# EDGAR Filing Document

**Accession Number:** 0000094049
**File Stem:** 0001193125-25-158429
**Filing Date:** 2025-7
**Character Count:** 10060
**Document Hash:** 8d4a1656f69dfb9538437630de55c528
**Contains OCR:** False
**Source Format:** 

## Filing Content

## Filing Summary
**0001193125-25-158429.hdr.sgml**: 20250714

**ACCESSION NUMBER**: 0001193125-25-158429

**CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE**: 8-K

**PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT**: 14

**CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT**: 20250714

**ITEM INFORMATION**: Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers: Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers

**ITEM INFORMATION**: Financial Statements and Exhibits

**FILED AS OF DATE**: 20250714

**DATE AS OF CHANGE**: 20250714

**FILER**: 

**COMPANY DATA:**
- **COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:** STEPAN CO
- **CENTRAL INDEX KEY:** 0000094049
- **STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:** SOAP, DETERGENT, CLEANING PREPARATIONS, PERFUMES, COSMETICS [2840]
- **ORGANIZATION NAME:** 08 Industrial Applications and Services
- **EIN:** 361823834
- **STATE OF INCORPORATION:** DE
- **FISCAL YEAR END:** 1231

**FILING VALUES:**
- **FORM TYPE:** 8-K
- **SEC ACT:** 1934 Act
- **SEC FILE NUMBER:** 001-04462
- **FILM NUMBER:** 251120129

**BUSINESS ADDRESS:**
- **STREET 1:** EDENS & WINNETKA ROAD
- **CITY:** NORTHFIELD
- **STATE:** IL
- **ZIP:** 60093
- **BUSINESS PHONE:** 8474467500

**MAIL ADDRESS:**
- **STREET 1:** EDENS & WINNETKA ROAD
- **CITY:** NORTHFIELD
- **STATE:** IL
- **ZIP:** 60093

**FORMER COMPANY:**
- **FORMER CONFORMED NAME:** STEPAN CHEMICAL CO /DE/
- **DATE OF NAME CHANGE:** 19840108

?xml version='1.0' encoding='ASCII'? 8-K

### 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 14, 2025

## STEPAN COMPANY

#### (Exact name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Delaware** | **1-4462** | **36-1823834** |
| **(State or Other Jurisdiction<br>of Incorporation)** | **(Commission**<br> **File Number)** | **(IRS Employer<br>Identification No.)** |

---

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **1101 Skokie Boulevard**<br> **Suite 500** |  |
| **Northbrook, Illinois** | **60062** |
| **(Address of Principal Executive Offices)** | **(Zip Code)** |

---

#### Registrant's Telephone Number, Including Area Code: 847 446-7500

#### (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<br>Symbol(s)** | **Name of each exchange**<br> **on which registered** |
| Common Stock, $1 par value | SCL | The 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 July 14, 2025, Stepan Company ("Stepan") announced the appointment of Ruben Velasquez as Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, effective July 15, 2025. Mr. Velasquez will succeed Samuel Hinrichsen, who, as previously reported, is presently serving as Vice President and Interim Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Hinrichsen will continue in his role as Vice President of Finance.

Mr. Velasquez, age 51, from 2022 through 2024 held the role of Vice President of Global Finance Transformation at 3M Company ("3M"), a diversified technology company. Prior to that, Mr. Velasquez served 3M as Vice President Global Finance and CFO Manufacturing & Supply Chain Operations from 2021 through 2022, Vice President Global Finance and CFO Consumer Business from 2016 through 2021, and Global Finance Director & CFO Electronics Materials Solutions Division from 2013 through 2016. Additionally, Mr. Velazquez served as Finance Director and Country CFO of 3M's Russian subsidiary from 2010 through 2013 and Finance Director and Country CFO of 3M's Colombian subsidiary from 2006 through 2010.

As Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Mr. Velasquez will receive an annual salary of $475,000. Mr. Velasquez will be eligible to participate in Stepan's short-term incentive compensation program, with a target annual incentive award of 75% of his base salary. Mr. Velasquez will also be eligible to participate in Stepan's long-term incentive compensation program; Mr. Velasquez will receive an initial grant of restricted stock units, performance shares and stock appreciation rights in August 2025 with values of $200,000, $100,000 and $100,000, respectively. The restricted stock units, performance shares and stock appreciation rights have the same performance and vesting conditions as those awarded to other executive officers under Stepan's long-term incentive compensation program. Additionally, Mr. Velasquez will receive certain relocation benefits, will be entitled to certain perquisites available to executive officers and will be eligible for certain employee benefits generally available to all employees.

There are no arrangements or understandings between Mr. Velasquez and any other persons pursuant to which Mr. Velasquez was appointed as an officer. Mr. Velasquez does not have any family relationship with any of the Company's directors or executive officers or any persons nominated or chosen by the Company to become a director or executive officer. Mr. Velasquez does not have any direct or indirect material interest in any transaction or proposed transaction required to be reported under Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K.

A copy of the press release announcing the appointment of Mr. Velasquez is attached as Exhibit 99.1 hereto and incorporated herein by reference.

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Item 9.01.** | **Financial Statements and Exhibits**  |

---

(d) Exhibits

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Exhibit** | **Description** |
| 99.1 | [Press Release of Stepan Company dated July 14, 2025](d27959dex991.htm) |
| 104 | Cover Page Interactive Data File (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.

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
|  |  | STEPAN COMPANY |
| Date: July 14, 2025 | By: | /s/ Kamel Aranki |
|  |  | Kamel Aranki<br> Interim General Counsel and Interim Assistant Secretary |

---

## Exhibit 99.1

**Exhibit 99.1**![LOGO](g27959g0711232902789.jpg)

**Stepan Announces Appointment of New Vice President and Chief Financial Officer** 

Northbrook, IL, July 14, 2025 – Stepan Company (NYSE: SCL) announced today the appointment of Ruben Velasquez as Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Stepan, effective as of July 15, 2025. Mr. Velasquez will succeed Samuel Hinrichsen who, as previously reported, is presently serving as Vice President and Interim Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Hinrichsen will continue in his role as Vice President of Finance.

Mr. Velasquez most recently served as Vice President Global Finance Transformation at 3M Company. Prior to that, Mr. Velasquez held several senior finance roles at 3M, including Vice President Global Finance and CFO Manufacturing & Supply Chain Operations, and Vice President Global Finance and CFO Consumer Business, as well as serving as the Finance Director and Country CFO at 3M Russia and 3M Colombia. Mr. Velasquez began his finance career at Ecopetrol in Colombia where he held senior finance leadership roles including Finance Director Corporate FP&A and Treasury, and Interim Vice President and Corporate Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Velasquez holds an MBA from Northwestern University and a BS in Industrial Engineering from Universidad de Los Andes.

"Ruben brings over two decades of global finance leadership experience across diverse industries, including industrial conglomerates and the oil and gas industry," said Luis E. Rojo, President and Chief Executive Officer of Stepan. "We are excited to add Ruben's leadership and financial expertise to the Stepan team. We also thank Sam for all of his contributions while serving as Interim Chief Financial Officer."

**<u>Corporate Profile</u>**

Stepan Company is a major manufacturer of specialty and intermediate chemicals used in a broad range of industries. Stepan is a leading merchant producer of surfactants, which are the key ingredients in consumer and industrial cleaning and disinfection products and in agricultural and oilfield solutions. The Company is also a leading supplier of polyurethane polyols used in the expanding thermal insulation market, and CASE (Coatings, Adhesives, Sealants, and Elastomers) industries.

Headquartered in Northbrook, Illinois, Stepan utilizes a network of modern production facilities located in North and South America, Europe and Asia.

The Company's common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the symbol SCL. For more information about Stepan Company please visit the Company online at www.stepan.com.

Contact: Samuel S. Hinrichsen 847-446-7500