0001144204-14-000262.txt : 20140103 0001144204-14-000262.hdr.sgml : 20140103 20140103083029 ACCESSION NUMBER: 0001144204-14-000262 CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE: DEF 14A PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT: 1 CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT: 20140213 FILED AS OF DATE: 20140103 DATE AS OF CHANGE: 20140103 EFFECTIVENESS DATE: 20140103 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: DYNASIL CORP OF AMERICA CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0000030831 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: GLASS, GLASSWARE, PRESSED OR BLOWN [3220] IRS NUMBER: 221734088 STATE OF INCORPORATION: DE FISCAL YEAR END: 0930 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: DEF 14A SEC ACT: 1934 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 001-35011 FILM NUMBER: 14503359 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 44 HUNT STREET CITY: WATERTOWN STATE: MA ZIP: 02472 BUSINESS PHONE: 6176686855 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 44 HUNT STREET CITY: WATERTOWN STATE: MA ZIP: 02472 DEF 14A 1 v364164_def14a.htm DEF 14A

 

U. S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, DC 20549

 

 

  

SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION

 

Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the

Securities Exchange Act of 1934

 

 

  

Filed by the Registrant x

 

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))

 

x Definitive Proxy Statement

 

¨ Definitive Additional Materials

 

¨ Soliciting Material Pursuant to §240.14a-12

 

DYNASIL CORPORATION OF AMERICA

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

  

(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement if Other Than the Registrant)

 

Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box)

 

x  No fee required.

 

¨  Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11.

 

(1) Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies:

 

 

 

(2) Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies:

  

 

 

(3) Per unit price or other underlying value of transaction computed pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 0-11 (Set forth the amount on which the filing fee is calculated and state how it was determined):

  

 

 

(4) Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction:

  

 

 

(5) Total fee paid:

 

 

  

¨  Fee paid previously with preliminary materials.

 

¨  Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the offsetting fee was paid previously. Identify the previous filing by registration statement number, or the Form or Schedule and the date of its filing.

 

(1) Amount Previously Paid:

 

 

  

(2) Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.:

 

 

  

(3) Filing Party:

 

 

  

(4) Date Filed:

  

 

 

 
 

   

DYNASIL CORPORATION OF AMERICA

44 Hunt Street

Watertown, MA 02472

(617) 668-6855

 

 

  

NOTICE OF

ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS

TO BE HELD AT 10:00 AM,

ON FEBRUARY 13, 2014

 

To the Stockholders of Dynasil Corporation of America:

 

The annual meeting of stockholders of Dynasil Corporation of America (the “Company”), a Delaware corporation, will be held at the offices of the Company, 44 Hunt Street, Watertown, Massachusetts 02472 on February 13, 2014 beginning at 10:00 A.M. local time. At the meeting, stockholders will act upon the following matters:

 

(1) Election of seven (7) Directors, each for a term of one year;

 

(2) Ratification of appointment of McGladrey LLP as the Company's registered public accounting firm for fiscal year 2014;

 

(3) Any other matters that properly come before the meeting.

 

Stockholders of record at the close of business on December 16, 2013 are entitled to vote at the meeting or any postponement or adjournment.

 

The accompanying form of proxy is solicited by the Board of Directors of the Company.

 

Stockholders (whether they own one or many shares and whether they expect to attend the annual meeting or not) are requested to vote, sign, date and promptly return the accompanying proxy in the enclosed self-addressed stamped envelope. A proxy may be revoked at any time prior to its exercise (a) by notifying the Secretary of the Company in writing, (b) by delivering a duly executed proxy bearing a later date, (c) or by attending the annual meeting and voting in person.

  

  By order of the Board of Directors:
   
  Patricia M. Kehe, Corporate Secretary

 

January 3, 2014

Watertown, Massachusetts

 

 
 

 

DYNASIL CORPORATION OF AMERICA

44 Hunt Street

Watertown, MA 02472

(617) 668-6855

 

 

  

PROXY STATEMENT

 

 

  

INFORMATION CONCERNING THE PROXY SOLICITATION

 

Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for the
Stockholder Meeting to Be Held on February 13, 2014:
 
This Proxy Statement and the Annual Report are available to the Company’s
stockholders electronically via the Internet at
http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=114137&p=irol-irhome

 

This Proxy Statement contains information related to the annual meeting of stockholders of Dynasil Corporation of America (“Dynasil” or the “Company”) to be held on Thursday, February 13, 2014, at 10:00 A.M., local time, at the offices of the Company, 44 Hunt Street, Watertown, MA, and at any adjournment or adjournments thereof. The mailing date for this proxy statement, along with the proxy form and 10-K annual report, is on or about January 13, 2014.

 

ABOUT THE MEETING

 

What is the purpose of the annual meeting?

 

At the Company's annual meeting, stockholders will act upon the matters outlined in the accompanying notice of meeting, including the election of directors and ratification of the Company's independent auditors. In addition, the Company's management will report on the performance of the Company during fiscal year 2013 and respond to questions from stockholders.

 

Who is entitled to vote?

 

Stockholders of record at the close of business on the record date, December 16, 2013 are entitled to receive notice of the annual meeting and to vote the shares of common stock that they held on that date at the meeting, or any postponement or adjournment of the meeting. Each outstanding share entitles its holder to cast one vote on each matter to be voted upon. If your shares are held in “street name” in a brokerage account or by a bank or other holder of record, you are considered the beneficial owner of those shares. As a beneficial owner, you may direct your broker or other holder of record on how to vote your owned shares by following their instructions.

 

Who can attend the meeting?

 

All stockholders as of the record date, or their duly appointed proxies, may attend the meeting.

 

Please note that if you hold your shares in "street name" (that is, through a broker, bank or other nominee), you will need to bring a copy of a brokerage statement or similar document or record reflecting your stock ownership as of the record date and check in at the registration desk at the meeting.

 

What constitutes a quorum?

 

The presence at the meeting, in person or by proxy, of the holders of a majority of the shares of common stock outstanding on the record date will constitute a quorum, permitting the transaction of business at the meeting. As of the record date, 15,460,266 shares of common stock of the Company were outstanding. Proxies received but marked as abstentions, votes withheld and broker non-votes will be counted for purposes of determining if a quorum is present at the meeting.

 

 
 

 

How do I vote?

 

You may vote your shares held of record either by attending the meeting and voting in person or by proxy. For vote counting purposes, we encourage you to mail your proxy in advance of the meeting, even if you plan to attend in person. To vote in person, you must attend the meeting and bring your proxy card, as received from the Company or from your brokerage house. You do not need to register in advance to attend the meeting. If you choose to vote by proxy, you must complete and properly sign the accompanying proxy card and return it to the Company in the enclosed postage prepaid envelope. If you vote by mail and your proxy card is received in time for voting and not revoked, it will be voted in accordance with your instructions. If no instructions are indicated, the shares represented by the proxy card will be voted by the proxy holders:

 

·          FOR the election of the director nominees named herein;

·         FOR the ratification of the appointment of McGladrey LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm;

·          in accordance with the judgment of the proxy holders named on the proxy card as to any other matter that is properly brought before the meeting, or any adjournments or postponements thereof.

 

"Street name" stockholders who wish to vote at the meeting will need to make arrangements with their broker, bank or other nominee in advance of the meeting to vote their shares in person.

 

Can I change my vote after I return my proxy card?

 

Yes. Even after you have submitted your proxy, you may change your vote at any time before the proxy is exercised by filing with the Secretary of the Company either a notice of revocation or a duly executed proxy bearing a later date. The powers of the proxy holders will be suspended if you attend the meeting in person and so request, although attendance at the meeting will not by itself revoke a previously granted proxy.

 

What vote is required to approve each item?

