---
schema_version: "secwatch.filing_event.v1"
accession: "0001558370-21-016944"
form_type: "8-K"
ticker: "GKOS"
cik: "0001192448"
company_name: "GLAUKOS Corp"
filed_at: "2021-12-20T23:59:59+00:00"
generated_at: "2026-06-27T23:36:03.801265+00:00"
event_type: "leadership"
sentiment: "neutral"
materiality_score: 0.6
calibrated_materiality_score: 0.6
confidence: "high"
source: SEC EDGAR
---

# Glaukos Chairman William J. Link to retire Dec 31; CEO Burns named new Chairman, Foley Lead Independent Director

## Summary
- William J. Link retires as Board Chairman effective Dec 31, 2021; will serve as strategic advisor during transition.
- President and CEO Thomas W. Burns appointed Chairman of the Board, effective Dec 31, 2021.
- Mark J. Foley appointed Lead Independent Director, receiving additional $30,000 annual retainer.
- Board reduced to eight directors following Link's retirement; no disagreement cited.
- Dr. Link served as Chairman since 2001; Burns has been a director since 2002.

## SEC filing metadata
- accession: 0001558370-21-016944
- form_type: 8-K
- ticker: GKOS
- cik: 0001192448
- company_name: GLAUKOS Corp
- filed_at: 2021-12-20T23:59:59+00:00
- event_type: leadership
- sentiment: neutral
- materiality_score: 0.6
- calibrated_materiality_score: 0.6
- confidence: high
- sec_items: 5.02, 7.01, 9.01
- EDGAR index: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1192448/000155837021016944/0001558370-21-016944-index.htm
- EDGAR primary document: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1192448/000155837021016944/gkos-20211216x8k.htm

## Machine-readable alternates
- HTML: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001558370-21-016944
- JSON: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001558370-21-016944.json
- Plain text: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001558370-21-016944.txt

## Key facts
- Executive change
  Mark J. Foley was appointed as Lead Independent Director at GLAUKOS Corp.
  - Action: appointed
  - Role: Lead Independent Director
  source text: the independent members of the Board appointed Mark J. Foley, who has served as a member of the Board since 2014 and is the Chair of the Compensation Committee, as the Board’s Lead Independent Director effective December 31, 2021.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1192448/000155837021016944/0001558370-21-016944-index.htm
- Executive change
  Thomas W. Burns was appointed as Chairman of the Board at GLAUKOS Corp.
  - Action: appointed
  - Role: Chairman of the Board
  source text: the Board, upon the recommendation of the Compensation Committee, appointed Thomas W. Burns, the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer and a director on the Board since 2002, to serve as the Chairman of the Board of the Company effective upon Dr. Link’s retirement on December 31, 2021.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1192448/000155837021016944/0001558370-21-016944-index.htm
- Executive change
  William J. Link retired as Chairman of the Board at GLAUKOS Corp.
  - Action: retired
  - Role: Chairman of the Board
  source text: On December 16, 2021, William J. Link, Ph.D., informed Glaukos Corporation (the “Company”) that he intends to retire from the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”) effective December 31, 2021.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1192448/000155837021016944/0001558370-21-016944-index.htm

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