{"schema_version":"secwatch.filing_event.v1","accession":"0000950170-25-063667","form_type":"8-K","ticker":"ASH","cik":"0001674862","company_name":"ASHLAND INC.","filed_at":"2025-05-05T23:59:59+00:00","discovered_at":"2026-05-14T18:02:49.299462+00:00","generated_at":"2026-05-22T17:43:19.901561+00:00","sec_items":["5.02"],"event_type":"leadership","sentiment":"neutral","materiality_score":0.55,"calibrated_materiality_score":0.55,"confidence":"high","headline":"Ashland CFO J. Kevin Willis resigns; Whitaker named interim CFO, Richardson as PAO","bullets":["J. Kevin Willis resigns as SVP, CFO effective May 16, 2025 to pursue another opportunity; no disagreement with company.","Board appoints William C. Whitaker (VP, Finance & IR) as Interim CFO effective May 6, 2025; base salary $354,432 plus equity.","Samuel A. Richardson (Controller) appointed VP, Controller and Principal Accounting Officer effective May 6, 2025; base salary $330,000.","Whitaker and Richardson each receive RSUs valued at $130,000 vesting over three years.","Both appointments are internal promotions; no family relationships or related-party transactions disclosed."],"urls":{"canonical":"https://secwatch.observer/filing/0000950170-25-063667","json":"https://secwatch.observer/filing/0000950170-25-063667.json","markdown":"https://secwatch.observer/filing/0000950170-25-063667.md","text":"https://secwatch.observer/filing/0000950170-25-063667.txt","edgar_index":"https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1674862/000095017025063667/0000950170-25-063667-index.htm","edgar_primary_document":"https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1674862/000095017025063667/ash-20250505.htm"},"model":{"generated_by":"deepseek-v4-flash:cloud@v2","generated_at":"2026-05-22T17:43:19.901561+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":"554ee89696","claim":"J. Kevin Willis resigned as Chief Financial Officer at ASHLAND INC..","evidence_excerpt":"On May 1, 2025, J. Kevin Willis notified Ashland Inc. (the “Company”) of his intention to resign as the Company’s Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer, effective May 16, 2025 (the “Effective Date”), to pursue another opportunity.","evidence_source":"SEC 8-K Item 5.02","evidence_url":"https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1674862/000095017025063667/0000950170-25-063667-index.htm","confidence":0.95,"family_label":"Executive change","details":[{"label":"Action","value":"resigned"},{"label":"Role","value":"Chief Financial Officer"}],"fact_type":"executive_change"},{"claim_id":"68b617597e","claim":"William C. Whitaker was appointed as Interim Chief Financial Officer at ASHLAND INC..","evidence_excerpt":"On May 5, 2025, the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”) appointed William C. Whitaker, the Company’s Vice President, Finance and Director, Investor Relations, to serve as the Company’s Interim Chief Financial Officer, effective May 6, 2025.","evidence_source":"SEC 8-K Item 5.02","evidence_url":"https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1674862/000095017025063667/0000950170-25-063667-index.htm","confidence":0.95,"family_label":"Executive change","details":[{"label":"Action","value":"appointed"},{"label":"Role","value":"Interim Chief Financial Officer"}],"fact_type":"executive_change"},{"claim_id":"7fed5abf9b","claim":"Samuel A. Richardson was appointed as Vice President, Controller and Principal Accounting Officer at ASHLAND INC..","evidence_excerpt":"On May 5, 2025, the Board also appointed Samuel A. Richardson, the Company’s Controller, to serve as Vice President, Controller and Principal Accounting Officer of the Company, effective May 6, 2025.","evidence_source":"SEC 8-K Item 5.02","evidence_url":"https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1674862/000095017025063667/0000950170-25-063667-index.htm","confidence":0.95,"family_label":"Executive change","details":[{"label":"Action","value":"appointed"},{"label":"Role","value":"Vice President, Controller and Principal Accounting Officer"}],"fact_type":"executive_change"}],"license":"Source filings: public domain (SEC EDGAR). Summaries (headline + bullets): CC-BY-4.0; attribute https://secwatch.observer"}