Note 8 - Related Party Transactions

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2023

Notes to Financial Statements

Related Party Transactions Disclosure [Text Block]

8. Related Party Transactions

Domestic Related Party Transactions

Mr. Robert G. Brown and Mr. William H. Bartels are directors and significant stockholders of SGRP, and thus each is a related party and affiliate of SGRP.  Mr. Robert G. Brown was the Chairman of the Board of Directors of SGRP (the "Board"), but ceased to be eligible to hold that position when the 2022 By-Laws became effective on January 25, 2022. SPAR Business Services, Inc. ("SBS") (See note 4) and SPAR Administrative Services, Inc. ("SAS"), are related parties and affiliates of SGRP, but are not under the control or part of the Company. SBS is a related party and affiliate of SGRP because it is owned by SBS LLC, which in turn is beneficially owned by Mr. Robert G. Brown. SAS is a related party and affiliate of SGRP because it is owned principally by Mr. William H. Bartels and entities owned by affiliates of Mr. Robert G. Brown.

Change of Control, Voting and Restricted Stock Agreement

The Change of Control, Voting and Restricted Stock Agreement (the "CIC Agreement") became effective on January 28, 2022, when signed by the Company and Robert G. Brown, ("Mr. Brown"), William H. Bartels, ("Mr. Bartels"), SPAR Administrative Services, Inc., a corporation ("SAS"), and collectively with Mr. Brown, Mr. Bartels and SAS, the ("Majority Stockholders"). Mr. Bartels and Mr. Brown are Directors of the Corporation. Mr. Brown was the Chairman of the Board of Directors of SGRP (the "Board"), but ceased holding that position when the 2022 By-Laws (as defined below) became effective on January 25, 2022.

The execution of the CIC Agreement was conditional upon making the changes to and restatement of the Corporation's 2022 By-Laws, which were approved by the Board and became effective on January 25, 2022 (the "2022 By-Laws").

The financial terms of the CIC Agreement to the Majority Stockholders, totaled $4,477,585, consisting of the following:

1. The Corporation issued to the Majority Stockholders 2,000,000 restricted shares of Series B Preferred Stock, which are convertible into 3,000,000 SGRP Shares pursuant to the 1:1.5 conversion ratio set forth in the Preferred Designation and the CIC Agreement, subject to adjustment for a forward or reverse share split, share dividend, or similar transactions. These shares will vest over time upon execution of the CIC Agreement in 5 phases through November 10, 2023, assuming the Majority Stockholders' ongoing compliance with the terms and conditions of the CIC Agreement. Series B Preferred Shares may only be transferred to affiliates and certain related parties of the Majority Stockholders if those affiliates and certain related parties execute a joinder to the CIC Agreement. The Series B Preferred Stock shares was valued at $3,690,000 in total, based on the SGRP stock price on December 31, 2021 of $1.23 per share for the 3,000,000 conversion SGRP shares.

2. The Corporation made a $250,000 cash payment to Mr. Brown and agreed to reimburse up to $35,000 of the legal expenses of the Majority Stockholders that were incurred after January 1, 2021, in connection with the negotiation and execution of the CIC Agreement.

3.  The Corporation assumed financial responsibility for, and paid directly to Affinity Insurance Company, Ltd., $502,585 to settle SAS obligations and the related claim for the 2014-2015 plan year.

Pursuant to the CIC Agreement, all actions, claims and demands between the Majority Stockholders and the Company were resolved; and the Majority Stockholders and their affiliates during the five-year term of the CIC Agreement have agreed to give up their rights to do any of the following; (i) act or attempt to act by written consent; (ii) submit or attempt to submit any stockholder proposals in advance of any annual or special stockholders meeting of the Corporation; (iii) call or attempt to call any special meetings of the Corporation's stockholders; (iv) continue or commence or attempt to continue or commence any legal claims against the Company; (v) change or attempt to change the size of the Board; (vi) appoint or remove or attempt to appoint or remove any director or officer of the Corporation, except as expressly permitted with in the CIC Agreement; (vii) amend or attempt to amend the Corporation's Certificate of Incorporation or 2022 By-Laws; and (viii) enter or attempt to enter into any agreement, arrangement or understanding with any other person in an effort to take any of those actions.

The Corporation's amended and restated 2022 By-Laws were adopted to increase the independence of the Board by making the following changes (among others): (i) the Board size was fixed at 7 and must consist of at least three (3) Super Independent Directors (as defined below) plus the CEO at all times; (ii) the Chairman, Vice Chairman and all Committee Chairpersons must qualify as Super Independent Directors ; and (iii) to establish a quorum, any Board meeting must have 70% of the Directors including the majority of Super Independent Directors.  If there are less than three (3) Super Independent Directors, then the least tenured non-Super Independent Director, other than the CEO, may not vote on Board matters, which helps to ensure that the Board remains under independent governance.  As defined in the 2022 By-Laws "Super Independent Director" means a member of the Board who: (1) qualifies as an independent director under applicable laws and regulations; (2) is affirmatively determined to be an independent director by the Governance Committee of the Board; (3) excludes the Majority Stockholders, Spar Administrative Services, Inc. and Spar Business Services, Inc. and any of their respective Relatives, Family Members, or Affiliates; and (4) excludes any Person that is or was a present or past employee or advisor of any company with which any of the Majority Stockholders has been involved and any Person that is, or was in the past, related or affiliated in any way to any of the Majority Stockholders, including, without limitation, any Affiliates of Innovative Global Technologies, LLC or SP/R, Inc. Defined Benefit Pension Trust.

In January 2022, for the CIC Agreement and 2022 By-Law to go into effect, two (2) of the Board members at the time, James R. Brown, Sr. and Panagiotis Lazaretos, who are affiliated with the Majority Stockholders, retired from the Board and assumed other advisory roles with the Company under separate agreements (see below). 

