UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE 14A
(Rule 14a-101)
INFORMATION REQUIRED IN PROXY STATEMENT
SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION
Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934
(Amendment No. )
Filed by the Registrant
|
☒
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Filed by a Party other than the Registrant
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☐
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Check the appropriate box:
|
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☒
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Preliminary Proxy Statement
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☐
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Confidential, For Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by
Rule 14a-6(e)(2))
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☐
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Definitive Proxy Statement
|
☐
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Definitive Additional Materials
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☐
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Soliciting Material Pursuant to Section 240.14a-12
|
BIORESTORATIVE THERAPIES, 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):
|
|
|
☒
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No fee required.
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☐
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Fee paid previously with preliminary materials.
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☐
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Fee computed on table in exhibit required by Item 25(b) per
Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11.
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BIORESTORATIVE THERAPIES, INC.
40 Marcus Drive, Suite One
Melville, New York 11747
NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
TO BE HELD ON OCTOBER __, 2022
To the Stockholders of BioRestorative Therapies, Inc.:
NOTICE IS
HEREBY GIVEN that the Annual Meeting of
Stockholders of BioRestorative Therapies, Inc., a Delaware
corporation (the “Company”), will be held on October __, 2022, at
90 Merrick Avenue, 9th
Floor, East Meadow, New York, at 10:00 a.m., local time, for the
following purposes:
1.
|
To elect two Class II directors
to hold office until the 2025 Annual Meeting of Stockholders.
|
2.
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To approve certain amendments to
the Company’s 2021 Stock Incentive Plan.
|
3.
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To authorize the reincorporation
of the Company from the State of Delaware to the State of Nevada
(the “Reincorporation”).
|
4.
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To hold a non-binding advisory
vote on the Company’s executive compensation.
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5.
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To hold a non-binding advisory
vote on the frequency of future advisory votes on the Company’s
executive compensation.
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6.
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To ratify the selection of
Friedman LLP as the Company’s independent registered public
accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2022.
|
7.
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To authorize the adjournment of
the meeting to permit further solicitation of proxies, if necessary
or appropriate, if sufficient votes are not represented at the
meeting to approve any of the foregoing proposals.
|
8.
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To transact such other business
as may properly come before the meeting.
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Only stockholders of record at the close of business on August __,
2022, are entitled to notice of and to vote at the meeting or at
any adjournment thereof.
Important
notice regarding the availability of Proxy Materials:
The proxy statement,
the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended
December 31, 2021, and the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q
for the period ended March 31, 2022, are available electronically
to the Company’s stockholders of record as of the close of business
on August __, 2022, at www.proxyvote.com.
Lance Alstodt
Chief Executive Officer
Melville, New York
August __, 2022
WHETHER OR NOT
YOU PLAN TO ATTEND THE MEETING, PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR PROXY OR VOTING
INSTRUCTIONS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. FOR SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW
TO VOTE YOUR SHARES, PLEASE REFER TO THE INSTRUCTIONS ON THE NOTICE
REGARDING THE AVAILABILITY OF PROXY MATERIALS YOU RECEIVED IN THE
MAIL OR, IF YOU REQUESTED TO RECEIVE PRINTED PROXY MATERIALS, YOUR
ENCLOSED PROXY CARD. ANY STOCKHOLDER MAY REVOKE A SUBMITTED PROXY
AT ANY TIME BEFORE THE MEETING BY WRITTEN NOTICE TO SUCH EFFECT, BY
SUBMITTING A SUBSEQUENTLY DATED PROXY OR BY ATTENDING THE MEETING
AND VOTING IN PERSON. THOSE VOTING BY INTERNET OR BY TELEPHONE MAY
ALSO REVOKE THEIR PROXY BY VOTING IN PERSON AT THE MEETING OR BY
VOTING AND SUBMITTING THEIR PROXY AT A LATER TIME BY INTERNET OR BY
TELEPHONE.
|
BIORESTORATIVE THERAPIES, INC.
40 Marcus Drive, Suite One
Melville, New York 11747
____________________________
PROXY STATEMENT
____________________________
SOLICITING, VOTING AND REVOCABILITY OF PROXY
This proxy statement is being mailed or made available to all
stockholders of record at the close of business on August __, 2022,
in connection with the solicitation by our Board of Directors of
proxies to be voted at the 2022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders to
be held on October __, 2022, at 10:00 a.m., local time, or any
adjournment thereof. Proxy materials for the 2022 Annual Meeting of
Stockholders were mailed or made available to stockholders on or
about August __, 2022.
All shares represented by proxies duly executed and received will
be voted on the matters presented at the meeting in accordance with
the instructions specified in such proxies. Proxies so received
without specified instructions will be voted as follows:
(i)
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FOR the nominees
named in the proxy to our Board of Directors.
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|
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(ii)
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FOR the proposal to
approve the amendments to our 2021 Stock Incentive
Plan.
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(iii)
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FOR the proposal to
authorize our reincorporation from the State of Delaware to the
State of Nevada (the “Reincorporation”).
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(iv)
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FOR the approval of
the compensation of our named executive officers.
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|
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(v)
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FOR a frequency of
EVERY THREE YEARS regarding
how frequently we should seek an advisory vote on our executive
compensation.
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(vi)
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FOR the ratification
of the selection of Friedman LLP as our independent registered
public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31,
2022.
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(vii)
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FOR the proposal to
adjourn the meeting to permit further solicitation of proxies, if
necessary or appropriate, if sufficient votes are not represented
at the meeting to approve any of the foregoing
proposals.
|
If you are a beneficial owner of shares held in street name and you
do not provide specific voting instructions to the organization
that holds your shares, the organization will be prohibited under
the current rules of the New York Stock Exchange from voting your
shares on “non-routine” matters. This is commonly referred to as a
“broker non-vote”. Only Proposal 6 is considered a routine matter.
Each remaining proposal is considered a “non-routine” matter and
therefore may not be voted on by your bank or broker absent
specific instructions from you. Please instruct your bank or broker
so your vote can be counted.
Our Board does not know of any other matters that may be brought
before the meeting nor does it foresee or have reason to believe
that the proxy holder will have to vote for a substitute or
alternate nominee to the Board. In the event that any other matter
should come before the meeting or the nominee is not available for
election, the person named in the enclosed proxy will have
discretionary authority to vote all proxies not marked to the
contrary with respect to such matters in accordance with his best
judgment.
The total number of shares of common stock outstanding and entitled
to vote as of the close of business on August 3, 2022, was
3,645,886. Each share of common stock is entitled to one vote. In
addition, as of August 3, 2022, there were 1,543,158 shares of
Series A preferred stock outstanding and entitled to vote.
Pursuant to the Certificate of Designations of Preferred Stock with
regard to the Series A preferred stock, the sole holder of the
Series A preferred stock is entitled to vote such shares based on
the number of shares of common stock into which such shares are
convertible (currently 1,543,158); however, pursuant to such
Certificate of Designations of Preferred Stock, the shares of
Series A preferred stock are not convertible into shares of our
common stock to the extent the sole holder would beneficially own,
after such conversion, more than 4.99% of our then outstanding
shares of common stock. Since, as of August 3, 2022, the sole
holder of the Series A preferred stock owned 210,000 shares of
common stock (5.8% of the outstanding common stock), the shares of
Series A preferred stock are not convertible into shares of our
common stock and the sole holder is not entitled to vote any shares
of Series A preferred stock. The holders of one-third of the
voting power of all shares of stock outstanding as of the close of
business on August 3, 2022, or 1,215,296 votes, must be present at
the meeting in person or by proxy in order to constitute a quorum
for the transaction of business.
With regard to the election of directors, votes may be cast in
favor or withheld. The directors shall be elected by a plurality of
the votes cast in favor. Accordingly, based upon there being two
nominees, each person who receives one or more votes will be
elected as a director. Shares of stock as to which a stockholder
withholds voting authority in the election of directors and broker
non-votes will not be counted as voting thereon and therefore will
not affect the election of the nominees receiving a plurality of
the votes cast.
Stockholders may expressly abstain from voting on Proposals 2, 3,
4, 5, 6 and 7 by so indicating on the proxy. Abstentions are
counted as present but not cast in the tabulation of votes on
Proposals 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7. Since each of Proposals 2, 4, 6
and 7 requires the affirmative approval of a majority of the shares
present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting, entitled
to vote and cast (assuming a quorum is present at the meeting),
abstentions and broker non-votes will have no effect. Since
Proposal 3 requires the affirmative approval of a majority of the
shares outstanding and entitled to vote (assuming a quorum is
present at the meeting), abstentions and broker non-votes will have
the effect of a negative vote. With respect to Proposal 5, the
option receiving the highest number of votes will be determined to
be the preferred frequency. Accordingly, with respect to Proposal
5, abstentions and broker non-votes will have no effect.
Any person giving a proxy in the form accompanying this proxy
statement has the power to revoke it at any time before its
exercise. The proxy may be revoked by filing with us written notice
of revocation or a fully executed proxy bearing a later date. The
proxy may also be revoked by affirmatively electing to vote in
person while in attendance at the meeting. However, a stockholder
who attends the meeting need not revoke a proxy given and vote in
person unless the stockholder wishes to do so. Written revocations
or amended proxies should be sent to us at 40 Marcus Drive,
Suite One, Melville, New York 11747, Attention: Corporate
Secretary. Those voting by Internet or by telephone may also revoke
their proxy by voting in person at the meeting or by voting and
submitting their proxy at a later time by Internet or by
telephone.
The proxy is being solicited by our Board of Directors. We will
bear the cost of the solicitation of proxies, including the charges
and expenses of brokerage firms and other custodians, nominees and
fiduciaries for forwarding proxy materials to beneficial owners of
our shares. Solicitations will be made primarily by Internet
availability of proxy materials and by mail, but certain of our
directors, officers or employees may solicit proxies in person or
by telephone, fax or email without special compensation.
EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
Summary Compensation Table
The following Summary Compensation Table sets forth all
compensation earned in all capacities during the fiscal years ended
December 31, 2021 and 2020, by (i) our principal executive officer,
and (ii) our most highly compensated executive officer, other than
our principal executive officer, who was serving as an executive
officer as of December 31, 2021, and whose total compensation for
the 2021 fiscal year, as determined by Regulation S-K, Item 402,
exceeded $100,000 (the individuals falling within categories (i)
and (ii) are collectively referred to as the “Named Executive
Officers”):
Name and
Principal Position
|
Year
|
|
Salary
|
|
|
Bonus
|
|
|
Stock
Awards(1)
|
|
|
Option
Awards(1)
|
|
|
All Other
Compensation
|
|
|
Total
|
|
Lance Alstodt
|
2021
|
|
$
|
275,000
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
6,984,812
|
|
|
$
|
14,081,677
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
21,341,489
|
|
Chief Executive Officer(2)
|
2020
|
|
$
|
64,317
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
64,317
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Francisco Silva
|
2021
|
|
$
|
259,375
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
6,984,812
|
|
|
$
|
14,081,677
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
21,325,864
|
|
VP, Research and Development
|
2020
|
|
$
|
207,553
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
207,553
|
|
____________________
(1)
|
Amounts reflect the aggregate
grant date fair value of grants made in the fiscal year computed in
accordance with stock-based accounting rules (FASB ASC Topic
718-Stock Compensation). Assumptions used in the calculations of
these amounts are included in Note 8 to our consolidated financial
statements included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the
fiscal year ended December 31, 2021, available electronically to
our stockholders.
|
(2)
|
Mr. Alstodt served as our
Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer from October
15, 2018, through February 24, 2020. Mr. Alstodt has been serving
as our President, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board
since November 16, 2020.
|
Employment Agreements
Effective
November 16, 2020, Mr. Alstodt was elected our Chief Executive
Officer, President and Chairman of the Board. On March 18, 2021, we
entered into an employment agreement with Mr. Alstodt which
provides for a term ending on March 18, 2026. Pursuant to the
employment agreement, Mr. Alstodt currently is entitled to receive
an annual salary of $400,000 (giving effect to a $150,000
performance salary increase received in November 2021).
Concurrently with the execution of the employment agreement, we
granted to Mr. Alstodt pursuant to the 2021 Stock Incentive Plan
(the “2021 Plan”) (i) a ten-year option for the purchase of 293,479
shares of our common stock at an exercise price of $47.60 per share
(which exercise price was subsequently reduced to $13.50 per share
and further reduced, subject to stockholder approval, to $5.08 per
share) and (ii) 146,740 restricted stock units (“RSUs”). The option
vests to the extent of 50% thereof on the date of grant, 12.5% on
November 4, 2021, and the balance in six equal quarterly
installments commencing on December 18, 2021. The RSUs vest in
three equal annual installments on the first, second and third
anniversaries of the date of grant. In the event that Mr. Alstodt’s
employment is terminated by us without “cause”, or Mr. Alstodt
terminates his employment for “good reason” (each as defined in the
employment agreement), Mr. Alstodt will be entitled to receive
severance in an amount up to one time his then annual base salary.
If Mr. Alstodt’s employment with us is terminated without cause,
the option granted to Mr. Alstodt will vest and become exercisable
and such option will remain exercisable until its expiration date
notwithstanding such termination of employment with us. In
addition, the RSUs granted to Mr. Alstodt will vest in the event of
the termination of his employment without cause or in the event of
a change in control (as defined in the 2021 Plan). In March 2022,
we and Mr. Alstodt agreed that, in lieu of a $50,000 increase in
his annual salary (as provided for in his employment agreement), we
issued to Mr. Alstodt 12,438 RSUs (having a value of $50,000),
which RSUs will vest in twelve equal monthly installments. Such
grant was in consideration of Mr. Alstodt deferring his right to
receive the $50,000 increase in his salary for one year. Effective
in March 2023, pursuant to his employment agreement, Mr. Alstodt
will be entitled to his annual increase of $50,000 in his salary
(plus, in March 2023, the $50,000 salary increase deferral
discussed above).
On March 18,
2021, we and Mr. Silva entered into an employment agreement which
provides for a term ending on March 18, 2026. Pursuant to the
employment agreement, Mr. Silva is currently entitled to receive an
annual salary of $375,000 (giving effect to a $150,000 performance
salary increase received in November 2021). Concurrently with the
execution of the employment agreement, we granted to Mr. Silva
pursuant to the 2021 Plan (i) a ten-year option for the purchase of
293,479 shares of our common stock at an exercise price of $47.60
per share (which exercise price was subsequently reduced to $13.50
per share and further reduced, subject to stockholder approval, to
$5.08 per share) and (ii) 146,740 RSUs. The option vests to the
extent of 50% thereof on the date of grant, 12.5% on November 4,
2021, and the balance in six equal quarterly installments
commencing on December 18, 2021. The RSUs vest in three equal
annual installments on the first, second and third anniversaries of
the date of grant. In the event that Mr. Silva’s employment is
terminated by us without “cause”, or Mr. Silva terminates his
employment for “good reason” (each as defined in the employment
agreement), Mr. Silva will be entitled to receive severance in an
amount up to one time his then annual base salary. If Mr. Silva’s
employment with us is terminated without cause, the option granted
to Mr. Silva will vest and become exercisable and such option will
remain exercisable until its expiration date notwithstanding such
termination of employment with us. In addition, the RSUs granted to
Mr. Silva will vest in the event of the termination of his
employment without cause or in the event of a change in control (as
defined in the 2021 Plan). In March 2022, we and Mr. Silva agreed
that, in lieu of a $50,000 increase in his annual salary (as
provided for in his employment agreement), we issued to Mr. Silva
12,438 RSUs (having a value of $50,000), which RSUs will vest in
twelve equal monthly installments. Such grant was in consideration
of Mr. Silva deferring his right to receive the $50,000 increase in
his salary for one year. Effective in March 2023, pursuant to his
employment agreement, Mr. Silva will be entitled to his annual
increase of $50,000 in his salary (plus, in March 2023, the $50,000
salary increase deferral discussed above).
Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal Year-End
The following table provides information on outstanding equity
awards as of December 31, 2021, to the Named Executive
Officers:
|
|
Option
Awards
|
|
|
Stock
Awards
|
|
Name
|
|
Number of
securities underlying unexercised options exercisable
|
|
|
Number of
securities underlying unexercised options unexercisable
|
|
|
Equity
incentive plan awards: Number of securities underlying unexercised
unearned options
|
|
|
Option
exercise price
|
|
|
Option
expiration
date
|
|
|
Number of
shares or units of stock that have not vested
|
|
|
Market
value of shares of units that have not vested
|
|
|
Equity
incentive plan awards: Number of unearned shares, units or other
rights that have not vested
|
|
|
Equity
incentive plan awards: Market or payout value of unearned shares,
units or other rights that have not vested
|
|
Lance Alstodt
|
|
|
201,767
|
|
|
|
91,712
|
(1)
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
13.50
|
(3)
|
|
|
3/18/2031
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Lance Alstodt
|
|
|
21,030
|
|
|
|
21,029
|
(2)
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
13.50
|
(3)
|
|
|
11/4/2031
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Lance Alstodt
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
146,740
|
(4)
|
|
$
|
636,852
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Francisco Silva
|
|
|
201,767
|
|
|
|
91,712
|
(1)
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
13.50
|
(3)
|
|
|
3/18/2031
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Francisco Silva
|
|
|
21,030
|
|
|
|
21,029
|
(2)
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
13.50
|
(3)
|
|
|
11/4/2031
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Francisco Silva
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
146,740
|
(4)
|
|
$
|
636,852
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Francisco Silva
|
|
|
1
|
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
18,800
|
|
|
|
2/10/2022
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Francisco Silva
|
|
|
1
|
|
|
|
1
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
18,800
|
|
|
|
5/2/2022
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Francisco Silva
|
|
|
1
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
18,800
|
|
|
|
12/7/2022
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Francisco Silva
|
|
|
1
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
18,800
|
|
|
|
10/4/2023
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Francisco Silva
|
|
|
3
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
18,800
|
|
|
|
2/18/2024
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Francisco Silva
|
|
|
1
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
18,800
|
|
|
|
3/12/2024
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Francisco Silva
|
|
|
9
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
18,800
|
|
|
|
10/23/2024
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Francisco Silva
|
|
|
6
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
18,800
|
|
|
|
9/4/2025
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Francisco Silva
|
|
|
15
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
14,920
|
|
|
|
6/10/2026
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Francisco Silva
|
|
|
20
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
11,200
|
|
|
|
7/12/2027
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Francisco Silva
|
|
|
25
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
4,920
|
|
|
|
10/29/2028
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
(1)
|
Option is exercisable in five
nearly equal quarterly installments beginning on March 18,
2022.
|
|
|
(2)
|
Option becomes exercisable in
eight nearly equal quarterly installments beginning on November 4,
2022.
|
|
|
(3)
|
In the event that stockholder
approval of Proposal 2 is obtained, the exercise price of the
option will be reduced to $5.08 per share.
|
|
|
(4)
|
Restricted stock vests in three
nearly equal annual installments beginning on March 18, 2022.
|
DIRECTOR COMPENSATION
The following table sets forth certain information concerning the
compensation of our non-employee directors for the fiscal year
ended December 31, 2021:
Name
|
|
Fees
Earned or Paid in Cash
|
|
|
Stock
Awards
|
|
|
Option
Awards(1)
|
|
|
Non-Equity
Incentive Plan Compensation
|
|
|
Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Earnings
|
|
|
All Other
Compensation
|
|
|
|
Total
|
|
Nickolay Kukekov
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
128,194
|
(2)
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
128,194
|
|
Patrick F. Williams
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
53,287
|
(3)
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
53,287
|
|
David Rosa
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
53,287
|
(4)
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
53,287
|
|
____________________
(1)
|
Amounts reflect the aggregate
grant date fair value of grants made in the fiscal year computed in
accordance with stock-based accounting rules (FASB ASC Topic
718-Stock Compensation). Assumptions used in the calculations of
these amounts are included in Note 8 to our consolidated financial
statements included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the
fiscal year ended December 31, 2021, available electronically to
our stockholders.
|
|
|
(2)
|
As of December 31, 2021, Dr.
Kukekov held options for the purchase of 25,236 shares of common
stock.
|
|
|
(3)
|
As of December 31, 2021, Mr.
Williams held options for the purchase of 10,490 shares of common
stock.
|
|
|
(4)
|
As of December 31, 2021, Mr. Rosa
held options for the purchase of 10,490 shares of common
stock.
|
Dr. Kukekov and Messrs. Williams and Rosa, our non-employee
directors, as compensation for their services as a director, are
granted stock options by us from time to time.
SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL
OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT
Principal Stockholders
The following table sets forth certain information regarding the
beneficial ownership of our common stock, as of August 3, 2022,
known by us, through transfer agent records and reports filed with
the SEC, to be held by: (i) each person who beneficially owns 5% or
more of the shares of common stock then outstanding; (ii) each of
our directors; (iii) each of our Named Executive Officers (as
defined above); and (iv) all of our directors and executive
officers as a group. The following table also sets forth certain
information regarding the beneficial ownership of our Series A
preferred stock as of August 3, 2022.
The information in this table reflects “beneficial ownership” as
defined in Rule 13d-3 of the Exchange Act. To our knowledge, and
unless otherwise indicated, each stockholder has sole voting power
and investment power over the shares listed as beneficially owned
by such stockholder, subject to community property laws where
applicable. Percentage ownership is based on 3,645,886 shares of
common stock and 1,543,158 shares of Series A preferred stock
outstanding as of August 3, 2022.
Name and
Address of Beneficial Owner
|
|
Number of Shares of Common Stock Beneficially
Owned
|
|
Approximate Percent of Class
|
|
Number of
Shares of Series A Preferred Stock Beneficially Owned
|
|
|
Approximate Percent of Class
|
|
Directors and Executive Officers
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Lance Alstodt(1)
|
|
|
333,398
|
(2)
|
|
8.5
|
%
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Francisco Silva(1)
|
|
|
324,702
|
(3)
|
|
8.3
|
%
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Nickolay Kukekov, Ph.D.
|
|
|
12,618
|
(4)
|
|
|
*
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Patrick F. Williams
|
|
|
3,934
|
(4)
|
|
|
*
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
David Rosa
|
|
|
3,934
|
(4)
|
|
|
*
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
All directors and executive officers
as a group (7 persons)
|
|
|
684,589
|
(5)
|
|
16.4
|
%
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Certain Beneficial Owners
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dale Broadrick(6)
|
|
|
616,904
|
(7)
|
|
16.9
|
%
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Auctus Fund,
LLC(8)
Auctus Fund Management
LLC(8)
Alfred
Sollami(8)
Louis Posner(8)
|
|
|
210,000
|
(9)
|
|
5.8
|
%
|
|
1,543,158
|
(10)
|
|
|
100
|
%
|
*
|
Less than 1%
|
|
|
(1)
|
Address is 40 Marcus Drive, Suite
One, Melville, New York 11747.
|
|
|
(2)
|
Includes 256,794 shares of common
stock issuable upon the exercise of options that are exercisable
currently or within 60 days and 1,037 shares of common stock
issuable within 60 days upon the vesting of restricted stock
units.
|
|
|
(3)
|
Includes 256,876 shares of common
stock issuable upon the exercise of options that are exercisable
currently or within 60 days, 1,037 shares of common stock issuable
within 60 days upon the vesting of restricted stock units and
11,829 shares of common stock held by Mr. Silva in a retirement
account.
|
|
|
(4)
|
Represents shares of common stock
issuable upon the exercise of options that are exercisable
currently or within 60 days.
|
|
|
(5)
|
Includes 540,159 shares of common
stock issuable upon the exercise of options that are exercisable
currently or within 60 days.
|
|
|
(6)
|
Address is 3003 Brick Church
Pike, Nashville, Tennessee 37207.
|
|
|
(7)
|
Based upon Amendment No. 8 to
Schedule 13D filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and
other public filings made by Mr. Broderick. Includes 1,359 shares
of common stock issuable upon the exercise of currently exercisable
warrants and 316,972 shares of common stock owned by Fleetco, Inc.
of which Mr. Broderick is a 93% shareholder.
|
|
|
(8)
|
Address is 545 Boylston Street,
2nd
Floor, Boston, Massachusetts 02116.
|
|
|
(9)
|
Based upon Schedule 13G filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Auctus Fund, LLC
(“Auctus”) holds a warrant for the purchase of up to 1,676,580
shares of our common stock. In addition, Auctus’ shares of
Series A preferred stock are convertible into an aggregate of
1,543,158 shares of our common stock. However, such warrant
is not exercisable for the purchase of, and such Series A preferred
stock is not convertible into, shares of our common stock, to the
extent Auctus would beneficially own, after such exercise and/or
conversion, more than 4.99% of our outstanding shares of common
stock. Since Auctus owns shares of common stock which represent
5.8% of the outstanding shares of common stock, such warrant is not
currently exercisable for the purchase of, and such Series A
preferred stock is not currently convertible into, shares of our
common stock.
|
|
|
(10)
|
Pursuant to the Certificate of
Designations of Preferred Stock with regard to the Series A
preferred stock, Auctus, as the sole holder of the 1,543,158
outstanding shares of Series A preferred stock, is entitled to vote
such shares based on the number of shares of common stock into
which such shares are convertible (currently 1,543,158); however,
pursuant to such Certificate of Designations of Preferred Stock, as
indicated in footnote (9), such Series A preferred stock is not
convertible into shares of our common stock to the extent Auctus
would beneficially own, after such conversion, more than 4.99% of
our then outstanding shares of common stock. Since, as of
August 3, 2022, Auctus owned 210,000 shares of common stock
(representing 5.8% of the outstanding shares of common stock), such
Series A preferred stock is not currently convertible into shares
of our common stock. Accordingly, as of August 3, 2022, the
sole holder of the Series A preferred stock is not entitled to vote
such shares.
|
|
|
Securities Authorized for Issuance Under Equity Compensation
Plans
The following
table sets forth information as of December 31, 2021, with respect
to compensation plans (including individual compensation
arrangements) under which our common stock is authorized for
issuance, aggregated as follows:
|
●
|
all compensation plans previously
approved by security holders; and
|
|
●
|
all compensation plans not
previously approved by security holders.
|
EQUITY COMPENSATION PLAN INFORMATION
|
|
Number of
securities to be issued upon exercise of outstanding options
(a)
|
|
|
Weighted-average
exercise price of outstanding options (b)
|
|
|
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
|
|
|
839,639
|
(1)
|
|
$
|
13.50
|
(2)
|
|
|
336,450
|
(3)
|
Total
|
|
|
839,639
|
|
|
$
|
13.50
|
|
|
|
336,450
|
|
(1)
|
Includes options to purchase up to 1,089 shares of common
stock under our 2010 Equity Participation Plan.
|
|
|
(2)
|
In the event that stockholder approval of Proposal 2 is
obtained, the weighted average exercise price of the outstanding
options will be reduced to $5.08 per share.
|
|
|
(3)
|
Includes 293,480 unvested restricted stock units outstanding
at December 31, 2021.
|
CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS
Related Party
Transactions
Due to the
infrequency of related party transactions, we have not formally
adopted procedures for the review of, or standards for approval of,
such transactions; however, our Board of Directors (or a designated
committee thereof) will review related party transactions on a
case-by-case basis.
PROPOSAL 1:
ELECTION OF DIRECTORS
Two Class II directors are to be elected at the meeting to serve
until the 2025 Annual Meeting of Stockholders and until their
respective successors shall have been elected and have qualified or
until their earlier resignation or removal.
Nominees for Class II Director
Each nominee is currently a member of our Board of Directors. The
following table sets forth each nominee's age as of the date of the
annual meeting, the positions and offices presently held with us,
and the year in which he became a director.
Name
|
Age
|
Positions
Held
|
Director
Since
|
Francisco
Silva
|
47
|
Vice President of Research and
Development, Secretary and Director
|
November
2020
|
David Rosa
|
58
|
Director, Nominating Committee
Chair
|
November
2021
|
Francisco Silva
Francisco Silva has served as our Vice President of Research and
Development since March 2013, having also previously served in such
position from April 2011 until March 2012. Mr. Silva was elected
our Secretary and a director in November 2020. He served as our
Research Scientist from March 2012 to June 2012 and as our Chief
Scientist from June 2012 to March 2013. From 2007 to 2011, Mr.
Silva served as Chief Executive Officer of DV Biologics LLC, and as
President of DaVinci Biosciences, LLC, companies engaged in the
commercialization of human based biologics for both research and
therapeutic applications. From 2003 to 2007, Mr. Silva served as
Vice President of Research and Development for PrimeGen Biotech
LLC, a company engaged in the development of cell based platforms.
