Get to know some of United’s Black leaders this Black History Month

United recognizes that the diversity of its team supports the Company’s overall mission to provide excellence in service to its stakeholders. Its commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion fosters respect and a shared purpose that aligns with the Bank’s core values and community leadership. Since the Bank’s founding in 1839, its leading principles have helped United grow from a single-office bank to a premier regional banking company with a strong presence throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast. Today, the Company holds nearly $30 billion in assets and serves a consumer and commercial customer base that is diversified across lines of business as well as geography, with close to 250 offices located throughout North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Georgia, as well as Washington D.C.

United’s employees are its greatest asset – when team members thrive, so do customers and so does business. That’s why, this Black History Month, United is spotlighting some of its Black employees, their accomplishments, and the work they are doing to support their communities, bolstering the Bank’s commitment to ensuring that employees from entry-level to management are empowered to reach their full potential and make a difference, contributing to a culture that is entrepreneurial, efficient, relationship-based, and service oriented.

Shareka Sullivan was born and raised in Jacksonville, FL, and attended Miles College – a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) in Birmingham, AL, where she received a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting. She has 14 years of experience in the financial services industry.

Sullivan is now the Branch Manager, AVP at United Bank’s North Charleston location in South Carolina. In this role, she oversees the operations of the branch and training for employees, equipping them with the tools needed to be successful in their roles.

She also has the pleasure of building relationships with the community by providing assistance through volunteerism and proactively networking. Having spent a decade as a relationship manager at Bank of America before joining United, Sullivan knows how valuable strong business relationships are. She recognizes the power of developing new relationships, strengthening existing relationships with customers and referral partners by understanding their needs and goals, all while providing excellent customer service, and how this plays a significant role in the success of her branch. This commitment to community is part of what drew her to United. She shares the Bank’s core values of integrity, hard work, teamwork, and caring, and the freedom it allows her to build honest and meaningful relationships with her customers. For Sullivan, these aren’t just customers of the Bank; everyone feels more like friends and family, which shows a great deal of loyalty and trust, and creates a space for them to feel valued.

Sullivan has always been a proponent for community service and volunteerism, starting with her first job at age 14 working as a call center representative for Parents Anonymous, a local nonprofit that supports families in need. Today, she finds opportunities with her faith and career to support her community. She serves on the worship and production team at her church, Faith Assembly of God, and she is a board member of Blueprint Business Designs, Inc., a local nonprofit that provides financial literacy education to middle and high school students. Sullivan also recently joined the Trident United Way African American Leadership Council (AALC) and she organizes United’s Charleston Market’s participation in the Charleston Walk for Autism each year.

What has your experience been like as a Black business leader?

My experience as a Black Business leader has been life changing. Initially, I did not realize just how much of an impact I would have on other African Americans who aspire to lead one day. I make it a priority to lead with excellence now that I know I have a younger generation of future leaders watching and adopting behaviors I exemplify. In leadership, there will always be challenges no matter your skin color, but it’s how you navigate those challenges that matters most.

What do you attribute to your success?

I have been inspired by several African American leaders who are very well-recognized for their work, but there are three leaders in particular who have significantly impacted my life – and they all happen to be family. My brother, godbrother, and cousin are all very successful leaders and have always modeled hard work, determination, confidence, and tenacity throughout my life. They lead by example, which sets the tone and standard for the people they are entrusted to lead. Sometimes we’re blessed to have the best examples close to us, and I know I wouldn’t be who I am today without this front-row-view of Black Excellence. I’ve watched them dominate in their fields, pivot and execute, and gracefully navigate in their own unique way. Quitting isn’t part of their vocabulary, so it’s not part of mine either. All three are my living reference guides on how to go above and beyond as an African American leader.

What does Black History Month mean to you?

Black History Month is a time to acknowledge the accomplishments and achievements of the Black community, past and present. It’s an opportunity to celebrate, reflect, and appreciate all the hard work and sacrifices made by those who came before us. If it weren’t for these sacrifices and dreams made reality, I wouldn’t be able to take up space and walk with confidence into every room I enter. Black history, in general, is a constant reminder that I am capable and equipped to take on any challenge presented to me, because overcoming adversity with grit and grace was modeled for me. So many remarkable people built a solid foundation for me and others alike to continue to build for years to come, so the way I live my life and show up in the world is how I honor my African American heritage every day.