SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION
Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 (Amendment No. )
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Ottawa Savings Bancorp, Inc.
(Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)
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x | No fee required. |
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April 4, 2008
Dear Shareholder:
You are cordially invited to attend the annual meeting of shareholders of Ottawa Savings Bancorp, Inc. We will hold the meeting at the Companys Offices, 925 LaSalle Street, Ottawa, Illinois, on Thursday, May 8, 2008 at 2:00 p.m., local time.
The notice of annual meeting and proxy statement appearing on the following pages describe the formal business to be transacted at the meeting. During the meeting, we will also report on the operations of the Company. Directors and officers of the Company, as well as a representative of McGladrey & Pullen, LLP, the Companys independent registered public accountants, will be present to respond to appropriate questions of shareholders.
It is important that your shares are represented at this meeting, whether or not you attend the meeting in person and regardless of the number of shares you own. To make sure your shares are represented, we urge you to complete and mail the enclosed proxy card. If you attend the meeting, you may vote in person even if you have previously mailed a proxy card.
We look forward to seeing you at the meeting.
Sincerely, |
/S/ GARY OCEPEK |
Gary Ocepek President and Chief Executive Officer |
925 LaSalle Street
Ottawa, Illinois 61350
(815) 433-2525
NOTICE OF 2008 ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
TIME AND DATE |
2:00 p.m., local time, on Thursday, May 8, 2008. |
PLACE |
Offices of the Company, 925 LaSalle Street, Ottawa, Illinois 61350. |
ITEMS OF BUSINESS |
(1) To elect one director to serve for a term of three years; |
(2) To ratify the selection of McGladrey & Pullen, LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for fiscal year 2008; and |
(3) To transact such other business as may properly come before the meeting and any adjournment or postponement of the meeting. |
RECORD DATE |
To vote, you must have been a stockholder at the close of business on March 14, 2008. |
PROXY VOTING |
It is important that your shares be represented and voted at the meeting. You can vote your shares by completing and returning the proxy card or voting instruction card sent to you. Voting instructions are printed on your proxy or voting instruction card and included in the accompanying proxy statement. You can revoke a proxy at any time before its exercise at the meeting by following the instructions in the proxy statement. |
BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS |
/s/ JuleAnn Leamy |
JuleAnn Leamy |
Corporate Secretary |
Ottawa, Illinois
April 4, 2008
Note: | Whether or not you plan to attend the annual meeting, please vote by marking, signing, dating and promptly returning the enclosed proxy card or voting instruction card. |
OTTAWA SAVINGS BANCORP, INC.
PROXY STATEMENT
This proxy statement is furnished in connection with the solicitation of proxies by the Board of Directors of Ottawa Savings Bancorp, Inc. (Ottawa Savings Bancorp or the Company) to be used at the annual meeting of stockholders of the Company. The Company is the holding company for Ottawa Savings Bank (the Bank) and the majority-owned subsidiary of Ottawa Savings Bancorp MHC (the MHC). The annual meeting will be held at 925 LaSalle Street, Ottawa, Illinois on Thursday, May 8, 2008 at 2:00 p.m., local time. This proxy statement and the enclosed proxy card are being first mailed to stockholders on or about April 4, 2008.
Voting and Proxy Procedure
Who Can Vote at the Meeting
You are entitled to vote your shares of Ottawa Savings Bancorp common stock if the records of the Company show that you held your shares as of the close of business on March 14, 2008. If your shares are held in a stock brokerage account or by a bank or other nominee, you are considered the beneficial owner of shares held in street name and these proxy materials are being forwarded to you by your broker, bank or nominee. As the beneficial owner, you have the right to direct your broker on how to vote your shares. Your broker, bank or nominee has enclosed a voting instruction form for you to use in directing it on how to vote your shares.
As of the close of business on March 14, 2008, 2,190,411 shares of Ottawa Savings Bancorp, common stock were outstanding and entitled to vote. Each share of common stock has one vote. The Companys Charter provides that, until July 11, 2010, record owners of the Companys common stock (other than Ottawa Savings Bancorp MHC) who beneficially own, either directly or indirectly, in excess of 10% of the Companys outstanding shares are not entitled to any vote in respect of the shares held in excess of that 10% limit.
Attending the Meeting
If you are a stockholder as of the close of business on March 14, 2008, you may attend the meeting. However, if you hold your shares in street name, you will need proof of ownership to be admitted to the meeting. A recent brokerage statement or letter from a bank, broker or other nominee are examples of proof of ownership. If you want to vote your shares of Ottawa Savings Bancorp common stock held in street name in person at the meeting, you will need a written proxy in your name from the broker, bank or other nominee who holds your shares.
Vote By Ottawa Savings Bancorp MHC
Ottawa Savings Bancorp MHC, the mutual holding company for the Company, owned 55.9% of the outstanding shares of common stock of the Company as of March 14, 2008. All shares of common stock owned by Ottawa Savings Bancorp MHC will be voted in accordance with the instructions of the Board of Directors of Ottawa Savings Bancorp MHC, the members of which are identical to the members of the Board of Directors of the Company. Ottawa Savings Bancorp MHC is expected to vote such shares FOR the nominee for election as a director and FOR ratification of the appointment of McGladrey & Pullen, LLP as the Companys independent registered public accounting firm.
Vote Required
The annual meeting will be held only if there is a quorum. A majority of the outstanding shares of Ottawa Savings Bancorp common stock entitled to vote, represented in person or by proxy, constitutes a quorum. If you return valid proxy instructions or attend the meeting in person, your shares will be counted for purposes of determining whether there is a quorum, even if you abstain from voting. Broker non-votes also will be counted
for purposes of determining the existence of a quorum. A broker non-vote occurs when a broker, bank or other nominee holding shares for a beneficial owner does not vote on a particular proposal because the broker, bank or other nominee does not have discretionary voting power with respect to that item and has not received voting instructions from the beneficial owner.
In voting on the election of directors, you may vote in favor of the nominee or withhold votes as to the nominee. There is no cumulative voting for the election of directors. Directors are elected by a plurality of the votes cast at the annual meeting. Plurality means that the nominee receiving the largest number of votes cast will be elected up to the maximum number of directors to be elected at the annual meeting. The maximum number of directors to be elected at the annual meeting is one. Votes that are withheld will have no effect on the outcome of the election.
In voting to ratify the appointment of McGladrey & Pullen, LLP as the Companys independent registered public accounting firm, you may vote in favor of the proposal, against the proposal or abstain from voting. To be approved, this matter requires the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes represented at the annual meeting and entitled to vote. Abstentions will have the same effect as a negative vote.
Because Ottawa Savings Bancorp MHC owns in excess of 50% of the outstanding shares of Company common stock, the votes it casts will ensure the presence of a quorum and determine the outcome of Proposal 1 (Election of Directors) and Proposal 2 (Ratification of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm).
Voting by Proxy
This proxy statement is being sent to you by the Board of Directors of the Company to request that you allow your shares of the Company common stock to be represented at the annual meeting by the persons named in the enclosed proxy card. All shares of Company common stock represented at the meeting by properly executed and dated proxies will be voted according to the instructions indicated on the proxy card. If you sign, date and return a proxy card without giving voting instructions, your shares will be voted as recommended by the Companys Board of Directors. The Board of Directors recommends that you vote FOR the nominee for director and FOR ratification of the appointment of McGladrey & Pullen, LLP as the Companys independent registered public accounting firm.
If any matter not described in this proxy statement is properly presented at the annual meeting, the persons named in the proxy card will use their judgment to determine how to vote your shares. This includes a motion to adjourn or postpone the meeting to solicit additional proxies. If the annual meeting is postponed or adjourned, your shares of Ottawa Savings Bancorp common stock may also be voted by the persons named in the proxy card on the new meeting date, unless you have revoked your proxy. The Company does not know of any other matters to be presented at the meeting.
You may revoke your proxy at any time before the vote is taken at the meeting. To revoke your proxy, you must either advise the Corporate Secretary of the Company in writing before your Company common stock has been voted at the annual meeting, deliver a later-dated valid proxy or attend the meeting and vote your shares in person. Attendance at the annual meeting will not in itself constitute revocation of your proxy.
