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
Filed
by the Registrant
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x
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Filed
by a Party other than the Registrant
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Check
the
appropriate box:
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Preliminary
Proxy Statement
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Confidential,
for use of the Commission
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Definitive
Proxy Statement
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only
(as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2))
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Definitive
Additional Materials
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Soliciting
Material Pursuant to Rule 14a-11(c) or Rule 14a-12
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LIVEPERSON,
INC.
(Name
of
Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)
(Name
of
Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)
Payment
of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):
o
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Fee
computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(4) and
0-11.
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(1)
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Title
of each class of securities to which transaction
applies:
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Aggregate
number of securities to which transaction applies:
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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):
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(4)
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Proposed
maximum aggregate value of transaction:
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(5)
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Total
fee paid:
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Fee
paid previously with preliminary
materials.
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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.
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(1)
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Amount
Previously Paid:
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Form,
Schedule or Registration Statement No.:
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Filing
Party:
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Date
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April
30,
2007
Dear
LivePerson Stockholders:
On
behalf
of the Board of Directors of LivePerson, Inc., I cordially invite you to attend
our Annual Meeting of Stockholders, which will be held on Tuesday, June 12,
2007
at 10:00 a.m. (Eastern Daylight time) at the Courtyard by Marriott Hotel
(Manhattan Times Square South), Meeting Room A, 114 West 40th
Street,
New York, New York 10018 (Tel: 212-391-0088).
The
purposes of this meeting are:
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the
election of two directors;
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the
ratification of the Audit Committee’s appointment of BDO Seidman, LLP as
our independent registered public accounting firm;
and
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to
act upon such other business as may properly come before the Annual
Meeting.
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You
will
find attached a Notice of Annual Meeting of Stockholders and a Proxy Statement
that contain more information about the matters to be considered at the Annual
Meeting. Please give all of this information your careful attention. The Board
of Directors recommends a vote FOR
the
director nominees pursuant to Item 1 in the Notice and a vote FOR
the
proposal listed as Item 2 in the Notice.
You
will
also find enclosed a Proxy Card appointing proxies to vote your shares at the
Annual Meeting. If you do not plan to attend the Annual Meeting in person,
please sign, date and return your Proxy Card as soon as possible so that your
shares can be represented and voted in accordance with your instructions. If
you
decide to attend the Annual Meeting and wish to change your proxy vote, you
may
do so automatically by voting in person at the Annual Meeting.
The
Proxy
Statement and the enclosed Proxy Card are first being mailed on or about May
1,
2007 to stockholders entitled to vote. Our 2006 Annual Report to Stockholders
is
being mailed with the Proxy Statement.
We
look
forward to seeing you at the Annual Meeting.
Sincerely,
Robert
P.
LoCascio
Chairman
of the Board and
Chief
Executive Officer
LIVEPERSON,
INC.
462
Seventh Avenue, 3rd Floor
New
York, New York 10018
NOTICE
OF ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
TO
BE HELD AT 10:00 A.M. JUNE 12, 2007
TO
THE STOCKHOLDERS OF LIVEPERSON, INC.:
NOTICE
IS
HEREBY GIVEN that the Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the “Annual Meeting”) of
LivePerson, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), will be held at the
Courtyard by Marriott Hotel (Manhattan Times Square South), Meeting Room A,
114
West 40th
Street,
New York, New York 10018 on Tuesday, June 12, 2007 at 10:00 a.m. (Eastern
Daylight time) for the following purposes, as more fully described in the Proxy
Statement accompanying this notice:
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(1) |
To
elect two Class I directors to serve until the 2010 Annual Meeting
of
Stockholders or in each case until such director’s successor shall have
been duly elected and qualified;
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(2) |
To
ratify the Audit Committee’s appointment of BDO Seidman, LLP as the
independent registered public accounting firm of the Company for
the
fiscal year ending December 31, 2007;
and
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(3) |
To
transact such other business as may properly come before the Annual
Meeting or any adjournments or postponements
thereof.
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Only
stockholders of record at the close of business on April 23, 2007 will be
entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the Annual Meeting, and any adjournments
or postponements thereof. The stock transfer books of the Company will remain
open between the record date and the date of the Annual Meeting, and any
adjournments or postponements thereof. A list of stockholders entitled to vote
at the Annual Meeting, and any adjournments or postponements thereof, will
be
available for inspection at the Annual Meeting, and any adjournments or
postponements thereof, and for a period of 10 days prior to the meeting during
regular business hours at the offices of the Company listed above.
All
stockholders are cordially invited to attend the Annual Meeting in person.
Whether or not you plan to attend the Annual Meeting in person, your vote is
important. To assure your representation at the Annual Meeting, please sign
and
date the enclosed Proxy Card and return it promptly in the enclosed envelope,
which requires no additional postage if mailed in the United States or Canada.
Should you receive more than one Proxy Card because your shares are registered
in different names and addresses, each Proxy Card should be signed and returned
to assure that all your shares will be voted. You may revoke your proxy in
the
manner described in the Proxy Statement at any time prior to it being voted
at
the Annual Meeting. If you attend the Annual Meeting and vote by ballot, your
proxy will be revoked automatically and only your vote at the Annual Meeting
will be counted.
By
Order
of the Board of Directors
Timothy
E. Bixby
President,
Chief Financial Officer and Director
New
York,
New York
April
30,
2007
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YOUR
VOTE IS VERY IMPORTANT, REGARDLESS OF THE NUMBER OF SHARES YOU OWN.
PLEASE
READ THE ATTACHED PROXY STATEMENT CAREFULLY, COMPLETE, SIGN AND DATE
THE
ENCLOSED PROXY CARD AS PROMPTLY AS POSSIBLE AND RETURN IT IN THE
ENCLOSED
ENVELOPE.
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LIVEPERSON,
INC.
462
Seventh Avenue, 3rd Floor
New
York, New York 10018
PROXY
STATEMENT
General
This
Proxy Statement is furnished to the stockholders of record of LivePerson, Inc.,
a Delaware corporation (“LivePerson” or the “Company”), as of April 23, 2007, in
connection with the solicitation of proxies on behalf of the Board of Directors
of the Company for use at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held on
Tuesday, June 12, 2007, and at any adjournments or postponements thereof. The
Annual Meeting will be held at 10:00 a.m. (Eastern Daylight time) at the
Courtyard by Marriott Hotel (Manhattan Times Square South), Meeting Room A,
114
West 40th
Street,
New York, New York 10018 (Tel: 212-391-0088). This Proxy Statement and the
accompanying Proxy Card and Notice of Annual Meeting of Stockholders are first
being mailed on or about May 1, 2007 to all stockholders entitled to vote at
the
Annual Meeting and at any adjournments or postponements thereof.
Voting
The
specific matters to be considered and acted upon at the Annual Meeting
are:
(i)
the
election of two directors;
(ii)
the
ratification of the Audit Committee’s appointment of BDO Seidman, LLP as the
Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year
ending December 31, 2007; and
(iii)
to
act upon such other business as may properly come before the Annual Meeting
or
any adjournments or postponements thereof.
These
matters are described in more detail in this Proxy Statement.
On
April
23, 2007, the record date for determination of stockholders entitled to notice
of and to vote at the Annual Meeting and any adjournments or postponements
thereof, 41,849,075 shares of the Company’s Common Stock were issued and
outstanding (excluding shares held in treasury). No shares of the Company’s
Preferred Stock, par value $0.001 per share, were outstanding. Each stockholder
is entitled to one vote for each share of Common Stock held by such stockholder
on April 23, 2007. Stockholders may not cumulate votes in the election of
directors.
The
stock
transfer books of the Company will remain open between the record date and
the
date of the Annual Meeting, and any adjournments or postponements thereof.
A
list of stockholders entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting, and any
adjournments or postponements thereof, will be available for inspection at
the
Annual Meeting, and any adjournments or postponements thereof, and for a period
of ten days prior to the meeting during regular business hours at the offices
of
the Company listed above.
The
presence, in person or by proxy, of the holders of a majority of the votes
entitled to be cast at the Annual Meeting is necessary to constitute a quorum
in
connection with the transaction of business at the Annual Meeting. All votes
will be tabulated by the inspector of election appointed for the meeting, who
will separately tabulate affirmative and negative votes, abstentions and broker
non-votes (i.e.,
proxies
from brokers or nominees indicating that such persons have not received
instructions from the beneficial owner or other persons entitled to vote shares
as to a matter with respect to which the brokers or nominees do not have
discretionary power to vote). Abstentions and broker non-votes are counted
as
present for purposes of determining the presence or absence of a quorum for
the
transaction of business.
If
a
quorum is present, the two nominees who receive the greatest number of votes
properly cast (in person or by proxy) will be elected as Class I Directors.
Neither abstentions nor broker non-votes will have any effect on the outcome
of
voting with respect to the election of the Class I directors.
