SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN
BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT
The following table sets forth information as of March 23, 2020, regarding beneficial ownership of our common stock held by each director nominee and
named executive officer, by all director nominees and executive officers as a group, and by all persons who are known to be beneficial owners of more than 5% of our common stock.
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|
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|
|
|
|
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Name of Beneficial Owner
|
|
Amount and
Nature of
Beneficial
Ownership(1)
|
|
Percent of
Outstanding
Shares
|
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David B. Becker
|
|
|
287,621
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(2)
|
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2.9%
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|
Kenneth J. Lovik
|
|
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22,565
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(3)
|
|
*
|
|
Nicole S. Lorch
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|
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27,310
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(4)
|
|
*
|
|
C. Charles Perfetti
|
|
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52,271
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(5)
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|
*
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Ana Dutra
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|
|
|
|
|
*
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John K. Keach, Jr.
|
|
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21,864
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(6)
|
|
*
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David R. Lovejoy
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|
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26,657
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(7)
|
|
*
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|
Michael L. Smith
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|
|
|
|
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*
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Ralph R. Whitney, Jr.
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|
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52,186
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(8)
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|
*
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Jerry Williams
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|
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101,551
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(9)
|
|
*
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|
Jean L. Wojtowicz
|
|
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51,281
|
(10)
|
|
*
|
|
All director nominees and current executive officers as a group (11 persons)
|
|
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643,306
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(11)
|
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6.5%
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|
Stieven Capital Advisors, L.P.
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|
|
|
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12412 Powerscourt Drive, Suite 250
St. Louis, MO 63131
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|
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688,618
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(12)
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7.1%
|
|
BlackRock, Inc.
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|
|
|
|
|
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55 East 52nd Street
New York, NY 10055
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|
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632,969
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(13)
|
|
6.5%
|
|
Dimensional Fund Advisors LP
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Building One
6300 Bee Cave Road
Austin, TX 78746
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|
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552,347
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(14)
|
|
5.7%
|
|
-
*
-
Less
than one percent.
-
(1)
-
Unless
otherwise indicated in the footnotes to this table, (a) the listed beneficial owner has sole voting power and investment power with respect to the
number of shares shown, (b) no director or executive officer has pledged as security any shares shown as beneficially owned, and (c) deferred stock rights were issued under the
Directors' Deferred Stock Rights Plan. Excludes fractional shares.
-
(2)
-
Includes
18,054 shares underlying restricted stock units scheduled to vest within 60 days of the date of this table; and 189,400 shares pledged as security
for a personal line of credit at an unaffiliated institution.
-
(3)
-
Includes
6,331 shares underlying restricted stock units scheduled to vest within 60 days of the date of this table.
-
(4)
-
Includes
6,288 shares underlying restricted stock units scheduled to vest within 60 days of the date of this table.
-
(5)
-
Includes
4,822 shares underlying restricted stock units scheduled to vest within 60 days of the date of this table.
-
(6)
-
Includes
2,055 shares underlying deferred stock rights.
-
(7)
-
Includes
11,905 shares underlying deferred stock rights.
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Table of Contents
-
(8)
-
Includes
26,554 shares underlying deferred stock rights, of which 941 shares were issued under the 2013 Equity Plan.
-
(9)
-
Includes
18,015 shares underlying deferred stock rights, 39,500 shares indirectly held through an IRA and 1,702 shares held by a limited liability company of which
Mr. Williams holds voting and investment power.
-
(10)
-
Includes
25,613 shares underlying deferred stock rights.
-
(11)
-
Includes
121,155 shares issuable upon vesting of restricted stock units scheduled to vest within 60 days of the date of this table; and 85,660 deferred stock
rights, of which 941 were issued under the 2013 Equity Plan.
-
(12)
-
Based
on information reported to the SEC in a Schedule 13G/A filed by Stieven Capital Advisors, L.P. on January 9, 2020, and reflects
beneficial ownership as of December 31, 2019. Stieven Capital Advisors, L.P. reported having shared voting and dispositive power with respect to all shares identified.
