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.

Candace Reinhart leads Operations and Client Experience at CoreTech Leasing, an independent middle market 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 15-year-old daughter, Jackie.

Mike McDonald, CLFP is the Treasury Director at CoreTech Leasing. In his current role, Mike oversees the finances of CoreTech. In this role, Mike monitors the day-to-day operations, including expenses and incoming cash flow, with a primary focus on developing a strong, long-term financial strategy. Prior to his current role, Mike has worked at a variety of institutions with roles in accounting, finance, 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.

Katherine (Kathy) Nordendahl is Vice President Sales Third Party Relationship Manager at Dext Capital.  She focuses on building and maintaining relationships with 3rd party originators.  Previously she worked with Dedicated Funding, and 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.    

Lia earned the CLFP designation in 2004 and has been an active participant in supporting the foundation’s growth and advocating for the designation ever since. She takes great pride in being part of such an amazing organization with such a hard-working board.

In 2000, Jill earned the original CLP designation and has actively engaged with the CLFP Foundation for the past five years, where she serves on the Vetting Committee. Additionally, she regularly participates in representing the CLFP booth at various industry events.

Jill and her husband, Brant, reside in Tahuya, WA, nestled along the beautiful Hood Canal.

Craig Colling, CLFP, SVP – Vendor Channel Leader at Ascentium Capital, a Division of Regions Bank, boasts 22 years of expertise in the equipment financing industry and currently spearheads the vendor sales division for his organization. Prior to his tenure at Ascentium Capital, Craig served as the Vice President of Sales at Paramount Financial Services.

Craig earned his CLFP designation in 2019 and has remained actively involved with the CLFP Foundation. His contributions include hosting multiple CLFP exams and teaching Academy for Lease & Finance Professionals (ALFP) courses. Craig ardently champions the CLFP Foundation and its mission of upholding exceptional standards of professional conduct and technical expertise.

Craig holds a degree in Marketing (BSBA) from the University of Arizona in Tucson, AZ. He resides in Phoenix, AZ, with his wife Asia, son Jack, and daughter Dylan. In his leisure time, Craig enjoys playing golf, pickleball, and coaching youth team sports.

Nick began his finance career at US Leasing in San Francisco before moving to Trinity Capital Corporation where he was Vice President of Sales. Trinity was later acquired by Bank of the West. Nick became a Business Unit Manager tasked with expanding the Bank’s national vendor finance programs. Nick also managed the Bank of the West’ broker division supporting the 3rd Party segment of equipment finance originations. Nick joined Wintrust Specialty Finance in 2018 in his current role as business development manager.

Nick is a current member of the ELFA’s Small Ticket Business Steering Council and has been active in supporting industry related initiatives throughout his career. Nick obtained his CLFP in 2016. He resides in Marin County California with his wife and three grown children where he is an active mountain biker, hiker, and competitive sailor.

Mikki earned her finance degree at Minnesota State University, Moorhead, with a minor in communications. In 2016, she achieved the Certified Lease & Finance Professional (CLFP) designation. Notably, she garnered recognition in 2021 as a Monitor NextGen Leader. Mikki passionately advocates for the CLFP designation, firmly believing in its value for anyone in the industry, regardless of their level of experience or specialization.

Mikki and her husband, Dustin, along with their three children, reside in Minnesota. When not busy shuttling her children to various activities, she finds solace and enjoys spending quality time outdoors and by the tranquil lake.

Paul Knowlton is a National Program Manager with Huntington National Bank, formerly TCF Capital Solutions. His focus is on developing and delivering effective vendor programs with manufacturers and distributors of capital equipment with a current focus on automotive service collision and repair equipment.

Paul’s 30+ year career spans his partnership in an independent brokerage, the launching a small ticket division within a community bank and building a new asset type for a nation-wide finance company. His experience includes credit, underwriting, portfolio management, and extensive business development.

Paul has been a CLFP since 1995, served as President of UAEL, predecessor of NEFA and has served on the Small Ticket committee of the ELFA. He has provided mentoring and training in the industry throughout his career. Paul has volunteered on the Loan Committee of Working Solutions, a microfinance organization.

A graduate of the University of Oregon, and father of two grown daughters, Paul, with his wife live in Oakland, California. They enjoy traveling, biking, golf and their Peloton.

Jill earned her Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), CLFP (Certified Lease Finance Professional), and CFCS (Certified Financial Crimes Specialist) certifications, and is currently studying for her Cryptocurrency Investigator (CCI) certification. Jill is currently attending a year-long Leadership Academy hosted by the Minnesota Bankers Association. Jill serves on a variety of internal committees at Stearns Bank and serves on the CLFP’s ALFP Committee.

Jill is a May 2000 graduate of Minnesota State University, Mankato, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in finance with a minor in business administration.

Jill resides in Richmond, MN with her husband, twin daughters, son, two dogs, and a cat. Jill actively cheers on her kids at their Cross Country, softball, track, and dance. She is an avid runner, starting each day with a 5-mile run, and enjoys spending time at her cabin and volunteering at her church.

Michael A. “Mic” Mount has been in risk management roles in the equipment finance industry since 2001. He joined U.S. Bank Equipment Finance in 2012 and is currently Senior Vice President and Credit Executive for underwriting (large and small ticket), portfolio review, and document negotiations.

Prior to transitioning to U.S. Bank, Mic was Senior Vice President and Credit Executive at another large regional financial institution, where his responsibilities included oversight of the credit underwriting process and credit teams located in offices in the U.S., Europe, and APAC.

