S-3ASR

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 6, 2020

Registration No. 333-            

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington D.C. 20549

Form S-3
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

Wintrust Financial Corporation
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Illinois
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation of organization) 36-3873352
(IRS Identification Number)

9700 W. Higgins Road, Suite 800
Rosemont, Illinois 60018
(847) 939-9000
(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant's principal executive offices)

Kathleen M. Boege
Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary
9700 W. Higgins Road, Suite 800
Rosemont, Illinois 60018
(847) 939-9008
(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

Copy to:

Pran Jha
Sidley Austin LLP
One South Dearborn Street
Chicago, Illinois 60603
(312) 853-7000

Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: From time to time after this Registration Statement becomes effective.

           If the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box:    o

           If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest reinvestment plans, check the following box:    ý

           If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.    o

           If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.    o

           If this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.D. or a post-effective amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box.    ý

           If this Form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction I.D. filed to register additional securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box.    o

           Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of "large accelerated filer," "accelerated filer," "smaller reporting company" and "emerging growth company" in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):

Large accelerated filer ý Accelerated filer o Non-accelerated filer o Smaller reporting company o Emerging growth company o

           If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. o

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

Title of Each Class of Securities to be Registered(1)	Amount to be Registered(2)	Proposed Maximum Offering Price per Unit(2)	Proposed Maximum Aggregate Offering Price(2)	Amount of Registration Fee(3)
Debt Securities
Common Stock, no par value
Preferred Stock, no par value
Depositary Shares
Warrants(4)
Stock Purchase Contracts
Stock Purchase Units

(1)

The securities registered under this registration statement may be sold separately, together or as units with other securities registered under this registration statement and may include hybrid securities consisting of a combination of features of any of the securities listed in the table.

(2)

Omitted pursuant to General Instructions II.E of Form S-3. An indeterminate amount of securities as may from time to time to be issued at indeterminate prices is being registered pursuant to this registration statement.

(3)

In accordance with Rules 456(b) and 457(r), the Registrant is deferring payment of all registration fees.

(4)

The warrants covered by this registration statement may be warrants to purchase debt securities, preferred stock or common stock.

PROSPECTUS

Wintrust Financial Corporation

Debt Securities, Common Stock, Preferred Stock, Depositary Shares,
Warrants, Stock Purchase Contracts, Stock Purchase Units and
Hybrid Securities Combining Elements of the Foregoing

        This prospectus relates to the potential offer and sale, in one or more offerings, of debt securities, common stock, preferred stock, depositary shares, warrants, stock purchase contracts, stock purchase units and hybrid securities combining elements of the foregoing. In addition, certain other persons to be identified in a prospectus supplement may offer and sell our securities. We will not receive any proceeds from any sale of securities by such persons.

        This prospectus provides a general description of the securities we or certain selling securityholders and their successors, including transferees, which we collectively refer to as selling securityholders, may offer. Each time we sell or any selling securityholder sells securities, we will describe the specific terms of the securities offered in one or more supplements to this prospectus at the time of each offering. Those terms may include maturity, interest rate, sinking fund terms, currency of payments, dividends, redemption terms, listing on a securities exchange, amount payable at maturity, conversion or exchange rights, liquidation amount, subsidiary guarantees and subordination.

        We and any selling securityholder may offer the securities on a continuous or delayed basis from time to time directly or through underwriters, dealers or agents and in one or more public or private transactions and at fixed prices, prevailing market prices, at prices related to prevailing market prices or at negotiated prices. If any offering involves underwriters, dealers or agents, we will describe our and any selling securityholder's arrangements with them in the prospectus supplement that relates to that offering, and such selling securityholder will be responsible for underwriting discounts or commissions or agents' commissions with respect to any securities they sell.

        This prospectus may not be used to offer and sell the securities unless accompanied by a prospectus supplement. A prospectus supplement may add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. You should read this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement, as well as the documents incorporated and deemed to be incorporated by reference in this prospectus, carefully before you invest.

        Our common stock is quoted on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the trading symbol "WTFC." On May 5, 2020, the last sales price on the NASDAQ Global Select Market for our common stock was $38.12. None of the other securities that may be offered pursuant to this prospectus are listed on an exchange. If we decide to list or seek a quotation for any other securities, the prospectus supplement relating to those securities will disclose the exchange or market on which such securities will be listed or quoted.

Investing in our securities involves risk. You should consider carefully the risk factors included in the applicable prospectus supplement and in our periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, before you invest in any of our securities.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

        These securities will not be savings accounts, deposits or other obligations of any bank or non-bank subsidiary of ours and are not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, which we refer to as the FDIC, or any other governmental agency.

        Our principal executive office is located at 9700 W. Higgins Road, Suite 800, Rosemont, Illinois 60018, telephone number: (847) 939-9000.

The date of this prospectus is May 6, 2020.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Prospectus

	Page
ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS		ii
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION		iii
SPECIAL NOTE CONCERNING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS		v
THE COMPANY		1
USE OF PROCEEDS		1
GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES		2
Description of Debt Securities		2
Description of Capital Stock		13
Description of Stock Purchase Contracts and Stock Purchase Units		18
Description of Warrants		19
BOOK-ENTRY SYSTEM		20
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION		23
LEGAL MATTERS		25
EXPERTS		25

i

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

        This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which we refer to as the SEC, as a "well-known seasoned issuer" as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, which we refer to as the Securities Act, utilizing an automatic "shelf" registration process. Under this automatic shelf registration process, we or any selling securityholder may offer and sell, in one or more offerings, the securities described in this prospectus from time to time. This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities we or any selling securityholder may offer. Each time we offer or any selling securityholder offers these securities, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will contain specific information about the terms of that offering. The prospectus supplement may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. Please carefully read this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement together with the additional information described under the heading "Where You Can Find More Information."

        This prospectus omits some information contained in the registration statement in accordance with SEC rules and regulations. You should review the information and exhibits included in the registration statement for further information about us and the securities we are offering. Statements in this prospectus concerning any document we filed as an exhibit to the registration statement or that we otherwise filed with the SEC are not intended to be comprehensive and are qualified in their entirety by reference to those filings. You should review the complete document to evaluate these statements.

You should only assume that the information in this prospectus or in any prospectus supplement is accurate as of the date on the front of the document. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since that date.

        Each reference in this prospectus to "Wintrust", "the Company", "we", "us" and "our" means Wintrust Financial Corporation and its consolidated subsidiaries, unless the context requires otherwise.

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WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

        We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. The SEC maintains an internet site that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC, including us. The SEC's internet site can be found at http://www.sec.gov. We make available free of charge most of our SEC filings on the investor relations page of our website at http://www.wintrust.com as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file these materials with the SEC. You may access these SEC filings on our website. Except for those SEC filings incorporated by reference in this prospectus, none of the other information on our website is part of this prospectus.

        We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. The SEC allows us to "incorporate by reference" into this prospectus the information we file with the SEC, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be part of this prospectus, and information that we file later with the SEC that is incorporated by reference herein will automatically update and supersede this information. SEC rules and regulations also permit us to "furnish" rather than "file" certain reports and information with the SEC. Any such reports or information which we have indicated or indicate in the future as being "furnished" shall not be deemed to be incorporated by reference into or otherwise become a part of this prospectus, regardless of when furnished to the SEC. We incorporate by reference the following documents we filed with the SEC (file number 001-35077) and any future filings that we make with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14, or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, which we refer to as the Exchange Act, until the offerings of the securities contemplated by this prospectus are terminated:

•

our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 filed with the SEC on February 28, 2020;

•

our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2020 filed with the SEC on May 4, 2020;

•

those portions of our Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A filed with the SEC on April 9, 2020 incorporated by reference in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019;

•

our Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on January 17, 2020, January 28, 2020 and April 13, 2020; and

•

the description of our common stock, which is registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act, in our Form 8-A filed with the SEC on January 3, 1997, including any subsequently filed amendments and reports updating such description.

        You may request a copy of these filings, other than an exhibit to a filing unless that exhibit is specifically incorporated by reference into that filing, at no cost, by writing to us at the following address or calling us at the following telephone number:

Wintrust Financial Corporation
9700 W. Higgins Road, Suite 800
Rosemont, Illinois 60018
Attention: Investor Relations
(847) 939-9000

        We will provide to each person, including any beneficial owner, to whom a copy of this prospectus is delivered a copy of any or all of the information that has been incorporated by reference in this prospectus but not delivered with this prospectus. We will provide this information upon written or oral

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request at no cost to the requester. You should direct your requests to us at the address or telephone number above.

        You should rely only on the information incorporated by reference or provided in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement. We have not authorized anyone else to provide you with different information or to make any representations other than as contained in this prospectus or in any prospectus supplement. This document may only be used where it is lawful to sell these securities. Neither we nor any selling securityholders are making any offer of these securities in any state where the offer is not permitted.

iv

SPECIAL NOTE CONCERNING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

        This prospectus, the documents incorporated by reference or deemed incorporated by reference, any related prospectus supplement and any other written or oral statements made by us from time to time may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Forward-looking information can be identified through the use of words such as "intend," "plan," "project," "expect," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "contemplate," "possible," "will," "may," "should," "would" and "could." Forward-looking statements and information are not historical facts, are premised on many factors and assumptions, and represent only management's expectations, estimates and projections regarding future events. Similarly, these statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve certain risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict, such as the potential impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, and which may include, but are not limited to, those listed below and the risk factors discussed under Item 1A of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, as supplemented by the risk factors discussed under Part II, Item 1A of our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2020, as well as other risks and uncertainties set forth from time to time in our other filings with the SEC and those set forth below.

        We intend such forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and are including this statement for purposes of invoking these safe harbor provisions. Such forward-looking statements may be deemed to include, among other things, statements relating to our future financial performance, the performance of our loan portfolio, the expected amount of future credit reserves and charge-offs, delinquency trends, growth plans, regulatory developments, securities that we may offer from time to time, and management's long-term performance goals, as well as statements relating to the anticipated effects on financial condition and results of operations from expected developments or events, our business and growth strategies, including future acquisitions of banks, specialty finance or wealth management businesses, internal growth and plans to form additional de novo banks or branch offices. Actual results could differ materially from those addressed in the forward-looking statements as a result of numerous factors, including the following:

•

the severity, magnitude and duration of the COVID-19 pandemic and the direct and indirect impact of such pandemic, as well as responses to the pandemic by the government, business and consumers, on our operations and personnel, commercial activity and demand across our business and our customers' businesses;

•

the disruption of global, national, state and local economies associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, which could affect our liquidity and capital positions, impair the ability of our borrowers to repay outstanding loans, impair collateral values and further increase our allowance for credit losses;

•

the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our financial results, including possible lost revenue and increased expenses (including the cost of capital), as well as possible goodwill impairment charges;

•

economic conditions that affect the economy, housing prices, the job market and other factors that may adversely affect our liquidity and the performance of our loan portfolios, particularly in the markets in which we operate;

•

negative effects suffered by us or our customers resulting from changes in U.S. trade policies;

•

the extent of defaults and losses on our loan portfolio, which may require further increases in our allowance for credit losses;

•

estimates of fair value of certain of our assets and liabilities, which could change in value significantly from period to period;

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the financial success and economic viability of the borrowers of our commercial loans;

•

commercial real estate market conditions in the Chicago metropolitan area and southern Wisconsin;

•

the extent of commercial and consumer delinquencies and declines in real estate values, which may require further increases in our allowance for loan losses;

•

inaccurate assumptions in our analytical and forecasting models used to manage our loan portfolio;

•

changes in the level and volatility of interest rates, the capital markets and other market indices (including developments and volatility arising from or related to the COVID-19 pandemic) that may affect, among other things, our liquidity and the value of our assets and liabilities;

•

competitive pressures in the financial services business which may affect the pricing of our loan and deposit products as well as our services (including wealth management services), which may result in loss of market share and reduced income from deposits, loans, advisory fees and income from other products;

•

failure to identify and complete favorable acquisitions in the future or unexpected difficulties or developments related to the integration of our recent or future acquisitions;

•

unexpected difficulties and losses related to FDIC-assisted acquisitions;

•

harm to our reputation;

•

any negative perception of our financial strength;

•

our ability to raise additional capital on acceptable terms when needed;

•

disruption in capital markets, which may lower fair values for our investment portfolio;

•

our ability to use technology to provide products and services that will satisfy customer demands and create efficiencies in operations and to manage risks associated therewith;

•

failure or breaches of our security systems or infrastructure, or those of third parties;

•

security breaches, including denial of service attacks, hacking, social engineering attacks, malware intrusion or data corruption attempts and identity theft;

•

adverse effects on our information technology systems resulting from failures, human error or cyberattacks;

•

adverse effects of failures by our vendors to provide agreed upon services in the manner and at the cost agreed, particularly our information technology vendors;

•

increased costs as a result of protecting our customers from the impact of stolen debit card information;

•

accuracy and completeness of information we receive about customers and counterparties to make credit decisions;

•

our ability to attract and retain senior management experienced in the banking and financial services industries;

•

environmental liability risk associated with lending activities;

•

the impact of any claims or legal actions to which we are subject, including any effect on our reputation;

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•

losses incurred in connection with repurchases and indemnification payments related to mortgages and increases in reserves associated therewith;

•

the loss of customers as a result of technological changes allowing consumers to complete their financial transactions without the use of a bank;

•

the soundness of other financial institutions;

•

the expenses and delayed returns inherent in opening new branches and de novo banks;

•

examinations and challenges by tax authorities, and any unanticipated impact of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017;

•

changes in accounting standards, rules and interpretations such as the new Accounting Standards Update 2016-13, Financial Instruments-Credit Losses: Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments and related changes to address the impact of COVID-19, and the impact on our financial statements;

•

our ability to receive dividends from our subsidiaries;

•

uncertainty about the discontinued use of the London Inter-bank Offered Rate and transition to an alternative rate;

•

a decrease in our capital ratios, including as a result of declines in the value of our loan portfolios, or otherwise;

•

legislative or regulatory changes, particularly changes in regulation of financial services companies and/or the products and services offered by financial services companies, including those changes that are in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including without limitation the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act and the rules and regulations that may be promulgated thereunder;

•

a lowering of our credit rating;

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changes in U.S. monetary policy and changes to the Federal Reserve's balance sheet, including changes in response to the COVID-19 pandemic or otherwise;

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regulatory restrictions upon our ability to market our products to consumers and limitations on our ability to profitably operate our mortgage business;

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increased costs of compliance, heightened regulatory capital requirements and other risks associated with changes in regulation and the regulatory environment;

•

the impact of heightened capital requirements;

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increases in our FDIC insurance premiums, or the collection of special assessments by the FDIC;

•

delinquencies or fraud with respect to our premium finance business;

•

credit downgrades among commercial and life insurance providers that could negatively affect the value of collateral securing our premium finance loans;

•

our ability to comply with covenants under our credit facility; and

•

fluctuations in the stock market, which may have an adverse impact on our wealth management business and brokerage operation.

        There can be no assurances that future actual results will correspond to these forward-looking statements. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statement made by us or on our behalf. Any such statement speaks only as of the date the statement was made or as of such date that may be referenced within the statement. We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements or reflect the impact of circumstances or events that arise after the date the forward-looking statement was made. You are advised, however, to consult further disclosures management makes on related subjects in Wintrust's reports filed with the SEC.

vii

THE COMPANY

        Wintrust Financial Corporation, an Illinois corporation, which was incorporated in 1992, is a financial holding company based in Rosemont, Illinois, with total assets of approximately $38.8 billion as of March 31, 2020. We conduct our businesses through three primary segments: community banking, specialty finance and wealth management. We provide community-oriented, personal and commercial banking services to customers primarily located in the Chicago metropolitan area, southern Wisconsin and northwest Indiana through our fifteen wholly-owned-banking subsidiaries, as well as the origination and purchase of residential mortgages for sale into the secondary market through Wintrust Mortgage, a division of Barrington Bank & Trust Company, N.A. In addition, we provide specialty finance services, including financing for the payment of commercial insurance premiums and life insurance premiums on a national basis through FIRST Insurance Funding, a division of our wholly-owned subsidiary Lake Forest Bank & Trust Company, N.A. ("Lake Forest Bank"), and Wintrust Life Finance, a division of Lake Forest Bank, and in Canada through our premium finance company, First Insurance Funding of Canada, lease financing and other direct leasing opportunities through our wholly-owned subsidiary, Wintrust Asset Finance, Inc., and short-term accounts receivable financing and outsourced administrative services through our wholly-owned subsidiary, Tricom, Inc. of Milwaukee. Further, we provide a full range of wealth management services primarily to customers in our market area through four separate subsidiaries, The Chicago Trust Company, N.A., Wintrust Investments, LLC, Great Lakes Advisors, LLC and Chicago Deferred Exchange Company, LLC.

        Our common stock and our series D preferred are traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market, or NASDAQ, under the ticker symbols "WTFC" and "WTFCM," respectively. Wintrust's principal executive office is located at 9700 W. Higgins Road, Suite 800, Rosemont, Illinois 60018, and our telephone number is (847) 939-9000.

USE OF PROCEEDS

        We will not receive any proceeds from any securities sold by a selling securityholder.

        Except as otherwise provided in the prospectus supplement accompanying this prospectus, we expect to use the net proceeds from the sale by the Company of the offered securities for general corporate purposes. These purposes may include, without limitation, investments at the holding company level, providing capital to support our growth, acquisitions or other business combinations, including FDIC-assisted acquisitions, and reducing or refinancing existing debt.

        Pending such use, we may temporarily invest the net proceeds in short-term securities or reduce our short-term indebtedness, or we may hold the net proceeds in deposit accounts in our subsidiary banks.

1

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES

        We or any selling securityholder may offer under this prospectus debt securities, common stock, preferred stock, depositary shares, warrants, stock purchase contracts, stock purchase units and hybrid securities combining elements of the foregoing, either individually or as units consisting of two or more securities.

        The following description of the terms of these securities sets forth some of the general terms and provisions of securities that may be offered by us or any selling securityholder. The particular terms of securities offered by any prospectus supplement and the extent, if any, to which the general terms set forth below do not apply to those securities will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement. In addition, if we offer securities as units, the terms of the units will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement. If the information contained in the prospectus supplement differs from the following description, you should rely on the information in the prospectus supplement.

Description of Debt Securities

        We may issue debt securities from time to time in one or more series. The following briefly summarizes the material provisions of the indentures, as defined below, pursuant to which such debt securities may be issued. As used in this summary, the term "Wintrust" means Wintrust Financial Corporation and does not include any of its subsidiaries. This summary is not complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to such indentures. You should read the more detailed provisions of the indentures, including the defined terms, for provisions that may be important to you. You should also review the particular terms of a series of debt securities, which will be described in more detail in the applicable prospectus supplement.

General

        We may issue, and offer pursuant to this prospectus, senior or subordinated debt securities. The senior debt securities and, in the case of debt securities in bearer form, any coupons to these securities, will constitute part of our senior debt and, except as otherwise included in the applicable prospectus supplement, will rank on a parity with all of our other unsecured and unsubordinated debt. The subordinated debt securities and any coupons will constitute part of our subordinated debt and will be subordinate and junior in right of payment to all of our "senior indebtedness," as defined below. If this prospectus is being delivered in connection with a series of subordinated debt securities, the applicable prospectus supplement or the information we incorporate in this prospectus by reference will indicate the approximate amount of senior indebtedness outstanding as of the end of the most recent fiscal quarter.

        Our senior debt securities will be issued under a senior indenture, the form of which is included as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, and the related supplemental indenture for such senior debt securities, if any, which we refer to collectively as the "senior indenture." Our subordinated debt securities will be issued under a subordinated indenture, the form of which is included as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, and the related supplemental indenture for such subordinated debt securities, if any, which we refer to collectively as the "subordinated indenture." We refer to the senior indenture and the subordinated indenture collectively as the "indentures," and we refer to senior debt securities and subordinated debt securities collectively as the "debt securities."

        The provisions of the indentures allow us to "reopen" a previous issue of a series of debt securities and issue additional debt securities of that issue. The debt securities may be denominated and payable in U.S. dollars. The debt securities may bear interest at a fixed rate or a floating rate, which, in either case, may be zero, or at a rate that varies during the lifetime of the debt security. The debt securities may be sold at a discount below their stated principal amount.

2

        The indentures do not limit the aggregate principal amount of indebtedness that may be issued thereunder and provide that debt securities may be issued thereunder from time to time in one or more series. The covenants and provisions in the indentures afford the holders of the debt securities of any series only limited protection in the event of a highly leveraged transaction, reorganization, restructuring, merger or similar transaction involving Wintrust that may adversely affect such holders.

Terms Specified in Prospectus Supplement

        We will describe in a supplement to this prospectus the particular terms of any debt securities being offered and any modifications of or additions to the general terms of the debt securities. Accordingly, you should read both the prospectus supplement relating to the particular debt securities being offered and the general description of debt securities set forth in this prospectus before investing.

        The prospectus supplement will contain, where applicable, the following terms of and other information relating to any offered debt securities:

•

classification as senior or subordinated debt securities and the specific designation;

•

aggregate principal amount, purchase price and denomination, if, in the case of denomination, other than $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof;

•

the currency in which the debt securities are denominated and/or in which principal and/or interest, if any, is payable;

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original issue and stated maturity date or dates;

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the interest rate or rates or the method by which the calculation agent will determine the interest rate or rates, if any;

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the interest payment dates, if any;

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the manner and place or places for payment of the principal of and any premium and/or interest on the debt securities;

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any repayment, redemption, prepayment, repurchase or sinking fund provisions, including any redemption notice provisions;

•

whether we will issue the debt securities in registered form or bearer form or both and, if we are offering debt securities in bearer form, any restrictions applicable to the exchange of one form for another and to the offer, sale and delivery of those debt securities in bearer form and whether such bearer securities will be issued with coupons;

•

whether we will issue the debt securities in temporary form and under what terms and conditions;

•

the terms on which holders of the debt securities may convert or exchange these securities into or for common or preferred stock or other securities of ours offered hereby, into or for common or preferred stock or other securities of an entity affiliated with us or debt or equity or other securities of an entity not affiliated with us, or for the cash value of our stock or any of the above securities, the terms on which conversion or exchange may occur, including whether conversion or exchange is mandatory, at the option of the holder or at our option, the period during which conversion or exchange may occur, the initial conversion or exchange price or rate and the circumstances or manner in which the amount of common or preferred stock or other securities issuable upon conversion or exchange may be adjusted;

•

information as to the methods for determining the amount of principal or interest payable on any date and/or the currencies, securities or baskets of securities, commodities or indices to which the amount payable on the date is linked;

3

•

any agents for the debt securities, including trustees, depositories, authenticating or paying agents, transfer agents or registrars;

•

any addition to, or modification or deletion of, any events of default or covenants contained in the applicable indenture relating to the debt securities;

•

a discussion on any material U.S. federal income tax considerations applicable to the debt securities; and

•

any other terms and conditions set forth therein.

        We may issue the debt securities as original issue discount securities, which are securities that are offered and sold at a substantial discount to their stated principal amount, or as payment-in-kind securities which may constitute original issue discount securities for U.S. federal income tax purposes. The U.S. federal income tax considerations applicable to any such debt securities may be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Registration, Denominations, Exchange and Transfer of Debt Securities

        Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, the debt securities of any series will be issued only as registered securities, in global or certificated form and in denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof.

        As described in the section entitled "Book-Entry System," the debt securities of any series may be issued in certificated form in exchange for a global security. In the event that debt securities of such series are issued in certificated form, such debt securities may be transferred or exchanged at the offices described below. In the event debt securities of any series are issued in certificated form, payments of principal and interest will be payable, the transfer of the debt securities of such series will be registrable and debt securities of such series will be exchangeable for debt securities of other denominations of a like aggregate principal amount at the corporate trust office of the trustee in New York, New York. Interest payments on certificated debt securities of any series may be made at the option of the Company by check mailed to the address of the persons entitled thereto. See "Book-Entry System."

Subordination of the Subordinated Debt Securities

        The subordinated indenture will provide that the subordinated debt securities are subordinated and junior in right of payment to Wintrust's obligations to the holders of senior indebtedness (as defined below) to the extent specified in the subordinated indenture. This means that in the case of any insolvency, liquidation or other certain specified events of or relating to Wintrust as a whole, whether voluntary or involuntary, all obligations to holders of senior indebtedness shall be entitled to be paid in full before any payment shall be made on account of the principal of or interest on the subordinated debt securities. In the event of any such proceeding, after payment in full of all sums owing with respect to senior indebtedness, the holders of the subordinated debt securities, together with the holders of any obligations of Wintrust ranking on a parity with the subordinated debt securities, shall be entitled to be paid from the remaining assets of Wintrust the amounts at the time due and owing on account of unpaid principal of and interest on the subordinated debt securities before any payment or other distribution, whether in cash, property or otherwise, shall be made on account of any capital stock or any obligations of Wintrust ranking junior to the subordinated debt securities.

        In addition, if there shall have occurred and be continuing (a) a default in any payment with respect to any senior indebtedness or (b) an event of default with respect to any senior indebtedness as a result of which the maturity thereof is accelerated, unless and until such payment default or event of default shall have been cured or waived or shall have ceased to exist, no payments shall be made by Wintrust with respect to the principal or interest on the subordinated debt securities.

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        The term "senior indebtedness" means the following, whether now outstanding or subsequently created, assumed or incurred:

•

all indebtedness of Wintrust for money borrowed, including any obligation of, or any obligation guaranteed by, Wintrust, for the repayment of borrowed money, whether or not evidenced by bonds, debentures, securities, notes or other written instruments;

•

any deferred obligation of Wintrust for the payment of the purchase price of property or assets acquired other than in the ordinary course of business;

•

all obligations, contingent or otherwise, of Wintrust in respect of any letters of credit, bankers acceptances, security purchase facilities and similar transactions;

•

all capital lease obligations of Wintrust;

•

all obligations of Wintrust in respect of interest rate swap, cap or other agreements, interest rate future or option contracts, currency swap agreements, currency future or option contacts, commodity contracts and other similar agreements;

•

all obligations of the type referred to in the above five bullets of other persons for the payment of which Wintrust is responsible or liable as obligor, guarantor or otherwise;

•

all obligations of the type referred to in the above six bullets of other persons secured by any lien on any property or asset of Wintrust, whether or not such obligation is assumed by Wintrust; and

•

any obligations of Wintrust to its general creditors, as defined and required by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, or the Federal Reserve, under its final Basel III capital rules in 12 C.F.R. Part 217 for subordinated debt to qualify as Tier 2 capital;

provided, however, that the term "senior indebtedness" does not include:

•

any securities issued under the subordinated indenture (including the subordinated debt securities),

•

Wintrust's subordinated debt securities underlying trust preferred securities issued by subsidiary trusts of Wintrust which are outstanding or which are issued by a subsidiary trust of Wintrust,

•

any guarantee in respect of the trust preferred securities of a subsidiary trust of Wintrust, or

•

any indebtedness or any guarantee ranking junior to, or ranking on a parity with, such securities and the issuance of which (i) has received the concurrence or approval of the Federal Reserve or its staff or (ii) does not at the time of issuance prevent such securities (or any security or unit of which such securities comprise a part) from qualifying for Tier 1 capital treatment (irrespective of any limits on the amount of Wintrust's Tier 1 capital) under applicable capital adequacy guidelines, regulations, policies, published interpretations or any applicable concurrence or approval of the Federal Reserve or its staff.

        The subordinated debt securities will rank senior to all of Wintrust's equity securities, including its preferred stock, whether now outstanding or subsequently created.

        The indentures do not limit the aggregate amount of senior indebtedness that may be issued by Wintrust.

Events of Default

        Events of Default and Certain Remedies Under the Senior Indenture.    Under the senior indenture, each of the following will be an "event of default" with respect to a series of senior debt securities:

•

failure to pay any interest upon the senior debt securities of any series as and when it becomes due and payable, which default continues for a period of 30 days;

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•

failure to pay the principal of any of the senior debt securities as and when it becomes due and payable;

•

failure on the part of Wintrust duly to observe or perform any other of the covenants or agreements on the part of Wintrust in the senior debt securities of such series or in the senior indenture with respect to the senior debt securities of such series, and continuance of such failure for a period of 90 days after the date on which written notice of such failure, requiring Wintrust to remedy the same, shall have been given to Wintrust by the trustee, or to Wintrust and the trustee by the holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the senior debt securities of such series at the time outstanding; and

•

specified events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization, or court appointment of a receiver, liquidator or trustee of Wintrust.

        If an event of default described in any of the first, second or third bullets above occurs and is continuing, then and in each such case either the trustee or the holders of not less than 25% in aggregate initial principal amount of the senior debt securities of any such series then outstanding (each such series treated as a separate class), by notice in writing to Wintrust (and to the trustee if given by holders), may declare the principal amount (or, if the senior debt securities of such series are original issue discount securities, such portion of the principal amount as may be specified in the terms of such series) of all the senior debt securities of such series to be due and payable immediately, and upon any such declaration the same shall become immediately due and payable. If an event of default described in the fourth bullet above occurs and is continuing, then and in each such case, the principal amount (or, if the senior debt securities of such series are original issue discount securities, such portion of the principal amount as may be specified in the terms of such series) of all senior debt securities of such series shall be and become immediately due and payable, without any notice or other action by the trustee or any holder, to the fullest extent permitted by law.

        The foregoing paragraph, however, is subject to the condition that, at any time after such a declaration of acceleration or an acceleration, and before any judgment or decree for the payment of the money due shall have been obtained or entered, the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the senior debt securities of such series then outstanding, by written notice to Wintrust and to the trustee, may waive all defaults and rescind and annul such declaration or acceleration and its consequences, if:

•

Wintrust shall pay or shall deposit with the trustee a sum sufficient to pay:

•

all matured installments of interest on all the senior debt securities of such series (with interest on overdue installments of interest (to the extent that payment of such interest is enforceable under applicable law) at the rate borne by the senior debt securities of such series (or yield to maturity, in the case of original discount securities) to the date of such payment or deposit);

•

all principal on any senior debt securities of such series that has become due otherwise than by acceleration (with interest on such principal) at the rate borne by the senior debt securities of such series (or yield to maturity, in the case of original discount securities) to the date of such payment on deposit;

•

all sums paid or advanced by the trustee and the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the trustee, its agents and counsel and any other amounts due the trustee under the senior indenture; and

•

any and all defaults with respect to senior debt securities of such series under the senior indenture, other than the nonpayment of principal and accrued interest on senior debt

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securities of such series that shall have become due by acceleration, shall have been cured or waived as provided below in the penultimate paragraph of this section.

        No such waiver or rescission and annulment shall extend or shall affect any subsequent default or shall impair any right consequent thereon.

        Events of Default and Certain Remedies Under the Subordinated Indenture.    Under the subordinated indenture, each of the following will be an "event of default" with respect to a series of subordinated debt securities:

•

failure to pay any interest upon the subordinated debt securities of any series as and when it becomes due and payable, which default continues for a period of 30 days;

•

failure to pay the principal of any of the subordinated debt securities as and when it becomes due and payable;

•

failure on the part of Wintrust duly to observe or perform any other of the covenants or agreements on the part of Wintrust in the subordinated debt securities of such series or in the subordinated indenture with respect to the subordinated debt securities of such series, and continuance of such failure for a period of 90 days after the date on which written notice of such failure, requiring Wintrust to remedy the same, shall have been given to Wintrust by the trustee, or to Wintrust and the trustee by the holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the subordinated debt securities of such series at the time outstanding; and

•

specified events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization, or court appointment of a receiver, liquidator or trustee of Wintrust.

