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UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

SCHEDULE 14A

Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of

the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (Amendment No.      )

Filed by the Registrant ☒
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Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2))

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Definitive Proxy Statement

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Soliciting Material under §240.14a-12


Filed by a Party other than the Registrant ☐
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WALKER & DUNLOP, INC.

(Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)


(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)

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Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11.
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Table

Confidential, for Use of Contents

the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2))

 ☒
Definitive Proxy Statement
 ☐
Definitive Additional Materials
 ☐
Soliciting Material under §240.14a-12
WALKER & DUNLOP, INC.
7501
(Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)
(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if Other Than the Registrant)
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WALKER & DUNLOP, INC.
7272 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 1200E
1300
Bethesda, Maryland 20814

NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS

To Be Held on May 10, 2018
4, 2023
10:00 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time

Dear Stockholder:

You are cordially invited to attend our 20182023 annual meeting of stockholders to be held on Thursday, May 10, 2018,4, 2023, at 10:00 a.m., Eastern Daylight Time, at

Hilton Garden Inn

7301 Waverly Street

Bethesda, Maryland 20814

for the following purposes:

1.

To elect eight directors from the nominees named in this proxy statement to serve one-year terms expiring at the 20192024 annual meeting of stockholders;

2.

To ratify the appointment of KPMG LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2018;

2023;
3.

To holdvote on an advisory resolution to approve executive compensation; and

4.

To transact such other business as may properly come before the annual meeting or any adjournment or postponement of the annual meeting.

Only stockholders of record at the close of business on March 12, 201810, 2023 will be entitled to notice of and to vote at the meeting.

YOUR VOTE IS IMPORTANT. WHETHER OR NOT YOU PLAN TO ATTEND THE MEETING, YOU ARE URGED TO SUBMIT YOUR PROXY PRIOR TO THE MEETING BY FOLLOWING THE INSTRUCTIONS FOR VOTING ACCOMPANYING THE NOTICE OF INTERNET AVAILABILITY OF PROXY MATERIALS OR, IF YOU REQUESTED PRINTED COPIES OF THE PROXY MATERIALS, YOUR PROXY OR VOTING INSTRUCTION CARD. IF YOU ATTEND THE MEETING, YOU MAY WITHDRAW YOUR PROXY AND VOTE IN PERSON, IF YOU DESIRE, AS DISCUSSED IN THIS PROXY STATEMENT.

By Order of the Board of Directors
By Order of the Board of Directors



GRAPHIC
Name:Richard M. Lucas
Title:Executive Vice President,
General Counsel and Secretary
[MISSING IMAGE: sg_richardlucas-bw.jpg]

Name:
Richard M. Lucas
Title:
Executive Vice President,
General Counsel and Secretary
Bethesda, Maryland

March 23, 2018

17, 2023

Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for the Annual Meeting of Stockholders Toto Be Held on May 10, 2018:

4, 2023:

The Proxy Statement and Annual Report to Stockholders are available free of charge at http://www.edocumentview.com/WD.





Table of Contents


TABLE OF CONTENTS

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

1

Why is this proxy statement being made available?

1

Why did I receive a Notice of Internet Availability in the mail instead of a printed set of proxy materials?

1

What information is presented in this proxy statement?

1

Who is entitled to vote at the annual meeting?

1

Who can attend the annual meeting?

2
2

2

How do I vote?

2
2

2

Will my shares of common stock be voted if I do not provide my proxy and I do not attend the annual meeting?

3

May I change my vote?

3

What will constitute a quorum at the annual meeting?

How many votes are needed to approve each of the proposals?

3

Will any other matters be voted on?

43

Who is soliciting my proxy?

4

Is there a list of stockholders entitled to vote at the annual meeting?

4

How can I obtain a copy of the 20172022 Annual Report and the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017?

2022?
4

BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

5

Proposal 1:   Election of Directors for a One-Year Term Expiring at the 20192024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders

5

Nominees for Election for a One-Year Term Expiring at the 20192024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders

56

Corporate Governance Information

910

Board Committees

1719

AUDIT RELATED MATTERS

2123

Proposal 2:   Ratification of Appointment of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

2123

Disclosure of KPMG LLP Fees for the Years Ended December 31, 20172022 and December 31, 2016

2021
2123

Pre-Approval Policies and Procedures

2224

Report of the Audit Committee

2224

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

2426
29

2429

COMPENSATION DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS

2631

Executive Summary

2631

2022 NEO Compensation Philosophy

Review
2834

Role of Board and Management in Compensation Decisions

Role of Compensation Consultant

29

Setting Executive Compensation

3035

20172022 Key Elements of Compensation

3237

Mix of Target Total Direct Compensation

3438

20172022 Executive Officer Compensation

3539

Compensation Policies

4449

i


"Say on Pay" Results

Compensation Policies and Practices as theyAs They Relate to Risk Management

4650

Compensation Committee Report

4651

Reconciliation of Adjusted Income from Operations to GAAP Income from Operations

i


Table of Contents

COMPENSATION OF DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

4852

Executive Compensation

4852

Narrative Disclosures to Summary Compensation and Grants of Plan-Based Awards Tables

5054

Employment and Separation Agreements

5054

Management Deferred Stock Unit Purchase Plan (MSPP)

5257

Potential Payments Uponupon Termination or a Change in Control

5358

CEO Pay Ratio

5661

Director Compensation

5662
65

5867

Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation

5967

Proposal 3:   Advisory Resolution to Approve Executive Compensation

5968

VOTING SECURITIES OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT

6069

Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance

CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS

6371

Related Party Transaction Policies

6371

2010 Registration Rights Agreement

6371

Family Relationship

6472

OTHER MATTERS

6573

Other Matters to Come Before the 20182023 Annual Meeting

6573

Stockholder Proposals and Nominations for the 20192024 Annual Meeting

6573


ii





WALKER & DUNLOP, INC.
7501
7272
Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 1200E
1300
Bethesda, Maryland 20814

PROXY STATEMENT


QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Why is this proxy statement being made available?

We have made this proxy statement available to you because you own shares of common stock of Walker & Dunlop, Inc. This proxy statement contains information related to the solicitation of proxies for use at our 20182023 annual meeting of stockholders, to be held at 10:00 a.m., Eastern Daylight Time, on Thursday, May 10, 20184, 2023 at the Hilton Garden Inn, 7301 Waverly Street, Bethesda, Maryland 20814, for the purposes stated in the accompanying Notice of Annual Meeting of Stockholders.
This solicitation is made by Walker & Dunlop, Inc. on behalf of our Board of Directors. Unless otherwise stated, as used in this proxy statement, the terms "we," "our," "us"“we,” “our,” “us” and the "Company"“Company” refer to Walker & Dunlop, Inc. The Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials (the "Notice“Notice of Internet Availability"Availability”) is first being mailed to stockholders beginning on or about March 29, 2018.

24, 2023.

Why did I receive a Notice of Internet Availability in the mail instead of a printed set of proxy materials?

Pursuant to rules adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, we are permitted to furnish our proxy materials over the internet to our stockholders by delivering a Notice of Internet Availability in the mail. The Notice of Internet Availability instructs you on how to access and review the proxy statement and 20172022 Annual Report to Stockholders over the internet. The Notice of Internet Availability also instructs you on how you may submit your proxy over the internet. We believe that this e-proxy process expedites stockholders'stockholders’ receipt of proxy materials, while also lowering our costs and reducing the environmental impact of our annual meeting.

If you received a Notice of Internet Availability in the mail and would like to receive a printed copy of our proxy materials, you should follow the instructions for requesting these materials provided in the Notice of Internet Availability.

What information is presented in this proxy statement?

The information contained in this proxy statement relates to the proposals to be voted on at the annual meeting of stockholders, the voting process, information about our Board of Directors and Board committees, the compensation of our directors and our executive officers for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017,2022, and other required information.

Who is entitled to vote at the annual meeting?

Only holders of record of our common stock at the close of business on March 12, 2018,10, 2023, the record date for the annual meeting of stockholders, are entitled to receive notice of the annual meeting and to vote at the annual meeting. Our common stock constitutes the only class of securities entitled to vote at the meeting.

When you vote by following the instructions in the Notice of Internet Availability or, if you requested printed copies of the proxy materials, your proxy or voting instruction card, you appoint Richard M. Lucas and William M. Walker as your representatives to vote your shares of common stock at the annual meeting. Messrs. Lucas and Walker, or either of them, will vote your shares of common stock as you instruct. Accordingly, your shares of common stock will be voted whether or not you attend the annual meeting. Even if you plan to attend the annual meeting, we encourage you to vote by following the instructions


Table of Contents

in the Notice of Internet Availability or, if you requested printed copies of the proxy materials, your proxy or voting instruction card, in advance.


1


Who can attend the annual meeting?

If you are a holder of our common stock at the close of business on March 12, 2018,10, 2023, the record date for the annual meeting, or a duly appointed proxy, you are authorized to attend the annual meeting. You will need to present proof of stock ownership and valid picture identification, such as a driver'sdriver’s license or passport, before being admitted. If your common stock is held beneficially in the name of a bank, broker or other holder of record (i.e., street name), you must present proof of your ownership by presenting a bank or brokerage account statement reflecting your ownership as of the record date.

Cameras, recording equipment and other electronic devices will not be permitted at the annual meeting. For directions to the annual meeting of stockholders, contact Investor Relations at (301) 202-3207.

What will constitute a quorum at the annual meeting?
The presence at the annual meeting, in person or by proxy, of the holders of a majority of the common stock outstanding on March 10, 2023 will constitute a quorum, permitting the stockholders to conduct business at the annual meeting. We will include abstentions and broker non-votes in the calculation of the number of shares considered to be present at the annual meeting, including for purposes of determining the presence of a quorum at the meeting.
What are the voting rights of stockholders?

As of March 12, 2018,10, 2023, there were 30,913,28933,314,108 shares of common stock outstanding and entitled to vote at the annual meeting. Each share of common stock outstanding on the record date entitles its holder to cast one vote on each matter to be voted on.

How do I vote?

If you hold your shares of common stock directly (i.e., not in a bank or brokerage account), you may vote by attending the meeting and voting in person or you may provide your proxy via the internet, telephone or mail in accordance with the instructions provided on the Notice of Internet Availability or, if you requested printed copies of the proxy materials, your proxy or voting instruction card.

If your shares of common stock are held in street name, you should follow the voting instructions provided to you by your broker or nominee. You may complete and mail a voting instruction card to your broker or nominee or, in most cases, submit voting instructions by the internet or by telephone to your broker or nominee. If you provide specific instructions, your broker or nominee shouldwill vote your shares of common stock as directed. Additionally, if you want to vote in person and hold your shares in street name, you will need a "legal proxy"“legal proxy” from your broker to vote at the annual meeting. Contact your broker or nominee for specific information on how to obtain a legal proxy in order to attend and vote your shares at the meeting.

What is a “broker non-vote”?
A broker non-vote occurs when shares held through a broker are voted on certain proposals but are not voted on other proposals because the broker (i) has not received voting instructions from the stockholder who beneficially owns the shares and (ii) lacks the authority to vote the shares at the broker’s discretion on such proposals. Under New York Stock Exchange rules, the election of directors (Proposal 1) and the advisory resolution to approve executive compensation (Proposal 3) are considered to be non-routine matters, and brokers will lack the authority to vote uninstructed shares at their discretion on such proposals. However, the ratification of our independent registered public accounting firm (Proposal 2) is a routine matter, so brokers may vote uninstructed shares at their discretion on Proposal 2. Accordingly, we do not expect any broker non-votes for Proposal 2.
How are votes counted?

If your vote is made in accordance with the instructions in the Notice of Availability or, if you requested printed copies of the proxy materials, your proxy or voting instruction card, and your vote is not revoked, the persons designated as proxy holders will vote the shares of common stock represented by that proxy as directed by you. If you return a signed proxy card but fail to indicate your voting preferences, the

2


persons designated as proxy holders will vote the shares of common stock represented by that proxy as recommended by the Board. The Board recommends a vote"FOR"“FOR” the election of alleach of the nominees for our Board of Directors named in this proxy statement (Proposal 1);"FOR"“FOR” the ratification of the appointment of KPMG LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the 20182023 fiscal year (Proposal 2); and"FOR"“FOR” the advisory resolution to approve executive compensation (Proposal 3).


Table of Contents

In the election of directors (Proposal 1), you may either vote"FOR, ALL" the nominees” “AGAINST” or to"WITHHOLD" your vote“ABSTAIN” with respect to all, one or moreeach of the nominees. Regarding the ratification of our independent registered public accounting firm (Proposal 2), you may vote"FOR," "AGAINST"” “AGAINST” or"ABSTAIN." Regarding the advisory resolution to approve executive compensation (Proposal 3), you may vote"FOR," "AGAINST" or"ABSTAIN." If you withhold your vote with respect to any director nominee” “AGAINST” or abstain from voting on the ratification“ABSTAIN.” For each of our independent registered public accounting firm, or advisory resolution to approve executive compensation, your shares of common stock will be counted as present, including for purposes of establishing a quorum. AbstentionsProposals 1, 2 and 3, abstentions and broker non-votes will not count as votes cast for a proposal and will have no effect on the result of the vote on any proposal.

Will my shares of common stock be voted if I do not provide my proxy and I do not attend the annual meeting?

        If you are a stockholder of record and you do not cast your vote, votes will not be cast on your behalf on any of the items of business at the annual meeting.

If you hold your shares in street name it is critical that you cast your vote if you want it to count in the election of directors (Proposal 1) and the advisory vote on executive compensation (Proposal 3). Under applicable rules, the bank or broker that holds your shares does not have the ability to vote your uninstructed shares in the election of directorson Proposals 1 or 3 on a discretionary basis. Thus, if you hold your shares in street name and you do not instruct your bank or broker how to vote in the election of directors,on Proposals 1 or 3, votes will not be cast on your behalf. Your bank or broker will, however, have discretion to vote any uninstructed shares on the ratification of the appointment of our independent registered public accounting firm (Proposal 2). TheyIf you are a stockholder of record and you do not cast your vote, votes will not have discretion to vote uninstructed sharesbe cast on your behalf on any of the advisory resolution to approve executive compensation (Proposal 3).

items of business at the annual meeting.

May I change my vote?

Yes. You may change or revoke a previously granted proxy at any time before it is exercised by either (i) submitting a later-dated proxy, in person at the annual meeting or by mail, or (ii) delivering instructionsa written request to our Secretary at our principal executive offices located at 75017272 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 1200E,1300, Bethesda, Maryland 20814.20814 that revokes your previously granted proxy or (iii) attending the annual meeting and voting in person. Please note that attendance at the annual meeting will not, in and of itself, constitute revocation of a previously granted proxy.

If your shares of common stock are held in street name, then you may submit new voting instructions by contacting your broker or nominee. You may also vote in person at the annual meeting if you obtain a legal proxy from your broker as described above.

What will constitute a quorum at the annual meeting?

        The presence Please note that attendance at the annual meeting will not, in person or by proxy,and of the holdersitself, constitute revocation of a majority of the common stock outstanding on March 12, 2018 will constitute a quorum, permitting the stockholders to conduct business at the annual meeting. We will include abstentions and broker non-votes in the calculation of the number of shares considered to be present at the annual meeting, including for purposes of determining the presence of a quorum at the meeting. A broker non-vote occurs when a nominee holding shares for a beneficial owner has not received instructions from the beneficial owner and does not have discretionary authority to vote the shares.

previously granted proxy.

How many votes are needed to approve each of the proposals?

        Directors are

A nominee for director shall be elected by a plurality of the votes cast. Therefore, the eight nominees for election to the Board of Directors (Proposal 1) if such nominee receives the affirmative vote of a majority of the total votes cast. If a nominee who is an incumbent director does not receive the mostaffirmative vote of a majority of the total votes cast, the director shall offer his or her resignation to the Board of Directors and the Board will be elected (Proposal 1). consider whether to accept or reject the director’s offer to resign. Abstentions and broker non-votes will not count as votes cast and will have no effect on the result of the vote on Proposal 1.
Ratification of our independent registered public accounting firm (Proposal 2) and the advisory resolution to approve executive compensation (Proposal 3) will require the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the votes cast.


Table Abstentions and broker non-votes will not count as votes cast for a proposal and will have no effect on the result of Contents

the vote on Proposals 2 or 3.

Will any other matters be voted on?

As of the date of this proxy statement, we do not know of any matters that will be presented for consideration at the annual meeting other than those matters discussed in this proxy statement. If any other matters properly come before the annual meeting and call for a stockholder vote, valid proxies will be

3


voted by the holders of the proxies in accordance with the recommendation of the Board or, if no recommendation is given, in their own discretion.

Who is soliciting my proxy?

This solicitation of proxies is made by and on behalf of our Board of Directors. We will pay the costs of soliciting proxies, which will consist primarily ofincluding the cost of printing, postage and handling. In addition to soliciting proxies by mail, our officers, directors and other employees, without additional compensation, may solicit proxies personally or by other appropriate means. It is anticipated that banks, brokers, fiduciaries, custodians and nominees will forward proxy soliciting materials to their principals, and that we will reimburse these persons'persons’ out-of-pocket expenses.

Is there a list of stockholders entitled to vote at the annual meeting?

The names of stockholders of record entitled to vote at the annual meeting will be available at the annual meeting and for ten days prior to the annual meeting, between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., at our principal executive offices at 75017272 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 1200E,1300, Bethesda, Maryland 20814, by contacting the Secretary.

How can I obtain a copy of the 20172022 Annual Report and the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017?

2022?

You may access, read and print copies of the proxy materials for this year'syear’s annual meeting, including our proxy statement, form of proxy card, and annual report to stockholders, at the following Web address: http://www.edocumentview.com/WD.

We file annual, quarterly and current reports; proxy statements; and other information with the SEC. You may read and copy any reports, statements or other information we file with the Securities & Exchange Commission ("SEC"(“SEC”) on the website maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov. At the written request of any stockholder who owns common stock as of the close of business on the record date, we will provide, without charge, paper copies of our Annual Report on Form 10-K, including the financial statements and financial statement schedule, as filed with the SEC, except exhibits thereto. If requested by eligible stockholders, we will provide copies of the exhibits for a reasonable fee.You can request a copy of our Annual Report on Form 10-K, free of charge, by following the instructions on the Notice of Internet Availability or by mailing a written request to: Walker & Dunlop, Inc., Attention: Investor Relations, 75017272 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 1200E,1300, Bethesda, Maryland 20814.

You should rely only on the information provided in this proxy statement. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with different information. You should assume that the information in this proxy statement is accurate only as of the date of this proxy statement, or, where information relates to another date set forth in this proxy statement, then as of that date.



4


BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

Proposal 1:   Election of Directors for a One-Year Term Expiring at the 20192024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders

Our Board of Directors, or the Board, is currently comprised of eight directors, each with terms expiring at the 20182023 annual meeting. Our Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee has recommended to our Board the eight nominees set forth below, all of whom are currently serving as directors of the Company, for re-election to serve as directors for one-year terms until the 20192024 annual meeting and until their successors are duly elected and qualified. Following the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee'sCommittee’s recommendation, our Board has nominated those persons set forth below.

Based on its review of the relationships between the director nominees and the Company, and as discussed in greater detail below, the Board has affirmatively determined that, if these nominees are elected, the following six directors are "independent"“independent” directors under the rules of the New York Stock Exchange, or NYSE: Alan J. Bowers, Cynthia A. Hallenbeck,Ellen D. Levy, Michael D. Malone, John Rice, Dana L. Schmaltz, and Michael J. Warren.

Warren and Donna C. Wells.

The Board knows of no reason why any nominee would be unable to serve as a director. If any nominee is unavailable for election or service, the Board may designate a substitute nominee and the persons designated as proxy holders on the proxy card will vote foron the substitute nominee recommended by the Board, or the Board may, as permitted by our bylaws, decrease the size of our Board.

Vote Required

        The

A nominee for director shall be elected to the Board of Directors (Proposal 1) if such nominee receives the affirmative vote of a pluralitymajority of all the total votes atcast as to such nominee. If a nominee who is an incumbent director does not receive the annual meeting is necessary for the electionaffirmative vote of a director. Accordingly,majority of the eight individuals withtotal votes cast as to such nominee, the highest numberdirector shall offer his or her resignation to the Board of affirmative votesDirectors, and the Board will be elected as directors.consider whether to accept or reject the director’s offer to resign. Cumulative voting in the election of directors is not permitted. For purposes of the election of directors, shares that are withheldabstentions and other shares not voted (whether by broker non-vote or otherwise)non-votes will not be counted as votes cast, and will have no effect on the result of the vote.

Our Recommendation

THE BOARD UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDS A VOTE "FOR"“FOR” EACH OF THE NOMINEES SET FORTH BELOW.


5


Nominees for Election for a One-Year Term Expiring at the 20192024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders

The following table sets forth the name and age of each nominee for director, indicating all positions and offices with us currently held by the director.

NameAgeTitle
Name
AgeTitle

William M. Walker

5055Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer

Howard W. Smith, III

5964President and Director

Alan J. Bowers

Ellen D. Levy
63Lead 53Director

Cynthia A. Hallenbeck

Michael D. Malone
69Director
John Rice56Director
Dana L. Schmaltz56Director
Michael J. Warren55Director
Donna C. Wells61Director

Michael D. Malone

Director64Director

John Rice

51Director

Dana L. Schmaltz

51Director

Michael J. Warren

50Director

Table of Contents

Set forth below are descriptions of the backgrounds and principal occupations of each of our nominees for director, and the period during which he or she has served as a director.

William M. Walker is our chairman Also set forth below are specific experience, qualifications, skills and chief executive officer. attributes that supported the Board’s determination to nominate the director for re-election.

[MISSING IMAGE: ph_williamwalker-bw.jpg]
William M. Walker
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Walker & Dunlop, Inc.
Committees: None; member of management
EXPERIENCES, QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS & ATTRIBUTES

Executive leadership, strategic planning and commercial real estate experience as chairman and chief executive officer of Walker & Dunlop

Affiliation with leading commercial real estate policy associations

Previous outside board experience
Mr. Walker has been a member of our Board since July 2010 and a board member of Walker & Dunlop, LLC, our operating company, or its predecessors since February 2000. In September 2003, Mr. Walker became the executive vice president and chief operating officer of Walker & Dunlop and served as the president of Walker & Dunlop from January 2005 to April 2015, and has served as the chief executive officer since January 2007. Mr. Walker currently serves on the boards of the Children's National Medical Center,Multifamily Housing Council and the Federal City Council, Mortgage Bankers Association, Blue Drop, LLCUnited States Olympic and on the board of trusteesParalympic Committee Foundation, and also is a member of the St. Albans School at the National Cathedral. Mr. Walker served as chairman of the board of directors of the District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority from 2008 until 2012. He also served on the board of directors of Transcom Worldwide S.A., a publicly traded European outsourcing company, from 2004 to 2006 and served as its chairman of the board from 2006 to January 2012.Real Estate Round Table. Mr. Walker received his Bachelor of Arts in Government from St. Lawrence University and his Master'sMaster’s in Business Administration from Harvard University.

        Mr. Walker brings to our Board more than 20 years of leadership experience. Mr. Walker possesses in-depth knowledge of our industry, offers valuable insight into our business and provides the leadership, general management and vision that help us compete successfully.

Howard W. Smith, III is our president and one of our directors.

[MISSING IMAGE: ph_howardsmith-bw.jpg]
Howard W. Smith, III.
President, Walker & Dunlop, Inc.
Committees: None; member of management
EXPERIENCES, QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS & ATTRIBUTES

Executive leadership, strategic planning and commercial real estate experience as president of Walker & Dunlop and previous distinguished service as a senior loan originator at the Company for over 40 years

Affiliation with leading commercial real estate policy associations
Mr. Smith has been a member of our Board since July 2010, and previously served as our executive vice president & chief operating officer from July 2010 to April 2015, when he was promoted to president.

6


Mr. Smith joined Walker & Dunlop in November 1980 and has been a member of the management team since 1988. Mr. Smith served as Walker & Dunlop, LLC'sLLC’s executive vice president & chief operating officer from 2004 to April 2015, when he was promoted to president. He also has served as a board member of Walker & Dunlop, LLC or its predecessors since 2004. As president, Mr. Smith is responsible for our Multifamily, FHA Finance, Capital Markets and InvestmentProperty Sales groups. Mr. Smith is a member of the board of directors of the National MultiMultifamily Housing Council and a member of the board of advisors to the Williams School of Commerce, Economics and Politics at Washington and Lee University. He also served as the chairman of the Fannie Mae DUS Peer Group advisory council from 2007 to 2008 and again from 2009 to 2010.Council. Mr. Smith received his Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Washington & Lee University.

        Mr. Smith brings to our Board more than 30 years of experience in the commercial real estate finance industry. He has extensive knowledge of our operations, having spent his entire career at Walker & Dunlop. In his capacity as president, Mr. Smith also provides our Board with management's perspective on our business operations and conditions, which is crucial to our Board's performance of its oversight function.

Alan J. Bowers is one of our directors and serves on the Audit Committee (Chairman) and the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, and is our Lead Director. Mr. Bowers

[MISSING IMAGE: ph_ellenlevy-bw.jpg]
Ellen D. Levy, Ph.D.
Managing Director, Silicon Valley Connect, LLC,
a management consulting firm
Committees:[MISSING IMAGE: ic_compen-bwlr.jpg]Compensation[MISSING IMAGE: ic_nomina-bwlr.jpg]Nominating & Corporate Governance
EXPERIENCES, QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS & ATTRIBUTES

Executive leadership and strategic planning and technology experience as vice president of strategic investments at LinkedIn Corporation

Public company board experience
Dr. Levy has been a member of our Board since December 2010. Mr. Bowers currentlyMarch 2019. Dr. Levy serves on the board and as audit committee chairmanmanaging director of La Quinta Inns & Suites,Silicon Valley Connect, LLC, a publicly traded hotel chain. Mr. Bowers also serves on the board of Ocwen Financialmanagement consulting company she founded. From 2008 to April 2012, Dr. Levy served in various roles at LinkedIn Corporation, a publicly traded residential mortgage lending and servicing company, where he is chairmanprofessional social networking internet service, including as its vice president of the audit committee and member of the risk and compliance committee. Prior to Mr. Bowers' retirement in 2005, Mr. Bowers was the president and chief executive officer and a board member of Cape Success, LLC, a private equity-backed staffing service and information technology solutions business,strategic initiatives from 2001 to 2004. Mr. Bowers was also the president and chief executive officer and a board member of MarketSource Corporation, a marketing and sales support service firm, from 2000 to 2001, and of MBL Life Assurance Corporation, a life insurance firm, from 1995 to 1999. Mr. Bowers previously served on the board of Quadel Consulting


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Corp., a privately held government contract manager and consulting firm (from July 2005 to June 2015) and on the boards and as audit committee chairman of American Achievement Corp., a privately held manufacturer and distributer of graduation products (from August 2006 to March 2016); Refrigerated Holdings, Inc., a temperature controlled logistics firm (from January 2009 to April 2013); Roadlink Inc., a trucking and logistics firm (from February 2010 to April 2013); and Fastfrate Holdings, Inc., a Canadian trucking and logistics firm (from July 2008 to June 2011), each a privately held company. Mr. Bowers has been a certified public accountant since 1978 and served as staff auditor, audit partner and managing partner, serving a diverse client base during his tenure at Coopers & Lybrand, L.L.P. from 1978 to 1995 and a staff accountant with Laventhol & Horwath, CPAs from 1976 to 1978. Mr. Bowers earned his Master's in business administration from St. John's University and his Bachelor of Science in accounting from Montclair State University.

        Mr. Bowers brings to our Board over 30 years of experience in accounting and executive management, including experience on the audit committees of private companies and SEC registrants. Mr. Bowers' accounting expertise and diverse corporate management experience are assets to our Board.

Cynthia A. Hallenbeck2012. Dr. Levy is one of our directors and serves on the Audit Committee and Compensation Committee. Ms. Hallenbeck has been a member of our Board since December 2010. Ms. Hallenbeck is the chief executive officer of Alercyn, Inc., a private consulting firm that she founded in 2010, where her most significant engagement was as the acting chief financial and administrative officer of the Council for Economic Education. She previously served as Environmental Defense Fund's ("EDF") chief financial officer and treasurer from January 2014 to June 2016. Prior to joining EDF, Ms. Hallenbeck served as the vice president of finance and operations of the Arcus Foundation from January 2012 to October 2012. Prior to founding Alercyn, Inc., Ms. Hallenbeck worked at Citigroup, Inc. from 2002 to 2008, where she served in a number of divisions in various capacities, including as chief financial officer of Citigroup's corporate treasury department from 2002 to 2005, an internal consultant for Citigroup's office of the chief administrative officer from 2006 to 2007 and chief operating officer of global legal support from 2007 to 2008. Prior to her service with Citigroup, Ms. Hallenbeck spent over 14 years at Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc. in a variety of finance, treasury and accounting roles including treasurer of its global futures business and chief financial officer of its securities financing group. Ms. Hallenbeck also worked with GTE Corporation (currently Verizon Communications, Inc.), a telecommunications company, from 1985 to 1987, where she served as a manager in its financial strategies division, and also with Manufacturers Hanover Trust, a banking institution, from 1979 to 1983, where she served as assistant vice president and a thrift industry specialist. Ms. Hallenbeck has served on the audit committee of the Clinton Health Access Initiative since September 2013. Ms. Hallenbeck wascurrently a member of the board of the non-profit Global HIV Vaccine Enterprisedirectors of Learn CW Investment Corporation, a blank check company, and Healthwell Acquisition Corp. I, a special acquisition company. From 2015 to 2020, Dr. Levy served as its treasurer, from January 2009 to September 2012. Ms. Hallenbecka member of the board of directors of Instructure, Inc., a publicly traded educational technology company. Dr. Levy received her Bachelor of ArtsScience from the University of Michigan and a Master’s and Doctorate in economicscognitive psychology from Smith College and her Master's in Business Administration from HarvardStanford University.

        Ms. Hallenbeck brings to our Board over 30 years of experience in financial management and accounting, including extensive management experience on the executive management teams of several private and public companies and service on the audit committees of several organizations. Ms. Hallenbeck's accounting expertise and management experience are assets to our Board.

Michael D. Malone is one of our directors and serves on our Audit Committee and Compensation Committee (Chairman).

[MISSING IMAGE: ph_michaelmalone-bw.jpg]
Michael D. Malone
Retired Managing Director, Fortress Investment Group LLC,
a global private equity firm
Committees:[MISSING IMAGE: ic_audit-bwlr.jpg]Audit;[MISSING IMAGE: ic_compen-bwlr.jpg]Compensation (chair)
EXPERIENCES, QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS & ATTRIBUTES

Executive leadership and strategic planning experience as managing director of Fortress Investment Group LLC

Investment banking experience at Banc of America Securities

Public company board experience
Mr. Malone has been a member of our Board since November 2012. Since February 2012, Mr. Malone has been a member of the board of directors of Nationstar Mortgage Holdings Inc., a publicly traded non-bank residential mortgage servicer, a global alternative investment and asset management firm, where he is the chairman of the nominating and corporate governance committee and is a member of its audit and compensation committees. Since October 2014, Mr. Malone has been a member of the board of directors of New Senior Investment Group Inc. ("New


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Senior"), a publicly traded externally managed real estate investment trust that is primarily focused on investing in senior housing properties, where he is the chairman of the nominating and corporate governance committee and is a member of its audit committee. From February 2008 to February 2012, Mr. Malone served as managing director of Fortress Investment Group LLC, where he was in charge of the Charlotte, North Carolina office and responsible for the business of the capital formation group in the southeast and southwest regions of the United States. From 2008 to 2013, Mr. Malone served as a member of the board of directors and audit committee, and was co-chairman of the compensation committee of Morgans Hotel Group Co., a publicly traded company that operated, owned, acquired, developed and redeveloped boutique hotels. Mr. Malone retired from Bank of America in November 2007, after nearly 24 years of service as a senior executive banker and managing director. Over those years, Mr. Malone worked in and ran a number of investment banking businesses for the bank and its subsidiary, Banc of America Securities, including real estate, gaming, lodging, leisure, and the financial sponsors businesses. Mr. Malone is lead director and member of the board of directors of Mr. Cooper Group Inc., a publicly traded non-bank residential mortgage lender, where he is the nominating and corporate governance committee chairman and a member of the audit and compensation committees. From 2014 to 2021, Mr. Malone served on the board of directors of New Senior Investment Group Inc., a publicly traded


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internally managed real estate investment trust. Mr. Malone received his Bachelor of Science in General Studies from the University of Kentucky.

        Mr. Malone's extensive experience and expertise in the financial and real estate industries enable him to provide valuable insight into our commercial real estate lending business operations and our strategic direction.

John Rice is one of our directors and serves on the Compensation Committee and the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee (Chairman), and served as our Lead Director from September 2010 to June 2012.

[MISSING IMAGE: ph_johnrice-bw.jpg]
John Rice
Chief Executive Officer, Management Leadership for Tomorrow
, a national non-profit organization
Committees: [MISSING IMAGE: ic_compen-bwlr.jpg]Compensation;[MISSING IMAGE: ic_nomina-bwlr.jpg]Nominating & Corporate Governance (chair)
EXPERIENCES, QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS & ATTRIBUTES

Executive leadership and strategic planning experience as CEO of Management Leadership for Tomorrow and previously as managing director of NBA Japan, an affiliate of the National Basketball Association

Marketing experience as director of marketing for Latin America for the National Basketball Association

Public company board experience
Mr. Rice has been a member of our Board since July 2010 and served as a board member of Walker & Dunlop, LLCour Lead Director from JanuarySeptember 2010 to December 2010.June 2012. Mr. Rice serves asis the chief executive officer of Management Leadership for Tomorrow, a national non-profit organization that he founded in 2001. Management Leadership for Tomorrow equips under-represented minorities with the skills, coaching and relationships that unlock their potential as senior business and community leaders. Prior to Management Leadership for Tomorrow, Mr. Rice was an executive with the National Basketball Association from 1996 to 2000, where he served as managing director of NBA Japan and as director of marketing for Latin America. Before joining the National Basketball Association, Mr. Rice spent four years with the Walt Disney Company in new business development and marketing, and two years with AT&T. Mr. Rice is a member of the board of directors and lead director of Opendoor Technologies Inc., a publicly traded digital platform for residential real estate, where he serves as a member of the nominating and corporate governance committee. He also is a trusteemember of the board of directors of Alpha Partners Technology Merger Corp., a publicly traded blank check company where he is a member of the audit, nominating, and compensation committees. Mr. Rice also serves on the board of directors of Morgan Stanley Real Estate’s Prime Property Fund, a private fund. Mr. Rice is a member of the Yale University board of trustees and serves on the boards of several non-profits including the Woodrow Wilson Fellowship Foundation and New Profit.Profit, a venture philanthropy fund. Mr. Rice received his Bachelor of Arts from Yale University and his Master'sMaster’s in Business Administration from Harvard University.

