SEC Form DEF 14A filed by Citizens & Northern Corp

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C.  20549

SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION

Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Securities

Exchange Act of 1934 (Amendment No.    )

Filed by the Registrant  ☒

Filed by a Party other than the Registrant  ☐

Check the appropriate box:

☐  Preliminary Proxy Statement

☐  CONFIDENTIAL, FOR USE OF THE COMMISSION ONLY (AS PERMITTED BY RULE 14A-6(E) (2))

☒ Definitive Proxy Statement

☐  Definitive Additional Materials

☐  Soliciting Material Pursuant to § 240.14a-12

CITIZENS & NORTHERN CORPORATION

(Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)

(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)

Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):

☒  No fee required

☐  Fee paid previously with preliminary materials.

☐  Fee computed on table in exhibit required by Item 25(b) per Exchange Act Rules 14a6(i)(1) and 0-11

90-92 Main Street

Wellsboro, Pennsylvania 16901

NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS

TO BE HELD THURSDAY, APRIL 24, 2025

TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS:

Notice is hereby given that the Annual Meeting of Shareholders of Citizens & Northern Corporation (the “Corporation”) will be held in a virtual meeting format only with no physical location on Thursday, April 24, 2025, at 2:00 P.M., local time, for the following purposes:

“Resolved, that the shareholders approve the compensation paid to the Named Executive Officers of the Corporation pursuant to the policies and procedures employed by the Corporation, as described in the Compensation Discussion and Analysis and tabular disclosure regarding Named Executive Officer compensation (together with the accompanying narrative disclosure) in this Proxy Statement”;

The Board of Directors recommends that you vote “FOR” the election of each of the nominees for director listed in the enclosed proxy statement; “FOR” approval of the advisory, non-binding resolution approving the compensation of the Corporation’s Named Executive Officers; and “FOR” ratification of the appointment of Crowe LLP as the Corporation’s independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending December 31, 2025.

We have elected to provide access to our proxy materials over the Internet using the Securities and Exchange Commission’s “notice and access” rules. Details regarding the business to be conducted are described in the Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials (“Notice”) you received in the mail and in this proxy statement. We have also made available a copy of our 2024 Annual Report on Form 10-K with this proxy statement. We encourage you to read our Annual Report. It includes our audited financial statements and provides information about our business.

The Annual Meeting will be hosted in a virtual format only online via live webcast. You will not be able to attend the Annual Meeting in person. You will be able to attend and participate in the Annual Meeting online, vote your shares electronically and submit your questions prior to and during the meeting by visiting https://web.lumiagm.com/244346915, click on “I have a control number,” enter the control number found on your proxy card, voting instruction form or notice that you received previously, and enter the password: citizens2025 (the password is case sensitive).

If your shares are held in “street name” through a broker, bank, or other nominee, in order to participate in the virtual annual meeting, you must first obtain a legal proxy from your broker, bank or other nominee reflecting the number of shares of Citizens & Northern Corporation common stock you held as of the record date, your name and email address. You then must submit a request for registration to American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC: (1) by email to [email protected]; (2) by fax to 718-765-8730 or (3) by mail to: Equiniti Trust Company, LLC  55 Challenger Rd Suite 200B 2nd floor Ridgefield Park, NJ 07660. Requests for registration must be labeled as “Legal Proxy” and be received by American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC no later than 5:00 p.m. Eastern time on April 18, 2025.

Your vote is important regardless of the number of shares you own. You may vote during the Annual Meeting by following the instructions on the meeting website during the meeting. Whether or not you plan to attend the Annual Meeting, the Board of Directors encourages you to vote your shares. You may vote over the Internet, as well as by telephone, or, if you requested to receive printed proxy materials, by mailing a proxy or voting instruction card. Please review the instructions described in this proxy statement, as well as in the Notice you received in the mail. This will not prevent you from voting at the meeting but will assure that your vote is counted if you are unable to participate.

Only shareholders of record at the close of business on February 5, 2025, the record date for the Annual Meeting, are entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the Annual Meeting.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

90-92 Main Street

Wellsboro, Pennsylvania 16901

PROXY STATEMENT

Annual Meeting of Shareholders – April 24, 2025

Annual Meeting Information

This proxy statement is furnished in connection with the solicitation of proxies by the Board of Directors of Citizens & Northern Corporation (the “Corporation”) to be used at the Annual Meeting of Shareholders of the Corporation to be held on Thursday, April 24, 2025, at 2:00 P.M., in a virtual meeting format only with no physical location, and at any adjournments or postponements thereof. This proxy statement was first made available to shareholders on March 14, 2025.

Who is entitled to vote?

Shareholders owning Corporation common stock on February 5, 2025 are entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting or any adjournment or postponement of the meeting. Each shareholder has one vote per share on all matters to be voted on. On February 5, 2025, there were 15,467,390 shares of Corporation common stock outstanding.

On what am I voting?

You will be asked to vote on the following matters:

The Board of Directors is not aware of any other matters to be presented for action at the Annual Meeting. If any other matter requiring a vote of the shareholders would be presented at the meeting, the proxies will vote according to the directions of the Corporation’s management.

How does the Board of Directors recommend I vote on the proposals?

The Board of Directors recommends that you vote “FOR” the election of each of the nominees for director listed in the enclosed proxy statement; “FOR” approval of the advisory, non-binding resolution approving the compensation of the Corporation’s Named Executive Officers; and “FOR” ratification of the appointment of Crowe LLP as the Corporation’s independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending December 31, 2025.

How are proxy materials being disseminated?

In accordance with rules adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), we have elected to furnish proxy materials, including this proxy statement and our 2024 Annual Report on Form 10-K, to our shareholders by providing access to such documents on the Internet instead of mailing printed copies. Most shareholders will not receive printed copies of the proxy materials unless they request them. Instead, the Notice, which was mailed to most of our shareholders, provides instructions as to how you may access and review all the proxy materials on the Internet. The Notice also instructs you as to how you may submit your proxy via the Internet. If you would like to receive a paper or email copy of our proxy materials, you should follow the instructions for requesting such materials in the Notice.

If you received more than one Notice, it means that your shares are registered differently and are held in more than one account. To ensure that all shares are voted, please either vote each account over the Internet or by telephone, or sign and return by mail all proxy cards or voting instruction forms requested in paper format.

How do I vote?

As described in the Notice, you may vote by any of the following methods:

Internet. Go to www.voteproxy.com 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and follow the instructions. You will need the control number included in the Notice, proxy card or voting instructions form that is sent to you. The Internet voting system allows you to confirm that the system has properly recorded your votes. This method of voting will be available until 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time, on April 23, 2025.

Telephone. Call toll-free 1-800-PROXIES 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and follow the instructions. You will need the control number included in the Notice, proxy card or voting instructions form that is sent to you. As with Internet voting, you will be able to confirm the system has properly recorded your votes. This method of voting will be available until 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time, on April 23, 2025.

Mail. If you are a shareholder of record and you elect to receive your proxy materials by mail, you can vote by marking, dating, and signing your proxy card exactly as your name appears on the card and returning it by mail in the postage-paid envelope that will be provided to you. If you hold your shares in street name and you elect to receive your proxy materials by mail, you can vote by completing and mailing the voting instructions form that will be provided by your bank, broker, or other holder of record. You should mail the proxy card or voting instruction form in plenty of time to allow delivery before the meeting. Do not mail the proxy card or voting instruction form if you are voting over the Internet or by telephone.

At the Virtual Annual Meeting. Unless your shares are held in “street name,” you may vote your shares at the virtual Annual Meeting. We encourage you to vote via the Internet or by telephone prior to the meeting. It is fast and convenient, your vote is recorded immediately, and there is no risk that postal delays will cause your vote to arrive late and therefore not be counted. If your shares are held in “street name” through a broker, bank, or other nominee, in order to participate in the virtual annual meeting, you must first obtain a legal proxy from your broker, bank or other nominee reflecting the number of shares of Citizens & Northern Corporation, common stock you held as of the record date, your name and email address. You then must submit a request for registration to American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC: (1) by email to [email protected]; (2) by fax to 718-765-8730 or (3) by mail to :          Equiniti Trust Company, LLC  55 Challenger Rd Suite 200B 2nd floor Ridgefield Park, NJ 07660. Requests for registration must be labeled as “Legal Proxy” and be received by American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC no later than 5:00 p.m. Eastern time on April 18, 2025.

How do I change my vote?

If you give the vote we are soliciting, you may revoke it at any time before it is exercised:

A shareholder whose shares are held in street name should follow the instructions of his or her broker regarding revocation of proxies. You should note that your presence at the meeting without voting virtually will not revoke an otherwise valid proxy.

What is a quorum?

A “quorum” is the presence at the meeting, virtually or by proxy, of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares. There must be a quorum for the meeting to be held. Abstentions are counted for purposes of determining the presence or absence of a quorum but are not considered as a vote cast under Pennsylvania law. Brokers holding shares in “street name” for their customers generally are not entitled to vote on certain matters unless they receive voting instructions from their customers. Such shares for which brokers have not received voting instructions from their customers are called “broker non-votes.” Under Pennsylvania law, broker non-votes will be counted to determine if a quorum is present with respect to any matter to be voted upon by shareholders at the meeting only if such shares have been voted at the meeting on a matter other than a procedural motion.

