UNITED
STATES
SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington,
D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE
14A
(RULE
14a-101)
Proxy
Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Securities
Exchange Act
of 1934
Filed by the
Registrant þ
Filed by a Party other than
the Registrant ¨
Check the appropriate
box:
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Preliminary Proxy
Statement
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Confidential, for Use of the
Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2))
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þ
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Definitive Proxy
Statement
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Definitive Additional
Materials
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Soliciting Material Pursuant
to Rule 14a-11c or Rule 14a-12
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GP
Strategies Corporation
(Name of
Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)
(Name of
Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement)
Payment of Filing Fee (Check
the appropriate box):
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Fee computed on table below
per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11.
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(1)
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Title of each class of
securities to which transaction applies:
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(2)
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Aggregate number of
securities to which transaction applies:
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(3)
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Per unit price or other
underlying value of transaction computed pursuant to Exchange Act
Rule 0-11 (set forth the amount on which the filing fee is
calculated and state how it was determined):
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(4)
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Proposed maximum aggregate
value of transaction:
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Fee paid previously with
preliminary materials.
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Check box if any part of the
fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act Rule 0-11(a)(2) and
identify the filing for which the offsetting fee was paid
previously. Identify the previous filing by registration statement
number, or the Form or Schedule and the date of its
filing.
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(1)
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Amount Previously
Paid:
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(2)
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Form, Schedule or
Registration Statement No.:
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GP
STRATEGIES CORPORATION
70 Corporate
Center
11000 Broken
Land Parkway, Suite 200
Columbia,
Maryland 21044
_____________________
NOTICE OF
ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
To be held
September 1, 2020
_____________________
To our
Stockholders:
NOTICE IS HEREBY
GIVEN that the Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the “Annual
Meeting”) of GP Strategies Corporation (the “Company”) will be held
virtually by webcast at www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/GPX2020,
on the 1st day of September 2020, at 11:00 a.m., Eastern Daylight
Time, for the following purposes:
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1.
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To elect eight persons to the
Board of Directors of the Company to serve until the Next Annual
Meeting of Stockholders and until their respective successors are
elected and qualified.
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2.
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To ratify the appointment of
KPMG LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting
firm for the fiscal year ending December 31,
2020.
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3.
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To hold an advisory vote to
approve the compensation of our named executive officers as
disclosed in the attached Proxy Statement.
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4.
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To approve an amendment to
the 2011 Stock Incentive Plan to (1) increase the authorized number
of shares available for future issuance under the plan, (2)
prohibit stock awards granted under the plan from receiving
dividends before vesting and (3) extend the life of the plan to
October 2024.
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These items are
described more fully in our Proxy Statement. Our Board of Directors
has no knowledge of any other business which may come before the
meeting.
Only stockholders
of record as of the close of business on July 8, 2020
are entitled to
receive notice of and to vote at the Annual Meeting. You will be
able to attend the meeting online and submit your questions during
the meeting by visiting www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/GPX2020.
To participate in the Annual Meeting, you will need the 16-digit
control number included on your notice of Internet availability of
proxy materials, on your proxy card or on the instructions that
accompanied your proxy materials. A list of such stockholders will
be open to examination by any stockholder, for any purpose germane
to the Annual Meeting, during normal ordinary business hours for a
period of ten days before the Annual Meeting at our corporate
offices at 11000 Broken Land Parkway, Suite 200, Columbia, Maryland
21044. If, as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, our offices are
not generally open, stockholders may contact Investor Relations at
investors@gpstrategies.com stating the purpose of the request and
providing proof of ownership of our common stock and arrangements
will be made to review the records in person or on a reasonably
accessible electronic network. During the Annual Meeting, the list
of stockholders will be available for examination at
www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/GPX2020.
Whether or not
you plan to attend the Annual Meeting, please vote as soon as
possible. As an alternative to voting at the Annual Meeting, you
may vote via the Internet, by telephone or, if you receive a paper
proxy card in the mail, by mailing a completed proxy card. For
detailed information regarding voting instructions, please refer to
the section entitled “Voting via the Internet, by Telephone or by
Mail” on page 2 of the Proxy Statement. You may revoke a
previously delivered proxy at any time prior to the Annual Meeting.
If you decide to attend the Annual Meeting and wish to change your
proxy vote, you may do so automatically by voting in person at the
Annual Meeting.
By Order of the
Board of Directors
Kenneth L.
Crawford, Secretary
Columbia,
Maryland
July 20,
2020
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INTERNET
AVAILABILITY OF PROXY MATERIALS
In accordance with U.S.
Securities and Exchange Commission rules, we are using the Internet
as our primary means of furnishing proxy materials to stockholders.
Consequently, most stockholders will not receive paper copies of
our proxy materials. We will instead send these stockholders a
Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials with
instructions for accessing the proxy materials, including our proxy
statement and annual report, and voting via the Internet. The
Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials also provides
information on how stockholders may obtain paper copies of our
proxy materials if they so choose. We believe this will make the
proxy distribution process more efficient, less costly and help in
conserving natural resources. If you previously elected to receive
our proxy materials electronically, these materials will continue
to be sent via email unless you change your election.
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GP
STRATEGIES CORPORATION
PROXY
STATEMENT
ANNUAL
MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
TO BE HELD
ON SEPTEMBER 1,
2020
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
GP
STRATEGIES CORPORATION
70 Corporate
Center
11000 Broken
Land Parkway
Columbia,
Maryland 21044
_____________________
PROXY
STATEMENT
_____________________
INFORMATION
CONCERNING SOLICITATION AND VOTING
The accompanying
Proxy is solicited by and on behalf of the Board of Directors of
the Company, for use only at the Annual Meeting to be held
virtually by webcast at www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/GPX2020
on the 1st
day of September 2020, at 11:00 a.m., Eastern
Daylight Time, and at any adjournments or postponement thereof.
Stockholders as of the record date will be able to participate in
the annual meeting by visiting
www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/GPX2020. To participate in the
meeting, you will need the 16-digit control number included on your
notice of Internet availability of proxy materials, on your proxy
card or on the instructions that accompanied your proxy materials.
The annual meeting will begin promptly at 11:00 a.m., Eastern Time.
Online check-in will begin at 10:45 a.m., Eastern Time, and you
should allow ample time for the online check-in procedures. The
approximate date on which this Proxy Statement and the accompanying
Proxy were first given or sent to security holders was
July 20,
2020.
Properly
delivered Proxies will be voted in accordance with the
specifications made and where no specifications are given, such
Proxies will be voted FOR the proposal to elect eight persons to
the Board of Directors of the Company to serve until the next
Annual Meeting of Stockholders and until their respective
successors are elected and qualify, FOR the proposal to ratify the
appointment of KPMG LLP as the Company’s independent registered
public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending
December 31,
2020, and
FOR the compensation of our named executive officers. In the
discretion of the proxy holders, the Proxies will also be voted FOR
or AGAINST such other matters as may properly come before the
Annual Meeting. The management of the Company is not aware of any
other matters that are to be presented for action at the Annual
Meeting. If any other matters are properly brought before the
Annual Meeting, the persons named in your proxies will vote in
accordance with their best judgment. Although it is intended that
the Proxies will be voted for the nominees named herein, the
holders of the Proxies reserve discretion to cast votes for
individuals other than such nominees in the event of the
unavailability of any such nominee. The Company has no reason to
believe that any of the nominees will become unavailable for
election. The Proxies may not be voted for a greater number of
persons than the number of nominees named.
Quorum;
Required Votes
In order to
conduct business at the Annual Meeting a quorum must be present. A
quorum is the presence, in person or by proxy, of holders of record
of shares of GP Strategies Common Stock (the "Common Stock")
representing a majority of the number of votes entitled to be cast
at the Annual Meeting. Proxies marked as abstaining on any matter
to be acted upon by stockholders and “broker non-votes”, described
below, will be treated as present for purposes of determining if a
quorum is present.
The election of
directors (Proposal 1) requires that each nominee receive more
votes cast “for” than "against" the nominee at the Annual Meeting
in order for the nominee to be elected. Shares not present and
shares present but not voted (whether as an abstention, broker
non-vote or otherwise) will have no effect on the election of
directors.
The ratification
of the appointment of KPMG LLP as the Company’s independent
registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending
December 31,
2020 (Proposal 2) requires the
affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast on the matter.
Abstentions and broker non-votes have no effect on this
proposal.
The advisory vote
on compensation of our named executive officers (Proposal 3)
requires the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast on
the matter. Abstentions and broker non-votes have no effect on this
proposal. Although the advisory vote on the compensation of our
named executive officers is non-binding, the Board of Directors
will review the results of the vote and will take them into account
when making decisions concerning executive compensation of our
named executive officers.
The approval of
the amendment to the 2011 Stock Incentive Plan (Proposal 4)
requires the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast on
the matter. Abstentions and broker non-votes will have no effect on
this proposal.
If you hold your
shares in “street name” (that is through a broker or other
nominee), your broker may be able to vote your shares for certain
“routine” matters even if you do not provide the broker with voting
instructions. If you do not give your broker instructions on how to
vote your shares the broker will return the proxy card without
voting on proposals not considered “routine.” This is a broker
non-vote. Proposals 1, 3 and 4 are considered “non-routine”
matters. The broker may not vote on these matters without
instructions from you.
Record
Date
The Board of
Directors has fixed the close of business on July 8, 2020
as the record
date for the determination of stockholders entitled to receive
notice of and to vote at the Annual Meeting. The issued and
outstanding capital stock of the Company on July 8, 2020
consisted
of 17,053,053
shares of Common
Stock, each entitled to one vote per share.
Voting via
the Internet, by Telephone or by Mail; Revoking Earlier
Vote
Stockholders
whose shares are registered in their own names may vote in person
at the Annual Meeting, via the Internet, by telephone or, if they
receive a paper proxy card in the mail, by mailing a completed
proxy card. The Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials
provides instructions on how to access your proxy card, which
contains instructions on how to vote via the Internet or by
telephone. If you receive a paper proxy card, instructions for
voting via the Internet or by telephone are set forth on the proxy
card. If you receive a paper proxy card and voting instructions by
mail and elect to vote by mail, you should sign and return the
mailed proxy card in the prepaid and addressed envelope that was
enclosed with the proxy materials, and your shares will be voted at
the Annual Meeting in the manner you direct.
You will be able
to attend the annual meeting online and submit your questions
during the meeting by visiting
www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/GPX2020. You also will be able to
vote your shares electronically at the annual meeting through this
website.
If your shares
are registered in the name of a bank or brokerage firm (your record
holder), you will receive instructions from your record holder that
you must follow to specify how your record holder will vote your
shares. If you hold shares through a bank or brokerage firm and
wish to be able to vote in person at the Annual Meeting, you must
obtain a legal proxy from your brokerage firm, bank or other holder
of record and present it to the inspector of elections with your
ballot.
You may revoke or
change a previously delivered proxy at any time before the Annual
Meeting by delivering another proxy with a later date, by voting
again via the Internet or by telephone, by delivering written
notice of revocation of your proxy to the Company’s Secretary at
its principal executive offices before the beginning of the Annual
Meeting, or by attending the Annual Meeting and voting in person.
Attendance at the Annual Meeting will not, in and of itself, revoke
a valid proxy that was previously delivered. If you hold shares
through a bank or brokerage firm, you must contact that bank or
brokerage firm to revoke any prior voting instructions. You may
also vote in person at the Annual Meeting if you obtain a legal
proxy as described in the preceding paragraph.
PRINCIPAL
STOCKHOLDERS
The following
table sets forth the number of shares of Common Stock beneficially
owned as of July 8, 2020
by each person
who is known by the Company based on such person’s filings with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) to own beneficially more
than 5% of the outstanding Common Stock.
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Name and Address of Beneficial Owner
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Amount and
Nature of
Beneficial Owner
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Percent
of
Class
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Sagard Capital Partners,
L.P.
280 Park Avenue, 3rd Floor
West
New York, NY
10017
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3,639,367 shares
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(1)
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21.3%
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Cove Street Capital
2101 E El Segundo Boulevard, Suite 302
El Segundo, CA 90245
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2,676,735 shares
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(2)
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15.7%
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Royce & Associates
LP
745 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY
10151
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1,449,288 shares
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(3)
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8.5%
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Dimensional Fund Advisors
LP
Palisades West, Building One 6300 Bee Cave Road Austin, TX
78746
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1,225,574 shares
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(4)
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7.2%
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__________________________
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(1)
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Based on a Form 13F-HR filed
by Sagard Capital Partners Management Corporation with the SEC on
November 6, 2019.
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(2)
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Based on a Schedule 13D/A
filed by Cove Street Capital, LLC with the SEC on May 26,
2020.
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(3)
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Based on a Schedule 13F-HR
filed by Royce & Associates LP with the SEC on May 12,
2020.
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(4)
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Based on a Schedule 13F-HR
filed by Dimensional Fund Advisors LP ("Dimensional") with the SEC
on May 14, 2020. Dimensional has informed the Company that the
shares are owned by advisory clients of Dimensional and that
Dimensional disclaims beneficial ownership of such
shares.
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SECURITY
OWNERSHIP OF DIRECTORS AND NAMED EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
The following
table sets forth the beneficial ownership of Common Stock, by each
director, each of our Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial
Officer, and three other most highly compensated officers, and all
directors and executive officers as a group as of
July 8,
2020.
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Name of Beneficial Owner
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Amount and
Nature of
Beneficial
Owner
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Percent of
Class
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Tamar Elkeles
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8,262
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*
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Marshall S.
Geller
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161,115
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*
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Scott N.
Greenberg
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179,619
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(1)
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1.1%
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Steven E. Koonin
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16,436
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*
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Jacques Manardo
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8,997
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*
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Richard C. Pfenniger,
Jr.
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50,456
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*
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Samuel D.
Robinson
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3,654,590
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(2)
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21.4%
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Kenneth L.
Crawford
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41,483
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(1)
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*
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Michael R. Dugan
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19,178
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(1)
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*
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Donald R.
Duquette
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58,489
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(1)
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*
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Adam H. Stedham
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30,172
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(1)
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Directors and Executive
Officers as a Group (13 persons)
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4,270,217
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(3)
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25.0%
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__________________________
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(1)
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Includes 17,300 shares for
Mr. Greenberg, 4,625 shares for Mr. Crawford, 1,929 shares for Mr.
Dugan, 15,152 shares for Mr. Duquette and 7,593 shares for Mr.
Stedham allocated pursuant to the provisions of our Retirement
Savings Plan.
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(2)
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The amount reported by Samuel
D. Robinson includes 15,223 shares owned directly by him and
3,639,367 shares representing the beneficial ownership of the
Company’s securities by Sagard Capital Partners, L.P., a Delaware
limited partnership ("Sagard Capital"). Mr. Robinson is the
President of Sagard Holdings ULC and its subsidiary, Sagard Capital
Partners Management Corporation ("Sagard Management"), the
investment manager of Sagard Capital, and of Sagard Capital
Partners GP, Inc., the general partner of Sagard Capital. Mr.
Robinson disclaims beneficial ownership of such securities, by
virtue of his position as the President of Sagard
Management.
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(3)
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Includes 49,727 shares of
Common Stock allocated to accounts pursuant to the provisions of
our Retirement Savings Plan.
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PROPOSAL 1.
ELECTION OF DIRECTORS
The Board of
Directors currently consists of eight members. All eight directors
will be elected at the Annual Meeting to hold office until the next
Annual Meeting of Stockholders and until their respective
successors are elected and qualify. The Board proposes that each of
the current directors be reelected to the Board.
Each nominee has
consented to being named in this proxy statement and has agreed to
serve if elected. If instructed to do so, Proxies will be voted for
the following nominees, but the holders of these Proxies reserve
discretion to cast votes for individuals other than the nominees
for Director named below in the event of the unavailability of any
such nominee.
We seek persons
to serve as directors who possess qualifications and expertise that
will enhance the composition of the Board, applying considerations
set forth in our Corporate Governance Guidelines (described
below).
Set forth below
are the names of the nominees, the year in which first elected a
Director of the Company, the principal occupation of each nominee,
and a brief biography of each nominee, including information
regarding the specific experience, qualifications, attributes or
skills that led the Board of Directors to determine that the
applicable director should be re-nominated and elected to serve as
a member of our Board of Directors.
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Name and Year First
Elected as Director
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Age
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Principal Occupation and Business Experience
During the Past Five Years
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Scott N.
Greenberg
(1987)
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63
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Mr. Greenberg was Chief
Executive Officer of the Company from April 2005 until June 2020,
at which time he stepped down from the CEO role and became a senior
advisor to the Company. He has been Chairman of the Board since
August 2018. He was President of the Company from 2001 until 2006,
Chief Financial Officer from 1989 until 2005, Executive Vice
President from 1998 to 2001, Vice President from 1985 to 1998, and
held various other positions since joining the Company in
1981. Mr. Greenberg is currently on the Board of Directors of
VerifyMe, Inc. Mr. Greenberg was also a Director of Wright
Investors’ Service Holdings Inc., formerly National Patent
Development Corporation (“NPDC”), from 2004 to 2015.
Mr. Greenberg brings to the Board significant experience and
expertise in management, acquisitions and strategic planning, as
well as many years of finance and related transaction experience.
Having been our Chief Executive Officer for over 15 years, he
brings to the Board extensive knowledge of the Company’s structure,
history, major stockholders and culture.
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Marshall S.
Geller
(2002)
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81
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Mr. Geller was a Founder of
St. Cloud Capital, a Los Angeles based private equity fund, and
Senior Investment Advisor from December 2001 until September
2017. He has spent more than 50 years in corporate finance
and investment banking, including 21 years as a Senior Managing
Partner of Bear, Stearns & Co., with oversight of all
operations in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Hong Kong and
the Far East. Mr. Geller is currently on the Board of
Directors of UCLA Health System and VerifyMe, Inc. and is on the
Board of Governors of Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Los
Angeles. Mr. Geller also serves on the Dean's Advisory
Council for the College of Business & Economics at California
State University, Los Angeles. Previously Mr. Geller was a director
of Guidance Software, Inc., National Holdings Corporation,
California Pizza Kitchen and Wright Investors' Services Holdings,
Inc. As the managing partner of a private equity fund and a
director of other public companies, Mr. Geller brings to the Board
many years of experience and expertise as an investor in and
adviser to companies in various sectors.
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Name and Year First
Elected as Director
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Age
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Principal Occupation and Business Experience
During the Past Five Years
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Richard C. Pfenniger,
Jr.
(2005)
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64
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Mr. Pfenniger is currently a
private investor who previously served as a senior executive at
several companies. He served as Interim Chief Executive Officer of
Vein Clinics of America, Inc. from May 2014 to February 2015 and as
Interim Chief Executive Officer of Integramed America, Inc., a
manager of outpatient fertility centers, from January to June 2013.
