Hitachi Capital America Vendor Services (HCAVS) hired David Sowell as executive vice president of sales. Sowell is replacing Dave Gnade, who will retire at the end of the fiscal year on March 31.

Sowell joined HCAVS from Marlin Business Services where he was the vice president of national accounts. He has experience in the equipment leasing business and has held positions with Marlin, TAMCO and Wells Fargo Financial Leasing. He will lead the vendor sales team and be responsible for developing strategies and furthering the growth of the business.

Gnade joined HCAVS in 2006 and has more than 25 years of sales leadership experience in the leasing industry. He is responsible for developing the sales model HCAVS uses today. He has helped to bring in programs and partners, and his experience includes managing the sales team and national accounts, relationship management, product development, pricing strategies and executive leadership.

“Our vendor sales structure and strategy are largely the product of Dave Gnade,” Jim Teal, president of HCAVS, said. “His commitment to our business and wide-ranging experience helped us grow to the successful company we are today and I’m grateful for all of his efforts. While Dave will be greatly missed, we are fortunate to have David Sowell join us, as he is well-qualified and an excellent fit for our business. I’m looking forward to seeing him work with our sales team to expand and enhance our creative and custom approach to vendor finance.”