What vote is required to approve the proposals?

The election of directors is subject to a majority vote requirement under which any director who does not receive a majority of the votes cast in an uncontested election must tender his or her resignation to the Board. The four (4) nominees for election to the Board of Directors are subject to the majority voting requirement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event of a contested election of directors, directors shall be elected by the vote of a plurality of the votes cast at any meeting for the election of directors at which a quorum is present. “Withhold” votes will have the effect of a vote against a nominee. Abstentions and broker non-votes will have no effect on the election of directors.

Approval of the advisory (non-binding) resolution on the compensation paid to Named Executive Officers, and ratification of the appointment of Crowe LLP as the Corporation’s independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending December 31, 2025, require the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast at the meeting, virtually or by proxy. Abstentions and broker non-votes will have no effect in calculating the votes on these matters.

Who will count the vote?

The Judges of Election appointed by the Board of Directors will count the votes cast virtually or by proxy at the meeting.

How are proxies being solicited?

The Corporation will bear its own cost of solicitation of proxies for the meeting. In addition to solicitation by mail, the company’s directors, officers and employees may solicit proxies personally or by telephone, facsimile transmission or otherwise. These directors, officers and employees will not be additionally compensated for their solicitation efforts but may be reimbursed for out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with these efforts. The Corporation will reimburse brokerage firms, fiduciaries, nominees, and others for their out-of-pocket expenses incurred in forwarding proxy materials to beneficial owners of shares of common stock held in their names.

What is the deadline for shareholder proposals for next year’s Annual Meeting?

Any shareholder who, in accordance with and subject to the provisions of the proxy rules of the SEC, wishes to submit a proposal for inclusion in the Corporation’s proxy statement for its 2026 Annual Meeting of Shareholders must deliver the proposal in writing to the Secretary of Citizens & Northern Corporation at the Corporation’s principal executive offices at 90-92 Main Street, Wellsboro, Pennsylvania, no later than November 15, 2025.

For any proposal that is not submitted for inclusion in next year’s proxy statement (as described in the preceding paragraph) but is instead sought to be presented directly at the next Annual Meeting, the Corporation’s Articles of Incorporation require shareholders to give advance notice of such proposals. The required notice, which must include the information and documents set forth in the Articles of Incorporation, must be given no more than 50 days and no less than 14 days prior to the Annual Meeting. If notice is not received by the Corporation within this time frame, the Corporation will consider such notice untimely.

Under Rule 14a-4(c)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, if any shareholder proposal intended to be presented at the Annual Meeting without inclusion in our proxy statement is received within the required time frame and is properly presented, then a proxy will have the ability to confer discretionary authority to vote on the proposal.

Internet Availability of Proxy Materials

Important Notice About the Availability of Proxy Materials for the Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be Held on April 24, 2025: This proxy statement, proxy card and the Corporation’s annual report to shareholders are available at: http://www.astproxyportal.com/ast/11697/.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This proxy statement and the documents that have been incorporated herein by reference may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. In some cases, these statements can be identified by the use of words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “can,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “should,” “target,” “will,” “would” and similar expressions. Actual results and trends could differ materially from those set forth in such statements due to various risks, uncertainties and other factors. Such risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results and experience to differ from those projected include, but are not limited to, the following:

Although forward-looking statements help provide additional information about us, investors should keep in mind that forward-looking statements are only predictions, at a point in time, and are inherently less reliable than historical information. You are urged not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this proxy statement. We assume no obligation to update any forward-looking statement in order to reflect any event or circumstance that may arise after the date of this proxy statement, other than as may be required by applicable law or regulation.

PROPOSAL 1 -- ELECTION OF DIRECTORS

Board of Directors

Our Articles of Incorporation provide that the Board of Directors shall consist of not less than five (5) nor more than twenty-five (25) directors and that within these limits the number of directors shall be as established by the Board of Directors. The Articles further provide that the Board shall be classified into three classes, as nearly equal in number as possible. One class of directors is elected annually, and the term for each class is three (3) years. Any vacancy occurring on the Board of Directors, for any reason, may be filled by a majority of directors then in office to serve until the expiration of the term of the vacancy. There are currently eleven (11) members of the Corporation’s Board of Directors.

At the 2025 Annual Meeting, four (4) Class II directors are to be elected to serve for a three-year term.

Nominees for Election

The Board of Directors proposes the following four (4) nominees be elected as Class II directors for terms expiring at the 2028 Annual Meeting of Shareholders: Susan E. Hartley, Leo F. Lambert, Helen S. Santiago, and Katherine W. Shattuck. Each nominee currently serves as a director of the Corporation.

The election of directors is subject to a majority vote requirement under which any director who does not receive a majority of the votes cast in an uncontested election must tender his or her resignation as a director of the Corporation via the Chairperson of the Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee. A director whose resignation is under consideration shall abstain from participating in any recommendation or decision regarding that resignation. The Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee shall make a recommendation to the Board whether to accept, reject or otherwise act with respect to the tendered resignation. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event of a contested election of directors, directors shall be elected by the vote of a plurality of the votes cast at any meeting for the election of directors at which a quorum is present.

Unless otherwise instructed, proxies received from shareholders will be voted for the nominees named in this proxy statement. If a nominee should become unavailable for any reason, proxies will be voted for a substitute nominee determined by the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors has no reason to believe that the nominees will be unable to serve if elected.

Cumulative voting does not exist in the election of directors. Each share of Corporation common stock is entitled to cast one vote for each nominee. For example, if a shareholder owns ten shares of common stock, he or she may cast up to ten votes for each of the four nominees to be elected.

The Board of Directors recommends a vote “FOR” the election of the nominees identified above, each of whom has consented to be named as a nominee and to serve if elected.

Director Qualifications

We provide below information as of the date of this proxy statement about each nominee and director of the Corporation. The information includes information each director has given us about his/her age, all positions held, principal occupation and business experience for the past five years, and the names of other publicly held companies of which he or she currently serves as a director or has served as a director during the past five years. In addition to the information presented below regarding each nominee’s specific experience, qualifications, attributes and skills that led the Board of Directors to conclude that he or she should serve as a director, we also believe that all of our directors and nominees have demonstrated good judgment, strength of character, and an independent mind, as well as a reputation for integrity and the highest personal and professional ethics.

The age shown below for each director is as of April 24, 2025, which is the date of the annual shareholders meeting.

Nominees as Class II Directors for a term expiring at the 2028 Annual Meeting

Susan E. Hartley

Director since: 1998

Age: 67

Ms. Hartley has been an attorney since 1984. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Elmira College, Master of Arts degree from State University of New York at Buffalo, and Doctorate of Jurisprudence from State University of New York at Buffalo School of Law. Ms. Hartley has completed the Bank Director Certification Program. We believe Ms. Hartley’s qualifications to serve as a director of the Corporation include her experience as an attorney and her over 20 years of experience as a director of the Corporation.

Leo F. Lambert

Director since: 2001

Age: 71

Mr. Lambert served as the President and General Manager of Fitzpatrick & Lambert, Inc., in Dushore, PA until retiring in 2022. Mr. Lambert received his Bachelor of Science degree from St. Francis College Loretto. Mr. Lambert has served and continues to serve on many nonprofit boards within his community. We believe Mr. Lambert’s qualifications to serve as a director of the Corporation include his over 40 years of experience as a local business owner, entrepreneur and community leader, as well as over 20 years of experience as a director of the Corporation.

Helen S. Santiago

Director since: 2021

Age: 45

Ms. Santiago has served as a CPA for LaBarr & LaBarr, LLC in Sayre, PA since 2009 where her focus is income tax preparation, tax planning and financial statements. Prior to returning to Bradford County, she worked for KPMG in Philadelphia for seven years, earned her CPA license and served as an auditor before being promoted to Manager. Ms. Santiago earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Susquehanna University. Ms. Santiago serves as a director for the Mutual Capital Group. She is involved in the community as Secretary of the Bradford/Sullivan Counties’ Outstanding Young Woman Program. She’s also active in the Parent/Teacher Guild (PTG) of St. Agnes School in Towanda, PA. We believe Ms. Santiago’s qualifications to serve as a director of the Corporation include her extensive experience in public accounting.

Katherine W. Shattuck

Director since: 2021

Age: 50

Ms. Shattuck is a Managing Partner at Korn Ferry, the global leader in talent management and executive search, where she leads the Pennsylvania team and is a core member of the Global Financial Market practice. She is an expert in building and developing effective leadership teams at the C-suite, board and senior executive level. Ms. Shattuck holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and an MPA from Harvard Kennedy School. She graduated from The United States Military Academy at West Point and is an Army veteran. Ms. Shattuck has significant board governance experience, completing Phase I of Board Director Certification including Audit, Compensation, Governance, Risk and Regulatory Environment and Bank Director’s Corporate Governance Workshop. Currently, Ms. Shattuck serves as a Board Member of the Robert Packer Hospital, Investment Committee for the Felician Sisters of North America and Nominating Committee for the Girl Scouts of the National Capital Region. She served West Point as a volunteer for over fifteen years, culminating in service as a Director for the West Point Association of Graduates, with service as Chair, Ethics Committee and Vice-Chair, Finance Committee.  We believe Ms. Shattuck’s qualifications to serve as a director of the Corporation include her extensive experience in leadership, financial services, governance and talent acquisition.