From 2002 to 2003, he was a Research Scientist with PrimeGen
Biotech and was responsible for the development of experimental
designs that focused on germ line reprogramming stem cell
platforms. Mr. Silva has taught courses in biology, anatomy and
advanced tissue culture at California State Polytechnic University.
He has obtained a number of patents relating to stem cells and has
had numerous articles published with regard to stem cell research.
Mr. Silva graduated from California State Polytechnic University
with a degree in Biology. He also obtained a Graduate Presidential
Fellowship and MBRS Fellowship from California State Polytechnic
University. We believe that Mr. Silva’s executive-level management
experience with us since April 2011 and his extensive knowledge of
the science related to our business give him the qualifications to
serve as one of our directors.
David Rosa
David Rosa has served as one of our directors and Chair of our
Board’s Nominating Committee since November 2021. Mr. Rosa has
served as the Chief Executive Officer, President and a director of
NeuroOne Medical Technologies Corporation (“NeuroOne”) (Nasdaq:
NMTC), since July 2017 and served as Chief Executive Officer and a
director of NeuroOne, Inc., formerly its wholly-owned subsidiary,
from October 2016 until December 2019, when NeuroOne, Inc. merged
with and into NeuroOne. NeuroOne is committed to providing
minimally invasive and hi-definition solutions for EEG recording,
brain stimulation and ablation solutions for patients suffering
from epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, dystonia, essential tremors,
chronic pain due to failed back surgeries and other related
neurological disorders that may improve patient outcomes and reduce
procedural costs. From November 2009 to November 2015, Mr. Rosa
served as the Chief Executive Officer and President of Sunshine
Heart, Inc., n/k/a CHF Solutions, Inc. (Nasdaq: CHFS), a
publicly-held early-stage medical device company. From 2008 to
November 2009, he served as Chief Executive Officer of Milksmart,
Inc., a company that specializes in medical devices for animals.
From 2004 to 2008, Mr. Rosa served as the Vice President of Global
Marketing for Cardiac Surgery and Cardiology at St. Jude Medical,
Inc. He serves as a director on the board of directors of
Biotricity Inc. (Nasdaq:BTCY) and Healthcare Triangle, Inc.
(Nasdaq:HCTI). Mr. Rosa is Chairman of Neuro Event Labs, a
privately-held company in Finland, and an Advisory Board member of
SYNAPS Dx, a privately-held company in Bethesda, Maryland. We
believe that Mr. Rosa’s senior leadership experience in the medical
device industry and his strong technical, strategic, and
operational expertise give him the qualifications to serve as one
of our directors.
Directors Not
Standing For Election
Name
|
Age
|
Positions
Held
|
Director
Since
|
Class/Term Expiration
|
Lance
Alstodt
|
51
|
Chief Executive Officer, President and
Chairman of the Board
|
November
2020
|
Class
III/2023
|
Nickolay Kukekov, Ph.D.
|
48
|
Director, Compensation Committee
Chair
|
March 2021
|
Class
I/2024
|
Patrick F.
Williams
|
50
|
Director, Audit Committee Chair
|
November
2021
|
Class
III/2023
|
Lance Alstodt has served as our Chief Executive Officer, President
and Chairman of the Board since November 2020. He served as our
Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer from October
2018 to February 2020. Since 2013, Mr. Alstodt has served as Chief
Executive Officer of MedVest Consulting Corporation, an advisory
and capital firm that focuses exclusively on the healthcare
industry. Prior to MedVest, he was an investment banker with over
23 years of experience with respect to healthcare investment
banking, including mergers and acquisitions. From 2011 to 2013, Mr.
Alstodt was a Managing Director at Leerink Partners where he helped
lead its medical technology sector. From 2009 to 2011, he was a
Managing Director and Head of Medical Technology at Oppenheimer
& Co. From 2000 to 2009, Mr. Alstodt was a Managing Director in
the Healthcare Group and Global Mergers and Acquisitions Group at
Bank of America Merrill Lynch. He previously spent seven years as a
Vice President in the Global Mergers and Acquisitions Group at J.P.
Morgan Chase, where he worked extensively on acquisitions,
leveraged buyouts, private and public financings, exclusive sales
and general advisory assignments. Mr. Alstodt received a degree in
Economics from the State University of New York at Albany, with a
secondary concentration in Finance and Marketing. We believe that
Mr. Alstodt’s executive-level management experience with us and
other healthcare businesses and his extensive experience in the
investment banking field relating to the healthcare sector give him
the qualifications to serve as one of our directors.
Nickolay Kukekov, Ph.D.
Nickolay Kukekov, Ph.D. has served as one of our directors since
March 2021 and Chair of our Board’s Compensation Committee since
November 2021. For more than the past fifteen years, Dr. Kukekov
has held a number of healthcare investment banking positions. He
has served as Senior Managing Director of Paulson Investment
Company, LLC since 2020. From 2012 to 2020, Dr. Kukekov was a
founding partner of Highline Research Advisors LLC. He served as a
Managing Director of Summer Street Research Partners from 2010 to
2012. From 2007 to 2009, Dr. Kukekov was a Managing Director of
Paramount Capital. He served as a Vice President of Rodmen &
Renshaw from 2006 to 2007. He serves as a director of Brain
Scientific, Inc. and Omnia Wellness Inc. whose shares are publicly
traded. Dr. Kukekov received a Bachelor of Arts degree in
molecular, cellular and developmental biology from the University
of Colorado at Boulder and a Ph.D. in neuroscience from Columbia
University College of Physicians and Surgeons. We believe that Dr.
Kukekov’s extensive experience in the investment banking field
relating to the healthcare sector and his strong background in
regenerative medicine give him the qualifications to serve as one
of our directors.
Patrick F. Williams has served as one of our directors and Chair of
our Board’s Audit Committee since November 2021. Mr. Williams has
more than 20 years of experience across medical device, consumer
product goods and technology sectors. Appointed as Chief Financial
Officer of STAAR Surgical Company (“STAAR”) in July 2020, Mr.
Williams is responsible for optimizing the financial performance of
STAAR and ensuring the scalability of various functions to support
high growth expansion. From 2016 to 2019, he served as the Chief
Financial Officer of Sientra, Inc. before transitioning to General
Manager for its miraDry® business unit. From 2012 to 2016, Mr.
Williams served as Chief Financial Officer of ZELTIQ Aesthetics,
Inc., a publicly-traded medical device company that was acquired by
Allergan. Previously, he served as Vice President in finance,
strategy and investor relations roles from 2007 to 2012 at
NuVasive, Inc., a San-Diego based medical device company servicing
the spine sector. He has also held finance roles with Callaway Golf
and Kyocera Wireless. Mr. Williams received an MBA in Finance and
Management from San Diego State University and a Bachelor of Arts
in Economics from the University of California, San Diego. We
believe that Mr. Williams’ executive-level management experience
with healthcare-related businesses, including his financial
management expertise, give him the qualifications to serve as one
of our directors.
Scientific Advisory Board
The following
persons are the members of our Scientific Advisory Board:
Name
|
|
Principal
Positions
|
|
|
|
Wayne Marasco, M.D., Ph.D.
Chairman
|
|
Professor, Department of Cancer Immunology & AIDS, Dana-Farber
Cancer Institute;
Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School;
Principal Faculty Member, Harvard Stem Cell Institute
|
|
|
|
Wayne J. Olan, M.D.
|
|
Director, Interventional and Endovascular Neurosurgery;
Associate Professor, Neurosurgery and Radiology, George Washington
University Medical Center;
Consulting Physician, Department of Radiology, National Institutes
of Health
|
|
|
|
Joy Cavagnaro, Ph.D., DABT,
RAC
|
|
President and Founder, Access BIO, L.C.;
Fellow, Academy of Toxicological Sciences and the Regulatory
Professional Society;
Formerly Senior Pharmacologist and Director of Quality Assurance,
Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and
Research
|
|
|
|
Jason Lipetz, M.D.
Chairman, Disc Advisory Committee
|
|
Founder, Long Island Spine Rehabilitation Medicine;
Chief of Spine Medicine, Northwell Health Spine Center;
Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Physical Medicine and
Rehabilitation, Zucker School of Medicine at
Hofstra/Northwell
|
|
|
|
Harvinder Sandhu, M.D.
|
|
Orthopedic Spine Surgeon, Hospital for Special Surgery;
Formerly Chief of Spinal Surgery Service, UCLA Medical Center
|
|
|
|
Christopher Plastaras, M.D.
|
|
Clinical Director of Musculoskeletal Spine and Sports
Rehabilitation Medicine and Physiatrist, MossRehab;
Formerly Director of The Penn Spine and Rehabilitation
Center;
Formerly Director of Spine, Sports and Musculoskeletal Medicine
Fellowship, University of Pennsylvania
|
Family Relationships
There are no family relationships among any of our executive
officers, directors and Scientific Advisory Board members.
Term of Office
We have a classified Board of Directors. Each Class III director
will hold office until the 2023 annual meeting of stockholders and
until his respective successor shall have been elected and have
qualified or until his earlier resignation or removal. Each Class
II director will hold office until the 2025 annual meeting of
stockholders and until his respective successor shall have been
elected and have qualified or until his earlier resignation or
removal. Each Class I director will hold office until the 2024
annual meeting of stockholders and until his respective successor
shall have been elected and have qualified or until his earlier
resignation or removal. Each executive officer will hold office
until the initial meeting of the Board of Directors following the
next annual meeting of stockholders and until his successor is
elected and qualified or until his earlier resignation or
removal.
Board Diversity
Board Diversity
Matrix (As of August 3, 2022)
|
Board Size:
|
Total Number of Directors:
|
5
|
|
|
|
Female
|
Male
|
|
|
Part I: Gender Identity
|
Directors
|
-
|
5
|
|
|
Part II: Demographic Background
|
Asian
|
-
|
1
|
|
|
White
|
-
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5
|
|
|
Two or More Races or
Ethnicities
|
-
|
1
|
|
|
Committees
Audit Committee
The Audit Committee of the Board of Directors is responsible for
overseeing our accounting and financial reporting processes and the
services provided by our independent registered public accounting
firm. The responsibilities and duties of the Audit Committee
include the following:
•
|
assist the
Board of Directors in fulfilling its responsibilities by reviewing
the financial reports provided by us to the SEC, our stockholders
or to the general public, and our internal financial and accounting
controls;
|
•
|
oversee the
appointment, compensation and retention of, and the work performed
by, any independent registered public accounting firm engaged by
us;
|
•
|
recommend,
establish and monitor procedures designed to improve the quality
and reliability of the disclosure of our financial condition and
results of operations;
|
•
|
recommend,
establish and monitor procedures designed to facilitate:
|
•
|
the receipt,
retention and treatment of complaints relating to accounting,
internal accounting controls or auditing matters; and
|
•
|
the receipt
of confidential, anonymous submissions by employees of concerns
regarding questionable accounting or auditing matters.
|
The members of our Board’s Audit Committee currently are Messrs.
Williams (Chair) and Rosa and Dr. Kukekov. Our Board has adopted a
written charter for the Audit Committee. A copy of the charter is
available on our website, www.biorestorative.com.
Nominating Committee
The Nominating Committee of the Board of Directors is responsible
for assisting the Board in identifying and recruiting qualified
individuals to become Board members and selecting director nominees
to be presented for Board and/or stockholder approval. The members
of the Nominating Committee currently are Messrs. Rosa (Chair) and
Williams and Dr. Kukekov. Our Board has adopted a written charter
for the Nominating Committee. A copy of the charter is available on
our website, www.biorestorative.com. While the Nominating
Committee does not have a formal policy on diversity for members of
the Board of Directors, the Nominating Committee considers
diversity of background, experience and qualifications in
evaluating prospective Board members. The Nominating Committee will
consider qualified director candidates recommended by stockholders
if such recommendations are provided in accordance with the
procedures set forth in the section entitled “Stockholder Proposals
- Stockholder Nominees” below. The Nominating Committee
evaluates all candidates based upon, among other factors, a
candidate’s financial literacy, knowledge of our industry, other
relevant background experience, judgment, skill, integrity, the
interplay of a candidate’s experience with the experience of other
Board members, ‘independence’ (for purposes of compliance with the
NASDAQ Marketplace Rules), and willingness, ability and
availability for service. After conducting an initial
evaluation of a prospective nominee, the Nominating Committee will
interview that candidate if it believes the candidate might be
suitable to be a director. The Nominating Committee may also ask
the candidate to meet with management. If the Nominating
Committee believes a candidate would be a valuable addition to our
Board of Directors, it may recommend to the full Board that
candidate's nomination and election. At this time, the
Nominating Committee has not adopted minimum criteria for
consideration of a proposed candidate for nomination.
Compensation Committee
The Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors is responsible
for the management of our business and affairs with respect to the
compensation of our employees. The responsibilities and
duties of the Compensation Committee include the following:
•
|
review and
approve corporate goals and objectives relevant to the compensation
of our Chief Executive Officer, evaluate the Chief Executive
Officer's performance in light of those goals and objectives, and
determine and approve the Chief Executive Officer's compensation
level based on this evaluation;
|
•
|
make
recommendations to the Board with respect to non-Chief Executive
Officer compensation;
|
•
|
approve any
new equity compensation plan or any material change to an existing
plan, approve grants pursuant to equity compensation plans and
administer such plans;
|
•
|
in
consultation with management, oversee regulatory compliance with
respect to compensation matters; and
|
•
|
make
recommendations to the Board with respect to any severance or
similar termination payments proposed to be made to any current or
former executive officer or member of senior management.
|
The members of the Compensation Committee currently are Dr. Kukekov
(Chair) and Messrs. Rosa and Williams. Our Board has adopted a
written charter for the Compensation Committee. A copy of the
charter is available on our website,
www.biorestorative.com.
The Compensation Committee may form and delegate authority to
subcommittees and may delegate authority to one or more designated
members of the Compensation Committee. Our Chief Executive Officer
assists the Compensation Committee from time to time by advising on
a variety of compensation matters, such as assisting the
Compensation Committee in determining appropriate salaries and
bonuses for our executive officers. The Compensation Committee has
the authority to consult with management to assist it in its
efforts.
Pursuant to its charter, the Compensation Committee also has the
sole authority to retain and terminate outside compensation
consultants, as well as to approve the consultant’s fees and any
other terms of the engagement.
Board Leadership Structure and Role in Risk Oversight
Our Board of Directors as a whole is responsible for our risk
oversight. Our executive officers address and discuss with our
Board of Directors our risks and the manner in which we manage or
mitigate such risks. While our Board of Directors has the ultimate
responsibility for our risk oversight, our Board of Directors works
in conjunction with its committees on certain aspects of its risk
oversight responsibilities. In particular, our Audit Committee
focuses on financial reporting risks and related controls and
procedures and our Compensation Committee strives to create
compensation practices that do not encourage excessive levels of
risk taking that would be inconsistent with our strategies and
objectives.
Since November 2020, Lance Alstodt has served as our Chief
Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board. We do not currently
have a lead independent director. At this time, our Board believes
that Mr. Alstodt’s combined role as Chief Executive Officer and
Chairman of the Board enables us to benefit from Mr. Alstodt’s
significant institutional and industry knowledge and experience,
while at the same time promoting unified leadership and direction
for our Board and executive management without duplication of
effort and cost. Given our history, position, Board composition and
the relatively small size of our company and management team, at
this time, our Board believes that we and our stockholders are best
served by our current leadership structure.
Report of the Audit Committee
In overseeing the preparation of the financial statements of the
Company as of December 31, 2021 and 2020, and for the years then
ended, the Audit Committee met with management to review and
discuss all financial statements prior to their issuance and to
discuss significant accounting issues. Management advised the Audit
Committee that all financial statements were prepared in accordance
with generally accepted accounting principles, and the Audit
Committee discussed the statements with management. The Audit
Committee also discussed with Friedman LLP, the Company’s
independent registered public accounting firm, the matters required
to be discussed by Public Company Accounting Oversight Board
Auditing Standard No. 1301, Communications with Audit Committees,
as currently in effect.
The Audit Committee received the written disclosures and the letter
from Friedman required by applicable requirements of the Public
Company Accounting Oversight Board regarding Friedman’s
communications with the Audit Committee concerning independence and
the Audit Committee discussed Friedman’s independence with
Friedman.
On the basis of these reviews and discussions, the Audit Committee
recommended to the Board of Directors that the audited financial
statements be included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K
for the year ended December 31, 2021, for filing with the
SEC.
Members of the Audit Committee
Patrick F. Williams
Nickolay Kukekov, Ph.D.
David Rosa
Meetings
Our Board of Directors held six meetings during the fiscal year
ended December 31, 2021.
The Audit Committee of the Board of Directors held four meetings
during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021.
The Nominating Committee of the Board of Directors did not meet
during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021.
The Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors held one
meeting during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021.
During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021, each of our then
directors attended at least 75% of the aggregate of the total
number of meetings of the Board and the total number of the
meetings of all committees of the Board on which they served,
except for Mr. Rosa who joined the Board in November 2021 and was
unable to attend the Board and Audit Committee meetings held on
November 15, 2021. He attended the Board and Compensation
Committee meetings held in December 2021.
We do not have a formal policy regarding director attendance at our
annual meeting of stockholders. However, all directors are
encouraged to attend. Messrs.. Alstodt and Silva were in
attendance at last year’s annual meeting of stockholders.
Communications with Board of Directors
Any security holder who wishes to communicate with our Board of
Directors or a particular director should send the correspondence
to the Board of Directors, BioRestorative Therapies, Inc., 40
Marcus Drive, Suite One, Melville, New York 11747, Attention:
Corporate Secretary. Any such communication so addressed will be
forwarded by the Corporate Secretary to the members or a particular
member of the Board.
Audit Committee Financial Expert
Our Board has
determined that Mr. Williams qualifies as an “audit committee
financial expert,” as that term is defined in Item 407(d)(5) of
Regulation S-K.
Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance
Section 16 of the Exchange Act requires that reports of beneficial
ownership of common stock and changes in such ownership be filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission by Section 16
“reporting persons,” including directors, certain officers, holders
of more than 10% of the outstanding common stock and certain trusts
of which reporting persons are trustees. We are required to
disclose in this proxy statement each reporting person whom we know
to have failed to file any required reports under Section 16 on a
timely basis during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021. To our
knowledge, based solely on a review of copies of Forms 3, 4 and 5
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, during the
fiscal year ended December 31, 2021, our officers, directors and
10% stockholders complied with all Section 16(a) filing
requirements applicable to them, except that Robert Kristal, our
Chief Financial Officer, filed his Form 3 and one Form 4 (reporting
one transaction) late.
Director Independence
Board of Directors
Our Board of Directors is currently comprised of Lance Alstodt
(Chairman), Francisco Silva, Nickolay Kukekov, Ph.D., Patrick F.
Williams and David Rosa. Each of Dr. Kukekov and Messrs.
Williams and Rosa is currently an “independent director” based on
the definition of independence in Listing Rule 5605(a)(2) of the
listing standards of The Nasdaq Stock Market.
Audit Committee
The members of our Board’s Audit Committee currently are Messrs.
Williams (Chair) and Rosa and Dr. Kukekov, each of whom is an
“independent director” based on the definition of independence in
Listing Rule 5605(a)(2) of the listing standards of The Nasdaq
Stock Market and Rule 10A-3(b)(1) under the Exchange Act.
Nominating Committee
The members of our Board’s Nominating Committee currently are
Messrs. Rosa (Chair) and Williams and Dr. Kukekov, each of whom is
an “independent director” based on the definition of independence
in Listing Rule 5605(a)(2) of the listing standards of The Nasdaq
Stock Market.
Compensation Committee
The members of our Board’s Compensation Committee currently are Dr.
Kukekov (Chair) and Messrs. Williams and Rosa, each of whom is an
“independent director” based on the definition of independence in
Listing Rule 5605(a)(2) of the listing standards of The Nasdaq
Stock Market.
Code of Ethics for Senior Financial Officers
Our
Board of Directors has adopted a Code of Ethics for our principal
executive officer, principal financial officer, principal
accounting officer or controller, or persons performing similar
functions. A copy of the Code of Ethics is posted on our website,
www.biorestorative.com. We intend to satisfy the disclosure
requirement under Item 5.05(c) of Form 8-K regarding an amendment
to, or a waiver from, our Code of Ethics by posting such
information on our website, www.biorestorative.com.
Recommendation
The Board of Directors recommends a vote FOR both Class II
nominees.
PROPOSAL 2:
AMENDMENTS TO THE COMPANY’S 2021 STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN
Our Board of
Directors has approved, subject to stockholder approval, amendments
to the BioRestorative Therapies, Inc. 2021 Stock Incentive Plan
(the “2021 Plan”) to increase the number of shares of common stock
authorized to be issued thereunder from 1,175,000 to 2,500,000 and
to clarify certain provisions of the 2021 Plan as to the authority
of the Board and the Compensation Committee to make adjustments to,
among other things, the exercise price of granted options. The
amendments to the 2021 Plan are being submitted to the stockholders
for approval.
As of August 3 , 2022, options for the purchase of 864,609 shares
of common stock had been granted pursuant to the 2021 Plan. In
addition, as of such date, 318,356 restricted stock units (“RSUs”)
had been granted pursuant to the 2021 Plan and no shares were
reserved for future grants under the 2021 Plan (without giving
effect to the amendment to the 2021 Plan increasing the number of
shares authorized to be issued under the 2021 Plan to 2,500,000,
subject to stockholder approval). See “2021 Plan Benefits”
below for additional details.
The 2021 Plan was originally adopted by our Board on March 18,
2021. Pursuant to the 2021 Plan, up to 1,175,000 shares of common
stock were initially authorized to be issued. Stockholder approval
of the 2021 Plan was obtained on August 17, 2021. Effective as of
December 10, 2021, our Board, subject to stockholder approval,
increased the number of shares authorized to be issued under the
2021 Plan from 1,175,000 to 2,500,000 and revised certain
provisions of the 2021 Plan to make clear the authority of our
Board and Compensation Committee to reduce the exercise price of
options granted pursuant to the 2021 Plan (either directly or
pursuant to the cancellation of an outstanding option and the
regrant of the option at a reduced exercise price). Concurrently,
our Compensation Committee reduced the exercise price of the
outstanding options under the 2021 Plan for the purchase of an
aggregate of 838,549 shares of our common stock from $13.50 per
share to $5.08 per share (the closing price of our common stock on
the day immediately preceding the Compensation Committee
determination), including the options held by our officers and
directors as follows: (i) Lance Alstodt, our President, Chief
Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board: 335,538 shares, (ii)
Francisco Silva, our Vice President of Research and Development and
a director: 335,538 shares; (iii) Robert Kristal, our Chief
Financial Officer: 10,490 shares; (iv) Nickolay Kukekov, one of our
directors: 25,236 shares; (v) Patrick F. Williams, one of our
directors: 10,490 shares; and (vi) David Rosa, one of our
directors: 10,490 shares. The reduced exercise price of the
foregoing options is subject to stockholder approval of this
proposal.
The 2021 Plan
plays an important role in our efforts to attract and retain
employees of outstanding ability and to align the interests of
employees with those of the stockholders through increased
stock ownership. As discussed below, the 2021 Plan is also designed
to provide incentives to our non‑employee directors, consultants
and advisors.
The
following statements include summaries of certain provisions of the
2021 Plan. The statements do not purport to be complete and are
qualified in their entirety by reference to the provisions of the
2021 Plan, a copy of which is available at our offices.
The purpose of the 2021 Plan is to promote the success and enhance
the value of the Company and its subsidiaries by linking the
individual interests of employees, consultants, advisors and
members of our Board of Directors to those of our stockholders and
by providing such individuals with an incentive for outstanding
performance to generate superior returns to our stockholders. The
2021 Plan is further intended to provide flexibility to the Company
and its subsidiaries in their ability to motivate, attract, and
retain the services of those individuals upon whose judgment,
interest, and special effort the successful conduct of our
operation is largely dependent.
Administration
The 2021 Plan
provides for its administration by our Board of Directors, or a
committee (the “Committee”) appointed by the Board. The
following discussion of the 2021 Plan assumes that the 2021 Plan is
administered by the Compensation Committee.
The Committee
has authority (subject to certain restrictions) to select from the
group of eligible employees, non-employee directors, consultants
and advisors the individuals or entities to whom awards will be
granted under the 2021 Plan, and to determine the times at which
awards will be granted and the terms of such grants. The Committee
is authorized to interpret the 2021 Plan and the interpretation and
construction by the Committee of any provision of the 2021 Plan or
of any award granted under the 2021 Plan shall be final and
conclusive. The receipt of awards under the 2021 Plan by directors
or any members of the Committee shall not preclude their vote on
any matters in connection with the administration or interpretation
of the 2021 Plan.
As amended,
pursuant to the 2021 Plan, the Committee is authorized to reduce
the exercise price of granted options (either directly or pursuant
to a cancellation of the options and the regrant of an option at a
reduced exercise price equal to the then fair market value (as
defined in the 2021 Plan) of our common stock).
Subject to
certain limitations as set forth in the 2021 Plan, options to
purchase shares may be granted thereunder to persons or entities
who, in the case of incentive stock options, are employees of the
Company or, in the case of non-qualified stock options, are
employees or non‑employee directors of, or certain consultants or
advisors to, the Company. Subject to certain limitations as set
forth in the 2021 Plan, restricted stock, RSUs, stock appreciation
rights and other stock awards may be granted thereunder to persons
or entities who are employees or non-employee directors of, or
certain consultants or advisors to, the Company.
As of August 3, 2022, eight employees, three non-employee
directors, six members of our Scientific Advisory Board and three
consultants and advisors were eligible to receive awards under the
2021 Plan.
The Committee
may grant options under the 2021 Plan which are intended to either
qualify as “incentive stock options” within the meaning of Section
422 of the Code or not so qualify. We refer to options that do not
so qualify as “non-qualified stock options.” The Federal income tax
consequences relating to the grant and exercise of incentive stock
options and non-qualified stock options are described below under
“Federal Income Tax Consequences.”
The option
price of the shares subject to an incentive stock option or a
non-qualified stock option may not be less than the fair market
value of the common stock on the date upon which such option is
granted. In addition, in the case of a recipient of an incentive
stock option who, at the time the option is granted, owns more than
10% of the total combined voting power of all classes of our stock
or of a parent or of any of our subsidiaries, the option price of
the shares subject to such option must be at least 110% of the fair
market value of the common stock on the date upon which such option
is granted.
On August 3,
2022, the last reported sale price for our common stock on The
Nasdaq Capital Market was $3.16 per share.
An option
granted under the 2021 Plan shall be exercised by the delivery by
the holder to our Secretary at our principal office of a written or
electronic notice of the number of shares with respect to which the
option is being exercised. The notice must be followed by payment
of the full option price of such shares which must be made by the
holder's delivery of (i) cash or check in such amount, (ii)
previously acquired common stock, the fair market value of which
shall be determined as of the date of exercise, (iii) other form of
legal consideration acceptable to the Committee, or (iv) any
combination of the foregoing.
No incentive
stock option granted under the 2021 Plan shall be exercisable after
the expiration of ten years from the date of its grant. However, if
an incentive stock option is granted to a 10% stockholder, the
option shall not be exercisable after the expiration of five years
from the date of its grant.
Non-qualified
stock options granted under the 2021 Plan shall be exercisable for
a period of up to ten years from the date of their grant.
Options
granted under the 2021 Plan are not transferable otherwise than by
will or the laws of descent and distribution and such options are
exercisable, during a holder's lifetime, only by the grantee;
provided, however, that a non-qualified stock option granted under
the 2021 Plan may, upon the approval of the Committee, be
transferred in whole or in part during a grantee’s lifetime to
certain family members of a grantee through a gift or domestic
relations offer.
Death, Disability or Termination of Employment
Subject to the
terms of the agreement pursuant to which the options are granted,
if the employment of an employee or the services of a non-employee
director, consultant or advisor shall terminate other than for
cause or by reason of death or disability, such option may be
exercised at any time within three months after such termination,
but in no event after the expiration of the option.
Subject to the
terms of the agreement pursuant to which the options are granted,
if an option holder under the 2021 Plan dies while employed by us
or while serving as a non‑employee director of, or consultant or
advisor to, us, then such option may be exercised by the estate of
the employee, non‑employee director, consultant or advisor, or by a
person who acquired such option by bequest or inheritance from the
deceased option holder, at any time within twelve months after his
death.
