DAVID T. SCHAEFER, CLFP

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Mr. Schaefer is the founder and chief executive officer of Orion First, which has become an industry leader since its formation in 2001. His focus is on growing Orion into the leading loan and lease servicing company in the United States. He is a strong advocate for capital formation focused on the small and medium business market. 

With a career spanning forty years in the commercial finance industry, Dave’s leadership experience has been influenced by a broad range of roles including business development, treasury, operations, technology, accounting and portfolio management. He has been involved in both prime and sub-prime markets. Prior to establishing Orion, he was president, and a member of the Board of Directors of Financial Pacific Leasing Company. Dave also founded Checkmate Certified Collections in 1975, a consumer and commercial collection agency. 

An active leader and advocate for the industry, Dave is a past chairman of the Board of Directors for the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA). Dave has served on the board of the ELFA since 2009 and became an officer in 2014. He also served as the chairman of LeasePAC, the industry’s federal political action committee, and the Small Ticket Business Council. He formerly served on the board of directors of the United Association of Equipment Lessors (now the National Equipment Finance Association). 

He obtained his Certified Leasing and Finance Professional certification in 1996, making him one of the industry’s earliest CLFP’s.