Proposals
other than for the election of the Class I directors shall be approved by the
affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the shares of the Common Stock
present at the Annual Meeting, in person or by proxy, and entitled to vote
thereon. Abstentions will be counted towards the tabulations of votes cast
on
these proposals presented to the stockholders and will have the same effect
as
negative votes, whereas broker non-votes will not be counted for purposes of
determining whether such a proposal has been approved.
Under
the
General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, stockholders are not entitled
to dissenter’s rights with respect to any matter to be considered and voted on
at the Annual Meeting, and the Company will not independently provide
stockholders with any such right.
Proxies
If
the
enclosed Proxy Card is properly signed and returned, the shares represented
thereby will be voted at the Annual Meeting in accordance with the instructions
specified thereon. If a signed and returned Proxy Card does not specify how
the
shares represented thereby are to be voted, the proxy will be voted FOR
the
election of the Class I directors proposed by the Board, unless the authority
to
vote for the election of such directors is withheld. In addition, if no contrary
instructions are given, the proxy will be voted FOR
the
approval of Proposal 2 described in this Proxy Statement and as the proxy
holders deem advisable for all other matters as may properly come before the
Annual Meeting. You may revoke or change your proxy at any time before the
Annual Meeting by filing with the Secretary of the Company, at the Company’s
principal executive offices at 462 Seventh Avenue, 3rd Floor, New York, New
York
10018, a notice of revocation or another signed Proxy Card with a later date.
You may also revoke your proxy by attending the Annual Meeting and voting in
person.
Solicitation
The
Company will bear the entire cost of solicitation, including the preparation,
assembly, printing and mailing of this Proxy Statement, the enclosed Proxy
Card
and any additional solicitation materials furnished to the stockholders. Copies
of solicitation materials will be furnished to brokerage houses, fiduciaries
and
custodians holding shares in their names that are beneficially owned by others
so that they may forward this solicitation material to such beneficial owners.
In addition, the Company may reimburse such persons for their costs in
forwarding the solicitation materials to such beneficial owners. The original
solicitation of proxies by mail may be supplemented by a solicitation by
telephone, telegram or other means by directors, officers or employees of the
Company. No additional compensation will be paid to these individuals for any
such services. Except as described above, the Company does not presently intend
to solicit proxies other than by mail.
Deadline
for Receipt of Stockholder Proposals
In
order
to be considered for inclusion in the Company’s Proxy Statement and Proxy Card
relating to the 2008 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, any proposal by a
stockholder submitted pursuant to Rule 14a-8 of the Securities Exchange Act
of
1934, as amended, must be received by the Company at its principal executive
offices in New York, New York, on or before January 1, 2008. In addition, under
the Company’s bylaws, any proposal for consideration at the 2008 Annual Meeting
of Stockholders submitted by a stockholder other than pursuant to Rule 14a-8
will be considered timely if it is received by the Secretary of the Company
at
its principal executive offices between the close of business on February 13,
2008 and the close of business on March 14, 2008, and is otherwise in compliance
with the requirements set forth in the Company’s bylaws. The proxy solicited by
the Board of Directors for the 2008 Annual Meeting of Stockholders will confer
discretionary authority to vote as the proxy holders deem advisable on such
stockholder proposals which are considered untimely.
MATTERS
TO BE CONSIDERED AT ANNUAL MEETING
PROPOSAL
ONE—ELECTION OF DIRECTORS
General
The
Company’s Fourth Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation provides for
a classified Board of Directors, consisting of three classes of directors with
staggered three-year terms, with each class consisting, as nearly as possible,
of one-third of the total number of directors. At the annual meeting of
stockholders in the year in which the term of a class of directors expires,
director nominees in such class will stand for election to three-year terms.
With respect to each class, a director’s term will be subject to the election
and qualification of such director’s successor, or the earlier death,
resignation or removal of such director.
The
Board
consists of six persons, as follows:
Class
I
(current
term ends upon
this
Annual Meeting)
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Class
II
(current
term ends upon
2008
Annual Meeting)
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Class
III
(current
term ends upon
2009
Annual Meeting)
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Emmanuel
Gill
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Steven
Berns
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Kevin
C. Lavan
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William
G. Wesemann
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Timothy
E. Bixby
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Robert
P. LoCascio
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The
term
of office for the two Class I directors listed above expires at the Annual
Meeting. The Board has selected Messrs. Gill and Wesemann, the current Class
I
directors, as nominees for Class I directors whose term of office will expire
at
the 2010 Annual Meeting of Stockholders.
Messrs.
Gill and Wesemann have agreed to be named as nominees and to continue to serve
as directors, if elected, and management has no reason to believe that they
will
be unavailable to serve. If either Mr. Gill or Mr. Wesemann is unable or
declines to serve as a director at the time of the Annual Meeting, the proxies
will be voted for any nominee who may be designated by the present Board of
Directors to fill the vacancy. Unless otherwise instructed, the proxy holders
will vote the proxies received by them FOR
Messrs.
Gill and Wesemann. The proxies solicited by this Proxy Statement cannot be
voted
for a greater number of persons than the number of nominees named.
Required
Vote
The
Class
I directors shall be elected by the affirmative vote of a plurality of the
shares of the Common Stock present at the Annual Meeting, in person or by proxy,
and entitled to vote in the election of directors. Pursuant to applicable
Delaware law, abstentions and broker non-votes will have no effect on the
outcome of the vote.
Nominees
for Term Ending upon the 2010 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (Class
I)
Emmanuel
Gill,
68, has
been a director since July 2001. Since 1999, Mr. Gill has been President and
Chief Executive Officer of Gilbridge Holdings Ltd., a private company which
invests in Israeli technology start-up businesses and assists them in entering
the United States market. Mr. Gill was a director of our subsidiary HumanClick
Ltd., which we acquired in October 2000. Between 1979 and 1999, Mr. Gill was
President and Chief Executive Officer of Elbit Ltd., an Israeli manufacturer
of
electronics for the defense, communications and medical industries. In 1996,
Elbit completed a strategic spin-off, forming three separate publicly-traded
companies, and Mr. Gill remained Chairman of each of the Elbit spin-offs until
forming Gilbridge in 1999. Mr. Gill received a B.S. from the Technion, Israel
Institute of Technology.
William
G. Wesemann,
50, has
been a director since November 2004. Since October 2002, Mr. Wesemann has been
an independent consultant. Between January 2001 and October 2002, Mr. Wesemann
was Chief Executive Officer of NextPage, Inc., a provider of document management
systems. Between August 2000 and January 2001, Mr. Wesemann was Chief Executive
Officer of netLens Inc., which was acquired by NextPage and offered a
peer-to-peer platform for creating distributed applications. Between May 1996
and May 2000, Mr. Wesemann was Vice President of Sales of Genesys
Telecommunications Laboratories, Inc., a leader in computer-telephony
integration. Mr. Wesemann received a B.A. from Glassboro State College (now
called Rowan University).
Recommendation
of the Board of Directors
THE
BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS THAT THE STOCKHOLDERS VOTE FOR
THE ELECTION OF MESSRS. GILL AND WESEMANN.
Continuing
Directors for Term Ending upon the 2008 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (Class
II)
Steven
Berns,
42, has
been a director since April 2002. Mr. Berns has been the President, Chief
Financial Officer and a director of MDC Partners Inc., a marketing
communications company, since November 2005. From September 2004 until November
2005, Mr. Berns was Vice Chairman and Executive Vice President of MDC Partners.
From August 1999 until September 2004, Mr. Berns was Senior Vice President
and
Treasurer of The Interpublic Group of Companies, Inc., an organization of
advertising agencies and marketing services companies. Before that, Mr. Berns
held a variety of positions in finance at Revlon, Inc. from April 1992 to August
1999, becoming Vice President and Treasurer in 1996. Prior to joining Revlon,
Mr. Berns worked at Paramount Communications Inc. and at a predecessor public
accounting firm of Deloitte & Touche. Mr. Berns is a Certified Public
Accountant. Mr. Berns is also a director of L Q Corporation, Inc. Mr. Berns
received a M.B.A. from New York University and a B.S. from Lehigh
University.
Timothy
E. Bixby,
42, has
been our Chief Financial Officer since June 1999, a director since October
1999
and our President since March 2001. In addition, Mr. Bixby was an Executive
Vice
President from January 2000 until March 2001 and our Secretary from October
1999
until April 2007. From March 1999 until May 1999, Mr. Bixby was a private
investor. From January 1994 until February 1999, Mr. Bixby was Vice President
of
Finance for Universal Music & Video Distribution Inc., a manufacturer and
distributor of recorded music and video products, where he was responsible
for
internal financial operations, third party distribution deals and strategic
business development. From October 1992 through January 1994, Mr. Bixby was
Associate Director, Business Development, with the Universal Music Group. Prior
to that, Mr. Bixby spent three years in Credit Suisse First Boston’s mergers and
acquisitions group as a financial analyst. Mr. Bixby received a M.B.A. from
Harvard University and an A.B. from Dartmouth College.
