UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

 

SCHEDULE 14A

 

Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934

 

   
Filed by the Registrant x
Filed by a Party other than the Registrant ¨
Check the appropriate box:
¨ Preliminary Proxy Statement
¨ Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2))
x Definitive Proxy Statement
¨ Definitive Additional Materials
¨ Soliciting Material under §240.14a-12

 

 
 
INTERLINK ELECTRONICS, INC.
(Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)
 
(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)

  

     
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INTERLINK ELECTRONICS, INC.
1 Jenner, Suite 200
Irvine, California 92618

 

NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
To Be Held at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time on Tuesday, June 15, 2021

 

Dear Stockholders:

 

The 2021 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the “Annual Meeting”) of Interlink Electronics, Inc., a Nevada corporation (“Interlink”), will be held on Tuesday, June 15, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time, at Interlink’s headquarters, located at 1 Jenner, Suite 200, Irvine, California 92618, for the following purposes as more fully described in the accompanying proxy statement:

 

1. To elect four directors to serve until the 2022 annual meeting of stockholders or until their successors are duly elected and qualified;

 

2. To hold an advisory vote on executive compensation;

 

3. To hold an advisory vote on the frequency of the advisory vote on executive compensation;

 

4. To ratify the appointment of RBSM LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2021; and

 

5. To transact such other business as may properly come before the meeting or any adjournments or postponements thereof.

 

The board of directors of Interlink has fixed the close of business on April 22, 2021 as the record date for the Annual Meeting. Only stockholders of record on the record date are entitled to notice of and to vote at the Annual Meeting. Further information regarding voting rights and the matters to be voted upon is presented in the accompanying proxy statement.

 

All stockholders are cordially invited to attend the meeting. This year, we have elected to use the Internet as our primary means of providing our proxy materials to stockholders. Consequently, most stockholders will not receive paper copies of our proxy materials. We will instead send to our stockholders a Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials, which contains instructions on how to access our proxy statement and our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020. The Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials also includes instructions on how you can vote using the Internet or by telephone, and how you can request and receive, free of charge, a printed copy of our proxy materials. All stockholders who do not receive a Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials will receive a paper copy of the proxy materials by mail.

 

Your vote is important. Whether or not you plan to attend the Annual Meeting, please vote by telephone or the Internet by following the voting procedures described in the Proxy Materials. If you received printed proxy materials and wish to vote by mail, promptly complete, date and sign the enclosed proxy card and return it in the accompanying envelope.

 

By order of the Board of Directors,

 

/s/ Steven N. Bronson  
   
Steven N. Bronson  
Chief Executive Officer  
   
Irvine, California  
April 23, 2021  

 

 

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

   
  Page
INFORMATION CONCERNING VOTING AND SOLICITATION OF PROXIES 1
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS 2
PROPOSAL NO. ONE: ELECTION OF DIRECTORS 7
Nominees for Director 7
PROPOSAL NO. TWO: ADVISORY VOTE ON EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION 9
PROPOSAL NO. THREE: ADVISORY VOTE ON THE FREQUENCY OF THE ADVISORY VOTE ON EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION 10
PROPOSAL NO. FOUR: RATIFICATION OF APPOINTMENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM 11
Fees Paid to Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm 11
Auditor Independence 11
Audit Committee Policy on Pre-Approval of Audit and Permissible Non-Audit Services 11
REPORT OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE 13
BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE 14
Board Composition 14
Director Independence 14
Board Leadership Structure; Lead Independent Director 14
Committees of the Board of Directors 15
Board Member Nomination Process 16
Stockholder Recommendations and Nominations of Candidates for Election to the Board of Directors 16
Board’s Role in Risk Management Oversight 17
Stockholder Communications with the Board of Directors 17
Corporate Governance Guidelines; Code of Business Conduct and Ethics 17
Prohibition on Hedging Shares; Pledging of Shares 18
Non-Employee Director Compensation 18
EXECUTIVE OFFICERS 19
EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION 20
Processes and Procedures for Compensation Decisions 20
Summary Compensation Table 20
Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal Year End 21
Executive Officer Employment Letters 21
Pension Benefits and Nonqualified Deferred Compensation 22
401(k) Plan 22
CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS 23
EQUITY COMPENSATION PLAN INFORMATION 24
SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT 25
OTHER MATTERS 26
Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance 26
2020 Annual Report and SEC Filings 26
Deadlines to Propose Actions for Consideration at the 2022 Annual Meeting 26

 

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INTERLINK ELECTRONICS, INC.

 

PROXY STATEMENT FOR THE
2021 ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS

 

____________________

 

INFORMATION CONCERNING VOTING AND SOLICITATION OF PROXIES

 

Our board of directors solicits your proxy for the 2021 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the “Annual Meeting”), and for any postponement or adjournment of the Annual Meeting, for the purposes described in the “Notice of Annual Meeting of Stockholders.” The table below shows some important details about the Annual Meeting and voting. Additional information is available in the “Frequently Asked Questions” section of the proxy statement immediately below the table. We use the terms “Interlink,” “the Company,” “we,” “our” and “us” in this proxy statement to refer to Interlink Electronics, Inc., a Nevada corporation.

 

The Notice of Annual Meeting, proxy statement and proxy card and our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020 (the “2020 Annual Report”) are first being made available to our stockholders on or about May 5, 2021.

 

Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for the 2021 Annual Meeting

 

This proxy statement and the 2020 Annual Report are available for viewing, printing and downloading at www.edocumentview.com/LINK and on the “Investors” section of our website at www.interlinkelectronics.com. Certain documents referenced in the proxy statement are available on our website. However, we are not including the information contained on our website, or any information that may be accessed by links on our website, as part of, or incorporating it by reference into, this proxy statement. 

   
Meeting Details June 15, 2021, 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time, at the offices of Interlink Electronics, Inc., 1 Jenner, Suite 200, Irvine, California 92618
Record Date April 22, 2021
Shares Outstanding There were 6,600,893 shares of common stock outstanding and entitled to vote as of the Record Date.

Eligibility to Vote

 

Holders of our common stock at the close of business on the Record Date are entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the Annual Meeting. Each stockholder is entitled to one vote for each share held as of the Record Date.
Quorum A majority of the shares of common stock outstanding and entitled to vote, in person or by proxy, as of the Record Date constitutes a quorum. A quorum is required to transact business at the Annual Meeting.
Voting Methods Stockholders whose shares are registered in their names with Computershare, our transfer agent (referred to as “Stockholders of Record”) may vote by proxy via the Internet, phone, or mail by following the instructions on the accompanying proxy card. Stockholders of Record may also vote in person at the Annual Meeting by attending the Annual Meeting and casting a ballot. Stockholders whose shares are held in “street name” by a broker, bank or other nominee (referred to as “Beneficial Owners”) must follow the voting instructions provided by their brokers or other nominees. See “What is the difference between holding shares as a Stockholder of Record and as a Beneficial Owner?” and “How do I vote and what are the voting deadlines?” below for additional information.

 

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Inspector of Elections We will appoint an Inspector of Elections to determine whether a quorum is present, and to tabulate the votes cast by proxy or in person at the Annual Meeting.
Voting Results We will announce preliminary results at the Annual Meeting. We will report final results on a Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and post results on the “Investors” section of our website at www.interlinkelectronics.com as soon as practicable after the Annual Meeting.
Proxy Solicitation Costs We will bear the costs of soliciting proxies from our stockholders. These costs include preparing, assembling, printing, mailing and distributing notices, proxy statements, proxy cards and Annual Reports. Our directors, officers and other employees may solicit proxies personally or by telephone, e-mail or other means of communication, and we will reimburse them for any related expenses. We will also reimburse brokers and other nominees for their reasonable out-of-pocket expenses for forwarding proxy materials to the Beneficial Owners of the shares that the nominees hold in their names.

 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

 

What matters am I voting on?

 

You will be voting on:

 

· The election of four directors to hold office until the 2021 annual meeting of stockholders or until their successors are duly elected and qualified;

 

· An advisory vote on executive compensation;

 

· An advisory vote on the frequency of the advisory vote on executive compensation;

 

· A proposal to ratify the appointment of RBSM LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2021; and

 

· Any other business that may properly come before the Annual Meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof.

 

How does our board of directors recommend that I vote?

 

Our board of directors recommends that you vote:

 

· FOR the election of the four directors nominated by our board of directors and named in this proxy statement as directors to serve for one-year terms;

 

· FOR endorsement of the compensation of our executive officers;

 

· FOR future advisory votes on executive compensation to be held EVERY YEAR; and

 

· FOR the ratification of the appointment of RBSM LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2021.

 

Will there be any other items of business on the agenda?

 

If any other items of business or other matters are properly brought before the Annual Meeting, your proxy gives discretionary authority to the persons named on the proxy card with respect to those items of business or other matters. The persons named on the proxy card intend to vote the proxy in accordance with their best judgment. Our board of directors does not intend to bring any other matters to be voted on at the Annual Meeting, and we are not currently aware of any matters that may be properly presented by others for action at the Annual Meeting.

 

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Who is entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting?

 

Holders of our common stock at the close of business on the Record Date are entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the Annual Meeting. Each stockholder is entitled to one vote for each share of our common stock held as of the Record Date. Cumulative voting is not permitted with respect to the election of directors.

 

A complete list of the stockholders entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting will be available at our headquarters, located at 1 Jenner, Suite 200, Irvine, California 92618, during regular business hours for the ten days prior to the Annual Meeting. This list will also be available during the Annual Meeting at the meeting location. Stockholders may examine the list for any legally valid purpose related to the Annual Meeting.

 

What is the difference between holding shares as a Stockholder of Record and as a Beneficial Owner?

 

Stockholders of Record. If, at the close of business on the Record Date, your shares are registered directly in your name with Computershare, our transfer agent, you are considered the Stockholder of Record with respect to those shares. As the Stockholder of Record, you have the right to grant your voting proxy directly to the individuals listed on the proxy card or to vote in person at the Annual Meeting.

