DEF 14A 1 mntx-def14a_2023.htm DEF 14A DEF 14A

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, DC 20549

 

SCHEDULE 14A

Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the

Securities Exchange Act of 1934

(Amendment No. )

 

 

Filed by the Registrant

Filed by a Party other than the Registrant

 

 

Check the appropriate box:

 

 

Preliminary Proxy Statement

 

 

Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2))

 

 

Definitive Proxy Statement

 

 

Definitive Additional Materials

 

 

Soliciting Material Pursuant to §240.14a-12

MANITEX INTERNATIONAL, INC.

(Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):

 

 

No fee required.

 

 

Fee paid previously with preliminary materials.

 

 

Fee computed on table in exhibit required by Item 25(b) per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11

 

 

 

 


 

img13708061_0.jpg 

 

April 21, 2023

Dear Manitex International, Inc. Stockholder:

You are cordially invited to attend the 2023 annual meeting of stockholders of Manitex International, Inc., which will be held on Thursday, June 1, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. (Central Daylight Time) at our principal operating plant located at 3000 South Austin Avenue, Georgetown, Texas 78626 and thereafter as it may be adjourned from time to time.

At this year’s annual meeting, you will be asked to:

1. Elect six (6) directors of the Company to hold office for one year or until their successors are duly elected and qualified;

2 Ratify the appointment of Grant Thornton LLP as our Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm for fiscal 2023;

3. Consider an advisory vote on the compensation of the Company’s named executive officers; and

4. Approve an amendment to the Manitex International, Inc. 2019 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended, to increase the number of shares authorized for issuance thereunder by 500,000 shares and make certain other changes; and

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

Details of the matters to be considered at the meeting are contained in the attached notice of annual meeting and proxy statement, which we urge you to consider carefully.

As a stockholder, your vote is important. Whether or not you plan to attend the meeting, please complete, date, sign and return your proxy card promptly in the enclosed envelope which requires no postage if mailed in the United States. Alternatively, you may vote through the internet at www.proxyvote.com or by telephone at 1-800-690-6903. If you attend the meeting, you may vote in person if you wish, even if you have previously returned your proxy card provided that you are a stockholder of record or have a legal proxy from the bank or broker that holds the shares.

Thank you for your cooperation, continued support and interest in Manitex International, Inc.

Sincerely,

 

/s/ SHERMAN JUNG

Sherman Jung

Corporate Secretary

 


 

 

MANITEX INTERNATIONAL, INC.

3000 South Austin Avenue

Georgetown, Texas 78626

 

NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS

June 1, 2023

11:00 a.m. (Central Daylight Time)

Notice is hereby given that the Annual Meeting of Stockholders of Manitex International, Inc. will be held at our principal operating plant located at 3000 South Austin Avenue, Georgetown, Texas 78626 on Thursday, June 1, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. (Central Daylight Time) to consider and vote upon:

1. Elect six (6) directors of the Company to hold office for one year or until their successors are duly elected and qualified;

2. Ratify the appointment of Grant Thornton LLP as our Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm for fiscal 2023;

3. Consider an advisory vote on the compensation of the Company’s named executive officers; and

4. Approve an amendment to the Manitex International, Inc. 2019 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended, to increase the number of shares authorized for issuance thereunder by 500,000 shares and make certain other changes; and

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

The Board of Directors has fixed the close of business on April 4, 2023 as the record date for determination of the Stockholders entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the Annual Meeting. To assure that your shares will be represented at the Annual Meeting, please either (1) mark, sign, date and promptly return the accompanying Proxy in the enclosed envelope, (2) vote utilizing the automated telephone feature described in the Proxy, or (3) vote over the internet pursuant to the instructions set forth on the Proxy. You may revoke your Proxy at any time before it is voted provided that you are a stockholder of record or have in your possession a legal proxy from the bank or broker that holds the shares of record.

Stockholders are cordially invited to attend the meeting in person. Please indicate on the enclosed Proxy whether you plan to attend the meeting. Stockholders may vote in person if they attend the meeting even though they have executed and returned a Proxy. To obtain directions to be able to attend the meeting and vote in person, please contact Sherman Jung at the address set forth above.

By Order of the Board of Directors,

 

/s/ SHERMAN JUNG

Sherman Jung

Corporate Secretary

 

Dated: April 21, 2023

IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING THE AVAILABILITY OF PROXY MATERIALS FOR THE

STOCKHOLDER MEETING TO BE HELD ON JUNE 1, 2023.

The Company’s Proxy Statement for the 2023 Annual Meeting of Stockholders and the Company’s

Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022

are available at https://www.proxyvote.com/MNTX


 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

 

Page

 

 

 

Introduction

 

1

 

 

 

Voting Rights and Requirements

 

3

 

 

 

Principal Stockholders

 

4

 

 

 

Proposal 1: Election of Directors

 

6

 

 

 

Nominees for Director

 

6

 

 

 

Executive Compensation

 

13

 

 

 

Director Compensation

 

20

 

 

 

Audit Committee

 

21

 

 

 

Proposal 2: Ratification of the Appointment of Grant Thornton LLP as Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

23

 

 

 

Proposal 3: Consider an Advisory Vote on the Compensation of the Company’s Named Executive Officers

 

24

 

 

 

 

Proposal 4: Approval of an Amendment to the Manitex International, Inc. 2019 Equity Incentive Plan, As Amended, to Increase the Number of Shares Authorized for Issuance Thereunder by 500,000 Shares and Make Certain Other Changes

 

25

 

 

 

Additional Information

 

31

 

 

 

Appendix A: 2019 Equity Incentive Plan (as Proposed to Be Amended and Restated)

 

A-1

 

 

 


 

 

MANITEX INTERNATIONAL, INC.

 

proxy statement

annual meeting of stockholders

 

INTRODUCTION

This Proxy Statement is furnished by the Board of Directors of Manitex International, Inc., a Michigan corporation (the “Company” or “Manitex”), in connection with the solicitation of proxies for use at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held on Thursday, June 1, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. (Central Daylight Time), at the Company’s principal operating plant located at 3000 South Austin Avenue, Georgetown, Texas 78626, and at any adjournments thereof. The Annual Meeting has been called to consider and vote upon (1) the election of six Directors, (2) the ratification of the appointment of Grant Thornton LLP as our Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm for fiscal 2023, (3) the consideration of an advisory vote on the compensation of our named executive officers, (4) the approval of an amendment to the Manitex International, Inc. 2019 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended and (5) such other business as may properly come before the Annual Meeting or any adjournment(s) thereof. This Proxy Statement and the accompanying Proxy are being sent to Stockholders on or about April 21, 2023.

Persons Making the Solicitation

The enclosed Proxy is solicited on behalf of our Board of Directors. The original solicitation will be by mail. Following the original solicitation, the Board of Directors expects that certain individual Stockholders will be further solicited through telephone or other oral communications from the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors does not intend to use specially engaged employees or paid solicitors and will not receive additional compensation for solicitation activities, but may be reimbursed for any out-of-pocket expenses in connection with solicitation. The Board of Directors intends to solicit Proxies for shares which are held of record by brokers, dealers, banks or voting trustees, or their nominees, and may pay the reasonable expenses of such record holders for completing the mailing of solicitation materials to persons for whom they hold shares. All solicitation expenses will be borne by the Company.

Terms of the Proxy

The enclosed Proxy indicates the matters to be acted upon at the Annual Meeting and provides boxes to be marked to indicate the manner in which the Stockholder’s shares are to be voted with respect to such matters. By appropriately marking the boxes, a Stockholder may specify whether the proxy holder shall vote for or against or shall be without authority to vote the shares represented by the Proxy. The Proxy also confers upon the proxy holder discretionary voting authority with respect to such other business as may properly come before the Annual Meeting.

If the Proxy is executed properly and is received by the proxy holder prior to the Annual Meeting, the shares represented by the Proxy will be voted.

Abstentions or “withhold” votes, as applicable, are not counted as voting under applicable state law and our bylaws and accordingly, will not have an effect on any proposal. Broker non-votes will similarly have no effect on any proposal. If your shares are held in “street name” through a broker, bank or other nominee and you do not provide voting instructions, your broker, bank or other nominee may vote your shares on your behalf under certain circumstances.

On certain “routine” matters, such as the ratification of the selection of the independent registered public accounting firm, brokerage firms may vote their customers’ shares if their customers do not provide voting instructions. When a brokerage firm votes its customers’ shares on a routine matter without receiving voting instructions, these shares are counted both for establishing a quorum to conduct business at the annual meeting and in determining the number of shares voted “For” or “Against” the routine matter.

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On “non-routine” matters, if the brokerage firm has not received instructions from the stockholder, the brokerage firm cannot vote the shares on that proposal. This is called a “broker non-vote.” Broker non-votes are only counted for establishing a quorum and will have no effect on the outcome of the vote.

Proposal 2 (ratification of the appointment of the independent registered public accounting firm) is a matter that is considered “routine.” A broker or other nominee may generally vote on routine matters, and therefore no broker non-votes are expected to exist in connection with such proposals. However, Proposal 1 (election of directors), Proposal 3 (consideration of an advisory vote on the compensation of our named executive officers) and Proposal 4 (approval of an amendment to the Manitex International, Inc. 2019 Equity Incentive Plan) are each matters that are considered “non-routine.” Accordingly, a broker or other nominee cannot vote without instructions on such non-routine matters.

We encourage you to provide instructions to your brokerage firm by voting your proxy. This action ensures your shares will be voted at the annual meeting.

Due to stock market rules, your broker will NOT be able to vote your shares with respect to the election of Directors if you have not provided directions to your broker. We therefore strongly encourage you to submit your Proxy and exercise your right to vote as a Stockholder.

A Proxy may be revoked at any time prior to its exercise by giving written notice of the revocation thereof to Sherman Jung, Corporate Secretary, 9725 Industrial Drive, Bridgeview, Illinois 60455, by attending the meeting and electing to vote in person, or by properly submitting a duly executed Proxy bearing a later date. If you own shares in street name, you should ask your broker or bank for a legal proxy to bring with you to the meeting. If you do not receive the legal proxy in time, however, you will not be able to vote your shares at the meeting.

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VOTING RIGHTS AND REQUIREMENTS

Voting Securities

The securities entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting consist of all of our outstanding shares of common stock, no par value per share (“Common Stock”). The close of business on April 4, 2023 has been fixed by our Board of Directors as the record date. Only Stockholders of record as of the record date may vote at the Annual Meeting. As of April 4, 2023, there were 20,161,811 outstanding shares of Common Stock entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting. Each Stockholder will be entitled to one vote on each matter considered at the Annual Meeting for each outstanding share of Common Stock owned by such Stockholder as of the record date.

Quorum

The presence at the Annual Meeting of the holders of record of a number of shares of Common Stock and Proxies representing the right to vote shares of the Common Stock in excess of one-half of the 20,161,811 shares of the Common Stock outstanding and entitled to vote as of the record date will constitute a quorum for transacting business.

Votes needed for Passage of Proposals

The following voting standards apply for the proposals presented at the Annual Meeting:

The six (6) director nominees receiving the highest numbers of favorable votes cast will be elected; and
The ratification of the appointment of Grant Thornton LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for fiscal 2023 (Proposal 2), the approval, by an advisory vote, of executive compensation (Proposal 3) and the approval of the amendment to the Manitex International, Inc. 2019 Equity Incentive Plan (Proposal 4) each requires the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast at the meeting.

Abstentions or “withhold” votes, as applicable, are not counted as voting under applicable state law and our bylaws and accordingly, will not have an effect on any proposal. Broker non-votes will similarly have no effect on any proposal.

Although the advisory vote on Proposal 3 is non-binding, as provided by law, our Board of Directors will review the results of the vote and will take them into account in making a determination concerning executive compensation.

 

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PRINCIPAL STOCKHOLDERS

The following table sets forth with respect to the beneficial ownership of our Common Stock by: (i) each person known by us to beneficially own more than 5% of our Common Stock; (ii) each Director and nominee for Director; (iii) each executive officer named in the Summary Compensation Table; and (iv) all of our executive officers and Directors as a group. Except as otherwise indicated, each Stockholder listed below has sole voting and investment power with respect to the shares beneficially owned by such person.

 

Name and Address of Beneficial Owner(1)

 

Number of
Shares
Beneficially
Owned(2)

 

 

Percentage of
Common Stock
Beneficially
Owned(2)

 

5% Stockholders

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tadano Ltd. (3)

 

 

2,950,522

 

 

 

14.63

%

Royce Investment Partners (4)

 

 

1,430,515

 

 

 

7.10

%

Terex Corporation (5)

 

 

1,138,581

 

 

 

5.65

%

Pacific Ridge Capital Partners (6)

 

 

954,104

 

 

 

4.73

%

Named Executive Officers and Directors

 

 

 

 

 

 

David J. Langevin

 

 

925,660

 

 

 

4.59

%

J. Michael Coffey (7)

 

 

47,500

 

 

*

 

Joseph Doolan

 

 

28,080

 

 

*

 

Steve Filipov (9)

 

 

133,153

 

 

*

 

Steve Kiefer (10)

 

 

73,551

 

 

*

 

Ronald M. Clark

 

 

89,487

 

 

*

 

Robert S. Gigliotti

 

 

115,320

 

 

*

 

Takashi Kiso (8)

 

 

 

 

*

 

Frederick B. Knox

 

 

72,487

 

 

*

 

Marvin B. Rosenberg

 

 

108,320

 

 

*

 

Stephen J. Tober

 

 

98,975

 

 

*

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All Current Directors and Officers as a Group (9 persons)

 

 

1,485,829

 

 

 

6.26

%

 

* Less than 1%

(1)
Unless noted otherwise, the business address of each beneficial owner is 9725 Industrial Drive, Bridgeview, Illinois 60455.
(2)
Beneficial ownership is determined in accordance with the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and generally includes voting and investment power with respect to the securities. In computing the number of shares beneficially owned by a person and the percentage ownership of that person, each share of Common Stock subject to options held by that person that will become exercisable within sixty (60) days of April 4, 2023 is deemed outstanding. Such shares, however, are not deemed outstanding for the purpose of computing the percentage ownership of any other person. These percentages were calculated using the 20,161,811 shares of Common Stock outstanding on April 4, 2023.
(3)
Based solely on a Schedule 13D/A filed with the SEC on March 17, 2023. Tadano Ltd. (“Tadano”) is the beneficial owner of 2,950,522 shares of our Common Stock. Tadano has the sole power to vote or to direct the vote of 2,950,522 shares of our Common Stock and the sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition of 2,950,522 shares of our Common Stock. The business address of Tadano is Ko-34, Shinden-Cho, Takamatsu, Kagawa 761-0185 Japan.
(4)
Based solely on a Schedule 13G/A filed with the SEC on January 24, 2023, Royce & Associates, LP is the beneficial owner of 1,430,515 shares of our Common Stock. Royce & Associates, LP has the sole power to vote or to direct the vote of 1,430,515 shares of our Common Stock and the sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition of 1,430,515 shares of our Common Stock. The business address of Royce & Associates, LP is 745 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10151.
(5)
Terex Corporation (“Terex”) filed a Schedule 13G/A with the SEC on January 7, 2015, which indicates that Terex is the beneficial owner of 1,108,156 shares of our Common Stock. Terex indicated in the 13G that it has the sole power to vote or to direct the vote of 1,108,156 shares of our Common Stock and the sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition of 1,108,156 shares of our Common Stock. An additional 30,425 shares of our common stock were delivered to Terex on March 1, 2016 and has been added to the number of shares shown as beneficially owned per the 13G dated January 7, 2015. The Company believes that Terex has the sole power to vote or to direct the vote of the additional 30,425 shares of our Common Stock and the sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition of the additional 30,425 shares of our Common Stock. The business address of Terex is 200 Nyala Farm Road, Westport, Connecticut 06880.

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(6)
Based solely on a Schedule 13G/A filed with the SEC on February 13, 2023, Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC is the beneficial owner of 954,104 shares of our Common Stock. Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC has the sole power to vote or to direct the vote of 678,494 shares of our Common Stock and the sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition of 954,104 shares of our Common Stock. The business address of Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC is 4900 Meadows Rd, Suite 320, Lake Oswego, OR 97035.
(7)
Mr. Coffey became our Chief Executive Officer on April 11, 2022. Shares owned includes 490,000 restricted stock units that will vest only upon the attainment of certain Company stock price improvement milestones.
(8)
Takashi Kiso is a director of Manitex and an employee of Tadano Ltd. (“Tadano”). He serves as a director of Manitex pursuant to Tadano’s right under the Securities Purchase Agreement, dated as of May 24, 2018, by and between Manitex and Tadano, to nominate one individual to serve on the Board of Directors of Manitex. All shares received by Mr. Kiso in connection with his service as a director of Manitex have been assigned to Tadano under the terms of Mr. Kiso’s arrangement with Tadano. As a result, Mr. Kiso disclaims any pecuniary interest in these shares.
(9)
Mr. Filipov transitioned out of the role of Chief Executive Officer as of April 11, 2022.
(10)
Mr. Kiefer departed from the Company on April 14, 2022.

