Tech leader Cindy Hoots joins McCormick (NYSE: MKC) board and Audit Committee
Filing Impact
Filing Sentiment
Form Type
8-K
Rhea-AI Filing Summary
McCormick & Company, Incorporated is adding experienced technology executive Cindy Hoots to its Board of Directors, effective June 1, 2026. She will also serve on the Board’s Audit Committee.
Hoots is the recently retired Chief Digital Officer and CIO of AstraZeneca PLC, with prior senior technology roles at Unilever and other global consumer and industrial companies. The company notes there are no family relationships, side arrangements, or related-party transactions involving her. This move is part of McCormick’s ongoing board refreshment process; the Board will have 12 directors, 11 of whom are independent.
Positive
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Negative
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8-K Event Classification
2 items: 5.02, 9.01
2 items
Item 5.02
Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers
Governance
Key personnel changes including departures, elections, or appointments of directors and executive officers.
Item 9.01
Financial Statements and Exhibits
Exhibits
Financial statements, pro forma financial information, and exhibit attachments filed with this report.
Key Figures
Annual sales: $7 billion
Countries and territories: 150
Board size after appointment: 12 directors
+2 more
5 metrics
Annual sales
$7 billion
Approximate yearly sales across 150 countries and territories
Countries and territories
150
Global footprint for McCormick’s flavor products
Board size after appointment
12 directors
Board composition following Cindy Hoots’ addition
Independent directors
11 directors
Independent members on McCormick’s 12-person board
Effective date of appointment
June 1, 2026
Date Cindy Hoots joins the Board and Audit Committee
Key Terms
Audit Committee, non-executive directors, board refreshment process, Emerging growth company, +2 more
6 terms
Audit Committee financial
"on which date she will become a member of the Audit Committee of the Board"
A company's audit committee is a small group of board members who act like independent inspectors for the firm's finances, overseeing how financial reports are prepared, monitoring internal controls, and managing the relationship with external auditors. Investors care because a strong audit committee reduces the risk of accounting errors, fraud, or misleading statements, making financial statements more trustworthy and helping protect shareholder value.
non-executive directors financial
"compensation arrangements for non-executive directors described on pages 24 through 26"
Non-executive directors are board members who do not work for the company day-to-day but oversee management, like an independent referee watching a game rather than playing. They matter to investors because they provide impartial checks on executive decisions, help shape long-term strategy, monitor risks and financial reporting, and guard shareholder interests—contributing to better governance and reducing the chance of mismanagement or conflicts of interest.
board refreshment process financial
"This appointment reflects McCormick's ongoing board refreshment process, which ensures the Company maintains a balanced mix of skills"
Emerging growth company regulatory
"Emerging growth company Item 5.02 Departure of Directors or Certain Officers"
An emerging growth company is a recently public or smaller public firm that qualifies for temporary, lighter regulatory and disclosure rules to reduce the cost and effort of being public. For investors, it means the company may provide less historical financial detail and face fewer reporting requirements than larger firms, so it can grow more quickly but also carries higher uncertainty—like buying a promising early-stage product with fewer user reviews.
Inline XBRL technical
"Cover Page Interactive Data File (the cover page XBRL tags are embedded within the Inline XBRL document)"
Inline XBRL is a file format for financial filings that embeds machine-readable data tags directly inside the human-readable report, so the same document can be read by people and parsed by software. For investors it makes extracting, comparing and verifying financial numbers faster and more reliable—like a grocery list where each item also has a barcode—reducing manual errors and speeding up analysis.
Definitive Proxy Statement regulatory
"compensation arrangements for non-executive directors described on pages 24 through 26 of the Company’s Definitive Proxy Statement"
A Definitive Proxy Statement is a detailed document that a company sends to its shareholders before a big meeting, like voting on important decisions. It explains what's being voted on and gives important information so shareholders can make informed choices. It matters because it helps shareholders understand and participate in key company decisions.
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
| FORM | |||||
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 OR 15(d) of the SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
_______________________
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
| (State or other jurisdiction | (Commission | (IRS Employer | ||||||
| of incorporation) | File Number) | Identification No.) | ||||||
| (Address of principal executive offices) | (Zip Code) | |||||||
| Registrant's telephone number, including area code: | ||||||||
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):
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
| Title of each class | Trading Symbol(s) | Name of each exchange on which registered | ||||||
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.
Appointment of Cindy Hoots
On May 19, 2026, the Board of the McCormick & Company, Incorporated (the “Company”) appointed Cindy Hoots to the Board of the Company with effect from June 1, 2026, on which date she will become a member of the Audit Committee of the Board. Ms. Hoots is the recently retired Chief Digital Officer and CIO of AstraZeneca PLC, and is a member of the Board of Directors, of Zoom Communications, Inc.
Ms. Hoots does not have any family relationships with any of the executive officers or directors of the Company. There are no arrangements or understandings between Ms. Hoots and any other persons pursuant to which Ms. Hoots was selected as a director. Ms. Hoots will participate in the compensation arrangements for non-executive directors described on pages 24 through 26 of the Company’s Definitive Proxy Statement that was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 18, 2026. There have been no transactions, nor are there any currently proposed transactions, to which the Company was or is to be a party and with which Ms. Hoots or any member of her immediate family had, or will have, a direct or indirect material interest.
* * *
On May 26, 2026, the Company issued a press release titled “McCormick Appoints Cindy Hoots to Board of Directors.” A copy of the press release is furnished as Exhibit 99.1 hereto.
Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(d) Exhibits.
Exhibit Number Description
| 99 | Press release titled “McCormick Appoints Cindy Hoots to Board of Directors" | ||||
| 104 | Cover Page Interactive Data File (the cover page XBRL tags are 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.
| McCORMICK & COMPANY, INCORPORATED | |||||||||||
| May 26, 2026 | By: | /s/ Jeffery D. Schwartz | |||||||||
| Jeffery D. Schwartz | |||||||||||
| Vice President, General Counsel & Secretary | |||||||||||
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE McCormick Appoints Cindy Hoots to Board of Directors HUNT VALLEY, Md., May 26, 2026 - McCormick & Company, Incorporated (NYSE:MKC), a global leader in flavor, today announced that Cindy Hoots, former Chief Digital Officer & CIO, AstraZeneca PLC, has been appointed to the Board of Directors of McCormick effective June 1, 2026. Ms. Hoots is a seasoned technology and business leader with deep expertise in digital transformation, technology strategy, and enterprise modernization across global, multibillion- dollar organizations. She brings significant experience advising on and overseeing strategies related to business growth, risk management, organizational effectiveness, cybersecurity, AI, and other emerging technologies. Additionally, Ms. Hoots has broad experience across the consumer packaged goods (CPG) sector, with a focus on driving consumer-led innovation. Prior to her role at AstraZeneca, Ms. Hoots was Global Vice President, Technology at Unilever, and has held several IT and business leadership roles at BAT p.l.c., SABMiller, ITT Inc. and Mars Incorporated. Ms. Hoots is a member of the Board of Directors of Zoom Communications, Inc., advises startups, and serves on the Digital Advisory Council at BP. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from DeVry Institute of Technology. “We are pleased to welcome Cindy to McCormick’s Board of Directors,” said Brendan M. Foley, Chairman, President and CEO of McCormick. “Cindy’s experience delivering technology strategies that drive growth and seamlessly connect employees, customers, and partners while supporting data-driven consumer innovation will bring important perspective to our Board as we continue to leverage technology to advance our business.” This appointment reflects McCormick's ongoing board refreshment process, which ensures the Company maintains a balanced mix of skills, experiences, and perspectives aligned with its strategic priorities and governance practices. With this appointment, the Board of Directors of McCormick will be comprised of 12 directors, 11 of which are independent. About McCormick McCormick & Company, Incorporated is a global leader in flavor. With approximately $7 billion in annual sales across 150 countries and territories, we manufacture, market, and distribute herbs, spices, seasonings, condiments and flavors to the entire food and beverage industry including retailers, food manufacturers and foodservice businesses. Our most popular brands with trademark registrations include McCormick, French’s, Frank’s RedHot, Stubb’s, OLD BAY,
Lawry’s, Zatarain’s, Ducros, Vahiné, Cholula, Schwartz, Kamis, DaQiao, Club House, Aeroplane, Gourmet Garden, FONA and Giotti. The breadth and reach of our portfolio uniquely position us to capitalize on the consumer demand for flavor in every sip and bite, through our products and our customers' products. We operate in two segments, Consumer and Flavor Solutions, which complement each other and reinforce our differentiation. The scale, insights, and technology that we leverage from both segments are meaningful in driving sustainable growth. Founded in 1889 and headquartered in Hunt Valley, Maryland USA, McCormick is committed to its Purpose – To Make Life More Flavorful – and driven by its Vision - To be the World's Most Trusted Source of Flavor. To learn more, visit: www.mccormickcorporation.com or follow McCormick & Company on Instagram and LinkedIn. # # # For information contact: Global Communications: Jill Marvin - Jill_Marvin@mccormick.com
FAQ
What does McCormick (MKC) announce in this 8-K filing?
McCormick reports that Cindy Hoots has been appointed to its Board of Directors, effective June 1, 2026. She will also join the Audit Committee, reinforcing the board’s technology, digital transformation, and risk oversight expertise as part of an ongoing refreshment process.
Who is Cindy Hoots, the new McCormick (MKC) board member?
Cindy Hoots is the recently retired Chief Digital Officer and CIO of AstraZeneca PLC. She previously held senior technology roles at Unilever and other global companies, bringing deep experience in digital transformation, cybersecurity, AI, and consumer-led innovation to McCormick’s Board.
When does Cindy Hoots’ appointment to McCormick (MKC) board take effect?
Her appointment becomes effective June 1, 2026, as disclosed by McCormick. On that date, she will officially join the Board of Directors and become a member of the Audit Committee, contributing to financial oversight and technology-related risk governance.
Will Cindy Hoots serve on any McCormick (MKC) board committees?
Yes. McCormick states that Cindy Hoots will become a member of the Audit Committee when her board appointment takes effect on June 1, 2026. This role involves oversight of financial reporting, internal controls, and related risk management processes.
How does Cindy Hoots’ appointment affect McCormick (MKC) board composition?
Following her appointment, McCormick’s Board of Directors will have 12 members, according to the company. Of these 12 directors, 11 are independent, reflecting the company’s emphasis on independent oversight and diverse skills aligned with its strategic priorities.
What is McCormick’s (MKC) global business scale mentioned in the filing?
McCormick describes itself as a global leader in flavor with approximately $7 billion in annual sales. The company operates across about 150 countries and territories, selling herbs, spices, seasonings, condiments, and flavors to retailers, manufacturers, and foodservice customers.