---
schema_version: "secwatch.filing_event.v1"
accession: "0001437749-23-020614"
form_type: "8-K"
ticker: "WSBF"
cik: "0001569994"
company_name: "Waterstone Financial, Inc."
filed_at: "2023-07-25T23:59:59+00:00"
generated_at: "2026-06-13T03:07:54.346422+00:00"
event_type: "leadership"
sentiment: "neutral"
materiality_score: 0.6
calibrated_materiality_score: 0.6
confidence: "high"
source: SEC EDGAR
---

# Waterstone Financial CEO Douglas Gordon to retire Dec 31, 2023; William Bruss elected as successor

## Summary
- CEO Douglas Gordon to retire Dec 31, 2023; will remain on boards of Company, Bank, and Waterstone Mortgage.
- William F. Bruss elected CEO effective Jan 1, 2024; currently President since Jan 2022.
- Bruss has been executive officer since 2005, previously EVP, COO, and General Counsel.
- Chairman Pat Lawton: Board planned transition for several years; Bruss ideal successor.

## SEC filing metadata
- accession: 0001437749-23-020614
- form_type: 8-K
- ticker: WSBF
- cik: 0001569994
- company_name: Waterstone Financial, Inc.
- filed_at: 2023-07-25T23:59:59+00:00
- event_type: leadership
- sentiment: neutral
- materiality_score: 0.6
- calibrated_materiality_score: 0.6
- confidence: high
- sec_items: 5.02, 9.01
- EDGAR index: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1569994/000143774923020614/0001437749-23-020614-index.htm
- EDGAR primary document: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1569994/000143774923020614/wsbf20230725_8k.htm

## Machine-readable alternates
- HTML: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001437749-23-020614
- JSON: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001437749-23-020614.json
- Plain text: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001437749-23-020614.txt

## Key facts
- Executive change
  Douglas S. Gordon departed as Chief Executive Officer at Waterstone Financial, Inc..
  - Action: retire
  - Role: Chief Executive Officer
  source text: On July 25, 2023, Douglas S. Gordon, Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) of Waterstone Financial, Inc. (the “Company”) notified the Company of his intention to retire from his position as CEO of the Company and its wholly owned subsidiary, WaterStone Bank (the “Bank”), effective December 31, 2023.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1569994/000143774923020614/0001437749-23-020614-index.htm
- Executive change
  William F. Bruss was elected as Chief Executive Officer at Waterstone Financial, Inc..
  - Action: elected
  - Role: Chief Executive Officer
  source text: On July 25, 2023, the Boards of Directors of the Company and the Bank elected William F. Bruss, to serve as the next CEO of the Company and the Bank effective January 1, 2024.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1569994/000143774923020614/0001437749-23-020614-index.htm

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