---
schema_version: "secwatch.filing_event.v1"
accession: "0001564590-21-059688"
form_type: "8-K"
ticker: "HWC"
cik: "0000750577"
company_name: "HANCOCK WHITNEY CORP"
filed_at: "2021-12-08T23:59:59+00:00"
generated_at: "2026-06-28T02:57:18.536732+00:00"
event_type: "leadership"
sentiment: "neutral"
materiality_score: 0.4
calibrated_materiality_score: 0.4
confidence: "high"
source: SEC EDGAR
---

# Hancock Whitney Principal Accounting Officer retiring; CFO designated as successor

## Summary
- Stephen E. Barker, EVP and Principal Accounting Officer, to retire effective February 2, 2022.
- Michael M. Achary, CFO, designated as Principal Accounting Officer effective on Barker's retirement date.
- Achary is Senior Executive Vice President and CFO; internal succession maintains continuity.

## SEC filing metadata
- accession: 0001564590-21-059688
- form_type: 8-K
- ticker: HWC
- cik: 0000750577
- company_name: HANCOCK WHITNEY CORP
- filed_at: 2021-12-08T23:59:59+00:00
- event_type: leadership
- sentiment: neutral
- materiality_score: 0.4
- calibrated_materiality_score: 0.4
- confidence: high
- sec_items: 5.02
- EDGAR index: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/750577/000156459021059688/0001564590-21-059688-index.htm
- EDGAR primary document: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/750577/000156459021059688/hwc-8k_20211206.htm

## Machine-readable alternates
- HTML: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001564590-21-059688
- JSON: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001564590-21-059688.json
- Plain text: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001564590-21-059688.txt

## Key facts
- Executive change
  Stephen E. Barker departed as Executive Vice President, Senior Accounting and Finance Executive (Principal Accounting Officer) at HANCOCK WHITNEY CORP.
  - Action: announced his retirement
  - Role: Executive Vice President, Senior Accounting and Finance Executive (Principal Accounting Officer)
  source text: On December 6, 2021, Stephen E. Barker, Executive Vice President, Senior Accounting and Finance Executive (Principal Accounting Officer) of Hancock Whitney Corporation (the “Company”) announced his retirement from the Company, effective February 2, 2022.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/750577/000156459021059688/0001564590-21-059688-index.htm
- Executive change
  Michael M. Achary was appointed as Principal Accounting Officer at HANCOCK WHITNEY CORP.
  - Action: designated
  - Role: Principal Accounting Officer
  source text: On December 7, 2021 the Company’s board of directors designated Michael M. Achary , Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the Company, as the Company’s Principal Accounting Officer effective on the date of Mr. Barker’s retirement.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/750577/000156459021059688/0001564590-21-059688-index.htm

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