Continuing Class I Directors for a term expiring at the 2027 Annual Meeting

Bobbi J. Kilmer

Director since: 2018

Age: 61

Ms. Kilmer served as the President & Chief Executive Officer of Claverack Rural Electric Cooperative from 2006 until retiring in January 2021. She also served as the Co-President & CEO of C&T Enterprises, Inc., which is the owner of Valley Energy in Sayre, PA, Wellsboro Electric Company and Citizens Electric Company in Lewisburg. She previously served as the Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer of Claverack. Ms. Kilmer serves on the boards of various organizations within her local and surrounding communities. She received her Bachelor of Science degree from Mansfield University. In addition, Ms. Kilmer has completed the Bank Director Certification Program. We believe Ms. Kilmer’s qualifications to serve as a director of the Corporation include her business experience, as well as her executive leadership roles at Claverack Rural Electric Cooperative and C&T Enterprises, Inc.

Terry L. Lehman, CPA (Inactive), Chairman

Director since: 2016

Age: 67

Mr. Lehman is a retired certified public accountant with over 35 years of experience in public accounting and private industry, including serving the roles of an Assurance Director at BDO, LLP in Harrisburg, an Audit Partner at ParenteBeard, LLC, and Beard Miller Company, LLP both located in Harrisburg, Senior Manager at Ernst & Young, and an Internal Auditor at Peoples National Bank of Lebanon. Mr. Lehman was a Board Member for both MidCoast Community Bancorp, Inc. and MidCoast Community Bank from October 2015 until 2020. He also is active with various organizations in his local communities and is a Pennsylvania CPA on inactive status. He received his B.S.B.A. degree in Accounting from Shippensburg University. In addition, Mr. Lehman has completed the Bank Director Certification Program. We believe Mr. Lehman’s extensive experience in public accounting and private industry, much of which has been concentrated in work for and on behalf of financial institutions and public companies, make him qualified to serve as a director of the Corporation.

Robert G. Loughery

Director since: 2020

Age: 55

Mr. Loughery served on the Covenant Bank Board of Directors for 5 years. As a real estate investor and developer, Mr. Loughery currently serves as the President of Nehemiah Development Company, Inc. Mr. Loughery served as a County Commissioner in the County of Bucks from February 2011 until January 2020. Mr. Loughery serves on numerous private boards and public authorities. Mr. Loughery has a B.A. degree in Policy and Management Studies from Dickinson College in 1991. Following graduation, he was commissioned an officer in the US. Army Reserves. Mr. Loughery has completed the Bank Director Certification Program. We believe Mr. Loughery is qualified to serve as a director of the Corporation because of his over 20 years’ experience in real estate development and finance and his leadership abilities.

Frank G. Pellegrino

Director since: 2016

Age: 61

Mr. Pellegrino is Owner/Developer with Carlton Associates, LLC, in Lycoming County PA and is the former Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing and a founder of Primus Technologies Corp., Williamsport. He is a graduate of Indiana University of Pennsylvania. He serves as CEO or Board Chairman on many of his businesses in Lycoming, Montour, Centre, and Union Counties. He is a member of the Board of Directors, and Audit Committee Chairman, of Advance Technologies, Middletown, PA. We believe Mr. Pellegrino’s advanced education, director experience, more than 25 years of executive leadership roles with Primus Technologies and leadership roles through his more than 12 manufacturing and service companies and his extensive community board positions throughout Northcentral PA amply qualify him to serve as a director.

Continuing Class III Directors for a term expiring at the 2026 Annual Meeting

Stephen M. Dorwart

Director since: 2020

Age: 55

Mr. Dorwart served on the Covenant Bank Board of Directors from 2007 until July 2020. He served as Chair for both the Audit and Compensation Committees and was the Lead Outside Director for 5 years. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Bucknell University in 1991. Mr. Dorwart is the managing partner of the public accounting firm Fischer Dorwart, PC with offices in Audubon, NJ and Harrisburg, PA. He is a CPA licensed in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware. We believe Mr. Dorwart is qualified to serve as a director of the Corporation because of his extensive experience in public accounting and as a director of Covenant Bank.

J. Bradley Scovill

Director since: 2015

Age: 65

Mr. Scovill became employed as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation and Citizens & Northern Bank (the “Bank”) and was appointed to the Board of Directors of the Corporation and the Bank, effective March 2, 2015. Prior to joining the Corporation and Bank, Mr. Scovill most recently served as President and Chief Operating Officer of Kish Bancorp, Inc. and Kish Bank headquartered in Belleville, Pennsylvania, where he was an executive for more than five (5) years. Prior to Kish, Mr. Scovill held various executive management positions with both PNC Bank and Sterling Financial Corporation, headquartered in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Mr. Scovill received a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from The Pennsylvania State University. We believe Mr. Scovill is qualified to serve as a director of the Corporation because of his extensive experience working in financial and executive roles in the banking industry.

Aaron K. Singer 

Director since: 2017

Age: 53

Mr. Singer has been the President & Chief Executive Officer of MetalKraft Industries Inc., in Wellsboro, PA, since 2000. He received his Bachelor of Science degree from Shippensburg University. Mr. Singer has completed the Bank Director Certification Program. Mr. Singer serves on the boards of various organizations within his local community. We believe Mr. Singer’s qualifications to serve as a director of the Corporation include his business experience as well as his executive leadership experiences at MetalKraft.

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

The following table provides information regarding each of the executive officers of the Corporation and the Bank (other than Mr. Scovill, whose information is included above). The age shown below for each executive officer is as of April 24, 2025, which is the date of the annual shareholders meeting.

Alexander Balagour

Age: 48

Mr. Balagour has served as Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer of the Bank since May 2021.  Prior to joining the Bank, Mr. Balagour most recently served as the Chief Information Officer at Customers Bank in Reading, PA, where he led the organization through the transformation of their sales and lending technology, data analytics and customer experience. Mr. Balagour received a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from Arcadia University, where he earned the Sigma Zeta Award in Computer Science, given to the top-graduating student for academic excellence. He went on to receive his Executive Masters in Technology Management from Wharton School and School of Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania.

Matthew L. Bower

Age: 57

Mr. Bower has served as Executive Vice President and Chief Wealth Management Officer of the Bank since February 2022. Prior to joining the Bank, Mr. Bower served as a Managing Director at PNC’s Wealth Management Group in Atlanta, GA, where he led the team in delivering industry-leading results in client and employee satisfaction for 13 years. Mr. Bower received a Masters of Jurisprudence from Texas A&M University, School of Law in Fort Worth, TX, completed the Stanford Graduate School of Business’s Executive Leadership Program and received a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science from Florida State University. Mr. Bower has several FINRA Licensures and has earned designations as a Certified Trust and Financial Advisor (CTFA), Certified Securities Operations Professional (CSOP) and a Chartered Wealth Manager (CWM).

Kelley A. Cwiklinski

Age: 61

Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Lending Officer since February 2023; formerly Senior Vice President and Director of Commercial Lending of the Bank since January of 2021. Prior to becoming the Director of Commercial Lending, Ms. Cwiklinski was a Regional Commercial Lending Executive for C&N since July of 2020 through the acquisition of Covenant Bank. Prior to her employment with C&N, Ms. Cwiklinski was Executive Vice President and Chief Lending Officer of Covenant Bank from January 2015 through June 2020. Ms. Cwiklinski began her banking career in 1985 and had various commercial lending and credit-related positions prior to joining Covenant Bank. Ms. Cwiklinski is a graduate of Mercer County Community College with an Associates Degree in Business Administration.

Stan R. Dunsmore

Age: 62

Mr. Dunsmore has served as Executive Vice President and Chief Credit Officer of the Bank since January 2015.  Previously, Mr. Dunsmore served as Vice President and Commercial Loan Sales Officer of the Bank since May 2007.  Prior to the May 2007 acquisition of Citizens Trust Company by Citizens & Northern Bank, Mr. Dunsmore served as Vice President and Chief Lending Officer of Citizens Trust Company since 1995.  Mr. Dunsmore received a Bachelor of Science degree in Management Science from Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania.

Harold F. Hoose, III

Age: 58

Mr. Hoose has served as Executive Vice President and Chief Revenue Officer of the Bank since February 2021. Previously, Mr. Hoose served as Executive Vice President and Director of Lending of the Bank since March of 2005. Prior to becoming the Director of Lending, Mr. Hoose was a regional commercial relationship manager for C&N since August of 1997. Prior to that, Mr. Hoose began his banking career in 1990 as a management trainee with Commonwealth Bank (Williamsport PA) and moved to the credit/lending area of the bank in April 1993.  Mr. Hoose received his Bachelor of Science degree from Mansfield University and completed the Graduate School of Banking at the University of Colorado.

