Unassociated Document
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE 14A
Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a)
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(Amendment No. __)
Filed by Registrant x
Filed by a Party other than the Registrant ¨
Check the appropriate box:
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Preliminary Proxy Statement
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Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2))
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Definitive Proxy Statement
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Definitive Additional Materials
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Soliciting Material Pursuant to ss.240.14a-12
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ARC WIRELESS SOLUTIONS, INC.
(Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)
(Name of Person Filing Proxy Statement, if other than Registrant)
Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):
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Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i) and 0-11.
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(1)
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Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies:
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Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies:
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(3)
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Per unit price or other underlying value of transaction computed pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 0-11 (set forth the amount on which the filing fee is calculated and state how it was determined):
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Proposed maximum aggregate value of the transaction:
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Total fee paid:
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¨ Fee paid previously with preliminary materials.
¨ Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the offsetting fee was paid previously. Identify the previous filing by registration statement number, or the Form or Schedule and the date of its filing.
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Amount Previously Paid:
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Form Schedule or Registration No.:
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Filing Party:
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Date Filed:
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ARC WIRELESS SOLUTIONS, INC.
6330 North Washington Street, Unit #13
Denver, Colorado 80216-1146
(303) 421-4063
NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
to be held December 8, 2011
10:00 A.M. Eastern Standard Time
To the Shareholders of ARC Wireless Solutions Inc.:
The Annual Meeting of the shareholders of ARC Wireless Solutions, Inc. (the “Company”) will be held on December 8, 2011 at 10:00 A.M. (Eastern Standard time) at the offices of Carret Asset Management, LLC, 40 West 57th Street, 20th Floor, New York, NY, 10019 for the following purposes:
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1.
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To elect a Board of Directors consisting of five directors; and
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To transact any other business that properly may come before the Annual Meeting.
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Only the shareholders of record as shown on the transfer books at the close of business on October 20, 2011 are entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the Annual Meeting.
Under Rules adopted by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, we have chosen to provide our shareholders with proxy materials on the Internet, rather than sending printed copies of such materials through the mail. In connection with this decision, a Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials is being mailed to our shareholders who have not previously requested electronic access to our proxy materials or paper proxy materials. This notice contains instructions on how you may access and review our proxy materials on the Internet and how you may vote your shares. The notice also contains information concerning how to request our proxy materials in printed form or by e-mail, at no charge. We anticipate that the notice will be mailed to shareholders on or about October 26, 2011. If you hold shares of our common stock in street name through a broker, rather than directly in your own name, you should contact your broker to request paper proxy packages.
IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING THE AVAILABILITY OF PROXY MATERIALS FOR THE SHAREHOLDER MEETING TO BE HELD ON DECEMBER 8, 2011:
Our notice of annual meeting and proxy statement and our annual report are available on the Internet at www.edocumentview.com/ARCS.
All shareholders, regardless of whether they expect to attend the meeting in person, are requested to complete, date, sign and return promptly the enclosed form of proxy in the accompanying envelope. The person executing the proxy may revoke it by filing with the Secretary of the Company an instrument of revocation or a duly executed proxy bearing a later date, or by choosing to vote in person at the Annual Meeting.
ALL SHAREHOLDERS ARE EXTENDED A CORDIAL INVITATION TO ATTEND THE ANNUAL MEETING
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By Order of the Board of Directors:
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Theodore Deinard
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Interim Chief Executive Officer
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October 20, 2011
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PROXY STATEMENT
ARC WIRELESS SOLUTIONS, INC.
6330 North Washington Street, Unit #13
Denver, Colorado 80216-1146
(303) 421-4063
ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS to be held
December 8, 2011
SOLICITATION AND REVOCABILITY OF PROXIES
This Proxy Statement is provided in connection with the solicitation of proxies by the Board of Directors of ARC Wireless Solutions, Inc., a Utah corporation (the “Company”), to be voted at the Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be held on December 8, 2011 at 10:00 A.M. (Eastern Standard time) (the “Annual Meeting”) at the offices of Carret Asset Management, LLC, 40 West 57th Street, 20th Floor, New York, NY, 10019 or at any adjournment or postponement of the meeting. We anticipate that this Proxy Statement and the accompanying form of proxy will be first mailed, given or otherwise provided to shareholders on or about October 26, 2011.
Under Rules adopted by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, we have chosen to provide our shareholders with proxy materials on the Internet, rather than sending printed copies of such materials through the mail. In connection with this decision, a Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials is being mailed to our shareholders who have not previously requested electronic access to our proxy materials or paper proxy materials. This notice contains instructions on how you may access and review our proxy materials on the Internet and how you may vote your shares. The notice also contains information concerning how to request our proxy materials in printed form or by e-mail, at no charge. If you hold shares of our common stock in street name through a broker, rather than directly in your own name, you should contact your broker to request paper proxy packages.
If you hold shares beneficially in street name and do not provide your broker with voting instructions, your shares may constitute “broker non-votes.” A broker non-vote occurs on a matter where a broker is not permitted to vote on that matter without instructions from the beneficial owner and instructions are not given. In tabulating the voting result for any particular proposal, shares that constitute broker non-votes are not considered votes cast on that proposal. Thus, broker non-votes will not affect the outcome of any matter being voted on at the meeting, assuming that a quorum is obtained. In particular, please note that brokers may not vote your shares on the election of directors in the absence of your specific instructions as to how to vote, so we encourage you to provide instructions to your broker regarding the voting of your shares.
Those shares represented by proxies granted to the Company will be voted: (i) FOR each of the five nominees for director whose names are set forth on the proxy card; and (ii) FOR any other business that properly may come before the Annual Meeting.
A shareholder giving a proxy may revoke it at any time before it is exercised by delivering written notice of revocation to our Secretary, by substituting a new proxy executed at a later date, or by requesting, in person at the Annual Meeting, that the proxy be returned. Shareholders do not have dissenters' rights of appraisal for any action proposed to be taken at the Annual Meeting. The solicitation of proxies by the Company is to be made by mail, telephone and oral communications with shareholders. Our officers, directors and employees may solicit proxies, but these persons will not receive compensation for that solicitation other than their regular compensation. Arrangements also will be made with brokerage houses and other custodians, nominees and fiduciaries to forward solicitation materials to beneficial owners of the shares held of record by those persons. We may reimburse those persons for reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by them in so doing. We will pay all expenses involved in preparing, assembling and mailing this Proxy Statement and the enclosed material.
THE ANNUAL MEETING OF ARC WIRELESS SOLUTIONS, INC.
Time, Place and Date
The Annual Meeting will be held on December 8, 2011 at 10:00 A.M. (Eastern Standard time) at the offices of Carret Asset Management, LLC, 40 West 57th Street, 20th Floor, New York, NY, 10019.
Purpose
At the Annual Meeting, the shareholders of the Company will be asked to consider and vote upon a proposal (i) to elect a Board of Directors consisting of five directors; and (ii) to transact any other business that properly may come before the Annual Meeting.
VOTING SECURITIES
The close of business on October 20, 2011 has been fixed as the record date for the determination of holders of record of the Company's common stock, $.0005 par value per share (the “Common Stock”), entitled to notice of and to vote at the Annual Meeting. On the record date, 3,091,352 shares of Common Stock were outstanding and eligible to be voted at the Annual Meeting. Each share, unless otherwise set forth herein, is entitled to one vote. A majority of the issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock entitled to vote, represented either in person or by proxy, constitutes a quorum at any meeting of the shareholders. If sufficient votes for approval of the matters to be considered at the Annual Meeting have not been received prior to the meeting date, we intend to postpone or adjourn the Annual Meeting in order to solicit additional votes. The form of proxy we are soliciting requests authority for the proxies, in their discretion, to vote the shareholders' shares with respect to a postponement or adjournment of the Annual Meeting. At any postponed or adjourned meeting, we will vote any proxies received in the same manner described in this Proxy Statement with respect to the original meeting.
