---
schema_version: "secwatch.filing_event.v1"
accession: "0001193125-26-354008"
form_type: "8-K"
ticker: "WEN"
cik: "0000030697"
company_name: "Wendy's Co"
filed_at: "2026-08-17T20:02:29+00:00"
generated_at: "2026-08-17T20:04:29.166965+00:00"
event_type: "leadership"
sentiment: "neutral"
materiality_score: 0.6
calibrated_materiality_score: 0.6
confidence: "high"
source: SEC EDGAR
---

# Wendy's President U.S. Pete Suerken resigns effective Aug 31, 2026; COO role created

## Summary
- Pete Suerken, President U.S., departs to become President & CEO of QSCC, Wendy's purchasing co-op.
- Company eliminates President U.S. position and creates new Chief Operations Officer reporting to CEO.
- Suerken receives pro-rated accelerated vesting of 80,481 RSUs (originally granted July 2025) and pro-rated 2026 cash incentive.
- All other outstanding equity awards forfeited; no other departure benefits provided.
- Restructuring and reorganization efforts previously disclosed on Q2 2026 earnings call.

## SEC filing metadata
- accession: 0001193125-26-354008
- form_type: 8-K
- ticker: WEN
- cik: 0000030697
- company_name: Wendy's Co
- filed_at: 2026-08-17T20:02:29+00:00
- event_type: leadership
- sentiment: neutral
- materiality_score: 0.6
- calibrated_materiality_score: 0.6
- confidence: high
- sec_items: 5.02
- EDGAR index: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/30697/000119312526354008/0001193125-26-354008-index.htm
- EDGAR primary document: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/30697/000119312526354008/d126117d8k.htm

## Machine-readable alternates
- HTML: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001193125-26-354008
- JSON: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001193125-26-354008.json
- Plain text: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001193125-26-354008.txt

## Key facts
- Executive change
  Pete Suerken resigned as President, U.S. at Wendy's Co.
  - Action: resigned
  - Role: President, U.S.
  source text: On August 14, 2026, Pete Suerken, President, U.S. of The Wendy’s Company (“Wendy’s” or the “Company”), notified the Company of his intention to resign from the Company to become the President and Chief Executive Officer of Quality Supply Chain Co-op, Inc. (“QSCC”), the independent purchasing cooperative for the Wendy’s system.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/30697/000119312526354008/0001193125-26-354008-index.htm

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