INDEPENDENT BANK CORP /MI/ 10-K

ITEM 9A. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES 1. Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures . With the participation of management, our chief executive officer and chief financial officer, after evaluating the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a – 15e and 15d – 15e) as of the year ended December 31, 2024 (the "Evaluation Date"), have concluded that, as of such date, our disclosure controls and procedures were effective. 2. Internal Control Over Financial Reporting . "Management's Annual Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting" and our independent registered public accounting firm's audit of internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2024 included within the "Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm," each as set forth in our annual report, to be delivered to shareholders in connection with the April 22, 2025 Annual Meeting of Shareholders (filed as exhibit 13 to this report on Form 10-K) are incorporated herein by reference. 20 ITEM 9B. OTHER INFORMATION During the fourth quarter of 2024, no director or officer of the Company adopted or terminated a "Rule 10b5-1 Trading Arrangement" or "Non-Rule 10b5‑1 Trading Arrangement," as each term is defined in Item 408(a) of Regulation S-K. ITEM 9C. DISCLOSURE REGARDING FOREIGN JURISDICTIONS THAT PREVENT INSPECTIONS Not applicable. PART III. ITEM 10. DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE DIRECTORS - The information with respect to our directors set forth under the caption "Proposal I Submitted for Your Vote -- Election of Directors" in our definitive proxy statement, to be delivered to shareholders in connection with the April 22, 2025 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, is incorporated herein by reference. BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP REPORTING – The information set forth under the caption "Delinquent Section 16(a) Reports" in our definitive proxy statement, to be delivered to shareholders in connection with the April 22, 2025 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, is incorporated herein by reference. EXECUTIVE OFFICERS - Reference is made to the additional item under Part I of this report on Form 10-K. CODE OF ETHICS - We have adopted a "Code of Ethics for Chief Executive Officer and Senior Financial Officers" that applies to our Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Accounting Officer and Controller. A copy of our Code of Ethics is posted on our website at www.IndependentBank.com , under Investor Relations, and a printed copy is available upon request by writing to our Chief Financial Officer, Independent Bank Corporation, 4200 East Beltline, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49525. CORPORATE GOVERNANCE – Information relating to our audit committee, set forth under the captions "Board Committees and Functions" and "Determination of Independence of Board Members" in our definitive proxy statement, to be delivered to shareholders in connection with the April 22, 2025 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, is incorporated herein by reference. INSIDER TRADING POLICY - Information relating to our insider trading policy, set forth under the caption “Insider Trading Policy” in our definitive proxy statement, to be delivered to shareholders in connection with the April 22, 2025 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, is incorporated herein by reference. A copy of our insider trading policy is filed as Exhibit 19 to this Annual Report on Form 10-K. ITEM 11. EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION The information set forth under the captions "Executive Compensation," "Director Compensation," "Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation," and "Compensation Committee Report" in our definitive proxy statement, to be delivered to shareholders in connection with the April 22, 2025 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, is incorporated herein by reference. ITEM 12. SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS The information set forth under the captions "Voting Securities and Record Date", "Proposal I Submitted for Your Vote -- Election of Directors" and "Securities Ownership of Management" in our definitive proxy statement, to be delivered to shareholders in connection with the April 22, 2025 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, is incorporated herein by reference. We maintain certain equity compensation plans under which our common stock is authorized for issuance to employees and directors, including our Deferred Compensation and Stock Purchase Plan for Non-employee Directors and our Long-Term Incentive Plan. 21 The following sets forth certain information regarding our equity compensation plans as of December 31, 2024. Plan Category (a) Number of securities to be issued upon exercise of outstanding options, warrants and rights (b) Weighted-average exercise price of outstanding options, warrants and rights (c) Number of securities remaining available for future issuance under equity compensation plans (excluding securities reflected in column (a)) Equity compensation plans approved by security holders 5,583 $ 13.43 375,171 Equity compensation plan not approved by security holders None N/A 60,311 The equity compensation plan not approved by security holders referenced above is our Deferred Compensation and Stock Purchase Plan for Non-employee Directors. This plan allows our non-employee directors to defer payment of all or a part of their director fees and to receive shares of common stock in lieu of cash for these fees. Under the plan, each non-employee director may elect to participate in a Current Stock Purchase Account, a Deferred Cash Investment Account, or a Deferred Stock Account. A Current Stock Purchase Account is credited with shares of our common stock having a fair market value equal to the fees otherwise payable. A Deferred Cash Investment Account is credited with an amount equal to the fees deferred and on each quarterly credit date with an appreciation factor that may not exceed the prime rate of interest charged by our bank. A Deferred Stock Account is credited with the amount of fees deferred and converted into stock units based on 90% of the fair market value of our common stock at the time of the deferral. Amounts in the Deferred Stock Account are credited with cash dividends and other distributions on our common stock. Fees credited to a Deferred Cash Investment Account or a Deferred Stock Account are deferred for income tax purposes. This plan does not provide for distributions of amounts deferred prior to a participant's termination as a non-employee director. Participants may generally elect either a lump sum or installment distribution. ITEM 13. CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS, AND DIRECTOR INDEPENDENCE The information set forth under the captions "Transactions Involving Management" and "Determination of Independence of Board Members" in our definitive proxy statement, to be delivered to shareholders in connection with the April 22, 2025 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, is incorporated herein by reference. ITEM 14. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT FEES AND SERVICES The information set forth under the caption "Disclosure of Fees Paid to our Independent Auditors" in our definitive proxy statement, to be delivered to shareholders in connection with the April 22, 2025 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, is incorporated herein by reference. 22 PART IV. ITEM 15. EXHIBITS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES (a) 1. Financial Statements All of our financial statements are incorporated herein by reference as set forth in the annual report to be delivered to shareholders in connection with the April 22, 2025 Annual Meeting of Shareholders (filed as exhibit 13 to this report on Form 10-K.) 2. Exhibits (Numbered in accordance with Item 601 of Regulation S-K) The Exhibit Index is located below. EXHIBIT INDEX Exhibit number and description EXHIBITS FILED HEREWITH 10.9* Form of Restricted Share Agreement as executed with certain executive officers. 10. 10 * Form of Performance Share Award Agreement as executed with certain executive officers. 10. 1 1 * Executive Nonqualified Excess Plan, effective July 1, 2016. 13 Annual report, relating to the April 22, 2025 Annual Meeting of Shareholders. This annual report will be delivered to our shareholders in compliance with Rule 14(a)-3 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. 19 Insider Trading Policy. 21 List of Subsidiaries. 23 Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm (Crowe LLP). 24 Power of Attorney (included on page 25 ). 31.1 Certificate of the Chief Executive Officer of Independent Bank Corporation pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. 31.2 Certificate of the Chief Financial Officer of Independent Bank Corporation pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. 32.1 Certificate of the Chief Executive Officer of Independent Bank Corporation pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. 32.2 Certificate of the Chief Financial Officer of Independent Bank Corporation pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. 101.INS Inline XBRL Instance Document (the instance document does not appear in the Interactive Data File because its XBRL tags are embedded within the Inline XBRL document) 101.SCH Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document 101.CAL Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document 101.DEF Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document 101.LAB Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase Document 101.PRE Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document 104 Cover page interactive data file (formatted as inline XBRL and contained in Exhibit 101) 23 EXHIBITS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE 3.1 Restated Articles of Incorporation (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to our quarterly report on Form 10-Q filed November 3, 2017). 3.2 Amended and Restated Bylaws (incorporated here by reference to Exhibit 3.2 to our annual report on Form 10-K filed March 7, 2017). 4.1 Description of Registrant’s Common Stock (incorporated here by reference to Exhibit 4 to our annual report on Form 10-K filed March 6, 2020). 4.2 Form of 5.95% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Subordinated Note due 2030 (included as Exhibit A to the Form of Subordinated Note Purchase Agreement filed as Exhibit 10.7 to this Annual Report on Form 10-K). 10.1* The form of Indemnity Agreement, as executed with all of the directors of the registrant (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to the Form S-4 we filed on December 29, 2017). 10.2* The form of Management Continuity Agreement as executed with executive officers and certain senior managers (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.4 to the Form S-4 we filed on December 29, 2017). 10.3* 2021 Independent Bank Corporation Long-Term Incentive Plan, effective April 20, 2021 (incorporated herein by reference to Appendix A to our proxy statement filed on Schedule 14A on March 5, 2021). 10.4* Amended and Restated Deferred Compensation and Stock Purchase Plan for Nonemployee Directors, as amended through March 19, 2019 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to our quarterly report on Form 10-Q filed May 3, 2019). 10.5* Form of TSR Performance Share Award Agreement as executed with certain executive officers (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.12 to our annual report on Form 10-K filed March 7, 2014). 10.6* Summary of Independent Bank Corporation Management Incentive Compensation Plan (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.10 to our annual report on Form 10-K filed March 6, 2015). 10.7 Form of Subordinated Note Purchase Agreement dated May 27, 2020, by and among Independent Bank Corporation and the Purchasers (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed on May 27, 2020). 10.8* Form of Long-Term Incentive Plan Performance Share Award Agreement as executed with certain executive officers (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.9 to our annual report on Form 10-K filed March 3, 2023). 97 Independent Bank Corporation Clawback Policy (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 97 to our annual report on Form 10-K filed March 8, 2024). * Represents a compensation plan. ITEM 16. FORM 10-K SUMMARY Not applicable. 24 SIGNATURES Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized. INDEPENDENT BANK CORPORATION s/Gavin A. Mohr By: Gavin A. Mohr, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer) March 7, 2025 Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated. Each director whose signature appears below hereby appoints William B. Kessel and Gavin A. Mohr and each of them severally, as his or her attorney-in-fact, to sign in his or her name and on his or her behalf, as a director, and to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission any and all amendments to this Annual Report on Form 10-K. William B. Kessel, President, Chief Executive Officer, and Director (Principal Executive Officer) s/William B. Kessel March 7, 2025 Gavin A. Mohr, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer) s/Gavin A. Mohr March 7, 2025 James J. Twarozynski, Senior Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer (Principal Accounting Officer) s/James J. Twarozynski March 7, 2025 Stephen L. Gulis, Jr. Chairperson and Director s/Stephen L. Gulis, Jr. March 7, 2025 Dennis W. Archer, Jr., Director s/Dennis W. Archer, Jr. March 7, 2025 Terance L. Beia, Director s/Terance L. Beia March 7, 2025 William J. Boer, Director s/William J. Boer March 7, 2025 Joan A. Budden, Director s/Joan A. Budden March 7, 2025 Michael J. Cok, Director s/Michael J. Cok March 7, 2025 Christina L. Keller, Director s/Christina L. Keller March 7, 2025 William B. Kessel, Director s/William B. Kessel March 7, 2025 Ronia F. Kruse, Director s/Ronia F. Kruse March 7, 2025 Michael M. Magee, Jr. s/Michael M. Magee, Jr. March 7, 2025 25