BUSINESS COUNCIL UPDATES Roundtables Stimulate Lively Discussions O Learning, Networking and Candid Discussions Abound at Spring Gatherings N APRIL 21, top leaders from ELFA member companies gathered in Chicago to discuss hot topics and share best practices at a series of roundtables held immediately preceding the National Funding Conference. Th e events brought together leaders of bank, captive and vendor fi nance and independent companies to discuss the issues they are facing and how each is addressing the issues. Members of the respective Business Council Steering Committees planned the programs. Th e roundtables began with a joint general session. President/CEO Woody Sutton welcomed the group; Andy Fishburn presented a federal public policy update; and Ralph Petta and John Bober shared the latest news on the lease-accounting project. Th en Bill Phelan and Tom Ware of PayNet provided an industry update. Aft er the joint session, the participants split into three roundtables to address key issues of concern. Bank Roundtable More than 35 executives from ELFA-member bank leasing companies participated in this roundtable, sponsored by PayNet. Facilitated by Jim Renner, former ELFA and Foundation Chairman, the roundtable engaged attendees on a series of important industry issues. Key top-ics included benchmarking the business, sales management processes and systems, and man-agement topics, including how to motivate staff during increased scrutiny and what is the parent asking for. In addition, Andy Mesches, Director at Th e Alta Group, facilitated a discussion about enhanced prudential standards, returns on regu-latory capital, Basel III and loss-given default. Independent Roundtable More than 25 executives from independ-ent fi nance companies participated in this roundtable, facilitated by Gary LoMonaco of Forsythe/McArthur Associates, Chair of the Independent Middle Market BCSC. Th e roundtable kicked off with a discussion about how to compete in a rising bank leasing en-vironment. Next was a panel discussion on capital raising from the lender fi nance, M&A and bank perspectives, with Stewart Hayes of Wells Fargo Capital Finance and Bruce Krop-schot of the Alta Group. Th e fi nal topic was the next generation of employees/customers and succession planning, which included Na-than Petrie of PayNet, a member of ELFA’s Emerging Talent Advisory Council. 14 MAY/JUNE 2015 EQUIPMENT LEASING & FINANCE MAGAZINE