Partners Trust Announces Promotion of Steven A. Covert to Chief Operating Officer

Partners Trust Announces Promotion of Steven A. Covert to Chief
Operating Officer 


UTICA, N.Y., July 28  /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Partners Trust Financial Group,
Inc. (NASDAQ:PRTRD), announced the promotion of Steven A. Covert, Executive
Vice President, to the newly created position of Chief Operating Officer of
Partners Trust Financial Group, Inc. and its principal banking subsidiary,
Partners Trust Bank.  Mr. Covert will continue to have overall responsibility
for the companies' financial reporting, treasury management, operations, and
technology functions.  In addition, he will continue to serve as the companies'
Chief Financial Officer.

John A. Zawadzki, President and Chief Executive Officer, stated "We are
delighted to recognize the significant contributions Steve has made towards the
growth of our organization and our financial performance during the past three
years.  His new title reflects the important leadership role he will play in
maximizing the potential of our recent acquisitions and in the continued
execution of our business model."

Partners Trust Financial Group, Inc., headquartered in Utica, New York, is the
holding company for Partners Trust Bank, which was founded in 1839. Partners
Trust Bank offers a wide variety of business and retail banking products as
well as a full range of trust, investment, and municipal banking services
through its 36 Central and Southern New York locations in Oneida, Onondaga,
Herkimer, Broome, Tioga and Chenango counties.  Customers' banking needs are
serviced 24 hours a day through a network of ATMs, automated telephone banking,
and through the convenience of internet banking through
http://partnerstrust.com/. 

DATASOURCE: Partners Trust Financial Group, Inc.



CONTACT:  John Zawadzki, President & CEO, [phone], or Steven

Covert, Executive VP, COO & CFO, [phone], both of Partners Trust

Financial Group, Inc.



Web site:  http://partnerstrust.com/ 

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