to manage cash flow!). Be sure to also consult with your accountant about tax benefits, which can be significant.

Reduced hassles of equipment leasing If your equipment breaks down and needs repair – or just needs maintenance – leased equipment comes with manufacturer’s warranties. Plus, if you only need your equipment for a short amount of time, perhaps to meet an increased demand at a certain time of year, a shorter­term lease could be the answer.

If your equipment becomes outdated, which happens more and more in today’s rapidly­changing world of technology, a lease gives you the freedom to purchase new equipment at the end of the agreement, rather than sticking you with equipment that is already becoming obsolete. And, the responsibility of disposing of old equipment is taken off of your shoulders so you can focus on what you do best – running your business.

One downside to consider If you’re certain that a piece of equipment won’t become obsolete, then it may make sense to buy it outright.

One strategy to consider: if you think you might want the equipment for the long haul, try to negotiate a lease whereby a part of the lease payment goes towards the purchase, if you decide to buy the equipment outright at the end of the lease.

Equipment lease financing If you decide that leasing makes sense for your business, take a look at the ​ options that we provide​ . Then contact us about your equipment lease financing needs online​ or by calling us at 203­354­3654. We offer a wide range of solutions, one likely to be just right for you.

NXT Capital Provides $40 Million for Swander Pace Capital’s Acquisition of Captek Softgel International

Chicago, Illinois – NXT Capital announced that it has provided a $40 million senior credit facility to fund Swander Pace Capital’s acquisition of Captek Softgel International, Inc. NXT Capital was the Lead Arranger, Administrative Agent and Sole Bookrunner for this transaction.

Swander Pace Capital is a leading private equity firm specializing in investments in growth­oriented, middle­market consumer companies in North America and the United Kingdom. With cumulative equity commitments of approximately $1.3 billion, for the past 19 years Swander Pace Capital has used its expertise in this industry to pursue a consistent strategy of acquiring or investing in consumer products companies with leading market positions in attractive, defensible niches. Swander Pace Capital has led successful private equity investments in consumer companies with total revenues in excess of $2.0 billion.

“NXT Capital was an excellent financing partner for this acquisition,” said Corby Reese, a managing director at Swander Pace Capital.

“NXT’s responsiveness and flexibility helped us move quickly to a smooth closing.” added Mark Poff, a managing director at Swander Pace Capital.

Captek Softgel International​ is a leading FDA­registered and audited, GMP­certified contract manufacturer of custom dietary supplement formulations for the U.S. and International markets. The company is headquartered in Cerritos, California.

New York Community Bank Helps Bring Banking Development District to Wyandanch Also receives renewal approval from State for Corona Heights BDD, which has been serving the community since 2005

New York Community Bank announced that it has successfully worked with The Town of Babylon to get approval from the state for Wyandanch to be designated as a Banking Development District (BDD). This designation, which was given by New York State provides financial incentives to help expand and preserve

access to retail banking services for unbanked and under banked consumers in that community. This is the second BDD on Long Island, following Brentwood's designation in early 2014. "It is our belief that supporting Banking Development Districts enriches not only the community within the district, but the surrounding communities as well. This is an opportunity for NYCB to use its expertise to serve and educate. We have been successful in making an impact in Corona Heights and Brentwood, and look forward to doing the same in Wyandanch" said NYCB's Andrew Kaplan, Executive Vice President of Products. The Town of Babylon and New York Community Bank (NYCB) jointly applied for Wyandanch's BDD designation. Since Wyandanch is underserved by traditional banking services many residents have had to rely on high­cost check cashers or other money transfer agents to access funds. The proposed new services outlined in NYCB's BDD application include starter savings accounts that require as little as one dollar to open as well as checking accounts with no minimum balances. "The designation of Wyandanch as a Banking Development District is tremendous news that will have very positive effect on the area and the surrounding community,” said Babylon Town Supervisor Rich Schaffer. “A Banking Development District will assist residents in creating a solid financial footing for themselves and planning for the future. I thank New York Community Bank for their work in providing essential financial education programs to the area and am proud to have worked with them in this initiative." New York Community Bank's new branch will be located in the heart of the Wyandanch Rising Project, which includes apartments and retail space just north of the railroad station. Developed by the Albanese Organization Inc., of Garden City, the space is designed to with the community in mind. NYCB has begun to work with various community organizations to provide financial education programs for residents and businesses within the BDD, in addition to small business training and workshop programs.

JENNIFER CURRY ELECTED TO BOARD OF BALTIMORE CITY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE BALTIMORE MD — December 10, 2015 ​ Jennifer L. Curry​ , an associate in the​ Employment Group​ of the law firm Ober|Kaler, has been elected to the Board of Directors of the ​ Baltimore City Chamber of Commerce​ .

Jennifer will serve for a two­year term. She and fellow Board members are tasked with guiding the Chamber in its mission to promote business interaction among its members, to provide information and resources for its members, and to advocate the adoption of a pro­business agenda by the City of Baltimore and the region on behalf of its members.

Active in the community, Jennifer also serves on the Board of Trustees of the Baltimore Bar Foundation and on the Advisory Council of Cristo Rey Jesuit High School Leadership.

Her legal practice focuses on employment and labor counsel and litigation. Jennifer has significant experience in the representation of companies of all sizes and from a wide range of industries in workplace matters. She routinely provides legal advice to employers on all manner of labor, employment and compliance issues, including crisis management, internal investigations, sexual harassment and discrimination, Sarbanes­Oxley whistleblowing claims, and WARN Act and Mini­WARN Act requirements.

Jennifer has been named a Rising Star by Maryland Super Lawyers in the area of Employment Litigation every year from 2013­2016.

About Ober|Kaler Ober|Kaler is a national law firm providing integrated regulatory, transactional and litigation services to financial, health care, construction and other business organizations. The firm has more than 110 attorneys,

and offices in Baltimore, Washington, DC and Falls Church. For more information please visit www.ober.com​ .

OBER|KALER ADDS CONSTRUCTION LAWYER BRIAN T. AUCHINCLOSS BALTIMORE MD — December 2, 2015 The law firm Ober|Kaler is pleased to announce that ​ Brian T. Auchincloss​ has joined the firm as an associate. Resident in the Baltimore office, Brian practices in the Construction​ and ​ Litigation​ Groups.

Brian represents owners, general contractors and subcontractors in contract formation and construction disputes. He brings to his practice litigation experience in judicial and government settings. Prior to joining the firm, he was a Judicial Law Clerk to the Honorable Dan Friedman of the Court of Special Appeals of Maryland and a Judicial Intern to the Honorable Clayton Greene, Jr. of the Court of Appeals of Maryland. He was also a Law Clerk at the Maryland Office of the Public Defender and served as a student litigator at the University of Maryland School of Law Appellate/Post­Conviction Advocacy Clinic.

Brian is a graduate of the University of Maryland School of Law (JD, 2014) and the University of Maryland (BA, 2010).

About Ober|Kaler Ober|Kaler is a national law firm providing integrated regulatory, transactional and litigation services to financial, health care, construction and other business organizations. The firm has more than 110 attorneys, and offices in Baltimore, Washington, DC and Falls Church. For more information please visit www.ober.com​ .

Insight Investments goes live with LeaseWave from Odessa Technologies, Inc. Odessa Technologies, Inc., a leading provider of lease and loan accounting software solutions, announced the successful implementation of the LeaseWave platform at Insight Investments, LLC. Focused in the IT leasing industry, Insight Investments prides itself on providing exceptional customer service assisting companies navigating complex, multi­asset transactions. In order to continue offering this level of service, LeaseWave was selected to replace a large number of legacy systems with one mature, modern system.

“This successful implementation was possible through a collaborative partnership with Odessa, thanks in large part to the number of high caliber Odessa resources dedicated specifically to our project and the depth of industry knowledge that they brought to the table,” said Calvin Yeung, Director of Strategic Planning, Insight Investments, LLC. “LeaseWave provides enhanced insight to our workforce, allowing us to respond more quickly to new opportunities and continue to deliver on our commitment to our customers.”

"Insight’s investment in LeaseWave is an investment in modern technology that has the flexibility to adapt to their business as it changes," Kate Majewski, SVP, Program Management, Odessa Technologies.

