{"schema_version":"secwatch.filing_event.v1","accession":"0001495320-25-000044","form_type":"8-K","ticker":"VRA","cik":"0001495320","company_name":"Vera Bradley, Inc.","filed_at":"2025-06-11T23:59:59+00:00","discovered_at":"2026-05-14T18:02:48.452223+00:00","generated_at":"2026-05-19T12:59:34.689946+00:00","sec_items":["5.02","9.01"],"event_type":"leadership","sentiment":"neutral","materiality_score":0.6,"calibrated_materiality_score":0.6,"confidence":"high","headline":"CEO Ardrey departs; CFO Schwindle out; Bickley named Exec Chairman, Layding new CFO","bullets":["CEO Jackie Ardrey steps down, will remain through July; national search for replacement.","Ian Bickley becomes Executive Chairman July 7, 2025, assumes interim CEO duties; receives $30k/month plus $600k RSU grant.","CFO Michael Schwindle departs June 12, 2025, stays until June 30; Martin Layding starts as CFO June 12.","Layding base salary $475k, STI target 65%, LTI grants totaling $1.025M and $150k cash sign-on.","Board Chair Robert Hall steps down, remains director; Andrew Meslow named Lead Independent Director; new Strategy and Transformation Committee formed."],"urls":{"canonical":"https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001495320-25-000044","json":"https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001495320-25-000044.json","markdown":"https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001495320-25-000044.md","text":"https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001495320-25-000044.txt","edgar_index":"https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1495320/000149532025000044/0001495320-25-000044-index.htm","edgar_primary_document":"https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1495320/000149532025000044/vra-20250611.htm"},"model":{"generated_by":"deepseek-v4-flash:cloud@v2","generated_at":"2026-05-19T12:59:34.689946+00:00"},"review":{"review_status":"machine_generated","human_reviewed":false,"corrected":false,"correction_note":null,"correction_timestamp":null,"superseded_by":null,"related_filings":[]},"source_grounded_claims":[{"claim_id":"1d2c2f7c45","claim":"Martin Layding was appointed as Chief Financial Officer at Vera Bradley, Inc..","evidence_excerpt":"On June 11, 2025, the Company also announced that Martin Layding, 54, will join the Company as its CFO effective June 12, 2025.","evidence_source":"SEC 8-K Item 5.02","evidence_url":"https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1495320/000149532025000044/0001495320-25-000044-index.htm","confidence":0.95,"family_label":"Executive change","details":[{"label":"Action","value":"appointed"},{"label":"Role","value":"Chief Financial Officer"}],"fact_type":"executive_change"},{"claim_id":"98cf6aa833","claim":"Michael Schwindle departed as Chief Financial Officer at Vera Bradley, Inc..","evidence_excerpt":"Also on June 11, 2025, the Company announced that Michael Schwindle, the Company’s Chief Financial Officer (“CFO”), will be stepping down from his position as CFO, effective June 12, 2025.","evidence_source":"SEC 8-K Item 5.02","evidence_url":"https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1495320/000149532025000044/0001495320-25-000044-index.htm","confidence":0.95,"family_label":"Executive change","details":[{"label":"Action","value":"stepping down"},{"label":"Role","value":"Chief Financial Officer"}],"fact_type":"executive_change"},{"claim_id":"a3fdd693eb","claim":"Jackie Ardrey departed as President and Chief Executive Officer at Vera Bradley, Inc..","evidence_excerpt":"On June 11, 2025, Vera Bradley, Inc. (the \"Company\") announced that Jackie Ardrey has decided to step down from her position as President and Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) of the Company.","evidence_source":"SEC 8-K Item 5.02","evidence_url":"https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1495320/000149532025000044/0001495320-25-000044-index.htm","confidence":0.95,"family_label":"Executive change","details":[{"label":"Action","value":"stepped down"},{"label":"Role","value":"President and Chief Executive Officer"}],"fact_type":"executive_change"},{"claim_id":"b0c3510eb6","claim":"Ian Bickley was appointed as Executive Chairman at Vera Bradley, Inc..","evidence_excerpt":"Ian Bickley, 61 and a current member of the Company’s Board of Directors, will assume the role of Executive Chairman effective July 7, 2025","evidence_source":"SEC 8-K Item 5.02","evidence_url":"https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1495320/000149532025000044/0001495320-25-000044-index.htm","confidence":0.95,"family_label":"Executive change","details":[{"label":"Action","value":"appointed"},{"label":"Role","value":"Executive Chairman"}],"fact_type":"executive_change"}],"license":"Source filings: public domain (SEC EDGAR). Summaries (headline + bullets): CC-BY-4.0; attribute https://secwatch.observer"}