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<TITLE>Filed by Bowne Pure Compliance</TITLE>
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<P style="font-size: 14pt" align="center"><B>UNITED STATES<BR>
SECURITIES AND
EXCHANGE COMMISSION<BR>
<FONT style="font-size: 12pt">Washington, D.C. 20549
</FONT></B>

<P style="font-size: 18pt" align="center"><B>FORM 8-K</B>

<P style="font-size: 12pt" align="center"><B>CURRENT REPORT<BR>
Pursuant to
Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934</B>

<P style="font-size: 10pt" align="center"><B>Date of Report (Date of earliest
event reported): December 31, 2008</B>

<P style="font-size: 24pt" align="center"><B>NEWPARK RESOURCES,
INC.<BR>
</B><FONT style="font-size: 10pt">(Exact name of registrant as
specified in its charter) </FONT>
<TABLE style="font-size: 10pt; text-align: center" cellspacing="0"
cellpadding="0" width="100%" border="0">

 <TR>
  <TD width="32%">&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD width="33%">&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD width="32%">&nbsp;</TD>
 </TR>
 <TR valign="bottom">
  <TD style="border-bottom: #000000 1px solid"><B>Delaware</B></TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD style="border-bottom: #000000 1px solid"><B>001-2960</B></TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD style="border-bottom: #000000 1px solid"><B>72-1123385</B></TD>
 </TR>
 <TR valign="top">
  <TD>(State or other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)</TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD>(Commission File Number)</TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD>(IRS Employer Identification No.)</TD>
 </TR>

</TABLE>
<TABLE style="font-size: 10pt; text-align: center" cellspacing="0"
cellpadding="0" width="100%" border="0">

 <TR>
  <TD width="49%">&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD width="49%">&nbsp;</TD>
 </TR>
 <TR valign="bottom">
  <TD style="border-bottom: #000000 1px solid"><B>2700 Research Forest Drive,
Suite 100<BR>
The Woodlands, TX<BR>
</B></TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD style="border-bottom: #000000 1px solid"><B>77381</B></TD>
 </TR>
 <TR valign="top">
  <TD>(Address of Principal Executive Offices)</TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD>(Zip Code)</TD>
 </TR>

</TABLE>


<P style="font-size: 10pt" align="center">Registrant&#8217;s telephone number,
including area code: <B>(281) 362-6800</B>
<TABLE style="font-size: 10pt; text-align: center" cellspacing="0"
cellpadding="0" width="30%" border="0">

 <TR>
  <TD width="100%">&nbsp;</TD>
 </TR>
 <TR>
  <TD style="border-bottom: #000000 1px solid" nowrap><B>&nbsp;</B></TD>
 </TR>
 <TR>
  <TD nowrap>(Former name or former address if changed since last report.)</TD>
 </TR>

</TABLE>


<P style="font-size: 10pt" align="left">Check the appropriate box below if the
Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of
the registrant under any of the following provisions:

<P style="font-size: 10pt" align="left"><FONT face="Wingdings">o</FONT> Written
communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR
230.425)<BR>
<BR>
<FONT face="Wingdings">o</FONT> Soliciting material pursuant
to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)<BR>
<BR>
<FONT
face="Wingdings">o</FONT> Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule
14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))<BR>
<BR>
<FONT
face="Wingdings">o</FONT> Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule
13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))<BR>


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style="margin-top: 10pt; font-size: 1pt; width: 100%; border-bottom: black 1pt solid">&nbsp;</DIV>
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style="font-size: 1pt; width: 100%; border-bottom: black 2pt solid">&nbsp;</DIV>
</DIV>

<P style="font-size: 10pt" align="center">&nbsp;

<P style="display: none; font-size: 10pt" align="center">1
</DIV>

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<H5 align="left" style="page-break-before:always">&nbsp;</H5><P>

<DIV
style="margin-left: 0.25in; width: 7.2in; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif">

<P style="font-size: 10pt" align="justify"><B>Item&nbsp;5.02 Departure of
Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain
Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.</B>

<P style="font-size: 10pt; text-indent: 8%" align="justify">On
December&nbsp;31, 2008, Newpark Resources Inc. (the &#8220;Company&#8221;)
entered into an Amended and Restated Employment Agreement with Paul&nbsp;L.
Howes, its President and Chief Executive Officer (the &#8220;Amended
Agreement&#8221;), modifying the existing Employment Agreement dated
March&nbsp;22, 2006, as amended by the Amendment to Employment Agreement dated
June&nbsp;7, 2006, between the Company and Mr.&nbsp;Howes (as amended, the
&#8220;Original Agreement&#8221;).

