Agenda

This year's lineup of speakers and panelists will illuminate what it means to be "Built for the Moment." Whether they are addressing the need for agility in a given situation, advising on the patience required to assess risk, or examining how to find the opportunity that others might not see, these experts and thought leaders will provide you with the insights and actionable strategies you need to succeed.

This year we are offering special sessions specifically designed to assist attendees looking for CLE credits. If you attend each of the four sessions, you will be eligible for 3.5 general credits and 1 Ethics and Professionalism credit. CPE credits are also available.

Great news...we are adding six new On-Demand sessions, available to stream on SFNet Connect starting Nov. 13:

How can AI help accelerate and benefit DEI in the Secured Finance industry?
Panelists will share their perspectives on AI as it relates to DEI.

Moderator: Victor M. Peña, Partner, PKF O’Connor Davies LLP
Panelists: Marjorie Kaufman, Partner, PKF Clear Thinking
Suma Chander, Partner, PKF O’Connor Davies Advisory LLC

Workouts: Back to Basics
Whether you’ve never been through a workout or you’ve been through more than your fair share, now is the time to get "back to basics” and learn about the current landscape from the key players including attorneys, a lender and a turnaround professional. Our panelists will provide an overview of what to expect from beginning to end, including what role each participant plays in a successful outcome.

Moderator: Lawrence Flick, Partner, Blank Rome
Panelists: Mark Fagnani, Senior Managing Director, PKF Clear Thinking
Caitlin Sanders, Managing Director, Callodine Commercial Finance
Jonathan Helfat, Partner, Otterbourg P.C. 
Jennifer Cann, Senior Vice President, Head of Retail Finance Group Portfolio, Bank of America

Best Practices in Simplifying the Closing Process
Lending relationships are sometimes tainted by a prolonged, costly, and painful closing process that does not serve the lender’s or borrower’s best interests. This panel will discuss current best practices on closing deals on a timely, cost-efficient basis by simplifying the process.

Moderator: Gino Clark, White Oak Commercial Finance
Panelists: Nicole Montrone, NR Business Credit  
Jessica Wang - Thompson Coburn

Built For the Moment – International Insights
Our panel will look at European perspective on the differences and challenges faced in cross-border transactions: economy, inflation, alternative lending including PE advisory and legal aspects.

Speakers: Jeremy Harrison, Managing Director - Sales & Origination, ABN AMRO Commercial Finance 
Richard Hawkins, CEO, AtlanticRMS
Paula Laird, Partner, Squire Patton Boggs
Mike Roth, Director - Asset-Based Finance, Deutsch Bank AG

Built for the Moment – Advocacy Update
Join us for an enlightening panel discussion highlighting the various state financial disclosure bills/laws as well as updates on federal regulations that could impact your business. SFNet’s CEO, key advocacy volunteers and lobbyists will provide insights into the complex landscape of disclosure requirements and regulations and share details on the steps SFNet is taking to effect the best outcomes for members.

Speakers: Hamid Namazie, Partner, Holland & Knight
Jon Helfat, Partner, Otterbourg, P.C.
Tom DiGangi, Executive Vice President, National Strategies (NSI)
Lon Goldstein, President, Goldstein Policy Solutions
Rich Gumbrecht, CEO, Secured Finance Network

Report of General Counsel
An overview of legal issues in commercial finance from SFNet’s Co-General Counsel.

Speakers: Bobbi Acord Noland, Partner, Parker, Hudson, Rainer & Dobbs LLP
Jon Helfat, Partner, Otterbourg P.C.

Tuesday, November 14, 2023*

9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Management Committee/Executive Committee Meeting 

1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Education Foundation Meeting (invitation only)

3:00 p.m. - 3:45 p.m.
Past President Council (invitation only)

5:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Member Directors Meeting (invitation only)

5:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Member Directors Reception and Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

7:30 p.m.
Hall of Fame Dinner (invitation only)
 

Wednesday, November 15, 2023*

7:30 a.m. - 8:45 a.m.
5K Run/Walk for Charity & Breakfast
Benefiting the Boys & Girls Club of Central Florida

7:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Golf Outing at the Ritz Carlton Golf Club (check-in at 6:30 a.m.)

8:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Golf Lessons at the Ritz Carlton Golf Club

9:00 a.m. 
Ritz-Carlton Spa
Enjoy a wellness break. Convention attendees get 10% off a spa treatment. For more info, see our Activities page. 

12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Round Robin Tennis Challenge
Sponsored by NE Consulting Partners
Is tennis your game? Join our Round Robin match for a great afternoon on the court. We'll have a tennis pro helping to judge the matches and prizes will be awarded.

1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Hands-On Food Drive
Our Food Drive provides the opportunity to roll up your sleeves and give back. SFNet is partnering with Second Harvest to pack boxes of much needed items that will be donated to the local community. Please join us near the Exhibit Hall in Mediterranean Ballroom 6-8 for this rewarding experience.


1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Chapter Leaders Meeting (invitation only)

2:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Exhibit Hall and Registration Open
Registration sponsored by eCapital

2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Committee Meetings - Group 1
SFNet Committees kick off with a look back at last year's accomplishments, and discuss goals and initiatives for the coming year.

• Advocacy
• Data
• DEI
• Marketing
• Factoring
• Entrepreneurial

2:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Networking Central - Refreshments
Sponsored by Gordon Brothers

3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Committee Meetings - Group 2
SFNet Committees kick off with a look back at last year's accomplishments, and discuss goals and initiatives for the coming year.

• Membership
• International
• Education
• Women in Secured Finance
• Emerging Leaders

4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
New Members/Young Professionals Reception
All are welcome at this cocktail reception to meet our newest members and our emerging leaders.

5:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Private Reception (invitation only)
Sponsored by Gordon Brothers

6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Opening Reception in the Coquina Room
Sponsored by Hilco Global
Join your fellow attendees outdoors on the Valencia Lawn to celebrate our 79th Annual Convention. Sponsored by Hilco Global, this evening promises to be an opening party like no other. Our rock n’ roll karaoke band will provide you the chance to take the stage and display your musical chops on guitar, bass, drums or vocals. Or perhaps you’ll choose to show off your major league skills with our virtual pitching mound or batting cage. If golf is your game, take a swing on our virtual golf course. Prizes will be awarded to the top participants, but the networking opportunities at this reception means everyone wins.   
 

Thursday, November 16, 2023*

7:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
Networking Central - Refreshments
Sponsored by Gordon Brothers

8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.
Buffet Breakfast

8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Registration
Sponsored by eCapital

8:30 a.m. - 9:45 a.m.
General Session - Keynote Speaker, Daymond John
Keynote sponsored by Wells Fargo Capital Finance
Multi-faceted entrepreneur Daymond John is the founder and CEO of FUBU and star of ABC's Shark Tank. Daymond steered FUBU from a mere concept to a global fashion powerhouse with annual retail sales exceeding $350 million at its peak. Through his retail and entrepreneurial experiences, he is quite familiar with the world of secured finance and will offer his firsthand perspective on what it means to be “Built for the Moment.” 

9:45 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
Coffee Break in Exhibit Hall
Sponsored by Asset Based Lending Consultants

10:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Networking Central - Refreshments
Sponsored by Gordon Brothers

10:30 a.m. - 11:20 a.m.
Panel 1 - Built for the Moment - Bank ABL
Sponsored by Bank of America
Leading industry executives break down the state of the market, banks vs non-banks, DEI, and more.

Moderator: Laura Glass, SVP/East Region Senior Portfolio Manager, Bank of America, N.A.
Panelists: Courtney Jeans, Head of Business Capital, Regions Bank
Al Spada, EVP/Head of Business Capital, M&T Bank
Ricardo L. Simon, Managing Director, Head of Asset Based Lending & Specialty Finance, Truist Securities
Kurt Marsden, Executive Vice President, Head of Wells Fargo Capital Finance

10:30 a.m. - 11:20 a.m.
Panel 2 - War for Talent
Sponsored by TD Bank
Industry experts will share their diverse perspectives on talent acquisition and retention strategies based on their experiences over the past years. Delve into the challenges faced in finding specific skill sets, candidate expectations regarding remote versus in-office work, and the pressing issues of compensation, culture, skillsets, and communication skills. Discover innovative approaches employed to mitigate talent issues and gain valuable insights into ongoing challenges faced by both large banks and private credit/small non-bank lenders. Ultimately, the panel will tackle the crucial question: how do we win this war for talent in the ever-evolving landscape of the business world?

