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 11, 2023



Aris Water Solutions, Inc.
 (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)



Delaware
001-40955
87-1022110
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)
(Commission File Number)
(IRS Employer Identification No.)

9811 Katy Freeway, Suite 700
 Houston, Texas 77024
 (Address of Principal Executive Offices and Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code:
(281) 501-3070


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
Name of Each Exchange on Which Registered
Class A Common Stock, $0.01 par value per share
ARIS
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 August 21, 2023, Aris Water Solutions, Inc. (the “Company”) announced the appointment of Dylan Van Brunt as Chief Operating Officer of the Company.  Mr. Van Brunt will serve as principal operating officer of the Company.

Mr. Van Brunt, who is 38, has served as the Executive Vice President, Operations and Planning of the Company since March 2023 and as Senior Vice President – Planning and Optimization since joining the Company in February 2021.  Before joining the Company, Mr. Van Brunt worked at Concho Resources Inc. as Asset Development Manager from May 2020 until February 2021, where he was responsible for planning, development and operations in the southern Midland Basin, and as Corporate Water Manager from May 2018 until April 2020, where he was responsible for the company’s full-cycle water strategy, commercial partnerships and sourcing operations.  Prior to May 2018, Mr. Van Brunt spent ten years at SM Energy Company where he held several roles including: Asset Development Manager – Permian Region, Regional Production & Facilities Engineering Manager, Regional Business Development Manager and Regional Completions Manager – South Texas & Gulf Coast Region.  Mr. Van Brunt graduated from Texas A&M University with a Bachelor of Science in Petroleum Engineering.

In connection with his appointment, the Company entered into an indemnification agreement with Mr. Van Brunt on August 20, 2023, which was based on the Company’s standard form of indemnification agreement and requires the Company, among other things, to indemnify each indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law.  The foregoing description of the indemnification agreement does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the form of indemnification agreement, which is filed as Exhibit 10.13 to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on March 9, 2023 and is incorporated herein by reference.

The Company also entered into a participation agreement under the Aris Water Solutions, Inc. Executive Change in Control Severance Plan (the “CIC Severance Plan”) with Mr. Van Brunt on August 20, 2023.  Based on the standard form that is attached as an exhibit to the CIC Severance Plan, the participation agreement generally provides that if the Company terminates Mr. Van Brunt’s employment without cause or upon his resignation for good reason during the 90 days prior to or 12-month period following a change in control (as such term is defined in the CIC Severance Plan), then Mr. Van Brunt is eligible to receive a lump sum severance payment equal to two and half times the sum of his base salary and target annual bonus as well as other severance payments, benefits and rights under the CIC Severance Plan that are materially consistent with the standard form of participation agreement and CIC Severance Plan previously filed with the SEC.  The foregoing description of the participation agreement and the CIC Severance Plan does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the CIC Severance Plan, which is filed as Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on June 13, 2022 and is incorporated herein by reference.


In addition, the Company entered into a participation agreement under the Aris Water Solutions, Inc. Executive Severance Plan (the “Severance Plan”) with Mr. Van Brunt on August 20, 2023.  Based on the standard form that is attached as an exhibit to the Severance Plan, the participation agreement generally provides that if the Company terminates Mr. Van Brunt’s employment without cause or upon his resignation for good reason at any time, then Mr. Van Brunt is eligible to receive severance in an amount equal to one and half times his annual base salary, which would be payable in future monthly installments, a lump sum payment equal to 100% of Mr. Van Brunt’s target annual bonus, as well as other severance payments, benefits and rights under the Severance Plan that are materially consistent with the standard form of participation agreement and Severance Plan previously filed with the SEC.  In the event Mr. Van Brunt’s employment is terminated by reason of death or disability, the participation agreement also provides that he (or his estate of beneficiary) is eligible to receive payments and other benefits that are materially consistent with the standard form of participation agreement and Severance Plan previously filed with the SEC.  The foregoing description of the participation agreement and the Severance Plan does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Severance Plan, which is filed as Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on May 16, 2023 and is incorporated herein by reference.

Except as set forth above, the Company has not entered into any material contract, plan or arrangement with Mr. Van Brunt and has not made any grants or awards to Mr. Van Brunt in connection with his appointment. Mr. Van Brunt does not have any family relationships with any director, executive officer, or any person nominated to become a director or executive officer of the Company, and there are no arrangements or understandings between Mr. Van Brunt and any other person pursuant to which Mr. Van Brunt was appointed to serve as Chief Operating Officer.  Mr. Van Brunt has no direct or indirect material interest in any transaction required to be disclosed pursuant to Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K.


Item 7.01.
Regulation FD Disclosure.

