The Equipment Leasing and Finance Association has announced the results of the association’s September 2015 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 2016. Asterisks indicate members who were newly elected or re-elected in the September 2015 elections.

• Andrew Blacklock, Cisco Systems Capital
• Paul Christensen, GSG Financial*
• James Elwood, Bank of the West
• RJ Grimshaw, Unifi Equipment Finance
• Gene Karger, Toyota Commercial Finance
• Sanjay Kumar, Cisco Systems Capital (Board Liaison)
• Keith Large, AGCO Finance*
• Randy Montrose, Skyjack Financial Services
• John Okerson, Siemens Financial Services*
• Nicholas Small, CIT
• Michael Sweeney, EverBank Commercial Finance (Committee Chair)
• Joel Van Vark, John Deere Financial*
• Dan Waller, GE Capital Markets Group*
• Gary Weiss, Pentax Medical*

The Financial Institutions Business Council Steering Committee represents financial services member companies (commercial banks, investment banks, multi-line finance companies) engaged in the middle market and large ticket sectors. The following individuals will serve on the committee in 2016. Asterisks indicate members who were newly elected or re-elected in the September 2015 elections.

• Peter Bullen, Key Equipment Finance
• Michael Doyle, BTMU Capital Leasing and Finance
• Jeffry Elliott, Huntington Equipment Finance*
• Tim Evans, FirstMerit Equipment Finance*
• David Farrell, Banc of America Leasing*
• Randall Gaston, Prime Alliance Bank*
• Brian Griffin, MB Financial Bank (Board Liaison)
• Joe Hines, SunTrust Equipment Finance Group
• David Lempko, First Niagara Leasing*
• Daniel McKew, Capital One Equipment Finance
• David Miele, Citizens Asset Finance*
• Thomas Petersen, Wells Fargo Equipment Finance
• Kirk Phillips, Wintrust Commercial Finance*
• Michael Romanowski, Farm Credit Leasing Services
• Alan Sikora, First American Equipment Finance, a City National Bank Company (Committee Chair)
• Thomas Vasilakos, PNC Equipment Finance
• David Verkinderen, U.S. Bank Equipment Finance
• Stephen White, Stonebriar Commercial 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 2016. Asterisks indicate members who were newly elected or re-elected in the September 2015 elections.

• Craig Ault, CSI Leasing
• William Besgen, Hitachi Capital America (Board Liaison)
• Michael Brigante, Nations Equipment Finance*
• Connie Eimers, Vision Financial Group (Committee Chair)*
• Brian Eschmann, Trans Lease*
• Brian Fleming, FORT Capital Resources*
• John Heist, Jr., Summit Funding Group
• Jonathan Hibma, EFFI Finance
• Donald Link, Hitachi Capital America
• Marci Slagle, VFI Corporate Finance
• Carol Virgin, CHG-MERIDIAN USA
• Neil Whitman, NewStar Financial

The Service Providers Business Council Steering Committee represents organizations and firms providing a variety of related services to the members of the other four Business Councils. Associated company types include: accounting, collections, law, consulting, software, equipment management, university/government, executive recruiters, insurance, nonprofits/associations and publishers. The following individuals will serve on the committee in 2016. Asterisks indicate members who were newly elected or re-elected in the September 2015 elections.

• Brett Boehm, TBF Financial
• Donna Christensen, Corporation Service Company
• Joe Collins, Orion First Financial*
• Debbie Devassy, Askounis & Darcy*
• Jeff Dicosola, Great American Insurance (Committee Chair)*
• Mark McClanahan, EDA (Equipment Data Associates)*
• Vijay Negi, Genpact
• Bill Phelan, PayNet (Board Liaison)
• Barry Ripes, PayNet
• Michael Toglia, Equipment Finance Advisor*
• Don Trost, SunGard*
• 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 2016. Asterisks indicate members who were newly elected or re-elected in the September 2015 elections.

• John Beard, LEAF Commercial Capital*
• Jeffrey Berg, DLL
• Kris Darby, Western Equipment Finance (Committee Chair)
• Joseph T. (Tom) Ellis, U.S. Bank Equipment Finance
• Michael Green, Dakota Financial*
• Miles Herman, LEAF Commercial Capital (Board Liaison)
• Marty Klees, GreatAmerica Financial Services
• David Normandin, Banc of California*
• Mark Scardigli, Marlin Leasing*

The Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA) is the trade association that represents companies in the $1.046 trillion 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.