2022 Proxy Statement

PROPOSAL 1

Director Nominees James S. Johnson Director Since: 2005

Committees: Audit and Nominating and ESG

Age: 59 Background:

Mr. Johnson has served on the Board of the Company and the Bank since 2005. He and his wife, Jolynn, are owners of Flagship Marketing, Inc., a privately held company that owns franchises with Express Services, Inc., dba Express Employment Professionals, which delivers recruiting and staffing support and human resource services through a network of more than 800 franchise locations. Additionally, Mr. Johnson is currently a Regional Franchise Developer for Express Services, Inc., which provides consulting services to regional owners and offices located in Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, and South Dakota. Since 1994, Mr. Johnson’s franchises in the Twin Cities have focused on both the commercial and professional staffing segments. Mr. Johnson previously served multiple terms on the board of directors for the Minnesota Recruiting and Staffing Association where he also served as President. Mr. Johnson has experience serving as a director on the boards of other organizations, including Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare, the Minneapolis Regional Chamber of Commerce, and the Bloomington Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Johnson received his B.A. and B.S. from Iowa State University. As a prominent business owner and long-standing talent acquisition professional, Mr. Johnson has significant ties to other local business leaders. Douglas J. Parish Director Since: 2018 Committees: Audit (Chair) Age: 55 Background: Mr. Parish, a director of the Company and the Bank since 2018, serves as the Chairperson of the Audit Committee of the Company’s Board. As a Certified Public Accountant, Mr. Parish is a financial expert with 30 years of diverse experience across a number of disciplines, including accounting, finance, audit, risk management, regulatory compliance and corporate governance. Mr. Parish retired in 2017 after serving as Senior Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer for Ameriprise Financial, Inc. since 2016, and prior to that, he served as Senior Vice President and Chief Audit Executive for Ameriprise. Recruited to Ameriprise in 2005 at the time of the company’s spin-off from American Express, he worked to build a world-class internal audit function for this Fortune 250 diversified financial services company. Prior to his tenure at Ameriprise, Mr. Parish was Vice President and Chief Internal Auditor at Ceridian Corporation and held numerous audit roles at Citigroup. Mr. Parish holds a B.A. from St. Olaf College and currently serves as a board member for several Twin Cities non-profit organizations, including Children’s Theatre Company and Northern Star Council (Boy Scouts of America).

David J. Volk Director Since: 2017

Committees: Compensation and Nominating and ESG

Age: 45 Background:

Mr. Volk has served on the Board of the Company and the Bank since 2017. Mr. Volk is a principal at Castle Creek Capital®, an alternative asset management firm focused on the community banking industry, located in San Diego, California. He has been with Castle Creek Capital since 2005 and has led or supported investments in numerous recapitalization, distressed and growth situations. Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Volk worked as an associate with TW Associates Capital, Inc. after receiving his initial training at Ernst & Young. Mr. Volk currently serves as a director of multiple banking institutions, including Bank of Southern California, Bank of Idaho Holding Company and New Mexico First Financial. Mr. Volk holds a B.S. from Santa Clara University and an M.S. from the University of Virginia. Mr. Volk’s extensive financial institution experience based in strategic planning, operational improvements, acquisitions and capital financing brings a perspective on the opportunities and challenges facing banks nationwide.

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Bridgewater Bancshares, Inc.