In this episode of Portfolio Perspective: Managing Risk & Seizing Opportunity, host Andrew Pace welcomes Donna Yanuzzi, Executive Vice President at 1st Equipment Finance and recipient of the ELFA’s 2024 Michael J. Fleming Distinguished Service Award. With nearly 30 years of industry experience, Donna unpacks the leadership principles, market foresight, and people-first mindset that have shaped her legacy—and continue to fuel her passion for mentoring the next generation of equipment finance professionals.

Key Topics Discussed:

• Attracting and retaining talent in a competitive hiring landscape
• Building culture in entrepreneurial vs. institutional environments
• Donna’s 5-day outreach strategy to manage delinquency and risk
• Transportation and construction sector insights, including tariffs and rentals
• Why vocational vehicles and used construction assets are outperforming
• Shifts in small business leasing and the decline of the TRAC lease model
• Succession planning, college outreach, and industry mentorship programs
• The integration of AI tools in finance without losing the human touch

Notable Takeaways:

“Culture is everything. You have to build a place where younger people feel ownership and impact—like they’re running their own business.”

“We don’t wait for a 30-day delinquency to act. We start outreach at day five. It’s about relationships, early insight, and helping the customer avoid escalation.”

“Vocational vehicles and used equipment with wheels are outperforming. That mobility gives us flexibility—and better risk management.”

“AI isn’t about replacing people. It’s about scaling smarter so our people can do more meaningful, high-impact work.”

“I came out of retirement because I wasn’t done helping others grow. If I can make a difference in someone’s life or career, that’s the success of my career.”

Subscribe to Portfolio Perspective: Managing Risk & Seizing Opportunity for more industry insights and field-tested strategies.

For more information, visit Asset Compliant Solutions.

In this episode of Portfolio Perspective: Managing Risk & Seizing Opportunity, host Andrew Pace sits down with Nick Coscia, ASA Equipment Manager at DLL, to explore how the role of asset managers is expanding amid evolving economic, technological, and sustainability trends. From using AI to streamline operations to navigating volatility in the secondary market, Nick offers practical insights and a global perspective on the tools, strategies, and partnerships that shape success in today’s equipment finance environment.

Key Topics Discussed:

• How AI is transforming asset management operations
• Time-saving tools and practical uses of Microsoft Copilot
• Market volatility: pricing pressures, dealer inventories & COVID’s lingering effects
• Tariffs, trade deals, and their influence on asset values
• Percentage vs. dollar-based residual calculations
• DLL’s sustainability strategy and energy transition initiatives
• Regulatory uncertainty and its impact on customer behavior
• How third-party partnerships like ACS support efficiency and scale

Notable Takeaways:

“AI is like a superpower for pulling together and analyzing data faster and smarter than ever, which is enormous for delivering real value to our customers.”

“The transportation market has definitely softened over the past 6, 12, even 18 months. That’s put a lot of pressure on portfolios.”

“At DLL, our sustainability strategy is fully integrated into our business model — we’re committed to being the transition partner for our customers and vendors.”

“Third-party vendors like ACS bring us a ton of value. They free us up to focus on higher-impact work while helping us execute with speed and scale.”

Subscribe to Portfolio Perspective: Managing Risk & Seizing Opportunity for more industry insights and field-tested strategies.

For more information, visit Asset Compliant Solutions.

In this episode of Portfolio Perspective: Managing Risk & Seizing Opportunity, host Andrew Pace welcomes Kit West, a Wyoming-based business development leader with a deep entrepreneurial background and a national view of broker success. Together they explore how CH Brown grew originations during industry slowdowns, why relationships trump rates, and how proactive support can drive loyalty—even in a transactional world.

Key Topics Discussed:

• Why CH Brown leaned in while competitors pulled back
• Market outlook for transportation and equipment finance
• Scaling a national broker network from a small-town HQ
• Day-one contact strategies and early intervention
• Balancing automation with real human connection
• Supporting brokers with coaching, marketing, and AI-powered tools
• How associations build trust and community in the industry
• The mindset of a problem solver in asset-based lending

Notable Takeaways:

“When everyone else is running away from the fire, you lean into it—that’s how we’ve always operated.”

“Client service isn’t just answering the phone. It’s calling the borrower the day after a missed payment and asking how they’re doing.”

“Our brokers know they can text me directly. We’re not just another funding source—we’re a partner who shows up.”

“You don’t need a degree to do this. You need to listen, sell, and solve problems. That’s the opportunity.”

Subscribe to Portfolio Perspective: Managing Risk & Seizing Opportunity for more industry insights and field-tested strategies.

For more information, visit Asset Compliant Solutions.

