During the 58th Annual Convention of the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA), the association announced its new Board of Directors and Officers who will serve during the next 12 months. Martha Ahlers, President of United Leasing & Finance, is the new ELFA Board Chair and Kris Snow, President, Cisco Systems Capital Corporation, is now Chair-Elect.

The Chair-Elect and new Board members were recommended by ELFA’s Nominating Committee and approved by a vote of the general membership.

Ahlers has more than two decades of commercial leasing and finance experience. She joined United Leasing & Finance in 1996. In her current role as President, her areas of direct involvement include sales, risk management, marketing, credit, operations and human resources. Prior to her promotion to President, she served as Vice President and Chief Operating Officer.  

An active participant in ELFA, Ahlers has served on the ELFA Board of Directors since 2014. In addition to her current position on the ELFA Board, Ahlers is a member of ELFA’s Executive, Nominating and Personnel Committees. She previously served on the Fair Business Practices Committee. From 2015 to 2016, Ahlers was Chair of LeasePAC, ELFA’s nonpartisan federal political action committee.

Ahlers also has been active with the Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation. In 2018, she served as the ELFA Board Liaison to the Foundation. She has contributed to multiple Foundation studies, including “State of the Equipment Finance Industry” and “U.S. Equipment Finance Market Study.” She also has participated in the Industry Future Council and supports the Foundation as a donor.

Outside of ELFA, Ahlers has been involved in numerous civic and community organizations, including the Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Ohio Valley Board of Directors, Evansville Executive Forum and the Tri-State MS Association Board of Directors. She holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Illinois.  

“We are extremely fortunate to have Martha Ahlers as Chair of the Board of Directors for 2020,” said ELFA President and Chief Executive Officer Ralph Petta. “Martha’s proven leadership skills, industry knowledge and dedication to our association will have a positive impact on both the ELFA membership and the equipment finance industry at large in the coming year.”

“I am honored to take on the role of ELFA Board Chair,” said Ahlers. “The $1 trillion equipment finance industry plays a critical role in the U.S. economy. I look forward to working with the Board of Directors, the staff and all the members to advance our association’s important work in support of our great industry and the people who drive it.”

2020 ELFA Board of Directors
The newly elected members of the ELFA Board of Directors include:

• Deb Baker, Head of Worldwide Leasing & Financing, HP, Inc.
• Maureen Carr, Managing Director, Pacific Western Bank
• Nate Gibbons, Chief Operating Officer, Innovation Finance USA LLC
• Alan Mogol, Shareholder, Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz PC
• Tom Rutherford, President, Crestmark Equipment Finance

The following individuals were elected by the membership to serve as ELFA Vice Chairs: Mike DiCecco, President, Huntington Equipment Finance; and Bob Neagle, President, Merchant Finance, Ascentium Capital, LLC. Robert Boyer, President, Merchant Finance, BB&T Commercial Equipment Capital Corp., will serve as Treasurer.

Paul Stilp, ELFA’s Chief Financial and Operating Officer, will serve as Secretary and Petta, ELFA President and CEO, is an Ex-Officio Officer.

Jud Snyder, President of BMO Harris Equipment Finance Company, is Immediate Past Chair. Other members of the Board are:

• Jennifer Coyle, Executive Director, Macquarie Corporate and Asset Finance   
• Brett D. Davis, President, CNH Industrial Capital LLC        
• Conrad J. Eimers, President, Vision Financial Group, Inc.   
• Dave B. Fate, President and CEO, Stonebriar Commercial Finance   
• Willis Kleinjan, Founder and CEO, Northland Capital Equipment Finance   
• Daniel J. Krajewski, President and CEO, Sertant Capital, LLC   
• Amy Nelson, US President Healthcare, Clean Technology and Technology Solutions, DLL   
• Daniel D. Nelson, President, Tamarack   
• David A. Normandin, President and CEO, Wintrust Specialty Finance   
• Deborah J. Reuben, President, Reuben Creative, LLC   
• Alan Sikora, CEO, First American Equipment Finance, an RBC / City National Company
• David T. Walton, President and CEO, Caterpillar Financial Services Corporation