VOTING PROCEDURES
Votes at the Annual Meeting are counted by an inspector of election. Shares of stock present in person or represented by proxy, including abstentions (shares that do not vote with respect to one or more of the matters presented for shareholder approval), and broker “non-votes,” are counted as present and entitled to vote for purposes of determining whether a quorum exists at the Annual Meeting. A broker “non-vote” occurs when a nominee holding shares for a beneficial owner does not vote on a particular proposal because the nominee does not have discretionary voting power with respect to that item and has not received voting instructions from the beneficial owner. If your shares are held in the name of a bank, broker or other nominee, you must obtain a proxy, executed in your favor, from the holder of record, to be able to vote at the Annual Meeting. At any postponed or adjourned meeting, we will vote any proxies received in the same manner described in this Proxy Statement with respect to the original Annual Meeting. Please note that brokers may not vote your shares on the election of directors in the absence of your specific instructions as to how to vote, so we encourage you to provide instructions to your broker regarding the voting of your shares.
In the election of directors, the five director candidates having the highest number of votes cast in favor of their election will be elected to the Board of Directors. In addition, a plurality of the votes present in person or represented by proxy at the Annual Meeting is required for the approval of all other proposals. Only votes “FOR” or “AGAINST” these proposals will affect the outcome. Abstentions are not counted for purposes of these proposals.
SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT
The number of shares beneficially owned includes shares of Common Stock with respect to which the persons named below have either investment or voting power. A person is also deemed to be the beneficial owner of a security if that person has the right to acquire beneficial ownership of that security within 60 days through the exercise of an option or through the conversion of another security. Except as noted, each beneficial owner has sole investment and voting power with respect to the Common Stock.
Common Stock not outstanding that is subject to options or other convertible securities or rights is deemed to be outstanding for the purpose of computing the percentage of Common Stock beneficially owned by the person holding such options or other convertible securities or rights, but is not deemed to be outstanding for the purpose of computing the percentage of Common Stock beneficially owned by any other person.
The following table summarizes certain information as of October 20, 2011, except as noted below, with respect to the beneficial ownership of our common stock by each director, director-nominee, by all executive officers, directors and director-nominees as a group, and by each other person known by us to be the beneficial owner of more than five percent of our common stock. As of October 20, 2011, 3,091,352 shares of our Common Stock were outstanding.
Name and Address of Beneficial Owner
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Number of Shares
Beneficially Owned (1)
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Percent of Class
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Brean Murray Carret Group, Inc.
40 West 57th Street, 20th Floor
New York, NY 10019
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1,121,354 |
(2)(4) |
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36.3 |
% |
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Jason Young, Chairman of the Board
ARC Wireless Solutions, Inc.
6330 North Washington Street, Unit #13
Denver, CO 80216-1146
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1,121,354 |
(2)(4) |
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36.3 |
% |
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Theodore Deinard, Interim Chief Executive Officer,
Acting Chief Financial Officer, Secretary and Director
ARC Wireless Solutions, Inc.
6330 North Washington Street, Unit #13
Denver, CO 80216-1146
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1,121,354 |
(2)(4) |
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36.3 |
% |
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Paul J. Rini
7376 Johnnycake Rd
Mentor, Ohio 44060
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417,271 |
(3) |
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13.5 |
% |
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Lynn Wunderman, Director
ARC Wireless Solutions, Inc.
6330 North Washington Street, Unit #13
Denver, CO 80216-1146
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0 |
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* |
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Jonathan Bernstein, Director
ARC Wireless Solutions, Inc.
6330 North Washington Street, Unit #13
Denver, CO 80216-1146
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0 |
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* |
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Viktor Nemeth, Director
ARC Wireless Solutions, Inc.
6330 North Washington Street, Unit #13
Denver, CO 80216-1146
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0 |
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* |
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Name and Address of Beneficial Owner
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Number of Shares
Beneficially Owned (1)
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Percent of Class
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Harold R. Bledsoe
President and Chief Technology Officer
ARC Wireless Solutions, Inc.
6330 North Washington Street, Unit #13
Denver, CO 80216-1146
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0 |
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* |
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All officers, directors and director- nominees as a group (6 persons)
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1,121,354 |
(2)(4) |
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36.3 |
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* Less than one percent.
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(1)
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“Beneficial ownership” is defined in the regulations promulgated by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission as having or sharing, directly or indirectly (1) voting power, which includes the power to vote or to direct the voting, or (2) investment power, which includes the power to dispose or to direct the disposition, of shares of the common stock of an issuer. The definition of beneficial ownership includes shares underlying options or warrants to purchase common stock, or other securities convertible into common stock, that currently are exercisable or convertible or that will become exercisable or convertible within 60 days. Unless otherwise indicated, the beneficial owner has sole voting and investment power.
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(2)
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Consists of 1,121,354 shares beneficially owned by the Brean Murray Carret Group, Inc. Mr. Young, the Chairman of the Company’s Board, and Mr. Theodore Deinard, the Company’s Interim Chief Executive Officer, each serves as a representative of Brean Murray Carret Group, Inc., and each is deemed to share voting and investment power over the shares beneficially owned by the Brean Murray Carret Group, Inc.
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(3)
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Consists of shares owned by Mr. Paul J. Rini as reported on June 9, 2011.
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(4)
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The shares owned by Brean Murray Carret Group, Inc. are included four times in the table in accordance with the rules governing disclosure of beneficial ownership. In addition to being shown as owned by Brean Murray Carret Group, Inc., these same shares are included as being within the scope of the definition of deemed ownership applicable to each of Jason Young and Theodore Deinard and by all officers and directors as a group, all of whom disclaim such ownership.
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PROPOSAL NO. 1: ELECTION OF DIRECTORS
At the Annual Meeting, the shareholders will elect five directors to serve as our Board of Directors. Each director will be elected to hold office until the next annual meeting of shareholders. The affirmative vote of a plurality of the shares represented at the meeting is required to elect each director. Cumulative voting is not permitted in the election of directors. Each record holder of stock shall be entitled to vote in the election of directors and shall have as many votes for each of the shares owned by him or her as there are directors to be elected and for whose election he or she has the right to vote. As a result, a shareholder may vote all of his or her shares for each nominee, but may not cumulate the votes to vote more than the total number of shares owned for any one nominee. In the absence of instructions to the contrary, the person named in the accompanying proxy shall vote the shares represented by that proxy for the persons named below as the Board's nominees for directors. Each of the nominees currently is a director of the Company.
Each of the nominees has consented to be named in this Proxy Statement and to serve on the Board of Directors if elected. It is not anticipated that any of the nominees will become unable or unwilling to accept his nomination or election, but, if that should occur, the persons named in the proxy intend to vote for the election of such other person as the Board of Directors may recommend.
The following table sets forth, with respect to each nominee for director, the nominee's age, his position(s) and office(s) with the Company, the expiration of his term as a director, and the year in which he first became a director. Individual background information concerning each of the nominees follows the table, as well as a brief discussion of the experience, qualifications, attributes or skills that led to the conclusion that such individual should be nominated. For additional information concerning the nominees, including stock ownership and compensation, see “Executive Compensation,” “Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management,” and “Certain Transactions with Management and Principal Shareholders.”
Name
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Age
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Position with the Company
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Expiration of Term as
Director
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Initial Date as Director
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Theodore Deinard
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39
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Interim Chief Executive Officer, Acting Chief Financial Officer, Secretary and Director
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Next Annual Meeting
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Appointed to the Board: August 2011
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Jason T. Young
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33
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Chairman of the Board
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Next Annual Meeting
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Appointed to the Board: October 2008
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Viktor Nemeth
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35
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Director
Chairman of the Audit Committee Chairman of the Compensation Committee
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Next Annual Meeting
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Appointed to the Board: November 2008
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Lynn Wunderman
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57
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Director
Audit Committee Member
Compensation Committee Member
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Next Annual Meeting
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Appointed to the Board: April 2010
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Jonathan Bernstein
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32
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Director
Audit Committee Member
Compensation Committee Member
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Next Annual Meeting
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Appointed to the Board: June 2010
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Theodore Deinard. Mr. Deinard has served as the Company’s Interim Chief Executive Officer, Acting Chief Financial Officer, Secretary and as a member of the Company’s Board of Directors since August 16, 2011. Mr. Deinard is a Managing Director of Quadrant Management Inc. where he is responsible for the evaluation and management of private investment transactions. Mr. Deinard was previously a Director with Citigroup Global Markets (“Citi”) working with issuers of tax-exempt bonds in the U.S. At that position he was responsible for the design, marketing, structuring, execution and maintenance of a broad portfolio of risk management, investment, and credit products including interest rate swaps, options, caps, floors, repurchase agreements, guaranteed investment contracts, rolling securities agreements, letters of credit, bridge loans, and structured notes. During his twelve-year tenure at Citi, Mr. Deinard was involved in the execution of over $26 billion in derivative, reinvestment, and lending transactions, serving both clients of Citi's Public Finance Department as well as issuers, advisors, and banks nationwide. Mr. Deinard was a co-chair of the SIFMA (formerly known as BMA) Municipal Financial Products Committee and was also a leading consultant to tax-exempt entities regarding the application of mark-to-market accounting standards for derivative instruments. Mr. Deinard received his Bachelor of Arts from Yale University.
Director Qualifications of Theodore Deinard:
Mr. Deinard’s experience in the investment industry has provided him with extensive knowledge regarding financial matters.
Jason Young. Mr. Young became a Director in October 2008, and he became Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of the Company in November 2008. On August 16, 2011, Mr. Young resigned as the Company’s Chief Executive Officer. Since 2005, Mr. Young has been a Managing Director at Quadrant Management, Inc., where he is responsible for making investments in US and emerging market companies, where he frequently serves in active Management or Director level roles. He has been an Investment Committee Member of the Carret Global India Fund of Hedge Funds since 2005. In 2008 Mr. Young became a member of the Investment Committee of the Vanterra Advantage Fund. From 2000 to 2005, Mr. Young worked for Merrill Lynch in the Investment Banking Group and later in the Global Principal Investment Group. In 1999, he was an Analyst at Helicon Capital Management, a hedge fund and private equity investment firm. He holds a BA in International Economics from UCLA. Because of his employment with Quadrant Management, Inc., which is under common control with the Brean Murray Carret Group, Inc., Mr. Young is deemed to be under control of the Brean Murray Carret Group, Inc.
Director Qualifications of Jason Young:
Mr. Young’s three years of experience as a director and officer of the Company has given Mr. Young an extensive knowledge of the Company and its operations. In addition, Mr. Young’s service as an officer, director and employee of various entities in the investment industry has provided him with extensive knowledge regarding corporate financial and governance matters.
Viktor Nemeth. Mr. Nemeth became a Director in November 2008, and he currently serves on the Company's Audit Committee and the Company's Compensation Committee. Between January 2008 and October 2008, Mr. Nemeth served as the Chief Revenue Officer of Bid4Spots.com, Inc., an entity that hosts weekly online auctions of radio airtime to allow advertisers and broadcasters to transact unsold airtime. From March 2000 through December 2007, Mr. Nemeth worked for Yahoo Inc. and predecessor companies Overture Services and GoTo.com in a variety of corporate development, business development, and sales & marketing roles. Mr. Nemeth holds a BA in Business-Economics with a Minor in Accounting from UCLA.
Director Qualifications of Viktor Nemeth:
Mr. Nemeth brings expertise to the Board in the areas of Sales and Marketing, Corporate and Business Development, and Organizational Development. He has advised growing companies on strategic and financial matters in a variety of industries.
Lynn Wunderman. Ms. Wunderman became a Director in April of 2010. Ms. Wunderman is a seasoned marketing professional with over 30 years experience in direct marketing, database marketing, communications, consulting and general management. Over the years, she has launched three successful companies, two continuing non-profit organizations, and counseled some of the largest advertisers in the industry. From 1999 until 2005, she was the President and CEO of I-Behavior. Since 2006 she has served as the Principal of the Wunderman Group. Since 2009, she has also served as the Chairman of TopVoice, a technology start-up. Ms. Wunderman currently serves on the Boards of Chango, Lucid Commerce and YouBeauty- online media and technology companies, and has served on a number of advisory boards, including BuySite, Convergent Mobile, Grandparents.com, uknow, Zadspace and the Hudson Valley Center for Innovation.
Director’s Qualifications of Lynn Wunderman:
Ms. Wunderman’s extensive leadership experience as a Chief Executive Officer and Principal of two entities, creation of both for-profit and non-profit organizations, and significant experience on advisory boards has given her valuable insight into the management of diverse entities.
Jonathan Bernstein. Mr. Bernstein became a Director in July of 2010. Mr. Bernstein is currently a Founding Partner and the Managing Member of Blackbern Partners LLC, a Private Investment Partnership. He has held this position since January of 2010. Since November of 2008 Mr. Bernstein has also served as the Vice President for Business Development and Vice Chairman of Corfin Industries LLC, a semiconductor component preparation services company. Prior to these positions, Mr. Bernstein served as a research Associate at Merlin Securities from June to October of 2008, and as an Investment Analyst at Pershing Square Capital Management from June 2004 until June 2006. Mr. Bernstein also serves as the Chairman of Minds Matter of NYC, a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to transform the lives of accomplished high school students from low-income families by broadening their dreams and preparing them for college success. Mr. Bernstein received his MBA from Columbia University and has a degree in electrical engineering from Cornell University.
Director Qualifications of Jonathan Bernstein:
Mr. Bernstein’s experience in the investment industry and in Corporate and Business Development has provided him with extensive knowledge regarding financial and corporate governance matters.
Required Vote
The five director candidates having the highest number of votes cast in favor of their election will be elected to the Board of Directors.
Recommendation of the Board of Directors
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDS THAT THE SHAREHOLDERS
VOTE FOR THE ELECTION OF THE FIVE NOMINEES NAMED ABOVE.
INFORMATION REGARDING THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
Information regarding Mr. Theodore Deinard as an officer and director of the Company is set forth in the table above pertaining to the nominees for election of directors.
Other Executive Officers
Name
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Age
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Position with the Company
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Initial Date as Officer
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Harold R. Beldsoe
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30
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President and Chief Technology Officer
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August 16, 2011
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Harold R. Bledsoe. Mr. Bledsoe has served as the Company’s President and Chief Technology Officer since August 16, 2011. Prior to joining the Company in May 2011, Mr. Bledsoe held the position of Director of Business Development at Ubiquiti Networks, Inc. where he worked to develop various global markets. Prior to Ubiquiti Networks, Inc., Mr. Bledsoe was co-founder and President of Deliberant LLC. Here Mr. Bledsoe took the wireless equipment manufacturer from startup to a global multi-brand, multi-million dollar business over the course of 5 years. He has studied the industry extensively and worked with customers all over the globe. Mr. Bledsoe received his Bachelors of Science in Computer Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology, graduating with High Honors in 2003.
Each of our officers serves as the pleasure of the Board of Directors. There are no family relationships among our officers and directors.
Board Meetings
The Board of Directors met four times during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2010, and each director serving as of such date participated in 100% of the meetings. The Board of Directors does not maintain a formal policy regarding the manner in which shareholders may communicate with the Board. The Board intends to adopt such a formal policy in the near future.
The Company encourages each member of the Board of Directors to attend the Annual Meeting of Shareholders, but does not require any member to do so. Two of the directors attended the Company’s last Annual Meeting of Shareholders, held on December 8, 2010.
Board Independence
We are currently subject to corporate governance standards defining the independence of our directors imposed by the NASDAQ Capital Market's requirements for independent directors (Rule 5605(a)(2) of the Marketplace Rules of The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC). Viktor Nemeth, Lynn Wunderman and Jonathan Bernstein qualify as independent directors in accordance with the standards imposed by the NASDAQ Capital Market's requirements for independent directors (Rule 5605(a)(2) of the Marketplace Rules of The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC).
Board Risk Oversight
The Board of Directors has broad responsibility to provide oversight of significant risks to the Company primarily through direct engagement with Company management and through delegation of ongoing risk oversight responsibilities to the Board’s committees.
Board Leadership Structure
Since August of 2011, the roles of Chief Executive Officer and Chairman have been segregated, with Mr. Jason Young, who previously also served as both the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Chairman, now serving solely as Chairman, and Mr. Theodore Deinard serving as both Interim Chief Executive Officer and a director of the Company. The Company believes this segregation of roles is suitable for the Company. Both Mr. Young and Mr. Deinard are highly knowledgeable about the Company’s business and are capable of effectively identifying strategic priorities and leading the Board’s discussion and execution of strategy.