In this episode of Portfolio Perspective: Managing Risk & Seizing Opportunity, host Andrew Pace sits down with RJ Grimshaw, CEO of The AI CEO and former CEO of Unifi Equipment Finance. RJ shares his unique journey from leading high-growth finance teams to helping businesses embrace AI with a human-first approach. From demystifying AI adoption to empowering teams through intrapreneurship, RJ offers actionable strategies for leaders looking to innovate while staying rooted in relationship-driven business.

Key Topics Discussed:

• RJ’s pivot from equipment finance CEO to AI-focused strategist
• The difference between AI hype and real-world applications
• Overcoming AI fatigue and cutting through the noise
• Building strong SOPs as the foundation for successful automation
• The three-bucket model for AI adoption: prompting, automation, and data
• Why intrapreneurs are the game-changers in modern organizations
• Success stories where AI improved efficiency without losing the human touch
• How leaders can overcome fear and resistance to AI integration

Notable Takeaways:

“AI won’t fix a poor team, but it can make your best people exceptional by freeing them to focus on what truly matters.”

“Precision prompting is the skill that separates top performers—it’s about asking smarter questions, not just more questions.”

“Automation should start internally before extending it to clients; AI is a teammate, not a replacement for human connection.”

Subscribe to Portfolio Perspective: Managing Risk & Seizing Opportunity for more industry insights and field-tested strategies.

For more information, visit Asset Compliant Solutions.

In this episode of Portfolio Perspective: Managing Risk & Seizing Opportunity, Andrew Pace sits down with Mike Peplinski, Vice President at Harding Brooks Insurance Agency, to unpack key legal and insurance challenges in today’s asset recovery space. As litigation pressure continues to rise, Mike provides actionable guidance for lenders, agents, and service providers on how to manage risk, protect themselves, and operate compliantly — even as legal, regulatory, and contract pressures evolve.

Key Topics Discussed:

• The rising trend in wrongful repossession lawsuits and litigation funding
• Invalid assignments and contract enforcement challenges
• How indemnification language creates exposure for recovery vendors
• The growing importance of documentation, body cams, and video evidence
• Insurance claim denials: where contracts often go wrong
• Vendor management, subcontracting risks, and ensuring proper licensing
• The role of bank consolidation and shifting dynamics in recovery partnerships
• The importance of safety culture, training, and proactive risk mitigation

Notable Takeaways:

“You know, five years ago, you’d get one or two claims here and there. Now you get multiple claims every single month on invalid assignments.”

“Probably 40% of the claims that we have going on today are invalid assignment issues, and most of them are no fault of the recovery agent.”

“When you don’t have any type of audio or video, you are basically negotiating with your checkbook because you have nothing to defend yourself with.”

“If you're subcontracting out a lot of your work, you better know who you're working with, because if you're going to indemnify a client, and you're having a subcontractor do the work, you are taking all the responsibility if something goes wrong.”

Subscribe to Portfolio Perspective: Managing Risk & Seizing Opportunity for more industry insights and field-tested strategies.

For more information, visit Asset Compliant Solutions.

In this episode of Portfolio Perspective: Managing Risk & Seizing Opportunity, Andrew Pace sits down with Dominick Cevet, CLFP, Assistant Vice President of Portfolio Management at Auxilior Capital Partners. Dominick shares how Auxilior has scaled from startup to over $2 billion in assets in just four years — leveraging deep vendor partnerships, independent decision-making, portfolio diversification, and a service-first approach that keeps both vendors and borrowers engaged.

Key Topics Discussed:

• The benefits of operating as an independent lender
• Deep vendor/manufacturer relationships and program building
• Managing rapid portfolio growth while maintaining discipline
• Adjusting to transportation sector volatility (without fully exiting)
• Pivoting into new sectors like motor coach and franchise lending
• The role of seasonality in portfolio structuring and payment modifications
• Leveraging technology for efficient customer engagement (automation, texting, portals)
• Navigating consumer vs commercial borrower behavior
• Early warning signs in market shifts (spot rates, equipment values, student loan defaults)
• The role of culture, internship programs, and office collaboration in driving growth

Notable Takeaways:

“We’re managing over $2 billion in assets. It’s pretty exciting.”

“When you don’t have enough clarity, you have to make decisions to protect the portfolio. Sometimes it’s not about getting out of a sector — it’s about waiting until you have enough information.”

“We can implement something in weeks that might take others months. That nimbleness is a huge competitive advantage.”

“Our independence allows us to pivot quickly, respond to vendor needs, and make decisions without layers of bureaucracy.”

“We invest in young talent through our intern program — it’s become a huge pipeline for long-term success.”

Subscribe to Portfolio Perspective: Managing Risk & Seizing Opportunity for more industry insights and field-tested strategies.

