Hotel
The New York Marriott Marquis Times Square is the official venue for the 75th Annual Convention. A discounted rate of $365 + tax per night has been established for attendees to the Convention. You must register for the event in order to receive the link for the discounted hotel rate. The hotel rate will be available until October 22nd, so register today. 

There are several rooms at the Marriott Marquis Times Square that can be reserved for meeting during these Open Times. Please contact James Kravitz for more information and to reserve space.

Agenda (subject to change)

TUESDAY

MC/EC Meeting - Invitation Only
11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Education Foundation Meeting - Invitation Only
1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Chapter Meeting - Invitation Only
2:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Past President Council
4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Board of Directors Reception & Hall of Fame Ceremony - Invitation Only
5:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

WEDNESDAY

Exhibit Hall & Registration Opens
2:00 p.m.
 
Opening Reception at 30 Rockefeller Center
Sponsored by ExWorks Capital and RedRidge Diligence Services
6:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

THURSDAY

Registration
7:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

General Session & Breakfast with Keynote Speaker Peter Zeihan
8:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
An expert in geopolitics - the study of how place impacts financial, economic, cultural, political and military developments – Mr. Zeihan will offer his trademark brilliantly entertaining, insightful and thought provoking take on The New World Order, providing a roadmap of investment and risk management implications for capital markets and the Secured Finance Industry.  Mr. Zeihan is an acclaimed speaker who simplifies the complex in a unique and engaging style that captivates his audiences who have included financial professionals, Fortune 500 firms, investors, associations and groups of all sizes.  He has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, AP, Bloomberg, CNN, ABC, The New York Times, Fox News and MarketWatch.  You will never look at the world the same way!

Coffee Break
9:30 a.m. - 10:15 a.m.

Market Review:  Secured Finance by the Numbers Plus!  
10:15 a.m. - 11:15 p.m.
Get the key points from the Secured Finance Network’s first-of-its-kind Secured Finance Industry Market Sizing and Impact Study developed for the purpose of benchmarking, strategic planning, and attracting capital on behalf of the industry.  After the review of the results of the study, the head of analytics at Refinitiv will give a run down on their data on the asset-based lending market and a representative from Westat will present the data assembled by Westat for the Secured Finance Network on other dimensions of the finance world. The presentations will be followed by a panel of senior leaders from major players providing their views on what it all means from their perspective and how it is affecting their decisions about their businesses.

Private Debt, BDCs and Other Lending Platforms
11:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.
The program will include a presentation of key metrics related to the private debt market, including the vast quantities of funding that have been raised and more critically what this means for where it may be deployed.  Get insights from the data that will be presented about this market and how it may lead to opportunities to work together…or lead to competition as the space continues its massive growth.  The presentation will be followed by a panel of players in the private debt markets who will address what they are seeing and where their institutions are going.
 
Are Receivables the Way to Go? Supply Chain, Receivables Purchase Facilities and Other Developing Products
11:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.
Supply chain finance, international receivables, receivables purchase facilities. How are these products developing and do they offer new ways to address old problems. How do these sales impact asset-based lending?  Competition or opportunity?
 
WISF Lunch Session with Keynotes Jill Schlesinger, Marci Rossell, and Stephanie Kelton
12:30 p.m. - 2:15 p.m.
Emmy nominated CBS News business analyst Jill Schlesinger will moderate a spirited and provocative discussion between acclaimed economists Marci Rossell (former CNBC Chief Economist and Co-host of Squawk Box) and Stephanie Kelton (leading authority on Modern Monetary Theory, and one of the most important voices influencing the policy debate today).  Dr. Rossell and Professor Kelton will present both complementary and opposing views of the US and global economy, its drivers and implications for capital formation, politics and quality of life!  This will be an experience you won’t want to miss!

Buying and Selling a Finance Business
2:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
A lot of smart money has seen that for the right investor there is real opportunity in putting capital to work with an investment in a factoring or finance shop.  Listen to how some major players in this space are looking for the right business to invest in and their philosophies in picking the winners.  
 
We Are Not Alone! ABL as Debt Product in the World of Leverage and the Impact on Covenants
2:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Perhaps you have heard about “collateral leakage”?  Of course you have.  With the convergence of high yield, leverage finance and asset-based lending, asset-based lenders cannot afford to ignore trends in covenants in these other arenas.  A representative from Covenant Review will present hard data on market trends in covenants in the leveraged finance space, while ABL market participants discuss the impact of these developments on ABL.  This panel will be about the unintended consequences of negotiated covenant packages where lenders are at risk of surprises.  And hear about a new development in Europe that may offer a solution!

