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Wingspire Capital Holdings (“Wingspire” or the “Company”) today announced its official launch as an independent diversified direct lender focused on providing asset-based loans (ABL) and related senior secured loans to U.S.-based middle market borrowers. Based in Atlanta, Wingspire focuses on the upper tier of the senior secured ABL market by providing senior secured revolving credit lines and term loans ranging in size from $20 to $200 million. 

I trust you are safe and well as we begin to enter a new phase of this crisis, that of slowly reopening our economy. While the devastation we have experienced has been profound on both a personal and professional level, our community has played a crucial role in weathering this storm and will continue to do so as we emerge stronger and more resilient than before. I am moved by examples of how our members are keeping essential supply chains intact, funding providers of critical services and responding to the surge of funding requests from businesses that have pivoted away from their usual products to manufacture PPE to ease the shortage, not to mention those who are donating and raising funds for groups being adversely affected during this unprecedented time.

Jeffrey Goldrich, SFNet’s 2021 president, has been in the asset-based lending and factoring business for over 40 years. He founded North Mill Capital, as its president and CEO, with its management group in 2010. In 1995 he co-founded, as a shareholder and COO, Business Alliance Capital Corp (BACC), a national commercial finance company based in Princeton, New Jersey. Goldrich and his partner sold BACC to Sovereign Bank (now Santander) in 2005.

Prior to that, he was a senior vice president and manager of the asset-based lending department of First Fidelity Bank in Newark, New Jersey.

CIT Group Inc. (NYSE: CIT) today announced that its Healthcare Finance business served as sole lead arranger on a $15.9 million financing for two medical office buildings in Littleton, Colorado.

The buildings, known as Arapahoe Medical Plaza I and II, are located on the campus of Littleton Adventist Hospital and comprise more than 98,700 square feet of space. The borrower is a venture led by an affiliate of Seavest Healthcare Properties.

Editor's Note: SFNet’s Advocacy Committee is prioritizing initiatives to support our bank, non-bank and service provider constituents.  A key component of this is analyzing the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which was enacted on March 27, for specific opportunities to address the needs of our members and borrowers across asset classes and industries, as the focus now turns to implementation.

David Rains, Founder and CEO of Commercial Finance Consultants, passed away Wednesday following a courageous battle with COVID-19.  David was a longtime executive recruiter specializing in the factoring and asset-based lending industries.  In addition to his work in the industry, David’s work in prison entrepreneurship was a passion and helped many who had no one else championing their cause. David wrote an inspiring article about the program in the June 2019 issue of The Secured Lender.

In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting donations to the Prison Entrepreneurship Program at the following address:

 PO Box 83661
Richardson, TX 75083-6617

“David was highly respected, admired, and loved by all who knew him, and leaves a large legacy in our industry. David was a friend to all and was personally responsible for helping fill many, many positions in our industry. On behalf of the SFNet, we extend our sympathies to David’s wife, Billie, his sister, Debra Wilson - Zukonik, and the entire family.” Stewart Hayes, Managing Director, Wells Fargo Commercial Capital.

CIT Group Inc. (NYSE: CIT) today announced that its Power and Energy business served as coordinating lead arranger on a $151 million financing for the 250-megawatt Galloway I solar farm planned for Concho County, Texas.

The financing was arranged on behalf of Skyline Renewables and 8minute Solar Energy (8minute), which will continue to jointly oversee development and construction of the project. Galloway I was acquired by Skyline Renewables, an experienced renewables company backed by the infrastructure team at Ardian, a world-leading private investment house.

China has locked down entire cities and restricted travel to limit the spread of the epidemic, with serious implications for Chinese companies and global supply chains. US technology giant Apple warned that it would not meet its revenue guidance for the March quarter because of slower iPhone production and weaker demand in China.

The uncertain fallout from the coronavirus outbreak in China has paralysed syndications across Asia, as lenders struggle to assess the damage to Chinese businesses and borrowers that rely heavily on Chinese demand.

Although experts generally agree that networking is important to career success, a surprisingly large number of professionals dread the process to the point that the mere mention of the word makes them anxious and irritated. Lynn Tanner of Winston and Strawn provides a detailed “cheat sheet” for taking the pain out of networking.

White Oak ABL (“White Oak”), an affiliate of White Oak Global Advisors, LLC, announced it funded and arranged a $99.5 million senior secured credit facility to an international infant and toddler toy and product manufacturer to finance the company’s growth and ongoing working capital.

The senior secured credit facility consists of an $80 million working capital facility secured by receivables and inventories in the US, UK, Netherlands, and Hong Kong and a $19.5 million IP term loan. White Oak is the agent for the working capital facility and Gordon Brothers is the agent for the IP term loan with White Oak as a co-lender.

Quarterly peer-to-peer interactive conversations will focus on relevant, high-impact issues among professionals in Credit, Operations & Technology, Business Development, Factoring, Legal, SFNet 40 Under 40 Alumni and Hall of Fame/Past Presidents Mentoring.

Henry Sosa is director – account executive at CIT Northbridge Credit. Here he discusses SFNet's Diversity, Equality and Inclusiveness (DEI) Committee.

This article was originally published April 2021. Updated October 2022.

Kudu Investment Management, LLC, (Kudu) a provider of permanent capital solutions to asset and wealth managers globally, today announced the closing of a $300 million credit facility with Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual), a leading U.S. mutual life insurance company, to finance Kudu's growth initiatives.

The COVID-19 pandemic has weighed on the global economy, created volatile indexes, clogged supply chains, shuttered factories, disrupted shipping and limited the sale and movement of goods worldwide. Since supply chains are complex systems of manufacturing, transportation, equipment, personnel and processes to move products from one location to the next within a strict time frame, the past year has created major bottlenecks and bubbles.

The economic impacts of the pandemic became more severe and widespread with each new outbreak in 2020. With more shutdowns imminent in 2021 as new, more contagious strains of the coronavirus spread, supply chain and economic challenges will continue, hurting earnings and further destabilizing struggling retailers. At the same time, these challenges have created paths to profitability for those who have the capacity to operate. Retailers and consumers alike will likely continue to experience delays, an uneven supply of goods, elevated prices for certain items and discounts on others.

- Debt covenant amended

- Raised $120 million in additional revolver capacity

- Total liquidity position of $3.8 billion

- Cost reduction program launched with target 2020 savings of $500 million