FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Promotions strengthen KLC’s credit, funding strategy and risk management capabilities as the company continues to grow
Minnetonka, MN (August 18, 2026) – KLC Financial is pleased to announce the promotions of Griffin Lefeber to Director, Credit & Funding Strategy and Leah Steine to Director, Risk & Credit Administration.
The promotions recognize Griffin and Leah’s leadership, expertise and continued contributions to KLC while further strengthening the company’s approach to credit, funding and risk management.
“Griffin and Leah have both played important roles in the strength and success of our Credit Department,” said Shannon Smith, CEO of KLC Financial. “They bring tremendous knowledge, leadership and a willingness to continually improve how we serve our customers, partners and sales team. These promotions are well deserved and position us well for continued growth.”
Griffin Lefeber, Director, Credit & Funding Strategy
In this new role, Griffin will lead KLC’s application-only credit engine, fast triage process, routine funding-source routing and practical deal strategy. The role is focused on helping KLC’s sales team quickly identify the right financing solution while continuing to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the company’s credit and funding processes.
Griffin’s ability to evaluate opportunities, develop practical solutions and collaborate across teams has made a significant impact on KLC’s credit operations and continued evolution.
Leah Steine, Director, Risk & Credit Administration
As Director, Risk & Credit Administration, Leah will oversee full financial underwriting, credit administration, balance-sheet protection, credit policy, documentation quality, portfolio monitoring and overall credit-risk discipline.
Leah has consistently demonstrated strong leadership and expertise in credit administration and risk management. In this expanded role, Leah will continue to strengthen the processes and disciplines that support KLC’s long-term growth while maintaining the high standards of credit quality the company and its partners rely on.
Together, the two leadership roles create greater focus across KLC’s credit function, balancing speed and flexibility in finding financing solutions with disciplined underwriting and risk management.
“These roles reflect where KLC is headed,” Smith added. “We want to continue finding smarter, more efficient ways to structure and fund transactions while maintaining the strong credit discipline that has always been important to our business. Griffin and Leah are the right leaders to help us do that.”
KLC Financial congratulates Griffin and Leah on their well-deserved promotions and looks forward to their continued leadership and contributions to the organization.
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About KLC Financial
Founded in 1987, KLC Financial, a subsidiary of Gulf Coast Bank & Trust, provides creative and flexible equipment financing solutions to businesses nationwide. With a focus on fostering lasting partnerships, KLC Financial empowers businesses to achieve their goals through tailored financing strategies.