<P style="font-size: 10pt; text-indent: 8%" align="justify">While the Amended
Agreement includes additional changes, the primary purposes of the Amended
Agreement are to extend the employment term and to make technical changes
regarding certain payments under the Original Agreement which are designed to
conform to the requirements of Section&nbsp;409A of the Internal Revenue Code,
as amended (the &#8220;Code&#8221;). The changes made as a result of
Section&nbsp;409A of the Code relate to recent regulatory guidance governing
the federal income taxation of certain deferred compensation.

<P style="font-size: 10pt; text-indent: 8%" align="justify">In addition to the
technical changes intended to conform to Section&nbsp;409A of the Code, the
initial term of employment was extended from three years to five years, ending
on March&nbsp;31, 2011, subject to successive one-year renewal terms. The
Amended Agreement provides for an annual salary of $486,000. While this is an
increase from the amount set forth in the Original Agreement, this is
consistent with Mr.&nbsp;Howes&#8217; annualized 2008 salary as previously
disclosed in the Company&#8217;s Definitive Proxy Statement filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission on April&nbsp;25, 2008 (&#8220;2008 Proxy
Statement&#8221;). The Amended Agreement also reflects that Mr.&nbsp;Howes is
entitled to receive under the Company&#8217;s 2003 Executive Incentive Plan a
cash bonus of between eighty percent (80%) and one hundred sixty percent (160%)
of his annual base salary based upon satisfaction of performance criteria
established by the Compensation Committee of the Board. Although this is an
increase from the percentages set forth in the Original Agreement as well as
those reflected in the 2008 Proxy Statement for the 2007 fiscal year, the
increased percentages reflect the modifications approved by the Compensation
Committee of the Board in 2008. Additionally, to reflect the relocation of the
Company&#8217;s headquarters, the Amended Agreement is now governed by the laws
of the State of Texas rather than the laws of the State of Louisiana.

<P style="font-size: 10pt; text-indent: 8%" align="justify">The Amended
Agreement also incorporates a provision approved by the Compensation Committee
of the Board in April of 2008 which provides that the Company will pay
Mr.&nbsp;Howes an additional amount (a &#8220;280G Gross-Up Payment&#8221;)
needed to cover any excise tax incurred as a result of any payments or benefits
received in certain situations pursuant to the Amended Agreement and will
reimburse Mr.&nbsp;Howes for the federal, state and local income tax,
employment tax and excise tax incurred on such 280G Gross-Up Payment. This 280G
Gross-Up Payment is consistent with similar benefits previously approved at the
same time for the Company&#8217;s other executive officers under the terms of
their change of control agreements, and which was previously disclosed in the
Company&#8217;s 2008 Proxy Statement . Consistent with the benefits afforded to
the other executive officers, the amendment includes a sunset provision such
that the 280G Gross-Up Payment provision will terminate if a change in control
has not occurred on or before April&nbsp;23, 2013.

<P style="font-size: 10pt; text-indent: 8%" align="center">&nbsp;

<P style="display: none; font-size: 10pt" align="center">2
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style="margin-left: 0.25in; width: 7.2in; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif">

<P style="font-size: 10pt; text-indent: 8%" align="justify">The foregoing
summary is qualified in its entirety by reference to the text of the Amended
Agreement filed herewith as Exhibit&nbsp;10.1 and incorporated herein by
reference.