 

Beneficial Owners. If your shares are held in a stock brokerage account or by a bank or other nominee on your behalf, you are considered the Beneficial Owner of shares held in “street name.” As the Beneficial Owner, you have the right to direct your broker or nominee how to vote your shares by following the voting instructions your broker or other nominee provides. In general, if you do not provide your broker or nominee with instructions on how to vote your shares, your broker or nominee may, in its discretion, vote your shares with respect to routine matters (e.g., the ratification of the appointment of our independent auditor), but may not vote your shares with respect to any non-routine matters (e.g., the election of directors). Please see “What if I do not specify how my shares are to be voted?” for additional information.

 

Do I have to do anything in advance if I plan to attend the Annual Meeting and vote in person?

 

Stockholders of Record. If you are a Stockholder of Record, you do not need to do anything in advance to attend and/or vote your shares in person at the Annual Meeting, but you may be asked to present government-issued photo identification for entrance into the Annual Meeting.

 

Beneficial Owners. If you are a Beneficial Owner, you may not vote your shares in person at the Annual Meeting unless you obtain a “legal proxy” from your broker or other nominee, who is the Stockholder of Record with respect to your shares. You may still attend the Annual Meeting even if you do not have a legal proxy. You may be asked to present government-issued photo identification for entrance into the Annual Meeting. You will also be asked to provide proof of Beneficial Ownership as of the Record Date, such as the voting instructions you received from your broker or other nominee, or your brokerage statement reflecting ownership of shares as of the Record Date.

 

How do I vote and what are the voting deadlines?

 

Stockholders of Record. If you are a Stockholder of Record, then you can vote in one of the following ways:

 

· You may vote via the Internet or by telephone. To vote via the Internet or by telephone, follow the instructions provided in the Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials. If you vote via the Internet or by telephone, you do not need to return a proxy card by mail. Internet and telephone voting are available 24 hours a day. Votes submitted through the Internet or by telephone must be received by 1:00 a.m. Central Time on June 15, 2021. Alternatively, you may request a printed proxy card by following the instructions provided in the Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials.

 

· You may vote by mail. If you would like to vote by mail, you need to complete, date and sign the proxy card that accompanies this proxy statement and promptly mail it in the enclosed postage-paid envelope so that it is received no later than June 14, 2021. You do not need to put a stamp on the enclosed envelope if you mail it from within the United States. The persons named on the proxy card will vote the shares you own in accordance with your instructions on the proxy card you mail. If you return the proxy card, but do not give any instructions on a particular matter to be voted on at the Annual Meeting, the persons named on the proxy card will vote the shares you own in accordance with the recommendations of our board of directors. Our board of directors recommends that you vote FOR each of Proposals No. One, Two and Four, and, with respect to Proposal No. Three, for future advisory votes on executive compensation to be held EVERY YEAR.

 

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· You may vote in person. If you plan to attend the Annual Meeting, you may vote by delivering your completed proxy card in person or by completing and submitting a ballot, which will be provided at the Annual Meeting.

 

Beneficial Owners. If you are the Beneficial Owner of shares held of record by a broker or other nominee, you will receive voting instructions from your broker or other nominee. You must follow the voting instructions provided by your broker or other nominee in order to instruct your broker or other nominee how to vote your shares. The availability of telephone and Internet voting options will depend on the voting process of your broker or other nominee. As discussed above, if you are a Beneficial Owner, you may not vote your shares in person at the Annual Meeting unless you obtain a legal proxy from your broker or other nominee.

 

May I change my vote or revoke my proxy?

 

Stockholders of Record. If you are a Stockholder of Record, you may revoke your proxy or change your proxy instructions at any time before your proxy is voted at the Annual Meeting by:

 

· entering a new vote by Internet or telephone;

 

· signing and returning a new proxy card with a later date;

 

· delivering a written revocation to our Secretary at the address listed on the Notice of Annual Meeting accompanying this proxy statement; or

 

· attending the Annual Meeting and voting in person.

 

Beneficial Owners. If you are the beneficial owner of your shares, you must contact the broker or other nominee holding your shares and follow their instructions to change your vote or revoke your proxy.

 

What is the effect of giving a proxy?

 

Proxies are solicited by and on behalf of our board of directors. The persons named on the proxy card have been designated as proxy holders by our board of directors. When a proxy is properly dated, executed and returned, the shares represented by the proxy will be voted at the Annual Meeting in accordance with the instruction of the stockholder. If no specific instructions are given, however, the shares will be voted in accordance with the recommendations of our board of directors (as shown on the first page of the proxy statement). If any matters not described in the proxy statement are properly presented at the Annual Meeting, the proxy holders will use their own judgment to determine how to vote your shares. If the Annual Meeting is postponed or adjourned, the proxy holders can vote your shares on the new meeting date, unless you have properly revoked your proxy, as described above.

 

What if I do not specify how my shares are to be voted?

 

Stockholders of Record. If you are a Stockholder of Record and you submit a proxy but you do not provide voting instructions, your shares will be voted:

 

· FOR the election of the four directors nominated by our board of directors and named in this proxy statement as directors to serve for one-year terms (Proposal No. One);

 

· FOR endorsement of the compensation of our executive officers (Proposal No. Two);

 

· FOR future advisory votes on executive compensation to be held EVERY YEAR (Proposal No. Three);

 

· FOR the ratification of the appointment of RBSM LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2021 (Proposal No. Four); and

 

· In the discretion of the named proxy holders regarding any other matters properly presented for a vote at the Annual Meeting.

 

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Beneficial Owners. If you are a Beneficial Owner and you do not provide your broker or other nominee that holds your shares with voting instructions, your broker or other nominee will determine if it has discretion to vote on each matter. In general, brokers and other nominees do not have discretion to vote on non-routine matters. Each of Proposal No. One (election of directors), Proposal No. Two (endorsement of executive compensation), and Proposal No. Three (endorsement of frequency of advisory vote on executive compensation) is a non-routine matter, while Proposal No. Four (ratification of appointment of independent registered public accounting firm) is a routine matter. As a result, if you do not provide voting instructions to your broker or other nominee, your broker or other nominee cannot vote your shares with respect to Proposal Nos. One, Two, and Three, which would result in a “broker non-vote,” but may, in its discretion, vote your shares with respect to Proposal No. Four. For additional information regarding broker non-votes, see “What are the effects of abstentions and broker non-votes?” below.

 

What is a quorum?

 

A quorum is the minimum number of shares required to be present at the Annual Meeting for the meeting to be properly held under our bylaws and Nevada law. A majority of the shares of common stock outstanding and entitled to vote, in person or by proxy, constitutes a quorum for the transaction of business at the Annual Meeting. As noted above, as of the Record Date, there were at total of 6,600,893 shares of common stock outstanding, which means that 3,300,447 shares of common stock must be represented in person or by proxy at the Annual Meeting to have a quorum. If there is no quorum, a majority of the shares present at the Annual Meeting may adjourn the meeting to a later date.

 

What are the effects of abstentions and broker non-votes?

 

An abstention represents a stockholder’s affirmative choice to decline to vote on a proposal. Under Nevada law, abstentions are considered present and entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting. As a result, abstentions will be counted for purposes of determining the presence or absence of a quorum and will also count as votes against a proposal in cases where approval of the proposal requires the affirmative vote of a majority of the shares present and entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting (Proposal Nos. Two and Four). However, because the outcome of Proposal No. One (election of directors) will be determined by a plurality of the voting power of the shares present and entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting, abstentions will have no impact on the outcome of the proposal as long as a quorum exists. For Proposal No. three (frequency of the vote on executive compensation), the frequency receiving the greatest number of votes cast by stockholders will be considered the advisory vote of our stockholders. If you elect to abstain from voting on this proposal, the abstention will not have any effect on the advisory vote.

 

A broker non-vote occurs when a broker or other nominee holding shares for a Beneficial Owner does not vote on a particular proposal because the broker or other nominee does not have discretionary voting power with respect to such proposal and has not received voting instructions from the Beneficial Owner of the shares. Broker non-votes will be counted for purposes of calculating whether a quorum is present at the Annual Meeting, but will not be counted for purposes of determining the number of votes cast. Therefore, a broker non-vote will make a quorum more readily attainable but will not affect the outcome of the vote on Proposal Nos. Two, Three or Four.

 

How many votes are needed for approval of each proposal?

 

     
Proposal Vote Required Broker Discretionary Voting Allowed?
Proposal No. One – Election of directors Plurality of voting power of shares present and entitled to vote No
Proposal No. Two – Endorsement of the compensation of executive officers Majority of voting power of shares present and entitled to vote No
Proposal No. Three – Frequency of the vote on compensation of executive officers Not applicable (frequency receiving greatest number of votes) No
Proposal No. Four – Ratification of the appointment of independent registered public accounting firm Majority of voting power of shares present and entitled to vote Yes

 

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With respect to Proposal No. One, you may vote (i) FOR all nominees, (ii) WITHHOLD your vote as to all nominees, or (iii) vote FOR all nominees except for those specific nominees from whom you WITHHOLD your vote. The four nominees receiving the most FOR votes will be elected. Cumulative voting is not permitted with respect to the election of directors. If you WITHHOLD your vote as to all nominees, your vote will be treated as if you had ABSTAINED from voting on Proposal No. One, and your abstention will have no effect on the outcome of the vote.

 

With respect to Proposal Nos. Two and Four, you may vote FOR, AGAINST or ABSTAIN. If you ABSTAIN from voting on any of these proposals, the abstention will have the same effect as a vote AGAINST the proposal.

 

With respect to Proposal No. Three, you may vote for future advisory votes on executive compensation to be held EVERY YEAR, EVERY TWO YEARS, EVERY THREE YEARS or ABSTAIN. If you ABSTAIN from voting on any of these proposals, your abstention will have no effect on the outcome of the vote.

 

How are proxies solicited for the Annual Meeting and who is paying for the solicitation?

 

The board of directors is soliciting proxies for use at the Annual Meeting by means of this proxy statement. We will bear the entire cost of proxy solicitation, including the preparation, assembly, printing, mailing and distribution of the proxy materials. Copies of solicitation materials will also be made available upon request to brokers and other nominees to forward to the Beneficial Owners of the shares held of record by the brokers or other nominees. We will reimburse brokers or other nominees for reasonable expenses that they incur in sending these proxy materials to Beneficial Owners.

