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  • Tracey Cheek posted an article
    NAFA held it's 47th Annual Conference in Coronado, CA from May 15-18, 2018 see more

    Coronado, CA., May 25, 2018 – #NAFA47 - The National Aircraft Finance Association (NAFA) held its 47thAnnual Conference May 15-18, 2018 with a record-setting number of member representatives attending. The conference was held at the Hotel del Coronado in San Diego, CA.  The four-day event included a 1-day NAFA Aircraft Education Program, a Vendor Forum, Annual Business Meeting and a wide array of aviation and finance-specific Sessions.

    With over 240 attendees and $9,380 in donations towards NAFA scholarship fund, this event exceeded expectations! “Year over year, we continue to see marked growth in the Conference”, commented NAFA President Ford von Weise. “Many thanks for our dynamic speakers who kept discussions lively and engaging.”  

    Keynote speaker this year was John Heilemann, a political reporter, National Affairs Analyst for NBC and MSNBC, Best Selling Author, and Executive Producer of Showtime’s The Circus. He spoke about Donald Trump’s Washington, the Fallout from the 2016 election, and the new realities of our political climate.  

    Economic Analyst, Dr. LaVaughn M. Henry, spoke to the audience about the state of the U.S. Economy and Monetary Policy. Dr. Henry is a policy analyst for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and Former Vice President of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland and provided insight on the elements influencing our economy today and their potential impact over the next few years.

    General session discussions included The State of the Aviation Industry in 2018 headlined by Ed Bolen (President, NBAA), Pete Bunce (President, GAMA) and Marty Hiller (President, NATA).  Additional sessions included The Great Financial Meltdown and its impact on the Aviation Industry; a New Aircraft Showcase with presentations by ICON, Textron, Dassault and Aerion; an update on activity in the pre-owned aircraft sales market, and a session  on the New Tax Law and its impact in Business Aviation & Lending.

    A special THANK YOU to ICON Aircraft who was generous enough to display their ICON A5 on the lawn oceanfront at the hotel during the NAFA Cocktail Reception. This was a first for the hotel and it’s 130-year history and a huge hit for not only NAFA members but the guests at Del Coronado also enjoyed this display! 

    NAFA would like to thank the conference sponsors:  Gold Sponsors– Insured Aircraft Title Services, Global Jet Capital, JetAviation, JSSI, and Rolls-Royce. Silver Sponsors– Aero-Space Reports, Aircraft BlueBook, AIC Title Service, Airfleet Capital Inc., Aircraft Finance Corporation, Aviation Management Systems, AOPA, Asset Insight, Dassault Falcon Jet, Essex Aviation, GKG Law, LL Johns Insurance, PNC Aviation Finance, Salem Five, Scope Aircraft Finance, and Vref. Bronze Sponsors– Aerlex, Aviation Legal Group, Bank of America, Dorr Aviation, Huntington National Bank, NAFCO, Stonebriar Commercial Finance and Wright Brothers Aircraft Title.

    About NAFA:

    The National Aircraft Finance Association (NAFA) is a non-profit corporation dedicated to promoting the general welfare of individuals and organizations providing aircraft financing and loans secured by aircraft; to improving the industry’s service to the public; and to providing our members with a forum for education and the sharing of information and knowledge to encourage the financing, leasing and insuring of general aviation aircraft. For more information about NAFA, visit the website at www.NAFA.aero