M&T Bank is here as Delaware says goodbye to Wilmington Trust

August 29, 2011
  • In Cape May Friday, residents finish boarding up before evacuating. (Kim Paynter/NewsWorks)

    In Cape May Friday, residents finish boarding up before evacuating. (Kim Paynter/NewsWorks)

  • Barry Sharp in front of his home in Wildwood Crest. He has been a resident for 50 years and plans to ride out the storm. (Kimberly Paynter/For NewsWorks)

    Barry Sharp in front of his home in Wildwood Crest. He has been a resident for 50 years and plans to ride out the storm. (Kimberly Paynter/For NewsWorks)

  • The Paradise Motel is boarding up for Hurricane Irene in Wildwood, N.J. (Kimberly Paynter/For NewsWorks)

    The Paradise Motel is boarding up for Hurricane Irene in Wildwood, N.J. (Kimberly Paynter/For NewsWorks)

  • A deserted beach at Wildwood Crest. (Kim Paynter/For NewsWorks)

    A deserted beach at Wildwood Crest. (Kim Paynter/For NewsWorks)

  • A police officer is on crowd-control duty outside the Atlantic City Convention Center, which is being used as an evacuation center for hundreds of city residents fleeing the approach of Hurricane Irene. (AP Photo/Wayne Parry)

    A police officer is on crowd-control duty outside the Atlantic City Convention Center, which is being used as an evacuation center for hundreds of city residents fleeing the approach of Hurricane Irene. (AP Photo/Wayne Parry)

  • Patience was required for shore evacuees on the Parkway. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

    Patience was required for shore evacuees on the Parkway. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

  • Hurricane preparation near Washington Mall in Cape May, N.J. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

    Hurricane preparation near Washington Mall in Cape May, N.J. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

  • Traffic jams the Garden State Parkway across the Great Egg Harbor Bay Inlet Bridge near Ocean City, N.J. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

    Traffic jams the Garden State Parkway across the Great Egg Harbor Bay Inlet Bridge near Ocean City, N.J. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

  • A Superfresh employee replenishes depleted stocks of bottled water at a store in the Northern Liberties. (Peter Crimmins/For NewsWorks)

    A Superfresh employee replenishes depleted stocks of bottled water at a store in the Northern Liberties. (Peter Crimmins/For NewsWorks)

  • The Southeastern Pennsylvania chapter of the Red Cross set up a shelter Friday night at Lincoln High School in Mayfair.

    The Southeastern Pennsylvania chapter of the Red Cross set up a shelter Friday night at Lincoln High School in Mayfair.

  • Home Depot remained open late into the night as residents prepare for the worst as Hurricane Irene makes it's way up the east coast, Thursday Aug. 25, 2011 in Manahawkin, N.J. Tens of thousands of visitors to the New Jersey shore and many residents have begun an orderly exodus after a series of requests to evacuate because of Hurricane Irene. (AP Photo/Joe Epstein)

    Home Depot remained open late into the night as residents prepare for the worst as Hurricane Irene makes it's way up the east coast, Thursday Aug. 25, 2011 in Manahawkin, N.J. Tens of thousands of visitors to the New Jersey shore and many residents have begun an orderly exodus after a series of requests to evacuate because of Hurricane Irene. (AP Photo/Joe Epstein)

  • Shoppers Friday had to wait in long lines at one Philadelphia market as many stocked up on supplies for Hurricane Irene.

    Shoppers Friday had to wait in long lines at one Philadelphia market as many stocked up on supplies for Hurricane Irene.

  • Governor Jack Markell waived all tolls on Delaware Route 1 to make sure people could evacuate the coastal areas quickly. (John Mussoni/For NewsWorks)

    Governor Jack Markell waived all tolls on Delaware Route 1 to make sure people could evacuate the coastal areas quickly. (John Mussoni/For NewsWorks)

  • The abandoned toll booth on Delaware Route 1 at the Roth bridge. (John Mussoni/For NewsWorks)

    The abandoned toll booth on Delaware Route 1 at the Roth bridge. (John Mussoni/For NewsWorks)

  • There were only light winds at 10am Saturday, but the Delaware River was already getting choppy at Delaware City. (John Mussoni/For NewsWorks)

    There were only light winds at 10am Saturday, but the Delaware River was already getting choppy at Delaware City. (John Mussoni/For NewsWorks)

  • Businesses in flood areas were ordered closed by Governor Jack Markell. Crabby Dicks in Delaware City got the message. (John Mussoni/For NewsWorks)

    Businesses in flood areas were ordered closed by Governor Jack Markell. Crabby Dicks in Delaware City got the message. (John Mussoni/For NewsWorks)

  • Some boaters at the Delaware City marina made last minute preps hoping for the best during Irene. (John Mussoni/For NewsWorks)

    Some boaters at the Delaware City marina made last minute preps hoping for the best during Irene. (John Mussoni/For NewsWorks)

  • A Cape May police officer, second from left, talks with a group of surfers on the boardwalk early Saturday, Aug. 27, 2011, in Cape May, N.J. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

    A Cape May police officer, second from left, talks with a group of surfers on the boardwalk early Saturday, Aug. 27, 2011, in Cape May, N.J. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

  • A parking payment station in Center City Philadlephia is wrapped in plastic. The city is offering free parking during the hurricane. (Tom MacDonald/For NewsWorks)

    A parking payment station in Center City Philadlephia is wrapped in plastic. The city is offering free parking during the hurricane. (Tom MacDonald/For NewsWorks)

  • Some people turned to movies ahead of Hurricane Irene's visit. A small line formed at the $1 DVD rental stand as some look to keep busy while waiting out the hurricane. (Tom MacDonald/For NewsWorks)

