UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE 14A
(Rule 14a-101)
INFORMATION REQUIRED IN PROXY STATEMENT
SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION
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
Payment
of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):
|
☒
|
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:
|
ZOOM TELEPHONICS, INC.
99 High
Street
Boston,
MA 02110
May 28,
2019
Dear
Stockholder:
You are
cordially invited to attend the Annual Meeting of Stockholders of
Zoom Telephonics, Inc. to be held on Tuesday, July 9, 2019 at 225
Franklin Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02110. The meeting will
begin at 10:00 a.m. Some of Zoom’s officers will be available
for discussion before and after the meeting. After the short formal
part of the meeting, there will be a business presentation and a
question-and-answer period.
We are
using the Internet as our primary means of furnishing the proxy
materials to our stockholders. This process expedites the delivery
of proxy materials and reduces our expenses.
We
recognize that many stockholders may not be able to attend the
Annual Meeting in person. In accordance with rules adopted by the
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, we are mailing to our
stockholders a Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials
on or about May 28, 2019, which contains instructions on how
stockholders can access the proxy materials over the Internet and
vote electronically or by phone. The Notice of Internet
Availability of Proxy Materials also contains instructions
describing how stockholders can request a paper copy of our proxy
materials, including the Proxy Statement, the 2018 Annual Report
and a form of proxy card.
Whether
or not you plan to attend the Annual Meeting, we urge you to vote
your shares by using one of the voting options available to you as
described in the Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials
and in our Proxy Statement. If you wish to revoke your proxy at the
meeting, you can withdraw your proxy and vote in
person.
The
Board of Directors has fixed the close of business on May 16, 2019
as the record date for determination of stockholders entitled to
notice of, and to vote at, the Annual Meeting and any adjournments
or postponements thereof.
I look
forward to seeing those of you who will be able to
attend.
ZOOM TELEPHONICS, INC.
99 High
Street
Boston,
MA 02110
NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
NOTICE
IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the
"Annual Meeting") of Zoom Telephonics, Inc. (the
“Company”) will be held on Tuesday, July 9, 2019 at
10:00 a.m. Eastern Time at 225 Franklin Street, Boston,
Massachusetts 02110. The meeting will be held for the following
purposes:
1.
To elect seven (7)
directors to serve for the ensuing year until their successors are
duly elected;
2.
To ratify the appointment of
Marcum LLP as the Company’s independent registered public
accounting firm for its fiscal year ending December 31,
2019;
3.
To approve by
a non-binding advisory vote the compensation of the Company’s
named executive officers (the “say-on-pay”
vote);
4.
To hold an advisory vote on the frequency of holding future
say-on-pay votes.
5.
To
approve an amendment to the Company’s Amended and Restated
Certificate of Incorporation to increase the number of authorized
shares of Common Stock to 40,000,000;
6.
To
approve the Company’s 2019 Directors Stock Option
Plan;
7.
To
approve the Company’s 2019 Stock Option Plan;
and
8.
To
approve an amendment to the Company’s Amended and Restated
Certificate of Incorporation to effect a reverse stock split of the
shares of the Company’s Common Stock at a ratio of not less
than 1-for-2 and not greater than 1-for-10, with the exact ratio,
effective time, and decision whether to implement the reverse stock
split to be determined by the Board of Directors.
The
Board of Directors has fixed the close of business on May 16, 2019
as the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to
receive notice of and to vote at the Annual Meeting and any
continuation or adjournment thereof.
All
stockholders are cordially invited to attend the Annual Meeting.
Whether or not you plan to attend the Annual Meeting, you are urged
to vote by proxy in accordance with the instructions included in
the Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials. Any
stockholder attending the Annual Meeting may vote in person even if
he or she has voted by proxy.
|
BY
ORDER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
|
|
|
|
Frank
B. Manning
|
|
President
|
Boston,
Massachusetts
May 28,
2019
Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for
the Shareholder Meeting to be Held on
Tuesday, July 9, 2019: The Proxy Statement for the Annual Meeting
and the Annual Report to
Shareholders for the year ended December 31, 2018 are
available at
www.edocumentview.com/ZMTP
.
|
|
|
|
IMPORTANT:
YOU
ARE URGED TO SUBMIT YOUR PROXY BY INTERNET OR TELEPHONE BY
FOLLOWING THE INSTRUCTIONS FOUND ON THE NOTICE OF INTERNET
AVAILABILITY OF PROXY MATERIALS. EVEN IF YOU HAVE SUBMITTED YOUR
PROXY, YOUR PROXY MAY BE REVOKED AT ANY TIME PRIOR TO EXERCISE BY
FILING WITH THE SECRETARY OF THE COMPANY A WRITTEN REVOCATION, BY
EXECUTING A PROXY AT A LATER DATE, OR BY ATTENDING AND VOTING AT
THE MEETING.
|
|
|
THANK
YOU FOR ACTING PROMPTLY.
|
|
|
|
|
ZOOM TELEPHONICS, INC.
PROXY STATEMENT FOR THE 2019 ANNUAL MEETING OF
STOCKHOLDERS
TO BE HELD ON JULY 9, 2019
INFORMATION CONCERNING SOLICITATION AND VOTING
General
The
enclosed proxy is solicited on behalf of the Board of Directors of
Zoom Telephonics, Inc., for use at the Annual Meeting of
Stockholders to be held on Tuesday, July 9, 2019 at 10:00 a.m.
Eastern Time (the "Annual Meeting"), or at any continuation or
adjournment thereof, for the purposes set forth herein and in the
accompanying Notice of Annual Meeting of Stockholders. The Annual
Meeting will be held at 225 Franklin Street, Boston, Massachusetts
02110. We intend to mail a Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy
Materials (sometimes referred to as the “Notice”) and
to make this proxy statement and Zoom's Annual Report for the year
ending December 31, 2018, available to our shareholders of
record entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting on or about May 28,
2019. In this proxy statement we refer to Zoom Telephonics, Inc. as
“Zoom,” “we,” or
“us.”
Record Date, Stock Ownership and Voting
Only
stockholders of record at the close of business on May 16, 2019,
are entitled to receive notice of and to vote at the Annual
Meeting. At the close of business on May 16, 2019 there were
outstanding and entitled to vote 20,707,636 shares of common stock,
par value $.01 per share ("Common Stock"). Each stockholder is
entitled to one vote for each share of Common Stock.
One-third of the
shares of Common Stock outstanding and entitled to vote is required
to be present or represented by proxy at the Annual Meeting in
order to constitute the quorum necessary to take action at the
Annual Meeting. Votes cast by proxy or in person at the Annual
Meeting will be tabulated by the inspector of elections appointed
for the Annual Meeting. The inspector of elections will treat
abstentions as shares of Common Stock that are present and entitled
to vote for purposes of determining a quorum. Shares of Common
Stock held of record by brokers who do not return a signed and
dated proxy or do not comply with the voting instructions will not
be considered present at the Annual Meeting, will not be counted
towards a quorum and will not be voted on any proposal. Shares of
Common Stock held of record by brokers who complete a proxy in
accordance with the instructions included in the Notice of Internet
Availability and Proxy Material or comply with the voting
instructions but who fail to vote on one or more proposals
(“broker non-votes”) will be considered present at the
Annual Meeting and will count toward the quorum but will be deemed
not to have voted on such proposal.
The
seven (7) nominees for the Board of Directors who receive the
greatest number of votes cast by stockholders present in person or
represented by proxy and entitled to vote thereon will be elected
directors of Zoom.
An
affirmative vote of a majority of the votes properly cast at the
Annual Meeting will be necessary to ratify the appointment of
Marcum LLP as the Company’s independent registered public
accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2019.
Abstentions and broker non-votes will have no effect on the outcome
of voting on this matter.
An
affirmative vote of a majority of the votes properly cast at the
Annual Meeting will be necessary to approve by a non-binding
advisory vote the compensation of the Company’s named
executive officers. Abstentions and broker non-votes will have no
effect on the outcome of voting on this matter.
An
affirmative vote of a majority of the votes properly cast at the
Annual Meeting will be necessary to approve by a non-binding
advisory vote the
frequency of holding
future say-on-pay votes
. Abstentions and broker non-votes
will have no effect on the outcome of voting on this
matter.
An
affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding shares of Common
Stock entitled to vote thereon will be necessary to approve
the amendment to the Company’s
Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation to increase the
number of authorized shares of Common Stock to 40,000,000.
Any shares not
voted (whether by abstention, broker non-vote or otherwise) will
have the same effect as a vote against this proposal. Accordingly,
it is important that beneficial owners instruct their brokers how
they wish to vote their shares on this
proposal.
An
affirmative vote of a majority of the votes properly cast at the
Annual Meeting will be necessary to
approve the Company’s 2019 Directors Stock
Option Plan
. Abstentions and broker non-votes will have no
effect on the outcome of voting on this matter.
An
affirmative vote of a majority of the votes properly cast at the
Annual Meeting will be necessary to
approve the Company’s 2019 Stock Option
Plan
. Abstentions and broker non-votes will have no effect
on the outcome of voting on this matter.
An
affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding shares of Common
Stock entitled to vote thereon will be necessary to approve the
amendment to the Company’s
Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation to effect a
reverse stock split of the shares of the Company’s Common
Stock at a ratio of not less than 1-for-2 and not greater than
1-for-10, with the exact ratio, effective time, and decision to
implement the reverse stock split to be determined by the Board of
Directors.
Any shares not voted (whether
by abstention, broker non-vote or otherwise) will have the same
effect as a vote against this proposal. Accordingly, it is
important that beneficial owners instruct their brokers how they
wish to vote their shares on this proposal.
We do
not intend to submit any other proposals to the stockholders at the
Annual Meeting. The Board of Directors was not aware, a reasonable
time before mailing of this proxy statement to stockholders, of any
other business that may properly be presented for action at the
Annual Meeting. If any other business should properly come before
the Annual Meeting, shares represented by all proxies received by
us will be voted with respect thereto in accordance with the best
judgment of the persons named as attorneys in the
proxies.
How to Vote
If you
are a shareholder of record, you may vote in person at the Annual
Meeting. We will give you a ballot when you arrive.
If you
do not wish to vote in person or you will not be attending the
Annual Meeting, you may vote by proxy. You may vote by proxy over
the Internet, over the telephone or by mail. The procedures for
voting by proxy are as follows:
●
To vote by proxy
over the Internet go to the web address listed on the Notice of
Internet Availability of Proxy Materials; or
●
To vote by proxy
over the telephone, dial the toll-free phone number listed on the
Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials under the
heading “Telephone” and following the recorded
instructions; or
●
To vote by written
proxy you must request a printed copy of these proxy materials by
mail at no cost to you as indicated on the Notice of Internet
Availability of Proxy Materials. Complete, sign and date your proxy
card and return it promptly in the envelope.
Revocability of Proxies
Any
person giving a proxy in the form accompanying this proxy statement
has the power to revoke it at any time before the final vote. A
person’s proxy vote may be revoked by filing a written notice
of revocation with the Secretary of Zoom at Zoom's headquarters, 99
High Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02110, by duly executing a proxy
bearing a later date, or by attending the Annual Meeting and voting
in person.
Solicitation
All
costs of this solicitation of proxies will be borne by Zoom. Zoom
may reimburse banks, brokerage firms and other persons representing
beneficial owners of shares for their reasonable expenses incurred
in forwarding solicitation materials to such beneficial owners.
Solicitation of proxies by mail may be supplemented by telephone,
fax, electronic mail, or personal solicitations by directors,
officers, or employees of Zoom. No additional compensation will be
paid for any such services. Zoom may engage a professional proxy
solicitation firm to assist in the proxy solicitation and, if so,
will pay such solicitation firm customary fees plus
expenses.
PROPOSAL NO. 1
ELECTION OF DIRECTORS
A Board
of seven (7) directors is to be elected at the Annual Meeting. The
Board of Directors, upon the recommendation of the Nominating
Committee, has nominated the persons listed below for election as
directors of Zoom, all of whom have been nominated for
re-election:
Unless
otherwise instructed, the proxy holders will vote the proxies
received by them for the nominees named above. All nominees are
currently directors of Zoom. In the event that any nominee is
unable or unwilling to serve as a director at the time of the
Annual Meeting, the proxies will be voted for the nominee, if any,
who shall be designated by the present Board of Directors to fill
the vacancy. It is not expected that any nominee will be unable or
unwilling to serve as a director. The proposed nominees are not
being nominated pursuant to any arrangement or understanding with
any person. Each director elected will hold office until the next
Annual Meeting or until his successor is duly elected or appointed
and qualified, unless his office is earlier vacated in accordance
with the Certificate of Incorporation of Zoom or he becomes
disqualified to act as a director. The seven (7) nominees who
receive the greatest number of votes cast by stockholders present,
in person or by proxy, and entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting,
will be elected directors of Zoom.
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS THAT YOU VOTE “FOR”
THE
ELECTION OF THE SEVEN NOMINEES SET FORTH ABOVE.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND MANAGEMENT
Information Regarding the Board of Directors
The
Board of Directors currently consists of seven members. Robert
Crowley passed away September 12, 2018. Derek Elder resigned from
the Board of Directors on January 25, 2019, and this was not the
result of any disagreement with management. In connection with the
closing of a private placement of Common Stock pursuant to a Stock
Purchase Agreement dated May 3, 2019, the Board of Directors was
expanded from five to seven members, and Jeremy Hitchcock and
Jonathan Seelig were appointed to fill the resulting vacancies. In
the event that Mr. Hitchcock and/or Mr. Seelig resign or are
removed from the Board of Directors, Zulu Holdings LLC will have
the right to designate replacement directors pursuant to the terms
of the Stock Purchase Agreement. At each meeting of stockholders,
Directors are elected for a one-year term. The following table and
biographical descriptions set forth information regarding the
current members of the Board of Directors.
Name
|
|
Age
|
|
Principal Occupation
|
|
Director Since
|
|
Frank
B. Manning
|
|
70
|
|
Chief
Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Zoom Telephonics,
Inc.
|
|
|
1977
|
|
Peter
R. Kramer
(2),
(3)
|
|
67
|
|
Artist
|
|
|
1977
|
|
Joseph
J. Donovan
(1),
(2), (3)
|
|
70
|
|
Adjunct
Professor at Suffolk University's Sawyer School of
Management
|
|
|
2005
|
|
Philip
Frank
(1),
(2)
|
|
48
|
|
President
and CEO of VUI, Inc.
|
|
|
2015
|
|
Peter
Sykes
(1)
|
|
73
|
|
Personal
Investor
|
|
|
2016
|
|
Jeremy
Hitchcock
(3)
|
|
37
|
|
President
and Chief Executive Officer of Minim, Inc.
|
|
|
2019
|
|
Jonathan
Seelig
|
|
46
|
|
Chief
Executive Officer of Tectonic
|
|
|
2019
|
|
(1)
Current
Members of the Audit Committee. Chair Philip
Frank.
(2)
Current Members of the
Compensation Committee. Chair Peter Kramer.
(3)
Current Members of the Nominating
Committee. Chair Joseph Donovan.
Frank B. Manning
is a co-founder of our
company. Mr. Manning has been our chief executive officer and
a Director since May 1977, and served as our president from
1977 through 2018. He has served as our chairman of the board since
1986. He earned his BS, MS and PhD degrees in Electrical
Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where
he was a National Science Foundation Fellow. From 1998 through late
2006 Mr. Manning was also a director of the Massachusetts
Technology Development Corporation, a public purpose venture
capital firm that invests in seed and early-stage technology
companies in Massachusetts. Mr. Manning is the brother of
Terry Manning, our vice president of sales and marketing. From 1999
to 2005 Mr. Frank Manning was a Director of Intermute, a
company that Zoom co-founded and that was sold to Trend Micro Inc.,
a subsidiary of Trend Micro Japan. Mr. Manning was a Director
of Unity Business Networks, a hosted VoIP service provider, from
Zoom's investment in July 2007 until Unity’s acquisition
in October 2009. From its inception until November 2010
Mr. Manning was also a director of Zoom Technologies, Inc.
Mr. Manning’s extensive experience as our CEO and
President for many years, as well as his overall experience and
professional skills in electronics and business, enable him to
capably serve as Chairman of Zoom’s Board of
Directors.
Peter R. Kramer
is a co-founder of Zoom
and has been a Director of Zoom since May 1977.
Mr. Kramer also served as our Executive Vice President from
May 1977 until November 2009, when he retired from this
position. He earned his B.A. degree in 1973 from SUNY Stony Brook
and his Master’s in Fine Art degree from C.W. Post College in
1975. From 1999 to 2005 Mr. Kramer was a Director of
Intermute, a company that Zoom co-founded and that was sold to
Trend Micro Inc., a subsidiary of Trend Micro Japan.
Mr. Kramer was a member of the Board of Directors of Zoom
Technologies, Inc. from 1977 until September 2009.
Mr. Kramer’s experience as our co-founder and as
Executive Vice President of Zoom for over thirty years enables him
to bring a well-informed perspective to our Board of
Directors.
Joseph J. Donovan
has been a Director
of Zoom since 2005. From March 2004 through
September 2009 Mr. Donovan served as the Director of
Education Programs of Suffolk University's Sawyer School of
Management on the Dean College campus, where he was responsible for
the administration of undergraduate and graduate course offerings
at Dean College. Mr. Donovan serves as an adjunct faculty
member at Suffolk University's Sawyer School of Management. He
teaches Money and Capital Markets, Managerial Economics, and
Managerial Finance in the Graduate School of Business
Administration at Suffolk University. Mr. Donovan served as
the Director of Emerging Technology Development for the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts' Office of Emerging Technology from
January 1993 through October 2004. Mr. Donovan also
served as a Director of the Massachusetts Technology Development
Corporation, the Massachusetts Emerging Technology Development
Fund, and the Massachusetts Community Development Corporation. He
received a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and History from St.
Anselm College in Manchester, N.H. and a Master's Degree in
Economics and Business from the University of Nebraska.
Mr. Donovan was a member of the Board of Directors of Zoom
Technologies, Inc. from 2005 until September 2009.
Mr. Donovan adds a unique perspective to our Board of
Directors which he gained through his experience both as an
educator and a leader in the Massachusetts high technology
community.
Philip Frank
is a technology executive with over 25
years of experience.
He has been a Director of Zoom since September 22,
2015. He has served as President, CEO and Director of VUI,
Inc. since September 2018. Prior to that he was the
President, CEO and a Director of AirSense Wireless from August of
2016 until its sale to Charter Communications in January 2018, and
was Zoom's Chief Financial Officer from September 2015 to July
2016. From February 2005 to December 2014 he worked for the
Nokia Corporation including Nokia Siemens Networks, based in
London, UK. At Nokia, Mr. Frank was most recently the Global
Head of Corporate Development and M&A. Earlier in his
career Mr. Frank was an executive with AT&T Wireless and he
also worked with global advisory firms DiamondCluster International
and Accenture. He received a Master’s in Business
Administration from the University of Michigan
Ross School of Business. Mr. Frank’s
extensive experience as a senior financial and development
executive with the world’s largest telecommunications service
provider and with the world’s largest infrastructure vendor
provides Zoom with topical industry expertise and a valuable
perspective regarding financial management, strategy, business
development and sales.
