ARBOR REALTY TRUST INC 8-K

What Happened Arbor Realty Trust, Inc. (ABR) filed an 8-K dated January 5, 2026 announcing that long-time director Joseph Martello retired and resigned from the Board effective December 31, 2025. Mr. Martello had served as a director since 2003 and his resignation was not due to any disagreement with the company. On January 5, 2026 the Board elected John Natalone to fill the resulting Class II director vacancy.

Key Details

• Joseph Martello notified the company of his retirement; resignation effective December 31, 2025.
• Mr. Martello served on the Board since 2003; resignation not due to any disagreement with the company.
• John Natalone was elected a Class II director on January 5, 2026 to fill the vacancy.
• The Board determined Mr. Natalone is not independent under applicable listing standards and he was not appointed to any Board committees; his director pay follows the program disclosed in the company’s April 17, 2025 proxy statement.

Why It Matters Board membership and independence affect corporate governance. This filing confirms a leadership change (long-standing director departure and a new director appointment) but does not report any disagreement or operational/financial impact. Investors should note the new director is not independent and monitor future disclosures for committee assignments, governance changes, or additional board composition updates.