The Equipment Leasing and Finance Association selected Christopher A. Enbom, CEO and chairman of AP Equipment Financing, to receive its 2023 David H. Fenig Distinguished Service in Advocacy Award. The award honors individuals who have made significant contributions to the association’s advocacy efforts to promote sound public policies for the equipment finance industry. Enbom will be formally recognized at the ELFA’s Capitol Connections event on May 24.

Enbom founded AP Equipment Financing (legally known as Allegiant Partners Incorporated) in 1998. Prior to starting Allegiant, he was involved in structuring, marketing and closing leases and structured transactions for aircraft, rail and facilities in both Japan and the United States.

“It is an honor to present Chris Enbom with this well-deserved award,” Ralph Petta, CEO and president of the ELFA, said. “As the leading advocate for the equipment finance industry, ELFA could not be successful without the leadership and commitment of members like Chris. We thank him for all he has done to help advance the ELFA advocacy agenda.”

“I am extremely pleased to both honor the legacy of David Fenig and be held up as a positive example of advocating for the equipment finance industry,” Enbom said. “I was 19 when I served as an intern for the Commerce Committee in the Senate. This experience helped shape my views around advocacy. Politics and politicians are often criticized and maligned, but our democratic process is a large part of the power of America. I love our industry and I love supporting our businesses. I am proud of everything the equipment finance business does to help propel the U.S. and world economy. Thank you to the ELFA staff and the ELFA board for this great honor.”

As an active participant in the ELFA for more than two decades, Enbom has supported the industry’s policy objectives in various ways. He has been a steadfast participant in the association’s annual Capitol Connections event in Washington, D.C., attending almost every year since 2010. At this event, Enbom has met with members of Congress, highlighting the value of equipment finance to the U.S. economy and the impact of legislative and regulatory proposals on the industry. Enbom ’s advocacy efforts haven’t been limited to traveling to Washington; he has embraced building relationships at home as well by hosting a member of Congress at the offices of AP Equipment Financing. He also has played a leadership role in LeasePAC, the ELFA’s nonpartisan federal political action committee, serving as chair of the LeasePAC committee  from 2014-2015.

Enbom has represented the equipment finance industry on key advocacy issues, including participating in the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s small business review panel regarding Section 1071 of the Dodd-Frank Act in October of 2020. In Washington parlance, this panel is often called the SBREFA panel, as it is required by the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996. This panel is an important part of the process to gauge the effects of regulations on small businesses. Enbom’s participation provided the perspective of an independent equipment finance company.

Enbom has served in multiple leadership roles, including as a member of the ELFA’s board of directors (2013-2015) and as chair of the ELFA’s small-ticket business council steering committee (2011-2012). Enbom also gives back to the industry as an active supporter of the Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation, serving on the foundation’s board of trustees (2018-2022) research committee (2018-present) and industry future council.

In addition to his role as CEO and chairman of AP Equipment Financing, Enbom is CEO of FMI Equipment, an equipment dealership headquartered in the Northwest with seven locations. FMI sells many brands, including Morbark chippers, Rayco stump grinders, Takeuchi excavators and skid steers, all access spider lifts, specialty trucks, Toro skid steers, and many other lines. Enbom is also CEO of Tokyo Century (USA), parent company to FMI and AP Equipment Financing.