Peter Sykes
has been a Director of Zoom
since October 24, 2016. Mr. Sykes is a British entrepreneur
and investor. Mr. Sykes had a successful corporate career with Dell
Inc., from 1992 to 2002, initially setting up the Dell subsidiaries
in Switzerland and Austria and later developing the Dell Global
Enterprise Program across Europe. Subsequently Mr. Sykes
spearheaded Dell's development of Thailand, Korea and India.
Since 2002 Mr. Sykes has managed his personal investment portfolio.
Mr. Sykes has a wealth of experience developing electronics
hardware sales channels, enabling him to capably serve on our Board
of Directors.
Jeremy
Hitchcock
is a technology entrepreneur and executive who
joined Zoom’s board in 2019. Mr. Hitchcock serves as CEO of
Minim, a fast growing IoT networking and security company.
Previously Mr. Hitchcock founded Dyn when he was a student at
Worcester Polytechnic Institute in 2001. Dyn is an Internet
infrastructure company connecting people, content, and commerce.
The company grew from Dyn grew to 500 people and raised $100
million of growth capital, the company was acquired by Oracle in
2017. Mr. Hitchcock’s extensive experience in networking,
security, and business enable him to capably serve our Board of
Directors.
Jonathan Seelig
joined as a Director of
Zoom in 2019. Mr. Seelig is Co-founder and CEO of Tectonic Network,
a startup cloud infrastructure company. While a student at MIT, he
co-founded Akamai (NASDAQ: AKAM), the world’s first and
largest Content Delivery Network. He was formerly Managing Director
at Globespan Capital Partners and Chairman of the board at Zipcar.
Mr. Seelig has been a board member of over a dozen companies and an
investor in many more. His extensive experience in networking,
cloud infrastructure, business, and finance enable him to capably
serve our Board of Directors.
Our Other Executive Officers
The
names and biographical information of our current executive
officers who are not members of our Board of Directors are set
forth below:
Name
|
|
Age
|
|
Position with Zoom
|
Joseph
L. Wytanis
|
|
59
|
|
President
and Chief Operating Officer
|
Terry
J. Manning
|
|
67
|
|
Vice
President of Sales and Marketing
|
Deena
Randall
|
|
65
|
|
Vice
President of Operations
|
Joseph L. Wytanis
joined us in 2018 as
a
high technology senior
level executive with extensive experience in consumer electronic
and communication companies.
Prior to joining Zoom, he served as Senior
Practice Engagement Partner at Infosys Limited from March 2018,
where he provided engineering services consulting to cable, mobile
and satellite service operators and has also served as a Principal
at High Tech Associates, LLC since August 2011, where he provided
consulting services relating to vision, strategy, business
development and marketing. Mr. Wytanis served as Executive Vice
President and Chief Operating Officer at SMC Networks, Inc. from
January 2012 through August 2014, where he successfully led
the introduction of a complete line of cable home networking
products and smart home IoT products. He previously served as a
Vice President and General Manager at Scientific-Atlanta/Cisco
System, Inc. from 2000 through 2011, where he helped to grow the
Cable Home Networking Business Unit from a start-up to a profitable
business, and prior to that held marketing, business and strategy
positions with Panasonic, BellSouth, NCR/AT&T, Northern Telecom
and the Associated Press.
Mr. Wytanis earned a BS in Business
Administration/Marketing from Rowan University and an MBA from the
University of Georgia, Terry College of
Business.
Terry J. Manning
joined us in 1984 and
served as corporate communications director from 1984 until 1989,
when he became the director of our sales and marketing department.
Terry Manning is Frank Manning's brother. Terry Manning earned his
BA degree from Washington University in St. Louis in 1974 and his
MPPA degree from the University of Missouri at St. Louis in
1977.
Deena Randall
joined us in 1977.
Ms. Randall has served in various senior positions within our
organization and has directed our operations since 1989.
Ms. Randall earned her BA degree from Eastern Nazarene College
in 1975.
Board of Directors' Meetings, Structure and Committees
The
Board of Directors held four (4) meetings during the year ending
December 31, 2018. Each director attended at least 75% of the
meetings of the Board of Directors and each Committee on which he
served. All of Zoom's directors are encouraged to attend Zoom's
Annual Meeting of stockholders. There was one director in
attendance at the 2018 Annual Meeting.
Standing committees
of the Board include an Audit Committee, a Compensation Committee
and a Nominating Committee. As of December 31, 2018,
Messrs. Donovan and Frank served as the members of the Audit
Committee. The chairman position of the Audit Committee was vacant.
Messrs. Donovan, Kramer and Frank served as members of the
Compensation Committee with Mr. Kramer presiding as chairman.
Messrs. Donovan and Kramer served as the members of the
Nominating Committee with Mr. Donovan presiding as
chairman.
Board Independence.
The Board of
Directors has reviewed the qualifications of Messrs. Donovan,
Kramer, Frank and Sykes and has determined that each individual is
"independent" as such term is defined under the current listing
standards of the Nasdaq Stock Market. In addition, each member of
the Audit Committee is independent as required under
Section 10A(m)(3) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended.
Structure of the Board of Directors.
Mr. Manning serves as our Chief Executive Officer and Chairman
of the Board. The Board of Directors believes that having our Chief
Executive Officer serve as Chairman of the Board facilitates the
Board of Directors’ decision-making process because
Mr. Manning has first-hand knowledge of Zoom’s
operations and the major issues facing the company. In addition,
the Board of Directors believes this structure makes sense
considering the size of Zoom’s operations. This structure
also enables Mr. Manning to act as the key link between the
Board of Directors and other members of management. The Board of
Directors has not designated a lead independent
director.
The Board of Directors’ Role in Risk
Oversight.
The Board of Directors oversees our risk
management process. This oversight is primarily accomplished
through the Board of Directors’ committees and
management’s reporting processes, including receiving regular
reports from members of senior management on areas of material risk
to the company, including operational, financial and strategic
risks. The Audit Committee focuses on risks related to accounting,
internal controls, and financial and tax reporting and related
party transactions. The Audit Committee also assesses economic and
business risks and monitors compliance with ethical standards. The
Compensation Committee identifies and oversees risks associated
with our executive compensation policies and
practices.
Audit Committee.
Messrs. Donovan,
Sykes and Frank are currently the members of the Audit Committee.
Mr. Sykes was appointed to the Audit Committee on May 16, 2019. The
Board of Directors has determined that Mr. Frank qualifies as an
"audit committee financial expert" as defined by applicable rules
of the Securities and Exchange Commission.
The
Audit Committee operates under a written charter adopted by the
Board of Directors, which is publicly available on Zoom's website
at www.zoomtel.com. Under the provisions of the Audit Committee
Charter, the primary functions of the Audit Committee are to assist
the Board of Directors with the oversight of (i) Zoom's financial
reporting process, accounting functions and internal controls and
(ii) the qualifications, independence, appointment, retention,
compensation and performance of Zoom's independent registered
public accounting firm. The Audit Committee is also responsible for
the establishment of "whistle-blowing" procedures, and the
oversight of certain other compliance matters. The Audit Committee
held four (4) meetings during 2018. See "Audit Committee Report"
below.
Compensation Committee.
Messrs. Frank, Kramer, and Donovan are currently the members
of Zoom's Compensation Committee. The primary functions of the
Compensation Committee include (i) reviewing and approving Zoom's
executive compensation, (ii) reviewing the recommendations of the
Chief Executive Officer regarding the compensation of senior
officers, (iii) evaluating the performance of the Chief Executive
Officer, and (iv) overseeing the administration of, and the
approval of grants of stock options and other equity awarded under
Zoom's stock option plans. The Compensation Committee operates
under a written charter adopted by the Board of Directors. A copy
of the Compensation Committee's written charter is publicly
available on Zoom's website at www.zoomtel.com. The Compensation
Committee held two meetings during 2018.
Decisions regarding
executive compensation are made by the Compensation Committee. The
Compensation Committee is also responsible for administering the
2009 Stock Option Plan, including determining the individuals to
whom stock options are awarded, the terms upon which option grants
are made, and the number of shares subject to each option granted.
Mr. Manning, Zoom’s President and a director of Zoom,
has made recommendations to the Compensation Committee regarding
the granting of stock options and participated in deliberations of
the Compensation Committee concerning executive officer
compensation. Mr. Manning does not participate in any
deliberation or vote establishing his compensation.
Nominating Committee.
Messrs. Donovan, Hitchcock, and Kramer are currently the
members of Zoom's Nominating Committee. The primary functions of
the Nominating Committee are to (i) identify, review and evaluate
candidates to serve as directors of Zoom, and (ii) make
recommendations to the Board of candidates for all directorships to
be filled by the stockholders or the Board.
The
Nominating Committee may consider candidates recommended by
stockholders as well as from other sources such as other directors
or officers, third party search firms or other appropriate sources.
Although the Company does not have a formal policy regarding
diversity in identifying nominees for directors, for all potential
candidates, the Nominating Committee may consider all factors it
deems relevant, such as a candidate's personal integrity and sound
judgment, business and professional skills and experience,
independence, possible conflicts of interest, diversity, the extent
to which the candidate would fill a present need on the Board, and
concern for the long-term interests of the stockholders. In
general, persons recommended by stockholders will be considered on
the same basis as candidates from other sources. If a stockholder
wishes to recommend a candidate for director for election at the
2020 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, it must follow the procedures
described in "Deadline for Receipt of Stockholder Proposals and
Recommendations for director."
The
Nominating Committee operates under a written charter adopted by
the Board of Directors. A copy of the Nominating Committee's
written charter is publicly available on Zoom's website at
www.zoomtel.com. The Nominating Committee held two meetings during
2018.
AUDIT COMMITTEE REPORT
The
Audit Committee has reviewed and discussed with management Zoom's
audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2018.
The Audit Committee has also discussed with Marcum LLP, Zoom's
independent registered public accounting firm for the year ended
December 31, 2018, the matters required to be discussed by the
Auditing Standards No. 16 (Communications with Audit Committees),
issued
by the Public
Company Accounting Oversight Board
. The Audit Committee has
received the written disclosures and the letter from the
independent auditors required by applicable requirements of the
Public Company Accounting Oversight Board regarding the independent
auditors’ communications with the Audit Committee concerning
independence, and has discussed with Marcum LLP that firm’s
independence. The Audit Committee has reviewed the independent
auditors’ fees for audit and non-audit services for the
fiscal year ended December 31, 2018.
Based
on its review and discussions of the foregoing, the Audit Committee
recommended to the Board of Directors that Zoom's audited financial
statements for 2018 be included in Zoom's Annual Report on
Form 10-K for the year ended December 31,
2018.
|
Audit Committee:
|
|
Philip
Frank, Chairman
|
|
Joseph
J. Donovan
|
|
Peter
Sykes
|
CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS
Item
404(d) of Regulation S-K requires us to disclose in our proxy
statement any transaction in which the amount involved exceeds the
lesser of (i) $120,000, or (ii) one percent of the average of
Zoom’s total assets at year-end for the last two completed
fiscal years, in which Zoom is a participant and in which any
related person has or will have a direct or indirect material
interest. A related person is any executive officer, Director,
nominee for Director, or holder of 5% or more of our common stock,
or an immediate family member of any of those persons.
Since
January 1, 2018, Zoom has not been a participant in any
transaction that is reportable under Item 404(d) of
Regulation S-K.
Policies and Procedures Regarding Review, Approval or Ratification
of Related Person Transactions
In
accordance with our Audit Committee charter, which is in writing,
our Audit Committee is responsible for reviewing and approving the
terms of any related party transactions. The Audit Committee
charter sets forth the standards, policies and procedures that we
follow for the review, approval or ratification of any related
person transaction that we are required to report pursuant to Item
404(d) of Regulation S-K promulgated by the Securities and Exchange
Commission. Any related person transactions would need to be
approved by our Audit Committee prior to us entering into such a
transaction.
SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND
MANAGEMENT
The
following table sets forth certain information regarding beneficial
ownership of Zoom's Common Stock as of May 15, 2019 by (i) each
person who is known by Zoom to own beneficially more than
five percent (5%) of Zoom's outstanding Common Stock, (ii)
each of Zoom's Directors and named executive officers, as listed
below in the Summary Compensation Table under the heading
"Executive Compensation", and (iii) all of Zoom's current Directors
and executive officers as a group.
On May
15, 2019 there were 20,707,636 issued and outstanding shares of
Zoom's Common Stock. Unless otherwise noted, each person identified
below possesses sole voting and investment power with respect to
the shares listed. The information contained in this table is based
upon information received from or on behalf of the named
individuals or from publicly available information and filings by
or on behalf of those persons with the SEC.
|
Number of Shares
Beneficially Owned
|
|
|
|
|
Manchester
Management Company LLC
(2)
3 West Hill
Place
Boston, MA
02114
|
4,285,714
|
20.7
%
|
|
|
|
Zulu Holdings LLC
(3)
848 Elm Street,
2
nd
Floor
Manchester, NH
03101
|
3,727,273
|
18.0
%
|
|
|
|
Frank B.
Manning
(4)
|
1,833,273
|
8.8
%
|
|
|
|
Peter R.
Kramer
(5)
|
480,839
|
2.3
%
|
|
|
|
Joseph J.
Donovan
(6)
|
136,000
|
*
|
|
|
|
Philip
Frank
(7)
|
67,500
|
*
|
|
|
|
Peter
Sykes
(8)
|
151,214
|
*
|
|
|
|
Jeremy
Hitchcock
(3)
|
3,727,273
|
18.0
%
|
|
|
|
Jonathan
Seelig
|
—
|
—
|
|
|
|
Joseph L.
Wytanis
(9)
|
115,910
|
*
|
|
|
|
Terry J.
Manning
(10)
|
253,842
|
1.2
%
|
|
|
|
Deena
Randall
(11)
|
141,250
|
*
|
|
|
|
All current
directors and Executive
|
|
|
Officers as a group
(10 persons)
(12)
|
3,179,828
|
32.6
%
|
*Less
than one percent of shares outstanding.
(1)
Unless otherwise
noted: (i) each person identified possesses sole voting and
investment power over the shares listed; and (ii) the address of
each person identified is c/o Zoom Telephonics, Inc., 99 High
Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02110.
(2)
Information is
based on a Schedule 13D filed by Manchester Management Co LLC on
September 27, 2015. It includes the following stockholders
Manchester Explorer, L.P. in the amount of 2,857,143 shares, JEB
Partners, L.P. in the amount of 1,142,857 shares, James E. Besser
in the amount of 142,857 shares and Morgan C. Frank in the amount
of 142,857 shares totaling 1,295,376. In all cases the address
listed in the above table applies to all stockholders other than
Morgan C. Frank whose address is: 1398 Aerie Drive, Park City, UT
84060.
(3)
Information is
based on a Schedule 13D filed by Jeremy Hitchcock, Elizabeth Cash
Hitchcock, Orbit Group LLC (“Orbit”), Hitchcock Capital
Partners, LLC (“HCP”) and Zulu Holdings LLC
(“Zulu”) on May 13, 2019. The 3,727,273 shares are held
by Zulu.
HCP may be deemed the
beneficial owner of the shares as an indirect holder through its
ownership of Zulu. As the manager of Zulu, Orbit may be deemed the
beneficial owner of the Common Stock held by Zulu. As the
co-managers of Orbit and HCP, each of Jeremy P. Hitchcock and
Elizabeth Cash Hitchcock may be deemed the beneficial owner of the
Common Stock held by Zulu.
(4)
Includes 87,500
shares that Mr. Frank B. Manning has the right to acquire upon
exercise of outstanding stock options exercisable within sixty (60)
days after May 15, 2019.
(5)
Includes 75,000
shares that Mr. Kramer has the right to acquire upon exercise
of outstanding stock options exercisable within sixty (60) days
after May 15, 2019.
(6)
Includes 75,000
shares the Mr. Donovan has the right to acquire upon exercise
of outstanding stock options exercisable within sixty (60) days
after May 15, 2019.
(7)
Includes 67,500
shares that Mr. Philip Frank has the right to acquire upon
exercise of outstanding stock options exercisable within sixty (60)
days May 15, 2019.
(8)
Includes 37,500
shares that Mr. Peter Sykes has the right to acquire upon
exercise of outstanding stock options exercisable within sixty (60)
days after May 15, 2019.
(9)
Includes 25,000
shares that Mr. Joseph L. Wytanis, who joined the Company in
October 2018, has the right to acquire upon exercise of outstanding
stock options exercisable within sixty (60) days after May 15,
2019.
(10)
Includes 70,000
shares that Mr. Terry Manning has the right to acquire upon
exercise of outstanding stock options exercisable within sixty (60)
days after May 15, 2019.
(11)
Includes 11,250
shares that Ms. Randall has the right to acquire upon exercise
of outstanding stock options exercisable within sixty (60) days
after May 15, 2019.
(12)
Includes an
aggregate of 448,750 shares that the current directors and named
executive officers listed above have the right to acquire upon
exercise of outstanding stock options exercisable within sixty (60)
days after May 15, 2019.
EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
Summary Compensation Table
The
following Summary Compensation Table sets forth the total
compensation paid or accrued for the fiscal years ended
December 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017 for our principal
executive officer and our other three most highly compensated
executive officers who were serving as executive officers on
December 31, 2018. We refer to these officers as our named
executive officers.
Name and
Principal Position
|
Year
|
Salary
($)
|
Bonus
(1)
($)
|
Option
Awards
(2)
($)
|
All Other
Compensation (3)
($)
|
Total
($)
|
Frank
B. Manning,
Chief
Executive Officer
|
2018
2017
|
$129,272
$129,272
|
--
$2,288
|
$45,500
--
|
$536
$6,244
|
$175,308
$137,804
|
Deena
Randall,
Vice
President of Operations
|
2018
2017
|
$128,336
$128,336
|
--
$2,288
|
$40,950
--
|
$536
$29,179
|
$169,822
$159,803
|
Terry
J. Manning,
Vice
President of Sales and Marketing
|
2018
2017
|
$123,500
$123,500
|
--
$2,288
|
$36,400
--
|
$528
$466
|
$160,428
$126,254
|
Joseph
L. Wytanis,
President
and Chief Operating Officer
|
2018
2017
|
$26,923
(4)
--
|
$30,000
--
|
$76,273
--
|
--
--
|
$133,196
--
|
(1)
The amounts in this
column represent discretionary bonus payments granted in the
applicable fiscal year.
(2)
The amounts
included in the “Option Awards” column reflect the
aggregate grant date fair value of option awards in accordance with
FASB ASC Topic 718, pursuant to the 2009 Stock Option Plan.
Assumptions used in the calculations of these amounts are included
in Note 7 to our Financial Statements included in our Annual Report
on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018. These
options are incentive stock options issued under the 2009 Stock
Option Plan and represent the right to purchase shares of Common
Stock at a fixed price per share (the grant date fair market value
of the shares of Common Stock underlying the options).
