Financial Institutions, Inc. Appoints Kreienberg General Counsel & Chief Risk Officer

Financial Institutions, Inc.

, the parent company of Five Star Bank, announced today that William L. Kreienberg is joining the company as executive vice president, general counsel and chief risk officer. In his role, Mr. Kreienberg will be responsible for managing the legal, risk management and compliance activities of Financial Institutions, Inc. and its subsidiaries. Mr. Kreienberg will also serve as a legal advisor for senior management and the board of directors. "We are very excited to have someone of Bill's talent and character joining the executive management team of the company," stated Martin K. Birmingham, president and chief executive officer. "Bill's general business acumen associated with over thirty years of general corporate, real estate, and cross-disciplinary practice activities will position him to be a meaningful contributor to the executive team." The addition of Mr. Kreienberg continues the company's implementation of an Enterprise Risk Management model. The Enterprise Risk Management model will build on the company's already strong risk management culture. The framework closely integrates the organization's strategic and business plans, with governance and management processes actively monitoring and responding to risks and rewards within targeted parameters. "I am extremely excited to be joining the Five Star team. This is a wonderful organization with a rich history and a long tradition of community banking in Upstate New York," stated Kreienberg. "I am looking forward to working closely with Marty and the entire management team to complete the implementation of the Enterprise Risk Management model." Mr. Kreienberg currently serves as a Partner at Harter Secrest & Emery LLP, from which he will retire to take this position. He has extensive experience in mergers and acquisitions ("M&A") and related negotiations. In addition, he has represented both borrowers and banks over the last 30 years, gaining an intimate knowledge of the lending and workout process. He is a nationally recognized expert in the automotive industry, representing dealers on a variety of topics, including M&A activity. He is currently a member of the National Association of Dealer Counsel and is a former board member at Greater Rochester Enterprise. Mr. Kreienberg has a B.A. from Muskingum College and earned his law degree from Syracuse University. He currently resides in Rochester, N.Y. with his wife and children. Mr. Kreienberg will begin his retirement transition from Harter Secrest & Emery, LLC immediately. It is anticipated that the transition will occur over the next ninety days.