Category: 1989 Society Donor Stories

Supporter Spotlight

Bob Rinaldi is a serial entrepreneur and a self-proclaimed non traditionalist when it comes to envisioning, building, and implementing a business model and developing a growth strategy. He completed two successful exits to banks, both large and small.  Foundation staff checked in with Bob to learn more about his career and his commitment to the future of the industry through a legacy gift to the Foundation.

How did you first get involved in the equipment finance industry? What trajectory has your career taken?

I became involved in the industry with my start at Xerox Corp and their sales training program that taught to sell the monthly payment. From there I went to a publicly held leasing company in the 1980s which led to the startup of a separate leasing company.

How did you get involved with membership/volunteering to support the industry? And what volunteer roles have you held?

Dave Schaefer introduced me to the ELFA many years ago and then shortly thereafter he nominated me to do some LeasePAC volunteering. I have been involved continuously with the ELFA, Foundation or LeasePAC ever since.

Volunteer Roles:

• Small Ticket Business Council Steering committee
• LeasePAC Chair
• Foundation Trustee
• Foundation Development Committee
• Foundation Research Committee
• Past Chair of ELFA
  
  

Why did you decide to support the Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation?

My support is contributing to the educational knowledge base for the industry as a whole and therefore to the economic development of the country indirectly.

Why were you motivated to make a legacy gift?

Foundation work has been a big part of my life and a means to give back in the form of time, talent, and treasure. It is also my hope that my involvement in the 1989 Society will stimulate others to do the same.

Supporter Spotlight

Mike Romanowski is an industry executive who has served on the boards of both ELFA and the Foundation.  He and his wife Lisa are longtime donors to the Foundation.  Learn more about Mike’s career, his passion for giving back, and why Mike and Lisa decided to make a legacy gift.

How did you first get involved in the equipment finance industry? What trajectory has your career taken? 

I got involved in the equipment finance industry when CoBank obtained 100% ownership of Farm Credit Leasing (FCL).  I fell in love with the industry and the opportunity to expand FCL’s business model to enhance the Bank’s mission to serve rural America.  I held multiple leadership roles in Operations and Sales before becoming President of FCL.

How did you first got involved with membership/volunteering to support the industry? And what volunteer roles have you held?

My initial involvement with the ELFA was as a member of the Banking Business Council which I served on for two terms including one term as the chairperson.  I then served as a Foundation Trustee for three years and served as the Development Director.  I was a founding member on the Equity Committee and capped off my industry work as a Board Member for the ELFA where I served as the LeasePac chairperson and a member of the executive committee. I am a regular participant in Capital Connections and contributor to LeasePac and the Foundation.

Why did you decide to support the Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation?

My wife, Lisa, and I wanted to give back to the Industry that has provided so much to us and was the highlight of my professional career.  The Foundation’s outreach to emerging and diverse talent is of particular interest to us and we wanted to provide financial support to enhance this focus by the Foundation.

Would you be willing to share why you were motivated to make a legacy gift (a commitment to contribute to the Foundation in your estate plans after your lifetime)?

The Foundation exists through the generosity of businesses and individuals.  We wanted to be part of the legacy giving program to the Foundation to ensure its sustainability and outreach well into the future.  We believe by giving that others will join in giving which will further enhance the value that the Foundation provides to its stakeholders.

Supporter Spotlight

Cameron Krueger is an industry veteran who has been involved with the ELFA and ELFF since 1990.  Currently he leads Accenture’s consulting practice that focuses on the equipment finance market across Strategy, Operations, IT and all things Digital.  He has a long track record of giving time to many roles at the Foundation and Association.

How did you first get involved in the equipment finance industry? What trajectory has your career taken?

Equipment Finance was never “a plan”.  It was an accident roughly 40 years ago when I did a little freelance work at LINC Scientific Leasing that turned into a full-time job.  And, like the Hotel California, you can check into leasing, but you can never leave.  I’ve always been and Operations and Technology person and parleyed that into work at three leasing companies and now consulting to just about every lessor in the Monitor 50.  It a fantastic industry with fantastic people and fun projects to dive into and help companies grow.

How did you first got involved with membership/volunteering to support the industry? And what volunteer roles have you held?

Management at LINC was very supporting of getting the young folks involved in the ELA (as it was known then) and it just kept going from there.  One committee, then another, and another, then the Board and of course the Foundation.  I think I have served on the Ops & Tech Committee, Service Providers Business Council, The Board of Directors and of course the Foundation where I was chair for several years.  All were great opportunities for get involve, meet people, stay connected ad give back.

Why did you decide to support the Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation?

I know the Foundation work very well as a result of serving on the board for many years.  I know how important the research is to my work and the work of my clients.  I also know it’s hard work that is managed by the outstanding Foundation staff and member volunteers.

