Commercial financing professional Paul Butze has been hired as Vice President and Senior Regional Vendor Finance Manager, said Rick Barry, President of Merchants Bank Equipment Finance (MBEF).

Butze has been in the commercial financing and leasing field for more than 34 years, including the past 15 years at TCF Equipment Finance, where he and Barry worked together at one time.

“I’m excited to be working with Paul again,” Barry said. ““People in our industry know and respect him. He is a proven performer and committed to building, maintaining and enhancing long-term relationships.”

Butze said MBEF is continuing to grow, and he is looking forward to sharing its story.

“If they don’t already know about us, I think people in the vendor finance area will be interested in learning what MBEF can do to help them,” Butze said.

MBEF, based in Minneapolis, primarily provides equipment lease and loan financing options to businesses throughout the U.S.

Merchants Financial Group, Inc. is the parent company for MBEF and which also owns 21 Merchants Bank locations in Minnesota and Wisconsin.