Equity Compensation Plan Information

The following table provides information, as of December 31, 2022, regarding the compensation plans under which our equity securities are authorized for issuance. We do not have any equity compensation plans that have not been approved by our Stockholders.

 

Plan category

 

Number of
securities to
be issued
upon
exercise of
outstanding
options,
warrants
and rights
(a)

 

 

 

 

Weighted-
average
exercise
price of
outstanding
options,
warrants
and rights
(b)

 

 

Number of
securities
remaining
available for
future issuance
under equity
compensation
plans (excluding
securities
reflected in
column (a)
(c)

 

 

 

Equity compensation plans approved
   by Stockholders

 

 

286,341

 

 

(1)

 

$

8.28

 

(2)

 

181,031

 

 

(3)

Equity compensation plans not approved
   by Stockholders

 

 

690,000

 

 

 

 

$

7.60

 

(4)

 

 

 

 

 

(1)
Represents outstanding restricted stock units and stock options issued under the Company’s 2019 Equity Incentive Plan.
(2)
Outstanding restricted stock units reflected in column (a) vest based on award recipient’s continuous service with the Company and accordingly no exercise price is calculated thereto. The exercise price set forth above relates to the 97,437 outstanding stock options.
(3)
Represents shares available for issuance under our 2019 Equity Incentive Plan. As of the record date, 67,181 shares were available for future issuance under the 2019 Equity Incentive Plan as 114,000 shares were granted and 150 shares were forfeited during the first quarter of 2023.
(4)
On April 11, 2022, Mr. Coffey was granted 100,000 stock options at $7.60 shown in column (b).

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MATTERS TO BE ACTED UPON

PROPOSAL 1: ELECTION OF DIRECTORS

Directors

The nominees for the Board of Directors are set forth below. Our bylaws provide for the annual election of Directors and grant the Board the power to set the number of Directors at no less than one (1) and no more than eight (8). The size of our Board is currently set at eight (8) Directors. The Committee on Directors and Board Governance has nominated six (6) persons for election at the Annual Meeting to be held on June 1, 2023. Messrs. Gigliotti and Rosenberg have not been nominated for re-election, and their terms will expire at the Annual Meeting. Following the Annual Meeting, the Board expects to reduce the size of the Board to six (6) members.

Six (6) persons have been nominated by the Board of Directors to serve as Directors until the 2024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. The Board of Directors recommends that each nominee, Ronald M. Clark, J. Michael Coffey, Frederick B. Knox, Takashi Kiso, David J. Langevin and Stephen J. Tober, be elected to serve until the 2024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. Information on the background and qualification of the nominees is set forth below.

The Board knows of no reason why any nominee for Director would be unable to serve as a Director. In the event that any of them should become unavailable prior to the Annual Meeting, the Proxies will be voted for a substitute nominee or nominees designated by the Board of Directors, or the number of Directors may be reduced accordingly. In no event will the Proxies be voted for more than six (6) persons.

Pursuant to our Director Resignation Policy, in the event of an uncontested election, as is the case this year, any nominee for director who is a current director and receives less than a majority of the votes cast in person or by proxy at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders shall tender their resignation from the Board. While the Board does not believe that in each such case a director should necessarily leave the Board, this presents an opportunity for the Board, through its Committee on Directors and Board Governance, to consider the resignation offer.

Vote Required

The six (6) nominees receiving the highest numbers of favorable votes of the shares of Common Stock present in person or by proxy at the Annual Meeting shall be elected as Directors. THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS THAT STOCKHOLDERS VOTE “FOR” EACH OF THE NOMINEES LISTED BELOW.

NOMINEES FOR DIRECTOR

Nominees to Serve Until the 2024 Annual Meeting

 

Name

 

Age

 

Director Since

 

Positions Held

Ronald M. Clark

 

75

 

2010

 

Director

J. Michael Coffey

 

52

 

2022

 

Director and Chief Executive Officer

Frederick B. Knox

 

82

 

2013

 

Director

David J. Langevin

 

72

 

2006

 

Director and Executive Chairman

Takashi Kiso

 

60

 

2023

 

Director

Stephen J. Tober

 

58

 

2007

 

Director

 

The following is information about the experience and attributes of the nominees for Director. The experience and attributes described below illustrate the reasons that these individuals were nominated for re-election to the Board.

Ronald M. Clark, Age 75, joined our Board of Directors in 2010. In 2013, Mr. Clark was elected to the Board of Directors of Allianz Life Insurance Company of New York. Mr. Clark was the Chief Investment Officer of Allianz of America, Inc. from 2000 until he retired on December 31, 2011. From 1990 until 2000, Mr. Clark was the Chief Operating Officer for Allianz of America, Inc. In 2014 Mr. Clark was elected to the Boards of Directors of Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America and served on the Board of Directors at Fireman’s Fund

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Insurance Company from 2014—2017. In January 2015, Mr. Clark was elected to the Board of Directors of Allianz Reinsurance America, Inc. Mr. Clark has both a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering and a Master of Business Administration in Finance and Real Estate from the University of Wisconsin. Mr. Clark is being re-nominated as a Director because, among his other qualifications, he possesses experience and/or expertise in the following areas: capital markets, strategy development, mergers and acquisitions, operations, and executive compensation.

J. Michael Coffey, Age 52, has served as our Chief Executive Officer since April 2022. Prior to that, he served as Managing Director of Resurgence Advisory, LLC, a consulting firm, since 2021. Before that, he served as Chief Operating Officer of H-E Parts International from 2009 until 2018, and then as Chief Executive Officer from 2018 until 2021. Mr. Coffey received his Bachelor of Science in Social Science from Nyack College, and his Master of Business Administration from Emory University’s Goizueta Business School. Mr. Coffey is being re-nominated as a Director because, among his other qualifications, he possesses experience and/or expertise in the following areas: Manitex business knowledge, knowledge of Manitex's industry and market, manufacturing and distribution, operations management, strategic development and mergers and acquisitions.

Takashi Kiso, Age 60, joined our Board of Directors in 2023. Mr. Kiso is currently Senior Administrator and Global Officer of Tadano Ltd. Mr. Kiso has 37 years of experience in the automotive and industrial transportation industries and has held executive leadership roles for multiple international companies, with assignments in Europe, Asia, and North America. Prior to joining Tadano, he was Chairman, Marubeni Automotive Aftermarket Holdings in Houston, Texas. Mr. Kiso holds a B.A in Economics, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan. Mr. Kiso serves as a director pursuant to Tadano’s right under the Securities Purchase Agreement, dated as of May 24, 2018, by and between Manitex and Tadano, to nominate one individual to serve on the Board of Directors of Manitex. Mr. Kiso is being re-nominated as a Director because, among his other qualifications, he possesses experience and/or expertise in the following areas: distribution, strategy development, mergers and acquisitions and operations management.

Frederick B. Knox, Age 82, joined our Board of Directors in September 2013. Mr. Knox has managed, operated and led numerous merger and acquisitions in large scrap and other metal businesses. Currently, Mr. Knox has provided consulting services to the scrap industry. From 2008 until April 1, 2015, Mr. Knox served as a Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Mercer Company/Scholz. Mr. Knox was one of the original founders of Mercer Company, a company that was formed in 1986. Mr. Knox was a Vice President of the Mercer Company from its inception and also became its Chief Operating Officer in 1994. Mr. Knox held the position of Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for the Mercer Company until the Company was sold in 2008. Earlier in his career, Mr. Knox held various positions at Warren Scrap, Whittaker Corp., Rainbow Metals and Blaw Knox Corporation. Mr. Knox has his Bachelor of Sciences degree in Metallurgical Engineering from The Ohio State University. Mr. Knox is being re-nominated as a Director because, among his other qualifications, he possesses experience and/or expertise in the following areas: strategy development, mergers and acquisitions, and operations.

David J. Langevin, Age 72, has been our Executive Chairman since September 2019, and was previously Chairman of our Board of Directors and our Chief Executive Officer from July 2006 until September 2019. Mr. Langevin was the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Manitex, Inc., a leading provider of engineered lift solutions (and one of our subsidiaries), from 2003 until joining our company. Mr. Langevin has a Bachelor of Science from Illinois State University and a Master of Business Administration from DePaul University. Mr. Langevin is being re-nominated as a Director because, among his other qualifications, he possesses experience and/or expertise in the following areas: Manitex business knowledge, knowledge of Manitex’s industry and market, manufacturing, distribution, mergers and acquisitions, and executive compensation.

