NMEF Announces the Formation of a New Strategic Division Through Battle Horse Financial

Diana Olivo has built her entire career at NMEF, joining seven years ago as a Credit Analyst and advancing to her current role as AVP Credit. She holds a degree in  both International Business and Management from Fairfield University and earned her Certified Lease & Finance Professional (CLFP) designation in 2021.

A consistently positive presence in the Credit Department, Diana manages her own deal flow while readily supporting teammates and contributing to a collaborative environment. Over the past year, she has grown meaningfully in her handling of complex transactions, strengthening her financial statement analysis and Committee-level deal presentation skills.

Diana was also instrumental in onboarding the Conduent team, developing SOPs and training materials and traveling on-site to Montego Bay to train staff—where she performed exceptionally well. She continues to support the partnership through ongoing guidance and feedback.

Known for her growth mindset, Diana is constantly deepening her knowledge and investing in her professional development. A Connecticut native, she lives in Stratford with her husband and son and enjoys dancing and spending time with her family.

Jessica Eisenbeis brings nearly a decade of industry experience to her role as AVP Originations East at NMEF. She holds a degree from Eastern Connecticut State University and earned her Certified Lease & Finance Professional (CLFP) designation in 2022.

Jessica began her career in equipment finance at Hitachi Capital America Corp, where she spent nearly five years as a Credit Applications Specialist before joining NMEF as a Contract Administrator. Over her five years with the company, she has steadily grown into a trusted leader—someone her peers respect, rally around, and turn to for guidance.

Known for her integrity, professionalism, and confident decision-making, Jessica brings clarity and conviction to every challenge she takes on. Her dedication to delivering excellent, timely service has had a meaningful impact on NMEF’s operations and customer relationships, and her continued growth reflects her readiness for the increased responsibility of this new role.

A Connecticut native, Jessica lives in Monroe with her husband and son. She is an avid baker and is well known around the office for the delicious treats she brings in to share.

Ryan Porter joined NMEF in 2019, originally as an intern in credit before accepting a full-time position as a Senior Credit Analyst and Manager of Data Entry. A Connecticut native, he holds a Bachelor’s degree in Finance and Economics from the University of Connecticut, and has earned his Certified Lease & Finance Professional (CLFP) designation.

Over his tenure, Ryan has become a dependable leader within the Credit Department, known for his collaborative approach, calm professionalism, and willingness to go above and beyond to ensure work is completed thoroughly and accurately. He manages the Data Entry function and oversees NMEF’s offshore Assivo team, keeping operations current and well-informed on process changes.

In 2025, Ryan played a key role in onboarding Conduent to support app-only underwriting transactions, contributing to SOP development and training that drove a successful rollout. He has also contributed to Committee-level transactions and provided credit reviews and pricing recommendations on portfolio opportunities, reflecting his sound judgment and readiness for greater responsibility.

Ryan lives in Norwalk, Connecticut with his wife and is an avid eagles fan.

Steve Siler has nearly 20 years of experience driving technology transformation across financial services, with a focus on asset-backed finance, private credit, and M&A integration.   He began his career as co-founder of a live video streaming startup during the early days of online media, just as Google acquired YouTube. After earning his MBA, Steve joined AIG’s Asset Management group as an operations specialist, where he built a contract and asset management platform to streamline operations.   At William Blair, he collaborated with the Investment Banking division to create the Salesforce accelerator for IB and worked across wealth advisory, debt capital markets, and fixed income teams to enhance data capture and apply emerging technologies, including machine learning.   Steve later reunited with former colleagues to become CTO of Stonebriar Commercial Finance, where he optimized sales, credit, and back-office processes through automation. He then joined Stonebriar’s sponsor, Eldridge Industries, first advising and underwriting venture and growth technology investments, and ultimately leading technology strategy, implementation, and integration across multiple majority-owned businesses.   More recently, Steve has advised startups modernizing private credit infrastructure and improving data accessibility across the investment lifecycle.

I started with NorthMill back In September 2024, so my 1 year is coming up! I graduated from Cal State San Bernardino with a Psychology degree. Before working here, I was a mortgage loan processor for 8 years where I worked with Joe Francia. I reside in Chino California where I have 3 children (2 boys and a girl). Im a huge sports fans with my favorite teams being the Bengals, Angels and Knicks.

