ELFA’s distinguished service in advocacy award

During this week’s Capitol Connections event, Valerie Hayes Jester, president of Brandywine Capital Associates, will be formally recognized as the recipient of ELFA’s 2015 David H. Fenig distinguished service in advocacy award.

The award, named for ELFA’s former vice president of federal government relations, honors individuals who have made significant contributions to the association’s advocacy efforts to promote sound public policies for the equipment finance industry.

“We are delighted to present this honor to Valerie in acknowledgment and appreciation of her outstanding advocacy efforts at the state and federal levels,” said ELFA president and CEO William G. Sutton. “Advocacy is a cornerstone of ELFA’s mission and Valerie’s leadership in this area has helped increase volunteer participation and raised awareness of the value of equipment finance as an engine for US prosperity and growth.”

Jester has been an active participant in ELFA for more than two decades and was the first woman to serve as chairman, in 2007. She has also served as the association’s treasurer and as a member of the Small Ticket Business Council. In addition, she has contributed to ELFA’s research affiliate, the Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation.

“I am honored to receive this award given in memory and honor of David Fenig, a close friend and ardent advocate of the equipment leasing and finance industry,” said Jester. “David helped to place our association ‘front and center’ during public policy debates on issues and legislation that had and continue to have significant impact on our business.

Jester went on to add: “The education of our legislators regarding the value equipment leasing and finance provide to our economy continues to be one of the most important missions of ELFA.”

Jester has also advocated for the equipment finance industry at the state level in Pennsylvania, where Brandywine Capital Associates has its base. She was instrumental in discussions over critical provisions of automatic-renewal legislation that later paved the way for national model legislative language for auto-renewals.

Before joining Brandywine Capital Associates, Jester served as senior vice president of First Sierra Financial. Previously, she was president and owner of Corporate Capital Leasing Group, a small-ticket lessor specializing in the arbor-care market.