---
schema_version: "secwatch.filing_event.v1"
accession: "0001628280-25-005510"
form_type: "8-K"
ticker: "GWH"
cik: "0001819438"
company_name: "ESS Tech, Inc."
filed_at: "2025-02-14T23:59:59+00:00"
generated_at: "2026-05-26T21:34:10.979292+00:00"
event_type: "leadership"
sentiment: "neutral"
materiality_score: 0.8
calibrated_materiality_score: 0.8
confidence: "high"
source: SEC EDGAR
---

# ESS CEO Eric Dresselhuys resigns; interim CEO Goodman appointed; board explores strategic options

## Summary
- CEO Eric Dresselhuys separated Feb 13, 2025; receives 12 months base salary ($500K) plus COBRA and accelerated equity vesting.
- Kelly Goodman (VP Legal) appointed interim CEO; annual salary $297,432; supported by Office of Interim CEO (CFO Rabb, EVP Heng).
- Board engaged advisors to evaluate potential commercial or financial transactions to enable new strategic direction.
- ESS now bidding on 12-24 hour LDES projects for AI/data center loads, targeting initial installations in 2027.

## SEC filing metadata
- accession: 0001628280-25-005510
- form_type: 8-K
- ticker: GWH
- cik: 0001819438
- company_name: ESS Tech, Inc.
- filed_at: 2025-02-14T23:59:59+00:00
- event_type: leadership
- sentiment: neutral
- materiality_score: 0.8
- calibrated_materiality_score: 0.8
- confidence: high
- sec_items: 5.02, 9.01
- EDGAR index: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1819438/000162828025005510/0001628280-25-005510-index.htm
- EDGAR primary document: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1819438/000162828025005510/wk-20250213.htm

## Machine-readable alternates
- HTML: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001628280-25-005510
- JSON: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001628280-25-005510.json
- Plain text: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001628280-25-005510.txt

## Key facts
- Executive change
  Eric Dresselhuys departed as Chief Executive Officer at ESS Tech, Inc..
  - Action: separated and resigned
  - Role: Chief Executive Officer
  source text: On February 13, 2025, Eric Dresselhuys, Chief Executive Officer of ESS Tech, Inc. (the “Company”), separated from the Company and resigned as a member of Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”).
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1819438/000162828025005510/0001628280-25-005510-index.htm
- Executive change
  Kelly F. Goodman was appointed as Interim Chief Executive Officer and Principal Executive Officer at ESS Tech, Inc..
  - Action: appointed
  - Role: Interim Chief Executive Officer and Principal Executive Officer
  source text: In connection with Mr. Dresselhuys’ departure, Kelly F. Goodman, the Company’s current Vice President of Legal and Corporate Secretary, will be appointed as the interim Chief Executive Officer and Principal Executive Officer of the Company, effective February 13, 2025, until her successor is duly appointed and qualified.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1819438/000162828025005510/0001628280-25-005510-index.htm

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