The Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation announced the officers of its Board of Trustees who will serve in 2015. Richard Doherty, president, PNC Equipment Finance was elected as treasurer joining re-elected chairman Richard Gumbrecht, chief growth officer, EverBank Commercial Finance, who will serve a second term in 2015. The officer elections were held during the board of trustees’ annual meeting in November, which also concluded the commemoration of the foundation’s 25th anniversary year.

The new members appointed to the foundation board of trustees include Steven Byrnes, principal, Capgemini Financial Services USA, and Anthony Cracchiolo, president and CEO, U.S. Bank Equipment Finance, who will serve as liaison from the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA).

Board officers serving a second term in 2015 are immediate past chairman Cameron Krueger, director, Deloitte; vice chairman William Verhelle, chief executive officer, First American Equipment Finance, a City National Bank Company; and secretary Paul Stilp, VP, Finance and Administration, ELFA.

“We are privileged to have such talent, commitment and industry expertise at the helm of the Foundation,” said William G. Sutton, CAE, President of the Foundation and President and CEO of ELFA. “The time Trustees dedicate to the Foundation’s mission benefits the entire equipment finance industry.”

Other 2015 trustees are:

• Christopher Acevedo, director, Accenture
• Vincent Belcastro
• Aylin Cankardes, president and founder, Rockwell Financial Group
• Jeffry Elliott, managing director, Huntington Public Capital
• Edward Gross, shareholder, Vedder, Price P.C.
• Randy Haug, executive vice president and vice chairman, LeaseTeam
• Valerie Hayes Jester, president, Brandywine Capital Associates
• James Johnson, professor of finance, Northern Illinois University
• Matthew LeSage, chief commercial officer, GE Capital
• Robert Neagle, SVP & division manager, First Data Global Leasing
• Kelli Nienaber, executive director, Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation
• James Schallheim, professor of finance, University of Utah
• Robert Wax, co-president, Kingsbury Wax Bova

Steven R. LeBarron Award

The foundation’s Annual Research Planning Meeting was held along with the Annual Board Meeting. Foundation chairman Rich Gumbrecht honored Melisa Carter with the Steven R. LeBarron Award for Principled Research during the foundation’s 25th Anniversary Dinner in Washington, D.C.

Recognized for her many years of service and enthusiastic participation on the foundation’s Research Committee, Carter is the second recipient of the award, established in 2013 to honor LeBarron’s long-term service to the Research Committee. The Steven R. LeBarron Award is presented annually to the Research Committee member who demonstrates the insight, fortitude and dedication exemplified by LeBarron.