I am truly a people person and I love to help my team as well as our brokers reach their goals and help them succeed in anything they are doing!

Bob Fanelle rejoined North Mill in 2024 as an Associate, Strategic Partner, supporting the company’s extensive network of referral agent partners. He brings nearly two decades of leasing experience, having worked with some of the industry’s most prominent lenders, including Marlin Capital Solutions and Quality Equipment Finance. Over the years, Bob has built a vast number of deep-rooted business relationships and counts many industry peers among his personal friends.

Outside of work, Bob enjoys traveling to warm climates and is an avid sports fan, proudly holding season tickets to the Philadelphia Eagles and Phillies. He earned a B.A. in Criminal Justice from the University of Delaware and currently resides in New Jersey.

Tonia Wooden is an executive leader with an extensive career in Accounts Receivable with over 23 years of experience leading high-performing teams in the areas of collections, delinquency reduction, and charge-off management. With a proven track record of implementing process improvements and optimizing team performance, she has demonstrated exceptional leadership in reducing delinquent accounts and improving cash flow.

Prior to joining North Mill Tonia was the Vice President of Accounts Receivable at Pawnee Leasing Corporation, where she focused on reducing overall delinquency, minimizing non-accruals, and decreasing charge-offs, while ensuring compliance with established policies and procedures.

Prior to her tenure at Pawnee Leasing, Tonia held a leadership position in collections and accounts receivable at Kroll Factual Data where she played a pivotal role in assisting with the development and management of the Accounts Receivable collection team.

Heather Sterling – Collection Manager, NMEF. With 17 years in the equipment finance industry, Heather has built her career from hands-on roles in customer service and administration to specializing in early-stage collections. Her knowledge of collections processes led to her focusing on senior collections and asset recovery in 2017, and two years later, she advanced into AR management. Today, she leads a team of customer service and collections professionals. Outside of work, she remains true to her Colorado roots, enjoying quality time with her family, exploring the outdoors, and nurturing her love for animals.  

Ashley joined NMEF in 2025 as VP, Controller of Pawnee through the company’s acquisition of Pawnee Leasing in Fort Collins, Colorado. She oversaw all aspects of financial accounting, including the monthly and year-end close processes, federal and state tax compliance, internal and external audits, and the transition to new accounting and leasing software.

Before her role at Pawnee, Ashley was as a public tax accountant at Grant Thornton, where she worked on tax provision engagements for international clients in the oil and gas, and manufacturing sectors. Her experience in both private and public accounting has equipped her with a robust understanding of financial operations across diverse industries.

Ashley holds both a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and a Master of Accountancy from Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado.

Outside of work, Ashley enjoys spending her time in the garden, cultivating plants, and finding peace in nature.

Kenny Fitzgerald is an executive leader with an extensive career in legal and asset management, risk mitigation, and strategic business operations. With over two decades of experience in leadership roles, Kenny has a proven track record of optimizing financial performance, reducing risk exposure, and driving organizational growth through effective litigation strategies, contract negotiations, and portfolio management.

Prior to Joining North Mill Kenny was Vice President of Legal and Asset Management at Pawnee Leasing Corporation, where he was instrumental in developing and implementing strategic initiatives that enhanced recovery efforts, reduced legal costs, and streamlined asset remarketing processes. He provided expert guidance in litigation, bankruptcy, and risk management that resulted in significant cost savings and increased revenue recovery for the organization.

Prior to his tenure at Pawnee Leasing Corporation, Kenny held key leadership positions at Key Equipment Finance, Qwest Communications, and First Data Corporation/Western Union, where he developed and managed high-impact litigation programs, supervised risk management teams, and implemented successful recovery strategies.

Kenny holds a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Law from the University of Nebraska, a Legal Studies Certificate from the Denver Paralegal Institute and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Phoenix.

Lauren started at the NMEF Norwalk office in July of 2022. She oversees everything digital that pertains to North Mill, as well, as making sure perspective brokers want to work with NMEF. She’s the gateway for the onboarding of our newest brokers. Prior to working in the equipment financing industry, Lauren was working in the fashion merchandising industry for almost 5 years at a local upscale woman’s boutique. Lauren earned her Associate Degree in Graphic Design from NCC and her BA Degree in Communication Studies from the University of Rhode Island. Lauren currently resides in Connecticut with her cat Louie.

