{"schema_version":"secwatch.filing_event.v1","accession":"0001628280-23-030822","form_type":"8-K","ticker":"GWH","cik":"0001819438","company_name":"ESS Tech, Inc.","filed_at":"2023-08-29T23:59:59+00:00","discovered_at":"2026-05-14T18:03:35.423360+00:00","generated_at":"2026-06-11T02:28:35.755445+00:00","sec_items":["5.02","7.01","9.01"],"event_type":"leadership","sentiment":"neutral","materiality_score":0.5,"calibrated_materiality_score":0.5,"confidence":"high","headline":"ESS Tech appoints Harry Quarls as Chairman; Niggli stays as Founding Chairman","bullets":["Board expanded from 7 to 8 directors; Quarls appointed as Chairman and Class II director.","Michael Niggli steps down as Chairman but remains on board as Founding Chairman and on audit committee.","Quarls receives initial RSU grant of $200K, vests 1/3 annually; supplemental option grant for 1.5x shares.","Quarls eligible for annual RSU award of $300K after first annual meeting; plus $75K cash retainer annually.","Quarls brings 40 years of energy experience from Global Infrastructure Partners and Booz & Company."],"urls":{"canonical":"https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001628280-23-030822","json":"https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001628280-23-030822.json","markdown":"https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001628280-23-030822.md","text":"https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001628280-23-030822.txt","edgar_index":"https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1819438/000162828023030822/0001628280-23-030822-index.htm","edgar_primary_document":"https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1819438/000162828023030822/wk-20230828.htm"},"model":{"generated_by":"deepseek-v4-flash:cloud@v2","generated_at":"2026-06-11T02:28:35.755445+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":"ca0a1c8174","claim":"Harry Quarls was appointed as Chairman of the Board at ESS Tech, Inc..","evidence_excerpt":"the Board appointed Harry Quarls as a member of the Board and as Chairman of the Board.","evidence_source":"SEC 8-K Item 5.02","evidence_url":"https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1819438/000162828023030822/0001628280-23-030822-index.htm","confidence":0.95,"family_label":"Executive change","details":[{"label":"Action","value":"appointed"},{"label":"Role","value":"Chairman of the Board"}],"fact_type":"executive_change"},{"claim_id":"ff26e5b6c9","claim":"Michael R. Niggli resigned as Founding Chairman at ESS Tech, Inc..","evidence_excerpt":"Michael R. Niggli resigned as Chairman of the Board and the Board appointed Harry Quarls as a member of the Board and as Chairman of the Board.","evidence_source":"SEC 8-K Item 5.02","evidence_url":"https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1819438/000162828023030822/0001628280-23-030822-index.htm","confidence":0.95,"family_label":"Executive change","details":[{"label":"Action","value":"resigned"},{"label":"Role","value":"Founding Chairman"}],"fact_type":"executive_change"}],"license":"Source filings: public domain (SEC EDGAR). Summaries (headline + bullets): CC-BY-4.0; attribute https://secwatch.observer"}