Kevin P. Prykull has been engaged in the equipment leasing and finance industry for over 40 years specializing in risk management. He worked for PNC Bank for more than 30 years until his recent retirement. At PNCEF he managed all of the credit underwriting and portfolio functions for PNC’s bank leasing and equipment financing subsidiaries. He was responsible for the credit and risk activities within the direct segments and specialty businesses like corporate aviation, municipal, alternative energy, structured finance, Canada, and Vendor — including the underwriting and approval of new transactions, portfolio management, and related credit administration matters. PNC’s combined leasing and equipment finance portfolio exceeds $18 billion in assets making the firm the 3rd largest bank leasing company in the country. 

His other work experience includes: an independent finance company (Senstar Capital Corporation), global lease consulting firm (Amembal, Deane and Associates), a Fortune 500 manufacturer and captive lessor (Joy Manufacturing), and a local regional bank (Equibank). The majority of his background is in the area of risk, credit, equipment, leasing, teaching, and consulting.  

Mr. Prykull holds an undergraduate degree in accounting (BSBA) from Duquesne University and a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from Robert Morris University. Although he does not practice, Kevin has passed the Pennsylvania CPA exam.  

Prykull is an active member of the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA). Since 2008, he has served in various roles as chair, member and leader on the association’s Credit and Collections (C&C) Planning Committee and Conference. In addition Kevin is responsible for the Credit Manager Survey whose results are presented annually at the conference. He was the recipient of the ELFA Distinguished Service Award. The award honors individuals who have made significant contributions to the association and the equipment finance industry. Kevin is active on the ELFA’s Research Committee and is involved in the annual publication of the Summary of Equipment Finance Activity (SEFA). Kevin has been interviewed and quoted in numerous articles for the ELFA Leasing Today magazine and the Monitor. 

Kevin has earned and maintains the Certified Lease and Finance Professional (CLFP) designation offered through the CLFP Foundation. Kevin is the current past President of the CLFP Foundation where he oversees all foundation matters. He chairs the Body of Knowledge Committee. Further he functions as the Subject Matter Expert (SME) for credit and is active in the re certification process. Kevin teaches at the CLFP Foundation’s Academy, including the newest “virtual” ones. Kevin is an Adjunct Professor in Finance at Duquesne University. A native of the Pittsburgh, PA area, Kevin resides in Peters Township with his wife Karen.  He has three grown children and three grandchildren. 

Phone: 412-337-0250  |   Email: kevin.prykull@gmail.com

Nate is the Chief Operating Officer for Innovation Finance and is focused on leveraging automation to improve the customer experience.  

Nate began his career at First American Equipment Finance where he became Vice President in the Operations department before being asked to help develop and manage the company’s learning and professional development strategy.  

Nate is a strong advocate for the leasing and finance industry. He has served as Chair of the Emerging Talent Advisory Council for the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA), is a member of the ELFA’s Academic Outreach Committee, Chair of the ELFA’s LeasePAC Committee, and he also serves on the ELFA’s Board of Directors. Nate has presented at national and international conferences – covering topics about leadership, diversity, employee engagement, personal & professional development, and innovation.

He resides in Webster, New York with his wife Keila and their two sons Noah and Micah. 

Jennifer (Jenny) Wood is currently the Senior Vice President of Client Services with Orion First Financial, LLC. Jenny “grew up” in the small commercial finance arena and wouldn’t have it any other way. Joining Orion First (from another Leasing Company) in its early stages has given her the opportunity to hold various rolls within the company including Portfolio Management, Taxes, Customer Service, Business Development and most recently her current position in Client Services. Jenny is responsible for identifying how to partner strategically with our clients and improve processes and procedures to increase productivity and profitability for both parties.

Jenny has been in the commercial finance space since 1998 and obtained her CLFP Certification in 2004. She is eager to reach out to the younger generation of the finance industry and really get them involved as they are our future.

Jenny resides in Tacoma, WA and in the Winter month you can always find her watching every football game possible, and in the Summer months practicing her dart game as she holds some high titles in the Pacific Northwest.

Phone: 253-857-9652   |   Email: jwood@orionfirst.com

Lia Wax is the Vice President of Operations – Contract Management at Financial Pacific Leasing, Inc.  Lia entered the industry in August of 1999, after relocating to the Pacific Northwest from Knoxville, Tennessee, upon completion of a master’s degree in music.  She’s spent her entire 20 years in the industry at FP, working her way up from the file room, through supervising Customer Service and Titling, managing various Funding groups, to currently managing post-funding operations.  She’s never met a problem that she hasn’t wanted to try and solve.  She loves analyzing issues and finding creative ways to solve them.  She believes in leveraging technology to create a better customer experience, while maintaining the human touch in places where it will have the most impact.  She also believes strongly that knowledge is power, and that you should strive to learn something new every day.  It was that desire to learn that drew her to the CLFP foundation initially.  Lia earned the CLFP designation in 2004 and has been an active participant in supporting its growth and advocating for the designation ever since.

