eps3359.htm
UNITED
STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION
Washington, D.C.
20549
SCHEDULE
14A
Proxy Statement
Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the
Securities Exchange Act
of 1934 (Amendment No. )
Filed by
Registrant x
Filed by a Party other
than the Registrant ¨
Check the appropriate
box:
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Preliminary Proxy
Statement
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Confidential, for
Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule
14a-6(e)(2))
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x
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Definitive Proxy
Statement
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Definitive
Additional Materials
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Soliciting
Material Pursuant to
§240.14a-12
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AMERICAN
BILTRITE INC.
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(Name of
Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
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(Name of
Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the
Registrant)
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Payment of Filing Fee
(Check the appropriate box):
x
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No fee
required.
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Fee computed on
table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and
0-11.
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Title of each
class of securities to which transaction
applies:
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Aggregate number
of securities to which transaction
applies:
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Per unit price or
other underlying value of transaction computed pursuant to Exchange Act
Rule 0-11 (set forth the amount on which the filing fee is calculated and
state how it was determined):
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4)
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Proposed maximum
aggregate value of transaction:
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5)
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Total fee
paid:
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Fee paid
previously with preliminary materials.
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Check box if any
part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act Rule 0-11(a)(2) and
identify the filing for which the offsetting fee was paid previously.
Identify the previous filing by registration statement number, or the Form
or Schedule and the date of its filing.
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1)
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Amount Previously
Paid:
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2)
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Form, Schedule or
Registration Statement No.:
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Filing
Party:
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Date
Filed:
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AMERICAN BILTRITE
INC.
57 River Street
Wellesley Hills, Massachusetts 02481
__________________
NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
TO BE HELD
MAY 12, 2009
__________________
To the Stockholders of American Biltrite
Inc.:
Notice is hereby given that the Annual
Meeting of the Stockholders of American Biltrite Inc., (the “Company”) will be held at the offices of Skadden, Arps, Slate,
Meagher & Flom LLP, Four Times Square, New York, New York on Tuesday May 12, 2009 at 8:30 A.M., local time, for the following
purposes:
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1.
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To elect three directors who will hold office
until the Annual Meeting of Stockholders in 2012 and until their successors are
duly elected and qualified.
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2.
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To transact any other business
that may properly come before the meeting or any adjournment
thereof.
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The close of business on March 13, 2009 has been fixed as the record date for
determining the stockholders entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the Annual
Meeting and any adjournment thereof.
A copy of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the
year ended December 31,
2008 is available online at
www.ambilt.info. A printed Annual Report and/or proxy
statement may be obtained, without charge, by sending a written request with
your name and mailing address to: American Biltrite Inc., 57 River Street, Suite 302 Wellesley Hills, MA 02481, Attention Henry W. Winkleman, by
calling the Company at 877-237-6655 or by email with your name and
mailing address to [email protected]. The Company will promptly deliver an
Annual Report and/or proxy statement upon receipt of such
request.
It is desirable that the stock of the
Company should be represented as fully as possible at the Annual
Meeting. Please sign, date and return the
accompanying proxy card in the enclosed envelope, which requires no postage if
mailed in the United
States. If you should
attend the Annual Meeting, you may vote in person, if you wish, whether or not
you have sent in your proxy, and your vote at the meeting will revoke any prior
proxy you may have submitted.
Securities
and Exchange Commission rules allow the Company to furnish proxy materials to
its stockholders on the internet. You can now access proxy
materials at www.ambilt.com.
By Order of the Board of
Directors
AMERICAN BILTRITE
INC.
Henry W. Winkleman
Secretary
Wellesley Hills, Massachusetts
April 2, 2009
WHETHER
OR NOT YOU PLAN TO ATTEND THE MEETING, PLEASE READ THE PROXY STATEMENT AND
COMPLETE A PROXY FOR YOUR SHARES AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. IF YOUR SHARES ARE HELD IN
THE NAME OF A BROKER,
BANK OR NOMINEE, YOU SHOULD PROVIDE INSTRUCTIONS TO YOUR BROKER,
BANK OR NOMINEE ON HOW TO VOTE YOUR SHARES. IF YOU ATTEND THE MEETING AND
VOTE IN PERSON, THAT VOTE WILL REVOKE ANY PROXY YOU PREVIOUSLY SUBMITTED. IF YOU
HOLD SHARES IN THE NAME OF A BROKER,
BANK OR NOMINEE, YOU MUST PROVIDE A LEGAL PROXY FROM THAT INSTITUTION IN
ORDER TO VOTE YOUR SHARES AT THE MEETING. YOUR VOTE IS IMPORTANT, NO MATTER HOW
MANY OR HOW FEW SHARES YOU OWN.
PROXY STATEMENT
This proxy statement is furnished in
connection with the solicitation by and on behalf of the Board of Directors (the
“Board”) of American Biltrite Inc. (the
“Company” or “ABI”) of proxies to be used in voting at the
Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the “Meeting”) to be held on May 12, 2009 at the offices of Skadden Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom
LLP, Four Times Square, New York, New York at 8:30 A.M., local time, and at any adjournments
thereof. The principal executive offices of the Company are located at
57 River Street, Wellesley Hills, Massachusetts 02481. The cost of the solicitation will be paid by the Company. It is expected that the solicitation of
proxies will be by the Company by mail only, but may also be made by overnight
delivery service, facsimile, personal interview, e-mail or telephone by directors, officers
or employees of the Company. The Company will request banks and
brokers holding stock in their names or custody, or in the names of nominees for
others, to forward copies of the proxy material to those persons for whom they
hold such stock and, upon request, will reimburse such banks and brokers for
their out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection therewith. This proxy statement and the accompanying proxy card,
together with the Company’s annual report to stockholders for the year ended
December 31, 2008 are first being made available, and a Notice Regarding the
Availability of Proxy Materials, or the Notice of Internet Availability, is
first being mailed, to
stockholders on or about April 2, 2009. The Company currently plans to mail the
proxy card to the registered stockholders on April 13, 2009.
Proxies in the accompanying form,
properly executed, duly
returned to the Company and not validly revoked, will be voted at the Meeting
(including adjournments) in accordance with your instructions, or if no
instruction is given in the proxy as to how to vote the shares with respect to
one or more proposals, the shares will be voted FOR any proposal as to which you have given
no instructions how to vote. If your shares are held in “street name” through a broker, bank or other
nominee, you should provide your broker, bank or nominee instructions on how to
vote those shares on a proposal if you wish to direct how those shares will be
voted on that proposal. To ensure that your broker, bank or nominee receives your
instructions, you should promptly complete, sign and send to your broker, bank
or nominee in the envelope enclosed with this proxy statement the voting
instruction form which is also enclosed.
Any stockholder giving a proxy retains
the power to revoke it at any time prior to the exercise of the powers conferred
thereby by submitting a later dated proxy, by written notice of revocation
delivered to the Secretary of the Company before the Meeting, or by voting the shares subject to such
proxy in person at the Meeting. If you hold your shares through a
broker, bank or other nominee, you will need to contact them to revoke any proxy
granted by them with respect to your shares. Attendance at the Meeting in person
will not be deemed to revoke a proxy unless the stockholder votes the shares
which are subject to the proxy in person at the Meeting. Stockholders of record may
vote their shares by returning the proxy card, or by attending the Meeting and
voting in person. Votes provided by mail must be received by 11:59 p.m. eastern
daylight time on May 11, 2009. If you plan to attend the Meeting and
wish to vote in person, the Company will give you a ballot at the Meeting;
however, if your shares are held in the name of your broker, bank or other
nominee, you must obtain from your broker, bank or other nominee and bring to
the Meeting a “legal proxy” authorizing you to vote your
“street name” shares held at the close of business on
March 13, 2009.
On March 13, 2009, there were issued and outstanding
3,441,551 shares of the Company’s Common Stock, par value $.01 per share
(the “Common Stock”). Only stockholders of record at the close
of business on that date are entitled to notice of and to vote at the Meeting or
any adjournment thereof, and those entitled to vote will have one vote for each
share held.
A quorum for the consideration of
election of directors or any question at the Meeting will consist of a majority
in interest of all stock issued and outstanding and entitled to vote upon that
question. A plurality of the shares represented
and voting at the Meeting at which a quorum is present is required to elect
directors. On all other matters, a majority of the
votes properly cast upon the question at the Meeting is required to decide the
question.
Shares represented by proxies marked
“WITHHELD” with regard to the election of
directors will be counted for purposes of determining whether there is a quorum
at the Meeting, but will not be voted in the election of directors, and
therefore, will have no effect on the determination of the outcome of the votes
for the election of directors.