From 2003 until 2011, Mr. Pfenniger served as the Chairman of the
Board, President and Chief Executive Officer of Continucare
Corporation, a provider of primary care physician services. Mr.
Pfenniger was the Chief Executive Officer and Vice Chairman of
Whitman Education Group, Inc., a provider of career-oriented higher
education, from 1997 until 2003. From 1994 to 1997, Mr.
Pfenniger served as the Chief Operating Officer of IVAX
Corporation, and from 1989 to 1994 he served as the Senior Vice
President-Legal Affairs and General Counsel of IVAX Corporation, a
multi-national pharmaceutical company. Mr. Pfenniger currently
serves as a Director of TransEnterix, Inc. (a medical device
company), Opko Health, Inc. (a multi-national pharmaceutical and
diagnostics company) and BioCardia, Inc. (a regenerative medicine
company). Mr. Pfenniger also serves as Vice Chairman of the Board
of Trustees of the Frost Science Museum in Miami, Florida.
Previously, he was a director of Wright Investors' Service
Holdings, Inc. Mr. Pfenniger holds a B.B.A. from Florida Atlantic
University and a J.D. from the University of Florida. Mr.
Pfenniger’s prior experience as a Chief Executive Officer of a
public company and prior experience in the education industry
brings relevant experience managing a growth-oriented business and
balancing the demands of clients, employees and
investors.
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Steven E. Koonin
(2016)
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68
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Dr. Steven E. Koonin is a
University Professor at New York University (NYU), where he is also
Professor of Information, Operations, and Management Sciences in
the Stern School of Business and of Civil and Urban Engineering in
the Tandon School of Engineering. He served as the founding
Director of NYU's Center for Urban Science and Progress from April
2012 through August 2018. Prior to joining NYU, Dr. Koonin served
as Undersecretary for Science at the U.S. Department of Energy from
May 2009, following his confirmation by the U.S. Senate, until
November 2011. Prior to joining the government, Dr. Koonin spent
five years, from March 2004 to May 2009, as Chief Scientist for BP,
p.l.c. From September 1975 to July 2006, Dr. Koonin was a professor
of theoretical physics at Caltech and was the institute’s Provost
from February 1995 to January 2004. Dr. Koonin was a director of
CERES, Inc., a publicly traded company pursuing genetically
enhanced bioenergy crops, from 2012 to 2015. His memberships
include the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, the American Academy
of Arts and Sciences, the Council on Foreign Relations and
previously the Trilateral Commission. He has been a member of the
JASON advisory group from July 1988 to May 2009, and from November
2011 to present, and served as the group’s chair from 1998 to 2004.
He also has served as an independent governor of the Lawrence
Livermore National Security LLCs since July 2012, of the Los Alamos
National Laboratory LLC from 2012 to2018, and of the Sandia
Corporation from 2016 to 2017, as well as serving on the Secretary
of Energy’s Advisory Board from 2013 to 2016. Dr. Koonin holds a
B.S. in Physics from Caltech and a Ph.D. in Theoretical Physics
from MIT and has been a Trustee of the Institute for Defense
Analyses since 2014. Dr. Koonin brings extensive experience in
science, education, energy and government to our Board of
Directors.
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Samuel D.
Robinson
(2016)
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46
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Mr. Robinson is President of
Sagard Holdings ULC ("Sagard") and its subsidiary, Sagard Capital
Partners Management Corporation and a Vice President of Power
Corporation of Canada ("Power"). He joined Sagard and Power in 2016
after an 18 year career at Goldman Sachs. He served in a variety of
positions at Goldman Sachs, including Chief Administrative Officer
and head of strategy for the global Investment Banking Division,
Chief Operating Officer for the firm's emerging markets businesses,
Asia Regional Chief of Staff and Chief of Staff to the firm's
President. Earlier, he trained as a financial institutions
investment banker, worked in venture capital and was involved for
many years in corporate strategy and investor relations. Mr.
Robinson currently serves on the boards of Sagard and Integramed
America, Inc. He holds a M. A. and a M. Phil., both from Christ
Church, Oxford University. Mr. Robinson was appointed Lead
Independent Director in August 2018. Mr. Robinson brings to the
Board experience in strategy, business operations, M&A, capital
raising, and in working closely with leaders to maximize their own
strategic and operational impact.
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Name and Year First
Elected as Director
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Age
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Principal Occupation and Business Experience
During the Past Five Years
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Tamar Elkeles
(2018)
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51
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Dr. Elkeles is currently the
Chief Human Resources Officer at XCOM Labs, Inc., a wireless
technology company. Previously, she was Chief Talent Executive for
Atlantic Bridge Capital. Prior to that she was the Chief People
Officer at Quixey, Inc. from 2015 to 2016 and from 1992 to 2015,
was a human resources executive leading learning, organization
development and employee communications at Qualcomm, including 17
years as Qualcomm's Chief Learning Officer. She currently serves on
the Board of Advisors of the Forbes School of Business &
Technology at Ashford University and the Editorial Board for "Chief
Learning Officer", a multimedia publication focused on the
enterprise learning market. Previously she was on the Board of
Directors, and is still a very active member of, the Association
for Talent Development. Dr. Elkeles also serves as a strategic
advisor to several start up companies in the education technology
sector. She holds a B.A. in both Psychology and Human Development
from the University of Kansas, and both a M.S. and PhD in
industrial and organizational psychology from the California School
of Professional Psychology. Dr. Elkeles brings experience as a
Chief Learning Officer and human resource executive, and
relationships with other learning executives at global Fortune 500
companies and in the overall human capital field.
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Jacques Manardo
(2018)
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74
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Mr. Manardo is a former CEO
and Managing Partner of Deloitte Europe. After 33 years in the
audit and consulting profession, Mr. Manardo retired in 2001 from
Deloitte, where he was the founding partner of the French practice,
the CEO for Europe and global managing partner for services to the
firm's top 300 clients. In 2001, he became an angel investor,
director and advisor, and has since conducted special consulting
assignments on mergers and acquisitions and other complex
transactions. Mr. Manardo is currently a board member of a private
investment fund, Yam Invest, in Amsterdam, and a trustee of the
French Institute-Alliance Francaise, Chair of the Finance Committee
in New York City. He was a member of the Board of the Banking and
Insurance Fortis Group from 2004 until 2009, was a senior advisor
to HIG, a Miami based hedge fund from 2006 to 2012, and previously
served on the boards of several other commercial and non-profit
entities. Mr. Manardo is a CPA and a Doctor in Law of Paris
University. Mr. Manardo brings previous board experience and
business leadership experience in the global services industry,
which we believe will be beneficial as we continue to expand
globally.
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Adam H. Stedham
(2020)
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51
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Mr. Stedham became Chief
Executive Officer in July 2020, after serving as Interim CEO from
June 9, 2020, and has been the President of GP Strategies since
November 2017. Prior to these roles, he served as a Senior Vice
President of GP Strategies since 2012 and as a Vice President from
2008 to 2012. Mr. Stedham has served as a leader of GP Strategies
in roles of increasing responsibility since joining the company in
1997, including leading various services lines, managing the Asia
Pacific region, and leading business development initiatives in
multiple industries. Mr. Stedham has significant expertise in
global operations, learning, and performance improvement. He holds
a Master of Business Administration from Anderson University, a
Master of Adult Education from Ball State University, and he is
completing his doctorate in the University of Pennsylvania CLO
program. The Company believes that Mr. Stedham's combination of
extensive experience with the Company and expertise in our industry
brings important perspectives to the Board.
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Required
Vote and Board Recommendation
The election of
directors requires that each nominee receive more votes cast “for”
than "against" the nominee in order for the nominee to be elected.
Shares not present and shares present but not voted (whether as an
abstention, broker non-vote or otherwise) will have no effect on
the election of directors.
The Board of
Directors recommends that you vote FOR the election of each of the
eight nominees.
Corporate
Governance
The Board of
Directors has the responsibility for establishing broad corporate
policies and for the overall performance of the Company, although
it is not involved in day-to-day operating details. Members of the
Board of Directors are kept informed of the Company’s business by
various reports and documents sent to them as well as by operating
and financial reports made at Board and Committee meetings. The
Board of Directors held nine meetings in 2019. All of the Directors
attended at least 75% of the total number of meetings of the Board
of Directors and of Committees of the Board on which they served.
We do not have an official policy with regard to Board members’
attendance at annual meetings of stockholders. However, we
encourage all Directors to attend and typically schedule a meeting
of the Board of Directors on the same day as our meeting of
stockholders.
Corporate
Governance Guidelines
Our Board of
Directors, on the recommendation of the Nominating/Corporate
Governance Committee, adopted a set of corporate governance
guidelines, a copy of which is available on our website at
www.gpstrategies.com
under the
“Corporate Governance” page of the “Investors” section. We will
provide a copy of such guidelines to any stockholder who requests
one by contacting our Secretary, 70 Corporate Center, 11000 Broken
Land Parkway, Suite 200, Columbia, MD 21044. We continue to monitor
our corporate governance guidelines to comply with rules adopted by
the SEC, the NYSE and industry practice.
Code
of Business Conduct and Ethics
We have adopted a
Code of Business Conduct and Ethics for our directors, officers and
employees, including, but not limited to, the Chief Executive
Officer and the Chief Financial Officer and other senior managers
in our accounting and finance departments. A copy of this
Code of Business Conduct and Ethics can be found on our website
at www.gpstrategies.com
under the
“Corporate Governance” page of the “Investors” section. We
will provide a copy of such code to any stockholder who requests
one by contacting our Secretary, 70 Corporate Center, 11000 Broken
Land Parkway, Suite 200, Columbia, MD 21044. If we make any
substantive amendments to the Code of Ethics for our executive
officers or directors or grant any waiver from a provision of the
Code of Ethics for our executive officers or directors, we will
within four (4) business days disclose the nature of such amendment
or waiver in a Report on Form 8-K or on our website at
www.gpstrategies.com.
Director
Independence
The Board of
Directors reviews the independence of its members on an annual
basis. No Director will be deemed to be independent unless the
Board affirmatively determines that the Director in question has no
material relationship with the Company, directly or as an officer,
stockholder, member or partner of an organization that has a
material relationship with the Company. The Board has not adopted
any categorical standards of Director independence. However, the
Board of Directors employs the standards of independence of the New
York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) rules currently in effect in making
its determination that a Director qualifies as independent. In its
annual review of Director independence, the Board considers all
commercial, banking, consulting, legal, accounting, charitable or
other business relationships any Director may have with the
Company. As a result of its annual review, the Board of Directors
has determined that Tamar Elkeles, Marshall S. Geller, Steven E.
Koonin, Richard C. Pfenniger, Jr. and Samuel D. Robinson are
independent and that Scott N. Greenberg, Jacques Manardo and Adam
H. Stedham are not independent. The Company has
Nominating/Corporate Governance, Government Security, Compensation
and Audit Committees and based on these standards, all current
members of such Committees are independent. The Company also has an
Executive Committee, of which Mr. Greenberg is a
member.
Stock
Ownership Guidelines
All directors
(other than the Chief Executive Officer) are expected to accumulate
and hold shares of Common Stock with a value of at least five times
their annual cash base fees for serving on the Board and its
committees. As of July 8,
2020, only
Marshall Geller, Richard Pfenniger and Samuel Robinson held shares
of the Company’s common stock sufficient to satisfy the guideline.
However, as of December 31, 2019, Steven Koonin also satisfied the
guideline based on the stock price on that date, but no longer
satisfied the requirement as of July 8,
2020, due
to the significant decline in our stock price. All of our
non-employee directors have elected during 2020 to receive up to
50% of their base cash fees in shares of the Company’s common
stock.
The Chief
Executive Officer is expected to accumulate and hold shares of
Common Stock with a value of at least six times his annual cash
base salary and the other Named Executive Officers are expected to
accumulate and hold shares of Common Stock with a value of at least
three times their respective annual cash base salaries. Until the
ownership guideline is satisfied, the Chief Executive Officer and
Named Executive Officers are required to retain at least 50% of net
profit shares delivered
through the GP
Strategies 2011 Stock Incentive Plan. Net profit shares refer to
those that remain after payment of any exercise price and taxes
owed at the exercise of stock options, vesting of restricted stock,
restricted stock units, or earn out of performance
shares.
Anti-Hedging
Policy
We have an
anti-hedging policy that prohibits our directors, officers and
employees from purchasing financial instruments, including prepaid
variable forward contracts, instruments for the short sale or
purchase or sale of call or put options, equity swaps, collars, or
units of exchangeable funds that are based on fluctuations of the
Company's debt or equity instruments and that are designed to or
that may reasonably be expected to have the effect of hedging or
offsetting a decrease in the market value of any securities of the
Company.
Board
Leadership Structure
Under our current
leadership structure, we have separated the positions of Chairman
and CEO and have an independent director serving as a Lead
Independent Director. The Board of Directors does not have a
policy on whether the roles of Chairman and CEO should be separate
or combined and our By-Laws give the Board the flexibility to
separate or combine the roles of the CEO and Chair as it believes
it advisable and in the best interest of our stockholders to do so.
In addition, our Board has determined that since the Chairman is
not an independent director, then there should also be a Lead
Independent Director. The Board will continue to evaluate our
leadership structure periodically and make changes in the future as
it deems appropriate.
Our Board
believes that separating the roles of Chairman and CEO is currently
the most effective leadership structure for our Company.
Previously, Mr. Greenberg served as both Chairman and CEO.
Effective June 9, 2020, Mr. Greenberg stepped down from his role as
CEO of the Company and the Board determined that it was advisable
for him to remain as Chairman and appointed Mr. Stedham as Interim
CEO. The Board confirmed Mr. Stedham as the non-interim CEO on July
1, 2020. The Board of Directors believes that the separation of
roles allows our Chair, Mr. Greenberg, to focus on the organization
and effectiveness of the Board, while allowing our CEO, Mr. Stedham
to focus on executing our strategy and managing our operations,
performance and risks. Mr. Greenberg, as the former CEO, has
significant knowledge of, and experience in, our business,
industry, operations, and risks, which affords him the insight
necessary to guide discussions at Board
meetings.
As CEO, Mr.
Stedham is directly accountable to our Board and, through our
Board, to our shareholders. Mr. Greenberg's role as Chairman
is both counterbalanced and enhanced by the overall independence of
the Board and independent leadership provided by our Lead
Independent Director, Samuel Robinson. Mr. Robinson was
designated as the Lead Independent Director by our Board in August
2018. The responsibilities of our Lead Independent Director
include:
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Remain independent, failing
which the Lead Director may be removed from the position by a
majority of the independent directors;
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Preside at meetings in
executive session of the non-management directors;
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Recommend the frequency of
and schedule meetings of the non-management directors in executive
session, and invite members of management (including management
directors) to join an executive session for reports to or
discussions with the non-management directors, as
appropriate;
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•
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Consult with the Chairman of
the Board and with the chairs of committees of the Board regarding
topics for reports and discussion at meetings, dates and times of
meetings, allocation of time for specific reports and matters to be
discussed at meetings, and other matters to be addressed at
meetings;
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Provide input on agendas for
all Board meetings;
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Be available for direct
communication and consultation with significant shareholders;
and
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Perform such other duties as
may be assigned by the Board from time to time.
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Our independent
directors may elect another independent director as Lead
Independent Director at any time.
Executive
Sessions of Non-Management Directors
The
non-management Directors meet periodically in executive session.
The executive sessions of non-management Directors are presided
over by the Director who is the Chairman of the Committee
responsible for the issue being discussed. Executive sessions are
also routinely held as a part of meetings of the Audit Committee.
The Board intends to schedule regular executive sessions of
non-management Directors throughout each year. However, any
Director may request additional executive sessions of
non-management Directors to discuss any matter of
concern.
Risk
Oversight
Our Board of
Directors oversees an enterprise-wide approach to risk management,
designed to support the achievement of organizational objectives,
including strategic objectives, to improve long-term organizational
performance and enhance stockholder value. A fundamental part of
risk management is not only understanding the risks the Company
faces and what steps management is taking to manage those risks,
but also understanding what level of risk is appropriate for the
Company. Management is responsible for establishing our business
strategy, identifying and assessing the related risks and
establishing appropriate risk management practices. Our Board
receives reports on various areas of risk, reviews our business
strategy and management’s assessment of the related risk, and
discusses with management the appropriate level of risk for the
Company.
Our Board
administers its risk oversight function with respect to our
operating risk as a whole, and meets with management at least
quarterly to receive updates with respect to our operations,
business strategies and the monitoring of related risks. The Board
also delegates oversight of certain risks to the Audit,
Compensation and Nominating/Corporate Governance
Committees.
Our Audit
Committee oversees financial risk exposures, including monitoring
the integrity of the financial statements, internal controls over
financial reporting, and the independence of the independent
auditor of the Company. The Audit Committee also monitors our
whistleblower hot lines with respect to financial reporting
matters, alleged violations of our codes of conduct and business
ethics, and cybersecurity and information technology risks.
Individuals who supervise day-to-day risk in these areas have
direct access to the Board of Directors through the Audit
Committee.
Our
Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee oversees governance
related risks by working with management to establish corporate
governance guidelines applicable to the Company, including
recommendations regarding director nominees, the determination of
director independence, Board leadership structure and membership on
Board Committees. The Company’s Nominating/Corporate Governance
Committee also oversees risk by working with management to adopt
corporate governance policies and procedures designed to support
the highest standards of business ethics.
Our Compensation
Committee oversees risk management by participating in the creation
of compensation structures that create incentives that support an
appropriate level of risk-taking behavior consistent with the
Company’s business strategy.
Committee
Charters
Each of our
Nominating/Corporate Governance, Audit, and Compensation Committees
acts under a written charter, which may be viewed on the Company’s
website at www.gpstrategies.com under the “Corporate Governance”
page of the “Investors” section at the following location:
https://www.gpstrategies.com/about-us/investors/corporate-governance,
at the following locations:
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Committee
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Online
location of Charter
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Nominating/Corporate
Governance
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https://www.gpstrategies.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Nominating_Corporate-Governance-Committee-Charter-22-June-2016.pdf
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Audit
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https://resources.gpstrategies.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/auditComCharter.pdf
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Compensation
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https://resources.gpstrategies.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/compCharter.pdf
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We will provide a
copy of each committee charter to any stockholder who requests one
by contacting our Secretary, 70 Corporate Center, 11000 Broken Land
Parkway, Suite 200, Columbia, MD 21044.
Nominating/Corporate
Governance Committee
The members of
the Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee are Samuel D.