-
(13)
-
Based
on information reported to the SEC in a Schedule 13G/A filed by BlackRock, Inc. on February 5, 2020, and reflects beneficial ownership as
of December 31, 2019. BlackRock, Inc. reported having sole voting power with respect to 615,384 shares and sole dispositive power with respect to 632,969 shares.
-
(14)
-
Based
on information reported to the SEC in a Schedule 13G filed by Dimensional Fund Advisors LP on February 12, 2020, and reflects beneficial
ownership as of December 31, 2019. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP reported having sole voting power with respect to 524,395 shares and sole dispositive power with respect to 552,347
shares.
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Table of Contents
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
This section of the proxy statement includes Proposal 1, the election of eight persons to serve as directors of the Company until the annual meeting of
shareholders to be held in 2021. It also includes information on the business experiences and skills of the nominees, our corporate and governance structure, our governance policies and the committees
of the Board.
Proposal 1: Election of Directors
The Board, acting on the recommendation of its Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, has nominated six incumbent directors and Ms. Dutra and
Mr. Smith for election as directors. Ms. Dutra was identified and recommended as a director candidate to the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee by a third-party search firm,
and Mr. Smith was identified and recommended as a director candidate to the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee by our Chief Executive Officer. Each nominee who is elected will serve
for a term of one year, which expires at our next annual meeting of shareholders or such later date as his or her successor has been elected and qualified. Unless authority is specifically withheld,
the shares voting by proxy will be voted in favor of these nominees.
If
any of these nominees becomes unable to serve, we expect that the persons named as proxies will exercise their voting power in favor of such other person or persons as the Board may recommend. All
of the nominees have consented to being named in this proxy statement and to serve if elected. The Board knows of no reason why any of the nominees would be unable to serve.
The
names of the persons who are nominees for election, their current positions and offices with First Internet Bancorp and their experience and qualifications are set forth below. There are no family
relationships among any of our directors or executive officers. Except for Mr. Becker's employment agreement, which provides that he will be employed as Chairman, President and Chief Executive
Officer of our Company, there is no arrangement or understanding pursuant to which a director or executive officer has been selected as a director or nominee for election or as an executive officer.
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Director Nominee
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Age
|
|
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Positions and Offices Held with First Internet Bancorp
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|
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David B. Becker
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66
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|
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Chairman, President, Chief Executive Officer and Director
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|
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Ana Dutra
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55
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|
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Director Nominee
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|
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John K. Keach, Jr.
|
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68
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|
|
|
Director
|
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David R. Lovejoy
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71
|
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|
|
Director, Vice Chair of the Board
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|
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Michael L. Smith
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71
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Director Nominee
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Ralph R. Whitney, Jr.
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85
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|
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Director
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Jerry Williams
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77
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Director
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Jean L. Wojtowicz
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62
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Director
|
David B. Becker has served as our Chairman of the Board since 2006 and as our President and Chief Executive Officer since 2007. Mr. Becker
founded the Company's subsidiary, First Internet Bank of Indiana (the "Bank"), in 1998 and has served as its president and chief executive officer since
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its
founding and as a director of the Bank since 1999. In 1981, he founded re:Member Data Services, an electronic data processing services provider focused on credit unions throughout the United
States, and served as its chief executive officer until its acquisition by Open Solutions Inc. in 2004. In 1994, he founded OneBridge, Inc., a credit and debit card processing firm, and
served as its chief executive officer until it was acquired by Vantiv Inc. in 2014. In 1995, he founded VIFI, an Internet services provider focused on financial institutions, which was acquired
by Digital Insight Corporation in 2002. In 2002, he founded Dynamic Knowledge Transfer, LLC, a private company that does business under the name DyKnow and specializes in educational technology
for interactive learning experiences, and has served as a director since 2002. In 2007, he founded RICS Software, Inc., a private provider of web-based inventory control and point-of-sale
solutions for retailers. He served as Chief Executive Officer of RICS Software from 2007 to February 2016 and has served as a director since 2007. He also serves on the board of directors of
Techpoint, a philanthropic organization focused on strengthening Indiana's tech ecosystem and helping its tech companies grow.