        Mr. Rice's success with his various entrepreneurial ventures, as well as his many years of marketing and talent development experience, provide our Board with valuable business and marketing insights. Additionally, Mr. Rice's leadership in the non-profit sector is consistent with our commitment to community service.

Dana L. Schmaltz is one of our directors and serves on the Compensation Committee and the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee.

[MISSING IMAGE: ph_danaschmaltz-bw.jpg]
Dana L. Schmaltz
Founder and Partner, Yellow Wood Partners, LLC
, a private equity firm focused on the consumer products industry
Committees:[MISSING IMAGE: ic_compen-bwlr.jpg]Compensation;[MISSING IMAGE: ic_nomina-bwlr.jpg]Nominating & Corporate Governance
EXPERIENCES, QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS & ATTRIBUTES

Executive leadership and strategic planning experience as founder and partner at Yellow Wood Partners, LLC

Experience acquiring and operating several portfolio companies in various roles

Chief financial officer experience at Blacksmith Brands, Inc.
Mr. Schmaltz has been a member of our Board since December 2010. Mr. Schmaltz is currently a partner at Yellow Wood Partners, LLC, a private equity firm he founded, which is focused on the consumer products industry. Mr. Schmaltz was the co-founder, director and chief financial officer of Blacksmith Brands, Inc., a privately owned consumer products company that was created in September 2009. As the co-founder and a senior manager of Blacksmith Brands, Mr. Schmaltz was responsible for overseeing the

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operations of the business with the senior management team, as well as for developing future acquisition opportunities for the company. Prior to founding Blacksmith Brands, Mr. Schmaltz was a managing partner of West Hill Partners, LLC, a Boston-based private equity firm, from 2007 to 2009. Prior to that, Mr. Schmaltz was the president of J.W. Childs Associates, LP, a private equity fund, where he focused on investments in the consumer/specialty retail sector. Mr. Schmaltz was a generalsector, and served as partner atof J.W. Childs from 1997 to 2007. He has also been a director of Mattress Firm, Inc. from January to June 2007, Fitness Quest, Inc.


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from 2004 to 2007, Esselte, AB from 2002 to 2007 and NutraSweet from 2000 to 2007. Mr. Schmaltz began his career in the private equity industry at the NTC Group in 1991 and has held various positions at Kidder, Peabody, Inc. and Drexel Burnham Lambert. Mr. Schmaltz received his Bachelor of Arts in History from Dartmouth College and his Master'sMaster’s in Business Administration from Harvard University.

        Mr. Schmaltz brings to our Board over 25 years of experience in private equity investments, executive management and financial advisory services. Mr. Schmaltz contributes his investment and management experience to our Board's oversight of business development opportunities and integration of acquired businesses into the Company.

Michael J. Warren is one of our directors and serves on the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee.

[MISSING IMAGE: ph_michaelwarren-bw.jpg]
Michael J. Warren
Global Managing Director, Albright Stonebridge Group
, a global strategic advisory and commercial diplomacy firm
Committees:[MISSING IMAGE: ic_audit-bwlr.jpg]Audit
EXPERIENCES, QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS & ATTRIBUTES

Executive leadership and strategic planning experience as the global managing director of Albright Stonebridge Group

U.S. Government service (as former senior advisor to the White House Presidential Personnel Office and service in the Office of the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor)

Chief financial officer experience at Stonebridge International

Public company board experience
Mr. Warren has been a member of our Board since February 2017. Mr. Warren is the Global Managing Directorglobal managing director of Albright Stonebridge Group ("ASG"(“ASG”)., part of the Dentons Global Advisor. He served as ASG's Managing PartnerASG’s managing principal from 2013 to 2017 and as its Partnerprincipal from 2009 to 2013. Prior to ASG, he served as the Chief Operating Officerchief operating officer and Chief Financial Officerchief financial officer of Stonebridge International from 2004 to 2009, where he managed operations, business development, finance and personnel portfolios before leading the firm's merger with The Albright Group.portfolios. Mr. Warren has served in various capacities in the Obama Administration, including as Senior Advisor, Treasury and Economic Agenciessenior advisor of the White House Presidential Personnel Office and as Co-Lead,co-lead for the Treasury and Federal Reserve Agency Review Teamsagency review teams of the Obama-Biden Presidential Transition. He alsoMr. Warren is a member of the board of directors of Maximus, Inc., a publicly traded operator of government, health and human services programs, where he serves as Chairmana member of the Boardcompensation, nominating and Trusteecorporate governance and technology committees. Mr. Warren is also a member of the board of directors of Brookfield Business Corporation, a publicly traded owner of global healthcare, construction and infrastructure services and industrial firms and serves as a member of the board of directors of Ripple Labs, a privately held company that is a leader in enterprise blockchain and crypto solutions. From 2020 to 2021, Mr. Warren served on the board of directors of Decarbonization Plus Acquisition Corporation, Brookfield Property REIT Inc. and Brookfield Property Partners L.P. In 2021, Mr. Warren served on the boards of Decarbonization Plus Acquisition Corporation II and Decarbonization Plus Acquisition Corporation III. He serves as a member of the board of trustees and of the risk and audit committees of Commonfund and as a trustee of Yale University and is a member of the Yale Corporation investment committee. Mr. Warren formerly served as a member of the board of directors of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (“OPIC”) and as a trustee of the District of Columbia Retirement Board Chairman of the Audit Committee of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation, a member of the Board of Trustees and of the Risk and Audit Committees of Commonfund, and as a member of the Yale University Council and Yale School of Management Board of Advisors. He holds Bachelor of Arts(“DCRB”). Mr. Warren received degrees from Yale University and Balliol College at Oxford University of Oxford, where he was a Rhodes Scholar.

        Mr. Warren's extensive


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[MISSING IMAGE: ph_donnawells-bw.jpg]
Donna C. Wells
Chief Executive Officer, Valencia Ventures, LLC
a strategic consulting and corporate governance firm
Committees:[MISSING IMAGE: ic_compen-bwlr.jpg]Audit (chair);[MISSING IMAGE: ic_nomina-bwlr.jpg]Nominating & Corporate Governance
EXPERIENCES, QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS & ATTRIBUTES

Executive leadership and strategic planning experience as president and chief executive officer of Mindflash Technologies

Chief marketing officer experience at Mint Software, Inc., and marketing leadership responsibilities at Intuit and Expedia

Public company board experience
Ms. Wells has been a member of our Board since March 2021. Ms. Wells is chief executive leadership and board experience with financial institutions as well as hisofficer of Valencia Ventures, LLC, a strategic consulting experience enhances our Board's overalland corporate governance firm which she founded. From 2010-2017, Ms. Wells served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Mindflash Technologies, Inc., an innovative, venture-backed enterprise software company that provided a cloud-based training platform for businesses. From 2007-2009, Ms. Wells was Chief Marketing Officer at Mint Software, Inc. (“Mint”) where she led the growth strategy for this mobile personal finance software company from product launch to the company’s acquisition by Intuit. Prior to Mint, Ms. Wells led US marketing for Intuit and the Expedia Group, roles which drew on her 20 years of experience in overseeing our corporate strategystrategic consumer and efficiency initiatives,product marketing with leading brands including The American Express Company and The Charles Schwab Corporation. Ms. Wells is a member of the board of directors of Mitek Systems, Inc., a publicly traded software development company, where she is the chair of an assetthe nominating and governance committee and has served as a member of the audit and compensation committees. Ms. Wells was previously a director and risk committee member at Boston Private Financial Holdings, Inc., a publicly traded bank holding company from 2014 to 2018, and a director and audit committee member at Apex Technology Acquisition Corporation, a publicly traded special acquisition company, from 2019 to 2021. She also serves on the boards of two private companies: CWT Travel Holdings, Inc., a global business travel management business.

platform, where she is a member of the audit and finance committee and nominating and ESG committee, and Betterment Holdings, Inc., a leading independent digital wealth management platform with over $35 billion in AUM, where she is a member of the audit committee. In September 2019, Ms. Wells was appointed by the Center for Entrepreneurial Studies at the Stanford University Graduate School of Business as a Lecturer in Management. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and a Master’s in Business Administration from Stanford University.

Corporate Governance Information

We are committed to maintaining the highest standards of business conduct and corporate governance, which we believe are essential to running our business efficiently, serving our stockholders well and maintaining our integrity in the marketplace. Accordingly, our Board has adopted and maintains the following corporate governance guidelines, codes and charters:


Corporate Governance Guidelines;


Code of Business Conduct and Ethics;


Code of Ethics for Principal Executive Officer and Senior Financial Officers;


Charter of the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors;


Charter of the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors; and


Charter of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee of the Board of Directors.

Directors; and


Complaint Procedures for Accounting and Auditing Matters.
From time to time, we may revise the above-mentioned corporate governance guidelines, codes and charters in response to changing regulatory requirements, evolving best practices and the concerns of our stockholders and other constituents. Please visit our website at www.walkerdunlop.com to view


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or obtain a


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copy of the current version of any of these documents. We will provide any of the above-mentioned documents, free of charge, to any stockholder who sends a written request to:

Walker & Dunlop, Inc.

Attn: Investor Relations
7501
7272
Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 1200E
1300
Bethesda, Maryland 20814

References to our website address throughout this proxy statement are for informational purposes only, or to fulfill specific disclosure requirements of the SEC’s rules. These references are not intended to, and do not, incorporate the contents of our website by reference into this proxy statement.
Director Independence

Our bylaws and Corporate Governance Guidelines conform to the NYSE rules, which require us to have a majority of independent board members and a nominating/corporate governance committee, compensation committee and audit committee, each comprised solely of independent directors. Under the NYSE listing standards, no director of a company qualifies as "independent"“independent” unless the board of directors of the company affirmatively determines that the director has no material relationship with the company (either directly or as a partner, stockholder or officer of an organization that has a relationship with such company). In addition, the NYSE listing standards contain the following further restrictions upon a listed company'scompany’s director independence:


a director who is an employee, or whose immediate family member is an executive officer, of the listed company is not independent until three years after the end of such employment relationship;


a director who has received, or has an immediate family member who has received, during any twelve-month12-month period within the last three years, more than $120,000 in direct compensation from the listed company, other than director and committee fees and pension or other forms of deferred compensation for prior service (provided such compensation is not contingent in any way on continued service), is not independent;


a director who is, or whose immediate family member is, a current partner of a firm that is the company'scompany’s internal or external auditor is not independent; a director who is a current employee of such a firm is not independent; a director who has an immediate family member who is a current employee of such a firm and personally works on the company'scompany’s audit is not independent; and a director who was, or whose immediate family member was, within the last three years a partner or employee of such a firm and personally worked on the company'scompany’s audit within that time is not independent;


a director who is employed, or whose immediate family member is employed, as an executive officer of another company where any of the listed company'scompany’s present executive officers at the same time serve or served on the other company'scompany’s compensation committee is not independent until three years after the end of such service or the employment relationship; and


a director who is an executive officer or an employee, or whose immediate family member is an executive officer, of another company that has made payments to, or received payments from, the listed company for property or services in an amount which, in any of the last three fiscal years, exceeds the greater of $1 million, or 2% of such other company'scompany’s consolidated gross revenues, is not independent.

To adequately assess and ensure that (i) at least a majority of our directors qualify as independent and (ii) each of the Board committees is comprised of solely independent directors, the Board assesses annually the independence of all directors and director nominees. In accordance with the independence criteria established by the Board from time to time, our Board considers all relevant facts and circumstances in order to make an affirmative determination as to whether any director has a direct or indirect material relationship to the Company. In assessing the materiality of a director'sdirector’s or nominee'snominee’s relationship with the Company, the Board considers the issues from the director'sdirector’s or nominee's


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nominee’s standpoint and from the perspective of the persons or organization with which the director or nominee has an affiliation. Our Board has evaluated the status of each current director, and has affirmatively determined, after considering the relevant facts and


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circumstances and the independence standards set forth above, that each of Alan J. Bowers, Cynthia A. Hallenbeck,Ellen D. Levy, Michael D. Malone, John Rice, Dana L. Schmaltz, and Michael J. Warren and Donna C. Wells is independent, as defined in the NYSE rules, and that none of these directors hashave a material relationship with us.

In conducting itsevaluating Mr. Rice’s independence, determination of Mr. Malone, the Board considered the Company'spayment in 2022 of $85,000 by us to Management Leadership for Tomorrow (or MLT), a not-for-profit entity of which Mr. Rice serves as chief executive officer, for employee placement and recruiting services and in connection with obtaining MLT Black Equity at Work and Hispanic Equity at Work Certifications. MLT had 2022 gross receipts in excess of $30 million. MLT, which was founded by Mr. Rice in 2001, has a mission to equip under-represented minorities with the skills, coaching and relationships that unlock their potential as senior business and community leaders. In evaluating Mr. Warren’s independence, the Board considered the Company’s immaterial indirect business relationship with New Senior,Brookfield Business Corporation on whose board Mr. MaloneWarren is a member. Specifically, the Board evaluated Mr. Malone'sWarren’s independence in light of financing transactions containing customary termsa lending and conditions onloan servicing relationship with Brookfield Properties, an affiliate of Brookfield Business Corporation. The Board considered two portfolios of loans made in 2015 made2022 by Walker & Dunlop, LLC to Brookfield Properties with an affiliateaggregate principal amount of New Senior. No transactions with New Senior occurred$151 million, and five loans serviced in 2016 or 2017.2022 on properties owned by Brookfield Properties, for which the Company received immaterial 2022 aggregate lending and loan servicing fees. The Board has determined that the 2015 financing transactions did not impair Mr. Malone's independence.

    loans contain customary terms and conditions.

Board Leadership Structure

Mr. Walker serves as the Company'sCompany’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. The Board has determined that combining the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer positions is the appropriate leadership structure for the Company and believes that combining the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer roles fosters clear accountability, effective decision-making and alignment on corporate strategy.

Nevertheless, the Board understands that the structure of the Board must encourage the free and open dialogue of competing views and provide for strong checks and balances. Specifically, an effective governance structure must balance the powers of the Chief Executive Officer and the independent directors and ensure that the independent directors are fully informed, able to discuss and debate the issues that they deem important, and able to provide effective oversight of management.

The Board is committed to maintaining a "Lead Director,"“Lead Director” as a matter of good corporate governance. The Lead Director is an independent director consistent with criteria established by the NYSE and will be selected on an annual basis by a majority of the independent directors then serving on the Board. The role of the Lead Director is to serve as liaison between (i) the Board and management, including the Chief Executive Officer, (ii) independent directors and (iii) interested third parties and the Board. The Lead Director serves as the focal point of communication to the Board regarding management plans and initiatives, and ensures that the role between board oversight and management operations is respected. The Lead Director who is currently the Chairman of the Audit Committee, reviews and provides input on full Board meeting agendas, and plays a central role in developing, managing and overseeing our annual Board self-assessment process along with the Chairman of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. The Lead Director acts as chairman of executive sessions of our independent directors and also provides the medium for informal dialogue with and among independent directors, allowing for free and open communication within that group. For example, the Lead Director frequently holds informal conference calls with our independent directors prior to our quarterly Board meetings to discuss any issues the directors would like raised at the Board meetings. In addition, the Lead Director serves as the communication conduit for third parties who wish to communicate with the Board. The Company'sOur current Lead Director is Mr. Bowers.

Malone.

The Board carefully considers the effectiveness of the Board leadership structure at least annually in connection with its self-assessment.

Executive Sessions of Non-Management and Independent Directors

Pursuant to our Corporate Governance Guidelines and the NYSE rules, in order to promote open discussion among independent directors, our Board devotes a portion of each regularly scheduled Board meeting to executive sessions of only independent directors. See "—“— Director Independence"Independence” for a list of our independent directors. The Lead Director acts as chairman of each of the executive sessions described above.



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Communications with the Board

Stockholders and other interested parties may communicate with the Board (i) by sending any correspondence they may have in writing to the "Lead Director"“Lead Director” c/o the General Counsel & Secretary of Walker & Dunlop, Inc., at 75017272 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 1200E,1300, Bethesda, Maryland 20814, who will then directly forward such correspondence to the Lead Director, or (ii) by e-mailing correspondence directly to the Lead Director at leaddirector@walkerdunlop.com. The Lead Director will decide what action should be taken with respect to the communication, including whether such communication should be reported to the Board.

Board Meetings and Director Attendance

Pursuant to our Corporate Governance Guidelines, (i) we are required to have at least four regularly scheduled Board meetings in each calendar year and additional unscheduled Board meetings may be called upon appropriate notice at any time to address specific needs of the Company; and (ii) directors are expected to attend, in person or by telephone or video conference, all Board meetings and meetings of committees on which they serve. Our Board held seven9 Board meetings in 2017.2022. Each of our directors serving on the Board in 2022 attended at least 75% of the total regularly scheduled and special meetings of the Board and the committees on which he or she served. Additionally, pursuant to our Corporate Governance Guidelines, the directors are encouraged, but not required, to attend our annual meetings of stockholders. TwoOne of the eight directors elected to the Board at the 20172022 annual meeting of stockholders attended the meeting.

Criteria for Board Membership

The Board has adopted a policy to be used for considering potential director candidates to further the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee'sCommittee’s goal of ensuring that our Board consists of a diversified group of qualified individuals that function effectively as a group. The policy provides that qualifications and credentials for consideration as a director nominee may vary according to the particular areas of expertise being sought as a complement to the existing composition of the Board. However, at a minimum, candidates for director must possess:


high integrity;


an ability to exercise sound judgment;


an ability to make independent analytical inquiries;


a willingness and ability to devote adequate time and resources to diligently perform Board duties; and


a reputation, both personal and professional, consistent with the image and reputation of the Company.

In addition to the aforementioned minimum qualifications, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee also believes that there are other qualities and skills that, while not a prerequisite for nomination, should be taken into account when considering whether to recommend a particular person. These factors include:


diversity, age, background, skills and experience;


personal qualities and characteristics, accomplishments, and reputation in the business community;


knowledge and contacts in the communities in which the Company conducts business and in the Company'sCompany’s industry or other industries relevant to the Company'sCompany’s business;

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ability and willingness to devote sufficient time to serve on the Board and committees of the Board;


knowledge and expertise in various areas deemed appropriate by the Board;


fit of the individual'sindividual’s skills, experience, and personality with those of other directors in maintaining an effective, collegial and responsive Board;


whether the person'sperson’s nomination and election would enable the Board to have a member that qualifies as an "audit“audit committee financial expert"expert” as such term is defined by the SEC; and


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whether the person would qualify as an "independent"“independent” director under the NYSE'sNYSE’s listing standards and our Corporate Governance Guidelines.

Neither the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee nor the Board has adopted a formal policy with respect to diversity of its directors. However, in connection with its overall director candidate review, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee does consider diversity of experience in areas that are relevant to the Company'sCompany’s activities, including, for example, experience in commercial real estate; technology;estate, commercial lending, technology and finance.finance and experience as a board member of a publicly traded company. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee also remains committed to ensuring women and underrepresented racially/ethnically diverse candidates are included in every pool of individuals from which new Board nominees are chosen. This commitment is evidenced by the fact that each of the last three directors added to our Board are women or underrepresented racially/ethnically diverse. Directors must be willing and able to devote sufficient time to carrying out their duties effectively. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee takes into account the other demands on the time of a candidate, including, for example, occupation and memberships on other boards.

The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee will seek to identify director candidates based on input provided by a number of sources, including (i) Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee members, (ii) our stockholders and (iii) others as it deems appropriate. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee also has the authority to consult with or retain advisors or search firms to assist in identifying qualified director candidates; however, we do not currently employ a search firm, or pay a fee to any other third party, to locate qualified director candidates.

As part of the identification process, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee considers the number of expected director vacancies and whether existing directors have indicated a willingness to continue to serve as directors if re-nominated. Once a director candidate has been identified, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee will then evaluate this candidate in light of his or hertheir qualifications and credentials, and any additional factors that it deems necessary or appropriate. Existing directors who are being considered for re-nomination will be re-evaluated as part of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee'sCommittee’s process of recommending director candidates. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee will consider all persons recommended by stockholders in the same manner as all other director candidates, provided that such recommendations are submitted in accordance with the procedures set forth in our bylaws and summarized below.

After completing the identification and evaluation process described above, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee will recommend to the Board the nomination of a number of candidates equal to the number of director vacancies that will exist at the annual meeting of stockholders. The Board will then select the Board'sBoard’s director nominees for stockholders to consider and vote upon at the stockholders'stockholders’ meeting.

Board Refreshment
The Board refreshes its membership through a combination of adding or replacing directors to achieve the appropriate balance of maintaining longer-serving directors with deep institutional knowledge of the Company and adding directors who bring a fresh perspective. At the time of our Initial Public Offering (IPO) in 2010, the Board was comprised of eight directors, six of whom were not members of management and five of whom were independent. Since our IPO:

four of the six non-management directors who were serving on the Board as of our IPO have left the Board;

the Lead Director and the chairs of the Audit, Compensation and Nominating and Corporate Governance Committees have changed, and all three members of our Audit Committee joined the Board after our IPO; and

we have expanded the representation of women and underrepresented racially/ethnically diverse individuals on our Board to comprise four of our eight directors, and each of the last three directors added to our Board are women or underrepresented racially/ethnically diverse.

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Engagement with Stockholders
We engage frequently and actively with our stockholder base through participation in conferences, non-deal roadshows in partnership with sell side analysts, and company-organized one-on-one or group meetings and conference calls. In 2022, we traveled for various in-person investor conferences and meetings, but it is apparent that virtual conferences and meetings remain the preference for many investors. Virtual meetings are a very efficient way to conduct a day of meetings with investors across the world, and as a result, we will continue to participate in virtual events (in combination with in-person meetings) for the foreseeable future. A summary of 2022 in-person and virtual outreach is listed below:

participated in eight investor conferences hosted by sell side analysts;

held over 110 meetings with buy side investors and sell side analysts;

held the 2022 annual meeting of stockholders in person; and

held a virtual Investor Day to provide progress updates on our current five-year business strategy, Drive to ‘25, described more fully below, which had over 430 attendees.
During these meetings, we discussed macroeconomic conditions affecting our competitive environment and our business, our financial and operating results, our five-year business strategy, our corporate governance and other matters of executive compensation and our environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) initiatives.
Our Strategy and Alignment of Director Skills and Experience
Our mission is to become the premier commercial real estate finance company in the United States. In support of that mission, we adopted a five-year business strategy in 2020, named Drive to ‘25.
Our Drive to ‘25 strategy is centered around growing debt financing volume, expanding our property sales platform, building investment banking and asset management capabilities, and achieving ambitious environmental and social goals. Our Drive to ‘25 strategy includes the following five-year operational, financial and ESG targets to be achieved by year-end 2025:
OperationalFinancialESG

$65B+ in Annual Debt Financing Volume, including $5B+ in Annual Small Balance Loans

$160B+ Servicing Portfolio Balance

$25B+ in Annual Property Sales Volume

$10B+ in Assets Under Management

At least $2B in Annual Total Revenues

At least $13.00 per share in Annual Diluted Earnings Per Share (“EPS”)

Increase Diversity of Leadership

Reduce GHG Emissions Intensity

Donate 1% of Annual Income from Operations to Non-profits

Originate a Cumulative $60B of Affordable Housing Debt Financing Volume from 2021 – 2025
To achieve these ambitious targets, we are focusing on the following areas:

defending our market position as a leading provider of capital to multifamily borrowers;

continuing to expand our loan origination and property sales teams;

continuing to develop and deploy technological products and improvements across our businesses;

establishing commercial real estate investment banking and advisory capabilities and growing our existing commercial real estate (“CRE”) investment management activities through organic growth and via acquisitions; and

continuing to invest in programs and activities that enhance our overall ESG impact as described below in “ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL AND GOVERNANCE.”

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Successful execution of our growth strategy involves organic growth, recruiting additional bankers and brokers, business acquisitions and successful integration of the people and businesses we acquire and developing and implementing proprietary technology to improve the marketing of our offerings and the efficiency of our business operations. The Board believes that, collectively, the nominees bring to the Board, through a variety of backgrounds and experiences, including through education, direct hands-on experience and managerial roles, a diverse range of skills and experience in relevant areas that align with our growth strategy, as depicted in the following table:
[MISSING IMAGE: tb_experience-bwlr.jpg]
Stockholder Recommendations of Director Nominees

For nominations for election to the Board to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a stockholder, the stockholder must comply with the advance notice provisions and other requirements of Article II, Section 12 of our bylaws. These notice provisions require that nominations for directors must be received by the Secretary at our principal executive offices (the "Stockholder Notice"“Stockholder Notice”) not later than 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on the 120th day prior to the first anniversary of the date of the proxy


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statement for the preceding year'syear’s annual meeting, nor earlier than the 150th day prior to the first anniversary of the date of the proxy statement for the preceding year'syear’s annual meeting; provided, however, that in the event that the date of the annual meeting is advanced or delayed by more than 30 days from the first anniversary of the date


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of the preceding year'syear’s annual meeting, such Stockholder Notice to be timely must be so delivered not earlier than the 150th day prior to such annual meeting and not later than 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on the later of the 120th day prior to such annual meeting or the tenth day following the day on which public announcement of the date of such meeting is first made. The Stockholder Notice must set forth:

    as to each person whom the stockholder proposes to nominate for election or reelection as a director, (A) a description of all agreements, arrangements or understandings between such stockholder and such potential nominee (and any other person or persons), pursuant to which the nomination is made, and (B) all other information relating to such potential nominee that is required to be disclosed pursuant to Regulation 14A under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), including such person's written consent to being named in the proxy statement as a nominee and to serving as a director if elected; and

    as to the stockholder giving such Stockholder Notice, (A) the name and address of such stockholder, as they appear on the Company's books; (B) the class or series and number of shares of stock of the Company which are, directly or indirectly, owned beneficially and of record by such stockholder, including through general or limited partnerships, as of the date of the Stockholder Notice, and a representation that such stockholder will notify the Company in writing of such information as of the record date for the meeting; (C) a description of any agreement, arrangement or understanding (including, without limitation, any derivative or short positions, profit interests, options, hedging transactions, and borrowed or loaned shares) that has been entered into by such stockholder as of the date of the Stockholder Notice, the effect or intent of which is to mitigate loss to, manage the risk or benefit of share price changes for, or increase or decrease the voting power of such stockholder or any affiliates, and a representation that such stockholder will notify the Company in writing of any such agreement, arrangement or understanding in effect as of the record date for the meeting; (D) a representation that such stockholder intends to appear at the meeting in person or by proxy to make the nomination or propose the other business specified in such Stockholder Notice, as the case may be; and (E) a representation as to whether such stockholder intends, or is intended to be part of a group (within the meaning ascribed to such term under Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act) that intends, (i) to deliver a proxy statement and/or form of proxy to holders of at least the percentage of the Company's outstanding shares of stock required to elect the proposed director nominee or to approve or adopt the other business proposal, and/or (ii) otherwise to solicit proxies from stockholders in support of such nominee or other business proposal.

        For purposes of the bulleted paragraphs above, references to "stockholder" include any beneficial owners on whose behalf the director nomination is made. See also "OTHER MATTERS—“OTHER MATTERS — Stockholder Proposals and Nominations for the 20192024 Annual Meeting."

Code of Ethics for Principal Executive Officer and Senior Financial Officers; Code of Business Conduct

and Ethics

We have adopted the Code of Ethics for Principal Executive Officer and Senior Financial Officers, which is applicable to our Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer and all other senior financial officers. This code is intended to:


deter wrongdoing;


encourage honest and ethical conduct, including the ethical handling of actual or apparent conflicts of interest between personal and professional relationships;

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    promote full, fair, accurate, timely and understandable disclosure in reports and documents that the Company files with, or submits to, the SEC and in other public communications made by the Company;


    ensure compliance with applicable governmental laws, rules and regulations;


    support the prompt internal reporting of violations of the Code of Ethics for Principal Executive Officer and Senior Financial Officers to the appropriate persons identified in the Code of Ethics for Principal Executive Officer and Senior Financial Officers; and


    create accountability for adherence to the Code of Ethics for Principal Executive Officer and Senior Financial Officers.

    We have also adopted the Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, which is applicable to all of our directors, officers and employees. This code covers areas of professional conduct, including honest and candidethical conduct, conflicts of interest, public disclosure, compliance with all applicable laws, rules and regulations, corporate opportunities, confidentiality, fair dealing and the protection and proper use of Company assets.

    We have posted both our Code of Ethics for Principal Executive Officer and Senior Financial Officers and Code of Business Conduct and Ethics to our website and intend to promptly post any waiver or amendment of our Code of Ethics for Principal Executive Officer and Senior Financial Officers to our website.

    In addition to the Code of Ethics for Principal Executive Officer and Senior Financial Officers and Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, our Audit Committee has in place a whistleblower reporting procedure that enables it to receive, retain and treat complaints received regarding accounting, internal accounting controls or auditing matters. The procedures in place permit our employees to confidentially and anonymously submit their concerns regarding questionable accounting or auditing matters directly to the Audit Committee. Upon receiving a concern or complaint pursuant to these procedures, the individual designated by our Chief Executive Officer as our compliance officer (currently, our Executive Vice President, General Counsel &and Secretary, Richard M. Lucas), or Audit Committee Chairman, will:


    determine whether the complaint or concern is an accounting complaint and, when possible, acknowledge receipt of the complaint or concern to the reporting person;


    review the complaint in a manner determined by and with the oversight of the Audit Committee and with input from the compliance officer or such other persons, including any third party investigative parties,third-party investigators, as the Audit Committee determines to be appropriate;


    appoint one or more internal and/or external investigators to promptly and fully investigate such accounting complaints under the supervision of the compliance officer and, as may be appropriate, the Audit Committee;


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    provide the reporting person, to the extent possible and appropriate, the name and contact information for the investigator(s) assigned to the accounting complaint;


    maintain confidentiality to the fullest extent possible, consistent with the need to conduct an adequate review;


    coordinate with other Board committees and government authorities, as appropriate, to the extent that an accounting complaint relates to an ongoing government audit, inspection or investigation;


    obtain advice and assistance from and retain, at the Company'sCompany’s expense, investigators, internal or outside legal counsel and other advisors, as may be appropriate; and

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    take prompt and appropriate corrective or remedial action when and as warranted in the judgment of the Audit Committee.

    Risk Oversight

            One

    The Board continuously monitors risk oversight and designates one meeting each year at which the Board works with management to conduct an in-depth review of the important roles of our Board isCompany’s strategic plans and identify the principal issues and risks to oversee various risks that we may face from time to time.its ongoing operations and accomplishing its strategy. While the full Board has primary responsibility for risk oversight, it utilizes its committees, as appropriate, to monitor and address the risks that may be within the scope of a particular committee'scommittee’s expertise or charter. For example,The Board believes that the composition of its committees, and the distribution of the particular expertise of each committee’s members, makes this an appropriate structure to more effectively monitor the risks that relate to the committees’ respective oversight authorities. In accordance with NYSE Corporate Governance Standards, the Audit Committee charter assigns to the Audit Committee the responsibility to review our policies and procedures with respect to risk assessment and risk management. During 2022 and into 2023, the Audit Committee has overseen management’s project, currently led by our Compliance Officer and our SVP of Internal Audit, to update the Company’s inventory of key risks and the controls and other monitoring mechanisms related to the risks. As it relates to specific risks, the Audit Committee oversees our financial statements, internal control over financial reporting, compliance with legal and regulatory requirements and the performance of our internal audit function. The Audit Committee also receives reports from our Chief Technology Officer and our Chief Information Security Officer, at least quarterly, on information security matters. Generally, the ongoing monitoring of riskand cyber security matters, including data privacy, protection and risk mitigation activities have been implemented understrategies (“Information Security”). Additionally, the oversightChief Information Security Officer oversees our Information Security team, which works in partnership with our internal audit department to review information technology-related internal controls with our external auditors as part of the full Board, which will use the Board committees as appropriate to oversee management's monitoring and mitigation of risks identified by management that are consistent with the respective Committee's oversight authorities. The Board believes that the composition of its committees, and the distribution of the particular expertise of each committee's members, makes this an appropriate structure to more effectively monitor the risks that relate to the committees' respective oversight authorities.

    overall internal controls process.

    An important feature of the Board'sBoard’s risk oversight function is to receive regular updates at each quarterly Board meeting from its committees and management, as appropriate.management. For example, each year our senior management will work with the headSVP of our internal audit function,Internal Audit, who reports directly to the Audit Committee, to develop an audit plan designed to address key corporate governance controls, financial reporting and internal control risks and pre-implementation reviews of significant corporate projects. This plan will subsequently be reviewedapproved by the Audit Committee, and our internal auditors will report the audit results to the Audit Committee on a quarterly basis, or more frequently as needed. The internal auditorsSVP of Internal Audit also meet regularlymeets with the Audit Committee in executive session.session at least quarterly. In addition, our EVP, General Counsel & Secretary meets regularly in executive session with the Audit Committee and the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee and provides them with regular updates regarding material litigation and legal and regulatory compliance matters.

    The Compensation Committee is responsible for overseeing compensation risk, including evaluating and assessing risks arising from our compensation policies and practices for all employees and ensuring executive compensation is aligned with performance. The Compensation Committee is charged with monitoring our equity-based compensation plans, including employee benefit plans. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee oversees risk related to our overall governance, including Board and committee composition, Board size and structure, director independence, and ethical and business conduct.

            Aconduct and ESG risks.