<P style="font-size: 10pt" align="justify"><B>Item&nbsp;9.01 Financial
Statements and Exhibits.</B>

<P style="font-size: 10pt; text-indent: 4%" align="justify">(d)&nbsp;Exhibits.
<DIV align="center">
<TABLE style="font-size: 10pt" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%"
border="0">
<!-- Begin Table Head -->

 <TR valign="bottom">
  <TD width="8%">&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD width="5%">&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD width="87%">&nbsp;</TD>
 </TR>
 <TR style="font-size: 10pt" valign="bottom">
  <TD style="border-bottom: #000000 1px solid" nowrap align="left"><B>Exhibit
No.</B></TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD style="border-bottom: #000000 1px solid" nowrap
align="center"><B>Description</B></TD>
 </TR>
<!-- End Table Head -->
<!-- Begin Table Body -->
 <TR valign="bottom">
  <TD valign="top">
<DIV style="margin-left: 0px; text-indent: 0px">10.1 </DIV>
</TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD valign="top" align="left">Amended and Restated Employment Agreement with
Paul L. Howes dated December&nbsp;31, 2008.</TD>
 </TR>
<!-- End Table Body -->

</TABLE>
</DIV>

<P style="font-size: 10pt" align="center"><B>SIGNATURES</B>

<P style="font-size: 10pt; text-indent: 4%" align="justify">Pursuant to the
requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly
caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly
authorized.

<DIV align="center">
<TABLE style="font-size: 10pt" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" border="0">
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  <TD width="45%">&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD width="5%">&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD width="50%">&nbsp;</TD>
 </TR>

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<!-- Begin Table Body -->

 <TR style="font-size: 10pt" valign="bottom">
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD align="left"><B>NEWPARK RESOURCES, INC.</B></TD>
</TR>

<TR><TD>&nbsp;</TD></TR>

 <TR style="font-size: 10pt" valign="bottom">
  <TD align="left">Dated: January&nbsp;7, 2009</TD>
  <TD align="left">By:</TD>

<TD style="border-bottom: #000000 1px solid" nowrap align="left">/s/ James E. Braun</TD>
 </TR>

 <TR valign="bottom">
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD align="left">James E. Braun, Vice President and Chief<BR>
Financial Officer</TD>
 </TR>

<!-- End Table Body -->

</TABLE>
</DIV>

<P style="font-size: 10pt" align="center">&nbsp;

<P style="font-size: 10pt" align="center">&nbsp;

<P style="display: none; font-size: 10pt" align="center">3
</DIV>

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<H5 align="left" style="page-break-before:always">&nbsp;</H5><P>

<DIV
style="margin-left: 0.25in; width: 7.2in; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif">

<P style="font-size: 10pt" align="center"><B>Exhibit&nbsp;Index</B>
<DIV align="center">
<TABLE style="font-size: 10pt" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%"
border="0">
<!-- Begin Table Head -->

 <TR valign="bottom">
  <TD width="8%">&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD width="5%">&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD width="87%">&nbsp;</TD>
 </TR>
 <TR style="font-size: 10pt" valign="bottom">
  <TD style="border-bottom: #000000 1px solid" nowrap align="left"><B>Exhibit
No.</B></TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD style="border-bottom: #000000 1px solid" nowrap
align="center"><B>Description</B></TD>
 </TR>
<!-- End Table Head -->
<!-- Begin Table Body -->
 <TR valign="bottom">
  <TD valign="top">
<DIV style="margin-left: 0px; text-indent: 0px">10.1 </DIV>
</TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD valign="top" align="left">Amended and Restated Employment Agreement with
Paul L. Howes dated December&nbsp;31, 2008.</TD>
 </TR>
<!-- End Table Body -->

</TABLE>
</DIV>

<P style="font-size: 10pt" align="center">&nbsp;

