Sec Form 13D Filing - WILLIS CHARLES F IV filing for WILLIS LEASE FINANCE CORP (WLFC) - 2024-04-03

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

SCHEDULE 13D

Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

(Amendment No. 34)

Willis Lease Finance Corporation

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(Name of Issuer)

Common Stock

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(Title of Class of Securities)

970646 10 5

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(CUSIP Number)

Charles F. Willis, IV

c/o Willis Lease Finance Corporation

4700 Lyons Technology Parkway

Coconut Creek, Florida 33073

(415) 408-4700

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(Name, Address and Telephone Number of Person

Authorized to Receive Notices and Communications)

April 1, 2024

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Date of Event Which Requires Filing of this Statement

If the filing person has previously filed a statement on Schedule 13G to report the acquisition that is the subject of this statement, and is filing this schedule because of Rule 13d-1(e), Rule 13d-1(f) or Rule 13d-1(g), check the following box.

Note: Schedules filed in paper format shall include a signed original and five copies of the schedule, including all exhibits. See Rule 13d-7(b) for other parties to whom copies are to be sent.

The share numbers listed for voting and dispositive power as of a particular date include the number of shares into which options were exercisable or would be exercisable within 60 days of such date.

The information required on the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed to be “filed” for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Act”) or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the Notes).

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1	NAMES OF REPORTING PERSONS
	CFW Partners, L.P.
2	CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP			(a)	☐
				(b)	☐
3	SEC USE ONLY
4	SOURCE OF FUNDS (SEE INSTRUCTIONS)
	OO, PF
5	CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEM 2(D) OR 2(E)				☐
6	CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
	Delaware
NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON WITH		7	SOLE VOTING POWER
			0
		8	SHARED VOTING POWER
			2,134,148
		9	SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
			0
		10	SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
			2,134,148
11	AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
	2,134,148
12	CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES (SEE INSTRUCTIONS)				☐
13	PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)
	30.11%
14	TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON (SEE INSTRUCTIONS)
	PN

1	NAMES OF REPORTING PERSONS
	Charles F. Willis, IV
2	CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP			(a)	☐
				(b)	☐
3	SEC USE ONLY
4	SOURCE OF FUNDS (SEE INSTRUCTIONS)
	OO, PF
5	CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEM 2(D) OR 2(E)				☐
6	CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
	United States of America
NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON WITH		7	SOLE VOTING POWER
			985,033
		8	SHARED VOTING POWER
			2,146,230
		9	SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
			823,100
		10	SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
			1,984,297
11	AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
	3,131,263
12	CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES (SEE INSTRUCTIONS)				☐
13	PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)
	44.18%
14	TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON (SEE INSTRUCTIONS)
	IN

1

NAMES OF REPORTING PERSONS

Austin Chandler Willis

2

CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP

(a)

☐

(b)

☐

3

SEC USE ONLY

4

SOURCE OF FUNDS (SEE INSTRUCTIONS)

OO, PF

5

CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEM 2(D) OR 2(E)

☐

6

CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION

United States of America

NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON WITH

7

SOLE VOTING POWER

212,224

8

SHARED VOTING POWER

646,895

9

SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER

128,911

10

SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER

0

11

AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON

859,119

12

CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES (SEE INSTRUCTIONS)

☐

13

PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)

12.12%

14

TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON (SEE INSTRUCTIONS)

IN

The Schedule 13D filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 11, 2000 (the “Initial 13D”) by CFW Partners, the Trust and Mr. Charles F. Willis, IV with respect to the Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Shares”), issued by Willis Lease Finance Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Issuer”), as amended on August 28, 2013, October 1, 2013, July 7, 2015, December 23, 2015, March 23, 2016, May 20, 2016, June 8, 2016, October 6, 2016, April 4, 2018, September 13, 2018, April 1, 2019, June 27, 2019, September 16, 2019, November 4, 2019, February 10, 2020, March 10, 2020, March 16, 2020, April 6, 2020, August 26, 2020, September 17, 2020, March 16, 2021, March 23, 2021, June 25, 2021, August 11, 2021, September 7, 2021, April 5, 2022, November 17, 2022, January 18, 2023, March 14, 2023, March 16, 2023, March 29, 2023, April 14, 2023, and November 17, 2023 (together with the Initial 13D, the “13D”), is hereby amended as set forth below. Capitalized terms not defined herein have the meanings ascribed to them in the 13D.

Item 5 of the 13D is hereby amended to add the following:

(a) As of April 1, 2024, the Reporting Persons beneficially owned the following Shares:

• CFW Partners: 2,134,148

• Charles F. Willis, IV: 3,131,263

• Austin C. Willis: 859,119

(b) As of April 1, 2024, the Reporting Persons had the power to vote, dispose of, or direct the vote or disposition of the following Shares:

(c) On April 1, 2024, the Reporting Persons were granted an aggregate 181,700 Shares representing unvested restricted stock awards, which are held by the Reporting Persons as follows: Mr. Charles F. Willis, IV was granted 115,000 Shares representing unvested restricted stock awards and Mr. Austin Chandler Willis was granted 66,700 Shares representing unvested restricted stock awards. Also on April 1, 2024, the Reporting Persons returned an aggregate 57,647 Shares to the Issuer to satisfy withholding tax liability, based on a price of $48.78 per Share, which were disposed of by the Reporting Persons as follows: Mr. Charles F. Willis, IV returned 38,544 Shares to the Issuer on such date and Mr. Austin Chandler Willis returned 19,103 Shares to the Issuer on such date.  In addition, the following table sets forth descriptions of Shares sold in the open market through a broker effected during the past sixty days by the Reporting Persons:

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(1)

This transaction was executed in multiple trades at prices ranging from $48.34 to $49.20, inclusive. The price reported above reflects the weighted average sale price. The Reporting Persons undertake to provide to the Issuer, any security holder of the Issuer, or the staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission, upon request, full information regarding the number of Shares sold at each separate price within the range set forth herein.

(d) No person(s) other than the Reporting Persons is known to have the right to receive or the power to direct the receipt of dividends from, or proceeds from the sale of, the shares of the Issuer beneficially owned by the Reporting Persons.

(e) Not applicable.

Item 7 is hereby amended and supplemented by adding the following exhibit as the last exhibit of Item 7 of the 13D:

 

1. Joint Filing Agreement

 

SIGNATURES

After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I certify that the information set forth in this Statement is true, complete, and correct.