Kennametal Inc. filed an 8-K with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on August 18, 2026, disclosing the Board of Directors' appointment of Richard J. Harshman and Dawne Hickton as new directors, effective September 1, 2026.

Key Highlights

  • Two directors appointed: Richard J. Harshman, age 70, and Dawne Hickton, age 68, were appointed to the Kennametal Board of Directors on August 18, 2026.
  • Effective date: Both directors will hold office beginning September 1, 2026, through the Annual Meeting of Shareholders in October 2026, where they are proposed to be elected.
  • No committee assignments yet: Neither director will immediately serve on any Board committees, but both are expected to be appointed to one or more committees in the coming months.
  • Harshman's background: He is the retired Executive Chairman and former President and CEO of Allegheny Technologies Incorporated (now ATI Inc.), where he served as Chairman, President and CEO from 2011 through 2018.
  • Hickton's background: She is Chair, CEO and lead investor of Cumberland Additive, Inc., an additive manufacturing business serving space, aerospace and defense customers, since June 2022.
  • Compensation eligibility: Both directors are eligible for all customary compensation plans applicable to non-employee Board members, as described in the Company's definitive proxy statement filed on September 15, 2025.

Kennametal Board Expansion: Harshman and Hickton Appointments Detailed

According to the filing, Kennametal Inc. (NYSE:KMT) announced that its Board of Directors appointed Richard J. Harshman and Dawne Hickton as directors effective September 1, 2026. The company disclosed that both individuals will serve until the Annual Meeting of Shareholders in October 2026, at which point they would be proposed for election by shareholders.

The filing describes Harshman as the retired Executive Chairman and former President and Chief Executive Officer of Allegheny Technologies Incorporated, now known as ATI Inc., "a global manufacturer of technically advanced specialty materials and complex parts and components." According to the filing, he served as Chairman, President and CEO of ATI from 2011 through 2018, and previously held roles including President and Chief Operating Officer from 2010 to 2011 and Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer from 2000 to 2010, with other roles of increasing responsibility since 1996.

Hickton is described in the filing as the Chair, CEO and lead investor of Cumberland Additive, Inc., an additive manufacturing business with locations in Austin, Texas and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, a role she has held since June 2022. Prior to that, she served as Executive Vice President of Jacobs Solutions Inc. and President of its Critical Mission Solutions business starting in June 2019. The filing also notes that from 2007 until 2015, she was Vice Chair, President, and CEO of RTI International Metals, Inc., described as "a billion dollar, vertically integrated global supplier of advanced titanium and specialty metals fabricated structural products for the aerospace, defense and energy markets." The filing states that both new directors will enter into Indemnification Agreements with the Company in the form previously approved by the Board, entitling them to indemnification against liability other than for willful misconduct or recklessness, as well as advancement of expenses.

What Was Disclosed

Kennametal disclosed the appointment of two new independent directors, their professional backgrounds, compensation eligibility under existing non-employee director plans, and the terms of indemnification agreements each will enter into with the Company.