The Commercial Finance Association (CFA) announced the launch of its CFA 40 Under 40 Awards. This inaugural program is being introduced to honor the achievements of young commercial finance professionals and service providers from across the industry.

“The CFA is excited to introduce this exclusive program,” said Robert Trojan, the association’s Chief Executive Officer. “It’s important for CFA to honor and encourage the top performers making an impact on asset-based lending, factoring and trade finance—those who go above and beyond each day and who bring a strong voice to their profession and the industry at large.”

Andrea Petro, CFA 40 Under 40 Awards Chairperson and Executive Vice President for Wells Fargo Capital Finance, added, “Being recognized for this kind of honor, at an early point in a young professional’s career, is a recognition of their high potential. Our industry includes exceptional talent and choosing just 40 of them will be a challenge.”

“The inaugural class of CFA 40 Under 40 will set the bar incredibly high for all those who follow,” said David Kurzweil, CFA 40 Under 40 Awards Vice Chairperson and Co-Chair of National Financial Institutions Group Greenberg Traurig, LLP, “Everyone in the industry will know that these are the professionals to watch.”

Award nominations are open through Friday, May 13. Winners will be announced in the September 2016 issue of The Secured Lender magazine, and honorees will be celebrated at an awards ceremony September 22 in New York City. For more information on the program, or to make a nomination, visit http://www.cfa.com/40Under40.

A variety of 40 Under 40 program sponsorships are available; proceeds benefit the CFA Education Foundation, which provides critical funding to support research and development for the asset-based lending and factoring industries’ knowledge base.

Founded in 1944, the Commercial Finance Association is the international trade organization representing the asset-based lending, factoring, trade and supply chain finance industries, with nearly 300 member organizations throughout the U.S., Canada and around the world. CFA provides education, networking opportunities and industry advocacy to the global commercial finance community.