If your Ottawa Savings Bancorp common stock is held in street name, you will receive instructions from your broker, bank or other nominee that you must follow to have your shares voted. Your broker, bank or other nominee may allow you to deliver your voting instructions by telephone or by the Internet. Please see the instruction form provided by your broker, bank or other nominee that accompanies this proxy statement. If you wish to change your voting instructions after you have returned your voting instruction form to your broker, bank or other nominee, you must contact your broker, bank or other nominee.
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Participants in the Banks ESOP and 401(k) Plan
If you participate in the Ottawa Savings Bank Employee Stock Ownership Plan (the ESOP) or if you hold shares through the Ottawa Savings Bank Employees Savings and Profit Sharing Plan (the 401(k) Plan), you will receive a voting instruction card for each plan that reflects all shares you may vote under the plan. Under the terms of the ESOP, the ESOP trustee votes all shares held by the ESOP, but each ESOP participant may direct the trustee how to vote the shares of common stock allocated to his or her account. The ESOP trustee, subject to the exercise of its fiduciary duties, will vote all unallocated shares of Company common stock held by the ESOP and allocated shares for which no timely voting instructions are received in the same proportion as shares for which it has received timely voting instructions. Under the terms of the 401(k) Plan, a participant is entitled to direct the trustee how to vote the shares of Ottawa Savings Bancorp common stock credited to his or her account in the 401(k) Plan. The trustee will vote all shares for which it does not receive timely instructions in the same proportion as shares for which it has received timely instructions. The deadline for returning your voting instructions to each plans trustee is May 1, 2008.
Corporate Governance
General
The Company periodically reviews its corporate governance policies and procedures to ensure that the Company meets the highest standards of ethical conduct, reports results with accuracy and transparency and maintains full compliance with the laws, rules and regulations that govern the Companys operations. As part of this periodic corporate governance review, the Board of Directors reviews and adopts best corporate governance policies and practices for the Company.
Corporate Governance Policies and Procedures
The Company has adopted a corporate governance policy to govern certain activities including:
(1) | the duties and responsibilities of each director; |
(2) | the composition, duties and responsibilities and operation of the board of directors; |
(3) | the selection of Chairman and President; |
(4) | the establishment and operation of board committees; |
(5) | succession planning; |
(6) | convening executive sessions of independent directors; |
(7) | the Board of Directors interaction with management and third parties; |
(8) | the distribution of board materials in advance of meetings; |
(9) | review of director compensation; |
(10) | the evaluation of the performance of the Board of Directors and of the chief executive officers; and |
(11) | the orientation of new directors and continuing education. |
Code of Ethics and Business Conduct
The Company has adopted a Code of Ethics and Business Conduct that is designed to ensure that the Companys directors, executive officers and employees meet the highest standards of ethical conduct. The Code of Ethics and Business Conduct requires that the Companys directors, executive officers and employees avoid conflicts of interest, comply with all laws and other legal requirements, conduct business in an honest and ethical manner and otherwise act with integrity and in the Companys best interest. Under the terms of the Code of Ethics and Business Conduct, directors, executive officers and employees are required to report any conduct that they believe in good faith to be an actual or apparent violation of the Code.
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As a mechanism to encourage compliance with the Code of Ethics and Business Conduct, the Company has established procedures to receive, retain and treat complaints received regarding accounting, internal accounting controls or auditing matters. These procedures ensure that individuals may submit concerns regarding questionable accounting or auditing matters in a confidential and anonymous manner. The Code of Ethics and Business Conduct also prohibits the Company from retaliating against any director, executive officer or employee who reports actual or apparent violations of the Code.
Meetings and Committees of the Board of Directors
The Company conducts business through meetings of its Board of Directors and its committees. The Companys Board of Directors held 14 regular meetings and one special meeting during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007. No director attended fewer than 75% of the total meetings of the Companys Board of Directors and committees on which such director served.
The following table identifies our standing committees and their members as of December 31, 2007. All members of each committee are independent in accordance with the listing standards of the Nasdaq Stock Market, Inc.
Director |
Audit Committee |
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee |
Compensation Committee |
||||||
James A. Ferrero |
X | * | X | * | X | ||||
Keith Johnson |
X | X | X | * | |||||
Arthur C. Mueller |
X | X | |||||||
Gary Ocepek |
|||||||||
Daniel J. Reynolds |
X | X | X | ||||||
Number of Meetings in 2007 |
5 | 1 | 6 |
* | Chairman |
Audit Committee. The Audit Committee meets periodically with the independent registered public accountants and management to review accounting, auditing, internal control structure and financial reporting matters. The board of directors has determined that the Audit Committee does not have a member who is an audit committee financial expert as such term is defined by the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission. However, the board of directors has determined that Mr. Ferrero is financially sophisticated under the rules of the NASDAQ Stock Market, Inc. While the board recognizes that no individual board member meets the qualifications required of an audit committee financial expert, the board believes that appointment of a new director to the board and to the Audit Committee at this time is not necessary as the level of financial knowledge and experience of the current members of the Audit Committee, including the ability to read and understand fundamental financial statements, is cumulatively sufficient to discharge adequately the Audit Committees responsibilities. The Audit Committee acts under a written charter, a copy of which was filed as Appendix A to the proxy statement for the Annual Meeting of Shareholders held on May 4, 2006 and filed with the SEC on March 29, 2006. A copy of the Audit Committee charter is also available on the Companys website at www.ottawasavings.com. The report of the Audit Committee appears in this proxy statement under the heading Proposal 2Ratification of Independent Registered Public AccountantsAudit Committee Report.
Compensation Committee. The Compensation Committee is responsible for human resource policies, salaries and benefits, incentive compensation, executive development and management succession planning. It also handles policies relating to nondiscriminatory employment practices, including those related to hiring, compensation and promotion. The Compensation Committee reviews all compensation components for the Companys Chief Executive Officer (CEO) including annual salary, bonus, stock options, and other direct and indirect benefits, as well as reviews the Companys executive and employee compensation programs, and
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director compensation. The Committee considers the performance of the Company, shareholder return, competitive market values, and the compensation given to the CEO over recent years when determining appropriate compensation for the CEO. In setting executive compensation, the Committee ensures that a significant portion of compensation is connected to the long-term interest of shareholders. In its oversight of employee compensation programs, prior to making its recommendation to the Board, the Committee reviews recommendations from the President and Human Resources Manager. Decisions by the Compensation Committee with respect to the compensation levels are approved by the full Board of Directors. The Compensation Committee acts under a written charter, a copy of which was included as Appendix A to the proxy statement for the Annual Meeting of Shareholders held on May 3, 2007 and filed with the SEC on April 2, 2007. A copy of the Compensation Committee charter is not available on the Companys website.
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee is responsible for the annual selection of the Board of Directors nominees for election as directors and developing and implementing policies and practices relating to corporate governance, including implementation of and monitoring adherence to Ottawa Savings Bancorps corporate governance policy.
The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee acts under a written charter adopted by the Board of Directors, a copy of which was included as Appendix B to the proxy statement for the Annual Meeting of Shareholders held on May 3, 2007 and filed with the SEC on April 2, 2007. A copy of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee charter is not available on the Companys website. Information regarding the director nomination process appears in this proxy statement under the heading Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee Procedures.
Attendance at the Annual Meeting
The Board of Directors encourages directors to attend the annual meeting of stockholders. All five directors attended the Companys annual meeting of stockholders in 2007.
Stock Ownership
The following table provides information as of March 14, 2008 about the persons known to the Company to be the beneficial owners of more than 5% of the Companys outstanding common stock. A person may be considered to beneficially own any shares of common stock over which he or she has, directly or indirectly, sole or shared voting or investment power.
