San Diego — LEAP Financial, an auto leasing company that helps consumers who have difficulty obtaining credit either keep their vehicle or get a different one, is expanding its management team to keep pace with rapid growth. New members of the executive team are Brian Bailey, Senior Vice President, Strategy & Originations; Gary Flowers, Senior Vice President, Business Development; Lindy Hood, Chief Marketing Officer; and Steve Mark, Chief Financial Officer.  Kyle Kolsky also recently joined the company as Vice President of Business Development for the Consumer Channel.

“LEAP has been very successful so far and we need to keep pace with our growth by adding talented professionals to the great team we already have,” said Tim Condon, President and Founder of LEAP Financial.  “Our new executives provide a considerable wealth of auto finance experience and knowledge for the company. Most importantly, they are great team players who are fun to work with and we are delighted to have them on board.”

Brian Bailey is responsible for shaping and executing the strategy for the originations team.  He brings a strong background in strategic operations, built upon a 17 year career with leading financial institutions and innovative business ventures.  Prior to joining LEAP, Bailey served as the General Manager and Vice President of Operations at EquityKey, a real estate investment firm.  He spent four years at HSBC Auto Finance as the Vice President, Operation Strategy & Planning where he led several departments in growing, servicing and controlling a $13B auto portfolio.  Bailey began his career as a management consultant with Deloitte Consulting.  He is a Six Sigma Green Belt and earned his BA in Economics, cum laude, from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Gary Flowers is responsible for managing the company’s business development activities.  Flowers joined Leap from Balboa Insurance Group, a leading provider of lender focused insurance services and products where he served as Senior Vice President and Business Development Manager.  Other experience includes President and COO, Financial Transaction and Litigation Services divisions for SPI, a global BPO company and Affiliated Computer Services (ACS) where he played a key role in the development of the Consumer Finance Solutions division for the Fortune 500 IT and BPO provider.  Flowers is a current member of the Board of Directors for the National Auto Finance Association.

Lindy Hood is responsible for marketing and customer care. Hood has over 20 years of experience as a marketing executive and strategic consultant for numerous Fortune 100 companies. Prior to joining LEAP, she spent ten years at HSBC North America in the Consumer and Mortgage Lending division where she served as a Senior Vice President. Hood was responsible for new customer acquisition, portfolio management, and sales force integration, which helped to yield a $60 billion loan portfolio.  Her consulting experience includes stints with The Boston Consulting Group and Accenture. Hood holds a MBA degree from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business and a B.S. degree in Mathematics from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Steve Mark is responsible for the company’s finance, accounting and administrative functions. Mark has more than 19 years of business experience, including ten years in financial services and consumer lending businesses, and is a licensed CPA.  Most recently, he held key financial management roles at HSBC Auto Finance, including VP, Director of Finance and Interim CFO. His other experience includes Wireless Knowledge, Inc., General Motors Corporation, and PricewaterhouseCoopers LLC (formerly Coopers & Lybrand LLP). Mark earned his MBA degree from the University of Michigan and a B.S. degree in Accountancy, Magna Cum Laude, from Arizona State University.

For more information about LEAP and how it can benefit your business or clients, please contact Lindy Hood at [email protected].

About LEAP Financial
LEAP, headquartered in San Diego, CA, is an auto leasing company serving consumers that have difficulty obtaining credit.  The company’s unique product enables customers who are unable to qualify for traditional financing to lease a vehicle.  Customers are sourced through referrals from business partners and direct-to-consumer marketing.  Backed by Austin Ventures and staffed with experienced auto finance professionals, LEAP is currently operating in most states.  Visitwww.leapautoloans.com for more information.

About Austin Ventures
Austin Ventures (“AV”) has worked with talented entrepreneurs to build valuable companies for over twenty-five years. With $3.9 billion under management, AV is the most active venture capital and growth equity firm in Texas and one of the most established in the nation. Visit www.austinventures.com for more information.