SEC Form DEF 14A filed by Civista Bancshares Inc.

CIVISTA
BANCSHARES, INC.
Focused on You
1884-2024
Notice of 2025 Annual Meeting of shareholders & proxy statement

CIVISTA BANCSHARES, INC.

100 East Water Street, P.O. Box 5016

Sandusky, Ohio 44870

NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS

TO BE HELD ON APRIL 15, 2025

TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS:

Notice is hereby given that the Annual Meeting of Shareholders (the “Annual Meeting”) of Civista Bancshares, Inc. (the “Corporation”) will be held at the Cedar Point Center Facility, BGSU Firelands College, One University Drive, Huron, Ohio 44839, at 10:00 AM Eastern Time on Tuesday, April 15, 2025, for the following purposes:

Only those holders of record of common shares of the Corporation at the close of business on February 18, 2025, will be entitled to notice of and to vote at the Annual Meeting.

IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING THE AVAILABILITY OF PROXY MATERIALS FOR THE ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS TO BE HELD ON APRIL 15, 2025: The Corporation’s Proxy Statement for the Annual Meeting, a sample of the form of proxy card to be sent to shareholders by the Corporation and the Corporation’s 2024 Annual Report to Shareholders are available at www.proxydocs.com/civb. Before making any voting decisions, you are urged to read the Corporation’s Proxy Statement for the Annual Meeting (including any amendments or supplements thereto) and any other relevant documents that the Corporation may file with or furnish to the SEC.

You are cordially invited to attend the Annual Meeting. Your vote is very important, regardless of the number of common shares you own. Whether or not you plan to attend the Annual Meeting in person, it is important that your common shares be represented. Please sign, date and return your proxy card as soon as possible. A return envelope, which requires no postage if mailed in the United States, has been provided for your use. Alternatively, if your common shares are registered directly with the Corporation’s transfer agent, Equiniti Trust Company, LLC (formerly known as American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC) (“Equiniti”), you may vote electronically via the Internet or by using the toll-free telephone number given on the form of proxy card. You also may cast your vote in person at the Annual Meeting, provided that, if you are not the record holder of your common shares, you must bring documentation from your broker, financial institution or other nominee authorizing you to vote on behalf of the record holder of your shares.

To obtain driving directions to attend the Annual Meeting and vote in person, please contact Karen Terenzi (419-609-1347; [email protected]) or Lori Castillo (419-627-4554; [email protected]).

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CIVISTA BANCSHARES, INC.

100 East Water Street, P.O. Box 5016

Sandusky, Ohio 44870

(419) 625-4121

www.civb.com

PROXY STATEMENT

FOR ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS TO BE HELD ON APRIL 15, 2025

INTRODUCTION

At the Annual Meeting, shareholders will be asked to consider and vote upon the following:

VOTING INFORMATION

Who can vote?

Each shareholder will be entitled to cast one vote for each common share owned by that shareholder with respect to each candidate for election to the Board of Directors. With respect to all other matters submitted to a vote at the Annual Meeting, each shareholder will be entitled to one vote for each common share of the Corporation held on February 18, 2025.

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How do I vote?

If you were a record holder of common shares of the Corporation as of February 18, 2025, you may vote in person by attending the Annual Meeting or, to ensure that your common shares are represented at the Annual Meeting, you may vote your common shares by signing and returning the enclosed proxy card in the postage-paid envelope provided.

Shareholders whose common shares of the Corporation are registered directly with the Corporation’s transfer agent, Equiniti Trust Company (formerly known as American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC) (“Equiniti”), may also vote electronically via the Internet or by using the toll-free telephone number given on the enclosed proxy card. The deadline for transmitting voting instructions electronically via the Internet or telephonically is 10:00 AM, Eastern Time, on April 15, 2025. The Internet and telephone voting procedures are designed to authenticate shareholders’ identities, allow shareholders to give their voting instructions and confirm that shareholders’ instructions have been properly recorded. Shareholders voting via the Internet or telephone should understand that there may be costs associated with electronic access, such as usage charges from Internet access providers and telephone companies, that will be borne by those shareholders.

How do I vote if my common shares are held in “street name”?

If you hold your common shares in “street name” with a broker, a financial institution or other nominee, then that entity is considered the shareholder of record for voting purposes and should give you instructions for voting your common shares. As a beneficial owner, you have the right to direct the record holder on how to vote the common shares held in your account. If you hold your common shares in “street name”, you may be eligible to appoint your proxy electronically via the Internet or telephonically and may incur costs associated with the electronic access or telephone usage.

If you hold your common shares in “street name” and wish to attend the Annual Meeting and vote in person, you must bring documentation from your broker, financial institution or other nominee authorizing you to vote your common shares on behalf of such record holder. The documentation must show that you were the direct or indirect beneficial owner of the common shares on February 18, 2025, the record date for voting at the Annual Meeting.

How will my common shares be voted?

Those common shares represented by properly executed proxy cards that are received prior to the Annual Meeting, or by properly authenticated Internet or telephone votes that are submitted prior to the deadline for doing so, and not subsequently revoked, will be voted by your proxies in accordance with your instructions. If you submit a valid proxy card prior to the Annual Meeting, or timely submit your proxy via the Internet or by telephone, but do not provide voting instructions, your proxies will vote your common shares as recommended by the Board of Directors, except in the case of broker non-votes where applicable, as follows:

If any other matters are properly presented for voting at the Annual Meeting, the persons appointed as proxies will vote on those matters, to the extent permitted by applicable law, in accordance with their best judgment. No appraisal or dissenters’ rights exist for any action proposed to be taken at the Annual Meeting.

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Can the proxy materials be accessed electronically?

Yes. The Corporation’s Proxy Statement for the Annual Meeting, a sample of the form of proxy card and the Corporation’s 2024 Annual Report to Shareholders are available on the Internet at www.proxydocs.com/civb.

How do I change or revoke my proxy?

Shareholders who submit proxies retain the right to revoke them at any time before they are exercised. Unless revoked, the common shares represented by such proxies will be voted at the Annual Meeting and any adjournment thereof. You may revoke your proxy at any time before a vote is taken at the Annual Meeting by:

Attendance at the Annual Meeting will not, by itself, revoke your proxy.

The last-dated proxy you submit (by any means) will supersede any previously submitted proxy. If you have instructed your broker, financial institution or other nominee to vote your common shares, you must follow directions received from your broker, financial institution or other nominee to change your vote.

If I vote in advance, can I still attend the Annual Meeting?

Yes. You are encouraged to vote promptly by returning your signed proxy card by mail or, if applicable, by appointing a proxy to vote electronically via the Internet or by telephone so that your common shares will be represented at the Annual Meeting. However, appointing a proxy does not affect your right to attend the Annual Meeting.

What constitutes a quorum and how many votes are required for adoption of the proposals?

The rules of the NASDAQ Stock Market LLC (“NASDAQ”), the stock exchange on which the Corporation’s common shares are listed, determine whether proposals presented at shareholder meetings are routine or non-routine. If a proposal is routine, a broker holding common shares for a beneficial owner in street name may vote on the proposal without receiving instructions from the beneficial owner. If a proposal is non-routine, the broker may vote on the proposal only if the beneficial owner has provided voting instructions. A broker non-vote occurs when the broker, as the holder of record, is unable to vote on a proposal because the proposal is non-routine and the beneficial owner does not provide any instructions.

The ratification of the appointment of the Corporation’s independent registered public accounting firm (Proposal 5) is the only routine proposal. Each of the other proposals is considered a non-routine matter and, therefore, your broker may vote on these matters only if you provide voting instructions. Accordingly, it is important that you provide instructions to your broker on these matters.

Vote Required with Respect to the Proposals

Under Ohio law and the Corporation’s Regulations, the twelve (12) nominees for election as Directors of the Corporation who receive the greatest number of votes “FOR” election will be elected Directors. Common shares as to which the authority to vote is withheld and broker non-votes will be counted for quorum purposes but will not affect whether a nominee has received sufficient votes to be elected.

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The affirmative vote of a majority of the common shares represented at the Annual Meeting, in person or by proxy, and entitled to vote on the proposal, is required to approve the non-binding advisory resolution to approve the compensation paid to the Corporation’s named executive officers as disclosed in this Proxy Statement. The effect of an abstention is the same as a vote “AGAINST” Proposal 2. Broker non-votes will not be counted in determining whether the proposal has been approved.

The affirmative vote of a majority of the common shares represented at the Annual Meeting, in person or by proxy, and entitled to vote on the proposal, is required to approve, on a non-binding advisory basis, one of the selections as to the frequency of future shareholder advisory votes on the compensation of the Corporation’s named executive officers. Common shares as to which the vote is expressed as an “ABSTAIN” vote on the proxy card or in voting instructions and broker non-votes with respect to this proposal will be counted for the purposes of determining whether a quorum exists, but will not affect the outcome of the vote on this proposal.

The affirmative vote of a majority of the common shares of the Corporation outstanding and entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting is required to approve and adopt the proposed amendment to Article XI of the Corporation’s Regulations to grant the Board of Directors the power to make limited future amendments to the Regulations to the extent permitted by the Ohio General Corporation Law. Abstentions and broker non-votes will have the same effect as votes cast “AGAINST” the proposed amendment.

The affirmative vote of a majority of the common shares represented at the Annual Meeting, in person or by proxy, and entitled to vote on the proposal, is required to ratify the appointment of Plante & Moran, PLLC as the independent registered public accounting firm of the Corporation for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2024. The effect of an abstention is the same as a vote “AGAINST” Proposal 5. Because Proposal 5 is a routine proposal, there will be no broker non-votes associated with this proposal.

In accordance with the Corporation’s policy, proxy cards, ballots and voting instructions that identify individual shareholders will be kept confidential. Exceptions to this policy, however, may be necessary in limited instances to comply with applicable legal requirements and, in the event of a contested proxy solicitation, to verify the validity of proxies, ballots and voting instructions submitted by shareholders and the results of the voting.

Who pays the cost of proxy solicitation?

