The Alta Group

Bob Krause has a proven track record of creating and leading equipment leasing and financing companies. In his 45-year tenure with some of the leading names in the industry, Bob has helped each of the companies he has worked for develop the full potential of its leasing or financing interest. Whether nurturing a growing leasing startup or rescuing a failing leasing company to retrieve investors’ principal, Bob has met the challenges faced. Today, he is applying his proven experience and administrative skills toward ensuring that a broad spectrum of Alta clients attain their business goals.

Bob served most recently as senior vice president of Sterling National Bank in New York City. He is now devoting his drive, knowledge, and industry connections to helping Alta clients improve their due diligence, operational reviews, access to funding sources, and other services.

Bob joined Alta in September 2008 at a critical time for the US economy.

"Many companies are justifiably concerned about the uncertain terrain they must navigate in today’s challenging economic climate. I have spent years helping independent companies chart their best course toward growth and stability, and I enjoy the opportunity I now have to bring this expertise to bear in what I do for Alta clients."

A life-long New Yorker, Bob began his financial services career at Standard Financial. He later was recruited by Amsterdam Overseas Corp., a Rothschild-owned finance company, to build an equipment financing operation for them from scratch. Bob’s success resulted in creation of a subsidiary, Northern Financial Corporation, of which he was president.

Under his leadership, Bob grew Northern to represent one-third of Amsterdam’s total business. Bob left Northern when Amsterdam was sold to Aetna, and he was subsequently approached by three banks asking him to take over Todd Equipment Leasing Company, which was on the brink of bankruptcy. After five years, Bob had regained almost all of the banks’ principal investment for them.

He then sold the company and joined Commercial Funding in New York City as chief credit officer. Commercial was eventually acquired by Wells Fargo and is known today as Wells Fargo Equipment Finance. Bob then moved on to Harvey Granat as executive vice president of Granat Leasing. In 1993, he was invited to join Sterling National Bank, which had several years earlier been acquired by Standard Financial. The move to Sterling thus reunited him with the company that launched his career. Bob created and grew a new division, Sterling Bank Leasing, into the bank’s largest division in terms of assets held.

A tireless advocate for the leasing industry, Bob was an early board member of the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA). He was founder and first president of the Eastern Association of Equipment Lessors (EAEL), which honored him with its Lifetime Achievement Award for his "years of leadership, ethical treatment of employees and customers, and significant contributions to the leasing industry and EAEL."

Contact Information

Robert Krause
400 East 56th St.
New York, N.Y. 10022
+1 212 308 5298
+1 917 922 1707 mob
+1 212 688 5587 fax
rkrause@thealtagroup.com