Executive Management

Ellen Finnerty, SPHR
Senior Vice President of Human Resources

Ellen Finnerty is Senior Vice President of Human Resources for First Capital. Ms. Finnerty’s strategic approach to human resources is characterized by a keen focus on helping First Capital accomplish its business and financial goals.

Ms. Finnerty has worked in the financial services industry since 1997 and has 19 years of human resources experience in building company environments that encourage management and employees to achieve their full potential. Prior to joining First Capital, Ms. Finnerty was Vice President, Human Resources Director for Fidelity National Information Services, a Fortune 500 financial services company. Previously, she was Senior Vice President, Human Resources Director for Palm Beach National Bank & Trust, where she built a comprehensive human resources program.

Ms. Finnerty has a BA degree in Sociology from the University of Florida and is certified as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR).

Anthony (“Tony”) Brown
Managing Director
International Region

Tony Brown has joined the First Capital team as the International Region-Managing Director. Tony brings to First Capital over thirty years in international trade experience as a trader, lender, shipper, supply chain and business executive.

Tony started his career at Lloyds of London in the field of export political risk insurance and subsequently worked for Manufacturers Hanover Trust, then the 4th largest U.S. bank, where he eventually managed the bank’s international trade finance business.

At MHT, Tony structured and managed complex transactions for mid-market and large corporate clients, including medium term export credits for capital goods as well as forfeiting and countertrade.

Tony left banking, raised financing of $25 million, and started Trading Alliance Corporation, an international trade finance company. There, he pioneered “Purchase Order Financing” – 100% inventory financing against confirmed orders – building it to $60 million in financing volume. The company was purchased by MTB Bank, where he created and managed DirecTrade, the first-ever bank-owned integrated B2B trade finance, freight forwarding, warehousing and distribution service offered to foreign exporters to the USA.

After a period of consulting to traders and financial institutions on supply chain finance, strategic marketing and international trade, Tony joined GMAC Commercial Finance, where he became Head of International within the Commercial Services Division. There, he managed the $700 million international factoring business and spearheaded new supply chain finance product and market development.

Tony is a graduate in economics from the London School of Economics and resides in Manhattan.

Gunter Leuckfeld
Senior Vice President
Operations Director-International Region

Prior to joining First Capital, Mr. Leuckfeld’s positions in international banking included serving as the International Portfolio Manager for GMAC Commercial Finance, where he managed GMAC’s North American credit portfolio with an exposure in excess of US$400 million. Mr. Leuckfeld was the individual most responsible for GMAC receiving the distinction of being voted the ‘Best Import Factor in North America’ for the years 2002 to 2005 by members of Factors Chain International.

Prior to GMAC, Mr. Leuckfeld worked for 15 years with Germany’s second largest commercial bank (HypoVereinsbank) as Account Executive for mid-size companies and Senior Underwriter for secured and unsecured commercial loans.

Mr. Leuckfeld is a seasoned lender with extensive experience in international business. He has underwritten customer credit with an exceptionally low record of losses. He has also managed factoring relationships aggregating over $1 billion with overseas exporters as well as leading international factoring companies and banks.

In this new position, he will act as the operations director for all First Capital’s cross-border factoring – mainly within Factors Chain International (FCI).

Thomas "Tim" W. Strachan
Senior Executive Vice President & Chief Credit Officer

Prior to joining First Capital, Mr. Strachan founded T & B Connections, LLC, a continuation of MetSource Capital, LLC, of which he was co-founder, managing director and 20% owner. At both T&B Connections, LLC and MetSource Capital, LLC, he worked on advising clients in areas such as due diligence examinations for lending institutions, venture funds and private institutions, firms operating in bankruptcy and performing forensic accounting functions.

Mr. Strachan previously served as executive vice president for BNY Financial Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Bank of New York Company, Inc. and its successor Corporation, GMAC Commercial Credit. Prior to BNY, he served as senior vice president for North Fork Bank, where he was responsible for the development of the Asset Based Lending Unit for the Bank and head of the ABL Unit, including credit approval authority.

He has also served as vice president for Bankers Trust Company, where he was actively involved in "special situation" transactions including Leveraged Buyouts, DIP Financing, workouts and structuring prospective transactions.

Mr. Strachan has a BBA from the University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana and is a member of the Sorin Society of Notre Dame and a member of the Board of Directors of Christian Brothers Academy in Lincroft, NJ.