 

This solicitation of proxies may be supplemented by solicitation by telephone, electronic communication, or other means by our directors, officers, employees or agents. No additional compensation will be paid to these individuals for any such services, although we may reimburse such individuals for their reasonable out-of-pocket expenses in connection with such solicitation. We do not plan to retain a proxy solicitor to assist in the solicitation of proxies.

 

Is my vote confidential?

 

Proxy instructions, ballots, and voting tabulations that identify individual stockholders are handled in a manner that protects your voting privacy. Your vote will not be disclosed either within Interlink or to third parties, except as necessary to meet applicable legal requirements, to allow for the tabulation of votes and certification of the vote, or to facilitate a successful proxy solicitation.

 

Will members of the board of directors attend the Annual Meeting?

 

We encourage our board members to attend the Annual Meeting. Those who do attend will be available to answer appropriate questions from stockholders.

 

I share an address with another stockholder, and we received only one paper copy of the proxy materials. How may I obtain an additional copy of the proxy materials?

 

We have adopted an SEC-approved procedure called “householding,” under which we can deliver a single copy of the proxy materials to multiple stockholders who share the same address unless we received contrary instructions from one or more of the stockholders. This procedure reduces our printing and mailing costs. Stockholders of Record who participate in householding will be able to access and receive separate proxy cards. Upon written or oral request, we will promptly deliver a separate copy of the proxy materials to any stockholder at a shared address to which we delivered a single copy of these documents. To receive a separate copy, or, if you are receiving multiple copies, to request that Interlink only send a single copy of the next year’s proxy materials, you may contact us as follows:

 

Interlink Electronics, Inc.
Attention: Secretary
1 Jenner, Suite 200
Irvine, California 92618
(805) 484-8855

 

Stockholders who hold shares in street name may contact their brokerage firm, bank, broker-dealer or other nominee to request information about householding.

 

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PROPOSAL NO. ONE

 

ELECTION OF DIRECTORS

 

Our business affairs are managed under the direction of our board of directors, which is currently composed of four members. Three of our directors are independent according to the independent director requirements of The Nasdaq Stock Market (“Nasdaq”). Our directors serve for one-year terms. See “Board of Directors and Corporate Governance” below for more details about our board.

 

At the Annual Meeting, stockholders will be asked to elect four directors, Mr. Steven Bronson, Ms. Joy Hou, Mr. David Wolenski, and Ms. Maria Fregosi, to serve until the 2022 annual meeting of stockholders or until their successors are duly elected and qualified. The following table sets forth the names and certain other information as of April 22, 2021 for each of the nominees for election as a director, all of whom currently serve on the board of directors.

 

           
Nominee   Age   Company Position  
Steven N. Bronson   55   Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, and President  
Joy C. Hou(1)   45   Director  
David J. Wolenski(1)   59   Director  
Maria N. Fregosi(1)   55   Director  

 

 

(1) Member of the audit committee, compensation committee and nominating and corporate governance committee.

 

Nominees for Director

 

Steven N. Bronson. Mr. Bronson has over 30 years of business and entrepreneurial experience. His successful background in investment banking and principal investing has led to him taking executive positions in several companies. Mr. Bronson became our Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of our board of directors in July 2010. In March 2011, he also took on the role of President, bringing both his operational and financial expertise to the Company. Since successfully turning around Interlink’s business to profitability, Mr. Bronson has focused on strategic matters, mission-critical decisions, and identification of potential acquisitions and business partnership opportunities.

 

Mr. Bronson also serves as Interim or Acting Chief Financial Officer from time to time, when a vacancy in that officer position occurs. Mr. Bronson served as Acting Chief Financial Officer from August 18, 2020 through November 18, 2020, when Ryan J. Hoffman was appointed to that role.

 

In July 2013, Mr. Bronson assumed the positions of President and Chief Executive Officer and Director of Qualstar Corporation (OTCMKTS: QBAK), a high-quality tape library manufacturer, and its subsidiary N2Power, Inc., a manufacturer of high efficiency power supplies for diverse electronics industries. From 1996 until November 2014, Mr. Bronson served as Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Bronson & Co., LLC, an investment banking firm. Since October 2008, Mr. Bronson also has served as Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of BKF Capital Group, Inc. (OTCMKTS: BKFG), a publicly traded company operating through its wholly-owned subsidiaries, BKF Investment Group, Inc. and BKF Asset Holdings, Inc. Mr. Bronson also is Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Ridgefield Acquisition Corporation (OTCMKTS: RDGA), a publicly traded company with no principal operations or revenue producing activities that is seeking to acquire an operating entity. Mr. Bronson currently holds SIE and series 4, 7, 24, 27, 53, 55, 63, and 79 licenses.

 

Mr. Bronson was selected to serve on our board of directors because of the perspective and experience he brings as our largest stockholder, his extensive experience with technology companies, and his experience serving as a senior executive officer of a public company.

 

Joy C. Hou. Ms. Hou joined our board of directors in June 2020. Ms. Hou presently is the CEO and Co-Founder of MREN, Inc., an enterprise technology platform serving the commercial real estate industry since 2013. Ms. Hou has over 30 years of business and entrepreneurial experience in finance, technology, and management. Prior to MREN, Ms. Hou was the CEO and Co- Founder of RAISC, Inc., a tech-enabled bank distressed asset platform that centralized data for over $3B of commercial real estate assets and supported the disposition of over $1.5B of assets. In addition, Ms. Hou spent over 10 years on Wall Street where she held various debt and equity investment positions at Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette, Lehman Brothers and served as the Head of Hospitality Practice at Barclays Capital. Ms. Hou is currently on the Board of Cornell Asian Alumni Association as the Vice President of University Relations and had previously served on the Board of Country Montessori School. Ms. Hou holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration with Distinction.

 

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Ms. Hou was selected to serve on our board of directors because of her extensive business experience in working with technology companies, as both a Wall Street banker and entrepreneur.

 

David J. Wolenski. Mr. Wolenski joined our board of directors in June 2020. He currently serves as President and on the Board of Directors of Electro-Mechanical Products, Inc., a privately held company engaged in the manufacture of precision-machined components and thermal management systems for the semiconductor, laser, and medical device industries. From 1996 to 2000, Mr. Wolenski was Chief Executive Officer of OZO Automation, Inc. (OTCBB: OZOA), a publicly-traded company that produced robotic workstations for the electronics industry. As Chief Executive Officer, he also managed the sale of OZO’s assets to JOT Automation of Olunsalo, Finland, and served as President of their Depaneling subsidiary from 2000 to 2001. From 1983 to 1996, Mr. Wolenski held various positions with Johns Manville Corporation, a worldwide leader in fiberglass insulations and engineered products, which included managerial assignments in manufacturing, business development, and quality assurance. Mr. Wolenski currently serves on the board of directors of Qualstar Corporation (OTCMKTS: QBAK), a position he has held since 2013. His past board affiliations have included OZO Automation, Inc., where he was a director from 1996 to 1999, and Bio-Medical Automation, Inc., where he was a director from 1999 to 2000. Mr. Wolenski holds a BS degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Colorado at Boulder (1983), and an MBA from the University of Colorado at Denver (1990).

 

Mr. Wolenski was selected to serve on our board of directors because of his senior executive management experience at privately-held and publicly-held manufacturing companies and his prior experience as a director of other companies.

 

Maria N. Fregosi. Ms. Fregosi joined our board of directors in February 2021. Ms. Fregosi is Chief Investment Officer of Home Point Capital Inc. (NASDAQ: HMPT), a leading residential mortgage originator and servicer, where she is responsible for managing and monitoring the company’s investments. Ms. Fregosi is a founding member of Home Point Capital, and previously served as its Chief Financial Officer from 2018 to 2020 as well as its Chief Strategy Officer and Chief Capital Markets Officer from 2015 to 2018. Ms. Fregosi has served as a member of the Board of Home Point Mortgage Acceptance Corp. since 2020. Prior to joining Home Point Capital, Ms. Fregosi served as Chief Capital Markets Officer for Hamilton Group Funding, a retail mortgage loan originator. In addition, Ms. Fregosi served as the Chief Operating Officer and Chief Compliance Officer of Catalyst Financial, a full-service value-based investment banking firm, and simultaneously the Chief Operating Officer for BKF Capital Group, Inc., a publicly traded investment company founded by Steven Bronson, our Chief Executive Officer. Ms. Fregosi also served as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer of Client First Settlement Funding, a boutique specialty finance company, and as an Executive Vice President at ABN AMRO Bank. Ms. Fregosi holds a Master of Business Administration in Finance from the University of Rochester’s Simon School and is a Summa Cum Laude graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from SUNY Buffalo State College.

 

Ms. Fregosi was selected to serve on our board of directors because of her extensive business experience in working with publicly held companies in the investment banking and financial services industries.

 

Vote Required

 

Directors are elected by a plurality vote. The four nominees for directors receiving the highest number of votes cast will be elected as directors.

 

***THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE “FOR” EACH
OF THE NOMINEES LISTED ABOVE***

 

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PROPOSAL NO. TWO

 

ADVISORY VOTE ON EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

 

Under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (“Dodd-Frank Act”), we are required to include in this proxy statement and present at the annual meeting a non-binding stockholder vote to approve the compensation of our executives, as described in this proxy statement, pursuant to the compensation disclosure rules of the SEC. This proposal, commonly known as a “say on pay” vote, gives stockholders the opportunity to endorse or not endorse the compensation of our executives as disclosed in this proxy statement. This proposal will be presented at the annual meeting as a resolution in substantially the following form:

 

RESOLVED, that the stockholders approve the compensation of the Company’s executives, as disclosed in the compensation tables and related narrative disclosure in the Company’s proxy statement for the annual meeting.

 

This vote will not be binding on our Board of Directors and may not be construed as overruling a decision by the Board or creating or implying any change to the fiduciary duties of the Board. The vote will not affect any compensation previously paid or awarded to any executive. The compensation committee and the Board may, however, take into account the outcome of the vote when considering future executive compensation arrangements.

