FROM THE PUBLISHER William G. Sutton, CAE New Year, New Opportunities W E HAD A GREAT YEAR in 2014 and are looking forward to an even better one in 2015. The ELFA/Foundation/LeasePac teams are again proud to assist the industry in the areas of industry information, advocacy, business and professional development and promotion. ● ● Leadership: Get Involved! We often say that our trade association is only as good as the participation we garner from our member volunteers, and we are fortunate to have such an active group. In this issue we highlight multiple ways you can get involved: ● ● Guest Lecture Program: ELFA member volunteers are hit-ting the road and using this program to increase awareness of our industry and attract new talent. Learn more on p. 40. ● ● Hall of Fame: This honor recognizes individuals who have made unique, significant or lasting contributions to our industry and our association throughout their careers. Submit your 2015 nomination by April 1. Learn more at www.elfaonline.org/HOF . ● ● Industry Promotion: Visit our end-user website, www. EquipmentFinanceAdvantage.org , for articles, videos and tools on the benefits of equipment finance. Hear how your colleagues are using the site on p. 44. ELFA is fortunate to have a strong leadership team in place for 2015. Chairman Bob Rinaldi shares his priorities for the coming year, including building stronger member en-gagement, on p. 38. Our Business Council Steering Commit-tees also are hard at work implementing ambitious agendas for 2015—get a preview on p. 10. What does it take to be an effective leader during a time of rapid change? Find out at the Executive Roundtable, March 15-17 in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., and get a sneak peek from keynote speaker David Pottruck on p. 46. For all of our upcoming learning and networking opportunities, see the education supplement on p. 25 and be sure to mark your calendars and register! We rely on and appreciate your engagement in all that we do. Please make sure your company has renewed its member-ship for 2015 and your information in our database is up-to-date so you can take full advantage of the many benefits we have to offer. Here’s to a safe, healthy and prosperous new year! ■ The Year Ahead In this issue, we highlight what’s on the horizon in 2015 to help you anticipate industry trends and position your com-pany for success. ● ● Industry: In “State of the Industry 2015” on p. 19, Jeff Jen-son of Keybridge Research outlines 12 forces to watch—and industry leaders also weigh in. For more insights, check out ELFA’s “Top 10 Equipment Acquisition Trends for 2015” at www.EquipmentFinanceAdvantage.org and consult the Foundation’s “2015 Equipment Leasing & Finance U.S. Eco-nomic Outlook” at www.LeaseFoundation.org. ● ● Technology: Find out what’s driving a new focus on elec-tronic documents and electronic chattel paper in “Game Changer: The Rise of Electronic Documents,” on p. 14. Discover additional insights into the latest technology trends in “Positioning Your Organization for a Digital Future” on p. 42. ● ● Asset Management : What’s the outlook for equipment management this year? See “Equipment Management in Demand” on p. 34, and please plan to attend the Equip-ment Management Conference, Feb. 22–24 in Miami. William G. Sutton, CAE, is the President and CEO of the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association and the publishing director of Equipment Leasing & Finance. To submit letters to the editor, email EL&F@ elfaonline.org. Top 10 Trends Don't miss ELFA's Top 10 Equipment Acquisition Trends for 2015—including a new video and infographic—at www.EquipmentFinanceAdvantage.org. EQUIPMENT LEASING & FINANCE MAGAZINE JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 3