Kyle Barry joined North Mill Equipment Finance in January of 2023 as an Account Manager in the Sales & Marketing Department. In his current role, Kyle helps facilitate the follow of documents and communicates with brokers daily to ensure that deals flow from application stage to funding. Kyle finds it very satisfying when he can educate a broker to help them improve their monthly metrics. Kyle earned his BA in Marketing from Georgia State University and is an avid golfer and rugby player. Kyle resides in Atlanta with his wife Janine and holds dual residency in Ireland.

Joe Francia joined North Mill in 2022 as an Account Manager in our Irvine California office. Joe has over twenty years of experience in the financial services industry, coming to NMEF from his prior position of Mortgage Loan Processor III, with Network Capital. Joe enjoys playing basketball and poker in his free time. A lifelong Californian, Joe lives in Southern California with his wife Ashley and dog, Dug.

Kimberly Merryfield has been in the equipment leasing industry for six years. Prior to joining North Mill in 2020 as an account executive supporting the company’s many referral agent partners, she was a member of Marlin Capital Solutions’ account analyst for their Broker division. Before she was in the leasing business, Kimberly held various positions in real estate, banking, and personal care. She is known for providing superior service to her customers and is often requested to handle transactions by North Mill’s equipment finance brokers. She resides with her son in New Jersey.

My name is Carla Gokey and I am a Sales and Marketing Representative for North Mill. I grew up in Astoria, Queens, NY and graduated from Queens College with a Bachelors in Liberal Arts. I have a curious mind and I enjoy learning, reading and I am a huge baseball fan – Go Yankees! I have two beautiful children that are the reason I stumbled into a career in customer service.

I began my career in banking as a Teller for Hudson Valley Bank which allowed me to hone my skills in service and still allowed me the time to be home with my children. I quickly realized that helping others was task I enjoyed and I did it well. As my career progressed, I left Hudson Valley Bank and went to work for Wells Fargo formally known as Wachovia and I was there for 10 years and wore many hats; Service Banker, Customer Sales & Service Representative and Service Manager.

I decided to end my career in banking but continued to focus on perfecting my skills which led me to North Mill Equipment Finance. From the minute I stepped off the elevator and was led down the hall to where the office area is, I knew this was the place I wanted to work for and I’m super happy I am. In the short time that I have been with North Mill, I have learned a lot, I have been able to apply my skills and be part of the success of a growing company and knowing that I played a small part in their success.

Joey Borges joined North Mill in 2018 as a Sales and Marketing intern. Joey has quickly ascended through the company and held Account Manager and Credit Representative, prior to becoming a Relationship Manager in early 2023.

Joey has five plus years of Client Relations experience having come to NMEF from EAS where he held the title of Supervisor/Trainer Customer Relations. Joey earned his BBA in Marketing from Western Connecticut State University. He is an avid sports fan, and cheers for his favorite team, the Miami Dolphins. A lifelong resident of Connecticut, Joey earned his CLFP designation in 2021, and resides near the Norwalk headquarters.

A 10-year veteran of the equipment finance industry previously with Direct Capital and CIT Bank, having started in customer service and worked his way up to an AVP of Credit. Now in the same role at NMEF, Evan is responsible for managing our key relationships in the medical and franchise sectors, working larger/more complicated submits and assisting in training our analysts on how to handle these respective disciplines. He’s a remote employee working from New Hampshire that loves spending time outside with his fiancé in his beautiful state, and always enjoys the trips down to Norwalk to catch up with all our wonderful team members.

Max has been with North Mill for 5 years. Currently Assistant Vice President of Asset Management where he lead a team for evaluating assets on the front end and also sell repossessed assets on the back end. Additionally collaborate with other departments on a need be basis to help resolve any issues. His team prides itself on being professional, efficient and accessible while striving to achieve North Mill’s pursuance of excellence.

Previously, Max worked in construction, sales and played professional baseball for the Los Angeles Angels. Outside of work Max enjoys spending time with his wife and 2 year old son, Leo.

