SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION
Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a)
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(Amendment No. )
Filed by the Registrant ☒
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))
☒ Definitive Proxy Statement
☐ Definitive Additional Materials
☐ Soliciting Material under Rule 14a-12
BEL FUSE INC.
(Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the
Registrant)
Payment of Filing Fee (Check all boxes that apply):
☒ No fee required.
☐ Fee paid previously with preliminary materials.
☐ Fee computed on table in exhibit required by Item 25(b) per
Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11.
NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
OF
BEL FUSE INC.
TO BE HELD TUESDAY, MAY 24, 2022
To our Shareholders:
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the 2022 Annual Meeting of Shareholders
(the “Annual Meeting”) of Bel Fuse Inc. (“Bel” or the “Company”)
will be held on Tuesday, May 24, 2022, at 11:00 a.m. local
time. Due to ongoing public health concerns associated with
the COVID-19 pandemic and for the health and well-being of our
shareholders, directors, management and associates, the Annual
Meeting will be held online in a virtual meeting format by remote
communication. Shareholders who wish to attend the virtual
meeting may register at https://www.cstproxy.com/belfuse/2022 using
the control number provided on your Notice of Internet Availability
of Proxy Materials.
The Annual Meeting will be held for the following purposes:
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1.
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To elect three directors for three-year terms and one director for
a one-year term as described in the proxy statement.
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2.
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To ratify the designation of Grant Thornton LLP to audit Bel’s
books and accounts for 2022.
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3.
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To approve, on an advisory basis, the executive compensation of the
Company’s named executive officers as described in the proxy
statement.
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4.
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To consider and act upon other matters which may properly come
before the meeting and/or any adjournment or adjournments
thereof.
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If you are a Class A shareholder of record, you can vote by
following the instructions in your Notice of Internet Availability
of Proxy Materials (“E-Proxy Notice”).
The E-Proxy Notice, which contains instructions on how to access
the notice of annual meeting, proxy statement and annual report on
the Internet and, for Class A shareholders of record, how to
execute your proxy and vote your shares, is first being mailed to
holders of our common stock on or about April 14, 2022. This
notice also contains instructions on how to request a paper copy of
the proxy materials.
The Board of Directors has fixed the close of business on March 31,
2022 as the date for determining the shareholders of record
entitled to receive notice of, and to vote at, the Annual
Meeting. As described in the accompanying proxy materials,
holders of record of our Class A Common Stock as of the close of
business on March 31, 2022 will be able to vote and ask questions
during the Annual Meeting.
We thank you for your interest in our Company and look forward to
your participation at our Annual Meeting.
By Order of the Board of Directors
LYNN HUTKIN, Secretary
Jersey City, New Jersey
April 14,
2022
__________________
YOUR VOTE IS IMPORTANT. WHETHER OR NOT YOU PLAN TO
ATTEND THE ANNUAL MEETING, WE URGE YOU TO VOTE BY INTERNET,
TELEPHONE OR MAIL AS PROMPTLY AS POSSIBLE. IF YOU DO
ATTEND THE MEETING, YOU MAY REVOKE YOUR PROXY AND VOTE AT THE
MEETING.
THIS NOTICE AND THE ACCOMPANYING PROXY STATEMENT ARE FURNISHED
TO THE HOLDERS OF THE COMPANY’S CLASS B COMMON STOCK, PAR
VALUE $0.10 PER SHARE, FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES.
HOLDERS OF CLASS B COMMON STOCK ARE NOT ENTITLED TO VOTE AT THE
ANNUAL MEETING IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE COMPANY’S CERTIFICATE
OF INCORPORATION, AS AMENDED.
INTERNET AVAILABILITY OF PROXY MATERIALS
We are relying upon a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission rule
that allows us to furnish proxy materials to shareholders over the
Internet. As a result, beginning on or about April 14, 2022, we
sent by mail or e-mail a Notice of Internet Availability
of Proxy Materials containing instructions on how to access our
proxy materials, including our Proxy Statement and Annual Report on
Form 10-K, over the Internet and how to vote your shares of Class A
Common Stock. Internet availability of our proxy materials is
designed to expedite receipt by shareholders and lower the cost and
environmental impact of our Annual Meeting. However, if you
received such a notice and would prefer to receive paper copies of
our proxy materials, please follow the instructions included in the
Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials.
If you received your proxy materials
via e-mail, the e-mail contains voting
instructions, including a control number required to vote your
shares of Class A Common Stock, and links to the Proxy Statement
and the Annual Report on Form 10-K on the Internet. If you
received your proxy materials by mail, the Notice of Annual
Meeting, Proxy Statement, Annual Report on Form 10-K, and, as to
holders of Class A Common Stock, the proxy card, are enclosed.
If you hold our Class A Common Stock through more than one account,
you may receive multiple copies of these proxy materials and will
have to follow the instructions for each in order to vote all of
your shares of Class A Common Stock.
Important notice regarding the availability of proxy materials
for
the Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be held on May 24,
2022:
Our proxy materials including our Notice of Internet
Availability of Proxy Materials, Proxy Statement for the 2022
Annual Meeting, our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year
ended December 31, 2021 and proxy card are available on the
Internet at
https://www.cstproxy.com/belfuse/2022
Table of Contents
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Page
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About the Annual Meeting
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2
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Proposal 1: Election of Directors
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7
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Our Nominees and Continuing Directors
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7
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Board Qualifications
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9
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Executive Officers
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10
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Beneficial Ownership of the Company’s Stock
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12
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Executive Compensation
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14
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Summary of Cash and Certain Other Compensation
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14
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Summary Compensation Table
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14
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Restricted Stock Awards
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15
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Compensation Elements
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16
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Compliance with Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code
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18
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Outstanding Equity Awards at December 31, 2021
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19
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Equity Compensation Plan Information
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20
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Board of Directors
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21
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Director Compensation
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21
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The Board of Directors; Committees of the Board
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21
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Board Leadership Structure and Role in Risk Oversight
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21
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Nominating Committee Matters
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22
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Board Diversity
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24
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Audit Committee Matters
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24
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Transactions with Related Parties
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25
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Compensation Committee Matters
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25
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Shareholder Communication with the Board
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25
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Proposal 2: Ratification of the Designation of Grant Thornton LLP
to Audit Bel’s Books and Accounts for 2022
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26
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Proposal 3: Advisory Vote on the Compensation of our Named
Executive Officers
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27
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Miscellaneous Items
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28
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Relationship with Independent Public Accountants
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28
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Audit Fees and Related Matters
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28
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Other Matters
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29
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2023 Annual Meeting; Shareholder Proposals and Nominations
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29
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BEL FUSE INC.
PROXY STATEMENT
FOR ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
TO BE HELD ON MAY 24, 2022
This proxy statement is being furnished to the holders of the Class
A Common Stock, par value $0.10 per share (the “Class A Common
Stock”), of Bel Fuse Inc. (“Bel” or the “Company”), a New Jersey
corporation with its principal executive offices at 206 Van Vorst
Street, Jersey City, New Jersey 07302, in connection with the
solicitation by the Board of Directors of Bel of proxies to be used
at Bel’s 2022 Annual Meeting of Shareholders (the “Annual
Meeting”), including at any adjournments thereof. The Annual
Meeting will be held on Tuesday, May 24, 2022 at 11:00 a.m.
local time. Please be advised that due to ongoing public
health concerns associated with the COVID-19 pandemic and for the
health and well-being of our shareholders, directors, management
and associates, the Annual Meeting will be held online in a virtual
format by remote communication. You may register for the
virtual meeting by visiting https://www.cstproxy.com/belfuse/2022
using the control number provided on your E-Proxy Notice. A
Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials (or “E-Proxy
Notice”) is first being sent to shareholders on or about April 14,
2022.
The Board of Directors has fixed the close of business on March 31,
2022 as the date for determining the shareholders of record
entitled to receive notice of, and to vote at, the Annual
Meeting. As described in the proxy materials, holders of
record of our Class A Common Stock as of the close of business on
March 31, 2022 will be able to vote and ask questions during the
Annual Meeting. If you are a Class A shareholder of record,
you can vote by following the instructions in your E-Proxy
Notice.
This proxy statement is also furnished to the holders of Bel’s
Class B Common Stock, par value $0.10 per share (the “Class B
Common Stock”), for informational purposes. Holders of Class
B Common Stock are not entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting in
accordance with Bel’s Certificate of Incorporation, as amended (the
“Certificate of Incorporation”). As a result, pursuant to the
E-Proxy Notice which is first being sent to shareholders on or
about April 14, 2022 as described above, we are furnishing this
proxy statement to shareholders and, as to holders of the Class A
Common Stock, the form of proxy. As used in the remainder of this
proxy statement, unless otherwise indicated, the term
“shareholders” shall refer to the holders of Bel’s Class A Common
Stock.
INTERNET AVAILABILITY OF PROXY MATERIALS
We are relying upon a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission rule
that allows us to furnish proxy materials to shareholders over the
Internet. As a result, beginning on or about April 14, 2022, we
sent by mail or e-mail a Notice of Internet Availability
of Proxy Materials containing instructions on how to access our
proxy materials, including our Proxy Statement and Annual Report on
Form 10-K, over the Internet and how to vote your shares of Class A
Common Stock. Internet availability of our proxy materials is
designed to expedite receipt by shareholders and lower the cost and
environmental impact of our Annual Meeting. However, if you
received such a notice and would prefer to receive paper copies of
our proxy materials, please follow the instructions included in the
Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials.
If you received your proxy materials
via e-mail, the e-mail contains voting
instructions, including a control number required to vote your
shares of Class A Common Stock, and links to the Proxy Statement
and the Annual Report on Form 10-K on the Internet. If you
received your proxy materials by mail, the Notice of Annual
Meeting, Proxy Statement, Annual Report on Form 10-K, and, as to
holders of Class A Common Stock, the proxy card, are enclosed.
If you hold our Class A Common Stock through more than one account,
you may receive multiple copies of these proxy materials and will
have to follow the instructions for each in order to vote all of
your shares of Class A Common Stock.
Important notice regarding the availability of proxy materials
for
the Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be held on May 24,
2022:
Our proxy materials including our Notice of Internet
Availability of Proxy Materials, Proxy Statement for the 2022
Annual Meeting, our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year
ended December 31, 2021 and proxy card are available on the
Internet at
https://www.cstproxy.com/belfuse/2022
About the Annual Meeting
Q: What matters will be voted on at the
Annual Meeting?
A: You will be asked to vote on the following
proposals:
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1.
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The election of three directors for three-year terms and one
director for a one-year term as described in the proxy
statement.
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2.
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The ratification of the designation of Grant Thornton LLP to audit
Bel’s books and accounts for 2022.
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3.
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Approval, on an advisory basis, of the executive compensation of
the Company’s named executive officers as described in the proxy
statement.
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4.
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Action on any other business as may properly come before the
meeting and/or any adjournment or adjournments thereof.
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Q: How are the proxy materials being
delivered?
A: The Notice of 2022 Annual Meeting of
Shareholders, this Proxy Statement, the Company’s 2021 Annual
Report on Form 10-K and the proxy card (or voting
instruction form) are referred to as our “proxy materials.”
Pursuant to the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission
(the “SEC”), we are furnishing our proxy materials to certain
shareholders over the Internet. Most shareholders are receiving by
mail a Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials
(an “E-Proxy Notice”), which provides general information
about the Annual Meeting; the matters to be voted on at the Annual
Meeting; the website where our proxy statement and annual report
are available for review, downloading and printing; and for our
Class A shareholders, instructions on how to submit proxy
votes.
To request paper copies of, or an e-mail with links to the
electronic versions of, the proxy materials for the Annual Meeting
or future annual meetings, please contact us on or before
May 13, 2022 to facilitate a timely delivery in one of the
following manners:
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1.
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Internet - Go to https://www.cstproxy.com/belfuse/2022. Follow the
instructions to log in and request paper or e-mail copies.
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2.
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Telephone - Call Continental Stock Transfer’s toll-free
number, 1-888-266-6791, in the United States or Canada,
using a touch-tone telephone. Follow the instructions to log in and
request paper or e-mail copies.
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3.
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E-mail - Send an e-mail to proxy@continentalstock.com with “Bel
Fuse Inc. material request” in the subject line. The e-mail
must include:
(a) The 12-digit control number located in the box in the
upper right hand corner on the front of
the E-Proxy Notice.
(b) Your preference to receive printed materials via mail or to
receive an e-mail with links to the electronic materials.
(c) If you choose e-mail delivery, you must include an e-mail
address.
(d) If you would like this election to apply to the delivery of
materials for all future meetings, write the word
“Permanent” and include the last four digits of your social
security number or tax ID number in the e-mail.
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Q: How can I attend the Annual Meeting?
A: To participate in the Annual Meeting by voting
and/or asking questions, record and beneficial owners of our Class
A Common Stock should visit
https://www.cstproxy.com/belfuse/2022. Shareholders of record
can enter the 12-digit control number included on your E-Proxy
Notice (or on your proxy card, if you requested delivery of paper
materials). If you do not have your control number, you may
contact Continental Stock Transfer at 917-262-2373 or by e-mail at
proxy@continentalstock.com. Beneficial investors who hold shares
through a bank, broker or other intermediary, will need to contact
Continental Stock Transfer at least 72 hours in advance of the
Annual Meeting to obtain a legal proxy. Once you have your
legal proxy, contact Continental Stock Transfer at the above-noted
phone number or e-mail address to have a control number
generated. Interested persons may also access the Annual
Meeting (listen-only) by dialing +1 800-450-7155 (toll-free) within
the United States and Canada or by dialing +1 857-999-9155
(standard rates apply) outside the United States and Canada.
The passcode for telephone access is 1816389#.
For shareholders logging into the website, you may vote during the
Annual Meeting by following the instructions available on the
meeting website during the meeting. If you wish to submit a
question, you may do so during the meeting by logging into the
meeting website, typing your question into the chat box field, and
clicking “Submit.”
If you encounter any technical difficulties with the virtual
meeting platform on the meeting day, please call (917) 262-2373.
Technical support will be available beginning at 9:00 a.m. Eastern
Time on May 24, 2022 and will remain available until the meeting
has ended.
For purposes of this proxy statement, presence in person at the
Annual Meeting will mean participation in the Annual Meeting
virtually by remote communications.
Q: What is the record date for
the Annual Meeting, and who is entitled to vote at the Annual
Meeting?
A: The Board of Directors has fixed
the close of business on March 31, 2022 as the date for
determining the shareholders of record entitled to receive notice
of, and to vote at, the Annual Meeting. As described in the
proxy materials, holders of record of our Class A Common Stock as
of the close of business on March 31, 2022 will be able to vote and
ask questions during the Annual Meeting. If you are a Class A
shareholder of record, you can vote by following the instructions
in your E-Proxy Notice.
This proxy statement is also furnished to the holders of Bel’s
Class B Common Stock for informational purposes. Holders of
Class B Common Stock are not entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting
in accordance with Bel’s Certificate of Incorporation.
See also the Q&A captioned “What constitutes a quorum for
purposes of the Annual Meeting, what shares are entitled to vote,
and what vote is required to approve each proposal?”,
below.
Q: How do I vote my
shares?
A: If you are a Class A shareholder
of record, you can vote by:
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●
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Internet - If you wish to vote using the Internet, you
can access at the webpage at https://www. cstproxy.com/belfuse/2022
and follow the on-screen instructions or scan the QR code
on your E-Proxy Notice with your
smartphone. Please have your E-Proxy Notice or
proxy card available when you access the webpage. If you
vote on the Internet before the Annual Meeting, you do not need to
return your proxy card or voting instruction card. Internet voting
for shareholders will be available 24 hours a day and will close at
11:59 p.m., Eastern Time, on May 23, 2022.
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●
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Mail - The E-Proxy Notice provides instructions
on how you can request a paper copy of the proxy
materials. If you have received a paper proxy card and
wish to vote by mail, please sign your name exactly as it appears
on your proxy card, date and mail your proxy card in the enclosed
envelope. The envelope requires no additional postage if
mailed in the United States. Please mail in time to be
received by May 23, 2022 at 5:00 pm Eastern Time.
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●
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At the Virtual Meeting - You may attend the Annual
Meeting virtually and once logged in, you will be able to vote
online during the Annual Meeting. If your shares are
held in the name of a bank, broker or other holder of record, you
must obtain a proxy executed in your favor from the holder of
record to be able to attend and vote at the meeting, as described
below. If you submit a proxy and then wish to change or
vote at the virtual meeting, you will need to revoke the proxy that
you have submitted, as described below.
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For shareholders logging into the website, you may vote during the
Annual Meeting by following the instructions available on the
meeting website during the meeting. If you wish to submit a
question, you may do so during the meeting by logging into the
meeting website, typing your question into the chat box field, and
clicking “Submit.”
If you encounter any technical difficulties with the virtual
meeting platform on the meeting day, please call (917) 262-2373.
Technical support will be available beginning at 9:00 a.m. Eastern
Time on May 24, 2022 and will remain available until the meeting
has ended.
For purposes of this proxy statement, presence in person at the
Annual Meeting will mean participation in the Annual Meeting
virtually by remote communications.
Q: How do I vote my shares if they are
registered in the name of my broker (or “street
name”)?
A: If your shares are registered in the name of
your broker, bank or other agent, you are the “beneficial owner” of
those shares and those shares are considered as held in “street
name.” You should have received proxy materials and voting
instructions from your broker, bank or other agent rather than
directly from us. You should follow the instructions provided
by that organization to ensure that your vote is counted.
If you wish to vote at the Annual Meeting, you must first obtain a
valid, legal proxy from your broker, bank or other agent. You
may also contact Continental Stock Transfer at least 72 hours in
advance of the Annual Meeting for assistance in obtaining a legal
proxy. Once you have your legal proxy, contact Continental
Stock Transfer at 917-262-2373 or by e-mail at
proxy@continentalstock.com to have a control number
generated.
Q: Can I change my vote after I return
my proxy card? What if I return my signed proxy card
but do not provide instructions on how to vote?
A: A form of proxy is furnished for use at
the Annual Meeting if a shareholder is unable to attend in person
by participating virtually. Each proxy may be revoked at any
time before it is exercised by giving written notice to the
secretary of the meeting. A subsequently dated proxy will, if
properly presented, revoke a prior proxy. Any shareholder may
attend the meeting by participating virtually and vote in person
whether or not he has previously given a proxy. All shares
represented by valid proxies pursuant to this solicitation (and not
revoked before they are exercised) will be voted as specified in
the form of proxy. If a proxy is signed but no specification
is given, the shares will be voted “FOR” the Board’s nominees to
the Board of Directors, “FOR” the ratification of the designation
of Grant Thornton LLP to audit Bel’s books and accounts for 2022,
and “FOR” the approval, on an advisory basis, of the executive
compensation of the Company’s named executive officers.
Q: Who will bear the costs of
soliciting proxies?
A: The entire cost of soliciting these
proxies will be borne by Bel. In following up on the original
solicitation of the proxies by mail, Bel may make arrangements with
brokerage houses and other custodians, nominees and fiduciaries to
send proxies and proxy materials to the beneficial owners of stock
held of record by such persons and may reimburse them for their
expenses in so doing. If necessary, Bel may also use its
officers and their assistants to solicit proxies from the
shareholders, either personally or by telephone or special
letter.
Q: How does the Board recommend that I
vote my shares?
A: The Board of Directors recommends that
you vote “FOR” the Board’s nominees, “FOR” the ratification of the
designation of Grant Thornton LLP to audit Bel’s books and accounts
for 2022, and “FOR” the approval, on an advisory basis, of the
executive compensation of the Company’s named executive officers.
With respect to any other matters that properly come before the
Annual Meeting, the proxy holders will vote as recommended by the
Board of Directors or, if no recommendation is given, in their own
discretion in the best interests of the Company. As of the date of
this proxy statement, the Board of Directors had no knowledge of
any business other than the proposals described in this proxy
statement that would be presented for consideration at the Annual
Meeting.
Q: What constitutes a quorum for purposes of the
Annual Meeting, what shares are entitled to vote, and what vote is
required to approve each proposal?
A: The presence in person or by proxy of holders of a
majority of the outstanding shares of the Company’s Class A Common
Stock will constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at
the Company’s Annual Meeting. Assuming that a quorum is present,
the election of directors (Proposal 1) will require the affirmative
vote of a plurality of the shares of Class A Common Stock
represented and entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting and approval
of Proposal 2 (ratification of the designation of Grant Thornton
LLP to audit Bel’s books and accounts for 2022) will require the
affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast with respect to
such proposal. With respect to Proposal 3, the affirmative
vote of a majority of the votes cast will constitute the
shareholders' non-binding approval of the advisory vote on our
named executive officers' compensation. For purposes of
determining the votes cast with respect to any matter presented for
consideration at the Annual Meeting, only those cast “for” or
“against” will be included. Abstentions and broker non-votes
will be counted only for the purpose of determining whether a
quorum is present at the Annual Meeting. Broker non-votes
occur when brokers who hold their customers’ shares in street name
submit proxies for such shares on some matters, but not
others. Generally, this would occur when brokers have not
received any instructions from their customers. In these
cases, the brokers, as the holders of record, are permitted to vote
on “routine” matters, which typically include the ratification of
the independent auditors, but not on non-routine matters. Holders
of Class A Common Stock are not entitled to cumulative voting in
the election of directors.
Holders of record of the Class A Common Stock at the close of
business on March 31, 2022 (the record date fixed by the Board
of Directors) will be entitled to receive notice of, and to vote
at, the Annual Meeting. At the close of business on the record
date, there were 2,144,912 shares of Class A Common Stock
outstanding. However, as a result of protective provisions in the
Company’s Certificate of Incorporation described below, the voting
rights of one shareholder of the Company, GAMCO Investors, Inc. et
al. (“GAMCO”), have been suspended and all of the shares of Class A
Common Stock beneficially owned by such shareholder will not be
included in determining the number of shares entitled to vote at
the Annual Meeting. Based on filings made by GAMCO with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, such shareholder beneficially
owned in the aggregate 409,600 shares of Class A Common Stock on
the record date. Accordingly, a total of 1,735,312 shares of
Class A Common Stock will be entitled to vote at the Annual
Meeting, each of which will be entitled to one vote on all matters
to come before the meeting.
The Company’s Certificate of Incorporation provides that if a
shareholder, other than shareholders subject to specific
exceptions, acquired (after the date of the Company’s 1998
recapitalization) 10% or more of the outstanding Class A Common
Stock and does not own an equal or greater percentage of all then
outstanding shares of both Class A and Class B Common Stock (all of
which must have been acquired after the date of the 1998
recapitalization), such shareholder must, within 90 days of the
trigger date, purchase shares of Class B Common Stock in an amount
and at a price determined in accordance with a formula described in
the Certificate of Incorporation, or forfeit its right to vote its
shares of Class A Common Stock. As of the record date, to the
Company’s knowledge, GAMCO beneficially owned in excess of 10% of
the outstanding shares of Class A Common Stock with no ownership of
the Company’s Class B Common Stock and with no basis for exception
from the operation of these provisions. In order to vote its
shares at the Annual Meeting, this shareholder was required to
either purchase the required number of shares of Class B Common
Stock or sell or otherwise transfer shares of Class A Common Stock
until its Class A holdings were under 10%. As of the record
date, to the Company’s knowledge, GAMCO has not taken the required
actions and, accordingly, the voting rights of GAMCO are currently
suspended.
The Company’s management is not aware of any individual or entity
that owned of record or beneficially more than 5% of the Class A
Common Stock as of the record date other than Daniel Bernstein,
GAMCO, TETON Westwood Funds-TETON Westwood Mighty Mites Fund and
Dimensional Fund Advisors LP. Daniel Bernstein is President, Chief
Executive Officer and a Director of the Company. The business
address for Daniel Bernstein is 206 Van Vorst Street, Jersey City,
New Jersey 07302. The following table provides information
regarding the beneficial ownership of Class A Common Stock by
Dimensional Fund Advisors LP, TETON Westwood Funds – TETON Westwood
Mighty Mites Fund, and GAMCO. For information regarding the number
of shares beneficially owned by Daniel Bernstein, see “Election of
Directors - Beneficial Ownership of the Company’s Stock”.
Name and Address
of Beneficial Owner
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Amount and Nature
of Beneficial Ownership
|
Percent of Class
|
Percent of Class
Whose Voting Rights
Were Not Suspended
|
|
|
|
|
Dimensional Fund Advisors LP
Palisades West, Building One
6300 Bee Cave Road
Austin, TX 78746
|
93,625(1)
|
4.36%
|
5.40%
|
|
|
|
|
TETON Westwood Funds –
TETON Westwood Mighty Mites Fund
One Corporate Center
Rye, NY 10580
|
153,800(2)
|
7.17%
|
8.86%
|
GAMCO Investors, Inc. et al.
One Corporate Center
Rye, NY 10580-1435
|
409,600(3)
|
19.10%
|
0.00%
|
________________
|
1.
|
Pursuant to a filing made by Dimensional Fund Advisors LP with the
Securities and Exchange Commission on February 9, 2022, Dimensional
Fund Advisors LP, a registered investment adviser, is the
beneficial owner of the shares listed above as the result of acting
as investment advisor to its clients, who have the right to direct
the receipt of dividends, to receive dividends from such shares and
to receive the proceeds from the sale of such
shares. Such shares represented 4.36% of the outstanding
shares. However, as a result of the suspension of voting
rights of one other shareholder, Dimensional Fund Advisor LP’s
percentage of the voting shares is 5.40%.
|
|
2.
|
Pursuant to a filing made by TETON Westwood Funds – TETON
Westwood Mighty Mites Fund with the Securities and Exchange
Commission on January 11, 2022, TETON Westwood Funds – TETON
Westwood Mighty Mites Fund, a registered investment company, is the
beneficial owner of the shares listed above as a result of its
proxy voting committee exercising sole voting power and sole
dispositive power over such shares. The filing indicated
that such shares represented 7.17% of the outstanding
shares. However, as a result of the suspension of voting
rights of one other shareholder, TETON Westwood Funds – TETON
Westwood Mighty Mites Fund’s percentage of the voting shares is
8.86%.
|
|
3.
|
Pursuant to a filing made by GAMCO with the Securities and Exchange
Commission on March 18, 2021, Mario J. Gabelli and various entities
which he directly or indirectly controls or for which he acts as
chief investment officer beneficially own 409,600 shares of Class A
Common Stock. The filing discloses that the beneficial
ownership of two of such investment companies is as
follows: Gabelli Funds, LLC: 214,000 shares
(or 9.98%) and GAMCO Asset Management Inc.: 195,600
shares (or 9.12%). According to such filing, each of the
Reporting Persons and Covered Persons (as defined in the filing)
has the sole power to vote or direct the vote and sole power to
dispose or to direct the disposition of the securities reported for
it, either for its own benefit or for the benefit of its investment
clients or its partners, as the case may be, except that (i) GAMCO
does not have the authority to vote 4,000 of its reported shares,
(ii) Gabelli Funds has sole dispositive and voting power with
respect to the shares of Bel held by the Funds so long as the
aggregate voting interest of all joint filers does not exceed 25%
of their total voting interest in Bel and, in that event, the proxy
voting committee of each Fund shall respectively vote that Fund's
shares, (iii) at any time, the proxy voting committee of each such
Fund may take and exercise in its sole discretion the entire voting
power with respect to the shares held by such fund under special
circumstances such as regulatory considerations, and (iv) the power
of Mario Gabelli, GAMCO Investors, Inc., Associated Capital Group,
Inc. and GGCP, Inc. is indirect with respect to securities
beneficially owned directly by other Reporting Persons. As
explained above, all of such 409,600 shares may not be voted at the
Annual Meeting and are not included in the total number of shares
entitled to vote at the meeting. If GAMCO’s voting
rights had not been suspended and such shares had been so included,
they would have represented 19.1% of the outstanding shares.
|
PROPOSAL 1
ELECTION OF DIRECTORS
Our Nominees and Continuing Directors
The Company’s directors are elected on a staggered term basis, with
each class of directors being as nearly equal as possible, and
standing for re-election once in each three-year period. The
Board currently consists of nine directors. At the Annual Meeting,
the holders of the Class A Common Stock will elect three directors
for three-year terms and one director for a one-year term.