"LeaseWave will allow Insight to execute on their long­term strategic plans, and we look forward to their realizing the many benefits of the system.”

“Not only are we grateful to have a tremendous customer in Insight, we also share in its sense of accomplishment upon the completion of its LeaseWave go­live," said Jay Mehra, COO, Odessa Technologies.

About Insight Investments Based in Costa Mesa, California, Insight Investments, LLC helps companies worldwide better control their technology acquisition, leasing, and management requirements. Since 1987, Insight has provided a wide array of solutions designed to fit specific customer needs including new and used equipment acquisition, custom leasing and financing, asset management, off­lease portfolio management, excess equipment disposal, and the integration of best­of­breed technology for data management and security solutions. When it comes to solutions that can help optimize IT spend, Insight works with clients to determine which solutions best meet their short­term, medium­term or long­term needs.

Press Inquires

Three Big Benefits of Equipment Financing and Leasing for Community Banks The U.S. equipment finance market grew to over $900 billion in 2014 according to the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association. This asset category has typically been dominated by big banks and specialized lenders, but it doesn’t have to be. There are a lot of opportunities for community banks to enter the equipment financing market and reap rewards from their existing customers at relatively little cost.

Here are three ways community banks can benefit from equipment leasing: 1. Protect and enhance the value of existing commercial relationships.

Eight of ten commercial businesses utilize equipment financing to manage their operations, according to Wheeler Business Consulting. Frequently, community banks focus on CRE lending opportunities, but they let customers go elsewhere for their equipment financing needs. There are two problems with this.

First, when commercial customers seek solutions elsewhere, your bank risks losing deposits and other treasury functions to the competition.

Second, your bank could be leaving a substantial amount of new revenue on the table from customers it knows well and who historically have been good credit risks.

2. Earn higher yields and fees.

Yields on equipment finance transactions are traditionally higher and terms are shorter than on standard simple­interest loans, which can help your bank to remain asset sensitive as it faces the prospect of rising rates. In addition, since equipment finance agreements are customarily structured as fixed­term contracts, your customers are obligated to make all payments at the predetermined yield and term, providing your bank with a hedge against a near­term drop in interest rates.

The extra rate earned on equipment finance transactions doesn’t necessarily translate into more risk.

According to The Federal Reserve, delinquency rates for equipment leases rank among the lowest for all major asset classes, including for CRE. This is achieved by lending on “essential use” equipment only. In other words, the equipment in question is vital to the operation of the business, so the customer is loath to miss payments and risk repossession.

Fees can be a meaningful source of income as well. If your bank doesn’t wish to keep equipment leases on balance sheet for various reasons, it may refer deals to an independent lessor and earn referral fees. Even in a referral arrangement, a bank can address a customer need while generating revenue.

3. Increase your C&I holdings.

Community banks rely heavily on CRE lending to generate revenue, and many struggle to win C&I loans because of aggressive price competition from larger banks and the relative scarcity of high­quality C&I loans. Diversifying through C&I is desirable but not always easy to do. However, your bank’s own portfolio is often a good starting point for achieving this diversification. A simple UCC search can determine which customers currently utilize some sort of equipment financing. A “CRE customer” may still be leasing equipment for construction projects or to complete build­outs. In addition, CRE often has a furniture, fixture, and equipment component, yet banks often roll the value of the FF&E into the long­term loan. A better option may be to put those assets under an equipment lease so that your bank can obtain a quicker payback while more closely matching the financing term to the useful life of the equipment.

The best opportunity for increasing C&I loans and diversifying your portfolio is simply to ask your customers if they lease equipment. Educating your loan officers on the benefits of equipment finance will aid in customer retention and identify future opportunities for increased profits and decreased portfolio concentrations.

OneWorld takes part in ICBA Community Banking LIVE National Convention The ​ ICBA Community Banking LIVE​ National Convention kicks off this Sunday in Orlando, Florida at the Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center. Our team will be stationed at booth #462 ready to meet members of the community banking industry.

Visitors will learn how our partners strengthen their customer relationships and diversify their portfolios through equipment financing with our help. To give you a taste, those who partner with OneWorld Business Finance are able to: • Offer equipment financing with no overhead • Expand and diversify your portfolio • Earn fees on referred transactions • Increase your interest income • Explore and cultivate alternative lending products If you’re attending, don’t forget to enter to win a Kindle Fire or Amazon Fire TV Stick at our booth as well!

See you soon!

Onset Financial Promotes Nancy Eggan Onset Financial has promoted Nancy Eggan to Executive Vice President of Internal Operations. With nearly four decades of equipment leasing experience, Nancy's industry knowledge and expertise make her an excellent fit for this position. Nancy has been a critical component to the overall success and growth of Onset Financial over the past several years.

"I have had the privilege of working with Nancy for over 15 years and she consistently brings an unequalled level of talent, wisdom, and professionalism to our company," said Justin Nielsen, CEO of Onset Financial.

"She is a complex problem solver and always delivers impeccable work quality. We're very fortunate to have her on our team."

About Onset Financial, Inc. — Founded in 2008, Onset Financial, Inc. is an Equipment Leasing & Financing company specializing in offering increased funding options to its clients. Onset's seasoned Management Team has decades of equipment leasing experience and key industry relationships that enable Onset to offer additional flexibility in lease structuring. For more information, please call 801 878 0600 or visit www.onsetfinancial.com.

Onset Secures $10MM for Energy Services Co.

Onset Financial has secured $10MM for the growth of a Texas­based energy services company. This funding enables the firm to accelerate their growth plans and is a vital element to their expansion goals.

"This is an important initiative for our client," said Matt Burrows, EVP of Sales with Onset. "They have very specific requirements to balance their cash flow while meeting their growth needs. We were able to offer a solution custom tailored to their situation. This is another demonstration of how our flexibility & funding diversity increases our ability to help our clients achieve their objectives beyond what they can find elsewhere in the marketplace."

About Onset Financial, Inc. — Founded in 2008, Onset Financial, Inc. is an Equipment Leasing & Financing company specializing in offering increased funding options to its clients. Onset's seasoned Management Team has decades of equipment leasing experience and key industry relationships that enable Onset to offer additional flexibility in lease structuring. For more information, please call 801 878 0600 or visit www.onsetfinancial.com.

Enhanced mobile website Great news: We've enhanced our secure website to make it more accessible while you're on the go! Now, you can manage your HSA while at the clinic, pharmacy — anywhere you need it.

Just log into your account from your smartphone to: ● Check your balance ● Pay for qualified medical expenses ● Make a deposit ● Reimburse yourself ● And more!

There's no need to download an app, just continue to visit ​ optumbank.com​ via your smartphone and the site will present the optimal experience based on your device. You can even add an icon to your phone for quick access going forward. Easy!

This is just one of several site enhancements planned for the next year. We will continue to enhance and update the mobile experience into 2015 and beyond.

2014 Taxes and your HSA As you file your taxes for 2014, be sure to include the appropriate information and forms for your HSA. Here's a quick list of resources to help you prepare.

2014 HSA­related tax forms There are two tax forms you'll need to file your taxes: IRS Form 1099­SA and IRS Form 8889. We'll send you another form, IRS Form 5498­SA, to keep for your records.

You can get copies of your most recent 1099­SA and 5498­SA forms by logging into your account and following the links to "Statements." Form 1099 will be available near the end of January.

Learn more about IRS forms and your HSA Free webinar: Tax time and your HSA Need a little more guidance before filing your taxes? Take our free financial forum webinar! In this session, you’ll learn: ● How your state treats HSA contributions ● How to make a contribution for the previous year ● How to make a correction if funds are used for non­qualified expenses ● What tax forms are needed and where to access them Select a date to register for this free webinar: ● Thursday, February 19, 2015, 3 p.m. CT ● Thursday, March 12, 2015, 11 a.m. CT ● Wednesday, March 18, 2015, 3 p.m. CT ● 2014 HSA contribution limits & taxes Have you already met your 2014 contribution limit? If not, you have until April 15, 2015, to save for qualified medical expenses from 2014.

If you plan to make contributions between January 1, 2015, and April 15, 2015, for the 2014 tax year, you'll need to account for them as part of your 2014 total contributions on your taxes. These will not be reflected on your 2014 form 5498­SA.