    The full Board is kept informed of each committee’s risk oversight and related activities through standard reports to the Board by each committee chairman, frequent non-member attendance at committee

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    meetings and committee meeting materials, minutes and resolutions which are made available to all directors. Current and emerging strategic, operational and competitive risks are presented and discussed at the Board’s regular quarterly meetings. In addition to receiving direct information from its committees, the Board receives updates directly from members of management. For example, a committee of senior management comprised of the leaders of our balance sheet loan origination, loan underwriting, servicing, accounting, legal, human resources, investment advisory, broker-dealer, information technology, information security andinvestor relations, internal audit, tax credit syndication and treasury groups meet monthly to discuss current and emerging risks that we face and prepare a written report to the full Board at least quarterly, describing key risks faced by us and how they are addressed. Additionally, the full Board is kept informed of each committee's risk oversight and related activities through standard reports to the Board by each committee chairman, frequent non-member attendance at committee meetings and committee meeting minutes and resolutions which are made available to all directors. Strategic, operational and competitive risks are presented and discussed at the Board's regular quarterly meetings. In addition to getting direct information from its committees, the Board receives updates directly from members of management. Asas needed between Board meetings, Mr. Walker, our Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, provides reports to the Board on the critical issues we face and the recent developments in our business units, including identified risks. Additionally, Mr. Smith, due to his position as President, is able to frequently communicate with other members of our management and update the Board regularly on the important aspects of the Company'sCompany’s day-to-day operations.


    Table The Board believes the leadership structure described in “— Board Leadership Structure” above facilitates the Board’s oversight of Contents

    risk management because it allows the Board, with leadership from the Lead Director and working through its committees, including the independent Audit Committee, to proactively participate in the oversight of management’s actions.

    Board Committees

    The Board has a standing Audit Committee, Compensation Committee and Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. All members of the committees described below are "independent"“independent” under NYSE rules as discussed under "BOARD“BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE—GOVERNANCE — Corporate Governance Information—Information — Director Independence." In addition, the members of the Audit and Compensation Committees satisfy the additional independence criteria applicable to members of such committees under SEC and NYSE rules.

    The table below provides membership information for each of the Board committees as of March 12, 201810, 2023 and the number of meetings held by each committee in 2017:

    2022:
    NameAudit
    Committee
    Compensation
    Committee
    Nominating and
    Corporate
    Governance
    Committee
    Ellen D. LevyXX
    Michael D. MaloneXX*
    John RiceXX*
    Dana L. SchmaltzXX
    Michael J. WarrenX
    Donna C. WellsX*†X
    2022 Meetings565
    Name
     Audit
    Committee
     Compensation
    Committee
     Nominating and
    Corporate
    Governance
    Committee
     

    Alan J. Bowers

      X†*    X 

    Cynthia A. Hallenbeck

      X X    

    Michael D. Malone

      X X*   

    John Rice

         X  X*

    Dana L. Schmaltz

         X  X 

    Michael J. Warren

            X 

    2017 Meetings

      5  7  5 

    *
    *
    Committee Chairman

    Chair

    Audit Committee Financial Expert

      Audit Committee

    Our Audit Committee consists of Alan J. Bowers, Cynthia A. HallenbeckDonna C. Wells, Michael D. Malone and Michael D. Malone,J. Warren, three of our independent directors, with Mr. BowersMs. Wells serving as the Audit Committee'sCommittee’s Chairman. Each of Mr. Bowers, Ms. HallenbeckWells and Mr.Messrs. Malone and Warren qualifies as an "audit“audit committee financial expert"expert” as that term is defined by the applicable SEC regulations and NYSE corporate governance listing standards.regulations. Our Board has also determined that each Audit Committee member is "financially literate"“financially literate” as that term is defined by the NYSE corporate governance listing standards. We have adopted an Audit Committee charter that details the principal functions of the Audit Committee, including oversight related to:


    our accounting and financial reporting processes;


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    the integrity of our consolidated financial statements and financial reporting process;

    processes;

    our systems of disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting;


    our compliance with financial, legal and regulatory requirements;


    the evaluation of the qualifications, independence and performance of our independent registered public accounting firm;


    the performance of our internal audit function;


    our policies and procedures with respect to risk assessment and risk management, including key risks to which we are subject and the steps we have taken to monitor and control exposure to such risks, which is overseen in consultation with our management, and the full Board, as appropriate; and


    review and approval of any related party transactions.

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    The Audit Committee is responsible for engaging an independent registered public accounting firm, reviewing with the independent registered public accounting firm the plans and results of the audit engagement, approving professional services provided by the independent registered public accounting firm, including all audit and non-audit services, reviewing the independence of the independent registered public accounting firm, considering the range of audit and non-audit fees and reviewing the adequacy of our internal accounting controls. The Audit Committee also prepares the Audit Committee report required by SEC regulations to be included in our annual proxy statement.

    Our Audit Committee charter and the corporate governance rules of the NYSE require that, in the event a director simultaneously serves on the audit committee of more than three public companies, including us, the Board must determine that such simultaneous service would not impair the ability of that member to effectively serve on our Audit Committee and disclose that determination. None of our Audit Committee members serves on the audit committees of more than three public companies (including our Audit Committee).

    The Audit Committee met five times in 2017.

      2022.

    Compensation Committee

    Our Compensation Committee consists of Cynthia A. Hallenbeck,Ellen D. Levy, Michael D. Malone, John Rice and Dana L. Schmaltz, four of our independent directors, with Mr. Malone serving as the Compensation Committee'sCommittee’s Chairman. We have adopted a Compensation Committee charter that details the principal functions of the Compensation Committee, including:


    reviewing and approving on an annual basis the corporate goals and objectives relevant to our executive officers'officers’ compensation, evaluating our executive officers'officers’ performance in light of such goals and objectives and determining and approving the remuneration of our executive officers based on such evaluation;


    reviewing and approving the compensation of our executive officers, subject to the terms and conditions of any pre-existing employment agreements;


    reviewing and evaluating, as it deems appropriate, the compensation for directors, including board committee retainers, meeting fees, equity basedequity-based compensation and such other forms of compensation as the compensation committee may consider appropriate and recommendrecommending to the board,Board, as appropriate, changes to such compensation;


    reviewing our executive compensation policies and plans;


    reviewing and monitoring: (1) the development and implementation of goals established from time to time for our performance with respect to ESG initiatives, (2) the development of metrics to gauge progress toward achievement of those goals, and (3) our progress against those goals;

    implementing and administering our annual cash incentive plan and equity-based compensation plan;

    plans;

    determining the number and terms of equity awards to be granted to our directors, executive officers and other employees pursuant to these plans;


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    assisting management in complying with our proxy statement and annual report disclosure requirements;


    producing a report on executive compensation to be included in our annual proxy statement; and


    reviewing the company'sCompany’s policies and procedures with respect to risk assessment and risk management for compensating all employees, including non-executive officers, and reporting its findings to the Board.

    Pursuant to its charter, the Compensation Committee may, in its discretion, delegate all or a portion of its duties and responsibilities to a subcommittee consisting of one or more members.


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    The Board has established a special committee of the Board (the "Non-Executive“Non-Executive Equity Award Committee"Committee”), currently comprised of Messrs. Walker, our Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, and Smith, our President, and delegated to that committee limited authority to grant equity awards to non-executive officers and non-director employees pursuant to the 20152020 Equity Incentive Plan. As of March 12, 2018,10, 2023, those grants may not exceed a total of 510,997 shares.142,981 shares cumulatively. The Non-Executive Equity Award Committee'sCommittee’s authority does not in any way limit the Compensation Committee'sCommittee’s authority to administer the 20152020 Equity Incentive Plan.

    Under its charter, the Compensation Committee has authority to retain compensation consultants, outside counsel and other advisors that the Compensation Committee deems appropriate, in its sole discretion, to assist it in discharging its duties. The Compensation Committee engaged Pay Governance LLC ("(“Pay Governance"Governance”) in 20172022 to act as its compensation consultant. Pay Governance reported directly to the Compensation Committee and the Compensation Committee had the sole authority to terminate eachthe engagement.

    Pay Governance'sGovernance’s primary roles for 20172022 were to:


    re-assess the peer group identified by our Compensation Committee in 20162021 against which our 20172022 performance and non-employee director and executive pay should be examined;


    advise on the performance metrics, rigor of performance goals and structure of our 2022 annual cash incentive plan and our 2022-2024 long-term performance share plan;

    evaluate our non-employee director and executive compensation programs and provide recommendations regarding non-employee director and executive compensation strategy and policies, including a review of philosophy, comparative review of total direct compensation at our peer group companies (for example, base salary, short- and long-term incentives and mix of pay, as applicable), and provide insight related to potential enhancements and/or modifications;


    assess the alignment of named executive officer ("NEO"(“NEO”) compensation to our performance;


    assess the competitiveness of outside director total compensation;

    evaluate and analyze our compensation policies and practices for our NEOs and our loan origination staff to determine whether they create risks that are reasonably likely to have a material adverse effect on us;


    review the Compensation Discussion and Analysis section ofand Pay-Versus-Performance disclosures in our annual proxy statement;


    advise the Compensation Committee on executive and director compensation trends and best practices; and


    attend selected Compensation Committee meetings.

    Pay Governance did not provide any other services to the Company. The Compensation Committee concluded that Pay Governance had no conflicts of interest during fiscal year 2017.2022. In reaching this conclusion, the Compensation Committee considered all relevant factors, including the six independence factors relating to committee advisors that are specified in the NYSE rules. These factors are:


    the provision of other services to the company by an advisor'sadvisor’s employer;


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    the amount of fees received from the company by an advisor'sadvisor’s employer as a percentage of the total revenue of the advisor'sadvisor’s employer;


    the policies and procedures of an advisor'sadvisor’s employer that are designed to prevent conflicts of interest;


    any business or personal relationship of an advisor with a member of the committee;


    any stock of the company owned by an advisor; and


    any business or personal relationship of an advisor or the advisor'sadvisor’s employer with an executive officer of the Company.

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    For further discussion of the role of the Compensation Committee in the executive compensation decision-making process, and for a description of the nature and scope of Pay Governance'sGovernance’s assignments, see the section titled "COMPENSATION“COMPENSATION DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS."

    Our Compensation Committee considers the recommendations of Mr. Walker regarding any Company and individual performance targets, assessments of performance and compensation levels generally for our named executive officers. Mr. Walker presents a self-assessment of his own individual performance to the Compensation Committee and makes recommendations regarding his own compensation, but the Compensation Committee considers the compensation determination without Mr. Walker and other members of management being present. Senior members of the human resources, legal, finance and accounting departments may also provide input to the Compensation Committee concerning matters relevant to the compensation plans and amounts, including compensation plan structure, individual and company-specific performance achievements and the impacts of the compensation plans and related payments on the Company'sCompany’s financial performance.

    performance, but neither they, nor any other employee of the Company, are present for executive sessions of the Compensation Committee.

    The Compensation Committee met sevensix times in 2017.

      2022.

    Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee

    Our Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee consists of Alan J. Bowers,Ellen D. Levy, John Rice, Dana L. Schmaltz and Michael J. Warren,Donna C. Wells, four of our independent directors, with Mr. Rice serving as the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee'sCommittee’s Chairman. We have adopted a nominating and corporate governance committee charter that details the principal functions of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, including:


    identifying and recommending to the Board qualified candidates for election as directors and recommending nominees for election as directors at the annual meeting of stockholders;


    developing and recommending to the Board corporate governance guidelines and implementing and monitoring such guidelines;


    overseeing the Board'sBoard’s compliance with financial, legal and regulatory requirements and its ethics program as set forth in the Company'sCompany’s Code of Business Conduct and Ethics and the Code of Ethics for Principal Executive Officer and Senior Financial Officers;


    reviewing and making recommendations on matters involving the general operation of the Board, including board size and composition, and committee composition and structure;


    recommending to the Board nominees for each Board committee;

    overseeing our efforts with regard to ESG matters; and


    overseeing the annual evaluation process for the Board, management and the other committees of the Board, as required by applicable law, regulations and the NYSE corporate governance listing standards.

    The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee met five times in 2017.

    2022.


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    AUDIT RELATED MATTERS


    AUDIT-RELATED MATTERS
    Proposal 2:   Ratification of Appointment of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

    Our consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 20172022 were audited by KPMG LLP, which served as our independent registered public accounting firm for the last fiscal year. The Audit Committee has appointed KPMG LLP to serve as our independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending December 31, 2018.2023. We have been advised by KPMG LLP that representatives of KPMG LLP will be present at our 20182023 annual meeting. These representatives will have the opportunity to make a statement if they so desire and will be available to respond to appropriate questions.

    The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 requires the Audit Committee to be directly responsible for the appointment, compensation and oversight of the audit work of the independent registered public accounting firm. Nevertheless, our Board is submitting the appointment of KPMG LLP to the stockholders for ratification as a matter of good corporate practice. If the stockholders fail to ratify the appointment of KPMG LLP, the Audit Committee may reconsider the appointment andor may retain KPMG LLP or another accounting firm without resubmitting the matter to stockholders. Even if the stockholders ratify the appointment, the Audit Committee may select another firm if it determines such selection to be in our and our stockholders'stockholders’ best interest.

    Vote Required

    The ratification of the appointment of KPMG LLP requires the approvalaffirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the votes cast at the meeting.cast. Abstentions and broker non-votes, if any, will not count as votes cast with respect to the proposal.

      proposal and will have no effect on the result of the vote.

    Our Recommendation

    THE BOARD UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDS A VOTE "FOR"“FOR” THE PROPOSAL TO RATIFY THE APPOINTMENT OF KPMG LLP AS OUR INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM FOR THE YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 2018.

    2023.

    Disclosure of KPMG LLP Fees for the Years Ended December 31, 20172022 and December 31, 2016

    2021

    The following table shows the fees for professional services rendered by KPMG LLP for the audit of the Company'sCompany’s annual financial statements for the years ended December 31, 2017,2022 and December 31, 2016,2021, and fees billed for other services rendered by KPMG LLP during those periods:

    20222021
    Audit Fees(1)
    $1,820,000$1,453,086
    Audit-Related Fees(2)
    117,500157,500
    Tax Fees(3)
    887,822926,499
    All Other Fees
    Total$2,825,322$2,537,085
     
     2017 2016 

    Audit Fees(1)

     $1,061,000 $1,009,000 

    Audit Related Fees(2)

      151,600  151,100 

    Tax Fees(3)

      283,868  300,403 

    All Other Fees

         

    Total

     $1,496,468 $1,460,503 

    (1)
    (1)
    Audit Fees include fees for audits of our 20172022 and 20162021 consolidated financial statements.

    statements, with recent acquisitions driving the majority of cost increase year-over-year.
    (2)
    Audit Related
    Audit-Related Fees include fees for our statutory and regulatory compliance audits and our employee benefit plan audits.

    an audit of a joint venture entity.
    (3)

    Tax Fees include fees for tax compliance and advisory services.

    Table of Contents

    All services provided by KPMG LLP to us since we became a public company have been pre-approved by the Audit Committee, either pursuant to the Audit Committee'sCommittee’s Audit and Non-Audit Services Pre-Approval Policy or through a separate pre-approval by the Audit Committee, which concluded that the provision of such services by KPMG LLP was compatible with the maintenance of that firm'sfirm’s independence from us.


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    Pre-Approval Policies and Procedures

    The Audit Committee'sCommittee’s policy is to review and pre-approve, either pursuant to the Audit Committee'sCommittee’s Audit and Non-Audit Services Pre-Approval Policy or through a separate pre-approval by the Audit Committee, any engagement of our independent registered public accounting firm to provide any audit or permissible non-audit service to the Company. Pursuant to the Audit and Non-Audit Services Pre-Approval Policy, which the Audit Committee will review and reassess annually, a list of specific services within certain categories of services, including audit and audit-related services, are specifically pre-approved for the upcoming or current fiscal year, subject to an aggregate maximum annual fee payable by us for each category of pre-approved services. Any service that is not included in the approved list of services must be separately pre-approved by the Audit Committee. Additionally, all audit and permissible non-audit services in excess of the pre-approved fee level, whether or not included on the pre-approved list of services, must be separately pre-approved by the Audit Committee. The Audit Committee has delegated authority to its Chairman to specifically pre-approve engagements for the performance of audit and permissible non-audit services, for which the estimated cost for each specified type of service shall not exceed $100,000. The Audit Committee Chairman must report all pre-approval decisions to the Audit Committee at its next scheduled meeting and provide a description of the terms of the engagement, including:


    the type of services covered by the engagement;


    the dates the engagement is scheduled to commence and terminate;


    the estimated fees payable by us pursuant to the engagement;


    other material terms of the engagement; and


    such other information as the Audit Committee may request.

    Report of the Audit Committee

            The Audit Committee is currently comprised of Mr. Bowers (Chairman), Mr. Malone and Ms. Hallenbeck. The members of the Audit Committee are appointed by and serve at the discretion of the Board.

    One of the Audit Committee'sCommittee’s principal purposes is to assist the Board in overseeing the integrity of our consolidated financial statements. Our management team has the primary responsibility for our consolidated financial statements and the reporting process, including the system of internal control over financial reporting and disclosure controls and procedures. KPMG LLP, our independent registered public accounting firm, audits the annual financial statements prepared by management and expresses an opinion on the conformity of those financial statements with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP"(“GAAP”). In carrying out its responsibilities, the Audit Committee reviewed and discussed our audited consolidated financial statements as of and for the year ended December 31, 20172022 with our management and representatives of KPMG LLP. Management represented to the Audit Committee that our consolidated financial statements were prepared in accordance with GAAP.

    The Audit Committee is also is responsible for assisting the Board in overseeing the qualification, independence and performance of our independent registered public accounting firm. The Audit Committee discussed with KPMG LLP the matters required to be discussed by Auditing Standard


    Tablethe applicable requirements of Contents

    No. 16,Communications with Audit Committees, as adopted by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (the "PCAOB"(“PCAOB”). and the SEC. The Audit Committee received both the written disclosures and the letter from KPMG LLP, as well as engaged in a dialogue, as required by the applicable requirements of the PCAOB regarding KPMG LLP'sLLP’s communications with the Audit Committee concerning independence, and discussed with KPMG LLP the independence of KPMG LLP from us. The Audit Committee also has considered whether the provision of any non-audit services, and any fees charged for such non-audit services, by KPMG LLP are compatible with maintaining the independence of KPMG LLP from us.

    Based on the reviews and discussions described above, the Audit Committee recommended to the Board that our audited consolidated financial statements be included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017.

    2022.
    Respectfully submitted,
    The Audit Committee of the Board of Directors
    Donna C. Wells (Chairman)
    Michael D. Malone
    Michael J. Warren

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    Respectfully submitted,
    The Audit Committee of the Board of Directors
    Alan J. Bowers (Chairman)
    Cynthia A. Hallenbeck
    Michael D. Malone

    The Audit Committee report above does not constitute "soliciting material"“soliciting material” and will not be deemed "filed"“filed” or incorporated by reference into any of our filings under the Securities Act of 1933 or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that might incorporate our SEC filings by reference, in whole or in part, notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in those filings.



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    Table


    ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL AND GOVERNANCE
    We understand the importance of Contentsoperating our business in a socially responsible and environmentally sustainable manner in order to maximize stockholder value, and we regularly consider ways to improve our internal culture and the communities in which we operate while also supporting our clients in their sustainability efforts.
    Our key ESG efforts include:
    Human Capital and Workforce Excellence
    We believe the foundation of our success begins with hiring and developing a highly skilled and motivated employee base. All employees take part in our rigorous goal setting and performance review each year. In 2022, we continued various mentoring and sponsorship programs, learning initiatives, and employee support and outreach efforts to support the ongoing development and advancement of our employees. We believe that our employee/employer connections are extremely strong today, as evidenced by the results of our 2022 Great Place to Work® survey, which revealed that 94% of respondents feel that we are a great place to work and 95% believe our leadership is honest and ethical in its business practices.
    We monitor and evaluate various talent metrics and report out to management monthly on hiring, diversity, turnover and promotions. Our voluntary annualized turnover rate was 11% and our average tenure was 3.8 years for the year ended December 31, 2022. We also conduct a pay equity analysis annually to compare base wage and total compensation across genders and ethnicity. As of December 31, 2022, our workforce consists of 36% women, 63% men and 1% not disclosed, and women represented 28% of management positions (defined as Assistant Vice President and above; position classifications reflect Company-specific organizational structure). Employees who identify as members of traditionally underrepresented racial/ethnic groups represented 22% of our workforce and 13% of management positions.
    Led by our Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (“DE&I”) team, we offer employee resource groups (“ERG’s”), including, but not limited to, the following groups: Black/African American, Latino/a, LGBTQIA+, Asian American Pacific Islander, Military/Veterans, and Caregivers. We are purposeful in our drive to promote an inclusive workplace, where our employees are engaged and can develop within the Company. As described below in “— Key ESG Targets,” we have included ambitious goals related to DE&I in our Drive to ‘25 corporate strategy, as well as in every employee’s individual goals. Specifically, employees’ performance goals require employees to support an ERG through participation in an event or by contributing to an ERG-sponsored initiative and require every employee to attend certain DE&I trainings.
    Our culture, policies and practices helped us to be named in 2022 as a Great Place to Work® Best Workplace in Financial Services as published in Fortune.
    Community Outreach
    It is our policy to give back to the communities in which we operate, and overall, to financially support the fight against homelessness in the United States. We have included a community giving target of 1% of pre-tax profits in our Drive to ‘25 corporate strategy, and in 2022, we contributed $1.4 million to charitable organizations we and our employees sponsor. We also provide all employees with paid time off for volunteering in their communities and we also require every employee to participate in at least one community-focused event each year. We offer a matching fund program for charitable donations to support and recognize contributions and involvement in causes that matter personally to our employees. We also hold an annual charitable fundraiser focused on addressing homelessness where we match our employee contributions dollar-for-dollar. Additionally, we finance several billions of dollars of affordable housing properties each year through our debt financing activities.
    Environmental Stewardship
    We strive to minimize the negative environmental impact of our day-to-day operations on the planet. Our Green Task Force, comprised of employees and management from across our organization, leads many of our sustainability efforts. In addition, we work with an international consulting firm to measure, manage and neutralize our carbon footprint through the purchase of carbon offsets and renewable energy

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    credits on a yearly basis. We are proactive in implementing corporate policies and practices focused on energy conservation and waste reduction throughout our 45 offices with a focus on making changes that will meaningfully reduce our emissions in pursuit of our emissions reduction goal as described below. Our Environmental Policy can be found on our website. In addition, during 2022, we issued our second annual report aligned with the recommendations of the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), which can also be found on our website. Our Environmental Policy and TCFD report do not constitute “soliciting material” and will not be deemed “filed” or incorporated by reference into any of our filings under the Securities Act of 1933 or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that might incorporate our SEC filings by reference, in whole or in part, notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in those filings.
    Key ESG Targets
    We have set the following targets related to our core ESG focus areas that we aim to achieve by the end of 2025:

    Increase the proportion of women and members of traditionally underrepresented racial/ethnic groups in management positions from 25% and 11% respectively as of December 31, 2020, to at least 35% and 25%, respectively;

    As of December 31, 2022, women held 28% of management positions and members of traditionally underrepresented racial/ethnic groups held 13% of management positions.

    Increase the proportion of women and members of traditionally underrepresented racial/ethnic groups among the top 20% of company earners from 9% and 6%, respectively, as of December 31, 2020 to both 15%;

    As of December 31, 2022, women represented 10% of top company earners and members of traditionally underrepresented racial/ethnic groups represented 7% of top company earners.

    Finance a cumulative $60 billion of affordable housing properties;

    Over the past two years, Walker & Dunlop financed $20.4 billion of affordable housing properties.

    With the acquisition of affordable housing-focused Alliant Capital and its affiliates in late 2021, Walker & Dunlop has the opportunity to increase its impact on the affordable housing market through new client relationships, affordable housing development and preservation and sales and financing opportunities.

    Donate 1% of our annual income from operations to charitable organizations;

    In 2022, we contributed $1.4 million to charitable organizations, which is 0.53% of our 2022 income from operations, compared to 0.36% in 2021.

    Reduce our aggregate Scope 1, 2, and 3 (for categories then measured) emissions by 50% from the level in 2019 on a per-employee basis.

    We are in the process of working with an outside consultant to measure our 2022 emissions. We expect that our flexible work policy will have an ongoing positive impact on our Scope 3 emissions from our corporate operations.
    The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee oversees our ESG efforts and receives a report from management on our ESG activities at each quarterly meeting. Additionally, the Compensation Committee reviews and monitors (1) the development and implementation of goals established from time to time for our performance with respect to ESG initiatives, (2) the development of metrics to gauge progress toward achievement of those goals, and (3) our progress against those goals.
    More information about our ESG efforts and five-year goals, including Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) disclosures, can be found in our most recent ESG Report published on our website. The ESG Report does not constitute “soliciting material” and will not be deemed “filed” or incorporated by reference into any of our filings under the Securities Act of 1933 or the Securities Exchange

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    Act of 1934 that might incorporate our SEC filings by reference, in whole or in part, notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in those filings. Additionally, we may provide, both in our SEC filings and extraregulatory reporting, information that is not necessarily material for SEC reporting purposes but that is informed by various ESG standards and frameworks including standards for the measurement of underlying data), internal controls, and assumptions that are still evolving and subject to change. We also rely on third-party information for certain of these disclosures, which may change over time as methodologies and data availability and quality continue to evolve. These factors, as well as any inaccuracies in third-party information we use, including in estimates or assumptions, may cause results to differ materially and adversely from statements, estimates, and beliefs made by us or third-parties. Moreover, our disclosures based on any standards may change due to revisions in framework requirements, availability of information, changes in our business or applicable governmental policies, or other factors, some of which may be beyond our control.

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    EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

    The following table sets forth information concerning our executive officers as of March 12, 2018.10, 2023. Executive officers are elected by and serve at the discretion of our Board.

    NameAgeTitle
    Name
    AgeTitle

    William M. Walker

    5055Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer

    Gregory A. Florkowski

    42Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
    Stephen P. Theobald60Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer; Former Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
    Howard W. Smith, III

    5964President and Director

    Richard M. Lucas

    5257Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary

    Stephen P. Theobald

    Paula A. Pryor
    5545Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer

    Richard C. Warner

    62Executive Vice President and Chief CreditHuman Resources Officer

    Executive Officer Biographies

    Set forth below are descriptions of the backgrounds of each of our executive officers, other than Messrs. Walker and Smith, whose backgrounds and positions are described above (See "BOARD“BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE—GOVERNANCE — Nominees for Election for a One-Year Term Expiring at the 20192024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders"Stockholders”).

    Gregory A. Florkowski has served as our Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer since June 2022. He previously served as Walker & Dunlop, LLC’s Senior Vice President and Controller from December 2010 to January 2019 and as Executive Vice President, Business Development from February 2020 to June 2022. Mr. Florkowski is responsible for our Financial Reporting, Budgeting and Accounting, Corporate Treasury, Business Development and Investor Relations groups and, together with the other executive officers, the overall strategic direction of our Company. Mr. Florkowski also has served as a member of the board of managers of Walker & Dunlop, LLC since June 2022. Mr. Florkowski began his career at KPMG. In his role at KPMG, Mr. Florkowski last worked as a senior manager in the assurance practice where he primarily served public companies in the financial services industry and non-public companies in financial services, private equity and specialty finance. Mr. Florkowski holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Salisbury University.
    Stephen P. Theobald has served as our Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer since June 2022. He served as our Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer from April 2013 to June 2022. Mr. Theobald is responsible for our Servicing and Asset Management, Marketing, Investment Management, Technology, Office Services, Investment Research, Small Balance Lending and our Valuation and Appraisal groups and, together with the other executive officers, the overall strategic direction of our Company. Mr. Theobald also has served as a member of the board of managers of Walker & Dunlop, LLC since April 2013. From December 2010 to March 2013, Mr. Theobald served as the executive vice president and chief financial officer of Hampton Roads Bankshares, Inc., a publicly traded holding company for Bank of Hampton Roads, a Virginia state-chartered commercial bank. From April 2010 to November 2010, Mr. Theobald served as a financial consultant to Hampton Roads Bankshares, Inc. Mr. Theobald also held a number of senior financial positions at Capital One Financial Corporation from 1999 to 2010, most recently serving as chief financial officer, local banking, from 2005 to 2010. Mr. Theobald began his career at KPMG LLP in 1984, and he served as audit partner, financial services, from 1996 to 1999. From 1990 to 1992, he served as a professional accounting fellow in the Office of the Chief Accountant at the Comptroller of the Currency. Mr. Theobald received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in Accounting from the University of Notre Dame.
    Richard M. Lucas serves as our Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary. Mr. Lucas was a member of our Board from July to November 2010, when he joined the Company as Executive Vice President and General Counsel, and has served as a member of the board of managers of Walker & Dunlop, LLC since January 2010. Mr. Lucas is responsible for our Legal Human Resourcesdepartment and Office Services groups, provides administrative oversight of the internal audit function and, together with the other executive officers, the overall strategic direction of our Company. Mr. Lucas joined Hilton Worldwide, Inc., a global hospitality company, in May 2008 as

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    executive vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary and served as a member of Hilton'sHilton’s executive committee until he joined us in November 2010. Prior to joining Hilton, Mr. Lucas was a partner at the law firm of Arnold & Porter LLP in Washington, D.C., where he was in private practice for 18 years. At Arnold & Porter, his practice focused on real estate transactions and litigation, primarily in the hospitality and senior living areas. From 2005 to 2008, Mr. Lucas also served as an adjunct faculty member at The George Washington University Law School, where he taught a course on real estate transactions. Mr. Lucas is the former Presidentpresident and a member of the D.C. board of directors offor the Greater Chesapeake and PotomacCapital Chapter of the non-profit JDRF.JDRF (now the DC Community Board of the Mid-Atlantic Chapter). Mr. Lucas also is a member of the steering committee of Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business Steers Center for Global Real Estate. Mr. Lucas received his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Georgetown University'sUniversity’s McDonough School of Business and his Juris Doctor from Yale Law School.

    Stephen P. Theobald

    Paula A. Pryor serves as our Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. He served as our Treasurer from April 2013 to February 2018. Mr. TheobaldHuman Resources Officer, where she oversees all things “people” at Walker & Dunlop. In her role, she is responsible for our Financial Reporting, Budgetingtalent acquisition, total rewards, talent management, DE&I, learning and Accounting, Corporate Treasury, Servicing, Marketingdevelopment, and Investor Relations groups and, together with the other executive officers, the overall culture and strategic direction of our Company. Mr. TheobaldMs. Pryor also has served as a member of the board of managers of Walker & Dunlop, LLC since April 2013. From December 2010 to March 2013, Mr. TheobaldMay 2020. Ms. Pryor joined us in 2009 and served as the executive vice presidentVice President, Human Resources from 2009 to 2013 and chief financial officer of Hampton Roads Bankshares, Inc., a publicly-traded holding company for Bank of Hampton Roads, a Virginia state-chartered commercial bank. From April 2010as Senior Vice President, Human Resources from 2013 to November 2010, Mr. Theobald2018, when she was promoted to Executive Vice President. Prior to joining Walker & Dunlop, Ms. Pryor served as a financial consultantManager of Human Resources at CapitalSource Inc. from 2007 to Hampton Roads Bankshares, Inc. Mr. Theobald also held a number of senior financial positions at Capital One Financial Corporation from 1999 to 2010, most recently serving2009 and as chief financial officer, local banking, a position he held from 2005 to 2010. Mr. Theobald began his career at KPMG LLP in 1984, and he served as audit partner, financial services, from 1996 to 1999. From 1990 to 1992, he served as a professional accounting fellow in the OfficeManager of the Chief AccountantPeople Team at the Comptroller of the Currency. Mr. Theobald received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in AccountingKatzenbach Partners from the University of Notre Dame.


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    Richard C. Warner serves as our Executive Vice President and Chief Credit Officer. Mr. Warner has served as a senior vice president and chief underwriter of Walker & Dunlop, LLC or its predecessors since September 2002. As Executive Vice President and Chief Credit Officer, Mr. Warner2002 to 2007. Ms. Pryor is responsible for our Asset Management, Underwriting, and Closing and Delivery groups and, together with the other executive officers, the overall strategic direction of our Company. Mr. Warner also has served as a member of the board of managersdirectors of Walker & Dunlop, LLC since December 2011. Prior to joining Walker & Dunlop, Mr. Warner heldLeadership Women, a numbernon-profit organization. Ms. Pryor graduated cum laude from the University of leadership positionsRichmond with Main America Capital and its successors, a company that originated commercial and multifamily loans nationwide. From 1994 to 1998, Mr. Warner was the president of Main America Capital; from 1998 to 2000, he was vice president of originations for RFC Commercial; and from 2000 to 2002, he was vice president and branch manager for GMAC Commercial Mortgage. In 1978, Mr. Warner started his career with Canada's Confederation Life Insurance Company, where he held a number of successive positions, ending as mortgage and real estate vice president in 1994. Mr. Warner received his Bachelor of Arts in UrbanInternational Studies from McGill University.


    Tableand Spanish, and a minor in History. She completed her Master’s degree in Latin American Political Economy with distinction at Georgetown University’s School of Contents

    Foreign Service.


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    COMPENSATION DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS

    The Compensation Committee establishes the underlying policies and principles of our compensation programs. This sectionCompensation Discussion and Analysis describes theour executive compensation programs for our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer in 2017 as well as our other three most highly compensated executive officers during 2017, all of whom we refer to collectively as our named executive officers or NEOs.(the “NEOs”) and explains in detail the process followed to reach its 2022 compensation decisions. Our NEOs for 20172022 were:

      Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), William M. Walker;

    Named Executive Officers
    William M. WalkerChairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
    Gregory A. FlorkowskiExecutive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (CFO)(1)
    Howard W. Smith, IIIPresident
    Stephen P. TheobaldExecutive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer (COO); Former Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer(2)
    Richard M. LucasExecutive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary (General Counsel)
    Paula A. PryorExecutive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO)
    (1)
    Mr. Florkowski was appointed to the position of Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, (CFO), Stephen P. Theobald;

    President, Howard W. Smith, III;

    Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary, Richard M. Lucas; and

    effective as of June 1, 2022.
    (2)
    Mr. Theobald was appointed to the position of Executive Vice President and Chief CreditOperating Officer, Richard C. Warner

    effective as of June 1, 2022.

    Executive Summary

      Overview

    The Compensation Committee places significant value on linking our NEOs’ compensation to the long-term value creation for our stockholders and is strongly committed to pay for performance alignment. Our executive compensation program is designed to appropriately reward our NEOs to successfully manage our distinctive business model and execute on our ambitious long-term business plan, the Drive to ‘25. On an annual basis, we evaluate and make executive compensation decisions based on a comprehensive review of 2017 Performanceour short-term and Pay for Performance

            Onelong-term performance, current market practices and governance trends, among other factors.

