Take Your Place Among Our Industry's Prized Resources

We invite you to submit a proposal outlining your presentation for a session at the 51st ELFA Annual Convention. Your proposal will be carefully reviewed by a committee of your peers. If selected, you will be invited to make a presentation or lead a roundtable discussion at one of several time slots scheduled for Monday, October 22nd or Tuesday, October 23rd.

Please read this document thoroughly before submitting your proposal. ELFA anticipates that once again we will receive more proposals than presentations slots available. Please avoid submitting proposals that have too narrow an audience…proposals that have a substantially wider appeal will be given priority. And most important: do not submit proposals that appear to be selling a product or supplying a service.

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Session Topics/Issues of High Priority

ELFA reached out to its Business Council Steering Committees asking for guidance on the kinds of issues/topics that should be discussed and/or showcased at this year's Annual Convention. The Business Council Steering Committees represent the major business segments of the industry: small ticket, middle market independent, financial institutions, captive and vendor finance, and service providers. Below is a summary of their suggested session/topic ideas. This list is not meant to be exhaustive, and is provided to serve as a general guide to the kinds of topics that will be given priority at this year's Convention. Please note that some ideas generated by specific business council steering committees have applicability across all market segments.

From Captive and Vendor Finance Business Council Steering Committee

• Pending accounting changes and what it might do to the perceived value of the captive finance organization
• To what measurements are captive finance companies held accountable?
• Where will growth come from: Domestically? Globally?
• Trends in bundling vis a vis accounting, systems, legal, and other issues that impact ability meet customer needs
• Scaling the business to meet demand
• Balancing the need for growth against the cost of expansion
• What are the different models (e.g., private label vendor, joint venture, fully-funded on book) manufacturers are using for their captives, and the pros and cons of each
• How do various captives address the deployment of a global finance solution? Are there best practices?
• Effective marketing, incentive, and/or processes used to engage captive equipment sales people to offer and promote their financial products
• Cloud computing/variable billing - finance products to support this business
• Ways to differentiate your captive from the independent finance company: what is the value that captives can provide manufacturers over independent leasing companies

From Middle Market Independent Business Council Steering Committee

• Accounting Update: the latest regarding the Lease Accounting Project
• Update on the capital markets for middle-market companies
• Financing assets that are deployed in the cloud
• Financing energy retrofits
• Software financing: How to structure the deal and how to avoid pitfalls and manage loopholes.
• The maturation of leasing: What's the state of leasing relative to financing?
• The role of the independent: Is there a future for independents owned lessors?

From Small Ticket Business Council Steering Committee

• Margin Compression: How can a small ticket lessor add additional value for their customers to counteract the trend toward margin compression?
• Focus on the Customer: How much automation can be added before the personal interaction that keeps customers coming back is lost?
• Changing Technology: How can small ticket companies keep up with technology, for both marketing to customers and in operating their companies? With the current movement towards cloud computing, what equipment might become obsolete? Will telecom all be serviced through IP? For the leasing company considering cloud computing for its own operations, what problems are posed?
• Staff Recruitment and Retention:
  • Encouraging Potential Employees to Look at the Industry: How can the small ticket lessor attract new employees (particularly sales) to their companies?
  • Evaluating, Training, Recruiting, and Retaining Employees: What lessons can companies with established, successful training/recruiting/retention programs share regarding attracting trained staff and/or training new talent?
• Regulatory Changes that pose Opportunities and Threats: How could current and proposed regulatory changes impact finance companies? Will regulatory constraints on residual/credit risk preclude banks from certain kinds of business? What could this mean for independents that can take on additional risk? How might this impact non-banks that rely on banks for certain business processes? What challenges will rules impacting inter-company sales from a manufacturer to its captive leasing company create for captives? What opportunities could that create for independents doing third party financing?

