The Foundation kicks into its "busy season" this month as several new projects debut, including the much-anticipated annual Industry Future Council report. This year's report includes a workbook to help guide industry executives through the industry trends identified by the IFC so organizations may benchmark their own strategies, performance, and ideas against the IFC's. It is through generous donations that we are able to continue to enhance and increase the relevance of favorite projects such as the IFC and State of the Industry reports as well as offer new research. Thanks to the myriad of donors - such as the group of individuals who generously donated their ELA convention refund checks to the Foundation - we will continue to put our resources to work for you in creative and significant ways.

Lisa A. Levine, CAE
Executive Director

The highly-anticipated Industry Future Council Report has arrived! Previously, the IFC focused on the future of the industry by identifying issues, challenges and opportunities facing the equipment leasing and finance industry for a several-year future period. This year, however, the Board of Trustees of the Foundation, decided to take the IFC's mission one step further. This year's report includes a list of questions associated with each major area that industry participants may address within their own businesses to help prepare them for the next one to three years. The IFC, sponsored by American Lease Insurance, is a great planning tool every company should use.

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http://www.leasefoundation.org/positive/index.cfm?fuseaction=display_article&artID=6085

Improving cash flow continues to be the main reason small firms choose to lease equipment, according to a new Foundation study on the leasing decisions of small companies. This study, called Leasing Decisions of Small Firms, identifies the reasons firms choose to lease and the reasons they choose to purchase. Also, it describes who, in the small business community, chooses to lease and who chooses not to.

Using survey data collected by the Gallup Organization on behalf of the National Federation of Independent Business, the study offers a profile of small firms most likely to lease equipment and also identifies challenges facing the leasing industry in the small business sector.

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http://www.leasefoundation.org/positive/index.cfm?fuseaction=display_article&artID=6086

The Foundation's Executive Committee recently met to approve funding of two new studies, to be delivered later this year.  Business Differentiation:  What makes a select few leasing companies consistently outperform their peers?  will look to determine what makes a select few companies consistently out perform their peers as High Performance Businesses.   The second study, Securitizing Equipment Leases Right for You? will look at how a firm can get involved in securitization of its equipment leases and how to determining if securitization is right for them.

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http://www.leasefoundation.org/positive/index.cfm?fuseaction=display_article&artID=6089

The Foundation received more than $7,000 from industry members who donated their Equipment Leasing Association convention refund checks. The 2005 ELA convention, hit by Hurricane Wilma in Boca Raton FL last fall, caused many individuals to avoid attending the event. ELA forwarded partial refunds to those individuals who registered for the 2005 convention. However, many individuals generously donated their refund checks to the Foundation, and in response, the Foundation will recognize those individuals as corporate donors to thank them for their gift.

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http://www.leasefoundation.org/positive/index.cfm?fuseaction=display_article&artID=6087

At the ELA Legal Forum this spring in San Francisco, the Journal of Equipment Lease Financing article, True Leases Under Attack: Lessors Face Persistent Challenges to True Lease Transactions, published in a special Fall 2005 issue by the Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation, will be acknowledged as "Article of the Year."

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http://www.leasefoundation.org/positive/index.cfm?fuseaction=display_article&artID=6088

• The Foundation's research committee meets monthly with 2006 meetings scheduled for April 20 and May 10 (in Washington, DC).
• The Foundation seeks research study ideas on an ongoing basis. Ideas should be forwarded to Executive Director Lisa Levine at LLevine@elamail.com.
• The Journal of Equipment Lease Financing's Editorial Review Board will meet May 9, September 14, and October 26.
• Watch for Foundation products' debuts and discussions at these Equipment Leasing Association conferences in 2006: the Executive Roundtable, Legal Forum, Captive Conference, Credit and Collections Conference, Operations and Technology Conference, and the ELA Annual Convention.
• Donations to the Foundation may be made online! Visit http://www.leasefoundation.org/donors/ to make your donation today.

Did you know that the more formal education a small business leader has, the more apt he is to lease equipment? (Source: Leasing Decisions of Small Firms study by Morris G. Danielson, Ph.D., St. Joseph's University and Jonathan A. Scott, Ph.D., Temple University)

Foundation donors are the cornerstone of the organization, providing thousands of dollars in support to help fund forward-focused, credible, un-biased research for the industry. Foundation donors receive all Foundation products free of charge. For information on donating, visit the website at http://www.leasefoundation.org/donors/