TSL Feature Articles

Although experts generally agree that networking is important to career success, a surprisingly large number of professionals dread the process to the point that the mere mention of the word makes them anxious and irritated. Lynn Tanner of Winston and Strawn provides a detailed “cheat sheet” for taking the pain out of networking.

What does it take to break the proverbial glass ceiling in secured finance? What does the journey to the “top” look like for women in financial services? We interviewed four C-Suite women and here is what they had to say. The women we spoke with are Meredith Carter, president and CEO, Context Business Lending; Miin Chen, COO, Siena Lending Group; Deborah Monosson, president & CEO, Boston Financial & Equity Corporation; and Jennifer Yount, partner, Paul Hastings LLP.

Secured Finance executives and an executive recruiter discuss how the industry can attract and retain more women.

In January, Gerber Finance announced the completion of its CEO succession strategy, naming longtime president Jennifer Palmer as CEO with Founder Gerald Joseph transitioning to his new role as strategic advisor and chairman of the board.

Ryan Jaskiewicz is CEO of 12five Capital, LLC. He started 12five Capital in early 2006 at the age of 23. Jaskiewicz attended University of Illinois at Chicago where he received a bachelor of arts in political science.

Editor's Note: SFNet’s Advocacy Committee is prioritizing initiatives to support our bank, non-bank and service provider constituents.  A key component of this is analyzing the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which was enacted on March 27, for specific opportunities to address the needs of our members and borrowers across asset classes and industries, as the focus now turns to implementation.

Forrest Gump said, “Life is like a box of chocolates; you never know what you are going to get.” Partnering with other lenders can be similar. You don’t know what you are going to get if you jump into partnerships without doing your due diligence and establishing alliances with the best partners.

On Sunday night, March 22, 2020, the federal banking agencies (OCC, FDIC, NCUA, Federal Reserve), the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the State Conference of Bank Supervisors issued an Interagency Statement on Loan Modifications and Reporting for Financial Institutions Working with Customers Affected by the Coronavirus.

Aaron Hughes looks at some of the ways directors might misuse their invoice finance facilities and how lenders can stem any potential losses. 

The lightning-fast spread of COVID-19 around the world has quickly transformed our commercial and financial outlook, ending one of the longest economic expansions in U.S. history and throwing future prosperity into doubt. As conditions deteriorate from here, the likelihood that lenders will need to consider a forbearance is high, and as such, now is a good time to identify at-risk credit facilities and perform any necessary due diligence.

As circumstances are moving rapidly, companies and their lenders are dealing with unprecedented times.  While companies try to determine the full impact of the current economic tailspin on their businesses, lenders are looking to understand their risks and how they can respond to them.

The credit agreement sets out the rules of the road for the relationship between a company and its lenders.  In the list of credit agreement provisions set out below we attempt to provide a map for the secured lender for navigating those rules, anticipating where there may be bumps or wrong turns and providing some guidance for where a lender may go in the credit agreement to determine its path when confronted with a borrower in distress.

As circumstances are moving rapidly, companies and their lenders are dealing with unprecedented times.  While companies try to determine the full impact of the current economic tailspin on their businesses, lenders are looking to understand their risks and how they can respond to them.

The credit agreement sets out the rules of the road for the relationship between a company and its lenders.  In the list of credit agreement provisions set out below we attempt to provide a map for the secured lender for navigating those rules, anticipating where there may be bumps or wrong turns and providing some guidance for where a lender may go in the credit agreement to determine its path when confronted with a borrower in distress.

Do not underestimate the impact of the Coronavirus on a company’s Q1 and Q2 2020 financial results.  The supply chain issues are unknown, the potential economic slowdown is unknown, and the length of time the impact will be felt is unknown.

This will certainly be a standard excuse for performance weakness that will be heard over the next year.  Be prepared!

As a lender, which borrowers do you consider for impact, and what do you do to stay ahead of the problem?

If passed, proposed New York State Senate Bill S5470 (“the Bill”) would impose a disclosure requirement upon certain New York commercial lenders. This proposal follows a trend exemplified most notably in California, which amended the California Financing Law to require licensed commercial lenders and brokers to issue new disclosures to commercial borrowers in that state, including loans made via an internet platform.

The required disclosures of the Bill approximate those in the loan estimate form issued to home buyers by residential mortgage lenders under the federal Truth in Lending Act. The Bill has several exceptions, leaving much of the commercial lending community unaffected and placing substantial regulatory burdens on a narrow remaining segment

Vernon Francois grew up in a Rastafarian household where the weekly tradition was having his hair braided every Sunday. The experience was so painful that he decided to learn how to braid hair himself, using carpets and window shade edges as practice.

All that practice paid off. When he was just Vernon Francois grew up in a Rastafarian household where the weekly tradition was having his hair braided every Sunday. The experience was so painful that he decided to learn how to braid hair himself, using carpets and window shade edges as practice.

The author discusses the potential perils of improper use of “incorporation by reference” in commercial lending transactions, as well as potential strategies for reducing potential incorporation by reference hazards.

Refinitiv’s director of analytics shares with readers the latest data surrounding the syndicated market.

In June 2023, First Citizens Bank named noted commercial banking executive Jim Hudak as president of its Commercial Finance group, which it acquired in its merger with CIT Group in early 2022.

With more than 20 years as a commercial finance executive, Hudak is known throughout the industry for his leadership capabilities and strong commitment to client support and satisfaction.

Hudak oversaw CIT's commercial finance businesses from 2008 to 2019, during which time many grew to become leading lenders in their industry verticals.

Today, settled back into an expanded version of the role he once occupied, he discusses the state of the business, the impact of the First Citizens merger and his strategy for 2024 and beyond.