        If an event of default described in the fourth bullet above occurs and is continuing, then and in each such case either the trustee or the holders of not less than 25% in aggregate initial principal amount of the subordinated debt securities of any such series then outstanding (each such series treated as a separate class), by notice in writing to Wintrust (and to the trustee if given by holders), may declare the principal amount (or, if the subordinated debt securities of any such series are original issue discount securities, such portion of the principal amounts as may be specified in the terms of such series) of all the subordinated debt securities of such series to be due and payable immediately, and upon any such declaration the same shall become immediately due and payable. This provision, however, is subject to the condition that, at any time after such a declaration of acceleration, and before any judgment or decree for the payment of the money due shall have been obtained or entered, the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the subordinated debt securities of such series then outstanding, by written notice to Wintrust and to the trustee, may waive all defaults and rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences, if:

•

Wintrust shall pay or shall deposit with the trustee a sum sufficient to pay:

•

all matured installments of interest on all the subordinated debt securities of such series that shall have become due otherwise than by acceleration (with interest on overdue installments of interest (to the extent that payment of such interest is enforceable under applicable law) at the rate borne by the subordinated debt securities of such series (or yield to maturity, in the case of original issue discount securities), to the date of such payment or deposit);

•

all sums paid or advanced by the trustee and the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the trustee, its agents and counsel and any other amounts due the trustee under the subordinated indenture; and

•

any and all defaults with respect to debt securities of such series under the subordinated indenture, other than the nonpayment of principal and accrued interest on subordinated

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debt securities of such series that shall have become due by acceleration, shall have been cured or waived as provided below in the penultimate paragraph of this section.

        No such waiver or rescission and annulment shall extend or shall affect any subsequent default or shall impair any right consequent thereon.

        Unless otherwise expressly provided in the applicable prospectus supplement, there is no right of acceleration upon the occurrence of an event of default described in the first three bullets of the definition of "event of default" above.

        Remedies on Events of Default Under Either Indenture.    Under either indenture, in the case of default in the payment of (i) any installment of interest upon any debt securities of any series as and when it becomes due and payable, which default continues for a period of 30 days, or (ii) the principal of any of the debt securities of such series as and when it becomes due and payable, then, upon demand of the trustee, Wintrust will pay to the trustee, for the benefit of the holders of the debt securities of such series, the whole amount that then shall have become due and payable on all such debt securities for principal, premium, if any, or interest, or any combination thereof, as the case may be, with interest upon the portion of the overdue principal and (to the extent that payment of such interest is enforceable under applicable law) upon the overdue installments of interest, at the rate borne by the debt securities of such series or yield to maturity (in the case of original issue discount securities); and, in addition, such further amount as shall be sufficient to cover the costs and expenses of collection, including reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the trustee, its agent, attorneys and counsel. If Wintrust does not pay such amounts upon such demand, the trustee shall be entitled and empowered to institute any actions or proceeding at law or in equity for the collection of the sums so due and unpaid, and may prosecute any such action or proceeding to judgment or final decree, and may enforce any such judgment or final decree against Wintrust or any other obligor on the debt securities of such series and collect in the manner provided by law out of the property of Wintrust or any other obligor on the debt securities of such series, wherever situated, the money adjudged or decreed to be payable.

        No holder of debt securities of any series shall have any right to institute any suit, action or proceeding in equity or at law upon or under or with respect to the applicable indenture or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee, or for any other remedy under the applicable indenture, unless such holder previously shall have given to the trustee written notice of default and of the continuance thereof and unless also:

•

the holders of not less than 25% in aggregate principal amount of the debt securities of such series then outstanding shall have made written request upon the trustee to institute such action, suit or proceeding in its own name as trustee under the applicable indenture and shall have offered to the trustee such reasonable security or indemnity as the trustee may require against the costs, expenses and liabilities to be incurred in compliance with such request;

•

the trustee for 60 days after its receipt of such notice, request and offer of indemnity shall have neglected or refused to institute any such action, suit or proceeding; and

•

no direction inconsistent with such written request has been given to the trustee during such 60-day period by the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities;

it being understood and intended, and being expressly covenanted by each person who acquires and holds a debt security of any series with every other such person holding outstanding debt securities under the applicable indenture, that no one or more holders of outstanding debt securities under the applicable indenture shall have any right in any manner whatever by virtue of or by availing of any provision of such indenture to affect, disturb or prejudice the rights of any other holder of such debt securities, or to obtain or seek to obtain priority over or preference to any other such holder, or to

8

enforce any right under such indenture, except in the manner provided in such indenture and for the equal, ratable and common benefit of all holders of outstanding debt securities under such indenture. Notwithstanding any other provision of the applicable indenture, however, the right of any holder of debt securities of any series to receive payment of principal and interest on any such debt securities on or after their respective due dates, or to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after such respective dates against Wintrust, shall not be impaired or affected without the consent of such holder.

        Subject to certain restrictions, the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the debt securities of any series affected (voting as one class) at the time outstanding shall have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred on the trustee with respect to the debt securities of such series.

        Prior to any declaration that the principal of the outstanding debt securities of any series affected is due and payable, the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount (or, if the debt securities are original issue discount securities, such portion of the principal as is then accelerable under the applicable indenture) of the debt securities of such series at the time outstanding on behalf of the holders of all of the debt securities of such series may waive any past default or event of default under the applicable indenture and its consequences except (i) a default under a covenant or provision in such indenture that cannot be modified without the consent of each holder of a debt security of such series affected thereby or (ii) in the case of senior debt securities under the senior indenture only, in the payment of the principal of or interest on any senior debt security of such series of senior debt securities. Upon any such waiver, Wintrust, the trustee and the holders of the debt securities of such series shall be restored to their former positions and rights under the applicable indenture, respectively; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other default or event of default or impair any right consequent thereon.

        Wintrust is required to file annually with the applicable trustee a statement of an officer as to the fulfillment by Wintrust of its obligations under the applicable indenture during the preceding year.

        The trustee, within 90 days after the occurrence of a default with respect to debt securities of any series, shall mail to all holders of debt securities of such series notice of all such defaults known to the trustee, unless such defaults shall have been cured or waived before the giving of such notice; provided that, except in the case of default in the payment of the principal or interest on any of the debt securities, the trustee shall be protected in withholding such notice if and so long as its board of directors, the executive committee or a trust committee of directors and/or responsible officers of the trustee in good faith determines that the withholding of such notice is in the interest of the holders.

Modifications and Amendments

        Wintrust and the trustee may amend or supplement the indentures or the debt securities of any series without notice to or the consent of any holder:

•

to cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency in the indentures; provided that such amendment or supplement shall not materially and adversely affect the interests of the holders;

•

to evidence the succession of another person to Wintrust and the assumption by any such successor of the covenants of Wintrust contained in the indentures and the debt securities pursuant to the obligations set forth in "—Consolidation, Merger and Sale of Assets";

•

to comply with any requirements of the SEC in connection with the qualification of the indentures under the Trust Indentures Act;

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•

to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment with respect to the debt securities of any or all series by a successor trustee and to add to or change any of the provisions of the applicable indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts under the applicable indenture by more than one trustee;

•

to establish the form or forms or terms of debt securities of any series or of the coupons pertaining to such series;

•

to provide for uncertificated or unregistered securities and to make all appropriate changes for such purpose;

•

to add to the covenants for the benefit of the holders of the debt securities or to surrender any right or power conferred upon Wintrust in the indentures with respect to the debt securities, provided that such action shall not adversely affect the interests of the holders of the debt securities;

•

to add any events of default with respect to all or any series of the debt securities;

•

to delete or modify any events of default with respect to all or any series of the debt securities, the form and terms of which are being established pursuant to a supplemental indenture as permitted in the indenture (and, if any such event of default is applicable to fewer than all such series of the debt securities, specifying the series to which such event of default is applicable) and to specify the rights and remedies of the trustee and the holders of such debt securities in connection therewith;

•

to secure the debt securities;

•

to establish the form of any debt securities and to provide for the issuance of any series of debt securities under the indentures and to set forth the terms thereof;

•

to make any change that does not materially and adversely affect the rights of any holder (except as provided in immediately following bullet); and

•

in the case of the subordinated indenture, to clarify ambiguities or to meet regulatory requirements for the subordinated debt securities of any series to qualify as Tier 2 capital or other regulatory capital for bank regulatory purposes.

        Without prior notice to any holders, Wintrust and the trustee may amend the indentures and the debt securities of any series with the written consent of the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of each series affected by such amendment, and the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series affected thereby (voting as a separate class) by written notice to the trustee may waive future compliance by Wintrust with any provision of the indentures or the debt securities of such series. However, without the consent of each holder affected thereby, an amendment or waiver may not:

•

change the stated maturity of the principal of, or any sinking fund obligation or any installment of interest on, such holder's debt security;

•

reduce the principal amount thereof or the rate of interest thereon;

•

reduce the above-stated percentage of outstanding debt securities the consent of whose holders is necessary to modify or amend the indentures with respect to the debt securities of the relevant series;

•

reduce the percentage in principal amount of outstanding debt securities of the relevant series the consent of whose holders is required for any supplemental indenture or for any waiver of compliance with certain provisions of the indentures or certain events of default and their consequences provided for in the indentures;

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•

impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any payment on or with respect to the debt securities; or

•

modify any of the provisions of the subordinated indenture with respect to the subordination of the subordinated debt securities of any series in a manner adverse to holders, except to clarify ambiguities or to meet regulatory requirements for the subordinated debt securities of any series to qualify as Tier 2 capital or other regulatory capital for bank regulatory purposes.

        It is not necessary for the consent of any holder to approve the particular form of any proposed amendment, supplement or waiver, but it shall be sufficient if such consent approves the substance thereof. After an amendment, supplement or waiver becomes effective, Wintrust shall give to the holders affected thereby a notice briefly describing the amendment, supplement or waiver. Wintrust will mail supplemental indentures to holders upon request. Any failure of Wintrust to mail such notice, or any defect therein, shall not, however, in any way impair or affect the validity of any such supplemental indentures or waiver.

Satisfaction, Discharge and Defeasance

        Satisfaction and Discharge.    Wintrust may discharge most of its obligations under the indentures to holders of the debt securities of any series if:

•

it has paid or caused to be paid the principal of and interest on all debt securities of any series outstanding as and when the same shall have become due and payable;

•

it has delivered to the trustee for cancellation all debt securities of any series authenticated; or

•

all debt securities of such series not delivered to the trustee for cancellation have become due and payable, or are by their terms to become due and payable within one year, and Wintrust has irrevocably deposited or caused to be deposited an amount of cash or U.S. government obligations with the trustee sufficient to pay at maturity all debt securities of such series not theretofore delivered to the trustee for cancellation, including principal and interest due or to become due on or prior to such date of maturity.

        Defeasance and Discharge; Covenant Defeasance.    Subject to the proper exercise of its defeasance and discharge or covenant defeasance options as discussed below, Wintrust, at its option:

•

will be released from any and all obligations in respect of the debt securities of any series, which is known as "defeasance and discharge"; or

•

need not comply with certain designated covenants regarding the debt securities of any series, which is known as "covenant defeasance."

        If Wintrust exercises its covenant defeasance option, the failure to comply with any defeased covenant and any default in the applicable indenture will no longer be a default thereunder.

        To exercise either its defeasance and discharge or covenant defeasance option, Wintrust must:

•

deposit with the trustee, in trust, cash or U.S. government obligations in an amount sufficient to pay the principal of and each installment of interest on the outstanding debt securities of such series when such payments are due; and

•

deliver an opinion of counsel or a ruling directed to the trustee received from the Internal Revenue Service, which, in the case of defeasance and discharge, must be based upon a change in applicable U.S. federal income tax law or a ruling or administrative pronouncement of the IRS, to the effect that the holders and beneficial owners of debt securities of such series will not recognize income, gain or loss for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a result of such deposit or defeasance.

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        When there is a defeasance and discharge, the applicable indenture will no longer govern the debt securities of such series, Wintrust will no longer be liable for payment and the holders of such debt securities will be entitled only to the deposited funds. When there is a covenant defeasance, however, Wintrust will continue to be obligated for installment payments when due if the deposited funds are not sufficient to pay the holders.

        The obligations under the indentures to register the transfer or exchange of debt securities, to replace mutilated, defaced, destroyed, lost or stolen debt securities, and to maintain paying agents and hold monies for payment in trust will continue even if Wintrust exercises its defeasance and discharge or covenant defeasance option.

Consolidation, Merger and Sale of Assets

        The indentures provide that Wintrust may consolidate with or merge with or into, or sell, convey, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of its property and assets to, any person or entity, provided that:

•

Wintrust is the continuing person or the person (if other than Wintrust) formed by such consolidation or into which Wintrust is merged or to which properties and assets of Wintrust are sold, conveyed, transferred or leased shall be an entity organized and validly existing under the laws of the United States of America, any state thereof or the District of Columbia or any jurisdiction thereof and shall expressly assume, by a supplemental indenture, executed and delivered to the trustee, all of the obligations of Wintrust on all of the debt securities and under the applicable indenture and the performance of every other covenant of the applicable indenture on the part of Wintrust; and

•

Wintrust delivers to the trustee (A) an opinion of counsel regarding the transaction's compliance with the relevant provisions of the applicable indenture and (B) an officers' certificate to the effect that immediately after giving effect to such transaction, no default and no event which, after notice or lapse of time, or both, would become an event of default, shall have occurred and be continuing.

        Upon any such consolidation or merger, or any sale, conveyance, transfer, lease or other disposition of all or substantially all of the property and assets of Wintrust, the successor person formed by such consolidation or into which Wintrust is merged or to which such sale, conveyance, transfer, lease or other disposition is made shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, Wintrust under the applicable indenture with the same effect as if such successor person had been named as the company in such indenture and thereafter the predecessor person, except in the case of a lease, shall be relieved of all obligations and covenants under the applicable indenture and the debt securities.

Concerning the Trustee

        The applicable prospectus supplement will specify who will act as trustee under the senior indenture pursuant to which the senior debt securities will be issued. U.S. Bank National Association will act as trustee under the subordinated indenture pursuant to which the subordinated debt securities will be issued. U.S. Bank National Association acts as trustee under certain of our other indentures and performs other services for us in the ordinary course of business.

Governing Law

        The indentures and each debt security, and any claim, controversy or dispute arising under or related to the indentures and each debt security, for all purposes shall be governed by and construed in

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accordance with the laws of the State of New York (without regard to the conflicts of laws provisions thereof).

Conversion or Exchange Rights

        We will set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement the terms on which debt securities of any series may be convertible into or exchangeable for common stock or other securities of ours. We will include provisions as to whether conversion or exchange is mandatory, at the option of the holder or at our option. We may include provisions pursuant to which the number of shares of common stock or other securities of ours that the holders of the debt securities of such series receive would be subject to adjustment.

Payment and Paying Agent

        Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, we will make payment of the interest on registered debt security of any series on any interest payment date to the person in whose name the registered debt securities are registered at the close of business on the regular record date for the interest payment.

        We will pay principal of and interest on the debt securities of any series at the office of the paying agents designated by us. We will give prompt written notice to the trustee of the name and address of any paying agent and any change in the name or address of any paying agent. If we fail to maintain a paying agent, the trustee shall act as such.

        All funds deposited with the trustee for the payment of principal of or payment on the debt securities of any series that remain unclaimed for two years after the date upon which such principal or interest shall have become due and payable will be repaid to Wintrust upon its request. Thereafter, any right of any holder of the debt securities to such funds shall be enforceable only against Wintrust, and the trustee will have no liability therefor.

Description of Capital Stock

        The following description of our capital stock does not purport to be complete and is qualified, in all respects, by reference to applicable Illinois law and our amended and restated articles of incorporation, as amended, which we refer to as our articles of incorporation, our amended and restated by-laws, which we refer to as our by-laws and our Certificate of Designations of Fixed-to-Floating Rate Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series D, which we refer to as our Series D Certificate of Designations, each of which is incorporated by reference in the registration statement of which this prospectus is part. To find out where copies of these documents can be obtained, see "Where You Can Find More Information".

Authorized Capital Stock

        Under our articles of incorporation, we have the authority to issue 100 million shares of common stock, without par value, and 20 million shares of preferred stock, without par value (5,000,000 of which are designated as shares of our series D preferred). We may issue shares of any series of preferred stock that we have designated or that we may designate and issue in the future, which may include, without limitation, shares of our preferred stock that are convertible into other securities of the Company. Under our articles of incorporation, our board of directors has the authority to issue preferred stock in one or more classes or series, and to fix for each class or series the voting powers and the distinctive designations, preferences and relative, participation, optional or other special rights and such qualifications, limitations or restrictions, as may be stated and expressed in the resolution or resolutions adopted by the board of directors providing for the issuance of such class or series as may be permitted by the Illinois Business Corporation Act, or the IBCA, including dividend rates,

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conversion rights, terms of redemption and liquidation preferences and the number of shares constituting each such class or series, without any further vote or action by our shareholders.

        The rights, preferences and privileges of holders of our common stock are subject to, and may be adversely affected by, the rights of the holders of shares of any outstanding series of our preferred stock, including the Fixed-to-Floating Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series D, which we refer to as series D preferred, and any series of preferred stock that we may designate and issue in the future.

Common Stock

        Common Stock Outstanding.    As of April 30, 2020, we had 57,569,421 shares of our common stock issued and outstanding. The outstanding shares of our common stock are duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable. The rights, preferences and privileges of holders of our common stock are subject to, and may be adversely affected by, the rights of the holders of shares of any series of our preferred stock, including the series D preferred, and any series of preferred stock that we may designate and issue in the future. Shares of Wintrust common stock may be certificated or uncertificated, as provided by the IBCA.

        Voting Rights.    Each holder of our common stock is entitled to one vote for each share held on all matters submitted to a vote of shareholders and does not have cumulative voting rights. Accordingly, holders of a majority of the shares of our common stock entitled to vote in any election of directors of the Company may elect all of the directors standing for election.

        Dividend Rights.    The holders of our common stock are entitled to receive dividends, if and when declared payable by our board of directors from any funds legally available for the payment of dividends, subject to any preferential dividend rights of our outstanding preferred stock, including the series D preferred.

        Liquidation Rights.    Upon the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, the holders of our common stock are entitled to share pro rata in our net assets available after the payment of all debts and other liabilities and subject to the prior rights of any outstanding preferred stock of the Company, including the series D preferred.

        Absence of Other Rights.    Under our articles of incorporation, the holders of our common stock have no preemptive, subscription, redemption or conversion rights.

        Listing.    Our common stock is listed on NASDAQ under the ticker symbol "WTFC." We intend to apply to NASDAQ to list any additional common stock offered hereby.

Series D Preferred Stock

        Series D Preferred Stock Outstanding.    As of April 30, 2020, we had 5,000,000 shares of series D preferred outstanding.

        Dividends.    Non-cumulative dividends on the series D preferred are payable quarterly in arrears if, when and as declared by our board of directors, at a rate of 6.50% per year from the original issuance date to, but excluding, July 15, 2025, and from (and including) that date at a floating rate equal to three-month LIBOR plus a spread of 4.06% per year on the liquidation preference of $25 per share. With certain limited exceptions, if we do not pay full cash dividends on the series D preferred for the most recently completed dividend period, we may not pay dividends on, repurchase, redeem or make a liquidation payment with respect to, our common stock or other stock ranking junior to the series D preferred. Our series D preferred may be redeemed (i) in whole or in part, from time to time, on any dividend payment date on or after July 15, 2025, or (ii) in whole but not in part, at any time within

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90 days following a Regulatory Capital Treatment Event (as defined in the Series D Certificate of Designations), in each case at a redemption price equal to $25 per share, plus any declared and unpaid dividends, without accumulation of any undeclared dividends to, but excluding, the redemption date.

        Conversion.    Holders of our series D preferred shall not have any rights to convert shares of our series D preferred into, or exchange shares of our series D preferred for, shares of any other class of capital stock of the Company.

        Reorganization Events and Fundamental Transactions.    If the Company liquidates, dissolves or winds-up, either voluntarily or involuntarily, holders of series D preferred shall be entitled to receive a liquidating distribution of $25 per share of series D preferred, plus any declared and unpaid dividends thereon (without accumulation of any undeclared dividends) to and including the date of such liquidation, out of assets legally available for distribution to shareholders of the Company, before the Company makes any distribution of assets to the holders of our common stock or any other class or series of shares of junior stock. Distributions will be made pro rata as to our series D preferred and any other parity stock and only to the extent of the Company's assets, if any, that are available after satisfaction of all liabilities to creditors and subject to the rights of holders of any securities ranking senior to our series D preferred and any other parity stock.

        Voting Rights.    Holders of our series D preferred generally do not have any voting rights, except as required by law. However, we may not amend our articles of incorporation in a manner adverse to the rights of the holders of our series D preferred, issue capital stock ranking senior to the series D preferred or take certain other actions without the approval of the holders of the series D preferred. In addition, holders of series D preferred, together with the holders of other parity securities having similar voting rights, may elect two directors if we have not paid dividends on our series D preferred for six or more quarterly dividend periods, whether or not consecutive. Holders of series D preferred shall have one vote per share on any matter in which holders of series D preferred are entitled to vote.

        Listing.    Our series D preferred is listed on NASDAQ under the ticker symbol "WTFCM." We intend to apply to NASDAQ to list any additional series D preferred offered hereby.

Preferred Stock

        Blank Check Preferred Stock.    We or any selling securityholder may offer shares of any series of preferred stock that we have designated or that we may designate and issue in the future, which may include, without limitation, shares of our preferred stock that are convertible into other securities of the Company. Under our articles of incorporation, our board of directors has the authority to issue preferred stock in one or more classes or series, and to fix for each class or series the voting powers and the distinctive designations, preferences and relative, participation, optional or other special rights and such qualifications, limitations or restrictions, as may be stated and expressed in the resolution or resolutions adopted by the board of directors providing for the issuance of such class or series as may be permitted by the IBCA, including dividend rates, conversion rights, terms of redemption and liquidation preferences and the number of shares constituting each such class or series, without any further vote or action by our shareholders.

        Preferred Stock Offered Hereby.    If we offer or any selling securityholder offers preferred stock pursuant to this prospectus in the future, the applicable prospectus supplement will describe the terms of such preferred stock, to the extent not already described herein, including the following, where applicable:

•

the designation of the shares and the number of shares that constitute the series;

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•

the dividend rate (or the method of calculating dividends), if any, on the shares of the series and the priority as to payment of dividends with respect to other classes or series of our shares of capital stock;

•

whether dividends are or will be cumulative or non-cumulative and, if cumulative, the date from which dividends on the preferred stock are or will accumulate;

•

the dividend periods (or the method of calculating the dividend periods);

•

the voting rights of the preferred stock, if any;

•

the liquidation preference and the priority as to payment of the liquidation preference with respect to other classes or series of our capital stock and any other rights of the shares of the class or series upon our liquidation or winding-up;

•

whether or not the shares of the series are or will be convertible and, if so, the security into which they are convertible and the terms and conditions of conversion, including the conversion price or the manner of determining it;

•

whether or not and on what terms the shares of the series are or will be subject to redemption or repurchase at our option;

•

whether the preferred stock of the series will be listed on a national securities exchange or quoted on an automated quotation system;

•

a discussion of any material U.S. federal income tax considerations applicable to the preferred stock; and

•

the other material terms, rights and privileges and any qualifications, limitations or restrictions of the rights or privileges of the series.

        The description in the prospectus supplement will not necessarily be complete, and reference will be made to the certificate of designations relating to a series of preferred stock which will be or have been filed with the SEC.

Depositary Shares

        We may elect to issue fractional shares of preferred stock rather than full shares of preferred stock. If so, we will issue "depositary receipts" for these "depositary shares." Each depositary share will represent a fraction of a share of a particular series of preferred stock. If we issue depositary shares pursuant to these projections in the future, the applicable prospectus supplement will describe the terms of the depository shares and the underlying preferred stock to which the depositary shares relate.

        The description in the prospectus supplement will not necessarily be complete, and reference will be made to the deposit agreement relating to the depositary shares which will be filed with the SEC.

Exchange Agent and Registrar

        American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC is the exchange agent and registrar for our common stock. Unless the applicable prospectus supplement specifies otherwise, the exchange agent and registrar for each series of preferred stock will be American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC.

Certain Provisions of Our Articles of Incorporation, By-Laws, Illinois Law and Certain Applicable Banking Regulations That May Have an Anti-Takeover Effect

        Certain provisions of our articles of incorporation, our by-laws, Illinois law and certain applicable banking regulations may have the effect of impeding the acquisition of control of the Company by

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means of a tender offer, a proxy fight, open-market purchases or otherwise in a transaction not approved by our board of directors.

        These provisions may have the effect of discouraging a future takeover attempt that is not approved by our board of directors but which our individual shareholders may deem to be in their best interests or in which our shareholders may receive a substantial premium for their shares over then-current market prices. As a result, shareholders who might desire to participate in such a transaction may not have an opportunity to do so. Such provisions will also render the removal of our current board of directors or management more difficult.

        These provisions of our articles of incorporation and our by-laws include the following:

•

our board of directors may issue additional authorized shares of our capital stock to deter future attempts to gain control of the Company, including the authority to determine the terms of any one or more series of preferred stock, such as voting rights, conversion rates and liquidation preferences. As a result of the ability to fix voting rights for a series of preferred stock, our board has the power, to the extent consistent with its fiduciary duty, to issue a series of preferred stock to persons friendly to management in order to attempt to block a merger or other transaction by which a third party seeks control, and thereby assist the incumbent board of directors and management to retain their respective positions;

•

our articles of incorporation do not provide for cumulative voting for any purpose, and our articles of incorporation and by-laws also provide that any action required or permitted to be taken by shareholders may be taken only at an annual or special meeting and prohibit shareholder action by written consent in lieu of a meeting;

•

our articles of incorporation expressly elect to be governed by the provisions of Section 7.85 of the IBCA. Section 7.85 prohibits a publicly held Illinois corporation from engaging in a business combination unless, in addition to any affirmative vote required by law or the articles of incorporation of the company, the proposed business combination;

•

receives the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 80% of the combined voting power of the then outstanding shares of all classes and series of the corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors voting together as a single class (the voting shares), and the affirmative vote of a majority of the voting shares held by disinterested shareholders;

•

is approved by at least two-thirds of the disinterested directors; or

•

provides for consideration offered to shareholders that meets certain fair price standards and satisfies certain procedural requirements.

        Such fair price standards require that the fair market value per share of the consideration offered be equal to or greater than the higher of:

•

the highest per share price paid by the interested shareholder during the two-year period immediately prior to the first public announcement of the proposed business combination or in the transaction by which the interested shareholder became an interested shareholder; and

•

the fair market value per share of common stock on the first trading date after the first public announcement of the proposed business combination or on the first trading date after the date of the first public announcement that the interested shareholder has become an interested shareholder.

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        For purposes of Section 7.85, disinterested director means any member of the board of directors of the corporation who:

•

is neither the interested shareholder nor an affiliate or associate of the interested shareholder;

•

was a member of the board of directors prior to the time that the interested shareholder became an interested shareholder or was a director of the corporation before January 1, 1997, or was recommended to succeed a disinterested director by a majority of the disinterested directors then in office; and

•

was not nominated for election as a director by the interested shareholder or any affiliate or associate of the interested shareholder.

        The amendment of our articles of incorporation must be approved by a majority vote of the board of directors and also by a two-thirds vote of the outstanding shares of our common stock; provided, however, that an affirmative vote of at least 85% of the outstanding voting stock entitled to vote is required to amend or repeal certain provisions of the articles of incorporation, including provisions (a) prohibiting cumulative voting rights, (b) relating to certain business combinations, (c) limiting the shareholders' ability to act by written consent, (d) regarding the minimum number of directors, (e) regarding indemnification of directors and officers by the Company and limitation of liability for directors and (f) regarding amendment of the foregoing supermajority provisions of our articles of incorporation. Our by-laws provide that the power to make, alter, amend, or repeal the by-laws shall be vested in the shareholders or the board of directors by a resolution adopted by a majority of the board of directors.

        The provisions described above are intended to reduce our vulnerability to takeover attempts and certain other transactions that have not been negotiated with and approved by members of our board of directors.

        The ability of a third party to acquire equity securities or control of the Company is also limited under applicable banking regulations. The Bank Holding Company Act requires any "bank holding company" (as defined in such Act) to obtain the approval of the Federal Reserve prior to acquiring more than 5% of our outstanding common stock or another class of our voting securities. Any person other than a bank holding company is required to obtain prior approval of the Federal Reserve to acquire 10% or more of our outstanding common stock or another class of our voting securities under the Change in Bank Control Act. Any company that holds 25% or more of our outstanding common stock or another class of our voting securities, controls the election of a majority of our board of directors, or otherwise is deemed by the Federal Reserve to exercise a "controlling influence" over our management or policies is subject to regulation as a bank holding company under the Bank Holding Company Act.

Description of Stock Purchase Contracts and Stock Purchase Units

        We may issue stock purchase contracts pursuant to which holders will purchase from us a number of shares of common stock at a future date, which we refer to as stock purchase contracts. The price per share of common stock and number of shares of common stock may be fixed at the time the stock purchase contracts are issued or may be determined by reference to a specific formula set forth in the stock purchase contracts. The stock purchase contracts may be issued separately or as a part of units consisting of a stock purchase contract and securities of the Company or of third parties, including U.S. Treasury securities, securing the holders' obligations to purchase the common stock under the stock purchase contracts, which we refer to as stock purchase units. Material U.S. federal income tax considerations applicable to the stock purchase units and the stock purchase contracts will also be discussed in the applicable prospectus supplement.

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        The stock purchase contracts may require holders to secure their obligations thereunder in a specified manner and, in certain circumstances, we may deliver newly issued prepaid stock purchase contracts upon release to a holder of any collateral securing such holder's obligations under the original stock purchase contract. The stock purchase contracts also may require us to make periodic payments to the holders of the stock purchase units or vice-versa, and such payments may be unsecured or prefunded on some basis.

        The applicable prospectus supplement will describe the terms of any stock purchase contracts or stock purchase units, and, if applicable, prepaid stock purchase contracts. The description in the prospectus supplement will not necessarily be complete, and reference will be made to the stock purchase contracts, and, if applicable, collateral or depositary arrangements, relating to the stock purchase contracts or stock purchase units.

Description of Warrants

        We may issue warrants to purchase debt securities, common stock, preferred stock or other securities of the Company. We may issue warrants independently or together with other securities. Warrants sold with other securities may be attached to or separate from those securities. We will issue warrants under one or more warrant agreements between us and a warrant agent that we will name in the applicable prospectus supplement. We use the term "warrant agreement" to refer to any of these warrant agreements. We use the term "warrant agent" to refer to the warrant agent under any of these warrant agreements.