Mr. Becker's
more than 30 years of experience as a successful entrepreneur in numerous businesses and his role as our principal executive officer for over a decade uniquely qualify him
for service on our Board.
Ana Dutra is not a current director and is standing for election for the first time. She founded Mandala Global Advisors, Inc., a provider of
advisory services to boards and management to accelerate business growth through innovation, globalization, M&A, and turnaround strategies, in 2013 and currently serves as its Chief Executive Officer.
She previously served as Chief Executive Officer of The Executives' Club of Chicago, a world-class senior executives organization focused on the development, innovation and networking of current and
future business and community leaders, from 2014 until her retirement in September 2018. Prior to that she was a Proxy Officer and Chief Executive Officer of Korn/Ferry Consulting from 2007 until
2013. She has served as a member of the board of directors of CME Group Inc. (Nasdaq:CME) since January 2015, Eletrobras (NYSE:EBR) since January 2019, and Health, Harvest &
Recreation, Inc. (NCSX:HARV) since 2014. She is also a member of the boards of directors of Elkay Manufacturing Company, M. Holland Company, Lifespace Communities, Inc., Greeley and
Hansen LLC, Latino Corporate Directors Association, and Blessings-in-a-Backpack.
Ms. Dutra's
experience as a current CEO and as a seasoned board member with particular experience in regulated industries qualifies her for service on our Board.
John K. Keach, Jr. has served as a director of the Company and the Bank since November 2012. He is currently a private investor. From 1994 to September
2012, he was Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer of Indiana Community Bancorp, a bank holding company headquartered in Columbus, Indiana, which was acquired by Old National
Bancorp in September 2012.
Mr. Keach's
experience as the chief executive officer of a publicly-held bank holding company for more than ten years qualifies him for service on our Board.
David R. Lovejoy has served as Vice Chair of the Board since 2006. He has been a director of the Company since 2006 and a director of the Bank since
1999. Mr. Lovejoy previously served as
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President
of the Bank from 2000 to 2006. He is currently a managing director of Greycourt & Co., which provides investment advisor services. Mr. Lovejoy has extensive experience
in financial services, corporate development and strategy, corporate restructuring and startup. He has served as the Vice Chairman of Mellon Bank Corporation and Security Pacific Corporation, and as a
director of the Los Angeles Branch of the 12th District Federal Reserve Bank and Phelps Dodge Corporation.
Mr. Lovejoy's
years of experience in the financial services industry, including his service as an executive of major financial companies and a director of a Federal Reserve Bank, qualify him
for service on our Board.
Michael L. Smith is not a current director and is standing for election for the first time. Mr. Smith was the Executive Vice President and Chief
Financial Officer of Anthem, Inc. and its subsidiaries, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, from 1999 until his retirement in 2005. Prior to that, he served as Chief Operating Officer of
American Health Network, a subsidiary of Anthem. Prior to joining Anthem in 1996, Mr. Smith was Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Mayflower Group, Inc. from 1989 to
1995, and he held various other management positions with Mayflower from 1974 to 1989. Previously, he was a director of the following public companies: Vectren Corporation (which was acquired by
CenterPoint Energy, Inc. in 2019), Envision Healthcare Holdings, Inc. (which was acquired by Enterprise Parent Holdings Inc. in 2018), hhgregg Inc., Calumet Specialty
Products Partners, L.P., InterMune, Inc., First Indiana Corporation (which was acquired by Marshall & Ilsley
Corporation in 2008), Brightpoint, Inc. (which was acquired by Ingram Micro, Inc. in 2012) and Kite Realty Group Trust. Mr. Smith currently serves on the boards of
LDI Ltd., LLC, Carestream Health Services, Inc., Agilon, Inc. and Drive Medical, which are private companies.
