UNITED
STATES
SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington,
D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE
14A
Proxy
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Exchange
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Definitive
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No.:
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SMF
ENERGY CORPORATION
200
West Cypress Creek Road, Suite 400
Fort
Lauderdale, Florida 33309
NOTICE
OF ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
To
be held on December 4, 2009
To the
Stockholders of SMF Energy Corporation:
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that an
annual meeting of stockholders of SMF Energy Corporation (the “Company”) will be
held at the Company’s Corporate Office located at 200 West Cypress Creek Rd.,
Suite 400, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on December 4, 2009, beginning at 1:00 p.m.
local time. At the meeting, stockholders will act on the following
matters:
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To
elect seven (7) directors to the Company’s Board of Directors to serve
until the next annual meeting of stockholders or until their successors
are elected;
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To
ratify the appointment of Grant Thornton LLP as the Company’s independent
registered public accounting firm for the current fiscal
year;
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To
approve the proposed SMF Energy Corporation 2009 Equity Incentive Plan,
which authorizes the issuance of 1,300,000 shares of common stock;
and
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Any
other matters that may properly come before the
meeting.
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Only
stockholders of record at the close of business on October 26, 2009 are entitled
to receive notice of and to vote at the annual meeting or any postponement or
adjournment thereof.
Your vote
is important. Whether you plan to attend the meeting or not, we urge
you to vote your shares by marking, signing, dating and mailing the enclosed
proxy card in the envelope provided, or to vote by telephone or
Internet. Telephone and Internet voting information is provided on
the proxy card. If you hold your shares through your brokerage
account or in “street name,” telephone or Internet voting may be available to
you. Check your proxy card for information. If you attend
the meeting and prefer to vote in person, you may do so even if you have already
voted your shares. You may revoke your proxy in the manner described
in the proxy statement at any time before it has been voted at the
meeting.
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By
Order of the Board of Directors
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LOUISE
P. LUNGARO
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Secretary
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October
28, 2009
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Fort
Lauderdale, Florida
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SMF
ENERGY CORPORATION
200
West Cypress Creek Road, Suite 400
Fort
Lauderdale, Florida 33309
___________________________________
PROXY
STATEMENT
___________________________________
This
proxy statement contains information related to the annual meeting of
stockholders to be held on December 4, 2009 at 1:00 p.m. local time, at the
Corporate Office of SMF Energy Corporation (the “Company”) located at 200 West
Cypress Creek Rd., Suite 400, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, or at such other time
and place to which the annual meeting may be adjourned or
postponed. You may obtain directions to the meeting by contacting us
at (954) 308-4175. The enclosed proxy is solicited on behalf of the
Board of Directors of the Company. The proxy materials relating to
the annual meeting are being mailed on or about November 4, 2009 to stockholders
entitled to vote at the meeting.
Important
Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials
for
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the
Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be Held on December 4,
2009.
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The
Company’s Notice and Proxy Statement are available at http://www.mobilefueling.com/proxystatements.htm
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The
Company’s Annual Report to Stockholders for the year ended June 30,
2009 is available at http://www.mobilefueling.com/annualreports.htm
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ABOUT
THE MEETING
Why
are we calling this annual meeting?
We are
calling the annual meeting to seek the approval of our stockholders
to:
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Elect
seven (7) directors to the Company’s Board of Directors to serve until the
next annual meeting of stockholders or until their successors are
elected;
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Ratify
the appointment of Grant Thornton LLP as the Company’s independent
registered public accounting firm for the current fiscal
year;
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Approve
the proposed SMF Energy Corporation 2009 Equity Incentive Plan,
which authorizes the issuance of 1,300,000 shares of common stock;
and
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Approve
any other matters that may properly come before the
meeting.
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What
are the Board of Directors’ recommendations?
Our Board
of Directors believes that (i) the election of the nominated directors, (ii) the
ratification of the appointment of Grant Thornton LLP as our independent
registered public accounting firm for the current fiscal year and (iii) the
approval of the SMF Energy Corporation 2009 Equity Incentive Plan are advisable
and in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders and recommends
that you vote FOR the director nominees, the ratification of Grant Thornton LLP
and the approval of the proposed SMF Energy Corporation 2009 Equity Incentive
Plan.
Who
is entitled to vote at the meeting?
Only
stockholders of record at the close of business on the record date, October 26,
2009, are entitled to receive notice of the annual meeting and to vote the
shares that they hold on that date at the meeting, or any postponement or
adjournment of the meeting.
Holders
of our common stock (the “Common Stock”) are entitled to one vote per share on
each matter to be voted upon. Holders of our Series D Convertible
Preferred Stock (the “Preferred Stock”), are also entitled to one vote per share
on each matter to be voted upon at the meeting. Except as may be
required by law, the holders of Preferred Stock vote together with the holders
of Common Stock as a single class. For each of the actions described
herein, the holders of Preferred Stock will vote with the Common Stock as a
single class. The shares of Common Stock and Preferred Stock entitled
to vote at the meeting are referred to as the “Voting Shares.”
As of the
record date, we had 8,555,337 outstanding shares of
Common Stock and 599 outstanding shares of Series D Preferred Stock, for a total
of 8,555,936 Voting Shares. If and to the extent holders of our
Preferred Stock convert their shares of Preferred Stock to Common Stock before
the record date for the annual meeting, the number of shares held by such
stockholders would increase, since each share of Preferred Stock is convertible
into 1,000 shares of Common Stock.
On
September 10, 2009, we filed a Certificate of Amendment to amend our Certificate
of Incorporation. This amendment, which became effective at 12:01
a.m. EST, on September 30, 2009, effected a 1-for-4.5 reverse stock split of the
Company’s Common Stock. Unless otherwise indicated, all references to
shares of Common Stock in this proxy statement have been adjusted to reflect the
impact of the 1-for-4.5 reverse stock split.
Who
can attend the meeting?
All
stockholders as of the record date, or their duly appointed proxies, may attend
the annual meeting. Please note that if you hold your Voting Shares
in “street name” (that is, through a broker or other nominee), to be admitted to
the meeting, you will need to bring a copy of your proxy card as it was
delivered to you by your brokerage firm.
What
constitutes a quorum?
The
presence at the annual meeting, in person or by proxy, of the holders of not
less than one-third of the Voting Shares entitled to vote on the record date
will constitute a quorum for our annual meeting. Signed proxies
received but not voted, abstentions and broker non-votes will be included in the
calculation of the number of Voting Shares considered to be present at the
annual meeting.
If you
are a holder of record (that is, if your shares of Common Stock are registered
in your name with American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC, our transfer
agent), there are four ways to vote:
Telephone
Voting: You may vote by calling the toll-free number indicated
on the proxy card and by following the instructions. Please follow
the voice prompts that allow you to vote your shares and confirm that your
instructions have been properly recorded.
Internet
Voting: You may vote by logging on to the website indicated on
the proxy card and by following the instructions. Please follow the
website prompts that allow you to vote your shares and confirm that your
instructions have been properly recorded.
Return Your Proxy Card by
Mail: If you received your proxy card by mail, you may vote by
marking, signing, dating and returning the proxy card in the enclosed
postage-paid envelope. The proxy holders will vote your shares
according to your directions. If you return your signed proxy, but do
not mark your voting preference, the individuals named as proxies will vote your
shares FOR the matters submitted for a vote at the meeting.
Vote at the
Meeting: You may cast your vote in person at the annual
meeting. Written ballots will be passed out to stockholders or legal
proxies who want to vote in person at the meeting.
Telephone
and Internet voting for stockholders of record will be available 24 hours a day
and will close at 11:59 p.m. (EST) on December 3, 2009. Internet or
telephone voting is convenient, provides postage and mailing cost savings and is
recorded immediately, minimizing the risk that postal delays may cause votes to
arrive late and therefore not be counted.
If you
are a holder of Preferred Stock, you may vote by marking, signing, dating and
returning the Preferred Stock proxy card which will be sent to you in a separate
mailing. The proxy holders will vote your shares according to your
directions. If you return your signed proxy, but do not mark your
voting preference, the individuals named as proxies will vote your shares FOR
the matters submitted for a vote at the meeting. You may also cast
your vote in person at the annual meeting.
What
if I hold my shares in street name?
You
should follow the voting instructions provided by your brokerage
firm. You may complete and mail a voting instruction card to your
brokerage firm or, in most cases, submit voting instructions by telephone or the
Internet to your brokerage firm. If you provide specific voting
instructions by mail, telephone or Internet, your brokerage firm will vote your
shares of Common Stock as you have directed. Please note that if you
hold your shares in “street name,” you cannot vote the proxy card that was
delivered to you by your brokerage firm at the meeting, since your brokerage
firm has the record ownership of your shares. If you want to vote
your “street name” shares at the meeting, your brokerage firm can give you a
legal proxy that will give you the right to cast your vote in person at the
meeting.
What
if I vote by proxy and then change my mind?
You may
revoke your proxy at any time before it is exercised by:
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filing
with the Secretary of the Company a notice of
revocation;
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sending
in another valid proxy bearing a later date;
or
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attending
the meeting and casting your vote in
person.
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Your
latest vote will be the vote that is counted.
What
vote is required to approve the items of business?
For
purposes of electing directors, the nominees receiving the greatest number of
votes of the Voting Shares present in person or by proxy at the meeting and
entitled to vote thereon, shall be elected as directors. Ratification
of Grant Thornton LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm and
approval of the SMF Energy Corporation 2009 Equity Incentive Plan requires the
affirmative vote of a majority of the Voting Shares present in person or by
proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote thereon. Approval of any
other matter that may properly come before the annual meeting requires the
affirmative vote of a majority of the Voting Shares present in person or by
proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote thereon (unless such other matter
requires a greater vote under our Articles of Incorporation or Delaware
law).
Abstentions
will be counted towards the tabulation of votes cast on proposals presented to
the stockholders and will have the same effect as negative votes, other than for
the election of directors. Broker non-votes (shares held by brokers
that do not have discretionary authority to vote on the matter and have not
received voting instructions from their clients) are
not deemed to be present or represented by proxy for purposes of determining
whether stockholder approval of a proposal has been obtained and therefore will
not be counted for purposes of determining whether a proposal has been
approved. The inspector of election appointed for the meeting will
tabulate all votes and will separately tabulate affirmative and negative votes,
abstentions and broker non-votes.
How are we soliciting this
proxy?
We are
soliciting this proxy on behalf of our Board of Directors and we will pay all
expenses associated therewith. In addition to solicitation by mail,
officers, directors and other employees of the Company may, without compensation
other than their regular compensation, solicit proxies by further mailing or
personal conversations, or by telephone, facsimile or other electronic
means. We will, upon request, reimburse brokers and other persons
holding stock in their names, or in the names of nominees, for their reasonable
out-of-pocket expenses for forwarding proxy materials to the beneficial owners
of the capital stock and to obtain proxies.
PROPOSAL
NO. 1
ELECTION
OF SEVEN (7) INDIVIDUALS TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Nominees
The Board
of Directors has fixed at seven the number of directors that will constitute the
Board of Directors for the ensuing year. Each director elected at the
annual meeting will serve for a term expiring at the 2010 Annual Meeting of
Stockholders, or until his successor has been duly elected and qualified. Wendell R. Beard,
Richard E. Gathright, Steven R. Goldberg, Nat Moore, Larry S. Mulkey, C. Rodney
O’Connor and Robert S. Picow, each of whom is an incumbent director, have been
nominated to be elected at the annual meeting by the stockholders and proxies
will be voted for such persons absent contrary instructions.
Our Board
of Directors has no reason to believe that any nominee will refuse to act or be
unable to accept election; however, in the event that a nominee for a
directorship is unable or unwilling to accept election or if any other
unforeseen contingencies should arise, it is intended that proxies will be voted
for the remaining nominees and for such other person as may be designated by the
Board of Directors, unless it is directed by a proxy to do
otherwise.
Each of
the nominees for election as a director is a current member of our Board of
Directors. Mr. O’Connor has served as a director since 1999, Messrs.
Beard, Gathright and Picow have served as directors since 2001, Mr. Moore has
served as a director since 2006, Mr. Mulkey has served as a director since 2002,
and Mr. Goldberg has served as a director since 2005.
The
nominees receiving the greatest number of votes of the Voting Shares present in
person or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote on such
matter shall be elected as directors.
THE
BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE “FOR”
THE
ELECTION OF EACH OF THE SEVEN INDIVIDUALS TO THE
BOARD
OF DIRECTORS
PROPOSAL
NO. 2
RATIFICATION
OF THE APPOINTMENT OF GRANT THORNTON LLP AS THE COMPANY’S INDEPENDENT
REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
The
independent registered public accounting firm of Grant Thornton LLP has been
selected by the Audit Committee to serve as the Company’s independent public
accountants for the year ending June 30, 2010 and to audit the Company’s
financial statements for that year. At the direction of the Board of
Directors, this appointment is being presented to the stockholders for
ratification or rejection at the annual meeting. If the stockholders
do not ratify the appointment of Grant Thornton LLP, or a substantial number of
shares are voted against such ratification, the Audit Committee may reconsider
its selection of Grant Thornton LLP to serve as our independent registered
public accounting firm and may make another proposal to the stockholders with
respect to the appointment of independent accountants for the year ending June
30, 2010.
We expect
that a representative of Grant Thornton LLP will be present at the meeting and
will be given an opportunity to make a statement if they so
desire. We also expect that the representative will be available to
respond to appropriate questions from stockholders.
Fees paid to Grant Thornton
LLP
Grant
Thornton LLP served as our Independent Registered Accountant for the fiscal
years 2009 and 2008 and provided services in the following categories and for
the amounts indicated:
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2009
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2008
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Audit
Fees(1)
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$ |
288,308 |
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$ |
358,065 |
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Audited
Related Fees(2)
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$ |
14,840 |
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$ |
31,244 |
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Tax
Fees
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$ |
- |
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$ |
- |
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All
Other Fees
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$ |
- |
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$ |
- |
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(1)
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Represents
the aggregate fees billed for professional services rendered for the audit
and/or review of the Company’s financial statements and in connection with
the Company’s regulatory filings or engagements. Also includes
services related to consents for registration statements
filings.
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(2)
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Represents
the aggregate fees billed for audit-related services for research and
consultation on various issues including the conversion of promissory
notes, private placements and other related services. Also
includes certain services related to the Company’s
acquisitions.
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There
were no non-audit related services rendered to the Company by Grant Thornton in
fiscal 2009 and 2008. While the Audit Committee has not established
formal policies and procedures concerning pre-approval of audit or non-audit
services, the Company’s executive officers and the Audit Committee have agreed
that all audit and non-audit services by the Company’s independent accountants
will be approved in advance by the Audit Committee. The establishment
of any such formal policies or procedures in the future is subject to the
approval of the Audit Committee. All audit related services, tax
services and other services provided by Grant Thornton LLP were pre-approved by
the Audit Committee.
The
affirmative vote of a majority of the Voting Shares present in person or
represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote on such matter is
required to ratify the selection of Grant Thornton LLP as the Company’s
independent registered public accounting firm.
THE
BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE “FOR”
THE
RATIFICATION OF THE APPOINTMENT OF GRANT THORNTON LLP AS THE COMPANY’S
INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
PROPOSAL
3
APPROVAL
OF THE COMPANY’S 2009 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN
We are asking you to approve the
proposed SMF Energy Corporation 2009 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2009 Plan”),
which was approved by our Board of Directors on October 27, 2009. The
purpose of the 2009 Plan is to further the growth in earnings and market
appreciation of the Company by providing long-term incentives to those officers,
employees and other natural persons providing services to the Company and its
affiliates who make substantial contributions to the Company, and to members of
the Board of Directors of the Company who are not also employees of the
Company.
The 2009 Plan will become effective
upon its approval by our stockholders at the annual meeting and will replace the
Company’s 2001 Director Stock Option Plan and 2000 Stock Option Plan (the
“Existing Plans”) (i.e. no further awards will be made under the Existing Plans
on or after the effective date of the 2009 Plan). The 2009 Plan will
not affect the outstanding awards previously granted under the Existing Plans or
the Company’s 1996 Stock Option Plan. If the stockholders do approve
the 2009 Plan, no awards will be granted under the 2009 Plan and the Existing
Plans will continue in effect in accordance with their terms. If the
Existing Plans remain in effect because the 2009 Plan is not approved by
stockholders, the Company’s ability to include equity compensation as part of
its directors’ and employees’ compensation will be limited because the Existing
Plans terminate by their terms on May 10, 2011 and December 21, 2010,
respectively. For additional information regarding the number of
shares of our Common Stock that may be issued upon exercise of any outstanding
awards granted under the Existing Plans and our 1996 Stock Option Plan, see
“Securities Authorized for Issuance under Equity Compensation Plans - Equity
Compensation Plan Information at June 30,
2009.”
Description
of the 2009 Plan
The principal terms of the 2009 Plan
are summarized below. The following summary is qualified in its
entirety by the full text of the 2009 Plan, which is attached hereto as Appendix
A.
Eligibility
All employees, non-employee
directors, consultants and other natural persons who provide services to the
Company or its subsidiaries are eligible for the grant of restricted stock,
stock appreciation rights, performance units, nonqualified stock options and
other stock or cash awards under the 2009 Plan provided, however, that eligible
persons who are not employees or directors must be natural persons providing
bona fide services to the Company that are not in connection with the offer or
sale of securities in a capital raising transaction and that do not directly or
indirectly promote or maintain a market for the Company’s securities, and
provided further, that for purposes of granting awards under the 2009 Plan,
there shall be excluded from eligibility any person whose Common Stock is
“service recipient stock” under Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of
1986, as amended (the “Code”) and who does not perform services for
the Company. The Committee, as appointed by the Board of Directors, in its
discretion, chooses participants from this group. Only employees may be granted
incentive stock options.
As of October 26, 2009, the Company
had approximately 240 employees and six non-employee directors who are eligible
to receive awards under the 2009 Plan.
Administration
The 2009 Plan will be administered by
a Committee, which shall be appointed by the Board of Directors. The Committee
shall consist of three or more members who qualify both as “outside directors”
within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code, and “non-employee
directors” within the meaning of Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
Types of
awards
The 2009 Plan would authorize the
Committee to grant to eligible participants in the 2009 Plan (i) stock options
(which may be non-qualified options or incentive stock options for tax
purposes), (ii) stock appreciation rights (“SARs”) (which may be issued in
tandem with stock options), (iii) restricted stock awards, (iv) performance
units (which may be denominated in shares of the Company’s Common Stock, cash or
a combination thereof), and (v) supplemental cash payments (collectively,
“Awards”). Any of the Awards may be conditioned upon the achievement of stated
performance objectives, as selected by the Committee, vesting after the
completion of a stated period of service with the Company, or both.
Shares reserved for
issuance
The aggregate number of shares of
Common Stock issued under the 2009 Plan may not exceed 1,300,000. The
maximum number of shares that may be issued pursuant to the exercise of
incentive stock options is also 1,300,000. Shares subject to options
granted under the 2009 Plan that expire or terminate unexercised, or shares
subject to Awards which are otherwise forfeited or canceled, will not count
against this aggregate limit. For purposes of calculating the maximum number of
shares that have been issued under the 2009 Plan, the exercise of SARs will be
treated as the issuance of the shares of Common Stock to which the SARs relate.
The maximum number of shares with respect to which Awards may be granted to any
individual in any one year under the 2009 Plan is 500,000. The maximum amount
payable to any single participant in any given performance period with respect
to any performance units awarded shall be $1,000,000 notwithstanding the terms
of such performance unit(s), irrespective of whether the performance unit is
denominated or payable in Common Stock.
Based on the closing price of the
Company’s Common Stock on October 26, 2009 of $1.56, the market value of
1,300,000 shares of Common Stock was $2,028,000.
Term of the
plan
The effective date of the 2009 Plan,
if it is approved by stockholders, will be December 4, 2009, the date it is
approved by the stockholders. The 2009 Plan has a ten (10) year term,
but it shall continue in effect until all Awards under the plan have expired or
have been satisfied by the issuance of shares of Common Stock or the payment of
cash. No Award may be granted, however, after the expiration of the ten (10)
year term of the 2009 Plan.
