Company: WTFCN
Filing Date: 2025-04-03
Form Type: DEF 14A
Source: 0001104659-25-031671
Chunk: 70

Company: WINTRUST FINANCIAL CORP
Filing Date: 2025-04-03
Form: DEF 14A
Chunk 70
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 Short Selling . The Company’s employees, including its executive officers and Directors, are prohibited from engaging in short selling of the Common Stock or engaging in hedging or offsetting transactions regarding the Common Stock. Prohibition on Pledging Stock . In April 2013, the Company adopted a policy prohibiting executive officers and Directors from pledging any of the Company’s securities. Stock Ownership Guidelines . The Company has adopted stock ownership guidelines for our executive officers as part of our commitment to corporate governance and to strengthen the alignment of interests between our executive officers and shareholders. Under the guidelines, our CEO and other NEOs are expected to accumulate shares of Common Stock to meet the applicable ownership level within five years of their election or appointment. For purposes of the guidelines, “shares” include shares owned by the executive or the executive’s immediate family members residing in the same household, including shares held in the Company’s 401(k) plan or employee stock purchase plan, shares held in trust for the benefit of the executive or the executive’s family, shares obtained through stock option exercises, deferred shares, shares of time-based restricted stock and restricted stock units granted under the Company’s equity plans. Unvested performance-based restricted stock units and unexercised stock options are not counted as “shares” under the guidelines.

| ​ | ​ | Title                                                                              | ​ | ​ | ​ | Guideline           | ​ | ​ |
| ​ | ​ | Chief Executive Officer                                                            | ​ | ​ | ​ | 6 times base salary | ​ | ​ |
| ​ | ​ | Vice Chairman and Chief Operating Officer, Vice Chairman and Chief Lending Officer | ​ | ​ | ​ | 3 times base salary | ​ | ​ |
| ​ | ​ | Other Named Executive Officers                                                     | ​ | ​ | ​ | 1 times base salary | ​ | ​ |

The Committee reviews an executive’s progress toward achieving the applicable guideline. An executive’s progress toward the applicable ownership guideline is expected to be approximately 20% per year. If the Committee determines that an executive has not demonstrated sufficient progress toward compliance with the applicable guideline, it may take appropriate action. The Committee determined that each of these executives met this requirement as of December 31, 2024. Compensation Process and Roles Role of Management . The Committee made all 2024 compensation decisions for our NEOs. Mr. Crane annually reviews the performance of each of the Company’s and its subsidiaries’ officers (other than Mr. Crane whose performance is reviewed by the Committee). The conclusions reached and the compensation recommendations based