AMERICAN TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
SCHEDULE
14A INFORMATION
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1934
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Definitive
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Soliciting
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American
Technology Corporation
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AMERICAN
TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
15378
Avenue of Science, Suite 100
San
Diego, California 92128
(858)
676-1112
NOTICE
OF ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
TO
BE HELD ON MAY
9, 2007
TO
THE
STOCKHOLDERS OF AMERICAN TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION:
Notice
Is Hereby Given
that the
Annual Meeting of Stockholders of American
Technology Corporation,
a
Delaware corporation (the "Company"), will be held on Wednesday, May 9, 2007
at
2:00 p.m. local time, at our principal offices located at 15378 Avenue of
Science, Suite 100, San Diego, California 92128.
1.
|
To
elect directors to serve for the ensuing year and until their successors
are elected;
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2.
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To
ratify the selection of Swenson Advisors, LLP as the independent
registered public accounting firm of the Company for its fiscal year
ending September 30, 2007;
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3.
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To
approve amendments to the Company's 2005 Equity Incentive
Plan;
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4. |
To
approve certain terms of the Company's financing that occurred in
August
2006; and
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5.
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To
transact such other business as may properly come before the meeting
or
any adjournment or postponement
thereof.
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The
foregoing items of business are more fully described in the Proxy Statement
accompanying this Notice.
I
strongly encourage you to sign up for electronic delivery of our future annual
reports and proxy materials in order to conserve natural resources and help
us
save costs in producing and distributing these materials. For
more
information, please see "Electronic Delivery of Proxy Materials and Annual
Reports" on page 2 of the Proxy Statement.
The
Board
of Directors has fixed the close of business on March 20, 2007, as the record
date for the determination of stockholders entitled to notice of and to vote
at
this Annual Meeting and at any adjournment or postponement thereof.
|
By
Order of the Board of Directors
/s/
Elwood G. Norris
Elwood
G. Norris
Chairman
of the Board
|
San
Diego, California
March
30, 2007
ALL
STOCKHOLDERS ARE CORDIALLY INVITED TO ATTEND THE MEETING IN PERSON. WHETHER
OR
NOT YOU EXPECT TO ATTEND THE MEETING, PLEASE COMPLETE, DATE, SIGN AND RETURN
THE
ENCLOSED PROXY AS PROMPTLY AS POSSIBLE IN ORDER TO ENSURE YOUR REPRESENTATION
AT
THE MEETING. EVEN IF YOU HAVE GIVEN YOUR PROXY, YOU MAY STILL VOTE IN PERSON
IF
YOU ATTEND THE MEETING. PLEASE NOTE, HOWEVER, THAT IF YOUR SHARES ARE HELD
OF
RECORD BY A BROKER, BANK OR OTHER NOMINEE AND YOU WISH TO VOTE AT THE MEETING,
YOU MUST OBTAIN FROM THE RECORD HOLDER A PROXY ISSUED IN YOUR
NAME.
AMERICAN
TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
15378
Avenue of Science, Suite 100, San Diego, California 92128
(858)
676-1112
PROXY
STATEMENT
FOR
ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
To
be
held May 9, 2007
INFORMATION
CONCERNING SOLICITATION AND VOTING
General
The
enclosed proxy is solicited to the holders of common stock on behalf of the
Board of Directors of American Technology Corporation, a Delaware
corporation, for use at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held on May
9,
2007, at 2:00 p.m. local time (the "Annual Meeting"), or at any adjournment
or
postponement thereof, for the purposes set forth herein and in the accompanying
Notice of Annual Meeting. The Annual Meeting will be held at our principal
offices located at 15378 Avenue of Science, Suite 100, San Diego, California
92128. We intend to mail or electronically deliver this proxy statement, the
accompanying proxy card and Notice of Annual Meeting on or about March
30,
2007 to
all stockholders entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting.
Solicitation
We
will
bear the entire cost of solicitation of proxies, including preparation,
assembly, printing and mailing of this proxy statement, the proxy and any
additional information furnished to stockholders. Copies of solicitation
materials will be furnished to banks, brokerage houses, fiduciaries and
custodians holding in their names shares of common stock beneficially owned
by
others to forward to such beneficial owners. We may reimburse persons
representing beneficial owners of common stock for their costs of forwarding
solicitation materials to such beneficial owners. Original solicitation of
proxies by mail may be supplemented by telephone, telegram or personal
solicitation by directors, officers or other regular employees of our company.
No additional compensation will be paid to directors, officers or other regular
employees for such services.
Voting
Rights and Outstanding Shares
We
have
designated a record date of March 20, 2007 for the Annual Meeting. Only
stockholders of record at the close of business on the record date will be
entitled to notice of and to vote at the Annual Meeting. At the close of
business on the record date we had outstanding and entitled to vote
[___________] shares of common stock.
Except
as
provided below, on all matters to be voted upon at the Annual Meeting, each
holder of record of common stock on the record date will be entitled to one
vote
for each share held. With respect to the election of directors, stockholders
may
exercise cumulative voting rights, i.e., each stockholder entitled to vote
for
the election of directors may cast a total number of votes equal to the number
of directors to be elected multiplied by the number of such stockholders shares
(on an as-converted basis) and may cast such total of votes for one or more
candidates in such proportions as such stockholder chooses. However, no
stockholder will be entitled to cumulate votes unless the candidate's name
has
been placed in nomination prior to the voting and at least one stockholder
has
given notice at the meeting, prior to the voting, of his or her intention to
cumulate votes. Unless the proxyholders are otherwise instructed, stockholders,
by means of the accompanying proxy, will grant the proxyholders discretionary
authority to cumulate votes.
All
votes
will be tabulated by the inspector of election appointed for the meeting, who
will separately tabulate affirmative and negative votes, abstentions and broker
non-votes. Abstentions will be counted towards the tabulation of votes cast
on
proposals presented to the stockholders for the purposes of determining the
presence of a quorum and will have the same effect as negative votes. Broker
non-votes are counted towards a quorum, but are not counted for any purpose
in
determining whether a matter has been approved. If you sign your proxy card
or
broker voting instruction card with no instructions, your shares will be voted
in accordance with the recommendations of the Board.
Revocability
of Proxies
Any
person giving a proxy pursuant to this solicitation has the power to revoke
it
at any time before it is voted. It may be revoked by filing with the Chairman
of
the Board at our principal offices, 15378 Avenue of Science, Suite 100, San
Diego, California 92128, a written notice of revocation or a duly executed
proxy
bearing a later date, or it may be revoked by attending the meeting and voting
in person. Attendance at the meeting will not, by itself, revoke a
proxy.
Stockholder
Proposals
The
deadline for submitting a stockholder proposal for inclusion in our proxy
statement and form of proxy for our 2008 annual meeting of stockholders pursuant
to Rule 14a-8 of the Securities and Exchange Commission is December
1,
2007.
Our
bylaws also establish an advance notice procedure with respect to certain
stockholder proposals and director nominations. If a stockholder wishes to
have
a stockholder proposal considered at our next annual meeting, the stockholder
must give timely notice of the proposal in writing to the Secretary of our
company. To be timely, a stockholder's notice of the proposal must be delivered
to, or mailed and received at our executive offices not earlier than February
9,
2008 and not later than March 10, 2008; provided, however, that in the event
that no annual meeting was held in the previous year or the date of the annual
meeting has been changed by more than 30 days from the anniversary of the
scheduled date of this year's Annual Meeting, notice by the stockholder to
be
timely must be so received not earlier than the close of business on the 90th
day prior to such annual meeting and not later than the close of business on
the
later of the 60th day prior to such annual meeting or, in the event we first
make public announcement of the date of such annual meeting fewer than 70 days
prior to the date of such annual meeting, the close of business on the 10th
day
following the day on which we first make public announcement of the date of
such
meeting.
A
stockholder's notice to the Secretary must set forth as to each matter the
stockholder proposes to bring before the annual meeting: (i) a brief
description of the business desired to be brought before the annual meeting
and
the reasons for conducting such business at the annual meeting, (ii) the
name and address, as they appear on our books, of the stockholder proposing
such
business, (iii) the class and number of shares which are beneficially owned
by the stockholder, (iv) any material interest of the stockholder in such
business and (v) any other information that is required to be provided by
the stockholder pursuant to Regulation 14A under the Exchange Act, in his
or her capacity as a proponent to a stockholder proposal.
Electronic
Delivery of Proxy Materials and Annual Reports
If
you
are a stockholder of record, you may request and consent to electronic delivery
of our future proxy materials and annual reports by following the instructions
on your proxy card. If your shares are held in street name, please contact
your
broker, bank or other nominee and ask about the availability of electronic
delivery. If you select electronic delivery, we will discontinue mailing the
proxy materials and annual reports to you beginning next year, and you will
be
sent an e-mail message notifying you of the Internet address or addresses where
you may access the proxy materials and annual report. Your consent to electronic
delivery will remain in effect until you revoke it.
PROPOSAL
ONE
ELECTION
OF DIRECTORS
There
are
five nominees for Board positions. Each director to be elected will hold office
until the next annual meeting of stockholders and until his or her successor
is
elected and has qualified, or until such director's earlier death, resignation
or removal. Each nominee listed below is currently a director of our company.
Four of the directors were elected by the stockholders at our 2006 annual
meeting. One of the directors, Laura M. Clague, was elected to our Board in
February 2007, based on the recommendation of our Nominating and Governance
Committee following a recommendation by our Chief Executive Officer. We
encourage our Board members to attend our annual meetings of stockholders.
All
four nominees who were members of our the Board at the time of the 2006 annual
meeting of stockholders attended the 2006 annual meeting of
stockholders.
Shares
represented by executed proxies will be voted, if authority to do so is not
withheld, for the election of the five nominees named below, subject to the
discretionary power to cumulate votes. In the event that any nominee should
be
unavailable for election as a result of an unexpected occurrence, such shares
will be voted for the election of such substitute nominee as management may
propose. Each person nominated for election has agreed to serve if elected
and
management has no reason to believe that any nominee will be unable to
serve.
The
five
candidates receiving the highest number of affirmative votes cast at the meeting
will be elected directors.
Our
Board of Directors Recommends a vote IN FAVOR of each named
nominee
Nominees
The
names
of the nominees and certain information about them are set forth
below:
Name
|
Age
|
Position
and Offices
|
Director
Since
|
Elwood
G. Norris
|
68
|
Chairman
and Director
|
1980
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Thomas
R. Brown
|
56
|
Director,
President, Chief Executive Officer, Secretary and Interim Chief Financial
Officer
|
2006
|
Daniel
Hunter
|
57
|
Director
|
2001
|
Raymond
C. Smith
|
63
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Director
|
2006
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Laura
M. Clague
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48
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Director
|
2007
|
Elwood
G. Norris,
age 68,
has been a director of our company since August 1980. Mr. Norris served as
Chief
Executive Officer from October 2000 until February 2003. He currently serves
as
Chairman of the Board, an executive position, in which he serves in a technical
advisory role to our company and acts as a spokesman for our products. He served
as President from August 1980 to February 1994. Mr. Norris managed our research
and development activities as Chief Technology Officer through December 2000.
From 1988 to November 1999, he was a director and Chairman of e.Digital
Corporation, a public company engaged in electronic product development,
distribution and sales. During that period, he also held various other executive
officer positions at e.Digital. From August 1989 to October 1999, he served
as
director and held various executive officer positions with Patriot Scientific
Corporation, a public company engaged in the development of microprocessor
technology and in patent licensing. He is an inventor with 47 U.S. patents,
primarily in the fields of electrical and acoustical engineering. He is the
inventor of our HyperSonic Sound and other technologies. In April 2005, he
was
named as the 2005 recipient of the $500,000 Lemelson-MIT Prize for his many
inventions including HyperSonic Sound.
Thomas
R. Brown,
age 56,
was appointed to our Board of Directors on March 24, 2006 and was appointed
as
President and Chief Executive Officer in August 2006 and Interim Chief Financial
Officer in September 2006. Mr. Brown temporarily resigned from the Board on
September 5, 2006 upon the commencement of his term as President and Chief
Executive Officer in order for us to maintain compliance with the rules of
the
NASDAQ Stock Market requiring us to have a majority of independent directors.
Mr. Brown was reappointed to the Board on September 22, 2006. Mr. Brown served
as President of BrownThompson Executive Search, a financial executive search
firm, from April 2005 to August 2006. Mr. Brown was employed by Sony
Electronics, Inc. from February 1988 to September 2004. From April 2001 to
September 2004, Mr. Brown was Executive Vice President and Deputy President
of
the Engineering and Manufacturing division of Sony Electronics, Inc., where
he
was responsible for supply chain operations including Information Technology,
Procurement, Customer Service, North American Manufacturing Operations and
Finance. From April 2000 to September 2004, Mr. Brown was concurrently the
Executive Vice President and President of Information Technology Division for
Sony Electronics, where he was responsible for establishing the North American
personal computer manufacturing division. Mr. Brown is a member of the board
of
directors of Mad Catz Interactive (AMEX/TSX: MCZ), a provider of video game
accessories. Mr. Brown obtained a B.A. in Economics from Rutgers University
in
1973. Mr. Brown is also a certified public accountant.
Daniel
Hunter, age
57,
has been a director of our company since May 2001. Mr. Hunter has been a
licensed certified public accountant for the past twenty-five years. He obtained
his accounting degree from the University of Utah in 1975. For the past twenty
years, Mr. Hunter has operated his own law offices specializing in business
and
tax law. He obtained his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Seattle
in
1978.
Raymond
C. Smith,
age 63,
has been a director of our company since March 15, 2006. Admiral Smith served
31
years in the U.S. Navy SEALS until his retirement in 2001. He held various
leadership positions, most recently Director of Assessment of the Office of
the
Chief of Naval Operations, where he directed capability assessment for the
U.S.
Navy. During his service with the Navy SEALS, Admiral Smith held positions
based
in San Diego, California, Tampa, Florida and Newport, Rhode Island. From 2001
to
2002, Admiral Smith was Chief Operating Officer of Cathedral of Our Lady of
Angels in a Los Angeles, where he supervised all business activities within
the
Cathedral complex. From 2003 to 2005, Admiral Smith was President of Seraphim
Realty Foundation, a Los Angeles charitable organization dedicated to assisting
charities with donated real estate as a means of increasing their endowments.
Admiral Smith is a director of EP Global Communications, Inc. (OTCBB: EPGL),
publisher of Exceptional Parent magazine and provider of other services for
families of people with disabilities and special health care needs. Admiral
Smith obtained a B.S. in Engineering from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1967 and
an
M.S. in Oceanography from the Naval Postgraduate School in 1974.
Laura
M. Clague,
age 48,
was appointed to our Board of Directors in February 2007. Ms. Clague is the
executive director and corporate controller of Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Inc.,
a
biopharmaceutical company, where she has served since 2003. From 1988 to 1999,
Ms. Clague was the director of finance and accounting operations, controller
and
accounting manager at Sony Electronics, Inc. From 1985 to 1988, Ms. Clague
served as internal audit supervisor at Cubic Corporation. From 1982 to 1985,
Ms.
Clague held various audit positions at KPMG, the last of which was audit
supervisor. Ms. Clague is a certified public accountant, and has a B.S. in
Business Administration from Menlo College.
BOARD
AND COMMITTEE MATTERS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE MATTERS
We
maintain a corporate governance page on our website which includes key
information about our corporate governance initiatives, including our Code
of
Business Conduct and Ethics, our
Charters
for the committees of the Board of Directors,
and
our
Whistleblower Protection Policy. The corporate governance page can be found
at
www.atcsd.com, by clicking on "Investors," and then on "Corporate
Governance."
Our
policies and practices reflect corporate governance initiatives that are
designed to be compliant with the listing requirements of The NASDAQ Stock
Market and the corporate governance requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act
of
2002, including:
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A
majority of our Board members are independent of our company and
our
management;
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All
members of our standing Board committees—the Audit Committee, the
Compensation Committee, and the Nominating and Governance Committee—are
independent;
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The
independent members of our Board of Directors meet regularly without
the
presence of management;
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We
have a clear code of business conduct and ethics that applies to
our
principal executive officers, our directors and all of our employees,
and
is monitored by our Audit
Committee;
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·
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The
charters of the board committees clearly establish their respective
roles
and responsibilities; and
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·
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We
have a hotline available to all employees, and our Audit Committee
has
procedures in place for the anonymous submission of employee complaints
on
accounting, internal accounting controls, or auditing matters.
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Board
of Directors
Our
Board
of Directors currently consists of five directors: Elwood G. Norris (Chairman),
Thomas R. Brown, Daniel Hunter, Raymond C. Smith, and Laura M. Clague. During
the fiscal year ended September 30, 2006 our Board of Directors held
16 meetings
and acted by unanimous written consent 3 times. All directors attended at least
75% of the aggregate of the total number of the meetings of the Board of
Directors and the total number of meetings held by all committees of the Board
of Directors on which he served (in each case during the period in which he
served), except for Admiral Smith.
Independence
of the Board of Directors
As
required under the NASDAQ Stock Market listing standards, a majority of the
members of a listed company's board of directors must qualify as "independent,"
as affirmatively determined by the board of directors.
After
review of all relevant transactions or relationships between each director,
or
any of his family members, and us, our senior management and our independent
registered public accounting firm, our Board of Directors has affirmatively
determined that Mr. Hunter, Admiral Smith and Ms. Clague are independent
directors within the meaning of the applicable NASDAQ listing
standards.
Executive
Sessions
As
required under NASDAQ listing standards, during the calendar
year
ended December 31, 2006, our independent directors met at least twice in
regularly scheduled executive sessions at which only independent directors
were
present.
Stockholder
Communications with the Board of Directors
We
have
adopted a formal process by which stockholders may communicate with our Board
of
Directors. The Board recommends that stockholders initiate any communications
with the Board in writing and send them in care of the investor relations
department by mail to our principal offices, 15378 Avenue of Science, Suite
100,
San Diego, CA 92128. This centralized process will assist the Board in reviewing
and responding to stockholder communications in an appropriate manner. The
name
of any specific intended Board recipient should be noted in the communication.
The Board has instructed the investor relations department to forward such
correspondence only to the intended recipients; however, the Board has also
instructed the investor relations department, prior to forwarding any
correspondence, to review such correspondence and, in its discretion, not to
forward certain items if they are deemed of a personal, illegal, commercial,
offensive or frivolous nature or otherwise inappropriate for the Board's
consideration. In such cases, that correspondence will be forwarded to the
company's Secretary for review and possible response. This information is also
contained on our website at www.atcsd.com.
Information
Regarding the Board of Directors Committees
During
the fiscal year ended September 30, 2006, the Board had three standing
committees: the Audit Committee, the Compensation Committee and the Nominating
and Governance Committee. The current charters for the Audit Committee, the
Compensation Committee and the Nominating and Governance Committee are included
as Annexes 1, 2 and 3. The charters have been adopted, and in some cases amended
and restated to, among other things, reflect changes to the NASDAQ listing
standards and SEC rules adopted to implement provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley
Act of 2002. The charters can also be found on our website at
www.atcsd.com.
Our
Board
of Directors has a separately designated standing Audit Committee established
in
accordance with Section 3(a)(58) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
The Audit Committee oversees our corporate accounting and financial reporting
processes. Among other functions, the Audit Committee:
·
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evaluates
the performance of and assesses the qualifications of the independent
registered public accounting firm;
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engages
the independent registered public accounting firm;
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determines
whether to retain or terminate the existing independent registered
public
accounting firm or to appoint and engage a new independent registered
public accounting firm;
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confers
with senior management and the independent registered public accounting
firm regarding the adequacy and effectiveness of financial reporting;
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reviews
and approves the retention of the independent registered public
accounting
firm to perform any proposed permissible non-audit
services;
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resolves
any disagreements between management and the independent registered
public
accounting firm;
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considers
the effectiveness of our company's internal control system, including
information technology security and control;
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understands
the scope of the independent registered public accounting firm's
review of
internal control over financial reporting, and obtains reports
on
significant findings and recommendations, together with management's
responses;
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monitors
the rotation of partners of the independent registered public accounting
firm on our audit engagement team as required by law;
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oversees
procedures, as required under applicable law, for the receipt,
retention
and treatment of complaints received by us regarding accounting,
internal
accounting controls or auditing matters and the confidential and
anonymous
submission by employees of concerns regarding questionable accounting
or
auditing matters;
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reviews
the procedures for communicating the code of business conduct and
ethics
to our company personnel, and for monitoring compliance
therewith;
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reviews
annually the Audit Committee's written charter and the committee's
performance and reports the same to the Board;
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reviews
the financial statements
to be included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K as well as interim
financial reports;
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discusses
with management and the independent registered public accounting
firm the
results of the annual audit and the results in our quarterly financial
statements; and
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reviews
and approves all related party transactions on an ongoing
basis.
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The
Audit Committee has the authority to retain
special legal, accounting or other advisors or consultants as it deems necessary
or appropriate to carry out its duties. The Audit Committee is composed of
Ms.
Clague (Chair) and Mr. Hunter and Admiral Smith. At the beginning of fiscal
2006, Daniel Hunter, Richard M. Wagner and David J. Carter were members of
the
Audit Committee, and Mr. Hunter served as Chair. In March 2006, the size of
the
Audit Committee was increased to four directors, and Thomas R. Brown joined
the
Audit Committee as an independent director and became its Chair. Mr. Wagner
retired from the Board at the May 2006 annual meeting of stockholders, and
the
size of the Audit Committee was then reduced to three directors. Mr. Brown
resigned from the Audit Committee in August 2006 upon the Board's appointment
of
him as President and Chief Executive Officer for a term commencing September
5,
2006, and the vacancy on the Audit Committee was filled by Admiral Smith. Mr.
Carter resigned from the Board and all standing committees in February 2007,
and
Ms. Clague was appointed to the Audit Committee to fill the vacancy created
by
his resignation. Ms. Clague was also appointed as Chair of the Audit Committee.
The Audit Committee met 13 times and
acted
by unanimous written consent 1 time during fiscal 2006.
The
Board of Directors annually reviews the NASDAQ
listing standards definition of independence for audit committee members and
has
determined that all members of our Audit Committee are independent (as
independence is currently defined in Rule 4350(d)(2)(A) of the NASDAQ
listing standards). Our Board of Directors has determined that each member
of
the Audit Committee is able to read and understand fundamental financial
statements, including our company's balance sheet, income statement and cash
flow statement. Our Board of Directors has also determined that Mr. Hunter
and
Ms. Clague each qualify as an "audit committee financial expert," as defined
in
applicable SEC rules. In making such determinations, the Board made a
qualitative assessment of Mr. Hunter's, and Ms. Clague's level of knowledge
and
experience based on a number of factors, including each individual's formal
education and experience. See "Report of the Audit Committee."
Compensation
Committee
The
Compensation Committee assists in the implementation of, and provides
recommendations with respect to, our general and specific compensation policies
and practices for our company's executives. The Compensation Committee also
administers our 2002 Stock Option Plan and our 2005
Equity Incentive Plan. Among other functions, the Compensation
Committee:
·
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reviews
and approves the performance goals and objectives for executive
officers,
including our Chief Executive Officer;
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·
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evaluates
the CEO's performances in light of those goals and objectives
and
recommends to the Board the CEO's compensation
levels;
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recommends
to the Board the compensation of executive officers other than
the
CEO;
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·
|
reports
on executive compensation for inclusion in our company's proxy
statements;
|
|
|
·
|
reviews
annually the Board compensation and makes related recommendations
to the
Board; and
|
|
|
·
|
reviews
annually the Compensation Committee's written charter and the
committee's
performance and reports the same to the Board.
|
|
The
Compensation Committee has the authority to retain special legal or other
advisors or consultants as it deems necessary or appropriate to carry out its
duties. The Compensation Committee is composed of Mr. Hunter (Chair), Admiral
Smith, and Ms. Clague. At the beginning of fiscal 2006, Richard M. Wagner,
Mr.
Hunter and David J. Carter were members of the Compensation Committee, and
Mr.
Wagner served as Chair. In March 2006, the size of the Compensation Committee
was increased to four directors, and Admiral Smith joined the Compensation
Committee as an independent director. Later in March 2006, the size of the
Compensation Committee was increased to five directors, and Thomas R. Brown
joined the Compensation Committee as an independent director. Mr. Wagner retired
from the Board at the May 2006 annual meeting of stockholders, and the size
of
the Compensation Committee was then reduced to four directors, and Mr. Hunter
became Chair of the Compensation Committee. Mr. Brown resigned from the
Compensation Committee in August 2006 upon the Board's appointment of him as
President and Chief Executive Officer for a term commencing September 5, 2006,
and the size of the Compensation Committee was reduced to three directors.
Mr.
Carter resigned from the Board and all standing committees in February 2007,
and
Ms. Clague was appointed to the Compensation Committee to fill the vacancy
created by his resignation. The Compensation Committee held 12
meetings
and
acted by unanimous written consent 3 times during
fiscal 2006. See "Report of the Compensation Committee."
Each
member of the Compensation Committee is independent (as independence is
currently defined in Rule 4200(a)(15) of the NASDAQ listing standards), an
"outside director" as defined in Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code
and
a "non-employee director" as defined in Rule 16b-3 under the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934.
