The American Association of Commercial Finance Brokers (AACFB) announced the first-place recipient of the 2026 Rosanne Wilson Memorial Scholarship, Caden Kappes.

Since its inception in October 2020, the AACFB scholarship program has aimed to support high school seniors and students pursuing education in various avenues, including trade or technical schools, as well as traditional two or four-year institutions. To date, ten exceptional students have been awarded scholarships.

This year's first-place winner will receive a $3,500 award. Kappes, a junior at the University of Minnesota Crookston, is majoring in Sport and Recreation Management and plans to attend law school following graduation. He was co-valedictorian of his high school and has maintained a near-perfect GPA in college. Kappes played baseball, football, and basketball in high school and now plays baseball for the Golden Eagles at the university.

Expressing his gratitude, Kappes stated, "I am deeply honored and sincerely grateful to be selected as a recipient of this scholarship. This generous financial support will help me cover essential expenses such as tuition, rent, food and transportation to and from college. It will also allow me to reduce my student debt and better prepare for my future educational goals, including pursuing law school."

RUNNER-UP SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT

Alongside Kappes, the Scholarship Task Force proudly recognizes Truman Gilbertson as the runner-up.

Gilbertson, a freshman at Southwest Minnesota State University, will receive an award of $1,500. He is pursuing a degree in Business Finance while competing in wrestling at the collegiate level.

Gilbertson expressed his gratitude, stating, "I chose Finance as my major after growing up and watching both of my parents build their careers in the equipment finance industry. Seeing firsthand how their work helps businesses grow and succeed has inspired me to follow a similar path.

My goal is to build a career in equipment finance where I can make a meaningful impact, while continuing the strong work ethic and values my parents have instilled in me. I'm truly grateful to the AACFB and the Rosanne Wilson Memorial Scholarship for helping support my educational journey," he added.

The AACFB is dedicated to expanding the reach of its scholarship program to support more students annually. Any company interested in sponsoring a scholarship is encouraged to contact Monica Harper at info@aacfb.org. Further details about the scholarship can be found at https://aacfb.org/scholarship.