During the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association’s 62nd Annual Convention, the association announced the new board of directors and officers who will serve during the next 12 months. Rob Boyer, CLFP, president of First Commonwealth Equipment Finance, was named the new ELFA board chair and James Cress, vice president and general manager of Stryker Flex Financial, is now chair-elect. The ELFA’s nominating committee recommended Cress and other new board members, who were than approved by a vote of the general membership.

“I am profoundly honored to assume the role of ELFA chair, and I consider it a privilege to represent our esteemed member companies, the dedicated board of directors and the exceptional ELFA staff,” Boyer said. “ELFA has consistently demonstrated its commitment to delivering substantial value to its members. We remain steadfast in our mission of equipping business for success, particularly as we navigate a dynamic landscape marked by rapid change and uncertainty, both in the broader economy and within our own association. As we prepare for new leadership at the staff level, I am confident that our collective dedication and vision will guide us to continued success.”

“ELFA is fortunate to have a leader like Rob Boyer as chair of the board of directors for 2024,” Ralph Petta, president and CEO of the ELFA, said. “Rob’s industry expertise, his track record as a volunteer and his commitment to our association will benefit both our membership and the broader industry in the upcoming year.”

Boyer has worked in the equipment finance industry since 1995. He is currently president of First Commonwealth Equipment Finance, a division of First Commonwealth Bank. Prior to his current role, he was senior director and senior vice president at TCF Capital Solutions, a division of TCF Bank. Prior to that, he was the president of BB&T Commercial Equipment Capital, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Branch Banking and Trust Company, which is now Truist.

Boyer has served on the ELFA’s board of directors since 2012. He held the position of board treasurer from 2016 to 2020, has chaired the board’s audit and investment committees and is a current member of the executive committee. In addition, Boyer has chaired the ELFA’s membership committee and small-ticket business council steering committee. In 2017, he was awarded the David H. Fenig Distinguished Service in Advocacy award in recognition of his contributions to the association’s advocacy efforts to promote sound public policies for the equipment finance industry.

In addition, Boyer has supported the work of the Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation as a donor and contributor to industry research. Boyer also has served as a director for the Certified Lease & Finance Professional Foundation.

In addition to Boyer’s appointment, the other newly elected members of the ELFA’s board of directors include:

• Jeffry Elliott, CLFP, president of Huntington Equipment Finance
• Katie Emmel, chief operating officer of Solifi
• Randy Haug, executive vice president, vice chairman and co-founder of LTi Technology Solutions
• Mathew Iacobucci, senior vice president and head of bank markets at U.S. Bank
• Christopher Johnson, senior vice president and president of Pitney Bowes Global Financial Services
• Michelle Speranza, CLFP, senior vice president and chief marketing officer of LEAF Commercial Capital
• Stephen White, executive vice president of Stonebriar Commercial Finance

The following individuals were elected by the membership to serve as ELFA vice chairs:

• Deborah Baker, head of worldwide leasing and financing at HP
• Nathan Gibbons, CLFP, chief experience officer of QuickFi by Innovation Finance USA

RJ Grimshaw, CEO and president of Unifi Equipment Finance, will serve as treasurer of the board, while Ed Rosen, director of governance at the ELFA, will serve as secretary. Bob Neagle, president and CEO of Finova Capital, is immediate past chair.

Other members of the board include:

• Jon Biorkman, head of BMO Equipment Finance
• Kathleen Canum, senior vice president of administration at Canon Financial Services
• Debra Devassy Babu, shareholder of Darcy & Devassy
• David Drury, head of commercial specialty lending at Fifth Third Bank
• Brian Eschmann, CLFP, president of Northland Capital Equipment Finance
• Eric Gross, chief operating officer at Dext Capital
• Michael Jones, president of equipment finance of First Citizens Bank Equipment Finance
• Brad Peterson, CEO of Channel
• Kirk Phillips, president and CEO of Wintrust Commercial Finance
• Michael Romanowski, CoBank enterprise leader for cash management at Farm Credit Leasing
• Jayma Sandquist, chief marketing officer and senior vice president of John Deere Financial
• Nick Small, vice president of finance shared services at Cisco Systems Capital
• Robert Wax, co-president of Kingsbury Wax Bova
• Bruce Winter, CLFP, president of FSG Capital