Carlos Carballada Obituary
R. Carlos Carballada, a respected leader and change agent whose career bridged business, banking, education, and public service — and whose lifelong commitment to community shaped Rochester for decades — passed away in Rochester, NY, on August 9, 2025, at age 90.
Born in Brooklyn and raised in Buffalo, Carlos graduated from St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute and earned a degree in English from Canisius University (then College) in 1956. He began his professional life with Ashland Oil and served in the Army National Reserve before discovering his true calling in banking.
Carlos started at M&T Bank, quickly rising through the ranks before being named CEO of Citizens Central Bank in Arcade, NY. His leadership path continued as CEO of Central Trust in Rochester and later First National Bank of Rochester. He eventually returned to M&T to lead the M&T Foundation and serve on the bank's board. Throughout his career, he championed responsible growth, community investment, and workforce development, including serving as chairman of the New York Bankers Association and chairman of the Business Council's Education Committee.
His passion for education was equally profound. In 1978, Carlos was appointed to the New York State Board of Regents, where he served until 1999, including a term as Chancellor from 1991 to 1995. He also served on the Canisius University Board of Trustees, was named Minett Professor at Rochester Institute of Technology, and later became interim director of RIT's Center for Urban Entrepreneurship. These roles reflected his belief that education was the surest path to opportunity and lasting change.
In public service, Carlos joined Mayor Robert Duffy's administration in 2006 to lead economic and neighborhood development, shaping projects that strengthened Rochester's business climate, improved neighborhoods, and attracted new investment. In 2011, he served as acting mayor, and in 2016, he returned as deputy mayor. Colleagues remember his calm, citizen-focused approach, collegiality, and his ability to bring together public and private interests for the good of the city.
Beyond his official roles, Carlos devoted himself to community service, serving on numerous Rochester boards and earning many honors, including the Rochester Rotary Award, the Rochester Business Journal's Icon Award, the Key to the City of Rochester, and the Rochester Hispanic Business Association's Business Person of the Year.
With his wife, Virginia, Carlos created scholarships at Pioneer Central High School, Canisius University, Monroe Community College Rising Stars, and St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute, helping low-income students pursue higher education and brighter futures.
Proud of his Spanish and Peruvian heritage, he lived by the values of hard work and service instilled in him by his parents, the late Jose Ramon and Maria Esther (née Babilon) Carballada. A devout Catholic, his life was grounded in faith, hope, and charity, and guided by justice, temperance, and a deep commitment to the common good.
Beloved husband of Virginia F. (née Pawlik) Carballada; devoted father of Cynthia (Mark) Finestone, Raymond (Jaine Lucas) Carballada, Michele Carballada, and the late Mark Carballada; loving grandfather of Stephanie Carballada, Marlee (Jack) Beers, Michael Finestone, and Parker Finestone; cherished great-grandfather of Calvin Beers; brother of the late Efrain Ricardo "Rick Azar" (Edith) Carballada and the late Sylvia Carballada.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Carlos and Virginia Carballada Scholarship Funds c/o Canisius University, St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute, Monroe Community College Rising Stars, Pioneer Central High School, or a charity of one's choice.
