(Name of
Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)
Payment
of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):
|
|
T
|
No
fee required.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
£
|
Fee
computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(4) and
0-11.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1)
Title of each class of securities to which transaction
applies: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2)
Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3)
Per unit price or other underlying value of transaction computed pursuant
to Exchange Act Rule 0-11 (Set forth the amount on which the filing fee is
calculated and state how it was determined): |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
4)
Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
5)
Total fee paid: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
£
|
|
Fee
paid previously with preliminary materials. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
£
|
|
Check
box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act Rule
0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing fee for which the offsetting fee was
paid previously. Identify the previous filing by registration statement
number, or the Form or Schedule and the date of its filing. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1)
Amount Previously Paid: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2)
Form, Schedule, or Registration Statement No.: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3)
Filing Party: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
4)
Date Filed: |
|
|
BOOTS
& COOTS INTERNATIONAL WELL CONTROL, INC.
7908
N. SAM HOUSTON PARKWAY WEST, FIFTH FLOOR
HOUSTON,
TEXAS 77064
April
11, 2008
Dear
Stockholder:
You are
cordially invited to attend our annual meeting of stockholders to be held at
10:00 a.m., on May 21, 2008, at the Sheraton Houston Brookhollow Hotel located
at 3000 North Loop West, Houston, Texas 77092.
At the
annual meeting, you will be asked to consider and vote upon the re-election of
Jerry Winchester and E.J. DiPaolo as Class II directors. Our board of directors
has determined that the election of these directors is in the best interests of
our stockholders, and our board of directors recommends that you vote FOR
election of both of these directors.
Details
regarding the matters to be acted upon at the annual meeting appear in the
accompanying proxy statement. Please give this material your careful
attention.
Whether
or not you are able to attend the annual meeting, it is important that your
shares be represented and voted. Accordingly, be sure to complete, sign and date
the enclosed proxy card and mail it in the envelope provided as soon as possible
so that your shares may be represented at the meeting and voted in accordance
with your wishes. If you do attend the annual meeting, you may vote in person
even if you have previously returned your proxy card.
On behalf
of our board of directors and management, thank you for your continued support
of Boots & Coots.
Very
truly yours,
|
|
|
|
|
Douglas
Swanson
|
|
Jerry
Winchester
|
|
Chairman
|
|
Chief
Executive Officer
|
|
|
iii
|
|
|
1
|
|
|
1
|
|
|
1
|
|
|
2
|
|
|
3
|
|
|
3
|
|
|
4
|
|
|
4
|
|
|
7
|
|
|
9
|
|
|
10
|
|
|
11
|
|
|
11
|
|
|
11
|
|
|
11
|
|
|
11
|
|
|
12
|
|
|
12
|
|
|
22
|
|
|
27
|
|
|
27
|
|
|
28
|
|
|
30
|
|
|
31
|
|
|
31
|
|
|
31
|
BOOTS & COOTS INTERNATIONAL WELL CONTROL, INC.
7908
N. SAM HOUSTON PARKWAY WEST, FIFTH FLOOR
HOUSTON,
TEXAS 77064
NOTICE
OF ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
To
Be Held May 21, 2008
To the
Stockholders of Boots & Coots International Well Control, Inc.:
Our 2008
Annual Meeting of Stockholders will be held on May 21, 2008, at 10:00 a.m.,
local time, at the Sheraton Houston Brookhollow Hotel located at 3000 North Loop
West, Houston, Texas 77092, for the following purposes:
|
(1)
|
to
elect two nominees to our board of directors to serve as Class II
directors until their successors are duly elected or until their earlier
death, resignation, or removal;
|
|
(2)
|
to
transact such other business as may properly come before the annual
meeting or any adjournment or postponement
thereof.
|
The close
of business on April 4, 2008 was fixed as the record date for the determination
of stockholders entitled to receive notice of and to vote at the annual meeting
or any adjournment(s) or postponement(s) thereof. Only stockholders of record at
the close of business on the record date are entitled to notice of, and to vote
at, the meeting. A complete list of the stockholders will be available for
examination at our corporate offices in Houston, Texas during ordinary business
hours for a period of 10 days prior to the meeting.
A record
of our activities during 2007 and our financial statements for the fiscal year
ended December 31, 2007 are contained in the 2007 Annual Report on Form 10-K
accompanying the enclosed proxy statement. The Annual Report does not form any
part of the material for solicitation of proxies.
You are
cordially invited to attend the annual meeting. Whether or not you plan to
attend the annual meeting, we ask that you vote as soon as possible. You may
vote by completing, signing, dating and returning your proxy card in the
enclosed envelope. You may revoke your proxy at any time prior to the annual
meeting. 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.
|
By
Order of the Board of Directors,
|
|
|
|
Brian
Keith
|
|
Corporate
Secretary
|
Dated:
April 11, 2007
WHETHER OR NOT YOU EXPECT TO ATTEND THE ANNUAL
MEETING, PLEASE COMPLETE, DATE AND SIGN THE ENCLOSED PROXY CARD AND RETURN
IT PROMPTLY IN THE ENCLOSED ENVELOPE AT YOUR EARLIEST CONVENIENCE. IF YOU
DO ATTEND THE MEETING IN PERSON, YOU MAY WITHDRAW YOUR PROXY AND VOTE IN
PERSON. THE PROMPT RETURN OF PROXIES WILL ENSURE A QUORUM AND SAVE THE
COMPANY THE EXPENSE OF FURTHER
SOLICITATION.
|
BOOTS & COOTS INTERNATIONAL WELL CONTROL,
INC.
