# EDGAR Filing Document

**Accession Number:** 0000862831
**File Stem:** 0000950170-23-001084
**Filing Date:** 2023-1
**Character Count:** 10597
**Document Hash:** c8e4b220435b6b37c6a1a1d55d5a6b5c
**Contains OCR:** False
**Source Format:** 

## Filing Content

## Filing Summary
**0000950170-23-001084.hdr.sgml**: 20230124

**ACCESSION NUMBER**: 0000950170-23-001084

**CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE**: 8-K

**PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT**: 14

**CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT**: 20230124

**ITEM INFORMATION**: Regulation FD Disclosure

**ITEM INFORMATION**: Financial Statements and Exhibits

**FILED AS OF DATE**: 20230124

**DATE AS OF CHANGE**: 20230124

**FILER**: 

**COMPANY DATA:**
- **COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:** FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS INC
- **CENTRAL INDEX KEY:** 0000862831
- **STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:** NATIONAL COMMERCIAL BANKS [6021]
- **IRS NUMBER:** 160816610
- **STATE OF INCORPORATION:** NY
- **FISCAL YEAR END:** 1231

**FILING VALUES:**
- **FORM TYPE:** 8-K
- **SEC ACT:** 1934 Act
- **SEC FILE NUMBER:** 000-26481
- **FILM NUMBER:** 23548207

**BUSINESS ADDRESS:**
- **STREET 1:** 220 LIBERTY STREET
- **CITY:** WARSAW
- **STATE:** NY
- **ZIP:** 14569
- **BUSINESS PHONE:** 5857861100

**MAIL ADDRESS:**
- **STREET 1:** 220 LIBERTY STREET
- **CITY:** WARSAW
- **STATE:** NY
- **ZIP:** 14569

?xml version="1.0" encoding="ASCII"? 8-K

**UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549**

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**FORM** 8-K

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**CURRENT REPORT**

**Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934**

**Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):** January 24, 2023<br>

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Financial Institutions, Inc.

**(Exact name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)**

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| New York | 0-26481 | 16-0816610 |
| **(State or Other Jurisdiction<br>of Incorporation)** | **(Commission File Number)** | **(IRS Employer<br>Identification No.)** |
| 220 Liberty Street |  |  |
| Warsaw**,** New York |  | 14569 |
| **(Address of Principal Executive Offices)** |  | **(Zip Code)** |

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**Registrant's Telephone Number, Including Area Code:** 585 786-1100<br>

Not Applicable

**(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)**

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Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

☐Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

☐Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

☐Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

☐Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

**Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:**

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **<br>Title of each class** | **Trading<br>Symbol(s)** | **<br>Name of each exchange on which registered** |
| Common stock, par value $0.01 per share | FISI | Nasdaq Global Select Market |

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Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§ 230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§ 240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company ☐

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

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**Item 7.01 Regulation FD Disclosure.**

On January 24, 2023, Five Star Bank, subsidiary of Financial Institutions, Inc., issued a press release to announce Five Star Bank's expansion into Central New York with the addition of a team of commercial banking officers in Syracuse, New York. This press release is furnished as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K.

This information is furnished pursuant to Item 7.01 of Form 8-K and shall not be deemed to be "filed" for the purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ("Exchange Act"), as amended, or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section, nor shall it be deemed incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act, whether made before or after the date of this report, except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in such filing.

**Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.**

(d) <u>Exhibits</u>.

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Exhibit**<br>**Number** | **Description**  | **Location** |
| 99.1 | [<u>Press Release issued by Five Star Bank on January 24, 2023</u>](fisi-ex99_1.htm) | Filed Herewith |
| 104 | Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document) |  |

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**SIGNATURES**

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  |  |  | Financial Institutions, Inc. |
| Date: | January 24, 2023 | By:  | /s/ W. Jack Plants II |
|  |  |  | **W. Jack Plants II<br>Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;and Treasurer** |

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## Exhibit 99.1

![img145321324_0.jpg](img145321324_0.jpg)

**Five Star Bank Expands its Commercial Lending Franchise in Central New York with New Syracuse Office** 

**The growing community bank recently received regulatory approval for a new commercial loan production office located in Syracuse's historic Franklin Square**

**SYRACUSE, N.Y., January 24, 2023 —** <u>Five Star Bank</u> (the "Bank"), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Financial Institutions, Inc.(NASDAQ: FISI) (the "Company"), today announced its expansion into the Syracuse market with a new commercial loan production office in the city's historic Franklin Square.

