---
schema_version: "secwatch.filing_event.v1"
accession: "0001104659-23-127729"
form_type: "8-K"
ticker: "DWSN"
cik: "0000799165"
company_name: "DAWSON GEOPHYSICAL CO"
filed_at: "2023-12-20T23:59:59+00:00"
generated_at: "2026-06-07T10:16:13.158759+00:00"
event_type: "leadership"
sentiment: "neutral"
materiality_score: 0.55
calibrated_materiality_score: 0.55
confidence: "high"
source: SEC EDGAR
---

# Dawson Geophysical enters employment agreements with new CEO, COO, and CFO

## Summary
- CEO Tony Clark: $350,000 base salary, 2-year rolling term, severance on change of control.
- COO Ray Mays: $320,000 base salary, 2-year term, performance bonus for 2024 set.
- CFO Ian Shaw: $10,000/month as fractional employee of Wilks Brothers, LLC; no severance.
- Agreements include restrictive covenants and exclude Wilks Brothers from change of control definition.
- Effective date November 20, 2023; agreements signed December 14, 2023.

## SEC filing metadata
- accession: 0001104659-23-127729
- form_type: 8-K
- ticker: DWSN
- cik: 0000799165
- company_name: DAWSON GEOPHYSICAL CO
- filed_at: 2023-12-20T23:59:59+00:00
- event_type: leadership
- sentiment: neutral
- materiality_score: 0.55
- calibrated_materiality_score: 0.55
- confidence: high
- sec_items: 5.02, 9.01
- EDGAR index: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/799165/000110465923127729/0001104659-23-127729-index.htm
- EDGAR primary document: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/799165/000110465923127729/tm2333326d1_8k.htm

## Machine-readable alternates
- HTML: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001104659-23-127729
- JSON: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001104659-23-127729.json
- Plain text: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001104659-23-127729.txt

## Key facts
- Executive change
  Ian Shaw was appointed as Chief Financial Officer at DAWSON GEOPHYSICAL CO.
  - Action: appointed
  - Role: Chief Financial Officer
  source text: Ian Shaw as the Company’s Chief Financial Officer
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/799165/000110465923127729/0001104659-23-127729-index.htm
- Executive change
  Ray Mays was appointed as Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President at DAWSON GEOPHYSICAL CO.
  - Action: appointed
  - Role: Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President
  source text: Ray Mays as the Company’s Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/799165/000110465923127729/0001104659-23-127729-index.htm
- Executive change
  Anthony Clark was appointed as President and Chief Executive Officer at DAWSON GEOPHYSICAL CO.
  - Action: appointed
  - Role: President and Chief Executive Officer
  source text: effective as of November 20, 2023, the Board of Directors of the Company (the “ Board ”) appointed: (i) Anthony Clark as the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/799165/000110465923127729/0001104659-23-127729-index.htm

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