Each of the Board’s nominees has consented to be named in this
proxy statement and to serve as a director if elected.
The Board of Directors has nominated Daniel Bernstein, Peter
Gilbert and Vincent Vellucci for election as directors at the
Annual Meeting, each for a term of office expiring in 2025, and has
nominated Jacqueline Brito for election as director at the Annual
Meeting for a term of office expiring in 2023.
The Board of Directors recommends a vote “FOR”
each of the nominees for director.
Unless a shareholder either indicates “withhold authority” on his
or her proxy or indicates on his or her proxy that his or her
shares should not be voted for certain nominees, it is intended
that the persons named in the proxy will vote for the election as
directors of the nominees listed below to serve until the
expiration of their terms and thereafter until their successors
shall have been duly elected and shall have qualified.
Discretionary authority is also solicited to vote for the election
of a substitute or substitutes for said nominees if any of them,
for any reason presently unknown, cannot be a candidate for
election.
The following sets forth information as of April 1,
2022 concerning the nominees for election to the Board of
Directors and comparable information with respect to those
directors whose terms of office will continue beyond the date of
the Annual Meeting. Unless otherwise indicated, positions have been
held for more than five years.
NOMINEES FOR DIRECTORS FOR A TERM TO EXPIRE AT THE 2025 ANNUAL
MEETING
Name
|
Age
|
Director Since
|
Business
Experience
|
|
|
|
|
Daniel Bernstein
|
68
|
1986
|
President (June 1992 to present) and Chief Executive Officer (May
2001 to present) of the Company; Vice President and Treasurer of
the Company (prior years to June 1992).
|
Peter Gilbert
|
74
|
1987
|
Retired; Former President and Chief Executive Officer of Gilbert
Manufacturing Co., Inc. (a manufacturer of electrical
components).
|
Vincent Vellucci
|
72
|
2016
|
Retired; formerly held various positions at Arrow Electronics, Inc.
(a global distributor of electrical components) for over 45 years,
through January 2014, including President of Arrow’s Global
Specialty Businesses Division (January 2013 to January 2014) and
President of Arrow’s Americas Components Division (March 2010
through January 2013).
|
NOMINEE FOR DIRECTOR FOR A TERM TO EXPIRE AT THE 2023 ANNUAL
MEETING
Name
|
Age
|
Director Since
|
Business
Experience
|
Jacqueline Brito
|
58
|
2021
|
CEO of HR Asset Partners LLC (a Florida-based human capital risk
prevention consulting firm, including advisory and coaching
services), founded by Ms. Brito (2019 to present); Graduate
Business Instructor at Rollins College (2014 to present);
previously held positions at the Crummer Graduate School of
Business including Assistant Dean of Admission and Marketing (2010
to 2019), MBA and Career Development Center Director (2007 to
2010), Director of Admission (2004 to 2007); Human Resource
Internal Consultant/Business Partner at Orlando Sentinel
Communications – a Chicago Tribune Company (1998 to 2004).
|
CONTINUING DIRECTORS WHOSE TERMS EXPIRE AT THE
2024 ANNUAL MEETING
Name
|
Age
|
Director Since
|
Business
Experience
|
|
|
|
|
John F. Tweedy
|
76
|
1996
|
Member and operating manager of Tweedy Financial Services, LLC (a
financial consulting firm) (January 2007 to present); independent
consultant (February 2000 to present); Director of Public Relations
of GlobeSpan Semiconductor Inc. (supplier of semiconductor
integrated circuit products) (January 1999 to February 2000);
Director of Corporate Communications of Standard Microsystems Corp.
(supplier of semiconductor integrated circuit products) (July 1995
to January 1999); Deputy Mayor (April 2011 to April 2015) and
Trustee (April 2011 to March 2017) of the Village of Bellerose, New
York.
|
Mark B. Segall
|
59
|
2011
|
Managing Director of Kidron Corporate Advisors LLC (a New
York-based mergers and acquisitions corporate advisory firm),
founded by Mr. Segall (2003 to present); Chief Executive Officer of
Kidron Capital Securities LLC (a registered broker-dealer) (2009 to
present); Co-Chief Executive Officer of Investec, Inc. (2001 to
2003); head of investment banking and general counsel at Investec
Inc. (1999 to 2001); Partner at the law firm of Kramer, Levin,
Naftalis & Frankel LLP (1996 to 1999); Director of National
CineMedia, Inc. (March 2018 to present) and Chairman of the Board
of National CineMedia, Inc. (August 2019 to present); Director of
iAM Capital Group Plc (and certain affiliated entities) (2000 to
2014 and 2017 to present); Director of CITIC Capital
Acquisition Corp. (February 2021 to February 2022); Director
of Ronson Europe N.V. (2008 to February 2017; Chairman
of the Board from 2011 to February 2017).
|
Eric Nowling
|
65
|
2014
|
Former Sr. Vice President and Corporate Controller (December 2015
to September 2021) and Vice President of Global Accounting
(February 2008 to December 2015) for Verint Systems Inc. (a
supplier of software and hardware products for business
intelligence and security intelligence); served in various
positions, including Vice President, Controller, Chief Accounting
Officer and as CFO for Standard Microsystems Corporation (supplier
of semiconductor integrated circuit products) (September 1986 to
April 2006).
|
CONTINUING DIRECTORS WHOSE TERMS EXPIRE AT THE
2023 ANNUAL MEETING
Name
|
Age
|
Director Since
|
Business
Experience
|
|
|
|
|
Thomas E. Dooley
|
65
|
February 2020
|
Retired; formerly held various executive positions at Viacom Inc.
(entertainment), including Interim CEO, Chief Operating Officer,
Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative
Officer.
|
Rita V. Smith
|
71
|
February 2020
|
Partner at C-Suite Healthcare Advisors (health care,
consulting, including strategic resource planning and budgeting,
information management systems, case management, and reporting and
compliance) (June 2018 - Present); previously, Senior Vice
President of Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Officer at
Robert Wood Johnson Barnabas Health - Jersey City Medical Center
(December 2004 – June 2019)
|
Board Qualifications
The Company’s Board intends to consider diversity as a factor in
new board membership as vacancies on the Board occur. See
“Board Diversity,” below. The Board will continue to take
into account many other factors in the process of identifying such
candidates, including the individual’s understanding of the
Company’s business on a technical level, knowledge about and
experience in the Company’s industry, understanding of finance,
marketing and other areas that are relevant to the success of the
Company in the current business environment and the candidate’s
ability to make independent analytical inquiries of other Board
members and of management. See also “Nominating Committee
Matters – Qualifications” and the charter of such committee for a
description of the qualifications the Company’s directors must
possess. The Board evaluates each individual in the context
of the Board as a whole, with the objective of assembling a group
that can best serve the Company and represent the shareholders’
interests.
The Board considered the following attributes in determining that
each nominee and continuing director is qualified to serve as a
director of the Company:
Mr. Bernstein’s knowledge of Bel and its operations, gained over
his 35 years of service to the Company, and the leadership he has
demonstrated as President (since June 1992), Chief Executive
Officer (since May 2001) and through his prior positions with the
Company as Vice President of Operations and Director of Sales for
the Fuse Division, coupled with his achievement of an MBA degree
from Baruch College, led the Board to conclude that Mr. Bernstein
should serve as a director of the Company.
Ms. Brito’s extensive background in diverse fields and disciplines
including organizational culture, human capital planning, and
executive and transformational leadership coaching (including as
the founder and CEO of HR Asset Partners, a leadership strategy
firm offering advisory services, and her prior service as the
assistant dean of admission at Rollins College’s Crummer Graduate
School of Business for nearly a decade where she provided
executive, leadership and transformational coaching for graduate
students, alumni and employees), together with Ms. Brito’s depth of
expertise and insight having built a successful career in
leadership development, succession planning and positive employee
relations, led the Board to conclude that Ms. Brito should serve as
a director of the Company.
Mr. Dooley’s experience as a senior executive officer of a
substantial public company, together with his knowledge of
corporate finance, operations, the telecom market and mergers and
acquisitions, as well as his Bachelor’s Degree from St.
John’s University and an M.B.A from New York University, led the
Board to conclude that Mr. Dooley should serve as a director of the
Company.
Mr. Gilbert’s experience in the Company’s industry, as president
and chief executive officer and a director of his own electrical
components manufacturing business, his knowledge of Bel gained
through his service as a director of the Company since 1987, his
experience gained by serving as a director on various other boards,
and his achievement of an MBA degree from Columbia University led
the Board to conclude that Mr. Gilbert should serve as a director
of the Company.
Mr. Nowling's more than 40 years of accounting and financial
management experience, including his service in senior financial
management positions at two publicly-traded technology companies
for more than 30 years, and his educational accomplishments led the
Board to believe that Mr. Nowling should serve as a director of the
Company. Mr. Nowling is the former Sr. Vice President and
Corporate Controller and chief accountant for an $800 million
technology company. Mr. Nowling holds a B.S. degree in
Economics (magna cum laude) from the University of Pennsylvania's
Wharton School of Business and is a CPA in the State of New
York.
Mr. Segall has an extensive background in mergers and acquisitions,
including his experience as the Senior Managing Director and
founder of Kidron Corporate Advisors LLC, a mergers and
acquisitions corporate advisory boutique firm. Mr. Segall
received an AB in History from Columbia College, Columbia
University and a JD from New York University School of Law.
His financial and investment banking experience, his educational
background and the fact that he is an attorney all led the Board to
conclude that Mr. Segall should serve as a director of Bel.
Dr. Smith’s experience in strategic resource planning and
budgeting, information management systems, case management, and
reporting and compliance, together with her experience at Robert
Wood Johnson Barnabas Health - Jersey City Medical Center where she
had responsibility for a staff of 1,500 people and an operating
budget of $150 million, led the Board to conclude that Dr. Smith
should serve as a director of the Company. This conclusion is
supported by her educational background; Dr. Smith holds a Doctor
of Nursing Practice from Rutgers University, a Master’s in Public
Administration-Health Care Policy from New York University and a
Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing from Kean University.
Mr. Tweedy’s business experience includes various positions held in
engineering, corporate communications and public relations of
companies in the electronics industry. This business experience, in
addition to his knowledge and understanding of complex financial
matters gained as an owner and operating manager of a financial
consulting firm and his achievement of an MBA degree in business
administration from Adelphi University, and a BSEE degree in
engineering from Manhattan College, led the Board to conclude that
Mr. Tweedy should serve as a director of the Company.
Mr. Vellucci has over 45 years of experience at Arrow Electronics,
most recently serving as President of Arrow’s Global Specialty
Businesses and prior to that position, as President of Americas
Components where he was responsible for restructuring the Americas
Electronics Components Division. Prior to these positions, he
served as Senior Vice President, Sales and he also held leadership
positions in the emerging customer business unit, the
military-aerospace business unit and in semiconductor
marketing. Over the span of his career he has been
instrumental in various business transformation initiatives
including mergers and acquisitions and strategic market
analysis. Mr. Vellucci has an educational background in
marketing and attended the General Manager Program for Executives
at the Harvard Business School. These qualifications led the
Board to conclude that Mr. Vellucci should serve as a director of
the Company.
Executive Officers
The following sets forth information as of April 1,
2022 concerning the Company’s executive officers. Unless
otherwise indicated, positions have been held for more than five
years.