Subject to the
terms of the stock option agreement pursuant to which the options
are granted, if the holder of an option under the 2021 Plan ceases
employment or services because of permanent and total disability
(as defined in the 2021 Plan) while employed by, or while serving
as a non‑employee director of, or consultant or advisor to, us,
then such option may be exercised at any time within twelve months
after his termination of employment, termination of directorship,
or termination of consulting or advisory arrangement or agreement
due to the disability.
Stock Appreciation Rights
The Committee
may grant stock appreciation rights (an “SAR”) to such persons
eligible under the 2021 Plan as selected from time to time. SARs
shall be granted at such times, in such amounts and under such
other terms and conditions as the Committee shall determine. An SAR
entitles the grantee to exercise the SAR, in whole or in part, in
exchange for payment of shares of our common stock, cash or a
combination thereof, as determined by the Committee, equal in value
to the excess of the fair market value of the shares of our common
stock underlying the SAR, determined on the date of exercise, over
the fair market value of our common stock underlying the SAR on the
date of grant.
No SAR granted
under the 2021 Plan shall be exercisable after the expiration of
ten years from the date of its grant.
Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Unit Grants
The Committee
may grant restricted stock and RSUs under the 2021 Plan to any
individual or entity eligible to receive restricted stock or RSUs.
A restricted stock or RSU award is an award of shares of our common
stock that is subject to certain conditions on vesting and to
certain restrictions on transferability.
Shares granted
pursuant to a grant of restricted stock or RSUs shall vest as
determined by the Committee. Except as otherwise provided in the
award agreement, a grantee shall forfeit all shares not previously
vested, if any, at such time as the grantee is no longer employed
by, or serving as a director of, or rendering consulting or
advisory services to, us.
In determining
the vesting requirements with respect to a grant of restricted
stock or RSUs, the Committee may impose such restrictions on any
shares granted as it may deem advisable including, without
limitation, restrictions relating to length of service, corporate
performance, attainment of individual or group performance goals
and federal or state securities laws.
During the
period that restricted stock is unvested, the grantee will be the
record owner of the restricted stock and shall be entitled to
receive all dividends and other distributions paid with respect to
such shares while they are so restricted; however, if any dividends
or distributions are payable in shares of our stock, cash and/or
other property during an applicable period of restriction, the
shares, cash and/or other property deliverable shall be held by us
until such time as the vesting restrictions with respect to the
restricted stock are satisfied.
A holder of
RSUs shall not have any rights of a stockholder with respect to the
shares of common stock underlying the RSUs unless and until the
RSUs vest and are settled by the issuance of shares of common
stock.
Amendment and Termination
The 2021 Plan
(but not the options or other stock awards previously granted
thereunder) shall terminate on March 18, 2031, ten years from the
date that it was adopted by our Board. Subject to certain
limitations, the 2021 Plan may be amended or modified from time to
time or terminated at an earlier date by our Board or by
the stockholders.
Federal Income Tax Consequences
The following
discussion is intended only as a brief summary of the federal
income tax rules relevant to stock options, restricted stock and
RSUs granted under the 2021 Plan. These rules are highly technical
and subject to change. The following discussion is limited to the
federal income tax rules relevant to us and to the individuals who
are citizens or residents of the United States. The discussion does
not address state, local or foreign income tax consequences.
Non-qualified Stock Options
Under the Code
and the Treasury Department Regulations, a non-qualified stock
option does not ordinarily have a readily ascertainable fair market
value when it is granted. This rule will apply to our grant of
non-qualified stock options. Consequently, the grant of a
non-qualified stock option to an optionee will result in neither
income to him or her nor a deduction to us. Instead, the optionee
will recognize compensation income at the time he or she exercises
the non-qualified stock option in an amount equal to the excess, if
any, of the then fair market value of the shares transferred to the
optionee over the option price. Subject to the applicable
provisions of the Code and the Treasury Department Regulations
regarding withholding of tax, a deduction will be allowable to us
in the year of exercise in the same amount as is includable in the
optionee's income.
For purposes
of determining the optionee's gain or loss on the sale or other
disposition of the shares transferred to him or her upon exercise
of a non-qualified stock option, the optionee's basis in such
shares will be the sum of the optionee’s option price plus the
amount of compensation income recognized by him or her on exercise.
Such gain or loss will be capital gain or loss and will be
long-term or short-term depending upon the holding period
requirement for the shares. No part of any such gain will be an
item of tax preference for purposes of the alternative minimum
tax.
Options
granted under the 2021 Plan which qualify as incentive stock
options under Section 422 of the Code will be treated as
follows:
Except to the
extent that the alternative minimum tax rule described below
applies, no tax consequences will result to the optionee or us from
the grant of an incentive stock option to, or the exercise of an
incentive stock option by, the optionee. Instead, the optionee will
recognize gain or loss when he or she sells or disposes of the
shares transferred to him or her upon exercise of the incentive
stock option. For purposes of determining such gain or loss, the
optionee's basis in such shares will be his or her option price. If
the optionee holds the shares acquired upon exercise for the
requisite holding period set forth in the Code, the optionee will
realize long-term capital gain treatment upon their sale or
disposition.
Generally, we
will not be allowed a deduction with respect to an incentive stock
option. However, if an optionee fails to meet the foregoing holding
period requirements (a so-called disqualifying disposition), any
gain recognized by the optionee upon the sale or disposition of the
shares transferred to him or her upon exercise of an incentive
stock option will be treated in the year of such sale or
disposition as ordinary income, rather than capital gain, to the
extent of the excess, if any, of the fair market value of the
shares at the time of exercise (or, if less, in certain cases the
amount realized on such sale or disposition) over their option
price, and in that case we will be allowed a corresponding
deduction.
For purposes
of the alternative minimum tax, the amount, if any, by which the
fair market value of the shares transferred to the optionee upon
such exercise exceeds the option price will be included in
determining the optionee's alternative minimum taxable income. In
addition, for purposes of such tax, the basis of such shares will
include such excess.
To the extent
that the aggregate fair market value (determined at the time the
option is granted) of the stock with respect to which incentive
stock options are exercisable for the first time by the optionee
during any calendar year exceeds $100,000, such options will not be
incentive stock options. In this regard, upon the exercise of an
option which is deemed, under the rule described in the preceding
sentence, to be in part an incentive stock option and in part a
non-qualified stock option, under existing Internal Revenue Service
guidelines, we may designate which shares issued upon exercise of
such options are incentive stock options and which shares are
non-qualified stock options. In the absence of such designation, a
pro rata portion of each share issued is to be treated as issued
pursuant to the exercise of an incentive stock option and the
balance of each share treated as issued pursuant to the exercise of
a non-qualified stock option.
The income tax consequences of the other stock-based awards will
depend on how such awards are structured. In the case of the grant
of an RSU, a participant will not be in receipt of taxable income
at the time of grant. On delivery, a participant will be in receipt
of ordinary income in an amount equal to the fair market value of
the acquired shares of common stock.
New 2021 Plan Benefits
The benefits
that will be awarded or paid under the 2021 Plan are not currently
determinable (see, however, “Eligibility” above). Awards granted
under the 2021 Plan are within the discretion of the Committee, and
the Committee has not determined future awards or who might receive
them.
The following
table sets forth certain information regarding options and RSUs
granted under the 2021 Plan as of August 3, 2022, to (i) each Named
Executive Officer, (ii) all current executive officers as a group,
(iii) all current directors who are not executive officers as a
group, (iv) each nominee for election as a director, (v) each
associate of any such directors, executive officers or nominees,
(vi) each other person who received 5% of the options granted and
(vii) all employees, including current officers who are not
executive officers, as a group:
Name and
Position
|
Common Stock
Underlying
Options Granted
|
Weighted Average
Exercise Price
Per Share
|
Restricted
Stock Units Granted
|
Lance Alstodt
Chief Executive
Officer, President and Chairman of the Board
|
335,538
(1)
|
$13.50 (6)
|
159,178
(7)
|
Francisco Silva
Vice President of
Research and Development
|
335,538
(1)
|
$13.50 (6)
|
159,178
(7)
|
All current executive officers as a
group
|
689,843
(2)
|
$13.50 (6)
|
318,356
(7)
|
All current directors who are not
executive officers as a group
|
46,216
(3)
|
$13.50 (6)
|
-
|
Jason Lipetz, M.D., Chairman, Disc
Advisory Committee of Scientific Advisory Board
|
49,915 (4)
|
$13.50 (6)
|
-
|
All employees, including all current
officers who are not executive officers, as a group
|
712,605
(5)
|
$13.50 (6)
|
318,356
(7)
|
____________________
(1)
|
Such options
have vested to the extent of 238,452 shares.
|
(2)
|
Such options
have vested to the extent of 482,907 shares.
|
(3)
|
Such options
have vested to the extent of 20,486 shares.
|
(4)
|
Such options
have vested to the extent of 12,470 shares.
|
(5)
|
Such options
have vested to the extent of 488,599 shares.
|
(6)
|
In the event
that stockholder approval of this Proposal 2 is obtained, the
exercise price of the options will be reduced to $5.08 per
share.
|
(7)
|
Such RSUs vest
to the extent of 48,914 shares on March 18, 2022, 48,913 shares on
each of March 18, 2023 and 2024, 1,037 shares on each of April 18,
2022, June 18, 2022, August 18, 2022, October 18, 2022, December
18, 2022 and February 18, 2023 and 1,036 shares on each of May 18,
2022, July 18, 2022, September 18, 2022, November 18, 2022 and
January 18, 2023 (subject to earlier vesting under certain
circumstances).
|
Securities Authorized for Issuance Under Equity Compensation
Plans
The following
table sets forth information as of December 31, 2021, with respect
to compensation plans (including individual compensation
arrangements) under which our shares of common stock are authorized
for issuance, aggregated as follows:
|
•
|
all compensation plans
previously approved by security holders; and
|
|
•
|
all compensation plans not
previously approved by security holders.
|
Equity
Compensation Plan Information
|
|
Number of
securities to be issued upon exercise of outstanding options
(a)
|
|
|
Weighted-average
exercise price of outstanding options (b)
|
|
|
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
|
|
|
839,639
|
(1)
|
|
$
|
13.50
|
(2) |
|
|
336,450
|
(3)
|
Total
|
|
|
839,639
|
|
|
$
|
13.50
|
|
|
|
336,450
|
|
(1)
|
Includes options to purchase up
to 1,089 shares of common stock under our 2010 Equity Participation
Plan.
|
|
|
(2)
|
In the event that stockholder approval of this Proposal 2 is
obtained, the weighted average exercise price of the outstanding
options will be reduced to $5.08 per share.
|
|
|
(3)
|
Includes 293,480 unvested restricted stock units outstanding
at December 31, 2021.
|
The
approval of the amendments to the Plan requires the affirmative
vote of stockholders who hold a majority of the voting power
present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting.
The
Board of Directors recommends a vote FOR approval of the amendments
to the Plan.
PROPOSAL 3: AUTHORIZATION TO REINCORPORATE THE COMPANY IN THE STATE
OF NEVADA
Our Board of Directors has approved and recommends to the
stockholders a proposal to change the Company’s state of
incorporation from the State of Delaware to the State of Nevada
(the “Reincorporation”). The Reincorporation would be effected
through the merger (the “Merger”) of the Company into a
newly-formed Nevada corporation that is a wholly-owned subsidiary
of the Company, which we refer to herein as the “Surviving
Company,” pursuant to an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger
Agreement”). Upon completion of the Merger, the Surviving Company
will be the surviving corporation and will continue to operate our
business under the name “BioRestorative Therapies, Inc.”
Reincorporation in Nevada will not result in a material change in
our business, management, assets, liabilities or net worth.
Reincorporation in Nevada will allow us to take advantage of
certain provisions of the corporate and tax laws of Nevada.
Reasons for the Reincorporation in Nevada
Our Board of Directors believes that there are several reasons why
a reincorporation in Nevada is in the best interests of the Company
and its stockholders. First of all, the Reincorporation will
eliminate our obligation to pay the annual Delaware franchise tax,
which we expect will result in substantial savings to us over the
long term. For tax year 2021, we paid approximately $91,000 in
Delaware franchise taxes. We anticipate that, if we remain a
Delaware corporation, for tax year 2022, our Delaware franchise
taxes will be $200,000 (based on our current capital structure and
assets). If we reincorporate in Nevada, our current annual fees
will consist of an annual business license fee of $500, an annual
domestic agent representation fee of $210, and an annual fee based
on the number of authorized shares and their par value, currently
equal to $300.
In addition, the Reincorporation may help us attract and retain
qualified management by reducing the risk of lawsuits being filed
against the Company and its directors and officers. We believe
that, for the reasons described below, in general, Nevada law
provides greater protection to our directors, officers and the
Company than Delaware law. The increasing frequency of claims and
litigation directed towards directors and officers has greatly
expanded the risks facing directors and officers in general of
public companies in exercising their duties. The amount of time and
money required to respond to these claims and to defend this type
of litigation can be substantial. Delaware law provides that every
person becoming a director or an officer of a Delaware corporation
consents to the personal jurisdiction of the Delaware courts in
connection with any action concerning the corporation. Accordingly,
both directors and officers can be personally sued in Delaware,
even though the director or officer has no other contacts with the
state. Similarly, Nevada law provides that every person who accepts
election or appointment, including reelection or reappointment, as
a director or officer of a Nevada corporation consents to the
personal jurisdiction of the Nevada courts in connection with all
civil actions or proceedings brought in Nevada by, on behalf of or
against the entity in which the director or officer is a necessary
or proper party, or in any action or proceeding against the
director or officer for a violation of a duty in such capacity,
whether or not the person continues to serve as a director or
officer at the time the action or proceeding is commenced. Though
Delaware corporate law has recently been amended to, among other
things, increase protections for officers of a corporation, we
believe Nevada is more advantageous than Delaware because Nevada
has pursued a statute-focused approach that does not depend upon
judicial supplementation and revision, and is intended to be
stable, predictable and more efficient, whereas much of Delaware
corporate law still consists of judicial decisions that migrate and
develop over time.
Also, reincorporation in Nevada will provide potentially greater
protection for directors and officers of the Company. Delaware law
permits a corporation to adopt provisions limiting or eliminating
the liability of a director or an officer to a company and its
stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a
director, provided that the liability does not arise from certain
proscribed conduct, including breach of the duty of loyalty, acts
or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional
misconduct or a knowing violation of law. By contrast, Nevada law
permits a broader exclusion of liability of both officers and
directors to the Company and its stockholders, providing for an
exclusion of all monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty
unless they arise from acts or omissions which involve intentional
misconduct, fraud or a knowing violation of law. The
reincorporation will result in the elimination of any liability of
an officer or director for a breach of the duty of loyalty unless
arising from intentional misconduct, fraud or a knowing violation
of law. There is currently no known pending claim or litigation
against any of our directors or officers for breach of fiduciary
duty related to their service as directors or officers of the
Company. The directors have an interest in the Reincorporation to
the extent that they will be entitled to such limitation of
liability.
Further, a reincorporation in Nevada will provide certain corporate
flexibility in connection with certain corporate transactions,
including reverse stock splits, as discussed below under
“Comparative Rights of Stockholders under Delaware and Nevada
Law.”
The Reincorporation is not being effected to prevent a change in
control, nor is it in response to any present attempt known to our
Board to acquire control of the Company or obtain representation on
our Board. Nevertheless, certain effects of the proposed
reincorporation may be considered to have anti-takeover
implications by virtue of being subject to Nevada law. For a
discussion of differences between the laws of Delaware and Nevada,
including differences that may have anti-takeover implications, see
“Comparative Rights of Stockholders under Delaware and Nevada Law”
below.
Material Terms of the Merger
In order to effect the Reincorporation of the Company in Nevada,
the Company will be merged with and into the Surviving Company.
Prior to the Merger, the Surviving Company will not have engaged in
any activities except in connection with the proposed transaction.
The mailing address and telephone number of the Surviving Company
are the same as those of the Company. As part of its approval and
recommendations of our reincorporation in Nevada, our Board of
Directors has approved, and recommends to our stockholders for
their adoption and approval, the Merger Agreement pursuant to which
we will be merged with and into the Surviving Company. The full
texts of the Merger Agreement, the Certificate of Amended and
Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Surviving Company, the
Certificate of Designations of Preferred Stock of the Surviving
Company with respect to Series A preferred stock and the Bylaws of
the Surviving Company, in substantially the forms under which the
Company’s business will be conducted after the Merger are attached
hereto as Appendix A, Appendix B,
Appendix C and Appendix D, respectively. The
discussion contained in this proxy statement is qualified in its
entirety by reference to such Appendices.
The Board of Directors has determined that the Reincorporation and
the terms of the Merger Agreement between the Company and the
Surviving Company are in the best interests of our stockholders.
The terms of the Merger Agreement are more fully described
below.
Terms of the Merger Agreement
The following discussion summarizes the material terms of the
Merger Agreement but does not purport to be a complete statement of
all provisions of the Merger Agreement and is qualified in its
entirety by reference to the Merger Agreement, a copy of which is
attached to this proxy statement as Appendix A. Stockholders
are urged to read the Merger Agreement carefully as it is the legal
document that will govern the Merger.
The Merger. The Merger
Agreement provides that, subject to the terms and conditions of the
Merger Agreement, the Company shall be merged with and into the
Surviving Company, the Company’s separate legal existence shall
cease, and the Surviving Company shall continue as the surviving
corporation.
Effect of the Merger. Upon the
effectiveness of the Reincorporation, the outstanding shares of
common stock and Series A preferred stock of the Company will
automatically be converted into shares of common stock and Series A
preferred stock of the Surviving Company, respectively, on a
one-for-one-basis. Outstanding options and warrants to purchase the
Company’s common stock will be converted into options and warrants
to purchase the same number of shares of the Surviving Company’s
common stock. Outstanding convertible securities and convertible
debt that are convertible into the Company’s common stock will be
converted into convertible securities and convertible debt that are
convertible into the same number of shares of the Surviving
Company’s common stock. The Surviving Company, as the surviving
corporation, shall continue unaffected and unimpaired by the Merger
with all of its purposes and powers. The Surviving Company shall be
governed by Nevada law and succeed to all rights, assets,
liabilities and obligations of the Company in accordance with
Nevada law and Delaware law.
Articles of Incorporation, Certificate of Designations of Preferred
Stock and Bylaws of the Surviving Company Following the
Merger. The Merger
Agreement provides that the Articles of Incorporation of the
Surviving Company, as in effect at the Effective Time (as defined
below), will be amended and restated as provided for in the
Certificate of Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of
the surviving corporation following the Merger, as provided for in
Appendix B attached to this proxy statement. The
Merger Agreement also provides that the Certificate of Designations
of Preferred Stock with respect to the Series A preferred stock of
the Company will be the Certificate of Designations of Preferred
Stock with respect to the Series A preferred stock of the surviving
corporation following the Merger. The Certificate of
Designations is attached to this proxy statement as Appendix
C. The Merger Agreement further provides that the Bylaws of the
Surviving Company, as in effect at the Effective Time, will be the
Bylaws of the surviving corporation following the Merger. The
Bylaws are attached to this proxy statement as Appendix
D.
Directors and Officers of the Surviving Company Following the
Merger. The incumbent
officers and directors of the Company will also be the officers and
directors of the Surviving Company at the Effective
Time.
Effective Time
It
is anticipated that the Merger, and consequently our
reincorporation from Delaware to Nevada, will become effective at
the date and time (the “Effective Time”) specified in each of (i)
the Articles of Merger to be executed and filed with the office of
the Nevada Secretary of State in accordance with the Nevada Revised
Statutes (the “NRS”) Section 92A.200 and (ii) the Certificate of
Merger to be executed and filed with the Office of the Secretary of
State of Delaware in accordance with Section 252 of the Delaware
General Corporation Law (the “DGCL”). However, the Reincorporation
may be delayed by our Board of Directors or the Merger Agreement
may be terminated and abandoned by action of our Board of Directors
at any time prior to the effective time of the Reincorporation,
whether before or after the approval by the Company’s stockholders,
if our Board of Directors determines for any reason that the
consummation of the Reincorporation should be delayed or would be
inadvisable or not in the best interests of the Company and its
stockholders, as the case may be.
Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences of the
Reincorporation
We intend the Merger to be a tax-free reorganization under the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). Assuming
the Merger qualifies as a tax-free reorganization, the holders of
our common stock will not recognize any gain or loss under the U.S.
federal income tax laws as a result of the consummation of the
Reincorporation, and neither will the Company nor the Surviving
Company. Each stockholder will have the same basis in the Surviving
Company common stock received as a result of the Reincorporation as
that holder has in our common stock held at the time the Merger is
consummated. Each holder’s holding period in the Surviving Company
common stock received as a result of the Merger will include the
period during which such holder held our common stock at the time
the Merger is consummated, provided the latter was held by such
holder as a capital asset at the time of consummation of the
Merger.
This proxy statement only discusses U.S. federal income tax
consequences and has done so only for general information. It does
not address all of the U.S. federal income tax consequences that
may be relevant to particular stockholders based upon individual
circumstances or to stockholders who are subject to special rules,
such as financial institutions, tax-exempt organizations, insurance
companies, dealers in securities, foreign holders or holders who
acquired their shares as compensation, whether through employee
stock options or otherwise. This proxy statement does not address
the tax consequences under state, local or foreign laws.
This discussion is based on the Code, laws, regulations, rulings
and decisions in effect as of the date of this proxy statement, all
of which are subject to differing interpretations and change,
possibly with retroactive effect. The Company has neither requested
nor received a tax opinion from legal counsel or rulings from the
Internal Revenue Service regarding the consequences of the
Reincorporation. There can be no assurance that future legislation,
regulations, administrative rulings or court decisions would not
alter the consequences discussed above.
Stockholders should consult their own tax advisors to determine the
particular tax consequences of the Reincorporation, including the
applicability and effect of U.S. federal, state, local, foreign and
other tax laws.
Securities Act Consequences
The shares of the Surviving Company common stock and Series A
preferred stock to be issued in exchange for shares of our common
stock and Series A preferred stock are not being registered under
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”).
In that respect, the Surviving Company is relying on Rule 145(a)(2)
under the Securities Act, which provides that a merger that has as
its sole purpose a change in a corporation’s domicile does not
involve the sale of securities for purposes of the Securities Act.
After the Merger, the Surviving Company will be a publicly held
company, and it will file with the SEC and provide to its
stockholders the same type of information that we have previously
filed and provided. Stockholders, whose shares of our common stock
are freely tradable before the Merger will continue to have freely
tradable shares of Surviving Company common stock. Stockholders
holding restricted shares of Surviving Company common stock and
Series A preferred stock will be subject to the same restrictions
on transfer as those to which their present shares of our common
stock and Series A preferred stock are subject. In summary, the
Surviving Company and its stockholders will be in the same
respective positions under the federal securities laws after the
Reincorporation as the Company and our stockholders prior to the
Reincorporation.
No Exchange of Stock Certificates Required
Stockholders are not required to exchange their stock certificates
for new certificates representing shares of the Surviving Company
common stock or Series A preferred stock. New stock certificates
representing shares of Surviving Company common stock and Series A
preferred stock will not be issued to a stockholder until such
stockholder submits one or more existing certificates for transfer,
whether pursuant to a sale or other disposition. However,
stockholders (at their option and at their expense) may exchange
their stock certificates for new certificates representing shares
of Surviving Company common stock or Series A preferred stock, as
the case may be, following the Effective Time of the Merger.
Accounting Treatment of the Merger
In accordance with the terms of the Merger Agreement, the Company
will be merged with and into the Surviving Company, with the
Surviving Company being the surviving corporation. The incumbent
officers and directors of the Company will also be the officers and
directors of the Surviving Company at the Effective Time. Since the
Merger is not expected to be accounted for as a business
combination, no goodwill is expected to be recorded in connection
therewith and the costs incurred in connection with the Merger are
expected to be expensed.
No Appraisal Rights
Under the DGCL, our stockholders are not entitled to dissenter’s or
appraisal rights with respect to the Reincorporation described in
this Proposal 3.
Potential Disadvantages of the Reincorporation
Because of Delaware’s prominence as a state of incorporation for
many large corporations, the Delaware courts have developed
considerable expertise in dealing with corporate issues and a
substantial body of case law has developed construing Delaware law
and establishing public policies with respect to Delaware
corporations. While Nevada also has encouraged incorporation in
that state and has adopted comprehensive, modern and flexible
statutes that it periodically updates and revises to meet changing
business needs, because Nevada case law concerning the effects of
its statutes and regulations is more limited, the Company and its
stockholders may experience less predictability with respect to the
legality of certain corporate affairs and transactions and
stockholders’ rights to challenge them, to the extent Nevada’s
statutes do not provide a clear answer and a Nevada court must make
a determination.
In addition, underwriters and other members of the financial
services industry may be less willing and able to assist the
Company with capital-raising programs because they might perceive
Nevada’s laws as being less flexible or developed than those of
Delaware. Certain investment funds, sophisticated investors and
brokerage firms may likewise be less comfortable and less willing
to invest in a corporation incorporated in a jurisdiction other
than Delaware whose corporate laws may be less understood or
perceived to be unresponsive to stockholder rights.
Further, a reincorporation in Nevada will provide certain corporate
flexibility in connection with certain corporate transactions,
including reverse stock splits, whereby our Board of Directors may
be able to take certain actions without the need for stockholder
approval, as discussed under “Comparative Rights of Stockholders
under Delaware and Nevada Law.”
Comparative Rights of Stockholders Before and After the
Reincorporation
Upon consummation of the Reincorporation, the outstanding shares of
our common stock will be converted into shares of the Surviving
Company’s common stock. Consequently, our common stockholders,
whose rights as stockholders are currently governed by the DGCL and
the Company’s current Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws, will
become common stockholders of the Surviving Company (as the
surviving corporation) whose rights will be governed by the NRS and
the Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation and the Bylaws
of the Surviving Company, which are attached hereto
as Appendix B and Appendix D,
respectively.
Upon consummation of the Reincorporation, the outstanding shares of
our Series A preferred stock will be converted into shares of the
Surviving Company’s Series A preferred stock. Consequently, our
sole Series A preferred stockholder, whose rights as a stockholder
are currently governed by the DGCL and the Company’s current
Certificate of Incorporation, Certificate of Designations of
Preferred Stock with respect to the Series A preferred stock and
Bylaws, will become a Series A preferred stockholder of the
Surviving Company (as the surviving corporation) whose rights will
be governed by the NRS and the Amended and Restated Articles of
Incorporation, the Certificate of Designations of Preferred Stock
with respect to the Series A preferred stock and the Bylaws of the
Surviving Company, which are attached hereto as Appendix
B, Appendix C and Appendix D,
respectively.
The Company’s current Certificate of Incorporation, Certificate of
Designations of Preferred Stock and Bylaws are referred to below as
the “Current Charter”, the “Current Certificate of Designations”
and the “Current Bylaws”, respectively, and the Surviving Company’s
Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation, Certificate of
Designations of Preferred Stock and Bylaws are referred to below as
the “New Charter,” the “New Certificate of Designations” and the
“New Bylaws”, respectively.
Key Changes in the Company’s Charter and Bylaws to be Implemented
by the Reincorporation
The New Charter and New Bylaws differ in a number of respects from
the Current Charter and Current Bylaws, respectively, copies of
which have been filed with the SEC (see Exhibits 3.1 and 3.2,
respectively, to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the
year ended December 31, 2021, available electronically to our
stockholders) and are also available for inspection by our
stockholders upon reasonable notice during regular business hours,
at our principal executive offices at 40 Marcus Drive, Suite One,
Melville, New York 11747, Attention: Corporate Secretary.
There are certain differences that may affect your rights as a
stockholder, as well as the corporate governance of the Surviving
Company as the surviving corporation. The following are summaries
of some of the more significant differences between the Current
Charter and Current Bylaws, on the one hand, and the New Charter
and New Bylaws, on the other. Except as described in this section,
the rights of stockholders under the New Charter and New Bylaws are
substantially the same as under the Current Charter and Current
Bylaws.
The following discussion is a brief summary. It does not provide a
complete description of the differences that may affect you. This
summary is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Current
Charter and Current Bylaws, and the New Charter and New
Bylaws.
