ELFA officially has a new President and CEO. As former ELFA Board Chair Bob Neagle put it, “Leigh Lytle is a dynamic leader whose experience, passion and vision make her uniquely qualified to guide our association into the future.” Lytle is still settling into the role after just a few days on the job. But she agreed to sit down with ELFA’s
Equipment Leasing & Finance Magazine for
a profile that will come out in January. For now, we thought we’d share a small preview to help members get to know our new leader better as we head into the holidays.
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What attracted you to the role of ELFA President and CEO?
My experience is in banking, operations, advocacy and education, and most recently with a fintech company and a fintech trade association. The more I learned about this role, the more I realized just how intertwined it is with my own background. As a financial services executive who has been fortunate to work in a variety of leadership roles—from operations to policy to strategy—I'm looking forward to leveraging my experience in support of the association and the equipment finance industry, which plays such an important role in the U.S. economy. From the ways we spotlight our industry to how we utilize technology, I see so many opportunities to build on the accomplishments of [former ELFA President and CEO] Ralph Petta and his team. But building on is the key phrase, because I have so much respect for what has been accomplished already.
How have your first few days on the job been?
It has been an invigorating whirlwind of activity! After just my first week, I already feel like a member of the ELFA family. That’s really thanks to Ralph, the Board, and the rest of the ELFA team. Everyone has been so open and kind and welcoming throughout this entire process. I know I have many more folks to meet and that, for me, is really Job One.
It sounds like you’re embarking on a listening tour of sorts?
Exactly, and that’s the right word: listening. I want to meet as many members as possible to understand their thoughts, their concerns, and their priorities. What keeps you up at night? What makes your membership most valuable? What are the opportunities for the industry in the years ahead? These are the kinds of questions I intend to ask, because the answers are so critical for helping me understand how I can best serve our membership—as well as helping shape the longer-term vision for our industry. The ELFA team is already working on getting me out to different events and site visits, and I can’t wait to meet everyone.
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That’s just a small sample for now.
Look forward to more of the interview with Leigh in the full profile coming in January, in which our new President and CEO will talk more about her background, her vision for the organization, and what makes her tick—both as a person and as a leader.
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