Nominating
and Governance Committee
Our
Board
of Directors established a Nominating and Governance Committee in April 2004.
The Nominating and Governance Committee identifies and recommends to the Board
individuals qualified to become Board members, reviews and advises the Board
with respect to corporate governance principals and policies, and oversees
the
annual evaluation of the Board's effectiveness. Among other functions, the
Nominating and Governance Committee:
·
|
identifies,
reviews and evaluates candidates to serve on our Board of
Directors;
|
|
|
·
|
makes
recommendations to the Board regarding the membership of the
committees of
our Board;
|
|
|
·
|
reviews
annually the Nominating and Governance Committee's written
charter and the
committee's performance;
|
|
|
·
|
oversees
an annual self-evaluation of our Board;
|
|
|
·
|
reviews
with the Board the requisite skills and criteria for new Board
members and
the composition of the Board as a whole;
|
|
|
·
|
oversees
a policy for considering shareholder nominees for directors
and develops
the procedures that must be followed by shareholders in submitting
recommendations;
|
|
|
·
|
evaluates
director candidates recommended by the shareholders using the criteria
and
the principles for director selection;
|
|
|
·
|
oversees
a procedure for shareholders to communicate with the
Board;
|
|
|
·
|
considers
conflicts of interest of Board members and senior management, and,
to the
extent a conflict constitutes a related party transaction, refers
the
approval of such matter to the Audit Committee;
|
|
|
·
|
oversees
director orientation, continuing education programs, director retirement
policies and resignation of directors from the Board;
and
|
|
|
·
|
is
responsible for corporate governance principles for our company.
|
|
The
Nominating and Governance Committee has the authority to retain special legal
or
other advisors or consultants as it deems necessary or appropriate to carry
out
its duties. The Nominating and Governance Committee is currently composed of
Mr.
Hunter and Admiral Smith. At the beginning of fiscal 2006, David J. Carter,
Mr.
Hunter and Richard M. Wagner were members of the Compensation Committee, and
Mr.
Carter served as Chair. In March 2006, the size of the Nominating and Governance
Committee was increased to four directors, and Admiral Smith joined the
Nominating and Governance Committee as an independent director. Mr. Wagner
retired from the Board at the May 2006 annual meeting of stockholders, and
the
size of the Nominating and Governance Committee was then reduced to two
directors, with Mr. Carter and Admiral Smith remaining members. Mr. Carter
resigned from the Board and all standing committees in February 2007. Mr. Hunter
was appointed to the Nominating and Governance Committee as Chair to fill the
vacancy created by Mr. Carter's resignation in March 2007. The Nominating and
Governance Committee held 10 meetings and
acted
by unanimous written consent 1 time during
fiscal 2006.
All
members of the Nominating and Governance Committee are independent (as
independence is currently defined in Rule 4200(a)(15) of the NASDAQ listing
standards).
Consideration
of Director Nominees
Director
Qualifications
The
Nominating and Governance Committee believes that new candidates for director
should have certain minimum qualifications, including having the knowledge,
capabilities, experience and contacts that complement those currently existing
within our company; ability and qualifications to provide our management with
an
expanded opportunity to explore ideas, concepts and creative approaches to
existing and future issues, and to guide management through the challenges
and
complexities of building a quality company; ability to meet contemporary public
company board standards with respect to general governance; stewardship, depth
of review, independence, financial certification, personal integrity and
responsibility to stockholders; genuine desire and availability to participate
actively in the development of our future; and an orientation toward maximizing
stockholder value in realistic time frames. The Committee also intends to
consider for new Board members such factors as ability to contribute
strategically through relevant industry background and experience, on either
the
vendor or the end user side; strong current industry contacts; ability and
willingness to introduce and open doors to executives of potential customers
and
partners; current employment as the CEO of an acoustic products, media,
advertising, military or government supply company larger than our company;
independence from our company and current board members; and a recognizable
name
that would add credibility and value to our company and its stockholders. The
Committee may modify these qualifications from time to time.
Evaluating
Nominees for Director
The
Nominating and Governance Committee reviews candidates for director nominees
in
the context of the current composition of our Board, our operating requirements
and the long-term interests of stockholders. In conducting this assessment,
the
Committee currently considers, among other factors, diversity, age, skills,
and
such other factors as it deems appropriate given the current needs of the Board
and our company, to maintain a balance of knowledge, experience and capability.
In the case of incumbent directors whose terms of office are set to expire,
the
Nominating and Governance Committee reviews such directors' overall service
to
our company during their term, including the number of meetings attended, level
of participation, quality of performance, and any other relationships and
transactions that might impair such directors' independence. In the case of
new
director candidates, the Committee also determines whether the nominee must
be
independent, which determination is based upon applicable NASDAQ listing
standards, applicable SEC rules and regulations and the advice of counsel,
if
necessary. The Committee then uses its network of contacts to compile a list
of
potential candidates, but may also engage, if it deems appropriate, a
professional search firm. The Committee conducts any appropriate and necessary
inquiries into the backgrounds and qualifications of possible candidates after
considering the function and needs of our Board of Directors. The Committee
meets to discuss and consider such candidates' qualifications and then selects
a
nominee for recommendation to our Board of Directors by majority vote. To date,
neither the Nominating and Governance Committee nor any predecessor to the
Committee has paid a fee to any third party to assist in the process of
identifying or evaluating director candidates. To date, neither the Nominating
and Governance Committee nor any predecessor to the Committee has rejected
a
timely director nominee from a stockholder or group of stockholders that
beneficially owned, in the aggregate, more than 5% of our voting
stock.
Stockholder
Nominations
The
Committee applies the same guidelines (described above) to stockholder nominees
as applied to nominees from other sources. Any stockholder who wishes to
recommend for the Nominating and Governance Committee's consideration a
prospective nominee to serve on the Board of Directors may do so by giving
the
candidate's name and qualifications in writing to our Chairman of the Board
at
the following address: 15378 Avenue of Science, Suite 100, San Diego, California
92128.
Code
Of Business Conduct And Ethics
We
have
adopted a "Code of Business Conduct and Ethics," a code of ethics that applies
to all employees, including our executive officers. A copy of the Code of
Business Conduct and Ethics is posted on our Internet site at www.atcsd.com.
In
the event we make any amendments to, or grant any waivers of, a provision of
the
Code of Business Conduct and Ethics that applies to the principal executive
officer, principal financial officer, or principal accounting officer that
requires disclosure under applicable SEC rules, we intend to disclose such
amendment or waiver and the reasons therefor on a Form 8-K or on our next
periodic report.
PROPOSAL
TWO
RATIFICATION
OF SELECTION OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING
FIRM
The
Audit
Committee has selected Swenson Advisors, LLP as our independent registered
public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2007.
Swenson Advisors, LLP has served as our independent registered public accounting
firm since July 2005 and audited our financial statements for the fiscal year
ended September 30, 2006. A representative of Swenson
Advisors, LLP is expected to be present at the Annual Meeting, will have the
opportunity to make a statement if he or she desires to do so, and is expected
to be available to respond to appropriate questions. Stockholder
ratification of the selection of Swenson Advisors, LLP is not required by our
bylaws or otherwise. However, we are submitting the selection of Swenson
Advisors, LLP to the stockholders for ratification as a matter of good corporate
practice. If the stockholders fail to ratify the selection, the Audit Committee
will consider whether or not to retain that firm. Even if the selection is
ratified, the Audit Committee in its discretion may direct the appointment
of a
different independent registered public accounting firm at any time during
the
year if it determines that such a change would be in the best interest of our
company and our stockholders.
The
affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast at the meeting, either in
person or by proxy, is required to ratify the selection of Swenson Advisors,
LLP. Abstentions will be counted toward the tabulation of votes cast on
proposals presented to the stockholders for the purpose of determining a quorum
and will have the same effect as negative votes. Broker non-votes are counted
towards a quorum, but are not counted for any purpose in determining whether
this matter has been approved.
Independent
Registered Public Accountants Fees
The
following table presents fees billed by Swenson Advisors, LLP for professional
services rendered for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2006 and
2005.
|
|
2006
|
|
2005
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Audit
Fees (1)
|
|
$
|
561,630
|
|
$
|
430,500
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Audit
Related Fees (2)
|
|
$
|
29,800
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tax
Fees (3)
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
All
Other Fees (4)
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
|
|
$
|
591,430
|
|
$
|
430,500
|
|
(1)
|
Audit
Fees include fees and expenses for professional services rendered
in
connection with the audit of our financial statements for those years,
reviews of the financial statements included in each of our quarterly
reports on Form 10-Q during those years and services that are normally
provided by the independent registered public accounting firm in
connection with statutory and regulatory filings or engagements.
Audit
fees also included the audit of management's report on the effectiveness
of our company's internal control over financial reporting, as required
by
Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
|
(2)
|
Audit
Related Fees consist of fees billed for assurance related services
that
are reasonably related to the performance of the audit or review
of our
financial statements and are not reported under "Audit Fees." Included
in
Audit Related Fees are fees and expenses related to reviews of
registration statements and SEC filings other than Forms 10-K and
10-Q.
|
(3)
|
Tax
Fees include the aggregate fees paid by us during the fiscal year
indicated for professional services for tax compliance, tax advice
and tax
planning. No such fees were billed by Swenson Advisors for fiscal
2006 or
2005.
|
(4)
|
All
Other Fees consist of fees for products and services other than the
services reported above. No such fees were billed by Swenson Advisors
for
fiscal 2006 or 2005.
|
Audit
Committee Pre-Approval Policies and Procedures
All
audit
and non-audit services are pre-approved by the Audit Committee, which considers,
among other things, the possible effect of the performance of such services
on
the registered public accounting firm's independence. The Audit Committee
pre-approves the annual engagement of the principal independent registered
public accounting firm, including the performance of the annual audit and
quarterly reviews for the subsequent fiscal year, and pre-approves specific
engagements for tax services performed by such firm. The Audit Committee has
also established pre-approval policies and procedures for certain enumerated
audit and audit related services performed pursuant to the annual engagement
agreement, including such firm's attendance at and participation at board and
committee meetings; services of such firm associated with SEC registration
statements, periodic reports and other documents filed with the SEC or other
documents issued in connection with securities offerings, such as comfort
letters and consents; such firm's assistance in responding to any SEC comments
letters; and consultations with such firm as to the accounting or disclosure
treatment of transactions or events and/or the actual or potential impact of
final or proposed rules, standards or interpretations by the SEC, Public Company
Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB), Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB),
or other regulatory or standard-setting bodies. The Audit Committee is informed
of each service performed pursuant to its pre-approval policies and
procedures.
The
Audit
Committee has considered the role of Swenson Advisors, LLP in providing services
to us for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2006 and has concluded that such
services are compatible with such firm's independence.
Our
Board of Directors recommends a vote IN FAVOR of Proposal
Two
ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION
Management
Set
forth
below is information regarding our executive officers. All executive officers
serve at the pleasure of the Board of Directors.
Name
|
Age
|
Position
|
Elwood
G. Norris*
|
67
|
Chairman
of the Board
|
Thomas
R. Brown*
|
56
|
President,
Chief Executive Officer, Secretary and Interim Financial
Officer
|
Karen
Jordan
|
36
|
Chief
Accounting Officer
|
James
Croft, III
|
53
|
Senior
Vice President, Research and
Development
|
*
Biographical information about Elwood G. Norris and Thomas R. Brown is set
forth
under Proposal One above.
Karen
Jordan,
age 36,
joined our company in November 2005 as Director of Finance, and in December
2005
was appointed as Chief Accounting Officer. From July 2003 to November 2005,
Ms.
Jordan was a self-employed bankruptcy executive, managing the Estates of LCS
Management, Inc. and LCS West, Inc. From January 2001 to July 2003, Ms. Jordan
was Corporate Controller with LifeCare Solutions, Inc., a provider of integrated
home healthcare products and services. From June 1996 to January 2001, Ms.
Jordan held various positions with Quidel Corporation, a developer and
manufacturer of diagnostic tests for detection of a variety of medical
conditions and illnesses. At the time Ms. Jordan left Quidel Corporation, she
held the position of Assistant Controller. Ms. Jordan is a Fellow Chartered
Accountant in Ireland. Ms. Jordan received her Associate Chartered Accountant
license from the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland in
1993.
James
Croft, III,
age 53,
joined our company in October 1997 as Vice President of Engineering. In December
2000, he was appointed Chief Technology Officer. As part of our March 2003
reorganization, Mr. Croft was appointed Senior Vice President of Research and
Development. In August 2005, he was appointed as Chief Technology Officer and
Vice President of Development. From October 1992 to October 1997 he was an
executive with Carver Corporation, then a publicly traded high-end audio
supplier. He was appointed Vice President of Marketing and Product Development
for Carver Corporation in March 1993 and Vice President Research and Development
in February 1995. From 1990 through October 1992 Mr. Croft held various
positions at Dahlquist, Inc., a loudspeaker manufacturer, including Vice
President of Research and Development. Mr. Croft is also a member of the board
of directors of Definitive Audio, Inc., a Seattle audio specialty retailer
that
he co-founded in 1975 and managed until 1985.
SECURITY
OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN
BENEFICIAL
OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT
The
following table sets forth certain information regarding the ownership of our
common stock as of February 16, 2007 by: (i) each director; (ii) each of the
named executive officers reflected in the Summary Compensation Table; (iii)
all
our executive officers and directors as a group; and (iv) all those known by
us
to be beneficial owners of more than five percent of our common stock.
Title
of Class
|
|
Name
and Address of
Beneficial
Owner
|
|
Amount
& Nature of
Beneficial
Ownership (1)
|
|
Percent
of
Class (1)
|
Common
Stock
|
|
Elwood
G. Norris
15378
Avenue of Science Ste. 100
San
Diego, California 92128
|
|
4,048,015
|
(2)
|
|
13.3
|
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Common
Stock
|
|
Thomas
R. Brown
15378
Avenue of Science Ste. 100
San
Diego, California 92128
|
|
105,834
|
(3)
|
|
*
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Common
Stock
|
|
Austin
W. Marxe and David M. Greehouse
527
Madison Avenue, Ste. 2600
New
York, NY 10022
|
|
4,825,920
|
(4)
|
|
15.4
|
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Common
Stock
|
|
Laura
M. Clague
15378
Avenue of Science Ste. 100
San
Diego, California
92128
|
|
—
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Common
Stock
|
|
Daniel
Hunter
15378
Avenue of Science Ste. 100
San
Diego, California 92128
|
|
157,875
|
(5)
|
|
*
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Common
Stock
|
|
Raymond
C. Smith
15378
Avenue of Science Ste. 100
San
Diego, California 92128
|
|
30,500
|
(6)
|
|
*
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Common
Stock
|
|
James
Croft, III
15378
Avenue of Science Ste. 100
San
Diego, California 92128
|
|
129,009
|
(7)
|
|
*
|
|
Title
of Class
|
|
Name
and Address of
Beneficial
Owner
|
|
Amount
& Nature of
Beneficial
Ownership (1)
|
|
Percent
of
Class (1)
|
Common
Stock
|
|
Karen
Jordan
15378
Avenue of Science Ste. 100
San
Diego, California 92128
|
|
26,042
|
(6)
|
|
*
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Common
Stock
|
|
Kalani
Jones
15378
Avenue of Science Ste. 100
San
Diego, California 92128
|
|
|
(8)
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Common
Stock
|
|
John
R. Zavoli
15378
Avenue of Science Ste. 100
San
Diego, California 92128
|
|
|
(8)
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Common
Stock
|
|
Bruce
Gray
15378
Avenue of Science Ste. 100
San
Diego, California 92128
|
|
—
|
(8)
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Common
Stock
|
|
Alan
J. Ballard
15378
Avenue of Science Ste. 100
San
Diego, California 92128
|
|
—
|
(8)
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
All
directors & executive officers
as
a group (7 persons)
|
|
|
|
4,497,275
|
(9)
|
|
14.7
|
% |
See
below for footnote disclosure.
(1)
|
Beneficial
ownership is determined in accordance with the rules of the SEC and
generally includes voting or investment power with respect to securities.
Except as otherwise indicated below, this table is based on information
supplied by officers, directors and principal stockholders. The inclusion
in this table of such shares does not constitute an admission that
the
named stockholder is a direct or indirect beneficial owner of, or
receives
the economic benefit of, such shares. Percentage of class is based
on
30,093,227 shares of common stock outstanding on February 16, 2007.
Except
as otherwise stated below, each of the named persons has sole voting
and
investment power with respect to the shares shown (subject to community
property laws).
|
(2)
|
Includes
3,825,515 shares held by a family trust for which Mr. Norris serves
as
trustee, 37,500 shares issuable upon exercise of a warrant held by
such
trust, and 185,000 shares issuable upon the exercise of outstanding
stock
options within 60 days of February 16, 2007.
|
(3)
|
Includes
95,834 issuable upon exercise of outstanding stock options within
60 days
of February 16, 2007.
|
(4)
|
Beneficial
joint ownership by Mr. Marxe and Mr. Greenhouse is based solely on
information as of December 31, 2006 as set forth in Schedule 13G/A
filed
on February 14, 2007. Consists of 3,586,163 shares and 1,179,117
warrants
to purchase 1,239,757 shares held by the following entities: 1,574,806
shares and 537,319 warrants to purchase 565,196 shares owned by Special
Situations Fund III QP, L.P., 137,082 shares and 46,872 warrants
to
purchase 49,315 shares owned by Special Situations Fund III, L.P.,
550,640
shares and 177,871 warrants to purchase 190,605 shares owned by Special
Situations Private Equity Fund, L.P., 183,435 shares and 57,729 warrants
to purchase 60,155 shares owned by Special Situations Technology
Fund,
L.P., and 1,140,200 shares and 359,326 warrants to purchase 374,486
shares
owned by Special Situations Technology Fund II, L.P. MGP Advisors
Limited
Partnership, or MGP, is the general partner of the Special Situations
Fund
III, L.P. and the Special Situations Fund III QP, L.P. and AWM Investment
Company, Inc., or AWM, is the general partner of MGP. SST Advisers,
L.L.C., or SSTA, is the general partner of the Special Situations
Technology Fund, L.P. and Special Situations Technology Fund II,
L.P. MG
Advisers, L.L.C., or MG, is the general partner of the Special Situations
Private Equity Fund, L.P. AWM is the investment adviser to Special
Situations Fund III QP, L.P., Special Situations Technology Fund,
L.P.,
Special Situations Technology Fund II, L.P. and Special Situations
Private
Equity Fund, L.P. Austin W. Marxe and David M. Greenhouse are the
principal owners of MGP, AWM, SSTA and MG, and are principally responsible
for the selection, acquisition, voting and disposition of the portfolio
securities by each investment adviser on behalf of its fund. Both
Messrs.
Marxe and Greenhouse share voting and dispositive power with respect
to
shares held by these stockholders.
|
(5)
|
Includes
62,000 shares held by spouse, 6,000 shares held by Profit Sharing
Trust
and 89,875 shares issuable upon the exercise of outstanding stock
options
within 60 days of February 16, 2007.
|
(6)
|
Consists
of shares issuable upon exercise of outstanding stock options within
60
days of February 16, 2007.
|
(7)
|
Includes
124,959 shares issuable upon the exercise of outstanding stock options
within 60 days of February 16, 2007.
|
(8)
|
We
have no information on ownership by these former executive
officers.
|
(9)
|
Includes
522,210 shares issuable upon exercise of outstanding stock options
within
60 days of February 16, 2007 and 37,500 shares issuable upon exercise
of
warrants.
|
SECTION
16(a) BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP REPORTING COMPLIANCE
Section
16(a) of the Exchange Act requires our officers, directors and persons who
own
more than 10% of any class of our securities registered under Section 12(g)
of
the Exchange Act to file reports of ownership and changes in ownership with
the
SEC. Officers, directors and greater than 10% stockholders are required by
SEC
regulations to furnish us with copies of all Section 16(a) forms they
file.
Based
solely on a review of copies of such reports furnished to us and written
representations that no other reports were required during the fiscal year
ended
September 30, 2006, we believe that all persons subject to the reporting
requirements pursuant to Section 16(a) filed the required reports on a timely
basis with the SEC except that Mr. Norris reported a September 20, 2006 exercise
of a warrant on
Form 4
late on October 3, 2006.
Compensation
of Directors
In
June
2005, upon recommendation of the Compensation Committee, our Board of Directors
approved a director compensation plan. Under the plan, each of our non-employee
directors was paid a fee of $1,000 per month, payable quarterly in arrears.
No
additional amounts were payable for committee participation.
The
Compensation Committee awarded options to Admiral Smith, Mr. Brown and Ms.
Clague upon joining the Board of Directors as non-employee directors in March
2006, March 2006 and February 2007. Each option was granted under our 2005
Equity Incentive Plan, is exercisable for 50,000 shares of our common stock,
has
an exercise price equal to the closing price of our common stock reported on
the
date of grant, has a five year term and vests quarterly over four years, subject
to continued service and other conditions. The exercise price for Admiral
Smith’s option is $3.32 per share, for Mr. Brown’s option is $3.65 per share,
and for Ms. Clague's option is $4.42 per share.
In
February 2007, the Compensation Committee recommended to the Board, and the
Board approved, one-time awards of $5,000 to be made to Mr. Hunter, Admiral
Smith and David J. Carter in recognition of their service during management
changes and the voluntary review of our historical stock option and stock
grants.
In
February 2007, the Compensation Committee awarded to incumbent directors Mr.
Hunter and Admiral Smith non-statutory options under our 2005 Equity Incentive
Plan exercisable for 54,000 shares of our common stock, with an exercise price
equal to the closing price of our common stock on the date of grant (which
was
$4.37). Such options were vested as to one third of the shares upon grant,
and
quarterly thereafter through the second anniversary of the date of grant,
subject to continuing service to our company.
Summary
Compensation Table
Set
forth
below is information concerning the compensation of each person who served
as
our Principal Executive Officer and our two other most highly compensated
executive officers, other than those who served as Principal Executive Officers,
that were serving at September 30, 2006 (representing all of our executive
officers serving at that date who earned over $100,000 in salary and bonus
for
the fiscal year ending on that date and who did not serve as Principal Executive
Officer), and two additional individuals that served as executive officers
during the fiscal year ended September 30, 2006 but were no longer serving
at
September 30, 2006. We refer to each of such persons as a "named executive
officer".
Summary
Compensation Table
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Long
Term
Compensation
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Annual
Compensation
|
|
|
Awards
|
|
|
|
|
Name
and Principal Position
|
|
Fiscal
Year
|
|
Salary
|
|
|
Bonus
|
|
|
Other
Annual
Compensation
|
|
|
Securities
Underlying
Options
(#)
|
|
All
Other
Compensation
|
|
Elwood
G. Norris,
Chairman
|
|
2006
2005
2004
|
|
$
$
$
|
203,846
200,272
200,000
|
|
|
—
—
—
|
|
|
—
—
—
|
|
|
100,000
70,000
—
|
|
$ |
—
—
1,385(1)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thomas
R. Brown (2)
President,
Chief Executive Officer
and
Interim Financial Officer
|
|
2006
|
|
$
|
22,070
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
250,000
|
|
$
|
58,500(2)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
John
R. Zavoli (3)
Former
President and
Chief
Operating Officer
|
|
2006
|
|
$
|
206,468
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
100,000
|
|
$
|
136,601(3)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kalani
Jones (4)
Former
President and
|
|
2006
2005
|
|
$
$
|
38,413
199,241
|
|
|
—
—
|
|
|
—
—
|
|
|
—
52,500
|
|
$
|
87,293(4)
—
|
|
Chief
Operating Officer
|
|
2004
|
|
$
|
179,808
|
|
$
|
50,000(5)
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
125,000
|
|
$
|
1,636(1)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
James
Croft, III
Senior
Vice President,
Research
and Development
|
|
2006
2005
2004
|
|
$
$
$
|
168,173
201,383
126,690
|
|
|
—
—
—
|
|
|
—
—
—
|
|
|
—
10,000
—
|
|
$
$
$
|
6,514(6)
18,895(6)
17,572(6)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Karen
Jordan
|
|
2006
|
|
$
|
126,538
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
30,000
|
|
$
|
1,575(1)
|
|
Chief
Accounting Officer
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bruce
Gray (7)
Vice
President,
Commercial
Products Group
|
|
2006
2005
|
|
$
$
|
223,166
107,692
|
|
|
—
—
|
|
|
—
—
|
|
|
—
100,000
|
|
$
|
92,213(7)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Alan
J. Ballard (8)
Former
Vice President -
Government
and Military Group
|
|
2006
|
|
$
|
169,573
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
—
|
|
$
|
91,346(8)
|
|
(1)
|
Represents
matching 401(k) contributions.
|
(2)
|
Salary
includes $3,000 of director fees for the period prior to being appointed
as an executive officer. All other compensation includes $58,500
paid to
BrownThompson Executive Search, an executive search firm controlled
by Mr.
Brown, for services provided prior to Mr. Brown’s appointment to the
board.
|
(3)
|
Mr.
Zavoli’s employment with our company terminated August 17, 2006. Salary
includes $2,000 of post-employment director fees. All other compensation
includes severance of $125,000, post-employment medical payments
of $7,648
and matching 401(k) contributions of $1,953. See “Employment Arrangements”
below for more information.
|
(4)
|
Mr.