A “broker non-vote” occurs with respect to shares as to a
proposal when a broker, bank or intermediary who holds shares of record in its
name is not permitted to vote on that proposal without instruction from the
beneficial owner of the shares and no instruction is given. A broker bank or intermediary holding
your shares in its name will be permitted to vote such shares with respect to
the proposal to elect two directors to be voted on at the Meeting
without instruction from you.
The
Company’s website address is included in this proxy statement as a textual
reference only, and the information in the website is not incorporated by
reference into this proxy statement.
NOTICE
REGARDING THE AVAILABILITY OF PROXY MATERIALS
In
accordance with rules and regulations adopted by the Securities and Exchange
Commission, instead of mailing a printed copy of the Company’s proxy materials
to each stockholder of record, the Company may furnish proxy materials via the
internet. Accordingly, all of the Company’s stockholders will receive a Notice
of Internet Availability, which will be mailed on or about April 13,
2009.
By
the date of mailing of the Notice of Internet Availability through the
conclusion of the Meeting, stockholders will be able to access all of the proxy
materials on the internet www.ambilt.info. The proxy materials will be
available free of charge. The Notice of Internet Availability will instruct you
as to how you may access and review all of the important information contained
in the proxy materials (including the Company’s annual report to stockholders)
over the internet or through other methods specified at the website designated
in the Notice of Internet Availability.
DELIVERY OF PROXY MATERIAL AND ANNUAL
REPORTS TO HOUSEHOLDS
The Securities and Exchange Commission
has implemented a rule permitting companies and brokers, banks or other
intermediaries to deliver a single copy of an annual report, proxy statement and notice of internet
availability of those documents to
households at which two or more beneficial owners reside. This method of delivery, which
eliminates duplicate mailings, is referred to as “householding.” Beneficial owners sharing an address who
have been previously notified by their broker, bank or other intermediary and
have consented to householding, either affirmatively or implicitly by not
objecting to householding, will receive only one copy of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the
year ended December 31,
2008, this proxy statement and Notice of Internet
Availability.
If you hold your shares in your own name
as a holder of record, householding will not apply to your
shares.
Beneficial owners who reside at a shared
address at which a single copy of the Company’s annual report for the year ended December 31, 2008, this proxy statement and Notice of Internet
Availability is delivered
may obtain a separate annual report for the year ended December 31, 2008, proxy statement and/or Notice of Internet
Availability without charge by sending a written request to:
American Biltrite Inc., 57 River Street, Wellesley Hills, Massachusetts 02481,
attention Henry W. Winkleman, or by calling the company at 877-237-6655. The Company will promptly deliver an
annual report for the year ended December 31, 2008, proxy statement and/or Notice of Internet
Availability upon request. Beneficial owners who reside at a shared
address and who wish to
receive separate copies in the future of the Company’s annual reports, proxy
statements and notices of internet availability may direct such requests to the same
address and telephone number provided above.
Not all brokers, banks or other
intermediaries may offer the opportunity to permit beneficial owners to
participate in householding. If you want to participate in
householding and eliminate duplicate mailings in the future, you must contact
your broker, bank or other intermediary directly. Alternatively, if you want to revoke
your consent to householding and receive separate annual reports and proxy
statements, you must contact your broker, bank or other intermediary to revoke
your consent to householding.
PROPOSAL 1
ELECTION OF
DIRECTORS
The Board is divided into three classes.
The term for each class is three years with the term for one class expiring at
successive Annual Meetings of Stockholders. Stockholders are being asked to elect
three Class I directors at the Meeting.
The Board currently
consists of 11 directors, with three directors in Class I and four directors in
each of Class II and Class III. Mr. Gilbert K. Gailius, one of the Class I
directors, is not standing for election at the Meeting, and following the
election and qualification of his successor, he will no longer serve as a
director of the Company.
The Board has nominated Mr. Leo
R. Breitman, who is currently serving as a
Class II director, for election as Class I director by the stockholders at the
Meeting for the directorship which Mr. Gailius currently holds. In connection with his nomination for
election as a Class I director, Mr. Breitman will resign as a Class II director, effective
immediately prior to the Meeting.
Following the Meeting, the Board
currently intends to reduce the size of the Board from 11 to 10
members. If the Board reduces the Board size from
11 to 10 members, it would eliminate the Class II directorship that is currently
held by Mr. Breitman.
Under the Company’s certificate of incorporation and
bylaws, each Class of the Board must consist, as nearly as may be possible, of
one-third of the total number of directors constituting the entire
Board. Following the Meeting, if Mr. Breitman
is elected as a Class I director and the Board reduces the size of the Board
from 11 to 10 members and eliminates the Class II directorship currently held by
Mr. Breitman, there would be three, three and four directors in Classes I, II
and III, respectively, which would comply with the Board class apportionment
requirements under the Company’s certificate of incorporation and
bylaws.
The accompanying proxy will be voted for
the election of the nominees named in Class I below unless otherwise
instructed. The term of those Class I directors
elected at the Meeting will expire at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders held in
2012 upon the election and qualification of their successors. Should any person named below be unable
or unwilling to serve as a director, persons named as proxies intend to vote for
such other person as management may recommend. Each nominee is currently a director of
the Company.
The following table sets forth the name,
age and principal occupation of each of the nominees for election as director
and each current director,
by class, who is expected to continue to serve as a director following the Meeting, together with a
statement as to the period during which he or she has served as a director of
the Company. As noted
above, Mr. Gilbert K. Gailius, a current Class I director, is not standing for
election at the Meeting and will cease to be a director of the Company upon the
election and qualification of his successor. Accordingly, Mr. Gailius is not
included in the following table.
Name
(Age)
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Business
Experience
and
Other Directorships
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Expiration of
Present
Term
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Nominee
Directors
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CLASS I
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Richard G. Marcus (61)
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President and Chief
Operating Officer of
the Company. Director
of the Company since 1982. Vice Chairman of the Board of
Directors of Congoleum Corporation, a majority-owned subsidiary of the
Company (“Congoleum”), since 1994.
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2009
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Frederick H. Joseph
(72)
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Managing Director, Morgan Joseph
& Co., investment banking firm since 2001. Director of the Company since
1997. Director of Watsco
Inc.
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2009
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Leo R. Breitman (68)*
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Former Chairman and CEO, Fleet
Bank – Massachusetts. Director of the Company since
2004.
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2009
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Incumbent
Directors
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CLASS II
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John C. Garrels III (69)
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Former Director, Global Banking,
The First National Bank of Boston, a national banking association.
Director of the Company since 1977.
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2010
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James S. Marcus (79)
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Former General Partner, Goldman,
Sachs & Co., investment bankers. Director of the Company since
1971.
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2010
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Roger S. Marcus (63)
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Chairman of the Board and Chief
Executive Officer of the Company. Director of the Company since
1981. Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer of
Congoleum since 1993.
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2010
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CLASS III
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Mark N. Kaplan, Esq.
(79)
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Of Counsel, Skadden, Arps, Slate,
Meagher & Flom LLP, law firm. Director of the Company since
1982. Director of: Autobytel Inc.; Volt Information
Sciences, Inc.; and Congoleum.
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2011
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Natalie S. Marcus (92)
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Investor. Director of the Company since
1992.
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2011
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William M. Marcus (71)
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Executive Vice President and
Treasurer of the Company. Director of the Company since
1966. Director of Aqua Bounty
Technologies, Inc. and Congoleum.
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2011
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Kenneth I. Watchmaker (66)
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Former Executive Vice President
and Chief Financial Officer of Reebok International Ltd. as of 2006. Director of the Company since
1995. Director of Global Partners L.P.
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2011
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Note: Natalie S. Marcus is the mother of
Roger S. Marcus and Richard G. Marcus and the aunt of William M. Marcus. James S. Marcus is not related to
Natalie, Roger, Richard or William Marcus.
* As noted above, Mr. Breitman currently
serves as a Class II director and will resign as a Class II director effective
as of immediately prior to the Meeting. The Board has nominated Mr. Breitman for
election as a Class I director by the stockholders at the
Meeting.
Individuals who together beneficially
own approximately 55.8% of the outstanding Common Stock as of
March 13, 2009 have identified themselves as persons
who have in the past taken, and may in the future take, actions which direct or
cause the direction of the management of the Company, and their voting of shares
of Common Stock in a manner consistent with each other. Accordingly, these individuals may be
deemed to constitute a “group” within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3)
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and Rule 13d-5 thereunder. In light of the existence of this
“group,” the Company is a “controlled company,” as that term is defined in Section 801
of the NYSE Amex
US Company Guide. As a result of the Company’s status as a “controlled company,” it may avail itself of exceptions to
the NYSE Amex
US’s corporate governance
standards that generally require a company whose stock is listed for trading on
the NYSE Amex
US to have a majority of
its board of directors consist of independent directors, to have director
nominations selected or recommended for the board’s selection by either a nominating
committee comprised solely of independent directors or by a majority of the
independent directors and to have officer compensation determined or recommended
to the board for determination either by a compensation committee comprised of
independent directors or by a majority of the independent directors. Pursuant to the NYSE Amex US’s independence standards, the
Company’s Board of Directors has determined that
the following seven of its eleven directors are independent: Leo R.