Located at 115 Solar Street, the new office provides the Bank with entrance into Onondaga County, expanding its Upstate New York footprint to 15 counties throughout Western New York, the Southern Tier and the Finger Lakes region.

Five Star Bank's Syracuse office will be home to a three-person Commercial and Industrial team led by Central New York Regional President and Commercial and Industrial Executive Alison K. Miller, as well as a Commercial Real Estate Banker who will report to Finger Lakes/Southern Tier Regional President and Commercial Real Estate Executive Craig J. Burton.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Larry Alampi has over 20 years of banking experience and serves as Commercial and Industrial Banker, assisting companies with their depository and borrowing needs. He previously worked at HSBC, First Niagara and KeyBank, and most recently served as Business Development Manager for CH Insurance. A graduate of Le Moyne College, he is also a loan committee member of the Greater Syracuse Business Development Corp.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Thomas Breed, who has more than 30 years of local banking experience, serves as Commercial and Industrial Banker, assisting companies with all of their depository and borrowing needs. He previously worked for KeyBank, First Niagara, Citizens Bank and JP Morgan Chase Bank and is a graduate of Syracuse University.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Andrew March serves as Commercial Real Estate Banker. The 34-year banking veteran joined Five Star from Solvay Bank and spent the majority of his career in the Central New York banking space at institutions including Berkshire Bank, M&T Bank, KeyBank, Community Bank and more. He is a graduate of Clarkson University.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Sara Smith serves as a Senior Portfolio Manager for the team, handling the service needs of commercial clients throughout Central New York and beyond. Smith, who previously worked at First Niagara and KeyBank, is a graduate of SUNY Oswego and the class of 2016 of Leadership Greater Syracuse.

"As part of Five Star Bank's continued growth and evolution, we've expanded beyond our historic rural Upstate New York footprint to serve metros like Buffalo, Rochester and now Syracuse," said Five Star Bank President and CEO Martin K. Birmingham. "This expansion

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supports our focus on driving credit-disciplined loan growth by bringing our style of community banking, with local leadership and local decision-making, to businesses throughout Central New York."

Chief Commercial Banking Officer Kevin B. Quinn commented, "Alison and her team have done a tremendous job of building relationships throughout the Finger Lakes region from our Auburn branch location. Solidifying our presence in Syracuse with this new commercial office allows us to build on the solid activity we've achieved to-date there and support our continued growth and success in this important market."

The Syracuse office is the second commercial loan production office that Five Star Bank has launched in the past year. In February 2022, the Bank announced the addition of a team of experienced commercial banking officers to launch a commercial platform to serve the Baltimore and Washington, D.C. region.

Five Star Bank worked with Sutton Real Estate Company on the execution of the long-term lease of 2,200 square feet at the Lofts at Franklin. The Bank also partnered with MacKnight Architects and MCK Building Associates, Inc. on design and renovations of the space.

**About Financial Institutions, Inc. and Five Star Bank**

Financial Institutions, Inc. (Nasdaq: FISI) is an innovative financial holding company with approximately $5.5 billion in assets offering banking, insurance and wealth management products and services through a network of subsidiaries. Its Five Star Bank subsidiary provides consumer and commercial banking and lending services to individuals, municipalities and businesses through its Western and Central New York branch network and its Mid-Atlantic commercial loan production office serving the Baltimore and Washington, D.C. region. SDN Insurance Agency, LLC provides a broad range of insurance services to personal and business clients, while Courier Capital, LLC and HNP Capital, LLC offer customized investment management, consulting and retirement plan services to individuals, businesses, institutions, foundations and retirement plans. Learn more at Five-StarBank.com and FISI-Investors.com.

**For additional information contact:**

Pamela A. Kennard

Investor Relations Analyst

(585) 584-1549

pakennard@five-starbank.com

<u>media@five-starbank.com</u>

W. Jack Plants II

Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer

(585) 498-2919

wjplants@five-starbank.com

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