SEC FORM 3

SEC Form 3

FORM 3

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

INITIAL STATEMENT OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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1. Name and Address of Reporting Person^*

Brunner Steven H

(Last)

(First)

(Middle)

C/O BANKWELL FINANCIAL GROUP, INC

258 ELM STREET

(Street)

NEW CANAAN

06840

(City)

(State)

(Zip)

2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year)
01/24/2024

3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. [ BWFG ]

4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)

	Director	10% Owner
X	Officer (give title below)	Other (specify below)
	EVP & Chief Risk & Operations

5. If Amendment, Date of Original Filed (Month/Day/Year)

6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line)

X	Form filed by One Reporting Person
	Form filed by More than One Reporting Person

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned
1. Title of Security (Instr. 4)	2. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned (Instr. 4)	3. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 5)	4. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 5)
Common Stock	1,333⁽¹⁾	D
Common Stock	3,728⁽²⁾	D
Common Stock	2,522⁽³⁾	D
Common Stock	1,604⁽⁴⁾	D
Common Stock	1,603⁽⁵⁾	D
Common Stock	2,617	D

Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 4)	2. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)		3. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 4)		4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	5. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 5)	6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 5)
1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 4)	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares	4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	5. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 5)	6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 5)

Explanation of Responses:

1. 2,000 shares of Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. stock granted pursuant to the 2022 Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. Stock Plan. The shares are restricted stock that will vest in three substantially equal annual installments, with the first installment vesting on August 31, 2023 and the second and third installments to vest on each annual anniversary of the vesting date thereafter. As of the transaction date, 667 shares have vested.

2. 7,457 shares of Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. stock granted pursuant to the 2022 Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. Stock Plan. The shares are restricted stock that will vest in two substantially equal annual installments, with the first installment vesting on December 15, 2023 and the second on December 15, 2024. As of the transaction date, 3,729 shares have vested.

3. 2,522 shares of Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. stock granted pursuant to the 2022 Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. Stock Plan. The shares are restricted stock that will vest in two substantially equal annual installments, with the first installment vesting on March 15, 2024 and the second on March 15, 2025.

4. 1,604 shares of Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. stock granted pursuant to the 2022 Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. Stock Plan. The shares are restricted stock that will vest in three substantially equal annual installments, with the first installment vesting on February 7, 2024 and the second and third installments to vest on each annual anniversary of the vesting date thereafter.

5. 1,603 shares of Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. stock granted pursuant to the 2022 Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. Stock Plan. 1,603 of those shares are performance restricted stock and may vest when and if the performance goal is achieved, with the first installment vesting on February 7, 2024 and the second and third installments to vest on each annual anniversary of the vesting date thereafter.

Remarks:

	/s/ Courtney E. Sacchetti, Attorney-in-Fact for Steven H. Brunner	01/30/2024
	** Signature of Reporting Person	Date
Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 5 (b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.
Persons who respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB Number.