PART I

law.  It is not currently anticipated that the Company will engage in any business other than that directly related to its ownership of its banking subsidiary or other financial institutions.

Union.  Union State Bancshares, Inc. is a bank holding company registered under the Bank Holding Company Act that has elected to become a financial holding company.  Union's activities currently are limited to ownership of the outstanding capital stock of Hawthorn Bank.  It is not currently anticipated that Union will engage in any business other than that directly related to its ownership of Hawthorn Bank.

Hawthorn Bank.  Hawthorn Bank was founded in 1932 as a Missouri bank and converted to a Missouri trust company on August 16, 1989.  However, its predecessors trace their lineage back to the founding of Exchange National Bank in 1865.  Hawthorn Bank has 23 banking offices, including its principal office at 132 East High Street in Jefferson City's central business district.  See "Item 2. Properties".

Hawthorn Bank is a full service bank conducting a general banking and trust business, offering its customers checking and savings accounts, internet banking, debit cards, certificates of deposit, trust services, brokerage services, safety deposit boxes and a wide range of lending services, including commercial and industrial loans, single payment personal loans, installment loans and commercial and residential real estate loans.

Hawthorn Bank's deposit accounts are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (the "FDIC") to the extent provided by law.  Hawthorn Bank's operations are supervised and regulated by the FDIC and the Missouri Division of Finance.  Periodic examinations of Hawthorn Bank are conducted by representatives of the FDIC and the Missouri Division of Finance.  Such regulations, supervision and examinations are principally for the benefit of depositors, rather than for the benefit of the holders of Hawthorn Bank's common stock.  See "Regulation Applicable to Bank Holding Companies" and "Regulation Applicable to the Bank".

Hawthorn Real Estate.  Hawthorn Real Estate, LLC, a non-bank subsidiary of the Company, was formed in December 2008 in order to purchase and hold various nonperforming assets of Hawthorn Bank.  The purpose for holding these nonperforming assets in Hawthorn Real Estate is to allow for the orderly disposition of these assets and strengthen Hawthorn Bank's financial position.

HB Realty, LLC. HB Realty, LLC, a Missouri limited liability company ("HB Realty"), was formed in February 2018 and commenced operations in April 2018. HB Realty is intended to qualify as a "real estate investment trust" under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "IRC"). HB Realty was formed in order to hold certain mortgage loans and participation interests contributed to it by Hawthorn Bank. HB Realty was initially capitalized with mortgage loans and participation interests having an approximate aggregate book value of $404,665,296. As of December 31, 2019, the approximate aggregate book value of the mortgage loans and participation interests held by HB Realty was $482,301,083.  

Initially, Hawthorn Bank was the sole common member and the sole preferred member of HB Realty, owning

all 1,000 common shares and all 1,000 preferred shares. On April 1, 2018, Hawthorn Bank contributed all 1,000 common shares and 850 preferred shares to Jefferson City IHC, LLC, a Missouri limited liability company that is wholly owned by Hawthorn Bank ("JCIHC"). Under the IRC, a real estate investment trust must have at least one hundred (100) owners. Pursuant to a newly established Hawthorn Bank Real Estate Investment Trust Ownership Plan, Hawthorn Bank made available to certain employees of Hawthorn Bank, as an employee benefit, up to a total of 150 preferred shares of HB Realty. Each selected employee was given the opportunity to own one preferred share of HB Realty. These preferred shares were transferred to employees beginning in January 2019. Each preferred share is generally entitled to an annual dividend of thirty dollars ($30) and a liquidation amount of $500. Although dividends are not guaranteed, it is expected that HB Realty will pay dividends in December of each year. By virtue of its ownership of JCIHC, Hawthorn Bank indirectly owns the remaining economic interest associated with membership interests in HB Realty.

Through its ownership of JCIHC, Hawthorn Bank is, indirectly, the controlling member of HB Realty and is entitled to control the appointment of managers of HB Realty. The Board of Managers of HB Realty, which is responsible for the management of the business and affairs of HB Realty, is currently comprised of David T. Turner, Kathleen L. Bruegenhemke, Gregg A. Bexten and W. Bruce Phelps.

Hawthorn Risk Management, Inc., a non-bank subsidiary of the Company, which was formed and began operations on December 28, 2017, is a Missouri-based captive insurance company which provides property and casualty insurance coverage to the Company and the Bank for which insurance may not be currently available or economically feasible in today's insurance marketplace. Hawthorn Risk Management, Inc. pools resources with several other similar insurance company subsidiaries of financial institutions to spread a limited amount of risk among themselves. Hawthorn Risk Management, Inc. is subject to the regulations of the State of Missouri and undergoes periodic examinations by the Missouri Division of Insurance.

Employees

As of December 31, 2019, Hawthorn and its subsidiaries had approximately 273 full-time and 21 part-time employees.  None of its employees is presently represented by any union or collective bargaining group, and the Company considers its employee relations to be satisfactory.

Competition

Bank holding companies and their subsidiaries and affiliates encounter intense competition from nonbanking as well as banking sources in all of their activities.  The Bank's competitors include other commercial banks, thrifts, savings banks, credit unions, and money market mutual funds.  Thrifts and credit unions now have the authority to offer checking accounts and to make corporate and agricultural loans and were granted expanded investment authority by recent federal regulations.  In addition, large national and multinational corporations have in recent years become increasingly visible in offering a broad range of financial services to all types of commercial and consumer customers.  In the Bank's service areas, new competitors, as well as the expanding operations of existing competitors, have had, and are expected to continue to have, an adverse impact on the Bank's market share of deposits and loans in such service areas.

The Bank experiences substantial competition for deposits and loans within both its primary service areas of Jefferson City, Columbia, Clinton, Lee's Summit, Warsaw, and Springfield, Missouri and its secondary service area of the nearby communities in Cole, Boone, Henry, Cass, Benton, and Greene counties of Missouri. Hawthorn Bank's principal competition for deposits and loans comes from other banks within its primary service areas and, to an increasing extent, other banks in nearby communities. Based on publicly available information, management believes that Hawthorn Bank is the third largest (in terms of deposits) of the twelve banks within Cole county, the ninth largest (in terms of deposits) of thirty-one banks within Boone county, the largest (in terms of deposits) of the eight banks within Henry county, the third largest (in terms of deposits) of the eighteen banks within Cass county, and the second largest (in terms of deposits) of the five banks within Benton county. The main competition for Hawthorn Bank's trust services is from other commercial banks, including those of the Kansas City metropolitan area.

Regulation Applicable to Bank Holding Companies

General.  As a registered bank holding company and a financial holding company under the Bank Holding Company Act (the "BHC Act") and the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (the "GLB Act"), Hawthorn is subject to supervision and examination by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the "FRB").  The FRB has authority to issue cease and desist orders against bank holding companies if it determines that their actions represent unsafe and unsound practices or violations of law.  In addition, the FRB is empowered to impose civil money penalties for violations of banking statutes and regulations.  Regulation by the FRB is intended to protect depositors of the Bank, not the shareholders of Hawthorn. Hawthorn also is subject to a number of restrictions and requirements imposed by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 relating to internal controls over financial reporting, disclosure controls and procedures, loans to directors or executive officers of the Hawthorn and its subsidiaries, the preparation and certification of Hawthorn's consolidated financial statements, the duties of Hawthorn's audit committee, relations with and functions performed by Hawthorn's independent registered public accounting firm, and various accounting and corporate governance matters.

