M&T Bank's Tanya Dorsey Explains The Importance Of Building Relationships With Small Businesses

Tanya Dorsey has been on the front line of the banking industry in Maryland for three decades – most of it with M&T Bank.

During that time, her job has been to understand how the bank can best serve its customers and communities. Dorsey understands it’s a relationship built on trust.

Learn more about how Dorsey and her team of M&T bankers are earning the trust of their customers throughout the Baltimore-Washington region.

Tell us about your career journey to M&T Bank, where you started and how you got there.

I started my career in December 1991 with M&T Bank’s predecessor First National Bank of Maryland. My career began immediately after graduating high school when I worked as a teller to pay for college. Since then, I have held many positions within the branch including teller, head teller, service associate, service manager, branch manager, multi-site manager and commercial branch manager.

What is your role and duties in retail branch banking?

I am currently an Administrative Vice President and Retail Regional Manager. I’m responsible for managing and leading 14 branch managers in the North Central Maryland region of the Greater Baltimore market.

Why should one consider moving or maintaining their banking relationship with M&T Bank?

M&T Bank has a long history of community-focused banking and employs passionate individuals who care about their communities and the role they play in helping clients make their dreams a reality. At the bank, we continually look for ways to help our clients understand their financial needs and provide the best solutions for them, solutions that are discovered through conversation, relationship building, financial education and meeting one-on-one.

How can M&T Bank best support small businesses with its products and services?

The number one way M&T Bank supports small businesses is through our investment in understanding the business owners we work with and their businesses. Once a relationship is established, we advise and provide resources to help the business expand or change course to be as successful as possible. We work with the business owners to become an integral part of their core business team so we can effectively provide solutions for their business operational needs. These solutions range from offering our simplest products like checking and savings accounts to more complex services such as our Treasury Management or Retirement and Investment Services.

The bank also supports small businesses through our virtual spotlight shop that can be accessed through M&T’s website and features incredible local businesses within the community. The pandemic hit small businesses especially hard, so we are glad to elevate awareness about these local companies.

Should the bank refuse to grant credit service to a commercial prospect, will the opportunity end there or what other recommendations could one offer?

At M&T, we work with prospective and existing clients to provide credit opportunities whenever appropriate. There are several avenues that a commercial prospect can take when seeking a credit service, including working with their relationship manager or branch manager to identify solutions. An important first step is meeting with one of our bankers so they can best understand the prospect’s business, discuss appropriate credit options, and determine how to proceed with the credit request. If credit is not granted at the first request, an M&T banker will facilitate a thorough discussion with the prospect so they can understand why credit was not extended and determine the next steps in order that credit can potentially be extended in the future. The banker and client should remain in contact every few months to discuss progress.

 Email Adress: tdorsey@mtb.com