NPK International (NYSE: NPKI) appoints Kristen Pederson to its expanded board
Rhea-AI Filing Summary
NPK International Inc. expanded its board of directors from seven to eight members effective July 28, 2026, and appointed Kristen J. Pederson, 62, to fill the new seat.
Pederson has more than 30 years of corporate strategy, financial and governance experience, including senior roles at Ernst & Young, IBM and PricewaterhouseCoopers and current directorships at SOBR Safe, Inc. and Eagle Bancorp, Inc. She has been designated an independent director and will serve on the Audit, Compensation, and Nominating and Corporate Governance Committees. She will receive pro-rated cash and equity retainers consistent with other non-employee directors and has entered into an indemnification agreement providing the fullest extent of protection permitted by law. The company also issued a press release announcing her appointment.
Positive
- None.
Negative
- None.
8-K Event Classification
2 items: 5.02, 9.01
2 items
Item 5.02
Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers
Governance
Key personnel changes including departures, elections, or appointments of directors and executive officers.
Item 9.01
Financial Statements and Exhibits
Exhibits
Financial statements, pro forma financial information, and exhibit attachments filed with this report.
Key Figures
Board size after expansion: 8 directors
Previous board size: 7 directors
Effective appointment date: July 28, 2026
+4 more
7 metrics
Board size after expansion
8 directors
Board increased from seven to eight effective July 28, 2026
Previous board size
7 directors
Board size before adding Kristen J. Pederson
Effective appointment date
July 28, 2026
Date Kristen J. Pederson joined the board and its committees
Director age
62 years
Age of Kristen J. Pederson at time of appointment
Experience
more than 30 years
Corporate strategy, financial and corporate governance experience
Tenure at Ernst & Young LLP
November 2014 to December 2024
Period serving as a partner at EY
Non-Employee Directors’ Plan year
2014
Year of NPK International’s Amended and Restated Non-Employee Directors’ Restricted Stock Plan
Key Terms
Indemnification Agreement, Corporate Governance Guidelines, Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, emerging growth company, +1 more
5 terms
Indemnification Agreement regulatory
"entered into an Indemnification Agreement with the Company"
An indemnification agreement is a contract in which one party promises to cover losses, costs, or legal claims that another party might face, acting like a tailored safety net or private insurance policy. For investors, it matters because such agreements shift potential financial risk away from a company or its officers and onto the indemnifier, which can affect a company’s future liabilities, cash flow and how risky the investment appears during deal-making or litigation.
Corporate Governance Guidelines regulatory
"standards set forth in the Company’s Corporate Governance Guidelines"
A company’s corporate governance guidelines are a set of written rules and practices that explain how its board and executives make decisions, oversee risks, and hold themselves accountable—think of them as the organization’s playbook for fair and responsible leadership. Investors care because these guidelines shape how transparent decision-making is, reduce the chance of surprises or conflicts, and influence long‑term stability and trust, much like house rules keep a household running smoothly.
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee regulatory
"Audit, Compensation and Nominating and Corporate Governance Committees"
A nominating and corporate governance committee is a group within a company's board of directors responsible for selecting and recommending individuals to serve as company leaders, such as directors or executives. They also develop and oversee policies to ensure the company is run fairly, ethically, and transparently. This committee matters to investors because it helps ensure the company is well-managed and guided by qualified, responsible leadership.
emerging growth company regulatory
"Emerging growth company"
An emerging growth company is a recently public or smaller public firm that qualifies for temporary, lighter regulatory and disclosure rules to reduce the cost and effort of being public. For investors, it means the company may provide less historical financial detail and face fewer reporting requirements than larger firms, so it can grow more quickly but also carries higher uncertainty—like buying a promising early-stage product with fewer user reviews.
AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.
FAQ
What did NPKI announce regarding its board of directors?
NPK International Inc. expanded its board from seven to eight members and appointed Kristen J. Pederson as a new director, effective July 28, 2026, strengthening governance and oversight with added audit, compensation, and nominating committee expertise.
