---
schema_version: "secwatch.filing_event.v1"
accession: "0001628280-23-020172"
form_type: "8-K"
ticker: "ACRE"
cik: "0001529377"
company_name: "Ares Commercial Real Estate Corp"
filed_at: "2023-05-30T23:59:59+00:00"
generated_at: "2026-06-14T11:39:22.417278+00:00"
event_type: "other"
sentiment: "neutral"
materiality_score: 0.1
calibrated_materiality_score: 0.1
confidence: "high"
source: SEC EDGAR
---

# Ares Commercial Real Estate shareholders elect directors, ratify auditor, approve say-on-pay

## Summary
- William S. Benjamin elected as Class II director with 18,313,095 votes for (4,422,561 withheld).
- Caroline E. Blakely elected as Class II director with 18,126,896 votes for (4,608,760 withheld).
- Ratification of Ernst & Young as auditor for FY 2023: 39,165,404 for, 301,602 against, 301,602 abstain.
- Non-binding advisory approval of named executive officer compensation: 21,095,016 for, 1,135,522 against.

## SEC filing metadata
- accession: 0001628280-23-020172
- form_type: 8-K
- ticker: ACRE
- cik: 0001529377
- company_name: Ares Commercial Real Estate Corp
- filed_at: 2023-05-30T23:59:59+00:00
- event_type: other
- sentiment: neutral
- materiality_score: 0.1
- calibrated_materiality_score: 0.1
- confidence: high
- sec_items: 5.07
- EDGAR index: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1529377/000162828023020172/0001628280-23-020172-index.htm
- EDGAR primary document: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1529377/000162828023020172/acre-20230525.htm

## Machine-readable alternates
- HTML: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001628280-23-020172
- JSON: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001628280-23-020172.json
- Plain text: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001628280-23-020172.txt

## Key facts
- Shareholder Votes
  Ares Commercial Real Estate Corp shareholders approved Non-binding advisory vote on executive compensation at the 2023-05-25 meeting.
  - Proposal: say on pay
  - Outcome: passed
  - Meeting: 2023-05-25
  source text: (3) A proposal to approve, on a non-binding, advisory basis, the compensation of the Company’s named executive officers. VOTES FOR VOTES AGAINST VOTES ABSTAINED BROKER NON-VOTES 21,095,016 1,135,522 505,118 17,225,613
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1529377/000162828023020172/0001628280-23-020172-index.htm
- Shareholder Votes
  Ares Commercial Real Estate Corp shareholders approved Ratification of Ernst & Young LLP as independent registered public accounting firm at the 2023-05-25 meeting.
  - Proposal: auditor ratification
  - Outcome: passed
  - Meeting: 2023-05-25
  source text: (2) A proposal to ratify the selection of Ernst & Young LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2023. VOTES FOR VOTES AGAINST VOTES ABSTAINED 39,165,404 494,263 301,602
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1529377/000162828023020172/0001628280-23-020172-index.htm
- Shareholder Votes
  Ares Commercial Real Estate Corp shareholders approved Election of two Class II directors at the 2023-05-25 meeting.
  - Proposal: director election
  - Outcome: passed
  - Meeting: 2023-05-25
  source text: (1) A proposal to elect two Class II directors to serve until the Company’s 2026 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, and until their successors have been duly elected and qualify. VOTES FOR VOTES WITHHELD BROKER NON-VOTES William S. Benjamin 18,313,095 4,422,561 17,225,613 Caroline E. Blakely 18,126,896 4,608,760 17,225,613
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1529377/000162828023020172/0001628280-23-020172-index.htm

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