The Swartz Report: Rail Equipment Finance Conference Recap

By Donald Swartz, President

Noelle Giacomino and I recently attended our fourth Rail Equipment Finance Conference, held annually at the La Quinta Resort in La Quinta, CA. This has been an excellent conference to attend over the years as it provides us the opportunity to meet many of our clients and receive updates relating to railcars.

While the setting is conducive to a laid back and casual conference, it is not exactly what I would consider to be “laid back” or “casual”.  The conference begins bright and early on Monday morning at 7:30 am and sessions run continuously through 5 pm. Even lunch is its own learning session. Following the conclusion of the daily sessions, there is an outdoor reception that is usually very well attended before breaking off for respective dinners.

Connecting with Clients

Each year the goal is to spend a few minutes with our clients in attendance; meet prospective clients and follow the latest trends and updates in the industry. However, there is an art to making the most out of a conference and I’m certainly still learning.

It appears contacts already have breakfasts, lunches and dinners set up well before the conference begins. Whether companies are taking their employees to meet their vendors or they have scheduled planning meetings, etc. it can be tricky to line up face-to-face time on the fly.

I’ve always thought we should sit through every educational session to pick up anecdotes which may help us in our reviews of railcar property tax valuations and support for appeals we may consider. After attending several conferences, I do not necessarily believe that to be the case. I constantly see side conversations in the halls or in various areas for a coffee or beverage. Nothing formal, just 15-20 minute connections during the day to connect or to discuss a specific issue. Once finished, they may go back into the current session or have their next informal meeting.

Picking and Choosing Sessions

We need to pick and choose our sessions more carefully, and once we receive the annual attendance listing, reach out to those who will be attending. Rather than schedule long lunches or dinners, it may be more beneficial to try to set up quick, informal meetings throughout the conference. For seasoned conference attendees, this may be obvious. But even for someone like me who has attended conferences of some sort for almost 40 years, there are tricks to the trade that can always be honed.

Conferences are usually held in fantastic locations for a reason, I just need to make sure I take care to enjoy all the aspects the conference has to offer and not just the learning sessions. 😊

Swartz + Associates, Inc. (SAI) is a full service property tax firm specializing in the review, analysis and appeals of real and business personal property tax valuations. If you need help with your property taxes, give us a call!