Limitation on Activities.  The activities of bank holding companies are generally limited to the business of banking, managing or controlling banks, and other activities that the FRB has determined to be so closely related to banking or managing or controlling banks as to be a proper incident thereto.  In addition, under the GLB Act, a bank holding company, all of whose controlled depository institutions are "well capitalized" and "well managed" (as defined in federal

banking regulations) with "satisfactory" Community Reinvestment Act ratings, may declare itself to be a "financial holding company" and engage in a broader range of activities.  As noted above, Hawthorn is registered as a financial holding company.

A financial holding company may affiliate with securities firms and insurance companies and engage in other activities that are financial in nature or incidental or complementary to activities that are financial in nature.  "Financial in nature" activities include:

A financial holding company that desires to engage in activities that are financial in nature or incidental to a financial activity but not previously authorized by the FRB must obtain approval from the FRB before engaging in such activity.  Also, a financial holding company may seek FRB approval to engage in an activity that is complementary to a financial activity, if it shows, among other things, that the activity does not pose a substantial risk to the safety and soundness of its insured depository institutions or the financial system.

A financial holding company generally may acquire a company (other than a bank holding company, bank or savings association) engaged in activities that are financial in nature or incidental to activities that are financial in nature without prior approval from the FRB.  Prior FRB approval is required, however, before the financial holding company may acquire control of more than 5% of the voting shares or substantially all of the assets of a bank holding company, bank or savings association.  In addition, under the FRB's merchant banking regulations, a financial holding company is authorized to invest in companies that engage in activities that are not financial in nature, as long as the financial holding company makes its investment with the intention of limiting the duration of the investment, does not manage the company on a day-to-day basis, and the company does not cross-market its products or services with any of the financial holding company's controlled depository institutions.

If any subsidiary bank of a financial holding company ceases to be "well-capitalized" or "well-managed" and fails to correct its condition within the time period that the FRB specifies, the FRB has authority to order the financial holding company to divest its subsidiary banks.  Alternatively, the financial holding company may elect to limit its activities and the activities of its subsidiaries to those permissible for a bank holding company that is not a financial holding company.  If any subsidiary bank of a financial holding company receives a rating under the Community Reinvestment Act (the "CRA") of less than "satisfactory", then the financial holding company is prohibited from engaging in new activities or acquiring companies other than bank holding companies, banks or savings associations until the rating is raised to "satisfactory" or better.

Limitation on Acquisitions.  The BHC Act requires a bank holding company to obtain prior approval of the FRB before:

Regulatory Capital Requirements.  The FRB has issued risk-based and leverage capital guidelines applicable to United States banking organizations.  If a bank holding company's capital falls below minimum required levels, then the bank holding company must implement a plan to increase its capital, and its ability to pay dividends and make acquisitions of new bank subsidiaries may be restricted or prohibited.  The risk-based capital guidelines that applied to us and our subsidiary bank prior to January 1, 2015 were based on the 1988 capital accord, referred to as Basel I, of the International Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (which we refer to as the "Basel Committee"), a committee of central banks and bank supervisors, as implemented by federal bank regulators. In 2008, the bank regulatory agencies began to phase-in capital standards based on a second capital accord issued by the Basel Committee, referred to as Basel II, for large or "core" international banks (generally defined for U.S. purposes as having total assets of $250 billion or more or consolidated foreign exposures of $10 billion or more). Because we do not anticipate controlling any large or "core" international bank in the foreseeable future, Basel II presently does not apply to us.  On September 12, 2010, the Group of Governors and Heads of Supervision, the oversight body of the Basel Committee, announced agreement on the calibration and phase-in arrangements for a strengthened set of capital requirements, known as Basel III.  In July 2013, the federal banking agencies announced new risk-based capital and leverage ratios to conform to the Basel III framework and address provisions of the Dodd-Frank Act.  With respect to the Company and the Bank, these requirements become effective on January 1, 2015.

The Basel III Rules established three components of regulatory capital: (1) common equity tier 1 capital (“CET1”), (2) additional tier 1 capital, and (3) tier 2 capital. CET1 capital generally includes common stock instruments and related surplus (net of treasury stock), retained earnings, and, subject to certain adjustments, minority common equity interests in subsidiaries, less goodwill and certain other adjustments. Tier 1 Capital generally includes CET1 Capital plus Additional Tier 1 Capital elements, such as non-cumulative perpetual preferred stock and similar instruments meeting specified criteria and minority interests in subsidiaries that do not satisfy the requirements for Common Equity Tier 1 Capital treatment.  Cumulative preferred stock (other than cumulative preferred stock issued to the U.S. Treasury under the Capital Purchase Program or the Small Business Lending Fund) does not qualify as Additional Tier 1 Capital.  Trust preferred securities and other non-qualifying capital instruments issued prior to May 19, 2010 by bank and savings and loan holding companies with less than $15 billion in assets as of December 31, 2009 or by mutual holding companies may continue to be included in Tier 1 Capital but will be phased out over 10 years beginning in 2016 for all other banking organizations.  These non-qualifying capital instruments, however, may be included in Tier 2 Capital. Tier 2 Capital may also include certain qualifying debt and the allowance for credit losses up to 1.25% of risk-weighted assets and other adjustments.

The Basel III Capital Rules provide for a number of deductions from and adjustments to CET1. These include, for example, the requirement that mortgage servicing rights, deferred tax assets dependent upon future taxable income and investments in the capital of unconsolidated financial institutions be deducted from CET1 to the extent that any one such category exceeds 10% of CET1 or all such categories in the aggregate exceed 15% of CET1. Beginning April 1, 2020, this framework for regulatory capital deductions to CET1 will be simplified by increasing the deduction threshold to 25% at the individual level for each of the aforementioned categories.  Pursuant to the Basel III Rules, the effects of certain accumulated other comprehensive income or loss (“AOCI”) items are not excluded; however,  “non-advanced approaches banking organizations,” including the Company and the Bank, could make a one-time permanent election to continue to exclude these items. The Company made its one-time, permanent election to continue to exclude AOCI from capital in its filing with the Federal Reserve Board for the quarter ended March 31, 2015. If the Company would not have made this election, unrealized gains and losses would have been included in the calculation of its regulatory capital.

The sum of the three tiers of capital less investments in unconsolidated subsidiaries represents the total capital. The risk-based capital ratios are calculated by dividing Common Equity Tier 1, Tier 1 and total capital by risk-weighted assets (including certain off-balance sheet activities).  Under the Basel III Rules, the minimum capital ratios effective as of January 1, 2015 are:

In addition to the higher requirements, the Basel III Rules established bank holding companies are required to maintain a common equity Tier 1 capital conservation buffer of at least 2.5% of risk-weighted assets over and above the minimum risk-based capital requirements.  Institutions that do not maintain the required capital buffer will become subject to progressively more stringent limitations on the percentage of earnings that can be paid out in dividends or used for stock repurchases and on the payment of discretionary bonuses to senior executive management.  The capital conservation buffer requirement began being phased in over four years beginning in 2016. On January 1, 2016, the first phase of the requirement went into effect at 0.625% of risk-weighted assets, and increased each subsequent year by an additional 0.625 percentage points, to reach its final level of 2.5% of risk weighted assets on January 1, 2019.  At December 31, 2019, the capital conservation buffer requirement of 2.5%, effectively raised the minimum required risk-based capital ratios to 7% Common Equity Tier 1 Capital, 8.5% Tier 1 Capital and 10.5% Total Capital on a fully phased-in basis.

