EQBK Equity Bancshares Inc

 

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): August 22, 2023

 

 

EQUITY BANCSHARES, INC.

(Exact name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

 

 

Kansas			001-37624	72-1532188
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)			(Commission File Number)	(IRS Employer Identification No.)
7701 East Kellogg Drive Suite 300
Wichita, Kansas				67207
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)				(Zip Code)

 

Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code: 316 612-6000

 

(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:

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

Title of each class		Trading Symbol(s)		Name of each exchange on which registered
Class A, Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share		EQBK		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. ☐

 

 

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

Appointment of Krzysztof Slupkowski as Chief Credit Officer

On August 22, 2023, Equity Bancshares, Inc. (the “Company”) announced the appointment of Krzysztof P. Slupkowski as Executive Vice President and Chief Credit Officer of Equity Bank. Mr. Slupkowski’s appointment will be effective as of August 28, 2023. Mr. Slupkowski has held various roles with Equity Bank since joining in 2018 including his most recent role as the Chief Credit Officer of Equity Bank’s Metro Markets of Wichita, Kansas City, and Tulsa. Before joining Equity Bank, Mr. Slupkowski worked in credit administration and financial analysis with Commerce Bancshares. Mr. Slupkowski holds a Master of Business Administration and Bachelor of Business Administration in finance from Wichita State University.

There are no family relationships between Mr. Slupkowski and any director or executive officer of the Company, or person nominated or chosen by the Company to become a director or executive officer of the Company, nor are there any arrangements or understandings between Mr. Slupkowski and other persons pursuant to which he was appointed as an executive officer of the Company. The Company has had no transactions since the beginning of its last fiscal year, and has no transactions proposed, in which Mr. Slupkowski, or any member of his immediate family, has a direct or indirect material interest that would be required to be disclosed pursuant to Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Item 7.01 Regulation FD Disclosure.

The press release announcing the appointment of Mr. Slupkowski is furnished as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference.

The information in this Item 7.01, including Exhibit 99.1, is being furnished pursuant to Item 7.01 of Form 8K and shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Exchange Act, or otherwise subject to liabilities of that section, nor shall it be deemed incorporated by reference into any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, unless specifically identified therein as being incorporated therein by reference.

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits

Exhibit No.		Description
99.1		Press Release, dated August 22, 2023
104		Cover Page Interactive Data File

 

 

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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.

			EQUITY BANCSHARES, INC.
Date:	August 22, 2023	By:	/s/ Brad S. Elliott
			Brad S. Elliott Chief Executive Officer

 

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Equity Bancshares, Inc.

PRESS RELEASE - 08/22/23 Exhibit 99.1

Equity Bancshares, Inc. Elevates Krzysztof Slupkowski to Chief Credit Officer
Joined Wichita-based bank holding company in 2018 as credit manager, promoted from SVP

 

WICHITA, Kansas, August 22, 2023 – Equity Bancshares, Inc. (NYSE: EQBK), (“Equity”, “we”, “us”, “our”, the “Company”), the Wichita-based holding company of Equity Bank (the “Bank”), announced the promotion of Krzysztof P. Slupkowski to Chief Credit Officer (“CCO”) of Equity Bancshares, Inc., effective August 28, 2023.

 

“I’m pleased to announce the elevation of Krzysztof to Chief Credit Officer and have confidence he’ll continue to lead our credit administration teams while upholding our robust credit culture and supporting our sales, service and operations teams,” said Brad S. Elliott, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Equity. “We highlight entrepreneurial spirit among our core values, which allows us to promote key leaders from within when our team members seize opportunities.”

 

Mr. Slupkowski joined Equity in 2018 and has worked with Equity’s largest borrowers as Metro Market Chief Credit Officer guiding credit decisions for Equity’s locations in Wichita, Kansas City, and Tulsa. Prior to joining Equity, Mr. Slupkowski worked in different credit functions for Commerce Bancshares. Mr. Slupkowski earned his Master of Business Administration and Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance from Wichita State University.

 

Mr. Slupkowski will officially begin his duties as CCO on August 28, and will work with outgoing CCO John G. Creech to transition responsibilities up until that date.