<P style="display: none; font-size: 10pt" align="center">4
</DIV>
</BODY>
</HTML>
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Filed by Bowne Pure Compliance
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND
EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to
Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest
event reported): December 31, 2008
NEWPARK RESOURCES,
INC.
(Exact name of registrant as
specified in its charter)
Delaware
001-2960
72-1123385
(State or other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)
(Commission File Number)
(IRS Employer Identification No.)
2700 Research Forest Drive,
Suite 100
The Woodlands, TX
77381
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
(Zip Code)
Registrant's telephone number,
including area code:
(281) 362-6800
(Former name or former address if changed since last report.)
Check the appropriate box below if the
Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of
the registrant under any of the following provisions:
o
Written
communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR
230.425)
o
Soliciting material pursuant
to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
o
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule
14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
o
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule
13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
Item 5.02 Departure of
Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain
Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.
On
December 31, 2008, Newpark Resources Inc. (the "Company")
entered into an Amended and Restated Employment Agreement with Paul L.
Howes, its President and Chief Executive Officer (the "Amended
Agreement"), modifying the existing Employment Agreement dated
March 22, 2006, as amended by the Amendment to Employment Agreement dated
June 7, 2006, between the Company and Mr. Howes (as amended, the
"Original Agreement").
While the Amended
Agreement includes additional changes, the primary purposes of the Amended
Agreement are to extend the employment term and to make technical changes
regarding certain payments under the Original Agreement which are designed to
conform to the requirements of Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code,
as amended (the "Code"). The changes made as a result of
Section 409A of the Code relate to recent regulatory guidance governing
the federal income taxation of certain deferred compensation.
In addition to the
technical changes intended to conform to Section 409A of the Code, the
initial term of employment was extended from three years to five years, ending
on March 31, 2011, subject to successive one-year renewal terms. The
Amended Agreement provides for an annual salary of $486,000. While this is an
increase from the amount set forth in the Original Agreement, this is
consistent with Mr. Howes' annualized 2008 salary as previously
disclosed in the Company's Definitive Proxy Statement filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission on April 25, 2008 ("2008 Proxy
Statement"). The Amended Agreement also reflects that Mr. Howes is
entitled to receive under the Company's 2003 Executive Incentive Plan a
cash bonus of between eighty percent (80%) and one hundred sixty percent (160%)
of his annual base salary based upon satisfaction of performance criteria
established by the Compensation Committee of the Board. Although this is an
increase from the percentages set forth in the Original Agreement as well as
those reflected in the 2008 Proxy Statement for the 2007 fiscal year, the
increased percentages reflect the modifications approved by the Compensation
Committee of the Board in 2008. Additionally, to reflect the relocation of the
Company's headquarters, the Amended Agreement is now governed by the laws
of the State of Texas rather than the laws of the State of Louisiana.
The Amended
Agreement also incorporates a provision approved by the Compensation Committee
of the Board in April of 2008 which provides that the Company will pay
Mr. Howes an additional amount (a "280G Gross-Up Payment")
needed to cover any excise tax incurred as a result of any payments or benefits
received in certain situations pursuant to the Amended Agreement and will
reimburse Mr. Howes for the federal, state and local income tax,
employment tax and excise tax incurred on such 280G Gross-Up Payment. This 280G
Gross-Up Payment is consistent with similar benefits previously approved at the
same time for the Company's other executive officers under the terms of
their change of control agreements, and which was previously disclosed in the
Company's 2008 Proxy Statement . Consistent with the benefits afforded to
the other executive officers, the amendment includes a sunset provision such
that the 280G Gross-Up Payment provision will terminate if a change in control
has not occurred on or before April 23, 2013.
The foregoing
summary is qualified in its entirety by reference to the text of the Amended
Agreement filed herewith as Exhibit 10.1 and incorporated herein by
reference.
Item 9.01 Financial
Statements and Exhibits.
(d) Exhibits.
Exhibit
No.
Description
10.1
Amended and Restated Employment Agreement with
Paul L. Howes dated December 31, 2008.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the
requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly
caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly
authorized.
NEWPARK RESOURCES, INC.
Dated: January 7, 2009
By:
/s/ James E. Braun
James E. Braun, Vice President and Chief
Financial Officer
Exhibit Index
Exhibit
No.
Description
10.1
Amended and Restated Employment Agreement with
Paul L. Howes dated December 31, 2008.