On December 31, 2019,  the Company was in compliance with the FRB's capital adequacy guidelines.  The Company's capital ratios calculated under the Basel III Rules (minimum plus a 2.5% capital conservation buffer) on December 31, 2019 are as follows:

The Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act (the "EGRRCPA") directs the federal

banking agencies to develop a specified Community Bank Leverage Ratio, or CBLR, (that is, the ratio of a bank's equity capital to its consolidated assets) of not less than 8% and not more than 10%. On November 4, 2019, federal regulators issued final rules that provide certain banks and their holding companies with the option to elect out of complying with the Basel III Capital Rules. Under this new rule, a qualifying community banking organization is eligible to elect the community bank leverage ratio framework if it has a community bank leverage ratio, or CBLR, greater than 9% at the time of election. The final rule is effective January 1, 2020, and banking organizations can use the CBLR for purposes of filing call reports commencing with the first quarter of 2020 (i.e., as of March 31, 2020).

A qualifying community banking organization, or QCBO, is defined as a bank, a savings association, a bank holding company or a savings and loan holding company with:

A QCBO may elect out of complying with the Basel III Capital Rules if, at the time of the election, the QCBO has a CBLR above 9%. The CBLR is generally calculated in accordance with the regulations for calculating the Tier 1 leverage ratio under the regulatory capital framework discussed above and below, with certain specified exceptions.  As of December 31, 2019, the Company and the Bank each qualified to elect the community bank leverage ratio framework because they had a CBLR of greater than 9% and satisfied the other requirements. The Company does not have immediate plans to elect to use the community bank leverage ratio framework but may make such an election in the future.

Interstate Banking and Branching.  Under the Riegle-Neal Interstate Banking and Branching Efficiency Act of 1994 (the "Riegle-Neal Act"), a bank holding company is permitted to acquire the stock or substantially all of the assets of banks located in any state regardless of whether such transaction is prohibited under the laws of any state.  The FRB

will not approve an interstate acquisition if, as a result of the acquisition, the bank holding company would control more than 10% of the total amount of insured deposits in the United States or would control more than 30% of the insured deposits in the home state of the acquired bank.  The 30% of insured deposits state limit does not apply if the acquisition is the initial entry into a state by a bank holding company or if the home state waives such limit.  The Riegle-Neal Act also authorizes banks to merge across state lines, thereby creating interstate branches.  The Bank and Savings Association Holding Company and Depository Institution Regulatory Improvements Act of 2010, a subset of the Dodd-Frank Act discussed below, permits banks to acquire and establish de novo branches in other states if a state bank in that other state would be permitted to establish the branch.

Under the Riegle-Neal Act, individual states may restrict interstate acquisitions in two ways.  A state may prohibit an out-of-state bank holding company from acquiring a bank located in the state unless the target bank has been in existence for a specified minimum period of time (not to exceed five years).  A state may also establish limits on the total amount of insured deposits within the state which are controlled by a single bank holding company, provided that such deposit limit does not discriminate against out-of-state bank holding companies.

Source of Strength.  Bank holding companies, such as the Company, are required by statute to serve as a source of financial strength for their subsidiary depository institutions, by providing financial assistance to their insured depository institution subsidiaries in the event of financial distress.  Under the source of strength requirement, the Company could be required to provide financial assistance to the Bank should it experience financial distress.  Furthermore, the FRB has the right to order a bank holding company to terminate any activity that the FRB believes is a serious risk to the financial safety, soundness or stability of any subsidiary bank.  The regulators may require these and other actions in support of controlled banks even if such action is not in the best interests of the bank holding company or its stockholders.

Liability of Commonly Controlled Institutions.  Under cross-guaranty provisions of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (the "FDIA"), bank subsidiaries of a bank holding company are liable for any loss incurred by the Deposit Insurance Fund (the "DIF"), the federal deposit insurance fund for banks, in connection with the failure of any other bank subsidiary of the bank holding company.

Bank Secrecy Act and USA PATRIOT Act.  The Company and the Bank must comply with the requirements of the Bank Secrecy Act (the "BSA").  The BSA was enacted to prevent banks and other financial service providers from being used as intermediaries for, or to hide the transfer or deposit of money derived from, drug trafficking, money laundering, and other crimes.  Since its passage, the BSA has been amended several times.  These amendments include the Money Laundering Control Act of 1986, which made money laundering a criminal act, as well as the Money Laundering Suppression Act of 1994, which required regulators to develop enhanced examination procedures and increased examiner training to improve the identification of money laundering schemes in financial institutions.  The USA PATRIOT Act, established in 2001, substantially broadened the scope of U.S. anti-money laundering laws and regulations by imposing significant new compliance and due diligence obligations, creating new crimes and penalties and expanding the extra-territorial jurisdiction of the United States.  The regulations impose obligations on financial institutions to maintain appropriate policies, procedures and controls to detect, prevent, and report money laundering and terrorist financing.  The regulations include significant penalties for non-compliance.

Missouri Bank Holding Company Regulation.  Missouri prohibits any bank holding company from acquiring ownership or control of any bank or Missouri depository trust company that has Missouri deposits if, after such acquisition, the bank holding company would hold or control more than 13% of total Missouri deposits.  Because of this restriction, among others, a bank holding company, prior to acquiring control of a bank or depository trust company that has deposits in Missouri, must receive the approval of the Missouri Division of Finance.

Regulation Applicable to the Bank

General.  Hawthorn Bank, a Missouri state non-member depository trust company, is subject to the regulation of the Missouri Division of Finance and the FDIC.  The FDIC is empowered to issue cease and desist orders against the Bank if it determines that any activities of the Bank represent unsafe and unsound banking practices or violations of law.  In addition, the FDIC has the power to impose civil money penalties for violations of banking statutes and regulations.  Regulation by these agencies is designed to protect the depositors of the Bank; not shareholders of Hawthorn.

Bank Regulatory Capital Requirements.  The FDIC has adopted minimum capital requirements applicable to state non-member banks, which are similar to the capital adequacy guidelines established by the FRB for bank holding companies.  Federal banking laws classified an insured financial institution in one of the following five categories, depending upon the amount of its regulatory capital:

Federal regulatory agencies are required to take prompt corrective action against undercapitalized financial institutions.  As of December 31, 2019, the Bank was classified as "well-capitalized," which is required for Hawthorn to remain a financial holding company.  

The capital ratios and classifications of the Bank as of December 31, 2019 and the minimum requirements to be considered well-capitalized are as follows:

Limitations on Interest Rates and Loans to One Borrower.  The rate of interest a bank may charge on certain classes of loans is limited by state and federal law.  At certain times in the past, these limitations have resulted in reductions of net interest margins on certain classes of loans.  Federal and state laws impose additional restrictions on the lending activities of banks. The maximum amount that a Missouri state-chartered bank may lend to any one person or entity is generally limited to 15% of the unimpaired capital of the bank located in a city having a population of 100,000 or more, 20% of the unimpaired capital of the bank located in a city having a population of less than 100,000 and over 7,000, and 25% of the unimpaired capital of the bank if located elsewhere in the state.  In the case of Missouri state-chartered banks with a composite rating of 1 or 2 under the Capital, Assets, Management, Earnings, Liquidity and Sensitivity (CAMELS) rating system, the maximum amount is the greater of (i) the limits listed in the foregoing sentence or (ii) 25% of the unimpaired capital of the bank.

Payment of Dividends.  The Company's primary source of funds is dividends from the Bank, and the Bank is subject to federal and state laws limiting the payment of dividends.  Under the FDIA, an FDIC-insured institution may not pay dividends while it is undercapitalized or if payment would cause it to become undercapitalized.  The National Bank Act and Missouri banking law also prohibit the declaration of a dividend out of the capital and surplus of the bank.

