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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.

From the second quarter Phoenix Management “Lending Climate in America” survey results reveals optimism in the U.S. economy with results for the near-term economy exceeding pre-pandemic predictions for the first time since the country shutdown due to COVID.

Since reaching an 11-year record low in Q2 2020, confidence in the near-term economy (next 6 months) has steadily climbed quarter over quarter to a 2.79 weighted average GPA in Q2 2021. Additionally, lender confidence in the U.S. economy in the long-term increased (by 7 percentage points) to 2.36 from the previous quarter’s results of 2.29.

Ares Commercial Finance announced today that it has provided a $30 million senior secured credit facility to Monolith Brands Group, Inc. (“the Company”).  The Company is a consumer products platform focused on acquiring omnichannel brands in niche product categories. Proceeds of the credit facility will be used to refinance existing indebtedness, provide ongoing working capital and help fund future acquisitions.

Encina Business Credit, LLC (“EBC”) announces the completion of a $75.0 million revolving credit facility for Horizon Global Corporation (“Horizon”). The facility will be used to replace an existing facility and will provide for ongoing working capital.

A recent Supreme Court case and related law changes in many states have resulted in significant new state sales tax obligations on many SaaS providers. It’s important to understand that these changes could result in new tax collection responsibilities on your business even in states where you have operated without them in the past.

Executives need to act quickly to make sure that their existing operations are in compliance with the new rules and that their systems can adapt as sales growth and law changes trigger additional obligations.  

Mountain Ridge Capital (“Mountain Ridge”) and Great Rock Capital (“Great Rock”), today jointly announced the closing of a senior secured credit facility for HOP Energy, LLC (“HOP”).  Founded in 1995 and headquartered in White Plains, NY, HOP Energy is a market-leading home services provider serving ~90,000 customers across two primary areas:  distribution of home heating oil and the installation and servicing of HVAC systems, heat pumps, and other critical non-discretionary home services.  HOP Energy is majority-owned by Delos Capital.

PNC Bank, National Association, announced today the closing of an $18.5 million senior secured credit facility for Sandusky, Ohio-based August Corso Sons, Inc. (Corso). PNC Bank, N.A., served as administrative agent.

TSL Express’ senior editor sat down with Capstone Business Credit’s managing member, Joseph Ingrassia, and Romulus Entertainment’s founder and CEO, Brad Feinstein, to discuss a unique partnership in film finance. 

Thompson Coburn LLP, a national law firm with six offices across the country, has announced its combination with New York-based Hahn & Hessen LLP, a 44-attorney firm with nearly a century of experience representing financial institutions and other financial market participants in commercial finance, bankruptcy, workouts, and complex litigation.

The combination, effective July 1, 2021, will create a combined firm with more than 400 attorneys across seven offices: Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, New York, St. Louis, Washington, D.C., and Southern Illinois.

Attorneys from McMillan LLP discuss the differences between the personal property security regimes between the U.S. and Canada. 

The annual number of bankruptcies peaked at 60,837 in 2009, but the financial and bankruptcy experts expect the level of bankruptcy filings to explode well over that peak during the next twelve to twenty-four months. During the first six months of 2020, there were 3,604 business bankruptcy filings, which is up 26% from the 2,855 filings during the first six months of 2019 (Epiq/Aacer). June year over year chapter 11 bankruptcy filings increased 43% from 2019 to 2020. The June increase is expected to be the start of a wave of business bankruptcy filings as the economic impact of the Covid-19 virus manifests itself in lost businesses.

This anticipated increase in bankruptcy filings means lenders will be challenged to manage an increasing number of borrower relationships during the bankruptcy process, including developing or evaluating various liquidation scenarios.

Lenders will be challenged to anticipate recovery values under different liquidation strategies – ranging from different bankruptcy proceedings, to receiverships, to ABCs, to out of court wind down processes.

Newbridge Global Sourcing (“Newbridge”), a leading capital provider to small and medium-sized businesses with supply chain and purchase order financing needs, announced a $50 million partnership with a Canadian-based originator of receivables. The technology-enabled specialty lender provides receivables financing to companies with strong end-debtors. The partnership expands Newbridge’s scale and diversifies its customer base and sector exposure.