Advisory Board
The IFA Advisory Board Members serve a two-year term and assist the IFA in broadening the public understanding of the uses and benefits of factoring and help to both design training programs and foster new ideas to benefit its member organizations.
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Hailey Benton-Thomas - President, Bison Payments Hailey Benton-Thomas earned her Juris Doctor from Pepperdine University and began her legal career as a business and employment law litigator with the Los Angeles-based firm Floyd, Skeren & Kelly, LLP. In 2014, Benton-Thomas was recruited by TBS Factoring Service, LLC. There, she discovered her passion for empowering small businesses through access to working capital—especially those underserved by traditional banks. Over the years, she held multiple leadership roles within TBS, gaining comprehensive expertise in the factoring process and solidifying her reputation as a versatile and insightful leader. In 2023, Benton-Thomas started Bison Payments, LLC in partnership with the technology company Bison Technologies, together they have created unique and forward-thinking working capital solutions and tools for the oil and gas sector. Benton-Thomas has also been a prominent voice in the factoring industry. As the current Chair of Government Affairs Committee for the American Factoring Association (AFA), she played a pivotal role in the introduction of the CASH Act. She has previously been a co-host for the Annual Transportation Conference for the International Factoring Association in 2021 and 2022, a featured speaker at other industry events, and recently held a webinar for IFA members to support members looking to serve the energy industry. In addition to her professional commitments, she sits on the Board of Directors for the Oklahoma Humane Society and is passionate about animal welfare. |
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Amanda Bowman - Senior Vice President, Sales Director​ - eCapital Amanda Bowman serves as Senior Vice President, Sales Director, and is responsible for leading a dynamic team focused on developing strategic partnerships and structuring flexible working capital financing solutions. Amanda has over 15 years of experience working in the alternative lending space, with the bulk of her career in service to the transportation industry, providing accounts receivable financing to undercapitalized businesses. This background helped develop her drive to be solution-focused and results-driven when developing flexible funding solutions to meet client needs. Amanda attended Georgia State University and holds a BS in psychology. She is an active member of the Association for Corporate Growth, International Factoring Association, Turnaround Management Association and Secured Finance Network. |
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Tina Capobianco - Senior Vice President, Operations - J D Factors Tina Capobianco is the vice president of J D Factors Corporation in Canada. J D Factors provides factoring services to businesses across Canada and the US. Tina is responsible for the Canadian operations and portfolio with its head office in Mississauga and offices in Montreal and Calgary. Her extensive career in factoring started in 1992 as an account executive and has covered all areas of factoring including operations, credit and underwriting and business development. Tina learned that the client is the cornerstone of commercial finance. Learning how to work with a variety of different types of clients and industries has provided her with the experience to bring J D Factors to the forefront of commercial finance. |
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Chad Eberly - General Manager & Co-Founder - Encore Funding Chad Eberly has spent over a decade overseeing business operations and is a big proponent of leveraging factoring programs to free up working capital for entrepreneurs. Prior to Encore, he served as the Manager of Risk Assurance at PwC, auditing and advising clients on business process and IT controls. His creative and solution-oriented approach to factoring has helped to establish true partnerships throughout his network. As a member of the NEXGEN committee, Chad is perfectly positioned to help educate the next generation of professionals on the factoring industry. |
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Juan Estrada - CEO - Quickpay Funding Juan Estrada is the Co-Founder and CEO of Quickpay Funding LLC, a leading factoring company in the industry. Since founding Quickpay in 2015, Juan has grown the company to fund over $100 million annually in account receivables and other services, processing thousands of transactions monthly for small businesses and companies in a diverse range of industries. A seasoned commercial finance executive with a deep understanding of factoring, Juan's prior experience includes senior-level roles at Heller Financial, UPS Capital, Volvo Financial, DaimlerChrysler Financial Services, Citibank-Banamex USA, and eCapital. Juan is a member of Bank of America's Treasury Advisory Board for CashPro and is a passionate advocate for innovation in factoring, particularly in the areas of Real-Time Payments, and technology-driven operational efficiency. |
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Andrea Knoblauch-Wright – VP, Chief Experience Officer - Phoenix Capital Group Andrea has been a finance leader her entire career, focusing on transportation factoring for the last 13 years. Currently she serves as Vice President and Chief Experience Officer at Phoenix Capital Group LLC, a division of Gulf Coast Bank. Andrea’s experience with acquisitions and due diligence, operations, risk management, credit and portfolio management, internal audit and controls, and growth management has led her to her current position. Prior to working for Phoenix Capital Group, she was Senior Vice President at D&S Factors and Pavestone Capital. Andrea earned a Master of Business Administration at Northwest Nazarene University and holds a Bachelors of Arts in Accounting from California State University at San Bernardino. She is currently an advisory member of the IFA’s Certified Account Executive in Factoring (CAEF) Program and has served as a board member of the American Factoring Association. |
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Amity Mercado - CFO/COO - nFusion Capital, LLC Amity Mercado is a senior executive, entrepreneur, and construction industry veteran with over 15 years of experience in Corporate Finance, Financial Consulting, Accounting, Leadership, and Operations. She is a confident team builder with excellent interpersonal and communications skills. Combined with her in-depth knowledge and passion for accounting technology, this has made her a trusted advisor in many of her relationships. Amity serves as the Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operations Officer of nFusion Capital, LLC, a lending company that provides cash flow, collections and financial reporting compliance solutions to growing companies. She brings a wealth of knowledge in the areas of capital acquisition, risk analysis, and accounting systems and technology. Her creative problem-solving skills and unique expertise and specialization in the construction and professional services sectors have been instrumental in the company’s exponential growth. Amity received the Certified Account Executive in Factoring designation by the International Factoring Association in 2023. |
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Glendon Paulk - Owner & COO - Diversified Lenders Glendon Paulk has spent two decades leading Diversified Lenders, Inc. in his role as an owner and Chief Operations Officer. The company started in 1986 and provides unique financing solutions, including factoring and equipment leasing. Glendon graduated from Texas Tech University and has a passion for helping companies achieve their goals through a relationship-based approach to problem solving. He currently lives in Keller, Texas and his hobbies include ranching, hunting and fly-fishing. He has spent many years supporting and raising money for the International Rett Syndrome Foundation via charity organizations and events such as Casting 4A Cure, Tunes for Barrett, Risers for Rett and Borracho Pescador. |
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Clayton Richardson – CEO - American Funding Solutions Clayton is the CEO of American Funding Solutions (AFS), a Midwest based general factor with 20+ years serving clients throughout the United States. AFS has built their brand primarily in staffing (emphasis on medical staffing), business services, and consulting. Clayton leads the growing team in their next chapter as a company, after acquiring the business in 2024. Prior to AFS, Clayton spent a decade working across asset classes, from institutional grade to small business credit. A native of Kansas City, Clayton and his family are active in supporting their favorite local teams (Jayhawks, Chiefs, and Royals) and non-profit organizations (Special Olympics, Sheffield Place, and Wayside Waifs). |
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Ben Rutkevitz – Senior Vice President - Alleon Capital Partners LLC Ben is Senior Vice President of Business Development at Alleon Healthcare Capital, leading its healthcare origination efforts since 2009. He structures medical receivable financing and factoring solutions for providers, supported by a background in real-estate bridge lending and Wall Street mutual funds. Based in Hudson Valley, NY, Ben is an avid tennis player and meditator. A known speaker and author in healthcare finance, he’s delivered SFNet webinars, contributed to Commercial Factor and other publications. |
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