---
schema_version: "secwatch.filing_event.v1"
accession: "0001830210-25-000016"
form_type: "8-K"
ticker: null
cik: "0001830210"
company_name: "Benson Hill, Inc."
filed_at: "2025-03-25T23:59:59+00:00"
generated_at: "2026-05-24T05:59:03.908542+00:00"
event_type: "other_material"
sentiment: "negative"
materiality_score: 1.0
calibrated_materiality_score: 1.0
confidence: "high"
source: SEC EDGAR
---

# Benson Hill files Chapter 11 bankruptcy, terminates CEO/CFO/CTO; Nasdaq delisting March 27

## Summary
- Filed Chapter 11 on March 20, 2025; secured $11M DIP financing at 15% interest with credit bid rights.
- Terminated CEO Elsner, CFO Keefe, CTO Bull; appointed Daniel Cosgrove as interim CEO at $500K base.
- Nasdaq determined to delist common stock effective March 27, 2025; company not appealing.
- Expects $1.7M in employee termination costs and significant asset impairments.

## SEC filing metadata
- accession: 0001830210-25-000016
- form_type: 8-K
- cik: 0001830210
- company_name: Benson Hill, Inc.
- filed_at: 2025-03-25T23:59:59+00:00
- event_type: other_material
- sentiment: negative
- materiality_score: 1.0
- calibrated_materiality_score: 1.0
- confidence: high
- sec_items: 1.01, 1.03, 2.03, 2.05, 5.02, 2.06, 3.01, 7.01, 9.01
- EDGAR index: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1830210/000183021025000016/0001830210-25-000016-index.htm
- EDGAR primary document: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1830210/000183021025000016/bhil-20250319.htm

## Machine-readable alternates
- HTML: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001830210-25-000016
- JSON: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001830210-25-000016.json
- Plain text: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001830210-25-000016.txt

## Key facts
- Distress & Bankruptcy
  Benson Hill, Inc. entered chapter 11 in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware (petition 2025-03-20).
  - Proceeding: chapter 11
  - Court: U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware
  - Petition: 2025-03-20
  source text: On March 20, 2025, Benson Hill, Inc. (the "Company") and its wholly-owned subsidiaries Benson Hill Fresh, LLC, Benson Hill Holdings, Inc., Benson Hill Seeds Holdings, Inc., Benson Hill Seeds, Inc., BHB Holdings, LLC, Benson Hill ND OldCo, Inc., DDB Holdings, Inc., and J&J Southern Farms, Inc. (together with the Company, the "Debtors"), filed voluntary petitions for relief under chapter 11 of title 11 ("Chapter 11") of the United States Code (the "Bankruptcy Code") in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware (the "Bankruptcy Court").
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1830210/000183021025000016/0001830210-25-000016-index.htm
- Executive change
  Adrienne "Deanie" Elsner was terminated as Chief Executive Officer at Benson Hill, Inc..
  - Action: terminated
  - Role: Chief Executive Officer
  source text: the employment of each of Adrienne “Deanie” Elsner, Chief Executive Officer, Susan Keefe, Chief Financial Officer, and Jason Bull, Chief Technology Officer, was terminated without cause.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1830210/000183021025000016/0001830210-25-000016-index.htm
- Executive change
  Jason Bull was terminated as Chief Technology Officer at Benson Hill, Inc..
  - Action: terminated
  - Role: Chief Technology Officer
  source text: the employment of each of Adrienne “Deanie” Elsner, Chief Executive Officer, Susan Keefe, Chief Financial Officer, and Jason Bull, Chief Technology Officer, was terminated without cause.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1830210/000183021025000016/0001830210-25-000016-index.htm
- Executive change
  Daniel Cosgrove was appointed as interim Chief Executive Officer, General Counsel and Secretary at Benson Hill, Inc..
  - Action: appointed
  - Role: interim Chief Executive Officer, General Counsel and Secretary
  source text: Effective March 19, 2025, immediately following the March 19 Board Meeting, the Company appointed Daniel Cosgrove, previously Chief Administrative Officer and General Counsel, to serve as the Company’s interim Chief Executive Officer, General Counsel and Secretary of the Company.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1830210/000183021025000016/0001830210-25-000016-index.htm
- Executive change
  Susan Keefe was terminated as Chief Financial Officer at Benson Hill, Inc..
  - Action: terminated
  - Role: Chief Financial Officer
  source text: the employment of each of Adrienne “Deanie” Elsner, Chief Executive Officer, Susan Keefe, Chief Financial Officer, and Jason Bull, Chief Technology Officer, was terminated without cause.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1830210/000183021025000016/0001830210-25-000016-index.htm
- Restructurings & Charges
  Benson Hill, Inc. announced a restructuring with charges of approximately $1.7 million.
  - Type: restructuring
  - Charge: approximately $1.7 million
  source text: At this time, the Company expects that the aggregate costs related to such terminations will be approximately $1.7 million.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1830210/000183021025000016/0001830210-25-000016-index.htm

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