Provisions
|
|
Nevada
|
|
Delaware
|
Charter regarding limitation
on
liability
|
|
The New Charter provides that, to the fullest extent permitted by
the NRS, the liability of directors and officers of the Surviving
Company shall be eliminated or limited. Note that, under the NRS,
this provision does not exclude exculpation for breaches of duty of
loyalty and covers both directors and officers.
|
|
The Current Charter provides that, to the fullest extent permitted
by the DGCL, a director of the Company shall not be liable to the
Company or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of
fiduciary duty as a director, except (a) for any breach of the
director’s duty of loyalty to the corporation or its stockholders;
(b) for acts or omissions not in good faith or involving
intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law; (c) for the
payment of unlawful dividends, stock repurchases or redemptions; or
(d) for any transaction in which the director received an improper
personal benefit.
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Charter regarding
distributions to stockholders
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The New Charter provides that, in accordance with the NRS, the
Surviving Company may make distributions to stockholders even when,
after giving effect to the distribution, the Surviving Company’s
total assets would be less than the sum of its total liabilities
plus the amount that would be needed, if the Surviving Company were
to be dissolved at the time of distribution, to satisfy the
preferential rights upon dissolution of stockholders whose
preferential rights are superior to those receiving the
distribution.
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Under the DGCL, a dividend may only be paid out of a corporation’s
surplus or, if there is no surplus, out of its net profits for the
fiscal year in which the dividend is declared and/or the preceding
year.
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Bylaws regarding
proxies
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The New Bylaws provide that each proxy authorized by a stockholder
shall be valid until its expiration or revocation in a manner
permitted by the laws of Nevada. In Nevada, proxies are valid for
six months from the date of creation unless the proxy provides for
a longer period of up to seven years.
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Under the DGCL, no proxy authorized by a stockholder shall be valid
after three years from the date of its execution unless the proxy
provides for a longer period.
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Bylaws regarding removal
of
directors
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As permitted by Nevada law, the New Bylaws provide that any
director may be removed from office at any special meeting of the
stockholders either with or without cause by the vote of the
holders of not less than 75% of the voting power of the issued and
outstanding stock entitled to vote generally in the election of
directors, excluding stock entitled to vote only upon the happening
of a fact or event unless such fact or event shall have
occurred.
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Under the DGCL, any director may be removed, with or without cause,
by the stockholders, except that, in the case of a corporation
whose board is classified (such as the Company), no director may be
removed from office by the stockholders except for cause.
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Bylaws regarding
director compensation
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As permitted by Nevada law, the New Bylaws provide that director
compensation established pursuant to the bylaws shall be presumed
to be fair to the Surviving Company unless proven unfair by a
preponderance of the evidence.
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Delaware law does not have a corresponding statute.
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Bylaws regarding
stockholder proposals
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The New Bylaws provide that a stockholder proposal may be
considered at a meeting of stockholders if such proposal is
properly requested to be brought before such meeting by a
stockholder of the Surviving Company in accordance with New Bylaws,
which requires the proposal be delivered to the secretary of the
Surviving Company not earlier than the 120th day and not later than
the 90th day prior to the meeting and the disclosure of certain
information including the name and address of the stockholder, the
number of shares directly or indirectly held by the stockholder and
any other information relating to the stockholder, beneficial owner
or a control person of the stockholder that would be required to be
disclosed in a proxy statement.
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The Current Bylaws provide that a stockholder proposal may be
considered at a meeting of stockholders if such proposal is
properly requested to be brought before such meeting by a
stockholder of the Company in accordance with Current Bylaws, which
requires the proposal to delivered to the secretary of the Company
not less than 45 days nor more than 75 days prior to the one-year
anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting of
stockholders; provided, however, that, in the event that the
date of the annual meeting is advanced more than 30 days prior to
such anniversary date or delayed more than 30 days after such
anniversary date, then, to be timely, such notice must be received
by the Company no later than the later of 90 days prior to the date
of the meeting or the 10th day following the day on which public
announcement of the date of the meeting was made.
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Bylaws regarding
forum adjudication for disputes
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The New Bylaws provide that the Eighth Judicial District Court of
Clark County, Nevada, shall be the sole and exclusive forum for
certain categories of actions brought by stockholders as specified
in the new Bylaws.
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The Current Bylaws do not contain a corresponding provision.
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The Current Certificate of Designations and the New Certificate of
Designations are substantially identical.
Comparative Rights of Stockholders under Delaware and Nevada
Law
General. The statutory
corporate laws of Nevada, as governed by the NRS, are similar in
many respects to those of Delaware, as governed by the DGCL.
However, there are certain differences that may affect your rights
as a stockholder, as well as the corporate governance of the
Surviving Company. The following are summaries of material
differences between the current rights of stockholders of the
Company and the rights of stockholders of the Surviving Company
following the consummation of the Reincorporation.
The following discussion is a brief summary. It does not provide a
complete description of the differences that may affect you. This
summary is qualified in its entirety by reference to the NRS and
DGCL, as well as the forms of the New Charter, the New Certificate
of Designations and New Bylaws, which are attached
as Appendix B, Appendix
C and Appendix D, respectively, to this proxy
statement, and which will come into effect concurrently with the
consummation of the Reincorporation.
Increasing or Decreasing Authorized Capital
Stock. The NRS allows
the board of directors of a corporation, unless restricted by the
articles of incorporation, to increase or decrease the number of
authorized shares in a class or series of the corporation’s shares
and correspondingly effect a forward or reverse split of any class
or series of the corporation’s shares (and change the par value
thereof) without a vote of the stockholders, so long as the action
taken does not adversely change or alter any right or preference of
the stockholders and does not include any provision or provisions
pursuant to which only money will be paid or scrip issued to
stockholders who hold 10% or more of the outstanding shares of the
affected class and series, and who would otherwise be entitled to
receive fractions of shares in exchange for the cancellation of all
of their outstanding shares. Delaware law has no similar
provision.
Classified Board of Directors. The DGCL
permits any Delaware corporation to classify its board of directors
into as many as three classes with staggered terms of office. If
this is done, the stockholders elect only one class each year and
each class would have a term of office of three years. The Current
Charter and Current Bylaws provide for a classified board of
directors.
The NRS also permits any Nevada corporation to classify its board
of directors into any number of classes with staggered terms of
office, so long as at least one-fourth of the total number of
directors is elected annually. The New Charter and New Bylaws also
provide for a classified board of directors, and thus all directors
will still be elected each year for a three-year term following the
consummation of the Reincorporation.
Cumulative Voting. Cumulative
voting for directors entitles each stockholder to cast a number of
votes that is equal to the number of voting shares held by such
stockholder multiplied by the number of directors to be elected and
to cast all such votes for one nominee or distribute such votes
among up to as many candidates as there are positions to be filled.
Cumulative voting may enable a minority stockholder or group of
stockholders to elect at least one representative to the board of
directors where such stockholders would not be able to elect any
directors without cumulative voting.
Although the DGCL does not generally grant stockholders cumulative
voting rights, a Delaware corporation may provide in its
certificate of incorporation for cumulative voting in the election
of directors. The NRS also permits any Nevada corporation to
provide in its articles of incorporation the right to cumulative
voting in the election of directors as long as certain procedures
are followed.
The Current Charter does not provide for cumulative voting in the
election of directors. Similarly, the New Charter does not provide
for cumulative voting.
Vacancies. Under both the
DGCL and the NRS, vacancies on the board of directors may be filled
by the affirmative vote of a majority of the remaining directors
then in office, even if less than a quorum. Any director so
appointed will hold office for the remainder of the term of the
director no longer on the board.
Removal of Directors. Under the DGCL,
the holders of a majority of shares of each class entitled to vote
at an election of directors may vote to remove any director or the
entire board without cause unless (i) the board is a classified
board, in which case directors may be removed only for cause, or
(ii) the corporation has cumulative voting, in which case, if less
than the entire board is to be removed, no director may be removed
without cause if the votes cast against his or her removal would be
sufficient to elect him or her. Thus, under the DGCL, a director of
a corporation that has a classified board, such as the Company, may
be removed only for cause by the affirmative vote of a majority of
the outstanding shares entitled to vote at an election of
directors.
The NRS requires the vote of the holders of at least two-thirds of
the shares or class or series of shares of the issued and
outstanding stock entitled to vote at an election of directors in
order to remove a director or all of the directors. Furthermore,
the NRS does not make a distinction between removals for cause and
removals without cause. The articles of incorporation may provide
for a higher voting threshold but not a lower one.
Fiduciary Duty and Business Judgment. Nevada, like
most jurisdictions, requires that directors and officers of Nevada
corporations exercise their powers in good faith and with a view to
the interests of the corporation but, unlike other jurisdictions,
fiduciary duties of directors and officers are codified in the NRS.
As a matter of law, directors and officers are presumed to act in
good faith, on an informed basis and with a view to the interests
of the corporation in making business decisions. In performing such
duties, directors and officers may exercise their business judgment
through reliance on information, opinions, reports, financial
statements and other financial data prepared or presented by
corporate directors, officers or employees who are reasonably
believed to be reliable and competent. Professional reliance may
also be extended to legal counsel, public accountants, advisers,
bankers or other persons reasonably believed to be competent, and
to the work of a committee (on which the particular director or
officer does not serve) if the committee was established and
empowered by the corporation’s board of directors, and if the
committee’s work was within its designated authority and was about
matters on which the committee was reasonably believed to merit
confidence. However, directors and officers may not rely on such
information, opinions, reports, books of account or similar
statements if they have knowledge concerning the matter in question
that would make such reliance unwarranted.
Under Delaware law, members of the board of directors or any
committee designated by the board of directors are similarly
entitled to rely in good faith upon the records of the corporation
and upon such information, opinions, reports and statements
presented to the corporation by corporate officers, employees,
committees of the board of directors or other persons as to matters
such member reasonably believes are within such other person’s
professional or expert competence, provided that such other person
has been selected with reasonable care by or on behalf of the
corporation. Such appropriate reliance on records and other
information protects directors from liability related to decisions
made based on such records and other information. Both Delaware and
Nevada law extend the statutory protection for reliance on such
persons to corporate officers.
Flexibility for Decisions, including Takeovers. Nevada
provides directors with more discretion than Delaware in making
corporate decisions, including decisions made in takeover
situations. Under Nevada law, director and officer actions taken in
response to a change or potential change in control are granted the
benefits of the business judgment rule. However, in the case of an
action that impedes the rights of stockholders to vote for or
remove directors, directors will only be given the advantage of the
business judgment rule if the directors have reasonable grounds to
believe a threat to corporate policy and effectiveness exists and
the action taken that impedes the exercise of the stockholders’
rights is reasonable in relation to such threat.
In exercising their powers, including in response to a change or
potential change of control, directors and officers of Nevada
corporations may consider the effect of the decision on several
corporate constituencies in addition to the stockholders, including
the corporation’s employees, suppliers, creditors and customers,
the economy of the state and nation, the interests of the community
and society in general, and the long-term as well as short-term
interests of the corporation and its stockholders, including the
possibility that these interests may be best served by the
continued independence of the corporation. To underscore the
discretion of directors and officers of Nevada corporations, the
NRS specifically states that such directors and officers are not
required to consider the effect of a proposed corporate action upon
any constituent as a dominant factor.
The DGCL does not provide a similar list of statutory factors that
corporate directors and officers may consider in making decisions.
In a number of cases and in certain situations, Delaware law has
been interpreted to provide that fiduciary duties require directors
to accept an offer from the highest bidder regardless of the effect
of such sale on the corporate constituencies other than the
stockholders. Thus, the flexibility granted to directors of Nevada
corporations when making business decisions, including in the
context of a hostile takeover, are greater than those granted to
directors of Delaware corporations.
Limitation on Personal Liability of Directors and
Officers. The NRS and the
DGCL each permit corporations to adopt provisions in their charter
documents that eliminate or limit the personal liability of
directors and officers to the corporation or their stockholders for
monetary damages for breach of a director’s fiduciary duty, subject
to the differences discussed below.
Both
jurisdictions preclude liability limitation for acts or omissions
not in good faith or involving intentional misconduct and for
paying dividends or repurchasing stock out of other than lawfully
available funds. Unlike the DGCL, however, the NRS does not
expressly preclude a corporation from limiting liability for a
director’s breach of the duty of loyalty or for any transaction
from which a director derives an improper personal benefit.
Alternatively, the NRS permits a corporation to renounce in its
articles of incorporation any interest or expectancy to participate
in specific or specified classes or categories of business
opportunities. Both the DGCL and the NRS permit limitation of
liability which applies to both directors and officers, though the
NRS expressly also applies this limitation to liabilities owed to
creditors of the corporation. Furthermore, under the NRS, it is not
necessary to adopt provisions in the articles of incorporation
limiting personal liability of directors or officers as this
limitation is provided by statute. However, under Delaware law, the
exculpation of officers (namely, the chief executive officer,
president, chief financial officer, chief operating officer, chief
legal officer, controller, treasurer and chief accounting officer,
as well as any other persons identified as “named executive
officers” in the Company’s most recent SEC filings) is authorized
only in connection with direct claims brought by stockholders,
including class actions; however, it does not eliminate monetary
liability of officers for breach of fiduciary duty arising out of
claims brought by the corporation itself or for derivative claims
brought by stockholders in the name of the
corporation.
Finally, in Nevada, in order for a director or officer to be
individually liable to the corporation or its stockholders or
creditors for damages as a result of any act or failure to act, it
must be proven that the directors’ or officers’ act or failure to
act constituted a breach of his or her fiduciary duties as a
director or officer and that the breach of those duties involved
intentional misconduct, fraud or a knowing violation of law.
Thus, the NRS provides broader protection from personal liability
for directors and officers than the DGCL.
Indemnification. The NRS and
the DGCL each permit corporations to indemnify directors, officers,
employees and agents in similar circumstances, subject to the
differences discussed below.
In suits that are not brought by or in the right of the
corporation, both jurisdictions permit a corporation to indemnify
current and former directors, officers, employees and agents for
attorneys’ fees and other expenses, judgments and amounts paid in
settlement that the person actually and reasonably incurred in
connection with the action, suit or proceeding. The person seeking
indemnity may recover as long as he or she acted in good faith and
believed his or her actions were either in the best interests of or
not opposed to the best interests of the corporation. Under the
NRS, the person seeking indemnity may also be indemnified if he or
she is not liable for breach of his or her fiduciary duties.
Similarly, with respect to a criminal proceeding, the person
seeking indemnification must not have had any reasonable cause to
believe his or her conduct was unlawful.
In derivative suits, a corporation in either jurisdiction may
indemnify its directors, officers, employees or agents for expenses
that the person actually and reasonably incurred. A corporation may
not indemnify a person if the person was adjudged to be liable to
the corporation unless a court otherwise orders.
No corporation may indemnify a party unless it decides that
indemnification is proper. Under the DGCL, the corporation through
its stockholders, directors or independent legal counsel will
determine whether the conduct of the person seeking indemnity
conformed with the statutory provisions governing indemnity. Under
the NRS, the corporation through its stockholders, directors or
independent counsel must only determine that the indemnification is
proper.
Advancement of Expenses. Although the
DGCL and NRS have substantially similar provisions regarding
indemnification by a corporation of its officers, directors,
employees and agents, the NRS provides broader indemnification in
connection with stockholder derivative lawsuits, in particular with
respect to advancement of expenses incurred by an officer or
director in defending a civil or criminal action, suit or other
proceeding.
The DGCL provides that expenses incurred by an officer or director
in defending any civil, criminal, administrative or investigative
action, suit or proceeding may be paid by the corporation in
advance of the final disposition of such action, suit or proceeding
upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of such director or
officer to repay the amount if it is ultimately determined that he
or she is not entitled to be indemnified by the corporation. A
Delaware corporation has the discretion to decide whether or not to
advance expenses, unless its certificate of incorporation or bylaws
provide for mandatory advancement.
In contrast, under the NRS, the articles of incorporation, the
bylaws or an agreement made by the corporation may provide that the
corporation must pay advancements of expenses in advance of the
final disposition of the action, suit or proceeding upon receipt of
an undertaking by or on behalf of the director or officer to repay
the amount if it is ultimately determined that he or she is not
entitled to be indemnified by the corporation.
Action by Written Consent of Directors. Both the DGCL
and NRS provide that, unless the articles or certificate of
incorporation or the bylaws provide otherwise, any action required
or permitted to be taken at a meeting of the directors or a
committee thereof may be taken without a meeting if all members of
the board or committee, as the case may be, consent to the action
in writing.
Actions by Written Consent of
Stockholders. Both
the DGCL and NRS provide that, unless the articles or certificate
of incorporation provides otherwise, any action required or
permitted to be taken at a meeting of the stockholders may be taken
without a meeting if the holders of outstanding stock having at
least the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to
authorize or take the action at a meeting of stockholders consent
to the action in writing. In addition, the DGCL requires the
corporation to give prompt notice of the taking of corporate action
without a meeting by less than unanimous written consent to those
stockholders who did not consent in writing. There is no equivalent
requirement under the NRS.
The NRS also permits a corporation to prohibit stockholder action
by written consent in lieu of a meeting of stockholders by
including such prohibition in its bylaws.
The Current Charter provides that stockholders may act by written
consent if such consent is authorized by a majority of the entire
Board. The New Charter contains a substantially similar
provision.
Dividends and Distributions. Delaware law is
more restrictive than Nevada law with respect to dividend payments.
Unless further restricted in the certificate of incorporation, the
DGCL permits a corporation to declare and pay dividends out of
either (i) surplus, or (ii) if no surplus exists, out of net
profits for the fiscal year in which the dividend is declared
and/or the preceding fiscal year (provided that the amount of
capital of the corporation is not less than the aggregate amount of
the capital represented by the issued and outstanding stock of all
classes having a preference upon the distribution of assets). The
DGCL defines surplus as the excess, at any time, of the net assets
of a corporation over its stated capital. In addition, the DGCL
provides that a corporation may redeem or repurchase its shares
only when the capital of the corporation is not impaired and only
if such redemption or repurchase would not cause any impairment of
the capital of the corporation.
The NRS provides that no distribution (including dividends on, or
redemption or repurchases of, shares of capital stock) may be made
if, after giving effect to such distribution, (i) the corporation
would not be able to pay its debts as they become due in the usual
course of business, or, (ii) except as otherwise specifically
permitted by the articles of incorporation, the corporation’s total
assets would be less than the sum of its total liabilities plus the
amount that would be needed at the time of a dissolution to satisfy
the preferential rights of preferred stockholders (the condition in
this clause (ii), the “Balance Sheet Test”). Directors may consider
financial statements prepared on the basis of accounting practices
that are reasonable in the circumstances, a fair valuation,
including but not limited to unrealized appreciation and
depreciation, and any other method that is reasonable in the
circumstances. Pursuant to NRS 78.288(2)(b), in the New
Charter, the Surviving Company is specifically allowed to make any
distribution that otherwise would be prohibited by the Balance
Sheet Test.
To date, the Company has not paid dividends on its shares of common
stock. The payment of dividends following the consummation of the
Reincorporation, if any, will be within the discretion of the board
of directors of the Surviving Company. Our Board (which will be the
board of directors of the Surviving Company immediately following
the Reincorporation) does not anticipate that the Surviving Company
will pay dividends in the foreseeable future.
Restrictions on Business Combinations. Both Delaware
and Nevada law provide certain protections to stockholders in
connection with certain business combinations. These protections
can be found in NRS 78.411 to 78.444, inclusive, and Section 203 of
the DGCL.
Under Section 203 of the DGCL, certain “business combinations” with
“interested stockholders” of the Company are subject to a
three-year moratorium unless specified conditions are met. For
purposes of Section 203, the term “business combination” is defined
broadly to include (i) mergers with or caused by the interested
stockholder; (ii) sales or other dispositions to the interested
stockholder (except proportionately with the corporation’s other
stockholders) of assets of the corporation or a subsidiary equal to
10% or more of the aggregate market value of either the
corporation’s consolidated assets or its outstanding stock; (iii)
the issuance or transfer by the corporation or a subsidiary of
stock of the corporation or such subsidiary to the interested
stockholder (except for transfers in a conversion or exchange or a
pro rata distribution or certain other transactions, none of which
increase the interested stockholder’s proportionate ownership of
any class or series of the corporation’s or such subsidiary’s
stock); or (iv) receipt by the interested stockholder (except
proportionately as a stockholder), directly or indirectly, of any
loans, advances, guarantees, pledges or other financial benefits
provided by or through the corporation or a subsidiary.
The three-year moratorium imposed on business combinations by
Section 203 of the DGCL does not apply if: (i) prior to the time on
which such stockholder becomes an interested stockholder the board
of directors approves either the business combination or the
transaction which resulted in the person becoming an interested
stockholder; (ii) the interested stockholder owns 85% of the
corporation’s voting stock upon consummation of the transaction
that made him or her an interested stockholder (excluding from the
85% calculation shares owned by directors who are also officers of
the target corporation and shares held by employee stock plans that
do not permit employees to decide confidentially whether to accept
a tender or exchange offer); or (iii) at or after the time on which
such stockholder becomes an interested stockholder, the board
approves the business combination and it is also approved at a
stockholder meeting by at least two-thirds (66-2/3%) of the
outstanding voting stock not owned by the interested
stockholder.
In contrast, the NRS imposes a maximum moratorium of two years
versus Delaware’s three-year moratorium on business combinations.
However, NRS 78.411 to 78.444, inclusive, regulate combinations
more stringently. First, an interested stockholder is defined as a
beneficial owner of 10% or more of the voting power. Second, the
two-year moratorium can be lifted only by advance approval by a
corporation’s board of directors, as opposed to Delaware’s
provision that allows interested stockholder combinations with
stockholder approval at the time of such combination. Finally,
after the two-year period, combinations remain prohibited unless
(i) they are approved by the board of directors, the disinterested
stockholders or 60% of the outstanding voting power not
beneficially owned by the interested party and its affiliates and
associates or (ii) the interested stockholders satisfy certain fair
value requirements. But note that these statutes do not apply to
any combination of a corporation and an interested stockholder
after the expiration of four years after the person first became an
interested stockholder.
Companies are entitled to opt out of the business combination
provisions of the DGCL and NRS. The Company has not opted out of
the business combination provisions of Section 203 of the DGCL. In
the New Charter, the Surviving Company does not opt out of the
business combination provisions of NRS 78.411 to 78.444,
inclusive.
Acquisition of Controlling Interests. In addition to
the restrictions on business combinations with interested
stockholders, Nevada law also protects the corporation and its
stockholders from persons acquiring a “controlling interest” in a
corporation. The provisions can be found in NRS 78.378 to 78.3793,
inclusive. Delaware law does not have similar
provisions.
Pursuant to NRS 78.379, any person who acquires a controlling
interest in a corporation may not exercise voting rights on any
control shares unless such voting rights are conferred by a
majority vote of the disinterested stockholders of the issuing
corporation at a special meeting of such stockholders held upon the
request and at the expense of the acquiring person. NRS 78.3785
provides that a “controlling interest” means the ownership of
outstanding voting shares of an issuing corporation sufficient to
enable the acquiring person, individually or in association with
others, directly or indirectly, to exercise (i) one fifth or more
but less than one third, (ii) one third or more but less than a
majority or (iii) a majority or more of the voting power of the
issuing corporation in the election of directors, and voting rights
must be conferred by a majority of the disinterested stockholders
as each threshold is reached and/or exceeded. In the event that the
control shares are accorded full voting rights and the acquiring
person acquires control shares with a majority or more of all the
voting power, any stockholder, other than the acquiring person, who
does not vote in favor of authorizing voting rights for the control
shares is entitled to demand payment for the fair value of such
person’s shares, and the corporation must comply with the
demand.
NRS 78.378(1) provides that the control share statutes of the NRS
do not apply to any acquisition of a controlling interest in an
issuing corporation if the articles of incorporation or bylaws of
the corporation in effect on the 10th day following the acquisition
of a controlling interest by the acquiring person provide that the
provisions of those sections do not apply to the corporation or to
an acquisition of a controlling interest specifically by types of
existing or future stockholders, whether or not identified. In
addition, NRS 78.3788 provides that the control share statutes of
the NRS apply only to a corporation that has 200 or more
stockholders, at least 100 of whom are stockholders of record and
residents of Nevada, and which does business directly or indirectly
in Nevada. NRS 78.378(2) provides that the corporation may impose
stricter requirements if it so desires.
Stockholder Vote for Mergers and Other Corporate
Reorganizations. Under the DGCL,
unless the certificate of incorporation specifies a higher
percentage, the stockholders of a corporation that is being
acquired in a merger or selling substantially all of its assets
must authorize such merger or sale of assets by vote of an absolute
majority of outstanding shares entitled to vote. The corporation’s
board of directors must also approve such transaction.
Similarly, under the NRS, a merger or sale of all assets requires
authorization by stockholders of the corporation being acquired or
selling its assets by an absolute majority of outstanding shares
entitled to vote, as well as approval of such corporation’s board
of directors. However, it is not entirely clear under Nevada law if
stockholder authorization is required for the sale of less than all
of the assets of a corporation. Although a substantial body of case
law has been developed in Delaware as to what constitutes the “sale
of substantially all of the assets” of a corporation, it is
difficult to determine the point at which a sale of virtually all,
but less than all, of a corporation’s assets would be considered a
“sale of all of the assets” of the corporation for purposes of
Nevada law. It is likely that many sales of less than all of the
assets of a corporation requiring stockholder authorization under
Delaware law would not require stockholder authorization under
Nevada law.
The DGCL and NRS have substantially similar provisions with respect
to approval by stockholders of a surviving corporation in a merger.
The DGCL does not require a stockholder vote of a constituent
corporation in a merger (unless the corporation provides otherwise
in its certificate of incorporation) if (i) the plan of merger does
not amend the existing certificate of incorporation, (ii) each
share of stock of such constituent corporation outstanding
immediately before the effective date of the merger is an identical
outstanding share after the effective date of merger and (iii)
either no shares of the common stock of the surviving corporation
and no shares, securities or obligations convertible into such
stock are to be issued or delivered under the plan of merger, or
the authorized unissued shares or treasury shares of the common
stock of the surviving corporation to be issued or delivered under
the plan of merger plus those initially issuable upon conversion of
any other shares, securities or obligations to be issued or
delivered under such plan do not exceed 20% of the shares of common
stock of such constituent corporation outstanding immediately prior
to the effective date of the merger. The NRS does not require a
stockholder vote of the surviving corporation in a merger under
substantially similar circumstances.
The Current Charter does not require a higher percentage to vote to
approve certain corporate transactions. The New Charter also does
not specify a higher percentage.
Appraisal or Dissenter’s Rights. In both
jurisdictions, dissenting stockholders of a corporation engaged in
certain major corporate transactions are entitled to appraisal
rights. Appraisal rights permit a stockholder to receive cash equal
to the fair market value of the stockholder’s shares (as determined
by agreement of the parties or by a court) in lieu of the
consideration such stockholder would otherwise receive in any such
transaction.
Under Section 262 of the DGCL, appraisal rights are generally
available for the shares of any class or series of stock of a
Delaware corporation in a merger or consolidation, provided that no
appraisal rights are available with respect to shares of any class
or series of stock if, at the record date for the meeting held to
approve such transaction, such shares of stock, or depositary
receipts in respect thereof, are either (i) listed on a national
securities exchange or (ii) held of record by more than 2,000
holders, unless the stockholders receive in exchange for their
shares anything other than shares of stock of the surviving or
resulting corporation (or depositary receipts in respect thereof),
or of any other corporation that is listed on a national securities
exchange or held by more than 2,000 holders of record, cash in lieu
of fractional shares or fractional depositary receipts described
above or any combination of the foregoing.
In addition, Section 262 of the DGCL allows beneficial owners of
shares to file a petition for appraisal without the need to name a
nominee holding such shares on behalf of such owner as a nominal
plaintiff and makes it easier than under Nevada law to withdraw
from the appraisal process and accept the terms offered in the
merger or consolidation. Under the DGCL, no appraisal rights are
available to stockholders of the surviving or resulting corporation
if the merger did not require their approval. The Current Charter
and Current Bylaws do not provide for appraisal rights in addition
to those provided by the DGCL.