7908
N. Sam Houston Parkway West, Fifth Floor
Houston,
Texas 77064
PROXY
STATEMENT
For
the Annual Meeting of Stockholders
To
Be Held May 21, 2008, 10:00 A.M. Local Time
The
enclosed proxy is solicited by our board of directors for use at the annual
meeting of stockholders to be held on May 21, 2008. Shares of our common stock,
par value $0.00001 per share, represented in person or by a properly executed
proxy will be voted at the meeting. The approximate date on which this proxy
statement and the enclosed proxy will first be mailed to our stockholders is
April 11, 2008.
We will
bear the cost of soliciting proxies. In addition to solicitation by mail,
solicitation of proxies may be made by personal solicitation, letter, telephone,
telecopy or other form of wire or electronic communication by any of our
officers, directors and employees who will receive no additional compensation
for these activities. Brokerage firms will be requested to forward proxy
materials to beneficial owners of shares registered in their names and will be
reimbursed for their expenses.
If you
are not able to attend the annual meeting in person, you may vote by completing
the enclosed proxy card and returning it to us. Instructions for voting by mail
are included on your proxy card. You are urged to sign and return your proxy
card promptly to make certain your shares will be voted at the meeting. Your
shares will be voted according to your instructions. If you sign and return your
proxy card but do not provide instruction as to how you wish to vote, your
shares will be voted FOR the election of the two Class II director nominees
named in the accompanying form of proxy. Although we are not aware of any other
proposals to be presented at the meeting, your proxy authorizes the persons
named in the proxy card to vote on your behalf with respect to any other matters
brought before the stockholders. In the event any other proposals are presented
at the meeting, the persons named in the proxy card will vote your shares in
accordance with their best judgment. The proxy may be revoked at any time before
its exercise by sending written notice of revocation to Brian Keith, Corporate
Secretary, Boots & Coots International Well Control, Inc., 7908 N. Sam
Houston Parkway West, Fifth Floor, Houston, Texas 77064, or by signing and
delivering a proxy that is dated and received later by mail, or, if you attend
the meeting in person, by giving notice of revocation to the inspector of
election at the meeting.
Voting Procedures and Tabulation
We will
appoint one or more inspectors of election to serve at the annual meeting. The
inspector(s) will ascertain the number of shares outstanding and the voting
power of each of the shares, determine the shares represented at the meeting and
the validity of proxies and ballots, tabulate all votes and ballots, make a
written report of the meeting and perform certain other duties as required by
law. Each inspector will sign an oath to perform his or her duties in an
impartial manner and to the best of his or her abilities.
Under
Delaware law, our certificate of incorporation, and our bylaws, abstentions,
broker non-votes or other limited proxy as to a proposal voted on at the meeting
will be counted towards a meeting quorum, but cannot be voted on the proposal
and therefore will not be considered a part of the voting power with respect to
the proposal. Accordingly, an abstention or broker non-vote will have no effect
on the voting on the election of directors, provided a quorum is present,
because directors are elected by a plurality of the shares of stock present in
person or by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote.
Only the
holders of record of our common stock at the close of business on April 4, 2008,
the record date for the meeting, are entitled to vote on the election of
directors at the meeting. On the record date, there were 75,782,831 shares of
common stock outstanding and entitled to be voted at the meeting. A majority of
the shares of common stock, present in person or by proxy, is necessary to
constitute a quorum. Each share of common stock is entitled to one
vote.
ELECTION
OF CLASS II DIRECTORS
Our
business and affairs are managed by our board of directors, which exercises all
of our corporate powers and establishes broad corporate policies. Our
certificate of incorporation requires that our board of directors consist of at
least three and no more than nine individuals, with the exact number to be
determined by the board. Currently, the size of our board of directors is fixed
at seven members, thereby requiring us to have a minimum of four (4) independent
directors under the rules of the American Stock Exchange. We currently have five
independent directors: Douglas E. Swanson, W. Richard Anderson, Robert S.
Herlin, Robert G. Croyle and E. J. “Jed” DiPaolo.
Our
certificate of incorporation requires that our board of directors be divided
into three classes, with each class having a staggered three-year term.
Directors are elected to serve until the annual meeting of stockholders for the
year in which their term expires and until their successors have been elected
and qualified, subject, however, to their prior death, resignation, retirement,
disqualification or removal from office. Assuming a quorum is present at the
annual meeting, two Class II directors will be elected by a plurality of the
votes of the holders of common stock present in person or represented by proxy
at the meeting, meaning that the director nominee with the most affirmative
votes for a particular slot is elected for that slot. Abstentions, broker
non-votes and proxies where the stockholder has withheld authority to vote have
no effect on the vote. All duly submitted and unrevoked proxies will be voted
for Jerry Winchester and E. J. DiPaolo, the Class II nominees, except where
authorization so to vote is withheld. If any nominee should become unavailable
for election for any unforeseen reason, the persons designated as proxies will
have full discretion to vote for another person nominated by the board of
directors.
Messrs.
DiPaolo and Winchester have consented to serve as Class II directors if elected.
Messrs. DiPaolo and Winchester are presently directors and have served
continuously in that capacity since 2003 and 1998, respectively. Mr. DiPaolo had
also previously served as a director of the Company from 1999 to
2002.
THE BOARD
OF DIRECTORS UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDS THAT YOU VOTE "FOR" THE ELECTION OF EACH OF
THE FOLLOWING DIRECTOR NOMINEES:
Name
of Nominee
|
|
Age
|
|
Year
First Elected Director
|
|
Position
|
|
Class
|
|
Expiration
of Term
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
E.J.
“Jed” DiPaolo
|
|
55
|
|
1999
|
|
Director
|
|
II
|
|
2011
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jerry
Winchester
|
|
49
|
|
1998
|
|
Director
|
|
II
|
|
2011
|
DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS, PROMOTERS AND CONTROL
PERSONS
The
following table lists the name, age, and office of each of our directors and
executive officers. There are no family relationships between any director and
any other director or executive officer.
