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New Hires/Promotions in the Leasing Business
and Related Industries

Madelyn (Madi) Cella was hired as Sales and Marketing Specialist, Elite Solutions, Salt Lake City, Utah, where she is also located. Previously, she was Business Development Associate, VFI Corporate Finance, VFI Corporate Finance (February, 2022 - Present); Recruitment Specialist, Teleperformance (February, 2019 - February, 2022).
https://www.linkedin.com/in/madelyn-cella-5b470a202/

Mat Hennings was promoted Managing Director, Utica Leaseco, Wilton, Connecticut. He is located in Sandy, Utah. Previously, he was Director (July, 2024 - August, 2025); Regional Vice President, Commonwealth Capital (April, 2020 - February, 2022); Vice-President, Sertant Capital (January, 2018 - August, 2018). Full Bio:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mat-hennings-74284a21/details/experience/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mat-hennings-74284a21/

Mike Jones was promoted to Head of National Sales & Strategy, Flagstar Financial & Leasing, LLC., Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, working remote. He joined Flagstar as Senior Director National Sales & Strategy (December, 2024 - Present). Previously, he was SVP, Business Development, Commercial Dealer Services,  Wintrust Commercial Finance (April, 2024 - December, 2024); Director, National Direct Channel, Flagstar Financial & Leasing, LLC (December, 2021 - April, 2024); Executive Sales Manager, Signature Financial, LLC (March, 2015 - December, 2021). Full Bio:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-jones-976b35180/details/experience/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-jones-976b35180/

Amy Kuester, CLFP, was promoted to Documentation Manager, Dext Capital , Lake Oswego, Oregon. She is working remote from Holland, Iowa. She joined Dext as Senior Contracts Administrator (April, 2025 - August, 2025). Previously, she was at Huntington National Bank, starting November, 2024, Service Manager, promoted Servicing Manager (November, 2024 - April, 2025); Team Lead, The Huntington National Bank (August, 2016 - December, 2024).  Full Bio:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-kuester-clfp-11150349/details/experience/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-kuester-clfp-11150349/

Garrett Lyon, M.A., was promoted to AVP, Credit and Syndication, Alliance Funding Group, Tustin, California, where he is also located. He joined Alliance as Senior Credit Analyst (January, 2016- August, 2025); Previously, he was Service Desk Technician,  Intratek Computer (January, 2015 -June, 2016); Clinical Research and Study Coordinator, Office of Bonnie V. Bock, MD (January, 2012 - January, 2016). Full Bio:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garrett-lyon-m-a-a4587914/details/experience/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garrett-lyon-m-a-a4587914/

Brittney McNeal was promoted Vice President, Equipment Financing Sales, Centra Culinary Finance, Plano, Texas. She is located in Greater Philadelphia.  She joined Centra Culinary Finance July, 2024, Account Executive (July, 2024 - August, 2025). Previously, she was Regional Sales Manager, Ascentium Capital (November, 2022 - February, 2025). She joined Marlin Capital Solutions March, 2020, Sales Development Representative, promoted Business Development Manager (April, 2021 - September, 2024).   Full Bio:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittney-mcneal-28922666/details/experience/https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittney-mcneal-28922666/

 

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CLFP Foundation Adds 13 New CLFPs
With Photograph

The Certified Lease & Finance Professional (CLFP) Foundation is pleased to announce that 13 individuals who recently sat through the online proctored CLFP Exam have passed. They are:

Spencer Bebout, CLFP
Senior Usage Portfolio Administrator

Craig Collins, CLFP
Senior Financial Analyst,
Crossroads Equipment Lease & Finance LLC

Jordan Fakhoury, CLFP – Sales
Associate, Crossroads Equipment Lease
& Finance LLC

Douglas Fraser, CLFP – Business
Development Manager, Crossroads
Equipment Lease & Finance LLC

Missy Gomez, CLFP – Regional
Sales Manager, Crossroads
Equipment Lease & Finance

Zane Harmon, CLFP Associate
– Bank Officer, Cadence Bank

Taylor Hastrich, CLFP – Vice
President, First American
Equipment Finance

Sara Kimberly, CLFP – Credit
Analyst, Crossroads Equipment
Lease & Finance LLC

Nuri Mahdi, CLFP – Business
Development Manager, Crossroads
Equipment Lease & Finance LLC

Maggie Miller, CLFP – Usage
Portfolio Administrator, Stryker

Haya Rizk, CLFP – Operations
Officer, Crossroads Equipment Lease
& Finance LLC

Sarah Sing, CLFP – Operations
Specialist, Northland Capital
Equipment Finance

Rebecca Stueve, CLFP – Operations
Specialist, Northland Capital
Equipment Finance

Sara Kimberly attended the Crossroads ALFP in July and shares, “I chose to pursue the CLFP designation to challenge myself and to become a more well-rounded individual within the equipment and finance industry. I have been a credit analyst for eight years, and I wanted to expand my knowledge between all stages and departments involved, while understanding the “why and how” behind every decision.

