Executive Change

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): April 13, 2023     STEPAN COMPANY (Exact name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)     Delaware 1-4462 36-1823834 (State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation) (Commission File Number) (IRS Employer Identification No.)           1101 Skokie Boulevard 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 Symbol(s)   Name of each exchange 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.   Effective as of June 30, 2023, Arthur W. Mergner, Executive Vice President, Supply Chain, will retire from Stepan Company (the “Company”) after more than 34 years of service to the Company.   Effective as of May 1, 2023, Robert Haire will succeed Mr. Mergner in the position of Executive Vice President, Supply Chain of the Company. Mr. Mergner will assist in the transition until his retirement. Mr. Haire brings over 28 years of industrial operational experience to the Company. Since 2016 he has served as Senior Vice President Operations, Performance Chemicals at Ingevity Corporation, which manufactures performance chemicals and performance materials for use in markets such as adhesives, agrochemicals, bioplastics, coatings, and others. He also previously held operational roles at FMC Corporation and Chemtura Corporation and served as an officer in the U.S. Navy. Mr. Haire holds a BS in Chemical/Bioresource Engineering from Rutgers University and an MBA from Cornell University.       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: April 14, 2023 By: /s/ David G. Kabbes       David G. Kabbes Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary