By Joshua Burd
The largest private lending event in the country is coming to New Jersey, following a rebrand and what organizers say is a major shift in its mission.
According to Jonathan L. Hornik, the owner of the National Private Lenders Association, the newly minted NPLA Conference will take place June 19 to 21 at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City. The program will mark the conference’s 58th year, providing a host of new networking, educational and entertainment opportunities as part of an increased connection between the association and what was long known as the Pitbull Conference.
“This will revolutionize the private lending industry and bring a whole host of positive changes eagerly anticipated by leaders in the space — providing much needed networking and education support during these tumultuous times,” said Hornik, who leads the Private Lender Law unit of Freehold-based LaRocca Hornik Rosen & Greenberg LLP.
The event will follow Private Lender Law’s acquisition last fall of the Pitbull Conference platform and the National Private Lenders Association.
“Our new name and visual identity reflect our commitment to education, networking and entertainment,” Hornik said. “People come to this conference to do business and make deals, and our rebranding attests to the conference’s high caliber and commitment to networking and dealmaking. The conference’s mission to provide top-quality networking opportunities and real-time content will remain central.”
Hornik noted that the program will open with a charity poker tournament, followed by a VIP cocktail party on June 20 and late-night after-party on June 21, with an agenda that also includes golf tournaments. Importantly, he said, the NPLA membership will be involved in panels, presentations and every other aspect of the conference.
“Moving forward, the NPLA will power both the primary association and conference,” he said, later adding: “All of my meaningful business relationships come from decades of attending the conference. I’m grateful to the conference for helping to grow Private Lender Law into the largest U.S. full-service private lending law firm, and I’m ecstatic to build the NPLA Conference into an event where others in the space can continue to experience the same benefits. Our new positioning is the launch pad for continued growth and success.”