Robinson, Marshall S. Geller and Richard C. Pfenniger, who is the
Chairman of the Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee. All
members of such committee satisfy the independence requirements of
the NYSE rules currently in effect. The Nominating/Corporate
Governance Committee met one time in 2019. The principal functions of
the Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee are to:
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(i)
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develop policies on the size
and composition of the Board of Directors;
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(ii)
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identify individuals
qualified to become members of the Board of Directors;
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(iii)
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recommend a slate of nominees
to the Board of Directors annually;
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(iv)
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ensure that the Audit,
Compensation and Nominating/Corporate Governance Committees of the
Board of Directors have the benefit of qualified and experienced
independent Directors;
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(v)
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review and reassess the
adequacy of the Board of Directors’ corporate governance principles
(which principles may be viewed online on the Company’s website
at www.gpstrategies.com
under the
“Corporate Governance” page of the “Investors” section);
and
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(vi)
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advise the full Board of
Directors on corporate governance matters.
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Our
Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee identifies individuals
qualified to be Board members, evaluates any stockholder
recommendations for Board membership, and develops and recommends
corporate governance policies and procedures. We did not implement
any changes to our process for stockholder recommendations of
director nominees during 2019.
Criteria
and Diversity
When the Board of
Directors decides to recruit a new member, it seeks strong
candidates who possess qualifications and expertise that will
enhance the composition of the Board of Directors. The criteria for
selecting new Directors can be viewed online on the Company’s
website at www.gpstrategies.com
under the
“Corporate Governance” page of the “Investors” section. The Board
of Directors will consider any such strong candidate provided he or
she possesses integrity and ethical character. The Company may
engage an executive search firm to assist it in finding qualified
candidates. If the Board of Directors does not believe that a
candidate possesses the above personal characteristics, that
candidate will not be considered.
In evaluating
potential board members, the Nominating/Corporate Governance
Committee will apply the criteria set forth in our Corporate
Governance Guidelines including:
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A candidate’s background,
achievements, and experience;
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Demonstrated leadership
ability;
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The intelligence and ability
to make independent analytical inquiries;
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The ability to exercise sound
business judgment; and
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Due consideration to the
Board’s overall balance of diversity of perspectives, backgrounds
and experiences, as well as age, gender and ethnicity.
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Accordingly, in
consideration with many other factors, the Nominating/Corporate
Governance Committee selects nominees with a broad diversity of
abilities, experience, professions, skills and backgrounds. The
Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee does not assign specific
weights to particular criteria and no particular criterion is
necessarily applicable to all prospective nominees. We believe that
the backgrounds and qualifications of members of our Board of
Directors, considered as a group, should provide a significant
composite mix of experience, knowledge and abilities that will
allow the Board to fulfill its responsibilities. Nominees are not
discriminated against on the basis of race, religion, national
origin, sexual orientation, disability or any other basis
proscribed by law.
The
Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee uses the same criteria to
evaluate all candidates regardless of whether the person was
recommended by directors, officers, employees, stockholders or
others. Upon selection of a qualified candidate, the
Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee would recommend the
candidate for consideration by the full Board of
Directors.
Stockholder
Recommendations for Board Nominees
To recommend a
prospective nominee for the Nominating/Corporate Governance
Committee’s consideration, stockholders should submit the
candidate’s name and qualifications to our Secretary in writing at
70 Corporate Center, 11000 Broken Land Parkway, Suite 200,
Columbia, MD 21044. When submitting candidates for nomination to be
elected at our annual meeting of stockholders, stockholders must
also follow the notice procedures and provide the information
required by our By-laws. Our By-laws provide that any stockholder
wishing to nominate a candidate for Director or to propose other
business at an annual meeting of stockholders must give written
notice that is received by our Secretary not less than 90 days
prior to the anniversary date of the proxy statement relating to
the immediately preceding annual meeting of stockholders (no later
than April 21, 2021
with respect to
the 2021 Annual Meeting of Stockholders); provided that in the
event that the annual meeting is called for a date that is not
within 30 days before or after such anniversary date, such notice
must be received not less than 90 days prior to the date of the
meeting or, if the first public announcement of the meeting date is
less than 100 days before such meeting date, not later than the
close of business on the tenth day following the day on which
public disclosure of the date of the annual meeting was first made.
Such notice must provide certain information specified in our
By-laws. Copies of our By-laws are available to stockholders
without charge upon request to our Secretary at the address set
forth above.
Compensation
Committee
The members of
the Compensation Committee are Tamar Elkeles, Marshall S. Geller
and Samuel D. Robinson. Marshall S. Geller is the Chairman of the
Compensation Committee. All members of such committee satisfy the
independence requirements of the NYSE rules currently in effect.
The principal function of the Compensation Committee is to assist
the Board of Directors in discharging its responsibilities in
respect of compensation of the Company’s executive officers
by:
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(i)
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evaluating the Chief
Executive Officer’s performance and setting the Chief Executive
Officer’s compensation based on such evaluation; and
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(ii)
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developing guidelines and
reviewing the compensation and performance of officers of the
Company.
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The Compensation
Committee administers the Company’s Stock Incentive Plan.
Additional information concerning the Compensation Committee is
provided in the "Executive Compensation" section of this Proxy
Statement.
The Compensation
Committee met one time in 2019.
Executive
Committee
The Executive
Committee meets on call and has authority to act on most matters
during the intervals between Board meetings and acts as an advisory
body to the Board of Directors by reviewing various matters prior
to submission to the Board. The Executive Committee’s charter sets
forth limits on the Executive Committee’s authority, including
prohibiting taking any action expressly delegated to another
committee, taking any actions that the board may not delegate under
the Delaware General Corporation Law or approving transactions
greater than a specified size. The members of the Executive
Committee are Scott N. Greenberg, Marshall S. Geller and Samuel D.
Robinson.
Audit
Committee
The members of
the Audit Committee are Richard C. Pfenniger, Jr., Marshall S.
Geller and Samuel D. Robinson. Richard C. Pfenniger, Jr. is the
Chairman of the Audit Committee. All members satisfy the
independence and experience requirements of the SEC and the NYSE
rules currently in effect. The Board of Directors has determined
that Richard C. Pfenniger, Jr. qualifies as an Audit Committee
financial expert. The Audit Committee met six times in
2019.
The Audit
Committee's charter sets forth its responsibilities which
include:
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(i)
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reviewing the independence,
qualifications, services, fees and performance of the independent
auditors;
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(ii)
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appointing, replacing and
discharging the independent auditors;
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(iii)
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approving the professional
services provided by the independent auditors;
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(iv)
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reviewing the scope of the
annual audit and quarterly reports and recommendations submitted by
the independent auditors; and
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(v)
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reviewing the Company’s
financial reporting, the system of internal financial controls, and
accounting policies, including any significant changes, with
management and the independent auditors.
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Communications
with the Board of Directors
The Board of
Directors has provided a process by which stockholders and other
interested parties may send communications to the Board, the
non-management/independent directors as a group, or to individual
members of the Board. Such communications should be directed to the
Secretary of the Company, 70 Corporate Center, 11000 Broken Land
Parkway, Suite 200, Columbia, MD 21044, or by email at
investors@gpstrategies.com, who will forward them to the intended
recipients. Relevant communications are distributed to the Board,
or to any individual director or directors as appropriate,
depending on the facts and circumstances outlined in the
communication. In that regard, the Board has requested that certain
items that are unrelated to the duties and responsibilities of the
Board should be excluded, such as: business solicitations or
advertisements; junk mail and mass mailings; new product or service
suggestions; product or service complaints; product or service
inquiries; resumes and other forms of job inquiries; spam; and
surveys. In addition, material that is unduly hostile, threatening,
illegal or similarly unsuitable will be excluded. Any communication
that is filtered out must be made available to any outside director
upon request.
Identification
of Executive Officers
Set forth below is certain
information regarding the positions and business experience of each
executive officer who is not also a director.
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Executive
Officer
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Age
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Positions
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Russell L.
Becker
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45
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Mr. Becker became Executive
Vice President & Chief Sales Officer of GP Strategies in
January 2018. He has extensive leadership experience helping
organizations establish the right organizational strategy and sales
discipline to achieve their aggressive growth goals. Most recently,
he served as President and CEO of AchieveForum from 2015 to 2017.
Prior to that, he held various leadership positions including
Executive Vice President of Global Sales at Kenexa, a company
acquired by IBM, from 2008 to 2014. Mr. Becker holds a Bachelor of
Arts in Psychology & Political Science and a Masters of
Business Administration from the University of
Nebraska-Lincoln.
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Patricia R.
Begley
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64
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Ms. Begley has been Executive
Vice President of the Company since April 2011, when the Company
acquired the consulting business of RWD Technologies (“RWD”). Prior
to joining RWD in 2005, Ms. Begley was with SAP America where she
served as Senior Vice President, Education for North America, from
2001 to 2005 and held a variety of training and financial positions
from 1996 to 2001. From 1988 to 1996, Ms. Begley was Manager of the
Mid-Atlantic Consumer Products group for Sony Corporation of
America. Prior to that, she held accounting positions at Owens
Illinois, International Playtex and Chesapeake Paper Company. Ms.
Begley received a B.S. degree in Business Administration/Accounting
from Montclair State College.
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Kenneth L.
Crawford
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61
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Mr. Crawford is Executive
Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of GP Strategies. He
was Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of GP
Strategies from April 2007 to March 2018, at which time he was
appointed an Executive Vice President. He became a Senior Vice
President of General Physics in March 2006, was a Vice President of
General Physics from 1991 to March 2006, and became General Counsel
of General Physics in 1991 and Secretary of General Physics in
1990. Mr. Crawford joined General Physics in 1987. Prior to that he
was engaged in the private practice of law. Mr. Crawford is a
graduate of the University of Michigan Law School.
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Michael R. Dugan
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52
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Mr. Dugan became Chief
Financial Officer of GP Strategies in November 2017 and was
appointed an Executive Vice President in March 2018. Prior to this
role, he was Senior Vice President of Finance of GP Strategies
since February 2017 and Vice President of Finance from January 2012
to February 2017. After joining the company as a Controller in
1997, Mr. Dugan has served in roles of increasing responsibility in
the finance department, including serving as Director of Finance
from 2000 to 2011. Mr. Dugan holds a degree in Business Economics
from the University of California, Santa Cruz.
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Donald R. Duquette
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66
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Mr. Duquette has been
Executive Vice President, Learning Solutions, of GP Strategies
since September 2008. He was a Senior Vice President of General
Physics from 2004 to 2008. He was a Vice President of General
Physics from 1989 to 2004 and held various other positions since
joining General Physics in 1979. Mr. Duquette holds a Bachelor of
Science degree in mechanical engineering from Johns Hopkins
University and an Executive MBA from Loyola College.
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PROPOSAL 2.
RATIFICATION OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING
FIRM
The Audit
Committee has selected KPMG LLP as the independent registered
public accounting firm for the Company and its subsidiaries for the
fiscal year ending December 31,
2020. KPMG
LLP has informed the Company that it does not have any financial
interest in the Company and that neither it nor any members or
employees have any connection with the Company in the capacity of
promoter, underwriter, voting trustee, director, officer or
employee. The stockholders’ ratification of the appointment of KPMG
LLP will not impact the Audit Committee’s responsibility pursuant
to its charter, to appoint, replace and discharge the Company’s
independent registered public accounting firm. In the event the
stockholders fail to ratify this selection, it is expected that the
matter of the selection of the Company’s independent registered
public accounting firm will be reconsidered by the Audit
Committee.
A representative
of KPMG LLP is expected to be present at the Annual Meeting, will
have the opportunity to make a statement if he or she so desires
and is expected to be available to respond to appropriate questions
from stockholders.
Independent
Registered Public Accounting Firms’ Fees
The following
table sets forth the fees billed to the Company for the years
ended December 31, 2019
and
2018
for professional
services rendered by KPMG LLP:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2019
|
|
2018
|
Audit Fees
(1)
|
|
$
|
2,042,000
|
|
|
$
|
2,199,000
|
|
Audit-Related Fees
(2)
|
|
49,000
|
|
|
28,000
|
|
Tax Fees (3)
|
|
476,000
|
|
|
300,000
|
|
All Other Fees
|
|
—
|
|
|
—
|
|
Total
|
|
$
|
2,567,000
|
|
|
$
|
2,527,000
|
|
__________________________
|
|
(1)
|
Audit fees for
2019 and 2018 consisted of $1,889,000 and $2,084,000 respectively,
for the audit of our consolidated financial statements, including
quarterly review services, fees with respect to the audit of
internal control over financial reporting and SEC reporting
matters, and $133,000 and $115,000 for 2019 and 2018, respectively,
for statutory audit services for foreign subsidiaries, and fees
related to an updated consent for a Form S-8 registration statement
filing of $20,000 for 2019.
|
|
|
(2)
|
Audited-related
fees for 2019 and 2018 consisted of the audit of the financial
statements of employee benefit plans of $29,000 and $28,000 for
2019 and 2018, respectively, and work paper review support fees of
$20,000 in 2019.
|
|
|
(3)
|
Tax fees for 2019
and 2018 consisted of fees for tax compliance services, including
the preparation of tax returns, and tax consulting services
including technical research.
|
Policy on
Pre-Approval of Services Provided by Independent
Auditor
Pursuant to the
requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, the terms of the
engagement of KPMG LLP are subject to specific pre-approval
policies of the Audit Committee. All audit and permitted
non-audit services to be performed by KPMG LLP require pre-approval
by the Audit Committee in accordance with pre-approval policies
established by the Audit Committee. The procedures require
all proposed engagements of KPMG LLP for services of any kind be
directed to the Company’s Chief Financial Officer and then
submitted for approval to the Audit Committee prior to the
beginning of any service.
Audit
Committee Report
During the year
ended December 31,
2019, the
Audit Committee reviewed and discussed the Company’s annual report
on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, the Company’s
earnings releases and the Company’s audited financial statements
with management and with KPMG LLP, prior to their release. In
addition, in accordance with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act
of 2002, the Audit Committee reviewed and discussed with
management, the company’s internal auditors and KPMG LLP,
management’s report on the operating effectiveness of internal
control over financial reporting in accordance with Section 404 of
the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, including KPMG LLP’s related report
and attestation. The Audit Committee also discussed with KPMG LLP
the matters required to be discussed by Public Company Accounting
Oversight Board (“PCAOB”) Auditing Standards relating to the
conduct of the audit. The Audit Committee has received the written
disclosures and the letter from KPMG LLP required by applicable
requirements of the PCAOB regarding the independent
accountant’s
communications with the Audit
Committee concerning independence and has discussed with KPMG LLP
their independence and satisfied itself as to KPMG LLP’s
independence.
Based on the
Audit Committee’s review of the audited financial statements and
the review and discussions described in the foregoing paragraph,
the Audit Committee recommended to the Board of Directors that the
audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended
December 31,
2019 be
included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal
year ended December 31, 2019
for filing with
the SEC. In addition, the Audit Committee approved KPMG LLP as the
independent registered public accounting firm for the Company and
its subsidiaries for the fiscal year ending December 31,
2020.
Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary set forth in any of the Company’s previous
filings under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
“Securities Act”) or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended, (the “Exchange Act”) that might incorporate future filings
made by the Company under either the Securities Act or the Exchange
Act, in whole or in part, this report shall not be deemed to be
incorporated by reference into any such filings, nor will this
report be incorporated by reference into any future filings made by
the Company under either the Securities Act or the Exchange
Act.
Audit
Committee
Richard C.
Pfenniger, Jr., Chairman
Marshall S.
Geller
Samuel D.
Robinson
Required
Vote and Board Recommendation
Approval of this
proposal requires the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes
cast on the matter.
The Board of
Directors recommends a vote FOR the proposal to ratify the
appointment of KPMG LLP as the Company’s independent registered
public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending
December 31,
2020.
EXECUTIVE
COMPENSATION
Compensation
Committee
The Compensation
Committee is responsible for establishing and administering our
policies governing the compensation of our executive officers and
directors. The responsibilities of the Compensation Committee
include the following:
|
|
•
|
Develop
guidelines and review and approve corporate goals relevant to the
compensation of the Chief Executive Officer, evaluate the Chief
Executive Officer’s performance in light of these goals and
objectives, and set the Chief Executive Officer’s compensation
based on this evaluation;
|
|
|
•
|
Produce an annual
report on executive compensation for inclusion in our proxy
statement, in accordance with applicable rules and
regulations;
|
|
|
•
|
Develop
guidelines and review the performance of executive officers of the
Company, make recommendations to the Board with respect to the
compensation of our executive officers (other than the Chief
Executive Officer) and incentive-compensation plans and
equity-based plans, and establish criteria for the granting of
stock-based compensation to our officers and other employees, and
review and approve the granting of stock-based compensation in
accordance with such criteria;
|
|
|
•
|
Review director
compensation levels and practices, and recommend from time to time
changes in such compensation levels and practices to the Board,
with equity ownership in the Company encouraged;
|
|
|
•
|
Annually review
and reassess the adequacy of the charter of the Compensation
Committee and recommend any proposed changes to the Board for
approval; and
|
|
|
•
|
Make
recommendations to the Board with respect to (a) committee member
qualifications, (b) committee member appointments and removals, (c)
committee structure and operations, and (d) committee reporting to
the Board.
|
The Compensation
Committee is responsible for making or recommending to the Board
compensation decisions regarding the Chief Executive Officer, the
President, the Chief Financial Officer and our other executive
officers. The Compensation Committee is also involved in making or
recommending to the Board compensation decisions regarding certain
key non-executive officer employees.
None of the
members of the Compensation Committee is a current or former
officer or employee of ours.
Compensation
Discussion & Analysis
Overview
This Compensation
Discussion and Analysis explains our compensation philosophy,
policies and practices with respect to our Chief Executive Officer,
Chief Financial Officer, and the other Named Executive Officers.
The information contained in the following tables and related
footnotes and narrative discussions focuses primarily on the last
completed fiscal year, but we also describe compensation actions
taken before or after the last completed fiscal year to the extent
they enhance the understanding of our executive compensation
disclosure.
Results of
2019
Stockholder Say on Pay Vote
At our
2019
annual meeting of
stockholders our stockholders overwhelmingly approved the
compensation of our Named Executive Officers, with 14,008,851
shares voting in favor (representing over 99% of shares voted and
approximately 84% of shares outstanding), 92,951 shares voting
against, 41,646 shares abstaining and 1,121,173 shares held by
brokers not voting. These results are similar to the stockholder
votes on executive compensation at our 2018 annual meeting of
stockholders, so we believe that our stockholders are generally
supportive of the amounts and the manner in which Named Executive
Officers have been compensated. The Compensation Committee did not
consider the results of the 2019 stockholder advisory vote on
executive compensation when making decisions regarding executive
compensation in 2019.