 

Election of directors. Directors shall be elected by a plurality of the votes of the shares present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote on the election of directors. A properly executed proxy marked "WITHHOLD AUTHORITY" with respect to the election of one or more directors will not be voted with respect to the director or directors indicated, although it will be counted for purposes of determining whether there is a quorum. Accordingly, a “WITHHOLD AUTHORITY” will have the effect of a negative vote.

 

Other items. For the ratification of the appointment of McGladrey LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm, the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the votes cast (represented in person or by proxy) and entitled to vote on the item will be required for approval. A properly executed proxy marked "ABSTAIN" with respect to this matter will not be voted, although it will be counted for purposes of determining whether there is a quorum. Accordingly, an abstention will have no effect on the outcome of this matter.

 

If you hold your shares in "street name" through a broker, bank or other nominee, your broker, bank or nominee will not be permitted to exercise voting discretion with respect to the election of directors. Thus, if you do not give your broker or nominee specific instructions, your shares will not be voted on that proposal and will not be counted in determining the number of shares necessary for approval. Shares represented by such "broker non-votes" will, however, be counted in determining whether there is a quorum.

  

 
 

 

STOCK OWNERSHIP

 

Who are the largest owners of the Company's common stock?

 

As of December 16, 2013, Dr. Gerald Entine, the former owner of the Company’s RMD subsidiary, owned 22.21% of the outstanding shares of the Company’s common stock and Mr. Craig Dunham, a director and former CEO and President of the Company, owned 12.68% of the outstanding shares of the Company’s common stock. See the table and notes below.

 

How many shares of stock do the Company's directors and executive officers own?

 

The following table and notes set forth the beneficial ownership of the common stock of the Company as of December 16, 2013, by each person who was known by the Company to beneficially own more than 5% of the common stock, by each director, nominee for director and named executive officer, and by all directors and executive officers as a group. Unless otherwise indicated below, to our knowledge, all persons listed below have sole voting and dispositive power with respect to their shares of our common stock, except to the extent authority is shared by spouses under applicable law. Except as otherwise indicated, the address of each beneficial holder is c/o Dynasil Corporation of America, 44 Hunt Street, Watertown, Massachusetts 02472.

 

Title  Name and Address  No. of Shares and nature of   Percent of 
of Class  Of Beneficial Owner  Beneficial Ownership(1)   Class 
Common  Gerald Entine (2),
100 Belvidere St. #10B, Boston, MA 02199
   3,434,325    22.21%
Common  Craig Dunham (3)   1,960,715    12.68%
Common  Peter Sulick (4),(7)   1,501,660    9.54%
Common  David Kronfeld   105,652    0.68%
Common  Thomas Leonard (5)   100,000    0.65%
Common  Michael Joyner, M.D. (7)   95,598    0.62%
Common  Lawrence Fox (6),(7)   91,382    0.59%
Common  William Hagan (2),(7)   63,198    0.41%
Common  Alan Levine   26,850    0.17%
Common  Richard Johnson (8),
1246 Milan Drive South, Sycamore, IL 60178
   24,377    0.16%
   All Officers and Directors as a Group (1)   3,945,055    25.04%

 

(1) The numbers and percentages shown include shares of common stock that the identified person has a right to acquire within 60 days of December 16, 2013. In calculating the percentage of ownership, such shares are deemed to be outstanding for the purpose of computing the percentage share of common stock owned by such person, but are not deemed to be outstanding for the purpose of computing the percentage share of common stock owned by any other stockholders. The number of shares outstanding on December 16, 2013 was 15,460,266.

 

(2) Includes shares held in the name of his family trust.

 

(3) Includes 1,000,000 shares of common stock held in the Dunham Family Limited Liability Company of which Mr. Dunham is the sole managing member and over which he has sole dispositive and voting power.

 

(4) Includes options to purchase 275,000 shares of the Company’s common stock at $4.00 per share. Includes 25,000 shares of restricted stock, which vest quarterly in 12,500 share increments through June 30, 2014, as long as Mr. Sulick remains Chairman of the Board and 300,000 shares of restricted stock that vest on the earlier of June 10, 2014 or the start date of a replacement CEO and President of the Company.

 

 
 

 

(5) Includes 75,000 shares of restricted stock that vest annually in 25,000 share increments through January 14, 2016.

 

(6) Includes options to purchase 21,980 shares of the Company’s common stock at $3.03 per share.

 

(7) Mr. Sulick, Mr. Fox, Dr. Joyner, and Dr. Hagan, hold convertible promissory notes of Xcede Technologies, Inc., a majority-owned subsidiary of the Company, in the principal amounts of $100,000, $37,500, $25,000 and $12,500, respectively. The convertible promissory notes may be converted into capital stock of Xcede. See “Related Party Transactions” for more information.

 

(8) Mr. Johnson resigned as Chief Financial Officer, effective February 4, 2013

  

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

 

Set forth below is a list of our current executive officers.

 

Name   Age   Position
Peter Sulick   63   Chairman of the Board, Interim CEO and President
Thomas Leonard   59   Chief Financial Officer

 

None of the directors and executive officers listed in this Proxy Statement are related by blood, marriage, or adoption.

 

Below is a description of the business experience of Mr. Leonard. Mr. Sulick’s business experience is described in the section entitled “Election of Directors.”

 

Thomas A. Leonard, 59, joined the Company on January 14, 2013 and has served as its Chief Financial Officer since February 4, 2013. Most recently, Mr. Leonard served as Chief Financial Officer for Pennichuck Corp, a publicly traded water utility company, from 2008 until 2012. He served as Vice President of CRA International from 2006 to 2008 and as Managing Director for Huron Consulting Group from 2002 to 2006. From 1987 to 2002, Mr. Leonard held positions of increasing responsibility at Arthur Andersen LLP, ending his time there as Partner in Charge of Audit Division. Mr. Leonard is a Certified Public Accountant and has a B.A. in Accounting.

 

 
 

 

PROPOSAL 1

ELECTION OF DIRECTORS

 

As of the date of the annual meeting of stockholders, the number of members of the Board of Directors is fixed at seven (7) members. The seven (7) directors set forth below are standing for re-election to hold office subject to the provisions of the Company’s by-laws until the next Annual Meeting of Stockholders, and until their respective successors are duly elected and qualified. All of the directors nominated for election at the annual meeting were recommended for nomination to the Board of Directors by the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. The vote of a plurality of the votes cast by stockholders present in person or by proxy, is required to elect members of the Board of Directors. The following table sets forth the name, age, position with the Company and respective director service dates of each person who has been nominated to be a director of the Company:

 

        Position(s)    
Nominee for Director   Age   With the Company   Director Since
             
Mr. Craig Dunham   57   Director   2004
             
Mr. Lawrence Fox   70   Director   2011
             
Dr. William Hagan   62   Director   2012
             
Dr. Michael Joyner   55   Director   2010
             
Mr. David Kronfeld   66   Director   2010
             
Mr. Alan Levine   70   Director, chair of the Audit Committee   2013
             
Mr. Peter Sulick   63   Chairman, Interim CEO & President   2008

 

Each nominee listed above has consented to his nomination and is expected to stand for election.

 

THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE “FOR” THE NOMINEES LISTED ABOVE.

 

Business Experience and Qualifications of the Directors and Director Nominees

 

Craig Dunham, 57, Director, invested in Dynasil and then joined the Company in October 2004 as President, CEO and a director. In May of 2011, Mr. Dunham retired from his management role at Dynasil and, subsequently, began serving as CEO of Applied Pulsed Power Inc., a pulsed power components and systems company near Ithaca, NY. Prior to joining Dynasil, he spent about one year partnering with a private equity group to pursue acquisitions of mid-market manufacturing companies. From 2000 to 2003, he was Vice President/General Manager of the Tubular Division at Kimble Glass Corporation. From 1979 to 2000, he held progressively increasing leadership responsibilities at Corning Incorporated in manufacturing, engineering, commercial and general management positions. At Corning, he delivered results in various glass and ceramics businesses including optics and photonics businesses. Mr. Dunham earned a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and an M.B.A. from Cornell University. Mr. Dunham brings to the Board executive leadership, operations and management experience, business acumen, optics/photonics market knowledge and knowledge of the acquisitions process.

