<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001299933-05-004418
<TYPE>8-K
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>2
<PERIOD>20050831
<ITEMS>8.01
<FILING-DATE>20050831
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20050831
<FILER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS INC
<CIK>0000862831
<ASSIGNED-SIC>6021
<IRS-NUMBER>160816610
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>NY
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</COMPANY-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>8-K
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>000-26481
<FILM-NUMBER>051062735
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>220 LIBERTY STREET
<CITY>WARSAW
<STATE>NY
<ZIP>14569
<PHONE>7167861100
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>220 LIBERTY STREET
<CITY>WARSAW
<STATE>NY
<ZIP>14569
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</FILER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>8-K
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>htm_6785.htm
<DESCRIPTION>LIVE FILING
<TEXT>
<!-- CoverPageHeader start -->
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 3.2//EN">
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE> Financial Institutions, Inc. (Form: 8-K) </TITLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY TEXT="#000000" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" ALINK="#0000FF" HLINK="#FF0000" VLINK="#800080">
<A NAME="DOCUMENT_TOP">&nbsp;</A>
<P>
<!-- CoverPageHeader end --><!-- CoverPageTitle START -->
<A NAME="DOCUMENT_TOP">&nbsp;</A>
<HR NOSHADE>
<P>
<P ALIGN="CENTER">
<FONT SIZE="4">
		UNITED STATES<BR>
	SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
</FONT>
<BR>
<FONT SIZE="2">
	WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
</FONT>
<P ALIGN="CENTER">
<FONT SIZE="5">
	FORM 8-K
</FONT>
<FONT SIZE="2">

</FONT>
</P>
<P ALIGN="CENTER">
<FONT SIZE="3">
	CURRENT REPORT
</FONT>
</P>
<P ALIGN="CENTER">
<FONT SIZE="2">
	Pursuant to Section&nbsp;13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
</FONT>
</P>
<CENTER>
<TABLE CELLSPACING="0" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR VALIGN="BOTTOM">
<TD WIDTH="51%">
	&nbsp;
</TD>
<TD WIDTH="5%">
	&nbsp;
</TD>
<TD WIDTH="44%">
	&nbsp;
</TD>
</TR>
<TR VALIGN="BOTTOM">
<TD ALIGN="CENTER" VALIGN="TOP">
<FONT SIZE="2">
	Date of Report (Date of Earliest Event Reported):
</FONT>
</TD>
<TD>
<FONT SIZE="2">
	&nbsp;
</FONT>
</TD>
<TD ALIGN="CENTER" VALIGN="TOP">
<FONT SIZE="2">
	August 31, 2005
</FONT>
</TD>
</TR>
</TABLE>
<BR>
</CENTER>
<!-- CoverPageTitle END --><!-- CoverPageRegistrant START -->
<P ALIGN="CENTER"><!-- -->
<FONT SIZE="6">
	Financial Institutions, Inc.
</FONT>
<FONT SIZE="2">
<BR>__________________________________________<BR>
	(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
</FONT>
<CENTER>
<TABLE CELLSPACING="0" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR VALIGN="BOTTOM">
<TD WIDTH="33%">
	&nbsp;
</TD>
<TD WIDTH="34%">
	&nbsp;
</TD>
<TD WIDTH="33%">
	&nbsp;
</TD>
</TR>
<TR VALIGN="BOTTOM">
<TD ALIGN="CENTER" VALIGN="TOP">
<FONT SIZE="2">
	New York
</FONT>
</TD>
<TD ALIGN="CENTER" VALIGN="TOP">
<FONT SIZE="2">
	0-26481
</FONT>
</TD>
<TD ALIGN="CENTER" VALIGN="TOP">
<FONT SIZE="2">
	16-0816610
</FONT>
</TD>
</TR>
<TR VALIGN="BOTTOM">
<TD ALIGN="CENTER" VALIGN="TOP">
<FONT SIZE="2">
_____________________<BR>
	(State or other jurisdiction
</FONT>
</TD>
<TD ALIGN="CENTER" VALIGN="TOP">
<FONT SIZE="2">
_____________<BR>
	(Commission
</FONT>
</TD>
<TD ALIGN="CENTER" VALIGN="TOP">
<FONT SIZE="2">
______________<BR>
	(I.R.S. Employer
</FONT>
</TD>
</TR>
<TR VALIGN="BOTTOM">
<TD ALIGN="CENTER" VALIGN="TOP">
<FONT SIZE="2">
	of incorporation)
</FONT>
</TD>
<TD ALIGN="CENTER" VALIGN="TOP">
<FONT SIZE="2">
	File Number)
</FONT>
</TD>
<TD ALIGN="CENTER" VALIGN="TOP">
<FONT SIZE="2">
	Identification No.)
</FONT>
</TD>
</TR>
<TR VALIGN="BOTTOM">
<TD ALIGN="CENTER" VALIGN="TOP">
<FONT SIZE="2">
	&nbsp;&nbsp;
</FONT>
</TD>
<TD ALIGN="CENTER" VALIGN="TOP">
<FONT SIZE="2">
	&nbsp;
</FONT>
</TD>
<TD ALIGN="CENTER" VALIGN="TOP">
<FONT SIZE="2">
	&nbsp;
</FONT>
</TD>
</TR>
<TR VALIGN="BOTTOM">
<TD ALIGN="CENTER" VALIGN="TOP">
<FONT SIZE="2">
	220 Liberty Street, Warsaw, New York
</FONT>
</TD>
<TD ALIGN="CENTER" VALIGN="TOP">
<FONT SIZE="2">
	&nbsp;
</FONT>
</TD>
<TD ALIGN="CENTER" VALIGN="TOP">
<FONT SIZE="2">
	14569
</FONT>
</TD>
</TR>
<TR VALIGN="BOTTOM">
<TD ALIGN="CENTER" VALIGN="TOP">
<FONT SIZE="2">
_________________________________<BR>
	(Address of principal executive offices)
</FONT>
</TD>
<TD ALIGN="CENTER" VALIGN="TOP">
<FONT SIZE="2">
	&nbsp;
</FONT>
</TD>
<TD ALIGN="CENTER" VALIGN="TOP">
<FONT SIZE="2">
___________<BR>
	(Zip Code)
</FONT>
</TD>
</TR>
</TABLE>
</CENTER>
<CENTER>
<TABLE CELLSPACING="0" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" WIDTH="100%">