Jones resigned from our company effective October 17, 2005. All other
compensation includes severance of $82,500, post-employment medical
payments of $4,666 and matching 401(k) contributions of $127. See
“Employment Arrangements” below for more information.
|
(5)
|
Represents
bonus for fiscal 2004 paid in fiscal 2005.
|
(6)
|
Includes
royalty payments of $4,080, $18,895 and $16,246 for fiscal 2006,
2005 and
2004 respectively. Balance represents matching 401(k)
contributions.
|
(7)
|
Mr.
Gray’s employment with our company terminated September 19, 2006. Sales
commissions of $31,796 are included with salary. All other compensation
includes severance of $90,000 and matching 401(k) contributions of
$2,213.
See “Employment Arrangements” below for more
information.
|
(8)
|
Mr.
Ballard’s employment with our company terminated May 16, 2006. Sales
commissions of $58,562 are included with salary. All other compensation
includes severance of $90,000 and matching 401(k) contributions of
$1,346.
|
No
named
executive officer received any form of non-cash compensation from us in the
fiscal years ended September 30, 2006, 2005, or 2004, or currently receives
any
such compensation, in excess of 10% of the total amount of annual salary and
bonus reported for the named executive officer above. No named executive officer
received a restricted stock award, a stock appreciation right or a long-term
incentive plan payout in the fiscal years ended September 30, 2006, 2005, or
2004.
OPTION
GRANTS
The
following table shows further information on grants of stock options in fiscal
2006 to the named executive officers reflected in the Summary Compensation
Table.
Option
Grants for Fiscal Year Ended September 30, 2006
|
|
Potential
Realizable
Value
at Assumed
Annual
Rates of
Stock
Price
Appreciation
for
Option
Term (3)
|
Name
|
|
Number of Shares
of
Common Stock
Underlying Options
Granted (1)
|
|
Percent of Total
Options Granted
to
Employees in
Fiscal
Year
|
|
Exercise
Price
|
|
Expiration
Date
|
|
5%
|
|
10%
|
Elwood
G. Norris
|
|
100,000
|
|
7.4%
|
|
$ |
4.29
|
|
5/03/2011
|
|
$ |
68,750
|
|
$ |
199,099
|
Thomas
R. Brown
|
|
50,000
|
|
3.7%
|
|
$ |
3.65
|
|
3/24/2011
|
|
$ |
50,421
|
|
$ |
111,418
|
|
|
200,000
|
|
14.9%
|
|
$ |
3.33
|
|
9/05/2011
|
|
$ |
184,004
|
|
$ |
406,600
|
Karen
Jordan
|
|
30,000
|
|
2.2%
|
|
$ |
4.77
|
|
11/21/2010
|
|
$ |
39,539
|
|
$ |
87,364
|
John
R. Zavoli (2)
|
|
100,000
|
|
7.4%
|
|
$ |
4.78
|
|
11/01/2009
|
|
$ |
132,063
|
|
$ |
291,824
|
(1)
|
All
options granted under our 2005 Equity Incentive Plan and were granted
at
an exercise price equal to the fair market value on the date of grant,
except the option to Mr. Norris, which was granted at an exercise
price
equal to 110% of the fair market value on the date of grant. Options
vest
as to 1/4 of the shares on the first anniversary of the date of grant
and
as to 1/16th
of
the shares each quarter thereafter, subject to continuing service
to our
company.
|
(2)
|
Mr.
Zavoli’s employment with our company terminated August 17, 2006. None of
the shares subject to such grant vested.
|
(3)
|
Potential
gains are net of exercise price, but before taxes associated with
exercise. These amounts represent certain assumed rates of appreciation
only, in accordance with the SEC’s rules. Actual gains, if any, on stock
option exercises are dependent on the future performance of the common
stock, overall market conditions and the option holder’s continued
employment through the vesting period. The amounts reflected in this
table
may not necessarily be achieved.
|
Stock
Option Exercises and Holdings
The
following table shows the information on each exercise of options during fiscal
2006 and unexercised options and the value of options held at September 30,
2006
by each of the named executive officers reflected in the Summary Compensation
Table.
Aggregate
Option Exercises in Last Fiscal Year and Fiscal Year-End Option Values
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Number of Shares of Common
Stock Underlying Unexercised
Options Held at Fiscal Year End
|
|
|
Value of Unexercised In-The-Money Options at
Fiscal Year End
(1)
|
Name |
|
Shares
Acquired on
Exercise
|
|
Value Realize
|
|
Exercisable
|
|
Unexercisable
|
|
|
Exercisable
|
|
Unexercisable
|
Elwood
G. Norris
|
|
50,000
|
|
$ |
40,000
(2)
|
|
126,250
|
|
143,750
|
|
|
$ |
|
|
|
|
—
|
Thomas
R. Brown
|
|
—
|
|
|
—
|
|
—
|
|
250,000
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
$ |
106,500
|
James
Croft, III
|
|
17,000
|
|
$ |
16,400
(3)
|
|
115,375
|
|
5,625
|
|
|
$ |
|
|
|
|
—
|
Karen
Jordan
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
30,000
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
—
|
(1)
|
Based
on the closing price reported on the NASDAQ Capital Market on
September 29, 2006 of $3.82 per share.
|
(2)
|
Based
on the closing price reported on the NASDAQ Capital Market on the
date of
exercise.
|
(3)
|
Based
on the closing price reported on the NASDAQ Capital Market on the
date of
exercise. The option and the shares acquired upon exercise are subject
to
a domestic relations order. Mr. Croft disclaims beneficial ownership
of
the shares acquired upon exercise of the option except to the extent
of
his pecuniary interest therein.
|
We
do not
have any stock appreciation rights plans in effect and we have no long-term
incentive plans, as those terms are defined in SEC regulations. During the
fiscal year ended September 30, 2006, we did not adjust or amend the exercise
price of stock options awarded to the named executive officers. We have no
defined benefit or actuarial plans covering any named executive
officer.
EMPLOYMENT
ARRANGEMENTS
We
entered into the following employment arrangements with each of the named
executive officers reflected in the Summary Compensation Table, and each of
our
current executive officers.
Mr.
Elwood G. Norris - Effective September 1, 1997, we entered into a three year
employment contract with Mr. Norris, for his services as Chief Technology
Officer. The three-year term expired on August 31, 2000, but the agreement
remains in effect until one party gives thirty days advance notice of
termination to the other. Mr. Norris now serves as Chairman under the term
of
this agreement. The agreement, as amended by the Compensation Committee,
provides for a base salary of $16,667 per month. The agreement provides that
Mr.
Norris will participate in bonus, benefit and other incentives at the discretion
of the Board of Directors. Mr. Norris has agreed not to disclose trade secrets
and has agreed to assign certain inventions to us during employment. We also
provide Mr. Norris with an automobile, the lease payments for which are
currently $720 per month. We are also obligated to pay Mr. Norris certain
royalties. See "Certain Transactions" below.
Mr.
Thomas R. Brown - Effective August 23, 2006 we entered into a letter agreement
with Mr. Brown pursuant to which he was appointed as our president and chief
executive officer commencing September 5, 2006. Mr. Brown was also appointed
as
interim chief financial officer on September 19, 2006. The terms of Mr. Brown’s
employment did not change in connection with his appointment as interim chief
financial officer. Mr. Brown was a director of our company and was a member
of
the audit and compensation committees from March 24, 2006 until he resigned
in
connection with entering into the letter agreement to facilitate our company’s
compliance with NASDAQ corporate governance requirements. He was reappointed
to
the board on September 22, 2006. The letter agreement provides for a base salary
of $250,000 per year. In connection with his employment, Mr. Brown received
a
non-statutory stock option to purchase 200,000 shares of common stock under
our
2005 Equity Incentive Plan with an exercise price $3.33 per share, the closing
price of our common stock on the start date as reported on the NASDAQ Capital
Market. Mr. Brown will be eligible for an annual bonus with respect to fiscal
years beginning fiscal 2007 as recommended by the compensation committee and
approved by the board. The bonus will be based in part on his achievement of
detailed annual goals that will be established by the compensation committee.
Mr. Brown’s bonus for fiscal 2007 will be based upon the bonus plan described
below under the heading "Executive Officer and Employee Incentive Plan". In
the
event that Mr. Brown’s employment is terminated for any reason other than cause,
or if he resigns for good reason, he will be entitled to severance equal to
one
month’s salary for each two month period of service, or portion thereof, up to
six months’ salary. He will also be entitled to continuation of his
company-provided health and dental benefits for the same period.
Mr.
John
R. Zavoli - On October 17, 2005, we entered into a letter agreement with Mr.
Zavoli, pursuant to which Mr. Zavoli was appointed as our president and chief
operating officer, commencing November 1, 2005. Mr. Zavoli was a director of
our
company, and was a member of the audit and compensation committees until he
resigned the committee appointments in connection with entering into the letter
agreement. The letter agreement provided for an annual base salary of $250,000
and eligibility for an annual bonus, as recommended by the compensation
committee and approved by the board of directors. In addition, Mr. Zavoli
received an option to purchase 100,000 shares of our common stock on November
1,
2005. Mr. Zavoli’s employment was not for a specified period or term of
employment and was terminable at-will by us or by Mr. Zavoli for any reason,
with or without notice. On August 17, 2006, Mr. Zavoli’s employment arrangement
with our company terminated. Mr. Zavoli’s annual base salary at the time of
termination was $250,000 and he was entitled to severance in the form of
post-termination salary continuation and payment by our company of the premiums
for extension of benefits under COBRA for a number of months based on his number
of months of service, conditioned on his execution of a general release of
all
known and unknown claims against our company, and the continued effectiveness
of
such release beyond any statutory revocation period. On September 22, 2006
Mr.
Zavoli resigned from his position as a member of our board of directors and
entered into a separation and release agreement with our company providing:
(a)
payments of $125,000, representing six months of base salary, and (b) payment
of
health benefit premiums on Mr. Zavoli’s behalf for a period not to extend beyond
February 28, 2007 estimated at $6,210. In addition, the separation and release
agreement contained Mr. Zavoli’s general release of all claims against our
company.
Mr.
Kalani Jones - We entered into a letter agreement dated as of August 28, 2003,
as amended on October 20, 2003, under which Mr. Jones was employed as our Senior
Vice President of Operations. Mr. Jones was later promoted to President and
Chief Operating Officer. The letter agreement provided for an annual base salary
of $140,000, a 30% annual performance bonus to be determined by the Compensation
Committee and the Board of Directors, and the grant of an option to purchase
75,000 shares of our common stock, which option vested quarterly over a two
year
period beginning six months after the date of employment. Mr. Jones subsequently
received additional option grants. Mr. Jones’s employment was terminable at-will
by us or Mr. Jones for any reason, with or without notice. On October 17, 2005,
Mr. Jones’s employment arrangement with our company terminated. Mr. Jones annual
base salary at the time of resignation was $220,000, and he was entitled to
an
annual performance bonus of up to 50% of his base salary, as determined by
the
Compensation Committee. On October 20, 2005, we entered into a separation and
release agreement with Mr. Jones. The agreement provided for our one-time
payment of $82,500 to Mr. Jones and our payment of health benefit premiums
on
Mr. Jones’s behalf for a period not to extend beyond February 28, 2006 which
totaled $4,666. We also agreed to extend until February 15, 2006 the period
of
time for which the vested portion of stock options held by Mr. Jones could
be
exercised; however no options were exercised. In addition, the separation and
release agreement contained Mr. Jones’s general release of all claims against
our company.
Mr.
James
Croft, III - On August 17, 2005, our Board of Directors approved the appointment
of Mr. Croft as our Chief Technology Officer and Vice President of Advanced
Development. Mr. Croft has served as our Vice President of Research and
Development since February 28, 2000, and, prior to that, as our Vice President
of Engineering from September 15, 1997. Mr. Croft is employed pursuant to the
terms of an employment agreement dated February 28, 2000, which terms have
been
orally modified. Under the terms as modified, Mr. Croft’s annual salary is
$165,000, and he participates in bonus, benefit and other incentives at the
discretion of the Compensation Committee. We presently exclusively license
two
pre-employment inventions from Mr. Croft through March 2008. We are not
currently marketing products using these inventions, and we are not currently
paying royalties to Mr. Croft for these inventions. We plan to negotiate further
revisions to our agreement with Mr. Croft, including our right to continue
the
license beyond March 2008. The initial term of the employment agreement dated
February 28, 2000 has expired, and as a result, either we or Mr. Croft may
terminate his employment for any reason upon thirty days advance
notice.
Ms.
Karen
Jordan - On December 16, 2005, our Board of Directors approved the appointment
of Ms. Jordan as our Chief Accounting Officer. Ms. Jordan entered into a letter
agreement with our company dated October 26, 2005, and joined our company in
November 2005, as director of finance. Ms. Jordan’s annual salary is $140,000
and she participates in bonus, benefit and other incentives at the discretion
of
the Compensation Committee. Ms Jordan’s employment is not for a specified period
or term of employment and is terminable at-will by us or by Ms. Jordan for
any
reason, with or without notice.
Mr.
Bruce
Gray - We entered into a letter agreement with Mr. Gray, under which Mr. Gray
was employed as our Vice President of Sales and Marketing for our Commercial
Group effective March 21, 2005. The letter agreement provided for an initial
annual base salary of $200,000 and an annual sales commission, payable on a
quarterly basis, based on revenues and billings. In September 2005, the
compensation committee approved the commission plan called for by Mr. Gray’s
employment agreement. The commission plan governed the payment of Mr. Gray’s
annual sales bonus for the twelve-month period beginning April 1, 2005, and
entitled Mr. Gray to commissions payable based on invoiced net sales of the
commercial group on a quarterly basis, calculated as a percentage of quarterly
revenue targets for our commercial group. The plan provided for a target
commission for the twelve-month period of $100,000, but commissions could exceed
such amount if the commercial group’s invoiced net sales exceeded our revenue
plan. This plan was modified by us effective for the second quarter of fiscal
2006 to revise the quarterly revenue targets and the commission formula to
be
based on direct sales by Mr. Gray on personal revenue targets plus an override
based on revenue targets for the group supervised by Mr. Gray. The portion
payable as override was payable only if revenue targets were achieved, and
was
capped at 50% of Mr. Gray’s base salary. The revised plan provided for an
aggregate target commission of approximately $66,000 for the last three quarters
of fiscal 2006, but commissions could exceed such amount if Mr. Gray’s direct
sales or group sales exceeded revenue targets. In connection with entry into
the
revised plan, Mr. Gray’s base salary was adjusted to $180,000 per year effective
March 16, 2006. Mr. Gray’s employment was terminable at-will by us or by Mr.
Gray for any reason, with or without notice. On September 19, 2006 Mr. Gray’s
employment arrangement with our company was terminated. On October 4, 2006,
we
entered into a separation and release agreement with Mr. Gray. The agreement
provided for our one-time payment to Mr. Gray of $90,000 and Mr. Gray’s general
release of all claims against our company.
Mr.
Alan
J. Ballard - On November 17, 2005, our board of directors approved the
appointment of Mr. Ballard as our Vice President, Government and Military
Division. Mr. Ballard joined our company in January 2004 and has held various
positions in our Government Group. Mr. Ballard’s employment was terminable
at-will by us or Mr. Ballard for any reason, with or without notice. On May
16,
2006 Mr. Ballard’s employment arrangement with our company terminated. Mr.
Ballard’s annual salary at the time of termination was $145,000, and he was
entitled to participate in bonus, benefit and other incentives at the discretion
of the Compensation Committee. On October 18, 2006 we entered into a release
and
settlement agreement with Mr. Ballard and paid $90,000 for severance and
non-wage damages and in consideration of Mr. Ballard’s general release of claims
against us.
EXECUTIVE
OFFICER AND EMPLOYEE INCENTIVE PLAN
In
September 2006, the Compensation Committee recommended, and the Board approved,
an incentive plan for fiscal year 2007, that is designed to motivate plan
participants to achieve our financial objectives and to reward such participants
for their achievements when those objectives are met. Under the incentive plan,
target bonus amounts vary based on a percentage of the participant’s base
salary, and the amount of bonus actually paid to a participant will be based
on
the achievement by our company of positive income from operations (including
the
cost of the incentive plan).
All
of
our employees except sales personnel, including our executive officers, will
be
entitled to participate in the incentive plan. The target bonuses for our
participating executive officers will be 50% of base salary. Participants will
be entitled to a bonus of two times the target bonus in the event income from
operations exceeds $1 million for fiscal year 2007, including the cost of the
incentive plan.
COMPENSATION
COMMITTEE INTERLOCKS AND INSIDER PARTICIPATION
Messrs.
Carter, Hunter, Wagner, Brown and Admiral Smith served on the Compensation
Committee during fiscal 2006. At the beginning of fiscal 2006, Messrs. Wagner,
Hunter and Carter were members of the Compensation Committee, and Mr. Wagner
served as Chair. In March 2006, the size of the Compensation Committee was
increased to four directors, and Admiral Smith joined the Compensation Committee
as an independent director. Later in March 2006, the size of the Compensation
Committee was increased to five directors, and Mr. Brown joined the Compensation
Committee as an independent director. Mr. Wagner retired from the Board at
the
May 2006 annual meeting of stockholders, and the size of the Compensation
Committee was then reduced to four directors, and Mr. Hunter became Chair.
Mr.
Brown resigned from the Compensation Committee in August 2006 upon the Board's
appointment of him as President and Chief Executive Officer for a term
commencing September 5, 2006, and the size of the Compensation Committee was
reduced to three directors. Mr. Carter resigned from the Board and all standing
committees in February 2007, and Ms. Clague was appointed to the Compensation
Committee to fill the vacancy created by his resignation. The Compensation
Committee currently consists of Mr. Hunter (Chair), Admiral Smith and Ms.
Clague.
No
executive officer of our company (1) served as a member of the compensation
committee (or other board committee performing equivalent functions or, in
the
absence of any such committee, the entire board of directors) of another entity,
one of whose executive officers served on our company’s Compensation Committee,
(2) served as a director of another entity, one of whose executive officers
served on our company’s Compensation Committee, or (3) served as a member of the
compensation committee (or other board committee performing equivalent functions
or, in the absence of any such committee, the entire board of directors) of
another entity, one of whose executive officers served as a director of our
company.
EQUITY
COMPENSATION PLAN INFORMATION
At
September 30, 2006, we had two equity incentive plans under which equity
securities are or have been authorized for issuance to our employees,
consultants or directors: the 2005 Equity Incentive Plan and the 2002 Stock
Option Plan. These plans have been approved by our stockholders. The reserve
under the 2005 Equity Incentive Plan includes any prior plans that expire or
become unexercisable. In addition, from time to time we issue to employees,
directors and service providers special stock options, inducement grants and
warrants to purchase common shares, and these grants have not been approved
by
stockholders. The following table sets forth information as of September 30,
2006:
Plan
Category
|
|
Number
of securities to be
issued
upon exercise of
outstanding
options,
warrants
and rights
|
|
Weighted-average
exercise
price
of outstanding
options,
warrants and
rights
|
|
Number
of securities
remaining
available for
future
issuance under
equity
compensation plans
(excluding
securities
reflected
in column (a))
|
|
|
|
(a)
|
|
(b)
|
|
(c)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Equity
compensation plans approved by security holders
|
|
|
1,388,323
|
|
|
|
$4.34
|
|
|
1,520,916
|
|
Equity
compensation plans not approved by security holders
|
|
|
258,250
|
(1)
|
|
|
$6.26
|
|
|
—
|
|
Total
|
|
|
1,646,573
|
|
|
|
$4.64
|
|
|
1,520,916
|
|
(1)
|
Includes
(i) 108,250 shares of common stock subject to inducement stock options
granted to certain non-executive officer employees from time to time,
which options have a weighted-average exercise price of $9.33 per
share, a
five year term and generally vest 25% on the first anniversary of
the
grant date and then 1/16 each quarter thereafter, subject to continued
service and other conditions, (ii) 50,000 shares subject to a warrant
granted on February 28, 2003, to a financial advisor for consulting
services rendered with an exercise price of $3.63 and an expiration
date
of April 4, 2008, and (iii) 100,000 shares subject to a warrant granted
on
September 30, 2002, to another financial advisor for consulting services
rendered with an exercise price of $4.25 and an expiration date of
September 30, 2007.
|
REPORT
OF THE COMPENSATION COMMITTEE ON EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
Introductory
Note:
The
following report is not deemed to be incorporated by reference by any general
statement incorporating by reference this proxy statement into any filing under
the Securities Act of 1933 or under the Exchange Act, except to the extent
that
we specifically incorporate this information by reference, and shall not
otherwise be deemed soliciting material or filed under such laws.
Committee
Meetings, Processes and Policies
The
Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors operates under the authority
of
a Compensation Committee Charter, a copy of which is attached as Appendix 2
to
this proxy statement. The primary philosophy of the committee regarding
compensation is to offer packages which reward each of the members of senior
management proportionately to each person's individual performance and to our
company's overall financial performance and growth during the previous fiscal
year.
The
committee met 12 times and acted by unanimous written consent 3 times during
fiscal 2006, and discussed in detail the company's compensation philosophy
and
practices for employees at all levels. Compensation for employees ranked below
Vice President was recommended by their supervisors to the President, who then
reported his determinations to the committee. The committee reviews and
recommends for approval by the board all compensation for employees ranked
Vice
President and above.
In
determining initial compensation for new executive hires or persons promoted
to
executive positions, and in reviewing existing executive officers annually,
the
committee reviews all components of executive officer compensation, including
salary, bonus, and stock options held. It is the committee's policy to review
the dollar value to the executive and cost to the company of all perquisites
and
other personal benefits, and all severance and change of control scenarios.
Unvested stock options currently held by our executive officers generally
provide that if employment is terminated without cause within 24 months after
a
change in control, such stock options will be considered fully vested upon
such
termination, and, for options granted under our 2002 Stock Option Plan, the
option will remain exercisable for six months after such service terminates.
Since these provisions apply generally to all stock options, the committee
has
not placed special value on this right when determining executive compensation.
In connection with all compensation reviews for executive officers, the
committee reviews a tally sheet setting forth all the above components, to
the
extent applicable. The committee did not take into account accumulated (realized
and unrealized) stock option gains in its compensation decisions during fiscal
2006, but commenced doing so in November 2006.
Base
salary.
Base
salaries for executive officers are reviewed on an annual basis. The committee
has historically believed that base salaries should be set in the lower quartile
of the Radford Executive Survey, which we used in fiscal years prior to 2006
to
set executive salaries. The decision to use the lower quartile reflected in
part
that the company's revenues were lower than the revenue ranges of the companies
in the Radford survey reports, and that the company has not been profitable.
The
committee has placed greater emphasis on incentive and stock option compensation
for its executive officers, creating a deeper link between pay and individual
and company performance. During fiscal 2006 base salaries for new executive
officers were negotiated by John Zavoli, the Company's former President and
Chief Operating Officer, and then presented to the committee for approval.
The
committee did not increase salaries for existing executive officers during
fiscal 2006 as a result of the company's financial performance during fiscal
2006. The committee does however remain open to revisiting the levels of base
salaries paid to executives at such time as the company become
profitable.
Bonus
compensation.
All of
our executive officers are considered for bonus compensation. During fiscal
2005, we had arrangements with certain of our executive officers providing
that
they would be considered for discretionary bonuses at a certain percentage
of
their base salaries. None of such arrangements were in existence during fiscal
2006, and we did not have a formal bonus plan in effect for fiscal 2006. In
March 2006, the committee recommended and the board approved payment of
discretionary bonuses of $7,500 to each of two executive officers. These bonuses
were recommended by Mr. Zavoli in connection with performance during the first
quarter of fiscal 2006. No further interim discretionary bonuses were paid
during fiscal 2006, and in light of the company's financial performance for
the
full fiscal year, the company's new President and Chief Executive Officer,
Thomas R. Brown, recommended, and the committee concurred, that no executive
officers would be considered for year-end discretionary bonuses.
Executive
officers in charge of revenue producing business segments also participated
in
commission arrangements during fiscal 2006. In September 2005, the committee
approved a commission plan for our former Vice President, Commercial Products
Group, pursuant to the terms of his employment letter. The commission plan
governed the payment of that executive's annual sales bonus for the twelve-month
period beginning April 1, 2005, and entitled such executive to commissions
payable based on invoiced net sales on a quarterly basis, calculated as a
percentage of quarterly revenue targets for our commercial products group.
The
plan provided for a target commission for the twelve-month period of $100,000,
but commissions could exceed such amount if our invoiced net sales exceeded
our
revenue plan. This plan was modified by the committee effective January 1,
2006
to revise the quarterly revenue targets and the commission formula. See
"Employment Arrangements - Mr. Bruce Gray" above. The committee adopted a
commission arrangement for our Government Group during fiscal 2005, but did
not
establish commission rates for fiscal 2006 or any future years. One of the
discretionary bonuses of $7,500 discussed above was awarded to the former Vice
President, Government and Military Division, in lieu of the Government Group
commission plan.
