Our History

A Half Century of Honesty and Integrity

Macrolease began its life in 1969 when Dan West had the idea to create a niche equipment finance company that was both flexible and customer – centric. He must have had the right idea, because fifty years later, Macrolease is still around, providing the exceptional customer experience that it has always prided itself on.

That Was Then….

The equipment finance market in the late 1960’s was dominated by large banks and financial institutions that offered cookie cutter products with little room for customization. Dan saw the need for a nimble, creative company to address the non-standard, the unique, the opportunities that required special attention. Dan also knew that it wasn’t enough to “do a deal” with a customer. He wanted to build long-standing relationships; Partnerships based on honesty, trust, integrity and transparency, so that he would build customers for life. All of those principals came into play when Macrolease entered the fitness market in the early 1970s. Since then, the company has worked with numerous fitness clubs, franchises, YMCAs, JCCs, equipment manufacturers and distributors that cover a broad spectrum of products in the wellness/fitness market.

In order to be able to provide its unique brand of products and services to a wider market, Macrolease became a subsidiary of Bank Rhode Island, itself a subsidiary of Brookline Bancorp (NASDAQ: BRKL), in 2005. Combining the entrepreneurial and creative spirit that has been the foundation of our company for over 50 years, with the strength and financial guidance of a solid publicly traded regional banking corporation, has uniquely positioned Macrolease as the lender of choice in the Wellness and Fitness markets.

This is Now….

While so much has changed since 1969, a lot has stayed the same. The equipment finance business is still dominated by large banks and financial institutions that try to sell you whatever product is currently sitting on their shelves. The world of Amazon and Uber has turned customers into Avatars and digital fingerprints. Through it all, Macrolease remains a solid niche player: nimble, innovative and laser focused on providing the best customer service possible.

In 2022, Macrolease joined forces with its sister company, Eastern Funding (www.easternfunding.com) also a part of Brookline Bancorp (www.brooklinebancorp.com) to form a powerhouse in the equipment finance industry. Together, Macrolease and Eastern Funding will have total loans and leases in excess of $1.2 Billion and rank in the top 50 of equipment finance companies in the U.S.