ELFA - Equipment Leasing and Finance Association - Equipping Business for Success

63rd Annual Convention Call for Proposals

You are invited to submit a high-caliber educational session proposal for 2024.

  • Submission Deadline: Wednesday, July 17.
  • Submission Method: Electronic submission only, using the button below.
  • Convention Theme: Next Level Success - Elevate your business, your career and our industry with new technology, business models, markets and talent.
  • Convention Date: Oct. 27-29, Austin, Texas
Next Level Success

Session Topics & Issues of High Priority

We are focusing on the following curated session tracks for 2024:

Financial & Operational Strategies and Insights

  • Business Development
  • Human Capital
  • Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation Horizon Report
  • Risk Management

     

Legal & Regulatory

  • UCC & State Issues
  • Basel III Endgame
  • 1071
  • Regulatory Winds - increasing regulation in our space and surrounding ones

     

Tech Innovation & Emerging Trends

  • AI Uses in Equipment Finance
  • Climate Finance
  • Electric Vehicles
  • Equipment Finance Ecosystems
  • New Players in Private Equity

These are the only topics we are accepting submissions on this year. Due to high demand, we may combine proposals to cater to a broader audience. ELFA emphasizes gender and ethnic diversity among presenters. Please avoid proposals that appear to sell a product or service.

Submit Your Proposal Today!

Entries must be received no later than 11:59 pm EST, Wednesday, July 17, 2024.

Please note: The submission form uses a custom portal. We have found most people are able to access this portal; however, if you are unable to access the portal link from your work computer, we ask that you access the submission form from a personal device. All submissions must be submitted electronically.

The primary focus for each session is to provide information and share knowledge on current or critical issues.

Session Length: Sessions are 60 minutes in length.

Panel Size: Sessions typically consist of a panel of experts, facilitated by a moderator. We suggest no more than five panelists per session, as this gives each person 10-12 minutes each to speak.

Potential Session Dates: If your proposal is accepted, it will be placed in one of the following time slots. There is a box within the submission form to request a specific timeslot and ELFA will try our best to accommodate those requests.

  • Monday morning, October 28
  • Monday afternoon, October 28
  • Tuesday morning, October 29
  • Tuesday afternoon, October 29

Important Deadlines

  • July 17: All proposals must be submitted electronically by this date.
  • By Friday, August 2: Acceptance notices will be distributed  to all submitters.
  • August 9: Early Bird registration fee deadline
  • August 30: Final session descriptions and panelists names are due to ELFA.
  • October 14: Presentation decks are due to ELFA.
  • October 28 & 29: Session dates

Evaluation Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated based on:

  1. Timeliness: Current, relevant topics demonstrating innovative, adaptable thinking.
  2. Case Studies: Highlighting value through new or improved processes, strategies or products, and excellence in leadership or management.
  3. Research/Benchmarking: Presenting trends and insightful data.
  4. Networking Focus: Sessions promoting peer-to-peer networking and information sharing.
  5. Market Relevance: Topics of interest to specific market segments (e.g., small ticket, middle market) or emerging markets (e.g., energy, infrastructure).

Additional Selection Criteria

  • Each presenter/company may submit up to two proposals.
  • ELFA member companies are prioritized, but non-members may also submit.
  • Proposals should address critical issues related to the topics outlined above under “Session Topics & Issues of High Priority.”
  • As applicable, proposals should identify qualified presenters. Panels should strive for diversity in gender, age, ethnicity, and race.

Combining Proposals

When multiple compatible proposals result in a higher quality session, ELFA may ask individuals to collaborate on a single session. The program will be thoughtfully curated, potentially combining proposals and ideas.

Entries must be received no later than 11:59 pm EST, Wednesday, July 17, 2024.

Entries will only be accepted electronically. Please click the button below to access the electronic submission form:

Submit Your Proposal

Please note: The submission form is electronic and uses a custom portal. We have found most people are able to access this portal; however, if you are unable to access the portal link from your work computer, we ask that you access the submission form from a personal device. All submissions must be submitted electronically.

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 and in the ELFA Events mobile app. They will be offered free to registered attendees and will be sold to other individuals at a nominal cost.
  • Handouts will not be posted without your express permission. Handouts will be posted in a PDF format, thus preventing individuals from tampering with or altering your original in any way.
  • A well-attended session generally has 40 to 60 attendees.
  • 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 may be waived.
  • Standard session rooms are equipped with an LCD projector, screen and microphone in a theatre type setting. If you have additional requests for room arrangements, those details will be discussed AFTER session approval.
  • Every approved session will be notified by Friday, August 2.
  • All sessions will be assigned an ELFA Staff Liaison to assist with the session process.

The ELFA will be audio-recording the breakout sessions presented at the Annual Convention and and the recordings will be posted 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. When submitting your proposal, please indicate your willingness to have your session recorded and your handout materials posted to the ELFA website.