BUFFALO, N.Y., Feb. 27, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- With deep sadness, M&T Bank announced that President and Chief Operating Officer Mark J. Czarnecki died yesterday after an extended illness. He was 61.

Mr. Czarnecki served as President of M&T Bank, the principal banking subsidiary of M&T Bank Corporation (NYSE: MTB) ("M&T"), for the past decade. He was a member of the Boards of Directors of M&T and M&T Bank, and sat on M&T's Management Committee.

"Throughout his career—and throughout his life—Mark distinguished himself as a leader and a servant of others," said M&T's Chairman and CEO, Robert G. Wilmers. "Both his leadership and his service will be missed greatly—by his family, his colleagues, and his community. But his life and his legacy will live on in all of us, as we carry forth Mark's example, seeking first to enrich the lives of others, then together to grow and improve our company, and finally to create a better and stronger community." 

A 40-year veteran of the company, Mr. Czarnecki began his career as an assistant branch manager, and went on to hold numerous managerial positions in retail banking, business banking, commercial lending, securities, and investments. He was named President in 2007 and Chief Operating Officer in January 2014.

Mr. Czarnecki served as chairman of the New York Bankers Association in 2010. He was active in the community, serving as chairman of the Westminster Foundation and the Westminster Community Charter School, both in partnership with Buffalo Promise Neighborhood. He was past chairman of the Buffalo Zoo, vice chairman of the University at Buffalo Council and a director of the Buffalo Niagara Partnership.

A Buffalo, New York native, Mr. Czarnecki earned a Bachelor of Science from the State University of New York at Buffalo and a Master of Business Administration from Canisius College.

Mr. Czarnecki is survived by his wife of 38 years, Elizabeth, and their children, Christopher and his wife Jill (Bowman), and Gregory and his fiancée Rosanna Monachino.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Mr. Czarnecki's name to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (pancan.org).

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SOURCE M&T Bank Corporation