--- schema_version: "secwatch.filing_event.v1" accession: "0000712534-24-000171" form_type: "8-K" ticker: "FRME" cik: "0000712534" company_name: "FIRST MERCHANTS CORP" filed_at: "2024-05-09T23:59:59+00:00" generated_at: "2026-06-02T07:32:36.903181+00:00" event_type: "other_material" sentiment: "neutral" materiality_score: 0.3 calibrated_materiality_score: 0.15 confidence: "high" source: SEC EDGAR --- # First Merchants shareholders approve all proposals at 2024 annual meeting ## Summary - Elected directors Becher, Fehring, Hardwick, Sondhi to three-year terms; strong support (40M+ votes each). - Advisory vote on executive compensation passed with 42.7M for versus 3.4M against. - Approved 2024 Long-Term Equity Incentive Plan, Employee Stock Purchase Plan, and Non-Employee Director plan. - Approved amendments to Articles: shareholder bylaw amendment, phased-in board declassification, majority voting. - Ratified FORVIS, LLP as independent auditor for 2024 with over 50M votes in favor. ## SEC filing metadata - accession: 0000712534-24-000171 - form_type: 8-K - ticker: FRME - cik: 0000712534 - company_name: FIRST MERCHANTS CORP - filed_at: 2024-05-09T23:59:59+00:00 - event_type: other_material - sentiment: neutral - materiality_score: 0.3 - calibrated_materiality_score: 0.15 - confidence: high - sec_items: 5.07 - EDGAR index: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/712534/000071253424000171/0000712534-24-000171-index.htm - EDGAR primary document: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/712534/000071253424000171/frme-20240507.htm ## Machine-readable alternates - HTML: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0000712534-24-000171 - JSON: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0000712534-24-000171.json - Plain text: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0000712534-24-000171.txt ## Key facts - Shareholder Votes FIRST MERCHANTS CORP shareholders approved Approval of 2024 Long-Term Equity Incentive Plan at the 2024-05-07 meeting. - Proposal: equity plan - Outcome: passed - Meeting: 2024-05-07 source text: Approval of 2024 Long-Term Equity Incentive Plan: FOR AGAINST ABSTAIN BROKER NON-VOTES 43,587,327 2,538,796 123,269 5,633,279 5. evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/712534/000071253424000171/0000712534-24-000171-index.htm - Shareholder Votes FIRST MERCHANTS CORP shareholders approved Approval of FORVIS, LLP as independent auditor for 2024 at the 2024-05-07 meeting. - Proposal: auditor ratification - Outcome: passed - Meeting: 2024-05-07 source text: Approval of FORVIS, LLP as independent auditor for 2024: FOR AGAINST ABSTAIN BROKER NON-VOTES 50,041,948 1,789,147 51,576 — SIGNATURES Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized. evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/712534/000071253424000171/0000712534-24-000171-index.htm - Shareholder Votes FIRST MERCHANTS CORP shareholders approved Approval of an amendment to the Company’s Articles of Incorporation to provide for a phased-in declassification of the Company’s Board of Directors at the 2024-05-07 meeting. - Proposal: charter amendment - Outcome: passed - Meeting: 2024-05-07 source text: Approval of an amendment to the Company’s Articles of Incorporation to provide for a phased-in declassification of the Company’s Board of Directors: FOR AGAINST ABSTAIN BROKER NON-VOTES 45,651,697 386,458 211,237 5,633,279 9. evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/712534/000071253424000171/0000712534-24-000171-index.htm - Shareholder Votes FIRST MERCHANTS CORP shareholders approved Approval of the Equity Compensation Plan for Non-Employee Directors at the 2024-05-07 meeting. - Proposal: equity plan - Outcome: passed - Meeting: 2024-05-07 source text: Approval of the Equity Compensation Plan for Non-Employee Directors: FOR AGAINST ABSTAIN BROKER NON-VOTES 45,100,088 1,013,872 135,432 5,633,279 7. evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/712534/000071253424000171/0000712534-24-000171-index.htm - Shareholder Votes FIRST MERCHANTS CORP shareholders approved Approval of an amendment to the Company’s Articles of Incorporation giving shareholders the ability to amend the Company’s Bylaws at the 2024-05-07 meeting. - Proposal: charter amendment - Outcome: passed - Meeting: 2024-05-07 source text: Approval of an amendment to the Company’s Articles of Incorporation giving shareholders the ability to amend the Company’s Bylaws: FOR AGAINST ABSTAIN BROKER NON-VOTES 45,283,023 812,536 153,833 5,633,279 8. evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/712534/000071253424000171/0000712534-24-000171-index.htm - Shareholder Votes FIRST MERCHANTS CORP shareholders approved Approval, on an advisory basis, of the frequency of advisory votes on executive compensation at the 2024-05-07 meeting. - Proposal: say on pay frequency - Outcome: passed - Meeting: 2024-05-07 source text: the shareholders voted to approve, on an advisory basis, “One Year” as the frequency of voting on executive compensation. evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/712534/000071253424000171/0000712534-24-000171-index.htm - Shareholder Votes FIRST MERCHANTS CORP shareholders approved Approval of an amendment to the Company’s Articles of Incorporation to require majority voting in uncontested director elections at the 2024-05-07 meeting. - Proposal: charter amendment - Outcome: passed - Meeting: 2024-05-07 source text: an amendment to the Company’s Articles of Incorporation to require majority voting in uncontested director elections evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/712534/000071253424000171/0000712534-24-000171-index.htm - Shareholder Votes FIRST MERCHANTS CORP shareholders approved Approval, on an advisory basis, of the compensation of Corporation’s named executive officers at the 2024-05-07 meeting. - Proposal: say on pay - Outcome: passed - Meeting: 2024-05-07 source text: The shareholders adopted a non-binding resolution approving the compensation of the Corporation’s executive officers evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/712534/000071253424000171/0000712534-24-000171-index.htm - Shareholder Votes FIRST MERCHANTS CORP shareholders approved Approval of 2024 Employee Stock Purchase Plan at the 2024-05-07 meeting. - Proposal: equity plan - Outcome: passed - Meeting: 2024-05-07 source text: Approval of 2024 Employee Stock Purchase Plan: FOR AGAINST ABSTAIN BROKER NON-VOTES 45,814,799 396,550 38,043 5,633,279 6. evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/712534/000071253424000171/0000712534-24-000171-index.htm - Shareholder Votes FIRST MERCHANTS CORP shareholders approved Election of Directors at the 2024-05-07 meeting. - Proposal: director election - Outcome: passed - Meeting: 2024-05-07 source text: Michael R. Becher, Patrick J. Fehring, Mark K. Hardwick and Jason R. Sondhi were elected to the Board of Directors for three-year terms expiring at the 2027 annual meeting of shareholders. evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/712534/000071253424000171/0000712534-24-000171-index.htm This AI-assisted summary is a reading aid. Review the linked SEC EDGAR filing before relying on any specific claim.