What a difference a year makes. When we gathered for the ELFA Annual Convention last year in Washington, D.C., the economy was humming along and the economic outlook appeared very promising. Then the COVID-19 pandemic rocked our world, upending priorities, forcing new protocols and altering life as we knew it.
Throughout this extraordinary year, ELFA members have demonstrated a resilience that has become a hallmark of the equipment finance industry. In response to a host of challenges in 2020—from the health crisis to the resulting economic impact—businesses in our industry are pivoting to meet changing customer and workforce needs.
At ELFA, we are pivoting as well. These days, the role of business membership organizations like ELFA has never been more essential. The most successful organizations are using this crisis as an opportunity to fundamentally revisit how they do business—adapting to changing realities and focusing on what really matters. ELFA is doing this.
One recent example was converting our traditional in-person Annual Convention into an interactive virtual event. Last month more than 775 equipment finance professionals gathered at ELFA 2020 Business LIVE! for our first-ever virtual conference to discover new ideas, connect with colleagues and prepare for what’s ahead (see highlights here).
ELFA has received an outpouring of support from the membership in response to this event. We thank everyone who helped us pull it off: The members who registered, some bringing large teams; the subject matter experts who organized and spoke at top-notch educational sessions; the exhibitors who populated our virtual exhibit hall; the sponsors who helped make the event possible; and our staff who worked around the clock to deliver an outstanding virtual experience for all attendees. We thank everyone who responded to our post-event survey—we are carefully reviewing all feedback, which will help us in planning future events.
The feature story “Meet the New ELFA Members” introduces you to some of the newest members of our association community. If you’re interested in getting more involved with the association, check out the tips to get started.
When the going gets tough, tough companies innovate. Learn how in our feature story “6 Ways to Build Your Tech Future,” which spotlights the winners of the 2020 Operations & Technology Excellence Award.
Finally, I would like to thank outgoing Board Chair Martha Ahlers, the Board of Directors, all of our member volunteers and our hard-working professional staff for their contributions during this unprecedented year. The ELFA team and I look forward to working with 2021 Board Chair Kris Snow and all of you in the year ahead. Please don’t hesitate to reach out and let us know how we can best serve you and your organizations. That’s why we’re here.
Throughout this extraordinary year, ELFA members have demonstrated a resilience that has become a hallmark of the equipment finance industry. In response to a host of challenges in 2020—from the health crisis to the resulting economic impact—businesses in our industry are pivoting to meet changing customer and workforce needs.
At ELFA, we are pivoting as well. These days, the role of business membership organizations like ELFA has never been more essential. The most successful organizations are using this crisis as an opportunity to fundamentally revisit how they do business—adapting to changing realities and focusing on what really matters. ELFA is doing this.
One recent example was converting our traditional in-person Annual Convention into an interactive virtual event. Last month more than 775 equipment finance professionals gathered at ELFA 2020 Business LIVE! for our first-ever virtual conference to discover new ideas, connect with colleagues and prepare for what’s ahead (see highlights here).
ELFA has received an outpouring of support from the membership in response to this event. We thank everyone who helped us pull it off: The members who registered, some bringing large teams; the subject matter experts who organized and spoke at top-notch educational sessions; the exhibitors who populated our virtual exhibit hall; the sponsors who helped make the event possible; and our staff who worked around the clock to deliver an outstanding virtual experience for all attendees. We thank everyone who responded to our post-event survey—we are carefully reviewing all feedback, which will help us in planning future events.
In This Issue
Speaking of ELFA 2020 Business LIVE!, our cover story, “Finding Growth After COVID-19,” draws on a session presented at that event. Discover strategies for offering new products, expanding into new origination delivery channels or entering new markets to pursue greener pastures in the current environment.The feature story “Meet the New ELFA Members” introduces you to some of the newest members of our association community. If you’re interested in getting more involved with the association, check out the tips to get started.
When the going gets tough, tough companies innovate. Learn how in our feature story “6 Ways to Build Your Tech Future,” which spotlights the winners of the 2020 Operations & Technology Excellence Award.
Finally, I would like to thank outgoing Board Chair Martha Ahlers, the Board of Directors, all of our member volunteers and our hard-working professional staff for their contributions during this unprecedented year. The ELFA team and I look forward to working with 2021 Board Chair Kris Snow and all of you in the year ahead. Please don’t hesitate to reach out and let us know how we can best serve you and your organizations. That’s why we’re here.
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2020