BALTIMORE (June 14, 2021) — The Daily Record has named Shereefat Balogun, chief legal and compliance counsel at SECU, Maryland’s largest state chartered credit union, to its 2021 listing of Leadership in Law honorees.
The Daily Record launched Leadership in Law in 2001 to recognize Maryland’s legal professionals – lawyers and judges – whose dedication to their occupation and to their communities is outstanding. This year’s winners were selected by an outside panel of legal and business leaders.
“This year’s Leadership in Law celebrates the legal professionals who make this state great. We honor their excellent work in the profession in addition to their devoted community service and mentoring of the next generation,” said Suzanne Fischer-Huettner, senior group publisher of The Daily Record. “In addition, the Generation J.D. Award recognizes those in the early stages of their careers, and the Lifetime Achievement Award honors those who have dedicated many years to the profession. We at The Daily Record are pleased to recognize this year’s honorees.”
Bringing more than a decade of legal experience to SECU, Balogun oversees SECU’s Regulatory and Compliance teams as well as its Bank Secrecy Act and Anti-Money Laundering teams in addition to handling all of the credit union’s legal matters. Her role extends to working closely with nearly every business unit within SECU, developing strong relationships with its leaders and finding ways to collaborate across the business to further the corporate strategy. One example of Balogun’s leadership is the effort she led in 2020 to provide hardship grants to members who were struggling during the pandemic.
Balogun has also supported SECU’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion program, helping to build a strong, diverse and inclusive culture. She is actively involved with employee affinity groups to help bring together team members with similar backgrounds and interests who are instrumental in fostering an environment for professional and personal development, networking and mentorships.
“We are thrilled that Shereefat has been named a Leadership in Law honoree,” said Becky Smith, EVP and chief strategy & marketing officer for SECU Maryland. “She is extremely talented in providing practical and creative solutions to mitigate risks while advancing business goals. Through collaboration, culture-building and community support, Shereefat demonstrates leadership and passion for not only SECU, but the Maryland community at large.”
Balogun has shared legal expertise as a presenter for the National Association of Federal Credit Unions (NAFCU) Regulatory Compliance School and has co-authored pieces for NAFCU and FHFA-OIG. In addition to giving back to the industry, Balogun chairs the Board of Directors for the Nigerian Lawyers Association and also volunteers and mentors with Streetwise Partners.
Leadership in Law awards will be presented on June 17 at an online celebration from 6 to 7 p.m. where each of the winners will be celebrated for their achievements through video storytelling. Guests will have the opportunity to participate in the program with their congratulations and cheers using #TDREvents on social media platforms from their homes or offices.
For more information, visit https://thedailyrecord.com/leadership-in-law.
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