Helio Corp /FL/ 8-K

What Happened
Helio Corporation (Nasdaq: HLEO) announced the appointment of Mark Knauf as Chief Financial Officer, effective January 19, 2026. The company entered into an Executive Employment Agreement dated January 19, 2026. Mr. Knauf is a Certified Public Accountant with 32+ years of experience and prior CFO experience at Amscot Financial; he currently leads Mark H. Knauf, P.A. and Englewood Property Holdings, LLC. Helio issued a press release on January 20, 2026 announcing the appointment.

Key Details

• Appointment effective: January 19, 2026; initial one-year term with automatic one-year renewals.
• Equity: up to 100,000 restricted shares granted over one year, vesting quarterly at 25,000 shares starting January 20, 2026; valuation based on the 30‑day moving average price prior to each grant.
• Cash compensation: base salary of $120,000/year ($10,000/month) payable only after the Company raises at least $10.0 million in aggregate gross proceeds; no cash salary is payable before that milestone.
• Termination: Employment Agreement includes customary termination and confidentiality provisions and provides severance equal to three months of salary and benefits in certain termination scenarios.

Why It Matters
This 8-K signals a senior finance hire intended to strengthen Helio’s financial leadership ahead of planned fundraising and operations. The compensation structure ties meaningful cash pay to reaching a $10 million fundraising threshold and uses stock-based incentives that vest with continued service—details investors should note when assessing potential dilution, executive incentives, and near-term cash-flow obligations.