Originally founded in 1978 as a tax advantage leasing company, Marquette Equipment Finance’s 32 year history in the equipment leasing industry has led to superior expertise and unmatched client relationships. Following the Tax Reform Act of 1986, we became one of the nation’s leading suppliers of lease products to the community bank network. In 1993, as the demand for brokered leases softened, we changed directions and began originating leases for our own portfolio.
In May of 1998, the shareholders sold the company to Unicapital Corporation. During the 2.5 years we operated under the Unicapital umbrella, annual fundings increased from $40 million to $50 million and assets increased from $60 million to nearly $200 million.
In November 2000, the original shareholders founded Applied Financial. Shortly thereafter, Applied Financial forged an association with Republic Bank and Wells Fargo Bank. In July of 2006, Marquette Financial Companies acquired Applied Financial through its subsidiary, Meridian Bank, N.A. Marquette Financial Companies’ credited Applied Financial’s “impressive track record of strong growth together with an excellent management team, staff and customer base” as the driving force behind the acquisition.
