Deborah Brady holds a pivotal leadership role for Key Equipment Finance as the company modernizes its finance function through a comprehensive transformation. As senior vice president and senior finance director, Brady is leading the effort to ensure KEF’s planning and reporting processes are streamlined and enhanced to drive strategy and improve decision-making.

As a leader for KEF, Brady leverages her indepth lease accounting and tax knowledge to keep an eye on new and proposed developments that may impact KEF’s product offerings. Brady recommends modifications as needed for KEF to better serve its client base. She is an excellent critical thinker, always seeing the big picture and recommending ways to improve upon existing situations.

Brady has devoted countless hours to gathering and providing financial insight that is critical for her fellow KEF leaders to make informed and accurate decisions. KEF is a stronger company because of Brady’s ability to provide near real-time guidance throughout ever-changing market conditions.

“Deborah’s strong understanding of the equipment leasing sector and its market dynamics are extremely valuable,” Adam Warner, president of KEF, says. “One of Deborah’s successes this year is her ability to offer sound guidance to KEF leadership for making funding and balance sheet optimization decisions. Specifically, her knowledge and partnership with Key’s treasury and finance leadership team has proved invaluable as KEF navigates a new and often changing normal.”

Throughout her 35-year tenure at KeyBank, Brady has been a role model, subject matter expert and an industry thought leader for her co-workers, managers and industry peers. She offers deep knowledge and professional guidance that help financial industry professionals make decisions and ultimately provide the best possible service to customers.

Brady began her KEF career as a senior accountant, supporting the equipment leasing business. Since then, she has earned numerous promotions that led to increased responsibility in a variety of financial leadership roles. She developed her leasing industry experience by working as a pricing analyst and ultimately managing the pricing function for KEF. She also worked in KEF’s corporate development group, where she was responsible for developing new lease products and markets. Brady has been in her current role of senior finance director since 2009.

In addition to her current role, Brady serves as a co-leader for KeyBank’s women’s network in Colorado, a group of KeyBank employees focused on strengthening business skills, building mentoring relationships and connecting with the local community.

Another of Brady’s accomplishments this year is serving on the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association’s lease and finance accountants committee, which is focused on providing industry leaders with the latest information on accounting and financial reporting issues affecting industry. She has been a member of ELFA’s financial accounting committee for more than two decades.

Throughout her career, Brady has held volunteer leadership roles with a variety of community organizations, including a board role for Shelters of Saratoga, treasurer of Fireside PTO and treasurer of Habitat for Humanity Capital District.

“I’m not content doing things ‘the way we’ve always done it.’ my objective is to improve upon the way it’s been done before. Regardless of your current role, you will improve and grow by helping your company improve and grow. Always look for additional ways to add value.”