Scott A. Thacker, CPA, CLFP
Equality Committee Chair
Chief Executive Officer
Ivory Consulting Corporation

Several years ago, when I heard the ELFA Board formed a task force to look into D&I, I asked to join as a former Board member.  As a gay man, I thought I had a few real-life experiences and perspectives to bring to the table.  That involvement motivated me to volunteer to be the Founding Chair of ELFA Equality, the ELFA's diversity and inclusion focus.  We've accomplished quite a bit since the Fall of 2019, and I'm very excited about what we have on tap for this year, especially our first Equality Forum scheduled for November 2022.  My other DEI work includes being on the Board of Advisors of StartOut, a non-profit dedicated to fostering entrepreneurship in the LGBTQAI+ community, and leading the D&I focus for my angel investment group, Sand Hill Angels.

Mike Baez
VP, Professional Services and Customer Strategy
Leasepath

Our culture, background and experiences all contribute to diversity of thought in the workplace.  I am a firm believer that diversity of thought will drive transformation and innovation across the equipment finance industry. 

As a founding member of the ELFA Equality Committee, I am very proud that we have raised the awareness of diversity, equality, and inclusion across the industry.  For well over the last 25 years, I have been actively involved in DEI efforts in the workplace including having served as the Executive Sponsor of Capgemini’s Hispanic Opportunity Leadership Achievement (HOLA) employee resource group and as Vice-Chair of the CitiCapital Diversity Committee. 

Deb Baker
HP, Inc.
Head of WW Leasing and Financing

I joined ELFA Equality as the Women’s Council representative to share learnings and best practices and identify areas to “cross pollinate”.  As a member of the ELFA Board of Directors, I am proud of the ELFA’s focus, under the People Power umbrella, to support Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Emerging Talent and Women’s Leadership.  Collectively, we unite leaders of influence in the equipment finance industry who know that organizations with diverse and inclusive leadership are more successful and resilient.

Martin Klotzman
Ivory Consulting Corporation
Senior Manager Marketing and Product Management

As someone with family members and loved ones in the LGBTQ+ community, creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for all - whether in or out of the office - is important to me and critical to coming together as a community. Prior to joining ELFA Equality, I volunteered on StartOut's San Francisco Programming Board which is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs. Volunteering on ELFA Equality is an honor and I look forward to supporting ELFA member companies adopt D&I initiatives.

Sean Scampton
Director Sales & Marketing
Leasepath

As a young man, I was raised in a culturally and racially diverse community, and all of the color and life that my neighbors shared with me shaped my heart and the very best parts of my personality as an adult. As a professional, I've found that teams built with diverse backgrounds, skills, and perspectives create healthy work environments and are generally more successful by most meaningful metrics.

I am an ally and advocate for inclusion, and in that capacity my mission is to expose the immense opportunities available in equipment finance to more individuals and communities. My belief is that equity, diversity, and inclusiveness will create a healthier, more innovative, and even more successful industry.

I believe that organizations that are honestly intentional about seeking those values will engender a happier, more energized culture and will ultimately be more productive and profitable. It's a privilege to participate in driving the culture of the equipment finance community at large towards a more diverse and more forward industry.

Delroy Stauffer, CLFP
Senior Business Development Manager
Odessa

Hello, my name is Delroy Stauffer, and I work on the Business Development Team at Odessa. I believe Diversity and Inclusion are fundamental to the success of any organization – but more importantly, I believe D&I brings us together as a community and a nation. I joined ELFA Equality to help give voice to peoples’ stories and get the chance to share my own. We are stronger together.

Moto Tohda
Vice President
Tokyo Century (USA) Inc.

We will all describe it differently if we stand in front of incredible scenery. As a Japanese American born in the U.S., I always see things through two different lenses. Spending my early days in Japan built my connection to their culture. Seeing it through different lenses or perspectives makes my life more colorful. Having colleagues and friends with different perspectives will only enhance your quality of life. That is my definition of inclusion, which never needs force or command.

Including different perspectives spark ideas and open our path to innovation. As a leader in technology innovation, that is what our industry will benefit from to continue our business growth. We have a great community in this industry, and I would like to contribute as a committee member to promote more casual chats about endorsing D&I.

Ernie Tsorvas
Fifth Third Bank
Senior Vice President, National Sales Manager

I joined the Equality Committee because I feel all employees should feel comfortable and have a sense of belonging in their workplace. People with different life experiences have different points of view and they ask different questions. Embracing our differences results in innovative thoughts and ideas being brought to the forefront of our industry.

Amy Weum
Farm Credit Leasing
Regional Vice President

The perspective I bring to this committee is two-fold: First, my personal perspective as a female in agricultural finance. Over my career, I’ve often been the only female in the room and also the only one who did not grow up on a farm – both of which set me apart from the mold in the ag finance world. The other viewpoint that I bring to this committee is as an ally, focused on inclusion and advocacy for others. As a parent of a child on the autism spectrum, inclusion is always on my mind.