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style="width:18.966%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td></tr><tr style="height:9pt"><td colspan="3" style="border-bottom:3pt double #000000;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="border-bottom:3pt double #000000;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="border-bottom:3pt double #000000;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="border-bottom:3pt double #000000;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="border-bottom:3pt double #000000;padding:0 1pt"></td></tr></table></div><div style="text-align:center"><span><br/></span></div><div style="text-align:center"><span style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:16pt;font-weight:700;line-height:120%">UNITED STATES</span></div><div style="text-align:center"><span style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:16pt;font-weight:700;line-height:120%">SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION</span></div><div style="text-align:center"><span style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:9pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">Washington, D.C. 20549</span></div><div style="text-align:center"><span><br/></span></div><div style="text-align:center"><span><br/></span></div><div style="text-align:center"><span style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:16pt;font-weight:700;line-height:120%">FORM <ix:nonNumeric contextRef="i3d3743e8a04a4242b4afdb9dead880c6_D20210219-20210219" name="dei:DocumentType" id="id3VybDovL2RvY3MudjEvZG9jOjI3YjY5NmQyOTQ1ZDRhOTU5MzMwOWJmNGMwMmIyZmNiL3NlYzoyN2I2OTZkMjk0NWQ0YTk1OTMzMDliZjRjMDJiMmZjYl8xL2ZyYWc6OGFkYzc3MzdhZTAxNGI4MTlkNDllZjk3YjI5OGRkOTcvdGV4dHJlZ2lvbjo4YWRjNzczN2FlMDE0YjgxOWQ0OWVmOTdiMjk4ZGQ5N18yMDkw_190d17e7-31be-409d-8324-c78ff9c8470d">8-K</ix:nonNumeric> </span></div><div style="text-align:center"><span><br/></span></div><div style="text-align:center"><span><br/></span></div><div style="text-align:center"><span style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:9pt;font-weight:700;line-height:120%">CURRENT REPORT</span></div><div style="text-align:center"><span style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:9pt;font-weight:700;line-height:120%">Pursuant to Section&#160;13 or 15(d)</span></div><div style="text-align:center"><span style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:9pt;font-weight:700;line-height:120%">of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934</span></div><div style="text-align:justify"><span><br/></span></div><div style="text-align:center"><span style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:9pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):</span><span style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:9pt;font-weight:700;line-height:120%"> <ix:nonNumeric contextRef="i3d3743e8a04a4242b4afdb9dead880c6_D20210219-20210219" format="ixt:datemonthdayyearen" 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id="id3VybDovL2RvY3MudjEvZG9jOjI3YjY5NmQyOTQ1ZDRhOTU5MzMwOWJmNGMwMmIyZmNiL3NlYzoyN2I2OTZkMjk0NWQ0YTk1OTMzMDliZjRjMDJiMmZjYl8xL2ZyYWc6OGFkYzc3MzdhZTAxNGI4MTlkNDllZjk3YjI5OGRkOTcvdGFibGU6YTM3MGU2YmE3MmYyNDg4ZGI4NzIzOTZmZDc2Yzc3ZDcvdGFibGVyYW5nZTphMzcwZTZiYTcyZjI0ODhkYjg3MjM5NmZkNzZjNzdkN181LTMtMS0xLTA_f1c01b72-df1b-4fb0-80df-19bdaffed519">77002</ix:nonNumeric></span></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td></tr><tr style="height:12pt"><td colspan="6" style="padding:2px 1pt;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom"><span style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:7pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;(Address of principal executive offices)</span></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="6" style="padding:2px 1pt;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom"><span style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:7pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">(Zip Code)</span></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td></tr><tr style="height:8pt"><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td></tr><tr style="height:12pt"><td colspan="9" style="padding:2px 1pt;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><span style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:9pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">Registrant&#8217;s telephone number, including area code:</span></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:2px 1pt;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom"><span style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:9pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%"><ix:nonNumeric contextRef="i3d3743e8a04a4242b4afdb9dead880c6_D20210219-20210219" name="dei:CityAreaCode" id="id3VybDovL2RvY3MudjEvZG9jOjI3YjY5NmQyOTQ1ZDRhOTU5MzMwOWJmNGMwMmIyZmNiL3NlYzoyN2I2OTZkMjk0NWQ0YTk1OTMzMDliZjRjMDJiMmZjYl8xL2ZyYWc6OGFkYzc3MzdhZTAxNGI4MTlkNDllZjk3YjI5OGRkOTcvdGFibGU6YTM3MGU2YmE3MmYyNDg4ZGI4NzIzOTZmZDc2Yzc3ZDcvdGFibGVyYW5nZTphMzcwZTZiYTcyZjI0ODhkYjg3MjM5NmZkNzZjNzdkN184LTMtMS0xLTA_3c79f672-0875-4ecc-8e9b-44c0580b3293">(713)</ix:nonNumeric></span></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><span style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:9pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%"><ix:nonNumeric