Fraud, Risk & Regulation: What Lenders Need to Watch in 2026 with Jim Cretella

How the Next Generation of Lenders Think: Learning, Uncertainty and the Future of the Industry

In this episode of In Focus with Haversine Funding, Nolan Reichert sits down with Eddie Mun and Farrah Vargas for a different kind of conversation — no moderator, no rigid agenda, just an honest discussion on how they are navigating today’s environment in real time.All three bring a unique perspective as part of a generation of leaders operating through rapid change across the specialty finance industry. The conversation focuses less on theory and more on how they actually operate day-to-day — how they learn, how they handle uncertainty, and how they think about staying relevant as the industry evolves.Topics include:What continuous learning really looks like — and why application matters more than informationHow to turn uncertainty into an advantage instead of waiting for clarityHow the industry is shifting beneath the surface, from speed and decision-making to the role of AI and changing workforce dynamicsThe habits, mindset, and behaviors that are separating top performers todayThis episode is geared toward operators, lenders, and professionals at all stages who want a practical look at how others are thinking, adapting, and growing in a rapidly changing environment.--------------------------------------------------------🔍 Learn more about Haversine Funding:Our Website → https://haversinefunding.com/Haversine Management and its subsidiaries, headquartered in Dallas, Texas, exist to provide fast, fair and flexible funding solutions to commercial lenders. Formed in 2018, Haversine helps factors, asset-based lenders, inventory, purchase order, equipment and real estate lenders fill funding gaps by providing senior and junior lender finance lines of credit up to $30,000,000, as well as participation program options.

Fraud, Risk & Regulation: What Lenders Need to Watch in 2026 with Jim Cretella

In this episode of In Focus with Haversine Funding, Nolan Reichert sits down with Jim Cretella, Partner at Blank Rome, to discuss what he’s seeing across the specialty finance market heading into 2025.From his unique vantage point advising lenders before, during, and after periods of stress, Jim shares insight into shifting lender behavior, emerging fraud risks, and the regulatory trends that are starting to reshape the industry — including recent Texas legislation impacting merchant cash advance (MCA) providers.Rather than focusing on theory, this conversation centers on real-world observations: what feels different in today’s market, what lenders may be underestimating, and where discipline, judgment, and speed matter most.Topics covered in this episode include:What’s changed in specialty finance as we move through 2025How fraud is showing up differently — and where lenders miss early warning signsTexas MCA legislation and why it matters for lenders and operatorsWhat went wrong with First Brands and lessons learnedBorrower and lender behaviors Jim is seeing more frequentlyPractical lessons for navigating uncertainty and market pressureWhether you’re an owner, operator, or new to the industry, this episode offers timely perspective from someone who sees the market from the front lines.🔗 Learn more about Blank Rome:https://www.blankrome.com#SpecialtyFinance #Factoring #ABL #MerchantCashAdvance#CommercialLending #PrivateCredit #LenderFinance#FinancePodcast #RegulatoryTrends #TexasMCA#InFocusWithHaversine--------------------------------------------------------🔍 Learn more about Haversine Funding:Our Website → https://haversinefunding.com/Haversine Management and its subsidiaries, headquartered in Dallas, Texas, exist to provide fast, fair and flexible funding solutions to commercial lenders. Formed in 2018, Haversine helps factors, asset-based lenders, inventory, purchase order, equipment and real estate lenders fill funding gaps by providing senior and junior lender finance lines of credit up to $30,000,000, as well as participation program options.

How AI Is Transforming Structured Finance | Ryan Jaskiewicz, Climate First Bank

In this episode of In Focus with Haversine Funding, we sit down with Ryan Jaskiewicz, President of Structured Finance at Climate First Bank, to unpack how AI is actually being used inside a commercial bank — beyond the buzzwords.Ryan shares how his team is implementing AI across structured finance and specialty lending, where automation truly adds value, and how lenders can balance technology with sound credit judgment. We also dig into broader industry trends, including how banks and non-bank lenders are adapting in a rapidly changing market.What you’ll learn in this episode:How Climate First Bank is applying AI in real lending workflowsWhere AI improves underwriting, monitoring, and efficiency — and where it doesn’tHow structured finance teams can stay competitive as technology evolvesThe biggest shifts Ryan sees across banking, specialty finance, and private creditLeadership lessons from driving innovation inside a regulated institutionWhether you’re a lender, operator, or investor, this conversation offers practical insight into how AI is reshaping structured finance — and how to use it responsibly.🔗 Learn more about Climate First Bank:https://www.climatefirstbank.com--------------------------------------------------------🔍 Learn more about Haversine Funding:Our Website → https://haversinefunding.com/Haversine Management and its subsidiaries, headquartered in Dallas, Texas, exist to provide fast, fair and flexible funding solutions to commercial lenders. Formed in 2018, Haversine helps factors, asset-based lenders, inventory, purchase order, equipment and real estate lenders fill funding gaps by providing senior and junior lender finance lines of credit up to $30,000,000, as well as participation program options.