The Corporation will pay the costs of preparing, assembling, printing and mailing this Proxy Statement, the accompanying proxy card and other related materials and all other costs incurred in connection with the solicitation of proxies on behalf of the Board of Directors, other than the Internet access and telephone usage charges mentioned above. Although we are soliciting proxies by mailing these proxy materials to our shareholders, the directors, officers and employees of the Corporation and our subsidiaries also may solicit proxies by further mailing, personal contact, telephone or electronic mail without receiving any additional compensation for such solicitations.

Arrangements will also be made with brokerage firms, financial institutions and other nominees that are record holders of common shares of the Corporation for the forwarding of solicitation materials to the beneficial owners of such common shares. The Corporation will reimburse these brokers, financial institutions and other nominees for their reasonable out-of-pocket costs in connection therewith.

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The Corporation has retained BetaNXT, a Mediant company, to aid in the solicitation of proxies for the Annual Meeting. The Corporation will pay BetaNXT approximately $17,250 in fees and will also reimburse BetaNXT for certain out-of-pocket expenses, for proxy solicitation services to be provided by BetaNXT. BetaNXT may solicit proxies by personal contact, telephone and/or electronic mail.

Who should I call if I have questions concerning this proxy solicitation or the proposals to be considered at the Annual Meeting?

If you have any questions concerning this proxy solicitation, or the proposals to be considered at the Annual Meeting, please call Lance A. Morrison, Corporate Secretary, at 419-625-4121 (Sandusky area) or 888-645-4121 (other).

FURTHERMORE, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT BETANXT (MEDIANT COMMUNICATIONS INC.) TOLL-FREE AT 888-554-5653 MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, 9:00 AM TO 6:00 PM EASTERN TIME, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK WITH A LIVE VOTING AGENT.

PROPOSAL 1

ELECTION OF DIRECTORS

The Corporation’s Regulations provide that the number of Directors shall be not less than five (5) nor more than twenty-five (25), as from time to time shall be determined by resolution of the Board of Directors of the Corporation. The Board of Directors currently consists of twelve (12) members, and the current terms of all of the Directors expire at the Annual Meeting in 2025. As part of the ongoing refreshment efforts of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee (the “Nominating Committee”), James O. Miller, who has served as a Director of the Corporation since 2006, will retire as a Director and will not seek re-election as a Director at the Annual Meeting. Upon the recommendation of the Nominating Committee, the Board of Directors has nominated Charles A Parcher for election as a Director of the Corporation in place of Mr. Miller at the Annual Meeting.

The Board of Directors proposes that each of the twelve (12) nominees named below be elected as a Director of the Corporation to serve a one (1) year term expiring at the annual meeting in 2026, and until his or her successor is elected and qualified or until his or her earlier resignation, removal from office or death. Each nominee was recommended by the Nominating Committee for election. All of the nominees have expressed their willingness to serve as Directors if elected. The Board of Directors has no reason to believe that any nominee will be unavailable or unable to serve as a Director; however, if for any reason a nominee becomes unable or unwilling to stand for election as a Director, the individuals designated as proxies in the enclosed proxy card will have full discretion to vote the common shares represented by the proxies they hold for the election of the remaining nominees and for the election of any substitute nominee designated by the Board of Directors following recommendation by the Nominating Committee.

The following table lists each nominee’s name, age, principal occupation(s) and/or positions held with the Corporation, the Corporation’s banking subsidiary, Civista Bank (the “Bank”), and the Corporation’s other subsidiaries, and the year the nominee first became a Director of the Corporation. Unless otherwise indicated, each individual has held his or her principal occupation for more than five years. Additional information regarding each nominee is provided under the heading “CORPORATE GOVERNANCE - Director Qualifications” beginning on page 15 of this Proxy Statement.

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Recommendation and Vote

Under Ohio law and the Corporation’s Regulations, the twelve (12) nominees for election as Directors of the Corporation who receive the greatest number of votes “FOR” election will be elected Directors. Common shares represented by properly executed proxy cards that are received prior to the Annual Meeting, or by properly authenticated Internet or telephone votes that are submitted prior to the deadline for doing so, and not subsequently revoked, will be voted “FOR” the election of the nominees listed above unless authority to vote for one or more nominees is withheld. Shareholders may withhold authority to vote for the entire slate as nominated or may withhold the authority to vote for one or more individual nominees. Common shares as to which the authority to vote is withheld will be counted for quorum purposes but will not be counted toward the election of directors, or toward the election of the individual nominees specified on the proxy card.

The Board of Directors recommends a vote “FOR” the election of all twelve (12) nominees listed above.

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BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF

COMMON SHARES OF THE CORPORATION

The following table sets forth information concerning the only shareholder known to the Corporation to own beneficially more than 5% of the outstanding common shares of the Corporation as of February 18, 2025.

The following table sets forth information regarding the beneficial ownership of the Corporation’s common shares, as of February 18, 2025, for each of the current Directors of the Corporation, each of the nominees for election as a Director of the Corporation, each of the individuals named in the Summary Compensation Table for 2024 on page 27, and all Directors, nominees and executive officers of the Corporation as a group.

Amount and Nature of Beneficial Ownership

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Under Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), the Corporation’s Directors, executive officers and any persons beneficially holding more than 10% of the Corporation’s common shares are required to file statements with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) reporting their initial ownership of the Corporation’s common shares and any subsequent changes in their ownership. To the Corporation’s knowledge, based solely on a review of the Section 16(a) reports filed on behalf of these persons for their transactions during 2024 and written representations that no other Section 16(a) reports were required to be filed for transactions during 2024, all filing requirements applicable to officers, Directors and beneficial owners of more than 10% of the outstanding common shares of the Corporation under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act were complied with, except that Ian Whinnem, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the Corporation, had one late Form 4 filing in 2024 which reported one (1) transaction.

BOARD OF DIRECTOR MEETINGS AND COMMITTEES

Meetings of the Board of Directors

The Board of Directors of the Corporation (sometimes referred to herein as the “Board”) met fourteen (14) times in 2024 (which included four (4) meetings held by video conference to consider and approve the declaration of dividends). Each Director attended at least 75% of the total number of meetings of the Board and of the committees on which he or she served during 2024.

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Attendance at Annual Meeting of Shareholders

The Corporation does not have a formal policy with regard to Director attendance at annual meetings of shareholders. However, the Corporation encourages all Directors and Director nominees to attend each annual meeting of shareholders. All but one of the Corporation’s Directors attended the 2024 annual meeting of shareholders either in person or via telephone.

Board Leadership Structure and Role in Risk Management

The Board expects its Chairperson to possess extensive knowledge of the Corporation’s operations as well as the experience and capacity to provide strategic direction to the Corporation. Currently, Mr. Dennis E. Murray serves as Chairperson of the Board. Mr. Murray was appointed Chairperson effective April 19, 2022, to succeed Mr. James O. Miller, who served as Chairperson from 2014 until April 19, 2022. Mr. Murray is an independent director who has served as a Director of the Corporation and Bank since 2015 and previously served as the Board’s Lead Independent Director.

The Board believes that Mr. Murray’s prior experience as Lead Independent Director of the Corporation, his independent leadership, his experience on the Board and his ability to communicate between the Board and management allow him to provide appropriate oversight of the Board and promote the Board’s effective functioning.

At the time of Mr. Murray’s appointment as Chairperson of the Board on April 19, 2022, the Board also appointed Mr. Dennis G. Shaffer to serve as Vice Chair. Mr. Shaffer’s role as Vice Chair is to provide support to the Chair and to serve as a liaison between the Board and management. Given Mr. Shaffer’s extensive knowledge and active involvement in the operations of the Corporation, and his lengthy experience in banking, the Board determined that Mr. Shaffer serving in this role would provide valuable support to the Chair.

The Board believes that the Corporation and its stockholders are best served by a Board that has the flexibility to establish and change the Board’s leadership structure from time to time to fit the needs of the Corporation. As a result, the Board may from time to time consider combining the roles of Chief Executive Officer and Chairperson, and/or appointing a Lead Independent Director. These decisions will be dependent upon the needs of the Corporation at that time, including the composition of the Board and the availability, willingness and qualifications of candidates to serve as Chairperson and/or Lead Independent Director, as well as other factors.

The Board is actively involved in oversight of risks that could affect the Corporation and its subsidiaries. The Board Risk Committee (the “Board Risk Committee”), as part of its role in overseeing the Corporation’s Enterprise Risk Management program, assists the Board in the oversight of the guidelines, policies and processes for identifying, assessing, managing, reporting, monitoring and mitigating risks to the Corporation and its subsidiaries, including credit risk, market risk (including interest rate risk), liquidity risk, compliance risk, operational risk, legal risk, reputational risk, strategic risk and cybersecurity risk. Cybersecurity is addressed as part of operational risk and includes information security, vendor management and business continuity planning. Additionally, the Board has assigned to its Audit Committee responsibility for oversight of the internal controls of the Corporation. Each Director of the Corporation is also a member of the Bank’s board of directors and, as such, receives monthly reports from the Chief Risk Officer concerning risks to the Bank.

The role of the Board of Directors in the Corporation’s risk management process also includes reviewing regular reports from senior management on areas of material risk to the Corporation, including operational, financial, legal, regulatory and strategic risks. The Board of Directors reviews these reports to enable it to understand and to assess the Corporation’s risk management and risk mitigation strategies. The Board also reviews and approves the minutes of each meeting of the Corporation’s Enterprise Risk Management Committee, consisting of the executive officers of the Corporation.

While the Board has the ultimate oversight responsibility for the risk management process, various committees of both management and the Board also have responsibility for risk management. As further discussed under the heading “Board Risk Committee” below, the primary role of the Board Risk Committee is to oversee the Enterprise Risk Management program. The Enterprise Risk Management Committee also assists the Board of Directors in its oversight of the implementation and enforcement of policies, procedures and practices relating to: (i) the management of enterprise-wide risk; (ii) compliance with applicable laws and regulations and the maintenance of appropriate regulatory and economic capital and reserve levels; and (iii) the Corporation’s long-term strategic plans and initiatives. In addition, the Audit Committee assists the Board in overseeing and monitoring management’s conduct of the Corporation’s financial reporting process and system of internal accounting and financial controls. While each committee oversees certain risks and the management of such risks, the entire Board is regularly informed of such risks through committee reports.

