---
schema_version: "secwatch.filing_event.v1"
accession: "0000712534-23-000141"
form_type: "8-K"
ticker: "FRME"
cik: "0000712534"
company_name: "FIRST MERCHANTS CORP"
filed_at: "2023-05-16T23:59:59+00:00"
generated_at: "2026-06-15T00:14:14.438297+00:00"
event_type: "other_material"
sentiment: "neutral"
materiality_score: 0.5
calibrated_materiality_score: 0.15
confidence: "high"
source: SEC EDGAR
---

# First Merchants annual meeting results: director Brooks gets 53% support, say-on-pay approved

## Summary
- Director Brooks elected with only 53% of votes cast (23.8M for, 21.0M withheld); 6.3M broker non-votes.
- Other directors elected with >90% support except Fehring (64%) and Lehman (62%).
- Advisory say-on-pay passed with 95% approval (42.4M for, 2.2M against).
- Ratification of Forvis as auditor passed with 49.3M for, 1.7M against.

## SEC filing metadata
- accession: 0000712534-23-000141
- form_type: 8-K
- ticker: FRME
- cik: 0000712534
- company_name: FIRST MERCHANTS CORP
- filed_at: 2023-05-16T23:59:59+00:00
- event_type: other_material
- sentiment: neutral
- materiality_score: 0.5
- calibrated_materiality_score: 0.15
- confidence: high
- sec_items: 5.07
- EDGAR index: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/712534/000071253423000141/0000712534-23-000141-index.htm
- EDGAR primary document: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/712534/000071253423000141/frme-20230510.htm

## Machine-readable alternates
- HTML: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0000712534-23-000141
- JSON: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0000712534-23-000141.json
- Plain text: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0000712534-23-000141.txt

## Key facts
- Shareholder Votes
  FIRST MERCHANTS CORP shareholders approved Proposal to ratify Forvis, LLP as independent auditor for 2023 at the 2023-05-10 meeting.
  - Proposal: auditor ratification
  - Outcome: passed
  - Meeting: 2023-05-10
  source text: 3. Proposal to ratify Forvis, LLP as independent auditor for 2023: FOR AGAINST ABSTAIN BROKER NON-VOTES 49,343,387 1,650,788 43,843 —
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/712534/000071253423000141/0000712534-23-000141-index.htm
- Shareholder Votes
  FIRST MERCHANTS CORP shareholders approved Approval, on an advisory basis, of executive compensation at the 2023-05-10 meeting.
  - Proposal: say on pay
  - Outcome: passed
  - Meeting: 2023-05-10
  source text: 2. Approval, on an advisory basis, of executive compensation: FOR AGAINST ABSTAIN BROKER NON-VOTES 42,392,845 2,165,571 174,019 6,305,583
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/712534/000071253423000141/0000712534-23-000141-index.htm
- Shareholder Votes
  FIRST MERCHANTS CORP shareholders approved Election of Directors at the 2023-05-10 meeting.
  - Proposal: director election
  - Outcome: passed
  - Meeting: 2023-05-10
  source text: 1. Election of Directors: FOR WITHHELD BROKER NON-VOTES Susan W. Brooks 23,762,926 20,969,509 6,305,583 Dr. Mung Chiang 43,906,420 826,015 6,305,583 Patrick J. Fehring 28,593,425 16,139,010 6,305,583 Michael J. Fisher 28,596,248 16,136,187 6,305,583 Kevin D. Johnson 43,216,910 1,515,525 6,305,583 Gary J. Lehman 27,774,685 16,957,750 6,305,583 Jason R. Sondhi 43,992,175 740,260 6,305,583 Jean L. Wojtowicz 26,847,054 17,885,381 6,305,583
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/712534/000071253423000141/0000712534-23-000141-index.htm

This AI-assisted summary is a reading aid. Review the linked SEC EDGAR filing before relying on any specific claim.