Breitman, Gilbert K. Gailius, John C. Garrels III, Frederick H.
Joseph, Mark N. Kaplan, James S. Marcus, and Kenneth I. Watchmaker. In
determining Mr. Kaplan’s independence, the Company’s Board of Directors
considered Mr. Kaplan’s Of Counsel
status
with the law firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, which firm the
Company retained for a variety of legal matters in 2008 and 2009 and proposes to
retain during the remainder of 2009. As noted elsewhere in this proxy
statement, Mr. Gailius is currently a Class I director and is not standing for
election at the Meeting and will cease to serve as a director upon the election
and qualification of his successor. In addition, following the Meeting, the
Board currently intends to
reduce its size from 11 to 10 members, and assuming Mr. Leo Breitman is
elected as a Class I director at the Meeting, six of the 10 directors of the
Company would be independent pursuant to the Board’s prior determination of
director independence.
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS THAT
STOCKHOLDERS VOTE FOR THE ELECTION OF EACH OF THE NOMINEES FOR CLASS I
DIRECTOR.
EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
The following table sets forth certain
information relating to the executive officers of the
Company.
Executive
Officer (Age)
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Position
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Executive
Officer
Since(1)
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Roger S. Marcus (63)
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Chief Executive Officer of the
Company. Chief Executive Officer of
Congoleum since 1993.
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1981
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Richard G. Marcus (61)
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President and Chief Operating
Officer of the Company. Vice Chairman of Congoleum since
1994.
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1982
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William M. Marcus (71)
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Executive Vice President and
Treasurer of the Company.
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1966
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Howard N. Feist III (52)
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Vice President-Finance and Chief
Financial Officer of the Company. Chief Financial Officer and
Secretary of Congoleum since 1988.
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2000
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J. Dennis Burns (68)
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Vice President and General
Manager, Tape Products Division.
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1985
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Roch Leblanc
(52)
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Vice President and General
Manager, American Biltrite (Canada) Ltd.
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2008
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Henry W. Winkleman (64)
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Vice President, Corporate Counsel,
and Secretary of the Company.
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1989
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(1)
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All
of the Company’s executive officers have held their current positions for
more than five years, except for Roch Leblanc. Prior to being named an
executive officer in
2008, Mr. Leblanc was President and CEO of Advanced Fiber Technologies
from 2002-2007.
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SECURITY
OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT
The following table, together with the
accompanying text and footnotes, sets forth, as of March 13, 2009 (unless otherwise
indicated), (a) the
holdings of Common Stock of each director of the Company and of each person
nominated for election as a director of the Company at the Meeting, (b) the
holdings of Common Stock of each person named in the Summary Compensation Table
that appears later in this proxy statement and of all executive officers and
directors of the Company as a group and (c) the names, addresses and holdings
of Common Stock of each person who, to the
Company’s knowledge, beneficially owns 5% or
more of the Common Stock. The information set forth in the footnotes to the
following table with respect to Congoleum stock is as of March 13, 2009.
Name and
Address
of Beneficial
Owner(1)
|
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Amount and Nature
of
Beneficial
Ownership(2)
|
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Percent of
Common Stock
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Directors and Executive
Officers
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Natalie S.
Marcus
c/o American Biltrite
Inc.
57 River
Street
Wellesley Hills, MA 02481
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907,855(3)(4)
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26.9%
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Richard G.
Marcus
c/o American Biltrite
Inc.
57 River
Street
Wellesley Hills, MA 02481
|
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525,216(3)(5)
|
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15.0
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Roger S.
Marcus
c/o American Biltrite
Inc.
57 River
Street
Wellesley Hills, MA 02481
|
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510,615(3)(6)
|
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14.6
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William M.
Marcus
c/o American Biltrite
Inc.
57 River
Street
Wellesley Hills, MA 02481
|
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353,734(3)(7)
|
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10.1
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Mark N.
Kaplan
|
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7,000(8)
|
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*
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Gilbert K.
Gailius
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15,500(9)
|
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*
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John C. Garrels
III
|
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6,300(9)
|
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*
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Kenneth I.
Watchmaker
|
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5,500(9)
|
|
*
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James S.
Marcus
|
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5,700(9)
|
|
*
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Frederick H.
Joseph
|
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5,500(10)
|
|
*
|
Leo R.
Breitman
|
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3,000(9)
|
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*
|
All
directors and executive officers as a group (15
persons)
|
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2,107,724(11)
|
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57.0
|
|
|
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5% Beneficial
Owners, other than persons listed
above
|
|
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Larry Callahan
Ashmont Drive
St. Louis, MO 63132
|
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346,700(12)
|
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10.1
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dimensional Fund Advisors,
LP
Palisades
West
Building
One
6300
Bee Cave Road
Austin,
Texas 78746
|
|
221,080(13)
|
|
6.4
|
______________
*
|
Represents beneficial ownership of
less than 1% of Common Stock
outstanding.
|
(1)
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Addresses are given only for
beneficial owners of more than 5% of the Common Stock
outstanding.
|
(2)
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Unless otherwise noted, the nature
of beneficial ownership is sole voting and/or investment
power.
|
(3)
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As of the date shown, these shares
were among the 2,018,820 shares, or approximately
55.8%, of the outstanding Common Stock
beneficially owned by the following persons, who have in the past taken,
and may in the future take, actions which direct or cause the direction of
the management of the Company and the voting of their shares of Common
Stock in a manner consistent with each other, and who therefore may be
deemed to constitute a “group” within the meaning of Section
13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act and Rule 13d-5 thereunder: Natalie S. Marcus,
Richard G.
Marcus, Roger S. Marcus, William M. Marcus and Cynthia S. Marcus (c/o
American Biltrite Inc., 57 River Street, Wellesley Hills, MA
02481). The Company owns 4,395,605 shares of the Class B Common
Stock of Congoleum and 151,100 shares of the Class A Common Stock of
Congoleum. These shares on a combined basis represent
approximately
69.4% of the voting
power of the outstanding capital stock of Congoleum. Each of
the named individuals may be deemed a beneficial owner of these Congoleum
shares.
|
(4)
|
Natalie S. Marcus has sole voting
and investment power over 754,355 shares. Mrs. Marcus is
also a co-trustee with Richard G. Marcus and Roger S. Marcus over 144,000 shares and trustee
of a charitable trust, which holds 4,000 shares. Mrs. Marcus
also has the right to acquire 5,500 shares, which are issuable upon
exercise of options exercisable within 60 days of the date of this proxy
statement.
|
(5)
|
Richard G. Marcus has sole voting
and investment power over 321,216 shares. Mr. Marcus is
also a co-trustee with Natalie S. Marcus and Roger S. Marcus over 144,000
shares. Mr. Marcus also has the right to acquire 60,000 shares, which are issuable
upon exercise of options exercisable within 60 days of the date of this
proxy statement. Richard G. Marcus’s wife, Beth A. Marcus, owns
14,329 shares, which shares Mr. Marcus
disclaims beneficial ownership. Mr. Marcus also has the right to acquire
200,000 shares of Class A common stock of Congoleum, which are issuable
upon exercise of options exercisable within 60 days of the date of this
proxy statement.
|
(6)
|
Roger S. Marcus has sole voting
and investment power over 306,615 shares. Mr. Marcus is
also a co-trustee with Natalie S. Marcus and Richard G. Marcus over 144,000
shares. Mr. Marcus also has the right to acquire 60,000 shares, which are issuable
upon exercise of options exercisable within 60 days of the date of this
proxy statement. Mr. Marcus also has the right to
acquire 200,000 shares of Class A common stock of Congoleum which are
issuable upon exercise of options exercisable within 60 days of the date
of this proxy statement.
|
(7)
|
William M. Marcus has sole voting
and investment power over 305,734 shares. Mr. Marcus also has
the right to acquire 48,000 shares, which are issuable
upon exercise of options exercisable within 60 days of the date of this
proxy statement. William M. Marcus’s wife, Cynthia S. Marcus, owns
9,400 shares, which
shares Mr. Marcus disclaims beneficial ownership. Mr. Marcus
also has the right to acquire 5,000 shares of common stock of Congoleum which are issuable upon
exercise of options exercisable within 60 days of the date of this proxy
statement.