Continuing
Directors for Term Ending upon the 2010 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (Class
III)
Kevin
C. Lavan,
54, has
been a director since January 2000. Since November 2004, Mr. Lavan has served
advertising agencies affiliated with MDC Partners, Inc. in various capacities.
Between October 2000 and November 2004, Mr. Lavan served as an independent
consultant to marketing services organizations. In addition, between January
2001 and September 2002, Mr. Lavan was President and Chief Operating Officer
of
NowMarketing, Inc., formerly known as Elbit VFlash, Inc. From March 1999 until
October 2000, Mr. Lavan was an Executive Vice President of Wunderman, the direct
marketing and customer relationship marketing division of Young & Rubicam
Inc. From February 1997 to March 1999, Mr. Lavan was Senior Vice President
of
Finance at Young & Rubicam. From 1984 to February 1997, Mr. Lavan held
various positions at Viacom Inc., including Controller, and Chief Financial
Officer for Viacom’s subsidiary, MTV Networks. Mr. Lavan is a Certified Public
Accountant. Mr. Lavan received a B.S. from Manhattan College.
Robert
P. LoCascio,
38, has
been our Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of our Board of Directors since
our inception in November 1995. In addition, Mr. LoCascio was our President
from
November 1995 until January 2001. Mr. LoCascio founded our Company as Sybarite
Interactive Inc., which developed a community-based web software platform known
as TOWN. Before founding Sybarite Interactive, through November 1995, Mr.
LoCascio was the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Sybarite Media Inc.
(known as IKON), a developer of interactive public kiosks that integrated
interactive video features with advertising and commerce capabilities. Mr.
LoCascio was named a New York City 2001 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the
Year finalist. Mr. LoCascio received a B.B.A. from Loyola College.
Director
Independence
The
Board
of Directors has affirmatively determined that a majority of its directors
(Messrs. Berns, Gill, Lavan and Wesemann) are independent under the listing
standards of The Nasdaq Stock Market.
Board
Committees and Meetings
The
Board
of Directors held seven meetings during the fiscal year ended December 31,
2006,
which we refer to in this Proxy Statement as the 2006 Fiscal Year, and also
acted by unanimous written consent. The Board of Directors has an Audit
Committee and a Compensation Committee and does not have a Nominating Committee.
In the 2006 Fiscal Year, each director attended or participated in 75% or more
of the aggregate of (i) the total number of meetings of the Board of Directors,
and (ii) the total number of meetings held by all committees of the Board on
which such director served (in each case for meetings held during the period
in
the 2006 Fiscal Year for which such director served).
All
directors who are not members of the Company’s management meet at regularly
scheduled executive sessions without members of management present. The position
of presiding director at these meetings rotates among the non-employee
directors. At least two of these meetings each year are to include only those
directors who are independent under the current listing standards of The Nasdaq
Stock Market. Currently, all non-employee directors are
independent.
All
members of the Board of Directors are encouraged to attend the Company’s annual
meeting of stockholders. At the 2006 Annual Meeting, three of our directors
attended.
Audit
Committee
The
Audit
Committee appoints our independent registered public accounting firm, subject
to
ratification by our stockholders, reviews the plan for and the results of the
independent audit, approves the fees of our independent registered public
accounting firm, reviews with management and the independent registered public
accounting firm our quarterly and annual financial statements and our internal
accounting, financial and disclosure controls, reviews and approves transactions
between LivePerson and its officers, directors and affiliates and performs
other
duties and responsibilities as set forth in a charter approved by the Board
of
Directors. The members of the Audit Committee are Mr. Berns, Mr. Gill and Mr.
Lavan (Chair). Each member of the Audit Committee is independent, as
independence is defined for purposes of Audit Committee membership by the
listing standards of Nasdaq and the applicable rules and regulations of the
Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). The Audit Committee held six
meetings during the 2006 Fiscal Year and also acted by unanimous written
consent.
The
Board
has determined that each member of the Audit Committee is able to read and
understand fundamental financial statements, including LivePerson’s balance
sheet, income statement and cash flow statement, as required by Nasdaq rules.
In
addition, the Board has determined that Mr. Lavan satisfies the Nasdaq rule
requiring that at least one member of our Board’s Audit Committee have past
employment experience in finance or accounting, requisite professional
certification in accounting, or any other comparable experience or background
which results in the member’s financial sophistication, including being, or
having been, a chief executive officer, chief financial officer or other senior
officer with financial oversight responsibilities. The Board has also determined
that Mr. Lavan is an “audit committee financial expert” as defined by the
SEC.
Compensation
Committee
The
Compensation Committee of our Board of Directors recommends, reviews and
oversees the salaries, benefits and stock option plans for our employees,
consultants, directors and other individuals whom we compensate. The
Compensation Committee also administers our compensation plans. The Compensation
Committee also performs other duties and responsibilities as set forth in a
charter approved by the Board of Directors. The members of the Compensation
Committee are Mr. Berns (Chair), Mr. Gill and Mr. Wesemann. Each member of
the
Compensation Committee is independent, as independence is defined for purposes
of Compensation Committee membership by the listing standards of Nasdaq. The
Compensation Committee deliberated as needed during regularly scheduled board
meetings during the 2006 Fiscal Year and acted by written consent as needed
during the 2006 Fiscal Year.
In
making
its determinations with respect to executive compensation, the Compensation
Committee has not historically engaged the services of a compensation
consultant. The Compensation Committee annually reviews competitive compensation
data prepared by Culpepper and Associates, a provider of worldwide salary
surveys and benchmark data for compensation and employee benefit programs in
the
technology industry. The Compensation Committee has the authority to retain,
terminate and set the terms of the Company’s relationship with any outside
advisors who assist the Committee in carrying out its
responsibilities.
Nomination
Function of the Board
The
Board
of Directors does not have a standing nominating committee or committee
performing similar functions. The Board has determined that it is appropriate
not to have a nominating committee because of the relatively small size of
the
Board. The Board has determined by resolution that a majority of the independent
directors of the Board will recommend nominees for director. The independent
directors of the Board, in carrying out the nomination function, will not
operate under a charter. As disclosed below, each of the directors of the Board
who will carry out the nomination function is independent, as defined by the
listing standards of Nasdaq. The independent directors of the Board intend
to
consider director nominees on a case-by-case basis, and therefore have not
formalized any specific, minimum qualifications that they believe must be met
by
a director nominee, identified any specific qualities or skills that they
believe are necessary for one or more of our directors to possess, or formalized
a process for identifying and evaluating nominees for director, including
nominees recommended by stockholders.
The
Board
of Directors has determined, in connection with the Board’s nomination function
described above, that it is the policy of the independent directors acting
in
such capacity to consider director candidates that are recommended by
stockholders. The independent directors will evaluate nominees for director
recommended by stockholders in the same manner as nominees recommended by other
sources. Stockholders wishing to bring a nomination for a director candidate
at
a stockholders meeting must give written notice to LivePerson’s Corporate
Secretary, pursuant to the procedures set forth under “Communicating with the
Board of Directors” and subject to the deadline set forth under “Deadline for
Stockholder Proposals.” The stockholder’s notice must set forth all information
relating to each person whom the stockholder proposes to nominate that is
required to be disclosed under applicable rules and regulations of the SEC
and
LivePerson’s bylaws. Our bylaws can be accessed in the “About Us—Corporate
Governance” section of our web site at www.liveperson.com.
Communicating
with the Board of Directors
In
order
to communicate with the Board of Directors as a whole, with non-employee
directors or with specified individual directors, correspondence may be directed
to LivePerson, Inc. at 462 Seventh Avenue, 3rd Floor, New York, New York 10018,
Attention: Corporate Secretary. All such correspondence will be forwarded to
the
appropriate director or group of directors. The Corporate Secretary has the
authority to discard or disregard any communication that is unduly hostile,
threatening, illegal or otherwise inappropriate.
Corporate
Governance Documents
The
Board
has adopted a Code of Conduct that applies to all officers, directors and
employees, and a Code of Ethics for the Chief Executive Officer and Senior
Financial Officers. Both codes of conduct can be accessed in the “About
Us—Corporate Governance” section of our web site at www.liveperson.com, as well
as any amendments to, or waivers under, the Code of Ethics for the Chief
Executive Officer and Senior Financial Officers. Copies may be obtained by
writing to LivePerson, Inc., 462 Seventh Avenue, 3rd Floor, New York, New York
10018, Attention: Investor Relations. Copies of the charters of our Board’s
Audit Committee and Compensation Committee, as well as copies of LivePerson’s
certificate of incorporation and bylaws, can also be accessed in the “About
Us—Corporate Governance” section of our web site.
