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 * HORSTMANN DOUGLAS J   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol HEARTLAND FINANCIAL USA INC [HTLF] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) _____ Director _____ 10% Owner __X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) EVP, Lending (Last) (First) (Middle) 1398 CENTRAL AVE. 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 03/08/2016 (Street) DUBUQUE, IA 52001 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) Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price Common Stock 03/08/2016   A   2,274 A $ 0 126,890 (1) (2) (3) (4) D   Common Stock               10,516 I 401(k) Common Stock               27,000 I By Spouse Common Stock               5,204 (5) I HTLF Retirement Plan

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

V

(A)

(D)

Date Exercisable

Expiration Date

Title

Amount or Number of Shares

Non-Qualified Stock Option (Right To Buy)

$ 29.65

(6)

01/16/2017

Common Stock

1,500

1,500

D

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
HORSTMANN DOUGLAS J 1398 CENTRAL AVE. DUBUQUE, IA 52001			EVP, Lending

Signatures

/s/ Douglas J. Horstmann		03/09/2016
**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)	Includes 5,928 shares of Performance Based Restricted Stock.
(2)	Includes 8,067 Time Based Restricted Stock Units (RSU). Each RSU represents the right to receive one share of common stock.
(3)	Includes 20,000 shares held in street name at LPL Financial.
(4)	Reflects the forfeiture of 60 Performance Based Restricted Stock Units granted but not earned in 2015.
(5)	Represents shares allocated to the reporting person's account under the Heartland Financial USA, Inc. Retirement Plan as a result of the Pension Plan Protectin Act of 2006.
(6)	Represents options to buy granted under the Company's Stock Option Plan, a Rule 16(b)(3) plan, which options vest one-third per year beginning on the 3rd anniversary of date of grant.

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