Mr. Smith's
prior experience as the former Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Anthem, Inc. will bring to our Board a wealth of knowledge in dealing with financial
and accounting matters. His experience in evaluating financial results and overseeing the financial reporting process of a large public company will make him an important resource for our Board. In
addition to his financial acumen, Mr. Smith is a highly regarded thought and opinion leader in Indiana. As a result of his decades of involvement in businesses and community activities in
Indiana, Mr. Smith has developed insights and relationships that uniquely provide him with the ability to offer a valuable perspective on issues that affect the Company in the communities we
serve.
Ralph R. Whitney, Jr. has been a director of the Company since 2006 and a director of the Bank since 1998. Mr. Whitney has been a partner, Vice
President and Director of Monument MicroCap Partners LLC since its launch in August 2018. He is Chairman Emeritus and had previously served as principal at Hammond, Kennedy,
Whitney & Co., a New York financial intermediary and private investment banking firm, since 1971. He has served on the boards of directors of Baldwin Technology Company, Inc.,
Excel Industries, Inc. and Dura Automotive Systems, Inc. He serves as an advisor to Cheyenne Capital and Access Venture Partners. Mr. Whitney is also a Trustee of the University
of Rochester and serves on the board of the University of Wyoming Foundation.
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Table of Contents
Mr. Whitney's decades of experience in private equity and investment banking and his service on several boards of directors of public companies qualify him for service
on our Board.
Jerry Williams has been a director of the Company since 2006 and a director of the Bank since 1998. Mr. Williams has been a practicing attorney
for more than 40 years and retired in December 2015 from the Indianapolis office of Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP, a Cincinnati-based law firm. Mr. Williams previously
served as executive vice president, general counsel and a director of ADESA Corporation, and was responsible for more than 20 acquisitions. He is a past director of NNC Group (and chaired its
compensation and audit
committees), the Indiana Secondary Market for Education Loans, Inc., a state-chartered organization originating and acquiring higher education loans, and Gleaners Food Bank of
Indiana, Inc. He is also a minority owner of the Indy Fuel, a professional hockey team and member of the ECHL and serves on the board of directors for the Link Observatory Space Science
Institute.
Mr. Williams'
career, encompassing his experience in private legal practice in advising businesses and as general counsel and a director of publicly traded and private companies, qualifies him
for service on our Board.
Jean L. Wojtowicz has been a director of the Company since 2006 and a director of the Bank since 1998. Ms. Wojtowicz founded Cambridge Capital
Management Corp., a consulting firm and manager of non-traditional sources of business capital, in 1983 and currently serves as its President. She served on the board of directors of Vectren
Corporation until its acquisition in February 2019. Ms. Wojtowicz also serves on the board of directors of First Merchants Corporation in addition to the One America Mutual Insurance Holding
Company.
Ms. Wojtowicz's
entrepreneurial skills demonstrated in the founding of her company, her experiences as an advisor to businesses obtaining financing and as a director of publicly traded
companies qualify her for service on our Board.
The Board of Directors recommends a vote "FOR" each of the nominees for director.
General
Board of Directors. The Company is managed under the direction of the Board. The Company is a bank holding company and substantially all business activities are
conducted through the Company's wholly-owned subsidiary, First Internet Bank of Indiana. The directors of the Company also serve as the directors of the Bank.
Policies on Corporate Governance. Our Board believes that good corporate governance is important to ensure that the Company is managed for the long-term benefit of
its shareholders. The Board or one of its committees periodically reviews our Corporate Governance Principles, the written charters for each of the standing committees of the Board and our Code of
Business Conduct and Ethics and amends them as appropriate to reflect new policies or practices.
Board Leadership Structure. Our Board is currently led by Mr. Becker, who is the Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer.
Mr. Becker has held all of these positions since 2007 and has experience in leading the Company through a range of cycles in various business environments. The Board believes that it is most
efficient and effective for a single individual to
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Table of Contents
fulfill
these two leadership roles at this time. Combining the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer roles facilitates clear leadership responsibility and accountability, effective decision-making and
a cohesive corporate strategy. Mr. Lovejoy, as Vice Chair of the Board, serves as our lead independent director and presides over executive sessions among the independent directors.