Stan Scott
Senior Vice President & Midwest Region Senior Credit Underwriter

Mr. Scott is responsible for underwriting asset-based loan transactions for the Midwest Region and Financial Services Division.

Mr. Scott has served First Capital in a credit underwriting capacity for 11 years. He was previously employed by Transamerica Business Credit (Equipment Division) and Nations Credit Commercial Corp. (Floor-Plan Division) as a Senior Credit Analyst responsible for credit underwriting, account management and credit review. Stan began his commercial lending career in 1988 as a credit analyst for Texas Bank of Garland and was later promoted to Commercial Loan Officer.

Mr. Scott is the author of “A Systematic Approach to Contextual Financial Analysis in Small Business Asset-Based Lending” published in The Secured Lender (November 2005) and winner of the Commercial Finance Association 2005 Essay Contest, as well as “The Importance of Cash Flow Analysis for Small Businesses” published in Commercial Lending Review (January 2007). Mr. Scott earned a B.B.A. in Finance, as well as an M.B.A. in Finance from the University of North Texas.

Vivian Guo
Senior Vice President

Vivian Guo has over 15 years of experience working in corporate management in areas including operations, marketing and financing. At First Capital, Ms. Guo is responsible for marketing and business development for export trade financing products and services for the China market.

Ms. Guo previously served as Vice President for Horizon Financial Services Group, Inc. where she supervised all aspects of marketing and operations for the trade finance services provided to importers in the United States sourcing goods from Asia. Prior to Horizon, Ms. Guo was President of OUR Scientific International, Inc. based in New York, and Executive Vice President of OUR’s parent company headquartered in China with responsibilities including coordinating the equity financing for the company and directing all the marketing initiatives in the United States. Before arriving in the United States, Ms. Guo worked for the China Shenzhen Economic System Restructuring Committee for the Shenzhen City Municipal government where she facilitated the corporate restructuring of State Owned Enterprises (SOE).

Ms. Guo holds a Masters Degree in International Trade and Finance from China Sichuan University, and a MBA in finance from Pace University in New York.

Robert Yasuda
Senior Vice President & Western Region ABL Portfolio / Underwriting Manager

Robert Yasuda is responsible for managing the underwriting of new business and portfolio management for First Capital’s asset based lending business in the Western U.S.

Mr. Yasuda was most recently a senior underwriter in CIT’s Business Credit group focused on both financial services and more general asset-based transactions. Prior to CIT, Mr. Yasuda spent 10 years at GE Capital, most recently as a team leader of underwriting and portfolio management for the Commercial Finance group where he underwrote and managed leveraged ABL and cash flow based transactions. His experience at GE Capital also included underwriting and portfolio management of project finance, telecommunications, and structured finance transactions while part of the Structured Finance Group. He started his career at Fuji Bank as an analyst in the commercial real estate finance group.

Mr. Yasuda received an M.B.A. from Cornell University’s Johnson Graduate School of Management and a B.S. in Biological Sciences from the University of California at Irvine.

David G. Lutfey
Senior Vice President & IT Director

Mr. Lutfey is responsible for the information technology department, systems and services throughout the company. Mr. Lutfey has 25 years experience in systems integration and development in the NY and Florida markets.

Prior to joining First Capital, Mr. Lutfey spent the last 14 years as the CIO / MIS Director for the operations division of Capital Factors, Inc located in Ft. Lauderdale FL. Mr. Lutfey held a similar position for 11 years at Schenkers Int’l Forwarders located in the World Trade Center in NYC.

Mr. Lutfey received a BS degree in Computer Science from the University of Buffalo.

Thomas F. Berner
Executive Vice President & Corporate Counsel

Tom Berner has joined the First Capital team as an Executive Vice President and General Counsel. Tom has valuable experience working in international forums including as a Delegate to the United Nations Treaty Drafting Conferences and as an advisor to the United Nations Assignment of Receivables Convention (i.e., the UN Convention that worked on international trade receivables). Tom is a well known lawyer in both domestic and international circles. His achievements span several decades and are unique in both their depth and breath. Tom joins us from the international law firm of Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP where he was a Partner. Prior to working at Katten Muchin, Tom was a lawyer at Dewey Ballantine. At both Katten Muchin and Dewey Ballantine, Tom focused on commercial transactions and financings and has represented both borrowers and lenders in a wide variety of secured lending transactions. Tom also has a good working knowledge of the Bankruptcy Code, workouts and enforcement.