Mark A. Hughes

Age: 64

Mr. Hughes serves as Treasurer of the Corporation and Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the Bank. Mr. Hughes served as Interim President and Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation and Bank from August 12, 2014 through March 1, 2015. Effective March 2, 2015, Mr. Hughes resigned from the positions of Interim President and Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation and Bank and was appointed to the positions he had formerly held as Treasurer of the Corporation since November 2000 and Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the Bank since August 2000. Mr. Hughes received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Accounting from Lycoming College.

Glenn R. James, Esq.

Age: 71

Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of the Bank since June 2023. Prior to joining the Bank, Mr. James was a Director, Executive Vice President, and General Counsel of Noah Bank (Elkins Park PA). Prior to that Mr. James served, successively, as a financial services industry partner in the firms of KPMG, Grant Thornton LLP, ParenteBeard LLC, and BDO USA. Mr. James took a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Temple University and a Juris Doctorem degree from the Villanova University School of Law.

John M. Reber

Age: 58

Mr. Reber has served as Executive Vice President and Chief Risk Management Officer of the Bank since February 2021. Previously, Mr. Reber served as Executive Vice President and Director of Risk Management of the Bank since January 2011. Mr. Reber was Vice President and Director of Risk Management of the Bank since June 2004. Prior to joining C&N, Mr. Reber held various staff and management positions in credit, lending and risk management with SunBank, headquartered in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. Mr. Reber received a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania.

Thomas L. Rudy, Jr.

Age: 61

Mr. Rudy has served as Executive Vice President, Chief Delivery Officer and Region President of the Bank since February 2021. Previously, Mr. Rudy served as Executive Vice President and Director of Branch Delivery of the Bank since February 2004; President of C&N Financial Services Corporation since January 2000; and President of Bucktail Life Insurance Company since May 2018. Mr. Rudy received a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from The Pennsylvania State University and is a graduate of the ABA Graduate School of Banking at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.

Blair T. Rush

Age: 63

Mr. Rush has served as Executive Vice President and Southeast Region President of the Bank since February 2021. Previously, Mr. Rush served as Southeast Region President of the Bank since July 2020. Prior to his employment with C&N, Mr. Rush most recently served as President & Chief Operating Officer of Covenant Bank since April 2016. Prior to this time, he was the Eastern Region President with National Penn Bank. He joined National Penn through their acquisition of FirstService Bank in February 2003, where he was an Executive Vice President and was one of four original officers of the de novo FirstService Bank. Prior to FirstService Bank, Mr. Rush was a Vice President with CoreStates and Bucks County Bank where he started his forty-year banking career. He is a graduate of Delaware Valley College with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and the Pennsylvania Bankers Association’s Central Atlantic Advanced School of Banking.

Tracy E. Watkins

Age: 60

Ms. Watkins has served as Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer of the Bank since February 2021. Previously, Ms. Watkins served as Executive Vice President and Director of Human Resources of the Bank since January 2018. Prior to that, she was Vice President and Director of Human Resources of the Bank since 2010, and HRIS (Human Resources Information System) & Employee Relations Manager since 2005. She joined the Bank in 2003. Ms. Watkins holds a B.S. in English/Secondary Education from Juniata College, a Certificate from The Institute for Paralegal Training in Philadelphia, PA and is a Graduate of the PBA Advanced School of Banking and The Graduate School of Banking Human Resource Management School as well as being a Certified Employee Benefit Specialist (CEBS – RPA, GBA) and Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR).

HUMAN CAPITAL MANAGEMENT

Human Capital

The Corporation’s Board of Directors and executive leadership team have established the following mission, vision, and values:

Mission: Creating value through lifelong relationships with our customers, teammates, shareholders, and communities.

Vision: Every customer says “C&N is the ONLY bank I need.”

Values: Teamwork, Respect, Responsibility and Accountability, Excellence, Integrity, Client Focus, Have Fun.

We recognize that our ability to create value on a consistent basis is highly dependent upon the effectiveness of our team. At C&N Bank, we are committed to creating value through relationships. At the heart of this mission is a promise of excellence in service to all people, as demonstrated by our commitment to equity of opportunity, inclusion, and our fostering of a spirit of belonging. We live our values of respect, integrity, and excellence by creating access and providing support to help our diverse constituents of customers, teammates, shareholders and communities in achieving their financial goals. We embrace inclusion of all of our stakeholders as an important component of our vision to be the ONLY bank our customers need. The Corporation’s key human capital management objectives are to attract and retain diverse talent that fits our values and culture. Our talent strategy focuses on acquiring new employees through branding and outreach programs, developing employees through a robust onboarding program, ongoing training, and performance management, and retaining employees through recognition, engagement, and a competitive total rewards package.

Compensation and Benefits

The Corporation offers competitive compensation to attract and retain talent. Our generous total rewards package includes market-competitive salary, bonuses or sales commissions, short-term and long-term equity incentives, healthcare and retirement benefits, and paid time off. Employees have regular performance reviews and merit salary adjustments commensurate with performance. Employees have access to a holistic suite of items within our employee assistance program that caters to physical, emotional, and mental wellbeing for the employee and their family.

Training and Development

The Corporation provides a robust training and development program that supports our culture, prepares employees for their immediate role, develops them for long term success at the Bank and supports personal enrichment. We offer functional training, culture building exercises, personal development, C&N Bank history, C&N Bank integration and ongoing technical training throughout each year. Employees also have access to additional educational and development opportunities including tuition reimbursement and certification programs.

Communication and Engagement

At C&N, we believe in the importance of employee communication and engagement. We utilize several methods to foster engagement, including activities such as Employee Recognition programs, Service Anniversary Awards, Bank wide monthly calls, semi-annual Bank wide events, annual employee surveys, focus groups, daily huddles, and the Giving Back, Giving Together community service program. We believe keeping our team well informed, connected, and appreciated adds to the success of our organization

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

Members of the Corporation’s Board of Directors are elected by the shareholders. In selecting nominees for the shareholders’ consideration, the Board attempts to identify individuals with appropriate business, financial, legal and other skills and knowledge that are essential to providing oversight of the Corporation’s affairs, and who demonstrate a passion for promoting and enhancing the Corporation’s financial performance and its service to the communities within our marketplace. In evaluating candidates, the Board considers diversity of gender, race, knowledge and educational and business background and experiences, taking into account the experience “mix” of current directors, as well as that of the candidates. The nominating process is described in more detail in the section titled “Governance and Nominating Committee” below.

Director Independence

During 2024 and through the date of this proxy statement, all directors and nominees are and were independent, except for J. Bradley Scovill, as determined in accordance with the independence standards of the NASDAQ Stock Market. In determining the directors’ independence, in addition to matters disclosed in the “Related Person Transactions and Policies” section of this proxy statement, the Board of Directors considered each director’s beneficial ownership of Corporation common stock and loan transactions between the Bank and the directors, their family members and businesses with whom they are associated, as well as any contributions made by the Bank to non-profit organizations with whom such persons are associated. In each case, the Board determined that none of the transactions above impaired the independence of the director.

The Bank makes loans to Directors and Executive Officers in the ordinary course of business on substantially the same terms, including interest rates and collateral, as those prevailing at the time for comparable transactions with other persons and do not involve more than normal risks of collectability.

Additional information concerning loans and deposits with Directors and Executive Officers is incorporated herein by reference to disclosure provided in Note 14 to the Consolidated Financial Statements, which is included in Part II, Item 8 of the Corporation’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024.

Leadership Structure of the Board

Terry L. Lehman serves as Chairman of the Board of the Corporation and the Bank. The Board’s establishment of an independent chair reflects its desire to maintain separation between the Board’s role of providing oversight of corporate activities and protecting the Corporation’s interests and the Chief Executive Officer’s role of managing the Corporation and Bank.

The Board attempts to ensure that thorough, open and honest discussions take place at all Board and committee meetings, and that all of the directors are sufficiently informed about each matter that arises so as to make informed decisions. Mr. Lehman presides over meetings of the Board and the Executive Committee, as well as executive sessions and meetings of the independent directors. Further, the Chairman is responsible for communicating the thoughts or concerns of the independent directors to the Chief Executive Officer.

Meetings and Committees of the Board of Directors

Board of Directors. During 2024, the Board of Directors of the Corporation met twelve (12) times, the Board of Directors of the Bank met twelve (12) times, and the independent directors met in executive session nine (9) times. All of the incumbent directors attended at least 75% or more of the meetings of the Board of Directors of the Corporation and of the Board committees on which he or she served.

Although the Corporation does not have a formal policy with respect to director attendance at the Annual Meeting of Shareholders, each director is encouraged to attend the Annual Meeting.

Executive Committee of the Corporation. The Executive Committee has been inactive since 2019. If there should be a need to activate the Committee, it shall consist of the other Committee chairs, the Chief Executive Officer, and the Board Chair. The Committee would act on behalf of and with full authority of the Board of Directors in matters that may arise between regular monthly meetings of the Board, which would require immediate Board level action and would provide advice and counsel to the Chief Executive Officer on various matters not necessarily requiring Board consideration.