 

The purpose of our compensation programs is to attract and retain experienced, highly qualified executives critical to our long-term success and enhancement of stockholder value.

 

Vote Required

 

The affirmative vote of a majority of the shares present in person or by proxy at the Annual Meeting and entitled to vote is required for endorsement of the compensation of our executive officers.

 

***THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE “FOR” ENDORSEMENT OF THE
COMPENSATION OF OUR EXECUTIVE OFFICERS***

 

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PROPOSAL NO. THREE

 

ADVISORY VOTE ON THE FREQUENCY OF

AN ADVISORY VOTE ON EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

 

Under the Dodd-Frank Act, in addition to providing stockholders with the opportunity to cast an advisory vote on executive compensation, we are required this year to include in this proxy statement and present at the annual meeting a non-binding stockholder vote on whether an advisory vote on executive compensation should be held every year, every two years or every three years.

 

The Board believes that holding an advisory vote on executive compensation every year is the optimal interval for conducting and responding to a “say on pay” vote so that stockholders may annually express their views on Interlink’s executive compensation program.

 

Stockholders have the opportunity to choose among four options (holding the advisory vote on executive compensation every year, every two years, every three years or abstaining) and, therefore, stockholders will not be voting to approve or disapprove the Board’s recommendation.

 

Although this advisory vote on the frequency of the “say on pay” vote is nonbinding, the Board and the Compensation Committee may take into account the outcome of the vote when considering the frequency of future advisory votes on executive compensation.

 

***THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE FOR FUTURE ADVISORY VOTES ON
EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION TO BE HELD EVERY YEAR***

 

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PROPOSAL NO. FOUR

 

RATIFICATION OF APPOINTMENT OF
INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

 

The audit committee of our board of directors has appointed RBSM LLP (“RBSM”), as our independent registered public accounting firm to audit our consolidated financial statements for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2021.

 

At the Annual Meeting, stockholders will be asked to ratify the appointment of RBSM as our independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending December 31, 2021. Stockholder ratification of the appointment of our independent registered public accounting firm is not required by our bylaws or other applicable legal requirements. However, our board of directors submits the appointment of RBSM to our stockholders for ratification as a matter of good corporate governance. If this appointment is not ratified by the affirmative vote of a majority of the shares present in person or by proxy at the Annual Meeting and entitled to vote, the appointment will be reconsidered by our audit committee. Even if the appointment is ratified, our audit committee, in its sole discretion, may appoint another independent registered public accounting firm at any time during the year ending December 31, 2021 if our audit committee believes that such a change would be in the best interests of Interlink and its stockholders. A representative of RBSM will be invited to attend the Annual Meeting and, if attending, will have an opportunity to make a statement if he or she wishes to do so and be available to respond to appropriate questions from stockholders.

 

Fees Paid to Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

The following table presents fees billed to us by RBSM LLP for professional services rendered during the fiscal years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019.

 

    2020     2019  
Audit Fees (1)   $ 175,000     $ 18,000  
Audit-Related Fees (2)     8,500        
Tax Fees (3)          
All Other Fees (4)   2,488        
   Total Fees   $ 189,988     $ 18,000  

 

 

(1) “Audit Fees” consist of fees for professional services rendered in connection with the audit of our annual consolidated financial statements, review of our quarterly financial statements presented in our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, and services that are normally provided by our independent registered public accounting firm in connection with statutory and regulatory filings or engagements for the fiscal year.

 

(2) “Audit-Related Fees” consist of fees incurred for professional services that are reasonably related to the performance of the audit or review of the company’s financial statements. Audit-related fees for 2020 include fees for professional services rendered in connection with the registration of shares pursuant to our registration statement on Form S-8 that we filed with the SEC during 2020.

 

(3) “Tax Fees” consist of fees incurred for professional services rendered in connection with tax audits, tax compliance, and tax consulting and planning.

 

(4) “All Other Fees” relate to professional services not included in the categories above, including services related to other regulatory reporting requirements. All other fees for 2020 include reimbursement of direct, out-of-pocket expenses.

 

Auditor Independence

 

In 2020, there were no other professional services provided by RBSM that would have required the audit committee to consider their compatibility with maintaining the independence of RBSM.

 

Audit Committee Policy on Pre-Approval of Audit and Permissible Non-Audit Services

 

Consistent with requirements of the SEC and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, or PCAOB, regarding auditor independence, our audit committee is responsible for the appointment, compensation and oversight of the work of our independent registered public accounting firm. In recognition of this responsibility, our audit committee has a policy for the pre-approval of all audit and permissible non-audit services provided by the independent registered public accounting firm. These services may include audit services, audit-related services, tax services and other services.

 

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Before the establishment of our audit committee in July 2020, the duties and responsibilities of the audit committee were performed by our full board of directors.

 

Before engagement of the independent registered public accounting firm for the next fiscal year’s audit, the independent registered public accounting firm submits a detailed description of services expected to be rendered during that year for each of the following categories of services to the audit committee for approval:

 

  · Audit services. Audit services include the annual financial statement audit (including required quarterly reviews) and other procedures required to be performed by the independent auditor to form an opinion on our consolidated financial statements. Audit services also include, as necessary, the attestation engagement for the independent auditor’s report on management’s report on internal controls for financial reporting. Other audit services may include services associated with SEC registration statements, periodic reports and other documents filed with the SEC.

 

  · Audit-related services. Audit-related services are assurance and related services that are reasonably related to the performance of the audit or review of our financial statements or that are traditionally performed by the independent auditor.

 

  · Tax Services. Tax services include services related to tax compliance, tax planning and tax advice.

 

  · All Other Services. All other services are those services not described in the other categories that are not prohibited by SEC rules.

 

The audit committee pre-approves particular services or categories of services on a case-by-case basis. During the year, circumstances may arise when it may become necessary to engage the independent registered public accounting firm for additional services not contemplated in the original pre-approval. In those instances, the services must be pre-approved by the audit committee, or as permitted, the audit committee chair, before the independent registered public accounting firm is engaged. Pre-approval fee levels or budgeted amounts for all services to be provided by the independent registered public accounting firm are established annually by the audit committee. Any proposed services exceeding these levels or amounts require specific pre-approval by the audit committee, or the audit committee chair. All fees paid to RBSM LLP for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019 were pre-approved by the audit committee or, before establishment of our audit committee in July 2020, by the full board of directors in accordance with the process described in the policy above.

 

Vote Required

 

The affirmative vote of a majority of the shares present in person or by proxy at the Annual Meeting and entitled to vote is required to ratify the appointment of RBSM as our independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending December 31, 2021.

 

***THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE “FOR” THE
RATIFICATION OF THE APPOINTMENT OF RBSM LLP***

 

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REPORT OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE

 

The Audit Committee maintains effective working relationships with the Board, management and RBSM LLP, the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm (the “Independent Accountants”). As set forth in the Audit Committee Charter, it is not the duty of the Audit Committee to plan or conduct audits or to determine that our Company’s consolidated financial statements and disclosures are complete and accurate and in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles and applicable rules and regulations. The Independent Accountants are responsible for auditing the Company’s consolidated financial statements and expressing an opinion as to their conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.

 

The Audit Committee has (1) reviewed and discussed the Company’s audited consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2020 with the Company’s management and with the Independent Accountants; (2) discussed with the Independent Accountants the matters required to be discussed by Auditing Standards No. 16, Communication with Audit Committees, as adopted by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board; and (3) received the written disclosures and the letter from the Independent Accountants required by applicable requirements of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board regarding the Independent Accountants’ communications with the Audit Committee concerning independence, and the Audit Committee has discussed with the Independent Accountants the Independent Accountants’ independence and considered whether the provision of non-audit services by the Independent Accountants to the Company is compatible with the Independent Accountants’ independence.

 

Members of the Audit Committee rely, without independent verification, on the information provided to them and on the representations made by management and the Independent Accountants. Accordingly, the Audit Committee’s oversight does not provide an independent basis to determine that management has maintained appropriate accounting and financial reporting principles or appropriate internal controls and procedures designed to assure compliance with accounting standards and applicable laws and regulations. Furthermore, the Audit Committee’s considerations and discussions referred to above do not assure that the audits of the Company’s consolidated financial statements have been carried out in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards, that the consolidated financial statements are presented in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles or that the Company’s Independent Accountants are in fact “independent.”

 

Based upon the reviews and discussions described above, and subject to the limitations on the role and responsibilities of the Audit Committee referred to in this report and in the Audit Committee Charter, the Audit Committee recommended to the Board that the audited consolidated financial statements be included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020.

 

Submitted by the Audit Committee of the Board:

 

Maria N. Fregosi (Chair)
Joy C. Hou
David J. Wolenski

 

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

 

Board Composition

 

Our business affairs are managed under the direction of our board of directors, which is currently composed of four members. Each director’s term will continue until the election and qualification of his or her successor, or his or her earlier death, resignation, or removal.

 

The board of directors met one (1) time in 2020. Each board member attended at least 75% of the aggregate number of board meetings and meetings of standing committees of which he or she is a member.

 

Director Independence

 

Our common stock is listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market. Under the Nasdaq rules, independent directors must comprise a majority of a listed company’s board of directors. In addition, the Nasdaq rules require that, subject to specified exceptions, each member of a listed company’s audit, compensation and nominating and corporate governance committees be independent. Under the Nasdaq rules, a director will only qualify as an ‘‘independent director’’ if, in the opinion of that company’s board of directors, that person does not have a relationship that would interfere with the exercise of independent judgment in carrying out the responsibilities of a director.

 

Our board of directors has undertaken a review of the independence of each director and considered whether each director has a material relationship with us that could compromise or interfere with such director’s ability to exercise independent judgment in carrying out his or her responsibilities. As a result of this review, our board of directors has determined that Ms. Fregosi, Ms. Hou, and Mr. Wolenski are “independent directors” as defined under applicable Nasdaq rules and regulations. Because Mr. Bronson is employed by Interlink, he does not qualify as independent. Angela Blatteis and Frank Levinson, who served as directors until May 2020 and June 2020, respectively, were each determined to be independent during the time they served on the Board.