Compensation
Philosophy and Objectives
The Compensation
Committee seeks to provide compensation programs designed
to:
|
|
•
|
Attract and
retain talented and dedicated executives;
|
|
|
•
|
Motivate and
reward executives whose knowledge, skills, potential and
performance are critical to our success; and
|
|
|
•
|
Align the
interests of our executive officers and stockholders by motivating
executive officers to increase stockholder value and rewarding
executive officers when stockholder value increases.
|
The Compensation
Committee believes that the most effective compensation program is
one that provides competitive base pay, rewards the achievement of
goals and objectives, and provides an incentive for retention. The
principal elements of our executive compensation program are base
salary, annual cash incentives, long-term equity incentives (the
vesting of which may accelerate upon termination of employment
and/or a change in control), other benefits and perquisites and
post-termination severance compensation. Base salary, benefits, and
limited perquisites are designed to attract and retain highly
qualified individuals. Also, in order to avoid excessive risk
taking, it is important that not all cash compensation be variable.
Annual cash incentive compensation awards are designed to focus the
entire senior executive team, including the Named Executive
Officers, toward achieving our goals while recognizing their
individual contributions. Long-term equity incentives are designed
to align the interests of our Named Executive Officers with our
stockholders, reward overall enterprise performance, and encourage
the retention of the Named Executive Officers by providing
additional opportunities for them to participate in the ownership
of the Company and its future growth.
Setting
Executive Compensation
We typically
evaluate annually whether the elements of our executive
compensation program are aligned with our compensation philosophy
and objectives, while also promoting the interests of our
stockholders. As part of this evaluation, we subscribe annually to
a number of compensation data resources to evaluate the
compensation of our executive officers compared to similar
positions in the marketplace, including resources published by
Kenexa, Mercer and Western Management Group which provide base
salary and bonus compensation data. In general, our objective is to
compensate our executive officers at levels between the
50th
percentile for
executives in similar positions at similarly sized companies, which
we believe usually allows us to satisfy the objectives described
above. The Compensation Committee has sometimes deemed it
appropriate to compensate certain executives at levels outside the
50th
percentile for
executives in similar positions due to the executives’ experience
and the market for executives with similar experience, scope of
responsibility, accountability and impact on our operations, and
the impact their departure could potentially have on our
performance.
In addition, to
assist management and the Compensation Committee in assessing and
determining competitive compensation packages, at times we have
engaged an independent compensation consultant to evaluate the
compensation of certain executive officers and other key employees.
In 2015, we engaged Frederic W. Cook and Co., Inc. (the
"compensation consultant") to assess the competitiveness of
compensation levels for certain of our officers, including our
named executive officers, relative to peer group and survey market
data. We have not engaged a compensation consultant to evaluate our
compensation structure since then.
Elements
of Compensation
Base Salary
General
The Compensation
Committee, with input from the Chief Executive Officer, considers
competitive, individual and company performance data in order to
make or recommend compensation decisions that will incentivize,
retain and maintain a competitive standing for each executive
officer. The Compensation Committee considers several factors when
adjusting an executive’s salary, including individual and Company
performance, the executive’s market value and prospective value to
us, the knowledge, experience and accomplishments of the executive,
the executive’s level of responsibility, the recommendation of the
Chief Executive Officer as to officers other than the Chief
Executive Officer, and the compensation levels for individuals with
similar credentials. Our executive officers' salaries are set based
on survey market data with salaries typically being approximating
the 50th percentile for executives in similar positions at
similarly sized companies.
Reduction in
Base Salary of Named Executive Officers
On March 26,
2020, the Compensation Committee of our Board of Directors approved
a restructuring of compensation of the Company’s leadership to
reduce salaries of its Chief Executive Officer, President,
Executive Vice Presidents, Senior Vice Presidents, Vice Presidents
and director-level employees. The Compensation Committee approved
reduction of the salaries of each of the Company’s named executive
officers by 15%. Each named executive officer who was required to
consent to this reduction under the terms of their employment
agreement consented. These reductions in base salaries were
effective as of April 1, 2020. The Company implemented this
reduction to reallocate the amount of total compensation received
by employees as base salary and in connection with this reduction
of base salaries, the Company granted the affected employees
restricted stock units, described below under “Restricted Stock
Unit Grants to Named Executive Officers.”
|
|
|
|
Named
Executive Officer
|
|
Annual
Salary Effective
April 1,
2020
|
Scott N. Greenberg, Former
Chief Executive Officer; Senior Advisor
|
|
$476,000
|
Michael R. Dugan, Chief
Financial Officer
|
|
$297,500
|
Adam H. Stedham, Chief
Executive Officer and President
|
|
$425,000
|
Donald R. Duquette, Executive
Vice President
|
|
$297,500
|
Kenneth L. Crawford,
Executive Vice President, General Counsel &
Secretary
|
|
$280,500
|
Cash-Based Incentive Compensation (Bonus)
Bonus to our
Former Chief Executive Officer
The employment
agreement with our Chief Executive Officer contains a formula for
determining his annual cash bonus. The formula ties the bonus
payable to him to increases in our earnings before income taxes,
depreciation and amortization (“EBITDA”) compared to the prior
year, as adjusted for acquisitions and dispositions and other
extraordinary or unusual nonrecurring items as defined in his
employment agreement. EBITDA is a widely used non-GAAP
financial measure of operating performance. EBITDA is calculated
from our audited financial statements by adding back interest
expense, income tax expense, depreciation and amortization to net
income, and adjusting for certain non-recurring items such as gains
or losses on the change in fair value of contingent consideration.
Under his employment agreement, the Chief Executive Officer’s bonus
is (a) 1% of base salary for each 1% increase in EBITDA, up to a
10% increase; (b) then 2% of base salary for each 1% increase in
EBITDA, up to a 15% increase; (c) then 3% of base salary for each
1% increase in EBITDA, up to a 25% increase; subject to a maximum
bonus for any calendar year of 50% of his base salary for that
year. In calculating the bonus for Mr. Greenberg for any year in
which we acquire any business, the formula set forth in his
employment agreement requires that EBITDA for the prior year be
adjusted to reflect the budgeted EBITDA of the acquired business
(as set forth in the budget numbers on which the acquisition was
based) for the period from the date of the acquisition to the end
of the calendar year in which the acquisition takes
place.
For
2019, our Adjusted EBITDA, as
defined in Mr. Greenberg's employment agreement and adjusted for
acquisitions, dispositions and other extraordinary or unusual
nonrecurring items, decreased 14%. As a result, no bonus was paid
to Mr. Greenberg with respect to the year ended December 31,
2019
pursuant to his
employment agreement or otherwise.
Bonuses to
our other Named Executive Officers
Our Short-Term
Incentive Program (the "STIP") provides for the payment of cash
bonuses to eligible employees of the Company and its subsidiaries,
including all of the Named Executive Officers except for Mr.
Greenberg. Mr. Greenberg, the Company's Former Chief Executive
Officer is not eligible to participate in the STIP as his cash
bonus is determined under his individual employment agreement as
described above.
We adopted a new
STIP in 2018. The STIP divides eligible employees into three
categories based on their levels of responsibility. In 2019,
Category 1 consisted of the members of the Executive Council of the
Company, other than the Chief Executive Officer, currently the
President, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Sales Officer, General
Counsel, and the Executive Vice Presidents in charge of the
Workforce Excellence and Business Transformation Services Segments.
This category includes all of the Company's Named Executive
Officers. Category 2 consists of any Executive Vice President or
Senior Vice President of the Company who is not included in
Category 1. Category 3 consists of the other Vice Presidents of the
Company. The STIP also establishes a general pool for paying
short-term incentives to all other eligible employees of the
Company.
For each category
of participants (other than those in the general pool), the STIP
establishes the target level of short-term incentive opportunity,
types of performance objectives, and allocation of incentives among
those types of performance objectives. The specific performance
objectives to be used and the thresholds for earning part or all of
the short-term incentive opportunity allocated to each of those
objectives are established each year in accordance with the terms
of the STIP applicable for the category.
Employees in
Category 1 (which includes the participating Named Executive
Officers) have a target short-term incentive opportunity of 75% of
annual base salary, which is earned based on achievement against a
mix of Company-level objectives. Participants in the STIP will
generally have the opportunity to earn 20% (Minimum Level), 60%
(Medium Level), 100% (Target Level) or 150% (Maximum Level) of
their target compensation based on their levels of achievement on
various performance measures. For the Category 1 employees, 40% of
the target short-term incentive opportunity is allocated to
a
revenue growth
objective and 60% to an adjusted EBITDA growth objective. The total
bonus payment is calculated based on the combination of the
achieved levels for the revenue and EBITDA measures, except that
achievement of one measure cannot exceed more than one level above
the other. For example, if the Company achieved Medium Level on the
EBITDA objective and Maximum Level on the revenue objective, bonus
awards would be calculated using Medium Level for the EBITDA
objective and Target Level for the revenue objective. For 2019, the
Company reported revenue of $583.3 million, which resulted in
achievement of the Medium Level for the revenue measure, and
reported $40.9 million of Adjusted EBITDA, which was below the
Minimum Level for the Adjusted EBITDA measure. As a result, the
Named Executive Officers' bonus awards were based on achievement of
the Minimum Level for the revenue measure since the payout cannot
be based on an achievement level that exceeds more than one level
above the other.
The STIP may
change at any time at the discretion of the Compensation Committee
of the Board of Directors. Awards under the Plan require the
authorization and approval by the Compensation Committee of the
Board of Directors.
The table below
summarizes the Revenue and Adjusted EBITDA targets for the year
ended December 31, 2019 and the actual bonus percentage achieved
relative to the total bonus opportunity, and the resulting bonus
earned as a percentage of salary for our Named Executive Officers
that participate in the STIP.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2019 Bonus
Targets by Performance Goal
|
|
|
Revenue
Targets (40% of Bonus Opportunity)
|
|
Actual Bonus
% Earned for Revenue Measure (40% of Bonus
Opportunity)
|
|
Adjusted
EBITDA Targets (60% of Bonus Opportunity)
|
|
Actual Bonus
% Earned for Adjusted EBITDA Target (60% of Bonus
Opportunity)
|
|
Total Bonus
Earned as a % of Salary (1)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Minimum Level
(20%)
|
|
$569.6 million
|
|
20%
|
|
$43.6 million
|
|
—%
|
|
6%
|
Medium Level
(60%)
|
|
$581.3 million
|
|
—%
|
|
$47.5 million
|
|
—%
|
|
—%
|
Target Level
(100%)
|
|
$593.3 million
|
|
—%
|
|
$51.3 million
|
|
—%
|
|
—%
|
Maximum Level
(150%)
|
|
$611.0 million
|
|
—%
|
|
$56.5 million
|
|
—%
|
|
—%
|
Total
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
6%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
__________________________
|
|
(1)
|
Total bonus
earned as a percentage of salary is calculated as follows: total
bonus opportunity of 75% of salary, multiplied by 40% of bonus
opportunity attributable to the revenue measure, multiplied by 20%
achievement of the revenue measure (since minimum Adjusted EBITDA
target was not met, the achievement of the revenue measure was
limited to the Minimum Level). Based on this achievement level, the
following bonus payments were paid to the participating Named
Executive Officers in March 2020 for the year ended December 31,
2019: $21,000 to Mr. Dugan, $30,000 to Mr. Stedham, $21,000 to Mr.
Duquette and $17,400 to Mr. Crawford.
|
Long-term Equity Incentive Compensation
Our Compensation
Committee also grants to the Named Executive Officers equity
compensation under our incentive stock plan. Equity compensation
for the Named Executive Officers, which has historically taken the
form of stock options and restricted stock units, is designed to
align the interests of our executives with our stockholders as well
as to retain the executives. Equity grants are also intended to
drive long term performance, in that the value ultimately realized
is linked to stock price appreciation. Option grants have no value
without stock price appreciation, and restricted stock has value at
grant that can increase with stock price appreciation and decrease
with stock price declines. Thus, the Compensation Committee
believes that equity grants should motivate management to enhance
the value of our common stock.
The Compensation
Committee awards equity compensation to supplement our executive
officers’ compensation to ensure that total compensation is
competitive in the marketplace and to align compensation with our
long term goals and objectives. Our long-term incentive program
provides for the issuance to certain key executives of
performance-vesting and time-vesting restricted stock units under
the Company’s 2011 Stock Incentive Plan (the “2011
Plan”).
Our Long -Term
Incentive Program ("LTIP") provides a target level of equity
compensation for each participant, which is determined by
multiplying the officer’s annual base salary by a number. Under the
LTIP, the following multipliers apply for each of the Named
Executive Officers: Scott Greenberg, our Chief Executive Officer,
1.3 times salary, Adam Stedham, President 1.1 times salary,
Executive Vice Presidents 0.8 times salary (including named
executive officers Michael R. Dugan, Donald R. Duquette and Kenneth
L. Crawford), and Senior Vice Presidents who participate in the
plan, 0.6 times salary. The
Committee also
revised the LTIP in 2018 to provide that all new grants of
restricted stock units under the LTIP will have performance-based
vesting.
The Committee
also changed the performance measure that the Company will use to
determine vesting of the restricted stock units. As amended, the
LTIP now provides that performance-based grants will vest based on
percentage compound annual growth rate (“CAGR”) in “Equity Value
per Share” over a three year measurement period. The LTIP defines
Equity Value per Share as Adjusted EBITDA times a multiplier
determined by the Committee, minus debt and cash, then divided by
basic shares outstanding on the measurement date. The Committee
believes that use of this measurement better provides management
with incentives based on factors within their control that align
with the creation of value for the Company’s stockholders - the
rate of EBITDA growth and capital efficiency in achieving that
growth. The use of a fixed multiplier insulates the vesting
mechanism from volatility in market prices of the Company’s
shares.
Pursuant to the
authority granted to it under the 2011 Plan, on May 15, 2019 the
Compensation Committee granted performance-vesting restricted stock
units to certain officers, including all of the Named Executive
Officers, and established the performance-vesting measures and
targets for the performance period applicable to the grants.
Employees will not be entitled to the performance-based restricted
stock units unless they are an employee through the end of a
three-year performance period running through December 31, 2021,
except in case of the recipient's death or disability, retirement,
or upon a change in control, which will result in pro rata vesting
to the extent that the Compensation Committee determines that the
targets it established have been achieved. For the 2019-2021
performance period, the Compensation Committee authorized the
following performance metrics and vesting schedule for the LTIP
grants:
|
|
|
|
|
|
Equity Value
per Share
|
Metric
|
|
%
Vesting
|
|
3 Year CAGR
of Share Value
|
<$15.28
|
|
0%
|
|
0%
|
15.28-19.24
|
|
10%
|
|
0%
|
19.25
|
|
25%
|
|
8%
|
20.34
|
|
50%
|
|
10%
|
21.47
|
|
75%
|
|
12%
|
23.24
|
|
100%
|
|
15%
|
25.11
|
|
125%
|
|
18%
|
Up to 322,159
shares of our common stock could be issued in respect of the
performance-vesting restricted stock units granted in 2019 if the
target performance level established by the Compensation Committee
for Equity Value per Share is achieved or exceeded during the
2019-2021 performance period.
Under the prior
LTIP, the performance measures for the 2017 and 2016 grants were
based on average annual return on capital ("ROIC") and average
annual growth in EBITDA (adjusted to exclude the effect of
acquisitions, dispositions, and certain other nonrecurring or
extraordinary items) ("Adjusted EBITDA"). For both of the
three-year performance periods ended December 31, 2019 and 2018,
the vesting terms for each grant were based 50% based on a target
level of ROIC and 50% based on a target level of Adjusted EBITDA.
For the three year performance periods ended December 31, 2019 and
2018, respectively, we did not meet the minimum ROIC or Adjusted
EBITDA targets and, therefore, no awards from the 2017 and 2016
grants of performance-based stock units vested.
Restricted
Stock Unit Grants to Named Executive Officers
On March 26,
2020, in connection with the salary reductions noted above, the
Compensation Committee approved restricted stock unit (RSU) grants
with an effective date of April 1, 2020 to the named executive
officers with a value of approximately 1.5 times the amount of
their respective salary reductions. 25% of the RSUs will vest on
each of the first through fourth anniversaries of the grant
date.
|
|
|
|
Named Executive
Officer
|
|
Value of RSU
Grant
|
Scott N. Greenberg, Former
Chief Executive Officer; Senior Advisor
|
|
$123,760
|
Michael R. Dugan, Chief
Financial Officer
|
|
$77,350
|
Adam H. Stedham, Chief
Executive Officer and President
|
|
$110,500
|
Donald R. Duquette, Executive
Vice President
|
|
$77,350
|
Kenneth L. Crawford,
Executive Vice President, General Counsel &
Secretary
|
|
$72,930
|
On July 17, 2020,
the Board of Directors of the Company, on the recommendation of its
Compensation Committee, decided to not make any grants under the
LTIP for the 2020-2022 performance period due to the volatile and
uncertain economic circumstances arising out of the COVID-19
pandemic and the resulting difficulty in making the estimates and
other decisions necessary for the LTIP to work as intended. Because
the Board continues to believe that long-term, equity-based
compensation tied to the Company’s performance is an integral
component of an effective compensation program, in place of the
regular LTIP grants Board of Directors approved grants of
performance-based restricted stock units to certain executives who
it believes are key to the Company’s navigation of the current
situation and emerging from it prepared for success, including the
grants to the named executive officers set forth in the table
below.
The RSUs will
vest on the third anniversary of the grant date if the volume
weighted adjusted price per share (VWAP) of the Company’s common
stock exceeds certain levels for a period of 60 consecutive
calendar days during the performance period. A tranche of RSUs will
vest at VWAP representing each of a 25%, 50% and 75% increase over
VWAP on July 17, 2020 ($8.37/share). The named executive officers
received the following grants:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Named Executive
Officer
|
|
RSUs vesting at First Tranche
(25% increase in VWAP/share ($10.46 /share)
|
|
RSUs vesting at First Tranche
(50% increase in VWAP/share ($12.56 /share)
|
|
RSUs vesting at First Tranche
(75% increase in VWAP/share ($14.65 /share)
|
|
Total RSUs
|
Michael R. Dugan, Chief
Financial Officer
|
|
10,000
|
|
|
15,000
|
|
15,000
|
|
40,000
|
Adam H. Stedham, Chief
Executive Officer and President
|
|
25,000
|
|
|
30,000
|
|
30,000
|
|
85,000
|
Donald R. Duquette, Executive
Vice President
|
|
5,000
|
|
|
10,000
|
|
10,000
|
|
25,000
|
Other Benefits
We also provide
our Named Executive Officers with the following other benefits as
part of our overall compensation program and which we believe are
consistent with the types of benefits offered by
competitors:
|
|
•
|
Retirement
Savings Plan: We maintain a defined
contribution 401(k) plan in which all eligible employees may
participate. The company may make matching contributions under the
401(k) Plan at its discretion equal to a uniform percentage of the
first 7% of base compensation for eligible employees.
|
|
|
•
|
Health
and Welfare Benefits: All full-time employees,
including our Named Executive Officers, may participate in our
health and welfare benefit programs, including medical, dental and
vision care coverage, disability insurance and life
insurance.
|
|
|
•
|
Life
Insurance Premiums: Life insurance policies, in
excess of the standard life insurance plans offered to full-time
employees, are offered to the Named Executive Officers.
