Our History

Celebrating Our Future While Honoring Our Past

In July 2019, in conjunction with our organization’s 75th anniversary, the association rebranded and changed its name from Commercial Finance Association to Secured Finance Network. Below is a timeline and overview of our history.



Past President's of SFNet 1944-2022 
1945    Alfred H. Sachs, Manufacturers Trading Corporation
1946    Alfred H. Sachs,  Manufacturers Trading Corporation
1947    Raymond W. Burman, American Business Credit Corporation
1948    Raymond W. Burman, American Business Credit Corporation
1949    Herbert R. Silverman, James Talcott, Inc.
1950    Herbert R. Silverman, James Talcott, Inc.
1951    Herbert R. Silverman, James Talcott, Inc.
1952    Herbert R. Silverman, James Talcott, Inc.
1953    Clayton P. Packard, First Acceptance Corporation
1954    Clayton P. Packard, First Acceptance Corporation
1955    Clayton P. Packard, First Acceptance Corporation
1956    Walter S. Seidman, Jones & Company
1957    Walter S. Seidman, Jones & Company
1958    Walter S. Seidman, Jones & Company
1959    Thomas Lefforge, Commercial Discount Corporation
1960    Thomas Lefforge, Commercial Discount Corporation
1961    Jacob Martin Seiler, A.J. Armstrong Co. Inc.
1962    Jacob Martin Seiler, A.J. Armstrong Co. Inc.
1963    Eugene B. Hanson, Northern Finance Corporation
1964    Eugene B. Hanson, Northern Finance Corporation
1965    William L. Acker, General Acceptance Corporation
1966    William L. Acker, General Acceptance Corporation
1967    Russell R. Campbell, James Talcott, Inc.
1968    Russell R. Campbell, James Talcott, Inc.
1969    Burton R. Abrahams, Walter E. Heller & Co.
1970    Burton R. Abrahams, Walter E. Heller & Co.
1971    Herbert A. Busch, Rosenthal & Rosenthal, Inc.
1972    Herbert A. Busch, Rusch Factors, Inc.
1973    LeRoy L. Kohn, Mercantile Financial Corporation
1974    LeRoy L. Kohn, Mercantile Financial Corporation
1975    Monroe R. Lazere, Lazere Financial Corporation
1976    Monroe R. Lazere, Lazere Financial Corporation
1977    Russell B. Donahue, James Talcott, Inc.
1978    Russell B. Donahue, Associates Commercial Corporation
1979    Norris S. Griffin, BVA Credit Corporation
1980    Norris S. Griffin, BVA Credit Corporation
1981    Melvin E. Rubenstein, Rosenthal & Rosenthal, Inc.
1982    Melvin E. Rubenstein, Rosenthal & Rosenthal, Inc.
1983    Stephen C. Diamond, First Chicago Credit Corporation
1984    Richard J. Dorgan, Wachovia Bank & Trust Company, N.A.
1985    Frederick S. Gilbert, Jr., Citicorp Industrial Credit, Inc.
1986    Joseph E. Mariani, Associates Commercial Corporation
1987    William F. Plein, Commonwealth Financial Corporation
1988    Richard L. Solar, Bankers Trust Company
1989    Francis X. Basile, The CIT Group/Factoring, Inc.
1990    Frank Donahue, Bank of New York Commercial Corporation
1991    Ronald C. Smith, Congress Financial Corporation
1992    David H. Pendley, First Capital Corporation
1993    Frank K. Medeiros, Sanwa Business Credit Corporation
1994    Walter M. Einhorn, Meridian Commercial Finance Corp.
1995    David J. Kantes, Heller Business Credit
1996    Robert I. Weisberg, Fremont Medical Financial Services
1997    Irwin Teich, Fleet Capital Corporation
1998    Richard W. Madresh, BankAmerica Business Credit, Inc.
1999    Robert S. Sandler, Republic Business Credit Corporation
2000    Charles G. Johnson, UPS Capital Corporation
2001    Stephen L. Bakke, Manchester Commercial Finance LLC
2002    Peter E. Schwab, Foothill Capital Corporation
2003    Richard P. Palmieri, Schneider National, Inc.
2004    Michael D. Sharkey, LaSalle Business Credit, LLC
2005    Jack R. Hoekstra, North Fork Business Capital Corporation
2006    Joseph F. Nemia, CIT Group, Inc.
2007    Theodore J. Kompa, Business Alliance Capital Co.
2008    Deborah J. Monosson, Boston Financial & Equity Corporation
2009    Mark A. Hafner, Celtic Capital Corporation
2010    Keith Karako, Citibank, N.A.
2011    John Fox, Forest Capital, LLC
2012    Bruce A. Sprenger, Cole Taylor Business Capital
2013    Michael D. Haddad, Newstar Business Capital
2014    Michael Maiorino, People's United Business Capital
2015    Michael Coiley, CIT Healthcare
2016    Patrick Trammell, Southeastern Commercial Finance, LLC
2017    Andrea Petro, Wells Fargo Capital Finance
2018    Michael Monk, Amerisource Funding
2019    David Grende, Siena Lending Group

2020    John DePledge, Bank Leumi USA

2021    Jeffrey K. Goldrich, SLR Business Credit

2022    Peter York, J.P Morgan Securities LLC

 

 

1944-NCARC

1944

In New York City a group of six factoring and finance professionals joined together to form The National Conference of Accounts Receivables Companies

 

 

 

1946-NCCFC

1946

The Conference grew to 14 members, and the group changed its name to the National Conference of Commercial Receivables Companies, in order to emphasize their financing of business receivables.

 

 

1953-NCFC

1953

As its membership grew the Conference again changed its name to the National Commercial Finance Conference, Inc.

 

 

 

 

Screen Shot 2019-07-02 at 11.19.24 AM

1983

National Commercial Finance Conference, Inc. becomes National Commercial Finance Association to better illustrate the organization’s work in the areas of education, networking and advocacy.

 

 

 

 

1990-CFA

1990

After the launch of the European Chapter in London and its focus on UNCITRAL (United Nations Convention on the Assignment of Receivables in International Trade) increased, the word "National" was removed from the name and the association became the Commercial Finance Association. This change reflected the association’s global reach.

 

 

 

 

2019-SFNet

2019

The Commercial Finance Association is now Secured Finance Network, this rebranding reflects the board’s objective to make the Commercial Finance Association brand more relevant to our members and to reinforce our strategic direction.

 

 

 

MORE ABOUT SFNET
ANNUAL AND QUARTERLY REPORTS
Trends in Secured Finance

SFNet's Annual Asset-Based Lending & Factoring Survey has measured year-to-year asset-based lending and factoring activity since 1976. And trends in asset-based lending are demonstrated in SFNet's Quarterly ABL Index, which provides new business and portfolio performance indicators for members on quarter-by-quarter basis. See how our members invest in America, serving clients large and small. These reports contains insights into the secured finance market performance.

 

 


CELEBRATING OUR FUTURE, HONORING OUR PAST
SFNet Hall of Fame

We are pleased to announce the inaugural SFNet Hall of Fame, coinciding with our 75th Annual Convention in November 2019. Inductees will consist of our Lifetime Achievement Award winners, individuals who have made unique, significant, or lasting contributions to the secured finance industry throughout his or her career.

 

 


ANNUAL MEETING
SFNet Annual Convention

With over 1,000 professionals involved in asset-based lending, factoring, appraisals/auctions/liquidations, software development, law, accounting, insurance, turnaround management, field examinations, search, filing and document retrieval coming together, our SFNet Annual Convention is a prime opportunity to network with your peers, learn about the newest industry trends, and develop new connections across the industry.