(3)
The amounts
included in the “All Other Compensation” column for
2018 consists of: (a) life insurance premiums paid by Zoom to the
named executive officer: Mr. Frank B. Manning $186,
Mr. Terry Manning $178 and Ms. Randall $186; and (b)
Zoom’s contribution to a 401(k) plan of $350 for each named
executive officer. For 2017 consists of: (a) life insurance
premiums paid by Zoom to the named executive officer:
Mr. Frank B. Manning $5,773, Mr. Terry Manning $116 and
Ms. Randall $186; and (b) Zoom’s contribution to a
401(k) plan of $350 for each named executive officer.; and (c)
proceeds received from sale of an incentive stock option grant to
Ms. Randall $29,179.
(4)
Joseph L. Wytanis
joined the Company in October 2018 as President and Chief Operating
Officer at an annual salary of $120,000.
Outstanding
Equity Interests
The
following table sets forth information concerning outstanding stock
options as of December 31, 2018 for each named executive
officer.
Outstanding Equity Awards at 2018 Fiscal Year-End
Name
|
Grant Date
(1)
|
Number of
Securities
Underlying
Unexercised Options
|
Option
Exercise
Price
|
Option
Expiration Date
|
|
|
Exercisable
Options
|
Unexercisable
Options
|
|
|
Frank
B. Manning
|
04/30/2015
08/09/2018
|
75,000
--
|
--
50,000
|
$0.25
$2.09
|
04/30/2020
08/09/2021
|
Terry
Manning
|
04/30/2015
|
60,000
|
--
|
$0.25
|
04/30/2020
|
|
08/09/2018
|
--
|
40,000
|
$2.09
|
08/09/2021
|
Deena
Randall
|
08/09/2018
|
--
|
45,000
|
$2.09
|
08/09/2021
|
Joseph
Wytanis
|
10/29/2018
|
--
|
100,000
|
$1.66
|
08/09/2021
|
(1)
The options granted
on April 30, 2015 are vested in full.
Option Exercises
Peter
Kramer, Joseph Donovan, and Deena Randall exercised options to
purchase a total of 175,000 shares of common stock during the
fiscal year ended December 31, 2017. Peter Kramer, Joseph
Donovan, Frank Manning, Terry Manning and George Patterson
exercised options to purchase a total of 97,500 shares of common
stock during the fiscal year ended December 31,
2018.
Employment, Termination and Change of Control
Agreements
On
December 8, 2009 Zoom entered into severance and change of
control agreements with each of the named executive officers. The
purpose of these arrangements is to encourage the named executive
officers to continue as employees and/or assist in the event of a
change-in-control of Zoom. Zoom has entered into agreements with
each of the named executive officers formalizing the compensation
arrangement described below.
Under
the terms of each agreement, if a named executive officer is
terminated by Zoom for any reason other than for cause, such named
executive officer will receive severance pay in an amount equal to
the greater of three months’ base salary or a number of weeks
of base salary equal to the number of full years employed by Zoom
divided by two and all outstanding stock options issued on or after
September 22, 2009 held by the named executive officer will
become immediately vested and will be exercisable for a period of
up to 30 days after termination.
Under
the terms of each agreement, each named executive officer will
receive severance pay equal to six months’ base salary if (i)
the named executive officer’s employment is terminated
without cause within six months after a change-in-control, (ii) the
named executive officer’s job responsibilities, reporting
status or compensation are materially diminished and the named
executive officer leaves the employment of the acquiring company
within six months after the change-in-control, or (iii) Zoom is
liquidated. In addition, in the event of a change-in-control or
liquidation of Zoom, outstanding stock options granted to the named
executive officer on or after September 22, 2009 will become
immediately vested.
Potential Termination and Change-in Control Payments
As of
December 31, 2018 in the event a named executive officer is
terminated by Zoom for any reason other than cause or a
change-in-control or liquidation of Zoom, the named executive
officer would receive the following cash payments: Mr. Frank
Manning $50,963; Ms. Randall $50,594 and Mr. Terry
Manning $40,375. These amounts represent the greater of three
months’ salary or the number of weeks of base salary equal to
the number of years employed by Zoom divided by two. In the event
of termination as a result of a change-in-control or liquidation,
the named executive officers would receive the following cash
payments: Mr. Frank Manning $64,636; Ms. Randall $64,183
and Mr. Terry Manning $61,750. These amounts represent six
months’ base salary. In the event of either termination of
employment, all options held by the named executive officers that
were issued on or after September 22, 2009 would become
immediately vested.
Director Compensation
The
following table sets forth information concerning the compensation
of our Directors or former Directors who were not named executive
officers for the fiscal year ended December 31,
2018.
Name
|
Fees Earned or
Paid in Cash
|
Option Awards
(1)(2)(3)(4)
|
|
|
Robert
Crowley(4)
|
$
1,500
|
$
19,317
|
−
|
$
20,817
|
Joseph J.
Donovan
|
$
2,000
|
$
19,317
|
−
|
$
21,317
|
Peter R.
Kramer
|
$
2,000
|
$
19,317
|
−
|
$
21,317
|
George Patterson
(5)
|
$
300
|
$
9,225
|
−
|
$
9,525
|
Philip
Frank
|
$
2,000
|
$
19,317
|
−
|
$
21,317
|
Derek
Elder(6)
|
$
1,340
|
$
34,822
|
−
|
$
35,162
|
Peter
Sykes
|
$
2,000
|
$
19,317
|
−
|
$
21,317
|
(1)
The amounts
included in the “Option Awards” column reflect the
aggregate grant date fair value of option awards in accordance with
FASB ASC Topic 718, pursuant to the 2009 Directors Stock Option
Plan. Assumptions used in the calculations of these amounts are
included in Note 7 to our Financial Statements included in our
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
December 31, 2018. These options are non-qualified stock
options issued under the 2009 Directors Stock Option Plan and
represent the right to purchase shares of Common Stock at a fixed
price per share (the grant date fair market value of the shares of
Common Stock underlying the options).
(2)
As of
December 31, 2018, each non-employee Director holds the
following aggregate number of shares under outstanding stock
options:
|
Number of Shares
Underlying Outstanding Stock Options
|
Robert
Crowley
|
75,000
|
Joseph J.
Donovan
|
75,000
|
Peter R.
Kramer
|
75,000
|
Derek
Elder
|
27,500
|
Philip
Frank
|
60,000
|
Peter
Sykes
|
30,000
|
(3)
The number of
shares underlying stock options granted to each non-employee
Director in 2018 and the grant date fair market value of such stock
options is:
Name
|
Grant
Date
|
Number of Shares
underlying Stock Options Grants in 2018
|
Grant Date Fair
Value of Stock Option Grants in 2018
|
Robert
Crowley
|
01/10/18
07/10/18
|
7,500
7,500
|
$9,225
$10,092
|
Joseph
J. Donovan
|
01/10/18
07/10/18
|
7,500
7,500
|
$9,225
$10,092
|
Peter
R. Kramer
|
01/10/18
07/10/18
|
7,500
7,500
|
$9,225
$10,092
|
George
Patterson
|
01/10/18
|
7,500
|
$9,225
|
Derek
Elder
|
05/16/18
07/10/18
|
20,000
7,500
|
$24,730
$10,092
|
Philip
Frank
|
01/10/18
07/10/18
|
7,500
7,500
|
$9,225
$10,092
|
Peter
Sykes
|
01/10/18
07/10/18
|
7,500
7,500
|
$9,225
$10,092
|
(4)
On September 12,
2018, Mr. Robert Crowley passed away.
(5)
On February 23,
2018,
George Patterson resigned from
the Board of Directors and from the Audit
Committee.
(6)
On April 26, 2018,
Derek Elder was appointed to the Board
of Directors. On January 25, 2019, he resigned from the Board of
Directors.
Each
non-employee Director of Zoom receives a fee of $500 per quarter
plus a fee of $500 for each meeting at which the Director is
personally present. Travel and lodging expenses are also
reimbursed.
Each
non-employee Director of Zoom may be granted stock options under
Zoom's 2009 Directors Stock Option Plan, as amended (the "Directors
Plan"). The Directors Plan provides in the aggregate that 700,000
shares of Common Stock (subject to adjustment for capital changes)
may be issued upon the exercise of options granted under the
Directors Plan. The exercise price for the options granted under
the Directors Plan is the fair market value of the Common Stock on
the date the option is granted. During 2018 Messrs. Crowley,
Donovan, Kramer, Elder, Patterson, Frank and Sykes received options
to purchase 110,000 shares combined at a weighted average exercise
price of $2.51 per share.
PROPOSAL NO. 2
RATIFICATION OF APPOINTMENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC
ACCOUNTING FIRM
Upon
recommendation of the Audit Committee, the Board of Directors has
appointed Marcum LLP (“Marcum”) as Zoom’s
principal accountants and independent registered public accounting
firm, to audit the financial statements of Zoom for the year ending
December 31, 2019. A representative of Marcum LLP will be
present at the meeting and will have the opportunity to make a
statement if such representative desires to do so and will be
available to respond to appropriate questions. Marcum LLP served as
Zoom’s independent registered public accounting firm for the
year ended December 31, 2018.
Although
stockholder ratification of the appointment is not required by law,
the Company desires to solicit such ratification. If the
appointment of Marcum LLP is not approved by a majority of the
shares represented at the Annual Meeting, the Company will consider
the appointment of other independent registered public accounting
firms.
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS THAT YOU VOTE “FOR”
THE APPROVAL OF THE RATIFICATION OF THE APPOINTMENT OF MARCUM LLP
AS THE COMPANY’S INDEPENDENT AUDITORS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR
ENDING DECEMBER 31, 2019.
INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
Principal Accountant Fees and Services
The
firm of Marcum LLP served as our independent registered public
accounting firm for fiscal years 2018 and 2017. The table
below shows the aggregate fees that the Company paid or accrued for
the audit and other services provided by Marcum LLP for the fiscal
years ended December 31, 2018 and December 31,
2017:
FEE CATEGORY
|
|
|
Audit fees
(1)
|
$
169,060
|
$
159,757
|
Audit-related fees
(2)
|
––
|
––
|
Total
fees
|
$
169,060
|
$
159,757
|
———————
(1)
Audit Fees.
Consists of fees billed for
professional services rendered for the audit of Zoom’s
consolidated financial statements and review of the
interim consolidated financial statements included in
quarterly reports and services that are normally provided in
connection with statutory filings and
engagements.
(2)
Audit-Related Fees.
Consists of fees billed for assurance
and related services that are reasonably related to the performance
of the audit or review of Zoom’s consolidated financial
statements and are not reported under "Audit Fees". There were no
audit-related fees for either period.
All
services rendered by Marcum LLP for fiscal years 2017 and 2018 were
permissible under applicable laws and regulations, and were
pre-approved by the Audit Committee.
Audit Committee Policy on Pre-Approval of Services of Independent
Registered Public Accounting Firm
The
Audit Committee's policy is to pre-approve all audit and
permissible non-audit services provided by the independent
registered public accounting firm. These services may include audit
services, audit-related services, tax services and other services.
Pre-approval is generally provided for up to one year. The Audit
Committee may also pre-approve particular services on a
case-by-case basis. During our fiscal year ended December 31,
2018, no services were provided to us by Marcum LLP other than in
accordance with the pre-approval procedures described
herein.
PROPOSAL NO. 3
ADVISORY VOTE ON EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
(“SAY-ON-PAY”)
Pursuant to Section
14A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, we provide
our shareholders with the opportunity to vote to approve, on a
nonbinding, advisory basis, the compensation of our named executive
officers as disclosed in this proxy statement in accordance with
the compensation disclosure rules of the Securities and Exchange
Commission.
Our
executive compensation programs are designed to attract, motivate,
and retain our named executive officers, who are critical to our
success, and to reward our named executive officers for the
achievement of short-term and long-term strategic and operational
goals and the achievement of increased total shareholder return. We
seek to closely align the interests of our named executive officers
with the interests of our shareholders, and our Compensation
Committee regularly reviews named executive officer compensation to
ensure such compensation is consistent with our goals.
Required Vote
This
vote is advisory, which means that the vote on executive
compensation is not binding on the company, our Board of Directors,
or the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors. The vote
on this resolution is not intended to address any specific element
of compensation, but rather relates to the overall compensation of
our named executive officers, as described in this proxy statement
in accordance with the compensation disclosure rules of the
Securities and Exchange Commission. To the extent there is a
significant vote against our named executive officer compensation
as disclosed in this proxy statement, the Compensation Committee
will evaluate whether any actions are necessary to address our
shareholders’ concerns.
Accordingly,
we ask our shareholders to vote on the following resolution at the
Annual Meeting:
“RESOLVED,
that the Company’s shareholders approve, on an advisory
basis, the compensation of the named executive officers, as
disclosed in the Company’s Proxy Statement for the 2019
Annual Meeting of shareholders pursuant to the compensation
disclosure rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission,
including the Summary Compensation Table, and the other related
tables and disclosure.”
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE
COMPENSATION OF OUR NAMED EXECUTIVE OFFICERS, AS DISCLOSED IN THIS
PROXY STATEMENT.
PROPOSAL NO. 4
ADVISORY VOTE ON THE FREQUENCY OF FUTURE SAY-ON-PAY
VOTES
Pursuant
to Section 14A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended,
we provide our shareholders with the opportunity to vote, on a
non-binding, advisory basis, for their preference as to how
frequently to hold future say-on-pay votes. Shareholders may
indicate whether they would prefer that we conduct future
say-on-pay votes once every one, two, or three years. Shareholders
also may abstain from casting a vote on this proposal.
The
Board of Directors has determined that an annual advisory vote on
executive compensation will permit our shareholders to provide
direct input on the Company’s executive compensation
philosophy, policies, and practices as disclosed in the
Company’s proxy statement, which is consistent with our
efforts to engage in an ongoing dialogue with our shareholders on
executive compensation and corporate governance
matters.
Required Vote
This
vote is advisory, which means that the vote on the frequency of
future say-on-pay votes is not binding on the company, our Board of
Directors, or the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors.
The Company recognizes that the shareholders may have different
views as to the best approach for the Company, and therefore we
look forward to hearing from our shareholders as to their
preferences on the frequency of an advisory vote on executive
compensation. The Board of Directors and the Compensation Committee
will take into account the outcome of the vote; however, when
considering the frequency of future say-on-pay votes, the Board of
Directors may decide that it is in the best interests of our
shareholders and the Company to hold future say-on-pay votes more
or less frequently than the frequency receiving the most votes cast
by our shareholders.
The
proxy card provides shareholders with the opportunity to choose
among four options (holding the vote every one, two, or three
years, or abstain from voting) and, therefore, shareholders will
not be voting to approve or disapprove the recommendation of the
Board of Directors.
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE “FOR” THE
OPTION OF AN ANNUAL VOTE AS THE PREFERRED FREQUENCY FOR FUTURE
SAY-ON-PAY VOTES.
PROPOSAL NO. 5
APPROVAL OF AN AMENDMENT TO THE COMPANY’S AMENDED AND
RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF
AUTHORIZED SHARES OF COMMON STOCK TO 40,000,000
Our
Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended to
date, currently authorizes the issuance of 25,000,000 shares of
Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share. On May 16, 2019, our Board
of Directors approved a proposal to amend our Amended and Restated
Certificate of Incorporation to increase the number of shares of
Common Stock that we are authorized to issue from 25,000,000 shares
to 40,000,000 shares, subject to stockholder approval.
Our
Board of Directors believes the proposed amendment to be advisable
and in the best interests of the Company and our stockholders and
is accordingly submitting the proposed amendment to be voted on by
the stockholders in order to give the Company more flexibility in
considering the planning for and responding quickly to future
corporate needs, including, but not limited to, capital raising
transactions, grants under equity compensation plans, stock splits,
potential strategic transactions, including mergers, acquisitions,
stock dividends and other general corporate transactions. If the
authorization of an increase in the available Common Stock is not
approved, the delay and expense incident to obtaining future
approval of stockholders could impair our ability to address those
corporate needs.
As of May 16, 2019, of the 25,000,000 currently
authorized shares of Common Stock,
20,707,636
were issued and outstanding. Additionally,
1,936,250 shares were reserved for issuance under our 2009
Directors Stock Option Plan, our 2009 Stock Option Plan, and
pursuant to the exercise of outstanding
options.
Based
on these issued and reserved shares of Common Stock, we currently
have 2,356,114 shares of Common Stock remaining available for
issuance in the future for other corporate purposes.
Text of the Amendment
Our
Board of Directors proposes to delete Article FOURTH of our Amended
and Restated Certificate of Incorporation in its entirety and
insert the following in lieu thereof, so that it would read in its
entirety as follows:
“The
Corporation is authorized to issue two classes of stock to be
designated, respectively, “Common Stock” and
“Preferred Stock.” The total number of shares of all
classes of stock that the Corporation shall have the authority to
issue is Forty-Two Million (42,000,000), of which Forty Million
(40,000,000) shares shall be Common Stock, having a par value of
$.01 per share, and of which Two Million (2,000,000) shares shall
be Preferred Stock, having a par value of $.001 per
share.
The Board of Directors of the Corporation is authorized, subject to
limitations prescribed by the DGCL and the provisions of this
Certificate of Incorporation, to provide, by resolution or
resolutions from time to time and by filing a certificate or
certificates of designations pursuant to the DGCL, for the issuance
of the shares of Preferred Stock in series, to establish from time
to time the number of shares to be included in each such series,
the voting powers (if any) of the shares to be included in each
such series, to fix the powers, designations, preferences and
relative, participating, optional or other special rights of the
shares of each such series and to fix the qualifications,
limitations or restrictions thereof, including without limitation
thereof, dividend rights, special voting rights, conversion rights,
redemption privileges and liquidation preferences, as shall be
stated and expressed in such resolutions, all to the full extent
now or hereafter permitted by the DGCL. Without limiting the
generality of the foregoing, the resolutions providing for issuance
of any series of Preferred Stock may provide that such series shall
be superior or rank equally or be junior to the Preferred Stock of
any other series to the extent permitted by law. Except as
otherwise specifically provided in this Certificate of
Incorporation, no vote of the holders of the Preferred Stock or
Common Stock shall be a prerequisite to the issuance of any shares
of any series of the Preferred Stock authorized by and complying
with the conditions of this Certificate of Incorporation, the right
to have such vote being expressly waived by all present and future
holders of the capital stock of the
Corporation.”
The
Certificate of Amendment attached hereto as Appendix
B reflects the changes that will be implemented to our Amended
and Restated Certificate of Incorporation if this Proposal No. 5 is
approved by the stockholders.
Purpose of the Amendment
Our
Board of Directors is recommending this increase in the authorized
Common Stock primarily to have additional shares available for use
as our Board of Directors deems appropriate or necessary. As such,
the primary purpose of the proposed amendment is to provide us with
greater flexibility with respect to managing our Common Stock in
connection with such corporate purposes as may, from time to time,
be considered advisable by our Board of Directors.
The
newly authorized shares of Common Stock would be issuable for any
proper corporate purpose including flexibility in considering the
planning for future corporate needs, including, but not limited to,
capital raising transactions, grants under equity compensation
plans, stock splits, potential strategic transactions, including
mergers, acquisitions, stock dividends and other general corporate
transactions.
