{"schema_version":"secwatch.filing_event.v1","accession":"0001104659-23-001859","form_type":"8-K","ticker":"ESE","cik":"0000866706","company_name":"ESCO TECHNOLOGIES INC","filed_at":"2023-01-06T23:59:59+00:00","discovered_at":"2026-05-14T18:03:48.314034+00:00","generated_at":"2026-06-20T19:09:59.320414+00:00","sec_items":["5.02","9.01"],"event_type":"leadership","sentiment":"neutral","materiality_score":0.65,"calibrated_materiality_score":0.65,"confidence":"high","headline":"CEO succession effective: Richey retires, becomes Executive Chairman; Sayler named CEO & President","bullets":["Victor L. Richey retired as CEO & President Dec 31, 2022; assumed Executive Chairman Jan 1, 2023.","Bryan H. Sayler succeeded to CEO and President effective Jan 1, 2023; also appointed Class I director.","Board size increased from 8 to 9; James Stolze remains Lead Director.","Richey receives $650K base salary, reduced cash incentive ($487,500 prorated), and 17,241 RSUs ($1.5M) vesting Dec 31, 2023."],"urls":{"canonical":"https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001104659-23-001859","json":"https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001104659-23-001859.json","markdown":"https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001104659-23-001859.md","text":"https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001104659-23-001859.txt","edgar_index":"https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/866706/000110465923001859/0001104659-23-001859-index.htm","edgar_primary_document":"https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/866706/000110465923001859/tm232264d1_8k.htm"},"model":{"generated_by":"deepseek-v4-flash:cloud@v2","generated_at":"2026-06-20T19:09:59.320414+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":"0c87f7cb7b","claim":"Victor L. Richey changed role as Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors at ESCO TECHNOLOGIES INC.","evidence_excerpt":"Effective December 31, 2022, the Company's Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President, Victor L. Richey, retired as Chief Executive Officer and President. Effective January 1, 2023 Mr. Richey, a current director, assumed the position of Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors.","evidence_source":"SEC 8-K Item 5.02","evidence_url":"https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/866706/000110465923001859/0001104659-23-001859-index.htm","confidence":0.95,"family_label":"Executive change","details":[{"label":"Action","value":"retired as Chief Executive Officer and President, assumed position of Executive Chairman"},{"label":"Role","value":"Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors"}],"fact_type":"executive_change"},{"claim_id":"bf077df84f","claim":"Bryan H. Sayler was appointed as Chief Executive Officer and President at ESCO TECHNOLOGIES INC.","evidence_excerpt":"On January 1, 2023, Bryan H. Sayler succeeded to the offices of Chief Executive Officer and President of the Company.","evidence_source":"SEC 8-K Item 5.02","evidence_url":"https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/866706/000110465923001859/0001104659-23-001859-index.htm","confidence":0.95,"family_label":"Executive change","details":[{"label":"Action","value":"succeeded to"},{"label":"Role","value":"Chief Executive Officer and President"}],"fact_type":"executive_change"},{"claim_id":"d9ea63ffbb","claim":"Bryan H. Sayler was appointed as Class I director at ESCO TECHNOLOGIES INC.","evidence_excerpt":"Bryan H. Sayler became a Class I director of the Company filling the vacancy thereby created","evidence_source":"SEC 8-K Item 5.02","evidence_url":"https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/866706/000110465923001859/0001104659-23-001859-index.htm","confidence":0.95,"family_label":"Executive change","details":[{"label":"Action","value":"became"},{"label":"Role","value":"Class I director"}],"fact_type":"executive_change"}],"license":"Source filings: public domain (SEC EDGAR). Summaries (headline + bullets): CC-BY-4.0; attribute https://secwatch.observer"}