---
schema_version: "secwatch.filing_event.v1"
accession: "0000706129-26-000066"
form_type: "8-K"
ticker: "HBNC"
cik: "0000706129"
company_name: "HORIZON BANCORP INC /IN/"
filed_at: "2026-08-17T20:07:16+00:00"
generated_at: "2026-08-17T20:08:12.884648+00:00"
event_type: "leadership"
sentiment: "neutral"
materiality_score: 0.2
calibrated_materiality_score: 0.2
confidence: "high"
source: SEC EDGAR
---

# Horizon Bancorp expands board to 13, appoints Ritter and Sulerzyski as independent directors

## Summary
- Board increased from 11 to 13 members; Ritter and Sulerzyski appointed to Class of 2027, effective Aug 17, 2026.
- Ritter is retired EVP/CISO of WorldPay; Sulerzyski is retired President/CEO of Peoples Bancorp, grew People's Bank from $1.7B to $9.2B.
- Both deemed independent under Nasdaq/SEC rules; assigned to Enterprise Risk Management, Operations/Cyber, and Wealth committees.
- They receive standard non-employee director compensation per proxy filed March 20, 2026; no material transactions disclosed.

## SEC filing metadata
- accession: 0000706129-26-000066
- form_type: 8-K
- ticker: HBNC
- cik: 0000706129
- company_name: HORIZON BANCORP INC /IN/
- filed_at: 2026-08-17T20:07:16+00:00
- event_type: leadership
- sentiment: neutral
- materiality_score: 0.2
- calibrated_materiality_score: 0.2
- confidence: high
- sec_items: 5.02, 9.01
- EDGAR index: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/706129/000070612926000066/0000706129-26-000066-index.htm
- EDGAR primary document: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/706129/000070612926000066/hbnc-20260817.htm

## Machine-readable alternates
- HTML: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0000706129-26-000066
- JSON: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0000706129-26-000066.json
- Plain text: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0000706129-26-000066.txt

This AI-assisted summary is a reading aid. Review the linked SEC EDGAR filing before relying on any specific claim.