Panagiotis Lazaretos Consulting Agreement

On January 27, 2022, the Corporation entered into a consulting agreement with Thenablers, Ltd. effective February 1, 2022 (the " Lazaretos Consulting Agreement"). Thenablers, Ltd. is wholly owned by Mr.Panagiotis Lazaretos, a retired director of the corporation. Following Mr. Lazaretos' retirement as a director on January 25, 2022, Thenablers, Ltd. agreed to provide the consulting services of Mr. Lazaretos to the Corporation regarding global sales and new markets' expansion. The Lazaretos Consulting Agreement cannot be terminated by the consent of either party for the first twelve (12) months, and automatically expires on January 31, 2024. As compensation for its services, Thenablers, Ltd. is entitled to receive: (i) base compensation at a rate of $10,000 per month for the term of the Consulting Agreement; (ii) incentive based compensation as calculated in Exhibit A of the Lazaretos Consulting Agreement; and (iii) the outstanding options granted to Mr. Panagiotis ("Panos") N. Lazaretos on February 4, 2022 will continue to be outstanding and vest according to their terms under the agreement. As permitted by that agreement, on February 2, 2023, the Corporation gave notice that it was terminating that agreement effective July 31, 2023. 

Other Domestic Related Party Transactions 

National Merchandising Services, LLC ("NMS"), is a consolidated domestic subsidiary of the Company and is owned jointly by SGRP through its indirect ownership of 51% of the NMS membership interests and by National Merchandising of America, Inc. ("NMA"), through its ownership of the other 49% of the NMS membership interests. Mr. Edward Burdekin is the Chief Executive Officer and President and a director of NMS and also is an executive officer and director of NMA. Ms. Andrea Burdekin, Mr. Burdekin's wife, is the sole stockholder and also a director of both NMA and NMS. NMA is an affiliate of the Company but is not under the control of or consolidated with the Company. Mr. Burdekin also owns 100% of National Store Retail Services ("NSRS"). Beginning in September 2018 and through June 2021, NSRS provided substantially all of the domestic merchandising specialist field force used by NMS. For those services, NMS agrees to reimburse NSRS certain costs for providing those services plus a premium ranging from 4.0% to 10.0% of certain costs. Starting in July 2021, the domestic merchandising specialist field force services provided by NSRS was transitioned to National Remodel & Setup Services, LLC ("NRSS") with the same financial arrangement. Mrs. Andrea Burdekin is the owner of NRSS. NMS also leases office space from Mr. Burdekin. The costs associated with these activities for the three months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022 were approximately $1.5 million and $2.5 million, respectively. The costs associated with these activities for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022 were approximately $4.2 million and $7.1 million, respectively.

Resource Plus is owned jointly by SGRP through its direct ownership of 51% of the Resource Plus membership interests and by Mr. Richard Justus through his ownership of the other 49% of the Resource Plus membership interests. Mr. Justus has a 50% ownership interest in RJ Holdings which owns the buildings where Resource Plus is headquartered and operates and are subleased to Resource Plus. The costs associated with these activities for the three months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022 were approximately $0.1 million and $0.2 million, respectively. The costs associated with these activities for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022 were approximately $0.4 million and $0.5 million, respectively.

On  December 1, 2021, the Corporation entered into the Agreement for Marketing and Advertising Services (the "WB Agreement") with WB Marketing, Inc. (the "Agent", and together with the Company, the "Parties"). The Agent is an entity owned and controlled by Mrs. Jean Matacunas who is the wife of President and Chief Executive Officer, Michael R. Matacunas. Costs associated with these activities for the nine-months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022 were approximately $0.1 million and $0.1 million, respectively.

International Related Party Services

The Company's principal Brazilian subsidiary, SPAR BSMT, is owned 51% by the Company. Mr. Jonathan Dagues Martins, ("JDM") is the Chief Executive Officer and President of each SPAR Brazil subsidiary pursuant to a Management Agreement between JDM and SPAR BSMT dated September 13, 2016. JDM also is a director of SPAR BSMT. Accordingly, JDM is a related party of the Company. EILLC is owned by Mr. Peter W. Brown, a director of SPAR BSMT and the Corporation.

SPARFACTS is a consolidated international subsidiary of the Company and is owned 51% by SGRP. Ms. Lynda Chapman is a director of SPARFACTS. Her various companies provide office lease, accounting and consultant services to SPARFACTS.

Summary of Certain Related Party Transactions

Due to related parties consists of the following as of the periods presented (in thousands):

	September 30,		December 31,
	2023		2022
Loans from joint venture partners(1):
China	$	1,500	$	1,382
Mexico		623		623
Australia		610		693
Resource Plus		266		266
Total due to affiliates	$	2,999	$	2,964

⁽¹⁾ Represent loans due from the local investors into the Company's subsidiaries (representing their proportionate share of working capital loans). The loans have no payment terms, are due on demand, and are classified as current liabilities in the unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheets.

Bartels' Retirement and Director Compensation

Mr. William H. Bartels retired as an employee of the Company as of January 1, 2020 but continues to serve as a member of SPAR's Board. Mr. Bartels is also one of the founders and a significant stockholder of SGRP. Effective January 18, 2020, SPAR's Governance Committee proposed and unanimously approved retirement benefits for the five-year period commencing January 1, 2020, and ending December 31, 2024 (the "Five-Year Period"), for Mr. Bartels. The aggregate value of benefits payable to Mr. Bartels is approximately $0.2 million per year and a total of $1.1 million for the Five-Year Period.

As of September 30, 2023, there are approximately $0.2 million of benefits payable, which are included in accrued expenses and other current liabilities in the unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheets.