---
schema_version: "secwatch.filing_event.v1"
accession: "0001104659-22-105853"
form_type: "8-K"
ticker: "CWT"
cik: "0001035201"
company_name: "CALIFORNIA WATER SERVICE GROUP"
filed_at: "2022-10-04T23:59:59+00:00"
generated_at: "2026-06-23T05:29:08.016503+00:00"
event_type: "leadership"
sentiment: "neutral"
materiality_score: 0.5
calibrated_materiality_score: 0.5
confidence: "high"
source: SEC EDGAR
---

# California Water Service Group appoints Kropelnicki as Chairman; Nelson to retire May 2023

## Summary
- Martin A. Kropelnicki, current President & CEO and director, to become Chairman after May 2023 annual meeting.
- Chairman Peter C. Nelson will retire in May 2023 under the company's age limit policy; he served 17 years as CEO, 9 as Chair.
- Terry P. Bayer appointed Lead Independent Director effective immediately; she has served on the Board for 8 years.
- Bayer is former COO of Molina Healthcare; holds JD from Stanford and MPH from UC Berkeley.
- After Nelson's retirement, Board will have nine independent directors with Bayer as Lead Independent Director.

## SEC filing metadata
- accession: 0001104659-22-105853
- form_type: 8-K
- ticker: CWT
- cik: 0001035201
- company_name: CALIFORNIA WATER SERVICE GROUP
- filed_at: 2022-10-04T23:59:59+00:00
- event_type: leadership
- sentiment: neutral
- materiality_score: 0.5
- calibrated_materiality_score: 0.5
- confidence: high
- sec_items: 5.02, 9.01
- EDGAR index: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1035201/000110465922105853/0001104659-22-105853-index.htm
- EDGAR primary document: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1035201/000110465922105853/tm2227445d1_8k.htm

## Machine-readable alternates
- HTML: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001104659-22-105853
- JSON: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001104659-22-105853.json
- Plain text: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001104659-22-105853.txt

## Key facts
- Executive change
  Peter C. Nelson departed as Director at CALIFORNIA WATER SERVICE GROUP.
  - Action: retiring
  - Role: Director
  source text: Peter C. Nelson, who, in accordance with the Board’s retirement age policy, will be retiring as a director at the 2023 Annual Meeting.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1035201/000110465922105853/0001104659-22-105853-index.htm
- Executive change
  Terry P. Bayer was appointed as Lead Independent Director at CALIFORNIA WATER SERVICE GROUP.
  - Action: selected
  - Role: Lead Independent Director
  source text: The independent directors have selected Terry P. Bayer, who currently serves as a member of the Board, to serve as Lead Independent Director, effective immediately.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1035201/000110465922105853/0001104659-22-105853-index.htm
- Executive change
  Martin A. Kropelnicki was appointed as Chairman of the Board at CALIFORNIA WATER SERVICE GROUP.
  - Action: appointed
  - Role: Chairman of the Board
  source text: appointed Martin A. Kropelnicki, the Company’s current President, Chief Executive Officer and a director, to serve as Chairman of the Board, effective at the conclusion of the Company’s 2023 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the “2023 Annual Meeting”).
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1035201/000110465922105853/0001104659-22-105853-index.htm

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