Tom is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin where he graduated with Honors, was elected to the Phi Beta Kappa society and was Editor-in-Chief of the Badger Herald Student Newspaper. Tom attended law school at Columbia University where he was a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar and an Editor of the Columbia Journal of Transnational Law. While Tom's academic and legal accomplishments are extraordinary, we believe that one of his recent activities stands out as both a professional accomplishment as well as a statement about Tom's character. Tom e-mailed bi-weekly "Dispatches from Kabul" while working and living in Kabul, Afghanistan for the United States State Department. Tom Berner is a national hero of extraordinary character and intellect to our team.

After the tragic events of 9/11 Tom "answered the call" of the United States government to serve in Afghanistan. He left his lucrative law practice and comfortable life in New York to make a difference for the United States and the citizens of Afghanistan. His mission was to assist in the writing of new legal codes that would govern Afghanistan and form the basis of the society. Tom never served in the military and his extraordinary sacrifice is something that is truly unique.

Kimberly F. Withrow
Senior Vice President & Legal Counsel

Senior Vice President and Legal Counsel, Atlanta, Georgia. Ms. Withrow is responsible for advising the company on the legal aspects of the financial relationships the Company enters into with its clients. Prior to joining the Company, Ms. Withrow engaged in the private practice of law representing commercial lenders and factoring companies for five years and prior to that was Senior Counsel for over nine years at Heller Financial managing legal representation for Heller’s asset-based lending, factoring and structured finance groups. Ms. Withrow received her BBA from Emory University and her JD from Vanderbilt University.

Miriam Greenhut
Senior Vice President & Legal Counsel

Miriam Greenhut is Senior Vice President and Legal Counsel of First Capital. Prior to joining First Capital in February 2005, Ms. Greenhut served from late 2003 as Corporate Senior Counsel to an NYSE-listed real estate development company based in Jacksonville, Florida.

After practicing corporate law for five years at another Jacksonville law firm, Ms. Greenhut joined the Jacksonville office of Foley & Lardner, a national law firm, in 1997. A member of the firm's Business Law Department and its Transactional & Securities Practice Group, she served as a partner of the firm starting in 2001, counseling business clients in corporate and partnership organization, finance, and securities. Ms. Greenhut has worked on numerous public and private debt and equity offerings, represented public companies in connection with their periodic reporting to the Securities and Exchange Commission, and handled business combinations for public and private entities.

Ms. Greenhut received her law degree from Duke University Law School (J.D., with honors, 1992), and received her undergraduate degree from Duke University (B.A., magna cum laude, 1988). Ms. Greenhut was admitted to The Florida Bar in 1992, and is AV rated by Martindale Hubble Legal Directory. Ms. Greenhut resides in Jacksonville, Florida.

Cheryl Kendrigan
Senior Vice President & Southeast Region Portfolio Manager

Southeast Region Portfolio Manager, is responsible for the Southeast Region’s Factoring and ABL portfolio management. Prior to First Capital, Ms. Kendrigan was employed for over eighteen years with Capital Factors, Inc. From 1997-2003 she served as Vice President and Senior Account Executive, with her key responsibilities focused on all aspects of client loan management and client administration. From 1985-1997, Ms. Kendrigan served as Assistant Vice President and Senior Credit Officer, with responsibilities including wholesale and retail credit management and collection staff supervision. Prior to Capital Factors, Inc., Ms. Kendrigan held similar positions with Meinhard Commercial Corp (now CIT Corp) 1981-1985 and Citicorp (1980-1981).

Cindy L. Jones, CPA
Senior Vice President & Chief Accounting and Administration Officer

Ms. Jones is responsible for various financial reporting as well as management of the accounting department. She has been with First Capital for 8+ years. Ms. Jones has served as Auditor, Audit Manager, and Account Executive. Outside of First Capital she also served 2+ years in public accounting as a Senior Audit & Tax Accountant. Ms. Jones is a Certified Public Accountant and received a Bachelor’s of Accountancy from the University of Central Oklahoma.

Lee E. Elmore
Senior Vice President & Midwest Region and Financial Services Portfolio Manager

As Portfolio Manager, Mr. Elmore is responsible for managing the Midwest Region and Financial Services ABL Portfolio. Mr. Elmore has been with First Capital for 11+ years. He has served in audit, workout and loan management positions. Prior to First Capital, he served 5+ years in the U.S. Air Force. He is graduate of the University of Maryland University College.