|
(8)
|
Mark N. Kaplan has sole voting and
investment power over 2,000 shares. Mark N. Kaplan has the
right to acquire 5,500, shares which are issuable upon
exercise of options exercisable within 60 days of the date of this proxy
statement. Mr. Kaplan also owns 16,000 shares of Class A Common
Stock of Congoleum, and has the right to acquire 5,500 shares of Class A Common Stock
of Congoleum which are issuable upon exercise of options exercisable
within 60 days of the date of this proxy statement, which shares represent
less than 1% of the voting power of the outstanding capital stock of
Congoleum.
|
(9)
|
Messrs. John C. Garrels III, James
S. Marcus and Gilbert K. Gailius have sole voting and investment power
over 800, 200 and 12,000 shares respectively. Messrs. John C. Garrels III,
James S. Marcus and Kenneth I. Watchmaker each have the right to acquire
5,500 shares, which are issuable upon
exercise of options exercisable within 60 days of the date of this proxy
statement. Mr. Gilbert K. Gailius has the right to acquire
3,500 shares which are issuable upon
exercise of options exercisable within 60 days of the date of this proxy
statement. Mr. Leo R. Breitman has the right to acquire 3,000 shares which are issuable upon
exercise of options exercisable within 60 days of the date of this proxy
statement.
|
(10)
|
Frederick H. Joseph has the right
to acquire 5,500 shares which are issuable upon
exercise of options exercisable within 60 days of this proxy
statement. Mr. Joseph also owns 8,000 shares of Class A Common Stock of
Congoleum, which shares represent less than 1% of the voting power of the
outstanding capital stock of
Congoleum.
|
(11)
|
All directors and executive
officers as a group may be considered beneficial owners of
600,600 shares
of Class A Common Stock of Congoleum
and 4,395,605 shares of Class B Common Stock of Congoleum, which combined
as a group, represent 70.6% of the voting power of the outstanding capital
stock of Congoleum.
|
(12)
|
As of December 30, 2008 and based on information contained in a
Schedule 13G/A filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
on February 6, 2009.
|
(13)
|
As of December 31, 2008 and based on information contained in a
Schedule 13G/A filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on
February 9, 2009. According to that
Schedule 13G/A, Dimensional Fund Advisors LP (“Dimensional”) is an
investment advisor registered under Section 203 of the Investment Advisors
Act of 1940, furnishes investment advice to four investment companies
registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, and serves as
investment manager to certain other commingled group trusts and separate
accounts (such investment companies, trusts and accounts, collectively,
the “Funds”). In its role as investment advisor or manager,
Dimensional possesses investment and/or voting power over the securities
of the Company that are owned by the Funds, and may be deemed to be the
beneficial owner of the shares held by the Funds. According to
the Schedule 13G/A, all securities reported in that Schedule 13G/A are
owned by the Funds and Dimensional disclaims beneficial ownership of such
securities.
|
SECTION 16(a) BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP
REPORTING COMPLIANCE
Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act
requires the Company’s directors, officers and beneficial
owners of more than 10% of the Common Stock to file with the Securities and
Exchange Commission initial reports of ownership and reports of changes in
ownership of Common Stock. Based solely upon a review of Forms 3, 4,
and 5 furnished to the Company during or in respect of the fiscal year ended
December 31, 2008, the Company is not aware of any
director or officer of the Company or any beneficial owner of more than 10% of
Common Stock who has not timely filed reports required by Section 16(a) of the
Exchange Act during or in respect of such fiscal year, except to the extent Mr. Larry
Callahan, whose beneficial ownership of Common Stock is listed in the beneficial
ownership table provided earlier in this proxy statement, may be required to
file reports pursuant to Section 16(a).
DIRECTOR COMPENSATION AND
COMMITTEES
During 2008, the Board held seven
meetings. Each director who was not an officer and employee of the
Company received an
annual director’s fee of $15,000 and an attendance fee of $2,000 for each of the four regular
Board meetings attended, and each member of the Audit Committee received $3,000
for each Audit Committee meeting attended during 2008. The directors do not
receive a fee for telephonic meetings. In 2008, each director attended at least 75% of
the aggregate of
the total number of
meetings of the Board of Directors and the total number of meetings of the
committees of the Board on which each director serves, except James S. Marcus.
Directors may elect to defer the receipt
of all or a part of the
director fees payable to them by the
Company. Amounts
so deferred earn interest, compounded quarterly, at a rate equal to the prime
rate quoted by Bank of America, Boston at the end of each
quarter.
Directors are also eligible to have
their contributions to qualified charitable organizations matched by the Company
in an aggregate amount up to $5,000 per director per
year.
Pursuant
to the Company’s 1999 Stock Option Plan for Non-Employee Directors, on July 1,
2008, each director of the Company was granted an option to purchase
500 shares of Common Stock, which options then became fully exercisable on
January 1, 2009 in accordance with the terms of that plan.
In
2008, Mark N. Kaplan also served as a director of Congoleum and as a member of
Congoleum’s Compensation Committee. In that capacity, Mr. Kaplan
received an annual director’s fee of $15,000 and an attendance fee of $2,000 for
each of the four regular meetings of the Board of Directors of Congoleum that he
attended in 2008. In addition, Congoleum directors are eligible to
have their contributions to qualified charitable organizations matched by
Congoleum in an aggregate amount up to $5,000 per director per year. In 2008,
pursuant to Congoleum’s 1999 Stock Option Plan for Non-Employee Directors, Mr.
Kaplan was granted an option to purchase 500 shares of Congoleum Class A common
stock, which option then became fully exercisable on January 1, 2009 in
accordance with the terms of that plan.
The
Board periodically evaluates the appropriate level and form of compensation for
board and committee service by non-employee directors and adopts changes to the
level and form of compensation for the provision of these services when
appropriate. Historically, the Company has not retained compensation
consultants (and did not do so in 2008) to help the directors determine the
amount and form of director and committee member compensation.
The Company has a standing Compensation Committee
consisting of three members, each of whom is an
independent director as determined under the NYSE Amex US listing standards. The
Compensation Committee met
five times during
2008. The members of the
Compensation Committee are Messrs. Mark N. Kaplan (Chairman), John C. Garrels III, and
Kenneth I. Watchmaker. The Compensation Committee is
responsible for the review and establishment of executive compensation,
including base salaries, bonuses and criteria for their award, personnel
policies, particularly as they relate to fringe benefits, savings and investment
plans, pension and retirement plans, and other benefits.
In
certain instances, the Compensation Committee may delegate limited authority to
the President of the Company to determine the compensation for certain officers
of the Company who are not named executive officers. Historically,
the Compensation Committee has not retained compensation consultants (and did
not do so in 2008) to help it determine the amount and form of executive
compensation. The Compensation
Committee does not have a charter.
The Company has a standing Audit Committee composed of independent
directors as determined under NYSE Amex US’s listing standards and the applicable
rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission. The members of the Audit
Committee are Messrs. Kenneth I. Watchmaker (Chairman), John C. Garrels III, and
James S. Marcus. Information regarding the functions performed by the
Audit Committee, and the number of meetings held during 2008, is set forth in the Audit Committee
Report included in this proxy statement. The Board of Directors has determined
that the Company has at least one audit committee financial expert serving on
its Audit Committee as determined under the applicable rules of the Securities
and Exchange Commission.
The Audit Committee financial expert is
Kenneth I.
Watchmaker who is an
independent director as defined in NYSE Amex US’s listing standards. A copy
of the Charter of the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of American
Biltrite Inc. as amended and restated by the Board of Directors on
March 13, 2008 is available on the Company’s website at www.ambilt.com.
The Company does not have a standing
nominating committee or formal procedure for nomination of directors. The Board
of Directors believes that this is appropriate in light of the
Company’s ownership structure, which includes
individuals who together beneficially own approximately 55.8% of the outstanding Common Stock as of
March 13, 2009 and who have identified themselves as
persons who have in the past taken, and may in the future take,
actions which direct or may cause the direction of the management of the
Company, and their voting of shares of Common Stock in a manner consistent with
each other. Accordingly, these individuals may be deemed to
constitute a “group” within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3)
of the Exchange Act and Rule 13d-5 thereunder. In light of the
existence of this “group,” the Company is a “controlled company,” as that term is defined in Section 801
of the NYSE Amex
US Company
Guide. As a result of the Company’s status as a “controlled company” it may avail itself of an exception to
the NYSE Amex
US rule that generally
requires a company whose stock is listed for trading on the NYSE Amex US to have director nominations selected
or recommended for the board’s selection by either a nominating
committee comprised of independent directors or by a majority of the independent
directors. All members of the Board of Directors participate in the
consideration of director nominees. The Board does not have a policy with regard
to the consideration of any director candidates recommended by security holders.