Our
Board possesses considerable experience and knowledge of the challenges and opportunities that we face as a company. We feel they are well qualified to evaluate our current and future needs and to
judge how the capabilities of our senior management can be most effectively organized to meet those needs. Our Board currently has five independent directors. We have three standing committees whose
membership is limited to independent directors. The Board evaluates the appropriateness of its leadership structure on an ongoing basis and may change it in the future as circumstances warrant.
Board Role in Risk Oversight. Our Board regularly receives reports from our Chief Executive
Officer and other members of our senior management team regarding areas of significant risk to us, including strategic, credit, operational, financial, technology, legal, regulatory and reputational
risks. However, management is responsible for assessing and managing our various risk exposures on a day-to-day basis. In this regard, management, with the assistance, where appropriate, of its
counsel, has established functions that focus on particular risks, such as legal matters, regulatory compliance, interest rate sensitivity, liquidity management, asset quality and information
security, and has developed a systemic and integrated approach to overall risk management, which includes the identification of risks and mitigation plans in the strategic planning process.
Our
Board's role is primarily one of oversight. Our Board oversees our risk management processes to determine whether those processes are functioning as intended and are consistent with our business
and strategy. Our Board conducts this oversight primarily through the Audit Committee, although some aspects of risk oversight are performed by the full Board or another committee. The Audit Committee
is assigned with, among other things, oversight of our risks relating to accounting matters, financial reporting and legal and regulatory compliance. The Audit Committee meets regularly with our Chief
Financial Officer, external auditors and management to discuss our major financial risk exposures and the steps management has taken to monitor and control such exposures, including our risk
assessment and risk management policies. The Audit Committee also receives regular reports regarding issues such as the status and findings of audits being conducted by our independent auditors, the
status of material litigation and material accounting changes or proposed audit adjustments that could affect our financial statements. Our Audit Committee has standing items on its quarterly meeting
agendas relating to these responsibilities. The Audit Committee members, as well as each of the other directors, have access to our Chief Financial Officer and any other member of our management for
discussions between meetings as warranted. The Audit Committee provides reports to the full Board on risk-related items.
The
activities of the Compensation Committee with respect to risks relating to our compensation policies and procedures are discussed below in the Executive Compensation section of this proxy
statement.
- 13 -
Table of Contents
Director Independence and Board Meetings. The Board has determined that each of Mr. Keach, Mr. Lovejoy, Mr. Whitney, Mr. Williams and
Ms. Wojtowicz is, and if elected, Ms. Dutra and Mr. Smith will be, an "independent director" as defined by the listing standards of The
Nasdaq Stock Market LLC ("Nasdaq"), and the director independence rules of the SEC. Our common stock, our $25,000,000 aggregate outstanding principal amount of 6.0% Fixed-to-Floating Rate
Subordinated Notes due 2026, and our $37,000,000 aggregate outstanding principal amount of 6.0% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Subordinated Notes due 2029 are listed on the Nasdaq Global Select Market. The
Board has affirmatively determined that none of our independent directors have any relationship with us that would impair their independence.
In
reaching its determination of independence, the Board considered Ms. Wojtowicz's relationship with First Merchants Corporation ("First Merchants"). Her service on the boards of directors of
our Company and the Bank, while simultaneously serving on the boards of directors of First Merchants and its subsidiary bank, First Merchants Bank ("FMB"), represents a "management interlock," subject
to the Depository Institution Management Interlocks Act (the "Interlocks Act"). Pursuant to a formal request for an exemption from the limitations of the Interlocks Act, the Federal Deposit Insurance
Corporation (with respect to the Bank and FMB) and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (with respect to the Company and First Merchants), issued general exemptions from the
prohibitions of the Interlocks Act for Ms. Wojtowicz's board service on November 1, 2017 and March 7, 2018, respectively.
Directors
are expected to attend Board meetings, meetings of committees on which they serve and our annual meeting of shareholders, and to spend the time needed and meet as frequently as necessary to
properly discharge their responsibilities. During 2019, the Board held 11 meetings. No member of the board attended fewer than 75% of the aggregate number of meetings of the Board and the committees
on which they served during 2019.
