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OTHER RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2015
Notes to Financial Statements  
NOTE 14. OTHER RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

Research and Development Consulting Services

 

Our policy is that employees, non-employees, and third parties must obtain authorization from the appropriate department executive manager, for any business relationship or proposed business transaction in which they or an immediate family member has a direct or indirect interest, or from which they or an immediate family member may derive a personal benefit (a "related party transaction"). The maximum dollar amount of related party transactions that may be approved as described above in this paragraph in any calendar year is $120,000. Any related party transactions that would bring the total value of such transactions to greater than $120,000 must be referred to the Audit Committee to determine the procedure for approval, and then have the recommendations presented to the Board of Directors for approval.

 

Several relatives of Nikolay Shilev, Bovie Bulgaria's Managing Director, are considered related parties. Teodora Shileva, Mr. Shilev's spouse is an employee of the company working in the Accounting department. Antoaneta Dimitrova Shileva-Toromanova, Mr. Shilev's sister is the Manager of Production and Human Resources. Svetoslav Shilev, Mr. Shilev's son is an Engineer in the Quality Assurance department.

 

A relative of Moshe Citronowicz, Bovie's Senior Vice President, is considered a related party. Arik Zoran is a consultant of the Company doing business as AR Logic, Inc., a consulting firm owned by Arik Zoran, Mr. Citronowicz's brother. On March 1, 2013 the Company amended the Consulting Services Agreement dated January 2011, extending the term of the existing agreement until December 31, 2014. The agreement shall automatically renew for additional one year periods, unless either party gives written notice of its desire not to renew at least one year prior to the expiration of the initial Term or renewal term. The agreement with AR Logic provides for a monthly retainer for engineering support for our existing generator product line and a separate hourly based fee structure for additional consulting related to new product lines. AR Logic has a royalty contract with us related to the creation and design of proprietary technology that is used in some of our generators. AR Logic was paid consulting fees of approximately $259,200, $252,000, and $266,600 during 2015, 2014, and 2013, respectively.

 

A second relative of Mr. Citronowicz is considered a related party. Yechiel Tsitrinovich is also a brother of Mr. Citronowicz, and acts as a consultant to the Company related to research and development of certain products. Mr. Tsitrinovich has a royalty contract with us related to the creation and design of a proprietary technology that is used in some of our generators. Mr. Tsitrinovich was paid a combination of consulting fees and royalties on previous product designs approximating $67,575, $72,412, and $72,890 for 2015, 2014, and 2013, respectively.