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Committees of the Board

The Board has the following standing committees: Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee (“Nominating Committee”); Audit Committee; Compensation, Benefits and Liability Committee (“Compensation Committee”); and Board Risk Committee. The Board Risk Committee was created as a new committee by the Board in July 2023 to assist the Board in its continued focus on risk as part of the Corporation’s strategic plan and vision. While the Corporation is not required by applicable laws and regulations to have a Board Risk Committee due to the Corporation’s current asset size being below $10 billion, the Board determined it was desirable and appropriate to create a separate Board Risk Committee in order to further emphasize the Board’s attention to and focus on matters of risk.

The following table shows the current membership of each of the standing committees of the Board. It is anticipated that the composition of the standing committees may change, and new Directors may be appointed to serve on these committees, following the Annual Meeting.

Nominating Committee

The Nominating Committee currently has five (5) members and met two (2) times in 2024. The Board has determined that each of the current members of the Nominating Committee qualifies and each Director who served as a member of the Nominating Committee during 2024 qualified during his or her tenure on the Nominating Committee during 2024 as an “independent director” under applicable NASDAQ rules. The Board has adopted a written charter for the Nominating Committee. A copy of the charter is posted on the “Governance Documents” page under the “Corporate Overview” tab of the Corporation’s website at www.civb.com.

The Nominating Committee recommends to the Corporation’s Board of Directors the names of those persons to be proposed for election as Directors of the Corporation at each annual meeting of shareholders. The Nominating Committee also nominates Directors to serve on committees of the Board and on the boards of directors and committees of the Bank and other subsidiaries of the Corporation, assists the Board in Director orientation and continuing education, periodically reviews Director compensation, and is responsible for reviewing and establishing corporate governance policies and programs, as well as the Board of Directors Guide described below under the heading “Board Governance Initiatives”.

Audit Committee

The Audit Committee currently has five (5) members and met ten (10) times in 2024. The Board has determined that each member of the Audit Committee qualifies, and each Director who served as a member of the Audit Committee during 2024 qualified during his or her tenure on the Audit Committee during 2024, as an “independent director” under applicable NASDAQ rules and under Rule 10A-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act. The Board has adopted a written charter for the Audit Committee which is posted on the “Governance Documents” page under the “Corporate Overview” tab of the Corporation’s website at www.civb.com.

The Board has determined that each member of the Audit Committee is able to read and understand financial statements, including the Corporation’s balance sheet, income statement and cash flow statement, and is qualified to discharge his or her duties to the Corporation and its shareholders. The Board has also determined that Julie A. Mattlin qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert” for purposes of Item 407(d)(5) of Regulation S-K. Ms. Mattlin is a

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principal of DKMG Consulting, LLC and has provided financial consulting services to airports and other entities for over 30 years, including bond issuances worth billions of dollars. She has considerable experience in accounting for estimates, accruals and reserves. Ms. Mattlin has been a member of the Corporation’s Audit Committee since 2019 and previously served as the Chair of the Audit Committee of United Community Bancorp, which was acquired by the Corporation in September, 2018.

As set forth in the Audit Committee’s Charter, the Audit Committee’s responsibilities include the following:

In discharging its responsibilities, the Audit Committee is authorized to investigate any matter that the Audit Committee deems appropriate to carry out its responsibilities and has access to all books, records, facilities and personnel of the Corporation. The Audit Committee is also authorized to retain, compensate, direct, oversee and terminate an independent auditor, independent counsel, other auditors and experts as it deems necessary.

Additional information regarding the Audit Committee, including the Audit Committee’s report relating to the 2024 fiscal year, is provided under the heading “AUDIT COMMITTEE MATTERS” beginning on page 43 of this Proxy Statement.

Compensation Committee

The Compensation Committee currently has six (6) members and met three (3) times in 2024. The Board has determined that each member of the Compensation Committee qualifies, and each Director who served as a member of the Compensation Committee during 2024 qualified during his or her tenure on the Compensation Committee during 2024, as an “independent director” under applicable NASDAQ rules. In addition, each member of the Compensation Committee qualifies as a “non-employee director” for purposes of SEC Rule 16b-3. The Board has adopted a written charter for the Compensation Committee which is posted on the “Governance Documents” page under the “Corporate Overview” tab of the Corporation’s website at www.civb.com.

The Compensation Committee approves compensation for executive officers and annual budgetary levels for employee compensation and benefits; reviews and establishes the policies for all benefit programs for the Corporation and its subsidiaries; reviews and recommends the affirmative action program for the Corporation and its subsidiaries; and reviews and makes recommendations for benefit insurance programs of the Corporation and its subsidiaries.

Additional information regarding the Compensation Committee and its functions and responsibilities is provided under the heading “EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION - Compensation Discussion and Analysis” beginning on page 19 of this Proxy Statement.

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Board Risk Committee

The Board Risk Committee currently has eight (8) members and met four (4) times in 2024. The Board has determined that each member of the Board Risk Committee qualifies and each Director who served as a member of the Board Risk Committee during 2024 qualified during his or her tenure on the Board Risk Committee during 2024, as an “independent director” under applicable NASDAQ rules. The Board has adopted a written charter for the Board Risk Committee which is posted on the “Governance Documents” page under the “Corporate Overview” tab of the Corporation’s website at www.civb.com.

The Board Risk Committee was established in July 2023 as a joint committee of the Boards of Directors (collectively, the “Boards”) of the Corporation and the Bank (collectively, “Civista”) to assist the Boards in fulfilling their responsibilities with respect to establishing the risk appetite of Civista and overseeing the establishment and implementation of Civista’s Enterprise Risk Management Policy (“ERM”) and program.

In establishing the risk appetite of Civista, the Board Risk Committee will consider the levels and types of risk that Civista is able and willing to assume in its exposures and material business activities, given Civista’s strategic and business objectives and responsibilities to its shareholders, communities and employees, and with respect to its obligations to operate in compliance with applicable law and safe and sound banking practices.

The Committee’s role in overseeing Civista’s Enterprise Risk Management program includes assisting the Boards in their oversight of the guidelines, policies and processes for identifying, assessing, managing, reporting, monitoring, and mitigating risk. The risks to be managed under the ERM Policy include:

- Credit Risk

- Market Risk (includes Interest Rate Risk)

- Liquidity Risk

- Compliance Risk

- Operational Risk (including cyber risk)

- Legal Risk

- Reputational Risk

- Strategic Risk

2024 COMPENSATION OF DIRECTORS

The Nominating Committee annually considers the compensation paid to non-employee Directors and recommends appropriate compensation for service on the Boards of the Corporation and the Bank. Executive officers of the Corporation do not play a role in determining Director compensation. During 2024, the Directors of the Corporation were not paid any fees for their service on the Board of the Corporation or for attendance at meetings of the Board of the Corporation. However, each Director of the Corporation also serves as a Director of the Bank and, during 2024, received Directors’ fees for attendance at meetings of the Board of Directors of the Bank at the rate of $1,750 per meeting. In addition, the Directors of the Corporation and the Bank received $600 per committee meeting of the Corporation attended during 2024, except that the Chairperson of each Committee received $1,600 per committee meeting attended. In July 2023, the Corporation and the Bank restructured their committees, and Directors no longer serve as members of any Bank-level committees and now only attend and receive compensation for attendance at committee meetings of the Corporation. Directors who are also officers of the Corporation and/or its subsidiaries do not receive any fees or other compensation as Directors of the Corporation or any of its subsidiaries or for attendance at any Board or committee meetings.

Directors of the Bank receive an annual retainer for their service on the Bank’s board. To align the interests of the Bank’s Directors with the interests of the Corporation’s shareholders, the entire amount of the retainer is paid in common shares of the Corporation. Each Director received a retainer totaling $14,000, which was paid in common shares of the Corporation, for his or her service on the board of the Bank during the period from April 17, 2024 until the Annual Meeting on April 15, 2025. The retainer amount was pro-rated for new Directors based on when they joined the Board. Mr. Murray received an additional cash retainer in the amount of $2,500 per month for his service as Chairperson of the Board. The additional cash retainer paid to Mr. Murray as Chairperson of the Board was recommended by the Nominating Committee and approved by the Board in recognition of the additional duties required of Mr. Murray in his role as Chairperson of the Board.

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The Corporation and its subsidiaries have adopted a non-qualified Deferred Compensation Plan for each non-employee Director. Pursuant to each such plan, a Director may defer any or all of the board fees or committee fees earned by such Director during a particular calendar year. The amount deferred is credited with interest at a rate equal to the ten-year United States Treasury Constant Maturity rate published by the Federal Reserve and adjusted monthly. During 2024, no Director of the Corporation elected to defer his or her board fees and/or committee fees earned as a Director of the Corporation or the Bank.

Set forth below is information regarding the compensation paid for 2024 to each of the Directors of the Corporation (other than Mr. Dennis G. Shaffer, whose compensation information is included in the Summary Compensation Table for 2024 on page 27).

DIRECTOR COMPENSATION TABLE FOR 2024

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

Code of Ethics

In accordance with applicable NASDAQ rules and the rules and regulations of the SEC, the Board of Directors of the Corporation has adopted a Code of Conduct (Ethics) applicable to all Directors, officers and employees of the Corporation and its subsidiaries, including the Corporation’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer. A copy of the Code of Conduct (Ethics) is posted on the “Governance Documents” page under the “Corporate Overview” tab of the Corporation’s website at www.civb.com.

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Corporate Responsibility

As a community banking organization, the main purposes of the Corporation and its subsidiaries are to serve our shareholders and to help our customers thrive, our communities grow and our employees develop. The Corporation’s commitment to responsible and efficient operation and corporate citizenship helps further those purposes. Such corporate responsibility and citizenship include corporate governance initiatives, philanthropy, community development and a commitment to employees. With this in mind, the Corporation has posted on its website its Corporate Responsibility Report. The Report can be found on the Corporation’s website at www.civb.com at the bottom of the home page under the “Corporate Responsibility” tab.