contextRef="i3d3743e8a04a4242b4afdb9dead880c6_D20210219-20210219" name="dei:LocalPhoneNumber" id="id3VybDovL2RvY3MudjEvZG9jOjI3YjY5NmQyOTQ1ZDRhOTU5MzMwOWJmNGMwMmIyZmNiL3NlYzoyN2I2OTZkMjk0NWQ0YTk1OTMzMDliZjRjMDJiMmZjYl8xL2ZyYWc6OGFkYzc3MzdhZTAxNGI4MTlkNDllZjk3YjI5OGRkOTcvdGFibGU6YTM3MGU2YmE3MmYyNDg4ZGI4NzIzOTZmZDc2Yzc3ZDcvdGFibGVyYW5nZTphMzcwZTZiYTcyZjI0ODhkYjg3MjM5NmZkNzZjNzdkN184LTQtMS0xLTA_d6b34057-f28f-4512-914d-985deb116ccd">207-1111</ix:nonNumeric></span></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td></tr></table></div><div style="text-align:justify"><span><br/></span></div><div style="text-align:justify"><span style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:9pt;font-weight:400;line-height:130%">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;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 (</span><span style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:9pt;font-style:italic;font-weight:400;line-height:130%">see </span><span 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style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:9pt;font-weight:400;line-height:130%">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)</span></div><div style="text-align:justify"><span style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:9pt;font-weight:400;line-height:130%">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;</span><span style="color:#000000;font-family:'Arial Unicode MS',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:130%"><ix:nonNumeric contextRef="i3d3743e8a04a4242b4afdb9dead880c6_D20210219-20210219" format="ixt-sec:boolballotbox" name="dei:SolicitingMaterial" id="id3VybDovL2RvY3MudjEvZG9jOjI3YjY5NmQyOTQ1ZDRhOTU5MzMwOWJmNGMwMmIyZmNiL3NlYzoyN2I2OTZkMjk0NWQ0YTk1OTMzMDliZjRjMDJiMmZjYl8xL2ZyYWc6OGFkYzc3MzdhZTAxNGI4MTlkNDllZjk3YjI5OGRkOTcvdGV4dHJlZ2lvbjo4YWRjNzczN2FlMDE0YjgxOWQ0OWVmOTdiMjk4ZGQ5N18yMDkz_8804e441-b278-452f-90f9-cc52a9d2cecd">&#9744;</ix:nonNumeric></span><span style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:9pt;font-weight:400;line-height:130%">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)</span></div><div style="text-align:justify"><span style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:9pt;font-weight:400;line-height:130%">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;</span><span style="color:#000000;font-family:'Arial Unicode MS',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:130%"><ix:nonNumeric contextRef="i3d3743e8a04a4242b4afdb9dead880c6_D20210219-20210219" format="ixt-sec:boolballotbox" name="dei:PreCommencementTenderOffer" id="id3VybDovL2RvY3MudjEvZG9jOjI3YjY5NmQyOTQ1ZDRhOTU5MzMwOWJmNGMwMmIyZmNiL3NlYzoyN2I2OTZkMjk0NWQ0YTk1OTMzMDliZjRjMDJiMmZjYl8xL2ZyYWc6OGFkYzc3MzdhZTAxNGI4MTlkNDllZjk3YjI5OGRkOTcvdGV4dHJlZ2lvbjo4YWRjNzczN2FlMDE0YjgxOWQ0OWVmOTdiMjk4ZGQ5N18yMDg3_b7aae980-a63d-48b3-941b-6f9a9f2b749c">&#9744;</ix:nonNumeric></span><span style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:9pt;font-weight:400;line-height:130%">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))</span></div><div style="text-align:justify"><span style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:9pt;font-weight:400;line-height:130%">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;</span><span style="color:#000000;font-family:'Arial Unicode MS',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:130%"><ix:nonNumeric contextRef="i3d3743e8a04a4242b4afdb9dead880c6_D20210219-20210219" format="ixt-sec:boolballotbox" name="dei:PreCommencementIssuerTenderOffer" id="id3VybDovL2RvY3MudjEvZG9jOjI3YjY5NmQyOTQ1ZDRhOTU5MzMwOWJmNGMwMmIyZmNiL3NlYzoyN2I2OTZkMjk0NWQ0YTk1OTMzMDliZjRjMDJiMmZjYl8xL2ZyYWc6OGFkYzc3MzdhZTAxNGI4MTlkNDllZjk3YjI5OGRkOTcvdGV4dHJlZ2lvbjo4YWRjNzczN2FlMDE0YjgxOWQ0OWVmOTdiMjk4ZGQ5N18yMDg4_0f7c0287-30d6-4781-b2d2-caedff01b44f">&#9744;</ix:nonNumeric></span><span style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:9pt;font-weight:400;line-height:130%">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))</span></div><div style="margin-top:5pt;text-align:center"><table style="border-collapse:collapse;display:inline-table;margin-bottom:5pt;vertical-align:text-bottom;width:95.412%"><tr><td style="width:1.0%"></td><td style="width:41.688%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td><td style="width:1.0%"></td><td style="width:17.008%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td><td style="width:1.0%"></td><td style="width:38.004%"></td><td 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id="id3VybDovL2RvY3MudjEvZG9jOjI3YjY5NmQyOTQ1ZDRhOTU5MzMwOWJmNGMwMmIyZmNiL3NlYzoyN2I2OTZkMjk0NWQ0YTk1OTMzMDliZjRjMDJiMmZjYl8xL2ZyYWc6OGFkYzc3MzdhZTAxNGI4MTlkNDllZjk3YjI5OGRkOTcvdGFibGU6YzQ3MTQ5ZDc3Y2Y0NDYyOWE3OGI5YzI2NjQyMGQ0M2IvdGFibGVyYW5nZTpjNDcxNDlkNzdjZjQ0NjI5YTc4YjljMjY2NDIwZDQzYl8yLTItMS0xLTA_a9f1a8d4-7286-4e54-b47b-9adf4ea05681">The New York Stock Exchange</ix:nonNumeric></span></td></tr><tr style="height:14pt"><td colspan="3" style="padding:2px 1pt;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom"><span style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:9pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%"><ix:nonNumeric contextRef="if5574fdfb07f46b99e7198efdef4e2f6_D20210219-20210219" format="ixt-sec:exchnameen" name="dei:SecurityExchangeName" 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complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. </span><span style="color:#000000;font-family:'Wingdings',sans-serif;font-size:9pt;font-weight:400;line-height:144%">o</span></div><div style="margin-top:5pt;text-align:center"><table style="border-collapse:collapse;display:inline-table;margin-bottom:5pt;vertical-align:text-bottom;width:100.000%"><tr><td style="width:1.0%"></td><td style="width:18.900%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td><td style="width:1.0%"></td><td