Under the NRS, a stockholder is entitled to dissent from, and
obtain payment for, the fair value of his or her shares in the
event of (i) certain acquisitions of a controlling interest in the
corporation, (ii) consummation of a plan of merger, if approval by
the stockholders is required and the stockholder is entitled to
vote on the merger or if the domestic corporation is a subsidiary
and is merged with its parent, (iii) a plan of exchange in which
the corporation is a party or (iv) any corporate action taken
pursuant to a vote of the stockholders, if the articles of
incorporation, bylaws or a resolution of the board of directors
provides that voting or nonvoting stockholders are entitled to
dissent and obtain payment for their shares.
Holders of securities that are listed on a national securities
exchange or traded in an organized market and held by at least
2,000 stockholders of record with a market value of at least
$20,000,000 are generally not entitled to dissenter’s rights.
However, this exception is not available if (i) the articles of
incorporation of the corporation issuing the shares provide that
such exception is not available, (ii) the resolution of the board
of directors approving the plan of merger, conversion or exchange
expressly provides otherwise or (iii) the holders of the class or
series of stock are required under the plan of merger or exchange
to accept for the shares anything except cash, shares of stock as
described in NRS 92A.390(3) or a combination thereof. The NRS
prohibits a dissenting stockholder from voting his or her shares or
receiving certain dividends or distributions after his or her
dissent. Like the Current Charter and Current Bylaws, the New
Charter and New Bylaws do not provide for dissenter’s rights in
addition to those provided by the NRS.
The mechanics and timing procedures vary somewhat between Delaware
and Nevada, but both require technical compliance with specific
notice and payment protocols.
Special Meetings of the Stockholders. The DGCL permits
special meetings of stockholders to be called by the board of
directors or by any other person authorized in the certificate of
incorporation or bylaws to call a special stockholder
meeting.
In contrast, the NRS permits special meetings of stockholders to be
called by the entire board of directors, any two directors or the
President, unless the articles of incorporation or bylaws provide
otherwise.
Under the Current Bylaws, a special meeting of stockholders may be
called by our Board or by the Chairman of our Board. The New Bylaws
contain a substantially similar provision.
Special Meetings Pursuant to Petition of
Stockholders. The DGCL
provides that a director or a stockholder of a corporation may
apply to the Court of Chancery of Delaware if the corporation fails
to hold an annual meeting for the election of directors or there is
no written consent to elect directors in lieu of an annual meeting
for a period of 30 days after the date designated for the special
meeting or, if there is no date designated, within 13 months after
the last annual meeting.
Nevada law is more restrictive. Under the NRS, stockholders having
not less than 15% of the voting interest may petition the district
court to order a meeting for the election of directors if a
corporation fails to call a meeting for that purpose within 18
months after the last meeting at which directors were
elected.
Adjournment of Stockholder Special
Meetings. Under the DGCL,
if a meeting of stockholders is adjourned due to lack of a quorum
and the adjournment is for more than 30 days, or if after the
adjournment a new record date is fixed for the adjourned meeting,
notice of the adjourned meeting must be given to each stockholder
of record entitled to vote at the meeting. At the adjourned meeting
the corporation may transact any business that might have been
transacted at the original meeting.
In contrast, under the NRS, a corporation is not required to give
any notice of an adjourned meeting or of the business to be
transacted at an adjourned meeting, other than by announcement at
the meeting at which the adjournment is taken, unless the board
fixes a new record date for the adjourned meeting or the meeting
date is adjourned to a date more than 60 days later than the date
set for the original meeting, in which case a new record date must
be fixed and notice given.
Duration of Proxies. Under the DGCL,
a proxy executed by a stockholder will remain valid for a period of
three years, unless the proxy provides for a longer
period.
Under the NRS, a proxy is effective only for a period of six
months, unless it is coupled with an interest or unless otherwise
provided in the proxy, which duration may not exceed seven years.
The NRS also provides for irrevocable proxies, without limitation
on duration, in limited circumstances.
Quorum and Voting. The DGCL
provides that the certificate of incorporation and bylaws may
establish quorum and voting requirements, but in no event shall
quorum consist of less than one-third of the shares entitled to
vote. If the certificate of incorporation and bylaws are silent as
to specific quorum and voting requirements: (a) a majority of the
shares entitled to vote shall constitute a quorum at a meeting of
stockholders; (b) in all matters other than the election of
directors, the affirmative vote of the majority of shares present
at the meeting and entitled to vote on the subject matter shall be
the act of the stockholders; (c) directors shall be elected by a
plurality of the votes of the shares present at the meeting and
entitled to vote on the election of directors; and (d) where a
separate vote by a class or series is required, a majority of the
outstanding shares of such class or series shall constitute a
quorum entitled to take action with respect to that vote on that
matter and, in all matters other than the election of directors,
the affirmative vote of the majority of shares of such class or
series present at the meeting shall be the act of such class or
series or classes or series. A bylaw amendment adopted by
stockholders which specifies the votes that shall be necessary for
the election of directors shall not be further amended or repealed
by the board. The Current Bylaws provide that (A) holders of
one-third of the outstanding shares of stock entitled to vote shall
constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, (b) directors
are to be elected by plurality vote and (c) all other matters are
to be determined by majority vote of the shares present and voting,
other than as required by the DGCL or the Company’s governing
documents.
The NRS provides that, unless the articles of incorporation or
bylaws provide otherwise, a majority of the voting power of the
corporation, present in person or by proxy at a meeting of
stockholders (regardless of whether the proxy has authority to vote
on all matters), constitutes a quorum for the transaction of
business. Action by the stockholders on a matter other than the
election of directors is approved if the number of votes cast in
favor of the action exceeds the number of votes cast in opposition
to the action. Unless provided otherwise in the corporation’s
articles of incorporation or bylaws, directors are elected at the
annual meeting of stockholders by plurality vote. The New Bylaws
provide that one-third of the votes entitled to be cast on any
matter shall constitute a quorum. The New Charter and New Bylaws do
not change the statutory rule with respect to voting requirements
for approval of an action.
Stockholder Inspection Rights. The DGCL
grants any stockholder or beneficial owner of shares the right,
upon written demand under oath stating the proper purpose thereof,
either in person or by attorney or other agent, to inspect and make
copies and extracts from a corporation’s stock ledger, list of
stockholders and its other books and records for any proper
purpose. A proper purpose is one reasonably related to such
person’s interest as a stockholder.
Inspection rights under Nevada law are more limited. The NRS grants
any person who has been a stockholder of record of a corporation
for at least six months immediately preceding the demand, or any
person holding, or thereunto authorized in writing by the holders
of, at least 5% of all of its outstanding shares, upon at least
five days’ written demand the right to inspect in person or by
agent or attorney, during usual business hours (i) the articles of
incorporation and all amendments thereto, (ii) the bylaws and all
amendments thereto and (iii) a stock ledger or a duplicate stock
ledger, revised annually, containing the names, alphabetically
arranged, of all persons who are stockholders of the corporation,
showing their places of residence, if known, and the number of
shares held by them respectively. A Nevada corporation may require
a stockholder to furnish the corporation with an affidavit that
such inspection is for a proper purpose related to his or her
interest as a stockholder of the corporation.
In addition, the NRS grants certain stockholders the right to
inspect the books of account and records of a corporation for any
proper purpose. The right to inspect the books of account and all
financial records of a corporation, to make copies of records and
to conduct an audit of such records is granted only to a
stockholder who owns at least 15% of the issued and outstanding
shares of a Nevada corporation, or who has been authorized in
writing by the holders of at least 15% of such shares. However,
these requirements do not apply to any corporation that furnishes
to its stockholders a detailed annual financial statement or any
corporation that has filed during the preceding 12 months all
reports required to be filed pursuant to section 13 or section
15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
Anti-Takeover Implications of the Proposed Reincorporation
Delaware law and the Company’s certificate of incorporation and
bylaws contain provisions that may have the effect of deterring
hostile takeover attempts. A hostile takeover attempt may have a
positive or negative effect on the Company and its stockholders,
depending on the circumstances surrounding a particular takeover
attempt. Takeover attempts that have not been negotiated or
approved by the Board of Directors can be opportunistically timed
and unfairly priced to take advantage of an artificially depressed
stock price. Takeover attempts can also be coercively structured,
can seriously disrupt the business and management of a corporation
and can generally present a risk of terms that may be less
favorable than would be available in a board-approved transaction.
Board-approved transactions may be carefully planned and undertaken
at an opportune time in order to obtain maximum value for the
corporation and all of its stockholders by determining and pursuing
the best strategic alternative, obtaining negotiating leverage to
achieve the best terms available, and giving due consideration to
matters such as tax planning, the management and business of the
acquiring corporation and the most effective deployment of
corporate assets.
The Board of Directors recognizes that hostile takeover attempts do
not always have the unfavorable consequences or effects described
above and may be beneficial to stockholders, providing them with
considerable value for their shares. However, the Board of
Directors believes that the potential disadvantages of unapproved
takeover attempts are sufficiently great that prudent measures are
needed to give the Board the time and flexibility to determine and
pursue potentially superior strategic alternatives and take other
appropriate action in an effort to maximize stockholder value.
Accordingly, the Company’s certificate of incorporation and bylaws
include certain provisions that are intended to accomplish these
objectives, but which may have the effect of discouraging or
deterring hostile takeover attempts.
Nevada law includes some features that may deter hostile takeover
attempts. The New Charter contains anti-takeover provisions similar
to those set forth in the Current Charter.
Notwithstanding these similarities, there are a number of
differences between Nevada and Delaware law and between the
governing documents of the Surviving Company and the Company which
could have a bearing on unapproved takeover attempts as discussed
in “Comparative Rights of Stockholders Before and After the
Reincorporation” and “Comparative Rights of Stockholders under
Delaware and Nevada Law” above.
Certain anti-takeover provisions set forth in the Current Charter
and the New Charter are as follows:
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The governing documents of the
Company and the Surviving Company establish a classified board of
directors.
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The governing
documents of the Company and the Surviving Company do not allow
stockholders to act by written consent unless otherwise approved by
the Board of Directors.
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The governing
documents of the Company allow stockholders to remove directors
only for cause and with the affirmative vote of holders of 75% of
the Company’s voting power. The governing documents of the
Surviving Company allow stockholders to remove directors with or
without cause and with the affirmative vote of holders of 75% of
the Company’s voting power.
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The governing
documents of the Company and the Surviving Company allow the Board
of Directors alone to fill any directorship vacancies.
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The governing
documents of the Company and the Surviving Company allow the Board
of Directors or the Chairman of the Board to call a special meeting
of stockholders.
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The
governing documents of the Company and the Surviving Company
provide that any amendments to the bylaws and certain amendments to
the certificate of incorporation or articles must be approved by
holders of 75% of the voting power of the Company.
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The inclusion of anti-takeover provisions in the New Charter and
New Bylaws does not reflect knowledge on the part of the Board of
Directors or management of any proposed takeover or other attempt
to acquire control of the Company. Management may in the future
propose other measures designed to address hostile takeovers apart
from those discussed in this proxy statement, if warranted from
time to time in the judgment of the Board of Directors.
Vote Required
The approval and adoption of the Reincorporation of the Company
from the State of Delaware to the State of Nevada pursuant to the
Merger Agreement requires the affirmative vote of the holders of a
majority of the outstanding shares of common stock entitled to
vote.
Recommendation
The
Board of Directors recommends a vote FOR approval of the
Reincorporation.
PROPOSAL 4: ADVISORY VOTE ON THE COMPENSATION OF THE COMPANY’S
NAMED EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
In accordance with the rules of the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the “SEC”), we are providing our stockholders with the
opportunity to cast a non-binding advisory vote on the compensation
of our named executive officers as disclosed in this proxy
statement.
The compensation structure established by our Compensation
Committee is designed to attract and retain motivated executives
who substantially contribute to our long-term success and the
creation of stockholder value, to reward executives when we perform
financially or operationally well, to align the financial interests
of our executives with the interests of our stockholders, and to be
competitive within our industry. We believe that our philosophy and
practices have resulted in executive compensation decisions that
are appropriate and that have benefited us over time.
We are requesting stockholder approval of the compensation of our
executive officers as disclosed in this proxy statement. This
proposal, commonly known as a “say-on-pay” proposal, gives our
stockholders the opportunity to express their views on our
executive officers’ compensation.
We are asking our stockholders to indicate their support for our
named executive officer compensation through the following
resolution:
“RESOLVED, that the stockholders approve the compensation paid to
the Company’s named executive officers, as disclosed pursuant to
Item 402 of Regulation S-K, including the compensation tables and
narrative discussion in the Company’s proxy statement for its 2022
annual meeting.”
Because this stockholder vote is advisory, it is not binding on us
or our Board of Directors. However, our Board and the Compensation
Committee, which is responsible for designing and administering our
executive compensation program, value the opinions that our
stockholders express in their votes. The Compensation Committee
will review the results of the stockholder votes on this “say on
pay” proposal and consider whether to recommend any changes or
modifications to our executive compensation policies and practices
as a result of such votes.
Vote Required
The affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of our shares of
common stock present at the meeting, in person or by proxy, is
required for approval of this proposal.
Recommendation
The Board of Directors recommends a vote FOR approval of the
compensation of our executive officers as disclosed in this proxy
statement.
PROPOSAL 5: ADVISORY VOTE ON THE FREQUENCY OF FUTURE ADVISORY VOTES
ON THE COMPENSATION OF THE COMPANY’S NAMED EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
In accordance with the rules of the SEC, we are also providing our
stockholders with the opportunity to cast a non-binding advisory
vote on how frequently we should seek an advisory vote on the
compensation of our executive officers. After careful consideration
of this proposal, our Board determined that an advisory vote on
executive compensation that occurs every three years is the most
appropriate option for us and, therefore, recommends that
stockholders vote for future advisory votes on executive
compensation to occur every three years. In reaching its
recommendation, our Board determined that an advisory vote every
three years would permit our compensation programs to be evaluated
on a long-term basis and provide the Board with sufficient time to
thoughtfully evaluate and respond to stockholder input.
By voting on this proposal, stockholders may indicate whether they
would prefer an advisory vote on executive officer compensation
every one, two, or three years. Stockholders may also abstain from
voting. The option that receives the most votes cast at the meeting
will be considered by the Board in determining the preferred
frequency with which we will hold a stockholder vote to approve the
compensation of our named executive officers.
Because this is an advisory vote and not binding, the Board may
decide that it is in the best interest of our stockholders and us
to hold an advisory vote on the compensation of our executive
officers more or less frequently than the frequency approved by our
stockholders. However, our Board of Directors and the Compensation
Committee value the opinions expressed by our stockholders in their
vote on this proposal and will consider the option that receives
the most votes in determining the frequency of future votes on the
compensation of our named executive officers.
Recommendation
The Board recommends a vote FOR a frequency of EVERY THREE YEARS
regarding the frequency of future advisory votes on executive
compensation.
PROPOSAL 6: RATIFICATION OF SELECTION OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED
PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
The Audit Committee of our Board of Directors has selected Friedman
LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the
fiscal year ending December 31, 2022.
Although ratification by stockholders is not required by our
organizational documents or other applicable law, our Board of
Directors has determined that requesting ratification by
stockholders of the appointment of Friedman as our independent
registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending
December 31, 2022, is a matter of good corporate practice. If
stockholders do not ratify the selection, the Audit Committee of
our Board may reconsider whether or not to retain Friedman, but may
still retain them. Even if the selection is ratified, the Audit
Committee, in its discretion, may change the appointment at any
time during the year if it determines that such a change would be
in the best interests of us and our stockholders.
Friedman served as our independent registered public accountants
with respect to each fiscal year since the year ended December 31,
2019.
It is not expected that a representative of Friedman will attend
the meeting.
The following is a summary of the fees billed or expected to be
billed to us by Friedman, our independent registered public
accountants, for professional services rendered with respect to the
fiscal years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020:
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Friedman
LLP
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2021
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2020
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Audit fees
(1)
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$
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95,000
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$
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80,000
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Audit-related
fees (2)
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40,500
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-
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Tax fees
(3)
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-
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-
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All other fees
(4)
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-
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-
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$
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135,500
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$
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80,000
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____________________
(1)
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Audit Fees consist of fees billed
and expected to be billed for services rendered for the audit of
our consolidated financial statements for the fiscal years ended
December 31, 2021, and 2020, and the review of our condensed
consolidated financial statements included in our Quarterly Reports
on Form 10-Q.
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(2)
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Audit-Related Fees consist of
fees billed for assurance and related services that are reasonably
related to the performance of the audit of our financial statements
and in connection with the filing of Forms S-1 and S-8 registration
statements and are not reported under “Audit Fees.”
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(3)
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Tax Fees consist of fees billed
for professional services related to preparation of our U.S.
federal and state income tax returns and tax advice.
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(4)
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All Other Fees consist of fees
billed for products and services provided by our independent
registered public accountants, other than those disclosed
above.
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The Audit Committee is responsible for the appointment,
compensation and oversight of the work of the independent
registered public accountants, and approves in advance any services
to be performed by the independent registered public accountants,
whether audit-related or not. The Audit Committee reviews each
proposed engagement to determine whether the provision of services
is compatible with maintaining the independence of the independent
registered public accountants. The fees shown above were
pre-approved either by our Board or our Audit Committee.
Vote Required
The ratification of the selection of Friedman LLP as our
independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year
ending December 31, 2022, requires the affirmative vote of
stockholders who hold a majority of the shares of common stock
present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting and
entitled to vote.
Recommendation
The Board of Directors recommends that stockholders vote FOR the
ratification of the selection of Friedman LLP as our independent
registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending
December 31, 2022.
PROPOSAL 7: ADJOURNMENT TO SOLICIT ADDITIONAL PROXIES
Stockholders are being asked to grant authority to proxy holders to
vote in favor of one or more adjournments of the meeting, if
necessary or appropriate, to solicit additional proxies if there
are insufficient votes at the time of the meeting to adopt one or
more of the foregoing proposals. If this proposal is approved, the
meeting could be successively adjourned to any date. In accordance
with our bylaws, a vote on adjournments of the meeting, if
necessary or appropriate, to solicit additional proxies if there
are insufficient votes at the time of the meeting to adopt one or
more of the foregoing proposals may be taken in the absence of a
quorum. We do not intend to call a vote on adjournments of the
meeting to solicit additional proxies if the adoption of each of
the foregoing proposals is approved at the meeting. If the meeting
is adjourned to solicit additional proxies, stockholders who have
already submitted their proxies will be able to revoke them at any
time prior to their use.
Vote Required
The approval of authority to adjourn the meeting requires the
affirmative vote of stockholders who hold a majority of the shares
of common stock present in person or represented by proxy at the
meeting and entitled to vote.
Recommendation
The Board of Directors recommends that stockholders vote FOR
adjournments of the meeting, if necessary or appropriate, to
solicit additional proxies if there are insufficient votes at the
time of the meeting to adopt one or more of the foregoing
proposals.
STOCKHOLDER PROPOSALS
Stockholder proposals intended to be presented at our next annual
meeting of stockholders pursuant to the provisions of Rule 14a-8 of
the SEC, promulgated under the Exchange Act, must be received at
our offices in Melville, New York, by April ___, 2023, for
inclusion in our proxy statement and form of proxy relating to such
meeting.
The following requirements with respect to stockholder proposals
and stockholder nominees to our Board of Directors are included in
our bylaws.
Stockholder Proposals
In order for a stockholder to make a proposal at an annual meeting
of stockholders, under our bylaws, timely notice must be received
by us in advance of the meeting. To be timely, a stockholder’s
notice must be delivered to or mailed and received by our Secretary
at our principal executive offices not less than 45 days nor more
than 75 days prior to the one-year anniversary of the date on which
we first mailed the proxy materials for the preceding year’s annual
meeting of stockholders; provided, however, that if the meeting is
convened more than 30 days prior to or delayed more than 30 days
after the anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting or if
no annual meeting was held in the preceding year, to be timely a
stockholder’s notice must be received not later than the close of
business on the later of (i) the 90th
day before such annual meeting or (ii) the 10th
day following the day on which public announcement of the date of
such meeting is first made.
A stockholder’s notice must set forth as to each matter the
stockholder proposes to bring before the annual meeting certain
information regarding the proposal, including the following:
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a brief description of the
business desired to be brought before the meeting, the reasons for
conducting such business at the meeting and any material interest
(financial or other) of such stockholder in such business;
and
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with respect to the stockholder
proposing such business or the beneficial owner, if any, on whose
behalf the proposal is made: (i) the name and address of each such
party; (ii) the class and number of shares that are beneficially
owned by each such party; (iii) any derivative instruments that are
beneficially owned by each such party and any other opportunity to
profit or share in any profit derived from any increase or decrease
in the value of our capital stock; (iv) any proxy or arrangement
pursuant to which either party has a right to vote any shares; (v)
any short interest in any of our securities; (vi) any rights to
dividends that are separated from our underlying shares; (vii) any
proportionate interest in our capital stock or any derivative
instruments held by a general or limited partnership in which
either party is a general partner or beneficially owns a general
partner; (viii) any performance-related fees (other than an
asset-based fee) that each such party is entitled to based on any
increase or decrease in the value of our capital stock or any
derivative instruments; (ix) any other information relating to each
such party that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy
statement; and (x) a statement as to whether or not each such party
will deliver a proxy statement and form of proxy to holders of at
least that percentage of voting power of all of our shares of
capital stock required under applicable law to carry the
proposal.
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Stockholder Nominees
In order for a stockholder to nominate a candidate for director at
an annual meeting of stockholders, under our bylaws, timely notice
of the nomination must be received by us in advance of the meeting.
To be timely, a stockholder’s notice must be delivered to or mailed
and received by our Secretary at our principal executive offices
not less than 45 days nor more than 75 days prior to the one-year
anniversary of the date on which we first mailed the proxy
materials for the preceding year’s annual meeting of stockholders;
provided, however, that if the meeting is convened more than 30
days prior to or delayed more than 30 days after the anniversary of
the preceding year’s annual meeting or if no annual meeting was
held in the preceding year, to be timely a stockholder’s notice
must be so received not later than the close of business on the
later of (i) the 90th
day before such annual meeting or (ii) the 10th
day following the day on which public announcement of the date of
such meeting is first made.
The stockholder sending the notice of nomination must describe
various matters, including the following:
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as to each person whom the
stockholder proposes to nominate for election as a director, all
information relating to such person as would be required to be
disclosed in solicitations of proxies for election of such nominee
as a director pursuant to Regulation 14A under the Exchange
Act;
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with respect to the stockholder
proposing such nomination or the beneficial owner, if any, on whose
behalf the nomination is made: (i) the name and address of each
such party; (ii) the class and number of shares that are
beneficially owned by each such party; (iii) any derivative
instruments that are beneficially owned by each such party and any
other opportunity to profit or share in any profit derived from any
increase or decrease in the value of our capital stock; (iv) any
proxy or arrangement pursuant to which either party has a right to
vote any shares; (v) any short interest in any of our securities;
(vi) any rights to dividends that are separated from our underlying
shares; (vii) any proportionate interest in our capital stock or
any derivative instruments held by a general or limited partnership
in which either party is a general partner or beneficially owns a
general partner; (viii) any performance-related fees (other than an
asset-based fee) that each such party is entitled to based on any
increase or decrease in the value of our capital stock or any
derivative instruments; (ix) any other information relating to each
such party that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy
statement; and (x) a statement as to whether or not each such party
will deliver a proxy statement and form of proxy to holders of at
least that percentage of voting power of all of the shares of our
capital stock reasonably believed to be sufficient to elect the
nominee or nominees proposed to be nominated; and
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the written consent by the nominee, agreeing to serve as a
director if elected.
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These requirements are separate from and in addition to the
requirements a stockholder must meet to have a proposal included in
our proxy statement.
Any notice given pursuant to the foregoing requirements must be
sent to our Secretary at 40 Marcus Drive, Suite One, Melville, New
York 11747. The foregoing is only
a summary of the provisions of our bylaws that relate to
stockholder proposals and stockholder nominations for director. Any
stockholder desiring a copy of our bylaws will be furnished one
without charge upon receipt of a written request
therefor.
OTHER BUSINESS
While the accompanying Notice of Annual Meeting of Stockholders
provides for the transaction of such other business as may properly
come before the meeting, we have no knowledge of any matters to be
presented at the meeting other than those listed as Proposals 1, 2,
3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 in the notice. However, the enclosed proxy gives
discretionary authority in the event that any other matters should
be presented.
INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY REFERENCE
This proxy statement is accompanied by a copy of our Annual Report
on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021 (the “Form
10-K”), and our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period
ended March 31, 2022 (the “Form 10-Q”).
The following information from our Form 10-K, as filed with the SEC
pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, is hereby
incorporated by reference into this proxy statement:
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“Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition
and Results of Operations,” included in Item 7 thereof;
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our audited consolidated financial statements as of December
31, 2021 and 2020 and for the years then ended, included in Item 8
thereof (found following Item 16 thereof); and
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“Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting
and Financial Disclosure,” included in Item 9 thereof.
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The following information from our Form 10-Q, as filed with the SEC
pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, is hereby
incorporated by reference into this proxy statement:
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our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements as
of March 31, 2022, and for the three months ended March 31, 2022,
and 2021; and
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“Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition
and Results of Operations,” included in Part I, Item 2
thereof.
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Any statement contained in a document incorporated herein by
reference shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes
of this proxy statement to the extent that a statement contained
herein modifies or supersedes such statement. Any statement so
modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified
or superseded, to constitute a part of this proxy statement.
Lance Alstodt
Chief Executive Officer
Melville, New
York
August ___, 2022
Appendix A
Agreement and Plan of Merger
BIORESTORATIVE THERAPIES, INC.
AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER
This AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF
MERGER (“Agreement”), dated as of ___________,
2022, is entered into by and between BioRestorative Therapies,
Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and BioRestorative
Therapies, Inc., a Nevada corporation and a wholly-owned subsidiary
of the Company (“NewCo”).
WHEREAS, the Company, whose shares of common stock are registered
pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
as amended (the “Exchange
Act”), desires to reincorporate as a Nevada corporation and
has formed NewCo in order to effectuate the reincorporation.
WHEREAS, the board of directors of each of the Company and NewCo
deems it advisable, fair to and in the best interests of such
corporations and their respective stockholders that the Company be
merged with and into NewCo, upon the terms and subject to the
conditions herein stated, and that NewCo be the surviving
corporation (the “Reincorporation
Merger”).
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the agreements
of the parties hereto contained herein, intending to be legally
bound, the parties hereto agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
THE REINCORPORATION MERGER; EFFECTIVE TIME
Section 1.1. The Reincorporation Merger. Upon the terms
and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement, at the
Effective Time (as defined in Section 1.2), the Company
shall be merged with and into NewCo whereupon the separate
existence of the Company shall cease. NewCo shall be the surviving
corporation (the “Surviving
Corporation”) in the Reincorporation Merger and shall
continue to be a corporation formed under the laws of the State of
Nevada. The Reincorporation Merger shall have the effects specified
in the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, as amended
(the “DGCL”) and the Nevada
Revised Statutes, as amended (the “NRS”), and the Surviving Corporation
shall succeed, without other transfer, to all of the assets and
property (whether real, personal or mixed), rights, privileges,
franchises, immunities and powers of the Company, and shall assume
and be subject to all of the liabilities, obligations and
restrictions of every kind and description of the Company,
including, without limitation, all outstanding indebtedness of the
Company.
Section 1.2. Effective Time. Unless this Agreement is
terminated or abandoned in accordance with its terms, as soon as
practicable following the satisfaction of the conditions set forth
in Article V in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, the
Company and NewCo shall cause Articles of Merger to be executed and
filed with the Office of the Secretary of State of Nevada (the
“Nevada Articles of
Merger”) and a Certificate of Merger to be executed and
filed with the Office of the Secretary of State of Delaware (the
“Delaware Certificate of
Merger”). The Reincorporation Merger shall become effective
upon the date and time specified in the Nevada Articles of Merger
and the Delaware Certificate of Merger (the “Effective Time”).
ARTICLE II
ARTICLES AND BYLAWS OF THE SURVIVING CORPORATION
Section 2.1. The Articles of Incorporation; Certificate of
Designators of Preferred Stock. The articles of incorporation
of NewCo in effect at the Effective Time shall be amended and
restated as set forth on Exhibit A hereto, and
such amended and restated articles shall be the articles of
incorporation of the Surviving Corporation (such articles of
incorporation, as so amended and restated, the “Articles of Incorporation”), until
thereafter amended in accordance with the provisions provided
therein or applicable law. The Certificate of Designators of
Preferred Stock Authorized by Resolution of the Board of Directors
Providing For an Issue of 1,543,158 Shares of Preferred Stock
Designated “Series A Preferred Stock” of the Company in effect as
of the Effective Time shall be the Certificate of Designations of
Preferred Stock of the Surviving Corporation, until thereafter
amended in accordance with the provisions provided therein or
applicable law.
