The Equipment Leasing and Finance Association announced the results of the association’s Business Council Steering Committee elections. A diverse group of ELFA members has been elected to serve on five committees representing key business sectors of the association membership. The committees are an integral part of ELFA operations, providing input on the direction of the association, meeting the needs of members in their respective areas and serving as a bridge between the members, Board of Directors and staff. Each committee keeps its finger on the pulse of the industry, assessing sector trends and how they may impact the membership and the association.

“ELFA is a volunteer-driven association, and we appreciate all the members who will contribute their time and energy to serving on the 2021 Business Council Steering Committees,” said ELFA President and CEO Ralph Petta. “We have a lot to accomplish on behalf of the equipment finance industry in the year ahead, and we are fortunate to have engaged volunteers and a strong leadership team in place to advance our critical mission.”

The following individuals will serve on the five committees in 2021. The committee members are elected by the Business Council membership for a term of two years on a staggered basis. Asterisks indicate members who were newly elected or re-elected in the 2020 elections. The ETAC Liaisons are representatives from ELFA’s Emerging Talent Advisory Council.

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 members are as follows:

• Jayma Sandquist, John Deere Financial (Committee Chair)
• Mark Bainbridge, Caterpillar Financial Services Corporation
• Jon Biorkman, GE Healthcare Financial Services (HFS)
• Brian Bower, Bank of America Global Leasing
• Garland Brooks, Dell Financial Services (ETAC Liaison)
• Todd Clegg, TCF Capital Solutions, a division of TCF National Bank
• Mike Elmasry, IBM Global Financing*
• Troy Graziani, Toyota Industries Commercial Finance, Inc
• Dan Hathcoat, Summit Funding Group, Inc.
• Dominic Janney, Canon Financial Services, Inc.
• Christopher Johnson, Pitney Bowes Global Financial Services*
• Sherrie Kalajian, Presidio Technology Capital LLC*
• Brian Lowe, Verdant Commercial Capital LLC*
• Chris Meeks, OnPoint Capital, LLC
• Kara Miyasato, Stryker Flex Financial*
• Vince Mollica, CIT*
• Sara Palmer, Key Equipment Finance*
• Larry Scherzer, CLFP, Cisco Systems Capital Corporation*
• Justin Tabone, TIAA Commercial Finance, Inc.*
• Bruce Trachtenberg, DLL
• Greg Vandewalker, GreatAmerica Financial Services*
• Jeffrey Walker, CIMC Capital, Inc.*
• David Walton, Caterpillar Financial Services Corporation (Board Liaison)
• Dan Willems Van Dijk, CNH Industrial Capital*

The Financial Institutions Business Council Steering Committee represents bank-related organizations and other financial institutions involved in single transactions over $5 million. The members are as follows:

• Ernie Tsorvas, Fifth Third Bank (Committee Chair)
• Chris Bucher, Hancock Whitney Equipment Finance, LLC
• Maureen Carr, Pacific Western Bank (Board Liaison)
• David Coons, Mitsubishi UFJ Lease and Finance (USA), Inc.
• Thomas G. Forbes, Wintrust Commercial Finance
• Craig George, Truist Equipment Finance Corp.*
• Dale R. Kluga, Providence Equipment Finance, a Division of Providence Bank & Trust*
• Svetlana Kralik, CLFP, U.S. Bank Equipment Finance (ETAC Liaison)
• Martha McGuire, First Bank Chicago*
• Jill A. McKean-Bilby, BOK Financial Equipment Finance, Inc.*
• William C. Perry, III, Regions Equipment Finance Corporation
• Robert Seltzer, CIT*
• Marci Slagle, CLFP, BankFinancial Equipment Finance*
• Charles Stackhouse, Wafra Capital Partners Inc.
• Sean Svoboda, Farm Credit Leasing*
• Donald A. Synborski
• Stan Walker, Citizens Asset Finance, Inc.
• Kenneth Walters, Investors 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 members are as follows:

• Ricardo Rios, CFA, CLFP, Commercial Equipment Finance, Inc. (Committee Chair)
• Kimberly Adair, Amur Equipment Finance*
• Jonathan Albin, Nexseer Capital*
• Connie Eimers, Vision Financial Group, Inc. (Board Liaison)
• Roman Gajda, ENGS Commercial Finance Co.
• Autumn Heseltine, Insight Investments, LLC*
• Rick Matte, Encina Equipment Finance, LLC
• Zoe Mitchell, Macquarie Specialized and Asset Finance*
• Jennifer Sablowski, Lease Plan U.S.A., Inc.*
• Mark Scardigli, Marlin Capital Solutions*
• Howard Shiebler, Crossroads Equipment Lease & Finance LLC
• Harrison Smith, Stonebriar Commercial Finance (ETAC liaison)
• Bruce Winter, CLFP, FSG Capital, Inc.

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 members are as follows:

• Jon Gerson, Executive Solutions for Leasing and Finance, Inc. (Committee Chair)
• Tara Aasand, LTi Technology Solutions
• Todd Anderson, CSC*
• Jeffery Bilbrey, Leasepath*
• Benjamin Court, Stinson LLP
• Kelly DeCarteret, DeCarteret Transport
• Joe Franco, CLFP, FIS
• Julia Gavrilov, Moritt Hock & Hamroff LLP
• Martin Klotzman, CLFP, Ivory Consulting Corporation*
• Sean McKenna, Great American Insurance Group (ETAC liaison)
• Barry Ripes, PayNet, an Equifax Company (Board Liaison)
• Cody Sanguinetti, CLFP, Great American Insurance Group
• Wade Whitenburg, Ritchie Bros.
• Doug Williams, JDR Solutions, Inc.*

The Small Ticket Business Council Steering Committee represents financial services organizations primarily involved in transactions under $250,000, either individually or through lines.

• Brad Peterson, Channel Partners Capital (Committee Chair)*
• Stephen Brown, Orion First Financial, LLC (ETAC liaison)
• Robert Ceribelli, DLL*
• Mike Coon, Hanmi Bank*
• Nick Gibbens, Wintrust Specialty Finance
• Brent Hall, CLFP, Alliance Funding Group*
• Richard Irwin, Marlin Capital Solutions*
• Chris Lerma, CLFP, Allegiant Partners Incorporated*
• Brient Mills, JB&B Capital LLC
• Bob Neagle, Ascentium Capital LLC (Board Liaison)
• Ryan Schlenner, U.S. Bank Equipment Finance*
• Allen Snelling, Financial Pacific Leasing, Inc., an Umpqua Bank Company*
• Todd Wainwright, Amur Equipment Finance*
• Adrian Weber, Entegra Capital LLC*