Name and Address |
Number of Shares Owned |
Percent of Common Stock Outstanding(1) |
||||
Ottawa Savings Bancorp MHC 925 LaSalle Street Ottawa, Illinois 61350 |
1,223,701 | 55.87 | % | |||
Tyndall Capital Partners, LP 599 Lexington Avenue Suite 4100 New York, New York 10022 |
131,348 | (2) | 6.00 | % |
(1) | Based on 2,190,411 shares of Company common stock outstanding and entitled to vote as of March 14, 2008. |
(2) | Based exclusively on a Schedule 13G/A filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 14, 2008. |
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The following table provides information as of March 14, 2008 about the shares of Ottawa Savings Bancorp common stock that may be considered to be beneficially owned by each director or nominee for director of the Company, by those executive officers of the Company listed in the Summary Compensation Table and all directors and executive officers of the Company as a group. A person may be considered to beneficially own any shares of common stock over which he or she has directly or indirectly, sole or shared voting or investment power. Unless otherwise indicated, none of the shares listed are pledged as security and each of the listed individuals has sole voting and investment power with respect to the shares shown.
Name |
Number of Shares Owned (Excluding Options)(1) |
Number of Shares That May Be Acquired Within 60 Days By Exercising Options |
Percent of Common Stock Outstanding(2) |
|||||
Directors: |
||||||||
James A. Ferrero |
20,180 | (3) | 1,090 | 1.0 | % | |||
Keith Johnson |
19,180 | (4) | 1,090 | * | ||||
Arthur C. Mueller |
12,180 | 1,090 | * | |||||
Gary Ocepek |
29,443 | (5) | 5,451 | 1.6 | % | |||
Daniel J. Reynolds |
24,180 | (6) | 1,090 | 1.2 | % | |||
Executive Officers Who Are Not Directors: |
||||||||
Phil Devermann |
17,227 | 3,488 | * | |||||
Jon Kranov |
26,098 | 3,706 | 1.4 | % | ||||
All directors and executive officers as a group (7 persons) |
148,488 | 17,005 | 7.5 | % |
* | Represents less than 1% of the Companys outstanding shares. |
(1) | This column includes the following: |
Name |
Shares of Restricted Stock Awards Held in Trust |
Shares Allocated under the Ottawa Savings Bank ESOP |
Shares Held in Trust in the Ottawa Savings Bank 401(k) Plan | |||
James A. Ferrero |
1,744 | | | |||
Keith Johnson |
1,744 | | | |||
Arthur C. Mueller |
1,744 | | | |||
Gary Ocepek |
8,722 | 2,191 | | |||
Daniel J. Reynolds |
1,744 | | | |||
Phil Devermann |
5,582 | 1,442 | 10,203 | |||
Jon Kranov |
5,931 | 1,538 | 5,147 |
(2) | Based on 2,190,411 shares of Company common stock outstanding and entitled to vote as of March 14, 2008. |
(3) | Includes 500 shares held by Mr. Ferreros spouse. |
(4) | Includes 17,000 shares pledged as security to Old Second National Bank. |
(5) | Includes 16,350 shares held by Mr. Ocepeks spouse. |
(6) | Includes 8,500 shares held by Mr. Reynolds spouse and 5,000 shares held jointly with Mr. Reynolds spouse, as to which Mr. Reynolds shares voting and investment power. |
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Proposal 1 Election of Directors
The Companys Board of Directors consists of five members, all of whom are independent under the current listing standards of the Nasdaq Stock Market, except for Mr. Ocepek, who is the Companys President and the Banks President and Chief Executive Officer. In determining the independence of its directors, the Board considered transactions, relationships or arrangements between the Company, the Bank and its directors that are not required to be disclosed in this proxy statement under the heading Transactions with Related Persons. The Board is divided into three classes with three-year staggered terms, with approximately one-third of the directors elected each year. One director will be elected at the annual meeting to serve for a three-year term, or until his respective successor has been elected and qualified. The Board of Directors nominee is Gary Ocepek. Mr. Ocepek is currently a director of the Company and the Bank.
Unless you indicate on the proxy card that your shares should not be voted for the nominee, the Board of Directors intends that the proxies solicited by it will be voted for the election of the Boards nominee. If the nominee is unable to serve, the persons named in the proxy card will vote your shares to approve the election of any substitute proposed by the Board of Directors. Alternatively, the Board of Directors may adopt a resolution to reduce the size of the Board. At this time, the Board of Directors knows of no reason why any nominee might be unable to serve.
The Board of Directors recommends a vote FOR the election of Gary Ocepek.
Information regarding the Board of Directors nominee for election at the annual meeting is provided below. Unless otherwise stated, each director has held his or her current occupation for the last five years. The age indicated for each individual is as of December 31, 2007. There are no family relationships among the directors or executive officers. The indicated period of service as a director includes service as a director of the Bank.
Nominee for Election of Directors
Gary Ocepek is President and Chief Executive Officer of Ottawa Savings Bank. He has been employed with Ottawa Savings Bank since 1970 and has served as President of the Bank since January 1994. Mr. Ocepek has served as Chairman and President of Ottawa Savings Bancorp and Ottawa Savings Bancorp MHC since 2005. Age 62. Director since 1996.
Directors Continuing in Office
The following directors have terms ending in 2009:
Arthur C. Mueller is the co-owner of Mueller Funeral Homes, Inc. He is currently the Chairman of the Banks Board of Directors and attends all committee meetings of the Board of Directors in his capacity as such. Age 54. Director since 1987.
Daniel J. Reynolds is the co-owner of H.R. Imaging, Inc., a photography business in Ottawa, Illinois. Age 61. Director since 2003.
The following directors have terms ending in 2010:
James A. Ferrero retired from LaSalle County Housing Authority as of December 31, 2005. He is the co-owner of a retail liquor store in Ottawa, Illinois. Age 58. Director since 2000.
Keith F. Johnson is the co-owner of Johnson Pattern and Machine Co. in Ottawa, Illinois. Age 54. Director since 2001.
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Executive Officers who are not also Directors:
Below is information regarding our officers who are not also directors. Each officer has held his or her current position for at least the last five years, unless otherwise stated. Ages presented are as of December 31, 2007.
Phil Devermann has served as the Vice President of Ottawa Savings Bank since 1996. Mr. Devermann has served as the Vice President of Ottawa Savings Bancorp and Ottawa Savings Bancorp MHC since 2005. He has been employed with Ottawa Savings Bank since 1979. Age 57.
Jon Kranov has served as the Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Ottawa Savings Bank since 1996. Mr. Kranov has served as the Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Ottawa Savings Bancorp and Ottawa Savings Bancorp MHC since 2005. He has been employed with Ottawa Savings Bank since 1978. Age 53.
Proposal 2 Ratification of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
The Audit Committee of the Board of Directors has appointed McGladrey & Pullen, LLP to be the Companys independent registered public accountants for the 2008 fiscal year, subject to ratification by shareholders. A representative of McGladrey & Pullen, LLP is expected to be present at the annual meeting to respond to appropriate questions from shareholders and will have the opportunity to make a statement should he or she desire to do so.
If the ratification of the appointment of the auditors is not approved by a majority of the votes cast by shareholders at the annual meeting, the Audit Committee will consider other independent registered public accountants.
The Board of Directors recommends a vote FOR the ratification of the appointment of McGladrey & Pullen, LLP as the Companys independent registered public accountants.
Audit and Non-Audit Fees
The following table sets forth the fees billed to the Company for the fiscal years ending December 31, 2007 and December 31, 2006 for services provided by McGladrey & Pullen, LLP and its affiliate RSM McGladrey Inc.
2007 | 2006 | |||||
Audit Fees(1) |
$ | 86,553 | $ | 115,069 | ||
Audit-Related Fees(2) |
$ | 9,715 | $ | 1,435 | ||
Tax Fees(3) |
$ | 18,880 | $ | 4,400 | ||
All Other Fees(4) |
| $ | 8,179 |
(1) | For 2006 and 2007, includes fees for performance of the audit, review of financial statements for public filings and attendance at the annual meeting. For 2007, the amount also includes fees for assistance with the implementation of accounting standards. |
(2) | For 2006 and 2007, includes fees for compliance with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. For 2007, the amount also includes fees for assistance with accounting for the ESOP. |
(3) | For 2006 and 2007, represents fees for preparation of state and local consolidated amended tax returns. |
(4) | For 2006, includes fees for consultation regarding the Companys executive compensation programs. |
Pre-Approval of Services by the Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
The Audit Committee is responsible for appointing, setting compensation and overseeing the work of the independent registered public accounting firm. In accordance with its charter, the Audit Committee approves, in
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advance, all audit and permissible non-audit services to be performed by the independent registered public accounting firm. Such approval process ensures that the independent registered public accounting firm does not provide any non-audit services to the Company that are prohibited by law or regulation.