    Our Business Model and Ambitious Long-Term Business Plan
    We are one of the key elementsleading commercial real estate (“CRE”) services and finance companies in the United States, and one of the Compensation Committee's executive compensation philosophy is that compensation should encouragelargest capital providers to the CRE market, including the multifamily, industrial, office, retail and rewardhospitality markets. We have a long track record of delivering strong growth through establishing ambitious five-year business plans, and in 2021, we embarked on our current five-year plan called the Drive to ‘25.
    The Drive to ‘25 includes the following ambitious five-year operational, financial and ESG targets to be achieved by year-end 2025:
    OperationalFinancialESG

    $65B+ in Annual Debt Financing Volume, including $5B+ in Annual Small Balance Loans

    $160B+ Servicing Portfolio Balance

    $25B+ in Annual Property Sales Volume

    $10B+ in Assets Under Management

    At least $2B in Annual Total Revenues

    At least $13.00 per share in Annual Diluted EPS

    Increase Diversity of Leadership

    Reduce GHG Emissions Intensity

    Donate 1% of Annual Income from Operations to Non-profits

    Originate a Cumulative $60B of Affordable Housing Debt Financing Volume from 2021 – 2025

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    2022 Performance Highlights
    2022 presented a very challenging environment for Walker & Dunlop as a result of geopolitical instability, rapidly rising interest rates and a generally uncertain economic outlook. While this environment negatively impacted our 2022 results following a very strong 2021 performance year, we made progress towards our Drive to ‘25 plan and achieved the financial results set forth below.
    Drive to ‘25 Progress
    Despite the headwinds faced throughout our industry in 2022, our executive management performance. Accordingly,team continued to make progress towards our compensation programs are designedlong-term Drive to motivate our employees,‘25 operational objectives including:
    Drive to ‘25 Goal2022 Achievements
    $65 billion of debt financing volume
    (including $5 billion of small balance lending (“SBL”))
    Originated debt financing volume of $43.6 billion
    $160 billion+ Servicing Portfolio BalanceLoan servicing portfolio ended the year at $123.1 billion
    $25 billion of property sales volumeClosed $19.7 billion of annual property sales volume
    $10 billion of assets under management as part of a broader strategy to establish investment banking capabilities$16.7 billion of assets under management (includes WDIP and Alliant funds and loans in our interim lending JV)
    2022 Financial Results
    Financial highlights for year ended 2022 include the following:

    Total Revenues of $1.3 billion, flat to 2021

    Total Transaction Volume of $63.3 billion, down 7% from 2021

    Diluted Earnings per Share of $6.36, down 22% from 2021

    Net Income of $213.8 million, down 20% from 2021

    Adjusted EBITDA(1) of $325.1 million, up 5% from 2021

    Return on Equity of 13%

    Dividend Growth of 20% in 2022 ($0.60 per quarter v. $0.50 in 2021)

    Continued Execution of Targeted Acquisition Strategy including the NEOs, to drive the growthcompletion of our business. In furtherancelargest technology investment to date with the acquisition of this philosophy, in March 2017,GeoPhy, further enhancing our technology platform, and the Compensation Committee established the 2017 annual cash incentive plan, 75%acquisition of which was determined formulaically basedAvalon Real Estate Partners, expanding our investment sales platform to include land sales
    ESG Efforts
    We also continued to execute on achievement against pre-established performance targetsour short-term and 25% of which was determined qualitatively basedlong-term ESG priorities, building on the NEO's individual achievements with respectsignificant progress made in 2021. In 2022, we were able to leadershipachieve the following ESG accomplishments:

    Expanded the level and execution against strategic initiatives. The financial performance metrics include diluted earnings per share, total revenues and adjusted EBITDA(1), and the performance targets for these metrics under the 2017 cash incentive plan were based on achieving our 2017 operating budget. In 2017, under the leadershipquality of our NEOs, we achieved double-digit growthdisclosures with the publication of our 2021 ESG Report and our second annual Taskforce on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) report

    Earned inclusion in each of the financial performance metrics, as set forth below:

    GRAPHIC


    Bloomberg Gender Equality Index (GEI) for the second consecutive year
    (1)

    Adjusted EBITDA is not a financial measure calculated in accordance with GAAP. A reconciliation of adjusted EBITDA to GAAP net income is located on page 4636 of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017,2022, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 23, 2018.2023.


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    Increased our charitable donations in 2022 by 10% from 2021, donating a total of Contents

            These$1.4 million to 137 different charities

    Total Shareholder Return Performance
    Consistent with our long-term business plan, we aim to deliver long-term growth to our stockholders. We recognize that short-term results are often impacted by external market conditions, but long-term performance should ultimately align with stockholder value creation. While our one-year TSR performance was negative, over the longer term we have delivered exceptional 2017 results would not have been achieved without the leadership and efforts of the NEOs,returns, outperforming our peer group and the results had a direct impactbroader market. The following table illustrates our comparative 10-Year TSR growth based on the compensation decisions and performance-based outcomes for 2017 under the 2017 annual cash incentive plan. Taking into account these results and the NEOs' achievements with respect to leadership and strategic initiatives, the Compensation Committee awarded the NEOs annual incentive compensation at the maximum levels under the 2017 annual cash incentive plan.

            In March 2017, the Compensation Committee also approved a new performance-based long-term equity incentive award for the NEOs and senior management to drive outstanding performance over the next three years. These awards, denoted as performance share units, vest in the form of shares of common stock. For these 2017 performance-based long-term equity incentive awards, the Compensation Committee established as a prerequisite to the funding of the award that the Company achieve a minimum of $140 million of adjusted income from operations(2) in 2017. In 2017, adjusted income from operations was $234.5 million. Accordingly, the NEOs are eligible to receive equity awards if certain pre-established performance goals tied to aggregate total revenues, average diluted earnings per share and return on equity are met over the course of the 2017-2019 performance period.

            The Compensation Committee established the award of performance share units as an "outperformance" award, setting very challenging performance targets designed to incentivize our senior management team, including the NEOs, to seek to achieve outstanding Company performance that results in significant long-term value creation for our stockholders.

            Additionally, we have included in this proxy statement a say-on-pay proposal. Our stockholders have the opportunity to provide us with their direct input on our compensation philosophy, policies and practices as disclosed in the proxy statement every year, which we believe enhances and reinforces accountability for our compensation practices.

      Highlights of Our Compensation Program Practices

      What We Do

      We Pay for Performance—We tie our NEOs' annual cash incentive and long-term equity incentive awards to financial performance metrics, including adjusted income from operations, diluted earnings per share, total revenues, return on equity and adjusted EBITDA. In 2017, the base salaries approved effective February 4, 2017, for the CEO, President and the other three NEOs represents only 18%, 21% and 25% of their respective total target direct compensation opportunity (i.e., base salary, annual cash incentive, long-term equity incentive and annual equity award), with the remainder of compensation being variable or "at risk."

      We Have Executive and Director Stock Ownership Guidelines—Our executive officers are expected to own shares of our common stock with a value equal to at least three to five times base salary depending on position. Our non-employee directors are expected to own shares in our common stock with a value equal to at least five times the value of the annual cash retainer paid$100 invested on 12/31/2012, including reinvested dividends, through 12/31/2022.
    [MISSING IMAGE: lc_performance-bwlr.jpg]
    Source: S&P Global Capital IQ Pro
    History of Strong Say on Pay Support
          At our 2022 annual meeting, more than 99% of votes cast were voted in favor of our say on pay vote, representing the fourth consecutive year of above 98% support, strongly affirming our stockholders’ support of our approach to executive compensation. Our say on pay vote is currently held on an annual basis, consistent with the preference expressed by a majority of our stockholders at our 2022 annual meeting. We carefully consider stockholder feedback on all matters, including our executive compensation. Given the strong support over the past several years and the fact that our executive compensation program is in line with our long-term strategy, no specific changes to our executive compensation program were made in 2022.
    [MISSING IMAGE: bc_saypay-bw.jpg]

    33


    Compensation Governance
    We are committed to the directors. See description under "—strong compensation governance:
    WHAT WE DOWHAT WE DON’T DO

    Align pay and performance by linking NEO compensation to the achievement of rigorous pre-established performance metrics

    Maintain a mix of short-term and long-term incentive measures that are aligned with our long-term strategic plan, the Drive to ‘25

    Base a majority of equity compensation on performance-based measures

    Cap awards for NEOs under our short-term and long-term incentive plans

    Include DE&I performance goals in our annual cash incentive compensation program

    Maintain a clawback policy that allows the Board to recover cash and equity incentive compensation in the event of a financial restatement

    Require significant share ownership for executives and directors, including 5x base salary for the CEO and President, 3x base salary for other NEOs and 5x annual cash retainer for directors

    Engage an independent compensation consultant to advise the Compensation Committee of the Board on executive compensation matters that provide no other services to the Company

    Use tally sheets to review historical and current total compensation (including amounts actually earned)

    No hedging or pledging of shares by NEOs or Board members

    No guaranteed cash incentives, equity awards or salary increases for NEOs

    No incentive compensation based on a single performance metric

    No excessive perquisites or other benefits

    No “single-trigger” change in control cash severance provisions

    No excise tax or income tax gross-ups

    No repricing of stock options or stock appreciation rights (if ever granted) permitted without stockholder approval
    2022 NEO Compensation Policies—Stock Ownership Guidelines for NEOs."

    We Use an Independent Compensation Consulting Firm—TheReview
    Our Compensation Committee utilizes an independent compensation consulting firm that provides no other servicesis firmly committed to the Company.

    We Have a "Clawback" Policy—If we are required to prepare an accounting restatement, then awards underpay-for-performance philosophy and undertakes a thorough review of our 2015 Equity Incentive Plan are subject to mandatory forfeiture if the amount


    (2)
    Adjusted income from operations is not a financial measure calculatedperformance in accordance with GAAP.each year. For a reconciliation to GAAP income from operations, refer to "—Reconciliation of Adjusted Income from Operations to GAAP Income from Operations."

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        earned or vesting of the award is explicitly based on the achievement of pre-established performance goals that are later determined, as a result of the accounting restatement, not to have been achieved. We also have the right to recover any awards to participants under the 2015 Equity Incentive Plan in case of a financial restatement as a result of their knowing or gross negligence or failure to prevent misconduct or to the extent provided by clawback policies that we may adopt in the future.

      We Evaluate Tally Sheets of NEO Compensation—In reviewing compensation arrangements for 2017,2022, the Compensation Committee reviewed (i) our short-term and considered total compensationlong-term performance, (ii) the current competitive market in which we compete for each NEO, including reviews of reports that providetalent, and (iii) external market conditions. Based on these factors, the value of: (1) historic and current elements of each NEO'sCompensation Committee made the following key decisions:

    No increases to 2022 target compensation and actual compensation received; and (2) equity awards granted tolevels for the NEO under our 2015 Equity Incentive Plan.

      What We Don't Do

      No Hedging—All of our directors and employees, including our NEOs, are prohibited from hedging their economic interest in our stock through short-sales, trading in puts and calls, orteam other than for the use of other derivative instruments.

      No Pledging—All of our directors and employees, including our NEOs, are prohibited from pledging our stock, including through margin accounts or to secure other loans.

      No Single-Trigger "Change in Control" Cash Severance Payments—We have employment agreements with NEOs that provide only a limited severance package, and no cash severance payments that are triggered solely upon a "change in control."

      No Perquisites—We currently do not provide, and do not intend to provide, any perquisites exceeding $10,000 in the aggregate to our executives.

      No Income Tax Gross-Ups—We currently do not provide excise tax or income tax gross-ups for personal benefits.

    Compensation Philosophy

            Thenewly promoted CFO

    2022 target compensation elements, amounts and target levelsopportunities were held flat for our NEOs, asexcept for our newly promoted CFO, Mr. Florkowski, who received an increase to his base salary and target annual cash incentive opportunity for 2022 in consideration of December 31, 2017 were determinedhis elevated role and responsibilities.

    Our NEO bonus pool decreased by more than 80% year-over-year
    Our formulaic payout under the annual incentive plan for 2022 would have been approximately 51% of target. Taking into consideration our 2022 TSR underperformance and financial results, the Compensation Committee based onapplied negative discretion to the calculated payout and awarded payouts equal to 25% of target for our beliefNEOs (representing an 83% year-over-year decline in the annual cash incentive pool for our NEOs)

    34


    The following graphs depict the negative discretion applied to 2022 formulaic payout for our CEO and comparison of the CEO’s 2022 payout vs. 2021 payout:
    [MISSING IMAGE: bc_illustration-bw.jpg]
    Setting Executive Compensation
    Compensation Philosophy
    Our executive compensation program is designed to provide a competitive and market-aligned total compensation package that attracts and rewards our executives for significant performance achievements. We believe that our compensation program should:


    align with stockholders' interests;

    stockholders’ interests and drive long-term value creation;

    support our business strategies and objectives;


    pay for performance;


    be market competitive; and


    encourage short-termshort- and long-term retention.

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            We use a combination of measures and time horizons to foster and reward performance. The following chart summarizes the relevant 2017 performance measures and time frames used to assess our variable pay elements:

    GRAPHIC

    Role of Board and Management in Compensation Decisions


    CEO and other NEO pay is set by the Compensation Committee;


    the CEO, the Executive Vice President of Human ResourcesCHRO and senior members of the legal and accounting departments provide support to the Compensation Committee. The Executive Vice President of Human ResourcesCHRO and the Secretary or Assistant Secretary attend all Compensation Committee meetings, but neither they nor any other employee of the Company are present for executive sessions of the Compensation Committee;


    the CEO provides performance assessments and compensation recommendations for each of the NEOs, including a self-assessment of his own performance, but is not present during deliberations concerning his compensation, which is done without members of management present;


    the Compensation Committee meets in executive session, when appropriate, without members of management present;


    the Compensation Committee regularly updates, and receives feedback from, the full Board regarding matters relating to compensation and our equity plans; and


    35



    the Compensation Committee chairman meets with the Chairman of the Board and CEO, other members of senior management and the Committee'sCommittee’s compensation consultant, outside of Compensation Committee meetings to discuss executive compensation matters, including compensation plan design and other ways to drive desired financial and operational results.

    Role of Compensation Consultant

    The Compensation Committee retained Pay Governance in 20172022 to provide the Compensation Committee with independent compensation data, analysis and advice. Pay Governance reported directly


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    to the Compensation Committee, and the Compensation Committee had the sole authority to approve the terms of, and terminate, their engagement.

            Pay Governance's primary roles in 2017 were to:

      re-assess the peer group identified by our Compensation Committee in 2016 against which our 2017 performance and non-employee director and executive pay should be examined;

      evaluate our non-employee director and executive compensation programs and provide recommendations regarding non-employee director and executive compensation strategy and policies, including a review of philosophy, comparative review of total direct compensation at our peer group companies (for example, base salary, short- and long-term incentives, and mix of pay, as applicable), and provide insight related to potential enhancements and/or modifications;

      assess the alignment of NEO compensation to our performance;

      evaluate and analyze our compensation policies and practices for our named executive officers and our loan origination staff to determine whether they create risks that are reasonably likely to have a material adverse effect on us;

      review the Compensation Discussion and Analysis section of our annual proxy statement;

      advise the Compensation Committee on executive and director compensation trends and best practices; and

      attend selected Compensation Committee meetings.

    For additional information regarding the Compensation Committee'sCommittee’s use of Pay Governance, refer to "BOARD“BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE—GOVERNANCE — Board Committees—Committees — Compensation Committee"Committee” above.

    Setting Executive Compensation

            The Compensation Committee evaluates compensation levels for each NEO. In reviewing compensation for 2017, the Compensation Committee reviewed and considered total compensation for each NEO, including reviews of reports that provide the value of: (1) historic and current elements of each NEO's target compensation and actual compensation received; and (2) equity awards granted to the NEO under our 2015 Equity Incentive Plan.

    Use of Peer Group and Survey Data

    The Compensation Committee strives to set target opportunitymaintain a compensation levels to beprogram that is both appropriate and competitive with the market in which we compete for both executive talent. We use compensation information from a "Peer Group" oftalent and business opportunities. Given that our business model has no direct publicly traded peers, the Compensation Committee carefully selected companies in specific industriesconsultation with Pay Governance that on a blended basis would best reflect our unique operations. In constructing an appropriate Peer Group, we took into consideration the following criteria:

    Companies with significant CRE financing operations;

    Companies that engage in which we compete for executive talent;financing/origination services and/or investment banking/CRE investment management; and financial industry

    Companies with relevant revenues and market capitalization relative to ours.
    The 2022 Peer Group is comprised of the 16 companies withbelow and remains unchanged from the 2021 Peer Group. On a standalone basis, each Peer Group company does not fully reflect our scope of operations, comparable to ours through the use of pooled survey data. Pay Governance combined the data frombut on an aggregate basis, the Peer Group with pooled survey data to createreflects the market data reviewed by the Compensation Committee.

            At the time 2017 compensation was determined, we did not have direct publicly traded peers. Therefore, the Peer Group was selected by the Compensation Committee with advice from Pay Governance, taking into consideration industry relevance, business operations, comparability of size in terms of total revenue, total assets, market capitalization and number of employees, business competitors and input from management. The Peer Group was not chosen on the basis of executive

    most comparable public companies.
    Company NameTotal 2022
    Revenues
    (in millions)
    Market
    Capitalization
    at 12/31/2022
    (in millions)
    Number
    of Employees
    as of 12/31/2022
    1-Year
    TSR
    3-Year
    TSR
    American Assets Trust, Inc.$422.6$1,604.0216-26.36%-35.81%
    Annaly Capital Management, Inc.$2,000.1$9,862.6161-21.19%-17.25%
    Arbor Realty Trust, Inc.$654.1$2,262.4630-20.69%21.68%
    BrightSpire Capital, Inc.$364.6$803.554-32.31%-41.65%
    Cowen Inc.$1,537.7$1,042.41,5348.57%154.33%
    Encore Capital Group, Inc.$1,398.3$1,121.16,900-22.81%35.58%
    Kennedy-Wilson Holdings, Inc.$540.0$2,167.4230-30.54%-17.79%
    Ladder Capital Corp$344.6$1,270.763���-8.77%-28.87%
    Marcus & Millichap, Inc.$1,301.7$1,355.7887-30.75%-4.34%
    MGIC Investment Corporation$1,172.8$3,861.3683-7.52%-1.61%
    Mr. Cooper Group Inc.$2,464.0$2,831.86,600-3.56%220.78%
    Ocwen Financial Corporation$953.9$232.14,900-23.49%48.81%
    PennyMac Financial Services, Inc.$1,628.5$2,890.34,135-17.61%73.29%
    Piper Sandler Companies$1,435.1$1,778.31,790-23.35%84.43%
    Radian Group Inc.$1,190.7$2,994.51,400-6.31%-17.04%
    Redwood Trust, Inc.$(7.0)$766.2347-42.16%-46.83%
    Median$1,181.8$1,691.2785-22.00%-2.97%


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    compensation levels. The 2017 Peer Group comprises the 12 companies below, with one deletion from the 2016 Peer Group identified by strikethrough.

    36


    American Assets Trust, Inc.Kennedy Wilson Holdings, Inc.
    American Capital, Ltd. (removed)Ladder Capital Corp.
    Astoria Financial CorporationMarcus & Millichap, Inc.
    Dime Community Bancshares Inc.PennyMac Financial Services, Inc.
    Encore Capital Group, Inc.Redwood Trust, Inc.
    HFF, Inc.WSFS Financial Corporation
    Investors Bancorp Inc.
    Company NameTotal 2022
    Revenues
    (in millions)
    Market
    Capitalization
    at 12/31/2022
    (in millions)
    Number
    of Employees
    as of 12/31/2022
    1-Year
    TSR
    3-Year
    TSR
    Average$1,087.6$2,302.81,908-19.30%26.73%
    Walker & Dunlop, Inc.$1,258.8$2,542.51,451-46.79%29.68%
    WD Rank:8 out of 176 out of 177 out of 1717 out of 177 out of 17

            The Compensation Committee removed American

    *
    Source: S&P Global Capital Ltd. from the 2017 Peer Group because it was privatizedIQ Pro; financial data in connection with a business combination with a diversified global financial investment company.

            Our Compensation Committee also used the Willis Towers Watson 2017 Financial Services Executive Compensation Survey Report-U.S. to evaluate executive compensation. This survey data includes pooled compensation data from many financial services companies and the findings are segregated by total assets.

            Consistent with prior practice, comparative$ millions.

    Comparative market data is not used by the Compensation Committee to "benchmark"“benchmark” the amount of total compensation or any specific element of compensation for the NEOs. Instead, the Compensation Committee aims to provide total pay opportunities to our executives based on consideration of a number of factors, including pay levels for executives in similar positions within our Peer Group, the nature and scope of each executive'sexecutive’s duties, individual performance, and internal pay positioning, taking into account each executive'sexecutive’s pay components and levels relative to other executives.


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    20172022 Key Elements of Compensation

    Our compensation program for our NEOs consists of the following elements, each of which satisfies one or more of our alignment, performance and retention objectives:

    ComponentObjectivesKey Features
    Compensation Element
    ObjectivesKey Features

    Base Salary


    Provides a stable annual incomefixed cash compensation at a level consistent with individual contributions.

    market competitive levels to attract and retain talent


    Adjustments are considered annually based on individual performance, level of pay relative to the market competitiveness, internal pay equity and retention issues.

    issues

    Annual Cash Incentive Award


    Rewards Company and individual performance.

    performance


    Aligns NEOs'NEOs’ interests with those of our stockholders by promoting the achievement of targeted annual financial results.

    results


    Retains NEOs by providing competitive compensation opportunity.

    opportunity

    75% of the 2017 annual cash incentive award is tied to achieving pre-established financial goals and 25% is determined qualitatively based on the NEO's individual achievements with respect to leadership and execution against strategic initiatives.


    Payouts are based upon a combination of Company financial performance and strategic and individual performance consisting of:
    (25%) Adjusted EBITDA
    (25%) Total Revenues
    (25%) Diluted EPS
    (15%) Leadership & Strategy
    (10%) DE&I
    Variable, at-risk compensation that can be earned between 0% and the target financial performance goals are directly tied to achieving metrics in412.5% of salary for our 2017 operating budget.

    CEO, between 0% and 300% of salary for our President and COO and between 0% and 250% of salary for our other NEOs

    AnnualLong-Term Equity
    Awards (Restricted Stock and Non-Qualified Stock Options)

    Aligns NEOs'

    Directly aligns NEOs’ interests with long-term stockholder interests by linking a portion of each NEO's realizable compensation to long-term stock performance.


    Provides meaningful ownership and opportunities for wealth creation, and ownership, which enables us to retain and motivate our NEOs.

    NEOs


    Balanced approach that includes annual awards of: (i) restricted stock (“Annual Equity Award”), and (ii) performance share units (“Performance Share Units”)

    37


    ComponentObjectivesKey Features
    Annual Equity Award

    Retains NEOs through multi-year vesting of equity grants and by providing market-competitive compensation.

    compensation

    Promotes an executive decision-making process that maintains

    Aligns NEOs’ interests with long-term stockholder interests by linking a balanced focusportion of each NEO’s realizable compensation to long-term stock performance

    Represents ~33% of Target Long-Term Equity Award for CEO, President and COO and 50% of Target Long-Term Equity Award for CFO, GC and CHRO (based on both immediate measures of success and on the effective growth and development of the business at least three years into the future.

    grant date fair value)

    Targets 100% of base salary as an annual equity award.

    Utilizes different equity types, including restricted

    Restricted stock and non-qualified stock options, to balance the multiple objectives.

    Long-term equity awards generally vest in ratable increments over a three year period.

    three-year period

    Our NEOs are subject to the same stock price fluctuations as our stockholders

    Performance Share Units

    Aligns a significant portion of our NEOs’ compensation to achieving long-term financial objectives

    Emphasizes the achievement of long-term financial growth and TSR performance

    Represents ~67% of Target Long-Term Equity Awards (Performance Share Units)

    Award for CEO, President and COO and 50% of Target Long-Term Equity Award for CFO, GC and CHRO (based on grant date fair value)

    In addition

    Variable, at-risk compensation that can be earned between 0% to restricted stock and non-qualified stock options, performance share unit awards further our250% of target pay for performance objectives by directly linking long-term compensation earned by the NEOs to our operating performance.

    Under our 2016-2018CEO, President and 2017-2019 performance share plans, the performance share units vest in the form of shares of common stock if the performance goals (tied to aggregate total revenues, average diluted earnings per share and return on equity) underlying the award are met over the courseCOO (inclusive of the performance period.


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    TSR outperformance modifier) and between 0% to 225% of target pay for our other NEOs
    Compensation Element
    ObjectivesKey Features


    Earned based on long-term financial performance, including:
    (50%) Averaged Diluted EPS
    (25%) Aggregate Total Revenues
    (25%) Return on Equity

    For the CEO, targets 200% of grant date base salary as a performance based equity award (100% of base salary as threshold award and 450% of base salary as maximum award).

    For the President targets 150%and the COO only, if the metrics described above are attained at the maximum level of grant date base salary as a performance based equity award (75% of base salary as threshold award and 337.5% of base salary as maximum award).

    For the other NEOs, targets 100% of grant date base salary as a relative TSR performance based equity award (75% of base salary as threshold award and 225% of base salary as maximum award).

    Retirement Savings Opportunities and Deferral Programs

    Allows all eligible employees to save for retirement in a tax efficient manner.

    Allows for eligible employees to defer portions of their compensationversus S&P MidCap 400 Financials Index is in the form of Company stock units, further aligning interests of NEOs and senior management with stockholders.

    Undertop quartile (i.e., above the 401(k) plan, employees are eligible to defer a portion of their pay, and we make a matching contribution.

    Our 401(k) plan does not discriminate in scope, terms or operation in favor of officers and is available to all eligible employees.

    The Management Deferred Stock Unit Purchase Plan (the "MSPP") allows eligible employees to elect to purchase stock units settled in our common stock on a deferred basis with75th percentile), maximum payouts can be increased by up to 100% of their annual cash incentive award and eligible sales commissions. MSPP participants generally receive an automatic grant of deferred stock units or restricted stock units as a matching award equal to 50% of the deferred stock units acquired in the MSPP (subject to25% (for example, a maximum matching amount). The matching award vests fully on March 15payout of 200% would increase to 250% payout if relative TSR is at the third calendar year following the grant date.

    Health and Welfare Benefits

    100th percentile)

    Offers all eligible employees a competitive benefits package, which includes health and welfare benefits, such as medical, dental, disability and life insurance and wellness benefits.

    The plans under which these benefits are offered do not discriminate in scope, terms or operation in favor of officers and are available to all eligible employees.

    Perquisites and Other Benefits

    We currently do not provide, and do not intend to provide, perquisites exceeding $10,000 in the aggregate to our NEOs because we believe that we can provide better incentives for desired performance with compensation in the forms described above.

    N/A


    TableMix of Contents

    Mix ofTarget Total Direct Compensation

    Our executive compensation reflects a well-aligned pay-for-performance program that emphasizes variable performance-based pay. The charts below show the relative amounts that we targeted for each element of total

    38

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    direct compensation for 2017, which is comprised of base salary, target annual cash incentive, Annual Equity Award and award of Performance Share Units (based on 2022 target long-term equity awards, whichlevels). More than 85% of our CEO’s compensation and more than 75% of our other NEOs’ compensation (on average) is variable and performance-based, tied to the achievement of financial and operational performance. These variable and performance-based elements are comprisednot guaranteed and are subject to rigorous performance goals and performance assessments.
    [MISSING IMAGE: pc_compensation-bw.jpg]
    *
    For other NEOs, reflects the average of the NEOs compensation component as a percentage of their total target compensation based on base salary, target annual equityincentive, Annual Equity Award and Performance Share Unit award and the performance share unit award (based on 2017 target levels). As shown below, total compensation for executives emphasizes variable performance-based pay.

      Fixed vs. Variable Pay Opportunity of Total Pay For our CEO

      GRAPHIC

      Fixed vs. Variable Pay Opportunity of Total Pay For our President

      GRAPHIC

    value.

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    2017

    2022 Executive Officer Compensation

    Base Salary

            Base salaries are set by the Compensation Committee.

    The Compensation Committee considers additional factors to determine whether to increasereviews base salaries beyondannually, and considers the amounts required by the employment agreements. The Compensation Committee consultsfollowing factors (among others):

    Market data;

    Company performance;

    Individual performance and scope of responsibility, in consultation with the CEO with respectfor the other NEOs;

    Internal pay equity; and

    Retention concerns.
    In its review, the Compensation Committee also considers the impact of base salary on other elements of compensation. No adjustments were made to the recommended2022 base salaries for the NEOs other NEOs and takes into consideration market data provided by the Compensation Committee's compensation consultant, as previously described under "—Setting Executive Compensation—Use of Peer Group and Survey Data." In setting individual base salaries, consideration is given to factors such as: (1) the performance of the Company; (2) the individual performance of each NEO, taking into account the recommendation of the CEO with respect to the performance and contribution of individuals and the individual performance measures under the annual cash incentive program; (3) the NEO's scope of responsibilitythan an increase in relation to other NEOs and key members of senior management within the Company and internal pay equity; and (4) any retention issues. In February 2017, the Compensation Committee approved base salary adjustments for each NEO. In determining the salary adjustments, the Compensation Committee considered a numberMr. Florkowski upon his appointment as CFO in consideration of relevant factors including pay levels for executives in similar positions within our Peer Group, the naturehis elevated role and scope of each NEO's duties, individual performance, and internal pay equity. Specifically, the Compensation Committee approved the following salary increases: Mr. Walker's annual salary to $900,000, Mr. Theobald's annual salary to $500,000, Mr. Smith's annual salary to $625,000 and Messrs. Lucas' and Warner's annualresponsibilities.
    Base salaries to $500,000, effective to February 4, 2017.

            Following these salary increases, base salary for each of our NEOs in 20172022 and 2021 were as follows:

    Base Salary ($)
    Name20222021Change
    William M. Walker1,000,0001,000,000
    Gregory A. Florkowski(1)
    475,000
    Stephen P. Theobald500,000500,000
    Howard W. Smith, III750,000750,000
    Richard M. Lucas500,000500,000
    Paula A. Pryor400,000400,000
    (1)
    Mr. Florkowski was not a Named Executive Officer for 2021; the amount shown for 2022 reflects his annualized base salary, effective June 1, 2022 upon his appointment as follows:

    CFO, which was increased from $325,000.

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    Base Salary ($)

    William M. Walker

    900,000

    Stephen P. Theobald

    500,000

    Howard W. Smith, III

    625,000

    Richard M. Lucas

    500,000

    Richard C. Warner

    500,000

            Base salary affects other elements of total compensation, including annual cash incentive, annual equity award, long-term equity compensation, and retirement benefits. In setting base salaries for the NEOs, the Compensation Committee considers the impact on other elements of total direct compensation.


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            In March 2017, the Compensation Committee established the 2017 annual cash incentive plan. Under the 2017 annual cash incentive plan, the Compensation Committee established as a prerequisite to the funding of the incentive plan that the Company achieve a minimum of $140 million of adjusted income from operations for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017. If that performance objective was achieved or exceeded, the CEO, President and each other

    Each NEO was thenis eligible to receive cash awards of up to 375%, 312.5% and 250% of his respective base salary, based on the achievement of pre-determined Companyfinancial goals, strategic objectives and individual performance goals that the Compensation Committee established in March 2017, as described below. The Company-specific performance goals included total revenues, diluted earnings per share and adjusted EBITDA, the corresponding payouts for which were each weighted at 25%. The individual performance goals included corporate leadership and strategic initiatives, the corresponding payouts for which were weighted at 10% and 15%, respectively.

            The Company achieved adjusted income from operations of $234.5 million in 2017, and as a result the CEO, President and each other NEOs were then eligible to receive awards of up to 375%, 312.5% and 250% of his respective base salary, subject to achievement of the Company and individual performance goals, as determined by the Compensation Committee. As set forth in the table below, the Compensation Committee determined that Company and individual performance under the pre-determined goals described above warranted maximum payouts to each NEO under the 2017 annual cash incentive plan. Additionally, in evaluating the achievement of the diluted earnings per share metric, the Committee considered the $1.80 per share benefit recorded in the fourth quarter of 2017 associated with the revaluation of our net deferred tax liabilities as a result of the enactment of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. The following tables set forth for each NEO the performance needed to achieve each Company and individual performance goal, the actual performance achieved in 2017 as determined by the Compensation Committee and the corresponding payouts approved by the Compensation Committee.

            The Compensation Committee chose the Company performance goals to focus the NEOs on the key operating metrics considered most important in driving Company results and stockholder value. Individual metrics were assigned based on each NEO's ability to drive performance. The NEOs' achievement of applicable performance criteria at the threshold, target or maximum levels results in bonuses set forth in the following table based on such NEO's base salary, subject to the exercise of negative discretion by the Compensation Committee.

     
     Threshold as a
    Percentage of Base
    Salary
     Target as a
    Percentage of Base
    Salary
     Maximum as a
    Percentage of Base
    Salary
     

    William M. Walker

      75% 150% 375%

    Stephen P. Theobald

      50% 100% 250%

    Howard W. Smith, III

      62.5% 125% 312.5%

    Richard M. Lucas

      50% 100% 250%

    Richard C. Warner

      50% 100% 250%

            The threshold, target and maximum levels as a percentage of base salary. These payout levels are based on the NEO'sestablished in consideration of each NEO’s position and responsibilities, applicable market data and our overall compensation philosophy whichthat emphasizes performance-based compensation. Additionally,

    For 2022, the Compensation Committee reviewed the NEOs’ annual incentive opportunities based on both individual performance and contributions and competitiveness relative to the market. Based on its review, the Committee established the following annual incentive opportunities as a percentage of base salary, which remained unchanged from 2021 (other than for Mr. Florkowski, who received an increase to his target annual cash incentive opportunity in consideration of his elevated role and responsibilities):
    Annual Incentive Opportunity
    as a Percentage of Base Salary
    NameThresholdTargetMaximum
    William M. Walker137.5%275%412.5%
    Gregory A. Florkowski50%100%250%
    Stephen P. Theobald75%150%300%
    Howard W. Smith, III75%150%300%
    Richard M. Lucas50%100%250%
    Paula A. Pryor50%100%250%
    In February 2022, the Company established the 2022 annual cash incentive plan based on pre-determined Company, individual and DE&I goals set by the Compensation Committee. The Company-specific performance goals include total revenues, diluted EPS and adjusted EBITDA, and each goal is weighted at 25%, as set forth in the table below. Target performance goals for each of the financialthese metrics were set at amounts required to achievelevels that require meaningful year-over-year growth. Consistent with our 2017 operating budget for such metrics. The Compensation Committee deemed that the performance levels would be sufficiently challenging to merit payout, and, in particular, that thepay philosophy, maximum performance levels would require significant stretch performance compared to past years, such that maximum payout would only be achieved for truly outstanding results.