Name
|
|
Age
|
|
Position
|
|
|
|
|
|
Douglas
E. Swanson
|
|
69
|
|
Chairman
of the Board
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jerry
L. Winchester
|
|
49
|
|
President,
Chief Executive Officer and Director
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gabriel
Aldape
|
|
48
|
|
Chief
Financial Officer
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dewitt
H. Edwards
|
|
49
|
|
Executive
Vice President
|
|
|
|
|
|
W.
Richard Anderson (1)
|
|
54
|
|
Director
|
|
|
|
|
|
E.
J. DiPaolo (1)(2)
|
|
55
|
|
Director
|
|
|
|
|
|
Robert
S. Herlin (1)
|
|
52
|
|
Director
|
|
|
|
|
|
K.
Kirk Krist (2)
|
|
49
|
|
Director
|
|
|
|
|
|
Robert
G. Croyle (2)
|
|
65
|
|
Director
|
(1)
Member of the Audit and Compensation Committees.
(2)
Member of the Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee.
Douglas E. Swanson has served
as a Class III director since March 2006. Mr. Swanson serves as a Class III
director for a term that will expire on the date of our annual meeting of
stockholders in 2009. Mr. Swanson was elected Chairman of the board by our board
of directors on November 6, 2006. Mr. Swanson was appointed as president and
chief executive officer of Oil States International, Inc. in January 2000. He
resigned his position as president of Oil States in May 2006, and he resigned
his position as chief executive officer of Oil States in April 2007. Oil States
International, Inc., a diversified oilfield services company, that is a leading
manufacturer of products for deepwater production facilities and subsea
pipelines, and is a leading supplier of a broad range of services to the oil and
gas industry, including production-related rental tools, work force
accommodations and logistics, oil country tubular goods distribution and land
drilling services. Oil States is a publicly traded company on the New York Stock
Exchange under the symbol “OIS”. Mr. Swanson remains a director of Oil States.
Prior to joining Oil States, Mr. Swanson served as president and chief executive
officer of Cliffs Drilling Company, a contract drilling company, from January
1992 to August 1999. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Cornell College and is a
Certified Public Accountant. Mr. Swanson is a director for Flint Energy
Services, LTD (Toronto: FES.TO) a Canadian integrated midstream oil and gas
production services provider.
Jerry Winchester has served
as our President, Class II Director and Chief Operating Officer since 1998. In
July 2002 he assumed the position of Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Winchester
serves as a Class II Director for a term that will expire on the date of our
annual meeting of stockholders scheduled in 2008. Prior to joining us in 1998,
Mr. Winchester was employed by Halliburton Energy Services since 1981 in
positions of increasing responsibility, most recently as Global Manager – Well
Control, Coil Tubing and Special Services. He received his B.S. in Engineering
Technology from Oklahoma State University in 1982 and is an active member of the
Society of Petroleum Engineers and the International Association of Drilling
Contractors.
Gabriel Aldape was appointed our
Chief Financial Officer on March 3, 2006. From July 1998 to March 2, 2006, Mr.
Aldape served as Vice President–Finance of Hydraulic Well Control, LLC and in
such capacity was responsible for directing investment analysis, cost analysis,
general accounting, and finance management, including cash management and
business planning, for Oil States land drilling operation, and for Capstar
Drilling. Mr. Aldape also managed the Sarbanes-Oxley compliance effort for
Hydraulic Well Control, LLC and Capstar Drilling. While at Hydraulic Well
Control, LLC, Mr. Aldape directed the financial start up efforts in Dubai, the
Republic of the Congo, Algeria and Egypt. Prior to that, his international
experience includes five years as finance manager and controller of Hydraulic
Well Control, LLC in Mexico and Venezuela. Mr. Aldape has spent 23 years in
accounting and management in the oil field service industry.
Dewitt H. Edwards has served
as Executive Vice President since June 30, 2006. From April 2005 to June 2006,
Mr. Edwards served as Senior Vice President—Finance and Principal Financial
Officer. His primary responsibilities include the delivery of our services and
the business development and geographic management of our domestic businesses.
Prior to his employment, Mr. Edwards served as a consultant to the Company from
May 2002 to April 2005. In that capacity, he had been engaged to work on
initiatives to refinance our debt and improve our overall capital structure and
liquidity. Prior to that time, Mr. Edwards had been employed by us as Executive
Vice President since September 1998. Before joining us, Mr. Edwards had been
employed by Halliburton Energy Services for 19 years where he served in
positions of increasing authority, including Mid-Continent area manager and
North America resource manager.
W. Richard Anderson has
served as a Class I director since August 1999. Mr. Anderson also serves as
chairman of the Audit Committee and is a member of the Compensation Committee.
Mr. Anderson serves as a Class I Director for a term that will expire on the
date of the annual meeting of stockholders scheduled for calendar year 2010.
Prior to May 2007, Mr. Anderson was the President, Chief Executive Officer and a
director of Prime Natural Resources, a closely-held exploration and production
company. Prior to his employment at Prime in January 1999, he was employed by
Hein & Associates LLP, a certified public accounting firm, where he served
as a partner from 1989 to January 1995 and as a managing partner from January
1995 until October 1998. Mr. Anderson also serves on the boards of directors of
Transocean Inc. and Vanguard Natural Resources, LLC.
E. J. DiPaolo served as a
director from May 1999 to December 4, 2002 then was reappointed on September 30,
2003. Mr. DiPaolo serves as a Class II Director for a term that will expire on
the date of our annual meeting of stockholders in 2008. Mr. DiPaolo also serves
on the Audit, Compensation, and Nominating & Corporate Governance
Committees. Since August of 2003, Mr. DiPaolo has provided consulting services
to Growth Capital Partners, L.P., a company engaged in investments and merchant
banking. Mr. DiPaolo was the Senior Vice President, Global Business Development
of Halliburton Energy Services, having had responsibility for all worldwide
business development activities until his retirement in 2002. Mr. DiPaolo was
employed at Halliburton Energy Services from 1976 until his retirement in
progressive positions of responsibility. Mr. DiPaolo also serves on the boards
of directors of Superior Well Services, Inc, Evolution Petroleum Corporation,
and Innicor Subsurface Technologies, Inc.
