There is much that is new in this New Year. The new Executive Director of the American Association of Private Lenders, Matt Benson, is working on a major initiative to bring together private lenders and real estate investors. Working in conjunction with the Professional Real Estate Investors and Managers Alliance (PREIMA), AAPL will co-host “Got Money? Need Money?” a two day conference and business opportunity summit.

The conference will provide outstanding information to help you do business better. At the same time, it offers two days of legitimate deal making opportunities. The spring conference will take place April 29-30 in Kansas City, Missouri at the convention center downtown.

Matt Benson, Executive Director of American Association of Private Lenders, and Gabrielle LeVota, Executive Director of the Professional Real Estate Investors and Managers Alliance took time out of their busy schedules to answer a few questions about what to expect from the spring event.

What prompted the idea for “Got Money? Need Money?”

Matt Benson: We have lenders who are passionate about rebuilding communities and they cannot do that alone. Community banks are dying and are unable to fund many deals due to the regulatory environment. For that reason, and others, private lending will continue to grow. We saw an opportunity to bring people together from across the country to help facilitate transactions and to help sustain growth for our members.

Gabrielle LeVota: That is really what makes this event so different from all of the others. It is important for both of us to listen to our members and event attendees. We have spoken with the lenders and spenders at other industry events. Our industries are largely built through entrepreneurs. We are providing a place for entrepreneurs to learn and grow from reputable industry veterans, while also providing genuine deal opportunities.

What type of attendees are you looking to attract and what are you hoping they can take away from this experience?

MB: Our conferences are known for having high caliber, quality presenters and attendees. That will not be any different. We are just bringing two different types of people together – those who need to borrow money and those who are looking to lend money. By doing this, we will be adding a third crucial element to the conference – aside from education and networking – which is deal flow.

GL: It is not something you will find anywhere else right now. We want every single attendee and sponsor to walk away with relationships that will strengthen their business both in the immediate future and for long-term growth.

You have had events in cities like Las Vegas, Washington D.C. and Austin, TX. Why did you choose Kansas City for this conference?

MB: The Kansas City Convention Center is located in the heart of Kansas City. It is just a few blocks from the Power and Light Entertainment District, the new Kauffman Performing Arts Center and the Crossroads Art District.  There is so much to see and do if you have downtime and spring is a beautiful time of year here.

GL: Kansas City is centrally located, and the airport is very user friendly. Other than that, Kansas City is home to both of our companies and we thought it might help attendees to better understand our culture and where we come from.

Just one more question – Where do you get your BBQ?

MB: Kansas City has a lot to choose from. I personally like Fiorella’s Jack Stack BBQ, but almost anywhere you go is going to be spot on and true to the well-know flavor of KC.

GL: Besides the great food, which there will definitely be plenty of, we hope to create a great experience for new contacts and help them get deals made.

This is going to be a spectacular event, filled with so many great opportunities! Tickets are available for purchase right now and early bird registration prices will apply until Feb. 28 so get your tickets early. Discount bundles are also available, allowing you to purchase not only admission to the spring conference, but big savings on a PREIMA and/or AAPL annual membership. For ticket pricing, purchasing and conference information please visit www.aapl-preima.com or follow hashtag #GotMoneyNeedMoney2014 on Twitter to follow conference conversation and buzz.