Would you be willing to share why you were motivated to make a legacy gift (a commitment to contribute to the Foundation in your estate plans after your lifetime)?

The 1989 Society is an idea I long supported.  I’ve always felt that there needed to be a vehicle for making gifts to the Foundation that can give it the strength to engage in long term research and to stability to sustain itself through all economic cycles.  It was an easy decision for my family to make because they know how important this industry has been to my personal growth and success.

Supporter Spotlight

Please provide some brief background and biographical information about yourself. Tell me where you went to school, how you first became involved in the industry, your career progression over the years, etc.

I grew up in area of Saratoga, NY and graduated from State University of NY at Oswego (SUNY Oswego).  During my last year in college, I had a full-time internship creating the Northern NY Chapter of the American Heart Association.  It was through that internship that I found my passion for association/foundation work.  I immensely enjoy the partnership between industry professionals and association staff, to further the mission of the organization.

In 1999, I was given the opportunity to serve as the first Executive Vice President of the ELFF, leading all vision and operations of the newly expanded Foundation.  The truth is, I new NOTHING about equipment finance, but I knew how to run and expand a foundation, grow volunteer involvement, and expand fundraising capabilities.

Tell me a little bit about your work now.

I recently retired from the Energy Bar Association where I served ten years as CEO of the association and two affiliated foundations.

When and why did you decide to support the Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation?

I worked with the ELFF for eleven years and during that time, supported the Foundation in various ways. After departing ELFF in 2010, I have remained interested and involved, although a bit more at arm’s length, as my husband is Ralph Petta, CEO of ELFA.  I still attend the ELFA Annual Convention, as well as many other events, where the Foundation is featured, and I am still a big cheerleader for its mission and purpose.

Why do you feel it is important to make a legacy gift, that will extend your impact on the industry far into the future?

I may be partial, as I was involved for 11 years in helping to create valuable research and information for the industry.  The Foundation has continued to grow and expand its products and academic outreach, all to the benefit of the industry members.  I have always enjoyed hearing how much those new and experienced, value the Foundation resources.

What would you tell someone who was thinking about joining The 1989 Society?

“Pay it Forward” – This industry has been very good to so many – its important to keep the work of the Foundation assessable to all.

Supporter Spotlight

Scott Thacker was the driving force behind the establishment of the Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation’s legacy society, The 1989 Society. As the driving force behind formalizing The 1989 Society, Scott caught up with the Foundation’s staff to discuss his interesting career path, and what motivated him to make this future focused gift.

How did you first get involved in the equipment finance industry? What trajectory has your career taken?

My first involvement in equipment finance was in 1986 right out of graduate school. I wanted to work in a sophisticated corporate treasury department, so I joined American Airlines which was creating a national network of airport hubs and required lots of aircraft for the expanding route network. There I leased aircraft and was involved in creating the first Equipment Trust Certificates. In the mid-1990s, I caught the technology bug and worked in the dot-com sector.

From there, I joined Oracle and led the team who created the Oracle Lease and Finance Management software application in conjunction with both GE Capital and Ivory Consulting. Then it was onto being a partner in the Financial Services Solutions Group at Accenture. In a turn of fate, Chris Ivory called me 13 years ago and asked me to join the Ivory Consulting team. I’ve been the CEO since 2012. I am proud to be leading Ivory Consulting as we celebrate our 40^th anniversary this year.

How did you first become involved with membership/volunteering to support the industry? And what volunteer roles have you held?

I attended my first ELFA annual convention in 2001 and became hooked on the enthusiasm of the attendees and on the usefulness and thoughtfulness of the sessions. Since then, I’ve volunteered in many roles culminating in board roles with both the ELFA and the Foundation. My most rewarding experience was as co-chair of the Foundation’s Research Committee where we decided which topics to study, selected a researcher and published a study. In fact, I coordinated the research on seven major pieces of research.

Why have you decided to stay so involved in and supportive of the Foundation over the last decade?

The people involved with the Foundation are some of the smartest, most engaging and passionate people I’ve met in all of my volunteer roles. We are all kindred spirits who love knowledge, research, and academics. Volunteering on behalf of the Foundation is not work nor a burden – it’s quite enjoyable.

Would you be willing to share why you were motivated to make a legacy gift (a commitment to contribute to the Foundation in your estate plans after your lifetime)?

The Foundation serves a very useful purpose for our industry – the data and information the Foundation publishes is at the heart of what all lessors what to know. It’s important, and I’d like to preserve it.

As an engaged annual donor, I looked at the Foundation and asked what we did not have that other nonprofits do have. And the answer was a legacy/planned giving program. So, I rolled up my sleeves and helped make it happen by launching and committing to The 1989 Society.

What would you say to others who are considering a legacy gift? Or perhaps are uncertain about making such a gift?

