The Equipment Leasing & Finance Association (ELFA) has named three inductees to the 2026 Class of the Equipment Finance Hall of Fame: Kenneth R. Collins, Jr., retired chairman and CEO of Susquehanna Commercial Finance; Crit DeMent, former CEO of LEAF Commercial Capital; and Stephen Whelan, former partner of Blank Rome.
Deb Baker, chair of the ELFA, made the formal announcement this morning at the General Session of the 65th ELFA Annual Convention in Palm Desert, CA. The official induction ceremony took place on Oct. 24 at the Chairs’ Dinner preceding the convention, where the inductees were recognized for dedicated service to the association and the equipment finance industry throughout their decades-long careers.
“We are thrilled to recognize three legends for their respective contributions to our industry by inducting them to the 2026 Class of the Equipment Finance Hall of Fame,” James Cress, acting president and CEO of ELFA, said. “Collectively, Ken, Crit and Steve represent over a century of leadership, excellence and service that embodies the critical role that the equipment finance industry plays for businesses and the U.S. economy. I am pleased to offer them my heartfelt congratulations on being inducted to the Hall of Fame, and my deepest thanks for their unwavering support of ELFA and the equipment finance industry throughout their careers.”
Collins built a distinguished career in banking and equipment finance by combining entrepreneurial leadership with a disciplined focus on growth, profitability and portfolio quality. Having entered the industry in 1998, he eventually became chairman and CEO of Susquehanna Commercial Finance and also served on the senior leadership team of Susquehanna Bank. He retired from Susquehanna upon the bank’s acquisition by BB&T Bank (now Truist) in 2015. His contributions to ELFA include serving as Chair of the Board of Directors, a member of the Board and Executive Committee, and a member of the Small Ticket Business Council.
DeMent helped shape the equipment finance industry for more than four decades through entrepreneurship, advocacy, innovation and a commitment to mentoring its next generation of leaders. With his longtime colleague Miles Herman, he launched LEAF Commercial Capital in 2001, and, as CEO, he grew the company from a startup into a strong, independent equipment finance company. An active leader within ELFA, he served as chair and vice chair of the Board of Directors, and contributed to the Captive and Vendor Finance Business Council Steering Committee, the Personnel Committee and the Annual Investors Conference planning committee. DeMent also helped develop ELFA’s Code of Fair Business Practices, a framework that continues to guide business conduct across the industry.
Whelan has devoted his career to equipment leasing and finance as a partner in three different law firms for 45 years. Starting as lender’s counsel in computer equipment-leveraged lease financings, his practice expanded to include aircraft, railcars, vehicles, telecom, energy, medical, maritime, and business equipment through more than 2,000 transactions. Whelan joined ELFA (then known as the AAEL) and first attended its annual convention in 1980. A member of the Legal Committee and then the Board of Directors, he became a regular speaker at the Legal Forum and the annual convention.
