{"url_path":"/sec/awre/8-k/2026-07-21/item-5-02","section_key":"item-5-02","section_title":"Item 5.02 DEPARTURE OF DIRECTORS OR CERTAIN OFFICERS, ELECTION OF DIRECTOR; APPOINTMENT OF CERTAIN OFFICERS; COMPENSATORY ARRANGEMENTS OF CERTAIN OFFICERS.","topic":"sec","document":{"doc_type":"8-K","doc_date":"2026-07-21","source_url":"https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1015739/0001193125-26-310401-index.html","accession_number":"0001193125-26-310401","cik":"0001015739","ticker":"AWRE","issuer_name":"AWARE INC /MA/","edgar_url":"https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1015739/0001193125-26-310401-index.html","primary_entity_key":"0001015739","primary_entity_name":"AWARE INC /MA/"},"word_count":243,"has_tables":true,"body_markdown":"ITEM 5.02. DEPARTURE OF DIRECTORS OR CERTAIN OFFICERS, ELECTION OF DIRECTOR; APPOINTMENT OF CERTAIN OFFICERS; COMPENSATORY ARRANGEMENTS OF CERTAIN OFFICERS.\n\n \n\nOn July 15, 2026, upon the recommendation of Aware’s Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, Aware’s Board of Directors appointed James Beecham as a Class I Director.\n\nMr. Beecham, age 37, is the co-founder and chief executive officer of ALTR, a cloud data security company he founded in 2015. He previously served as the company's chief technology officer from 2015 through 2022 and has more than 20 years of experience in enterprise software, cybersecurity, and data protection. Mr. Beecham has led technology strategy, product vision, and business growth at ALTR, and prior to founding ALTR, he held engineering and technology leadership roles focused on developing enterprise data storage, data processing, and security solutions. Mr. Beecham serves on the Board of Directors of the Austin Technology Council and advises several early-stage technology companies on technology strategy and product innovation. He is the inventor of more than 15 issued patents worldwide related to data security and protection and is a frequent speaker on cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and data privacy at industry conferences, including SXSW and Gartner. Mr. Beecham holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Engineering from The University of Texas at Austin, with a focus on Computer Architecture and Embedded Systems. Our Board appointed Mr. Beecham to our Board because of his industry expertise and his experience as a co-founder and executive of ALTR."}