Ownership Submission
FORM 3
 UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

INITIAL STATEMENT OF 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 DAVID L
 2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year)
07/21/2015		 3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
HEARTLAND FINANCIAL USA INC [HTLF]
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
1398 CENTRAL AVE		 4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
EVP - Finance/Corp Stategy
 5. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
(Street)

DUBUQUE, IA 52001		 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 Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 4)		 2. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned
(Instr. 4)		 3. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)		 4. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)
Common Stock 2,200 (1) (2)
D
 
Common Stock 1,066
I
Trust (3)
Common Stock 5,000
I
IRA (3)

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly. SEC 1473 (7-02)
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Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)		 2. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)		 3. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)		 4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 5. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)		 6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)
Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Non-Qualified Stock Option (Right To Buy)   (4) 02/06/2016 Common Stock 500 $ 0 D  
Non-Qualified Stock Option (Right To Buy)   (4) 01/16/2017 Common Stock 1,000 $ 0 D  
Non-Qualified Stock Option (Right To Buy)   (4) 01/24/2018 Common Stock 1,500 $ 0 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
Director 10% Owner Officer Other
HORSTMANN DAVID L
1398 CENTRAL AVE
DUBUQUE, IA 52001		       EVP - Finance/Corp Stategy  

Signatures

/s/ David L. Horstmann 07/23/2015
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 5(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 1,550 Restricted Stock Units (RSU). Each RSU represents the right to receive one share of common stock. The grant vests in three equal installments on the third, fourth and fifth anniversaries of the grant date.
(2) Includes 650 shares of Performance Based Restricted Stock.
(3) Shares held through the Wealth Management Group at Dubuque Bank & Trust.
(4) 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.
 
Remarks:
Mr. Horstmann previously served as Interim CFO and filed reports under Section 16. When a permanent CFO was appointed, Mr. Horstmann assumed a previous role where he was not in charge of a business unit, division or function, and did not have policy-making authority. On July 21, 2015, the Board of Directors of Heartland determined that Heartland's increased activities in acquisition and the increased authority that they were assigning Mr. Horstmann caused him to again be an "Officer" as defined in Rule 16a-1(f).

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