DRAWS BIG MINDS & IDEAS

August 10, 2015; Orion First Financial hosted their annual ​ Small Business Lending Forum​ in the beautiful Foss Waterway Seaport in Tacoma, WA. This year’s assemblage of 92 influential industry leaders, speakers and lenders sought to instill and create a unique synergy. Orion First Financial’s CEO, David Schaefer, opened with his remarks and outline for the day. Additionally, Washington’s 6th Congressional District representative,​ Derek Kilmer ​ spoke on topics related to small business lending, the government’s influence and our role in improving the future of small businesses as a whole – because as he put it, they are “the backbone” of our nation.

The keynote speaker, Bill Stainton spoke on the dynamics of management and how specific techniques yield different results in a team environment; an important consideration to small business lenders as they lead their business’ through change. Ralph Petta, COO of the ​ ELFA​ (Equipment Leasing and Finance Association) reviewed the sheer size, importance and impact small businesses make in America today, with additional focus on their direct correlation to national fiscal health.

Next, the Panel, moderated by Bob Rinaldi (CEO of ​ Commercial Industrial Finance​ ) and alternative lending leaders, Robert Peterson (Senior Vice President at ​ Route 66 Ventures​ , LLC), Tabitha Creighton (Co­Founder and CEO at InvestNextDoor) and Brij Patel (President at​ Alliance Funding Group​ and co­founder of ​ Quick Bridge Funding)​ discussed an expansive array of topics and questions. The Panel shed valuable, first­hand experiences, insight and opinion on new trends in market lending practices and what could be done to improve the industry. The audience also engaged in a Q&A with the panelists.

David Schaefer’s closing remarks focused around the importance of overcoming hurdles in the small business lending industry – as a team. Small businesses in our country and the world are essential to innovation and organic growth. A more proactive focus on providing and developing solutions to enable their success results in a better climate for everyone. The evening ended aboard the yacht, Emerald Star, and cruised past Tacoma’s iconic waterfront towards the Narrows Bridges, returning during a beautiful Pacific Northwest sunset cast upon Mt. Rainier. For many, the cruise was a chance to unwind, shake hands and enjoy the company of other industry professionals, united under one goal: improving access to capital for small businesses.

Orion First Financial (​ @OrionFirst​ ) is a portfolio services management leader in the small business lending marketplace. Orion specializes in underwriting, contract servicing, commercial collections, and strategic advisory services to those originating loans in the SMB market. As a multifaceted and innovative company, Orion can effectively engage with Alternative Lenders, Leasing Companies, Equipment Vendors/Manufacturers, Banks and Financial Institutions. Orion’s skilled team, efficient technology platform and best practices approach, generate exceptional industry performance metrics that translate into better profits, less stress and enriched customer relationships for their clients.

A recap on Dave Schaefer’s recent discussion at AltLend in NYC.

Strengths, weaknesses and moving forward with consistent lending practices in a digital age – these were the topics of discussion from ​ Dave Schaefer, CEO​ of Orion First Financial during the AltLend conference in NYC. Inconsistency in completely manual underwriting is a real issue, which can potentially jeopardize either party involved. To curb this, Schaefer advocated an automated underwriting system to create consistency when assessing risk and other factors – as long as there’s still a human at the helm. “I like eyes on a deal,” he said, and continued, “We’ve got guarantors that have nothing to do with the business,” as he cited an example of an applicant with poor credit, whose 80 year old father, with great credit, portrayed himself as a young construction worker. “I’m still a big believer in the review and subjectivity.”

It may sound convoluted and impartial, but the context is quite clear. Like most speakers at AltLend, Schaefer is in favor of using an automated system to reduce risk, as utilizing a system to objectively “weed out” the bad deals, would allow a human underwriter more concise parameters to review each request and make the most accurate determinations possible.

While there are some companies who rely heavily on applicant filtering with automated technologies, there will always be people involved. Finding the optimal balance between the two is driving the crusade in search for an automated system’s “perfect tune” – the proverbial holy grail.

The other side of the scenario? People often make mistakes, whether intentional or unintentional. Schaefer has seen first hand the favoritism of biased lending as he experimented a few years back, when he submitted the same loan application to 6 underwriters. He received 3 approvals and 3 denials, which made it clear that reliance on subjectivity had to be balanced with objective policies, procedures and protocols – perfect for a machine.

While the concepts may be simple, the technicalities, technology, systems, policies, procedures and other unforeseen obstacles make an undertaking such as this a noteworthy challenge.

A recent article published in DeBanked covers more on this topic, other guest speakers and related topics from this year’s AltLend conference:

Chesswood Announces Results for Q3 2015

TORONTO, November 4, 2015 – Chesswood Group Limited (the “Company” or “Chesswood”) (TSX: CHW) announced today its results for the three and nine­months ended September 30th.

“We had another strong quarter of originations in all of our businesses, which, along with the strength of the U.S. dollar, drove the growth in our gross receivables to more than $550 million, from $500 million at June 30th.” said Barry Shafran, Chesswood’s President and CEO. “In fact, both of our equipment finance businesses, Pawnee and Blue Chip, experienced record third quarter application flow and origination volumes” Shafran added.

“Our Adjusted EBITDA (1)​ ​ and Operating Income (1)​ ​ increased by almost 50% compared to Q3 last year, a reflection of our portfolio growth and the acquisition in March this year of Blue Chip and EcoHome, our Canadian finance businesses” said Shafran.

Net Income for the quarter was impacted by an increase in Chesswood’s non­cash allowance for doubtful accounts of $1.8 million as well as by a non­cash mark­to­market loss on interest rate swaps of $1.3 million. The Company’s allowance on its U.S. based finance receivables is calculated according to a formula based largely on the change in 30­day past due delinquency, which increased during the quarter primarily in the start­up segment of the lease portfolio, one of the company’s highest yielding products.

CHESSWOOD RENEWS NORMAL COURSE ISSUER BID TORONTO, AUGUST 19, 2015 – Chesswood Group Limited (“Chesswood”) (TSX: CHW) announced today that the Toronto Stock Exchange (the “TSX”) has accepted its notice of intention to conduct a normal course issuer bid to enable it to purchase up to 1,078,741 of its 16,252,961 Common Shares (“Shares”) outstanding, representing approximately 10 per cent of Chesswood’s public float of 10,787,411 Shares as of August 17, 2015. The average daily trading volume of Chesswood for the past six months was 18,628, and a maximum of 4,657 Shares (being approximately 25% of the average daily trading volume during the preceding six months) may be purchased by Chesswood on any one day under its normal course issuer bid, except where purchases are made in accordance with “block purchases” exemptions under applicable TSX policies.

The normal course issuer bid will commence on August 25, 2015, and will terminate on the earlier of August 24, 2016, the date Chesswood completes its purchases pursuant to the notice of intention to make a normal course issuer bid filed with the TSX or the date of notice by Chesswood of termination of the bid.

Chesswood did not purchase any of its outstanding Shares in connection with its previous normal course issuer bid, which expires on August 24, 2015. However, Chesswood believes that the market price of the Shares at certain times may be attractive and that the purchase of Shares from time to time would be an appropriate use of its funds in light of potential benefits to remaining shareholders.

Chesswood will make purchases on the open market through the facilities of the TSX in accordance with the rules and policies of the TSX. The price that Chesswood will pay for any such Shares will be the market price of such Shares on the TSX at the time of acquisition. Shares purchased under the bid will be cancelled following purchase.

Two Public Auctions of Wire, Cable and Plastics Equipment Surplus to Commscope

(Joliet, IL) Founded in 1976 in Hickory, North Carolina, CommScope is a global leader for wireless matrix infrastructure having aligned itself with virtually all of the world’s best communication networks. Their portfolio presents endless solutions to building high­performing wired and wireless systems. CommScope creates the infrastructure that connects people and technologies through every evolution. This enables customers ­ regardless of size, industry or budget ­ to take advantage of complete business and technology opportunities. CommScope is recognized for world­class, world­wide operations, quality of service, environmental programs and logistics. Today, CommScope trades on the NASDAQ as COMM and boasts over 15,000 employees in over 130 countries.