Communications with Board of Directors

The Corporation provides a process for shareholders to send communications to the Corporation’s Board of Directors. Shareholders can send communications to the entire Board or to a specified Director by mailing the communication to Lance A. Morrison, Senior Vice President, Corporate Secretary and General Counsel, at 100 East Water Street, Sandusky, Ohio 44870. All such communications will be relayed as requested without any screening.

Director Independence

The Corporation has affirmatively determined that all Directors and nominees for election as Directors are currently “independent” under applicable NASDAQ rules, except that (a) Dennis G. Shaffer does not qualify as independent due to his service as President and CEO of the Corporation and the Bank and (b) Charles A. Parcher, who has been nominated by the Board for election as a Director at the Annual Meeting, does not qualify as independent due to his service as Executive Vice President of the Corporation and President of the Bank. In making its determination concerning the independence of Directors and nominees for election as Directors, the Board of Directors of the Corporation reviewed and considered each Director’s and nominee’s relationships, both direct and indirect, with the Corporation and its subsidiaries, including those described under the heading “Transactions with Directors, Officers and Related Persons” on page 17 of this Proxy Statement.

Board Governance Initiatives

Since 2020, the Nominating Committee of the Board of Directors has been engaged in work on a governance initiative aimed at further improving corporate governance through annual Board evaluations, utilizing a skills matrix and annual interviews of Directors by the Chairperson of the Board and the Chairperson of the Nominating Committee, as well as a Board refreshment initiative. In 2020, the Nominating Committee adopted a Board of Directors Guide, which among other things: formalizes the criteria to be used in evaluating existing Directors and new Director candidates and assessing their qualifications; sets forth certain expectations for Board members with regard to age, citizenship and residency, stock ownership (i.e., a minimum of 5,000 shares of common stock of the Corporation within five (5) years of joining the Board), attendance at Board and committee meetings, experience and integrity; identifies the roles, duties and responsibilities of the Directors, as well as those of the Chairperson of the Board and committee chairs; formalizes the process for conducting succession planning with regard to the CEO as well as executive management as a whole; sets forth the procedures for selecting an interim replacement CEO in the event the CEO should die or suddenly become incapacitated and unable to serve as CEO, and procedures for identifying, recruiting, evaluating and selecting a successor CEO; and identifies certain expectations of Directors with regard to business development, new Director orientation and continuing education and training for Directors.

Nominating Procedure

The Corporation has not adopted a formal policy with regard to consideration of any Director candidates recommended by shareholders, which the Board of Directors deems appropriate because the Nominating Committee considers all recommendations for candidates from any source. To be considered by the Nominating Committee, shareholder recommendations as to Director candidates should be sent in writing to the Corporation, in care of the Corporation’s Corporate Secretary, at 100 East Water Street, Sandusky, Ohio 44870.

Shareholders of the Corporation may also nominate a candidate for election as a Director of the Corporation by following the procedures set forth in the Corporation’s Regulations. Pursuant to the Regulations, all shareholder nominations must be made in writing and delivered or mailed to the Corporate Secretary of the Corporation at the Corporation’s principal executive offices located at 100 East Water Street, P.O. Box 5016, Sandusky, Ohio 44870. Nominations must be received

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by the Corporate Secretary of the Corporation not less than 14 days nor more than 50 days prior to the meeting, except that if less than 21 days’ notice or prior public disclosure of the date of the meeting is given or made to shareholders, notice must be delivered or mailed no later than the close of business on the 7^th day following the day on which notice of the date of the meeting was mailed or such public disclosure was made, whichever occurs first (but in no event less than seven days prior to the meeting). Each nomination must contain the following information: (a) the name, age, business address and residence address of the proposed nominee; (b) the principal occupation or employment of the proposed nominee; (c) the class and number of shares of capital stock of the Corporation which are beneficially owned by the proposed nominee; (d) the name and record address of the shareholder making the nomination; and (e) the class and number of shares of capital stock of the Corporation which are beneficially owned by the shareholder making the nomination. The Corporation may require any proposed nominee to furnish such other information as may reasonably be required by the Corporation to determine the eligibility of a proposed nominee to serve as Director of the Corporation.

SEC Rule 14a-19 now requires the use of a universal proxy card in contested director elections. Under this “universal proxy rule,” a shareholder intending to engage in a director election contest with respect to an annual meeting of shareholders must give the Corporation notice of its intent to solicit proxies by providing the name(s) of the shareholder’s nominee(s) and certain other information at least 60 calendar days prior to the anniversary of the previous year’s annual meeting date (except that, if the Corporation did not hold an annual meeting during the previous year, or if the date of the meeting has changed by more than 30 calendar days from the previous year, then notice must be provided by the later of 60 calendar days prior to the date of the annual meeting or the 10^th calendar day following the day on which public announcement of the date of the annual meeting is first made by the registrant).

Director Qualifications

The Nominating Committee identifies nominees by considering recommendations from all sources and evaluates them by applying the criteria that it has adopted. The Board of Directors Guide, which was originally adopted by the Nominating Committee in 2020, sets forth criteria to be used in evaluating existing Directors and new Director candidates, the minimum qualifications that must be met by any Director nominee and the qualities and skills that are necessary for a Director, new or existing, to possess. In addition to the qualifications and expectations set forth in the Board of Directors Guide, the Nominating Committee also considers cognitive diversity, relevant business and employment experience, experience on other boards, experience with publicly traded companies, relevant special knowledge, independence, personal characteristics, financial sophistication and community involvement. During 2019, the Nominating Committee and the Board of Directors adopted a formal Board Diversity Policy, a copy of which is available on the Corporation’s website at www.civb.com (on the “Governance Documents” page under the “Corporate Overview” tab), regarding the consideration of cognitive diversity in identifying nominees for Director. Cognitive diversity is one of the primary factors considered by the Nominating Committee pursuant to its criteria for evaluating Director candidates. Cognitive diversity promotes diversity of all types and seeks the inclusion of different perspectives and ideas to mitigate against groupthink. Cognitive diversity also seeks to ensure that the Corporation benefits from all available talent. Diversity is to be achieved through recruitment efforts and the gathering of candidate pools that consider not only merit, but the competencies, expertise, skills and backgrounds identified by the Board as being important to fostering cognitive diversity and an inclusive culture. The Nominating Committee reviews and assesses on an annual basis the Board Diversity Policy’s effectiveness in achieving a diverse and robust Board.

The Nominating Committee and the Board of Directors believe that each of the nominees who have been nominated for election at the Annual Meeting brings a strong background and set of skills to the Board which provides the Board as a whole with competence, experience and expertise in a wide variety of areas, including business and executive management, banking, manufacturing, accounting and finance, tax, insurance, human resources, information technology, law and international business. Provided below is the evaluation of the Nominating Committee and the Board of Directors regarding the specific attributes, skills and qualifications possessed by each Director nominee.

Darci Congrove. The Nominating Committee and the Board of Directors believe that the attributes, skills, experience and qualifications that Ms. Congrove has developed through more than 30 years as a Certified Public Accountant in private practice and more than 14 years as a Managing Director of the largest Columbus, Ohio based public accounting firm allow her to provide tax, accounting and financial expertise to the Board of Directors and have recommended her for re-election to the Board.

Mark Macioce. The Nominating Committee and the Board of Directors believe that the attributes, skills, experience and qualifications that Mr. Macioce has developed through more than 22 years as an Information Technology professional, IT Director and Chief Information Officer allow him to provide business, technology and innovation expertise to the Board of Directors and have recommended him for re-election to the Board.

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Julie A. Mattlin. The Nominating Committee and the Board of Directors believe that the attributes, skills and qualifications that Ms. Mattlin has developed through 33 years in providing financial consulting services to airports, including the development of financial and funding strategies and reports related to bond issuances, allow her to provide financial and business expertise to the Board of Directors and have recommended her for re-election to the Board.

Dennis E. Murray, Jr. The Nominating Committee and the Board of Directors believe that the attributes, skills and qualifications that Mr. Murray has developed through 37 years as an attorney litigating various legal matters (including accounting, antitrust and banking issues and shareholder and other business disputes) and through his governmental service in various capacities allow him to provide legal expertise to the Board on corporate and governance matters, and have recommended him for re-election to the Board.

Mary Patricia Oliver. The Nominating Committee and the Board of Directors believe that the attributes, skills and qualifications that Ms. Oliver has developed through more than 40 years as an attorney practicing in the financial services industry, including most recently as a partner with Tucker Ellis, LLP until December 31, 2018, and formerly as an Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Chief Corporate Governance Officer of BB&T Corporation, allow her to provide legal, financial and governance expertise to the Board of Directors and have recommended her for re-election to the Board.

Charles A. Parcher. The Nominating Committee and the Board of Directors believe that the attributes, skills and qualifications that Mr. Parcher has developed through his more than 36 years of banking experience, including the last eight years at the Corporation and the Bank, and his previous experience with Fifth Third Bank, MidAm Bank, Sky Bank, Huntington Bank and FirstMerit Bank, where he served in various market executive and corporate executive roles, allows him to provide banking and financial expertise and comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the Corporation’s operations and management to the Board of Directors and have recommended him for election to the Board.

Clyde A. Perfect, Jr. The Nominating Committee and the Board of Directors believe that the attributes, skills and qualifications that Mr. Perfect has developed through more than 44 years as the manager of a successful service industry business and his many years in public service allow him to provide valuable business and public service experience to the Board of Directors and have recommended him for election to the Board.

Dennis G. Shaffer. The Nominating Committee and the Board of Directors believe that the attributes, skills and qualifications that Mr. Shaffer has developed through more than 39 years working in the financial services industry, including the last 15 years at the Corporation and the Bank, allow him to provide banking, accounting and financial expertise and comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the Corporation’s operations and management to the Board of Directors and have recommended him for re-election to the Board.

