UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, DC 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report:  October 22, 2019

INDEPENDENT BANK CORPORATION

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Michigan	0-7818	38-2032782
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)	(Commission File Number)	(IRS Employer Identification No.)

4200 East Beltline	49525
Grand Rapids, Michigan	(Zip Code)
(Address of principal executive office)

Registrant's telephone number,

including area code:

(616) 527-5820

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

☐ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

☐ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

☐ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

☐ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of each class	Trading symbol(s)	Name of each exchange on which registered
Common stock, no par value	IBCP	NASDAQ Global Select Market

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company  ☐

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 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

Item 5.02(b) section – Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.

The Board of Directors of Independent Bank Corporation (the "Corporation"), the holding company of Independent Bank, a Michigan-based community bank, announced today the appointment of Ronia Kruse to the Boards of the Corporation and the Bank effective October 22, 2019. Ms. Kruse was appointed to a term expiring on the date of the Corporation’s Annual Meeting of Shareholders in April 2021.  She will also serve on the Corporation’s Audit Committee.

Ms. Kruse is the founder and CEO of OpTech, LLC and OpTech Solutions, a talent development and solutions firm providing services to Fortune 1000 and government clients.  Prior to founding OpTech, Ms. Kruse was a senior tax consultant for a big 4 CPA firm, where she specialized in international tax planning.  She is a certified public accountant and is a graduate of Wayne State University with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and a Master of Science in Taxation.

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits

99.1 Press release announcing the appointment of Ronia Kruse to the Board of Directors of Independent Bank Corporation and Independent Bank, issued by the Company on October 22, 2019.

SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

	INDEPENDENT BANK CORPORATION
	(Registrant)
Date:  October 22, 2019	/s/ Robert N. Shuster
	By:  Robert N. Shuster
	Its:  Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer