--- schema_version: "secwatch.filing_event.v1" accession: "0001999371-25-000518" form_type: "8-K" ticker: null cik: "0000890447" company_name: "Vertex Energy Inc." filed_at: "2025-01-22T23:59:59+00:00" generated_at: "2026-05-27T21:39:50.961951+00:00" event_type: "other_material" sentiment: "positive" materiality_score: 1.0 calibrated_materiality_score: 1.0 confidence: "high" source: SEC EDGAR --- # Vertex Energy emerges from Chapter 11, cancels stock, becomes private with new CEO ## Summary - Approximately $320M of prepetition debt eliminated; up to $100M exit financing secured, including $40M initial borrowings. - All existing common stock (VTNRQ) and warrants cancelled; new equity issued to DIP/term loan lenders including BlackRock, Highbridge, Whitebox. - Mark Smith appointed CEO; Benjamin Cowart and Chris Carlson depart; new board with Eugene Davis as Chairman appointed. - Company becomes privately held; intends to file Form 15 to deregister and suspend SEC reporting obligations. - New term loan facility matures Jan 2030 at Term SOFR + 6.00% or ABR + 5.00%; secured by substantially all assets. ## SEC filing metadata - accession: 0001999371-25-000518 - form_type: 8-K - cik: 0000890447 - company_name: Vertex Energy Inc. - filed_at: 2025-01-22T23:59:59+00:00 - event_type: other_material - sentiment: positive - materiality_score: 1.0 - calibrated_materiality_score: 1.0 - confidence: high - sec_items: 1.01, 1.02, 1.03, 2.03, 3.02, 3.03, 5.01, 5.02, 5.03, 7.01, 8.01, 9.01 - EDGAR index: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/890447/000199937125000518/0001999371-25-000518-index.htm - EDGAR primary document: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/890447/000199937125000518/vtnr-8k_012125.htm ## Machine-readable alternates - HTML: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001999371-25-000518 - JSON: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001999371-25-000518.json - Plain text: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001999371-25-000518.txt ## Key facts - Distress & Bankruptcy Vertex Energy Inc. entered chapter 11 in unknown (petition 2025-01-21). - Proceeding: chapter 11 - Petition: 2025-01-21 source text: On January 21, 2025, the Debtors filed a Notice of (I) Entry of An Order Confirming the Second Amended Joint Chapter 11 Plan of Vertex Energy, Inc. and its Debtor Affiliates and (II) Occurrence of the Effective Date . evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/890447/000199937125000518/0001999371-25-000518-index.htm - Executive change Chris Carlson departed as Chief Financial Officer at Vertex Energy Inc.. - Action: ceased to serve - Role: Chief Financial Officer source text: Chris Carlson ceased to serve as the Company's Chief Financial Officer evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/890447/000199937125000518/0001999371-25-000518-index.htm - Executive change Zachary Viders was appointed as Director at Vertex Energy Inc.. - Action: designated - Role: Director source text: Eugene Davis, Zachary Viders, Jacob Mercer, and Daniel Hudson were designated as members of the board of directors of Reorganized Company evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/890447/000199937125000518/0001999371-25-000518-index.htm - Executive change Benjamin P. Cowart departed as Chief Executive Officer at Vertex Energy Inc.. - Action: ceased to serve - Role: Chief Executive Officer source text: Benjamin P. Cowart ceased to serve as the Company's Chief Executive Officer evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/890447/000199937125000518/0001999371-25-000518-index.htm - Executive change Jeffrey Stein departed as Director at Vertex Energy Inc.. - Action: ceased to be - Role: Director source text: Benjamin P. Cowart, Dan Borgen, Karen Maston, Odeh Khoury, Timothy C. Harvey and Jeffrey Stein ceased to be directors evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/890447/000199937125000518/0001999371-25-000518-index.htm - Executive change Timothy C. Harvey departed as Director at Vertex Energy Inc.. - Action: ceased to be - Role: Director source text: Benjamin P. Cowart, Dan Borgen, Karen Maston, Odeh Khoury, Timothy C. Harvey and Jeffrey Stein ceased to be directors evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/890447/000199937125000518/0001999371-25-000518-index.htm - Executive change Dan Borgen departed as Director at Vertex Energy Inc.. - Action: ceased to be - Role: Director source text: Benjamin P. Cowart, Dan Borgen, Karen Maston, Odeh Khoury, Timothy C. Harvey and