The role of banks and independents in equipment finance and the massive opportunity around climate finance will be the focus of two panel discussions that experts from The Alta Group will facilitate at the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association’s 63rd annual convention here Oct. 27-29.

Valerie L. Gerard, co-CEO and leader of The Alta Group’s Strategy & Competitive Alignment Practice, will moderate a discussion titled, “The Evolving Role of Banks and Independents in Equipment Finance” at 11:15 a.m. on Oct. 29.

Attendees will gain insights into the current and expected competitive landscape for banks and independent equipment finance companies given the various challenges facing both banks and independents after several prominent bank failures in the spring of 2023 effectively altered this $1 trillion equipment finance industry. The session is supported by the Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation and will augment the Foundation’s recently published “Changing of the Guard” research study on this topic.

Panelists include Jeffry Elliott, president of Huntington Equipment Finance, Bob Neagle, president and CEO of Finova Capital LLC, Joseph Turner, head of strategy and analytics for equipment finance at First Citizens Bank and Charles Wendel, president of FIC Advisors Inc., who authored the Foundation’s study.

Gerard is a member of the ELFF Board of Trustees and chairs the organization’s research committee. She also is a member of the Industry Future Council and serves on the editorial review board for the Journal of Equipment Lease Financing.

Patricia Voorhees, a director with The Alta Group and chair of the ELFA Climate Finance Working Group, will lead a discussion titled, “Which Way are the Winds Blowing for Climate Finance?” at 2:30 p.m. on Oct. 28.

The session will provide attendees with actionable insights to navigate the opportunity presented by climate finance, which is forecast to generate $18 trillion in financing between now and 2030. It will begin with a look at what the results of November’s election could mean for this growing sector. Panelists also will discuss the challenges and successes of financing solar projects, renewable energy and battery storage solutions and the rapidly evolving market for electric trucks and fleets.

Joining Voorhees on the panel will be Jan Beukelman, consultant with Washington, D.C.-based Tiber Creek Group, Brian DePonte, senior vice president for clean energy and renewables at Wintrust Commercial Finance, Gaurav Dubey, chief financial officer for Highland Electric Fleets and Hugh Swandel, president, Meridian OneCap.

Voorhees has written and presented widely on the market opportunity for equipment services for projects that reduce carbon emissions or mitigate the environmental impact of greenhouse gas emissions. She was the lead author of the ELFF research study, “Climate Finance: A Massive Commercial Opportunity for Equipment Finance.”

For more information about the ELFA and the annual convention, click here.