Robert S. Herlin was appointed a
Class I director on September 30, 2003. Mr. Herlin serves on the Audit Committee
and chairs the Compensation Committee. Mr. Herlin serves as a Class I Director
for a term that will expire on the date of the annual meeting of stockholders
scheduled for calendar year 2010. Since 2003, Mr. Herlin has served as the
President, CEO and a Director of Evolution Petroleum Corporation, a public
company involved in the acquisition and redevelopment of oil and gas properties.
Since 2003, Mr. Herlin has served as a partner with Tatum Partners, a service
company that provides principal executive and accounting officers to clients on
a contract basis. Prior to his employment at Evolution Petroleum Corporation,
Mr. Herlin was CFO of Intercontinental Tower Corporation, a wireless telecom
infrastructure operation in South America from 2000 to 2003. Mr. Herlin earned
his MBA from Harvard and engineering degrees from Rice University.
K. Kirk Krist has served as a
Class III director since our acquisition of IWC Services on July 29, 1997. Mr.
Krist serves on the Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee. Mr. Krist’s
term as a class III director will expire on the date of our annual meeting of
stockholders in 2009. Mr. Krist served as Chairman of the Board from December
2002 to December 2006. Mr. Krist is a graduate of the University of Texas with a
B.B.A. in Business. He has been a self-employed oil and natural gas investor and
venture capitalist since 1982.
Robert G. Croyle became a
Class I director on January 1, 2007. He chairs the Nominating & Corporate
Governance Committee. Mr. Croyle’s a term as a Class I director will expire on
the date of the annual meeting of stockholders scheduled for calendar year 2010.
From 2002 until December 31, 2006, when he retired, Mr. Croyle served as Vice
Chairman and Chief Administrative Officer of Rowan Companies, Inc., a major
international offshore and land drilling contractor traded on the New York Stock
Exchange. Mr. Croyle held various positions with Rowan Companies, Inc. beginning
in 1973, and was elected as a director of Rowan in 1998. From 1993 to 2002, he
served as Executive Vice President with management responsibility for Rowan’s
aviation and manufacturing divisions. Mr. Croyle is a director of Rowan
Companies, Inc. and Magellan Midstream Holdings, GP, LLC.
As
permitted by our bylaws, our board of directors has designated from its members
a Compensation Committee, an Audit Committee and a Nominating & Corporate
Governance Committee. During 2007, the board of directors held four regular
meetings and six special meetings. All directors attended 100% of the regular
meetings, and all directors, with the exception of Mr. DiPaolo and Mr. Croyle,
who each missed one special meeting, attended 100% of the special meetings held
during 2007. We also encourage our board members to attend the annual meeting of
stockholders. Seven members of our board of directors attended last year’s
annual meeting of stockholders.
Consideration of
Director Nominees. In June
2007, we established a Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee comprised
entirely of independent directors, as defined under the rules of the American
Stock Exchange, to, among other things, identify and select qualified candidates
for election to our board. A copy of the charter adopted for the Nominating
& Corporate Governance Committee is available under the ‘Investor Relations’
link of our website www.boots-coots.com.
The
Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee is comprised of three (3) or
more directors appointed from time to time by, and serving at the discretion of,
the board of directors. Messrs. DiPaolo, Krist and Croyle are the members of the
Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee and Mr. Croyle is the chairman
of the committee. The Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee identifies
nominees to the board according to the criteria outlined below, and the board
ultimately selects nominees based upon the same criteria.
The
Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee considers the following criteria
in recommending the nomination of individuals for re-election to our
board:
|
•
|
Record
of past attendance at board of directors and committee
meetings.
|
|
•
|
Ability
to contribute to a positive, focused atmosphere in the board
room.
|
|
•
|
Absence
of any cause for removal from the board of
directors.
|
|
•
|
Past
contributions in service on the board of
directors.
|
In
addition, all nominees for re-election must evidence a desire and willingness to
attend future board of directors and committee meetings. The decisions regarding
whether to recommend the nomination of a director for re-election is within the
discretion of the Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee.
The
Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee considers the following criteria
in recommending new nominees to the board of directors and its committees from
time to time:
|
•
|
Expertise
and perspective needed to govern the business and strengthen and support
executive management – for example: strong financial expertise, knowledge
of international operations, or knowledge of the oil field services and
petroleum industries.
|
|
•
|
Sound
business judgment and a sufficiently broad perspective to make meaningful
contributions to the board.
|
|
•
|
Interest
and enthusiasm in us and a commitment to become involved in our
future.
|
|
•
|
The
time and energy to meet board
commitments.
|
|
•
|
Constructive
participation in discussions, with the capacity to quickly understand and
evaluate complex and diverse
issues.
|
|
•
|
Dedication
to the highest ethical standards.
|
|
•
|
Supportive
of management, but independent, objective, and willing to question and
challenge both openly and in private
exchanges.
|
|
•
|
Willingness
to anticipate and explore
opportunities.
|
All
decisions regarding whether to recommend the nomination of a new individual for
election to the board of directors is within the sole discretion of the
Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee.
All new
nominees and directors considered for re-election are evaluated without regard
to race, sex, age, religion, or physical disability.