Deana joined North Mill in September 2021 through the acquisition of Aztec Financial, LLC. In January 2023, she was promoted to Assistant Vice President of Asset Recovery where she leads a team in arranging for the repossession of assets nationwide on contracts deemed to be in default by an Obligor. Deana has 9 years of finance and leasing experience which include front-end sales. Before joining North Mill, Deana was a Business Development Manager for Marlin Capital Solutions prospecting and booking sales in the transportation industry.

Prior to business development, she was the finance manager for Rush Truck Centers of Utah, LLC, a premier solutions provider to the commercial vehicle industry. Deana resides in Grantsville, UT, a suburb of Salt Lake City, UT where she spends much of her free time enjoying the great outdoors with her husband, 2 children and 2 grandchildren.

Kate LeConey joined North Mill Equipment Finance in January 2021. She has close to 10 years of leasing industry experience including front-end sales, insurance, GPS, hard asset repossessions, and contract terminations. She is responsible for supporting the company’s referral agents with a focus on sales and marketing strategies. Prior to joining North Mill, Kate was a Senior Business Development Manager for Marlin Capital Solutions, showcasing an annual booked volume of over $12M. Kate resides in South Jersey with her husband and 2 children.

Griffin Dulligan joined NMEF in 2017. During his tenure he’s worked in a variety of different departments from Customer Service, Remarketing, Account Management to his current role as AVP in Credit and gained invaluable experience along the way. In his current role Griffin is responsible for analyzing and structuring the thousands of deals North Mill receives each year. Griffin is a graduate from Indiana University (go Hoosiers!) and earned his CLFP in 2020.

In his role, Dan analyzes and prepares NMEF’s financial statements across the organizational structure, working closely with the Controller and the financial accounting team. Dan built his broad knowledge of accounting practices at his prior roles, which includes accounting positions at large companies in the foodservice and janitorial supply industry as well as inspection services. At NMEF, Dan utilizes his experience to produce NMEF’s financials accurately and efficiently and works to increase reporting efficiency on a forward-looking basis. Dan earned his BA in Accounting from The College of New Jersey.

Mary Armstrong joined NMEF in 2024 as a AVP – Relationship Management. She has been in the leasing industry for more than 2 decades. Most recently Mary held a similar position at Financial Pacific Leasing, Inc., where she was a top performer for the past 16 years. Mary began her leasing career at Advanta Leasing, then moved to Canon Financial, where she held various positions including funding supervisor, and sales manager mentoring 20+ sales reps.

Mary prides herself on building solid relationships with Third Party Originators. She obtained her CLFP designation in 2010 and in 2013 served on the Board of Directors.

Mitch Tobak leads and supports initiatives in capital markets, financial reporting, portfolio analysis, M&A, and strategic projects. Having joined NMEF in early 2021, Mitch’s prior experience includes roles at both a global investment bank and global asset manager, where he gained significant experience in the analysis, structuring, and execution of various transaction structures in the transportation and energy sectors.

At NMEF, Mitch employs both quantitative and qualitative acumen to solve some of the company’s most complex problems concerning risk, growth, and strategy. Mitch earned his degree from New York University with a double major in Physics and Economics.

Pierina Silvestre, AVP of Information Technology, CLFP, leads the development of North Mill’s operational process automation and the integration of the company’s data warehouse designed to bolster analytics and predictability. Prior to Pierina joining North Mill, Pierina worked as the business manager in the bespoke leather industry in which she cultivated relationships with high-end clientele, vendors, and manufacturers.

Additionally, Pierina was an insurance producer when she was the principle of the Silver Lining Agency. She wrote hundreds of property and casualty policies and managed a revolving team of freelancers and independent insurance agents. Pierina earned her CLFP in 2021 and is currently enrolled in the University of Connecticut’s School of Business with an expected graduation date in 2023. She resides in Trumbull, CT, with her husband and daughter.

Denise Steinberger joined North Mill in the Spring of 2021 as Vice President, Western Region. In her new role, Denise will be responsible for managing our west coast operations. Previously, she was the Director of HR and administration for Beazer Homes, a public home building company. She moved on to become the Director of Lease and Rental Operations for Great Western Leasing & Sales, a nationwide truck and trailer dealership. Prior to joining North Mill, Denise was with Partners Capital Group, a “Market Leading” brokerage where she was the VP of Operations. Denise received her AA in Communications from Orange Coast College.