The Board of Directors believes that such a policy is not necessary
because the directors have access to a sufficient number of excellent candidates
from which to select a nominee when a vacancy occurs on the Board and because
the Board includes the controlling stockholders of the
Company. Individual directors will generally recommend candidates to
the controlling stockholders and, if acceptable, will submit that person’s name
for consideration by the Board. The Board generally seeks candidates
with a broad business background and who may also have a specific expertise in
such areas as law, accounting, banking, or investment banking.
All members of the Board of Directors
are encouraged, but not required, to attend the Company’s annual meeting of
stockholders. All members of the Board of Directors attended the
annual meeting of stockholders held in 2008 except James S. Marcus.
AUDIT
COMMITTEE REPORT
The Audit Committee oversees the
Company’s financial reporting process on behalf
of the Board. Management has the primary responsibility for the financial
statements and the reporting process including the systems of internal controls.
In fulfilling its oversight responsibilities, the Audit Committee reviewed and
discussed the audited financial statements in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the
year ended December 31,
2008 with management and the independent
auditors, including a discussion of the quality, not just the acceptability, of
the accounting principles, the reasonableness of significant judgments, and the
clarity of disclosures in the financial statements.
The Audit Committee reviewed with the
independent auditors, who are responsible for expressing an opinion on the
conformity of those audited financial statements with U.S. generally accepted
accounting principles, their judgments as to the quality, not just the
acceptability, of the Company’s accounting principles and such other
matters as are required to be discussed with the Audit Committee under generally accepted
auditing standards. In addition, the Audit Committee discussed
with the independent auditors the auditors’ independence from management and the
Company, including the matters required to be discussed by the Statement on
Auditing Standards No. 61, as amended (AICPA, Professional Standards, Vol.
1. AU section 380), as adopted by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board
in Rule 3200T, has received and reviewed the written disclosures and the letter
from the independent auditors required by applicable requirements of the Public
Company Accounting Oversight Board regarding the independent
accountant’s communications
with the audit committee concerning independence and considered the
compatibility of non-audit services with the auditors’
independence.
The Audit Committee discussed with the
Company’s internal and independent auditors the
overall scope and plans for their respective audits. The Audit
Committee met quarterly with the independent auditors, with and without
management present, to discuss the results of their examinations, their
evaluations of the Company’s internal controls, and the overall
quality of the Company’s financial reporting. The
Audit Committee held four meetings during fiscal year 2008.
In reliance on the reviews and
discussions referred to above, the Audit Committee recommended to the Board (and
the Board has approved) that the Company’s 2008 audited financial statements be
included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the
year ended December 31,
2008 for filing with the Securities and
Exchange Commission. The Audit Committee has also appointed Ernst
& Young LLP as the Company’s independent auditors for 2009.
AUDIT COMMITTEE
Kenneth I. Watchmaker,
Chairman
John C. Garrels III
James S. Marcus
COMPENSATION
COMMITTEE
Each year, the Compensation Committee
conducts a review of the Company’s executive compensation. This review includes consideration of
the relationship between an executive’s current compensation and his/her
current duties and responsibilities, and inflationary trends. The annual compensation review permits
an ongoing evaluation of the relationships among the size and scope of the Company’s operations, the Company’s performance and its executive compensation. The Compensation Committee also
considers the legal and tax effects (including the effects of Section 162(m) of
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended) of the Company’s executive compensation program in
order to provide favorable legal and tax consequences for the
Company
The Compensation Committee’s process also includes a review of the
performance of each of the named executive officers and certain other executive officers
for each fiscal year, the
results of which are taken into account in establishing salary and bonus
levels. The most
significant corporate performance measure for bonus payments is earnings of the
Company as a whole and then the relevant divisions or subsidiaries, where
appropriate. There were no bonus awards in 2007 or
2008. In
reviewing the individual performance of the named executive officers
and certain other executive
officers (other than the
Chief Executive Officer), the Compensation Committee takes into account the
views of Roger S.
Marcus, the Chief Executive
Officer. In addition, the Compensation Committee takes into account
the full compensation package afforded by the Company (including its
subsidiaries) to the individual named executive officer and certain other executive
officers. The
Compensation Committee believes that this program balances both the mix of cash
and equity compensation, the mix of currently-paid and longer-term compensation,
and the security of pension or retirement benefits in a way that furthers the
compensation objectives discussed above.
COMPENSATION COMMITTEE INTERLOCKS AND
INSIDER PARTICIPATION
Mark
N. Kaplan, John C. Garrels III, and Kenneth I. Watchmaker are the members of the Compensation
Committee of the Board during 2008, none of whom is or was at any time
during 2008 or at any previous time an officer or
employee of the Company. Mark N. Kaplan is presently Of Counsel to
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, a law firm. During
2008, the Company retained Skadden, Arps,
Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP for a variety of legal matters. The
Company has retained Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP during
2009 and proposes to retain the firm during
the remainder of 2009. Mr. Kaplan is also a director of
Congoleum and serves on the Compensation Committee of Congoleum.
EXECTUTIVE
COMPENSATION
The following table sets forth
information concerning the compensation earned by or paid to the Chairman of the
Board and Chief Executive Officer and the Company’s two other most highly compensated
executive officers for services rendered to the Company and its subsidiaries in
all capacities during 2008
(the “Named Executive Officers” or “NEOs”). The table also identifies
the principal capacity in which each of the Named Executive Officers served the Company at the end of
2008.
Summary Compensation
Table
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Changes
in
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|
|
|
|
|
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|
Pension
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Value
and
|
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|
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Nonqualified
|
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Deferred
|
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|
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Option
|
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Compensation
|
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All
Other
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Name
and Principal
|
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Salary
|
|
Bonus
|
|
Awards
|
|
Earnings
|
|
Compensation
|
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Total
|
Position
|
|
Year
|
|
($)
|
|
($)
|
|
($)(5)
|
|
($)(6)
|
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($)(4)
|
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($)
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Roger
S. Marcus(1)
Chairman
of the Board and Chief Executive Officer
|
|
2008
2007
|
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$647,000
625,000
|
|
—
—
|
|
$26,128
__
|
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$158,873
61,922
|
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$53,460(2)
61,522
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$885,461
748,444
|
Richard
G. Marcus(1)
President
and Chief Operating Officer
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2008
2007
|
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647,000
625,000
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—
—
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26,128
—
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134,406
58,111
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102,764(3)
102,068
|
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910,298
785,179
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William
M. Marcus(1)
Executive
Vice President and Treasurer
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2008
2007
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518,000
500,000
|
|
—
—
|
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20,918
—
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77,324
(2,100)
|
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101,052
106,547
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717,294
604,447
|
|
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|
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|
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(1)
|
Roger S. Marcus, Richard G. Marcus and William M. Marcus do not
receive any separately stated compensation for their services as directors of the
Company.
|
(2)
|
As an officer of Congoleum, Roger
S. Marcus also received “Other Compensation” from Congoleum in the amount of
$17,343 and $16,305 in 2008 and 2007 respectively, which is included
in the amount shown.
|
(3)
|
Included in Richard G.
Marcus’ All Other Compensation is $28,992
in 2008 and 2007 of imputed interest related to a
loan associated with split-dollar life insurance policies. The
split-dollar life insurance agreements remain in effect but the Company is
no longer paying premiums under those
agreements.
|
(4)
|
Includes
Company contributions of $3,450 in 2008 and $3,375 in 2007, under the
Company’s 401(k) Savings and Investment Plan, on behalf of each individual
listed as well as Company
paid group term life insurance premiums, imputed interest on the
split-dollar life insurance policies, life insurance premiums, personal
tax preparation fees, personal use of Company automobiles, country club
and club dues, executive medical reimbursement payments, matching gifts
from the Company and Congoleum, and spousal travel. No item of All Other
Compensation which is a perquisite or personal benefit exceeds the greater
of $25,000 or ten percent of the total perquisites for any of the
Named Executive Officers other than as reported
above.
|
(5)
|
These
amounts reflect the dollar amount recognized for financial statement
reporting purposes for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2008 in
accordance with Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 123(R),
“Share-Based Payment” (“FAS 123R”).
|
(6)
|
None of the Named Executive
Officers received Non-Qualified Deferred Compensation Earnings in 2007 or
2008.
|
Pursuant to the terms of a personal
services agreement between the Company and Congoleum, Mr. Roger Marcus serves as
the Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of
Congoleum and, pursuant to that agreement, devotes substantially all of his time to his
duties in those capacities during normal working hours. The agreement specifically permits Mr.
Roger Marcus to remain as a director and chief executive officer of the Company.