style="width:18.900%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td><td style="width:1.0%"></td><td style="width:18.900%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td><td style="width:1.0%"></td><td style="width:18.900%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td><td style="width:1.0%"></td><td style="width:18.900%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td></tr><tr style="height:6pt"><td colspan="3" style="border-bottom:3pt double #000000;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="border-bottom:3pt double #000000;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="border-bottom:3pt double #000000;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="border-bottom:3pt double #000000;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="border-bottom:3pt double #000000;padding:0 1pt"></td></tr></table></div><div style="text-align:center"><span><br/></span></div><div style="height:42.75pt;position:relative;width:100%"><div style="bottom:0;position:absolute;width:100%"><div><span><br/></span></div></div></div><hr style="page-break-after:always"/><div style="min-height:42.75pt;width:100%"><div><span><br/></span></div></div><div style="text-align:justify"><span style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:115%">Item&#160;5.02. </span><span style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:115%">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;</span><span style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:115%">Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain </span></div><div style="padding-left:36pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:36pt"><span style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:115%">Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.</span></div><div style="text-align:justify;text-indent:24.75pt"><span><br/></span></div><div style="text-align:justify;text-indent:24.75pt"><span style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:115%">On February 19, 2021, upon recommendation of the Governance Committee of the Board of Directors (the &#8220;Board&#8221;) of CenterPoint Energy, Inc. (the &#8220;Company&#8221;), the Board of the Company increased the size of the Board from ten to eleven directors and appointed Wendy Montoya Cloonan to fill the newly created directorship effective immediately. Ms. Cloonan will serve as a director of the Board of the Company until the expiration of her term on the date of the Company&#8217;s annual meeting of shareholders in 2021 and until her successor is elected and qualified. Ms. Cloonan is expected to stand for election as a director at the Company&#8217;s annual meeting of shareholders in 2021. Ms. Cloonan will serve on the Board&#8217;s Audit and Compensation Committees.</span></div><div style="text-align:justify;text-indent:24.75pt"><span><br/></span></div><div style="text-align:justify;text-indent:24.75pt"><span style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:115%">Ms. Cloonan, 41, is sole shareholder of The Law Office of Wendy Montoya Cloonan, PLLC, since August 2019, which specializes in the areas of public finance and public law. Before founding her own firm, Ms. Cloonan worked at the Houston Endowment, Inc., a private foundation that partners with other organizations in the non-profit, public and private sectors to improve quality of life for the residents of greater Houston, from February 2015 to July 2019 where she served as Senior Program Officer in Education, Assistant General Counsel and Director of Legal. Prior to joining Houston Endowment, Inc., Ms. Cloonan served as an attorney at Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP (formerly, Andrews Kurth LLP), Schwartz, Page &amp; Harding, L.L.P. and Vinson &amp; Elkins LLP. Ms. Cloonan has served as a commissioner of the Port of Houston Authority since 2019 and on the board of directors of the Houston Downtown Management District since 2015. She has previously served on the boards of directors of several non-profit organizations, which included leadership roles with the Hispanic Bar Association and United Way.</span></div><div style="text-align:justify;text-indent:24.75pt"><span><br/></span></div><div style="text-align:justify;text-indent:24.75pt"><span style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:115%">There are no arrangements or understandings between Ms. Cloonan and any other person pursuant to which she was selected as a director. The Company is not aware of any transaction in which Ms. Cloonan has an interest requiring disclosure under Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K. </span></div><div style="text-align:justify;text-indent:24.75pt"><span><br/></span></div><div style="text-align:justify;text-indent:24.75pt"><span style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:115%">Ms. Cloonan will be compensated for her service on the Board under the Company&#8217;s standard arrangement for non-employee directors described in its proxy statement for the 2020 annual meeting of shareholders. </span></div><div style="text-align:justify;text-indent:24.75pt"><span><br/></span></div><div style="text-align:justify;text-indent:24.75pt"><span style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:115%">A copy of the press release containing the announcement of Ms. Cloonan&#8217;s appointment is attached as Exhibit 99.1. </span></div><div style="margin-top:18pt;text-align:justify"><span style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:115%">Item 9.01. &#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Financial Statements and Exhibits.