        We will describe in the applicable prospectus supplement relating to any warrants we are offering the specific terms relating to the offering, which terms may include some or all of the following:

•

the title of the warrants;

•

the offering price and aggregate number of warrants offered;

•

the designation, number and terms of the debt securities, common stock or preferred stock that can be purchased if a holder exercises the warrant and procedures by which those numbers may be adjusted;

•

the exercise price of the warrants;

•

the terms of any rights to redeem or call the warrants;

•

the dates or periods during which the warrants are exercisable;

•

the designation and terms of any securities with which the warrants are issued;

•

if the warrants are issued as a unit with another security, the date on and after which the warrants and the other security will be separately transferable;

•

if the exercise price is not payable in U.S. dollars, the foreign currency, currency unit or composite currency in which the exercise price is denominated;

•

any minimum or maximum amount of warrants that may be exercised at any one time;

•

any terms relating to the modification of the warrants; and

•

any terms, procedures and limitations relating to the transferability, exchange or exercise of the warrants.

The description in the applicable prospectus supplement will not necessarily be complete, and reference will be made to the warrant agreements which will be filed with the SEC.

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BOOK-ENTRY SYSTEM

        Unless we indicate otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, The Depository Trust Company, which we refer to as DTC, New York, New York, will act as securities depository for the securities offered hereunder (the Offered Securities). The Offered Securities will be issued as fully-registered securities registered in the name of Cede & Co. (DTC's partnership nominee) or such other name as may be requested by an authorized representative of DTC. One fully-registered Offered Security certificate will be issued for each issue of the Offered Securities, each in the aggregate principal amount of such issue, and will be deposited with DTC. If, however, the aggregate principal amount of any issue exceeds $500 million, one certificate will be issued with respect to each $500 million of principal amount, and an additional certificate will be issued with respect to any remaining principal amount of such issue.

        DTC is a limited-purpose trust company organized under the New York Banking Law, a "banking organization" within the meaning of the New York Banking Law, a member of the Federal Reserve System, a "clearing corporation" within the meaning of the New York Uniform Commercial Code, and a "clearing agency" registered pursuant to the provisions of Section 17A of the Exchange Act. DTC holds and provides asset servicing for over 3.5 million issues of U.S. and non-U.S. equity issues, corporate and municipal debt issues, and money market instruments (from over 100 countries) that DTC's participants, which we refer to as Direct Participants, deposit with DTC. DTC also facilitates the post-trade settlement among Direct Participants of sales and other securities transactions in deposited securities, through electronic computerized book-entry transfers and pledges between Direct Participants' accounts. This eliminates the need for physical movement of securities certificates. Direct Participants include both U.S. and non-U.S. securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations, and certain other organizations. DTC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation, which we refer to as DTCC. DTCC is the holding company for DTC, National Securities Clearing Corporation and Fixed Income Clearing Corporation, all of which are registered clearing agencies. DTCC is owned by the users of its regulated subsidiaries. Access to the DTC system is also available to others such as both U.S. and non-U.S. securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, and clearing corporations that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a Direct Participant, either directly or indirectly, which we refer to as Indirect Participants. DTC has a Standard & Poor's rating of AA+. The DTC Rules applicable to its Direct Participants and Indirect Participants are on file with the SEC. More information about DTC can be found at www.dtcc.com.

        Purchases of Offered Securities under the DTC system must be made by or through Direct Participants, which will receive a credit for the Offered Securities on DTC's records. The ownership interest of each actual purchaser of each Offered Security, which we refer to as the Beneficial Owner, is in turn to be recorded on the Direct and Indirect Participants' records. Beneficial Owners will not receive written confirmation from DTC of their purchase. Beneficial Owners are, however, expected to receive written confirmations providing details of the transaction, as well as periodic statements of their holdings, from the Direct Participants or Indirect Participant through which the Beneficial Owner entered into the transaction. Transfers of ownership interests in the Offered Securities are to be accomplished by entries made on the books of Direct Participants and Indirect Participants acting on behalf of Beneficial Owners. Beneficial Owners will not receive certificates representing their ownership interests in Offered Securities, except in the event that use of the book-entry system for the Offered Securities is discontinued.

        To facilitate subsequent transfers, all Offered Securities deposited by Direct Participants with DTC are registered in the name of DTC's partnership nominee, Cede & Co., or such other name as may be requested by an authorized representative of DTC. The deposit of Offered Securities with DTC and their registration in the name of Cede & Co. or such other DTC nominee do not affect any change in beneficial ownership. DTC has no knowledge of the actual Beneficial Owners of the Offered Securities;

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DTC's records reflect only the identity of the Direct Participants to whose accounts such Offered Securities are credited, which may or may not be the Beneficial Owners. The Direct Participants and Indirect Participants will remain responsible for keeping account of their holdings on behalf of their customers.

        Conveyance of notices and other communications by DTC to Direct Participants, by Direct Participants to Indirect Participants, and by Direct Participants and Indirect Participants to Beneficial Owners will be governed by arrangements among them, subject to any statutory or regulatory requirements as may be in effect from time to time. Beneficial Owners of Offered Securities may wish to take certain steps to augment the transmission to them of notices of significant events with respect to the Offered Securities, such as redemptions, tenders, defaults, and proposed amendments to the Offered Security documents. For example, Beneficial Owners of Offered Securities may wish to ascertain that the nominee holding the Offered Securities for their benefit has agreed to obtain and transmit notices to Beneficial Owners. In the alternative, Beneficial Owners may wish to provide their names and addresses to the registrar and request that copies of notices be provided directly to them.

        Redemption notices shall be sent to DTC. If less than all of the Offered Securities within an issue are being redeemed, DTC's practice is to determine by lot the amount of the interest of each Direct Participant in such issue to be redeemed.

        Neither DTC nor Cede & Co. (nor any other DTC nominee) will consent or vote with respect to Offered Securities unless authorized by a Direct Participant in accordance with DTC's MMI Procedures. Under its usual procedures, DTC mails an Omnibus Proxy to the applicable Registrant as soon as possible after the record date. The Omnibus Proxy assigns Cede & Co.'s consenting or voting rights to those Direct Participants to whose accounts Offered Securities are credited on the record date (identified in a listing attached to the Omnibus Proxy).

        Redemption proceeds, distributions and dividend payments on the Offered Securities will be made to Cede & Co., or such other nominee as may be requested by an authorized representative of DTC. DTC's practice is to credit Direct Participants' accounts upon DTC's receipt of funds and corresponding detail information from the applicable Registrant or the agent, on payable date in accordance with their respective holdings shown on DTC's records. Payments by participants to Beneficial Owners will be governed by standing instructions and customary practices, as is the case with securities held for the accounts of customers in bearer form or registered in "street name," and will be the responsibility of such participant and not of DTC, the agent or the applicable Registrant, subject to any statutory or regulatory requirements as may be in effect from time to time. Payment of redemption proceeds, distributions and dividend payments to Cede & Co. (or such other nominee as may be requested by an authorized representative of DTC) is the responsibility of the applicable Registrant or the agent, disbursement of such payments to Direct Participants will be the responsibility of DTC, and disbursement of such payments to the Beneficial Owners will be the responsibility of Direct Participants and Indirect Participants.

        In the event of an offer to purchase outstanding Offered Securities, a Beneficial Owner shall give notice to elect to have its Offered Securities purchased or tendered, through its participant, to the tender or remarketing agent, and shall effect delivery of such Offered Securities by causing the Direct Participant to transfer such participant's interest in the Offered Securities, on DTC's records, to the tender or remarketing agent. The requirement for physical delivery of Offered Securities in connection with an optional tender or a mandatory purchase will be deemed satisfied when the ownership rights in the Offered Securities are transferred by Direct Participants on DTC's records and followed by a book-entry credit of tendered Offered Securities to the tender or remarketing agent's DTC account. Holders of our outstanding preferred stock or subordinated notes should not expect the Company to redeem or repurchase such instruments prior to their maturity.

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        DTC may discontinue providing its services as depository with respect to the Offered Securities at any time by giving reasonable notice to the applicable Registrant or the agent. Under such circumstances, in the event that a successor depository is not obtained, Offered Security certificates are required to be printed and delivered.

        The applicable Registrant may decide to discontinue use of the system of book-entry-only transfers through DTC (or a successor securities depository). In that event, Offered Security certificates will be printed and delivered to DTC.

        The information in this section concerning DTC and DTC's book-entry system has been obtained from sources that each Registrant believes to be reliable, but no Registrant takes any responsibility for the accuracy thereof.

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PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

        We and any selling securityholder may sell the securities covered by this prospectus inside and outside the United States from time to time (a) through underwriters or dealers, (b) directly to one or more purchasers, including our affiliates, (c) through agents or (d) through a combination of any of these methods.

        Selling securityholders will act independently of us in making decisions with respect to the timing, manner and size of each sale of securities. In addition to selling securities under this prospectus, selling securityholders may transfer their securities in other ways not involving market makers or established trading markets, including directly by gift, distribution or other transfer. Moreover, selling securityholders may decide not to sell any securities offered hereby.

        The terms of the offering of securities with respect to which this prospectus is being delivered will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement, if required, pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act. Such supplement may describe, among other things:

•

the type and terms of the securities being offered;

•

the names of any selling securityholders, if applicable;

•

the names of any underwriters, dealers or agents and the number of securities underwritten or purchased by each;

•

the purchase price of the securities;

•

the proceeds we will receive from the sale of the securities;

•

the names of the securities exchanges, if any, on which the securities are listed;

•

any over-allotment options under which underwriters may purchase additional securities from us;

•

any underwriting discounts, commissions, agency fees and other items constituting compensation to underwriters or agents;

•

any initial public offering price;

•

any discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers; and

•

any commissions paid to agents and any delayed delivery arrangements.

        Any securities covered by this prospectus which qualify for sale pursuant to Rule 144 or Rule 144A promulgated under the Securities Act may be sold under Rule 144 or Rule 144A in certain instances, rather than pursuant to this prospectus. In addition, we and any selling securityholder may transfer the securities by other means not described in this prospectus.

General

        Underwriters, dealers, agents and remarketing firms that participate in the distribution of the offered securities may be deemed to be "underwriters" within the meaning of the Securities Act. Any discounts or commissions they receive from us or selling securityholders and any profits they receive on the sale or resale of the offered securities may be considered by the SEC to be underwriting discounts and commissions under the Securities Act. We will identify any underwriters, agents or dealers and describe their commissions, fees or discounts in the applicable prospectus supplement.

        This prospectus, together with any applicable prospectus supplement, may also be used by our affiliates in connection with offers and sales of the securities in market-making transactions at negotiated prices related to prevailing market prices at the time of sale. Such affiliates may act as principals or agents in such transactions. None of our affiliates have any obligation to make a market in

23

the securities, and each may discontinue any market-making activities at any time, without notice, at its sole discretion.

Sale Through Underwriters or Dealers

        If we use or a selling securityholder uses underwriters in a sale of securities, such underwriters will acquire the offered securities for their own account and may resell the securities from time to time in one or more transactions, including negotiated transactions. These sales will be made at a fixed public offering price or at varying prices determined at the time of the sale.

        We or any selling securityholder may offer the securities to the public through an underwriting syndicate, represented by managing underwriters, or through one or more underwriters acting alone. Unless the applicable prospectus supplement states otherwise, the obligations of the underwriters to purchase the offered securities will be subject to certain conditions precedent, and the underwriters will be obligated to purchase all of the securities of the series offered if any of the securities are purchased, unless the applicable prospectus supplement states otherwise. Any initial public offering price and any discounts or concessions allowed, re-allowed or paid to dealers may be changed from time to time.

        If we use or a selling securityholder uses dealers in a sale of securities, we or such selling securityholder will sell the securities to them as principals, and they may then resell those securities to the public from time to time in one or more transactions at varying prices determined by the dealers at the time of resale. We will include in the applicable prospectus supplement the names of the dealers and the terms of the transaction.

Direct Sales and Sales Through Agents and Others

        We or any selling securityholder may choose to sell the offered securities directly. In this case, no underwriters or agents would be involved. We or any selling securityholder may also sell the securities through agents designated from time to time. We will name any agent involved in the offer or sale of the offered securities and describe any commissions payable by us or any selling securityholder to the agent in the applicable prospectus supplement. Unless we inform you otherwise in the prospectus supplement, any agent will agree to use its best efforts to solicit purchases for the period of its appointment.

        We or any selling securityholder may sell the securities directly to institutional investors or others who may be deemed to be underwriters within the meaning of the Securities Act with respect to any sale of those securities. We will describe the terms of any such sales in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Delayed Delivery Contracts

        If we so indicate in the applicable prospectus supplement, we or any selling securityholder may authorize agents, underwriters or dealers to solicit offers from certain types of institutions to purchase securities from us or such selling securityholder at the public offering price under delayed delivery contracts. These contracts would provide for payment and delivery on a specified date in the future. The contracts would be subject only to those conditions described in the applicable prospectus supplement. The prospectus supplement will describe the commission payable for solicitation of those contracts.

Indemnification

        We or a selling securityholder may have agreements with agents, underwriters, dealers and remarketing firms and each of their respective affiliates to indemnify them against certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act or to contribute with respect to payments which

24

the underwriters, dealers, agents or remarketing firms may be required to make. Agents, underwriters, dealers and remarketing firms, and their affiliates, may engage in transactions with, or perform services for, us in the ordinary course of business. This includes commercial banking and investment banking transactions.

Market Making, Stabilization and Other Transactions

        Unless the applicable prospectus supplement states otherwise, each series of offered securities, other than shares of our common stock that are listed on NASDAQ, will be a new issue and will have no established trading market. We may elect to list any of the securities of on one or more exchanges, but unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, we shall not be obligated to do so. Any underwriters that are used in the sale of offered securities may make a market in such securities, but may discontinue such market making at any time without notice. Therefore, we cannot assure you that the securities will have a liquid trading market.

        In connection with the distribution of the securities offered under this prospectus, we may enter into swap or other hedging transactions with, or arranged by, underwriters or agents and their affiliates.

        Any underwriter may engage in over-allotment, stabilizing transactions, syndicate covering transactions and penalty bids in accordance with Rule 104 under the Exchange Act.

        Over-allotment involves sales in excess of the offering size, which create a short position. Stabilizing transactions permit bids to purchase the underlying security so long as the stabilizing bids do not exceed a specified maximum. Syndicate covering transactions involve purchases of the securities in the open market after the distribution has been completed in order to cover syndicate short positions. Penalty bids permit the underwriters to reclaim a selling concession from a syndicate member when the securities originally sold by the syndicate member are purchased in a syndicate covering transaction to cover syndicate short positions. These over-allotments, stabilizing transactions, syndicate covering transactions and penalty bids may cause the price of the securities to be higher than it would be in the absence of the transactions. The underwriters may, if they commence these transactions, discontinue them at any time.

LEGAL MATTERS

        The validity of the debt securities, common stock, warrants, preferred stock, depositary shares, stock purchase contracts and stock purchase units will be passed upon for Wintrust by Sidley Austin LLP, Chicago, Illinois.

EXPERTS

        The consolidated financial statements of Wintrust Financial Corporation appearing in Wintrust Financial Corporation's Annual Report (Form 10-K) for the year ended December 31, 2019, and the effectiveness of Wintrust Financial Corporation's internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2019, have been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, as set forth in their reports thereon, included therein and incorporated herein by reference. Such consolidated financial statements are incorporated herein by reference in reliance upon such reports given on the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

25

PART II
INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

Item 14.    Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution

        The following table sets forth the estimated expenses in connection with the offering described in this registration statement:

SEC registration fee	$	*
Printing fees and expenses		**
Legal fees and expenses		**
Trustee fees and expenses		**
Rating agencies' fees and expenses		**
Accountants' fees and expenses		**
Miscellaneous expenses		**
Total	$	**

*

In accordance with Rules 456(b) and 457(r), we are deferring payment of the registration fee for the securities offered by this prospectus.

**

These fees are calculated based on the number of issuances and amount of securities offered and accordingly cannot be estimated at this time.

Item 15.    Indemnification of Directors and Officers

Illinois Business Corporation Act

        Section 8.75 of the Illinois Business Corporation Act, which we refer to as the IBCA, provides generally and in pertinent parts that an Illinois corporation may indemnify its directors, officers, employees and agents, or anyone serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against expenses (in the case of actions by or in the right of the corporation) or against expenses, judgments, fines, and settlements (in all other cases) actually and reasonably incurred by them in connection with any action, suit, or proceeding if, in connection with the matters in issue, they acted in good faith and in a manner they reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the best interests of the corporation and, in connection with any criminal suit or proceeding, if in connection with the matters in issue, they had no reasonable cause to believe their conduct was unlawful, provided that no indemnification shall be made with respect to any claim, issue, or matter as to which such person has been adjudged to have been liable to the corporation, unless and only to the extent that the court in which such action or suit was brought shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity. If a present or former director, officer or employee of an Illinois corporation has been successful in the defense of any such action, suit or proceeding, claim, issue or matter, such person shall be indemnified by the corporation against expenses if, in connection with the matters in issue, they acted in good faith and in a manner they reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the best interests of the corporation.

        Section 8.75 of the IBCA further permits an Illinois corporation to pay expenses incurred by an officer or director in defending a civil or criminal action, suit or proceeding in advance of the final disposition of such action, suit or proceeding if the director or officer undertakes to repay such amount if it is ultimately determined that such person is not entitled to be indemnified by the corporation. An Illinois corporation may also grant additional indemnification through its by-laws, agreements, votes of shareholders or disinterested directors, or otherwise, and may purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any indemnifiable person against any liability asserted against such person and incurred by

II-1

such person in his or her capacity as an indemnifiable person whether or not the corporation would have the power to indemnify such person against liability under the terms of Section 8.75 of the IBCA.

Our Articles of Incorporation and By-laws

        Article NINE of our amended and restated articles of incorporation, as amended, which we refer to as our articles of incorporation, and Article VI of our amended and restated by-laws, which we refer to as our by-laws, provide that we shall, to the full extent permitted by law, indemnify those persons whom we may indemnify pursuant thereto, and contain provisions substantially similar to Section 8.75 of the IBCA. The foregoing description of our articles of incorporation and by-laws are qualified in their entirety by reference to such documents, which are listed as Exhibits 4.1 and 4.3 hereto.

Indemnification Agreements

        We have entered into individual indemnification agreements with each of our non-employee directors and certain of our executive officers, which we refer to collectively as the Indemnification Agreements, which implement with more specificity the indemnification provisions provided by our by-laws and provide, among other things, that to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, we will indemnify such director or officer against any and all losses, expenses and liabilities arising out of such director's or officer's service as a director or officer of the Company, as the case may be. The Indemnification Agreements also contain detailed provisions concerning expense advancement and reimbursement. The Indemnification Agreements are in addition to any other rights each non-employee director or officer may be entitled to under our articles of incorporation, by-laws and applicable law.

Directors' and Officers' Liability Insurance

        We maintain insurance policies under which our directors and officers are insured, within the limits and subject to the limitations of the policies, against certain expenses in connection with the defense of actions, suits or proceedings, and certain liabilities which might be imposed as a result of such actions, suits or proceedings, to which they are parties by reason of being or having been such directors or officers.

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Item 16.    Exhibits

Exhibit No.			Description
	1.1	*	Form of Underwriting Agreement for Offered Securities.
	4.1		Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of Wintrust Financial Corporation, as amended (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 of the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2006, Exhibits 3.1 and 3.2 of the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 29, 2011 and Exhibit 3.1 of the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2012).
	4.2		Certificate of Designations of Wintrust Financial Corporation filed on June 24, 2015 with the Secretary of State of the State of Illinois designating the preferences, limitations, voting powers and relative rights of the Fixed-to-Floating Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series D (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 of the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 25, 2015).
	4.3		Amended and Restated By-Laws of Wintrust Financial Corporation, as amended (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.2 of the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on May 26, 2017).
	4.4		Form of Senior Indenture (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 of the Company's Registration Statement on Form S-3 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 9, 2014).
	4.5		Form of Subordinated Indenture
	4.6	*	Form of Senior Debt Security.
	4.7	*	Form of Subordinated Debt Security.
	4.8	*	Form of Certificate of Designations for preferred stock (together with form of preferred stock certificate).
	4.9	*	Form of Deposit Agreement.
	4.10	*	Form of Purchase Contract Agreement.
	4.11	*	Form of Warrant Agreement (together with form of warrant certificate).
	4.12	*	Form of Stock Purchase Unit Agreement.
	5.1		Opinion of Sidley Austin LLP.
	23.1		Consent of Ernst & Young LLP.
	23.2		Consent of Sidley Austin LLP (set forth in Exhibit 5.1).
	24.1		Powers of attorney (included on the signature pages of this registration statement).
	25.1		Statement of Eligibility on Form T-1 under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, of U.S. Bank National Association, as Trustee.

*

To be filed by amendment or as an exhibit to a document to be incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein, if applicable.

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Item 17.    Undertakings

        (a)   The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

        (1)   To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

          (i)  To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933;

         (ii)  To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20 percent change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the "Calculation of Registration Fee" table in the effective registration statement; and

        (iii)  To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement;

provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i), (a)(1)(ii) and (a)(1)(iii) above do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the registrant pursuant to section 13 or section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of the registration statement.

        (2)   That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

        (3)   To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

        (4)   That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser:

          (i)  Each prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of the registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration statement; and

         (ii)  Each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5), or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii), or (x) for the purpose of providing the information required by Section 10(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which that prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time

II-4

shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date.

        (5)   That, for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities the undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:

          (i)  Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424;

         (ii)  Any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned registrant;

        (iii)  The portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant; and

        (iv)  Any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser.

        (b)   The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan's annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

        (c)   Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

II-5

SIGNATURES

        Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Rosemont, State of Illinois, on the 6th day of May, 2020.

WINTRUST FINANCIAL CORPORATION
By:	/s/ KATHLEEN M. BOEGE
	Name:	Kathleen M. Boege
	Title:	Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary

POWERS OF ATTORNEY

        KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears immediately below constitutes and appoints each of David A. Dykstra, Kathleen M. Boege and David L. Stoehr, and any of them, with full power to act without the other, his or her true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agent, with full and several power of substitution and resubstitution, for him or her and in his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this Registration Statement on Form S-3, and to sign any related registration statement that is to be effective upon filing pursuant to Rule 462(b) promulgated under the Securities Act, and all post-effective amendments thereto, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the SEC, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and to perform each and every act and thing requisite, necessary and/or desirable to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as they, he or she might do or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or any of them, or their, his or her substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

        This Power of Attorney shall not revoke any powers of attorney previously executed by the undersigned. This Power of Attorney shall not be revoked by any subsequent power of attorney that the undersigned may execute, unless such subsequent power of attorney specifically provides that it revokes this Power of Attorney by referring to the date of the undersigned's execution of this Power of Attorney. For the avoidance of doubt, whenever two or more powers of attorney granting the powers specified herein are valid, the agents appointed on each shall act separately unless otherwise specified.

        Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been signed on May 6, 2020 by the following persons in the capacities indicated.

Signature	Title
/s/ H. PATRICK HACKETT, JR. (H. Patrick Hackett, Jr.)	Director and Chairman of the Board
/s/ EDWARD J. WEHMER (Edward J. Wehmer)	Founder, Chief Executive Officer and Director (Principal Executive Officer)

Signature	Title
/s/ DAVID L. STOEHR (David L. Stoehr)	Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer)
/s/ PETER D. CRIST (Peter D. Crist)	Director
/s/ BRUCE K. CROWTHER (Bruce K. Crowther)	Director
/s/ WILLIAM J. DOYLE (William J. Doyle)	Director
/s/ MARLA F. GLABE (Marla F. Glabe)	Director
/s/ SCOTT K. HEITMANN (Scott K. Heitmann)	Director
/s/ DEBORAH L. HALL LEFEVRE (Deborah L. Hall Lefevre)	Director
/s/ CHRISTOPHER J. PERRY (Christopher J. Perry)	Director
/s/ INGRID S. STAFFORD (Ingrid S. Stafford)	Director
/s/ GARY D. SWEENEY (Gary D. Sweeney)	Director
/s/ KARIN GUSTAFSON TEGLIA (Karin Gustafson Teglia)	Director

EX-4.5

Exhibit 4.5

WINTRUST FINANCIAL CORPORATION

as the Company

and

U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

as Trustee

Subordinated Indenture

Dated as of                

CROSS-REFERENCE TABLE

Trust Indenture Act Section	Indenture Section
310(a)(1)	7.11
(a)(2)	7.11
(a)(3)	N.A.
(a)(4)	N.A.
(a)(5)	7.08; 7.11
(b)	7.08; 7.09; 7.11; 10.02
311(a)	7.03
(b)	7.03
312(a)	4.03
(b)	10.15
(c)	10.15
313(a)	7.06
(b)(1)	7.06
(b)(2)	7.06
(c)	7.06; 10.02
(d)	7.06
314(a)	4.04; 4.05; 10.02
(b)	N.A.
(c)(1)	7.02; 10.03; 10.04
(c)(2)	7.02; 10.03; 10.04
(c)(3)	N.A.
(d)	N.A.
(e)	10.04
(f)	N.A.
315(a)	7.01(a); 7.02(a)
(b)	6.08; 10.02
(c)	7.01
(d)	6.07; 7.01(c)
(e)	6.09
316(a)(last sentence)	2.09
(a)(1)(A)	6.07
(a)(1)(B)	N.A.
(a)(2)	9.02
(b)	6.04
(c)	9.03
317(a)(1)	6.02
(a)(2)	6.02
(b)	2.06
318(a)	10.01
(c)	10.01

N.A. means Not Applicable

Note:  This Cross-Reference Table shall not, for any purpose, be deemed to be a part of this Indenture.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

	Page
ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS AND INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE	7
Section 1.01 Definitions	7
Section 1.02 Other Definitions	11
Section 1.03 Incorporation by Reference of Trust Indenture Act	12
Section 1.04 Rules of Construction	12
ARTICLE II THE SECURITIES	12
Section 2.01 Form And Dating	12
Section 2.02 Execution and Authentication	13
Section 2.03 Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series	14
Section 2.04 Denomination and Date of Securities; Payments of Interest	17
Section 2.05 Registrar and Paying Agent; Agents Generally	17
Section 2.06 Paying Agent to Hold Money in Trust	18
Section 2.07 Transfer and Exchange	18
Section 2.08 Replacement Securities	20
Section 2.09 Outstanding Securities	21
Section 2.10 Temporary Securities	22
Section 2.11 Cancellation	22
Section 2.12 CUSIP Numbers	22
Section 2.13 Defaulted Interest	22
Section 2.14 Series May Include Tranches	23
ARTICLE III REDEMPTION	23
Section 3.01 Applicability of Article	23
Section 3.02 Notice of Redemption; Partial Redemptions	23
Section 3.03 Payment Of Securities Called For Redemption	25
Section 3.04 Exclusion of Certain Securities from Eligibility for Selection for Redemption	25
Section 3.05 Federal Reserve Approval	25
ARTICLE IV COVENANTS	25
Section 4.01 Payment of Securities	26
Section 4.02 Maintenance of Office or Agency	26
Section 4.03 Securityholders’ Lists	27
Section 4.04 Certificate to Trustee	27
Section 4.05 Reports by the Company	27
Section 4.06 Additional Amounts	27
Section 4.07 Calculation of Original Issue Discount	28

ARTICLE V SUCCESSOR CORPORATION	28
Section 5.01 When Company May Merge, Etc	28
Section 5.02 Successor Substituted	29
ARTICLE VI REMEDIES OF THE TRUSTEE AND SECURITYHOLDERS ON EVENT OF DEFAULT	29
Section 6.01 Events Of Default	29
Section 6.02 Payment of Securities on Default; Suit Therefor	31
Section 6.03 Application of Money Collected by Trustee	32
Section 6.04 Proceedings by Securityholders	33
Section 6.05 Proceedings by Trustee	33
Section 6.06 Remedies Cumulative and Continuing; Delay or Omission Not Waiver	33
Section 6.07 Direction of Proceedings and Waiver of Defaults by Majority of Securityholders	34
Section 6.08 Notice of Defaults	34
Section 6.09 Undertaking to Pay Costs	34
ARTICLE VII TRUSTEE	35
Section 7.01 Certain Duties and Responsibilities	35
Section 7.02 Certain Rights of Trustee	36
Section 7.03 Individual Rights of Trustee	37
Section 7.04 Trustee’s Disclaimer	37
Section 7.05 [Intentionally Omitted]	38
Section 7.06 Reports by Trustee to Holders	38
Section 7.07 Compensation and Indemnity	38
Section 7.08 Replacement of Trustee	39
Section 7.09 Acceptance of Appointment by Successor	39
Section 7.10 Successor Trustee By Merger, Etc	40
Section 7.11 Eligibility	40
ARTICLE VIII SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE OF INDENTURE; UNCLAIMED MONEYS	40
Section 8.01 Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture	40
Section 8.02 Application by Trustee of Funds Deposited for Payment of Securities	41
Section 8.03 Repayment of Moneys Held by Paying Agent	41
Section 8.04 Return of Moneys Held by Trustee and Paying Agent Unclaimed for Two Years	41
Section 8.05 Defeasance and Discharge of Indenture	42
Section 8.06 Defeasance of Certain Obligations	43
Section 8.07 Reinstatement	44
Section 8.08 Indemnity	44
Section 8.09 Excess Funds	44
Section 8.10 Qualifying Trustee	44

4

ARTICLE IX AMENDMENTS, SUPPLEMENTS AND WAIVERS	44
Section 9.01 Without Consent of Holders	45
Section 9.02 With Consent of Holders	46
Section 9.03 Revocation and Effect of Consent	47
Section 9.04 Notation on or Exchange of Securities	47
Section 9.05 Trustee to Sign Amendments, Etc	47
Section 9.06 Conformity with Trust Indenture Act	47
ARTICLE X MISCELLANEOUS	47
Section 10.01 Trust Indenture Act of 1939	48
Section 10.02 Notices	48
Section 10.03 Certificate and Opinion as to Conditions Precedent	49
Section 10.04 Statements Required in Certificate or Opinion	49
Section 10.05 Evidence of Ownership	49
Section 10.06 Rules by Trustee, Paying Agent or Registrar	50
Section 10.07 Payment Date Other Than a Business Day	50
Section 10.08 Governing Law; Waiver of Trial by Jury	50
Section 10.09 No Adverse Interpretation of Other Agreements	50
Section 10.10 Successors	50
Section 10.11 Duplicate Originals	50
Section 10.12 Separability	51
Section 10.13 Table of Contents, Headings, Etc	51
Section 10.14 Incorporators, Stockholders, Officers and Directors of Company Exempt from Individual Liability	51
Section 10.15 Communications by Holders with Other Holders	51
ARTICLE XI SUBORDINATION OF SECURITIES	51
Section 11.01 Agreement to Subordinate	51
Section 11.02 Obligation of the Company Unconditional	52
Section 11.03 Notice to Trustee of Facts Prohibiting Payment	53
Section 11.04 Application by Trustee of Moneys Deposited with It	53
Section 11.05 Subrogation to Rights of Holders of Senior Indebtedness	53
Section 11.06 Subordination Rights Not Impaired by Acts or Omissions of Company or Holders of Senior Indebtedness	53
Section 11.07 Authorization of Trustee to Effectuate Subordination of Securities	54
Section 11.08 Right of Trustee to Hold Senior Indebtedness	54
Section 11.09 Article 11 Not to Prevent Events of Default	54
Section 11.10 Article Applicable to Paying Agents	54
Section 11.11 Reliance on Judicial Order or Certificate of Liquidating Agent	54

5

Section 11.12 Trustee Not Fiduciary for Holders of Senior Indebtedness	54
Section 11.13 Payment Permitted If No Default	55

6

SUBORDINATED INDENTURE, dated as of           , between Wintrust Financial Corporation, an Illinois corporation (the “Company,” which term includes any successor as permitted in accordance with the terms hereof) and U.S. Bank National Association, as Trustee.