Jeff Schick joined North Mill in the fall of 2020. He leads the portfolio accounting group overseeing cash applications, the recording of new originations and modifications, and performance metrics and efficiency initiatives. Prior to joining North Mill, Jeff spent twenty-five years at GE and GE Capital in various accounting roles including technical finance leader for the real estate services group where he led the implementation of the new lease accounting standard and earned Six Sigma Black Belt Certification. Jeff earned his BBA in accounting at Western Connecticut State University and an MBA in management at the University of Massachusetts.

Dedicated to improving operational adoption and efficiency of the proprietary FASTT originations platform and Salesforce.com. Over his career he has held positions in many facets of the business operations world including customer service, IT support, Salesforce.com administration, marketing, accounting, operations, reporting, team management and training, and even some HR roles. Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from Weber State University. Lives in the Salt Lake City, UT area with his wife and three children.

Kim Nugent has over 30 years of experience in the finance industry. She joined NMEF in 2021 as Vice President of Collections where she oversees a team of portfolio managers. Prior to joining NMEF, Kim held various leadership positions at both New Lane Finance and Marlin Business Solutions. At Marlin, Kim served 20 successful years in various positions, with the most recent position of Collections Manager.

At Marlin, Kim was responsible for leading the collections department that consistently reporting some of the lowest delinquencies in the leasing industry. She initiated and implemented the company’s first dialer system and created a training program. At NewLane Finance, she was the Director of Servicing, managing the Customer Service and Collection Teams. Kim earned her BA in Finance from the University of Louisiana. She resides in South Jersey with her husband and 4 children.

Andrea joined NMEF in 2021, playing a key role in expanding North Mill’s West Coast presence. Having previously worked for both a vendor and a broker, her well rounded knowledge of the industry helped establish and grow North Mill’s discount programs and expand into the 1MM transaction space. Prior to working in the equipment finance industry, Andrea worked in Investor Relations handling tender offers, proxy contests, and merger & acquisitions services for clients like JP Morgan and Trian Partners. Andrea attended Columbia University and is currently enrolled a Professional Certificate Program through UCLA. She obtained her CLFP in 2022.

Ellen Miller has over 30 years of experience in the leasing industry, specifically in the legal field. She joined North Mill in 2001 as a Paralegal and has taken on additional responsibilities over the years. She was promoted in 2020 to Vice President of Legal where she oversees a team of Paralegals that handle the various needs of the company.

Before joining North Mill, Ellen was a Paralegal for 15 years at Mercedes-Benz Credit Corporation. She received her paralegal certificate at Gibbs College and continued her education at Western Connecticut State University.

Doug Jackson, AVP of Documentation & Funding, CLFP, is responsible for refining the documentation process and customer experience for North Mill. Given Doug’s acumen and leasing experience, he’s also responsible for training all new employees in the department.

Prior to joining North Mill, Doug held various roles at Hitachi Capital America Corp where he honed his leasing skills. In his last role with Hitachi, Doug managed all aspects of generating and booking loan contracts and developed advanced risk modules to improve the company’s data profile.

Doug earned his BS in Finance from Syracuse University and received his CLFP in 2021. He resides in Norwalk, CT with his wife Allison.

Bruce Hudson, Assistant Vice President, Operations, joined NMEF in 2021. He’s responsible for creating, supporting, and continually evolving the sophisticated data infrastructure of the company given NMEF’s goal of being a fully data-driven organization. Bruce develops the reports that senior leadership uses to make critical business decisions.

Prior to joining NMEF, he was the Operations Manager at Aztec Financial, a company NMEF acquired in 2021. In that role, Bruce was also responsible for maintaining the company’s data infrastructure. A graduate of The University of Utah, Bruce enjoys riding motorcycles during his free time and serves as a volunteer and technical consultant for a charity supporting survivors of domestic violence.

Matt Davis, VP of Accounting, is responsible for devising accounting efficiencies and strategies to improve the financial performance of North Mill. In this role, he works closely with team members, auditors and other external constituents to meet reporting requirements for the organization. Matt joined North Mill through the company’s acquisition of Aztec Financial.

