---
schema_version: "secwatch.filing_event.v1"
accession: "0000950170-25-027880"
form_type: "8-K"
ticker: "STAA"
cik: "0000718937"
company_name: "STAAR SURGICAL CO"
filed_at: "2025-02-26T23:59:59+00:00"
generated_at: "2026-05-26T04:04:19.313363+00:00"
event_type: "leadership"
sentiment: "neutral"
materiality_score: 0.8
calibrated_materiality_score: 0.8
confidence: "high"
source: SEC EDGAR
---

# STAAR Surgical appoints Stephen Farrell CEO, replacing Tom Frinzi; Board chair changed

## Summary
- Stephen Farrell named President & CEO effective Feb 26, 2025, succeeding Thomas Frinzi at Board's request.
- Farrell receives $725K base salary, 100% target bonus, 200K RSUs + 200K PSUs (0-200% target) sign-on equity.
- Outgoing CEO Tom Frinzi gets 18 months severance and $45K/month consulting contract through Jan 2026.
- Board elects Elizabeth Yeu as Chair; separates CEO & Chair roles; reduces Board from 7 to 6 members.
- Lilian Zhou appointed Audit Committee Chair; Farrell resigns from committees.

## SEC filing metadata
- accession: 0000950170-25-027880
- form_type: 8-K
- ticker: STAA
- cik: 0000718937
- company_name: STAAR SURGICAL CO
- filed_at: 2025-02-26T23:59:59+00:00
- event_type: leadership
- sentiment: neutral
- materiality_score: 0.8
- calibrated_materiality_score: 0.8
- confidence: high
- sec_items: 5.02, 7.01, 9.01
- EDGAR index: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/718937/000095017025027880/0000950170-25-027880-index.htm
- EDGAR primary document: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/718937/000095017025027880/staa-20250226.htm

## Machine-readable alternates
- HTML: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0000950170-25-027880
- JSON: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0000950170-25-027880.json
- Plain text: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0000950170-25-027880.txt

## Key facts
- Executive change
  Elizabeth Yeu was elected as Board Chair at STAAR SURGICAL CO.
  - Action: elected
  - Role: Board Chair
  source text: the Board elected Director Elizabeth Yeu, M.D., to serve as Board Chair, effective as of the Effective Date.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/718937/000095017025027880/0000950170-25-027880-index.htm
- Executive change
  Stephen C. Farrell was appointed as President and Chief Executive Officer at STAAR SURGICAL CO.
  - Action: appointed
  - Role: President and Chief Executive Officer
  source text: the Board appointed Stephen C. Farrell to succeed Thomas G. Frinzi as President and Chief Executive Officer, effective February 26, 2025
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/718937/000095017025027880/0000950170-25-027880-index.htm
- Executive change
  Thomas G. Frinzi departed as President and Chief Executive Officer at STAAR SURGICAL CO.
  - Action: stepped down
  - Role: President and Chief Executive Officer
  source text: Effective as the Effective Date, Mr. Frinzi has agreed to step down at the request of the Board from his positions as President and Chief Executive Officer, and he will cease to serve as a member of the Board of Directors and Board Chair and all other positions with the Company and its subsidiaries.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/718937/000095017025027880/0000950170-25-027880-index.htm

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