Company: ASB
Filing Date: 2025-03-17
Form Type: DEF 14A
Source: 0000007789-25-000025
Chunk: 81

Company: ASSOCIATED BANC-CORP
Filing Date: 2025-03-17
Form: DEF 14A
Chunk 81
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 act between meetings of the Audit Committee. Any pre-approval given by the Chairman of the Audit Committee pursuant to this delegation is presented to the full Audit Committee at its next regularly scheduled meeting. The Audit Committee or Chairman of the Audit Committee reviews and, if appropriate, approves non-audit service engagements, taking into account the proposed scope of the non-audit services, the proposed fees for the non-audit services, whether the non- audit services are permissible under applicable law or regulation, and the likely impact of the non-audit services on the independent registered public accounting firm’s independence. During 2024, each new engagement of Associated’s independent registered public accounting firm to perform audit and non- audit services was approved in advance by the Audit Committee or the Chairman of the Audit Committee pursuant to the foregoing procedures. The Audit Committee of the Board of Associated considers that the provision of the services referenced above to Associated is compatible with maintaining independence by KPMG LLP.

| RECOMMENDATION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS |

**The Board recommends that shareholders vote “FOR” the selection of KPMG LLP as Associated’s independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending December 31, 2025.

67

REPORT OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE**

The Audit Committee of the Board is responsible for providing independent, objective oversight of Associated’s accounting

functions and internal controls. The Audit Committee is currently composed of four directors, each of whom meets the

independence requirements set forth under the Exchange Act requirements and in NYSE corporate governance rules. The Audit

Committee operates under a written charter approved by the Board. The Charter can be found at Associated’s website at

www.associatedbank.com, “Investor Relations,” “Governance Documents.” Associated’s Board has also determined that all of

the members of the Audit Committee are “audit committee financial experts” based upon their education and work experience.

Associated believes Mr. Gerken is an “audit committee financial expert” based upon his status as a Chartered Financial Analyst

(CFA), and his experience as a CEO overseeing the issuance of public company (mutual fund) financial statements. Associated

considers Mr. Jeffe to be an “audit committee financial expert” based on his experience as Co-Chair and Co-Founder of a

private oil and gas company, his extensive investment banking experience and his service as chair of the audit committees of

two private companies. Associated considers Mr. Jones-Tyson to be an “audit committee financial expert” based on his

extensive leadership