Nicolet Bankshares (NIC) executive compensation, 2026 proxy

Michael E. Daniels, Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer, was paid $14.9M in 2025, up 366% from $3.2M the year before. The CEO-to-median-employee pay ratio was 267:1, on median employee pay of $56,042.

Filed
March 24, 2026
Annual meeting
May 18, 2026
Pay year
2025
Named executives
5
CEO total pay
$14.9M+366% vs prior year
CEO to median employee
267:1median $56,042
CEO pay in equity
83%$12.4M in awards
Record Net Income
$151MFull year 2025 net income
EPS Increase
21.5%Over diluted EPS of $8.05 for 2024
Core Deposit Growth
$497MYear-over-year increase of 7%
Total Employees
978As of December 31, 2025

How Daniels was paid

$14.9M in total for 2025, as reported in the Summary Compensation Table. Equity awards are valued at grant, not at what they turned out to be worth.

Salary6%Stock awards83%Non-equity incentive11%All other compensation1%

Named executive officers

ExecutiveTotal
Michael E. DanielsChairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer$14,944,068
H. Phillip Moore, Jr.Chief Financial Officer$1,108,555
Eric J. WitczakExecutive Vice President, Retail and Ag Banking$1,079,276
Brad V. HutjensExecutive Vice President, Chief Credit Officer$1,009,239
William M. BohnExecutive Vice President, Wealth Management, Private Client and Trust Services$992,185

What changed and why

  • $14.9MCEO total compensation rose to $14,944,068 in 2025 due to a large equity award connected with his leadership extension through 2030.
  • $151MNet income reached a record $151 million for the full year 2025 compared to $124 million in 2024.
  • 21.5%Diluted earnings per share increased 21.5% to $9.78 for full year 2025 from $8.05 for 2024.
  • New performance-based restricted stock units were granted to NEOs tied to ROAA percentiles and cumulative EPS targets.
  • Mr. Daniels agreed to extend his planned leadership through the end of 2030.

About this page

Figures are automated and can be wrong; check the filing for the exact numbers. Totals follow SEC rules, which value stock and option awards at grant. Read the DEF 14A proxy statement for footnotes and the compensation committee's full reasoning.