The Equipment Leasing and Finance Association has announced the agenda for the 2024 Equipment Management Conference & Exhibition on March 10-12 in New Orleans. The annual conference attracts more than 300 asset managers, equipment appraisers, remarketers and service providers from around the country. The agenda includes breakout sessions evaluating current market conditions, off-site equipment tours at actual worksite locations and multiple networking opportunities for all attendees.

“Equipment management is essential—and growing even more important as the equipment finance industry evolves,” said Wade Whitenburg, Chair of the ELFA Equipment Management Committee. “The Equipment Management Conference is the best place to learn from experts and to meet more people to help grow your business. We’re going to delve into the state of the industry, key sector trends and equipment technologies. Attending the conference will give you a foundation of knowledge and understanding that will pay off handsomely.”

Highlights on the agenda include:

• Sector sessions offering an overview and outlook of market conditions for a variety of equipment segments, including trucks, tractors and trailers; technology/IT; construction/cranes; marine; healthcare; machine tools & plastics; material handling; and agriculture & food.
• Educational sessions on The Basics of Asset Management (Including Fraud); Return Provisions: Managing Through the End of Term; Modeling, Stats and Analytics; and Conducting Aircraft Appraisals: The Valuation Process.
• Expanded roundtable discussions on GPS and telematics, healthcare and impairment review best practices.
• Keynotes on ELFA’s “Top Ten Equipment Acquisition Trends for 2024” and “What’s Hot, What’s Not in Equipment Leasing & Finance for 2024.”
• Off-site tours of the Port of New Orleans, Edison Chouest Offshore Shipyard and C&C Marine & Repair
• Exhibition of equipment appraisers, remarketers, auctioneers and other service providers
• Multiple networking opportunities, including a newcomer reception for first-time conference attendees, an opening reception in the exhibit area, networking breaks, and a closing reception.
• Launch of the “Prodigy Program” created to highlight emerging professionals and to excite new talent about the asset management field.

Planning Committee
ELFA recognized the subject matter experts on the 2024 Equipment Management Committee who are involved in developing the program content for the Equipment Management Conference. The members of the committee are:

• Wade Whitenburg, Strategic Accounts: Finance & Insolvency Management, Ritchie Bros. (Committee Chair)
• Dennis Bolton, Head of North America Equipment Finance, Gordon Brothers Equipment Finance
• Carl Chrappa, A.S.A, M.R.I.C.S., I.F.A, Senior Managing Director, The Alta Group LLC (Chair Emeritus)
• Nicholas Coscia, Equipment Manager, Asset Management Americas CT&I, DLL
• Anthony Gordon, Manager of Asset Management, Farm Credit Leasing
• Laura Grill, VP, Asset Management, Truist Equipment Finance Corp.
• Robert Herb, ASA, VP, Global Asset Manager, Healthcare & Clean Technology, DLL
• Philip Houser, Director, Asset Management, First Citizens Bank Equipment Finance
• Kelly Lane, Senior VP, Asset Management, BciCapital, Inc. (BciC)
• Robert Mercogliano, SVP, Head of Asset Management, PEAC Solutions
• James Merz, SVP, Head of Equipment Management, Fifth Third Bank, National Association
• Thomas Monroe, Jr., SVP, ATEL Equipment Services, ATEL Capital Group
• Andrew Pace, Chief Client Experience Officer, Asset Compliant Solutions (ACS)
• Jane Rethmeier, CEO, Harbor Capital Leasing, Inc.
• Joseph Santora, ASA, President, Irontrax
• Kevin Sensenbrenner, SVP/Senior Managing Director, Head of Asset Management, Stonebriar Commercial Finance
• Douglas Simon, Senior VP, Head of Equipment Management, M&T Bank Corporation
• Micheal Smith, President & CEO, RTR Services, Inc.
• Heather Staverman, Director, Meetings and Exhibits, ELFA
• Kevin Toye, Senior VP, Bank of America Global Leasing
• Geoffrey Walshe, Equipment Manager, Wells Fargo Equipment Finance

Prodigy Program Associates

• Riley Nemeth, Senior Asset Manager, Wintrust Commercial Finance
• Alex Ohanessian, VP of Asset Management - IMH, Insight Investments, LLC

More Information: The full agenda and registration details for the Equipment Management Conference are available at https://www.elfaonline.org/events/2024/EMC/.