OWNERSHIP
OF SECURITIES
The
following table sets forth information with respect to the beneficial ownership
of our outstanding Common Stock as of April 23, 2007, by:
|
Ÿ
|
each
person or group of affiliated persons whom we know to beneficially
own
more than five percent of our Common
Stock;
|
|
Ÿ
|
each
of our executive officers named in the section of this Proxy Statement
titled “Summary Compensation Table for 2006 Fiscal
Year”;
|
|
Ÿ
|
each
of our directors and director nominees;
and
|
|
Ÿ
|
each
of our directors and executive officers as a
group.
|
The
following table gives effect to the shares of Common Stock issuable within
60
days of April 23, 2007 upon the exercise of all options and other rights
beneficially owned by the indicated stockholders on that date. Beneficial
ownership is determined in accordance with the rules of the SEC and includes
voting and investment power with respect to shares. Percentage of beneficial
ownership is based on 41,849,075 shares of Common Stock outstanding at April
23,
2007 (excluding shares held in treasury). Unless otherwise indicated, the
persons named in the table directly own the shares and have sole voting and
sole
investment control with respect to all shares beneficially owned.
Name
and Address
|
|
Number
of Shares
Beneficially
Owned
|
|
Percentage
of Common
Stock
Outstanding
|
5%
Stockholders
|
|
|
|
|
Gilder,
Gagnon, Howe & Co. LLC(1)
|
|
3,797,320
|
|
9.1%
|
Janus
Capital Management LLC(2)
|
|
3,409,685
|
|
8.1%
|
|
|
|
|
|
Named
Executive Officers and Directors
|
|
|
|
|
Robert
P. LoCascio(3)
|
|
5,026,963
|
|
12.0%
|
Timothy
E. Bixby(4)
|
|
1,310,950
|
|
3.0%
|
Steven
Berns(5)
|
|
15,000
|
|
*
|
Emmanuel
Gill(6)
|
|
1,138,867
|
|
2.7%
|
Kevin
C. Lavan(7)
|
|
30,000
|
|
*
|
William
G. Wesemann(8)
|
|
60,000
|
|
*
|
|
|
|
|
|
Directors
and Executive Officers as a group (6 persons)(9)
|
|
7,581,780
|
|
17.5%
|
__________________
(1)
|
Based
solely on our review of the Schedule 13G/A filed with the SEC on
February
14, 2007 by Gilder, Gagnon, Howe & Co. LLC (“GGHC”), whose address is
1775 Broadway, 26th Floor, New York, New York 10019. GGHC shares
power to
dispose or to direct the disposition of all of the shares listed
above,
which include 3,517,357 shares held in customer accounts over which
partners and/or employees of GGHC have discretionary authority to
dispose
of or direct the disposition of the shares, 216,058 shares held in
accounts owned by the partners of GGHC and their families, and 63,905
shares held in the account of the profit-sharing plan of GGHC, over
which
GGHC has sole voting power.
|
(2)
|
Based
solely on our review of the Schedule 13G/A filed with the SEC on
February
14, 2007 by Janus Capital Management LLC (“Janus Capital”) and Janus
Venture Fund, each of whose address is 151 Detroit Street, Denver,
Colorado 80206. Janus Capital has an indirect 82.5% ownership stake
in
Enhanced Investment Technologies LLC (“INTECH”) and an indirect 30%
ownership stake in Perkins, Wolf, McDonnell and Company, LLC ("Perkins
Wolf"). Due to the above ownership structure, holdings for Janus
Capital,
INTECH and Perkins Wolf were aggregated for purposes of the Schedule
13G/A
filing. As a result of its role as investment adviser or sub-adviser
to
various investment companies and to individual and institutional
clients
(the “Janus Managed Portfolios”), Janus Capital may be deemed to be the
beneficial owner of 3,409,685 shares held by the Janus Managed Portfolios.
However, Janus Capital does not have the right to receive any dividends
from, or the proceeds from the sale of, the shares held in the Janus
Managed Portfolios and disclaims any ownership associated with such
rights. Janus Venture Fund is one of the Janus Managed Portfolios
to which
Janus Capital provides investment advice and is the beneficial owner
of
3,140,420 shares.
|
(3)
|
Includes
125,000 shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of options
exercisable within 60 days of April 23, 2007. The address for Mr.
LoCascio
is c/o LivePerson, Inc., 462 Seventh Avenue, 3rd Floor, New York,
New York
10018.
|
(4)
|
Includes
1,222,000 shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of options
exercisable within 60 days of April 23,
2007.
|
(5)
|
Consists
of 15,000 shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of presently
exercisable options, which, if exercised, include 10,000 shares of
Common
Stock subject to repurchase rights by us that lapse within 60 days
of
April 23, 2007.
|
(6)
|
Includes
250,413 shares of Common Stock held by Gilbridge Holdings Ltd., an
entity
over which Mr. Gill indirectly exercises control. Also includes 20,000
shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of presently exercisable
options, which, if exercised, include 10,000 shares of Common Stock
subject to repurchase rights by us that lapse within 60 days of April
23,
2007.
|
(7)
|
Consists
of 30,000 shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of presently
exercisable options, which, if exercised, include 10,000 shares of
Common
Stock subject to repurchase rights by us that lapse within 60 days
of
April 23, 2007.
|
(8)
|
Consists
of 60,000 shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of presently
exercisable options, which, if exercised, include 10,000 shares of
Common
Stock subject to repurchase rights by us that lapse within 60 days
of
April 23, 2007.
|
(9)
|
Includes
1,472,000 shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of options
exercisable within 60 days of April 23, 2007, which, if exercised,
include
40,000 shares of Common Stock subject to repurchase rights by us
that
lapse within 60 days of April 23,
2007.
|
SECTION
16(a) BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP REPORTING COMPLIANCE
The
members of our Board of Directors, our executive officers and persons who hold
more than ten percent of our outstanding Common Stock are subject to the
reporting requirements of Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
as amended, which requires them to file reports with respect to their ownership
of our Common Stock and their transactions in such Common Stock. Based solely
upon a review of (i) the copies of Section 16(a) reports which LivePerson has
received from such persons or entities for transactions in our Common Stock
and
their Common Stock holdings for the 2006 Fiscal Year, and (ii) the written
representations received from one or more of such persons or entities that
no
annual Form 5 reports were required to be filed by them for the 2006 Fiscal
Year, LivePerson believes that all reporting requirements under Section 16(a)
for such fiscal year were met in a timely manner by its directors, executive
officers and beneficial owners of more than ten percent of its Common
Stock.
EXECUTIVE
AND DIRECTOR COMPENSATION
Executive
Officers
The
executive officers of LivePerson, and their ages and positions as of April
23,
2007, are:
Name
|
Age
|
Position
|
Robert
P. LoCascio
|
38
|
Chief
Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board
|
Timothy
E. Bixby
|
42
|
President,
Chief Financial Officer and
Director
|
Biographies
for Messrs. LoCascio and Bixby follow the table listing our
directors.
Compensation
Discussion and Analysis
Compensation
Objectives and Strategy
The
Company’s executive officer compensation program is designed to attract and
retain the caliber of officers needed to ensure the Company’s continued growth
and profitability and to reward them for the Company’s performance, their
individual performance, and for creating longer term value for stockholders.
The
primary objectives of the program are to:
|
·
|
align
incentives with performance that creates stockholder
value;
|
|
·
|
encourage
high potential team players to build a career at the Company;
and
|
|
·
|
provide
incentives that are cost-efficient, competitive with other organizations
and fair to employees and
stockholders.
|
The
Company’s executive compensation programs are approved and administered by the
Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors. Working with management,
the
Compensation Committee has developed a compensation and benefits strategy that
rewards performance and behaviors and reinforces a culture that the Compensation
Committee believes will drive long-term success. The Company does not engage
a
compensation consultant. The Company relies heavily upon benchmarking criteria
provided by a third party focused primarily on small and mid-sized technology
companies, which are the most comparable peer group for the
Company.
The
compensation program rewards team accomplishments while promoting individual
accountability. Compensation depends primarily on Company results and individual
performance against objectives. The goal of the program is to maintain a strong
relationship between individual efforts, Company results and financial
rewards.
A
significant portion of total compensation is placed at risk through annual
and
long-term incentives. The combination of incentives is designed to balance
annual operating objectives and Company earnings’ performance with longer-term
stockholder value creation.
We
seek
to provide competitive compensation that is commensurate with performance.
We
target compensation within an appropriate range above and below the market
median, and calibrate both annual and long-term incentive opportunities to
generate less-than-median awards when goals are not fully achieved and
greater-than-median awards when goals are exceeded.
We
seek
to promote a long-term commitment to the Company by our senior executives.
We
believe that there is great value to the Company in having a team of
long-tenure, seasoned managers. In addition, the vesting schedules attached
to
option awards (25% per year over 4 years, time-based vesting) reinforce this
long-term orientation.
Role
of the Compensation Committee
General
The
Compensation Committee provides overall guidance for our executive compensation
policies and determines the elements of compensation for our executive officers.