 

Lawrence Fox, 70, Director, has been a member of the Board since February 2011. Mr. Fox has served as a partner since 1976 and is former managing partner of Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP, where he specializes in securities and general commercial litigation and the counseling of law firms.  Currently, he is a visiting lecturer of law and the Crawford Lecturer at Yale Law School. From 2007 to 2010 he was a lecturer on law at Harvard Law School.  He was the I. Grant Irey, Jr. adjunct professor at Penn Law School from 2000-2008.  He is the author of a long list of articles that have appeared in regional and national publications, covering a wide variety of subjects with particular emphasis on ethical issues and has written numerous book chapters relating to internal investigations, sanctions, expert witnesses and other topics.  Mr. Fox currently serves as a director for Aberdeen The Chile Fund, Inc., Aberdeen The First Israel Fund, Inc., Aberdeen The Indonesia Fund, Inc., Aberdeen The Latin America Equity Fund, Inc., Credit Suisse High Yield Bond Fund, Inc. and Credit Suisse Asset Management Income Fund, Inc. He has a B.A. degree from the University of Pennsylvania and a LLB from the University of Pennsylvania Law School.  Mr. Fox brings extensive legal and corporate governance experience to the Board from his legal experience and previous Board positions which significantly expands the Board’s depth of corporate governance experience through his participation as chairman of the Governance/Nominating Committee and on the Audit Committee.

 

 
 

 

William Hagan, Ph.D., 62, Director, joined the Board of Directors in July, 2012. Dr. Hagan was the Acting Director of the Department of Homeland Security’s Domestic Nuclear Detection Office (DNDO) reporting to the Secretary of Homeland Security from December of 2009 until August of 2010. Before serving as Acting Director, Dr. Hagan was the DNDO’s Acting Deputy Director and Assistant Director for the Transformational and Applied Research Directorate during four years of service at DNDO. Prior to the DNDO, Dr. Hagan was a Senior Vice President at Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC). During a 30-year career at SAIC, his areas of emphasis included nuclear technology, telecommunications, optics, transportation, system integration, and technology assessments. Business roles included group leadership, mergers and acquisitions, venture capital investment, and business development. Dr. Hagan received a bachelor’s degree in Engineering Physics, a master’s degree in Physics, and a master’s degree in Nuclear Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana. He received his Ph.D. in Physics from the University of California at San Diego. Dr. Hagan brings a combination of experience in and understanding of commercial, government, and high technology business to his role on the Board and as chairman of the Compensation Committee.

 

Michael Joyner, M.D., 55, Director, has been a member of the Board since February, 2010. Dr. Joyner is a consultant in the Department of Anesthesiology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, where has worked since 1987. From 1987-93 he was a resident and research fellow. In 1993, he was appointed Assistant Professor with promotion to Associate Professor in 1996 and Full Professor in 1999. Dr. Joyner is recognized with the distinction of the the Frank R. and Shari Caywood named Professorship (2009) and in 2010 he was named a Distinguished Investigator of the Mayo Clinic. From 2006-2010 he was Deputy Director for Research and Vice Dean at Mayo. He received his undergraduate (1981) and medical degrees (1987) from the University of Arizona and his research lab has been funded continuously by the NIH since the early 1990s. He holds editorial positions for medical journals, served as an NIH, NASA and DOD grant reviewer, and he has received numerous national and international awards for his work on muscle blood flow and human physiology including a Fulbright Fellowship in 2011. A number of Dr. Joyner's former fellows now direct independent research programs in the United States, Canada, Europe and Japan. Dr. Joyner brings expertise on medical products, government contracts and the operations of some of our medical customers, as well as leadership experience at the Mayo Clinic and he serves on the Company’s Compensation and Nominating/Governance committees.

 

David Kronfeld, 66, Director, has been a member of the board since February, 2010. Mr. Kronfeld founded JK&B Capital (JK&B) in 1996, a venture capital firm focused in the software, information technology and communications markets with over $1.1 billion of cumulative capital under management, where he continues to work. Mr. Kronfeld is an experienced venture capital investor and telecommunications industry executive with over 30 years of experience. Prior to forming JK&B, Mr. Kronfeld was a General Partner at Boston Capital Ventures (BCV) where he focused on making venture capital investments in telecommunications and software companies. Before joining BCV, Mr. Kronfeld was Vice President of Acquisitions and Venture Investments with Ameritech where he was responsible for directing venture capital investments in a broad array of telecommunications-related companies and all of Ameritech's mergers and acquisitions activities. In addition, Mr. Kronfeld was a Senior Manager at Booz Allen & Hamilton and a Systems Analyst at Electronic Data Systems (E.D.S.). He has served on four public company boards, thirty private company boards, and currently sits on the board of directors of NeuLion, Inc. and S.E.A. Medical Systems. Mr. Kronfeld earned a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering with high honors and a Master of Science in Computer Science from Stevens Institute of Technology, and a Master of Business Administration from The Wharton School of Business. Mr. Kronfeld brings extensive venture capital experience in evaluating opportunities and managing portfolio businesses as well as multiple Board experiences which enable him to contribute to the Company’s Audit and Nominating/Governance Committees.

 

 
 

 

Alan Levine, 70, Director, Audit Committee Chairman and the Audit Committee Financial Expert, joined the Board of Directors in May of 2013. Mr. Levine was Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the Graduate Management Admission Council from 2007 to 2011. From 1998 to 2007, Mr. Levine served in a number of Chief Financial Officer and Financial Consultant roles, largely in technology-based companies. Mr. Levine was a Partner with Ernst & Young LLP from 1986 to 1998. Prior to serving as a Partner, Mr. Levine was an Audit Principal, Audit Manager and Audit Senior during twenty-four years with Ernst & Young. His areas of business expertise include entrepreneurial services, venture capital financing, initial public offerings and accounting and financial education. He currently serves as a director and Audit Committee member for RBC Bearings Incorporated and Magnetek, Inc. Mr. Levine received his Master of Accounting from the University of Arizona and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Vermont. Mr. Levine was a Certified Public Accountant for 30 years. Mr. Levine brings to the Board extensive demonstrated expert knowledge and experience in corporate governance, business, accounting and finance in a public company setting.

 

Peter Sulick, 63, Chairman, Interim CEO and President, joined the Board in June of 2008. Mr. Sulick is currently President and CEO of AmeriSite, LLC, a family-owned real estate development and investment company, which he founded in 1998. Mr. Sulick is on the board of Prism Microwave, Inc. which provides RF conditioning products for the mobile wireless infrastructure industry.  Prism was founded in 2008 and Mr. Sulick became Chairman of the Board in June, 2009. He served as Prism CEO from February 2011 until June 2012, when he became Executive Chairman, a role he relinquished in November, 2013. Mr. Sulick's business background includes the founding of Independence Broadcasting Corporation, PowerFone Inc., SSPCS Corp. and AmeriSite, LLC. From 1985 until 2002, Mr. Sulick founded and led telecommunications companies that were later acquired by Nextel and T-Mobile and various radio broadcasting companies. In the early part of his career, Mr. Sulick was a principal financial officer for Cablevision Systems and has also held several senior-level financial positions at the Communications Operations Group of ITT. He began his career in the audit department at Arthur Andersen & Co, in New York City following graduate school. He is a certified public accountant who earned his MBA in finance from the University of Massachusetts and a B.S. in Business Administration from The Citadel. Mr. Sulick brings to the Board entrepreneurial skills, executive leadership and business and financial acumen to serve as Chairman and in his role as Interim CEO and President.

 

How are directors compensated?