Our
Board of Directors has determined that having an increased number
of authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock would allow us to
take prompt action with respect to corporate opportunities that
develop, without the delay and expense of convening a special
meeting of stockholders for the purpose of approving an increase in
our capitalization.
Rights of Additional Authorized Shares
Any
authorized shares of Common Stock, if and when issued, would be
part of the Company’s existing class of Common Stock and
would have the same rights and privileges as the shares of Common
Stock currently outstanding. Current stockholders do not have
pre-emptive rights with respect to Common Stock, except for those
granted contractually, nor do they have cumulative voting rights.
Should the Board of Directors issue additional shares of Common
Stock, existing Stockholders, other than those with contractual
pre-emptive rights, would not have any preferential rights to
purchase any of such shares, and their percentage ownership of the
Company’s then outstanding Common Stock could be
reduced.
Potential Adverse Effects of Amendment
Future
issuances of Common Stock could have a dilutive effect on the
Company’s earnings per share, book value per share and the
voting power and interest of current Stockholders. In addition, the
availability of additional shares of Common Stock for issuance
could, under certain circumstances, discourage or make more
difficult any efforts to obtain control of the
Company.
Effectiveness of Amendment
If
the proposed amendment is adopted, it will become effective upon
the filing of a certificate of amendment to our Amended and
Restated Certificate of Incorporation with the Secretary of State
of the State of Delaware, which the Company expects to file
promptly after the Annual Meeting. If the proposed amendment is not
approved by the Company’s Stockholders, the number of
authorized shares of Common Stock will remain
unchanged.
Required Vote
The
affirmative vote of the majority of the outstanding shares of
Common Stock entitled to vote thereon will be necessary to approve
the amendment to the Company’s
Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation to increase the
number of authorized shares of Common Stock to 40,000,000.
Any shares not
voted (whether by abstention, broker non-vote or otherwise) will
have the same effect as a vote against this proposal. Accordingly,
it is important that beneficial owners instruct their brokers how
they wish to vote their shares on this
proposal.
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS THAT YOU VOTE “FOR”
THE APPROVAL OF THE AMENDMENT TO THE COMPANY’S AMENDED AND
RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF
AUTHORIZED SHARES OF COMMON STOCK TO 40,000,000.
PROPOSAL NO. 6
APPROVAL OF THE COMPANY’S 2019 DIRECTORS STOCK OPTION
PLAN
The
Board of Directors believes that the future success of Zoom
depends, in large part, upon the ability of Zoom to attract and
retain the services of experienced and knowledgeable directors and
that the granting of stock options serves as an important factor in
doing this. Zoom’s existing 2009 Directors Stock Option Plan
expires by its terms in December 2019. In order to replace that
plan, on May 16, 2019, Zoom’s Board of Directors approved,
subject to stockholder approval, the Zoom Telephonics, Inc. 2019
Director Stock Option Plan (the “2019 Director
Plan”).
Without
the ability to provide equity compensation, the Company may be
unable to attract and retain experienced and knowledgeable
directors. If this proposal is approved, the Company intends to
continue to provide equity incentives to non-employee members of
its Board of Directors. If this proposal is approved, the Company
expects to have sufficient shares available under the Director Plan
for the next 10 years. The 1,000,000 shares reserved under the 2019
Director Plan was determined by reviewing the Company’s past
option grants to non-employee directors.
The Board of Directors believes that the approval of the 2019
Director Plan is in the best interests of the Company and
recommends a vote for this proposal.
Summary of the 2019 Directors Plan
The
following summary of the 2019 Directors Plan is qualified in its
entirety by reference to the 2019 Directors Plan, a copy of which
is attached as Appendix C to this Proxy Statement.
The
maximum number of shares reserved for option issuances under the
2019 Directors Plan is 1,000,000. The purpose of the 2019 Directors
Plan is to advance the interests of Zoom by encouraging equity
participation in Zoom by non-employee Directors through the
acquisition of shares of Common Stock upon the exercise of options
granted under the 2019 Directors Plan.
The
2019 Directors Plan is administered by the Board of Directors. The
Board of Directors determines the terms of the option grants but
has no discretion with respect to the selection of the specific
recipients of grants or the pricing of stock option grants. Options
may only be granted to non-employee Directors of Zoom who are
serving as Directors at the time of grant. The exercise price of
options granted under the 2019 Directors Plan shall be the fair
market value of the Common Stock on the date of grant. The fair
market value of the Common Stock as of May 16, 2019 was $0.95 per
share. As of May 16, 2019, six (6) persons would be eligible to
participate in the 2019 Directors Plan.
Subject
to the earlier termination of an option in the event of termination
of service as Director, death or disability, as described below,
options granted under the 2019 Directors Plan shall become
exercisable in accordance with the date set forth in the option
agreement; provided, however, that no option may expire more than
five (5) years from the date of grant.
The
Board of Directors shall determine the manner of payment of the
exercise price in its sole discretion. In order to assist an
optionee in the acquisition of shares of Common Stock pursuant to
the exercise of an option granted under the 2019 Directors Plan,
the Board may authorize payment of the exercise price in cash, by
delivery of shares of Common Stock having a fair market value equal
to the purchase price of the shares, or a combination of cash and
shares of Common Stock.
Other
than with respect to certain limited transfers for estate planning
purposes, options granted under the 2019 Directors Plan may not be
transferred.
In
the event an option holder ceases to be a Director of Zoom for any
reason other than death or disability, the holder’s options
will terminate three (3) months following the date of termination
of service. In the event an option holder ceases to be a Director
of Zoom as a result of death or disability, the holder’s
options will terminate one year after the date the holder ceases to
be a Director of Zoom. In each case, such option may not be
extended past its specified expiration date.
In
the event that any option granted under the 2019 Directors Plan
shall expire, terminate or be cancelled for any reason without
having been exercised in full, or shall cease for any reason to be
exercisable in whole or in part, the unpurchased shares subject to
such option shall be available for subsequent option
grants.
The
Board of Directors may amend or terminate the 2019 Directors Plan;
provided, however, that the Board of Directors may not without
stockholder approval (i) increase the total number of shares that
may be issued under the 2019 Directors Plan, (ii) amend the
provisions of the 2019 Directors Plan regarding eligibility, grant
of options, or exercise price, or (iii) extend the expiration date
of the plan.
New Plan Benefits
Zoom
is unable to determine the dollar value and number of stock awards
that may be received by or allocated to current Directors who are
not executive officers as a group, as a result of the approval of
the 2019 Directors Plan because all stock awards are granted by the
Board of Directors on a discretionary basis.
Federal Tax Consequences of the 2019 Directors Plan
The following summarizes the U.S. federal income tax consequences
that generally will arise with respect to awards granted under the
2019 Directors Plan. This summary is based on the tax laws in
effect as of the date of this proxy statement. This summary assumes
that all awards granted under the 2019 Directors Plan are exempt
from, or comply with, the rules under Section 409A of the Internal
Revenue Code related to nonqualified deferred compensation. Changes
to these laws could alter the tax consequences described below.
This discussion is not intended to be a complete discussion of all
of the federal income tax consequences of the 2019 Directors Plan
or of all of the requirements that must be met in order to qualify
for the tax treatment described herein. In addition, because tax
consequences may vary, and certain exceptions to the general rules
discussed herein may be applicable, depending upon the personal
circumstances of individual holders of securities, each participant
should consider his personal situation and consult with his own tax
advisor with respect to the specific tax consequences applicable to
him. No information is provided as to state tax laws. The 2019
Directors Plan is not qualified under Section 401 of the Code, nor
is it subject to the provisions of the Employee Retirement Income
Security Act of 1974, as amended.
Stock
Options.
A participant
will not have income upon the grant of a nonstatutory stock option.
A participant will have compensation income upon the exercise of a
nonstatutory stock option equal to the value of the stock on the
day the participant exercised the option less the exercise price.
Upon sale of the stock, the participant will have capital gain or
loss equal to the difference between the sales proceeds and the
value of the stock on the day the option was exercised. This
capital gain or loss will be long-term if the participant has held
the stock for more than one year and otherwise will be
short-term.
Tax Consequences to the
Company.
There will be no
tax consequences to the Company except that the Company will be
entitled to a deduction when a participant has compensation income.
Any such deduction will be subject to the limitations of Section
162(m) of the Code.
Required Vote
An
affirmative vote of majority of the votes properly cast at the
Annual Meeting will be necessary to
approve the Company’s 2019 Directors Stock
Option Plan
. Abstentions and broker non-votes will have no
effect on the outcome of voting on this matter.
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS THAT YOU VOTE “FOR”
THE APPROVAL OF THE COMPANY’S 2019 DIRECTORS STOCK OPTION
PLAN.
PROPOSAL
NO. 7
APPROVAL OF THE COMPANY’S 2019 STOCK OPTION PLAN
The
Board of Directors believes that the future success of Zoom
depends, in large part, upon the ability of Zoom to attract, retain
and motivate key employees and that the granting of stock options
serves as an important factor in doing this. In addition, the Board
of Directors believes it is important to have a pool of options
available for issuance in the event Zoom considers potential
acquisitions. Zoom’s existing 2009 Stock Option Plan expires
by its terms in December 2019. In order to replace that plan, on
May 16, 2019, Zoom’s Board of Directors approved, subject to
stockholder approval, the Zoom Telephonics, Inc. 2019 Stock Option
Plan (the “2019 Plan”).
Without
the ability to provide equity compensation, the Company may be
unable to attract and retain key employees. If this proposal is
approved, the Company intends to continue to provide equity
incentives to existing key employees as well to future employees.
If this proposal is approved, the Company expects to have
sufficient shares available under the Plan for the next 10 years.
The 4,000,000 shares reserved under the 2019 Plan was determined by
reviewing the Company’s past option grants to
employees.
The Board of Directors believes that the approval of the 2019 Plan
is in the best interests of the Company and recommends a vote for
this proposal.
Summary of the 2019
Stock Option
Plan
The
following summary of the 2019 Plan is qualified in its entirety by
reference to the 2019 Plan, a copy of which is attached as Appendix
D to this Proxy Statement.
The
maximum number of shares reserved for option issuances under the
2019 Plan is 4,000,000. The purpose of the 2019 Plan is to advance
the interests of Zoom by encouraging equity participation in Zoom
by directors (excluding non-employee directors), officers,
employees and certain consultants through the acquisition of shares
of Common Stock upon the exercise of options granted under the 2019
Plan.
The
2019 Plan is administered by the Compensation Committee of the
Board of Directors (the “Committee”). The members of
the Committee are not eligible to receive options under the 2019
Plan. The Committee determines the persons to whom stock options
are granted, the number of shares covered by the options, the term
of any option and the time during which any option is
exercisable.
The
2019 Plan authorizes the grant of options to purchase Common Stock
intended to qualify as incentive stock options (“Incentive
Options”), as defined in Section 422 of the Code, and the
grant of non-statutory stock options. The exercise price of options
granted under the 2019 Plan will be determined by the Committee but
must be equal to or greater than the fair market value of the
Common Stock on the date of grant. The exercise price of Incentive
Options granted to an optionee who owns more than 10% of the voting
power of Zoom’s outstanding capital stock must equal at least
110% of the fair market value of the Common Stock on the date of
grant. The fair market value of the Common Stock as of May 16, 2019
was $0.95.
Subject
to the earlier termination of an option in the event of termination
of employment, death or disability, as described below, the
Committee may, in its sole discretion, at the time of the grant of
an option, specify a particular time period during which the
optionee must exercise its option and the number of options which
may be exercised during such designated time period; provided,
however, that no option may expire more than ten (10) years from
the date of grant. The Committee may accelerate the exercisability
of any outstanding options in its discretion. In addition, the
Committee may provide in an option agreement that the optionee may
elect to exercise an option before it would otherwise become
exercisable. Any shares of Common Stock so purchased shall be
considered restricted shares and shall be subject to Zoom’s
right of repurchase during a specified restricted
period.
The
Committee shall determine the manner of payment of the exercise
price in its sole discretion. In order to assist an optionee in the
acquisition of shares of Common Stock pursuant to the exercise of
an option granted under the 2019 Plan, the Committee may authorize
payment of the exercise price in cash, by delivery of shares of
Common Stock having a fair market value equal to the purchase price
of the shares, or a combination of cash and shares of Common
Stock.
The
Committee shall determine the term of each option, which term shall
not exceed ten (10) years from the date of grant. In addition, the
term of any Incentive Option granted to an optionee who owns more
than 10% of the voting power of Zoom’s outstanding capital
stock may not exceed five (5) years from the date of
grant.
All
employees of Zoom or an affiliate of Zoom, including Board members
who are also employees, and certain consultants are eligible to
receive options under the 2019 Plan. As of May 16, 2019,
approximately 35 persons would be eligible to participate in the
2019 Plan.
Other
than with respect to certain limited transfers for estate planning
purposes, options granted under the 2019 Plan may not be
transferred.
In
the event an option holder ceases to be an eligible employee or
consultant of Zoom for any reason other than death or disability or
a termination for Cause (as such term is defined in the 2019 Plan),
the holder’s options will terminate three (3) months
following the date of termination of employment or service. In the
event an option holder ceases to be an eligible employee or
consultant of Zoom due to a termination for Cause, the
holder’s option will terminate as of the date of such
termination for Cause. In the event an option holder ceases to be
an eligible employee or consultant of Zoom as a result of death or
disability, the holder’s options will terminate one year
after the date of the holder’s termination of employment or
service due to death or disability. In no case may such option be
extended past its specified expiration date.
In
the event that any option granted under the 2019 Plan shall expire,
terminate or be cancelled for any reason without having been
exercised in full, or shall cease for any reason to be exercisable
in whole or in part, the unpurchased shares subject to such option
shall be available for subsequent option grants.
The
Board of Directors may amend or terminate the 2019 Plan; provided,
however, that the Board may not without stockholder approval make
any alteration in which stockholder approval is required in order
to comply with the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 or applicable laws
or stock exchange requirements.
New Plan Benefits
Zoom
is unable to determine the dollar value and number of stock awards
that may be received by or allocated to (i) any of our named
executive officers, (ii) our current executive officers, as a group
and (iii) our employees who are not executive officers, as a group,
as a result of the approval of the 2019 Plan because all stock
awards are granted by the Compensation Committee on a discretionary
basis. No stock awards will be made under the 2019 Plan to any
current directors who are not executive officers.
Federal Tax Consequences of the 2019 Stock Option Plan
The following summarizes the U.S. federal income tax consequences
that generally will arise with respect to awards granted under the
2019 Plan. This summary is based on the tax laws in effect as of
the date of this proxy statement. This summary assumes that all
awards granted under the 2019 Plan are exempt from, or comply with,
the rules under Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code related
to nonqualified deferred compensation. Changes to these laws could
alter the tax consequences described below. This discussion is not
intended to be a complete discussion of all of the federal income
tax consequences of the 2019 Plan or of all of the requirements
that must be met in order to qualify for the tax treatment
described herein. In addition, because tax consequences may vary,
and certain exceptions to the general rules discussed herein may be
applicable, depending upon the personal circumstances of individual
holders of securities, each participant should consider his
personal situation and consult with his own tax advisor with
respect to the specific tax consequences applicable to him. No
information is provided as to state tax laws. The 2019 Plan is not
qualified under Section 401 of the Code, nor is it subject to the
provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974,
as amended.
Incentive Stock
Options.
A participant
will not have income upon the grant of an incentive stock option.
Also, except as described below, a participant will not have income
upon exercise of an incentive stock option if the participant has
been employed by the Company at all times beginning with the option
grant date and ending three months before the date the participant
exercises the option. If the participant has not been so employed
during that time, then the participant will be taxed as described
below under “Nonstatutory Stock Options.” The exercise
of an incentive stock option may subject the participant to the
alternative minimum tax.
A
participant will have income upon the sale of the stock acquired
under an incentive stock option at a profit (if sales proceeds
exceed the exercise price). The type of income will depend on when
the participant sells the stock. If a participant sells the stock
more than two years after the option was granted and more than one
year after the option was exercised, then all of the profit will be
long-term capital gain. If a participant sells the stock prior to
satisfying these waiting periods, then the participant will have
engaged in a disqualifying disposition and a portion of the profit
will be ordinary income and a portion may be capital gain. This
capital gain will be long-term if the participant has held the
stock for more than one year and otherwise will be short-term. If a
participant sells the stock at a loss (sales proceeds are less than
the exercise price), then the loss will be a capital loss. This
capital loss will be long-term if the participant held the stock
for more than one year and otherwise will be
short-term.
Nonstatutory Stock
Options.
A participant
will not have income upon the grant of a nonstatutory stock option.
A participant will have compensation income upon the exercise of a
nonstatutory stock option equal to the value of the stock on the
day the participant exercised the option less the exercise price.
Upon sale of the stock, the participant will have capital gain or
loss equal to the difference between the sales proceeds and the
value of the stock on the day the option was exercised. This
capital gain or loss will be long-term if the participant has held
the stock for more than one year and otherwise will be
short-term.
Tax Consequences to the
Company.
There will be no
tax consequences to the Company except that the Company will be
entitled to a deduction when a participant has compensation income.
Any such deduction will be subject to the limitations of Section
162(m) of the Code.
Required Vote
An
affirmative vote of majority of the votes properly cast at the
Annual Meeting will be necessary to
approve the Company’s 2019 Stock Option
Plan
. Abstentions and broker non-votes will have no effect
on the outcome of voting on this matter.
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS THAT YOU VOTE “FOR”
THE APPROVAL OF THE COMPANY’S 2019 STOCK OPTION
PLAN.
PROPOSAL
NO. 8
APPROVAL OF THE AMENDMENT OF OUR AMENDED AND RESTATED CERTIFICATE
OF INCORPORATION TO EFFECT THE REVERSE STOCK SPLIT
General
Our
Board of Directors has unanimously approved, and recommended that
our stockholders approve, an amendment (the “Certificate of
Amendment”) to our Amended and Restated Certificate of
Incorporation, to effect a reverse stock split at a ratio of not
less than 1-for-2 and not greater than 1-for-10 (the “Reverse
Stock Split”), with the final decision of whether to proceed
with the Reverse Stock Split, the effective time of the Reverse
Stock Split, and the exact ratio of the Reverse Stock Split to be
determined by the Board of Directors, in its discretion. If the
stockholders approve the Reverse Stock Split, and the Board of
Directors decides to implement it, the Reverse Stock Split will
become effective as of 12:01 a.m., Eastern Time on a date to be
determined by the Board of Directors that will be specified in the
Certificate of Amendment. If the Board of Directors does not decide
to implement the Reverse Stock Split within twelve months from the
date of the Annual Meeting, the authority granted in this proposal
to implement the reverse stock split will terminate.
The
Reverse Stock Split will be realized simultaneously for all
outstanding Common Stock. The Reverse Stock Split will affect all
holders of Common Stock uniformly and each stockholder will hold
the same percentage of Common Stock outstanding immediately
following the Reverse Stock Split as that stockholder held
immediately prior to the Reverse Stock Split, except for immaterial
adjustments that may result from the treatment of fractional shares
as described below. The Reverse Stock Split will not change the par
value of our Common Stock and will not reduce the number of
authorized shares of Common Stock.