The agreement also provides that Mr. Richard Marcus serve as Vice Chairman of
Congoleum. The agreement further provides that in exchange for the services of
Messrs. Roger and Richard Marcus, Congoleum shall pay the Company annually: (i)
a personal services fee of $500,000 (which shall be reduced to $300,000 in the
event of termination of Mr. Richard Marcus or reduced to
$200,000 in the event of termination of Mr. Roger Marcus) payable in equal monthly
installments and subject to annual increases; (ii) an annual incentive fee,
subject to Congoleum’s attainment of certain business and financial goals, as
determined by a majority of
Congoleum’s disinterested directors and which may
not exceed $500,000; and (iii) reimbursement for authorized business expenses.
For the year ended December
31, 2008, Congoleum paid $722,000 in personal services fees to the
Company. Except as set forth in the above Summary
Compensation Table or in the footnotes to that table, neither Mr. Roger Marcus
nor Mr. Richard Marcus received any compensation directly from Congoleum in
those capacities during 2008.
The
following table sets forth information relating to the outstanding equity awards
of the Company and Congoleum as of December 31, 2008, held by each Named
Executive Officer. No Named Executive Officer exercised any Company or Congoleum
stock option or other equity award during 2008 and 2007. The Named Executive
Officers do not currently hold any non-option equity awards of the Company or
Congoleum.
Outstanding Equity Awards at
Fiscal Year-End
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Number of
Securities
Underlying Unexercised
Options/SARS at 12/31/08
|
|
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Name
|
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Company
Granting
Options
|
|
Exercisable
(#)
|
|
Unexercisable
(#)
|
|
Option
Exercise
Price ($)
|
|
Option
Expiration
Date
|
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|
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|
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Roger S.
Marcus
|
|
ABI
ABI
Congoleum(1)
|
|
50,000
10,000
200,000
|
|
—
40,000
|
|
$ 9.650
6.500
2.050
|
|
05/23/13
03/16/18
07/11/12
|
Richard G.
Marcus
|
|
ABI
ABI
Congoleum(1)
|
|
50,000
10,000
200,000
|
|
—
40,000
|
|
9.650
6.500
2.050
|
|
05/23/13
03/16/18
07/11/12
|
William M.
Marcus
|
|
ABI
ABI
Congoleum(1)
|
|
40,000
8,000
5,000
|
|
—
32,000
|
|
9.650
6.500
2.050
|
|
05/23/13
03/16/18
07/11/12
|
(1)
|
These Named Executive Officers are executive officers or
directors of Congoleum. Congoleum granted these executive officers, in
those capacities, the options to purchase Congoleum stock set forth in the
above table.
|
DEFINED
BENEFIT PENSION AND PROFIT SHARING PLANS
PENSION
PLAN
In addition to the remuneration set
forth above, the Company maintains a tax-qualified defined benefit
pension plan (the “Pension Plan”) for all salaried (non-hourly)
employees including the Named Executive Officers. The Pension Plan provides
non-contributory benefits based upon years of service and average annual
earnings for the 60 consecutive calendar months in which the participating
employee had the highest level of earnings during the 120 consecutive calendar
months preceding retirement. Employees compensated on a salaried basis are
eligible to participate in the Pension Plan after they complete one year of
service.
The
compensation used to determine a participant’s benefits under the Pension Plan
includes such participant’s salary (including amounts deferred as salary
reduction contributions to any applicable tax-qualified plans maintained under
Sections 401(k) or 125 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended). The
Internal Revenue Service has limited the maximum compensation for benefit
purposes to $230,000 in 2008. Salary amounts listed in the Summary Compensation
Table are items of compensation covered by the period in the 120-month period
ending with the month immediately prior to termination. The pension benefits
payable under the Pension Plan are subject to an offset for Social Security
covered compensation. Social Security covered compensation is the average of the
Social Security taxable wage base for the 35-year period ending with the year in
which the participant attains Social Security retirement age.
The
annual amount of pension payable at the normal retirement date (the first day of
the month following attaining age 65 with the completion of five years of
service) is 0.5% of the employee’s final five year average pensionable earnings
up to his Social Security covered compensation, plus 0.9% of any excess over his
Social Security covered compensation, multiplied by years of credited service,
up to a maximum of 43.75 years. Employees attaining age 55 and 15 years of
service may elect early retirement and receive the benefit that would otherwise
be payable at his/her normal retirement date, reduced 0.4% for each month that
benefit commencement precedes such date.
401(K)
PLAN DEFERRED COMPENSATION
The
Company maintains the 401(k) Savings Investment Plan (the “401(k) Plan”), a
qualified 401(k) plan, to provide tax-advantaged savings vehicles to all
employees, including the Named Executive Officers. The Company makes matching
contributions to the 401(k) Plan to encourage employees to save money for their
retirement. This plan, and the Company’s contributions to it, enhances the range
of benefits that the Company offers all employees and the Company’s ability to
attract and retain employees. Under the terms of the 401(k) Plan, qualified
employees may defer up to 75% of their eligible pay. The Company’s matching
contributions to Named Executive Officers under the 401(k) Plan is determined by
the level of participation and contribution of each Named Executive Officer and
is included in the Summary Compensation Table.
DIRECTORS’
COMPENSATION
The following table sets forth
information concerning the fees earned or paid-in cash, the aggregate grant date
fair value of awarded stock options computed in accordance with FAS 123R and all
other compensation paid or granted to the directors of the Company who are not
Named Executive Officers for the year ended December 31, 2008. For additional information regarding
compensation of the Company’s directors in 2008, see “Director Compensation and
Committees” which appears earlier in this proxy
statement.
Name
|
|
Fees
Earned or
Paid
in Cash
($)
|
|
Option
Awards
($)(6)
|
|
Nonqualified
Deferred
Compensation(3)
($)
|
|
All
Other
Compensation(5)
($)
|
|
Total
($)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kenneth
I. Watchmaker
|
|
$35,000
|
|
$1,260(1)
|
|
—
|
|
$1,250
|
|
$37,500
|
James
S. Marcus
|
|
30,000
|
|
1,260(1)
|
|
—
|
|
5,000
|
|
36,260
|
John C.
Garrels III
|
|
35,000
|
|
1,260(1)
|
|
__
|
|
__
|
|
36,260
|
Frederick
H. Joseph
|
|
21,000
|
|
1,260(1)
|
|
—
|
|
5,000
|
|
27,260
|
Mark
N. Kaplan
|
|
23,000
|
|
1,260(1)
|
|
___
|
|
5,000
|
|
29,260
|
Natalie
S. Marcus
|
|
23,000
|
|
1,260(1)
|
|
—
|
|
1,625
|
|
25,885
|
Leo
R. Breitman
|
|
23,000
|
|
1,260(2)
|
|
—
|
|
4,500
|
|
28,760
|
Gilbert
K. Gailius
|
|
23,000
|
|
1,260(4)
|
|
__
|
|
5,000
|
|
29,260
|
(1)
|
Messrs. Kenneth I. Watchmaker, James S. Marcus, John C. Garrels
III, Frederick H. Joseph, Mark N. Kaplan and Mrs. Natalie S. Marcus have
the right to acquire 5,500 shares of Common Stock, which are issuable upon
exercise of options exercisable within 60 days of the date of this
proxy statement.
|
(2)
|
Mr. Leo R. Breitman has the right
to acquire 3,000 shares of Common Stock, which are issuable upon exercise
of options exercisable within 60 days of the date of this proxy
statement.
|
(3)
|
The Company accrued interest for
Messrs. John C. Garrels III and Mark N. Kaplan on their deferred
directors’ compensation at the prime rate at
the Bank of America, Boston on a quarterly basis. In 2008, the prime rate
did not exceed the applicable federal long-term rate by more than 120% in
each quarter.
|
(4)
|
Mr. Gilbert K. Gailius has the
right to acquire 3,500 shares of Common Stock, which are issuable upon
exercise of options exercisable within 60 days of the date of this
proxy statement.
|
(5)
|
All Other Compensation includes
donations by the Company to qualified charitable organizations pursuant to
the Directors Matching Gift
Program.
|
(6)
|
These amounts reflect the dollar
amount recognized for financial statement reporting purposes for the
fiscal year ended December 31, 2008 in accordance with FAS
123R.
|
CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED
TRANSACTIONS
During
2008, the Company retained the services of the law firm Skadden, Arps, Slate,
Meagher & Flom LLP for a variety of legal matters. The Company has retained
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP during 2009 and proposes to retain
that firm during the remainder of 2009. Mr. Mark N. Kaplan, a director of the Company, is Of Counsel to Skadden, Arps,
Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP. In addition, Mr. Mark Kaplan also serves as a
director of Congoleum.