Harry Singer. The Nominating Committee and the Board of Directors believe that the attributes, skills and qualifications that Mr. Singer has developed through 36 years in both the commercial real estate and the retail industries allow him to provide valuable owner/operator and business expertise to the Board of Directors and have recommended him for re-election to the Board.

Nathan E. Weaks. The Nominating Committee and the Board of Directors believe that the attributes, skills and qualifications that Mr. Weaks has developed through nearly 21 years as a director, officer and/or chief financial officer of a successful manufacturing company, as well as of a community bank, provide valuable business experience to the Board of Directors and have recommended him for election to the Board.

Lorina W. Wise. The Nominating Committee and the Board of Directors believe that the attributes, skills and qualifications that Ms. Wise has developed through 37 years as an attorney and 27 years as a leader and executive at large institutions, including her current position with Nationwide Children’s Hospital, specializing in labor and employment matters, as well as the related legal, regulatory, financial and administrative matters related thereto, provide valuable business, legal and human resources expertise and perspective to the Board of Directors and have recommended her for re-election to the Board.

Gerald B. Wurm. The Nominating Committee and the Board of Directors believe that the attributes, skills and qualifications that Mr. Wurm has developed through more than 44 years as president of a successful manufacturing company provide valuable business experience to the Board of Directors and have recommended him for election to the Board.

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EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF THE CORPORATION

The following table sets forth the names and ages of all current executive officers of the Corporation, other than Dennis G. Shaffer, whose information is set forth under the heading “PROPOSAL 1 - ELECTION OF DIRECTORS” on page 5 of this Proxy Statement, and all positions and offices held by such executive officers with the Corporation and its subsidiaries, and each executive officer’s business experience during the past five (5) years.

Todd A. Michel, who previously served as Senior Vice President, Treasurer and Controller of the Corporation and as Senior Vice President and Controller of the Bank, retired from the Corporation and the Bank effective July 16, 2024. Ian Whinnem was hired as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the Bank and as Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of the Corporation on June 3, 2024.

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EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

Compensation Discussion and Analysis

Overview of Compensation Program

The Compensation Committee is responsible for the development and administration of the Corporation’s policies regarding executive compensation and obtains input from management and outside consultants as appropriate. The Compensation Committee approves the Corporation’s overall compensation levels and increases. It oversees the Corporation’s compensation and benefit program, and administers the Corporation’s incentive plans. The Compensation Committee sets the compensation of the Corporation’s chief executive officer. The executive officers of the Corporation are paid by the Bank for their services to the Corporation, the Bank and the other subsidiaries of the Corporation. They receive no compensation directly from the Corporation.

The Compensation Committee’s determinations are based in large part upon information concerning the compensation paid by similarly-sized financial institutions. Since 2018, the Compensation Committee has retained an outside compensation consultant to provide peer information and recommendations concerning the base salaries, incentives and total compensation to be paid to the Corporation’s named executive officers included in the Summary Compensation Table on page 27 of this Proxy Statement (“NEOs”). In 2024, the Compensation Committee retained Blanchard Consulting Group (the “Compensation Consultant”) to provide compensation consulting services. In making compensation decisions for 2024, the Compensation Committee considered certain peer information and recommendations by the Compensation Consultant in conjunction with a study offering information about base salaries at similar institutions.

The Compensation Committee believes that the compensation historically paid to the Corporation’s NEOs has been conservative and has generally followed a goal of paying NEOs a base salary that is in the 50^th percentile of the base compensation paid at similar companies.

Prior to 2015, the Corporation’s compensation program had focused primarily on the base salary paid to each executive officer, supplemented by a 401(k) plan, a defined benefit pension plan (for those employees of the Bank as of December 2006), a supplemental nonqualified executive retirement plan (for certain employees who will not be eligible for full benefits under the defined benefit pension plan), and health and welfare benefits generally available to all employees. However, since 2015 the Corporation has shifted a significant part of executive officers’ compensation to incentive-based compensation that is tied to the performance of the Corporation.

For each of 2023 and 2024, the Compensation Committee approved measures of the Corporation’s performance to apply in considering discretionary bonuses for the NEOs. The financial measures used to evaluate the Corporation’s 2023 and 2024 performance are described under the heading “Compensation Components - Bonus/Incentive Compensation” below. Based upon the Corporation’s 2023 and 2024 performance against those measures, the Compensation Committee approved discretionary bonuses to the NEOs to be paid out in 2024 and 2025, respectively. The Compensation Committee designated a portion of these discretionary bonuses to be paid out in cash and the remaining portion of the bonuses to be paid out in the form of grants of restricted common shares of the Corporation that vest in three equal annual installments over a three (3) year period. The grants of restricted common shares are intended to further align the interests of management with those of the Corporation’s shareholders and to incentivize key executives to remain with the Corporation.

In 2015, the Compensation Committee determined that the action taken in 2014 to freeze the Corporation’s pension plan would cause a loss of retirement benefits for a number of the Corporation’s employees who would not be able to use remaining benefit plans to make up the difference. As a result, the Compensation Committee approved Pension Shortfall Agreements between the Corporation and various employees, including one NEO, to provide for an annual amount to be set aside so as to offset the shortfall in the amount to be paid out to the employee upon reaching retirement age.

At the Corporation’s 2024 annual meeting, the shareholders approved the non-binding advisory resolution to approve the Corporation’s executive compensation as disclosed in the proxy statement for the 2024 annual meeting. The resolution was approved by a majority of those voting on the issue (including abstentions counting as “no” votes, but excluding broker non-votes). While the advisory vote was only one of several factors that influenced the Corporation’s executive compensation decisions and policies for 2024, the Compensation Committee viewed the results of this advisory vote as a continued indication that shareholders are generally supportive of the Corporation’s compensation philosophy and policies.

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Role of the Compensation Committee, Management and Consultants in Determining Compensation

The Compensation Committee of the Corporation’s Board of Directors retains overall responsibility for administration of the compensation arrangements for the executive officers of the Corporation, including the NEOs. The Compensation Committee evaluates the factors relevant to the Corporation’s compensation decisions and approves the compensation program for NEOs. Historically, the Compensation Committee has relied heavily on information obtained from consultants and other external sources concerning the compensation paid by similarly-sized financial institutions. While the Compensation Committee considers the recommendations of the Chief Executive Officer in making annual compensation decisions with respect to other executive officers, the Compensation Committee retains ultimate authority and discretion regarding the compensation arrangements for executive officers of the Corporation and does not delegate any of its authority.

In determining the 2024 compensation for the Corporation’s NEOs, the Compensation Committee considered information from the Compensation Consultant, and analytical data from CompAnalyst (a product of Salary.com that offers up-to-date market pricing information for more than 15,000 job titles as well as embedded executive proxy data). The Compensation Consultant reported directly to the Compensation Committee, which approved the work conducted by the Compensation Consultant. The Compensation Consultant also interacted with senior management within the Corporation as necessary to complete the work for the Compensation Committee. The Compensation Consultant did not provide any other services to the Corporation or its subsidiaries in 2024 other than services provided to the Compensation Committee. Based on the Compensation Committee’s assessment, the Compensation Committee determined that no conflicts of interest exist and that Blanchard Consulting Group qualifies as independent for purposes of applicable NASDAQ and SEC rules.

As the basis for its recommendations, the Compensation Consultant gathered information regarding peer financial institutions located in the Midwest that had assets of more than $1.5 billion and less than $7.2 billion. The specific financial institutions included in the peer group were BankFinancial Corporation, Citizens Financial Services, Inc., City Holding Company, CNB Financial Corporation, Cordorus Valley Bancorp, Inc., Farmers & Merchants Bancorp, Inc., Farmers National Banc Corp., First Financial Corporation, HBT Financial, Inc., Independent Bank Corporation, LCNB Corp., Mercantile Bank Corporation, Middlefield Banc Corp., Penns Woods Bancorp, Inc., Peoples Bancorp, Inc., and Sterling Bancorp, Inc. (Southfield, MI). The CompAnalyst program also consolidates the results of other major compensation surveys related to financial institutions with asset sizes between $2 billion and $5 billion. The Compensation Consultant compared the base salaries of NEOs to the 50^th percentile of the amounts paid as base salaries for similar positions by peer institutions, while the Compensation Consultant compared the total cash compensation and total compensation of the NEOs to the 75^th percentile of the amounts paid as total cash compensation and total compensation for similar positions by peer institutions. In determining the base salaries to be paid to NEOs, the Committee reviewed the peer information as indicated in the report of the Compensation Consultant and the CompAnalyst program related to the base salary paid for job functions similar to those performed by the Corporation’s NEOs. The Chief Executive Officer also made recommendations regarding the base salaries of other executive officers which were considered by the Committee. The Compensation Committee also considered the cash compensation and total compensation information from the Compensation Consultant in determining the structure and amount of potential incentive compensation.

Early in each year, the Compensation Committee selects appropriate performance measures to be considered in connection with the evaluation of possible bonuses based upon the Corporation’s performance that year. However, the Compensation Committee retains ultimate discretion concerning whether or not any bonuses will be paid. At its meeting in February of the following year, the Compensation Committee reviews the bonuses paid during recent years to confirm that the bonuses had been effective in providing desired performance incentives. The Committee then applies the selected performance measures to the Corporation’s actual results for those years and determines the appropriate bonuses to pay based upon those results. After determining the appropriate bonus amounts to be paid, the Compensation Committee then allocates the bonus amount to be paid between cash and restricted common shares of the Corporation.

In February 2025, the Compensation Committee approved the method for calculating possible bonuses based on the Corporation’s results for 2025. The Compensation Committee chose the same four (4) cash bonus performance measures that were selected for 2024, but added a fifth (5^th) performance measure for 2025 - Reduction of Wholesale Funding (Brokered Deposits and Borrowings). The Compensation Committee also revised the equity bonus performance measures for 2025 to consist of Return on Tangible Common Equity (“ROTCE”), Earnings Per Share (“EPS”) and Total

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Shareholder Return (“TSR”). The TSR measure will continue to utilize a three year average. With respect to each of these performance measures, the Compensation Committee set revised targets based on the Corporation’s asset size and organization structure. For 2025, the Compensation Committee approved a revised structure for payout of the equity component pursuant to which 50% of the payout for 2025 will be an outright grant and the other 50% will be based on the satisfaction of the performance measures described above. Again, the Committee retains discretion as to whether any bonuses will be paid.

