David Burton founded Jefferson Capital in 2002 and has served as President, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of our board of directors since 2025. Prior to our initial public offering, he was a member of the board of managers and has led the company since inception. Prior to founding Jefferson Capital, Mr. Burton served as Group President of OSI Education Services, a subsidiary of leading accounts receivable management service provider Outsourcing Solutions, from 1996 to 2002. Mr. Burton entered the accounts receivable industry in 1992 when he joined A.M. Miller & Associates, eventually becoming its President and Chief Operating Officer and serving in such capacity from 1992 to 1996. Mr. Burton holds a Bachelor of Business Administration with a concentration in Finance and Law from the Stephen M. Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan. We believe Mr. Burton’s extensive experience in executive leadership positions and knowledge and experience in the accounts receivable industry make him well-qualified to serve as a member of our board of directors.
Susan Atkins has served on our board of directors since 2026. She has over 40 years of experience leading complex corporate restructurings, with deep expertise in corporate finance, risk management, strategy, and governance. She previously served as Global Head of Wholesale Restructuring at JPMorgan Chase & Co. until September 2023, where she led a global team managing the firm’s positions in complex workout and restructuring situations. She currently serves as an independent director of several companies, including companies in restructuring or post-restructuring situations, and serves on the Creditor Advisory Committee of the FTX Post-Bankruptcy Trust. In addition to her corporate board work, she serves on the boards of several nonprofit organizations focused on legal advocacy, civil rights, and refugee employment. Ms. Atkins received a Bachelor of Science in Education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and an MBA in Finance from the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota. We believe Ms. Atkins’ extensive experience leading complex restructurings, together with her expertise in corporate finance and risk management, make her well-qualified to serve as a member of our board of directors.
Thomas Harding has served on our board of directors since 2025 and, prior to our initial public offering, as a member of the board of managers of the company since 2018. Since 2015, Mr. Harding has served as Managing Director at J.C. Flowers, a private equity firm that focuses on investments in the financial services industry. Prior to joining J.C. Flowers, Mr. Harding worked in Bank of America Merrill Lynch’s Financial Institutions Group from 2008 to 2015 where he covered a diverse range of bank, insurance and specialty finance companies. In addition to serving on our board of directors, Mr. Harding currently serves on the boards of Island Finance, iLending and Capital Funding Bancorp. He holds a Bachelor of Arts from Swarthmore College, a Juris Doctor from Columbia Law School and a Master of Business Administration from Columbia Business School. We believe Mr. Harding’s broad knowledge and his experience investing in and advising financial services companies make him well-qualified to serve as a member of our board of directors.
Beth Leonard has served on our board of directors since 2025 and, prior to our initial public offering, as a member of the board of managers of the company since 2024. Ms. Leonard has been a partner at EisnerAmper, a global accounting and advisory firm, since 2022 and served as Partner-in-Charge of the Minnesota office from 2022 to December 2025. Prior to the merger with EisnerAmper in 2022, Ms. Leonard worked at Lurie, LLP, a Minnesota-based accounting firm, from 1984 to 2022, including serving as Managing Partner for the last 15 years of her tenure. Ms. Leonard served on the board of directors of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants from 2021 to 2024. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business and Accounting from the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota. We believe Ms. Leonard’s extensive experience in accounting and corporate finance matters, together with her management experience, make her well-qualified to serve as a member of our board of directors.
Thomas Lydon, Jr. has served on our board of directors since 2021. Mr. Lydon has served as a Vice President at J.C. Flowers since 2023, where he has been working since 2017. Prior to joining J.C. Flowers, Mr. Lydon worked in Credit Suisse’s Financial Institutions Group from 2015 to 2017. In addition to serving on our board of directors, Mr. Lydon currently serves on the board of TRICOR Insurance. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Commerce from the University of Virginia. We believe Mr. Lydon’s industry experience and financial expertise make him well-qualified to serve as a member of our board of directors.
John Oros has served on our board of directors since 2025 and, prior to our initial public offering, as a member of the board of managers of the company since 2017. Mr. Oros is currently a Senior Advisor to J.C. Flowers and previously served as an Operating Partner from 2018 to 2023 and as a Managing Director from 2000 to 2018. Before joining J.C. Flowers, Mr. Oros held a number of executive positions at Enstar Group Limited, including serving as Executive Chairman from 2000 to 2011. Prior to joining Enstar, Mr. Oros worked in the Financial Institutions Group at Goldman Sachs from 1980 to 2000, where he became a General Partner in 1986. In addition to serving on our board of directors, Mr. Oros currently serves on the boards of National Guardian Life Insurance Company, iLending and TRICOR Insurance. Mr. Oros holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the Wisconsin School of Business at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. We believe Mr. Oros’ extensive executive leadership experience and deep knowledge of the financial services industry make him well-qualified to serve as a member of our board of directors.
James Pierce has served on our board of directors since 2026. Mr. Pierce has significant experience in information technology, digital transformation, and operational leadership. He currently serves as the Chief Operating Officer at Minnesota Diversified Industries, a role he has held since September 2025. He previously served as Chief Information Officer at SALO, a Korn Ferry company, from October 2022 to September 2024, where he led the company’s information technology strategy, systems, and digital initiatives. Prior to that, Mr. Pierce worked as a Senior Director, Commercial Business Development at Cargill from January 2018 to September 2021. Mr. Pierce also currently serves on the board of MinnWest Bank. Mr. Pierce received a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science at Tuskegee University and an MBA from the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota. We believe Mr. Pierce’s experience leading information technology and digital transformation initiatives, together with his operational leadership experience, make him well-qualified to serve as a member of our board of directors.
Ronald Vaske has served on our board of directors since 2025 and, prior to our initial public offering, as a member of the board of managers of the company since 2016. Mr. Vaske has served as Senior Counsel at the law firm Ballard Spahr LLP since January 2026. Prior to that, he was a partner at Ballard Spahr LLP from 2018 to 2025, where his practice focused on advising financial institutions on regulatory, compliance, and Fintech matters. Prior to joining Ballard Spahr, Mr. Vaske practiced at the law firm Lindquist & Vennum LLP from 1998 to 2018. Mr. Vaske holds a Bachelor of Science from South Dakota State University and a Juris Doctor from Creighton University School of Law. We believe Mr. Vaske’s extensive legal experience advising financial institutions on regulatory and compliance matters makes him well-qualified to serve as a member of our board of directors.