The
Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee will also consider director
nominees of stockholders, provided that such recommendations are made in writing
to the attention of our Corporate Secretary and received not less than 120 days
in advance of our annual stockholder meeting. A stockholder must include the
following information with each recommendation for a director
nominee:
|
·
|
the
name and address of the stockholder and evidence of the person’s ownership
of our stock, including the number of shares owned and the length of time
of ownership;
|
|
·
|
whether
the stockholder intends to appear in person or by proxy at our annual
stockholders’ meeting to make the
nomination;
|
|
·
|
a
description of all arrangements or understandings between the stockholder
and the nominee and any other person or persons (naming such person or
persons) pursuant to which the nomination is made;
and
|
|
·
|
the
name of the candidate, the candidate’s résumé or a listing of his or her
qualifications to be a member of our board and the person’s consent to be
named as a director if selected and nominated by our
board.
|
The
Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee met one time in
2007.
Compensation
Committee. Our
Compensation Committee is comprised of two or more directors appointed from time
to time by, and serving at the discretion of, the board of directors. Our board
of directors appointed Messrs. DiPaolo and Herlin to join Mr. Anderson on the
Compensation Committee effective November 12, 2003. Mr. Herlin is the chairman
of the committee. The Compensation Committee administers our equity compensation
plans, and in this capacity makes all option grants or other awards to
employees, including executive officers, under the plans, and makes
recommendations to the board of directors for equity awards to the Company’s
directors. In addition, the Compensation Committee is responsible for making
recommendations to the board of directors with respect to the compensation of
our chief executive officer and our other executive officers and for
establishing compensation and employee benefit policies. A copy of the charter
adopted for the Compensation Committee is available under the ‘Investor
Relations’ link at our website www.boots-coots.com. The
Compensation Committee met two times during 2007.
Audit
Committee. Our
Audit Committee is comprised of two or more directors appointed from time to
time by, and serving at the discretion of, the board of directors. Messrs.
DiPaolo, Herlin and Anderson are the members of the Audit Committee and Mr.
Anderson is the chairman of the committee. The Audit Committee reviews our
financial reporting processes, system of internal controls, and the audit
process for monitoring compliance with laws and regulations. In addition, the
committee reviews, with our auditors, the scope of the audit procedures to be
applied in the conduct of the annual audit, as well as the results of that
audit. Our board has determined that each of the Audit Committee members is
independent, in accordance with the audit committee requirements of the American
Stock Exchange and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Further, our
board has determined that Messrs. Anderson and Herlin are financial experts
within the meaning of applicable rules of the U.S. Securities and Exchange
Commission. A copy of the charter adopted for the Audit Committee is available
under the ‘Investor Relations’ link at our website www.boots-coots.com. The
Audit Committee met four times in 2007.
To the
Stockholders of
Boots
& Coots International Well Control, Inc.:
The
primary purposes of the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors are to: (A)
assist the Board of Directors in fulfilling its responsibility to oversee the
integrity of the Company’s financial statements, the Company’s compliance with
legal and regulatory requirements, the independent auditor’s qualifications and
independence, and the performance of the Company’s independent auditor and (B)
prepare a committee report as required by the U.S. Securities and Exchange
Commission to be included in the Company’s annual proxy statement. The Audit
Committee’s function is more fully described in its charter, copy of which was
included as Exhibit A to our proxy statement filed with the U.S. Securities and
Exchange Commission on January 30, 2006 and is available through its website at
www.sec.gov, and which
may also be obtained in print from our Corporate Secretary by any stockholder
who requests it. The Audit Committee held four meetings during
2007.
Throughout
2007 and continuing to-date, the Audit Committee has been comprised entirely of
independent directors, as defined and required by current AMEX listing standards
and Section 10A(m)(3) of the Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and as so
determined by our Board of Directors. The Board of Directors has also determined
that Messrs. Anderson and Herlin are each an “audit committee financial expert”
as that term is defined in Item 401(h) of Regulation S-K.
The Audit
Committee has reviewed and discussed the audited financial statements for the
fiscal year ended December 31, 2007, with our management. The committee also
discussed with UHY LLP, ("UHY"), our independent auditors for the 2007 fiscal
year, the matters required to be discussed by SAS 61 (Codification of Statements
on Auditing Standards, AU Sec. 380), as modified or supplemented, and have
received the written disclosures and the letter from UHY required by
Independence Standards Board Standard No. 1 (Independence Standards Board
Standard No. 1, Independence Discussions with Audit Committees), as modified or
supplemented. Based on the above review and discussions, the Audit Committee
recommended to the board of directors that the audited financial statements for
the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007 be included in our Annual Report on Form
10-K.
March
10, 2008
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Respectfully
submitted,
|
|
|
THE
AUDIT COMMITTEE
|
|
|
|
|
|
W.
Richard Anderson
|
|
|
E.
J. DiPaolo
|
|
|
Robert
S. Herlin
|
During
2007 and 2006, we incurred the following fees for services performed by
UHY:
Fee
Type
|
|
2007
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Audit
Fees
|
|
$ |
958,000 |
|
|
$ |
351,000 |
|
Audit
Related fees
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
32,000 |
|
Tax
Fees
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
Other
Fees
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
149,000 |
|
Total
Fees
|
|
$ |
958,000 |
|
|
$ |
532,000 |
|
Audit
Fees. Audit fees
represent the aggregate fees for professional services rendered by UHY for the
audit of our annual financial statements for the fiscal years ended December 31,
2007 and December 31, 2006, and the reviews of our financial statements included
in our Forms 10-Q for all quarters of fiscal 2007 and 2006.
Audit Related
Fees.
Audit-related fees include professional services rendered by UHY for
audits of our employee benefit plans.
Tax
Fees. We use an
independent consultant other than UHY to perform all tax related consulting
work.
All Other
Fees. Other fees
paid to UHY during 2006 were related to the acquisition of HWC, including the
acquisition audit of HWC for the year ended December 31, 2005 that was performed
in 2006.