Stephen J. Tober, Age 58, joined our Board of Directors in 2007. Mr. Tober is currently the Chief Executive Officer of Perspectus, Inc. From January 2019 to December 2019, Mr. Tober served as President of Tiber Health Corporation, a healthcare education company operating medical and health science schools. From April 2012 to May 2018, Mr. Tober served as Chief Executive Officer of Career Step, LLC, an online school offering career focused education and corporate training. From April 2009 to March 2012, Mr. Tober was the Chief Executive Officer of American InterContinental University and President of AIU Online, a Career Education Corporation school. From October 2008 until April 2009, Mr. Tober served as Chief Operating Officer of American InterContinental University. From April 2007 until September 2008 Mr. Tober served as the Managing Director and head of Corporate And Business Services of ThinkEquity Partners LLC a boutique institutional investment firm. As

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a result of his significant experiences as a CEO of several public and private companies as well as his investment experiences, Mr. Tober has actively supervised principal financial officers and evaluated as well as understood many complex financial statements. Finally, his experiences and his active supervision of financial matters have confirmed his ability to understand the importance of internal controls over financial reporting. As a foundation of Mr. Tober’s business experiences are his earning a Bachelor of Arts from Amherst College and a Juris Doctor from the University of Virginia School of Law. Mr. Tober is being re-nominated as a Director because, among his other qualifications, he possesses experience and/or expertise in the following areas: Manitex business knowledge, knowledge of Manitex’s industry and market, finance and capital markets, operations management, mergers and acquisitions, strategy development, and executive compensation.

Executive Officers of the Company who are not also Directors

 

Joseph Doolan, Age 59, has served as Chief Financial Officer since October 2020. Prior to joining our company, Mr. Doolan served as a consultant for Rank Group from 2019 to 2020. From 2016 to 2019, Mr. Doolan served as the Vice President – Finance of Fram Group Holdings Inc., a supplier of a broad range of automotive products. From 2012 to 2016, he served as Vice President – Finance of UCI-FRAM Inc., a manufacturer of aftermarket auto parts. Mr. Doolan has his Bachelor of Science and a Masters in Accountancy from DePaul University and a Masters of Financial Markets and Trading from Illinois Institute of Technology.

Board Leadership Structure and Role in Risk Oversight

Mr. Langevin serves as the Executive Chairman of our Board of Directors of our company and Mr. Coffey serves as our Chief Executive Officer. We have determined that this leadership structure is appropriate because:

Separate Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer roles allow the Executive Chairman to focus on key strategic issues, Board leadership and communication while the Chief Executive Officer is able to focus on the day-to-day business and affairs of the Company;
It promotes unified leadership and direction for our Company;
It allows for our CEO and the rest of our management team to stay focus on executing our Company’s strategic initiatives and business plans;
The Executive Chairman is in the best position to chair Board meetings and to ensure that the key business issues and risks facing our Company are brought to the Board’s attention; and
We believe that we can more effectively execute our strategy and business plans to maximize stockholder value if the Executive Chairman of the Board is also a member of the management team.

We do not currently have a lead independent director.

Risk Oversight

Our Board of Directors has oversight responsibility for the Company’s risk management process. The Board administers its oversight function through its committees but retains responsibility for general oversight of risks. The committee chairs are responsible for reporting findings regarding material risk exposure to the Board as quickly as possible. The Board has delegated to the Audit Committee oversight responsibility to review our major financial risk exposures and management’s financial risk management process, including the policies and guidelines used by management to identify, assess and manage the Company’s exposure to financial risk. Our Committee on Directors and Board Governance monitors the effectiveness of our corporate governance guidelines, including whether they are successful in preventing illegal or improper conduct. Our Compensation Committee assesses and monitors whether any of our compensation policies and programs has the potential to encourage excessive risk-taking.

Policy on Hedging of Shares

The Company’s Insider Trading Policy does not allow employees, officers, directors or anyone associated with the Company to engage in hedging transactions with respect to their shares. Although not limited to these

8


 

specific types of transactions, under the Company’s policy both short sales and trading in options are specifically prohibited.

Board of Directors Meetings and Committees

The Board of Directors manages and directs the management of the business of our company. During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022, there were four meetings of the Board of Directors. All of our Directors attended all of the meetings of the Board of Directors. All but one Director on the Audit Committee who was excused from one meeting due to a medical issue participated in the four Audit Committee meetings held during the year. All our Directors on the Compensation Committee attended one Compensation Committee meeting held during the year. Other than as noted above, all Committee members participated in all the Committee meetings on which they served.

Our Directors are expected to attend Annual Meetings of Stockholders except where attendance is impractical due to illness or unavoidable scheduling conflicts. All of our Directors attended the 2022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders.

The Board has established three (3) standing committees—the Compensation Committee, the Audit Committee, and the Committee on Directors and Board Governance. The principal functions of these committees are briefly described below. The charters of the Compensation Committee, the Audit Committee, and the Committee on Directors and Board Governance are posted in the “Investor Relations” section of our website, www.manitexinternational.com, and paper copies will be provided upon request to the office of the Corporate Secretary, Manitex International, Inc., 9725 Industrial Drive, Bridgeview, Illinois 60455.

Corporate Governance

Director Independence

The Board of Directors has determined that six of our eight directors are independent under NASDAQ Rule 5605(a)(2). These independent directors are: Ronald M. Clark, Robert S. Gigliotti, Takashi Kiso, Frederick B. Knox, Marvin B. Rosenberg and Stephen J. Tober. Each of the directors serving on the Compensation Committee, the Audit Committee, and the Committee on Directors and Board Governance are also independent under the NASDAQ independence standards applicable to members of such committees. In evaluating Mr. Rosenberg’s independence, the Board considered the consulting relationship between Mr. Rosenberg and the Company and concluded that such relationship did not adversely affect Mr. Rosenberg’s independence from management.

Compensation Committee

In general, the Compensation Committee reviews and makes recommendations regarding the compensation of our executive officers and certain other management staff. In addition, our Compensation Committee assesses and monitors whether any of our compensation policies and programs has the potential to encourage excessive risk-taking.

The Compensation Committee approves the compensation of the Company’s named executive officers. The committee also approves bonus and equity awards and establishes performance objectives. The Compensation Committee evaluates the performance of our Chief Executive Officer and determines his compensation based on this evaluation. With respect to the other named executive officers, the committee considers the Chief Executive Officer’s input as to performance evaluations and recommended compensation arrangements. The compensation of all named executive officers is subject to the final approval of the committee.

The current members of the Compensation Committee are Ronald M. Clark (Chairman), Robert S. Gigliotti, Frederick B. Knox, and Stephen J. Tober. The members of the Compensation Committee are “independent directors” as that term is defined in NASDAQ Rule 5605(a)(2). The Compensation Committee members met with all our Directors one time during the year ended December 31, 2022.

Audit Committee

9


 

The Audit Committee, which was established in accordance with Section 3(a)(58)(A) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, assists the Board in monitoring (1) the integrity of our financial statements; (2) the independent auditor’s qualifications and independence; (3) the performance of our internal control function and independent auditors; and (4) our compliance with legal and regulatory requirements. In addition, our Audit Committee has the responsibility to consider and discuss our major financial risk exposures and the steps our management has taken to monitor and control these exposures.

The current members of the Audit Committee are Ronald M. Clark, Robert S. Gigliotti (Chairman), Frederick B. Knox and Stephen J. Tober. The members of the Audit Committee are “independent directors” as that term is defined in NASDAQ Rule 5605(a)(2), NASDAQ Rule 5605(c)(2)(A), and Rule 10A-3 as promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The Board of Directors has determined that Mr. Gigliotti is an “audit committee financial expert” as defined by Item 407(d)(5)(ii) of Regulation S-K. The Audit Committee met four times during the year ended December 31, 2022.

Meetings of Non-Employee Directors

The non-employee directors of the Board of Directors typically meet in executive session without management present either prior to or immediately following each scheduled Board and Audit Committee Meeting, and as otherwise needed. When the non-employee directors of the Board of Directors or respective committees meet in executive session without management, a temporary chair is selected from among the directors to preside at the executive session.

Communication with the Board of Directors

Correspondence for any member of our Board of Directors may be sent to such Director’s attention: c/o Corporate Secretary, Manitex International, Inc., 9725 Industrial Drive, Bridgeview, Illinois 60455. Any written communication will be forwarded to the Board of Directors for its consideration.

Committee on Directors and Board Governance

The Committee on Directors and Board Governance reviews the performance of our Directors, recommends nominees for election or reelection to the Board, and evaluates and makes recommendations regarding our governance practices. The Committee on Directors and Board Governance will consider nominees recommended by Stockholders provided such recommendations are made in accordance with the procedures described in this Proxy Statement below under “Procedure for Stockholder Recommendations to the Committee on Directors and Board Governance for Potential Director Nominees” and under “Stockholder Proposals.” In addition, our Committee on Directors and Board Governance monitors the effectiveness of our corporate governance guidelines, including whether they are successful in preventing illegal or improper conduct. The current members of the Committee on Directors and Board Governance are Ronald M. Clark and Robert S. Gigliotti.