Community Reinvestment Act.  The Bank is subject to the CRA and implementing regulations. The CRA regulations establish the framework and criteria by which the bank regulatory agencies assess an institution's record of helping to meet the credit needs of its community, including low- and moderate-income neighborhoods.  CRA ratings are taken into account by regulators in reviewing certain applications made by Hawthorn and its banking subsidiary.

Limitations on Transactions with Affiliates.  Hawthorn and its non-bank subsidiaries are "affiliates" within the meaning of the Federal Reserve Act.  The amount of loans or extensions of credit which the Bank may make to non-bank affiliates, or to third parties secured by securities or obligations of the non-bank affiliates, are substantially limited by the Federal Reserve Act and the FDIA.  Such acts further restrict the range of permissible transactions between a bank and an affiliated company.  A bank and its subsidiaries may engage in certain transactions, including loans and purchases of assets, with an affiliated company only if the terms and conditions of the transaction, including credit standards, are substantially the same as, or at least as favorable to the bank as, those prevailing at the time for comparable transactions with non-affiliated companies or, in the absence of comparable transactions, on terms and conditions that would be offered to non-affiliated companies.

Other Banking Activities.  The investments and activities of the Bank are also subject to regulation by federal and state banking agencies regarding, among other things, investments in subsidiaries, investments for their own account (including limitations on investments in junk bonds and equity securities), loans to officers, directors and their affiliates, security requirements, anti-tying limitations, anti-money laundering, financial privacy and customer identity verification requirements, truth-in-lending, the types of interest bearing deposit accounts which it can offer, trust department operations, brokered deposits, audit requirements, issuance of securities, branching and mergers and acquisitions.

Changes in Laws and Monetary Policies

Recent Legislation.  Various pieces of legislation, including proposals to change substantially the financial institution regulatory system, are from time to time introduced and considered by the Missouri state legislature and the United States Congress.  In July 2010, President Barack Obama signed into law the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the "Dodd-Frank Act"), which enacted substantial changes to the legal framework of the entire financial services industry.  The Dodd-Frank Act mandates the passage of numerous rules and regulations by various regulatory agencies over the next few years. It also creates the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which will overtake supervision of most providers of consumer financial products and services, and will be empowered to declare acts or practices related to the delivery of a consumer financial product or service to be "unfair, deceptive or abusive."  This law will continue to change banking regulation and the operating environment of Hawthorn in substantial and unpredictable ways.  These changes could increase or decrease the cost of doing business, limit or expand permissible activities or affect the competitive balance among banks, savings associations, credit unions and other financial institutions.  Hawthorn cannot predict the impact that the Dodd-Frank Act, and the various regulations issued thereunder will have on its business.

Key provisions of the EGRRCPA as it relates to community banks and bank holding companies include, but are not limited to: (i) designating mortgages held in portfolio as "qualified mortgages" for banks with less than $10 billion in assets, subject to certain documentation and product limitations; (ii) exempting banks with less than $10 billion in assets (and total trading assets and trading liabilities of 5% or less of total assets) from Volcker Rule requirements relating to proprietary trading; (iii) simplifying capital calculations for banks with less than $10 billion in assets by requiring federal banking agencies to establish a community bank leverage ratio of tangible equity to average consolidated assets of not less than 8% or more than 10%, and provide that banks that maintain tangible equity in excess of such ratio will be deemed to be in compliance with risk-based capital and leverage requirements; (iv) assisting smaller banks with obtaining stable funding by providing an exception for reciprocal deposits from FDIC restrictions on acceptance of brokered deposits; (v) raising the eligibility for use of short-form Call Reports from $1 billion to $5 billion in assets; (vi) clarifying definitions pertaining to high-volatility commercial real estate, which require higher capital allocations, so that only loans with increased risk are subject to higher risk weightings; and (vii) changing the eligibility for use of the small bank holding company policy statement from institutions with under $1 billion in assets to institutions with under $3 billion in assets.

Fiscal Monetary Policies.  Hawthorn's business and earnings are affected significantly by the fiscal and monetary policies of the federal government and its agencies.  Hawthorn is particularly affected by the policies of the FRB, which

regulates the supply of money and credit in the United States.  Among the instruments of monetary policy available to the FRB are:

These methods are used in varying degrees and combinations to directly affect the availability of bank loans and deposits, as well as the interest rates charged on loans and paid on deposits.  The policies of the FRB have a material effect on Hawthorn's business, results of operations and financial condition.

The references in the foregoing discussion to various aspects of statutes and regulation are merely summaries, which do not purport to be complete and which are qualified in their entirety by reference to the actual statutes and regulations.

Available Information

The address of the Company's principal executive offices is 132 East High Street, Jefferson City, Missouri 65101 and the telephone number at this location is (573)761‑6100.  The Company's common stock trades on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol "HWBK".

We electronically file certain documents with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).  We file annual reports on Form 10‑K, quarterly reports on Form 10‑Q, current reports on Form 8‑K (as appropriate), along with any related amendments and supplements.  From time-to-time, we also may file registration and related statements pertaining to equity or debt offerings.  You may read and download the Company's SEC filings over the internet from several commercial document retrieval services as well as at the SEC's internet website (www.sec.gov).  You may also read and copy the Company's SEC filings at the SEC's public reference room located at 100 F Street, NE., Washington, DC 20549.  Please call the SEC 1‑800‑SEC‑0330 for further information concerning the public reference room and any applicable copy charges.

The Company's internet website address is www.hawthornbancshares.com.  Under the "Documents" menu tab of the Company's website (www.hawthornbancshares.com), we make available, without charge, the Company's public filings with the SEC, including the Annual Report on Form 10‑K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10‑Q, Current Reports on Form 8‑K, or any amendments to those reports filed or furnished to the SEC pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.  Please note that any internet addresses provided in this report are for information purposes only and are not intended to be hyperlinks.  Accordingly, no information found and/or provided at such internet addresses is intended or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein.

Because We Primarily Serve Central And West Central Missouri, A Decline In The Local Economic Conditions Could Lower The Company's Profitability.  The profitability of Hawthorn is dependent on the profitability of its banking subsidiary, which operates out of central and west central Missouri.  The financial condition of this bank is affected by fluctuations in the economic conditions and business activity prevailing in the portion of Missouri in which its operations are located.  Although our customers' business and financial interests may extend well beyond our market areas, the financial conditions of both Hawthorn and its banking subsidiary would be adversely affected by deterioration in the general economic and real estate climate in Missouri.

An increase in unemployment, a decrease in profitability of regional businesses or real estate values or an increase in interest rates are among the factors that could weaken the local economy.  With a weaker local economy:

Originating mortgage loans and consumer loans is a significant source of profits for Hawthorn's banking subsidiary.  If individual customers in the local area do not want or need these loans, profits may decrease.  Although the Bank could make other investments, the Bank may earn less revenue on these investments than on loans.  Also, the Bank's losses on loans may increase if borrowers are unable to make payments on their loans.

Interest Rate Changes May Reduce The Profitability Of The Company And Of The Bank.  The primary source of earnings for Hawthorn's banking subsidiary is net interest income.  To be profitable, the Bank has to earn more money in interest and fees on loans and other interest-earning assets than it pays as interest on deposits and other interest-bearing liabilities and as other expenses.  If prevailing interest rates decrease, the amount of interest the Bank earn on loans and investment securities may decrease more rapidly than the amount of interest the Bank has to pay on deposits and other interest-bearing liabilities.  This would result in a decrease in the profitability of Hawthorn and its banking subsidiary.