Compensation Philosophy and Objectives

The objective of the Corporation’s compensation programs is to attract, compensate and retain key employees. The Corporation attempts to compensate executives fairly in light of their responsibilities, the performance of the executives and the Corporation and the compensation paid to executives in similar positions at peer financial institutions in the Midwest. The Compensation Committee annually reviews and recommends the appropriate salary for the Chief Executive Officer and an appropriate salary or salary range for each of the other NEOs.

The Corporation’s compensation program for executive officers had traditionally focused on the base salary paid to the executive officers. Before 2015, the Corporation attempted to fairly compensate and retain its executive officers and other employees primarily with base salary. Over the past several years, however, the Corporation has sought to reduce the emphasis on base salary in officers’ total compensation by including an incentive-based element in its executive officers’ compensation program. For each fiscal year beginning in 2015, the Compensation Committee approved bonuses to the NEOs under the Incentive Plans to recognize the performance of the Corporation during those years and the NEOs’ respective contributions to such performance.

The Corporation’s compensation programs are also aligned with the Corporation’s strategic plan that is currently in place. For example, in alignment with the pillars of that plan, the Compensation Committee (as to the 2024 performance measures) increased the weight of the deposits measure within the cash portion of the annual bonuses awarded pursuant to the Incentive Plan and (as to 2025 performance measures) added earnings per share and return on tangible common equity to total shareholder return as performance measures within the equity portion of the annual bonuses awarded pursuant to the Incentive Plan.

In determining appropriate base salaries for officers, the Compensation Committee has relied heavily upon peer comparison information and has generally used the 50^th percentile as the goal for base salaries. The Compensation Committee considers the Corporation’s performance when evaluating and setting incentive levels. The Compensation Committee chose measures that appropriately reflected the success of the Corporation at meeting its goals and set guidelines concerning how bonuses would be calculated. While executives were informed of the measures that would be considered in determining bonuses, the Compensation Committee retained discretion as to whether any bonus would be awarded. The Compensation Committee determined that this approach provided incentive to executives but preserved flexibility in the event of a change in the circumstances of the Corporation. Bonuses have been paid based upon the application of the measures to the Corporation’s results. In order to encourage officers to own a significant amount of the Corporation’s common shares, to align their interests with shareholders and to encourage them to continue their employment, a substantial portion of the bonus for each NEO in 2024 (and prior years) was paid in restricted shares of the Corporation that would vest over the succeeding three years. No wealth accumulation analysis has been performed, and, while the Compensation Committee considers the position and responsibilities of each executive officer in establishing compensation levels, it does not apply any formula for differentiating compensation between executive officers based on their positions and responsibilities.

In addition to the base salary paid to each executive officer, the Corporation’s compensation program includes retirement plans, health and welfare benefit plans, and change in control agreements for certain executive officers. The Corporation expects the retirement and health and welfare plans to promote longevity with the Corporation and discourage turnover among its executive officers and other employees. The Corporation recognizes that change in control agreements can help it to attract and keep talented executives and can minimize the impact on key executives of a job loss due to a change in control. The change in control agreements contain “double triggers” pursuant to which each NEO is entitled to receive benefits following a change in control only if the NEO’s employment with the successor company is terminated within twenty-four (24) months following the change in control. In the event that a transaction that would lead to a change in control is proposed, such agreements can help assure that the executives analyze the transaction without undue focus on its effect upon them personally. In addition, if a transaction would occur, change in control agreements can encourage key executives to stay and help accomplish a smooth transition.

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Clawback Policy

The Corporation’s Clawback Policy was adopted by the Compensation Committee and by the Board of Directors in 2018 and subsequently amended and restated in 2023. The Clawback Policy is intended to comply with Section 10D of the Exchange Act, Rule 10D-1 promulgated under the Exchange Act, and Nasdaq Rule 5608 by providing for the recovery by the Corporation of erroneously awarded compensation in the event of an accounting restatement. The Clawback Policy provides for the Compensation Committee to seek the recoupment of certain incentive based compensation received by executive officers and other senior officers of the Corporation or the Bank in the event that the Corporation is required to prepare an accounting restatement of the Corporation’s financial statements due to the Corporation’s material noncompliance with any financial reporting requirements under the U.S. federal securities laws, including any required accounting restatement to correct an error in previously issued financial statements that is material to the previously issued financial statements, or that would result in a material misstatement if the error were corrected in the current period or left uncorrected in the current period (a “Restatement”). In the event of a Restatement, the Clawback Policy provides for the recoupment of the amount or value of incentive-based compensation received by an executive officer or other senior officer during the Clawback Period in excess of the amount of incentive-based compensation that otherwise would have been received by the executive officer or other senior officers had the incentive-based compensation been determined based on the restated amounts in the Restatement. The “Clawback Period” for which excess incentive-based compensation may be recovered includes the three completed fiscal years of the Corporation immediately preceding the date of the Restatement and any transition period (that result s from a change in the Corporation’s fiscal year) of less than nine months within or immediately following those three completed fiscal years.

Timing of Grants of Equity Awards

If stock options were to be granted in the future, the Compensation Committee would determine the grant date, and the Corporation’s executive officers would not be permitted to choose the grant date for any stock option grants.

During fiscal 2024, none of the Corporations NEOs were awarded stock options, and the Corporation did not time the disclosure of material nonpublic information for the purpose of affecting the value of executive compensation.

Compensation Components

Base Salary

A primary component of executive officer compensation has been the officer’s base salary. The base salary of an executive officer reflects the duties and level of responsibility of the officer, the Corporation’s performance to the extent that it provides the ability to pay compensation at a reasonable rate, and the cash compensation paid to similar executive officers at other financial institutions within the Corporation’s identified peer group.

In determining the base salaries for executive officers in 2024, the Compensation Committee considered the previously referenced peer survey information from the Compensation Consultant and the CompAnalyst data focusing on the 50^th percentile. Increases for NEOs averaged 3% for 2024. Base salaries were set at modest levels because of the ongoing goal of shifting greater emphasis to incentive compensation that reflects the performance of the Corporation.

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Bonus/Incentive Compensation

The Compensation Committee approved the following measures concerning the calculation of the cash and equity portions of annual bonuses that could be earned by the NEOs based on the financial performance of the Corporation in 2024:

Cash Bonus Measures

Equity Bonus Measures

Although no longer one of the specific financial performance measures, the level of non-performing loans remains a factor considered as part of the total loans performance measure. For every 50 basis points the ratio of total past due (plus) nonaccrual loans divided by total loans exceeds the peer ratio, a 10 percent reduction in the total loans weighting will be applied.

For each of the cash bonus measures, the Compensation Committee set the following targets for the cash portion of the annual bonuses that could be awarded to each NEO for the applicable fiscal year:

For each of the equity bonus measures, the Compensation Committee set the following targets for the equity portion of the annual bonuses that could be awarded to each NEO for the 2024 fiscal year.

A threshold was set for each factor the achievement of which was required for any bonus to be earned and below which no incentive would be paid for that factor. In addition, for 2024, an aggregate bonus cap was set at 80% of the base salary of Dennis G. Shaffer; 70% of the base salary of Richard J. Dutton and Charles A. Parcher; and 53% of the base salary of Todd A. Michel, Lance A. Morrison and Ian Whinnem, such that no additional bonus (cash or equity) would be paid to the extent that the results would have generated a bonus that exceeded those limits. The allocation of the bonus cap between cash and equity is set forth in the table below. The level of achievement of the targets as to the cash portion of the bonus, for each of the four (4) factors (provided a threshold was met), would each account for 25% of the potential cash portion of the incentive. The 65% and 35% weighting, respectively, of TSR and ROAE, as to the equity portion of the bonus, is described above and is measured against a three (3) year average of the peer group. Because Ian Whinnem joined the Corporation and the Bank on June 3, 2024, Mr. Whinnem was eligible to receive a prorated bonus based on the portion of 2024 during which he served as an executive officer of the Corporation and the Bank.

2024 Incentive Bonuses

2024

The performance of the Corporation in 2024 exceeded the maximum with respect to two of the cash bonus measures for Total Loans (Booked or Sold) and Average Deposits, excluding brokered deposits and tax refund deposits.

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The two other cash bonus measures - Net Income and Efficiency Ratio fell between target and maximum. With regard to the equity bonus measures, the performance of the Corporation in 2024 was below threshold as to Total Shareholder Return (TSR), and between threshold and target as to Return on Average Equity (ROAE).

The Compensation Committee determined that payment of the discretionary bonuses calculated in accordance with the foregoing was appropriate and approved the bonuses. Eighteen and one half percent (18.5%) of the bonus payable to Dennis G. Shaffer was paid in restricted common shares and the remainder in cash. Seventeen and nine tenths percent (17.9%) of the bonus payable to each of Richard J. Dutton and Charles A. Parcher was paid in restricted common shares and the remainder in cash. Fifteen percent (15%) of the bonus payable to each of Lance A. Morrison and Ian Whinnem was paid in restricted common shares and the remainder in cash. The restricted common shares awarded to each NEO vest over a three (3) year period, with one-third (¹/₃) of the shares vesting each year, beginning in January, 2026. Subject to limited exceptions (such as retirement), unvested shares are forfeited if the NEO leaves the employ of the Corporation.

