Richard Ross is President & CEO of Summit Funding Group. He entered the equipment finance business in 1981, joining Great American Financial Services, Inc. which was subsequently merged into Provident Bank in 1986. In 1993, Ross, with his two partners, founded Summit Funding Group, Inc. as a general equipment lessor, headquartered in Mason, Ohio. Mr. Ross has presided as President since 1993 and continues to do so with Summit as now a wholly-owned subsidiary of First Financial Bank. During his career he has served on the Board of ELFA, where he has been influential in many initiatives, including lease accounting rule changes.