 

In addition, our board of directors has established an audit committee, a compensation committee and a nominating and corporate governance committee. Ms. Fregosi, Ms. Hou, and Mr. Wolenski, each of whom is a non-employee member of our board of directors, serve on these board committees. Our board of directors has determined that each of Ms. Fregosi, Ms. Hou, and Mr. Wolenski satisfies the requirements for independence and, in the case of the audit committee, financial literacy for service on the audit committee, compensation committee and nominating and corporate governance committee under applicable Nasdaq rules.

 

Board Leadership Structure; Lead Independent Director

 

Mr. Bronson, our chief executive officer, serves as chairman of our board of directors. Mr. Bronson possesses detailed, in-depth knowledge of the issues, opportunities, and challenges facing us. Independent directors and management sometimes have different perspectives and roles in strategy development. Our board of directors believed that Mr. Bronson’s combined role as chief executive officer and chairman enables strong leadership, creates clear accountability, and enhances our ability to communicate our message and strategy clearly and consistently to stockholders.

 

Our corporate governance guidelines provide that one of our independent directors should serve as a lead independent director at any time when our chief executive officer serves as the chairman of our board of directors or if the chairman is not otherwise independent. Because Mr. Bronson is our chairman, our board of directors has appointed David J. Wolenski to serve as our lead independent director. As lead independent director, Mr. Wolenski presided over periodic meetings of our independent directors, served as a liaison between our chairman and the independent directors, worked with Mr. Bronson to establish board meeting agendas, raised issues with management on behalf of the independent directors when appropriate, oversaw the general functioning of the board and committees and performed such additional duties as our board of directors otherwise determined and delegated.

 

Our independent directors bring experience, oversight and expertise from outside of our company. We believe that our corporate governance principles and policies ensure that strong and independent directors will continue to effectively oversee our management and key issues related to long-range business plans, strategic issues, risks, and integrity.

 

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Committees of the Board of Directors

 

Our board of directors has established an audit committee, a compensation committee and a nominating and corporate governance committee, each of which has the composition and responsibilities described below. Members will serve on these committees until their resignation or as otherwise determined by our board of directors. Each of these standing committees operates under a written charter adopted by the board of directors. The charters are available on the “Investors” section of our website at www.interlinkelectronics.com.

 

Audit Committee. Ms. Fregosi, Ms. Hou, and Mr. Wolenski, each of whom is a non-employee member of our board of directors, serve on our audit committee, and Ms. Fregosi chairs the committee. The audit committee met two (2) times during 2020. Our board of directors has determined that each of the members of the audit committee satisfies the requirements for independence and financial literacy under the rules and regulations of Nasdaq and the SEC. Our board of directors has also determined that Ms. Fregosi qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert,” as defined in the SEC rules, and satisfies the financial sophistication requirements of Nasdaq. The audit committee is responsible for, among other things:

 

· appointing, overseeing, and if need be, terminating any independent auditor;

 

· assessing the qualification, performance and independence of our independent auditor;

 

· reviewing the audit plan and pre-approving all audit and non-audit services to be performed by our independent auditor;

 

· reviewing our financial statements and related disclosures;

 

· reviewing the adequacy and effectiveness of our accounting and financial reporting processes, systems of internal control and disclosure controls and procedures;

 

· reviewing our overall risk management framework;

 

· overseeing procedures for the treatment of complaints on accounting, internal accounting controls, or audit matters;

 

· reviewing and discussing with management and the independent auditor the results of our annual audit, reviews of our quarterly financial statements and our publicly filed reports;

 

· reviewing and approving related person transactions; and

 

· preparing the audit committee report that the SEC requires in our annual proxy statement.

 

Compensation Committee. Mr. Wolenski, Ms. Hou, and Ms. Fregosi, each of whom is a non-employee member of our board of directors, comprise our compensation committee, and Mr. Wolenski chairs the committee. The compensation committee did not meet during 2020. Our board of directors has determined that each of the members of the compensation committee meets the requirements for independence under the rules of Nasdaq and the SEC. The compensation committee is responsible for, among other things:

 

· reviewing the elements and amount of total compensation for all officers;

 

· formulating and recommending any proposed changes in the compensation of our chief executive officer for approval by the board;

 

· reviewing and approving any changes in the compensation for officers, other than our chief executive officer;

 

· administering our equity compensation plans;

 

· reviewing annually our overall compensation philosophy and objectives, including compensation program objectives, target pay positioning and equity compensation; and

 

· preparing the compensation committee report that the SEC will require in our annual proxy statement.

 

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Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. Ms. Hou, Mr. Wolenski, and Ms. Fregosi, each of whom is a non-employee member of our board of directors, comprise our nominating and corporate governance committee, and Ms. Hou chairs the committee. The nominating and corporate governance committee did not meet during 2020. Our board of directors has determined that each of the members of the nominating and corporate governance committee meets the requirements for independence under the rules of Nasdaq for service on this committee. The nominating and corporate governance committee is responsible for, among other things:

 

· evaluating and making recommendations regarding the composition, organization and governance of our board of directors and its committees;

 

· identifying, recruiting and nominating director candidates to the board if and when necessary;

 

· evaluating and making recommendations regarding the creation of additional committees or the change in mandate or dissolution of committees;

 

· reviewing and making recommendations with regard to our corporate governance guidelines and compliance with laws and regulations; and

 

· reviewing and approving conflicts of interest of our directors and corporate officers, other than related person transactions reviewed by the audit committee.

 

Board Member Nomination Process

 

The nominating and corporate governance committee employs a variety of methods for identifying and evaluating director nominees. In its evaluation of director candidates, the nominating and corporate governance committee will consider the current size and composition of the board of directors and the needs of the board of directors and the respective committees of the board of directors. Some of the qualifications that the committee considers include, without limitation, issues of character, integrity, judgment, diversity of experience, independence, area of expertise, corporate experience, length of service, potential conflicts of interest and other commitments. The nominating and corporate governance committee requires the following minimum qualifications to be satisfied by any nominee for a position on our board of directors: (i) the highest personal and professional ethics and integrity, (ii) proven achievement and competence in the nominee’s field and the ability to exercise sound business judgment, (iii) skills and expertise that are complementary to those of the existing members of our board of directors, (iv) the ability to assist and support management and make significant contributions to the company’s success, and (v) an understanding of the fiduciary responsibilities that are required of a member of our board of directors, and the commitment of time and energy necessary to diligently carry out those responsibilities. Other than the foregoing, there are no stated minimum criteria for director nominees, although the nominating and corporate governance committee may also consider other factors that it may deem, from time to time, in our and our stockholders’ best interests. The nominating and corporate governance committee may also take measures that it considers appropriate in connection with its evaluation of a director candidate, including candidate interviews, inquiry of the person or persons making the recommendation or nomination, engagement of an outside search firm to gather additional information, or reliance on the knowledge of the members of the nominating and corporate governance committee, the board of directors, or management.

 

Although the board of directors does not maintain a specific policy with respect to board diversity, the board of directors believes that the board should be a diverse body, and the nominating and corporate governance committee considers a broad range of backgrounds and experiences. In making determinations regarding nominations of directors, the nominating and corporate governance committee may take into account the benefits of diverse viewpoints. After completing its review and evaluation of director candidates, the nominating and corporate governance committee recommends to the full board of directors the director nominees for election. The nominating and corporate governance committee also considers these and other factors as it oversees the annual board of director and committee evaluations

 

Stockholder Recommendations and Nominations of Candidates for Election to the Board of Directors

 

The nominating and corporate governance committee will consider candidates for nomination to the board of directors recommended by any stockholder holding at least one percent (1%) of the fully diluted capitalization of Interlink for at least twelve months prior to the date that the recommendation is submitted. The committee will evaluate recommendations in accordance with its charter, our bylaws, our policies and procedures for director candidates, as well as the nominee criteria described above. This process is designed to ensure that the board of directors includes members with diverse backgrounds, skills and experience, including appropriate financial and other expertise relevant to our business. A stockholder wishing to recommend a candidate for nomination should contact our Secretary in writing, at the address indicated in the next paragraph. The recommendation must include the candidate’s name, home and business contact information, detailed biographical data, relevant qualifications, a signed letter from the candidate confirming willingness to serve on our board of directors, information regarding any relationships between the candidate and Interlink and evidence of the recommending stockholder’s ownership of our common stock. The recommendation must also include a statement from the recommending stockholder in support of the candidate, particularly within the context of the criteria for board of directors membership. Our nominating and corporate governance committee has sole discretion to decide which individuals to recommend for nomination as directors.

 

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A stockholder of record can nominate a candidate directly for election to the board by complying with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission. An eligible stockholder who wishes to submit a nomination should review the statutory requirements for nominations by stockholders. Any nomination should be sent in writing to the Company, addressed to the attention of the Secretary at Interlink Electronics, Inc., 1 Jenner, Suite 200, Irvine, California 92618. The notice must comply with applicable federal and state law.

 

Board’s Role in Risk Management Oversight

 

Risk is inherent with every business, and we face a number of risks, including strategic, financial, business and operational, legal and compliance, and reputational risks. We have designed and implemented processes to manage risk in our operations. Management is responsible for the day-to-day management of the risks we face, while our board of directors, as a whole and assisted by its committees, has responsibility for the oversight of risk management. In its risk oversight role, our board must satisfy itself that the risk management processes designed and implemented by management are appropriate and functioning as designed.

 

Our board of directors believes that open communication between management and the board of directors is essential for effective risk management and oversight. Our board meets with our chief executive officer and other members of the senior management team at regularly scheduled quarterly board meetings and in other meetings between the quarterly meetings, where, among other topics, they discuss strategy and risks facing the Company.