    Table In the event that one or more of Contents


    William M. Walker
    Chairmanthe metrics falls between two of the levels in the table, the value of the cash incentive with respect to that metric would be calculated by linear interpolation.

    2022 Performance Goals
    MetricWeightingThresholdTargetMaximum2022 Result
    Adjusted EBITDA25%$309,278,000$324,741,900$340,205,800$325,095,000
    Total Revenues25%$1,259,178,000$1,322,136,900$1,385,095,800$1,258,753,000
    Diluted EPS25%$7.74$8.56$8.97$6.36
    Corporate Leadership &
    Strategic Initiatives
    15%See below for a description of goals and achievementsTarget
    DE&I Initiatives10%See below for a description of goals and achievementsTarget
    The corporate leadership and Chief Executive Officer

    strategic initiatives include corporate performance and individual performance goals designed to support the achievement of our Drive to ‘25 strategy, and they are collectively weighted at 15%. The DE&I goals are designed to support the ultimate achievement of the DE&I goals included in our Drive to ‘25 strategy, and they are weighted at 10%.

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     Threshold Target Maximum 2017
    Performance
    Results
     Actual
    Payout

    Annual Cash Incentive

     $675,000 $1,350,000 $3,375,000 N/A $3,375,000 (total)

    Goals:

              

    Total Revenues

     $600,000,000 $631,000,000 $660,000,000 $711,856,867 $843,750

    Diluted EPS

     $3.65 $4.02 $4.20 $6.56 $843,750

    Adjusted EBITDA

     $160,000,000 $182,000,000 $200,000,000 $200,949,222 $843,750

    Corporate Leadership

     N/A N/A N/A Achieved, as described below $337,500

    Strategic Initiatives

     N/A N/A N/A Achieved, as described below $506,250
    2022 DE&I Goals and Achievements

            Mr. Walker's

    The 2022 DE&I goals included in the 2022 cash incentive plan were designed to build on our 2021 accomplishments and are as follows:
    2022 GoalAchievement
    Achieve year-over-year growth in the number of women and individuals from underrepresented racial/ethnic groups in management positionsAchieved year-over-year growth in the number of women in management positions, while we saw a slight decline in individuals from underrepresented racial/ethnic groups in management positions, falling slightly short of our ambitious 2022 targets (over 25% of our hires in management positions were women and approximately 18% were from underrepresented racial/ethnic groups
    Achieve year-over-year growth in the number of women and individuals from underrepresented racial/ethnic groups included in our top 20% compensated employeesAchieved a modest increase in the percentage of individuals from underrepresented racial/ethnic groups included in our top 20% compensated employees and a slight decrease in the percentage of women included in the group.
    Support ERGs while fostering open dialogue and joining meetings as appropriateSupported our ERGs, through a combination of ERG membership and meeting participation. Several ERGs including the Black Empowered Network, Women of Walker & Dunlop, and W&D+ (a group for LGBTQIA+ employees) presented to the Executive Committee.
    Actively participate in DEI Training and ProgrammingHosted our Second Annual Diversity Summit and Second Summer Learning Intensive
    Participate in at least one external partnership
    (e.g., CREUnited, NCCU, Rutgers, Project Destined, Cristo Rey)
    Continued to strengthen relationships with our external partnerships, participating in panels and acting as thought leaders in over 15 external engagements, in addition to several executive officers serving on non-profit boards and committees focused on DEI efforts. In 2022, we expanded our partnership with Cristo Rey to DC, achieved plan approval through the MLT Hispanic Equity at Work Certification Program, achieved an MLT Black Equity at Work Bronze Certification, worked with NCCU’s Real Estate program and became a corporate sponsor of Rutgers University’s Real Estate program. Additionally, we continued to expand CREUnited via membership and corporate sponsors resulting in increased transactions with women and sponsors from underrepresented racial/ethnic groups.
    Provide ongoing sponsoring and mentorship for multiple individuals from underrepresented racial/ethnic groups and/or female employees
    Launched our Executive Mentorship Program in which every member of a management committee committed to mentoring two or more mentees. We also piloted several mentorship and sponsorship programs specifically for our women and employees from underrepresented racial/ethnic groups, with several executive officers participating as mentors and sponsors.

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    NEO Corporate Leadership & Strategic Goals and Results
    The following tables set forth the 2022 corporate leadership and strategic initiative and goals on both a Company-wide and his accomplishmentsindividual basis and the related results:
    Category2022 GoalsResults
    Financial/Operations
    1.
    Drive to make technology and data a key business differentiator throughout the enterprise
    2.
    Build significant momentum toward achievement of Drive to ‘25 beyond
    AUM goals
    3.
    Fully integrate Alliant, Zelman and GeoPhy

    Completed our largest technology investment to date with the acquisition of GeoPhy, accelerating the growth of our small balance lending and appraisal businesses, while also transforming our legacy banking and property sales businesses through the use of data science efficiencies and insights. 62% of our refinancings were new loans to the Company and 24% of our total transaction volume was with new clients

    Continued to make progress towards our Drive to ‘25 financial objectives as discussed above.

    Worked to fully integrate the Alliant, Zelman and GeoPhy teams to leverage synergies and continue to transform our diversified platform. Zelman and Alliant contributed a combined $130.5 million in revenues in 2022, both on budget for the year
    Employees
    1.
    Embody the Walker Way. Maintain Company culture as evidenced by a variety of measures including third-party corporate recognition, internal employee survey or Company turnover
    2.
    Navigate through evolution of COVID/remote work to keep employees safe, informed and connected

    Our overall Great Places to Work results included an 89% positive average rating across all questions (compared to the 87% benchmark)

    Results of employee surveys were overwhelmingly positive regarding our executive management team

    Named to the Fortune’s Best Workplaces in Financial Services & Insurance (Large Employers) list for the seventh time (first time being named to the Large Employers list)

    Reopened our offices to all employees and successfully held our All-Company Retreat, affirming our emphasis on Company culture and support for our employees

    Continued to provide support for our employees from enhanced manager engagement, in-person team building events and flexible work arrangements
    Customers/
    Community
    1.
    Expand our brand, including building on the success of the Walker Webcast
    2.
    Participate in federal policy setting

    Walker Webcast continues to gain traction with over 4.2 million total views and downloads in 2022, a 2.5% increase from 2021

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    Category2022 GoalsResults
    3.
    Support ESG efforts aligned with 2025 goals, including:

    Remain carbon neutral, while decreasing carbon emissions per employee by 50% by 2025

    Prioritize and increase charitable giving to support 2025 goal to donate 1% of annual pre-tax profits to philanthropic efforts

    Provide corporate opportunities for employees to volunteer at least 20 hours per year

    Several NEOs and senior executives participated in over ten public policy-oriented interactions with U.S. House, Senate and federal agencies

    Expanded the level and quality of our disclosures with the publication of our 2021 ESG Report, and our second annual Taskforce on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) report

    Earned inclusion in the Bloomberg Gender Equality Index (GEI) for the second year

    Continued to make strides towards our Drive to ‘25 ESG goals including proactively managing particular categories of emissions

    ESG Working Group that was formed in 2021 met on a bi-weekly basis throughout the year to assist in managing our ESG efforts and developing a more comprehensive and strategic ESG program in 2022

    Increased our charitable donations in 2022 by 10% from 2021, donating a total of $1.4 million to 137 different charities

    24 Company offices held 69 volunteer events throughout the year, and employees logged over 6,700 hours of paid and unpaid volunteer time in Workday, averaging to 12.8 hours per employee
    Stockholders
    1.
    Interactions with analysts and stockholders
    2.
    Financial results and stock price relative to peers
    3.
    Dividend actions

    Participated in eight investor conferences hosted by sell side analysts and held over 110 meetings with buy side investors and sell side analysts

    Held the 2022 annual meeting of stockholders in person

    Held a virtual Investor Day to provide updates on our Drive to ‘25 progress, with over 430 attendees

    Increased the quarterly dividend by 20% to $0.60 per quarter (from $0.50 in 2021)

    One-year TSR of -46.8% as compared to the Peer Group median of -22.0%

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    William M. Walker
    Drive strategy and technology to make us an industry leader through integration efforts and targeted investments

    Successfully oversaw the integration efforts of the Alliant and Zelman teams and the acquisition of GeoPhy, the largest technology investment we have made to date, transforming our legacy banking and property sales businesses through the use of data science efficiencies and insight

    Committed significant resources to strategic investment and technology, including leadership changes to drive these priorities
    Build out Investment Banking Function

    As a result of the rapidly declining conditions in attaining them, included:

      sourcingthe investment banking sector, we paused the expansion of our investment banking activities while establishing the groundwork for future recruitment once market conditions improve
    Gregory A. Florkowski
    Continue to support the integration of business development initiatives, including consolidating the finance and leadingtreasury functions of Alliant, WDIP, Zelman and GeoPhy.

    Planned and oversaw the origination team responsibleintegration of the Alliant, WDIP, Zelman and GeoPhy accounting technology systems and their corporate accounting teams during 2022, which are on track to be fully integrated in 2023

    Made significant progress toward integrating our corporate treasury and financial planning and analysis functions across the Company
    Drive ROE. Analyze capital structure. Deploy cash to our interim lending program, fund initiatives, acquisition, share buyback or dividend to generate solid returns.

    Improved our cash forecasting reports to enhance the strategic deployment of capital across the Company’s businesses

    Successfully managed our $200 million incremental term loan, which closed in early 2023, to improve our liquidity and capital efficiency
    Stephen P. Theobald
    Perform CFO role through May 31, 2022 and then transition the role to Mr. Florkowski. Establish the newly formed COO position to enable the successful advancement of Zelman, WDTech, GeoPhy, Apprise and small balance lending

    Provided support for the $1.9 billion Greystar portfolio financing,new CFO while successfully transitioning into the largest loan portfolio financingnew COO role

    Established key business priorities for WDTech, GeoPhy, and Marketing and implemented changes to the organizational structure to ensure that these priorities would be met

    As a result of the rapidly worsening conditions in our history;

    successful managementthe investment banking sector, we paused the expansion of our loan originationinvestment banking activities while establishing the groundwork for future recruitment once market conditions improve
    Manage space and operational concerns associated with growth, including renegotiating leases, balance space management and space utilization in 2022 considering COVID-19 and our hybrid office/remote work arrangements

    Made strategic decisions to delay certain office expansions to optimize space utilization as the Company reevaluates space needs

    Focused on implementing a seat management system across our office footprint to efficiently manage desk and office utilization

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    Reduced budgeted expenses associated with office renovations
    Hire new Chief Marketing Officer (“CMO”) to continue to advance our marketing through digital, external and internal communications strategies and development.

    Hired a new CMO in July 2022 and successfully onboarded the new CMO throughout the remainder of 2022
    Howard W. Smith, III
    Grow bankers and brokers by at least 10%

    Increased bankers and brokers by 5%, including 27 new hires (including the acquisition of the Avalon Real Estate Partners) and four internal promotions
    Support EVPs as they assume expanded roles and work to integrate new business lines and technology into their operations

    Successfully oversaw several departments as they worked to integrate new business lines and reprioritize technology initiatives considering the corporate focus on small balance lending, Apprise and servicing projects in the midst of a an extremely challenging market
    Richard M. Lucas
    Continue the integration of the broker-dealer, registered investment sales staff,adviser and privacy compliance programs associated with Zelman, Alliant and GeoPhy

    Engaged in a complete a comprehensive assessment of our Company-wide risk and compliance function

    Established a formal cross-departmental compliance officer working group to monitor and enhance the compliance function across the Company
    Manage space and operational concerns associated with growth, including renegotiating leases, balance space management and space utilization considering COVID-19, and new way of working through May 31, 2022

    Reviewed office space and upcoming lease expirations to optimize current and future space utilization

    Successfully managed the occupancy of our new Bethesda headquarters under budget and on time

    Successfully supported the execution of new office leases, including our first international offices in the Netherlands
    Paula A. Pryor
    Support culture and integrations through DE&I initiatives, enhanced communications, support initiatives to reduce employee turnover from 2021 levels, programmatic analyst and manager training and hiring — as evidenced by Great Place to Work recognition

    Upgraded our onboarding program and successfully welcomed 360 new direct hires (including 56 new hires through acquisitions)

    Implemented analyst training and management programs

    While the annualized rate of voluntary turnover remained relatively flat, the overall rate of voluntary turnover has begun to recede

    Continued to advance DE&I initiatives as evidenced by our record 2017 total transaction volume of $27.9 billion, a 45% increase over 2016;

    MLT Black Equity at Work Certification and MLT Hispanic Equity at Work plan approval
    managing significant investments
    Earned inclusion in the Bloomberg Gender Equality Index (GEI) for the second year

    Returned to The Washington Post Top Workplaces and Great Places to Work Institute lists

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    Expand our loan origination staff, as evidenced by the net increase of 20 loan originators in 2017 and the acquisitionHuman Resources Information System (“HRIS”) to support reporting needs of the loan origination platform of Deerwood Real Estate Capital, LLC;

    organization, including developing manager dashboards, DE&I dashboards & employee surveys
    furthering extremely strong relationships with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, as evidenced by becoming the top-ranking Fannie Mae DUS lender in 2017, up from second in 2016, and maintaining
    Renegotiated our number three Freddie Mac Approved Seller/Servicer ranking in 2017;

    negotiating and forming our joint venture for multifamily bridge loans with an affiliate of Blackstone Mortgage Trust, Inc.; and

    maintaining our valued culture, as evidenced by our recognition as a Great PlaceHRIS contract to Work® Best Small & Medium Workplaces list, as published inFortune magazineadd functionality to facilitate one-stop support solutions for the fifth time in six years.

    TableHR team and reorganized the team to align with the needs of Contents


    Stephen P. Theobald
    Executive Vice Presidentthe Company


    Introduced department head dashboards and Chiefworked closely with Financial Officer

    Reporting to enhance DE&I reporting to our senior managers
     
     Threshold Target Maximum 2017
    Performance
    Results
     Actual
    Payout

    Annual Cash Incentive

     $250,000 $500,000 $1,250,000 N/A $1,250,000 (total)

    Goals:

              

    Total Revenues

     $600,000,000 $631,000,000 $660,000,000 $711,856,867 $312,500

    Diluted EPS

     $3.65 $4.02 $4.20 $6.56 $312,500

    Adjusted EBITDA

     $160,000,000 $182,000,000 $200,000,000 $200,949,222 $312,500

    Corporate Leadership

     N/A N/A N/A Achieved, as described below $125,000

    Strategic Initiatives

     N/A N/A N/A Achieved, as described below $187,500
    Annual Cash Incentive Payout

            Mr. Theobald's

    With respect to Company-specific corporate performance goals, the Company achieved adjusted EBITDA performance that was slightly above target, total revenues that were slightly below threshold and adjusted diluted EPS that was below threshold. While the executive management team was able to successfully execute on several of the DE&I and leadership and strategic initiative goals and his accomplishments in attaining them, included:

      successful management of our warehouse funding sources and amounts to facilitate our record loan origination volumes;

      successful management of our Servicing department as our servicing portfolio totaled $74.5 billion at December 31, 2017, while our servicing cost per loan declined year over year;

      successful and efficient management of our balance sheet, including through the repricing of our term debt in November 2017 and the implementation of our 2017 share repurchase program;

      successfully transitioning to a new head of our Investor Relations department during 2017;

      successful management of our Marketing department; and

      maintaining our valued culture, as evidenced by our recognition as a Great Place to Work® Best Small & Medium Workplaces list, as published inFortune magazineestablished for the fifth timeyear that warranted payout at target, the Compensation Committee deemed it appropriate to apply negative discretion to the formulaic payouts and award payouts equal to 25% of target for the NEOs. This determination was made in six years.

      Table of Contents


      Howard W. Smith, III
      President

       
       Threshold Target Maximum 2017
      Performance
      Results
       Actual
      Payout

      Annual Cash Incentive

       $390,625 $781,250 $1,953,125 N/A $1,953,125 (total)

      Goals:

                

      Total Revenues

       $600,000,000 $631,000,000 $660,000,000 $711,856,867 $488,281

      Diluted EPS

       $3.65 $4.02 $4.20 $6.56 $488,281

      Adjusted EBITDA

       $160,000,000 $182,000,000 $200,000,000 $200,949,222 $488,281

      Corporate Leadership

       N/A N/A N/A Achieved, as described below $195,313

      Strategic Initiatives

       N/A N/A N/A Achieved, as described below $292,969

              Mr. Smith's corporate leadership and strategic initiative goals, and his accomplishments in attaining them, included:

        successful management of our loan origination and investment sales staff, as evidenced by our record 2017 total transaction volume of $27.9 billion, a 45% increase over 2016;

        managing significant investments in our loan origination staff, as evidenced by the net increase of 20 loan originators in 2017 and the acquisitionconsideration of the loan origination platform of Deerwood Real Estate Capital, LLC;

        furthering extremely strong relationships with Fannie MaeCompany’s stock price performance and Freddie Mac, as evidenced by becomingfinancial performance vis-à-vis our 2022 budget. The resulting aggregate bonus pool for our NEOs for 2022 was $1,500,000, which represents a more than 80% year-over-year decrease.
      The corresponding actual payouts for 2022 and a comparison to the top-ranking Fannie Mae DUS lender in 2017, up from second in 2016, and maintaining our number three Freddie Mac Approved Seller/Servicer ranking in 2017; and

      maintaining our valued culture, as evidenced by our recognition as a Great Placecalculated payout amount based on the formula described above (prior to Work® Best Small & Medium Workplaces list, as published inFortune magazine for the fifth time in six years.

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      Richard M. Lucas
      Executive Vice President, General Counsel, and Secretary

       
       Threshold Target Maximum 2017
      Performance
      Results
       Actual
      Payout

      Annual Cash Incentive

       $250,000 $500,000 $1,250,000 N/A $1,250,000 (total)

      Goals:

                

      Total Revenues

       $600,000,000 $631,000,000 $660,000,000 $711,856,867 $312,500

      Diluted EPS

       $3.65 $4.02 $4.20 $6.56 $312,500

      Adjusted EBITDA

       $160,000,000 $182,000,000 $200,000,000 $200,949,222 $312,500

      Corporate Leadership

       N/A N/A N/A Achieved, as described below $125,000

      Strategic Initiatives

       N/A N/A N/A Achieved, as described below $187,500

              Mr. Lucas' corporate leadership and strategic initiative goals, and his accomplishments in attaining them, included:

        effective management of our legal department, including through the negotiation and execution of our acquisitionapplication of the loan origination platform of Deerwood Real Estate Capital;

        effective management of our office services function, including managing our 28 offices nationwide;

        effective management of litigation and the operating budgets for the legal and human resources departments; and

        maintaining our valued culture, as evidenced by our recognition as a Great Place to Work® Best Small & Medium Workplaces list, as published inFortune magazine for the fifth time in six years.
      Compensation Committee’s negative discretion) are illustrated below:
      Name2022 Payout ($)2022 Formulaic
      Payout ($)
      Negative
      Discretion ($)
      William M. Walker687,5001,383,818(696,318)
      Gregory A. Florkowski118,750242,069(123,319)
      Stephen P. Theobald187,500379,810(192,310)
      Howard W. Smith, III281,250569,715(288,465)
      Richard M. Lucas125,000254,810(129,810)
      Paula A. Pryor100,000203,848(103,848)

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      Richard C. Warner
      Executive Vice President and Chief Credit Officer

       
       Threshold Target Maximum 2017
      Performance
      Results
       Actual
      Payout

      Annual Cash Incentive

       $250,000 $500,000 $1,250,000 N/A $1,250,000 (total)

      Goals:

                

      Total Revenues

       $600,000,000 $631,000,000 $660,000,000 $711,856,867 $312,500

      Diluted EPS

       $3.65 $4.02 $4.20 $6.56 $312,500

      Adjusted EBITDA

       $160,000,000 $182,000,000 $200,000,000 $200,949,222 $312,500

      Corporate Leadership

       N/A N/A N/A Achieved, as described below $125,000

      Strategic Initiatives

       N/A N/A N/A Achieved, as described below $187,500

              Mr. Warner's corporate leadership and strategic initiative goals, and his accomplishments in attaining them, included:

        outstanding management of credit risk by our Underwriting department and successful management of our Asset Management department's loss mitigation practices, as evidenced by only one 60-day plus delinquency in our Fannie Mae at risk portfolio during 2017;

        facilitating the 17% growth of our Fannie Mae and HUD loan originations in 2017 from 2016 to a record $9.3 billion; and

        maintaining our valued culture, as evidenced by our recognition as a Great Place to Work® Best Small & Medium Workplaces list, as published inFortune magazine for the fifth time in six years.

        Equity Awards

      The equity awards granted to our NEOs in 20172022 consisted of: (1)(i) an annual equity award that includesof restricted stock and non-qualified stock options, (2) performance stock units for(ii) Performance Share Units, representing a performance-based long-term equity incentive award for the 2022-2024 performance period. Award opportunities for 2022 were based on a review of individual performance, market competitiveness and (3) an additionalinternal equity considerations. Based on this review the Compensation Committee established equity award opportunities for 2022 that remained unchanged from 2021 levels, other than for Mr. Florkowski (who was not our CFO at the time of the grant of his equity award in 2022), as follows:

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      Equity Award Opportunity as a Percentage of Base Salary(1)
      2022 – 2024 Performance Share Plan
      NameAnnual Equity AwardThresholdTargetMaximum
      TSR
      Outperformance
      (2)
      William M. Walker142%142%283%567%142%
      Gregory A. Florkowski100%75%100%225%
      Stephen P. Theobald108%108%217%433%108%
      Howard W. Smith, III108%108%217%433%108%
      Richard M. Lucas100%75%100%225%
      Paula A. Pryor100%75%100%225%
      (1)
      The number of shares of restricted stock awardand Performance Share Units granted are determined based on the values as determined above divided by the fair market value of a share of common stock on the grant date.
      (2)
      TSR Outperformance is only earned to each NEOthe extent that Company achieves the maximum goal under the Average Diluted EPS, Aggregate Total Revenues and Return on Equity goals and relative TSR performance is in February 2017 equal to 50%the top quartile of his 2016 annual base salary to reward him for the exceptional 2016 performance and to enable us to retain and motivate him during the applicable vesting period.

        S&P MidCap 400 Financials Index.

      Annual Equity Award

      The annual equity award for Messrs. Walker and Smith for 2017 wasthe NEOs is comprised entirely of 20% restricted stock and 80% options (based on the fair value of each on the date of the grant), and for Messrs. Lucas, Theobald and Warner was comprised of 75% restricted stock and 25% options (based on the fair value of each on the date of grant). The Compensation Committee placed a greater weighting on non-qualified stock options than restricted stock for Messrs. Walker and Smith to seek to further align the interests of the executives with our stockholders through long-term value creation and to maximize the Company's ability to deduct their compensation for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Each of our NEOs also received an additional restricted stock award in February 2017 equal to 50% of his 2016 annual base salary to reward him for the exceptional 2016 performance and to enable us to retain and motivate him during the applicable vesting period. The non-qualified stock options and restricted stock granted to the NEOs in 2017 vest2022 vests ratably on each anniversary dateFebruary 15 in 2023, 2024 and 2025. Restricted stock award values were based on a review of individual performance and management responsibilities and were held flat from 2021 amounts, with the exception of Mr. Florkowski, who was not our CFO at the time of the grant over a three-year period. The Compensation Committee determined to use a three-year vesting period because it believes such duration promotes long-term alignment with stockholders and longer-term decision making that provides an effective balance to the shorter-term incentive measures used in setting annual cash incentive awards.


      Table of Contents

              Restricted Stock Awards.    The Compensation Committeehis equity award.

      Our NEOs were granted our NEOs a total of 66,67131,095 shares of restricted stock.stock in 2022. In addition to serving as a retention tool with awards vesting over a long-term three-year vesting period, restricted stock further aligns the interests of the NEOs with our stockholders through the promotion of significant share ownership. Each NEO's 2017NEO’s 2022 restricted stock award is detailed below.

              Stock Option Awards.    The Compensation Committee granted our NEOs a total of 106,473 non-qualified stock options. The exercise price of non-qualified stock options is the closing price of our common stock on the NYSE on the date of grant. Non-qualified stock option grants vest ratably over three years and expire ten years after grant. In addition to serving as a retention tool, non-qualified stock options further align the interests of executives with our stockholders through long-term stock value creation. Each NEO's 2017 grant of non-qualified stock options and shares of restricted stock are detailed below.

      Name
      Number of Shares
      of Restricted Stock Granted
      (1)
      William M. Walker10,137
      Gregory A. Florkowski4,829
      Stephen P. Theobald3,875
      Howard W. Smith, III5,815
      Richard M. Lucas3,577
      Paula A. Pryor2,862
      Name
       Number of
      Shares of
      Restricted
      Stock
      Granted(1)
       Number of
      Options
      Granted(1)
       

      William M. Walker

        13,937  48,064 

      Stephen P. Theobald

        14,439  8,344 

      Howard W. Smith, III

        9,417  33,377 

      Richard M. Lucas

        14,439  8,344 

      Richard C. Warner

        14,439  8,344 

      (1)
      (1)
      Shares of restricted stock and the non-qualified stock options vest in one-third increments on each of February 15, 2018, 20192023, 2024 and 2020,2025, subject to the NEO'sNEO’s continued employment with the Company on the applicable vesting date.

      In March 2016,2022, the Compensation Committee approved awards of Performance Share Units (which are performance-based long-term equity incentive awardsawards) for the Company'sCompany’s NEOs and senior management to drive outstanding performance over the next three years. UnderConsistent with prior years, under these 2016 performance-based long-term equity incentive2022 Performance Share Unit awards, the Compensation Committee established as a prerequisite to the funding of the award that the Company achieve a minimum of $90 million of adjusted income from operations in 2016. 2016 adjusted income from operations exceeded the $90 million threshold. Accordingly, the NEOs are eligible to receive equity awards if certain pre-established performance goals relating to average diluted earnings per share (50% weighting), aggregate total revenues (25% weighting) and return on equity (25% weighting) are achieved overa payout in the courseform of a 2016-2018 performance period. The Compensation Committee has the discretion to adjust the numbershares of performance share units downward for any reason.

              In March 2017, the Compensation Committee approved a new performance-based long-term equity incentive award for the Company's NEOs and senior management to drive outstanding performance over the next three years. Under these 2017 performance-based long-term equity incentive awards, the Compensation Committee established as a prerequisite to the funding of the award that the Company achieve a minimum of $140 million of adjusted income from operations in 2017. 2017 adjusted income from operations was $234.5 million. Accordingly, the NEOs are eligible to receive equity awardsstock if certain pre-established performance goals (tied to average diluted EPS, aggregate total revenues average diluted earnings per share and return on equity) underlying the award are met over the course of a 2017-2019the 2022 through 2024 performance period.


      Table of Contents

              The performance share units vest based on Consistent with the achievement of average diluted earnings per share (50% weighting), aggregate total revenues (25% weighting) and return on equity (25% weighting) over the 2017-2019 performance period as set forthPerformance Share Unit awards granted in 2021, a TSR outperformance modifier was included in the table below. Inawards granted to the event that one or more ofCEO, the metrics falls between two ofPresident and the levels in the table, the number of performance share units vested will be calculated by linear interpolation.

      COO.


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      2022-2024 Performance Goals
      Metric and Rationale for InclusionWeightingThresholdTargetMaximum
      Average Diluted EPS
      Most direct measure of value returned to our
      stockholders, in both the short and long term. Goals are
      established at significant levels in excess of annual cash
      incentive goals and our actual 2021 results.
      50%$8.99$9.89$10.85
      Aggregate Total Revenues
      Motivates our executives to drive significant growth and
      diversification of our platforms. Goals are established at
      meaningful levels that require significant effort by our
      executives to achieve.
      25%$4.2 billion$4.6 billion$5.0 billion
      Return on Equity
      Motivates management to create stockholder value while remaining focused on profitability and capital management.
      25%16.0%19.0%22.0%
      The Compensation Committee established the award of the performance share unitsPerformance Share Units as an "outperformance"a performance award, setting extremelyvery challenging performance targets designed to incentivize our senior management team, including the NEOs, to seek to achievestrive for outstanding Company performance. As a result, the amounts that will be actually earned by the NEOs under the performance share unitsawards of Performance Share Units may be less, in some cases substantially so, than the amounts shown as compensation in the "2017“2022 Summary Compensation Table"Table” below.

              The Compensation Committee recognizes that one of the primary methods of returning value to our stockholders is through maximizing and growing earnings per share. Therefore,

      2020-2022 Performance Share Plan
      In 2020, the Compensation Committee choseapproved a performance-based long-term equity incentive award for the Company’s NEOs and senior management. These awards, denoted as Performance Share Units, vest in the form of shares of common stock if certain pre-established performance goals (tied to average diluted earnings perEPS, aggregate total revenues and return on equity) underlying the award are met over the course of a 2020 through 2022 performance period. Over the 2020-2022 performance period, the Company achieved average diluted EPS of $7.40, which was between the target and maximum goals of $6.93 and $7.59, respectively, aggregate total revenues of $3.6 billion, which was above the maximum goal of $3.4 billion, and return on equity of 18.3%, which was between the threshold and target goals of 16% and 19%, respectively. Accordingly, the Compensation Committee determined that the following number of shares were earned by each NEO: Mr. Walker: 61,899; Mr. Florkowski: 8,236, Mr. Theobald 17,338; Mr. Smith: 32,238; Mr. Lucas: 17,338; and Ms. Pryor: 13,871.
      2021-2023 Performance Share Plan
      In 2021, the Compensation Committee approved a performance-based long-term equity incentive award for the Company’s NEOs and senior management. These awards, denoted as Performance Share Units, vest in the form of shares of common stock if certain pre-established performance goals (tied to average diluted EPS, aggregate total revenues and return on equity) underlying the award are met over the course of a 2021 through 2023 performance period.
      Additionally, the Compensation Committee undertook a review of our performance share metrics and assigned them a 50% weightingplan to ensure that the NEOsprogram was well-aligned with our long-term strategic plan and senior management are focused not onlyappropriately calibrated to reward our executives for their significant achievements under our 5-year strategic plans. Based on driving revenue growth overthis review, the Compensation Committee implemented a TSR component to the 2021-2023 performance period, but also on maximizingshares plan for the benefit of such growth in earnings per share. Additionally, in orderCEO, President and CFO to receive an awardreward them for achievement ofboth significant financial achievements and strong TSR outperformance. If our performance exceeds the maximum level for average diluted earnings per share performance goals, the Company will have to achieve such goals net of the expense associated with awards under the plan. The Compensation Committee also chose theEPS, aggregate total revenues and return on equity goals, set forth inthese select executives have an opportunity to earn up to an additional 25% based on relative TSR performance between the table below75th percentile and the 100th percentile versus the S&P MidCap 400 Financials Index. These additional outperformance shares require significant achievements for the 2017-2019 performance cycle because if achieved they would require dramatic growthboth financial results and diversification of our loan origination and servicing platform and efficient use of capital.

              For the grant of performance share units in 2017, the Compensation Committee determined that: (i) Mr. Walker's grant would have a threshold number of performance share units equalTSR to 100% of his base salary, a target number of performance share units equal to 200% of his base salary, and a maximum number of performance share units equal to 450% of his base salary, divided by the fair market value of a share of common stock on the grant date, (ii) Mr. Smith's grant would have a threshold number of performance share units equal to 75% of his base salary, a target number of performance share units equal to 150% of his base salary, and a maximum number of performance share units equal to 337.5% of his base salary, divided by the fair market value of a share of common stock on the grant date and (ii) each of Messrs. Lucas, Theobald, and Warner would receive a threshold number of performance share units equal to 75% of each of their respective base salaries, a target number of performance share units equal to 100% of each of their respective base salaries, and a maximum number of performance share units equal to 225% of each of their respective base salaries, divided by the fair market value of a share of common stock on the grant date.

      provide any payouts.

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      Achievement Against
      Performance Goal
       Average Diluted
      Earnings Per Share for
      the
      Performance Period
      (50% Weighting)
       Aggregate Total Revenues
      for
      the Performance Period
      (25% Weighting)
       Return on Equity
      (25% Weighting)
       Number of Performance
      Share Units Eligible to be
      Vested

      Threshold

       $4.43 $2.1 billion  15.0%Threshold Number of
      Performance Share Units

      Target

       
      $

      4.86
       
      $

      2.3 billion
        
      16.5

      %

      Target Number of
      Performance Share Units

      Maximum

       
      $

      5.31
       
      $

      2.5 billion
        
      18.0

      %

      Maximum Number of
      Performance Share Units


      Table of Contents

      The Management Deferred Stock Unit Purchase Plan (the "MSPP"“MSPP”) supports the Company'sCompany’s existing stock ownership goals for the NEOs and further aligns the interests of plan participants, including the NEOs, with our stockholders by providing a means for deferral of annual cash incentive compensation by eligible employees into deferred stock units that are settled in shares of the Company'sCompany’s common stock upon payout. In connection with the MSPP, participants who acquire deferred stock units are generally granted a matching deferred stock unit or restricted stock unit award equal to 50% of the deferred stock units acquired in the MSPP, which matching award vests fully on March 15 of the third calendar year following the grant date. The matching awards are reflected in the "2017“2022 Summary Compensation Table"Table” below. See the "2017“2022 Nonqualified Deferred Compensation"Compensation” table and related narrative below for additional information concerning the MSPP and the related matching component.

      Employment Agreements

              The

      We have entered into employment agreements with each of our NEOs and the compensation packages described above reflect, in part, the employment agreements that we entered into with each of our NEOs. The employment agreements with our NEOs also include severance provisions. See "COMPENSATION“COMPENSATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS—OFFICERS — Employment and Separation Agreements"Agreements” and "COMPENSATION“COMPENSATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS—OFFICERS — Potential Payments Uponupon Termination or a Change in Control"Control” for a description of the specific terms of these agreements.