Each
director is expected to be present at the annual meeting of shareholders, absent exigent circumstances that prevents their attendance. All seven of the directors then serving attended the annual
meeting of shareholders held on May 21, 2019.
Board Composition and Refreshment
Our
Board is composed of directors with a mix of tenure, with longer serving directors providing important experience and institutional knowledge, and newer directors providing fresh perspective to
deliberations.
The
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee regularly assesses our directors' mix of skills, experience, tenure and diversity in light of the Company's long-term strategy and advises the
Board of its determinations with respect to Board composition and director refreshment and succession planning. As needed, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee identifies and
evaluates potential director nominees, taking into consideration the overall needs, composition and size of the Board.
Our
Board refreshment has been particularly active in the past year. In the fall of 2019, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee engaged a national search firm to identify
prospective director candidates based on areas of complementary and desirable skills and
- 14 -
Table of Contents
experience
identified through a survey of the full Board and consultation with the search firm. As a result, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee interviewed finalists, with the
process resulting in the identification of Ms. Dutra as an additional nominee for director for this annual meeting. Further, two of the seven independent director nominees for election at the
annual meeting are not incumbent directors.
Committees of the Board
The
Board has three standing committees which facilitate the oversight responsibilities of the Board in three key areas: audit, compensation and nominating and governance. All committees are composed
entirely of independent directors. The members of the committees, as of the date of this proxy statement, are identified in the following table. If elected,
Ms. Dutra is expected to serve on the Audit Committee and Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, and Mr. Smith is expected to serve on the Compensation Committee.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Name of Independent Director
|
|
Audit Committee
|
|
Compensation Committee
|
|
Nominating and Corporate
Governance Committee
|
John K. Keach, Jr.
|
|
|
|
Member
|
|
Member
|
David R. Lovejoy
|
|
Member
|
|
|
|
Chair
|
Ralph R. Whitney, Jr.
|
|
Member
|
|
Member
|
|
|
Jerry Williams
|
|
|
|
Chair
|
|
|
Jean L. Wojtowicz
|
|
Chair
|
|
|
|
|
Audit Committee. The primary function of the Audit Committee is to assist the Board in fulfilling its oversight responsibilities by reviewing the financial
information that will be provided to shareholders and others, the system of internal controls that management has established, and the audit process. In doing so, it is the responsibility of the Audit
Committee to provide an open avenue of communication between the Board, management and the independent registered public accounting firm. The Audit Committee appoints and evaluates our independent
registered public accounting firm and meets with representatives of that firm and our Chief Financial Officer to review the scope, cost and results of our annual audit and to review our internal
control over financial reporting, disclosure controls, policies and procedures. The Report of the Audit Committee appears in the Audit-Related Matters section of this proxy statement.
All
members of the Audit Committee are "independent directors" as such term is defined under the Nasdaq rules and meet the additional independence criteria for audit committee members set forth in the
Nasdaq rules and SEC Rule 10A-3 promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"). The Board has determined that Ms. Wojtowicz qualifies as an "audit
committee financial expert," as defined in Item 407(d)(5)(ii) of Regulation S-K of the Exchange Act. Shareholders should understand that this designation is an SEC disclosure requirement
related to this director's experience and understanding with respect to certain accounting and auditing matters. The designation does not impose any duties, obligations or liabilities that are greater
than those which are generally imposed upon such director as a member of the Audit Committee and the Board.
The
Audit Committee held four meetings during 2019.
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Table of Contents
The
Audit Committee operates under a written charter, a copy of which is available on our website at www.firstinternetbancorp.com.
Compensation Committee. The Compensation Committee is responsible for reviewing and approving the compensation of our executive officers and directors and
overseeing the Company's overall compensation plans and benefits programs. The Compensation Committee also oversees the administration of our equity plans, including granting awards to employees and
directors under such plans, subject to appropriate delegation. In determining the compensation of the executive officers other than our Chief Executive Officer, the
Compensation Committee considers the recommendations of the Chief Executive Officer. The Report of the Compensation Committee appears in the Executive Compensation section of this proxy statement.
