Lightwave Logic, Inc. (LWLG) announced a senior finance leadership change on July 20, 2026, appointing Fred A. Graffam III as Chief Financial Officer, effective immediately. The action was approved by the company’s Board of Directors and reported under Item 5.02 of Form 8-K, covering officer appointments and related compensation arrangements. Graffam, 60, brings more than two decades of operational and financial leadership experience, particularly in communications, technology and infrastructure-related businesses. Most recently, he served from December 2022 to April 2026 as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Fidium, formerly Consolidated Communications Holdings, Inc. Before that, he was Executive Vice President and CFO of Monitronics International, doing business as Brinks Home Security, from October 2017 to November 2022, and also served as Senior Vice President and CFO of Ascent Capital, Monitronics’ parent company, from October 2017 to August 2019. His earlier roles included finance, investor relations and corporate development leadership at DigitalGlobe, regional senior vice president responsibilities at Level 3 Communications, and finance and operating positions at Comcast. He is a certified public accountant and holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Delaware’s Alfred Lerner College of Business & Economics. In connection with the appointment, Lightwave Logic entered into an Executive Employment Agreement with Graffam dated July 20, 2026. Under the agreement, he will receive an annual base salary of $450,000 and will be eligible for a discretionary annual performance bonus of up to 40% of base salary, based on achievement of company objectives set by the Board. He will also receive a $70,000 sign-on cash bonus, which is subject to pro rata repayment if he voluntarily resigns without good reason before the first anniversary of the agreement. Graffam’s compensation package also includes a sign-on equity award in the form of restricted stock units with an aggregate grant-date value of $2.4 million. The RSUs are scheduled to vest over four years: 25% on the first anniversary of the vesting commencement date, with the remaining 75% vesting in equal quarterly installments over the following three years. The filing did not specify the number of shares underlying the RSU award, which would depend on the applicable grant-date valuation. No open-market stock purchase, sale, option exercise, transaction code, share count, or transaction price was reported in this Form 8-K. The employment agreement provides severance protections if Graffam is terminated without cause or resigns for good reason. In that circumstance, he would be entitled to an amount equal to one year of base salary, an amount equal to his full-year target bonus, 12 months of COBRA premium reimbursement, and accelerated vesting of the portion of his sign-on RSU grant that would have vested within 12 months after termination. If such a termination occurs within 12 months following a change in control, the severance package increases to two times base salary, two times target bonus, 12 months of COBRA reimbursement, and full accelerated vesting of all time-based equity awards, subject to his execution of a release in favor of the company. Lightwave Logic also disclosed that there are no arrangements or understandings with other persons related to Graffam’s appointment, no family relationships between Graffam and any company directors or executive officers, and no related-party transactions requiring disclosure under Regulation S-K Item 404(a). As part of the leadership transition, Snizhana “Ana” Quan, who had previously been designated as the company’s Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer, will no longer hold those titles. She will continue with Lightwave Logic as Vice President of Finance and Corporate Controller. The company also furnished a July 20, 2026 press release announcing Graffam’s appointment under Item 7.01, Regulation FD Disclosure. The employment agreement was filed as Exhibit 10.1, and the press release was furnished as Exhibit 99.1.