Audit Committee. The primary function of the Audit Committee is to review the internal audit program as performed by the internal auditors; recommend to the Board of Directors the engagement of the independent registered public accounting firm for the year; review the examinations and reports from those persons; and review the annual financial statements of the Corporation. In 2024, the members of the Audit Committee of the Corporation included: Stephen M. Dorwart, Leo F. Lambert, Terry L. Lehman, Helen S. Santiago, and Aaron K. Singer. Stephen M. Dorwart serves as Chair of the Committee. The Audit Committee held seven (7) meetings in 2024. All the members of the Audit Committee are and were independent under the independence standards of the NASDAQ Stock Market.

Director Lehman meets the definition of “audit committee financial expert” as defined in the rules adopted by the SEC. The Board of Directors has determined that each of the members of the Audit Committee has sufficient knowledge and experience in financial matters to effectively perform his or her duties as a member of the Audit Committee.

The Board of Directors of the Corporation has adopted a written charter for the Audit Committee, a copy of which is available on our website at www.cnbankpa.com by hovering on “ABOUT,” then clicking on “Corporate Governance Policies” under the Investor Relations heading, then “Audit Committee Charter of C&N Corp.” The policies and procedures for pre-approval of engagements for non-audit services are included in the Charter.

Compensation Committee of the Corporation. The purpose of the Compensation Committee is to discharge the responsibilities of the Board of Directors relating to compensation of the executive officers, provide oversight of the Bank’s compensation, benefit, perquisite and employee equity incentive programs, and monitor and oversee the management succession plan and leadership development processes. The Committee is also responsible for establishing and maintaining the CEO Succession Plan. In 2024, the members of the Compensation Committee included: Bobbi J. Kilmer, Stephen M. Dorwart, Terry L. Lehman, Frank G. Pellegrino, and Katherine W. Shattuck. Bobbi J. Kilmer currently serves as Chair of the Committee. The Compensation Committee held nine (9) meetings in 2024. All of the members of the Compensation Committee are and were independent under the independence standards of the NASDAQ Stock Market.

The Board of Directors of the Corporation has adopted a written charter for the Compensation Committee, which is available on our website at www.cnbankpa.com by hovering on “ABOUT,” then clicking on “Corporate Governance Policies” under the Investor Relations heading, then “Compensation Committee Charter of C&N Corp.”

Governance and Nominating Committee. The main purpose of the Governance and Nominating Committee is to establish criteria for Board member selection and retention; identify individuals qualified to become Board members; and recommend to the Board the individuals to be nominated and re-nominated for election as directors. Further, the Committee recommends members and chairs of various committees of the Corporation and the Bank to the Board of Directors. The Committee is also responsible for establishing and maintaining succession plans for the positions of Board Chair and Committee Chairs and reviewing and reporting to the Board periodically on matters of corporate governance. In 2024, the members of the Governance and Nominating Committee included: Susan E. Hartley, Bobbi J. Kilmer, Robert G. Loughery, Katherine W. Shattuck, and Aaron K. Singer. Susan E. Hartley currently serves as Chair of the Committee. During 2024, the Governance and Nominating Committee held five (5) meetings. All members of the Governance and Nominating Committee are and were independent under the independence standards of the NASDAQ Stock Market.

The Board of Directors of the Corporation has adopted a written charter for the Governance and Nominating Committee, which is available on our website at www.cnbankpa.com by hovering on “ABOUT,” then clicking on “Corporate Governance Policies” under the Investor Relations heading, then “Governance and Nominating Charter”.

Qualifications considered by the Governance and Nominating Committee in assessing director candidates include, but are not limited to, the following:

Other than the foregoing, there are no stated minimum criteria for director nominees, although the Governance and Nominating Committee may also consider such other factors as it may deem are in the best interests of the Corporation and its shareholders, and such factors may change from time to time. The Governance and Nominating Committee does, however, require that a majority of the directors be independent under the independence standards of the NASDAQ Stock Market and expects directors to meet the minimum stock ownership expectations described in the “Stock Ownership Guidelines” section.

The Committee identifies nominees by first evaluating the current directors who are willing to continue in service. If any member of the Board does not wish to continue service or the Board determines not to re-nominate a current director for re-election, the Governance and Nominating Committee identifies the desired skills and experience of a new nominee in light of the criteria above. The Committee evaluates each individual candidate in the context of the Board as a whole, with the objective of recommending a group containing a broad array of diverse experience.

The Board does not have a formal written policy for considering director candidates recommended by shareholders due to the infrequency of nominations, but its long-standing informal policy is to give due consideration to any and all candidates. The evaluation procedure for candidates recommended by the shareholders would be the same as is done for those recommended by the Board of Directors and management. The Committee recommends a director nominee to the Board, and the Board makes the final determination as to the nominees who will stand for election.

Current members of the Board of Directors are polled for suggestions as to prospective director candidates meeting the Governance and Nominating Committee’s criteria. The Committee has the prerogative to employ and pay third party search firms, but to date has not done so.

Article Tenth of the Corporation's Articles of Incorporation requires that shareholders give advance notice of any nominations for election to the Board of Directors. The required notice, which must include the information set forth in the Articles of Incorporation, must be made in writing and must be delivered or mailed to the President of the Corporation not less than 14 days nor more than 50 days prior to the Annual Meeting. If notice is not received by the Corporation within this timeframe, the Corporation will consider such notice untimely.

Risk Management Committee of the Corporation. The purposes of the Risk Management Committee are to provide governance and oversight of the Corporation’s enterprise-wide risk management program, in relation to the identification, assessment, measurement, monitoring and controlling of key risks to the Corporation and its subsidiaries. In 2024, the members of the Risk Management Committee included: Terry L. Lehman, Susan E. Hartley, Bobbi J. Kilmer, J. Bradley Scovill, Aaron K. Singer, and Robert G. Loughery. Terry L. Lehman currently serves as the Chair of the Committee. The Risk Management Committee met five (5) times during 2024.

Asset Liability Committee of the Corporation. The purpose of the Asset Liability Committee was to stabilize and improve profitability by balancing the relationship between risk and return over an extended period of time, as well as to function as an investment committee. In 2024, the members of the Asset Liability Committee included: Susan E. Hartley, Terry L. Lehman, J. Bradley Scovill, Stephen M. Dorwart, Robert G. Loughery, and Helen S. Santiago. J. Bradley Scovill served as Chair of the Committee. The Asset Liability Committee met one (1) time during 2024. As of April 24, 2024, the Asset Liability Committee merged into the Risk Committee.

Merger & Acquisition (M&A) Committee of the Corporation. The purpose of the M&A Committee is to assist in the review of merger and acquisition opportunities. In 2024, the members of the Merger & Acquisition Committee included: Leo F. Lambert, Terry L. Lehman, Frank G. Pellegrino, J. Bradley Scovill, and Bobbi J. Kilmer. Terry L. Lehman currently serves as Chair of the Committee. The M&A Committee met two (2) times during 2024.

Executive Committee of the Bank. The Executive Committee has been inactive since 2019. If there should be a need to activate the Committee, it shall consist of the other Committee chairs, the Chief Executive Officer, and the Board Chair. The Committee may act on behalf of and with full authority of the Board of Directors in matters that arise between regular monthly meetings of the Board, which would require immediate Board level action and would provide advice and counsel to the Chief Executive Officer on various matters not necessarily requiring Board consideration.

Information Technology Committee of the Bank. The purposes of the Information Technology (“IT”) Committee were to oversee significant strategies, innovation, projects and technology architecture decisions; monitor IT programs to ensure they support business objectives and strategies; confer with the Bank’s senior IT and Risk Management teams; and inform the Board of Directors on IT Risk Management-related matters. Among its duties, the Information Technology Committee reviews, not less than annually, the Bank’s business continuity plan, cyber security assessment tool and other technology reports and assesses their adequacy. In 2024, members of the Information Technology Committee were: Terry L. Lehman, Robert G. Loughery, Helen S. Santiago, and Aaron K. Singer. Aaron K. Singer served as Chair of the Committee. During 2024, the Information Technology Committee held one (1) meeting. As of April 24, 2024, the Information Technology Committee merged into the Risk Committee.

Wealth Management Committee of the Bank. The Wealth Management Committee of the Bank oversees the policies, operations, controls, staffing, and risk management of the Trust Department and the wealth advisory function of the Bank as well as the acceptance and relinquishment of all fiduciary relationships. In 2024, members of the Wealth Management Committee included: Stephen M. Dorwart, Frank G. Pellegrino, Katherine W. Shattuck, and Helen S. Santiago. Frank G. Pellegrino currently serves as Chair of the Committee. During 2024, the Wealth Management Committee held four (4) meetings.