 

While our board of directors is ultimately responsible for risk oversight, our board committees assist the board of directors in fulfilling its oversight responsibilities in certain areas of risk. The audit committee assists our board of directors in fulfilling its oversight responsibilities with respect to risk management in the areas of internal control over financial reporting and disclosure controls and procedures, and legal and regulatory compliance. The audit committee also discusses guidelines and policies with respect to risk assessment and risk management with management and the independent auditor. In addition, the audit committee reviews management’s assessment of the key risks facing us, including the key controls it relies on to mitigate those risks. The audit committee also monitors certain key risks at each of its regularly scheduled meetings, such as risk associated with internal control over financial reporting and liquidity risk. The nominating and corporate governance committee assists our board in fulfilling its oversight responsibilities with respect to the management of risk associated with board organization, membership and structure, and corporate governance. The compensation committee assesses risks created by the incentives inherent in our compensation policies as well as in our leadership development and succession planning. Finally, the full board of directors reviews strategic and operational risk reported by the management team, receives reports on all significant committee activities at each regular meeting, and evaluates the risks inherent in significant transactions.

 

Stockholder Communications with the Board of Directors

 

Stockholders wishing to communicate with our board of directors or with an individual member of our board may do so by writing to our board of directors or to the particular member of our board, and mailing the correspondence to our Secretary, Interlink Electronics, Inc., 1 Jenner, Suite 200, Irvine, California 92618 or sending it by email to ir@iefsr.com. Our legal counsel, or his designee in the legal department, will review all incoming stockholder communications (excluding mass mailings, product complaints or inquiries, job inquiries, business solicitations and patently offensive material), and if deemed appropriate, the stockholder communications will be forwarded to the appropriate member or members of our board of directors, or if none is specified, to the chairman of the board.

 

Corporate Governance Guidelines; Code of Business Conduct and Ethics

 

Our board of directors has adopted Corporate Governance Guidelines. These guidelines address items such as the qualifications and responsibilities of our directors and director candidates and corporate governance policies and standards applicable to us. In addition, our board of directors has adopted a Code of Business Conduct and Ethics that applies to all of our employees, officers and directors, including our chief executive officer, chief financial officer, and other executive and senior financial officers. The full text of our Corporate Governance Guidelines and our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics is posted on the “Investors” section of our website at www.interlinkelectronics.com. We will post amendments to our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics or waivers of our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics for directors and executive officers on the same website.

 

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Prohibition on Hedging Shares; Pledging of Shares

 

Our insider trading policy provides that our employees and directors may not engage in derivative transactions involving our securities. Our insider trading policy prohibits our employees and directors from hedging or lending Company securities in any transaction, including by entering into any short sales, swaps, options, puts, calls, forward contracts, or any other similar derivatives transaction. Our insider trading policy does not prohibit our employees and directors from pledging our securities for margin loans or other purposes, and thus they are able to do so subject to compliance with the other terms of our insider trading policy that might restrict such activities.

 

Non-Employee Director Compensation

 

Director Compensation Table

 

The following table details the total compensation earned by our non-employee directors in fiscal year 2020:

 

Director   Fees Earned
or Paid in
Cash
    Stock Awards(4)     Total  
Angela Blatteis (1)   $ 5,000     $     $ 5,000  
Frank Levinson (1)   $ 5,000     $     $ 5,000  
Joy C. Hou (2)   $ 10,833     $     $ 10,833  
David J. Wolenski (2)   $ 10,833     $     $ 10,833  
Maria N. Fregosi (3)   $     $     $  

 

 

(1) Ms. Blatteis and Mr. Levinson resigned as directors in May 2020 and June 2020, respectively.

 

(2) Ms. Hou and Mr. Wolenski became directors in June 2020.

 

(3) Ms. Fregosi became a director in February 2021.

 

(4) No director held stock options or restricted stock awards as of December 31, 2020.

 

Outside Director Compensation Policy

 

Our board of directors has adopted a policy for the compensation for our non-employee directors, or the Outside Directors. Outside Directors will receive compensation in the form of equity and cash, as described below:

 

· Initial Equity Award.  Each person who first becomes an Outside Director will be granted common stock with a grant date fair value equal to $5,000. These awards will be granted on the date of the first meeting of our board of directors or compensation committee occurring on or after the date on which the individual first became an Outside Director. Ms. Hou and Mr. Wolenski, who became directors in June 2020, received cash awards of $5,000 each in lieu of this initial equity award.

 

· Annual Equity Award.  Annually, on July 15, each Outside Director who has served on our board of directors for at least the preceding six months will be granted common stock with a grant date fair value equal to $5,000.

 

· Cash Compensation.  Each Outside Director receives an annual retainer of $10,000 in cash for serving on our board of directors, or the Annual Fee. The Annual Fee is paid in quarterly installments to each Outside Director who has served in the relevant capacity for the immediately preceding fiscal quarter no later than 30 days following the end of such preceding fiscal quarter. An Outside Director who has served in the relevant capacity for only a portion of the immediately preceding fiscal quarter will receive a prorated payment of the quarterly payment of the Annual Fee.

 

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EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

 

The following table provides information regarding our executive officers and key employee as of April 22, 2021. Our executive officers are appointed by our board of directors and serve until their successors have been duly elected and qualified. There are no family relationships among any of our directors or executive officers

 

Name   Age   Company Position  
Steven N. Bronson   55   Chairman of the Board, President, and Chief Executive Officer  
Ryan J. Hoffman   42   Chief Financial Officer and Secretary  
Albert Lu   49   Vice President, Technology  

 

Please see “Proposal No. One – Election of Directors – Nominees for Director” for information about Mr. Bronson, who also serves on our Board and is a nominee for election at the Annual Meeting.

 

Ryan J. Hoffman. Mr. Hoffman has served as our Chief Financial Officer since November 2020, joining Interlink with more than two decades of auditing and professional experience accrued at two top global accounting firms. He previously spent 16 years at the accounting firm RSM and was a partner at the firm for his last five years. There, he successfully led audits of global companies in industries that include technology, consumer products, and manufacturing. While there, he cultivated a specialization in software and multiple-element revenue recognition accounting and auditing. Prior to that, he worked for the Big Four accounting firm Ernst & Young. Mr. Hoffman graduated with a degree in accounting from Chapman University and is a licensed CPA. He is also the Chief Financial Officer of Qualstar Corporation (OTCMKTS: QBAK), Qualstar Corporation’s wholly owned subsidiary N2Power, Inc. and BKF Capital Group, Inc. (OTCMKTS: BKFG).

 

Albert Lu. Dr. Lu served as our Chief Technology Officer from February 2014 through December 2020, and has served as our Vice President, Technology since December 2020, and is based in Singapore at our wholly-owned subsidiary, Interlink Electronics Singapore Private Limited. Prior to joining Interlink, for over 15 years Dr. Lu had made significant R&D contributions to the Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology, or SIMTech, which develops high-value manufacturing technology and human capital to enhance the competitiveness of Singapore’s manufacturing industry. SIMTech is a research institute of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR). Dr. Lu’s most recent role was Program Manager of the Large Area Processing Program, where he established and spearheaded Singapore’s key R&D facility and pilot line for roll-to-roll manufacturing of functional films and printed electronics. In his other technology leadership roles at SIMTech, Dr. Lu orchestrated R&D collaborations and industry consortia in disruptive and emerging technology platforms that included embedded passives, broadband communications, and electronics packaging with multinational corporations and local enterprises. Dr. Lu earned both a Ph.D. and B. Eng. in electrical engineering from the University of Manchester, Institute of Science and Technology in the United Kingdom. Dr. Lu also received the Lee Kuan Yew Award for Mathematics and Science in Singapore and the Institution of Electrical Engineers Prize in the United Kingdom.

 

19 

 

 

EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

 

Processes and Procedures for Compensation Decisions

 

The compensation committee of our board of directors is responsible for the executive compensation programs for our executive officers and reports to the board on its discussions, decisions and other actions. Typically, our chief executive officer makes recommendations to our compensation committee, often attends committee meetings and is involved in the determination of compensation for the executive officers that report to him, except that he does not make recommendations as to his own compensation. Our chief executive officer makes recommendations to our compensation committee regarding short-term and long-term compensation for all executive officers, excluding himself, based on our results, an individual executive officer’s contribution toward these results and performance toward individual goal achievement. Our compensation committee then reviews the recommendations and other data and makes decisions as to total compensation for each executive officer other than the chief executive officer, as well as each individual compensation component. The compensation committee makes recommendations to the board regarding compensation for the chief executive officer. The independent members of the board make the final decisions regarding executive compensation for our chief executive officer.

 

The compensation committee is authorized to retain the services of one or more executive compensation advisors, as it sees fit, in connection with the establishment of our compensation programs and related policies. The compensation committee has not retained the services of a compensation consultant since 2016.

 

Summary Compensation Table

 

The following table provides information regarding the compensation of our named executive officers during 2020 and 2019. As a “smaller reporting company,” as such term is defined in the rules promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, we are required to provide compensation disclosure for our principal executive officer and the two most highly compensated executive officers other than our principal executive officer. At December 31, 2020, we had two persons, Messrs. Bronson and Hoffman, serving as executive officers. Dr. Lu served as an executive officer during 2020 until a change in his position in December 2020. We are presenting compensation information for Messrs. Bronson and Hoffman and Dr. Lu, who we refer to as our “named executive officers.”

 

Name and Principal Position   Year     Salary
($)
    Bonus
($)
    All Other
Compensation(1)
($)
    Total
($)
 
Steven N. Bronson     2020       300,000             1,677       301,677  
Chief Executive Officer, President, Chief Financial Officer and Chairman of the Board     2019       300,000             897       300,897  
                                         
Albert Lu (2)     2020       220,925                   220,775  
Vice President, Technology     2019       224,094       18,667             242,761  
                                         
Ryan J. Hoffman (3)     2020       12,079             16       12,095  
Chief Financial Officer     2019                          

 

(1) Consists of the taxable cost of group term life insurance coverage.