“While the ALFP and CLFP were challenging, they were also so rewarding. The knowledge I have gained has enhanced the way I think, and I’m excited to apply what I’ve learned moving forward in my career. I look forward to continuing my professional development and expanding my network!”

The CLFP designation identifies an individual as a knowledgeable professional to employers, clients, customers, and peers in the commercial equipment finance industry. There are Certified Lease & Finance Professionals and Associates located throughout the United States (including Puerto Rico), Canada, India, Pakistan, Africa, and Australia.
For more information, visit: http://www.CLFPFoundation.org

Leasing and Finance  Help Wanted
Balboa Capital
We Are Growing Our Senior Sales Team Now

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NMEF Closes $525 Million Securitization,
Marking Continued Growth at $3.3 Billion
and Market Confidence

North Mill Equipment Finance LLC (“NMEF”)  announces the successful closing of its tenth asset-backed securitization (ABS), NMEF Funding 2025-B (“NMEF 2025-B”), a $525 million transaction.

This marks the company’s second securitization of the year and brings NMEF’s cumulative issuance volume to over $3.1 billion, underscoring the platform’s robust growth and sustained access to the capital markets.

Mark Bonanno, President and Chief Revenue Officer of NMEF, remarks, “NMEF 2025-B was our largest securitization to date, attracting a deep and diverse investor base, with 37 unique investors participating in the offering.

 “Notably, the transaction saw the inclusion of 14 first-time investors, reflecting continued institutional confidence in NMEF’s platform and the continued evolution of credit quality and collateral diversification. The transaction was met with strong demand across the capital stack, allowing for tightened spreads compared to both initial price targets and final pricing levels of NMEF 2025-A, which was issued earlier in 2025.”

The transaction reinforces NMEF’s momentum in scaling its presence in the capital markets. With a steadily expanding investor base and enhanced asset diversification through acquisitions and credit migration, NMEF continues to develop its access to cost-effective funding.

Mitch Tobak, Vice President of Corporate Development at NMEF,
Notes,  “This transaction reflects the strategic strides we’ve taken over the last several quarters—broadening our origination sources, integrating our recent acquisition, and expanding our reach in the capital markets.

 “We’re especially encouraged by the volume of new investor interest, which speaks to the depth and durability of our platform as we scale. These outcomes validate our approach of building a balanced portfolio that generates strong risk-adjusted returns across a variety of collateral types.”

As NMEF continues to advance its long-term growth strategy, this securitization marks a key step forward in capital efficiency, platform integration, and investor diversification. With enhanced structural flexibility and a broadening mix of originations, including those from Pawnee, the company is primed to meet the evolving financing needs of small and mid-sized businesses across industries.

About North Mill Equipment Finance 

NMEF is a national premier lender who works with third-party referral (TPR) sources to finance small to mid-ticket equipment commercial leases and loans ranging from $15,000 to $3,000,000 and up to $5,000,000 for investment grade opportunities.  NMEF accepts A – C credit qualities and finances transactions for many asset categories including but not limited to medical, construction, franchise, technology, vocational, manufacturing, renovation, janitorial and material handling equipment.

NMEF is majority owned by an affiliate of InterVest Capital Partners.  The company’s headquarters are in Norwalk, CT, with regional offices in Irvine, CA, Voorhees NJ, and Murray, UT.

For more information, visit www.nmef.com. 

One of NMEF’s controlled affiliates, BriteCap Financial LLC, is a leading non-bank lender providing small businesses with fast, convenient financing alternatives such as working capital loans since 2003 from its main office in Las Vegas, NV.  For more information, visit www.britecap.com.

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Working Niche Marketplaces
By Kit Menkin

While email, telephone, digital postings may work, I started in the leasing/finance business by going after niche markets "face-to-face."

While the major industries are hard to break into, there are lots of smaller markets that congregate in trade shows so, that if you look for gatherings in almost any industry,  you may be surprised by what you find.

When the weather is good, I liked to work auctions, especially machine shop auctions, where smaller companies could use the equipment for the smaller runs, always in demand. I always brought a lot of business cards and ,most often,  also put flyers on the parked car front windows.

I not only learned a lot about the machinery, and the people who owned and worked there, but also met the auctioneers. I even wound up leasing equipment and signs to them, as well as working out pre-approvals at auctions after my client won the bid.

One of Leasing News advisors' company dominates the church market. They lease everything from organs to pews. His company has leased them school buses, PA systems, video equipment and computers. Once you are a member of the “pact,” you are not only respected, but get referrals for your specialty service.