All
members of the Compensation Committee are "independent directors" as such term is defined in the Nasdaq rules; and "non-employee directors" as such term is defined in Rule 16b-3 of the
Exchange Act. All of the members also meet the additional independence criteria for compensation committee members set forth in the Nasdaq rules and SEC Rule 10C-1 promulgated under the
Exchange Act.
The
Compensation Committee held 11 meetings during 2019.
The
Compensation Committee operates under a written charter, a copy of which is available on our website at www.firstinternetbancorp.com.
Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation. During the year ended December 31, 2019, no person who served as a member of our Compensation
Committee was, during such period, an officer or employee of the Company, or has ever been one of our officers, and no such person had any transaction with us required to be disclosed in "Transactions
with Related Persons" below. In addition, during the year ended December 31, 2019, (1) none of our executive officers served as a member of the compensation committee of another entity,
one of whose executive officers served on our Compensation Committee; (2) none of our executive officers served as a director of another entity, one of whose executive officers served on our
Compensation Committee; and (3) none of our executive officers served as a member of the compensation committee of another entity, one of whose executive officers served as one of our
directors.
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee assists the Board by identifying individuals qualified to become
Board members, maintains our Corporate Governance Principles and Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, leads the Board in its periodic self-evaluations, recommends members and chairs for each standing
committee, and determines and evaluates succession plans for our Chief Executive Officer.
All
members of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee are independent directors as defined by Nasdaq rules.
The
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee held nine meetings during 2019.
The
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee is responsible for identifying potential Board members. Director candidates may be recommended by Board members, a third-party
- 16 -
Table of Contents
search
firm or shareholders. Ms. Dutra, a nominee for election at the annual meeting, was recommended as a director candidate by a third-party search firm. Mr. Smith, a nominee for
election at the annual meeting, was recommended as a director candidate by our Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer.
In
identifying, evaluating and recommending nominees for the Board, the committee examines, among other things, the following qualifications and skills of director candidates: their character; their
business or professional experience and length of service; their areas of expertise; their independence; their integrity and judgment; their records of public service; their ability to devote
sufficient time to the affairs of the Company; the diversity of backgrounds and experience they will bring to the Board; the current size and composition of the Board and its need for certain skills
or experiences; and their understanding of our business. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee also believes that all nominees should be individuals of substantial accomplishment with
demonstrated leadership capabilities.
Although
the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee does not assign any particular weighting or priority to any of the factors it considers in evaluating director candidates, the committee has
established the following minimum qualifications which each nominee to the Board must possess: the highest personal and professional ethics and integrity; proven achievement and competence in the
nominee's field and the ability to exercise sound business judgment; skills that are complementary to those of the existing Board; and the ability to assist and support management and make significant
contributions to the Company's success.
The
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee will consider candidates for director who are recommended by shareholders in the same manner as other candidates identified by the committee. A
shareholder who wishes to recommend a director candidate for consideration by the committee should send such recommendation to our Chief Financial Officer at 11201 USA Parkway, Fishers, Indiana 46037,
who will forward it to the committee. Any such recommendation must include the candidate's name, home and business contact information, detailed biographical data, relevant qualifications, a signed
letter from the candidate confirming willingness to serve, information regarding any relationships between the candidate and the Company and evidence of the recommending shareholder's ownership of
Company stock. Such recommendations must also include a statement from the recommending shareholder in support of the candidate, particularly within the context of the criteria for Board membership,
including issues of character, integrity, judgment, diversity, independence, area(s) of expertise, experience, length of service, potential conflicts of interest, other commitments and the like and
personal references.
A
shareholder who wishes to nominate an individual as a candidate for director without the recommendation of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee must comply with the advance notice and
informational requirements set forth in our Bylaws, which are more fully explained later in this proxy statement under "Shareholder Proposals for 2021 Annual Meeting."
The
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee operates under a written charter, a copy of which is available on our website at www.firstinternetbancorp.com.
