--- schema_version: "secwatch.filing_event.v1" accession: "0001628280-23-019289" form_type: "8-K" ticker: "GWH" cik: "0001819438" company_name: "ESS Tech, Inc." filed_at: "2023-05-22T23:59:59+00:00" generated_at: "2026-06-14T18:26:38.545930+00:00" event_type: "leadership" sentiment: "neutral" materiality_score: 0.5 calibrated_materiality_score: 0.5 confidence: "high" source: SEC EDGAR --- # ESS Tech President Craig Evans resigns, stays as Co-Founder and Advisor to CEO ## Summary - Craig Evans resigned as President effective May 19, 2023, after his board term ended. - He continues full-time as Co-Founder and Advisor to CEO; resignation not due to any disagreement. - Stockholders approved charter amendment for officer exculpation per Delaware law. - Elected Class II directors Sandeep Nijhawan and Kyle Teamey to serve until 2026. - Ratified KPMG LLP as independent auditor for fiscal year ending December 31, 2023. ## SEC filing metadata - accession: 0001628280-23-019289 - form_type: 8-K - ticker: GWH - cik: 0001819438 - company_name: ESS Tech, Inc. - filed_at: 2023-05-22T23:59:59+00:00 - event_type: leadership - sentiment: neutral - materiality_score: 0.5 - calibrated_materiality_score: 0.5 - confidence: high - sec_items: 5.02, 5.03, 5.07, 9.01 - EDGAR index: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1819438/000162828023019289/0001628280-23-019289-index.htm - EDGAR primary document: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1819438/000162828023019289/wk-20230522.htm ## Machine-readable alternates - HTML: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001628280-23-019289 - JSON: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001628280-23-019289.json - Plain text: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001628280-23-019289.txt ## Key facts - Executive change Craig Evans resigned as President at ESS Tech, Inc.. - Action: resigned - Role: President source text: On May 17, 2023, in connection with the end of his term with the Company’s board of directors ("Board"), Craig Evans, Co-Founder and President of ESS Tech, Inc. (the “Company”) tendered his resignation as President to be effective as of the commencement of the 2023 annual meeting of stockholders (the "Annual Meeting") held on May 19, 2023. evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1819438/000162828023019289/0001628280-23-019289-index.htm - Governance Changes ESS Tech, Inc.: Stockholders approved an amendment to the Company's Certificate of Incorporation to add officer exculpation provisions in accordance with recent changes to Delaware law (effective 2023-05-19). - Change: charter amendment - Effective: 2023-05-19 source text: As disclosed in Item 5.07 below, at the Annual Meeting of the Company, the Company’s stockholders approved an amendment to Article IX of the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation (“Charter”), to provide for exculpation of certain officers to the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law. The Board previously approved the amendment to the Charter subject to stockholder approval. The Charter amendment became effective upon the filing of the Certificate of Amendment to the Charter with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on May 19, 2023. evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1819438/000162828023019289/0001628280-23-019289-index.htm - Shareholder Votes ESS Tech, Inc. shareholders approved Amendment to Certificate of Incorporation to Reflect Recently Adopted Delaware Law Provisions Regarding Officer Exculpation at the 2023-05-19 meeting. - Proposal: charter amendment - Outcome: passed - Meeting: 2023-05-19 source text: Proposal 2: Amendment to our Certificate of Incorporation to Reflect Recently Adopted Delaware Law Provisions Regarding Officer Exculpation At the Annual Meeting, the Company’s stockholders approved the amendment of its Charter to reflect recently adopted Delaware law provisions regarding officer exculpation. The table below sets forth the final voting results for this proposal: Votes For Votes Against Abstentions Broker Non-Votes 103,895,988 1,158,390 94,154 22,633,470 evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1819438/000162828023019289/0001628280-23-019289-index.htm - Shareholder Votes ESS Tech, Inc. shareholders approved Election of Class II Directors at the 2023-05-19 meeting. - Proposal: director election - Outcome: passed - Meeting: 2023-05-19 source text: Proposal 1: Election of Directors At the Annual Meeting, the Company’s stockholders elected two Class II directors to the Board to serve until the 2026 annual meeting of stockholders and until their respective successors have been duly elected and qualified. The table below sets forth the final voting results for each director nominee: Nominee Votes For Votes Withheld Broker Non-Votes Sandeep Nijhawan 104,646,990 501,542 22,633,470 Kyle Teamey 93,451,674 11,696,858 22,633,470 evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1819438/000162828023019289/0001628280-23-019289-index.htm - Shareholder Votes ESS Tech, Inc. shareholders approved Ratification of Appointment of KPMG LLP as Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm for Fiscal Year Ending December 31, 2023 at the 2023-05-19 meeting. - Proposal: auditor ratification - Outcome: passed - Meeting: 2023-05-19 source text: Proposal 3: Ratification of the Appointment of KPMG LLP as the Company’s Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm At the Annual Meeting, the Company’s stockholders ratified the appointment of KPMG LLP to serve as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2023. The table below sets forth the final voting results for this proposal: Votes For Votes Against Abstentions 107,964,372 12,911 19,804,719 evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1819438/000162828023019289/0001628280-23-019289-index.htm This AI-assisted summary is a reading aid. Review the linked SEC EDGAR filing before relying on any specific claim.