The members of the Committee on Directors and Board Governance did not meet as a separate committee during the year ended December 31, 2022, however, the committee met with the entire Board to consider certain matters, including the nomination of Directors, and presented their recommendations to the Board.

Principal Functions

The principal functions of the Committee on Directors and Board Governance are to:

Consider and recommend to the Board qualified candidates for election as directors of our company;
Periodically prepare and submit to the Board for adoption the Committee on Directors and Board Governance selection criteria for director nominees;
Recommend to the Board and management a process for new Board member orientation;

10


 

Consider matters of corporate governance and Board practices and recommend improvements to the Board;
Review periodically our articles of incorporation and bylaws in light of statutory changes and current best practices;
Review periodically the charter, responsibilities, membership and chairmanship of each committee of the Board and recommend appropriate changes;
Review Director independence, conflicts of interest, qualifications and conduct and recommend to the Board removal of a Director when appropriate; and
Annually assess the Committee on Directors and Board Governance’s performance.

Nominating Procedures

The Board has adopted membership guidelines that outline the desired composition of the Board and the criteria to be used in selecting directors. These guidelines provide that the Board should be composed of directors with a variety of experience and backgrounds, who have high-level managerial experience in a complex organization and who represent the balanced interests of stockholders as a whole rather than those of special interest groups. Other important factors in Board composition include diversity, age, international background and experience and specialized expertise. A significant majority of the Board should be Directors who are not our past or present employees or significant stockholders, customers or suppliers.

In considering candidates for the Board, the Committee on Directors and Board Governance considers the entirety of each candidate’s credentials and does not have any specific, minimum qualifications that must be met by a Board nominee. The Committee on Directors and Board Governance is guided by the composition guidelines set forth above and by the following basic selection criteria: highest character, integrity and experience.

The Committee on Directors and Board Governance will consider written recommendations from stockholders for potential nominees for director that are made in accordance with the procedure set forth below. The Committee on Directors and Board Governance will apply the same criteria to all candidates it considers, including any candidates submitted by stockholders. The committee evaluates each incumbent director to determine whether he or she should be nominated to stand for reelection, based on the types of criteria outlined above as well as the director’s contributions to the Board of Directors during their current term.

Procedure for Stockholder Recommendations to the Committee on Directors and Board Governance for Potential Director Nominees

The Committee on Directors and Board Governance will consider written recommendations from stockholders for potential nominees for director. The names of suggested nominees, together with the information set forth below, should be submitted for consideration in accordance with the directions for proposals to be considered for inclusion in the Company’s proxy materials described in the section below entitled “Stockholder Proposals.” Timely nominations will be considered but may not be part of the slate nominated by our Board and, accordingly, would not be included in our proxy materials.

In order to be a valid submission for recommendation to the Committee on Directors and Board Governance for a potential nominee, the form of recommendation must set forth:

Biographical information about the candidate and a statement about his or her qualifications;
Any other information required to be disclosed about the candidate under the Securities and Exchange Commission’s proxy rules (including the candidate’s written consent to being named in the proxy statement and to serve as a director, if nominated and elected); and
The names and addresses of the stockholder(s) recommending the candidate for consideration and the number of shares of our common stock beneficially owned by each.

 

11


 

Board Diversity Matrix

 

The NASDAQ diversity matrix is set forth below as required under the listing requirements of NASDAQ.

 

Board Diversity Matrix (As of April 4, 2023)

Total Number of Directors - 8

Female

Male

Non-Binary

Did Not Disclose Gender

Part I: Gender Identity

Directors

 

8

Part II: Demographic Background

African American or Black

Alaskan Native or Native American

Asian

    1

Hispanic or Latinx

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

White

 

7

Two or More Races or Ethnicities

LGBTQ+

Did Not Disclose Demographic Background

 

12


 

Executive COMPENSATION

The following is a discussion and analysis of compensation arrangements of our Named Executive Officers or “NEOs.” This discussion contained forward-looking statements that are based on our current plans, considerations, expectations and determinations regarding future compensation programs. Actual compensation programs that we adopt may differ materially from currently planned programs as summarized in this discussion.

Summary Compensation Table

The following table sets forth the total compensation earned by our named executive officers in fiscal years 2022 and 2021.

 

Name and Principal Position

Year

Salary

 

Bonus

 

 

Stock
Awards

 

 

Option
Awards

 

 

Non-Equity
Incentive Plan
Compensation

 

 

All Other
Compensation

 

 

Total

 

David J. Langevin

2022

$

350,000

 

 

 

 

$

141,400

 

(1)

 

 

 

$

50,000

 

(2)

$

59,500

 

(3)

$

600,900

 

 Executive Chairman

2021

$

350,000

 

$

35,875

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

$

63,264

 

 

$

449,139

 

J. Michael Coffey (4)

2022

$

283,389

 

 

 

 

$

2,924,256

 

(5)

$

413,000

 

(6)

$

1,060,826

 

(7)

$

27,403

 

(8)

$

4,708,874

 

Chief Executive Officer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Joseph Doolan

2022

$

272,974

 

 

 

 

$

141,400

 

(9)

 

 

 

$

364,659

 

(10)

$

41,317

 

(11)

$

820,350

 

 Chief Financial Officer

2021

$

250,000

 

$

75,000

 

 

$

66,000

 

 

 

 

 

$

93,750

 

 

$

41,344

 

 

$

526,094

 

Steve Filipov (12)

2022

$

400,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

$

44,270

 

(13)

$

444,270

 

Former Chief Executive Officer

2021

$

400,000

 

$

50,000

 

 

$

63,600

 

 

 

 

 

$

200,000

 

 

$

32,276

 

 

$

745,876

 

Steve Kiefer (14)

2022

$

377,736

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

$

36,232

 

(15)

$

413,968

 

Former President and Chief Operating Officer

2021

$

283,250

 

 

 

 

$

66,000

 

 

 

 

 

$

53,109

 

 

$

46,834

 

 

$

449,193

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(1)
Mr. Langevin was awarded 20,000 time-based restricted stock units which had a grant date fair value (computed in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718) of $141,400 based on closing price of $7.07 on June 2, 2022, the date of grant. For information on the assumptions used to calculate the value of the awards, refer to Note 18 to the consolidated financial statements contained in our 2022 Annual Report on Form 10-K.
(2)
Mr. Langevin was awarded a performance bonus of $50,000 for 2022.
(3)
Represents a $18,000 auto allowance, $25,000 of premiums paid in connection with whole life insurance policy purchased by the Company that is owned by the employee, $6,000 of 401(k) matching contributions and $10,500 in private club dues.
(4)
Mr. Coffey became our Chief Executive Officer on April 11, 2022.
(5)
When Mr. Coffey became our Chief Executive Officer on April 11, 2022, the Company granted him 490,000 performance-based restricted stock units that will vest only upon the attainment of certain Company stock price improvement milestones valued at $2,164,256 based on the probable outcome of the achievement of the performance conditions. Assuming the achievement of the highest level of performance criteria, the aggregate grant date fair value of such performance-based restricted stock units is $8,360,000. In addition, he was awarded 100,000 time-based restricted stock units which had a grant date fair value of $760,000 (computed in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718) based on closing price of $7.60 on April 11, 2022, the date of grant. For information on the assumptions used to calculate the value of the awards, refer to Note 18 to the consolidated financial statements contained in our 2022 Annual Report on Form 10-K.
(6)
Mr. Coffey was awarded 100,000 stock options valued at $413,000 using various assumptions calculated under the Black-Scholes option model when he became CEO on April 11, 2022.
(7)
Mr. Coffey was awarded a performance bonus of $1,060,826 for 2022.
(8)
Represents a $13,500 auto allowance, $6,154 of premiums paid in connection with whole life insurance policy purchased by the Company that is owned by the employee and $7,749 of 401(k) matching contributions.
(9)
Mr. Doolan was awarded 20,000 time-based restricted stock units which had a grant date fair value of $141,400 (computed in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718) based on closing price of $7.07 on June 2, 2022, the date of grant. For information on the assumptions used to calculate the value of the awards, refer to Note 18 to the consolidated financial statements contained in our 2022 Annual Report on Form 10-K.
(10)
Mr. Doolan was awarded a performance bonus of $364,659 for 2022.
(11)
Represents a $9,000 auto allowance, $20,000 of premiums paid in connection with whole life insurance policy purchased by the Company that is owned by the employee and $12,317 of 401(k) matching contributions.
(12)
Mr. Filipov transitioned out of the role of Chief Executive Officer as of April 11, 2022.
(13)
Represents a $13,500 auto allowance and $30,770 in unused vacation pay.
(14)
Mr. Kiefer departed from the Company on April 14, 2022.
(15)
Represents a $3,000 auto allowance, $7,292 of premiums paid in connection with whole life insurance policy purchased by the Company that is owned by the employee, $4,152 of 401(k) matching contributions and $21,788 in unused vacation pay.