Finance and Loan Committee of the Bank. The primary purpose of the Finance and Loan Committee was to review larger watch list loans, review loan portfolio statistics and trends, and review proposed changes to the loan policy and make recommendations to the Board of Directors and evaluate and act on loan requests that exceed management’s lending authority. In 2024, members of the Finance and Loan Committee included: Leo F. Lambert, Robert G. Loughery, Frank G. Pellegrino, Katherine W. Shattuck, and J. Bradley Scovill. J. Bradley Scovill served as Chair of the Committee. During 2023, the Finance and Loan Committee held one (1) meeting. As of April 24, 2024, the Finance and Loan Committee merged into the Risk Committee.

Shareholder Communications

If you wish to communicate with the Board, you may send correspondence to Corporate Secretary, Citizens & Northern Corporation, 90-92 Main Street, Wellsboro, PA 16901. The Corporate Secretary will submit your correspondence to the Board or the appropriate committee, as applicable. You may also communicate directly with the Chairman by writing to the Chairman, Citizens & Northern Corporation, 90-92 Main Street, Wellsboro, PA 16901.

Related Person Transactions and Policies

Certain directors and officers of the Corporation and Bank and their affiliates (including corporations of which such persons are officers or greater than 10% beneficial owners) were customers of, and had transactions with, the Corporation and Bank in the ordinary course of business during the year ended December 31, 2024. Similar transactions may be expected to take place in the future. Such transactions included the purchase of certificates of deposit and extensions of credit in the ordinary course of business on substantially the same terms, including interest rates and collateral requirements, as those prevailing at the time for comparable transactions with third parties and did not involve more than the normal risks of collectability or present other unfavorable features. The Corporation expects that any other transactions with directors and officers and their affiliates in the future will be conducted on the same basis.

The Corporation and the Bank are subject to Federal Reserve Regulation O, which governs loans to certain insiders, including executive officers, directors or 10% controlling shareholders of a bank or holding company, or an entity controlled by an executive officer, director or controlling shareholder (an “Insider”). As required by Regulation O, the Bank’s Loan Policy prohibits loans to an Insider unless the loan (i) is made on substantially the same terms, including interest rates and collateral, as those prevailing at the time for comparable loans with persons not related to the Insider; and (ii) does not involve more than the normal risk of repayment or present other unfavorable features.

The Corporation is required to disclose transactions with certain “Related Persons” (as defined by SEC regulations) where the annual amount involved exceeds the lesser of $120,000 or 1% of the Corporation’s total assets at year-end for the last two years. In 2024, the Corporation did not have any related person transactions requiring disclosure.

Stock Ownership Requirements

Each independent director shall be the beneficial owner of Corporation common stock having a minimum aggregate fair market value of three times the annual cash retainer paid to independent directors, which annual retainer currently is $45,000. Each independent director shall have five (5) years from the date of initial election or appointment to establish the minimum stock ownership and shall thereafter maintain such minimum stock ownership throughout his or her term as a director. It is intended that directors will not sell shares of Corporation common stock received from equity compensation awards prior to reaching the minimum level of ownership required under this policy.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) shall be the beneficial owner of Corporation common stock having a minimum value equal to three (3) times the previous year’s annual base salary, and each Executive Vice President (EVP) is required to own Corporation common stock having a minimum value equal to one (1) time the previous year’s annual base salary.  The CEO and each EVP shall have five (5) years from initial election or appointment by the Board of Directors to comply with the minimum ownership requirement.

For purposes of determining compliance with these minimum stock ownership requirements, the aggregate fair market value of common stock shall be measured annually by reference to the average of the high and low sales price of the stock on June 30 of each year. Notwithstanding the foregoing stock ownership requirements, the Board of Directors, in the exercise of its reasonable discretion, may approve exceptions to the stock ownership requirements, on a case-by-case basis, to account for unusual volatility in the trading price of the common stock on or about the annual valuation date of the stock on June 30 of each year.

Presently, all directors and named executive officers meet the minimum stock ownership requirements or have been in their current positions for less than five years.

Anti-Hedging Policy

The Board of Directors has adopted an anti-hedging policy that prohibits directors and officers of the Corporation and any subsidiary of the Corporation from purchasing any financial instruments or engaging in any transactions that are designed to hedge or offset any decrease in the market value of equity securities of the Corporation, including, without limitation, puts, calls, prepaid variable forward contracts, equity swaps, collars, exchange funds and other derivative securities or transactions with economic consequences comparable to the foregoing financial instruments.

INFORMATION CONCERNING SECURITY OWNERSHIP

Beneficial ownership of shares of the Corporation’s common stock is determined in accordance with SEC Rule 13d-3, which provides that a person should be credited with the ownership of any stock held, directly or indirectly, through any contract, arrangement, understanding, relationship, or otherwise, in which the person has or shares:

Beneficial Ownership of Principal Holders

The following table shows, to the best of the Corporation’s knowledge, those persons or entities, who owned of record or beneficially, on February 5, 2025, more than 5% of the Corporation’s outstanding common stock.

Beneficial Ownership of Executive Officers and Directors

The following table sets forth, as of February 5, 2025, and from information supplied by the respective persons, the amount and the percentage, if over 1% of the common stock of the Corporation beneficially owned by each director, each nominee for director, each of the named executive officers and all executive officers and directors of the Corporation as a group.

Delinquent Section 16(a) Reports

Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), requires the Corporation’s directors, executive officers and persons who beneficially own more than ten percent of the Corporation’s issued and outstanding common stock to file initial reports of ownership and reports of changes in beneficial ownership with the SEC. Such persons are also required to furnish the Corporation with copies of all such reports they file.

Based solely upon a review of the reports filed pursuant to Section 16 of the Exchange Act, the Corporation believes that its directors and executive officers timely filed all reports required under Section 16, with the following exception due to administrative oversight: Director Dorwart made one late filing related to shares sold in connection with payment of the annual fee for maintenance of Director Dorwart’s brokerage account.

COMPENSATION DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS

The Compensation Discussion and Analysis (CD&A) section of our Proxy Statement provides our shareholders with an explanation of our Named Executive Officer (NEO) compensation philosophy, programs, policies and decisions, all within the context of our business environment and performance. Our goal is to present a clear and concise overview of our executive compensation practices and describe key changes from last year.

The Corporation’s executive compensation program is designed to provide participating executives with an industry-competitive level of total compensation when their collective and individual performances meet or exceed the goals approved by the Board of Directors. We believe that the compensation program for executives should directly support the achievement of specific annual, long-term and strategic goals of the business, and, thereby, align the interests of executives with the interests of our shareholders. Accordingly, the program includes short and long-term incentive opportunities, but awards require that performance targets be met, subject to appropriate controls to ensure management is not incented to take excessive risk.

2024 Performance Highlights

Highlights for 2024 included the following:

2024 Key Compensation Decisions and Actions

The following is a summary of key actions taken by the Compensation Committee on executive compensation for 2024:

Overview of the Executive Compensation Program

The Corporation’s executive compensation program includes fixed and variable compensation and benefit components, typical of programs among comparable community banking and financial services companies in our local and regional marketplace. The program is designed to provide participating executives with an industry-competitive level of total compensation when their collective and individual performances meet or exceed the goals approved by the Board of Directors.

Compensation Philosophy and Program Objectives

We believe that the compensation program for executives should directly support the achievement of specific annual, long-term and strategic goals of the business, and, thereby, align the interests of executives with the interests of our shareholders.

We believe the current program provides sufficient levels of fixed pay elements, in the forms of base salary and health and welfare benefits, to attract high caliber executive talent to the organization. It also provides annual and long-term incentive opportunities to encourage specific performance and to reward the successful efforts of executives. The incentive opportunities are structured to produce a performance-leveraged program format in which executives may derive a significant portion of their total compensation, depending on their role in the organization, from short and long-term incentive opportunities, but only when performance targets are met and subject to appropriate controls to ensure management is not incented to take excessive risk.

We believe that the features and composition of the current program provide a total compensation package for executive officers that is competitive in our marketplace but weighted toward variable pay based on corporate and individual performance, and which contributes to the creation of shareholder value.

2024 Program Components

The following is a discussion of the primary purpose of each element within our executive compensation program.

The Citizens & Northern Corporation 2023 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2023 Equity Plan”) provides for the use of equity incentives as a component of compensation for participating employees and independent directors and assists executive officers and independent directors in meeting the Board of Directors’ Stock Ownership requirements. The 2023 Equity Plan is intended to promote the Corporation’s long-term financial success by providing a means to attract, retain and reward individuals who contribute to that success and to further align their interests with those of the Corporation’s shareholders through the ownership of shares of common stock of the Corporation and/or through compensation tied to the value of the Corporation’s common stock. The Committee administers the 2023 Equity Plan.

In 2024, the Committee reviewed and recommended approval of restricted stock awards to executives based upon its assessment of individual performance, a review of the executive’s existing long-term incentives, and retention considerations, including LTI grants to its NEOs in the form of 50% RSAs and 50% PRSAs. RSAs granted to the Corporation’s and the Bank’s executive officers in 2024 vest equally over a three-year period. On each anniversary date of the 2024 RSAs, one-third of the total shares will be distributed based on the recipient’s satisfactory performance of his or her job.

