ELFA appoints new state government relations expert

The Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA) has appointed Scott Riehl as vice president of state government relations, with responsibility for directing and executing all aspects of the association’s state government relations strategy.

In his new role, which he took up on June 1, he will be monitoring and engaging legislation and regulation impacting the industry in all 50 states. Riehl succeeds Dennis Brown, who has served as ELFA vice president of state government relations for 23 years and will retire at the end of 2016.

Riehl brings 24 years of direct issue advocacy, legal and legislative staff experience to ELFA. For 13 years he represented the consumer products industry, including serving as vice president of state government affairs and associate counsel at the Grocery Manufacturers Association. Prior to GMA, Riehl served as a vice president at Stateside Associates, where he provided direct political consultation for Fortune 500 companies and Washington D.C-based trade associations.

Previously, Riehl was a state affairs specialist for the National Rifle Association of America. Immediately prior to joining ELFA, he led the Riehl Group LLC, a political and strategic issue management and consulting firm based in Virginia. He began his government relations career in the Michigan Senate, where he served as counsel and chief legislative aide for two Michigan state senators.

“This is a dynamic industry that I believe is essential to the health and promise of our economy,” said Riehl. “I am honored to join the volunteer leaders and staff of ELFA as we continue to support the association’s commitment to sound public policy by assuring that state legislators and regulators understand the equipment finance industry and are educated about the high standards to which ELFA members hold themselves.”