In
September 2006, following a recommendation by Mr. Brown, the committee
recommended, and the board approved, an incentive plan for fiscal year 2007
that
is designed to motivate plan participants to achieve our financial objectives
and to reward such participants for their achievements when those objectives
are
met. Under the incentive plan, target bonus amounts vary based on a percentage
of the participant’s base salary, and the amount of bonus actually paid to a
participant will be based on the achievement by our company of positive income
from operations (including the cost of the incentive plan). All of our employees
except sales personnel, including our executive officers, participate in the
incentive plan. The target bonuses for our participating executive officers
are
50% of base salary. Participants are entitled to a bonus of two times the target
bonus in the event income from operations exceeds $1 million for fiscal year
2007, including the cost of the incentive plan.
While
the
committee's overall compensation philosophy remains to reward each of the
members of senior management proportionately to each person's individual
performance and to our company's overall financial performance and growth during
the previous fiscal year, the committee approved this incentive plan mindful
that it rewards employees based solely on the company's performance as a whole,
as measured solely by achievement of positive income from operations. The
committee believes that this plan is simpler to understand than a plan with
individual targets, and motivates our reduced-size organization to work together
to achieve what is considered to be the company's first priority at this time
-
the reversal of losses from operations. The committee noted in approving this
plan that the plan would have to pay for itself - no employees would receive
incentive bonuses unless there was sufficient income from operations to offset
the cost of those bonuses.
Long-term
incentives.
Our
long-term incentive program has consisted of a stock option program pursuant
to
which our executive officers are periodically granted stock options. Our stock
option programs are designed to provide such persons with significant
compensation based on our overall performance as reflected in the stock price,
to create a valuable retention device through standard two to five year vesting
schedules and to help align employees' and stockholders' interests. Options
granted during fiscal 2006 were non-statutory stock options, and generally
had a
five year term, subject to continuing service, and generally vested as to one
fourth of the shares on the first anniversary of the grant date, and quarterly
thereafter through the fourth anniversary of the date of grant. Stock options
are typically granted at the time of hire to new employees, at the time of
promotion to certain employees and periodically to a broad group of existing
key
employees and executive officers.
As
indicated above, the company's bonus plan is designed to reward company
performance rather than individual performance. The committee continues to
reward individual contributions through periodic grants of stock options, the
most recent of were made in February 2007 based in part on reviews of individual
performance during fiscal 2006. These grants were delayed during the pendency
of
a "blackout period" under the company's insider trading policy which was in
effect from mid-August 2006 until February 2007, as a result of the company's
voluntary review of historical stock option and stock grants. The non-statutory
options issued in February 2007 to a broad group of key employees were issued
with a revised vesting schedule, designed to reward more near-term performance.
Such options were vested as to one third of the shares upon grant, and quarterly
thereafter through the second anniversary of the date of grant.
Pricing
of stock options.
It has
been the committee's policy to set the exercise price of stock options at the
then fair market value of our common stock, or higher. As a result of the review
by the Audit Committee of the company's historical stock option and stock grants
conducted from November 2006 through January 2007, it was determined that there
existed flaws in the company’s option approval and pricing processes,
particularly relating to management’s practices during fiscal 2002 and 2003 of
awarding grants prior to soliciting the approval of the board or this committee,
and the related use of unanimous written consents to approve grants with a
date
“as of” the date management determined to grant the options, which consents were
sometimes circulated after the date of determination. The Audit Committee did
not encounter any evidence that would indicate intentional wrongful behaviors
with respect to the misapplied option measurement dates. All of the deficiencies
observed were, in the Audit Committee’s view, attributable to vacillating levels
of effectiveness in the company’s accounting and documentary control procedures,
high turnover of executive leadership, a lack of understanding by company
personnel charged with administration of the company’s stock option plans of the
often complex accounting and tax rules related to stock options, the company’s
use of spreadsheets rather than more robust stock option software (which
software was first used in 2004, but was not fully implemented until March
2005), and insufficient attention by management to the directives of this
committee with respect to stock option grant practices.
While
the
Audit Committee concluded that incorrect measurement dates or fair market value
pricing formulas resulted in approximately 100 grants determined to have
unrecorded intrinsic value, the Audit Committee did not find evidence
demonstrating that stock options were “back-dated” to coincide with low stock
prices. Rather, most of the stock options that required adjustment, required
such adjustment because the original grant date was determined in the review
to
have not had sufficient finality to support a measurement date, based on
standards articulated by the SEC Office of the Chief Accountant, or the company
had determined the exercise price based on the closing price on the day of
grant, rather than the day prior to grant, as called for under the company’s
1997 Stock Option Plan and 2002 Stock Option Plan. No option grants were
determined to have been mispriced after December 2003.
The
Audit
Committee reported that the problems that led to the measurement date errors
had
been addressed by the beginning of calendar year 2004, but nonetheless, the
committee implemented further refinements to the company’s stock option grant
procedures in January 2007. For more discussion of the historical review of
stock option and stock grant practices, please see the Explanatory Note to
the
company's Form 10-K filed on January 8, 2007 for the 2006 fiscal
year.
Severance.
A
number of our executive officers terminated employment during fiscal 2006.
In
the absence of contractual provisions providing for the severance payments
to be
made to such officers, we generally offered each of the former employees
severance equal to one month’s salary for each two month period of service, or
portion thereof, up to six months’ salary, in exchange for a general release of
all claims. Each of our executive officers who terminated employment during
fiscal 2006 accepted an offer of severance on substantially those
terms.
Principal
Executive Officer Compensation
During
fiscal 2006, our company had four persons who performed the duties of principal
executive officer. Elwood G. Norris, our Chairman, served in a capacity as
co-principal executive officer until September 2006, when he assumed a technical
advisory and spokesperson role to our company. Kalani Jones, our former
President and Chief Operating Officer, served as co-principal executive officer
until his resignation in October 2005. Mr. John Zavoli assumed the position
of
President and Chief Operating Officer, and co-principal executive officer,
in
November 2005, until the termination of his employment in August 2006. Thomas
R.
Brown assumed the position of President and Chief Executive Officer, and sole
principal executive officer, in September 2006. The committee had responsibility
for determining the compensation of all of Mr. Norris, Mr. Jones, Mr. Zavoli
and
Mr. Brown.
Elwood
G. Norris.
Mr.
Elwood G. Norris currently serves as Chairman of the Board, an executive
position. Prior to his appointment as Chief Executive Officer in September
2000,
which position Mr. Norris resigned in February 2003, Mr. Norris had been
employed by us as Chief Technology Officer pursuant to a three-year employment
agreement dated September 1, 1997. The three-year term expired on August
31,
2000, but the agreement remains in effect until one party gives thirty days
advance notice of termination to the other. Mr. Norris now serves as
Chairman under the term of this agreement. The agreement, as amended by the
committee, provides for a base salary of $16,667 per month. The agreement
provides that Mr. Norris will participate in bonus, benefit and other incentives
at the discretion of the Board of Directors. We also provide Mr. Norris with
an
automobile, the lease payments for which are currently approximately $720
per
month. Mr. Norris has agreed not to disclose trade secrets and has agreed
to
assign certain inventions to us during employment. We are also obligated
to pay
Mr. Norris certain royalties. See "Certain Transactions" below. Mr. Norris
received a non-statutory option to purchase 100,000 shares in May 2006, which
option was in recognition of Mr. Norris' performance during fiscal 2005,
and was
priced at $4.29, which was 110% of the closing price on the date of grant.
This
option vests as to 25% of the shares on the first anniversary of the grant
date,
and quarterly thereafter through the fourth anniversary of the date of grant,
subject to Mr. Norris' continuing service to the company.
In
light
of the transition of Mr. Norris to a technical advisory and spokesperson role
at
the end of fiscal 2006, the committee did not formally review Mr. Norris's
performance for fiscal 2006, and did not award Mr. Norris a bonus for fiscal
2006. No adjustments have been made to Mr. Norris' salary for fiscal 2007.
The
committee noted that Mr. Norris offered leadership during two transitions of
senior management, and that he continued during fiscal 2006 to raise the profile
of our company and our products through national press coverage. The committee
did determine to grant Mr. Norris a non-statutory option exercisable for 150,000
shares in February 2007, which option was priced at $4.81, which was 110% of
the
closing price on the date of grant, and vested as to one third of the shares
upon grant, and quarterly thereafter through the second anniversary of the
date
of grant, subject to Mr. Norris' continuing service to the company.
Kalani
Jones.
Mr. Kalani Jones joined our company in August 2003 as Senior Vice
President, Operations. Mr. Jones was promoted to President and Chief
Operating Officer in April 2004, following
Mr. Jones’ performance review for fiscal 2004, his base salary was
increased to $220,000 per year. Such salary was slightly below the
25th
percentile for the comparable position as reported in the Radford Executive
Survey.
Mr. Jones’s
employment was terminable at-will by us or Mr. Jones for any reason, with
or without notice. In October 2005, Mr. Jones’s employment with our company
terminated. We entered into a separation and release agreement with
Mr. Jones. The agreement provided for our one-time payment of $82,500 to
Mr. Jones and our payment of health benefit premiums on Mr. Jones’s
behalf for a period not to extend beyond February 28, 2006. We also agreed
to extend until February 15, 2006 the period of time for which the vested
portion of stock options held by Mr. Jones could be exercised. As a result
of Mr. Jones’ resignation, the committee did not review Mr. Jones’
performance for fiscal 2006.
John
R. Zavoli.
In
October 2005, the committee recommended to the board for approval a letter
agreement with Mr. Zavoli, pursuant to which Mr. Zavoli was appointed as our
President and Chief Operating Officer, commencing November 1, 2005. Mr. Zavoli
was previously a director of our company, and was a member of this committee
from June 2005 until he resigned his committee appointments in connection with
entering into the letter agreement. The committee informally authorized Mr.
Norris to negotiate Mr. Zavoli's compensation with Mr. Zavoli, and the
recommendation of Mr. Norris was approved by the committee (without Mr. Zavoli
present) with a recommendation to the full board for approval. The level of
compensation and other terms of the employment agreement were determined in
arms' length negotiations between Mr. Norris and Mr. Zavoli, and the committee
did not rely upon benchmark data in approving the level of Mr. Zavoli's
compensation. The letter agreement provided for an annual base salary of
$250,000 and eligibility for an annual bonus, as recommended by this committee
and approved by the board of directors. In addition, Mr. Zavoli received a
non-statutory option to purchase 100,000 shares of our common stock on his
start
date of November 1, 2005. Mr. Zavoli’s employment was not for a specified period
or term of employment and was terminable at-will by us or by Mr. Zavoli for
any
reason, with or without notice. In August 2006, Mr. Zavolis employment
arrangement with the company terminated. Mr. Zavoli’s annual base salary at the
time of termination was $250,000 and he was entitled to severance in the form
of
post-termination salary continuation and payment by our company of the premiums
for extension of benefits under COBRA for a number of months based on his number
of months of service, conditioned on his execution of a general release of
all
known and unknown claims against our company, and the continued effectiveness
of
such release beyond any statutory revocation period. In September 2006, Mr.
Zavoli resigned from his position as a member of our board of directors and
entered into a separation and release agreement with our company providing:
(a)
payments of $125,000, representing six months of base salary, and (b) payment
of
health benefit premiums on Mr. Zavoli’s behalf for a period not to extend beyond
February 28, 2007 estimated at $6,210. In addition, the separation and release
agreement contained Mr. Zavoli’s general release of all claims against our
company. As a result of the termination of Mr. Zavoli’s employment arrangement,
the committee did not review Mr. Zavoli's performance for fiscal
2006.
Thomas
R. Brown. In
August
2006, the committee recommended to the board for approval a letter agreement
to
be entered into with Mr. Brown pursuant to which he was appointed as our
President and Chief Executive Officer commencing September 5, 2006. Mr. Brown
was also appointed as Interim Chief Financial Officer on September 19, 2006.
The
terms of Mr. Brown’s employment did not change in connection with his
appointment as Interim Chief Financial Officer. The committee informally
authorized Mr. Norris to negotiate Mr. Brown's compensation with Mr. Brown,
and
the recommendation of Mr. Norris was approved by the committee (without Mr.
Brown present) with a recommendation to the full board for approval. The level
of compensation and other terms of the employment agreement were determined
in
arms' length negotiations between Mr. Norris and Mr. Brown, and the committee
did not rely upon benchmark data in approving the level of Mr. Brown's
compensation. The letter agreement provides for a base salary of $250,000 per
year. This amount was the same amount previously payable to Mr. Zavoli. In
connection with his employment, Mr. Brown received a non-statutory option to
purchase 200,000 shares of common stock under our 2005 Equity Incentive Plan
with an exercise price $3.33 per share, the closing price of our common stock
on
the start date as reported on the Nasdaq Capital Market. Mr. Brown is eligible
for an annual bonus with respect to fiscal years beginning fiscal 2007 as
recommended by the committee and approved by the board, to be based in part
on
his achievement of detailed annual goals established by the committee. Mr.
Brown's bonus for fiscal 2007 will be based upon the bonus plan described above
under "Long-term incentives." In the event that Mr. Brown’s employment is
terminated for any reason other than cause, or if he resigns for good reason,
he
will be entitled to severance equal to one month’s salary for each two month
period of service, or portion thereof, up to six months’ salary. He will also be
entitled to continuation of his company-provided health and dental benefits
for
the same period.
The
Committee’s Conclusion
The
committee has determined that the aggregate compensation of the executive
officers during fiscal 2006, including the compensation to persons who served
as
principal executive officer during fiscal 2006, was reasonable and not
excessive.
Section
162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code
Under
Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code, compensation payments in excess
of
$1 million to each person who served as Chief Executive Officer at the end
of a
taxable year, and to each of the other most highly compensated executive
officers whose compensation must be disclosed in SEC filings, are subject to
a
limitation of $1 million on the amount we may deduct as an ordinary business
expense. Certain performance-based compensation is not subject to the limitation
on deductibility. The total taxable compensation to each employee subject to
Section 162(m) during the taxable year ended September 30, 2006 was below $1
million.
We
granted stock options to persons subject to Section 162(m) in a manner designed
to qualify such stock options as performance-based compensation. However, from
June 2004 to April 2005, we issued non-qualified stock options not approved
by
stockholders to certain persons, none of whom are currently executive officers
subject to Section 162(m), but certain of whom could in the future become
subject to Section 162(m), in each case as an inducement material to employment.
In addition, as described above under "Pricing of stock options," approximately
100 historical option grants were determined to have been priced with an
exercise price below the fair market value on the accounting measurement date.
To the extent that any of these options are exercised by persons who are subject
to Section 162(m) on the date of exercise, the amount of the deduction that
we
would otherwise be entitled to may be limited to the extent the ordinary income
recognized by the subject employee upon such exercise, together with all other
compensation in a given taxable year, exceeds $1 million. The committee has
to
date qualified as performance-based compensation all stock option grants under
the 2005 Equity Incentive Plan, and intends to continue to do so. However,
the
committee may in its discretion make other awards to existing or potential
future employees subject to Section 162(m) which do not qualify as
performance-based compensation.
The
committee believes that any application of Section 162(m) to limit deductibility
of executive compensation is unlikely to have a material effect on our financial
condition or results of operations, as a result of the company's net operating
loss carry-forwards, which were approximately $54,473,000 at September 30,
2006,
and which expire through 2027. However, certain amounts of these carry-forwards
are subject to significant limitations under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986,
as amended, and the committee notes that a valuation allowance has been provided
in our financial statements to offset the net deferred tax asset associated
with
such loss carry-forwards, as management has determined that it is more likely
than not that the deferred tax asset will not be realized.
COMPENSATION
COMMITTEE
Daniel
Hunter (Chairman)
Raymond
C. Smith
Laura
M.
Clague (Ms. Clague was not a member of the Compensation Committee during fiscal
2006)
REPORT
OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE
Introductory
Note: The
following report is not deemed to be incorporated by reference by any general
statement incorporating by reference this Proxy Statement into any filing under
the Securities Act or under the Exchange Act, except to the extent that we
specifically incorporate this information by reference, and shall not otherwise
be deemed soliciting material or filed under such acts.
The
following is the report of the Audit Committee with respect to our audited
financial statements for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2006.
The
Audit
Committee has reviewed and discussed the audited financial statements of
American Technology Corporation with management. The Audit Committee has
discussed with Swenson Advisors, LLP, our independent registered public
accounting firm, the matters required to be discussed by Statement of Auditing
Standards No. 61, Communication
with Audit Committees,
which
includes, among other items, matters related to the conduct of the audit of
our
financial statements. The Audit Committee has also received written disclosures
and the letter from Swenson Advisors, LLP required by Independence Standards
Board Standard No. 1, which relates to the accounting firm's independence from
our company, and has discussed with Swenson Advisors, LLP its independence
from
our company.
The
Audit
Committee acts pursuant to the Audit Committee Charter adopted by the Board
of
Directors. The Audit Committee Charter was amended and restated in April 2004.
Each of the members of the Audit Committee qualifies as an independent director
under the current listing standards of the NASDAQ Stock Market. The Charter
of
the Audit Committee is attached as Annex 1 to this proxy statement.
Based
on
the review and discussions referred to above, the Audit Committee recommended
to
the Board of Directors that audited financial statements be included in our
company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended
September 30, 2006.
AUDIT
COMMITTEE
Daniel
Hunter (Chairman)
Raymond
Smith
Laura
M.
Clague (Ms. Clague was not a member of the Audit Committee during fiscal
2006)
COMPANY
STOCK PRICE PERFORMANCE
Introductory
Note:
The
stock price performance graph below is required by the SEC and will not deemed
to be incorporated by reference by any general statement incorporating by
reference this Proxy Statement into any filing under the Securities Act, or
under the Exchange Act, except to the extent that we specifically incorporate
this information by reference, and shall not otherwise be deemed soliciting
material or filed under such laws.
The
following graph compares the five-year cumulative total return on our common
stock to the total returns of 1) NASDAQ Stock Market and 2) NASDAQ Stock -
Electronic & Electrical Equipment & Components, excluding Computer
Equipment. This comparison assumes in each case that $100 was invested on
September 30, 2001 and all dividends were reinvested. Our fiscal year ends
on September 30.
CERTAIN
TRANSACTIONS
Under
the
terms of an Assignment of Technology Agreement dated March 2, 1993 and an
Addendum Agreement dated December 2, 1996 we are obligated to pay Elwood G.
Norris, our Chairman, a 2% royalty on net sales from certain of our
technologies, of which only HSS is a current offering of our company. The
royalty obligation continues until at least March 1, 2007, and for any longer
period during which we sell products or license technologies subject to any
patent assigned to us by Mr. Norris. No royalties were paid or recorded under
this agreement in the fiscal years ended September 30, 2006, 2005 or 2004,
as
these royalties were immaterial and were waived by Mr. Norris. We may owe
royalties in future periods based on actual sales or technology
revenues.
Mark
Norris, the son of Elwood G. Norris, is a full-time non-executive employee
of
our company. In his role as a Mechanical Engineer, Mark Norris was paid $103,336
in salary for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2006. No other family member
of any executive officer, director or 5% stockholder received compensation
of
more than $60,000 during the year ended September 30, 2006.
On
August
7, 2006, we closed an institutional financing and issued 4,870,512 shares of
our
common stock at a purchase price of $1.95 per share and warrants exercisable
for
an aggregate of 1,948,205 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $2.67
per share. The warrants are exercisable from February 7, 2007 until August
6,
2010. Institutional investors included Special Situations Fund III QP, L.P.,
Special Situations Fund III L.P., Special Situations Private Equity Fund, L.P.,
Special Situations Technology Fund, L.P., and Special Situations Technology
Fund
II, L.P., collectively purchasing an aggregate of 2,051,282 shares and warrants
exercisable for an aggregate of 820,542 shares. Based on a Schedule 13G filing
on February 14, 2006, Austin W. Marxe and David M. Greenhouse beneficially
owned
more than five percent of our outstanding common stock prior to the financing
and are controlling principals of the general partners and investment advisors
of the Special Situation Funds. See Note 3 to the ownership table in "Security
Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management" above for additional
information and more current joint ownership information of Mr. Marxe and Mr.
Greenhouse through the Special Situation Funds.
The
August 2006 financing triggered certain anti-dilution provisions of prior
warrants including warrants to purchase an aggregate of 179,302 shares held
by
certain of the Special Situations funds. The exercise price of the warrants
held
by the Special Situation Funds was adjusted from $6.36 to $5.44 and the shares
issuable upon exercise of the warrants increased from 179,302 to 209,620 as
a
result of the anti-dilution adjustment. The warrant expiration date is unchanged
at July 18, 2009.
In
connection with the August institutional financing described above,
anti-dilution provisions also triggered adjusting the exercise price of 617,500
warrants expiring September 30, 2006 from $2.00 per share to $1.95 per share.
However, the repricing of these warrants did not apply to the warrant for
125,000 shares held by a family trust of Mr. Norris, our Chairman, as a result
of a waiver executed by the trust. This warrant was granted in 2001 in
connection with a private placement and was exercised on September 20, 2006
for
cash by Mr. Norris’ family trust.
PROPOSAL
THREE
APPROVAL
OF AMENDMENTS TO THE COMPANY'S 2005 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN
In
March
2007, the Compensation Committee approved amendments to our 2005 Equity
Incentive Plan, which we refer to as the 2005 Plan, in the form attached hereto
as Annex 4, certain provisions of which are subject to stockholder approval.
Stockholders are being asked to approve an increase the maximum plan reserve
to
5,062,501 shares, which includes the original maximum plus reserve of 3,312,501
shares, plus 1,750,000 new shares, and to increase the limit of the number
of
shares that may be granted to one awardee within any calendar year under the
2005 Plan to 1,000,000 shares. Currently, the per awardee limit is 250,000
shares within any calendar year, except that in connection with his or her
initial service, an awardee may be granted awards covering up to an additional
500,000 shares. The proposed 1,000,000 shares limit would apply to initial
service and to continuing service.
The
affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast at the meeting, either in
person or by proxy, is required to approve the amendments to the 2005 Plan.
Abstentions will be counted toward the tabulation of votes cast on this proposal
for the purpose of determining a quorum and will have the same effect as
negative votes. Broker non-votes are counted towards a quorum, but are not
counted for any purpose in determining whether this proposal has been
approved.
We
have
qualified this plan under the California Corporate Securities Law of 1986.
In
reviewing qualification applications, the California Commissioner of
Corporations will consider regulations which require that an employee, director
and consultant option or purchase plan be approved by stockholders holding
a
majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote. For such purposes, both
abstentions and broker non-votes have the same effect as negative votes.
Accordingly, while we will deem the amendments to 2005 Plan approved by the
stockholders if the number votes cast in favor exceeds the number of votes
cast
against, as set forth in the prior paragraph, we may not be able to qualify
the
additional shares reserved under the 2005 Plan pursuant to these amendments
under the California Corporate Securities Law of 1986 without the higher
threshold for approval discussed above. If we do not obtain the affirmative
vote
of stockholders holding a majority of shares entitled to vote, and if the
California Commissioner of Corporations will not deviate from its guidelines
when we apply for qualification, we will be able to issue additional securities
under the 2005 Plan only pursuant to an available exemption from qualification
requirements.
Our
Board of Directors Recommends a vote IN FAVOR of Proposal
Three
The
essential features of the 2005 Plan are outlined below:
General
Our
Board
of Directors approved the 2005 Plan on January 27, 2005 and ratified certain
technical changes to the 2005 Plan on March 22, 2005. The 2005 Plan became
effective on April 28, 2005, the effective date of stockholder approval of
the
plan at our annual meeting of stockholders, and was subsequently amended on
August 5, 2005. These amendments did not require stockholder approval. Certain
amendments made in March 2007 also do not require stockholder approval, and
are
presently effective.
Background
and Purpose of the 2005 Plan
The
purpose of the 2005 Plan is to encourage ownership in our company by key
personnel, whose long-term service is considered essential to our continued
progress, thereby linking these employees directly to stockholder interests
through increased stock ownership.
As
of
March 12, 2007, no shares had been issued under the 2005 Plan, and options
to
purchase approximately 1,692,700 shares at exercise prices ranging from $2.60
to
5.57 per share were outstanding. Excluding the increase of 1,750,000 shares
for
which stockholder approval is being sought pursuant to this Proposal Three
approximately 705,478 shares were available for future grant under the 2005
Plan.
Eligible
Participants
Awards
under the 2005 Plan may be granted to any of our employees, directors, or
consultants or those of our affiliates. As of March 12, 2007, there were
approximately 42 full-time employees, 3 non-employee directors, and 2
consultants who would be eligible to participate. An incentive stock option
may
be granted under the 2005 Plan only to a person who, at the time of the grant,
is an employee of us or a related corporation.
