Palm Desert, California, October 26, 2026 – The Equipment Leasing & Finance Association (ELFA) today announced that Candace Reinhart, CLFP, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Experience Officer for CoreTech, is the recipient of the 2026 Michael J. Fleming Distinguished Service Award. This award, ELFA’s highest honor for service, recognizes members who have made outstanding and sustained contributions to the association and the equipment finance industry.
Reinhart was formally recognized today during ELFA’s 65th Annual Convention, held this week at the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa in Palm Desert, California.
“Candace has been a dedicated leader and champion of the equipment finance industry,” said James Cress, ELFA Acting President and CEO. “Over more than three decades in the industry, she has shown a deep commitment to giving back by volunteering on committees, championing education standards, and mentoring others. Her lasting impact extends beyond ELFA to the Certified Lease & Finance Professional Foundation. Through her leadership and service, she has strengthened both organizations, created opportunities for industry professionals, and inspired the next generation of leaders. Candace exemplifies the spirit of service this award was created to recognize.”
“Over the years, I’ve been fortunate to help advance initiatives that have created opportunities for professional growth and strengthened our industry,” said Reinhart. “I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished and truly honored to receive this recognition for doing something I love, in an industry and community that mean so much to me.”
Reinhart has more than 30 years of experience in equipment finance. She began her career in 1994 as a generalist, working across credit, documentation, accounting, and vehicle titles, and has since held nearly every role in the lease life cycle. That experience shapes how she builds teams, designs workflows, and approaches client experience.
Reinhart has long advanced the equipment finance industry through leadership, education, and volunteer service. After earning her Certified Lease & Finance Professional (CLFP) designation in 2016, she joined the CLFP Foundation Board of Directors in 2021 and was elected Board President in 2025. She currently serves as a director on the CLFP/ELFA Transitional Board, helping guide the integration of the two organizations following their affiliation.
Her previous industry involvement includes service on the Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation Board of Trustees, the Industry Future Council, and ELFA’s Operations and Technology Committee. Her contributions have been recognized with Monitor’s Top Women in Equipment Finance (2020), the CLFP Foundation’s Cindy Spurdle Award of Excellence (2022), and Monitor’s Most Influential People (2025).
The Michael J. Fleming Distinguished Service Award, renamed in 2014 to honor ELFA’s long-time past president, is presented annually to a dedicated volunteer whose extraordinary contributions to the association merit special recognition.
About ELFA
The Equipment Leasing & Finance Association (ELFA) represents financial services companies and manufacturers in the $1.3 trillion U.S. equipment finance sector. ELFA’s over 600 member companies provide essential financing that helps businesses acquire the equipment they need to operate and grow. Learn how equipment finance contributes to businesses’ success, U.S. economic growth, manufacturing and jobs at www.elfaonline.org.
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Media Contact: Jane Esworthy, VP, Communications & Marketing, ELFA, [email protected]
