<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001193125-21-324055.txt : 20211213
<SEC-HEADER>0001193125-21-324055.hdr.sgml : 20211213
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20211109110203
<PRIVATE-TO-PUBLIC>
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001193125-21-324055
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	CORRESP
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		2
FILED AS OF DATE:		20211109

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:		CORRESP

	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
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>CORRESP
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>filename1.htm
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<HTML><HEAD>
<TITLE>CORRESP</TITLE>
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<Center><DIV STYLE="width:8.5in" align="left">
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<IMG SRC="g217162g1109203215319.jpg" ALT="LOGO">
 </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="right"><B>Samuel J. Burruano, Jr., Chief Legal Officer&nbsp;&amp; Corporate Secretary </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">November&nbsp;9, 2021 </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B><U>VIA EDGAR </U></B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Division of Corporation
Finance </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">100 F Street, N.E. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Washington, D.C. 20549 </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Attn: Ms.&nbsp;Jessica Livingston </P> <P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">Re:</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; " ALIGN="left">Financial Institutions, Inc. </P></TD></TR></TABLE>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; " ALIGN="left">Registration Statement on Form <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">S-3</FONT> </P></TD></TR></TABLE>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; " ALIGN="left">Filed October&nbsp;29, 2021 </P></TD></TR></TABLE>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; " ALIGN="left">(<U>File <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">No.&nbsp;333-260593</FONT></U>)<B> </B> </P></TD></TR></TABLE>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Ladies and Gentlemen: </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">In accordance with Rule 461 promulgated
under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, Financial Institutions, Inc., a New York corporation (the &#147;Registrant&#148;), hereby requests that the effectiveness of the registration statement on Form <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">S-3</FONT>
(File <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">No.&nbsp;333-260593)</FONT> as filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the &#147;Commission&#148;) on October&nbsp;29, 2021, be accelerated so that the registration statement becomes effective
at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Friday, November&nbsp;12, 2021, or as soon thereafter as practicable. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">If you have any questions or comments, please contact
Alexander McClean, Esq. of Harter Secrest&nbsp;&amp; Emery at (585) <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">231-1248.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</FONT> </P> <P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE CELLSPACING="0" CELLPADDING="0" WIDTH="40%" BORDER="0" STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">


<TR>

<TD WIDTH="100%"></TD></TR>


<TR STYLE="page-break-inside:avoid ; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top">Very truly yours,</TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-size:1pt">
<TD HEIGHT="16"></TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="page-break-inside:avoid ; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top">Financial Institutions, Inc.</TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-size:1pt">
<TD HEIGHT="16"></TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="page-break-inside:avoid ; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top" STYLE="BORDER-BOTTOM:1px solid #000000">/s/ Samuel J. Burruano, Jr.</TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="page-break-inside:avoid ; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="bottom"> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Samuel J. Burruano, Jr.</P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:1pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Executive Vice
President, Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary</P></TD></TR>
</TABLE> <P STYLE="margin-top:24pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>220 Liberty Street | Warsaw, NY 14569 | Tel (585) <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">627-1349</FONT> | Fax
(585) <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">627-1331</FONT> </B></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>sjburruano@five-starbank.com </B></P>
</DIV></Center>

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