---
schema_version: "secwatch.filing_event.v1"
accession: "0001723596-24-000439"
form_type: "8-K"
ticker: "CLBK"
cik: "0001723596"
company_name: "Columbia Financial, Inc."
filed_at: "2024-11-25T23:59:59+00:00"
generated_at: "2026-05-29T19:01:25.106878+00:00"
event_type: "leadership"
sentiment: "neutral"
materiality_score: 0.6
calibrated_materiality_score: 0.6
confidence: "high"
source: SEC EDGAR
---

# Columbia Financial appoints Matthew Smith as COO, succeeding retiring E. Thomas Allen Jr.

## Summary
- Smith appointed Senior EVP & COO effective Nov 25, 2024; Allen to retire Jan 31, 2025.
- Smith previously Chief Digital Banking Officer at Webster Bank; background in digital and product strategy.
- Enters two-year employment agreement with $410K base salary, $75K sign-on bonus, and 60% target bonus for 2025.
- Eligible for equity awards under 2025 Long Term Incentive Program with 60% of base salary target.

## SEC filing metadata
- accession: 0001723596-24-000439
- form_type: 8-K
- ticker: CLBK
- cik: 0001723596
- company_name: Columbia Financial, Inc.
- filed_at: 2024-11-25T23:59:59+00:00
- event_type: leadership
- sentiment: neutral
- materiality_score: 0.6
- calibrated_materiality_score: 0.6
- confidence: high
- sec_items: 5.02, 9.01
- EDGAR index: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1723596/000172359624000439/0001723596-24-000439-index.htm
- EDGAR primary document: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1723596/000172359624000439/clbk-20241125.htm

## Machine-readable alternates
- HTML: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001723596-24-000439
- JSON: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001723596-24-000439.json
- Plain text: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001723596-24-000439.txt

## Key facts
- Executive change
  E. Thomas Allen, Jr. retired as Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Columbia Financial, Inc..
  - Action: retired
  - Role: Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer
  source text: The Company previously disclosed the retirement of E. Thomas Allen, Jr., the current Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the Company and the Bank, effective as of January 31, 2025.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1723596/000172359624000439/0001723596-24-000439-index.htm
- Executive change
  Matthew Smith was appointed as Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Columbia Financial, Inc..
  - Action: appointed
  - Role: Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer
  source text: Matthew Smith has been appointed as Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the Company and the Bank effective as of November 25, 2024.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1723596/000172359624000439/0001723596-24-000439-index.htm

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