Amendment and Termination of
the 2009 Plan
The Board of Directors may amend,
modify, suspend or terminate the 2009 Plan at any time; provided, however, that
stockholder approval is required for any proposed amendment that would increase
the maximum number of shares which may be issued under the 2009 Plan; change the
class of persons eligible to receive Awards; extend the period during which any
Award may be exercised; extend the term of the 2009 Plan; or change the minimum
option price. Stockholder approval may also be required for other amendments if
required by law, including the Internal Revenue Code, state and federal
securities laws, or rules promulgated thereunder, including the Marketplace
Rules of the Nasdaq Stock Market. The Committee may amend the terms of any Award
previously granted, prospectively or retroactively, but no such amendment shall
impair the rights of any participant or permitted transferee without his or her
consent. The termination or any modification, suspension or amendment of the
2009 Plan shall not adversely affect a participant’s rights under an Award
previously granted without the consent of such participant.
Awards
Stock
options. The Committee will be authorized to grant options to purchase
Common Stock, which options may be incentive stock options within the meaning of
Section 422 of the Code (except for options granted to non-employees), or
non-qualified stock options. The Committee will determine the terms and
conditions of all option grants, subject to the specific limitations set forth
in the 2009 Plan. In general, no option may be granted with an exercise price of
less than the fair market value of a share of Common Stock on the date of grant
(for incentive stock options, 110% of that value if the grantee beneficially
owns more than 10% of such stock), the term of an option may not be longer than
ten (10) years, and any option shall be subject to certain restrictions on
transferability. Payment of the option price may be in cash, check or other
instrument acceptable to the Committee, or, in the discretion of the Committee,
in the form of unrestricted shares of Common Stock.
Stock
appreciation rights. The Committee will be
authorized to grant SARs either separately or in tandem with the grant of stock
options under the 2009 Plan. The exercise of SARs will entitle the holder
thereof to an amount (the “appreciation”) equal to the excess of (i)
the fair market value of a specified number of shares of Common Stock at the
time of exercise over (ii) a specified price which shall not be less than one
hundred percent (100%) of the fair market value of such specified number of
shares of Common Stock at the time the SAR was granted. The appreciation will be
payable in cash or Common Stock, in the discretion of the Committee. The
exercise of SARs granted in tandem with options will terminate those
options.
Restricted
stock. The
Committee will be authorized to award shares of restricted stock under the 2009
Plan, subject to such terms and conditions as the Committee may determine.
“Restricted stock” refers to shares of Common Stock that are awarded to the
participant, but that are subject to a risk of forfeiture if the participant
does not meet the performance or service requirements that restrict the
participant’s permanent ownership of the Common Stock. The Committee will have
authority to determine the number of shares of restricted stock to be awarded,
the price, if any, to be paid by the recipient of the restricted stock, the date
or dates on which the restricted stock will vest and the additional performance
criteria, if any, that the recipient, the business unit or the Company must meet
for the stock to become unrestricted. The vesting of restricted stock may be
conditioned upon both the completion of a specified period of service with the
Company and the attainment of specified performance goals, if the Committee so
determines. The 2009 Plan will also give the Committee discretion to accelerate
the vesting of restricted stock on a case-by-case basis at any time, or to waive
any performance-based restrictions.
Stock certificates representing the
restricted stock granted to participants will be registered in the participants’
name. Shares of restricted stock may not be sold, transferred, assigned, or
pledged by the employee until such shares have vested in accordance with the
terms of the restricted stock award. If a participant terminates employment or
rendering services prior to the vesting of restricted stock, or if the
performance criteria have not been satisfied in accordance with the award, the
restricted stock will be forfeited. At the time restricted stock vests, a
certificate for such vested shares will be delivered to the employee (or the
beneficiary designated by the employee, in the event of death), free of all
restrictions.
Performance
units. The Committee may award performance units (which may be
denominated in either shares of common stock or cash) under which payment may be
made to the participant upon the attainment of specific performance goals. If
the performance unit is denominated in shares of stock (“performance stock”),
such shares may be either (i) transferred to the participant on the date of the
award, subject to forfeiture if the goal is not attained or (ii) transferable to
the participant only upon attainment of the relevant performance goal. If the
performance unit is denominated in cash, it may be paid upon attainment of the
relevant performance goal either in cash or in shares of Common Stock (based on
the then-current fair market value of such stock), in the Committee’s
discretion.
Performance goals will be established
by the Committee and will relate to a specified performance period. The
performance goals may be based on any business criteria deemed appropriate by
the Committee. Such criteria may include, but are not limited to, those listed
in Section 9(c) of the 2009 Plan. These performance goals may be designed
to measure corporate performance under any standards as may be determined by the
Committee, including the overall performance of the Company, any business unit
or the individual participant. Performance may be measured against the
performance of the Company or the business unit relative to other companies or
other business units within or outside the Company.
Performance goals may be graduated or
absolute, in the Committee’s discretion. The Committee may establish a
performance target or use a formula to determine the level of vesting. Targets
or formulae may be adjusted at any time prior to payment of the performance unit
to reflect major unforeseen events such as changes in laws, regulations or
accounting procedures, mergers, acquisitions or divestitures or extraordinary,
unusual or nonrecurring items or events, subject to the limitations of
Section 162(m) of the Code discussed below. The Committee shall determine,
in its sole discretion, the extent to which the performance targets have been
attained or the effect of performance formulae, and what, if any, payment is due
the participant on the performance unit.
Within the first quarter of any
performance period (or such earlier or later date as may be required or
permitted by Section 162(m) of the Code), the Committee will determine whether
to award any performance units for that performance period in a manner intended
to result in “qualified performance-based compensation” within the meaning of
Section 162(m) (a “Qualifying Performance Unit”). If the Committee intends to
award any Qualifying Performance Units, the relevant performance goal will be
“pre-established” and “objective” within the meaning of Section
162(m). Under the 2009 Plan, the Committee has no discretion to waive
or alter the goal for a Qualifying Performance Unit after the expiration of the
earliest of: (i) the expiration of twenty-five percent of the performance
period; (ii) 90 days after the commencement of the performance period; or (iii)
the date on which the outcome under the goal is not substantially
certain. The maximum amount payable under a performance unit will
depend on the value of that performance unit (which, for cash denominated
performance units, is typically a percentage of the recipient’s base salary).
However,
Qualifying Performance Units awarded to any single participant in any given
performance period are subject to a maximum cash denomination of
$1,000,000.
Supplemental Cash
Payments. In any Award, the Committee may provide for supplemental cash
payments that would be payable upon the exercise of a stock option or SAR, upon
payment of a performance unit or vesting of restricted stock. Supplemental cash
payments may not, however, exceed the value of the award at the time of such
exercise, payment or vesting.
Discussion
of Federal Income Tax Consequences
The following statements are based on
current interpretations of existing federal income tax laws, which are subject
to change, potentially with retroactive effect. The law is technical and
complex. The statements represent only a general summary of some of
the applicable provisions and, among other considerations, do not describe
state, local, or international tax consequences.
Stock
options. Generally, there are no federal income tax consequences to the
optionee or the Company upon the grant of a stock option. Upon exercise of an
incentive stock option, the optionee will not recognize any income and the
Company will not be entitled to a deduction for tax purposes, although such
exercise may give rise to liability for the optionee under the alternative
minimum tax provisions of the Code. Generally, if the optionee disposes of
shares acquired upon exercise of an incentive stock option within two years of
the date of grant or one year of the date of exercise, the optionee will
recognize compensation income and the Company will be entitled to a deduction
for tax purposes in an amount equal to the excess of the fair market value of
the shares on the date of exercise over the option exercise price (or the gain
on sale, if less). Otherwise, the Company will not be entitled to any deduction
for tax purposes upon disposition of such shares, and the entire gain for the
optionee will be treated as a long-term capital gain, currently taxed at a
preferential rate. On exercise of a non-qualified stock option, the amount by
which the fair market value of the shares on the date of exercise exceeds the
option exercise price will generally be taxable to the optionee as compensation
income and will generally be deductible for tax purposes by the Company, subject
to applicable limitations contained in Code. The disposition of shares acquired
upon exercise of a non-qualified stock option will generally result in a capital
gain or loss for the optionee, but will have no tax consequences for the
Company.
Stock
appreciation rights. The grant of a SAR generally does not result in
income to the grantee or in a deduction for the Company. Upon the exercise of a
SAR, the grantee will recognize compensation income and the Company will be
entitled to a deduction measured by the fair market value of the shares of
Common Stock plus any cash received, subject to applicable limitations contained
in the Code.
Restricted
stock. The grant of restricted stock generally does not result in income
to the grantee or in a deduction for the Company, assuming the shares
transferred are subject to restrictions which constitute a “substantial risk of
forfeiture” and the grantee does not make an effective election to be currently
taxable on the receipt of such shares pursuant to Section 83(b) of the Code. If
there are no such restrictions and the grantee fails to make a Section 83(b)
election, the grantee would recognize compensation income upon receipt of the
shares of common stock in an amount equal to the difference between the fair
market value of the stock on the date the restrictions lapse and the amount paid
by the grantee, if any. Dividends paid to the grantee while the stock
is subject to such restrictions would be treated as compensation income to the
grantee and the Company would be entitled to a deduction, subject to applicable
limitations contained in the Code. At the time the restrictions lapse, the
grantee would recognize compensation income, and the Company would be entitled
to a deduction measured by the fair market value of the shares at the time of
lapse, subject to applicable limitations contained in the Code.
Performance
units. The grant of a performance unit generally does not result in
income to the grantee or in a deduction for the Company. Upon the receipt of
cash or shares of common stock under a performance unit, the grantee will
recognize compensation income and the Company will be entitled to a deduction
measured by the fair market value of the shares of common stock plus any cash
received, subject to applicable limitations of the Code.
Supplemental Cash
Payments. The receipt of such payments generally would be recognized as
compensation income to the grantee and the Company would be entitled to a
corresponding deduction for such amount.
Limitations on
Deductibility under Section 162(m). As indicated above, the Company will
usually be entitled to a deduction at the time and in the amount a recipient of
an award recognizes ordinary compensation income in connection therewith.
However, Section 162(m) of the Code imposes a $1,000,000 limitation on the
amount of annual compensation deduction allowable to a publicly held company in
respect of its chief executive officer and its other three most highly paid
executive officers. An exception to this limitation is provided if the
compensation is performance based and certain stockholder approval, outside
director administration and other requirements are satisfied. Assuming that the
Company’s stockholders approve the 2009 Plan, payments made pursuant to awards
of Qualified Performance Units may be, but are not required to be, structured in
a way that is not subject to this deduction limitation.
Section 409A of
the Code. It is
intended that the 2009 Plan will be administered, operated and interpreted such
that all awards granted under the 2009 Plan will not be considered deferred
compensation subject to Section 409A of the Code. The Committee will
have the discretion to modify or amend any award if such modification or
amendment is necessary to cause e award to be exempt from Section 409A and is
not materially prejudicial to the affected participant.
Section 280G of
the Code. If an award is accelerated under the Incentive Plan
in connection with a “change in control” (as this term is used in the Code), the
Company may not be permitted to deduct for tax purposes a portion of the
compensation attributable to the acceleration (“parachute payments”) if it
exceeds certain threshold limits under the Code (and certain related excise
taxes may be triggered). A participant may be subject to an excise tax of 20% on
such parachute payments.
Recapitalization
If the outstanding shares of Common
Stock are increased or decreased or changed into or exchanged for a different
number or kind of shares or other securities of Company by reason of any
recapitalization, reclassification, reorganization, stock split, reverse split,
combination of shares, exchange of shares, stock dividend or other distribution
payable in capital stock of Company or other increase or decrease in such shares
effected without receipt of consideration by Company occurring after the
effective date, an appropriate and proportionate adjustment shall be made by the
Committee to any restriction or authorization of a specific number of shares of
Common Stock described under the 2009 Plan. No fractional shares of
Common Stock or units of other securities shall be issued pursuant to any such
adjustment and any fractions resulting from any such adjustment shall be
eliminated in each case by rounding downward to the nearest whole share or
unit.
Change
of Control
In the case of a proposed merger or
consolidation in which the Company is not expected to be the surviving
corporation, or a sale of all or substantially all of the business or assets of
the Company, or liquidation or dissolution of the Company, or in the event of a
tender offer or any other change involving a threatened change in control of the
Company which, in the opinion of the Committee, could deprive the holders of the
benefits intended to be conferred by awards hereunder, the Committee may, in
anticipation of any such transaction or event, make such adjustments in the
terms and conditions of outstanding awards, as the Committee in its sole
discretion determines are equitably warranted under the circumstances including,
without limitation, (i) acceleration of exercise terms or
(ii) acceleration of the lapse of restrictions, performance objectives and
other terms.
If the Company or its shareholders
enter into a binding agreement to dispose of all or substantially all of the
assets or stock of the Company (whether by sale, merger or other reorganization,
liquidation, or otherwise), any Award granted pursuant to the 2009 Plan shall
become immediately and fully exercisable during the period from the date of the
agreement to the date the agreement is consummated (or, if earlier, the date the
Award terminates in accordance with the 2009 Plan), provided, however, that no
Award shall be automatically accelerated pursuant to this sentence if the
shareholders of the Company immediately before the contemplated transaction will
own 50% or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of voting
stock of the surviving entity (whether the Company or some other entity)
immediately after the transaction, and provided further that, if the
contemplated transaction terminates without being consummated, the Awards that
were automatically accelerated pursuant to this sentence shall thereafter be
treated as if that agreement had never been entered into and the Committee may,
in its discretion, elect to rescind some or all of the exercises of Awards that
were so accelerated between the time of the agreement to the date that the
contemplated transaction was terminated.
Irrespective of the applicability of
the automatic acceleration provisions of the above paragraph, the Committee
retains the authority to grant greater acceleration rights to participants
holding unvested or partially vested Awards than would be provided by above, but
the Committee may not proscribe, withdraw or limit the automatic acceleration
rights provided by the above paragraph without the consent of the
participant.
New
Plan Benefits
All awards under the 2009 Plan will
be made at the discretion of the Committee. Therefore, the future
benefits and amounts that will be received or allocated under the 2009 Plan are
not determinable. Set forth below, in tabular form, are the benefits
and amounts that would have been received by or allocated to, each of the named
persons or groups for the last completed fiscal year had the 2009 Plan been in
effect (pre stock split).
Name
and Position
|
|
Dollar
Value ($)(1)
|
|
|
Number
of Shares
|
|
Richard
E. Gathright, Chairman of
the Board, CEO and President
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
Michael
S. Shore, CFO, Senior
V.P. and Treasurer
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
Paul
C. Vinger, Senior V.P., Corporate
Planning and Fleet Operations
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
All
executive officers, as a group
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
All
directors who are not executive
officers, as a group
|
|
|
8,949.60 |
|
|
|
36,000
|
|
All
employees who are not executive officers,
as a group
|
|
|
3,170.00 |
|
|
|
10,000 |
|
(1)
|
All
options will be granted at not less than the fair market value on the date
of grant. The dollar value to the grantee is solely dependent on the
increase in the stock price subsequent to the date of
grant.
|
If the
stockholders approve the 2009 Plan, the Company will, as soon as practicable
thereafter, register the shares of Common Stock that are issuable under the 2009
Plan with the Securities and Exchange Commission on a Form S-8 registration
statement, in compliance with the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended.
The
affirmative vote of a majority of the Voting Shares present in person or
represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote on such matter is
required to approve the Company’s 2009 Equity Incentive Plan.
THE
BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE “FOR”
THE
APPROVAL OF THE COMPANY’S 2009 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN
MANAGEMENT
Directors
The
following table sets forth the names, ages and titles of each member of the
Board of Directors of the Company:
Name
|
|
Age
|
|
Position
and Office
|
Richard
E. Gathright
|
|
55
|
|
Chairman
of the Board; Chief Executive Officer and President;
Director
|
Wendell
R. Beard
|
|
82
|
|
Director
|
Steven
R. Goldberg
|
|
58
|
|
Director
|
Nat
Moore
|
|
57
|
|
Director
|
Larry
S. Mulkey
|
|
66
|
|
Director
|
C.
Rodney O’Connor
|
|
74
|
|
Director
|
Robert
S. Picow
|
|
54
|
|
Director
|
Set forth below are the names of all
directors of the Company, all positions and offices with the Company held by
each person, the period during which each has served as such, and the principal
occupations and employment of such persons during at least the last five
years:
Mr. Gathright has been Chief
Executive Officer and President of the Company since November 2000, a Director
since March 2001 and Chairman of the Board since November 2002. He is
responsible for the management of all business affairs of the Company, reporting
directly to the Board of Directors. He was an advisor on operational
and financial matters to the senior management of several domestic and
international energy companies from January 2000 through October
2000. From September 1996 to December 1999, he was President and
Chief Operating Officer of TransMontaigne Inc., a Denver-based publicly owned
company providing logistical services to major energy companies and large
industrial customers; a Director from April 1995 to December 1999; Executive
Vice President from April 1995 to September 1996; and from December 1993 to
April 1995 was President and Chief Operating Officer of a predecessor of
TransMontaigne. From 1988 to 1993, he was President and Director of
North American Operations for Aberdeen Petroleum PLC, a London-based public
company engaged in international oil and gas operations, also serving on its
Board of Directors. Prior to joining Aberdeen, he held a number of
positions in the energy industry in the areas of procurement, operations and
management of oil and gas assets. Mr. Gathright currently serves on
the Board of Directors of the Nat Moore Foundation, a nonprofit organization for
the benefit of disadvantaged youth.
Mr. Beard has served as a
Director of the Company since July 2001. He retired from Ryder
System, Inc. in June 1994 after 17 years of service, the last three years of
which he served as Executive Vice President, responsible for corporate public
relations, advertising, government relations, special events and the Ryder
Foundation. From August 1989 to June 1991, he served as Senior Vice
President and from August 1987 to August 1989 as Vice President. From
1977 to 1984, he was Vice President of Corporate Development for Truck Stops
Corporation of America, a Ryder subsidiary. He has served on the
Executive Committee of the American Trucking Associations, and for the past 16
years has been an advisor to the Truck Rental and Leasing
Association. He is a Director of the Doral County Club in Miami; a
Director of Baptist Health South Florida, a healthcare and hospital corporation;
and a member of the Orange Bowl Committee. Mr. Beard is a noted
speaker to the trucking industry, business and civic groups. He is
the father of Robert W. Beard, the Company’s Senior Vice President, Marketing
& Sales and Investor Relations Officer.
Mr. Goldberg has served as a
Director of the Company since July 2005. Since 2007 he has been
President of Goldhammer Advisory LLC, specializing in M&A and corporate
finance matters, located in Coral Gables, Florida. From 2006 to 2007,
he was CEO of Coral Gables based Sunbelt Diversified Enterprises LLC, a
privately owned holding company that acquires and oversees the operations of
various small cap companies in diverse industries. Prior to joining
Sunbelt, he was Senior Vice President, Arrow Air II LLC, from 2004 to 2006,
after having previously served as Chief Financial Officer of its affiliate Arrow
Air, Inc., a Miami-based cargo airline with related logistics and leasing
entities. Prior to joining Arrow Air, from 2002 to 2004, he was a partner at
Maplewood Partners LP, a private equity firm based in Coral Gables,
Florida. Mr. Goldberg served with Ryder System, Inc. and its
subsidiaries for 12 years, from 2000 to 2001 and from 1987 to 1998, in positions
including Senior Vice President of Corporate Finance, Vice President of
Corporate Development, and Vice President and Treasurer of Ryder System, Inc;
and Chief Financial Officer of Ryder Transportation Services. From
1998 to 2000 he was Senior Vice President, Corporate Development of Republic
Services, Inc., an environmental services company. Prior to joining
the Ryder group, Mr. Goldberg held positions in the finance departments of
Squibb Corporation and J.E. Seagram & Sons, Inc., having started his career
at Manufacturers Hanover Trust in New York. He is a lecturer in
finance at the undergraduate School of Business, University of Miami, as well as
having been a guest lecturer at the Graduate School of Business in the area of
mergers and acquisitions. Mr. Goldberg currently serves as Chairman
of the Company’s Audit Committee.
Mr. Moore has served as a
Director of the Company since May 2006. Since 1987, he has served as
President of Nat Moore & Associates Inc., an event management company
located in Miami, and is the founder of The Nat Moore Foundation, a charitable
organization that provides needed assistance to inner city organizations
supporting sports teams and scholarships. A former professional
football player with the Miami Dolphins, Mr. Moore is also the Director of
Special Project, Alumni Affairs, for Miami Dolphins Limited and serves as
Director of Pro Bowl Youth Clinics for the National Football League’s Special
Events, and did the same for the Super Bowl Youth Clinics for 18
years. He also appears as a Color Analyst for the Miami Dolphins
Preseason Games on 560 WQAM and the University of Florida, Breakfast with the
Gators, and on other various football game broadcasts. He also
has been a Color Analyst for Miami Hurricanes football
broadcasts. Mr. Moore is a 13-year veteran of the Miami Dolphins
football team and was the ninth inductee into the Miami Dolphins Ring of
Honor. Mr. Moore currently serves on the Board of Directors of
several other organizations, including Sun Trust Bank N.A., the Nat Moore
Foundation, the Orange Bowl Committee, and the South Florida Golf
Foundation. He currently serves as a member of the Company’s Audit
Committee, Chairman of the Compensation Committee and Chairman of the Nominating
and Corporate Governance Committee.