Reasons for the Reverse Stock Split
We
are submitting this proposal to our stockholders for approval in
preparation for a potential application to uplist our Common Stock
from the OTCQB Marketplace (the “OTCQB”) to a national
securities exchange, and to help attract institutional investors
with minimum trading price requirements. We believe increasing the
trading price of our Common Stock will assist in our
capital-raising efforts by making our Common Stock more attractive
to a broader range of investors. In addition, management believes
that listing the Common Stock on a national securities exchange
will offer a variety of benefits to both the Company and its
stockholders, including the removal of restrictions that currently
prohibit many investors from investing in companies like ours that
are traded on the OTCQB, and enhanced financial and governance
requirements that could make our Common Stock more attractive to a
larger pool of investors. Accordingly, we believe that the Reverse
Stock Split is in our stockholders’ best
interests.
In
the event we do pursue a listing on a national securities exchange,
we believe that the Reverse Stock Split is our best option to meet
one of the criteria to obtain an initial listing. As an example,
the Nasdaq Capital Market requires, among other criteria, an
initial bid price of least $4.00 per share and, following initial
listing, maintenance of a continued price of at least $1.00 per
share. On May 16, 2019, the last reported sale price of our Common
Stock on the OTCQB was $0.91 per share. A decrease in the number of
outstanding shares of our Common Stock resulting from the Reverse
Stock Split should, absent other factors, assist in ensuring that
our per share market price of our Common Stock remains above the
required price. However, we cannot provide any assurance
(i) that we will pursue a listing on a national securities
exchange, or (ii) even if we do, that our minimum bid price
would remain over the minimum bid price requirement of such
exchange following the Reverse Stock Split.
In
addition, we believe that the low per share market price of our
Common Stock impairs its marketability to and acceptance by
institutional investors and other members of the investing public
and creates a negative impression of the Company. Theoretically,
decreasing the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding should
not, by itself, affect the marketability of the shares, the type of
investor who would be interested in acquiring them, or our
reputation in the financial community. In practice, however, many
investors, brokerage firms and market makers consider low-priced
stocks as unduly speculative in nature and, as a matter of policy,
avoid investment and trading in such stocks. Moreover, the analysts
at many brokerage firms do not monitor the trading activity or
otherwise provide coverage of lower priced stocks. The presence of
these factors may be adversely affecting, and may continue to
adversely affect, not only the pricing of our Common Stock but also
its trading liquidity. In addition, these factors may affect our
ability to raise additional capital through the sale of
stock.
Further,
we believe that a higher stock price could help us establish
business development relationships with other companies.
Theoretically, decreasing the number of shares of Common Stock
outstanding should not, by itself, affect our reputation in our
business community. In practice, however, we believe that potential
business development partners may be less confident in the
prospects of a company with a low stock price, and are less likely
to enter into business relationships with a company with a low
stock price. If the Reverse Stock Split successfully increases the
per share price of our Common Stock, we believe this may increase
our ability to attract business development partners.
We
further believe that a higher stock price could help us attract and
retain employees and other service providers. We believe that some
potential employees and service providers are less likely to work
for a company with a low stock price, regardless of the size of the
company’s market capitalization. If the Reverse Stock Split
successfully increases the per share price of our Common Stock, we
believe this increase will enhance our ability to attract and
retain employees and service providers.
We
hope that the decrease in the number of shares of our outstanding
Common Stock as a consequence of the reverse stock split, and the
anticipated increase in the price per share, will encourage greater
interest in our Common Stock by the financial community and the
investing public, help us attract and retain employees and other
service providers, help us raise additional capital through the
sale of stock in the future if needed, and possibly promote greater
liquidity for our stockholders with respect to those shares
presently held by them. However, the possibility also exists that
liquidity may be adversely affected by the reduced number of shares
which would be outstanding if the Reverse Stock Split is effected,
particularly if the price per share of our Common Stock begins a
declining trend after the Reverse Stock Split is
effected.
The
Board of Directors believes that stockholder adoption of a range of
Reverse Stock Split ratios (as opposed to adoption of a single
reverse stock split ratio or a set of fixed ratios) provides
maximum flexibility to achieve the purposes of a reverse stock
split and, therefore, is in the best interests of the Company. In
determining a ratio following the receipt of stockholder adoption,
the Board of Directors (or any authorized committee of the Board of
Directors) may consider, among other things, factors such
as:
i.
the
historical trading price and trading volume of our Common
Stock;
ii.
the
number of shares of our Common Stock outstanding;
iii.
the
then-prevailing trading price and trading volume of our Common
Stock and the anticipated impact of the Reverse Stock Split on the
trading market for our Common Stock;
iv.
the
anticipated impact of a particular ratio on our ability to reduce
administrative and transactional costs;
v.
the
listing requirements of any applicable securities exchange;
and
vi.
prevailing
general market and economic conditions.
The Board of Directors (or any authorized committee of
the Board of Directors) reserves the right to elect to abandon the
Reverse Stock Split, notwithstanding stockholder adoption thereof,
if it determines, in its sole discretion, that the Reverse Stock
Split is no longer in the best interests of the
Company.
Reverse Stock Split Amendment to the Amended and Restated
Certificate of Incorporation
If
the Reverse Stock Split is approved by the stockholders and the
Board of Directors elects to implement it, the following paragraph
shall be added after the last sentence of Article FOURTH of our
Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation:
“Upon
the effectiveness of this Certificate of Amendment to the Amended
and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation, each
__ shares of Common Stock issued and outstanding at such time
shall, automatically and without any further action on the part of
the Corporation or the holder thereof, be combined into one (1)
validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable share of Common Stock
(the “Reverse Stock Split”). The par value of the
Common Stock following the Reverse Stock Split shall remain $0.01
per share. No fractional shares shall be issued, and, in lieu
thereof, the Corporation shall pay cash equal to such fraction
multiplied by the fair market value of a share of Common Stock, as
determined by the Board of Directors. Each certificate that
immediately prior to the Effective Time represented shares of
Common Stock (an “Old Certificate”) shall thereafter
represent that number of shares of Common Stock into which the
shares of Common Stock represented by the Old Certificate shall
have been combined, subject to the elimination of fractional share
interests as described above.”
The
Certificate of Amendment attached hereto as Appendix
E reflects the changes that will be implemented to our Amended
and Restated Certificate of Incorporation if the Reverse Stock
Split is approved by the stockholders and the Board of Directors
elects to implement it.
Principal Effects of the Reverse Stock Split
If
the stockholders approve the proposal to authorize the Board of
Directors to implement the Reverse Stock Split and the Board of
Directors implements the Reverse Stock Split, we will amend the
existing provision of Article FOURTH of our Amended and Restated
Certificate of Incorporation in the manner set forth
above.
By
approving this amendment, stockholders will approve the combination
of any whole number of shares of Common Stock between and including
two (2) and ten (10), with the exact number to be determined by the
Board of Directors, into one (1) share. The Certificate of
Amendment to be filed with the Secretary of State of the State of
Delaware will include only that number determined by the Board of
Directors to be in the best interests of the Company and its
stockholders. In accordance with these resolutions, the Board of
Directors will not implement any amendment providing for a
different split ratio.
As
explained above, the Reverse Stock Split will be effected
simultaneously for all issued and outstanding shares of Common
Stock and the exchange ratio will be the same for all issued and
outstanding shares of Common Stock. The Reverse Stock Split will
affect all of our stockholders uniformly and will not affect any
stockholder’s percentage ownership interests in the Company,
except to the extent that the Reverse Stock Split results in any of
our stockholders receiving a cash payment in lieu of owning a
fractional share, as described in the section titled
“Fractional Shares,” below. Common Stock issued
pursuant to the Reverse Stock Split will remain fully paid and
non-assessable. The Reverse Stock Split will not affect the
Company’s continuing obligations under the periodic reporting
requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended
(the “Exchange Act”). Following the Reverse Stock
Split, our Common Stock will continue to be quoted on The OTCQB
Venture Market, under the symbol “ZMTP,” although it
would receive a new CUSIP number.
Upon
effectiveness of the Reverse Stock Split, the number of authorized
shares of Common Stock that are not issued or outstanding will
increase substantially, because the proposed amendment will not
reduce the number of authorized shares, while it will reduce the
number of outstanding shares by a factor of between and including
two and ten, depending on the exchange ratio selected by the Board
of Directors.
The
shares that are authorized but unissued after the Reverse Stock
Split will be available for issuance, and, if we issue these
shares, the ownership interest of holders of our Common Stock may
be diluted. We may issue such shares to raise capital and/or as
consideration in acquiring other businesses or establishing
strategic relationships with other companies. Such acquisitions or
strategic relationships may be effected using shares of Common
Stock or other securities convertible into Common Stock and/or by
using capital that may need to be raised by selling such
securities. We do not have any agreement, arrangement or
understanding at this time with respect to any specific transaction
or acquisition for which the newly unissued authorized shares would
be issued.
Procedure for Effecting Reverse Stock Split and Exchange of Stock
Certificates
If
the Reverse Stock Split is approved by the Company’s
stockholders, and if at such time the Board of Directors still
believes that a Reverse Stock Split is in the best interests of the
Company and its stockholders, the Board of Directors will determine
the ratio of the Reverse Stock Split to be implemented. The Reverse
Stock Split will become effective as of 12:01 a.m., Eastern Time on
the date specified in the Certificate of Amendment as filed with
the office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware (the
“effective time”). The Board of Directors will
determine the exact timing of the filing of the Certificate of
Amendment based on its evaluation as to when the filing would be
the most advantageous to the Company and its stockholders. If the
Board of Directors does not decide to implement the Reverse Stock
Split within twelve months from the date of the Annual Meeting, the
authority granted in this proposal to implement the Reverse Stock
Split will terminate.
Except
as described below under the section titled “Fractional
Shares,” at the effective time, each whole number of issued
and outstanding pre-reverse split shares that the Board of
Directors has determined will be combined into one post-reverse
split share, will, automatically and without any further action on
the part of our stockholders, be combined into and become one share
of Common Stock, and each certificate which, immediately prior to
the effective time represented pre-reverse stock split shares, will
be deemed for all corporate purposes to evidence ownership of
post-reverse split shares.
Fractional Shares
No
fractional shares will be issued in connection with the Reverse
Stock Split. Stockholders of record at the effective time of the
Reverse Stock Split who otherwise would be entitled to receive
fractional shares because they hold a number of pre-split shares
not evenly divisible by the number of pre-split shares for which
each post-split share is to be exchanged, will, in lieu of a
fractional share, be entitled, upon surrender to the exchange agent
of certificate(s) representing such pre-split shares, to a cash
payment in lieu thereof. The cash payment will equal the fraction
to which the stockholder would otherwise be entitled multiplied by
the closing price of the Common Stock, as reported by the OTCQB, on
the last trading day prior to the effective date of the Reverse
Stock Split.
Stockholders
should be aware that, under the escheat laws of the various
jurisdictions where stockholders reside, sums due for fractional
interests that are not timely claimed after the effective time may
be required to be paid to the designated agent for each such
jurisdiction. Thereafter, stockholders otherwise entitled to
receive such funds may have to seek to obtain them directly from
the state to which they were paid.
Risks Associated with the Reverse Stock Split
We
cannot predict whether the Reverse Stock Split will increase the
market price for our Common Stock. The history of similar stock
split combinations for companies in like circumstances is varied,
and the market price of our Common Stock will also be based on our
performance and other factors, some of which are unrelated to the
number of shares outstanding. Further, there are a number of risks
associated with the Reverse Stock Split, including:
i.
The
market price per share of our shares of Common Stock post-Reverse
Stock Split may not remain in excess of the minimum bid price per
share requirements from any applicable securities exchange, or the
Company may fail to meet the other requirements for continued
listing any such exchange.
ii.
Although
the Board of Directors believes that a higher stock price may help
generate the interest of new investors, the Reverse Stock Split may
not result in a per-share price that will successfully attract
certain types of investors and such resulting share price may not
satisfy the investing guidelines of institutional investors or
investment funds. Further, other factors, such as our financial
results, market conditions and the market perception of our
business, may adversely affect the interest of new investors in the
shares of our Common Stock. As a result, the trading liquidity of
the shares of our Common Stock may not improve as a result of the
Reverse Stock Split and there can be no assurance that the Reverse
Stock Split, if completed, will result in the intended benefits
described above.
iii.
The
Reverse Stock Split could be viewed negatively by the market and
other factors, such as those described above, may adversely affect
the market price of the shares of our Common Stock. Consequently,
the market price per post-Reverse Stock Split shares may not
increase in proportion to the reduction of the number of shares of
our Common Stock outstanding before the implementation of the
Reverse Stock Split. Accordingly, the total market capitalization
of our shares of Common Stock after the Reverse Stock Split may be
lower than the total market capitalization before the Reverse Stock
Split. Any reduction in total market capitalization as the result
of the Reverse Stock Split may make it more difficult for us to
meet the rules of any applicable securities exchange regarding
minimum value of listed securities.
iv.
The
Reverse Stock Split may result in some stockholders owning
“odd lots” of less than 100 shares of Common
Stock. Odd lot shares may be more difficult to sell, and brokerage
commissions and other costs of transactions in odd lots are
generally somewhat higher than the costs of transactions in
“round lots” of even multiples of 100
shares.
Book-Entry Shares
If
the Reverse Stock Split is effected, stockholders who hold
uncertificated shares (i.e., shares held in book-entry form and not
represented by a physical stock certificate), either as direct or
beneficial owners, will have their holdings electronically adjusted
automatically by our transfer agent (and, for beneficial owners, by
their brokers or banks that hold in “street name” for
their benefit, as the case may be) to give effect to the Reverse
Stock Split. Stockholders who hold uncertificated shares as direct
owners will be sent a statement of holding from our transfer agent
that indicates the number of post-reverse stock split shares of our
Common Stock owned in book-entry form.
Certificated Shares
As
soon as practicable after the effective time of the Reverse Stock
Split, stockholders will be notified that the Reverse Stock Split
has been effected. We expect that our transfer agent will act as
exchange agent for purposes of implementing the exchange of stock
certificates. Holders of pre-split shares will be asked to
surrender to the exchange agent certificates representing pre-split
shares in exchange for certificates representing post-split shares
in accordance with the procedures to be set forth in a letter of
transmittal to be sent by us or our exchange agent. No new
certificates will be issued to a stockholder until such stockholder
has surrendered such stockholder’s outstanding certificate(s)
together with the properly completed and executed letter of
transmittal to the exchange agent. Any pre-split shares submitted
for transfer, whether pursuant to a sale or other disposition, or
otherwise, will automatically be exchanged for post-split shares.
STOCKHOLDERS SHOULD NOT DESTROY ANY STOCK CERTIFICATE(S) AND SHOULD
NOT SUBMIT ANY CERTIFICATE(S) UNTIL REQUESTED TO DO
SO.
Principal Effects of Reverse Stock Split on Outstanding Options,
Warrants, and Option Plans
As
of the Record Date, there were outstanding stock options to
purchase an aggregate of 1,897,003 shares of our Common Stock with
a weighted average exercise price of $1.48 per share. When
the Reverse Stock Split becomes effective, the number of shares of
Common Stock covered by such options will be reduced to between and
including one-half and one-tenth the number currently covered, and
the exercise price per share will be increased by between and
including two and ten times the current exercise price, resulting
in the same aggregate price being required to be paid therefor upon
exercise thereof as was required immediately preceding the Reverse
Stock Split.
In
addition, the number of shares of Common Stock and number of shares
of Common Stock subject to stock options or similar rights
authorized under the Company’s stock option plans will be
proportionately adjusted by the Board of Directors and the
Compensation Committee for the reverse stock split ratio, such that
fewer shares will be subject to such plans. Further, the Board of
Directors and the Compensation Committee will proportionately
adjust the per share exercise price under such plans to reflect the
Reverse Stock Split.
Accounting Matters
The
Reverse Stock Split will not affect the Common Stock capital
account on our balance sheet. However, because the par value of our
Common Stock will remain unchanged at the effective time of the
split, the components that make up the Common Stock capital account
will change by offsetting amounts. Depending on the size of the
Reverse Stock Split the Board of Directors decides to implement,
the stated capital component will be reduced proportionately based
upon the Reverse Stock Split and the additional paid-in capital
component will be increased with the amount by which the stated
capital is reduced. Immediately after the Reverse Stock Split, the
per share net income or loss and net book value of our Common Stock
will be increased because there will be fewer shares of Common
Stock outstanding. All historic share and per share amounts in our
financial statements and related footnotes will be adjusted
accordingly for the Reverse Stock Split.
Effect on Par Value
The
proposed amendment to our Amended and Restated Certificate of
Incorporation will not affect the par value of our Common Stock,
which will remain at $0.01 per share.
No Going Private Transaction
Notwithstanding
the decrease in the number of outstanding shares following the
proposed Reverse Stock Split, our Board of Directors does not
intend for this transaction to be the first step in a “going
private transaction” within the meaning of Rule 13e-3 of the
Exchange Act.
No Dissenters’ Appraisal Rights
Under
the Delaware General Corporation Law, the Company’s
stockholders are not entitled to dissenters’ appraisal rights
with respect to the Reverse Stock Split, and the Company will not
independently provide stockholders with any such
right.
Material United States Federal Income Tax Consequences of the
Reverse Stock Split
The following is not intended as tax or legal advice. Each holder
should seek advice based on his, her or its particular
circumstances from an independent tax advisor. The following is a
summary of certain United States federal income tax consequences of
the Reverse Stock Split generally applicable to beneficial holders
of shares of our Common Stock but does not purport to be a complete
analysis of all potential tax effects. This summary addresses only
such stockholders who hold their pre-reverse stock split shares as
capital assets and will hold the post-reverse stock split shares as
capital assets. This discussion does not address all United States
federal income tax considerations that may be relevant to
particular stockholders in light of their individual circumstances
or to stockholders that are subject to special rules, such as
financial institutions, tax-exempt organizations, insurance
companies, dealers in securities, and foreign stockholders. The
following summary is based upon the provisions of the Code,
applicable Treasury Regulations thereunder, judicial decisions and
current administrative rulings, as of the date hereof, all of which
are subject to change, possibly on a retroactive basis. Tax
consequences under state, local, foreign, and other laws are not
addressed herein. Each stockholder should consult its tax advisor
as to the particular facts and circumstances which may be unique to
such stockholder and also as to any estate, gift, state, local or
foreign tax considerations arising out of the Reverse Stock
Split.
This
discussion is limited to holders of our Common Stock that are U.S.
Holders. For purposes of this discussion, a “U.S.
Holder” is a beneficial owner of our Common Stock that, for
U.S. federal income tax purposes, is or is treated as:
i.
an
individual who is a citizen or resident of the United
States;
ii.
a
corporation (or other entity taxable as a corporation for U.S.
