A leader has been defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary as a “person that has commanding authority or influence.” If we look deeply, and examine the context of these words, we can identify the power of the word “commanding”, yet understand the subtly and trust conveyed in the word “influence”.
Aleshia Steele is the definition of a leader, and has proven to be a force to be reckoned with in the entertainment industry.
Serving as the Vice President of Business Professionals of America at the tender age of 17, Steele began the process of developing into a leader. A determined, unrelenting visionary, Steele began her career as a paid intern at a large financial institution in the Trust Department. What began as a simple internship, quickly developed into a career when Steele was hired as an employee after graduating high school. She began to build a reputation as a hard worker within the organization, and was quickly promoted to the Items Processing Department where she served as the Operation Specialist from 1992-1996. Steele was later offered a position with another major financial institution where she worked for two years. Her former supervisor contacted her and offered her an irresistible new opportunity to be his Assistant Supervisor.
In her position as Assistant Supervisor, Steele was responsible for various duties ranging from management, research & reconciliation to staff training & special projects.
In 2000, Steele was promoted again to Funds Control Specialist where she oversaw and authorized high-priority releases of wires and secured information to the Federal Reserve & Reconcile Systems.
Steele continued to build on her reputation as a diligent, hard worker, which led to her promotion again in 2005 to Assistant Vice President. In this position, Steele manages operational logistics within her branch, such as loss compliance, customer retention, and audit standards among other functions. The talented executive’s successful track record led to her selection by Senior Management as the Tri-State Conversion partner for the Branch in Manhattan, NY.
Added to her long list of credits, Steele served as the VP of Operations for the 5th Annual Texas Summer Music Conference. The talented entrepreneur also assisted with the operations & logistics for the CORE Dj Retreat VI & VII, one of the largest urban music conventions; it attracts more than 400 of the nation’s top DJ’s, tastemakers, record labels, musicians and entertainment industry gurus.
As current President/CEO of the Texas Urban Music Summit, Steele plans to continue to create avenues for artists to expose & brand their music, while aiding in the effort to expose the Dallas music scene on a national level.
“I put my all into anything I’m involved with because your work ethic is a reflection of your character,” says Steele.
A dream is only a dream, they say-- that is, until you make the dream a reality.
Aleshia Steele has proven herself to be a force to reckon with not only in the financial world, but also in the entertainment industry.
Written By:
Jennifer Onwumere
