Luis Alberto Aguilar is an American lawyer and former U.S. government official. He was the Democratic commissioner of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission from July 31, 2008, until June 2015. He had been appointed by U.S. President George W. Bush on March 31, 2008, and confirmed by the U.S. Senate on June 27, 2008; he was sworn in as a commissioner on July 31, 2008.
Prior to his appointment as an SEC commissioner, Aguilar was a partner with the international law firm of McKenna Long & Aldridge, specializing in securities law. During his career, his practice included matters pertaining to general corporate and business law, international transactions, investment companies and investment advisers, securities law, and corporate finance. He also focused on issues related to corporate governance, public and private offerings, mergers and acquisitions, mutual funds, investment advisers, broker-dealers, and other aspects of federal and state securities laws and regulations. Aguilar's previous experience includes serving as the general counsel, executive vice president, and corporate secretary of the investment management companyInvesco, with responsibility for all legal and compliance matters regarding Invesco Institutional. He also was Invesco's managing director for Latin America in the late 1990s. His career also includes tenure as a partner at several national law firms and as an attorney at SEC. Aguilar's term at the SEC expired in June 2015.
Other activities
He has been active in numerous civic and business associations. From May 2005 to May 2007, he chaired the Latin American Association, a non-profit organization. He has been active with national organizations, including Hispanic National Bar Association. In 2002, Aguilar was co-chair of the association's annual convention and also served as regional president , chair of its financial committee, and a member of its board of governors. In addition, he served as the president of the Hispanic National Bar Foundation. Aguilar serves as sponsor of the SEC's Hispanic Employment Committee and the African American Council.
Honors
Aguilar was named by Hispanic Business magazine in 2006 as one of the "100 Influential" Hispanics in the United States. Additionally, he was named Member of the Year in 2005 and the Atlanta Hispanic Businessman of the Year in 1994 by the Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. He received the MALDEF's "Excellence in Leadership" Award in April 2005. He was also named the 2005 Latino Attorney of the Year by the Hispanic National Bar Association. In January 2007, Aguilar received the Justice Robert Benham Award for Community Service by the Chief Justice's Commission on Professionalism of the Supreme Court of Georgia.
Personal life
He is married to Denise Traylor Aguilar who hails from Roanoke, Alabama.
