Local Leadership

Marty Birmingham

President and Chief Executive Officer

Martin K. Birmingham has served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Five Star Bank and its parent company, Financial Institutions, Inc., since 2013 and joined the Bank in 2005. He began his more than 35-year banking career in 1989 with Fleet Financial Group, where he held several progressive corporate banking roles until it was acquired by Bank of America and he was named President of the Rochester Market.

Marty’s leadership in the communities that Five Star serves is expansive, both in his capacity as the Company’s President and CEO and through his service to various boards.  He currently serves on the Boards of the University of Rochester Medical Center, Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce, MCC Foundation, ROC2025, St. John Fisher College, AAA of Central and Western New York, Inc., the Business Council of New York State. He also serves as Chair of the New York Bankers Association. 

Samuel J. Burruano Jr. has been Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary of Five Star Bank and its parent company, Financial Institutions, Inc.,  since 2021 and joined the Company in 2016. Previously, he held various legal and compliance positions at First Niagara Bank, NA beginning in March 2011, most recently serving as Assistant General Counsel, Retail Services and Assistant Corporate Secretary. Sam has practiced law since 1993 and was an attorney at the law firm of Hiscock & Barclay, LLP, from December 1993 to March 2011, where he ascended from associate counsel to partner.

Sam currently serves on the Board of Directors of Field and Fork Network, an organization committed to building a stronger, more equitable food system in New York State. He also serves as a Lector at St. John the Baptist Church. 

W. Jack Plants II has been Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of Financial Institutions, Inc. and Five Star Bank since 2021. Prior to joining Five Star in 2019, he served as Senior Vice President and Treasurer of United Bank, where he progressed from Treasury Manager to Treasurer during his seven-year tenure. Earlier in his career, Jack served in various treasury and credit roles at GE Capital, GE Commercial Finance and Five Star Bank, where he started his banking career.

Jack is very active in his local community, serving the boards and committees of the Seneca Park Zoo, Renaissance Academy and the United Way of Greater Rochester and the Finger Lakes. He is also a volunteer with the Cuba Lake Yacht Club’s Youth Sailing Program. 

Laurie R. Collins was named Chief Human Resources Officer of the Bank in 2021. Prior to joining Five Star, she held senior human resources roles at Columbus McKinnon Corporation, most recently serving as Global Director – Total Rewards, Culture, and HR Technology. Prior to her tenure at Columbus McKinnon Corporation, Laurie served for 11 years in roles of increasing responsibility in the human resources department at PepsiCo, Inc.

Laurie currently serves on the boards of Junior Achievement of Western New York and the Buffalo Museum of Science. She is also actively involved with the Nardin Academy Bufalo Alumni Chapter and Alumni Advisory Council, Girl Scouts of Western New York and President’s Council of Cornell Women. 

Blake G. Jones has been Chief Marketing Officer of Five Star Bank since 2023.  She joined the Company from Arrow Financial Corporation, where she served in roles of steadily increasing responsibility during her 11-year tenure, recently serving as Senior Vice President, Marketing Director. Earlier in her career, Blake was a journalist and editor with news publications in New York, Hawaii and California.

Blake serves on the board of the Junior Achievement of Central Upstate New York. Before relocating to Rochester, she served on the boards of the Family YMCA of Glens Falls, Tri-County United Way and the Southern Adirondack Child Care Network. 

Kevin B. Quinn has been Chief Commercial Banking Officer of Five Star Bank since 2021. He joined the Bank in 2020 as Senior Vice President, Commercial Banking Executive. Previously, Kevin served for 15 years in leadership roles with HSBC Bank USA, NA, including as Managing Director and Regional Head of Corporate Banking. He began his career as an attorney with Jones Day in Cleveland, Ohio and subsequently spent 10 years in commercial banking at M&T Bank.

Kevin currently serves on the Shea’s Performing Arts Center Board of Trustees and on the board of The Buffalo Club. His past board services includes the Buffalo Niagara Partnership, Invest Buffalo Niagara, Junior Achievement of Western New York, the Irish Classical Theatre Company and Nardin Academy. 

Gary A. Pacos was named Chief Risk Officer of the Bank in 2023. He joined the Bank from Bank OZK, where he had served as Chief Compliance Officer since 2020. Prior to that, Gary held senior compliance roles at KeyBank from 2016 to 2020 and First Niagara Bank, N.A. from 2010 to 2016. Earlier in his career, Gary held varying roles related to Compliance, Consumer Credit, Audit and Operations at M&T Bank and HSBC Bank USA, N.A. 

In addition to his banking career, he served our country in the United States Army as a Senior Army Aviator rising to the rank of Major, and remained in the New York Army National Guard until his retirement in 2008. He remains committed to supporting his fellow veterans and serves on the board of WNY Heroes, Inc., a non-profit dedicated to making a difference for our Western New York veterans and troops. 

Eric Marks

Senior Vice President, Chief Consumer Banking Officer

Eric W. Marks was named Senior Vice President, Chief Consumer Banking Officer of Five Star Bank in 2025. He joined the Company from M&T Bank, where he had most recently served as its Retail Segment Chief Financial Officer. During his 19-year tenure at M&T, Mr. Marks held roles of increasing responsibility in several enterprise functions and lines of business, including corporate and consumer strategy, mortgage, branch distribution planning, consumer deposit pricing and portfolio management, as well as consumer indirect lending.

Eric has a long history of community volunteerism, previously serving on the boards of the Orchard Park Little League, the Orchard Park Boys and Girls Club, Western New York Heritage Press, and more.