From Financial Institutions Business Council Steering Committee

• Accounting Update: the latest regarding the Lease Accounting Project
• Regulatory Changes: uncertainty surrounding economy and government regulation, including Basel III and their impact on business
• Cross border: Implications of bringing income back to the U.S.
• Your Value Proposition: what value do you bring to your customers? Your parent?
• Market updates on corporate aircraft, oil and gas, transportation and construction
• Issues surrounding operational efficiencies
• Top talent – How to get them, and how to keep them
• From Service Provider Business Council Steering Committee
• Business Technology Performance Index for 2011
• Technology and legal implications of the lease accounting changes
• Human Capital: Keeping employees motivated and engaged

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Other Issues Worthy of Consideration

Marketing Strategy

Proposals that discuss:

• Prospecting for customers: what value are you providing to attract and keep customers?
• Modifying business models to adjust to changing customer needs
• Customer retention strategies

The "Business" of Running the Business

Proposals that discuss:

• Increasing operational efficiencies; streamlining processes
• Increasing transparency with customers
• Applying technology that results in greater efficiencies, lower costs, or added capabilities
• Portfolio performance/risk management: Are you creating opportunities or limiting returns? Is your risk tolerance in line with your value proposition?

The Business Climate

Proposals that discuss:

• Scrutiny of business practices with customers and channel partners
• Improving image and brand recognition among regulators, customers, funders and others
• Impact and benefits of new sources of capital
• New markets; new opportunities
• The effect of regulatory, accounting and tax changes on new business opportunities

Funding/Capital Markets

Proposals that discuss:

• Innovations in financing products
• Funding strategies: what works now

Human Capital Issues

Proposals that discuss:

• Keeping employees engaged: motivating, rewarding and retaining people during turbulent times
• Building a climate of diversity
• How have changes in strategic direction shifted the skills and performance capabilities now needed in equipment finance companies?
• The leadership issue: How do you effectively prepare for turnover at the executive level?

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Format: Concurrent Breakout Sessions or Roundtable Discussions

Session proposals should describe the kind of format you will be using to present and share information.

• Breakout Session: A formal presentation with a number of speakers, facilitated by a moderator. Q&A included as part of the presentation. The primary focus is to provide information and share knowledge on current or critical issues.
• Roundtable Discussion: Sessions that foster interaction and networking in a less formal, more intimate setting. Attendee feedback over the years suggests that members place high value on the ability to exchange ideas and share best practices. If you submit a Roundtable proposal, it is assumed that you (or someone of your choosing) will lead a facilitated discussion, therefore please provide a sample list of discussion questions as part of your proposal.

If your proposal is accepted, it will be placed in one of the following time slots:

• Monday morning, October 22nd, immediately following the General Session
• Monday afternoon, October 22nd, following the General Luncheon
• Tuesday morning, October 23rd, immediately following the General Session
• Tuesday afternoon, October 23rd, immediately following the Business Council Luncheons

Please note: Sessions range in time between 90 minutes for morning sessions, and either 75 minutes or 90 minutes for afternoon sessions.

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Selection Criteria

ELFA will make every attempt not to combine proposals submitted on similar topics from different proposals. While we want as many qualified individuals and companies represented on the convention program, we want to avoid diluting what might otherwise be an important session. Whenever possible, ELFA will select the best proposal submitted rather than combining proposals. However, when two proposals are compatible and combining them results in a higher quality session, ELFA reserves the right to ask individuals to work together in developing a single session.

Proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

1. Timely information on selected topics of current interest that illustrate out-of-the-box thinking, demonstrating an ability to adapt to changing market conditions.
2. Case studies that highlight value: application or introduction of new or improved processes, strategies, or products; or excellence in leadership or management of a company or business unit
3. Research/benchmarking results that point to trends
4. Sessions that stress peer-to-peer networking and information sharing
5. Sessions that are of particular interest to specific market segments (e.g., small ticket, middle market, vendor programs) or emerging or growing markets (e.g., energy, infrastructure)

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Additional Selection Criteria