The Company has a board consisting of five members, which includes three Independent Directors. The Company believes Independent Directors and management have different perspectives and roles in strategy development. The Interim Chief Executive Officer brings company-specific experience and expertise, while the Company’s independent Directors bring experience, oversight, and expertise from outside the Company and its industry. The Board believes that the presence of the Interim Chief Executive Officer as a member of the Board promotes the development and execution of the Company’s strategy and facilitates the flow of information between management and the Board, which is essential to effective corporate governance. The Board believes that a Board, a majority of whose directors are independent is in the best interest of shareholders because it provides the appropriate balance between independent oversight of management and the development of strategy.
Audit Committee of the Board of Directors
Viktor Nemeth, Lynn Wunderman and Jonathan Bernstein are independent directors serving on the Company’s Audit Committee. The responsibilities of the Audit Committee include overseeing our financial reporting process, reporting the results of the Committee’s activities to the board, retaining and ensuring the independence of our auditors, approving services to be provided by our auditors, reviewing our periodic filings with the independent auditors prior to filing, and reviewing and responding to any matters raised by the independent auditors in their management letter. The Audit Committee met six times during fiscal 2010, which was attended by all committee members serving as of such date. The respective biographies and qualifications of the Audit Committee members are summarized above under the caption “Proposal No. 1: Election of Directors.”
Audit Committee Financial Expert
Jonathan Bernstein has been designated to be the Company’s Audit Committee financial expert. The biography and qualifications of Mr. Bernstein are summarized above under the caption “Proposal No. 1: Election of Directors.”
Audit Committee Charter
Our Board of Directors has adopted a written charter for the Audit Committee. The Audit Committee will review and assess the adequacy of the Audit Committee charter annually.
Audit Committee Report
Management is responsible for the Company's internal controls and financial reporting process. The independent auditors are responsible for performing an independent audit of the Company's financial statements in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in the United States of America and to issue a report thereon. The Audit Committee's responsibility is to monitor and oversee these processes and to engage and discharge the Company's auditors. It is not our duty or our responsibility to conduct auditing or accounting reviews or procedures. We may not be, and we may not represent ourselves to be or to serve as, accountants or auditors by profession or experts in the fields of accounting or auditing. Therefore, we have relied, without independent verification, on management's representation that the financial statements have been prepared with integrity and objectivity and in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America, and on the representations of the independent auditors included in the report on the Company's financial statements. Our oversight does not provide us with an independent basis to determine that management has maintained appropriate accounting and financial reporting principles or policies, or appropriate internal controls and procedures designed to assure compliance with accounting standards and applicable laws and regulations. Furthermore, our considerations and discussions with management and the independent auditors do not assure that the Company's financial statements are presented in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, that the audit of the Company's financial statements has been carried out in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards, or that the Company's independent accountants are in fact “independent.”
In this context, the Audit Committee has met and held discussions separately with management and the independent accountants. Management represented to the Audit Committee that the Company's financial statements were prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America, and the Audit Committee has reviewed and discussed the financial statements with management and the independent accountants. The Audit Committee discussed with the independent accountants matters required to be discussed by the Statement on Auditing Standards No. 61, Communications with Audit Committees, as currently in effect.
The Company's independent accountants also provided to the Audit Committee the written disclosure required by Independence Standards Board Standard No. 1, Independence Discussions with Audit Committees. The Committee discussed with the independent accountants that firm's independence. No non-audit services were provided by the Company’s independent accountants in the year ended December 31, 2010.
Based on the Audit Committee's discussion with management and the independent accountants, and the Audit Committee's review of the representations of management and the report of the independent accounts to the Audit Committee, the Audit Committee recommended that the Board of Directors include the audited financial statements in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Submitted by the Audit Committee of the Company's Board of Directors:
Viktor Nemeth, Chairman
Jonathan Bernstein
Lynn Wunderman
Compensation Committee
The Board of Directors currently has a Compensation Committee consisting of Viktor Nemeth, Lynn Wunderman and Jonathan Bernstein. Mr. Nemeth serves as the Chairman of the Compensation Committee. The Compensation Committee has a charter which is located on the Company’s website at www.arcwireless.net. The Compensation Committee held two formal meetings during fiscal 2010, which were attended by all committee members serving as of such date.
Nominating Committee: Nominating Policies and Procedures
The Company does not currently have a standing nominating committee of the Board of Directors because it believes that the nominating functions should be conducted by the full Board of Directors.
On June 30, 2008 the Board of Directors amended and restated its Policies and Procedures for Nominations of Director Candidates (the “Nomination Policies”), which became effective January 1, 2009. Director nominations are made to the Board of Directors by independent directors, constituting a majority of the Board of Directors’ independent directors, in a vote in which only independent directors vote. It is the policy of the Board of Directors that each candidate recommended for nomination and election to the Board (each, a “Nominee”), regardless of whether such Nominee is recommended by a shareholder of the Company, the Board or any other person, shall be approved by a majority of the independent directors of the Board.
In general, the Board believes that certain minimum qualifications must be met by each Nominee for the Board, as well as meeting the applicable independence standards required by the Securities Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and federal securities laws. The Board believes that Nominees must reflect a Board that is comprised of directors (i) a majority of whom are independent (as determined under the aforementioned SEC director qualification standards); (ii) who are of high integrity; (iii) who have qualifications that will increase the overall effectiveness of the Board; and (iv) who meet other requirements as may be required by applicable rules, such as financial literacy or financial expertise with respect to Audit Committee members. In evaluating the qualifications of the Nominees, the Board considers many factors, including issues of leadership ability, career success, character, judgment, independence, background, age, expertise, diversity and breadth of experience, length of service, other commitments and the like. The Board evaluates such factors, among others, and does not assign any particular weight or priority to any of these factors. Also, the Board considers the suitability of each Nominee, including the current members of the Board, in light of the current size and composition of the Board.
Unless and until otherwise subsequently determined by the Board, the number of directors of the Company at any time shall be the number of directors that the Board nominated for election at the most recently-held annual meeting of shareholders, increased by the number of directors, if any, that the Board appointed subsequent to the most recently-held annual meeting of shareholders and also increased by the number of directors, if any, whose term as a director did not expire at the most recently-held annual meeting of shareholders.
The Board shall consider recommendations for Nominees to the Board from shareholders (an “Eligible Shareholder”) holding a minimum of $2,000 in market value, or 1%, of the Company's voting common stock, which stock is held through the date of the meeting electing directors, and which Eligible Shareholder complies with the nomination notice procedures set forth in the Nomination Policies. Nominees recommended by Eligible Shareholders (hereinafter referred to as “Shareholder Candidates”) will be evaluated by the Board on the same basis as Nominees that may be identified by the Board, management or, if the Board permits, a search firm.
For a Shareholder Candidate to be considered by the Board, the Eligible Shareholder and the Shareholder Candidate must comply with the procedures set forth in the Company’s Nomination Policies. Recommendations for Shareholder Candidate(s) to the Board of Directors from an Eligible Shareholder must be directed in writing to ARC Wireless Solutions, Inc., Attn: President, at the Company's principal offices at 6330 North Washington Street, Unit #13, Denver, CO 80216-1146. The specific recommendations should include the information set forth in the Company’s Nomination Policies.
For a recommendation of a Shareholder Candidate to be properly brought before the Board by an Eligible Shareholder, the Eligible Shareholder must have given timely notice thereof in writing to the Secretary of the Corporation. To be timely, an Eligible Shareholder’s notice must be delivered to the Corporate Secretary not less than one hundred and twenty (120) days prior to the first (1st) anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting. In the event that the date of the annual meeting is advanced by more than thirty (30) days or delayed by more than sixty (60) days from the anniversary date of the preceding year’s annual meeting, the notice by the Eligible Shareholder must be delivered not later than the close of business on the later of the sixtieth (60th) day prior to such annual meeting or the tenth (10th) day following the day on which public announcement of the date of such annual meeting is first made.