 

(2) Dr. Lu served as our Chief Technology Officer from 2014 until December 2020, when he was re-assigned to a different position within Interlink as part of the move of our R&D operations from our facility in Singapore, where Dr. Lu is located, to our new Global Product Development and Materials Science Center in Camarillo, California. Dr. Lu now serves as our Vice President, Technology, a non-executive officer position. Dr. Lu received a discretionary bonus in 2019 based on his performance for the year. Dr. Lu is paid in Singapore Dollars. For the purposes of this table, salary and bonus amounts paid to Dr. Lu in Singapore Dollars were converted to U.S. Dollars using the Accounting Rate for 2019 (1.3660 Singapore Dollars to the U.S. Dollar) and for 2020 (1.3796 Singapore Dollars to the U.S. Dollar) for fiscal years 2019 and 2020, respectively. The “Accounting Rate” for any month is the exchange ratio of the relevant reference currency to one U.S. Dollar for the last business day of the preceding fiscal month, as published by the U.S. government.

 

(3) Mr. Hoffman joined Interlink in November 2020.

 

20 

 

 

Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal Year End

 

None

 

Executive Officer Employment Letters

 

We have entered into employment agreements with each of the named executive officers. With the exception of his own arrangement, each of these employment agreements was negotiated on our behalf by our Chief Executive Officer with the oversight and approval of the compensation committee of the board.

 

Steven N. Bronson

 

We entered into an employment agreement with Steven N. Bronson, our Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, on July 7, 2016. The employment agreement was for an original term of one year and automatically renews for additional one-year periods unless either party elects not to renew or it is otherwise terminated, in either case pursuant to its terms.

 

Pursuant to his employment agreement, Mr. Bronson receives an annual base salary, currently $300,000, and is entitled to earn and receive bonus compensation based upon the achievement of performance goals, as determined by our compensation committee, in accordance with a bonus plan adopted by us for the applicable year. Mr. Bronson also is entitled to participate in our benefit plans, including health insurance, life insurance, disability insurance, and retirement plans.

 

If Mr. Bronson’s employment terminates due to his death or disability, Mr. Bronson or his beneficiaries will be entitled to receive his base compensation to the end of the monthly pay period immediately following the date of termination and any accrued bonus payments, and all of Mr. Bronson’s unvested and outstanding equity awards shall immediately vest and become exercisable.

 

If Mr. Bronson’s employment is terminated by him for “good reason”, or by us without “cause”, Mr. Bronson will be entitled to receive his base compensation to the date of termination, severance pay equal to twelve months of his base compensation, any earned bonus compensation, employee benefits for twelve months following the date of termination, and any vested company match 401(k) or other retirement contribution, and all of Mr. Bronson’s unvested and outstanding equity awards shall immediately vest and become exercisable.

 

Mr. Bronson’s employment agreement also provides that upon a “change of control” of Interlink, Mr. Bronson is entitled to receive an amount in cash equal to twelve months of his base salary then in effect, and all of Mr. Bronson’s unvested and outstanding equity awards shall immediately vest and become exercisable.

 

Ryan J. Hoffman

 

We entered into an employment arrangement with Ryan J. Hoffman, our Chief Financial Officer, in November 2020. The employment arrangement provides for an annual base salary, which currently is $190,000 and an annual bonus of up to 25% of base salary. Because Mr. Hoffman also serves as Chief Financial Officer for Qualstar Corporation, a portion his compensation is charged to Qualstar Corporation based on the approximate amount of time Mr. Hoffman devotes to Interlink and Qualstar Corporation. Mr. Hoffman’s employment arrangement provides for “at will” employment and may be terminated at any time by either party. Mr. Hoffman is not entitled to any termination or “change of control” payments or benefits under his employment agreement.

 

Albert Lu

 

We entered into an employment agreement with Albert Lu, our Vice President, Technology, in February 2014. The employment agreement provides for an annual base salary, which currently is $190,000 USD and an annual bonus of up to 20% of base salary. Dr. Lu’s compensation is paid in Singapore dollars (SGD). Dr. Lu also received a restricted stock unit award of 80,000 shares of common stock pursuant to his employment agreement, 50% of which vested on each of January 31, 2018 and January 31, 2019. Dr. Lu’s employment agreement provides for “at will” employment and may be terminated at any time by either party on one month’s written notice. Dr. Lu is not entitled to any termination or “change of control” payments or benefits under his employment agreement.

 

21 

 

 

Pension Benefits and Nonqualified Deferred Compensation

 

We do not provide a pension plan for our employees, and none of our named executive officers participated in a nonqualified deferred compensation plan in 2020.

 

401(k) Plan

 

We maintain a tax-qualified retirement plan, or the 401(k) plan, that provides eligible employees with an opportunity to save for retirement on a tax-advantaged basis. Eligible employees are able to participate in the 401(k) plan as of the first day of the month following the date they meet the 401(k) plan’s eligibility requirements, and participants are able to defer up to 60% of their eligible compensation subject to applicable annual Code limits. All participants’ interests in their deferrals are 100% vested when contributed. The 401(k) plan permits us to make matching contributions and profit-sharing contributions to eligible participants. The match is limited to 50% of base salary up to $500.

 

22 

 

 

CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

 

We describe below transactions, and series of related transactions, since January 1, 2019 to which we were or will be a party, in which:

 

  · the amounts involved exceeded or will exceed $120,000 or 1% of our average total assets at December 31, 2020 and 2019; and

 

  · any of our directors, executive officers, or beneficial holders of more than 5% of any class of our capital stock, or their immediate family members, had or will have a direct or indirect material interest.

 

Other than as described below, there has not been, nor is there any currently proposed, transaction or series of related transactions to which we have been or will be a party other than compensation arrangements for our directors and executive officers, which are described in this Form 10-K under Part III, Item 11, “Executive Compensation.”

 

Cost Sharing Arrangements

 

Steven N. Bronson, our Chairman of the Board, President, and Chief Executive Officer, and Ryan J. Hoffman, our Chief Financial Officer, simultaneously serve as officers and, in the case of Mr. Bronsons, a director of Qualstar Corporation, or Qualstar, and BKF Capital Group, Inc., or BKF Capital. Mr. Bronson serves as President and Chief Executive Officer and as a director of Qualstar and as the Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer for BKF Capital. Mr. Hoffman serves as Chief Financial Officer of each of Qualstar and BKF Capital.

 

We have entered into the following cost sharing arrangements with Qualstar and BKF Capital:

 

Irvine, CA Facility: We entered into a sublease agreement for our corporate headquarters office facility in Irvine, California in June 2020. We have facilities agreements with both Qualstar and BKF Capital to allow each to use of a portion of these premises, and have agreed to split substantially all rent and lease-related costs on an apportioned basis according to the approximate relative usage levels by each entity. For the year ended December 31, 2020, Qualstar paid us $67 thousand for its use of our Irvine office facility. For the year ended December 31, 2020, BKF Capital paid us $2 thousand for its use of our Irvine office facility.

 

Camarillo, CA Facility: We have a facilities agreement with Qualstar to allow us to use a portion of the office and warehouse facility leased by Qualstar in Camarillo, California, and we have agreed to split substantially all rent and lease related costs on an apportioned basis according to the approximate relative usage levels by each entity. We had a similar arrangement with Qualstar for its Simi Valley, California facility prior to Qualstar’s move to Camarillo. For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, we paid Qualstar $50 thousand and $21 thousand, respectively, for our use of its Camarillo and Simi Valley facilities.

 

Consulting Agreements: We have entered into various consulting agreements with Qualstar. Pursuant to the consulting agreements, certain of the parties’ respective employees and independent contractors provide operational, sales, marketing, general and administrative services to the other entity. We also occasionally pay certain travel and other operating expenses incurred by Qualstar and its employees, for which we are reimbursed. Interlink provided such consulting services and advances to Qualstar in the amounts of $578 thousand and $269 thousand for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. Qualstar provided such consulting services and advances to Interlink in the amounts of $73 thousand and $52 thousand for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively.

 

Indemnification Agreements

 

We have entered into indemnification agreements with each of our current directors and executive officers. The indemnification agreements and our articles of incorporation and by-laws require us to indemnify our directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted by Nevada law.

 

Policies and Procedures for Related Party Transactions

 

Our audit committee has the primary responsibility for reviewing and approving or disapproving “related party transactions,” which are transactions between us and related persons in which the aggregate amount involved exceeds or may be expected to exceed $120,000 or 1% of our average total assets at December 31, 2020 and 2019 and in which a related person has or will have a direct or indirect material interest. Our policy regarding transactions between us and related persons provides that a related person is defined as a director, executive officer, nominee for director or greater than 5% beneficial owner of our common stock, in each case since the beginning of the most recently completed year, and any of their immediate family members. Our audit committee charter provides that our audit committee shall review and approve or disapprove any related party transactions.

 

23 

 

 

EQUITY COMPENSATION PLAN INFORMATION

 

The following table summarizes certain information about our equity compensation plans as of December 31, 2020.

 

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 (1)      —             1,538,543  
Equity compensation plans not approved by security holders                  
Total                 1,538,543  

 

 

 

(1) Consists of our 2016 Omnibus Incentive Plan.

 

24 

 

 

SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT

 

The following table sets forth certain information with respect to the beneficial ownership of our common stock as of April 22, 2021, for:

 

  · each of our named executive officers;

 

  · each of our directors;

 

  · all of our executive officers and directors as a group; and

 

  · each person, or group of affiliated persons, who beneficially owned more than 5% of our common stock.

 

We have determined beneficial ownership in accordance with the rules of the SEC, and the information is not necessarily indicative of beneficial ownership for any other purpose. Except as indicated by the footnotes below, we believe, based on information furnished to us, that the persons and entities named in the table below have sole voting and sole investment power with respect to all shares of common stock that they beneficially owned, subject to applicable community property laws.

 

We have based percentage ownership of our common stock on 6,600,893 shares of our common stock outstanding as of April 22, 2021. In computing the number of shares of common stock beneficially owned by a person and the percentage ownership of such person, we deemed to be outstanding all shares of common stock subject to options held by the person that are currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days of April 22, 2021, as well as all shares of common stock issuable pursuant to restricted stock units held by the person that are subject to vesting conditions expected to occur within 60 days of April 22, 2021. However, we did not deem such shares outstanding for the purpose of computing the percentage ownership of any other person. Unless otherwise indicated, the address of each beneficial owner listed in the table below is c/o Interlink Electronics, Inc., 1 Jenner, Suite 200, Irvine, California 92618.