Matthew R. Begley
Executive Vice President, Financial Services

Mr. Begley is mainly responsible for the day-to-day management of First Capital's interest in Siemens First Capital Commercial Finance, LLC, a joint venture between Siemens Financial Services and First Capital. Before his most recent position Mr. Begley was the asset-based lending manager and factoring portfolio manager for First Capital's Western Region. His responsibilities included overseeing all aspects of commercial finance facilities in excess of $250,000,000. Mr. Begley's employment history includes senior positions at Capital Factors and Transamerica Business Credit. Mr. Begley has experience in international trade finance, asset-based lending, factoring, equipment finance, and several types of warrant-backed debt products. Mr. Begley has a BA in Political Science from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and an MBA from Pepperdine University.

Mark Hogard, CPA
Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer

Mark Hogard is responsible for financial planning and operations. Mr. Hogard was previously Executive Vice President and Finance and Administration Manager at First Capital. Prior to First Capital, Mr. Hogard held senior positions at Southwestern Bank in Oklahoma City, Central Bank & Trust in Fort Worth and KPMG in Oklahoma City. Mr. Hogard is a Certified Public Accountant and received a Bachelor’s of Accountancy from the University of Oklahoma.

Ellen E. Ferri
Executive Vice President & Southeast Regional Manager

Southeast Region Manager, is responsible for managing the Southeast Region’s ABL and Factoring business. Prior to First Capital, Ms. Ferri served over ten years as Vice President and Manager of Factoring Portfolio for Capital Factors, Inc. in Florida. Prior to Capital Factors, Ms. Ferri held various positions with the ABL units of Citicorp, Chrysler Capital and Southeast Bank. Ms. Ferri received dual B.A. degrees from Southern Connecticut State University.

Brian J. Cuttic
Executive Vice President & Southeast Regional Manager, Financial Services

Mr. Cuttic is responsible for building Financial Service’s business in the Southeast Region. Prior to First Capital, Mr. Cuttic was responsible for managing the Atlanta office for Capital Business Credit (a division of Capital Factors) and its ABL operations, with oversight of 17 employees including account management, underwriting, operations, marketing and field exam personnel. Mr. Cuttic successfully built the Capital Business Credit portfolio from $3MM in outstandings to over $100MM in less than three years. The portfolio concentrated on Asset-Based Lending to middle market companies with loans ranging from $1,000,000 to $5,000,000. Prior to Capital Business Credit, Mr. Cuttic held positions with Bank of America and Deloitte & Touche. Mr. Cuttic is a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University.

John A. Curtis
Executive Vice President & Midwest Regional Manager / Co-Head of Financial Services

Mr. Curtis has over 20 years of lending experience. Before helping start-up First Capital in 1988, he worked for Whirlpool Corporation in their floor planning division, the First Asset-Based Lending Group, a wholly-owned subsidiary of First National Bank of Oklahoma, and Scrivner Foods, a billion dollar wholesale food distributor. In August of 1988, he joined First Capital and has held various positions with the company through is development and growth. Mr. Curtis received his B.A from Oklahoma State University in Finance and his MBA from Oklahoma City University.

Jay Atkins
Executive Vice President and President, First Growth Capital

Manager of the First Growth Capital division of First Capital. Mr. Atkins joined the company after it acquired his consulting business, Assured Consulting. Mr. Atkins has over 20 years of experience in finance, consulting and management. Prior to founding Assured Consulting, he developed such companies as Sun Capital and, in 1999, his own firm, Source One Financial, which was later sold to Bibby Financial Services, Inc. where he served as CEO until May 2006. Mr. Atkins is a graduate of the University of Charleston where he earned his Bachelor's degree in finance. He is a nationally recognized speaker and trainer for the International Factoring Association (IFA) and has consistently been rated an A+ lecturer and presenter by students and attendees.

Ric L. Mazza
Executive Vice President & Northeast Regional Manager

Mr. Mazza is responsible for the asset-based lending and factoring divisions in First Capital's Northeast Region. Mr. Mazza has 35 years of experience in the credit and factoring industry. Prior to joining First Capital, Mr. Mazza spent the last 15 years as the Client Administration Manager for the New York division of Capital Factors, Inc. Mr. Mazza held a similar position at Bankers Trust for 10 years. He was also previously affiliated with CIT, National Spinning, Collins & Aikman and West Point Pepperel in the credit department.

