M&T Bank has promoted Shelley Drake to the position of regional president for Western New York.

Drake will directly manage middle market banking in M&T's Western New York region, which includes 77 offices and a leading market share across the eight New York State counties of Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Niagara, Orleans and Wyoming.

She also retains her role as president of the M&T Charitable Foundation, which distributes more than $20 million in grants annually to more than 3,000 not-for-profit organizations throughout the bank's markets.

'Shelley Drake is a leader in every sense of the word and, as such, brings her knowledge of customers and community together to benefit both,' said M&T Bank Chairman and CEO Robert G. Wilmers. 'She is one of the most experienced commercial bankers we have at M&T Bank, where she has worked with customers and non-profit organizations over the years, and where she always puts the best interests of customers first. She also serves as a mentor to those who are entering the field.'

Drake has 46 years of experience at M&T Bank. She will continue reporting to Jeff Wellington, who has been assigned expanded responsibilities within M&T's commercial banking business.
She has been actively involved in the WNY community for decades, serving on the boards of numerous organizations, and currently sits on the board of both the Burchfield-Penney Art Center and Great Lakes Health System.

She holds a bachelor's degree in psychology from the University at Buffalo.