Power 30 Banking & Finance List Includes Howard County Executive

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — Becky Smith, EVP and chief strategy and growth officer at SECU, Maryland’s largest state-chartered credit union, has been named one of Maryland’s power players for The Daily Record's second annual Power 30 Banking & Finance List. Smith is a Howard County resident.

The Power 30 Banking & Finance List consists of the top influential and respected leaders in the industry who are creating change, impacting the community and engaging others to succeed, according to The Daily Record, which relies on the editorial leadership team to choose the nominees with feedback from readers and other stakeholders.

“Leadership at SECU requires an unwavering commitment to serving our employees, members and communities,” Dave Sweiderk, president and CEO at SECU, said. “Time and again, Becky has risen to the occasion, leveraging her deep knowledge, innovative thinking and bold actions to not only help our organization thrive and meet the unique needs of our members, but also positively impact Maryland’s banking and finance industry. For these reasons as well as her active role in the community, we are grateful, but not surprised, Becky was recognized as part of The Daily Record’s Power 30 Banking & Finance List.”

Smith has more than 20 years of strategy and marketing leadership experience with specific expertise in guiding companies through transformative efforts. Since joining SECU in 2019, Smith has propelled the credit union’s reputation as a reliable, member-centric brand that sets new standards for innovative products and experiences. As EVP and chief strategy and growth officer for SECU, she has developed and executed long-term plans and initiatives focused on marketing and communications, community outreach, member experience and digital and business intelligence.

Smith also has built and led marketing, strategy, digital and innovation teams to achieve SECU’s brand and financial objectives, including the introduction of SECU’s brand refresh, the launch of SECU's 25th Financial Center and Virtual Financial Center, and SECU’s recent milestone of surpassing $5 billion in assets. In 2022, Smith took a larger role in member services, overseeing SECU’s financial centers, virtual financial center and wealth management program, as well as employee and member experience. She also leads the credit union’s consumer-focused programs, including consumer lending, credit card deposits, checking and rewards, and borrowing and rewards programs.

“I’m humbled to be included in The Daily Record’s Power 30 List among exceptional leaders from across the state,” Smith said. “While I am honored to accept the award, I want to thank the passionate team members at SECU who I’ve had the privilege of leading and working alongside and who continue to motivate and inspire me every day.”