The Secretary of the Corporation will provide a copy of the Nominating Policies and Procedures upon a request in writing from the Eligible Shareholder.
Regulatory Developments Regarding Nominations
On August 25, 2010, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission adopted amendments to enable proxy access. The new rule promulgated as Rule 14a-11 (the “Rule”) will apply to all Exchange Act reporting companies, including investment companies, other than companies whose only public securities are debt securities. Smaller reporting companies would be subject to the Rule, but it would not apply to them until after a three-year phase in period. Shareholders would be eligible to have their nominee included in the proxy materials if they meet the following conditions:
|
|
They own at least 3 percent of the total voting power of the company’s securities that are entitled to be voted on the election of directors at the annual meeting. Shareholders would be able to aggregate holdings to meet this threshold.
|
|
|
Shareholders would be required to have held their shares for at least three years and would be required to continue to own at least the required amount of securities through the date of the meeting at which directors are elected.
|
|
|
Shareholders would not be eligible to use the Rule if they are holding the securities for the purpose of changing control of the company, or to gain a number of seats on the board of directors that exceeds the number of nominees a company could be required to include under new Rule 14a-11.
|
A shareholder would be able to include no more than one nominee, or a number of nominees that represents up to 25 percent of the company’s board of directors, whichever is greater.
The new Rule contains a window period for submission of shareholder nominees for inclusion in company proxy materials of no earlier than 150 calendar days, and no later than 120 calendar days, before the anniversary of the date that the company mailed its proxy materials for the prior year’s annual meeting.
The Company is currently a smaller reporting company and therefore the new proxy access Rule will not apply to the Company until after the three-year phase in period.
Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance
Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) requires our directors, executive officers and holders of more than 10% of our common stock to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission initial reports of ownership and reports of changes in ownership of common stock and other equity securities of ours. Based solely on our review of the copies of such forms we received, we believe that during the year ended December 31, 2010, all such filing requirements applicable to our officers and directors were complied with, except that reports were filed late by the following persons:
Name
|
|
Number of
Late Reports
|
|
|
Transactions
Not Timely Reported
|
|
Known Failures to
File a Required
Form
|
Jason Young
Former Chief Executive Officer
Chairman of the Board of Directors
|
|
|
2 |
|
|
|
2 |
|
|
Viktor Nemeth
Director
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Marco Vega
Director
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Javier Baz
Former Director
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Amit Chatwani
Former Director
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Lyn Wunderman
Director
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jonathan Bernstein
Director
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Paul Rini
10% Shareholder
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Evansville Limited
10% shareholder
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Brean Murray Carret Group, Inc.10% shareholder
|
|
|
2 |
|
|
|
2 |
|
|
Code of Ethics
The Company endeavors to adhere to provide assurances to outside investors and interested parties that the Company's officers, directors, and employees adhere to a reasonably responsible code of ethics and as such, we have adopted a Code of Ethics, which was amended on November 7, 2006, that applies to all officers, directors and employees of the Company. The Code is publicly available and posted on the Company’s website at the following link: http://www.antennas.com/?page_id=1703.
Corporate Governance Documents
On the Company’s Corporate Governance Web site at http://www.antennas.com/?page_id=1703, shareholders can access the Company’s Audit Committee Charter, Compensation Committee Charter, and Code of Ethics for members of the Board of Directors and officers. Copies of these documents are available to shareholders without charge upon request to the Corporate Secretary at the Company’s principal address.
Compensation Discussion and Analysis
This Compensation Discussion and Analysis addresses the aspects of our compensation programs and explains our compensation philosophy, policies, and practices, with respect to our named executive officers, including our Interim Chief Executive Officer, Acting Chief Financial Officer, and President and Chief Technology Officer, which we collectively refer to as our named executive officers, or NEOs.
Oversight of Executive Compensation Program
The Compensation Committee of our Board of Directors oversees our executive compensation programs. Each member of the Compensation Committee is an “independent director” as defined by the federal securities laws and in Rule 5605(a)(2) of the Marketplace Rules of The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC. The Compensation Committee met two times during 2010. The Compensation Committee is empowered to advise management and make recommendations to the Board of Directors with respect to the compensation and other employment benefits of executive officers and key employees of the Company. The various components of the compensation programs for executive officers are discussed below in Elements of Executive Compensation Program.
Objectives of Executive Compensation and What the Programs are Designed to Reward
The Company’s executive compensation program is designed to integrate compensation with the achievement of our short-term and long-term business objectives and to assist us in attracting, motivating and retaining the highest quality executive officers and rewarding them for superior performance.
We believe that the compensation of our executive officers should reflect their success in attaining key operating objectives, such as growth or maintenance of market position, development of new products, maintenance and development of customer relationships and long-term competitive advantage. We also believe that executive compensation should reflect achievement of individual goals established for specific executive officers, as well as specific achievements by such individuals over the course of the year such as development of specific products or customer relationships or agreements or executing or integrating acquisitions and strategic arrangements.
Compensation Consultants
In determining competitive levels of compensation, the Compensation Committee considers publicly available information regarding the compensation of executive officers of other comparable U.S. investor-owned companies. The Compensation Committee also considers recommendations made by the CEO regarding compensation for other NEOs and key employees. Neither the Company nor the Compensation Committee utilized the services of a compensation consultant in the fiscal year ended December 31, 2010, as both the Company and Compensation Committee believed that there was no need for the services of such consultant.
Elements of Executive Compensation Program
Compensation elements include:
|
·
|
annual cash or equity incentive awards;
|
|
·
|
long-term equity incentive compensation; and
|
|
·
|
other health, welfare and pension benefits.
|
Base Salary
Base salary is designed to provide competitive levels of base compensation to our executives based on their experience, duties and scope of responsibilities. We pay base salaries because it provides a base compensation that is required to recruit and retain executives of the quality that we must employ to ensure the success of our Company.
Annual Cash or Equity Incentive Awards
Annual incentive compensation is designed to provide competitive levels of compensation based on experience, duties and scope of responsibilities. Incentive awards are influenced by the Company’s profitability and achievement of planned profitability, as well as other factors.
Long-Term Equity Incentive Compensation
Long-term equity awards were granted to our executives from our 1997 Stock Option and Compensation Plan, (“1997 Plan”) until September 2007, when the shareholders of the Company approved the new 2007 Stock Incentive Plan (the “2007 Plan”). The Compensation Committee does not have a regular schedule for awarding equity-based compensation and the timing of such awards is subject to the discretion of the Compensation Committee. We do not backdate options or grant options retroactively or stock options with a so-called “reload” feature. In addition, we do not plan to coordinate grants of options so that they are made before the announcement of favorable information, or after the announcement of unfavorable information.
In 2007, the Compensation Committee issued a stock option award of 40,000 shares to Steve C. Olson, our former Chief Technology Officer, under the 2007 Plan. No stock options were issued in 2008, 2009 or 2010. In connection with Mr. Olson’s resignation on August 16, 2011, such options have been cancelled.
Other Health, Welfare and Retirement Benefits
Health and Welfare Benefits
Employees may participate in our health and welfare benefit programs, including medical, dental and vision care coverage, disability insurance, and life insurance. We provide these benefits to meet the health and welfare needs of employees and their families.
Pension Benefits and Nonqualified Deferred Compensation
We do not currently provide pension arrangements or post-retirement health coverage for our executives or employees, although we may consider such benefits in the future. In addition, we do not provide any nonqualified defined contribution or other deferred compensation plans, although we may consider such benefits in the future.
Employment Agreements and Other Post-Employment Payments
Mr. Theodore Deinard, our Interim Chief Executive Officer, is not party to an employment agreement and has no current compensation arrangement with the Company.
These employment agreements also have change of control provisions that would require payments in the event of termination of employment, which are described in greater detail below.
Tax Implications of Executive Compensation
We do not currently intend to award compensation that would result in a limitation on the deductibility of a portion of such compensation pursuant to Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, other than awards that may be exercised under the 1997 Plan or be made under the 2007 Plan; however, we may in the future decide to authorize other compensation in excess of the limits of Section 162(m) if it determines that such compensation is in the best interests of the Company.