The
Company and Congoleum employ certain immediate family members of the Company’s
executive officers. In no case did compensation paid to any of these individuals
exceed $120,000 in 2008. During 2008, the Company employed the son of Richard G.
Marcus, the Company’s President and Chief Operating Officer, as a Vice President
working in a sales and product development position with an annual salary of
$125,000, as well as a company provided automobile and a 401(k)
match.
On
December 31, 2003, Congoleum filed a voluntary petition with the United States
Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey (Case No. 03-51524) seeking
relief under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code as a means to
resolve claims asserted against it related to the use of asbestos in its
products decades ago.
Pursuant
to the terms of a personal services agreement, the Company’s Chairman and Chief
Executive Officer, Mr. Roger Marcus, serves as the Chairman, President and Chief
Executive Officer of Congoleum and the Company’s President and Chief Operating
Officer, Mr. Richard Marcus, serves as Vice Chairman of Congoleum, in
consideration for certain payments from Congoleum to the Company which in 2008
was $722,000. The current personal services agreement expires on the earlier of
(a) the effective date of a plan of reorganization for Congoleum, following a
final order of confirmation, or (b) June 30, 2009. The Company’s Vice
President-Finance and Chief Financial Officer, Mr. Howard Feist III, is also
Congoleum’s Chief Financial Officer.
Pursuant
to the terms of a business relations agreement between the Company and Congoleum
(i) Congoleum granted the Company the right to purchase Congoleum’s vinyl and
vinyl composition tile at a price equal to the lower of 120% of Congoleum’s
fully absorbed manufacturing costs for such tile and the lowest price paid by
any of Congoleum’s other customers and the exclusive right and license
(including the right to sublicense) to distribute such tile in Canada, subject
to Congoleum’s right to make direct sales in Canada, and (ii) the Company
granted Congoleum the non-exclusive right to purchase floor tile and urethane
from the Company at a price equal to the lower of 120% of the Company’s fully
absorbed manufacturing costs for such products and the lowest price charged by
the Company to any of its other customers. For the year ended December 31, 2008,
the Company had purchases of $700,000 from and sales of $4.2 million to
Congoleum pursuant to the business relations agreement. Also, under the business
relations agreement, Congoleum may distribute tile in Canada in exchange for a
royalty payable to the Company by Congoleum of 50% of Congoleum’s gross profit
on such sales. For 2008, Congoleum paid $1.3 million in royalties to the Company
pursuant that right to distribute tile in Canada. The business relations
agreement expires on the earlier of (a) the effective date of a plan of
reorganization for Congoleum, following a final order of confirmation, or (b)
June 30, 2009.
Pursuant
to terms of a licensing agreement between the Company’s subsidiary, American
Biltrite (Canada) Ltd. (“ABI (Canada)”), and Congoleum, Congoleum granted a
license to ABI (Canada) for use of Congoleum’s technology to manufacture non-PVC
flooring products. The licensing fee ranges from 3% to 5% of sales. Based on
development costs incurred by ABI (Canada), royalties will not become due and
payable until royalties owed Congoleum exceed $100,000. ABI (Canada) paid to
Congoleum under this arrangement $11,000 in 2008.
The
Company, Congoleum and certain other parties are parties to a joint venture
agreement pursuant to which the Company contributed the assets and certain
liabilities of its United States flooring business to Congoleum in 1993 in
return for cash and an equity interest in Congoleum. Pursuant to the joint
venture agreement, the Company is obligated to indemnify Congoleum for
liabilities incurred by Congoleum which were not assumed by Congoleum pursuant
to the joint venture agreement, and Congoleum is obligated to indemnify the
Company for, among other things, all liabilities relating to the Company’s
former United States tile flooring operations. Unpaid amounts owed by Congoleum
to the Company pursuant to Congoleum’s indemnification obligations under the
joint venture agreement as of December 31, 2008 totaled approximately $3
million, which remain unpaid due to Congoleum’s current Chapter 11 case and are
expected to be eliminated without payment as part of any confirmed plan of
reorganization for Congoleum.
The
most recent proposed joint plan of reorganization for Congoleum includes certain
terms that would govern an intercompany settlement and ongoing intercompany
arrangements among the Company and its subsidiaries and reorganized Congoleum
which would be effective when the joint plan takes effect and would have a term
of two years. Those intercompany arrangements include the provision of
management services by the Company to reorganized Congoleum and other business
relationships substantially consistent with their traditional relationships. The
joint plan provides that the final terms of the intercompany arrangements among
the Company and its subsidiaries and reorganized Congoleum would be memorialized
in a new agreement to be entered into by reorganized Congoleum and American
Biltrite in form and substance mutually agreeable to the Official Committee of
Bondholders for Congoleum (the “Bondholders’ Committee”), the Official Asbestos
Claimants’ Committee and the Company.
On
February 26, 2009, the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of New
Jersey (the “Bankruptcy Court”) rendered an opinion (the “Opinion”) regarding
the motion of First State Insurance Company and Twin City Fire Insurance Company
for summary judgment denying confirmation of the amended joint plan of
reorganization (the “Amended Plan”) under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code of
Congoleum, the Official Asbestos Claimants’ Committee and the Bondholders’
Committee, et al. Pursuant to the Opinion, the Bankruptcy Court entered an order
dismissing Congoleum’s bankruptcy case (the “Order of Dismissal”). On February
27, 2009, Congoleum and the Bondholders’ Committee appealed the Order of
Dismissal to the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey. On March 3,
2009, an order was entered by the Bankruptcy Court granting a stay of the
Bankruptcy Court’s Order of Dismissal pending appeal of the Order of Dismissal.
If the appeal were denied, it is uncertain what would become of American
Biltrite’s and its nondebtor subsidiaries’ claims against and relationships with
Congoleum, although American Biltrite expects that those claims and
relationships could be adversely affected and could even be rendered
worthless.
There
can be no assurance that Congoleum’s chapter 11 case will not be dismissed or
converted or that a plan of reorganization for Congoleum will be confirmed in a
timely manner or at all. In addition, there can be no assurance that the
Company, Congoleum and other applicable Congoleum constituencies will be able to
reach agreement on the terms of any management services proposed to be provided
by the Company to reorganized Congoleum or any other proposed business
relationships among the Company and its affiliates and reorganized Congoleum.
Any plan of reorganization for Congoleum that may be confirmed may have terms
that differ significantly from the terms contemplated by the version of the plan
referred to in this report, including with respect to any management services
that may be provided by American Biltrite to reorganized Congoleum and the
Company’s claims and interests and other business relationships with reorganized
Congoleum.
For
further information regarding Congoleum’s chapter 11 case and American
Biltrite’s intercompany claims and arrangements with Congoleum, see the
Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008, which
is on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission and may be obtained at
the Securities and Exchange Commission’s website at www.sec.gov.
The
Company has policies and procedures for the review, approval and ratification of
related person transactions that are required to be reported under Regulation
S-K, Item 404(a) under the Exchange Act. As part of these policies and
procedures and pursuant to the charter for the Company’s Audit Committee, the
Audit Committee is responsible for reviewing and providing oversight of related
person transactions. In addition, the Company’s written corporate policies
provide policies and procedures regarding conflicts of interests that the
officers or employees may have with regard to the Company. Other aspects of the
Company’s policies and procedures for the review, approval and ratification of
related person transactions are not contained in a formal writing but have been
communicated to, and are periodically reviewed with, the Company’s directors and
executive officers.
Generally,
prior to a director or executive officer entering into a related person
transaction with the Company, the facts and circumstances pertaining to the
transaction, including any direct or indirect material interest the director or
executive officer or his or her immediate family members may have in the
transaction, must be disclosed to the Audit Committee members and the Board.
When a proposed related person transaction is submitted to the Board, the Board
will decide whether to authorize the Company to enter into the proposed
transaction. If a director has a personal interest in the proposed transaction,
he or she may not participate in any review, approval or ratification of the
proposed transaction. In their review of the proposed related person
transaction, the Audit Committee and Board consider relevant facts and
circumstances, including (if applicable): the benefits to the Company; the
impact on a director’s independence in the event the person in question is a
director, an immediate family member of a director or an entity in which a
director is a partner, shareholder or executive officer; the availability of
other sources for comparable products or services; the terms of the transaction;
and the terms available to unrelated third parties. Related person transactions
are approved only if, based on the facts and circumstances, they are in, or not
inconsistent with, the best interests of the Company and its shareholders, as
the Board determines in good faith.
The
Company monitors and periodically inquires of its directors and executive
officers as to whether they may have any direct or indirect material interest in
a related person transaction with the Company, and the Company’s written
corporate policies require its employees and officers to report to the Company’s
management conflicts of interest they may have with regard to the
Company.