<TR VALIGN="BOTTOM">
<TD WIDTH="51%">
	&nbsp;
</TD>
<TD WIDTH="5%">
	&nbsp;
</TD>
<TD WIDTH="44%">
	&nbsp;
</TD>
</TR>
<TR VALIGN="BOTTOM">
<TD ALIGN="CENTER" VALIGN="TOP">
<FONT SIZE="2">
	Registrant&#146;s telephone number, including area code:
</FONT>
</TD>
<TD>
<FONT SIZE="2">
	&nbsp;
</FONT>
</TD>
<TD ALIGN="CENTER" VALIGN="TOP">
<FONT SIZE="2">
	585-786-1100
</FONT>
</TD>
</TR>
</TABLE>
</CENTER>
<P ALIGN="CENTER">
<FONT SIZE="2">
	Not Applicable
<BR>______________________________________________<BR>
	Former name or former address, if changed since last report
</FONT>
<P ALIGN="CENTER">
<FONT SIZE="2">
	&nbsp;
</FONT>
<!-- CoverPageRegistrant END --><P><FONT SIZE="2">
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:</FONT>
</P>
<P><FONT SIZE="2">
[&nbsp;&nbsp;]&nbsp;&nbsp;Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)<br>
[&nbsp;&nbsp;]&nbsp;&nbsp;Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)<br>
[&nbsp;&nbsp;]&nbsp;&nbsp;Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))<br>
[&nbsp;&nbsp;]&nbsp;&nbsp;Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))<br>
</P></FONT><!-- PageBreak START -->
<P>
<HR NOSHADE>
<DIV ALIGN="LEFT" STYLE="PAGE-BREAK-BEFORE:ALWAYS">
<A HREF="#DOCUMENT_TOP">
<U>
<B>
<FONT SIZE="2">Top of the Form</FONT>
</B>
</U>
</A>
</DIV>
<!-- PageBreak END --><!-- Item START -->
<P ALIGN="LEFT">
<FONT SIZE="2">
<B>
	Item 8.01 Other Events.
</B>
</FONT>
</P>
<P ALIGN="LEFT">
<FONT SIZE="2">
On August 31, 2005, the Company issued a press release announcing that its Board of Directors and the boards of its four subsidiary banks have approved a plan to merge the four subsidiary banks into one.
</FONT>
</P>
<!-- Item END -->
<BR><BR><BR><BR><P ALIGN="LEFT" STYLE="FONT-SIZE: 10PT">The information in this Current Report on Form 8-K, including Exhibit 99.1 is furnished pursuant to Item 8.01 and shall not be deemed "filed" for the purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or otherwise subject to the liability of that section, nor shall it be deemed incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Exchange Act of 1933, as amended, except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in such a filing. </P><!-- PageBreak START -->
<P>
<HR NOSHADE>
<DIV ALIGN="LEFT" STYLE="PAGE-BREAK-BEFORE:ALWAYS">
<A HREF="#DOCUMENT_TOP">
<U>
<B>
<FONT SIZE="2">Top of the Form</FONT>
</B>
</U>
</A>
</DIV>
<!-- PageBreak END --><!-- SignatureHeader START -->
<P ALIGN="CENTER">
<FONT SIZE="2">
<B>
	SIGNATURES
</B>
</FONT>
</P>
<P ALIGN="LEFT">
<FONT SIZE="2">
	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 hereunto duly authorized.
</FONT>
</P>
<!-- SignatureHeader END --><!-- Signature START -->
<CENTER>
<TABLE CELLSPACING="0" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR VALIGN="BOTTOM">
<TD WIDTH="19%">
	&nbsp;
</TD>