Mr. Mulkey has served as a
Director of the Company since November 2002. Since 1997 he has served
as the CEO and President of Mulkey & Associates, Inc., which provides
consulting services specializing in transportation and logistics, business
strategy, and real estate. He retired from Ryder System, Inc. in 1997
after 31 years of service, the last five years as President of Worldwide
Logistics and as a member of the executive committee. Mr. Mulkey has
served as a board and/or committee chairman in numerous organizations, including
the American Trucking Association, and was the 1997 recipient of the
Distinguished Service Award of the Council of Logistics Management which is the
highest honor in the logistics industry. He currently serves as a
Director of Cardinal Logistics Management, Inc., a private logistics and
transportation company. Mr. Mulkey currently serves as a member of
the Company’s Audit Committee, Compensation Committee and Nominating and
Corporate Governance Committee.
Mr. O’Connor has served as a
Director of the Company since July 1999. Mr. O’Connor previously
assisted in the reorganization and refinancing of the Company, and is one of its
largest stockholders today. He is the Chairman of Cameron Associates,
Inc., a financial communications firm he founded in 1976. Prior to
1976, he served in numerous positions over a 20-year period in the investment
industry with Kidder Peabody and Bear Stearns. Mr. O’Connor serves as
a Director of Fundamental Management Corporation, a private fund management
company whose partnerships hold an investment in the Company. He also
was a founder and Director of Atrix Laboratories, Inc., a publicly traded
specialty pharmaceutical company focused on advanced drug delivery which was
sold in 2004.
Mr. Picow has served as a
Director of the Company since March 2001. Mr. Picow is the Vice
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Eezinet Corporation, which is a private
telecommunications company holding PCS licenses for cellular
spectrum. He served as Chairman of Cenuco Inc. (which subsequently
changed its name to Lander Co. Inc. and is now known as Ascendia Brands, Inc.),
a public communications technology company, from April 2004 until its merger
with Lander Co. Inc. Mr. Picow has served as a member of the board of
directors of Cenuco (and now Ascendia) since July 2003, and as chief executive
officer of the Cenuco Wireless division since 2005. From June 1996 to
August 1997, he served as the Vice Chairman of Brightpoint, Inc., a publicly
traded communications company, and was its President from June 1996 until
October 1997. In 1981, Mr. Picow founded Allied Communications, Inc.,
the pioneer U.S. wireless electronics distributorship, serving 16 years as its
Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President until the 1996 merger of Allied
and Brightpoint. Since May 2001, he has served as a Director of
Fundamental Management Corporation, a private fund management company whose
partnerships hold an investment in the Company. He also is a Director
of Infosonics Corporation, a multinational telecommunications company, American
Telecom Services, Inc., a provider of Internet phone and prepaid long distance
communications services, and serves on the Board of Trustees for the Children’s
Place at Homesafe. Mr. Picow currently serves as a member of the
Company’s Compensation Committee and its Nominating and Corporate Governance
Committee.
Executive
Officers
The
following table sets forth the name and age of each of our executive officers,
indicating all positions and offices presently held with the
Company:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Richard
E. Gathright
|
|
55
|
|
Chairman
of the Board, Chief Executive Officer and President
|
Michael
S. Shore
|
|
41
|
|
Chief
Financial Officer, Senior Vice President and Treasurer
|
Robert
W. Beard
|
|
55
|
|
Senior
Vice President, Marketing & Sales and Investor Relations
Officer
|
Timothy
E. Shaw
|
|
45
|
|
Senior
Vice President, Information Services & Administration and Chief
Information Officer
|
Paul
C. Vinger
|
|
39
|
|
Senior
Vice President, Corporate Planning and Fleet Operations
|
Gary
G. Williams
|
|
53
|
|
Senior
Vice President, Commercial Operations
|
L.
Patricia Messenbaugh
|
|
45
|
|
Vice
President, Finance & Accounting and Chief Accounting
Officer
|
Mr. Gathright has been Chief
Executive Officer and President of the Company since November 2000, a Director
since March 2001 and Chairman of the Board since November 2002. He is
responsible for the management of all business affairs of the Company, reporting
directly to the Board of Directors. For a detailed description of
Mr. Gathright’s business experience, see “Management –
Directors.”
Mr. Shore has been Chief
Financial Officer, Senior Vice President and Treasurer of the Company since
February 2002. He also was the Corporate Secretary from February 2002
to September 2005. Prior to joining the Company, he was CEO and
President of Shore Strategic and Financial Consulting, providing financial and
management services to corporate clients in the United States and Latin America.
From 1998 to 2000, he served as Director Finance/Controller for the North
American Zone Operations of Paris-based Club Mediterranee. From 1996
to 1998, he was Vice President of Finance/Controller for Interfoods of America,
Inc., the largest Popeye’s Fried Chicken & Biscuits
franchisee. From 1994 to 1996, he was the Manager of Accounting and
Financial Reporting for Arby’s, Inc. Mr. Shore began his professional
career in 1990 with Arthur Andersen, LLP where he became a Senior
Auditor. Mr. Shore has a diverse background in leading growth
oriented public companies in mergers/acquisitions, capital formations, finance,
treasury and accounting.
Mr. Beard (Robert W.) has been
Senior Vice President, Marketing & Sales and Investor Relations Officer of
the Company since December 2006, responsible for all marketing and sales
operations, and for investor relations; and from July 2005 to December 2006, he
was Vice President, Corporate Development and Investor Relations Officer of the
Company responsible for product line strategy and development, and for vendor
and public relations. He was employed by Cendian Corporation, a
chemical logistics subsidiary of Eastman Chemical Company, as Group Director of
Client Development and Sales Support from 2004 to July 2005; and as Director of
Business Marketing from 2001 to 2004. He was Senior Manager, Field
Marketing for Ryder System, Inc. from 1994 to 2001. From 1986 to
1994, he was the Vice President of Marketing for Comdata
Corporation. From 1985 to 1986, he was Manager of Vendor Relations
for First Data Resources, a Division of American Express Travel Related Services
Company. Mr. Beard also was employed by Ryder Systems from 1977 to
1985, serving in a number of positions including Manager, Vendor Relations, and
as a General Manager and a Controller in its Truckstops of America
Division. He is the son of Wendell R. Beard, a member of the
Company’s Board of Directors.
Mr. Shaw has been Senior Vice
President, Information Services & Administration and Chief Information
Officer since December 2006, responsible for all information systems management
and corporate administration; and from April 2006 to December 2006, he was Vice
President, Information Systems Services and Chief Information
Officer. From 1999 to April 2006 he was the Vice President of
Information Services with Neff Corporation/Neff Rental LLC headquartered in
Miami, one of the country’s largest construction rental
companies. From 1998 to 1999, he served as Director, Retail and
Distribution Systems for Fruehauf Trailer Services in St. Louis,
MO. From 1997 to 1998, he was Manager, Service Center Mechanization,
for Southwestern Bell in St. Louis. From 1994 to 1997, he was
Manager, Information Systems with Aggregate Equipment in East Peoria,
IL. From 1991 to 1994, he was Systems Engineer with Electronic Data
Systems (EDS) in Troy, MI. From 1981 to 1991, he was a Manufacturing
Engineer and Area Supervisor for McDonnell Douglas Corp. in St.
Louis. Mr. Shaw has an extensive background in IT leadership, process
engineering, business operations, implementing enterprise resource solutions,
storm disaster recovery planning, public company IT systems Sarbanes-Oxley 404
implementation and compliance, and the integration of acquisitions.
Mr. Vinger has been Senior
Vice President, Corporate Planning and Fleet Operations of the Company since
November 2002 and Vice President, Corporate Planning and Fleet Operations for
the Company since August 2001, managing all fleet operations and fuel delivery
functions, and additionally responsible for corporate planning and analysis; and
from December 2000 to August 2001, he was Director of Corporate
Planning. He was Senior Analyst of Corporate Planning and Finance for
TransMontaigne Inc. from September 1998 to December 2000, responsible for
operations and acquisitions analyses and the management of supply scheduling and
product allocations. From 1997 to 1998, he was a Manager of Terminal
Operations for TransMontaigne responsible for petroleum product and chemical
terminals. From 1994 to 1997, he was a Research Associate for E. I.
DuPont. From 1991 to 2001, Mr. Vinger served to the rank of Captain
in the United States Military.
Mr. Williams has been Senior
Vice President, Commercial Operations of the Company since February
2001. Since December 2006 he is responsible for product procurement
and for inventory and price management, and prior to that time for marketing and
sales and product procurement. From 1995 to February 2001, he was
Vice President of Marketing for the supply, distribution and marketing
subsidiary of TransMontaigne Inc., managing wholesale marketing functions in the
Mid-Continent, Southeast and Mid-Atlantic and serving on that company’s senior
risk management committee. From 1987 to 1995, he was Regional Manager
for Kerr-McGee Refining Corporation, responsible for unbranded petroleum product
sales in its southeastern United States 11-state marketing
region. Mr. Williams was employed by Kenan Transport Company as its
Tampa Assistant Terminal Manager from 1986 to 1987. He was General
Manager of Crum’s Fuel Oil Service from 1980 to 1986.
Ms. Messenbaugh has been the
Company’s Chief Accounting Officer and Principal Accounting Officer since
October 2007 and its Vice President of Finance & Accounting since April
2007. Prior to joining the Company, Ms. Messenbaugh served as
Director-Assistant Corporate Controller for NationsRent, Inc., a SEC reporting
construction distribution company in Fort Lauderdale, from 2005 to
2006. From 2003 to 2005 Ms. Messenbaugh served as Corporate
Controller of Workstream, Inc., a publicly traded software application service
company. From 2001 to 2003 she was the Senior Corporate Accountant for publicly
traded Mayors Jewelers Inc. From 1992 to 2000 Ms. Messenbaugh served with
Interim Healthcare, Inc. and Interim Services, Inc., now known as Spherion Inc.,
a publicly traded company, where she last held the position of Senior Financial
Analyst. From 1989 to 1991 she was a Financial Analyst for publicly traded,
NationsBank, now known as Bank of America. She began her career with KPMG. Ms.
Messenbaugh is a Certified Public Accountant and holds a Bachelors degree in
Computer Science and a MBA degree, both from Oral Roberts University, Tulsa,
Oklahoma.
CORPORATE
GOVERNANCE
Independence
After
considering all of the relevant facts and circumstances, the Company’s Board of
Directors has determined that each of Messrs. Goldberg, Moore, Mulkey and Picow
is independent from our management and qualifies as an “independent director”
under the NASDAQ listing standards. This means that, in the judgment
of the Board of Directors, none of those directors (1) is an officer or employee
of the Company or its subsidiaries or (2) has any direct or indirect
relationship with the Company that would interfere with the exercise of his
independent judgment in carrying out the responsibilities of a
director. As a result, the Company has a majority of independent
directors as required by the NASDAQ listing standards.
Code
of Business Conduct
The
Company has adopted a Code of Business Conduct that applies to all of the
Company’s employees, including its senior financial officer and Chief Executive
Officer, which complies with the requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
and NASDAQ listing standards. Accordingly, the Code of Business
Conduct is designed to deter wrongdoing, and to promote, among other things,
honest and ethical conduct, full, timely, accurate and clear public disclosures,
compliance with all applicable laws, rules and regulations, the prompt internal
reporting of violations of the Code of Business Conduct, and
accountability. The Company’s Code of Business Conduct is available
on the Company’s website at http://www.mobilefueling.com. To
access our corporate governance materials, click on “Investors” and then click
on “Corporate Governance.”
Meetings
and Committees of the Board of Directors
During
the fiscal year ended June 30, 2009, the Board of Directors held seven
(7) meetings and took action by unanimous written consent seven (7)
times. No incumbent director attended fewer than 75 percent of the
aggregate of (i) the number of meetings of the Board of Directors held during
the period he served on the Board of Directors, and (ii) the number of meetings
of committees of the Board of Directors held during the period he served on such
committees.
The
standing committees of the Board of Directors are as follows: (i) the
Audit Committee, (ii) the Compensation Committee and (iii) the Nominating and
Corporate Governance Committee.
Audit
Committee. Messrs.
Goldberg, Moore and Mulkey currently serve on the Audit Committee, which
met five (5) times
and took action by unanimous written consent one (1) time during the fiscal year
ended June 30, 2009. Each member of the Audit Committee is
independent as defined in the NASDAQ listing standards. The duties
and responsibilities of the Audit Committee include (a) the appointment of the
Company’s auditors and any termination of such engagement, including the
approval of fees paid for audit and non-audit services, (b) reviewing the plan
and scope of audits, (c) reviewing the Company’s significant accounting policies
and internal controls and (d) having general responsibility for oversight of
related auditing matters. The Audit Committee was established in
accordance with Section 3(a)(58)(A) of the Securities and Exchange Act of
1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”).
The Board
of Directors has determined that Mr. Goldberg qualifies as an “Audit Committee
Financial Expert” as that term is defined by the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the “SEC”). In addition, each member of the Audit
Committee is financially literate, as required pursuant to the NASDAQ listing
standards.
The Board
of Directors has adopted a written charter for the Audit Committee, a copy of
which is available on the Company’s website at http://www.mobilefueling.com. To
access our corporate governance materials, click on “Investors” and then click
on “Corporate Governance.”
Compensation
Committee. Messrs. Moore,
Mulkey and Picow currently serve on the Compensation Committee, which did not
hold any meetings but took action by unanimous written consent four (4) times during
the fiscal year ended June 30, 2009. Each member of the Compensation
Committee is independent as defined in the NASDAQ listing
standards. This Committee administers the 1996 and 2000 Stock Option
Plans and has the power and authority to (a) determine the persons to be awarded
options and the terms thereof and (b) construe and interpret the 1996 and 2000
Stock Option Plans. This Committee also is responsible for the final
review and determination of compensation of the Chief Executive Officer and
other executive officers. The compensation of executive officers
other than the Chief Executive Officer generally is set by the Compensation
Committee based on recommendations from the Chief Executive Officer and such
other input as the Committee believes appropriate and necessary in each
case.
The
Compensation Committee has the authority to retain and terminate compensation
consultants or other experts to assist the Committee in the evaluation of the
Chief Executive Officer, his compensation or the compensation of any of the
other executive officers. The Company has never engaged any
compensation consultants or similar firms.
The Board
of Directors has adopted a written charter for the Compensation Committee, a
copy of which is available on the Company’s website at http://www.mobilefueling.com. To
access our corporate governance materials, click on “Investors” and then click
on “Corporate Governance.”
Nominating and
Corporate Governance Committee. Messrs. Moore,
Mulkey and Picow currently serve on the Nominating and Corporate Governance
Committee, which did not hold any meetings but took action by unanimous written
consent one (1)
time during the fiscal year ended June 30, 2009. Each member of the
Nominating and Governance Committee is independent as defined in the NASDAQ
listing standards.
This
Committee is responsible for identifying individuals qualified to become
directors of the Company, recommending to the Board of Directors director
candidates to fill vacancies of the Board of Directors and to stand for election
by the stockholders at the annual meeting of the Company, periodically assessing
the performance of the Board of Directors, periodically reviewing and assessing
the Company’s Code of Business Conduct, and reviewing and recommending to the
Board of Directors appropriate corporate governance policies and procedures for
the Company.
The Board
of Directors has adopted a written charter for the Nominating and Corporate
Governance Committee, a copy of which is available on the Company’s website at
http://www.mobilefueling.com. To
access our corporate governance materials, click on “Investors” and then click
on “Corporate Governance.”
The Board
of Directors will, as a matter of policy, give consideration to nominees for the
Board that are recommended by stockholders. A stockholder who wishes
to recommend a nominee should direct his or her recommendation in writing to the
Company’s Corporate Secretary at the Company’s address. Stockholder
recommendations will be evaluated under the same criteria as the Board of
Director recommendations. The Company must receive the required
notice (as defined below) by the date set forth in the prior year’s annual proxy
statement under the heading “Stockholder Proposals” in order to be considered by
the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee in connection with the
Company’s next annual meeting of stockholders.
Stockholders
wishing to recommend a director candidate for service on the Board of Directors
may do so by providing advance written notice to the Corporate
Secretary. The notice must include the following
information:
As to
each proposed nominee:
|
·
|
the
name, age, business address and residence
address;
|
|
·
|
the
principal occupation or employment;
|
|
·
|
the
class or series and number of shares of capital stock of the Company which
are owned beneficially or of record by the nominee;
and
|
|
·
|
any
other information relating to the nominee that would be required to be
disclosed in a proxy statement or other filings required to be made in
connection with solicitations of proxies for election of directors
pursuant to Section 14 of the Exchange Act, and the rules and regulations
promulgated thereunder.
|
As to the
stockholder giving notice:
|
·
|
the
name and record address of such
stockholder;
|
|
·
|
the
class or series and number of shares of capital stock of the Company which
are owned beneficially or of record by such
stockholder;
|
|
·
|
a
description of all arrangements or understandings between such stockholder
and each proposed nominee and any other person or persons (including their
names) pursuant to which the nomination(s) are to be made by such
stockholder;
|
|
·
|
a
representation that such stockholder intends to appear in person or by
proxy at the meeting to nominate the persons named in its notice;
and
|
|
·
|
any
other information relating to such stockholder that would be required to
be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filings required to be made in
connection with solicitations of proxies for election of directors
pursuant to Section 14 of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations
promulgated thereunder.
|
Such
notice must be accompanied by a written consent of each proposed nominee to be
named as a nominee and to serve as a director if elected.
A nominee
for director should be a person of integrity and must be committed to devoting
the time and attention necessary to fulfill his or her duties to the
Company. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee will
evaluate the independence of directors and potential directors, as well as their
business experience, understanding of and experience in the industry, personal
skills, or specialized skills or experience, relative to those of the
then-current directors. The Nominating and Corporate Governance
Committee also will consider issues involving possible conflicts of interest of
directors or potential directors, the results of interviews of selected
candidates by members of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee and
the Board of Directors, and the totality of the circumstances.
There
were no nominee recommendations provided by stockholders for consideration for
inclusion in this year’s proxy statement.
Director
Attendance at Annual Meeting
All
members of the Board of Directors are encouraged, but not required, to attend
the annual meeting of stockholders. Each director attended the 2008
Annual Meeting of Stockholders held on November 20, 2008.
Communications
with the Board of Directors
Stockholders
who wish to communicate with the Board of Directors may do so by addressing
their correspondence to the Board of Directors at SMF Energy Corporation,
Attention: Corporate Secretary, 200 West Cypress Creek Road, Suite 400, Fort
Lauderdale, Florida 33309. The Board of Directors has approved a
process pursuant to which the Corporate Secretary shall review and forward
correspondence to the appropriate director or group of directors for
response.
Section
16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance
Section
16(a) of the Exchange Act requires that our directors, executive officers and
persons who own more than ten percent of our Common Stock, file with the SEC
initial reports of ownership and reports of changes in ownership of Common
Stock. Directors, officers and greater than ten percent stockholders
are required by SEC rules to furnish us with copies of all ownership reports
they file with the SEC.
To our
knowledge, based solely on review of the copies of such reports furnished to us
and representations made to us, we believe that during the period ended June 30,
2009, the executive officers, directors and ten percent stockholders of the
Company were in compliance with their filing requirements under Section 16(a) of
the Exchange Act, except for the following: C. Rodney O’Connor
purchased shares of Common Stock on March 1, 2009 and the Form 4 reporting the
transaction was not filed until April 8, 2009.
Certain
Relationships and Related Transactions
Mr. E.
Wayne Wetzel was the Company’s Senior Vice President, Lubricants until October
1, 2008, and was previously one of the owners of H & W Petroleum Company,
Inc., which was acquired by the Company in 2005. The Company is
currently indirectly obligated to Mr. Wetzel and various other former owners of
H & W, including Mr. Wetzel’s spouse, Kay Wetzel, his children Quinton E.