During 2019, the executive life
insurance policies provided coverage up to five times the
executive’s annual base salary. The premiums are fully paid by us.
A policy may, at the executive’s election, be transferred to the
executive upon termination of employment.
|
|
|
•
|
Automobile
Allowances: During 2019, each of the Named Executive
Officers either used a vehicle leased or owned by us for both
business and personal use or received a monthly car allowance in
lieu of using a vehicle leased or owned by us.
|
Employment
Agreements, Severance Benefits and Change in Control
Provisions
Messrs.
Greenberg, Stedham, Crawford and Duquette have written employment
agreements which provide for separation payments and benefits upon
termination of employment under certain circumstances.
Post-termination payments with respect to these executives are set
forth in their respective employment agreements. The termination
provisions for these executives are summarized in the “Potential
Payments upon Termination or Change in Control” section later in
this report. Mr. Dugan does not have a written employment
agreement. As disclosed in our Form 8-K filed on June 15, 2020 in
connection with Mr. Greenberg stepping down as Chief Executive
Officer, we are entering into a new employment agreement with Mr.
Greenberg. When that agreement is finalized and executed we intend
to file an amendment to the June 15, 2020 Form 8-K describing the
material terms of the agreement and to file the agreement as an
Exhibit to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter in
which it becomes effective. As disclosed in our Form 8-K
filed on July 13, 2020 in connection with Mr. Crawford stepping
down as Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of
the Company, we are entering into a transition, retirement and
separation agreement with Mr. Crawford. When that agreement is
finalized and executed we intend to file an amendment to the July
13, 2020 Form 8-K describing the material terms of the agreement
and to file the agreement as an Exhibit to our Quarterly Report on
Form 10-Q for the quarter in which it becomes
effective.
Tax
Deductibility of Executive Compensation
Limitations on
deductibility of compensation may occur under Section 162(m) of the
Internal Revenue Code, which generally limits the tax deductibility
of compensation paid by a public company to its chief executive
officer and certain other highly compensated executive officers to
$1 million in the year the compensation becomes taxable to the
executive officer. The “Tax Cuts and Jobs Act” eliminates the
“qualified performance-based compensation” exception under Section
162(m) of the Code for taxable years beginning on or after January
1, 2018, but provides transition relief for compensation paid under
binding written contracts that were in effect as of November 2,
2017, so long as the contract is not materially modified after such
date. We intend that performance-based compensation paid under our
incentive plans pursuant to grants made before November 2, 2017 be
generally fully deductible for federal income tax purposes.
However, no assurance can be given that compensation intended to
qualify for the performance-based exception in fact will so qualify
and may exceed the $1 million limitation in order to ensure
competitive levels of total compensation for our executive
officers.
Summary
Compensation Table
The following
table sets forth all compensation earned by each of the Named
Executive Officers for the years ended December 31,
2019, 2018 and 2017. The Named Executive
Officers are the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial
Officer, and the three other most highly compensated officers who
were serving as executive officers at December 31,
2019.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Name and
principal
position
|
|
Year
|
|
Salary
($)
|
|
Bonus
($)
|
|
Stock
Awards
($) (1)
|
|
Option
Awards
($)
|
|
Non-Equity
Incentive
Plan
Compensation
($)
|
|
|
|
All Other
Compensation
($) (2)
|
|
Total ($)
|
Scott N. Greenberg
Former Chief Executive Officer (CEO through June 9,
2020)
|
|
2019
|
|
560,000
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
425,633
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
(3)
|
|
31,870
|
|
|
1,017,503
|
|
|
2018
|
|
560,000
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
546,003
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
(3)
|
|
31,025
|
|
|
1,137,028
|
|
|
2017
|
|
560,000
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
554,285
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
(3)
|
|
29,278
|
|
|
1,143,563
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Michael R. Dugan
Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer
|
|
2019
|
|
321,875
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
163,702
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
21,000
|
|
|
(4)
|
|
18,828
|
|
|
525,405
|
|
|
2018
|
|
275,000
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
164,998
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
(4)
|
|
18,105
|
|
|
458,103
|
|
|
2017
|
|
212,708
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
45,621
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
(4)
|
|
15,130
|
|
|
273,459
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Adam H. Stedham
Chief Executive Officer & President (CEO from June 9,
2020)
|
|
2019
|
|
462,500
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
321,568
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
30,000
|
|
|
(4)
|
|
20,716
|
|
|
834,784
|
|
|
2018
|
|
390,588
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
391,880
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
(4)
|
|
135,422
|
|
|
917,890
|
|
|
2017
|
|
237,500
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
78,991
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
(4)
|
|
13,100
|
|
|
329,591
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Donald R. Duquette
Executive Vice President
|
|
2019
|
|
350,000
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
163,702
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
21,000
|
|
|
(4)
|
|
40,509
|
|
|
575,211
|
|
|
2018
|
|
350,000
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
210,002
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
(4)
|
|
29,674
|
|
|
589,676
|
|
|
2017
|
|
350,000
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
204,833
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
(4)
|
|
29,836
|
|
|
584,669
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kenneth L.
Crawford
Executive Vice President, General Counsel &
Secretary
|
|
2019
|
|
315,000
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
154,354
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
17,400
|
|
|
(4)
|
|
27,856
|
|
|
514,610
|
|
|
2018
|
|
290,000
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
173,996
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
(4)
|
|
26,995
|
|
|
490,991
|
|
|
2017
|
|
290,000
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
113,142
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
(4)
|
|
22,554
|
|
|
425,696
|
|
_______________________
|
|
(1)
|
Reflects the grant date fair
value for financial statement reporting for awards of restricted
stock units or stock options in the year they were granted. For
assumptions used in computing the fair value of stock-based
compensation awards, see Note
12 to the
Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8 of our Annual Report on
Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 10, 2020.
|
|
|
(2)
|
All other compensation
includes matching contributions under our Retirement Savings Plan,
automobile lease payments and/or allowances, and life insurance
premiums. A breakdown of these amounts is as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Name
|
|
Year
|
|
Company
Matching
Contributions
to
401(k) Plan ($)
|
|
Automobile
Payments
or
Allowance
($)
|
|
Life
Insurance
Premiums
($)
|
|
Other ($)
(5)
|
|
Total ($)
|
Scott N.
Greenberg
|
|
2019
|
|
7,600
|
|
|
11,400
|
|
|
12,870
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
31,870
|
|
|
|
2018
|
|
7,400
|
|
|
10,755
|
|
|
12,870
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
31,025
|
|
|
|
2017
|
|
7,200
|
|
|
9,208
|
|
|
12,870
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
29,278
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Michael R. Dugan
|
|
2019
|
|
5,958
|
|
|
8,730
|
|
|
4,140
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
18,828
|
|
|
|
2018
|
|
5,775
|
|
|
8,763
|
|
|
3,657
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
18,195
|
|
|
|
2017
|
|
5,956
|
|
|
7,350
|
|
|
1,824
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
15,130
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Adam H. Stedham
|
|
2019
|
|
6,490
|
|
|
9,806
|
|
|
4,420
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
20,716
|
|
|
|
2018
|
|
5,804
|
|
|
9,823
|
|
|
2,925
|
|
|
116,870
|
|
|
135,422
|
|
|
|
2017
|
|
5,625
|
|
|
7,272
|
|
|
203
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
13,100
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Donald R.
Duquette
|
|
2019
|
|
7,840
|
|
|
8,400
|
|
|
24,269
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
40,509
|
|
|
|
2018
|
|
7,517
|
|
|
9,287
|
|
|
12,870
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
29,674
|
|
|
|
2017
|
|
7,200
|
|
|
9,766
|
|
|
12,870
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
29,836
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kenneth L.
Crawford
|
|
2019
|
|
6,670
|
|
|
9,174
|
|
|
12,012
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
27,856
|
|
|
|
2018
|
|
6,482
|
|
|
9,425
|
|
|
11,088
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
26,995
|
|
|
|
2017
|
|
6,330
|
|
|
9,000
|
|
|
7,224
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
22,554
|
|
____________________
|
|
(3)
|
Bonus pursuant to Mr.
Greenberg’s employment agreement. See Compensation
Discussion & Analysis.
|
|
|
(4)
|
Bonus pursuant to the
Company’s Short-term Incentive Plan. See Compensation
Discussion & Analysis.
|
|
|
(5)
|
For 2018, includes $116,870
paid to Mr. Stedham for relocation and moving expenses in
connection with his relocation to the Company's Columbia, MD
headquarters office.
|
Grants of
Plan-Based Awards
The following
table sets forth certain information with respect to non-equity and
equity incentive plan awards granted during the year ended
December 31,
2019 to
our Named Executive Officers:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Estimated Possible Payouts Under
Non-Equity Incentive Plan Awards (1)
|
|
Estimated Future Payouts Under
Equity Incentive Plan Awards (2)
|
|
All Other
Stock
Awards:
Number of
Shares of Stock or Units (#) (3)
|
|
Grant date
fair value of stock and option awards ($) (4)
|
Name
|
|
Grant
Date
|
|
Threshold
($)
|
|
Target
($)
|
|
Maximum
($)
|
|
Threshold
(#)
|
|
Target
(#)
|
|
Maximum
(#)
|
Scott N.
Greenberg
|
|
n/a
|
|
—
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
280,000
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
5/15/2019
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
5,528
|
|
|
55,277
|
|
|
69,096
|
|
|
|
|
425,633
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Michael R. Dugan
|
|
n/a
|
|
52,500
|
|
|
262,500
|
|
|
393,750
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
5/15/2019
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2,126
|
|
|
21,260
|
|
|
26,575
|
|
|
|
|
163,702
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Adam H. Stedham
|
|
n/a
|
|
75,000
|
|
|
375,000
|
|
|
562,500
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
5/15/2019
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
4,176
|
|
|
41,762
|
|
|
52,203
|
|
|
|
|
321,568
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Donald R.
Duquette
|
|
n/a
|
|
52,500
|
|
|
262,500
|
|
|
393,750
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
5/15/2019
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2,126
|
|
|
21,260
|
|
|
26,575
|
|
|
|
|
163,702
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kenneth L.
Crawford
|
|
n/a
|
|
43,500
|
|
|
217,500
|
|
|
326,250
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
5/15/2019
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2,005
|
|
|
20,046
|
|
|
25,058
|
|
|
|
|
154,354
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
_____________________________
|
|
(1)
|
For Mr.
Greenberg, the maximum potential bonus is capped at 50% of his base
salary. For the other Named Executive Officers, the target bonus
opportunity is 75% of the executive's annual base salary. The
actual bonuses earned were $21,000 by Mr. Dugan, $30,000 by Mr.
Stedham, $21,000 by Mr. Duquette and $17,400 by Mr. Crawford and
are included in the Non-Equity
Incentive Plan Compensation column of the Summary
Compensation Table. No bonuses were earned by Mr. Greenberg in
respect of the year ended December 31, 2019 pursuant to the
terms of the employment agreement, as applicable (see
Compensation
Discussion & Analysis).
|
|
|
(2)
|
The amounts
reported in these columns show the threshold, target and maximum
award opportunities for the performance-based restricted stock
units granted to the Named Executive Officers. These restricted
stock units vest on December 31, 2021, subject to the executive's
continued employment with the Company, if and only to the extent
that specific performance goals with respect to the Company's
Equity Value per Share are met during a three-year performance
period. The threshold amounts represent the minimum number of
shares payable for a certain level of performance, the target
amount represents 100% payout and the maximum amount represents
125% of the target payout possible under the plan.
|
|
|
(3)
|
The amounts
reported in this column represent the time-based restricted stock
units granted to the Named Executive Officers. These restricted
stock units vest subject to the executive's continued employment
with the Company over a future period as specified in the
executive's restricted stock unit agreement.
|
|
|
(4)
|
The amounts
reported in this column represent the grant date fair value of each
equity award computed for financial statement reporting. In the
case of the performance-based restricted stock units, the amounts
reported are based upon the probable outcome of the applicable
performance-based vesting conditions at the time of grant at the
target payout level. Assumptions made in computing the grant date
fair value of these awards are described in Note
12 to the
Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8 of our Annual Report on
Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 10, 2020.
|
Outstanding
Equity Awards at Fiscal Year-End
The following
table sets forth certain information with respect to the value of
all unexercised options and/or unvested restricted stock units
previously awarded to our Named Executive Officers as of
December 31,
2019:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Option Awards
|
|
Stock Awards
|
Name
|
|
Number of
securities
underlying
unexercised
options (#)
exercisable
|
|
Number of
securities
underlying
unexercised
options (#)
unexercisable
|
|
Option
exercise
price ($)
|
|
Option
expiration
date
|
|
Number
of shares
or units of
stock that
have not
vested (#)
|
|
Market
value of
shares or
units of
stock that
have not
vested ($)
(1)
|
Equity
incentive plan awards: number of unearned shares, units or other
rights that have not vested (#) (2)
|
Equity
incentive plan awards: market or payout value of unearned shares,
units or other rights that have not vested ($) (1)
|
Scott N.
Greenberg
|
|
—
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
—
|
|
120,711
|
|
1,597,007
|
|
Michael R. Dugan
|
|
—
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
—
|
|
32,871
|
|
434,883
|
|
Adam H. Stedham
|
|
—
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
—
|
|
68,144
|
|
901,545
|
|
Donald R.
Duquette
|
|
—
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
—
|
|
42,002
|
|
555,686
|
|
Kenneth L.
Crawford
|
|
—
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
—
|
|
34,932
|
|
462,150
|
|
_________________________
|
|
(1)
|
The amounts in these columns
are calculated by multiplying the number of shares by the closing
market price of our Common Stock on December 31, 2019
of $13.23 per
share.
|
|
|
(2)
|
Represents the target number
of shares that can be earned pursuant to the grant of
performance-based restricted stock units. These restricted stock
units vest, subject to the executive's continued employment with
the Company, if and only to the extent that specific performance
goals with respect to certain financial measures established for
each grant are met during a three-year performance
period.
|
Option
Exercises and Stock Vested
The table below
sets forth the number of shares issued upon option exercises, the
value realized on option exercises, the number of shares of
restricted stock vested, and the realized value upon vesting of the
restricted stock by our Named Executive Officers during fiscal
year 2019.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Option Awards
|
|
Stock Awards
|
Name
|
|
Number
of shares
acquired on
exercise (#)
|
|
Value
realized on
exercise ($)
|
|
Number
of shares
acquired
on
vesting
(#)
|
|
Value
realized on
vesting
($) (1)
|
Scott N.
Greenberg
|
|
—
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
—
|
|
Michael R. Dugan
|
|
—
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
618
|
|
|
8,176
|
|
Adam H. Stedham
|
|
—
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
1,070
|
|
|
14,156
|
|
Donald R.
Duquette
|
|
—
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
2,775
|
|
|
36,713
|
|
Kenneth L.
Crawford
|
|
—
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
1,533
|
|
|
20,282
|
|
_________________________
|
|
(1)
|
Represents stock units which
vested during 2019. Value realized upon vesting
is based on the closing market price of our Common Stock on each
vesting date.
|
Potential
Payments Upon Termination or Change in Control
Description of Termination Provisions in Employment
Agreements
With the
exception of Michael Dugan, we have written employment agreements
with the four other named executive officers. The employment
agreements for these Named Executive Officers provide for various
payments and benefits to be made to them if their employment with
us is terminated for certain reasons. The circumstances in which
payments may be made and the potential amounts of those payments
are described in this section. We believe that the payments
provided for in these agreements are reasonable and appropriate as
part of the total compensation packages available for our Named
Executive Officers. The following description of certain terms of
the employment agreements with our Named Executive Officers is a
summary and is subject to, and qualified in its entirety by, the
agreements, which have been filed as exhibits to our filings with
the SEC. The employment agreement between us and Mr. Greenberg
provide for termination by either party on two years’ notice,
unless sooner terminated:
•by the
executive’s death or disability;
•by the
executive for “good reason,” as defined below;
•by us for
“cause,” as defined below; or
•by mutual
agreement between us and the executive.
The employment
agreements between us and each of Messrs. Stedham, Duquette and
Crawford will continue in effect until terminated:
•by the
executive’s death or disability;
•by the
executive for “cause,” as defined below;
•by us for
“cause,” as defined below;
•by us or
the executive by giving the other a period of “required notice,” as
defined below; or
•by mutual
agreement between us and the executive.
The “required
notice” period is 18 months for Mr. Stedham, 12 months for Messrs.
Duquette and Crawford.
The discussion
and tables below reflect the estimated termination benefits that
would be paid or accrue to each of the Named Executive Officers in
the event of the following termination scenarios:
|
|
◦
|
Termination by the Company for Cause – If we terminate the
employment of one of the named executives for “cause,” as defined
below, such executive would be entitled to unpaid base salary and
continuation of benefits through the date of termination
only.
|
“Cause” is
defined under the employment agreements of Mr. Greenberg as
follows:
|
|
•
|
Willful and
continued failure to substantially perform his duties or
obligations under the employment agreement (after notice and
failure to cure); or
|
|
|
•
|
Willful engaging
in misconduct which is materially monetarily injurious to
us.
|
“Cause” as
defined under the employment agreements of Messrs. Stedham,
Duquette and Crawford exists if such executive shall:
|
|
•
|
Be convicted,
plead guilty, or enter a plea of nolo contendere to a felony or a
crime involving moral turpitude (for Messrs. Duquette and
Crawford); be convicted, plead guilty, or enter a plea of nolo
contendere to a felony or a crime which could reasonably be
expected to have a significant detrimental impact on the Company’s
reputation (for Mr. Stedham); or be indicted for, charged with,
convicted of, plead guilty or plead nolo contendere to a felony or
other crime which could reasonably be expected to have a
significant detrimental impact on the Company’s reputation (for Mr.
Becker); or
|
|
|
•
|
Be the subject of
a civil or administrative action for an illegal act which could
reasonably be expected to have a significant detrimental impact on
the Company’s reputation and not deny the act or be found by the
relevant authority to have committed the act (for Mr. Stedham
only); or
|
|
|
•
|
Commit any act or
omit to take any action in bad faith and to our detriment;
or
|
|
|
•
|
Willfully and
continually fail to perform his or her duties or obligations under
any provision of the employment agreement in any material respect,
and shall not correct such failure within ten days after receipt of
written notice thereof; or
|
|
|
•
|
Fail to perform
his or her duties or obligations pursuant to the non-compete and
confidential information provisions of his or her employment
agreement in any material respect.
|
|
|
◦
|
Termination upon disability – We may terminate the
employment of a Named Executive Officer in the event of such
executive’s incapacity due to extended physical or mental illness.