CommScope manufactures Systimax and Uniprise brands of Enterprise infrastructure of copper unshielded twisted pair cabling, connector panels, racking and metals as well as environmentally­secure cabinets for FTTN and DSL applications. CommScope surpasses every capacity challenge with premium­performing, exceptionally protected cables that meet and / or exceed the highest standards.

Now, Perfection Industrial Sales, in conjunction with The Branford Group and Commission Brokers, have been appointed to conduct an important Live and Webcast Auction of the CommScope facility at 2700 Ellis Rd., Joliet, IL 60433 due to the closure of the plant. The Auction will take place on Thursday, October 30, 2014, 10 AM CT. Inspection will be held on Wednesday, October 29, 8 AM to 4 PM CT. Among the notable surplus assets up for Auction are: a large selection of Wire, Cable and Plastics Equipment from leading manufacturers such as Davis Standard, American Kuhne, Merritt, Hall, MGS, Eurodraw, Rosendahl, Nextrom and more including; over (20) Extruders, (9) Crossheads, (10) Payoffs, (17) Take­Ups, 2­Wire Rod Breakdown Mill, (15) Caterpuller Capstans, and a vast amount of Wire, Cable and Plastics Support Equipment. This Sale also features Material Handling and Facility Support Equipment including an assortment of Forklifts, Manlifts, Air Compressors, Chillers, Hoists, Hoppers, Material Silos, Welders, Vidmar Cabinets, Tool Cabinets, Pallet Jacks and much more.

A second online­only Auction of surplus CommScope assets will take place at 125 Commscope Way, Statesville, North Carolina, 28625 on Tuesday, November 4, 1 PM EST, with a preview held on Monday, November 3, 8 AM to 4 PM EST. Some of the major assets from the Statesville, North Carolina plant will be offered during the Live and Webcast Auction portion of the CommScope sale.

Perfection Industrial Sales has been buying, selling and remarketing used assets since 1963. Over the years, Perfection has steadily increased sales and services by assisting customers to meet and exceed used asset goals. Perfection Industrial Sales is able to create custom­tailored, flexible and proven strategies for projects both big and small. They provide detailed, viable, results­driven solutions – just as they have done successfully for thousands of clients in the past.

For further information, please contact John Bopp at 1­708­606­3240 or john@perfectionindustrial.com or, visit​ www.perfectionmachinery.com​ .

DAVINCI COMPASS ACQUIRES LAMBERTSON INDUSTRIES INC.

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DaVinci Compass Inc. is glad to announce its third strategic acquisition. After Sipromac in 2011, Picard Ovens in 2014, DaVinci has acquired Lambertson Industries as of August 28, 2015. Lambertson Industries is a leading manufacturer of Stainless Steel Commercial Kitchen Equipment, based in Sparks, Nevada and has been renamed Lambertson Inc. following the acquisition.

Lambertson product line will allow our Group to extend our product offering and to strengthen our Dealer network in America.

With Lambertson’s product being 100% built in America, this acquisition fits our values to develop and manufacture high quality commercial foodservice and food processing equipment.

Mr. Jason Weiss has stepped down as President of Lambertson Industries Inc. as of August 28, 2015. Dave Couture, President & CEO of DaVinci and Vincent Tourigny, Vice President & CFO would like to welcome Eric Flickinger as a shareholder of Lambertson Inc. Mr. Flickinger will be acting as Operation Manager of Lambertson Inc. About DaVinci, Sipromac & Picard Ovens DaVinci Compass is a Canadian holding company aiming to create a Group of manufacturers of commercial foodservice and food processing equipment that build 100% of their products in America.

Sipromac is a manufacturer of Packaging & Food Processing Equipment based in Canada.

Picard Ovens is a manufacturer of Bakery and Pizza ovens and is also based in Canada.

BETTER SERVICE WITH 24/7 SERVICE & PARTS TOWN In past June, Picard has implemented a 24/7 service call. Anytime a client will call the factory, someone will answer the phone to better service our clients.

In addition, we are proud to announce that Picard will partner with Parts Town to better serve our Service Company network, Dealers and End users. We understands our clients’ need and we want to support them in growing their business.

With Parts Town, next day delivery will be guaranteed for purchase order of parts processed before 20h00 Eastern Time.

Our Partnership will not only improve the level of quality of our service, but we also allow Picard to be recognized as a nationwide player. This alliance will allow us to continue to develop Picard client’s base with Major Company such as WHOLE FOODS, GIORDANO’S PIZZA, SOBEYS (Parent company of SAFEWAY), METRO who are already Picard’s client.

California Lawyers Fight for Slave­Labor Warnings on Consumer Products

A group of California law firms has filed suit against a number of brands in an effort to publicize the use of forced labor in consumer product supply chains. The class actions assert that regulations against deceiving consumers are violated if an item is potentially produced by slave labor and buyers aren’t made aware. Their goal is to require slave labor warnings for products whose brands have questionable supply chains.

However, Bloomberg reports that many of the companies at issue are monolithic brands like Hershey Co., Nestle and Costco, and that it is nearly impossible to trace the winding supply chains for all their products down to such a detailed level. Litigation attorney Amy Pierce explains that this is one reason local governments are better equipped to police compliance with labor regulations.

Pillsbury Guides Chinese Fund in $300 Million Acquisition of Semiconductor Company

A team of Pillsbury lawyers led by Tom Shoesmith, the head of the firm’s China practice, advised the Beijing E­Town Dragon Semiconductor Industry Investment Center in a $300 million acquisition of U.S.­based Mattson Technology.

Mattson is a designer, manufacturer, marketer and supporter of semiconductor wafer processing equipment.

E­Town Dragon is a private equity fund, led by E­Town Capital, that focuses on investments in the semiconductor industry.

The Pillsbury team included Matthew Rabinowitz, Matthew Desharnais, Matthew Ryan, Peter Hunt, Aileen (Chuca) Meyer, Nancy Fischer, Benjamin Cote, Brian Wainwright, Qian Huang, Julian Zou, Liang Tao and others in Shanghai.

Pitney Bowes Borderfree Brings More Coveted American Brands to Chinese Consumers Ahead of Holiday Season In response to Chinese consumers’ love for American brands, and in advance of holiday shopping, Borderfree, now a part of Pitney Bowes Inc. (NYSE:PBI), today announced that it will bring more American fashions, sports apparel and lifestyle accessories to online shoppers in China. Through an expanded partnership with Ant Financial’s Alipay, it will now be easier for Chinese consumers to buy even more coveted American brands directly from the retailers’ websites using localized payments. “We are very focused on increasing our brand awareness in China as well as growing our international e­commerce business. The importance of an easy user experience, enabling customers to check out using their preferred method, Alipay ePass, is key in driving conversion. Through Borderfree, we are now able to offer this service to our clients in China, allowing them to purchase with confidence,” said Alex Bolen, CEO, Oscar de la Renta, LLC, of the brand’s recent partnership with Borderfree. Launched last year, the partnership also enables Alipay’s 400 million active, registered users to purchase products online directly from additional retailers including Aéropostale, Bloomingdale’s, Macy’s and Saks Fifth Avenue. In addition, brands like MotoSport are now included in the program. Borderfree’s program with Ant Financial removes currency and logistics barriers and provides Chinese consumers with a seamless shopping experience that is easy, safe and consistent with what they know and trust. Chinese consumers can shop the merchandise at the same retail prices offered to U.S. consumers, while receiving Alipay’s fast, reasonably priced shipping, customs clearance, and door­to­door delivery anywhere in China. They can also expect faster shipping, while

