Brendan Cronin Recognized for 'Creating Change & Innovation' in the Equipment Finance Industry

We are proud to announce that Brendan Cronin, Divisional Vice President of Innovation, has been named to Monitor magazine’s 2025 Most Influential People list, recognized for ‘Creating Change & Innovation’ in equipment finance. This honor celebrates forward-thinkers who actively pursue and implement breakthrough ideas to evolve the industry.

Brendan was recognized for his leadership in transforming how insurance solutions are offered throughout the leasing lifecycle. For decades, default-option insurance, often referred to as “force-placed insurance,” has been the industry standard, typically applied only after booking and funding. While still a valued coverage option and effective in keeping deals on track, it’s limited to one point in the leasing process.

Challenging this status quo, Brendan led an initiative to integrate digital solutions, like APIs, into the leasing process. This breakthrough allows equipment finance companies to offer insurance at multiple points in the lifecycle - including originations, booking, funding, and servicing. These automated data connections can create more seamless, transparent, and customer-centric experiences.

Brendan’s contributions push the boundaries of industry norms by transforming insurance from a basic requirement into a strategic tool for growth and customer loyalty. Recent implementations have already shown promise in reducing insurance cancel rates, streamlining workflows, and unlocking new business value.

Challenging convention can be a risk – potentially disrupting a 40-year standard for our own business offering of default-option solutions. But Brendan’s work proves that innovation doesn’t compete - it complements. Insurance can serve as both a back-end necessity and a front-end value driver. Obtaining adequate coverage anywhere in the leasing process can now be faster, smarter, and more customer focused.

We congratulate Brendan on this well-deserved recognition and look forward to seeing his continued impact on our industry.

Read the full story in the Monitor's magazine.