---
schema_version: "secwatch.filing_event.v1"
accession: "0001193125-23-148424"
form_type: "8-K"
ticker: "EQR"
cik: "0000906107"
company_name: "EQUITY RESIDENTIAL"
filed_at: "2023-05-19T23:59:59+00:00"
generated_at: "2026-06-14T20:31:03.413472+00:00"
event_type: "leadership"
sentiment: "negative"
materiality_score: 0.75
calibrated_materiality_score: 0.75
confidence: "high"
source: SEC EDGAR
---

# Equity Residential founder Samuel Zell dies; David Neithercut appointed chairman

## Summary
- Samuel Zell, founder and chairman of Equity Residential, passed away at age 81 on May 18, 2023.
- David J. Neithercut, former CEO (2006-2018) and board member since 2006, has been appointed as chairman effective immediately.
- Zell founded the predecessor company while a student at Michigan and took it public in 1993, building EQR into a $31B S&P 500 apartment owner.
- The company cited its long-standing succession planning and commitment to continuing Zell's focus on shareholder value creation.

## SEC filing metadata
- accession: 0001193125-23-148424
- form_type: 8-K
- ticker: EQR
- cik: 0000906107
- company_name: EQUITY RESIDENTIAL
- filed_at: 2023-05-19T23:59:59+00:00
- event_type: leadership
- sentiment: negative
- materiality_score: 0.75
- calibrated_materiality_score: 0.75
- confidence: high
- sec_items: 8.01, 9.01
- EDGAR index: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/906107/000119312523148424/0001193125-23-148424-index.htm
- EDGAR primary document: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/906107/000119312523148424/d505438d8k.htm

## Machine-readable alternates
- HTML: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001193125-23-148424
- JSON: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001193125-23-148424.json
- Plain text: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001193125-23-148424.txt

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