UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
 Washington, D.C. 20549
 
SCHEDULE 14A
 
Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
 (Amendment No.               )
 
Filed by the Registrant  ☐
Filed by a Party other than the Registrant  ☒
Check the appropriate box:
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Preliminary Proxy Statement
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Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2))
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Definitive Proxy Statement
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Definitive Additional Materials
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Soliciting Material Pursuant to §240.14a-12
   
FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS, INC.
(Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)
CLOVER PARTNERS, L.P.
MHC MUTUAL CONVERSION FUND, L.P.
CLOVER PARTNERS MANAGEMENT, L.L.C.
JOHNNY GUERRY
TERRELL T. PHILEN, JR.
(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)
 
-with copies to-
       
 
Phillip M. Goldberg
Foley & Lardner LLP
 321 North Clark Street
Suite 2800
 Chicago, IL  60654-5313
(312) 832-4549
 
Peter D. Fetzer
Foley & Larder LLP
777 East Wisconsin Avenue
 Milwaukee, WI  53202-5306
(414) 297-5596
  
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Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11.
 
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Fee paid previously with preliminary materials.
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Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the offsetting fee was paid previously.  Identify the previous filing by registration statement number, or the Form or Schedule and the date of its filing.
 
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Filed by Clover Partners, L.P.
 
A copy of a letter to shareholders, as revised before mailing, is being filed herewith under Rule 14a-12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
 
Important Information
 
MHC Mutual Conversion Fund, L.P. has nominated Johnny Guerry and Terrell T. Philen, Jr. as nominees to the board of directors of Financial Institutions, Inc. (the “Company”) and intend to solicit votes for the election of Mr. Guerry and Mr. Philen as members of the board.   MHC Mutual Conversion Fund, L.P. will send a definitive proxy statement, WHITE proxy card and related proxy materials to shareholders of the Company seeking their support of Mr. Guerry and Mr. Philen at the Company’s 2016 Annual Meeting of Stockholders.  Stockholders are urged to read the definitive proxy statement and WHITE proxy card when they become available, because they will contain important information about the participants in the solicitation, Mr. Guerry and Mr. Philen, the Company and related matters.  Stockholders may obtain a free copy of the definitive proxy statement and WHITE proxy card (when available) and other documents filed by MHC Mutual Conversion Fund, L.P. with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) at the SEC’s web site at www.sec.gov.  The definitive proxy statement (when available) and other related SEC documents filed by MHC Mutual Conversion Fund, L.P. with the SEC may also be obtained free of charge from the MHC Mutual Conversion Fund.
 
Participants in Solicitation
 
The participants in the solicitation by MHC Mutual Conversion Fund, L.P. consist of the following persons (the “Participants”): MHC Mutual Conversion Fund, L.P., Clover Partners, L.P., Clover Partners Management, L.L.C., Johnny Guerry and Terrell T. Philen, Jr.  Such participants may have interests in the solicitation, including as a result of holding shares of the Company’s common stock.  Information regarding the participants and their interests may be found in the Notice of Intent to Nominate Directors and Submit Nominees for Election that MHC Mutual Conversion Fund, L.P. filed with the SEC on April 13, 2016, which is incorporated herein by reference.