Grace Lee of M&T Bank honored with Pinnacle Award for leadership
BOSTON - Whether it's in her role as a mother, a colleague, or a leader, Grace Lee's goal is to have the greatest reach and positive impact with the resources she has.
As Massachusetts Regional President, Executive Vice President at M&T Bank, she points to her team as a source of inspiration and says she is motivated to seek opportunities for growth.
"Especially as you gain more influence throughout your career," she explains, "it becomes more urgent for you to actually continue to grow. Because it's those lessons and opportunities that you'll be able to cascade out."
Grace has received a lot of good advice over the years. Her late father told her, in whatever setting you're in, "Add value."
She also received a piece of advice as a young prosecutor that stuck with her. "Maximize your influence and temper how you use it."
Challenges are opportunities
Using her influence and experience are Grace's strengths as a leader. Challenges, she says, are opportunities to re-examine our strategies and collaborate on problem-solving.
"During a crisis, people automatically galvanize, and they gather," Lee said. "They eliminate the obstacles we create for ourselves every day. 'This is how we do it. We do it because that's how we've always done it.' So when a challenge presents itself, it's an opportunity for us to look at ourselves differently, the situation differently, and reset."
Her perspective on the benefits of resetting is well earned. Before joining M & T Bank, Grace served as a prosecutor, General Counsel and First Deputy Treasurer at the Massachusetts State Treasurer's Office and played a pivotal role in legislation that helped create the Asian American Commission.
M & T bank is co-presenting sponsor of the Pan-Mass Challenge. Grace participates in the fundraising ride and in the indoor PMC Winter Cycle. One of the many joys of the job. "This position has been the culmination of my lived experiences-my family's passion and commitment to entrepreneurialism, my legal background, my social justice background... I have been able to bring all of that together." And then, smiling, she adds, "I've been able to bake a cake!"
Grace Lee will accept the 2025 Pinnacle Award for Achievement in Management-Private on January 31, 2025.
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