Section 2.2. The Bylaws. Subject to the provisions of
applicable laws, the bylaws of NewCo in effect at the Effective
Time shall be the bylaws of the Surviving Corporation
(the “Bylaws”), until
thereafter amended in accordance with the provisions provided
therein or applicable law.
ARTICLE III
OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, COMMITTEES, AND CORPORATE POLICIES OF THE
SURVIVING CORPORATION
Section 3.1. Officers. The officers of the Company at
the Effective Time shall, from and after the Effective Time, become
the officers of the Surviving Corporation, until their successors
have been duly elected or appointed and qualified or until their
earlier death, resignation or removal in accordance with the
Articles of Incorporation and the Bylaws.
Section 3.2. Directors. The board of directors of the
Surviving Corporation effective as of, and immediately following,
the Effective Time shall consist of all of the directors of the
Company immediately prior to the Effective Time, each to serve in
such capacity until their successors have been duly elected or
appointed and qualified or until their earlier death, resignation
or removal in accordance with the Articles of Incorporation and the
Bylaws.
Section 3.3. Committees. Each committee of the board of
directors of the Company existing immediately prior to the
Effective Time shall, effective as of, and immediately following,
the Effective Time, become a committee of the board of directors of
the Surviving Corporation, consisting of the members of such
committee of the Company immediately prior to the Effective Time
and governed by the charter of such committee of the Company in
existence immediately prior to the Effective Time, which charter
shall, at the Effective Time, become the charter of such committee
of the Surviving Corporation except that the governing law thereof
shall be, from and after the Effective Time, the law of Nevada.
Each member of a committee of the board of directors of the
Surviving Corporation shall serve in such capacity until his or her
successor has been duly elected or appointed and qualified or until
his or her earlier death, resignation or removal in accordance with
the applicable committee charter and the Bylaws.
Section 3.4. Corporate Policies. The corporate policies
of the Surviving Corporation, including, without limitation, its
code of business conduct, corporate governance guidelines, conflict
policies and director independence guidelines, effective as of, and
immediately following, the Effective Time shall consist of the
corporate policies, including, without limitation, the code of
business conduct, corporate governance guidelines, conflict
policies and director independence guidelines, of the Company
immediately prior to the Effective Time.
ARTICLE IV
EFFECT OF THE MERGER ON CAPITAL STOCK; CERTIFICATES
Section 4.1. Effect of Merger on Capital Stock. At the
Effective Time, as a result of the Reincorporation Merger and
without any action on the part of the Company, NewCo or the
stockholders of the Company:
(a) Each share of common stock, par value $.0001, of the Company
(“Company Common Stock”)
issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time
shall be converted (without the surrender of stock certificates or
any other action by NewCo, the Company or the stockholders of the
Company) into one fully paid and non-assessable share of common
stock, par value $.0001, of the Surviving Corporation
(“Surviving Corporation Common
Stock”), and all shares of Company Common Stock shall be
canceled and retired and shall cease to exist.
(b) Each share of preferred stock, par value $.01, of the Company
(“Company Preferred Stock”) issued and
outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time, if any, shall
be converted (without the surrender of stock certificates or any
other action by NewCo, the Company or the stockholders of the
Company) into one fully paid and non-assessable share of preferred
stock, par value $.01, of the Surviving Corporation (“Surviving Corporation Preferred
Stock”), having the same voting powers, designations,
preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special
rights of the series of Company Preferred Stock issued and
outstanding, subject to the qualifications, limitations and
restrictions of such preferences and rights, and all shares of
Company Preferred Stock shall be canceled and retired and shall
cease to exist.
(c) With respect to the number of shares of Company Common Stock
reserved for issuance under the Company’s equity compensation plans
(including all amendments or modifications, collectively, the
“Plans”), an equal number
of shares of Surviving Corporation Common Stock shall be so
reserved. The Surviving Corporation shall assume the sponsorship of
the Plans, the rights and obligations of the Company thereunder,
and the rights and obligations of the Company under all award
agreements evidencing any award issued under any Plan or any
inducement award with respect to Company Common Stock (including
all amendments and modifications, collectively, the “Award Agreements”), in each case in
accordance with the terms thereof and applicable law. Each
equity-based award with respect to Company Common Stock issued and
outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time that was
granted pursuant to the Plans and the Award Agreements (an
“Equity Award”) shall be
converted into a corresponding equity-based award with respect to
the number of shares of Surviving Corporation Common Stock equal to
the number of shares of Company Common Stock underlying such Equity
Award at the Effective Time, in accordance with the terms of the
applicable Plan and Award Agreement. Such converted equity-based
award shall be subject to the same terms and conditions applicable
to the corresponding Equity Award prior to the conversion,
including any vesting and forfeiture conditions. Further, none of
the execution of this Agreement, the Reincorporation Merger or
other transaction contemplated herein is intended, or shall be
deemed, to constitute a “Change in
Control” (or term of similar import) under any Plan, Award
Agreement, employment agreement or other employee benefit plan of
the Company or its affiliates.
(d) With respect to the number of shares of Company Common Stock
reserved for issuance under the Company’s outstanding convertible
notes and warrants at the Effective Time (the “Convertible Notes and Warrants”), an
equal number of shares of Surviving Corporation Common Stock shall
be so reserved. The Surviving Corporation shall assume the
Convertible Notes and Warrants and the rights and obligations of
the Company thereunder, in each case in accordance with the terms
thereof and applicable law. Each Convertible Note and Warrant shall
be converted into a corresponding convertible note and warrant of
the Surviving Corporation. The Convertible Notes and Warrants
shall be subject to the same terms and conditions applicable to the
corresponding Convertible Notes and Warrants prior to the
conversion. Further, none of the execution of this Agreement, the
Reincorporation Merger or other transaction contemplated herein is
intended, or shall be deemed, to constitute a “Change in Control” (or term of similar
import) under any Convertible Note or Warrant.
(e) Each share of common stock, par value $0.001, of NewCo
registered in the name of the Company shall be reacquired by the
Surviving Corporation and canceled and retired, and shall resume
the status of authorized and unissued Surviving Corporation Common
Stock. No shares of Surviving Corporation Common Stock or other
securities of the Surviving Corporation shall be issued in respect
thereof.
Section 4.2. Certificates. At and after the Effective
Time, all of the outstanding certificates which immediately prior
thereto represented shares of Company Common Stock, Company
Preferred Stock, or options, warrants or other securities of the
Company shall be deemed for all purposes to evidence ownership of
and to represent a number of shares of Surviving Corporation Common
Stock or Surviving Corporation Preferred Stock equal to the number
of shares of Company Common Stock or Company Preferred Stock
represented thereby or that were acquirable pursuant to such
options, warrants or other securities of the Surviving Corporation,
as the case may be, into which the shares of Company Common Stock,
Company Preferred Stock, or options, warrants or other securities
of the Company represented by such certificates shall have been
converted as herein provided and shall be so registered on the
books and records of the Surviving Corporation or its transfer
agent. The registered owner of any such outstanding certificate
shall, until such certificate shall have been surrendered for
transfer or otherwise accounted for to the Surviving Corporation or
its transfer agent, have and be entitled to exercise any voting and
other rights with respect to, and to receive any dividends and
other distributions upon, the shares of Surviving Corporation
Common Stock, Surviving Corporation Preferred Stock, or options,
warrants or other securities of the Surviving Corporation, as the
case may be, evidenced by such outstanding certificate, as above
provided.
ARTICLE V
CONDITIONS
Section 5.1. Conditions to the Obligations of Each
Party. The respective obligation of each party hereto to
effectuate the Reincorporation Merger is subject to satisfaction of
the following conditions:
(a) the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of Company
Common Stock shall have adopted this Agreement in accordance with
applicable law and the certificate of incorporation and bylaws of
the Company prior to the Effective Time; and
(b) any and all consents, approvals, authorizations or permits,
filings or notifications deemed in the sole discretion of the
Company to be material to the consummation of the Reincorporation
Merger (“Required
Consents”) shall have been obtained and shall be in full
force and effect, including, without limitation, (i) consents,
registrations, approvals, findings of suitability, licenses,
declarations, notifications or filings required to be made, given
or obtained under applicable laws, rules and regulations in
connection with this Agreement or the consummation of the
Reincorporation Merger, and (ii) supplements, agreements,
amendments, conveyances, instruments, consents, approvals,
authorizations and other documents to be executed and/or delivered
by the Company in connection with any agreements the Company or its
affiliates have entered for the provision of debt
financing; provided, however, that either of the parties
hereto may waive this condition (b), in its sole discretion to the
extent permitted by law, with respect to any and all Required
Consents.
ARTICLE VI
TERMINATION
Section 6.1. Termination. This Agreement may be
terminated and the Reincorporation Merger may be abandoned at any
time prior to the Effective Time, whether before or after the
adoption of this Agreement by the holders of Company Common Stock
referred to in Section 5.1, if the board of directors of the
Company determines for any reason that the consummation of the
Reincorporation Merger would be inadvisable or not in the best
interests of the Company and its stockholders. In the event of the
termination and abandonment of this Agreement, this Agreement shall
become null and void and have no effect, without any liability on
the part of either the Company or NewCo, or any of their respective
stockholders, directors or officers.
ARTICLE VII
MISCELLANEOUS AND GENERAL
Section 7.1. Modification or Amendment. Subject to the
provisions of applicable laws, at any time prior to the Effective
Time, the parties hereto may modify or amend this
Agreement; provided, however, that an amendment made
subsequent to the adoption of this Agreement by the holders of
Company Common Stock shall not (a) alter or change the amount or
kind of shares and/or rights to be received in exchange for or on
conversion of all or any of the shares of the Company, (b) alter or
change any provision of the Articles of Incorporation or the bylaws
of the Surviving Corporation that will become effective immediately
following the Reincorporation Merger other than as provided herein
or (c) alter or change any of the terms or conditions of this
Agreement if such alteration or change would adversely affect the
holders of capital stock of either of the parties hereto.
Section 7.2. Counterparts. This Agreement may be
executed in any number of counterparts, each such counterpart being
deemed to be an original instrument, and all such counterparts
shall together constitute the same agreement.
Section 7.3. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be
deemed to be made in and in all respects shall be interpreted,
construed and governed by and in accordance with the laws of the
State of Nevada, without regard to the conflicts of law principles
thereof to the extent that such principles would direct a matter to
another jurisdiction.
Section 7.4. Entire Agreement. This Agreement
constitutes the entire agreement and supersedes all other prior
agreements, understandings, representations and warranties both
written and oral, among the parties, with respect to the subject
matter hereof.
Section 7.5. No Third Party Beneficiaries. This
Agreement is not intended to confer upon any person other than the
parties hereto any rights or remedies hereunder.
Section 7.6. Severability. The provisions of this
Agreement shall be deemed severable and the invalidity or
unenforceability of any provision shall not affect the validity or
enforceability of the other provisions hereof. If any provision of
this Agreement, or the application thereof to any person or any
circumstance, is determined by any court or other authority of
competent jurisdiction to be invalid or unenforceable, (a) a
suitable and equitable provision shall be substituted therefor in
order to carry out, so far as may be valid and enforceable, the
intent and purpose of such invalid or unenforceable provision and
(b) the remainder of this Agreement and the application of such
provision to other persons or circumstances shall not be affected
by such invalidity or unenforceability, nor shall such invalidity
or unenforceability affect the validity or enforceability of such
provision, or the application thereof, in any other
jurisdiction.
Section 7.7. Headings. The headings herein are for
convenience of reference only, do not constitute part of this
Agreement and shall not be deemed to limit or otherwise affect any
of the provisions hereof.
[Signature page follows]
THE COMPANY:
BIORESTORATIVE THERAPIES, INC.
By: __________________________
Name: Lance Alstodt
Title: Chief Executive Officer
NEWCO:
BIORESTORATIVE THERAPIES, INC.
By: __________________________
Name: Lance Alstodt
Title: Chief Executive Officer
Appendix B
Nevada Certificate of Amended and Restated Articles of
Incorporation
CERTIFICATE OF
AMENDED AND RESTATED ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION
OF
BIORESTORATIVE THERAPIES, INC.
Pursuant to the provisions of Nevada Revised Statutes 78.390 and
78.403, the undersigned officer of BioRestorative Therapies, Inc.,
a Nevada corporation (the “Corporation”), does hereby
certify as follows:
A. The Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of _______________,
2022, by and between BioRestorative Therapies, Inc., a Delaware
corporation (“Parent”), and the Corporation (the “Merger
Agreement”) provides for the amendment and restatement of the
Corporation’s articles of incorporation as set forth below.
B. The Merger Agreement, and the amendment and restatement of the
Corporation’s articles of incorporation contemplated thereby and as
set forth below, have been duly approved by the board of directors
of the Corporation and Parent, the sole stockholder of the
Corporation, which is sufficient for approval thereof. The board of
directors of the Corporation and Parent have determined and
declared such amendment and restatement to be advisable, fair to
and in the best interests of the Corporation.
C. This certificate sets forth the text of the articles of
incorporation of the Corporation, as amended and restated in their
entirety to this date as follows:
AMENDED AND RESTATED ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION
OF BIORESTORATIVE THERAPIES, INC.
The name of the Corporation is BioRestorative Therapies, Inc. (the
“Corporation”).
ARTICLE II
REGISTERED OFFICE
The Corporation may, from time to time, in the manner provided by
law, change the registered agent and registered office within the
State of Nevada. The Corporation may also maintain an office or
offices for the conduct of its business, either within or without
the State of Nevada.
The Corporation is formed for the purpose of engaging in any lawful
activity for which corporations may be organized under the laws of
the State of Nevada.
(A) Authorized
Stock. The total number of shares of all stock which the
Corporation shall have authority to issue is 95,000,000 shares,
consisting of: (i) 75,000,000 shares of common stock, par value
$.0001 per share (the “Common Stock”) and (ii) 20,000,000
shares, par value $.01 per share, designated as preferred stock
(the “Preferred Stock”). All cross references in each
subdivision of this ARTICLE IV refer to other paragraphs in such
subdivision unless otherwise indicated.
(1) Designation. The shares of Preferred Stock are hereby
authorized to be issued from time to time in one or more series,
the shares of each series to have such voting powers, full or
limited, or no voting powers, and such designations, preferences
and relative, participating, optional or other special rights and
qualifications, limitations or restrictions as are specified in the
resolution or resolutions adopted by the board of directors of the
Corporation (the “Board of Directors”) providing for the
issue thereof. Such Preferred Stock may be convertible into, or
exchangeable for, at the option of either the holder or the
Corporation or upon the happening of a specified event, shares of
any other class or classes or any other series of the same or any
other class or classes of capital stock of the Corporation at such
price or prices or at such rate or rates of exchange and with such
adjustments as shall be stated and expressed in these Articles of
Incorporation, as amended from time to time (these “Articles of
Incorporation”) or in the resolution or resolutions adopted by
the Board of Directors providing for the issue thereof.
(2) Authority Vested in the Board. Authority is hereby
expressly vested in the Board of Directors, subject to the
provisions of this ARTICLE IV and to the limitations prescribed by
law, to authorize the issue from time to time of one or more series
of Preferred Stock and, with respect to each such series, to fix by
resolution or resolutions adopted by the affirmative vote of a
majority of the directors then in office providing for the issue of
such series the voting powers, full or limited, if any, of the
shares of such series and the designations, preferences and
relative, participating, optional or other special rights and the
qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof. The authority
of the Board of Directors with respect to each series shall
include, but not be limited to, the determination of the
following:
(a) The designation of such series.
(b) The dividend rate of such series, the conditions and dates upon
which such dividends shall be payable, the relation which such
dividends shall bear to the dividends payable on any other class or
classes or series of the Corporation’s capital stock, and whether
such dividends shall be cumulative or noncumulative.
(c) Whether the shares of such series shall be subject to
redemption by the Corporation at the option of either the
Corporation or the holder or both or upon the happening of a
specified event and, if made subject to any such redemption, the
times or events, prices and other terms and conditions of such
redemption.
(d) The terms and amount of any sinking fund provided for the
purchase or redemption of the shares of such series.
(e) Whether the shares of such series shall be convertible into, or
exchangeable for, at the option of either the holder or the
Corporation or upon the happening of a specified event, shares of
any other class or classes or of any other series of the same or
any other class or classes of the Corporation’s capital stock, and,
if provision is made for conversion or exchange, the times or
events, prices, rates, adjustments and other terms and conditions
of such conversions or exchanges.
(f) The restrictions, if any, on the issue or reissue of any
additional Preferred Stock.
(g) The rights of the holders of the shares of such series upon the
voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of
the Corporation.
(h) The provisions as to voting, optional and/or other special
rights and preferences, if any.
(3) Certificate. Before the Corporation shall issue any
shares of Preferred Stock of any series, a certificate of
designation setting forth a copy of the resolution or resolutions
of the Board of Directors, and establishing the voting powers, if
any, and the designations, preferences and relative, participating,
optional or other special rights, if any, and the qualifications,
limitations or restrictions thereof, if any, relating to the shares
of Preferred Stock of such series, and the number of shares of
Preferred Stock of such series authorized by the Board of Directors
to be issued, shall be made and signed by an officer of the
Corporation and filed in the manner prescribed by the Nevada
Revised Statutes, as amended from time to time (the
“NRS”).
(1) Voting Rights. The holders of Common Stock will be
entitled to notice of and to attend all meetings of the
stockholders of the Corporation and shall be entitled to one vote
per share on all matters to be voted on by the Corporation’s
stockholders.
(2) Dividends. Subject to all provisions of this ARTICLE IV,
including the rights of holders of any Preferred Stock having
preference as to dividends and except as otherwise provided by
these Articles of Incorporation or the NRS, the holders of the
Common Stock shall be entitled to receive dividends when and as
declared by the Board of Directors, out of any funds legally
available for such purpose. When and as dividends are declared
thereon, whether payable in cash, property or securities of the
Corporation, the holders of Common Stock will be entitled to share,
ratably according to the number of shares of Common Stock held by
them, in such dividends.
(3) Liquidation Rights. In the event of any liquidation,
dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, whether voluntary or
involuntary, or any distribution of any of its assets to any of its
stockholders other than by dividends from funds legally available
therefor, and other than payments made upon redemptions or
purchases of shares of the Corporation, after payment in full of
the amount which the holders of Preferred Stock are entitled to
receive in such event, the holders of Common Stock shall be
entitled to share, ratably according to the number of shares of
Common Stock held by them, in the remaining assets of the
Corporation available for distribution to its stockholders.
(D) Voting
Power. The Corporation shall not issue nonvoting equity
securities. As to any classes of securities possessing voting
power, an appropriate distribution of such power shall be made
among such classes, including, in the case of any class of equity
securities having a preference over another class of equity
securities with respect to dividends, adequate provisions for the
election of directors representing such preferred class in the
event of a default in the payment of such dividends.
In furtherance and not in limitation of the powers conferred by
statute, the Board of Directors is expressly authorized to adopt,
amend or repeal the bylaws of the Corporation (as amended from time
to time, the “Bylaws”). Any adoption, amendment or repeal of
the Bylaws by the Board of Directors shall require the approval of
a majority of the Whole Board. For purposes of these Articles of
Incorporation, the term “Whole Board” shall mean the total number
of authorized directors whether or not there exist any vacancies in
previously authorized directorships. The stockholders shall also
have the power to adopt, amend or repeal the Bylaws; provided,
however, that, in addition to any vote of the holders of any class
or series of stock of the Corporation required by law or by these
Articles of Incorporation, the affirmative vote of the holders of
at least seventy-five percent (75%) of the voting power of all of
the then‑outstanding shares of the capital stock of the Corporation
entitled to vote thereon, voting together as a single class, shall
be required to adopt, amend or repeal any provision of the
Bylaws. Elections of directors need not be by written ballot
unless the Bylaws shall so provide. Meetings of stockholders may be
held within or without the State of Nevada, virtually and/or in
person, as the Bylaws provide. The books of the Corporation may be
kept (subject to any provision contained in the statutes) outside
the State of Nevada at such place or places as may be designated
from time to time by the Board of Directors or in the Bylaws.
ARTICLE VI
The Corporation reserves the right to amend, alter, change or
repeal any provision contained in these Articles of Incorporation,
in the manner now or hereafter prescribed by statute, and all
rights conferred upon stockholders herein are granted subject to
this reservation. Notwithstanding any other provision of
these Articles of Incorpora-tion or any provision of law that might
otherwise permit a lesser vote or no vote, but in addition to any
vote of the holders of any class or series of stock of the
Corporation required by law or by these Articles of Incorporation,
the affirmative vote of the holders of at least seventy-five
percent (75%) of the voting power of all of the then-outstanding
shares of the capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote
thereon, voting together as a single class, shall be required to
amend or repeal this ARTICLE VI, the third sentence of ARTICLE V,
ARTICLE VII, Section (A) or (B) of ARTICLE X or ARTICLE XI.
ARTICLE VII
INDEMNIFICATION; EXCULPATION
(A) Indemnification.
To the fullest extent permitted under the NRS (including, without
limitation, NRS 78.7502, NRS 78.751 and 78.752) and other
applicable law, the Corporation shall indemnify directors and
officers of the Corporation in their respective capacities as such
and in any and all other capacities in which any of them serves at
the request of the Corporation.
(B) Limitation
on Liability. The liability of directors and officers of the
Corporation shall be eliminated or limited to the fullest extent
permitted by the NRS. If the NRS is amended to further eliminate or
limit or authorize corporate action to further eliminate or limit
the liability of directors or officers, the liability of directors
and officers of the Corporation shall be eliminated or limited to
the fullest extent permitted by the NRS, as so amended from time to
time.
(C) Repeal
and Conflicts. Any amendment to or repeal of any provision or
section of this ARTICLE VII shall be prospective only, and shall
not apply to or have any effect on the right or protection of, or
the liability or alleged liability of, any director or officer of
the Corporation existing prior to or at the time of such amendment
or repeal. In the event of any conflict between any provision or
section of this ARTICLE VII and any other article of the Articles
of Incorporation, the terms and provisions of this ARTICLE VII
shall control.
ARTICLE VIII
SPECIAL PROVISIONS REGARDING DISTRIBUTIONS
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in these Articles of
Incorporation or the Bylaws, the Corporation is hereby specifically
allowed to make any distribution that otherwise would be prohibited
by NRS 78.288(2)(b).
ARTICLE IX
STOCKHOLDER RIGHTS
For the avoidance of doubt, no stockholder of the Corporation shall
have any preemptive rights, and no stockholder of the Corporation
shall have any cumulative voting rights.
ARTICLE X
ACTIONS BY STOCKHOLDERS
(A) Action
by Written Consent. Subject to the rights of the holders
of any series of Preferred Stock, any action required or permitted
to be taken by the stockholders of the Corporation must be effected
at a duly called annual or special meeting of stockholders of the
Corporation and may not be effected by any consent in writing by
such stockholders, unless otherwise authorized by the Board of
Directors in its sole discretion acting pursuant to a resolution
adopted by a majority of the Whole Board.
(B) Special
Meetings of Stockholders. Special meetings of stockholders of
the Corporation may be called only by the Board of Directors acting
pursuant to a resolu-tion adopted by a majority of the Whole Board
or by the Chairman of the Board.
(C) Stockholder
Nominations and Proposals. Advance notice of stockholder
nominations for the election of directors and of business to be
brought by stockholders before any meeting of the stockholders of
the Corporation shall be given in the manner provided in the
Bylaws.
ARTICLE XI
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
(A) Number
of Directors; Classified Board. Subject to the rights of the
holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect additional
directors under specified circumstances, the number of directors
shall be fixed from time to time exclusively by the Board of
Directors. The directors, other than those who may be elected
by the holders of any series of Preferred Stock under specified
circumstances, shall be divided into three classes, with the term
of office of the first class to expire at the Corporation’s first
annual meeting of stockholders following the date of adoption of
these Articles of Incorporation, the term of office of the second
class to expire at the Corporation’s second annual meeting of
stockholders following the date of adoption of these Articles of
Incorporation and the term of office of the third class to expire
at the Corporation’s third annual meeting of stockholders following
the date of adoption of these Articles of Incorporation, with each
director to hold office until his or her successor shall have been
duly elected and qualified. At each annual meeting of
stockholders, (i) directors elected to succeed those directors
whose terms expire shall be elected for a term of office to expire
at the third succeeding annual meeting of stockholders after their
election, with each director to hold office until his or her
successor shall have been duly elected and qualified; and (ii) if
authorized by a resolution of the Board of Directors, directors may
be elected to fill any vacancy on the Board of Directors,
regardless of how such vacancy shall have been
created.
(B) Quorum;
Action by the Board. A majority of the directors then in office
shall constitute a quorum for all purposes at any meeting of the
Board of Directors, and, except as otherwise expressly required by
law or by these Articles of Incorporation, all matters shall be
determined by the affirmative vote of a majority of the directors
present at any meeting at which a quorum is present.
(C) Vacancies.
Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred
Stock then outstanding, newly created directorships resulting from
any increase in the authorized number of directors or any vacancies
in the Board of Directors resulting from death, resignation,
disqualification, removal from office or other cause shall, unless
otherwise required by law or by resolu-tion of the Board of
Directors, be filled only by a majority vote of the directors then
in office, though less than a quorum (and not by stockholders), and
directors so chosen shall serve for a term expiring at the annual
meeting of stockholders at which the term of office of the class to
which they have been chosen expires, with each director to hold
office until his or her successor shall have been duly elected and
qualified. No decrease in the authorized number of directors
shall shorten the term of any incumbent director.
(D) Removal.
Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred
Stock then outstanding, any director, or the entire Board of
Directors, may be removed from office at any time, but only by the
affirmative vote of the holders of at least seventy-five percent
(75%) of the voting power of all of the then-outstanding shares of
capital stock of the Corporation then entitled to vote at an
election of directors, voting together as a single
class.
In Witness Whereof, the
undersigned has set his hand to these Articles of Incorporation on
this ____ day of _______________, 2022.
BioRestorative Therapies, Inc.
By:_____________________
Lance Alstodt
Chief Executive Officer
Appendix C
Nevada Certificate of Designations
of
Preferred Stock
BIORESTORATIVE THERAPIES, INC.
Certificate of Designations of Preferred Stock Authorized by
Resolution of the Board of Directors Providing for an Issue of
1,543,158 Shares of Preferred Stock Designated “Series A Preferred
Stock.”
BioRestorative Therapies, Inc. (the “Corporation”), a corporation
organized and existing under the Nevada Revised Statutes, in
accordance with the provisions of Section 78.1955 thereof and
ARTICLE IV of the Corporation’s Amended and Restated Certificate of
Incorporation, DOES HEREBY CERTIFY THAT:
Pursuant to authority conferred upon the Board of Directors by the
Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the
Corporation, said Board of Directors, at a meeting duly held,
adopted a resolution providing for the issuance of one million five
hundred forty-three thousand one hundred fifty-eight (1,543,158)
shares of the Corporation’s Preferred Stock, par value $.01 per
share, designated “Series A Preferred Stock,” which resolution is
as follows:
RESOLVED, that, pursuant to
the authority vested in the Board of Directors of the Corporation
by the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, the Board
of Directors does hereby provide for and authorize the issuance of
one million five hundred forty-three thousand one hundred
fifty-eight (1,543,158) shares of the Preferred Stock, par value
$.01 per share, of the Corporation, to be designated “Series A
Preferred Stock” of the presently authorized but unissued shares of
Preferred Stock. The voting powers, designations,
preferences, and relative, participating, optional or other special
rights of the Series A Preferred Stock authorized under this
certificate of designations (the “Certificate of Designations”) and
the qualifications, limitations and restrictions of such
preferences and rights are as follows:
(i) Dividends.
The holders of Series A Preferred Stock (each a “Series A Holder”
and collectively the “Series A Holders”) shall be entitled to
receive, when and as declared by the Board of Directors, dividends
on a pari passu basis with the holders of the shares of
Common Stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of the Corporation
(“Common Stock”) based upon the number of shares of Common Stock
into which the Series A Preferred Stock is then
convertible.
