_ SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT

                       PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF
                       THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

         Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): May 18, 2006

                            BANKFINANCIAL CORPORATION
                            -------------------------
               (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

         Maryland                       0-51331                75-3199276
  ---------------------------     --------------------       ---------------
(State or Other Jurisdiction)     (Commission File No.)      (I.R.S. Employer
      of Incorporation)                                     Identification No.)


15W060 North Frontage Road, Burr Ridge, Illinois                 60527
- ------------------------------------------------                --------
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)                       (Zip Code)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code:  (630) 242-7700
                                                     --------------


                                 Not Applicable
                                 --------------
          (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

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

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

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

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

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






Item 5.02  Departure of Directors or Principal Officers; Election of Directors;
Appointment of Principal Officers.

     On May 18, 2006, the Board of Directors of  BankFinancial  Corporation (the
"Company")  appointed  Mr.  Glen R.  Wherfel  to the Board of  Directors  of the
Company to fill the vacancy  created on the Board of Directors of the Company by
the death of former  Director  Dr.  Kenneth  Cmiel.  Mr.  Wherfel will serve the
remainder of Dr. Cmiel's term as a Director,  which will expire at the Company's
2007  annual  meeting  of  stockholders.  Mr.  Wherfel  is a  principal  in  the
accounting  firm of  Wherfel  &  Associates,  and has  served  on the  Board  of
Directors of the Company's  principal  subsidiary,  BankFinancial,  F.S.B.  (the
"Bank"),  since 2001.  He also served as a Director  of Success  Bancshares  and
Success National Bank until they were acquired by the Company in 2001.

     There is no arrangement or understanding  between Mr. Wherfel and any other
persons pursuant to which Mr. Wherfel was selected as a Director. Mr. Wherfel is
expected to serve on the Board's Corporate  Governance and Nominating  Committee
at all times in which he is  eligible to serve.  He will  continue to serve as a
member of the Asset Quality Committee of the Board of Directors of the Bank.

Item 8.01  Other Events.

     On May 18, 2006, the Board of Directors of the Bank appointed Ms. Cassandra
J. Francis to the Board of Directors of the Bank to fill the vacancy  created on
the Board of Directors of the Bank by the death of Dr. Cmiel.  Ms.  Francis will
serve the  remainder of Dr.  Cmiel's term as a Director of the Bank,  which will
expire at the 2006 annual meeting of the Bank's sole  stockholder,  the Company.
Ms. Francis is a Senior Vice President of U.S. Equities Development,  L.L.C. and
a Vice President of Global Properties, Inc.




                                   SIGNATURES

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

                                         BANKFINANCIAL CORPORATION



Date: May 19, 2006                 By:   \s\ James J. Brennan
                                         --------------------------------------
                                         James J. Brennan
                                         Executive Vice President and
                                           Corporate Secretary