Phone: 253-568-6109   |   Email: lwax@finpac.com

Todd Buzard is a Senior Vice President of Finance for First American Equipment Finance (FAEF), An RBC/City National Bank Company. Todd joined FAEF in 2002 and has over 18 years of experience in the leasing and finance industry.  

Prior to joining FAEF, Todd worked in public accounting for Arthur Andersen, LLP. Todd also taught accounting, finance, and business courses at the college level for over 10 years in his spare time. 

Since becoming a CLFP in 2014, Todd has been active in the CLFP Foundation. Todd is an active instructor in FAEF’s internal CLFP program. Additionally, Todd has traveled to many Academy for Lease & Finance Professional sessions in order to help prepare aspiring CLFP’s for the CLFP exam. 

Todd earned a B.S. in Accounting from Utica College and a M.B.A. in Finance from St. Bonaventure University. 

Todd, his wife Kimberly, and their two children reside in Henrietta, NY.

Phone: 585-643-3289   |   Email: todd.buzard@faef.com

Craig Colling – CLFP, Senior Vice President Sales at Ascentium Capital LLC, has 20 years of expertise in the equipment financing industry and is responsible for the leadership of a vendor sales team. Prior to joining Ascentium Capital, Craig was the Vice President of Sales at Paramount Financial Services.  

Craig earned his CLFP designation in 2019 and has been active in the CLFP Foundation including organizing and hosting several CLFP exams. Craig actively promotes the CLFP Foundation and its mission of exceptional standards of professional conduct and technical expertise.  

Craig earned his degree in Marketing (BSBA) from the University of Arizona in Tucson, AZ.  Craig resides in Phoenix, AZ with his wife Asia, son Jack and daughter Dylan.

Phone: 281-902-1444   |   Email: craigcolling@ascentiumcapital.com

Theresa is the founder of Kabot Commercial Leasing (KCL) and K2 Funding Group. The company operates two divisions: the third-party origination division which has been operating since 1996 and an in-house portfolio of equipment finance contracts that commenced in 2014. Theresa is active in the day-to-day originations of contracts that are brokered to banks and funding sources at KCL. She is also involved in the underwriting of the transactions booked at K2 Funding.

Theresa graduated from Colorado State in 3  1/2  years and following only six years of experience in the equipment leasing sector, she started her own company at the age of 27.  She earned her CLFP designation in 1996.

Theresa is an active member of the National Equipment Finance Association (NEFA) and the American Association of Commercial Finance Brokers (AACFB). She currently serves on the CLFP Foundation Board of Directors and the 2021 Monitor Editorial Board. In 2019, Monitor magazine recognized her as one of the fifty most influential leaders in equipment finance. She is a past president of the CLFP Foundation, has served on the UAEL Board of Directors, volunteers on numerous committees with NEFA, AACFB as well as numerous industry associations in which her company specializes. Theresa has been an instructor for the Institute for Leasing Professionals, NEFA education videos and author for articles in Monitor magazine, NEFA Newsline, as well as AACFB Commercial Break.

In her spare time Theresa enjoys biking the numerous trails throughout Puget Sound, sketching in charcoal, yoga and playing with her Bernese Mountain Dog, Chewbacca. Theresa and her husband Frank have a ranch in the mountains of Colorado and look forward to retiring there one day.

Phone: 206-301-9960   |   Email: tkabot@lease-it.com

Larry has been an entrepreneur for more than 30 years, owning and managing several successful businesses, primarily in the finance Industry. He has been in the equipment leasing industry since 1983, financing commercial equipment for small start-up, privately-owned companies up to Fortune 500 corporations. 

Larry has advised, consulted and provided financing for many different businesses who could not get conventional financing or who needed to get alternative financing for privately-owned businesses. Larry’s experience dealing with banks spans over 30 years. He has borrowed and loaned millions of dollars over that period of time. 

As a business professional, Larry has been on both sides of the table. He understands what a business owner needs and how to prepare a business for the appropriate financing based on their particular situation. Larry is the President of Bankers Capital, located in Northborough MA.  Bankers Capital has been in business 30 years funding Non-Bankable, Non-Conventional Equipment Lease Transactions in all 50 states.  Bankers Capital is self-funded and holds all of their transactions for their own portfolio.  Half of its business is repeat business and the other half of it is originated through 3rd party Broker Originations. 

Larry was a previous Board Member of UAEL, predecessor of NEFA, previous Board Member of the CLFP Foundation, previous Board Member of a local Credit Union.  He is a Current Board member of the Marlborough Regional Chamber of Commerce for over 20 years and Board Member of the Marriott Boston Custom House Homeowners Association for 15 years.  Larry has held the CLP/CLFP Designation for approximately 25 years. 