tracking packages directly from their Alipay account. China continues to be the top international market for online shopping. EMarketer forecasts that China will account for just over 40 percent of the world's retail ecommerce sales this year. Also, a recent 2015 Pitney Bowes Global Online Shopping Study shows the U.S. remains to be the top shopping e­destination where global consumers prefer to buy products from outside of their own country, including shoppers in China. “The ecommerce sector in China continues to be a major driver of economic growth, as internet penetration and smartphone ownership continue to increase,” said Lila Snyder, President, Global Ecommerce, Pitney Bowes. “By gaining deeper insight on what local shoppers in China want to buy and how they like to shop, U.S. retailers can make international purchases not just possible, but probable for overall global ecommerce success.” “By expanding our partnership with Borderfree, we’re enabling Chinese consumers to easily shop for products that can’t be found in China, while uniquely avoiding the common challenges associated with cross­broader transactions,” said Jingming Li, Group VP and Head of U.S., Ant Financial Service Group. “We are very pleased to be helping these brands expand into China, particularly as we head into the busy holiday shopping season.” Borderfree’s program with Ant Financial provides payment, logistics service and marketing support to help global brands and retailers connect with Chinese consumers. Borderfree, a Pitney Bowes company, is a market leader in global ecommerce, operating a technology and services platform that the world’s most iconic brands rely on to expand globally and transact with customers in more than 220 countries and territories and more than 74 currencies worldwide. Borderfree manages all aspects of the international shopping experience, including site localization, multi­currency pricing, payment processing, fraud management, landed cost calculation, customs clearance and brokerage and global logistics services while maintaining the integrity of our customers’ brand and the consumer experience. For further information, visit Borderfree at www.borderfree.com About Pitney Bowes Pitney Bowes (NYSE:PBI) is a global technology company offering innovative products and solutions that enable commerce in the areas of customer information management, location intelligence, customer engagement, shipping and mailing, and global ecommerce.

More than 1.5 million clients in approximately 100 countries around the world rely on products, solutions and services from Pitney Bowes. For additional information,

IRONMAN Goes Global with Ecommerce Solutions from Borderfree, a Pitney Bowes Company

Consumers Can Now Easily Shop for IRONMAN®​ ​ Apparel, Gear and Accessories from More Than 220 Countries and Territories

TAMPA, Fla. & STAMFORD, Conn., November 18, 2015 ­ IRONMAN, one of the world’s leading participation sports brands, today announced it is utilizing Borderfree, now a part of ​ Pitney Bowes Inc. (NYSE:PBI), to expand its online merchandise sales internationally. IRONMAN is using Borderfree’s global ecommerce software and international shipping services to offer their customers a simple and seamless shopping experience to purchase apparel, gear and accessories in over 40 currencies from more than 220 countries and territories around the world.

This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20151118005201/en/ “With over 240,000 registered athletes representing more than 155 countries, it is imperative for us to be able to fully serve our global participants and their family and friends. Our collaboration with Borderfree is enabling us to reach more athletes and supporters around the world by offering a simple shopping experience on IRONMANSTORE.com,” said Jennifer Mocerino, President of Merchandise for IRONMAN.

“By expanding internationally, more consumers can experience the lifestyle and unique quality of the IRONMAN brand with the products we offer.”

Global customers can view their order total, including shipping fees, customs tariffs and taxes, at checkout.

The total is guaranteed at the exchange rate set when orders are placed. Shoppers can choose to pay all duties and taxes upfront during the buying experience or upon delivery when they receive their purchased items.

“We are proud to support IRONMAN’s global growth to make shopping possible for their athletes and fans around the world,” said Lila Snyder, President, Global Ecommerce, Pitney Bowes. “By simplifying the complexities associated with international ecommerce, we are helping this iconic sports brand create a global shopping experience consumers expect.”

Founded in 1978, IRONMAN started as a single race and has grown to an international sensation with more than 250 events in over 30 countries and now includes five unique brands: IRONMAN®​ ​ , IRONMAN®​ ​ 70.3®​ ​ , Iron Girl®​ ​ , IRONKIDS®​ ​ , and 5150™ Triathlon Series.

For more information on the IRONMAN brand and global event series, visit ​ www.ironman.com​ . Media may contact press@ironman.com.

About IRONMAN The iconic IRONMAN®​ ​ Series of events is the largest participation sports platform in the world. Since the inception of the IRONMAN®​ ​ brand in 1978, athletes have proven that ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE®​ ​ by crossing finish lines at the world’s most challenging endurance races. Recognized for excellence through distinguished events, world­class athletes and quality products, IRONMAN has grown from a single race to a global sensation with more than 250 events and five unique brands: IRONMAN®​ ​ , IRONMAN®​ ​ 70.3®​ ​ , 5150™ ®​ ®​ Triathlon Series, Iron Girl​ and IRONKIDS​ .

About Pitney Bowes Pitney Bowes (NYSE:PBI) is a global technology company offering innovative products and solutions that enable commerce in the areas of customer information management, location intelligence, customer engagement, shipping and mailing, and global ecommerce. More than 1.5 million clients in approximately 100 countries around the world rely on products, solutions and services from Pitney Bowes. For additional information, visit Pitney Bowes at ​ www.pb.com​ .

Portfolio Financial Servicing Company Appointed Verification Agent and Title Custodian for Commercial Fleet Vehicle Title Portfolio

PORTLAND, OR. Portfolio Financial Servicing Company (“PFSC”) announced today that is has been appointed Verification Agent and Title Custodian under the terms of a Vehicle Title Custodial Agreement on behalf of a commercial fleet vehicle leasing company. Terms of the Custodial Agreement remain confidential.

In accordance with the Custodial Agreement, PFSC will provide its client, and the client’s lender with comprehensive title custodian services, including title receipt, title verification and certification, title tracking and safekeeping, and title releases.

Commenting on this new engagement, John Enyart, President of PFSC, stated, “PFSC has a long history supporting the commercial transportation sector, as a servicer, backup servicer, and title custodian. Our multi­state vehicle titling capabilities and our long tenure and experience as a custodian makes PFSC an ideal partner for this new engagement. We appreciate the confidence our client and their lender have placed in PFSC and we look forward to providing exceptional service.”

About Portfolio Financial Servicing Company Portfolio Financial Servicing Company (“PFSC”) is a third party private label servicer of commercial and consumer leases, loans and annuity type transactions (inclusive of structured settlements, lottery prize, and royalty­based receivables). Since 1992, PFSC has serviced billions in asset value for a diverse group of clients across the U.S. and Canada. PFSC provides a comprehensive suite of services including primary servicing, successor servicing, and backup servicing. PFSC also provides certain a la carte services such as document custodianship, multi­state vehicle titling and multi­state sales/use and personal property tax reporting and compliance. For more information, visit www.www.pfsc.com.

Portfolio Financial Servicing Company Selected As Backup and Successor Servicer for Consumer Debt Consolidation Loan Portfolio

PORTLAND, OR. Portfolio Financial Servicing Company (“PFSC”) announced today that it has entered into a definitive agreement to act as Backup and Successor Servicer for an originator of nationwide consumer debt consolidation loans.

PFSC’s client is a well­established nationwide provider of consumer installment loans, including loans for debt consolidation purposes. After a lengthy due diligence period, PFSC was selected by the client and several of the client’s debt providers as its backup and successor servicer across multiple credit facilities and portfolios. Commenting on this new engagement, John Enyart, President of PFSC, stated “After months of negotiations and on­site due diligence, we are delighted that PFSC was selected as the backup and successor servicer for this consumer lending platform. This represents a meaningful engagement for PFSC and evidences our ongoing capabilities and commitment to the consumer lending marketplace.”

Under the new facility, PFSC will perform data mapping, coding, development and ongoing data receipt and reconciliation functions. As provided for in the transaction documents, PFSC would assume successor servicing duties should certain substantive events occur. PFSC will also be performing verification agent duties for certain of the debt providers whereby PFSC will be receiving, reviewing and certifying consumer loan documents.

About Portfolio Financial Servicing Company Portfolio Financial Servicing Company (“PFSC”) is a third party private label servicer of commercial and consumer leases, loans and annuity type transactions (inclusive of structured settlements, lottery prize, and royalty­based receivables). Since 1992, PFSC has serviced billions in asset value for a diverse group of clients across the U.S. and Canada. PFSC provides a comprehensive suite of services including primary servicing, successor servicing, and backup servicing. PFSC also provides certain a la carte services such as document custodianship, multi­state vehicle titling and multi­state sales/use and personal property tax reporting and compliance. For more information, visit www.www.pfsc.com.

Quail Capital provides $800K commitment for a Petroleum Product Manufacturer Quail Capital Corp, located in Burbank, CA announces it has arranged financing for an 8­year­old petroleum manufacturer. This entity was in the process of moving to a new facility and needed to automate their bottling line. Strong revenues, light profitability, highly leveraged and lacking in comp borrowing experience, Quail overcame this by exhibiting the personal financial strength of the owner outside of the business.

Odd Period Financial Statements Sounds ODD? If you are paying your CPA firm to Audit or Review annual financial statements, you probably have a fiscal year that ends at a calendar quarter or a calendar year end. If this is the case, you are competing with all of your accountant’s clients for his/ her time and attention. Further, the audit verifications that go to your bank, key accounts, and suppliers all come to them in stacks, causing delays, as your auditor cannot move forward without them. Waiting for the final report is frustrating and you surely grow tired of your banker asking “when will the audit be completed?”

There is a solution that can lower your audit cost and allow it to be completed much faster than ever before.

More and more smart business people are changing their fiscal year end to an odd period such as February 28th, August 31st or October 31st. Many clients have reported they were able to negotiate as much as a 35% reduction in the cost of an audit. Similar to how a construction contractor will virtually break even during the slow months to keep their workers employed, CPA’s have extreme busy tax and audit seasons and are often overstaffed during these odd periods. Naturally, your bank, key creditors, and customers are all less busy during these times as well, so they can turn around the requested audit verifications much more quickly.

This is a win­win for everyone. You will have a one­time period that is less than 12 months, but you will quickly overcome that, and enjoy less expensive costs and a faster pace for many years to come.

John W. Daniels, Jr. Receives Unity Award From Milwaukee Urban League MILWAUKEE, Wis. — The national law firm of ​ Quarles & Brady LLP​ today announced that Chairman Emeritus ​ John W. Daniels, Jr​ . received the Time Warner Cable Unity Award on December 9 at the Milwaukee Urban League's 56th Annual Equal Opportunity Day Luncheon. Daniels received the award in recognition of his years of leadership and advocacy, and the positive impact he has made on the Milwaukee community.

Daniels is a member of the firm's ​ Real Estate Practice Group​ , and is a strategic advisor to many of firm's largest clients. During his tenure as chairman of Quarles & Brady, he grew the firm during the worst economy since the Great Depression, expanding its ranks of attorneys and adding new locations and national practice specialties. He is a champion of diversity and inclusion, and a much sought­after thought leader on multiple topics. Over the course of his storied career, Daniels has made significant contributions to

the legal professional on the local and national level, as well as the Milwaukee community. He is a past national president of the American College of Real Estate Lawyers, currently sits on the board of directors of Chicago United, is chairman of the board of Aurora Health Care, and is a former board chair of the Greater Milwaukee Committee.

Daniels also is the founder and host of the annual ​ Fellowship Open​ Golf Tournament, whose principal objective is to work with and support organizations that have a meaningful and demonstrable difference in the lives of youngsters. Over the last 15 years, the Fellowship Open has donated more than $1 million to 70 local organizations serving Milwaukee's youth. In 2011, Daniels helped established ​ MKE Fellows​ , an extension of the Fellowship Open that provides career development activities for local African­American students at Atlanta's Morehouse College and other historically black colleges around the country.

About the Milwaukee Urban League The Milwaukee Urban League's mission is to provide essential services and strong results­oriented programming to those who share with all of us a desire to be productive, contributing members of the community. A dedicated team of staff, volunteers, sponsors, and the Board open doors to information, skill development and other support to help African­Americans achieve their full potential and participate in the social mainstream, to secure economic self­sufficiency, parity and power, and civil rights. Learn more at www.tmul.org​ .

Christian G. Stahl quoted in article “Raising the Bar” Christian Stahl, IP partner at Quarles & Brady, says that the rule changes “should not” necessarily affect patent litigators. Instead, he explains that the abrogation of Rule 84 does not change the pleading standards.

“As a result, the current standards provided in Twombly and Iqbal, and their progeny, will continue to control.”

Raiseworks splits into two businesses In December 2013, Gary Chodes and GLI Finance (GLIF), the specialist provider of finance to global medium and small enterprises, founded Raiseworks LLC, an economic services technology company planning to improve small company use of capital by leveraging advanced technology.

Gary was the CEO in the company from its inception until October 7th 2015, once the company was split up into 2 separate sections, Raiseworks LLC, and Raiseco Holdings LLC. He has now sold his minority curiosity about Raiseworks LLC, to GLI Finance, and resigned from both his CEO and board member positions in the company.

This new business adopts exactly the same Raiseworks’ technology, however it intends to be considered a new, independent loan origination business, offering a wide selection of lending options with respect to banks, lending institutions, credit card issuers and so on. Raiseworks will continue to concentrate on larger loans to US business.

Gary provided AltFi with more colour around this new business: “At Raiseco, we’ll help small company access a multitude of products and select the very best terms and pricing and then make use of the tremendous demand from large banking institutions, for example banks and lending institutions, to tap on­line or peer­to­peer originated loans through one efficient marketplace.

With multiple products, Raiseco will offer you multiple brands, including the ones from his bank partners in addition to brands I’ve developed and worked with before.”

Geoff Miller, CEO of GLI, is feeling enthusiastic about this event and provided Gary with considerable support for his new company. He commented: “This strategic move at Raiseworks couldn’t came in a more exciting time. Raiseworks’ technology and infrastructure continues to be developed and refined over 5 years and may certainly be put to use through two companies to assist the widest possible number of small businesses in the US. The transaction further positions Raiseworks to stay flexible as online markets evolve and shift rapidly in the US.” GLI Finance holds investments in a wide range of other finance platforms, including Proplend, CrowdShed, Platform Black, LiftForward and much more. In September 2015, the organization announced the launch of the new Closed End Fund (CEF) named “GLI Alternative Finance PLC”, which now trades around the Specialist Fund Market of the LSE underneath the ticker “GLAF”.

At launch, the fund had a market cap of £52.67m made up of £40.27m of GLI loans as well as £12.4m of recent capital that’s been raised through the London Stock Exchange listing (LSE).

How Our Success Has Allowed Us To Serve Our Communities.

As Renaissance Capital Alliance concludes another successful year of double digit growth in sales and income, we are reminded that we need to share the blessings that God has provided us with those who are in need.

Renaissance Capital Alliance was again a title sponsor and original creator of “Scare Away Hunger” – a 5k run and family event which has raised close to $100,000 for local families in need over the four years of its existence.

During the current year, RCA also donated $300,000 to Grace Centers of Hope (GCH), in Pontiac, MI, who have utilized these critically needed funds to assist in building better lives for single parents throughout Southeast Michigan. In 2015, RCA will be embarking on a fundraising campaign for the GCH Women’s Shelter. RCA is committing the resources of the company, both capital and personnel, to raise $1 million to better assist these single parents as they move from homelessness to home ownership!

RCA employees are also actively involved in DECA. In high schools and colleges around the world, DECA is a program that prepares future leaders and entrepreneurs for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality, and management.

Join The Effort If you or your organization wishes to participate in any of these important endeavors, please reach out to your Relationship Manager for more information and find out how to get involved! At RCA, we are very proud of our success and also humbled by it. We realize that giving back to our community is not optional ­ it is our individual and collective responsibility.

About RCA Renaissance Capital Alliance is a Certified Minority Business Enterprise engaged in the equipment financing industry. RCA specializes in the leasing of forklifts and material handling fleets. Through our comprehensive tracking and lease management database, industry experience, and customized lease programs, RCA has become a valued resource to both plant and corporate associates at some of the world’s largest corporations.

ELFA Ops & Tech Award Winner Fireside Chat In September I had the awesome privilege to co­moderate a fireside chat with the winners of the 2015 ​ ELFA Operations and Technology Excellence Award. Over the course of several preliminary interviews leading up to the event, I was able to dig deeper and deeper into the project stories. The recording below is the actual fire­side chat with the winners during the ELFA Operations and Technology Conference in Philadelphia, PA on September 18, 2015.

Here is what stands out to me from this year’s winning project stories. ● Both projects were customer experience driven. ● Both projects were powered by a very tight business/technology relationship where we almost see the lines blur between business and technology. It's not about business or technology it's about business powered by technology. ● Both projects were successfully completed ahead of schedule and under very aggressive timelines. ● Both winners elected to build vs. buy their solutions. ● Both winners incorporated process improvement into their projects.

