Susan Franklin
President and CEO
LeaseForum, Inc.
Fields: Commercial equipment leasing
Specialty: e-commerce and B2B marketplaces
Nominated by: Billy Balfour

Excerpt from nomination: "The Internet start-up world is almost exclusively a male dominated industry. More and more female entrepreneurs, however, are ignoring the typical industry stereotype to launch and build e-businesses. Susan Franklin, president and CEO of Boston-based LeaseForum, Inc., is one of e-businesses new female entrepreneurs who is proving that a solid business model and the ability to offer customers a new way of conducting business are the most important factors for building a successful e-business.

Since launching LeaseForum last July, this former captain of her college basketball team with a 'give me the ball when the game is on the line' attitude is establishing LeaseForum as the leader in the mid-to-large ticket ($250,000 - $5,000,000) equipment leasing segment.

Susan's impressive track record in the financial and leasing industries and her ability to build a successful business in the competitive Internet arena make her an appropriate profile for Women in Technology Month.During her 15-year career in financial management and equipment leasing serving the Fortune 1000s, Susan witnessed first-hand the major problems these corporations face when attempting to manage their lease portfolios. As the Internet emerged as a tool for improved efficiency and profitability, Susan recognized and seized the opportunity to harness the power of the Internet as a delivery channel for transforming how corporations lease equipment. Founded in 1999, LeaseForum is a vertical portal that provides lessors and lessees access to Web-based applications for simplifying and enhancing a variety of leasing activities.

Prior to starting LeaseForum, Susan was senior vice president of operations at American Finance Group, Inc., where she was responsible for managing more than $3 billion in leases and related equipment. In just over a decade, she worked her way up the corporate ladder at AFG developing the skills necessary to build, launch and operate a successful business. Despite her hectic schedule, Susan still finds time to nurture a hobby in antique furniture restoration and an appreciation for the study of architecture."