Ask yourself a question – how do you preserve something so fundamental to your life’s work — to your career and personal success? When you join The 1989 Society you are creating a lasting legacy which will provide the Foundation with some of the resources it needs to continue to be a leader in publishing the valuable insights it is now known for.  Join us and become a part of the Foundation’s future propelling the equipment finance industry forward in the most innovative way possible.

Supporter Spotlight

John Deane has been an active volunteer member of ELFA for almost 50 years. A graduate of Denison University and the University of Michigan, John first became involved in the equipment finance industry in 1972. John recently committed to a legacy gift and became a founding member of the Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation’s The 1989 Legacy Society. The Foundation’s staff caught up with John to learn more about his storied career, and what motivated him to make this future focused gift.

How did you first get involved in the equipment finance industry? What trajectory has your career taken?

My first involvement in equipment Finance was in 1972 when I was assigned a market entry white paper to study the industry as part of my duties as a trainee at the Marine National Exchange Bank in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The white paper inspired me to create the Marinebanc Leasing Company. In 1987, I joined Banc One Leasing Company as CEO. In 1993, I co-founded The Alta Group  and was there until I retired in 2021. I continue to serve on the board of directors of GreatAmerica Financial Services.

How did you first got involved with membership/volunteering to support the industry? And what volunteer roles have you held?

I have been active in the ELFA for most of my career, including serving as Chairman from 1991-1993. I have worked on numerous committees and served on the board for 12 years. I have also spoken at association events. Finally, the Alta Group also developed and sponsored the Equipment Leasing & Finance Execute Roundtable for ten years.

Why did you decide to support the Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation?

I have supported the Foundation personally since its very inception in 1989. The Foundation does very important work to support our industry.

Would you be willing to share why you were motivated to make a legacy gift (a commitment to contribute to the Foundation in your estate plans after your lifetime)?

I have had a wonderful and rewarding career in our industry and it is important to me to give back. And the process was very simple for me, as I just sent instructions to my estate attorney to include the Foundation as a legacy beneficiary. 

Everyone should decide their own charitable objectives, but the Foundation does really important work that benefits the industry that has benefited so many of us. Joining The 1989 Society is a gift that keeps on giving long into the future.

Supporter Spotlight

Ralph Petta is the former President & CEO of ELFA and has dedicated his decades long career to advancing the equipment finance industry. Ralph, alongside his wife Lisa Levine, recently committed to a legacy gift and became founding members of the Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation’s The 1989 Legacy Society. The Foundation’s staff caught up with Ralph to learn more about his long career with ELFA, and what motivated them to make this future focused gift.

How did you first get involved in the equipment finance industry? What trajectory has your career taken?

I grew up in Syracuse, New York, and attended grammar school, high school and college there. After college, armed with a political science degree, I moved to Washington, DC and went to work on Capitol Hill for U.S. Senator Sam Nunn. I progressed from a junior level staff position to legislative assistant, responsible for a variety of substantive legislative and constituent services activities.

I left Capitol Hill in 1987 to begin working for the trade association then known as the American Association of Equipment Lessors (AAEL), which is now the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA). In 1989, with seed funds donated by a prominent industry leader, the association created a separate affiliated nonprofit entity, the Foundation for Leasing Education (FLE), later named the Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation (ELFF).

Among the many opportunities presented to me over my career at the association was to succeed the Foundation’s first full-time chief staff person, splitting this duty with my other responsibilities at ELFA.  A few years later, ELFA elevated the role of the Foundation within the industry, as well as expand its mission. This led to the hiring, in 1999, of a full-time executive director to manage the day-to-day operations of the organization. I continued to advance through the ranks at the association, becoming its Chief Operating Officer in 2010, and its President and CEO in 2016.

Why did you decide to support the Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation?

I have supported the Foundation in a variety of ways, financially and otherwise, since its inception in 1989.

Would you be willing to share why you were motivated to make a legacy gift (a commitment to contribute to the Foundation in your estate plans after your lifetime)?

The Foundation does great work for the industry, providing valuable research and academic outreach primarily to employees of equipment finance organizations.  No other organization serving this important industry provides the level and quality of research for the benefit of the equipment finance industry. These and other Foundation programs play an important role in helping the industry and its stakeholders grow and prosper. I would like to see that continue.

I am particularly proud of the small part I played in the creation of the Foundation’s scholarship program, which I encouraged wholeheartedly as a way to help young people receive a college education and become exposed to this terrific industry and its career benefits.  The Foundation requires a sustainable source of financial resources to continue to develop programs like this.  In addition, the industry and its component parts, the association and Foundation, have contributed significantly to my professional growth and career goals.  Being a part of this legacy brings me a sense of satisfaction that I will have played a small part in allowing the Foundation to continue to thrive and provide beneficial resources for future generations.

What would you share with someone who was thinking about joining The 1989 Society?

To those who have made a living in this industry, this is a way to “give back” and make a financial contribution that will live longer than you will.