Trade Finance in 2025 with Alisa Rusanoff: Fraud, Fintech & the Rise of Private Credit

In this episode of In Focus with Haversine Funding, Nolan Reichert and Jeffrey Whaley sit down with Alisa Rusanoff, CEO of Eltech.ai, and a leading expert in global trade finance, fintech platforms, and private credit, to break down one of the fastest-growing — and most misunderstood — corners of specialty finance.We dig into the real forces shaping trade and supply-chain finance today, including high-profile fraud cases, risk breakdowns, AI-powered underwriting, and why non-bank lenders are rapidly taking the lead in this asset class. What you’ll learn in this episode:What the recent First Brands situation exposed about visibility & fraud in supply-chain financingWhether rapid private credit deployment is outpacing underwriting disciplineThe true role of AI in underwriting, compliance, and fraud detectionHow generative AI and machine learning are redefining deal evaluationWhy trade finance is becoming dominated by non-bank lenders in the U.S.The rise of embedded finance and what it means for lendersWhat skills, tools & technologies institutions need to stay competitiveWhat trade finance will look like in the next five yearsIf you’re in trade finance, private credit, ABL, factoring, fintech, or underwriting, this conversation is a must-watch. Alisa brings clarity, depth, and forward-looking insight into a segment poised for massive growth.👉 Watch until the end for her #1 takeaway for lenders and fintech operators innovating in this space.🔍 Learn more about Alisa Rusanoffhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/alisa-rusanoff-9637a659/www.Eltech.ai#TradeFinance #SupplyChainFinance #PrivateCredit #Fintech #AIFinance #Underwriting #FraudPrevention #SpecialtyFinance #EmbeddedFinance #CommercialLending #FinancePodcast #InFocusWithHaversine #LenderFinance #FirstBrands #AI#MachineLearning #GenerativeAI #riskmanagement --------------------------------------------------------🔍 Learn more about Haversine Funding:Our Website → https://haversinefunding.com/Haversine Management and its subsidiaries, headquartered in Dallas, Texas, exist to provide fast, fair and flexible funding solutions to commercial lenders. Formed in 2018, Haversine helps factors, asset-based lenders, inventory, purchase order, equipment and real estate lenders fill funding gaps by providing senior and junior lender finance lines of credit up to $30,000,000, as well as participation program options.

Bob Zadek on the Evolution of Factoring: From Its Beginnings to the Future of Finance

In this episode of In Focus with Haversine Funding, Nolan Reichert and Jeff Whaley sit down with Bob Zadek, Of Counsel at Buchalter and one of the most respected voices in commercial finance law.Bob shares stories that take us back to the early days of modern factoring — when the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) was first being shaped by his mentors — and walks through how the industry has evolved since. From the birth of merchant cash advances (MCAs) to how lenders think about credit and risk today, Bob brings a rare, first-hand perspective few in the industry can match.📌 What you’ll learn:How factoring evolved into the modern specialty finance industry we know todayThe story behind early UCC developments and how they shaped secured lendingHow merchant cash advances emerged and changed small business financingBob’s take on where factoring and alternative finance are headed nextLessons from decades of deals, documentation, and industry innovation🔍 Learn more about Bob Zadek:https://www.buchalter.com/attorneys/robert-zadek/Whether you’re a lender, operator, or student of the industry, this episode is a must-watch for anyone who wants to understand how factoring started — and where it’s going.--------------------------------------------------------🔍 Learn more about Haversine Funding:Our Website → https://haversinefunding.com/Haversine Management and its subsidiaries, headquartered in Dallas, Texas, exist to provide fast, fair and flexible funding solutions to commercial lenders. Formed in 2018, Haversine helps factors, asset-based lenders, inventory, purchase order, equipment and real estate lenders fill funding gaps by providing senior and junior lender finance lines of credit up to $30,000,000, as well as participation program options.