ELFA - Equipment Leasing and Finance Association - Equipping Business for Success

Executive Roundtable

March 26 - March 28, 2023
Omni Amelia Island Resort , Amelia Island, FL

Executive Roundtable

March 26 - March 28, 2023
Omni Amelia Island Resort , Amelia Island, FL

Executive Roundtable

March 26 - March 28, 2023

Omni Amelia Island Resort , Amelia Island, FL



Leadership with a Purpose

Featured Keynote Speakers for 2023's Executive Roundtable:

Matt McFaydenMATT MCFADYEN
Leadership Master and Adventurer

Sheryl ConnellySHERYL CONNELLY
Leading Futurist & Global Consumer Trends Expert
Legendary Chief Futurist at Ford Motor Company

Ginny ClarkeGINNY CLARKE
Former Director, Executive Recruiting at Google
Holistic Leadership Strategist

James TurnerJASON TURNER
Chief Investment Strategist
Great Lakes Advisors, LLC
A Wintrust Wealth Management Company

The ELFA 2023 Executive Roundtable will bring together CEOs and Directors in the equipment finance industry who strive to create change and growth through Leadership with a Purpose.

Many business leaders show up with plenty of passion about what they do, but not always with a definable purpose. Passion is about enthusiastically pushing your interests, while purpose is about wanting to make a difference for your clients and your companies. Purpose adds motivation and focus and results in more motivated and energized employees, more delighted and satisfied customers, and better business outcomes.

In this tumultuous climate, it has never been more critical for leaders to be purpose-driven team leaders and players, and leaders who advocate for change. At the Executive Roundtable, our expert speakers will touch on subjects like conscious leadership, practical motivational methods for growing your team, economic updates to enhance your business, and our current political climate.

You won’t want to miss the opportunity to participate in workshops, network with your peers, and gain actionable insights to solve various business-related or equipment- or leasing-specific challenges.

This one-of-a-kind conference brings CEOs and Presidents of equipment finance companies together to discuss the issues of the day, to strategize about the future and to create lasting business relationships.

Who Should Attend: Please Review Carefully

Attendance is limited to the senior executive leadership from ELFA member companies. Executives must hold the position of president, CEO, managing director, COO; or be part of the senior leadership team and/or manage a substantial division within the company. Service Provider Member Companies may send one senior executive from their company to this Roundtable. ELFA Regular Member Companies may send up to three representatives from their companies.


Registration Fees

Price Description Amount
1st Person Attendee from Member Company $2020.00
Additional Attendee from Member Company $1717.00
Spouse/Companion $300.00
Spouse/Companion $300.00

View cancellation and other policies

Download the Conference Schedule Here!

Available Functions

  Sunday Golf Outing
$140.00

Speakers

Drew Cantor


Tiber Creek Group



Kathleen Canum

Senior Vice President, Administration
Canon Financial Services, Inc.


As Senior Vice President at Canon Financial Services, Kathy has direct oversight of the following strategic functions: Accounting/AP/Tax, Information Technology, Corporate Planning, Project Management, Operations, General Affairs, and Legal. In addition to her broad functional leadership, Kathy is responsible for CFS’ Innovation Lifecycle and Product Management strategies. In the last few years, Kathy has engineered and successfully completed a full-scale end-to-end modernization of CFS internal and external systems from front-end to end of lease, including the recent replacement of a legacy Lease Accounting System managing a $2b+ and growing portfolio. Additionally, Kathy has modernized CFS continuous improvement, product management, and technology delivery models to be more agile and customer-focused. In addition to creating a successful women’s leadership program at CFS, Kathy has cultivated key relationships and programs with government, universities, and community organizations to expand the reach and appeal of the Equipment Finance Industry as a whole and to maximize its impact to our communities.

Kathy received her M.B.A. from Wharton, B.A. from Immaculata University and is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). Kathy started her career in leasing 25+ years ago at First Fidelity Leasing.


Ginny Clarke

Former Director, Executive Recruiting at Google
Leading Authorities


Ginny Clarke was Director, Executive Recruiting at Google from August 2016 until November 2020. In this role, she led the Diversity, Internal Mobility and the Non-tech Recruiting teams. Her team of North American recruiters found and hired senior leaders (Directors +) for finance, sales, marketing and other G&A functions across Google.

