Rochester Business Journal has selected First American Equipment Finance as a 2025 Elevating Women winner.
The Elevating Women Awards recognize companies and organizations that have demonstrated tangible efforts and documented results in supporting and empowering women in New York. Honorees were judged on documented hiring and promoting of women; leadership positions held by women; advocacy for the cause of women internally and externally; and efforts to cultivate the next generation of women professionals.
“It’s an incredible honor for our organization to be recognized as a 2025 Elevating Women winner,” said Sarah Michael, SVP, Marketing & Digital and founding member of First American’s Women in Business employee resource group. “This recognition celebrates the impact of women and the transformative effect they have on our culture, creativity, and collective success.”
First American has historically exceeded industry averages for representation of women. Consider statistics from the leading equipment finance industry organization, the ELFA (Equipment Leasing and Finance Foundation), where only 19% of ELFA annual convention attendees and 19% of the ELFA Board of Directors are women.* First American is proud that 45% of our colleagues are women, 38% hold senior leadership positions (SVP) or higher, and that 51% of total promotions received during the last fiscal year were earned by women.
The company’s dedication to championing women extends beyond these statistics with an established Women in Business employee resource group, pay equity audits to ensure equal pay for equal work, mentorship opportunities, volunteer programs that specifically support girls and women in the community, and a wealth of educational resources designed to foster a diverse, inclusive, and equitable workplace.
First American’s vision is to become the best company to work for, and the best company to work with. Earlier this year, Energage named First American the #1 Top Midsize Workplace in Rochester (125-399 FTE) and Best Companies Group named First American as the #2 Best Company to Work for in New York (250+ FTE). Fortune magazine and Great Place to Work® ranked First American as a 2025 Best Workplace in NY™, and in 2024, as a Best Workplace for Millennials™, a Best Medium Workplace™, a Best Workplace in Financial Services and Insurance™, and a Best Workplace for Parents™. First American was also recognized on the 2024 PEOPLE® Companies That Care list. Selling Power magazine named First American among the 60 Best Companies to Sell For in 2025.