13


 

 

Narrative to Summary Compensation Table

 

For fiscal year 2022 the compensation program established for the Company’s named executive officers consisted of the following elements:

Base Salary: The base salaries of our named executive officers depend on their job responsibilities, the market rate of compensation paid by companies in our industry for similar positions, our financial position and performance, and the strength of our business. Base salaries provide a fixed means of compensation in order to attract and retain talent. For fiscal year 2022, Mr. Langevin, Mr. Coffey and Mr. Doolan received a base salaries of $350,000, $400,000 and $275,000.

For fiscal year 2022, Mr. Filipov (Former Chief Executive Officer) and Mr. Kiefer (Former Chief Operating Officer) base salaries were $400,000 and $283,250, respectively.

Non-Equity Incentive Plan Compensation: As part of the Company’s executive compensation program, our named executive officers are eligible to receive performance-based cash awards. The annual performance-based cash awards are based on the named executive officer’s individual performance and the Company’s actual performance compared to the corporate goals approved by the Board and the Compensation Committee. Following the end of each fiscal year, the Board and the Compensation Committee are responsible for determining the bonus amount payable to each executive officer based on that executive officer’s individual performance during the fiscal year and its determination of the Company’s actual performance compared to the corporate goals established for that fiscal year. Bonuses of $50,000, $1,060,826 and $364,659 were awarded to Messrs. Langevin, Coffey and Doolan, respectively, based on the Company’s performance during fiscal 2022 and each individual officer’s roles in contributing to such performance.

Long-Term Equity Awards: Equity ownership by our executive officers and key employees encourages them to create long-term value and aligns their interests with those of our stockholders. As a result, our executive compensation program provides for the issuance of stock options and restricted stock units (“RSUs”) as determined by the Compensation Committee and our Board.

During fiscal year 2022, the Compensation Committee authorized the issuance of the following equity awards to our named executive officers:

 

The Compensation Committee granted each of Mr. Langevin and Mr. Doolan 20,000 time-based RSUs, which become vested as to; 6,600, 6,600 and 6,800 shares on June 2, 2023, 2024 and 2025, respectively.
In connection with his appointment as our Chief Executive Officer, the Compensation Committee granted Mr. Coffey 100,000 time-based RSUs and 100,000 stock options, each of which become vested; 33,000, 33,000 and 34,000 shares each vest on April 11, 2023, 2024 and 2025, respectively. In addition, the Compensation Committee granted Mr. Coffey 490,000 performance-based RSUs that will vest only upon the attainment of certain Company stock price improvement milestones.

 

Employee Benefits: Our NEOs are eligible to participate in our broad-based employee benefit programs on the same terms offered to our employees. These benefit programs include a defined contribution 401(k) plan, medical, dental and vision insurance, long-term and short-term disability insurance, life and accidental death and dismemberment insurance and health and dependent care flexible spending accounts. We do not provide pension arrangements or post-retirement health coverage for our NEOs or other employees. In addition, we do not provide a nonqualified deferred compensation plan for our NEOs or other employees.

14


 

Pay Versus Performance

 

The following table sets forth compensation information for our current and former Chief Executive Officers, referred to below as our PEOs, and our other named executive officers, or NEOs, for purposes of comparing their compensation to the value of our Stockholders' investments and our net income, calculated in accordance with SEC regulations, for fiscal years 2022 and 2021.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Value of Initial Fixed $100 Investment Based on:

 

 

 

 

Year

 

Summary Compensation Table Total for First PEO (1)

 

 

Summary Compensation Table Total for Second PEO (2)

 

 

Compensation Actually Paid to First PEO (3)

 

 

Compensation Actually Paid to Second PEO (3)

 

 

Average Summary Compensation Table Total for Non-PEO NEOs (4)

 

 

Average Compensation Actually Paid to Non-PEO NEOs (5)

 

 

Total Share-Holder Return (6)

 

 

Net Income (Loss)

 

2022

 

$

444,270

 

 

$

4,708,874

 

 

$

512,597

 

 

$

2,406,018

 

 

$

772,723

 

 

$

682,074

 

 

$

77.52

 

 

$

(4,901,000

)

2021

 

$

745,876

 

 

N/A

 

 

$

958,413

 

 

N/A

 

 

$

487,644

 

 

$

576,389

 

 

$

123.26

 

 

$

(4,573,000

)

 

(1)
The dollar amounts reported are the amounts of total compensation for our former CEO, Mr. Filipov, in the Summary Compensation Table for fiscal years 2022 and 2021. Mr. Filipov transitioned out of the role of Chief Executive Officer as of April 11, 2022.
(2)
The dollar amounts reported are the amounts of total compensation for our CEO, Mr. Coffey, in the Summary Compensation Table for fiscal year 2022. Mr. Coffey became our Chief Executive Officer on April 11, 2022.
(3)
The dollar amounts reported represent the amount of "compensation actually paid", as computed in accordance with SEC rules. The dollar amounts reported are the amounts of total compensation reported for Mr. Coffey and Mr. Filipov in the Summary Compensation Table during the applicable year, adjusted as required by SEC rules for the value of equity awards held by Mr. Coffey and Mr. Filipov as further detailed in the "First PEO's Equity Award Adjustment Breakout" and "Second PEO's Equity Award Adjustment Breakout" tables below. For each of fiscal years 2021 and 2022, the PEOs did not have any (i) awards that were granted and vested in the same applicable year, (ii) dividends or other earnings paid on such awards in the applicable year prior to the vesting date that are not otherwise reflected in the fair value of such award or included in any other component of total compensation for the applicable year or (iii) benefits under defined benefit or actuarial pension plans.

 

First PEO (Mr. Filipov) Equity Award Adjustment Breakout

 

Year

 

Summary Compensation Table Total for First PEO

 

 

Reported Value of Equity Awards for First PEO (a)

 

 

Fair Value as of Year End for Awards Granted During the Year

 

 

Fair Value Year-Over-Year Increase or Decrease in Unvested Awards Granted in Prior Years

 

 

Fair Value Increase or Decrease from Prior Year End for Awards that Vested During the Year

 

 

Compensation Actually Paid to First PEO

 

2022

 

$

444,270

 

 

$

-

 

 

$

-

 

 

$

-

 

 

$

68,327

 

 

$

512,597

 

2021

 

$

745,876

 

 

$

(63,600

)

 

$

127,200

 

 

$

48,270

 

 

$

100,667

 

 

$

958,413

 

(a)
Represents the grant date fair value of the stock awards granted to our first PEO, as reported in the Summary Compensation Table.

 

Second PEO (Mr. Coffey) Equity Award Adjustment Breakout

 

Year

 

Summary Compensation Table Total for Second PEO

 

 

Reported Value of Equity Awards for Second PEO (a)

 

 

Fair Value as of Year End for Awards Granted During the Year

 

 

Fair Value Year-Over-Year Increase or Decrease in Unvested Awards Granted in Prior Years

 

 

Fair Value Increase or Decrease from Prior Year End for Awards that Vested During the Year

 

Compensation Actually Paid to Second PEO

 

2022

 

$

4,708,874

 

 

$

(3,337,256

)

 

$

1,034,400

 

 

$

-

 

 

$

-

 

$

2,406,018

 

2021

 

N/A

 

 

N/A

 

 

N/A

 

 

N/A

 

 

N/A

 

N/A

 

 

(a)
Represents the grant date fair value of the stock and option awards granted to our second PEO, as reported in the Summary Compensation Table.
(4)
The dollar amounts reported are the average of the total compensation reported for our NEOs, other than our PEOs, in the Summary Compensation Table for fiscal years 2022 and 2021. The names of each of the NEOs (excluding our PEOs) included for purposes of

15


 

calculating the average amounts in each applicable year are as follows: (i) for fiscal year 2022, David Langevin, Joseph Doolan and Steve Kiefer; and (ii) for fiscal year 2021, Joseph Doolan and Steve Kiefer.
(5)
The dollar amounts reported represent the amount of "compensation actually paid", as computed in accordance with SEC rules, for our NEOs, other than our PEO. The dollar amounts reported are the average of the total compensation reported for our NEOs, other than our PEO in the Summary Compensation Table for fiscal years 2022 and 2021, adjusted as required by SEC rules for the value of equity awards held by our non-PEO NEOs as further detailed in the "NEO Equity Award Adjustment Breakout" tables below. For each of fiscal year 2021 and 2022, the non-PEO NEOs did not have any (i) equity awards that were granted and vest in same applicable year, (ii) dividends or other earnings paid on such awards in the applicable year prior to the vesting date that are not otherwise reflected in the fair value of such award or included in any other component of total compensation for the applicable year or (iii) benefits under defined benefit or actuarial pension plans.

