UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

April 25, 2024
(Date of Report/Date of earliest event reported)

SENSIENT TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Wisconsin
1-7626
39-0561070
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)
(Commission File Number)
(IRS Employer Identification No.)

777 East Wisconsin Avenue
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202-5304
(Address and zip code of principal executive offices)

(414) 271-6755
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

N/A
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:


Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of each class
Trading Symbol(s)
Name of each exchange on which registered
Common stock, par value $0.10 per share
SXT
New York Stock Exchange

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐



Item 5.02
Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.

On April 25, 2024, the Board of Directors of Sensient Technologies Corporation (the “Company”) elected Adam Vanderleest to the position of Vice President, Controller, and Chief Accounting Officer, and to serve as the Company’s principal accounting officer, effective as of July 1, 2024. Tobin Tornehl is the Company’s current principal accounting officer and, as previously announced, will be assuming the position of Vice President and Chief Financial Officer and principal financial officer, effective July 1, 2024.

Mr. Vanderleest, 41, has been the Group Controller for the Color Group since 2021. Prior to that role, he was the Controller of the Food Colors U.S. business unit of the Company from 2018-2021 and a Financial Reporting Manager for the Company from 2012-2018. Mr. Vanderleest is a Certified Public Accountant, and received a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and a Master of Accountancy from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

In connection with Mr. Vanderleest’s appointment, he will (1) receive a base salary of $245,000, (2) continue to participate in the Company’s annual incentive plan for fiscal year 2024, with a prorated target bonus of 40% of his base salary, (3) receive long-term equity incentive awards consistent with the awards granted to the Company’s executives relative to his position and experience, including a prorated award of approximately $35,000 at the time he assumes his new position, (4) be eligible to enter into a Change of Control Employment and Severance Agreement in the form provided to other executives of the Company, and (5) receive an executive-level relocation package. Mr. Vanderleest will also be eligible to participate in all employee benefit plans generally available to executives of the Company, which are more fully described in the Company’s definitive proxy statement on Schedule 14A filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 13, 2024.

There are no transactions since the beginning of the Company’s last fiscal year in which the Company is a participant and in which Mr. Vanderleest or any members of his immediate family have any interest that are required to be reported under Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K. No family relationships exist between Mr. Vanderleest and any of the Company’s directors or executive officers. The appointment of Mr. Vanderleest was not pursuant to any arrangement or understanding between him and any person, other than a director or executive officer of the Company acting in his or her official capacity.

Item 5.07
Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.

The Company held its annual meeting of shareholders on April 25, 2024.  At that meeting, the Company’s shareholders voted on three matters as follows:

Election of Directors

The following directors were each elected until the next annual meeting of shareholders and until his or her successor is elected and, if necessary, qualified:

 
Nominee
 
Votes
For
   
Votes
Against
   
Abstentions
   
Broker
Non-Votes
 
Brett W. Bruggeman
 
37,978,349
   
   266,125
   
44,634
   
1,164,395
 
Dr. Joseph Carleone
 
37,752,755
   
   492,164
   
44,189
   
1,164,395
 
Dr. Mario Ferruzzi
 
37,395,991
   
   848,369
   
44,748
   
1,164,395
 
Carol R. Jackson
 
37,534,728
   
   713,773
   
40,607
   
1,164,395
 
Sharad P. Jain
 
37,991,768
   
   252,706
   
44,634
   
1,164,395
 
Dr. Donald W. Landry
 
37,100,609
   
1,143,378
   
45,122
   
1,164,395
 
Paul Manning
 
35,837,308
   
2,434,063
   
17,738
   
1,164,395
 
Deborah McKeithan-Gebhardt
 
37,561,440
   
   689,942
   
37,726
   
1,164,395
 
Scott C. Morrison
 
37,983,405
   
   263,331
   
42,372
   
1,164,395
 
Essie Whitelaw
 
38,163,823
   
     84,201
   
41,085
   
1,164,395
 


Advisory Vote to Approve Named Executive Officer Compensation

The Company’s shareholders approved, on an advisory basis, the compensation of the Company’s named executive officers, as disclosed in the Company’s 2024 proxy statement, by the following votes:

Votes For
   
Votes Against
   
Abstentions
   
Broker Non-Votes
 
 
35,240,022
     
2,825,574
     
223,512
     
1,164,395
 

Ratification of Independent Auditors

The Company’s shareholders ratified the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as the Company’s independent auditors for the year ending December 31, 2024 by the following votes:

Votes For
   
Votes Against
   
Abstentions
 
 
38,890,041
     
387,093
     
176,370
 


SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 
SENSIENT TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
 
     
 
By:
/s/ John J. Manning
 
   
 
 
Name:
John J. Manning
 
   
 
 
Title:
Senior Vice President, General Counsel, and Secretary
 
   
 
 
Date:
April 30, 2024
 

 


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