In addition, the Audit Committee has established a policy regarding pre-approval of all audit and permissible non-audit services provided by the independent registered public accounting firm. Requests for services by the independent registered public accounting firm for compliance with the auditor services policy must be specific as to the particular services to be provided. The request may be made with respect to either specific services or a type of service for predictable or recurring services.
Any proposed specific engagement may be presented to the Audit Committee for consideration at its next regular meeting or, if earlier consideration is required, to the Audit Committee or one or more of its members. The member or members to whom such authority is delegated shall report any specific approval of services at the next regular meeting of the Audit Committee. The Audit Committee will regularly review summary reports detailing all services being provided to the Company by its independent registered public accounting firm.
During the year ended December 31, 2007, all services were approved, in advance, by the Audit Committee in compliance with these procedures.
Audit Committee Report
The Companys management is responsible for the Companys internal control over financial reporting. The independent registered public accounting firm is responsible for performing an independent audit of the Companys consolidated financial statements and issuing an opinion on the conformity of those financial statements with generally accepted accounting principles. The Audit Committee oversees the Companys internal control over financial reporting on behalf of the Board of Directors.
In this context, the Audit Committee has met and held discussions with management and the independent registered public accounting firm. Management represented to the Audit Committee that the Companys consolidated financial statements were prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and the Audit Committee has reviewed and discussed the consolidated financial statements with management and the independent registered public accounting firm. The Audit Committee discussed with the independent registered public accounting firm all communications required by generally accepted accounting standards.
In addition, the Audit Committee has received the written disclosures and the letter from the independent registered public accounting firm required by the Independence Standards Board Standard No. 1 (Independence Discussions With Audit Committees) and has discussed with the independent registered public accounting firm the accounting firms independence from the Company and its management. In concluding that the accounting firm is independent, the Audit Committee considered, among other factors, whether the non-audit services provided by the independent registered public accounting firm were compatible with their independence.
The Audit Committee discussed with the Companys independent registered public accountants the overall scope and plans for their audit. The Audit Committee meets with the independent registered public accounting firm, with and without management present, to discuss the results of their examination, their evaluation of the Companys internal control over financial reporting, and the overall quality of the Companys financial reporting process.
In performing all of these functions, the Audit Committee acts only in an oversight capacity. In its oversight role, the Audit Committee relies on the work and assurances of the Companys management, which has the primary responsibility for financial statements and reports, and of the independent registered public accounting firm who, in its report, expresses an opinion on the conformity of the Companys financial statements to generally accepted accounting principles. The Audit Committees oversight does not provide it with an
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independent basis to determine that management has maintained appropriate accounting and financial reporting principles or policies, or appropriate internal controls and procedures designed to assure compliance with accounting standards and applicable laws and regulations. Furthermore, the Audit Committees considerations and discussions with management and the independent registered public accounting firm do not assure that the Companys financial statements are presented in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, that the audit of the Companys consolidated financial statements has been carried out in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board or that the Companys independent registered public accounting firm is in fact independent.
In reliance on the reviews and discussions referred to above, the Audit Committee recommended to the Board of Directors, and the Board has approved, that the audited consolidated financial statements be included in the Companys Annual Report on Form 10-KSB for the year ended December 31, 2007 for filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Audit Committee has appointed, subject to shareholder ratification, the selection of the Companys independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2008.
Audit Committee of the Ottawa Savings Bancorp Board of Directors
James A. Ferrero (Chairman)
Keith Johnson
Arthur C. Mueller
Daniel J. Reynolds
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Executive Compensation
Summary Compensation Table
The following information is furnished for all individuals serving as the principal executive officer of the Company for the two most recently completed fiscal years and the next two most highly compensated executive officers of the Company whose total compensation for each of the 2006 and 2007 fiscal years exceeded $100,000.
Name and Principal Position |
Year | Salary ($) |
Bonus ($) |
Stock Awards ($)(1) |
Option Awards ($)(2) |
All Other Compen- sation ($) |
Total ($) | ||||||||
Gary Ocepek |
2007 | 160,700 | 9,005 | 22,236 | 17,590 | 31,464 | (3) | 240,995 | |||||||
President and Chief Executive Officer |
2006 | 155,250 | 7,523 | 2,445 | 1,481 | 30,301 | (3) | 197,000 | |||||||
Jon Kranov |
2007 | 112,900 | 6,377 | 15,116 | 11,961 | 8,942 | 155,296 | ||||||||
Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer |
2006 | 109,000 | 5,283 | 1,662 | 1,007 | 9,239 | 126,191 | ||||||||
Philip Devermann |
2007 | 106,400 | 5,875 | 14,229 | 11,257 | 8,573 | 146,334 | ||||||||
Vice President |
2006 | 101,300 | 4,972 | 1,565 | 948 | 8,716 | 117,501 |
(1) | Reflects the dollar value recognized for financial statement reporting purposes computed in accordance with FAS 123(R). For more information on the assumptions used to compute fair value, see Note 10 to the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements contained in the Companys Annual Report on Form 10-KSB. When shares become vested and are distributed from the trust in which they are held, the recipient will also receive an amount equal to accumulated cash and stock dividends (if any) paid with respect thereto, plus earnings thereon. |
(2) | Reflects the dollar value recognized for financial statement reporting purposes computed in accordance with FAS 123(R). For further information on the assumptions used to compute the fair value, see Note 10 to the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements contained in the Companys Annual Report on Form 10-KSB. |
(3) | For each of 2006 and 2007, includes $16,800 received in board fees for service on the Companys Board of Directors. |
Employment Agreements. Ottawa Savings Bancorp and Ottawa Savings Bank have employment agreements with Gary Ocepek, Jon Kranov and Phil Devermann. These employment agreements help ensure a stable and competent management base. The continued success of Ottawa Savings Bancorp and Ottawa Savings Bank depends to a significant degree on the skills and competence of Mr. Ocepek, Mr. Kranov and Mr. Devermann.
The employment agreements provide for initial three-year terms. Thereafter, the term of the employment agreements may be renewed on an annual basis after review and extension by the respective Board of Directors. The employment agreements provide a current base salary of $167,550 for Mr. Ocepek, $117,750 for Mr. Kranov and $111,000 for Mr. Devermann. The Boards of Directors will review Mr. Ocepeks, Mr. Kranovs and Mr. Devermanns base salaries each year in order to consider any appropriate changes. In addition to base salary, the employment agreements provide for, among other things, participation in stock-based benefit plans and fringe benefits applicable to the executives. The employment agreements provide that Ottawa Savings Bank and Ottawa Savings Bancorp may terminate the executives employment for cause, as described in the employment agreements, at any time. If Ottawa Savings Bank or Ottawa Savings Bancorp terminates the executives employment for reasons other than for cause, or if the executive resigns from Ottawa Savings Bank or Ottawa Savings Bancorp after specified circumstances that would constitute constructive termination, the executive or, if he dies, his beneficiary, would be entitled to receive an amount equal to the remaining base salary payments due
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for the remaining term of the employment agreement and the contributions that would have been made on his behalf to any employee benefit plans of Ottawa Savings Bank and Ottawa Savings Bancorp during the remaining term of the employment agreement. Ottawa Savings Bank would also continue and/or pay for the executives life, health and dental coverage for the remaining term of the employment agreement. The executive must agree not to compete with Ottawa Savings Bank or Ottawa Savings Bancorp for one year following his termination of employment other than in connection with a change in control.
