Chief Executive Officer
With more than 30 years of experience in the student loan industry, Fabrizio Balestri serves as Chief Executive Officer of National Lending Associates, a marketer and administrator of student credit products, through its subsidiary, Education Loan Source. Prior to working for National Lending Associates, Mr. Balestri was the Cofounder and Chief Executive Officer of the student lender and marketer Student Loan Xpress. Under Mr. Balestri’s careful management, Student Loan Xpress became one of the top 12 national lenders within 3 years of its establishment in 2002 and was named the fastest growing company in its financial services sector during the 2003/2004 period. In 2005, the company was acquired by CIT Inc. Mr. Balestri then joined CIT’s executive management team as the President of its newly acquired student loan division. Between 1996 and 2001, Mr. Balestri served as the Senior Vice President for the student lending sales division at American Express Company, the fastest growing company in the student lending space in 1998, 1999, and 2000. Before becoming the financial institutions head of sales, Mr. Balestri co-founded Education Funding Company in 1994, heading the student finance lenders sales and marketing teams as its Senior Vice President. Mr. Balestri began his career in Student Finance in 1980, as the Assistant Vice President at the nation’s premier student lending firm, Sallie Mae.