She recently left to pursue her own business of consulting, speaking, podcasting and writing. Her podcast, Fifth Dimensional Leadership is for leaders, thinkers and future-makers dedicated to creating the conscious workplace of tomorrow.

Before Google, Ginny was a Partner at Spencer Stuart, the global executive search firm, based in Chicago. For 12 years, she worked in the firm’s Financial Services and Financial Officer Practices, and co-founded and led Spencer Stuart’s Global Diversity Practice. She left Spencer Stuart to write a book titled Career Mapping: Charting Your Course in the New World of Work, which was published in 2011. The book provides a framework that empowers individuals to plot and assess their professional competencies, and strategically navigate their careers.

After the book was published, Ginny ran her own executive search and talent management firm for 3 years before becoming a Senior Partner for Executive Search in the U.S. at Knightsbridge, a Canadian human capital solutions firm.

Ginny started her career in banking at First National Bank of Chicago (now Chase). After a short stint, she spent a number of years in the real estate investment management business with Jones Lang LaSalle (“JLL”) and Prudential Real Estate Investors. Her responsibilities included asset management, portfolio management, capital raising and client servicing.

She earned her BA in French and Linguistics from the University of California at Davis, and her MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School. Ginny is the single mother of an adult son, Julian, who works in the entertainment industry.

Ellen Comeaux

SVP, Commercial Division Leader
EverBank


Ellen Comeaux is the SVP, Commercial Division Sales Leader at TIAA Bank. As a member of the Bank’s leadership team, her primary responsibilities include directing originations for the Commercial Lending Division, including ensuring successful execution of key priorities, problem solving and establishing the overall strategic and tactical direction for the Commercial Real Estate and Vendor Equipment Finance business lines.

Ellen leads teams in commercial real estate and vendor equipment finance and reports to John Pataky, Executive Vice President and Chief Banking Officer. She joined TIAA Bank (EverBank) in 2015, after 24 years at GE Capital and most recently served as Chief of Staff for the Chief Banking Officer.

Sheryl Connelly

Legendary Chief Futurist at Ford Motor Company
Leading Authorities


When the world’s top companies want to understand what’s next for their businesses and how they can create the next big breakthrough in their industries, they turn to world-renowned futurist Sheryl Connelly. Connelly is a global trends and consumer expert whose mastery at identifying what’s coming around the corner and the potential influences on customer attitudes and behavioral patterns that directly impact business strategy is unparalleled. For more than two decades, she was a cornerstone presence on Ford Motor Company’s global trends and futuring team, working her way up the ranks at the automotive juggernaut and becoming the company’s chief futurist. Connelly draws upon her business foresight expertise and experiences at Ford to help organizations in any industry identify and analyze global consumer trends in order to lay the groundwork for long-term, future-focused planning and strategy across the entire company, and anticipate the ever-evolving needs and desires of the people they serve.

Exclusively represented by Leading Authorities speakers bureau, Connelly leads audiences on a fascinating journey into the potential futures of their industries. She helps leaders and their teams make sense of how STEEP factors — social, technological, economic, environmental, and political trends — will affect their businesses in the short- and long-term, while providing a big picture outlook of the key trends that are reshaping the way we live. With unique perspectives designed to revolutionize approaches to long-term planning and strategy, Connelly reveals how anyone at any level of an organization can think like a futurist, and delivers the insights leaders are looking for as they look for new methods for sparking innovation in their teams and facilitating the growth of their organizations in this new age of never-ending disruption.

As Ford’s chief futurist, Connelly led a team of researchers, engineers, marketers, and anthropologists tasked with tracking trends, spotting signals of change, and identifying outliers to develop uniquely compelling insights designed to test the power innovation across the enterprise. Data-driven insights collected by Connelly and her team were pivotal to all aspects of Ford’s operations, including corporate strategy, product development, and design. Prior to joining Ford’s trends team, Connelly spent eight years in various marketing, sales, and service field positions at the company. She began her unconventional career path practicing law.