Under the employment agreements, if the executive voluntarily (upon circumstances discussed in the agreements) or involuntarily terminates employment following a change in control of Ottawa Savings Bank or Ottawa Savings Bancorp, the executive or, if the executive dies, the executives beneficiary, would receive a severance payment equal to the greater of: (1) the payments due for the remaining term of the agreement; or (2) three times the average of the five preceding taxable years annual compensation. Ottawa Savings Bank would also continue the executives life, health, and dental coverage for 18 months following termination of employment. Section 280G of the Internal Revenue Code provides that severance payments that equal or exceed three times the individuals base amount are deemed to be excess parachute payments if they are contingent upon a change in control. Individuals receiving excess parachute payments are subject to a 20% excise tax on the amount of the payment in excess of the base amount, and the employer would not be entitled to deduct such amount. The agreements limit payments made to the executive in connection with a change in control to amounts that will not exceed the limits imposed by Section 280G.
Ottawa Savings Bank or Ottawa Savings Bancorp will pay or reimburse the executive for all reasonable costs and legal fees paid or incurred by the executive in any dispute or question of interpretation relating to the employment agreement if the executive is successful on the merits in a legal judgment, arbitration or settlement. The employment agreements also provide that Ottawa Savings Bank and Ottawa Savings Bancorp will indemnify Mr. Ocepek, Mr. Kranov and Mr. Devermann to the fullest extent legally allowable.
Salary Continuation Agreements. On September 19, 2007, Ottawa Savings Bank entered a Salary Continuation Agreement with each of Gary L. Ocepek, Jon Kranov and Philip B. Devermann.
Under the Salary Continuation Agreements, except for a termination of employment for cause on or after the age of 65, if Mr. Ocepeks, Mr. Kranovs or Mr. Devermanns employment with the Bank is terminated (1) on or after his 65th birthday; (2) subsequent to a Change in Control (as defined in each Agreement); (3) on account of a disability; or (4) because of death, they will be entitled to receive $15,062, $25,258 or $27,480, respectively, per year for 20 years commencing on his 65th birthday or the date of his termination of employment. The executive may elect, subject to the requirements of Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code, to receive a lump sum payment that is actuarially equivalent to his Normal Retirement Benefit (as defined in the Agreement), with such payment to be made within 60 days after his termination. If the executives employment is terminated before his 65th birthday for reasons other than for cause, death or disability, and not subsequent to a Change in Control, the executive will receive a lesser amount, which varies depending on the date of termination. The executive will forfeit his entitlement to all benefits under the Agreement if his employment with the Bank is terminated for cause as specified in his Agreement.
Employee Severance Compensation Plan. In connection with the Banks conversion and mutual holding company reorganization, Ottawa Savings Bank adopted the Ottawa Savings Bank Employee Severance Compensation Plan to provide severance benefits to eligible employees whose employment terminates in connection with a change in control of Ottawa Savings Bank or Ottawa Savings Bancorp Employees become eligible for severance benefits under the plan if they have a minimum of one year of service with Ottawa Savings Bank. Individuals who enter into employment or change in control agreements with Ottawa Savings Bank or Ottawa Savings Bancorp will not participate in the severance plan. Under the severance plan, if, within 24 months of a change in control, Ottawa Savings Bank or Ottawa Savings Bancorp or their successors terminate an employees employment or if the individual voluntarily terminates employment upon the occurrence of events
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specified in the severance plan, then that individual will receive a severance payment equal to one months compensation for each year of service with Ottawa Savings Bank, up to a maximum payment equal to 24 months of compensation.
Benefit Plans
401(k) Plan. Ottawa Savings Bank maintains the Ottawa Savings Bank Employees Savings and Profit Sharing Plan and Trust (the 401(k) Plan), a tax-qualified defined contribution retirement plan, for employees of Ottawa Savings Bank who are 21 years of age and have completed six months of service. Eligible employees may contribute a portion of their compensation to the 401(k) Plan on a pre-tax basis, subject to certain compensation limitations imposed by the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. Participants are always 100% vested in their salary deferrals. Participants vest in employer matching contributions at the rate of 20% per year following two years of service. In connection with the freeze of the Retirement Plan, as discussed below, Ottawa Savings Bank expects to increase the maximum percentage of salary that employees may defer under the 401(k) Plan and its matching contribution percentage under the 401(k) Plan.
Retirement Plan. Ottawa Savings Bank participates in the Pentegra Retirement Services program (the Retirement Plan), a defined benefit pension plan providing retirement benefits to participating employees. Ottawa Savings Bank previously amended the Retirement Plan to prohibit future participation by new employees of the Bank; on February 23, 2007, the Bank decided to freeze benefits under the Retirement Plan for current participants, effective as of April 1, 2007. As a result, each active participants pension benefit will be determined based on the participants compensation and duration of employment as of March 31, 2007 and compensation and employment after that date will not be taken into account in determining pension benefits under the Retirement Plan. As of December 31, 2007, Gary Ocepek, Jon Kranov and Phil Devermann had 36, 29, and 28 years of credited service, respectively, under the Retirement Plan.
Post-Retirement Health Plan. Ottawa Savings Bank has a contributory post-retirement benefit plan for its officers who were hired prior to January 1, 2002. The accounting for the health care plan follows generally accepted accounting principals and anticipates future cost-sharing changes that are consistent with our expressed intent to increase retiree contributions. The future costs are estimated based on an independent actuarial analysis.
Employee Stock Ownership Plan. In connection with the conversion and mutual holding company reorganization and minority stock offering, the Board of Directors of Ottawa Savings Bank adopted an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) for eligible employees of Ottawa Savings Bank. Eligible employees who are 21 years old and employed by Ottawa Savings Bank as of the closing date of the offering (July 11, 2005) began participating in the plan as of that date. Thereafter, new employees of Ottawa Savings Bank who are 21 years old and have been credited with at least six months of service with Ottawa Savings Bank will be eligible to participate in the ESOP as of the first entry date following their completion of the plans eligibility requirements.
The ESOP trustee purchased 76,314 shares of the Company common stock or 3.43% of the shares issued in the reorganization, including shares issued to Ottawa Savings Bancorp MHC. The ESOP funded its purchase in the offering through a loan from Ottawa Savings Bancorp. The loan to the ESOP will be repaid principally from Ottawa Savings Bank contributions to the ESOP and dividends payable on common stock held by the ESOP over the anticipated 15-year term of the loan. The interest rate for the ESOP loan is the prime rate as published in The Wall Street Journal on the closing date of the offering.
In any plan year, Ottawa Savings Bank may make additional discretionary contributions (beyond those necessary to satisfy the loan obligation) to the ESOP for the benefit of plan participants in either cash or shares of common stock, which may be acquired through the purchase of outstanding shares in the market or from individual stockholders or which constitute authorized but unissued shares or shares held in treasury by Ottawa Savings Bancorp. The timing, amount, and manner of discretionary contributions will be affected by several factors, including applicable regulatory policies, the requirements of applicable laws and regulations, and market conditions. Ottawa Savings Banks contributions to the ESOP are not fixed, so benefits payable under the ESOP cannot be estimated.
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Shares purchased by the ESOP with the proceeds of the ESOP loan will be held in a suspense account and released on a pro rata basis as the loan is repaid. Discretionary contributions to the ESOP and shares released from the suspense account will be allocated among participants on the basis of each participants proportional share of compensation.
After two years of service, participants will vest in the benefits allocated under the ESOP at a rate of 20% per year for each year of continuous service with Ottawa Savings Bank. A participant will become fully vested automatically upon retirement, death or disability, a change in control or termination of the ESOP. Benefits are generally distributable upon a participants separation from service. Any unvested shares that are forfeited upon a participants termination of employment will be reallocated among the remaining plan participants.
Plan participants will be entitled to direct the plan trustee on how to vote common stock credited to their accounts. The trustee will vote all allocated shares held in the ESOP as instructed by the plan participants and unallocated shares and allocated shares for which no instructions are received will be voted in the same ratio on any matter as those shares for which instructions are given, subject to the fiduciary responsibilities of the trustee.
Under applicable accounting requirements, compensation expense for a leveraged ESOP is recorded at the fair market value of the ESOP shares when committed to be released to participants accounts.
Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal Year-End
Option Awards | Stock Awards | |||||||||||||
Name |
Number of Securities Underlying Unexercised Options (#) Exercisable(1) |
Number of Securities Underlying Unexercised Options (#) Unexercisable |
Option Exercise Price ($) |
Option Expiration Date |
Number of Shares or Units of Stock That Have Not Vested(2) |
Market Value of Shares or Units of Stock That Have Not Vested(3) | ||||||||
Gary Ocepek |
5,451 | 21,804 | $ | 12.35 | 11/21/2016 | 8,722 | $ | 98,123 | ||||||
Jon Kranov |
3,706 | 14,827 | $ | 12.35 | 11/21/2016 | 5,931 | $ | 66,724 | ||||||
Philip Devermann |
3,488 | 13,955 | $ | 12.35 | 11/21/2016 | 5,582 | $ | 62,798 |
(1) | Stock options granted pursuant to the Ottawa Savings Bancorp, Inc. 2006 Equity Incentive Plan vest in five approximately equal annual installments commencing on November 21, 2007. |
(2) | Stock awards granted pursuant to the Ottawa Savings Bancorp, Inc. 2006 Equity Incentive Plan vest in five approximately equal installments commencing on November 21, 2007. |
(3) | Market value is calculated on the basis of $11.25 per share, which is the closing sales price for our common stock on December 31, 2007. |
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Directors Compensation
The following table sets forth the compensation received by non-employee directors for their service on our Board of Directors during 2007.
Name |
Fees Earned or Paid in Cash ($) |
Stock Awards ($)(1) |
Option Awards ($)(2) |
All Other Compensation ($) |
Total ($) | |||||
James A. Ferrero |
16,800 | 4,447 | 3,518 | 87 | 24,852 | |||||
Keith F. Johnson |
16,800 | 4,447 | 3,518 | 87 | 24,852 | |||||
Arthur C. Mueller |
16,800 | 4,447 | 3,518 | 87 | 24,852 | |||||
Daniel J. Reynolds |
16,800 | 4,447 | 3,518 | 87 | 24,852 |
(1) | Reflects the dollar value recognized for financial statement reporting purposes computed in accordance with FAS 123(R). For further information on the assumptions used to compute the fair value, see Note 10 to the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements contained in the Companys Annual Report on Form 10-KSB. When shares become vested and are distributed from the trust in which they are held, the recipient will also receive an amount equal to accumulated cash and stock dividends (if any) paid with respect thereto, plus earnings thereon. See Footnote 1 to the director stock ownership table under Stock Ownership for the aggregate number of unvested restricted stock award shares held in trust by each director at fiscal year end. |
(2) | Reflects the dollar value recognized for financial statement reporting purposes computed in accordance with FAS 123(R). For further information on the assumptions used to compute the fair value, see Note 10 to the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements contained in the Companys Annual Report on Form 10-KSB. As of December 31, 2007, Directors Ferrero, Johnson, Mueller and Reynolds each held 5,451 options to purchase shares of common stock. |
The following tables set forth the applicable retainers and fees that are paid to non-employee directors for their service on the boards of directors. Directors do not receive fees for service on Board committees. Directors do not receive any compensation for their service on the board of directors of the MHC.
Board of Directors of Bank: |
|||
Monthly Retainer for all Board Members |
$ | 1,050 | |
Board of Directors of Company: |
|||
Quarterly Retainer for all Board Members |
$ | 1,050 |
Voluntary Deferred Compensation Plan. Ottawa Savings Bank maintains a voluntary deferred compensation plan for its directors. Under the plan, any individual who received compensation in exchange for his or her services as a director may participate. A participant may elect to defer all or part of his or her compensation earned in the calendar year following the participants election. Directors who first become eligible for the plan may elect to defer compensation to be earned after the date of election through the end of the calendar year of the election within 30 days of eligibility. Amounts deferred by a participant are maintained in an account for such participant by Ottawa Savings Bank. The amounts deferred into the accounts maintained for each participant are deemed to be invested in investments or investment funds designated as available from time to time. To the extent alternative deemed investment vehicles are available, participants may direct the investment of all or a portion of the amounts deferred among such investments or investment funds. Such direction may relate solely to amounts already allocated to the participants account or solely to amounts to be deferred in the future, or a combination thereof. Participants are fully vested in all amounts in their accounts at all time.
At the time of the initial deferral election, the participant must designate the time and manner for the payment of the amounts to be allocated to such participants account. Payment to a participant shall commence upon the first to occur of the following: (i) the termination of the participants service as a director; (ii) a change in control of Ottawa Savings Bank; (iii) an unforseeable emergency suffered by the participant; or (iv) the participants death.
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Additionally, participants may elect to further defer a payment or change the form of a payment, so long as certain additional requirements are met.
The form of payment of deferred amounts is designated by the participant at the time of the initial deferral election and may be in the form of: (i) a lump sum; (ii) a number of quarterly or annual installments; (iii) one or more forms of an annuity; or (iv) a designated dollar amount or percentage of the participants account.
Director Emeritus Program. The Bank maintains a director emeritus program for four retired directors. The program will not cover any current or future directors upon retirement. Under the program, a participating director receives monthly payments of $500, totaling $6,000 for the first year following his or her retirement. For the following four years, the annual program payments decrease $1,200 per year.
Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance
Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 requires the Companys executive officers and directors, and persons who own more than 10% of any registered class of the Companys equity securities, to file reports of ownership and changes in ownership with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Executive officers, directors and greater than 10% stockholders are required by regulation to furnish the Company with copies of all Section 16(a) reports they file.
Based solely on its review of the copies of the reports it has received and written representations provided to the Company from the individuals required to file the reports, the Company believes that each of its executive officers and directors has complied with applicable reporting requirements for transactions in Ottawa Savings Bancorp common stock during the year ended December 31, 2007.
Policies and Procedures for Approval of
Related Persons Transactions
We maintain a Policy and Procedures Governing Related Person Transactions, which is a written policy and set of procedures for the review and approval or ratification of transactions involving related persons. Under the policy, related persons consist of directors, director nominees, executive officers, persons or entities known to us to be the beneficial owner of more than five percent of any outstanding class of the voting securities of the Company, or immediate family members or certain affiliated entities of any of the foregoing persons.
Transactions covered by the policy consist of any financial transaction, arrangement or relationship or series of similar transactions, arrangements or relationships, in which:
| the aggregate amount involved will or may be expected to exceed $25,000 in any calendar year; |
| the Company is, will, or may be expected to be a participant; and |
| any related person has or will have a direct or indirect material interest. |
The policy excludes certain transactions, including:
| any compensation paid to an executive officer of the Company if the Compensation Committee of the Board approved (or recommended that the Board approve) such compensation; |
| any compensation paid to a director of the Company if the Board or an authorized committee of the Board approved such compensation; and |
| any transaction with a related person involving consumer and investor financial products and services provided in the ordinary course of the Companys business and on substantially the same terms as those prevailing at the time for comparable services provided to unrelated third parties or to the Companys employees on a broad basis (and, in the case of loans, in compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002). |
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Related person transactions will be approved or ratified by the Audit Committee. In determining whether to approve or ratify a related person transaction, the Audit Committee will consider all relevant factors, including:
| whether the terms of the proposed transaction are at least as favorable to the Company as those that might be achieved with an unaffiliated third party; |
| the size of the transaction and the amount of consideration payable to the related person; |
| the nature of the interest of the related person; |
| whether the transaction may involve a conflict of interest; and |
| whether the transaction involves the provision of goods and services to the Company that are available from unaffiliated third parties. |
A member of the Audit Committee who has an interest in the transaction will abstain from voting on approval of the transaction, but may, if so requested by the chair of the Audit Committee, participate in some or all of the discussion.
