{"schema_version":"secwatch.filing_event.v1","accession":"0000886346-26-000055","form_type":"8-K","ticker":"KAI","cik":"0000886346","company_name":"KADANT INC","filed_at":"2026-09-10T20:42:43+00:00","discovered_at":"2026-09-10T20:44:00.357263+00:00","generated_at":"2026-09-10T20:44:06.590418+00:00","sec_items":["5.02","7.01","9.01"],"event_type":"leadership","sentiment":"neutral","materiality_score":0.65,"calibrated_materiality_score":0.65,"confidence":"high","headline":"Kadant names Michael Colwell as next CEO; Powell to executive chairman, Painter to retire","bullets":["Michael C. Colwell appointed president & COO effective Oct 1, 2026; becomes president & CEO and director on Jan 2, 2027.","Jeffrey L. Powell to become executive chairman on Jan 2, 2027; will retire on Jan 1, 2028 and then serve as non-executive chairman.","Jonathan W. Painter to step down as chairman and director on Jan 2, 2027; no disagreement cited.","Powell transition agreement: salary $998,900 until Jan 2, 2027, then $499,450; target bonuses $1,038,000 (FY2026) and $519,000 (FY2027).","Unvested RSUs accelerate if Powell stays through retirement; potential March 2027 RSU grant valued at $1,862,000."],"urls":{"canonical":"https://secwatch.observer/filing/0000886346-26-000055","json":"https://secwatch.observer/filing/0000886346-26-000055.json","markdown":"https://secwatch.observer/filing/0000886346-26-000055.md","text":"https://secwatch.observer/filing/0000886346-26-000055.txt","edgar_index":"https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/886346/000088634626000055/0000886346-26-000055-index.htm","edgar_primary_document":"https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/886346/000088634626000055/kai-20260910.htm"},"model":{"generated_by":"deepseek-v4-flash:cloud@v2","generated_at":"2026-09-10T20:44:06.590418+00:00"},"review":{"review_status":"machine_generated","human_reviewed":false,"corrected":false,"correction_note":null,"correction_timestamp":null,"superseded_by":null,"related_filings":[]},"source_grounded_claims":[{"claim_id":"029e30f631","claim":"Michael C. Colwell was appointed as President and Chief Executive Officer at KADANT INC.","evidence_excerpt":"president and chief executive officer effective January 2, 2027","evidence_source":"SEC 8-K Item 5.02","evidence_url":"https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/886346/000088634626000055/0000886346-26-000055-index.htm","confidence":0.95,"family_label":"Executive change","details":[{"label":"Action","value":"appointed"},{"label":"Role","value":"President and Chief Executive Officer"}],"fact_type":"executive_change"},{"claim_id":"4ee5cd547d","claim":"Michael C. Colwell was appointed as President and Chief Operating Officer at KADANT INC.","evidence_excerpt":"the Board appointed Michael C. Colwell to serve as president and chief operating officer effective October 1, 2026","evidence_source":"SEC 8-K Item 5.02","evidence_url":"https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/886346/000088634626000055/0000886346-26-000055-index.htm","confidence":0.95,"family_label":"Executive change","details":[{"label":"Action","value":"appointed"},{"label":"Role","value":"President and Chief Operating Officer"}],"fact_type":"executive_change"},{"claim_id":"85fcd55d40","claim":"Jeffrey L. Powell changed role as Executive Chairman at KADANT INC.","evidence_excerpt":"As part of the Succession Plan, Jeffrey L. Powell will continue to serve as president through September 30, 2026, and chief executive officer through January 2, 2027, at which time he will become executive chairman of the Board.","evidence_source":"SEC 8-K Item 5.02","evidence_url":"https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/886346/000088634626000055/0000886346-26-000055-index.htm","confidence":0.95,"family_label":"Executive change","details":[{"label":"Action","value":"become"},{"label":"Role","value":"Executive Chairman"}],"fact_type":"executive_change"},{"claim_id":"a743819480","claim":"Jonathan W. Painter departed as Chairman of the Board at KADANT INC.","evidence_excerpt":"In addition, on September 10, 2026, Jonathan W. Painter notified the Company that he will cease to serve as a director on January 2, 2027.","evidence_source":"SEC 8-K Item 5.02","evidence_url":"https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/886346/000088634626000055/0000886346-26-000055-index.htm","confidence":0.95,"family_label":"Executive change","details":[{"label":"Action","value":"cease to serve"},{"label":"Role","value":"Chairman of the Board"}],"fact_type":"executive_change"},{"claim_id":"cb6fc83e8e","claim":"Michael C. Colwell was appointed as Member of the Board at KADANT INC.","evidence_excerpt":"In addition, the Board appointed Mr. Colwell to serve as a member of the Board effective January 2, 2027.","evidence_source":"SEC 8-K Item 5.02","evidence_url":"https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/886346/000088634626000055/0000886346-26-000055-index.htm","confidence":0.95,"family_label":"Executive change","details":[{"label":"Action","value":"appointed"},{"label":"Role","value":"Member of the Board"}],"fact_type":"executive_change"},{"claim_id":"f0106b12f1","claim":"Jeffrey L. Powell changed role as Non-Executive Chairman at KADANT INC.","evidence_excerpt":"Mr. Powell will step down as executive chairman upon his retirement on January 1, 2028 (the “Retirement Date”), but is expected to remain a director and to serve as non-executive chairman of the Board.","evidence_source":"SEC 8-K Item 5.02","evidence_url":"https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/886346/000088634626000055/0000886346-26-000055-index.htm","confidence":0.95,"family_label":"Executive change","details":[{"label":"Action","value":"become"},{"label":"Role","value":"Non-Executive Chairman"}],"fact_type":"executive_change"}],"license":"Source filings: public domain (SEC EDGAR). Summaries (headline + bullets): CC-BY-4.0; attribute https://secwatch.observer"}