Moderator: Nneoma Maduike, Partner, Otterbourg P.C.
Panelists: Don Cavanagh, Head of ABL Underwriting, TD Bank
Lin Chua, President & CFOO, InterNex Capital
Doug Jung, Managing Director Valuation Services Diligence, Hilco Global

10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
CLE Class 1 - Everything You Never Wanted to Know About MCAs (Until Now)
In 2022 the merchant cash advance market was valued at some $2.8 billion and growing at a rapid pace. MCAs have been subject to strong criticism by bank and non-bank commercial lenders. They have seen both success and failures in court challenges. Unscrupulous principals of MCAs have been sanctioned and imprisoned. Our panelists will discuss the workings of merchant cash advances from the perspective of the funder of MCAs, providers of lender finance warehouse lines and lenders who discover borrowers who have secured MCA despite prohibitions against other indebtedness.

Speakers: Jeffrey A Wurst, Partner, Armstrong Teasdale, LLP
Marlen Kruzhkov, Chief Legal Officer, Arsenal Funding
James C. Schulwolf, Partner Shipman & Goodwin, LLP

11:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Roundtable Discussion: Panel 1
Join fellow attendees from Panel 1 for further examination of the morning's content.

11:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Roundtable Discussion: Panel 2
Join fellow attendees from Panel 2 for further examination of the morning's content.

11:30 - 12:00 p.m.
Roundtable Discussion: CLE Class 1
Join fellow attendees from CLE Class 1 for further discussion of the morning's content.

12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
WISF Lunch Session and Keynote Speaker, Kim Ng
Sponsored by White Oak Commercial Finance, LLC (Diamond Plus level)
Also sponsored by Chapman and Cutler LLP (Gold level), Duane Morris LLP (Gold level), Hovde Group (Gold level), Greenberg Traurig, LLP (Silver level), Moritt Hock & Hamroff LLP (Bronze level), MUFG (Bronze level)
During our Women in Secured Finance Lunch Session, we will recognize the accomplishments of the Secured Finance Foundation. We will also honor our Foundation donors, our Chapter Leaders, and the Harry H, Chen Award of Excellence recipient, Mignon Winston of Great Rock Capital.

Our keynote speaker is Kim Ng, former General Manager of the Miami Marlins and the highest-ranking female baseball executive. She is the first woman to serve as general manager of a team in the Big Four leagues in North America and the first person of East Asian descent to serve as general manager of an MLB team. During this session, Kim will share how she became a trailblazer in professional baseball. Kim will be interviewed by WSVN Miami sportscaster, Donovan Campbell.

1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
CLE Class 2 - Defaults and Forbearance Agreements
Panelists will discuss changes and trends concerning defaults and forbearance agreements, the preliminary loan workout analysis, pre-negotiation agreements, waiver of existing defaults, deficiencies in loan documents and collateral, reducing the risk of lender liability, and developments impacting lender remedies. The topics apply to and are not unusual for attorneys experienced in real estate finance, loan workouts, and lender liability

Speakers: Cathy Reece, Attorney, Fennemore Craig, PC
Monique D. Jewett-Brewster, Shareholder, Hopkins & Carley, ALC
Jonathan Raulston, Partner, Engel,Hairston-Raulston Brown, PC
Michael B. Schwegler, Member, Schwegler, PLLC

2:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Roundtable Discussion: Panel 3
Join fellow attendees from Panel 3 for further examination of the afternoon's content.

2:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Roundtable Discussion: Panel 4
Join fellow attendees from Panel 4 for further examination of the afternoon's content.