Transactions with Related Persons
The Sarbanes-Oxley Act generally prohibits loans by the Bank to its executive officers and directors. However, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act contains a specific exemption from such prohibition for loans by the Bank to its executive officers and directors in compliance with federal banking regulations. Federal regulations require that all loans or extensions of credit to executive officers and directors of insured institutions must be made on substantially the same terms, including interest rates and collateral, as those prevailing at the time for comparable transactions with other persons and must not involve more than the normal risk of repayment or present other unfavorable features. Ottawa Savings Bank is therefore prohibited from making any new loans or extensions of credit to executive officers and directors at different rates or terms than those offered to the general public. Notwithstanding this rule, federal regulations permit the Bank to make loans to executive officers and directors at reduced interest rates if the loan is made under a benefit program generally available to all other employees and does not give preference to any executive officer or director over any other employee.
In accordance with banking regulations, the Board of Directors reviews all loans made to a director or executive officer in an amount that, when aggregated with the amount of all other loans to such person and his or her related interests, exceed the greater of $25,000 or 5% of Ottawa Savings Bancorps capital and surplus (up to a maximum of $500,000) and such loan must be approved in advance by a majority of the disinterested members of the Board of Directors. Additionally, pursuant to the Companys Code of Ethics and Business Conduct, all executive officers and directors of the Company must disclose any existing or emerging conflicts of interest to the President Chief Executive Officer of the Company. Such potential conflicts of interest include, but are not limited to, the following: (i) the Company conducting business with or competing against an organization in which a family member of an executive officer or director has an ownership or employment interest and (ii) the ownership of more than 1% of the outstanding securities (or that represents more than 5% of the total assets of the employee and/or family member) of any business entity that does business with or is in competition with the Company.
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee Procedures
General
It is the policy of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company to consider director candidates recommended by stockholders who appear to be qualified to serve on the Companys Board of Directors. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee may choose not to consider an unsolicited recommendation if no vacancy exists on the Board of Directors and the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee does not perceive a need to increase the size of the Board of Directors. In
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order to avoid the unnecessary use of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committees resources, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee will consider only those director candidates recommended in accordance with the procedures set forth below.
Procedures to be Followed by Stockholders
To submit a recommendation of a director candidate to the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, a stockholder should submit the following information in writing, addressed to the Chairman of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, care of the Corporate Secretary, at the main office of the Company:
1. | The name of the person recommended as a director candidate; |
2. | All information relating to such person that is required to be disclosed in solicitations of proxies for election of directors pursuant to Regulation 14A under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended; |
3. | The written consent of the person being recommended as a director candidate to being named in the proxy statement as a nominee and to serving as a director if elected; |
4. | As to the stockholder making the recommendation, the name and address, as they appear on the Companys books, of such stockholder; provided, however, that if the stockholder is not a registered holder of the Companys common stock, the stockholder should submit his or her name and address along with a current written statement from the record holder of the shares that reflects ownership of the Companys common stock; and |
5. | A statement disclosing whether such stockholder is acting with or on behalf of any other person and, if applicable, the identity of such person. |
In order for a director candidate to be considered for nomination at the Companys annual meeting of stockholders, the recommendation must be received by the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee at least 120 calendar days prior to the date the Companys proxy statement was released to stockholders in connection with the previous years annual meeting, advanced by one year.
Minimum Qualifications
The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee has adopted a set of criteria that it considers when it selects individuals to be nominated for election to the Board of Directors. First, a candidate must meet the eligibility requirements set forth in the Companys Bylaws, which include an age limitation, a stock ownership requirement and a requirement that the candidate not have been subject to certain criminal or regulatory actions. A candidate also must meet any qualification requirements set forth in any Board or committee governing documents.
The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee will consider the following criteria in selecting nominees: contributions to the range of talent, skill and expertise appropriate for the Board; financial, regulatory and business experience; knowledge of the banking and financial services industries; familiarity with the operations of public companies and ability to read and understand financial statements; familiarity with the Companys market area and participation in and ties to local businesses and local civic, charitable and religious organizations; personal and professional integrity, honesty and reputation; ability to represent the best interests of the stockholders of the Company and the best interests of the institution; ability to devote sufficient time and energy to the performance of his or her duties; independence; current equity holdings in the Company; and any other factors the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee deems relevant, including age, diversity, size of the Board of Directors and regulatory disclosure obligations.
In addition, prior to nominating an existing director for re-election to the Board of Directors, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee will consider and review an existing directors Board and Committee attendance and performance; length of Board service; experience, skills and contributions that the existing director brings to the Board; and independence.
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Process for Identifying and Evaluating Nominees
The process that the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee follows when it identifies and evaluates individuals to be nominated for election to the Board of Directors is as follows:
Identification. For purposes of identifying nominees for the Board of Directors, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee relies on personal contacts of the committee members and other members of the Board of Directors, as well as their knowledge of members of the communities served by the Bank. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee also will consider director candidates recommended by stockholders in accordance with the policy and procedures set forth above. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee has not previously used an independent search firm to identify nominees.
Evaluation. In evaluating potential nominees, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee determines whether the candidate is eligible and qualified for service on the Board of Directors by evaluating the candidate under the selection criteria set forth above. In addition, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee will conduct a check of the individuals background and interview the candidate to further assess the qualities of the prospective nominee and the contributions he or she would make to the Board.
Stockholder Proposals and Nominations
The Company must receive proposals that stockholders seek to have included in the proxy statement for the Companys next annual meeting no later than December 5, 2008. If next years annual meeting is held on a date more than 30 calendar days from May 8, 2009, a stockholder proposal must be received by a reasonable time before the Company begins to print and mail its proxy solicitation materials. Any stockholder proposals will be subject to the requirements of the proxy rules adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission.
The Companys Bylaws provide that in order for a stockholder to make nominations for the election of directors or proposals for business to be brought before a meeting of stockholders, a stockholder must deliver written notice of such nominations and/or proposals to the Corporate Secretary not less than 30 days before the date of the meeting; provided that if less than 40 days notice or prior public disclosure of the meeting is given or made to stockholders, such notice must be delivered not later than the close of the tenth day following the day on which notice of the meeting was mailed to stockholders or such public disclosure was made.
Stockholder Communications
The Company encourages stockholder communications to the Board of Directors and/or individual directors. Stockholders who wish to communicate with the Board of Directors or an individual director should send their communications to the care of JuleAnn Leamy, Corporate Secretary, Ottawa Savings Bancorp, Inc., 925 LaSalle Street, Ottawa, Illinois 61350. Communications regarding financial or accounting policies should be sent to the attention of the Chairperson of the Audit Committee. All other communications should be sent to the attention of the Chairperson of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee.
Miscellaneous
The Company will pay the cost of this proxy solicitation. The Company will reimburse brokerage firms and other custodians, nominees and fiduciaries for reasonable expenses incurred by them in sending proxy materials to the beneficial owners of the Company. In addition to soliciting proxies by mail, directors, officers and regular employees of the Company may solicit proxies personally or by telephone. None of these persons will receive additional compensation for these activities.
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If you and others who share your address own your shares in street name, your broker or other holder of record may be sending only one annual report and proxy statement to your address. This practice, known as householding, is designed to reduce our printing and postage costs. However, if a shareholder residing at such an address wishes to receive a separate annual report or proxy statement in the future, he or she should contact the broker or other holder of record. If you own your shares in street name and are receiving multiple copies of our annual report and proxy statement, you can request householding by contacting your broker or other holder of record.
BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS |
/s/ JuleAnn Leamy |
JuleAnn Leamy |
Corporate Secretary |
Ottawa, Illinois
April 4, 2008
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REVOCABLE PROXY OTTAWA SAVINGS BANCORP. INC.
PLEASE MARK VOTES AS IN THIS EXAMPLE
ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS May 8, 2008, 2:00 p.m., Local Time
THIS PROXY IS SOLICITED ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The undersigned hereby appoints the official proxy committee of Ottawa Savings Bancorp, Inc. (the Company), consisting of the Companys Board of Directors, or each of them, with full power of substitution, to act as proxy for the undersigned, and to vote all shares of common stock of the Company which the undersigned is entitled to vote only at the annual meeting of stockholders, to be held on May 8, 2008 at 2:00 p.m., local time at the offices of the Company, 925 LaSalle Street, Ottawa, Illinois and at any and all adjournments or postponements, with all of the powers the undersigned would possess if personally present at such meeting as follows:
1. The election as director of the nominee listed (except as marked to the contrary below).
Gary Ocepek
2. The ratification of the appointment of McGladrey & Pullen, LLP as independent registered public accountants of Ottawa Savings Bancorp, Inc. for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2008.