 

“We continue to serve our customers with a nimble, highly tailored approach, and our teams work together across our franchise to deliver for one another, creating opportunities to make a difference and build a career from the moment they join our Company. We hired Krzysztof with a plan to train him to assume this role one day, and we are glad he was able to work with John to finalize his preparation,” said Mr. Elliott. “Our entrepreneurial spirit not only helps our brand grow, but provides lasting opportunities for dedicated, talented individuals who prioritize customers, communities, and colleagues.”

About Equity Bancshares, Inc.

Equity Bancshares, Inc. is the holding company for Equity Bank, offering a full range of financial solutions, including commercial loans, consumer banking, mortgage loans, trust and wealth management services and treasury management services, while delivering the high-quality, relationship-based customer service of a community bank. Equity’s common stock is traded on The New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “EQBK.” Learn more at www.equitybank.com.

 

 

Special Note Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

 

This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These forward-looking statements reflect the current views of Equity’s management with respect to, among other things, future events and Equity’s financial performance. These statements are often, but not always, made through the use of words or phrases such as “may,” “should,” “could,” “predict,” “potential,” “believe,” “will likely result,” “expect,” “continue,” “will,” “anticipate,” “seek,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “project,” “forecast,” “goal,” “target,” “would” and “outlook,” or the negative variations of those words or other comparable words of a future or forward-looking nature. These forward-looking statements are not historical facts, and are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about Equity’s industry, management’s beliefs and certain assumptions made by management, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and beyond Equity’s control. Accordingly, Equity cautions you that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, assumptions and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. Although Equity believes that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable as of the date made, actual results may prove to be materially different from the results expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from Equity’s expectations include competition from other financial institutions and bank holding companies; the effects of and changes in trade, monetary and fiscal policies and laws, including interest rate policies of the Federal Reserve Board; changes in the demand for loans; fluctuations in value of collateral and loan reserves; inflation, interest rate, market and monetary fluctuations; changes in consumer spending, borrowing and savings habits; and acquisitions and integration of acquired businesses; and similar variables. The foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive.

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Equity Bancshares, Inc.

PRESS RELEASE - 08/22/23 Exhibit 99.1

 

For discussion of these and other risks that may cause actual results to differ from expectations, please refer to “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” and “Risk Factors” in Equity’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 9, 2023, and any updates to those risk factors set forth in Equity’s subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q or Current Reports on Form 8-K. If one or more events related to these or other risks or uncertainties materialize, or if Equity’s underlying assumptions prove to be incorrect, actual results may differ materially from what Equity anticipates. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made, and Equity does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or review any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise. New risks and uncertainties arise from time to time and it is not possible for us to predict those events or how they may affect us. In addition, Equity cannot assess the impact of each factor on Equity’s business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements, expressed or implied, included in this press release are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. This cautionary statement should also be considered in connection with any subsequent written or oral forward-looking statements that Equity or persons acting on Equity’s behalf may issue.

 

Media Contact:

 

John J. Hanley

Chief Marketing Officer

Equity Bancshares, Inc.

(913) 583-8004

jhanley@equitybank.com

 

Investor Contact:

 

Brian Katzfey

VP, Director of Corporate Development and Investor Relations

Equity Bancshares, Inc.

(316) 858-3128

bkatzfey@equitybank.com

 

 

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v3.23.2

Document And Entity Information	Aug. 22, 2023
Cover [Abstract]
Document Type	8-K
Amendment Flag	false
Document Period End Date	Aug. 22, 2023
Entity Registrant Name	EQUITY BANCSHARES, INC.
Entity Central Index Key	0001227500
Entity Emerging Growth Company	false
Securities Act File Number	001-37624
Entity Incorporation, State or Country Code	KS
Entity Tax Identification Number	72-1532188
Entity Address, Address Line One	7701 East Kellogg Drive
Entity Address, Address Line Two	Suite 300
Entity Address, City or Town	Wichita
Entity Address, State or Province	KS
Entity Address, Postal Zip Code	67207
City Area Code	316
Local Phone Number	612-6000
Written Communications	false
Soliciting Material	false
Pre-commencement Tender Offer	false
Pre-commencement Issuer Tender Offer	false
Title of 12(b) Security	Class A, Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share
Trading Symbol	EQBK
Security Exchange Name	NYSE

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