Executive Roundtable

Deb Baker 
VP, Global Payment Solutions, HP Inc. 
Chair of the Board, ELFA                               

Kirk Phillips
President & CEO
Wintrust Asset Finance

How to Think About AI

Artificial intelligence is reshaping industries and redefining leadership. This session explores the mindset leaders need to navigate an AI-driven future, including the critical shift from process thinking to outcome thinking. Through compelling examples and key digital trends, participants will examine short- vs. long-term AI, differing views on its advancement, and its impact on businesses—particularly white-collar work. The discussion will also address infrastructure requirements, risk management, and how to balance AI’s opportunities with its challenges. Drawing insights from neurosurgery, this session offers a practical framework for leading through complexity and technological transformation. 

Richard E. Susskind OBE
Author, Speaker, and Independent Advisor

Hear from federal and state policy experts at Tiber Creek, MultiState, and the US Chamber of Commerce as they break down the current political climate and what to expect heading into the midterm elections, including key policy trends, election-year dynamics, and shifting legislative priorities at both levels of government

Moderator:
Leigh Lytle
President & CEO
ELFA

Speakers:
Marvin Yates 
Vice President, Strategic Government Relations
MulitiState

Kristen Harper
Partner
Tiber Creek

Tom Wickham
Vice President, Government Affairs
US Chamber of Commerce

2026 started at a sprint. Geopolitical tensions have spiked, political pressure on Fed independence has intensified, and financial markets continue to show signs of instability. This is the new normal. Structural shifts unleashed by the pandemic are fundamentally reshaping the global economy—increasing uncertainty, clouding forecasts, and altering decades-old trends in the financial markets.

Understanding what these shifts mean for the broader economy, financial markets, and equipment demand is critical for the industry this year. Economist Tim Mahedy will discuss these developments and provide an essential roadmap for what to expect through 2026 and beyond.

Tim Mahedy
Chief Economist
Access/Macro

Leigh Lytle
President & CEO
Equipment Leasing and Finance Association 

Dan Varroney
President & CEO, Potomac Core
Author, Rethinking Economic Growth: How Small Businesses Can Help Consistently Grow the Economy

Dan Varroney
President & CEO
Potomac Core

Adam Peterson
CEO
Channel

Amy Wagner
CEO
American Financial Partners, Inc.

Mark Bonnano
President & CEO
North Mill Equipment Finance

David Normandin and Jeff Jensen will introduce the new structure of the ELFA Research Committee, summarize the output of its first meeting of the year in early January, and describe the role Executive Roundtable Members will play in finalizing ELFA’s 2026 research agenda.

David Normandin
Chair, ELFA Research Committee
President & CEO, Wintrust Specialty Finance

Jeff Jensen
Partner
Keybridge Research, LLC 

Daryl Muller
Chief Operating Officer and Corporate Secretary
ELFA

David Normandin
Chair, ELFA Research Committee
President & CEO, Wintrust Specialty Finance

Miles Herman
Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation Board Chair 
CEO, LEAF Commercial Capital Inc. 

David Normandin
President & Chief Executive Officer
Wintrust Specialty Finance

In this collaborative brainstorming session, Executive Roundtable members will separate into small groups and discuss each research theme and topic highlighted during the previous day’s presentation. Takeaways from this session will be collected and refined to develop a final research agenda.
 

Speakers:

Jeff Jensen
Partner 
Keybridge Research, LLC

Megan Yeh
Senior Director 
Keybridge Research, LLC

Deb Baker 
VP, Global Payment Solutions, HP Inc. 
Chair of the Board, ELFA