M&T Bank Receives 'Outstanding' CRA Rating

M&T Bank Receives 'Outstanding' CRA Rating 


BUFFALO, N.Y., Feb. 15  /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- M&T Bank has received an
"Outstanding" Community Reinvestment Act rating -- the highest possible rating
in the assessment of how well the bank meets the credit needs of the
communities it serves -- from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

The recently issued rating is based on M&T's performance between January 1,
2002 and December 31, 2003. Federal regulators spent several months reviewing
the bank's lending, service and investment data. M&T was rated on geographic
assessment areas where it does business in 6 states and the District of
Columbia.

The "Outstanding" rating credits M&T with "being a leader in, ascertaining and
helping to meet the credit needs of its entire delineated community, including
low- and moderate-income neighborhoods, in a manner consistent with its
resources and capabilities."

  Major factors cited by the Federal Reserve Bank for the rating include:

  -- The volume of lending related to the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act and
     small businesses reflected good responsiveness to credit needs in the
     bank's assessment areas.

  -- Community development lending and qualified investments exhibited
     excellent activity levels.

  -- Retail delivery systems were readily accessible to geographies and
     individuals of different income levels.



"We have 15 employees within the CRA department solely dedicated to working
with their colleagues in the mortgage, small business and other departments at
M&T to deliver the financial products, educational programs and charitable
contributions needed to help improve the communities we serve. Our grade on
this report card reflects the work we do every day at M&T to have a positive
influence on those communities," said JoAnne Schwartz, Corporate CRA Officer
for M&T.

The Community Reinvestment Act of 1977 was enacted by Congress to encourage
financial institutions to meet the credit needs of the communities in which
they operate. M&T has earned the highest rating awarded by the Federal Reserve
Bank on each of its period CRA examinations since 1982.

M&T Bank serves customers at more than 665 branches in New York, Pennsylvania,
Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Delaware and Washington, D.C.

For further information:

Chet Bridger  716-842-5182 

DATASOURCE: M&T Bank



CONTACT:  Chet Bridger of M&T Bank, [phone]



Web site:  http://www.mandtbank.com/ 

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