A longtime equipment finance veteran and founding partner of JDR Solutions Inc. is retiring. Richard V. Lewis, the “R” in “JDR,” will bring a nearly 40-year technology, banking and equipment lease management career to a close on Dec. 31.
On Jan. 1, Panfilo “Benny” Federico takes the reins of JDR’s business integration activities. Federico joined JDR as program management office director in September.
As JDR’s Vice President of Business Integration, Lewis was instrumental in growing the consulting and portfolio management services company from a handful of employees to more than 30 full- and part-time staff, with annual revenues of $5 million.
Lewis also represented service providers like JDR as a member of the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association’s Business Council Steering Committee.
“To say Richard has been an integral part of JDR’s success would be an understatement,” said Doug Williams, JDR’s President/Chief Information Officer, and the “D” in JDR. “Without his vision and contributions, we would not be where we are today.”
A Frankfort, Ind., native and Purdue University graduate, Lewis attained the rank of Captain in the U.S. Army. Following his honorable discharge in 1982 he held various executive level positions in Indiana, Texas, Florida and New Jersey with then-Merchants National Bank, Circle Business Credit, Newcourt Financial and CIT. Lewis led project teams that launched Dell Financial Services and Agilent Financial Services, and the build out of CIT’s Asia Shared Services Center in Shanghai, China.
When CIT closed its Indianapolis office and approached Lewis, Williams and John Schaffner about relocating to a new office in New Jersey, they decided to go into business for themselves. With the backing of silent partner Bill Johnson, the three men founded IntegraLease LLC, the forerunner of JDR Solutions, in 2001.
Lewis has been responsible for designing and managing the onboarding of new JDR clients, planning work projects for existing clients and overseeing company policies, procedures and risk management. JDR provides a range of front end and back office services to dozens of banks, manufacturer captives and independent financial institutions in the United States, Canada and United Kingdom, using multiple software platforms.
JDR colleagues and clients described Lewis as a skilled project manager who took a personal interest in the people he worked with.
“Richard is more than just a JDR founder and senior manager; he is also a trusted colleague and friend,” said Schaffner, JDR’s vice president and board chairman, and the “J” in the company name. “We are all better for having known and worked with him.”
Paul Cortellini, a retired senior vice president of Motorola Solutions, worked alongside Lewis at Newcourt. The business relationship lived on after each left Newcourt for new career opportunities.
“Richard and I negotiated with JDR to manage Motorola’s (lease software) environment, a relationship that continues today. We continued to work together until I retired in 2011,” Cortellini said. “The implementation we performed at the Motorola office near Shanghai is a memorable encounter that will stay with me the rest of my life.”
“I’ve really enjoyed working with Richard,” said Terra Watkins, assistant vice president and controller for Farm Credit Services Mid-America in Louisville, Ky. “He’s always been pleasant and helpful.”
Although he’s retiring, Lewis said he’ll remain active.
“I’ll do some fishing, work part time in a friend’s rare coin and precious metal business, and mostly spend quality time with my wife and family,” he said.