When Connelly speaks, the business world takes notice. She has twice been named one of Fast Company’s “100 Most Creative People in Business” and was listed among TechWeek’s “Top 100 Innovators.” Her thought leadership and strategic viewpoints have been featured in leading publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Reuters, Financial Times, Forbes, and the BBC. She has also appeared on CBS’s “This Morning with Charlie Rose,” CNBC’s “Fast Money,” and NPR’s “All Things Considered.”

Connelly is passionate about her work, but readily admits that the road to where she is today included a few unexpected twists and turns. She teaches design research at the Center for Creative Studies in Detroit, Michigan, has been a guest lecturer at MIT, the University of Michigan, and Wharton School of Business, and is a former member of the Global Advisory Council on transportation for the World Economic Forum.


Andy Fishburn CLFP

VP, Federal Government Relations
Equipment Leasing and Finance Association


Andy Fishburn is the Vice President of Federal Government Relations for the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA), the premier trade association representing 575+ member organizations in the $1 trillion equipment finance sector.

Mr. Fishburn joined ELFA in September 2012. He directs and operates all aspects of the association’s federal relations strategy and the engagement of members in political programs.

Fishburn has focused on legislative, financial and tax policy matters throughout his distinguished career within the Department of Treasury and the U.S. Congress. He served in legislative affairs positions and as senior advisor to four Secretaries of the Treasury, including as a Deputy Assistant Secretary under Secretaries John Snow and Henry Paulson. During 2010 and 2011, he served on the staff of the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance and worked for Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) on tax policies such as bank taxation, tax administration, oversight of the IRS, tax extenders and small business tax issues. Most recently, he was the Director of Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs at the U.S. Mint, acting as the Bureau’s lead legislative strategist and congressional liaison.

He has a B.S. in environmental studies from the University of Michigan and a Master of Public Affairs from Indiana University.

Jay Heimbach

Partner
Tiber Creek Group


Jay Heimbach joined Peck Madigan Jones following his service as the Special Representative of the World Bank Group to North America, Australia, New Zealand and Israel. In this role, Jay worked closely with the President of the World Bank on managing the relationships between the senior leadership of the Bank and key donor governments.
Jay has spent more than twenty years in Washington, working in two White Houses, the US Senate, and in both the non-profit and private sectors. Prior to his tenure at the World Bank, he was the Senior Director for North American Government Affairs for Bono's ONE Campaign. There he led a bipartisan team that focused on foreign policy and appropriations. In the Obama White House, he was Special Assistant to the President for Legislative Affairs, focusing on energy, environmental, agricultural and manufacturing issues in the US Senate. As a member of the original Legislative Affairs team, he worked on the American Recovery Act, the Dodd-Frank Act, and the Affordable Care Act.
He previously served in the Clinton White House in the Office of Legislative Affairs, where he worked on the Telecommunications Act of 1996, and the Chief of Staff's office, where he served as the Policy Director to the Deputy Chief of Staff. In the Senate, Jay was the first Chief of Staff to Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH). He has also served in senior roles at the Federal Communications Commission, advocacy firms representing Fortune 100 companies, and has advised and volunteered on political campaigns at federal, state and local levels.
He received his JD from Boston University School of Law and is a member of the Massachusetts Bar.

Cameron Krueger

Senior Managing Director - North American Specialty Finance Leader
Accenture


Cam is a Managing Director in Accenture’s Financial Services practice and is responsible for North American Specialty Finance market. He has over 30 years of experience in the automobile and equipment finance markets. He has worked extensively with most technology platforms across all equipment types and phases of the lease/loan life-cycle.


Matt McFadyen

Adventurer and Master Storyteller
Leading Authorities


From dragging heavy sleds to the North Pole to sailing small yachts through some of the world's deadliest oceans. Adventurer Matt McFadyen has been there and done that.

As an adventurer Matt has pushed himself and others to the ends of the earth, testing the limits of human potential. He has been part of three record-breaking expeditions to the North Pole and two long-haul sailing expeditions to Antarctica. He has been part of and led teams in some of the toughest conditions on the planet.

In 2004 accompanied by 4 like minded individuals, 22 year old Matt set sail onboard a 43 foot yacht bound for Antarctica, the 54 day expedition would take Matt and the crew across one of the deadliest and dangerous oceans on the planet The Great Southern Ocean. Storms of mammoth intensity would engulf the small yacht for days on end, testing the resolve of the 5 weary sailors.

