---
schema_version: "secwatch.filing_event.v1"
accession: "0001471265-22-000081"
form_type: "8-K"
ticker: "NWBI"
cik: "0001471265"
company_name: "Northwest Bancshares, Inc."
filed_at: "2022-05-25T23:59:59+00:00"
generated_at: "2026-06-25T07:09:30.061971+00:00"
event_type: "leadership"
sentiment: "negative"
materiality_score: 0.85
calibrated_materiality_score: 0.85
confidence: "high"
source: SEC EDGAR
---

# Northwest Bancshares CEO Ronald J. Seiffert dies unexpectedly; interim CEO and Chair appointed

## Summary
- Chairman, President & CEO Ronald J. Seiffert passed away of natural causes on May 24, 2022.
- CFO William W. Harvey Jr. appointed interim President & CEO; retains CFO role.
- Lead Director Timothy B. Fannin appointed interim Chairman of the Board.
- Succession plan executed: Harvey has been with Northwest since 1996; Fannin was Lead Director.
- Company intends to carry forward Seiffert's strategic vision as an independent institution.

## SEC filing metadata
- accession: 0001471265-22-000081
- form_type: 8-K
- ticker: NWBI
- cik: 0001471265
- company_name: Northwest Bancshares, Inc.
- filed_at: 2022-05-25T23:59:59+00:00
- event_type: leadership
- sentiment: negative
- materiality_score: 0.85
- calibrated_materiality_score: 0.85
- confidence: high
- sec_items: 5.02, 8.01, 9.01
- EDGAR index: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1471265/000147126522000081/0001471265-22-000081-index.htm
- EDGAR primary document: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1471265/000147126522000081/nwbi-20220524.htm

## Machine-readable alternates
- HTML: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001471265-22-000081
- JSON: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001471265-22-000081.json
- Plain text: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001471265-22-000081.txt

## Key facts
- Executive change
  Ronald J. Seiffert departed as Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer at Northwest Bancshares, Inc..
  - Action: passed away
  - Role: Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer
  source text: Northwest Bancshares, Inc. (the “Company”) is saddened to report that Ronald J. Seiffert, the Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company and Northwest Bank, the Company’s wholly owned subsidiary, passed away unexpectedly of natural causes on May 24, 2022.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1471265/000147126522000081/0001471265-22-000081-index.htm
- Executive change
  William W. Harvey, Jr. was appointed as interim President and Chief Executive Officer at Northwest Bancshares, Inc..
  - Action: appointed
  - Role: interim President and Chief Executive Officer
  source text: Following Mr. Seiffert’s death, on May 24, 2022, the Boards of Directors of the Company and Northwest Bank appointed William W. Harvey, Jr. as interim President and Chief Executive Officer.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1471265/000147126522000081/0001471265-22-000081-index.htm
- Executive change
  Timothy B. Fannin was appointed as interim Chairman of the Board at Northwest Bancshares, Inc..
  - Action: appointed
  - Role: interim Chairman of the Board
  source text: the Boards of Directors of the Company and Northwest Bank appointed Lead Director Timothy B. Fannin as interim Chairman of the Board of each entity.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1471265/000147126522000081/0001471265-22-000081-index.htm

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