Pre Approval
Policies and Procedures. The Audit Committee has
established written pre-approval policies that require the approval by the Audit
Committee of all services provided by UHY as the principal independent
accountants and all audit services provided by other independent accountants.
All of the services described above provided by UHY to us were approved in
accordance with the policy.
Work Performed by
Principal Accountant’s Full Time, Permanent Employees. The firm or UHY LLP (“UHY”)
acts as our principal independent registered public accounting firm. Through
March 12, 2008, UHY had a continuing relationship with UHY Advisors, Inc.
(“Advisors”) from which it leased auditing staff who were full time, permanent
employees of Advisors and through which UHY’s partners provided non-audit
services. UHY has only a few full time employees. Therefore, few, if any, of the
audit services performed were provided by permanent, full-time employees of UHY.
UHY manages and supervises the audit services and audit staff, and is
exclusively responsible for the opinion rendered in connection with its
examination.
The Selection of
Auditors. The
Board of Directors appointed UHY as principal independent accountants to audit
the financial statements of us for the years ending December 31, 2007, 2006,
2005. The appointment was made upon the recommendation of the Audit Committee.
UHY has advised that neither the firm nor any member of the firm has any direct
financial interest or any material indirect interest in us. Also, during at
least the past three years, neither the firm nor any member of the firm has had
any connection with us in the capacity of promoter, underwriter, voting trustee,
director, officer or employee.
Attendance at
Annual Meeting. A representative of UHY is expected to be present at the
annual meeting of stockholders and will have the opportunity to make a statement
if he or she desires to do so. The representative of UHY is expected to be
available to respond to appropriate questions.
SECTION 16(a) BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP REPORTING
COMPLIANCE
Section
16(a) of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934 requires our officers and
directors to file reports of ownership and changes in ownership of our common
stock with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the American Stock
Exchange. Based upon a review of the Forms 3, 4, and 5 presented to us, we
believe that all reports were filed on a timely basis except as
follows:
Mr. Krist
was late filing a Form 4 after exercising options to purchase 253,750 shares of
the Company’s common stock on March 22, 2007, and the sale of the same shares on
the same date.
CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS
In
connection with our acquisition of the hydraulic well control business of Oil
States International, Inc. in March 2006, we issued a $21.2 million (as
adjusted) unsecured subordinated promissory note to Oil States Energy Services,
Inc., a subsidiary of Oil States International, Inc. The note bears interest at
a rate of 10% per annum, and requires a one-time principal payment on September
9, 2010. During 2007, we paid interest due on the note in the amount of
approximately $2,117,000.
Related Party Transaction Review Policies and
Procedures
A
transaction or series of similar transactions to which we are a party in which
the amount involved exceeds $120,000 and involves a director, executive officer,
5% holder or any immediate family members of these persons are generally
evaluated by a special committee of disinterested directors formed by our board
of directors to evaluate such transactions. In addition, our code of conduct
provides that every employee, officer and director should disclose any material
transaction or relationship that could reasonably be expected to give rise to a
conflict of interest or any material transaction or relationship to an
appropriate corporate officer or to the members of our Audit Committee. The
Audit Committee has the authority to evaluate any such conflicts of interest and
recommend actions to be taken by our board in connection with such conflicts of
interest or to report the existence of any such conflict of interest to the full
board for it to take action.
Security
holder communications intended for the board of directors or for particular
directors (other than stockholder proposals submitted pursuant to Exchange Act
Rule 14a-8 and communications made in connection with such proposals) may be
sent in care of: Corporate Secretary, Boots & Coots International Well
Control, Inc., 7908 N. Sam Houston Parkway West, 5th Floor,
Houston, Texas 77064. The Secretary will forward all such communications to the
board of directors or to particular directors as directed without screening such
communications.
CODE OF BUSINESS CONDUCT AND ETHICS
We have
adopted a Code of Business Conduct and Ethics that covers all employees,
directors, and officers, and that relates to the honest and ethical conduct in
all business dealings, full, fair, accurate, timely and understandable
disclosures in all reports filed by us with, or submitted to, the U.S.
Securities and Exchange Commission and in other public communications,
compliance with applicable governmental rules and regulations, and avoidance of
conflicts of interest. The Code of Business Conduct and Ethics is available on
the ‘Investor Relations’ link at www.boots-coots.com. Copies
of the Code of Business Conduct and Ethics may also be obtained upon written
request of our corporate Secretary at our principal executive office
address.
The
following discussion of executive compensation contains descriptions of various
employment-related agreements and employee benefit plans. These descriptions are
qualified in their entirety by reference to the full text of the referenced
agreements and plans, which have been included as exhibits to our periodic
reports on Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange
Commission.
Introduction
The
following discussion provides an overview of the Compensation Committee of our
board of directors, the background and objectives of our compensation programs
for our executive management, and the material elements of the compensation of
each of the executive officers identified in the following table, whom we refer
to as our “named executive officers”:
Named
Executive Officers
|
|
Title
|
|
|
|
Jerry
Winchester
|
|
President
and Chief Executive Officer (our principal executive
officer)
|
|
|
|
Dewitt
Edwards
|
|
Executive
Vice President
|
|
|
|
Gabriel
Aldape
|
|
Chief
Financial Officer (our principal financial officer)
|
|
|
|
Don
Cobb
|
|
Executive
Vice President (resigned September
2007)
|
Overview
of the Compensation Committee
The
Compensation Committee of our board of directors is comprised entirely of
independent directors in accordance with Section 121 of the American Stock
Exchange rules governing listed companies. Our Compensation Committee is
composed of three members: E.J. DiPaolo, Robert S. Herlin and W. Richard
Anderson.