Wetzel and Peyton W. Wetzel and various members of his wife’s family, under four
operating leases that expire September 30, 2010. The Company paid a
total of $261,420 in rent on these leases
during fiscal 2009, compared to $261,420 during fiscal 2008. The
aggregate amount of all payments due under the leases on July 1, 2008, was
$588,195, compared to $849,615 on July 1,
2007. The properties are located in Houston, Lufkin, Freeport and
Waxahachie, Texas. These leases were negotiated prior to the
acquisition of H & W as part of an arm’s length transaction. The
Company believes that the leases were entered into in good faith and on fair and
reasonable terms.
C. Rodney
O’Connor, a Director of the Company, also is Chairman of Cameron Associates,
Inc., a financial consulting and investor relations public relations firm, that
has provided investor relations services to the Company since
1997. During the fiscal 2009, the Company paid $80,253.20 to Cameron
Associates, Inc. for such services, compared to $79,031 during fiscal
2008. Of the $80,253.20 paid to Cameron Associates, Inc. in 2009,
$2,064 was reimbursed to Mr. O’Connor in connection with his activities as a
Director of the Company.
On June
29, 2009 (the “Effective Date”), the Company completed a recapitalization
program that restructured all of its debt and equity (the
“Recapitalization”). By virtue of various agreements with dozens of
the Company’s existing debt and equity investors, the Company extinguished all
of its existing non-bank debt and outstanding preferred stock. As
part of the Recapitalization, the Company entered into agreements with security
holders who were beneficial owners of more than 5% of the Company’s Common
Stock. These transactions were as follows:
|
·
|
The
Company entered into a Payment and Exchange Agreement with Joshua Tree
Capital Partners LP (“Joshua Tree”), whereby it exchanged (i) all of the
$750,000 of the principal amount outstanding on Joshua Tree’s 11½% Senior
Secured Promissory Note for a cash payment of $375,000 and 986,842 shares
of the Company’s Common Stock, and (ii) all of the $43,365 in accrued and
unpaid interest thereon for 114,117 shares of the Company’s Common
Stock. The dollar amount involved in this transaction was
$793,365. The Company also entered into an Exchange Agreement
with Joshua Tree whereby it exchanged (i) all of Joshua Tree’s 852 shares
of the Company’s Series B Convertible Preferred Stock for 2,017,895 shares
of the Company’s Common Stock and (ii) all of the $22,941 in accrued and
unpaid dividends thereon for 60,371 shares of Common Stock. The
dollar amount of the amount involved in this transaction was
$789,741.
|
|
·
|
The
Company entered into a Payment and Exchange Agreement with Triage Capital
Management LP (“Triage”), whereby it exchanged (i) all of the $917,925 of
the principal amount outstanding on Triage’s 11½% Senior Secured
Promissory Note for a cash payment of $458,963, 574 shares of the
Company’s Series D Convertible Preferred Stock and 603,898 shares of the
Company’s Common Stock, and (ii) all of the $53,074 in accrued and unpaid
interest thereon for 139,668 shares of the Company’s Common
Stock. The dollar amount involved in this transaction was
$970,999. The Company also entered into an Exchange Agreement
with Triage whereby it exchanged (i) all of Triage’s 437 shares of the
Company’s Series B Convertible Preferred Stock for 1,035,000 shares of the
Company’s Common Stock and (ii) all of the $11,767 in accrued and unpaid
dividends thereon for 30,965 shares of Common Stock. The dollar
amount involved in this transaction was
$405,067.
|
|
·
|
The
Company entered into a Payment and Exchange Agreement with Leon Frenkel,
whereby it exchanged (i) all of the $230,000 of the principal amount
outstanding on Mr. Frenkel’s 11½% Senior Secured Promissory Note for a
cash payment of $115,000 and 288 shares of the Company’s Series D
Convertible Preferred Stock, and (ii) all of the $13,298 in accrued and
unpaid interest thereon for 34,996 shares of the Company’s Common
Stock. The dollar amount involved in this transaction was
$243,298. The Company also entered into an Exchange Agreement
with Mr. Frenkel whereby it exchanged (i) all of Mr. Frenkel’s 306 shares
of the Company’s Series B Convertible Preferred Stock for 724,737 shares
of the Company’s Common Stock and (ii) all of the $8,239 in accrued and
unpaid dividends thereon for 21,683 shares of Common Stock. The
dollar amount involved in this transaction was $283,639. In
addition, the Company entered into a Payment and Exchange Agreement with
Pershing LLC F/B/O Leonid Frenkel IRA (“Frenkel IRA”), whereby it
exchanged (i) all of the $630,000 of the principal amount outstanding on
Frenkel IRA’s 11½% Senior Secured Promissory Note for a cash payment of
$315,000 and 788 shares of the Company’s Series D Convertible Preferred
Stock, and (ii) all of the $36,426 in accrued and unpaid interest thereon
for 95,859 shares of the Company’s Common Stock. The dollar
amount involved in this transaction was $666,426. Lastly, the
Company entered into an Exchange Agreement with Frenkel IRA, whereby it
exchanged (i) all of Frenkel IRA’s 36 shares of the Company’s Series B
Convertible Preferred Stock for 261,974 shares of the Company’s Common
Stock and (ii) all of the $2,978 in accrued and unpaid dividends thereon
for 7,838 shares of the Company’s Common Stock. The dollar
amount involved in this transaction was
$99,550.
|
|
·
|
The
Company entered into a Payment and Exchange Agreement with Active
Investors II Limited (“Active II”), whereby it exchanged (i) all of Active
II’s 913 shares of the Company’s Series A Convertible Preferred Stock for
1,321,447 shares of the Company’s Common Stock and (ii) all of the $15,023
in accrued and unpaid dividends thereon for 39,535 shares of the Company’s
Common Stock. The dollar amount involved in this transaction
was $517,173.
|
|
·
|
The
Company entered into a Payment and Exchange Agreement with Active
Investors III Limited (“Active III”), whereby it exchanged (i) all of
Active III’s 913 shares of the Company’s Series A Convertible Preferred
Stock for 1,321,447 shares of the Company’s Common Stock and (ii) all of
the $15,023 in accrued and unpaid dividends thereon for 39,535 shares of
the Company’s Common Stock. The dollar amount involved in this
transaction was $517,173.
|
The
shares of Common Stock were valued at $0.38 per share, $0.01 above the closing
bid price of the Company’s Common Stock on the Effective Date. Each
share of the Series D Convertible Preferred Stock is convertible into 1,000
shares of the Company’s Common Stock at a price per share of $0.40 per share,
$0.03 above the closing bid price of the Company’s Common Stock on the Effective
Date.
In
addition, some of the Company’s executive officers were asked to participate in
the Recapitalization on the same terms as the other holders of the Company’s
securities. Although the amount involved in each of these transactions did not
exceed $120,000, brief descriptions of the executive officer exchanges are set
forth below:
|
·
|
Richard
E. Gathright, Chief Executive Officer and President of the Company and its
Chairman, exchanged 36 shares of Series A Preferred Stock for 52,105
shares of Common Stock and $592 in accrued but unpaid dividends for 1,559
shares of Common Stock.
|
|
·
|
Michael
Shore, Chief Financial Officer, Senior Vice President and Treasurer,
exchanged 36 shares of Series A Preferred Stock for 52,105 shares of
Common Stock and $592 in accrued but unpaid dividends for 1,559 shares of
Common Stock.
|
|
·
|
Paul
C. Vinger, Senior Vice President - Corporate Planning and Fleet
Operations, exchanged 36 shares of Series A Preferred Stock for 52,105
shares of Common Stock and $592 in accrued but unpaid dividends for 1,559
shares of Common Stock.
|
|
·
|
Gary
G. Williams III, Senior Vice President - Commercial Operations, exchanged
18 shares of Series A Preferred Stock for 26,053 shares of Common Stock
and $296 in accrued but unpaid dividends for 779 shares of Common
Stock.
|
|
·
|
Robert
W. Beard, Senior Vice President - Marketing & Sales and Investor
Relations Officer exchanged 10 shares of Series A Preferred Stock for
14,474 shares of Common Stock and $165 in accrued but unpaid dividends for
433 shares of Common Stock.
|
|
·
|
Timothy
E. Shaw, Senior Vice President – Information Services & Administration
and Chief Information Officer, exchanged 10 shares of Series A Preferred
Stock for 14,474 shares of Common Stock and $165 in accrued but unpaid
dividends for 433 shares of Common
Stock.
|
|
·
|
Laura
Patricia Messenbaugh, Vice President - Finance & Accounting, Chief
Accounting Officer and Principal Accounting Officer, exchanged 9 shares of
Series A Preferred Stock for 13,026 shares of Common Stock and $148 in
accrued but unpaid dividends for 390 shares of Common
Stock.
|
Also, as
part of the Recapitalization, C. Rodney O’Connor, a non-employee director of the
Company, entered into a Payment and Exchange Agreement with the Company, whereby
he exchanged (i) all of the $250,000 of the principal amount outstanding on his
Unsecured Promissory Note for a cash payment of $125,000 and 312 shares of the
Company’s Series D Preferred Stock, and (ii) all of the $10,167 in accrued and
unpaid interest thereon for 26,754 shares of the Company’s Common
Stock. The dollar amount involved in this transaction was
$260,167.
On
September 10, 2009, the exercise price of all outstanding options previously
granted to employees under the Company’s 2000 Stock Option Plan were amended to
have an exercise price of $0.55 per share (the “Amendment”), which was $0.17
above the $0.38 closing bid price on the Nasdaq Capital Market on the trading
day immediately preceding the Amendment.
The
Amendment affected an aggregate of 1,474,200 shares of Common Stock underlying
options previously granted to 32 employees, including executive officers.
Although the amount involved in each of these transactions did not exceed
$120,000, the Amendment affected the following executive officers: Richard E.
Gathright, who held options to purchase 600,000 shares; Michael S. Shore, who
held options to purchase 125,000 shares; Paul C. Vinger, who held
options to purchase 116,000 shares; L. Patricia Messenbaugh, who held options to
purchase 55,000 shares, Robert W. Beard, who held options to purchase 85,000
shares; Timothy E. Shaw, who held options to purchase 85,000 shares; and Gary G.
Williams, who held options to purchase 85,000 shares.
The
Company believes that the foregoing transactions were entered into in good faith
and on fair and reasonable terms that are no less favorable to the Company than
those that would be available for comparable transactions in arm’s length
dealings with unrelated third parties.
The
Company has a stated policy against any conflict of interest transaction in its
Code of Business Conduct, which was most recently revised by the Board of
Directors in March 2007. The Code of Business Conduct specifically
prohibits officers, directors and employees from employment by, or investment
in, any current or prospective customer, supplier or competitor of the
Company. The Code of Business Conduct also prohibits acceptance of
commissions, compensation or excessive gifts or entertainment from persons or
firms with which the Company does or may do business, as well as any
exploitation of a corporate opportunity for personal
profit. Exceptions to the prohibitions on conflict of interest
transactions may be made on a case-by-case basis to avoid undue hardship, such
as investments made before employment or other pre-existing
relationships.
The Audit
Committee Charter includes a requirement for Audit Committee approval of any
transaction involving the Company and a related party in which the parties’
relationship could enable the negotiation of terms on other than an independent,
arm’s length basis. For these purposes, a “related party transaction”
includes any transaction that is required to be disclosed pursuant to Item 404
of SEC Regulation S-K. In making any determination concerning whether
to approve a related party transaction, the Audit Committee is guided by the
Company’s Code of Business Conduct. The Audit Committee Charter
specifically provides that the Committee shall review with management actions
taken to ensure compliance with the Code of Conduct. The Charter also
requires the Committee to review any conduct of executive officers or directors
that is alleged to be in violation or potential violation of the Code and, in
appropriate instances, grant a waiver or exception for specific
individuals. The Committee has the authority to cause the Company to
take remedial, disciplinary or other measures against executive officers and
directors who violate the Code of Conduct and to cause the prompt public
disclosure of any waiver of or change to the Code as it relates to executive
officers or directors.
Copies of
the Code of Business Conduct and the Audit Committee Charter are available on
the Company’s website at http://www.mobilefueling.com. To
access these corporate governance materials, click on “Investors” and then click
on “Corporate Governance.”
Report
of the Audit Committee
Management is responsible for our
internal controls and the financial reporting process. Our
independent auditors, Grant Thornton LLP, are responsible for performing the
independent audit of our consolidated financial statements in accordance with
auditing standards generally accepted in the United States and for issuing a
report thereon.
In this
context, the Audit Committee hereby reports as follows:
|
1.
|
The
Audit Committee met with management and reviewed and discussed the audited
financial statements prepared by the Company and audited by Grant Thornton
LLP;
|
|
2.
|
The
Audit Committee discussed with Grant Thornton LLP the matters required by
the Statement on Auditing Standards No. 61, as amended (AICPA,
Professional Standards, Vol. 1. AU Section 380), as adopted by the Public
Company Accounting Oversight Board in Rule 3200T;
and
|
|
3.
|
The
Audit Committee received from, and discussed with, Grant Thornton LLP the
written disclosures and the letter required by the Independence Standards
Board Standard No. 1 (Independence Discussions with Audit Committees), as
adopted by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board in Rule 3200T,
and has discussed with Grant Thornton LLP its independence from the
Company.
|
Based on the review and discussions
referred to above, the Audit Committee recommended to the Board of Directors
that the audited consolidated financial statements for the year ended
June 30, 2009, be included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for
filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
AUDIT
COMMITTEE
|
|
Steven
R. Goldberg
|
Nat
Moore
|
Larry
S. Mulkey
|
Report
of the Compensation Committee
The Compensation Committee reviewed and
discussed the Compensation Discussion and Analysis with management and, based on
such review and discussions, the Compensation Committee recommended to the Board
of Directors of SMF Energy Corporation that the Compensation Discussion and
Analysis be included in this proxy statement and incorporated by reference in
the Company’s Form 10-K as filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission.
COMPENSATION
COMMITTEE
|
|
Nat
Moore
|
Larry
S. Mulkey
|
Robert
S. Picow
|
Compensation
Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation
Messrs.
Moore, Mulkey and Picow served as members of the Compensation Committee during
the last fiscal year. No member of the Compensation Committee during
fiscal 2009 was an officer, former officer or employee of the Company or had any
financial relationship with the Company other than the compensation they
received for serving as independent directors of the Company. The
Company is not aware of any interlocks or insider trading participation required
to be disclosed under applicable rules of the Securities and Exchange
Commission.
SECURITY
OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN
BENEFICIAL
OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT
The
following table sets forth certain information with respect to the beneficial
ownership of the Company’s Common Stock and Preferred Stock by: (i) persons
known to the Company to beneficially own more than 5% of its Common Stock and
Preferred Stock, (ii) each of the Company’s directors, (iii) the
Company’s principal executive officer and its two other most highly compensated
executive officers and (iv) all directors and executive officers of the
Company as a group. Except as otherwise indicated, each person has
sole voting and investment power with respect to all shares shown as
beneficially owned, subject to community property laws where
applicable. Voting power is the power to vote or direct the voting of
securities, and investment power is the power to dispose of or direct the
disposition of securities.
|
|
Common Stock
Beneficially Owned(2)
|
|
|
Series D Convertible
Preferred Stock
Beneficially Owned(3)
|
|
|
Common Stock and Series
D Convertible Preferred
Stock (“Voting Shares”)(4)
|
|
Name and Address(1)
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Directors
and Named Executive Officers
|
|
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|
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|
|
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|
|
|
|
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Richard
E. Gathright, Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer and
President
|
|
|
151,688 |
(5) |
|
|
1.77 |
|
|
|
― |
|
|
|
― |
|
|
|
19,821 |
|
|
|
* |
|
Michael
S. Shore, Chief Financial Officer, Senior Vice President and
Treasurer
|
|
|
39,266 |
(6) |
|
|
* |
|
|
|
― |
|
|
|
― |
|
|
|
13,266 |
|
|
|
* |
|
Paul
C. Vinger, Senior Vice President, Corporate Planning and Fleet
Operations
|
|
|
44,244 |
(7) |
|
|
* |
|
|
|
― |
|
|
|
― |
|
|
|
20,244 |
|
|
|
* |
|
Wendell
R. Beard, Director
|
|
|
12,145 |
(8) |
|
|
* |
|
|
|
― |
|
|
|
― |
|
|
|
889 |
|
|
|
* |
|
Steven
R. Goldberg, Director
|
|
|
9,034 |
(9) |
|
|
* |
|
|
|
― |
|
|
|
― |
|
|
|
― |
|
|
|
― |
|
Nat
Moore, Director
|
|
|
8,595 |
(10) |
|
|
* |
|
|
|
― |
|
|
|
― |
|
|
|
― |
|
|
|
― |
|
Larry
S. Mulkey, Director
|
|
|
10,562 |
(11) |
|
|
* |
|
|
|
― |
|
|
|
― |
|
|
|
― |
|
|
|
― |
|
C.
Rodney O’Connor, Director
|
|
|
331,895 |
(12) |
|
|
3.88 |
|
|
|
312 |
|
|
|
52.09 |
|
|
|
251,617 |
(13) |
|
|
2.94 |
|
Robert
S. Picow, Director
|
|
|
55,140 |
(14) |
|
|
* |
|
|
|
― |
|
|
|
― |
|
|
|
43,884 |
|
|
|
* |
|
All
directors and executive officers as a group (13
individuals)
|
|
|
743,754 |
(15) |
|
|
8.69 |
|
|
|
312 |
|
|
|
52.09 |
|
|
|
368,684 |
(16) |
|
|
4.31 |
|
Beneficial
Owners of More Than 5%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fundamental
Management Corporation
|
|
|
847,066 |
(17) |
|
|
9.90 |
|
|
|
― |
|
|
|
― |
|
|
|
847,066 |
|
|
|
9.90 |
|
Gabriel
& Alma Elias JT WROS
|
|
|
― |
|
|
|
― |
|
|
|
125 |
|
|
|
20.87 |
|
|
|
69,898 |
(18) |
|
|
* |
|
Mark
D. Wittman
|
|
|
― |
|
|
|
― |
|
|
|
125 |
|
|
|
20.87 |
|
|
|
30,777 |
(19) |
|
|
* |
|
Michael
Bevilacqua
|
|
|
― |
|
|
|
― |
|
|
|
37 |
|
|
|
6.18 |
|
|
|
1,052 |
(20) |
|
|
* |
|
|
(1)
|
The
address of each of the executive officers and directors identified is c/o
SMF Energy Corporation, 200 West Cypress Creek Road, Suite 400, Fort
Lauderdale, Florida 33309.
|
|
(2)
|
Based
on 8,555,337 shares of Common Stock outstanding as of October 26,
2009. Pursuant to the rules of the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the “Commission”), certain shares of Common Stock which a
person has the right to acquire within 60 days of October 26, 2009
pursuant to the exercise of stock options, warrants and conversion of
convertible promissory notes and preferred stock, are deemed to be
outstanding for the purpose of computing the percentage ownership of that
person, but not the percentage ownership of any other
person.
|
|
(3)
|
Based
on 599 shares of Series D Convertible Preferred Stock outstanding as of
October 26, 2009.
|
|
(4)
|
Based
on 8,555,936 shares of Common Stock and Series D Convertible Preferred
Stock outstanding as of October 26,
2009.
|
|
(5)
|
Includes
19,821 shares of Common Stock, 130,000 shares of Common Stock issuable
upon the exercise of certain stock options, and 1,867 shares of Common
Stock issuable upon the exercise of certain stock options held by Louise
P. Lungaro, Mr. Gathright’s wife. Also, Mr. Gathright has power
of attorney over 112 shares that are held by Richard L. Colquette;
however, these shares are not included in the “Common Stock Beneficially
Owned” column as Mr. Gathright disclaims any beneficial ownership interest
in these shares.
|
|
(6)
|
Includes
13,266 shares of Common Stock and 26,000 shares of Common Stock issuable
upon the exercise of certain stock
options.
|
|
(7)
|
Includes
20,244 shares of Common Stock and 24,000 shares of Common Stock issuable
upon the exercise of certain stock
options.
|
|
(8)
|
Includes
889 shares of Common Stock and 11,256 shares of Common Stock issuable upon
the exercise of certain stock
options.
|
|
(9)
|
Includes
9,034 shares of Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of certain stock
options.
|
|
(10)
|
Includes
8,595 shares of Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of certain stock
options.
|
|
(11)
|
Includes
10,562 shares of Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of certain stock
options.
|
|
(12)
|
Includes
251,305 shares of Common Stock, 11,256 shares of Common Stock issuable
upon the exercise of certain stock options and 69,334 shares of Common
Stock issuable upon conversion of Series D Convertible Preferred
Stock.
|
|
(13)
|
Includes
251,305 shares of Common Stock and 312 shares of Series D Convertible
Preferred Stock.
|
|
(14)
|
Includes
43,884 shares of Common Stock and 11,256 shares of Common Stock issuable
upon the exercise of certain stock
options.
|
|
(15)
|
Includes
368,372 shares of Common Stock, 306,048 shares of Common Stock issuable
upon the exercise of certain stock options and 69,334 shares of Common
Stock issuable upon conversion of Series D Convertible Preferred
Stock.
|
|
(16)
|
Includes
368,372 shares of Common Stock and 312 shares of Series D Convertible
Preferred Stock.
|
|
(17)
|
The
shares are held by Active Investors II, Ltd. (“Active II”) and Active
Investors III, Ltd. (“Active III”), private funds managed by Fundamental
Management Corporation (“Fundamental”). The shares consists of
(i) 423,048 shares of Common Stock owned by Active II and 424,018 shares
of Common Stock owned by Active III. Fundamental, it its
capacity as the sole general partner of Active II and Active III, may be
deemed to beneficially own the securities held by Active II and Active
III. Messrs. O’Connor and Picow are two of our directors and
are also directors and shareholders of Fundamental. Each of
Messrs. O’Connor and Picow disclaim any beneficial ownership interest in
these shares. Robert C. Salisbury, the President of
Fundamental, and Damarie Cano, the Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer
of Fundamental, share voting and investment control over the
shares. The address for Fundamental is 8567 Coral Way, #138,
Miami, FL 33155.
|
|
(18)
|
Includes
69,773 shares of Common Stock and 125 shares of Series D Convertible
Preferred Stock. The address for Gabriel and Alma Elias is P.O.
