Company: BWFG
Filing Date: 2025-04-08
Form Type: DEF 14A
Source: 0001505732-25-000079
Chunk: 6

Company: Bankwell Financial Group, Inc.
Filing Date: 2025-04-08
Form: DEF 14A
Chunk 6
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     | For each nominee, a plurality of the votes cast for such nominee. |
| 2. |     | Advisory (non-binding) proposal on the Company’s executive compensation                  |     | A majority of the votes cast on the proposal.                     |
| 3. |     | Ratification of the selection of the Company’s independent registered public accountants |     | A majority of the votes cast on the proposal.                     |

Shareholders’ votes will be tabulated by the person appointed by the Board of Directors to act as inspector of election for the Annual Meeting.

#### PROPOSAL 1 -

### ELECTION OF DIRECTORS
The Certificate of Incorporation of the Company provides that the number of directors shall not be less than six (6) or more than sixteen (16) and permits the exact number to be determined from time to time by our Board of Directors. Our ten (10) current directors have been nominated for election to serve until the next Annual Meeting and until their successors are elected and qualified. For so long as Lawrence B. Seidman and his affiliated funds continue to own at least five percent (5%) of the outstanding shares of Company common stock, Mr. Seidman will be entitled under his Agreement with the Company to be a nominee to the Board of Directors and the Bank’s Board of Directors, subject to satisfaction of all reasonable corporate governance requirements applicable to non-employee directors and legal and regulatory requirements regarding service and election as a director. In addition, Mr. Gruseke’s employment agreement provides that he will serve as a director of the Company and the Bank on an uncompensated basis during the term of the agreement.

Except for Mr. Gruseke’s employment agreement and the Agreement dated February 5, 2020 between Mr. Seidman and the Company, as amended by amendments dated as of July 30, 2022 and December 19, 2024, pursuant to which the Company’s Board of Directors agreed to nominate Mr. Seidman to serve as a director of the Company and which are included as exhibits to the Company’s periodic reports under Section 13 of the Securities Exchange Act (the “Exchange Act”), there are no arrangements or understandings between any director, or nominee for directorship pursuant to which such director or nominee was selected as a director or nominee.

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The following table sets forth the names and certain information about each nominee for director.

| Name                   |     | Age |     | Position with the Company