By Bob Trojan, Chief Executive Officer, Commercial Finance Association

The theme of the Commercial Finance Association’s 68^th Annual Convention, “Transformation,” represents the revolutionary changes the industry has undergone in recent years and the continual growth we must all experience in order to thrive. There is no better place for you to connect with the leaders in the industry and gain the valuable information that will help you grow both personally and professionally than CFA’s annual convention.

This year’s convention committee, chaired by John M. DePledge, senior vice president, head of Business Development – Asset Based Lending, TD Bank, has worked hard to create a program that will ensure that your time spent at the CFA convention will be well worth the time out of the office.

We are very excited about this year’s keynote speaker, Richard B. Cheney, 46^th Vice President of the United States, who will offer the audience an unprecedented insider’s view of some of the most debated issues during his tenure, as well as insight into the current economic and political landscape.

This year’s convention has top-quality content to offer as well. Here are some panel highlights:

Find out what’s really going on in the syndication markets. The panel The Syndication Market — The View from the Trenches offers a 2012 wrap-up and outlook for 2013 across the capital markets including ABL, high-yield and the broader syndicated loan markets. The panel of key players will discuss key issues and opportunities for the markets in the coming year.

How do senior ABL executives manage risk in today’s fast-changing credit environment?  Find out in Forewarned is Forearmed! — Best Practices in Risk Management. Stories are already circulating of loosening credit structures and declining loan pricing. What lessons have really been learned from the downturn? This panel of distinguished experts will share their views on how to “forearm” yourselves — from underwriting through portfolio management — and creative restructuring, in the post-downturn era.

As traditional capital has dried up, there has been an influx of nontraditional funding sources into the market. The panel in The Next Generation — Understanding the New Players in the Commercial Finance Market is made up of the dynamic leaders of some of the new entrants into the market. Hear first-hand how they launched their businesses and how they intend to differentiate themselves in the market.

Factors won’t want to miss The Transformation of Factoring. Panel members will discuss how they are able to compete in the changing business environment. This will include the effects of consolidation, growing numbers of new players, the changing roles of traditional and nontraditional factoring and the partnering of products and services to better serve (and attract) clients.

Attendees will hear from two distinguished economists in The 2013 Economic Outlook: Boom, Bust or Both. This panel will discuss the outlook for growth, inflation and policy in the year ahead.

The CFA convention also offers unparalleled networking opportunities. Whether you are a seasoned golfer or just starting out, there’s a place for you in the golf tournament on Wednesday afternoon. The Wednesday evening opening reception will be held al fresco on the beautiful and tranquil resort grounds. For those craving a little excitement, there will also be two desert Hummer tours offered.

I look forward to seeing you at this exceptional conference. For a full list of activities and to register, visit www.cfa.com/convention.