2023

In reviewing the selected performance measures against the Corporation’s actual results for 2023, the Compensation Committee noted that the Corporation’s TSR performance in 2023 did not meet the threshold for TSR, one of the two equity bonus performance measures. However the performance of the Corporation exceeded the maximum as to ROAE, the other equity bonus performance measure. As a result, the Compensation Committee awarded a partial equity bonus that was weighted accordingly at 35% of the maximum percentage of salary payable in equity. This was in line with the structure and measures of the equity bonus portion of the 2014 Incentive Plan. The performance of the Corporation in 2023 also did not meet the threshold for any of the four cash bonus measures for net income, efficiency ratio, total loans (booked and sold) and average deposits (excluding brokered deposits and tax refund deposits). However, while the four cash bonus measures fell short of the threshold for cash bonuses to be paid, the Committee took into consideration the following factors:

Based upon these factors, at its meeting in February 2024, the Compensation Committee exercised its discretion in the application of the cash bonus performance measures to the Corporation’s actual results for 2023 and determined it was appropriate to pay cash bonuses based upon those results. The Compensation Committee further determined it was appropriate to pay the cash bonus amounts at 88% of Target.

The foregoing resulted in bonuses of 31.7% and 12.2% of base salary for the cash portion and equity portion, respectively, for Mr. Shaffer; 28.2% and 10.5% of base salary for the cash portion and equity portion, respectively, for Messrs. Dutton and Parcher; and 23.2% and 7.0% of base salary for the cash portion and equity portion, respectively, for Mr. Michel. Though Paul J. Stark retired from the Corporation and the Bank effective as of December 31, 2023, and was no longer employed at the time that the 2023 incentive bonuses were calculated and awarded in February of 2024, Mr. Stark

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was deemed, in the discretion of the Compensation Committee, eligible to receive incentive bonuses for 2023. As Mr. Stark had attained the age of 62, and consistent with the Committee’s previously adopted rule, Mr. Stark elected to receive his equity in cash. The Compensation Committee determined that payment of the discretionary bonuses calculated in accordance with the guidelines of the 2014 Incentive Plan and the Compensation Committee’s discretion was appropriate and approved the bonuses. The equity portion of the bonuses were paid to the NEOs through the grant of restricted common shares that vest over a three (3) year period, with one third (¹/₃) of the shares vesting each year, beginning in January, 2025. Subject to limited exceptions, such as retirement, unvested shares are forfeited if the NEO leaves the employ of the Corporation.

Discretionary Bonus

The Corporation has, on limited occasions, paid a discretionary bonus to an officer in recognition of providing extraordinary performance and/or services to the Corporation. Richard J. Dutton was largely responsible for identifying the opportunity to offer financial services to tax refund programs and managing the Corporation’s successful entry into that line of business. As a result, the Compensation Committee authorized and approved the payment of discretionary bonuses to Mr. Dutton in 2022 and 2023 in the amount of $40,500 and $40,500, respectively. Effective as of January 1, 2024, the Corporation and the Bank discontinued its tax refund program line of business. As a result, no discretionary bonus was paid to Mr. Dutton in 2024 and no further discretionary bonuses will be payable to Mr. Dutton in respect of the tax refund program. See “Summary Compensation Table for 2024” on page 27.

Employee Benefit Plans

In addition to salary, the Corporation also has established retirement plans for all employees meeting minimum age and length of service eligibility requirements. The Corporation has maintained a defined benefit pension plan for all employees who were participants as of December 31, 2006. The Corporation, however, recognized the trend away from defined benefit pension plans and the potential to reduce the expenses of additional contributions to the plan. As a result, the Corporation froze the defined benefit pension plan effective April 30, 2014. The Corporation also sponsors a 401(k) plan and matches (subject to limits) employee contributions to the 401(k) plan. During 2024, the Corporation made an aggregate profit sharing contribution of $1,070,937, which was allocated among the 401(k) accounts of employees on an age-weighted basis. The amount contributed on behalf of the NEOs is determined in accordance with the terms of the 401(k) plan, and NEOs participate on the same basis as all other employees who participate in the 401(k) plan.

During 2015, the Corporation determined that twelve of its long-term employees who were participants in the pension plan would suffer a shortfall compared to the retirement position contemplated by the pension plan, even if those employees availed themselves of all available benefit options. The affected employees included one NEO, Todd A. Michel. The Compensation Committee considered alternatives and determined that it could minimize the effect of the shortfall for a cost significantly less than its savings from freezing the pension plan. As a result, the Corporation entered into Pension Shortfall Agreements with the affected employees to provide for an annual amount to be set aside so as to offset the shortfall in the amount to be paid out to the employees upon reaching retirement age. For additional information, see “Pension Shortfall Agreements” on page 31.

The NEOs participate in the same health and welfare plans (medical, dental, prescription, health and/or dependent care flexible spending and life and long-term disability insurance) that are available to all officers and employees of similar age and years of service. The foregoing plans are further discussed in the narratives to the tables that follow.

Change in Control Agreements

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Risk Management Analysis

Accounting and Tax Implications of Compensation

Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code generally does not allow a tax deduction to publicly-held companies, such as the Corporation, for compensation over $1,000,000 paid in any fiscal year to certain current and former executive officers. Neither the Compensation Committee nor the Board of Directors of the Corporation has adopted a formal policy regarding tax deductibility of compensation paid to the Corporation’s NEOs and/or other members of senior management. While the Compensation Committee carefully considers the net cost and value to the Corporation of maintaining the deductibility of all compensation, the Compensation Committee also believes it is important to maintain the flexibility to reward NEOs and other members of senior management in a manner that enhances the Corporation’s ability to attract and retain key executives and to create long-term value for the Corporation’s shareholders. As a result, income tax deductibility is only one of several factors the Compensation Committee considers in making decisions regarding the Corporation’s compensation program. While the Corporation has not provided non-deductible compensation in excess of the $1,000,000 threshold under Section 162(m) in the past, the Compensation Committee may in the future authorize compensation that might not be deductible, and may modify compensation that was initially intended to be exempt from the deduction limitations of Section 162(m), if the Compensation Committee determines that such compensation decisions are in the best interests of the Corporation.

Compensation Committee Report

The Compensation Committee has reviewed and discussed the Compensation Discussion and Analysis required by Item 402(b) of SEC Regulation S-K with the Corporation’s management and, based on such review and discussion, the Compensation Committee recommended to the full Board of Directors that the Compensation Discussion and Analysis be included in this Proxy Statement.

Submitted by Members of the Compensation Committee:

Harry Singer Chairperson

Mark J. Macioce

Dennis E. Murray, Jr.

Mary Patricia Oliver

Lorina W. Wise

Gerald B. Wurm

Summary Compensation Table

Under rules established by the SEC, the Corporation is required to provide certain data and information in regard to the compensation and benefits provided to the Corporation’s principal executive officer, principal financial officer and certain other most highly compensated executive officers of the Corporation. The following table sets forth information as to the compensation paid or accrued by the Corporation and its subsidiaries for services rendered in 2022, 2023 and 2024 to

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Mr. Dennis G. Shaffer, President and Chief Executive Officer; Mr. Richard J. Dutton, Senior Vice President; Lance A. Morrison, Senior Vice President, Corporate Secretary and General Counsel; Mr. Charles A. Parcher, Senior Vice President; Ian Whinnem, who was hired and appointed to serve as Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer on June 3, 2024; and Todd A. Michel, who served as Senior Vice President and Controller until his retirement effective July 16, 2024 . These individuals are referred to in this Proxy Statement as the “named executive officers” or “NEOs”.

Summary Compensation Table for 2024

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CEO Pay Ratio

Item 402(u) of SEC Regulation S-K, which was adopted pursuant to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the “Dodd-Frank Act”), requires the Corporation to disclose the ratio of the annual total compensation of the Corporation’s CEO to the median of the annual total compensation of the Corporation’s employees (except for the CEO).

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024, the Corporation performed a calculation of its CEO to median employee pay ratio in accordance with Item 402(u) of SEC Regulation S-K. The Corporation identified the median employee by examining the 2024 total cash compensation for all employees, excluding the CEO, who were employed by the Corporation as of December 31, 2024. It included all employees, including those employed on a full-time, part-time or seasonal basis, and did not annualize the compensation for any employees who were not employed by the Corporation for all of 2024. After identifying the median employee based on total cash compensation, the Corporation calculated the total compensation for the median employee using the same methodology used for the CEO and other NEOs as set forth in the Summary Compensation Table for 2024 included in this Proxy Statement.

Using the methodology described above, the Corporation estimates that the 2024 annual total compensation of the CEO, Dennis G. Shaffer, in the amount of $2,311,331, was approximately 36.63 times the median employee’s 2024 annual total compensation of $63,100.

Grants of Plan Based Awards

The following table sets forth information regarding awards of restricted common shares granted to the NEOs during the 2024 fiscal year under the 2024 Incentive Plan. No other plan-based awards were granted to the NEOs during the 2024 fiscal year.

Fiscal 2024 Grants of Plan-Based Awards

Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal Year-End

At December 31, 2024, the only equity awards held by the NEOs were restricted common shares granted under the 2014 Incentive Plan during the 2021, 2022 and 2023 fiscal years. The following table sets forth information regarding the restricted common shares held by the NEOs at December 31, 2024. All restricted common shares then held by Todd A. Michel vested upon his retirement effective July 16, 2024 and, therefore, no unvested restricted common shares were held by Mr. Michael as of December 31, 2024.

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Option Exercises and Stock Vested

The following table sets forth information regarding restricted common shares held by each of the NEOs that vested during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024.

Pension Benefits

The following table sets forth the actuarial present value of each NEO’s accumulated benefit, including the number of years of service credited to each NEO, under the Corporation’s Pension Plan and, where applicable, the NEO’s SERP. No payments or benefits were paid to any NEO under any of these plans or agreements during the 2024 fiscal year.