A near fatal knock down on their return home was the catalyst for change in Matt's life and the driver to continue raising the bar.

18 months after returning from Antarctica Matt became the youngest Australian to reach the North Pole. Matt has since returned to the North Pole on 2 more occasions as an expedition leader.

As a keynote speaker and facilitator Matt has worked with organizations all over the world to engage, align and inspire leaders and their teams. As a storyteller, he is world class. Inspirational. Relevant. Memorable

Using his unique personal experiences in the adventure world Matt has delivered over 500 presentations on 4 continents and partnered with organizations across all sectors of business to help:

- Drive and lead through change
- Implement and embed high-performance cultures
- Attract and retain key talent
- Inspire and align teams

Matt's passion for life, his overall presence and above all his unique ability to connect with any audience make him a must-see individual and speaker.

Robert Neagle

President and CEO
Finova Capital, LLC


Bob Neagle is currently President and CEO of Finova Capital, LLC and Chair of the ELFA. Prior to this current role, Bob was President and General Manager of the Merchant Finance Division of Ascentium Capital LLC. In this role, he was responsible for Ascentium Capital’s entry into the payments industry, and the general direction of the business and its P&L.

Over the past thirty years, he has held senior management roles with leading companies in the equipment leasing and financing industry. He began his career with TriContinental Leasing, later Bell Atlantic Capital, where he was SVP and COO of the commercial equipment finance group. He later joined AT&T Capital where he was SVP of Marketing for the Business Finance unit which provided SBA loans, conventional loans and small ticket leasing. While at AT&T Capital, he started the Franchise Finance Division which provided equipment and real estate financing to select National franchisors. After some time at CIT leading its Franchise Finance group, he joined First Data Corporation in 2004 where he led the rapid and profitable growth of First Data Global Leasing both in the United States and Europe, and served on the board of the company’s largest International joint venture.

He previously served 2 terms as a Trustee of the Equipment Leasing and Financing Foundation. Over the years, he has published articles in the JELF and for 30 years has served as a member of the Editorial Review board of the Journal of Equipment Leasing and Finance.


He is a Ph.D. graduate of Loyola University Chicago.


Ralph Petta



Ralph Petta is the President and CEO of the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA), the premier trade association representing 550+ member organizations in the $1 trillion equipment finance sector. Mr. Petta leads the organization in executing its mission to foster business development, deliver industry information and analysis, provide educational opportunities and advocate for the industry. He is also President of the Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation, which is dedicated to inspiring thoughtful innovation and contributing to the betterment of the equipment leasing and finance industry.

Mr. Petta, an authority in the business of equipment finance, has been with the association since 1987. Before assuming the role of President and CEO in January 2016, he served as Chief Operating Officer for six years, providing coordination, direction and oversight of ELFA programs and services designed to add value to the association's member organizations. Prior to that, he served as Interim President. From 1987 to 2010 he was Vice President-Research & Industry Services, managing ELFA's information, benchmarking and market research initiatives. Throughout his career at ELFA, Mr. Petta has assumed leadership roles in virtually all functional areas within the organization, including governance, membership marketing, communications, business and professional development, state advocacy and the association's affiliated Foundation.

He is often quoted in industry trade publications and is a frequent speaker about the role of equipment finance in the U.S. economy and trends and developments in the equipment finance sector.

Mr. Petta is a member of the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), as well as ASAE's Key Industry Association Committee (KIAC). He completed the ASAE/University of Maryland College of Business and Management executive development certificate program in association management. He also was selected for and participated in the ASAE Future Leaders Conference. Mr. Petta is a member of the Exchequer Club of Washington, DC.

Before joining ELFA, Mr. Petta worked for nine years in the office of United States Senator Sam Nunn, serving in a variety of professional capacities. He was Senator Nunn's legislative assistant when he left to join the association. Mr. Petta graduated from Syracuse University, earning a B.A. degree in political science.

Kirk Phillips

President & CEO
Wintrust Commercial Finance


Kirk Phillips is President, CEO, and a founder of Wintrust Commercial Finance, a subsidiary of Wintrust Financial Corporation a $27 billion publicly traded bank holding company, which is focused on providing loans and leases to middle market companies throughout the US and Canada.  
 