Box 340, 206 N. Bowman Ave., Merion Station, PA
19066.
|
|
(19)
|
Includes
30,652 shares of Common Stock and 125 shares of Series D Convertible
Preferred Stock. The address for Mr. Wittman is 20 Beacon Hill
Lane, Phoenixville, PA 19460.
|
|
(20)
|
Includes
1,015 shares of Common Stock and 37 shares of Series D Convertible
Preferred Stock. The address for Mr. Bevilacqua is 127 E.
Curtin St., Bellefonte, PA 16823.
|
Changes
in Control
The
Company knows of no arrangement or events, the occurrence of which may result in
a change in control.
EXECUTIVE
COMPENSATION AND OTHER INFORMATION
COMPENSATION
DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS
Compensation
paid to our named executive officers for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2009 is
shown in the Summary Compensation Table that follows this
discussion. The Company’s executive compensation program is
administered by the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors, which is
comprised of Messrs. Moore, Mulkey and Picow. As of the date hereof,
in the judgment of our Board of Directors, each member of the Compensation
Committee is independent as required by the NASDAQ listing
standards. The following discussion and analysis by the Company,
which has also been reviewed and approved by the Compensation Committee,
analyzes the objectives and elements of our executive officer compensation
policies and procedures for fiscal 2009.
Overall
Program Objectives
The Company strives to attract,
motivate, and retain high-quality executives by providing total compensation
that is performance-based and competitive within the labor market in which the
Company competes for executive talent. The Company’s compensation
program is intended to align the interests of management with the interests of
stockholders by linking pay with performance, thereby incentivizing performance
and furthering the ultimate objective of improving stockholder
value.
The
Company, through its Compensation Committee, seeks to achieve these objectives
through three key compensation elements:
|
·
|
Grants
of long-term, equity based compensation in the form of options and other
equity incentives; and
|
|
·
|
Performance-based
bonus.
|
In making
compensation decisions with respect to each of these three elements of
compensation, the Compensation Committee considers the competitive market for
executives and the compensation levels provided by comparable companies in our
industry.
The
Compensation Committee does not attempt to set each compensation element for
each executive within a specific range related to levels provided by industry
peers. Instead, the Compensation Committee uses market comparisons as
one factor— albeit a significant factor— in making compensation
decisions. Other factors considered when making individual executive
compensation decisions regarding each of the three key compensation elements
include individual contribution and performance, reporting structure, internal
pay relationships, complexity and importance of role and responsibility,
leadership and growth potential. The performance of the Company
overall can also be an overriding factor in making executive compensation
decisions.
Elements
of Compensation
Set forth
below is a discussion of each element of compensation, what each element is
designed to reward, the reason the Company pays each element, and how that
element fits into the Company’s overall compensation
philosophy.
Base
Salary. The base salary for the named executive officers is
intended to reflect job responsibilities, value to the Company and individual
performance with respect to market competitiveness. These salaries are
determined based on a variety of factors, including:
|
·
|
the
nature and responsibility of the position and, to the extent available,
salary norms for persons in comparable positions at comparable
companies;
|
|
·
|
the
expertise of the individual executive and his or her history with the
Company; and
|
|
·
|
the
competitiveness of the market for the executive’s
services.
|
Base
salary amounts are generally reviewed annually. The Compensation
Committee sets the base salary level of the Company’s Chief Executive Officer,
and, based on input from the Chief Executive Officer, of the other executive
officers. Under the Chief Executive Officer’s employment agreement, as amended
and restated in 2008, Mr. Gathright has a minimum annual base salary of
$323,000, which salary may be increased if the Compensation Committee determines
an increase is warranted under the circumstances. To date, the
Compensation Committee has not elected to increase Mr. Gathright’s compensation
above the minimum provided in his employment agreement and his compensation as
not been increased since February 2005.
On September 22, 2008, the
Compensation Committee determined that it was necessary and appropriate to
increase the salary of Michael Shore and Paul Vinger, effective October 1,
2008. By letter agreement dated February 7, 2002, the Company
and Mr. Shore agreed to his employment as the Company’s Chief Financial
Officer, Senior Vice President and Treasurer. Effective
October 1, 2008, Mr. Shore’s base salary was increased from $175,000
per annum to $210,000. All other terms of Mr. Shore’s letter
agreement remain the same. The Company does not have a written
agreement with Mr. Vinger with respect to his employment; however, they abide by
an informal agreement whereby Mr. Vinger has agreed to his employment as
the Company’s Senior V.P., Corporate Planning & Fleet
Operations. Effective October 1, 2008, Mr. Vinger’s base
salary of $148,000 per annum was increased to $170,000.
None of the salaries of the other named
executive officers were increased during fiscal 2009. To date, none
of the salaries of any of the other named executive officers have been increased
on account of their performance during fiscal 2009 or otherwise.
Long-term
Incentive Compensation—Stock Options. The Company provides
executive officers and other employees with long-term incentive compensation in
the form of stock options and other equity incentives. While it is
the Company’s intent to provide awards on an annual basis, the decision to make
any grants in a given year is typically performance based. The
objective is to align compensation for executive officers over a multi-year
period directly with the interests of stockholders of the Company by motivating
and rewarding the creation and preservation of long-term stockholder
value. The level of long-term incentive compensation is determined
based on an evaluation of competitive factors in conjunction with total
compensation provided to the executive officers and the goals of the
compensation program.
Stock
options produce value for executives only if our stock price increases over the
exercise price, which is equal to the Fair Market Value (as determined under the
Plan) of a share of stock on the grant date. Also, through vesting
and forfeiture provisions, stock options serve to encourage executive officers
to remain with the Company. Stock options grants are often made to
executive officers and other employees in connection with new hires or
promotions and, from time to time, as part of a broad series of grants to
officers and key employees generally. There is, however, no specific
time of year at which regular grants to executive officers or other existing
employees are made. The most recent broad series of grants to
employees, including executive officers, was made in October of
2007. No options were granted to executive officers in
2009. Automatic grants are also made each quarter to members of the
Board of Directors as compensation for service as directors.
If the
new 2009 Plan is approved by the stockholders, similar long-term equity
compensation will be provided to executive officers and other employees of the
Company. For information on the types of equity compensation that is
available under the 2009 Plan, see “Proposal 3 – Approval of the Company’s 2009
Equity Incentive Plan.”
Bonuses - Discretionary Cash Bonuses:
The Company’s compensation program also provides for consideration of a
discretionary cash bonus if the Committee believes that bonuses are justified
under the circumstances. In making its judgment as to whether to give
a discretionary cash bonus to an individual executive officer, the Committee
considers the Company’s financial performance and the individual’s performance,
as assessed by the Committee, with input from the Chief Executive Officer and,
occasionally, other named executive officers, except as to any individual’s own
performance or compensation. The objective of the Company’s cash bonus
program is to compensate individuals based on the achievement of specific goals
and achievements. Some of these goals or achievements may be
specified prior to the period during which performance is evaluated but,
generally speaking, there are no pre-established objective goals by which a cash
bonus is to be measured. In most cases, cash bonuses are based upon a
subjective analysis of performance and achievements that, in the Committee’s
view, correlate closely with the growth of long-term stockholder
value. Historically, the Committee has granted cash bonuses to
executive officers only in rare circumstances based on extraordinary performance
or achievements. As the Company’s overall performance improves in the
future, however, the Committee expects that the frequency and the amount of cash
bonuses will increase commensurately.
In making a determination as to whether
to grant discretionary cash bonuses to named executive officers other than the
Chief Executive Officer, the preliminary determination as to bonuses is
typically based upon the recommendation of the Chief Executive Officer combined
with the Committee’s assessment of each officer’s performance and, if individual
goals are set at the beginning of the year, the achievement of those performance
goals. The subjective assessments of the Committee and the Chief
Executive Officer allow bonus decisions to take into account each named
executive officer’s individual performance and unique contributions during the
year. The bonus can then be adjusted up or down depending on the
level of achievement of the individual’s objective performance goals, if
any.
As noted
above, the Compensation Committee has not generally set individual performance
goals for the Chief Executive Officer or other individual named executive
officers at the beginning of the fiscal year for purposes of calculating
entitlement to base salary increases, discretionary cash bonuses or incentive
compensation such as stock options. As the Company’s performance
improves in the future, however, the Committee may elect to establish such
individually tailored goals at the beginning of a fiscal year for purposes of
measuring performance and determining compensation at year-end. In
establishing any such performance objectives, the Committee would seek to
provide incentives that would reward exceptional performance of job
responsibilities, leadership, innovation, collaboration, the successful
completion of particular projects, and other activities critical to creating
long-term value for stockholders. The Compensation Committee does not
utilize any objective overall Company performance goals for the year in
determining whether to pay the Chief Executive Officer a cash bonus other than
the bonus pool described below.
Mandatory Bonus
Pool. Under the Chief Executive Officer’s employment
agreement, as amended and restated in 2008, 10% of the Company’s pretax profits
must be set aside in a bonus pool. That agreement provides that, in
addition to and not as a replacement for any discretionary bonus payments and
incentive compensation such as that described above, the Chief Executive Officer
shall participate in an annual management incentive bonus pool equal to ten
percent (10%) of the Company’s pre-tax earnings. If the Company does
not achieve positive pre-tax earnings for any fiscal year, no bonus pool is
established for that year. If there is a bonus pool, it is allocated
among the Chief Executive Officer and such other officers of the Company as
recommended by the Chief Executive Officer and approved by the
Committee. While the Committee, in its sole discretion, determines
the allocation of funds among the eligible participants, the agreement requires
that the entire bonus pool be allocated each year. The agreement also
requires the Company to pay any allocation made to the Chief Executive Officer
within ninety days after the end of the fiscal year.
In light
of the Company’s financial performance, no bonus pool has ever been created nor
have any allocations from such a pool ever been made to Mr. Gathright or any
other officer under the agreement.
The
Compensation Committee intends to review the Company’s financial performance
annually to determine whether it is appropriate to initiate the payment of
regular annual bonuses to executive officers in addition to the mandatory bonus
plan created by Mr. Gathright’s employment agreement. In addition, the Committee
plans to review both the annual bonus program and the long-term incentive
program on an annual basis to ensure that the key elements of each program
continue to meet the objectives previously discussed.
Compliance with
Section 162(m). Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code
generally disallows a tax deduction to public corporations for compensation over
$1 million paid for any fiscal year to the corporation’s Chief Executive Officer
and three other most highly compensated executive officers as of the end of the
fiscal year. However, the statute exempts qualifying
performance-based compensation from the $1 million deduction limit if certain
requirements are met. While the Company has never paid compensation
to an executive officer in an amount that would trigger the statute, the
Compensation Committee nevertheless seeks, to the extent practicable, to design
the components of compensation so that these requirements are met and full
deductibility under Section 162(m) is allowed. The Compensation
Committee believes, however, that stockholder interests are best served by not
restricting the Committee’s discretion and flexibility in crafting compensation
programs even though such programs may result in certain non-deductible
compensation expenses. Accordingly, the Compensation Committee may
from time to time approve elements of compensation for certain officers that are
not fully deductible under Section 162(m).
Perquisites and
Other Personal Benefits. The Company does not provide named
executive officers with any significant perquisites or other personal
benefits.
Retirement
Plans. The Company does not provide any of its executive
officers with pension benefits, deferred compensation or other similar plans
other than a tax qualified 401(k) defined contribution plan in which an
executive officer may be able to participate on the same terms as those
generally offered to other employees. However, executive officers
have been prohibited from participating in the 401(k) defined contribution plan
due to plan qualification rules that affect highly compensated
employees.
Health and
Insurance Benefits. The Company provides no health or
insurance benefits to executive officers other than those generally offered to
salaried employees. The executive officers are eligible to
participate in Company-sponsored benefit programs on the same terms and
conditions as those generally made available to salaried
employees. Basic health benefits, life insurance, disability benefits
and similar programs are provided to ensure that all employees have access to
healthcare and income protection for themselves and their family
members.
Process
for Determining Executive Officer Compensation
In
setting the amounts of each component of an executive officer’s compensation and
considering their overall compensation package, the Committee considers the
following factors:
Benchmarking. For executive
officers, the Committee may consider the level of compensation paid to
individuals in comparable executive positions of other similar companies of
comparable size, such as small to midsize trucking, fueling and lubricants
distribution companies. The Compensation Committee believes that
these companies are the most appropriate for comparison because they are
representative of the types of companies with which we compete to recruit and
retain executive talent. In some cases, the Compensation Committee
may review data on salary, annual cash incentive bonuses and equity
compensation, as well as total compensation, from such other
companies. In most cases, however, considering the Company’s limited
resources and the rare situations in which salary increases or cash bonuses are
considered, the information considered by the Committee has been limited to
comparable salary information paid by a small group of competitors or comparable
local businesses.
Internal
Equity. The Compensation Committee considers the salary level
for each executive officer and each position in overall management in order to
reflect not only their relative value to the Company but also the market demand
for the particular skills of the executive officer. In many cases,
because of the burdens placed on public companies after the Sarbanes-Oxley Act
of 2002, the market demand for executives with particular skills, such as
information systems management and accounting, may be a greater consideration
than their relative value to the Company’s business.
Individual
Performance. The Compensation Committee considers the
individual responsibilities and performance of each named executive
officer. For the executive officers other than the Chief Executive
Officer, the Compensation Committee’s evaluation is partially
based on the Chief Executive Officer’s assessment of that individual’s
performance. In the case of the Chief Executive Officer, the
Compensation Committee alone judges his job performance.
Fiscal Year Ended
June 30, 2009 Decisions. The Compensation Committee did not
establish any objective performance goals for the Company’s individual executive
officers for fiscal 2009 against which their entitlement to increased base
salaries, discretionary cash bonuses or other incentive compensation, such as
stock options, could be measured quantitatively at the end of fiscal
2009.
The
Compensation Committee has determined not to establish any objective performance
criteria for the executive officers for fiscal 2010 other than the mandatory
bonus pool established by the Chief Executive Officer’s employment
agreement.
Decisions
Subsequent to Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 2009. On September
10, 2009, the Compensation Committee amended the exercise price of all
outstanding stock options previously granted to employees under the Company’s
2000 Stock Option Plan to have an exercise price of $0.55 per share (the
“Amendment”). The new exercise price of $0.55 set by the Amendment was $0.17
above the $0.38 closing bid price on the Nasdaq Capital Market on the trading
day immediately preceding the date of the Amendment. The Amendment did not
change the vesting schedules or any of the other terms of the respective stock
options and did not increase the exercise price of 10,000 options priced below
$0.55.
The
Committee adopted the Amendment, which did not require stockholder approval
under the 2000 Stock Option Plan, because substantially all of the outstanding
stock options were exercisable at prices that were much higher than prevailing
market prices, so that they were ineffective as an incentive for employee
performance. The Committee also believed that the downturn in the recent trading
prices of the Company’s stock was inconsistent with the recent improvements in
the Company’s financial and operational performance but were instead the direct
result of the negative global economic situation. Accordingly, the Committee
felt it was important to lower the exercise price of outstanding stock options
in order to provide a greater incentive, and potentially a meaningful benefit,
to the Company’s key employees.
In total,
the Amendment affected an aggregate of 1,474,200 shares of Common Stock
underlying options previously granted to 32 employees, including the named
executive officers identified herein.
Summary
Compensation
The
following table provides information concerning total compensation earned or
paid to the Chief Executive Officer and the two other most highly compensated
executive officers of the Company for services rendered to the Company for the
fiscal years ended June 30, 2009 and 2008. These three executive officers are
referred to as the “named executive officers” in this proxy
statement.
SUMMARY
COMPENSATION TABLE
Name and Principal Position
|
|
Year
|
|
|
Salary
($)
|
|
|
Bonus
($)
|
|
|
Stock
Awards
($)
|
|
|
Option
Awards
($)(1)
|
|
|
Non-Equity
Incentive Plan
Compensation
($)
|
|
|
Change in Pension
Value and
Nonqualified
Deferred
Compensation
Earnings
($)
|
|
|
All Other
Compensa-
tion ($) (2)
|
|
|
Total
($)
|
|
Richard
E. Gathright,
Chairman
of the Board,
CEO
and President
|
|
2009
2008
|
|
|
|
323,000
323,000
|
|
|
|
-0-
-0-
|
|
|
|
-0-
-0-
|
|
|
|
-0-
23,497
|
|
|
|
-0-
-0-
|
|
|
|
-0-
-0-
|
|
|
|
12,000
12,000
|
|
|
|
335,000
358,497
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Michael S.
Shore,
CFO,
Senior V.P. and Treasurer
|
|
2009
2008
|
|
|
|
200,307
175,000
|
|
|
|
-0-
-0-
|
|
|
|
-0-
-0-
|
|
|
|
-0-
13,881
|
|
|
|
-0-
-0-
|
|
|
|
-0-
-0-
|
|
|
|
12,000
12,000
|
|
|
|
212,307
200,881
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Paul C.
Vinger,
Senior
V.P., Corporate Planning and Fleet Operations
|
|
2009
2008
|
|
|
|
163,907
148,000
|
|
|
|
-0-
-0-
|
|
|
|
-0-
-0-
|
|
|
|
-0-
13,881
|
|
|
|
-0-
-0-
|
|
|
|
-0-
-0-
|
|
|
|
12,000
12,000
|
|
|
|
175,907
173,881
|
|
(1)
|
The
amounts in this column reflect the aggregate grant date fair value under
SFAS 123(R) of awards made during the fiscal years ended June 30, 2009 and
2008. The assumptions we use in calculating these amounts are
discussed in Note 2 – Summary of Significant Accounting Policies on
Stock-Based Compensation to the Consolidated Financial Statements included
in the Company’s Form 10-K for the years ended June 30, 2009 and
2008.
|
(2)
|
The
amounts in this column reflect the annual automobile
allowance.
|
Outstanding
Equity Awards at Fiscal Year-End
The
following table provides information with respect to outstanding stock options
held by
the named
executive officers as of the fiscal year ending June 30, 2009.
OUTSTANDING
EQUITY AWARDS AT FISCAL YEAR-END
(pre
reverse stock split)
|
|
Option Awards
|
|
Stock Awards
|
|
Name
|
|
Number of
Securities
Underlying
Unexercised
Options
(#)
Exercisable
|
|
|
Number of
Securities
Underlying
Unexercised Options
(#)
Unexercisable
|
|
|
Equity Incentive
Plan Awards:
Number of
Securities
Underlying
Unexercised
Unearned Options
(#)
|
|
|
Option
Exercise
Price
($)
|
|
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
($)
|
|
|
Equity Incentive
Plan Awards:
Number of
Unearned Shares,
Units or Other
Rights That Have
Not Vested
(#)
|
|
|
Equity Incentive
Plan Awards:
Market or Payout
Value of
Unearned Shares,
Units or Other
Rights That Have
Not Vested
($)
|
|
Richard
E. Gathright,
Chairman
of the Board,
CEO
and President
|
|
|
500,000
25,000
30,000
|
|
|
|
0
0
45,000
|
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
1.50
1.45
1.28
|
|
12/21/2010
10/12/2014
10/8/2017
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
Michael S.