Federal income tax purposes) created or organized under the laws of
the United States, any state thereof, or the District of
Columbia;
iii.
an
estate, the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income tax
regardless of its source; or
iv.
a
trust if either a court within the United States is able to
exercise primary supervision over the administration of such trust
and one or more United States persons (within the meaning of
Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code) have the authority to control all
substantial decisions of such trust, or the trust has a valid
election in effect under applicable Treasury Regulations to be
treated as a United States person for U.S. federal income tax
purposes.
Furthermore,
the following discussion does not address any tax consequences of
transactions effectuated before, after or at the same time as the
Reverse Stock Split, whether or not they are in connection with the
Reverse Stock Split.
Exchange Pursuant to Reverse Stock Split
The
Reverse Stock Split should constitute a
“recapitalization” for U.S. federal income tax
purposes. No gain or loss will be recognized by a stockholder upon
such stockholder’s exchange of pre-reverse stock split shares
for post-reverse stock split shares pursuant to the Reverse Stock
Split, except to the extent of cash, if any, received in lieu of
fractional shares, further described in “Cash in Lieu of
Fractional Shares” below. The aggregate tax basis of the
post-reverse stock split shares received in the Reverse Stock
Split, including any fractional share deemed to have been received,
will be equal to the aggregate tax basis of the pre-reverse stock
split shares exchanged therefor, and the holding period of the
post-reverse stock split shares will include the holding period of
the pre-reverse stock split shares. Treasury Regulations provide
detailed rules for allocating the tax basis and holding period of
the shares of our Common Stock surrendered to the shares of our
Common Stock received in a recapitalization pursuant to the Reverse
Stock Split. U.S. Holders of shares of our Common Stock acquired on
different dates and at different prices should consult their tax
advisors regarding the allocation of the tax basis and holding
period of such shares.
Cash in Lieu of Fractional Shares
A
holder of pre-reverse stock split shares that receives cash in lieu
of a fractional share of post-reverse stock split shares should
generally be treated as having received such fractional share
pursuant to the Reverse Stock Split and then as having exchanged
such fractional share for cash in a redemption by the Company. The
amount of any gain or loss should be equal to the difference
between the ratable portion of the tax basis of the pre-reverse
stock split shares exchanged in the Reverse Stock Split that is
allocated to such fractional share and the cash received in lieu
thereof. In general, any such gain or loss will constitute a
long-term capital gain or loss if the U.S. Holder’s holding
period for such pre-reverse stock split shares exceeds one year at
the time of the Reverse Stock Split. Deductibility of capital
losses by holders is subject to limitations.
Information Reporting and Backup Withholding
A
U.S. Holder of our Common Stock may be subject to information
reporting and backup withholding on cash paid in lieu of fractional
shares in connection with the Reverse Stock Split. A U.S. Holder of
our Common Stock will be subject to backup withholding if such
holder is not otherwise exempt and such holder does not provide its
taxpayer identification number in the manner required or otherwise
fails to comply with applicable backup withholding tax
rules.
Backup
withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld under
the backup withholding rules may be refunded or allowed as a credit
against a U.S. Holder’s federal income tax liability, if any,
provided the required information is timely furnished to the IRS.
U.S. Holders should consult their tax advisors regarding their
qualification for an exemption from backup withholding and the
procedures for obtaining such an exemption.
Interests of Directors and Executive Officers
Our
directors and executive officers have no substantial interests,
directly or indirectly, in the matters set forth in this proposal
except to the extent of their ownership of shares of our Common
Stock.
Reservation of Right to Abandon Reverse Stock Split
We
reserve the right to not file the Certificate of Amendment and to
abandon any reverse stock split without further action by our
stockholders at any time before the effectiveness of the filing
with the Secretary of the State of Delaware of the Certificate of
Amendment, even if the authority to effect these amendments is
approved by our stockholders at the annual meeting. By voting in
favor of a Reverse Stock Split, you are expressly also authorizing
the Board of Directors to delay, not proceed with, and abandon,
these proposed amendments if it should so decide, in its sole
discretion, that such action is in the best interests of our
stockholders.
Required Vote
The
affirmative vote of the majority of the outstanding shares of
Common Stock entitled to vote thereon will be necessary to approve
the amendment to the Company’s
Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation to effect the
Reverse Stock Split.
Any shares not voted (whether
by abstention, broker non-vote or otherwise) will have the same
effect as a vote against this proposal. Accordingly, it is
important that beneficial owners instruct their brokers how they
wish to vote their shares on this proposal.
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS THAT YOU VOTE “FOR”
THE APPROVAL OF THE AMENDMENT TO THE COMPANY’S AMENDED AND
RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION TO EFFECT THE REVERSE STOCK
SPLIT.
CODE OF ETHICS
Zoom
has adopted a Code of Ethics for Senior Financial Officers that
applies to Zoom's principal executive officer and its principal
financial officer, principal accounting officer and controller, and
other persons performing similar functions. Zoom's Code of Ethics
for Senior Financial Officers is publicly available on its website
at www.zoomtel.com. If Zoom makes any amendments to this Code of
Ethics or grants any waiver, including any implicit waiver, from a
provision of this Code of Ethics to Zoom's principal executive
officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer,
controller or other persons performing similar functions, Zoom will
disclose the nature of such amendment or waiver, the name of the
person to whom the waiver was granted and the date of waiver in a
current report on Form 8-K.
DEADLINE FOR RECEIPT OF STOCKHOLDER PROPOSALS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
FOR DIRECTOR
Stockholder
proposals for inclusion in Zoom's proxy materials for Zoom's 2020
Annual Meeting of Stockholders must be received by Zoom no later
than January 29, 2020. These proposals must also meet the
other requirements of the rules of the Securities and Exchange
Commission relating to stockholder proposals.
Stockholders who
wish to make a proposal at Zoom's 2020 Annual Meeting - other than
one that will be included in Zoom's proxy materials - should notify
Zoom no later than April 13, 2020. If a stockholder who wishes to
present such a proposal fails to notify Zoom by this date, the
proxies that management solicits for the meeting will have
discretionary authority to vote on the stockholder's proposal if it
is properly brought before the meeting. If a stockholder makes a
timely notification, the proxies may still exercise discretionary
voting authority under circumstances consistent with the proxy
rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Stockholders may
make recommendations to the Nominating Committee of candidates for
its consideration as nominees for director at Zoom's 2020 Annual
Meeting of Stockholders by submitting the name, qualifications,
experience and background of such person, together with a statement
signed by the nominee in which he or she consents to act as such,
to the Nominating Committee, c/o Secretary, Zoom Telephonics, Inc.,
99 High Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02110. Notice of such
recommendations should be submitted in writing as early as
possible, but in any event not later than 120 days prior to the
anniversary date of the immediately preceding annual meeting or
special meeting in lieu thereof and must contain specified
information and conform to certain requirements set forth in Zoom's
Bylaws. In addition, any persons recommended should at a minimum
meet the criteria and qualifications referred to in the Nominating
Committee's charter, a copy of which is publicly available on
Zoom's website at www.zoomtel.com. The letter of recommendation
from one or more stockholders should state whether or not the
person(s) making the recommendation have beneficially owned 5% or
more of Zoom's Common Stock for at least one year. The Nominating
Committee may refuse to acknowledge the nomination of any person
not made in compliance with the procedures set forth herein, in the
Nominating Committee's charter or in Zoom's Bylaws.
STOCKHOLDER COMMUNICATIONS
Any
stockholder wishing to communicate with any of Zoom's directors
regarding Zoom may write to the director c/o Investor Relations,
Zoom Telephonics, Inc., 99 High Street, Boston, Massachusetts
02110. Investor Relations will forward these communications
directly to the director(s).
OTHER MATTERS
The
Board of Directors knows of no other business to be presented for
consideration at the Annual Meeting other than described in this
proxy statement. However, if any other business should come before
the Annual Meeting, it is the intention of the persons named in the
proxy to vote, or otherwise act, in accordance with their best
judgment on such matters.
INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE
To the
extent that this proxy statement has been or will be specifically
incorporated by reference into any filing by Zoom under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934, as amended, the section of the Proxy Statement entitled
"Audit Committee Report" shall not be deemed to be so incorporated,
unless specifically otherwise provided in any such
filing.
COPIES OF ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM 10-K FOR 2018
Copies
of Zoom's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ending
December 31, 2018, as filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, are provided herewith and available to stockholders
without charge upon written request addressed to Zoom Telephonics,
Inc., 99 High Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02110, Attention:
Investor Relations.
IT
IS IMPORTANT THAT PROXIES BE RETURNED PROMPTLY. STOCKHOLDERS ARE
URGED TO UTILIZE THE AVAILABLE VOTING OPTIONS AS DESCRIBED IN THE
NOTICE OF INTERNET AVAILABILITY OF PROXY MATERIALS AND IN THIS
PROXY STATEMENT.
|
By
order of the Board of Directors
|
|
|
|
Frank
B. Manning, President
|
|
|
Boston,
Massachusetts
May 28,
2019
Appendix A
ZOOM TELEPHONICS, INC.
PROXY FOR ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
July 9, 2019
The
undersigned stockholder of Zoom Telephonics, Inc., a Delaware
corporation (the “Company”), acknowledges receipt of
the Notice of Annual Meeting of Stockholders and Proxy Statement,
dated May 28, 2019, and hereby appoints Frank Manning and Paul
McCusker, and each of them acting singly, with full power of
substitution, attorneys and proxies to represent the undersigned at
the Annual Meeting of Stockholders of the Company to be held at 225
Franklin Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02110, on Tuesday, July 9,
2019 at 10:00 A.M. Eastern Time, and at any adjournment or
adjournments thereof, with all power which the undersigned would
possess if personally present, and to vote all shares of stock
which the undersigned may be entitled to vote at said meeting upon
the matters set forth in the Notice of Meeting in accordance with
the following instructions and with discretionary authority upon
such other matters as may come before the meeting. All previous
proxies are hereby revoked.
THIS PROXY IS SOLICITED ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS. IT
WILL BE VOTED AS DIRECTED BY THE UNDERSIGNED AND IF NO DIRECTION IS
INDICATED, IT WILL BE VOTED FOR THE ELECTION OF THE NOMINEES AS
DIRECTORS AND FOR ALL OTHER PROPOSALS.
Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Material: The Notice of
Meeting, proxy statement and proxy card are available at
www.edocumentview.com/ZMTP
.
DETACH
PROXY CARD HERE
v
v
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE “FOR” THE
NOMINEES AS DIRECTORS AND
“
FOR” ALL OTHER PROPOSALS EXCEPT PROPOSAL
4. THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE FOR “1
YEAR” ON PROPOSAL 4.
1. Election of directors:
|
FOR
|
AGAINST
|
ABSTAIN
|
JOSEPH J. DONOVAN
|
[ ]
|
[ ]
|
[ ]
|
PHILIP FRANK
|
[ ]
|
[ ]
|
[ ]
|
JEREMY HITCHCOCK
|
[ ]
|
[ ]
|
[ ]
|
PETER R. KRAMER
|
[ ]
|
[ ]
|
[ ]
|
FRANK B. MANNING
|
[ ]
|
[ ]
|
[ ]
|
JONATHAN SEELIG
|
[ ]
|
[ ]
|
[ ]
|
PETER SYKES
|
[ ]
|
[ ]
|
[ ]
|
2. To ratify the appointment of Marcum LLP as Zoom Telephonics,
Inc.’s independent registered public accounting firm for its
fiscal year ending December 31, 2019.
[ ] FOR
[ ] AGAINST
[ ] ABSTAIN
3. Advisory vote to approve the compensation of the Company’s
named executive officers (the “say-on-pay”
vote).
[ ] FOR
[ ] AGAINST
[ ] ABSTAIN
4. Advisory vote
on the frequency of
holding future say-on-pay votes
.
[ ] 1 YEAR
[ ] 2 YEARS
[ ] 3 YEARS
[ ] ABSTAIN
5.
Approval of an amendment to the
Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation
to increase the number of authorized shares of Common Stock to
40,000,000
.
[ ] FOR
[ ] AGAINST
[ ] ABSTAIN
6.
Approval of the Company’s
2019 Directors Stock Option Plan
.
[ ] FOR
[ ] AGAINST
[ ] ABSTAIN
7.
Approval of the Company’s
2019 Stock Option Plan
.
[ ] FOR
[ ] AGAINST
[ ] ABSTAIN
8.
Approval of an amendment to the
Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation
to effect a reverse stock split of the shares of the
Company’s Common Stock at a ratio of not less than 1-for-2
and not greater than 1-for-10, with the exact ratio, effective
time, and decision whether to implement the reverse stock split to
be determined by the Board of Directors
.
[ ] FOR
[ ] AGAINST
[ ] ABSTAIN
|
Mark here for
address change and
note at left
|
☐
|
|
Signatures should be the same as the name printed hereon.
Executors, administrators, trustees, guardians, attorneys, and
officers of corporations should add their titles when
signing.
Signature:
___________________________________Date:_____________
Signature:
___________________________________Date:_____________
|
Please Detach Here
You Must Detach This Portion of the Proxy Card
Before Returning it in the Enclosed Envelope
——————————————
Appendix B
FORM OF CERTIFICATE OF AMENDMENT
TO THE AMENDED AND RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF
INCORPORATION
Pursuant to Section 242 of the General Corporation Law of the State
of Delaware
Zoom
Telephonics, Inc., a corporation organized and existing under and
by virtue of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware
(the “Corporation”), hereby certifies as
follows:
FIRST:
The name of the Corporation is
Zoom Telephonics, Inc.
SECOND:
The date on which the
Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation was originally
filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware is March
25, 1993, and was amended and restated by the Amended and Restated
Certificate of Incorporation filed with the Secretary of State of
the State of Delaware on September 22, 2009, as amended by the
Certificate of Amendment filed with the Secretary of State of the
State of Delaware on November 16, 2015 (as amended and restated,
the “Certificate”).
THIRD:
The Corporation hereby amends
the Certificate as follows:
ARTICLE
FOURTH of the Certificate is hereby deleted in its entirety and
amended to read as follows:
“The
Corporation is authorized to issue two classes of stock to be
designated, respectively, “Common Stock” and
“Preferred Stock.” The total number of shares of all
classes of stock that the Corporation shall have the authority to
issue is Forty-Two Million (42,000,000), of which Forty Million
(40,000,000) shares shall be Common Stock, having a par value of
$.01 per share, and of which Two Million (2,000,000) shares shall
be Preferred Stock, having a par value of $.001 per
share.
The Board of Directors of the Corporation is authorized, subject to
limitations prescribed by the DGCL and the provisions of this
Certificate of Incorporation, to provide, by resolution or
resolutions from time to time and by filing a certificate or
certificates of designations pursuant to the DGCL, for the issuance
of the shares of Preferred Stock in series, to establish from time
to time the number of shares to be included in each such series,
the voting powers (if any) of the shares to be included in each
such series, to fix the powers, designations, preferences and
relative, participating, optional or other special rights of the
shares of each such series and to fix the qualifications,
limitations or restrictions thereof, including without limitation
thereof, dividend rights, special voting rights, conversion rights,
redemption privileges and liquidation preferences, as shall be
stated and expressed in such resolutions, all to the full extent
now or hereafter permitted by the DGCL. Without limiting the
generality of the foregoing, the resolutions providing for issuance
of any series of Preferred Stock may provide that such series shall
be superior or rank equally or be junior to the Preferred Stock of
any other series to the extent permitted by law. Except as
otherwise specifically provided in this Certificate of
Incorporation, no vote of the holders of the Preferred Stock or
Common Stock shall be a prerequisite to the issuance of any shares
of any series of the Preferred Stock authorized by and complying
with the conditions of this Certificate of Incorporation, the right
to have such vote being expressly waived by all present and future
holders of the capital stock of the
Corporation.”
FOURTH:
This Certificate of Amendment
has been duly adopted in accordance with the provisions of Section
242 of the General Corporation Law of the State of
Delaware.
[Signature page follows]
IN WITNESS
WHEREOF,
Zoom Telephonics,
Inc. has caused this Certificate of Amendment to be signed by its
chief executive officer and acting chief financial officer this __
day of ______, 2019.
|
ZOOM TELEPHONICS, INC.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
By:
|
/s/
|
|
|
Name:
|
Frank
B. Manning
|
|
|
Title:
|
Chief
Executive Officer and
Acting
Chief Financial Officer
|
|
Appendix C
ZOOM TELEPHONICS, INC.
2019 DIRECTORS STOCK OPTION PLAN
Article 1- Purpose
This 2019 Directors Stock Option Plan, as amended (the
“Plan") is intended to enable Zoom Telephonics, Inc. (the
"Company") to attract and retain the services of experienced and
knowledgeable Directors for the benefit of the Company and its
stockholders by providing them with opportunities to purchase stock
in the Company pursuant to the exercise of options.
Article 2 - Administration of the Plan
The Plan shall be administered by the Board of Directors (the
"Board") of the Company. The Board may from time to time adopt such
rules and regulations for carrying out the Plan as it may determine
in its sole discretion. No member of the Board shall be liable with
respect to any action or determination made in good faith regarding
the Plan or any option granted under it. The Board shall have no
discretion with respect to the selection of recipients of grants,
or the pricing of stock option grants under the Plan.
Article 3- Eligible Directors
Options shall be granted to each Director of the Company in
accordance with Article 5 hereof, except any Director who is a
full-time employee or full-time officer of the Company or its
subsidiaries shall not be eligible to receive options under the
Plan.
Article 4- Stock
The stock subject to the options granted hereunder shall be shares
of the Company’s authorized but unissued shares of common
stock or shares of common stock reacquired by the Company including
shares purchased in the open market ("Common Stock"). The maximum
number of shares which are hereby reserved for issuance and may be
issued pursuant to this Plan is 1,000,000, subject to adjustment as
provided in Article 13. In the event any option granted under the
Plan shall expire, terminate or be cancelled for any reason without
having been exercised in full, or shall cease for any reason to be
exercisable in whole or in part, the unpurchased shares subject
thereto, to the extent the option ceases to be exercisable, shall
again be available under the Plan.
Article 5- Grant of Option
Each eligible Director shall be eligible to receive such option
grants as approved by the Board and set forth in an option
agreement between the Company and the Director, which agreement
will set forth the vesting, if any, and expiration date of the
options granted. The price per share of each option granted
hereunder shall be determined in accordance with Article 6 hereof.
No option shall be granted hereunder to a person who ceases to be a
Director prior to the date on which such grant is to be
made.
Article 6- Price of Options
The price per share specified in each option granted under the Plan
shall be the fair market value per share of Common Stock on the
date the option is granted. Fair market value shall mean the
closing price per share for the Company’s Common Stock on the
primary stock exchange on which the Common Stock is listed, or, if
the Common Stock is not listed on a stock exchange, the last sales
price per share for the Common Stock on the market quotation system
where such shares may from time to time be listed, on the date of
the grant, subject to any applicable regulatory rules.
Article 7- Duration of Options
Subject to earlier termination as provided in Articles 9 and 10,
each option shall expire 5 years from the date of
grant.
Article 8- Restrictions on Exercise of Options
Subject to the provisions of Articles 9 through 12, each option
granted under of Article 5 shall become exercisable on the same
date set forth in option agreement between the Company and the
Director.