Larry Resides in Grafton with his wife Sandra of 40 years.  Has a Daughter Melissa, Son-in-law James and two beautiful grandchildren which is where he spends his time when he is not doing deals.

Phone: 508-351-6000   |   Email: larryl@bankers-capital.com

Joe Leonard, CLFP is the Managing Member of Oakmont Capital Holdings, a commercial finance firm with offices in West Chester, PA and Albany, MN. Oakmont Capital Holdings operates in several verticals and employees 35+, including 20+ CLFP’s. Joe is responsible for formulating and implementing strategic goals and tactical planning for all divisions of the company. 

Prior to forming Oakmont Capital in 1998, Joe was owned and operated Can-Am Absorbents Co., Inc., Spring Hope Water, Inc. and Canadian American Packaging Co., Inc. Additionally, Joe was the Regional Sales Manager for Mita Leasing Corp, managing their equipment finance and fleet leasing operations. 

Joe previously served on the board of the National Equipment Finance Association and is active in many business organizations in Pennsylvania and Delaware. Joe also enjoys his occasional opportunities to be an ALFP instructor, however, the attendees may feel differently. 

A graduate on Penn State University, Joe resides in Delaware with his wife Sharon. He enjoys spending time with his children and grandchildren, and the rare game of golf to ensure that he remains humble. 

Phone: 877-701-2391 Ext. 113   |   Email: jleonard@oakmontfinance.com

Mike McDonald, CLFP is a Senior End of Term Specialist with Flex Financial at Stryker. As an End of Term specialist, Mike oversees the process of closing out old agreements and ensures a smooth transition to the new. His role requires a thorough understanding of how leases can be interconnected and big picture thinking. Prior to his current role in Portfolio Management, Mike has worked at a variety of institutions in pricing, sales, and credit. 
 
Mike obtained his MBA with a concentration in Finance at Arizona State University and Bachelors of Science from Michigan State University. Mike and his wife Lauren reside in Mattawan, MI.

Phone: 269-389-1487   |   Email: mike.mcdonald@stryker.com

Daniel Nelson is founder and President of Tamarack Technology, a leading technology solution provider to the equipment finance and commercial lending industry. With over 30 years of industry experience, Nelson leads Tamarack’s product and service offerings for portfolio management solutions. An active member since 2002, Nelson currently serves on the ELFA board of directors. In addition to participation in Capital Connections for the past 6 years, Nelson has served on Service Provider Business Council Steering Committee and Operations & Technology Conference committee. Prior to starting Tamarack in 2001, Nelson held IT management, conversion and consulting positions at International Decision Systems. He holds a Certified Lease & Finance Professional (CLFP) designation and a B.A. in Mathematics.

Phone: 651-269-7680   |   Email: dnelson@tamarackconsulting.com

Katherine (Kathy) Nordendahl is Vice President of 3^rd Party Originations Manager with Dedicated Funding, LLC.  She focuses on building and maintaining relationships with 3^rd party originators.  Dedicated Funding LLC specializes in application only transactions up to $250,000 for differing credit profile and provide risk base pricing.  Previously she worked with Bank of the West for 19 years in the Equipment Leasing Division. Kathy earned her CLFP designation in May 2006.  Her career has been primarily in sales but over the year’s she has also assisted in credit, documentation, systems, and operations.  She believes that her CLFP designation provided the information she needed to be a strong contributor.   She is a member of the AACFB and NEFA organizations.  Kathy is married with 2 grown children.  Interests includes Mountain Biking, Scuba Diving, and hiking.    

Phone: 801-293-1539   |   Email: kathy.nordendahl@dedicatedfunding.com

Candace Reinhart leads Operations and Syndications at CoreTech Leasing, an independent technology and equipment lessor, and drives client value to enhance CoreTech’s leadership in the industry.  

Candace achieves this for CoreTech by relentlessly pursuing what is best in the lease and finance industry with a singularity of focus that is unmatched.  She leads with an infectious passion for learning, which is one reason it comes as no surprise to anyone who knows Candace that she has risen to the top in her field.  Her proactive management style and strong work ethic set the standard for diligence at every organization she has led. 

Candace has worked in every element of the lease life cycle; she knows first-hand the challenges and responsibilities that come with each position and is uniquely able to encourage creative solutions and outside-the-box thinking.  This insight into each role within the organization enables her to bring empathy to build an empowered team that delivers unparalleled service and responsiveness to clients.  

From the get-go, Candace deliberately set her sights on raising the bar on industry ethics and standards.  She pursued her CLFP on her own and not only proudly accomplished this goal but has now been elected to the 2021 CLFP Board and has also been selected as one The Monitor’s Top 50 Women in Equipment Finance.   

