WASHINGTON, D.C. -

Andrew Stuart, president and chief executive officer of TD Auto Finance, was among three recipients of a 2017 American Financial Services Association Distinguished Service Award (DSA) during AFSA’s 101st annual meeting.

The other two executives given the association’s highest honor included Scarlett Smith, vice president of sales, banking and payments at FIS, and Rex Ellison, president and CEO of Republic Finance.

AFSA highlighted the DSA is given to individuals who have contributed significantly to industry and association growth on a national level, advanced its mission and objectives and elevated its image.

Stuart joined AFSA in 2008 while he was with Volkswagen Group as executive vice president and chief financial officer of VW Credit. It was during this time that Stuart became actively involved in AFSA and went on to serve as Vehicle Finance Division Chairman from 2012 through 2014.

He co-chaired the annual AFSA/NADA Executive Forum that brings NADA’s elected leaders together with top executives from AFSA’s vehicle finance members involved in indirect auto lending with franchise dealers. In 2014, he chaired a successful AFSA Vehicle Finance Division Conference in New Orleans.

When the Consumer Financial Protection Agency issued a bulletin taking aim at fair lending practices, the association pointed out Stuart’s leadership and recommendation to the AFSA Board led to the commission of a comprehensive study of automotive lending practices conducted by Charles River Associations.

He served as chairman of AFSA 2014-2015 and continues to serve on AFSA’s Executive Committee, Board of Directors and Vehicle Finance Board.

Based in Virginia, Stuart directs the U.S. strategy for TD Auto Finance, a business focused on providing dealerships with indirect retail and commercial products and services.

For the last three years, Smith has served as chair of the AFSA Business Partner Board and is a member of the AFSA Board of Directors.

As the sponsor of the keynote speaker for the AFSA Vehicle Finance Conference, Smith also serves on the Vehicle Finance Conference Planning Committee.

Smith is a founding member of the association’s Women’s Leadership Council and serves on the Operations and Regulatory Compliance Committee’s Business Partner Resource Group.

She was instrumental in the establishment of AFSA University that provides critical compliance training courses to member companies. The curriculum of 260 modules is powered by FIS, a global leader in financial services technology, with a focus on retail and institutional banking, payments, asset and wealth management, risk and compliance, consulting, and outsourcing solutions.

Ellison has been an active member of AFSA for many years. A strong supporter of the AFSAPAC, he started an Employee AFSAPAC program at Republic Finance.

In 2008, he served as the AFSAPAC Chair during the 25th anniversary Independents Conference in Arizona. Two years later, Ellison served as the 2010 Independent’s Section Chair. Ellison also serves on the AFSA Education Foundation Board, The EDGE Advisory Board, Operations Committee, State Government Affairs Committee and the State Traditional Installment Lending Subcommittee.

Ellison is also is the current president of the Mississippi Consumer Finance Association and president Elect of the Louisiana Finance Association. Republic Finance specializes in providing a variety of consumer loans, flexible lending options and customer service.