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Table of Contents UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION WASHINGTON , D.C. 20549 FORM 10 - K □ ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15 ( d ) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 For the fiscal year ended December 31 , 2020 □ TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15 ( d ) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 Nevada Commission file number 0-15950 FIRST BUSEY CORPORATION ( Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter ) ( State or other jurisdiction of incorporation of organization ) 100 W. University Avenue Champaign , Illinois 61820 37-1078406 ( I.R.S. Employer Identification No. ) ( Address of principal executive offices ) ( Zip code ) Registrant's telephone number , including area code ( 217 ) 365-4544 Securities registered pursuant to Section 12 ( b ) of the Act : Title of each class Common Stock ( $ 0.001 par value ) Name of each exchange Trading Symbol BUSE on which registered The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC Securities registered pursuant to Section 12 ( g ) of the Act : None Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well - known seasoned issuer , as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act . Yes No □ Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15 ( d ) of the Act . Yes No ☑ Indicate by check mark whether the registrant ( 1 ) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15 ( d ) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months ( or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports ) , and ( 2 ) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days . Yes No □ Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S - T during the preceding 12 months ( or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files ) . Yes ☑No □ Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer , an accelerated filer , a non - accelerated filer , a smaller reporting company , or an emerging growth company . See the definition of “ large accelerated filer , ” “ accelerated filer , ” “ smaller reporting company , " and " emerging growth company " in Rule 12b - 2 of the Exchange Act .: Large accelerated filer ☑ Non - accelerated filer Emerging growth company Accelerated filer Smaller reporting company If an emerging growth company , indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13 ( a ) of the Exchange Act . ☐ Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management's assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404 ( b ) of the Sarbanes - Oxley Act ( 15 U.S.C. 7262 ( b ) ) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report . Yes No □ Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company ( as defined in Rule 12b - 2 of the Act ) . Yes No The aggregate market value of the voting and non - voting common equity held by non - affiliates on the last business day of the registrant's most recently completed second fiscal quarter was $ 946.5 million , determined using a per share closing price for the registrant's common stock on that date of $ 18.65 , as quoted on The Nasdaq Global Select Market . As of February 25 , 2021 , there were 54,404,379 shares of the registrant's common stock , $ 0.001 par value , outstanding . DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE Portions of the definitive Proxy Statement for the 2021 Annual Meeting of Stockholders of First Busey Corporation to be held May 19 , 2021 , are incorporated by reference in this Form 10 - K in response to Part III .