Mic began his career as a national bank examiner with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), transitioned into a role as a consultant with a nation-wide bank accounting & consulting firm, and then as commercial lender at a Midwest-based regional bank.

Mr. Mount holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Colorado at Boulder and was awarded the right to use the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation in 2002. He earned his CLFP designation in 2018. Mic previously served on the University of Colorado Alumni Association’s Board of Directors and as the Association’s Treasurer. He is actively engaged with the ELFA and has been a member of the Credit & Collections Management Conference Committee for many years, including serving as Chair of the Committee from 2016 – 2018. In his free time, Mic enjoys time with his family and dog, the outdoors, and is an avid skier and golfer. He is currently full-time remote and resides in the mountains of Colorado.

Carrie gained her CLFP designation in 2015 and was recognized among Monitor’s Top Woman in Equipment Finance in 2020. Carrie is Past President of the American Association of Commercial Finance Brokers (AACFB) and is a member of NEFA and ELFA. Carrie earned a B.S. in Accounting and MBA from Southwest Minnesota State University.

Carrie and her husband Scott reside in Minnesota with their two teenage daughters, Madison and Samantha, and two dogs. Carrie enjoys golf, playing the piano and organ, scrapbooking, and attending her daughter’s events in volleyball, gymnastics, and barrel racing.

Deborah “Deb” Reuben, CLFP, DES, is CEO and Founder of TomorrowZone, a technology strategy consultancy inspiring fresh ideas and collaborations to shape the future of business. She encourages 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 company. 

Her view on digital transformation and future-readiness is radically different with over two decades of innovating, speaking, and most importantly, real-life, in-the-trenches innovation experience in finance and software industries. Deborah appreciates and shares with clients and audiences that digital transformation is less about the digital and more about the people. When it comes to thinking about technology, innovation, and the future, you can choose to act today to shape your future. The best investment you can make is investing in what’s between your ears by taking ownership of your personal growth. Everyone, regardless of role, must stay on top of technology and trends to stay ahead of tomorrow.

What surprises most clients is her ability to combine big company thinking and entrepreneurial ideas to create marketplace success. Deb’s clients and audiences include companies like PNC, Wells Fargo, DLL Group, Huntington (TCF Bank), Dell, Mitsubishi UFG, Caterpillar, Key Equipment Finance.

She currently serves on the CLFP Foundation Board of Directors and authored The Certified Lease and Finance Professionals’ Handbook, 6th – 9th editions. She served on ELFA’s Board of Directors and is the founder and chair of the ELFA Innovation Advisory Council. In partnership with ELFA, she and her team moderate quarterly industry innovation roundtables for the ELFA to bring forward-thinking insights and fresh ideas to ELFA Members.

Reuben also served on the Monitor Editorial Advisory Board and co-founded the Disrupted+ innovation conference series with Monitor. 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, named TomorrowZone one of the most innovative companies in the equipment finance ecosystem and honored her as an Industry Disruptor Icon. 

Molly is a graduate of Hamline University, holding a law degree, and she also earned her MBA from Southwest Minnesota State University. She resides in Texas with her husband, four children, two dogs, and seven cats. In her leisure time, she finds pleasure in reading and playing the piano.

Bruce currently serves on ELFA’s Executive Committee, Academic Outreach Committee and serves as the Chair of LeasePAC, the industry’s only Political Action Committee. He has held numerous leadership positions with industry trade associations since 1996 and previously served on the Executive Boards of the EAEL, NEFA and the CLP Foundation.

He currently serves on the Executive Board of The Lutheran Church Extension Fund, a $2 billion nonprofit financial institution and was a founding shareholder and Regional Director for Revere Bank which grew to over $3 billion in assets before its successful sale in 2020. He is also a board member of a privately held $250 million manufacturer headquartered in Texas.

Bruce holds a B.S. in Finance from the University of Maryland, College Park and received his CLP designation in 1998.

Bruce and his wife Sarita live in Ashton, Maryland and have one adult daughter. He enjoys traveling, scuba diving, cycling and following the Maryland Terrapins basketball and football teams.

Reid Raykovich, CLFP, CAE is the CEO at the Certified Lease & Finance Professional Foundation. Reid took over the Foundation in 2012 and has grown the membership by over 900%. In 2014, she was honored with the Foundation’s Cindy Spurdle Award of Excellence.

Reid began her career in the commercial equipment 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. She also obtained her Certified Association Executive designation in June 2023.

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

Email: reid@clfpfoundation.org

Melissa “Mel” Vinson, CLFP, is the Vice President of Marketing and Development at the Certified Lease & Finance Professional Foundation.

Mel is a native of Portland, Oregon and a graduate of Oregon State University. She began her career in banking with U.S. Bank back in 2012 and found that this was a great path for her – there was so much to learn and so many avenues for growth in the industry. Mel started in consumer banking where her passion to help her customers better understand the ins and outs of finance yielded great success and built many positive relationships. This quickly blossomed into eagerness to help business customers succeed financially. Mel moved into the Equipment Finance division of U.S. Bank a few years later and found that Leasing and Finance was truly where she belonged.

After becoming CLFP certified, Mel was ready to give back and support future CLFPs obtain their certifications and immediately began volunteering to teach ALFP courses. Mel’s joy to help others and enthusiasm for education helped launch her into the new Director role with the CLFP foundation.

In her spare time, Mel loves hiking, exploring the Pacific Northwest, photography, and running races including the world’s largest relay, Hood to Coast.

Email: mel@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