Idea sharing and collaboration were at the heart of ELFA’s 2025 Best Practices Roundtables, held in Washington, DC, this June. Hosted by ELFA’s Business Council Steering Committees, the roundtables brought together industry leaders for a joint luncheon and keynote, followed by focused breakouts that encouraged knowledge-sharing and deep thinking on the challenges industry executives face as leaders of their organizations.
Bank
The bank roundtable covered recent legislative and regulatory updates affecting banks, along with emerging policy priorities. It also included a panel on AI challenges and considerations, highlighting key issues like data security and compliance, and showcasing new AI technologies shaping financial services.
Captive/Vendor Finance
The captive and vendor finance roundtable focused on navigating regulatory challenges amid tariffs and supply chain disruptions, with insights on managing credit agreements and capital market trends. Additionally, attendees explored strategies for advocating process and technology improvements, learning best practices and frameworks to drive change and enhance organizational efficiency.
Independent
The independent roundtable explored the growing influence of private capital in the equipment finance market, examining drivers, partnership criteria, and expected returns shaping business strategies. It also addressed key regulatory challenges, including tariffs and labor issues, with participants sharing insights on current trends and future outlooks.
Service provider
The service provider roundtable covered recent commercial lending trends from Equifax, including small business originations and delinquencies, within broader economic and policy contexts. Sessions also focused on enhancing customer experience in equipment leasing and building lasting relationships, as well as fostering effective partnerships between equipment lenders and service providers to improve portfolio performance.
Small ticket
The small ticket roundtable focused on succession planning and leadership development to build a strong future talent pipeline. It also explored how AI and emerging technologies are transforming the small ticket finance space, with insights on practical applications and strategies to embrace innovation and improve operations.