“Find out who you are and do it on purpose.”

Corissa Cemper has always found inspiration in this quote from Dolly Parton, which she has written in her planner and hung on her office wall for several years. The quote motivates her to take on every new role and challenge in her life with purpose.

Cemper joined Amur Equipment Finance eight years ago as a credit processor with no experience in the equipment finance industry. However, after spending 10 years in social work, she had already mastered interpersonal and relationship building skills, and those abilities helped propel her in her career at Amur. When Cemper joined Amur’s credit department, there were only six credit processors, and she was quickly promoted to supervisor. She now manages a team of 21 individuals in her role as manager of credit processing.

Cemper continues to demonstrate that hard work and a positive attitude are the keys to her success. She only measures her own individual success through the lens of her entire team. As a highly supportive manager, she promotes collaborative work practices so everyone can succeed. She is also extremely competitive, with her team members often joking about her unusually fierce nature. However, all team members at Amur know they will always receive her support when working toward shared company and/or individual goals.

Cemper has remained resilient when facing the many challenges Amur and the overall equipment finance industry have faced during the last several years. In fact, thanks to Cemper’s thoughtful leadership, her team has and continues to step up to the plate to manage the increased workflow Amur has experienced lately, as the company has broken daily and monthly processing volume records consistently in the past year.

Cemper’s management style is to work harder than her team and to always being present in the trenches and side-by-side with her team. She ensures all of her team members know she is there to support them and she always challenges them to do their best and be their best selves.

Outside of the workplace, Cemper’s caring and supportive attitude is equally evident. She serves as secretary of the board and a liaison between softball teams and parents for a nonprofit called Stingers Softball Organization. She is also a youth softball and basketball coach. In addition, she serves as a guardian for an individual who is unable to care for and make decisions for themself.

When she envisions the legacy she wishes to create, Cemper keeps it simple, focusing on support. She wants to be known as a leader who always encourages and advocates for her team. She also wants her team members and those around her to know that they are heard and that they can always be comfortable sharing their successes, failures and ideas with her.

“When Corissa says that she will run with it, she really means it; we know she won’t stop until her result has exceeded our collective expectations,” Andrea Zana, chief risk officer at Amur Equipment Finance, says.