Changes in the level or structure of interest rates also affect:

Fluctuations in interest rates will ultimately affect both the level of income and expense recorded on a large portion of the Bank's assets and liabilities, and the fair value of all interest-earning assets, other than interest-earning assets that mature in the short term.  The Bank's interest rate management strategy is designed to stabilize net interest income and preserve capital over a broad range of interest rate movements by matching the interest rate sensitivity of assets and liabilities.  Although Hawthorn believes that its Bank's current mix of loans, mortgage-backed securities, investment securities and deposits is reasonable, significant fluctuations in interest rates may have a negative effect on the profitability of the Bank.

Our Business Depends On Our Ability To Successfully Manage Credit Risk.  The operation of our business requires us to manage credit risk.  As a lender, our banking subsidiary is exposed to the risk that borrowers will be unable to repay their loans according to their terms, and that the collateral securing repayment of their loans, if any, may not be sufficient to ensure repayment.  In addition, there are risks inherent in making any loan, including risks with respect to the period of time over which the loan may be repaid, risks relating to proper loan underwriting, risks resulting from changes in economic and industry conditions and risks inherent in dealing with individual borrowers.  In order to successfully manage credit risk, we must, among other things, maintain disciplined and prudent underwriting standards and ensure that our loan officers follow those standards.  The weakening of these standards for any reason, such as an attempt to attract higher yielding loans, a lack of discipline or diligence by our employees in underwriting and monitoring loans, the inability of our employees to adequately adapt policies and procedures to changes in economic or any other conditions affecting borrowers and the quality of our loan portfolio, may result in loan defaults, foreclosures and additional charge-offs and may necessitate that we significantly increase our allowance for loan losses, each of which could adversely affect our net income.  As a result, our inability to successfully manage credit risk could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.

The Company's Profitability Depends On The Bank's Asset Quality And Lending Risks.  Success in the banking industry largely depends on the quality of loans and other assets. A significant source of risk for us arises from the possibility that losses will be sustained because borrowers, guarantors and related parties may fail to perform in accordance with the terms of their loans. The loan officers of Hawthorn's banking subsidiary are actively encouraged to identify deteriorating loans.  Loans are also monitored and categorized through an analysis of their payment status. The Bank's failure to timely and accurately monitor the quality of its loans and other assets could have a materially adverse effect on the operations and financial condition of Hawthorn and its banking subsidiary.  There is a degree of credit risk associated with any lending activity.  The Bank attempts to minimize its credit risk through loan diversification.  Although the Bank's loan portfolio is varied, with no undue concentration in any one industry, substantially all of the loans in the portfolio have been made to borrowers in central, west central, and southwest Missouri.  Therefore, the loan portfolio is susceptible to factors affecting the central, west central, and southwest Missouri area and the level of non-performing assets is heavily dependent upon local conditions.  There can be no assurance that the level of the Bank's non-performing assets will not increase above current levels.  High levels of non-performing assets could have a materially adverse effect on the operations and financial condition of Hawthorn and its banking subsidiary.

The Provision For Probable Loan Losses May Need To Be Increased.  Hawthorn's banking subsidiary makes a provision for loan losses based upon management's estimate of probable losses in the loan portfolio and its consideration of prevailing economic and environmental conditions.  The amount of future loan losses is susceptible to changes in economic, operating and other conditions, including changes in interest rates, which may be beyond the Company's control, and these losses may exceed current estimates.  We cannot fully predict the amount or timing of losses or whether the loss allowance will be adequate in the future.  The Bank may need to increase the provision for loan losses through additional provisions in the future if, among other things, the financial condition of any of its borrowers deteriorates, if its borrower fails to perform its obligations to it, or if real estate values decline.  Furthermore, various regulatory agencies, as an integral part of their examination process, periodically review the Bank's loan portfolio, provision for loan losses, and real estate acquired by foreclosure.  Such agencies may require the Bank to recognize additions to the provision for loan losses based on their judgments of information available to them at the time of the examination.  Any additional provision for probable loan losses, whether required as a result of regulatory review or initiated by Hawthorn itself, may materially alter the financial outlook of Hawthorn and its banking subsidiary and may have a material adverse effect on the Company's financial condition and results of operations.

In June of 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board, or FASB, decided to review how banks estimate losses in the allowance calculation, and it issued the final current expected credit loss standard, or CECL.  Currently, the impairment model is based on incurred losses, and investments are recognized as impaired when there is no longer an assumption that future cash flows will be collected in full under the originally contracted terms.  This model will be replaced by the new CECL model that will become effective for us for the first interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2019 (which, as a result of a FASB action, will become effective for the Company in January 2023). Under the new CECL model promulgated under ASU 2016-13 "Financial Instruments-Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments", we will be required to use historical information, current conditions and reasonable forecasts to estimate the expected loss over the life of the loan and record an allowance that,

when deducted from the amortized cost basis of the financial asset, presents the net amount expected to be collected on the financial asset. The CECL model is expected to result in more timely recognition of credit losses. The ASU will require new disclosures for financial assets measured at amortized cost, loans and available-for-sale debt securities. Entities will apply the standard's provisions as a cumulative-effect adjustment to retained earnings as of the beginning of the first reporting period in which the guidance is adopted. The transition to the CECL model will bring with it significantly greater data requirements and changes to methodologies to accurately account for expected losses under the new parameters.

Management is currently evaluating the impact of these changes to our financial position and results of operations. We anticipate a significant change in the processes and procedures to calculate the allowance, including changes in assumptions and estimates to consider expected credit losses over the life of the loan versus the current accounting practice that utilizes the incurred loss model. We expect to continue developing and implementing processes and procedures to ensure we are fully compliant with the CECL requirements at its adoption date. The allowance is a material estimate of ours, and given the change from an incurred loss model to a methodology that considers the credit loss over the life of the loan, there is the potential for an increase in the allowance at adoption date. At this time, an estimate of the impact to the Company's financial statements is not known, but the impact could be significantly impacted by the composition, characteristics and quality of the underlying loan portfolio at the time of adoption. The Company has formed a committee and is continuing to evaluate the impact of the ASU's adoption on the Company's consolidated financial statements by assessing different credit risk models. As a result of the FASB issuing a delay in the implementation of this ASU, the Company will extend its evaluation process over the new implementation deadline of January 2023.

Adverse Market Conditions In The U.S. Economy And The Markets In Which We Operate Could Adversely Impact The Company's Business.  General downward economic trends, reduced availability of commercial credit, and increasing unemployment have negatively impacted the credit performance of commercial and consumer credit, resulting in additional write-downs.  Concerns over the stability of the financial markets and the economy have resulted in decreased lending by financial institutions to their customers and to each other.  This market turmoil and tightening of credit has led to increased commercial and consumer deficiencies, lack of customer confidence, increased market volatility and widespread reduction in general business activity.  Competition among depository institutions for deposits has increased significantly.  Financial institutions have experienced decreased access to deposits or borrowings.