Although deductibility of compensation is preferred, tax deductibility is not a primary objective of our compensation programs. We believe that achieving our compensation objectives set forth above is more important than the benefit of tax deductibility and we reserve the right to maintain flexibility in how we compensate our executive officers that may result in limiting the deductibility of amounts of compensation from time to time.
Compensation Committee Report
The Compensation Committee has reviewed and discussed the Compensation Discussion and Analysis with management and, based on the review and discussions, the Compensation Committee recommended to the Board of Directors that the Compensation Discussion and Analysis be included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Viktor Nemeth
Lynn Wunderman
Jonathan Bernstein
Summary Compensation Table for 2010
Name and Principal
Position
|
|
Year
|
|
Salary
($)
|
|
|
Bonus
($)
|
|
|
Stock
Awards
($)
|
|
|
Option
Awards
($)
|
|
|
Non-Equity
Incentive
Plan
Compensation
($)
|
|
|
Change in
Pension
Value and
Nonqualified
Deferred
Compensation
Earnings ($)
|
|
|
All Other
Compensation
($)
|
|
|
Total
($)
|
|
(a)
|
|
(b)
|
|
(c)
|
|
|
(d)
|
|
|
(e)
|
|
|
(f)
|
|
|
(g)
|
|
|
(h)
|
|
|
(i)
|
|
|
(j)
|
|
Jason T. Young,
|
|
2010
|
|
|
22,900 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
22,900 |
|
Chairman of the Board, Former Chief Executive Officer,
|
|
2009
|
|
|
25,250 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
25,250 |
|
Former Secretary (1)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Steven C. Olson,
|
|
2010
|
|
|
215,000 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
215,000 |
(3) |
Former Chief Technology Officer and
|
|
2009
|
|
|
215,000 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
215,000 |
(3) |
Former Acting Chief Financial Officer (2)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1)
|
Mr. Young was appointed as a director in October 2008 and was appointed as the Company’s Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer in November 2008. Mr. Young resigned as the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Secretary on August 16, 2011. Mr. Young received no compensation as an employee during 2010 and 2009. Mr. Young received $22,900 and $25,250 in fees for his services as a director during 2010 and 2009, respectively.
|
|
(2)
|
Mr. Olson resigned as the Company’s Chief Technology Officer and Acting Chief Financial Officer on August 16, 2011.
|
|
(3)
|
Mr. Olson’s salary for the years ended 2010 and 2009 was $215,000 as all compensation was frozen in 2009.
|
Grants of Plan-Based Awards
There were no stock Equity Incentive Plan awards granted to the executive officers with respect to the years ended December 31, 2010 and 2009 other than those noted above. In addition, no options were exercised by the executive officers during the years ended December 31, 2010 and 2009.
Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal Year-End
The following table sets forth information on outstanding option and stock awards held by the named executive officers as of December 31, 2010, including the number of shares underlying both exercisable and unexercisable portions of each stock option as well as the exercise price and the expiration date of each outstanding option.
Option Award
|
|
|
Stock Award
|
|
Name
|
|
Number
of Securities
Underlying
Unexercised
Options
(#)
Exercisable
|
|
|
Number
of
Securities
Underlying
Unexercised
Options
(#)
Unexercisable
(1)
|
|
|
Equity
Incentive
Plan
Awards:
Number
of
Securities
Underlying
Unexercised
Unearned
Options
(#)
|
|
|
Option
Exercise
Price
($)
|
|
|
Option
Expiration
Date
|
|
|
Number
of
Shares
or Units
of Stock
That
Have
Not
Vested
(2)(3)
|
|
Market
Value
of Shares
or Units
of Stock
That Have
Not
Vested
($)
|
|
Equity
Incentive Plan
Awards:
Number of
Unearned
Shares, Units
or Other
Rights That
Have Not
Vested
(#)
|
|
|
Equity
Incentive
Plan Awards:
Market or
Payout Value
of Unearned
Shares, Units
or Other
Rights That
Have Not
Vested
($)
|
|
(a)
|
|
(b)
|
|
|
(c)
|
|
|
(d)
|
|
|
(e)
|
|
|
(f)
|
|
|
(g)
|
|
(h)
|
|
(i)
|
|
|
(j)
|
|
Jason T. Young
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
|
|
Steven C. Olson
|
|
|
32,000 |
(1) |
|
|
8,000 |
(1) |
|
|
- |
|
|
$ |
5.40 |
|
|
9/21/2017
|
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1)
|
These options were granted pursuant to the 2007 Equity Incentive Plan. The options vests at a rate of 20% per year with vesting dates of 12/31/07, 12/31/08, 12/31/09, 12/31/10, 12/31/11. These total 40,000 options are reported in the Summary Compensation and the Grant of Plan Based Awards Table. In connection with Mr. Olson’s resignation as an officer of the Company on August 16, 2011, such options have been cancelled.
|
Director Compensation for the Year Ended December 31, 2010
The table below summarizes the compensation paid by the Company to directors for the year ended December 31, 2010:
Director Compensation for the Year Ended December 31, 2010
(a)
|
|
(b)
|
|
|
(c)
|
|
|
(d)
|
|
|
(e)
|
|
|
(f)
|
|
|
(g)
|
|
|
(h)
|
|
Name(1)
|
|
Fees Earned
or
Paid in Cash
($)
|
|
|
Stock
Awards
($) (1)
|
|
|
Option
Awards
($)(2)
|
|
|
Non-Equity
Incentive Plan
Compensation
($)
|
|
|
Change in
Pension Value
and
Nonqualified
Deferred
Compensation
Earnings
|
|
|
All Other
Compensation
($)
|
|
|
Total ($)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jason T. Young
|
|
$ |
22,900 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
$ |
22,900 |
|
Viktor Nemeth
|
|
$ |
36,700 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
$ |
36,700 |
|
Marco Vega
|
|
$ |
22,900 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
$ |
22,900 |
|
Javier Baz (3)
|
|
$ |
20,000 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
$ |
20,000 |
|
Amit Chatwani (4)
|
|
$ |
10,800 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
$ |
10,800 |
|
Lynn Wunderman (5)
|
|
$ |
26,000 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
$ |
26,000 |
|
Jonathan Bernstein (6)
|
|
$ |
16,700 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
$ |
16,700 |
|
(1)
|
Reflects the dollar amount recognized and expensed for financial statement reporting purposes for the year ended December 31, 2008 in accordance with FAS 123R, and thus may include amounts from awards granted in and prior to 2009.
|
(2)
|
Reflects the dollar amount recognized for financial statement reporting purposes for the year ended December 31, 2009 in accordance with FAS 123R, and thus includes amounts from options granted in and prior to 2009.
|
(3)
|
Mr. Baz resigned from the Board of Directors in June 2010.
|
(4)
|
Mr. Chatwani resigned from the Board of Directors in March 2010.
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(5)
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Ms. Wunderman was appointed to the Board of Directors in April 2010.
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(6)
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Mr. Bernstein was appointed to the Board of Directors in July 2010.
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Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation
No member of the Compensation Committee was an officer or former officer of the Company or had any material relationship or transactions with the Company and no officer of the Company sits on the compensation committee or other body that has the power to establish the compensation of any member of the Compensation Committee.
2007 Stock Incentive Plan
The following paragraphs provide a summary of the principal features of the 2007 Plan and its operation.
Shares Available for Issuance
The 2007 Plan provides that no more than 300,000 shares of our common stock may be issued for awards. If there is any change in the Company’s common stock by reason of any stock exchange, merger, consolidation, reorganization, recapitalization, stock dividend, reclassification, split-up, combination of shares or otherwise, then the Board, or any Option Committee, shall make proportionate adjustments to the maximum number and kind of securities (i) available for issuance under the 2007 Plan; (ii) available for issuance as incentive stock options or non-qualified stock options; (iii) that may be subject to awards received by any participant; (iv) that may be subject to different types of awards; (v) that are subject to any outstanding award; and (vi) the price of each security.
The 2007 Plan provides that shares covered by an award will not count against the shares available for issuance under the 2007 Plan until they are actually issued and delivered to a participant. If an award granted under the 2007 Plan lapses, expires, terminates or is forfeited, surrendered or canceled without having been fully exercised or without the issuance of all the shares subject to the award, the shares covered by such award will again be available for use under the 2007 Plan.
