BUFFALO, N.Y., Oct. 7, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- M&T Bank Executive Vice President and Chief Technology and Operations Officer Michele Trolli has been named by American Banker as one of the "25 Most Powerful Women to Watch," which recognizes women whose outstanding performance is driving change in the banking industry. It is the second year she has received this recognition for her professional and personal achievements.

"Michele is a trailblazer in our industry, beginning her career 25 years ago as a coder who wanted to make a difference in people's lives," said Kevin Pearson, vice chairman of M&T Bank. "Today, there still aren't enough women in technology, but Michele is working to turn the tide and increase opportunities and access for women (and men) who want to shape the technology that we use daily and ultimately improve the quality of lives in our communities."

Trolli is a key member of the 15 most senior executives of M&T's Management Group, which is responsible for the company's strategic direction under the leadership of M&T Bank Chairman and CEO René Jones. In her role as chief technology and operations officer, she leads a broad range of the company's technology and banking operations, which include banking services, corporate and lending services, cyber security, corporate real estate, the enterprise data office, enterprise security and enterprise technology. These divisions account for more than 25 percent of the bank's employees. 

Over the last few years, Trolli has led efforts to:

• Accelerate innovation, transformation and digitization to enhance M&T Bank's exceptional customer experience.
• Boldly embrace a vision for a modern innovation ecosystem in the company's headquarter city, Buffalo, NY, which once complete will provide a modern and collaborative workspace to foster innovation, entrepreneurship and attract talent to the area, contributing to the revitalization of the region at-large.
• Create a diverse and inclusive culture by championing programs that recognize the power of diversity and inclusion, and the value that women and people of color bring to M&T Bank.
• Invest in a continuous learning model that will integrate education into our offices and the community by providing opportunities to upskill and reskill, allowing more people to gain in-demand skills for tech careers.
• Mobilize a taskforce to quickly enable 90 percent of the company's non-branch employees with remote work capabilities, ensuring business continuity and allowing the bank to focus on its commitment to maintaining its high level of service to its customers and communities. She is now leading the strategy behind a task force designed to keep team members safe, healthy and connected during the extended remote work period.

Trolli previously served on the mobile banking board of the Clearing House Association, the nation's first banking association, which today advocates on regulatory, legislative and legal public policy issues on behalf of the U.S. banking industry before policy makers. She also served for six years as the director-at-large for the Bank Administration Institute (BAI). 

Trolli brings the same level of leadership and enthusiasm to her community as she does to the office. As a founding member and co-chair of Western New York's ALL IN, she shares her dynamic workplace perspective to help the next generation of female leaders achieve their personal and professional goals. She also recently joined the board of Invest Buffalo Niagara.

The complete rankings can be viewed at American Banker's website and will be featured in the October issue of American Banker. The honorees will be celebrated at a virtual awards event on October 6 – 8, hosted by American Banker.

About M&T Bank
M&T Bank Corporation is a financial holding company headquartered in Buffalo, New York. M&T's principal banking subsidiary, M&T Bank, operates banking offices in New York, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Connecticut, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia. Trust-related services are provided by M&T's Wilmington Trust-affiliated companies and by M&T Bank.

Media Contacts:

New York (excluding NYC):
Julia Berchou
716.842.5385
jberchou@mtb.com

New Jersey, Connecticut and New York City:
David Samberg
201.368.4515
dsamberg@mtb.com

Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Washington, DC:
Scott Graham
410.244.4097
sgraham1@mtb.com

National Media and Trade Publications:
Maya Dillon
646.735.1958
mdillon@wilmgingtontrust.com 

© 2020 M&T Bank. Member FDIC.

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SOURCE M&T Bank