Although there has been a modest recovery in the domestic economy, there can be no assurance that the economy will not enter into another recession, whether in the near or long term future.  Furthermore, real estate values and the demand for commercial real estate loans have not fully recovered, and reduced availability of commercial credit and continuing unemployment have negatively impacted the credit performance of commercial and consumer credit.  Additional market developments such as a relapse or worsening of economic conditions in other parts of the world would likely exacerbate the lingering effects of the difficult market conditions experienced by us and others in the financial services industry and could further slow, stall or reverse the slow recovery in the U.S.  A further deterioration of overall market conditions, a continuation of the economic downturn or prolonged economic stagnation in the Company's markets may have a negative impact on its business, financial condition, results of operations and the trading price of its common stock.  If the strength of the U.S. economy in general and the strength of the economy in areas where we lend were to stagnate or decline, this could result in, among other things, a deterioration in credit quality or a reduced demand for credit, including a resultant adverse effect on the Company's loan portfolio and provision for losses on loans.  This may exacerbate the Company's exposure to credit risk, impair the Company's ability to assess the creditworthiness of its customers or to estimate the values of its assets and adversely affect the ability of borrowers to perform under the terms of their lending arrangements with us.  Negative conditions in the real estate markets where we operate could adversely affect borrowers' ability to repay their loans and the value of the underlying collateral.  Real estate values are affected by various factors, including general economic conditions, governmental rules or policies and natural disasters.  These factors may adversely impact borrowers' ability to make required payments, which in turn, may negatively impact the Company's financial results.  As a result of the difficult market and economic conditions referred to above, there is a potential for new federal or state laws and regulations regarding lending and funding practices and liquidity standards, and for bank regulatory agencies to be very aggressive in responding to concerns and trends identified in examinations.  This increased government action may increase costs and limit the Company's ability to pursue certain business opportunities.

We cannot predict whether the difficult market and economic conditions will improve in the near future.  A worsening of these conditions would likely exacerbate the adverse effects of these difficult conditions on the Company,

its customers and the other financial institutions in its market.  As a result, we may experience increases in foreclosures, delinquencies and customer bankruptcies, as well as more restricted access to funds, and the Company's business, financial condition, results of operations and stock price may be adversely affected.

The Soundness Of Other Financial Institutions Could Adversely Affect Us.  The Company's ability to engage in routine funding transactions could be adversely affected by the actions and commercial soundness of other financial institutions.  Financial services institutions are interrelated as a result of trading, clearing, counterparty or other relationships.  We have exposure to many different industries and counterparties, and we routinely execute transactions with counterparties in the financial industry, including brokers and dealers, commercial banks, investment banks, mutual and hedge funds, and other institutional clients.  As a result, defaults by, or even rumors or questions about, one or more financial services institutions, or the financial services industry generally, have led to market-wide liquidity problems and could lead to losses or defaults by us or by other institutions.  Many of these transactions expose us to credit risk in the event of default of a counterparty or client.  In addition, the Company's credit risk may be exacerbated when the collateral held by us cannot be realized upon or is liquidated at prices not sufficient to recover the full amount of the loan or derivative exposure due us.  There is no assurance that any such losses would not materially and adversely affect the Company's results of operations.

Deterioration In The Housing Market Could Cause Further Increases In Delinquencies And Non-Performing Assets, Including Loan Charge-Offs, And Depress The Company's Income And Growth.  The volume of one-to-four family residential mortgages and home equity lines of credit may decrease during economic downturns as a result of, among other things, a decrease in real estate values, an increase in unemployment, a slowdown in housing price appreciation or increases in interest rates.  These factors could reduce earnings and consequently the Company's financial condition because:

Any of these scenarios could cause an increase in delinquencies and non-performing assets, require us to charge-off a higher percentage of loans, increase substantially the provision for losses on loans, or make fewer loans, which would reduce income.

The FDIC's Changes in the Calculation of Deposit Insurance Premiums and Ability to Levy Special Assessments Could Increase The Company's Non-Interest Expense And May Reduce Its Profitability.  The range of base assessment rates historically varies from 12 to 45 basis points depending on an institution's risk category, with newly added financial measures resulting in increased assessment rates for institutions heavily relying on brokered deposits to support rapid asset growth.  However, the Dodd-Frank Act requires the FDIC to amend its regulations to redefine the assessment base used for calculating deposit insurance assessments.  On February 9, 2011, the FDIC adopted a final rule that defines the assessment base as the average consolidated total assets during the assessment period minus the average tangible equity of the insured depository institution during the assessment period. The FDIC also imposed a new assessment rate scale (which was revised further in 2016). Under the new system, banks will pay assessments at a rate between 3 and 30 basis points per assets minus tangible equity, depending upon an institution's risk category (the final rule also includes progressively lower assessment rate schedules when the FDIC's reserve ratio reaches certain levels).  The rulemaking changes the current assessment rate schedule so the schedule will result in the collection of assessment revenue that is approximately the same as generated under the current rate schedule and current assessment base.  Nearly all banks with assets less than $10 billion will pay smaller deposit insurance assessments as a result of the new rule.  The majority of the changes in the FDIC's final rule became effective on April 1, 2011.  The FDIC has the statutory authority to impose special assessments on insured depository institutions in an amount, and for such purposes, as the FDIC may deem necessary.  The change in the calculation methodology for deposit insurance premiums and the possible emergency special assessments could increase non-interest expense and may adversely affect the Company's profitability.

We May Elect Or Be Compelled To Seek Additional Capital In The Future, But That Capital May Not Be Available When It Is Needed.  We are required by regulatory authorities to maintain adequate levels of capital to support operations.  In addition, we may elect to raise additional capital to support the growth of the Company's business or to finance acquisitions, if any, or we may elect to raise additional capital for other reasons.  In that regard, a number of financial institutions have recently raised considerable amounts of capital as a result of a deterioration in their results of operations and financial condition arising from the turmoil in the mortgage loan market, deteriorating economic conditions, declines in real estate values and other factors.  Should we elect or be required by regulatory authorities to raise additional capital, we may seek to do so through the issuance of, among other things, common stock or securities convertible into common stock, which could dilute your ownership interest in the Company.  Although we remain "well-capitalized" and have not had a deterioration in liquidity, the future cost and availability of capital may be adversely affected by illiquid credit markets, economic conditions and a number of other factors, many of which are outside of the Company's control.  Accordingly, we cannot assure you of the ability to raise additional capital if needed or on terms acceptable to us.  If we cannot raise additional capital when needed or on terms acceptable to us, it may have a material adverse effect on the Company's financial condition and results of operations.

If We Are Unable To Successfully Compete For Customers In The Company's Market Area, The Company's Financial Condition And Results Of Operations Could Be Adversely Affected.  Hawthorn's banking subsidiary faces substantial competition in making loans, attracting deposits and providing other financial products and services.  The Bank has numerous competitors for customers in its market area. 

Such competition for loans comes principally from:

Competition for deposits comes principally from:

Many of these competitors have greater financial resources and name recognition, more locations, more advanced technology and more financial products to offer than the Bank. Competition from larger institutions may increase due to an acceleration of bank mergers and consolidations in Missouri and the rest of the nation. In addition, the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act removes many of the remaining restrictions in federal banking law against cross-ownership between banks and other financial institutions, such as insurance companies and securities firms. The law will likely increase the number and financial strength of companies that compete directly with the Bank.

The profitability of the Bank depends of its continued ability to attract new customers and compete in it service areas. Increased competition in our markets from new competitors, as well as the expanding operations of existing competitors, may result in:

Any of these results could have a material adverse impact on the Bank's market share of deposits and loans in the Bank's service areas. If the Bank is unable to successfully compete, its financial condition and results of operations will be adversely affected.

We May Experience Difficulties In Managing Growth And In Effectively Integrating Newly Acquired Companies.  As part of the Company's general strategy, it may continue to acquire banks and businesses that it believes provide a strategic fit with its business.  To the extent that the Company does grow, there can be no assurances that we will be able to adequately and profitably manage such growth.  Acquiring other banks and businesses will involve risks commonly associated with acquisitions, including:

The success of the Company's internal growth strategy will depend primarily on the ability of the Bank to generate an increasing level of loans and deposits at acceptable risk levels and on acceptable terms without significant increases in non-interest expenses relative to revenues generated.  There is no assurance that we will be successful in implementing the Company's internal growth strategy.

