Edgar Filing: Gruseke Christopher R

Ownership Submission

FORM 4

Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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(Print or Type Responses)

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person ^*

Gruseke Christopher R

2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. [BWFG]

5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)

_____ Director	_____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below)	_____ Other (specify below)
President & CEO

(Last)

(First)

(Middle)

C/O BANKWELL FINANCIAL GROUP, INC., 220 ELM STREET

3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
03/18/2019

(Street)

NEW CANAAN, CT 06840

4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)

6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person

(City)

(State)

(Zip)

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 3)	2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)		4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)			5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4)	6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
1.Title of Security (Instr. 3)	2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	Code	V	Amount	(A) or (D)	Price		6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
Common Stock								109,785	D ⁽¹⁾
Common Stock								5,000	I	IRA
Common Stock								3,333	D ⁽²⁾
Common Stock								5,000	D ⁽²⁾
Common Stock	03/18/2019		A		3,750	A	$ 0	3,750	D ⁽³⁾
Common Stock	03/18/2019		A		3,750	A	$ 0	3,750	D ⁽³⁾

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)

2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security

3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)

3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)

4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)

5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)

6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)

7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)

8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)

9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)

10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)

11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)

Code

(A)

(D)

Date Exercisable

Expiration Date

Title

Amount or Number of Shares

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
Reporting Owner Name / Address	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
Gruseke Christopher R C/O BANKWELL FINANCIAL GROUP, INC. 220 ELM STREET NEW CANAAN, CT 06840			President & CEO

Signatures

/s/ Christopher R. Gruseke by POA		03/20/2019
^**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1)	71,795 Shares reported are owned jointly with Spouse.
(2)	10,000 shares of Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. stock granted pursuant to the 2012 Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. Stock Plan. 5,000 of those shares are restricted stock that will vest in three substantially equal annual installments, with the first installment to vest on February 7, 2019 and the second and third installments to vest on each annual anniversary of the vesting date thereafter. As of the Transaction Date, 1,667 Shares have vested. 5,000 of those shares are performance restricted stock and may vest when and if the performance goal is achieved.
(3)	7,500 shares of Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. stock granted pursuant to the 2012 Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. Stock Plan. 3,750 of those shares are restricted stock that will vest in three substantially equal annual installments, with the first installment to vest on February 7, 2020 and the second and third installments to vest on each annual anniversary of the vesting date thereafter. 3,750 of those shares are performance restricted stock and may vest when and if the performance goal is achieved.

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