TSL Feature Articles

With the second half of 2022 underway, it is a good time to evaluate cybersecurity issues and concerns. The cybersecurity front continues to be an area of significant risk for businesses. In this article we will explore recent trends, and specific industries at more risk of attack. For a perspective on the dollar impact, the largest payment in 2021 was a $40 million payment made by an insurance company. For a perspective on number of attacks, there is a cyber-attack every 11 seconds.

The National Cyber Security Alliance estimated that 60% of small businesses fail within six months of an attack. 

Unless you’re the most junior person in your work environment, everyone should mentor their less-experienced team members.  Helping them learn should be as natural an effort as holding the door for those entering a room behind you.  These efforts will create experienced individuals with broad-based perspectives on how to approach their responsibilities within the secured lending industry.  Leaders within SFNet member organizations generally agree there is a lack of “bench strength” in the secured lending industry.  Greater preponderance of mentoring would tie junior people more to their organizations and to the industry as a whole.

The Secured Finance Foundation’s Corporate Giving Campaign, created to help prepare the next generation of leaders, provide essential data that drives smart business decisions, and invest in the communities of which our members are a part, will conclude on September 30. 

As the secured finance industry continually grows and evolves, it takes knowledge, effort, and financial support for the Secured Finance Foundation (SFFound) to keep up with these changes and fulfill its mission. The Secured Finance Foundation encourages, facilitates, and supports education, innovation, and charitable works for the betterment of organizations and professionals who deliver and enable secured finance— and for the communities of which they are a part. Since it was founded 31 years ago, the Foundation has raised approximately $9.5 million to date. 

After historic GDP growth and retail sales in 2021, are the days of unprecedented growth over for your retail clients? The short answer: It’s complicated.

If the last two years have shown us anything, it is that uncertainty is the new normal. When COVID shut down the economy in March 2020, the impact on the retail sector was profound. In some parts of the country, brick and mortar stores were closed for up to 90 days and in-person sales ground to a halt for all but the most essential items.

Trademarks are one of the fastest-growing collateral categories in the ABL sector—due in no small part to the ease with which owners of properly supported brands can sell their products via multiple channels, including e-commerce, m-commerce, wholesale distribution, and retail stores. On the consumer side, younger generations are driving much of the e-commerce and m-commerce demand. They have grown up absorbing branded content on Tik-Tok and Instagram and have also discovered the convenience of making brick-and-mortar returns.

The last two years have been a roller coaster for businesses. The early pandemic lockdowns initially wreaked havoc on small businesses; and then we saw what some consider to be a market overcorrection. Relief came in the form of PPP loans, Main Street Lending, and various other subsidies and programs. We look to the data – year over year commercial bankruptcy filings are down 31% and Chapter 11 filings are down 48%. Comparing 2021 to 2019, commercial bankruptcy filings are down 31% and Chapter 11 filings are down 33%.  

Innovation in high net-worth lending is primed to be a new frontier in credit.  Rarely do opportunities exist to make waves in lending, but this is one.  Banks and wire houses are conservative and working on traditional lending models that limit borrower options for untapped equity in multiple forms of assets.  There is also a wall between consumer and business lending units so most banks cannot take a holistic approach to a business owner’s business and personal assets.  Several groups working together can, but this takes time, adds complexity and still has its limitations in a regulatory and traditional banking environment.  Coincidentally, both commercial lenders and wealth managers are starting to converge on this space and each other’s turf by changing their offerings.  

SFNet's International Lending Conference will be held in person May 23 to 25, 2022 at DLA Piper Offices in London, UK. The Conference is geared towards those active in the international lending space, who need a clear understanding of the current global landscape, what may be on the horizon, and what it all means for your business. Some of the most interesting players on the international lending scene will gather for discussions and insights into what lies ahead.

“After two years, we are very excited to get back together in person with our favorite colleagues in the world of international lending—to catch up and to talk about new opportunities,” said David Morse, partner, Otterbourg P.C.  “This is a conference where you always learn something new and pick up some interesting bit of information that helps you in thinking about your cross-border deals. The panels this year run the gamut from high-level reviews of market issues from some of the most-informed and thoughtful people in the industry to the nuts and bolts, practical issues of making secured cross-border loans work.”

U.S. Bank announced it hired Daniel Stampfel and Mitch Rubin as senior vice presidents of its asset-based finance division. The hires are part of a strategy for the broader U.S. Bank commercial banking team to continue its expansion in Texas and across the country to better serve middle-market clients.

Here we sit with Daniel, Mitch and David Slavik, SVP, national sales director – middle market, U.S. Bank Asset Based Finance, to discuss expansion in New York and Texas, goals for the rest of the year, and industry trends and predictions.

On March 18, SFNet hosted a Webinar, “Cybersecurity: Evaluating and Mitigating Borrowers' Risk to Cyber Breaches”. It discussed current trends in cyber threats to commerce and the potential impact to borrowers, and the steps lenders and borrowers can take to guard against and mitigate and recovery from cyber-attacks or data breaches. Panelists focused on due diligence steps lenders should consider in assessing risk and the steps they may need in their lending agreements.

Tina Capobianco, senior vice president, J D Factors served as moderator. Panelists included Thomas J. DeMayo, principal, Cybersecurity and Privacy Advisory, PKF O'Connor Davies, LLP; Steven Teppler, of counsel, Mandelbaum Barrett P.C. and Louis Natale, chief credit officer, White Oak Commercial Finance. PFK Clear Thinking and White Oak Commercial Finance sponsored the webinar.