George H. Krauss, a current Class II director of MFA Financial, Inc., is not permitted to stand for re-election and is retiring from the Board as of the conclusion of the Annual Meeting in accordance with the Director Retirement Policy. Upon recommendation of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee of the Board and the subsequent approval by the full Board, the Board determined in April 2021 to decrease the number of directors on the Board from eight directors to seven, effective as of the retirement of Mr. Krauss from the Board as of the conclusion of the Annual Meeting.