American Factoring Association Announces New Board President, Hailey Benton-Thomas
San Luis Obispo, CA, September 29, 2026 –The American Factoring Association (AFA) announced the election of Hailey Benton-Thomas as its new board President. Benton-Thomas succeeds Cole Harmonson and has previously served as AFA Vice President as well as Chair of the AFA’s Government Affairs Committee.
Since 2014, Hailey Benton-Thomas has held multiple leadership roles within the factoring industry, gaining comprehensive expertise across the full factoring lifecycle and earning a reputation as a knowledgeable and forward-thinking leader. In 2023, she co-founded Bison Payments, LLC in partnership with Bison Technologies, delivering innovative working capital solutions and tools tailored to the oil and gas sector.
“Hailey has been a strong and respected voice within the factoring industry and a dedicated advocate for the issues that matter to our members,” said Tania Daniel, Executive Director of the American Factoring Association and International Factoring Association. “Her leadership as Chair of the AFA’s Government Affairs Committee was instrumental in advancing the CASH Act and raising awareness of the important role factoring plays in supporting businesses across the country. Her industry knowledge, leadership experience, and commitment to advocacy will be tremendous assets as she takes on this new role.”
The AFA also announced that Lori Gustaf, SVP/National Operations Manager at FirstLine Funding Group, will serve as Secretary, and Heather Villa, Managing Director at the International Factoring Association, will serve as Treasurer.
“Hailey, Lori, and Heather each bring extensive industry experience and a strong commitment to the AFA and its members,” Daniel added. “Their leadership will help ensure that the AFA continues to be a strong voice for the factoring industry, particularly as we navigate an increasingly complex legislative and regulatory environment. We look forward to working with them as we continue to advocate for our members, educate policymakers, and protect the interests of the factoring community.”
For more information about the American Factoring Association, please visit www.americanfactoring.org.
About the American Factoring Association
The American Factoring Association (AFA) was founded in 2009 with the sole purpose of educating the public and policymakers on the availability of working capital for financing America's small businesses and to conduct efforts in support of increasing working capital financing. It is a non-profit 501 (c) 6 corporation. The AFA has conducted over 200 meetings with various officials, including U.S. Senators and Congressmen, with the goal of educating the value that Factoring drives to the business community and economy. For more information visit www.americanfactoring.org.