Promissory note between Heartland Financial USA, Inc. and Bankers Trust Company dated as of April 20, 2011

VARIABLE INTEREST RATE. The interest rate on this Note is subject to change from time to time based on changes in an independent index which is the 30-Day London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) as published in The Wall Street Journal which may or may not necessarily reflect the rate Lender charges to its other customers which may be lower (the “Index”). The Index is not necessarily the lowest rate charged by Lender on its loans. If the Index becomes unavailable during the term of this loan, Lender may designate a substitute index after notifying Borrower. Lender will tell Borrower the current index rate upon Borrower's request. The interest rate change will not occur more often than each last day of the month. Borrower understands that Lender may make loans based on other rates as well. The Index currently is 0.243% per annum. Interest on the unpaid principal balance of this Note will be calculated as described in the “INTEREST CALCULATION METHOD” paragraph using a rate of 3.000 percentage points over the Index, adjusted if necessary to for any minimum and maximum rate limitations described below, resulting in an initial rate of 4.500% per annum based on a year of 360 days. NOTICE: Under no circumstances will the interest rate on this Note be less than 4.500% per annum or more than the maximum rate allowed by applicable law.

PREPAYMENT. Borrower may pay without penalty all or a portion of the amount owed earlier than it is due. Early payments will not, unless agreed to by Lender in writing, relieve Borrower of Borrower's obligation to continue to make payments of accrued unpaid interest . Rather, early payments will reduce the principal balance due. Borrower agrees not to send Lender payments marked “paid in full”, “without recourse”, or similar language. If Borrower sends such a payment, Lender may accept it without losing any of Lender's rights under this Note, and Borrower will remain obligated to pay any further amount owed to Lender. All written communications concerning disputed amounts, including any check or other payment instrument that indicates that the payment constitutes “payment in full” of the amount owed or that is tendered with other conditions or limitations or as full satisfaction of a disputed amount must be mailed or delivered to: Bankers Trust Company, 453 7^th Street, P.O. Box 897, Des Moines, IA 50304-0897.

LATE CHARGE. If a payment is 11 days or more late, Borrower will be charged 5.000% of the unpaid portion of the regularly scheduled payment or $50.00, whichever is greater.

INTEREST AFTER DEFAULT. Upon default, including failure to pay upon final maturity, the interest rate on this Note shall

be increased to 21.000% per annum based on a year of 360 days. However, in no event will the interest rate exceed the maximum interest rate limitations under applicable law.

DEFAULT. Each of the following shall constitute an event of default (“Event of Default”) under this Note:

LENDER'S RIGHTS. Upon default, Lender may declare the entire unpaid principal balance under this Note end all accrued unpaid interest immediately due, and then Borrower will pay that amount.

ATTORNEY'S FEES; EXPENSES. Lender may hire or pay someone else to help collect this Note if Borrower does not pay. Borrower will pay Lender that amount. This includes, subject to any limits under applicable law, Lender's attorneys' fees and Lender's legal expenses, whether or not there is a lawsuit, including without limitation all attorneys' fees and legal expenses for bankruptcy proceedings (including efforts to modify or vacate any automatic stay or injunction), and appeals. If not prohibited by applicable law, Borrower also will pay any court costs, in addition to all other sums provided by law.

CHOICE OF VENUE. If there is a lawsuit, Borrower agrees upon Lender's request to submit to the jurisdiction of the courts of Polk County, State of Iowa.

RIGHT OF SETOFF. To the extent permitted by applicable law, Lender reserves the right of setoff in all Borrower's accounts with Lender (whether checking, savings, or some other account). This includes all accounts Borrower hold jointly with someone else and all accounts Borrower may open in the future. However, this does not include any IRA or Keogh accounts, or any trust accounts for which setoff would be prohibited by law. Borrower authorizes Lender, to the extent permitted by applicable law, to charge or setoff all sums owing on the debt against any and all such accounts, and, at Lender's option, to administratively freeze all such accounts to allow Lender to protect Lender's charge and setoff rights provided in this

paragraph.

COLLATERAL. This loan is unsecured.

LINE OF CREDIT. This Note evidences a revolving line of credit. Advances under this Note, as well as direction for payment from Borrower's accounts, may be requested orally or in writing by Borrower or by an authorized person. Lender may, but need not, require that all oral requests be confirmed in writing. Borrower agrees to be liable for all sums either: (A) advance in accordance with the instructions of an authorized per son or (B) credited to any of Borrower's accounts with Lender. The unpaid principal balance owing on this Note at any time may be evidenced by endorsements on this Note or by Lender's internal records, including daily computer print-outs. Lender will have no obligation to advance funds under this Note if: (A) Borrower or any guarantor is in default under the terms of this Note or any agreement that Borrower any guarantor has with Lender, including any agreement made in connection with the signing of this Note; (B) Borrower or any guarantor ceases doing business or is insolvent; (C) any guarantor seeks, claims or otherwise attempts to limit, modify or revoke such guarantor's guarantee of this Note or any other loan with Lender; (D) Borrower has applied funds provided pursuant to this Note for purposes other than those authorized by Lender; or (E) Lender in good faith believes itself insecure.

PURPOSE OF LOAN. The specific purpose of this loan is: line of Credit for General Corporate purposes, Capital injections to subsidiaries.

ADDITIONAL TERMS. This credit is subject to the terms and conditions of a Loan Commitment Letter dated April 5, 2011.

ADDITIONAL TERMS. Non-Use Fee. This Loan is subject to a annual Non-Use Fee Rate of .025%. The Borrower agrees to pay to Lender for the Revolving Commitment a non-use fee, for the period from the Loan Date to the Maturity Date, in an amount equal to (i) the Revolving Commitment less (ii) the average daily amount (for the period of measurement) of all Revolving Outstandings, multiplied by the Non-Use Fee Rate in effect from time to time. Such non-use fee shall be payable in arrears on the last day of each calendar quarter and on the Maturity Date for any period then ending for which such non-use fee shall not have previously been paid. The Non-Use Fee shall be computed per the Interest Calculation Method described in the Promissory Note.

SUCCESSOR INTERESTS. The terms of this Note shall be binding upon Borrower, and upon Borrower's heirs, personal representatives, successors and assigns, and shall inure to the benefit of Lender and its successors and assigns.

NOTIFY US OF INACCURATE INFORMATION WE REPORT TO CONSUMER REPORTING AGENCIES. Borrower may notify Lender if Lender reports any inaccurate information about Borrower's account(s) to a consumer reporting agency. Borrower's written notice describing the specific inaccuracy(ies) should be sent to Lender at the following address: Bankers Trust Company 453 7^th Street Des Moines, IA 50309.

GENERAL PROVISIONS. If any part of this Note cannot be enforced, this fact will not affect the rest of the Note. Lender may delay or forgo enforcing any of its rights or remedies under this Note without losing them. Borrower and any other person who signs, guarantees or endorses this Note, to the extent allowed by law, waive presentment, demand for payment, and notice of dishonor. Upon any change in the terms of this Note, and unless otherwise expressly stated in writing, no party who signs this Note, whether as maker, guarantor, accommodation maker or endorser, shall be released from liability. All such parties agree that Lender may renew or extend (repeatedly and for any length of time) this loan or release any party or guarantor or collateral; or impair, fail to realize upon or perfect Lender's security interest in the collateral; and take any other action deemed necessary by Lender without the consent of or notice to anyone. All such parties also agree that Lender may modify this loan without the consent of or notice to anyone other than the party with whom the modification is made. The obligations under this Note are joint and several.

By:     /s/ John K, Schmidt                

John K. Schmidt, EVP, CFO of Heartland Financial USA, Inc.