01—Abstract
Summary
Summary of the 8-K filed March 25, 2026. Cited figures are marked; the original filing is the authoritative source.
ONEOK, Inc. (NYSE: OKE) filed an 8-K on March 25, 2026 to disclose board transitions.
Two long-serving directors, Gerald B. Smith and Pattye L. Moore, will not stand for re-election and will leave the Board when their terms expire at the 2026 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, scheduled for May 20, 2026.
Smith is retiring under the company's mandatory director retirement age policy, which requires retirement no later than the annual meeting following a director's 75th birthday. Moore elected to retire, and the company states that her decision reflects no disagreement with ONEOK on any matter relating to its operations, policies or practices. The company also states that Smith's departure is not the result of any disagreement.
The filing is governance-related and contains no financial results, guidance, or material operational disclosures. It does not describe any replacement director nominees or changes to committee leadership, so investors should not expect immediate changes to the board's composition beyond these two departures. Board chair Julie H.
Edwards and CEO Pierce H. Norton II praised the directors' contributions during ONEOK's period of significant transformation. For investors, this is a routine, low-impact event.
The main items to monitor are whether ONEOK names successor directors in its 2026 proxy statement and whether the board's size or skills mix shifts as a result. Smith has served since 2020 and Moore since 2002, so the departure of Moore in particular represents the loss of a long-tenured board member.
02—Key points
Key Highlights
- Gerald B. Smith and Pattye L. Moore will leave the ONEOK Board at the end of their current terms on May 20, 2026, the date of the 2026 Annual Meeting of Shareholders.
- Smith's retirement is mandated by ONEOK's age policy requiring directors to retire no later than the annual meeting following their 75th birthday.
- Moore, a director since 2002, elected to retire; she is a former chairman of Red Robin Gourmet Burgers and former president of Sonic Corp.
- Smith, a director since 2020, is the founder, former chairman and former CEO of Smith, Graham & Company Investment Advisors.
- Both directors' departures are explicitly stated as not resulting from any disagreement with ONEOK on operations, policies or practices.
- The filing contains no financial results, guidance, or replacement director nominees, so no immediate financial impact is disclosed.
- Board chair Julie H. Edwards and CEO Pierce H. Norton II publicly thanked both directors for their service during the company's significant transformation.
03—Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are Gerald Smith and Pattye Moore leaving the ONEOK board?
Smith is retiring under ONEOK's mandatory director retirement age policy, which requires directors to retire no later than the annual meeting following their 75th birthday. Moore elected to retire and not stand for re-election. The company states that neither departure resulted from any disagreement with ONEOK.
When will the departures take effect?
Both directors' current terms expire on May 20, 2026, the date of ONEOK's 2026 Annual Meeting of Shareholders. They will not stand for re-election at that meeting.
Does this filing indicate any change in ONEOK's financial outlook?
No. The 8-K is a governance filing and contains no financial results, earnings guidance, or operational updates. It is not a material financial event on its own.
Have replacement directors been named?
The filing does not identify any replacement directors or new nominees. Investors should look to ONEOK's 2026 proxy statement and the Annual Meeting for any nominations or changes to board composition.
How long had these directors served on the board?
Pattye Moore has served on the ONEOK board since 2002, while Gerald Smith has served since 2020. Moore's tenure is particularly long, spanning much of the company's transformation over the past two decades.
04—Continue