Shore,
CFO,
Senior V.P. and Treasurer
|
|
|
60,000
25,000
16,000
|
|
|
|
0
0
24,000
|
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
1.07
1.45
1.28
|
|
2/12/2012
10/12/2014
10/8/2017
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
Paul C.
Vinger,
Senior
V.P., Corporate Planning and Fleet Operations
|
|
|
1,000
50,000
25,000
16,000
|
|
|
|
0
0
0
24,000
|
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
1.50
1.50
1.45
1.28
|
|
12/28/2010
9/24/2011
10/12/2014
10/8/2017
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
Option
Exercises and Stock Vested
During
the fiscal year ended June 30, 2009, no amounts were received by the named
executive officers upon exercise or vesting of stock options.
Potential
Payments Upon Termination of Employment or Change in Control
The
Company has no agreements with any of its named executive officers or with any
other person that would require the Company to make any payments or provide any
other consideration in the event of a transaction or other event resulting in a
change in control of the Company.
Chief Executive
Officer. The Company entered into an employment agreement (the
“Agreement”) with Richard E. Gathright, its Chief Executive Officer, on October
26, 2000, pursuant to which Mr. Gathright serves as Chief Executive Officer and
President of the Company. That Agreement had a term of three years, commencing
on October 26, 2000. On September 25, 2003, the Company and Mr. Gathright
amended the terms of the Agreement extending it from three to four years and
increasing his annual base salary to $323,000. On September 23, 2004, the
Company and Mr. Gathright extended the term of the Agreement until October 31,
2005. In March 2005, the Agreement was amended and restated and further extended
to February 28, 2006, and providing for automatic one year extensions thereafter
unless either party gives notice of intent not to renew prior to such extension.
On December 31, 2008, the Agreement was amended and restated in order to comply
with regulations issued by the Internal Revenue Service under Section 409A of
the Internal Revenue Code. All substantive terms and conditions of
the Agreement remained the same. As amended and restated, the
Agreement provides for a minimum annual base salary of $323,000, participation,
with other members of management, in a bonus program whereby up to 10% of the
Company’s pretax profits will be set aside for bonus payments, and the grant of
500,000 options to purchase shares of the Company’s Common Stock at a price of
$1.50 per share. As previously discussed, on September 10, 2009,
these options were amended to have an exercise price of $0.55 per
share. By its terms, Mr. Gathright’s employment agreement is
automatically renewed on an annual basis.
However,
the Company may terminate Mr. Gathright’s employment agreement at any time and
for any reason. If the Agreement is terminated by the Company without
cause, Mr. Gathright shall be due a severance payment equal to the greater of
all base salary payable through the remaining term of the Agreement or eighteen
months base salary. At the end of fiscal 2009, the greater amount
would be the eighteen months salary, or $484,500. The agreement
provides that the severance payment, which may be paid in a lump sum or ratably
over the term on which the payment was calculated, as the Company elects, is
subject to the limitations on severance payments imposed by the American Jobs
Creation Act of 1986 and Section 409A of the Internal Revenue
Code. Those limits would generally require that the $484,500 cannot
be paid to Mr. Gathright until six months after the termination of his
employment. The agreement provides, however, that if Mr. Gathright’s
severance payments are so deferred, however, he will not be bound by the
post-employment restrictions on non-competitive employment during the period of
time that no payments are made, provided, however, that the Company has the
option of electing, at the time of termination, to pay Mr. Gathright an amount
equal to his salary for such six month period, or $161,500, in exchange for his
being immediately bound by the non-competition covenant. Because the
Agreement provides that such an election by the Company also causes the maximum
severance benefit payable to Mr. Gathright to be reduced to twelve months base
salary rather than eighteen months base salary, the maximum amount of cash
payments that would be made to Mr. Gathright after a termination for cause would
remain at $484,500. If the agreement is terminated for cause, Mr.
Gathright will not be entitled to the severance payments specified in the
Agreement. Termination of the agreement on account of Mr. Gathright’s
death or disability is treated as a termination without cause so the severance
payment would be $484,500 in either event.
Mr.
Gathright’s agreement also provides that he is entitled to receive certain
severance benefits upon a termination without cause for the same period of time
for which he is entitled to severance payments, though severance benefits may
not be paid in a lump sum like severance payments. In particular, Mr.
Gathright would be entitled to receive, at the Company’s expense, health
insurance, an automobile allowance and all other employee benefits for a period
of eighteen months after a termination without cause. If it is
assumed that the Company’s cost for the health insurance averages $1,500 per
month over the eighteen month period, that Mr. Gathright’s automobile allowance
remains at the current level of $1,000 per month specified in the agreement,
that his reimbursement for continuing education expenses are $1,000 per year and
that his entitlement to other miscellaneous employee benefits does not exceed
$2,500 per year, then the value of the severance benefits to Mr. Gathright for
the eighteen month period would be $51,250.
These
estimate of the value of Mr. Gathright’s severance payments and severance
benefits upon a termination without cause are “forward looking statements” which
may prove to be inaccurate because they are based upon assumptions that may not
prove to be correct. While the Company believes that all of those
assumptions are reasonable and does not believe that it has not made any other
assumptions other than those expressly stated above, stockholders and others
should not rely on the accuracy of any forward looking statements in making a
decision with respect to the purchase or sale of the Company’s securities or how
to vote their shares of the Company’s stock.
Michael S.
Shore. By letter agreement dated February 7, 2002, the Company
and Mr. Shore agreed to his employment as the Company’s Chief Financial Officer
and Senior Vice President at an initial base salary of $125,000 per
annum. The letter agreement also provides that the Company will give
Mr. Shore six months notice prior to terminating his employment without cause
and that Mr. Shore will give a corresponding six month notice to the Company
prior to any resignation. Effective October 1, 2008, Mr. Shore’s base
salary was increased to $210,000. The Company therefore estimates its
liability for terminating Mr. Shore’s employment at the end of fiscal 2009 would
have been approximately $115,250, comprised of $105,000 for six months salary,
$6,000 in auto allowance, $3,000 in employer health insurance contributions
(based on an average of $500 per month over a 6 month period) and $1,250 in
miscellaneous employee benefits (based on a $2,500 annual estimate of such
benefits). Mr.
Shore’s entitlement to such payments and compensation would, however, require
him to continue to provide services as a full time employee for the six month
period unless the Company declines to accept those services.
Paul C.
Vinger. Mr. Vinger has not entered into any written agreement
with the Company regarding the termination of his employment by the Company
except that Mr. Vinger and the Company intend to abide by an informal
agreement with respect to notice of termination substantially identical to the
agreement between Mr. Shore and the Company. Accordingly, the Company
estimates its liability for terminating Mr. Vinger’s employment at the end
of fiscal 2009 would have been approximately $95,250, comprised of $85,000 for
six months salary, $6,000 in auto allowance, $3,000 in employer health insurance
contributions (based on an average of $500 per month over a 6 month period) and
$1,250 in miscellaneous employee benefits (based on a $2,500 annual estimate of
such benefits). Like Mr. Shore, Mr.
Vinger’s entitlement to such payments and compensation would, however,
require him to continue to provide services as a full time employee
for the six month period unless the Company declines to accept those
services.
NON-EMPLOYEE
DIRECTOR COMPENSATION
The
Company compensates each non-employee director with a director’s fee of $2,000
per quarter. In addition, the Company’s directors are reimbursed for
any out-of-pocket expense incurred by them for attendance at meetings of the
Board of Directors or committees thereof. Because Mr. Goldberg serves
as Chairman of the Audit Committee, he receives an additional fee of $4,000 per
quarter. Because Mr. Moore serves as Chairman of the Compensation and
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committees, he receives additional fees of
$2,500 and $1,500 per quarter, respectively, for serving as Chairman of these
committees.
Each
non-employee who served as a member of the Company’s Board of Directors as of
May 10, 2001, the effective date of the Directors Plan, and each non-employee
who is elected or otherwise appointed as one of the Company’s directors
thereafter, received a fully vested option to purchase 20,000 shares of stock at
an exercise price which was equal to the Fair Market Value (as determined under
the Plan) of a share of stock on the Grant Date. In addition, on the
last day of each fiscal quarter while the Directors Plan is in effect, each
non-employee director receives an additional grant of an option to purchase
1,500 shares at an exercise price which is equal to the Fair Market Value (as
determined under the Plan) of a share of stock on the Grant
Date. Prior to March 31, 2007, the grant was 725
shares. Further, in accordance with the Directors Plan, additional
options may be granted to non-employee directors from time to time on a
discretionary basis.
The
following table discloses the cash, equity awards and other compensation earned,
paid or awarded, as the case may be, to each of the Company’s non-employee
Directors during the fiscal year ended June 30, 2009 (pre reverse stock
split).
Name
|
|
Fees Earned
or Paid in
Cash
($)
|
|
|
Stock
Awards
($)
|
|
|
Option
Awards
($) (1)
|
|
|
Non-Equity
Incentive Plan
Compensation
($)
|
|
|
Change in Pension
Value and
Nonqualified Deferred
Compensation
Earnings
|
|
|
All Other
Compensation
($) (2)
|
|
|
Total
($)
|
|
Wendell R.
Beard
|
|
|
24,000 |
(3) |
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
1,491.60 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
284.05 |
|
|
|
25,775.65 |
|
Steven R.
Goldberg
|
|
|
24,000 |
(4) |
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
1,491.60 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
25,491.60 |
|
Nat
Moore
|
|
|
24,000 |
(5) |
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
1,491.60 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
25,491.60 |
|
Larry S.
Mulkey
|
|
|
8,000 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
1,491.60 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
209.52 |
|
|
|
9,701.12 |
|
C.
Rodney O’Connor
|
|
|
8,000 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
1,491.60 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
2,064.00 |
(6) |
|
|
11,555.60 |
|
Robert S.
Picow
|
|
|
8,000 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
1,491.60 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
9,491.60 |
|
|
(1)
|
The
amounts in this column reflect the aggregate grant date fair value under
SFAS 123(R) of awards made during the fiscal year ended June 30,
2009. The assumptions we use in calculating these amounts are
discussed in Note 2 – Summary of Significant Accounting Policies on
Stock-Based Compensation to the Consolidated Financial Statements included
in the Company’s Form 10-K for the years ended June 30, 2009 and
2008.
|
|
The
aggregate number of outstanding option awards for each director as of June
30, 2009, was as follows: Mr. Beard – 50,650 options; Mr.
Goldberg – 40,650 options; Mr. Moore – 38,675 options; Mr. Mulkey – 47,525
options; Mr. O’Connor – 50,650 options; and Mr. Picow – 50,650
options.
|
|
(2)
|
This
column represents reimbursable out-of-pocket expenses incurred in
connection with activities as a
Director.
|
|
(3)
|
Includes
a $4,000 payment per quarter for management consultation and oversight
duties.
|
|
(4)
|
Includes
a $4,000 payment per quarter for duties as the Chairman of the Audit
Committee.
|
|
(5)
|
Includes
a $2,500 payment per quarter for duties as the Chairman of the
Compensation Committee and a $1,500 payment per quarter as Chairman of the
Nominating & Corporate Governance
Committee.
|
|
(6)
|
This
amount reflects reimbursable travel and related expenses incurred by Mr.
O’Connor in connection with his activities as a Director, which was paid
to Cameron Associates, Inc. As discussed under “Certain
Relationships and Related Transactions,” Mr. O’Connor is Chairman of
Cameron Associates, Inc.
|
Securities
Authorized for Issuance under Equity Compensation Plans
EQUITY
COMPENSATION PLAN INFORMATION AT JUNE 30,
2009
(pre
reverse stock split)
Plan Category
|
|
Number of securities to be issued upon exercise of
outstanding options, warrants and rights
(a)
|
|
Weighted
average
exercise price
of
outstanding
options,
warrants and
rights
(b)
|
|
Number of securities
remaining available for
future issuance under
equity compensation plans
(excluding securities
reflected in column (a))
(c)
|
|
Equity
compensation plans approved by security holders
|
|
1996
Employee Stock Option Plan
– 19,500
2000
Employee Stock Option Plan – 1,281,600
2001
Directors Stock Option Plan
– 376,650
|
|
$
7.63
$1.59
$
1.56
|
|
-0-
927,200
123,350
|
|
Equity
compensation plans not approved by security holders
|
|
Not
Applicable
|
|
Not
Applicable
|
|
Not
Applicable
|
|
Total
|
|
1,677,750
|
|
$
1.65
|
|
1,050,550
|
|
OTHER
MATTERS
As of the
date of this proxy statement, the Board of Directors does not intend to present
at the annual meeting any matters other than those described herein and does not
presently know of any matters that will be presented by other parties. If any
other matter requiring a vote of the stockholders should come before the
meeting, it is the intention of the persons named in the proxy to vote with
respect to any such matter in accordance with the recommendation of the Board of
Directors or, in the absence of such a recommendation, in accordance with the
best judgment of the proxy holder.
STOCKHOLDER
PROPOSALS
Stockholders
interested in presenting a proposal for consideration at our 2010 annual meeting
of stockholders may do so by following the procedures prescribed in Rule 14a-8
promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and our
Bylaws. Stockholder proposals must be submitted, in writing, to the
Corporate Secretary of the Company at 200 West Cypress Road, Suite 400, Fort
Lauderdale, Florida 33309. To be eligible for inclusion in our proxy
statement and form of proxy relating to the 2010 annual meeting, our Corporate
Secretary must receive stockholder proposals no later than September 6,
2010. If the date of the 2010 annual meeting is advanced by more than
30 days or delayed (other than as a result of adjournment) by more than 60 days
from the anniversary of the December 4, 2009 annual meeting, any such proposals
must be submitted no earlier than the 120th day prior to the 2010 annual meeting
and no later than the close of business on the later of the 90th day prior to
the 2010 annual meeting or the 10th day following the day on which public
announcement of the date of such meeting is first made. You can
obtain a copy of the Company’s Bylaws by writing to the Corporate Secretary at
the address stated above.
We
reserve the right to reject, rule out of order, or take other appropriate action
with respect to any proposal or nomination that does not comply with these and
other applicable requirements.
By
Order of the Board of Directors
|
|
LOUISE
P. LUNGARO
|
Secretary
|
Ft.
Lauderdale, Florida
October
28, 2009
APPENDIX
A
SMF
ENERGY CORPORATION.
2009
EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN
Section 1. Purpose of the Plan;
Definitions. The purpose of the SMF Energy Corporation 2009
Equity Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) is to further the growth in earnings and
market appreciation of SMF Energy Corporation (the “Company”) by providing
long-term incentives to those officers, employees and other natural persons
providing services to the Company and its Affiliates (as hereinafter defined)
who make substantial contributions to the Company, and to members of the Board
of Directors of the Company who are not also employees of the Company (the
“Non-Employee Directors”). The Company intends that the long-term
incentives provided by the Plan will facilitate securing, retaining and
motivating officers, employees, consultants and Non-Employee Directors of the
Company.
For
purposes of the Plan, the following terms shall be defined as set forth
below:
(a) “Act”
means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
(b) “Affiliate”
means (i) the Company’s wholly and majority owned subsidiaries, including, but
not limited to, H & W Petroleum Company, Inc., (ii) any entity that,
directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, is controlled by the
Company and (iii) any entity in which the Company has a significant equity
interest, as determined by the Committee.
(c) “Award”
means any Stock Option, Stock Appreciation Right, Restricted Stock, Performance
Unit, supplemental cash payment or other award granted under the
Plan.
(d) “Award
Agreement” means any written agreement, contract or similar instrument
evidencing an Award granted under the Plan.
(e) “Board”
means the Board of Directors of the Company.
(f) “Cause”
means, unless otherwise determined by the Committee and reflected in the
applicable Award Agreement or Notice of Grant, the Committee’s determination
that any one or more of the following has occurred: (i) the willful and
continued failure by a Participant to substantially perform his or her duties
(other than any such failure resulting from the Participant’s Disability, death
or Retirement), after a written demand for substantial performance is delivered
by the Committee to the Participant that specifically identifies the manner in
which the Committee believes that the Participant has not substantially
performed his or her duties, and the Participant has failed to remedy the
situation within thirty (30) calendar days of receiving such notice or (ii) a
Participant’s conviction for committing an act of fraud, embezzlement, theft or
another act constituting a felony or a crime involving moral turpitude or (iii)
substantial dependence or addiction to any drug illegally taken or to alcohol
that is in either event materially and demonstrably injurious to the Company or
(iv) the engaging by a Participant in gross misconduct materially and
demonstrably injurious to the Company. No act or failure to act on a
Participant’s part shall be considered “willful” unless done, or omitted to be
done, by the Participant not in good faith and without reasonable belief that
his action or omission was in the best
interest of the Company. Cause shall be determined by the Committee
in its sole discretion pursuant to the exercise of good faith and reasonable
judgment.
(g) “Code”
means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or any successor statute
thereto.
(h) “Commission”
means the Securities and Exchange Commission.
(i) “Committee”
means the Committee appointed in accordance with Section 2(a) of the
Plan.
(j) “Common
Stock” means the common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the
Company.
(k) “Disability”
means total and permanent disability as determined under the Company’s long-term
disability plan, irrespective of whether the Participant is covered by that
plan.
(l) “Disinterested
Person” means an individual who qualifies as both a “non-employee director” (as
defined in Rule 16b-3 under the Act, or any successor definition adopted by the
Commission) and an “outside director” (as defined in Section 162(m) of the Code
and the regulations promulgated thereunder, or any successor definition
thereto).
(m) “Early
Retirement” means retirement from active employment with the Company or its
Affiliates prior to the date that the Participant reaches the age established by
the Company generally for retirement of Company employees which retirement is
treated as a retirement by the Company, in its sole discretion.
(n) “Eligible
Person” means any Employee, director (including any Non-Employee Director) or
person providing services, including consulting services, to the Company or any
Affiliate whom the Committee determines, in its discretion, to be an Eligible
Person, based on the Committee’s assessment that such person’s decisions,
actions and/or counsel could significantly affect the performance of the Company
and its Affiliates, provided, however, that all Eligible Persons who are not
Employees or directors must be natural persons providing bona fide services to
the Company that are not in connection with the offer or sale of securities in a
capital raising transaction and that do not directly or indirectly promote or
maintain a market for the Company’s securities, and provided further, that for
purposes of granting Awards under the Plan, there shall be excluded from
eligibility any person whose Common Stock is “service recipient stock” under
Section 409A of the Code and who does not perform services for the
Company.
(o) “Employee”
means any employee of the Company or its Affiliates, including officers of the
Company or its Affiliates. Non-Employee Directors shall not be
considered Employees for purposes of the Plan.
(p) “Fair
Market Value” means, as of any given date, the closing price of the Common Stock
(or if no transactions were reported on such date on the next preceding date on
which transactions were reported) in the principal market in which the Common
Stock is traded on such
date or, if the Common Stock is not readily tradeable on an established
securities market, the value as determined in good faith by the Committee by a
reasonable application of a reasonable valuation method in accordance with
Treasury Regulations 1.409A-1(b)(5)(iv).
(q) “Incentive
Stock Option” means any Stock Option intended to be and designated by the
Committee as an “incentive stock option” within the meaning of Section 422 of
the Code.
(r) “Nonqualified
Stock Option” means any Stock Option that is not an Incentive Stock
Option.
(s) “Normal
Retirement” means retirement from active employment with the Company or its
Affiliates on or after the date on which the Participant reaches the age of
65.
(t) “Notice
of Grant” means a written document informing a Participant of an Award granted
to the Participant under the Plan.
(u) “Participant”
means an Eligible Person granted an Award under the Plan.
(v) “Performance
Units” means an Award granted to a Participant pursuant to Section 9 hereof
contingent upon achieving certain performance targets.
(w) “Person”
means any individual, Company, partnership, association or trust.
(x) “Restricted
Stock” means an Award of shares of Common Stock granted to a Participant
pursuant to and subject to the restrictions set forth in Section 10
hereof.
(y) “Retirement”
means Early Retirement and Normal Retirement.
(z) “Stock
Appreciation Right” means a right granted under Section 8 hereof, which
entitles the holder to receive cash or Common Stock in an amount equal to the
excess of (i) the Fair Market Value of a specified number of shares of
Common Stock at the time of exercise over (ii) a specified
price.