(ii) Voting
Rights.
(A) The
Series A Holders shall be entitled to vote on all matters presented
to the stockholders of the Corporation for a vote at a meeting of
stockholders of the Corporation or a written consent in lieu of a
meeting of stockholders of the Corporation, and shall be entitled
to such number of votes for each share of Series A Preferred Stock
entitled to vote at such meetings or pursuant to such consent as is
set forth below, voting together with the holders of shares of
Common Stock and other shares of Preferred Stock who are entitled
to vote, and not as a separate class, except as required by
law. The number of votes to which the Series A Holders shall
be entitled to vote for each share of Series A Preferred Stock
shall equal the number of shares of Common Stock into which such
Series A Preferred Stock is then convertible; provided,
however, that in no event shall a Series A Holder be
entitled to vote more than 4.99% of the then outstanding shares of
Common Stock.
(B) The
Corporation shall not, without the affirmative vote of the holders
of at least 50.1% of all outstanding shares of the Series A
Preferred Stock, voting separately as a class, amend, alter or
repeal any provision of this Certificate of Designations, PROVIDED,
HOWEVER, that the Corporation may, by any means authorized by law
and without any vote of the holders of the shares of the Series A
Preferred Stock, make technical, corrective, administrative or
similar changes in this Certificate of Designations, that do not,
individually or in the aggregate, adversely affect the rights or
preferences of the Series A Holders.
(iii) Conversion.
(A) Optional
Conversion; Automatic Conversion;
Procedures.
(I) Optional
Conversion.
(a)
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Conversion
Right. Each share
of Series A Preferred Stock shall be convertible, at any time and
from time to time, at the option of a Series A Holder (an “Optional
Conversion”), into such number of shares of Common Stock as is
determined by dividing ten dollars ($10.00) by the Conversion Price
(as hereinafter defined); provided,
however,
that in no event shall a Series A Holder be entitled to convert any
shares of Series A Preferred Stock to the extent that such
conversion would result in beneficial ownership by such Series A
Holder of more than 4.99% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock
(the “Maximum Share Amount”). For purposes of the foregoing
proviso, beneficial ownership shall be determined in accordance
with Section 13(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended (the “Exchange Act”), and the regulations thereunder.
For purposes hereof, the term "Conversion Price" shall mean ten
dollars ($10.00), subject to adjustment as hereinafter set
forth.
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(b)
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Notice
of Conversion.
Before any Series A Holder shall be entitled to receive Common
Stock upon conversion of the Series A Preferred Stock, the Series A
Holder shall send to the Corporation (by facsimile, e-mail or other
reasonable means of communication) a notice of conversion with
respect thereto in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A (the
“Notice of Conversion”).
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(II) Automatic
Conversion. From time to time, in the event that
an event occurs which has the effect of reducing a Series A Holder
beneficial ownership of shares of Common Stock (as determined in
accordance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and the
regulations thereunder) to less than 4.5% of the then publicly
disclosed outstanding shares of Common Stock, then, within five (5)
Business Days (as defined below) thereafter, the Series A Holder
shall provide notice to the Corporation (by facsimile, email or
other reasonable means of communication) to such effect (the
“Reduced Share Notice”), which notice shall state the number of
shares of Common Stock beneficially owned by the Series A Holder
and shall provide reasonable detail with regard thereto, including
the number of derivative securities compromising a portion of such
beneficial share amount. A Reduced Share Notice shall have
the effect of a Notice of Conversion with respect to the conversion
of such number of shares of Series A Preferred Stock as would
increase the Series A Holder’s beneficial ownership of Common Stock
to the Maximum Share Amount. In the event that a Series A
Holder shall fail to deliver to the Corporation a timely Reduced
Share Notice, then, at the option of the Corporation, a Reduced
Share Notice shall be deemed to have been timely given by the
Series A Holder to the Corporation. For purposes hereof, the term
“Business Day” shall mean any day excluding Saturday, Sunday and
any day that is a legal holiday under the laws of the state of New
York or is a day on which banking institutions located in such
state are authorized or required by law to close.
(III) Procedures.
(a)
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Record
of Preferred Stock Ownership. The Corporation shall maintain
book-entry records showing the number of shares of Series A
Preferred Stock outstanding, the number of shares of Series A
Preferred Stock converted, the dates of such conversions and the
number of shares of Series A Preferred Stock outstanding following
such conversions. In the event of any dispute or discrepancy,
such records of the Corporation shall, prima
facie, be controlling and determinative in the absence of
manifest error.
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(b)
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Payment
of Taxes. The
Corporation shall not be required to pay any tax which may be
payable in respect of any transfer involved in the issue and
delivery of shares of Common Stock or other securities or property
on conversion of the Series A Preferred Stock in a name other than
that of the Series A Holder (or in street name).
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(c)
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Delivery
of Common Stock Upon Conversion. Upon receipt by the Corporation from a
Series A Holder of a Notice of Conversion, sent in the manner
provided for in paragraph (b) hereof and meeting the requirements
for conversion as provided for hereinabove, the Series A Holder
shall be deemed to be the holder of record of the Common Stock
issuable upon such conversion, the number of shares of Series A
Preferred Stock held by the Series A Holder shall be reduced to
reflect such conversion, and all rights with respect to the Series
A Preferred Stock being so converted shall forthwith terminate
except the right to receive the Common Stock on such conversion,
and the Corporation shall issue and deliver or cause to be issued
and delivered to or upon the order of the Series A Holder a
certificate for the Common Stock issuable upon such conversion
within three (3) Business Days after receipt of the respective
Notice of Conversion (the “Share Delivery Deadline”). In
addition to any other rights available to the Series A Holder, if
the Corporation fails to cause the Corporation’s transfer agent to
transmit to the Series A Holder the Common Stock in accordance with
the provisions of this Certificate of Designations pursuant to a
Notice of Conversion on or before the respective Share Delivery
Deadline, and if after such date the Series A Holder is required by
its broker to purchase (in an open market transaction or otherwise)
or the Series A Holder’s brokerage firm otherwise purchases, shares
of Common Stock to deliver in satisfaction of a sale by the Series
A Holder of the Common Stock which the Series A Holder anticipated
receiving upon such Notice of Conversion (a “Buy-In”), then the
Corporation shall (A) pay in cash to the Series A Holder, within
ten (10) Business Days of Series A Holder’s request, the amount, if
any, by which (x) the Series A Holder’s total purchase price
(including brokerage commissions, if any) for the shares of Common
Stock so purchased exceeds (y) the product of (1) the number of
Common Stock that the Corporation was required to deliver to the
Series A Holder in connection with the Notice of Conversion at
issue times (2) the price at which the sell order giving rise to
such purchase obligation was executed, and (B) at the option of the
Series A Holder, either reinstate the portion of the Series A
Preferred Stock and equivalent number of Common Stock for which
such Notice of Conversion was not honored (in which case such
Notice of Conversion shall be deemed rescinded) or deliver to the
Series A Holder within three (3) Business Days of Series A Holder’s
request the number of shares of Common Stock that would have been
issued had the Corporation timely complied with its delivery
obligations hereunder. For example, if the Series A Holder
purchases Common Stock having a total purchase price of $11,000 to
cover a Buy-In with respect to an attempted conversion into Common
Stock with an aggregate sale price giving rise to such purchase
obligation of $10,000, under clause (A) of the immediately
preceding sentence, the Corporation shall be required to pay the
Series A Holder $1,000. The Series A Holder shall provide the
Corporation written notice indicating the amounts payable to the
Series A Holder in respect of the Buy-In and, upon request of the
Corporation, evidence of the amount of such loss. Nothing
herein shall limit a Series A Holder’s right to pursue any other
remedies available to it hereunder, at law or in equity including,
without limitation, a decree of specific performance and/or
injunctive relief with respect to the Corporation’s failure to
timely deliver shares of Common Stock upon conversion of the Series
A Preferred Stock as required pursuant to the terms
hereof.
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(d)
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Delivery
of Common Stock by Electronic Transfer. In lieu of delivering physical
certificates representing the Common Stock issuable upon
conversion, provided the Corporation is participating in the
Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) Fast Automated Securities Transfer
(FAST) program, upon request of the Series A Holder and its
compliance with the provisions contained in this Certificate of
Designations, and subject to the requirements of applicable law,
the Corporation shall cause its transfer agent to electronically
transmit the Common Stock issuable upon conversion to the Series A
Holder by crediting the account of the Series A Holder’s Prime
Broker with DTC through its Deposit Withdrawal At Custodian (DWAC)
system on or before the Share Delivery Deadline.
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(e)
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Concerning
the Common Stock.
The shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of the Series A
Preferred Stock may not be sold or transferred unless (i)
such Common Stock is sold pursuant to an effective registration
statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
“Securities Act”), or (ii) the Corporation or its transfer agent
shall have been furnished with an opinion of counsel (which
opinion shall be in form, substance and scope customary for
opinions of counsel in comparable transactions) to the effect that
the shares to be sold or transferred may be sold or transferred
pursuant to an exemption from such registration or (iii) such
Common Stock is sold or transferred pursuant to Rule 144 under the
Securities Act (or a successor rule) (“Rule 144”) or other
applicable exemption or (iv) such Common Stock is transferred to an
“affiliate” (as defined in Rule 144) of the Corporation who agrees
to sell or otherwise transfer the securities only in accordance
with this paragraph (e) and who is an accredited investor (as
defined in the Securities Act). Until such time as the shares
of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of the Series A Preferred
Stock have been registered under the Securities Act or otherwise
may be sold pursuant to Rule 144 or other applicable exemption
without any restriction as to the number of shares of Common Stock
as of a particular date that can then be immediately sold, each
certificate for shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of
the Series A Preferred Stock shall bear a legend substantially in
the following form, as appropriate:
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“THE ISSUANCE AND SALE OF THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS
CERTIFICATE HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF
1933, AS AMENDED, OR APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS. THE
SECURITIES MAY NOT BE OFFERED FOR SALE, SOLD, TRANSFERRED OR
ASSIGNED (I) IN THE ABSENCE OF (A) AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION
STATEMENT FOR THE SECURITIES UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS
AMENDED, OR (B) AN OPINION OF COUNSEL (WHICH COUNSEL SHALL BE
SELECTED BY THE HOLDER), IN A GENERALLY ACCEPTABLE FORM, THAT
REGISTRATION IS NOT REQUIRED UNDER SAID ACT OR (II) UNLESS SOLD
PURSUANT TO RULE 144 OR RULE 144A UNDER SAID ACT OR OTHER
APPLICABLE EXEMPTION. NOTWITHSTANDING THE FOREGOING, THE
SECURITIES MAY BE PLEDGED IN CONNECTION WITH A BONA FIDE MARGIN
ACCOUNT OR OTHER LOAN OR FINANCING ARRANGEMENT SECURED BY THE
SECURITIES.”
The legend set forth above shall be removed and the Corporation
shall issue to the holder a new certificate therefor free of any
transfer legend if (i) the Corporation or its transfer agent shall
have received an opinion of counsel, in form, substance and scope
customary for opinions of counsel in comparable transactions, to
the effect that a public sale or transfer of such securities may be
made without registration under the Securities Act, which opinion
shall be reasonably acceptable to the Corporation or (ii) such
security is registered for sale by the holder under an effective
registration statement filed under the Securities Act or otherwise
may be sold pursuant to Rule 144 or other applicable exemption
without any restriction as to the number of securities as of a
particular date that can then be immediately sold.
(IV) Effect
of Certain Events.
(a)
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Adjustment
Due to Merger, Consolidation, Etc. If, at any time when any shares of
Series A Preferred Stock are issued and outstanding, there shall be
any merger, consolidation, exchange of shares, recapitalization,
reorganization, or other similar event (other than as described in
paragraph (b) hereof), as a result of which shares of Common Stock
shall be changed into the same or a different number of shares of
another class or classes of stock or securities of the Corporation
or another entity, or in case of any sale or conveyance of all or
substantially all of the assets of the Corporation other than in
connection with a plan of complete liquidation of the Corporation,
then a Series A Holder shall thereafter have the right to receive,
upon conversion of the Series A Preferred Stock, upon the basis and
upon the terms and conditions specified herein and in lieu of the
shares of Common Stock immediately theretofore issuable upon
conversion, such stock, securities or assets which the Series A
Holder would have been entitled to receive in such transaction had
the Series A Preferred Stock been converted in full immediately
prior to such transaction (without regard to any limitations on
conversion set forth herein), and in any such case appropriate
provisions shall be made with respect to the rights and interests
of the Series A Holder to the end that the provisions hereof
(including, without limitation, provisions for adjustment of the
Conversion Price and of the number of shares issuable upon
conversion of the Series A Preferred Stock) shall thereafter be
applicable, as nearly as may be practicable in relation to any
securities or assets thereafter deliverable upon the conversion
hereof.
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(b)
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Subdivision
or Combination of Common Stock. If the Corporation at any time when any
shares of Series A Preferred Stock are issued and outstanding
subdivides (by stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization or
otherwise) its outstanding shares of Common Stock into a greater
number of shares, the Conversion Price in effect immediately prior
to such subdivision will be proportionately reduced. If the
Corporation at any time when any shares of Series A Preferred Stock
are issued and outstanding combines (by combination, reverse stock
split or otherwise) its outstanding shares of Common Stock into a
smaller number of shares, the Conversion Price in effect
immediately prior to such combination will be proportionately
increased. Any adjustment under this paragraph (b) shall
become effective at the close of business on the date the
subdivision or combination becomes effective. Each such
adjustment of the Conversion Price shall be calculated to the
nearest one-thousandth of a cent. Such adjustment shall be
made successively whenever any event covered by this paragraph (b)
shall occur.
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(c)
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Adjustment
Due to Distribution. If the Corporation shall declare or make
any distribution of its assets (or rights to acquire its assets) to
holders of Common Stock as a dividend, stock repurchase, by way of
return of capital or otherwise (including any dividend or
distribution to the Corporation’s stockholders in cash or shares
(or rights to acquire shares) of capital stock of a subsidiary
(i.e., a spin-off)) (a “Distribution”), then each Series A Holder
shall be entitled, upon any conversion of the Series A Preferred
Stock after the date of record for determining stockholders
entitled to such Distribution, to receive the amount of such assets
which would have been payable to such Series A Holder with respect
to the shares of Common Stock issuable upon such conversion had
such Series A Holder been the holder of such shares of Common Stock
on the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled
to such Distribution.
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(d)
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Purchase
Rights. If, at any
time when any shares of Series A Preferred Stock are issued and
outstanding, the Corporation issues any convertible securities or
rights to purchase stock, warrants, securities or other property
(the “Purchase Rights”) pro rata to the record holders of any class
of Common Stock, then each Series A Holder will be entitled to
acquire, upon the terms applicable to such Purchase Rights, the
aggregate Purchase Rights which such Series A Holder could have
acquired if such Series A Holder had held the number of shares of
Common Stock acquirable upon complete conversion of the Series A
Preferred Stock (without regard to any limitations on conversion
contained herein) immediately before the date on which a record is
taken for the grant, issuance or sale of such Purchase Rights or,
if no such record is taken, the date as of which the record holders
of Common Stock are to be determined for the grant, issue or sale
of such Purchase Rights.
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(e)
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Notice
of Adjustments.
Upon the occurrence of each adjustment or readjustment of the
Conversion Price as a result of the events described in this
Section (IV), the Corporation, at its expense, shall promptly
compute such adjustment or readjustment and prepare and furnish to
each Series A Holder a certificate setting forth such adjustment or
readjustment and showing in detail the facts upon which such
adjustment or readjustment is based. The Corporation shall,
upon the written request at any time of a Series A Holder, furnish
to such Series A Holder a like certificate setting forth (i) such
adjustment or readjustment, (ii) the Conversion Price at the time
in effect and (iii) the number of shares of Common Stock and the
amount, if any, of other securities or property which at the time
would be received upon conversion of the shares of Series A
Preferred Stock.
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(V) Status
on Conversion. Upon any conversion of shares of
Series A Preferred Stock, the shares of Series A Preferred Stock so
converted shall be canceled.
(VI) Reservation
of Shares. The Company shall, at all times,
reserve from its authorized and unissued Common Stock a sufficient
number of shares to provide for the issuance of Common Stock upon
the full conversion of the Series A Preferred Stock.
(iv) Redemption.
The Series A Preferred Stock is not subject to redemption by the
Corporation or any Series A Holder.
(v) Liquidation
Preference. In the event of any voluntary
liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, the
Series A Holders will be entitled to receive, prior and in
preference to any distribution of the assets or surplus funds of
the Corporation to the holders of any Common Stock and any other
stock of the Corporation ranking in liquidation junior to the
Series A Preferred Stock, by reason of the ownership thereof, an
amount (the "Series A Preferential Amount") equal to the fixed sum
of $0.001 per share of Series A Preferred Stock. If, upon the
occurrence of such an event, the assets and funds thus
distributable among the holders of Series A Preferred Stock shall
be insufficient to permit the payment to such holders of the full
Series A Preferential Amount, then the entire assets and funds of
the Corporation legally available for distribution to the holders
of the Series A Preferred Stock shall be distributed ratably among
such holders in accordance with the respective amounts which would
be payable on such shares if all amounts payable thereon were paid
in full. After the payment or setting apart of the full
Series A Preferential Amount required to be paid to the Series A
Holders, the Series A Holders shall be entitled to receive on a
pari passu basis with the holders of the shares of Common
Stock and any other stock of the Corporation ranking in liquidation
junior to the Series A Preferred Stock, based upon the number of
shares of Common Stock into which the Series A Preferred Stock is
convertible, all remaining assets or surplus funds of the
Corporation. Neither the merger or consolidation of the
Corporation, nor the sale, lease or conveyance of all or part of
its assets, shall be deemed to be a liquidation, dissolution or
winding up of the affairs of the Corporation, either voluntarily or
involuntarily, within the meaning of this section.
{Remainder of Page Intentionally Left Blank; Signature Page to
Follow}
IN WITNESS WHEREOF,
BIORESTORATIVE
THERAPIES, INC. has caused this Certificate to be executed
by its President this ____ day of __________, 2022.
BIORESTORATIVE THERAPIES, INC.
By:
Lance Alstodt
President
EXHIBIT
A
NOTICE OF
CONVERSION
The undersigned hereby elects to convert ____________ shares of
Series A Preferred Stock of BioRestorative Therapies, Inc., a
Nevada corporation (the “Corporation”), into that number of
shares of Common Stock to be issued pursuant to the conversion of
the shares of Series A Preferred Stock as set forth below,
according to the terms and conditions of the Certificate of
Designations of Preferred Stock filed with the State of Nevada with
respect to the Series A Preferred Stock on __________, 2022, as of
the date written below. No fee will be charged to the holder
for any conversion, except for transfer taxes, if any.
Box Checked as to applicable instructions:
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[ ] |
The
Corporation shall electronically transmit the Common Stock issuable
pursuant to this Notice of Conversion (as set forth below) to the
account of the undersigned or its nominee with DTC through its
Deposit Withdrawal At Custodian (DWAC) system.
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Name of DTC Prime Broker: ________________________
Account Number: ______________________
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[ ] |
The
undersigned hereby requests that the Corporation issue a
certificate or certificates for the number of shares of Common
Stock set forth below (which number is based on the holder’s
calculation attached hereto) in the name(s) specified immediately
below or, if additional space is necessary, on an attachment
hereto:
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Name: _______________________
Address: _______________________
_______________________
Date of
Conversion: ____________
Applicable Conversion Price: $____________
Number of Shares of Common Stock to be
Issued Pursuant to Conversion of the
Series A Preferred Stock:
____________
Number of Shares of Series A Preferred Stock
Remaining Outstanding after this
Conversion:____________
[HOLDER]
By:
Name:
Title:
Date:
Appendix D
Nevada Bylaws
BYLAWS
OF
BIORESTORATIVE THERAPIES, INC.
ARTICLE I
Offices, Corporate Seal
Section
1.01 Offices.
BioRestorative Therapies, Inc. (the “Corporation”)
shall have a registered office, a principal office and such other
offices as the board of directors of the Corporation (the
“Board
of Directors”)
may determine.
Section
1.02 Corporate
Seal.
The Board of Directors may provide a suitable seal, containing the
name of the Corporation, which seal shall be in the charge of the
Secretary. If and when so directed by the Board of Directors
or a committee thereof, duplicates of the seal may be kept and used
by the Treasurer or by an Assistant Secretary or Assistant
Treasurer.
ARTICLE II
Meetings of Stockholders
Section
2.01 Place
and Time of Meetings.
Meetings of the stockholders may be held at such place, on such
date and at such time as may be designated by the Board of
Directors.
Section
2.02 Annual
Meetings.
The annual meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation shall be
held at such place, virtually and/or in person in accordance with
applicable law, on such date and at such time as designated by the
Board of Directors. The purpose of this meeting shall be for the
election of directors and for the transaction of such other
business as may properly come before the meeting. Except as
otherwise restricted by the articles of incorporation of the
Corporation (as amended or amended and restated from time to time,
the “Articles
of Incorporation”)
or applicable law, the Board of Directors may postpone, reschedule
or cancel any annual meeting of stockholders.
Section
2.03 Special
Meetings.
Special meetings of the stockholders for any purpose or purposes,
other than those required by statute, may be called at any time by
the Board of Directors acting pursuant to a resolution adopted by a
majority of the Whole Board or by the Chairman of the Board.
For purposes of these Bylaws (as amended or amended and restated
from time to time, the “Bylaws”),
the term “Whole
Board”
shall mean the total number of authorized directors whether or not
there exist any vacancies in previously authorized directorships.
Business transacted at any special meeting shall be limited to the
purposes stated in the notice. Except as otherwise restricted by
the Articles of Incorporation or applicable law, the Board of
Directors may postpone, reschedule or cancel any special meeting of
stockholders.
Section
2.04 Quorum;
Adjourned Meetings.
The holders of one-third of the shares outstanding and entitled to
vote present in person or by proxy (regardless of whether the proxy
has authority to vote on all matters) shall constitute a quorum for
the transaction of business at any annual or special meeting,
unless or except to the extent that the presence of a larger number
may be required by law or by the rules of any stock exchange upon
which the Corporation’s securities are listed. If a quorum is not
present at a meeting, those present shall adjourn to such day as
they shall agree upon by majority vote. Notice of any adjourned
meeting need not be given if the time and place thereof are
announced at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken.
However, if a new record date is fixed for the adjourned meeting,
notice of the adjourned meeting must be given to each stockholder
of record as of the new record date. At adjourned meetings at which
a quorum is present, any business may be transacted which might
have been transacted at the meeting as originally noticed. If a
quorum is present, the stockholders may continue to transact
business until adjournment notwithstanding the withdrawal of enough
stockholders to leave less than a quorum.
Section
2.05 Organization.
At each meeting of the stockholders, the Chairman of the Board or
in his or her absence the Chief Executive Officer or in his or her
absence the chairman chosen by a majority of the voting power of
the stockholders present in person or proxy shall act as chairman;
and the Secretary of the Corporation, or in his or her absence an
Assistant Secretary, or in his or her absence any person whom the
chairman of the meeting shall appoint, shall act as secretary of
the meeting.
Section
2.06 Voting.
Each stockholder of the Corporation entitled to vote at a meeting
of stockholders shall be entitled to one vote in person or by proxy
for each share of stock having voting rights held by such
stockholder and registered in his, her or its name on the books of
the Corporation. Upon the request of any stockholder present in
person or by proxy at any meeting of the stockholders and entitled
to vote at such meeting, or if directed by the chairman of the
meeting in his or her discretion, the vote on any question before a
meeting or the election of directors shall be by written ballot.
All questions at a meeting shall be decided by a majority vote of
the number of shares entitled to vote represented at the meeting at
the time of the vote except where otherwise required by statute,
the Articles of Incorporation or these Bylaws. For the election of
directors, the persons receiving the largest number of votes cast
(up to and including the number of directors to be elected) shall
be directors.
Section
2.07 Inspectors
of Election. At
each meeting of the stockholders, the chairman of such meeting may
appoint one or more inspectors of election, subject to the
requirements of applicable law. Each inspector of election so
appointed shall first subscribe an oath or affirmation to execute
the duties of an inspector of election at such meeting with strict
impartiality and according to the best of his or her ability. Such
inspectors of election, if any, may (a) ascertain the number of
shares outstanding and the voting power of each; (b) determine the
number of shares represented at a meeting and the validity of the
proxies or ballots; (c) count all votes and ballots; (d) determine
any challenges made to any determination made by the inspectors;
(e) certify in a report in writing to the secretary of such meeting
the determination of the number of shares represented at the
meeting and the results of all votes and ballots. An inspector of
election need not be a stockholder of the Corporation, and any
officer or employee of the Corporation may be an inspector of
election on any question other than a vote for or against his or
her election to any position with the Corporation or on any other
question in which he or she may be directly
interested.
Section
2.08 Notices
of Meetings and Consents.
Except as otherwise provided by the Articles of Incorporation or by
the Nevada Revised Statutes (as amended from time to time, the
“NRS”),
a written notice of each annual and special meeting of stockholders
shall be given not less than 10 nor more than 60 days before the
date of such meeting to each stockholder of record of the
Corporation entitled to vote at such meeting by delivering such
notice of meeting to such stockholder personally or depositing the
same in the United States mail, postage prepaid, directed to him or
her at the post office address shown upon the records of the
Corporation. Service of notice is complete upon mailing. Every
notice of a meeting of stockholders shall state the place, date and
hour of the meeting, the means of electronic communication, if any,
by which the stockholder or the proxies thereof shall be deemed to
be present and vote and, in the case of a special meeting the
purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called. The notice
shall be delivered in accordance with, and shall contain or be
accompanied by such additional information as may be required by,
the NRS, including, without limitation, NRS 78.379, 92A.120 or
92A.410.
Section
2.09 Proxies.
Each stockholder entitled to vote at a meeting of stockholders may
authorize a proxy to represent him at the meeting by an instrument
executed in writing. Each such proxy shall be valid until its
expiration or revocation in a manner permitted by the laws of the
State of Nevada. A proxy may be irrevocable if it states that it is
irrevocable and, if, and only as long as, it is coupled with an
interest sufficient to support an irrevocable power. Subject to the
above, any proxy may be revoked if an instrument or transmission
revoking it or a properly created proxy bearing a later date is
filed with or transmitted to the Secretary or another person
appointed by the Corporation to count the votes of stockholders and
determine the validity of proxies and ballots, or, in the case of a
meeting of stockholders, the stockholder revokes the proxy by
attending the meeting and voting the stockholder’s shares in
person, in which case, any vote cast by the person or persons
designated by the stockholder to act as a proxy or proxies must be
disregarded by the Corporation when the votes are
counted.
Section
2.10 Waiver
of Notice.
Notice of any annual or special meeting may be waived either
before, at or after such meeting in writing signed or by
transmission of an electronic record by the person or persons
entitled to the notice. Attendance of a person at a meeting shall
constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting, except when the
person attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting at
the beginning of the meeting to the transacting of any business
because the meeting is not lawfully called or
convened.
Section
2.11 Written
Action.
Subject to any restrictions set forth in the Articles of
Incorporation, any action that may be taken at a meeting of the
stockholders may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice
and without a vote, if a consent in writing, setting forth the
actions so taken, shall be signed by the holders of outstanding
stock having not less than the minimum number of votes that would
be required to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which
all shares entitled to vote thereon were present and
voted.
Section
2.12 Order
of Business.
(a) Proper
Business. At any annual or special meeting of the stockholders,
only such business shall be conducted or considered (including, in
the case of an annual meeting, nominations of persons for election
to the Board of Directors), as shall have been properly brought
before the meeting. For such business to be properly brought before
a meeting, nominations and proposals of other business must be: (a)
specified in the Corporation’s notice of meeting (or any supplement
thereto) given by or at the direction of the Board of Directors,
(b) otherwise properly brought before such meeting, by or at the
direction of the Board of Directors or (c) otherwise properly
requested to be brought before such meeting by a stockholder of the
Corporation in accordance with these Bylaws.
(b) Authority
of Chairman. Except as otherwise provided by law, the Articles
of Incorporation or these Bylaws, the chairman of any annual or
special meeting shall have the power to determine whether a
nomination or any other business proposed to be brought before the
meeting was made or proposed, as the case may be, in accordance
with these Bylaws and, if any proposed nomination or other business
is not in compliance with these Bylaws, to declare that no action
shall be taken on such nomination or other proposal and such
nomination or other proposal shall be disregarded.