Article 9- Termination of Service as a Director
If an optionee ceases to be a Director of the Company for any
reason other than death or disability his options shall terminate
on the date three months following the date of such cessation (but
not later than their specified expiration date).
Article 10- Disability; Death
If an optionee ceases to be a Director as a result of disability,
his options shall terminate on the date one year following the date
of such cessation (but not later than their specified expiration
date). "Disability" is based on your inability to work.
The Board shall consider a Director disabled if:
● The Director cannot do work that he
or she did before;
● The Board decides that the Director
cannot adjust to other work because of his or her medical
condition(s); and
● The Director disability has
lasted or is expected to last for at least one year or to result in
death.
If an optionee dies while a Director or during the three month
period referred to in Article 9 or the one year period referred to
above in this Article 10, his options may be exercised to the
extent they were exercisable on the date of his death, by his
estate, or duly appointed representative, or beneficiary who
acquires the options by will or by the laws of descent and
distribution, and each such option shall terminate on the date one
year following the date of the optionee's death (but not later than
its specified expiration date).
Article 11- Assignability
No option shall be assignable or transferable by the optionee
except by will or by the laws of descent and distribution, and
during the lifetime of the optionee each option shall be
exercisable only by him.
Article 12- Terms and Conditions of Options
Options shall be evidenced by instruments (which need not be
identical) in such forms as the Board may from time to time
approve. Such instruments shall conform to the terms and conditions
set forth in Articles 6 through 11. The Company shall not be
obligated to deliver any shares unless and until, in the opinion of
the Company's counsel, all applicable United States, and state laws
and regulations have been complied with, nor, in the event the
outstanding common stock is at the time listed upon any stock
exchange, unless and until the shares to be delivered have been
listed, if necessary, or authorized to be added to the list upon
official notice of issuance, upon such exchange, nor unless and
until all other legal matters in connection with the issuance and
delivery of shares have been approved by the Company's counsel.
Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Company may
require from the optionee such investment representation or such
agreement, if any, as counsel for the Company may consider
necessary in order to comply with the Securities Act of 1933. The
Company shall use its best efforts to effect any such compliance
and listing, and the optionee shall take any action reasonably
requested by the Company in such regard.
Article 13- Adjustments
Upon the happening of any of the following described events, an
optionee's rights under options granted hereunder shall be adjusted
as hereinafter provided:
i.
in
the event shares of Common Stock of the Company shall be subdivided
or combined into a greater or smaller number of shares or if, upon
a merger, consolidation, reorganization, split-up, liquidation,
combination, recapitalization or the like of the Company, the
shares of the Company’s Common Stock shall be exchanged for
other securities of the Company or of another corporation, each
optionee shall be entitled to purchase, subject to the terms and
conditions herein stated and to the terms and conditions of each
individual option, such number of shares of Common Stock or amount
of other securities of the Company or such other corporation as
were exchangeable for the number of shares of Common Stock of the
Company which such optionee would have been entitled to purchase
except for such action, and appropriate adjustments shall be made
in the purchase price per share to reflect such subdivision,
combination, or exchange; and
ii.
in
the event the Company shall issue any of its shares as a stock
dividend upon or with respect to the shares of stock of the class
which shall at the time be subject to option hereunder, each
optionee upon exercising such an option shall be entitled to
receive (for the purchase price paid upon such exercise) the shares
as to which he is exercising his option and, in addition thereto
(at no additional cost), such number of shares of the class or
classes in which such stock dividend or dividends were declared or
paid, and such amount of cash in lieu of fractional shares, as he
would have received if he had been the holder of the shares as to
which he is exercising his option at all times between the date of
the granting of such option and the date of its
exercise.
Upon the happening of any of the foregoing events, the class and
aggregate number of shares set forth in Article 4 hereof which are
reserved for issuance pursuant to the Plan or are subject to
options which have heretofore been or may hereafter be granted
under the Plan shall also be appropriately adjusted to reflect the
events specified in paragraphs A and B above.
In the event of a Change of Control, the Board may take any one or
more of the following actions with respect to any or all
outstanding option grants, without the consent of any Director: (i)
the Board may determine that outstanding options shall be fully
exercisable as of the date of the Change of Control or at such
other time or subject to specific conditions as the Board
determines, (ii) the Board may require that Directors surrender
their outstanding options in exchange for one or more payments by
the Company, in cash or Common Stock as determined by the Board, in
an amount equal to the amount by which the then fair market value
(as set forth in Article 6) of the shares of Common Stock subject
to the Director’s unexercised options exceeds the exercise
price, and on such terms as the Board determines, (iii) after
giving Directors an opportunity to exercise their outstanding
options, the Board may terminate any or all unexercised options at
such time as the Board deems appropriate, or (iv) the Board may
determine that option grants that remain outstanding after the
Change of Control shall be converted to similar grants of the
surviving corporation (or a parent or subsidiary of the surviving
corporation). Such acceleration, surrender, termination, settlement
or assumption shall take place as of the date of the Change of
Control or such other date as the Board may specify.
"Change of Control" shall be deemed to have occurred
if:
i.
Any
"person" (as such term is used in sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange
Act”)) becomes a "beneficial owner" (as defined in Rule 13d-3
under the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of securities of
the Company representing more than 50% of the voting power of the
then outstanding securities of the Company; provided that a Change
of Control shall not be deemed to occur as a result of a
transaction in which the Company becomes a subsidiary of another
corporation and in which the shareholders of the Company,
immediately prior to the transaction, will beneficially own,
immediately after the transaction, shares entitling such
shareholders to more than 50% of all votes to which all
shareholders of the parent corporation would be entitled in the
election of directors; or
ii.
The
consummation of (i) a merger or consolidation of the Company with
another corporation where the shareholders of the Company,
immediately prior to the merger or consolidation, will not
beneficially own, immediately after the merger or consolidation,
shares entitling such shareholders to more than 50% of all votes to
which all shareholders of the surviving corporation would be
entitled in the election of directors, (ii) a sale or other
disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the
Company, or (iii) a liquidation or dissolution of the
Company.
Article 14- Exercise of Options
An optionee shall exercise an option (or any part or installment
thereof) by giving written notice to the Company at its principal
office address, identifying the option being exercised, specifying
the number of shares as to which such option is being exercised and
accompanied by fully payment of the option price therefor either
(1) in US dollars, in cash or by certified check or bank draft
(including by payment through a broker in accordance with
applicable law), or (2) if permitted by the Board, in Common Stock
of the Company owned by the optionee having a fair market value (as
determined by the Board as of the date immediately preceding the
date on which the option is exercised and in accordance with all
applicable laws and all applicable rules and policies of relevant
securities regulatory authorities) equal to, or a fraction of a
share less than, such purchase price (and if such shares of Common
Stock are equal to a fraction of a share less than such purchase
price, then the option shall pay any balance remaining in cash), or
(3) in a combination of such Common Stock (as described above) and
cash, certified check or bank draft. However if the optionee
desires to tender Common Stock in payment of any part of the option
price as contemplated in (2) or (3) above, the optionee, before
giving notice of exercise as aforesaid, shall first give written
notice (addressed to the principal office of the Company specifying
the number of shares which the optionee wishes to tender) that the
optionee proposes to tender Common Stock in order to exercise his
option. The Board shall notify the optionee whether the proposed
tender is acceptable to the Board within ten days of receipt of
notice of the proposed tender. The acceptance of any tender of
Common Stock by an optionee pursuant to (2) or (3) in payment of
the option price shall be subject to the absolute discretion of the
Board, who may only accept the tender of such Common Stock in
accordance with, and subject to the requirements of, all applicable
laws and all applicable rules and policies of relevant securities
regulatory authorities. If the proposed tender is acceptable, the
optionee must then give written notice of the exercise of his
option as aforesaid within five days of receipt of notice of the
Board that the proposed tender is acceptable. If the proposed
tender is not acceptable and the optionee, at that time, still
desires to exercise this option, he may do so by giving written
notice of exercise of his option as aforesaid and paying the option
price in cash or by certified check or bank draft.
Unless the Board otherwise determines, the holder of an option
shall have no rights as a shareholder with respect to the shares
issued upon exercise of the option until the date of issuance of
the certificate for those shares to him. Unless the Board otherwise
determines, no adjustment will be made for dividends or similar
rights for which the record date occurs after the exercise of the
option but before the date such certificates for shares is issued.
In no case may a fraction of a share be purchased or issued under
the Plan.
Article 15- Termination and Amendments to Plan
The Plan shall expire on July 9, 2029 (except as to options
outstanding on that date). The Board may terminate or amend the
Plan in any respect at any time, except that, without the approval
of the stockholders (a) the total number of shares that may be
issued under the Plan may not be increased (except by adjustment
pursuant to Article 13); (b) the provisions of Article 3, regarding
eligibility, may not be modified; (c) the provisions of Article 5,
relating to the grants of options, may not be modified; (d) the
provisions of Article 6, regarding the exercise price at which
shares may be offered pursuant to options, may not be modified
(except by adjustment pursuant to Article 13); and (e) the
expiration date of the Plan may not be extended. No action of the
Board or stockholders may, without the consent of an optionee,
substantially impair his rights under any option previously granted
to him.
Article 16- Governmental Regulations
The Plan and the grant and exercise of options thereunder, and the
Company’s obligation to sell and deliver shares of the
Company’s Common Stock under such options, shall be subject
to all applicable laws (including tax laws), rules and
regulations.
|
July
__, 2019
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
A true
copy.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
By:
|
_____________________________
|
|
|
|
|
Frank
B. Manning
|
|
Appendix D
ZOOM TELEPHONICS, INC.
2019 STOCK OPTION PLAN
1.
Purpose and
Objectives
The Zoom Telephonics, Inc. 2019 Stock Option Plan (the "Plan")
is designed to align the interests of (i) designated employees
of Zoom Telephonics, Inc. (the "Company") and its
subsidiaries, (ii) employee members of the board of directors
of the Company, and (iii) consultants and key advisors of the
Company and its subsidiaries with the interests of the Company's
stockholders and to provide incentives for such persons to exert
maximum efforts for the success of the Company. By extending the
opportunity to receive grants of stock options, the Company
believes that the Plan will encourage the participants to
contribute materially to the growth of the Company, thereby
benefiting the Company's shareholders, and will align the economic
interests of the participants with those of the shareholders. The
Plan may furthermore be expected to benefit the Company and its
stockholders by making it possible for the Company to attract and
retain the best available talent. The Plan shall be effective as of
July 9, 2019.
2.
Definitions
Whenever used in this Plan, the following terms will have the
respective meanings set forth below:
(a) "Board"
means the Company's Board of Directors.
(b) "Cause"
means, except to the extent otherwise specified by the Committee, a
finding by the Committee of a Participant's incompetence in the
performance of duties, continuing inattention to or neglect of
duties and responsibilities, disloyalty, dishonesty, theft,
embezzlement, illegal or unethical behavior, acts of moral
turpitude, other willful behavior detrimental to the best interest
of the Employer, unauthorized disclosure of customer lists, product
lines, processes or trade secrets of the Employer, individually or
as an employee, partner, associate, officer or director of any
organization.
(c) "Change
of Control" shall be deemed to have occurred if:
(i)
Any "person" (as such term is used in sections 13(d) and 14(d) of
the Exchange Act) becomes a "beneficial owner" (as defined in
Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of
securities of the Company representing more than 50% of the voting
power of the then outstanding securities of the Company; provided
that a Change of Control shall not be deemed to occur as a result
of a transaction in which the Company becomes a subsidiary of
another corporation and in which the shareholders of the Company,
immediately prior to the transaction, will beneficially own,
immediately after the transaction, shares entitling such
shareholders to more than 50% of all votes to which all
shareholders of the parent corporation would be entitled in the
election of directors;
(ii) The
consummation of (A) a merger or consolidation of the Company
with another corporation where the shareholders of the Company,
immediately prior to the merger or consolidation, will not
beneficially own, immediately after the merger or consolidation,
shares entitling such shareholders to more than 50% of all votes to
which all shareholders of the surviving corporation would be
entitled in the election of directors, (B) a sale or other
disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the
Company, or (C) a liquidation or dissolution of the
Company.
(d) "Code"
means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
(e) "Committee"
means the Compensation Committee of the Board or another committee
appointed by the Board to administer the Plan.
(f)
"Company" means Zoom Telephonics, Inc. and any
successor corporation.
(g) "Company
Stock" means the common stock of the Company.
(h) "Consultant"
means a consultant or advisor who performs services for the
Employer and who renders bona fide services to the Employer, if the
services are not in connection with the offer and sale of
securities in a capital-raising transaction and the Consultant does
not directly or indirectly promote or maintain a market for the
Employer's securities.
(i)
"Disability" is based on a
Participant’s inability to work. The Committee shall consider
a Participant disabled if:
●
The
Participant cannot do work that he or she did before;
●
The
Committee decides that the Participant cannot adjust to other work
because of his or her medical condition(s); and
●
The
Participant’s disability has lasted or is expected to last
for at least one year or to result in death.
(j)
"Effective Date" of the Plan means
July 9, 2019.
(k) "Employee"
means an employee of the Employer (including an officer or director
who is also an employee).
(l)
"Employer" means the Company and its
subsidiaries.
(m) "Exchange
Act" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended.
(n) "Exercise
Price" means the per share price at which shares of Company Stock
may be purchased under an Option, as designated by the
Committee.
(o) "Fair
Market Value" of Company Stock means, unless the Committee
determines otherwise with respect to a particular Grant,
(i) if the principal trading market for the Company Stock is
the NYSE Amex, the NASDAQ Global Market, the NASDAQ Capital Market
or another national securities exchange, the "closing transaction"
price at which shares of Company Stock are traded on such
securities exchange on the relevant date or (if there were no
trades on that date) the latest preceding date upon which a sale
was reported, (ii) if the Company Stock is not principally
traded on a national securities exchange, but is quoted on the
OTCQB Marketplace ("OTCQB") or the Pink Sheets, the last reported
"closing transaction" price of Company Stock on the relevant date,
as reported by the OTCQB or Pink Sheets, or, if not so reported, as
reported in a customary financial reporting service, as the
Committee determines, or (iii) if the Company Stock is not
publicly traded or, if publicly traded, is not subject to reported
closing transaction prices as set forth above, the Fair Market
Value per share shall be as determined by the Committee.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, for federal, state and local income
tax purposes, the Fair Market Value may be determined by the
Committee in accordance with uniform and non-discriminatory
standards adopted by it from time to time.
(p) "Grant"
means an Option granted under the Plan.
(q) "Grant
Agreement" means the written instrument that sets forth the terms
and conditions of a Grant, including all amendments
thereto.
(r)
"Incentive Stock Option" means an
Option that is intended to meet the requirements of an incentive
stock option under section 422 of the Code.
(s) "Nonqualified
Stock Option" means an Option that is not intended to be taxed as
an incentive stock option under section 422 of the
Code.
(t)
"Option" means an option to purchase shares of Company
Stock, as described in Section 7.
(u) "Participant"
means an Employee or Consultant designated by the Committee to
participate in the Plan.
(v) "Plan"
means this Zoom Telephonics, Inc. 2019 Stock Option Plan, as
in effect from time to time.
3.
Administration
(a)
Committee.
The
Plan shall be administered and interpreted by the Committee.
Ministerial functions may be performed by an administrative
committee comprised of Company employees appointed by the
Committee. No member of the Committee or any employee of the
Company shall be personally liable for any act taken or omitted in
good faith in connection with the Plan.
(b)
Committee
Authority.
The Committee
shall have the sole authority to (i) determine the
Participants to whom Grants shall be made under the Plan,
(ii) determine the type, size and terms and conditions of the
Grants to be made to each such Participant, (iii) determine
the time when the grants will be made and the duration of any
applicable exercise or restriction period, including the criteria
for exercisability and the acceleration of exercisability,
(iv) amend the terms and conditions of any previously issued
Grant, subject to the provisions of Section 12 below, and
(v) deal with any other matters arising under the
Plan.
(c)
Committee
Determinations.
The
Committee shall have full power and express discretionary authority
to administer and interpret the Plan, to make factual
determinations and to adopt or amend such rules, regulations,
agreements and instruments for implementing the Plan and for the
conduct of its business as it deems necessary or advisable, in its
sole discretion. The Committee's interpretations of the Plan and
all determinations made by the Committee pursuant to the powers
vested in it hereunder shall be conclusive and binding on all
persons having any interest in the Plan or in any awards granted
hereunder. All powers of the Committee shall be executed in its
sole discretion, in the best interest of the Company, not as a
fiduciary, and in keeping with the objectives of the Plan and need
not be uniform as to similarly situated
Participants.
4.
Grants
(a) Grants
under the Plan may consist of Options as described in
Section 7. All Grants shall be subject to such terms and
conditions as the Committee deems appropriate and as are specified
in writing by the Committee to the Participant in the Grant
Agreement.
(b) All
Grants shall be made conditional upon the Participant's
acknowledgement, in writing or by acceptance of the Grant, that all
decisions and determinations of the Committee shall be final and
binding on the Participant, his or her beneficiaries and any other
person having or claiming an interest under such Grant. Grants
under a particular Section of the Plan need not be uniform as among
the Participants.
5.
Shares Subject to the
Plan
(a)
Shares
Authorized.
The aggregate
number of shares of Company Stock that may be issued under the Plan
is 4,000,000 shares, subject to adjustment as described in
subsection (c) below.
(b)
Source
of Shares; Share Counting.
Shares issued under the Plan may be
authorized but unissued shares of Company Stock or reacquired
shares of Company Stock, including shares purchased by the Company
on the open market for purposes of the Plan. If and to the extent
Options granted under the Plan terminate, expire, or are canceled,
forfeited, exchanged or surrendered without having been exercised,
the shares reserved for such Grants shall again be available for
purposes of the Plan.
(c)
Adjustments.
If
there is any change in the number or kind of shares of Company
Stock outstanding (i) by reason of a stock dividend, spinoff,
recapitalization, stock split, or combination or exchange of
shares, (ii) by reason of a merger, reorganization or
consolidation, or (iii) by reason of a reclassification or
change in par value, the maximum number of shares of Company Stock
available for issuance under the Plan, the maximum number of shares
of Company Stock for which any individual may receive Grants in any
year, the number of shares covered by outstanding Grants, the kind
of shares issued and to be issued under the Plan, and the price per
share or the applicable market value of such Grants may be
appropriately adjusted by the Committee to reflect any increase or
decrease in the number of, or change in the kind or value of,
issued shares of Company Stock to preclude, to the extent
practicable, the enlargement or dilution of rights and benefits
under such Grants; provided, however, that any fractional shares
resulting from such adjustment shall be eliminated. Any adjustments
determined by the Committee shall be final, binding and conclusive.
To the extent that any Grant is subject to section 409A of the
Code, or becomes subject to section 409A of the Code as a result of
any adjustment made hereunder, such adjustment shall be made in
compliance with section 409A of the Code.
6.
Eligibility for
Participation
(a)
Eligible
Persons.
All Employees or
Consultants shall be eligible to participate in the
Plan.
(b)
Selection
of Participants.
The
Committee shall select the Employees or Consultants to receive
Grants and shall determine the number of shares of Company Stock
subject to each Grant.
7.
Options
(a)
General
Requirements
. The Committee may
grant Options to an Employee or Consultant upon such terms and
conditions as the Committee deems appropriate under this
Section 7. The Committee shall determine the number of shares
of Company Stock that will be subject to each Grant of Options to
Employees and Consultants.
(b)
Type
of Option, Price and Term
(i)
The Committee may grant Incentive Stock Options or Nonqualified
Stock Options or any combination of the two, all in accordance with
the terms and conditions set forth herein. Incentive Stock Options
may be granted only to Employees of the Company or its parents or
subsidiaries, as defined in section 424 of the Code.
Nonqualified Stock Options may be granted to Employees or
Consultants.
(ii) The
Exercise Price of Company Stock subject to an Option shall be
determined by the Committee; provided, however, that the Exercise
Price for an Option (including Incentive Stock Options or
Nonqualified Stock Options) will be equal to, or greater than, the
Fair Market Value of a share of Company Stock on the date the
Option is granted and further provided that an Incentive Stock
Option may not be granted to an Employee who, at the time of grant,
owns stock possessing more than 10% of the total combined voting
power of all classes of stock of the Company or any parent or
subsidiary, as defined in section 424 of the Code, unless the
Exercise Price per share is not less than 110% of the Fair Market
Value of the Company Stock on the date of grant
(iii) The
Committee shall determine the term of each Option, which shall not
exceed ten years from the date of grant. However, an Incentive
Stock Option that is granted to an Employee who, at the time of
grant, owns stock possessing more than 10% of the total combined
voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or any parent
or subsidiary, as defined in section 424 of the Code, may not
have a term that exceeds five years from the date of
grant.
(iv) To
the extent the Company is unable to obtain shareholder approval of
the Plan within one year of the Effective Date, any Incentive Stock
Options issued pursuant to the Plan shall automatically be
considered Nonqualified Stock Options, and to the extent a holder
of an Incentive Stock Option exercises his or her Incentive Stock
Option prior to such shareholder approval date, such exercised
Option shall automatically be considered to have been a
Nonqualified Stock Option.
(c)
Exercisability
of Options.
(i)
Options shall become exercisable in accordance with such terms and
conditions as may be determined by the Committee and specified in
the Grant Agreement. The Committee may accelerate the
exercisability of any or all outstanding Options at any time for
any reason.
(ii) The
Committee may provide in a Grant Agreement that the Participant may
elect to exercise part or all of an Option before it otherwise has
become exercisable. Any shares so purchased shall be restricted
shares and shall be subject to a repurchase right in favor of the
Company during a specified restriction period, with the repurchase
price equal to the lesser of (A) the Exercise Price or
(B) the Fair Market Value of such shares at the time of
repurchase, or such other restrictions as the Committee deems
appropriate. Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent that an
Option would otherwise be exempt from section 409A of the Code, the
Committee may only include such a provision in a Grant Agreement
for such an Option if the inclusion of such a provision will not
cause that Option to become subject to section 409A of the
Code.
(iii) Options
granted to persons who are non-exempt employees under the Fair
Labor Standards Act of 1938, as amended, may not be exercisable for
at least six months after the date of grant (except that such
Options may become exercisable, as determined by the Committee,
upon the Participant's death, Disability or retirement, or upon a
Change of Control or other circumstances permitted by applicable
regulations).
(d)
Termination
of Employment or Service.
Upon termination of employment or the
services of a Participant, an Option may only be exercised as
follows:
(i) In
the event that a Participant ceases to be employed by, or provide
service to, the Employer for any reason other than Disability,
death, or termination for Cause, any Option which is otherwise
exercisable by the Participant shall terminate unless exercised
within three months after the date on which the Participant ceases
to be employed by, or provide service to, the Employer (or within
such other period of time as may be specified by the Committee),
but in any event no later than the date of expiration of the Option
term. Except as otherwise provided by the Committee, any of the
Participant's Options that are not otherwise exercisable as of the
date on which the Participant ceases to be employed by, or provide
service to, the Employer shall terminate as of such
date.
(ii) In
the event the Participant ceases to be employed by, or provide
service to, the Employer on account of a termination for Cause by
the Employer, any Option held by the Participant shall terminate as
of the date the Participant ceases to be employed by, or provide
service to, the Employer. In addition, notwithstanding any other
provisions of this Section 7, if the Committee determines that
the Participant has engaged in conduct that constitutes Cause at
any time while the Participant is employed by, or providing service
to, the Employer or after the Participant's termination of
employment or service, any Option held by the Participant shall
immediately terminate and the Participant shall automatically
forfeit all shares underlying any exercised portion of an Option
for which the Company has not yet delivered the share certificates,
upon refund by the Company of the Exercise Price paid by the
Participant for such shares. Upon any exercise of an Option, the
Company may withhold delivery of share certificates pending
resolution of an inquiry that could lead to a finding resulting in
a forfeiture.
(iii) In
the event the Participant ceases to be employed by, or provide
service to, the Employer on account of the Participant's
Disability, any Option which is otherwise exercisable by the
Participant shall terminate unless exercised within one year after
the date on which the Participant ceases to be employed by, or
provide service to, the Employer (or within such other period of
time as may be specified by the Committee), but in any event no
later than the date of expiration of the Option term. Except as
otherwise provided by the Committee, any of the Participant's
Options which are not otherwise exercisable as of the date on which
the Participant ceases to be employed by, or provide service to,
the Employer shall terminate as of such date.
(iv) If
the Participant dies while employed by, or providing service to,
the Employer or while an Option remains outstanding under
Section 7(d)(i) or 7(d)(iii) above (or within such
other period of time as may be specified by the Committee), any
Option that is otherwise exercisable by the Participant shall
terminate unless exercised within one year after the date on which
the Participant ceases to be employed by, or provide service to,
the Employer (or within such other period of time as may be
specified by the Committee), but in any event no later than the
date of expiration of the Option term. Except as otherwise provided
by the Committee, any of the Participant's Options that are not
otherwise exercisable as of the date on which the Participant
ceases to be employed by, or provide service to, the Employer shall
terminate as of such date.
(e)
Exercise
of Options.
A Participant
may exercise an Option that has become exercisable, in whole or in
part, by delivering a notice of exercise to the Company. The
Participant shall pay the Exercise Price for the Option:
(i) in cash, (ii) if permitted by the Committee, by
delivering shares of Company Stock owned by the Participant and
having a Fair Market Value on the date of exercise equal to the
Exercise Price or by attestation to ownership of shares of Company
Stock having an aggregate Fair Market Value on the date of exercise
equal to the Exercise Price, (iii) by payment through a broker
in accordance with procedures permitted by Regulation T of the
Federal Reserve Board, or (iv) by such other method as the
Committee may approve. Shares of Company Stock used to exercise an
Option shall have been held by the Participant for the requisite
period of time to avoid adverse accounting consequences to the
Company with respect to the Option. Payment for the shares pursuant
to the Option, and any required withholding taxes, must be received
by the time specified by the Committee depending on the type of
payment being made, but in all cases prior to the issuance of the
Company Stock.
(f)
Limits on Incentive Stock
Options.
Each Incentive
Stock Option shall provide that, if the aggregate Fair Market Value
of the stock on the date of the grant with respect to which
Incentive Stock Options are exercisable for the first time by a
Participant during any calendar year, under the Plan or any other
stock option plan of the Company or a parent or subsidiary, as
defined in section 424 of the Code, exceeds $100,000, then the
Option, as to the excess, shall be treated as a Nonqualified Stock
Option. An Incentive Stock Option shall not be granted to any
person who is not an Employee of the Company or a parent or
subsidiary, as defined in section 424 of the
Code.
8.
Withholding of
Taxes
(a)
Required
Withholding.
All Grants
under the Plan shall be subject to applicable federal (including
FICA), state and local tax withholding requirements. The Company
may require that the Participant or other person receiving or
exercising Grants pay to the Company the amount of any federal,
state or local taxes that the Company is required to withhold with
respect to such Grants, or the Company may deduct from other wages
paid by the Company the amount of any withholding taxes due with
respect to such Grants.
(b)
Election
to Withhold Shares.
If the
Committee so permits, a Participant may elect to satisfy the
Company's tax withholding obligation with respect to Grants paid in
Company Stock by having shares withheld, at the time such Grants
become taxable, up to an amount that does not exceed the minimum
applicable withholding tax rate for federal (including FICA), state
and local tax liabilities. The election must be in a form and
manner prescribed by the Committee.
9.
Transferability of
Grants
(a)
Restrictions
on Transfer.
Except as
described in subsection (b) below, only the Participant may
exercise rights under a Grant during the Participant's lifetime,
and a Participant may not transfer those rights except by will or
by the laws of descent and distribution. When a Participant dies,
the personal representative or other person entitled to succeed to
the rights of the Participant may exercise such rights. Any such
successor must furnish proof satisfactory to the Company of his or
her right to receive the Grant under the Participant's will or
under the applicable laws of descent and
distribution.
(b)
Transfer
of Nonqualified Stock Options to or for Family
Members.
Notwithstanding
the foregoing, the Committee may provide in a Grant Agreement that
a Participant may transfer Nonqualified Stock Options to family
members, or one or more trusts or other entities for the benefit of
or owned by family members, consistent with the applicable
securities laws, according to such terms as the Committee may
determine; provided that the Participant receives no consideration
for the transfer of an Option and the transferred Option shall
continue to be subject to the same terms and conditions as were
applicable to the Option immediately before the
transfer.
10.
Consequences
of a Change of Control
In
the event of a Change of Control, the Committee may take any one or
more of the following actions with respect to any or all
outstanding Grants, without the consent of any Participant:
(i) the Committee may determine that outstanding Options shall
be fully exercisable as of the date of the Change of Control or at
such other time or subject to specific conditions as the Committee
determines, (ii) the Committee may require that Participants
surrender their outstanding Options in exchange for one or more
payments by the Company, in cash or Company Stock as determined by
the Committee, in an amount equal to the amount by which the then
Fair Market Value of the shares of Company Stock subject to the
Participant's unexercised Options exceeds the Exercise Price, if
any, and on such terms as the Committee determines,
(iii) after giving Participants an opportunity to exercise
their outstanding Options, the Committee may terminate any or all
unexercised Options at such time as the Committee deems
appropriate, or (iv) the Committee may determine that Grants
that remain outstanding after the Change of Control shall be
converted to similar grants of the surviving corporation (or a
parent or subsidiary of the surviving corporation). Such
acceleration, surrender, termination, settlement or assumption
shall take place as of the date of the Change of Control or such
other date as the Committee may specify. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, to the extent required to comply with section 409A of
the Code, a Grant Agreement will include a definition of "Change of
Control" that complies with and falls within the definition of
"change in control event" set forth in section 409A of the Code and
any Internal Revenue Service regulations or other guidance issued
thereunder.
11.
Requirements
for Issuance of Shares
No
Company Stock shall be issued in connection with any Grant
hereunder unless and until all legal requirements applicable to the
issuance of such Company Stock have been complied with to the
satisfaction of the Committee. The Committee shall have the right
to condition any Grant made to any Participant hereunder on such
Participant's undertaking in writing to comply with such
restrictions on his or her subsequent disposition of such shares of
Company Stock as the Committee shall deem necessary or advisable,
and certificates representing such shares may be legended to
reflect any such restrictions. Certificates representing shares of
Company Stock issued under the Plan will be subject to such
stop-transfer orders and other restrictions as may be required by
applicable laws, regulations and interpretations, including any
requirement that a legend be placed thereon. No Participant shall
have any right as a shareholder with respect to Company Stock
covered by a Grant until shares have been issued to the
Participant.
12.
Amendment
and Termination of the Plan
(a)
Amendment.
The
Board may amend or terminate the Plan at any time; provided,
however, that the Board shall not amend the Plan without approval
of the shareholders of the Company if such approval is required in
order to comply with the Code or applicable laws, or to comply with
applicable stock exchange requirements. No amendment or termination
of this Plan shall, without the consent of the Participant,
materially impair any rights or obligations under any Grant
previously made to the Participant under the Plan, unless such
right has been reserved in the Plan or the Grant Agreement, or
except as provided in Section 13(b) below. Notwithstanding
anything in the Plan to the contrary, the Board may amend the Plan
in such manner as it deems appropriate in the event of a change in
applicable law or regulations.
(b)
Termination
of Plan.
The Plan shall
terminate on the day immediately preceding the tenth anniversary of
its Effective Date, unless the Plan is terminated earlier by the
Board or is extended by the Board with the approval of the
shareholders. The termination of the Plan shall not impair the
power and authority of the Committee with respect to an outstanding
Grant.
13.
Miscellaneous
(a)
Grants
in Connection with Corporate Transactions and
Otherwise.
Nothing
contained in this Plan shall be construed to (i) limit the
right of the Committee to make Grants under this Plan in connection
with the acquisition, by purchase, lease, merger, consolidation or
otherwise, of the business or assets of any corporation, firm or
association, including Grants to employees thereof who become
Employees, or for other proper corporate purposes, or
(ii) limit the right of the Company to grant stock options or
make other stock-based awards outside of this Plan. Without
limiting the foregoing, the Committee may make a Grant to an
employee of another corporation who becomes an Employee by reason
of a corporate merger, consolidation, acquisition of stock or
property, reorganization or liquidation involving the Company in
substitution for a grant made by such corporation. The terms and
conditions of the Grants may vary from the terms and conditions
required by the Plan and from those of the substituted stock
incentives, as determined by the Committee
(b)
Compliance
with Law.
The Plan, the
exercise of Options and the obligations of the Company to issue or
transfer shares of Company Stock under Grants shall be subject to
all applicable laws and to approvals by any governmental or
regulatory agency as may be required. With respect to persons
subject to section 16 of the Exchange Act, it is the intent of
the Company that the Plan and all transactions under the Plan
comply with all applicable provisions of Rule 16b-3 or its
successors under the Exchange Act. In addition, it is the intent of
the Company that Incentive Stock Options comply with the applicable
provisions of section 422 of the Code, and that, to the extent
applicable, Grants comply with the requirements of
section 409A of the Code. To the extent that any legal
requirement of section 16 of the Exchange Act or
section 422 or 409A of the Code as set forth in the Plan
ceases to be required under section 16 of the Exchange Act or
section 422 or 409A of the Code, at the Committee’s
determination that Plan provision shall cease to apply. The
Committee may revoke any Grant if it is contrary to law or modify a
Grant to bring it into compliance with any valid and mandatory
government regulation. The Committee may also adopt rules regarding
the withholding of taxes on payments to Participants. The Committee
may, in its sole discretion, agree to limit its authority under
this Section.
(c)
Enforceability.
The
Plan shall be binding upon and enforceable against the Company and
its successors and assigns.
(d)
Funding
of the Plan; Limitation on Rights.
This Plan shall be unfunded. The Company
shall not be required to establish any special or separate fund or
to make any other segregation of assets to assure the payment of
any Grants under this Plan. Nothing contained in the Plan and no
action taken pursuant hereto shall create or be construed to create
a fiduciary relationship between the Company and any Participant or
any other person. No Participant or any other person shall under
any circumstances acquire any property interest in any specific
assets of the Company. To the extent that any person acquires a
right to receive payment from the Company hereunder, such right
shall be no greater than the right of any unsecured general
creditor of the Company.
(e)
Rights
of Participants.
Nothing
in this Plan shall entitle any Employee or other person to any
claim or right to receive a Grant under this Plan. Neither this
Plan nor any action taken hereunder shall be construed as giving
any individual any rights to be retained by or in the employment or
service of the Employer.
(f)
No
Fractional Shares.
No
fractional shares of Company Stock shall be issued or delivered
pursuant to the Plan or any Grant. The Committee shall determine
whether cash, other awards or other property shall be issued or
paid in lieu of such fractional shares or whether such fractional
shares or any rights thereto shall be forfeited or otherwise
eliminated.
(g)
Employees
Subject to Taxation Outside the United States.
With respect to Participants who are subject
to taxation in countries other than the United States, the
Committee may make Grants on such terms and conditions as the
Committee deems appropriate to comply with the laws of the
applicable countries, and the Committee may create such procedures,
addenda and subplans and make such modifications as may be
necessary or advisable to comply with such
laws.
(h)
Governing
Law.
The validity,
construction, interpretation and effect of the Plan and Grant
Agreements issued under the Plan shall be governed and construed by
and determined in accordance with the laws of the State of
Delaware, without giving effect to the conflict of laws provisions
thereof.
Appendix E
FORM OF CERTIFICATE OF AMENDMENT
TO THE AMENDED AND RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF
INCORPORATION
Pursuant to Section 242 of the General Corporation Law of the State
of Delaware
Zoom
Telephonics, Inc., a corporation organized and existing under and
by virtue of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware
(the “Corporation”), hereby certifies as
follows:
FIRST:
The name of the Corporation is
Zoom Telephonics, Inc.
SECOND:
The date on which the
Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation was originally
filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware is March
25, 1993, and was amended and restated by the Amended and Restated
Certificate of Incorporation filed with the Secretary of State of
the State of Delaware on September 22, 2009, as amended by the
Certificates of Amendment filed with the Secretary of State of the
State of Delaware on November 16, 2015 and on ___________, 2019 (as
amended and restated, the
“Certificate”).
THIRD:
The Corporation hereby amends
the Certificate as follows:
ARTICLE
FOURTH of the Certificate is hereby amended by adding the following
paragraph at the end of such section:
“Upon
the effectiveness of this Certificate of Amendment to the Amended
and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation, each
__ shares of Common Stock issued and outstanding at such time
shall, automatically and without any further action on the part of
the Corporation or the holder thereof, be combined into one (1)
validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable share of Common Stock
(the “Reverse Stock Split”). The par value of the
Common Stock following the Reverse Stock Split shall remain $0.01
per share. No fractional shares shall be issued, and, in lieu
thereof, the Corporation shall pay cash equal to such fraction
multiplied by the fair market value of a share of Common Stock, as
determined by the Board of Directors. Each certificate that
immediately prior to the Effective Time represented shares of
Common Stock (an “Old Certificate”) shall thereafter
represent that number of shares of Common Stock into which the
shares of Common Stock represented by the Old Certificate shall
have been combined, subject to the elimination of fractional share
interests as described above.”
FOURTH:
This Certificate of Amendment
has been duly adopted in accordance with the provisions of Section
242 of the General Corporation Law of the State of
Delaware.
FIFTH:
The Certificate of Amendment
shall be effective on _______, 20__ at 12:01 am
ET.
[Signature page follows]
IN WITNESS
WHEREOF,
Zoom Telephonics,
Inc. has caused this Certificate of Amendment to be signed by its
chief executive officer and acting chief financial officer this __
day of ______, 20__.
|
ZOOM TELEPHONICS, INC.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
By:
|
/s/
|
|
|
Name:
|
Frank
B. Manning
|
|
|
Title:
|
Chief
Executive Officer and
Acting
Chief Financial Officer
|
|