---
schema_version: "secwatch.filing_event.v1"
accession: "0001505732-23-000168"
form_type: "8-K"
ticker: "BWFG"
cik: "0001505732"
company_name: "Bankwell Financial Group, Inc."
filed_at: "2023-05-31T23:59:59+00:00"
generated_at: "2026-06-14T10:23:34.277497+00:00"
event_type: "other"
sentiment: "neutral"
materiality_score: 0.1
calibrated_materiality_score: 0.1
confidence: "high"
source: SEC EDGAR
---

# Bankwell Financial Group shareholders elect all 11 director nominees and approve executive compensation

## Summary
- All 11 director nominees elected with 84%–95% support; highest was Seidman at 95.29%.
- Advisory say-on-pay passed with 81.45% of votes cast in favor.
- Ratification of RSM US LLP as independent auditor for FY2023 approved with 98.09%.
- 5,021,960 shares present out of 7,843,438 outstanding; 40,431 broker non-votes on director and executive comp proposals.

## SEC filing metadata
- accession: 0001505732-23-000168
- form_type: 8-K
- ticker: BWFG
- cik: 0001505732
- company_name: Bankwell Financial Group, Inc.
- filed_at: 2023-05-31T23:59:59+00:00
- event_type: other
- sentiment: neutral
- materiality_score: 0.1
- calibrated_materiality_score: 0.1
- confidence: high
- sec_items: 5.07
- EDGAR index: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1505732/000150573223000168/0001505732-23-000168-index.htm
- EDGAR primary document: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1505732/000150573223000168/bwfg-20230531.htm

## Machine-readable alternates
- HTML: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001505732-23-000168
- JSON: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001505732-23-000168.json
- Plain text: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001505732-23-000168.txt

## Key facts
- Shareholder Votes
  Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. shareholders approved To ratify the selection of RSM US LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accountants for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2023 at the 2023-12-31 meeting.
  - Proposal: auditor ratification
  - Outcome: passed
  - Meeting: 2023-12-31
  source text: To ratify the selection of RSM US LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accountants for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2023 (Proposal 3). For 4,925,761 (98.09%) Against 95,114 (1.89%) Abstain 1,085 (0.02%) There were no broker non-votes on the Proposal.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1505732/000150573223000168/0001505732-23-000168-index.htm
- Shareholder Votes
  Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. shareholders approved Election of Directors for One-Year Terms at the 2023-05-31 meeting.
  - Proposal: director election
  - Outcome: passed
  - Meeting: 2023-05-31
  source text: On May 31, 2023 , Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. (Nasdaq BWFG), (the "Company") held its Annual Meeting of Shareholders (the "Meeting").
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1505732/000150573223000168/0001505732-23-000168-index.htm
- Shareholder Votes
  Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. shareholders approved Approval on an advisory (non-binding) proposal on the Company's executive compensation.
  - Proposal: say on pay
  - Outcome: passed
  source text: Approval on an advisory (non-binding) proposal on the Company's executive compensation (Proposal 2). For 4,057,870 (81.45%) Against 531,288 (10.67%) Abstain 392,371 (7.88%) There w ere 40,431 broker non-votes on the Proposal.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1505732/000150573223000168/0001505732-23-000168-index.htm

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