 

Directors’ Compensation

 

During Fiscal Year 2010, the Board engaged a Compensation Consultant to review the Company’s policy on Independent Director Compensation. Effective June 30, 2010 the Board approved the following Independent Director Compensation Program.

·The aggregate cost of independent director compensation (including the additional retainers described below) was determined by targeting a specified ratio of aggregate director cost to the Company’s total stockholder equity based on a review of this ratio for a select peer group of companies with similar size, product mix and growth prospects.
·To align the interests of the Directors with those of the stockholders, a minimum of 50% of the total compensation for each Director must be in the form of equity, with the remaining 50% to be paid in cash or equity, in any ratio, at the election of the Director.
·No director level benefits and/or special retirement programs are provided to Directors.
·The Company reimburses the normal and reasonable expenses incurred by Directors in the fulfillment of their Board responsibilities.
·The Chairman and Audit Committee Chairman are paid additional annual retainers of $20,000 and $10,000, respectively, in recognition of the added responsibility associated with these positions (with no additional retainers paid for chairing other standard committees).
·There are no initial sign-on bonuses or additional Board fees paid.

 

In December of 2012, the Board of Directors adopted a resolution stating that the Director Compensation Policy will be amended for the director compensation year beginning on February 1, 2013 to compensate each independent director at the fixed rate of $50,000 per year. The Chairman and Audit Committee Chairman will be paid additional annual retainers of $20,000 and $10,000, respectively, in recognition of the added responsibility associated with these positions, as prescribed in the 2010 Independent Director Compensation Program.

 

 
 

 

Directors’ Compensation For Fiscal Year Ending September 30, 2013

 

   Fees Earned or Paid In         
Name  Cash ($)   Stock
Awards($)
(1)(2)
   Option
Awards($)
(3)(4)
   All Other
Compensation
($)
   Total($) 
Craig Dunham (5)   30,000    0    0    0    30,000 
Lawrence Fox (6)   9,813    37,500    9,813    0    57,126 
William Hagan (6)   13,240    42,844    0    0    56,084 
Michael Joyner, M.D. (6),(7)   16,546    39,331    0    0    55,876 
David Kronfeld (6)   0    57,126    0    0    57,126 
Alan Levine (6)   12,500    15,000    0    0    27,500 
John Millerick (6)   14,302    14,302    0    0    28,605 
Peter Sulick (6),(8)   0    13,146    0    0    13,146 

 

(1) Represents the aggregate grant date fair value of the stock awards received by the director during fiscal 2013 determined in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718. Assumptions used in the calculation of these amounts are included in footnote 11 to our audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2013 included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on December 20, 2013.

 

(2) As of September 30, 2013, Mr. Dunham, Mr. Fox, Dr. Hagan, Dr. Joyner, Mr. Kronfeld, Mr. Levine and Mr. Millerick held no shares of restricted stock. Mr. Sulick held 337,500 shares of restricted stock, of which 300,000 shares will vest at the earlier of June 10, 2014 or the start date of a replacement CEO and President of the Company and 37,500 shares will vest in 12,500 share installments at the end of each subsequent quarter through June 30, 2014.

 

(3) Represents the aggregate grant date fair value of the option awards received by the director during fiscal 2013, determined in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718. Assumptions used in the calculation of these amounts are included in footnote 11 to our audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2013 included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on December 20, 2013.

 

(4) As of September 30, 2013: Mr. Dunham, Dr. Hagan, Dr. Joyner, Mr. Kronfeld, Mr. Levine and Mr. Millerick held no stock options; Mr. Fox held 21,980 stock options, and Mr. Sulick held 275,000 stock options, all of which are vested.

 

(5) Mr. Dunham is considered a Non-Independent, Non-Employee Director and is compensated in cash at the rate of $2,500 per meeting. His compensation in Fiscal Year 2013 included payment for the 11 board meetings in 2013 and one in 2012.

 

(6) For the director compensation year beginning February 2013, the five independent directors were asked to specify whether they wished to receive the equity portion of their director compensation and any equity portion of the electable 50% of their compensation in common stock grants or stock options. All five independent directors chose to receive their equity as quarterly stock grants. As Mr. Millerick did not stand for re-election at the Annual Meeting held on March 5, 2013, he was only paid for service as a director from February 1, 2013 until March 5, 2013, thus his equity compensation was all paid in the February 1, 2013 grant. In regards to the 50% of their compensation for which Directors may elect cash or equity, Mr. Millerick elected to take this amount entirely in cash. Mr. Kronfeld and Mr. Fox elected to take the entire electable amount of their compensation in quarterly stock grants, Dr. Hagan elected to take one half of the amount in cash and the remainder in shares of common stock and Dr. Joyner elected to take two-thirds of the amount in cash and the remainder in shares of common stock. Mr. Levine was elected to the Board on May 1, 2013. Mr. Levine also chose to receive the equity portion of his director compensation in quarterly stock grants. Mr. Levine elected to take the electable portion of his compensation in cash. The quarterly stock grants for the director compensation year beginning on February 2013 were made on February 1, 2013 at the grant date closing market price of $1.02, on May 1, 2013 at the grant date closing market price of $0.78, on August 1, 2013 at the grant date closing market price of $0.72 per share and on November 1, 2013 at the closing market price of $1.10.

 

 
 

 

(7) On November 25, 2013, Dr. Joyner was granted 16,129 options to purchase Xcede Technologies, Inc. common stock at the option price of $1.00 per share in recognition of his service as a member of the Xcede Board of Directors. Twenty-five percent (25%) of this option will vest on November 25, 2014 and an additional 3.125% of the option will vest each month thereafter.

 

(8) Mr. Sulick received $13,146 in director compensation in the form of stock awards for the period prior to his appointment as Interim CEO and President that was recognized in the first four months of fiscal year 2013. Mr. Sulick became a non-independent, employee director on July 6, 2012 and the Board determined that, while Mr. Sulick served as interim President and CEO, Mr. Sulick would receive no additional compensation as an independent director.

 

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

 

Director Independence

 

The Board has determined that all directors and nominees for director, other than Mr. Dunham and Mr. Sulick, are independent under the NASDAQ and SEC rules, based on information known to the Company and on the annual questionnaire completed by each director.

 

Board Leadership Structure

 

The Company has historically had different persons serving in the offices of Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), although it has no formal policy requiring that structure. As Mr. Sulick is currently serving both of these roles on an interim basis, Mr. Millerick served as Lead Director until Dr. Hagan was elected to the position of Lead Director in January of 2013. The responsibilities of the lead director include setting the Board's agenda in collaboration with the CEO, providing guidance to the CEO, acting as a regular communication channel between the Board and CEO, presiding over executive sessions of the Board to review the Company's performance and management effectiveness, coordinating the activities of the independent directors, reviewing the activities and effectiveness of the Board committees, and evaluating the need for any changes. The Board believes that having a separate Chairman or lead director allows the CEO to focus principally on managing the Company, which adds value to the Company’s senior management team and operating business units, enhances Board involvement and communications among the independent directors, and ensures consistent Board leadership during any CEO transition.

 

Board’s Role in Risk Oversight

 

The Company’s business involves many operational and financial risks, which management and the Board seek to mitigate through careful planning and execution. Assessing and managing risk is primarily the responsibility of the Company’s management. However, the Board of Directors has an active role, as a whole and also at the committee level, in overseeing management of the Company’s risks. The Board of Directors provides oversight by receiving reports from management in Board meetings and conference calls, as well as through periodic management reports. These include reports on the market environment and strategic situation, customer sales results and forecasts, availability of raw materials and components, product development, liquidity, and overall financial performance and forecasts. Board members have the opportunity to provide input and direction to management on managing risks on a current basis, either directly or through the Chairman. In order to ensure that longer term risks are also considered in a timely and consistent matter, each year the full Board reviews and approves a budget that is used by management throughout the year. The Chairman oversees the Company’s business activities, including its management of operational risks, between meetings of the Board. The Audit Committee has responsibility for overseeing the Company’s internal financial and accounting controls. As such, the Audit Committee regularly discusses with management and the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm the Company’s major financial and controls-related risk exposures and the steps that management has taken to monitor and control such exposures. The Compensation Committee is responsible for overseeing the management of risks relating to the Company’s executive compensation plans and arrangements. The Company believes that Board leadership by an independent lead director or chairman enhances the Board’s ability to oversee the Company’s operational and financial risks.