</span></div><div style="text-align:justify"><span><br/></span></div><div style="text-align:justify;text-indent:24.75pt"><span style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:115%">(d)                        Exhibits. </span></div><div style="text-align:justify;text-indent:24.75pt"><span><br/></span></div><div><table style="border-collapse:collapse;display:inline-table;vertical-align:top;width:78.440%"><tr><td style="width:1.0%"></td><td style="width:12.155%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td><td style="width:1.0%"></td><td style="width:10.400%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td><td style="width:1.0%"></td><td style="width:12.155%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td><td style="width:1.0%"></td><td style="width:60.890%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:top"><div style="text-align:justify"><span style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:93%">EXHIBIT</span></div><div><span style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:93%;text-decoration:underline">NUMBER</span></div></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:2px 1pt;text-align:justify;vertical-align:top"><span style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:93%;text-decoration:underline"><br/>EXHIBIT DESCRIPTION</span></td></tr><tr style="height:15pt"><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:2px 1pt;text-align:center;vertical-align:top"><span style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:93%">99.1</span></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:top"><div><span style="color:#0000ff;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:93%;text-decoration:underline"><a style="-sec-extract:exhibit;color:#0000ff;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:93%;text-decoration:underline" href="exhibit991-wmcitem5028xk.htm">Press Release dated February 19, 2021</a></span></div></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:2px 1pt;text-align:center;vertical-align:top"><span style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:93%">104</span></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:top"><span style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:93%">Cover Page Interactive Data File - the cover page XBRL tags are embedded within the Inline XBRL document</span></td></tr></table></div><div style="text-align:justify"><span style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:115%">   </span></div><div><span><br/></span></div><div style="height:42.75pt;position:relative;width:100%"><div style="bottom:0;position:absolute;width:100%"><div><span><br/></span></div></div></div><hr style="page-break-after:always"/><div style="min-height:42.75pt;width:100%"><div><span><br/></span></div></div><div style="text-align:center"><span style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">SIGNATURE</span></div><div style="text-align:justify"><span><br/></span></div><div style="text-align:justify;text-indent:13.5pt"><span style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;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.</span></div><div style="text-align:justify"><span><br/></span></div><div style="margin-top:5pt;text-align:center"><table style="border-collapse:collapse;display:inline-table;margin-bottom:5pt;vertical-align:text-bottom;width:99.847%"><tr><td style="width:1.0%"></td><td style="width:51.120%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td><td style="width:1.0%"></td><td style="width:3.187%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td><td style="width:1.0%"></td><td style="width:42.393%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="6" style="padding:2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><span style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">CENTERPOINT ENERGY, INC.</span></td></tr><tr style="height:12pt"><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="padding:2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><span style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">Date:  February 19, 2021</span></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:2px 1pt;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><span style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">By:</span></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><span style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">/s/ Monica Karuturi                           </span></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="border-top:1pt solid #000000;padding:2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><span style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">Monica Karuturi</span></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><span style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">Senior Vice President and General Counsel</span></td></tr></table></div><div style="text-align:justify"><span><br/></span></div><div style="text-align:center"><span><br/></span></div><div><span><br/></span></div><div style="height:42.75pt;position:relative;width:100%"><div style="bottom:0;position:absolute;width:100%"><div><span><br/></span></div></div></div></body></html>
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cnp-20210219
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):
February 19, 2021
CENTERPOINT ENERGY, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
_______________________________
Texas
1-31447
74-0694415
(State or other jurisdiction
(Commission File Number)
(IRS Employer
of incorporation)
Identification No.)