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Shareholder Communications
The
Board has implemented a process whereby shareholders may send communications to its attention, which is summarized in the Company's Corporate Governance Principles, a copy of which is available on
our website at www.firstinternetbancorp.com. In cases where shareholders
wish to communicate directly with the independent directors, email messages can be sent to klovik@firstib.com, or to First Internet Bancorp, 11201 USA Parkway, Fishers, Indiana 46037, Attn: Chief
Financial Officer. These messages will be forwarded to the appropriate committee of the Board or independent director.
Code of Business Conduct and Ethics
We
have adopted a Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, which applies to all of our directors, officers and employees, including our principal executive officer, principal financial officer and
principal accounting officer. A copy of the Code of Business Conduct and Ethics is available on our website at www.firstinternetbancorp.com. We will
disclose on our website any amendments or updates to our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, or any grant of a waiver from a provision of our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics.
Transactions with Related Persons
Policy for Approval of Related Person Transactions
We
maintain a written policy for reviewing, approving and monitoring transactions involving the Company and related persons. The Audit Committee is responsible for review and oversight of all related
party transactions. The Audit Committee reviews and the Board must
approve any related person transaction in which the Company is a participant before commencement of the transaction; provided, however, that if a related person transaction is identified after it
commences, it will be brought to the Audit Committee for review and to the Board for possible ratification. The Board will approve or ratify a transaction only if it determines that the transaction is
beneficial to the Company and that the terms of the transaction are fair to the Company.
For
these purposes, a "related person" includes our directors, nominees for director, executive officers, any holder of more than 5% of our common stock, and any immediate family member of any of the
foregoing persons. A "related person transaction" means any transaction, arrangement or relationship, or any series of similar transactions, arrangements or relationships, in which the Company
(including any of its subsidiaries) is a participant and in which a related person has a direct or indirect interest, other than the following:
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payment of compensation by us to a related person for service as a director or executive officer;
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transactions available to all employees or all shareholders on the same terms; and
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transactions that, when aggregated with the amount of all other transactions between the related person and us, involve in any fiscal year the
lesser of (i) $120,000 and (ii) one percent of the average of our total assets at year-end for the last two completed fiscal years.
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In
determining whether to approve a related person transaction, the Audit Committee and the Board will analyze factors such as whether the transaction is material to the Company, the
role the related person has played in arranging the transaction, the structure of the transaction and the interests of all related persons in the transaction.
Based
on the results of the Audit Committee's review, the Board may approve or disapprove any related person transaction. Approval of a related person transaction may be conditioned upon the Company
and the related person following certain procedures designated in connection with its approval. With regard to any transaction for which ratification is sought, the Audit Committee may require
amendment or termination of the transaction under the authority conferred by the policy.
Banking Transactions with Related Persons
The
Bank offers loans and banking services to directors, executive officers and employees in the ordinary course of business on substantially the same terms, including interest rate and collateral, as
those prevailing at the time for comparable transactions with others not related to the Company, and which do not involve more than the normal risk of collectability or present other unfavorable
features. Federal banking regulations permit executive officers and directors to participate, subject to certain limits, in loan programs that are available to other employees, so long as the director
or executive officer is not given preferential treatment compared to other participating employees.
Although
the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the "Sarbanes-Oxley Act") generally prohibits a public company from extending credit, arranging for the extension of credit or renewing an extension of credit
in the form of a personal loan to an executive officer or director, there are several exceptions to this general prohibition, including loans made by an FDIC-insured depository institution that is
subject to the insider lending restrictions of the Federal Reserve Act. All loans to directors and executive officers are designed to comply with the Federal Reserve Act and the Federal Reserve's
Regulation O.
During
2018 and 2019, the Bank engaged in transactions in the ordinary course of business with some of our executive officers, directors and entities with which they are associated. These transactions
involved loans and other banking services that were in the ordinary course of business and on substantially the same terms, including interest rates and collateral, as those prevailing at the time for
comparable transactions with others not related to the Company and did not involve more than the normal risk of collectability or present other
unfavorable features. All such loan transactions were performing in accordance with their terms as of the date of this proxy statement.
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