 

 
 

 

Board Meetings

 

During the fiscal year ended September 30, 2013, the Board of Directors held a total of eleven meetings. Mr. Dunham, Mr. Fox, Dr. Joyner, Mr. Levine, Mr. Millerick, and Mr. Sulick attended all fiscal year 2013 meetings during their respective terms on the Board. Dr. Hagan was excused from one meeting and Mr. Kronfeld was excused from two. The Board regularly holds sessions at which only independent directors are present, including a portion of each quarterly meeting. All Board members are expected to attend the annual meeting of stockholders, subject to special circumstances. All of the Board members attended the annual meeting of stockholders on March 5, 2013.

 

Committees of the Board

 

The Board of Directors has an Audit Committee, a Compensation Committee and a Nominating and Governance Committee, all the members of which are independent, as defined by Securities and Exchange Commission rules and NASDAQ listing standards, as applicable. In addition to the meetings described below, the members of each committee communicate regularly amongst themselves and with management on Company matters. It is anticipated that the Board will adjust committee assignments following the February Annual Meeting.

 

Each of the Audit Committee, the Compensation Committee and the Nominating and Governance Committee operates under a written charter that is available on the Company’s web site: http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=114137&p=irol-govhighlights.

 

Compensation Committee. The current members of the Compensation Committee are Dr. Hagan, Mr. Kronfield and Dr. Joyner, with Dr. Hagan serving as the Chairman. The Compensation Committee is responsible for negotiating and approving salaries and employment agreements for officers of the Company. During fiscal year 2013, the committee consisted of Dr. Hagan, Mr. Kronfeld and Dr. Joyner, with Dr. Hagan serving as Chairman. Current compensation practices are outlined in the Director Compensation and Executive Compensation sections of this proxy statement. There were three Compensation Committee meetings in fiscal 2013. Each of the committee members attended all of the meetings held during fiscal year 2013.

 

Generally all executive officer and director compensation programs of the Company are subject to the review and approval of the Compensation Committee, which also reviews and determines the base salary and incentive compensation of the executive officers, as well as grants of equity compensation to all employees. The Chief Executive Officer provides a compensation recommendation for each executive officer (other than himself), which the Compensation Committee considers in making its decisions. Compensation decisions are made throughout the year as circumstances warrant. All compensation actions taken by the Compensation Committee are reported to the full Board of Directors, and certain actions are subject to the approval of the Board, excluding management directors. The Compensation Committee has used a compensation consultant to provide comparable market data as well as compensation advice in setting executive and director compensation and policies. The Compensation Committee also reviews and makes recommendations to the Board on director compensation and equity awards.

 

The Compensation Committee is composed of outside directors who are not officers or employees of the Company. The Board has determined that these directors are all independent under applicable NASDAQ and SEC rules.

 

Audit Committee. The current members of the Audit Committee are Mr. Fox, Mr. Kronfield and Mr. Levine, with Mr. Levine serving as both Chairman and Audit Committee Financial Expert. Mr. Millerick served as the Audit Committee Chairman and its “Audit Committee Financial Expert” until March 5, 2013, when he left the Board of Directors due to his decision not to stand for re-election. Following Mr. Millerick’s departure, on March 8, 2013 the Board of Directors appointed Mr. Kronfeld to replace Mr. Millerick’s on the Audit Committee and Mr. Fox was elected Audit Committee Chairman at that time. On May 1, 2013, Mr. Levine was elected to the Board of Directors and the role of both Audit Committee Chairman and Audit Committee Financial Expert. The Audit Committee is responsible for reviewing reports of the Company's financial results, audits, internal controls, and adherence to its Business Conduct Guidelines, compliance with federal procurement and other laws and regulations, and other matters. The Audit Committee recommends to the Board of Directors the selection of the Company's outside auditors, reviews their procedures for ensuring their independence with respect to the services performed for the Company and approves their compensation. There were eleven Audit Committee meetings in fiscal year 2013. Mr. Levine, Mr. Millerick and Mr. Fox attended all meetings during their tenure on the committee. Mr. Kronfeld was excused from one meeting and Dr. Joyner from two.

 

 
 

 

The Audit Committee is composed of outside directors who are not officers or employees of the Company. The Board has determined that these directors are all independent under applicable NASDAQ and SEC rules.

 

Nominating and Governance Committee: The members of the Nominating and Governance Committee are currently, and during 2013 were, Mr. Fox, Mr. Kronfeld and Dr. Joyner, with Mr. Fox serving as the Chairman. Nominations for the February 13, 2014 Annual Stockholders Meeting to which this Proxy Statement relates were developed by this committee and approved by the full Board on December 17, 2013. The Nominating and Governance Committee had no formal meetings in fiscal year 2013, however, the members individually interviewed candidates telephonically and in person for the Board position to which Mr. Levine was elected.

 

Director Nominations

 

The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee is responsible for (i) identifying individuals qualified to become Board members, consistent with criteria approved by the Board, and (ii) recommending to the Board the persons to be nominated for election as directors at any meeting of stockholders and the persons to be elected by the Board to fill any vacancies on the Board. Director nominees are considered for recommendation by the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee in accordance with the policies and principles in its charter and the criteria set forth in the Corporate Governance Guidelines, as outlined below. It is expected that the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee will have direct input from the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer and, if one is appointed, the Lead Director.

 

 
 

 

Criteria for Nomination as a Director

 

General Criteria

1.Nominees should have a reputation for integrity, honesty and adherence to high ethical standards.
2.Nominees should have demonstrated business acumen, experience and ability to exercise sound judgments in matters that relate to the current and long-term objectives of the Company and should be willing and able to contribute positively to the decision-making process of the Company.
3.Nominees should have a commitment to understand the Company and its industry and to regularly attend and participate in meetings of the Board and its committees.
4.Nominees should have the interest and ability to understand the sometimes conflicting interests of the various constituencies of the Company, which include stockholders, employees, customers, governmental units, creditors and the general public, and to act in the interests of all stockholders.
5.Nominees should not have, nor appear to have, a conflict of interest that would impair the nominee’s ability to represent the interests of all the Company’s stockholders and to fulfill the responsibilities of a director.
6.Nominees shall not be discriminated against on the basis of race, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, disability or any other basis proscribed by law. The value of diversity on the Board should be considered.

 

Application of Criteria to Existing Directors

 

The re-nomination of existing directors should not be viewed as automatic, but should be based on continuing qualification under the criteria set forth above. In addition, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee shall consider the existing directors’ performance on the Board and any committee, which shall include consideration of the extent to which the directors undertook continuing director education.

 

Criteria for Composition of the Board

 

The backgrounds and qualifications of the directors considered as a group should provide a significant breadth of experience, knowledge and abilities that shall assist the Board in fulfilling its responsibilities.

 

The Nominating and Governance Committee’s process for evaluating nominees for director, including nominees recommended by stockholders, is to consider their skills, character and professional ethics, judgment, leadership experience, business experience and acumen, familiarity with relevant industry issues, national and international experience, and other relevant criteria as they may contribute to the Company’s success. This evaluation is performed in light of the Committee’s views as to what skill set and other characteristics would most complement those of the current directors, including the diversity (principally, of education and backgrounds), age, skills and experience of the Board as a whole.

