The Equipment Leasing and Finance Association has announced the results of the association’s September 2014 Business Council Steering Committee elections. The Business Council Steering Committees are the association’s primary constituent bodies and are an integral part of ELFA’s operations, providing critical input on the direction of the association and serving as a bridge between the membership and the Board of Directors and staff. Each committee analyzes the needs of companies in the segment it represents and recommends to the Board of Directors how to meet those needs. The committee members are elected by the Business Council membership for a term of two years on a staggered basis.

The Captive and Vendor Finance Business Council Steering Committee represents financial services organizations that provide sales-assisted financing and vendor and manufacturer support activities, either on a third-party or captive basis. The following individuals will serve on the committee in 2015. Asterisks indicate members who were newly elected or re-elected in the September 2014 elections.

• Brian Madison, Key Equipment Finance (Chair)
• Shawn Arnone, Century Tokyo Leasing
• Ron Arrington (Board Liaison)
• James Elwood, Bank of the West*
• David Gilmore, John Deere Financial
• Gene Karger, Toyota Financial Services*
• Keith Large, AGCO Finance
• Randy Montrose, Skyjack Financial Services*
• Nick Small, CIT*
• Michael Sweeney, EverBank Commercial Finance*
• Daniel Waller, GE Capital Markets
• David Walton, Caterpillar Financial Services

The Financial Institutions Business Council Steering Committee represents bank-related organizations and other financial institutions (commercial banks, investment banks, and multi-line finance companies) involved in single transactions over $5 million. The following individuals will serve on the committee in 2015. Asterisks indicate members who were newly elected or re-elected in the September 2014 elections.

• Alan Sikora, First American Equipment Finance, a City National Bank Company (Chair)*
• Bob Blee, GE Capital Markets
• Peter Bullen, Key Equipment Finance*
• Tom Cira, Bridge Capital Leasing, Inc.*
• David Coutu, Massmutual Asset Finance LLC
• Michael Doyle, BTMU Capital Leasing and Finance*
• Jeff Elliott, Huntington Equipment Finance
• Dave Farrell, Banc of America Leasing
• Randall Gaston, Prime Alliance Bank
• Brian Griffin, MB Financial Bank (Board Liaison)
• Joe Hines, SunTrust Robinson Humphrey Equipment Finance Group*
• Dan McKew, Capital One Equipment Finance*
• David Miele, Citizens Asset Finance
• Tom Petersen, Wells Fargo Equipment Finance
• Rod Roberts, Prudential Capital Group
• Michael Romanowski, Farm Credit Leasing Services Corporation*
• Tom Vasilakos, PNC Equipment Finance LLC*
• Dave Verkinderen, US Bank Equipment Finance*

The Independent Middle Market Business Council Steering Committee represents non-bank-related organizations primarily involved in transactions between $250,000 and $5 million, either individually or through lines. The following individuals will serve on the committee in 2014. Asterisks indicate members who were newly elected or re-elected in the September 2013 elections.

• Gary LoMonaco, Forsythe/McArthur Associates (Chair)*
• Craig Ault, CSI Leasing*
• William Besgen, Hitachi Capital America (Board Liaison)
• Michael Brigante, Nations Equipment Finance
• Connie Eimers, Vision Financial Group
• John Heist, Jr., Summit Funding Group*
• Jonathan Hibma, EFFI Finance*
• Brian Holland, Fleet Advantage
• Donald Link, Hitachi Capital America*
• Shad Peterson, Sasser Family Holdings*
• Tom Rutherford, TIP Capital
• Marci Slagle, Varilease Corporate Finance*
• Carol Virgin, CHG-MERIDIAN USA*
• Neil Whitman, NewStar Equipment Finance*

The Service Providers Business Council Steering Committee represents companies that providing a variety of services in support of the equipment finance industry, including legal, accounting, software and systems support, and other specialized professional services.  The following individuals will serve on the committee in 2015. Asterisks indicate members who were newly elected or re-elected in the September 2014 elections.

• Daniel Nelson, Tamarack Consulting (Chair)
• Brett Boehm, TBF Financial*
• Donna Christensen, Corporation Service Company*
• Alex Darcy, Askounis & Darcy, P.C.
• Jon Gerson, Executive Solutions for Leasing and Finance
• Mitch Kaufman, IFS Technology Solutions
• Bill Phelan, PayNet (Board Liaison)
• Barry Ripes, PayNet*
• Michael Toglia, Equipment Finance Advisor
• Jeff Van Slyke, LeaseTeam
• David Wiener, The Alta Group*

The Small Ticket Business Council Steering Committee represents financial services organizations primarily involved in transactions under $250,000, either individually or through lines. The following individuals will serve on the committee in 2015. Asterisks indicate members who were newly elected or re-elected in the September 2014 elections.

• Kris Darby, Western Equipment Finance (Chair)*
• John Beard, LEAF Commercial Capital
• Jeffery Berg, DLL*
• Hugh Connelly, Univest Capital
• Joseph T. (Tom) Ellis, US Bank Equipment Finance*
• Dawn Gillette, Direct Capital Corporation
• Miles Herman, LEAF Commercial Capital (Board Liaison)
• Marty Klees, Great American Leasing Corporation*
• Paul Knowlton, Union Bank
• David Normandin, Banc of California
• Mark Scardigli, Marlin Leasing Company

The Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA) is the trade association that represents companies in the $903 billion equipment finance sector, which includes financial services companies and manufacturers engaged in financing capital goods. ELFA members are the driving force behind the growth in the commercial equipment finance market and contribute to capital formation in the U.S. and abroad. Its 580 members include independent and captive leasing and finance companies, banks, financial services corporations, broker/packagers and investment banks, as well as manufacturers and service providers. Follow ELFA on Twitter @ELFAonline.