Like so many other corporations large and small, Horizon Bancorp, which has multiple branches and shareholders across Michigan’s Great Southwest and Northwest Indiana, is being forced to go digital with their annual meeting.
Having already implemented additional controls at its operations and offices to further protect the health and safety of its workforce, their families, and neighboring communities in response to the coronavirus pandemic, Horizon is now planning for a virtual annual meeting. Bank officials say, “In order to protect our shareholders, employees, and others and align with potential gathering and travel restrictions, we are changing the format of our 2020 Annual Meeting from an in-person to a virtual-only meeting.”
The 2020 Annual Meeting of Shareholders will be held in a virtual-only meeting format, via live webcast, on Thursday, May 7, 2020, at 10:00 am Central Time. Shareholders will not be able to attend the Annual Meeting in person, however, they will be able to participate in the Annual Meeting in the same way that they would have been able to participate at the in-person meeting.
Attending the Virtual Meeting as a Shareholder of Record
If you were a holder of record of common stock of Horizon at the close of business on March 6, 2020, you may attend the meeting by accessing the link below and entering the 15-digit control number on the Proxy Card or Notice of Availability of Proxy Materials you previously received. The meeting password will be available on the Meeting Center site once you enter your control number. Here’s the direct link: http://www.investorvote.com/hbnc
Registering to Attend the Annual Meeting as a Beneficial Owner
If you were a beneficial holder of record of common stock of Horizon as of the Record Date (i.e. you hold your shares in “street name” through an intermediary, such as a bank or broker), you must register in advance to virtually attend the Annual Meeting. To register, you must obtain a legal proxy, executed in your favor, from the holder of record and submit proof of your legal proxy reflecting the number of shares of Horizon common stock you held as of the Record Date, along with your name and email address, to Computershare. You should forward the email from your broker, or attach an image of your legal proxy to legalproxy@computershare.com.
Requests for registration must be labeled as “Legal Proxy” and be received no later than 5:00 pm, Eastern Time, on May 1, 2020. You will then receive a confirmation of your registration, with a control number, by email from Computershare. At the time of the meeting, go to http://www.investorvote.com/hbnc and enter your control number. The meeting password will be available on the Meeting Center site once you enter your control number.
Asking Questions
If you are attending the meeting as a shareholder of record or registered beneficial owner, questions can be submitted by accessing the meeting center at the link above, entering your control number and meeting password, and clicking on the message icon in the upper right hand corner of the page. To return to the main page, click the [“i”] icon at the top of the screen.
Voting Shares
If you have not already voted your shares in advance, you will be able to vote your shares electronically during the Annual Meeting by clicking on the “Cast Your Vote” link on the Meeting Center site. Whether or not you plan to attend the Annual Meeting, you are urged to vote and submit your proxy in advance of the meeting by one of the methods described in the proxy materials for the Annual Meeting.
The proxy card included with the proxy materials previously distributed will not be updated to reflect the change in location and may continue to be used to vote your shares in connection with the Annual Meeting. If you already voted, no additional action is necessary.
Horizon Bank reminds, “Your vote is important. Whether or not you plan to virtually attend the Annual Meeting, please vote as soon as possible by one of the methods described in the proxy materials for the Annual Meeting to ensure that your shares are represented and voted at the Annual Meeting.”