<TD WIDTH="34%">
	&nbsp;
</TD>
<TD WIDTH="3%">
	&nbsp;
</TD>
<TD WIDTH="1%">
	&nbsp;
</TD>
<TD WIDTH="43%">
	&nbsp;
</TD>
</TR>
<TR VALIGN="BOTTOM">
<TD VALIGN="TOP">
<FONT SIZE="2">
	&nbsp;
</FONT>
</TD>
<TD>
<FONT SIZE="2">
	&nbsp;
</FONT>
</TD>
<TD COLSPAN="3" VALIGN="TOP" ALIGN="LEFT">
<FONT SIZE="2">
	Financial Institutions, Inc.
</FONT>
</TD>
</TR>
<TR VALIGN="BOTTOM">
<TD VALIGN="TOP">
<FONT SIZE="2">
	&nbsp;&nbsp;
</FONT>
</TD>
<TD>
<FONT SIZE="2">
	&nbsp;
</FONT>
</TD>
<TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP">
<FONT SIZE="2">
	&nbsp;
</FONT>
</TD>
<TD>
<FONT SIZE="2">
	&nbsp;
</FONT>
</TD>
<TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP">
<FONT SIZE="2">
	&nbsp;
</FONT>
</TD>
</TR>
<TR VALIGN="BOTTOM">
<TD VALIGN="TOP">
<FONT SIZE="2">
<I>
	August 31, 2005
</I>
</FONT>
</TD>
<TD>
<FONT SIZE="2">
	&nbsp;
</FONT>
</TD>
<TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP">
<FONT SIZE="2">
<I>
	By:
</I>
</FONT>
</TD>
<TD>
<FONT SIZE="2">
	&nbsp;
</FONT>
</TD>
<TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP">
<FONT SIZE="2">
<I>
	Ronald A. Miller
</I>
<BR>
</FONT>
</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD VALIGN="TOP">
<FONT SIZE="2">
	&nbsp;
</FONT>
</TD>
<TD>
<FONT SIZE="2">
	&nbsp;
</FONT>
</TD>
<TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP">
<FONT SIZE="2">
	&nbsp;
</FONT>
</TD>
<TD>
<FONT SIZE="2">
	&nbsp;
</FONT>
</TD>
<TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP">
<HR SIZE="1" NOSHADE>
</TD>
</TR>
<TR VALIGN="BOTTOM">
<TD VALIGN="TOP">
<FONT SIZE="2">
	&nbsp;
</FONT>
</TD>
<TD>
<FONT SIZE="2">
	&nbsp;
</FONT>
</TD>
<TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP">
<FONT SIZE="2">
	&nbsp;
</FONT>
</TD>
<TD>
<FONT SIZE="2">
	&nbsp;
</FONT>
</TD>
<TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP">
<FONT SIZE="2">
<I>
	Name: Ronald A. Miller
</I>
</FONT>
</TD>
</TR>
<TR VALIGN="BOTTOM">
<TD VALIGN="TOP">
<FONT SIZE="2">
	&nbsp;
</FONT>
</TD>
<TD>
<FONT SIZE="2">
	&nbsp;
</FONT>
</TD>
<TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP">
<FONT SIZE="2">
	&nbsp;
</FONT>
</TD>
<TD>
<FONT SIZE="2">
	&nbsp;
</FONT>
</TD>
<TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP">
<FONT SIZE="2">
<I>
	Title: Executive Vice President & CFO
</I>
</FONT>
</TD>
</TR>
</TABLE>
</CENTER>
<!-- Signature END --><!-- PageBreak START -->
<P>
<HR NOSHADE>
<DIV ALIGN="LEFT" STYLE="PAGE-BREAK-BEFORE:ALWAYS">
<A HREF="#DOCUMENT_TOP">
<U>
<B>
<FONT SIZE="2">Top of the Form</FONT>
</B>
</U>
</A>
</DIV>
<!-- PageBreak END --><P ALIGN="CENTER">
<FONT SIZE="2">
	Exhibit&nbsp;Index
</FONT>
<CENTER>
<TABLE CELLSPACING="0" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" WIDTH="60%">
<TR VALIGN="BOTTOM">
<TD WIDTH="8%">
	&nbsp;
</TD>
<TD WIDTH="15%">
	&nbsp;
</TD>
<TD WIDTH="77%">
	&nbsp;
</TD>
</TR>

