Robert P Dunford, Founder & President
Following in the footsteps of his grandfather Robert E Dunford, co-founder of First New England Financial Corporation (1976) and his father Robert J Dunford, co-founder Trident Funding Corporation (1996), Bob saw a need for a small independent boutique style specialized marine financing company amongst the crowd of large corporately owned marine loan originators. After a 20-year career with Trident Funding, Bob founded Fairwind Financial with a clear focus on personal interaction, superior customer service, and tailored financing solutions. Over two decades in the marine lending business, Bob has worked with thousands of boaters, hundreds of dealers & brokers, and dozens of lenders. It’s those experiences and long-standing relationships that allow Bob and his team to bring a smooth, professional, and enjoyable experience to the boat financing process.
Bob was previously named to Boating Industry Magazine’s “40 Under 40” and was previously a board member and Vice President of the National Marine Lenders Association. In addition to his professional accomplishments and affiliations, Bob also chairs an annual golf outing which has raised over $200k in support of the students of Holy Trinity Catholic Academy. He is a graduate of St. Joseph University in Philadelphia, and currently resides in Shelton, CT with his wife and three children.
Dawn Pastore, Operations & Loan Processing Manager
Dawn spent the first 10 years of her career in branch banking with Fleet Bank, and the last 25 years with Trident Funding in Shelton, CT before joining Fairwind Financial in 2022. Dawn has an in-depth knowledge of every aspect of the back-office operations having worked on thousands of marine loan transactions during her career. Dawn understands the intricacies of the credit and underwriting process and has always placed great emphasis on the customer service. Her extensive marine lending experience adds tremendous value to lender/customer experience.
Dawn resides in Shelton on a small river with her husband, they have 2 daughters, a son-in-law and a dog. She loves a good hike with her husband and dog. Dawn also loves a good book.