Section
2.13 Notice
of Stockholder Business and Nominations.
(a) Timing
Requirements. With respect to any nominations or any other
business to be brought before an annual meeting, a stockholder’s
notice shall be considered timely if it is delivered to the
Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not
earlier than the close of business on the one hundred twentieth
(120th) day and not later than the close of business on the
ninetieth (90th) day prior to the first anniversary of the
preceding year’s annual
meeting; provided, however, that, in the
event that the date of the annual meeting is more than thirty (30)
days before or more than sixty (60) days after such anniversary
date, notice by the stockholder must be so delivered not earlier
than the close of business on the one hundred twentieth (120th) day
prior to the date of such annual meeting and not later than the
close of business on the later of the ninetieth (90th) day prior to
the date of such annual meeting or, if the first public
announcement of the date of such annual meeting is less than one
hundred (100) days prior to the date of such annual meeting, the
tenth (10th) day following the day on which public announcement of
the date of such meeting is first made by the
Corporation.
With respect to any business to be properly requested to be brought
before an annual meeting, a stockholder’s notice shall be
considered timely if it is delivered to the Secretary at the
principal executive offices of the Corporation not earlier than the
close of business on the one hundred twentieth (120th) day and not
later than the close of business on the later of the ninetieth
(90th) day prior to the date of such annual meeting or, if the
first public announcement of the date of such annual meeting is
less than one hundred (100) days prior to the date of such annual
meeting, the tenth (10th) day following the day on which public
announcement is first made by the Corporation of the date of the
annual meeting.
Except as required by the NRS or Section 8.01 of these Bylaws, in
no event shall any adjournment or postponement of an annual or
special meeting of stockholders, as applicable, or the public
announcement thereof, commence a new time period for the giving of
a stockholder’s notice as described above.
(b) Disclosure
Requirements. To be in proper form, a stockholder’s notice to
the Secretary must include the following, as applicable: as to the
stockholder giving the notice and the beneficial owner, if any, on
whose behalf the nomination or proposal is made: (i) the name and
address of such stockholder, as they appear on the Corporation’s
books and of such beneficial owner or Control Person (as defined
below), if any, (ii) the number of shares of the Corporation which
are, directly or indirectly, owned beneficially and of record by
such stockholder and such beneficial owner or Control Person, if
any (iii) a representation that the stockholder intends to appear
at the meeting in person or by proxy to submit the business
specified in such notice, (iv) if the notice relates to any
business other than a nomination of director(s), a brief
description of the business desired to be brought before the
meeting, including the complete text of any resolutions proposed
for consideration, and the reasons for conducting such business at
the meeting, (v) any direct or indirect personal or other interest
of the stockholder in the business to be submitted, (vi) a
description of any agreement, arrangement or understanding
(including any derivative or short positions, profit interests,
options, hedging transactions, and borrowed or loaned shares) that
has been entered into as of the date of the stockholder’s notice
by, or on behalf of, such stockholder or beneficial owner and by
any Control Person or any other person acting in concert with any
of the foregoing, the effect or intent of which is to mitigate
loss, manage risk or benefit from changes in the share price of any
class of the Corporation’s stock, or maintain, increase or decrease
the voting power of the stockholder or beneficial owner with
respect to shares of stock of the Corporation, and a representation
that the stockholder will notify the Corporation in writing within
five business days after the record date for such meeting of any
such agreement, arrangement or understanding in effect as of the
record date for the meeting, (vii) a representation whether the
stockholder or the beneficial owner, if any, and any Control Person
will engage in a solicitation with respect to the nomination or
business and, if so, the name of each participant (as defined in
Item 4 of Schedule 14A under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934)
in such solicitation and whether such person intends or is part of
a group which intends to deliver a proxy statement and/or form of
proxy to holders of at least the percentage of the Corporation’s
outstanding stock required to approve or adopt the business to be
proposed (in person or by proxy) by the stockholder and (viii) any
other information relating to such stockholder, beneficial owner or
Control Person, if any, that would be required to be disclosed in a
proxy statement and form of proxy or other filings required to be
made in connection with solicitations of proxies for, as
applicable, the proposal and/or for the election of directors in a
contested election pursuant to Section 14 of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules and regulations promulgated
thereunder. For purposes of this Section 2.13, a “Control
Person” shall be a director, executive, managing member or
control person of such stockholder giving the notice or, if the
notice is given on behalf of a beneficial owner on whose behalf the
nomination is made or the business is proposed, as to such
beneficial owner.
Nothing in these Bylaws shall be deemed to affect any rights of
stockholders to request inclusion of proposals in the Corporation’s
proxy statement pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934.
ARTICLE III
Board of Directors
Section
3.01 General
Powers.
The business of the Corporation shall be managed by the Board of
Directors.
Section
3.02 Number,
Qualification and Term of Office.
The exact number of directors shall be determined from time to time
solely by resolution adopted by the affirmative vote of a majority
of the directors then in office. The Board of Directors shall be
divided into three classes, as nearly equal in number as possible,
designated: Class I, Class II and Class III (each, a “Class”). In
the case of any increase or decrease, from time to time, in the
number of directors, the number of directors in each class shall be
apportioned as nearly equal as possible. Except as otherwise
provided in the Articles of Incorporation, each director shall
serve for a term ending on the date of the third annual meeting of
the Corporation’s stockholders following the annual meeting at
which such director was elected; provided, however, that each
director initially appointed to Class I shall serve for an initial
term expiring at the Corporation’s first annual meeting of
stockholders following the effectiveness of this provision; each
director initially appointed to Class II shall serve for the
initial term expiring at the Corporation’s second annual meeting of
stockholders following the effectiveness of this provision; and
each director initially appointed to Class III shall serve for an
initial term expiring at the Corporation’s third annual meeting of
stockholders following the effectiveness of this provision;
provided further, that the term of each director shall continue
until the election and qualification of a successor and be subject
to such director’s earlier death, resignation or removal. Directors
need not be stockholders.
Section
3.03 Annual
Meeting. As
soon as practicable after each election of directors, the Board of
Directors shall meet at the registered office of the Corporation,
or at such other place previously designated by the Board of
Directors, for the purpose of electing the officers of the
Corporation and for the transaction of such other business as may
come before the meeting.
Section
3.04 Regular
Meetings.
Regular meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held from time
to time at such time and place as may be fixed by resolution
adopted by a majority of the directors then in office.
Section
3.05 Special
Meetings.
Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by the
Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, or by any two
of the directors and shall be held from time to time at such time
and place as may be designated in the notice of such
meeting.
Section
3.06 Notice
of Meetings. No
notice need be given of any annual or regular meeting of the Board
of Directors. Notice of each special meeting of the Board of
Directors shall be given by the Secretary who shall give at least
one day’s notice thereof to each director by telephone, electronic
transmission including email, or in person. Notice shall be
effective upon receipt. For purposes hereof, one day’s notice
shall be satisfied by delivery of such notice as shall result in
the director receiving notice by 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on
the day immediately preceding the date of the meeting (provided
that the time of the meeting is no earlier than 8:00 a.m., New York
City time).
Section
3.07 Waiver
of Notice.
Notice of any meeting of the Board of Directors may be waived
either before, at, or after such meeting in writing signed by each
director. Attendance of a person at a meeting shall constitute a
waiver of notice of such meeting, except when the person attends a
meeting for the express purpose of objecting, at the beginning of
the meeting, to the transaction of any business because the meeting
is not lawfully called or convened.
Section
3.08 Quorum
and Voting. A
majority of the directors then in office shall constitute a quorum
for the transaction of business. The vote of a majority of the
directors present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall
be the act of the Board of Directors unless these Bylaws, the
Articles of Incorporation or the NRS require a greater
number.
Section
3.09 Vacancies.
Unless otherwise provided by applicable law or the Articles of
Incorporation, (a) the Board of Directors may increase the
authorized number of Directors and (b) any newly created
directorships resulting from an increase in the authorized number
of Directors and vacancies occurring in the Board of Directors for
any cause, may be (i) filled by the affirmative votes of a majority
of the remaining members of the Board of Directors, although less
than a quorum, (ii) filled by a sole remaining Director or (iii)
elected by a plurality of the votes cast at an annual or special
meeting of the Shareholders. A Director so elected shall be elected
to hold office until the expiration of the term of office of the
Director whom he or she has replaced or until a successor is
elected and qualified, or until the Director’s earlier death,
resignation or removal, subject in all cases to any applicable
requirements in the Articles of Incorporation.
Section
3.10 Removal.
Any director may be removed from office at any meeting of the
stockholders either with or without cause by the vote of the
holders of not less than seventy-five percent (75%) of the voting
power of the issued and outstanding stock entitled to vote
generally in the election of directors, excluding stock entitled to
vote only upon the happening of a fact or event unless such fact or
event shall have occurred. If the entire Board of Directors or any
one or more directors be so removed, new directors may be elected
at the same meeting.
Section
3.11 Committees
of Directors.
The Board of Directors may, by resolution adopted by a majority of
the directors then in office, designate one or more committees,
each to consist of one or more of the directors of the Corporation,
which, to the extent provided in the resolution and subject to
applicable law, may exercise the powers of the Board of Directors
in the management of the business and affairs of the Corporation.
The Board of Directors may designate one or more directors as
alternate members of any committee, who may replace any absent or
disqualified member at any meeting of the committee. In the absence
or disqualification of any member of such committee or committees,
the member or members thereof present at any meeting and not
disqualified from voting, whether or not constituting a quorum, may
unanimously appoint another member of the Board of Directors to act
at the meeting in the place of any such absent or disqualified
member. Such committee or committees shall have such name or names
as may be determined by the resolution adopted by the directors.
The committees shall keep regular minutes of their proceedings and
report the same to the Board of Directors when required. Unless
otherwise provided for in a resolution of the Board of Directors
designating a committee pursuant to this Section 3.11: (i) a
majority of the authorized number of members of such committee
shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business of such
committee and (ii) the vote of a majority of the members of such
committee present at a meeting of such committee at which a quorum
is present shall be the act of such committee except where
otherwise required by these Bylaws or the charter of such
committee.
Section
3.12 Written
Action.
Any action required or permitted to be taken at a meeting of the
Board of Directors or any committee thereof may be taken without a
meeting if, before or after the action, all directors or committee
members consent thereto in writing. The written consent may be
signed manually or electronically (or by any other means then
permitted under the NRS), and may be so signed in counterparts,
including, without limitation, facsimile or email counterparts, and
the written consent shall be filed with the minutes of proceedings
of the Board of Directors or committee.
Section
3.13 Compensation.
Unless otherwise restricted by the certificate of incorporation,
the Board of Directors shall have the authority to fix the
compensation of the directors. The directors may be paid
their expenses, if any, of attendance at each meeting of the Board
of Directors and may be paid a fixed sum for attendance at each
meeting of the Board of Directors or paid a stated salary or paid
other compensation as director. No such payment shall
preclude any director from serving the Corporation in any other
capacity and receiving compensation therefor. Members of
special or standing committees may be allowed compensation for
attending committee meetings. If the Board of Directors
establishes the compensation of directors pursuant to this Section
3.13, such compensation is presumed to be fair to the Corporation
unless proven unfair by a preponderance of the
evidence.
Section
3.14 Conference
Communications.
Directors may participate in any meeting of the Board of Directors,
or of any duly constituted committee thereof, by means of any
conference telephone, electronic communications, videoconferencing,
teleconferencing or other comparable communication technique or
technology permitted under the NRS, including, without limitation,
a telephone conference or similar method of communication whereby
all persons participating in the meeting can hear and communicate
to each other. If any such means are utilized, the Corporation
shall, to the extent required under the NRS, implement reasonable
measures to (a) verify the identity of each person participating
through such means as a director or member of the committee, as the
case may be, and (b) provide the directors or members of the
committee a reasonable opportunity to participate in the meeting
and to vote on matters submitted to the directors or members of the
committee, including an opportunity to communicate, and to read or
hear the proceedings of the meeting in a substantially concurrent
manner with such proceedings. For the purposes of establishing a
quorum and taking any action at the meeting, such directors
participating pursuant to this Section 3.14 shall be deemed present
in person at the meeting.
ARTICLE IV
Officers
Section
4.01 Number.
The officers of the Corporation shall consist of a Chairman of the
Board, a Chief Executive Officer, a President, one or more Vice
Presidents, a Secretary, a Treasurer and such other officers as may
from time to time be appointed by the Board of Directors. Any
person may hold two or more offices.
Section
4.02 Election,
Term of Office, and Qualifications. At
each annual meeting of the Board of Directors, all officers shall
be elected. Such officers shall hold office until the next annual
meeting of the directors or until their successors are elected and
qualified, or until their earlier resignation or removal, or until
such office is eliminated by a vote of the directors then in
office. Unless they have resigned or been removed, officers
who may be directors shall hold office until the election and
qualification of their successors, notwithstanding an earlier
termination of their directorship.
Section
4.03 Removal
and Vacancies.
Any officer may be removed from his or her office by a majority
vote of the directors then in office with or without cause. A
vacancy among the officers by death, resignation, removal, or
otherwise shall be filled for the unexpired term by the Board of
Directors.
Section
4.04 Chairman
of the Board.
The Chairman of the Board, if one is elected, shall preside at all
meetings of the stockholders and directors and shall have such
other duties as may be prescribed, from time to time, by the Board
of Directors.
Section
4.05 Chief
Executive Officer.
The Chief Executive Officer shall be the chief executive officer of
the Corporation and shall have responsibility for the general
management, control and supervision of the business and affairs of
the Corporation, subject to the control of the Board of Directors
and of any duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors. The
Chief Executive Officer may sign and execute, in the name of the
Corporation, deeds, mortgages, bonds, contracts and other
instruments, unless (a) the signing and execution thereof is
expressly delegated by resolution of the Board of Directors or by
these Bylaws to some other officer or agent of the Corporation or
(b) applicable law provides otherwise. In general, the Chief
Executive Officer shall perform all duties incident to the office
of Chief Executive Officer of a corporation and such other duties
as may from time to time be assigned to the Chief Executive Officer
by resolution of the Board of Directors. Unless otherwise appointed
by the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer shall be the
Chairman of the Board.
Section 4.06 President. The President shall
be the chief operating officer of the Corporation. He or she
shall have general responsibility for the management and control of
the operations of the Corporation and shall perform all duties and
have all powers which are commonly incident to the office of chief
operating officer or which are delegated to him or her by the Board
of Directors. The President may sign and execute, in the name
of the Corporation, deeds, mortgages, bonds, contracts and other
instruments, unless (a) the signing and execution thereof is
expressly delegated by resolution of the Board of Directors or by
these Bylaws to some other officer or agent of the Corporation or
(b) applicable law provides otherwise.
Section
4.07
Vice President. Each
Vice President shall have such powers and duties as may be
delegated to him or her by the Board of Directors. One Vice
President shall be designated by the Board of Directors to perform
the duties and exercise the powers of the President in the event of
the President’s absence or disability.
Section 4.08 Treasurer. The Treasurer shall
keep accurate accounts of all moneys of the Corporation received or
disbursed. The Treasurer shall deposit all moneys, drafts and
checks in the name of and to the credit of the Corporation in such
banks and depositories as the Board of Directors shall from time to
time designate. The Treasurer shall have power to endorse for
deposit all notes, checks and drafts received by the Corporation.
The Treasurer shall disburse the funds of the Corporation as
ordered by the Board of Directors, making proper vouchers therefor.
The Treasurer shall render to the Chief Executive Officer and the
Board of Directors whenever required an account of all his or her
transactions as Treasurer and of the financial condition of the
Corporation and shall perform such other duties as may from time to
time be prescribed by the Board of Directors or by the Chief
Executive Officer.
Section 4.09 Secretary. The Secretary shall
be secretary of and shall attend all meetings of the stockholders
and Board of Directors and shall record all proceedings of such
meetings in the minute book of the Corporation. The Secretary shall
give proper notice of meetings of stockholders and the Board of
Directors. The Secretary shall perform such other duties as may
from time to time be prescribed by the Board of Directors or by the
Chief Executive Officer.
Section
4.10 Duties
of other Officers.
The duties of such other officers and agents as the Board of
Directors may designate shall be set forth in the resolution
creating such office or by subsequent resolution.
Section
4.11 Compensation.
The officers of the Corporation shall receive such compensation for
their services as may be determined from time to time by resolution
of the Board of Directors or by one or more committees to the
extent so authorized from time to time by the Board of
Directors.
ARTICLE V
Shares and Their Transfer
Section
5.01 Shares
of Stock.
The shares of stock of the Corporation shall be represented by a
certificate, provided that the Board of Directors may provide by
resolution or resolutions that some or all of any or all classes or
series of the stock of the Corporation shall be uncertificated
shares. Any such resolution shall not apply to shares represented
by a certificate until such certificate is surrendered to the
Corporation. Notwithstanding the adoption of any such resolution
providing for uncertificated shares, every holder of stock of the
Corporation theretofore represented by certificates and, upon
request, every holder of uncertificated shares, shall be entitled
to a certificate, to be in such form as shall be prescribed by the
Board of Directors, certifying the number of shares in the
Corporation owned by such holder. The certificates for such shares
shall be numbered in the order in which they shall be issued and
shall be signed in the name of the Corporation by the Chairman of
the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President or a Vice
President, and by the Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer, or the
Secretary or an Assistant Secretary. Every certificate surrendered
to the Corporation for exchange or transfer shall be cancelled, and
no new certificate or certificates shall be issued in exchange for
any existing certificate until such certificate shall have been so
cancelled, except in cases provided for in Section
5.05.
Section
5.02 Issuance
of Stock.
The Board of Directors is authorized to cause to be issued stock of
the Corporation up to the full amount authorized by the Articles of
Incorporation in such amounts and for such consideration as may be
determined by the Board of Directors. Treasury shares may be
disposed of by the Corporation for such consideration as may be
fixed by the Board of Directors.
Section 5.03 Transfer
Agent. The Corporation may from time to time maintain
one or more transfer offices or agents and registry offices or
agents at such place(s) as may be determined from time to time by
the Board of Directors.
Section
5.04 Transfer
of Stock.
Transfer of stock on the books of the Corporation may be authorized
only by the record holder of such stock, the holder’s legal
representative or the holder’s attorney lawfully constituted in
writing and, in the case of stock represented by a certificate or
certificates, upon surrender of the certificate or the certificates
for such stock, and, in the case of uncertificated stock, upon
receipt of proper transfer instructions and compliance with
appropriate procedures for transferring stock in uncertificated
form (in each case, with such proof of the authenticity of
signature as the Corporation or its transfer agent may reasonably
require). The Corporation may treat as the absolute owner of stock
of the Corporation the person or persons in whose name stock is
registered on the books of the Corporation. The Board of Directors
may from time to time establish rules and regulations governing the
issuance, transfer and registration of shares of stock of the
Corporation.
Section
5.05 Loss
of Certificates.
Any stockholder claiming a certificate for stock to be lost,
stolen, mutilated or destroyed shall make an affidavit of that fact
in such form as the Board of Directors may require and shall, if
the Board of Directors so requires, give the Corporation a bond of
indemnity in form, in an amount, and with one or more sureties
satisfactory to the Board of Directors, to indemnify the
Corporation against any claims which may be made against it on
account of the alleged loss, theft or destruction of the
certificate or issuance of such new certificate. The Corporation
may then issue (a) a new certificate or certificates of stock or
(b) uncertificated shares, for the same number of shares
represented by the certificate claimed to have been lost, stolen,
mutilated or destroyed.
Section
5.06 Facsimile
Signatures.
Whenever any certificate is countersigned by a transfer agent or by
a registrar other than the Corporation or its employee, then the
signatures of the officers or agents of the Corporation may be a
facsimile. In case any officer, transfer agent or registrar who has
signed or whose facsimile signature has been placed on any such
certificate shall cease to be such officer, transfer agent or
registrar before such certificate is issued, it may be issued by
the Corporation as though the person who signed such certificate or
whose facsimile signature or signatures had been placed thereon
were such officer, transfer agent or registrar at the date of
issue.
ARTICLE VI
Books and Records, Audit, Fiscal Year
Section
6.01 Books
and Records.
The Board of Directors of the Corporation shall cause to be kept:
(a) a share ledger which shall be a charge of an officer designated
by the Board of Directors; (b) records of all proceedings of
stockholders and directors; and (c) such other records and books of
account as shall be necessary and appropriate to the conduct of the
corporate business.
Section
6.02 Audit.
The Board of Directors shall cause the records and books of account
of the Corporation to be audited at least once in each fiscal year
and at such other times as it may deem necessary or
appropriate.
Section
6.03 Annual
List.
The Board of Directors shall cause to be filed with the Nevada
Secretary of State in each year the annual list required by
law.
Section
6.04 Fiscal
Year.
The fiscal year of the Corporation shall end on December 31 of each
year.
ARTICLE VII
Indemnification; Expenses
Section
7.01 Indemnification.
The Corporation shall indemnify and hold harmless, and the Board of
Directors may authorize the purchase and maintenance of insurance
or make other financial arrangements for the purpose of such
indemnification, any person who was or is a party or is threatened
to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action,
suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or
investigative, in such manner, under such circumstances and to the
fullest extent permitted by the Articles of Incorporation and the
NRS.
Section 7.02 Payment of
Expenses. In addition to any other rights of
indemnification permitted by the laws of the State of Nevada or as
may be provided for by the Corporation in the Articles of
Incorporation, these Bylaws or by agreement, the expenses of
directors and officers incurred in defending any threatened,
pending or completed action, suit or proceeding (including, without
limitation, an action, suit or proceeding by or in the right of the
Corporation), whether civil, criminal, administrative or
investigative, involving alleged acts or omissions of such director
or officer in his or her capacity as a director or officer of the
Corporation, or while serving in any capacity at the request of the
Corporation as a director, officer, employee, agent, member,
manager, managing member, partner or fiduciary of, or in any other
capacity for, another corporation, limited liability company,
partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, shall be
paid by the Corporation or through insurance purchased and
maintained by the Corporation or through other financial
arrangements made by the Corporation, as they are incurred and in
advance of the final disposition of the action, suit or proceeding,
upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of the director or
officer to repay the amount if it is ultimately determined by a
court of competent jurisdiction that he or she is not entitled to
be indemnified by the Corporation. To the extent that an officer or
director is successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any
such action, suit or proceeding, or in the defense of any claim,
issue or matter therein, the Corporation shall indemnify him or her
against expenses, including attorneys’ fees, actually and
reasonably incurred by him or her in connection with the
defense.
Section 7.03 Amendment. No amendment to or
repeal of this ARTICLE VII approved by the directors or
stockholders of the Corporation shall apply to or have any effect
on the right or protection of any director or officer of the
Corporation existing prior to such amendment or repeal.
ARTICLE VIII
Miscellaneous
Section
8.01 Fixing
Date for Determination of Stockholders of
Record.
(a) In
order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled
to notice of or to vote at any meeting of stockholders or any
adjournment thereof, or to express consent to corporate action in
writing without a meeting, or entitled to receive payment of any
dividend or other distribution or allotment of any rights, or
entitled to exercise any rights in respect of any change,
conversion or exchange of stock or for the purpose of any other
lawful action, the Board of Directors may fix, in advance, a record
date, which shall not be more than 60 nor less than 10 days before
the date of such meeting, nor more than 60 days prior to any other
action.
(b) If
no record date is fixed:
(1) The
record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of or
to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall be at the close of
business on the day next preceding the day on which notice is
given, or, if notice is waived, at the close of business on the day
next preceding the day on which the meeting is held.
(2) The
record date for determining stockholders entitled to express
consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting, when no
prior action by the Board of Directors is necessary, shall be the
day on which the first written consent is expressed.
(3) The
record date for determining stockholders for any other purpose
shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board of
Directors adopts the resolution relating thereto.
(c) A
determination of stockholders of record entitled to notice of or to
vote at a meeting of stockholders shall apply to any adjournment of
the meeting or to any postponement of any meeting of stockholders
to a date not more than 60 days after the record date; provided,
that the Board of Directors may fix a new record date for the
adjourned meeting and must fix a new record date if the meeting is
adjourned to a date more than 60 days later than the date set forth
the original meeting.
Section
8.02 Periods
of Time.
During any period of time prescribed by these Bylaws, the date from
which the designated period of time begins to run shall not be
included, and the last day of the period so computed shall be
included.
Section
8.03 Voting
Securities Held by the Corporation.
Unless otherwise ordered by the Board of Directors, the Chief
Executive Officer shall have full power and authority on behalf of
the Corporation (a) to attend, to act and to vote at any meeting of
security holders or owners of other entities in which the
Corporation may hold securities or ownership interests; (b) to
execute any proxy for such meeting on behalf of the Corporation; or
(c) to execute a written action in lieu of a meeting of such other
entity on behalf of the Corporation. At such meeting, by such proxy
or by such writing in lieu of meeting, the Chief Executive Officer
shall possess and may exercise any and all rights and powers
incident to the ownership of such securities or ownership interests
that the Corporation might have possessed and exercised if it had
been present. The Board of Directors may, from time to time, confer
like powers upon any other person or persons.
Section
8.04 Purchase
and Sale of Securities.
Unless otherwise ordered by the Board of Directors, the Chief
Executive Officer shall have power and authority on behalf of the
Corporation to purchase, sell, transfer or encumber any and all
securities or ownership interests of any other entity owned by the
Corporation and may execute and deliver such documents as may be
necessary to effectuate such purchase, sale, transfer or
encumbrance. The Board of Directors may, from time to time, confer
like powers upon any other person or persons.
ARTICLE IX
Amendments
Section
9.01 Amendments.
These Bylaws may be amended, altered or repealed by a vote of the
majority of the Whole Board; provided,
however, that, with respect to the power of holders of capital
stock to adopt, amend and repeal Bylaws of the Corporation,
notwithstanding any other provision of these Bylaws or any
provision of law which might otherwise permit a lesser vote or no
vote, but in addition to any affirmative vote of the holders of any
particular class or series of the capital stock of the Corporation
required by law, these Bylaws or any Preferred Stock, the
affirmative vote of the holders of at least 75% of the voting power
of all of the then-outstanding shares entitled to vote generally in
the election of directors, voting together as a single class, shall
be required to adopt, amend or repeal any provision of these
Bylaws..
ARTICLE X
General
Section
10.01 Forum
for Adjudication of Disputes. To
the fullest extent permitted by law, and unless the Corporation
consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the
Eighth Judicial District Court of Clark County, Nevada, shall be
the sole and exclusive forum for any actions, suits or proceedings,
whether civil, administrative or investigative or that assert any
claim or counterclaim (a) brought in the name or right of the
Corporation or on its behalf, (b) asserting a claim for breach of
any fiduciary duty owed by any director, officer, employee or agent
of the Corporation to the Corporation or the Corporation’s
stockholders, (c) arising or asserting a claim arising pursuant to
any provision of NRS Chapters 78 or 92A or any provision of the
Articles of Incorporation or these Bylaws or (d) asserting a claim
governed by the internal affairs doctrine. In the event that the
Eighth Judicial District Court of Clark County, Nevada does not
have jurisdiction over any such action, suit or proceeding, then
any other state district court located in the State of Nevada shall
be the sole and exclusive forum therefor and in the event that no
state district court in the State of Nevada has jurisdiction over
any such action, suit or proceeding, then a federal court located
within the State of Nevada shall be the sole and exclusive forum
therefor. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring
any interest in shares of capital stock of the Corporation shall be
deemed to have notice of and consented to the provisions of this
Section 10.01.
Section
10.02 Application
of These Bylaws. In
the event that any provisions of these Bylaws are or may be in
conflict with (a) any law of the United States, of the State of
Nevada, or of any governmental body or power having jurisdiction
over this Corporation, or over the subject matter to which such
provision of these Bylaws applies, or may apply, or (b) the
Articles of Incorporation, such provision of these Bylaws shall be
inoperative to the extent only that the operation thereof conflicts
with such law or the Articles of Incorporation, and shall in all
other respects be in full force and effect.
Section
10.03 Invalid
Provisions. If
any part of these Bylaws is held invalid or inoperative for any
reason, the remaining parts, so far as possible and reasonable,
shall be valid and operative.
These Bylaws are hereby adopted by the Corporation as of
_______________, 2022.