Eligibility
Awards may be made to any employee, officer, director of the Company and its related companies or other persons who provide services to the Company and its related companies.
Administration
The 2007 Plan is administered by the Option Committee, which shall consist of the Board or a committee of the Board as the Board may from time to time designate.
Types of Awards
Stock Options. The Option Committee may grant, either incentive stock options, which comply with Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code, or nonqualified stock options. The Option Committee sets option exercise prices and terms, except that the exercise price of an incentive stock option may be no less than 100% of the fair market value of the shares on the date of grant. At the time of grant, the Option Committee in its sole discretion will determine when stock options are exercisable and when they expire, except that the term of a stock option cannot exceed ten years.
Restricted Stock Awards. The Option Committee may grant awards of restricted stock under the 2007 Plan. These shares may be subject to restrictions on transferability, risk of forfeiture and other restrictions as determined by the Option Committee. As a condition to a grant of an award of restricted stock, the Option Committee may require or permit a participant to elect that any cash dividends paid on a share of Restricted Stock be automatically reinvested in additional shares of restricted stock or applied to the purchase of additional awards under the 2007 Plan. Unless otherwise determined by the Option Committee, stock distributed in connection with a stock split or stock dividend, and other property distributed as a dividend, shall be subject to restrictions and a risk of forfeiture to the same extent as restricted stock with respect to which such stock or other property has been distributed.
Restricted Stock Unit Awards. The Option Committee may grant awards of Restricted Stock Units under the 2007 Plan. A “Restricted Stock Unit” is a grant valued in terms of common stock, but common stock is not issued at the time of grant. After participants who receive awards of Restricted Stock Units satisfy applicable vesting requirements, the Company will distribute shares or the cash equivalent of the number of shares used to value the Unit. If the participant does not meet the requirements prior to the end of the vesting period, the Units will be forfeited to the Company. Vesting requirements may be met by the passage of time or by either Company or individual performance. Restricted Stock Units shall be subject to such restrictions (which may include a risk of forfeiture) as determined by the Option Committee, which restrictions may lapse at the expiration of the deferral period or at other times determined by the Option Committee.
Amendment and Termination of the 2007 Plan
The Board of Directors or the Option Committee may amend, alter or discontinue the 2007 Plan, except that if any applicable statute, rule or regulation requires shareholder approval with respect to any amendment of the 2007 Plan, then to the extent so required, shareholder approval will be obtained. No amendment may impair the right of a participant under an outstanding agreement. The 2007 Plan will terminate on August 2, 2017.
Federal Income Tax Consequences
The following is a summary of the material United States federal income tax consequences to us and to recipients of certain awards under the 2007 Plan. The summary is based on the Internal Revenue Code and the U.S. Treasury regulations promulgated thereunder in effect as of the date of this Proxy Statement, all of which may change with retroactive effect. The summary is not intended to be a complete analysis or discussion of all potential tax consequences that may be important to recipients of awards under the 2007 Plan.
Nonqualified Stock Options. A recipient will not have any income at the time a nonqualified stock option is granted, nor will the Company be entitled to a deduction at that time. When a nonqualified stock option is exercised, the recipient generally will recognize ordinary income (whether the option price is paid in cash or by surrender of shares of Company stock), in an amount equal to the excess of the fair market value of the shares to which the option exercise pertains over the option price.
Incentive Stock Options. A recipient will not have any income at the time an incentive stock option (“ISO”) is granted. Furthermore, a recipient will not have regular taxable income at the time the ISO is exercised. However, the excess of the fair market value of the shares at the time of exercise over the option price will be a preference item that could create an alternative minimum tax liability for the recipient. If a recipient disposes of the shares acquired on exercise of an ISO after the later of two years after the grant of the ISO or one year after exercise of the ISO, the gain recognized by the recipient (i.e., the excess of the proceeds received over the option price), if any, will be long-term capital gain eligible for favorable tax rates under the Internal Revenue Code. Conversely, if the recipient disposes of the shares within two years of the grant of the ISO or within one year of exercise of the ISO, the disposition will generally be a “disqualifying disposition”, and the recipient will recognize ordinary income in the year of the disqualifying disposition equal to the lesser of (i) the excess of the fair market value of the stock on the date of exercise over the option price and (ii) the excess of the amount received for the shares over the option price. The balance of the gain or loss, if any, will be long-term or short-term capital gain, depending on how long the shares were held.
Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units. With respect to a grant of restricted stock or Restricted Stock Units, the participant will recognize ordinary income at the time of vesting or payout equal to the fair market value (on the vesting or payout date) of the shares or cash received minus any amount paid. For restricted stock only, a participant instead may elect to be taxed at the time of grant.
The Company generally will be entitled to a tax deduction in connection with an award under the 2007 Plan in an amount equal to the ordinary income realized by a participant at the time the participant recognizes such income, provided that the deduction is not disallowed by Section 162(m) or otherwise limited by the Internal Revenue Code.
In 2007, options to purchase a total of 40,000 shares were granted to an officer at an exercise price of $5.40. No options were granted to directors in 2010 or 2009 under the 2007 Plan.
Employment Contracts and Termination of Employment and Change-In-Control Arrangements
Effective November 1, 2007, the Company entered into a five year employment agreement with Mr. Steven C. Olson, as President and Chief Technology Officer of the Company’s Wireless Communications Solutions Division. Mr. Olson served the Company from 2001 until August 16, 2011. The agreement provided for annual base compensation of $200,000 in 2007, increasing annually to $245,000 in 2011. Mr. Olson was entitled to bonuses ranging from $5,000 to $100,000 annually contingent upon the Wireless Communications Solutions Division achieving certain net income targets. Mr. Olson earned a bonus of $7,500 for 2007. We previously entered into a written employment agreement with Mr. Olson, effective August 22, 2004. The employment agreement was for the period August 22, 2004 through August 22, 2007 at an annual base salary of $175,000. Mr. Olson also was eligible to earn bonuses, upon achieving certain gross margin objectives, over the term of the agreement. Mr. Olson did not receive a bonus in 2006. Mr. Olson also received options to purchase 10,000 shares of our common stock at a price of $6.00 per share from August 22, 2004 through August 22, 2007. Mr. Olson also received options to purchase 40,000 shares of our common stock on August 21, 2007. These options vest at a rate of 20% per year with vesting dates of 12/31/07, 12/31/08, 12/31/09, 12/31/10, and 12/31/11. In connection with Mr. Olson’s resignation on August 16, 2011, such options have been cancelled.
Mr. Olson’s Employment Agreement was filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission as Exhibit 10.3 to the Form 8-K filed on November 8, 2007. Such Form 8-K, and the Exhibits thereto, are incorporated herein by reference thereto. Such Form 8-K and Mr. Olson’s Employment Agreement are publicly available at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s website www.sec.gov.
We have no compensatory plan or arrangement that results or will result from the resignation, retirement, or any other termination of an executive officer’s employment with us or from a change-in-control or a change in an executive officer’s responsibilities following a change-in-control, except that the 2007 Stock Incentive Plan and 1997 Stock Option and Compensation Plan provides for vesting of all outstanding options in the event of the occurrence of a change-in-control.
Certain Transactions with Management and Principal Shareholders
We do not employ specific written procedures for the review, approval or ratification of related party transactions involving our directors, officers and employees or their family members, but we consider such transactions on a case-by-case basis.
On January 23, 2009 we entered into a financial advisory engagement (the “Agreement”) with Quadrant Management, Inc. (the “Advisor”). Quadrant Management, Inc. is under common control with Brean Murray Carret Group, Inc., an entity that beneficially owns 1,121,354, or 36.3%, of the Company's common stock. Mr. Young, the Chairman of the Company’s Board of Directors, and Mr. Deinard, our Interim Chief Executive Officer, are each Managing Directors at Quadrant Management, Inc. Pursuant to the Agreement, the Advisor will provide the Company financial advisory and business consulting services, including restructuring services.