In the case of disability, the affected executive would be entitled
to his or her unpaid base salary and continuation of benefits
through the date of termination only. If Mr. Greenberg has been
absent from his duties on a full-time basis for the entire period
of six consecutive months due to physical or mental illness, we may
terminate his employment thirty days after giving him notice of
termination if he has not returned to the performance of his duties
on a full-time basis within those thirty days. If Messrs. Stedham,
Duquette or Crawford are unable to fully discharge his duties for a
period of ninety consecutive days due to a serious health condition
(as defined in the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993) and after
giving effect to any reasonable accommodation required by law, we
may terminate his employment as of a date specified in a notice of
termination given to such employee.
|
|
|
◦
|
Termination upon death – In the event of death, each
of the Named Executive Officers is entitled to his or her full
salary through the date of death and we are required to pay his or
her spouse or estate the following: for Mr. Greenberg – an amount
equal to his full salary for one year after the date of death; and
for Messrs. Duquette and Crawford – his full salary through the end
of the calendar month within which termination occurred plus his
full salary for the following two calendar months, and for purposes
of the vesting of any stock units outstanding and unvested as of
the date of termination of his employment, he shall be deemed to
have been employed through the remaining period under the
employment agreement.
|
|
|
◦
|
Termination by the Company without cause or by the Executive for
“good reason” or “just cause” – If we terminate a Named
Executive Officer’s employment without cause or a Named Executive
Officer terminates his or her employment for “good reason” or “just
cause,” as defined below, then the Named Executive Officer would be
entitled to certain compensation discussed in detail
below.
|
“Good reason” is
defined under the employment agreements of Mr. Greenberg as
follows:
|
|
•
|
A change in
control as defined in his employment agreement; or
|
|
|
•
|
A management
change in control as defined in his employment agreement;
or
|
|
|
•
|
A failure by us
to comply with any material provision of the employment agreement
which has not been cured within ten days after notice of such
noncompliance has been given to us by the executive;
or
|
|
|
•
|
Any purported
termination of the executive’s employment by us which is not
effected pursuant to a notice of termination satisfying the
requirements of the employment agreement.
|
Messrs. Duquette
and Crawford shall be deemed to have resigned for “just cause”
under the terms of his employment agreement, in the event that he
resigns within sixty days following either:
|
|
•
|
Our imposition,
without express written consent of the executive, of any
significant change in his function, duties, or responsibilities
that is not consistent with him being an executive, unless we
rescind or modify such change within ten business days after
receipt of written notice from the executive; or
|
|
|
•
|
Our failure to
make any material payment, or provide any material benefit to the
executive pursuant to the employment agreement, unless we correct
any such deficiency within ten business days after receipt of
written notice from the executive; or
|
|
|
•
|
Our breach of any
other term of the employment agreement, unless we correct such
failure or breach within thirty days after written notice from the
executive.
|
Mr. Stedham may
terminate their employment agreements for “good reason”
if:
|
|
•
|
We reduce the
executive’s base salary without his consent and fail to restore it
to its previous level within 30 days after notice from the
executive;
|
|
|
•
|
Our failure to
make any material payment, or provide any material benefit to the
executive pursuant to the employment agreement, unless we correct
any such deficiency within ten business days after receipt of
written notice from the executive; or
|
|
|
•
|
Our breach of any
other term of the employment agreement, unless we correct such
failure or breach within thirty days after written notice from the
executive.
|
|
|
•
|
We change his
title or job duties in any material respect which diminishes his
position or damages his professional reputation; or
|
|
|
•
|
We eliminate (and
not replace with a comparable alternative), reduce, or fail to make
any material payment without his consent with respect to restricted
stock granted to him under our Long-Term Incentive Program and fail
to restore it within 30 days after notice from him; or
|
|
|
•
|
We relocate our
headquarters more than 30 miles for Columbia, Maryland despite his
written objection and we fail to provide reasonable accommodations
which would enable him to maintain a work/life balance comparable
to what exists prior to the relocation.
|
Termination
Payments under Mr. Greenberg’s Employment Agreement
If we terminate
Mr. Greenberg’s employment without cause, or if he terminates his
employment for “good reason” other than as a result of a management
change in control, we are obligated to pay him his full salary and
provide his benefits through the date of termination, pay his full
bonus for the calendar year in which the date of termination
occurs, and pay as severance an amount equal to his average annual
cash compensation received from us during the three full calendar
years immediately preceding the termination date, multiplied by the
greater of (i) the number of years that would have been remaining
in the employment period if his employment had not been terminated
and (ii) three. In addition, all options to purchase Common Stock
granted to him shall become fully vested and we must provide him
with continued benefits for three years under all employee benefit
plans and programs in which he was entitled to participate prior to
the termination.
If Mr. Greenberg
terminates his employment as a result of a management change in
control, we are obligated to pay him his full salary and provide
his benefits through the date of termination, pay his full bonus
for the calendar year in which the date of termination occurs, and
pay as severance an amount equal to his average annual cash
compensation received from us during the three full calendar years
immediately preceding the termination date, multiplied by two. In
addition, all options to purchase Common Stock granted to him shall
become fully vested and we must provide him with continued benefits
for two years under all employee benefit plans and programs in
which he was entitled to participate prior to the
termination.
As disclosed in
our Form 8-K filed on June 15, 2020 in connection with Mr.
Greenberg stepping down as Chief Executive Officer, we are entering
into a new employment agreement with Mr. Greenberg. When that
agreement is finalized and executed we intend to file an amendment
to the June 15, 2020 Form 8-K describing the material terms of the
agreement and to file the agreement as an Exhibit to our Quarterly
Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter in which it becomes
effective.
Termination
Provisions of Employments Agreement with Messrs. Stedham, Duquette
and Crawford
If during the
term of Messrs. Stedham, Duquette’s or Crawford's employment
agreements we terminate his employment without “cause” or any of
them terminates his employment for good reason or just cause and he
is in full compliance with his obligations under the employment
agreement, we are obligated to pay the executive his base annual
salary at the rate in effect on the date of such termination, and
the executive will continue to be eligible to receive such benefits
as he would have been entitled to had his employment not
terminated, for a period of time after termination equal to the
length of the required notice.
The amounts shown
in the table below assume that the noted triggering events occurred
on December 31, 2019
with respect to
the five Named Executive Officers. Other relevant assumptions and
explanations are provided in the footnotes following the table. The
amounts shown reflect only the additional payments or benefits that
a Named Executive Officer would have received upon the occurrence
of the respective triggering events listed below; they do not
include the value of payments or benefits that would have been
earned, or any amounts associated with equity awards that would
have vested absent the triggering event. As discussed above, none
of the Named Executive Officers receive additional compensation in
the event of voluntary or involuntary termination for “cause” or in
the event of disability.
As disclosed in
our Form 8-K filed on July 13, 2020 in connection with Mr. Crawford
stepping down as Executive Vice President, General Counsel and
Secretary of the Company, we are entering into a transition,
retirement and separation agreement with Mr. Crawford. When that
agreement is finalized and executed we intend to file an amendment
to the July 13, 2020 Form 8-K describing the material terms of the
agreement and to file the agreement as an Exhibit to our Quarterly
Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter in which it becomes
effective.
Vesting
of Restricted Stock Units
The
performance-vesting and time-vesting restricted stock units granted
to the Named Executive Officers under the long-term incentive
program contain certain additional provisions relating to the
effect of a change in control. If there is a change of control as
defined in the 2011 Plan (other than a change in control that is a
“Sale of the Company”, as defined below), performance-vesting
restricted stock units will at the effective time of the change of
control vest pro rata to the extent that the Compensation Committee
determines that the targets it established for such units have been
achieved. If there is a change of control as defined
in the 2011 Plan
(other than a change in control that is a “Sale of the Company”, as
defined below) and a Named Executive Officer’s employment is
terminated other than for cause, retirement, death, or disability
within twelve months after the change of control, time-vesting
restricted stock units will fully vest. On January 10, 2020, our
Board approved the recommendation of the Compensation Committee to
amend the LTIP and all outstanding RSUs under the 2011 Plan to
provide that, to the extent not already vested or previously
forfeited, all awards of RSUs will vest on the effectiveness of a
“Sale of the Company.” The LTIP amendments define a “Sale of the
Company” to be (x) the closing of a sale or other conveyance of all
or substantially all of the assets of the Company or (y) the
effective time of the acquisition of the Company through a merger,
share exchange, consolidation, or other business combination
involving the Company if immediately after such transaction persons
who hold a majority of the outstanding voting securities entitled
to vote generally in the election of directors of the surviving
entity (or the entity owning 100% of such surviving entity) are not
persons who, immediately prior to such transaction, held the
outstanding securities of the Company entitled to vote generally in
the election of directors.
Potential
Post-Employment Payments
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Name / Element of Compensation
|
|
Termination
due to Death
|
|
|
|
Termination
Without Cause
or for Good
Reason,
Excluding
Change in
Control
|
|
|
|
Termination
due to Change
in Control
|
|
|
|
Termination due
to Management
Change in
Control
|
|
|
Scott N.
Greenberg
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Salary
|
|
$
|
560,000
|
|
|
(1)
|
|
$
|
—
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
—
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
—
|
|
|
|
Severance
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
|
1,680,000
|
|
|
(2)
|
|
1,680,000
|
|
|
(2)
|
|
1,120,000
|
|
|
(3)
|
Stock units
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
|
1,597,007
|
|
|
(4)
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
Benefits
continuation
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
|
39,209
|
|
|
(5)
|
|
39,209
|
|
|
(5)
|
|
26,140
|
|
|
(6)
|
Total
|
|
$
|
560,000
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
1,719,209
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
3,316,216
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
1,146,140
|
|
|
|
Michael R.
Dugan
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Salary
|
|
$
|
—
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
175,000
|
|
|
(7)
|
|
$
|
—
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
—
|
|
|
|
Stock units
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
|
434,883
|
|
|
(4)
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
Benefits
continuation
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
|
6,535
|
|
|
(7)
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
Total
|
|
$
|
—
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
181,535
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
434,883
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
—
|
|
|
|
Adam H.
Stedham
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Salary
|
|
$
|
—
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
750,000
|
|
|
(8)
|
|
$
|
—
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
—
|
|
|
|
Stock units
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
|
901,545
|
|
|
(4)
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
Benefits
continuation
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
|
19,605
|
|
|
(9)
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
Total
|
|
$
|
—
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
769,605
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
901,545
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
—
|
|
|
|
Donald R.
Duquette
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Salary
|
|
$
|
58,333
|
|
|
(10)
|
|
$
|
350,000
|
|
|
(1)
|
|
$
|
—
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
—
|
|
|
|
Stock units
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
|
555,686
|
|
|
(4)
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
Benefits
continuation
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
|
13,070
|
|
|
(11)
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
Total
|
|
$
|
58,333
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
363,070
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
555,686
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
—
|
|
|
|
Kenneth L.
Crawford
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Salary
|
|
$
|
55,000
|
|
|
(10)
|
|
$
|
330,000
|
|
|
(1)
|
|
$
|
—
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
—
|
|
|
|
Stock units
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
|
462,150
|
|
|
(4)
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
Benefits
continuation
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
|
13,070
|
|
|
(11)
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
Total
|
|
$
|
55,000
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
343,070
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
462,150
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
—
|
|
|
|
____________________
|
|
(1)
|
Represents one
year of current salary as of December 31, 2019.
|
|
|
(2)
|
Represents
severance payment pursuant to employment agreement which equals the
average of his cash compensation for the last three calendar years
multiplied by three.
|
|
|
(3)
|
Represents
severance payment pursuant to employment agreement which equals the
average of his cash compensation for the last three calendar years
multiplied by two.
|
|
|
(4)
|
Represents
outstanding shares under the 2011 Plan that would vest upon the
effectiveness of a Sale of the Company. The value represents the
outstanding number of shares at the target level that can be earned
pursuant to the grant of performance-based restricted stock units,
multiplied by the closing market price of our Common Stock
on December 31, 2019
of $13.23 per
share.
|
|
|
(5)
|
Represents an
estimate of the incremental cost to the Company for benefits
continuation for three years subsequent to termination
date.
|
|
|
(6)
|
Represents an
estimate of the incremental cost to the Company for benefits
continuation for two years subsequent to termination
date.
|
|
|
(7)
|
Represents six
months of severance and continued benefits based on the Company's
severance policy for terminations without cause typically offered
to vice presidents.
|
|
|
(8)
|
Represents
eighteen months of current salary as of December 31,
2019.
|
|
|
(9)
|
Represents an
estimate of the incremental cost to the Company for benefits
continuation for eighteen months subsequent to the termination
date.
|
|
|
(10)
|
Represents two
full calendar months of current salary as of December 31,
2019.
|
|
|
(11)
|
Represents an
estimate of the incremental cost to the Company for benefits
continuation for one year subsequent to the termination
date.
|
CEO Pay
Ratio
In this section,
we are providing required disclosure regarding the total
compensation of the CEO to the total compensation of our median
employee. We selected October 1, 2017 as the date on which to
determine our median employee. As of that date, we had 3,793 full
time and part time employees. Our entire employee population, which
consisted of 2,071 employees in the United States and 1,722
employees located outside of the United States, were considered for
identifying the median employee. Salaries for all foreign employees
were converted to U.S. dollars using year-to-date average exchange
rates. For purposes of identifying the median employee from the
employee population, we used base salary as of October 1,
2017.
As permitted by
SEC rules, we used the same median employee for the 2019 pay ratio
disclosure because we believe there were no changes that would
significantly impact this disclosure. The 2019 annual total
compensation as determined under Item 402 of Regulation S-K for our
CEO was $1,017,503 as reported in the Summary Compensation Table of
this filing. The 2019 annual total compensation as determined under
Item 402 of Regulation S-K and described above for our median
employee was $59,226. The ratio of our CEO's annual total
compensation to our median employee's annual total compensation for
the fiscal year 2019 was approximately 17 to 1.
The CEO Pay Ratio
above represents our reasonable estimate calculated in a manner
consistent with SEC rules and applicable guidance. SEC rules and
guidance provide significant flexibility in how companies identify
the median employee and each company may use a different
methodology and make different assumptions particular to that
company. As a result, and as explained by the SEC when it adopted
these rules, in considering the pay ratio disclosure, shareholders
should keep in mind that the rule was not designed to facilitate
comparisons of pay ratios among different companies, even companies
within the same industry, but rather to allow shareholders to
better understand and assess each particular company's compensation
practices and pay ratio disclosures.
Neither the
Compensation Committee nor our management used our CEO Pay Ratio
measure in making compensation decisions.
Director
Compensation
Our Board of
Directors has adopted guidelines for the compensation of our
non-employee directors. The following summarizes the annual
compensation payable to our non-employee directors as approved by
the Board of Directors for the year ended December 31,
2019:
|
|
•
|
Base annual fee of
$45,000;
|
|
|
•
|
Additional annual fee of
$40,000 for serving as Chairman of the Board, excluding the Chief
Executive Officer (beginning in 2019, our Lead Independent Director
will also receive an annual fee of $40,000);
|
|
|
•
|
Additional annual fee of
$15,000 for serving on the Executive Committee, excluding the
Chairman;
|
|
|
•
|
Additional annual fee of
$20,000 for serving as Chairman of the Audit
Committee;
|
|
|
•
|
Additional annual fee of
$8,000 for serving on the Audit Committee;
|
|
|
•
|
Additional annual fee of
$7,000 for serving as Chairman of the Compensation
Committee;
|
|
|
•
|
Additional annual fee of
$5,000 for serving on the Compensation Committee,
Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee and Government Security
Committee;
|
|
|
•
|
Additional annual fee of
$12,000 for serving as Chairman of the Nominating/Corporate
Governance Committee (beginning in 2019, directors serving on this
committee (other than the Chairman) will receive an additional
annual fee of $5,000);
|
|
|
•
|
Additional annual fee of
$10,000 for serving as Chairman of the Government Security
Committee; and
|
|
|
•
|
Directors receive $11,250 per
quarter of our common stock, with the number of shares calculated
based on the closing price of our common stock at the end of the
quarter).
|
These annual fees
are prorated and paid on a quarterly basis. Beginning in 2019,
directors may elect to be paid up to 100% of their annual fees in
shares of our common stock. In addition to the annual retainers,
each non-employee director received $1,500 for each Board meeting
attended and $750 for each committee meeting attended, but only if
the committee meeting was held on a different date than the Board
meeting.
Directors
Compensation Table
The following
table shows the compensation earned by each individual who served
as a director during the year ended December 31, 2019
(excluding Mr.
Greenberg, whose compensation as Chief Executive Officer is shown
above in the Summary Compensation Table):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Name
|
|
Fees earned or paid
in cash ($)
|
|
Stock awards ($)
|
|
All other
compensation ($)
|
|
Total ($)
|
Tamar Elkeles
|
|
69,750
|
|
|
45,028
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
114,778
|
|
Marshall S.
Geller
|
|
64,875
|
|
|
82,522
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
147,397
|
|
Steven E. Koonin
|
|
30,250
|
|
|
100,016
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
130,266
|
|
Jacques Manardo
|
|
58,500
|
|
|
61,598
|
|
|
120,000
|
|
(1)
|
240,098
|
|
Richard C. Pfenniger,
Jr.
|
|
95,750
|
|
|
45,028
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
140,778
|
|
Samuel D.
Robinson
|
|
124,000
|
|
|
45,028
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
169,028
|
|
Miriam H. Strouse
(2)
|
|
15,000
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
15,000
|
|
____________________
|
|
(1)
|
Other compensation includes
consulting fees for advisory services to the Company.
|
|
|
(2)
|
Miriam Strouse resigned from
the Board of Directors on March 15, 2019.
|
Compensation
Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation
Members of the
Compensation Committee of our Board of Directors are Tamar Elkeles,
Marshall S. Geller, Chairman, and Samuel D. Robinson. None of the
members of the Compensation Committee during 2019 (a) was an officer or
employee of the Company, (b) was a former officer of the Company or
(c) had any relationship requiring disclosure by the Company under
any paragraph of Item 404 of Regulation S-K.
Compensation
Committee Report
The Compensation
Committee has reviewed and discussed with management the subject
matter in the “Compensation Discussion and Analysis” ("CD&A")
and has reviewed the CD&A included in this proxy statement.
Based upon this review, the Compensation Committee recommended to
our Board of Directors that the “Compensation Discussion and
Analysis” be included in this proxy statement filed with the SEC in
connection with the Company’s annual meeting of
stockholders.
COMPENSATION
COMMITTEE OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Tamar
Elkeles
Marshall S.
Geller
Samuel D.
Robinson
PROPOSAL 3.