He has spent over 25 years in the commercial finance industry with ITT Commercial Finance. He was part of a team that started two successful commercial finance companies, Transamerica Equipment Financial Services and AIG Commercial Equipment Finance where he was SVP of National Direct Originations and head of the Marine Finance Group. He was selected to manage the integration of the Commercial Asset Finance division into the Private Placements Group of AIG Investments where he held the position of Managing Director until 2015.  
 
Mr. Phillips has been a speaker and moderator at Marine Money International, Marine Money Offshore and Workboat conferences.  He has served multiple terms as a member of the Equipment Finance and Leasing Associations Financial Institutions Business Steering Council and Membership Committees.  He sits on the Executive Advisory Board of the Nelson Rusche College of Business at Stephen F. Austin State University and has been a strategic advisor to HEROMakers, a 501c3 focused on providing shelter and support for orphans located in Mexico and central America.  
 
Kirk resides in Valley View, Texas with his wife Renee’ and children Jeremy and Jordan.  He enjoys restoring classic British sports cars and training in Tae Kwon Do where he holds a 5th Degree Blackbelt and is a Senior Certified Instructor with TaeKwonDo America.

Jason Turner

Chief Investment Strategist
Great Lakes Advisors, a Wintrust Wealth Management Company


Jason Turner is the Chief Investment Strategist of Great Lakes Advisors. He is a member of the firm’s investment committee, authors market and economic commentary, regularly presents in the media and to professional conferences, and works with client portfolio managers to support institutional and private clients. As the Head of Multi-Asset Strategy, he is responsible for portfolio strategy, asset allocation, and for overseeing the firm’s manager due diligence and selection efforts. He is also a member of the firm’s Operating Committee and Management Committee.

Prior to joining Great Lakes in 2009, Jason served in various roles for Skyline Asset Management and Aon Hewitt Investment Consulting.

Education and Professional Credentials

  • Industry Start: 2001
  • North Central College, BA
  • Kellstadt Graduate School of Business, MBA
  • Yale School of Management- EDHEC Risk Institute, Certificate in Risk and Investment Management
  • FINRA Series 7 and 63 registrations

Sponsors

Hotel Reservations:
We strongly encourage you to make your hotel reservations online and as early as possible. Please use this link: https://www.omnihotels.com/hotels/amelia-island/meetings/elfa-executive-roundtable-2023-03202023

A block of rooms is being held for attendees of the 2023 Executive Roundtable at the Omni Amelia Island Resort, 39 Beach Lagoon Rd, Fernandina Beach, FL 32034 United States (904) 261-6161. A special conference rate of $381 plus tax, for best available room upon arrival, is offered to attendees. This fee includes in-room hi-speed internet with Omni's Select Guest membership, access to the fitness center, beaches, pools, and a daily newspaper by the elevators. Check in time is 4:00 pm, and check-out time is 11:00 am.

The cutoff date to make hotel reservations is Thursday, February 23rd, 2023

Things to Do at the Omni Amelia Island Resort
Amelia Island has plenty to offer for everyone! Click on the link below to view some of the best area attractions to make the most out of your trip! https://www.omnihotels.com/hotels/amelia-island/things-to-do. Looking to stay on property and enjoy the hotel grounds? You can find many daily activities to enjoy. Check the event calendar here https://www.omnihotels.com/hotels/amelia-island/things-to-do/event-calendar.

Getting To the Omni Amelia Island
Take I-95 North to Exit 373 (Route A1A East). Go East 11.2 miles to Amelia Island Parkway, (turn right at 1st traffic light, just over Intracoastal Waterway Bridge). Go 3.4 miles to traffic light and turn right. Go .7 miles to the round-about and follow Route A1A South. Go 2.7 miles to resort entrance on the left, (third round-about on left). Follow signs to “Check-In”. For more information please visit https://www.omnihotels.com/hotels/amelia-island/property-details/directions.

Hotel Parking

  • Self-Parking is available on-site for $20 per night
  • Valet parking available for $35 per night
  • Self-parking will not be available during Amelia Island Concours Week.

Omni Amelia Island Resort
39 Beach Lagoon Rd,
Fernandina Beach, FL 32034

Get directions