The Compensation Committee’s function is more fully described in its charter,
which has been approved by our Board of Directors.
The
Compensation Committee currently consists of three members of our Board of
Directors, Steven Berns (Chair), Emmanuel Gill and William Wesemann, each of
whom is “independent” as defined by the listing qualifications of The NASDAQ
Stock Market and the applicable rules and regulations of the SEC.
The
Compensation Committee reviews executive compensation annually, in conjunction
with annual operational and financial planning for the upcoming fiscal year,
and
also periodically as needed for specific executive compensation issues that
may
arise at other times.
The
Compensation Committee determines compensation for the Chief Executive Officer
and the President in its sole discretion, and reviews and considers
recommendations by the CEO and President when determining compensation for
the
other members of executive management.
Use
of Outside Advisors
In
making
its determinations with respect to executive compensation, the Compensation
Committee has not historically engaged the services of a compensation
consultant.
The
Compensation Committee annually reviews competitive compensation data prepared
by Culpepper and Associates, a provider of worldwide salary surveys and
benchmark data for compensation and employee benefit programs in the technology
industry, as well as publicly available data for peer group
companies.
Compensation
Structure
Pay
Elements - Overview
The
Company utilizes four main components of compensation:
|
·
|
Base
Salary - fixed pay that takes into account an individual’s role and
responsibilities, experience, expertise and individual
performance.
|
|
·
|
Annual
Incentive - variable pay that is designed to reward attainment of
annual
business goals. Executives qualify for an annual cash incentive payment
based on a combination of Company and individual performance against
objectives. In the case of executives whose primary objective is
revenue
generation, incentive compensation may take the form of commissions
tied
to revenue as well as other Company and individual performance
metrics.
|
|
·
|
Long-term
Incentives - the Company’s equity-based incentive plan allows for awards
that may include stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted
stock, performance shares and other stock-based awards, including
restricted stock units and deferred stock units. To date, the Company
has
used only stock options for long-term incentive
awards.
|
|
·
|
Benefits
and Perquisites - additional security or services, including medical,
dental and life insurance benefits and retirement
savings.
|
Pay
Elements - Details
1. Base
Salary
The
Compensation Committee annually reviews officer salaries and makes adjustments
as warranted based on individual responsibilities and performance, Company
performance in light of market conditions and competitive practices. Salary
adjustments are generally approved during the first quarter of the calendar
year
and implemented during the second quarter. Percentage salary increases for
officers are normally consistent with those of other management
employees.
2. Annual
Incentive Compensation
Annual
incentive compensation for certain designated key employees is paid under a
bonus plan for each year. The plan is designed to provide awards to such
individuals as an incentive to contribute to both revenue growth and
profitability. Currently, all employees of the Company participate in either
a
bonus plan, or in the case of sales representatives and managers, a commission
plan tied primarily to revenue metrics.
Bonuses
are contingent upon the attainment of certain performance targets established
by
the Compensation Committee, which may include:
|
·
|
return
on equity, assets or capital;
|
|
·
|
earnings
before interest, taxes plus amortization and depreciation
(“EBITDA”);
|
|
·
|
attainment
of certain strategic development objectives;
or
|
|
·
|
such
other goals established by the
committee.
|
Bonuses
are typically paid in cash after the end of the performance period in which
they
are earned, as determined by the Compensation Committee.
The
Company expects that the bonus payout in any given year for any individual
will
be between 50% and 150% of the individual’s target bonus. During the last three
years, overall bonus payouts have approximated this range.
3. Long-term
Incentives - Equity-Based Awards
The
Company and the Compensation Committee believe that equity-based awards are
an
important factor in aligning the long-term financial interest of the officers
and stockholders. The Compensation Committee continually evaluates the use
of
equity-based awards and intends to continue to use such awards in the future
as
part of designing and administering the Company’s compensation program. The
Compensation Committee may grant equity incentives under the Company’s 2000
Amended and Restated Stock Incentive Plan in the form of stock options
(non-qualified and incentive stock options), stock appreciation rights,
restricted stock, performance shares and other stock-based awards, including,
without limitation, restricted stock units (RSUs) and deferred stock units.
All
such grants are issued on the date they are approved by the Compensation
Committee, except for new hires who are not employed at the time of grant,
in
which case the grant date is the first day of employment. The exercise price
for
stock options is the grant date closing market price per share. Historically,
the Compensation Committee has granted stock options that provide for time-based
vesting in four equal annual installments beginning on the first anniversary
of
the grant date.
The
Company typically grants options upon initial hire for new employees, and once
per year for existing employees. The annual option grant process for existing
employees currently takes place in the first quarter of the calendar year.
The
Compensation Committee has not granted other stock-based awards in the past.
The
Compensation Committee will evaluate the mix of stock options, restricted stock
and other stock-based awards in the future to provide emphasis on preserving
stockholder values generated in recent years while providing incentives for
continuing growth in stockholder value.
The
Compensation Committee delegates administrative aspects of stock option grants
to management.
4. Other
Benefits and Perquisites
The
Company’s executive compensation program also includes other benefits and
perquisites. These benefits include 401(k) plan accounts, Company-paid medical
benefits and life insurance coverage. The Company annually reviews these other
benefits and perquisites and makes adjustments as warranted based on competitive
practices, the Company’s performance and the individual’s responsibilities and
performance. The Company currently does not match employee contributions to
401(k) plan accounts.
Pay
Mix
We
utilize the particular elements of compensation described above because we
believe that it provides a well-proportioned mix of security-oriented
compensation, retention value and at-risk compensation which produces both
short-term and long-term performance incentives and rewards. By following this
approach, we provide the executive a measure of security in the base
compensation that the individual is eligible to receive, while motivating the
executive to focus on the business metrics that will produce a high level of
performance for the Company, as well as incentives for executive retention.
The
mix of metrics used for the annual bonus plan and the Stock Incentive Plan
likewise provides an appropriate balance between short-term financial
performance and long-term financial and stock performance. Maintaining this
pay
mix results fundamentally in a pay-for-performance orientation for our
executives.
Pay
Levels and Benchmarking
Pay
levels for executives are determined based on a number of factors, including
the
individual’s roles and responsibilities within the Company, the individual’s
experience and expertise, the pay levels for peers within the Company, pay
levels in the marketplace for similar positions and performance of the
individual and the Company as a whole. The Compensation Committee is responsible
for approving pay levels for the executive officers. In determining the pay
levels, the Compensation Committee considers all forms of compensation and
benefits.
The
Compensation Committee assesses “competitive market” compensation using a number
of sources. Among other sources, the Compensation Committee relies upon
information publicly disclosed by Culpepper and Associates, a provider of
worldwide salary surveys and benchmark data for compensation and employee
benefit programs in the technology industry. The Compensation Committee also
evaluates compensation practices at peer companies in the technology industry
based on publicly available information.
After
consideration of the data collected on external competitive levels of
compensation and internal relationships within the executive group, the
Compensation Committee reviews and approves target total compensation
opportunities for executives based on the need to attract, motivate and retain
an experienced and effective management team.
Relative
to the competitive market data, the Compensation Committee generally intends
that the base salary and target annual incentive opportunity for each executive
will be at least at the median of the competitive market.
As
noted
above, notwithstanding the Company’s overall pay positioning objectives, pay
opportunities for specific individuals vary based on a number of factors such
as
scope of duties, tenure, institutional knowledge and/or difficulty in recruiting
a new executive. Actual total compensation in a given year will vary above
or
below the target compensation levels based primarily on the attainment of
operating goals and the creation of stockholder value.
Post-Termination
Compensation and Benefits
For
certain executives, certain stock options are subject to vesting earlier than
the time-based schedule in the event of a change of control of the Company
and
in certain cases, for termination without cause.
Compensation
Committee Discretion
The
Compensation Committee retains the discretion to decrease all forms of incentive
payouts based on significant individual or Company performance shortfalls.
Likewise, the Compensation Committee retains the discretion to increase payouts
and/or consider special awards for significant achievements, including but
not
limited to superior asset management, investment or strategic accomplishments
and/or consummation of acquisitions, divestitures, capital improvements to
existing properties, or other management objectives.
Conclusion
The
level
and mix of compensation that is finally decided upon is considered within the
context of both the objective data from our competitive assessment of
compensation and performance, as well as discussion of the subjective factors
as
outlined above. The Compensation Committee believes that each of the
compensation packages is within the competitive range of practices when compared
to the objective comparative data even where subjective factors have influenced
the compensation decisions.
Compensation
Committee Report
The
Compensation Committee has reviewed and discussed the Compensation Discussion
and Analysis with management and based on the review and discussions, the
Compensation Committee recommended to our Board of Directors that the
Compensation Discussion and Analysis be included in this proxy statement and
incorporated by reference into our annual report on Form 10-K.