RECITALS OF THE COMPANY

WHEREAS, the Company has duly authorized the issue from time to time of its subordinated debentures, notes or other evidences of indebtedness to be issued in one or more series (the “Securities”) up to such principal amount or amounts as may from time to time be authorized in accordance with the terms of this Indenture and to provide, among other things, for the authentication, delivery and administration thereof;

WHEREAS, the Company has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture; and

WHEREAS, all things necessary to make this Indenture a valid indenture and agreement according to its terms have been done;

NOW, THEREFORE:

In consideration of the premises and the purchases of the Securities by the holders thereof, the Company and the Trustee mutually covenant and agree for the equal and proportionate benefit of the respective holders from time to time of the Securities or of any and all series thereof and of the coupons, if any, appertaining thereto as follows:

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS AND INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

Section 1.01         Definitions.

“Affiliate” of any Person means any other Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with such Person.  For the purposes of this definition, “control” (including, with correlative meanings, the terms “controlling”, “controlled by” and “under common control with”) when used with respect to any Person means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise.

“Agent” means any Registrar, Paying Agent, transfer agent or Authenticating Agent.

“Authorized Newspaper” means a newspaper (which, in the case of The City of New York, will, if practicable, be The Wall Street Journal (Eastern Edition)) and published in an official language of the country of publication customarily published at least once a day for at least five days in each calendar week and of general circulation in The City of New York.  If it shall be impractical in the opinion of the Trustee to make any publication of any notice required hereby in an Authorized Newspaper, any publication or other notice in lieu thereof which is made or given with the approval of the Trustee shall constitute a sufficient publication of such notice.

“Board Resolution” means one or more resolutions of the board of directors of the Company or any authorized committee thereof, certified by the secretary or an assistant secretary to have been duly adopted and to be in full force and effect on the date of certification, and delivered to the Trustee.

“Business Day” means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or any day on which banking institutions or trust companies in New York, New York are authorized or obligated by applicable law, regulation or executive order to close.

“Commission” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, as from time to time constituted, created under the Exchange Act or, if at any time after the execution of this instrument such Commission is not existing and performing the duties now assigned to it under the Trust Indenture Act, then the body performing such duties at such time.

“Company” means the party named as such in the first paragraph of this Indenture until a successor replaces it pursuant to Article 5 of this Indenture and thereafter means the successor.

“Corporate Trust Office” means the corporate trust office of the Trustee at which at any particular time its corporate trust business in Atlanta, Georgia shall be principally administered, which office as of the date of this instrument is located at U.S. Bank National Association, Global Corporate Trust Services, Two Midtown Plaza, 1349 West Peachtree Street, Suite 1050, Atlanta, Georgia 30309, except that with respect to presentation of Securities for payment or for registration of transfer or exchange, such term shall mean the office or agency of the Trustee at which any particular time its corporate agency business shall be conducted, which corporate trust offices at the date of this instrument are located at 100 Wall Street, Suite 1600, New York, New York 10005; Attention:  Account Manager—Wintrust and U.S. Bank Global Corporate Trust Services, 111 Fillmore Ave. E. , St. Paul, Minnesota 55107; Attention:  Account Manager—Wintrust, or, in the case of any of such offices or agency, such other address as the Trustee may designate from time to time by notice to the Holders and the Company.

“default” means any event that is, or after notice or passage of time or both would be, an Event of Default.

“Depositary” means, with respect to the Securities of any series issuable or issued in the form of one or more Registered Global Securities, the Person designated as Depositary by the Company pursuant to Section 2.03 until a successor Depositary shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “Depositary” shall mean or include each Person who is then a Depositary hereunder, and if at any time there is more than one such Person, “Depositary” as used with respect to the Securities of any such series shall mean the Depositary with respect to the Registered Global Securities of that series.

“Event of Default” means any event specified in Section 6.01, continued for the period of time, if any, and after the giving of the notice, if any, designated in Section 6.01.

“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

“Federal Reserve” means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.

“GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the U.S. as in effect as of the date hereof applied on a basis consistent with the principles, methods, procedures and practices employed in the preparation of the Company’s audited financial statements, including, without limitation, those set forth in the opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting Principles Board of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and statements and pronouncements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board or in such other statements by such other entity as is approved by a significant segment of the accounting profession.

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“Holder” or “Securityholder” means the registered holder of any Security with respect to Registered Securities and the bearer of any Unregistered Security or any coupon appertaining thereto, as the case may be.

“Indenture” means this Indenture as originally executed and delivered or as it may be amended or supplemented from time to time by one or more indentures supplemental to this Indenture entered into pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture and shall include the forms and terms of the Securities of each series established as contemplated pursuant to Sections 2.01 and 2.03.

“Officer” means, with respect to the Company, the Chief Executive Officer, any Vice Chairman, the President, any of the Executive Vice Presidents or any of the Senior Vice Presidents, the Treasurer or any Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary, or the General Counsel.

“Officers’ Certificate”, when used with respect to the Company, means a certificate signed by the Chief Executive Officer, any Vice Chairman, the President, any of the Executive Vice Presidents or any of the Senior Vice Presidents, and the Treasurer or any Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary, or the General Counsel, and delivered to the Trustee.  Each such certificate shall comply with Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act, if applicable, and, except as otherwise provided in this Indenture, each such certificate shall include the statements provided for in Section 10.04.

“Opinion of Counsel” means a written opinion signed by legal counsel, who may be an employee of or counsel to the Company, and who is acceptable to the Trustee.  Each such opinion shall comply with Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act, if applicable, and include the statements provided in Section 10.04, if and to the extent required thereby.

“Original Issue Date” of any Security (or portion thereof) means the earlier of (a) the date of authentication of such Security or (b) the date of any Security (or portion thereof) for which such Security was issued (directly or indirectly) on registration of transfer, exchange or substitution.

“Original Issue Discount Security” means any Security that provides for an amount less than the principal amount thereof to be due and payable upon a declaration of acceleration of the maturity thereof pursuant to Section 6.01.

“Periodic Offering” means an offering of Securities of a series from time to time, the specific terms of which Securities, including, without limitation, the rate or rates of interest, if any, thereon, the stated maturity or maturities thereof and the redemption provisions, if any, with respect thereto, are to be determined by the Company or its agents upon the issuance of such Securities.

“Person” means an individual, a corporation, a partnership, a limited liability company, an association, a trust or any other entity or organization, including a government or political subdivision or an agency or instrumentality thereof.

“Principal” of a Security means the principal amount of, and, unless the context indicates otherwise, includes any premium payable on, the Security.

“Ranking Junior to the Securities”, when used with respect to any obligation of the Company, means any obligation of the Company which (a) ranks junior to and not equally with or prior to the Securities in right of payment upon the happening of any event of the kind specified in the first sentence of the first paragraph of Section 11.01, and (b) is specifically designated as ranking junior to the Securities by express provisions in the instrument creating or evidencing such obligation.

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“Ranking on a Parity with the Securities”, when used with respect to any obligation of the Company, means any obligation of the Company which (a) ranks equally with and not prior to the Securities in right of payment upon the happening of any event of the kind specified in the first sentence of the first paragraph of Section 11.01, and (b) is specifically designated as ranking on a parity with the Securities by express provision in the instrument creating or evidencing such obligation.  The securing of any obligations of the Company, otherwise Ranking on a Parity with the Securities or Ranking Junior to the Securities, is not deemed to prevent such obligations from constituting obligations Ranking on a Parity with the Securities or Ranking Junior to the Securities.

“Registered Global Security” means a Security evidencing all or a part of a series of Registered Securities, issued to the Depositary for such series in accordance with Section 2.02, and bearing the legend prescribed in Section 2.02.

“Registered Security” means any Security registered on the Security Register (as defined in Section 2.05).

“Responsible Officer” means, with respect to the Trustee, any officer assigned to the corporate trust department (or any successor division or unit) of the Trustee located at the Corporate Trust Office, who shall have direct responsibility for the administration of this Indenture, and for purposes of Section 6.08 and Section 7.01(c)(2) shall also include any other officer of the Trustee to whom any corporate trust matter is referred because of such officer’s knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject.

“Securities” means any of the securities, as defined in the first paragraph of the recitals hereof, that are authenticated and delivered under this Indenture and, unless the context indicates otherwise, shall include any coupon appertaining thereto.

“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

“Senior Indebtedness” means the following, whether now outstanding or subsequently created, assumed or incurred:  (1) all indebtedness of the Company for money borrowed, including any obligation of, or any obligation guaranteed by, the Company, for the repayment of borrowed money, whether or not evidenced by bonds, debentures, securities, notes or other written instruments; (2) any deferred obligation of the Company for the payment of the purchase price of property or assets acquired other than in the ordinary course of business; (3) all obligations, contingent or otherwise, of the Company in respect of any letters of credit, bankers acceptances, security purchase facilities and similar transactions; (4) all capital lease obligations of the Company; (5) all obligations of the Company in respect of interest rate swap, cap or other agreements, interest rate future or option contracts, currency swap agreements, currency future or option contacts, commodity contracts and other similar agreements; (6) all obligations of the type referred to in clauses (1) through (5) of other Persons for the payment of which the Company is responsible or liable as obligor, guarantor or otherwise; (7) all obligations of the type referred to in clauses (1) through (6) of other Persons secured by any lien on any property or assets of the Company, whether or not such obligation is assumed by the Company; and (8) any obligations of the Company to its general creditors, as defined and required by the Federal Reserve under its final Basel III capital rules in 78 F.R. 62018 (Oct. 11, 2013) for subordinated debt to qualify as Tier 2 capital; provided, however, that “Senior Indebtedness” does not include (a) the Securities issued under this Indenture, (b) the junior subordinated debt securities of the Company underlying trust preferred securities issued by subsidiary trusts of the Company which are outstanding as of the date hereof or which are issued after the date hereof by a subsidiary trust of the Company, (c) any guarantee in respect of any trust preferred securities of a subsidiary trust of the Company or (d) any indebtedness or any guarantee Ranking Junior to the Securities or Ranking on a Parity with the Securities and the issuance of which (i) has received the concurrence or

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approval of the Federal Reserve or its staff or (ii) does not at the time of issuance prevent such Securities (or any security or unit of which such Securities comprise a part) from qualifying for Tier 1 capital treatment (irrespective of any limits on the amount of the Company’s Tier 1 capital) under applicable capital adequacy guidelines, regulations, policies, published interpretations or any applicable concurrence or approval of the Federal Reserve or its staff.

“Subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person, any corporation, association or other business entity of which a majority of the capital stock or other ownership interests having ordinary voting power to elect a majority of the board of directors or other persons performing similar functions are at the time directly or indirectly owned by such Person.

“Trustee” means the party named as such in the first paragraph of this Indenture until a successor replaces it in accordance with the provisions of Article 7 and thereafter shall mean or include each Person who is then a Trustee hereunder, and if at any time there is more than one such Person, “Trustee” as used with respect to the Securities of any series shall mean the Trustee with respect to Securities of that series.

“Trust Indenture Act” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (15 U.S. Code §§ 77aaa-77bbbb), as it may be amended from time to time.

“Unregistered Security” means any Security other than a Registered Security.

“U.S. Government Obligations” means securities that are (i) direct obligations of the United States of America for the payment of which its full faith and credit is pledged or (ii) obligations of an agency or instrumentality of the United States of America the payment of which is unconditionally guaranteed as a full faith and credit obligation by the United States of America, and shall also include a depository receipt issued by a bank or trust company as custodian with respect to any such U.S. Government Obligation or a specific payment of interest on or principal of any such U.S. Government Obligation held by such custodian for the account of the holder of a depository receipt; provided that (except as required by law) such custodian is not authorized to make any deduction from the amount payable to the holder of such depository receipt from any amount received by the custodian in respect of the U.S. Government Obligation or the specific payment of interest on or principal of the U.S. Government Obligation evidenced by such depository receipt.

“Yield to Maturity” means, as the context may require, the yield to maturity (i) on a series of Securities or (ii) if the Securities of a series are issuable from time to time, on a Security of such series, calculated at the time of issuance of such series in the case of clause (i) or at the time of issuance of such Security of such series in the case of clause (ii), or, if applicable, at the most recent redetermination of interest on such series or on such Security, and calculated in accordance with the constant interest method or such other accepted financial practice as is specified in the terms of such Security.

Section 1.02         Other Definitions.  Each of the following terms is defined in the section set forth opposite such term:

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Term	Section
Authenticating Agent	2.02
Cash Transaction	7.03
Dollars	4.02
Paying Agent	2.05
Registrar	2.04
Security Register	2.05
Self-liquidating Paper	7.03
Tranche	2.14

Section 1.03         Incorporation by Reference of Trust Indenture Act.  Whenever this Indenture refers to a provision of the Trust Indenture Act, the provision is incorporated by reference in and made a part of this Indenture.  The following terms used in this Indenture that are defined by the Trust Indenture Act have the following meanings:

“indenture securities” means the Securities;

“obligor” on the indenture securities means the Company or any other obligor on the Securities.

All other terms used in this Indenture that are defined by the Trust Indenture Act, defined by reference in the Trust Indenture Act to another statute or defined by a rule of the Commission and not otherwise defined herein have the meanings assigned to them therein.

Section 1.04         Rules of Construction.  Unless the context otherwise requires:

(a)           an accounting term not otherwise defined has the meaning assigned to it in accordance with GAAP;

(b)           words in the singular include the plural, and words in the plural include the singular;

(c)           “herein,” “hereof” and other words of similar import refer to this Indenture as a whole and not to any particular Article, Section or other subdivision;

(d)           all references to Sections or Articles refer to Sections or Articles of this Indenture unless otherwise indicated; and

(e)           use of masculine, feminine or neuter pronouns should not be deemed a limitation, and the use of any such pronouns should be construed to include, where appropriate, the other pronouns.

ARTICLE II

THE SECURITIES

Section 2.01         Form And Dating.  The Securities of each series shall be substantially in such form or forms (not inconsistent with this Indenture) as shall be established by or pursuant to one or more Board Resolutions and set forth in an Officers’ Certificate or in one or more indentures supplemental hereto, in each case with such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as are required or permitted by this Indenture and may have imprinted or otherwise reproduced thereon such legend or legends or endorsements, not inconsistent with the provisions of this Indenture, as may be required to comply with any law, or with any rules of any securities exchange or usage, all as may be

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determined by the officers executing such Securities as evidenced by their execution of the Securities.  Unless otherwise so established, Unregistered Securities shall have coupons attached.

Section 2.02         Execution and Authentication.  Two Officers shall execute the Securities and one Officer shall execute the coupons, if any, appertaining thereto, for the Company by facsimile or manual signature in the name and on behalf of the Company.  If an Officer whose signature is on a Security or coupon appertaining thereto no longer holds that office at the time the Security is authenticated, the Security and such coupon shall nevertheless be valid.

The Trustee, at the expense of the Company, may appoint an authenticating agent (the “Authenticating Agent”) to authenticate Securities.  The Authenticating Agent may authenticate Securities whenever the Trustee may do so.  Each reference in this Indenture to authentication by the Trustee includes authentication by such Authenticating Agent.

A Security and the coupons appertaining thereto shall not be valid until the Trustee or Authenticating Agent manually signs the certificate of authentication on the Security or on the Security to which such coupon appertains by an authorized signatory.  The signature shall be conclusive evidence that the Security or the Security to which the coupon appertains has been authenticated under this Indenture.

At any time and from time to time after the execution and delivery of this Indenture, the Company may deliver Securities of any series having attached thereto appropriate coupons, if any, executed by the Company to the Trustee for authentication together with the applicable documents referred to below in this Section, and the Trustee shall thereupon authenticate and deliver such Securities to or upon the written order of the Company.  In authenticating any Securities of a series, the Trustee shall be entitled to receive prior to the authentication of any Securities of such series, and (subject to Article 7) shall be fully protected in relying upon, unless and until such documents have been superseded or revoked:

(a)           any Board Resolution and Officers’ Certificate or executed supplemental indenture referred to in Sections 2.01 and 2.03 by or pursuant to which the forms and terms of the Securities of that series were established;

(b)           an Officers’ Certificate stating that the form or forms and terms of the Securities of such series have been, or, in the case of a Periodic Offering, will be when established in accordance with such procedures as shall be referred to therein, established in compliance with this Indenture; and

(c)           an Opinion of Counsel substantially to the effect that the form or forms and terms of the Securities of such series have been, or, in the case of a Periodic Offering, will be when established in accordance with such procedures as shall be referred to therein, established in compliance with this Indenture and that the supplemental indenture, to the extent applicable, and Securities have been duly authorized and, if executed and authenticated in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture and delivered to and duly paid for by the purchasers thereof on the date of such opinion, would be entitled to the benefits of the Indenture and would be valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their respective terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, receivership, moratorium and other similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, general principles of equity, and covering such other matters as shall be specified therein and as shall be reasonably requested by the Trustee.

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The Trustee shall not be required to authenticate such Securities if the issue of such Securities pursuant to this Indenture will affect the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under the Securities and this Indenture or otherwise in a manner which is not reasonably acceptable to the Trustee.

Notwithstanding the provisions of Sections 2.01 and 2.02, if, in connection with a Periodic Offering, all Securities of a series are not to be originally issued at one time, it shall be necessary to deliver the Board Resolution required pursuant to Section 2.01 and the written order, Officers’ Certificate and Opinion of Counsel required pursuant to Section 2.02 at or prior to the authentication of each Security of such series.

With respect to Securities of a series offered in a Periodic Offering, the Trustee may rely, as to the authorization by the Company of any of such Securities, the forms and terms thereof and the legality, validity, binding effect and enforceability thereof, upon the Opinion of Counsel and the other documents delivered pursuant to Sections 2.01 and 2.02, as applicable, in connection with the first authentication of Securities of such series.

If the Company shall establish pursuant to Section 2.03 that the Securities of a series or a portion thereof are to be issued in the form of one or more Registered Global Securities, then the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver one or more Registered Global Securities that (i) shall represent and shall be denominated in an amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of all of the Securities of such series issued in such form and not yet cancelled, (ii) shall be registered in the name of the Depositary for such Registered Global Security or Securities or the nominee of such Depositary, (iii) shall be delivered by the Trustee to such Depositary or its custodian or pursuant to such Depositary’s instructions and (iv) shall bear a legend substantially to the following effect:

“THIS SECURITY IS A REGISTERED GLOBAL SECURITY WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE INDENTURE HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO AND IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO., AS NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY, A NEW YORK CORPORATION (THE “DEPOSITARY”), THE DEPOSITARY OR ANOTHER NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY.  THIS REGISTERED GLOBAL SECURITY IS EXCHANGEABLE FOR SECURITIES REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF A PERSON OTHER THAN THE DEPOSITARY OR ITS NOMINEE ONLY IN THE LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES DESCRIBED IN THE INDENTURE AND NO TRANSFER OF THIS SECURITY (OTHER THAN A TRANSFER OF THIS SECURITY AS A WHOLE BY THE DEPOSITARY TO A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY TO THE DEPOSITARY OR ANOTHER NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY) MAY BE REGISTERED EXCEPT IN LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES.

UNLESS THIS REGISTERED GLOBAL SECURITY IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITARY FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE OR PAYMENT, AND ANY SECURITY ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR SUCH OTHER NAME AS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITARY (AND ANY PAYMENT HEREON IS MADE TO CEDE & CO. OR TO SUCH OTHER ENTITY AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITARY), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL SINCE THE REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF, CEDE & CO., THE DEPOSITARY OR ANOTHER NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.”

Section 2.03         Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series.  The aggregate principal amount of Securities which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture is unlimited.

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The Securities may be issued in one or more series and shall be subordinated to Senior Indebtedness pursuant to the provisions of Article 11 hereof.  There shall be established in or pursuant to Board Resolution and set forth in an Officers’ Certificate or established in one or more indentures supplemental hereto, prior to the initial issuance of Securities of any series, subject to the last sentence of the penultimate paragraph of this Section 2.03,

(a)           the designation of the Securities of the series, which shall distinguish the Securities of the series from the Securities of all other series;

(b)           any limit upon the aggregate principal amount of the Securities of the series that may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture and any limitation on the ability of the Company to increase such aggregate principal amount after the initial issuance of the Securities of that series (except for Securities authenticated and delivered upon registration of transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of, or upon redemption of, other Securities of the series pursuant hereto);

(c)           the date or dates on which the principal of the Securities of the series is payable (which date or dates may be fixed, deferred or extendible);

(d)           the rate or rates (which may be fixed or variable) per annum at which the Securities of the series shall bear interest, if any, the date or dates from which such interest shall accrue, on which such interest shall be payable and (in the case of Registered Securities) on which a record shall be taken for the determination of Holders to whom interest is payable, the circumstances and periods, if any, in which or during which the Company may or shall defer the payment of interest on the Securities and/or the method by which such rate or rates or date or dates shall be determined;

(e)           if other than as provided in Section 4.02, the place or places where the principal of and any interest on Securities of the series shall be payable, any Registered Securities of the series may be surrendered for exchange, notices, demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities of the series and this Indenture may be served and notice to Holders may be published;

(f)            the right, if any, of the Company to redeem Securities of the series, in whole or in part, at its option and the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and any terms and conditions upon which Securities of the series may be so redeemed, pursuant to any sinking fund or otherwise;

(g)           the obligation, if any, of the Company to redeem, purchase or repay Securities of the series pursuant to any mandatory redemption, sinking fund or analogous provisions or at the option of a Holder thereof and the price or prices at which and the period or periods within which and any of the terms and conditions upon which Securities of the series shall be redeemed, purchased or repaid, in whole or in part, pursuant to such obligation;

(h)           if other than denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof, the denominations in which Securities of the series shall be issuable;

(i)            if other than the principal amount thereof, the portion of the principal amount of Securities of the series which shall be payable upon declaration of acceleration of the maturity thereof;

(j)            if other than the coin or currency in which the Securities of the series are denominated, the coin or currency in which payment of the principal of or interest on the Securities of the series shall be payable or if the amount of payments of principal of and/or interest on the Securities of the series may be

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determined with reference to an index based on a coin or currency other than that in which the Securities of the series are denominated, the manner in which such amounts shall be determined;

(k)           if other than the currency of the United States of America, the currency or currencies, including composite currencies, in which payment of the Principal of and interest on the Securities of the series shall be payable, and the manner in which any such currencies shall be valued against other currencies in which any other Securities shall be payable;

(l)            whether the Securities of the series or any portion thereof will be issuable as Registered Securities (and if so, whether such Securities will be issuable as Registered Global Securities) or Unregistered Securities (with or without coupons) (and if so, whether such Securities will be issued in temporary or permanent global form), or any combination of the foregoing, any restrictions applicable to the offer, sale or delivery of Unregistered Securities or the payment of interest thereon and, if other than as provided herein, the terms upon which Unregistered Securities of any series may be exchanged for Registered Securities of such series and vice versa;

(m)          whether and under what circumstances the Company will pay additional amounts on the Securities of the series held by a person who is not a U.S. person in respect of any tax, assessment or governmental charge withheld or deducted and, if so, whether the Company will have the option to redeem such Securities rather than pay such additional amounts;

(n)           if the Securities of the series are to be issuable in definitive form (whether upon original issue or upon exchange of a temporary Security of such series) only upon receipt of certain certificates or other documents or satisfaction of other conditions, the form and terms of such certificates, documents or conditions;

(o)           any trustees, depositaries, authenticating or paying agents, transfer agents or the registrar or any other agents with respect to the Securities of the series;

(p)           provisions, if any, for the defeasance of the Securities of the series (including provisions permitting defeasance of fewer than all Securities of the series), which provisions may be in addition to, in substitution for, or in modification of (or any combination of the foregoing) the provisions of Article 8;

(q)           if the Securities of the series are issuable in whole or in part as one or more Registered Global Securities or Unregistered Securities in global form, the identity of the Depositary or common Depositary for such Registered Global Security or Securities or Unregistered Securities in global form;

(r)            any other Events of Default or covenants with respect to the Securities of the series; and

(s)            any other terms of the Securities of the series (which terms shall not be inconsistent with the provisions of this Indenture).

All Securities of any one series and coupons, if any, appertaining thereto shall be substantially identical, except in the case of Registered Securities as to date and denomination, except in the case of any Periodic Offering and except as may otherwise be provided by or pursuant to the Board Resolution referred to above or as set forth in any such indenture supplemental hereto.  All Securities of any one series need not be issued at the same time and may be issued from time to time, consistent with the terms of this Indenture, if so provided by or pursuant to such Board Resolution or in any such indenture supplemental hereto and any forms and terms of Securities to be issued from time to time may be

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completed and established from time to time prior to the issuance thereof by procedures described in such Board Resolution or supplemental indenture.

Unless otherwise expressly provided with respect to a series of Securities, the aggregate principal amount of a series of Securities may be increased and additional Securities of such series may be issued up to the maximum aggregate principal amount authorized with respect to such series as increased.

Section 2.04         Denomination and Date of Securities; Payments of Interest.  The Securities of each series shall be issuable as Registered Securities or Unregistered Securities in denominations established as contemplated by Section 2.03 or, if not so established with respect to Securities of any series, in denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof.  The Securities of each series shall be numbered, lettered or otherwise distinguished in such manner or in accordance with such plan as the Officers of the Company executing the same may determine, as evidenced by their execution thereof.

Unless otherwise specified with respect to a series of Securities, each Security shall be dated the date of its authentication.  The Securities of each series shall bear interest, if any, from the date, and such interest and shall be payable on the dates, established as contemplated by Section 2.03.

The person in whose name any Registered Security of any series is registered at the close of business on any record date applicable to a particular series with respect to any interest payment date for such series shall be entitled to receive the interest, if any, payable on such interest payment date notwithstanding any transfer or exchange of such Registered Security subsequent to the record date and prior to such interest payment date, except if and to the extent the Company shall default in the payment of the interest due on such interest payment date for such series, in which case the provisions of Section 2.13 shall apply.  The term “record date” as used with respect to any interest payment date (except a date for payment of defaulted interest) for the Securities of any series shall mean the date specified as such in the terms of the Registered Securities of such series established as contemplated by Section 2.03, or, if no such date is so established, the fifteenth day next preceding such interest payment date, whether or not such record date is a Business Day.

Section 2.05         Registrar and Paying Agent; Agents Generally.  The Company shall maintain an office or agency where Securities may be presented for registration, registration of transfer or for exchange (the “Registrar”) and an office or agency where Securities may be presented for payment (the “Paying Agent”), which shall be in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York or in St. Paul, Minnesota.  The Company shall cause the Registrar to keep a register of the Registered Securities and of their registration, transfer and exchange (the “Security Register”).  The Company may have one or more additional Paying Agents or transfer agents with respect to any series.

The Company shall enter into an appropriate agency agreement with any Agent not a party to this Indenture.  The agreement shall implement the provisions of this Indenture and the Trust Indenture Act that relate to such Agent.  The Company shall give prompt written notice to the Trustee of the name and address of any Agent and any change in the name or address of an Agent.  If the Company fails to maintain a Registrar or Paying Agent, the Trustee shall act as such.  The Company may remove any Agent upon written notice to such Agent and the Trustee; provided that no such removal shall become effective until (i) the acceptance of an appointment by a successor Agent to such Agent as evidenced by an appropriate agency agreement entered into by the Company and such successor Agent and delivered to the Trustee or (ii) notification to the Trustee that the Trustee shall serve as such Agent until the appointment of a successor Agent in accordance with clause (i) of this proviso.  The Company or any affiliate of the Company may act as Paying Agent or Registrar; provided that neither the Company nor an affiliate of the Company shall act as Paying Agent in connection with the defeasance of the Securities or the discharge of this Indenture under Article 8.

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The Company initially appoints the Trustee as Registrar, Paying Agent and Authenticating Agent.  If, at any time, the Trustee is not the Registrar, the Registrar shall make available to the Trustee ten days prior to each interest payment date and at such other times as the Trustee may reasonably request the names and addresses of the Holders as they appear in the Security Register.

Section 2.06         Paying Agent to Hold Money in Trust.  Not later than 10:00 a.m. New York City time on each due date or, in the case of Unregistered Securities, 10:00 a.m. New York City time on the Business Day prior to the due date, of any Principal or interest on any Securities, the Company shall deposit with the Paying Agent money in immediately available funds sufficient to pay such Principal or interest.  The Company shall require each Paying Agent other than the Trustee to agree in writing that such Paying Agent shall hold in trust for the benefit of the Holders of such Securities or the Trustee all money held by the Paying Agent for the payment of Principal of and interest on such Securities and shall promptly notify the Trustee of any default by the Company in making any such payment.  The Company at any time may require a Paying Agent to pay all money held by it to the Trustee and account for any funds disbursed, and the Trustee may at any time during the continuance of any payment default, upon written request to a Paying Agent, require such Paying Agent to pay all money held by it to the Trustee and to account for any funds disbursed.  Upon doing so, the Paying Agent shall have no further liability for the money so paid over to the Trustee.  If the Company or any affiliate of the Company acts as Paying Agent, it will, on or before each due date of any Principal of or interest on any Securities, segregate and hold in a separate trust fund for the benefit of the Holders thereof a sum of money sufficient to pay such Principal or interest so becoming due until such sum of money shall be paid to such Holders or otherwise disposed of as provided in this Indenture, and will promptly notify the Trustee in writing of its action or failure to act as required by this Section.

Section 2.07         Transfer and Exchange.  Unregistered Securities (except for any temporary global Unregistered Securities) and coupons (except for coupons attached to any temporary global Unregistered Securities) shall be transferable by delivery.