 

In order to recommend a candidate for consideration by the Nominating and Governance Committee, a stockholder must provide the Committee with the candidate's name, background and relationship with the proposing stockholder, a brief statement outlining the reasons the candidate would be an effective director of the Company and information relevant to the considerations described above. Such information should be sent to the Nominating and Governance Committee of Dynasil Corporation of America, 44 Hunt Street, Watertown, MA 02472; Attn: Corporate Secretary. The Nominating and Governance Committee may seek further information from or about the candidate, or the stockholder making the recommendation, including information about all business and other relationships between the candidate and the stockholder.

 

 
 

 

REPORT OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE OF DYNASIL CORPORATION OF AMERICA

 

December 16, 2013

 

To the Board of Directors of Dynasil Corporation of America:

 

We have reviewed and discussed with management the Company's audited consolidated financial statements as of and for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2013.

 

We have discussed with the independent accountants the matters required to be discussed by Statement on Auditing Standards No. 61, Communications with Audit Committees, as amended, as adopted by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board.

 

We have received and reviewed the written disclosures and the letter from the independent accountants required by applicable requirements of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board regarding the independent accountant’s communications with the audit committee concerning independence, and have discussed with the independent accountants the accountants’ independence.

 

Based on the reviews and discussions referred to above, we recommended to the Board of Directors that the consolidated financial statements referred to above be included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2013.

 

The information contained in this report shall not be deemed to be "soliciting material" or to be "filed" with the Securities and Exchange Commission, nor shall such information be incorporated by reference into any future filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, except to the extent that we specifically incorporate it by reference in such filing.

 

By: /s/ Alan Levine  
Alan Levine, Chairman  
     
By: /s/ Lawrence Fox  
Lawrence Fox  
     
By: /s/ David Kronfeld  
David Kronfeld  
   
Audit Committee  
Dynasil Corporation of America  

 

 
 

 

EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

 

Summary Compensation Table

 

Name and Position  Year   Salary ($)   Bonus ($)   Stock
Awards ($)
(2)(3)
   All Other
Compensation ($)
(4)
   Total ($) 
                         
Peter Sulick   2013    159,439         196,000    13,146    368,585 
Chairman, Interim    2012    37,816         216,000    142,351    396,167 
President and CEO                              
                               
Thomas Leonard   2013    96,242         101,000         197,242 
Chief Financial Officer                              
                               
Richard Johnson (1)   2013    96,577                   96,577 
Former Chief Financial Officer   2012    184,948                   184,948 

 

(1) Richard Johnson resigned as Chief Financial Officer, effective February 4, 2013.

 

(2) Represents the aggregate grant date fair value of the restricted stock awards received by the executive officer during the year indicated, determined in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718. Assumptions used in the calculation of these amounts are included in footnote 11 to our audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2013 included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on December 20, 2013.

 

(3) Peter Sulick’s stock awards in FY 2013 represent a fully vested stock award of 25,000 shares issued on January 1, 2013 as compensation for the role of Interim CEO and President, as well as a restricted stock award of 300,000 shares which was granted to him on June 10, 2013 and vests on the earlier of June 10, 2014 or the start date of a replacement CEO and President of the Company. In fiscal year 2012, Mr. Sulick was granted a fully vested stock award of 100,000 shares issued on July 30, 2012 in compensation for his assumption of the role of Interim CEO and President. [Thomas Leonard’s stock award represent a stock award of 25,000 shares and a restricted stock award of 75,000 shares that were granted to him when he joined the Company on January 14, 2013. Mr. Leonard’s restricted stock vests annually in 25,000 share increments on his anniversary date through January 14, 2016.

 

(4) Mr. Sulick received $13,146 in director compensation in the form of stock awards for the period prior to his appointment as Interim CEO and President, as set forth in the Directors’ Compensation Table For Fiscal Year Ending September 30, 2013 above. Mr. Sulick received $40,000 for tax reimbursements in connection with the stock grants issued on July 30, 2012 and he received $102,351 in director compensation for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2012 prior to his appointment as interim CEO and President. Mr. Sulick’s director compensation for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2013 consisted of $61,246 in cash and $41,105 was in stock awards.

 

Executive Officer Compensatory Arrangements

 

In his role as Interim President and CEO, Mr. Peter Sulick receives cash compensation equal to $13,286 per month. Additionally, on July 30, 2012, as compensation for assuming the interim role, Mr. Sulick was granted 100,000 shares of the Company’s common stock and given a $40,000 lump sum cash payment to address tax liability of the stock award. As per the terms of the agreement with the Board of Directors made on July 30, 2012, Mr. Sulick received a grant of 25,000 shares of common stock on January 1, 2013, which was to be the first in a series of quarterly grants of 25,000 shares while he continued in the interim position. Mr. Sulick waived the April 1, 2013 grant and no further grants were made under this agreement. On June 10, 2013, Mr. Sulick received a restricted stock award of 300,000 shares of common stock in recognition of service as Interim CEO. This award is subject to forfeiture provisions requiring Mr. Sulick to remain as Interim CEO until the earlier of June 10, 2014 or until a replacement CEO and President is hired by the Company. This award replaced the equity award that was made to Mr. Sulick in July 2012 which provided for quarterly awards of 25,000 shares of common stock to Mr. Sulick as long as he serves as interim CEO.

 

 
 

 

As Chief Financial Officer, Mr. Thomas Leonard earns an annual base salary of $185,000, which is subject to periodic review and adjustment. Additionally, Mr. Leonard is eligible to earn an annual cash performance bonus of up to twenty (20%) percent of his base salary. On January 14, 2013, Mr. Leonard was granted a time-vested restricted stock award of 100,000 shares of the Company’s stock. The shares in this grant will vest in four equal annual increments, beginning with the grant date, provided that he is employed with the Company continuously through the applicable vesting date. Mr. Leonard’s Employment Letter specifies that his employment is at-will employment. If Mr. Leonard is terminated without Cause, and provided he first deliver to the Company an irrevocable separation agreement, he will be entitled to a severance payment of (i) three months of his then-current base salary if the termination occurs between ninety (90) days and 18 months after January 14, 2013; or (ii) six months of his then-current base salary if the severance occurs after 18 months from his date of employment. Mr. Leonard is also eligible to participate in the Company’s standard employee benefit programs at the corporate office location, including medical, dental, life and disability insurance and participation in a 401K plan. Mr. Leonard is also subject to certain non-solicitation covenants for twelve months following termination of employment and non-competition covenants for six months following termination of employment in accordance with Dynasil’s standard executive arrangements.

 

Mr. Richard A. Johnson resigned from his role as Chief Financial Officer on February 4, 2013. Mr. Johnson’s compensation package for Fiscal Year 2012 included an annual salary of $180,000, eligibility for a target bonus payout of 33% of base pay per fiscal year based on accomplishment of specific goals and receipt of standard Dynasil benefits and expense reimbursements.

 

Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal 2013 Year-End

 

   Option Awards  Stock Awards 
   Number of Securities          Number of   Market Value of 
   Underlying Unexercised   Option   Option  Shares or Units of   Shares or Units of 
   Options (#)   Exercise   Expiration  Stock That Have   Stock That Have 
Name  Exercisable   Unexercisable   Price   Date  Not Vested (#)   Not Vested ($)(1) 
                        
Peter Sulick   275,000        $4.00   10/12/2014   337,500    297,000 
                             
Thomas Leonard                   75,000    66,000 
                             
Richard Johnson                        

 

(1)Calculated by multiplying the number of shares of restricted stock by the closing price of Dynasil’s common stock on the NASDAQ Global Market on September 30, 2013 ($0.88).

 

(2)37,500 shares of Mr. Sulick’s unvested restricted stock will vest in 12,500 share installments at the end of each subsequent quarter through June 30, 2014. The remaining 300,000 shares of Mr. Sulick’s restricted stock will vest, as long as he remains in the Interim CEO position, at the earlier of June 10, 2014 or when a permanent CEO and President is hired by the Company.

