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

Company: WINTRUST FINANCIAL CORP
Filing Date: 2025-04-03
Form: DEF 14A
Chunk 14
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ating Committee met five times. 9 TABLE OF CONTENTS Nomination of Directors The Nominating Committee seeks nominees from diverse professional backgrounds who combine a broad spectrum of experience and expertise with a reputation for integrity. In doing so, the Nominating Committee considers a wide range of factors in evaluating the suitability of director candidates, including a general understanding of finance and other disciplines relevant to the success of a publicly-traded company in today’s business environment, understanding of our business, education and professional background. The following personal characteristics are considered minimum qualifications for Board membership under the Corporate Governance Guidelines approved by the Board: integrity and accountability, the ability to provide informed judgments on a wide range of issues, financial literacy, a good reputation in the business community, a talent for networking and referring business to the Company, a history of achievements that reflects high standards for themselves and others, and willingness to raise tough questions in a manner that encourages open discussion. The Nominating Committee believes in an expansive definition of diversity that includes differences of experience, education and talents, age, gender, ethnicity and geography, among other things. While the Nominating Committee does not have a formal policy in this regard, the diversity of the Board is a consideration in evaluating candidates for the Board, among others, as set forth in our Corporate Governance Guidelines. The Nominating Committee also evaluates the performance of Directors and assesses the effectiveness of committees and the Board as a whole. The effectiveness of the nomination process is evaluated by the Board each year as part of its self-assessment process and by the Nominating Committee as it evaluates and identifies director candidates. The Nominating Committee does not have any single method for identifying director candidates but will consider candidates suggested by a wide range of sources and will consider director candidates recommended by our shareholders and will apply the same standards in considering director candidates recommended by shareholders as it applies to other candidates. Mr. Postma, who is standing for election by our shareholders for the first time at the Annual Meeting, was appointed to the Board on August 1, 2024, after the acquisition of Macatawa Bank Corporation. Mr. Postma previously served as Chairman of Macatawa Bank Corporation. Once the Nominating Committee receives a recommendation from a shareholder, it may request additional information from the candidate about the candidate’s independence, qualifications and other information that would assist the Nominating Committee in evaluating the candidate, as well as certain information that must be disclosed about the candidate in the Company’s proxy statement, if nominated. Shareholders may also directly