      Walker & Dunlop, Inc. Deferred Compensation Plan
      In November 2019, we approved the Walker & Dunlop, Inc. Deferred Compensation Plan (the “NQDCP”) pursuant to which certain key employees, including our NEOs and non-employee members of the Board are able to defer eligible compensation. The NQDCP became effective January 1, 2020. Pursuant to the NQDCP, a select group of highly compensated or management-level employees and non-employee members of the Board are eligible to participate by making an election to defer, as applicable, up to seventy-five percent (75%) of the participant’s annual base salary, as well as one hundred percent (100%) of any discretionary or annual cash bonus award, cash long-term incentive award, commissions or cash compensation for services as a member of the Board. Participants will be 100% vested at all times in their individual deferral accounts maintained under the NQDCP. We may make discretionary contributions to the NQDCP on behalf of any participant; however, we do not currently intend to make such contributions. Any discretionary contributions will be credited to a separate contribution account, and a participant will vest in amounts credited to the participant’s contribution account based upon the schedule or schedules determined by us. Payment of accounts under the NQDCP will occur upon a participant’s separation from service with us and/or pursuant to scheduled in-service distributions. We will require a six-month delay in the payment of benefits under the NQDCP if the participant is a “specified employee” pursuant to Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), at the time of his or her separation from service with us and its affiliates, and an earlier payment would result in the imposition of an excise tax on the participant if the amounts were received at the time of his or her separation.
      Compensation Policies

      We do not currently have any formal policies regarding long-term versus currently paid compensation but believe that both elements are necessary for achieving our compensation objectives. Currently paid compensation provides financial stability for each of our NEOs and immediate reward for superior Company and individual performance, while long-term compensation rewards achievement of long-term strategic objectives and contributes towards overall shareholderstockholder value.

      Clawback Policy

      If we are required to prepare an accounting restatement, then awards under our 20152020 Equity Incentive Plan are subject to mandatory forfeiture if the amount earned or vesting of the award is explicitly based on the achievement of pre-established performance goals that are later determined, as a result of the accounting restatement, not to have been achieved. We also have the right to recover awards made to

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      participants under the 20152020 Equity Incentive Plan in case of a financial restatement as a result of their knowing or gross negligence or failure to prevent misconduct or to the extent provided by clawback policies that we may adopt in the future.

      Prohibition on Hedging

      Our insider trading policy prohibits our directors and all employees, including our NEOs, from hedging their economic interestpurchasing financial instruments (including prepaid variable forward contracts, equity swaps, collars, and exchange funds), or otherwise engaging in transactions, that hedge or offset, or are designed to hedge or offset, any decrease in the Company's stock through short-sales, trading in puts or calls, or the usemarket value of other derivative instruments.

        our equity securities.

      Prohibition on Pledging

      Our insider trading policy also prohibits our non-employee directors and all employees, including our NEOs, from pledging Company securities to secure margin or other loans. This prohibition means our non-employee directors and employees may not hold our securities in margin accounts.


      Table of Contents

      We have stock ownership guidelines for our NEOs, whichExecutive Officers that are intended to further align their interests with the interests of our stockholders. Under thethese guidelines, each NEO must hold an ownership stake in the Company that is significant in comparison to their base salary. The amount required to be retained varies depending on the NEO'sNEO’s position, as follows:


      Chief Executive Officer and President: five times base salary; and

      Chief Credit Officer, Chief Financial Officer
      CFO, COO, General Counsel and General Counsel:CHRO: three times base salary.

      Stock ownership for the purpose of these guidelines includes stock currently held by the NEO, restricted stock and stock units, excluding stock units that remain subject to achievement of performance goals. As of December 31, 2017,2022, each NEO was in compliance with the stock ownership guidelines.

      Tax Treatment of NEO Compensation

      Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, generally limits the tax deductibility of compensation paid by a public company to its chief executive officer and certain other highly compensated executive officers (excluding the chief financial officer)in any year to $1 million in the year the compensation becomes taxable to the executive. There is an exemptionPrior to the limit on deductibility for performance-based2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, certain compensation that meets certain requirements. The exemption from Section 162(m)'s deduction limit for performance-based compensation and the exemption for the chief financial officer have been repealed, effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017, such that compensation paid to our executive officers in excess of $1 million will not be deductible unless it qualifies for transition relief applicable to certain arrangements in place as of November 2, 2017. Because of ambiguities and uncertainties as to the application and interpretation of Section 162(m) and the regulations issued thereunder, including the uncertain scope of the transition relief under the legislation repealing Section 162(m)'s exemptionwas exempt from the deduction limit to the extent it is uncertain whethermet the requirements to be considered “qualified performance-based compensation,” as previously defined in Section 162(m). The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act eliminated that exemption.
      The Compensation Committee has historically considered Section 162(m) in the design of incentive plans to preserve the corporate tax deductibility of compensation. However, in light of the changes to Section 162(m), the Compensation Committee intendedanticipates that a larger portion of future compensation paid to structure as performance-based compensationthe NEOs will continue to be subject to a tax deduction disallowance under Section 162(m) will be deductible in future years.

      .

      While the Compensation Committee considers the impact of 162(m) and other tax rules when developing, structuring and implementing our executive compensation programs, the Compensation Committee also believes that it is important to preserve flexibility in administering compensation programs in a manner designed to promote varying corporate goals. Accordingly, we have not adopted a policy that all compensation must qualify as deductible under Section 162(m) or any other tax rule.

      "Say on Pay" Results

              At our 2017 annual meeting, we submitted to stockholders an advisory resolution to approve our executive compensation program (a "say on pay" vote). Our stockholders overwhelmingly supported our say on pay vote with approximately 97 percent of the votes cast in favor and three percent cast against (excluding abstentions and broker non-votes). We carefully consider stockholder feedback on all matters, including our executive compensation. In 2017, the Compensation Committee considered the results of the 2017 say on pay vote, and determined that no specific changes to our executive compensation program were warranted.

              At our 2016 annual meeting, our stockholders approved holding a say on pay vote at each annual meeting, and our Board subsequently determined that annual say on pay votes were appropriate for us. Accordingly, we will hold the say on pay vote at this annual meeting (Proposal 3).


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      Compensation Policies and Practices as theyAs They Relate to Risk Management

      Management reports regularly to the Compensation Committee on our executive and employee compensation and benefit programs. The Compensation Committee engaged Pay Governance to perform a compensation risk assessment for the NEOs and our loan originators for 2017,2022 and to advise the Compensation Committee on the findings of the assessment. Our Executive Vice President, Human ResourcesCHRO also reported on the compensation structure and benefit programs and risks associated with such structure and programs for all of our other employees. The Compensation Committee considered the findings of these reports and determined that the

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      TABLE OF CONTENTS

      NEO and other employee compensation and benefit programs do not pose any material risks to us and therefore are not reasonably likely to have a material adverse effect on us. With respect to the NEO compensation programs, the Compensation Committee found that they continue to be well-balanced between fixed and variable compensation, cash and equity and short-termshort- and long-term incentives, take into account both qualitative and quantitative performance factors, reflect an appropriate mix of compensative instruments, are well-aligned with stockholder interests and have elements and are subject to policies that discourage the NEOs from taking unnecessary or excessive risks, including with respect to compensation clawbacks and prohibitions on hedging and pledging. With the assistance of Pay Governance, the Compensation Committee continues to review all of the Company'sCompany’s executive compensation programs as they relate to risk management.

      Compensation Committee Report

      The Compensation Committee has reviewed and discussed the Compensation Discussion and Analysis set forth above with our management. Based on such review and discussion, the committee recommended to the Board that the Compensation Discussion and Analysis be included in this proxy statement and incorporated by reference in the Company'sCompany’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017,2022 for filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

      Respectfully submitted,
      The Compensation Committee of the Board of
      Directors
      Michael D. Malone (Chairman)
      Ellen D. Levy
      John Rice
      Dana L. Schmaltz
      Respectfully submitted,
      The Compensation Committee of the Board of
      Directors
      Michael D. Malone (Chairman)
      Cynthia A. Hallenbeck
      John Rice
      Dana L. Schmaltz

      The Compensation Committee report above does not constitute "soliciting material"“soliciting material” and will not be deemed "filed"“filed” or incorporated by reference into any of our filings under the Securities Act of 1933 or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that might incorporate our SEC filings by reference, in whole or in part, notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in those filings.

      Reconciliation of Adjusted Income from Operations to GAAP Income from Operations

              Adjusted income from operations is not prepared in accordance with GAAP. Adjusted income from operations is not, and should not be, viewed as a substitute for GAAP income from operations. Adjusted income from operations reflects the following adjustments to GAAP income from operations: (1) any amounts that are generally required to be reported separately under GAAP as extraordinary items, as reported in our audited financial statements; (2) gains or losses as a result of changes in accounting principles; (3) impairment charges for goodwill or intangible assets; (4) amortization of intangible assets acquired in a business combination or acquisition of assets; (5) acquisition and restructuring costs (including severance, legal fees, banking fees, etc.) for completed efforts; (6) litigation costs for historical transactions; (7) debt restructuring costs; (8) any other non-recurring or non-operating charges specifically related to completed acquisitions and restructurings; (9) costs



      Table of Contents

      associated with capital raises for creating an externally managed REIT, including but not limited to underwriting charges, placement fees and legal fees; and (10) costs associated with a completed capital raise for a fund management business, including but not limited to finders' or relationship referral fees, legal fees, banking fees, placement fees, etc.

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      (in thousands)
       For the year ended
      December 31, 2017
       

      GAAP income from operations

       $233,661 

      Adjustments:

          

      (i) Extraordinary items

         

      (ii) Changes in accounting principles

         

      (iii) Goodwill impairment

         

      (iv) Amortization of intangible assets acquired in business combination

        876 

      (v) Acquisition and restructuring costs of completed acquisitions

         

      (vi) Litigation costs

         

      (vii) Debt restructuring costs

         

      (viii) Non-recurring charges related to acquisitions

         

      (ix) Costs of raising REIT

         

      (x) Costs of completed capital raises

         

      Adjusted income from operations

       $234,537 

      Table of Contents


      COMPENSATION OF DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

      Executive Compensation

      The following table sets forth the compensation paid to or earned by our NEOs in their capacities as executive officers of Walker & Dunlop, Inc. during 2017, 20162022, 2021 and 2015:


      20172020:

      2022 Summary Compensation Table

      NameYearSalary
      ($)
      Bonus
      ($)
      Stock
      Awards
      ($)
      (1)
      Option
      Awards
      ($)
      Non-Equity
      Incentive
      Plan
      Compensation
      ($)
      (2)
      All Other
      Compensation
      ($)
      (3)
      Total
      ($)
      William M. Walker
      Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
      20221,000,0003,083,116687,5004,5004,775,116
      20211,000,0003,083,2193,471,2494,5007,558,968
      2020900,000903,9132,049,8173,096,0874,5006,954,317
      Gregory A. Florkowski
      Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
      2022422,9171,148,406���118,7504,5001,694,573
      Stephen P. Theobald
      Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer and Former Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
      2022500,0001,183,019187,5004,5001,875,019
      2021500,0001,183,1901,143,4094,5002,831,099
      2020500,0001,053,3011,074,8811,146,6994,5003,779,381
      Howard W. Smith, III
      President
      2022750,0001,796,732281,2504,5002,832,482
      2021750,0001,875,2461,715,1134,5004,344,859
      2020625,000958,2831,243,6241,791,71715,0004,633,624
      Richard M. Lucas
      Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
      2022500,0001,062,191125,0004,5001,691,691
      2021500,0007,0001,062,374893,4094,5002,467,283
      2020500,000353,3011,049,9051,146,6994,5003,054,405
      Paula A. Pryor
      Executive Vice President, Chief
      Human Resources Officer
      2022400,000899,841100,0004,5001,404,341
      2021400,000949,878714,7274,5002,069,105
      2020361,280589,641651,434917,3594,5002,524,214
      Name
       Year Salary
      ($)
       Bonus
      ($)(1)
       Stock
      Awards
      ($)(2)
       Option
      Awards
      ($)(2)
       Non-Equity
      Incentive
      Plan
      Compensation
      ($)(3)
       All Other
      Compensation
      ($)(4)
       Total ($) 

      William M. Walker

        2017  887,500    1,454,961  719,999  3,375,000  8,000  6,445,460 

      Chairman and Chief

        2016  750,000    1,112,504  600,002  1,500,000  9,000  3,971,506 

      Executive Officer

        2015  750,000  200,000  299,990  600,001  1,500,000  4,500  3,354,491 

      Stephen P. Theobald

        
      2017
        
      491,667
        
        
      1,049,933
        
      124,993
        
      1,250,000
        
      8,000
        
      2,924,593
       

      Executive Vice President and

        2016  400,000  2,000  699,969  100,003  800,000  9,000  2,010,972 

      Chief Financial Officer

        2015  400,000  200,000  350,000  99,999  800,000  4,500  1,854,499 

      Howard W. Smith, III

        
      2017
        
      614,583
        
        
      1,043,682
        
      499,987
        
      1,953,125
        
      8,000
        
      4,119,377
       

      President

        2016  500,000    714,973  400,004  1,000,000  9,000  2,623,988 

        2015  500,000  200,000  299,990  400,002  1,000,000  4,500  2,404,493 

      Richard M. Lucas

        
      2017
        
      491,667
        
        
      1,049,933
        
      124,993
        
      1,250,000
        
      8,000
        
      2,924,593
       

      Executive Vice President,

        2016  400,000    699,969  100,003  800,000  9,000  2,008,972 

      General Counsel and Secretary

        2015  400,000  203,500  399,993  99,999  800,000  4,500  1,907,992 

      Richard C. Warner

        
      2017
        
      491,667
        
        
      949,943
        
      124,993
        
      1,250,000
        
      8,000
        
      2,824,603
       

      Executive Vice President and

        2016  400,000    599,983  100,003  800,000  9,000  1,908,986 

      Chief Credit Officer

        2015  400,000  200,000  300,007  99,999  800,000  4,500  1,804,506 

      (1)
      $2,000 and $3,500 in this column for Mr. Theobald and Mr. Lucas, respectively, represents a cash bonus award earned by Mr. Theobald in 2016 and Mr. Lucas in 2015 under a Company program in which all full-time employees may participate and earn a cash-based award upon the completion of three years (Mr. Theobald) and five years (Mr. Lucas) of continuous service with the Company.

      (2)

      Amounts shown in these columns represent the grant date fair value calculated in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718 of shares of restricted common stock and non-qualified stock options.stock. In addition, for Messrs. Walker, Theobald, Smith and Lucas, the Stock Awards column includes restricted stock units (some of which may be deferred stock units) awarded as the matching grant under the Management Deferred Stock Unit Purchase Matching Program. In 2016 and 2017, theThe Stock Awards column also includes the threshold value for the 2016-20182020-2022, 2021-2023 and 2017-2019 performance share units, respectively.2022-2024 Performance Share Units. The maximum possible value of the 2016-2018 performance share units was as follows: $3,375,000 for Mr. Walker, $900,000 for Mr. Theobald, $1,687,500 for Mr. Smith, $900,000 for Mr. Lucas, and $900,000 for Mr. Warner. The maximum possible value of the 2017-2019 performance share units2020-2022 Performance Share Units was as follows: $4,050,000 for Mr. Walker, $1,125,000 for Mr. Theobald, $2,109,375 for Mr. Smith, $1,125,000 for Mr. Lucas and $1,125,000$900,000 for Ms. Pryor. The maximum possible value of the 2021-2023 Performance Share Units (which for Messrs. Walker, Theobald and Smith includes achievement of the TSR-based outperformance goal) was as follows: $7,083,249 for Mr. Warner.Walker, $2,708,228 for Mr. Theobald, $4,063,325 for Mr. Smith, $1,124,964 for Mr. Lucas and $899,945 for Ms. Pryor. The maximum possible value of the 2022-2024 Performance Share Units (which for Messrs. Walker, Theobald and Smith includes achievement of the TSR-based outperformance goal) was as follows: $7,083,305 for Mr. Walker, $2,708,246 for Mr. Theobald, $4,063,272 for Mr. Smith, $787,436 for Mr. Florkowski, $1,124,924 for Mr. Lucas and $899,939 for Ms. Pryor. For a discussion of the assumptions made in the valuation reflected in this column, see notesNotes 2 and 11 to our consolidated financial statements included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017.

      (3)
      2022.
      (2)
      Amounts shown in this column represent annual cash incentive awards to each NEO.

      (4)
      Represents
      (3)
      Amounts shown in this column include the Company'sCompany’s $4,500 matching contribution to the executive'sexecutive’s 401(k) plan for each year presented and an additional discretionary $4,500 and $3,500 contribution by the Company to the executive's 401(k) plan for 2016 and 2017, respectively. All full-time employees were eligible for these contributions.presented.


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      Table of Contents


      2017


      2022 Grants of Plan-Based Awards

      Estimated Future Payouts
      Under Non-Equity Incentive
      Plan Awards
      Estimated Future Payouts
      Under Equity Incentive
      Plan Awards
      All Other
      Stock
      Awards:
      Number of
      Shares of
      Stock
      (#)
      (4)
      Grant Date
      Fair Value
      of Stock
      and Option
      Awards
      ($)
      (5)
      Name/Award
      Type
      (1)
      Grant
      Date
      Threshold
      ($)
      (2)
      Target
      ($)
      (2)
      Maximum
      ($)
      (2)
      Threshold
      (#)
      (3)
      Target
      (#)
      (3)
      Maximum
      (#)
      (3)
      William M. Walker
      Restricted Stock2/15/202210,1371,416,646
      Restricted Stock Units2/15/20221,788249,873
      Cash Awards2/1/20221,375,0002,750,0004,125,000
      Performance Share Units2/1/202210,80321,60743,2141,416,597
      Gregory A. Florkowski
      Restricted Stock2/15/20224,829674,853
      Restricted Stock Units2/15/20221,511211,162
      Cash Awards7/8/2022237,500475,0001,187,500
      Performance Share Units2/1/20222,0012,6696,005262,391
      Stephen P. Theobald
      Restricted Stock2/15/20223,875541,531
      Restricted Stock Units2/15/202271599,921
      Cash Awards2/1/2022375,000750,0001,500,000
      Performance Share Units2/1/20224,1308,26116,523541,567
      Howard W. Smith, III
      Restricted Stock2/15/20225,815812,646
      Restricted Stock Units2/15/20221,227171,473
      Cash Awards2/1/2022562,5001,125,0002,250,000
      Performance Share Units2/1/20226,19712,39424,789812,613
      Richard M. Lucas
      Restricted Stock2/15/20223,577499,886
      Restricted Stock Units2/15/20221,341187,405
      Cash Awards2/1/2022250,000500,0001,250,000
      Performance Share Units2/1/20222,8593,8138,579374,901
      Paula A. Pryor
      Restricted Stock2/15/20222,862399,965
      Restricted Stock Units2/15/20221,431199,982
      Cash Awards2/1/2022200,000400,0001,000,000
      Performance Share Units2/1/20222,2873,0506,863299,894
       
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
       Grant
      Date
      Fair
      Value
      of Stock
      and
      Option
      Awards
      ($)(5)
       
       
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
       All Other
      Option
      Awards:
      Number of
      Securities
      Underlying
      Options
      (#)(4)
        
       
       
        
       Estimated Future Payouts
      Under Non-Equity Incentive
      Plan Awards
       Estimated Future Payouts
      Under Equity Incentive
      Plan Awards
       All Other
      Stock
      Awards:
      Number of
      Shares of
      Stock
      (#)(4)
        
       
       
        
       Exercise or
      Base Price
      of Option
      Awards
      ($/Share)
       
      Name/Award Type(1)
       Grant
      Date
       Threshold
      ($)(2)
       Target
      ($)(2)
       Maximum
      ($)(2)
       Threshold
      (#)(3)
       Target
      (#)(3)
       Maximum
      (#)(3)
       

      William M. Walker

                                        

      Restricted Stock

        2/15/2017                    13,937      554,971 

      Options

        2/15/2017                      48,064  39.82  719,999 

      Cash Awards

        3/6/2017  675,000  1,350,000  3,375,000                  

      Performance Share Units

        3/28/2017           21,536  43,072  96,912        899,989 

      Stephen P. Theobald

        
       
        
       
        
       
        
       
        
       
        
       
        
       
        
       
        
       
        
       
        
       
       

      Restricted Stock

        2/15/2017                    14,439      574,961 

      Options

        2/15/2017                      8,344  39.82  124,993 

      Restricted Stock Units

        2/16/2017                    2,525      99,990 

      Cash Awards

        3/6/2017  250,000  500,000  1,250,000                  

      Performance Share Units

        3/28/2017           8,972  11,964  26,920        374,982 

      Howard W. Smith, III

        
       
        
       
        
       
        
       
        
       
        
       
        
       
        
       
        
       
        
       
        
       
       

      Restricted Stock

        2/15/2017                    9,417      374,985 

      Options

        2/15/2017                      33,377  39.82  499,987 

      Restricted Stock Units

        2/16/2017                    5,050      199,980 

      Cash Awards

        3/6/2017  390,625  781,250  1,953,125                  

      Performance Share Units

        3/28/2017           11,216  22,433  50,473        468,717 

      Richard M. Lucas

        
       
        
       
        
       
        
       
        
       
        
       
        
       
        
       
        
       
        
       
        
       
       

      Restricted Stock

        2/15/2017                    14,439      574,961 

      Options

        2/15/2017                      8,344  39.82  124,993 

      Restricted Stock Units

        2/16/2017                    2,525      99,990 

      Cash Awards

        3/6/2017  250,000  500,000  1,250,000                  

      Performance Share Units

        3/28/2017           8,972  11,964  26,920        374,982 

      Richard C. Warner

        
       
        
       
        
       
        
       
        
       
        
       
        
       
        
       
        
       
        
       
        
       
       

      Restricted Stock

        2/15/2017                    14,439      574,961 

      Options

        2/15/2017                      8,344  39.82  124,993 

      Cash Awards

        3/6/2017  250,000  500,000  1,250,000                  

      Performance Share Units

        3/28/2017           8,972  11,964  26,920        374,982 

      (1)

      All plan-based awards were made pursuant to the 20152020 Equity Incentive Plan.

      (2)

      Represents awards that could be earned under our annual cash incentive plan. See "COMPENSATION“COMPENSATION DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS—2017ANALYSIS — 2022 Executive Officer Compensation—Compensation — Annual Cash Incentive Award." NEOs may elect to defer all or a portion of these amounts under our MSPP. Refer to the 20172022 Non-Qualified Deferred Compensation table below for information regarding deferral elections made by the NEOs.


      53

      TABLE OF CONTENTS

      (3)
      Represents
      For Messrs. Walker, Theobald and Smith, represents shares that could be earned under awards of performance sharethe maximum standard Performance Share Units and over-performance stock units which vest based on the achievement of average diluted earnings per share (50% weighting), aggregate total revenues (25% weighting) and return on equity (25% weighting) over the 2017-20192022-2024 performance period. For Mr. Florkowski, Mr. Lucas and Ms. Pryor, represents shares that could be earned under awards of the Performance Share Units over the 2022-2024 performance period upon the attainment of the maximum performance level. See "COMPENSATION“COMPENSATION DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS—2017ANALYSIS — 2022 Executive Officer Compensation—Compensation — Equity Awards—2017-2019Awards — 2022-2024 Performance Share Plan."

      (4)

      Grants of restricted stock and option awards vest in one-third increments on each of February 15, 2018, 20192023, 2024 and 2020,2025, subject to the executive'sexecutive’s continued employment with the Company on the applicable vesting date. Grants of restricted stock units and deferred stock units are awarded as matching grants under the Management Deferred Stock Unit Purchase Matching Program and vest on March 15 in the third calendar year following the grant date.

      The matching grants under the Management Deferred Stock Unit Purchase Matching Program are accompanied by dividend equivalent units, subject to the terms of the applicable deferral election.
      (5)

      Amounts shown in this column represent the estimated grant date fair value calculated in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718 of shares of restricted common stock, non-qualified stock options, and performance share unitsPerformance Share Units awarded under the 20152020 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended, as well as restricted stock units and deferred stock units awarded as matching grants under the Management Deferred Stock Unit Purchase Matching Program. For the performance share units,Performance Share Units, the amounts shown reflect the threshold value of the performance share unitsPerformance Share Units awarded to each NEO. The Compensation Committee established very challenging targets for the 2016-2018 and 2017-20192022-2024 performance cycles.cycle. As a result, the value of the shares of common stock that will actually be received by the NEOs may be less or more, in some cases substantially so, than the amounts reported above as compensation. For a discussion of the assumptions made in the valuation reflected in this column, see notes 2 and 11 to our consolidated financial statements included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017.2022.

      Table of Contents

      Narrative Disclosures to Summary Compensation and Grants of Plan-Based Awards Tables

      The 2017 performance share unit "threshold," "target,"grant date values of the 2022 Performance Share Unit “threshold,” “target” and "maximum"“maximum” opportunities in the 2022 Grants of Plan Based Awards Table are 100%142%, 200%,283% and 450%708%, respectively, of the 20172022 base salary for Mr. Walker, 75%108%, 150%217%, and 337.5%542%, respectively, of the 20172022 base salary for Mr. Smith and Mr. Theobald, and 75%, 100%, and 225%, respectively, of the 20172022 base salaries for the other NEOs. Additionally,The matching grants under the Management Deferred Stock Unit Purchase Matching Program are accompanied by dividend equivalent units, subject to the terms of the applicable deferral election. Holders of restricted stock awards include an additional restricted stock award grantedare entitled to each NEOdividends paid in February 2017cash at the same time paid to other stockholders of the Company. The applicable dividend rate is equal to 50%the dividend rate payable to other stockholders of his 2016 annual base salary to reward him for the exceptional 2016 performance. See "COMPENSATION DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS—2017 Executive Officer Compensation—Equity Awards."

      Company.

      Employment and Separation Agreements

      We have entered into employment agreements with each of our NEOs. Each employment agreement hadhas an initial three-year term, and automatically extends for a series of additional one-year terms at the end of the expiration of the then-current term, unless either party gives 60 days'days’ prior notice that the term will not be extended. These employment agreements provide for an initial base salary, a target cash bonus of 100% of base salary, withopportunity (with the actual bonus payment to be determined by the Compensation Committee,Committee), and eligibility for grants of equity. For information regarding each NEO's 2017NEO’s 2022 base salary and other compensation arrangements with us, see "COMPENSATION“COMPENSATION DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS—2017ANALYSIS — 2022 Executive Officer Compensation"Compensation” above. Additionally, each NEONEO’s employment agreement also contains customary non-competition and non-solicitation covenants that apply during the term and for up to 12 months after the termination of each executive'sexecutive’s employment with us. For information concerning the termination-related terms of the NEOs'NEOs’ employment agreements, see "—“— Potential Payments Uponupon Termination or a Change in Control"Control” below.



      54

      TABLE OF CONTENTS

      Table of Contents



      Outstanding Equity Awards at December 31, 2017

      2022
      Option AwardsStock Awards
      NameGrant
      Date
      Number of
      Securities
      Underlying
      Unexercised
      Options (#)
      Exercisable
      (1)
      Number of
      Securities
      Underlying
      Unexercised
      Options (#)
      Unexercisable
      (1)
      Option
      Exercise
      Price ($)
      Option
      Expiration
      Date
      Number of
      Shares or
      Units of Stock
      That Have
      Not Vested
      (#)
      Market Value
      of Shares or
      Units of Stock
      That Have
      Not Vested
      ($)
      (2)
      Equity
      Incentive
      Plan Awards:
      Number of
      Unearned
      Units that
      Have Not
      Vested (#)
      (3)
      Equity
      Incentive
      Plan Awards:
      Market Value
      of Unearned
      Units that
      Have Not
      Vested ($)
      (2)
      William M. Walker2/15/2019
      3,503(5)
      274,927
      2/14/2020
      3,808(4)
      298,852
      2/14/2020
      3,386(5)
      265,764
      7/17/202061,8994,857,834
      2/12/2021
      9,410(4)
      738,497
      2/12/2021
      2,595(5)
      203,693
      3/3/202110,587830,868
      2/15/2022
      10,137(4)
      795,552
      2/15/2022
      1,831(5)
      143,672
      2/1/20222,700211,896
      Gregory A. Florkowski2/14/2020
      1,375(4)
      107,910
      2/14/2020
      1,015(5)
      79,679
      7/17/20208,236646,361
      2/12/2021
      2,159(4)
      169,438
      2/12/2021
      1,687(5)
      132,388
      3/3/20211,21395,196
      2/15/2022
      4,829(4)
      378,980
      2/15/2022
      1,547(5)
      121,414
      2/1/202250039,240
      Stephen P. Theobald2/15/201418,49617.052/15/2024
      2/15/201516,94916.722/15/2025
      2/15/201613,87020.402/15/2026
      2/15/20178,34439.822/15/2027
      2/15/2016
      5,090(5)
      399,479
      2/14/2020
      2,115(4)
      165,985
      2/14/2020
      2,710(5)
      212,645
      7/17/202017,3381,360,686
      2/12/2021
      3,598(4)
      282,371
      2/12/2021
      1,038(5)
      81,444
      3/3/20214,047317,609
      2/15/2022
      3,875(4)
      304,110
      2/15/2022
      732(5)
      57,453
      2/1/20221,03280,991
      Howard W. Smith, III2/14/20143,51317.052/15/2024
      2/15/201567,79716.722/15/2025
      2/15/201655,47920.402/15/2026
      2/15/201733,37739.822/15/2027
      2/14/2020
      2,644(4)
      207,501
      2/14/2020
      2,032(5)
      159,442
      7/17/202032,2382,530,038
      2/12/2021
      5,398(4)
      423,635
      2/12/2021
      2,595(5)
      203,693
      3/3/20216,073476,609
      2/15/2022
      5,815(4)
      456,361
      2/15/2022
      1,256(5)
      98,594
      2/1/20221,549121,566

      55

       
        
       Option Awards Stock Awards 
      Name
       Grant
      Date
       Number of
      Securities
      Underlying
      Unexercised
      Options (#)
      Exercisable(1)
       Number of
      Securities
      Underlying
      Unexercised
      Options (#)
      Unexercisable(1)
       Option
      Exercise
      Price ($)
       Option
      Expiration
      Date
       Number of
      Shares or
      Units of Stock
      That Have
      Not
      Vested (#)
       Market Value
      of Shares or
      Units of Stock
      That Have
      Not Vested ($)(2)
       Equity
      Incentive
      Plan Awards:
      Number of
      Unearned
      Units that
      Have Not
      Vested (#)(3)
       Equity
      Incentive
      Plan Awards:
      Market Value
      of Unearned
      Units that
      Have Not
      Vested ($)(2)
       

      William M. Walker

        4/1/2013  97,879    18.03  4/1/2023         

        2/15/2014  94,488    17.05  2/15/2024         

        3/15/2014          8,090(5) 384,275     

        2/15/2015  67,797  33,898  16.72  2/15/2025  2,990(4) 142,025     

        2/15/2015          8,971(5) 426,123     

        2/15/2016  27,740  55,478  20.40  2/15/2026  4,902(4) 232,845     

        2/19/2016          9,725(5) 461,938     

        3/21/2016              141,096  6,702,060 

        2/15/2017    48,064  39.82  2/15/2027  13,937(4) 662,008     

        3/28/2017              43,072  2,045,920 

      Stephen P. Theobald

        
      4/1/2013
        
      28,548
        
        
      18.03
        
      4/1/2023
        
        
        
        
       

        2/15/2014  31,496    17.05  2/15/2024         

        3/15/2014          3,236(5) 153,710     

        2/15/2015  11,299  5,650  16.72  2/15/2025  5,981(4) 284,098     

        2/15/2015          2,990(5) 142,025     

        2/15/2016  4,624  9,246  20.40  2/15/2026  9,804(4) 465,690     

        2/19/2016          4,576(5) 217,360     

        3/21/2016              37,625  1,787,188 

        2/15/2017    8,344  39.82  2/15/2027  14,439(4) 685,853     

        2/16/2017          2,525(5) 119,938     

        3/28/2017              11,964  568,290 

      Howard W. Smith, III

        
      3/24/2011
        
      32,000
        
        
      12.52
        
      3/24/2021
        
        
        
        
       

        4/30/2012  55,268    13.05  4/30/2022         

        4/1/2013  65,253    18.03  4/1/2023         

        2/15/2014  62,992    17.05  2/15/2024         

        2/15/2015  45,198  22,599  16.72  2/15/2025  1,994(4) 94,715     

        2/15/2015          11,961(5) 568,148     

        2/15/2016  18,493  36,986  20.40  2/15/2026  3,268(4) 155,230     

        2/19/2016          10,983(5) 521,693     

        3/21/2016              70,548  3,351,030 

        2/15/2017    33,377  39.82  2/15/2027  9,417(4) 447,308     

        2/16/2017          5,050(5) 239,875     

        3/28/2017              22,433  1,065,568 

      Richard M. Lucas

        
      3/24/2011
        
      10,000
        
        
      12.52
        
      3/24/2021
        
        
        
        
       

        4/30/2012  25,907    13.05  4/30/2022         

        4/1/2013  32,626    18.03  4/1/2023         

        2/15/2014  31,496    17.05  2/15/2024         

        2/15/2015  11,299  5,650  16.72  2/15/2025  5,981(4) 284,098     

        2/15/2015          5,980(5) 284,050     

        2/15/2016  4,624  9,246  20.40  2/15/2026  9,804(4) 465,690     

        2/19/2016          4,576(5) 217,360     

        3/21/2016              37,625  1,787,188 

        2/15/2017    8,344  39.82  2/15/2027  14,439(4) 685,853     

        2/16/2017          2,525(5) 119,938     

        3/28/2017              11,964  568,290 

      Richard C. Warner

        
      3/24/2011
        
      24,000
        
        
      12.52
        
      3/24/2021
        
        
        
        
       

        4/30/2012  25,907    13.05  4/30/2022         

        4/1/2013  32,626    18.03  4/1/2023         

        2/15/2014  31,496    17.05  2/15/2024         

        2/15/2015  11,299  5,650  16.72  2/15/2025  5,981(4) 284,098     

        2/15/2016  4,624  9,246  20.40  2/15/2026  9,804(4) 465,690     

        3/21/2016              37,625  1,787,188 

        2/15/2017    8,344  39.82  2/15/2027  14,439(4) 685,853     

        3/28/2017              11,964  568,290 

      TABLE OF CONTENTS

      Option AwardsStock Awards
      NameGrant
      Date
      Number of
      Securities
      Underlying
      Unexercised
      Options (#)
      Exercisable
      (1)
      Number of
      Securities
      Underlying
      Unexercised
      Options (#)
      Unexercisable
      (1)
      Option
      Exercise
      Price ($)
      Option
      Expiration
      Date
      Number of
      Shares or
      Units of Stock
      That Have
      Not Vested
      (#)
      Market Value
      of Shares or
      Units of Stock
      That Have
      Not Vested
      ($)
      (2)
      Equity
      Incentive
      Plan Awards:
      Number of
      Unearned
      Units that
      Have Not
      Vested (#)
      (3)
      Equity
      Incentive
      Plan Awards:
      Market Value
      of Unearned
      Units that
      Have Not
      Vested ($)
      (2)
      Richard M. Lucas2/14/2020
      2,115(4)
      165,985
      2/14/2020
      2,371(5)
      186,085
      7/17/202017,3381,360,686
      2/12/2021
      3,322(4)
      260,711
      2/12/2021
      1,946(5)
      152,749
      3/3/20212,179171,008
      2/15/2022
      3,577(4)
      280,723
      2/15/2022
      1,373(5)
      107,754
      2/1/202271456,035
      Paula A. Pryor2/14/2018
      550(5)
      43,126
      2/14/2020
      1,269(4)
      99,591
      2/14/2020
      698(5)
      54,795
      7/17/202013,8711,088,596
      2/12/2021
      2,657(4)
      208,521
      2/12/2021
      2,595(5)
      203,693
      3/3/20211,743136,791
      2/15/2022
      2,862(4)
      224,610
      2/15/2022
      1,465(5)
      114,986
      2/1/202257144,812
      (1)

      These options were granted pursuant to our 2010 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended and our 2015 Equity Incentive Plan and vest ratably on each anniversary of the date of grant over a three-year period, conditioned upon the executive'sexecutive’s continued employment with the Company on the applicable vesting date.