(aa) “Stock
Option” means any option to purchase shares of Common Stock granted pursuant to
Section 7 hereof.
(bb) “Ten
Percent Stockholder” means a Person who owns (after taking into account the
attribution rules of Section 424(d) of the Code or any successor provision of
the Code) more than ten percent (10%) of the total combined voting power of all
classes of stock of the Company.
Section
2. Administration.
(a) The
Plan shall be administered by the Committee. The Committee shall be
appointed by the Board and shall consist of three or more members of the Board
who are Disinterested Persons. The Committee shall have full and
final authority in its discretion (i) to interpret the provisions of the Plan
(and any Award Agreement or Notice of Grant and any other agreement or
instrument relating to the Plan) and to decide all questions of fact arising in
its application,
(ii) to designate Participants, (iii) to determine the Participants to whom
Awards shall be made under the Plan, (iv) to determine the type of Award to be
made and the amount, size, terms and conditions of each such Award, (v) to
determine and establish additional terms and conditions not inconsistent with
the Plan for any Award Agreement or Notice of Grant entered into with
Participants in connection with the Plan, (vi) to determine the time when Awards
will be granted and when rights may be exercised, which may be after termination
of employment, (vii) to adopt, alter and repeal such administrative rules,
guidelines and practices governing the Plan as it shall, from time to time, deem
advisable and (viii) to make all other determinations necessary or advisable for
the administration of the Plan.
(b) A
majority of the Committee shall constitute a quorum, and the action of a
majority of members of the Committee present at any meeting at which a quorum is
present shall be the act of the Committee. The Committee may also act
by unanimous written consent. Any decision made, or action taken, by
the Committee arising out of or in connection with the interpretation and
administration of the Plan shall be final and conclusive; provided, however,
that any such decision made or action taken by the Committee may be reviewed by
the Board, in which event the determination of the Board shall be final and
conclusive. This provision shall not be construed to grant to any
Person any right to review by the Board of any decision made or action taken by
the Committee.
(c) Neither
the Committee nor any member thereof shall be liable for any act, omission,
interpretation, construction or determination made in connection with the Plan
in good faith, and the members of the Committee shall be entitled to
indemnification and advancement of expenses by the Company in respect of any
claim, loss, damage or expense (including attorneys’ fees) arising therefrom to
the full extent permitted by the Company’s Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws
and as may be otherwise required by law and under any directors’ and officers’
liability insurance that may be in effect from time to time, or as a majority of
the Board then in office may determine from time to time, as evidenced by a
written resolution thereof. In addition, no member of the Committee
and no Employee shall be liable for any act, or failure to act hereunder, by any
other member or other Employee or by any agent to whom duties in connection with
the administration of this Plan have been delegated or for any act or failure to
act by such member or Employee, in all events except in circumstances involving
such member’s or Employee’s bad faith, gross negligence, intentional fraud or
violation of a statute.
(d) In
addition to the Board’s delegation of authority to administer the Plan generally
to the Committee, the Board also delegates to the Chief Executive Officer, so
long as he or she is a member of the Board, the authority to allocate Awards
among individual Participants in those instances where the Committee has granted
Awards, in the aggregate, to a group or class of Participants and has authorized
the Chief Executive Officer to make such allocations so long as (i) the
Participants are not officers or directors of the Company and (ii) such
delegation is not limited by applicable Delaware corporate law, compliance with
SEC Rule 16b-3, Section 162(m) of the Code, or other similar
requirements.
Section 3. Eligibility;
Participants. Any Eligible Person may be designated a
Participant by the Committee. Incentive Stock Options may only be
granted to full or part-time Employees (which term as used herein includes,
without limitation, officers and directors who are also
Employees). Incentive Stock Options may not be granted to an Employee
of an Affiliate unless
such Affiliate is also a “subsidiary corporation” of the Company within the
meaning of Section 424(f) of the Code or any successor provision.
Section 4. Awards under the
Plan. Awards under the Plan may be in the form of Incentive
Stock Options, Nonqualified Stock Options, Stock Appreciation Rights,
Performance Units, Restricted Stock, supplemental cash payments and such other
forms as the Committee in its discretion deems appropriate, including any
combination of the above. No fractional shares shall be issued under
the Plan.
Section
5. Shares Subject to Plan.
(a) The
total number of shares of Common Stock reserved and available for distribution
under the Plan shall be One Million Three Hundred Thousand
(1,300,000). The maximum number of shares that may be issued pursuant
to the exercise of Incentive Stock Options is also One Million Three Hundred
Thousand (1,300,000). Such shares may consist of, in whole or in
part, authorized and unissued shares or shares previously issued that have been
repurchased by the Company. Except as otherwise provided herein, any
shares subject to a Stock Option or right that for any reason expires or
terminates unexercised as to such shares and any shares of Restricted Stock
which are forfeited by a Participant or otherwise reacquired by the Company
shall again be available for award under the Plan.
(b) The
maximum number of shares of Common Stock subject to Awards that may be granted
under the Plan to any one participant in any one calendar year is Five Hundred
Thousand (500,000).
(c) In
the event of any change in the outstanding number of shares of Common Stock by
reason of a stock dividend or distribution, recapitalization, merger,
consolidation, split-up, combination, exchange of shares or other similar
transaction or event, the Committee shall adjust the number of shares of Common
Stock that may be issued under the Plan generally, the number of shares that may
be issued upon the exercise of Incentive Stock Options, and the maximum number
of shares subject to Awards that may be granted to one participant in a calendar
year in a manner that is consistent with the requirements of Section 422 and
Section 162(m) of the Code, as applicable. In such an event, the
Committee shall also provide for an equitable adjustment of any shares issuable
pursuant to Awards already outstanding under the Plan.
Section 6. Effective Date. The
Plan has been adopted by the Board subject to the approval of the stockholders
of the Company. If the Plan is approved by the stockholders of the
Company, the effective date of the Plan will be the date it is approved by the
stockholders. No Awards will be granted under the Plan before the
date of such stockholder approval.
Section 7. Stock
Options. Stock Options may be granted either alone or in
addition to other Awards granted under the Plan. Any Stock Option
granted under the Plan shall be in such form as the Committee may from time to
time approve, and the provisions of Stock Options need not be the same with
respect to each Participant. Stock Options may be evidenced by an
Award Agreement or by a Notice of Grant in a form that is not inconsistent with
the Plan and that the Committee may from time to time approve. Such
Award Agreement or Notice of Grant shall specify, among other things, the type
of Stock Option granted, the option price, the duration of the
Stock Option, the number of shares of Common Stock to which the Stock Option
pertains and the schedule on which such Stock Option becomes
exercisable.
Stock
Options granted under the Plan may be of two types: (i) Incentive Stock Options
and (ii) Nonqualified Stock Options.
The
Committee shall have the authority to grant Incentive Stock Options,
Nonqualified Stock Options or both types of Stock Options to any Employee and to
grant to any Eligible Person Nonqualified Stock Options (in each case with or
without Stock Appreciation Rights). To the extent that any Stock
Option does not qualify as an Incentive Stock Option, it shall constitute a
separate Nonqualified Stock Option.
Anything
in the Plan to the contrary notwithstanding, no term of this Plan relating to
Incentive Stock Options shall be interpreted, amended or altered, nor shall any
discretion or authority granted under the Plan be so exercised, so as to
disqualify either the Plan or any Incentive Stock Option under Section 422 of
the Code. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event a Participant
voluntarily disqualifies a Stock Option as an Incentive Stock Option within the
meaning of Section 422 of the Code, the Committee may, but shall not be
obligated to, make such additional grants, awards or bonuses as the Committee
shall deem appropriate, to reflect the tax savings to the Company which result
from such disqualification.
Stock
Options granted under the Plan shall be subject to the following terms and
conditions and such additional terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the
terms of the Plan, as the Committee shall deem desirable, which additional terms
and conditions shall be reflected in the applicable Award Agreement or Notice of
Grant:
(a) Option Price. The
option price per share of Common Stock purchasable under a Stock Option shall be
determined by the Committee at the time of grant but shall not be less than the
Fair Market Value of the Common Stock on the date of the grant of the Stock
Option; provided, however, if the Stock Option is an Incentive Stock Option
granted to a Ten Percent Stockholder, the option price for each share of Common
Stock subject to such Incentive Stock Option shall not be less than one hundred
ten percent (110%) of the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock on the
date such Incentive Stock Option is granted. If and to the extent
that a Stock Option by its terms purports to be granted at a price lower than
that permitted by the Plan, such Stock Option shall be deemed for all purposes
to have been granted at the lowest price that would in fact have been permitted
by the Plan at the time of grant.
(b) Option Term. The
term of each Stock Option shall be fixed by the Committee, but no Incentive
Stock Option shall be exercisable more than ten (10) years after the date such
Incentive Stock Option is granted; provided, however, that if a Stock Option is
an Incentive Stock Option granted to a Ten Percent Stockholder, such Incentive
Stock Option shall not be exercisable more than five (5) years after the date
such Incentive Stock Option is granted.
(c) Exercisability and
Vesting. Subject to Section 7(g) hereof with respect to
Incentive Stock Options, Stock Options shall be exercisable at such time or
times and subject to such terms and conditions as shall be determined by the
Committee. If any Stock Option is exercisable only in installments,
the Committee, in its discretion, may waive such installment exercise
provisions at any time, in whole or in part, based on performance and/or such
other factors as the Committee may determine in its sole
discretion. If and to the extent that any Stock Option has become
exercisable, it shall be deemed to be vested and fully exercisable until such
time as it expires in accordance with its terms or terminates pursuant to any
provision of the Plan.
(d) Method of
Exercise. Stock Options may be exercised in whole or in part
at any time after vesting and before expiration or termination (the “Option
Period”) by giving written notice of exercise to the Company specifying the
number of shares to be purchased, accompanied by payment in full of the purchase
price, in cash, by check payable to the Company or such other instrument as may
be acceptable to the Committee. As determined by the Committee, in
its sole discretion, at or after the time of grant, payment in full or in part
may also be made in the form of unrestricted Common Stock owned by the
Participant (based on the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock on the date the
Stock Option is exercised, as determined by the Committee) or such other form of
payment as may be deemed acceptable by the Committee. No shares of
Common Stock resulting from the exercise of a Stock Option shall be issued until
full payment therefor has been made.
(e) Voluntary Termination and
Termination by the Company for Cause. Unless otherwise
determined by the Committee and reflected in the applicable Award Agreement or
Notice of Grant, an employment contract or other applicable agreement between
the Participant and the Company or an Affiliate, a Participant granted a Stock
Option who voluntarily terminates employment, other than by reason of
Retirement, or whose employment is terminated involuntarily for Cause, will
forfeit all rights under such Stock Option at the time of such
termination.
(f) Termination for Any Reason Other
Than Cause and Voluntary Termination. The rights of any
Participant granted a Stock Option, whose employment is terminated for any
reason other than as set forth in subsection (e) above, shall be exercisable for
a period of ninety (90) days after such termination unless the Committee
determines, in its discretion, to shorten or, in the case of Nonqualified Stock
Options, extend such period, as reflected in the applicable Award Agreement or
Notice of Grant or another agreement between the Participant and the Company or
an Affiliate, provided, however, that no such extension will be made if it would
result in deferred compensation subject to Code Section 409A.
(g) Requirements for Incentive Stock
Options. The aggregate Fair Market Value (determined at the
time of grant) of the Common Stock for which Incentive Stock Options are
exercisable for the first time by a Participant during any calendar year under
the Plan (and/or any other stock option plans of the Company or any Affiliate)
shall not exceed One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000). Incentive Stock
Options may not be transferred, other than by will or the laws of descent and
distribution, and are exercisable, during the Participant’s lifetime, only by
the Participant.
Section 8. Stock Appreciation
Rights. Each Stock Appreciation Right shall be evidenced by an
Award Agreement or Notice of Grant in such form that is not inconsistent with
the Plan and that the Committee may from time to time approve. Stock
Appreciation Rights granted under the Plan shall be subject to the following
terms and conditions and such additional terms and
conditions, not inconsistent with the terms of the Plan, as the Committee shall
deem desirable, which additional terms and conditions shall be reflected in the
applicable Award Agreement or Notice of Grant:
(a) Award. A Stock
Appreciation Right shall entitle the Participant to receive upon exercise the
excess of (i) the Fair Market Value of a specified number of shares of Common
Stock at the time of exercise over (ii) a specified price which shall not be
less than one hundred percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value of such specified
number of shares of Common Stock at the time the Stock Appreciation Right was
granted. A Stock Appreciation Right may be granted in connection with
all or any portion of a previously or contemporaneously granted Stock Option
(including, in addition to Stock Options granted under the Plan, stock options
granted under other plans of the Company), or not in connection with a Stock
Option.
(b) Term. Stock
Appreciation Rights shall be granted for a period of not more than ten (10)
years, and shall be exercisable in whole or in part at such time or times and
subject to such other terms and conditions as shall be prescribed by the
Committee.
(c) Payment. Upon
exercise of a Stock Appreciation Right, payment shall be made in the form of
Common Stock (at the Fair Market Value on the date of exercise), in cash, or in
a combination thereof, as the Committee may determine.
(d) Effect on
Shares. The exercise of a Stock Appreciation Right shall be
treated as the issuance of the specified number of shares of Common Stock
underlying the Stock Appreciation Right for purposes of calculating the maximum
number of shares that have been issued under the Plan.
(e) Stock Appreciation Right Granted
with Incentive Stock Option. A Stock Appreciation Right
granted in connection with an Incentive Stock Option may be exercised only if
and when the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock subject to the Incentive
Stock Option exceeds the exercise price of such Stock Option.
(f) Voluntary Termination and
Termination by the Company for Cause. Unless otherwise
determined by the Committee and reflected in the applicable Award Agreement or
Notice of Grant, an employment contract or other applicable agreement between
the Participant and the Company or an Affiliate, a Participant granted a Stock
Appreciation Right who voluntarily terminates employment other than by reason of
Retirement, or whose employment is terminated involuntarily for Cause will
forfeit all rights under such Stock Appreciation Right at the time of such
termination.
(g) Termination for Any Reason Other
Than Cause and Voluntary Termination. The rights of any
Participant granted a Stock Appreciation Right, whose employment is terminated
for any reason other than as set forth in subsection (f) above shall be
exercisable for a period of ninety (90) days after such termination unless the
Committee determines, in its discretion, to shorten or extend such period, as
reflected in the applicable Award Agreement or Notice of Grant or another
agreement between the Participant and the Company or an Affiliate.
Section 9. Performance
Units. The Committee may grant Performance Units (which may be
denominated in either shares of Common Stock or cash) under which payment
may be
made to the Participant upon the attainment of specific performance
goals. If the Performance Unit is denominated in shares of Common
Stock, such shares may be either (i) transferred to the Participant on the date
of the Award (in the form of Restricted Stock in accordance with Section 10
below), subject to forfeiture if the goal is not attained or (ii) transferable
to the Participant only upon attainment of the relevant performance
goal. If the Performance Unit is denominated in cash, it may be paid
upon attainment of the relevant performance goal either in cash or in shares of
Common Stock (based on the then current fair market value of such Common Stock),
as determined by the Committee, in its sole discretion. Each
Performance Unit shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement or Notice of Grant in
such form that is not inconsistent with the Plan and that the Committee may from
time to time approve. Performance Units granted under the Plan shall
be subject to the following terms and conditions and such additional terms and
conditions, not inconsistent with the terms of the Plan, as the Committee shall
deem desirable, which additional terms and conditions shall be reflected in the
applicable Award Agreement or Notice of Grant:
(a) Performance
Period. The performance period for a Performance Unit shall be
established by the Committee and shall be not more than ten (10)
years.
(b) Valuation of
Units. A value for each Performance Unit shall be established
by the Committee, together with principal, minimum and any interim performance
targets to be achieved with respect to the Performance Unit during the
performance period. The Participant shall be entitled to receive one
hundred percent (100%) of the value of the Performance Unit if the principal
target is achieved during the performance period, but shall be entitled to
receive no value for such Performance Unit if the minimum target is not achieved
during the performance period. The Participant shall be entitled to
receive one or more stated portions of the value of the Performance Unit for
specified interim performance targets during the performance period that meets
or exceeds the minimum target but fails to meet the principal
target.
(c) Performance
Goals. The Committee may establish performance goals based on
any business criteria deemed appropriate by the Committee including but not
limited to: (i) net earnings; (ii) earnings per share; (iii) net income (before
or after taxes); (iv) net operating profit; (v) return measures (including
return on assets, capital, equity or sales; (vi) cash flow (including operating
cash flow and free cash flow); (vii) earnings before or after taxes, interest,
depreciation and/or amortization; (viii) gross margins per gallon or other unit;
(ix) operating margin; (x) share price (including growth measures and total
stockholder return); (xi) expense targets; (xii) working capital targets; (xiii)
planning accuracy (as measured by comparing planned results to actual results);
(xiv) key operational measures (including delivery performance, quality
measurements, employee metrics and market share expansion); and (xv) ratios,
such as earnings to shareholders’ equity, earnings to total capital, capital to
assets, or operating expenses to total revenue. Such performance
goals may be measured against Company-wide performance or against divisions,
subsidiaries, departments or specific operating areas of the Company, as the
Committee determines in its sole discretion.
These
performance goals may be designed to measure corporate performance under any
standards as may be determined by the Committee, including the absolute
performance of the Company or its Affiliates relative to prior periods or the
performance of the Company or its Affiliates relative to other companies that
the Committee determines, in its sole discretion, irrespective
of whether such other companies are in the same or a similar industry as the
Company. Multiple performance goals may be established and may have
the same or different weighting.
(d) Adjustments. At
any time prior to payment of the Performance Units, the Committee may adjust
previously established performance goals and other terms and conditions to
reflect major unforeseen events such as changes in laws, regulations or
accounting policies or procedures, mergers, acquisitions or divestitures or
extraordinary, unusual or nonrecurring items or events, subject to the
limitations of Section 162(m) of the Code and the regulations promulgated
thereunder with respect to those Performance Units which are structured to
qualify for an exception to the limitations on deductibility imposed by Section
162(m) of the Code and the regulations promulgated thereunder (as discussed
below). So long as applicable tax and securities laws permit, the
Committee may utilize Performance Goals not listed in Section 9(c) without
obtaining stockholder approval.
(e) Payments of Performance
Units. Following the conclusion of each performance period,
the Committee shall determine the extent to which performance goals have been
attained for such period as well as whether the other terms and conditions
established by the Committee have been met. With respect to
Performance Units denominated in cash, the Committee shall determine what, if
any, payment is due with respect to the Performance Units and whether such
payment shall be made in cash, in Common Stock, or partially in cash and
partially in Common Stock. Any payments made in Common Stock shall be
calculated based on the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock on the date of
payment. Payments shall be made as promptly as practicable following
the end of the performance period, but no later than the date which is two and
one-half (2-1/2) months following the end of the performance
period. With respect to Performance Units denominated in shares of
Common Stock, the Committee shall determine the extent to which either (i)
shares previously transferred to the Participant on the date of the Award (in
the form of Restricted Stock in accordance with Section 10 below) shall be
forfeited, if the relevant performance goal is not attained or (ii) shares shall
be transferred to the Participant, if the relevant performance goal is
attained.
(f) Voluntary Termination and
Termination by the Company for Cause. Unless otherwise
determined by the Committee and reflected in the applicable Award Agreement or
Notice of Grant, an employment contract or other applicable agreement between
the Participant and the Company or an Affiliate, a Participant granted a
Performance Unit who voluntarily terminates employment, other than by reason of
Retirement, or whose employment is terminated involuntarily for Cause will
forfeit all rights under such Performance Unit at the time of such
termination.
(g) Termination for Any Reason Other
Than Cause and Voluntary Termination. The rights of any
Participant granted a Performance Unit, whose employment is terminated for any
reason other than as set forth in subsection (f) above, which termination
constitutes a “separation from service” within the meaning of Treasury
Regulations §1.409A-1(h), shall be exercisable for a period of seventy-five (75)
days after such termination, provided that the performance goal is met during
that period, unless the Committee determines, in its discretion, to shorten or
extend such period, as reflected in the applicable Award Agreement or Notice of
Grant or another agreement between the Participant and the Company or an
Affiliate.
