TSL Feature Articles

The transformation of retail is creating new and significant challenges for traditional retailers. Antony Karabus, CEO of HRC Advisory, explores those obstacles and offers solutions to help retailers survive – and even thrive — during these tumultuous times.

Michael D. Sharkey is the president of Fifth Third Business Capital. He oversees a nationwide market with regional offices across the United States and Canada. Sharkey is past president and chairman of Secured Finance Network.  He is also past president of the American Brain Tumor Association. Sharkey is a graduate of Rutgers University and J. L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University. Here he discusses his long career, the outlook for the industry and Fifth Third’s acquisition of MB.

As with any industry, lending to the business aviation sector comes with its own set of risks. Shelley Svoren of First Republic Bank gives readers the insider’s tips on this industry.

Tim Anderson of Hilco Valuation Services discusses Omnichannel appraisals, which are now more common than traditional brick-and-mortar appraisals.  

Capital One executives discuss how innovation in the food & beverage sector are making it an industry lenders don’t want to ignore.

A Conway MacKenzie executive provides an overview of the construction industry, including its unique cycles. Lending into the construction sector can prove to be a lucrative decision if extensive due diligence is conducted deep into a company’s financials. There are a wide range of factors and potential pitfalls to consider, understand and navigate properly.

Money-laundering statutes, restrictive banking regulations and the stigma surrounding the cannabis industry have caused established banks and well-known independent secured lenders to stay clear, but the possibility of new regulations may ease their fears.

PNC Bank, National Association, announced the closing of a $90 million senior secured credit facility for Iconex LLC (Iconex), a portfolio company of Greenwich, CT-based Atlas Holdings. PNC’s facility was provided in conjunction with a $67.5 million term loan and a $30 million delayed draw term loan provided by Cerberus Business Finance.

Commercial lending transactions are memorialized with a comprehensive, and often voluminous, set of loan documentation. In an attempt to expedite closing, and reduce closing binder sizes, lenders (and their counsel) are always seeking ways to streamline the loan- documentation process. 

What’s it like to be a woman executive in a historically male-dominated industry?  What do you wish you knew when you were 30?  Young professionals had the chance to listen to top women executives in the ABL industry offer advice on career moves, leadership, diversity, and more at the SFNet’s YoPro Leadership Summit held in Chicago, IL on August 28^th.

SFNet's Women in Secured Finance Conference provided networking and insight for career development and how to navigate issues faced in today’s work environment.  By Eileen Wubbe

Rick Burke of TD Bank discusses the results of TD’s recent blockchain survey. When it comes to the technology’s specific capabilities and implications, finance professionals are divided: blockchain will create stronger audit trails (29%), speed up payment processes (22%), improve efficiency of cross-border payments (21%) and reduce payments fraud (18%).  TD’s survey also revealed a conundrum in the treasury world: Faster and real-time payments are coming soon, but organizations still have obstacles to implement them.  By Rick Burke