Welcome to another episode of the Equipment Vertical Deep Dive series! Listen as Tom Walther, founder and president of Nationwide Equipment, takes us on an insider’s journey through the world of over-the-road trailers. Hosted by Kelli Nienaber, with co-host Will Tefft, this episode covers a range of topics, including trailer market fundamentals, asset remarketing challenges, the impact of tariffs, and supply chain disruptions following the COVID-19 pandemic. Tom shares revealing anecdotes from d...
Jun 26, 2025•35 min
Let's talk about Juneteenth! In this episode of Equipment Finance Matters, Alexa Carnibella welcomes Beverly Brinkley, Vice President and Senior Business Systems Administrator at First Commonwealth Bank. They unpack the significance of Juneteenth as a national holiday and its meaning for the industry and beyond. Beverly shares her journey into inclusion work and the impactful formation of the BEST (Black Employee Supporting Talent) Employee Resource Group. Hear Beverly's firsthand account of lea...
Jun 16, 2025•19 min
As part of ELFA’s Innovation Experience – a year-round initiative to turn innovative thinking into action – this episode of Equipment Finance Matters features a powerful conversation between Deborah Reuben, CEO and founder of TomorrowZone and Jen Martin, Chief Product Officer at LTi Technology Solutions. Jen shares her unique leadership journey, shaped by her experience as a child of deaf adults, and how it fostered the communication, empathy, and curiosity that fuel her bold approach to innovat...
May 14, 2025•32 min
Join Kelli Nienaber in conversation with Kroll Bond Rating Agency (KBRA) experts Van Hesser, Joanne DeSimone, and Mike Dodge, as they unpack the latest trends and challenges shaping the $1 trillion equipment finance industry. Hear expert perspectives on how KBRA evaluates credit ratings for independent, captive, and bank-owned platforms—plus, why diversification and experienced management are crucial for weathering economic shifts and volatility.
Apr 29, 2025•42 min
In this Vertical Series episode of Equipment Finance Matters, co-hosts Kelli Nienaber, Foundation Executive Director and Will Tefft, Asset Manager at EverBank Commercial Asset Finance sit down with Wade Whitenburg, Strategic Accounts Manager at Ritchie Brothers. They explore the expansive construction equipment market, valued over $90 billion. Learn about the unique challenges and opportunities in construction finance, including the importance of equipment classification, market stability post-C...
Feb 20, 2025•33 min
Welcome to the first episode of Equipment Finance Matters in 2025 – it’s bursting with optimism and excitement as Alexa welcomes ELFA Board Chair and Vice President and General Manager at Flex Financial, Stryker, James Cress. Hear about James’ journey through ELFA, from attending events like Capitol Connections to helping form initiatives like the Emerging Talent Advisory Council and the Women’s Council. James shares insights on the industry’s momentum and how new CEO Leigh Lytle's vision is pus...
Jan 28, 2025•14 min
Kelli and Alexa, hosts of the two shows, announce the merge of the two podcasts and the move of the Equipment Leasing and Finance Podcast to Equipment Finance Matters. Subscribe to Equipment Finance Matters on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/equipment-finance-matters/id1500464877 or Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/43fGGQcByxbRTRKhbBfyJk?si=244H1nvDQ4Os5aw6PzmJug&nd=1&dlsi=22b930df245e44cd...
Jan 17, 2025•2 min
Podcast co-hosts Kelli Nienaber and Will Tefft are joined by Shannon Stangl of DLL to discuss the current and future outlook for the office and workplace segment of the industry. Listen in to learn more about this space including emerging technologies and increased interest in sustainability trends and how equipment can be fit for the future.
Dec 03, 2024•30 min
In this episode of Equipment Finance Matters, hosts Alexa Carnibella and Matt Vazzana sit down with Jayma Sandquist, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for John Deere Financial, as she shares invaluable insights on career development. Listeners will gain a deep understanding of the importance of goal setting, how to balance long term career aspirations with short term business objectives, and the critical role of feedback. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or just beginning y...