Name and Age
|
|
Officer Since
|
|
Positions and Offices with the Company/Business
Experience
|
Daniel Bernstein, 68
|
|
1985
|
|
President, Chief Executive Officer and Director
|
Farouq Tuweiq, 39
|
|
2021
|
|
Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer (effective February 15,
2021)
|
Dennis Ackerman, 59
|
|
2001
|
|
President of Bel Power Solutions (June 2014 to present); Vice
President of Operations
|
Raymond Cheung, 65
|
|
2007
|
|
Vice President Asia Operations
|
Peter Bittner III, 51
|
|
2015
|
|
President of Bel Connectivity Solutions (May 2015 to present)
|
Sherry Urban, 55
|
|
2020
|
|
Vice President of Human Resources (effective November 1, 2020)
|
Mr. Bernstein has served the Company as President since June 1992
and as Chief Executive Officer since May 2001. He previously
served as Vice President (1985-1992) and Treasurer (1986-1992) and
has served as a Director since 1986. He has occupied other
positions with the Company since 1978. He is currently a
director of Bel Fuse Inc., Cinch Connectors, Inc., Bel Transformer
Inc., Bel Power Inc. and Bel Stewart GmbH.
Mr. Tuweiq was appointed as the Company's Chief Financial Officer
effective February 15, 2021. Since July 29, 2021, Mr. Tuweiq
has additionally served as the Company’s principal financial
officer for purposes of the rules and regulations of the Securities
and Exchange Commission, and as the Company’s Treasurer.
Prior to joining Bel, he worked at BMO Capital Markets, member
of BMO Financial Group, where he led and helped build the
Industrial Technology Investment Banking practice. Mr. Tuweiq
spent his banking career advising public, private equity-backed,
and privately-held companies in the Electronic Components sector,
including manufacturers of connectors, passives and magnetics,
on Mergers & Acquisitions and capital raising.
Previously, Mr. Tuweiq worked at Schneider Electric, a public
multinational energy efficiency and automation provider, in its
North American headquarters within the FP&A group focused on
budgeting, forecasting, and business planning. Prior to that,
he worked at Ernst and Young, within the audit group, serving
public and private manufacturing and financial companies.
During his tenure, he worked on various audits, review of
Securities and Exchange Commission filings, IPO preparation,
implementation and testing of Sarbanes-Oxley compliance and
controls, and carve-out financials while obtaining his CPA
certification. Mr. Tuweiq earned his B.A in Finance and MS in
Accounting from Michigan State University and his MBA at Georgetown
University, McDonough School of Business.
Mr. Ackerman joined the Company in 1986 and has held the positions
of Customer Service Manager, Sales Manager, Purchasing Manager and
Operations Manager. In 2001, he was named Vice President of
Operations and in June 2014, he was named President of Bel Power
Solutions, Inc. In addition, Mr. Ackerman is currently a
director of BPS Asia Pacific Electronics (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd., Bel
Transformer Inc., Bel Power Solutions Inc., Bel Power Solutions
GmbH, Bel Power Inc., and Dongguan Transpower Electric Products
Company Limited. Mr. Ackerman has an MBA degree from
Fairleigh Dickinson University.
Mr. Cheung joined the Company in 1990 and has served as a Regional
Sales Manager and as Director of Sales for Asia. In October
2007, he was appointed Vice President Asia Operations. Mr.
Cheung is currently a director of Bel Fuse (Macao Commercial
Offshore) Limited and TRP Connector B.V. Prior to joining the
Company, Mr. Cheung worked as a Design and Project Engineer at
Astec Power Computer Products, and as a Technical Sales Manager at
Asian Sources Magazine.
Mr. Bittner began his career in 1991 at Stewart Connector
Systems. He joined Insilco Technologies, Stewart Connector’s
parent company, in 1999, serving as Industry Marketing
Manager. Following Insilco’s acquisition by Bel in 2003, Mr.
Bittner was named General Manager of Stewart Connector. Mr.
Bittner assumed responsibility for the acquired businesses of Cinch
Connectors, Gigacom Interconnect, Array Connector and Fibreco from
their respective dates of acquisition. In May 2015, Mr.
Bittner was named President of Bel Connectivity Solutions. He
holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management.
Ms. Urban was appointed as the Company's Vice President of Human
Resources effective October 30, 2020. She is a certified
member of HRCI and is also active with SHRM, a Washington,
D.C.-based think tank for HR professionals. Ms. Urban had been
Director of Human Resources for Bel's Cinch Connectivity and Bel
Power Solutions businesses since 2014, when she joined the
Company through Bel’s acquisition of Emerson Network Power
Connectivity Solutions from Emerson Electric, where she was
Director of Human Resources since 2007. Prior to that she had
been with Stratos International since 2000, also as Director of
Human Resources, through its acquisition by Emerson Electric. Prior
to that she was Manager of Human Resources for Methode Electronics
going back to 1987. She earned a BA in Human Resources Management
at DePaul University in Chicago.
Beneficial Ownership of the Company’s Stock
The following table sets forth certain information regarding the
ownership of Bel’s Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock as
of March 31, 2022 by (a) each director and nominee, (b) the
Company’s Chief Executive Officer, our Chief Financial Officer, our
three other most highly compensated executive officers serving at
December 31, 2021 and our former principal financial officer who
retired during 2021 (these six persons are referred to herein as
the “Named Officers” or the “named executive officers”) and (c) all
directors and current executive officers as a group. Unless
otherwise stated in the footnotes following the table, the
nominees, directors and Named Officers listed in the table have
sole power to vote and dispose of the shares which they
beneficially owned as of March 31, 2022. The percentage for
the Class A Common Stock represents the percent of the Class whose
voting rights were not suspended. See “Vote Required; Shares
Entitled to Vote; Principal Shareholders”.
|
Aggregate Number of Shares Beneficially Owned (1)
|
|
Class A Common Stock
|
Class B Common Stock
|
|
No. of Shares
|
Percent of Class Whose Voting Rights Were
Not Suspended
|
No. of Shares
|
Percent of
Outstanding Shares
|
Daniel Bernstein(2)
|
381,747
|
17.8
|
37,274
|
*
|
Farouq Tuweiq(3)
|
2,594
|
*
|
14,000
|
*
|
Peter Gilbert(4)
|
500
|
*
|
25,000
|
*
|
Eric Nowling(5)
|
--
|
--
|
8,000
|
*
|
Mark Segall(6)
|
--
|
--
|
12,000
|
*
|
John F. Tweedy(7)
|
250
|
*
|
20,650
|
*
|
Vincent Vellucci(8)
|
--
|
--
|
8,000
|
*
|
Thomas E. Dooley(9)
|
--
|
--
|
4,000
|
*
|
Rita V. Smith(10)
|
--
|
--
|
4,000
|
*
|
Jacqueline Brito(11)
|
--
|
*
|
4,000
|
*
|
Dennis Ackerman(12)
|
4,317
|
*
|
26,633
|
*
|
Raymond Cheung(13)
|
158
|
*
|
38,825
|
*
|
Peter Bittner III(14)
|
3,267
|
*
|
23,307
|
*
|
Craig Brosious(15)
|
1,150
|
*
|
2,250
|
*
|
All current directors, nominees and executive officers as a group
(14 persons)(16)
|
394,860
|
18.4
|
238,689
|
2.3
|
|
1.
|
As of March 31, 2022, there were 2,144,912 and 10,373,102 shares of
Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock outstanding,
respectively. A total of 1,735,312 shares of Class A
Common Stock are entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting (the voting
rights of one shareholder owning an aggregate of 409,600 shares of
Class A Common Stock have been suspended).
|
|
2.
|
The shares of Class A Common Stock beneficially owned by Mr.
Bernstein include 5,652 shares allocated to Mr. Bernstein in the
Company’s 401(k) Plan over which he has voting but no investment
power. The shares of Class B Common Stock beneficially
owned by Daniel Bernstein include 10,934 shares allocated to Mr.
Bernstein in the Company’s 401(k) Plan over which he has no voting
or investment power, 4,265 shares held of record by Mr. Bernstein’s
wife, and 15,000 shares of restricted stock. The shares
of Class A Common Stock beneficially owned by Mr. Bernstein exclude
55,939 shares owned by a trust in which Mr. Bernstein is a
beneficiary but does not serve as trustee and has no voting or
investment power with respect to the shares. The shares
of Class B Common Stock beneficially owned by Mr. Bernstein exclude
59,052 shares owned by a family limited liability company of which
Mr. Bernstein is a minority member but does not serve as managing
member and has no voting or investment power with respect to the
shares.
|
|
3.
|
The shares of Class A Common Stock beneficially owned by Mr. Tuweiq
include 594 shares allocated to him in the Company's 401(k) Plan
over which he has voting but no investment power. The shares
of Class B common stock beneficially owned by Mr. Tuweiq included
10,000 shares of restricted stock.
|
|
4.
|
The shares of Class B Common Stock beneficially owned by Mr.
Gilbert include 1,250 shares held of record by Mr. Gilbert’s
wife and 3,000 shares of restricted stock.
|
|
5.
|
The shares of Class B Common Stock beneficially owned by Mr.
Nowling include 2,000 shares of restricted stock.
|
|
6.
|
The shares of Class B Common Stock beneficially owned by Mr. Segall
include 4,000 shares of restricted stock.
|
|
7.
|
The shares of Class B Common Stock beneficially owned by Mr. Tweedy
include 3,000 shares of restricted stock.
|
|
8.
|
The shares of Class B Common Stock beneficially owned by Mr.
Vellucci include 4,000 shares of restricted stock.
|
|
9.
|
The shares of Class B Common Stock beneficially owned by Mr.
Dooley consist of 4,000 shares of restricted stock.
|
|
10.
|
The shares of Class B Common Stock beneficially owned by Dr. Smith
consist of 4,000 shares of restricted stock.
|
|
11.
|
The shares of Class B Common Stock beneficially owned by Ms. Brito
consist of 4,000 shares of restricted stock.
|
|
12.
|
The 4,317 shares of Class A Common Stock beneficially owned by Mr.
Ackerman are allocated to him in the Company’s 401(k) Plan; he has
voting but no investment power with respect to these
shares. The shares of Class B Common Stock owned by Mr.
Ackerman include 6,633 shares allocated to him in the Company’s
401(k) Plan over which he has no voting or investment power and
12,500 shares of restricted stock.
|
|
13.
|
The 158 shares of Class A Common Stock beneficially owned by Mr.
Cheung are allocated to him in the Far East Retirement Plan (as
described under “Other Non-Performance Benefit Plans” within
the Executive Compensation section of this proxy statement); he has
voting but no investment power with respect to these
shares. The shares of Class B Common Stock beneficially
owned by Mr. Cheung include 825 shares allocated to him in the Far
East Retirement Plan over which he has no voting or investment
power and 12,500 shares of restricted stock.
|
|
14.
|
The shares of Class A Common Stock beneficially owned by Mr.
Bittner include 3,267 shares allocated to him in the Company’s
401(k) Plan over which he has voting but no investment
power. The shares of Class B Common Stock beneficially
owned by Mr. Bittner include 1,807 shares allocated to him in the
Company’s 401(k) Plan over which he has no voting or investment
power and 10,000 shares of restricted stock.
|
|
15.
|
Mr. Brosious previously served as the Company’s Vice President of
Finance, Treasurer and Secretary until July 29, 2021, on which date
Mr. Tuweiq, the Company’s Chief Financial Officer, was additionally
appointed as the Company’s “principal financial officer” for
purposes of the rules and regulations of the Securities and
Exchange Commission. Mr. Brosious continued with the Company
as Vice President of Finance until his retirement on September 30,
2021.
|
|
16.
|
Includes 15,857 and 19,374 shares of Class A Common Stock and Class
B Common Stock, respectively, allocated in the Company’s 401(k)
Plan and Far East Retirement Plan over which such persons have with
respect to the Class A Common Stock, voting but no investment
power, and with respect to the Class B Common Stock, no voting or
investment power. The Class B Common Stock also includes
99,000 restricted shares.
|
* Shares constitute less than one percent of the
shares of Class A Common Stock or Class B Common Stock
outstanding.
Delinquent Section 16(a) Reports
Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 requires the
Company’s directors, executive officers and greater than ten
percent beneficial owners to file with the Securities and Exchange
Commission certain reports regarding such persons’ initial
ownership and changes in ownership of the Company’s
securities. Based solely upon a review of the copies of such
reports filed with the SEC and of written representations by
certain officers and directors, the Company believes that all
persons subject to the reporting requirements of Section 16(a)
filed the required reports on a timely basis during the fiscal year
ended December 31, 2021, except for one Form 4 filed on behalf of
Mr. Tuweiq with respect to one transaction exempt from Section
16(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 pursuant to Rule
16b-3(d), which was inadvertently filed late on June 1, 2021 due to
administrative oversight.
EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
Summary of Cash and Certain Other Compensation
The following table sets forth, for the years ended December 31,
2021 and 2020, a summary of the compensation earned by our
Chief Executive Officer, our Chief Financial Officer, our three
other most highly compensated executive officers serving at
December 31, 2021 and our former principal financial officer who
retired during 2021. In this proxy statement, we refer to
these six individuals as the “Named Officers” or the “named
executive officers”.
