M&T Bank has changed the name of its commercial property and casualty insurance agency from Matthews, Bartlett & Dedecker, Inc. (MBD) to M&T Insurance Agency, Inc. The change has been approved by the New York State Insurance Department and the agency will begin operating immediately under the new licensed name.

The insurance agency will continue to be a subsidiary of M&T Bank and a part of the M&T Investment Group, which is led by Executive Vice President Mark J. Czarnecki.

"We've changed the name in order to more closely affiliate the agency with M&T Bank," Czarnecki said. "Matthews Bartlett & Dedecker has a very strong reputation throughout Western New York, where M&T Bank is headquartered, but the bank has grown significantly over the past few years, particularly with expansions in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC. The name change will enable the insurance agency to expand throughout these areas and capitalize on the strong reputation that M&T has developed," he added.

John Rumschik, former MBD vice president, has been named president and chief operating officer of M&T Insurance Agency. Gerald C. Saxe, former president of MBD, is now vice chairman of the M&T Insurance Agency board of directors.

"This change marks the beginning of great opportunities for the agency's expansion," said Rumschik. "We've enjoyed substantial success throughout Western New York and we are well positioned for future growth throughout the entire M&T Bank trade area," he added.

M&T Bank acquired Matthews Bartlett & Dedecker in 2000. In 2003, MBD expanded with the acquisition of the Lounsbury Insurance Agency, a Syracuse-based property and casualty insurance group. The Lounsbury Agency, which is managed by Vice President Tucker H. Lounsbury, has also been renamed M&T Insurance Agency and will continue to operate as the Syracuse regional headquarters for M&T Bank's property and casualty subsidiary.

M&T Bank is the principal bank subsidiary of Buffalo-based M&T Bank Corporation , which has assets of $52 billion. M&T services customers at more than 650 branches located in New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Delaware and the District of Columbia.