We May Be Adversely Affected By Changes In Laws And Regulations Affecting The Financial Services Industry.  Banks and bank holding companies such as Hawthorn are subject to regulation by both federal and state bank regulatory agencies.  The regulations, which are designed to protect borrowers and promote certain social policies, include limitations on the operations of banks and bank holding companies, such as minimum capital requirements and restrictions on dividend payments.  The regulatory authorities have extensive discretion in connection with their supervision and enforcement activities and their examination policies, including the imposition of restrictions on the operation of a bank, the classification of assets by an institution and requiring an increase in a bank's allowance for loan losses. These regulations are not necessarily designed to maximize the profitability of banking institutions.

In July 2010, President Barack Obama signed into law the Dodd-Frank Act, which enacted substantial changes to the legal framework of the entire financial services industry.  The Dodd-Frank Act mandates the passage of numerous rules and regulations by various regulatory agencies over the next few years. This legislation will change banking regulation and the operating environment of Hawthorn in substantial and unpredictable ways.  It could increase or decrease the cost of doing business, limit or expand permissible activities or affect the competitive balance among banks, savings associations, credit unions and other financial institutions.  Hawthorn cannot predict the impact that the Dodd-Frank Act, and the various regulations issued thereunder will have on its business.

These, and other future changes in the banking laws and regulations and tax and accounting rules applicable to financial institutions, could have a material adverse effect on the operations and financial condition of Hawthorn and its banking subsidiary.

The Short-Term And Long-Term Impact Of The Changing Regulatory Capital Requirements And New Capital Rules Is Uncertain.  The federal banking agencies have substantially amended the regulatory capital rules applicable to us and the Bank. The amendments implement the "Basel III" regulatory capital reforms and changes required by the Dodd-Frank Act.  The amended rules include new minimum risk-based capital and leverage ratios, which became effective in January 2015, with certain requirements to be phased in beginning in 2016, and refined the definition of what constitutes "capital" for purposes of calculating those ratios.

The application of more stringent capital requirements to us and the Bank could, among other things, result in lower returns on invested capital, require the raising of additional capital, and result in regulatory actions if we were to be unable to comply with such requirements.  Implementation of changes to asset risk weightings for risk based capital calculations, items included or deducted in calculating regulatory capital and/or additional capital conservation buffers could result in management modifying its business strategy and could further limit the Company's ability to make distributions, including paying out dividends or buying back shares.

The EGRRCPA directs the federal banking agencies to develop a specified Community Bank Leverage Ratio (that is, the ratio of a bank's equity capital to its consolidated assets) of not less than 8% and not more than 10%. On November 4, 2019, federal regulators issued final rules effective January 1, 2020 that provide certain banks and their holding companies with the option to elect out of complying with the Basel III Capital Rules. Under this new rule, a qualifying community banking organization is eligible to elect the community bank leverage ratio framework if it has a community bank leverage ratio, or CBLR, greater than 9% at the time of election. The final rule is described in more detail above under the section entitled "Regulatory Capital Requirements." As of December 31, 2019, the Company and the Bank each qualified to elect the community bank leverage ratio framework because they had a CBLR of greater than 9% and satisfied the other requirements. Hawthorn has not opted in to CBLO. The Company does not have immediate plans to elect to use the community bank leverage ratio framework but may make such an election in the future.

Non-Compliance with the USA PATRIOT Act, Bank Secrecy Act, Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act, Truth-in-Lending Act, Community Reinvestment Act, Fair Lending Laws Or Other Laws And Regulations Could Result In Fines Or Sanctions, And Curtail Expansion Opportunities.  Financial institutions are required under the USA PATRIOT and Bank Secrecy Acts to develop programs to prevent financial institutions from being used for money-laundering and terrorist activities.  Financial institutions are also obligated to file suspicious activity reports with the U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Financial Crimes Enforcement Network if such activities are detected.  These rules also require financial institutions to establish procedures for identifying and verifying the identity of customers seeking to open new financial accounts.  Failure or the inability to comply with the USA PATRIOT Act and Bank Secrecy Act statutes and regulations could result in fines or penalties, curtailment of expansion opportunities, enforcement actions, intervention or sanctions by regulators and costly litigation or expensive additional controls and systems.  During the last few years, several banking institutions have received large fines for non-compliance with these laws and regulations.  In addition, the U.S. Government imposed and will continue to expand laws and regulations relating to residential and consumer lending activities that create significant new compliance burdens and financial risks.

The Bank Is A Community Bank And Our Ability To Maintain The Bank's Reputation Is Critical To The Success Of Our Business And The Failure To Do So Could Materially Adversely Affect Our Performance.  The Bank is a community bank, and its reputation is one of the most valuable components of our business.  As such, we strive to conduct our business in a manner that enhances our reputation.  This is done, in part, by recruiting, hiring and retaining employees who share our core values of being an integral part of the communities we serve, delivering superior service to our customers and caring about our customers and associates.  If our reputation is negatively affected, by the actions of our employees or otherwise, our business and, therefore, our operating results could be materially adversely affected.

The Company's Success Largely Depends On The Efforts Of Its Executive Officers.  The success of Hawthorn and its banking subsidiary has been largely dependent on the efforts of David Turner, Chairman, CEO, and President and the other executive officers.  These individuals are expected to continue to perform their services.  However, the loss of the services of Mr. Turner, or any of the other key executive officers could have a materially adverse effect on Hawthorn and its subsidiary bank.

If We Fail To Maintain An Effective System Of Internal Control Over Financial Reporting, We May Not Be Able To Accurately Report Our Financial Results Or Prevent Fraud, And, As A Result, Investors And Depositors Could Lose Confidence In Our Financial Reporting, Which Could Adversely Affect Our Business, The Trading Price Of Our Stock, And Our Ability To Attract Additional Deposits.  We are required to include in our annual reports filed with the SEC a report from our management regarding internal control over financial reporting.  As a result, we documented and evaluated our internal control over financial reporting in order to satisfy the requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and SEC rules and regulations, which require an annual management report on our internal control over financial reporting, including, among other matters, management's assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting.  Failure or circumvention of our system of internal control could have an adverse effect on our business, profitability, and financial condition, and could result in regulatory actions and loss of investor confidence.  Additionally, if we fail to identify and correct any significant deficiencies or material weaknesses in the design or operating effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting or fail to prevent fraud, current and potential stockholders and depositors could lose confidence in our financial reporting, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations, the trading price of our stock and our ability to attract additional deposits.

We recently identified a material weakness in our internal controls over financial reporting and determined that our disclosure controls and procedures were not effective. Based on management’s assessment, we concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were not effective as of December 31, 2019 and that we had as of such date a material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting. The specific factors leading to this conclusion are described in Part II - Item 9A. “Controls and Procedures” of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.  A material weakness is a deficiency, or a combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of our annual or interim consolidated financial statements would not be prevented or detected on a timely basis.

