Equipment Finance Matters

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/sGsut-a-xjs  In this episode of Equipment Finance Matters, ELFA's Senior Vice President, Industry Advancement and Executive Director of the Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation Kelli Nienaber sits down with Tim Mahedy, ELFA's Chief Economist, and James Cress, ELFA Acting President & CEO, for a timely conversation about the economic landscape and what it means for the equipment finance industry. Drawing on their expertise, the conversation explores persistent inflation, interest rates, market volatility, and evolving Fed policy, along with the continued demand for equipment finance and the growing impact of AI investment. Get their perspectives on navigating uncertainty, staying disciplined, and focusing on the fundamentals while positioning your company for resilience and long-term growth. Find the Economic Outlook here: https://www.elfaonline.org/research/economic-outlook-q3-2026  

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/nGpC8de498k  In this special episode of Equipment Finance Matters, Kelli Nienaber, ELFA Senior Vice President of Industry Advancement, sits down with industry leaders Jerilyn Nicholsen, Managing Director, Business Development at Pathward; Camtu Vo, Manager of Product Development at DLL; and Deb Reuben, CLFP, Founder of TomorrowZone, for an honest conversation about work-life balance and what it takes to build a sustainable career in the equipment finance industry. Drawing on their experiences, the panel explores how the definition of balance has evolved and what it looks like in practice. Get their perspectives on creating healthier boundaries, advocating for yourself, and finding a more sustainable approach to work and life at every stage of your career, with practical insights and real-world examples from three accomplished women in the industry.

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Ij2vm2IhqMU  Forklifts play a vital yet often underappreciated role in diverse industries, and in this episode of Equipment Finance Matters, hosts Kelli Nienaber, Equipment Leasing & Finance Association Senior Vice President of Industry Advancement & Executive Director of the Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation, and Will Teftt, Senior Vice President, Asset Manager at EverBank, sit down with Joe Joyce, Executive Vice President at Russell Equipment Inc., to explore the evolving forklift market and what equipment finance professionals need to know about this $10 billion North American sector. Joe explains how customization, such as mast height, fuel type, or battery configuration, impacts both primary and secondary market value. They also discuss the importance of understanding brand reliability, leasing terms, and market trends when setting residuals and managing portfolio risk. The discussion explored post-pandemic supply chain effects, tariff implications, and the complexities of recycling batteries and embracing new technologies such as autonomous forklifts. This episode delivers practical insights for lessors, lenders, and anyone navigating the future of forklift financing.  The Equipment Leasing & Finance Association offers members a monthly U.S. Equipment & Software Investment Momentum Monitor, tracking seven equipment and software verticals and identifying potential turning points in their investment cycles three to six months in advance. Explore the latest outlook and what it could signal for investment in the months ahead: https://www.elfaonline.org/research/investment-momentum-monitor  https://elfaonline.org  

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/avyRGY-n9xY  In this episode of Equipment Finance Matters, Daryl Muller, ELFA Chief Operating Officer and Corporate Secretary, sits down with Quentin Cote, Managing Director, Commercial at Concord, for an in-depth look at where capital meets equipment finance, exploring what makes the sector both investable and scalable in today's evolving landscape. Quentin draws on 30 years of experience across lending, investing, operations, and servicing to share a comprehensive perspective on market shifts, from the rise of private credit to the increasing complexity of risk and infrastructure needs. They dive into timely topics like data center opportunities, the critical "trust layer" behind scalable investment, and the pivotal role operational discipline plays alongside technology and fraud mitigation. Get Quentin Cote's take on how platforms must evolve to provide deeper transparency, institutional-grade infrastructure, and resilience in the face of AI and fraud risks. 

In this episode of Equipment Finance Matters, ELFA's Senior Vice President, Industry Advancement and Executive Director of the Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation Kelli Nienaber sits down with Tim Mahedy, ELFA's Chief Economist, to discuss the association's new Economic Outlook product and the critical economic trends shaping the equipment finance industry. Drawing on his experience, Tim breaks down the forces driving today's economic environment—from persistent inflation pressures and interest rate uncertainty to shifting trade policies and the evolving role of the U.S. dollar in the global economy. The conversation also explores why the equipment finance industry has remained remarkably resilient despite economic volatility and geopolitical challenges, and how ELFA members can use the economic outlook, a quarterly presentation and executive summary available to download, to support strategic planning, improve decision-making, and foster more informed discussions across their organizations. Find the Economic Outlook here: https://www.elfaonline.org/research/2026-equipment-leasing-finance-u-s-economic-outlook-2026-update