The Corporation’s PRSAs granted in 2024 are structured in a way where performance is assessed at the end of each year within the three-year performance period. On each anniversary date, up to one-third of the total PRSA shares will be distributed based on the recipient’s satisfactory performance of his or her job and the Corporation’s attainment of an earnings-based performance standard. For the 2024 LTI awards, 50% of the PRSAs are evaluated based on (PPNR-NCOs/) Average Equity performance while 50% are evaluated based on (PPNR-NCOs)/Average Assets performance. The Corporation’s level of performance is compared annually to the performance of the peer group approved by the Committee. The minimum requirement for vesting based on (PPNR-NCOs)/Average Equity is the Corporation achieving the 35^th percentile rank as compared to the applicable performance peer group results, while the minimum requirement for vesting based on (PPNR-NCOs)/Average Assets is based on the Corporation achieving the 65^th percentile rank as compared to the applicable performance peer group results. All restricted shares not distributed due to the recipient’s unsatisfactory performance of his or her job or due to the Corporation failing to achieve the minimum (PPNR-NCOs)/Average Equity or (PPNR-NCOs)/Average Assets results are forfeited by the executive and revert back to the Corporation as of the anniversary date on which such determinations are made.

SERP - The SERP is intended to replace some of the benefits lost by executives under federally mandated restrictions on retirement income benefits to highly compensated employees under qualified retirement income plans like pensions and 401(k) plans. The Corporation’s SERP provides a retirement benefit to participants who retire after attaining age 55, with 5 years of Participation in the Plan. Participants vest earlier than age 55 in the event of disability, death or in the event of a change in control of the Corporation. Annual contributions to the SERP are at the discretion of the Board of Directors, and the Board may terminate the SERP at any time.

Historically, the Corporation’s annual contribution has been based on a formula designed to provide an annual benefit equal to 20% of the individual’s highest five-year average compensation and assumes retirement at age 65. In determining the annual contribution amounts, the Corporation assumes interest rates of 8% for preretirement and 6% for postretirement and utilizes a standard mortality table.

The annual contribution is deposited into each participant’s account held in a trust account at the Bank. While the Bank’s Wealth Management Group manages the trust assets, each participant may direct the investment of the funds credited to their account. All assets in the trust are subject to the claims of the Bank’s creditors in the event of insolvency. The actual amount available to be distributed to a participant at separation of service depends upon the return on the investment of the funds held in the account over time. The actual investment returns do not impact the Corporation’s determination of the annual contribution.  Investment returns are allocated to participant accounts daily based on units held of each investment. Upon vesting, amounts credited to a participant’s account are payable, at the election of the participant, in monthly or annual installments.

Deferred Compensation Plan - The Corporation has a nonqualified Deferred Compensation Plan that allows selected officers the option to defer receipt of up to 100% of base salary plus any non-equity incentive plan compensation. The Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors determines employees eligible to participate (“Participants”). The Deferred Compensation Plan does not provide for Corporation contributions.

Participants are given an annual opportunity to elect, by entering into a Participation Agreement with the Corporation, to defer the receipt of eligible compensation by a dollar amount or percentage specified in the Participation Agreement. Participant contributions are deposited into each Participant’s account held in a trust account at the Bank. While the Bank’s Wealth Management Group manages the trust assets, each Participant may direct the investment of the funds credited to their account. All assets in the trust are subject to the claims of the Bank’s creditors in the event of insolvency. The Board of Directors may amend or terminate the Plan at any time; provided, however, that no such amendment or termination shall reduce the balance in any Participant’s account nor affect the terms of the Plan relating to the payment of any account.

Participants are fully vested in their accounts at all times. Upon separation from service, amounts credited to a participant’s account are payable, at the election of the participant, in monthly or annual installments.

None of the named executive officers has a commitment from the Corporation for a tax gross-up payment in the event that their severance benefits exceed the deduction limitations under Internal Revenue Code Section 4999.

How We Make Decisions Regarding Named Executive Officer Compensation

The Compensation Committee, with the support of its independent compensation consultant and management, determines executive compensation programs, practices, and levels for full Board consideration and approval. Specific responsibilities are assigned in accordance with governance best practices. In making its determinations, the Compensation Committee considers data and analyses regarding a peer group and other internal studies. Below is an explanation of the key roles and responsibilities of each group, as well as how market data is integrated into the process.

Role of the Compensation Committee. The Compensation Committee (“the Committee”) of the Board of Directors has primary responsibility for the design and administration of the executive compensation program. It reviews the make-up and administration of the executive compensation program throughout the year in light of changing organization needs and operating conditions and changing trends in industry practice. The Compensation Committee determines and approves the salaries, cash and equity incentive bonuses, equity awards, benefits and employment policies as they relate to the named executive officers, subject to full Board consideration and approval.

In making determinations regarding executive compensation, the Compensation Committee weighs an individual’s personal performance, the performance of his or her area of responsibility, and the overall performance of the Corporation. The performance of the Chief Executive Officer in each of these regards is evaluated by the Compensation Committee. The performance of each of the named executive officers (other than the Chief Executive Officer) is evaluated by the Chief Executive Officer and, for Mr. Rush and Ms. Cwiklinski, by the Chief Revenue Officer. The Compensation Committee reviews performance of the named executive officers on an annual basis and examines each named executive officer’s base salary, cash incentive bonus, and restricted stock award at such time.

The Compensation Committee has the authority to retain or obtain the services of compensation consultants or other advisors to provide compensation and benefit consulting services to the Committee. The independence of any such advisor is determined by the Compensation Committee prior to selecting or receiving advice from the advisor.

Role of Executive Management. Key members of the Corporation’s executive management attend Compensation Committee meetings at the Compensation Committee’s request to provide information and their perspective about executive compensation policies and programs. Management’s participation plays an important part in the development and continuation of benefit plans, and in determining appropriate levels of compensation. The Compensation Committee holds discussions with management in attendance to ensure that the Compensation Committee makes fully informed recommendations with respect to compensation matters that affect the Corporation’s operations and shareholder returns. Finally, the Corporation’s Chief Executive Officer participates in deliberations of the Compensation Committee on an ex-officio, non-voting basis, but does not participate during, or attend, deliberations concerning his own compensation. No member of management was present during the portion of any Compensation Committee meeting at which the Compensation Committee made determinations regarding such named executive officer’s compensation.

Role of the Compensation Consultant. The Compensation Committee utilizes the support of outside compensation experts in establishing the policies, programs, and levels of executive compensation. In 2024, the Compensation Committee engaged Pearl Meyer & Partners, LLC (Pearl Meyer) to serve as an independent consultant to the Committee regarding executive and director compensation matters.

In their role as the Corporation’s outside advisor, Pearl Meyer also responds to questions from the Compensation Committee and attends meetings as requested. Pearl Meyer reports directly to the Compensation Committee and, as directed by the Compensation Committee, works with management in support of the Committee. Pearl Meyer performed no services outside of those related to executive and director compensation for the Corporation in 2024. The Compensation Committee assessed the independence of Pearl Meyer and believes they are an independent advisor pursuant to the rules and standards promulgated by the SEC and NASDAQ.

Role of Market Data/External Comparison. Annually, the Committee asks its independent compensation consultant to review proxy disclosures and survey sources on national and regional compensation practices within the Corporation’s industry group, focusing on pay levels and practices among community banking institutions based in the Mid-Atlantic Region. For the 2024 program planning review conducted in 2023, the independent compensation consultant applied the following filters in developing a recommended group of institutions to serve as the Corporation’s peer group (the “2024 Peer Group”):

Based on these criteria, the following 20 institutions were selected for inclusion in the 2024 Peer Group:

In addition to the custom peer group data, market data from various banking industry surveys is also utilized and reflects banks of similar asset size and region to that of the Corporation.

Program Review and Pay Decision Process. During the fourth quarter each year, the Committee (1) receives base salaries and annual and long-term incentive information on current executive compensation levels in the industry and industry program practices provided by its independent compensation consultant; (2) conducts a comprehensive review of the Corporation’s compensation program structure and provisions; and (3) considers salary and benefit adjustments and incentive awards for executives. After examining the information provided by its independent compensation consultant, the Committee determines whether (1) the content and structure of the Corporation’s compensation program is still competitive; (2) the current provisions remain consistent with the Corporation’s overall pay philosophy; and (3) the compensation program continues to support achievement of the Corporation’s business objectives.

After deciding on the program structure for the coming calendar year, the Committee examines the current compensation and benefit levels of incumbent executives in light of their continuing or changing roles in the business, the assessments of their individual performances by the Chief Executive Officer, and industry trends. The performance of the Chief Executive Officer is reviewed and appraised by the Committee, with input from all members of the Board of Directors. Based on the information gathered about each executive, the Committee formulates recommendations on possible salary adjustments for executives during the coming year. It also determines annual incentive awards for executives based on results achieved against goals and objectives defined at the beginning of the year and determines appropriate long-term incentive awards in the form of stock-based compensation. These recommendations are then presented to the full Board of Directors for consideration and approval.