●

Both winners used non­traditional and innovative approaches to making awesome happen for their businesses.

These are not the same old stories of implementing fundamental technology packages, rather, each winner took a bold approach to attack a new area of business process, apply contemporary technology, create new opportunities, and set up their business for exponential growth.

ELEMENT FINANCIAL CORPORATION This project team attacked a complex set of processes for fleet title registration in a very interesting way using non­traditional approach, cool technology, tight business technology partnership with co­located development resources, and disciplined focus on process optimization. Interestingly in this story, the actual technology takes a back seat to the approach they used to implement the technology. This is a story of leadership. The results speak for themselves. Listen to their stories about the power of embedded IT and the "2.0 effect."

QUICK BRIDGE FUNDING, LLC This is a story of applying cutting edge technology to well thought out processes using a non­traditional approach. There are several things I loved about this project story. They went opposite of the current trend choosing to build vs. buy. With their tight business/IT partnership, they focused on building the right platform to enable the right business processes. Not only did they partner with business stakeholders to involve them in requirements gathering, they went back AGAIN and questioned everything they did to really understand the essence of why they do what they do before building anything. Listen to this story to hear about the power of innovation culture and a business and technology relationship so tight that we ask them to clarify, "Is this a Fintech or Finance Company?"

NAVITAS LEASE CORP. ANNOUNCES CLOSING OF A $22 MILLION SERIES B PREFERRED STOCK INVESTMENT LED BY BLUEMOUNTAIN CAPTIAL MANAGEMENT LLC Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., November 1, 2011 ­ Navitas Lease Corp. is pleased to announce the closing of a $22 million Series B Preferred Stock investment led by BlueMountain Capital Management, LLC. BlueMountain participated in this investment through funds it manages. This transaction provides Navitas with substantial financial resources and a strong financial partner to support its rapid growth. BlueMountain, headquartered in New York, New York, was attracted to Navitas due to the strength and reputation of the management team. “The company has made considerable progress in managing growth and developing their operating platform in the current economic environment. They have the resources and capabilities to become a dominant competitor in their market,” said Brad Schwartz, Portfolio Manager in charge of Asset Backed Strategies at BlueMountain. “The company has worked hard in the last two years to position itself to capitalize on the current market conditions,” says Gary Shivers, President and CEO of Navitas.

“BlueMountain has substantial resources to support our growth as well as expertise in financial services.”

The company’s existing Series A investors, Noro­Moseley Partners, Croft and Bender LLC, and Lunsford Capital LLC also participated in the Series B investment. Navitas is an independent equipment financing company headquartered in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL, with offices in Cherry Hill, NJ and Columbia, SC. The company provides equipment financing to small and medium sized businesses nationally through developing referral programs with equipment vendors. Navitas also originates leases and loans from lease brokers through its division, RLC Funding. The company was formed in September 2008 and has developed relationships with multiple sources of financing to support its growth plan. For more information about

Navitas please visit our website at www.navitaslease.com or call 877­NAVITAS (628­4827). BlueMountain Capital Management is a leading investment manager focused on the credit markets managing $6.9 billion of assets, with $5.2 billion in hedge fund and opportunistic credit vehicles, as well as $1.7 billion in CLO assets. Founded in 2003, BlueMountain looks for relative value opportunities and maintains minimal directional exposure to credit markets. The Firm’s investment strategies include fundamental credit (long/short, capital structure), structured credit (corporate, ABS) and arbitrage and technical (index arbitrage, bond basis). Its 116 person team of professionals in New York and London are supported by its institutionalized and proprietary infrastructure, including world­class operations and risk management technology.

Roetzel Partner Paul A. Giordano Assumes Chairmanship of Coastal Conservation Association Florida The law firm of Roetzel & Andress LPA is pleased to announce that​ Paul A. Giordano​ , a partner in the firm’s Fort Myers office, assumed the role of Chairman of the Coastal Conservation Association of Florida (CCA) on December 12, 2015. Mr. Giordano previously served as the CCA’s Vice­Chairman.

“I am honored and humbled by my appointment as Chairman of the Coastal Conservation Association Florida,” said Mr. Giordano. “I am proud to follow in the footsteps of many great men that filled this role over the years. I have big shoes to fill and I look forward to continuing the hard work of CCA Florida.”

The CCA has as its objective the conservation, promotion and enhancement of both the present and future availability of Florida’s coastal resources for the benefit and enjoyment of the general public. Among other activities, the CCA is engaged in hundreds of local, state and national projects. It initiates scientific studies, funds marine­science scholarships, monitors the quality and quantity of freshwater inflows and supports local marine law enforcement.

Through broad­based recreational angler support; a strong legal and legislative presence; decades of experience; and an unwavering vision for the future of U.S. and global marine resources, CCA battles for the sustainable health of our coastal fisheries and for recreational anglers’ interests.

Mr. Giordano handles a variety of business and commercial litigation, with a special focus on bankruptcy and creditors' rights, partnership disputes, commercial foreclosures, contract and corporate disputes, and general and professional liability lawsuits. He also has experience in insurance coverage litigation, and jury and non­jury trial practice. Mr. Giordano earned his J.D. from the University of Florida Levin College of Law and his undergraduate degree from the University of Florida.

Lori L. Moore Assumes Role as President of CREW Naples / Fort Myers Roetzel is pleased to announce that effective January 1, 2016, partner ​ Lori L. Moore​ , a Florida Bar Board Certified attorney in Real Estate Law, will assume the role of President of the Naples / Fort Myers chapter of Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW), having served as President­Elect during 2015. Ms. Moore will serve for a one­year term.

Founded in 1989, CREW is the industry’s premier business networking organization dedicated to advancing the achievements of women in commercial real estate, with more than 9,000 network members in over 70

major markets across North America. CREW provides business leadership and networking, industry research, and training to its members, which represent nearly every discipline within commercial real estate, including law, brokerage, leasing, property management, finance, development, and others. The Naples / Fort Myers chapter is committed to recruiting new members to expand CREW’s influence in Southwest Florida and providing relevant and quality programs, as well as great networking opportunities and social events, throughout 2016.

Ms. Moore focuses her practice on real estate matters and represents and counsels both buyers and sellers of commercial and residential real estate, landlords, tenants, developers and lenders in all aspects of real estate matters including: acquisitions and sales, commercial and residential leasing, financing, and ownership issues related to submerged lands. She also represents and counsels lenders in financial transactions and distressed loan situations and has extensive experience litigating real estate matters, including contract leasing disputes.

Selected as a Florida Super Lawyers “Rising Star” every year since 2010, Ms. Moore earned her J.D. from the University of Florida Levin College of Law, cum laude, and her B.A. from the University of North Florida, summa cum laude. In addition to her association with CREW, she also engages with the professional community through her involvement with the Real Estate Investment Society of Lee County (REIS), and the Lee County and Florida Bar Associations.

RSM Announces New Board Chairman, Members RSM US LLP (RSM) — the nation’s leading provider of audit, tax and consulting services focused on the middle market — recently named Ed Bartak as the firm's new chairman of the board for a one­year term, replacing Craig Radke whose term expired Nov. 30, 2015. Additional new board members include Sergio de la Fe, national go­to­market leader for consulting services and consulting leadership team member for RSM; Rob Stoettner, office managing partner for the firm’s Schaumburg, IL office; and Stu Taub, real estate practice leader for the firm’s Northeast Region and real estate and audit practice leader for New York. Each of the new board members was elected to a four­year term.

“We have been fortunate to have Craig lead our firm's board of directors over the past two years," said Joe Adams, managing partner and CEO for RSM US LLP. "We appreciate the guidance that he and other board members have provided to help our middle market clients succeed. We look forward to Ed's leadership, and to the fresh perspectives that Sergio, Rob and Stu will bring to the board as we continue to progress toward our vision of being the first­choice advisor to middle market leaders, globally."

"Serving as the chairman of RSM’s board of directors in the U.S. has been a privilege," said Radke. "I was honored to represent our partners during an important time in our firm’s history, and know that Ed will bring a balanced approach to his position as chairman, given his understanding of the firm’s various lines of business, market segments and offices. And I look forward to the leadership our new board chairman and members will provide to guide our firm as we continue our 90­year tradition of helping clients achieve success and helping our people build rewarding careers.”

