---
schema_version: "secwatch.filing_event.v1"
accession: "0001104659-23-059495"
form_type: "8-K"
ticker: "ACLS"
cik: "0001113232"
company_name: "AXCELIS TECHNOLOGIES INC"
filed_at: "2023-05-12T23:59:59+00:00"
generated_at: "2026-06-15T02:09:39.481809+00:00"
event_type: "leadership"
sentiment: "neutral"
materiality_score: 0.65
calibrated_materiality_score: 0.65
confidence: "high"
source: SEC EDGAR
---

# Axcelis Technologies appoints Russell J. Low as CEO; Mary Puma becomes Executive Chairperson

## Summary
- Russell J. Low, Ph.D., appointed President and CEO effective May 11, 2023; previously EVP Global Customer and Engineering Operations.
- Low's annual base salary set at $550,333 in 2023 and $633,000 thereafter; target bonus 87% of base in 2023, 100% thereafter.
- Mary G. Puma transitions from CEO to Executive Chairperson, expected to serve until 2024 Annual Meeting.
- All nine director nominees elected with >86% votes cast in favor; auditor Ernst & Young LLP ratified with 97.71% for.
- Say-on-pay passed with 97.22% approval; advisory vote on frequency of say-on-pay set to annual at 94.65% of votes cast.

## SEC filing metadata
- accession: 0001104659-23-059495
- form_type: 8-K
- ticker: ACLS
- cik: 0001113232
- company_name: AXCELIS TECHNOLOGIES INC
- filed_at: 2023-05-12T23:59:59+00:00
- event_type: leadership
- sentiment: neutral
- materiality_score: 0.65
- calibrated_materiality_score: 0.65
- confidence: high
- sec_items: 5.02, 5.07, 8.01, 9.01
- EDGAR index: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1113232/000110465923059495/0001104659-23-059495-index.htm
- EDGAR primary document: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1113232/000110465923059495/tm2314798d1_8k.htm

## Machine-readable alternates
- HTML: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001104659-23-059495
- JSON: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001104659-23-059495.json
- Plain text: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001104659-23-059495.txt

## Key facts
- Executive change
  Russell J. Low was appointed as President and Chief Executive Officer at AXCELIS TECHNOLOGIES INC.
  - Action: appointed
  - Role: President and Chief Executive Officer
  source text: On May 11, 2023, following the 2023 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the “Annual Meeting”), the Board of Directors of Axcelis Technologies, Inc. (the “Company”) appointed Russell J. Low, Ph.D., age 52, as the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and President.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1113232/000110465923059495/0001104659-23-059495-index.htm
- Executive change
  Mary G. Puma changed role as Executive Chairperson at AXCELIS TECHNOLOGIES INC.
  - Action: assumed
  - Role: Executive Chairperson
  source text: Coincident with the commencement of Dr. Low’s promotion to Chief Executive Officer and President, Mary G. Puma, our former Chief Executive Officer and President, assumed the position of Executive Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Company, a position she is expected to hold until the 2024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1113232/000110465923059495/0001104659-23-059495-index.htm

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