    Some people turned to movies ahead of Hurricane Irene's visit. A small line formed at the $1 DVD rental stand as some look to keep busy while waiting out the hurricane. (Tom MacDonald/For NewsWorks)

  • New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie gives a news conference in Trenton, N.J. as the state prepares for the arrival of Hurricane Irene on Saturday, Aug. 27, 2011. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

    New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie gives a news conference in Trenton, N.J. as the state prepares for the arrival of Hurricane Irene on Saturday, Aug. 27, 2011. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

  • Rain began to fall on the Manayunk Canal around 11 a.m. on Saturday. (Max Matza/for NewsWorks)

    Rain began to fall on the Manayunk Canal around 11 a.m. on Saturday. (Max Matza/for NewsWorks)

  • Manayunk Brewery is prepared with sandbags and water pumps (Max Matza/for NewsWorks)

    Manayunk Brewery is prepared with sandbags and water pumps (Max Matza/for NewsWorks)

  • Sandbags sit at the front door of a furniture store on Main Street (Max Matza/for NewsWorks)

    Sandbags sit at the front door of a furniture store on Main Street (Max Matza/for NewsWorks)

  • Main Street in Manayunk (Max Matza/for NewsWorks)

    Main Street in Manayunk (Max Matza/for NewsWorks)

  • Main Street in Manayunk (Max Matza/for NewsWorks)

    Main Street in Manayunk (Max Matza/for NewsWorks)

  • The entire driveway is expected to flood. Building caretaker, Kris Alutius, jokingly calls the Philadelphia Canoe Club

    The entire driveway is expected to flood. Building caretaker, Kris Alutius, jokingly calls the Philadelphia Canoe Club

  • About 30 members showed up at 8 a.m. on Saturday to help move the boats and equipment. (Max Matza/for NewsWorks)

    About 30 members showed up at 8 a.m. on Saturday to help move the boats and equipment. (Max Matza/for NewsWorks)

  • Whatever can't be moved to higher ground is being tied down at the Philadelphia Canoe Club, including these benches (Max Matza/for NewsWorks)

    Whatever can't be moved to higher ground is being tied down at the Philadelphia Canoe Club, including these benches (Max Matza/for NewsWorks)

  • Members of the Philadelphia Canoe Club have kayaked inside the building during previous hurricanes. (Max Matza/for NewsWorks)

    Members of the Philadelphia Canoe Club have kayaked inside the building during previous hurricanes. (Max Matza/for NewsWorks)

  • A house on Main Street along the Manayunk Canal prepares for the storm. (Max Matza/for NewsWorks)

    A house on Main Street along the Manayunk Canal prepares for the storm. (Max Matza/for NewsWorks)

  • In the Outer Banks of N.C., a fishing pier looses pilings. On Saturday night, Atlantic City, N.J., and other evacuated shore towns stood in the path of the hurricane. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

    In the Outer Banks of N.C., a fishing pier looses pilings. On Saturday night, Atlantic City, N.J., and other evacuated shore towns stood in the path of the hurricane. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

  • A man drives his car through a flooded street in New Bern, N.C. With flooding likely here, area motorists have been warned to never drive into standing water. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)

    A man drives his car through a flooded street in New Bern, N.C. With flooding likely here, area motorists have been warned to never drive into standing water. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)

  • Vehicles sit in flood waters at a auto repair shop in North Carolina on Saturday. Phila. Nutter and other officials are extremely worried about regional flooding. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)

    Vehicles sit in flood waters at a auto repair shop in North Carolina on Saturday. Phila. Nutter and other officials are extremely worried about regional flooding. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)

  • Banker Joseph Terranova, the key cooperating witness against his former colleagues at Wilmington Trust, was sentenced Tuesday to 21 months in prison for his part in the multimillion-dollar fraud scheme. (WHYY file)

    Banker Joseph Terranova, the key cooperating witness against his former colleagues at Wilmington Trust, was sentenced Tuesday to 21 months in prison for his part in the multimillion-dollar fraud scheme. (WHYY file)

Wilmington Trust branches in Delaware closed at 3 p.m. Friday afternoon, but not because of Hurricane Irene.

The branches closed early Friday and through the weekend to complete the conversion from Wilmington Trust to M&T Bank.

“So after 3 o’clock [Friday]… you’re gonna see the signs come off, you’ll start to see the M&T signs replacing the Wilmington Trust ones,” said M&T’s Matt Calhoun.

Calhoun is M&T’s Administrative Vice President of Retail Banking in Delaware. He says 153 “buddies” from M&T’s in New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Maryland came to the First State to help with conversion-related activities. “Everything from branch automation, to the computers, and the security systems, and the in-branch fixtures, and marketing,” said Calhoun.

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The ailing Wilmington Trust announced plans to merge with M&T last winter. Consequently, more than 700 Wilmington Trust employees were given their walking papers.

“Unfortunately in any type of situation like that, you are going to have a realignment of employees,” said Nick Lambrow, President of M&T’s Delaware region. “And the number was 720 and I’m proud to say that we are down to 570 and a lot of those individuals have found jobs outside the bank or within the company.”

M&T, which has operated out of Millsboro for a long time, says it’s excited about its expansion throughout the state. M&T also says, while it is based in Buffalo, the Delaware branches will still be very local.

“People think, ‘Oh, they go to Buffalo and someone’s sitting in a desk in Buffalo making decisions about Delaware,’ but we’re right here,” said Calhoun. “Local people, local decision-making… so that decisions aren’t being made in Baltimore or Buffalo, New York about how we’re going to operate and work in this community.”

As of Monday morning, all Wilmington Trust branches will bear M&T’s name. However, M&T’s Lambrow says Wilmington Trust is not completely gone.

“There still is a corporate client services and a wealth management of Wilmington Trust, which is top in its field… So you will see Wilmington Trust and M&T.”

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