Wayne Coker, president and CEO of Advantage Business Capital, is transitioning to senior advisor.
“I want to recognize and thank Wayne Coker for his tremendous leadership and impact as Advantage’s CEO for more than 32 years,” Robert Mrlik, president of Central Bank, said. “We are pleased that Wayne will continue to support the organization and provide strategic counsel in his new role as senior advisor.”
In 1985, Coker established his own factoring company and entered the industry. In 1994, Coker launched Advantage Finance. In 2000, Coker and Advantage joined Central Bank of Houston, TX and formed Advantage Business Capital. Throughout his career, Coker has been active within the International Factoring Association (IFA), serving on the IFA’s inaugural board as well as two terms as an advisory director.
Under Coker’s leadership, Advantage has more than tripled in size over the last 10 years. Today, Advantage has four offices, over 40 employees and hundreds of clients in more than 12 states.
“It’s been a privilege to have led and overseen Advantage’s growth,” Coker said. “I want to express my gratitude to the ownership and leadership of Central Bank. Across both organizations we have excellent people and the future is very bright. In my new role, I am looking forward to focusing on strategic initiatives such as acquisitions, new products and enhancing partnerships within our industry.”
Effective May 15, 2026, Lee Elmore will be elevated from executive vice president, ABL portfolio manager to president and CEO.
Supporting Elmore will be Mark Tiggeloven, executive vice president, chief operations officer; Brad Baird, executive vice president, chief credit officer; and David Phillips, executive vice president, originations.
Over his three decades in the commercial finance industry, Elmore has served in various credit and operations leadership roles. Since joining Advantage in 2018, Elmore has overseen the establishment and growth of Advantage’s asset-based lending division.
“I am excited to step into this new role at Advantage Business Capital,” Elmore said. “As a result of Wayne’s character and leadership, Advantage has a strong reputation for excellence within the industry. I look forward to working with our dedicated and talented team to continue building on this strong foundation.”
Mrlik added, “This internal promotion reflects Lee Elmore’s deep understanding of our business and unwavering commitment to our culture and values. Lee has the vision, integrity and results-driven mindset that positions him well to lead Advantage in the future.”