For more information, visit Asset Compliant Solutions. 

ACS CFO and CIO Greg Meyer joins host Andrew Pace for a deep dive into the operational backbone of modern recovery and collections. With nearly two decades of leadership at ACS, Greg discusses the growing overlap between finance, IT, and compliance—and what it means for lenders today. From securing sensitive data to building scalable frameworks for regulatory risk, this episode covers how smart technology and proactive controls create a competitive advantage in asset-based lending.

Key Topics Discussed:

• Why clean, consistent data is the foundation of effective decision-making
• Turning past data into forward-looking insights
• The risks and rewards of system integrations and automation
• Real-world cybersecurity threats facing collections and recovery
• What SOC2 compliance means in practice for vendors and lenders
• The balance between security and usability when sharing sensitive data
• Adapting tech strategies for multi-state regulatory complexity
• How automation and APIs improve efficiency—without losing the human touch

Notable Takeaways:

“No data, no clue. If your data isn’t clean, your insights are suspect—and your risk goes up.”

“Technology isn’t a cost center. It’s an edge—when it’s used to increase security, reduce friction, and scale compliance.”

“SOC2 has made us better. It’s more than a certification—it’s a way to meet client expectations and stay ahead of evolving threats.”

Subscribe to Portfolio Perspective: Managing Risk & Seizing Opportunity for more industry insights and field-tested strategies.

For more information, visit Asset Compliant Solutions. 

In this episode, Andrew Pace welcomes Chris Norman, ACS’s Client Support Manager, for an in-depth conversation on the human side of collections, strategic lender support, and navigating complex borrower situations with empathy and professionalism. With more than 30 years in the recovery space and a reputation for transforming distressed accounts into proactive recoveries, Chris shares firsthand stories and strategies that combine operational insight with a deep respect for the borrower experience.

Key Topics Discussed:

• The evolution of recovery from a back-office operation to a frontline risk management tool
• How client expectations have shifted toward professionalism, transparency, and trust
• The rise of reputation risk and why recovery needs to be handled with precision
• Best practices in borrower communication and de-escalation
• Balancing client mandates with borrower realities in high-stress situations
• The role of empathy in asset recovery and how it leads to better outcomes
• Insights from ACS’s proactive outreach efforts to identify at-risk assets before default
• Real-time market trends and what early signs lenders should watch for in distressed portfolios

Notable Takeaways:
"Every client doesn’t define success the same way. Relationship management means understanding what matters most to each one—and delivering on that."
"Being kind doesn’t cost you anything. In collections, it often gets you further than pressure ever could."
"Proactively identifying accounts at risk before they become problems is the future of portfolio protection."

Subscribe to Portfolio Perspective: Managing Risk & Seizing Opportunity for more industry insights and field-tested strategies.

For more information, visit Asset Compliant Solutions.

In this inaugural episode of Portfolio Perspective: Managing Risk & Seizing Opportunity, host Andrew Pace sits down with Brian Noble—CEO, co-founder, and industry trailblazer behind Asset Compliant Solutions. With over 25 years of experience, Brian shares his unique perspective on how the asset recovery and collections space has evolved from transactional services to strategic partnerships rooted in compliance, innovation, and brand protection.

Key Topics Discussed:

• Culture as a Competitive Advantage: How ACS’s culture of collaboration and compliance drives innovation and long-term client success
• Economic Cycles & Lending: Navigating the impact of inflation, interest rates, and borrower behavior on portfolio performance
• Risk Mitigation: Why proactive, earlier-stage service provider engagement is key to protecting asset value
• Compliance & Technology: SOC2 isn’t just a checkbox—it’s foundational to trust and operational efficiency
• Strategic Partnerships vs. Vendor Relationships: How ACS positions itself as an extension of the client’s team
• The Role of APIs & Automation: Creating seamless client experiences and reducing costly human error through smarter tech
• Talent & Empathy: Why hiring for emotional intelligence and problem-solving abilities is essential in collections and recovery
• The Future of Lending & Recovery: Embracing AI, data-driven decision-making, and end-to-end service capabilities

Executive Takeaways:
"Today’s market conditions require a more sophisticated approach to managing at-risk assets. The traditional recovery model focuses too late in the cycle."

"Your recovery partner’s actions directly impact your brand reputation in an era of instant feedback."

"SOC2 compliance isn’t optional—it’s protection against regulatory and reputational risk."

"Time-to-resolution is the KPI that most directly impacts your portfolio’s NPV."

Subscribe to Portfolio Perspective: Managing Risk & Seizing Opportunity for more conversations with leaders across lending, recovery, and compliance.

For more information, visit Asset Compliant Solutions.