(LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y. – October 16, 2014) A panel discussion on transportation finance at this year’s 53rd Annual Convention of the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA) will focus on opportunities, challenges, and the future of transportation finance segments in the United States. Following the recession, transportation finance has become a leading segment of small, mid-sized, and large equipment finance companies, generating approximately $1 trillion in U.S. revenues.
The panel will be moderated by Gary A. Peterson, Executive Vice President and COO of TCF Equipment Finance. Panelists include Edward P. Kaye, President and CEO of Advantage Funding, and Sahil Patel, Director of Capital Markets, Residco.
"The transportation industry is a significant component of our economy,” said Peterson. “We hope to provide the session with some insight into the opportunities and challenges our specific markets will face in the coming years."
The session is intended for CEOs, COOs, business development executives, and credit professionals who are interested in learning about three segments of transportation finance: trucking, specialty vehicles, and aviation/rail.
“I want to provide an overview of the specialty vehicle market and highlight growth opportunities and challenges for lenders,” said Kaye. “Strong risk management determines rewards in this segment, and equipment finance professionals need to know the pitfalls,” he added.
“Since 2008, the American energy renaissance has been a driving force behind the strong demand for shipping by rail,” said Patel. “In aviation, almost 40% of commercial aircraft are now leased, and the global fleet is projected to double to over 40,000 aircraft in 20 years. Significant amounts of new capital will be required to finance these large ticket equipment types for the foreseeable future,” he said.
The ELFA convention and all breakout sessions will take place at the Manchester Grand Hyatt in San Diego, Calif., Oct. 19-21.The panel discussion, “Adapting to the Future of Transportation Finance,” is scheduled for Tuesday, October 21st at 11 a.m.