<BR>
<TR VALIGN="BOTTOM">
<TD NOWRAP ALIGN="LEFT">
<FONT SIZE="1">
<B>
	Exhibit No.
</B>
</FONT>
</TD>
<TD>
<FONT SIZE="1">
	&nbsp;
</FONT>
</TD>
<TD NOWRAP ALIGN="LEFT">
<FONT SIZE="1">
<B>
	Description
</B>
</FONT>
</TD>
</TR>
<TR VALIGN="BOTTOM">
<TD NOWRAP ALIGN="CENTER">
<HR SIZE="1" NOSHADE>
</TD>
<TD>
<FONT SIZE="1">
	&nbsp;
</FONT>
</TD>
<TD NOWRAP ALIGN="CENTER">
<HR ALIGN="LEFT" SIZE="1" WIDTH="88%" NOSHADE>
</TD>
</TR>





<TR VALIGN="BOTTOM">
<TD VALIGN="TOP" WIDTH="8%" nowrap>
<FONT SIZE="2">
<DIV ALIGN="LEFT">
	99.1
</DIV>
</FONT>
</TD>
<TD WIDTH="15%">
<FONT SIZE="2">
	&nbsp;
</FONT>
</TD>
<TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP" WIDTH="77%">
<FONT SIZE="2">
Press Release
</FONT>
</TD>
</TR></TABLE></CENTER><!-- HTMLFooter START -->
</BODY>
</HTML>
<!-- HTMLFooter END -->
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>EX-99.1
<SEQUENCE>2
<FILENAME>exhibit1.htm
<DESCRIPTION>EX-99.1
<TEXT>
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 3.2//EN">
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE> EX-99.1 </TITLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY TEXT="#000000" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" ALINK="#0000FF" HLINK="#FF0000" VLINK="#800080">

<BODY style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif">

<DIV align="center">
<TABLE style="font-size: 10pt" cellspacing="0" border="0" cellpadding="0" width="95%">
<!-- Begin Table Head -->
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD width="47%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="5%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="23%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="24%">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>

<!-- End Table Head -->
<!-- Begin Table Body -->
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD><DIV style="margin-left:10px; text-indent:-10px"><FONT style="font-size: 9pt"><B>For More Information:</B></FONT></DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD colspan="3" align="center"><FONT style="font-size: 9pt">- OR -</FONT></TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom" style="font-size: 9pt">
    <TD><DIV style="margin-left:10px; text-indent:-10px"><FONT style="font-size: 9pt">Matthew T. Murtha</FONT></DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD colspan="3" align="center"><FONT style="font-size: 9pt"><B>Kei Advisors LLC</B></FONT></TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom" style="font-size: 9pt">
    <TD><DIV style="margin-left:10px; text-indent:-10px"><FONT style="font-size: 9pt">Senior Vice President</FONT></DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD colspan="3" align="left"><FONT style="font-size: 9pt">Deborah K. Pawlowski<BR></FONT></TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom" style="font-size: 9pt">
    <TD><DIV style="margin-left:10px; text-indent:-10px"><FONT style="font-size: 9pt">Phone: 585.786.1167</FONT></DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD colspan="3" align="left"><FONT style="font-size: 9pt">Phone:  716.843.3908<BR></FONT></TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom" style="font-size: 9pt">
    <TD><DIV style="margin-left:10px; text-indent:-10px"><FONT style="font-size: 9pt">Email: mtmurtha@fiiwarsaw.com</FONT></DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD colspan="3" align="left"><FONT style="font-size: 9pt">Email:dpawlowski@keiadvisors.com<BR></FONT></TD>
</TR>
<!-- End Table Body -->
</TABLE>
</DIV>