Who is Kristen J. Pederson, newly appointed to NPKI’s board?
Kristen J. Pederson is a 62-year-old executive with over 30 years of corporate strategy, finance and governance experience, including senior roles at Ernst & Young, IBM and PwC, and current board positions at SOBR Safe, Inc. and Eagle Bancorp, Inc.
Which board committees will Kristen J. Pederson serve on at NPKI?
Kristen J. Pederson will serve on NPK International’s Audit, Compensation, and Nominating and Corporate Governance Committees, adding financial, governance and strategic expertise to these key oversight bodies as part of her director role.
Is Kristen J. Pederson considered an independent director at NPKI?
Yes. The board has determined that Kristen J. Pederson is “independent” under New York Stock Exchange standards and the company’s Corporate Governance Guidelines, supporting strong board oversight and alignment with listed-company governance requirements.
How will NPKI compensate Kristen J. Pederson for her board service?
Kristen J. Pederson will receive a pro-rated annual cash retainer and a pro-rated annual equity retainer in restricted shares under NPK International’s 2014 Non-Employee Directors’ Restricted Stock Plan, consistent with compensation for other non-employee directors.
What protections does NPKI provide Kristen J. Pederson as a director?
Kristen J. Pederson entered into an Indemnification Agreement requiring NPK International to indemnify her to the fullest extent permitted by law and advance certain expenses arising from covered proceedings related to her board service.
What business is NPK International Inc. (NPKI) engaged in?
NPK International Inc. is a worksite access solutions company that manufactures, sells, and rents recyclable composite matting products and provides services such as planning, logistics and site restoration across multiple critical infrastructure markets.
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
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): July 28, 2026
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
| (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation) | (Commission File Number) | (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) | ||||||
| | ||||||||
| (Address of principal executive offices) | (Zip Code) | |||||||
Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (281 ) 362-6800
| Not Applicable | ||
(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 240.13a-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 | ||||||
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 July 28, 2026, the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of NPK International Inc. (“the Company”) elected to increase the size of the Board from seven directors to eight directors effective July 28, 2026 and appointed Ms. Kristen J. Pederson to fill the resulting vacancy.
Ms. Pederson, age 62, has more than 30 years of corporate strategy, financial and corporate governance experience. Ms. Pederson served as a partner at Ernst & Young LLP (“EY”) from November 2014 until her retirement in December 2024, most recently leading EY’s Center for Board Matters, the firm’s corporate governance and board advisory practice, and previously serving as the leader of EY’s Americas Strategy Consulting practice. Earlier in her career, Ms. Pederson served as a Vice President at International Business Machines Corporation, where she led global strategic and technology transformation practices, and as a partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers, where she led various strategy consulting practices. Ms. Pederson has served as a director of SOBR Safe, Inc. (Nasdaq: SOBR) since May 2025, where she serves as chair of the nominating and corporate governance committee, and as a director of Eagle Bancorp, Inc. (Nasdaq: EGBN) and its subsidiary, EagleBank, since September 2025, where she serves as a member of the governance and nominating committee and the compensation committee. Ms. Pederson also serves as chair of the audit committee of the NFL Alumni Association, as a member of the board of the Colorado chapter of the National Association of Corporate Directors (“NACD”), and as a member of the NASDAQ Governance Council. She is an NACD certified director. Ms. Pederson earned a Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of California, Los Angeles. Concurrently with her appointment to the Board, Ms. Pederson has been appointed to the Audit, Compensation and Nominating and Corporate Governance Committees of the Board. The Board has affirmatively determined that Ms. Pedersen is “independent” as that term is defined by The New York Stock Exchange listing standards and the standards set forth in the Company’s Corporate Governance Guidelines. Ms. Pederson does not have a material interest in any transaction that is required to be disclosed under Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K. There is no arrangement or understanding between Ms. Pederson and any other person pursuant to which she was selected as a director. Ms. Pederson will receive a pro-rated annual cash retainer consistent with that provided to other non-employee directors and a pro-rated annual equity retainer in the form of restricted shares granted under the NPK International Inc. Amended and Restated 2014 Non-Employee Directors’ Restricted Stock Plan.