 

Option Grants in Last Fiscal Year

 

During the year ended September 30, 2013, no stock options were granted.

 

Related Party Transactions

 

During the years ended September 30, 2013 and 2012, building lease payments of $68,952 and $114,000 were paid to Optometrics Holdings, LLC in which Laura Lunardo, Optometrics’ COO had a 50% interest. Ms. Lunardo sold her interest in the building in May of 2013.

 

 
 

 

During the years ended September 30, 2013 and 2012, building lease payments of $890,502 and $852,901 were paid to Charles River Realty, dba Bachrach, Inc., which is owned by Gerald Entine and family. Dr. Entine is a former director and employee of the Company, as well as a greater than 5% beneficial owner of the Company’s stock.

 

Prior to joining the Board of Directors in July of 2012, Dr. Hagan was providing consulting services to RMD through his consulting company, Hagan & Associates LLC (“H&A”). During the years ended September 30, 2013 and 2012, H&A was paid $36,000 and $73,134 in fees. This consulting arrangement is expected to continue into the future.

 

On November 22, 2011 the Company and Dr. Entine entered into a separation agreement pursuant to which Dr. Entine's employment with the Company terminated effective November 30, 2011. In exchange for severance pay equal to Dr. Entine's current annual base salary of $325,000 and the continuation of health and dental benefits for one year, Dr. Entine agreed to certain non-compete and non-solicitation covenants expiring on December 31, 2012 and a standstill agreement expiring on September 30, 2012. In addition, Dr. Entine agreed to cause his real estate company, which serves as the Company's landlord with respect to its offices in Watertown, Massachusetts, to contribute $52,000 in cash and $75,000 in rental credits to the Company for certain lease improvements.

 

On February 27, 2012, Dr. Entine, a former owner of RMD Instruments, LLC, which the Company acquired in 2008 for a combination of cash and shares of Dynasil common stock, exercised a Put Right to require the Company to repurchase 928,773 shares of Dynasil common stock issued to him as partial consideration for the transaction at a repurchase price of $2.00 per share and held by Dr. Entine and certain affiliates. This put obligation was repaid in full in August 2012.

 

On December 6, 2012, the Company (Lessee), through its wholly-owned subsidiaries, Dynasil Products and RMD, entered into an Omnibus Amendment (the “Amendment”) to Leases for two leases with Charles River Realty, d/b/a Bachrach, Inc. (Lessor), an entity affiliated with Dr. Entine. As a result of the Amendment, the leases, which were scheduled to expire June 30, 2013, became month-to-month tenancies and will continue until terminated by either the Lessor or the Lessee. Such month-to-month tenancies may be terminated by Lessor upon not less than three years' prior written notice to Lessee and may be terminated by Lessee upon not less than six months' prior written notice to Lessor. Additionally, the monthly base rent applicable to Dynasil Products was set at its current rate of $14,938 and the monthly base rent applicable to RMD was set at its current rate of $58,935, with both amounts subject to an annual 4% increase on July 1.

 

In 2012, the Company was awarded grants from the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Defense to develop new and improved monitors to detect blood loss and potentially fatal hemorrhage in human trauma victims.  The Company has used the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota as its primary subcontractor to conduct animal and human trials with respect to these grants.  Dr. Michael J. Joyner of the Mayo Clinic is a co-investigator under these grants.  He is also a member of the Company's Board of Directors.  To date, the Mayo Clinic has received approximately $35,000 and $50,000, in 2013 and 2012, respectively, under these grants.  A small fraction of Dr. Joyner’s Mayo salary is charged to these grants.  The subcontract awards to, and the work performed by, the Mayo Clinic are administered by the Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research and adheres to the approval and conflicts-of-interest policies of both the Mayo Clinic and the Company.

 

On or about October 1, 2013, the Company’s subsidiary, Dynasil Biomedical, formed Xcede Technologies, Inc., a joint venture with Mayo Clinic, to spin out and separately fund the development of its tissue sealant technology. Mr. Sulick, Mr. Fox, Dr. Joyner and Dr. Hagan, invested $100,000, $37,500, $25,000 and $12,500, respectively, in Xcede and were issued convertible promissory notes in those original principal amounts which accrue interest at the rate of 5% per annum. As of December 16, 2013, Mr. Sulick’s note is convertible into 60,616 shares, or 1.98%, Mr. Fox’s note is convertible into 22,682 shares, or 0.75%, Dr. Joyner’s note is convertible into 15,154 shares, or 0.50% and Dr. Hagan’s note is convertible into 7,577 shares, or 0.25%, of Xcede’s outstanding common stock. Upon the closing of a capital stock financing, the outstanding principal amount of the notes plus all accrued but unpaid interest on the notes will be converted into shares of the same capital stock sold in the capital stock financing at a 20% discount to the price per share of that capital stock financing. Alternatively, at any time prior to a capital stock financing the note holders can convert at their option into common stock based on a $5 million valuation.

 

 
 

 

The intellectual property rights to certain of the technologies purchased by the Company in April 2011 when it established Dynasil Biomedical and acquired intellectual property assets from Dr. Daniel Ericson are jointly owned with the Mayo Clinic or persons affiliated with the Mayo Clinic. Specifically, Dynasil Biomedical's blood storage technology was invented by Dr. Daniel Ericson and Dr. Michael Joyner.  Dr. Ericson assigned his ownership rights to such technology to Dynasil Biomedical and because Dr. Joyner is an employee of the Mayo Clinic his ownership rights in such technology are assigned to the Mayo Clinic.  In April 2011, the Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research and Dynasil Biomedical entered into an Inter-Institutional Agreement, which sets forth the terms on which the parties may work together to seek to commercialize this technology.

 

Equity Compensation Plan Information

 

The Company adopted Stock Incentive Plans in 1996 and 1999 that permit, among other incentives, grants and options to officers, directors, employees and consultants to purchase up to 3,750,000 shares of the Company’s common stock.  At the February 3, 2010 Annual Meeting, a new Stock Incentive Plan was adopted by the shareholders which permits up to 6,000,000 shares of the Company’s common stock to be issued through this plan. Options granted pursuant to the 2010 plan are exercisable at or above the common stock’s fair market value on the date of grant and generally vest over a three to five-year period.  At September 30, 2013, 3,868,124 shares of common stock were available for issuance under the 2010 plan and 61,782 stock options were outstanding, with exercise prices from $3.03 to $6.65. For the 2010 plan to date, options have been granted at exercise prices ranging from $3.58 to $7.32 per share.  

 

At September 30, 2013, an additional 568,750 options were outstanding that were issued through the 1999 Stock Incentive Plan, ranging in exercise prices from $2.00 to $4.00.

 

 

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 security holders   630,532   $3.33    4,033,266(1)
Equity compensation plans not approved by security holders   none    none    none 

 

(1) Includes 3,868,124 shares of common stock available for issuance in the 2010 Stock Incentive Plan and 165,142 shares of common stock available for issuance under the Amended and Restated Employee Stock Purchase Plan.

 

PROPOSAL 2

RATIFICATION OF APPOINTMENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTING FIRM

 

Subject to the approval of the Company’s stockholders, the Audit Committee has decided that McGladrey LLP, which firm has been the independent registered public accounting firm of the Company for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2013, should continue to be the independent registered public accounting firm of the Company. Although ratification by our shareholders is not required by our by-laws or otherwise, the Audit Committee believes that it is appropriate to seek shareholder ratification of this appointment in light of the critical role played by the independent registered public accounting firm. In the event this ratification is not received, the Audit Committee will reconsider the selection of McGladrey. One or more representatives of McGladrey will be available at the Annual Meeting. They will have the opportunity to make a statement if they desire to do so and are expected to be available to respond to appropriate questions from shareholders.