Number
of Shares of Common Stock Available Under the 2005 Plan
The
initial reserve for the 2005 Plan was a maximum of 3,312,501 shares, which
maximum included a total of 1,500,000 new shares of our common stock, plus
up to
1,812,501 shares that were, upon Board approval of the 2005 Plan, available
under our 2002 Stock Option Plan, which we refer to as the 2002 Plan, or were
subject to then outstanding options under the 2002 Plan or the 1997 Stock Option
Plan, which we refer to as the 1997 Plan. These older plan shares were included
in the maximum reserve because the 2002 Plan was terminated with respect to
the
availability of future option grants after approval of the 2005 Plan by the
stockholders, and the 2002 Plan included in its reserve shares that were subject
to outstanding options under the 1997 Plan. The actual reserve under the 2005
Plan currently consists of the 1,500,000 new shares, shares of our common stock
available for issuance under the 2002 Plan as of the original date of approval
of the 2005 Plan by the stockholders, and shares of our common stock that are
issuable upon exercise of options granted pursuant to the 1997 Plan or the
2002
Plan that expire or become unexercisable for any reason without having been
exercised in full after approval by the stockholders of the 2005 Plan. The
reserve under the 2005 Plan is reduced by options under the 1997 Plan, the
2002
Plan or the 2005 Plan, outstanding which are exercised after the original date
of approval of the 2005 Plan by the stockholders. The effect of establishing
a
pool of this nature was to merge into the 2005 Plan any shares available or
which would otherwise in the future become available under the 2002 Plan.
As
of
March 12, 2007, no options are outstanding under the 1997 Plan, options for
501,061 shares are outstanding under the 2002 Plan, and options for 1,692,700
shares are outstanding under the 2005 Plan. A total of 705,478 shares are
currently available for grant under the 2005 Plan. Assuming no further
expirations or cancellations of options under the 2002 Plan or the 2005 Plan,
the number of shares available for grant under the 2005 Plan would increase
to
2,455,478 if the stockholders approve the amendments to the 2005 Plan. If
currently outstanding options granted under the 1997 Plan, the 2002 Plan or
the
2005 Plan expire or otherwise become unexercisable, the number of shares
available for grant under the 2005 Plan will increase on a share for share
basis. Such shares underlying such outstanding options are therefore included
in
the maximum plan reserve.
Also,
in
the event of any change in the outstanding common stock from any stock split,
stock dividend, reorganization, or other change in our capital structure, the
number of shares available under the 2005 Plan, the per awardee and incentive
stock option limitations, the number, kind, and class of shares covered by
each
outstanding award, the price per share (but not the total price) subject to
each
outstanding award, and any other affected terms of outstanding awards, will
be
proportionally adjusted to prevent dilution or enlargement of rights under
the
2005 Plan.
The
maximum aggregate number of shares that may be issued under the 2005 Plan
through the exercise of incentive stock options is presently 3,312,501, and
if
the stockholders approve the amendments to the 2005 Plan, this number will
increase to 5,062,501.
Administration
of the Plan
The
2005
Plan is administered by the Compensation Committee, which we refer to in this
section as the Committee. In the case of awards intended to qualify as
“performance-based compensation” within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, which we refer to as the Code, the Committee
will
consist of two or more “outside directors” within the meaning of Section 162(m)
of the Code. Subject to the limitations in the 2005 Plan, the administrator
has
the power to determine the terms of the awards, including the exercise price,
the number of shares subject to each award, the exercisability of the awards
and
the form of consideration payable upon exercise. The administrator also has
the
power to implement an award transfer program, whereby awards may be transferred
to a financial institution or other person or entity selected by the
administrator, and an exchange program whereby outstanding awards are
surrendered or cancelled in exchange for awards of the same type (which may
have
lower exercise prices and different terms). Except to the extent prohibited
by
any applicable law, the Committee may delegate to one or more individuals the
day-to-day administration of the 2005 Plan.
Award
Types
Options
A
stock
option is the right to purchase shares of our common stock at a fixed exercise
price for a fixed period of time. The exercise price of options granted under
the 2005 Plan must be at least equal to the fair market value of our common
stock on the date of grant. In addition the exercise price for any incentive
stock option granted to any employee owning more than 10% of our common stock
may not be less than 110% of the fair market value of our common stock on the
date of grant. So long as the issuance and sale of securities under the 2005
Plan requires qualification under the California Corporate Securities Law of
1968, the exercise price of stock options must conform to the regulations
promulgated by the California Commissioner of Corporations related to employee,
director and consultant option plans, as in effect on the date of grant. These
regulations presently require that the exercise price be no less than 100%
(or
110% in the case of a person who owns securities of the company possessing
more
than 10% of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the
company or any related company) of the fair market value of a share of common
stock on the date of grant. These regulations are proposed to be amended to
remove such restriction, and upon such amendment, such restriction would no
longer apply to new grants under the 2005 Plan. However, the requirement that
the exercise price of options granted under the 2005 Plan must be at least
equal
to the fair market value of our common stock on the date of grant will continue
to apply regardless of the California regulations.
Unless
the administrator determines to use another method, the fair market value of
our
common stock on the date of grant will be determined as the closing price for
our common stock on the date the option is granted (or if no sales are reported
that day, the last preceding day on which a sale occurred), using a reporting
source selected by the administrator. As of March [__], 2007, the closing price
on the NASDAQ Capital Market for our common stock was $[___] per share. The
administrator determines the acceptable form of consideration for exercising
an
option, including the method of payment, either through the terms of the option
agreement or at the time of exercise of an option.
An
option
granted under the 2005 Plan generally cannot be exercised until it becomes
vested. The administrator establishes the vesting schedule of each option at
the
time of grant and the option will expire at the times established by the
administrator. After termination of service by one of our employees, directors,
or consultants, he or she may exercise his or her option for the period of
time
stated in the option agreement, to the extent the option is vested on the date
of termination. If termination is due to death or disability, the option
generally will remain exercisable for 12 months following such termination.
In
all other cases, the option generally will remain exercisable for thirty days,
but such period of time will be extended if the expiration date of the option
would otherwise fall during a "blackout period" applicable to the awardee under
our company's insider trading policy. However, an option may never be exercised
later than the expiration of its term. The term of any stock option may not
exceed ten years, except that with respect to any participant who owns 10%
or
more of the voting power of all classes of our outstanding capital stock, the
term for incentive stock options must not exceed five years. So long as the
issuance and sale of securities under the 2005 Plan requires qualification
under
the California Corporate Securities Law of 1968, the vesting and exercisability
of stock options must conform to the regulations promulgated by the California
Commissioner of Corporations related to employee, director and consultant option
plans, as in effect on the date of grant. These regulations presently require
that vesting of an option awarded to anyone other than an executive officer,
director or consultant must vest at a rate of at least 20% per year. These
regulations also presently require a minimum post termination exercise period
of
six months in the event of death or disability, or thirty days in other
circumstances (but not later than the expiration of the term of the option).
These regulations are proposed to be amended to remove such restrictions, and
upon such amendment, such restrictions would no longer apply to new grants
under
the 2005 Plan.
Stock
Awards
Stock
awards are awards or issuances of shares of our common stock that vest in
accordance with terms and conditions established by the administrator. Stock
awards include stock units, which are bookkeeping entries representing an amount
equivalent to the fair market value of a share of common stock, payable in
cash,
property or other shares of stock. The administrator may determine the number
of
shares to be granted and impose whatever conditions to vesting it determines
to
be appropriate, including performance criteria and level of achievement versus
the criteria that the administrator determines. The criteria may be based on
financial performance, personal performance evaluations, and completion of
service by the participant. Unless the administrator determines otherwise shares
that do not vest typically will be subject to forfeiture or to our right of
repurchase, which we may exercise upon the voluntary or involuntary termination
of the awardee’s service with us for any reason, including death or
disability.
In
the
case of stock awards intended to qualify as “performance-based compensation”
within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code, the measures established
by
the administrator must be qualifying performance criteria. Qualifying
performance criteria include any of the following performance criteria,
individually or in combination:
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cash
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on investment
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earnings
(including gross margin, earnings before interest and taxes, earnings
before taxes, and net earnings)
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revenue
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income
or net income
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earnings
per share
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operating
income or net operating income
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growth
in earnings or earnings per share
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operating
profit or net operating profit
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stock
price
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operating
margin
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return
on equity or average stockholders’ equity
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return
on operating revenue
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total
stockholder return
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market
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return
on capital
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contract
awards or backlog
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on assets or net assets
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overhead
or other expense reduction
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growth
in stockholder value relative to the moving average of the S&P 500
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improvement
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EBITDA
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credit
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any
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strategic
plan development and implementation
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Qualifying
performance criteria may be applied either to us as a whole or to a business
unit, affiliate or business segment, individually or in any combination.
Qualifying performance criteria may be measured either annually or cumulatively
over a period of years, and may be measured on an absolute basis or relative
to
a pre-established target, to previous years’ results or to a designated
comparison group, in each case as specified by the administrator in writing
in
the award.
So
long
as the issuance and sale of securities under the 2005 Plan requires
qualification under the California Corporate Securities Law of 1968, the
purchase price, vesting and our terms of repurchase must conform to the
regulations promulgated by the California Commissioner of Corporations related
to employee, director and consultant purchase plans, as in effect on the date
of
grant. These regulations presently require that the purchase price for
restricted shares must be not be less than 85% (or 100% in the case of a person
who owns on the date of grant of such restricted stock, securities of the
company possessing more than 10% of the total combined voting power of all
classes of stock of the company or any related company) of the fair market
value
of a share of common stock on the date of grant of such restricted stock. These
regulations also require that restricted stock awarded to anyone other than
an
executive officer, director or consultant must vest at a rate of at least 20%
per year, and we must exercise our right to repurchase unvested shares for
either cash or cancellation of purchase money indebtedness for such unvested
shares, and within ninety days of termination of service. These regulations
are
proposed to be amended to remove such restrictions, and upon such amendment,
such restrictions would no longer apply to new grants under the 2005
Plan.
Stock
Appreciation Rights
A
stock
appreciation right is the right to receive the appreciation in the fair market
value of our common stock in an amount equal to the difference between (a)
the
fair market value of a share of our common stock on the date of exercise, and
(b) the exercise price. This amount will be paid in shares of our common stock
with equivalent value. The exercise price must be at least equal to the fair
market value of our common stock on the date of grant. Subject to these
limitations the administrator determines the exercise price, term, vesting
schedule, and other terms and conditions of stock appreciation rights; however,
stock appreciation rights terminate under the same rules that apply to stock
options.
Cash
Awards
Cash
awards are awards that confer upon the participant the opportunity to earn
future cash payments tied to the level of achievement with respect to one or
more performance criteria established by the administrator for a performance
period. The administrator will establish the performance criteria and level
of
achievement versus these criteria, which will determine the target and the
minimum and maximum amount payable under a cash award. In the case of cash
awards intended to qualify as “performance-based compensation” within the
meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code, the maximum amount payable under the
2005
Plan to any participant in a fiscal year may not exceed $1,000,000. The criteria
may be based on financial performance and/or personal performance evaluations.
In the case of cash awards intended to qualify as “performance-based
compensation” within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code, the measures
established by the administrator must be specified in writing.
Miscellaneous
Transferability
of Awards
Unless
the administrator determines otherwise, the 2005 Plan does not allow for the
transfer of awards other than by beneficiary designation, will, by the laws
of
descent or distribution or to a revocable trust or as permitted by SEC
Rule 701.
Adjustments
upon Merger of Change in Control
The
2005
Plan provides that in the event of a merger with or into another corporation
or
our “change in control,” including the sale of all or substantially all of our
assets, and certain other events, our board or the Committee may, in its
discretion, provide for the assumption or substitution of, or adjustment to,
each outstanding award, accelerate the vesting of options and stock appreciation
rights, and terminate any restrictions on stock awards or cash awards or provide
for the cancellation of awards in exchange for a cash payment to the
participant.
Amendment
and Termination of the 2005 Plan
The
administrator may amend the 2005 Plan or may terminate it at any time, but
any
amendment is subject to the approval of our stockholders in the manner and
to
the extent required by applicable law, rules, or regulations. However, no action
by the administrator or our stockholders may alter or impair any option or
other
type of award under the 2005 Plan, unless mutually agreed otherwise between
the
holder of the award and the administrator. The 2005 Plan will continue in effect
for a term of ten years beginning on the original date of approval of the 2005
Plan by the stockholders, unless terminated earlier in accordance with the
provisions of the 2005 Plan.
Certain
Federal Income Tax Information
The
following is a general summary as of this date of the federal income tax
consequences to us and to U.S. participants for awards granted under the 2005
Plan. The federal tax laws may change and the federal, state, and local tax
consequences for any participant will depend upon his or her individual
circumstances. Tax consequences for any particular individual may be different.
This summary does not purport to be complete, and does not discuss non-U.S.,
state or local tax consequences, federal and state estate, inheritance and
gift
taxes, or further guidance that may be issued by the Department of Treasury
under Section 409A of the Code.
Incentive
Stock Options
For
federal income tax purposes, the grant of an incentive stock option results
in
no federal income tax consequences to the holder or to our company. If such
person retains the common stock for a period of at least two years after the
option is granted and one year after the option is exercised, any gain upon
the
subsequent sale of the common stock will be taxed as a long-term capital gain.
Our company is not entitled to any deduction under these circumstances. A
participant who disposes of shares acquired by exercise of an incentive stock
option prior to the expiration of two years after the option is granted or
one
year after the option is exercised (referred to as a "disqualifying
disposition") will realize ordinary income as of the exercise date equal to
the
difference between the exercise price and fair market value of the share on
the
exercise date. In the year of the disqualifying disposition, we are entitled
to
a deduction equal to the amount of ordinary income recognized by the holder.
Any
additional gain or loss recognized by the holder upon any later disposition
of
the shares would be capital gain or loss.
The
"spread" under an incentive stock option - i.e., the difference between the
fair
market value of the shares at exercise and the exercise price - is classified
as
an item of adjustment in the year of exercise for purposes of the alternative
minimum tax. If the holder's alternative minimum tax liability exceeds such
holder's regular income tax liability, the holder will owe the larger amount.
In
order to avoid the application of alternative minimum tax with respect to
incentive stock options, the holder must sell the shares within the same
calendar year in which the incentive stock options were exercised. However,
such
a sale of shares within the same year of exercise will constitute a
disqualifying disposition, as described above.
In
the
event an incentive stock option is amended, such option may be considered
deferred compensation and subject to the rules of new Section 409A of the Code,
which governs the timing permitted for payment of deferred amounts. Section
409A
imposes sanctions for options that are governed by, but fail to comply with,
Section 409A, including accelerated income inclusion, a 20% penalty and an
interest penalty. In addition, the amendment of an incentive stock option may
convert the option from an incentive stock option to a nonstatutory stock
option.
Nonstatutory
Stock Options
A
participant who receives a nonstatutory stock option with an exercise price
equal to or greater than the fair market value of the stock on the grant date
generally will not realize taxable income on the grant of such option, but
will
realize ordinary income at the time of exercise of the option equal to the
difference between the option exercise price and the fair market value of the
shares on the date of exercise. Any additional gain or loss recognized upon
any
later disposition of shares would be capital gain or loss. Any taxable income
recognized in connection with an option exercise by an employee or former
employee of our company is subject to tax withholding by us.
In
the
event a nonstatutory stock option is amended, such option may be considered
deferred compensation and subject to the rules of new Section 409A of the Code,
which governs the timing permitted for payment of deferred amounts. Section
409A
imposes sanctions for options that are governed by, but fail to comply with,
Section 409A, including accelerated income inclusion, a 20% penalty and an
interest penalty.
Stock
Awards
Stock
awards will generally be taxed in the same manner as nonstatutory stock options.
However, a restricted stock award is subject to a “substantial risk of
forfeiture” within the meaning of Section 83 of the Code to the extent the award
will be forfeited in the event that the participant ceases to provide services
to us. As a result of this substantial risk of forfeiture, the participant
will
not recognize ordinary income at the time of award. Instead, the participant
will recognize ordinary income on the dates when the stock is no longer subject
to a substantial risk of forfeiture, or when the stock becomes transferable,
if
earlier. The participant’s ordinary income is measured as the difference between
the amount paid for the stock, if any, and the fair market value of the stock
on
the date the stock is no longer subject to forfeiture. We are entitled to an
income tax deduction in the amount of the ordinary income recognized by the
participant, subject to possible limitations imposed by Section 162(m) of the
Code.
The
participant may accelerate his or her recognition of ordinary income, if any,
and begin his or her capital gains holding period by timely filing (i.e., within
thirty days of the award) an election pursuant to Section 83(b) of the Code.
In
such event, the ordinary income recognized, if any, is measured as the
difference between the amount paid for the stock, if any, and the fair market
value of the stock on the date of award, and the capital gain holding period
commences on such date. The ordinary income recognized by an employee or former
employee will be subject to tax withholding by us. If the stock award consists
of stock units, no taxable income is reportable when stock units are granted
to
a participant or upon vesting. Upon settlement, the participant will recognize
ordinary income in an amount equal to the value of the payment received pursuant
to the stock units.
Stock
Appreciation Rights
No
taxable income is reportable when a stock appreciation right with an exercise
price equal to or greater than the fair market value of the stock on the date
of
grant which is exercisable only for stock is granted to a participant or upon
vesting. Upon exercise, the participant will recognize ordinary income in an
amount equal to the fair market value of any shares received. We will be
entitled to a tax deduction to the extent and in the year that ordinary income
is recognized by the participating individual. Any additional gain or loss
recognized by the participant upon any later disposition of the shares would
be
capital gain or loss.
A
stock
appreciation right can be considered non-qualified deferred compensation and
subject to the new Section 409A of the Code, which governs the timing permitted
for payment of deferred amounts. Section 409A imposes sanctions for stock
appreciation rights that are governed by, but fail to comply with, Section
409A,
including accelerated income inclusion, a 20% penalty and an interest
penalty.
Dividend
Equivalents
Recipients
of stock-based awards that earn dividends or dividend equivalents will recognize
taxable ordinary income on any dividend payments received with respect to
unvested and/or unexercised shares subject to such awards, which income is
subject to withholding for federal income and employment tax purposes. We are
entitled to an income tax deduction in the amount of the income recognized
by a
participant, subject to possible limitations imposed by Section 162(m) of the
Code.
Cash
Awards
Upon
receipt of cash, the recipient will have taxable ordinary income, in the year
of
receipt, equal to the cash received. Any cash received will be subject to tax
withholding by us, and we will be entitled to a tax deduction at that
time.
Tax
Effect for Us
Unless
limited by Section 162(m) of the Code, we generally will be entitled to a tax
deduction in connection with an award under the 2005 Plan in an amount equal
to
the ordinary income realized by a participant at the time the participant
recognizes such income (for example, upon the exercise of a stock
option).
Section
162(m) Limits
Section
162(m) of the Code places a limit of $1,000,000 on the amount of compensation
that we may deduct in any one year with respect to each of our five most highly
paid executive officers. Certain performance-based compensation approved by
stockholders is not subject to the deduction limit. The 2005 Plan is qualified
such that awards under the Plan may constitute performance-based compensation
not subject to Section 162(m) of the Code. One of the requirements for equity
compensation plans is that there must be a limit to the number of shares granted
to any one individual under the plan. Accordingly, the 2005 Plan currently
provides that the maximum number of shares for which awards may be made to
any
awardee in any calendar year is 250,000, except that in connection with his
or
her initial service, an awardee may be granted awards covering up to an
additional 500,000 shares. Stockholders are being asked to approve an increase
in the per person limit to a maximum of 1,000,000 shares in any calendar year.
The maximum amount payable pursuant to that portion of a cash award granted
under the 2005 Plan for any fiscal year to any employee that is intended to
satisfy the requirements for “performance-based compensation” under Section
162(m) of the Code may not exceed $1,000,000.
Section
409A of the Code
The
2005
Plan provides that it is the intent of our company that all awards granted
under
the 2005 Plan will not cause an imposition of additional taxes provided by
Section 409A of the Code, and that the 2005 Plan should be administered so
that
such taxes are not imposed.
New
Plan Benefits
Because
the administrator has discretion to make awards under the 2005 Plan, it is
not
presently possible to determine the benefits or amounts that will be received
by
the executive officers, directors or other participants if the stockholders
approve this Proposal Three. Therefore, we have not included a table reflecting
such benefits and awards.
In
February 2007, Mr. Brown received an option to purchase 250,000 shares of common
stock under the 2005 Plan, and Mr. Norris received an option to purchase 150,000
shares of common stock under the 2005 Plan. Under the present terms of the
2005
Plan, Mr. Brown may not receive any additional awards during calendar year
2007,
and any additional awards to Mr. Norris during calendar year 2007 would be
limited to a total of 100,000 shares. If the stockholders approve this Proposal
Three, the per awardee limits applicable to Mr. Brown, Mr. Norris and each
other
current participant in the 2005 Plan will increase to 1,000,000 shares from
the
present 250,000 shares, and accordingly, Mr. Brown, Mr. Norris and other
participants may become eligible to receive awards during fiscal 2007 they
would
not otherwise be eligible to receive. We have no current plans, proposals or
arrangements to grant any new awards under the 2005 Plan.
PROPOSAL
FOUR
APPROVAL
OF CERTAIN TERMS OF THE SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT
Overview
In
August
2006, we sold 4,870,512 shares of our common stock at a purchase price of $1.95
per share to a limited number of institutional investors. In connection with
this financing, we issued a warrant to each investor, with each warrant
containing a provision which provides for the adjustment of the exercise price
of the warrant under specified circumstances, which we refer to as the reset
provision. We agreed to seek stockholder approval of the reset provision, as
more fully described below.
The
affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast the meeting, either in person
or by proxy, is required to approve the proposal.
Summary
of the Financing
This
summary of the financing is intended to provide you with basic information
concerning the transaction. However, it is not a substitute for reviewing the
Securities Purchase Agreement, the Registration Rights Agreement, and Form
of
Warrant, which we collectively refer to as the financing documents. You should
read this summary in conjunction with the financing documents, which were
attached as exhibits to our Form 8-K filed with the SEC on August 8, 2006.
The
financing documents are available on the company's website at www.atcsd.com,
by
clicking on "Investors" and then "SEC Filings." Copies of any of the financing
documents are also available to stockholders at no charge upon request.
Stockholders should address requests for documents to the Secretary of our
company at the address listed on the first page of this Proxy
Statement.
The
financing was conducted pursuant to the terms of a Securities Purchase Agreement
dated August 4, 2006. The financing closed on August 7, 2006. We received gross
proceeds from this financing of approximately $9.5 million. The net proceeds
of
the financing after payment of a 5% placement fee and transaction expenses
has
been and will be used for general working capital purposes, including marketing,
sales and deliveries of proprietary directed sound products.
In
connection with this financing, we issued a warrant to each investor. The
warrants are exercisable for an aggregate of 1,948,204 shares of common stock
at
an exercise price of $2.67 per share. These warrants are exercisable from
February 7, 2007 until August 6, 2010.
Approval
of the Reset Provision
The
warrants contain a reset provision which would adjust the exercise price, and
in
inverse proportion adjust the number of shares subject to the warrant, in the
event we pay or effect stock dividends or splits, or in the event we sell shares
of our common stock at a purchase price, or options or warrants to purchase
shares of our common stock having an exercise price, less than the exercise
price of the warrants.
Absent
stockholder approval of this proposal, the exercise price may not be reduced
to
a price less than the last closing bid price of our common stock reported on
the
NASDAQ Capital Market immediately preceding entry into the Securities Purchase
Agreements, or $2.20 per share.
The
Securities Purchase Agreement requires us to seek approval of our stockholders
for the reset provisions at this meeting. Upon approval, the limitation on
the
reduction of the exercise price in the warrants will cease to
apply.
In
connection with the financing, our chairman Elwood G. Norris entered into a
voting agreement agreeing to vote all of his shares of our common stock in
favor
of this proposal.
Reasons
for Stockholder Approval
Our
common stock is traded and quoted on the NASDAQ Capital Market and is therefore
subject to the NASDAQ Marketplace Rules. NASDAQ Marketplace Rule 4350 sets
forth
certain corporate governance standards for issuers whose securities are listed
on the NASDAQ Capital Market. NASDAQ Marketplace Rule 4350(i)(1)(D) requires
stockholder approval prior to our sale or issuance or potential issuance of
common stock (or securities convertible into our common stock) equal to 20%
or
more of our common stock or 20% or more of the voting power outstanding before
the issuance if the sale price of the securities is less than the greater of
the
book or market value of the securities.
We
sold
4,870,512 shares in the financing, or 19.89%, of the total outstanding shares
of
common stock on the date of the Securities Purchase Agreement. As discussed
above, we also issued warrants to purchase an additional 1,948,208 shares.
Because the warrants cannot, absent stockholder approval of the reset
provisions, have an exercise price less than $2.20 per share, and are not
exercisable for a period of six months following the closing date, the number
of
shares purchasable upon exercise of the warrants was not integrated into the
financing for purposes of determining whether the financing required advance
stockholder approval under NASDAQ Marketplace Rules.
However,
the reset provisions in the warrants could operate to reduce the exercise price
to less than $2.20 per share, which would cause the warrants to be integrated
with the sale of common stock, and thereby result in the possible issuance
of
20% or more of our stock at a price less than the greater of book or market
value of the securities, which would in turn violate the NASDAQ Marketplace
Rules absent stockholder approval. Because of this possibility, the warrants
contain a provision which sets a minimum exercise price, as described above.
Due
to that minimum exercise price provision, we were not obligated under the NASDAQ
Marketplace Rules to obtain our stockholders’ approval prior to consummating the
financing.