In connection with her appointment as a member of the Board effective July 28, 2026, Ms. Pederson entered into an Indemnification Agreement with the Company in form substantially consistent with the Form of Indemnification Agreement, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed on July 25, 2014. Such Indemnification Agreement requires the Company to indemnify the director to the fullest extent permitted by law against liability that may arise by reason of their service as a Board member, and to advance certain expenses incurred as a result of any proceeding as to which they could be indemnified.
A copy of the press release announcing the appointment of Ms. Pederson to the Board is attached to this Current Report on Form 8-K as Exhibit 99.1 hereto.
Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(d) Exhibits.
| Exhibit No. | Description | |||||||
| 99.1 | Press release issued by NPK International Inc. on July 28, 2026 | |||||||
| 104 | Cover Page Interactive Data File - the cover page XBRL tags are embedded within the Inline XBRL document. | |||||||
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.
| NPK International Inc. | |||||||||||
| (Registrant) | |||||||||||
| Date: | July 28, 2026 | By: | /s/ M. Celeste Frugé | ||||||||
| M. Celeste Frugé | |||||||||||
| Vice President, General Counsel, Chief Compliance Officer | |||||||||||
| and Corporate Secretary | |||||||||||
NPK INTERNATIONAL APPOINTS NEW MEMBER TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
THE WOODLANDS, Texas – July 28, 2026 – NPK International Inc. (NYSE: NPKI) (“NPK” or the “Company”) today announced that Kristen J. Pederson has been appointed as a new member to its board of directors (“the Board”), effective July 28, 2026.
Ms. Pederson brings extensive public company board, strategic planning, governance, finance and audit experience to NPK. Her appointment further strengthens the Board’s depth of expertise as the Company continues to execute its strategy, expand its market presence, and deliver long-term value for shareholders. Ms. Pederson has served in senior leadership and board roles across financial services, technology, strategy consulting services and nonprofit organizations. She is currently a director of SOBR Safe, Inc. and Eagle Bancorp, Inc. and has served in board and leadership capacities with organizations including the National Association of Corporate Directors Colorado Chapter, Harvard Business School Alumni Board, and the NFL Alumni Association. Earlier in her career, Ms. Pederson held senior roles at IBM and was a partner at Ernst & Young LLP and PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. She earned an MBA from Harvard Business School and completed undergraduate studies at the University of California, Los Angeles. Additional information regarding Ms. Pederson and other members of NPK’s Board can be found at npki.com/company/leadership/.
Ms. Pederson will also serve as a member of NPK’s Audit Committee, Compensation Committee, and Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee.
Commenting on the appointment, Rose M. Robeson, Chairman of NPK’s Board, stated, “We are pleased to welcome Kris to NPK’s Board. Her leadership and strategic experience, financial acumen and deep background in governance will be valuable as we continue advancing NPK’s strategic priorities. Kris’ appointment reflects the Board’s commitment to maintaining strong governance practices and ensuring the Board’s composition reflects the skills, experience, and perspectives needed to support the Company’s strategy and evolving business needs. Kris exemplifies the values of our Company, and we look forward to benefiting from her experiences, perspectives and insights.”
ABOUT NPK INTERNATIONAL
NPK International Inc. is a worksite access solutions company that manufactures, sells, and rents recyclable composite matting products, along with a full suite of services, including planning, logistics, and site restoration. The Company delivers superior quality and reliability across critical infrastructure markets, including electrical transmission & distribution, oil and gas exploration, pipeline, renewable energy, petrochemical, construction, and other industries. For more information, visit our website at npki.com.
IR CONTACT
Investors@npki.com