The Certified Lease & Finance Professionals' Handbook: Setting the Standards for Leasing & Finance Professionals the World Over

Deborah Reuben, CLFP

Apr 2024 · Certified Lease & Finance Professional Foundation · Narrated by Leonard Lane, CLFP

About this audiobook

The Certified Lease & Finance Professional Program is presented to the commercial equipment leasing and finance industry as a service of the CLFP Foundation. The prestigious CLFP designation identifies you as a knowledgeable professional to your employer, clients and customers, as well as, your peers in the leasing industry. Participation in the CLFP program is entirely voluntary and is open to all qualifying individuals.The CLFP Program was developed in 1985 by recognized industry leaders and covers major aspects of commercial equipment leasing and financing. Today, a volunteer Board of Directors, made up of CLFPs, governs the CLFP Foundation which is comprised of CLFPs in good standing and continues to be supported by the American Association of Commercial Finance Brokers (AACFB), previously NAELB and the National Equipment Finance Association (NEFA), the new association formed in 2008 by the merger of UAEL and EAEL, as well as the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA). This book was originally written for leasing practitioners. It was the intention of the original authors to provide an in-depth action handbook for those already on a career path in leasing. To accomplish this task, recognized subject matter experts were contacted and asked to write chapters in their areas of expertise and share their secrets of success. This new CLFP Handbook follows this footprint and has again called on contributors who are experts within their sectors of the industry who worked with one author in order to provide a consistent voice throughout the book. The result is a handbook that is short on theory and long on the practical aspects of participating in the commercial equipment leasing and finance industry. Although the book is comprehensive, its style is to provide information in a reader-friendly manner. Whether you’re a college student, an entry-level leasing associate, or a seasoned veteran within the industry, this book is an invaluable resource. The handbook may also be utilized as the cornerstone of a candidate’s study path toward achieving CLFP designation.

About the author

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 have included companies like PNC, Wells Fargo, DLL Group, Huntington (TCF Bank), Dell, Mitsubishi UFG, Caterpillar, and Key Equipment Finance. 

 She serves on the CLFP Foundation Board of Directors and authored The Certified Lease and Finance Professionals’ Handbook Sixth Edition and beyond. She served on ELFA’s Board of Directors, is the founder and chair of the ELFA Innovation Advisory Council, past ELFA Operations and Technology Committee Chair, and a cofounder of the ELFA Women’s Council. In partnership with ELFA, she and her team lead quarterly industry innovation roundtables to spark forward-thinking insights, fresh perspective, and practical action.

Reuben also served as an inaugural member of the Monitor Editorial Advisory Board and cofounded 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. Learn more at tomorrowzone.io.

Leonard’s 30+ years of industry background with a notable 23 years as VP of Operations Development for a leading independent financial services and leasing company, makes him an invaluable member of Odessa. His deep understanding of industry trends, challenges, and the inner workings of asset finance and auto lending companies sets him apart.

Leonard is a CLFP-certified professional. He also volunteers as an instructor of CLFP exam preparation classes to foster deeper understanding across the industry.