<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001299933-17-001181.txt : 20171120
<SEC-HEADER>0001299933-17-001181.hdr.sgml : 20171120
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20171120162938
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001299933-17-001181
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	8-K
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		2
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20171115
ITEM INFORMATION:		Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers: Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers
ITEM INFORMATION:		Financial Statements and Exhibits
FILED AS OF DATE:		20171120
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20171120

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:		171214090

	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
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<TYPE>8-K
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<FILENAME>htm_55592.htm
<DESCRIPTION>LIVE FILING
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<TITLE> Financial Institutions, Inc. (Form: 8-K) </TITLE>
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		UNITED STATES<BR>
	SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
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	WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
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	FORM 8-K
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	CURRENT REPORT
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	Pursuant to Section&nbsp;13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
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	Date of Report (Date of Earliest Event Reported):
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	November 15, 2017
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	Financial Institutions, Inc.
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	(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
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	New York
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	0-26481
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	16-0816610
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_____________________<BR>
	(State or other jurisdiction
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_____________<BR>
	(Commission
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	(I.R.S. Employer
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	of incorporation)
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	File Number)
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	Identification No.)
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	220 Liberty Street, Warsaw, New York
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	14569
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_________________________________<BR>
	(Address of principal executive offices)
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___________<BR>
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	585-786-1100
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	Not Applicable
<BR>______________________________________________<BR>
	Former name or former address, if changed since last report
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	&nbsp;
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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:</FONT>
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[&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>
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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 (&#167;230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (&#167;240.12b-2 of this chapter).</FONT>
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Emerging growth company [&nbsp;&nbsp;]<br>
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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. [&nbsp;&nbsp;]<br>
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	Item 5.02 Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.
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On November 15, 2017, Financial Institutions, Inc. (the "Company") increased the size of its Board of Directors from eleven to twelve members and appointed Ms. Dawn H. Burlew to fill the newly-created vacancy on the Board of Directors.  Ms. Burlew is independent under the independence standards of NASDAQ.  She will receive compensation for her service as a director as described in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016.  Ms. Burlew will serve until the next annual meeting of shareholders, at which time we expect that the Board of Directors will nominate Ms. Burlew to stand for election at the annual meeting to serve a three-year term.<br><br>Ms. Burlew was not appointed pursuant to any arrangement or understanding with any person.  Neither Ms. Burlew nor any of her immediate family has been a party to any transaction with the Company, nor is any such transaction currently proposed, that would be reportable under Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K.<br><br>On November 20, 2017, the Company issued a press release announcing the increase in the size of its Board of Directors and the appointment of Ms. Burlew. A copy of this press release is filed as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K.
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	Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.
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(d) Exhibits<br><br>Exhibit 99.1 Press Release issued by Financial Institutions, Inc. on November 20, 2017.
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	Exhibit&nbsp;Index
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	Exhibit No.
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	Description
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	99.1
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	&nbsp;
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<A HREF="exhibit1.htm" >
Press Release issued by Financial Institutions, Inc. on November 20, 2017
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	SIGNATURES
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	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.
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	Financial Institutions, Inc.
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	November 20, 2017
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	By:
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	Kevin B. Klotzbach
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	Name: Kevin B. Klotzbach
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	Title: Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer
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<TYPE>EX-99.1
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<P align="right" style="font-size: 10pt"><FONT style="font-size: 14pt"><U><B>Exhibit&nbsp;99.1</B></U></FONT>



<P align="left" style="font-size: 14pt"><FONT style="font-size: 24pt"><B>Financial Institutions, Inc.</B>
</FONT>

<P align="left" style="font-size: 24pt"><FONT style="font-size: 10pt"><B>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</B>
</FONT>

<P align="center" style="font-size: 10pt"><FONT style="font-size: 14pt"><B>Financial Institutions, Inc. Appoints Dawn H. Burlew to<BR>
Board of Directors</B></FONT>



<P align="left" style="font-size: 14pt"><FONT style="font-size: 10pt"><B>WARSAW, NY &#150; November&nbsp;20, 2017 </B>&#150; Financial Institutions, Inc. (NASDAQ:FISI) (the &#147;Company&#148;),
the parent company of Five Star Bank, Scott Danahy Naylon, LLC and Courier Capital, LLC, today
announced that it has increased the size of its board of directors from eleven members to twelve.
The Company&#146;s board of directors has appointed Dawn H. Burlew to fill the vacancy.
</FONT>

<P align="left" style="font-size: 10pt">&#147;We are very pleased to add Dawn Burlew to our board of directors,&#148; said Robert N. Latella,
Chairman. &#147;She brings an in-depth understanding of economic development in New York&#146;s Southern
Tier, an important market within our overall footprint, along with strong relationships with
businesses and community members in that region. She has worked at Corning Incorporated for more
than 30&nbsp;years, gaining valuable corporate experience. In addition, she is committed to giving back
to the communities in which she lives and works, as demonstrated by the long list of her current
and past community board memberships. We welcome Dawn to our board and look forward to benefitting
from her knowledge, experience and viewpoint.&#148;


<P align="left" style="font-size: 10pt">Ms.&nbsp;Burlew is the Director of Business Development at Corning Enterprises, a division of Corning
Incorporated. She has served in this role since 2008, leading business and economic development in
Corning&#146;s central business district, as well as several local and regional communities, by
providing business and economic strategic planning to drive growth and regional economic
sustainability. Previously she was Corporate Real Estate Portfolio Manager for Corning, managing
global real estate transactions and real estate project management in excess of $200&nbsp;million
annually. Her primary focus in this role was the development of strategies to optimize resources
and processes for more than 200 properties worldwide.


<P align="left" style="font-size: 10pt">Ms.&nbsp;Burlew also serves as Supervisor for the Town of Erin. She resides near Corning, NY and is a
member of several not-for-profit boards including: Chemung County Industrial Development Agency,
Southern Tier Economic Growth (STEG), Incubator Works, Project Seneca Steering Committee, I-86
Steering Committee, Chemung County Property Development Corp., Southern Tier Regional Economic
Development Council Loan Fund, Corning&#146;s Gaffer District, Corning Area Chamber of Commerce and
Bethany Village. She also serves as Board Treasurer and member of the Executive & Finance Committee
of the Guthrie Corning Hospital Board and as Board Chair for the Regional Economic Development and
Energy Corporation (REDEC).


<P align="left" style="font-size: 10pt"><B>About Financial Institutions, Inc.</B>


<P align="left" style="font-size: 10pt">Financial Institutions, Inc. provides diversified financial services through its subsidiaries Five
Star Bank, Scott Danahy Naylon, LLC (&#147;SDN&#148;) and Courier Capital, LLC (&#147;Courier Capital&#148;).&nbsp;Five Star
Bank provides a wide range of consumer and commercial banking and lending services to individuals,
municipalities and businesses through a network of more than 50 offices throughout Western and
Central New York State.&nbsp;SDN provides a broad range of insurance services to personal and business
clients across 45 states. Courier Capital provides customized investment management, investment
consulting and retirement plan services to individuals, businesses, institutions, foundations and
retirement plans. Financial Institutions, Inc. and its subsidiaries employ approximately 650
individuals.&nbsp;The Company&#146;s stock is listed on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol
FISI.&nbsp;Additional information is available at www.fiiwarsaw.com.

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    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px"><B>For additional information contact:</B></DIV></TD>
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<P align="left" style="font-size: 10pt">Shelly J. Doran
<BR>
(585)&nbsp;627-1362
<BR>
<U>sjdoran@five-starbank.com</U>



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