"I look forward to working with our firm’s board of directors and management team as we advance our position as the leader in providing audit, tax and consulting services to entrepreneurial, growing companies around the world," said Bartak of his new role as chairman. "We are fortunate to have a board and leaders who understand what’s important to our clients, our people and our firm. This understanding leads to success for all of us."

Bartak is located in Kansas City and has been a tax partner at RSM for the past eleven years. He has 26 years of experience in public accounting. He currently serves as the Office Managing Partner for Kansas City, South Central Tax Corridor leader and Kansas City Tax location leader.

Bartak holds a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from Northern Illinois University and a Master of Business Administration degree from University of St. Francis. He is a Certified Public Accountant and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Illinois Society of Certified Public Accountants, Missouri Society of Certified Public Accountants and Kansas Society of Certified Public Accountants.

About RSM US LLP RSM US LLP is the leading provider of audit, tax and consulting services focused on the middle market, with more than 8,000 people in 80 offices nationwide. It is a licensed CPA firm and the U.S. member of RSM International, a global network of independent audit, tax and consulting firms with more than 37,500 people in over 110 countries. RSM uses its deep understanding of the needs and aspirations of clients to help them succeed. For more information, visit www.rsmus.com, like us on ​ Facebook​ , follow us on ​ Twitter​ and/or connect with us on ​ LinkedIn​ .

RSM Named Accounting/Due Diligence Firm of the Year by M&A Advisor RSM US LLP (RSM) — the nation’s leading provider of audit, tax and consulting services focused on the middle market — was recently named “2015 Accounting/Due Diligence Firm of the Year” by M&A Advisor.

The middle market continues to drive M&A activity, and RSM has been providing audit, tax and consulting services to this market for nearly 90 years. The firm’s expertise in privately held, first­time sold companies offers a unique perspective on how these companies operate and their common issues. Private equity firms investing in the middle market turn to RSM because of the firm’s deep experience and industry knowledge that aligns with many firms’ portfolios.

“We understand the needs of our private equity and strategic buyer clients and have designed an approach to create value at every point in the investment life cycle,” said Don Lipari, national practice leader ­ private equity services for RSM US. “This award is a great honor for us, and further confirmation that we are contributing to the success of our clients across the nation —and across the world.”

“We recognize that responsiveness and quality service are of the utmost importance to our clients,” said Milton Marcotte, national practice leader – transaction advisory services for RSM US. “Our approach to buy­ and sell­side due diligence provides value to our clients beyond a thorough analysis of the numbers. We help positively impact the overall deal economics for our clients. This prestigious award acknowledges our contribution to the M&A marketplace and is validation that we are seen as the leader in middle market transaction services.”

In the past five years, RSM’s transaction advisory services practice has worked on more than 1,700 deals in a wide range of industries, and has completed more than 350 transactions each year for the past four years.

With more than 200 dedicated transaction advisory services professionals, the team has specialized experience in financial, tax, IT and operational due diligence on buy­ and sell­side transactions; working capital assistance; merger integration; and tax structuring.

The M&A Advisor Awards honor excellence in deal­making. An independent body of industry experts judged the awards, and winners were announced at the 14th Annual M&A Awards Gala at the New York Athletic Club in New York City Nov. 17.

About The M&A Advisor Since 1998, The M&A Advisor has been presenting, recognizing the achievement of and facilitating connections between the world’s leading mergers and acquisitions, financing and turnaround professionals with a comprehensive range of services including M&A SUMMITS; M&A AWARDS; M&A CONNECTS™;

M&A ALERTS™, M&A LINKS™, M&A DEALS, MandA.TV and M&A MARKET INTEL™. Visit their ​ website to learn more.

About RSM US LLP RSM US LLP is the leading provider of audit, tax and consulting services focused on the middle market, with more than 8,000 people in 80 offices nationwide. It is a licensed CPA firm and the U.S. member of RSM International, a global network of independent audit, tax and consulting firms with more than 37,500 people in over 110 countries. RSM uses its deep understanding of the needs and aspirations of clients to help them succeed. For more information, visit www.rsmus.com, like us on ​ Facebook​ , follow us on ​ Twitter​ and/or connect with us on ​ LinkedIn​ .

Vettel, Gené and Gutiérrez join Santander Spain volunteers in training session for San Silvestre Vallecana race ●

Drivers and bank employees tried out virtual reality glasses which, thanks to new generation technology which can record 360º videos, transported them to a F1 race.

Madrid, 11 December 2015. Today, Banco Santander gave 100 employees the chance to train with Ferrari F1 drivers Sebastian Vettel, Marc Gené and Esteban Gutiérrez at the Santander Group City in Boadilla del Monte (Madrid). Some of the employees volunteer at the San Silvestre Vallecana race which is held each New Year's Eve in Madrid and which Santander Spain sponsors.

The drivers, employees and various trainers from the sports centre jogged 3km through El Bosque, the wooded area surrounding the City which is used for recreational and cultural purposes, followed by other exercises and stretches.

For Felipe Martin, head of Marketing for Santander Spain “This joint collaboration with Ferrari highlights Santander Spain's new sports sponsorship strategy and our commitment to helping people every day”.

After the training session the drivers and bank employees tried out virtual reality glasses which, thanks to new generation technology which can record 360º videos, transported them to a F1 race. This is the first time this technology has been used in a F1 car. This exciting experience was recorded from Kimi Räikkönen's car on 8 November at the Finale Mondiali de Ferrari in Mugello (Italy).

Banco Santander y Plug and Play lanzan en España su primer programa de apoyo a startups de tecnología financiera (Only available in Spanish) Banco Santander y la comunidad de startups Plug and Play han anunciado hoy el lanzamiento en España de un programa de aceleración para empresas emergentes de tecnología financiera (fintech) que comenzará en febrero de 2016. Se trata de un programa dedicado a la tecnología y las finanzas del que la comunidad de startups ya ha celebrado varias ediciones con éxito en Estados Unidos con el apoyo de socios corporativos globales como el propio Santander, Deutsche Bank, Citi y Capital One. Santander y Plug and Play pretenden atraer a las startups más innovadoras y competitivas del sector financiero y tecnológico nacional. Los proyectos seleccionados dispondrán de espacio de trabajo compartido durante cuatro meses en el Centro de Innovación de Banco Santander en la ciudad financiera de Boadilla del Monte (Madrid) y en las instalaciones de Plug and Play en Valencia. Contarán con el apoyo

de una selecta red de mentores externos y miembros de los equipos directivos de Santander y Plug and Play, que les ayudarán en sesiones de trabajo, talleres y asesoramiento en el desarrollo de sus proyectos.

Aquellos proyectos seleccionados en el programa, llamado Plug and Play­Santander FinTech, tendrán la posibilidad de recibir inversión por parte de Plug and Play y realizar pruebas de concepto con Banco Santander, así como vivir la experiencia de viajar a San Francisco para participar en el Expo Day que se celebrará en las oficinas de Plug and Play en Silicon Valley (California).

El plazo de inscripción acaba de comenzar y se cerrará el jueves 14 de enero de 2016. Pueden encontrarse las condiciones del programa y del proceso de selección en la página web de Plug and Play Spain:​ http://plugandplayspain.es/fintech Plug and Play TechCenter es una comunidad de más de 350 startups tecnológicas ubicada en Silicon Valley que ha tenido un papel directo y decisivo en la creación de empresas de éxito en todo el mundo y que ha ayudado al crecimiento de cientos de startups. Durante 2014, Plug and Play Ventures fue la firma de capital de riesgo más activa en Silicon Valley, con un total de 65 inversiones, y la tercera más activa de los Estados Unidos.

En el plano financiero, Plug and Play TechCenter ha sido inversor en proyectos líderes como son Paypal, Lending Club o Credit Sesame.

Plug and Play Spain ha invertido desde su creación en casi sesenta startups que han logrado inversiones por valor de más de 10 millones de euros. Touristeye, Quolaw y Ducksboard, tres de las empresas invertidas por la aceleradora española, han sido adquiridas por empresas líderes de su sector en los últimos años.