Submitted
by the Compensation Committee of the Company’s Board of
Directors:
Steven
Berns (Chair)
Emmanuel
Gill
William
G. Wesemann
Summary
Compensation Table for 2006 Fiscal Year
The
following table sets forth the compensation earned for all services rendered
to
us in all capacities in the 2006 Fiscal Year by our Chief Executive Officer
and
our Chief Financial Officer. In this proxy statement, we refer to these
individuals as our Named Executive Officers.
Following
the table is a discussion of material factors related to the information
disclosed in the table.
Name
and Principal Position
|
Salary
($)
|
Bonus
($)(1)
|
Stock
Awards
($)
|
Option
Awards
($)(2)
|
Non-Equity
Incentive Plan Compensation
($)(1)
|
Change
in Pension Value and Nonqualified Deferred Compensation
Earnings
($)
|
All
Other Compensation
($)(3)
|
Total
($)
|
Robert
P. LoCascio
Chief
Executive Officer
|
275,000
|
0
|
0
|
105,160
|
125,000
|
0
|
4,651
|
509,811
|
Timothy
E. Bixby
President
and Chief Financial Officer
|
275,000
|
0
|
0
|
82,887
|
125,000
|
0
|
16,092
|
498,979
|
|
(1)
|
The
performance-based, annual cash incentive bonus earned in 2006 and
paid in
2007 to LivePerson’s Named Executive Officers is reflected in the column
entitled “Non-Equity Incentive Plan
Compensation.”
|
|
(2)
|
This
column represents the charge recognized for financial statement reporting
purposes with respect to the 2006 Fiscal Year for the fair value
of stock
options granted to each Named Executive Officer in prior fiscal years
and
allocated to service provided by the Named Executive Officer in the
2006
Fiscal Year, in accordance with SFAS 123(R). We did not grant any
stock
options to our Named Executive Officer in the 2006 Fiscal Year. Pursuant
to SEC rules, the amounts shown exclude the impact of estimated
forfeitures related to service-based vesting conditions. For additional
information on the valuation assumptions with respect to the grants,
refer
to Note 1(l) of LivePerson’s consolidated financial statements contained
in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the 2006 Fiscal Year, as filed
with
the SEC. These amounts reflect our accounting expense for these awards,
and do not correspond to the actual value that will be recognized
by the
Named Executive Officers.
|
|
(3)
|
Amounts
represent the value of perquisites and other personal benefits in
the form
of the Company’s contribution to group health insurance, life insurance
and disability benefits.
|
Employment
Agreements and Potential Payments Upon Termination or
Change-in-Control
Robert
P.
LoCascio, our Chief Executive Officer, was employed pursuant to an employment
agreement entered into as of January 1, 1999. After its initial term, which
expired on December 31, 2001, our agreement with Mr. LoCascio extended
automatically for one-year terms beginning on each of January 1 in 2002 and
2003. Beginning in 2004, Mr. LoCascio’s employment with us has been at will, but
is otherwise subject to the terms of the employment agreement, unless we agree
with Mr. LoCascio in writing to alter the terms. Pursuant to the agreement,
Mr.
LoCascio was entitled to receive an annual base salary of not less than $125,000
and an annual discretionary bonus. The Compensation Committee of our Board
set
Mr. LoCascio’s annual salary at $275,000, effective January 2006. The agreement
provided that if Mr. LoCascio is terminated by us without cause or following
a
material change or diminution in his duties, a reduction in his salary or bonus,
or if we are sold or following a change in control of the Company, or if we
relocate him to a location outside the New York metropolitan area, we must
pay
him an amount equal to the amount of his salary for the 12 months following
the
date of termination, and the pro rata portion of the bonus he would have been
entitled to receive for the fiscal year in which the termination occurred.
These
amounts are payable in three monthly installments beginning 30 days after his
termination. Pursuant to the agreement, for a period of one year from the date
of termination of Mr. LoCascio’s employment, he may not directly or indirectly
compete with us, including, but not limited to, being employed by any business
which competes with us, or otherwise acting in a manner intended to advance
an
interest of a competitor of ours in a way that will or may injure an interest
of
ours.
Timothy
E. Bixby, our President and Chief Financial Officer, is employed pursuant to
an
employment agreement entered into as of June 23, 1999, which shall continue
until it is terminated by either party. Pursuant to the agreement, Mr. Bixby
is
entitled to receive an annual base salary of not less than $140,000 and an
annual discretionary bonus. The Compensation Committee of our Board set Mr.
Bixby’s annual salary at $275,000, effective January 2006. Mr. Bixby is also
eligible to receive long-term incentive awards determined by our Board
consisting of options to purchase Common Stock. If Mr. Bixby is terminated
following a change in control of the Company that results in a reduction in
his
salary or a material change or diminution in his duties, all of his options
then
outstanding will vest immediately, and we must pay him a lump-sum amount equal
to his annual salary, and the pro rata portion of the bonus he would have been
entitled to receive for the year in which the termination occurred. If there
is
such a reduction in salary or diminution of duties unrelated to a change in
control, Mr. Bixby will be paid his base salary for the 12 months following
such
a termination, and his outstanding options will continue to vest under the
original vesting schedule for such 12-month period. Pursuant to the agreement,
for a period of one year from the date of termination of Mr. Bixby’s employment,
he may not directly or indirectly compete with us, including, but not limited
to, being employed by any business which competes with us, or otherwise acting
in a manner intended to advance an interest of a competitor of ours in a way
that will or may injure an interest of ours.
Grants
of Plan-Based Awards in 2006 Fiscal Year
We
did
not grant any awards under our equity incentive plans to our Named Executive
Officers in the 2006 Fiscal Year.
The
following table sets forth information concerning awards under our non-equity
incentive plans granted to each of the Named Executive Officers in the 2006
Fiscal Year, including performance-based awards.
Name
|
Estimated
Future Payouts
Under
Non-Equity Incentive Plan Awards(1)
|
Threshold
($)
|
Target
($)
|
Maximum
($)
|
Robert
P. LoCascio
|
|
160,000
|
|
Timothy
E. Bixby
|
|
160,000
|
|
|
(1)
|
Amounts
shown represent the target awards that could be earned by the Named
Executive Officer under the Company’s annual cash incentive bonus plan.
There were no threshold bonus opportunities and the target amount
was the
maximum award that could be earned. Awards are based on Company
performance as measured by a combination of revenue, EBITDA, as
defined,
the achievement of strategic objectives and the achievement of
individual
performance objectives. Actual incentives earned in 2006 and paid
in 2007
are reflected in the “Summary Compensation Table” in the “Non-Equity
Incentive Plan Compensation”
column.
|
Outstanding
Equity Awards at End of 2006 Fiscal Year
The
following table set forth information concerning unexercised stock options
outstanding for each of the Named Executive Officers as of the end of the 2006
Fiscal Year. We have not granted any restricted stock or made any other stock
awards.
Name
|
Option
Awards
|
Stock
Awards
|
Number
of Securities Underlying Unexercised Options
(#)
Exercisable
|
Number
of Securities Underlying Unexercised Options
(#)
Unexercisable
|
Equity
Incentive Plan Awards:
Number
of Securities Underlying Unexercised Unearned
Options
(#)
|
Option
Exercise Price
($)
|
Option
Expiration Date
|
Number
of Shares or Units of Stock That Have Not Vested
(#)
|
Market
Value of Shares or Units of Stock That Have Not
Vested
($)
|
Equity
Incentive Plan Awards:
Number
of Unearned Shares, Units or Other Rights That Have Not
Vested
(#)
|
Equity
Incentive Plan Awards:
Market
or Payout Value of Unearned Shares, Units or Other Rights That Have
Not
Vested
($)
|
Robert
P. LoCascio
|
125,000
|
125,000
|
—
|
2.92
|
1/27/15
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
Timothy
E. Bixby
|
202,500
97,500
75,000
225,000
150,000
124,500
275,000
70,000
|
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
75,000
|
—
|
0.67
2.00
3.33
1.94
0.35
0.29
0.72
2.92
|
6/23/09
10/25/09
1/28/10
10/20/10
4/19/11
11/9/11
12/12/12
1/27/15
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
Option
Exercises and Stock Vested in 2006 Fiscal Year
No
stock
options were exercised during the 2006 Fiscal Year by any of the Named Executive
Officers. We have not granted any restricted stock or made any other stock
awards.
Compensation
of Directors in 2006 Fiscal Year
The
following table sets forth information concerning the compensation of our
non-employee directors in the 2006 Fiscal Year.
Following
the table is a discussion of material factors related to the information
disclosed in the table.