Jeffrey Stein ceased to be directors evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/890447/000199937125000518/0001999371-25-000518-index.htm - Executive change Eugene Davis was appointed as Director at Vertex Energy Inc.. - Action: designated - Role: Director source text: Eugene Davis, Zachary Viders, Jacob Mercer, and Daniel Hudson were designated as members of the board of directors of Reorganized Company evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/890447/000199937125000518/0001999371-25-000518-index.htm - Executive change Karen Maston departed as Director at Vertex Energy Inc.. - Action: ceased to be - Role: Director source text: Benjamin P. Cowart, Dan Borgen, Karen Maston, Odeh Khoury, Timothy C. Harvey and Jeffrey Stein ceased to be directors evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/890447/000199937125000518/0001999371-25-000518-index.htm - Executive change Mark Smith was appointed as Director at Vertex Energy Inc.. - Action: will join - Role: Director source text: Upon his appointment as Chief Executive Officer, Mark Smith will join the Board of Directors evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/890447/000199937125000518/0001999371-25-000518-index.htm - Executive change Odeh Khoury departed as Director at Vertex Energy Inc.. - Action: ceased to be - Role: Director source text: Benjamin P. Cowart, Dan Borgen, Karen Maston, Odeh Khoury, Timothy C. Harvey and Jeffrey Stein ceased to be directors evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/890447/000199937125000518/0001999371-25-000518-index.htm - Executive change Daniel Hudson was appointed as Director at Vertex Energy Inc.. - Action: designated - Role: Director source text: Eugene Davis, Zachary Viders, Jacob Mercer, and Daniel Hudson were designated as members of the board of directors of Reorganized Company evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/890447/000199937125000518/0001999371-25-000518-index.htm - Executive change Benjamin P. Cowart departed as Director at Vertex Energy Inc.. - Action: ceased to be - Role: Director source text: Benjamin P. Cowart, Dan Borgen, Karen Maston, Odeh Khoury, Timothy C. Harvey and Jeffrey Stein ceased to be directors evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/890447/000199937125000518/0001999371-25-000518-index.htm - Executive change Jacob Mercer was appointed as Director at Vertex Energy Inc.. - Action: designated - Role: Director source text: Eugene Davis, Zachary Viders, Jacob Mercer, and Daniel Hudson were designated as members of the board of directors of Reorganized Company evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/890447/000199937125000518/0001999371-25-000518-index.htm - Executive change Mark Smith was appointed as Chief Executive Officer at Vertex Energy Inc.. - Action: appointed - Role: Chief Executive Officer source text: Mark Smith was appointed as the Reorganized Company's Chief Executive Officer on the Effective Date evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/890447/000199937125000518/0001999371-25-000518-index.htm - Governance Changes Vertex Energy Inc.: Adopted new Organizational Documents in connection with emergence from Chapter 11. source text: On the Effective Date, in connection with the Reorganized Debtors’ implementation of the Plan, the Reorganized Debtors adopted their New Organizational Documents. evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/890447/000199937125000518/0001999371-25-000518-index.htm - M&A Transactions Vertex Energy Inc. underwent a change of control involving holders of Allowed DIP Claims and Allowed Term Loan Claims for 4,500,000 shares of New Common Stock representing 100% of the voting securities of the Company (closed 2025-01-21). - Action: change of control - Counterparty: holders of Allowed DIP Claims and Allowed Term Loan Claims - Consideration: 4,500,000 shares of New Common Stock representing 100% of the voting securities of the Company - Closing: 2025-01-21 source text: Pursuant to the Plan and following the cancellation of the Company’s Existing Equity, on the Effective Date, the holders of Allowed DIP Claims and Allowed Term Loan Claims received 4,500,000 shares of New Common Stock, as further described in Item 3.02, representing 100% of the voting securities of the Company. evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/890447/000199937125000518/0001999371-25-000518-index.htm This AI-assisted summary is a reading aid. Review the linked SEC EDGAR filing before relying on any specific claim.