The
primary duties and responsibilities of our Compensation Committee are to
establish and implement our compensation policies and programs for our executive
management and employees, including compensation provided to the named executive
officers. Our Compensation Committee has the authority to engage the services of
outside advisors, experts and others to assist it and has done so from time to
time.
The
Compensation Committee works with our Secretary of the board of directors to
establish an agenda for each meeting of the Compensation Committee. Our chief
executive officer, general counsel and other members of our management and
outside advisors may be invited to attend all or a portion of a Compensation
Committee meeting depending on the nature of the matters to be discussed. Only
members of the Compensation Committee vote on items before the committee;
however, the Compensation Committee and board of directors often solicit the
views of the chief executive officer on compensation matters, including as they
relate to the compensation of other executives, including the other named
executive officers.
Objectives
of Our Compensation Program
Our
success depends on the continued contributions of our executive management and
other key employees. Our compensation program is intended to attract, motivate
and retain experienced and qualified personnel by providing compensation that is
competitive in relation to our peers while recognizing overall business results
and individual merit, and which supports the attainment of our strategic
objectives by tying the interests of management and employees to those of our
stockholders through the use of performance-based cash incentives and
equity-based compensation.
Design
of Our Compensation Program
Our
compensation program for executive management, including the named executive
officers, is designed to:
|
·
|
provide
compensation that is competitive with our compensation peer
group;
|
|
·
|
balance
short-term and long-term goals through the use of annual cash incentives
and grants of long-term equity incentives;
and
|
|
·
|
deliver
a mix of fixed and at-risk compensation that directly relates to
increasing stockholder value and our overall
performance.
|
Each
element of compensation is reviewed and considered with the other elements of
compensation to ensure that it is consistent with the goals and objectives of
both that particular element of compensation and our overall compensation
program. In designing the compensation program and in determining senior
management compensation, including the compensation of the named executive
officers, we also consider the following:
|
·
|
the
competitive challenges affecting our ability to attract and retain strong
management;
|
|
·
|
our
operating and financial performance compared with targeted
goals;
|
|
·
|
each
individual’s contributions to our overall results;
and
|
|
·
|
our
size and performance relative to companies in our compensation peer group;
and our available resources.
|
In
establishing compensation, we utilize compensation data (“Survey Data”)
regarding the practices of other companies, including our compensation peer
group. During 2006, we engaged Longnecker & Associates to provide us with
Survey Data regarding director compensation, which we utilized to establish
director compensation for 2006. We also utilized survey data prepared by
Longnecker & Associates in connection with establishing compensation for our
chief executive officer in 2007. Longnecker & Associates provides no other
services to us and is otherwise independent. We utilize Survey Data to ensure
that our compensation programs are competitive with our compensation peer group.
The Survey Data is a compilation of compensation and other data based upon the
compensation consultants’ review of our compensation peer group and other
companies that participate in industry surveys.
The
Compensation Committee receives data on total compensation to named executive
officers, which incorporates all three components of base pay, short term
incentive pay and long term stock-based compensation. The Committee also
compares total compensation of named executive officers and their relationship
to other members of management, taking into consideration responsibilities,
expertise, qualifications, past performance and expectations. Named executive
officer compensation is not based upon a multiple or range of specified employee
compensation. Total compensation to named executive officers is allocated across
components of base pay, short term incentive pay, and long term stock-based
compensation. The intent of the Committee is to weight compensation for
executive management more towards annual incentive pay and long-term
compensation in comparison to other employees in order to better align executive
pay with corporate goals and shareholder interests.
In
developing our compensation structure, we review the compensation and benefit
practices, as well as levels of pay, of a compensation peer group of companies
drawn from oil field service companies of a similar size. While we periodically
review, evaluate and update our compensation peer group, for the compensation
structure developed for 2007 the compensation peer group consisted of the
following companies:
|
·
|
Allis-Chalmers
Energy, Inc.
|
|
·
|
Basic
Energy Services, Inc.
|
|
·
|
Ecology
and Environment, Inc.
|
|
·
|
Gulfmark
Offshore, Inc.
|
|
·
|
Mark
West Energy Partners, L.P.
|
|
·
|
OMNI
Energy Services Corp.
|
|
·
|
Pioneer
Drilling Company
|
|
·
|
Superior
Well Services, Inc.
|
|
·
|
T-3
Energy Services, Inc.
|
The
Compensation Committee retained Longnecker and Associates to report on
compensation of chief executive officers in the peer companies in January 2007
in connection with the increase in compensation awarded to Mr. Winchester in
2007.
We target
total compensation for our management that falls at the 50th percentile of our
compensation peer group, allowing for the fact that we are one of the smallest
companies in our peer group. We believe compensation at this level is required
for us to attract and retain talented management in a competitive
environment.
2007
Compensation Program
Elements
of Compensation
The
principal elements of our executive compensation program are base salary, annual
performance-based cash incentives, long-term equity incentives in the form of
stock options and restricted stock grants and post-termination severance (under
certain circumstances), as well as other benefits and perquisites, consisting of
life and health insurance benefits, a qualified 401(k) savings plan, and the
reimbursement of automobile expenses for our chief executive officer and chief
financial officer.
Base
Salary
We review
base salaries for our chief executive officer and other executives annually to
determine if a change is appropriate. In reviewing base salaries, we consider
several factors, including a comparison to base salaries paid for comparable
positions in our compensation peer group as reflected in the Survey Data, the
relationship among base salaries paid to executive officers within our company
and each executive’s individual experience and contributions to our business.
Our intent is to fix base salaries at levels that we believe are consistent with
our objective of attracting, motivating and retaining individuals in a
competitive environment.