Mr. Mazza received a B.B.A. in Marketing as well as an M.B.A. in Financial Management from Iona College.

James L. Morrison
Executive Vice President & President, Financial Services Division

Prior to joining First Capital in January of 2004, Mr. Morrison was Executive Vice President and Regional Manager of Capital Factors, Inc. Western Region for 15 years. This office was the acquired facility of NatWest Commercial Services that he opened in January of 1984. Factoring volume reached $1.2 billion in 2004, total loans exceeded $150MM. The office was full service factoring and Asset-Based Lending with a staff of 60 people. Prior to opening the NatWest office, he was with Manufacturers Hanover Commercial for 15 years having opened that regional office in Los Angeles January of 1969. He attended Pace College in New York.

Chris Burgess
Senior Vice President & Deputy National Credit Manager

Mr. Burgess heads the Southeast Region's Credit Department, oversees collection services for the entire organization, and supervises the company's FCI (Factors Chain Internation) business. Mr. Burgess has over 20 years experience in commercial credit and collections and joined First Capital in January 2004 as Vice President and Credit Manager. Prior to joining First Capital Mr. Burgess spent 5 years at Capital Factors as Assistant Vice President and Senior Credit Officer responsible for retail credit management and supervision of collection staff. Prior to his position at Capital Factors Mr. Burgess was Assistant Vice President of Congress Talcott Corp in New York where he spent 12 years as a senior Credit Analyst.

Mr. Burgess studied finance and accounting at the Brooklyn campus of Long Island University and attended the New York Institute of Credit completing several commercial credit and collection courses.

Lee Wilson
President & Chief Operating Officer

Mr. Wilson has overall responsibility for the management, financials and corporate planning of the Company. He has over 30 years of in-depth experience in the banking and financial services industry.

Prior to joining First Capital, Mr. Wilson was Managing Director of Greenwich Advisors, a professional services firm providing strategy consulting to the financial services industry. He started his career at Booz, Allen & Hamilton where he spent nine years and was a partner in the Financial Services Practice. He then joined M&I Bank where he served as Executive Vice President, running the Retail Banking Business. In 1994 he joined Chemical Bank as an EVP serving as deputy to the Vice Chairman running the Retail Bank. When Chemical merged with Chase Manhattan Bank he continued in his role and ran the merger office as well. After Chase, Mr. Wilson went to work for Equitable Life as Deputy Chief Financial Officer and subsequently as EVP of the Market and Product Management Group until he founded Greenwich Advisors in 2001.

Mr. Wilson received his MBA from the Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration. He earned a B.A. in Economics from DePauw University in Greencastle, IN where he currently serves as Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees.

John Nooney
Senior Vice President & South Central Regional Manager

Prior to becoming the Regional Manager in March 2009, Mr. Nooney served as Portfolio Manager in the Los Angeles office and, later, in the Atlanta office.

Mr. Nooney joined First Capital in 2007. Before joining First Capital, Mr. Nooney worked at a number of major financial companies, including Capital Factors, Heller Financial, GE Capital and GMAC Commercial Finance.

Rob Garfalo
Senior Vice President & Northeast Region Portfolio Manager

Mr. Garfalo is responsible for managing the entire factoring and ABL portfolio of First Capital's Northeast Regional Office, located in New York, New York.

Prior to joining First Capital, Mr. Garfalo was the Chief Operating Officer/Chief Financial Officer of JBDM Jewelry, LLC. Prior to that, Mr. Garfalo was Executive Vice President and Chief Credit Officer for First Capital Western Region. He was also a member of the Executive Credit Committee. Before coming to First Capital, Mr. Garfalo was Senior Vice President and Western Region Portfolio Manager at Capital Factors, Inc.

Rob Garfalo is a graduate from California State University Northbridge with a B.S. Degree in Accounting.

John W. Kiefer
Chief Executive Officer

John Kiefer has overall responsibility for the strategic planning, oversight of credit function and senior executive in the company.

Prior to accepting his current position, Mr. Kiefer was the CEO for Capital Factors, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Union Planters Corporation. Mr. Kiefer was previously a member of the Board of Directors for Capital Bank and served as Chairman of the Board of Directors for Capital Factors. Capital Factors grew its annual factored volume from approximately $200 million to over $4 billion during Mr. Kiefer’s term as CEO.