• Any one presenter or company may submit no more than two proposals
• ELFA member companies will be given priority, however non-members may submit proposals as well
• The topic is of interest to a majority of the convention attendees
• The written proposal captures the most critical issues related to the topic to be presented or discussed
• If appropriate, the proposal identifies additional qualified individuals (including consultants, professors, professionals and others) who will be included among the presenters.
• The proposal suggests a presentation format appropriate to the topic (breakout session or roundtable discussion)

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Important Deadlines

• Monday, July 9, 2012: All proposals must be postmarked no later than Monday, July 9, 2012
• July 30, 2012: Acceptance notices will be distributed during the week of July 30, 2012
• September 24, 2012: Handout materials are due ELFA Monday, September 24, 2012

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Some General Information You Should Know

• The ELFA Annual Convention is the largest annual gathering of professionals in the equipment finance industry. Attendees are generally the most senior level staff, including CEOs, Presidents, General Managers, Marketing Directors, Sales Directors, Senior Vice Presidents and other professionals responsible for business development
• Presentation handouts from sessions will be posted on the ELFA website. They will be offered free to registered attendees, and will be sold to other individuals for a minimal amount. Handouts will not be posted without your express permission. Handouts will be posted in a PDF format, thus preventing individuals from tampering or altering your original in any way.
• A well-attended session generally has 40 – 60 individuals in the room. If your topic is particularly "hot," you might get 75 – 100 in attendance.
• All convention attendees, including presenters, pay the ENTIRE convention registration fee. However, if a speaker is a consultant or academic who would not otherwise attend the ELFA Convention, the convention fee is waived.

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Authorization to Record Your Session

The ELFA will be audio-recording breakout sessions presented at the Annual Convention and will post these on the ELFA website synchronized with the appropriate handout materials or power point slides. These will be provided to all convention attendees (both ELFA members and non-members) as part of their registration fee. Recordings and handouts will not be posted without your express permission.

Please note: when submitting your speaking proposal, please indicate your willingness to have your session recorded and your handouts materials posted to the ELFA website.

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Entry Instructions

Entries must be received no later than Monday, July 9, 2012

INCLUDING your cover sheet, please LIMIT YOUR ENTIRE PROPOSAL TO A TOTAL OF THREE PAGES

1. Please submit a Cover Sheet with your proposal that includes the following information:
   1. Your name, title, company, address, phone, e-mail
   2. Indicate the Program Format for which you are submitting (Breakout Session or Roundtable Discussion)
   3. Indicate the Intended Market(s) (small ticket, middle market independent, captive and vendor programs, etc.)
   4. Identify Your Co-Presenters (if any, and if known at time of submission). Please note: confirm their interest before listing their names!
   5. Indicate your willingness to have your session recorded and your handouts materials posted to the ELFA website.
2. Any one presenter or one company may submit no more than two proposals.
3. On the remaining two pages, please include as succinctly as possible in the following order:
4. Presentation title
5. One to three learning objectives (by the end of this session/roundtable, attendees will…)
6. A 100-300 word abstract (description of the session/roundtable content) including why this topic is important.
7. Intended audience (include general functional areas, e.g., corporate executive, marketing director, sales manager, etc.)
8. If submitting a roundtable proposal, please provide a sample list of discussion questions as part of your proposal.
9. Brief biographical information establishing credentials for all presenters. Please indicate if there are any expenses related to any of your intended presenters.
10. The preferred method of submitting your proposal is via email. Please email your proposal to Lisa Ramirez at lramirez@elfaonline.org You may also mail your proposal to: Call for Presentations, Equipment Leasing and Finance Association, 1825 K Street, NW, Suite 900, Washington, DC 20006. You may also fax your proposal to: Lisa Ramirez at (202) 238-3401.
11. Expect notification from ELFA of the status of your proposal status during the week of July 30, 2012. If you have questions, or need assistance, please call Lisa Ramirez at (202) 238-3414 or Lesley Sterling at (202) 238-3435.

Please note that proposals will be judged on the focus and clarity of the abstract, and the relevance, practicality, audience appropriateness, and transferability of the content.

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