The
Securities Purchase Agreement requires us to seek stockholder approval under
Rule 4350(i) at our Annual Meeting. Under applicable NASDAQ rules, votes on
shares issued in connection with the financing, whether cast in person or by
proxy, will not be entitled to vote and will not be counted for purposes of
this
proposal.
For
the
reasons described above, the Board of Directors believes it is in the best
interest of the company to ask for your approval at the Annual
Meeting.
You
should note that, in the event that our stockholders do not approve this
proposal, under no circumstances would we reduce the exercise price of the
warrants below $2.20 per share. However, if the stockholders do not approve
this
proposal, the investors in the financing may take the position that we failed
to
use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain such approval, as required in
the
Securities Purchase Agreement. In addition, if the stockholders do not approve
this proposal, it could impair our ability to raise capital in private
transactions in the future. Our company has historically relied upon such
private financing transactions to sustain its operations.
Our
Board of Directors recommends a vote IN FAVOR of Proposal
Four
OTHER
MATTERS
The
Board
of Directors knows of no other matters that will be presented for consideration
at the Annual Meeting. If any other matters are properly brought before the
meeting, it is the intention of the persons named in the accompanying proxy
to
vote on such matters in accordance with their best judgment.
Any
stockholder or stockholder's representative who, because of a disability, may
need special assistance or accommodation to allow him or her to participate
at
the Annual Meeting may request reasonable assistance or accommodation from
us by
contacting the Secretary at American Technology Corporation, 15378 Avenue of
Science, Suite 100, San Diego, California 92128 or at (858) 676-1112. To provide
us sufficient time to arrange for reasonable assistance or accommodation, please
submit all requests by April 23, 2007.
Whether
you intend to be present at the Annual Meeting or not, we urge you to return
your signed proxy card promptly.
|
By
Order of the Board of Directors
/s/
Elwood G.
Norris
Elwood
G. Norris
Chairman
of the Board
|
March
30,
2007
A
copy of
our Annual Report to the Securities and Exchange Commission on Form 10-K
for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2006 has been mailed with this
proxy statement. We amended portions of our Form 10-K on January 29, 2007.
The
amended information is contained in this proxy statement. Each of the Form
10-K
amendments and exhibits to the Form 10-K are available without charge upon
written request to the Secretary at American Technology Corporation, 15378
Avenue of Science, Suite 100, San Diego, California 92128.
ANNEX
1
AMERICAN
TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
BOARD
OF
DIRECTORS
AUDIT
COMMITTEE CHARTER
(Approved
April 7, 2004)
Organization
There
shall be a committee of the Board of Directors of American Technology
Corporation (the "Company") to be known as the Audit Committee (the
"Committee"). The Board of Directors shall appoint the members of the Committee,
which will be composed of at least three directors. The Committee shall be
composed entirely of directors that are independent, as defined by the
applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission
and
Nasdaq, and are free of any relationship that, in the opinion of the Board
of
Directors, would interfere with their exercise of independent judgment. All
Committee members must satisfy the financial literacy requirements of the
applicable rules and regulations of Nasdaq, and at least one member shall have
past employment experience in finance or accounting, or other comparable
experience or background which results in the member's financial sophistication.
In addition, at least one member of the Committee may be designated as the
"audit committee financial expert," as defined by applicable legislation and
regulation of the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Statement
of Policy
The
primary purposes of the Committee are to assist the Board of Directors in
fulfilling its oversight responsibilities for:
·
|
the
accounting and financial reporting processes of the Company and
the audits
of the financial statements of the Company;
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|
·
|
the
Company's compliance with legal and regulatory
requirements;
|
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|
·
|
the
independent auditors' qualifications and independence;
and
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·
|
the
performance of the Company's independent
auditors.
|
Except
as
otherwise required by applicable law, regulations or listing standards, all
major decisions are considered by the Board of Directors as a
whole.
Authority
The
Committee has authority to conduct or authorize investigations into any matters
within its scope of responsibility. It is empowered to:
·
|
Appoint,
compensate, and oversee the work of any public accounting
firm employed by
the Company.
|
|
|
·
|
Resolve
any disagreements between management and the independent
auditors
regarding financial reporting.
|
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|
·
|
Pre-approve
all auditing and non-audit services by the Company's independent
auditors.
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·
|
Retain
independent counsel, accountants, or others at the expense
of the Company
to advise the Committee or assist in the conduct of an
investigation.
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·
|
Seek
any information it requires from employees—all of whom are directed to
cooperate with the Committee's requests—or external
parties.
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·
|
Meet
with Company officers, independent auditors, or outside counsel,
as
necessary.
|
Responsibilities
The
Committee will carry out the following responsibilities:
Financial
Statements
·
|
Review
significant accounting and reporting issues, including
complex or unusual
transactions and highly judgmental areas, recent professional
and
regulatory pronouncements, off-balance sheet structures,
and understand
their impact on the financial
statements.
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·
|
Review
with management and the independent auditors the results
of the audit,
including any difficulties
encountered.
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·
|
Review
the annual financial statements and confirm they are complete
and
consistent with information known to Committee members,
and reflect
appropriate accounting principles.
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·
|
Review
other sections of the annual report and related regulatory
filings,
including the disclosures made in the Management Discussion
and Analysis,
before release and consider the accuracy and completeness
of the
information.
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·
|
Understand
how management develops interim financial information, and
the nature and
extent of independent auditor involvement.
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·
|
Review
interim financial reports with management and the independent
auditors
before filing with regulators, including the disclosures made
in the
Management Discussion and Analysis, and consider whether they
are complete
and consistent with the information known to Committee
members.
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·
|
Review
disclosures made to the Committee by the Company's CEO and CFO
during
their certification process for the annual report and interim
reports
about any significant deficiencies in the design or operation
of internal
controls or material weaknesses therein and any fraud involving
management
or other employees who have significant disagreements with
management.
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·
|
Review
with outside counsel any legal matter that could have a significant
impact
on the Company's financial
statements.
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Internal
Control
·
|
Consider
the effectiveness of the Company's internal control system,
including
information technology security and
control.
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·
|
Understand
the scope of the independent auditors' review of internal
control over
financial reporting, and obtain reports on significant
findings and
recommendations, together with management's
responses.
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Independent
Audit
·
|
Review
the independent auditors' proposed audit scope and
approach, including
coordination of audit effort with
management.
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·
|
Review
the performance of the independent auditors, and exercise
final approval
on the appointment or discharge of the
auditors.
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·
|
Review
and confirm the independence of the independent auditors
by obtaining
statements from the auditors on relationships between
the auditors and the
Company, including non-audit services, and discussing
the relationships
with the auditors.
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·
|
On
a regular basis, meet separately with the independent
auditors to discuss
any matters that the Committee or auditors believe should
be discussed
privately.
|
|
Compliance
·
|
Review
the effectiveness of the system for monitoring compliance
with laws and
regulations and the results of management's investigation
and follow-up
(including disciplinary action) of any instances of
noncompliance.
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·
|
Review
the findings of any examinations by regulatory agencies,
and any auditor
observations.
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·
|
Obtain
from the independent auditors assurance that Section
10A(b) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 has not been
implicated.
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·
|
Review
the process for communicating the code of ethics to Company personnel,
and
for monitoring compliance therewith.
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·
|
Establish
procedures for the receipt, retention and treatment of complaints
received
by the Company regarding accounting, internal accounting controls
or
auditing matters, and the confidential, anonymous submission
by employees
of concerns regarding questionable accounting or auditing
matters.
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·
|
Obtain
regular updates from management and Company legal counsel regarding
compliance matters.
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|
Reporting
Responsibilities
·
|
Regularly
report to the Board of Directors about Committee
activities, issues, and
related
recommendations.
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·
|
Provide
an open avenue of communication between the independent
auditors and the
Board of Directors.
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·
|
Report
annually to the shareholders, describing the Committee's
composition,
responsibilities and how they were discharged, including
approval of
non-audit services.
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·
|
Review
any other reports the Company issues that relate to Committee
responsibilities, including having discussion with management
regarding
the Company's earnings press releases, including the use of
"pro forma" or
"adjusted" non-GAAP information, as well as other financial
information
and earnings guidance provided to analysts and rating agencies.
This
review may be general (i.e., the types of information to be
disclosed and
the type of presentations to be made), and unless otherwise
provided in a
Company policy, the Committee does not need to discuss each
release in
advance.
|
|
Other
Responsibilities
·
|
Perform
other activities related to this charter as requested
by the Board of
Directors.
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·
|
Review
all related party transactions (as that term
is defined in SEC Regulation
S-K, Item 404) on an ongoing basis. All such
transactions must be approved
by the
Committee.
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·
|
Institute
and oversee special investigations as
needed.
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·
|
With
the assistance of legal counsel, review and
assess the adequacy of this
charter annually, and present a report to the
Board at the Board's annual
organizational meeting of the results of the
Committee's assessment,
including any recommendations for changes to
this
charter.
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·
|
Confirm
annually that all responsibilities outlined in this charter
have been
carried out.
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|
·
|
Evaluate
the Committee's and individual members' performance on a
regular basis,
and annually provide to the Board for its evaluation a report
concerning
the performance of the Committee.
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|
Meetings
and Voting
The
Committee will meet at least four times a year, with authority to convene
additional meetings, as circumstances require. The affirmative vote of a
majority of the members present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall
constitute action of the Committee. The Committee will invite members of
management, auditors or others to attend meetings and provide pertinent
information, as necessary. It will hold private meetings with auditors (see
above) and executive sessions. Meeting agendas will be prepared and provided
in
advance to members, along with appropriate briefing materials. Minutes will
be
prepared.
Compensation
Members
of the Committee shall receive compensation for attending Committee meetings
as
defined and approved by the Board of Directors.
Limitation
of Committee's Role
While
the
Committee has the responsibilities and powers set forth in this charter, it
is
not the duty of the Committee to plan or conduct audits or to determine that
the
Company's financial statements and disclosures are complete and accurate and
are
in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and applicable
rules
and regulations. These are the responsibilities of management and the
independent auditors.
ANNEX
2
AMERICAN
TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
BOARD
OF
DIRECTORS
COMPENSATION
COMMITTEE CHARTER
(Approved
January 27, 2005)
Organization
There
shall be a committee of the Board of Directors of American Technology
Corporation (the "Company") to be known as the Compensation Committee (the
"Committee"). The Committee shall be composed entirely of directors who
are:
·
|
"independent,"
as defined by the applicable rules and regulations
of the Securities and
Exchange Commission and Nasdaq, and are free of any
relationship that, in
the opinion of the Board of Directors, would interfere
with their exercise
of independent judgment;
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·
|
"non-employee
directors," as that term is defined in Rule 16b-3 promulgated
under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended;
and
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|
·
|
"outside
directors," as that term is defined in Section 162(m)
of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended.
|
|
Unless
the Board elects a Chair of the Committee, the Committee shall elect a Chair
by
majority vote.
Statement
of Policy
The
primary purposes of the Committee are to:
·
|
Provide
assistance to the Board of Directors in fulfilling
its responsibilities to
the shareholders, potential shareholders, and the
investment community
relating to compensation of the Company's
executives.
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|
|
·
|
Administer
the Company's equity compensation
plans.
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|
·
|
Report
on executive compensation for inclusion in the Company's
proxy statement,
in accordance with applicable rules and
regulations.
|
|
Except
as
otherwise required by applicable law, regulations or listing standards, all
major decisions are considered by the Board of Directors as a
whole.
Responsibilities
The
Committee shall have the following responsibilities. To the extent the Company
has co-principal executive officers, all references to the CEO in this charter
shall include all co-principal executive officers, regardless of
title.
·
|
The
Committee shall review and approve performance
goals and objectives for
executive officers, including the
CEO.
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|
·
|
The
Committee shall evaluate the CEO's performance
in light of those goals and
objectives, and recommend to the Board the CEO's
compensation level based
on this evaluation. The CEO may not participate
in deliberations
concerning his or her own compensation
level.
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|
·
|
In
determining the long-term incentive component of
CEO compensation, the
Committee should consider the Company's performance
and relative
shareholder return, the value of similar incentive
awards to CEOs at
comparable companies, and the awards given to the
CEO in past years, and
other factors it considers relevant.
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·
|
The
Committee shall recommend to the Board the compensation
of executive
officers other than the CEO. The CEO may be present
at such deliberations,
but may not vote.
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·
|
The
Committee shall review and approve incentive-compensation
plans and
equity-based plans for all of the Company's executive
officers, and make
recommendations to the Board for their approval
as
applicable.
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·
|
The
Committee shall administer and make grants under the Company's
incentive-compensation plans and equity-based plans to the
extent such
function is delegated to the Committee by the Board with
respect to each
such plan.
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·
|
The
Committee shall develop and implement a long-term strategy
of employee
compensation and the types of stock and other compensation
plans to be
used by the Company and the shares and amounts reserved
thereunder.
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·
|
The
Committee shall address any other compensation matters as
from time to
time directed by the Board.
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|
·
|
The
Committee shall report on executive compensation as required
by applicable
laws and regulations for inclusion in the Company's proxy statement
or
other SEC filings, discussing among other things:
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|
|
· The
criteria on which compensation paid to the CEO for the
last completed
fiscal year is based.
· The
relationship of such compensation to the Company's performance.
· The
Committee's executive compensation policies applicable
to executive
officers.
· Whether
the
Company's allowable deduction for compensation to
the Company's executive
officers could be limited pursuant to
Section
162(m) of the Internal
Revenue Code.
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|
·
|
The
Committee shall annually review Board compensation and make
related
recommendations to the Board.
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·
|
The
Committee shall annually provide to the Board for its evaluation
a report
concerning the performance of the Committee.
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·
|
The
Committee shall, with the assistance of legal counsel, review
and assess
the adequacy of this charter annually, and present a report
to the Board
at the Board's annual organizational meeting of the results
of its
assessment, including any recommendations for changes to this
charter.
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|
·
|
The
Committee shall regularly address the issues of appointment
and removal of
members of the Committee, qualification of Committee members,
and
Committee structure and operation, and shall make recommendations
to the
Board concerning any proposed changes to Committee membership,
structure,
or authority.
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|
Meetings
and Voting
The
Committee shall meet as often as necessary, but at least once annually. The
affirmative vote of a majority of the members present at a meeting at which
a
quorum is present shall constitute action of the Committee.
Authority
to Engage Independent Counsel and Advisors; Access
In
the
process of discharging its duties, if a compensation consultant is needed to
assist in the evaluation of director, CEO or senior executive compensation,
the
Committee shall have authority to retain and terminate the consulting firm,
including authority to approve the firm's fees (which shall be paid by the
Company) and other retention terms. The Committee shall also have the right
to
engage and determine funding for independent counsel and other advisors at
the
expense of the Company. The Committee may seek any information it requires
from
employees of the Company, all of whom shall be directed to cooperate with the
Committee's requests, and from external parties.
Compensation
Members
of the Committee shall receive compensation for attending Committee meetings
as
defined and approved by the Board of Directors.
ANNEX
3
AMERICAN
TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
BOARD
OF
DIRECTORS
NOMINATING
AND GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE CHARTER
(Approved
March 15, 2007)
Organization
There
shall be a committee of the Board of Directors of American Technology
Corporation (the "Company") to be known as the Nominating and Governance
Committee (the "Committee"). The Board of Directors shall appoint the members
of
the Committee, which will be composed of at least two directors. The Committee
shall be composed entirely of directors that are independent, as defined by
the
applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission
and
Nasdaq, and are free of any relationship that, in the opinion of the Board
of
Directors, would interfere with their exercise of independent judgment. Unless
the Board elects a Chair of the Committee, the Committee shall elect a Chair
by
majority vote.
Statement
of Policy
The
primary purposes of the Committee are to:
·
|
Identify
individuals qualified to become Board
members.
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|
·
|
Recommend
the persons to be nominated by the Board for election
as directors at the
annual meeting of
stockholders.
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|
·
|
Regularly
review and advise the Board with respect to corporate
governance
principles and policies applicable to the
Company.
|
|
|
·
|
Oversee
the annual evaluation of the Board's effectiveness.
|
|
Except
as
otherwise required by applicable law, regulations or listing standards, all
major decisions are considered by the Board of Directors as a
whole.
Responsibilities
The
Committee shall have the following responsibilities:
·
|
The
Committee shall, with the assistance of legal counsel,
review and assess
the adequacy of this charter annually, and present
a report to the Board
at the Board's annual organizational meeting of
the results of its
assessment, including any recommendations for changes
to this charter.
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·
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The
Committee shall regularly address the issues of
appointment and removal of
members of the Committee, qualification of Committee
members, and
Committee structure and operation, and shall make
recommendations to the
Board concerning any proposed changes to Committee
membership, structure,
or authority.
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·
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Except
where the Company is legally required by contract
or otherwise to provide
third parties with the ability to nominate directors,
the Committee shall
have sole responsibility and authority for selecting
the persons to be
nominated by the Board for election as directors
at the annual meeting of
stockholders, and the sole responsibility for recommending
the persons to
be nominated by the Board to fill any vacancies
on the Board that the
Board has authority to fill.
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·
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The
Committee shall use the criteria and the principles
set forth in the
Company's Board Guidelines on Significant Corporate
Governance Issues (the
"Governance Guidelines") to guide its director
selection process. The
Committee shall, from time to time as it deems
appropriate, review and
reassess the adequacy of the Governance Guidelines,
with assistance of
legal counsel, and recommend any proposed changes
to the Board for
approval.
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·
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The
Committee shall conduct background checks on
all director nominees and
shall have the sole authority to retain and
terminate any search firm to
be used to identify director nominees, including
sole authority to approve
the search firm's fees and other retention
terms. The Committee is
empowered, without further action by the Board,
to cause the Company to
pay the compensation of any search firm engaged
by the
Committee.
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·
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The
Committee shall establish and oversee a policy
for considering shareholder
nominees for directors, and shall develop the
procedures that must be
followed by shareholders in submitting recommendations.
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·
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The
Committee shall evaluate director candidates recommended by
the
shareholders using the criteria and the principles for director
selection
set forth in the Governance Guidelines.
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·
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The
Committee shall be responsible for recommending to the Board
the directors
to be appointed to each committee. The Committee shall also
monitor and
recommend the functions of various committees.
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·
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The
Committee shall establish and oversee a procedure for shareholders
to
communicate with the Board.
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·
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The
Committee shall be responsible for overseeing an annual self-evaluation
of
the Board to determine whether it is functioning effectively.
The
Committee shall determine the nature of the evaluation, supervise
the
conduct of the evaluation and prepare an assessment of the
Board's
performance, to be discussed with the Board. The Committee
shall also
evaluate its own performance as a committee on an annual basis
and report
same to the Board. The Committee shall be responsible for reviewing
with
the Board, on an annual basis, the requisite skills and criteria
for new
Board members as well as the composition of the Board as a
whole.
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·
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The
Committee shall consider questions of conflict of interest
of board
members and senior management, and, to the extent a conflict
constitutes a
related party transaction (as that term is defined in SEC Regulation
S-K,
Item 404), refer the approval of such matter to the Audit Committee
of the
Board of Directors.
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·
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The
Committee shall oversee director orientation and continuing
education
programs, and shall also oversee director retirement policies
and
resignation of directors from the Board.
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Meetings
and Voting
The
Nominating and Governance Committee shall meet as often as necessary, but at
least once annually. The affirmative vote of a majority of the members present
at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall constitute action of the
Committee.
Authority
to Engage Independent Counsel and Advisors
The
Committee shall have the right to engage and determine funding for independent
counsel and other advisors at the expense of the Company.
Compensation
Members
of the Committee shall receive compensation for attending Committee meetings
as
defined and approved by the Board of Directors.
ANNEX
4
AMERICAN
TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
2005
EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN
(AS
AMENDED MARCH 15, 2007)
AMERICAN
TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
2005
EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN
1.
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Purpose
of the Plan. The purpose of this Plan is to encourage
ownership in the Company by key personnel whose long-term service
is
considered essential to the Company's continued progress and, thereby,
encourage recipients to act in the stockholders' interest and share
in the
Company's success.
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2.
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Definitions.
As used herein, the following definitions shall
apply:
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"Administrator"
shall mean the Board, any Committees or such delegates as shall be administering
the Plan in accordance with Section 4 of the Plan.
"Affiliate"
shall mean any entity that is directly or indirectly controlled by the Company
or any entity in which the Company has a significant ownership interest as
determined by the Administrator.
"Applicable
Laws" shall mean the requirements relating to the administration of stock plans
under federal and state laws, any stock exchange or quotation system on which
the Company has listed or submitted for quotation the Common Stock to the extent
provided under the terms of the Company's agreement with such exchange or
quotation system and, with respect to Awards subject to the laws of any foreign
jurisdiction where Awards are, or will be, granted under the Plan, the laws
of
such jurisdiction.
"Award"
shall mean, individually or collectively, a grant under the Plan of Options,
Stock Awards, SARs, or Cash Awards.
"Awardee"
shall mean a Service Provider who has been granted an Award under the Plan.
"Award
Agreement" shall mean an Option Agreement, Stock Award Agreement, SAR Award
Agreement, and/or Cash Award Agreement, which may be in written or electronic
format, in such form and with such terms as may be specified by the
Administrator, evidencing the terms and conditions of an individual Award.
Each
Award Agreement is subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan.
"Award
Transfer Program" shall mean any program instituted by the Administrator which
would permit Participants the opportunity to transfer any outstanding Awards
to
a financial institution or other person or entity selected by the
Administrator.
"Board"
shall mean the Board of Directors of the Company.
"Cash
Award" shall mean a bonus opportunity awarded under Section 13 pursuant to
which
a Participant may become entitled to receive an amount based on the satisfaction
of such performance criteria as are specified in the agreement or other
documents evidencing the Award (the "Cash Award Agreement").
"Change
in Control" shall mean any of the following, unless the Administrator provides
otherwise:
i. any
merger or consolidation in which the Company shall not be the surviving entity
(or survives only as a subsidiary of another entity whose stockholders did
not
own all or substantially all of the Common Stock in substantially the same
proportions as immediately prior to such transaction);
ii. the
sale
of all or substantially all of the Company's assets to any other person or
entity (other than a wholly-owned subsidiary);
iii. the
acquisition of beneficial ownership of a controlling interest (including,
without limitation, power to vote) in the outstanding shares of Common Stock
by
any person or entity (including a "group" as defined by or under Section
13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act); or
iv. the
dissolution or liquidation of the Company.
Notwithstanding
the foregoing, the term "Change in Control" shall not include any under written
public offering of Shares registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended.
"Code"
shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
"Committee"
shall mean a committee of Directors appointed by the Board in accordance with
Section 4 of the Plan.
"Common
Stock" shall mean the common stock of the Company.
"Company"
shall mean American Technology Corporation, a Delaware corporation, or its
successor.
"Consultant"
shall mean any person engaged by the Company or any Affiliate to render services
to such entity as an advisor or consultant.
"Conversion
Award" has the meaning set forth in Section 4(b)(xii) of the Plan.
"Director"
shall mean a member of the Board.
"Dividend
Equivalent" shall mean a credit, made at the discretion of the Administrator,
to
the account of a Participant in an amount equal to the cash dividends paid
on
one Share for each Share represented by an Award held by such
Participant.
"Employee"
shall mean a regular, active employee of the Company or any Affiliate, including
an Officer and/or Director. Within the limitations of Applicable Law, the
Administrator shall have the discretion to determine the effect upon an Award
and upon an individual's status as an Employee in the case of (i) any individual
who is classified by the Company or its Affiliate as leased from or otherwise
employed by a third party or as intermittent or temporary, even if any such
classification is changed retroactively as a result of an audit, litigation
or
otherwise, (ii) any leave of absence approved by the Company or an Affiliate,
(iii) any transfer between locations of employment with the Company or an
Affiliate or between the Company and any Affiliate or between any Affiliates,
(iv) any change in the Awardee's status from an employee to a Consultant or
Director, and (v) at the request of the Company or an Affiliate an employee
becomes employed by any partnership, joint venture or corporation not meeting
the requirements of an Affiliate in which the Company or an Affiliate is a
party.
"Exchange
Act" shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
"Exchange
Program" shall mean a program under which (i) outstanding Awards are surrendered
or cancelled in exchange for Awards of the same type (which may have lower
exercise prices and different terms), Awards of a different type, and/or cash,
and/or (ii) the exercise price of an outstanding Award is reduced. The terms
and
conditions of any Exchange Program will be determined by the Administrator
in
its sole discretion.
"Fair
Market Value" shall mean, unless the Administrator determines otherwise, as
of
any date, the closing price for such Common Stock as of such date (or if no
sales were reported on such date, the closing price on the last preceding day
for which a sale was reported), as reported in such source as the Administrator
shall determine.
"Grant
Date" shall mean the date upon which an Award is granted to an Awardee pursuant
to this Plan.
"Incentive
Stock Option" shall mean an Option intended to qualify as an incentive stock
option within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code and the regulations
promulgated thereunder.
"Nonstatutory
Stock Option" shall mean an Option not intended to qualify as an Incentive
Stock
Option.
"Officer"
shall mean a person who is an officer of the Company within the meaning of
Section 16 of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated
thereunder.