(h) Section 162(m)
Provisions. The Committee shall determine whether to award any
Performance Units in a manner intended to result in “qualified performance-based
compensation” within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code and the
regulations promulgated thereunder (a “Qualifying Performance
Unit”). The maximum amount payable under a Performance Unit will
depend on the value of the Performance Unit; provided, however, the maximum
amount payable with respect to Qualifying Performance Units awarded to any
single Participant in any given performance period shall be One Million Dollars
($1,000,000) notwithstanding the terms of such Performance Unit. Performance
goals for Qualifying Performance Units shall be substantially uncertain to be
met when established and shall be established in writing by the Committee no
later than the earlier of (i) 90 days the commencement of the performance period
to which the goals relate; or (ii) the date on which 25% of the performance
period has elapsed. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, the receipt
of compensation by a Participant pursuant to a Qualifying Performance Unit shall
be solely contingent upon the performance goals being met.
Section
10. Restricted Stock Awards.
(a) Administration. Shares
of Restricted Stock may be issued either alone or in addition to other Awards
granted under the Plan. The Committee shall determine the Eligible
Persons to whom and the time or times at which grants of Restricted Stock will
be made, the number of shares to be awarded, the price, if any, to be paid for
such shares by the recipient of Restricted Stock (subject to Section 10(b)
hereof), the period of time during which the transfer of such shares is
restricted and all other terms and conditions of such Awards, which terms and
conditions shall not be inconsistent with the terms and conditions of the
Plan. The Committee may also condition the grant of Restricted Stock,
and the terms and conditions applicable to such Restricted Stock, upon the
attainment of specified performance goals (which grants may be structured as
Performance Units or Qualifying Performance Units in accordance with Section 9
hereof), or such other criteria as the Committee may determine, in its sole
discretion. The provisions of Restricted Stock Awards need not be the
same with respect to each Participant.
(b) Awards and
Certificates. Each Award of shares of Restricted Stock shall
be evidenced by an Award Agreement or Notice of Grant (a “Restricted Stock Award
Agreement or Notice of Grant”) in a form that is not inconsistent with the Plan
and that the Committee may from time to time approve.
(i) Awards
of Restricted Stock must be accepted within a period of ninety (90) days (or
such shorter period as the Committee may specify) after the award date by
executing a Restricted Stock Award Agreement or Notice of Grant and paying
whatever price for such shares, if any, is required.
(ii) A
stock certificate representing shares of Restricted Stock shall be issued in the
name of each Participant who is awarded Restricted Stock. Such
certificate shall be registered in the name of the Participant, and shall bear
an appropriate legend referring to the terms, conditions, and restrictions
applicable to such Award, substantially in the following form:
“The
transferability of this certificate and the shares of stock represented hereby
are subject to the terms and conditions (including forfeiture) of the SMF Energy
Corporation 2009 Equity Incentive Plan and a Restricted Stock Award Agreement or
Notice of Grant entered into between the registered owner and the
Company. Copies of such Plan and Award Agreement or Notice of Grant
are on file in the offices of the Company, 200 West Cypress Creek Road, Suite
400, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida 33309.”
(iii) The
Committee shall require that the stock certificates evidencing such shares be
held in custody by the Company until the restrictions thereon shall have lapsed,
and that, as a condition of any Restricted Stock Award, the Participant shall
have delivered a stock power, endorsed in blank, relating to the Common Stock
covered by such Award.
(c) Restrictions and
Conditions. The shares of Restricted Stock awarded pursuant to
this Section 10 shall be subject to the following restrictions and
conditions:
(i) Subject
to the provisions of this Plan and the Restricted Stock Award Agreement or
Notice of Grant, from the date of grant through such period as may be set by the
Committee (the “Restriction Period”), the Participant shall not be permitted to
sell, transfer, pledge or assign shares of Restricted Stock awarded under the
Plan. The Restriction Period may include the performance period with
respect to Performance Units denominated in shares of stock. Within
these limits, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, provide for the lapse
of such restrictions in installments and may accelerate or waive such
restrictions in whole or in part based on performance and/or such other factors
as the Committee may determine, in its sole discretion; provided, however, that
with respect to Restricted Stock transferred to Participants pursuant to
Qualifying Performance Units prior to the expiration of the relevant performance
period in accordance with Section 9 above, except as provided in Sections 13 and
14, any adjustments to such awards are subject to the limitations of Section
9(d).
(ii) Except
as provided in subsection (c)(i) of this Section 10, the Participant shall have,
with respect to the shares of Restricted Stock, all of the rights of a
stockholder of the Company, including the right to vote and to receive any
dividends. Dividends paid in stock of the Company or stock received
in connection with a stock split with respect to Restricted Stock shall be
subject to the same restrictions as on such Restricted
Stock. Certificates for shares of unrestricted Common Stock shall be
delivered to the Participant after, and only after, the period of forfeiture
shall expire without forfeiture in respect of such shares of Restricted
Stock.
(iii) Subject
to the provisions of the Restricted Stock Award Agreement or Notice of Grant or
other applicable agreement, and this Section 10, upon termination of employment
for any reason during the Restriction Period, all shares still subject to
restriction shall be forfeited by the Participant; provided, however, that the
Participant shall be entitled to retain any shares of Restricted Stock which
have been fully paid for by the Participant.
(iv) The
Committee may, in its sole discretion, waive in whole or in part any or all
restrictions with respect to such Participant’s shares of Restricted
Stock.
Section 11. Supplemental Cash
Payments. Subject to the Committee’s discretion, the Award
Agreement or Notice of Grant may provide for the payment by the Company of a
supplemental cash payment after the exercise of a Stock Option or Stock
Appreciation Right, at the time of payment of a Performance Unit or at the end
of the restriction period of a Restricted Stock Award. Supplemental
cash payments shall be subject to such terms and conditions as shall be provided
by the Committee, provided that in no event shall the amount of each payment
exceed:
(a) In
the case of a Stock Option, the excess of the Fair Market Value of a share of
Common Stock on the date of exercise over the option price multiplied by the
number of shares for which such Stock Option is exercised, or
(b) In
the case of a Stock Appreciation Right, Performance Unit or Restricted Stock
Award, the value of the shares and other consideration issued in payment of such
Award.
Section 12. Awards to Non-Employee
Directors. Awards to Non-Employee Directors shall be subject
to the terms of an Award Agreement or Notice of Grant with such additional
provisions as the Committee may determine that are not inconsistent with the
Plan.
Section 13. Recapitalization. If
the outstanding shares of Common Stock are increased or decreased or changed
into or exchanged for a different number or kind of shares or other securities
of Company by reason of any recapitalization, reclassification, reorganization,
stock split, reverse split, combination of shares, exchange of shares, stock
dividend or other distribution payable in capital stock of Company or other
increase or decrease in such shares effected without receipt of consideration by
Company occurring after the Effective Date, an appropriate and proportionate
adjustment shall be made by the Committee to any restriction or authorization of
a specific number of shares of Common Stock described under the
Plan. No fractional shares of Common Stock or units of other
securities shall be issued pursuant to any such adjustment under this Section 13
and any fractions resulting from any such adjustment shall be eliminated in each
case by rounding downward to the nearest whole share or unit. Any
adjustments made under this Section 13 with respect to any Incentive Stock
Options must be made in accordance with Code Section 424 and all adjustments
shall be made in accordance with Treasury Regulations §
1.409-1(b)(5).
Section 14. Sale, Merger or Change in
Control.
(a) In
the case of a proposed merger or consolidation in which the Company is not
expected to be the surviving Company, or a sale of all or substantially all of
the business or assets of the Company, or liquidation or dissolution of the
Company, or in the event of a tender offer or any other change involving a
threatened change in control of the Company which, in the opinion of the
Committee, could deprive the holders of the benefits intended to be conferred by
Awards hereunder, the Committee may, in anticipation of any such transaction or
event, either at the time of grant or thereafter, make such adjustments in the
terms and conditions of outstanding Awards, as the Committee in its sole
discretion determines are equitably warranted under the circumstances
including, without limitation, (i) acceleration of vesting or modification of
other terms of exercise, or (ii) acceleration of the lapse of restrictions
and/or performance objectives or other terms.
(b) If
the Company or its stockholders enter into a binding agreement to dispose of all
or substantially all of the assets or stock of the Company (whether by sale,
merger or other reorganization, liquidation, or otherwise), any Award granted
pursuant to the Plan shall become immediately and fully exercisable during the
period from the date of the agreement to the date the agreement is consummated
(or, if earlier, the date the Award terminates in accordance with the Plan),
provided, however, that no Award shall be automatically accelerated pursuant to
this sentence if the shareholders of the Company immediately before the
contemplated transaction will own 50% or more of the total combined voting power
of all classes of voting stock of the surviving entity (whether the Company or
some other entity) immediately after the transaction, and provided further that,
if the contemplated transaction terminates without being consummated, the Awards
that were automatically accelerated pursuant to this sentence shall thereafter
be treated as if that agreement had never been entered into and the Committee
may, in its discretion, elect to rescind some or all of the exercises of Awards
that were so accelerated between the time of the agreement to the date that the
contemplated transaction was terminated.
(c)
Irrespective of the applicability of the automatic acceleration provisions of
subsection (b) hereof, the Committee retains the authority to grant greater
acceleration rights to Participants holding unvested or partially vested Awards
than would be provided by subsection (b), but the Committee may not proscribe,
withdraw or limit the automatic acceleration rights provide by subsection (b)
without the consent of the Participant.
Section 15. Golden Parachute
Limitations. Notwithstanding anything else contained in this
Plan, in no event shall an Award be accelerated to an extent or in a manner
which would not be fully deductible by the Company or one of its Subsidiaries
for federal income tax purposes because of Section 280G of the Code, nor shall
any payment hereunder be accelerated to the extent any portion of such
accelerated payment would not be deductible by the Company or one of its
Affiliates because of Section 280G of the Code. If a Participant would be
entitled to benefits or payments hereunder and under any other plan or program
that would constitute “parachute payments” as defined in Section 280G of the
Code, then the participant may by written notice to the Company designate the
order in which such parachute payments will be reduced or modified so that the
Company or one of its Affiliates is not denied federal income tax deductions for
any “parachute payments” because of Section 280G of the
Code. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a Participant is a party to
an employment or other agreement with the Company or one of its Affiliates, or
is a participant in a severance program sponsored by the Company or one of its
Affiliates that contains express provisions regarding Section 280G and/or
Section 4999 of the Code (or any similar successor provision), the Section 280G
and/or Section 4999 provisions of such employment or other agreement or plan, as
applicable, shall control as to any Awards held by that Participant (for
example, and without limitation, a participant may be a party to an employment
agreement with the Company or one of its Subsidiaries that provides for a
“gross-up” as opposed to a “cut-back” in the event that the Section 280G
thresholds are reached or exceeded in connection with a change in control and,
in such event, the Section 280G and/or Section 4999 provisions of such
employment agreement shall control as to any awards held by that
Participant).
Section
16. General Provisions.
(a) Governmental or Other
Regulations. Each Award under the Plan shall be subject to the
requirement that if, at any time, the Committee shall determine that (i) the
listing, registration or qualification of the shares of Common Stock subject or
related thereto upon any securities exchange or under any state or federal law,
(ii) the consent or approval of any government regulatory authority, or (iii) an
agreement by the recipient of an Award with respect to the disposition of shares
of Common Stock, is necessary or desirable as a condition of, or in connection
with, the granting of such Award or the issue or purchase of shares of Common
Stock thereunder, such Award may not be consummated in whole or in part unless
such listing, registration, qualification, consent, approval or agreement shall
have been effected or obtained free of any conditions not acceptable to the
Committee. A Participant shall agree, as a condition of receiving any
Award under the Plan, to execute any documents, make any representations, agree
to restrictions on stock transferability and take any actions that in the
opinion of legal counsel to the Company, are required by any applicable law,
ruling or regulation.
(b) Rights of a
Stockholder. The recipient of any Award under the Plan, unless
otherwise provided by the Plan, shall have no rights as a stockholder with
respect thereto unless and until certificates for shares of Common Stock are
issued to the recipient; provided that a Participant who exercises a Stock
Option or a Stock Appreciation Right payable in shares of Common Stock shall be
an owner of the shares of Common Stock subject to the Stock Option or Stock
Appreciation Right, as applicable, on the date of such exercise, and shall have
all the rights attendant thereto.
(c) No Additional
Rights. Nothing set forth in this Plan shall prevent the Board
from adopting other or additional compensation arrangements, subject to
stockholder approval if such approval is required; and such arrangements may be
either generally applicable or applicable only in specific
cases. Nothing in the Plan or in any agreement entered into pursuant
to the Plan shall confer upon any Participant the right to continue in the
employment of the Company or its Affiliates, or affect any right which the
Company or such Affiliates may have to terminate the employment of the
Participant.
(d) Withholding. Whenever
the Company proposes or is required to issue or transfer shares of Common Stock
under the Plan, the Company shall have the right to require the recipient to
remit to the Company, or provide indemnification satisfactory to the Company
for, an amount sufficient to satisfy any federal, state or local withholding tax
requirements prior to the issuance or delivery of any certificate or
certificates for such shares. Whenever payments are to be made in
cash, such payments shall be net of an amount sufficient to satisfy any federal,
state or local withholding tax requirements. In the discretion of the
Committee, the Company may allow a Participant to cause any such withholding
obligation to be satisfied by electing to have the Company withhold shares
otherwise available for delivery to the Participant; provided, however, that
such shares shall have a Fair Market Value on the date the tax is to be
determined in an amount equal to the minimum statutory total tax which could be
imposed on the transaction.
(e) Non-Assignability. Unless
otherwise determined by the Committee and reflected in the applicable Award
Agreement or Notice of Grant, no Award under the Plan shall be assignable
or transferable by a Participant except by will or by the laws of descent and
distribution and all Awards shall be exercisable, during the Participant’s
lifetime, only by the Participant or by the Participant’s legal
guardian. A transferee of an Award shall have only those rights that
the Participant would have had had the Award not been transferred. In
addition, if the Committee allows an Award to be transferable or assignable,
such Award shall be subject to such additional terms and conditions as the
Committee deems appropriate.
(f) Unfunded Status of Plan. The
Plan is intended to constitute an “unfunded” plan for incentive and deferred
compensation. With respect to any payments not yet made to a
Participant by the Company, nothing set forth herein shall give any such
Participant any rights that are greater than those of a general creditor of the
Company. In its sole discretion, the Committee may authorize the
creation of trusts or other arrangements to meet the obligations created under
the Plan to deliver Common Stock or payments in lieu of or with respect to
Awards hereunder; provided, however, that the existence of such trusts or other
arrangements is consistent with the unfunded status of the Plan.
(g) Non-Uniform
Determination. The Committee’s determinations under the Plan
(including, without limitation, determinations of the Eligible Persons to
receive Awards, the form, amount and timing of such Awards, the terms and
provisions of Awards and the Award Agreement or Notice of Grant, and the
establishment of values and performance targets) need not be uniform and may be
made by it selectively among Eligible Persons who receive, or are eligible to
receive, Awards under the Plan, whether or not such Eligible Persons are
similarly situated. Notwithstanding anything contained in the Plan,
the Company may make loans to Participants in connection with Awards under the
Plan or otherwise except that any such loan shall be secured by assets of the
Participant in a commercially reasonable manner.
(h) Amendment or
Termination. The Board may amend, modify, suspend or terminate
the Plan at any time, including, without limitation, to bring the Plan and any
grants into compliance with, or to mitigate the tax consequences of, Section
409A of the Code; provided, however, that without stockholder approval, the
Board may not increase the maximum number of shares which may be issued under
the Plan (except increases pursuant to Sections 5(c), 13 and 14 hereof), change
the class of Persons eligible to receive Awards, extend the period specified in
the Plan during which an Award may be exercised, extend the term of the Plan or
change the minimum option price. The Committee may amend the terms of
any Award theretofore granted, prospectively or retroactively, including changes
in the vesting schedule, exercise price or other terms of the Award but no such
amendment shall impair the rights of any Participant or permitted transferee
except with the consent of the Participant. The termination or any
modification, suspension or amendment of the Plan shall not adversely affect a
Participant’s rights under an Award previously granted except with the consent
of such Participant.
(i) Use of
Proceeds. The proceeds received by the Company from the sale
of Common Stock pursuant to the sale or exercise of Awards under the Plan shall
be added to the Company’s general funds and may be used by the Company for
general corporate purposes or any other lawful purpose.
(j) Section 16. It is
intended that the Plan and any grants made to a Person subject to
Section 16 of the Act meet all of the requirements of Rule 16b-3
thereunder. If any provision of the Plan
or any Award hereunder would disqualify the Plan or such Award, or would
otherwise not comply with Rule 16b-3, such provision or Award shall be construed
or deemed to be amended to conform to Rule 16b-3.
(k) No Restriction on Right of Company
to Effect Corporate Changes. Nothing in the Plan shall affect
the right or power of the Company or its stockholders to make or authorize any
or all adjustments, recapitalizations, reorganizations or other changes in the
Company’s capital structure or its business, or any merger or consolidation of
the Company, or any issue of stock or of options, warrants or rights to purchase
stock or of bonds, debentures, preferred or prior preference stocks whose rights
are superior to or affect the Common Stock or the rights thereof or which are
convertible into or exchangeable for Common Stock, or the dissolution or
liquidation of the Company, or any sale or transfer of all or any part of its
assets or business, or any other corporate act or proceeding, whether of a
similar character or otherwise.
(l) Award Agreement or Notice of
Grant. If the Committee requires the execution by the
Participant of an Award Agreement as a condition of an Award under the Plan, the
prospective recipient of the Award shall not have any rights with respect to
such Award, unless and until such recipient has executed the Award Agreement and
has delivered a fully executed copy thereof to the Company, and has otherwise
complied with the then-applicable terms and conditions. If the
Committee does not require the Participant to execute an Award Agreement but
instead elects to issue a Notice of Grant to the Participant, then the
Participant shall have the rights prescribed in the Notice of Grant upon receipt
of the Notice of Grant executed by an officer of the Company or a member of the
Committee.
(m) Construction of
Plan. The validity, interpretation, and administration of the
Plan and of any rules, regulations, determinations, or decisions made
thereunder, and the rights of any and all Persons having or claiming to have any
interest therein or thereunder, shall be determined exclusively in accordance
with the laws of the State of Delaware.
(n) Duration of the
Plan. The Plan shall remain in effect until all Awards under
the Plan have been satisfied by the issuance of shares or the payment of cash,
but no Award shall be granted more than ten (10) years after the effective date
hereof.
(o) Section 409A of the
Code. (i) The Plan does not intend to provide for any deferral
of compensation subject to Section 409A of the Code, by means of complying with
Section 1.409A-1(b)(4) and/or Section 1.409A-1(b)(5) of the final Treasury
Regulations issued under Section 409A of the Code. The provisions of the Plan
shall be interpreted in a manner that satisfies the requirements of Section
1.409A-1(b)(4) and/or Section 1.409A-1(b)(5) of the final Treasury Regulations
issued under Section 409A of the Code and the Plan shall be operated
accordingly. If any provision of the Plan or any term or condition of
any grant would otherwise frustrate or conflict with this intent, the provision,
term or condition will be interpreted and deemed amended so as to avoid this
conflict. (ii) If at any time the Company’s tax advisors determine
that the terms of any outstanding grant results in additional tax or interest to
the Holder under Section 409A of the Code, the Board shall have the authority to
enter into an amendment of such grant, consistent with this Plan, that is
designed to avoid such additional tax or interest. (iii) In the event
that, following the application of the immediately preceding paragraph, any
grant is subject to Section 409A of the Code, the provisions of Section 409A of
the Code
and the Treasury Regulations issued thereunder are incorporated herein by
reference to the extent necessary for any grant that is subject to Section 409A
of the Code to comply therewith. In such an event, the provisions of
the Plan shall be interpreted in a manner that satisfies the requirements of
Section 409A of the Code and the related regulations, and the Plan shall be
operated accordingly. If any provision of the Plan or any term or
condition of any grant would otherwise frustrate or conflict with this intent,
the provision, term or condition will be interpreted and deemed amended so as to
avoid this conflict. (iv) Notwithstanding any other provisions of the Plan, the
Company does not guarantee to any Participant or any other person that any grant
intended to be exempt from Section 409A of the Code shall be so exempt, nor that
any grant intended to comply with Section 409A of the Code shall so comply, nor
will the Company indemnify, defend or hold harmless any individual with respect
to the tax consequences of any such failure.
(p) Code Section 83(b)
Election. If in connection with any grant under the Plan, any
participant makes an election permitted under Code Section 83(b), such
participant must notify the Company in writing of such election within ten (10)
days of filing such election with the Internal Revenue Service.