Celebrating the Women Driving AP Equipment Financing Forward
This International Women’s Day, AP Equipment Financing is proud to shine a spotlight on four of the remarkable women who are helping to define what the future of equipment financing looks like through thoughtful leadership, a commitment to building others up, and a willingness to step boldly into roles where they’ve made a lasting impact.
Lauren Mann — HR Director
For Lauren, International Women’s Day carries both gratitude and responsibility.
She reflects on the women who paved the way in equipment finance, often in spaces where representation was limited, and feels a deep commitment to ensuring the path forward is more visible and welcoming for the next generation.
As HR Director, Lauren operates at the heart of company culture. She understands that strong organizations are built intentionally, from the inside out. By fostering environments where employees feel seen, valued, and empowered to grow, she helps ensure AP Equipment Financing isn’t just a place people work — it’s a place they build careers. Her belief is simple but powerful: when women support one another, the entire industry grows stronger.
Ashley Fairweather — Vice President of Inside Sales
As Vice President of Inside Sales, Ashley leads both the inside sales and sales coordinator teams, focusing on refining processes, strengthening reporting, and improving cross-functional collaboration to drive efficient deal flow and revenue growth. Her work sits at the intersection of analytics and relationships, balancing operational precision with the human side of sales.
To Ashley, International Women’s Day is a celebration of progress and possibility. She sees firsthand how women inspire and elevate one another within the organization and beyond.
Her advice to women entering the industry reflects that spirit: “Stay curious and confident. Equipment financing is a relationship-driven industry where learning the business and building trust goes a long way. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, develop your expertise, and seek out mentors. There’s a lot of opportunity for women to grow and make a real impact in this field.”
Kayla Perlinger — Senior Vice President of Syndications & Risk
Since joining AP Equipment Financing in April 2025, Kayla has brought deep expertise in syndication relationships and risk management to the organization. In her role as SVP of Syndications & Risk, she operates across both the sell side and buy side of the business, cultivating strong partner relationships while safeguarding sustainable growth.
Her work is rooted in balance: opportunity paired with thoughtful evaluation and expansion paired with structure.
For Kayla, International Women’s Day is a moment of reflection. It’s an acknowledgment of the resilience women have shown in finance and a recognition of the allies who have supported that progress. More importantly, it’s a call to continue asking meaningful questions: How are women’s lives being impacted? Where can access expand? How can we continue to lift one another?
Her leadership reinforces that responsible growth isn’t just about numbers, it’s about long-term impact.
Melanie Rudiger — Senior Vice President of Operations
As SVP of Operations, Melanie oversees the full operational infrastructure of AP Equipment Financing. From systems to workflow to execution, her leadership touches every corner of the company. She brings clarity to complexity, ensuring the organization can scale confidently while maintaining the service excellence clients expect.
Her message for women considering new opportunities is one of encouragement, “There will be times when you’re offered an opportunity and you think, ‘I don’t know if I can do this.’ But sometimes other people see more in you than you see in yourself. Don’t ever be afraid when someone has faith in you — they have it for a reason.”
At AP Equipment Financing, we believe that diverse perspectives, experiences, and leadership styles make us a stronger company and a better partner for our clients. As we continue to grow and expand our reach across essential industries, we’re proud to do so with women like Lauren, Ashley, Kayla, and Melanie helping to lead the way.
About AP Equipment Financing:
Founded in 1998 and based in Bend, Oregon, AP Equipment Financing is a subsidiary of Tokyo Century (USA) Inc., the U.S. subsidiary of Tokyo Century Corporation. Tokyo Century Corporation, headquartered in Tokyo, has 7,800 employees, and offers specialty leasing and other high value-added financial services in more than 30 countries. AP Fleet Management is a division of AP Equipment Financing.
AP Equipment Financing is renowned for its reliability, consistently delivering innovative financial services and comprehensive expertise to ensure customer satisfaction. The affiliation with Tokyo Century Corporation grants AP the financial strength and resources of a large organization, while enabling them to uphold the swift and personalized service characteristic of an agile independent enterprise.