 

Non-PEO NEO Equity Award Adjustment Breakout

 

Year

 

Average Summary Compensation Table Total for Non-PEO NEOs

 

 

Reported Value of Equity awards for NEOs (a)

 

 

Fair Value as of Year End for Awards Granted During the Year

 

 

Fair Value Year-Over-Year Increase or Decrease in Unvested Awards Granted in Prior Years

 

 

Fair Value Increase or Decrease from Prior Year End for Awards that Vested During the Year

 

 

Average Compensation Actually Paid to NEOs

 

2022

 

$

772,723

 

 

$

(119,074

)

 

$

67,368

 

 

$

(45,688

)

 

$

6,744

 

 

$

682,074

 

2021

 

$

487,644

 

 

$

(66,000

)

 

$

127,200

 

 

$

14,813

 

 

$

12,732

 

 

$

576,389

 

 

(a)
Represents the grant date fair value of the stock awards granted to our non-PEO NEO's, as reported in the Summary Compensation Table.
(6)
Reflects the cumulative shareholder return over relevant fiscal year, computed in accordance with SEC rules, assuming an investment of $100 in our common shares at a price per share equal to the closing price of our common stock on the last day trading day in the applicable fiscal year. The closing price of our common stock on December 31, 2020 was $5.16 and the closing price of our common stock on December 30, 2022 was $4.00. Historical stock performance is not necessarily indicative of future stock performance.

 

Description of Relationships Between Compensation Actually Paid and Certain Financial Measures

 

In accordance with SEC rules, the Company is providing the following descriptions of the relationships between “compensation actually paid” and the financial performance measures presented in the Pay Versus Performance table. Between December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2022, the amount of “compensation actually paid” to our PEOs increased 305% from $958,413 to $2,918,615, the increase was primarily attributable to one-time inducement equity awards granted to our current PEO and concurrent separation pay to our former PEO, and the average amount of “compensation actually paid” to our NEOs other than our PEOs increased 18% from $576,389 to $682,074. Our “total shareholder return” during the two-year period ended December 31, 2022 decreased by 37% and our net loss during the two-year period ended December 31, 2022 increased by 7%, from approximately $(4,573,000) in 2021 to approximately $(4,901,000) in 2022.

 

16


 

Outstanding Equity Awards at 2022 Fiscal Year-End

The following table sets forth information about outstanding equity awards held on December 31, 2022 by our named executive officers. Please see the section entitled “Employment Agreements; Potential Payments upon Termination or Change of Control” below for additional information about the treatment of such equity awards upon a certain terminations of employment and a change in control of the Company.

 

 

 

Option Awards

 

 

Stock Awards

 

Name

 

Number of
Securities
Underlying
Unexercised
Options (#)
Exercisable

 

 

Number of
Securities
Underlying
Unexercised
Options (#)
Unexercisable

 

 

Equity
Incentive
Plan
Awards
Number of
Securities
Underlying
Unexercised
Unearned
Options (#)

 

 

Option
Exercise
Price ($)

 

 

Option
Expiration
Date

 

 

Number of
Shares or
Units of
Stock
That
Have Not
Vested (#)

 

 

Market
Value of
Shares or
Units of
Stock
That
Have Not
Vested
($)(2)

 

 

Equity
Incentive
Plan
Awards:
Number
of
Unearned
Shares,
Units or
Other
Rights
That
Have Not
Vested
(#)

 

 

Equity
Incentive
Plan
Awards:
Market
or Payout
Value of
Unearned
Shares,
Units
or Other
Rights
That
Have Not
Vested
($) (2)

 

David J. Langevin (1)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

30,100

 

 

$

120,400

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

J. Michael Coffey (1)

 

 

 

 

 

100,000

 

 

 

 

 

$

7.60

 

 

4/11/32

 

 

 

100,000

 

 

$

400,000

 

 

 

490,000

 

 

$

2,924,256

 

Joseph Doolan (1)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

35,678

 

 

$

142,712

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Steve Filipov

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

$

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Steve Kiefer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

$

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(1)
The unexercised options and unvested restricted shares above vest as shown below:

 

 

 

David J. Langevin

 

 

J. Michael Coffey

 

 

Joseph Doolan

 

 

Steve Filipov

 

 

Steve Kiefer

 

 

March 6, 2023

 

 

3,400

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

March 8, 2023

 

 

3,300

 

 

 

 

 

 

3,300

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

April 11, 2023

 

 

 

 

 

66,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

June 2, 2023

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6,600

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

October 20, 2023

 

 

6,600

 

 

 

 

 

 

2,278

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

November 23, 2023

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3,300

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

December 31, 2023

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

March 8, 2024

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3,400

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

April 11, 2024

 

 

 

 

 

66,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

June 2, 2024

 

 

3,400

 

 

 

 

 

 

6,600

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

November 23, 2024

 

 

6,600

 

 

 

 

 

 

3,400

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

December 31, 2024

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

April 11, 2025

 

 

 

 

 

68,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

June 2, 2025

 

 

6,800

 

 

 

 

 

 

6,800

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total

 

 

30,100

 

 

 

200,000

 

 

 

35,678

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(2)
Market value is determined based on the closing price of $4.00 per share of our Common Stock on December 30, 2022.

Employment Agreements; Potential Payments upon Termination or Change in Control

 

David J. Langevin

 

Effective September 1, 2019, Mr. Langevin transitioned into the role of Executive Chairman. In connection with his transition, Mr. Langevin entered into an amendment to his employment agreement with the Company dated effective as of September 1, 2019. Pursuant to this amendment, Mr. Langevin served as Executive Chairman of the Company for an initial three-year term commencing on September 1, 2019. The employment term automatically extends for three-year periods at the end of each then-current term, unless either the Company or Mr. Langevin notifies the other in writing of non-renewal at least 90 days prior to the expiration of the then-current term. In his role as Executive Chairman, his annual base salary is $350,000, which is reviewed annually by the Compensation Committee, and he is eligible to receive annual cash incentives as determined by the Compensation Committee. In

17


 

accordance with his employment agreement, Mr. Langevin is also provided with a $1,500 per month car allowance plus reimbursement for the dues of a private club membership, cellular telephone and data service costs and expenses.

If the Company terminates Mr. Langevin without “just cause” (as defined below) or if the Company chooses not to renew the agreement, Mr. Langevin is entitled to a severance payment of two year’s salary plus continued health plan coverage, welfare benefits and certain other perquisites for two years and the payment of then vested or unvested Company equity incentive awards. If he is terminated for just cause or if he resigns, he is entitled to no severance payment.

 

If Mr. Langevin is involuntarily terminated without just cause or “good reason” (as defined below) within 6 months prior to and in anticipation of, or 24 months following, a change of control, he is entitled to receive severance benefits. In addition to the severance payments provided for above, the agreement provides for a payment equal to two times the average of Mr. Langevin’s bonus received in the prior three years, as well as a pro rata bonus for the fiscal year during which the change of control occurs.

 

If Mr. Langevin is terminated without just cause or “good reason” then he will be subject to a non-competition covenant for so long as we are making post-employment payments to him in accordance with his employment agreement. In all other cases, Mr. Langevin is subject to a non-competition covenant for two years following termination of his employment. Notwithstanding the above, Mr. Langevin may not invest in a competitor, subject to certain exceptions, for two years following his employment. In addition, he is obligated to maintain the confidentiality of our proprietary information and trade secrets for the longer of a period of two years following the termination of his employment or until he is no longer receiving compensation or severance payments pursuant to his employment agreement.

J. Michael Coffey

 

In connection with his appointment as Chief Executive Officer of the Company, Mr. Coffey entered into an employment agreement with the Company, effective as of April 11, 2022. Pursuant to the agreement, Mr. Coffey will serve as Chief Executive Officer of the Company for a term commencing on April 11, 2022 and continuing until the agreement is terminated by either the Company or Mr. Coffey. Mr. Coffey’s employment will be at will, and the agreement may be terminated by either party at any time, with or without cause. Mr. Coffey will receive an annual base salary of $400,000, which will be reviewed annually by the Compensation Committee, and will be eligible to receive annual cash incentives with an annual target bonus of 200% of his base salary, with 50% of the target bonus for 2022 guaranteed. Mr. Coffey will also be entitled to employee benefits that the Company provides to employees generally, including medical benefits, participation in retirement plans and paid vacation time.

