ERII Energy Recovery, Inc. - 8-K

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

Departure of President and Chief Executive Officer

On May 25, 2026, Mr. David Moon informed the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of Energy Recovery, Inc. (the “Company”) of his intention to accelerate his previously announced retirement and resign from all positions within the Company, including as President, Chief Executive Officer and as a member of the Board, effective on May 26, 2026. Mr. Moon’s decision to resign from the Company was not related to any disagreement with the Company's management or the Board on any matter related to the Company's operations, policies or practices.

Appointment of Interim President and Chief Executive Officer

On May 26, 2026, the Board appointed Mr. Alex Buehler, age 51, to serve as the Company’s Interim President and Chief Executive Officer to serve in these positions until a permanent successor is appointed by the Board. Mr. Buehler will retain his board seat during the transition but will step down from the Compensation and Audit Committees, including his role as Audit Committee Chair. Mr. Arve Hanstveit has been appointed as the new Audit Committee Chair.

Mr. Buehler brings deep familiarity with Energy Recovery and the water industry. Mr. Buehler served as Energy Recovery’s CFO from 2011 to 2014 and has been a member of the Board since 2015. Mr. Buehler most recently served as CEO of Integrated Water Services from October 2022 to October 2025, as Interim CEO of LiqTech International from March 2022 to September 2022, and earlier as President and CEO of Brock Group from February 2021 to December 2021. Prior to that, Mr. Buehler held many executive level roles at various industrial and infrastructure companies. He currently serves as a Chairman of the Board for LiqTech Systems and previously served as a Board member for Viscount Systems. Mr. Buehler received a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering from the United States Military Academy at West Point and an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

Mr. Buehler’s compensation in connection with his role as Interim President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company has not yet been determined, and will be set by the Company’s Compensation Committee at a later date, at which time the Company will file an amendment to this Current Report on Form 8-K to disclose the material terms.

There are no family relationships between Mr. Buehler and any of the executive officers or directors of the Company, and there are no arrangements or understandings between Mr. Buehler and any other person pursuant to which he was appointed as an officer of the Company. There are no actual or proposed related party transactions with Mr. Buehler that are reportable under Item 5.02 of Form 8-K and Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K.

On May 28, 2026, the Company issued a press release announcing Mr. Buehler’s appointment. A copy of such press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and incorporated by reference herein.

Item 9.01    Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d)    Exhibits

Exhibit Number

Description

99.1

Press Release, issued by Energy Recovery on May 28, 2026

104

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