SUMMARY COMPENSATION TABLE
Name and Principal Position
|
Year
|
Salary
($)
|
Bonus
($)
|
Stock
Awards
($)
|
Change in Pension Value and Nonqualified Deferred Compensation
Earnings
($)
|
All Other Compensation
($)
|
Total
($)
|
Daniel Bernstein,
President and Chief Executive
Officer
|
2021
2020
|
400,000
400,000
|
276,923
23,077
|
170,520
-
|
(171,400)
209,024
|
26,169
22,695
|
702,212
654,796
|
Farouq
Tuweiq
Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer
|
2021
|
250,264
|
270,000
|
164,600
-
|
-
|
38,150
|
723,014
|
Craig Brosious,
Former Vice President of Finance, Treasurer and
Secretary(1)
|
2021
2020
|
243,611
275,000
|
-
15,865
|
-
-
|
-
294,245
|
23,858
19,005
|
267,469
604,115
|
Dennis Ackerman,
President of Bel Power Solutions
|
2021
2020
|
300,000
300,000
|
207,692
17,308
|
142,100
-
|
(75,756)
195,607
|
20,903
20,189
|
594,939
533,104
|
Raymond Cheung,
Vice President Asia Operations
|
2021
2020
|
275,000
275,000
|
190,385
15,865
|
142,100
-
|
21,584
232,622
|
29,050
29,750
|
658,119
553,237
|
Peter Bittner III,
President of Bel Connectivity Solutions
|
2021
2020
|
275,000
275,000
|
190,385
15,865
|
-
82,400
|
(74,878)
204,765
|
21,852
20,651
|
412,359
598,681
|
(1) Mr.
Brosious previously served as the Company’s Vice President of
Finance, Treasurer and Secretary until July 29, 2021, on which date
Mr. Tuweiq, the Company’s Chief Financial Officer, was additionally
appointed as the Company’s “principal financial officer” for
purposes of the rules and regulations of the Securities and
Exchange Commission. Mr. Brosious continued with the Company
as Vice President of Finance until his retirement on September 30,
2021.
In the table above:
|
●
|
We accrued the bonuses set forth in the table above for 2021 and
2020 in our consolidated statements of operations for the years
ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively, but such bonuses
were not paid until the following year.
|
|
●
|
When we refer to Change in Pension Value and Nonqualified Deferred
Compensation Earnings, we are referring to the aggregate change in
the present value of the Named Officer’s accumulated benefit under
our Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan for the year.
|
|
●
|
“All other compensation” for 2021 consists of the
following:
|
Name
|
Transportation Allowance ($)
|
Employer Contributions to 401(k) Plan to Match Pre-tax Elective
Contributions (included under “Salary”) ($)
|
Dividends paid with respect to Restricted Shares Referenced in the
Beneficial Ownership Table above ($)
|
Daniel Bernstein
|
10,200
|
10,150
|
1,680
|
Farouq Tuweiq
|
7,350
|
7,525
|
1,400
|
Craig Brosious
|
6,300
|
8,348
|
210
|
Dennis Ackerman
|
8,400
|
10,150
|
1,400
|
Raymond Cheung
|
8,400
|
-
|
1,400
|
Peter Bittner III
|
8,400
|
10,150
|
3,150
|
For Mr. Tuweiq, “All Other Compensation” also includes $21,875
credited to his deferred compensation account under the Company’s
Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Plan for 2021 (see "Compensation
Elements – Retirement Benefits” below).
For Mr. Brosious, “All Other Compensation” also includes $9,000
paid under a post-retirement consulting agreement through December
31, 2021.
For Mr. Cheung, “All Other Compensation” also includes a
contribution to his Far East Retirement Plan account of $19,250, an
amount in excess of Mr. Cheung’s 2021 pre-tax elective deferral
contributions (included under “Salary”).
Restricted Stock Awards
We are authorized to grant restricted stock awards under our 2020
Equity Compensation Plan, and prior to June 10, 2020, under the
Company's 2011 Equity Compensation Program. Participants have
the right to vote (if applicable) and receive dividends on their
restricted shares. Restrictions on the awards shown below lapse in
25% increments commencing two years after the grant date. The table
below provides information with respect to restricted stock awards
granted to our Named Officers in 2021.
Grants of Plan-Based Awards During 2021
Name
(a)
|
Grant Date
(b)
|
Number of Shares or
Units of Stock
(#)
(i)
|
Grant Date Fair Value of Stock Awards (1)
($)
(l)
|
Dennis Ackerman
|
11/15/21
|
10,000
|
142,100
|
Daniel Bernstein
|
11/15/21
|
12,000
|
170,520
|
Raymond Cheung
|
11/15/21
|
10,000
|
142,100
|
Farouq Tuweiq
|
5/15/21
|
10,000
|
164,600
|
|
1.
|
In calculating market values in the table above, we have multiplied
the closing market price of our Class B Common Stock on the date of
grant by the applicable number of shares of Class B Common Stock
underlying the Named Officers’ unvested stock
award.
|
Compensation Elements
Salary
We pay salaries to our Named Officers in order to provide a base
compensation to them for their day-to-day responsibilities in
managing our business. We do not rely upon consultants to set our
salaries, to establish salary ranges or to provide advice regarding
other compensation matters, nor do we engage in any benchmarking
activities. The Company views base salary simply as a fixed
component of overall compensation, with a large variable portion
being derived from annual bonuses as described below.
In terms of overall compensation, our Chief Executive Officer
receives salary recommendations from our U.S. management team and
our Far East management team. Our Chief Executive Officer then
formulates his own recommendations which he presents to our
Compensation Committee. Our Chief Executive Officer does not
participate in the deliberations regarding his own salary, but does
participate in discussions regarding salary levels for our other
Named Officers. Salary levels are typically reviewed in December,
and adjusted from time to time after taking into account overall
Company performance as well as team performance.
Bonus
Bel has a Company-performance based bonus plan in which a broad
base of associates participate. Financial results are
monitored on a quarterly basis by the Chief Executive Officer, the
Chief Financial Officer, the President of Bel Power Solutions and
the President of Bel Connectivity Solutions. Management
utilizes net income as the financial measure in evaluating the
Company’s performance as compared to prior quarters. Based on
the quarterly review, a bonus accrual may be established by the
Compensation Committee based on recommendations from the Chief
Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, the President of
Bel Power Solutions and the President of Bel Connectivity
Solutions. At the end of each year in which a bonus accrual
has been established, the Compensation Committee receives
recommendations from the Chief Executive Officer with respect to
the payment of specific bonuses to specific individuals, based upon
the overall size of that year’s bonus pool as well as each
individual's respective participation in achieving team
objectives throughout the year. The decision to grant bonuses is
ultimately made by the Company’s Compensation Committee. The
target bonus payment for Bel’s key executives (including the Named
Officers) is 4-6 months of their annual salary; however, this
varies dependent upon the bonus pool established during the year
and may vary by individual based on extenuating
circumstances. For each of 2021 and 2022 Mr. Tuweiq is
also entitled to an incremental bonus equal to 8-weeks of base
salary provided he is employed by the Company for the entire
calendar year. For 2021, Mr. Tuweiq’s incremental bonus was
$45,000.
For 2020 and 2021, an overall bonus pool was allocated among
executives, management, and technical and administrative employees
of the Company based on number of weeks’ pay, in accordance with
their respective contributions to our corporate performance.
In 2021, of a total bonus pool of $5.2 million, $1.1
million was allocated to our Named Officers. In
2020, of a total bonus pool of $2.5 million, $87,980 was allocated
to our Named Officers.
Long-Term Stock Incentive Compensation
Our Equity Compensation Plan is designed to help attract and retain
individuals with superior experience and skillsets for positions of
substantial responsibility within our Company and to provide these
persons with an additional incentive to contribute to the success
of our Company, all of which we expect will result in increased
shareholder value. Our 2020 Equity Compensation Plan (and
previously, our 2011 Equity Compensation Program) permits us to
issue various types of non-cash awards based on our Class B Common
Stock: restricted and unrestricted stock grants, restricted
stock units, stock options (which may be incentive and/or
non-qualified options) and stock appreciation rights. Restricted
stock grants are awards of actual shares of our common stock,
without any initial cost to the associate, but subject to a vesting
restriction. The shares cannot be sold or transferred until the
restriction ends and the shares become “vested.” Shares not vested
are forfeited back to us if the conditions for ending the
restrictions are not met. For the past several years, we have
relied upon restricted stock awards as our primary form of
long-term stock incentive compensation because we believe that they
aid in retaining our key executives, who are positioned to benefit
from an increase in share value.
The shares subject to restricted stock awards are typically earned
in 25% increments on the second, third, fourth and fifth
anniversaries of the grant date, provided the employee has remained
employed by the Company through such anniversary dates; otherwise
the unearned shares are forfeited. As noted in the table
above, restricted shares were granted to certain of the Named
Officers in 2021 as follows: 12,000 shares to Mr. Bernstein, and
10,000 shares of restricted stock were granted to each Mr.
Ackerman, Mr. Cheung and Mr. Tuweiq. We granted in 2020 10,000
shares of restricted stock to Mr. Bittner. While our 2011
Equity Compensation Program and our 2020 Equity Compensation
Plan do not preclude the grant of restricted shares on an
annual basis. All new awards will be made under the 2020 Equity
Compensation Plan; no additional awards will be made under the 2011
Equity Compensation Program.
Generally, our experience has been to consider stock-based awards
at the quarterly director meetings, as opposed to granting options
and stock awards throughout the year. By making our grant
determinations at specific times each year, we avoid even an
appearance of coordinating grants with release dates of material
information not previously disclosed to the public.
Retirement Benefits
We have designed our Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan, or
“SERP”, to provide a limited number of our key management and other
key associates with supplemental retirement and death benefits.
Each of our Named Officers, aside from Mr. Tuweiq, is a participant
in the SERP. Participants in the SERP are selected by our
Compensation Committee based upon recommendations from our Chief
Executive Officer. We believe that this benefit incentivizes
key associates to remain with us on a career-long basis and
engenders loyalty to our Company.
Benefits available under the SERP vary depending upon when and how
a participant terminates employment with us. If a participant
retires on his normal retirement date (65 years old, 20 years of
service, and five years of participation in the SERP), his or her
normal retirement benefit under the SERP would be annual payments
equal to 40% of his or her average base compensation -- using
compensation from the highest five consecutive calendar years of
SERP participation -- payable in monthly installments for the
remainder of his or her life. If a participant retires early (55
years old, 20 years of service, and five years of participation in
the SERP), his or her early retirement benefit would be an amount
(i) calculated as if his or her early retirement date were in fact
such participant’s normal retirement date, (ii) multiplied by a
fraction, the numerator being the actual years of service the
participant has with us and the denominator being the years of
service the participant would have had if he or she had retired at
his or her normal retirement date, and (iii) actuarially reduced to
reflect the early retirement date. If a participant dies prior to
receiving 120 monthly payments under the SERP, his or her
beneficiary is entitled to continue receiving benefits for the
shorter of (i) the time necessary to complete 120 monthly payments
or (ii) 60 months. If a participant dies while employed by us, his
or her beneficiary will receive, as a survivor benefit, an annual
amount equal to (i) 100% of the participant’s annual base salary at
the date of death for one year, and (ii) 50% of the participant’s
annual base salary at the date of death for each of the following
four years, each payable in monthly installments. Our SERP also
provides for disability benefits, and a forfeiture of benefits if a
participant terminates employment for reasons other than those
contemplated under the SERP.
In the event of a “change in control” (as defined in the SERP),
each participant who is employed by us at the time of the change in
control will be entitled to a normal retirement benefit commencing
immediately following termination of employment (or in the case of
certain participants who are “specified employees” for purposes of
Section 409A of the Code (discussed below), six months after
termination of employment). The normal retirement benefit
payable under these circumstances will be the actuarial equivalent
of the benefit that would commence upon the date that the
participant would have attained his or her normal retirement date
if he or she had not terminated employment. Further, each
participant’s average base compensation will be deemed to be equal
to his or her annual base compensation in effect prior to the
change in control. If we have established a trust to
accumulate assets from which to pay SERP benefits, then we will
fully fund the trust in connection with a change in control in
order to ensure that there will be sufficient assets set aside to
pay all SERP benefits. A “change in control” for purposes of
the SERP includes a merger or consolidation with another
corporation whereby our shareholders do not own a majority of the
surviving or successor entity, an acquisition of 50% or more of our
voting securities by one person or a group of persons acting
together, a sale of all or substantially all of our assets to any
person, our dissolution or liquidation or if the members of our
incumbent Board of Directors (or their successors, if approved by
them) cease for any reason to constitute at least two-thirds of the
members of our Board.
As of December 31, 2021, Mr. Bernstein and Mr. Cheung were eligible
for normal retirement under the SERP. Had each retired on
December 31, 2021, Mr. Bernstein would have been eligible for a
monthly benefit under the SERP in the amount of $13,333 payable for
life, and Mr. Cheung would have been eligible for a monthly benefit
payment under the SERP in the amount of $9,000 payable for
life. As of December 31, 2021, Mr. Ackerman was eligible for
early retirement under the SERP. Had Mr Ackerman retired on
December 31, 2021, he would have been eligible for a monthly
benefit under the SERP in the amount of $6,012 payable for
life. Had each of our Named Officers terminated employment on
December 31, 2021 in connection with a change in control, they
would have been entitled under the SERP to a monthly benefit for
life as follows: Mr. Bernstein, $13,333; Mr. Ackerman,
$8,537; Mr. Cheung, $9,000; and Mr. Bittner, $5,899. The
present value of those change in control benefits for the Named
Officers, using the actuarial assumptions used for our financial
reporting purposes, would be as follows: Mr. Bernstein,
$2,304,385; Mr. Ackerman, $1,857,143; Mr. Cheung, $1,691,611; and
Mr. Bittner, $1,326,884. Mr. Brosious, who retired during
2021, commenced receiving a monthly benefit under the SERP for life
beginning October 1, 2021 in the amount of $8,350 per
month.