<P align="left" style="font-size: 9pt"><FONT style="font-size: 11.5pt">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
</FONT>

<P align="center" style="font-size: 11.5pt"><FONT style="font-size: 14pt"><B>Financial Institutions, Inc. and Subsidiary Bank Boards Approve Merger Plan</B></FONT>



<P align="center" style="font-size: 11.5pt"><FONT style="font-size: 12pt"></FONT>



<P>
<TABLE width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 10pt">

<TR valign="top" style="font-size: 12pt; color: #000000; background: transparent">
    <TD width="5%" style="background: transparent">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="1%" nowrap align="right">&#149;</TD>
    <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD><B><I>Plan merges four banks into one charter, subject to regulatory approval</I></B></TD>
</TR>

</TABLE>


<P>
<TABLE width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 10pt">

<TR valign="top" style="font-size: 12pt; color: #000000; background: transparent">
    <TD width="5%" style="background: transparent">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="1%" nowrap align="right">&#149;</TD>
    <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD><B><I>Simplified structure improves risk profile</I></B></TD>
</TR>

</TABLE>


<P>
<TABLE width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 10pt">

<TR valign="top" style="font-size: 12pt; color: #000000; background: transparent">
    <TD width="5%" style="background: transparent">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="1%" nowrap align="right">&#149;</TD>
    <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD><B><I>Potential annual savings of over $3.0&nbsp;million</I></B></TD>
</TR>

</TABLE>


<P>
<TABLE width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 10pt">

<TR valign="top" style="font-size: 12pt; color: #000000; background: transparent">
    <TD width="5%" style="background: transparent">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="1%" nowrap align="right">&#149;</TD>
    <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD><B><I>Resulting bank to be re-named</I></B></TD>
</TR>

</TABLE>


<P align="left" style="font-size: 12pt"><FONT style="font-size: 11pt">WARSAW, N.Y., August&nbsp;31, 2005 &#151; Financial Institutions, Inc. (NASDAQ: FISI) (&#147;FII&#148;) announced
today that its Board of Directors and the boards of its four subsidiary banks have approved a plan
to merge the four subsidiary banks into one. The Company plans to submit applications to the New
York State Banking Department and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System for approval
to merge National Bank of Geneva, Bath National Bank and Wyoming County Bank into First Tier Bank &#038;
Trust, a New York State-chartered bank and a member of the Federal Reserve System. It is planned
to rename First Tier Bank &#038; Trust prior to the consummation of the mergers.
</FONT>

<P align="left" style="font-size: 11pt">Peter G. Humphrey, Chairman, President and CEO of FII stated, &#147;The consolidation of our four banks
is an important step in our efforts to improve our credit quality, simplify our processes and
structure, ensure consistency in our lending practices and project a unified bank image throughout
our operating region.


<P align="left" style="font-size: 11pt">FII has several centralized functions for the subsidiary banks which include human resources,
training, credit administration, post-closing loan operations, deposit operations and compliance.&#148;


<P align="left" style="font-size: 11pt">Mr.&nbsp;Humphrey added, &#147;As a result of our analysis, we believe that under a one-bank holding company
structure we can achieve several objectives:


<P>
<TABLE width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 10pt">

<TR valign="top" style="font-size: 11pt; color: #000000; background: transparent">
    <TD width="5%" style="background: transparent">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="1%" nowrap align="right">&#149;</TD>
    <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>Continue to provide the quality, friendly community bank service that our customers expect</TD>
</TR>

</TABLE>


<P>
<TABLE width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 10pt">

<TR valign="top" style="font-size: 11pt; color: #000000; background: transparent">
    <TD width="5%" style="background: transparent">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="1%" nowrap align="right">&#149;</TD>
    <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>Gain greater market share throughout the region</TD>
</TR>

