The ELFA Nominating Committee has named the following individuals to stand for election by the ELFA membership. If elected, all nominees will begin their term of service at the conclusion of the ELFA Annual Convention, Oct. 9-11 in Marco Island, FL. Each ELFA member company may cast one vote for each nominee. On Aug. 15, voting materials and instructions will be emailed to each member company’s key contact, who may then vote via confidential electronic ballot on the ELFA website. The voting will conclude Sept. 28 at 5 p.m. ET.
Rob is currently President of First Commonwealth Equipment Finance, a division of First Commonwealth Bank. Most recently, he was Senior Director and Senior Vice President at TCF Capital Solutions, a division of TCF Bank. Prior to that, he was the President of BB&T Commercial Equipment Capital Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary of Branch Banking and Trust Company (BB&T), now Truist. Rob has held a variety of positions throughout his career, including Sales Executive, Syndications Manager, Senior Vice President of Acquisitions and Syndications and Executive Vice President. He has served as Treasurer of the ELFA Board and is a member of its Executive Committee. Previously, he chaired ELFA’s Membership Committee and Small Ticket Business Council Steering Committee. He also has served as a Director for the Certified Leasing and Finance Professional Foundation (CLFP). Rob has been working in the equipment finance industry since 1995. He holds a bachelor’s degree from LaSalle University and attended the ABA Stonier Graduate School of Banking.
Deb Baker is the Head of Worldwide Leasing and Financing with HP, Inc. and is responsible for driving contractual business growth through an optimized, profitable multi-vendor leasing and financing go-to-market solution. Deb is a finance veteran with over 30 years’ experience supporting captive and vendor financing. Prior to joining HP, she held a variety of positions with Cisco Systems Capital Corporation, HP Financial Services and CIT. Deb is a member of the ELFA Board of Directors, Former Chair of the ELFA Women’s Council and a member of ELFA Equality. She holds a BS in Business Administration and an MBA from Fairleigh Dickinson University in Madison, NJ.
James is the Vice President and General Manager of Stryker’s captive finance arm, Flex Financial. He joined the company in 2008 and is responsible for delivering financial solutions that make it easier for Stryker’s customers to reach their clinical and financial goals. Previously, James was Senior Vice President and Vendor Business Unit Director for eight years at National City Commercial Capital and he spent several years as a Vice President in Small Business Banking at US Bank. James has been an active member of ELFA since 2000 and has served as a Director on its board. He is currently serving as Second Vice Chair and is the current board liaison to the Emerging Talent Advisory Committee. He has previously served as LeasePAC Chair, regularly attends Capitol Connections, has been a member of the Captive and Vendor Finance Business Council Steering Committee and Women’s Council, and has provided Guest Lectures at Michigan State University. James holds a bachelor’s degree in economics and a master’s in executive leadership and organizational change from Northern Kentucky University.
Dave is Senior Vice President and Equipment Finance Group Head at Fifth Third Bank, N.A. He is responsible for leading Fifth Third’s Equipment Finance unit and has overall responsibility for the annual and long-term business of the division and its financial results. Dave joined Fifth Third Bank in March 2019 through the Bank’s acquisition of MB Financial Bank, where he previously was Managing Director and Group Head of MB Equipment Finance, LLC. Dave is a member of ELFA, past Chair of ELFA’s National Funding Conference Committee and a past member of the ELFA Equality Committee. He earned his Bachelor of Science in finance, with a minor in economics, from Pennsylvania State University and attended Duquesne University’s Master of Business Administration program.
Brian is the President of Northland Capital Equipment Finance, an independent specializing in agriculture, construction, waste & recycling, and transportation. Brian has been active in the commercial and equipment finance industries since 1996, having previously served as the President of Trans Lease, as Vice President of Global Sales for an automated payments subsidiary of U.S. Bank, and in numerous senior management positions within the financial services arm of Schneider National. Within ELFA, Brian has chaired the Independent Business Council Steering Committee, where he also led the LeasePAC effort, and served on the inaugural Advocacy Advisory Committee. Brian holds a BBA from St. Norbert College and an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, and recently added CLFP to his industry credentials.
Mike has served as President of CIT Business Capital since January 2018. He is responsible for CIT’s Equipment Finance businesses. He served as Managing Director, Business Capital of CIT since 2016. Prior to that he served as Senior Vice President, Managing Director for EverBank Equipment Finance/TIAA from 2009-2016 managing sales and operations for the Vendor Equipment Finance division and as a Director from 2004-2009. Mike also held leadership positions with US Bank Equipment Finance and Sunoco Oil Company. In addition, Mike was a member of ELFA’s Captive and Vendor Finance Business Council Steering Committee and Membership Committee. Mike retired honorably from the US Army (Ranger), completed one combat tour and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Widener University.
