The Canadian Finance & Leasing Association (CFLA) named Hugh Swandel, senior managing director of The Alta Group, the CFLA David Powell Member of the Year 2017-2018.

At its 45th annual conference CFLA Chairman Richard McAuliffe announced the CFLA David Powell Member of the Year 2017-2018. In recognition his 22 years of service to CFLA and the asset-based finance and leasing industry, CFLA’s board of directors renamed the CFLA Member of Year Award, the David Powell Member of the Year Award.

This award recognizes individuals, volunteers from corporate members, who work for the association, and are committed to its goals. “These volunteers are wonderful examples of those who are pleased to give back to their industry,” said McAuliffe. “Their generous efforts are a significant contribution to their association, to its members and to the industry as a whole.”

The importance of volunteerism to CFLA’s success was recognized by McAuliffe, who emphatically stated: “CFLA’s success in servicing its members and advocating for the industry is only possible through the valuable voluntary contributions made by our many members.

“One member who time and time again steps up and stands out in his unwavering support of the asset-based finance and leasing industry is Hugh Swandel. Hugh does so with only one goal in mind; the betterment of the industry he has dedicated his life to and is so passionate about.”

In recognizing Swandel’s contribution to CFLA, McAuliffe said, “Hugh has been instrumental is ensuring the successful launch of CFLA’s Research Committee, the successful completion of the CFLA backed C.D. Howe Institute report – Tooling Up: Canada Needs More Robust Capital Investment and initiating and laying the foundation for the first ever CFLA Business Confidence Survey. Hugh, in connection with his partners in the Research Committee, has also begun the hard work of identifying the key data points, drafting critical research questions, and formulating the methodology required for the development of a benchmark survey to help CFLA and the industry discover which sectors are most profitable and stay on top of industry trends.”

However, Swandel’s contributions to the industry and CFLA go back much further than this past year. During the global credit crisis, Swandel prepared materials and provide insight into the impact of the credit crisis on Canadian independent finance companies. He presented to the advisory committee to the minister of finance and was later asked to provide commentary to the C.D. Howe Institute at policy development discussions with government and industry representatives.

“Hugh is a past CFLA Member of the Year recipient, receiving the award in 2006 and again in 2010, as one of the volunteer instructors for the Canadian Lease On-Demand education program (CLEO),’” McAuliffe said. “Hugh, for all this, your enthusiasm for your industry and your support of your Association, we thank you.”