      We have not granted options since 2017 and currently have no plans to do so.
      (2)

      Based on the closing stock price of our common stock on December 31, 201730, 2022 of $47.50$78.48 per share.

      Table of Contents

      (3)

      Represents Performance Share Units under our 2020-2022 performance share units underplan, our 2016-182021-2023 performance share plan and our 2017-20192022-2024 performance share plan. The number of units reported for the 2016-20182020-2022 performance share plan is based on the maximumactual level of performance achieved and awarded in February 2023. The number of Performance Share Units reported for the 2021-2023 performance share plan is based on target level of performance for the revenue goal, threshold level of performance for the return on equity goal, and no achievement of the diluted earnings per share goal, which is reflective of performance during 2017.2022. The number of performance share unitsPerformance Share Units reported for the 2017-20192022-2024 performance share plan is based on the targetthreshold level of performance for the revenue goal and no achievement of the return on equity and diluted earnings per share goals, which is reflective of performance during 2017.

      2022.
      (4)

      Represents restricted stock granted pursuant to our 20102020 Equity Incentive Plan, and our 2015 Equity Incentive Plan, andwhich vest ratably on eachor around the anniversary of the date of grant over a three-year period, conditioned upon the executive'sexecutive’s continued employment with the Company on the applicable vesting date.

      (5)

      Represents restricted stock units (some of which may be deferred stock units) and their associated dividend equivalent units, granted under the Management Deferred Stock Unit Purchase Matching Program, which vest on March 15 in the third calendar year following the grant date.


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      TABLE OF CONTENTS
      2017

      2022 Option Exercises and Stock Vested

      Option AwardsStock Awards
      NameNumber of
      Shares
      Acquired on
      Exercise (#)
      Value Realized
      on Exercise ($)
      Number of
      Shares
      Acquired on
      Vesting (#)
      Value Realized
      on Vesting ($)
      William M. Walker84,15211,760,242
      Gregory A. Florkowski12,3401,709,504
      Stephen P. Theobald13,000852,48029,1954,059,900
      Howard W. Smith, III47,9946,687,622
      Richard M. Lucas2,781163,74528,2773,935,017
      Paula A. Pryor11,0521,535,842
       
       Option Awards Stock Awards 
      Name
       Number of
      Shares
      Acquired on
      Exercise (#)
       Value Realized
      on Exercise ($)
       Number of
      Shares
      Acquired on
      Vesting (#)
       Value Realized
      on Vesting ($)
       

      William M. Walker

            175,345  6,982,238 

      Stephen P. Theobald

            59,317  2,362,003 

      Howard W. Smith, III

            65,767  2,625,728 

      Richard M. Lucas

        10,000  354,576  64,171  2,562,667 

      Richard C. Warner

            59,317  2,362,003 


      20172022 Nonqualified Deferred Compensation

      Name
      Executive
      Contributions
      in Last Fiscal
      Year ($)
      (1)
      Registrant
      Contributions
      in Last Fiscal
      Year ($)
      Aggregate
      Earnings in
      Last Fiscal
      Year ($)
      (2)
      Aggregate
      Withdrawals/

      Distributions ($)(3)
      Aggregate Balance at
      Last Fiscal Year
      End ($)
      (4)
      William M. Walker687,500(1,923,378)51,1853,901,664
      Gregory A. Florkowski(600,723)21,575640,711
      Stephen P. Theobald(1,732,185)42,3651,784,808
      Howard W. Smith, III168,750(1,450,693)30,7593,767,895
      Richard M. Lucas(800,285)28,268852,371
      Paula A. Pryor10,000(934,409)31,4501,088,122
      Name
       Executive
      Contributions
      in Last Fiscal
      Year ($)(1)
       Registrant
      Contributions
      in Last Fiscal
      Year ($)
       Aggregate
      Earnings in
      Last Fiscal
      Year ($)(2)
       Aggregate
      Withdrawals/
      Distributions ($)
       Aggregate Balance at
      Last Fiscal Year
      End ($)(3)
       

      William M. Walker

            923,074    2,928,993 

      Stephen P. Theobald

            411,990    1,419,823 

      Howard W. Smith, III

        585,904    919,683    3,245,477 

      Richard M. Lucas

        249,968    482,492    1,492,758 

      Richard C. Warner

                 

      (1)
      (1)
      These contributions were made by deferring a portion ofThe reported amounts include compensation deferred under the 2017 annual cash incentive award under our MSPP and represent the value of purchased deferred stock units based on the closing share price of our common stock on the purchase date.Company’s NQDCP. All of the amounts shown in this column were included as compensation in the "2017“2022 Summary Compensation Table"Table” for 2017.

      2022.
      (2)

      Earnings (loss) represent a change in the value of the (i) aggregate balance in the Company’s NQDCP and (ii) our common stock underlying an NEO'sNEO’s deferred stock units and their associated dividends and dividend equivalent units. None of the amounts in this column have been included in the "2017“2022 Summary Compensation Table"Table” because the earnings are not preferential or above-market.

      (3)

      Distributions represent the value of cash dividends paid on deferred stock units during 2022.
      (4)
      Total aggregate balance calculated as the sum of (i) the number of purchased deferred stock units held as of December 31, 2017,2022, multiplied by $47.50,$78.48, the closing stock price of our common stock on December 31, 2017, plus30, 2022, and (ii) the value of the amount as of executive contributions for 2017.December 30, 2022 of the executive’s balance in the Company’s NQDCP. The following amounts included in this column have been reported in the "2017“2022 Summary Compensation Table"Table” for 20172022 or a prior fiscal year: Mr. Walker—$1,099,960,Walker — $4,212,258, Mr. Theobald—$649,947,Florkowski — $897,367, Mr. Smith—$1,865,876,Theobald — $1,099,816, Mr. Lucas—$849,929,Smith — $4,416,591, Mr. Lucas —  $1,099,879, and Mr. Warner—$0.Ms. Pryor — $1,387,956.

      Management Deferred Stock Unit Purchase Plan (MSPP)

      Under the MSPP, eligible employees may voluntarily elect to purchase shares of the Company'sCompany’s common stock with up to 100% of their annual cash incentive award on a specified date each calendar year. On the date that the annual cash incentive award is paid (the "Award Date"“Award Date”), the portion of the


      Table of Contents

      bonus that is deferred is used to purchase deferred stock units at the fair market value of the Company'sCompany’s common stock on such date. These deferred stock units granted under the MSPP are fully vested and non-forfeitable on the date of purchase. With respect to each deferred stock unit granted under the MSPP, the Company issues to the participant one share of the Company'sCompany’s common stock on the date elected by the participant, which is either (i) January 31 of the year immediately following the participant'sparticipant’s separation from the Company (the "Termination“Termination Date Election"Election”); (ii) the first to occur of (A) March 15 of the third calendar year after


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      TABLE OF CONTENTS

      the Award Date and (B) January 31 of the year immediately following the participant'sparticipant’s separation from the Company (the "Vesting“Vesting Date Election"Election”); or (iii) the first to occur of (A) January 31 of the fifth or tenth, as elected by the participant, calendar year after the Award Date and (B) January 31 of the year immediately following the participant'sparticipant’s separation from the Company (the "Deferred“Deferred Distribution Date Election"Election”). In connection with the MSPP, participants who acquire deferred stock units are generally granted a matching deferred stock unit or restricted stock unit award equal to 50% of the deferred stock units acquired in the MSPP, which matching award vests fully on March 15 of the third calendar year following the grant date.

      In the event of a change in control of the Company, if the deferred stock units purchased under the MSPP and the deferred stock units and restricted stock units granted under the matching component of the MSPP are not assumed or continued, shares of the Company'sCompany’s common stock underlying the deferred stock units purchased under the MSPP and the deferred stock units and restricted stock units granted under the matching component of the MSPP are delivered immediately prior to the change in control. In the event of a change in control of the Company, the deferred stock units and restricted stock units granted under the matching component of the MSPP become 100% vested (i) if such units are not assumed or (ii) if such units are assumed and the participant is terminated without cause or for good reason (as such terms are defined in the Management Deferred Stock Unit Purchase Matching Program) within 24 months following the change in control of the Company.

      Potential Payments Uponupon Termination or a Change in Control

      Regardless of the reason for any termination of employment, each NEO is entitled to receive the following benefits upon termination: (a) payment of any unpaid portion of such executive'sexecutive’s base salary through the effective date of termination, (b) reimbursement for any outstanding reasonable business expenses, (c) continued insurance benefits to the extent required by law, (d) payment of any vested but unpaid rights as may be required independent of the employment agreement and (e) except in the case of termination by the company for cause, any earned but unpaid annual bonus or incentive compensation that had been accrued throughfor the effective datecalendar year prior to the calendar year of termination but not paid, provided, however, that inbased on actual performance achieved (together, the event of a termination without cause, a resignation for good reason or retirement, a pro rata incentive compensation will be paid only to the extent performance goals for the year are achieved.

      “Accrued Benefits”).

      In addition to the benefits described above in clauses (a)-(e),Accrued Benefits, each NEO is entitled to receive a severance payment if we terminate his or her employment without cause or the executive resigns for good reason. The severance payment is equal to (i) continued payment by the company of the executive'sexecutive’s base salary, as in effect as of the executive'sexecutive’s last day of employment, for a period of 12 months, (ii) continued payment for life and health insurance coverage for 12 months, to the same extent the company paid for such coverage immediately prior to termination, (iii) two times the average annual bonus earned by the executive over the preceding two years (or if the executive has not been employed for two years, payments equal to two times the target bonus for the year of termination), (iv) payment of a pro-rated bonus for the year of termination (calculated based on actual performance) and (iv)(v) immediate vesting as of the last day of employment in any unvested portion of any options and restricted stocktime-based equity awards previously issued to the executive.executive (with any awards that vest based in whole or in part on the attainment of performance-vesting conditions being governed by the terms of the applicable award agreement). If the continued payment of health insurance coverage would result in violations of certain tax or other statutes or regulations, then we will instead pay the NEO a fully taxable cash payment each month equal to the insurance premiums plus an additional amount necessary to cover any additional taxes owed by the NEO (such additional amount, the "Indemnity


      Table of Contents

      Amount"“Indemnity Amount”).The. The foregoing benefits are conditioned upon the executive'sexecutive’s execution of a general release of claims and compliance with the terms of the employment agreement. In addition, pursuant to the terms of each NEO'sNEO’s performance share unit award agreements, upon such termination of employment, the NEO vests in a pro rata portion of his or her performance share units (based on the number of days in the performance period prior to termination) to the extent the applicable performance goals are otherwise satisfied.

      If the NEO'sNEO’s employment terminates due to death or disability, in addition to the benefits described above in clauses (a)-(e),Accrued Benefits, the executive or his or her estate, as applicable, is entitled to receive (i) immediate vesting as of the last day of employment in any unvested portion of any options and restricted stocktime-based equity awards previously issued to the executive (with any awards that vest based in whole or in part on the attainment of performance-vesting conditions being governed by the terms of the applicable award agreement) and (ii) payment of the pro rata share of any performancea pro-rated bonus to which such executive would have been entitled for the year of death or termination of employment.(calculated based on actual performance). In addition, pursuant to the terms of each NEO'sNEO’s performance share unit award agreements, upon such termination of employment, the NEO vests in

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      TABLE OF CONTENTS

      his or her target number of performance share units,Performance Share Units, and pursuant to the terms of the matching component under the MSPP, the deferred stock units and restricted stock units granted thereunder become 100% vested.

      If the NEO'sNEO’s employment terminates due to retirement, in addition to the benefits described above in clauses (a)-(e),Accrued Benefits, the executive is entitled to receive (i) immediate vesting as of the last day of employment in any unvested portion of any options and restricted stocktime-based equity awards previously issued to the executive. The NEO does notexecutive previously issued to the executive (with any awards that vest based in anywhole or in part on the attainment of performance-vesting conditions being governed by the terms of the applicable award agreement), (ii) payment of a pro-rated bonus for the year of termination (calculated based on actual performance), and (iii) pro-rated vesting of Performance Share Units if the retirement occurs on or after the first anniversary of the first day of the performance share units uponperiod and achievement of the performance goals relating to such a terminationPerformance Share Units is certified by the Committee at the end of employment.

      the applicable performance period.

      While none of the employment agreements includes severance provisions that are tied to changesa change in control, pursuant to the 20152020 Equity Incentive Plan and the award agreements governing the NEO'sNEO’s outstanding equity awards, thereunder, upon a change in control of the Company, (i) the NEO'sNEO’s outstanding, unvested options and restricted stock become fully vested (A) if the equity awards are not assumed or (B) if the equity awards are assumed and the NEO'sNEO’s employment is terminated without cause or for good reason within 12 months following the change in control, and (ii) the NEO will vest in a number of performance share unitsPerformance Share Units equal to the greater of (A) a pro rata portion of his performance share unitsor her Performance Share Units to the extent the applicable performance goals are otherwise satisfied and (B) his or her target number of performance share units.Performance Share Units. In addition, the deferred stock units and restricted stock units granted under the matching component of the MSPP become 100% vested (i) if such units are not assumed or (ii) if such units are assumed and the participant is terminated without cause or resigns for good reason (as such terms are defined in the matching component of the MSPP) within 24 months following the change in control of the Company.

      Neither the employment agreements nor the equity award agreements provide for any excise or other tax gross-up other than the potential for payment of the Indemnity Amount discussed above.

      The table below summarizes the potential cash payments and estimated equivalent cash value of benefits that will be generally owed to our NEOs under the terms of their employment agreements and equity award agreements described above in connection with the occurrence of the following various scenarios as of December 31, 2017.2022. Amounts shown do not include (a) payment of any unpaid portion of such executive's base salary through the effective date of termination, (b) reimbursement for any outstanding reasonable business expense, (c) continued insurance benefits to the extent required by law, (d) payment of any vested but unpaid rights as may be required independent of the employment

      Accrued Benefits.

      Executive
      Officer
      Benefit
      Non-renewal
      by Company
      ($)
      (1)
      Without Cause/
      For Good
      Reason
      ($)
      (2)
      Death
      ($)
      Disability
      ($)
      (3)
      Retirement
      ($)
      (4)
      William M. WalkerCash9,158,749(5)9,158,749(5)N/AN/AN/A
      Continued Life and Health23,267(6)23,267(6)N/AN/AN/A
      Equity Acceleration1,832,900(7)(8)7,315,278(7)(8)9,443,082(7)(9)9,443,082(7)(9)N/A
      Total11,014,91616,497,2949,443,0829,443,082N/A
      Gregory A. FlorkowskiCash1,923,005(5)1,923,005(5)N/AN/AN/A
      Continued Life and Health23,267(6)23,267(6)N/AN/AN/A
      Equity Acceleration656,328(7)(8)1,437,126(7)(8)1,960,842(7)(9)1,960,842(7)(9)N/A
      Total2,602,6003,383,3981,960,8421,960,842N/A
      Stephen P. TheobaldCash4,030,909(5)4,030,909(5)N/AN/AN/A
      Continued Life and Health306(6)306(6)N/AN/AN/A
      Equity Acceleration752,466(7)(8)2,351,889(7)(8)3,523,914(7)(9)3,523,914(7)(9)N/A
      Total4,783,6816,383,1043,523,9143,523,914N/A
      Howard W. Smith, IIICash5,913,080(5)5,913,080(5)N/AN/AN/A
      Continued Life and Health23,267(6)23,267(6)N/AN/AN/A
      Equity Acceleration1,087,497(7)(8)3,975,797(7)(8)5,256,856(7)(9)5,256,856(7)(9)N/A
      Total7,023,8449,912,1445,256,8565,256,856N/A

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      agreement, and (e) any bonus or incentive compensation that had been accrued through the effective date of termination but not paid.


      59

      Executive Officer
       Benefit Non-renewal
      by Company
      ($)(1)
       Without Cause/
      For Good
      Reason
      ($)(2)
       Death
      ($)
       Disability
      ($)(3)
       Retirement
      ($)(4)
       

      William M. Walker

       Cash  5,775,000(5) 5,775,000(5) N/A  N/A  N/A 

       Continued Life and Health  15,536(6) 15,536(6) N/A  N/A  N/A 

       Equity Acceleration  3,952,843(7)(8) 9,102,857(7)(8) 10,249,823(7)(9) 10,249,823(7)(9) 3,952,843(7)

       Total  9,743,379  14,893,393  10,249,823  10,249,823  3,952,843 

      Stephen P. Theobald

       

      Cash

        
      2,550,000

      (5)
       
      2,550,000

      (5)
       
      N/A
        
      N/A
        
      N/A
       

       Continued Life and Health  306(6) 306(6) N/A  N/A  N/A 

       Equity Acceleration  1,924,196(7)(8) 3,305,084(7)(8) 3,919,861(7)(9) 3,919,861(7)(9) 1,924,196(7)

       Total  4,474,502  5,855,390  3,919,861  3,919,861  1,924,196 

      Howard W. Smith, III

       

      Cash

        
      3,578,125

      (5)
       
      3,578,125

      (5)
       
      N/A
        
      N/A
        
      N/A
       

       Continued Life and Health  15,536(6) 15,536(6) N/A  N/A  N/A 

       Equity Acceleration  2,651,506(7)(8) 5,240,715(7)(8) 6,536,246(7)(9) 6,536,246(7)(9) 2,651,506(7)

       Total  6,245,167  8,834,376  6,536,246  6,536,246  2,651,506 

      Richard M. Lucas

       

      Cash

        
      2,550,000

      (5)
       
      2,550,000

      (5)
       
      N/A
        
      N/A
        
      N/A
       

       Continued Life and Health  15,536(6) 15,536(6) N/A  N/A  N/A 

       Equity Acceleration  1,924,196(7)(8) 3,305,084(7)(8) 3,908,176(7)(9) 3,908,176(7)(9) 1,924,196(7)

       Total  4,489,732  5,870,620  3,908,176  3,908,176  1,924,196 

      Richard C. Warner

       

      Cash

        
      2,550,000

      (5)
       
      2,550,000

      (5)
       
      N/A
        
      N/A
        
      N/A
       

       Continued Life and Health  15,536(6) 15,536(6) N/A  N/A  N/A 

       Equity Acceleration  1,924,196(7)(8) 3,305,084(7)(8) 3,286,828(7)(9) 3,286,828(7)(9) 1,924,196(7)

       Total  4,489,732  5,870,620  3,286,828  3,286,828  1,924,196 

      TABLE OF CONTENTS

      Executive
      Officer
      Benefit
      Non-renewal
      by Company
      ($)
      (1)
      Without Cause/
      For Good
      Reason
      ($)
      (2)
      Death
      ($)
      Disability
      ($)
      (3)
      Retirement
      ($)
      (4)
      Richard M. LucasCash3,018,409(5)3,018,409(5)N/AN/AN/A
      Continued Life and Health23,267(6)23,267(6)N/AN/AN/A
      Equity Acceleration707,419(7)(8)2,200,788(7)(8)2,624,957(7)(9)2,624,957(7)(9)N/A
      Total3,749,0955,242,4642,624,9572,624,957N/A
      Paula A. PryorCash2,714,727(5)2,714,727(5)N/AN/AN/A
      Continued Life and Health23,267(6)23,267(6)N/AN/AN/A
      Equity Acceleration532,722(7)(8)1,727,449(7)(8)2,126,050(7)(9)2,126,050(7)(9)N/A
      Total3,270,7164,465,4432,126,0502,126,050N/A
      (1)

      This column describes the payments and benefits that become payable if the Company elects not to renew the employment agreement.

      (2)

      The term "cause"“cause” means any of the following, subject to any applicable cure provisions: (i) the conviction of the executive of, or the entry of a plea of guilty or nolo contendere by the executive to, any felony; (ii) fraud, misappropriation or embezzlement by the executive; (iii) the executive'sexecutive’s willful failure or gross negligence in the performance of his or her assigned duties for the Company; (iv) the executive'sexecutive’s breach of any of his or her fiduciary duties to the Company; (v) a material violation of a material Company policy; or (vi) the material breach by the executive of any material term of the employment agreement.

      The term "good reason"“good reason” means any of the following, subject to any applicable cure provisions, without the executive'sexecutive’s consent: (i) the assignment to the executive of substantial duties or responsibilities inconsistent with the executive'sexecutive’s position at the Company, or any other action by the Company which results in a substantial diminution of the executive'sexecutive’s duties or responsibilities; (ii) a requirement that the executive work principally from a location that is 20 miles further from the executive'sexecutive’s residence than the Company'sCompany’s address on the effective date of the executive'sexecutive’s employment agreement; (iii) a 10% or greater reduction in the executive'sexecutive’s aggregate base salary, and other compensation (including the target bonus amount and retirement plan, welfare plans and fringe benefits) taken as a whole,, excluding any reductions caused by the failure to achieve performance targets;targets, or annual grant date fair value of time-based equity awards; or (iv) any material breach by the Company of the employment agreement.

      (3)

      The term "disability"“disability” means such physical or mental impairment as would render the executive unable to perform each of the essential duties of the executive'sexecutive’s position by reason of a medically determinable physical or mental impairment which is potentially permanent in character or which can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months.

      (4)

      The term "retirement"“retirement” means the point at which the executive has reached theexecutive’s resignation on or after age 65. As of December 31, 2022, none of our NEOs had attained age 65, and has decided to exit the workforce completely. For purposesso none of the amounts disclosed in this column, we have assumed that each NEO has reached the retirement age of 65, regardless of his actual age.

      them were retirement-eligible.
      (5)

      Represents the sum of the following: (i) the executive's 2017executive’s 2022 base salary at December 31, 2017,2022, to be paid for a period of 12 months in approximately equal installments on the Company'sCompany’s regularly scheduled payroll dates, subject to payroll deductions and withholdings, and (ii) two times the average annual bonus earned by the executive for 20162020 and 2017, assuming all performance targets have been met for 2017, half of such amount to be paid within 60 days of2021, and (iii) the end of the fiscal year of termination and the remaining half to be paid at the end of the 12-month non-compete period.

      executive’s earned 2022 bonus (based on actual performance).
      (6)

      Represents the value of life and health benefits paid by the Company for 12 months.

      (7)

      Includes the value of accelerated vesting of restricted stock and options granted to the executives. The acceleration value of the restricted stock was calculated using the closing price of $47.50$78.48 per share on December 31, 2017. The acceleration value of the options was calculated using the closing price of $47.50 per share on December 31, 2017 and the option exercise prices of $16.72, $20.40, and $39.82 per share, the various exercise prices for all options included above.

      30, 2022.

      The value of accelerated vesting of performance share unitsPerformance Share Units is included in the columns for termination without cause or for good reason, due to death and due to disability. The acceleration value of the performance share unitsPerformance Share Units is calculated using the closing price of $47.50$78.48 per share on December 31, 201730, 2022 and the applicable number of performance share unitsPerformance Share Units under our 2016-18 performance2020-2022, 2021-2023 and 2017-20192022-2024 performance share plans that are eligible to vest upon such a termination pursuant to the terms of the applicable award agreement. For termination without cause or for good reason, the number of performance units

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      TABLE OF CONTENTS

      Performance Share Units reported for the 2016-20182020-2022 performance share plan is based on the maximumactual level of performance. The number of Performance Share Units reported for the 2021-2023 performance share plan is based on the target level of performance for the revenue goal, the threshold level of performance for the return on equity goal, and no achievement of the EPS goal, which is reflective of performance during 2017,2022, prorated for the portion of the performance period completed as of December 31, 2017.2022. The number of performance share unitsPerformance Share Units reported for the 2017-20192022-2024 performance share plan is based on the targetthreshold level of performance for the revenue goal and no achievement of the return on equity and EPS goals, which is reflective of performance during 2017,2022, prorated for the portion of the performance period completed as of December 31, 2017.2022. For termination due to death and disability, the number of performance share unitsPerformance Share Units for each of the 2016-20182020-2022, 2021-2023 and 2017-20192022-2024 performance plans is the number that would be achieved under the target level of performance.


      (8)

      Table of Contents

      (8)
      Does not include the value of accelerated vesting of deferred stock units and restricted stock units granted under the matching component of the MSPP upon a termination of employment without cause or for good reason occurring within 24 months of a change in control. For additional information, see the table below.

      (9)

      Includes the value of accelerated vesting of deferred stock units and restricted stock units granted under the matching component of the MSPP, calculated using the closing price of $47.50$78.48 per share on December 31, 2017.30, 2022.

      In addition to the applicable amounts disclosed in the table above, the table below sets forth the estimated value as of December 31, 20172022 of accelerated vesting that will be generally owed to our NEOs under the terms of the matching component of the MSPP described above if the NEO'sNEO’s employment is terminated without cause or the NEO resigns for good reason within 24 months of a change in control of the Company or if awards under the matching component of the MSPP are not assumed in the change in control transaction.

      Executive Officer
      Benefit
      Without Cause/For Good Reason

      Within 24 Months of a Change in

      Control ($)
      (1)

      William M. Walker

      Equity Acceleration1,272,335888,056

      Stephen P. Theobald

      Gregory A. Florkowski
      Equity Acceleration633,033333,481

      Stephen P. Theobald

      Equity Acceleration495,214
      Howard W. Smith, III

      Equity Acceleration1,329,715461,728

      Richard M. Lucas

      Equity Acceleration621,348446,588

      Richard C. Warner

      Paula A. Pryor
      Equity Acceleration416,599

      (1)

      Represents the value of accelerated vesting of deferred stock units and restricted stock units granted under the matching component of the MSPP upon a termination of employment without cause or for good reason occurring within 24 months of a change in control. The acceleration value is calculated using the closing price of $78.48 per share on December 30, 2022.

      Amounts that could be payable under the NQDCP upon a triggering event described in this section are disclosed above in the “2022 Nonqualified Deferred Compensation” table and related narrative.
      CEO Pay Ratio

      As required by Section 953(b) of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and Item 402(u) of Regulation S-K, we are providing the following information regarding the relationship of the annual total compensation of our employees and the annual total compensation of Mr. Walker, our CEO. We consider the pay ratio specified below to be a reasonable estimate, calculated in a manner intended to be consistent with Item 402(u) of Regulation S-K.

      We identified the median employee by examining taxable earnings excluding our CEO, for those who wereof all employees employed by us on December 31, 2017. We2022, excluding (i) our CEO and (ii) all 42 employees located in countries outside of the United States, representing approximately 2% of the Company’s total employees. Except for the CEO and non-U.S.

      61


      employees, we included all employees, whether employed on a full-time or part-time basis, and did not make any estimates, assumptions or adjustments to any annual base salaries.

      After identifying the median employee based on taxable earnings, we calculated annual total compensation for 20172022 for such employee using the same methodology we used for our NEOs as set forth in the 20172022 Summary Compensation Table earlier in this section.

      For 2017,2022, the annual total compensation of the median employee was $126,654.$165,206. For 2017,2022, the annual total compensation of our CEO was $6,445,460.$4,775,116. The resulting pay ratio of the annual total compensation of our CEO to the annual total compensation of the median employee for 2022 was 29:1.
      Pay-Versus-Performance(1)
      Pay-Versus-Performance Table
      As required by the Securities and Exchange Commission, the following table is intended to compare the amounts of compensation “actually paid” to our NEOs for each of the fiscal years ended December 31, 2020, 2021 and 2022 to the Company’s:

      TSR (on an absolute and relative basis);

      net income; and

      diluted EPS, the Company’s selected measure.
      Differences in our summary compensation table amounts and compensation actually paid reflect changes in the fair value of equity awards, both outstanding and vested in each year, and the probability assessment of performance under our PSP at the end of each fiscal year.
      YearSummary
      Compensation
      Table Total
      for PEO
      ($)
      Compensation
      Actually Paid
      to PEO
      ($)
      (1)
      Average
      Summary
      Compensation
      Table Total for
      Other NEOs
      ($)
      Average
      Compensation
      Actually Paid
      to Other NEOs
      ($)
      (1)
      Value of Initial Fixed $100
      Investment Based On:
      Net
      Income
      ($mm)
      Diluted
      Earnings
      per Share
      ($)
      Company
      TSR
      ($)
      (2)
      S&P 600
      Small Cap
      Financials
      TSR
      ($)
      (2)
      20224,775,116(7,712,630)1,899,621(2,818,053)129.68100.43213.826.36
      20217,558,96819,975,0362,928,0877,305,891243.74116.80265.768.15
      20206,954,31720,191,2763,497,9067,609,006145.9591.65246.187.69
      (1)
      Amounts represent compensation actually paid to our PEO and the average compensation actually paid to our remaining NEOs for the relevant fiscal year, as determined under SEC rules (and described below), which includes the individuals indicated in the table below for each fiscal year:
      YearPEONon-PEO NEOs
      2022William M. WalkerGregory A. Florkowski, Howard W. Smith, Stephen P. Theobald, Richard M. Lucas and Paula A. Pryor
      2021William M. WalkerStephen P. Theobald, Howard W. Smith, Richard M. Lucas and Paula A. Pryor
      2020William M. WalkerStephen P. Theobald, Howard W. Smith, Richard M. Lucas and Paula A. Pryor
      Fair value or change in fair value, as applicable, of equity awards in the “Compensation Actually Paid” columns was determined based on the stock price at the end of each fiscal year taking into account the probable outcome as of the end of the year for outstanding performance awards, as follows:
      For the fiscal year ending December 31, 2019, represents actual performance for the 2017 was 51:1.

      performance awards and assumes threshold performance for the 2018 and 2019 performance awards.


      62

      TABLE OF CONTENTS Director Compensation


      For the fiscal year ending December 31, 2020, represents actual achievement for the 2018 performance awards, assumes the achievement of the maximum performance level for ROE and EPS and target performance level for revenue for the 2019 performance award, and assumes the achievement of the maximum performance level for EPS and revenue and target performance level for ROE for the 2020 performance award.
      For the fiscal year ending December 31, 2021, represents actual achievement for the 2019 performance awards, achievement of maximum performance level for EPS and revenue and target performance level for ROE for the 2020 performance awards, and assumes the achievement of threshold performance level for EPS, target performance level for revenue and ROE, and no achievement under the TSR outperformance component for the 2021 performance award.
      For the fiscal year ending December 31, 2022, represents actual achievement for the 2020 performance awards, assumes the achievement of a below-threshold performance level for EPS, target performance level for revenue, threshold performance level for ROE and no achievement under the TSR outperformance component for the 2021 performance awards, and assumes the achievement of a below-threshold performance level for EPS and ROE, threshold performance level for revenue and no achievement under the TSR outperformance component for the 2022 performance award.
      The following table sets forth 2017the adjustments we made in the pay-versus-performance table in order to arrive at the amount of compensation “actually paid” to our NEOs
      Adjustments to Determine Compensation “Actually Paid” for PEO202220212020
      Deduction for Amounts Reported under the “Stock Awards” Column in the Summary Compensation Table(3,083,116)(3,083,219)(2,049,817)
      Increase in Fair Value of Awards Granted during year that Remain Unvested as of Year-end, determined as of Year-end1,151,1795,707,1057,735,232
      Increase/deduction for Change in Fair Value from prior Year-end to current Year-end of Awards Granted Prior to year that were Outstanding and Unvested as of Year-end(9,619,197)9,514,7196,216,364
      Increase/deduction for Change in Fair Value from Prior
      Year-end to Vesting Date of Awards Granted Prior to
      year that Vested during year
      (936,612)277,4631,335,179
      Total Adjustments(12,487,746)12,416,06813,236,958
      Adjustments to Determine Compensation “Actually Paid” for Non-PEO
      NEOs (Average)
      202220212020
      Deduction for Amounts Reported under the “Stock Awards” Column in the Summary Compensation
      Table
      (1,218,038)(1,267,672)(1,004,961)
      Increase for Fair Value of Awards Granted during year that Remain Unvested as of Year end497,5652,207,9392,807,360
      Increase/deduction for Change in Fair Value from prior
      Year-end to current Year-end of Awards Granted Prior
      to year that were Outstanding and Unvested as of
      Year-end
      (3,009,686)3,286,5521,882,822
      Increase/deduction for Change in Fair Value from Prior Year-end to Vesting Date of Awards Granted Prior to year that Vested during year(987,516)150,986425,879
      Total Adjustments(4,717,675)4,377,8054,111,100
      (2)
      Represents the value of an investment of $100 on December 31, 2019, and that all dividends, if any, were reinvested.

      63


      Tabular List of Important Financial Measures
      The following reflects the financial measures that that we have determined represent the most important financial measures used to link compensation actually paid to performance for 2022:
      Most Important Financial Measures for 2022
      Diluted Earnings Per Share
      Return on Equity (ROE)
      Total Revenues
      Adjusted EBITDA
      Relationship between Compensation Actually Paid and Financial Measures
      Our compensation program is designed to be aligned with our performance, with the majority of our NEOs’ compensation awarded in the form of variable performance-based pay that is tied to the achievement of financial and operational performance. Additionally, a significant portion of our NEOs’ compensation is equity-based and subjects our NEOs to the same market fluctuations as our stockholders. The above table illustrates this alignment as follows:

      2020 and 2021 represented strong performance years for the Company, including record levels of performance in 2021 with double-digit growth in revenues and adjusted EBITDA and record diluted earnings per share. As depicted in the pay-versus-performance table, compensation actually paid to our NEOs in 2020 and 2021 reflects these outstanding achievements and also reflects the significant growth in our Company’s stock price in both 2020 and 2021 on both an absolute and relative basis, including a 46% increase in absolute TSR in 2020 and a 67% increase in absolute TSR in 2021.