The Company will credit Mr. Tuweiq’s account under the Company’s
Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Plan (“DCP”) with $25,000 for
each of his first four years of participation. Thereafter,
annual credits to his DCP account will either be in fixed amounts
or a percentage of his base salary, with a target credit of $10,000
per year. The DCP account, as adjusted for earnings and losses,
vests in full at age 55 or upon termination due to disability,
death or a change in control (as defined in the DCP). In the
event of termination due to any other reason before age 55, the DCP
account is forfeited. The DCP account, if vested, is payable
in a single lump sum upon the earlier of separation from service or
a change in control. The balance of Mr. Tuweiq’s DCP account
as of December 31, 2021 was $23,450.
Other Non-Performance Benefit Plans
Our Named Officers are eligible to participate, as are all our
associates who meet service requirements under the several plans,
in the following types of non-performance benefit plans. Our
associates, including our Named Officers, are entitled to
participate in either our domestic 401(k) plan or our Far East
Retirement Plan.
|
●
|
Pursuant to our domestic 401(k) plan, we make matching
contributions of pre-tax elective deferral contributions made by
associates. During 2020 and 2021, the Company matched 100% of the
first 1% of compensation contributed by participants and 50% of the
next 5% of compensation contributed by
participants. Compensation of participants in excess of
statutory limits for tax-qualified plans ($290,000 in 2021) is
disregarded for purposes of determining contributions by
participants and matching contributions. Matching contributions
during 2020 and 2021 were made in cash and invested in
shares of our Class A Common Stock, though participants who have
three or more years of service are able to divest their Class A
Common Stock and reinvest in other investment alternatives offered
under the plan. For years prior to 2012, our matching
contributions under the domestic 401(k) plan were made in shares of
our Class B Common Stock.
|
|
●
|
The Far East Retirement Plan is a defined contribution mandatory
provident fund arrangement established pursuant to Hong Kong
law. Subject to certain minimum and maximum levels under
Hong Kong law, five percent of a participant’s salary must be
contributed to the Far East Retirement Plan. We match
amounts contributed to the Far East Retirement Plan. Our
current match equals 7% of an associate’s base
salary. Under the Far East Retirement Plan, our matching
amounts are currently made partly in shares of our Class B Common
Stock - approximately 10% of our contribution - and partly in cash
- approximately 90% of our contribution. Mr. Cheung is
the only Named Officer who participates in the Far East Retirement
Plan.
|
|
●
|
We maintain medical and dental health insurance plans for our
associates on a non-discriminatory basis. Except for
union associates covered by union programs, associates in the U.S.
contribute approximately 20% of the premiums related to our medical
and dental insurance plans. We also provide life
insurance for all U.S. associates.
|
We believe that the insurance plans we offer are important
components of our comprehensive benefit package, and induce
associates to remain with us. We believe that our domestic 401(k)
plan and our Far East Retirement Plan induce our associates to save
for future retirement needs, and we encourage this by matching
individual plan contributions, as described above, by participating
associates.
Severance
The Company has a written severance pay plan that applies to all of
our full-time, non-union U.S. associates. Under the plan, a covered
associate is generally eligible for severance benefits if his or
her employment is involuntarily terminated without cause.
Severance pay is payable in a lump sum and is based on an eligible
associate’s years of service, including in certain cases years of
service with an entity acquired by the Company. Severance is
subject to the individual’s execution of a release agreement.
Severance is equal to two weeks of base pay for each year of
service, with a minimum of four weeks’ and a maximum of 52 weeks’
severance. An eligible employee is also eligible for Company-paid
health coverage for one month. Each of our Named Executive
Officers would be eligible for Bel’s standard severance policy as
noted herein, with the exception of Mr. Tuweiq who is eligible for
six months of his base salary in a lump sum payment in the case of
an eligible termination following the first anniversary of his
employment.
Compliance with Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue
Code
Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code denies a deduction to
any publicly held corporation for compensation paid to certain
“covered employees” in a taxable year to the extent that
compensation exceeds $1,000,000 for a covered employee.
Effective for taxable years beginning prior to January 1, 2018, an
exception to this deduction limit applied to “performance-based
compensation”, such as stock options and other equity awards, that
satisfies certain criteria, but a transition rule may allow the
exception to continue to apply to certain performance-based
compensation payable under written binding contracts that were in
effect on November 2, 2017.
The Compensation Committee intends to consider the potential impact
of Section 162(m) on compensation decisions, but reserves the right
to approve compensation for an executive officer that exceeds the
deduction limit of Section 162(m) in order to provide competitive
compensation packages.
Outstanding Equity Awards at December 31, 2021
The following table sets forth, for each of the Named Officers,
information regarding stock awards outstanding at December 31,
2021. Each of the stock awards referred to in the table below
was granted pursuant to our 2020 Equity Compensation Program. The
vesting dates applicable to each stock award are set forth in
footnotes that follow the table. None of our Named Officers had any
stock options outstanding as of December 31, 2021.
Name
(a)
|
Number of Shares or
Units of Stock That Have Not Vested
(#)
(b)
|
Market Value of Shares or Units of Stock That Have Not
Vested
($)
(c)
|
Daniel Bernstein
|
15,000
|
193,950
|
Dennis Ackerman
|
12,500
|
161,625
|
Farouq Tuweiq
|
10,000
|
129,300
|
Raymond Cheung
|
12,500
|
161,625
|
Peter Bittner III
|
10,000
|
129,300
|
In the table above, we are disclosing:
|
●
|
in column (b), the number of shares of our Class B Common Stock
covered by stock awards granted under our 2020 Equity Compensation
Program that were not vested or earned as of December 31, 2021;
and
|
|
●
|
in column (c), the aggregate market value or payout value as of
December 31, 2021 of the stock awards referenced in column
(b). In calculating market values in the table above, we
have multiplied the closing market price of our Class B Common
Stock on the last trading day in 2021 of $12.93 by the applicable
number of shares of Class B Common Stock underlying the Named
Officers’ unvested stock awards.
|
In the table above, the vesting dates for the Named Officers’ stock
awards are as follows:
|
●
|
As of December 31, 2021, Mr. Bernstein had 15,000 restricted shares
of Class B Common Stock, vesting as follows: 3,000 shares vest
as of November 15, 2022; 3,000 shares vest as of November 15, 2023;
3,000 shares vest as of November 15, 2024; 3,000 shares vest as of
November 15, 2025, and 3,000 shares vest as of November 15,
2026.
|
|
●
|
As of December 31, 2021, Mr. Ackerman had 12,500 restricted shares
of Class B Common Stock, vesting as follows: 2,500
shares vest as of November 15, 2022; 2,500 shares vest as of
November 15, 2023; 2,500 shares vest as of November 15, 2024; 2,500
shares vest as of November 15, 2025, and 2,500 shares vest as of
November 15, 2026.
|
|
●
|
As of December 31, 2021, Mr. Cheung had 12,500 restricted shares of
Class B Common Stock, vesting as follows: 2,500 shares vest as
of November 15, 2022; 2,500 shares vest as of November 15, 2023;
2,500 shares vest as of November 15, 2024; 2,500 shares vest as of
November 15, 2025, and 2,500 shares vest as of November 15,
2026.
|
|
●
●
|
As of December 31, 2021, Mr. Tuweiq had 10,000 restricted shares of
Class B Common Stock vesting as follows: 2,500 shares
vest as of May 15, 2023; 2,500 shares vest as of May 15, 2024;
2,500 shares vest as of May 15, 2025, 2,500 shares vest as of May
15, 2026.
As of December 31, 2021, Mr. Bittner had 10,000 restricted shares
of Class B Common Stock vesting as follows: 2,500 shares
vest as of November 15, 2022; 2,500 shares vest as of November 15,
2023; 2,500 shares vest as of November 15, 2024, 2,500 shares vest
as of November 15, 2025.
|
Equity Compensation Plan Information
The following table provides information as of December 31,
2021 with respect to shares of Class A and Class B Common
Stock that may be issued under our 2020 Equity Compensation
Plan. There are no further shares available for issuance
under the Company's 2011 Equity Compensation Program.
Plan Category
|
(a)
Number of Securities to be Issued Upon Exercise of Outstanding
Options, Warrants and Rights
|
(b)
Weighted-Average Exercise Price of Outstanding Options, Warrants
and Rights
|
(c)
Number of Securities Remaining Available For Future Issuance
Under Equity Compensation
Plans (Excluding Securities
Reflected in Column (a))
|
Equity Compensation Plans Approved by Security Holders:
2020 Equity Compensation Plan
|
Class
A: 0
Class
B: 0
|
Class A: $ 0
Class B: $ 0
|
Class
A: 0
Class B: 795,000
|
Equity Compensation Plans Not Approved by Security Holders
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
TOTAL
|
Class
A: 0
Class
B: 0
|
Class A: $ 0
Class B: $ 0
|
Class
A: 0
Class B: 795,000
|
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Director Compensation
The following table sets forth certain information regarding the
compensation we paid to our directors, other than Daniel Bernstein,
during 2021.
Name
(a)
|
Fees Earned or
Paid in Cash
($)
(b)
|
Stock
Awards
($)
(c)
|
All Other
Compensation
($)
(g)
|
Total
($)
(j)
|
Peter Gilbert
|
50,500
|
16,140
|
980
|
67,620
|
John F. Tweedy
|
50,500
|
16,140
|
980
|
67,620
|
Mark B. Segall
|
35,000
|
-
|
1,260
|
36,260
|
Eric Nowling
|
42,500
|
14,660
|
770
|
57,930
|
Vincent Vellucci
|
33,000
|
14,210
|
45,400
|
92,610
|
Thomas E. Dooley
|
30,000
|
-
|
1,120
|
31,120
|
Jacqueline Brito
|
-
|
-
|
63,243
|
63,243
|
Rita V. Smith
|
30,000
|
-
|
45,120
|
75,120
|
With
respect to compensation of our non-employee directors:
|
●
|
When we refer to “Fees Earned or Paid in Cash”, we are referring to
all cash fees that we paid or were accrued in 2021, including
annual retainer fees, committee fees and meeting fees; in 2021, our
non-employee directors received an annual retainer of $24,000, plus
$1,500 for each Board meeting they attended in person and $750 for
each non-audit or non-succession committee meeting they attended in
person. Audit Committee members received $2,500 for each
meeting they attended in person. Succession committee
members received $1,250 for each meeting they attended in
person.
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●
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When we refer to amounts under “Stock Awards”, we are referring to
the aggregate grant date fair value in accordance with FASB ASC
Topic 718. During 2021, Ms. Brito was granted 4,000
shares of restricted stock.
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●
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At December 31, 2021, our directors as of such date (other than
Daniel Bernstein) owned the following number of shares of
restricted stock, which vest as described below: Mr.
Gilbert, and Mr. Tweedy each owned a total of 3,000 shares, of
which 1,000 shares vest on May 15, 2022, 1,000 shares vest on May
15, 2023 and 1,000 shares vest on May 15, 2024; Mr. Segall,
Mr. Vellucci, Mr. Dooley, and Dr. Smith each owned a total of 4,000
shares, of which 1,000 shares vest on May 15th each year from 2022
- 2025; Mr. Nowling owned a total of 2,000 shares, of which 1,000
shares vest on August 10, 2022 and 1,000 shares vest on August 10,
2023; and Ms. Brito owned 4,000 shares, of which 1,000 shares vest
on November 15th each
year from 2023 – 2026.
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●
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“All other compensation” consists of the following:
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- For each of Ms. Smith and Mr. Vellucci, consulting fees paid in
the amount of $44,000 in connection with Bel’s global leadership
program.
- For each of Mr. Gilbert and Mr. Tweedy: dividends
on his shares of restricted stock in the amount of $980.
- For Mr. Nowling: dividends on his shares of restricted
stock in the amount of $770.
- For Mr. Segall: dividends on his shares of restricted
stock in the amount of $1,260.
- For Mr. Vellucci: dividends on his shares of
restricted stock in the amount of $1,400.
- For Mr. Dooley and Dr. Smith: dividends on their
shares of restricted stock in the amount of $1,120.
-For Ms. Brito, consulting fees in the amount of $63,243 paid to HR
Asset Partners, of which firm Ms. Brito is CEO and Founder, in
connection with associate engagement and retention and related
matters. Such fees were paid pursuant to the Consulting
Agreement, dated October 15, 2015, between the Company and HR Asset
Partners, as previously disclosed in the Company’s Current Report
on Form 8-K filed on October 29, 2021, which Consulting Agreement
is filed as Exhibit 10.9 to the Company’s Annual Report on Form
10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021.
|
In 2021, directors who were executive officers of the Company did
not receive directors’ fees. In 2021, directors of the
Company’s foreign subsidiaries did not receive a retainer or
meeting fees.
The Board of Directors; Committees of the Board
Since the adoption of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act in July 2002, there
has been a growing public and regulatory focus on the independence
of directors. NASDAQ has adopted amendments to its definition
of independence. Additional requirements relating to
independence are imposed by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act with respect to
members of the Audit Committee. As noted below, the Board has
determined that the members of the Audit Committee satisfy all such
definitions of independence. The Board has also determined
that the following members of the Board satisfy the NASDAQ
definition of independence: Peter Gilbert, John F. Tweedy, Mark B.
Segall, Thomas E. Dooley, Dr. Rita Smith, Eric Nowling, Vincent
Vellucci and Jacqueline Brito.
The Company’s Board of Directors meets quarterly throughout the
year. During 2021, the Board held four meetings.