Brad co-founded Channel in 2009 and serves as Chief Executive Officer, accountable for the overall business strategy, resources and operations. Prior to Channel, Brad founded and was President of PredictiFund, a CAN Capital subsidiary, which followed time as Senior Vice President/General Manager of U.S. Bank Manifest Funding Services, a $1.5B asset business unit focused on third-party-generated small-ticket equipment leasing nationwide. He is an active member across leasing industry associations including ELFA, NEFA and AACFB, having served on the UAEL Board from 2001-2008 and as President in 2007. Currently, Brad is the Chair of ELFA’s Small Ticket Business Council Steering Committee. He’s a graduate from Iowa State University with Bachelor of Science degrees in economics and finance.
Jayma is the Chief Marketing Officer and Senior Vice President responsible for the U.S. and Canadian business lines at John Deere Financial (JDF). Since joining John Deere in 2002, Jayma has held roles of increasing responsibility in both John Deere and John Deere Financial. She currently serves as the Chair of ELFA’s Captive and Vendor Finance Business Council Steering Committee and on the Foundation’s Industry Future Council. Jayma holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and computer science from Northwest Missouri State University and is a graduate of Global Leader of the Future - Tuck School of Business.
Nick is Vice President, Global Financial Shared Services for Cisco Systems, Inc., with responsibility for Cisco Capital global operations and Cisco’s global payroll, disbursements and invoice to cash processes. Nick has deep expertise in operational, financial and shared services leadership roles. Prior to this role, Nick served as Managing Director of CIT’s US Equipment Finance Business, after serving as Chief Operations Officer for CIT Global Vendor Finance. He was also CIT’s Controller for the European Financial Accounting functions, including the centralization of the Finance platform in Dublin, Ireland. His initial years with CIT were spent as the CFO of Vendor Finance, U.S. Nick also held positions with Ernst & Young as a Certified Public Accountant in the Audit Group, Becton Dickinson as a Manager in Treasury Operations, and Bristol Myers Squibb as Manager of External Reporting. Nick was a member of ELFA’s Captive and Vendor Finance Business Council Steering Committee. He received his bachelor’s degree in economics and accounting from Muhlenberg College.
Robert Boyer
Chair-ElectRob is currently President of First Commonwealth Equipment Finance, a division of First Commonwealth Bank. Most recently, he was Senior Director and Senior Vice President at TCF Capital Solutions, a division of TCF Bank. Prior to that, he was the President of BB&T Commercial Equipment Capital Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary of Branch Banking and Trust Company (BB&T), now Truist. Rob has held a variety of positions throughout his career, including Sales Executive, Syndications Manager, Senior Vice President of Acquisitions and Syndications and Executive Vice President. He has served as Treasurer of the ELFA Board and is a member of its Executive Committee. Previously, he chaired ELFA’s Membership Committee and Small Ticket Business Council Steering Committee. He also has served as a Director for the Certified Leasing and Finance Professional Foundation (CLFP). Rob has been working in the equipment finance industry since 1995. He holds a bachelor’s degree from LaSalle University and attended the ABA Stonier Graduate School of Banking.
Deborah Baker
Vice ChairDeb Baker is the Head of Worldwide Leasing and Financing with HP, Inc. and is responsible for driving contractual business growth through an optimized, profitable multi-vendor leasing and financing go-to-market solution. Deb is a finance veteran with over 30 years’ experience supporting captive and vendor financing. Prior to joining HP, she held a variety of positions with Cisco Systems Capital Corporation, HP Financial Services and CIT. Deb is a member of the ELFA Board of Directors, Former Chair of the ELFA Women’s Council and a member of ELFA Equality. She holds a BS in Business Administration and an MBA from Fairleigh Dickinson University in Madison, NJ.
James Cress
Vice ChairJames is the Vice President and General Manager of Stryker’s captive finance arm, Flex Financial. He joined the company in 2008 and is responsible for delivering financial solutions that make it easier for Stryker’s customers to reach their clinical and financial goals. Previously, James was Senior Vice President and Vendor Business Unit Director for eight years at National City Commercial Capital and he spent several years as a Vice President in Small Business Banking at US Bank. James has been an active member of ELFA since 2000 and has served as a Director on its board. He is currently serving as Second Vice Chair and is the current board liaison to the Emerging Talent Advisory Committee. He has previously served as LeasePAC Chair, regularly attends Capitol Connections, has been a member of the Captive and Vendor Finance Business Council Steering Committee and Women’s Council, and has provided Guest Lectures at Michigan State University. James holds a bachelor’s degree in economics and a master’s in executive leadership and organizational change from Northern Kentucky University.