Aug 27, 2024•40 min•Ep. 23
Bobby Sandlin, Senior Appraiser and leader of the Transportation Division at Irontrax, joins podcast co-hosts Kelli Nienaber and Will Tefft to discuss the current and future outlook for Over the Road Trucking through the lens of equipment leasing and finance. Listen in as they talk about topics from inventory and remarket valuation to emissions and alternative fuel.
Aug 17, 2024•28 min
In this episode, we delve into the essential qualities that drive success in emerging talent. Drawing from extensive experience in mentoring and leadership, Leigh Lytle, ELFA President and CEO, shares valuable insights on the importance of curiosity and openness to feedback. Discover how a relentless hunger for knowledge and self-improvement can propel your career forward and learn the transformative power of receiving candid feedback from trusted sources. Join us for an engaging conversation on...
Jun 25, 2024•31 min
Diane Croessmann of The Alta Group joins host Kelli Nienaber for this episode of the Foundation Podcast. Listen in as they unpack the details of EaaS business models, including risk management. These EaaS offerings are in demand by customers and it’s important to understand how they are structured, what pitfalls to avoid and how traditional funders might find new opportunities.
Jun 18, 2024•23 min
In the fourth and final part of “Debunking Assumptions Through the Asian American Perspective”, our guests share inspirational stories of support, solidarity and growth. This special series is brought to you by the ELFA Equity Committee in celebration of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month. Featuring: Debbie Devassy-Babu , Moderator, Equity Committee Member, Shareholder at Darcy & Devassy https://www.linkedin.com/in/debbie-devassy-babu-377937/ Moto To...
May 30, 2024•24 min
In Part 3 of Voices United: Debunking Assumptions Through the Asian American Perspective , guests share their personal experiences facing adversity and talk about the impact of unconscious bias. This podcast is part of the ELFA Equity Committee’s celebration of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month, which recognizes the contributions and influence of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islander Americans to the history, culture, and achievements o...
May 21, 2024•18 min
In Part 2 of Voices United: Debunking Assumptions Through the Asian American Perspective , Xiang Ji, Kyin Lok, Camtu Vo and Kinna Pattani talk with moderators Debbie Devassy-Babu and Moto Tohda about what led them to work in equipment finance, and how their careers have progressed. This podcast is part of the ELFA Equity Committee’s celebration of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month, which recognizes the contributions and influence of Asian Americans, Nat...
May 13, 2024•22 min
May is Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month, recognizing the contributions and influence of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islander Americans to the history, culture, and achievements of the United States. This four-part series is brought to you by the ELFA Equity Committee and moderated by Debbie Devassy-Babu, Shareholder at Darcy & Devassy, and Moto Tohda, VP of Information Systems at Tokyo Century USA. Part 1 of the AANHPI Heritage Mo...
May 06, 2024•18 min
Join host Matt Vazzana as he talks with Zack Marsh, Chair of the Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation about the critical resources the Foundation provides and how they can help you stay on the cutting edge throughout your career. Whether it's the popular U.S. Economic Outlook, Monthly Confidence Index, or the Vertical Market Outlook Series, the Foundation provides the future-focused data specific to the equipment finance industry. Plus, there is no cost to access Foundation resources - eve...
Apr 11, 2024•25 min
In this episode, Kelli Nienaber and Will Tefft speak with Tom Sager, Vice President at Tech Trade Partners, a subsidiary of Remarkets. They discuss the prospects for leasing IT equipment (servers, storage, networking, computers, mobile devices, and printers) including market size, maintenance, and value retention as well as new opportunities for AI hardware and data protection.
Mar 06, 2024•28 min
In this episode, Rob Boyer, ELFA Board Chair and President of First Commonwealth Equipment Finance, talks about his vision for the upcoming year, including taking ELFA to the next level alongside ELFA's new President & CEO Leigh Lytle. Rob also talks about a pivotal decision that impacted his career trajectory, his top pieces of advice, and the value of education as new talent joins the industry. We also talk about a cool way he recently used ChatGPT and how in his college days he could writ...