 

    Common Stock
Beneficially Owned
 
Name of Beneficial Owner   Number     Percentage  
Named Executive Officers and Directors:                
Steven N. Bronson (1)     5,448,698       82.5 %
Albert Lu     80,000       1.2 %
Ryan J. Hoffman            
Joy C. Hou (2)     11,000       0.2 %
David J. Wolenski            
Maria N. Fregosi     343        
All executive officers and directors as a group (6 persons)     5,540,041       83.9 %
                 
Other 5% Stockholders:                
BKF Asset Holdings, Inc. (3)     993,658       15.1 %

 

 

(1) Consists of (i) 4,249,040 shares of common stock held by Mr. Bronson individually and jointly with his spouse, (ii) 993,658 shares of common stock held by BKF Asset Holdings, Inc. and (iii) 206,000 shares of common stock held separately by Mr. Bronson’s spouse.

 

(2) Consists of (i) 6,250 shares of common stock held Ms. Hou jointly with her spouse and (ii) 4,750 shares of common stock held Ms. Hou’s minor child.

 

(3) BKF Asset Holdings, Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BKF Capital Group, Inc. Steven N. Bronson, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and majority stockholder of BKF Capital Group, Inc., has voting and dispositive power with respect to these securities.

 

25 

 

 

OTHER MATTERS

 

Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance

 

Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, requires that our executive officers and directors, and persons who own more than 10% of our common stock, file reports of ownership and changes of ownership with the SEC. Such directors, executive officers and 10% stockholders are required by SEC regulations to furnish us with copies of all Section 16(a) forms they file. SEC regulations require us to identify in this proxy statement anyone who filed a required report late during the most recent year. Based on our review of forms we received, or written representations from reporting persons stating that they were not required to file these forms, we believe that during 2020, all Section 16(a) filing requirements were satisfied on a timely basis.

 

2020 Annual Report and SEC Filings

 

Our financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020 are included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K. Our Annual Report and this proxy statement are posted in the “Investors” portion of our website at www.interlinkelectronics.com and are available from the SEC at its website at www.sec.gov. You may also obtain a copy of our Annual Report and this proxy statement without charge by sending a written request to Secretary, Interlink Electronics, Inc., 1 Jenner, Suite 200, Irvine, California 92618.

 

Deadlines to Propose Actions for Consideration at the 2022 Annual Meeting

 

Stockholder Proposals for Inclusion in Proxy Statement. Stockholders may present proper proposals for inclusion in our proxy statement and for consideration at the 2022 annual meeting of stockholders by submitting their proposals in writing to our Secretary in a timely manner. For a stockholder proposal to be considered for inclusion in our proxy statement for our 2022 annual meeting of stockholders, our Secretary must receive the written proposal at our principal executive offices no later than January 5, 2022. In addition, stockholder proposals must comply with the requirements of SEC Rule 14a-8 regarding the inclusion of stockholder proposals in company-sponsored proxy materials. Proposals should be addressed to:

 

Interlink Electronics, Inc.
Attention: Corporate Secretary
1 Jenner, Suite 200
Irvine, California 92618

 

26 

 

 

 

13738-1-FILE 2_PAGE002PAGE003FTIC_ZERO_PAGE001.JPG  INTERLINK ELECTRONICS, INC. Online Go to www.investorvote.com/LINK or scan the QR code — login details are located in the shaded bar below. Votes submitted electronically must be received by 1:00 A.M., Central Time, on June 15, 2021. Stockholder Meeting Notice Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for the Interlink Electronics, Inc. Stockholder Meeting to be Held on June 15, 2021 Under Securities and Exchange Commission rules, you are receiving this notice that the proxy materials for the annual stockholders’ meeting are available on the Internet. Follow the instructions below to view the materials and vote online or request a copy. The items to be voted on and location of the annual meeting are on the reverse side. Your vote is important! This communication presents only an overview of the more complete proxy materials that are available to you on the Internet. We encourage you to access and review all of the important information contained in the proxy materials before voting. The proxy statement and the 2020 Annual Report on Form 10-K are available at: www.investorvote.com/LINK Easy Online Access — View your proxy materials and vote. Step 1:Go to www.investorvote.com/LINK. Step 2:Click on the icon on the right to view meeting materials. Step 3:Return to the investorvote.com window and follow the instructions on the screen to log in. Step 4:Make your selections as instructed on each screen for your delivery preferences. Step 5:Vote your shares. When you go online, you can also help the environment by consenting to receive electronic delivery of future materials. Obtaining a Copy of the Proxy Materials – If you want to receive a copy of the proxy materials, you must request one. There is no charge to you for requesting a copy. Please make your request as instructed on the reverse side on or before June 5, 2021 to facilitate timely delivery. 03FTIC 2 N O T+

 

 

 

13738-1-FILE 2_PAGE002PAGE003FTIC_ZERO_PAGE002.JPG Stockholder Meeting Notice Interlink Electronics, Inc.’s Annual Meeting of Stockholders will be held on June 15, 2021 at Interlink Electronics, Inc. corporate headquarters, 1 Jenner, Suite 200, Irvine, CA 92618, at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time. Proposals to be voted on at the meeting are listed below along with the Board of Directors’ recommendations. The Board of Directors recommends a vote FOR each of Proposals No. One, Two, and Four, and EVERY YEAR for Proposal No. Three: To elect four directors to serve until the 2022 annual meeting of stockholders or until their successors are duly elected and qualified. An advisory vote on executive compensation. An advisory vote on the frequency of the advisory vote on executive compensation. To ratify the appointment of RBSM LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2021. PLEASE NOTE – YOU CANNOT VOTE BY RETURNING THIS NOTICE. To vote your shares you must go online or request a paper copy of the proxy materials to receive a proxy card. If you wish to attend and vote at the meeting, please bring this notice with you. Here’s how to order a copy of the proxy materials and select delivery preferences: Current and future delivery requests can be submitted using the options below. If you request an email copy, you will receive an email with a link to the current meeting materials. PLEASE NOTE: You must use the number in the shaded bar on the reverse side when requesting a copy of the proxy materials. Internet – Go to www.investorvote.com/LINK. Phone – Call us free of charge at 1-866-641-4276. Email – Send an email to investorvote@computershare.com with “Proxy Materials Interlink Electronics, Inc.” in the subject line. Include your full name and address, plus the number located in the shaded bar on the reverse side, and state that you want a paper copy of the meeting materials. To facilitate timely delivery, requests for a paper copy of proxy materials must be received by June 5, 2021.

 

 

 

 

13738-1-FILE 1_PAGE001PAGE003FTGD_ZERO_PAGE001.JPG INTERLINK ELECTRONICS, INC. Your vote matters – here’s how to vote! You may vote online or by phone instead of mailing this card. Votes submitted electronically must be received by 1:00 A.M., Central Time, on June 15, 2021. Online Go to www.investorvote.com/LINK or scan the QR code — login details are located in the shaded bar below. Using a black ink pen, mark your votes with an X as shown in this example. Please do not write outside the designated areas. Phone Call toll free 1-800-652-VOTE (8683) within the USA, US territories and Canada Save paper, time and money! Sign up for electronic delivery at www.investorvote.com/LINK Annual Meeting Proxy Card q IF VOTING BY MAIL, SIGN, DETACH AND RETURN THE BOTTOM PORTION IN THE ENCLOSED ENVELOPE. q Proposals — The Board of Directors recommends a vote FOR each of Proposals No. One, Two and Four, and vote EVERY YEAR for Proposal No. Three. ForWithholdForWithholdForWithhold+ To elect four directors to serve until the 2022 annual meeting of stockholders or until their successors are duly elected and qualified. - Steven N. Bronson 04 - Maria N. Fregosi - Joy C. Hou03 - David J. Wolenski ForAgainst AbstainForAgainst Abstain An advisory vote on executive compensation.4. To ratify the appointment of RBSM LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2021. An advisory vote on the frequency of the advisory vote on executive compensation. Every year Every two years Every three years Abstain Authorized Signatures — This section must be completed for your vote to count. Please date and sign below. Please sign exactly as name(s) appears hereon. Joint owners should each sign. When signing as attorney, executor, administrator, corporate officer, trustee, guardian, or custodian, please give full title. Date (mm/dd/yyyy) — Please print date below. Signature 1 — Please keep signature within the box.Signature 2 — Please keep signature within the box. 03FTGD 1 U P X+

 

 

 

13738-1-FILE 1_PAGE001PAGE003FTGD_ZERO_PAGE002.JPG  Important notice regarding the Internet availability of proxy materials for the 2021 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. This proxy statement and the 2020 Annual Report are available for viewing, printing and downloading at www.edocumentview.com/Link Small steps make an impact. Help the environment by consenting to receive electronic delivery, sign up at www.investorvote.com/LINK q IF VOTING BY MAIL, SIGN, DETACH AND RETURN THE BOTTOM PORTION IN THE ENCLOSED ENVELOPE. q Proxy — Interlink Electronics, Inc.+ Notice of 2021 Annual Meeting of Stockholders Interlink Electronics, Inc. corporate headquarters 1 Jenner, Suite 200, Irvine, CA 92618 Proxy Solicited by Board of Directors for Annual Meeting — June 15, 2021 Steven N. Bronson and Ryan J. Hoffman, or any of them, each with the power of substitution, are hereby authorized to represent and vote the shares of the undersigned, with all the powers which the undersigned would possess if personally present, at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders of Interlink Electronics, Inc. to be held on June 15, 2021 or at any postponement or adjournment thereof. Shares represented by this proxy will be voted by the stockholder. If no such directions are indicated, the Proxies will have authority to vote “FOR” each of Proposals No. One, Two, and Four, and vote “EVERY YEAR” for Proposal No. Three. In their discretion, the Proxies are authorized to vote upon such other business as may properly come before the meeting. (Items to be voted appear on reverse side) Non-Voting Items Change of Address — Please print new address below.Comments — Please print your comments below. +

 

 

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