From: Tom Sifferman [tsifferman@yahoo.com]
Sent: Monday, July 07, 2003 7:27 PM
To: rule-comments@sec.gov
Subject: File no. S7-10-03 (NOMINATION OF DIRECTORS)

Mr. Jonathan G. Katz,

I am a private investor and have stock in several
companies. I have been attending shareholder meetings
for about 40 years and have presented shareholder
proposals at several meetings recently on annual
elections, cumulative voting, independence of
directors, reducing the number of directors, etc.

I feel that most "nominating" committees (by whatever
name) have directors that are "gatekeepers" and do not
accept shareholder suggestions. In fact, I have asked
several companies the number of nominees that have
been accepted from shareholders and have not received
any answers. This implies to me that they never (or at
best, very seldom) accept outsider's ideas.

The companies that allow nominations from the floor at
annual meetings know that most votes have been counted
already, so it is a "done deal" already.  

Shareholders need the right to nominate directors in
an effective manner.

Tom Sifferman, Ph.D. P.E.

90 East Fairbranch Circle
The Woodlands, TX 77382

281-363-2624





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