All
applicable related person transactions described above were reviewed and
approved or ratified in accordance with our policies and procedures described
above.
Natalie
S. Marcus, Richard G. Marcus, Roger S. Marcus, William M. Marcus and his wife,
Cynthia S. Marcus, together beneficially own approximately 55.8% of the
outstanding Common Stock as of March 13, 2009. These individuals have identified
themselves as persons who have in the past taken, and may in the future take,
actions which direct or cause the direction of the management of the Company,
and their voting of shares of Common Stock in a manner consistent with each
other. Accordingly, these individuals may be deemed to constitute a “group”
within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act and Rule 13d-5
thereunder.
CHANGE
OF CONTROL ARRANGEMENTS
Under
the terms of the Company’s 1993 Stock Award and Incentive Plan, as amended and
restated as of March 4, 1997 and further amended on May 6, 2008 (the “1993
Plan”), all outstanding awards granted under that plan that were not previously
exercisable and vested will become fully vested and exercisable if: (i) any
person (other than an exempt person (as defined in the succeeding sentence)) is
or becomes the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of the
Company representing 50% or more of the combined voting power of the Company’s
then outstanding securities; (ii) during any period of two consecutive years,
individuals who at the beginning of that two-year period constitute the entire
Board, and any new director (other than a director designated by a person who
has entered into an agreement with the Company to effect a transaction of the
type referred to in clauses (i), (iii) or (iv) of this paragraph) whose election
to the Board or nomination for election by the Company’s stockholders was
approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of the directors then in office who
either were directors at the beginning of that two-year period or whose election
or nomination for election was previously so approved, cease for any reason to
constitute at least a majority of the Board; (iii) the Company’s stockholders
approve a merger or consolidation of the Company with any other corporation,
other than (a) a merger or consolidation which would result in the Company’s
voting securities outstanding immediately prior to the consummation of that
transaction representing 50% or more of the combined voting power of the
surviving or parent entity outstanding immediately after the merger or
consummation or (b) a merger or consolidation effected to implement a
recapitalization of the Company (or similar transaction) in which no person
(other than an exempt person) acquires 50% or more of the combined voting power
of the Company’s then outstanding voting securities; or (iv) the Company’s
stockholders approve a plan of complete liquidation of the Company or an
agreement for the sale of all, or substantially all of, the Company’s assets (or
any transaction having a similar effect). For purposes of the 1993 Plan, an
“exempt person” means (a) the Company, (b) any trustee or other fiduciary
holding securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company, (c) any
corporation owned, directly or indirectly, by the Company’s stockholders in
substantially the same proportions as their ownership of the Company, or (d) any
person or group of persons who, immediately prior to the adoption of the 1993
Plan owned more than 50% of the combined voting power of the Company’s then
outstanding voting securities. Currently, no Named Executive Officer holds any
unvested options granted under the 1993 Plan.
RELATIONSHIP WITH REGISTERED INDEPENDENT
PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS
The
Audit Committee has selected Ernst & Young LLP as the Company’s registered
independent public accountants to audit the financial statements of the Company
for 2009. Information relating to the fees billed to the Company and Congoleum
by Ernst & Young LLP for 2007 and 2008 are as follows:
Audit
Fees
The
aggregate fees and expenses billed by Ernst & Young LLP for professional
services rendered for the audit of the financial statements of the Company and
Congoleum for 2007 and 2008 and the reviews of the Company’s and Congoleum’s
quarterly financial statements included in the Company’s and Congoleum’s
respective Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for 2007 and 2008 were $1,196,000 and
$1,205,200, respectively ($425,000 in 2007 and $435,000 in 2008 of such fees
were for services provided to Congoleum).
Audit
Related Fees
The
aggregate fees and expenses billed in 2007 and 2008 by Ernst & Young LLP for
professional services rendered to the Company and Congoleum for audit related
services which were related to services with respect to the Company’s and
Congoleum’s internal controls in preparation for compliance with Section 404 of
the Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002 and for Ernst & Young On-line for 2007 and
2008 were $162,300 and $66,500, respectively ($54,000 in 2007 and $0 in 2008 of
such fees were for services provided to Congoleum).
Tax
Fees
The aggregate fees billed in 2007 and
2008 by Ernst & Young LLP for tax services provided to the Company and
Congoleum related to tax compliance assistance for the Company’s foreign
branches, tax advice, tax planning and tax examination assistance were $53,000
and $38,500 respectively ($5,700 in 2007 and $0 in 2008 of such fees were for
services provided to Congoleum).
All
Other Fees
The
aggregate fees billed in 2007 and 2008 by Ernst & Young LLP for all other
services rendered to the Company other than those mentioned above were $56,000
and $0, respectively ($56,000 in 2007 and $0 in 2008 of such fees were for
services provided to Congoleum). The fees in 2007 related to services provided
in connection with providing assistance with a subsidiary’s renewal of its
exporter status and with Congoleum in its response to a Securities and Exchange
Commission comment letter.
Fees
for services provided by Ernst & Young LLP to Congoleum are approved by
Congoleum’s audit committee. The Company’s Audit Committee does not pre-approve
Ernst & Young LLP’s fees for services it provides to Congoleum but considers
the amounts of such fees paid when making judgments regarding Ernst & Young
LLP’s independence. All audit related services, tax services and other services
provided by Ernst & Young LLP, other than those provided to Congoleum, were
pre-approved by the Audit Committee, which concluded that the provision of such
services by Ernst & Young LLP was compatible with the maintenance of that
firm’s independence in the conduct of its auditing functions. The Audit
Committee’s pre-approval policies and procedures are to review proposed Ernst
& Young LLP audit, audit-related, tax and other services and pre-approve
such services specifically described by the Audit Committee on an annual basis.
In addition, individual engagements anticipated to exceed pre-established
thresholds must be separately approved by the Audit Committee. Pursuant to those
policies and procedures, the Audit Committee may delegate to one or more members
of the Audit Committee pre-approval authority with respect to permitted
services. The Audit Committee did not approve any services described above
pursuant to Rule 2-01(c)(7)(i)(C) of Regulation S-X of the regulations
promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Representatives
of Ernst & Young LLP are expected to be present at the Meeting, will be
given an opportunity to make a statement if they desire to do so, and are
expected to be available to respond to appropriate questions.
SHAREHOLDER COMMUNICATION
POLICY
The Company has established procedures
for shareholders to communicate directly with the Board of Directors on a
confidential basis. Shareholders who wish to communicate
with the Board or with a particular director may send a letter to the Secretary
of the Corporation at 57
River Street, Wellesley Hills, Massachusetts 02481 Attention: Henry W.
Winkleman. The mailing envelope must contain a
clear notation indicating that the enclosed letter is a “Shareholder-Board
Communication” or “Shareholder-Director
Communication.” All such letters must identify the
author as a shareholder and clearly state whether the intended recipients are
all members of the Board or just certain specified individual directors. The
Secretary will make copies of all such letters and circulate them to the Board
of Directors or individual Directors addressed, as applicable. To the extent
that a shareholder wishes the communication to be confidential, such shareholder
must clearly indicate on the envelope that the communication is “confidential.” The Secretary will then forward such
communication, unopened, to the Chairman of the Board of
Directors.
SUPPLEMENTAL
INFORMATION
On December 31, 2003, Congoleum filed a petition for
reorganization under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code. Roger S.
Marcus, Richard G. Marcus and Howard N. Feist III were executive officers of
Congoleum at the time of such filing and continue to serve in those
capacities. Also, Roger S. Marcus, Richard G.
Marcus, William M. Marcus and Mark N. Kaplan were directors of Congoleum
Corporation at the time of such filing and continue to serve in those
capacities.
STOCKHOLDER
PROPOSALS
Stockholder proposals intended to be
presented at the Company’s 2010 Annual Meeting of Stockholders pursuant
to Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act must be received by the Company at the
Company’s principal executive offices by
December 3, 2009. In order for stockholder proposals made
outside of Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act to be considered “timely” within the meaning of Rule 14a-4(c)
under the Exchange Act, such proposals must be received by the Company at the
Company’s principal executive offices by
February 16 2010.
OTHER MATTERS
Management of the Company has no
knowledge of any other matters which may come before the Meeting and does
not itself intend to present any such other matters. However, if any such other matters shall
properly come before the Meeting or any adjournment thereof, the persons named
as proxies will have discretionary authority to vote the shares represented
by the accompanying proxy in accordance with their best
judgment.
By Order of the Board of
Directors
AMERICAN BILTRITE
INC.
Henry W. Winkleman
Secretary
Wellesley Hills, Massachusetts
April 2, 2009