The American Securitization Forum has taken to the desert this week with its second annual securitization industry conference in Scottsdale, Ariz., and this year attendees will have more panel discussions to choose from, as well as more recreational opportunities. The four-day event, held at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess resort, will feature hot air balloon and glider rides, horseback riding, a Texas Hold'em poker tournament, a show by Jay Leno and, of course, an enhanced package of industry panels.
ASF Associate Director Tom Deutsche said one of the highlights of the conference will be a session on securities offering reform featuring Paula Dubberly, associate director in the Securities and Exchange Commission's division of corporation finance. Dubberly was one of the main architects of Reg AB and will discuss the rule and its implications along with other key figures in the industry.
Deutsche also highlighted a session called Four Investor Perspec-tives on the ABS Market, in which prominent ABS investors will address key investor concerns. At that panel, ASF will unveil the results of its long awaited investor survey. The survey, conducted by Greenwich Associates, asked a broad array of investors about the ABS market and about areas they thought could be improved with it. ASF will distribute some of the survey's results as part of the conference materials available to attendees.
Deutsche says what makes ASF's conference different is that it is more educationally focused than other conferences and the information offered is more relevant. "Our conference is designed for and by investors," he said. Deutsche says he expects 1200 to 1500 attendees at the conference, which represents an increase over last year.
A panel with representatives from the SEC, Moody's Investors Service, and Standard & Poor's will discuss the role of rating agencies in the securitization markets. The panel will focus on how rating agencies are currently regulated and whether or not additional regulation is necessary.
The conference will close on Wednesday with updates on the aircraft, manufactured housing, equipment lease and timeshare asset classes, as well as an emerging markets update. There will also be a panel on "niche" assets such as intellectual property royalty streams, entertainment recievables and railcar leases.
To unwind after long days of learning about securitization, attendees will be able to choose from a ramped up variety of recreational activities. On Tuesday, there will be a tennis tournament and horseback riding, as well as Hummer tours and glider rides. Wednesday will feature hot-air balloon rides, mountain bike tours and a shotgun golf tournament. Included in the conference's extra curricular activities will be a Texas Hold'em poker tournament, contested to the sounds of dueling pianos, after which the winners will donate their winnings to charity.
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