Candace takes tremendous pride in her CLFP certification and in upholding the standards of the lease and finance industry. Her focus has always been in playing the long game and never being satisfied with expedient answers or self-interested deals. Rather, Candace has cultivated a very strong sense of integrity, one which she has never betrayed. 

She envisions herself as someone helping the industry to grow and evolve into a more digital future. In an industry that has been somewhat slow to adopt change, she looks to herself and her peers as being pivotal in driving the human-powered capabilities our digitized future will need. 

Candace is an avid sailor, who enjoys trips to Catalina with her husband on their sloop, and she is also proud to have run her first marathon at the beginning of 2020.  Her greatest source of pride, however, is her family and being a mom to her 12-year old daughter, Jackie.

Phone: 949-679-6483   |   Email: creinhart@coretechleasing.com

Deborah “Deb” Reuben, CLFP, is CEO and Founder of TomorrowZone and the Beyond Convention EF Innovators UnConference, a platform inspiring fresh ideas and collaborations to shape the future of equipment finance. She inspires new thinking to explore the art of the possible through her extensive technical knowledge, equipment finance experience, and passion for challenging the status quo. Her expertise will enhance and broaden your company’s products and services and create efficiencies that will produce a competitive advantage for your business. 

Her broad background includes system design and development in financial services (Wells Fargo and TCF) and the software industry (HCL and Linedata Capitalstream). Specializing in industry trends and strategic direction, her approach is holistic and relatable to help clients understand potential impacts and discover new opportunities for advanced technology. Additionally, she provides experiential virtual workshops that help leaders clearly understand current state realities and future possibilities.  

A member of ELFA’s Board of Directors, Reuben chairs the ELFA’s Technology Innovation Working Group and serves on the Monitor Editorial Board, co-founded the Disrupted+ conference series with Monitor. She authored The Certified Lease and Finance Professionals’ Handbook, 6th and 7th and 8th editions. She is the recipient of both the CLFP Foundation Cindy Spurdle Award of Excellence and the ELFA Michael J. Fleming Distinguished Service Award. Monitor Magazine honored her as one of the 50 Most Powerful Women Leaders in Equipment Finance. Learn more at tomorrowzone.io. 

Phone: 612-201-4010   |   Email: deborah@tomorrowzone.io

Jason Seitz is a Vice President at BMO Harris Equipment Finance Company.  He started with the Company in 2006 and is responsible for leading their Middle Market Credit Underwriting Team.  Jason obtained his BS in Finance from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse in 2005 and Certified Lease & Finance Professional (CLFP) designation in 2017.  He has played an active role in the Equipment Finance industry and was a former member of the Emerging Talent and Advisory Council for the Equipment Leasing & Finance Association.  Jason and his wife Sarah, along with their two sons, reside in New Berlin, Wisconsin.

Phone: 414-765-7991   |   Email: jason.seitz@bmo.com

Reid Raykovich, CLFP, is the Chief Executive Officer at the Certified Lease & Finance Professional Foundation. Reid took over the Foundation in 2012 and has grown the membership by over 600%. In 2014, she was honored with the Foundation’s Cindy Spurdle Award of Excellence.

Reid began her career in the commercial equipment leasing and finance industry at Great American Insurance where she obtained her CLFP designation. She has also held various positions at McCommon Leasing, Irwin Commercial Finance and Financial Pacific Leasing where she was presented the “Above and Beyond Leadership” Award. She was also given the Leasing News Person of the Year Award in 2016, was named as one of the top 50 most powerful and influential women in the industry by Monitor magazine in 2019, and also named as the 2020 Pioneer Icon by Monitor.

Reid has authored and co-authored several articles regarding certification and continuing education and has spoken on various panels and presented at many industry conference sessions. In 2018, she traveled to Australia and spoke in three cities regarding the certification.

She has a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, with minors in Classics and Business from the University of Washington where she graduated magna cum laude in two and a half years.

In her spare time, she loves crafting and making gifts for others. She has a daughter Milla, a purebred mutt Sophie, and a loving cat Toonces who all keep her on her toes.

Phone: 206-535-6281   |   Email: reid@clfpfoundation.org

Sandy is a native of the Pacific Northwest. Born and raised in the Seattle area, she has experienced several diversified positions within many companies. Prior to the CLFP Foundation, she worked at Vivien Maier and Associates for eleven years as the Executive Administrator. She began her career in the legal industry, working for attorneys on Mercer Island, WA. The majority of her experience has been as the Executive Assistant to company presidents, sales managers, and large corporations’ executives. She was employed for more than 10 years as the Lead Section Assistant in a Northwest engineering firm where she supported 35 engineers in the wastewater department and received the “Pathfinders Program of Excellence Award.”

Phone: 206-535-6281   |   Email: sandy@clfpfoundation.org