The American Association of Commercial Finance Brokers (AACFB) released the list of inaugural members of its newly developed industry advisory council at the AACFB Commercial Financing Expo in New Orleans last week. This esteemed group, comprised of five distinguished individuals from AACFB funding source member companies, will collaborate to provide strategic guidance and industry insights to the AACFB board of directors.

The creation of the industry advisory council supports the AACFB’s ongoing mission of nurturing the relationships between commercial finance brokers and their funding partners. The council will serve as a vital resource, helping the AACFB continue to thrive for the next generation of commercial finance professionals.

Each member of the council brings a wealth of experience and expertise from various sectors of the commercial finance industry. Their collective knowledge will be instrumental in addressing the challenges and opportunities facing AACFB members.

Members of the 2024 – 2025 AACFB Industry Advisory Council include:

John Boettigheimer, President, 4 Hour Funding
Boettigheimer brings over 29 years of experience in the leasing industry. He received a degree in economics and psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1983. In late 1984, he started and developed Pioneer Capital. In 2004, IFC Credit purchased Pioneer Capital, at which time Boettigheimer started Centra Financial as an investment vehicle. In 2008, another corporate entity, Centra Leasing, was created to handle all leasing activities. In 2014, Centra introduced the equipment financing industry’s first truly all-electronic signing process, and 4 Hour Funding was born.

Tina Cawthorn, CLFP, Business Development Manager, Orange Commercial Credit
Cawthorn has over 30 years’ experience in the financing industry including equipment financing, ABL and invoice factoring platforms. Cawthorn’s career began at GE Colonial Pacific Leasing before it was part of the GE family of companies and known only as Colonial Pacific Leasing. From there, Cawthorn spent nine years with Textron Financial; first in the vendor finance division and then the asset-based lending division. While with these companies, she held roles in customer service, operations, credit and sales and marketing. Since 2009, Cawthorn has worked as a business development officer with Orange Commercial Credit, which provides invoice factoring.

Scott Hansen, Senior Account Manager, Avtech Capital
Hansen has an extensive professional career including twelve years in the finance industry at Avtech Capital.  The past eight years have been dedicated to the broker desk at AVT, writing deals and funding transactions in all industries for all types of equipment. As a senior account manager, Hansen’s role is to work closely with brokers and customers to navigate industry conditions and generate funding terms that meet the needs of both lessee and lessor. Hansen is an excellent communicator and fosters trust and confidence in all aspects of his work.

Ariel Stich, Broker Supervisor, Stearns Bank
Since joining Stearns Bank in 2014, Stich has gained vast, in-depth equipment finance experience in a wide range of industries and happily shares her understanding with everyone she serves. She is a strong, inspiring leader, guiding her team toward upholding Stearns Bank’s reputation of delivering seamless financing, hard work and extraordinary personal service. Helping referral sources, along with their customers, achieve success is a huge motivator for Stich. She especially loves seeing their growth over time as they achieve their own version of success.

Kit West, Business Development Director, C.H. Brown Co.
West was previously a ranch owner in Wyoming for over 17 years before becoming the owner of Kit West Motors in 2015. In 2020, he joined C.H. Brown Co., where he works toward building broker relationships in the equipment finance industry. West also develops internal and external processes to build nationwide business relations, increase revenue and expand brand recognition.