Buffalo Business First has recognized Charles E. Makey, III, President and Chief Executive Officer of Merchants Insurance Group, on its annual Power 250, a list which highlights Western New York’s most influential leaders, for the fourth consecutive year.
Candidates are selected by a committee comprised of the publication’s editors and reporters. This year, Mr. Makey ranks #162 on the publication’s 13th annual Power 250 list.
“It is truly an honor to be recognized among these strong leaders in the Western New York region,” said Mr. Makey. “Merchants Insurance Group has a long history of success being headquartered in downtown Buffalo, and I am proud to lead such a great company!”
Mr. Makey joined Merchants Insurance Group in 1996 as Director of Sales. In 1998, he was promoted to Assistant Vice President/Regional Manager of Merchants’ New England Regional Office. He spent six years in this position before he was named Vice President and Regional Manager of the company’s Central States Strategic Business Center in Dublin, Ohio in 2004.
In 2009, Mr. Makey became the Senior Vice President of Insurance Operations at the Merchants Insurance Group corporate headquarters in Buffalo, New York. On April 1, 2021, he was appointed President of Merchants Insurance Group, until his recent promotion to President and Chief Executive Officer in February 2024.
Mr. Makey serves as a Chair, board member, trustee, or council member for a number of organizations, including:
- New York Insurance Scholarship Foundation
- New York Insurance Association
- National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies PCC Board
- Long Island Insurance Education Foundation
- Invest Buffalo Niagara
- Aon Client Advisory Council
Charles Makey earned his Master of Business Administration from Daniel Webster College in 2007. He received his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a concentration in marketing and management from St. Bonaventure University and a degree in Business Acumen from the Stephen M. Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan. Mr. Makey also holds several designations from the Insurance Institute of America: Associate in Insurance Services (AIS), Associate in Management (AIM), and General Insurance (INS). Before joining Merchants Insurance Group, Mr. Makey worked for The Hartford.
A native of Western New York, Mr. Makey resides in a suburb of Buffalo with his family.
Click here to view Buffalo Business First’s Complete 2025 Power 250 List