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Retirement, Deferred Compensation and Other Benefit Plans

Defined Contribution/401(k) Plan

The Corporation maintains a tax-qualified defined contribution/401(k) plan for employees of the Corporation and its subsidiaries. All employees of the Corporation and its subsidiaries are eligible to participate in this plan. Subject to limitations established by the Internal Revenue Code, employees may defer up to 100% of annual compensation. The 2024 limit was $23,000; it was increased to $23,500 for 2025 and will be increased in future years for cost of living changes. In 2024, the catch-up provision permitted participants age 50 or older to increase their pre-tax salary deferral limit by $7,500. The Corporation may make a matching contribution for all participants who have elected to make salary deferral contributions. The amount of the matching contributions, if any, is determined each plan year and announced to all participants. Since July 1, 2014, the amount of the matching contribution has been equal to 100 percent of the salary deferred on the first 3 percent deferred and 50 percent of the salary deferred on the next 2 percent deferred. Matching contributions by the Corporation to the named executive officers are set forth in the “All Other Compensation” column of the Summary Compensation Table above. The Corporation also provides an additional 401(k) contribution to all employees through an age-weighted profit sharing contribution to each employee’s 401(k) account based on the Corporation’s overall performance for the year.

Defined Benefit Pension Plan

The Corporation maintains a tax-qualified non-contributory defined benefit pension plan for employees of the Corporation and its subsidiaries who were participants as of December 31, 2006. All employees who had attained age 20¹⁄₂ and had completed at least six months of service were eligible to participate in the plan. The monthly pension benefit payable to an employee at normal retirement age (age 65) will be equal to the sum of (i) 1.40 percent of the employee’s highest five-year average monthly compensation multiplied by total years of service prior to April 30, 2014, plus (ii) 0.65 percent of the employee’s average monthly compensation in excess of the Social Security covered compensation amount multiplied by years of service up to a maximum of 35 years of service with the Corporation or its subsidiaries. For this purpose, an employee’s final average compensation is equal to the average of the monthly compensation paid to such employee during the period of five consecutive years of service prior to April 30, 2014 which results in the highest average compensation. The compensation taken into account includes all cash compensation paid. The monthly pension benefit calculated under this formula is not subject to any offset or reduction for the employee’s Social Security benefit, but is subject to the annual benefit limitation established by the Internal Revenue Code.

Under the pension plan, employees are eligible to retire and receive monthly benefits under the pension plan at age 65. In addition, employees may elect to begin receiving reduced benefits at an earlier age if they qualify for early retirement by attaining age 55. Pension benefits will generally be paid either as joint and survivor annuities or single life annuities, provided that participating employees who obtain their spouse’s consent may elect to receive their benefits in one of several other optional forms of benefit, including a lump sum distribution of the present value of the benefit.

During 2006, the Corporation amended the pension plan to provide that no employee shall become a participant in the plan after December 31, 2006 and the benefits paid by the plan will be offset by the profit sharing component of the Corporation’s defined contribution plan. The change was made to limit the Corporation’s potential liability under the pension plan.

Effective April 30, 2014, the Corporation froze its pension plan, which means that no new benefits accrue under the pension plan after April 30, 2014 and the pension benefits payable to eligible employees will be based on their years of service prior to April 30, 2014.

Nonqualified Deferred Compensation for 2024

The Corporation maintains a nonqualified deferred compensation plan that allows an eligible employee to defer receipt of compensation to which the employee would be entitled. The amount deferred is credited with interest at a rate equal to the five-year United States Treasury Constant Maturity rate published by the Federal Reserve and adjusted monthly. The amount accrued will be distributed to the employee based upon an election made by the employee, subject to limits set by the plan.

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Supplemental Executive Retirement Benefits

In 2011, the Corporation adopted a SERP to provide select employees, including executive officers, with additional retirement benefits. Effective as of January 1, 2024, the Corporation amended and restated the SERP to incorporate prior amendments to the SERP, to clarify certain provisions and eliminate duplicate provisions, and to make certain changes to the calculation and vesting of benefits. In particular, the amended and restated SERP (i) increases the benefit at age 65 for certain participants, (ii) provides that the early retirement benefit for a vested participant who retires before age 65 will be calculated as the present value of the age 65 benefit, calculated using the five-year United States Treasury Constant Maturity rate for the month of December preceding the start of the year in which the benefit is calculated, and (iii) provides that the late retirement benefit for a vested participant who retires after age 65 but before age 75 will be calculated based on the deferred present value of the age 65 benefit calculated using a 5% interest rate. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event will a participant’s benefit be lower than the benefit would have been under the terms of the pre-amendment SERP.

Under the SERP, as amended and restated, a participant generally will vest in his or her retirement benefit over 10 years of service. Vesting will be accelerated in the event that a participant becomes disabled before completing 10 years of service. Except when delayed pursuant to the requirements of Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code, payment of the SERP retirement benefit will begin on the first day of the second month following the participant’s separation from service and continue for a period of 10 years thereafter. Generally, if a participant dies or is terminated for cause (as defined in the SERP) before payment of the retirement benefit has commenced, the participant will forfeit any right to payment of a retirement benefit.

The Corporation or one of its subsidiaries has purchased split dollar life insurance policies in order to fund the obligations under the SERP. Generally, these policies provide participants with a death benefit equal to the retirement benefit a participant would have received under the SERP had the participant not died before separating from service.

Pension Shortfall Agreements

During 2015, the Corporation determined that twelve of its long-term employees who were participants in the pension plan would suffer a shortfall compared to the retirement position contemplated by the pension plan, even if those employees availed themselves of all available benefit options. The affected employees included one NEO, Todd A. Michel. The Compensation Committee considered alternatives and determined that it could minimize the effect of the shortfall for a cost significantly less than its savings from freezing the pension plan. As a result, the Corporation entered into Pension Shortfall Agreements with the affected employees to provide for an annual amount to be set aside so as to offset the shortfall in the amount to be paid out to the employees upon reaching retirement age. The Corporation determined the amount of the total shortfall at the employee’s normal retirement age, which was then divided by the number of years between the date that the pension plan was frozen and the individual’s normal retirement date, and agreed to credit the resulting amount to an unfunded bookkeeping account each year from 2014 until the individual’s retirement. Hypothetical earnings at the ten-year United States Treasury Constant Maturity rate would be credited to the amount in the bookkeeping account. The total amount credited to the account would be paid to the employee upon his or her separation from service with the Corporation, provided that the separation was not the result of a termination for cause, as determined by the Corporation’s Board of Directors. The Corporation’s bookkeeping credits to each employee’s account for 2024 were made in 2024 and, with respect to Mr. Michel, the amount is reflected in his “All Other Compensation” amounts in the Summary Compensation Table for 2024. The total amount of Mr. Michel’s pension shortfall account in the amount of $369,929 was paid to Mr. Michel upon his retirement from the Corporation on July 16, 2024.

Incentive Plans

In 2014, the shareholders of the Corporation approved the Corporation’s 2014 Incentive Plan, pursuant to which equity-based awards and cash-based were available for grant to eligible participant, including executive officers and Directors of the Corporation and the Bank. The 2014 Incentive Plan expired by its terms on April 15, 2024, and no further awards may be granted under the 2014 Incentive Plan. At the Corporation’s 2024 annual meeting, the shareholders of the Corporation approved the 2024 Incentive Plan. The purpose of the 2024 Incentive Plan is to provide a means through which the Corporation and its subsidiaries may attract and retain employees and non-employee directors, to provide incentives that align their interests with those of the shareholders of the Corporation, and to promote the success of the business of the Corporation. The 2024 Incentive Plan is administered by the Compensation Committee of the Corporation’s Board of Directors. Under the 2024 Incentive Plan, the Compensation Committee may grant stock options, stock awards including restricted stock, stock units, stock appreciation rights and cash awards to employees and non-employee directors. A maximum of 450,000 common shares of the Corporation may be issued pursuant to awards under the 2024 Incentive Plan. The 2024 Incentive Plan will expire by its terms on April 16, 2034.

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Change in Control Agreements

Each NEO is a party to a change in control agreement with the Corporation, except that Mr. Michel’s change in control agreement with the Corporation terminated in accordance with its terms upon his retirement effective July 16, 2024. Each of the agreements provides for an initial term (ending on December 31, 2025, with the term being automatically extended for additional one-year terms unless either party gives written notice of its desire not to renew the agreement not later than the January 1 preceding the expiration of the then-current term. A merger or consolidation of the Corporation into another entity, a disposition of substantially all of the Corporation’s assets, a liquidation of the Corporation, an accumulation by a person (as defined in the agreement) of securities representing more than fifty percent of the voting power of the Corporation (subject to certain exceptions) or the replacement of a majority of the board of directors (subject to certain exceptions) generally triggers the NEO’s rights under the agreement. Each agreement provides that, if a change in control occurs during the term of the agreement and the NEO’s employment is terminated within twenty-four (24) months following the change in control, the Corporation will pay in a lump sum to the NEO a retention bonus equal to one and one-half times the sum of the annual salary of the NEO plus the average of the cash value of cash bonuses paid and the grant date value of equity awards granted to the NEO during the three calendar years immediately preceding the date upon which the change in control occurs. Each agreement also provides that if a change in control occurs during the employment of the NEO, the Corporation will employ him for twenty four (24) months after the change in control (the “Employment Period”). Pursuant to each agreement, the NEO will receive compensation that is not less than his compensation immediately prior to the Employment Period and have the right to participate in benefit plans that are not materially less favorable than the benefit plans in which he participated immediately prior to the Employment Period. Upon a termination covered by the agreement (which may include a significant change in duties, a relocation or a failure to assume the obligations of the agreement), the NEO may elect to receive from the Corporation COBRA premiums for the Corporation’s group medical insurance for a period of eighteen months plus an amount equal to the sum of the NEO’s annual base salary immediately prior to the termination and the cash value of compensation other than base salary awarded to the NEO during the year preceding termination, provided that, in order to receive benefits upon termination, the NEO is precluded from competing with the Corporation for a period of twelve months after the termination. In executing the agreement, the officer agrees that he will preserve the confidentiality of the Corporation’s non-public information and will not solicit the customers or employees of the Corporation for a period of twelve months after a termination.

Potential Payments Upon Termination or Change-in-Control

The following table summarizes payments which would have been made to each of the NEOs if a retirement, termination or change in control event had occurred in each case as of December 31, 2024. Actual amounts to be paid out can only be determined at the time of an NEO’s actual separation from service with the Corporation.

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