ADVISORY VOTE ON COMPENSATION OF NAMED EXECUTIVE
OFFICERS
We are requesting
stockholders to approve the following non-binding, advisory
resolution at the 2020 Annual Meeting of
Stockholders:
RESOLVED, that
the stockholders of GP Strategies Corporation provide their
advisory approval of the compensation of GP Strategies
Corporation’s Named Executive Officers disclosed in the
Compensation Discussion and Analysis, the compensation tables and
related notes and narrative contained in the Proxy Statement for GP
Strategies Corporation’s 2020 Annual Meeting of
Stockholders.
Approval of this
advisory proposal requires the affirmative vote of a majority of
the votes cast on the matter.
This vote is not
intended to address any specific item of compensation, but rather
the overall compensation of the Named Executive Officers as
described in this Proxy Statement. This vote is advisory and
therefore not binding on the Company. The Compensation Committee,
however, will review the outcome of this vote and will take it into
account in making determinations concerning the compensation of our
executive officers in the future.
Executive
Compensation Philosophy
The Compensation
Committee seeks to provide compensation programs designed
to:
|
|
•
|
Attract and
retain talented and dedicated executives;
|
|
|
•
|
Motivate and
reward executives whose knowledge, skills, potential and
performance are critical to our success; and
|
|
|
•
|
Align the
interests of our executive officers and stockholders by motivating
executive officers to increase stockholder value and rewarding
executive officers when stockholder value increases.
|
The Compensation
Committee believes that the most effective compensation program is
one that provides competitive base pay, rewards the achievement of
goals and objectives, and provides an incentive for
retention.
We believe that
the 2019 compensation of the Company's
Named Executive Officers was appropriate and aligned with the
Company’s 2019 strategic objectives and
performance. We encourage you to read the Compensation
Discussion and Analysis section of this Proxy
Statement beginning on page 16, which describes in more detail the
Company’s compensation philosophy and the policies and procedures
that have been designed to achieve our compensation objectives, as
well as the Summary
Compensation Table and other related
compensation tables, notes and narrative, beginning on page 23 of
this Proxy Statement, which provide detailed information on the
compensation of the Company’s Named Executive
Officers.
The Board of
Directors recommends a vote FOR approval of this proposal. If not
otherwise specified, proxies will be voted FOR approval of this
proposal.
PROPOSAL 4.
APPROVAL OF AMENDMENT TO THE 2011 STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN
Amendment to
the Plan
We are asking
shareholders to approve an amendment (the “Plan Amendment”) to the
2011 Stock Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) to implement three changes
to the Plan:
(1) to increase
the number of shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share,
authorized for issuance under the Plan from 2,205,764 to
3,105,764;
(2) to prohibit
granting stock awards that are entitled to dividends before vesting
of the award; and
(3) to extend the
life of the Plan by three years, from October 14, 2021 to October
14, 2024.
The Company
believes that the existing number of shares available under the
Plan will not be sufficient to meet the Company’s anticipated needs
to support our equity compensation plan beyond 2020. Equity-based
compensation is a critical component of our ability to both attract
and retain talent. It is important that we have the ability to
issue equity-based compensation to help attract high-quality people
to the company, retain their services, and align their interests to
those of stockholders and the creation of long-term stockholder
value. Therefore, the Company believes that the proposed increase
in the number of shares available is in the best interests of
shareholders as it will permit the Company to continue to
compensate its directors, officers and employees as it believes
necessary to attract and retain a high-quality team. In the early
part of 2020 our share price has been significantly negatively
impacted by the widespread impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. This
decrease in share price, together with equity grants made to a
large group of employees who suffered salary reductions as part of
the Company’s COVID-19 related cost cutting, has resulted in a
sooner than expected need for additional shares under the Plan. The
Company has not made grants of stock awards that would receive
dividends or dividend equivalents before vesting as a matter of
practice, but believes it is in the best interest of shareholders
to have this prohibited by the Plan itself. The Company believes it
is in the best interest of shareholders to extend the life of the
Plan so that it can continue effectively compensate its directors,
officers and employees and attract and retain a high-quality
team.
Shares
Subject to the Plan and Available for Future Grants
If stockholders
approve the Plan, then the shares reserved under the Plan will
increase by 900,000 shares of our common stock, and the cumulative
aggregate share authorization under the Plan will increase to
3,105,764 shares. The following table summarizes information
regarding awards outstanding and shares remaining available for
grant as of July 8,
2020:
|
|
|
|
Stock Options
Outstanding
|
—
|
|
Weighted Average Exercise
Price of Stock Options Outstanding
|
N/A
|
|
Weighted Average Remaining
Term of Stock Options Outstanding
|
N/A
|
|
Full Value Awards Outstanding
(RSU's and performance-based restricted stock)
|
1,218,471
|
|
Shares Available for Grant
under the 2011 Stock Incentive Plan
|
95,619
|
|
If the
shareholders approve the Plan Amendment, we will have 995,619
shares available for future grants of awards under the
Plan.
The increase in
the number of shares available under the Plan will allow the Board
to continue to provide equity incentive awards as part of our
long-term incentive compensation program described in the
Compensation Disclosure & Analysis section of the proxy
statement.
Summary of
the Material Terms of the Plan, As Amended
A summary of the
material terms of the Plan, as amended by the Plan Amendment, is
set forth below. This summary is qualified in its entirety by the
detailed provisions of the Plan, as amended, a copy of which is
attached as Appendix A to this Proxy Statement and which is
incorporated by reference into this proposal. We encourage
stockholders to read and refer to the complete plan document in
Appendix A for a more complete description of the Plan, as
amended.
Background
and Purpose
The Plan is
intended to promote long-term growth and profitability by providing
key people with incentives to improve the value of the Company and
contribute to our growth and financial success and by enabling us
to attract, retain and reward the best-available employees,
officers, directors, and other service providers.
Eligibility
and Participation
Participation in
the Plan is open to all of our employees, officers, directors and
other individuals who provide services to us or any of our
affiliates, as the administrator of the Plan may select from time
to time. Our Compensation Committee serves as the
administrator. The administrator may also grant awards to
individuals in connection with their hiring, recruitment or other
related circumstance before the date that the relevant individual
first performs those services for us or any of our affiliates;
however, no awards may vest or become exercisable, and no shares
may be issued, before the individual commences performance of those
services. As of the date of this Proxy Statement, six
non-employee directors and approximately 4,400 employees are
eligible to participate in the Plan.
Types of
Awards
The Plan provides
for the grant of stock options, stock appreciation rights, and
other stock-based awards (including performance awards), as each is
described more fully below, which may be granted separately or in
tandem with other awards. The administrator is responsible
for determining the prices, expiration dates, and other material
conditions governing the exercise of the awards granted under the
Plan. We may make or guarantee loans to assist award holders
in the exercise of awards or to satisfy any withholding tax
obligations arising from awards granted under the Plan, to the
extent permitted by law. Securities laws, however, preclude
us from making or guaranteeing any such loans to our executive
officers and Company policy prohibits loans to any employees for
any reason. Types of awards that may be granted under the
Plan include:
Stock
Options. The administrator may
grant tax-qualified incentive stock options, within the meaning of
Code Section 422, or nonqualified stock options.
However, only employees of the Company or its subsidiaries may
receive tax-qualified incentive stock options. All stock
options must have an exercise price equal to or above the fair
market value of our shares on the date of grant and a term of no
longer than ten years. As of July 8,
2020, the
fair market value of a share of our Common Stock was $8.05.
An option holder may pay the exercise price in cash or by
broker-assisted cashless exercise or, to the extent permitted by
the administrator, by tendering shares or by net share settlement,
or by any other means that the administrator approves or any
combination of the foregoing.
Stock
Appreciation Rights. The administrator may
grant stock appreciation rights that entitle the holder to receive
a payment in cash, shares or a combination of the foregoing, having
an aggregate value that is equal to the excess (if any) on the date
of exercise of the fair market value of the underlying shares on
that date over the base price of the shares specified in the grant
agreement. The base price per share specified in the grant
agreement cannot be less than the lower of the fair market value of
shares on the grant date or the exercise price of any tandem stock
option award to which the stock appreciation right is
related. No stock appreciation right may have a term longer
than ten years’ duration.
Stock-Based
Awards. The administrator may
grant stock-based awards in such amounts, on such terms and
conditions and for such consideration (including no consideration
or such minimum consideration as may be required by law), as the
administrator determines. A stock award may be restricted or
unrestricted and may be denominated and paid in cash, shares or
other securities, stock-equivalent units, securities or debentures
convertible into shares, or any combination of these.
Performance-Based
Awards. The administrator may
grant stock-based awards that are “qualified performance-based
compensation” within the meaning of Code Section 162(m).
The administrator may determine that the grant of, or lapse of
restrictions with respect to, performance-based stock awards may be
based upon one or more performance measures or objective
performance targets to be attained relative to those performance
measures. Performance targets may include minimum, maximum,
intermediate and target levels of performance, with the size of the
performance-based stock award or the lapse of restrictions based on
the level of performance attained. The administrator is
authorized to make adjustments to the
method of
calculating the attainment of performance measures or targets in
recognition of extraordinary or non-recurring items and items that
are either of an unusual nature or of a type that indicates
infrequency of occurrence as a separate component of income from
continuing operations, changes in tax laws, changes in generally
accepted accounting principles or accounting policies, changes
related to restructured or discontinued operations, the restatement
of prior period financial results, or any other unusual,
non-recurring gain or loss that is separately identified and
quantified in our financial statements.
For this purpose,
“performance measures” mean the criteria established by the
administrator in either absolute terms or relative to the
performance of one or more comparable companies or an index
covering multiple companies and that relate to any of the
following, as it may apply to an individual, one or more business
unit(s), divisions or subsidiaries or the whole of the
Company:
|
|
•
|
Earnings or
Profitability Metrics: earnings/loss (gross,
operating, net, or adjusted); earnings/loss before interest and
taxes (“EBIT”); earnings/loss before interest, taxes, depreciation
and amortization (“EBITDA”); profit margins; expense levels or
ratios; in each case adjusted to eliminate the effect of any one or
more of the following: interest expense, asset impairments,
early extinguishment of debt or stock-based compensation
expense;
|
|
|
•
|
Return
Metrics:
return on investment, assets, equity or capital (total or
invested);
|
|
|
•
|
Cash Flow
Metrics:
operating cash flow; cash flow sufficient to achieve financial
ratios or a specified cash balance; free cash flow; cash flow
return on capital; net cash provided by operating activities; cash
flow per share; working capital;
|
|
|
•
|
Liquidity
Metrics:
capital raising; debt reduction; extension of maturity dates of
outstanding debt; debt leverage (debt to capital, net
debt-to-capital, debt-to-EBITDA or other liquidity ratios) or
access to capital; debt ratings; total or net debt; other similar
measures approved by the administrator;
|
|
|
•
|
Stock Price
and Equity Metrics: return on stockholders’
equity; total stockholder return; stock price; stock price
appreciation; market capitalization; earnings/loss per share (basic
or diluted) (before or after taxes); price-to-earnings ratio;
and
|
|
|
•
|
Strategic
and Operating Metrics: geographic footprint;
revenue (gross, operating or net); new business or customer wins;
market share; market penetration; growth in assets; key hires;
management of employment practices and employee benefits; effective
income tax rates; business expansion; acquisitions, divestitures,
collaborations, licensing or joint ventures; financing; resolution
of significant litigation; and legal compliance or risk
reduction.
|
Shares
Available Under the Plan; Maximum Awards
The current
number of shares of our Common Stock that may be issued with
respect to awards granted under the Plan is 2,205,764 shares. If
the Plan Amendment is approved, that will increase to 3,105,764 and
we will have 995,619 shares available for future grants of awards
under the Plan.
The maximum
number of shares subject to awards of any combination that may be
granted during any one calendar year to any one individual (if the
amendment to the Plan is approved by our stockholders at the Annual
Meeting, other than a non-employee director) under the Plan is
200,000 shares, except that such maximum number is 200,000 shares
with respect to any individual during the first fiscal year that
the individual is employed with the Company or any affiliate. The
maximum number of shares subject to awards of any combination that
may be granted during any one calendar year to any non-employee
director under the Plan is 20,000.
Adjustments
to Awards
In the event of a
stock dividend, stock split or reverse stock split affecting
shares, the maximum number of shares for which awards may be
granted under the Plan and the maximum number of shares with
respect to which awards may be granted during any one fiscal year
to any individual, and the number of shares covered by and the
exercise price and other terms of outstanding awards, are adjusted
to reflect such event.
Except as stated
above, in the event of any change affecting shares, the Company or
its capitalization, by reason of a spin-off, split-up, dividend,
recapitalization, merger, consolidation, or share exchange (other
than any such change that is part of a transaction resulting in a
“Change in Control” of the Company (as defined in the Plan)), the
administrator, in its discretion and without the consent of the
holders of the awards, may make appropriate adjustments to the
maximum number and type of shares reserved for issue or with
respect to which awards may be granted under the Plan (in the
aggregate, with respect to any individual during any one calendar
year and with respect to which awards that are intended to be
tax-qualified as incentive stock options under the Code); and any
adjustments in outstanding awards, including, but not limited to,
modifying the number, kind and price of securities subject to
awards.
In the event of
any transaction resulting in a “Change in Control” of the Company
(as defined in the Plan), outstanding stock options and other
awards that are payable or convertible into shares terminate on the
effective time of the “Change in
Control,” unless
provision is made for the continuation, assumption, or substitution
of the awards by the surviving or successor entity or its parent.
In the event of such a termination, the holders of stock options
and other awards under the Plan are permitted, immediately before
the “Change in Control,” to exercise or convert all portions of the
awards that are then exercisable or convertible.
Further, in the
event that a “Change in Control” of the Company (as defined in the
Plan) occurs after a performance-based stock award has been granted
but before completion of the applicable performance period, a pro
rata portion of such award becomes payable (or a pro rata portion
of the lapse restrictions lapses, as applicable) as of the date of
the “Change in Control” to the extent otherwise earned on the basis
of achievement of the pro rata portion of the performance measures
and performance targets relating to the portion of the performance
period completed as of the date of the “Change in
Control.”
Without the
consent of award holders, the administrator may make adjustments to
the terms and conditions of, and the criteria included in, awards
in recognition of unusual or non-recurring events affecting the
Company, the financial statements of the Company or any affiliate,
changes in applicable laws, regulations, or accounting principles,
whenever the administrator determines that such adjustments are
appropriate in order to prevent dilution or enlargement of the
benefits or potential benefits intended to be made available under
the Plan.
No Rights
as a Stockholder
If the Plan
Amendment is approved, then no recipient of an unvested stock award
under this Section will be entitled to any dividend or other
distribution (or their equivalent) made by the Company to the
holders of Common Stock. We have not previously made grants that
would entitle holders to dividends with respect to unvested shares,
but such grants could be made under the 2011 Plan if the Plan
Amendment is not approved. Further, under our form of restricted
stock unit grant agreement pursuant to the 2011 Plan, RSU grantees
are not entitled to any of the rights of a stockholder (including
voting rights and rights to dividends) with respect to any shares
that may be issued in settlement of the RSUs until the RSU’s vest
and shares are issued. We do not anticipate paying cash dividends
on our common stock in the foreseeable future and intend to retain
future earnings to finance the growth and development of our
business.
Clawback
The 2011 Plan
provides that awards are subject to mandatory repayment by the
grantee to the Company to the extent set forth the grantee is
subject to any applicable laws, rules, or regulations which impose
mandatory recoupment, under circumstances set forth in such
applicable laws, rules, or regulations.
Amendment
and Termination
The Board may
terminate, amend or modify the Plan or any portion of it at any
time without stockholder approval, subject to such restrictions on
amendments and modifications as may apply under applicable laws or
listing rules. The Plan currently provides that no awards may be
granted under it after October 14, 2021. If the Plan Amendment is
approved, no awards may be granted under the Plan after October 14,
2024.
Compliance
with Listing Rules
While shares are
listed for trading on any stock exchange or market, the Board and
the administrator agree that they will not make any amendments,
issue any awards or take any action under the Plan unless such
action complies with the relevant listing rules.
Summary of
Certain Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences
The U.S. federal
income tax consequences of awards under the Plan for participants
and the Company will depend on the type of award granted. The
following summary description of certain material U.S. federal
income tax consequences is intended only for the general
information of our stockholders. This summary is not intended to be
exhaustive, and the exact tax consequences to any participant
depend upon his or her particular circumstances and other
facts. Plan participants should consult their tax advisor
with respect to any state, local and non-U.S. tax considerations or
relevant federal tax implications of awards granted under the
Plan.
Incentive
Stock Options. An option holder
recognizes no U.S. federal taxable income for regular income tax
purposes as a result of the grant or exercise of an incentive stock
option that qualifies under Code Section 422. Option
holders who neither
dispose of their
shares within two years of the date that the option was granted or
within one year following the exercise of the option, normally
recognize a capital gain or loss on the sale of the shares equal to
the difference, if any, between the sale price and the purchase
price of the shares. If an option holder satisfies these
holding periods, on the sale of the shares, we are not entitled to
any deduction for federal income tax purposes. Where an
option holder disposes of shares within two years after the date of
grant of those options or within one year after the date of
exercise (a “disqualifying disposition”), the difference between
the fair market value of the shares on the exercise date and the
option exercise price (which is not to exceed the gain realized on
the sale, if the disposition is a transaction with respect to which
a loss, if sustained, would be recognized) is taxed as ordinary
income at the time of disposition. Any gain in excess of that
amount is a capital gain. If a loss is recognized, there is
no ordinary income, and such loss is a capital loss. We will
be allowed a business expense deduction to the extent the option
holder recognizes ordinary income, subject to our compliance with
Code Section 162(m) and to certain reporting
requirements.
Nonqualified
Stock Options. Options not
designated or qualifying as incentive stock options are
nonqualified stock options having no special tax status. An
option holder generally recognizes no U.S. federal taxable income
as a result of the grant of the option. On the exercise of a
nonqualified stock option, the option holder normally recognizes
ordinary income in the amount equal to the difference between the
option exercise price and the fair market value of the shares of
Common Stock on the exercise date. Where the option holder is
an employee, such ordinary income generally is subject to
withholding of income and employment taxes. On the sale of
shares acquired by the exercise of a nonqualified stock option, any
gain or loss (based on the difference between the sale price and
the fair market value on the exercise date), is taxed as a capital
gain or loss. If we comply with applicable reporting requirements
and with the restrictions of Code Section 162(m), we will be
entitled to a business expense deduction in the same amount and
generally at the same time as the option holder recognizes ordinary
income.
Stock
Appreciation Rights. A holder of stock
appreciation rights generally recognizes no U.S. federal taxable
income as a result of the grant of the stock appreciation rights.
On the exercise of a stock appreciation right, the holder normally
recognizes ordinary income in the amount equal to the difference
between the exercise price and the fair market value of the shares
of Common Stock on the exercise date.