1111 Louisiana
Houston
Texas
77002
(Address of principal executive offices)
(Zip Code)
Registrant's telephone number, including area code:
(713)
207-1111
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 (
see
General Instruction A.2. below):
☐
Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
☐
Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
☐
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
☐
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Title of each class
Trading Symbol(s)
Name of each exchange on which registered
Common Stock, $0.01 par value
CNP
The New York Stock Exchange
Chicago Stock Exchange, Inc.
Depositary Shares for 1/20 of 7.00% Series B Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock, $0.01 par value
CNP/PB
The New York Stock Exchange
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2).
Emerging Growth Company
☐
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.
o
Item 5.02.
Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain
Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.
On February 19, 2021, upon recommendation of the Governance Committee of the Board of Directors (the "Board") of CenterPoint Energy, Inc. (the "Company"), the Board of the Company increased the size of the Board from ten to eleven directors and appointed Wendy Montoya Cloonan to fill the newly created directorship effective immediately. Ms. Cloonan will serve as a director of the Board of the Company until the expiration of her term on the date of the Company's annual meeting of shareholders in 2021 and until her successor is elected and qualified. Ms. Cloonan is expected to stand for election as a director at the Company's annual meeting of shareholders in 2021. Ms. Cloonan will serve on the Board's Audit and Compensation Committees.
Ms. Cloonan, 41, is sole shareholder of The Law Office of Wendy Montoya Cloonan, PLLC, since August 2019, which specializes in the areas of public finance and public law. Before founding her own firm, Ms. Cloonan worked at the Houston Endowment, Inc., a private foundation that partners with other organizations in the non-profit, public and private sectors to improve quality of life for the residents of greater Houston, from February 2015 to July 2019 where she served as Senior Program Officer in Education, Assistant General Counsel and Director of Legal. Prior to joining Houston Endowment, Inc., Ms. Cloonan served as an attorney at Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP (formerly, Andrews Kurth LLP), Schwartz, Page & Harding, L.L.P. and Vinson & Elkins LLP. Ms. Cloonan has served as a commissioner of the Port of Houston Authority since 2019 and on the board of directors of the Houston Downtown Management District since 2015. She has previously served on the boards of directors of several non-profit organizations, which included leadership roles with the Hispanic Bar Association and United Way.
There are no arrangements or understandings between Ms. Cloonan and any other person pursuant to which she was selected as a director. The Company is not aware of any transaction in which Ms. Cloonan has an interest requiring disclosure under Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K.
Ms. Cloonan will be compensated for her service on the Board under the Company's standard arrangement for non-employee directors described in its proxy statement for the 2020 annual meeting of shareholders.
A copy of the press release containing the announcement of Ms. Cloonan's appointment is attached as Exhibit 99.1.
Item 9.01.     Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(d)                        Exhibits.
EXHIBIT
NUMBER
EXHIBIT DESCRIPTION
99.1
Press Release dated February 19, 2021
104
Cover Page Interactive Data File - the cover page XBRL tags are embedded within the Inline XBRL document
SIGNATURE
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.
CENTERPOINT ENERGY, INC.
Date:  February 19, 2021
By:
/s/ Monica Karuturi
Monica Karuturi
Senior Vice President and General Counsel