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The private lending industry gathered on June 22–23 at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City for the 2026 National Private Lenders Conference (NPLA), bringing together lenders, brokers, capital providers, investors, technology companies, legal professionals, and service providers for two days of education, networking, and industry collaboration.
More than a traditional conference, NPLA once again demonstrated why it has become one of the industry’s premier events. The agenda reflected the topics shaping today’s market: capital markets, investor sentiment, product demand, artificial intelligence, credit quality, operational efficiency, and relationship-building. Across every panel and networking event, one message emerged consistently: sustainable growth in today’s lending environment requires stronger capital discipline, smarter technology, and deeper industry partnerships.
Monday, June 22
NPLA Broker Networking Session
The conference officially opened with the NPLA Broker Networking Session, hosted by EntityScan AI. Designed to facilitate meaningful introductions between brokers and lending professionals, the session created an environment focused on business development, referral opportunities, and relationship-building before the educational programming began.
Women’s Networking Event
One of the highlights of the opening day was the Women’s Networking Event, sponsored by Women in Private Lending (WPL), AAPL,The Mortgage Office, Arixa Capital, Forta Law, and other industry leaders.
Rather than a traditional networking reception, the event was intentionally structured around small-group discussions designed to connect women across different experience levels and professional backgrounds. The initiative reflects the industry’s growing commitment to fostering leadership, mentorship, and long-term professional relationships while expanding opportunities for women throughout the private lending sector.
Kick-Off Cocktail Party Hosted by Figure
The evening concluded with the Kick-Off Cocktail Party hosted by Figure, offering attendees an opportunity to continue conversations in a more informal setting.
As one of the conference’s signature networking events, the reception brought together executives, lenders, investors, technology providers, and industry partners, reinforcing one of the recurring themes of NPLA: while technology continues transforming private lending, relationships remain at the center of the business.
Tuesday, June 23
Welcome Remarks
The conference’s educational sessions officially began with welcome remarks led by Jon Hornik, Executive Director of the NPLA Conference and Attorney at Private Lender Law, setting the stage for a full day of discussions focused on today’s evolving lending environment.
Oops… wrong folder! These photos are actually from the Official After Party. Now, let’s rewind to where the conference officially began—the Welcome Remarks.
Private Credit & Capital Markets
The first panel examined how today’s capital markets are influencing lending strategy, warehouse financing, liquidity, investor appetite, and credit spreads.
Panelists included:
- Jon Hornik — Executive Director, NPLA Conference & Attorney, Private Lender Law
- Eric Abramovich — Co-Founder, ROC Capital
- John Beacham — CEO, Toorak Capital Partners
- Ben Fertig — President, Constructive Capital
- Ezra Dweck — President, IceCap Group
- Jeffrey Tesch — CEO, RCN Capital
The discussion highlighted the growing importance of capital efficiency and maintaining strong funding relationships as lenders navigate an increasingly disciplined market environment.
Product, Demand & Opportunity Across Real Estate Lending
The next panel shifted the focus toward product strategy and borrower demand across today’s lending landscape.
Speakers included:
- Jeffrey Tesch — CEO, RCN Capital
- Marcia Kaufman — CEO, Bayport Funding
- Jared Reyes — SVP, Head of Sales, Merchants Mortgage
- Kyle McCann — Northeast Sales Manager & SVP, Asset Based Lending
- Debra Huddleston — Managing Director, Brean Capital
The conversation explored which lending products continue to gain traction, how borrower demand is evolving, and where institutional capital continues to see opportunity despite changing market conditions.
Lending at Speed: Automation, AI & the Future of Loan Execution
Artificial intelligence emerged as one of the conference’s most discussed topics during this technology-focused panel.
Participants included:
- Michael Tedesco — EVP, Private Lending, Appraisal Nation
- Garrett Kuhlman — Customer Success Manager, OnyxIQ
- Kristine Viera — CEO, ClearClose
- Yuval Golan — Founder & CEO, Waltz
- Omar Hussein — Co-Founder & CSO, Converge
- Cory Bilyeu — Staff AI Engineer, Figure
The panel explored how lenders are implementing AI, automation, fraud detection, document processing, and workflow optimization to improve loan execution, reduce operational friction, and deliver a better borrower and broker experience. A recurring message throughout the discussion was that technology is no longer viewed as an experimental initiative—it has become a core competitive advantage.
Boots on the Ground: Investor Sentiment, Loan Quality & What Lenders Are Seeing in Real Time
The final major discussion focused on what lenders are experiencing in today’s market rather than theoretical forecasts.
Panelists included:
- Aaron Metaj — EVP of Sales, Lima One Capital
- James Gaskin — Managing Director, Corporate Development & Partnerships, Renovo Financial
- Ruben Izgelov — Managing Partner, We Lend
- Eric Panecki — CEO, Brick City Capital
- Leila Morinaga — Chief Operating Officer, KÉCO Capital
The panel examined borrower behavior, investor sentiment, loan quality, liquidity challenges, valuation gaps, broker submission quality, and the evolving credit standards lenders are applying in response to current market conditions.
Official After Party Hosted by Private Lender Law
The conference concluded with the Official After Party hosted by Private Lender Law at the Hard Rock’s Sound Waves Theater.
Featuring cocktails, live entertainment by Brian Kirk & The Jirks, and continued networking, the event provided attendees with one final opportunity to strengthen relationships and continue conversations initiated throughout the conference.
Final Takeaway
Across two days of programming, the 2026 NPLA Conference reinforced four themes that are shaping the future of private lending: disciplined access to capital, evolving product strategies, operational transformation through artificial intelligence, and stronger industry relationships.
While markets continue to evolve, one takeaway was clear: the firms best positioned for long-term growth will be those capable of combining capital strength, disciplined underwriting, operational efficiency, and meaningful partnerships across the private lending ecosystem.
Uriel Fleicher
Editor in Chief and Co-Founder of The Elite Officer.
Uriel Fleicher is a lawyer from Argentina with a strong academic background, holding a Master in Business Law and currently pursuing an MBA. Throughout his extensive career, he has provided legal counsel to Private Lending Firms in Argentina, which allowed him to establish valuable connections with key industry leaders in the United States. This experience enabled him, along with his partners, to identify a unique opportunity: the creation of The Elite Officer.