As an Aztec employee for 7 years, Matt oversaw all accounting and finance activities including the monthly close process, cash management, budget preparation, and consolidated financial reporting. Prior to his position at Aztec, Matt was the Corporate Controller for Liberty Safe, Inc. and Lake City International Inc. for 15 years where he performed similar roles.

Matt also worked at a local CPA firm for 5 years specializing in audit and tax after earning both his MA and BA in Accounting from Southern Utah University. He resides in South Jordan, UT with his wife and 3 daughters.

Kristin Coster, CLFP, is North Mill’s Vice President of Operations. She joined the company in the spring of 2017 as a paralegal. A few months later, Kristin was tapped to lead the company’s asset management department where she brought a new perspective to the team. Kristin introduced leading-edge technology and embedded a results-oriented methodology that greatly improved NMEF’s recovery efforts.

Her role continued to expand and in 2019 she took on additional duties managing NMEF’s insurance and titling departments. A senior leader at NMEF, Kristin was listed in Monitor magazine’s esteemed “40 under 40” in 2021. Prior to joining North Mill, Kristin worked as a paralegal for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Washington, D.C. She earned an Executive MBA from the University of Connecticut and a BS in Criminal Justice from Montclair State University.

Paul Cheslock joined North Mill Equipment Finance in the fall of 2018 as Vice President, Customer Relations. Leveraging his more than 25 years of leasing sales leadership and customer relations experience, he supervises North Mill’s account management team. The team is responsible for cultivating relationships with referral agents and overseeing the many transactions that are submitted daily to the company. Paul is also responsible for building the strategy for North Mill’s business development program.

Before joining North Mill, Paul was Vice President, Indirect Markets for TimePayment, focusing on expanding and enhancing the company’s third-party referral source pipeline. Prior to TimePayment, he held various sales leadership and client relationship management roles at Marlin Equipment Finance, Leaf Equipment Finance and GE Capital in support of their small-ticket leasing and program initiatives. Paul earned his BS in Business Management from Almeda University. He resides in Columbia, Missouri with his wife and two children.

Zuzanna Capozzi joined NMEF in June 2021 as a Treasury Manager. Prior to joining North Mill, she worked as PMS System Administrator/Accountant at Triple Point Technology, Inc in Westport CT, and Trade Finance Coordinator/Treasury at Kolmar Americas Inc. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in English Philology/Economics from the University of Finance and Management in Poland and AS in Business Administration from Norwalk Community College.

Maria Borges-Lopez is North Mill’s Vice President of Human Resources, responsible for compliance, staffing, training, and employee development and relations. She is an accomplished HR professional with over 25 years of experience and has been with North Mill and its predecessor company for 18 years.

Prior to joining North Mill, Maria was the HR Manager and Controller at Neumade Products, a manufacturer of motion picture theatre projection systems in Newtown, CT. Maria has served on various Community Boards and civic organizations and is a former Board Member of the Norwalk Hospital, Fair Rent Commissioner, Norwalk Senior Center.

Mike Morris joined North Mill Equipment Finance as Vice President of National Accounts. An industry veteran with more than 12 years in the leasing space, Mike came to North Mill with a proven track record of growing accounts by deepening relationships and customizing solutions. In his role, Mike is responsible for gaining market share and identifying new opportunities for growth.

Prior to joining North Mill, Mike held various sales and leadership positions at both Marlin Equipment Finance and LEAF Commercial Capital. At Marlin, Mike served seven years as the Director of Sales for the Office Equipment Group and managed the largest relationship at Marlin. At LEAF, he managed a sales team in the Diversified Markets Group. Mike earned a BA from Philadelphia College of Textiles and Sciences. He resides in South Jersey with his wife.

Mr. Dion has over twenty five years of credit, collections, documentation, and sales experience in the small and middle market commercial equipment finance industry. Currently, Mr. Dion manages the Credit and Documentation and Funding Departments of North Mill. Additionally, he is a member of the firm’s Credit Committee, the group of executives that sets the credit strategy for the company.

