Koppers Holdings Appoints Bradley Pearce as Interim Chief Financial Officer and Chief Accounting Officer

Bradley Pearce

Koppers Holdings Inc. (NYSE: KOP) today announced that Jimmi Sue Smith is retiring from her position as Chief Financial Officer effective January 5, 2026. Ms. Smith will continue to serve as Treasurer, as well as in an advisory role, to assist with a smooth transition through February 28, 2026. Bradley Pearce, Chief Accounting Officer, has been elected by the company’s Board of Directors to act as interim Chief Financial Officer and Chief Accounting Officer while an external search is conducted to identify a permanent successor.

Ms. Smith has served as CFO of Koppers since January 2022, leading all aspects of the company’s global finance and accounting, budgeting and forecasting, tax, and investor relations functions, along with advising on key strategic growth initiatives.

Mr. Pearce joined Koppers in 2006 and most recently served as Chief Accounting Officer since May 2019, overseeing the company’s accounting, tax and external reporting functions, while also playing a critical role in key strategic initiatives. In addition, he serves as a member of the company’s pension committee. Prior to joining Koppers, he held finance and treasury-related roles in the private sector as well as working with U.S. multinational companies during his time in public accounting. Mr. Pearce holds a bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Grove City College.

Chief Executive Officer Leroy Ball said, “Jimmi Sue’s impact on Koppers will continue to be felt long after her departure. Joining the company as VP of Finance and Treasurer just weeks before the COVID-19 pandemic, she quickly ascended to the CFO role and helped ensure we remained on solid footing during a perilous time. In addition to successfully optimizing the company’s capital structure, she also spearheaded the effort to increase our emphasis on free cash flow improvement, resulting in more dollars being returned to shareholders in the last two years than at any point in company history.

“A tireless advocate for several non-profits, Jimmi Sue’s work in the community provided a shining example for all Koppers employees to follow. On behalf of our Board and senior management team, I want to thank Jimmi Sue for her contributions to Koppers and wish her happiness as she embarks on her next chapter.”

Ms. Smith led and contributed to initiatives that drove meaningful cost savings across the organization as part of Catalyst, Koppers enterprise-wide transformation process. In her role, she also actively engaged with capital markets, including institutional equity and debt investors, as well as managed the company’s financing activities, balance sheet and liquidity. Among her many accomplishments, she guided the team in securing a 7-year, $400 million senior secured Term Loan B, which was subsequently refinanced and upsized, and most recently extended Koppers revolving credit facility maturity date from 2025 to 2030 to enhance financial flexibility and strengthen the company’s capital position.

“It has been an honor to serve as Koppers CFO, to be part of such a storied company and to work alongside such an amazing group of people,” said Ms. Smith. “I am immensely proud of everything the finance team has accomplished during my time at Koppers, including modernizing and improving our capital structure, upgrading our financial systems, and most importantly, reorganizing our work to better develop our talent and improve efficiency. While I look forward to retirement and the opportunity to spend more time with my family, I will miss working with my exceptional colleagues. I leave knowing that Koppers is well positioned for continued success.”

About Koppers

Koppers (NYSE: KOP) is an integrated global provider of essential treated wood products, wood preservation technologies and carbon compounds. Our team of approximately 1,850 employees create, protect and preserve key elements of our global infrastructure – including railroad crossties, utility poles, outdoor wooden structures, and production feedstocks for steel, aluminum and construction materials, among others – applying decades of industry-leading expertise while constantly innovating to anticipate the needs of tomorrow. Together we are providing safe and sustainable solutions to enable rail transportation, keep power flowing, and create spaces of enjoyment for people everywhere. Protecting What Matters, Preserving The Future. Learn more at Koppers.com.