David Drury
DirectorDave is Senior Vice President and Equipment Finance Group Head at Fifth Third Bank, N.A. He is responsible for leading Fifth Third’s Equipment Finance unit and has overall responsibility for the annual and long-term business of the division and its financial results. Dave joined Fifth Third Bank in March 2019 through the Bank’s acquisition of MB Financial Bank, where he previously was Managing Director and Group Head of MB Equipment Finance, LLC. Dave is a member of ELFA, past Chair of ELFA’s National Funding Conference Committee and a past member of the ELFA Equality Committee. He earned his Bachelor of Science in finance, with a minor in economics, from Pennsylvania State University and attended Duquesne University’s Master of Business Administration program.
Brian Eschmann
DirectorBrian is the President of Northland Capital Equipment Finance, an independent specializing in agriculture, construction, waste & recycling, and transportation. Brian has been active in the commercial and equipment finance industries since 1996, having previously served as the President of Trans Lease, as Vice President of Global Sales for an automated payments subsidiary of U.S. Bank, and in numerous senior management positions within the financial services arm of Schneider National. Within ELFA, Brian has chaired the Independent Business Council Steering Committee, where he also led the LeasePAC effort, and served on the inaugural Advocacy Advisory Committee. Brian holds a BBA from St. Norbert College and an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, and recently added CLFP to his industry credentials.
Michael S. Jones
DirectorMike has served as President of CIT Business Capital since January 2018. He is responsible for CIT’s Equipment Finance businesses. He served as Managing Director, Business Capital of CIT since 2016. Prior to that he served as Senior Vice President, Managing Director for EverBank Equipment Finance/TIAA from 2009-2016 managing sales and operations for the Vendor Equipment Finance division and as a Director from 2004-2009. Mike also held leadership positions with US Bank Equipment Finance and Sunoco Oil Company. In addition, Mike was a member of ELFA’s Captive and Vendor Finance Business Council Steering Committee and Membership Committee. Mike retired honorably from the US Army (Ranger), completed one combat tour and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Widener University.
Brad Peterson
DirectorBrad co-founded Channel in 2009 and serves as Chief Executive Officer, accountable for the overall business strategy, resources and operations. Prior to Channel, Brad founded and was President of PredictiFund, a CAN Capital subsidiary, which followed time as Senior Vice President/General Manager of U.S. Bank Manifest Funding Services, a $1.5B asset business unit focused on third-party-generated small-ticket equipment leasing nationwide. He is an active member across leasing industry associations including ELFA, NEFA and AACFB, having served on the UAEL Board from 2001-2008 and as President in 2007. Currently, Brad is the Chair of ELFA’s Small Ticket Business Council Steering Committee. He’s a graduate from Iowa State University with Bachelor of Science degrees in economics and finance.
Jayma Sandquist
DirectorJayma is the Chief Marketing Officer and Senior Vice President responsible for the U.S. and Canadian business lines at John Deere Financial (JDF). Since joining John Deere in 2002, Jayma has held roles of increasing responsibility in both John Deere and John Deere Financial. She currently serves as the Chair of ELFA’s Captive and Vendor Finance Business Council Steering Committee and on the Foundation’s Industry Future Council. Jayma holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and computer science from Northwest Missouri State University and is a graduate of Global Leader of the Future - Tuck School of Business.
Nick Small
DirectorNick is Vice President, Global Financial Shared Services for Cisco Systems, Inc., with responsibility for Cisco Capital global operations and Cisco’s global payroll, disbursements and invoice to cash processes. Nick has deep expertise in operational, financial and shared services leadership roles. Prior to this role, Nick served as Managing Director of CIT’s US Equipment Finance Business, after serving as Chief Operations Officer for CIT Global Vendor Finance. He was also CIT’s Controller for the European Financial Accounting functions, including the centralization of the Finance platform in Dublin, Ireland. His initial years with CIT were spent as the CFO of Vendor Finance, U.S. Nick also held positions with Ernst & Young as a Certified Public Accountant in the Audit Group, Becton Dickinson as a Manager in Treasury Operations, and Bristol Myers Squibb as Manager of External Reporting. Nick was a member of ELFA’s Captive and Vendor Finance Business Council Steering Committee. He received his bachelor’s degree in economics and accounting from Muhlenberg College.
2023 Officers
Bob Neagle
Chair
Michael DiCecco
Immediate Past Chair
Rob Boyer
Chair-Elect
Deb Baker
Vice Chair
James Cress
Vice Chair
Daniel Krajewski
Treasurer
Ralph Petta
President and CEO
Ed Rosen
Secretary
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