As incentive awards for the current year are determined, the Committee also works with the Chief Executive Officer to construct executive performance plans for the coming year. The Committee formulates their recommendations on performance goals and award opportunities for Board consideration and approval.

The Committee may also be called upon to consider pay related decisions from time to time throughout the calendar year as executives are reassigned or new executives join the organization. In these instances, the Committee will review all aspects of the executive’s compensation, including base salary level, annual incentive opportunities, long-term incentive awards, participation in special benefit plans, and employment contract provisions, if applicable.

2024 Executive Compensation Decisions

Base Salaries. For 2024, the Compensation Committee approved annual increases in base salary ranging between 3% and 5% for each of the Named Executive Officers in recognition of each executive’s contribution and performance.

Annual Incentive Awards. The table below presents the performance criteria, and the weighting of each criterion used in determining the annual incentive awards earned based upon 2024 performance for the named executive officers:

For purposes of comparing the Corporation’s (PPNR-NCOs)/Average Equity and (PPNR-NCOs)/Average Assets to peer group results, the Corporation’s earnings as determined under U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (U.S. GAAP) were adjusted to eliminate amounts the Committee determined to be appropriate and consistent with the 2024 Annual Incentive Award Plan document. Reconciliation of the Corporation’s earnings for the twelve months ended September 30, 2024, under U.S. GAAP to the non-GAAP earnings amount used in the incentive award calculation is provided in Appendix A.

Mr. Scovill recommended the Individual Performance awards for the other NEOs, and after discussion of the performance criteria for each individual, the recommended awards were approved by the Compensation Committee and ratified by the Board of Directors.

Mr. Scovill’s Individual Performance award was determined by the Board of Directors, based on recommendation of the Compensation Committee, and based on assessment of Mr. Scovill’s contributions to overall corporate performance.

Long-term Performance Incentives. As a part of our annual compensation review process, we worked with our independent compensation consultant in 2023 to review pay opportunities relative to market and used those results to make changes/pay decisions for 2024. As a result of this review, the Committee elected to grant equity awards, including time-based and performance-based awards in January and February 2024. The awards with a grant date of January 31, 2024 are RSAs for which 1/3 of the shares vest annually over a 3-year period. The awards with a grant date of February 20, 2024 are PRSAs for which 1/3 of the shares vest annually, subject to meeting performance conditions, over a 3-year period. In addition, on July 30, 2024, the Corporation granted 20,000 shares of restricted stock to Mr. Scovill pursuant to the amended and restated Employment Agreement entered into on May 22, 2024. Unless events defined in the Employment Agreement occur, the time-based shares of restricted stock will vest on April 30, 2027. The awards granted in 2024 are as follows:

Evaluation of PRSAs.

The Corporation’s PRSAs granted annually in 2022 - 2024 were structured in a way where performance was assessed at the end of each year within the three-year performance period. On each anniversary date, up to one-third of the total PRSA shares were distributed based on the recipient’s satisfactory performance of his or her job and the Corporation’s attainment of an earnings-based performance standard. The Corporation’s level of performance is compared annually to that of the Performance Peer Group. The Performance Peer Group used to evaluate the Corporation’s performance in 2024 for the awards granted in 2022 – 2024 was the same one used in evaluating the corporate performance component of the Short-term Incentive Plan. In 2024, PRSAs were evaluated based on performance for the 12-month period ended September 30, 2024.

For the 2022 and 2023 LTI awards, 50% of the PRSAs are evaluated based on Core Return on Average Equity (Core ROAE) performance while 50% are evaluated based on Core Return on Average Assets (Core ROAA) performance. The minimum requirement for vesting based on Core ROAE is the Corporation achieving the 35^th percentile rank as compared to peer group results, while the minimum requirement for vesting based on Core ROAA is based on the Corporation achieving the 65^th percentile rank as compared to peer group results.

For the 2024 LTI awards, 50% of the PRSAs are evaluated based on (PPNR-NCOs/) Average Equity performance while 50% are evaluated based on (PPNR-NCOs)/Average Assets performance. The minimum requirement for vesting based on (PPNR-NCOs)/Average Equity is the Corporation achieving the 35^th percentile rank as compared to Performance Peer Group results, while the minimum requirement for vesting based on (PPNR-NCOs)/Average Assets is based on the Corporation achieving the 65^th percentile rank as compared to Performance Peer Group results.

In 2024, the Committee determined that the Corporation met the minimum profitability-based threshold for 2024 performance applicable to the 2022, 2023 and 2024 awards. The following table summarizes the 2024 performance results of the assessment.

Reconciliation of the Corporation’s earnings under U.S. GAAP to PPNR – NCOs and Core earnings used in measuring Core ROAE and Core ROAA is provided in Appendix A.

Consideration of Say-On-Pay Advisory Vote

At our 2024 annual meeting of shareholders, approximately 82% of our shareholders who voted on the “say-on-pay” proposal (excluding broker non-votes and abstentions) approved the compensation we pay to our named executive officers. The Compensation Committee believes that the shareholder vote reflects fundamental support for our compensation philosophy. Accordingly, we have not modified our practices or philosophy as a result of the 2024 advisory vote.

The Corporation’s current practice is to conduct a say-on-pay advisory vote each year. The Compensation Committee values the opinions of shareholders and carefully evaluates the say-on-pay advisory vote results when determining future compensation.

Risk Management

We do not believe that the Corporation’s compensation programs and practices present any risks that are reasonably likely to have a material adverse effect on the Corporation.

The Committee believes that the direct compensation components of the executive compensation program—salary, annual incentive opportunities, equity grants—are reasonable, competitive and approximate the median of prevailing industry practices. The Committee intends to maintain the current leveraged approach to total compensation, directly tying a significant portion of an executive’s total earnings to achievements against goals and objectives approved by the Board of Directors, while balancing the approach with appropriate controls to ensure that management is not incented to take excessive risks.

Recoupment Policy

The Corporation has an executive compensation recoupment policy pursuant to which annual cash bonuses, stock-based awards, performance-based compensation and other forms of cash or equity compensation other than salary paid to executive officers are subject to a "clawback" pursuant to the recoupment policy in the event the Corporation is required to restate its audited financial statements due to material non-compliance with financial reporting requirements under the securities laws. This policy aligns with the new Nasdaq listing standards regarding “clawback” policies.

Executive Compensation Tables

The following tables set forth for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022, the compensation which the Corporation and its subsidiaries paid to its named executive officers.

Summary Compensation Table

The following table contains information with respect to annual compensation for services in all capacities to the Corporation and the Bank for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024, with comparative information for 2023 and 2022, of those persons who were, (i) the Chief Executive Officer, (ii) the Chief Financial Officer and (iii) the other three most highly compensated executive officers other than the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer to the extent such person’s total compensation exceeded $100,000 (collectively, the “named executive officers”):

⁽¹⁾  The bonus amounts were paid pursuant to discretionary “holiday awards” that were paid in December of each year to essentially all employees except the Chief Executive Officer.

⁽²⁾  The grant date fair market value of stock awards is computed in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (the “ASC”) topic 718, “Compensation—Stock Compensation,” excluding the effect of estimated forfeitures. The value used for restricted stock awards is based on the market value of the stock at the grant date. The amounts shown in the “Stock Awards” column equal the values of restricted stock awards determined based on the average of the high and low stock price at each grant date. For 2024, the value as of the January 31, 2024 grant date of time-based awards was $21.385 per share, the value as of the February 20, 2024 grant date of performance-based awards was $19.20 and the value as of the July 30, 2024 grant date to Mr. Scovill pursuant to an amended employment agreement was $20.265. For 2023, the value as of the January 31, 2023 grant date was $23.35 per share. In 2022, the value as of the January 31, 2022 grant date was $25.02 per share.

With the exception of the award to Mr. Scovill pursuant to an amended employment agreement, restricted stock awards to NEOs under the Stock Incentive Plan in 2024, 2023 and 2022 provided for vesting over a three-year term, with vesting for half of the shares dependent on satisfactory performance (time vesting) and vesting for half of the shares based on time vesting and upon the Corporation meeting defined performance conditions. In 2024 and 2023, the Corporation met the performance conditions defined in the applicable awards. In 2022, the Corporation did not meet the performance conditions; accordingly, in the first quarter 2023, the following forfeitures occurred: Mr. Scovill – 4,983 shares; Mr. Hughes – 2,041 shares; Mr. Hoose – 2,165 shares; Mr. Rush - 549 shares.

(3)  On July 30, 2024, the Corporation granted 20,000 shares of restricted stock to Mr. Scovill pursuant to the amended and restated Employment Agreement entered into on May 22, 2024. The total value of this stock award included in the table was $405,300. Unless events defined in the Employment Agreement occur, the shares of restricted stock will vest on April 30, 2027.

⁽⁴⁾  There were no options awarded in 2024, 2023 or 2022.

⁽⁵⁾  The amounts shown in the “Non-Equity Incentive Plan Compensation” column were paid pursuant to the Incentive Award Plan, which is described in the “Program Components” section of Compensation Discussion and Analysis.

⁽⁶⁾  Amounts shown as “All Other Compensation” include the following: