First Busey (BUSE) Proxy Filing summary

Executive summary

• The 2025 Annual Meeting will be held virtually on May 29, 2025, with voting and Q&A available online.

• Key business includes electing 13 directors, a say-on-pay vote, and ratifying the external auditor.

• The company completed a major merger with CrossFirst Bankshares, expanding the board and leadership.

• 2024 financial highlights: $113.7M net income, $1.98 EPS, strong capital ratios, and increased dividends.

• Compensation and governance practices were updated post-merger to align with the larger organization.

Voting matters and shareholder proposals

• Shareholders will vote on electing 13 directors for a one-year term, a non-binding say-on-pay proposal, and ratification of RSM US LLP as auditor.

• No shareholder proposals or nominations were received for this meeting.

• Voting can be done online, by phone, mail, or during the virtual meeting; broker nonvotes apply to non-routine matters.

Board of directors and corporate governance

• The board expanded to 13 members post-merger, with 8 legacy and 5 CrossFirst directors.

• Board committees: Audit, Compensation, Nominating, and Enterprise Risk, all with independent directors.

• Board leadership succession plan: Dukeman remains CEO/Chairman, Maddox becomes CEO after the succession period.

• Lead independent director role established for two years post-merger.

• Directors are subject to stock ownership requirements and a code of ethics.