Financing a Finance Business:  Lender Finance—A “New” Opportunity?
3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
If you are a factor or finance company, what are your options?  Hear what the players in the Lender Finance space have to say about what they are looking for and what they have to offer.  

Mergers and Acquisitions: Where Does it Go?
3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Hear data on the merger and acquisition activity over the last 12 months to give specific data on what is really going on. M&A has always been a driver for the borrowing markets. With the backdrop of uncertainty in the world economy, is there a place to go to find this business? How are corporates and PE firms finding their way and can ABL provide the capital to help? The data presentation will be followed by a panel of investment bankers and corporate development representatives, who will cover not only developments in the M&A market but how ABL can address the challenges presented by the nature of the product in the realm of acquisition finance. 

 
Global Economic Trends: How Clear is Your Crystal Ball?
4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
The program starts with a presentation of a report on “megatrends” in industry, politics and the global economy, looking at how they may impact business and society. The presentation will be followed by a panel talking about how they see trends in globalization, demographics and technology affecting lenders focused on specific industry sectors.
 
Networking Reception in Exhibit Hall
5:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
 
Nightcap Reception
9:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m.

FRIDAY

Registration
7:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
 
Breakfast
7:30 a.m.

Functional Roundtables
8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.
 
Economist Town Hall Session with Dr. Robert Wescott, KeyBridge Research
9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
Join us for a highly interactive and informative “Town Hall Meeting” with renowned Strategic Advisor and Economist, Dr. Robert Wescott, President of Keybridge Research of Washington, DC.  In a lively Q&A format, Dr. Wescott will introduce the Secured Finance Foundation’s all new Economic Impact Report, which builds on our highly successful EY study and discusses the industry’s economic footprint and contributions to the overall American economy.  He also will offer a first look at the new Foundation Secured Finance Industry Outlook Report, which examines economic and financial market developments expected to shape our industry, key business verticals, and emerging risks and opportunities to pay attention to in the coming months.
 
Coffee Break in Exhibit Hall
10:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.

Not for Lawyers Only!  Current Legal Developments that Impact Your Business
10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Did you know that changes to the US tax code may change the way that you might do a US/Canadian financing?  Or any other cross-border transaction?  Did you know that the financial covenants in your loan documents will need to change because of the treatment of leases under accounting rules?  What about the replacement of LIBOR?  These are provisions in your loan documents that need to be addressed now but may lead to a major problem in the near future. What’s the best way to minimize that headache?  If you are not familiar with these topics or have heard of them but don’t really have the full scoop, this is your opportunity to have these topics and others clearly laid out for you.

What Else Can You Do?  Diversify to Grow
10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Founders of factoring businesses discuss the ongoing challenge of growth and building value for owners.  Is factoring enough?  Are there new industries to consider as the economy evolves?  Where do you go from here?

12 Trends in Private Equity
11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
The program will include a presentation of the results of surveys and analysis of the private equity market focusing on trends and developments that will impact the need for capital to fund acquisitions and portfolio businesses.  Get the hard data that may provide insights to where the asset based lender may want to put its capital to work with sponsors as Q4 comes to an end and 2020 begins.  The presentation will be followed by a panel of private equity players discussing what their organizations are thinking the next opportunities may be and how they are thinking of investing their capital in today’s challenging environment.
 
Financing the Chapter 11 Debtor: Be Prepared
11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
With real potential for an economic downturn, the bankruptcies that are pervasive in the retail world may spread to other sectors and lenders need to be prepared.  The world of Chapter 11 continues to evolve with some serious new developments in what some companies (and their counsel) are looking for from lenders going into a filing.  Be prepared for the issues that the lender will confront when a borrower heads into Chapter 11.  When your borrower or customer is on the eve of filing, what are “smart” lenders doing to position themselves to maximize their negotiating position and the recovery?  How do you deal with other debt in the capital structure?  What strategies are being used most frequently to make the best of a tough situation?  Listen to advisors and counsel that are on the front lines of the transactions that are pushing the envelope with developments that you need to know about, so you are prepared to confront the challenges of the Chapter 11 process.
 
Lunch and General Session - Speaker on Leadership/Teamwork followed by: Human Capital: People First! 
12:30 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Of course, you need a great product, a mission, a vision to differentiate your business from the competition not to mention solid technology and systems.  But what every business really needs are the people to make it happen.  What are the experts saying about developing those members of your team that will drive the business?  How do you manage them?  How do you train them?  How do you motivate them?  And how do you engage successfully at all levels in your organization to get to success?
 
Exhibitor Prize Drawing 
2:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.