Blake Jones Named Chief Marketing Officer of Five Star Bank

ROCHESTER, N.Y., Sept. 18, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Financial Institutions, Inc. (NASDAQ: FISI), parent company of Five Star Bank (“Five Star” or the “Bank”), SDN Insurance Agency, LLC, and Courier Capital, LLC announced that Blake Jones has joined as Senior Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer of the Bank.

In this role, Ms. Jones will support development of the strategic framework and long-term vision for the Bank. She will lead both marketing and analytics on an enterprise-wide basis, focusing on strategy, brand and performance marketing, and audience insights. Ms. Jones will report to Justin K. Bigham, Executive Vice President, Chief Community Banking Officer.

“As Five Star Bank grows and evolves for the future, Blake’s experience leading diversified financial services brand development will be immensely valuable,” said Mr. Bigham. “I look forward to her contributions and fresh perspective as Five Star Bank continues on its growth trajectory while staying true to its purpose of helping customers and communities thrive.”

Ms. Jones joins Five Star from Arrow Financial Corp., where she most recently served as Senior Vice President, Marketing Director. Prior to joining the Glens Falls, NY-based public company in 2012, Ms. Jones was a journalist and editor with publications in New York, Hawaii and California.

“I am excited to join Five Star Bank and support its mission of fostering financial wellbeing. Community banking is about connection, and in this new role I look forward to advancing the brand, contributing to its growth and messaging the unique value that Five Star and its affiliates bring to our markets,” Ms. Jones said.

Ms. Jones will be based in Rochester. Active in the community, she recently served on the Board and Executive Committee of the Family YMCA of Glens Falls, as well as on the Marketing Committees of the Tri-County United Way and the Southern Adirondack Child Care Network. She is also a past classroom volunteer with Junior Achievement of Northeastern New York.

Ms. Jones earned her Bachelor’s in Mass Communications from Washington and Lee University.

About Financial Institutions, Inc. and Five Star Bank
Financial Institutions, Inc. (NASDAQ: FISI) is an innovative financial holding company with approximately $6.1 billion in assets offering banking, insurance and wealth management products and services through a network of subsidiaries. Its Five Star Bank subsidiary provides consumer and commercial banking and lending services to individuals, municipalities and businesses throughout Western and Central New York and its Mid-Atlantic commercial loan production office serves the Baltimore and Washington, D.C. region. SDN Insurance Agency, LLC provides a broad range of insurance services to personal and business clients, while Courier Capital, LLC offers customized investment management, financial planning and consulting services to individuals and families, businesses, institutions, non-profits and retirement plans. Learn more at Five-StarBank.com and FISI-investors.com.

For additional information contact:
Kate Croft
Director, Investor and External Relations
716-817-5159
klcroft@five-starbank.com