In consideration for the restructuring services provided by the Advisor since November 2008 and for the ongoing services to be provided, the Company will pay the following: 1) an initial cash fee of $250,000 upon signing the Agreement; 2) an annual fee of the greater of (i) $250,000, or (ii) 20% of any increase in reported earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization after adjusting for one-time and non-recurring items (“EBITDA”) for the current financial year over preceding year, or (iii) 20% of reported EBITDA for the current financial year; and 3) all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by Advisor in performing services under the Agreement.
The Agreement will expire on December 31, 2013.
The Company utilizes the manufacturing, product sourcing, and outsourcing services of Rainbow Industrial Limited (“RIL”) which is based in China. RIL is wholly owned by an affiliate of Quadrant Management, Inc., which is affiliated with the Company and its Interim Chief Executive Officer as described above. The Company purchases goods and services from RIL valued at approximately $200,000 per month, however the actual dollar amount can vary significantly with normal fluctuations in business activity. RIL has advised the Company that it is providing these goods and services to the Company at or near cost and that RIL does not expect to make any material profit from such transactions. The Company uses RIL because it believes doing so lowers its costs and simplifies its internal accounting procedures.
Except as set forth herein, during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2010 and during the interim period since the end of fiscal year 2010, there were no transactions between the Company and its directors, executive officers or known holders of greater than five percent of the Company's Common Stock in which the amount involved exceeded $120,000 and in which any of the foregoing persons had or will have a direct or indirect material interest.
PROPOSAL NO. 2: OTHER BUSINESS
The Board of Directors of the Company is not aware of any other matters that are to be presented at the Annual Meeting, and it has not been advised that any other person will present any other matters for consideration at the meeting. Nevertheless, if other matters should properly come before the Annual Meeting, the shareholders present, or the persons, if any, authorized by a valid proxy to vote on their behalf, shall vote on such matters in accordance with their judgment. The Company is not currently seeking shareholder ratification of its appointment of certified independent accountants for the year ending December 31, 2011.
RESOLUTIONS PROPOSED BY INDIVIDUAL SHAREHOLDERS;
DISCRETIONARY AUTHORITY TO VOTE PROXIES
In order to be considered for inclusion in the proxy statement and form of proxy relating to our next annual meeting of shareholders following the end of our 2011 fiscal year, proposals by individual shareholders must be received by us no later than July 1, 2012.
In addition, the proxy solicited by the Board of Directors for the next annual meeting of shareholders will confer discretionary authority on any shareholder proposal presented at that meeting unless we are provided with notice of that proposal no later than July 1, 2012
AVAILABILITY OF REPORTS ON FORM 10-K
A copy of the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2010 is being sent to each shareholder who will be receiving this Proxy Statement. Upon written request, we will provide, without charge, a copy of our 2010 Form 10-K or other SEC filings to any shareholder of record, or to any shareholder who owns Common Stock listed in the name of a bank or broker as nominee, at the close of business on October 20, 2011. Any request for a copy of our 2010 Form 10-K or other SEC filings should be mailed to ARC Wireless Solutions, Inc., 6330 North Washington Street, Unit #13, Denver, CO 80216-1146, Attention: Investor Relations.
PROXY MATERIALS DELIVERED TO A SHARED ADDRESS
Because we are using the SEC’s notice and access rule, we will not household our proxy materials or notices to shareholders of record sharing an address. As a result, shareholders of record who share an address will each be mailed a separate notice or paper copy of the proxy materials. However, shareholders who own the Company’s common stock through certain brokerage firms, banks and other entities should be aware that they may only receive one copy from such entities. The Company will, upon request, deliver without charge a separate copy of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K and/or this Proxy Statement, as may be requested, to any shareholder by contacting:
Theodore Deinard
Interim Chief Executive Officer
ARC Wireless Solutions, Inc.
6330 North Washington Street, Unit #13
Denver, CO 80216-1146
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
The Company is currently subject to the information requirements of the Exchange Act and files periodic reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC relating to its business, financial and other matters. You may read and copy any document we file at the SEC’s public reference room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549 Washington, D.C. Please call the Commission at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information on the public reference room. Our SEC filings are also available to the public over the Internet at the SEC’s Website at http://www.sec.gov.
INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE
In our filings with the SEC, information is sometimes incorporated by reference. This means that we are referring you to information that we have filed separately with the SEC. The information incorporated by reference should be considered part of this Proxy Statement, except for any information superseded by information contained directly in this Proxy Statement or in any other subsequently filed document.
Pursuant to the Exchange Act, we currently file annual and quarterly reports with the SEC. Our Annual Report on Form 10-K, as amended, for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2010, filed pursuant to Section 13 of the Exchange Act, includes financial statements and schedules. Our most recent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q for the three month periods ended March 31, 2011 and June 30, 2011, filed pursuant to Section 13 of the Exchange Act, also includes financial statements and schedules.
The Company’s Form 10-K was filed with the SEC on March 29, 2011, its Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2011 was filed with the SEC on May 12, 2011, and its Form 10-Q for the period ended June 30, 2011 was filed with the SEC on August 12, 2011. We are delivering to you with this Proxy Statement copies of our Annual Report on Form 10-K, as amended, for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2010 and our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2011 and June 30, 2011.
This Proxy Statement incorporates by reference the following documents that we have previously filed with the SEC. They contain important information about the Company and its financial condition.
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Our Annual Report on Form 10-K, as amended, for the year ended December 31, 2010.
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Our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2011.
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Our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2011.
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This Proxy Statement incorporates by reference our financial statements that are contained in certain documents that we have previously filed with the SEC, as follows:
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Our audited Consolidated Balance Sheet as of December 31, 2010 and December 31, 2009, our audited Consolidated Statements of Income for the years ended December 31, 2010 and December 31, 2009, our audited Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the years ended December 31, 2010 and December 31, 2009 and the Notes to our audited Consolidated Financial Statements, in each case that are contained in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010;
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Our unaudited Consolidated Balance Sheets as of March 31, 2011, our unaudited Consolidated Statements of Operations for the three months ended March 31, 2011 and March 31, 2010, our unaudited Consolidated Statements of Cash Flow for the three months ended March 31, 2011 and March 31, 2010, and the Notes to our unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements, in each case that are contained in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2011; and
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Our unaudited Consolidated Balance Sheet as of June 30, 2011, our unaudited Consolidated Statements of Operations for the three and six months ended June 30, 2011 and June 30, 2010, our unaudited Consolidated Statements of Cash Flow for the three and six months ended June 30, 2011 and June 30, 2010, and the Notes to our unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements, in each case that are contained in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended June 30, 2011.
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We also incorporate by reference any additional documents that we may file with the Commission under Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15 (d) of the Exchange Act between the date of this Proxy Statement and the date of the Annual Meeting.
We will provide, without charge, upon the written or oral request of any person to whom this Proxy Statement is delivered, by first class mail or other equally prompt means within one business day of receipt of such request, a copy of any and all information that has been incorporated by reference, without exhibits unless such exhibits are also incorporated by reference in this Proxy Statement. You may obtain a copy of these documents and any amendments thereto by written request addressed to:
Theodore Deinard
Interim Chief Executive Officer
ARC Wireless Solutions, Inc.
6330 North Washington Street, Unit #13
Denver, CO 80216-1146
These documents are also included in our SEC filings, which you can access electronically at the SEC website located at http://www.sec.gov.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This proxy statement and materials delivered with this proxy statement include “forward-looking” statements. All statements other than statements of historical facts included in this proxy statement and materials delivered with this proxy statement, including without limitation statements regarding our financial position, business strategy, and plans and objectives of management for future operations and capital expenditures, are forward-looking statements. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements and the assumptions upon which the forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, we can give no assurance that such expectations and assumptions will prove to have been correct. Additional statements concerning important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from our expectations (“Cautionary Statements”) are disclosed in the “Forward-Looking Statements- Cautionary Statements” section of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010. All written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to us or persons acting on our behalf subsequent to the date of this proxy statement are expressly qualified in their entirety by the Cautionary Statements.
This notice and proxy statement are sent by order of the Board of Directors.
Dated: October 20, 2011
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Theodore Deinard
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Interim Chief Executive Officer
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