Stock-Based
Awards. The tax consequences of stock
awards depend on the type of award. A holder of restricted stock
will not recognize any taxable income for U.S. federal income tax
purposes in the year of the award, provided that the shares of
Common Stock are subject to restrictions (that is, the shares of
restricted stock are nontransferable and subject to a substantial
risk of forfeiture). However, the holder may elect under Code
Section 83(b) to recognize compensation income in the year of
the award in an amount equal to the fair market value of the Common
Stock on the date of the award (less the purchase price, if any),
determined without regard to the restrictions. If the holder does
not make such Section 83(b) election, the fair market value of
the Common Stock on the date the restrictions lapse (less the
purchase price, if any) will be treated as ordinary income to the
holder and will be taxable in the year the restrictions lapse, and
dividends paid while the Common Stock is subject to restrictions
will be subject to withholding taxes.
A holder of
restricted stock units generally recognizes no U.S. federal taxable
income as a result of the grant of the restricted stock units. A
holder of restricted stock units will be required to recognize
ordinary income in an amount equal to the fair market value of
shares issued, or in the case of a cash-settled award, the amount
of the cash payment made, to such holder at the end of the
restriction period or, if later, the payment date.
Code
Section 280G. To the extent payments which
are contingent on a change in control are determined to exceed
certain limitations, such payments may be subject to a 20%
nondeductible excise tax, and the Company’s deduction with respect
to the associated compensation expense may be disallowed in whole
or in part. The Plan, as amended, includes a Code Section 280G
“best after-tax” provision, meaning, if any of the payments under
the Plan or otherwise to an individual would constitute parachute
payments within the meaning of Code Section 280G and be
subject to the excise tax imposed under Code Section 4999, the
payments will be reduced by the amount required to avoid the excise
tax if such a reduction would give the individual a better
after-tax result than if the individual received the payments in
full.
New Plan
Benefits
The benefits or
amounts that are to be allocated to any participant or group of
participants are indeterminable as of the date of this Proxy
Statement because participation and the types of awards (including
options) available under the Plan are subject to the discretion of
the administrator. Therefore, no new plan benefits table can be
provided at this time.
Required
Vote and Board Recommendation
Approval of the
Plan Amendment requires the affirmative vote of a majority of the
votes cast by holders of shares of Common Stock on the
matter.
The Board
recommends a vote FOR approval of this proposal. If not otherwise
specified, proxies will be voted FOR approval of this
proposal.
CERTAIN
RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS
Review &
Approval Process for Related Person Transactions
Our Corporate
Governance Guidelines require each director to avoid any action,
position or interest that conflicts with an interest of the Company
or gives the appearance of a conflict. Although there is no
formal written procedure in those Guidelines for handling such
situations when they arise, in practice our Board of Directors, or
a committee thereof, is responsible for reviewing and approving,
all related person transactions. A related person transaction is a
transaction, arrangement or relationship (or any series of similar
transactions, arrangements or relationships) in which the Company
and any “related person” are participants. A related person is an
executive officer, director, or more than 5% stockholder of the
Company, including any of their immediate family members, and any
entity owned or controlled by such persons.
Our Conduct of
Business Policy governs related person transactions involving
executive officers and the Company. It prohibits activities
or relationships which are incompatible with employment by the
Company or which places the executive in a position where there is
a conflict between the executive’s private interests and the
interests of the Company, its subsidiaries or affiliates.
Executives are required to immediately disclose such situations to
their supervisor, the Company’s Ethics Program Compliance Officer,
or the Company’s General Counsel for a determination of appropriate
action. The Company maintains a hotline for employees to
confidentially report questionable activities or seek advice
in handling ethics-related issues.
ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION
Section
16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance
Section 16(a) of
the Exchange Act requires our officers and directors, and persons
who own more than 10% of a registered class of our securities, to
file reports of ownership and changes in ownership with the SEC and
the New York Stock Exchange, and to furnish us with such reports.
Based solely on a review of copies of such reports for
2019, we believe that
during 2019 all reports applicable to our
officers, directors and greater than 10% beneficial owners were
filed on a timely basis with the exception of six Form 4's
reporting our quarterly share issuance to our directors which were
filed two days late.
Stockholder
Proposals and Director Nominations
Proposals for Inclusion in Proxy Materials
Stockholders may
present proposals for inclusion in the Company’s proxy statement
for the 2021 Annual Meeting of
Stockholders provided they are received by the Company no later
than March 22, 2021
and are otherwise
in compliance with applicable SEC regulations. If we change the
date of the 2021 Annual Meeting by more than
30 days from the date of this year’s Annual Meeting, a
stockholder’s written proposal must be received by our Secretary at
our principal executive offices a reasonable time before we begin
to print and mail our proxy materials for our 2021 Annual Meeting.
Proposals and Director Nominations Not Intended for Inclusion in
Proxy Materials
In addition to
the above requirements, the Company’s By-laws provide that any
stockholder wishing to nominate a candidate for Director or to
propose other business at an annual meeting of stockholders of the
Company must give written notice that is received by the Secretary
of the Company not less than 90 days prior to the anniversary date
of the proxy statement relating to the immediately preceding annual
meeting of stockholders (no later than April 21, 2021
with respect to
the 2021 Annual Meeting of
Stockholders); provided that in the event that the annual meeting
is called for a date that is not within 30 days before or after
such anniversary date, such notice must be received not less than
90 days prior to the date of the meeting or, if the first public
announcement of the meeting date is less than 100 days before such
meeting date, not later than the close of business on the tenth day
following the day on which public disclosure of the date of the
annual meeting was first made. Such notice must provide certain
information specified in the Company’s By-laws. Copies of the
Company’s By-laws are available to stockholders without charge upon
request to the Company’s Secretary at the Company’s address set
forth above.
Annual
Report
The Company’s
Annual Report for the fiscal year ended December 31,
2019,
which is not a part of the proxy soliciting materials, was made
available to the Company’s stockholders on March 10,
2020.
General
So far as is now
known, there is no business other than that described above to be
presented for action by the stockholders at the Annual Meeting, but
it is intended that the Proxies will be voted upon any other
matters and proposals that may legally come before the meeting and
any adjournments thereof in accordance with the discretion of the
persons named therein.
Cost of
Solicitation
The cost of
solicitation of proxies will be borne by the Company. It is
expected that the solicitations will be made primarily by mail and
e-mail, but employees or representatives of the Company may also
solicit proxies by telephone and in person, and arrange for
brokerage houses and other custodians, nominees and fiduciaries to
send proxy material to their principals at the expense of the
Company.
By Order of the
Board of Directors,
Kenneth L.
Crawford, Secretary
July 20,
2020
GP
STRATEGIES CORPORATION
2011 STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN
(As Amended)
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1.
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Establishment,
Purpose and Types of Awards
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GP STRATEGIES
CORPORATION, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”),
hereby establishes the GP STRATEGIES 2011 STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN (the
“Plan”).
The purpose of the Plan is to promote the long-term growth and
profitability of the Company by (i) providing key people with
incentives to improve stockholder value and to contribute to the
growth and financial success of the Company through their future
services, and (ii) enabling the Company to attract, retain and
reward the best-available personnel.
The Plan permits
the granting of stock options (including incentive stock options
qualifying under Code section 422 and nonqualified stock
options), stock appreciation rights, restricted or unrestricted
stock awards, restricted stock units, performance awards, other
stock-based awards, or any combination of the
foregoing.
This Plan
replaces the Company’s 1973 Non-qualified Stock Option Plan (the
“1973
Plan”) and
2003 Incentive Stock Plan (the “2003
Plan”).
Upon approval of this Plan by the Company’s Board (the
“Effective
Date”), no
further awards will be made under the 1973 Plan and the 2003
Plan.
The Plan has been
amended as of April 27, 2016 (the “Amendment
Date”) to
reflect certain changes in applicable laws, rules, and regulations
and to make certain additional changes.
The Plan has been
amended as of June 25, 2019 (the “Second
Amendment Date”) to increase the number of
shares available under the Plan.
[The Plan has
been amended as of July 1, 2020 (the “Third
Amendment Date”) to increase the number of
shares available under the Plan and to make certain additional
changes.]
Under this Plan,
except where the context otherwise indicates, the following
definitions apply:
(a) “Administrator”
means the Board or the committee(s) or officer(s) appointed by the
Board that have authority to administer the Plan as provided in
Section 3 hereof.
(b) “Affiliate”
means any entity, whether now or hereafter existing, which
controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, the
Company (including, but not limited to, joint ventures, limited
liability companies, and partnerships). For this purpose,
“control”
shall mean ownership of 50% or more of the total combined voting
power or value of all classes of stock or interests of the entity,
or the power to direct the management and policies of the entity,
by contract or otherwise.
(c) “Award”
means any stock option, stock appreciation right, stock award,
restricted stock unit award, performance award, or other
stock-based award.
(d) “Board”
means the Board of Directors of the Company.
(e) “Change
in Control” means: (i) the
acquisition (other than from the Company) in one or more
transactions by any Person, as defined in this Section 2(e),
of the beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3
promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended)
of 50% or more of (A) the then outstanding shares of the
securities of the Company, or (B) the combined voting power of
the then outstanding securities of the Company entitled to vote
generally in the election of directors (the “Company
Voting Stock”); (ii) the closing of
a sale or other conveyance of all or substantially all of the
assets of the Company; or (iii) the effective time of any
merger, share exchange, consolidation, or other business
combination involving the Company if immediately after such
transaction persons who hold a majority of the outstanding voting
securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors
of the surviving entity (or the entity owning 100% of such
surviving entity) are not persons who, immediately prior to such
transaction, held the Company Voting
Stock; provided, however,
that a Change in Control shall not include any transaction effected
exclusively to change the domicile of the Company, and that for
purposes of any Award or subplan that constitutes a “nonqualified
deferred compensation plan,” within the meaning of Code
section 409A, the Administrator, in its discretion, may
specify a different definition of Change in Control in order to
comply with the provisions of Code section 409A.
For purposes of
this Section 2(e), a “Person”
means any individual, entity or group within the meaning of
Section 13(d)(3) or 14(d)(2) of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended, other than: employee benefit plans sponsored or
maintained by the Company and by entities controlled by the Company
or an underwriter of the Common Stock in a registered public
offering.
(f) “Code”
means the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and any regulations
promulgated thereunder.
(g) “Common
Stock” means shares of common stock
of the Company, par value of $0.01 per share.
(h) “Fair
Market Value” means, with respect to the
Common Stock, as of any date:
(i) if
the principal market for the Common Stock (as determined by the
Administrator if the Common Stock is listed or admitted to trading
on more than one exchange or market) is a national securities
exchange or an established securities market, the official closing
price per share of Common Stock for the regular market session on
that date on the principal exchange or market on which the Common
Stock is then listed or admitted to trading or, if no sale is
reported for that date, on the last preceding day on which a sale
was reported;
(ii) if
the principal market for the Common Stock is not a national
securities exchange or an established securities market, the
average of the highest bid and lowest asked prices for the Common
Stock on that date as reported on a national quotation system or,
if no prices are reported for that date, on the last preceding day
on which prices were reported; or
(iii) if
the Common Stock is neither listed or admitted to trading on a
national securities exchange or an established securities market,
nor quoted by a national quotation system, the value determined by
the Administrator in good faith by the reasonable application of a
reasonable valuation method.
(i) “Grant
Agreement”
means a written document, including an electronic writing
acceptable to the Administrator, memorializing the terms and
conditions of an Award granted pursuant to the Plan and which shall
incorporate the terms of the Plan.
(j) “Performance
Measures”
mean criteria established by the Administrator relating to any of
the following, as it may apply to an individual, one or more
business units, divisions or subsidiaries, or on a Company-wide
basis, and in either absolute terms or relative to the performance
of one or more comparable companies or an index covering multiple
companies, with or without adjustment as provided in Section
6(c)(ii):
(i) Earnings
or Profitability Metrics: earnings/loss (gross,
operating, net, or adjusted); earnings/loss before interest and
taxes (“EBIT”);
earnings/loss before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization
(“EBITDA”);
profit margins; expense levels or ratios; in each case adjusted to
eliminate the effect of any one or more of the following: interest
expense, asset impairments, early extinguishment of debt or
stock-based compensation expense;
(ii) Return
Metrics: return on investment, assets,
equity or capital (total or invested);
(iii) Cash
Flow Metrics: operating cash flow; cash
flow sufficient to achieve financial ratios or a specified cash
balance; free cash flow; cash flow return on capital; net cash
provided by operating activities; cash flow per share; working
capital;
(iv) Liquidity
Metrics: capital raising; debt
reduction; extension of maturity dates of outstanding debt; debt
leverage (debt to capital, net debt-to-capital, debt-to-EBITDA or
other liquidity ratios) or access to capital; debt ratings; total
or net debt; other similar measures approved by the
Administrator;
(v) Stock
Price and Equity Metrics: return on stockholders’
equity; total stockholder return; stock price; stock price
appreciation; market capitalization; earnings/loss per share (basic
or diluted) (before or after taxes); price-to-earnings ratio;
and
(vi) Strategic
and Operating Metrics: geographic footprint; revenue
(gross, operating or net); new business or customer wins; market
share; market penetration; growth in assets; key hires; management
of employment practices and employee benefits; effective income tax
rates; business expansion; acquisitions, divestitures,
collaborations, licensing or joint ventures; financing; resolution
of significant litigation; and legal compliance or risk
reduction.
(k) “Prior
Plans”
means the 1973 Plan and the 2003 Plan.
(a) Administration
of the Plan. The Plan shall be
administered by the Board or by such committee or committees as may
be appointed by the Board from time to time.
(b) Powers
of the Administrator. The Administrator shall
have all the powers vested in it by the terms of the Plan, such
powers to include authority, in its sole and absolute discretion,
to grant Awards under the Plan, prescribe Grant Agreements
evidencing such Awards and establish programs for granting
Awards.
The Administrator
shall have full power and authority to take all other actions
necessary to carry out the purpose and intent of the Plan,
including, but not limited to, the authority to: (i) determine
the eligible persons to whom, and the time or times at which Awards
shall be granted; (ii) determine the types of Awards to be
granted; (iii) determine the number of shares to be covered by
or used for reference purposes for each Award; (iv) impose
such terms, limitations, restrictions and conditions upon any such
Award as the Administrator shall deem appropriate; (v) modify,
amend, extend or renew outstanding Awards, or accept the surrender
of outstanding Awards and substitute new Awards
(provided,
however,
that, except as provided in Section 6 or 7(d) of the Plan, any
modification that would materially adversely affect any outstanding
Award shall not be made without the consent of the holder and no
such modification, amendment or substitution that results in
repricing the Award shall be made without prior stockholder
approval); (vi) accelerate or otherwise change the time in
which an Award may be exercised or becomes payable and to waive or
accelerate the lapse, in whole or in part, of any restriction or
condition with respect to such Award, including, but not limited
to, any restriction or condition with respect to the vesting or
exercisability of an Award following termination of any grantee’s
employment or other relationship with the Company;
provided,
however,
that
no such waiver or
acceleration of lapse restrictions shall be made with respect to a
performance-based stock award granted to an executive officer of
the Company if such waiver or acceleration is inconsistent with
Code section 162(m); (vii) establish objectives and
conditions, if any, for earning Awards and determining whether
Awards will be paid with respect to a performance period; and
(viii) for any purpose, including but not limited to,
qualifying for preferred tax treatment under foreign tax laws or
otherwise complying with the regulatory requirements of local or
foreign jurisdictions, to establish, amend, modify, administer or
terminate sub-plans, and prescribe, amend and rescind rules and
regulations relating to such sub-plans.
The Administrator
shall have full power and authority, in its sole and absolute
discretion, to administer, construe and interpret the Plan, Grant
Agreements and all other documents relevant to the Plan and Awards
issued thereunder, to establish, amend, rescind and interpret such
rules, regulations, agreements, guidelines and instruments for the
administration of the Plan and for the conduct of its business as
the Administrator deems necessary or advisable, and to correct any
defect, supply any omission or reconcile any inconsistency in the
Plan or in any Award in the manner and to the extent the
Administrator shall deem it desirable to carry it into
effect.
(c) Non-Uniform
Determinations. The Administrator’s
determinations under the Plan (including without limitation,
determinations of the persons to receive Awards, the form, amount
and timing of such Awards, the terms and provisions of such Awards
and the Grant Agreements evidencing such Awards, and the
ramifications of a Change in Control upon outstanding Awards) need
not be uniform and may be made by the Administrator selectively
among Awards or persons who receive, or are eligible to receive,
Awards under the Plan, whether or not such persons are similarly
situated.
(d) Limited
Liability. To the maximum extent
permitted by law, no member of the Administrator shall be liable
for any action taken or decision made in good faith relating to the
Plan or any Award thereunder.
(e) Indemnification.
To the maximum extent permitted by law and by the Company’s charter
and by-laws, the members of the Administrator shall be indemnified
by the Company in respect of all their activities under the
Plan.
(f) Effect
of Administrator’s Decision. All actions taken and
decisions and determinations made by the Administrator on all
matters relating to the Plan pursuant to the powers vested in it
hereunder shall be in the Administrator’s sole and absolute
discretion and shall be conclusive and binding on all parties
concerned, including the Company, its stockholders, any
participants in the Plan and any other employee, consultant, or
director of the Company, and their respective successors in
interest.
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4.
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Shares
Available for the Plan; Maximum Awards
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Subject to
adjustments as provided in Section 7(d) of the
Plan, the maximum number of shares of Common Stock that may be
issued with respect to Awards granted under the Plan shall be
[3,105,764]. No more than an aggregate of [3,105,764] shares of
Common Stock may be issued pursuant to incentive stock options
intended to qualify under Code section 422. The Company shall
reserve such number of shares for Awards under the Plan, subject to
adjustments as provided in Section 7(d) of the
Plan.
If any Award, or
portion of an Award, under the Plan or Prior Plans expires or
terminates unexercised, becomes unexercisable, is forfeited or
otherwise terminated, surrendered or canceled as to any shares, or
is settled in cash without delivery of shares of Common Stock, the
shares subject to such Award shall thereafter be available for
Awards under the Plan; provided,
however,
that the withholding, surrender or tender of shares of Common Stock
for payment of the exercise price of an Award or satisfaction of
tax withholding obligations in connection with an Award shall not
make any such withheld, surrendered or tendered shares available
for issuance under the Plan.
Subject to
adjustments as provided in Section 7(d) of the Plan, the
maximum number of shares of Common Stock subject to Awards of any
combination that may be granted during any one fiscal year of the
Company to
any one individual (other than, as of the Amendment Date, a
non-employee director) under this Plan shall be limited to 200,000
shares; provided,
however,
that such maximum number shall be 200,000 shares with respect to
any individu