3:00 p.m. - 3:50 p.m.
Panel 5 - Built for the Moment - Independent ABL Lenders
Sponsored by Great Rock Capital

Moderator: Tom Otte, Partner & Managing Director, White Oak Global Advisors, LLC
Panelists: Marty Battaglia, CEO, Eclipse Business Capital
Cheryl Carner, Senior Managing Director, SLR Credit Solutions
James Clifton, Chief Commercial Officer, Great Rock Capital

3:00 p.m. - 3:50 p.m.
Panel 6 - How Asset-Based Lenders Are Delivering in the E-Commerce World
Panelists will discuss the various ways companies sell through Amazon and other marketplaces while highlighting the pros/cons of each. They will dive into reasons why e-commerce lending is so important today and how lenders are structuring these types of deals given the risks associated. The conversation will finish with an overview of the best practices for liquidating these types of deals depending on the companies' e-commerce selling structure.

3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
CLE Class 3 - Creative Financing Solutions for Distressed Companies
This is a challenging time for lenders. Rising interest rates, threat of recession, and banking stability have an effect on lending activity.  Borrowers in various industries are defaulting. With this economic environment in mind, our experts discuss trends and points to consider when financing distressed companies.

Speakers: Vincent Roldan, Partner, Mandelbaum Barrett PC
Jacen Dinoff, CEO, KCP Advisory Group
Abby Parsonnet, Executive Managing Director, Head of Asset Based Lending and Commercial Service, Webster Bank
Michael Pizette, CEO & Chief Credit Officer, SLR Credit Solutions

4:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Roundtable Discussion: Panel 5
Join fellow attendees from Panel 5 for further examination of the afternoon's content.

4:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Roundtable Discussion: Panel 6
Join fellow attendees from Panel 6 for further examination of the afternoon's content.

4:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Private Reception (invitation only)
Sponsored by Thompson Coburn LLP

4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Cocktail Reception
Sponsored by the Women in Secured Finance Committee and the Entrepreneurial Committee

5:30 p.m. - 6:15 p.m.
Networking Reception & Prize Giveaway in Exhibit Hall
Giveaway sponsored by Riemer & Braunstein LLP - must be present to win

7:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Open Hours

9:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m.
Dessert/Nightcap Reception
Sponsored by Otterbourg P.C. and Parker, Hudson, Rainer & Dobbs LLP
 

Friday, November 17, 2023* 

7:30 a.m. - 8:30 a.m.
Buffet Breakfast

7:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
Networking Central - Refreshments
Sponsored by Gordon Brothers

8:30 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
Registration
Sponsored by eCapital

8:15 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
Functional Roundtables

• Business Development sponsored by RelPro, Inc.
• CEO (invitation only)
• Credit & Operations
• Legal

9:30 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
Coffee Break in Exhibit Hall

10:00 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.
Panel 7 - AI & the Future of Secured Finance
Interest in artificial intelligence (AI) for secured finance has exploded since the public release of ChatGPT. Across the industry, people are wondering: What is possible now? What is next? What does it mean for secured finance? Join this interactive session where you’ll connect with brilliant minds in the secured finance industry who are curious and actively seeking the next breakthrough. Together we will dive in and explore:

• What is possible now with AI?
• What are the secured finance specific implications, challenges, and opportunities of the latest advances in AI?
• What are secured finance companies doing about it?
• How do we identify practical use cases?
• How might we encourage learning, exploration, and experimentation while preserving data safety and compliance? 

10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
CLE Class 4 - Ruminations on Ethics and Professionalism
Panelists will discuss hot topics in ethics and professionalism in legal practice. This will include discussions of important recent ethics opinions, the unauthorized practice of law, communications with represented parties and artificial intelligence.

Speaker: R. Marshall Grodner, Partner, McGlinchey Stafford PLLC
Skyler M. Tanner, Attorney, Parr Brown Gee & Loveless

11:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.
Economist Session with Keynote Speaker Dan North
Dan North has been with Allianz Trade North America since 1996, using macroeconomic analysis to help manage Allianz Trader’s risk portfolio of more than $150 billion in annual U.S. trade transactions. After having predicted the 2008/2009 recession and its implications accurately, he was ranked 4th on Bloomberg’s list of the 65 top economic forecasters in 2010.

12:15 p.m. - 12:45 p.m.
Grand Prize Giveaway and Grab-N-Go Lunch

*Agenda details subject to change.