The material weakness identified by management relates to the design of internal controls over the completeness and accuracy of the information used to determine the qualitative component of the allowance for loan losses estimate.  The material weakness led to the overstatement of the allowance for loan losses estimate by an amount that was immaterial, but could have allowed larger, material misstatements of the allowance for loan losses estimate to occur.  As of December 31, 2019, this material weakness had not been remediated. During the first quarter of 2020, we implemented a remediation plan to update the design and implementation of controls to remediate the above mentioned deficiency and enhance the Company's internal control environment. If our remedial measures are insufficient, or if additional material weakness or significant deficiencies in our internal control over financial reporting or in our disclosure controls occur in the future, our future consolidated financial statements or other information filed with the SEC may contain material misstatements and could require a restatement of our consolidated financial statements, cause us to fail to meet our reporting obligations or cause investors to lose confidence in our reported financial information, leading to a decline in the market value of our securities.

We Are Subject To Security And Operational Risks Relating To Our Use Of Technology That Could Damage Our Reputation And Our Business.  We rely heavily on communications and information systems to conduct our business.  Furthermore, we have access to large amounts of confidential financial information and control substantial financial assets, including those belonging to our customers, to whom we offer remote access, and we regularly transfer substantial financial assets by electronic means.  Our operations are dependent upon our ability to protect our computer equipment against damage from physical theft, fire, power loss, telecommunications failure or a similar catastrophic event, as well as from security breaches, denial of service attacks, viruses, worms and other disruptive problems caused by hackers.  Any failure, interruption or breach in security of our systems could damage our reputation, result in a loss of customer business, subject us to additional regulatory scrutiny, or expose us to civil litigation and possible financial liability, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.  Although we intend to continue to implement security technology and establish operational procedures to prevent such damage, our security measures may not be successful.

In addition, advances in computer capabilities, new discoveries in the field of cryptography or other developments could result in a compromise or breach of the algorithms we and our third-party service providers use to encrypt and protect customer transaction data.  A failure of such security measures could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.  We also face the risk of operational disruption, failure, termination or capacity constraints caused by third parties that facilitate our business activities by providing technology such as software applications, as well as financial intermediaries.  Such parties could also be the source of an attack on, or breach of, our operational systems, data or infrastructure.

We also face the potential risk of loss due to fraud, including commercial checking account fraud, automated teller machine ("ATM") skimming and trapping, write-offs necessitated by debit card fraud, and other forms of online banking fraud, which are becoming more sophisticated and present new challenges as mobile banking increases, as well as employee fraud.  Employee errors could also subject us to financial claims for negligence.  We maintain a system of internal controls and insurance coverage to mitigate against operational risks, including data processing system failures and errors and customer or employee fraud.  Should our internal controls fail to prevent or detect an occurrence, and if any resulting loss is not insured or exceeds applicable insurance limits, such failure could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

The Operation Of Our Business, Including Our Interaction With Customers, Are Increasingly Done Via Electronic Means, And This Has Increased Our Risks Related To Cybersecurity.  We rely on the successful and uninterrupted functioning of our information technology and telecommunications systems to conduct our business. This includes internally developed systems, the systems of third-party service providers, and digital and mobile technologies.  Any failure, interruption or breach in security of these systems could result in failures or disruptions in our customer relationship management, general ledger, deposit, loan and other systems, and could damage our reputation, result in loss of customer business, subject us to regulatory scrutiny, or expose us to civil litigation and possible financial liability.  We are exposed to the risk of cyber-attacks in the normal course of business, which can result from deliberate attacks or unintentional events.  We have observed an increased level of attention in the industry focused on cyber-attacks that include, but are not limited to, gaining unauthorized access to digital systems for purposes of misappropriating assets or sensitive information, corrupting data, or causing operational disruption.  Cyber-attacks may also be carried out in a manner that does not require gaining unauthorized access, such as by causing denial-of-service attacks on websites.  Cyber-attacks may be carried out by third parties or insiders using techniques that range from highly sophisticated efforts to electronically circumvent network security or overwhelm websites to more traditional intelligence gathering and social engineering aimed at obtaining information necessary to gain access.  The objectives of cyber-attacks vary widely and can include theft of financial assets, intellectual property, or other sensitive information, including the information belonging to our banking customers.  Cyber-attacks may also be directed at disrupting our operations.

We may incur substantial costs and suffer other negative consequences if we fall victim to successful cyber-attacks.  Such negative consequences could include remediation costs that may include liability for stolen assets or information and repairing system damage that may have been caused; increased cybersecurity protection costs that may include organizational changes, deploying additional personnel and protection technologies, training employees, and engaging third party experts and consultants; lost revenues resulting from unauthorized use of proprietary information or the failure to retain or attract customers following an attack; litigation; and reputational damage adversely affecting customer or investor confidence.

We Continually Encounter Technological Change, And We Cannot Predict How Changes In Technology Will Affect Our Business.  The financial services industry is continually undergoing rapid technological change with frequent introductions of new technology driven by products and services, which include developments in:

The effective use of technology increases efficiency and enables financial institutions to better serve customers and to reduce costs.  Our future success depends, in part, upon our ability to address the needs of our customers by using technology to provide products and services that will satisfy customer demands, as well as to create additional efficiencies in our operations.  Many of our competitors have substantially greater resources to invest in technological improvements.  We may not be able to effectively implement new technology driven products and services or be successful in marketing these products and services to our customers.  Failure to successfully keep pace with technological change affecting the financial services industry could have a material adverse impact on our business and, in turn, our financial condition and results of operations.

We Rely On Others To Provide Key Components Of Our Business Infrastructure.  Third party vendors provide key components of our business infrastructure such as internet connections, network access and core application processing.  While we have selected these third party vendors carefully, we do not control their actions.  Any problems caused by these third parties, including as a result of their not providing us their services for any reason or their performing their services poorly, could adversely affect our ability to deliver products and services to our customers or otherwise conduct our business efficiently and effectively.  Replacing these third party vendors could also entail significant delay and expense.

The Price Of Our Common Stock Could Fluctuate Significantly, And This Could Make It Difficult For You To Resell Shares Of Our Common Stock At Times Or At Prices You Find Attractive. The stock market and, in particular, the market for financial institution stocks, has experienced significant volatility during the recent economic downturn.  In some cases, the markets have produced downward pressure on stock prices for certain issuers without regard to those issuers' underlying financial strength.  As a result, the trading volume in our common stock could fluctuate more than usual and cause significant price variations to occur.  This could make it difficult for you to resell shares of our common stock at times or at prices you find attractive.

The trading price of the shares of our common stock will depend on many factors that could change from time to time and could be beyond our control.  Among the factors that could affect our stock price are those identified under the heading "Forward-Looking Statements" in Item 7 of this report and as follows:

A significant decline in our stock price could result in substantial losses for individual stockholders and could lead to costly and disruptive securities litigation.

The Trading Volume In Our Common Stock Has Been Low, And The Sale Of A Substantial Number Of Shares Of Our Common Stock In The Public Market Could Depress The Price Of Our Common Stock And Make It Difficult For You To Sell Your Shares.  Our common stock is listed to trade on the NASDAQ Global Select Market, but is thinly traded.  As a result, you may not be able to sell your shares of common stock on short notice.  Additionally, thinly traded stock can be more volatile than stock trading in an active public market.  The sale of a substantial number of

shares of our common stock at one time could temporarily depress the market price of our common stock, making it difficult for you to sell your shares and impairing our ability to raise capital.

Our Common Stock Is Not Insured By Any Governmental Entity.  Our common stock is not a deposit account or other obligation of any bank and is not insured by the FDIC or any other governmental entity.

Additional Factors.  Additional risks and uncertainties that may affect the future results of operations, financial condition or business of the Company and its banking subsidiary include, but are not limited to: (i) adverse publicity, news coverage by the media, or negative reports by brokerage firms, industry and financial analysts regarding the Bank or the Company; and (ii) changes in accounting policies and practices.