Sherifat “Sheri” Lawal Price is the Senior Vice President of Lending at Unity National Bank in Houston, Texas, where she oversees a loan portfolio exceeding $100 million. In the first six months of 2024 alone, Sheri funded over $20 million in community-based and corporate loans. Unity National Bank of Houston (UNBH) is a Minority Depository Institution (MDI) and the only licensed and federally insured African American-owned and led bank in Texas, with locations in Houston, Missouri City, TX, and Atlanta, GA.
With over 16 years of experience in the banking and financial service industry, Sheri provides mainstream financial products and services to all communities throughout the Greater Houston and Atlanta Metropolitan areas. She is enthusiastic about helping businesses and individuals achieve economic success and financial security. In her current role, Sherifat is responsible for creating and implementing business development opportunities for Unity National Bank, using various strategies to drive new business and enhance the bank’s image. She also focuses on strategically expanding and diversifying the organization by addressing top-level strategy issues, such as identifying new business activities, positioning, and marketing those activities, and investing in relevant technologies.
Sheri graduated from Lawrence E. Elkins High School in Missouri City, Texas, and holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from Fisk University in Nashville, TN. In 2014, she earned an Executive MBA specializing in Banking and Financial Institutions from Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas. During her undergraduate studies, Sheri interned as a Compliance Intern at Unity National Bank of Houston. After graduation, she joined UNBH as a Credit Analyst and was soon promoted to Business Development Officer. Within two years, she was promoted twice, first to Assistant Vice President of Business Development and Marketing Officer, and then to Assistant Vice President of Lending. In 2018, Sheri left Unity National Bank to join BB&T (now Truist) as the Vice President of Small Business and Consumer Lending. At BB&T, a Fortune 500 bank, she emphasized lending, deposit acquisition, and non-interest income generation for consumer and small business segments, while managing long-term, profitable relationships with clients.
Sheri serves as a Board Member of the Texas Bankers Association and Chair for the Bank Leadership Council for the 2024-2025 year. She is also a member of Jack and Jill of America Inc. South Belt Houston Chapter, an active board member of the City of Houston TRIZ 24 and Greater Houston Black Chamber, and a second-term board member for the American Red Cross. Previously, she served as PTO Financial Secretary at Shirley Dill Brothers Elementary in Alvin ISD for the 2017-2018 school year, Co-Chair for the Greater Houston Black Chamber’s 23rd and 24th Pinnacle Awards Gala, and Vice Chairperson for The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Black Heritage Committee from 2014 to 2016.
In her free time, Sheri enjoys traveling, reading, and creating lasting memories with family and friends. She is a wife and mother of two. Sheri has conducted over 1,000 financial workshops for small businesses, students, and individuals, and believes that financial fitness is just as important as physical and mental fitness.