"Option"
shall mean a right granted under Section 8 of the Plan to purchase a certain
number of Shares at such exercise price, at such times, and on such other terms
and conditions as are specified in the agreement or other documents evidencing
the Award (the "Option Agreement"). Both Options intended to qualify as
Incentive Stock Options and Nonstatutory Stock Options may be granted under
the
Plan.
"Participant"
shall mean the Awardee or any person (including any estate) to whom an Award
has
been assigned or transferred as permitted hereunder.
"Plan"
shall mean this American Technology Corporation 2005 Equity Incentive Plan,
as
amended from time to time.
"Prior
Plan" shall mean the Company's 2002 Stock Option Plan authorizing up to
2,350,000 Shares for issuance pursuant to stock options.
"Qualifying
Performance Criteria" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 14(b) of
the
Plan.
"Related
Corporation" shall mean any parent or subsidiary (as defined in Sections 424(e)
and (f) of the Code) of the Company.
"Rule
701" shall mean Rule 701 promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended.
"Service
Provider" shall mean an Employee, Director, or Consultant.
"Share"
shall mean a share of the Common Stock, as adjusted in accordance with Section
15 of the Plan.
"Stock
Award" shall mean an award or issuance of Shares or Stock Units made under
Section 11 of the Plan, the grant, issuance, retention, vesting and/or
transferability of which is subject during specified periods of time to such
conditions (including continued service or performance conditions) and terms
as
are expressed in the agreement or other documents evidencing the Award (the
"Stock Award Agreement").
"Stock
Appreciation Right" or "SAR" shall mean an Award, granted alone or in connection
with an Option, that pursuant to Section 12 of the Plan is designated as a
SAR.
The terms of the SAR are expressed in the agreement or other documents
evidencing the Award (the "SAR Agreement").
"Stock
Unit" shall mean a bookkeeping entry representing an amount equivalent to the
fair market value of one Share, payable in cash, property or Shares. Stock
Units
represent an unfunded and unsecured obligation of the Company, except as
otherwise provided for by the Administrator.
"10%
Stockholder" shall mean the owner of stock (as determined under Section 424(d)
of the Code) possessing more than 10% of the total combined voting power of
all
classes of stock of the Company (or any Related Corporation).
"Termination
of Service" shall mean ceasing to be a Service Provider. However, for Incentive
Stock Option purposes, Termination of Service will occur when the Awardee ceases
to be an employee (as determined in accordance with Section 3401(c) of the
Code
and the regulations promulgated thereunder) of the Company or one of its Related
Corporations. The Administrator shall determine whether any corporate
transaction, such as a sale or spin-off of a division or business unit, or
a
joint venture, shall be deemed to result in a Termination of Service.
"Total
and Permanent Disability" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 22(e)(3)
of the Code.
3.
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Stock
Subject to the Plan.
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(a) Aggregate
Limits
(i) The
number of Shares reserved for issuance under the Plan through Awards is a
maximum of 5,062,501 Shares. Such reserve shall consist of (A) the number of
Shares available for issuance, as of the effective date of the Plan, under
the
Prior Plan; plus (B) those Shares that are issuable upon exercise of (x) options
granted pursuant to the Prior Plan, or (y) "Prior Plan Options" as such term
is
defined in the Prior Plan, in either case which expire or become unexercisable
for any reason without having been exercised in full after the effective date
of
the Plan; plus (C) an additional increase of 1,500,000 Shares to be approved
by
the Company's shareholders on the effective date of the Plan; plus (D) an
additional increase of 1,750,000 Shares to be approved by the Company’s
stockholders at the 2007 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, the maximum aggregate number of Shares that may be issued under
the
Plan through Incentive Stock Options is 5,062,501. The limitations of this
Section 3(a)(i) shall be subject to the adjustments provided for in Section
15
of the Plan.
(ii) Upon
payment in Shares pursuant to the exercise of an Award, the number of Shares
available for issuance under the Plan shall be reduced only by the number of
Shares actually issued in such payment. If any outstanding Award expires or
is
terminated or canceled without having been exercised or settled in full, or
if
Shares acquired pursuant to an Award subject to forfeiture or repurchase are
forfeited or repurchased by the Company, the Shares allocable to the terminated
portion of such Award or such forfeited or repurchased Shares shall again be
available to grant under the Plan. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the aggregate
number of shares of Common Stock that may be issued under the Plan upon the
exercise of Incentive Stock Options shall not be increased for restricted Shares
that are forfeited or repurchased. Notwithstanding anything in the Plan, or
any
Award Agreement to the contrary, Shares attributable to Awards transferred
under
any Award Transfer Program shall not be again available for grant under the
Plan. The Shares subject to the Plan may be either Shares reacquired by the
Company, including Shares purchased in the open market, or authorized but
unissued Shares.
(iii) Notwithstanding
this Section 3(a) to the contrary, at no time shall the total number of Shares
issuable upon exercise of all outstanding Options and the total number of Shares
provided for under any other options, warrants, stock bonus or similar plan
of
the Company exceed 30% of the total outstanding Shares as calculated in
accordance with the conditions and exclusions of Section 260.140.45 of Title
10
of the California Code of Regulations, based on the Shares which are outstanding
at the time the calculation is made. This Section 3(a)(iii) of the Plan shall
apply only so long as the issuance and sale of securities under this Plan
require qualification under the California Corporate Securities Law of
1968.
(b) Code
Section 162(m) Limit.
Subject
to the provisions of Section 15 of the Plan, the aggregate number of Shares
subject to Awards granted under this Plan during any calendar year to any one
Awardee shall not exceed 1,000,000. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary
in
the Plan, the limitation set forth in this Section 3(b) shall be subject to
adjustment under Section 15 of the Plan only to the extent that such adjustment
will not affect the status of any Award intended to qualify as "performance
based compensation" under Code Section 162(m).
4.
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Administration
of the Plan.
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(a) Procedure.
(i) Multiple
Administrative Bodies.
The
Plan shall be administered by the Board, a Committee and/or their delegates.
(ii) Section
162.
To the
extent that the Administrator determines it to be desirable to qualify Awards
granted hereunder as "performance-based compensation" within the meaning of
Section 162(m) of the Code, Awards to "covered employees" within the meaning
of
Section 162(m) of the Code or Employees that the Committee determines may be
"covered employees" in the future shall be made by a Committee of two or more
"outside directors" within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code.
(iii) Rule
16b-3.
To the
extent desirable to qualify transactions hereunder as exempt under Rule 16b-3
promulgated under the Exchange Act ("Rule 16b-3"), Awards to Officers and
Directors shall be made in such a manner to satisfy the requirement for
exemption under Rule 16b-3.
(iv) Other
Administration.
The
Board or a Committee may delegate to an authorized Officer or Officers of the
Company the power to approve Awards to persons eligible to receive Awards under
the Plan who are not (A) subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act or (B) at
the
time of such approval, "covered employees" under Section 162(m) of the Code.
(v) Delegation
of Authority for the Day-to-Day Administration of the Plan.
Except
to the extent prohibited by Applicable Law, the Administrator may delegate
to
one or more individuals the day-to-day administration of the Plan and any of
the
functions assigned to it in this Plan. Such delegation may be revoked at any
time.
(b) Powers
of the Administrator.
Subject
to the provisions of the Plan and, in the case of a Committee or delegates
acting as the Administrator, subject to the specific duties delegated to such
Committee or delegates, the Administrator shall have the authority, in its
discretion:
(i) to
select
the Service Providers of the Company or its Affiliates to whom Awards are to
be
granted hereunder;
(ii) to
determine the number of shares of Common Stock to be covered by each Award
granted hereunder;
(iii) to
determine the type of Award to be granted to the selected Service Provider;
(iv) to
approve the forms of Award Agreements for use under the Plan;
(v) to
determine the terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the terms of the
Plan,
of any Award granted hereunder. Such terms and conditions include, but are
not
limited to, the exercise and/or purchase price, the time or times when an Award
may be exercised (which may or may not be based on performance criteria), the
vesting schedule, any vesting and/or exercisability, acceleration or waiver
of
forfeiture restrictions, the acceptable forms of consideration, the term, and
any restriction or limitation regarding any Award or the Shares relating
thereto, based in each case on such factors as the Administrator, in its sole
discretion, shall determine and may be established at the time an Award is
granted or thereafter;
(vi) to
correct administrative errors;
(vii) to
construe and interpret the terms of the Plan (including sub-plans and Plan
addenda) and Awards granted pursuant to the Plan;
(viii) to
adopt
rules and procedures relating to the operation and administration of the Plan
to
accommodate the specific requirements of local laws and procedures. Without
limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Administrator is specifically
authorized (A) to adopt the rules and procedures regarding the conversion of
local currency, withholding procedures and handling of stock certificates which
vary with local requirements and (B) to adopt sub-plans and Plan addenda as
the
Administrator deems desirable, to accommodate foreign laws, regulations and
practice;
(ix) to
prescribe, amend and rescind rules and regulations relating to the Plan,
including rules and regulations relating to sub-plans and Plan addenda;
(x) to
modify
or amend each Award, including, but not limited to, the acceleration of vesting
and/or exercisability, provided, however, that any such amendment is subject
to
Section 16 of the Plan and may not materially impair any outstanding Award
unless agreed to in writing by the Participant; provided, however, that an
amendment or modification that may cause an Incentive Stock Option to become
a
Nonstatutory Stock Option shall not be treated as materially impairing the
rights of the Participant;
(xi) to
allow
Participants to satisfy withholding tax amounts by electing to have the Company
withhold from the Shares to be issued pursuant to an Award that number of Shares
having a Fair Market Value equal to the amount required to be withheld. The
Fair
Market Value of the Shares to be withheld shall be determined in such manner
and
on such date that the Administrator shall determine or, in the absence of
provision otherwise, on the date that the amount of tax to be withheld is to
be
determined. All elections by a Participant to have Shares withheld for this
purpose shall be made in such form and under such conditions as the
Administrator may provide;
(xii) to
authorize conversion or substitution under the Plan of any or all stock options,
stock appreciation rights or other stock awards held by service providers of
an
entity acquired by the Company (the "Conversion Awards"). Any conversion or
substitution shall be effective as of the close of the merger or acquisition.
The Conversion Awards may be Nonstatutory Stock Options or Incentive Stock
Options, as determined by the Administrator, with respect to options granted
by
the acquired entity. Unless otherwise determined by the Administrator at the
time of conversion or substitution, all Conversion Awards shall have the same
terms and conditions as Awards generally granted by the Company under the Plan;
(xiii) to
authorize any person to execute on behalf of the Company any instrument required
to effect the grant of an Award previously granted by the Administrator;
(xiv) to
implement an Award Transfer Program;
(xv) to
determine whether Awards will be settled in Shares, cash or in any combination
thereof;
(xvi) to
determine whether Awards will be adjusted for Dividend Equivalents;
(xvii) to
establish a program whereby Service Providers designated by the Administrator
can reduce compensation otherwise payable in cash in exchange for Awards under
the Plan;
(xviii) to
impose
such restrictions, conditions or limitations as it determines appropriate as
to
the timing and manner of any resales by a Participant or other subsequent
transfers by the Participant of any Shares issued as a result of or under an
Award, including, without limitation, (A) restrictions under an insider trading
policy and (B) restrictions as to the use of a specified brokerage firm for
such
resales or other transfers;
(xix) to
provide, either at the time an Award is granted or by subsequent action, that
an
Award shall contain as a term thereof, a right, either in tandem with the other
rights under the Award or as an alternative thereto, of the Participant to
receive, without payment to the Company, a number of Shares, cash or a
combination thereof, the amount of which is determined by reference to the
value
of the Award;
(xx) to
institute an Exchange Program; and
(xxi) to
make
all other determinations deemed necessary or advisable for administering the
Plan and any Award granted hereunder.
The
express grant in the Plan of any specific power to the Administrator shall
not
be construed as limiting any power or authority of the Administrator; provided
that the Administrator may not exercise any right or power reserved to the
Board.
(c) Effect
of Administrator's Decision.
All
decisions, determinations and interpretations by the Administrator regarding
the
Plan, any rules and regulations under the Plan and the terms and conditions
of
any Award granted hereunder, shall be final and binding on all Participants.
The
Administrator shall consider such factors as it deems relevant, in its sole
and
absolute discretion, to making such decisions, determinations and
interpretations, including, without limitation, the recommendations or advice
of
any officer or other employee of the Company and such attorneys, consultants
and
accountants as it may select.
(d) Deferral
of Award Program.
The
Administrator may establish one or more programs under the Plan to permit
selected Awardees the opportunity to elect to defer receipt of consideration
upon exercise of an Award, satisfaction of performance criteria, or other event
that absent the election would entitle the Awardee to payment or receipt of
Shares or other consideration under an Award. The Administrator may establish
the election procedures, the timing of such elections, the mechanisms for
payments of, and accrual of interest or other earnings, if any, on amounts,
Shares or other consideration so deferred, and such other terms, conditions,
rules and procedures that the Administrator deems advisable for the
administration of any such deferral program.
5.
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Eligibility.
Awards may be granted to Service Providers of the Company or any
of its
Affiliates
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6.
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Term
of Plan. The Plan shall become effective on the effective
date of its approval by stockholders of the Company. It shall continue
in
effect for a term of ten years from the date the Plan is approved
by
stockholders of the Company unless terminated earlier under Section
16 of
the Plan.
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7.
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Term
of Award. The term of each Award shall be determined by the
Administrator and stated in the Award Agreement. In the case of an
Option,
the term shall be ten years from the Grant Date or such shorter term
as
may be provided in the Award
Agreement.
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8.
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Options.
The Administrator may grant an Option or provide for the grant of
an
Option, either from time to time in the discretion of the Administrator
or
automatically upon the occurrence of specified events, including,
without
limitation, the achievement of performance goals, the satisfaction
of an
event or condition within the control of the Awardee or within the
control
of others.
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(a) Option
Agreement.
Each
Option Agreement shall contain provisions regarding (i) the number of Shares
that may be issued upon exercise of the Option, (ii) the type of Option, (iii)
the exercise price of the Shares and the means of payment for the Shares, (iv)
the term of the Option, (v) such terms and conditions on the vesting and/or
exercisability of an Option as may be determined from time to time by the
Administrator, (vi) restrictions on the transfer of the Option and forfeiture
provisions, and (vii) such further terms and conditions, in each case not
inconsistent with this Plan, as may be determined from time to time by the
Administrator.
(b) Exercise
Price.
The per
share exercise price for the Shares to be issued pursuant to exercise of an
Option shall be determined by the Administrator, subject to the following:
(i) In
the
case of an Incentive Stock Option, the per Share exercise price shall be no
less
than 100% of the Fair Market Value per Share on the Grant Date. Notwithstanding
the foregoing, if any Employee to whom an Incentive Stock Option is granted
is a
10% Stockholder, then the exercise price shall not be less than 110% of the
Fair
Market Value of a share of Common Stock on the Grant Date.
(ii) In
the
case of a Nonstatutory Stock Option, the per Share exercise price shall be
no
less than 100% of the Fair Market Value per Share on the Grant Date. The per
Share exercise price may also vary according to a predetermined formula;
provided, that the exercise price never falls below 100% of the Fair Market
Value per Share on the Grant Date. In the case of a Nonstatutory Stock Option
intended to qualify as "performance-based compensation" within the meaning
of
Section 162(m) of the Code, the per Share exercise price shall be no less than
100% of the Fair Market Value per Share on the Grant Date.
(iii) Notwithstanding
the foregoing, so long as the issuance and sale of securities under this Plan
require qualification under the California Corporate Securities Law of 1968,
the
per Share exercise price of an Option shall be determined by the Administrator
but shall comply with the requirements of Section 260.140.41 of Title 10 of
the
California Code of Regulations as in effect on the date of grant of the
Option.
(iv) Notwithstanding
the foregoing, at the Administrator's discretion, Conversion Awards may be
granted in substitution and/or conversion of options of an acquired entity,
with
a per Share exercise price of less than 100% of the Fair Market Value per Share
on the date of such substitution and/or conversion. The terms of the Conversion
Awards shall be determined by the Administrator in accordance with the rules
provided for in Code Section 424(a).
(c) Vesting
Period and Exercise Dates.
Options
granted under this Plan shall vest and/or be exercisable at such time and in
such installments during the period prior to the expiration of the Option's
term
as determined by the Administrator. The Administrator shall have the right
to
make the timing of the ability to exercise any Option granted under this Plan
subject to continued service, the passage of time and/or such performance
requirements as deemed appropriate by the Administrator. At any time after
the
grant of an Option, the Administrator may reduce or eliminate any restrictions
surrounding any Participant's right to exercise all or part of the Option.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, so long as the issuance and sale of securities
under this Plan require qualification under the California Corporate Securities
Law of 1968, an Option awarded to anyone other than an Officer, Director or
Consultant of the Company shall vest in accordance with the requirements of
Section 260.140.41 of Title 10 of the California Code of Regulations as in
effect on the date of grant of the Option.
(d) Form
of Consideration.
The
Administrator shall determine the acceptable form of consideration for
exercising an Option, including the method of payment, either through the terms
of the Option Agreement or at the time of exercise of an Option. Acceptable
forms of consideration may include:
(i) cash;
(ii) check
or
wire transfer;
(iii) subject
to any conditions or limitations established by the Administrator, other Shares
which (A) in the case of Shares acquired upon the exercise of an Option, have
been owned by the Participant for more than six months (or such other period
of
time, as required by the applicable accounting requirements) on the date of
surrender or attestation and (B) have a Fair Market Value on the date of
surrender or attestation equal to the aggregate exercise price of the Shares
as
to which said Option shall be exercised;
(iv) consideration
received by the Company under a broker-assisted sale and remittance program
acceptable to the Administrator;
(v) such
other consideration and method of payment for the issuance of Shares to the
extent permitted by Applicable Laws; or
(vi) any
combination of the foregoing methods of payment.
(e) Buyout
Provisions.
The
Administrator may at any time offer to buy out for a payment in Shares an Option
previously granted based on such terms and conditions as the Administrator
shall
establish and communicate to the Participant at the time that such offer is
made.
9.
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Incentive
Stock Option
Limitations.
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(a) Eligibility.
Only
employees (as determined in accordance with Section 3401(c) of the Code and
the
regulations promulgated thereunder) of the Company or any of its Related
Corporations may be granted Incentive Stock Options.
(b) $100,000
Limitation.
Notwithstanding the designation "Incentive Stock Option" in an Option Agreement,
if and to the extent that the aggregate Fair Market Value of the Shares with
respect to which Incentive Stock Options are exercisable for the first time
by
the Awardee during any calendar year (under all plans of the Company and any
of
its Related Corporations) exceeds $100,000, such Options shall be treated as
Nonstatutory Stock Options. An Incentive Stock Option is considered to be first
exercisable during a calendar year if the Incentive Stock Option will become
exercisable at any time during the year, assuming that any condition on the
Awardee's ability to exercise the Incentive Stock Option related to the
performance of services is satisfied. If the Awardee's ability to exercise
the
Incentive Stock Option in the year is subject to an acceleration provision,
then
the Incentive Stock Option is considered first exercisable in the calendar
year
in which the acceleration provision is triggered. For purposes of this Section
9(b), Incentive Stock Options shall be taken into account in the order in which
they were granted. However, because an acceleration provision is not taken
into
account prior to its triggering, an Incentive Stock Option that becomes
exercisable for the first time during a calendar year by operation of such
provision does not affect the application of the $100,000 limitation with
respect to any Incentive Stock Option (or portion thereof) exercised prior
to
such acceleration. The Fair Market Value of the Shares shall be determined
as of
the Grant Date.
(c) Leave
of Absence.
For
purposes of Incentive Stock Options, no leave of absence may exceed three
months, unless reemployment upon expiration of such leave is provided by statute
or contract. If reemployment upon expiration of a leave of absence approved
by
the Company or a Related Corporation is not so provided by statute or contract,
an Awardee's employment with the Company shall be deemed terminated on the
first
day immediately following such three month period of leave for Incentive Stock
Option purposes and any Incentive Stock Option granted to the Awardee shall
cease to be treated as an Incentive Stock Option upon the expiration of the
three month period following the date the employment relationship is deemed
terminated.
(d) Transferability.
The
Option Agreement must provide that an Incentive Stock Option cannot be
transferable by the Awardee otherwise than by will or the laws of descent and
distribution, and, during the lifetime of such Awardee, must not be exercisable
by any other person. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Administrator, in its
sole discretion, may allow the Awardee to transfer his or her Incentive Stock
Option to a trust where under Section 671 of the Code and other Applicable
Law,
the Awardee is considered the sole beneficial owner of the Option while it
is
held in the trust. If the terms of an Incentive Stock Option are amended to
permit transferability, the Option will be treated for tax purposes as a
Nonstatutory Stock Option.
(e) Exercise
Price.
The per
Share exercise price of an Incentive Stock Option shall be determined by the
Administrator in accordance with Section 8(b)(i) of the Plan.
(f) 10%
Stockholder.
If any
Employee to whom an Incentive Stock Option is granted is a 10% Stockholder,
then
the Option term shall not exceed five years measured from the date of grant
of
such Option.
(g) Other
Terms.
Option
Agreements evidencing Incentive Stock Options shall contain such other terms
and
conditions as may be necessary to qualify, to the extent determined desirable
by
the Administrator, with the applicable provisions of Section 422 of the Code.
(a) Procedure
for Exercise; Rights as a Stockholder.
(i) Any
Option granted hereunder shall be exercisable according to the terms of the
Plan
and at such times and under such conditions as determined by the Administrator
and set forth in the respective Award Agreement.
(ii) An
Option
shall be deemed exercised when the Company receives (A) written or electronic
notice of exercise (in accordance with the Award Agreement) from the person
entitled to exercise the Option; (B) full payment for the Shares with respect
to
which the related Option is exercised; and (C) with respect to Nonstatutory
Stock Options, payment of all applicable withholding taxes.
(iii) Shares
issued upon exercise of an Option shall be issued in the name of the Participant
or, if requested by the Participant, in the name of the Participant and his
or
her spouse. Unless provided otherwise by the Administrator or pursuant to this
Plan, until the Shares are issued (as evidenced by the appropriate entry on
the
books of the Company or of a duly authorized transfer agent of the Company),
no
right to vote or receive dividends or any other rights as a stockholder shall
exist with respect to the Shares subject to an Option, notwithstanding the
exercise of the Option.
(iv) The
Company shall issue (or cause to be issued) such Shares as soon as
administratively practicable after the Option is exercised. An Option may not
be
exercised for a fraction of a Share.
(b) Effect
of Termination of Service on Options.
(i) Generally.
Unless
otherwise provided for by the Administrator, if a Participant ceases to be
a
Service Provider, other than upon the Participant's death or Total and Permanent
Disability, the Participant may exercise his or her Option within such period
of
time as is specified in the Award Agreement to the extent that the Option is
vested on the date of termination (but in no event later than the expiration
of
the term of such Option as set forth in the Award Agreement). Notwithstanding
the foregoing, so long as the issuance and sale of securities under this Plan
require qualification under the California Corporate Securities Law of 1968,
upon Participant's Termination of Service, other than due to death, Total and
Permanent Disability, or cause, the Participant may exercise his or her Option
(i) at any time on or prior to the date determined by the Administrator, which
date shall be in compliance with the requirements set forth in Section
260.140.41 of Title 10 of the California Code of Regulations as in effect on
the
date of grant of the Option, and (ii) only to the extent that the Participant
was entitled to exercise such Option on the termination date. In the absence
of
a specified time in the Award Agreement, the vested portion of the Option will
remain exercisable for three months following the Participant's termination.
Unless otherwise provided by the Administrator, if on the date of termination
the Participant is not vested as to his or her entire Option, the Shares covered
by the unvested portion of the Option will revert to the Plan. If after
termination the Participant does not exercise his or her Option within the
time
specified by the Administrator, the Option will terminate, and the Shares
covered by such Option will revert to the Plan.
(ii) Disability
of Awardee.
Unless
otherwise provided for by the Administrator, if a Participant ceases to be
a
Service Provider as a result of the Participant's Total and Permanent
Disability, the Participant may exercise his or her Option within such period
of
time as is specified in the Award Agreement to the extent the Option is vested
on the date of termination (but in no event later than the expiration of the
term of such Option as set forth in the Award Agreement). Notwithstanding the
foregoing, so long as the issuance and sale of securities under this Plan
require qualification under the California Corporate Securities Law of 1968,
in
the event of Participant's Termination of Service due to his or her Total and
Permanent Disability, the Participant may exercise his or her Option (i) at
any
time on or prior to the date determined by the Administrator, which date shall
be in accordance with Section 260.140.41 of Title 10 of the California Code
of
Regulations as in effect on the date of grant of the Option (but which date
determined by the Administrator shall in no event be later than the expiration
date of the term of his or her Option), and (ii) only to the extent that the
Participant was entitled to exercise such Option on the termination date. In
the
absence of a specified time in the Award Agreement, the Option will remain
exercisable for twelve months following the Participant's termination. Unless
otherwise provided by the Administrator, if at the time of disability the
Participant is not vested as to his or her entire Option, the Shares covered
by
the unvested portion of the Option will immediately revert to the Plan on the
date of the Participant's disability. If the Option is not so exercised within
the time specified herein, the Option will terminate, and the Shares covered
by
such Option will revert to the Plan.
(iii) Death
of Awardee.
Unless
otherwise provided for by the Administrator, if a Participant dies while a
Service Provider, the Option may be exercised following the Participant's death
within such period of time as is specified in the Award Agreement to the extent
that the Option is vested on the date of death (but in no event may the Option
be exercised later than the expiration of the term of such Option as set forth
in the Award Agreement), by the Participant's designated beneficiary, provided
such beneficiary has been designated prior to Participant's death in a form
acceptable to the Administrator. Notwithstanding the foregoing, so long as
the
issuance and sale of securities under this Plan require qualification under
the
California Corporate Securities Law of 1968, in the event that the Participant
dies prior to a Termination of Service, the Participant's Option may be
exercised by the Participant's designated beneficiary (i) at any time on or
prior to the date determined by the Administrator, which date shall be in
accordance with Section 260.140.41 of Title 10 of the California Code of
Regulations as in effect on the date of grant of the Option (but which date
determined by the Administrator shall in no event be later than the expiration
date of the term of his or her Option), and (ii) only to the extent that the
Participant was entitled to exercise the Option at the date of death. If no
such
beneficiary has been designated by the Participant, then such Option may be
exercised by the personal representative of the Participant's estate or by
the
person(s) to whom the Option is transferred pursuant to the Participant's will
or in accordance with the laws of descent and distribution. In the absence
of a
specified time in the Award Agreement, the Option will remain exercisable for
twelve months following Participant's death. Unless otherwise provided by the
Administrator, if at the time of death Participant is not vested as to his
or
her entire Option, the Shares covered by the unvested portion of the Option
will
immediately revert to the Plan on the date of the Participant's death. If the
Option is not so exercised within the time specified herein, the Option will
terminate, and the Shares covered by such Option will revert to the
Plan.
(a) Stock
Award Agreement.
Each
Stock Award Agreement shall contain provisions regarding (i) the number of
Shares subject to such Stock Award or a formula for determining such number,
(ii) the purchase price of the Shares, if any, and the means of payment for
the
Shares, (iii) the performance criteria, if any, and level of achievement versus
these criteria that shall determine the number of Shares granted, issued,
retained and/or vested, (iv) such terms and conditions on the grant, issuance,
vesting and/or forfeiture of the Shares as may be determined from time to time
by the Administrator, (v) restrictions on the transferability of the Stock
Award
and (vi) such further terms and conditions in each case not inconsistent with
this Plan as may be determined from time to time by the
Administrator.
Notwithstanding
the foregoing, so long as the issuance and sale of securities under this Plan
require qualification under the California Corporate Securities Law of 1968,
the
purchase price for restricted Shares shall be determined by the Administrator
and in accordance with Section 260.140.42 of Title 10 of the California Code
of
Regulations as in effect on the date of grant of the Award.
(b) Restrictions
and Performance Criteria.
The
grant, issuance, retention and/or vesting of each Stock Award may be subject
to
such performance criteria and level of achievement versus these criteria as
the
Administrator shall determine, which criteria may be based on financial
performance, personal performance evaluations and/or completion of service
by
the Awardee. Notwithstanding the foregoing, so long as the issuance and sale
of
securities under this Plan require qualification under the California Corporate
Securities Law of 1968, restricted stock awarded to anyone other than an
Officer, Director or Consultant of the Company shall vest in accordance with
Section 260.140.42 of Title 10 of the California Code of Regulations as in
effect on the date of grant of the Award.
Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary herein, the performance criteria for any Stock Award
that is intended to satisfy the requirements for "performance-based
compensation" under Section 162(m) of the Code shall be established by the
Administrator based on one or more Qualifying Performance Criteria selected
by
the Administrator and specified in writing.
(c) Forfeiture.
Unless
otherwise provided for by the Administrator, upon the Awardee's Termination
of
Service, the Stock Award and the Shares subject thereto shall be forfeited,
provided that to the extent that the Participant purchased any Shares, the
Company shall have a right to repurchase the unvested Shares at the original
price paid by the Participant, provided that for so long as the issuance and
sale of securities under this Plan require qualification under the California
Corporate Securities Law of 1968, the Company must exercise such right to
repurchase in accordance with the conditions set forth in Sections 260.140.42
and 260.140.8 of Title 10 of the California Code of Regulations as in effect
on
the date of grant of the Award.
(d) Rights
as a Stockholder.
Unless
otherwise provided by the Administrator, the Participant shall have the rights
equivalent to those of a stockholder and shall be a stockholder only after
Shares are issued (as evidenced by the appropriate entry on the books of the
Company or of a duly authorized transfer agent of the Company) to the
Participant. Unless otherwise provided by the Administrator, a Participant
holding Stock Units shall be entitled to receive dividend payments as if he
or
she was an actual stockholder.
12.
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Stock
Appreciation Rights. Subject to the terms and conditions of
the Plan, a SAR may be granted to a Service Provider at any time
and from
time to time as determined by the Administrator in its sole
discretion.
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(a) Number
of SARs.
The
Administrator shall have complete discretion to determine the number of SARs
granted to any Service Provider.
(b) Exercise
Price and Other Terms.
The per
SAR exercise price shall be no less than 100% of the Fair Market Value per
Share
on the Grant Date. The Administrator, subject to the provisions of the Plan,
shall have complete discretion to determine the other terms and conditions
of
SARs granted under the Plan.
(c) Exercise
of SARs.
SARs
shall be exercisable on such terms and conditions as the Administrator, in
its
sole discretion, shall determine.
(d) AR
Agreement.
Each
SAR grant shall be evidenced by a SAR Agreement that will specify the exercise
price, the term of the SAR, the conditions of exercise, and such other terms
and
conditions as the Administrator, in its sole discretion, shall determine.
(e) Expiration
of SARs.
A SAR
granted under the Plan shall expire upon the date determined by the
Administrator, in its sole discretion, and set forth in the SAR Agreement.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the rules of Section 10(b) will also apply to
SARs.
(f) Payment
of SAR Amount.
Upon
exercise of a SAR, the Participant shall be entitled to receive a payment from
the Company in an amount equal to the difference between the Fair Market Value
of a Share on the date of exercise over the exercise price of the SAR. This
amount shall be paid in Shares of equivalent value.
13.
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Cash
Awards. Each Cash Award will confer upon the Participant the
opportunity to earn a future payment tied to the level of achievement
with
respect to one or more performance criteria established for a performance
period.
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(a) Cash
Award.
Each
Cash Award shall contain provisions regarding (i) the performance goal(s) and
maximum amount payable to the Participant as a Cash Award, (ii) the performance
criteria and level of achievement versus these criteria which shall determine
the amount of such payment, (iii) the period as to which performance shall
be
measured for establishing the amount of any payment, (iv) the timing of any
payment earned by virtue of performance, (v) restrictions on the alienation
or
transfer of the Cash Award prior to actual payment, (vi) forfeiture provisions,
and (vii) such further terms and conditions, in each case not inconsistent
with
the Plan, as may be determined from time to time by the Administrator. The
maximum amount payable as a Cash Award that is settled for cash may be a
multiple of the target amount payable, but the maximum amount payable pursuant
to that portion of a Cash Award granted under this Plan for any fiscal year
to
any Awardee that is intended to satisfy the requirements for "performance based
compensation" under Section 162(m) of the Code shall not exceed
$1,000,000.
(b) Performance
Criteria.
The
Administrator shall establish the performance criteria and level of achievement
versus these criteria which shall determine the target and the minimum and
maximum amount payable under a Cash Award, which criteria may be based on
financial performance and/or personal performance evaluations. The Administrator
may specify the percentage of the target Cash Award that is intended to satisfy
the requirements for "performance-based compensation" under Section 162(m)
of
the Code. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, the performance
criteria for any portion of a Cash Award that is intended to satisfy the
requirements for "performance-based compensation" under Section 162(m) of the
Code shall be a measure established by the Administrator based on one or more
Qualifying Performance Criteria selected by the Administrator and specified
in
writing.
(c) Timing
and Form of Payment.
The
Administrator shall determine the timing of payment of any Cash Award. The
Administrator may specify the form of payment of Cash Awards, which may be
cash
or other property, or may provide for an Awardee to have the option for his
or
her Cash Award, or such portion thereof as the Administrator may specify, to
be
paid in whole or in part in cash or other property.
(d) Termination
of Service.
The
Administrator shall have the discretion to determine the effect of a Termination
of Service on any Cash Award due to (i) disability, (ii) retirement, (iii)
death, (iv) participation in a voluntary severance program, or (v) participation
in a work force restructuring.
14.
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Other
Provisions Applicable to
Awards.
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(a) Non-Transferability
of Awards.
An
Award may be exercised, during the lifetime of the Participant, only by the
Participant, and may not be sold, pledged, assigned, hypothecated, transferred,
or disposed of in any manner other than by will, by the laws of descent and
distribution, to a revocable trust or as permitted by Rule 701; provided that
so
long as the issuance and sale of securities under this Plan does not require
qualification under the California Corporate Securities Law of 1968, the
Administrator may in each case determine otherwise. If the Administrator makes
an Award transferable, either at the time of grant or thereafter, such Award
shall contain such additional terms and conditions as the Administrator deems
appropriate, and any transferee shall be deemed to be bound by such terms upon
acceptance of such transfer.
(b) Qualifying
Performance Criteria.
For
purposes of this Plan, the term "Qualifying Performance Criteria" shall mean
any
one or more of the following performance criteria, either individually,
alternatively or in any combination, applied to either the Company as a whole
or
to a business unit, Affiliate or business segment, either individually,
alternatively or in any combination, and measured either annually or
cumulatively over a period of years, on an absolute basis or relative to a
pre-established target, to previous years' results or to a designated comparison
group, in each case as specified by the Committee in the Award: (i) cash flow;
(ii) earnings (including gross margin, earnings before interest and taxes,
earnings before taxes, and net earnings); (iii) earnings per share; (iv) growth
in earnings or earnings per share; (v) stock price; (vi) return on equity or
average stockholders' equity; (vii) total stockholder return; (viii) return
on
capital; (ix) return on assets or net assets; (x) return on investment; (xi)
revenue; (xii) income or net income; (xiii) operating income or net operating
income; (xiv) operating profit or net operating profit; (xv) operating margin;
(xvi) return on operating revenue; (xvii) market share; (xviii) contract awards
or backlog; (xix) overhead or other expense reduction; (xx) growth in
stockholder value relative to the moving average of the S&P 500 Index or a
peer group index; (xxi) credit rating; (xxii) strategic plan development and
implementation; (xxiii) improvement in workforce diversity, (xxiv) EBITDA,
and
(xxv) any other similar criteria. The Committee may appropriately adjust any
evaluation of performance under a Qualifying Performance Criteria to exclude
any
of the following events that occurs during a performance period: (A) asset
write-downs; (B) litigation or claim judgments or settlements; (C) the effect
of
changes in tax law, accounting principles or other such laws or provisions
affecting reported results; (D) accruals for reorganization and restructuring
programs; and (E) any extraordinary non-recurring items as described in
Accounting Principles Board Opinion No. 30 and/or in management's discussion
and
analysis of financial condition and results of operations appearing in the
Company's annual report to stockholders for the applicable year.
(c) Certification.
Prior
to the payment of any compensation under an Award intended to qualify as
"performance-based compensation" under Section 162(m) of the Code, the Committee
shall certify the extent to which any Qualifying Performance Criteria and any
other material terms under such Award have been satisfied (other than in cases
where such relate solely to the increase in the value of the Common Stock).
(d) Discretionary
Adjustments Pursuant to Section 162(m).
Notwithstanding satisfaction of any completion of any Qualifying Performance
Criteria, to the extent specified at the time of grant of an Award to "covered
employees" within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code, the number of
Shares, Options or other benefits granted, issued, retained and/or vested under
an Award on account of satisfaction of such Qualifying Performance Criteria
may
be reduced by the Committee on the basis of such further considerations as
the
Committee in its sole discretion shall determine.
(e) Section
409A.
Notwithstanding anything in the Plan to the contrary, it is the intent of the
Company that all Awards granted under this Plan shall not cause an imposition
of
the additional taxes provided for in Section 409A(a)(1)(B) of the
Code.
(f) Financial
Information.
For so
long as the issuance and sale of securities under this Plan require
qualification under the California Corporate Securities Law of 1968, and to
the
extent required by Section 260.140.46 of Title 10 of the California Code of
Regulations, the Company shall at least annually provide financial statements
to
Participants.
15.
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Adjustments
upon Changes in Capitalization, Dissolution, Merger or Asset
Sale.
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(a) Changes
in Capitalization.
Subject
to any required action by the stockholders of the Company, (i) the number and
kind of Shares covered by each outstanding Award, and the number and kind of
shares of Common Stock which have been authorized for issuance under the Plan
but as to which no Awards have yet been granted or which have been returned
to
the Plan upon cancellation or expiration of an Award, (ii) the price per Share
subject to each such outstanding Award, and (iii) the Share limitation set
forth
in Section 3 of the Plan, shall be proportionately adjusted for any increase
or
decrease in the number or kind of issued shares resulting from a stock split,
reverse stock split, stock dividend, combination or reclassification of the
Common Stock, or any other increase or decrease in the number of issued shares
of Common Stock effected without receipt of consideration by the Company;
provided, however, that conversion of any convertible securities of the Company
shall not be deemed to have been "effected without receipt of consideration."
Such adjustment shall be made by the Administrator, whose determination in
that
respect shall be final, binding and conclusive. Except as expressly provided
herein, no issuance by the Company of shares of stock of any class, or
securities convertible into shares of stock of any class, shall affect, and
no
adjustment by reason thereof shall be made with respect to, the number or price
of shares of Common Stock subject to an Award.
(b) Dissolution
or Liquidation.
In the
event of the proposed dissolution or liquidation of the Company, the
Administrator shall notify each Participant as soon as practicable prior to
the
effective date of such proposed transaction. The Administrator in its discretion
may provide for an Option to be fully vested and exercisable until ten days
prior to such transaction. In addition, the Administrator may provide that
any
restrictions on any Award shall lapse prior to the transaction, provided the
proposed dissolution or liquidation takes place at the time and in the manner
contemplated. To the extent it has not been previously exercised, an Award
will
terminate immediately prior to the consummation of such proposed transaction.
(c) Change
in Control.
In the
event there is a Change in Control of the Company, as determined by the Board
or
a Committee, the Board or Committee may, in its discretion, (i) provide for
the
assumption or substitution of, or adjustment to, each outstanding Award; (ii)
accelerate the vesting of Options and SARs and terminate any restrictions on
Stock Awards or Cash Awards; and (iii) provide for the cancellation of Awards
for a cash payment to the Participant.
16.
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Amendment
and Termination of the
Plan.
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(a) Amendment
and Termination.
The
Administrator may amend, alter or discontinue the Plan or any Award Agreement,
but any such amendment shall be subject to approval of the stockholders of
the
Company in the manner and to the extent required by Applicable Law.
(b) Effect
of Amendment or Termination.
No
amendment, suspension or termination of the Plan shall impair the rights of
any
Award, unless mutually agreed otherwise between the Participant and the
Administrator, which agreement must be in writing and signed by the Participant
and the Company. Termination of the Plan shall not affect the Administrator's
ability to exercise the powers granted to it hereunder with respect to Awards
granted under the Plan prior to the date of such termination.
(c) Effect
of the Plan on Other Arrangements.
Neither
the adoption of the Plan by the Board or a Committee nor the submission of
the
Plan to the stockholders of the Company for approval shall be construed as
creating any limitations on the power of the Board or any Committee to adopt
such other incentive arrangements as it or they may deem desirable, including,
without limitation, the granting of restricted stock or stock options otherwise
than under the Plan, and such arrangements may be either generally applicable
or
applicable only in specific cases.
17.
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Designation
of Beneficiary.
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(i) An
Awardee may file a written designation of a beneficiary who is to receive the
Awardee's rights pursuant to Awardee's Award or the Awardee may include his
or
her Awards in an omnibus beneficiary designation for all benefits under the
Plan. To the extent that Awardee has completed a designation of beneficiary
such
beneficiary designation shall remain in effect with respect to any Award
hereunder until changed by the Awardee to the extent enforceable under
Applicable Law.
(ii) Such
designation of beneficiary may be changed by the Awardee at any time by written
notice. In the event of the death of an Awardee and in the absence of a
beneficiary validly designated under the Plan who is living at the time of
such
Awardee's death, the Company shall allow the executor or administrator of the
estate of the Awardee to exercise the Award, or if no such executor or
administrator has been appointed (to the knowledge of the Company), the Company,
in its discretion, may allow the spouse or one or more dependents or relatives
of the Awardee to exercise the Award to the extent permissible under Applicable
Law.
18.
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No
Right to Awards or to Service. No person shall have any claim
or right to be granted an Award and the grant of any Award shall
not be
construed as giving an Awardee the right to continue in the service
of the
Company or its Affiliates. Further, the Company and its Affiliates
expressly reserve the right, at any time, to dismiss any Service
Provider
or Awardee at any time without liability or any claim under the Plan,
except as provided herein or in any Award Agreement entered into
hereunder.
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19.
|
Legal
Compliance. Shares shall not be issued pursuant to the
exercise of an Award unless the exercise of such Award and the issuance
and delivery of such Shares shall comply with Applicable Laws and
shall be
further subject to the approval of counsel for the Company with respect
to
such compliance. Notwithstanding anything in the Plan to the contrary,
it
is the intent of the Company that the Plan shall be administered
so that
the additional taxes provided for in Section 409A(a)(1)(B) of the
Code are
not imposed.
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20.
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Inability
to Obtain Authority. To the extent the Company is unable to
or the Administrator deems that it is not feasible to obtain authority
from any regulatory body having jurisdiction, which authority is
deemed by
the Company's counsel to be necessary to the lawful issuance and
sale of
any Shares hereunder, the Company shall be relieved of any liability
with
respect to the failure to issue or sell such Shares as to which such
requisite authority shall not have been
obtained.
|
21.
|
Reservation
of Shares. The Company, during the term of this Plan, will at
all times reserve and keep available such number of Shares as shall
be
sufficient to satisfy the requirements of the
Plan.
|
22.
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Notice.
Any written notice to the Company required by any provisions of this
Plan
shall be addressed to the Secretary of the Company and shall be effective
when received.
|
23.
|
Governing
Law; Interpretation of Plan and
Awards.
|
(a) This
Plan
and all determinations made and actions taken pursuant hereto shall be governed
by the substantive laws, but not the choice of law rules, of the state of
Delaware.
(b) In
the
event that any provision of the Plan or any Award granted under the Plan is
declared to be illegal, invalid or otherwise unenforceable by a court of
competent jurisdiction, such provision shall be reformed, if possible, to the
extent necessary to render it legal, valid and enforceable, or otherwise
deleted, and the remainder of the terms of the Plan and/or Award shall not
be
affected except to the extent necessary to reform or delete such illegal,
invalid or unenforceable provision.
(c) The
headings preceding the text of the sections hereof are inserted solely for
convenience of reference, and shall not constitute a part of the Plan, nor
shall
they affect its meaning, construction or effect.
(d) The
terms
of the Plan and any Award shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon
the
parties hereto and their respective permitted heirs, beneficiaries, successors
and assigns.
(e) All
questions arising under the Plan or under any Award shall be decided by the
Administrator in its total and absolute discretion. In the event the Participant
believes that a decision by the Administrator with respect to such person was
arbitrary or capricious, the Participant may request arbitration with respect
to
such decision. The review by the arbitrator shall be limited to determining
whether the Administrator's decision was arbitrary or capricious. This
arbitration shall be the sole and exclusive review permitted of the
Administrator's decision, and the Awardee shall as a condition to the receipt
of
an Award be deemed to explicitly waive any right to judicial
review.
24.
|
Limitation
on Liability. The Company and any Affiliate which is in
existence or hereafter comes into existence shall not be liable to
a
Participant, an Employee, an Awardee or any other persons as
to:
|
(a) The
Non-Issuance of Shares.
The
non-issuance or sale of Shares as to which the Company has been unable to obtain
from any regulatory body having jurisdiction the authority deemed by the
Company's counsel to be necessary to the lawful issuance and sale of any shares
hereunder; and
(b) Tax
Consequences.
Any tax
consequence expected, but not realized, by any Participant, Employee, Awardee
or
other person due to the receipt, exercise or settlement of any Option or other
Award granted hereunder.
25.
|
Unfunded
Plan. Insofar as it provides for Awards, the Plan shall
be
unfunded. Although bookkeeping accounts may be established with respect
to
Awardees who are granted Stock Awards under this Plan, any such accounts
will be used merely as a bookkeeping convenience. The Company shall
not be
required to segregate any assets which may at any time be represented
by
Awards, nor shall this Plan be construed as providing for such
segregation, nor shall the Company nor the Administrator be deemed
to be a
trustee of stock or cash to be awarded under the Plan. Any liability
of
the Company to any Participant with respect to an Award shall be
based
solely upon any contractual obligations which may be created by the
Plan;
no such obligation of the Company shall be deemed to be secured by
any
pledge or other encumbrance on any property of the Company. Neither
the
Company nor the Administrator shall be required to give any security
or
bond for the performance of any obligation which may be created by
this
Plan.
|
AMERICAN
TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
THIS
PROXY RELATES TO AN ANNUAL MEETING OF THE STOCKHOLDERS TO BE HELD
MAY
9,
2007
The
undersigned hereby appoints ELWOOD G. NORRIS, THOMAS R. BROWN, and KAREN JORDAN
or any of them, with full power of substitution, as attorneys and proxies to
vote all shares of Common Stock of American Technology Corporation which the
undersigned is entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders of
AMERICAN TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION (the "Company") to be held at 2:00 p.m. (local
time) at the Company's principal offices located at 15378 Avenue of Science,
San
Diego, California 92128 on May 9, 2007 and any postponements, continuations
and
adjournments thereof, with all powers which the undersigned would possess if
personally present, upon and in respect of the following matters and in
accordance with the following instructions, with discretionary authority as
to
any and all other matters that may properly come before the
meeting.
Unless
a
contrary direction is indicated, this Proxy will be voted for all nominees
listed in Proposal One, for Proposals Two, Three and Four, as more specifically
described in the Proxy Statement. If specific instructions are indicated, this
Proxy will be voted in accordance therewith.
The
Board
of Directors recommends a vote FOR
the
nominees for director listed below
Proposal
One: To
elect
directors to serve for the ensuing year and until their successors are elected.
|
o
|
FOR
all nominees listed below (except as marked to the contrary
below).
|
|
o |
WITHHOLD
AUTHORITY to vote for all nominees listed below.
|
Nominees: Elwood
G.
Norris, Thomas R. Brown, Daniel Hunter, Raymond C. Smith and Laura M.
Clague
To
withhold authority to vote for any nominee(s) write such nominee(s)' name(s)
below:
The
Board
of Directors recommends a vote FOR
Proposals Two, Three and Four
PROPOSAL
TWO: To
ratify
the selection of Swenson Advisors, LLP as independent registered public
accounting firm of the Company for the fiscal year ending September 30,
2007.
|
o
FOR
|
|
o
AGAINST
|
|
o
ABSTAIN
|
|
PROPOSAL
THREE: To
approve amendments to the Company's 2005 Equity Incentive Plan.
|
o
FOR
|
|
o
AGAINST
|
|
o
ABSTAIN
|
|
PROPOSAL
FOUR: To
approve certain terms of the Securities Purchase Agreement.
|
o
FOR
|
|
o
AGAINST
|
|
o
ABSTAIN
|
|
(Continued
and to be signed on the other side)
(Continued
from other side)
This
proxy has been solicited by or for the benefit of the Board of Directors of
the
Company. I understand that I may revoke this proxy only by written instructions
to that effect, signed and dated by me, which must be actually received by
the
Company prior to commencement of the Annual Meeting.
DATED:
________________________, 2007
|
|
Signature
_________________________________
|
|
|
Print Name
_________________________________ |
IF
THE
STOCK IS HELD JOINTLY, BOTH OWNERS MUST SIGN
|
|
Signature
_________________________________
|
|
|
Print Name
_________________________________ |
(Please
date and sign exactly as name or names appear on your stock certificate(s).
When
signing as attorney, executor, administrator, trustee or guardian, please give
full title as such. If a corporation, please sign in full the corporate name
by
President or other authorized officer. If a partnership, please sign in the
partnership name by authorized person. IF THE STOCK IS HELD JOINTLY, BOTH OWNERS
MUST SIGN.)
Mail
or
Deliver this Proxy to:
AMERICAN
TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
15378
Avenue of Science, Suite 100
San
Diego, California 92128
(858)
676-1112
I
will be
attending the meeting o
Consent
to Electronic Delivery of Proxy Materials and Annual
Reports
If
you
are a stockholder of record and you agree to access our proxy materials and
annual reports electronically in the future, please mark this box. [
]
If
you
marked the box above, please enter the e-mail address at which you wish to
be
conducted by us: ___________________________
If
your
shares are held in street name, please contact your broker, bank or nominee
and
ask about the availability of electronic delivery.