On August 21, 2023, the Company issued a press release announcing the appointment of Mr. Van Brunt as the Company’s Chief Operating Officer and Nick Patterson as the Company’s Chief Commercial Officer, a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and incorporated herein by reference.

The information in this Item 7.01, including Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K, is being furnished and shall not be deemed to be “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section and shall not be deemed to be incorporated by reference into any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act, regardless of any general incorporation language in such filing, except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in such filing.

Item 9.01.
Financial Statements and Exhibits.


(d)
Exhibits.

Exhibit
Number
Description
Press Release of Aris Water Solutions, Inc. dated August 21, 2023.
104
Cover Page Interactive Data File (formatted in 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.

Date: August 21, 2023





ARIS WATER SOLUTIONS, INC.




By:
/s/ Adrian Milton

Name:
Adrian Milton

Title:
General Counsel, Chief Administrative Officer and Corporate Secretary




Exhibit 99.1
 

Source: Aris Water Solutions, Inc.
 
August 21, 2023
 
Aris Water Solutions, Inc. Announces New Leadership Appointments
 
HOUSTON, Texas, August 21, 2023 – Aris Water Solutions, Inc. (NYSE: ARIS) (“Aris”, “Aris Water” or the “Company”) today announced that Nick Patterson will join the Company as Chief Commercial Officer, effective August 28, 2023.  In the newly created role of Chief Commercial Officer, Mr. Patterson will lead the focus and continued growth of all of Aris’s commercial activities, which includes its produced water handling and water solutions businesses.  Mr. Patterson will report to Amanda Brock, Chief Executive Officer and President of Aris.

“We are excited to welcome Nick to the Aris team,” said Amanda Brock, Chief Executive Officer and President of Aris.  “Nick brings considerable experience and a proven track record in leading, developing and implementing successful commercial strategies.  His depth and breadth of experience will further strengthen Aris’s ability to deliver creative solutions to its contracted customers and identify additional growth opportunities. Nick has previously worked with many of Aris’s customers, and we look forward to having Nick on board.”

“I am thrilled to join a dynamic company like Aris that has its primary area of operations located in some of the best acreage in the Permian Basin with significant commercial opportunities,” said Mr. Patterson.  “I look forward to being a part of the team and contributing to the positive momentum of the company’s growth.”

Mr. Patterson joins Aris with over 15 years of energy industry experience, most recently serving as Chief Executive Officer of Delmar Systems. Prior to Delmar Systems, Mr. Patterson led the marketing and business development activities at Atwood Oceanics, Inc.  Mr. Patterson also served in the US Army reserves with a deployment to Iraq from 2003 to 2004 and holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance from the University of Arkansas and a master’s degree in business administration from Rice University.

In addition, Dylan Van Brunt, who has been with Aris since early 2021 and currently is EVP of Operations and Planning, has been appointed Chief Operating Officer effective immediately.  In his expanded role, Mr. Van Brunt will be responsible for planning and operations as well as the management of all aspects of Aris’s development, construction and operation of its integrated produced water handling and recycling water infrastructure system, which also includes engineering, EH&S (environmental, health and safety), and supply chain. Mr. Van Brunt will continue to report to Amanda Brock.

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“Dylan has played an instrumental role in the development and operation of Aris’s infrastructure network and a pivotal role in the success of optimizing our assets,” said Amanda Brock.  “Dylan has been a great partner and is a respected leader within our organization. Given our strong volume growth as well as the scope and scale of our growing infrastructure network we are confident Dylan will play a key role in delivering on the exciting opportunities that lie ahead for Aris.”

About Aris Water Solutions, Inc.
 
Aris Water Solutions, Inc. is a leading, growth-oriented environmental infrastructure and solutions company that directly helps its customers reduce their water and carbon footprints. Aris Water delivers full-cycle water handling and recycling solutions that increase the sustainability of energy company operations. Its integrated pipelines and related infrastructure create long-term value by delivering high-capacity, comprehensive produced water management, recycling and supply solutions to operators in the core areas of the Permian Basin.
 
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. Examples of forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, those regarding the Company’s business strategy, its industry, its future profitability, current and potential future long-term contracts and the Company’s future business and financial performance and our ability to identify strategic acquisitions and realize benefits therefrom. Forward-looking statements are based on the Company’s current expectations and assumptions regarding its business, the economy and other future conditions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, by their nature, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict. As a result, the Company’s actual results may differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause the Company’s actual results to differ materially from the results contemplated by such forward-looking statements include but are not limited to the risk factors discussed or referenced in its filings made from time to time with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. Factors or events that could cause the Company’s actual results to differ may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for the Company to predict all of them. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as may be required by law.


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Aug. 11, 2023
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Entity File Number 001-40955
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