Since its inception, NFS Leasing has exceeded $1 billion in lease originations, through supporting businesses with less than perfect credit and big ideas. With an eye toward the entrepreneur and an experienced leadership team, NFS Leasing has worked with over 5,000 clients and partners across the business spectrum to make an impact in the community.
In 1989, Cliff Rucker, the founder and Chairman of NFS Leasing, founded New England Computer Sales & Leasing, Inc. (NECSL).
At the time, Rucker sought to build a life for his twenty-four-year-old self. Rucker had a friend who was employed by Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC). DEC was the largest employer in Massachusetts and the second-largest computer company in the world. Entrepreneurial at the core, Rucker had an idea. Why couldn’t they buy used DEC equipment, repair it and resell it? As it turned out, there was immense value in selling refurbished computer equipment.
Rucker and his colleague borrowed $2,000, rented a Ryder truck, purchased a 100 VT 220 from Reebok for $2,000, repaired it in a Swampscott garage, and sold it for $6,000 the very next day. This was the beginning of what was to become NECSL and NEXL Financial Services, the storied credit arm for NECSL and the impetus for NFS Leasing, Inc.
By 1999, NEXL would grow to $100 million in revenue. NEXL would withstand the dot-com bubble of the early 2000s and eventually be sold to a public company, MTM Technologies, Inc., in 2005.
The acquisition of NEXL to MTM left behind NEXL’s captive leasing portfolio, as MTM saw no value in it. This left the door open to what would become NFS Leasing, Inc.
The captive leasing portfolio was retained and maintained, but no new business was undertaken before 2006. In 2006, the planning began, and in 2007, NFS Leasing was founded. NFS built a solid foundation and assembled a small team of talented business experts to provide an equipment finance platform in the IT equipment marketplace.
Today, NFS continues to employ many of its original team members while substantially expanding its team, its scope, and its breadth across many different product offerings, industries and equipment types.
After an initial surge in growth, by 2011 NFS came to quickly realize that its specialized focus on IT equipment hindered its own growth potential. Business requirements for back office storage solutions changed and the cloud service became widely available and reliable. NFS knew that in order to thrive, it needed to transform the company.
NFS strategically expanded the assets it financed and the industries it served, its securitization process and adjusted its product offerings accordingly. NFS assembled a team of specialists in key equipment categories, as well as legal and financial expertise to support its product offerings and growth.
Today, NFS is industry agnostic and specializes in financing technology, medical imaging, scientific instrumentation, manufacturing, print production, construction, agriculture, machine tools, aircraft, and marine in the U.S. and Canada.
Strengthening its reach to assist businesses with less than perfect credit, NFS has progressively expanded its partnerships. Joining forces with a broader range of partners, including vendors, captives, equipment brokers, manufacturers, and other financial lenders, NFS continues to extend that reach.
It has repeatedly expanded its offerings to storied credit businesses and extended its capabilities beyond equipment financing. NFS offers a vast portfolio of creative leasing and loan structures, from transaction sizes ranging from small-ticket, to medium, to large. Today’s offerings include FMV leases, capital leases ($1 buyouts), EFAs and sale leasebacks. Most recently, NFS has expanded its offerings to also include asset-based loans serving businesses in need of working capital.
Today, the NFS Leasing leadership team includes a dynamic mix of experienced leaders. The group consists of business experts with extensive financial structuring and asset knowledge, a solid understanding of the intricacies of serving the non-investment grade market, and experience in effectively growing a business. The leadership team consists of members of the original team as well as specialists from commercial finance companies, law firms, CPA firms and fortune 500 enterprises. Ashley Whyman, former VP & General Counsel of NFS Leasing, leads the team as its President.
With its established track record and portfolio of strong performance, the breadth of NFS’ offering serves and will continue to serve its wide range of business partners and the many businesses that need flexible financing to achieve their potential.
In the lobby of the Beverly office, there is a massive board overlooking the foyer with hundreds of logos from companies that NFS has helped by providing necessary equipment financing. It is a constant reminder of the opportunities for success that NFS has provided to businesses of all shapes and sizes.
As THE story lender, the team talks one-on-one with each customer to find out the story of its individual need. NFS understands what can happen in business. Strategies do not always unfold exactly as planned. Unforeseen circumstances may arise. Timelines can be short.
The team wants to understand: What does the business plan consist of? What is the challenge? Does the customer require financing solutions unique to NFS Leasing?
Through their combined knowledge and business acumen, the NFS team can be creative by offering finance solutions to those who may not have the opportunity to secure equipment financing without them.
The team listens to each client. Through these collaborative discussions, the group seeks to understand and empathize. Understanding each unique circumstance provides NFS far more flexibility than traditional funding sources. This allows the team to make decisions based on factors beyond spreadsheets and the bottom line. While traditional lenders may balk, the NFS team can look past the numbers. Providing clients with answers and the best solutions is where NFS thrives.
NFS never loses sight of what matters most: a trusted relationship. Whether it is the relationship with a partner, a business owner, or among the NFS team, relationships are valued and nurtured.
Impactful decision-making is an enormous component of what makes the team tick, and it’s not hard to find examples that are meaningful to the people who make up NFS Leasing. NFS cares for its customers’ missions and wants to help support business opportunities and ultimate success. They can make an impact in each partnership, and that is never lost on the NFS team.
Beyond the lobby of the headquarters, you will find a dedicated team. A team working together to achieve the same goal each day. A team with a tremendous sense of responsibility for its customers, its partners, its broader community and each other.
NFS Leasing is a privately-held independent equipment finance leader with more than 15 years of experience. NFS provides equipment financing and secured loans to small and middle-market non-investment grade companies in the U.S. and Canada.
NFS uses its own balance sheet capital and provides fast, flexible customized solutions to help customers achieve their goals. NFS Leasing is proud to have created thousands of jobs and infused over $1,000,000,000 of capital into businesses.
We are THE story lender
Tell us your story
We understand that behind your financial statements, or those of your client, is a real business with real people and real potential. At NFS Leasing, we want to provide fast, flexible equipment financing to enable companies to thrive.
By using this website, you accept NFS Leasing’s Website Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
*This number is based on averages over
the years, not an exact number.
