Five Star Bank Promotes Scott Bader to Chief Information Security Officer

Financial Institutions, Inc. (NASDAQ: FISI) (the “Company”), parent company of Five Star Bank, SDN Insurance Agency, LLC, and Courier Capital, LLC, announced today that Scott Bader has been promoted to Senior Vice President and Chief Information Security Officer (“CISO”) of the Bank. In his role, Mr. Bader will be responsible for the execution and evolution of the Bank’s comprehensive information and cybersecurity program, as well as compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements regarding information access, security and privacy.

“Scott is an exceptional and proven leader who I’m confident will help the Bank achieve its strategic goals while ensuring customer and bank information is maintained in a highly secure manner,” said Gary Pacos, Chief Risk Officer of Five Star Bank. “Having led Five Star Bank’s technology function through significant growth during the past 15 years, Scott has strong technology experience, deep institutional knowledge and a keen understanding of the sophisticated threats facing the financial services industry today, all of which are key to supporting Five Star Bank and its affiliates into the future.”

Since joining the Bank in 2008, Mr. Bader has taken on steadily increasing responsibility in the information security and technology functions. From 2010 to 2014, as Senior Vice President and Information Security Officer and Technology Services Manager, he led the launch of the Bank’s information security program. Since 2014, he has served as Senior Vice President and Technology Services Director and played an integral role in the Bank’s digital transformation. Prior to joining Five Star Bank, Mr. Bader worked in progressive technology roles at retailer Chico’s FAS, Inc. Mr. Bader also served in the United States Marine Corps from 1990 to 1994, working on an international counterintelligence team.

Mr. Bader, who is based at the Company’s corporate headquarters in Warsaw, N.Y., previously served as a board member of the United Way of Eastern Orleans County and as a longtime volunteer coach with Tri-County Youth Hockey. In addition, he is a past advisory board member of the New York Bankers Association and in 2010 was honored by the Rochester Business Journal as a 40 Under 40 recipient. Mr. Bader earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Information Systems from Florida Gulf Coast University.

About Five Star Bank and Financial Institutions, Inc.Financial Institutions, Inc. (NASDAQ: FISI) is an innovative financial holding company with approximately $6.0 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 throughout Western and Central New York and its Mid-Atlantic commercial loan production office serves 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 offers customized investment management, financial planning and consulting services to individuals and families, businesses, institutions, non-profits and retirement plans. Learn more at five-starbank.com and FISI-investors.com.

For additional information contact:Kate CroftDirector of Investor and External Relations(716) [e-mail]

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