Consider your hobbies or previous employment as giving you knowledge about a product.  Many leasing sales people started out selling a product, from copiers, office supplies, machinery, while they learned leasing sales and decided there was more money in it, specializing in products that they know. You can also find these products and other information (not only from the articles or announcements, but online from the advertising in trade magazines.)

Look online for local businesses and see if you can build a niche from an industry particular to where you live.

I also consider joining private clubs and organizations, like the chamber of commerce. Being a Kiwanis club member not only allowed me to make friends and meet and learn from speakers, but became a speaker myself at other local Kiwanis clubs.  I started leasing automobiles so that became the top subject along with equipment leasing. Ironically, I didn’t get many vehicle leads, but I did many dental, doctor, and other member leases by being a speaker as a member of the club.

I considered joining a niche as it leads to more sales and even bank relations where I also got leads, too. There are other clubs like Lions and Rotary. I suggest visiting them.  Google search for the clubs near you and first see if they will take you as a speaker. IF not, take the time for having breakfast or lunch with one as a guest. Not dinners, too much drinking, in my opinion. I found them a different bunch than breakfast or lunch.

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Top Ten Most Read by Readers
August 11 to August 15

(1) New Hires/Promotions in the Leasing Business
and Related Industries
https://leasingnews.org/archives/Aug2025/08_15.htm#hires

(2) New Hires/Promotions in the Leasing Business
and Related Industries
https://leasingnews.org/archives/Aug2025/08_11.htm#hires

(3) New Hires/Promotions in the Leasing Business
and Related Industries
https://leasingnews.org/archives/Aug2025/08_13.htm#hires

(4) More on Arbitration
By Ken Greene, Chief Leasing News Legal Editor
https://leasingnews.org/archives/Aug2025/08_11.htm#arb

(5) The Best-Selling Cars in the U.S. So Far in 2025
Visualcapitalist.com
https://leasingnews.org/archives/Aug2025/08_13.htm#cars

(6) Channel Celebrates 13th Consecutive Year
   on INC. 5000 Annual List of Fastest Growing
Private Companies
https://leasingnews.org/archives/Aug2025/08_15.htm#cp

(7) Coast to Coast Race Series Relay
Mel Vinson, CLFP
https://leasingnews.org/archives/Aug2025/08_15.htm#coast

(8)  Cost Hikes at Nearly Half of Companies
By Geert Lombaerde, Industry Week
https://leasingnews.org/archives/Aug2025/08_15.htm#cost

(9) Restaurant Lending Outlook: 2025 Brings
Stability but Beef Costs Up 12%
By Bob Coleman, Coleman Report Editor/Publisher
https://leasingnews.org/archives/Aug2025/08_13.htm#rest

(10) Fourth Quarter Wins Begin Now
By Scott Wheeler, CLFP
https://leasingnews.org/archives/Aug2025/08_13.htm#fourth

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Sudhir Amembal Announces Tenth
“Winning with Leasing!” Seminar
Capped to 50 Attendees

The early September Free Seminar had 450 signup but the turnout was only 250. There may be a Second Free Seminar for those unable to make the first one.

Sudhir Amembal, CLFP,  CEO of Amembal & Halladay, an associate of Rinaldi Advisory Services, will conduct its tenth “Winning with Leasing!” one-day virtual interactive seminar on October 20, with the one scheduled for August 11 being capped at 50 attendees. Over the past 15 months, more than 750 industry professionals will have attended the frequently held seminar.

The material will include the impact of recent tax legislation on varied equipment finance products, convincing attendees that  while EFAs will gain in popularity, the FMV lease will continue to remain viable.  Attendees will learn the 36 benefits provided by leasing and gain a thorough understanding of varied items such as:

• the accounting treatment of products from a customer’s point of view
• the significance of product differentiation in the context of enhancing margins
• arriving at logical counters to overcome common objections
• what makes a few lessors outperform their competitors.

Amembal states: "I am more than delighted that “Winning with Leasing!”  continues to be the most well-attended seminar in our industry. The feedback provided by previous attendees has been overwhelmingly positive; for this, I am grateful.”

For further information regarding our seminars, please contact Kelly Farnham at kelly@amembalandhalladay.com.

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Conferences and Forums -  Updated
Commercial Finance/Leasing Finance

September 10-12: AACFB Commercial Financing Expo, Austin, Texas
Hotel Details: AT&T Hotel and Conference Center 1900,  University Avenue, Austin, TX 78705
August 18 Hotel Room Rate Deadline

1. https://book.passkey.com/gt/220539889?gtid=ad49ce3f197a4ef75c79992c67ec633c
     Hotel: AT&T Hotel and Conference Center

  Special Rate: $199/night (plus a bonus night at
           $299 for Friday, Sept 12)
Meet the Funders
https://www.aacfb.org/events/calendar

List of Exhibitors
https://members.aacfb.org/Expo/Expo/Exhibitors.aspx

Women in Finance Breakfast
https://members.aacfb.org/Expo/

Charity Cruise in Austin
Sept. 10:  6pm - 8pm - $85.00
Dinner, drinks, Riverboat Cruise
https://conta.cc/40Oqh9J 

Mel Vinson, CLFP, Vice President of Marketing and Development, CLFP Foundation, will be covering The conferences for Leasing News reads.