Bel’s Board has an Executive Committee, a Compensation Committee,
an Audit Committee, a Nominating Committee and a Succession
Committee. The Executive Committee is comprised of Daniel
Bernstein, John F. Tweedy and Vincent Vellucci; the Audit Committee
is comprised of Peter Gilbert, Eric Nowling and John F. Tweedy; the
Nominating Committee is comprised of John F. Tweedy, Vincent
Vellucci and Mark Segall; the Succession Committee is comprised of
Peter Gilbert and John F. Tweedy; and the Compensation Committee is
comprised of Peter Gilbert and Mark Segall.
The function of the Executive Committee is to act in the place of
the Board when the Board cannot be convened.
The Compensation Committee is charged with the responsibility of
administering the Company’s employee benefit plans, reviews the
compensation of Bel’s executive officers and establishes general
compensation policies.
The Audit Committee reviews significant audit and accounting
principles, policies and practices, and meets with the Company’s
independent auditors. The Board of Directors has determined
that Eric Nowling qualifies as an “audit committee financial
expert”, as such term is defined by the Securities and Exchange
Commission (“SEC”). As noted above, Mr. Nowling -- as well as the
other members of the Audit Committee -- have been determined to be
“independent” within the meaning of SEC and NASDAQ regulations.
The Nominating Committee is responsible for nominating candidates
for election to the Company’s Board of Directors.
The Board has a Succession Committee, comprised of Peter Gilbert
and John F. Tweedy, whose purpose is to develop a succession plan
for Bel's senior executives. The committee implemented a plan to
identify and prepare individuals for positions and responsibilities
they would need to assume either in the case of an emergency or
under an orderly transition. The Succession Committee has
identified and presented to the Board current members of Bel's
management team that have the qualifications to fill the position
of Chief Executive Officer. These candidates have been working with
the current Chief Executive Officer, as well as other members of
the Board, to become knowledgeable about all aspects of the
position. The committee has also made recommendations with regard
to the configuration of the Board in the event the current Chief
Executive Officer is no longer able to hold his position on the
Board.
During 2021, the Executive Committee held one meetings, the Audit
Committee held eight meetings, the Compensation Committee held
three meetings, the Nominating Committee held one meeting and the
Succession Committee held four meetings. Each Director
attended at least 75% of the aggregate of the Board and committee
meetings on which he served in 2021.
Board Leadership Structure and Role in Risk
Oversight
Our President, Daniel Bernstein, also serves as Chief Executive
Officer of the Company. Additionally, Peter Gilbert serves as the
independent Lead Director. Among other things, the Lead Director
convenes and chairs regular and special executive sessions of the
independent directors and serves as liaison between the independent
directors and our President/Chief Executive Officer. We believe
that our leadership structure allows the Board to have better
control of the direction of management, while still retaining
independent oversight.
The Board’s role in our risk oversight process includes receiving
regular reports from members of management on areas of material
risk to the Company, including operational, financial, legal and
regulatory, and strategic risks. The full Board or the appropriate
committee receives these reports from management to enable it to
understand our risk identification, risk management and risk
mitigation strategies. When a committee receives the report, the
chairman of the relevant committee reports on the discussion to the
full Board at the next Board meeting. This enables the Board and
its committees to coordinate the risk oversight role, particularly
with respect to risk interrelationships.
Nominating Committee Matters
Nominating Committee Charter. The Board has adopted a
Nominating Committee charter to govern its Nominating
Committee. A copy of the charter is set forth on the
Company’s website, www.belfuse.com, under the Investor Information
tab.
Independence of Nominating Committee Members. All
members of the Nominating Committee of the Board of Directors have
been determined to be “independent directors” pursuant to the
definition contained in Rule 5605(a)(2) of the NASDAQ Marketplace
Rules.
Procedures for Considering Nominations Made by
Shareholders. The Nominating Committee’s charter
describes procedures for nominations to be submitted by
shareholders and other third-parties, other than candidates who
have previously served on the Board or who are recommended by the
Board. The charter states that a nomination must be delivered
to the Secretary of the Company at the principal executive offices
of the Company not later than the close of business on the 90th day
nor earlier than the close of business on the 120th day prior to
the first anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting;
provided, however, that if the date of the annual meeting is more
than 30 days before or more than 60 days after such
anniversary date, notice to be timely must be so delivered not
earlier than the close of business on the 120th day prior to such
annual meeting and not later than the close of business on the
later of the 90th day prior to such annual meeting or the close of
business on the 10th day following the day on which public
announcement of the date of such meeting is first made by the
Company. The public announcement of an adjournment or
postponement of an annual meeting will not commence a new time
period (or extend any time period) for the giving of a notice as
described above. The charter requires a nomination notice to
set forth as to each person whom the proponent proposes to nominate
for election as a director: (a) all information relating to
such person that is required to be disclosed in solicitations of
proxies for election of directors in an election contest, or is
otherwise required, in each case pursuant to Regulation 14A under
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (including such
person’s written consent to being named in the proxy statement as a
nominee and to serving as a director if elected), and (b)
information that will enable the Nominating Committee to determine
whether the candidate or candidates satisfy the criteria
established pursuant to the charter for director candidates.
Qualifications. The charter describes the minimum
qualifications for nominees and the qualities or skills that are
necessary for directors to possess. Each nominee:
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must satisfy any legal requirements applicable to members of the
Board;
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must have business or professional experience that will enable such
nominee to provide useful input to the Board in its
deliberations;
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●
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must have a reputation for honesty and ethical conduct;
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●
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must have a working knowledge of the types of responsibilities
expected of members of the board of directors of a public company;
and
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●
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must have experience, either as a member of the board of directors
of another public or private company or in another capacity, that
demonstrates the nominee’s capacity to serve in a fiduciary
position.
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Identification and Evaluation of Candidates for the Board.
Candidates to serve on the Board will be identified from all
available sources, including recommendations made by
shareholders. The Nominating Committee’s charter provides
that there will be no differences in the manner in which the
Nominating Committee evaluates nominees recommended by shareholders
and nominees recommended by the Committee or management, except
that no specific process shall be mandated with respect to the
nomination of any individuals who have previously served on the
Board. The evaluation process for individuals other than
existing Board members will include:
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a review of the information provided to the Nominating Committee by
the proponent;
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●
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a review of reference letters from at least two sources determined
to be reputable by the Nominating Committee; and
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●
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a personal interview of the candidate, together with a review of
such other information as the Nominating Committee shall determine
to be relevant.
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Third-Party Recommendations. In connection with the 2021
Annual Meeting, the Nominating Committee did not receive any
nominations from any shareholder or group of shareholders which
owned more than 5% of the Company’s Class A Common Stock or Class B
Common Stock for at least one year.
Board Diversity
The following Board Diversity Matrix presents our
Board diversity statistics in accordance with Nasdaq Rule 5606, as
self-disclosed by our directors. Our Board satisfies the
diversity objectives of Nasdaq Rule 5605(f)(2) by having at least
one director who identifies as female and at least one director who
identifies as a member of an Underrepresented Minority (as defined
by Nasdaq Rules). In addition to gender and demographic
diversity, we also recognize the value of other diverse attributes
that directors may bring to our Board. We are proud to report
that one of our directors identifies as a veteran. As we pursue
future Board recruitment efforts, our Nominating Committee will
continue to seek candidates who can contribute to the diversity of
views and perspectives of the Board. This includes seeking out
individuals of diverse ethnicities, a balance in terms of gender,
and individuals with diverse perspectives informed by other
personal and professional experiences.
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Board Diversity Matrix (As of April 14, 2022) |
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Total Number of Directors
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9 |
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Female
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Male
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Non-Binary
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Did Not Disclose Gender
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Part I: Gender Identity
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Directors
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2 |
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7 |
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0 |
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0 |
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Part II: Demographic Background
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African American or Black
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1 |
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0 |
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0 |
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0 |
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Alaskan Native or Native American
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0 |
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0 |
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|
0 |
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0 |
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Asian
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0 |
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0 |
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|
0 |
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0 |
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Hispanic or Latinx
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0 |
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0 |
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|
0 |
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0 |
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Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
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0 |
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0 |
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0 |
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0 |
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White
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1 |
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7 |
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0 |
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0 |
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Two or More Races or Ethnicities
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0 |
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0 |
|
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0 |
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0 |
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LGBTQ+
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|
0 |
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Did Not Disclose Demographic Background
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|
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0 |
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Directors who are Military Veterans
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1 |
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Audit Committee Matters
Audit Committee Charter. The Audit Committee performed
its duties during 2021 under a written charter approved by the
Board of Directors. A copy of the charter is set forth on the
Company’s website, www.belfuse.com, under the Investors &
Governance tab.
Independence of Audit Committee Members. The Class A and
Class B Common Stock are listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market
and the Company is governed by the listing standards applicable
thereto. All members of the Audit Committee of the Board of
Directors have been determined to be “independent directors”
pursuant to the definition contained in Rule 5605(a)(2) of the
NASDAQ Marketplace Rules and under the SEC’s Rule 10A-3.
Audit Committee Report. In connection with the preparation
and filing of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year
ended December 31, 2021:
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1.
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the Audit Committee reviewed and discussed the audited financial
statements with the Company’s management;
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2.
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the Audit Committee discussed with the Company’s independent
auditors the matters required to be discussed by the applicable
requirements of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, or
PCAOB, and the Securities and Exchange Commission;
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3.
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the Audit Committee received the written disclosures and the letter
from the Company’s independent accountant required by applicable
requirements of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board
regarding the independent accountants’ communications with the
Audit Committee concerning independence, and discussed with the
Company’s independent accountants their independence; and
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4.
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based on the review and discussions referred to above, the Audit
Committee recommended to the Board that the audited financial
statements be included in the 2021 Annual Report on Form 10-K
for filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
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By: The Audit Committee of the Board of Directors
Peter Gilbert
Eric Nowling
John F. Tweedy
Transactions with Related Parties
The Audit Committee of the Board of Directors monitors the
Company’s related party transactions and must approve in advance
any new related party transactions. On a quarterly basis, the
Audit Committee makes inquiry of management’s Disclosure Committee
to determine whether any of the members of that committee are aware
of any new related party transactions. Management’s Disclosure
Committee did not report any new related party transactions to the
Audit Committee during 2021.
Compensation Committee Matters
Charter. Our Board of Directors has defined the duties of
its Compensation Committee in a charter. A copy of the Compensation
Committee’s charter is included on the Company’s website,
www.belfuse.com, under the Investor Information tab.
Independence of Compensation Committee Members. All
members of the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors
have been determined to be “independent directors” pursuant to the
definition contained in Rule 5605(a)(2) of the NASDAQ Marketplace
Rules
Authority, Processes and Procedures. Our Compensation
Committee is responsible for administering our employee benefit
plans, for establishing the compensation of our Chief Executive
Officer and for determining the compensation of our other executive
officers. Our Compensation Committee also establishes
policies and monitors compensation for our associates in
general. While the Compensation Committee may, and does in
fact, delegate authority with respect to the compensation of
associates in general, the Compensation Committee retains overall
supervisory responsibility for associate compensation. With respect
to executive compensation, the Compensation Committee receives
recommendations and information from our Chief Executive Officer
regarding issues relevant to determinations made by the
Compensation Committee. Our Chief Executive Officer participates in
Compensation Committee deliberations regarding the compensation of
other executive officers, but does not participate in deliberations
regarding his own compensation.
Consultants. We typically do not involve consultants
in establishing the compensation of our associates or directors,
other than attorneys who assist us in the drafting of benefit plans
and comparable arrangements.
Shareholder Communication with the Board
The Board of Directors has established a procedure that enables
shareholders to communicate in writing with members of the Board.
Any such communication should be addressed to the Company’s
Secretary and should be sent to such individual c/o Bel Fuse Inc.,
206 Van Vorst Street, Jersey City, New Jersey 07302. Any such
communication must state, in a conspicuous manner, that it is
intended for distribution to the entire Board of Directors.
Shareholders may also communicate with the Board by directing
communications through the Corporate Secretary by following
instructions on the Company’s website. Under the procedures
established by the Board, upon the receipt of such a communication,
the Company’s Secretary will send a copy of such communication to
each member of the Board, identifying it as a communication
received from a shareholder. Absent unusual circumstances, at
the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Board held more than
two days after such communication has been distributed, the Board
will consider the substance of any such communication.
Board members are encouraged, but not required by any specific
Board policy, to attend the Company’s annual meeting of
shareholders. Five of the then-incumbent eight members of
the Board attended the Company’s 2021 annual meeting of
shareholders.
PROPOSAL 2
RATIFICATION OF THE DESIGNATION OF GRANT
THORNTON LLP TO
AUDIT BEL’S BOOKS AND ACCOUNTS FOR 2022
The Audit Committee has selected Grant Thornton LLP to audit Bel’s
books and accounts for the year ending December 31,
2022 and will offer a resolution at the meeting for
shareholders to ratify the designation. Although shareholder
ratification is not required, the designation of Grant Thornton LLP
is being submitted for ratification at the 2022 Annual Meeting
of Shareholders because it is perceived to be a matter of good
corporate governance practice to submit this issue for ratification
by shareholders. Ultimately, the Audit Committee retains full
discretion and will make all determinations with respect to the
appointment of Bel’s independent registered public accounting
firm.