Prior to joining Equilease/North Mill in 2007, Mr. Dion held various credit-focused positions including AVP, Center Capital Corp; VP, GE Capital; Director of Credit and Contracts, Phoenixcor, Inc.; and Credit Analyst at MetLife Capital.

Blair Dawson is NMEF’s CMO and SVP. Before joining North Mill, Blair founded Sterling Rose Marketing and Communications Solutions in 2023, specializing in marketing strategy, branding, and content development. Prior to that, she served as the Executive Director of the STRIPES Leadership Program. Blair entered the equipment finance industry in 2019 as Vice President of Marketing and Events for the National Equipment Finance Association (NEFA). Her extensive experience in marketing and leadership development allows her to drive impactful strategies and nurture high-performing teams.

Blair has a BS in Business Administration from St. Joseph’s University and currently lives outside of Philadelphia with her husband Jake and their daughters Victoria and Charlotte.

Louis E. “Lee” Bergeron is an innovative, entrepreneurial executive with extensive experience in transforming struggling businesses into successful operations. Widely recognized as having a dynamic, consultative leadership style, Mr. Bergeron is thoughtful about building sustainable organizational structures, and works closely to mentor and advise rising talent. He has a proven history of success in revenue generation and growth, mergers and acquisitions, and strategic sales across industries.

Tom Lyle is NMEF’s Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer (EVP & COO). Prior to joining NMEF, Tom was the Chief Operating Officer at PEAC Solutions, a $4+ billion independent equipment financing platform, where he oversaw operational digitization and efficiency optimization.

Before his role at PEAC, Tom was Head of Global Leasing at Xerox Financial Services, where he led a $3+ billion captive leasing business across North America and Europe. He has also served in various credit and operations roles at Pitney Bowes and HP Financial Services. Tom earned his MBA from NYU’s Stern School of Business and lives with his family in Westport, CT.

Pier Snider is North Mill’s Chief Financial Officer.

Pier joined North Mill Equipment Finance in 2017 as Vice President and Controller. She was promoted in 2018 to CFO responsible for directing and overseeing the financial activities of the company.

Prior to joining North Mill, Pier held various finance and risk positions in multinational corporations, including GE Capital, Daimler Benz and Chrysler Capital.  She gained experience across a variety of industries and sectors including transportation, infrastructure, aviation and commercial real estate. In her last role at GE Capital, she was responsible for various aspects of regulatory compliance within the financial services sector supporting the company transformation as a U.S. regulated entity.

Pier earned both a BS in finance and economics and an MBA in accounting and finance from the University of Bridgeport, CT. She is green belt certified.

Mr. Bonanno is a Certified Public Accountant who joined North Mill as the firm’s Chief Financial Officer in the summer of 2016.

Prior to joining North Mill, he was Chief Financial Officer at Advantage Funding, a commercial equipment finance company based in Lake Success, New York. He previously spent sixteen years at General Electric in various financial management roles, including Finance Manager of the Corporate Initiatives Group, CFO of Xerox Capital Services and Operational Controller of GE Energy Financial Services.

Mr. Bonanno was educated at the University of Massachusetts, from which he holds a BBA in accounting and is a Certified Black Belt, Six Sigma.  He is also a graduate of the GE Management Development Course.

Mr. Lee has nearly 40 years of executive financial services experience as an investment banker, private equity investor, lender, and operating executive. He has served as the Chairman and CEO of NMEF since December 2016 and previously was the CEO of Colford Capital Holdings, the former parent company of NMEF and its asset-based lending affiliate, North Mill Capital, from 2012 until the sale of NMEF to Wafra Capital Partners in August 2018.  Since the recapitalization, NMEF has grown from approximately $100 million to nearly $3 billion in in total gross receivables

Previously, Mr. Lee served as President of D.B. Zwirn & Co., a $6.5 billion AUM alternative asset manager and successfully navigated that firm through the 2008 financial crisis and eventual merger integration into Fortress Investment Group. He was the Founding Managing Partner of Saturn Venture Partners and a Partner with the private equity firm of Sandler Capital.

For the first half of his career, Mr. Lee was an investment banker, most recently serving as a Managing Director at Lazard, where he advised on M&A transactions valued in excess of $50 billion. Mr. Lee graduated magna cum laude from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania in 1986.