James Cress serves as the Vice President and General Manager at Stryker, and as Board Chair of the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA). His advocacy centers on two key areas: influencing policy and investing in the industry’s future workforce. Cress cites the past year as his proudest moment, highlighting major policy wins for ELFA members, including achieving permanent 100% expensing and returning to the EBITA calculation for interest deductibility. He also notes significant progress on the Section 1071 rule. His approach emphasizes that “policy advocacy is a team sport that requires everyone to participate”. This collaborative spirit extends to his second priority: developing the next generation of professionals through inclusive talent pipelines, resources and networking opportunities.
