From Vegas Floors to Cabin Shores

I had a great time connecting with colleagues at the 2025 AACFB Annual Conference last week! While I’m no stranger to AACFB events, this was the first time the equipment finance industry brought me to Las Vegas. They say it’s the city that never sleeps—turns out, it’s also the city where, at 4:30 a.m., you can easily place a bet or grab a drink, but good luck finding a decent cup of coffee.

A shoutout to Scott Wheeler and AACFB President Roderick Knoll for their commitment to the “Brokering Essentials 1 & 2” sessions that kicked off the conference. As a service provider, it was refreshing—and humbling—to sit in the broker’s seat for a few hours and gain a better understanding of their world.

Special thanks to Dennis Dressler of Dressler Peters for the invitation to participate and for leading the Section 1071 session. His legal insight and deep understanding of both Congress and the courts helped cut through the noise around compliance—a remarkable feat in today’s rapidly evolving regulatory environment.

And speaking of changing environments, it’s officially “ice-out” season here in Minnesota.

With 10,000+ lakes stretched across five degrees of latitude, there’s no one-size-fits-all ice-out date. So naturally, many towns host an “ice-out raffle” for their lake — right up there with meat raffles and fish fries in terms of treasured seasonal traditions. We Minnesotans get creative when the winters are long and the cabin fever is real.

Now, I’m no gambler, but I do watch ice conditions like a hawk. Why? Because ice-out signals when it’s safe to put docks and boats back in the water—an annual ritual that bookends our short but glorious summer. While some folks outsource this job to the local high school hockey team, my friends and I consider it a sacred tradition. (One where sore backs and post-installation brats are guaranteed.)

According to local sources—and by that, I mean John across the lake—the shoreline is clear and the middle looks dark, which means we’re just days away. Calendars have been cleared for the first weekend in May.

So, if you find yourself in Minnesota and want to experience true Midwest fellowship—complete with near-polar-plunge conditions, questionable weather decisions, and homemade BBQ—let us know. I can assure you we’ll have enough meat and a place to crash.

Enjoy the changing season.