Prior to Capital Factors, Mr. Kiefer held various senior executive positions with Barclays Bank (where he started their New York factoring business in the early 1980’s, growing to $1 billion in annual volume in approximately five years), National Westminster Bank and Bankers Trust.

Mr. Kiefer received his BBA in Finance from Pace University, his MBA from Long Island University and is actively involved in programs and charities that help today’s adolescents.

Keith Smith
Senior Vice President & Legal Counsel

Mr. Smith is responsible for structuring, negotiating and documenting financial transactions the company enters into with its clients. Prior to joining First Capital, Mr. Smith was Senior Attorney at UPS Capital for four years where he practiced in the areas of asset based lending, supply chain finance, trade finance and equipment leasing. Prior to that, he was at Solarcom Holdings from 1998 to 2003 where he practiced in the areas of equipment leasing and equipment sales and served as General Counsel and from 1989 to 1998 in the Legal Department of Wachovia Bank for nine years where he practiced in the areas of asset based lending, real estate lending and treasury services. Mr. Smith received his BA from Southern Wesleyan University and his JD from Emory University.

Scott Simmons
Senior Vice President & Business Development Officer

Mr. Simmons joined First Capital in 2005 and is responsible for Marketing and Business Development efforts in the Midwest Region. With 20 + years of non-bank commercial lending experience, Scott focuses primarily on the Texas market. Mr. Simmons began his career with Credit and Management training for Chrysler Financial, and then spent 10 years with FINOVA Capital/TEXTRON Financial providing asset-based lending solutions to the technology and telecom equipment industry. Prior to joining First Capital, he spent several years developing asset-based lending opportunities for First Community Financial in the Dallas-Ft. Worth market. Mr. Simmons is a graduate of North Texas State University where he earned a B.B.A. in Finance and Marketing.

Ronald Garber
Senior Vice President & Western Region Factoring Portfolio Manager

Mr. Garber will be overseeing all aspects of the factoring operations for First Capital's Western Region located in Los Angeles, California. Mr. Garber was previously Senior Vice President and Team Leader of CIT Commercial Services. He has more than 35 years of experience in the financing industry. Before joining CIT, Mr. Garber was Executive Vice President and Western Regional manager at HSBC Business Credit. Prior to that, he held significant leadership roles with other factors, including Republic Factors, Meinhard Commercial, Associates Commercial Corp., and Manufactures Hanover Commercial Corp.

Mr. Garber studied accounting at Pace College in New York and received an Executive Award in Credit and Financial Management from Stanford University. Mr. Garber is a Director and President of the Commercial Finance Conference of California (CFCC), a member of the Textile Professionals Club, and the Commercial Finance Association.

Gail Shipley
Senior Vice President & Treasury Services Manager

Ms. Shipley oversees all aspects of First Capital's treasury management division. She has been with First Capital since July, 2004, previously serving as Vice President/Assistant Treasurer. Prior to joining First Capital, Ms. Shipley represented banks through her association with the law firm of Nash, Cohenour, Kelley and Hunt. She has 19 years experience in the banking / financial industry and held the position of Senior Vice President / General Counsel of Southwestern Bank, as well as positions at Union Bank, Local Oklahoma Bank and the FDIC. Ms. Shipley received her JD from the University of Oklahoma, her BBA in Finance from Central State University, and is a graduate of the University of Colorado Graduate School of Banking.

Lance Baker
Senior Vice President & Chief Litigation

Lance Baker joined First Capital as Senior Vice President & Chief Litigation, Bankruptcy and Workout Counsel. Prior to accepting his current position, Mr. Baker was Senior Vice President and Corporate Counsel at Capital Factors, Inc. a wholly-owned subsidiary of Regions Financial Corporation. Mr. Baker was responsible for in-house management of all bankruptcy matters, corporate reorganizations, transaction restructurings, workouts and related negotiations, documentation and litigation. Prior to his tenure with Capital Factors, Mr. Baker was a Shareholder at Ruden, McClosky, Smith, Schuster & Russell P.A. in Ft. Lauderdale, FL where he practiced law for nearly 14 years and ultimately became Chairman of the firm's Bankruptcy Department. Prior to practicing law, Mr. Baker was a broadcast journalist. He obtained his law degree, with honors, from the University of Denver, College of Law, with a specialization in advocacy skills. He graduated, cum laude, with a B.S. in journalism/communications from the University of Texas at Austin.