Name
|
Fees
Earned or Paid in Cash
($)
|
Stock
Awards
($)
|
Option
Awards
($)(1)(2)
|
Non-Equity
Incentive Plan Compensation
($)
|
Change
in Pension Value and Nonqualified Deferred Compensation
Earnings
|
All
Other Compensation
($)
|
Total
($)
|
Steven
Berns
|
16,500
|
0
|
46,591
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
63,091
|
Emmanuel
Gill
|
0(3)
|
0
|
46,591
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
46,591
|
Kevin
C. Lavan
|
16,000
|
0
|
46,591
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
62,591
|
William
Wesemann
|
13,500
|
0
|
46,591
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
60,091
|
|
(1)
|
This
column represents the charges recognized for financial statement
reporting
purposes with respect to the 2006 Fiscal Year for the fair value
of stock
options granted to each non-employee director in the 2006 Fiscal
Year and
in prior fiscal years and allocated to service provided by the
non-employee director in the 2006 Fiscal Year, in accordance with
SFAS
123(R). Pursuant to SEC rules, the amounts shown exclude the impact
of
estimated forfeitures related to service-based vesting conditions.
For
additional information on the valuation assumptions with respect
to the
grants, refer to Note 1(l) of LivePerson’s consolidated financial
statements contained in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the 2006
Fiscal
Year, as filed with the SEC. These amounts reflect our accounting
expense
for these awards, and do not correspond to the actual value that
will be
recognized by the non-employee
directors.
|
|
(2)
|
At
December 31, 2006, the number of shares underlying unexercised stock
options were: Mr. Berns, 15,000; Mr. Gill, 55,000; Mr. Lavan, 65,000;
and
Mr. Wesemann, 60,000. All of these stock options were exercisable
at
December 31, 2006, but those options granted in 2006 are subject
to
repurchase by the Company if the director ceases service before the
vesting date (May 23, 2007, the first anniversary of the grant date).
Each
non-employee director was granted an option to purchase 10,000 shares
of
our Common Stock on May 23, 2006, the date of our 2006 annual meeting
of
stockholders, with a grant date value of $16,583. These options were
immediately exercisable and are subject to repurchase by the Company
if
the director ceases service before the vesting date (May 23, 2007,
the
first anniversary of the grant
date).
|
|
(3)
|
Mr.
Gill waived his annual stipend and attendance payments for his services
as
a director in 2006.
|
Directors
who are also our employees receive no additional compensation for their services
as directors. Directors who are not our employees receive an annual cash stipend
of $10,000 and a cash payment of $500 for attendance in person or by telephone
at each meeting of the Board of Directors or committees of the Board of
Directors, and they are reimbursed for reasonable travel expenses and other
reasonable out-of-pocket costs incurred in connection with attendance at
meetings. Non-employee directors are granted options to purchase 35,000 shares
of our Common Stock upon their election to the Board of Directors. In addition,
non-employee directors are granted options to purchase 10,000 shares of our
Common Stock on the date of each annual meeting of stockholders. These
non-employee director option grants are made under our Amended and Restated
2000
Stock Incentive Plan, as amended as of April 21, 2005.
Compensation
Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation
The
members of the Compensation Committee of our Board of Directors during the
2006
Fiscal Year were Mr. Berns (Chair), Mr. Gill and Mr. Wesemann.
During
the 2006 Fiscal Year:
• none
of
the members of the Compensation Committee was an officer (or former officer)
or
employee of the Company or any of its subsidiaries;
• none
of
the members of the Compensation Committee had a direct or indirect material
interest in any transaction in which the Company was a participant and the
amount involved exceeded $120,000;
• none
of
our executive officers served on the compensation committee (or another board
committee with similar functions or, if none, the entire board of directors)
of
another entity where one of that entity’s executive officers served on our
Compensation Committee;
• none
of
our executive officers was a director of another entity where one of that
entity’s executive officers served on our Compensation Committee;
and
• none
of
our executive officers served on the compensation committee (or another board
committee with similar functions or, if none, the entire board of directors)
of
another entity where one of that entity’s executive officers served as a
director on our Board of Directors.
Certain
Relationships and Related Transactions
On
an
ongoing basis, the Audit Committee is required by its charter to review all
related party transactions (those transactions that are required to be disclosed
in this Proxy Statement by SEC Regulation S-K, Item 404 and under Nasdaq’s
rules), if any, for potential conflicts of interest and all such transactions
must be approved by the Audit Committee.
REPORT
OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Membership
and Role of the Audit Committee
The
Audit
Committee consists of the following members of the Company’s Board of Directors:
Steven Berns, Emmanuel Gill and Kevin C. Lavan (Chair). Each member of the
Audit
Committee is independent, as independence is defined for purposes of Audit
Committee membership by the listing standards of Nasdaq and the applicable
rules
and regulations of the SEC. The Board has determined that each member of the
Audit Committee is able to read and understand fundamental financial statements,
including LivePerson’s balance sheet, income statement and cash flow statement,
as required by Nasdaq rules. In addition, the Board has determined that Mr.
Lavan satisfies the Nasdaq rule requiring that at least one member of our
Board’s Audit Committee have past employment experience in finance or
accounting, requisite professional certification in accounting, or any other
comparable experience or background which results in the member’s financial
sophistication, including being or having been a chief executive officer, chief
financial officer or other senior officer with financial oversight
responsibilities. The Board has also determined that Mr. Lavan is an “audit
committee financial expert” as defined by the SEC.
The
Audit
Committee appoints our independent registered public accounting firm, subject
to
ratification by our stockholders, reviews the plan for and the results of the
independent audit, approves the fees of our independent registered public
accounting firm, reviews with management and the independent registered public
accounting firm our quarterly and annual financial statements and our internal
accounting, financial and disclosure controls, reviews and approves transactions
between LivePerson and its officers, directors and affiliates and performs
other
duties and responsibilities as set forth in a charter approved by the Board
of
Directors. The Audit Committee charter is available in the “About Us—Corporate
Governance” section of our web site.
Review
of the Company’s Audited Consolidated Financial Statements for the 2006 Fiscal
Year
The
Audit
Committee has reviewed and discussed the audited consolidated financial
statements of the Company for the 2006 Fiscal Year with the Company’s
management. The Audit Committee has separately discussed with BDO Seidman,
LLP,
the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the 2006 Fiscal
Year, the matters required to be discussed by Statement on Auditing Standards
No. 61 (“Communication with Audit Committees”), as amended, which includes,
among other things, matters related to the conduct of the audit of the Company’s
consolidated financial statements.
The
Audit
Committee has also received the written disclosures and the letter from BDO
Seidman, LLP required by Independence Standards Board Standard No. 1
(“Independence Discussions with Audit Committees”), as amended, and the Audit
Committee has discussed with BDO Seidman, LLP the independence of that firm
from
the Company.
Conclusion
Based
on
the Audit Committee’s review and discussions noted above, the Audit Committee
recommended to the Board of Directors that the Company’s audited consolidated
financial statements be included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for
the 2006 Fiscal Year for filing with the Securities and Exchange
Commission.
Submitted
by the Audit Committee of the Company’s Board of Directors:
Steven
Berns
Emmanuel
Gill
Kevin
C.
Lavan (Chair)
PROPOSAL
TWO—RATIFICATION OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING
FIRM
The
Audit
Committee of the Board of Directors has appointed the firm of BDO Seidman,
LLP
to serve as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the
fiscal year ending December 31, 2007, including each quarterly interim period,
and the Board of Directors is asking the stockholders to ratify this
appointment.
Although
stockholder ratification of the Audit Committee’s appointment of BDO Seidman,
LLP is not required, the Board of Directors considers it desirable for the
stockholders to pass upon the selection of the independent registered public
accounting firm. In the event the stockholders fail to ratify the appointment,
the Audit Committee will reconsider its selection. Even if the selection is
ratified, the Audit Committee in its discretion may direct the appointment
of a
different independent registered public accounting firm at any time during
the
year if the Audit Committee believes that such a change would be in the best
interests of the Company and its stockholders.
A
representative from BDO Seidman, LLP is expected to be present at the Annual
Meeting, will have the opportunity to make a statement if he or she desires
to
do so, and will be available to respond to appropriate questions.
Fees
Billed to the Company for Services Rendered during the Fiscal Years Ended
December 31, 2006 and 2005
BDO
Seidman, LLP served as the Company’s independent registered public accounting
firm for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2006 and 2005. KPMG LLP served
as
the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for fiscal years
before that, and also provided services for the fiscal years ended December
31,
2006 and 2005 as described below.
Audit
Fees
An
aggregate of $449,054 and $352,038 was billed by BDO Seidman, LLP for the fiscal
years ended December 31, 2006 and 2005, respectively, for professional services
rendered for the audits of the Company’s annual consolidated financial
statements and reviews of financial statements included in the Company’s
quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. In addition, an aggregate of $24,295 and $26,640
was billed by KPMG LLP for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2006 and 2005,
respectively, for professional services rendered related to KPMG’s audits of the
Company’s annual consolidated financial statements for years in which KPMG
served as the Company’s independent registered public accounting
firm.