At the option of the Holder thereof, Registered Securities of any series (other than a Registered Global Security, except as set forth below) may be exchanged for a Registered Security or Registered Securities of such series and tenor having authorized denominations and an equal aggregate principal amount, upon surrender of such Registered Securities to be exchanged at the agency of the Company that shall be maintained for such purpose in accordance with Section 2.05 and upon payment, if the Company shall so require, of the charges hereinafter provided.  If the Securities of any series are issued in both registered and unregistered form, except as otherwise established pursuant to Section 2.03, at the option of the Holder thereof, Unregistered Securities of any series may be exchanged for Registered Securities of such series and tenor having authorized denominations and an equal aggregate principal amount, upon surrender of such Unregistered Securities to be exchanged at the agency of the Company that shall be maintained for such purpose in accordance with Section 4.02, with, in the case of Unregistered Securities that have coupons attached, all unmatured coupons and all matured coupons in default thereto appertaining, and upon payment, if the Company shall so require, of the charges hereinafter provided.  At the option of the Holder thereof, if Unregistered Securities of any series, maturity date, interest rate and original issue date are issued in more than one authorized denomination, except as otherwise established pursuant to Section 2.03, such Unregistered Securities may be exchanged for Unregistered Securities of such series and tenor having authorized denominations and an equal aggregate principal amount, upon surrender of such Unregistered Securities to be exchanged at the agency of the Company that shall be maintained for such purpose in accordance with Section 4.02, with, in the case of Unregistered Securities that have coupons attached, all unmatured coupons and all matured coupons in default thereto appertaining, and upon payment, if the Company shall so require, of the charges hereinafter provided.  Registered Securities of any series may not be exchanged for Unregistered Securities of such series.  Whenever any Securities are so surrendered for exchange, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee

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shall authenticate and deliver, the Securities which the Holder making the exchange is entitled to receive.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, an Unregistered Security will not be delivered in exchange for a Registered Security or Securities unless the Trustee receives a certificate signed by the Person entitled to delivery of such Security or other items or documents fulfilling such conditions as shall be required by regulations of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, or shall be notified by the Company that such a certificate shall not be required by such regulations; provided, however, that no such Unregistered Security shall be delivered by the Trustee if the Trustee or such agent shall have, or shall have been notified in writing by the Company that the Company has, actual knowledge that such certificate is false.

Upon surrender for registration of transfer of any Registered Security of a series at the agency of the Company that shall be maintained for that purpose in accordance with Section 2.05 and upon payment, if the Company shall so require, of the charges hereinafter provided, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in the name of the designated transferee or transferees, one or more new Registered Securities of the same series, of any authorized denominations and of like tenor and aggregate principal amount.

All Registered Securities presented for registration of transfer, exchange, redemption or payment shall be duly endorsed by, or be accompanied by a written instrument or instruments of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Trustee duly executed by, the holder or his attorney duly authorized in writing.

The Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any exchange or registration of transfer of Securities.  No service charge shall be made for any such transaction.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 2.07, unless and until it is exchanged in whole or in part for Securities in definitive registered form, a Registered Global Security representing all or a portion of the Securities of a series may not be transferred except as a whole by the Depositary for such series to a nominee of such Depositary or by a nominee of such Depositary to such Depositary or another nominee of such Depositary or by such Depositary or any such nominee to a successor Depositary for such series or a nominee of such successor Depositary.

If at any time the Depositary for any Registered Global Securities of any series notifies the Company that it is unwilling or unable to continue as Depositary for such Registered Global Securities or if at any time the Depositary for such Registered Global Securities shall no longer be eligible under applicable law, the Company shall appoint a successor Depositary eligible under applicable law with respect to such Registered Global Securities.  If a successor Depositary eligible under applicable law for such Registered Global Securities is not appointed by the Company within 90 days after the Company receives such notice or becomes aware of such ineligibility, the Company will execute, and the Trustee, upon receipt of the Company’s order for the authentication and delivery of definitive Registered Securities of such series and tenor, will authenticate and deliver Registered Securities of such series and tenor, in any authorized denominations, in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of such Registered Global Securities, in exchange for such Registered Global Securities.

The Company may at any time and in its sole discretion and subject to the procedures of the Depositary determine that any Registered Global Securities of any series shall no longer be maintained in global form.  In such event the Company will execute, and the Trustee, upon receipt of the Company’s order for the authentication and delivery of definitive Registered Securities of such series and tenor, will authenticate and deliver, Registered Securities of such series and tenor in any authorized denominations, in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of such Registered Global Securities, in exchange for such Registered Global Securities.

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Any time the Registered Securities of any series are not in the form of Registered Global Securities pursuant to the preceding two paragraphs, the Company agrees to supply the Trustee with a reasonable supply of certificated Registered Securities without the legend required by Section 2.02 and the Trustee agrees to hold such Registered Securities in safekeeping until authenticated and delivered pursuant to the terms of this Indenture.

If established by the Company pursuant to Section 2.03 with respect to any Registered Global Security, the Depositary for such Registered Global Security may surrender such Registered Global Security in exchange in whole or in part for Registered Securities of the same series and tenor in definitive registered form on such terms as are acceptable to the Company and such Depositary.  Thereupon, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, without service charge,

(a)           to the Person specified by such Depositary new Registered Securities of the same series and tenor, of any authorized denominations as requested by such Person, in an aggregate principal amount equal to and in exchange for such Person’s beneficial interest in the Registered Global Security; and

(b)           to such Depositary a new Registered Global Security in a denomination equal to the difference, if any, between the principal amount of the surrendered Registered Global Security and the aggregate principal amount of Registered Securities authenticated and delivered pursuant to clause (a) above.

Registered Securities issued in exchange for a Registered Global Security pursuant to this Section 2.07 shall be registered in such names and in such authorized denominations as the Depositary for such Registered Global Security, pursuant to instructions from its direct or indirect participants or otherwise, shall instruct the Trustee or an agent of the Company or the Trustee.  The Trustee or such agent shall deliver such Securities to or as directed by the Persons in whose names such Securities are so registered.

All Securities issued upon any transfer or exchange of Securities shall be valid obligations of the Company, evidencing the same debt, and entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture, as the Securities surrendered upon such transfer or exchange.

Notwithstanding anything herein or in the forms or terms of any Securities to the contrary, none of the Company, the Trustee or any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall be required to exchange any Unregistered Security for a Registered Security if such exchange would result in adverse Federal income tax consequences to the Company (such as, for example, the inability of the Company to deduct from its income, as computed for Federal income tax purposes, the interest payable on the Unregistered Securities) under then applicable United States Federal income tax laws.  The Trustee and any such agent shall be entitled to rely on an Officers’ Certificate or an Opinion of Counsel in determining such result.

The Registrar shall not be required (i) to issue, authenticate, register the transfer of or exchange Securities of any series for a period of 15 days before a selection of such Securities to be redeemed or (ii) to register the transfer of or exchange any Security selected for redemption in whole or in part.

Section 2.08         Replacement Securities.  If any mutilated Security or a Security with a mutilated coupon appertaining to it is surrendered to the Trustee, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in exchange for such mutilated Security or in exchange for the Security to which a mutilated coupon appertains, a new Security of the same series and of like tenor and principal amount and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding, with coupons corresponding to the coupons, if any, appertaining to such mutilated Security or to the Security to which such mutilated coupon appertains.

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If there shall be delivered to the Company and the Trustee (i) evidence to their satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any Security or coupon and (ii) such security or indemnity as may be required by them to save each of them and any agent of any of them harmless, then, in the absence of notice to the Company or the Trustee that such Security or coupon has been acquired by a bona fide purchaser, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in lieu of any such destroyed, lost or stolen Security or in exchange for the Security to which a destroyed, lost or stolen coupon appertains (with all appurtenant coupons not destroyed, lost or stolen), a new Security of the same series and of like tenor and principal amount and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding, with coupons corresponding to the coupons, if any, appertaining to such destroyed, lost or stolen Security or to the Security to which such destroyed, lost or stolen coupon appertains.

In case any such mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security or coupon has become or is about to become due and payable, the Company in its discretion may, instead of issuing a new Security, pay such Security or coupon (without surrender thereof except in the case of a mutilated Security or coupon) if the applicant for such payment shall furnish to the Company and the Trustee such security or indemnity as may be required by them to save each of them and any agent of any of them harmless, and in the case of destruction, loss or theft, evidence satisfactory to the Company and the Trustee and any agent of them of the destruction, loss or theft of such Security and the ownership thereof; provided, however, that the Principal of and any interest on Unregistered Securities shall, except as otherwise provided in Section 4.02, be payable only at an office or agency located outside the United States.

Upon the issuance of any new Security under this Section, the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in relation thereto and any other expenses (including the fees and expenses of the Trustee) connected therewith.

Every new Security of any series, with its coupons, if any, issued pursuant to this Section in lieu of any destroyed, lost or stolen Security or in exchange for any mutilated Security, or in exchange for a Security to which a mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen coupon appertains, shall constitute an original additional contractual obligation of the Company, whether or not the mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security and its coupons, if any, or the mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen coupon shall be at any time enforceable by anyone, and any such new Security and coupons, if any, shall be entitled to all the benefits of this Indenture equally and proportionately with any and all other Securities of that series and their coupons, if any, duly issued hereunder.

The provisions of this Section are exclusive and shall preclude (to the extent lawful) any other rights and remedies with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities or coupons.

Section 2.09         Outstanding Securities.  Securities outstanding at any time are all Securities that have been authenticated by the Trustee except for those cancelled by it, those delivered to it for cancellation, those described in this Section as not outstanding and those that have been defeased pursuant to Section 8.05.

If a Security is replaced pursuant to Section 2.08, it ceases to be outstanding unless and until the Trustee and the Company receive proof satisfactory to them that the replaced Security is held by a holder in due course.

If the Paying Agent (other than the Company or an affiliate of the Company) holds on the maturity date or any redemption date or date for repurchase of the Securities money sufficient to pay Securities payable or to be redeemed or repurchased on that date, then on and after that date such Securities cease to be outstanding and interest on them shall cease to accrue.

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A Security does not cease to be outstanding because the Company or one of its affiliates holds such Security, provided, however, that, in determining whether the Holders of the requisite principal amount of the outstanding Securities have given any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver hereunder, Securities owned by the Company or any affiliate of the Company shall be disregarded and deemed not to be outstanding, except that, in determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in relying upon any such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver, only Securities as to which a Responsible Officer of the Trustee has received written notice to be so owned shall be so disregarded.  Any Securities so owned which are pledged by the Company, or by any affiliate of the Company, as security for loans or other obligations, otherwise than to another such affiliate of the Company, shall be deemed to be outstanding, if the pledgee is entitled pursuant to the terms of its pledge agreement and is free to exercise in its or his discretion the right to vote such securities, uncontrolled by the Company or by any such affiliate.

Section 2.10         Temporary Securities.  Until definitive Securities of any series are ready for delivery, the Company may prepare and execute and the Trustee shall authenticate temporary Securities of such series.  Temporary Securities of any series shall be substantially in the form of definitive Securities of such series but may have insertions, substitutions, omissions and other variations determined to be appropriate by the Officers executing the temporary Securities, as evidenced by their execution of such temporary Securities, with the concurrence of the Trustee.  If temporary Securities of any series are issued, the Company will cause definitive Securities of such series to be prepared without unreasonable delay.  After the preparation of definitive Securities of any series, the temporary Securities of such series shall be exchangeable for definitive Securities of such series and tenor upon surrender of such temporary Securities at the office or agency of the Company designated for such purpose pursuant to Section 4.02, without charge to the Holder.  Upon surrender for cancellation of any one or more temporary Securities of any series the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor a like principal amount of definitive Securities of such series and tenor and authorized denominations.  Until so exchanged, the temporary Securities of any series shall be entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture as definitive Securities of such series.

Section 2.11         Cancellation.  The Company at any time may deliver to the Trustee for cancellation any Securities previously authenticated and delivered hereunder which the Company may have acquired in any manner whatsoever, and may deliver to the Trustee for cancellation any Securities previously authenticated hereunder which the Company has not issued and sold.  The Registrar, any transfer agent and the Paying Agent shall forward to the Trustee any Securities surrendered to them for transfer, exchange or payment.  The Trustee shall cancel and dispose of in accordance with its customary procedures all Securities surrendered for transfer, exchange, payment or cancellation and shall deliver a certificate of disposition to the Company.  The Company may not issue new Securities to replace Securities it has paid in full or delivered to the Trustee for cancellation.

Section 2.12         CUSIP Numbers.  The Company in issuing the Securities may use “CUSIP” and “ISIN” numbers (if then generally in use), and the Trustee shall use CUSIP numbers or ISIN numbers, as the case may be, in notices of redemption or exchange as a convenience to Holders and no representation shall be made as to the correctness of such numbers either as printed on the Securities or as contained in any notice of redemption or exchange.  The Company will promptly notify the Trustee of any change in the “CUSIP,” “ISIN” or any similar numbers.

Section 2.13         Defaulted Interest.  If the Company defaults in a payment of interest on the Registered Securities, it shall pay, or shall deposit with the Paying Agent money in immediately available funds sufficient to pay, the defaulted interest plus (to the extent lawful) any interest payable on the defaulted interest (as may be specified in the terms thereof, established pursuant to Section 2.03) to the Persons who are Holders on a subsequent special record date, which shall mean the 15th day next

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preceding the date fixed by the Company for the payment of defaulted interest, whether or not such day is a Business Day.  At least 15 days before such special record date, the Company shall mail to each Holder of such Registered Securities and to the Trustee a notice that states the special record date, the payment date and the amount of defaulted interest to be paid.

Section 2.14         Series May Include Tranches.  A series of Securities may include one or more tranches (each a “tranche”) of Securities, including Securities issued in a Periodic Offering.  The Securities of different tranches may have one or more different terms, including authentication dates and public offering prices, but all the Securities within each such tranche shall have identical terms, other than authentication date, public offering price and interest accrued prior to the applicable issue date.  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture, with respect to Sections 2.02 (other than the fourth, sixth and seventh paragraphs thereof) through 2.04, 2.07, 2.08, 2.10, 3.01 through 3.04, 4.02, 6.01 through 6.09, 8.01 through 8.07, 9.02 and Section 10.07, if any series of Securities includes more than one tranche, all provisions of such sections applicable to any series of Securities shall be deemed equally applicable to each tranche of any series of Securities in the same manner as though originally designated a series unless otherwise provided with respect to such series or tranche pursuant to Section 2.03.  In particular, and without limiting the scope of the next preceding sentence, any of the provisions of such sections which provide for or permit action to be taken with respect to a series of Securities shall also be deemed to provide for and permit such action to be taken instead only with respect to Securities of one or more tranches within that series (and such provisions shall be deemed satisfied thereby), even if no comparable action is taken with respect to Securities in the remaining tranches of that series.

ARTICLE III

REDEMPTION

Section 3.01         Applicability of Article.  The provisions of this Article shall be applicable to the Securities of any series which are redeemable before their maturity or to any sinking fund for the retirement of Securities of a series except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 2.03 for Securities of such series.

Section 3.02         Notice of Redemption; Partial Redemptions.  Notice of redemption to the Holders of Registered Securities of any series to be redeemed as a whole or in part at the option of the Company shall be given by mailing notice of such redemption by first class mail, postage prepaid, at least 30 days and not more than 60 days prior to the date fixed for redemption to such Holders of Registered Securities of such series at their last addresses as they shall appear upon the registry books.  Notice of redemption to the Holders of Unregistered Securities of any series to be redeemed as a whole or in part who have filed their names and addresses with the Trustee pursuant to Section 313(c)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act, shall be given by mailing notice of such redemption, by first class mail, postage prepaid, at least 30 days and not more than 60 days prior to the date fixed for redemption, to such Holders at such addresses as were so furnished to the Trustee (and, in the case of any such notice given by the Company, the Trustee shall make such information available to the Company for such purpose).  Notice of redemption to all other Holders of Unregistered Securities of any series to be redeemed as a whole or in part shall be published in an Authorized Newspaper in The City of New York once in each of three successive calendar weeks, the first publication to be not less than 30 days nor more than 60 days prior to the date fixed for redemption.  Any notice which is mailed or published in the manner herein provided shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given, whether or not the Holder receives the notice.  Failure to give notice by mail, or any defect in the notice to the Holder of any Security of a series designated for redemption as a whole or in part shall not affect the validity of the proceedings for the redemption of any other Security of such series.

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The notice of redemption to each such Holder shall specify the principal amount of each Security of such series held by such Holder to be redeemed, the CUSIP numbers of the Securities to be redeemed, the date fixed for redemption, the redemption price, or if not then ascertainable, the manner of calculation thereof, the place or places of payment, that payment will be made upon presentation and surrender of such Securities and, in the case of Securities with coupons attached thereto, of all coupons appertaining thereto maturing after the date fixed for redemption, that such redemption is pursuant to the mandatory or optional sinking fund, or both, if such be the case, that interest accrued to the date fixed for redemption will be paid as specified in such notice and that on and after said date interest thereon or on the portions thereof to be redeemed will cease to accrue.  In case any Security of a series is to be redeemed in part only, the notice of redemption shall state the portion of the principal amount thereof to be redeemed and shall state that on and after the date fixed for redemption, upon surrender of such Security, a new Security or Securities of such series and tenor in principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion thereof will be issued.

The notice of redemption of Securities of any series to be redeemed at the option of the Company shall be given by the Company or, at the Company’s request, by the Trustee in the name and at the expense of the Company; provided, however, that the Company has delivered to the Trustee, at least 45 days (unless a shorter period shall be acceptable to the Trustee) prior to the date fixed for redemption, a written request that the Trustee give such notice and setting forth the information to be stated in such notice.

On or before 10:00 a.m. New York City time on the redemption date or, in the case of Unregistered Securities, on or before 10:00 a.m. New York City time on the Business Day prior to the redemption date specified in the notice of redemption given as provided in this Section, the Company will deposit with the Trustee or with one or more Paying Agents (or, if the Company is acting as its own Paying Agent, set aside, segregate and hold in trust as provided in Section 2.06) an amount of money sufficient to redeem on the redemption date all the Securities of such series so called for redemption at the appropriate redemption price, together with accrued interest to the date fixed for redemption.  If all of the outstanding Securities of a series are to be redeemed, the Company will deliver to the Trustee at least 10 days prior to the last date on which notice of redemption may be given to Holders pursuant to the first paragraph of this Section 3.02 (or such shorter period as shall be acceptable to the Trustee) an Officers’ Certificate stating that all such Securities are to be redeemed.  If fewer than all the outstanding Securities of a series are to be redeemed, the Company will deliver to the Trustee at least 15 days prior to the last date on which notice of redemption may be given to Holders pursuant to the first paragraph of this Section 3.02 (or such shorter period as shall be acceptable to the Trustee) an Officers’ Certificate stating the aggregate principal amount of such Securities to be redeemed.  In the case of any redemption of Securities (a) prior to the expiration of any restriction on such redemption provided in the terms of such Securities or elsewhere in this Indenture, or (b) pursuant to an election of the Company which is subject to a condition specified in the terms of such Securities or elsewhere in this Indenture, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee, prior to the giving of any notice of redemption to Holders pursuant to this Section, an Officers’ Certificate evidencing compliance with such restriction or condition.

If fewer than all the Securities of a series are to be redeemed, the Trustee shall select, pro rata, by lot or in such manner as it shall deem appropriate and fair, Securities of such series to be redeemed in whole or in part.  Securities may be redeemed in part in principal amounts equal to authorized denominations for Securities of such series.  The Trustee shall promptly notify the Company in writing of the Securities of such series selected for redemption and, in the case of any Securities of such series selected for partial redemption, the principal amount thereof to be redeemed.  For all purposes of this Indenture, unless the context otherwise requires, all provisions relating to the redemption of Securities shall relate, in the case of any Security redeemed or to be redeemed only in part, to the portion of the principal amount of such Security which has been or is to be redeemed.

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Section 3.03         Payment Of Securities Called For Redemption.  If notice of redemption has been given as above provided, the Securities or portions of Securities specified in such notice shall become due and payable on the date and at the place stated in such notice at the applicable redemption price, together with interest accrued to the date fixed for redemption, and on and after such date interest on the Securities or portions of Securities so called for redemption shall cease to accrue (unless the Company shall default in the payment of such Securities at the redemption price, together with interest accrued to such date), and the unmatured coupons, if any, appertaining thereto shall be void and, except as provided in Sections 7.12 and 8.02, such Securities shall cease from and after the date fixed for redemption to be entitled to any benefit under this Indenture, and the Holders thereof shall have no right in respect of such Securities except the right to receive the redemption price thereof and unpaid interest to the date fixed for redemption.  On presentation and surrender of such Securities at a place of payment specified in said notice, together with all coupons, if any, appertaining thereto maturing after the date fixed for redemption, said Securities or the specified portions thereof shall be paid and redeemed by the Company at the applicable redemption price, together with interest accrued thereon to the date fixed for redemption; provided that payment of interest becoming due on or prior to the date fixed for redemption shall be payable in the case of Securities with coupons attached thereto, to the Holders of the coupons for such interest upon surrender thereof, and in the case of Registered Securities, to the Holders of such Registered Securities registered as such on the relevant record date subject to the terms and provisions of Sections 2.04 and 2.13 hereof.

If any Security called for redemption shall not be so paid upon surrender thereof for redemption, the principal shall, until paid or duly provided for, bear interest from the date fixed for redemption at the rate of interest or Yield to Maturity (in the case of an Original Issue Discount Security) borne by such Security.

If any Security with coupons attached thereto is surrendered for redemption and is not accompanied by all appurtenant coupons maturing after the date fixed for redemption, the surrender of such missing coupon or coupons may be waived by the Company and the Trustee, if there be furnished to each of them such security or indemnity as they may require to save each of them harmless.

Upon presentation of any Security of any series redeemed in part only, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to or on the order of the Holder thereof, at the expense of the Company, a new Security or Securities of such series and tenor (with any unmatured coupons attached), of authorized denominations, in principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion of the Security so presented.

Section 3.04         Exclusion of Certain Securities from Eligibility for Selection for Redemption.  Securities shall be excluded from eligibility for selection for redemption if they are identified by registration and certificate number in a written statement signed by an authorized officer of the Company and delivered to the Trustee at least 40 days prior to the last date on which notice of redemption may be given as being owned of record and beneficially by, and not pledged or hypothecated by, either (a) the Company or (b) an entity specifically identified in such written statement as directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with the Company.

Section 3.05         Federal Reserve Approval.  No notice of redemption or redemption shall be given or made without any required prior Federal Reserve approval.

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ARTICLE IV

COVENANTS

Section 4.01         Payment of Securities.  The Company shall pay the Principal of and interest on the Securities on the dates and in the manner provided in the Securities and this Indenture.  The interest on Securities with coupons attached (together with any additional amounts payable pursuant to the terms of such Securities) shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of the several coupons for such interest installments as are evidenced thereby as they severally mature.  The interest on any temporary Unregistered Securities (together with any additional amounts payable pursuant to the terms of such Securities) shall be paid, as to the installments of interest evidenced by coupons attached thereto, if any, only upon presentation and surrender thereof, and, as to the other installments of interest, if any, only upon presentation of such Unregistered Securities for notation thereon of the payment of such interest.  The interest on Registered Securities (together with any additional amounts payable pursuant to the terms of such Securities) shall be payable only to the Holders thereof (subject to Section 2.04) and at the option of the Company may be paid by mailing checks for such interest payable to or upon the written order of such Holders at their last addresses as they appear on the Security Register of the Company.

Notwithstanding any provisions of this Indenture and the Securities of any series to the contrary, if the Company and a Holder of any Registered Security so agree, payments of interest on, and any portion of the Principal of, such Holder’s Registered Security (other than interest payable at maturity or on any redemption or repayment date or the final payment of Principal on such Security) shall be made by the Paying Agent, upon receipt from the Company of immediately available funds by 10:00 A.M., New York City time (or such other time as may be agreed to between the Company and the Paying Agent), directly to the Holder of such Security (by Federal funds wire transfer or otherwise) if the Holder has delivered written instructions to the Trustee 15 days prior to such payment date requesting that such payment will be so made and designating the bank account to which such payments shall be so made and in the case of payments of Principal, surrenders the same to the Trustee in exchange for a Security or Securities aggregating the same principal amount as the unredeemed principal amount of the Securities surrendered.  The Trustee shall be entitled to rely on the last instruction delivered by the Holder pursuant to this Section 4.01 unless a new instruction is delivered 15 days prior to a payment date.  The Company will indemnify and hold each of the Trustee and any Paying Agent harmless against any loss, liability or expense (including attorneys’ fees) resulting from any act or omission to act on the part of the Company or any such Holder in connection with any such agreement or from making any payment in accordance with any such agreement.

The Company shall pay interest on overdue Principal, and interest on overdue installments of interest, to the extent lawful, at the rate per annum specified in the Securities.

Section 4.02         Maintenance of Office or Agency.  The Company will maintain in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, or St. Paul, Minnesota, an office or agency where Securities may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange or for presentation for payment and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities and this Indenture may be served.  The Company hereby initially designates the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, located in St. Paul, Minnesota, as such office or agency of the Company.  The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of the location, and any change in the location, of such office or agency.  If at any time the Company shall fail to maintain any such required office or agency or shall fail to furnish the Trustee with the address thereof, such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands may be made or served at the address of the Trustee set forth in Section 10.02.

The Company will maintain one or more agencies in a city or cities located outside the United States (including any city in which such an agency is required to be maintained under the rules of any stock exchange on which the Securities of any series are listed) where the Unregistered Securities, if any, of each series and coupons, if any, appertaining thereto may be presented for payment.  No payment on any Unregistered Security or coupon will be made upon presentation of such Unregistered Security or

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coupon at an agency of the Company within the United States nor will any payment be made by transfer to an account in, or by mail to an address in, the United States unless, pursuant to applicable United States laws and regulations then in effect, such payment can be made without adverse tax consequences to the Company.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, if full payment in United States Dollars (“Dollars”) at each agency maintained by the Company outside the United States for payment on such Unregistered Securities or coupons appertaining thereto is illegal or effectively precluded by exchange controls or other similar restrictions, payments in Dollars of Unregistered Securities of any series and coupons appertaining thereto which are payable in Dollars may be made at an agency of the Company maintained in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, or St. Paul, Minnesota.

The Company may also from time to time designate one or more other offices or agencies where the Securities of any series may be presented or surrendered for any or all such purposes and may from time to time rescind such designations; provided that no such designation or rescission shall in any manner relieve the Company of its obligation to maintain an office or agency in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, or St. Paul, Minnesota, for such purposes.  The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of any such designation or rescission and of any change in the location of any such other office or agency.

Section 4.03         Securityholders’ Lists.  If the Trustee is not the Registrar, the Company will furnish or cause to be furnished to the Trustee a list in such form as the Trustee may reasonably require of the names and addresses of the holders of the Securities pursuant to Section 312 of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (a) semi-annually not more than 15 days after each record date for the payment of semi-annual interest on the Securities, as hereinabove specified, as of such record date, and (b) at such other times as the Trustee may request in writing, within thirty days after receipt by the Company of any such request as of a date not more than 15 days prior to the time such information is furnished.

Section 4.04         Certificate to Trustee.  The Company will furnish to the Trustee annually, on or before a date not more than four months after the end of its fiscal year (which, on the date hereof, is a calendar year), a brief certificate (which need not contain the statements required by Section 10.04) from its principal executive, financial or accounting officer as to his or her knowledge of the compliance of the Company with all conditions and covenants under this Indenture (such compliance to be determined without regard to any period of grace or requirement of notice provided under this Indenture) which certificate shall comply with the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act.

Section 4.05         Reports by the Company.  The Company covenants to file with the Trustee, within 15 days after the Company files the same with the Commission, copies of the annual reports and of the information, documents, and other reports which the Company may be required to file with the Commission pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act.  All required information, documents and other reports referred to in this Section 4.05 shall be deemed filed with the Trustee and transmitted to the Holders at the time such information, documents or other reports are publicly filed with the Commission via the Commission’s EDGAR filing system (or any successor system).

Delivery of such reports, information and documents to the Trustee is for informational purposes only and the Trustee’s receipt of such shall not constitute constructive notice of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including the Company’s compliance with any of its covenants hereunder (as to which the Trustee is entitled to rely exclusively on Officers’ Certificates or certificates delivered pursuant to Section 4.04).

Section 4.06         Additional Amounts.  If the Securities of a series provide for the payment of additional amounts, at least 10 days prior to the first interest payment date with respect to that series of Securities and at least 10 days prior to each date of payment of Principal of or interest on the Securities of

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that series if there has been a change with respect to the matters set forth in the below- mentioned Officers’ Certificate, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee and the principal paying agent, if other than the Trustee, an Officers’ Certificate instructing the Trustee and such paying agent whether such payment of Principal of or interest on the Securities of that series shall be made to Holders of the Securities of that series without withholding or deduction for or on account of any tax, assessment or other governmental charge described in the Securities of that series.  If any such withholding or deduction shall be required, then such Officers’ Certificate shall specify by country the amount, if any, required to be withheld or deducted on such payments to such Holders and shall certify the fact that additional amounts will be payable and the amounts so payable to each Holder, and the Company shall pay to the Trustee or such paying agent the additional amounts required to be paid by this Section.  The Company covenants to indemnify the Trustee and any paying agent for, and to hold them harmless against, any loss, liability or expense reasonably incurred without gross negligence or bad faith on their part arising out of or in connection with actions taken or omitted by any of them in reliance on any Officers’ Certificate furnished pursuant to this Section or in the event the Trustee shall not withhold or deduct any sums as a result of the non-receipt of such an Officers’ Certificate.

Whenever in this Indenture there is mentioned, in any context, the payment of the Principal of or interest or any other amounts on, or in respect of, any Security of any series, such mention shall be deemed to include mention of the payment of additional amounts provided by the terms of such series established hereby or pursuant hereto to the extent that, in such context, additional amounts are, were or would be payable in respect thereof pursuant to such terms, and express mention of the payment of additional amounts (if applicable) in any provision hereof shall not be construed as excluding the payment of additional amounts in those provisions hereof where such express mention is not made.

Section 4.07         Calculation of Original Issue Discount.  If applicable, the Company shall file with the Trustee promptly after the end of each calendar year (i) written notice specifying the amount of original issue discount (including daily rates and accrual periods) accrued on outstanding Original Issue Discount Securities as of the end of such year and (ii) such other specific information relating to such original issue discount as may be required to be provided to the Trustee or to the holders of the Securities pursuant to the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the regulations issued thereunder.

ARTICLE V

SUCCESSOR CORPORATION

Section 5.01         When Company May Merge, Etc.  The Company shall not consolidate with, merge with or into, or sell, convey, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of its property and assets (in one transaction or a series of related transactions) to, any Person unless either (x) the Company shall be the continuing Person or (y) the Person (if other than the Company) formed by such consolidation or into which the Company is merged or to which properties and assets of the Company shall be sold, conveyed, transferred, leased or conveyed shall be an entity organized and validly existing under the laws of the United States of America, any state thereof or the District of Columbia or any jurisdiction thereof and shall expressly assume, by a supplemental indenture, executed and delivered to the Trustee, all of the obligations of the Company on all of the Securities and under this Indenture and the performance of every other covenant of this Indenture on the part of the Company and the Company in the case of clauses (x) and (y) shall have delivered to the Trustee (A) an Opinion of Counsel stating that such consolidation, merger or sale, conveyance, transfer, lease or other disposition and such supplemental indenture (if any) complies with this provision and that all conditions precedent provided for herein relating to such transaction have been complied with and that such supplemental indenture (if any) constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of the Company and such successor enforceable against such entity in accordance with its terms, subject to customary exceptions and (B) an Officers’

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Certificate to the effect that immediately after giving effect to such transaction, no default and no event which, after notice or lapse of time, or both, would become an Event of Default, shall have occurred and be continuing.

