Encina Lender Finance, LLC (ELF) announced continued expansion of its senior leadership team with the addition of industry veterans Jeff Carbery as Managing Director, Ryan Connorton as Managing Director, and Latonya Whitfield Stroup as Director.

Ed Chang, CEO of ELF, said, “The ELF team is thrilled to reunite with such deeply respected leaders in lender finance. Jeff, Ryan and Latonya have tremendous track records of lending to and supporting specialty finance companies over the past two decades.”

Prior to joining ELF, Carbery held senior leadership positions at Wells Fargo Capital Finance’s lender finance team, Transamerica and GE Capital. Most recently, Carbery led Texas Capital Bank’s Commercial Lender Finance group. Carbery will be opening a new office for ELF in Dallas, TX.
 
Connorton previously held lender finance credit roles of increasing responsibility at First Horizon Bank and Capital One. Most recently, Connorton Director at BMO’s Financial Institutions Group, where he oversaw a portfolio of consumer and commercial lender finance clients. Connorton will be based in Baltimore, MD.

Stroup previously led operations at Wells Fargo Capital Finance’s lender finance team. Most recently, Stroup oversaw loan administration at WaFd Bank. Stroup will be based in ELF’s new Dallas office.

Additionally, Harrison Hodges and Lee Schuessler joined ELF as Associates. Hodges and Schuessler are based in Atlanta, GA and were most recently with Truist’s corporate and investment bank.