About Donald Gayhardt

Donald Gayhardt is a leader in the financial services sector, leveraging over two decades of experience in the consumer credit industry. Over the course of his career, Don Gayhardt has completed several large acquisitions of financial services providers and navigated complex financial transactions involving companies under his management. He has built a reputation for his unique leadership style, which emphasizes honest communication and personal connections to maximize employee motivation. 

Previously, Donald Gayhardt led a team of over 5,000 employees at CURO, an omni-channel provider of credit solutions for consumers in underserved markets throughout the United States and Canada. Operating under brands such as Quick Credit, Southern Finance, and Heights Finance, CURO addresses a need for innovative financial solutions among underbanked populations. Founded as a three-person startup company in 1997, CURO has since added accessible online loans and financial services to its product offerings in the United States. The company also created a fully integrated transaction management system, which enables full ownership of all financial services. 

Donald Gayhardt joined CURO in 2012 and stepped down from his roles as CEO and president in 2022. Over this decade, he embraced the company’s management ethos: “Best idea wins. Check your ego at the door.” By forming personal connections with employees and promoting a healthy work-life balance, he became known for a leadership style that encourages participation and a collegial workplace atmosphere. Calm in the face of challenges and never hesitant to give his full effort, Gayhardt sought to lead by example and to help employees understand how to ensure maximum customer satisfaction. 

Gayhardt’s leadership style stems from his experiences with inspirational mentors early in his career. His brother-in-law, Dollar Financial Group board member Wes Lang, helped him understand the importance of thinking in the long term without sacrificing more immediate goals. Former Dollar Financial Group chairman Jeff Weiss stressed the importance of communication as a way to motivate employees, a lesson clearly reflected in the CURO culture. 

Before joining the leadership team at CURO, Donald Gayhardt spent 15 years as the president of Dollar Financial Group, a company operating in the short-term credit sector. He significantly expanded the company’s geographical reach during his time as president, adding more than 700 store locations in Canada and the United Kingdom. Prior to becoming the president of Dollar Financial Group, he was a member of the private investment firm that acquired the company in 1990. 

Gayhardt supports numerous charitable organizations in the Philadelphia area, including Bryn Mawr Hospital, Speak Up!, and the Philadelphia Orchestra. He also serves as chairman of Philadelphia’s Music Training Center Holdings, LLC, which provides private music lessons and music classes for students of all ages and skill levels. 

Donald Gayhardt holds a bachelor of business administration in accounting from the University of Notre Dame.