Section 5.02         Successor Substituted.  Upon any consolidation or merger, or any sale, conveyance, transfer, lease or other disposition of all or substantially all of the property and assets of the Company in accordance with Section 5.01 of this Indenture, the successor Person formed by such consolidation or into which the Company is merged or to which such sale, conveyance, transfer, lease or other disposition is made shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Company under this Indenture with the same effect as if such successor Person had been named as the Company herein and thereafter the predecessor Person, except in the case of a lease, shall be relieved of all obligations and covenants under this Indenture and the Securities.

ARTICLE VI

REMEDIES OF THE TRUSTEE AND SECURITYHOLDERS ON EVENT OF DEFAULT

Section 6.01         Events Of Default.

“Event of Default”, when used herein with respect to the Securities of any series, means any one of the following events (whatever the reason for such Event of Default and whether it shall be occasioned by the provisions of Article 11 or be voluntary or involuntary or be effected by operation of law or pursuant to any judgment, decree or order of any court or any order, rule or regulation of any administrative or governmental body):

(a)           failure to pay any interest upon the Securities of any series as and when it becomes due and payable, which default continues for a period of 30 days;

(b)           failure to pay the Principal of any of the Securities as and when it becomes due and payable;

(c)           failure on the part of the Company duly to observe or perform any other of the covenants or agreements on the part of the Company in the Securities of such series or in this Indenture with respect to any Security of such series, and continuance of such failure for a period of 90 days after the date on which written notice of such failure, requiring the Company to remedy the same, shall have been given to the Company by the Trustee, or to the Company and the Trustee by the Holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of such series at the time outstanding;

(d)           a court having jurisdiction in the premises shall enter a decree or order for relief in respect of the Company in an involuntary case under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law now or hereafter in effect, or appointing a receiver, liquidator, assignee, custodian, trustee, sequestrator (or similar official) of the Company or for any substantial part of its property, or ordering the winding up or liquidation of its affairs and such decree or order shall remain unstayed and in effect for a period of 60 consecutive days;

(e)           the Company shall commence a voluntary case under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law now or hereafter in effect, or shall consent to the entry of an order for relief in an involuntary case under any such law, or shall consent to the appointment of or taking possession by a receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee, custodian, sequestrator (or similar official) of the Company or for any substantial part of its property, or shall make any general assignment for the benefit

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of creditors, or shall fail generally to pay its debts as they become due or shall take any corporate action in furtherance of any of the foregoing; or

(f)            any other Event of Default established pursuant to Section 2.03 with respect to the Securities of such series occurs.

If an Event of Default described in clause (d) or (e) above occurs and is continuing, then and in each such case either the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of any such series then outstanding hereunder (each such series treated as a separate class), by notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given by Securityholders), may declare the principal amount (or, if the Securities of any such series are Original Issue Discount Securities, such portion of the principal amount as may be specified in the terms of such series established pursuant to Section 2.03) of all Securities of such series to be due and payable immediately, and upon any such declaration the same shall become and shall be immediately due and payable.  This provision, however, is subject to the condition that, at any time after such a declaration of acceleration, and before any judgment or decree for the payment of the money due shall have been obtained or entered as hereinafter provided, the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of such series then outstanding, by written notice to the Company and to the Trustee, may waive all defaults and rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences, if:

(i)            the Company shall pay or shall deposit with the Trustee a sum sufficient to pay:

(A)          all matured installments of interest on all the Securities of such series (with interest on overdue installments of interest (to the extent that payment of such interest is enforceable under applicable law) at the rate borne by the Securities of such series (or Yield to Maturity, in the case of Original Issue Discount Securities) to the date of such payment or deposit); and

(B)          all sums paid or advanced by the Trustee hereunder and the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel and any other amounts due the Trustee under Section 7.07; and

(ii)           any and all defaults with respect to Securities of such series under this Indenture, other than the nonpayment of Principal and accrued interest on Securities on such series that shall have become due by acceleration, shall have been cured or waived as provided in Section 6.07.

No such waiver or rescission and annulment shall extend or shall affect any subsequent default or shall impair any right consequent thereon.

Unless otherwise expressly provided with respect to a series of Securities, there is no right of acceleration upon the occurrence of an Event of Default described in clauses (a), (b), (c) or (f) above.

For all purposes under this Indenture, if a portion of the principal of any Original Issue Discount Securities shall have been accelerated and declared or become due and payable pursuant to the provisions hereof, then, from and after such declaration, unless such declaration has been rescinded and annulled, the principal amount of such Original Issue Discount Securities shall be deemed, for all purposes hereunder, to be such portion of the principal thereof as shall be due and payable as a result of such acceleration, and payment of such portion of the principal thereof as shall be due and payable as a result of such acceleration, together with interest, if any, thereon and all other amounts owing thereunder, shall constitute payment in full of such Original Issue Discount Securities.

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In case the Trustee or any Securityholder shall have proceeded to enforce any right under this Indenture and such proceedings shall have been discontinued or abandoned because of such rescission or annulment or for any other reason or shall have been determined adversely to the Trustee or any Securityholder, then and in every such case the Company, the Trustee and such Securityholders, subject to any determination in such proceeding, shall be restored respectively to their several positions and rights under this Indenture, and all rights, remedies and powers of the Company, the Trustee and such Securityholders shall continue as though no such proceeding had been taken.

Section 6.02Payment of Securities on Default; Suit Therefor.

(a)In case default shall be made in the payment of (i) any installment of interest upon any Securities of any series as and when the same shall become due and payable (after giving effect to any deferral period applicable to the Securities of such series established pursuant to Section 2.03(d)), and such default shall have continued for a period of 30 days, or (ii) the principal of any of the Securities of such series as and when the same shall have become due and payable, by declaration as authorized by this Indenture or otherwise, then, upon demand of the Trustee, the Company will pay to the Trustee, for the benefit of the Holders of the Securities of such series, the whole amount that then shall have become due and payable on all such Securities for Principal or interest, or any combination thereof, as the case may be, with interest upon the portion of the overdue Principal that consists of principal and (to the extent that payment of such interest is enforceable under applicable law) upon the overdue installments of interest, at the rate borne by the Securities of such series or Yield to Maturity (in the case of Original Issue Discount Securities); and, in addition, such further amount as shall be sufficient to cover the costs and expenses of collection, including reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agent, attorneys and counsel.

(b)In case the Company shall fail forthwith to pay such amounts upon such demand, the Trustee, in its own name and as trustee of an express trust, shall be entitled and empowered to institute any actions or proceedings at law or in equity for the collection of the sums so due and unpaid, and may prosecute any such action or proceeding to judgment or final decree, and may enforce any such judgment or final decree against the Company or any other obligor on the Securities of any series and collect in the manner provided by law out of the property of the Company or any other obligor on the Securities of such series, wherever situated, the money adjudged or decreed to be payable.

(c)In case there shall be pending proceedings for the bankruptcy or for the reorganization of the Company or any other obligor on the Securities of any series under Title 11 of the United States Code or any other applicable law, or in case a receiver or trustee shall have been appointed for the property of the Company or such other obligor, or in the case of any other similar judicial proceedings relative to the Company or other obligor on the Securities of such series, or to the creditors or property of the Company or such other obligor, the Trustee, irrespective of whether the principal of the Securities of such series shall then be due and payable as expressed in the Securities of such series or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Trustee shall have made any demand pursuant to the provisions of this Section 6.02, shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceedings or otherwise, to file and prove a claim or claims for the whole amount of Principal and interest owing and unpaid in respect of the Securities of such series, and, in case of any judicial proceedings, (i) to file such proofs of claim and other papers or documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Trustee (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel and reimbursement of all other expenses and liabilities incurred by the Trustee) and of the Securityholders allowed in such judicial proceedings relative to the Company or any other obligor on the Securities of such series, its or their creditors, or its or their property, and (ii) to collect and receive any money or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims, and to distribute the same after the deduction of its charges and expenses; and any receiver, assignee or trustee in

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bankruptcy or reorganization is hereby authorized by each of the Securityholders to make such payments to the Trustee, and in the event that the Trustee shall consent to the making of such payment directly to the Securityholders, to pay to the Trustee any amount due it for reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and its counsel and any other amounts due the Trustee under Section 7.07.  To the extent that such payment of reasonable compensation, expenses and counsel fees out of the trust estate in any such proceedings shall be denied for any reason, payment of the same shall be secured by a lien on, and shall be paid out of, any and all distributions, dividends, money, securities and other property which the Holders of the Securities of such series may be entitled to receive in such proceedings, whether in liquidation or under any plan of reorganization or arrangement or otherwise.

(d)Nothing contained in this Section 6.02 shall be deemed to authorize the Trustee to authorize or consent to or adopt on behalf of any Securityholder any plan of reorganization or arrangement affecting the Securities of any series or the rights of any Securityholder, or to authorize the Trustee to vote in respect of the claim of any Securityholder in any such proceeding.

(e)All rights of action and of asserting claims under this Indenture, or under any of the Securities of any series, may be enforced by the Trustee without the possession of any of the Securities of such series, or the production thereof in any trial or other proceeding relative thereto, and any such suit or proceeding instituted by the Trustee shall be brought in its own name as trustee of an express trust, and any recovery of judgment, after provision for the payment of the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, shall be for the ratable benefit of the Holders of the Securities of such series.

Section 6.03Application of Money Collected by Trustee.  Any money collected by the Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series pursuant to Section 6.02 shall be applied in the following order, at the date or dates fixed by the Trustee for the distribution of such money, upon presentation of the Securities of such series and stamping thereon the payment, if only partially paid, and upon surrender thereof if fully paid, subject in each case to Article 11:

FIRST:  to the payment of costs and expenses applicable to such Securities in respect of which moneys have been collected, including reasonable compensation to the Trustee its agents and counsel and of all expenses and liabilities incurred, including the costs and expenses of collection, and all advances made, by the Trustee and each predecessor Trustee and all amounts then due the Trustee under Section 7.07;

SECOND:  in case the principal of the outstanding Securities of such series shall not have become due and shall be unpaid, to the payment of interest on the Securities of such series in the order of the maturity of the installments of such interest, with interest (to the extent enforceable under applicable law) upon the overdue installments of interest at the rate borne by the Securities of such series or Yield to Maturity (in the case of Original Issue Discount Securities), such payments to be made ratably to the persons entitled thereto;

THIRD:  in case the principal of the outstanding Securities of such series shall have become due, by declaration or otherwise, to the payment of the whole amount then owing and unpaid upon the Securities of such series for Principal and interest, with interest on the portion of the overdue Principal that consists of principal and (to the extent enforceable under applicable law) upon overdue installments of interest at the rate borne by the Securities of such series or Yield to Maturity (in the case of Original Issue Discount Securities); and in case such money shall be insufficient to pay in full the whole amount so due and unpaid upon the Securities of such series, then to the payment of such Principal and interest without preference or priority of Principal over interest or Yield to Maturity, or of interest or Yield to

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Maturity over Principal, or of any installment of interest over any other installment of interest, or of any Security of such series over any other Security of such series, ratably to the aggregate of such Principal and accrued and unpaid interest or Yield to Maturity; and

FOURTH:  to the payment of the remainder, if any, to the Company or such party as a court of competent jurisdiction shall direct.

Section 6.04Proceedings by Securityholders.  No Holder of any Security of any series shall have any right to institute any suit, action or proceeding in equity or at law upon or under or with respect to this Indenture or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee, or for any other remedy under this Indenture, unless such Holder previously shall have given to the Trustee written notice of default and of the continuance thereof, as provided in Section 6.01, and unless also (i) the Holders of not less than 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of such series then outstanding shall have made written request upon the Trustee to institute such action, suit or proceeding in its own name as Trustee under this Indenture and shall have offered to the Trustee such reasonable security or indemnity as the Trustee may require against the costs, expenses and liabilities to be incurred in compliance with such request, (ii) the Trustee for 60 days after its receipt of such notice, request and offer of indemnity shall have neglected or refused to institute any such action, suit or proceeding and (iii) no direction inconsistent with such written request has been given to the Trustee during such 60-day period by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of such series; it being understood and intended, and being expressly covenanted by each Person who acquires and holds a Security of any series with every other such Person, that no one or more Holders of Securities of any series shall have any right in any manner whatever by virtue of or by availing of any provision of this Indenture to affect, disturb or prejudice the rights of any other Holder of Securities, or to obtain or seek to obtain priority over or preference to any other such Holder, or to enforce any right under this Indenture, except in the manner provided in this Section 6.04 and for the equal, ratable and common benefit of all Holders of Securities.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture, however, the right of any Holder of any Security of any series to receive payment of the Principal and interest on such Security on or after the respective due dates, or to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after such respective dates against the Company, shall not be impaired or affected without the consent of such Holder.

Section 6.05Proceedings by Trustee.  In case of an Event of Default under this Indenture, the Trustee in its discretion may proceed to protect and enforce its rights and the rights of the Securityholders by such appropriate judicial proceedings as the Trustee shall deem most effectual to protect and enforce any such rights, either by suit in equity or by action at law or by proceeding in bankruptcy or otherwise, whether for the specific enforcement of any covenant or agreement contained in this Indenture or in aid of the exercise of any power granted in this Indenture, or to enforce any other proper remedy or legal or equitable right vested in the Trustee by this Indenture or by law.

Section 6.06Remedies Cumulative and Continuing; Delay or Omission Not Waiver.  All rights, powers and remedies conferred upon or reserved to the Trustee or to the Securityholders, to the extent permitted by law, shall be deemed cumulative and not exclusive of any thereof or of any other rights, powers and remedies available to the Trustee or the Holders of the Securities of any series, now or hereafter existing, by judicial proceedings or otherwise, to enforce the performance or observance of the covenants and agreements contained in this Indenture; and no delay or omission of the Trustee or of any Holder of any of the Securities of any series to exercise any such right, power or remedy shall impair any such right, power or remedy, or shall be construed to be a waiver of any default or an acquiescence in such default; and subject to the provisions of Section 6.04, every power and remedy conferred upon or reserved to the Trustee or the Securityholders may be exercised from time to time, and as often as shall be

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deemed expedient, by the Trustee or by the Securityholders.  The assertion of any right, power or remedy shall not prevent the concurrent assertion of any other right, power or remedy.

Section 6.07Direction of Proceedings and Waiver of Defaults by Majority of Securityholders.

(a)The Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount (or, if the Securities are Original Issue Discount Securities, such portion of the principal as is then accelerable under Section 6.01) of the Securities of any series affected (voting as one class) at the time outstanding determined in accordance with Section 2.09 shall have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series; provided, however, that (i) such direction may not be in conflict with law or this Indenture or expose the Trustee to personal liability or be unduly prejudicial to the Holders of Securities not joining in the direction, and (ii) the Trustee may take any other action deemed proper by the Trustee that is not inconsistent with this Indenture and such direction.

(b)Prior to any declaration that the principal of the outstanding Securities of any series affected is due and payable, the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount (or, if the Securities are Original Issue Discount Securities, such portion of the principal as is then accelerable under Section 6.01) of the Securities of such series at the time outstanding on behalf of the Holders of all of the Securities of such series may waive any past default or Event of Default under this Indenture and its consequences except a default under a covenant or provision in this Indenture that, pursuant to Section 9.02, cannot be modified without the consent of each Holder of a Security of such series affected thereby.  Upon any such waiver, the Company, the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities of such series shall be restored to their former positions and rights under this Indenture, respectively; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other default or Event of Default or impair any right consequent thereon.  Whenever any default or Event of Default under this Indenture shall have been waived as permitted by this Section 6.07(b), such default or Event of Default, for all purposes of the Securities of such series and this Indenture, shall be deemed to have been cured and to be not continuing.

Section 6.08Notice of Defaults.  The Trustee, within 90 days after the occurrence of a default with respect to Securities of any series, shall mail to all Securityholders of Securities of such series, at their addresses shown on the Security Register, notice of all such defaults known to the Trustee, unless such defaults shall have been cured or waived before the giving of such notice; provided that, except in the case of default in the payment of the Principal or interest on any of the Securities of such series, the Trustee shall be protected in withholding such notice if and so long as the board of directors, the executive committee or a trust committee of directors and/or Responsible Officers of the Trustee in good faith determines that the withholding of such notice is in the interest of the Securityholders.

The Trustee shall not be deemed to have notice or be charged with knowledge of any default or Event of Default unless written notice of such default or Event of Default from the Company or any Holder actually is received by a Responsible Officer of the Trustee at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, and such notice references the Securities and this Indenture.

Section 6.09Undertaking to Pay Costs.  All parties to this Indenture agree, and each Holder of any Security of any series by his acceptance thereof shall be deemed to have agreed, that any court in its discretion may require, in any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under this Indenture, or in any suit against the Trustee for any action taken or omitted by it as Trustee, the filing by any party litigant in such suit of an undertaking to pay the costs of such suit and that such court in its discretion may assess reasonable costs, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, against any party litigant in such suit, having due regard to the merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by such party litigant; provided, however, that the provisions of this Section 6.09 shall not apply to any suit instituted by the Trustee, to

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any suit instituted by any Securityholder, or group of Securityholders, holding in the aggregate more than 10% in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of such series, or to any suit instituted by any Securityholder for the enforcement of the payment of the Principal or interest on any Security of such series on or after their respective due dates.

ARTICLE VII

TRUSTEE

Section 7.01Certain Duties and Responsibilities.

(a)Except during the continuance of an Event of Default,

(i)the Trustee undertakes to perform such duties and only such duties as are specifically set forth in this Indenture and the Trust Indenture Act, and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Indenture against the Trustee; and

(ii)in the absence of bad faith on its part, the Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon Officers’ Certificates or Opinions of Counsel furnished to the Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this Indenture; but in the case of any such Officers’ Certificates or Opinions of Counsel which by any provision hereof are specifically required to be furnished to the Trustee, the Trustee shall be under a duty to examine the same to determine whether or not they conform to the requirements of this Indenture (but need not confirm or investigate the accuracy of mathematical calculations or other facts, statements, opinions or conclusions stated therein).

(b)In case an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Trustee shall exercise such of the rights and powers vested in it by this Indenture, and use the same degree of care and skill in their exercise, as a prudent person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of his or her own affairs.

(c)No provision of this Indenture shall be construed to relieve the Trustee from liability for its own negligent action, its own negligent failure to act, or its own willful misconduct, except that:

(i)this subsection (c) shall not be construed to limit the effect of the other subsections of this Section 7.01;

(ii)the Trustee shall not be liable for any error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer, unless it shall be proved that the Trustee was negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts; and

(iii)the Trustee shall not be liable with respect to any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with the direction of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of any series, determined as provided herein, relating to the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Trustee, under this Indenture with respect to the Securities of such series.

(d)No provision of this Indenture shall require the Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance of any of its duties hereunder, or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers, if it shall have reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or adequate indemnity against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it.

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(e)Whether or not therein expressly so provided, every provision of this Indenture relating to the conduct or affecting the liability of or affording protection to the Trustee shall be subject to the provisions of this Section 7.01.

(f)The Trustee shall not be liable for interest on any money received by it except as the Trustee may agree in writing with the Company.  Money held in trust by the Trustee need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.

(g)The Trustee shall not be responsible for the application of any money by any Paying Agent other than the Trustee.

Section 7.02Certain Rights of Trustee.  Subject to Trust Indenture Act Sections 315(a) through (d):

(a)The Trustee may conclusively rely and shall be protected in acting or refraining from acting upon any resolution, certificate, Officers’ Certificate, Opinion of Counsel (or both), statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper person or persons.

(b)Before the Trustee acts or refrains from acting, it may require an Officers’ Certificate and/or an Opinion of Counsel, which shall conform to Section 10.04 and shall cover such other matters as the Trustee may reasonably request.  The Trustee shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith in reliance on such certificate or opinion.  Subject to Sections 7.01 and 7.02, whenever in the administration of the trusts of this Indenture the Trustee shall deem it necessary or desirable that a matter be proved or established prior to taking or suffering or omitting any action hereunder, such matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of negligence or bad faith on the part of the Trustee, be deemed to be conclusively proved and established by an Officers’ Certificate delivered to the Trustee, and such certificate, in the absence of negligence or bad faith on the part of the Trustee, shall be full warrant to the Trustee for any action taken, suffered or omitted by it under the provisions of this Indenture upon the faith thereof.

(c)The Trustee may act through its attorneys and agents not regularly in its employ and shall not be responsible for the misconduct or negligence of any agent or attorney appointed with due care.

(d)Any request, direction, order or demand of the Company mentioned herein shall be sufficiently evidenced by an Officers’ Certificate (unless other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed); and any Board Resolution may be evidenced to the Trustee by a copy thereof certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company.

(e)The Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Indenture at the request, order or direction of any of the Holders, unless such Holders shall have offered to the Trustee reasonable security or indemnity against the costs, expenses and liabilities that might be incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction.

(f)The Trustee shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith that it believes to be authorized or within its rights or powers or for any action it takes or omits to take in accordance with the direction of the Holders in accordance with Section 6.07(a) relating to the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Trustee, under this Indenture.

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(g)The Trustee may consult with counsel and the written advice of such counsel or any Opinion of Counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it hereunder in good faith and in reliance thereon.

(h)Subject to Section 6.04, the Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, Officers’ Certificate, Opinion of Counsel (or both), statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document unless requested in writing to do so by the Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of all series affected then outstanding; provided that, if the payment within a reasonable time to the Trustee of the costs, expenses or liabilities likely to be incurred by it in the making of such investigation is, in the opinion of the Trustee, not reasonably assured to the Trustee by the security afforded to it by the terms of this Indenture, the Trustee may require reasonable indemnity against such expenses or liabilities as a condition to proceeding.  The reasonable expenses of every such investigation shall be paid by the Company or, if paid by the Trustee shall be repaid by the Company upon demand.

(i)The Trustee shall not be deemed to have notice of any default or Event of Default (other than any Event of Default under Section 6.01(a), 6.01(b) or 6.01(c)) unless a Responsible Officer of the Trustee has actual knowledge thereof or unless written notice of such default or Event of Default is received by the Trustee at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee.

(j)The rights, privileges, protections, immunities and benefits given to the Trustee, including, without limitation, its right to be indemnified, are extended to, and shall be enforceable by, the Trustee in each of its capacities hereunder, and each agent, custodian and other Person employed to act hereunder.

Section 7.03Individual Rights of Trustee.  The Trustee, in its individual or any other capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of Securities and may otherwise deal with the Company or its Affiliates with the same rights it would have if it were not the Trustee.  Any Agent may do the same with like rights.  However, the Trustee is subject to Trust Indenture Act Sections 310(b) and 311.  For purposes of Trust Indenture Act Section 311(b)(4) and (6), the following terms shall mean:

(a)“cash transaction” means any transaction in which full payment for goods or securities sold is made within seven days after delivery of the goods or securities in currency or in checks or other orders drawn upon banks or bankers and payable upon demand; and

(b)“self-liquidating paper” means any draft, bill of exchange, acceptance or obligation which is made, drawn, negotiated or incurred by the Company for the purpose of financing the purchase, processing, manufacturing, shipment, storage or sale of goods, wares or merchandise and which is secured by documents evidencing title to, possession of, or a lien upon, the goods, wares or merchandise or the receivables or proceeds arising from the sale of the goods, wares or merchandise previously constituting the security, provided the security is received by the Trustee simultaneously with the creation of the creditor relationship with the Company arising from the making, drawing, negotiating or incurring of the draft, bill of exchange, acceptance or obligation.

Section 7.04Trustee’s Disclaimer.  The recitals contained herein and in the Securities (except the Trustee’s certificate of authentication) shall be taken as statements of the Company and not of the Trustee and the Trustee assumes no responsibility for the correctness of the same.  Neither the Trustee nor any of its agents (a) makes any representation as to the validity or adequacy of this Indenture or the Securities and (b) shall be accountable for the Company’s use or application of the proceeds from the Securities.

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Section 7.05[Intentionally Omitted].

Section 7.06Reports by Trustee to Holders.  The Trustee shall transmit to Holders such reports concerning the Trustee and its actions under this Indenture as may be required pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act at the times and in the manner provided pursuant thereto.  If required by Section 313(a) of the Trust Indenture Act, the Trustee shall, within 60 days after each May 31 following the date of this Indenture, deliver to Holders a brief report, dated as of such May 31, which complies with the provisions of such Section 313(a).  The Trustee also shall comply with Trust Indenture Act §§ 313(b), 313(c) and 313(d).

A copy of each such report shall, at the time of such transmission to Holders, be filed by the Trustee with each stock exchange upon which any Securities are listed, with the Commission and with the Company.  The Company will promptly notify the Trustee when any Securities are listed on any stock exchange.

Section 7.07Compensation and Indemnity.  The Company shall pay to the Trustee such compensation as shall be agreed upon in writing from time to time for its services.  The compensation of the Trustee shall not be limited by any law on compensation of a Trustee of an express trust.  The Company shall reimburse the Trustee and any predecessor Trustee upon request for all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses, disbursements and advances (including reasonable compensation and the expenses and disbursements of its agents and counsel) incurred or made by the Trustee or such predecessor Trustee.  Such expenses shall include the reasonable compensation and expenses of the Trustee’s or such predecessor Trustee’s agents, counsel and other persons not regularly in their employ.

The Company shall indemnify the Trustee and any predecessor Trustee and their respective officers, directors, employees and agents for, and hold them harmless against, any loss or liability or expense incurred by them without negligence or bad faith on their part arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of this Indenture and the Securities or the issuance of the Securities or of series thereof or the trusts hereunder and the performance of duties under this Indenture and the Securities, including the costs and expenses of defending themselves against or investigating any claim or liability and of complying with any process served upon them or any of their officers in connection with the exercise or performance of any of their powers or duties under this Indenture and the Securities.

To secure the Company’s payment obligations in this Section 7.07, the Trustee shall have a lien prior to the Securities on all money or property held or collected by the Trustee, in its capacity as Trustee, except money or property held in trust to pay Principal of, and interest on particular Securities.

The obligations of the Company under this Section to compensate and indemnify the Trustee and each predecessor Trustee and to pay or reimburse the Trustee and each predecessor Trustee for expenses, disbursements and advances shall constitute additional indebtedness hereunder and shall survive the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, the rejection or termination of this Indenture under bankruptcy law or the resignation or removal of the Trustee.  Such additional indebtedness shall be a senior claim to that of the Securities upon all property and funds held or collected by the Trustee as such, except funds held in trust for the benefit of the Holders of particular Securities or coupons, and the Securities are hereby subordinated to such senior claim.  Without prejudice to any other rights available to the Trustee under applicable law, if the Trustee renders services and incurs expenses (including reasonable charges and expenses of its counsel) following an Event of Default set forth in Section 6.01(d) or (e), the parties hereto and the holders by their acceptance of the Securities hereby agree that such expenses are intended to constitute expenses of administration under any bankruptcy law.

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Section 7.08Replacement of Trustee.  A resignation or removal of the Trustee as Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series and appointment of a successor Trustee as Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series shall become effective only upon the successor Trustee’s acceptance of appointment as provided in this Section 7.08.

The Trustee may resign as Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series at any time by so notifying the Company in writing.  The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of any series may remove the Trustee as Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series by so notifying the Trustee in writing and may appoint a successor Trustee with respect thereto with the consent of the Company.  The Company may remove the Trustee as Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series if:  (i) the Trustee is no longer eligible under Section 7.11 of this Indenture; (ii) the Trustee is adjudged a bankrupt or insolvent; (iii) a receiver or other public officer takes charge of the Trustee or its property; or (iv) the Trustee becomes incapable of acting.

If the Trustee resigns or is removed as Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series, or if a vacancy exists in the office of Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series for any reason, the Company shall promptly appoint a successor Trustee with respect thereto.  Within one year after the successor Trustee takes office, the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of such series may appoint a successor Trustee in respect of such Securities to replace the successor Trustee appointed by the Company.  If the successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series does not deliver its written acceptance required by Section 7.09 within 30 days after the retiring Trustee resigns or is removed, the retiring Trustee, the Company or the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of such series may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect thereto.

The Company shall give notice of any resignation and any removal of the Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series and each appointment of a successor Trustee in respect of the Securities of such series to all Holders of Securities of such series.  Each notice shall include the name of the successor Trustee and the address of its Corporate Trust Office.

Notwithstanding replacement of the Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series pursuant to this Section 7.08 and Section 7.09, the Company’s obligations under Section 7.07 shall continue for the benefit of the retiring Trustee.

Section 7.09Acceptance of Appointment by Successor.  In case of the appointment hereunder of a successor Trustee with respect to all Securities, every such successor Trustee so appointed shall execute, acknowledge and deliver to the Company and to the retiring Trustee an instrument accepting such appointment, and thereupon the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective and such successor Trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee; but, on the request of the Company or the successor Trustee, such retiring Trustee shall, upon payment of its charges and subject to the lien provided for in Section 7.07, execute and deliver an instrument transferring to such successor Trustee all the rights, powers and trusts of the retiring Trustee and shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee all property and money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder.

In case of the appointment hereunder of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more (but not all) series, the Company, the retiring Trustee and each successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more series shall execute and deliver an indenture supplemental hereto wherein each successor Trustee shall accept such appointment and which (1) shall contain such provisions as shall be necessary or desirable to transfer and confirm to, and to vest in, each successor Trustee all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series to

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which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates, (2) if the retiring Trustee is not retiring with respect to all Securities, shall contain such provisions as shall be deemed necessary or desirable to confirm that all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series as to which the retiring Trustee is not retiring shall continue to be vested in the retiring Trustee, and (3) shall add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee, it being understood that nothing herein or in such supplemental indenture shall constitute such Trustees co-trustees of the same trust and that each such Trustee shall be trustee of a trust or trusts hereunder separate and apart from any trust or trusts hereunder administered by any other such Trustee; and upon the execution and delivery of such supplemental indenture, the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective to the extent provided therein, such retiring Trustee shall have no further responsibility for the exercise of rights and powers or for the performance of the duties and obligations vested in the Trustee under this Indenture with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates other than as hereafter expressly set forth, and each such successor Trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates; but, on request of the Company or any successor Trustee and upon payment of its charges, such retiring Trustee shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee all property and money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates, subject to its lien, if any, provided for in Section 7.07.

Upon request of any such successor Trustee, the Company shall execute any and all instruments for more fully and certainly vesting in and confirming to such successor Trustee all such rights, powers and trusts referred to in the first or second preceding paragraph, as the case may be.

No successor Trustee shall accept its appointment unless at the time of such acceptance such successor Trustee shall be eligible under this Article and qualified under Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Section 7.10Successor Trustee By Merger, Etc.  If the Trustee consolidates with, merges or converts into, or transfers all or substantially all of its corporate trust business to, another corporation or national banking association, the resulting, surviving or transferee corporation or national banking association without any further act shall be the successor Trustee with the same effect as if the successor Trustee had been named as the Trustee herein.

Section 7.11Eligibility.  This Indenture shall always have a Trustee who satisfies the requirements of Trust Indenture Act Section 310(a).  The Trustee shall have a combined capital and surplus of at least $25,000,000 as set forth in its most recent published annual report of condition.