 

If the agreement is terminated by the Company without “cause,” by Mr. Coffey for “good reason” or due to his “permanent disability” (in each case as defined below), Mr. Coffey will be entitled to a severance payment of one year’s salary and one year's annual cash incentive, plus continued health plan coverage and the payment of then vested or unvested Company equity incentive awards. Receipt of any severance will be conditioned on the execution of a full release of all claims against the Company and related persons and compliance by Mr. Coffey with a non-disparagement provision. If he is terminated for cause or if he resigns, Mr. Coffey is entitled to no severance payment, but will receive the value of any accrued and unpaid salary, earned but unpaid bonus and accrued but unused vacation.

18


 

Joseph Doolan

On October 1, 2020, the Company entered into an employment agreement, effective as of October 20, 2020, with Joseph Doolan. Pursuant to this agreement, Mr. Doolan served as Chief Financial Officer of the Company for an initial term commencing on October 20, 2020 and continuing through December 31, 2021. The employment term automatically extends for one-year periods at the end of each then-current term, unless either party notifies the other party in writing of non-renewal at least 90 days prior to the expiration of the then-current term. Mr. Doolan’s annual base salary is reviewed annually by the Compensation Committee, and he is eligible to receive annual cash incentives payable upon achievement of performance goals established by the Compensation Committee. Mr. Doolan is also entitled to employee benefits that the Company provides to employees generally, including medical benefits, participation in retirement plans and paid vacation time.

If the Company terminates Mr. Doolan without “just cause” (as defined below) or if the Company chooses not to renew the agreement at the end of its then-current term, Mr. Doolan will be entitled to a severance payment of twelve (12) months’ salary plus certain additional benefits for twelve (12) months and the payment of then vested or unvested Company equity incentive awards. If he is terminated for just cause or if he resigns, he is entitled to no severance payment. If Mr. Doolan is involuntarily terminated without just cause or “good reason” (as defined below) within six (6) months prior to and in anticipation of, or twenty-four (24) months following, a “change in control” (as defined below), then Mr. Doolan will be entitled to receive a payment equal to two times his annual base salary at the time of termination plus two times the average of his bonus received in the prior two years, as well as a pro rata bonus for the fiscal year during which the change of control occurs, and certain continued benefits for a period of two years.

 

The employment agreements for Mr. Langevin, Mr. Coffey, and Mr. Doolan generally define “change of control” as (i) the sale or other transfer of more than 50% of the ownership interests of the Company to one or more non-affiliated corporations, persons or other entities, (ii) the merger or consolidation of the Company with another non-affiliated corporation, person or entity such that the stockholders of the Company, immediately preceding the merger or consolidation own less than 50% of the person or other entity surviving the merger or consolidation, (iii) the failure of the Company to assign such employment agreement to a successor, (iv) a majority of the members of the Board of Directors of the Company on the date of the employment agreement (each a “Current Director”) cease to be members of the Board of Directors of the Company, provided that any director recommended by a majority of the Current Directors as a successor of a Current Director shall be deemed to be a Current Director, and (v) the sale, merger or other transfer of all or substantially all of the Company’s consolidated assets to one or more non-affiliated corporations, persons or other entities.

 

The employment agreements for Mr. Langevin, Mr. Coffey and Mr. Doolan generally define “just cause” as (i) employee’s admission of, or conviction, of any act of fraud, embezzlement or theft against the Company or any of its subsidiaries; (ii) employee’s plea of guilty or of no contest with respect to, admission of, or conviction for, a felony or any crime involving moral turpitude, fraud, embezzlement, theft or misappropriation; (iii) employee’s violation of the confidentiality, ownership of inventions, and non-competition provisions set forth in the employment agreement; (iv) employee’s misappropriation of the Company’s or any of its subsidiaries’ funds or a corporate opportunity by employee; (v) employee’s negligence, willful or reckless conduct that has brought or is reasonably likely to bring the Company or any of its subsidiaries into public disgrace or disrepute or which has had or is reasonably likely to have a materially adverse effect on the Company’s business; (vi) any violation by employee of any statutory or common law duty of loyalty to the Company or any of its subsidiaries; (vii) alcohol or substance abuse by employee that interferes with the performance of employee’s duties; or (viii) any other material breach by employee of his employment agreement

The employment agreements for Mr. Langevin, Mr. Coffey and Mr. Doolan generally define “good reason” as (i) a material change, adverse to the employee, in his position, title or office, status, rank, nature of responsibilities or authority within the Company, (ii) assignment of duties to the employee that are materially inconsistent with and adverse to his duties, status, rank, nature of responsibilities or authority, (iii) decrease in the employee’s base salary, annual bonus opportunity or benefits (other than any such decrease applicable to employees of the Company generally), and (iv) relocation of the Company’s place of business.

19


 

Payments Made to Former Executive Officers

 

As previously disclosed, Steve Filipov transitioned out of the Chief Executive Officer role effective as of April 11, 2022. In connection therewith, pursuant to his employment agreement with the Company, Mr. Filipov received a severance payment of two years' salary equal to $800,000, being the sum of (a) two times the average of his annual base salary in effect at the time of his transition, (b) the payment of then vested and unvested Company equity incentive awards and (c) a pro-rated bonus for 2022, as well as continued Company health plan coverage, certain perquisites and pay for accrued but unused vacation.

As previously disclosed, Steve Kiefer departed as the Company’s President and Chief Operating Officer, effective as of April 14, 2022. In connection with his departure, Mr. Kiefer received the sum of $295,161, payable in six equal semi-monthly installments. In addition, 11,395 previously-awarded but unvested shares of incentive stock compensation were vested as of the date of his departure.

Delinquent Section 16(a) Reports

Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, requires our officers, directors and persons who beneficially own more than 10% of a registered class of our equity securities to file reports of securities ownership and changes in such ownership with the SEC. Officers, directors and greater than 10% beneficial owners are also required by rules promulgated by the SEC to furnish us with copies of all Section 16(a) forms they file.

Based solely upon a review of the copies of such forms furnished to us and/or written representations that no Form 5 filings were required, we believe that during the period from January 1, 2022 through December 31, 2022, all Section 16(a) filing requirements applicable to our officers, directors and greater than 10% beneficial owners were complied with on a timely basis.

Code of Ethics

We have adopted a code of ethics applicable to our principal executive officer and principal financial and accounting officer, in accordance with Section 406 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, the rules of the SEC promulgated thereunder, and the NASDAQ rules. The code of ethics also applies to all of our employees as well as our Board of Directors, including our Executive Chairman. In the event that any changes are made or any waivers from the provisions of the code of ethics are made, these events would be disclosed on our website or in a report on Form 8-K within four business days of such event. The code of ethics is posted on our website at www.manitexinternational.com. Copies of the code of ethics will be provided free of charge upon written request directed to Investor Relations, Manitex International, Inc., 9725 Industrial Drive, Bridgeview, Illinois 60455.

Transactions with Related Persons

Approval Process

Transactions involving related persons are approved, or ratified if pre-approval is not feasible, by our Audit Committee, which approves or ratifies the transaction only if our Audit Committee determines that it is in the best interests of our stockholders. In considering the transaction, our Audit Committee considers all relevant factors, including, as applicable (i) the business rationale for entering into the transaction; (ii) available alternatives to the transaction; (iii) whether the transaction is on terms no less favorable than terms generally available to an unrelated third party under the same or similar circumstances; (iv) the potential for the transaction to lead to an actual or apparent conflict of interest and any safeguards imposed to prevent such actual or apparent conflicts; and (v) the overall fairness of the transaction. Our Audit Committee also periodically monitors ongoing transactions involving related persons to ensure that there are no changed circumstances that would render it advisable to amend or terminate the transaction.

DIRECTOR COMPENSATION

Directors who are employees of the Company receive no compensation, as such, for their service as members of the Board. In calendar year 2022, non-employee Directors received a fee of $10,000 per quarter, were reimbursed for expenses incurred in connection with attendance at meetings, and were eligible to participate in the Company’s

20


 

2019 Equity Incentive Plan. In addition, certain directors received additional compensation for work performed in connection with certain strategic acquisitions and consulting arrangements.

The following table sets forth information regarding the compensation received by each of our non-employee Directors during the year ended December 31, 2022:

 

Name

 

Fees
Earned
or Paid
in Cash
($)

 

 

 

Stock
Awards
($)

 

 

 

All Other
Compensation
($) (1)

 

 

 

Total
($)

 

Ronald M. Clark

 

$

40,000

 

 

 

$

63,630

 

(2)

 

 

 

 

 

$

103,630

 

Robert S. Gigliotti

 

$

40,000

 

 

 

$

63,630

 

(2)

 

 

 

 

 

$

103,630

 

Frederick B. Knox

 

$

40,000

 

 

 

$

63,630

 

(2)