Audit-Related
Fees
No
fees
were billed by BDO Seidman, LLP for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2006
and
2005 for assurance and related services that were reasonably related to the
performance of the audits or review of the Company’s financial statements, and
not reported under the heading “Audit Fees” above. An aggregate of $9,500 and
$9,500 was billed by KPMG LLP for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2006
and
2005, respectively, for SAS 75 technology audit services provided by KPMG’s
Israeli affiliate.
Tax
Fees
No
fees
were billed by BDO Seidman, LLP for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2006
and
2005 for tax compliance, tax consulting and tax planning services. An aggregate
of $55,784 and $30,000 was billed by KPMG LLP for the fiscal years ended
December 31, 2006 and 2005, respectively, for such services.
All
Other Fees
No
fees
were billed by BDO Seidman, LLP for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2006
and
2005 for services other than those described above. An aggregate of $20,000
was
billed by KPMG LLP for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2006 related to the
Company’s acquisition of Proficient Systems, Inc.
Pre-Approval
Policies and Procedures
The
Audit
Committee pre-approves all audit and permissible non-audit services. The Audit
Committee has authorized each of its members to pre-approve audit,
audit-related, tax and non-audit services, provided that such approved service
is reviewed with the full Audit Committee at its next meeting.
As
early
as practicable in each fiscal year, the independent registered public accounting
firm provides to the Audit Committee a schedule of the audit and other services
that they expect to provide or may provide during the year. The schedule is
specific as to the nature of the proposed services, the proposed fees, and
other
details that the Audit Committee may request. The Audit Committee by resolution
authorizes or declines the proposed services. Upon approval, this schedule
serves as the budget for fees by specific activity or service for the
year.
A
schedule of additional services proposed to be provided by the independent
registered public accounting firm or proposed revisions to services already
approved, along with associated proposed fees, may be presented to the Audit
Committee for their consideration and approval at any time. The schedule is
required to be specific as to the nature of the proposed service, the proposed
fee, and other details that the Audit Committee may request. The Audit Committee
intends by resolution to authorize or decline authorization for each proposed
new service.
Required
Vote
The
affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the shares of Common Stock
represented and voting at the Annual Meeting is required to ratify the Audit
Committee’s selection of BDO Seidman, LLP.
Recommendation
of the Board of Directors
THE
BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS THAT THE STOCKHOLDERS VOTE FOR
THE RATIFICATION OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE’S SELECTION OF BDO SEIDMAN, LLP TO SERVE
AS THE COMPANY’S INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM FOR THE FISCAL
YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 2007.
ANNUAL
REPORT AND HOUSEHOLDING
A
copy of
the Annual Report of the Company for the 2006 Fiscal Year is being mailed
concurrently with this Proxy Statement to all stockholders entitled to notice
of
and to vote at the Annual Meeting. The Annual Report is not incorporated into
this Proxy Statement and is not considered proxy solicitation
material.
In
order
to reduce printing and postage costs, only one Annual Report and one Proxy
Statement will be mailed to multiple stockholders sharing an address unless
the
Company receives contrary instructions from one or more of the stockholders
sharing an address. If your household has received only one Annual Report and
one Proxy Statement and you wish to receive an additional copy or copies of
the
Annual Report and the Proxy Statement, or if your household is receiving
multiple copies of the Company’s Annual Reports or Proxy Statements and you wish
to request that future deliveries be limited to a single copy, please send
a
written request to Timothy E. Bixby, President, Chief Financial Officer, at
the
Company’s principal executive offices located at 462 Seventh Avenue, 3rd Floor,
New York, New York 10018.
FORM
10-K
The
Company filed an Annual Report on Form 10-K with the Securities and Exchange
Commission on March 19, 2007. Stockholders may obtain a copy of this report,
without charge, by writing to Timothy E. Bixby, President, Chief Financial
Officer, at the Company’s principal executive offices located at 462 Seventh
Avenue, 3rd Floor, New York, New York 10018.
INCORPORATION
BY REFERENCE
Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary set forth in any of the Company’s previous or future
filings under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended, that might incorporate by reference this Proxy
Statement or future filings made by the Company under those statutes, the
Compensation Committee Report, the Audit Committee Report, references to the
Audit Committee Charter and references to the independence of the Audit
Committee members are not deemed filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, are not deemed soliciting material and shall not be deemed
incorporated by reference into any of those prior filings or into any future
filings made by the Company under those statutes, except to the extent that
the
Company specifically incorporates such information by reference into a previous
or future filing, or specifically requests that such information be treated
as
soliciting material, in each case under those statutes.
OTHER
MATTERS
The
Company knows of no other matters that will be presented for consideration
at
the Annual Meeting. If any other matters properly come before the Annual
Meeting, it is the intention of the persons named in the enclosed Proxy Card
to
vote the shares they represent as such persons deem advisable. Discretionary
authority with respect to such other matters is granted by the execution of
the
enclosed Proxy Card.
LIVEPERSON,
INC.
PROXY
ANNUAL
MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS, JUNE 12, 2007
THIS
PROXY IS SOLICITED ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF LIVEPERSON,
INC.
The
undersigned stockholder of LivePerson, Inc. (the “Company”) revokes all previous
proxies, acknowledges receipt of the Notice of the Annual Meeting of
Stockholders to be held June 12, 2007 and the Proxy Statement, and appoints
Robert P. LoCascio, Chief Executive Officer, and Timothy E. Bixby, Chief
Financial Officer and President, and each of them, the Proxy of the undersigned,
with full power of substitution and resubstitution, to vote all shares of Common
Stock of the Company which the undersigned is entitled to vote, either on his
or
her own behalf or on behalf of any entity or entities, at the Annual Meeting
of
Stockholders of the Company to be held at the Courtyard by Marriott Hotel
(Manhattan Times Square South), Meeting Room A, 114 West 40th
Street,
New York, New York 10018 (Tel: 212-391-0088), on Tuesday, June 12, 2007 at
10:00
a.m. Eastern Daylight time (the “Annual Meeting”), and at any adjournment or
postponement thereof, with the same force and effect as the undersigned might
or
could do if personally present thereat. The shares represented by this Proxy
shall be voted in the manner set forth below.
(CONTINUED,
AND TO BE DATED AND SIGNED ON OTHER SIDE)
x
PLEASE MARK YOUR VOTES
AS IN THIS EXAMPLE USING DARK INK ONLY.
1.
TO
ELECT TWO CLASS I DIRECTORS TO SERVE FOR A THREE-YEAR TERM ENDING IN THE YEAR
2010 OR IN EACH CASE UNTIL THE DIRECTOR’S SUCCESSOR SHALL HAVE BEEN DULY ELECTED
AND QUALIFIED;
NOMINEES:
EMMANUEL
GILL
WILLIAM
G. WESEMANN
FOR
ALL
NOMINEES LISTED ABOVE (EXCEPT AS WRITTEN BELOW TO THE CONTRARY) |_|
_______________________________
Instruction: To withhold authority to vote for an individual nominee, write
the
nominee’s name in the space provided at left.
WITHHOLD
AUTHORITY TO VOTE o
FOR
ALL
NOMINEES LISTED ABOVE
2.
TO
RATIFY THE AUDIT COMMITTEE’S APPOINTMENT OF BDO SEIDMAN, LLP AS INDEPENDENT
REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM OF THE COMPANY FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING
DECEMBER 31, 2007.
FOR
|
AGAINST
|
ABSTAIN
|
o
|
o
|
o
|
3.
In
accordance with the discretion of the proxy holders, to act upon all matters
incident to the conduct of the Annual Meeting and upon other matters as may
properly come before the Annual Meeting.
THE
BOARD
OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE FOR
THE
DIRECTOR NOMINEES LISTED ABOVE AND A VOTE FOR
ALL OF
THE LISTED PROPOSALS. THIS PROXY, WHEN PROPERLY EXECUTED, WILL BE VOTED AS
SPECIFIED ABOVE. IF
NO SPECIFICATION IS MADE (INCLUDING NOT WITHHOLDING AUTHORITY TO VOTE FOR THE
DIRECTOR NOMINEES), THIS PROXY WILL BE VOTED FOR
THE DIRECTOR NOMINEES LISTED ABOVE AND FOR
ALL OF THE LISTED PROPOSALS.
|
|
|
|
Date:
________________ |
Signature (title, if any) |
|
Signature, if held jointly |
|
|
Please
print the name(s) appearing on each share certificate(s) over which you have
voting authority:
(Print
name(s) on certificate)
(JOINT
OWNERS SHOULD EACH SIGN. PLEASE SIGN EXACTLY AS YOUR NAME(S) APPEARS ON THE
ENVELOPE IN WHICH THIS CARD WAS MAILED. WHEN SIGNING AS ATTORNEY, TRUSTEE,
EXECUTOR, ADMINISTRATOR, GUARDIAN OR CORPORATE OFFICER, PLEASE SIGN UNDER FULL
TITLE, CORPORATE OR ENTITY NAME).