This spring, ELFA launched its inaugural Member Appreciation Week, celebrating the contributions of members to the equipment finance industry. “Simply put, it was a resounding success,” says Julie Benson, vice president of Membership Marketing.

Member Appreciation Week marked the association’s formal way of recognizing and celebrating all the members – individuals and their organizations – that make ELFA great,” she states. “The value of members in a volunteer-driven organization can not be overstated. This was an opportunity to consciously and visibly thank our members for their time and commitment.”

ELFA plans to continue Member Appreciation Week on an annual basis. Staff members are already planning for 2026. For now, highlights of this year’s celebration follow.

Member recognition

Each day during the week of May 19-23, ELFA recognized and celebrated member achievements and contributions on LinkedIn.

Monday Shout-Out: 2025 Membership Milestones

Monday’s post highlighted companies celebrating milestone ELFA membership anniversaries in 2025. A total of 42 companies hit 50, 45, 40, 35, 30, 25 or 20 years of membership with ELFA – including three that marked 50 years with the association.

Tuesday Shout-Out: Recognizing ELFA’s Leadership

ELFA extended thanks to the board of directors, officers and executive committee. “The vision, dedication and leadership of these individuals play a vital role in advancing the equipment finance industry and supporting the success of our members,” says Benson.

Wednesday Shout-Out: Celebrating ELFA’s Committee Volunteers

“Members are the heart of everything we do,” says Benson. “We could not exist without them, and wanted to extend sincere gratitude for every committee member who gives their time, insight and energy to ELFA.”

The post recognizes all volunteer committees. ELFA's Volunteer Guide provides information on what each committee does and how each operates. 

Thursday Shout-Out: Honoring Industry Innovators

Embarking on its year-long Innovation Experience, ELFA has made a fundamental commitment to helping members put innovation into meaningful action. The Thursday post recognized some of the visionary leaders and member companies that are driving meaningful innovation in equipment finance. They include:

• Chelsey Barron, senior vice president at LEAF Commercial Capital Inc., and chair of the Innovation Committee
• The innovators featured in Innovation in Action: How ELFA Member Companies are Leading the Way, describing their contributions elevating industry standards and inspiring progress
• All of the members involved in planning and organizing the upcoming Innovation Lab Conference & Exhibition, taking place September 8-10 in Denver

Friday Shout-Out: New member companies

ELFA finished the week of recognition posts by welcoming the nearly 70 companies that have joined the association over the past year.

The ELFA Shop

Member Appreciation Week marked the introduction of an online pop-up shop featuring exclusive ELFA-branded merchandise, with items ranging from apparel to accessories to pet gear. During the one-month period the shop was open, it received significant traffic, according to Benson.

ELFA plans to open the shop again in the future, rotating in new items. “We’ve heard from several members that they’re looking forward to wearing their swag to ELFA conferences this year,” she says. “The pop-up shop creates a sense of exclusivity for members, and it’s just a fun, unique experience.”

l. to r. Brooke Miron, Kate Napper, Tori Greig-Stoll (LEAF Commercial Capital)

l. to r. Nick Fong, Chris Enbom, Chris Lerma (AP Equipment Financing)

l. to r. Ryan Steel, Jake Petersen, Nicole Dolente, Michael Chaykin, Steve Backall (DLL)

Josie (Oakmont Capital Services)

Praise It Forward

The “Praise It Forward” campaign highlighted the positive influence ELFA members have had on one another’s careers in equipment finance. Through LinkedIn posts, members could recognize peers who have offered inspiration, mentorship or support throughout a professional journey, explains Benson.

The campaign furthered three key goals of the association, she says:

• Recognized excellence: Spotlighted contributions that have shaped industry careers
• Fostered connection: Strengthened professional relationships through visible appreciation
• Built community: Encouraged a culture of recognition within the ELFA network

Members who participated were also eligible to win free ELFA swag from The ELFA Shop. The winners, who each received $100 in gift vouchers, were Shawn Smith, CEO of Dedicated Financial GBC, and Anthony Trollope, president of Foresight Marketing Agency.

“The campaign offered a moment to reflect on the important connections that shape our industry and to celebrate the people behind them,” concludes Benson. “We saw truly inspiriting posts and more confirmation of the incredible connections that exist across the ELFA community.”

Slide Show

As part of the celebration, ELFA staff curated a slide show highlighting memorable moments from over the years. Viewers will find photos from conferences, community service activities and other events.

“The slide show captures the spirit and energy of Member Appreciation Week well,” says Benson. “All of us at ELFA value our members, and our interactions with them, on a daily basis. During this special week, we were able to take dedicated time to honor the individuals and organizations that strengthen our equipment finance community with their commitment, innovation and forward-thinking spirit.”