Kara Ziegler,
Manager,
ECS Financial Services

At ECS Financial Services, Kara Ziegler focuses her days on supporting both her team and clients in the equipment finance industry. As a manager in the lease servicing and accounting department, she handles lease accounting reconciliations, software conversions, portfolio servicing and year-end tax calculations.

“Lease accounting, especially for lessors, is barely touched upon in college accounting courses,” Ziegler says. “Many of us who enter the equipment finance industry do so as a blank slate and learning the ropes requires not just the desire to learn, but the willingness of others to mentor.”

Ziegler, a CPA, CMA and CLFP, said mentoring is one of the most rewarding parts of her role. “There’s nothing more rewarding than seeing the light bulb turn on in someone’s eyes the moment they ‘get it,’” she says.

Beyond her day-to-day responsibilities, Ziegler works to cultivate a culture of education and collaboration. She leads training sessions and helps develop consistent procedures to ensure that as the company grows, employees have the tools they need to succeed.

Looking ahead, Ziegler sees both challenges and opportunities for equipment finance. She points to economic uncertainty as a key concern but believes slow periods can offer a chance to “shore up internal processes and develop our teams.”

Artificial intelligence, she notes, will also reshape the industry. “Right now, I see a lot of people using it as a complement to allow their teams to focus on the bigger issues,” she says. “Really soon we’re going to start seeing new AI tools that completely rebuild processes.”

Her advice for attracting young talent: respect. “Respect their contributions, respect their intelligence, respect their time and respect them as individuals,” she says.

“Respect [employee] contributions by paying them reasonable salaries and be generous in rewarding those who go above and beyond. Respect their intelligence and give them opportunities to continue to learn and grow.”