ARTICLE VIII

SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE OF INDENTURE; UNCLAIMED MONEYS

Section 8.01Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture.  If at any time (a) the Company shall have paid or caused to be paid the Principal of and interest on all the Securities of any series outstanding hereunder (other than Securities of such series which have been destroyed, lost or stolen and which have been replaced or paid as provided in Section 2.08) as and when the same shall have become due and payable, or (b) the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee for cancellation all Securities of any series theretofore authenticated (other than any Securities of such series which shall have been destroyed, lost or stolen and which shall have been replaced or paid as provided in Section 2.08) or (c) (i) all the

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securities of such series not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation shall have become due and payable, or are by their terms to become due and payable within one year or, if the provisions of Article III of this Indenture are applicable to such series, are to be called for redemption within one year under arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the giving of notice of redemption, and (ii) the Company shall have irrevocably deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee as trust funds the entire amount in cash (other than moneys repaid by the Trustee or any paying agent to the Company in accordance with Section 8.04) or U.S. Government Obligations, maturing as to principal and interest in such amounts and at such times as will ensure (without consideration of the reinvestment of such interest) the availability of cash, or a combination thereof, sufficient to pay at maturity or, if applicable, upon redemption all Securities of such series (other than any Securities of such series which shall have been destroyed, lost or stolen and which shall have been replaced or paid as provided in Section 2.08) not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, including principal and interest due or to become due on or prior to such date of maturity or redemption as the case may be, and if, in any such case, the Company is not prohibited from making payments in respect of the Securities by Article 11 hereof and shall also pay or cause to be paid all other sums payable hereunder by the Company with respect to Securities of such series, then this Indenture shall cease to be of further effect with respect to Securities of such series (except as to (i) rights of registration of transfer and exchange of securities of such series, and the Company’s right of optional redemption, if any, (ii) substitution of mutilated, defaced, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities, (iii) rights of holders to receive payments of principal thereof and interest thereon, upon the original stated due dates therefor (but not upon acceleration) and remaining rights of the holders to receive mandatory sinking fund payments, if any, (iv) the rights, obligations and immunities of the Trustee hereunder and (v) the rights of the Securityholders of such series as beneficiaries hereof with respect to the property so deposited with the Trustee payable to all or any of them), and the Trustee, on demand of the Company accompanied by an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel and at the cost and expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging such satisfaction of and discharging this Indenture with respect to such series; provided, that the rights of Holders of the Securities to receive amounts in respect of Principal of and interest on the Securities held by them shall not be delayed longer than required by then-applicable mandatory rules or policies of any securities exchange upon which the Securities are listed.  The Company agrees to reimburse the Trustee for any costs or expenses thereafter reasonably and properly incurred and to compensate the Trustee for any services thereafter reasonably and properly rendered by the Trustee in connection with this Indenture or the Securities of such series.

Section 8.02Application by Trustee of Funds Deposited for Payment of Securities.  Subject to Section 8.04, all moneys (including U.S. Government Obligations and the proceeds thereof) deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 8.01, Section 8.05 or Section 8.06 shall be held in trust and applied by it to the payment, either directly or through any paying agent to the Holders of the particular Securities of such series for the payment or redemption of which such moneys have been deposited with the Trustee, of all sums due and to become due thereon for Principal and interest; but such money need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.  Funds and U.S. Government Obligations held in trust under Section 8.01, 8.05 or 8.06 shall not be subject to the claims of the holders of Senior Indebtedness under Article 11.

Section 8.03Repayment of Moneys Held by Paying Agent.  In connection with the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture with respect to Securities of any series, all moneys then held by any paying agent under the provisions of this Indenture with respect to such series of Securities shall, upon demand of the Company, be repaid to it or paid to the Trustee and thereupon such paying agent shall be released from all further liability with respect to such moneys.

Section 8.04Return of Moneys Held by Trustee and Paying Agent Unclaimed for Two Years.  Any moneys deposited with or paid to the Trustee or any paying agent for the payment of the Principal of

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or interest on any Security of any series and not applied but remaining unclaimed for two years after the date upon which such Principal or interest shall have become due and payable, shall, upon the written request of the Company and unless otherwise required by mandatory provisions of applicable escheat or abandoned or unclaimed property law, be repaid to the Company by the Trustee for such series or such paying agent, and the Holder of the Security of such series shall, unless otherwise required by mandatory provisions of applicable escheat or abandoned or unclaimed property laws, thereafter look only to the Company for any payment which such Holder may be entitled to collect, and all liability of the Trustee or any paying agent with respect to such moneys shall thereupon cease.

Section 8.05Defeasance and Discharge of Indenture.  The Company shall be deemed to have paid and shall be discharged from any and all obligations in respect of the Securities of any series, on the 123rd day after the deposit referred to in clause (i) hereof has been made, and the provisions of this Indenture shall no longer be in effect with respect to the Securities of such series (and the Trustee, at the expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging the same), except as to:  (a) rights of registration of transfer and exchange, and the Company’s right of optional redemption, (b) substitution of apparently mutilated, defaced, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities, (c) rights of holders to receive payments of principal thereof and interest thereon, upon the original stated due dates therefor (but not upon acceleration), (d) the rights, obligations and immunities of the Trustee hereunder and (e) the rights of the Securityholders of such series as beneficiaries hereof with respect to the property so deposited with the Trustee payable to all or any of them; provided that the following conditions shall have been satisfied:

(i)with reference to this provision the Company has deposited or caused to be irrevocably deposited with the Trustee (or another qualifying trustee satisfying the requirements of Section 7.11) as trust funds in trust, specifically pledged as security for, and dedicated solely to, the benefit of the Holders of the Securities of such series, (A) money in an amount, or (B) U.S. Government Obligations which through the payment of interest and principal in respect thereof in accordance with their terms will provide not later than one day before the due date of any payment referred to in subclause (x) or (y) of this clause (i) money in an amount, or (C) a combination thereof, sufficient, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay and discharge without consideration of the reinvestment of such interest and after payment of all federal, state and local taxes or other charges and assessments in respect thereof payable by the Trustee (x) the Principal of and each installment of interest on the outstanding Securities of such series on the due dates thereof and (y) any mandatory sinking fund payments or analogous payments applicable to the Securities of such series on the day on which such payments are due and payable in accordance with the terms of Securities of such series and the Indenture with respect to the Securities of such series;

(ii)the Company has delivered to the Trustee either (x) an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that Holders and beneficial owners of Securities of such series will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of the Company’s exercise of its option under this Section 8.05 and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amount and in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such deposit, defeasance and discharge had not occurred, which Opinion of Counsel must be based upon a change in applicable U.S. federal income tax law or a ruling or administrative pronouncement of the Internal Revenue Service to the same effect or (y) a ruling directed to the Trustee received from the Internal Revenue Service to the same effect as the aforementioned Opinion of Counsel;

(iii)immediately after giving effect to such deposit on a pro forma basis, no Event of Default, or event that after the giving of notice or lapse of time or both would become an Event of Default, shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit or during the period ending on

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the 123rd day after the date of such deposit, and such deposit shall not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, any other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which the Company is bound;

(iv)if at such time the Securities of such series are listed on a national securities exchange, the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that the Securities of such series will not be delisted as a result of such deposit, defeasance and discharge;

(v)the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent to the defeasance and discharge under this Section have been complied with; and

(vi)if the Securities of such series are to be redeemed prior to the final maturity thereof (other than from mandatory sinking fund payments or analogous payments), notice of such redemption shall have been duly given pursuant to this Indenture or provision therefor satisfactory to the Trustee shall have been made.

Section 8.06Defeasance of Certain Obligations.  The Company may omit to comply with any term, provision or condition set forth in, and this Indenture will no longer be in effect with respect to, any covenant established pursuant to Section 2.03(r) and Section 6.01(c) (with respect to any covenants established pursuant to Section 2.03(r)) and Section 6.01(f) shall be deemed not to be an Event of Default, if

(a)with reference to this Section 8.06, the Company has deposited or caused to be irrevocably deposited with the Trustee (or another qualifying trustee satisfying the requirements of Section 7.11) as trust funds in trust, specifically pledged as security for, and dedicated solely to, the benefit of the Holders of the Securities of such series and the Indenture with respect to the Securities of such series, (i) money in an amount or (ii) U.S. Government Obligations which through the payment of interest and principal in respect thereof in accordance with their terms will provide not later than one day before the due dates thereof or earlier redemption (irrevocably provided for under agreements satisfactory to the Trustee and the Company), as the case may be, of any payment referred to in subclause (x) or (y) of this clause (a) money in an amount, or (iii) a combination thereof, sufficient, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay and discharge without consideration of the reinvestment of such interest and after payment of all federal, state and local taxes or other charges and assessments in respect thereof payable by the Trustee (x) the Principal of and each installment of interest on the outstanding Securities on the due date thereof or earlier redemption (irrevocably provided for under arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee and the Company), as the case may be, and (y) any mandatory sinking fund payments or analogous payments applicable to the Securities of such series and the Indenture with respect to the Securities of such series on the day on which such payments are due and payable in accordance with the terms of the Indenture and of Securities of such series and the Indenture with respect to the Securities of such series;

(b)the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that Holders and beneficial owners of Securities of such series will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of the Company’s exercise of its option under this Section 8.06 and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amount and in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such deposit and defeasance had not occurred;

(c)immediately after giving effect to such deposit on a pro forma basis, no Event of Default, or event that after the giving of notice or lapse of time or both would become an Event of Default, shall

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have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit or during the period ending on the 123rd day after the date of such deposit, and such deposit shall not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, any other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which the Company is bound;

(d)if at such time the Securities of such series are listed on a national securities exchange, the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that the Securities of such series will not be delisted as a result of such deposit, defeasance and discharge; and

(e)the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent to the defeasance under this Section have been complied with.

Section 8.07Reinstatement.  If the Trustee or paying agent is unable to apply any monies or U.S. Government Obligations in accordance with Article 8 by reason of any legal proceeding or by reason of any order or judgment of any court or governmental authority enjoining, restraining or otherwise prohibiting such application, the Company’s obligations under this Indenture and the Securities shall be revived and reinstated as though no deposit had occurred pursuant to this Article until such time as the Trustee or paying agent is permitted to apply all such monies or U.S. Government Obligations in accordance with Article 8; provided, however, that if the Company has made any payment of Principal of or interest on any Securities because of the reinstatement of its obligations, the Company shall be subrogated to the rights of the Holders of such Securities to receive such payment from the monies or U.S. Government Obligations held by the Trustee or paying agent.

Section 8.08Indemnity.  The Company shall pay and indemnify the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee, collectively for purposes of this Section 8.08 and Section 8.02, the “Trustee”) against any tax, fee or other charge, imposed on or assessed against the U.S. Government Obligations deposited pursuant to Section 8.01, 8.05 or 8.06 or the principal or interest received in respect thereof other than any such tax, fee or other charge which by law is for the account of the Holders of the Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto.

Section 8.09Excess Funds.  Anything in this Article 8 to the contrary notwithstanding, the Trustee shall deliver or pay to the Company from time to time upon request of the Company, any money or U.S. Government Obligations (or other property and any proceeds therefrom) held by it as provided in Section 8.01, 8.05 or 8.06 which, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, are in excess of the amount thereof which would then be required to be deposited to effect a discharge or defeasance, as applicable, in accordance with this Article 8.

Section 8.10Qualifying Trustee.  Any trustee appointed pursuant to Section 8.05 or 8.06 for the purpose of holding money or U.S. Government Obligations deposited pursuant to such Sections shall be appointed under an agreement in form acceptable to the Trustee and shall provide to the Trustee a certificate, upon which certificate the Trustee shall be entitled to conclusively rely, that all conditions precedent provided for herein to the related defeasance have been complied with.  In no event shall the Trustee be liable for any acts or omissions of said trustee.

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ARTICLE IX

AMENDMENTS, SUPPLEMENTS AND WAIVERS

Section 9.01Without Consent of Holders.  The Company and the Trustee may amend or supplement this Indenture or the Securities of any series without notice to or the consent of any Holder:

(a)to cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency in this Indenture; provided that such amendment or supplement shall not materially and adversely affect the interests of the Holders;

(b)to evidence the succession of another Person to the Company and the assumption by any such successor of the covenants of the Company contained in this Indenture and the Securities pursuant to the obligations set forth in Article 5;

(c)to comply with any requirements of the Commission in connection with the qualification of this Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act;

(d)to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment hereunder with respect to the Securities of any or all series by a successor Trustee and to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee, pursuant to the requirements of Section 7.09;

(e)to establish the form or forms or terms of Securities of any series or of the coupons appertaining to such Securities as permitted by Section 2.03;

(f)to provide for uncertificated or Unregistered Securities and to make all appropriate changes for such purpose;

(g)to add to the covenants for the benefit of Holders of Securities or to surrender any right or power conferred upon the Company in this Indenture, provided that such action shall not adversely affect the interests of Holders of Securities;

(h)to add any Events of Default with respect to all or any series of the Securities;

(i)to delete or modify any Events of Default with respect to all or any series of the Securities, the form and terms of which are being established pursuant to such supplemental indenture as permitted in Sections 2.01, 2.02 and 2.03 (and, if any such Event of Default is applicable to fewer than all such series of the Securities, specifying the series to which such Event of Default is applicable) and to specify the rights and remedies of the Trustee and the Holders of such Securities in connection therewith;

(j)to secure the Securities;

(k)to establish the form of any Securities and to provide for the issuance of any series of Securities under this Indenture and to set forth the terms thereof;

(l)to make any change that does not materially and adversely affect the rights of any Holder (except as provided in Section 9.01(m) below); and

(m)to clarify ambiguities or to meet regulatory requirements for the Securities to qualify as Tier 2 capital or other regulatory capital for bank regulatory purposes.

After an amendment or supplement under this Section 9.01 becomes effective, the Company shall give to the Holders affected thereby a notice briefly describing the amendment or supplement.  The Company will mail supplemental indentures to Holders upon request.  Any failure of the Company to

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mail such notice, or any defect therein, shall not, however, in any way impair or affect the validity of any such supplemental indenture.

Section 9.02With Consent of Holders.  Subject to Sections 6.04 and 6.07(b), without prior notice to any Holders, the Company and the Trustee may amend this Indenture and the Securities of any series with the written consent of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of each series affected by such amendment (voting as a separate class), and the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of any series affected thereby (voting as a separate class) by written notice to the Trustee may waive future compliance by the Company with any provision of this Indenture or the Securities of such series.

Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 9.02, without the consent of each Holder affected thereby, an amendment or waiver, including a waiver pursuant to Section 6.07(b), may not:

(a)change the stated maturity of the Principal of, or any sinking fund obligation or any installment of interest on, such Holder’s Security,

(b)reduce the Principal amount thereof or the rate of interest thereon (including any amount in respect of original issue discount);

(c)reduce the above stated percentage of outstanding Securities the consent of whose holders is necessary to modify or amend the Indenture with respect to the Securities of the relevant series;

(d)reduce the percentage in principal amount of outstanding Securities of the relevant series the consent of whose Holders is required for any supplemental indenture or for any waiver of compliance with certain provisions of this Indenture or certain defaults and their consequences provided for in this Indenture;

(e)impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any payment on or with respect to the Securities; or

(f)modify any of the provisions with respect to subordination of the Securities of any series in a manner adverse to Holders, except to clarify ambiguities or to meet regulatory requirements for the Securities to qualify as Tier 2 capital or other regulatory capital for bank regulatory purposes.

A supplemental indenture which changes or eliminates any covenant or other provision of this Indenture which has expressly been included solely for the benefit of one or more particular series of Securities, or which modifies the rights of Holders of Securities of such series with respect to such covenant or provision, shall be deemed not to affect the rights under this Indenture of the Holders of Securities of any other series or of the coupons appertaining to such Securities.

It shall not be necessary for the consent of any Holder under this Section 9.02 to approve the particular form of any proposed amendment, supplement or waiver, but it shall be sufficient if such consent approves the substance thereof.

After an amendment, supplement or waiver under this Section 9.02 becomes effective, the Company shall give to the Holders affected thereby a notice briefly describing the amendment, supplement or waiver.  The Company will mail supplemental indentures to Holders upon request.  Any failure of the Company to mail such notice, or any defect therein, shall not, however, in any way impair or affect the validity of any such supplemental indenture or waiver.

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Section 9.03Revocation and Effect of Consent.  Until an amendment or waiver becomes effective, a consent to it by a Holder is a continuing consent by the Holder and every subsequent Holder of a Security or portion of a Security that evidences the same debt as the Security of the consenting Holder, even if notation of the consent is not made on any Security.  However, any such Holder or subsequent Holder may revoke the consent as to its Security or portion of its Security.  Such revocation shall be effective only if the Trustee receives the notice of revocation before the date the amendment, supplement or waiver becomes effective.  An amendment, supplement or waiver shall become effective with respect to any Securities affected thereby on receipt by the Trustee of written consents from the requisite Holders of outstanding Securities affected thereby.

The Company may, but shall not be obligated to, fix a record date (which may be not less than five nor more than 60 days prior to the solicitation of consents) for the purpose of determining the Holders of the Securities of any series affected entitled to consent to any amendment, supplement or waiver.  If a record date is fixed, then, notwithstanding the immediately preceding paragraph, those Persons who were such Holders at such record date (or their duly designated proxies) and only those Persons shall be entitled to consent to such amendment, supplement or waiver or to revoke any consent previously given, whether or not such Persons continue to be such Holders after such record date.  No such consent shall be valid or effective for more than 90 days after such record date.

After an amendment, supplement or waiver becomes effective with respect to the Securities of any series affected thereby, it shall bind every Holder of such Securities unless it is of the type described in any of clauses (a) through (d) of Section 9.02.  In case of an amendment or waiver of the type described in clauses (a) through (d) of Section 9.02, the amendment or waiver shall bind each such Holder who has consented to it and every subsequent Holder of a Security that evidences the same indebtedness as the Security of the consenting Holder.

Section 9.04Notation on or Exchange of Securities.  If an amendment, supplement or waiver changes the terms of any Security, the Trustee may require the Holder thereof to deliver it to the Trustee.  The Trustee may place an appropriate notation on the Security about the changed terms and return it to the Holder and the Trustee may place an appropriate notation on any Security of such series thereafter authenticated.  Alternatively, if the Company or the Trustee so determines, the Company in exchange for the Security shall issue and the Trustee shall authenticate a new Security of the same series and tenor that reflects the changed terms.

Section 9.05Trustee to Sign Amendments, Etc.  As a condition to executing or accepting additional trusts created by any supplemental indenture permitted hereunder or the modification thereby of any trust created by this Indenture, the Trustee shall be entitled to receive, and shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Opinion of Counsel stating that the execution of any amendment, supplement or waiver authorized pursuant to this Article 9 is authorized or permitted by this Indenture, stating that all requisite consents have been obtained or that no consents are required and stating that such supplemental indenture constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, subject to customary exceptions.  The Trustee may, but shall not be obligated to, execute any such amendment, supplement or waiver that affects the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise.

Section 9.06Conformity with Trust Indenture Act.  Every supplemental indenture executed pursuant to this Article 9 shall conform to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act as then in effect.

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ARTICLE X

MISCELLANEOUS

Section 10.01Trust Indenture Act of 1939.  This Indenture shall incorporate and be governed by the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act that are required to be part of and to govern indentures qualified under the Trust Indenture Act.

Section 10.02Notices.  Any notice or communication shall be sufficiently given if written and (a) if delivered in person when received or (b) if mailed by first class mail 5 days after mailing, or (c) if sent by facsimile transmission, when transmission is confirmed, except in the case of notices or communications given to the Trustee, which shall be effective only upon actual receipt by the Trustee at its Corporate Trust Office.  Such notices and communications shall be addressed as follows:

if to the Company:

Wintrust Financial Corporation
9700 W. Higgins Road, Suite 800
Rosemont, Illinois 60018
Attention:  Chief Operating Officer

if to the Trustee:

U.S. Bank National Association
Corporate Trust Services
1349 West Peachtree NW, Suite 1050
Atlanta, Georgia 30309
Attention:  Account Manager—Wintrust

With respect to Securities registration of transfer or exchange or for presentation for payment:

U.S. Bank National Association
Corporate Trust Services
111 Fillmore Ave. E.

St. Paul, Minnesota 55107
Attention:  Account Manager—Wintrust

The Company or the Trustee by written notice to the other may designate additional or different addresses for subsequent notices or communications.

Any notice or communication shall be sufficiently given to Holders of any Unregistered Securities, by publication at least once in an Authorized Newspaper in The City of New York, and by mailing to the Holders thereof who have filed their names and addresses with the Trustee pursuant to Section 313(c)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act at such addresses as were so furnished to the Trustee and to Holders of Registered Securities by mailing to such Holders at their addresses as they shall appear on the Security Register.  Notice mailed shall be sufficiently given if so mailed within the time prescribed.  Copies of any such communication or notice to a Holder shall also be mailed to the Trustee and each Agent at the same time.

Failure to mail a notice or communication to a Holder or any defect in it shall not affect its sufficiency with respect to other Holders.  Except as otherwise provided in this Indenture, if a notice or communication is mailed in the manner provided in this Section 10.02, it is duly given, whether or not the addressee receives it.

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Where this Indenture provides for notice in any manner, such notice may be waived in writing by the Person entitled to receive such notice, either before or after the event, and such waiver shall be the equivalent of such notice.  Waivers of notice by Holders shall be filed with the Trustee, but such filing shall not be a condition precedent to the validity of any action taken in reliance upon such waiver.

In case it shall be impracticable to give notice as herein contemplated, then such notification as shall be made with the approval of the Trustee shall constitute a sufficient notification for every purpose hereunder.

Section 10.03Certificate and Opinion as to Conditions Precedent.  Upon any request or application by the Company to the Trustee to take any action under this Indenture, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee:

(a)an Officers’ Certificate stating that, in the opinion of the signers, all conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Indenture relating to the proposed action have been complied with; and

(b)an Opinion of Counsel stating that, in the opinion of such counsel, all such conditions precedent have been complied with.

Section 10.04Statements Required in Certificate or Opinion.  Each certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Indenture (other than the certificate required by Section 4.04) shall include:

(a)a statement that each person signing such certificate or opinion has read such covenant or condition and the definitions herein relating thereto;

(b)a brief statement as to the nature and scope of the examination or investigation upon which the statement or opinion contained in such certificate or opinion is based;

(c)a statement that, in the opinion of each such person, he has made such examination or investigation as is necessary to enable him to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition has been complied with; and

(d)a statement as to whether or not, in the opinion of each such person, such condition or covenant has been complied with; provided, however, that, with respect to matters of fact, an Opinion of Counsel may rely on an Officers’ Certificate or certificates of public officials.

Section 10.05Evidence of Ownership.  The Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may deem and treat the Holder of any Unregistered Security and the Holder of any coupon as the absolute owner of such Unregistered Security or coupon (whether or not such Unregistered Security or coupon shall be overdue) for the purpose of receiving payment thereof or on account thereof and for all other purposes, and neither the Company, the Trustee, nor any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall be affected by any notice to the contrary.  The fact of the holding by any Holder of an Unregistered Security, and the identifying number of such Security and the date of his holding the same, may be proved by the production of such Security or by a certificate executed by any trust company, bank, banker or recognized securities dealer wherever situated satisfactory to the Trustee, if such certificate shall be deemed by the Trustee to be satisfactory.  Each such certificate shall be dated and shall state that on the date thereof a Security bearing a specified identifying number was deposited with or exhibited to such trust company, bank, banker or recognized securities dealer by the person named in such certificate.  Any such certificate may be issued in respect of one or more Unregistered Securities specified therein.  The holding by the person named in any such certificate of any Unregistered Securities

49

specified therein shall be presumed to continue for a period of one year from the date of such certificate unless at the time of any determination of such holding (a) another certificate bearing a later date issued in respect of the same Securities shall be produced or (b) the Security specified in such certificate shall be produced by some other Person, or (c) the Security specified in such certificate shall have ceased to be outstanding.  Subject to Article 7, the fact and date of the execution of any such instrument and the amount and numbers of Securities held by the Person so executing such instrument may also be proven in accordance with such reasonable rules and regulations as may be prescribed by the Trustee or in any other manner which the Trustee may deem sufficient.

The Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may deem and treat the person in whose name any Registered Security shall be registered upon the Security Register for such series as the absolute owner of such Registered Security (whether or not such Registered Security shall be overdue and notwithstanding any notation of ownership or other writing thereon) for the purpose of receiving payment of or on account of the Principal of and, subject to the provisions of this Indenture, interest on such Registered Security and for all other purposes; and neither the Company nor the Trustee nor any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall be affected by any notice to the contrary.

Section 10.06Rules by Trustee, Paying Agent or Registrar.  The Trustee may make reasonable rules for action by or at a meeting of Holders.  The Paying Agent or Registrar may make reasonable rules for its functions.

Section 10.07Payment Date Other Than a Business Day.  Except as otherwise provided with respect to a series of Securities, if any date for payment of Principal or interest on any Security shall not be a Business Day at any place of payment, then payment of Principal of or interest on such Security, as the case may be, need not be made on such date, but may be made on the next succeeding Business Day at any place of payment with the same force and effect as if made on such date and no interest shall accrue in respect of such payment for the period from and after such date.

Section 10.08Governing Law; Waiver of Trial by Jury.  THIS INDENTURE AND EACH SECURITY, AND ANY CLAIM, CONTROVERSY OR DISPUTE ARISING UNDER OR RELATED TO THIS INDENTURE AND EACH SECURITY, SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK (WITHOUT REGARD TO THE CONFLICTS OF LAWS PROVISIONS THEREOF).  EACH OF THE COMPANY AND THE TRUSTEE, AND EACH HOLDER OF A SECURITY BY ITS ACCEPTANCE THEREOF, HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS INDENTURE, THE SECURITIES OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY.

Section 10.09No Adverse Interpretation of Other Agreements.  This Indenture may not be used to interpret another indenture or loan or debt agreement of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company.  Any such indenture or agreement may not be used to interpret this Indenture.

Section 10.10Successors.  All agreements of the Company in this Indenture and the Securities shall bind its successors.  All agreements of the Trustee in this Indenture shall bind its successors.

Section 10.11Duplicate Originals.  The parties may sign any number of copies of this Indenture.  Each signed copy shall be an original, but all of them together represent the same agreement.

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Section 10.12Separability.  In case any provision in this Indenture or in the Securities shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

Section 10.13Table of Contents, Headings, Etc.  The Table of Contents and headings of the Articles and Sections of this Indenture have been inserted for convenience of reference only, are not to be considered a part hereof and shall in no way modify or restrict any of the terms and provisions hereof.

Section 10.14Incorporators, Stockholders, Officers and Directors of Company Exempt from Individual Liability.  No recourse under or upon any obligation, covenant or agreement contained in this Indenture or any indenture supplemental hereto, or in any Security or any coupons appertaining thereto, or because of any indebtedness evidenced thereby, shall be had against any incorporator, as such or against any past, present or future stockholder, officer, director or employee, as such, of the Company or of any successor, either directly or through the Company or any successor, under any rule of law, statute or constitutional provision or by the enforcement of any assessment or by any legal or equitable proceeding or otherwise, all such liability being expressly waived and released by the acceptance of the Securities and the coupons appertaining thereto by the holders thereof and as part of the consideration for the issue of the Securities and the coupons appertaining thereto

Section 10.15Communications by Holders with Other Holders.  Holders may communicate pursuant to Trust Indenture Act § 312(b) with other Holders with respect to their rights under this Indenture and any Securities issued hereunder.  The Company, the Trustee, the Registrar and any other Person shall have the protection of Trust Indenture Act § 312(c).

ARTICLE XI

SUBORDINATION OF SECURITIES

Section 11.01Agreement to Subordinate.  The Company, for itself, its successors and assigns, covenants and agrees, and each Holder of a Security likewise covenants and agrees by his acceptance thereof, that the obligation of the Company to make any payment on account of the Principal and interest on each and all of the Securities shall be subordinate and junior in right of payment to the Company’s obligations to the holders of Senior Indebtedness to the extent provided herein, and that in the case of any insolvency, receivership, conservatorship, reorganization, readjustment of debt, marshalling of assets and liabilities or similar proceedings or any liquidation or winding-up of or relating to the Company as a whole, whether voluntary or involuntary, all obligations to holders of Senior Indebtedness shall be entitled to be paid in full before any payment shall be made on account of the Principal or interest on the Securities.  In the event of any such proceeding, after payment in full of all sums owing with respect to Senior Indebtedness, the Holders of the Securities, together with the holders of any obligations of the Company Ranking on a Parity with the Securities, shall be entitled to be paid from the remaining assets of the Company the amounts at the time due and owing on account of unpaid Principal and interest on the Securities before any payment or other distribution, whether in cash, property or otherwise, shall be made on account of any capital stock or any obligations of the Company Ranking Junior to the Securities.  In addition, subject to the provisions of Section 11.03, in the event of any such proceeding, if any payment or distribution of assets of the Company of any kind or character, whether in cash, property or securities, including any such payment or distribution which may be payable or deliverable by reason of the payment of any other indebtedness of the Company being subordinated to the payment of the Securities, shall be received by the Trustee or any Holder of the Securities before all Senior Indebtedness is paid in full and if such Securityholder or the Trustee, as the case may be, receiving such payment is aware at the time of receipt that all Senior Indebtedness has not been paid in full, then such payment or distribution shall, if received by any Securityholder, be held in trust for the benefit of the holders of Senior Indebtedness or, if

51

received by the Trustee, shall be held by it and delivered forthwith to the trustee in bankruptcy, receiver, assignee, agent or other Person making payment or distribution of the assets of the Company, and, in each case, shall be applied to the payment of all Senior Indebtedness remaining unpaid, until all such Senior Indebtedness shall have been paid in full, after giving effect to any concurrent payment or distribution to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness.  For purposes of this paragraph only, the words, “cash, property or securities” shall not be deemed to include shares of stock of the Company as reorganized or readjusted, or securities of the Company or any other company provided for by a plan of reorganization or readjustment which are subordinated in right of payment to all Senior Indebtedness which may at the time be outstanding to substantially the same extent as, or to a greater extent than, the Securities are so subordinated as provided in this Article 11.

The subordination provisions of the foregoing paragraph shall not be applicable to amounts at the time due and owing on the Securities on account of the unpaid Principal or interest on the Securities for the payment of which funds have been deposited in trust with the Trustee or have been set aside by the Company in trust in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture; nor shall such provisions impair any rights, interests, remedies or powers of any secured creditor of the Company in respect of any security the creation of which is not prohibited by the provisions of this Indenture.

If there shall have occurred and be continuing (a) a default in any payment with respect to any Senior Indebtedness or (b) an event of default with respect to any Senior Indebtedness as a result of which the maturity thereof is accelerated, unless and until such payment default or event of default shall have been cured or waived or shall have ceased to exist, no payments shall be made by the Company with respect to the Principal or interest on the Securities.  The provisions of this paragraph shall not apply to any payment with respect to which the first paragraph of this Section 11.01 would be applicable.

The securing of any obligations of the Company Ranking on a Parity with the Securities or obligations Ranking Junior to the Securities shall not be deemed to prevent such obligations from constituting obligations of the Company Ranking on a Parity with the Securities or obligations Ranking Junior to the Securities.