Additional Information Regarding Change of Independent
Auditor
As previously disclosed in Bel’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed
on February 19, 2021, as amended by Bel’s Current Report on Form
8-K/A filed on March 12, 2021, on February 16, 2021, upon the
approval of the Audit Committee, the Company appointed Grant
Thornton LLP as the Company’s new independent registered public
accounting firm for the Company’s first quarter ending March 31,
2021 and its fiscal year ending December 31, 2021. On
February 16, 2021, the Company, upon the approval of the Audit
Committee, notified Deloitte & Touche LLP, the Company’s
then-current independent registered public accounting firm, that it
would be dismissed from that position upon completion of Deloitte
& Touche LLP’s audit of the Company’s consolidated financial
statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020.
Deloitte & Touche LLP served as the Company’s independent
registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ended
December 31, 2020. On March 12, 2021, when the Company filed
its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December
31, 2020 with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Deloitte
& Touche LLP completed its audit of the Company’s consolidated
financial statements for such fiscal year, and the Company’s
retention of Deloitte & Touche LLP as its independent
registered public accounting firm with respect to the audit of the
Company’s consolidated financial statements ended as of that
date.
During the Company’s fiscal years ended December 31, 2019 and
2020, and the subsequent interim period through March 12, 2021, the
effective date of Deloitte & Touche LLP’s dismissal: (i) the
Company did not have any disagreements with Deloitte & Touche
LLP on any matter of accounting principles or practices, financial
statement disclosure or auditing scope or procedure, which
disagreements, if not resolved to Deloitte & Touche LLP’s
satisfaction, would have caused Deloitte & Touche LLP to make
reference to the subject matter of disagreement in connection with
their reports on the Company’s consolidated financial statements;
and (ii) there were no “reportable events” as that term is
described in Item 304(a)(1)(v) of Regulation S-K.
Deloitte & Touche LLP’s reports on the Company’s consolidated
financial statements as of and for the fiscal years ended
December 31, 2019 and 2020 did not contain any adverse opinion
or a disclaimer of opinion, nor were they qualified or modified as
to uncertainty, audit scope or accounting principles.
During the Company’s fiscal years ended December 31, 2019 and 2020,
and the subsequent interim period through February 16, 2021, the
date of Grant Thornton LLP’s appointment, the Company did not
consult with Grant Thornton LLP regarding either of the following:
(1) the application of accounting principles to a specified
transaction, either completed or proposed, or the type of audit
opinion that might be rendered on the Company’s financial
statements, and Grant Thornton LLP did not provide a written report
or oral advice on any accounting, auditing or financial reporting
issue that Grant Thornton LLP concluded was an important factor
considered by the Company in reaching a decision as to the
accounting, auditing or financial reporting issue, or (2) any
matter that was either the subject of a disagreement, as defined in
Item 304(a)(1)(iv) of Regulation S-K and the related instructions,
or a “reportable event,” as described in Item 304(a)(1)(v) of
Regulation S-K.
The Board of Directors recommends a vote “FOR”
Proposal 2.
PROPOSAL 3
ADVISORY VOTE ON THE COMPENSATION OF OUR NAMED EXECUTIVE
OFFICERS
The Board of Directors has approved the compensation of our Named
Officers as described in this proxy statement under “Executive
Compensation”. The Board has decided, consistent with the vote of
our shareholders at the 2017 Annual Meeting, to hold a non-binding
advisory vote, commonly known as a “Say-on-Pay” vote, on an annual
basis. This vote gives you the opportunity to express your
views on our executive compensation. Because your vote is
advisory, it will not be binding upon the Compensation
Committee. However, the Compensation Committee will take the
outcome of the vote into account when making future executive
compensation decisions.
Our compensation program is designed to motivate our executive
officers to enhance long-term shareholder value and to attract and
retain the highest quality executive and key employee talent
available. We believe our executive compensation is aligned with
increasing the value of our common stock and promoting our key
strategies, values and long term financial and operational
objectives.
The Board of Directors believes that the compensation of our
executive officers is appropriate and recommends a vote
“FOR” the following advisory resolution:
“RESOLVED, that the compensation paid to the Company’s named
executive officers, as disclosed in the Company’s 2022 proxy
statement pursuant to Item 402 of Regulation S-K,
including the compensation tables and narrative discussion, is
hereby APPROVED.”
MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS
Relationship With Independent Public Accountants
Grant Thornton LLP, independent certified public accountants, has
been selected by the Audit Committee to audit and report on Bel’s
financial statements for the year ending December 31, 2022.
Representatives of Grant Thornton LLP (Bel's independent auditors
for the 2022 and 2021 fiscal years) are expected to be present at
the Annual Meeting and will have an opportunity to make a statement
if they so desire. The representatives are expected to
be available to respond to appropriate questions from
shareholders.
Audit Fees and Related Matters
In accordance with the requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of
2002 and the Audit Committee’s charter, all audit and audit-related
work and all non-audit work performed by the Company’s independent
accountants, Grant Thornton LLP (with regard to the year ended
December 31, 2021) and Deloitte & Touche LLP (with regard to
the year ended December 31, 2020), are approved in advance by the
Audit Committee, including the proposed fees for such work.
The Audit Committee is informed of each service actually
rendered.
Information regarding the aggregate fees for the respective
services billed or expected to be billed by (i) Grant Thornton LLP
for audit services provided for, and other services provided in,
the year ended December 31, 2021, and (ii) by Deloitte & Touche
LLP, our former independent auditor, for audit services provided
for, and other services provided in, the year ended December 31,
2020, is set forth below:
Audit Fees. Audit fees billed or expected to be billed
to the Company by Grant Thornton LLP and Deloitte &
Touche LLP for their respective audits of the financial statements
and audits of the effectiveness of our internal control over
financial reporting included in the Company’s Annual Reports on
Form 10-K, and reviews of the financial statements, included in the
Company’s Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, for the years ended
December 31, 2021 and 2020 totaled $1,875,819 and
$3,107,521 respectively.
Audit-Related Fees. The Company was not billed by
Grant Thornton LLP or Deloitte & Touche LLP during the year
ended December 31, 2021 or 2020 for any audit-related services
(defined as services which are reasonably related to the
performance of the audit or review of the Company’s financial
statements and are not reported under the caption “Audit Fees”
above).
Tax Fees. During the year ended December 31, 2021, the
Company was not billed by Grant Thornton LLP for any tax
services. The Company was billed $667,000 by Deloitte Tax LLP
(an affiliate of Deloitte & Touche LLP) for the year ended
December 31, 2020 for tax services, principally representing advice
regarding the preparation of income tax returns and
acquisition-related due diligence.
All Other Fees. For the years ended December 31, 2021
and 2020, the Company was not billed by Grant Thornton LLP or
Deloitte & Touche LLP, respectively, for services not covered
in the three immediately preceding paragraphs.
Other Matters. The Audit Committee of the Board of
Directors has considered whether the provision of Audit-Related
Fees, Tax Fees and All Other Fees are compatible with maintaining
the independence of the Company’s principal accountant.
Applicable law and regulations provide an exemption that permits
certain services to be provided by the Company’s outside auditors
even if they are not pre-approved. The Company has not relied
on this exemption at any time since the Sarbanes-Oxley Act was
enacted.
Other Matters
At the time that the notice was mailed to shareholders, management
was not aware that any matter would be presented for action at the
Annual Meeting other than the election of directors, the
ratification of the designation of Grant Thornton LLP to audit
Bel’s books and accounts for 2022 and the approval, on an advisory
basis, of our executive compensation. If other matters
properly come before the Annual Meeting, it is intended that the
shares represented by proxies will be voted with respect to those
matters in accordance with the recommendation of the Board or, in
the absence of such a recommendation, in accordance with the best
judgment of the persons voting them.
2023 Annual Meeting; Shareholder Proposals and
Nominations
Shareholders intending to present proposals at the 2023 Annual
Meeting of Shareholders must deliver their written proposals to the
Company no later than December 15, 2022 in order for such
proposals to be eligible for inclusion in the Company’s proxy
statement and proxy card relating to next year’s meeting and no
later than February 23, 2023 and no earlier than January 24,
2023 in order for such proposals to be considered at next
year’s meeting (but not included in the proxy statement for such
meeting). The Company’s Nominating Committee charter
describes procedures for nominations to be submitted by
shareholders and other third-parties. (See “Board of
Directors - Nominating Committee Matters.”) In addition to
satisfying the foregoing requirements outlined in the Company’s
Nominating Committee charter and under the Company’s bylaws, to
comply with the universal proxy rules (once effective),
shareholders who intend to solicit proxies in support of director
nominees other than Bel Fuse nominees must provide notice that sets
forth the information required by Rule 14a-19 under the Exchange
Act no later than March 27,
2023.
By Order of the Board of Directors
Lynn Hutkin, Secretary
Dated: April 14, 2022
Jersey City, New Jersey
A copy of the Company’s Annual Report for the year ended
December 31, 2021, including financial statements, accompanies this
proxy statement. The Annual Report is not to be
regarded as proxy soliciting material or as a communication by
means of which any solicitation is to be made.
A copy of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for
the year ended December 31, 2021, filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission, is available (excluding exhibits) on our
Company’s website
https://ir.belfuse.com/financial-information/sec-filings or,
without cost to shareholders upon written request made to Ms. Lynn
Hutkin, Bel Fuse Inc., 206 Van Vorst Street, Jersey City, New
Jersey 07302.

Important Notice Regarding the Internet Availability of
Proxy
Materials for the Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be held May
24, 2022
The 2022 Proxy Statement and the 2021 Annual Report
to
Shareholders are available at:
https://www.cstproxy.com/belfuse/2022
PROXY
BEL FUSE INC.
THIS PROXY IS SOLICITED ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF
DIRECTORS
FOR THE ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS,
MAY 24, 2022
The undersigned hereby appoints John F. Tweedy and Farouq Tuweiq,
and each of them, attorneys and proxies, with power of substitution
in each of them, to vote for and on behalf of the undersigned at
the annual meeting of the shareholders of the Company to be held on
May 24, 2022, and at any adjournment thereof, upon matters properly
coming before the meeting, as set forth in the related Notice of
Meeting and Proxy Statement, both of which have been received by
the undersigned. Without otherwise limiting the general
authorization given hereby, said attorneys and proxies are
instructed to vote as follows:
(Continued, and to be marked, dated and signed, on the other
side)
YOUR VOTE IS IMPORTANT. PLEASE VOTE TODAY.
Vote by Internet - QUICK *** EASY
IMMEDIATE - 24 Hours a Day, 7 Days a Week or by Mail
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Your Internet vote authorizes the named proxies to vote your
shares in the same manner as if you marked, signed and returned
your proxy card. Votes submitted electronically over the
Internet must be received by 11:59 p.m., Local Time, on May 23,
2022.
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INTERNET -
www.cstproxyvote.com
Use the Internet to vote your proxy.
Have your proxy card available when you access the
above website. Follow the prompts to vote your shares.
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Vote at the Meeting -
If you plan to attend the virtual online annual meeting,
you will need your 12 digit control number to vote
electronically at the annual meeting. To attend:
https://www.cstproxy.com/belfuse/2022
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MOBILE VOTING
On your Smarphone/Tablet, open the QR Reader
and scan the below image. Once the voting site
is displayed, enter your Control Number from the
proxy card and vote your shares.
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PLEASE DO NOT RETURN THE PROXY CARD IF YOU
ARE VOTING ELECTRONICALLY. |
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MAIL - Mark, sign and date your proxy card and
and return it in the postage-paid envelope provided.
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PROXY
UNLESS OTHERWISE SPECIFIED IN THE SQUARES OR SPACE PROVIDED IN
THIS PROXY, THIS PROXY WILL BE VOTED "FOR" THE BOARD'S NOMINEES,
AND "FOR" PROPOSALS 2 AND 3.
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Please mark
your votes
like this
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☒
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1. Election of the Board’s nominees for Director for the
terms described in the Proxy Statement. (The Board of
Directors recommends a vote “FOR”.)
NOMINEES:
(1) Daniel Bernstein
(2) Peter Gilbert
(3) Vincent Vellucci
(4) Jacqueline Brito
INSTRUCTION: To withhold authority to vote for any individual
nominee listed above, write the nominee's name in the space
provided below.
____________________________________________________________
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FOR the nominees
listed (except
as marked to the
contrary below)
☐
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WITHHOLD
AUTHORITY
to vote for the
nominees listed
☐
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3. With respect to the approval, on an advisory basis, of the
executive compensation of Bel's named executive officers as
described in the proxy statement (The Board of Directors
recommends a for “FOR”.)
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FOR
☐
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AGAINST
☐
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ABSTAIN
☐
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2. With respect to the ratification of the designation of
Grant Thornton LLP to audit Bel's books and accounts for
2022 (The Board of Directors recommends a vote
"FOR".)
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FOR
☐
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AGAINST
☐
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ABSTAIN
☐
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4. Upon all such other matters as may properly come before
the meeting and/or any adjournment or adjournments thereof, as they
in their discretion may determine. The Board of Directors is not
aware of any such other matters.
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CONTROL NUMBER
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Signature ____________________________________ Signature,
if held jointly ______________________________________
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Date __________, 2022
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Please sign this proxy and return it promptly whether or not you
expect to attend the meeting. You may nevertheless vote in
person if you attend. Please sign exactly as your name
appears hereon. Give full title if an Attorney, Executor,
Administrator, Trustee, Guardian, etc. For an account in the
name of two or more persons, each should sign, or if one signs, he
should attach evidence of his authority.
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