      In 2022, our Company’s stock price declined, although it continues to outperform the S&P 600 small cap financials index. Accordingly, the compensation actually paid to our NEOs in 2022 was negative due to the lost value of the outstanding equity awards, as summarized below:

      The majority of our NEOs’ compensation is granted in the form of equity awards with a long-term vesting component that resulted in a significant amount of unvested and unearned equity awards due to the decrease in our stock price.

      Our performance share plans are earned based on pre-established performance goals that are established at levels that are designed to promote and reward significant growth.

      The decrease in fair value of the outstanding and unvested equity awards exceeded the value of cash compensation paid to our NEOs in 2022 and the fair value, as of December 31, 2022, of the equity awards granted in 2022.

      64



      As a result of our highly formulaic pay-for-performance structure of our annual cash incentive plan that is earned primarily based on (i) adjusted EBITDA, (ii) total revenues, and (iii) diluted EPS, and our equity awards, the majority of which are earned based on (i) diluted EPS, (ii) total revenues and (iii) return on equity, our compensation actually paid and performance are strongly aligned as further illustrated in the graphs below:
      [MISSING IMAGE: bc_paiddilut-bwlr.jpg]
      [MISSING IMAGE: bc_tsrperform-bwlr.jpg]
      [MISSING IMAGE: bc_netincome-bwlr.jpg]
      [MISSING IMAGE: lc_tsrperormance-bwlr.jpg]
      Director Compensation
      The following table sets forth 2022 compensation for each non-employee director who was a member of our Board in 2017.2022. Messrs. Walker and Smith also serve as members of our Board but do not receive any additional compensation for providing these services. Refer to our "2017“2022 Summary Compensation Table"Table” for information regarding 20172022 compensation for Messrs. Walker and Smith.


      Table of Contents


      20172022 Director Compensation

      NameFees Earned or
      Paid in Cash ($)
      Stock Awards
      ($)
      (1)
      Total ($)
      Michael D. Malone165,000149,963314,963
      Donna C. Wells135,000149,963284,963
      John Rice125,000149,963274,963
      Dana L. Schmaltz120,000 (2)149,963269,963
      Ellen D. Levy120,000149,963269,963
      Michael J. Warren110,000 (2)149,963259,963
      Alan J. Bowers(3)

      65

      Name
       Fees Earned or
      Paid in Cash ($)
       Stock Awards
      ($)(1)
       Total ($) 

      Alan J. Bowers

        150,000(2) 99,975  249,975 

      Michael D. Malone

        135,000  99,975  234,975 

      John Rice

        125,000  99,975  224,975 

      Cynthia A. Hallenbeck

        120,000  99,975  219,975 

      Dana L. Schmaltz

        115,000  99,975  214,975 

      Michael J. Warren

        121,250  114,975  236,225(3)

      TABLE OF CONTENTS

      (1)

      Amounts shown in this column represent the grant date fair value in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718 of restricted common stock and restricted stock units multiplied by the number of shares or restricted stock units, respectively, granted to each Board member.member As of December 31, 2017, John Rice, Dana Schmaltz and Michael Warren2022, each director held 2,150 shares of unvested restricted shares or restricted stock units of our common stock and no vested or unvested stock options. Alan Bowers held 6,048 shares of unvested restricted shares and stock units as of December 31, 2017. Cynthia Hallenbeck and Michael Malone each held 4,6441,381 shares of unvested restricted stock units as of December 31, 2017.

      or unvested restricted stock units.
      (2)

      Amount includes the value of restricted stock units received in lieu of directors'directors’ fees for service in 20172022 and fees received in cash.

      (3)

      Mr. Warren was appointed toBowers ceased serving as a member of our Board on May 5, 2022, and he did not receive any compensation in February 2017. The total amount includes the value of restricted stock and cash fees awarded to Mr. Warren in connection with his appointment to our Board in February 2017 and compensation paid to him following his re-election to our Board at our May 18, 2017 annual meeting.2022.

              2017

      2022 compensation for our non-employee directors consisted of the following:


      an annual base cash retainer of $100,000; and


      an annual award of $100,000$150,000 of shares of restricted stock (rounded down to the nearest whole share) under our 20152020 Equity Incentive Plan granted on the date of the 20172022 annual meeting of stockholders, which vests on the one-year anniversary of the date of grant, subject to the director'sdirector’s continued service on our Board.

      In addition, our compensation program for non-employee directors provided for the following additional annual cash retainers:


      Audit Committee: Chairman—$25,000; Member—$10,000;

      Chairman — $25,000; Member — $10,000;

      Compensation Committee: Chairman—$25,000; Member—$10,000;

      Chairman — $25,000; Member — $10,000;

      Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee: Chairman—$15,000; Member—$5,000;Chairman — $15,000; Member — $10,000; and


      the Lead Director receives an additional annual cash retainer of $20,000.

      $30,000.

      Under the Deferred Compensation Plan for Non-Employee Directors ("(“Director Deferred Compensation Plan"Plan”), non-employee directors may voluntarily elect to purchase shares of the Company'sCompany’s common stock with up to 100% of their annual director compensation. On the date that the compensation would otherwise be paid, the portion of the compensation that is deferred will be used to purchase deferred stock units at the fair market value of the Company'sCompany’s common stock on such date. These deferred stock units granted under the Director Deferred Compensation Plan are fully vested and non-forfeitable on the date of purchase with respect to deferred stock units received in respect of cash compensation, and the deferred stock units granted in respect of restricted stock are subject to the


      Table of Contents

      same vesting or other forfeiture restrictions that would have otherwise applied to such restricted stock. With respect to each deferred stock unit granted under the Director Deferred Compensation Plan, the Company will issue to the participant one share of the Company'sCompany’s common stock on the date elected by the participant, which will be the first to occur of (i) within 90 days following the participant'sparticipant’s separation from the Company;Company, (ii) immediately prior to, on or within 30 days following a change in control, (iii) within 90 days following the participant'sparticipant’s disability, (iv) within 90 days following the participant'sparticipant’s death or (v) if the participant has elected to receive payment while still a member of our Board, the date that is three, five or ten years following the last day of the applicable plan year in which an amount was deferred.

      Stock Ownership Guidelines for ourOur Non-Employee Directors

      Our Board has adopted stock ownership guidelines for our non-employee directors. Under those guidelines, our non-employee directors, are required to own stock equal to five times the annual base cash retainer. Stock ownership for the purpose of these guidelines includes stock, restricted stock and stock units, but does not include shares underlying vested or unvested stock options. Non-employee directors are required to achieve the ownership threshold by the five-year anniversary of the director joining our Board.


      66


      Equity Compensation Plan Information

      The table below sets forth information as of the end of our 20172022 fiscal year for (i) all equity compensation plans approved by our stockholders and (ii) all equity compensation plans not approved by our stockholders. See note 11 to our consolidated financial statements included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 20172022 for a description of our 20152020 Equity Incentive Plan. See "—“— Management Deferred Stock Unit Purchase Plan"Plan” above for a description of our MSPP.

      Plan Category
      Number of
      Securities to be
      Issued Upon
      Exercise of
      Outstanding
      Options,
      Warrants and
      Rights
      (#)
      (3)
      Weighted-
      Average Exercise
      Price of
      Outstanding
      Options,
      Warrants and
      Rights
      ($)
      (4)
      Number of
      Securities
      Available for
      Future Issuance
      Under Equity
      Compensation
      Plans (Excluding
      Securities
      Reflected in First
      Column)
      (#)
      Equity compensation plans approved by security
      holders
      (1)
      1,044,36422.351,342,298
      Equity compensation plans not approved by security holders(2)
      167,542350,452
      Total1,211,906N/A1,692,750
      Plan Category
       Number of
      Securities to be
      Issued Upon
      Exercise of
      Outstanding
      Options,
      Warrants and
      Rights (#)(3)
       Weighted-
      Average Exercise
      Price of
      Outstanding
      Options,
      Warrants and
      Rights ($)(4)
       Number of
      Securities
      Available for
      Future Issuance
      Under Equity
      Compensation
      Plans (Excluding
      Securities
      Reflected in First
      Column)(#)
       

      Equity compensation plans approved by security holders(1)

        2,404,207  18.85  2,067,058 

      Equity compensation plans not approved by security holders(2)

        292,397    195,419 

      Total

        2,696,604  N/A  2,262,477 

      (1)
      (1)
      The 20152020 Equity Incentive Plan was approved by our stockholders on June 4, 2015,May 14, 2020 and amended and restated our 20102015 Equity Incentive Plan.

      (2)

      Represents shares registered on a Registration Statement on Form S-8 on May 10, 2013 and November 24, 2020 to be used for purchases under the MSPP.

      (3)

      Represents the purchased and matching deferred and restricted stock units under the MSPP, dividend equivalent units associated with the matching deferred and restricted stock units under the 2016-2018 and 2017-2019 performance share plans,MSPP, outstanding Performance Share Units under our 2020 Equity Incentive Plan, and shares to be issued upon exercise of options. Amounts representing units under the 2016-2018 performance share plan and the 2017-2019 performance share planPerformance Share Units assume maximum performance and amounts.

      Table of Contents

      (4)

      Restricted and deferred stock units under the MSPP and performance share unitsPerformance Share Units under the 2016-2018 and 2017-2019 performance share plans2020 Equity Incentive Plan have no exercise price and were not factored into the calculation of the weighted average exercise price. This column represents the weighted average exercise price of 1,396,706217,825 options outstanding under the 20152020 Equity Incentive Plan.

      Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation

              Our

      During 2022, the following individuals served on our Compensation Committee currently consistsfor all or part of the year: Ellen D. Levy, Michael D. Malone, (Chairman), Cynthia Hallenbeck, John Rice and Dana Schmaltz. None of our current committee membersthese individuals is or was an officer or employee, or former officer or employee, of ours. None of these individuals has or had relationships with us requiring disclosure under Item 404 of Regulation S-K. No interlocking relationship exists or existed between members of the Compensation Committee or the Board, and the board of directors or compensation or similar committees of any other company.


      67


      Proposal 3:   Advisory Resolution to Approve Executive Compensation

      We are presenting this proposal, commonly known as a "say“say on pay"pay” proposal pursuant to Section 14A of the Exchange Act, to provide stockholders the opportunity to vote to approve, on a non-binding advisory basis, the compensation of our named executive officers as described in this proxy statement.

      We believe our executive compensation policies and procedures are centered on pay-for-performance principles and are closely aligned with the long-term interests of our stockholders. As described under the heading "COMPENSATION“COMPENSATION DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS," our executive compensation program is designed to attract and retain outstanding executives, to reward them for superior performance and to ensure that compensation provided to them remains competitive. We seek to align the interests of our executives and stockholders by tying compensation to the achievement of key financial and operating objectives that we believe enhance stockholder value over the long term and by encouraging executive share ownership so that a portion of each executive'sexecutive’s compensation is tied directly to stockholder value.

      For these reasons, we are asking our stockholders to vote "FOR"“FOR” the following resolution:

              "RESOLVED,

      “RESOLVED, that the stockholders hereby approve the compensation of the NEOs, as disclosed pursuant to the compensation disclosure rules of the SEC, including in the Compensation Discussion and Analysis, the compensation tables and the related narrative executive compensation disclosure contained in this proxy statement."

      While the vote on this resolution is advisory in nature and therefore will not bind us to take any particular action, our Compensation Committee and Board intend to carefully consider the stockholder vote resulting from the proposal in making future decisions regarding the compensation of our NEOs. Unless the Board modifies its policy on the frequency of future "say“say on pay"pay” advisory votes, the "say“say on pay"pay” advisory vote occurs every year and, accordingly, the next "say“say on pay"pay” advisory vote will be held at the 20192024 annual meeting of stockholders.

      Vote Required

      The affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast at the annual meeting with respect to the matter is required to approve, (onon a non-binding advisory basis)basis, the compensation of the NEOs. For purposes of the vote on this proposal, abstentionsAbstentions and other shares not voted (whether by broker non-vote or otherwise)non-votes will not be countedcount as votes cast with respect to the proposal and will have no effect on the result of the vote.

      Our Recommendation

      THE BOARD UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDS A VOTE "FOR"“FOR” THE PROPOSAL.



      68


      VOTING SECURITIES OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT

      The following table sets forth, as of March 12, 2018,10, 2023, certain information regarding the beneficial ownership of our common stock by:


      each person known to us to be the beneficial owner of more than 5% of our common stock;


      each NEO;


      each of our directors; and


      all of our executive officers and directors as a group.

      Beneficial ownership is determined according to the rules of the SEC, and generally means that a person has beneficial ownership of a security if he or she possesses sole or shared voting or investment power of that security, and includes for each executive officer and director options that are currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days of March 12, 2018.10, 2023. Each director, officer or 5% or more stockholder, as the case may be, furnished us with information with respect to beneficial ownership. Except as otherwise indicated, we believe that the beneficial owners of common stock listed below, based on the information each of them has given to us, have sole investment and voting power with respect to their shares, except where community property laws may apply. We have based our calculations of the percentage of beneficial ownership of 30,994,77833,314,108 shares of common stock outstanding as of March 15, 2018.

      10, 2023.

      Unless otherwise noted below, the address of the persons and entities listed on the table is c/o Walker & Dunlop, Inc., 75017272 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 1200E,1300, Bethesda, Maryland 20814.

      Beneficial OwnerShares of
      Common Stock
      Beneficially
      Owned
      % of Shares of
      Common Stock
      Beneficially
      Owned
      5% Stockholders:
      BlackRock, Inc.(1)
      4,999,21215.01%
      The Vanguard Group(2)
      3,707,14911.13%
      FMR LLC(3)
      2,369,3757.11%
      Janus Henderson Group plc(4)
      2,003,3216.01%
      Directors and Named Executive Officers:
      William M. Walker(5)
      712,7812.14%
      Howard W. Smith, III(6)
      667,7611.99%
      Stephen P. Theobald(7)
      148,136*
      Richard M. Lucas(8)
      148,866*
      Gregory A. Florkowski(9)
      16,166*
      Paula A. Pryor(10)
      7,481*
      Dana L. Schmaltz(11)
      69,835*
      John Rice(12)
      27,437*
      Michael D. Malone32,900*
      Michael J. Warren1,909*
      Ellen D. Levy1,381*
      Donna C. Wells*
      Executive Officers and Directors as a group (12 persons)1,834,6535.47%
      Beneficial Owner
       Shares of
      Common Stock
      Beneficially
      Owned
       % of Shares of
      Common Stock
      Beneficially
      Owned
       

      5% Stockholders:

             

      The Vanguard Group(1)

        4,135,729  13.34%

      BlackRock, Inc.(2)

        3,602,311  11.62%

      Dimensional Fund Advisors LP(3)

        1,814,700  5.85%

      Directors and Named Executive Officers:

             

      William M. Walker(4)

        1,683,831  5.37%

      Howard W. Smith, III(5)

        1,111,102  3.55%

      Richard M. Lucas(6)

        226,970  * 

      Richard C. Warner(7)

        254,167  * 

      Stephen P. Theobald(8)

        167,913  * 

      Dana L. Schmaltz(9)

        48,983  * 

      Alan J. Bowers(9)

        30,859  * 

      John Rice(9)

        25,433  * 

      Cynthia A. Hallenbeck

        20,639  * 

      Michael D. Malone

        21,519  * 

      Michael J. Warren(9)

        2,519  * 

      Executive Officers and Directors as a group (11 persons)

        3,593,935  11.23%

      *
      *
      Less than 1%.

      (1)

      This amount includes 50,885 shares, 1,803 shares, 4,085,2474,953,021 shares and 50,482 shares in which the holder exercises sole voting power, shared voting power, sole dispositive power and shared dispositive power, respectively. The information provided is based solely on information obtained from a Schedule 13G/A filed with the SEC on February 9, 2018 by

      Table of Contents

        The Vanguard Group. The information has been included solely in reliance upon, and without independent investigation of, the disclosures contained in such Schedule 13G/A. The address of the principal business office of The Vanguard Group is 100 Vanguard Blvd., Malvern, PA 19355.

      (2)
      This amount includes 3,535,145 shares and 3,602,3114,999,212 shares in which the holder exercises sole voting power and sole dispositive power, respectively. The information provided is based solely on information obtained from a Schedule 13G/A filed with the SEC on January 19 , 2018February 1, 2023 by BlackRock, Inc. The information has been included solely in reliance upon, and without independent investigation of, the disclosures contained in such Schedule 13G/A. The address of the principal business office of BlackRock, Inc. is 55 East 52nd Street, New York, NY 10055.

      (3)

      69


      (2)
      This amount includes 1,709,93644,727 shares, 3,630,955 shares and 1,814,70076,194 shares in which the holder exercises soleshared voting power, sole dispositive power and soleshared dispositive power, respectively. The information provided is based solely on information obtained from a Schedule 13G/A filed with the SEC on February 9, 20182023 by Dimensional Fund Advisors LP.The Vanguard Group. The information has been included solely in reliance upon, and without independent investigation of, the disclosures contained in such Schedule 13G/A. The address of the principal business office of Dimensional Fund Advisors LPThe Vanguard Group is Building One, 6300 Bee Cave Road, Austin, TX 78746.

      100 Vanguard Blvd., Malvern, PA 19355.
      (3)
      This amount includes 2,368,051 shares and 2,369,375 shares in which the holder exercises sole voting power and sole dispositive power, respectively. The information provided is based solely on information obtained from a Schedule 13G filed with the SEC on February 9, 2023 by FMR LLC. The information has been included solely in reliance upon, and without independent investigation of, the disclosures contained in such Schedule 13G. The address of the principal business office of FMR LLC is 245 Summer Street, Boston, MA 02210.
      (4)

      This amount includes 2,003,321 shares in which the holder exercises shared voting power and shared dispositive power. The information provided is based solely on information obtained from a Schedule 13G/A filed with the SEC on February 10, 2023 by Janus Henderson Group plc. The information has been included solely in reliance upon, and without independent investigation of, the disclosures contained in such Schedule 13G/A. The address of the principal business office of Janus Henderson Group plc is 201 Bishopsgate, EC2M 3AE, United Kingdom.
      (5)
      Includes 29,53926,084 shares of restricted stock, which represent the unvested portions of restricted stock grants. All restricted stock grants were made to vest ratably on February 15 of each anniversary of the three successive years following the applicable grant date over a three-year period.date. Includes 3,3653,955 shares of common stock held as custodian for each of his three sons, for an aggregate of 10,09511,865 shares of common stock.stock, as well as 540,147 shares of common stock held by a family limited liability company for which Mr. Walker serves as the managing member. The reported number also includes 365,5630 shares underlying currently exercisable stock options and 0 shares underlying options exercisable within the next 60 days.

      (5)
      options.
      (6)
      Includes 20,27114,963 shares of restricted stock, which represent the unvested portions of restricted stock grants. All restricted stock grants were made to vest ratably on February 15 of each anniversary of the three successive years following the applicable grant date over a three-year period.date. Includes 287,321 shares of common stock held by HIII 2011 Trust, 4,764 shares of common stock held as custodian for one daughter,by ESS 2022 Trust, 4,764 shares of common stock held by ADS 2015 Trust, 4,560 shares of common stock held by HWS IV 2012 Trust, 4,764 shares of common stock held by MHS 2010 Trust and 4,422 shares of common stock held by MMAS 2008 Trust. The reported number also includes 331,422160,166 shares underlying currently exercisable stock options and 0 shares underlying options exercisable within the next 60 days.

      (6)
      options.
      (7)
      Includes 24,4159,973 shares of restricted stock, which represent the unvested portions of restricted stock grants. All restricted stock grants were made to vest ratably on February 15 of each anniversary of the three successive years following the applicable grant date over a three-year period.date. The reported number also includes 93,100 shares underlying currently exercisable non-qualified stock options and 0 shares underlying options exercisable within the next 60 days.

      (7)
      Includes 24,415 shares of restricted stock, which represent the unvested portions of restricted stock grants, 15,604 shares of restricted stock granted to Mr. Warner's spouse and 21,16138,219 shares of common stock ownedheld by Mr. Warner's spouse. All restricted stock grants were made to vest ratably on each anniversary of the applicable grant date over a three-year period.family limited liability company. The reported number also includes 143,00752,163 shares underlying currently exercisable stock options and 0 shares underlying options exercisable within the next 60 days.
      options.

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      (8)

      Includes 24,4159,206 shares of restricted stock, which represent the unvested portions of restricted stock grants. All restricted stock grants were made to vest ratably on February 15 of each anniversary of the three successive years following the applicable grant date over a three-year period.date. The reported number also includes 89,0220 shares underlying currently exercisable stock options and 0 shares underlying options exercisable within the next 60 days.

      options.
      (9)

      Includes 2,1509,202 shares of restricted stock, which represent the unvested portions of restricted stock grants.

      Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance

              Section 16(a) All restricted stock grants were made to vest ratably on February 15 of each of the Exchange Act requires our executive officers, directors and persons who own more than ten percentthree successive years following the applicable grant date. The reported number also includes 0 shares underlying currently exercisable non-qualified stock options.

      (10)
      Includes 7,365 shares of a registered classrestricted stock, which represent the unvested portions of our equity securities, or Reporting Persons,restricted stock grants. All restricted stock grants were made to file reportsvest ratably on February 15 of ownership and changes in ownership on Forms 3, 4 and 5 witheach of the SEC andthree successive years following the NYSE.applicable grant date. The Reporting Persons are required by SEC regulations to furnish us with copiesreported number also includes 0 shares underlying currently exercisable non-qualified stock options.
      (11)
      Includes 1,381 shares of all Forms 3, 4 and 5 they file withrestricted stock, which represent the SEC. Based onunvested portions of restricted stock grants.
      (12)
      Includes 1,381 shares of restricted stock, which represent the reviewunvested portions of filings made with the SEC and representations maderestricted stock grants. Also includes 55 shares of common stock held by the Reporting Persons, we believe that each Reporting Person complied with all Section 16(a) filing requirements applicable to them during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017, except that on August 11, 2017, Mr. Schmaltz filed a Form 4 disclosing his purchase of shares of our stock on August 8, 2017.

      Rice Family Trust.


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      CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS

      Related Party Transaction Policies

      Our Board has adopted a written policy regarding the approval of any "related“related person transaction," which is any transaction or series of transactions in which we or any of our subsidiaries is (or are to be) a participant, the amount involved exceeds $100,000,$120,000 and a "related person" (as“related person” ​(as defined under SEC rules) has a direct or indirect material interest; provided, however, that approval is not required for competitive bidding and similar transactions that are not deemed to be related party transactions under Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"“Securities Act”). Under the policy, a related person would need to promptly disclose to our compliance officer any related person transaction and all material facts about the transaction. Our compliance officer would then assess and promptly communicate that information to the Audit Committee of our Board. Based on its consideration of all of the relevant facts and circumstances, the Audit Committee will either approve or reject the transaction or refer the transaction to the full Board or other appropriate Board committee, in its discretion. If we become aware of an existing related person transaction that has not been pre-approved under this policy, the transaction will be referred to the Audit Committee, which will evaluate all options available, including ratification, revision or termination of such transaction, and will either approve or reject the transaction or refer the transaction to the full Board or other appropriate Board committee, in its discretion. Our policy provides that any director who may be interested in a related person transaction should recuse himself or herself from any consideration of such related person transaction.

      2010 Registration Rights Agreement

      In December 2010, in connection with our initial public offering, we completed formation transactions through which Walker & Dunlop, LLC became our wholly owned subsidiary. In connection with such formation transactions, we entered into a registration rights agreement with regard to shares of our common stock issued to former direct and indirect equity holders of Walker & Dunlop, LLC, which we refer to collectively as the 2010 registrable shares. Among the parties to such registration rights agreement, which we refer to as the 2010 registration rights agreement, were Column Guaranteed LLC ("Column"), threeseveral of our then stockholders, including two of our current NEOs, Messrs. Walker Smith and Warner, our then Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer & Treasurer, Deborah Wilson and certain employees and non-employees,Smith, together with their permitted assignees and transferees, who we refer to collectively as holders of 2010 registrable shares.

      Pursuant to the 2010 registration rights agreement, we granted to holders of 2010 registrable shares demand registration rights, subject to certain limitations, to have such shares registered for resale on a registration statement that must remain effective for the shorter of: (a) two (2) years from its date of effectiveness, (b) the period ending on the date on which all of the 2010 registrable shares covered by such registration are eligible for sale without registration pursuant to Rule 144 or any successor provision under the Securities Act, without volume limitations or other restrictions on transfer thereunder, and (c) the date on which the parties to the 2010 registration rights agreement complete the sale of all of the 2010 registrable shares. We also granted to holders of 2010 registrable shares holding a number of 2010 registrable shares equal to at least ten percent (10%) of the total number of shares of our common stock issued in the formation transactions described above demand registration rights, subject to certain limitations, pursuant to which such holder will be entitled to effect the sale of such 2010 registrable shares through an underwritten public offering.

      In addition to demand registration rights, we also granted to holders of 2010 registrable shares tag-along (or "piggy-back"“piggy-back”) rights, subject to certain limitations, pursuant to which such holders have the right to have such shares registered if we propose to file a registration statement with respect to an underwritten offering of shares for our own account.


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              Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event of certain corporate events affecting us for certain periods, we are permitted under the 2010 registration rights agreement, subject to certain limitations, to postpone the filing of a registration statement and from time to time to require holders of 2010 registrable shares not to sell under a registration statement or to suspend the effectiveness of such registration statement. We will bear all of the costs and expenses incident to our registration obligations under the 2010 registration rights agreement, including, among other things, fees and disbursements of one counsel retained by the selling holders of 2010 registrable shares. We have also agreed, subject to certain limitations, to indemnify holders of 2010 registrable shares against specified liabilities, including certain potential liabilities arising under the Securities Act.


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      As of March 12, 2018,10, 2023, there are 1.90.9 million shares of our common stock that are registrable under the 2010 registration rights agreement, all of which are owned directly or indirectly by Messrs. Walker and Smith.

      Family Relationship

              During 2017, Michelle Warner, the spouse of Mr. Warner, was employed by

      Investments in Walker & Dunlop LLC,Investment Partners’ Funds
      Our executive officers are permitted to invest on a discretionary basis their personal capital directly in funds managed by our operating subsidiary, as Executive Vice President & FHA Group Head. Ms. Warner received aggregate compensationregistered investment adviser, WDIP, on the same terms and conditions offered to third-party investors. Messrs. Walker, Smith and Theobald each committed to invest up to $500,000 in funds managed by WDIP. During 2022, Messrs. Walker, Smith and Theobald each funded $200,000 of $2,143,701 million consisting of salary, annual cash bonus for 2017 performance, restricted stock award, matching restricted stock unit award under the MSPP, the maximum possible award value for which she is eligible under the 2017-2019 performance share plan, a matching contribution to her 401(k) plan and an additional discretionary contribution to her 401(k) plan. Her compensation is consistent with our overall compensation principles based on her many years of experience, performance and position.

      their capital commitments.


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      OTHER MATTERS

      Other Matters to Come Before the 20182023 Annual Meeting

      No other matters are to be presented for action at the annual meeting other than as set forth in this proxy statement. If other matters properly come before the meeting, however, the persons named in the accompanying proxy will vote all proxies solicited by this proxy statement as recommended by the Board, or, if no recommendation is given, in their own discretion.

      Stockholder Proposals and Nominations for the 20192024 Annual Meeting

      Any stockholder proposal pursuant to Rule 14a-8 of the rules promulgated under the Exchange Act to be considered for inclusion in our proxy materials for the next annual meeting of stockholders must be received at our principal executive offices no later than November 23, 2018.

      18, 2023.

      Any stockholder who wishes to propose a nominee to the Board or propose any other business to be considered by the stockholders (other than a stockholder proposal included in our proxy materials pursuant to Rule 14a-8 of the rules promulgated under the Exchange Act) must comply with the advance notice provisions and other requirements of Article II, Section 12 of our bylaws, which are on file with the SEC, posted on our investor relations web page and may be obtained from the Secretary of the Company upon request. These notice provisions require that nominations for directors must be received by the Secretary at our principal executive offices not later than 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on the 120th day prior to the first anniversary of the date of the proxy statement for the preceding year'syear’s annual meeting nor earlier than the 150th day prior to the first anniversary of the date of the proxy statement for the preceding year'syear’s annual meeting. However, in the event that the date of the annual meeting is advanced or delayed by more than 30 days from the first anniversary of the date of the preceding year'syear’s annual meeting, such notice to be timely must be so delivered not earlier than the 150th day prior to such annual meeting and not later than 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on the later of the 120th day prior to such annual meeting or the tenth day following the day on which public announcement of the date of such meeting is first made.

      In addition to satisfying the foregoing requirements under our bylaws, to comply with the universal proxy rules (once they become effective), stockholders who intend to solicit proxies in support of director nominees other than the Company’s nominees must provide notice that sets forth the information required by Rule 14a-19 under the Exchange Act no later than March 5, 2024.
      * * * *

      By Order of the Board of Directors
      [MISSING IMAGE: sg_richardlucas-bw.jpg]
      Name: Richard M. Lucas
      Title:
      Executive Vice President,
      General Counsel and Secretary
      Bethesda, Maryland
      March 17, 2023

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      By Order of the Board of Directors



      GRAPHIC



      Name:


      Richard M. Lucas
      Title:Executive Vice President,
      General Counsel and Secretary

      Bethesda, Maryland
      March 23, 2018


      [MISSING IMAGE: px_proxy01pg01-bw.jpg]

      . Electronic Voting Instructions Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week! Instead of mailing your proxy, you may choose one of the voting methods outlined below to vote your proxy. VALIDATION DETAILS ARE LOCATED BELOW IN THE TITLE BAR. Proxies submitted by the Internet or telephone must be received by 11:59 p.m., Eastern time, on May 9, 2018. Vote by Internet • Go to www.envisionreports.com/WD • Or scan the QR code with your smartphone • Follow the steps outlined on the secure website Vote by telephone • Call toll free 1-800-652-VOTE (8683) within the USA, US territories & Canada on a touch tone telephone • Follow the instructions provided by the recorded message Using a black ink pen, mark your votes with an X as shown in this example. Please do not write outside the designated areas. qYour vote matters – here’s how to vote! You may vote online or by phone instead of mailing this card. Votes submitted by the Internet or telephone must be received by 11:59 p.m., Eastern time, on May 3, 2023. Internet Go to www.envisionreports.com/WD or scan the QR code — login details are located in the shaded bar below. Phone Call toll free 1-800-652-VOTE (8683) within the USA, US territories and Canada Save paper, time and money! Sign up for electronic delivery at www.envisionreports.com/WD IF YOU HAVE NOT VOTED VIA THE INTERNET OR TELEPHONE, FOLD ALONG THE PERFORATION, DETACH AND RETURN THE BOTTOM PORTION IN THE ENCLOSED ENVELOPE. q A Proposals — The Board of Directors recommend a vote “FOR” each Director, “FOR” proposal 2, and “FOR” proposal 3. 1. Election of Directors: + Nominees:ForAgainst AbstainForAgainst AbstainForAgainst Abstain+ 01 Alan J. Bowers 05- Ellen D. Levy 04 - Dana L. Schmaltz 07 - Michael J. Warren 02 Cynthia A. Hallenbeck 06- Michael D. Malone 05 - Howard W. Smith, III 08 - Donna C. Wells 03 Michael D. Malone 07- John Rice 06 - William M. Walker 04 John Rice 08 Michael J. Warren Mark here to vote FOR all nominees Mark here to WITHHOLD vote from all nominees For All EXCEPT - To withhold authority to vote for any nominee(s), write the name(s) of such nominee(s) below. For Against Abstain ForAgainst Abstain 2. Ratification2.Ratification of the appointment of the independent registered public accounting firm. 3. Advisoryfirm ForAgainst Abstain 3.Advisory resolution to approve executive compensation. B Non-Voting Itemscompensation ForAgainst Abstain Change of Address — Please print new address below. Commentsbelow.Comments — Please print your comments below. C Authorized Signatures — This section must be completed for your vote to be counted. — Date and Sign Below NOTE: Please sign exactly as namename(s) appears hereon. Joint owners should each sign. When signing as attorney, executor, administrator, trustee, or guardian. Pleaseguardian, please give full title as such.title. Date (mm/dd/yyyy) — Please print date below. Signaturebelow.Signature 1 — Please keep signature within the box. Signaturebox.Signature 2 — Please keep signature within the box. + 1 U P X 02SPAA 03ROMB 8 2 B M+


      [MISSING IMAGE: px_proxy01pg02-bw.jpg]
      Annual Meeting Proxy Card X IMPORTANT ANNUAL MEETING INFORMATION


      .of Stockholders May 4, 2023, 10:00 a.m., EDT Hilton Garden Inn 7301 Waverly Street, Bethesda, MD 20814 Upon arrival, please present this admission ticket and photo identification at the registration desk. Important notice regarding the Internet availability of proxy materials for the Annual Meeting of Stockholders.Stockholders The Proxy Statement and the 20172022 Annual Report to Stockholders are available at: www.envisionreports.com/wd qWD IF YOU HAVE NOT VOTED VIA THE INTERNET OR TELEPHONE, FOLD ALONG THE PERFORATION, DETACH AND RETURN THE BOTTOM PORTION IN THE ENCLOSED ENVELOPE. q Proxy — Walker & Dunlop, Inc.Notice of 2023 Annual Meeting of Stockholders – May 10, 2018 THIS PROXY IS SOLICITED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE COMPANY The undersigned hereby appoints Richard M. Lucas and William M. Walker, and Richard Lucas, and each of them, with power to act without the other and with power of substitution, as proxies and attorneys-in-fact and hereby authorizes them to represent and vote, as provided on the other side, all the shares of Walker & Dunlop, Inc. Common Stock which the undersigned is entitled to vote, and, in their discretion, to vote upon such other business as may properly come before the Annual Meeting of Stockholders of the company to be held on May 10, 20184, 2023 or at any adjournment or postponement thereof, with all

      powers which the undersigned would possess if present at the Meeting. THIS PROXY WILL BE VOTED AS DIRECTED, OR IF NO DIRECTION IS INDICATED, WILL BE VOTED “FOR” THE ELECTION OF EACH DIRECTOR NOMINEE AND “FOR” PROPOSALS 2 AND 3 AS RECOMMENDED BY THE DIRECTORS. (Continued and to be marked, dated and signed, on the other side)



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