The consolidation of the Company with, or the merger of the Company into, another Person or the liquidation or dissolution of the Company following the conveyance or transfer of its properties and assets substantially as an entirety to another Person upon the terms and conditions set forth in Article 5 shall not be deemed a dissolution, winding-up, liquidation, reorganization, assignment for the benefit of creditors or marshalling of assets and liabilities of the Company for the purposes of this Section 11.01 if the Person formed by such consolidation or into which the Company is merged or the Person which acquires by conveyance or transfer such properties and assets substantially as an entirety, as the case may be, shall, as a part of such consolidation, merger, conveyance, or transfer, comply with the conditions set forth in Article 5.

Section 11.02Obligation of the Company Unconditional.  Nothing contained in this Article 11 or elsewhere in this Indenture is intended to or shall impair, as between the Company and the Holders of the Securities, the obligation of the Company, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay the Holders of the Securities the Principal and interest on the Securities when, where and as the same shall become due and payable, all in accordance with the terms of the Securities and this Indenture, or is intended to or shall affect the relative rights of the Holders of the Securities and creditors other than the holders of Senior Indebtedness, nor shall anything herein or therein prevent the Trustee or the Holder of any Security from exercising all remedies otherwise permitted by applicable law upon an Event of Default under this Indenture, subject to the rights, if any, under this Article 11 of the holders of Senior Indebtedness in respect of cash, property, or securities of the Company received upon the exercise of any such remedy.

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Section 11.03Notice to Trustee of Facts Prohibiting Payment.  The Company shall give prompt written notice to a Responsible Officer of the Trustee located at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee of any fact known to the Company which would prohibit the making of any payment to or by the Trustee in respect of the Securities.  Notwithstanding the provisions of this Article 11 or any other provision of this Indenture, the Trustee shall not be charged with knowledge of the existence of any facts which would prohibit the making of any payment to or by the Trustee in respect of the Securities, unless and until the Trustee shall have received at its Corporate Trust Office written notice thereof from the Company or a holder of Senior Indebtedness or from any trustee therefor, and, prior to the receipt of any such written notice, the Trustee, subject to the provisions of Section 7.01, shall be entitled in all respects to assume that no such facts exist; provided, however, that if the Trustee shall not have received the notice provided for in this Section 11.03 at least five Business Days prior to the date upon which by the terms hereof any money may become payable for any purpose (including, without limitation, the payment of the Principal or interest on any Security), then, anything herein contained to the contrary notwithstanding, the Trustee shall have full power and authority to receive such money and to apply the same to the purpose for which such money was received and shall not be affected by any notice to the contrary which may be received by it during or after such five Business Day period.

Subject to the provisions of Section 7.01, the Trustee shall be entitled to rely on the delivery to it of a written notice by a Person representing itself to be a holder of Senior Indebtedness (or a trustee therefor) to establish that such notice has been given by a holder of Senior Indebtedness (or a trustee therefor).  In the event that the Trustee determines in good faith that further evidence is required with respect to the right of any Person as a holder of Senior Indebtedness to participate in any payment or distribution pursuant to this Article 11, the Trustee may request such Person to furnish evidence to the reasonable satisfaction of the Trustee as to the amount of Senior Indebtedness held by such Person, the extent to which such Person is entitled to participate in such payment or distribution and any other facts pertinent to the rights of such Person under this Article 11, and if such evidence is not furnished, the Trustee may defer any payment to such Person pending judicial determination as to the right of such Person to receive such payment.

Section 11.04Application by Trustee of Moneys Deposited with It.  Anything in this Indenture to the contrary notwithstanding, any deposit of moneys by the Company with the Trustee or any other agent (whether or not in trust) for any payment of the Principal or interest on any Securities shall, except as provided in Section 11.03, be subject to the provisions of Section 11.01.

Section 11.05Subrogation to Rights of Holders of Senior Indebtedness.  Subject to the payment in full of all Senior Indebtedness, the Holders of the Securities shall be subrogated to the rights of the holders of Senior Indebtedness to receive payments or distributions of assets of the Company applicable to such Senior Indebtedness until the Principal and interest on the Securities shall be paid in full.  For purposes of such subrogation, none of the payments or distributions to the holders of the Senior Indebtedness to which the Holders of the Securities or the Trustee would be entitled except for the provisions of this Article 11, or of payments over pursuant to the provisions of this Article 11 to the holders of Senior Indebtedness by Holders of the Securities or the Trustee shall, as among the Company, its creditors other than holders of Senior Indebtedness and the Holders of the Securities, be deemed to be a payment or distribution by the Company to or on account of the Senior Indebtedness; it being understood that the provisions of this Article 11 are and are intended solely for the purpose of defining the relative rights of the Holders of the Securities, on the one hand, and the holders of the Senior Indebtedness, on the other hand.

Section 11.06Subordination Rights Not Impaired by Acts or Omissions of Company or Holders of Senior Indebtedness.  No right of any present or future holders of any Senior Indebtedness to enforce subordination as herein provided shall at any time or in any way be prejudiced or impaired by any act or

53

failure to act on the part of the Company or any act or failure to act, in good faith, by any such holder, or by any noncompliance by the Company with the terms, provisions and covenants of this Indenture, regardless of any knowledge thereof with which any such holder may have or be otherwise charged.

Section 11.07Authorization of Trustee to Effectuate Subordination of Securities.  Each Holder of a Security, by his acceptance thereof, authorizes and expressly directs the Trustee on his behalf to take such actions as may be necessary or appropriate to effectuate the subordination provided in this Article 11 and appoints the Trustee his attorney-in-fact for any and all such purposes.

If, in the event of any proceeding or other action relating to the Company referred to in the first sentence of Section 11.01, a proper claim or proof of debt in the form required in such proceeding or action is not filed by or on behalf of the Holders of the Securities prior to fifteen days before the expiration of the time to file such claim or claims, then the holder or holders of Senior Indebtedness shall have the right to file and are hereby authorized to file appropriate claim for and on behalf of the Holders of the Securities; provided, that no such filing by any holders of Senior Indebtedness shall preclude the Trustee from filing such a proof of claim on behalf of the Holders of Securities.

Section 11.08Right of Trustee to Hold Senior Indebtedness.  The Trustee in its individual capacity shall be entitled to all of the rights set forth in this Article 11 in respect of any Senior Indebtedness at any time held by it in its individual capacity to the same extent as any other holder of such Senior Indebtedness, and nothing in this Indenture shall be construed to deprive the Trustee of any of its rights as such holder.  Nothing in this Article shall subordinate to Senior Indebtedness the claims of, or any payments to, the Trustee under Section 7.07.

Section 11.09Article 11 Not to Prevent Events of Default.  The failure to make a payment pursuant to the Securities by reason of any provision in this Article shall not be construed as preventing the occurrence of a default or an Event of Default.

Section 11.10Article Applicable to Paying Agents.  In case at any time any Paying Agent other than the Trustee shall have been appointed by the Company and be then acting hereunder, the term “Trustee” as used in this Article 11 shall in such case (unless the content otherwise requires) be construed as extending to and including such Paying Agent within its meaning as fully for all intents and purposes as if such Paying Agent were named in this Article in addition to or in place of the Trustee; provided, however, that Section 11.08 shall not apply to the Company or any Affiliate of the Company if it or such Affiliate acts as Paying Agent.

Section 11.11Reliance on Judicial Order or Certificate of Liquidating Agent.  Upon any payment or distribution of assets of the Company referred to in this Article 11, the Trustee, subject to the provisions of Section 7.01, and the Holders of the Securities shall be entitled to rely upon any order or decree entered by any court of competent jurisdiction in which such insolvency, bankruptcy, receivership, liquidation, reorganization, dissolution, winding-up or similar case or proceeding is pending, or a certificate of the trustee in bankruptcy, receiver, liquidating trustee, custodian, assignee for the benefit of creditors, agent or other Person making such payment or distribution, delivered to the Trustee or to the Holders of Securities for the purpose of ascertaining the Persons entitled to participate in such payment or distribution, the holders of the Senior Indebtedness and other indebtedness of the Company, the amount thereof or payable thereon, the amount or amounts paid or distributed thereon and all other facts pertinent thereto or to this Article 11.

Section 11.12Trustee Not Fiduciary for Holders of Senior Indebtedness.  The Trustee shall not be deemed to owe any fiduciary duty to the holders of Senior Indebtedness and shall not be liable to any such holders if it shall in good faith mistakenly pay over or distribute to Holders of Securities or to the

54

Company or to any other Person, cash, property or securities to which any holders of Senior Indebtedness shall be entitled by virtue of this Article 11 or otherwise.

Section 11.13Payment Permitted If No Default.  Nothing contained in this Article 11 or elsewhere in this Indenture or in any of the Securities shall prevent the Company, at any time except during the case of any insolvency, receivership, conservatorship, reorganization, readjustment of debt, marshalling of assets and liabilities or similar proceedings or any liquidation or winding-up of or relating to the Company referred to in Section 11.01, and except as required by any regulatory enforcement action of any governmental body relating to the Company, from making payments at any time of Principal or interest on the Securities or as provided in the third paragraph of Section 11.01.

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Indenture to be duly executed, all as of the date first written above.

WINTRUST FINANCIAL CORPORATION as the Company Attest:
By:
	Name:
	Title:
U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as the Trustee
By:
	Name:
	Title:

EX-5.1

Exhibit 5.1

	SIDLEY AUSTIN LLP
	ONE SOUTH DEARBORN STREET
	CHICAGO, IL 60603
	+1 312 853 7000
	+1 312 853 7036
	AMERICA · ASIA PACIFIC · EUROPE

May 6, 2020

Wintrust Financial Corporation
9700 W. Higgins Road, Suite 800
Rosemont, Illinois 60018

Re:Registration Statement on Form S-3

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We refer to the Registration Statement on Form S-3 (the “Registration Statement”) being filed by Wintrust Financial Corporation, an Illinois corporation (the “Company”), with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), relating to the registration of an unlimited amount of:

(i)shares of the Company’s common stock, no par value (the “Common Stock”);

(ii)shares of the Company’s preferred stock, no par value (the “Preferred Stock”), which may be represented by depositary shares (the “Depositary Shares”);

(iii)debt securities of the Company (the “Debt Securities”), which may be unsecured senior debt securities (the “Senior Debt Securities”) and/or unsecured subordinated debt securities (the “Subordinated Debt Securities”);

(iv)warrants to purchase Common Stock, Preferred Stock or Debt Securities (the “Warrants”);

(v)stock purchase contracts (the “Stock Purchase Contracts”), entitling or obligating the holders thereof to purchase from or sell to the Company and the Company to sell to or purchase from the holders thereof, Common Stock at a future date or dates; and

(vi)stock purchase units (the “Stock Purchase Units”), each representing ownership of a Stock Purchase Contract and securities of the Company or of third parties, including U.S. Treasury securities, securing the holders’ obligations to purchase the Common Stock under the Stock Purchase Contracts.

The Common Stock, the Preferred Stock, the Depositary Shares, the Debt Securities, the Warrants, the Stock Purchase Contracts and the Stock Purchase Units are collectively referred to herein as the “Securities.”

Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement:

(1)the Depositary Shares will be issued under a deposit agreement (a “Deposit Agreement”) between the Company and a depositary (the “Depositary”);

Sidley Austin LLP is a limited liability partnership practicing in affiliation with other Sidley Austin partnerships.

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(2)the Senior Debt Securities will be issued under one or more indentures (each, a “Senior Indenture”) to be entered into between the Company and a trustee (the “Senior Trustee”);

(3)the Subordinated Debt Securities will be issued under one or more indentures (each, a “Subordinated Indenture”) to be entered into between the Company and U.S. Bank National Association or the trustee designated therein (the “Subordinated Trustee”);

(4)the Warrants will be issued under a warrant agreement (the “Warrant Agreement”) to be entered into between the Company and a warrant agent (the “Warrant Agent”); and

(5)the Stock Purchase Contracts will be issued under a stock purchase contract agreement (the “Stock Purchase Contract Agreement”) between the Company and a purchase contract agent (the “Stock Purchase Contract Agent”);

in each case substantially in the form that has been or will be filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement.

This opinion letter is being delivered in accordance with the requirements of Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act.

We have examined the Registration Statement, the exhibits thereto, the articles of incorporation of the Company, as amended to the date hereof (the “Charter”), the by-laws of the Company, as amended to the date hereof (the “By-Laws”), and the resolutions (the “Resolutions”) adopted by the board of directors of the Company (the “Board”) relating to the Registration Statement.  We have also examined originals, or copies of originals certified to our satisfaction, of such agreements, documents, certificates and statements of the Company and others, and have examined such questions of law, as we have considered relevant and necessary as a basis for this opinion letter.  We have assumed the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, the genuineness of all signatures, the legal capacity of all persons and the conformity with the original documents of any copies thereof submitted to us for examination.  As to facts relevant to the opinions expressed herein, we have relied without independent investigation or verification upon, and assumed the accuracy and completeness of, certificates, letters and oral and written statements and representations of public officials and officers and other representatives of the Company.

Based on and subject to the foregoing and the other limitations, qualifications and assumptions set forth herein, we are of the opinion that:

1.With respect to an offering of shares of Common Stock covered by the Registration Statement, such shares of Common Stock will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable when:  (i) the Registration Statement, as finally amended (including any necessary post-effective amendments), shall have become effective under the Securities Act; (ii) a prospectus supplement with respect to the sale of such shares of Common Stock shall have been filed with the SEC in compliance with the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder; (iii) the Board or a duly authorized committee thereof shall have duly adopted final

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resolutions in conformity with the Charter, the By-Laws and the Resolutions authorizing the issuance and sale of such shares of Common Stock; and (iv) certificates representing such shares of Common Stock shall have been duly executed, countersigned and registered and duly delivered in accordance with the applicable definitive purchase, underwriting or similar agreement to the purchasers thereof against payment of the agreed consideration therefor.

2.The issuance and sale of each series of Preferred Stock covered by the Registration Statement will be duly authorized, and each share of such series of Preferred Stock will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, when:  (i) the Registration Statement, as finally amended (including any necessary post-effective amendments), shall have become effective under the Securities Act; (ii) a prospectus supplement with respect to the sale of such series of Preferred Stock shall have been filed with the SEC in compliance with the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder; (iii) the Board or a duly authorized committee thereof shall have duly adopted final resolutions in conformity with the Charter, the By-Laws and the Resolutions establishing the designations, preferences, rights, qualifications, limitations or restrictions of such series of Preferred Stock and authorizing the issuance and sale of such series of Preferred Stock; (iv) the Company shall have filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Illinois a statement duly executed on behalf of the Company with respect to such series of Preferred Stock in accordance with the Illinois Business Corporation Act (the “IBCA”) and in conformity with the Charter and such final resolutions; and (v) certificates representing such series of Preferred Stock shall have been duly executed, countersigned and registered and duly delivered in accordance with the applicable definitive purchase, underwriting or similar agreement to the purchasers thereof against payment of the agreed consideration therefor.

3.The Depositary Shares covered by the Registration Statement will be validly issued and entitle the holders thereof to the rights specified in the Depositary Shares and the Deposit Agreement relating to the Depositary Shares when:  (i) the Registration Statement, as finally amended (including any necessary post-effective amendments), shall have become effective under the Securities Act; (ii) a prospectus supplement with respect to the Depositary Shares and the series of Preferred Stock underlying such Depositary Shares shall have been filed with the SEC in compliance with the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder; (iii) a Deposit Agreement shall have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and duly executed and delivered by the Depositary named in the Deposit Agreement; (iv) the Board or a duly authorized committee thereof shall have duly adopted final resolutions in conformity with the Charter, the By-Laws and the Resolutions establishing the designations, preferences, rights, qualifications, limitations or restrictions of such series of Preferred Stock underlying such Depositary Shares and authorizing the issuance and sale of such series of Preferred Stock; (v) the Company shall have filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Illinois a statement duly executed on behalf of the Company with respect to such series of Preferred Stock underlying such Depositary Shares in accordance with the IBCA and in conformity with the Charter and such final resolutions; (vi) certificates representing the series of Preferred Stock underlying such Depositary Shares shall have been duly executed, countersigned and registered and duly delivered against payment of the agreed consideration therefor; and (vii)

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the depositary receipts evidencing Depositary Shares shall have been duly executed and delivered by the Depositary in the manner set forth in the Deposit Agreement and in accordance with the applicable definitive purchase, underwriting or similar agreement to the purchasers thereof against payment of the agreed consideration therefor.

4.Each issue of Warrants covered by the Registration Statement will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company when:  (i) the Registration Statement, as finally amended (including any necessary post-effective amendments), shall have become effective under the Securities Act; (ii) a prospectus supplement with respect to such issue of Warrants and the Common Stock, Preferred Stock or Debt Securities issuable upon exercise of such Warrants shall have been filed with the SEC in compliance with the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder; (iii) a Warrant Agreement relating to such issue of Warrants shall have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and duly executed and delivered by the Warrant Agent named in the Warrant Agreement; (iv) the Board or a duly authorized committee thereof shall have duly adopted final resolutions in conformity with the Charter, the By-Laws and the Resolutions authorizing the execution and delivery of the Warrant Agreement and the issuance and sale of such issue of Warrants; (v) if such Warrants are exercisable for Common Stock, the actions described in paragraph 1 above shall have been taken; (vi) if such Warrants are exercisable for Preferred Stock, the actions described in paragraph 2 above shall have been taken; (vii) if such Warrants are exercisable for Debt Securities, the actions described in paragraph 5 or 6 below, as applicable, shall have been taken; and (viii) certificates representing such issue of Warrants shall have been duly executed, countersigned and issued in accordance with such Warrant Agreement and shall have been duly delivered in accordance with the applicable definitive purchase, underwriting or similar agreement to the purchasers thereof against payment of the agreed consideration therefor.

5.The Senior Debt Securities of each series covered by the Registration Statement will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company when: (i) the Registration Statement, as finally amended (including any necessary post-effective amendments), shall have become effective under the Securities Act and the applicable Senior Indenture (including any necessary supplemental indenture) shall have been qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the “TIA”); (ii) a prospectus supplement with respect to such series of Senior Debt Securities shall have been filed with the SEC in compliance with the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder; (iii) the applicable Senior Indenture shall have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and the Senior Trustee; (iv) all necessary corporate action shall have been taken by the Company to authorize the form, terms, execution, delivery, performance, issuance and sale of such series of Senior Debt Securities as contemplated by the Registration Statement, the prospectus supplement relating to such Senior Debt Securities and the applicable Senior Indenture and to authorize the execution, delivery and performance of a supplemental indenture or officers’ certificate establishing the form and terms of such series of Senior Debt Securities as contemplated by the applicable Senior Indenture; (v) a supplemental indenture or officers’ certificate establishing the form and terms of such series of Senior Debt Securities shall have been duly executed and delivered by the Company and the Senior Trustee

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(in the case of such a supplemental indenture) or by duly authorized officers of the Company (in the case of such an officers’ certificate), in each case in accordance with the provisions of the Charter, the By-Laws, final resolutions of the Board or a duly authorized committee thereof and the applicable Senior Indenture; and (vi) the certificates evidencing the Senior Debt Securities of such series shall have been duly executed and delivered by the Company, authenticated by the Senior Trustee and issued, all in accordance with the Charter, the By-Laws, final resolutions of the Board or a duly authorized committee thereof, the applicable Senior Indenture and the supplemental indenture or officers’ certificate, as the case may be, establishing the form and terms of the Senior Debt Securities of such series, and shall have been duly delivered in accordance with the applicable definitive purchase, underwriting or similar agreement to the purchasers thereof against payment of the agreed consideration therefor.

6.The Subordinated Debt Securities of each series covered by the Registration Statement will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company when: (i) the Registration Statement, as finally amended (including any necessary post-effective amendments), shall have become effective under the Securities Act and the applicable Subordinated Indenture (including any necessary supplemental indenture) shall have been qualified under the TIA; (ii) a prospectus supplement with respect to such series of Subordinated Debt Securities shall have been filed with the SEC in compliance with the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder; (iii) the applicable Subordinated Indenture shall have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and the Subordinated Trustee; (iv) all necessary corporate action shall have been taken by the Company to authorize the form, terms, execution, delivery, performance, issuance and sale of such series of Subordinated Debt Securities as contemplated by the Registration Statement, the prospectus supplement relating to such Subordinated Debt Securities and the applicable Subordinated Indenture and to authorize the execution, delivery and performance of a supplemental indenture or officers’ certificate establishing the form and terms of such series of Subordinated Debt Securities as contemplated by the applicable Subordinated Indenture; (v) a supplemental indenture or officers’ certificate establishing the form and terms of such series of Subordinated Debt Securities shall have been duly executed and delivered by the Company and the Subordinated Trustee (in the case of such a supplemental indenture) or by duly authorized officers of the Company (in the case of such an officers’ certificate), in each case in accordance with the provisions of the Charter, the By-Laws, final resolutions of the Board or a duly authorized committee thereof and the applicable Subordinated Indenture; and (vi) the certificates evidencing the Subordinated Debt Securities of such series shall have been duly executed and delivered by the Company, authenticated by the Subordinated Trustee and issued, all in accordance with the Charter, the By-Laws, final resolutions of the Board or a duly authorized committee thereof, the applicable Subordinated Indenture and the supplemental indenture or officers’ certificate, as the case may be, establishing the form and terms of the Subordinated Debt Securities of such series, and shall have been duly delivered in accordance with the applicable definitive purchase, underwriting or similar agreement to the purchasers thereof against payment of the agreed consideration therefor.

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7.The Stock Purchase Contracts will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company when:  (i) the Registration Statement, as finally amended (including any necessary post-effective amendments), shall have become effective under the Securities Act; (ii) a prospectus supplement with respect to such Stock Purchase Contracts shall have been filed with the SEC in compliance with the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder; (iii) a Stock Purchase Contract Agreement relating to such Stock Purchase Contracts shall have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and duly executed and delivered by the Stock Purchase Contract Agent named in the Stock Purchase Contract Agreement; (iv) the Board or a duly authorized committee thereof shall have duly adopted final resolutions in conformity with the Charter, the By-Laws and the Resolutions authorizing the execution, delivery, issuance and sale of such Stock Purchase Contracts; (v) the actions described in paragraph 1 above shall have been taken; and (vi) certificates representing such Stock Purchase Contracts shall have been duly executed, countersigned and registered in accordance with the Stock Purchase Contract Agreement and shall have been duly delivered to the purchasers thereof in accordance with the Stock Purchase Contract Agreement against payment of the agreed consideration therefor.

8.The Stock Purchase Units will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company when:  (i) the Registration Statement, as finally amended (including any necessary post-effective amendments), shall have become effective under the Securities Act; (ii) a prospectus supplement with respect to such Stock Purchase Units shall have been filed with the SEC in compliance with the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder; (iii) the Board or a duly authorized committee thereof shall have duly adopted final resolutions in conformity with the Charter, the By-Laws and the Resolutions authorizing the execution, delivery, issuance and sale of such Stock Purchase Units; (iv) if such Stock Purchase Units consist of Common Stock, the actions described in paragraph 1 above shall have been taken; (v) if such Stock Purchase Units consist of Preferred Stock, the actions described in paragraph 2 above shall have been taken; (vi) if such Stock Purchase Units consist of Debt Securities, the actions described in paragraph 5 or 6 above, as applicable, shall have been taken; (vii) the actions described in paragraph 7 above shall have been taken; and (viii) certificates representing such Stock Purchase Units shall have been duly executed, countersigned and registered and shall have been duly delivered to the purchasers thereof in accordance with the applicable definitive purchase, underwriting or similar agreement against payment of the agreed consideration therefor.

Our opinions are subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent conveyance, fraudulent transfer and other similar laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally and to general equitable principles (regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law), including concepts of commercial reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing and the possible unavailability of specific performance or injunctive relief.  Our opinions are also subject to (i) provisions of law which may require that a judgment for money damages rendered by a court in the United States of America be expressed only in United States dollars, (ii) requirements that a claim with respect to any Debt Securities or other obligations that are denominated or payable other than in United States dollars (or a judgment denominated or

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payable other than in United States dollars in respect of such claim) be converted into United States dollars at a rate of exchange prevailing on a date determined pursuant to applicable law and (iii) governmental authority to limit, delay or prohibit the making of payments outside of the United States of America or in a foreign currency.

For the purposes of this letter, we have assumed that, at the time of the issuance, sale and delivery of any of the Securities:

(i)the Securities being offered will be issued and sold as contemplated in the Registration Statement and the prospectus supplement relating thereto;

(ii)the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of the Deposit Agreement, the Senior Indenture, the Subordinated Indenture, the Warrant Agreement and the Stock Purchase Contract Agreement, as applicable, and the issuance sale and delivery of the Securities will not (A) contravene or violate the Charter or By-Laws, (B) violate any law, rule or regulation applicable to the Company, (C) result in a default under or breach of any agreement or instrument binding upon the Company or any order, judgment or decree of any court or governmental authority applicable to the Company, or (D) require any authorization, approval or other action by, or notice to or filing with, any court or governmental authority (other than such authorizations, approvals, actions, notices or filings which shall have been obtained or made, as the case may be, and which shall be in full force and effect);

(iii)the authorization thereof by the Company, as the case may be, will not have been modified or rescinded, and there will not have occurred any change in law affecting the validity, legally binding character or enforceability thereof; and

(iv)the Charter and the By-laws, each as currently in effect, will not have been modified or amended and will be in full force and effect.

We have further assumed that each Warrant Agreement, each Deposit Agreement, each Stock Purchase Contract and/or Stock Purchase Unit, each Senior Indenture, each indenture supplement to each Senior Indenture, each Subordinated Indenture and each supplement to each Subordinated Indenture will be governed by the laws of the State of New York.

With respect to each instrument or agreement referred to in or otherwise relevant to the opinions set forth herein (each, an “Instrument”), we have assumed, to the extent relevant to the opinions set forth herein, that (i) each party to such Instrument (if not a natural person) was duly organized or formed, as the case may be, and was at all relevant times and is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization or formation, as the case may be, and had at all relevant times and has full right, power and authority to execute, deliver and perform its obligations under such Instrument; (ii) such Instrument has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by each party thereto; and (iii) such Instrument was at all relevant times and is a valid, binding and enforceable agreement or obligation, as the case may be, of, each party thereto.

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This opinion letter is limited to the IBCA and the laws of the State of New York (excluding the securities laws of the State of New York).  We express no opinion as to the laws, rules or regulations of any other jurisdiction, including, without limitation, the federal laws of the United States of America or any state securities or blue sky laws.

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion letter as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and to all references to our Firm included in or made a part of the Registration Statement.  In giving such consent, we do not thereby admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act.

Very truly yours,

/s/ Sidley Austin LLP

EX-23.1

Exhibit 23.1

Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

We consent to the reference to our firm under the caption “Experts” in this Registration Statement (Form S-3) and related Prospectus of Wintrust Financial Corporation for the registration of debt securities, common stock, preferred stock, depositary shares, warrants, stock purchase contracts, stock purchase units and hybrid securities combining elements of the foregoing and to the incorporation by reference therein of our reports dated February 28, 2020, with respect to the consolidated financial statements of Wintrust Financial Corporation, and the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting of Wintrust Financial Corporation, included in its Annual Report (Form 10-K) for the year ended December 31, 2019, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

/s/ Ernst & Young LLP

Chicago, Illinois

May 6, 2020

EX-25.1

Exhibit 25.1

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM T-1

STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY UNDER

THE TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939 OF A

CORPORATION DESIGNATED TO ACT AS TRUSTEE

Check if an Application to Determine Eligibility of

a Trustee Pursuant to Section 305(b)(2)  o

U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

(Exact name of Trustee as specified in its charter)

31-0841368

I.R.S. Employer Identification No.

800 Nicollet Mall Minneapolis, Minnesota	55402
(Address of principal executive offices)	(Zip Code)

George Hogan

U.S. Bank National Association

1349 West Peachtree Street

Suite 1050

Atlanta, Georgia 30309

(404) 898-8832

(Name, address and telephone number of agent for service)

Wintrust Financial Corporation

(Issuer with respect to the Securities)

Illinois	36-3873352
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)	(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

9700 W. Higgins Road, Suite 800 Rosemont, Illinois 60018	60018
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)	(Zip Code)

Subordinated Debt Securities

(Title of the Indenture Securities)

FORM T-1

Item 1.GENERAL INFORMATION.  Furnish the following information as to the Trustee.

a)Name and address of each examining or supervising authority to which it is subject.

Comptroller of the Currency

Washington, DC 20219

b)Whether it is authorized to exercise corporate trust powers.

Yes

Item 2.AFFILIATIONS WITH OBLIGOR.  If the obligor is an affiliate of the Trustee, describe each such affiliation.

None

Items 3-15Items 3-15 are not applicable because to the best of the Trustee’s knowledge, the obligor is not in default under any Indenture for which the Trustee acts as Trustee.

Item 16.LIST OF EXHIBITS:  List below all exhibits filed as a part of this statement of eligibility and qualification.

1.A copy of the Articles of Association of the Trustee.*

2.A copy of the certificate of authority of the Trustee to commence business, attached as Exhibit 2.

3.A copy of the certificate of authority of the Trustee to exercise corporate trust powers, attached as Exhibit 3.

4.A copy of the existing bylaws of the Trustee.**

5.A copy of each Indenture referred to in Item 4.  Not applicable.

6.The consent of the Trustee required by Section 321(b) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, attached as Exhibit 6.

7.Report of Condition of the Trustee as of December 31, 2019 published pursuant to law or the requirements of its supervising or examining authority, attached as Exhibit 7.

* Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 25.1 to Amendment No. 2 to registration statement on S-4, Registration Number 333-128217 filed on November 15, 2005.

** Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 25.1 to registration statement on form S-3ASR,  Registration Number 333-199863 filed on November 5, 2014.

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SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, the Trustee, U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, a national banking association organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, has duly caused this statement of eligibility and qualification to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, all in the City of Atlanta, State of Georgia on the 6th of May, 2020.

By:	/s/ George Hogan
	George Hogan
	Vice President

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Exhibit 2

4

Exhibit 3

5

Exhibit 6

CONSENT

In accordance with Section 321(b) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, the undersigned, U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION hereby consents that reports of examination of the undersigned by Federal, State, Territorial or District authorities may be furnished by such authorities to the Securities and Exchange Commission upon its request therefor.

Dated: May 6, 2020
	By:	/s/ George Hogan
		George Hogan
		Vice President

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Exhibit 7

U.S. Bank National Association

Statement of Financial Condition

As of 3/31/20

($000’s)

	3/31/20
Assets
Cash and Balances Due From Depository Institutions	$	46,699,020
Securities	122,149,987
Federal Funds	2,807
Loans & Lease Financing Receivables	316,711,655
Fixed Assets	9,075,777
Intangible Assets	12,477,802
Other Assets	26,012,043
Total Assets	$	533,129,091
Liabilities
Deposits	$	405,823,094
Fed Funds	1,428,527
Treasury Demand Notes	0
Trading Liabilities	1,392,214
Other Borrowed Money	55,078,404
Acceptances	0
Subordinated Notes and Debentures	3,850,000
Other Liabilities	14,338,298
Total Liabilities	$	481,910,537
Equity
Common and Preferred Stock	18,200
Surplus	14,266,915
Undivided Profits	36,132,907
Minority Interest in Subsidiaries	800,532
Total Equity Capital	$	51,218,554
Total Liabilities and Equity Capital	$	533,129,091

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