ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Nancy Fitzgerald, CEO and president of iLendingDIRECT, was awarded a 2016 Women in Remarketing Award, which recognizes 20 female leaders in the remarketing and used car business.

“Nancy Fitzgerald is a well-respected, tenacious go-getter and extremely pleasant to do business with. We’ve been doing business together for over 6 years, and I couldn’t’ think of a better professional who deserves this award and has earned this privilege,” said Steve Bender, director of information technology at Fleet Street.

Fitzgerald became president and CEO of iLendingDIRECT when her husband passed away in 2014. In 2015, under her leadership, the company’s business grew 35%.

“The integrity of my sales floor lends itself to the quality of our customer service. We treat everyone like family here. It’s why we were able to grow 35% last year and are on track to grow 50% this year,” she said. "It is such an honor for this award to be bestowed upon my company from this organization, to be recognized for all the work we’ve done, and will continue to do."

Fitzgerald started her auto refinancing career 25 years ago when she and her late husband opened a small dealership in Denver. In 2006, she and her husband founded Fleet Financial, a provider of low-interest auto loans and end-of-lease financing programs directly to consumers. In 2016, the company rebranded itself as iLendingDIRECT and now employs more than 150 people.

“To even be included among this caliber of women is so humbling to me. Being relatively new in this industry and being embraced by the women, and quite honestly mentored by many of the other honorees, has been such an incredible experience. This is not an award I can accept as just Nancy Fitzgerald. I could only accept this if it were in the name of iLendingDIRECT, as it’s my team who truly deserves this award,” Fitzgerald said.