About LEAF - Leadership

Led by the Best in the Industry

Miles Herman

Chief Executive Officer

SVP, General Counsel

Brian Kestenbaum

EVP, Chief Risk Officer

John Beard

EVP, Chief Marketing Officer

Michelle Speranza

SVP, Business Implementation

Mike McKie

SVP, Corporate Operations

Sandy Bernardino

SVP, Finance

Paul Tyczkowski

SVP, Sales and Business Development

Joe Banister

Sr. Human Resources Business Partner

Tara Berlingo

Miles Herman, Chief Executive Officer, has been with LEAF since its founding in 2002. Mr. Herman has over 30 years of operations experience at commercial finance and leasing companies in various senior executive operational roles, including with Fidelity Leasing, Inc. and its successor, the Technology Finance Group of CitiCapital Vendor Finance, as well as Tokai Financial Services and Master Lease Corporation. Mr. Herman was also a member of the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors of the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA) for several years. Beginning in 2019, Mr. Herman became a Trustee for the ELFA Foundation and is currently the Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees. In addition, Mr. Herman was recently recognized with the 2023 Monitor Current Leader Icon Award.

Brian Kestenbaum, Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary, has been with LEAF since its formation in 2011 and held a similar position at LFC starting in 2008. From 2004 to 2008, Mr. Kestenbaum was an associate and then Of Counsel with Ledgewood, P.C. Previously, Mr. Kestenbaum was an associate at the law firms Ballard Spahr and Piper & Rudnick LLP. Since 2013, Mr. Kestenbaum has been a member of the Legal Committee of the ELFA and is currently serving as the Chairman. Mr. Kestenbaum received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania and a J.D., cum laude, from Villanova University School of Law.

John Beard, Executive Vice President, Portfolio Quality, has been with LEAF since 2015. He has been the General Manager of the Moberly Dealer Solutions group since the November 2007 acquisition of Dolphin Capital Corporation where he was the Vice President and Director of Credit Administration. He held various credit and sales management positions with LeaseAmerica Corporation and with Office Technology Finance - General Electric Capital Corporation from 1981 to 1997. Mr. Beard is a member of the Small Ticket Steering Committee of the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association and also serves as the committee’s LeasePAC Liaison. He is also a member of the Experian Small Business Advisory Board. Mr. Beard holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Mount Mercy University. Mr. Beard has been named an ENX Magazine Difference Maker and was recognized as the 2023 Missouri Business Person of the Year.

Michelle Speranza, Executive Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer, directs LEAF’s nationwide omnichannel marketing, brand evolution, and corporate communications strategies, as well as those of the other companies comprising the M&T Equipment Finance Group. Prior to joining LEAF in 2005, Ms. Speranza held marketing roles with the Walt Disney Company and the Philadelphia Inquirer. Michelle is currently serving on the ELFA Board of Directors; previously Ms. Speranza was Chair of the ELFA Women’s Council, where she led work supporting greater access and inclusion for women at all career stages. She is a former Chair of the ELFA Communications Committee and serves on the Monitor Daily Editorial Board. Ms. Speranza is a graduate of Gwynedd-Mercy College, attended the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, and is a Certified Lease & Finance Professional. In 2024, Ms. Speranza was named the Monitor’s Most Influential Woman of the Year.

Sandy Bernardino, Senior Vice President, Corporate Operations, has been with LEAF since 2012. She has over 27 years of experience in equipment leasing. Prior to joining LEAF, Ms. Bernardino was a Director of Sales, Director of Operations, and Director of Client Services for Canon Financial Services for 17 years. Prior to Canon, she was in the remarketing department at Tokai Financial Services. Ms. Bernardino received her bachelor's degree from West Chester University. In 2021, Ms. Bernardino was recognized in the Monitor’s Top Women in Equipment Finance.

Paul Tyczkowski, Senior Vice President, Finance, has been with LEAF since 2003 and has been managing the company’s financial planning, budgeting, and pricing initiatives since 2010. Prior to that, he worked in various treasury roles at LEAF. Mr. Tyczkowski has over 18 years of experience in leasing and finance and has been named an ENX Magazine Difference Maker. Mr. Tyczkowski holds a bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Roger Williams University and an MBA in Finance from LaSalle University.

Joe Banister, Senior Vice President of Sales and Business Development, has been with LEAF since 2004 and has held various positions in Pricing, Capital Markets, and Program Management. Mr. Banister serves on the ELFA’s Captive and Vendor Finance Steering Committee. Mr. Banister received his bachelor’s degree from Randolph-Macon College.

Mike McKie, Senior Vice President, Business Implementation, has been with LEAF since its formation in 2011 and held a similar position at LFC starting in 2007. Prior to joining LEAF, Mr. McKie was Director of Program Management for InterAct Software Solutions. Mr. McKie received the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association’s Operations and Technology Award in both 2012 and 2016 and previously served on their Operations and Technology Committee. Mr. McKie holds a bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Villanova University and an Executive Information Technology Certificate from George Washington University.

Tara Berlingo, Senior Human Resources Business Partner, supports the Equipment Finance Groups for M&T Bank. She has over 20 years of Human Resources experience in various industries such as manufacturing, communication, and banking. She has supported equipment leasing for the last 10 years. Ms. Berlingo was also a past board member on the Society for Human Resources Western Connecticut Division, serving in the roles of Chair of Student Affairs and Co-Chair of Community Affairs.