Delta Financial Group (Delta) hosted its inaugural Partner Conference on Feb. 7-9 at the historic Belleview Inn (circa 1897) in Belleair Bluffs, FL. The conference focused on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) topics presented to equipment leasing industry bankers, syndicators and investors who team up with Delta.

As a certified service-disabled veteran owned small business, Delta shared a unique prospective to its partners that DEI is important to most of their customers.

Jerry Herrmann, Chief Commercial Officer, said, “80 percent of the S&P 500 have DEI as a focused goal stated in their annual report.” He added, “Financing equipment through a certified DEI partner like Delta adds relevant value to the participants and to their customers.”

The conference kicked off with a presentation from Delta’s executive team (Dave Riggleman, Jerry Herrmann and Adam Woodard).  Delta was introduced as an established team of experienced industry professionals and military veterans with a strong track record and network in both equipment finance and commercial lending. Delta’s forte is to assist companies to achieve their Tier 1 or 2 diversity spend goals through the efficient and effective tool of equipment leasing.

The current focus of DEI programs creates demand for diverse and sustainable suppliers. The participants’ customers have supplier diversity initiatives and those customers welcome new, creative avenues to work with these types of contractors given the positive impacts it has and will continue to have on their organization.

Delta encouraged the participants to examine their current practices and to expand their own diversity plans by partnering with companies like Delta. Delta offers fair market value leases for a cadre of equipment (technology, medical, construction, material handling, office equipment, transportation, etc.) which lowers the cost of acquisition. Delta is an independent lessor and retains ownership of the equipment throughout the lease term which provides customers with a single point of contact for the life of the lease and transparent asset disposition at end of lease.

Delta’s keynote speaker was Commander Daniel O’Shea USN (ret), a qualified SEAL officer and 1991 graduate of the United States Naval Academy. He is recognized as an Islamic-extremist subject matter expert, and a regular military analyst on CNN, BBC, MSNBC and Fox. O’Shea was also part of Pineapple Express, where U.S. special operations vets carried out daring missions to save Afghan allies trapped in Kobul. O’Shea’s message to the group: Be resourceful, don’t let obstacles get in the way and get the job done.

Finally, the two-day event culminated in a golf tournament at Florida’s first golf course, Belleair Country Club designed by Donald Ross, one of America’s most famous golf course architects in the early 1900s.  Followed by a treat of rare and allocated bourbons combined with cigars from Ybor City’s JC Newman Cigar Company, America’s oldest family-owned cigar manufacturer, founded in 1895.