We're in a recession. We're not in a recession. Things are looking up. Things are going to get worse. What's a business leader to do with daily conflicting reports? While we do not have a crystal ball to guide equipment financing companies through the maze of decisions they will need to make in the coming months, the Foundation is pleased to report that several new tools, such as the Industry Future Council's strategic workbook format, and new studies, such as the international series and transportation series, will be here to help. Current donors know the benefits of the Foundation – and in donating.

Read below for more ways you may tap into the Foundation's research to help make the year a little bit easier!

Lisa A. Levine, CAE

Executive Director

     As business leaders grow increasingly befuddled by exactly where the U.S. economy is and where it is headed in the short-term, any and all resources to help make decisions for the immediate future are welcomed. The Foundation seeks to be one such resource for businesses seeking data and tools to help them understand their company's unique situation, assess the marketplace, and benchmark against competitors.

     The Industry Future Council Report (IFC) is one of many tools offered by the Foundation for the purpose of helping companies navigate their way through today and tomorrow. The IFC Report now includes a series of strategic questions after each major section of the report, allowing users to approach the report as a workbook they may use, internally, as they prepare for their 2009 business plans.

Read More Here

 Over the years equipment financing companies have become increasingly depending on credit scoring models. Many models have proliferated in the industry. But, recent lending institution failures outside the equipment leasing and finance industry have underscored the risk of relying too heavily on automated scoring models in place of basic, human judgment. Given the length of the most recent economic expansion, many of the models currently in use may never have been tested in a downturn.

Read More Here

A new Foundation research series will debut in 2008 related to transportation including separate studies of rail, marine, aircraft, and trucks and trailers. The trucks & trailers market will be the first topic reported in the series.

Read More Here

Read More Here

The study on credit swaps has arrived! How to Improve Your Risk Return Profile Using Credit Default Swaps was written by Dr. Deborah Cernauskas of Northern Illinois University, and Dr. Andrew Kumiega of Illinois Institute of Technology, and can now be downloaded from the Foundation store.

Read More Here

    Finance companies know a good deal when they see one. So, here is another: gain a deduction with a contribution to the Foundation.

    Most companies do not have the resources to independently initiate the kind of research the Foundation publishes. Hence, the Foundation's return on investment for donations Ð which is basically a "free pass" to Foundation research Ð becomes evident. With an annual corporate contribution of $2,500, you will receive copies of all 2008 studies, enjoy unlimited access to the vast library of previous research studies (including the U.S. Equipment Finance Market Study, Propensity to Finance, Alternative Energy Equipment Financing and Predicting Credit Default Studies), and a business deduction to boot. Non-donors pay a premium for the Foundation's studies and surveys.

Read More Here

Why, of course!

Co-op opportunities exist for companies who have identified a research need and may wish to partner with the Foundation. If your organization could benefit from credible third party research on an issue, the Foundation would like to hear your ideas. Co-op research projects require a benefit for the industry as well as a specific company, and projects must fit into the Foundation's overall vision and mission. But, the chances are, if you have identified a research need, you probably aren't the only organization grappling with that issue.

Interested companies should contact Lisa Levine, Foundation Executive Director at llevine@elfaonline.org

• The Foundation seeks research study ideas on an ongoing basis. The research committee talks monthly, and ideas should be forwarded to Foundation Executive Director Lisa Levine at llevine@elfaonline.org
• The Foundation board will meet several times in 2008, including September 5 and November 5
• The Journal of Equipment Lease Financing's Editorial Review Board is seeking topics of interest. They meet throughout 2008 to discuss ideas, including June 17, August 7, and November 13. Please forward ideas to Lisa Levine at llevine@elfaonline.org
• Donations to the Foundation may be made online! Visit www.leasefoundation.org/Donate to make your donation today.

Brazil is home to the world's 11th largest economy, with a 2007 GDP of $1.3 trillion, and it has a vibrant, established leasing and financing industry dating to the mid-1960s. Company equipment financing portfolios totaled US$27.6 billion as of September 2007. (Source: The Carnival of Equipment Financing: Identifying Factors for Success in the Brazilian Equipment Leasing Market, 2008, by the Alta Group.)