Company: WTFCN
Filing Date: 2025-04-03
Form Type: DEF 14A
Source: 0001104659-25-031671
Chunk: 5

Company: WINTRUST FINANCIAL CORP
Filing Date: 2025-04-03
Form: DEF 14A
Chunk 5
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 acknowledge their obligation to keep your votes confidential. Who pays to prepare, mail and solicit the proxies? The Company pays all of the costs of preparing, mailing and soliciting proxies. The Company asks brokers, banks, voting trustees and other nominees and fiduciaries to forward proxy materials to the beneficial owners and to obtain authority to execute proxies. The Company will reimburse the brokers, banks, voting trustees and other nominees and fiduciaries upon request. In addition to solicitation by mail, telephone, 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS facsimile, internet or personal contact by its officers and employees, the Company has retained the services of Morrow Sodali LLC, 333 Ludlow Street, 5th Floor, South Tower, Stamford, Connecticut 06902, to solicit proxies for a fee of $10,000 plus expenses. What are the Board’s recommendations as to how I should vote on each proposal? The Board recommends a vote: • FOR the election of each of the 13 Director nominees named in this Proxy Statement; • FOR the proposal to approve the 2025 Plan; • FOR the approval, on an advisory (non-binding) basis, of the Company’s executive compensation as described in this Proxy Statement; and • FOR the ratification of the Audit Committee’s appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for fiscal year 2025. How will my shares be voted if I sign, date and return my proxy card? If you sign, date and return your proxy card and indicate how you would like your shares voted, your shares will be voted as you have instructed. If you sign, date and return your proxy card but do not indicate how you would like your shares voted, your proxy will be voted: • FOR the election of each of the 13 Director nominees named in this Proxy Statement; • FOR the proposal to approve the 2025 Plan; • FOR the approval, on an advisory (non-binding) basis, of the Company’s executive compensation as described in this Proxy Statement; and • FOR the ratification of the Audit Committee’s appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for fiscal year 2025. With respect to any other business that may properly come before the meeting, or any adjournment of the meeting, that is submitted to a vote of the shareholders, including whether or not to adjourn the meeting, your shares will be voted in accordance with the best judgment of the persons voting the proxies. How will broker non-votes be