SECU’s President David Sweiderk Named 2022 Influential Marylander by The Daily Record

The Daily Record has named David Sweiderk, president and CEO of SECU Maryland, to its 2022 listing of Influential Marylanders.

Forty-eight Influential Marylanders were selected by the editors of The Daily Record for their significant contributions to their respective fields and for their leadership in Maryland in the following areas: civic leadership, communications, education, finance, freestyle, general business, health care, law, philanthropy, real estate and technology. 

“We are thrilled that Dave was recognized by The Daily Record for his influence throughout the state of Maryland and beyond,” said Juancho Baino, chair of SECU's Board of Directors. “Dave brings compassion, drive, vision and discipline to everything he does. Immediately after he joined SECU in 2018, Dave made a clear commitment to SECU’s employees and to the members and communities in which we serve. Dave’s character is evident and he sets the tone for the organization as reflected in all our core values, especially leading with heart.”

Thanks to Sweiderk’s commitment, SECU remains focused on serving others with empathy. During the pandemic’s peak, Sweiderk rallied 350+ employees to mobilize as SECU provided over $400,000 of relief to members, the community, small businesses and school systems. He recognized the importance of overall employee wellbeing and their role in SECU’s success. Working with HR, Sweiderk and SECU showed appreciation to employees through several impactful and supportive initiatives. A few examples include the introduction of an annual awards ceremony as well as a digital platform that enables peer-to-peer recognition, ongoing appreciation gifts and spot bonuses, establishing roundtable open-discussions to encourage dialogue, and the integration of a DEI mission and six affinity groups featuring speaker sessions.

Through its philanthropic foundation, SECU also donated $115,000 in scholarships to students, launched a statewide nonprofit grant program awarding $70,000 in its inaugural year, donated $50,000 to Special Olympics Maryland and Kennedy Krieger Institute, and sparked nearly 100,000 acts of kindness in more than 12 states. Recently, SECU also announced $1,000,000 in community impact grants over the next five years in memory of its longest-serving Board member, Donald Tynes, Sr. - the largest sum and first commitment named in honor of a notable individual by SECU.

“I am humbled and honored to be recognized by The Daily Record as part of the 2022 Influential Marylanders,” said Sweiderk. “I also want to thank the dedication and commitment of SECU’s team members, who I’ve had the privilege of working alongside. Together, we will continue to ensure that our vision reflects the needs of our members, who remain at the heart of each decision, goal and action. We will always work to better serve our members, employees and communities with intention and passion.”

With a 70-year history, Sweiderk continues to transform SECU into a high-performance organization who recently surpassed $5 billion in assets, a national distinction held only by approximately 60 credit unions and that no other Maryland credit union has achieved this to date.

"The 2022 Influential Marylanders are, quite simply, inspirational. Their hard work and dedication to their fields have changed the landscape of Maryland through their extraordinary efforts," said Suzanne Fischer-Huettner, senior group publisher of The Daily Record. "They make a difference in communities throughout the state every day. The Daily Record congratulates this year's honorees."