The G20 represents the world's most important industrialised and developing economies and is the premier forum for international economic growth and development across the globe. Next month's meeting in Mexico brings an opportunity for the G20 to recognise the critical role that women play in global economic growth and stability in roles as producers, consumers, employees, and entrepreneurs. It is the G20's duty to call for women's inclusion to ensure they receive access to finance, markets, ownership of land, and the education and training that will allow them to operate in today's economy.
In these challenging financial times the world cannot afford to ignore the collective potential of women to contribute to economic development whilst improving the wellbeing of their families. Their business acumen is very often underpinned by a drive not only to improve their own future but also to provide for their families.
The meeting of the G20 leaders is an important event when changes can be made and challenges discussed. This year advancing financial inclusion for economic growth has been established as top priorities for the summit.
Women all over the world are constantly faced with the inability to provide for themselves and their family, blocked by discrimination and cultural norms forcing them to face an unnecessarily bleak future. Although women are often the main provider for the family, they are disadvantaged by access to finance or no access at all. If this was rectified they would be able to pay for their children to go to school and enable the next generation to have a better future, as well as be more stable providers for the family.
Agriculture plays a critical role in millions of women's survival. By giving a women access to finance in a rural village, she can purchase a solar panel and start a small business through her neighbours paying to charge their electrical goods, or she can purchase livestock to feed her family and produce goods to sell. Equal access to finance will open many doors for these women who currently have nowhere to turn and are discriminated against because of their gender.
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation and Farming First have produced an interactive graphic showing how women play a leading role in agriculture around the world and the challenges they are up against due to inequality. Investing in rural women has been proven to dramatically increase productivity and positively impact their lives. This doesn't just help women but also the family they are providing for and the communities they are members of.
On average in developing countries, 43% of the agricultural labour force are women and account for an estimated two-thirds of the world's 600 million poor livestock keepers. These women are discriminated against by societies, laws, tradition and access, that prevent them from owning and inheriting land.
By removing these gender discriminations it would dramatically improve food and nutrition security globally, and enable millions of women to provide for their families.
There are signs of progress with the G20 Finance Ministers recognising the need to increase women's access to financial services. This has been helped by the organisation La Pietra Coalition who has been asking the G20 to take action to advance women's financial inclusion, by endorsing the recommendations of the IFC and GPFI, and to insist that progress towards those commitments for women be measured and reported publicly.
I urge banks to work to ensure women have access and support to be able to obtain finance. I call on the G20 leaders to create the environment where women receive the support they deserve and require in order to continue to build on their contribution to the global economy. If the G20 collaborates with banks we can really start to tackle the disparities that exist in the global market and work towards creating a better environment for women.
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Forex: NZD/USD testing December lows - FXStreet.com
Triumph Expands Commercial Finance Platform With Addition of Industry Veterans Karas and Copple - msnbc.com
DALLAS, May 23, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via PRWEB - Triumph Commercial Finance, a wholly owned subsidiary of Triumph Savings Bank, SSB, today announced the naming of two senior executives to lead its asset based lending and equipment finance operations. Dan Karas has been named EVP, Asset Based Lending and Dirk Copple will serve as EVP, Equipment Finance.
"The expansion into asset based lending and commercial finance is a logical next step for Triumph," said Aaron P. Graft, CEO of Triumph Savings Bank, SSB. "Earlier this year, we acquired Advance Business Capital, a best in class factoring company. Our plan was to leverage the strength of Advance Business Capital's leadership team and platform to build a mutli-faceted commercial finance organization. With the addition of Dan Karas and Dirk Copple, we've assembled a top notch team to lead us forward."
"Both of these guys are terrific relationship lenders," said Steven Hausman, who besides leading Advance Business Capital will now serve as President and CEO of Triumph Commercial Finance. "Dan Karas and Dirk Copple have each built organizations that really got to know their customers." George Thorson, Advance Business Capital's Chief Operating Officer, will also serve as the Chief Credit Officer for the Triumph Commercial Finance.
Dan Karas to Lead Asset Based Lending
Dan Karas brings nearly thirty years' of experience in all aspects of commercial finance to Triumph Commercial Finance. For the last five years Karas has been Executive Vice President and Managing Director of Marquette Business Credit, where he led Marquette's general factoring business as well as marketing for its asset based lending platform. Prior to that, he spent seven years at GE Commercial Finance/Heller Financial as Managing Director of the Corporate Lending Group, then the Enterprise Client Group and finally Energy Financial Services. He received his BS in Finance and Management from Temple University and his MBA from the Stern School of Business at New York University.
Said Karas, "I'm thrilled to be joining a team with the capacity, vision and drive to build an organization that delivers superior value to our clients and stakeholders. Triumph Commercial Finance is a client-centric business designed to meet the growth needs of the small and middle market businesses that play such a critical role in our economy."
Dirk Copple to Lead Equipment Financing
Dirk Copple is a twenty-two year veteran of commercial equipment finance, beginning his career the Associates Commercial Corporation and, subsequently, CitiCapital Commercial Corp. He joined Financial Federal Corporation in 2002, building a significant transportation portfolio for the Southwest region. After Financial Federal was acquired by People's United Bank in 2010, Copple's responsibilities were expanded to include construction equipment and other asset financing. He has a BS in Business Administration from the University of Arkansas.
Said Copple, "There's an energy level to this Triumph team that is truly irresistible. Core values are visible and communicated openly, and there's a commitment to doing business the right way. I'm very honored to be part of the Triumph Commercial Finance team."
Triumph Savings Bank, SSB
Triumph Commercial Finance is a wholly owned subsidiary of Triumph Savings Bank. Triumph Savings Bank was founded in November 2010 when a group of investors led by Dallas entrepreneur Aaron P. Graft, acquired and recapitalized the financially troubled Equity Bank, SSB. Triumph is now pursuing its goal of expanding into non-traditional banking sectors. The bank's commercial finance subsidiary, Triumph Commercial Finance, acquired Advance Business Capital, one of the nation's leading transportation factoring companies, in January of 2012.
Said Graft, "When we evaluate any new business opportunity, we primarily focus on the quality of the people who will lead the team. Our secondary consideration is the market fundamentals for the particular segment. Whenever we find outstanding people with experience in structurally underserved market segments, we move quickly. That's what led to the decision to bring Dan Karas and Dirk Copple to Triumph Commercial Finance to lead us into these new markets, and we are very excited about the future."
This article was originally distributed on PRWeb. For the original version including any supplementary images or video, visit http://www.prweb.com/releases/2012/5/prweb9534609.htm
CONTACT: Triumph Commercial Finance Steven Hausman SHausman@abcllc.com 214-513-9610
© Copyright 2012, GlobeNewswire, Inc. All Rights Reserved
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