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): December 23, 2020

ESSA Bancorp, Inc.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

Pennsylvania	001-33384	20-8023072
(State or Other Jurisdiction	(Commission File No.)	(I.R.S. Employer
of Incorporation)		Identification No.)
200 Palmer Street, Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania		18360
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)		(Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code:  (570) 421-0531

Not Applicable

(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)

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	ESSA	The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC

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 (see General Instruction A.2. below):

☐
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))

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; Compensation Arrangements of Certain Officers.

(d)     On December 23, 2020, ESSA Bancorp, Inc. (the “Company”) announced that it had increased the size of its Board of Directors to ten members and appointed Carolyn P. Stennett, Esq. and Dr. Tina Q. Richardson as directors. Mses. Stennett and Richardson were also appointed to the Board of Directors of ESSA Bank & Trust, the wholly owned subsidiary of the Company (the “Bank”). There have been no transactions since the beginning of the Company’s last fiscal year, nor any currently proposed transaction, between the Company (or the Bank) and either of Ms. Stennett or Ms. Richardson of a nature reportable pursuant to Section 404(a) of SEC Regulation S-K.

A copy of the press release dated December 23, 2020 announcing the appointment of Mses. Stennett and Richardson as directors is attached as Exhibit 99.1.

Item 9.01    Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(a) Financial Statements of Businesses Acquired.  Not applicable.

(b) Pro Forma Financial Information.  Not applicable.

(c) (d)
Shell Company Transactions.  Not applicable. Exhibits.

Exhibit No.	Description
99.1	Press release issued by the Company on December 23, 2020 announcing the appointment of Mses. Stennett and Richardson as directors.
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.

		ESSA BANCORP, INC.
DATE:  December 24, 2020	By:	/s/ Gary S. Olson
		Gary S. Olson, President and Chief Executive Officer

EX-99.1

Exhibit 99.1

ESSA Bancorp, Inc. Announces the Appointment of Two New Directors

STROUDSBURG, PA / ACCESSWIRE / December 23, 2020 / ESSA Bancorp, Inc. (the “Company”) (NASDAQ: ESSA), the holding company for ESSA Bank & Trust, a $1.9 billion asset institution providing full service commercial and retail banking, and financial and investment services in eastern Pennsylvania, today announced that Carolyn P. Stennett, Esq. and Dr. Tina Q. Richardson have been appointed to the Board of Directors.  These appointments increase the size of the Company’s Board of Directors to 10 members.

Ms. Stennett is Vice President, Human Resources at Victaulic Company.  She leads the global human resources team and is responsible for all aspects of Victaulic’s people strategy that supports Victaulic’s strategic growth and corporate objectives.  She was formerly the deputy director and general counsel for the National Head Start Association and assistant general counsel for United Technologies Corporation.  Ms. Stennett received her B.S. in chemistry from Howard University, Master of Public Administration from Harvard University Kennedy School and J.D. from Boston College Law School.  She currently serves on the board of trustees for the Allentown Art Museum and Cedar Crest College.  Ms. Stennett resides in Allentown, PA.

Dr. Richardson is Chancellor of Penn State University’s Lehigh Valley campus.  As CEO of the Campus, she is responsible for all managerial decisions related to strategic planning, academics, student experiences, financial resource management and facilities management.    She was formerly associate dean of academic affairs at Drexel University School of Education and served twenty years as a faculty member at Lehigh University.  Dr. Richardson received her bachelor’s degree in psychology and master’s and doctorate in counseling psychology from the University of Maryland.  She currently serves on the board of directors for Good Shepard Penn Partners, Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce, Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation, Lehigh Valley Partnership and United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley.  Dr. Richardson resides in Bethlehem, PA.

“Carolyn and Tina bring strong qualifications and vast experience to our Board.” said Robert Selig, Jr. Board Chair.  “Their expertise in education and training is consistent with our Company’s guiding principles.  We are pleased to have two accomplished individuals bringing their talents to our governing Board.”

About the Company ESSA Bancorp, Inc. is the holding company for its wholly owned subsidiary, ESSA Bank & Trust which was formed in 1916.  Headquartered in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, the Company has total assets of $1.9 billion and has 22 community offices throughout the Greater Pocono, Lehigh Valley, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and suburban Philadelphia markets in Pennsylvania.  ESSA Bank & Trust offers a full range of commercial and retail financial services, asset management and trust services, investment services through Ameriprise Financial Institutions Group and insurance benefit services through ESSA Advisory Services, LLC.  ESSA Bancorp, Inc. stock trades on the NASDAQ Global Market^SM under the symbol “ESSA.” 

Corporate Center:  200 Palmer Street  PO Box L  Stroudsburg, PA 18360-0160  570-421-0531   Fax: 570-421-7158

XML

Document and Entity Information	Dec. 23, 2020
Cover [Abstract]
Document Type	8-K
Amendment Flag	false
Document Period End Date	Dec. 23, 2020
Entity Registrant Name	ESSA Bancorp, Inc.
Entity Incorporation, State or Country Code	PA
Entity File Number	001-33384
Entity Tax Identification Number	20-8023072
Entity Address, Address Line One	200 Palmer Street
Entity Address, City or Town	Stroudsburg
Entity Address, State or Province	PA
Entity Address, Postal Zip Code	18360
City Area Code	570
Local Phone Number	421-0531
Written Communications	false
Soliciting Material	false
Pre-commencement Tender Offer	false
Pre-commencement Issuer Tender Offer	false
Entity Emerging Growth Company	false
Entity Central Index Key	0001382230
Title of 12(b) Security	Common
Trading Symbol	ESSA
Security Exchange Name	NASDAQ