Community Bank System Updates Succession Plan

SYRACUSE, N.Y., Feb. 27 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Community Bank System, Inc. (NYSE: CBU) today announced that Sanford A. Belden, President and Chief Executive Officer of the company, has chosen to take a more limited and focused role after his previously announced retirement as President and Chief Executive Officer, by not standing for re-election to the Board of Directors. He will continue to serve as President and Chief Executive Officer of the company and Community Bank, N.A. until July 31, 2006 at which time he will be succeeded as President and Chief Executive Officer by Mark E. Tryniski, all as previously announced. Mr. Belden will then serve as a consultant to CBU for a thirty-six (36) month period commencing on August 1, 2006.

Mr. Belden commented "I am delighted with the excellent progress Mark is making in preparing to become successor Chief Executive Officer. Given that excellent progress coupled with our family's plan to permanently relocate outside of CBU's franchise suggests that it is appropriate and responsible for me to take a more limited and focused role at CBU. I look forward to serving the company and Mark as a consultant with a particular focus on mergers and acquisitions. I also look forward to the Company's continued growth and success under Mark's able leadership and the capable and seasoned management team we have put in place."

Community Bank System, Inc. (NYSE: CBU) is a registered bank holding company based in DeWitt, N.Y. Its wholly-owned banking subsidiary has $4.2 billion in assets and 130 customer facilities across Upstate New York, where it operates as Community Bank, N.A., and Northeastern Pennsylvania, where it operates as First Liberty Bank & Trust. For further information, please visit our websites at: http://www.communitybankna.com or http://www.firstlibertybank.com.

SOURCE  Community Bank System, Inc.
    -0-                             02/27/2006
    /CONTACT:  Mr. Sanford A. Belden, President & Chief Executive Officer,
+1-315-445-7304, or Mr. Mark E. Tryniski, Executive Vice President & Chief
Operating Officer, +1-315-445-7378, both of Community Bank System, Inc./
    /Web site:  http://www.communitybankna.comhttp://www.firstlibertybank.com /
    (CBU)

CO:  Community Bank System, Inc.
ST:  New York
IN:  FIN
SU:  PER

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