The National Equipment Finance Association named William “Skip” Wehner its new manager of education.

Wehner has more than 30 years of small business lending experience and began his career in leasing at a young age, gaining hands-on experience by answering phones, pulling credit bureaus reports and submitting Uniform Commercial Code filings for his father’s leasing company. His professional journey led him to a recent sabbatical, as he played a crucial role in the sale of his family’s manufacturing business. With eight years of product development and manufacturing experience from this endeavor, NEFA expects Wehner will add a unique perspective with his finance background.

“I am excited at the opportunity the manager of education position creates to help me give back to an industry using my contacts, experiences, skills and knowledge acquired throughout my career,” Wehner said.

As a longstanding member of the NEFA starting in 1992, Wehner has contributed to the association’s growth. He has served as the regional chairperson for Colorado, a director on the NEFA board, fall conference chair and an occasional conference speaker. Additionally, Wehner has had periodic involvement with the American Association of Commercial Finance Brokers and the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association throughout his career.

“The organization is fortunate to have an industry veteran join our team to help shape the long-term direction of NEFA’s educational programs,” Chad Sluss, CEO of the NEFA, said. “Skip has served in a variety of roles, including broker, funder and service provider. With his wealth of knowledge, NEFA is well positioned to raise the bar on education for our member community.”