Jan 28, 2024•31 min
In this conversation, Kelli Nienaber is joined by Jeff Jensen of Keybridge Research, Nancy Pistorio of Madison Capital, LLC and Jeff Elliott of Huntington Asset Finance for a discussion about the outlook for the U.S. Economy in 2024 and specifically how the equipment finance industry may be impacted. The group explores potential opportunities and challenges, shares expert insights, and makes some predictions for the year ahead.
Jan 11, 2024•44 min
In this episode, Kelli Nienaber speaks with Rick Remiker, Vice Chair at The Alta Group about the State of the Equipment Finance Industry in the several months following the liquidity crisis. How has the industry changed, lessons learned and what might be on the horizon. For additional information, view the Foundation’s Impact Survey .
Nov 06, 2023•26 min
This episode highlights ELFA's 62nd Annual Convention taking place October 22-24 in Phoenix, Arizona. Host Alexa Carnibella and ELFA President and CEO Ralph Petta talk about the importance of this year's theme - Future 360. In today's rapidly-changing world, it's important to keep an eye on the big picture to help your business succeed - EXACTLY what this year's lineup of keynote speakers and breakout sessions are designed to do! If you're a first-time attendee, don't miss the top advice to get ...
Oct 09, 2023•7 min
In this episode, Kelli Nienaber and Will Tefft speak with Jim Minchella, president and senior analyst at Micor Analytics. Jim shares his expertise on all things additive manufacutring, commonly known as 3D printing. For more information on this topic, visit 3dprintingindustry.com , tctmagazine.com , or additivemanufacturing.com ....
Sep 12, 2023•42 min
In this episode, hosts Kelli Nienaber and Will Tefft speak with Dennis Rousseau of Aircraft Post to talk all things Corporate Aircraft.
Jul 24, 2023•29 min
This is a new series appearing in the Foundation Podcast feed all about different equipment finance market verticals. For the first episode in this new series, Kelli is joined by Will Tefft, Foundation Trustee and SVP Equipment Management at Pacific Western Bank. On this episode, Kelli and Will learn all about the plastic injection molding industry from Ken Heyse, President and Managing Director at Plastics One Asset Advisors, LLC.
May 03, 2023•28 min•Season 1Ep. 1
As the Senior Vice President of Human Resources and Chief Human Resources Officer for Mitsubishi HC Capital America, Joni Kovac has seen a lot of change over the course of her 20+ years in the industry. In this episode, I talk with Joni about her career path, her biggest challenges and rewards, her top 3 pieces of advice for equipment finance newbies, and how hiring has (and hasn’t!) changed since the pandemic. Along the way, we talk about what people look for in their jobs (hint: it’s in the ti...
Apr 05, 2023•40 min
In this episode, Kelli speaks with David Normandin of Wintrust Specialty Finance and Eli Sethre of Channel about liquidity as it relates to inflation and a possible recession. This episode is a companion to episode 15 on credit, so go back and listen to that one for a full perspective. Additionally, this episode was recorded on the morning of March 10 prior to the changes in the banking industry, so that is not part of this discussion.
Apr 04, 2023•30 min•Ep. 16
In this episode, Kelli speaks with Kevin Prykull, a credit professional with over 30 years of experience in the industry and current adjunct professor at Duquesne University. Kevin shares his insights into credit risks, what a recession may look like, and how younger industry professionals can prepare themselves.
Mar 17, 2023•36 min•Ep. 15
Black History Month is a time to celebrate and honor Black Culture as well as examine the Black experience in the United States. In this episode, our guests talk about what they and their companies are doing not only to recognize and celebrate Black History Month, but to reach BEYOND to create real change in black communities and progress in the equipment finance industry. Join me and my co-host Eboni Preston-Laurent, ELFA's Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion as we talk to Tanisha Gordo...
Feb 23, 2023•58 min
You don’t want to miss this first episode of 2023 – it’s fairly bursting with nuggets of wisdom and sage advice from Bob Neagle, ELFA Board Chair and Finova Capital President and CEO. Hear how Bob went from a Ph.D. and professorship in 18th century English literature at Loyola University Chicago to the equipment finance industry, and how having supportive mentors and colleagues made all the difference. You’re guaranteed to walk away with advice that can help you in your career. Recorded on Janua...
Jan 05, 2023•29 min