 

 
 

 

On February 23, 2012, the Audit Committee approved the engagement of McGladrey LLP (“McGladrey”) as our independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2012 (fiscal 2012) and dismissed Haefele, Flanagan & Co., p.c. (“Haefele Flanagan”), which had served as our independent registered public accounting firm since fiscal 1999, including fiscal years 2010 and 2011. Haefele Flanagan’s audit reports on our consolidated financial statements for fiscal 2010 and 2011 did not contain any adverse opinion or disclaimer of opinion, and were not qualified or modified as to uncertainty, audit scope or accounting principles. During those fiscal years and through the date hereof, there was no disagreement between us and Haefele Flanagan on any matter of accounting principles or practices, financial statement disclosure, or auditing scope or procedure, which disagreement, if not resolved to the satisfaction of Haefele Flanagan, would have caused Haefele Flanagan to make reference to the subject matter of the disagreement in its audit report; and there were no reportable events, as defined in Item 304(a)(1)(v) of SEC Regulation S-K.

 

Accountants Fees

 

McGladrey LLP was our independent registered public accounting firm for fiscal 2013 and 2012. The fees we paid to McGladrey LLP in fiscal 2013 and 2012 were as follows:

 

(a)   Audit Fees

The aggregated fees billed or to be billed by McGladrey for professional services rendered for the audit of the Company's consolidated financial statements included in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2013, the review of the consolidated financial statements included in the Company’s Quarterly Reports on form 10-Q during that fiscal year and out-of-pocket expenses are $240,447 The aggregated fees billed or to be billed by McGladrey for professional services rendered for the audit of the Company's consolidated financial statements included in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2012, the review of the consolidated financial statements included in the Company’s Quarterly Reports on form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2012 and June 30, 2012, and out-of-pocket expenses are $259,854.

 

The aggregate fees billed for professional services rendered by the Haefele, Flanagan & Co., p.c. for the review of the financial statements included in the Company’s Forms 10-Q for the quarter ended December 31, 2012 are $12,500.

 

(b)  Audit Related Fees

The Company incurred no “audit related” fees for professional services rendered by the Company’s principal accountant for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2013 and 2012.

 

(c)   Tax Fees

During fiscal year 2013 and 2012, the Company incurred fees of $43,500 and $0 for professional services rendered by McGladrey LLP for tax compliance, tax advice and tax planning.

 

(d)  All Other Fees

The Company incurred no fees for other services provided by McGladrey during fiscal year 2013. The Company incurred fees of $7,500 for other fees for services by the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm during fiscal year 2012. 

 

(e) Pre-approval Policies and Procedures

The Board of Directors has adopted a pre-approval policy requiring that the Audit Committee pre-approve the audit and non-audit services performed by the independent auditor in order to assure that the provision of such services do not impair the auditor’s independence.  All auditor fees were pre-approved during fiscal years 2013 and 2012.

 

 
 

 

SECTION 16(a) BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP REPORTING COMPLIANCE

 

Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 requires the Company’s directors, executive officers and persons owning more than 10% of the Company’s registered equity securities to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission reports of their initial ownership and of changes in their ownership of the Company’s equity securities and to provide the Company with copies of all Section 16(a) reports they file.

 

Based on a review of the reports filed by such persons with respect to the Company’s last fiscal year, the Company believes that all its executive officers and directors have complied with the Section 16(a) filing requirements.

 

OTHER MATTERS

 

As of the date of this Proxy Statement, the Company knows of no business that will be presented for consideration at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders other than the items referred to above. In the event that any other matter is properly brought before the meeting for action by the stockholders, proxies in the enclosed form returned to the Company will be voted in accordance with the recommendation of the Board of Directors or, in the absence of such a recommendation, in accordance with the judgment of the proxy holder.

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

 

Stockholder Proposals for the Annual Meeting. Stockholders interested in submitting a proposal for consideration at the Company's annual meeting of stockholders in 2015 may do so by following the procedures prescribed in Rule 14a-8 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Company's by-laws. To be eligible for inclusion in the Company’s proxy materials for the annual meeting in 2015, stockholder proposals must be received by the Company's Corporate Secretary no later than September 15, 2014. A stockholder who wishes to make a proposal at the 2015 annual meeting, but does not wish to have the proposal included in the proxy statement for that meeting, must give notice of the proposal to us no later than November 29, 2014, in order for the notice to be considered timely under Rule 14a-4(c) of the SEC.

 

Stockholder Communications to the Board. Stockholders interested in communicating to the Dynasil Board of Directors may do so through the Dynasil website, www.Dynasil.com, by clicking on “Contact” and then “Request Information”. All communications from stockholders to Board members (other than communications soliciting the purchase of products and services) will be promptly relayed to the Board members to whom the communications are addressed.

 

Proxy Solicitation Costs. The proxies being solicited hereby are being solicited by the Company. The cost of soliciting proxies in the enclosed form will be borne by the Company. Officers and regular employees of the Company may, but without compensation other than their regular compensation, solicit proxies by further mailing or personal conversations, or by telephone, telex, facsimile or electronic means. The Company will, upon request, reimburse brokerage firms and others for their reasonable expenses in forwarding solicitation material to the beneficial owners of stock.

 

  By order of the Board of Directors:
   
  Patricia M. Kehe, Corporate Secretary

 

January 3, 2014

Watertown, Massachusetts

 

 
 

  

PROXY FORM DYNASIL CORPORATION OF AMERICA PROXY FORM

 

Annual Meeting of Stockholders - To Be Held February 13, 2014 at 10:00 AM local time at 44 Hunt Street, Watertown, MA.

 

THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS SOLICITS THIS PROXY

 

The undersigned hereby appoint(s) PETER SULICK and THOMAS LEONARD or either of them, as attorney-in-fact, agent and proxy of the undersigned, with full power of substitution, to vote all shares of common stock of Dynasil Corporation of America that the undersigned would be entitled to cast if personally present at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders of the Company, and at any postponement or adjournment thereof.

 

THIS PROXY WILL BE VOTED AS SPECIFIED BY THE UNDERSIGNED. IF NO CHOICE IS SPECIFIED, THE PROXY WILL BE VOTED FOR EACH OF THE BELOW LISTED PERSONS AS A DIRECTOR AND PROPOSALS TWO AND THREE.

 

Please date, sign exactly as your name appears on the form and mail the proxy promptly. When signing as an attorney, executor, administrator, trustee or guardian, please give your full title as such. If shares are held jointly, both owners must sign.

 

Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for the
Stockholder Meeting to Be Held on February 13, 2014:

 

This Proxy Statement and the Annual Report are available to the Company’s stockholders electronically via the Internet at http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=114137&p=irol-irhome.

 

Director Nominees: (1) Craig Dunham, (2) Lawrence Fox, (3) William Hagan, (4) Michael Joyner, (5) David Kronfeld, (6) Alan Levine and (7) Peter Sulick

 

  

 

The Board of Directors Recommends a Vote For Each of the Directors Listed in Proposal One and For Proposal Two:

 

(1)ELECTION OF DIRECTORS: Craig Dunham, Lawrence Fox, William Hagan, Michael Joyner, David Kronfeld, Alan Levine, Peter Sulick

 

FOR ¨ WITHHOLD ¨ Withhold authority to vote for the individual ¨
all nominees (except as authority to vote for all nominees(s) identified in the space provided below
marked to the contrary) nominees  
     

  

    FOR AGAINST ABSTAIN
(2) To ratify the appointment of McGladrey LLP as the Company’s  independent registered public accounting firm for the 2014 fiscal year.  ¨ ¨ ¨

 

SIGNATURE     DATE     [name of shareholder 1]
     
SIGNATURE     DATE     [name of shareholder 2]
    [address of shareholder]
    [City, State, Zip]