--- title: "Heron names Craig Collard amendment and revises retention agreements for Duarte, Forbes and Hensley" type: "News" locale: "en" url: "https://longbridge.com/en/news/281760076.md" description: "Heron Therapeutics has amended CEO Craig Collard's employment agreement and updated retention agreements for executives Ira Duarte, William Forbes, and Mark Hensley. The changes, effective April 3, 2026, include revisions to termination, change-in-control equity treatment, and severance terms. The amendments clarify definitions, update governing law to North Carolina, and introduce protective covenants. The agreements also provide severance and vesting acceleration terms, along with COBRA benefits, while removing obsolete provisions from prior agreements." datetime: "2026-04-06T12:33:01.000Z" locales: - [zh-CN](https://longbridge.com/zh-CN/news/281760076.md) - [en](https://longbridge.com/en/news/281760076.md) - [zh-HK](https://longbridge.com/zh-HK/news/281760076.md) --- # Heron names Craig Collard amendment and revises retention agreements for Duarte, Forbes and Hensley **Heron amended CEO Craig Collard's employment agreement and restated retention agreements for executives Ira Duarte, William Forbes and Mark Hensley, updating termination, change-in-control and severance terms.** Individual Craig Collard Ira Duarte William Forbes Mark Hensley Role Chief Executive Officer Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer Executive Vice President, Chief Development Officer Chief Operating Officer Type of Change Amendment and restatement of employment agreement Amended and restated management retention agreement Amended and restated management retention agreement Amended and restated management retention agreement Effective Date April 3, 2026 April 3, 2026 April 3, 2026 April 3, 2026 Reason Amend terms relating to termination, CIC equity treatment, bonus mechanics, restrictive covenants, governing law/location Revise termination, CIC equity treatment, bonus and equity severance, governing law; add protective covenants Revise termination, CIC equity treatment, bonus and equity severance, governing law; add protective covenants Revise termination, CIC equity treatment, bonus and equity severance, governing law; add protective covenants Replacement Info Not disclosed Not disclosed Not disclosed Not disclosed Background Details Amendment clarifies CIC definition; updates location and governing law to North Carolina; adds confidentiality, invention assignment, 24-month non-compete/non-solicit; clarifies bonus payment conditions; removes obsolete provisions Agreements amend prior retention pacts (Duarte: June 16, 2023); provide severance and vesting acceleration terms; COBRA benefits; update governing law to North Carolina Agreements amend prior retention pact (Forbes: June 6, 2023); provide severance and vesting acceleration terms; COBRA benefits; update governing law to North Carolina Agreements amend prior retention pact (Hensley: April 28, 2025); provide severance and vesting acceleration terms; COBRA benefits; special immediate vesting treatment for certain performance-based stock options upon Involuntary Termination outside CIC window; update governing law to North Carolina Board/Committee Role Changes Not disclosed Not disclosed Not disclosed Not disclosed Original SEC Filing: HERON THERAPEUTICS, INC. /DE/ \[ HRTX \] - 8-K - Apr. 06, 2026 **Disclaimer** This is an AI-powered summary. It may contain inaccuracies. Consider verifying important information with the source. Please note this summary is solely based on documents filed with the SEC. ### Related Stocks - [IBB.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/IBB.US.md) - [FBT.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/FBT.US.md) - [PBE.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/PBE.US.md) - [SBIO.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/SBIO.US.md) - [XBI.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/XBI.US.md) - [LABU.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/LABU.US.md) - [BIB.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/BIB.US.md) - [HRTX.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/HRTX.US.md) - [BBH.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/BBH.US.md) ## Related News & Research - [Wave Life Sciences posts positive RestorAATion-2 data; WVE-006 restores M-AAT, cuts Z-AAT, supports monthly dosing](https://longbridge.com/en/news/286818220.md) - [Genprex data shows gene therapy reverses hyperglycemia in T2D mice at ASGCT](https://longbridge.com/en/news/286414681.md) - [Full Transcript: Cellectar Biosciences Q1 2026 Earnings Call](https://longbridge.com/en/news/286422585.md) - [](https://longbridge.com/en/news/286807703.md) - [Regenxbio's muscle disorder therapy meets main goal in late-stage study](https://longbridge.com/en/news/286406339.md)