</TABLE>


<P>
<TABLE width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 10pt">

<TR valign="top" style="font-size: 11pt; color: #000000; background: transparent">
    <TD width="5%" style="background: transparent">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="1%" nowrap align="right">&#149;</TD>
    <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>Improve credit quality</TD>
</TR>

</TABLE>


<P>
<TABLE width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 10pt">

<TR valign="top" style="font-size: 11pt; color: #000000; background: transparent">
    <TD width="5%" style="background: transparent">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="1%" nowrap align="right">&#149;</TD>
    <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>Maintain our strong credit administration discipline</TD>
</TR>

</TABLE>


<P>
<TABLE width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 10pt">

<TR valign="top" style="font-size: 11pt; color: #000000; background: transparent">
    <TD width="5%" style="background: transparent">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="1%" nowrap align="right">&#149;</TD>
    <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>Simplify our internal and external reporting structure and requirements</TD>
</TR>

</TABLE>


<P>
<TABLE width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 10pt">

<TR valign="top" style="font-size: 11pt; color: #000000; background: transparent">
    <TD width="5%" style="background: transparent">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="1%" nowrap align="right">&#149;</TD>
    <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>Over time, reduce annual overhead expenses by over $3.0&nbsp;million</TD>
</TR>

</TABLE>


<P align="left" style="font-size: 11pt">During the merger and following, our customers will continue to receive our high level of customer
service and, except for the future name change, the event should be transparent from their
perspective.&#148;


<P align="left" style="font-size: 11pt">Under the one-bank holding company structure, it is proposed that the holding company&#146;s corporate
executive officers will hold the equivalent positions for the bank. Mr.&nbsp;Humphrey will be President
and CEO, James T. Rudgers will be Chief of Community Banking. Thomas Grover will be Chief Risk
Management Officer. Kevin Klotzbach will be Chief Investment Officer and the Chief Financial
Officer will be Ronald A. Miller. Reporting to the Chief of Community Banking will be Commercial
Banking Executive, Marty Birmingham, currently President of NBG, and Retail Banking Executive, John
Witkowski, who recently joined FII as the President of WCB. FII&#146;s board of directors will also
become the board of directors for First Tier Bank &#038; Trust, which will simplify board governance and
improve transparency. The presidents of First Tier Bank &#038; Trust and Bath National Bank, Gary M.
Rougeau and Douglas L. McCabe, respectively, will be Regional Executives for their areas.


<P align="left" style="font-size: 11pt">The regulatory approval process for the mergers is anticipated to be completed in the fourth
quarter of 2005. Upon consummation of the mergers, the bank will have a capital structure that
well exceeds regulatory requirements for a well-capitalized bank.


<P align="left" style="font-size: 11pt"><B>ABOUT FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS, INC.</B>
<BR>
With total assets of $2.2&nbsp;billion, Financial Institutions, Inc. is the parent company of Wyoming
County Bank, National Bank of Geneva, Bath National Bank and First Tier Bank &#038; Trust. The four
banks, which it has proposed to merge into a single state-chartered bank, provide a wide range of
consumer and commercial banking services to individuals, municipalities and businesses through a
network of 50 offices and 72 ATM&#146;s in Western and Central New York State. FII affiliates also
provide diversified financial services to its customers and clients, including brokerage, trust,
and insurance. More information on FII and its subsidiaries is available through the Company web
site at <U><I>www.fiiwarsaw.com</I></U>.


<P align="left" style="font-size: 11pt"><B>Safe Harbor Statement</B>
<BR>
<I>This press release contains forward-looking statements as defined by federal securities laws.
These statements may address issues that involve significant risks, uncertainties, estimates and
assumptions made by management. Actual results could differ materially from current beliefs or
projections. There are a number of important factors that could affect the Company&#146;s
forward-looking statements which include the effectiveness of its strategy, its ability to achieve
the anticipated savings, the likelihood of the approval by regulators on the merger under a single
charter ,the potential cost savings, the ability to gain market share, customer preferences, the
competitive environment and other factors discussed in the Company&#146;s filings with the Securities
and Exchange Commission. The Company undertakes no obligation to revise these statements following
the date of this press release.</I>


<P align="center" style="font-size: 11pt">###




<P align="center" style="font-size: 10pt; display: none">


<!-- v.050305 -->
</BODY>

</BODY>
</HTML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