September 17: Brokers Expo NYC Center, 415 Fifth Avenue in Midtown  -
Full  Information: https://thefundersforumbrokerexpo.com/ny/?utm_source=BENY&utm_medium=email&utm_term=button

1. The Experts Want to Hear from You: https://myemail.constantcontact.com/---Don-t-Miss-Out--Game-Changing-Panels---Power-Networking-at-Brokers-Expo-NYC-2025---Register-Now-------.html?soid=1133130637774&aid=prP58Y9ItbQ

Don Cosenza, CLFP, will cover the conference for Leasing News. Public Relations and spokesman for North Mill Equipment Finance for 10-Years, plus past National Equipment Finance Association past board member.

Network with Women in
National Vehicle Leasing Association
Wednesday, September 17, 2025
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM CT
https://www.nvla.org/events/EventDetails.aspx?id=1909329


October 14-16: National Equipment Finance Association Fall Conference, Renaissance Hotel, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Registration and Information
https://members.nefassociation.org/Online/iCore/Events/Event_display.aspx?
EventKey=FLCONF25&hkey=4aadd378-30dd-4c01-ad48-05e0ecaace0c

Vicki Shimkus, CLFP, Balboa Capital Relationship Manager, will be covering the conference for Leasing News readers.

October 26-28: ELFA 64th Annual Convention, Marco Island, Florida
https://www.elfaonline.org/events-new/event-detail/elfa-64th-annual-convention
Schedule:
https://www.elfaonline.org/education-networking/2025/annual-convention/schedule
Randy Haug, LTi Technology, will be covering the conference for Leasing News

October 28-29: DeBanked B2B Finance Expo, Wynn, Las Vegas, Nevada
B2B Finance Expo is back for its highly anticipated second edition at the Wynn Las Vegas! We're thrilled to once again partner with the Small Business Finance Association (SBFA) to deliver an even bigger and better experience, uniting top professionals in the commercial finance industry.
Bob Coleman, Coleman Reports, will be a speaker. He us out with a  new book Book:   “Easy Money, Hard Time”   https://debanked.com/2025/07/coleman-reports-bob-coleman-is-out-with-a-new-book-easy-money-hard-time/
Questions? Email us at events@debanked.com

To Update, please email:  kitmenkin@leasingnews.org

RISING To the Challenge
SFNet's 81st Annual Convention
November 11-13, 2025
Los Angeles, California
https://www.sfnet.com/home/81st-annual-convention
https://myemail.constantcontact.com/
For Updates, email: kitmenkin@leasingnews.org

News Briefs

New Texas Laws Open a Wild West for
    Corporate Governance
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/16/business/dealbook/texas-incorporation-delaware.html

Stocks Keep Climbing Past Bad News
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/15/business/tariffs-stock-market-records.html

Why shoppers will keep buying these brands
   despite tariff price hikes
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/08/15/prices-tariffs-brand-loyalty-companies/

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As Trump Pushes International Students Away,
    Asian Schools Scoop Them Up
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/14/business/us-international-students-trump.html

[headlines]
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Sports Briefs---

 

[headlines]
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California News Briefs---

Oracle chops well over 100 Bay Area jobs
https://www.mercurynews.com/2025/08/14/oracle-jobs-economy-tech-bay-area-redwood-city-pleasanton-layoff-work/

Altera chops jobs in San Jose as pace of
SF Bay Area tech worker losses eases
https://www.mercurynews.com/2025/08/12/san-jose-altera-jobs-tech-economy-work-layoff-chip-bay-area-ai-intel/

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Gimme that Wine

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJnQoi8DSE8

The U.S. Alcohol Industry Is Reeling From Canada’s
    Booze Boycott
https://www.wsj.com/business/us-alcoehol-industry-canada-boycott-71dbd1e0?st=nwohHL&reflink

Which fine wines have performed best so far in 2025?
https://www.thedrinksbusiness.com/2025/08/which-fine-wines-have-performed-best-so-far-in-2025/

JUSTIN Vineyards & Winery Expands Portfolio                         
With New Central Coast Chardonnay
https://www.winebusiness.com/news/article/306810

Cheers to 40 Years! Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards Celebrates
Milestone Anniversary by Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards
https://www.winebusiness.com/news/article/306786