Since joining M&T Bank in 1993, Augie Chiasera has held numerous management positions, including leading M&T’s commercial banking merger integrations for its expansion into Pennsylvania, Maryland, D.C., Virginia, and Delaware.

In this C-Suite Insights, we discuss Augie’s journey to joining the finance sector and M&T’s experience with the local workforce in Maryland.

Please tell us a little bit about yourself and your company.
I serve as Executive Vice President at M&T Bank , a member of the bank’s executive leadership team. Prior to this role, I served as Maryland's Regional President, leading the regional business and overseeing major charitable initiatives. M&T is headquartered in Buffalo, NY, and provides banking products and services in 12 states across the eastern U.S.

I have a bachelor's degree from Boston University and an MBA from the University of Chicago. I’m also a member of M&T’s Political Action and Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) Committees and serve on numerous external boards.

Where in Maryland do you live?
Baltimore County

Where in Maryland is your office located?
Baltimore City

What is your favorite activity to do/place to visit in Maryland with your family/friends?
While I enjoy visiting Fort McHenry, nothing beats going to Ravens games during the season with family and friends. Every game is a celebration of what makes Baltimore and Maryland great—its community, dedication, and successes. M&T is a proud partner of the Ravens, which is a cornerstone of the bank's deep commitment to Greater Baltimore.

Did you always want to work in finance? Why did you choose it as your career?
Finance was not my first choice, but I knew I always wanted to work with people. What led me to a career at M&T were the people I met during the interview process. The first jobs I held were in operations, planning, and analysis—everything except finance. I ultimately found that when you work at a bank, one of the best places to be is on the front line with clients, realizing how you can help customers make their dreams come true by providing banking services. One of the roles of a bank in a community is as an intermediary and connector, which is a critical role in the markets and the communities where we operate.

Gen Z has entered the workforce. How do you think this next generation will influence your industry?
Gen Z will influence the workforce just as much as any of the other generations have influenced our industry and company. At M&T, we’ve always had an active college recruiting program. One of the benefits of having younger generations join us is the learning experience and dialogue from working alongside some truly special, smart, and driven business leaders. Businesses fail because they fail to change, so making sure we have a steady pipeline of talent coming in helps our business grow and thrive.

What makes Maryland a great state to live and work in?
Maryland is a great state—our universities build an incredibly talented workforce and enable the success of small businesses, which we focus on heavily at M&T. With a broad variety of industries throughout the state, there are plenty of opportunities for career growth. Plus, living in a place where you can be at the beach or the mountains in three hours is pretty special. It’s a great crossroads for different ethnicities, nationalities, and climates—it truly has the best of everything. On top of all that, it’s easily accessible and I can travel to visit family in other states with ease.

Technology has changed a lot in the last decade. How is your business keeping up and preparing for the future?
Money tends to be the intermediary between generations, and our role allows individuals to make investments in their future. Technology and the movement of money are going to continue to play a very important role in enabling financial growth, supporting expansion, and creating opportunity. For us, our commitment to serving clients who are coming into the workforce, getting married, starting businesses, and being with them during their lives and professional journeys hasn’t changed. But what has changed is that technology allows us to deliver for our clients more seamlessly and with greater impact.

What’s the best piece of life advice you’ve ever received?
The best piece of advice I’ve gotten came a long time ago when I joined the bank: How you do anything is how you do everything. When you work with people who care about the small things, they’ll care when all the cards are on the table, and the decisions really do matter.

What's your favorite Maryland dish to make or eat?
All things crab—crab cakes, blue crabs, it’s all fantastic and a family affair, making it even better.

___

Maryland’s 12,400 square-miles are full of diverse professionals who span a variety of industries, sectors, and backgrounds. With our C-Suite Insights series, we’re shining the spotlight on some of our state’s leading executives in Q&A format and giving them a chance to share their thoughts on business and life in Maryland.