<PAGE> 1
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
December 12, 1997
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)
ONEOK, Inc.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Oklahoma 1-2572 73-1520922
(State or other jurisdiction (Commission (IRS Employer
of incorporation) File Number) Identification No.)
100 West Fifth Street; Tulsa, OK
(Address of principal executive offices)
74103
(Zip code)
(918) 588-7000
(Registrant's telephone number, including area code)
Not Applicable
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
1
<PAGE> 2
Items 1 - 4. Not Applicable.
Item 5. Other Events.
ONEOK Inc. (the Company) announced the appointment of two new
directors to the ONEOK, Inc. board. They are Howard R. Fricke, chairman of the
board, president and chief executive officer, Security Benefit Group of
Companies, Topeka, Kansas and Steven L. Kitchen, executive vice president and
chief financial officer, Western Resources, Inc., Topeka, Kansas.
On November 26, 1997 the Company issued a press releases, a
copy of which is attached hereto as exhibit 1.a and incorporated herein by
reference.
Items 6. Not Applicable
Item 7. Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial Information and
Exhibits.
Exhibit
No. Description
1.a Press release issued by ONEOK Inc. dated November 26, 1997.
Item 8 - 9. Not Applicable
2
<PAGE> 3
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, on this 12th of December, 1997.
ONEOK Inc.
By: /s/ Jerry D. Neal
--------------------------------
Vice President,
Chief Financial Officer,
and Treasurer
3
<PAGE> 4
INDEX TO EXHIBITS
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Exhibit
No. Description
- ------- -----------
<S> <C>
1.a Press release issued by ONEOK Inc. dated November 26, 1997.
</TABLE>
<PAGE> 1
EXHIBIT 1.a
ONEOK/WESTERN RESOURCES ALLIANCE WINS FINAL APPROVAL
TRANSACTION CLOSES TODAY
TULSA, Oklahoma -- ONEOK Inc. (NYSE: OKE), Tulsa, Oklahoma, and
Western Resources, Inc. (NYSE: WRI), Topeka, Kansas, today announced the
completion of their strategic alliance.
The companies closed the transaction in which Western Resources
contributed its natural gas assets in Kansas and Oklahoma to ONEOK in exchange
for a percentage of equity ownership in ONEOK.
The closing came after receiving the Securities and Exchange
Commission's approval. The arrangement previously received the approval of
both the Oklahoma and Kansas Corporation Commissions, ONEOK shareholders and
the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
ONEOK previously announced that it will operate the new distribution
operations under the name of Kansas Gas Service. The business will serve more
than 600,000 customers in Kansas and 36,000 customers in Oklahoma who formerly
received natural gas from Western Resources' KPL and KGE operating companies.
Kansas Gas Service will operate from headquarters located in Overland Park,
Kansas. About 1,500 Western employees will transfer to the new company.
"Our focus now is on serving our new customers," said ONEOK chairman
of the board and chief executive officer, Larry Brummett. "We've all worked
very hard to make this alliance happen, and we've been successful. We're
equally committed to seeing that our customers continue to receive the kind of
quality, low-cost natural gas service that they deserve."
With the conclusion of this alliance, we have joined two great
companies in a unique partnership." said John E. Hayes, Jr., Western Resources
chairman of the board and chief executive officer. "We are confident this
alliance will provide benefits for our customers, employees and shareholders."
In accordance with the terms of the agreement with Western Resources,
the ONEOK board of directors today also approved the appointment of two new
directors. They are:
o Howard R. Fricke, chairman of the board, president and chief
executive officer, Security Benefit Group of Companies,
Topeka, Kansas
o Steven L. Kitchen, executive vice president and chief
financial officer, Western Resources, Inc., Topeka, Kansas
