Ford T. Clark began his professional career as an intern at PNC Bank. From there, he was invited to join the company full-time as a development program candidate, working in various lines of business to gain an understanding of the enterprise. After completing the program, Clark joined PNC Equipment Finance’s vendor finance group.

As a member of the vendor finance group, Clark worked on the back-end to advise clients on end-of-term lease options. In addition, he had a team of mentors who showed him the ropes of the capital investment cycle and how those key investment decisions lead to a company’s ability to generate profits during their operating cycles. This gave Clark an appreciation for how PNC acts as a relationship-based provider of tailored financing solutions.

Clark was later invited to join PNC Equipment Finance’s direct business and in his current role, he assists various operations departments with managing risk and delivering products that meet client needs. Clark, who eschews antiquated definitions of leadership, says his professional mission is to create an environment where everyone has the opportunity to learn and grow. This is a mission he’d like to see carried across the industry, especially as it pertains to diversity, equity and inclusion.

“At PNC, I’ve been lucky to be mentored by many female leaders who were the ‘first’ women to have a seat at the table, which has allowed me to see the power of diversity in action,” Clark says. “With this in mind, I am proud of ELFA’s Equality Committee for advocating for using a DE&I lens when it comes to staffing. I look forward to seeing what the future holds.”