For
For
Withhold
Against
Abstain
Please be sure to sign and date this Proxy in the box below.
Date
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE FOR EACH OF THE LISTED PROPOSALS.
This proxy is revocable and, if properly signed and dated, will be voted as directed, but if no instructions are specified, this proxy will be voted FOR each of the proposals listed. If any other business is presented at the annual meeting, including whether or not to adjourn the meeting, this proxy will be voted by the proxies in their best judgment. At the present time, the Board of Directors knows of no other business to be presented at the annual meeting. This proxy also confers discretionary authority on the Board of Directors to vote with respect to the election of any person as director where the nominees are unable to serve or for good cause will not serve and matters incident to the conduct of the meeting.
Stockholder sign above Co-holder (if any) sign above
Detach above card, sign, date and mail in postage paid envelope provided. OTTAWA SAVINGS BANCORP, INC.
The above signed acknowledges receipt from the Company, prior to the execution of this proxy, of a Notice of Annual Meeting of Stockholders, a Proxy Statement for the Annual Meeting and the Annual Report to Stockholders.
Please sign exactly as your name appears on this card. When signing as attorney, executor, administrator, trustee or guardian, please give your full title. If shares are held jointly, each holder may sign but only one signature is required.
PLEASE COMPLETE, DATE, SIGN AND PROMPTLY MAIL THIS PROXY IN THE ENCLOSED POSTAGE-PAID ENVELOPE.
IF YOUR ADDRESS HAS CHANGED, PLEASE CORRECT THE ADDRESS IN THE SPACE PROVIDED BELOW AND RETURN THIS PORTION WITH THE PROXY IN THE ENVELOPE PROVIDED.
Dear ESOP Participant:
On behalf of the Board of Directors of Ottawa Savings Bancorp, Inc. (the Company), I am forwarding you the attached blue voting instruction card for the purpose of conveying your voting instructions to First Bankers Trust Services, Inc. (the ESOP Trustee) on the proposals to be presented at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders of Ottawa Savings Bancorp, Inc. to be held on May 8, 2008.
Also enclosed is a Notice and Proxy Statement for the Annual Meeting of Stockholders of Ottawa Savings Bancorp, Inc. and a copy of the Companys Annual Report to Stockholders.
As a participant in the Ottawa Savings Bank Employee Stock Ownership Plan (the ESOP), you are entitled to vote all shares of Company common stock allocated to your account as of March 14, 2008, the record date for the Annual Meeting. All allocated shares of Company common stock will be voted as directed by participants, so long as participant instructions are received by the ESOP Trustee on or before May 1, 2008. If you do not direct the ESOP Trustee how to vote the shares of Company common stock allocated to your ESOP account, the ESOP Trustee will vote your shares in a manner calculated to most accurately reflect the instructions it receives from other participants, subject to its fiduciary duties.
Please complete, sign and return the blue voting instruction card in the enclosed, postage-paid envelope. Your vote will not be revealed, directly or indirectly, to any employee or director of the Ottawa Savings Bank or Ottawa Savings Bancorp, Inc.
If you participate in several stock-based benefit plans you will receive multiple voting instruction cards. Please submit all the voting instruction cards you receive.
Sincerely,
Gary Ocepek
President and Chief Executive Officer
VOTING INSTRUCTION CARD OTTAWA SAVINGS BANCORP, INC.
PLEASE MARK VOTES AS IN THIS EXAMPLE
I understand that First Bankers Trust Services, Inc. (the ESOP Trustee), is the holder of record and custodian of all shares of Ottawa Savings Bancorp, Inc. (the Company) common stock under the Ottawa Savings Bank Employee Stock Ownership Plan. I understand that my voting instructions are solicited on behalf of the Companys Board of Directors for the Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held on May 8, 2008.
You are to vote my shares as follows:
Please be sure to sign and date this Voting Instruction Card in the box below.
Participant sign above
Date
E S O P
1. The election as director of the nominee listed (except as marked to the contrary below).
For
Withhold
Gary Ocepek
2. The ratification of the appointment of McGladrey & Pullen, LLP as independent registered public accountants of Ottawa Savings Bancorp, Inc. for the year ending December 31, 2008.
For
Against
Abstain
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE FOR EACH OF THE LISTED PROPOSALS.
The ESOP Trustee is hereby authorized to vote all shares of Company common stock allocated to me in its trust capacity as indicated above.
Detach above card, sign, date and mail in postage paid envelope provided.
OTTAWA SAVINGS BANCORP, INC.
Please date, sign and return this voting instruction card in the enclosed postage-paid envelope no later than May 1, 2008.
PLEASE COMPLETE, DATE, SIGN AND PROMPTLY MAIL THIS VOTING INSTRUCTION CARD IN THE ENCLOSED POSTAGE-PAID ENVELOPE.
Dear 401(k) Plan Participant:
On behalf of the Board of Directors of Ottawa Savings Bancorp, Inc. (the Company), I am forwarding you the attached green voting instruction card for the purpose of conveying your voting instructions to HomeFederal Bank (the Employer Stock Fund Trustee) on the proposals to be presented at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders of Ottawa Savings Bancorp, Inc. to be held on May 8, 2008.
Also enclosed is a Notice and Proxy Statement for the Annual Meeting of Stockholders of Ottawa Savings Bancorp, Inc. and a copy of the Companys Annual Report to Stockholders.
As a holder of Ottawa Savings Bancorp, Inc. common stock under the Ottawa Savings Bank Employees Savings & Profit Sharing Plan and Trust (401 (k) Plan), you are entitled to direct the Employer Stock Fund Trustee how to vote the shares of Company common stock credited to your account as of March 14, 2008, the record date for the Annual Meeting. If the Employer Stock Fund Trustee does not receive your instructions by May 1, 2008, the Employer Stock Fund Trustee will vote your shares in a manner calculated to most accurately reflect the instructions received from other 401(k) Plan participants.
Please complete, sign and return the green voting instruction card in the enclosed, postage-paid envelope. Your vote will not be revealed, directly or indirectly, to any employee or director of the Ottawa Savings Bank or Ottawa Savings Bancorp, Inc.
If you participate in several stock-based benefit plans you will receive multiple voting instruction cards. Please submit all the voting instruction cards you receive.
Sincerely,
Gary Ocepek
President and Chief Executive Officer
VOTING INSTRUCTION CARD OTTAWA SAVINGS BANCORP, INC.
PLEASE MARK VOTES AS IN THIS EXAMPLE
I understand that HomeFederal Bank (the Employer Stock Fund Trustee) is the holder of record and custodian of all shares of Ottawa Savings Bancorp, Inc. (the Company) common stock credited to me under the Ottawa Savings Bank Employees Savings & Profit Sharing Plan and Trust (401(k) Plan). I understand that my voting instructions are solicited on behalf of the Companys Board of Directors for the Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held on May 8, 2008.
You are to vote my shares as follows:
Please be sure to sign and date this Voting Instruction Card in the box below.
Participant sign above
Date
4 0 1 K
1. The election as director of the nominee listed (except as marked to the contrary below).
For
Withhold
For
Against
Abstain
Gary Ocepek
2. The ratification of the appointment of McGladrey & Pullen, LLP as independent registered public accountants of Ottawa Savings Bancorp, Inc. for the year ending December 31, 2008.
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE FOR EACH OF THE LISTED PROPOSALS.
The Trustee is hereby authorized to vote all shares of Company common stock credited to me in its trust capacity as indicated above.
Detach above card, sign, date and mail in postage paid envelope provided.
OTTAWA SAVINGS BANCORP, INC.
Please date, sign and return this voting instruction card in the enclosed postage-paid envelope no later than May 1, 2008.
PLEASE COMPLETE, DATE, SIGN AND PROMPTLY MAIL THIS VOTING INSTRUCTION CARD IN THE ENCLOSED POSTAGE-PAID ENVELOPE.