Base
salaries for our named executive officers in 2007 were as follows:
Name
|
|
2007
Base Salary
|
|
Jerry
Winchester
|
|
$ |
335,000 |
(1) |
Dewitt
Edwards
|
|
$ |
233,100 |
|
Gabriel
Aldape
|
|
$ |
173,250 |
|
Don
Cobb
|
|
$ |
210,000 |
(2) |
(1)
|
Mr.
Winchester’s base salary for 2007 was increased effective January 1, 2007
to $335,000. See the discussion following this table for additional
information.
|
(2)
|
Mr.
Cobb resigned in September 2007.
|
Messrs.
Winchester, Edwards and Aldape have each entered into employment agreements with
us. Messrs. Edwards and Aldape entered into their employment agreements in April
2006 and March 2006, respectively. Mr. Winchester’s employment agreement was
originally entered into on October 1, 2003 and on October 1, 2006 our
Compensation Committee elected to renew the agreement for an additional two year
period. For more information regarding the terms of these agreements, see
“Employment contracts, termination of employment and change-in-control
arrangements” below.
During
2006, Mr. Winchester’s employment agreement provided for a base salary of
$250,000 per year and an automobile allowance of $18,000 per year. These amounts
remained unchanged from October 1, 2003 until March 1, 2007, when we approved an
increase in Mr. Winchester’s 2007 base salary to $335,000 per year and Mr.
Winchester agreed to forego his automobile allowance, resulting in a net base
salary increase of $67,000 per year (25%), all effective as of January 1, 2007.
Our compensation committee approved this adjustment to Mr. Winchester’s base
salary so as to maintain this component of his compensation at the median of our
compensation peer group based upon the Survey Data and the analysis of our
compensation consultant. Mr. Winchester’s base salary had not been adjusted
since 1998.
Messrs.
Edwards, Aldape and Cobb each commenced employment with us during 2006. Mr.
Edwards was hired by us in April 2006 and had previously been engaged by us as a
consultant to assist us with our then proposed acquisition of HWC and related
financing transactions. Mr. Edwards’ base salary was established through mutual
negotiations while taking into consideration the rates that we had been paying
for his services as a consultant. Messrs. Aldape and Cobb were hired by us in
March 2006 in connection with our acquisition of HWC. The base salaries for
Messrs. Aldape and Cobb were also established through mutual negotiations while
taking into consideration the salary paid to them by HWC at the time of our
acquisition, the increased demands on their time associated with the integration
of HWC with us and the increased responsibilities they would undertake as
executive officers of a publicly-held company.
Annual
Cash Incentives
Annual
cash incentive compensation is intended to focus and reward executives and other
key employees for meeting performance objectives tied to increasing stockholder
value. To further this objective, we implemented an annual performance-incentive
plan, or APIP, in 2006 and annually thereafter. The annual performance-incentive
plan provides for cash incentive payments tied to consolidated earnings before
interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (“EBITDA”) targets established
for each plan year, which are adjusted as necessary to account for the effects
of acquisitions or dispositions of businesses and unusual events.
We
believe that EBITDA is a key indicator of our financial and operational success
and is the principal measure of performance utilized by investors in valuing our
company and our competitors and in assessing the effectiveness of our
management. We establish specific EBITDA threshold, goal and stretch targets
under the APIP at the beginning of each fiscal year, as well as the award level,
as a percentage of base salary, that may be earned by certain employees
including the named executives if performance exceeds the threshold, goal or
stretch targets. Performance must satisfy the threshold level before any
incentive compensation is earned. EBITDA at or in excess of the threshold
amount, but less than the APIP goal amount, entitles the executive to a pro rata
percentage of the goal award. EBITDA at or in excess of the goal or stretch
amount entitles the executive to compensation at the goal award percentage or
the stretch award percentage, as applicable. Amounts earned, if any, are
generally paid during February or March of the following year, when our results
for the prior year become available upon completion of our annual
audit.
EBITDA
targets are set at levels that reflect our internal, confidential business plan
at the time the awards were established. The threshold target is 80% of our
EBITDA goal as reflected in our business plan. The stretch target is 120% of our
EBITDA goal. The EBITDA goal and stretch target are intended to be challenging
but achievable. The award levels (as a percentage of base salary) for Messrs.
Winchester, Edwards, Aldape and Cobb were 60-120%, 50-100%, 50-100% and 50-100%,
respectively for 2007. We believe that establishing specific attainable goals
for management that are consistent with our business plan and that offer the
executive the opportunity for meaningful additional cash compensation is the
best method to incentivize management to achieve and exceed our business
objectives.
In
addition to the APIP, the Compensation Committee may award cash bonuses either
during or after the fiscal year to reward individual performance or the
achievement of other company goals. In 2007, the Compensation Committee, awarded
discretionary cash bonuses to the named executives totaling $100,000 for
initiating and implementing growth initiatives, such as start up of a rental
equipment service line, geographic expansion of the Company’s markets and
completion of a public offering of the Company’s equity securities.
The
annual cash incentives awarded to the named executive officers for fiscal years
2006 and 2007 are included in the Summary Compensation Table below. The table
reflects awards for 2006 performance that were paid under the APIP during March
2007, and discretionary bonuses for 2007 performance that were paid during
February 2008.
Long-Term
Incentives
Long-term
incentives comprise a significant portion of an executive’s compensation
package. Long-term incentives are intended to align the interests of our
executives with our stockholders and retain the executives through the term of
the awards. Long-term incentives are also consistent with our objective of
providing an “at-risk” component of compensation. In establishing long-term
incentive awards we endeavor to remain consistent with the Survey Data while
taking into account each individual’s performance.
Our
compensation committee utilizes both stock options and restricted stock to
provide long-term incentives, each of which is discussed in more detail below.
For 2006, our compensation committee utilized stock options to provide long term
incentives to executives. For 2007, like many companies, our compensation
committee utilized predominately restricted stock awards to provide long-term
incentives, particularly to executives. The named executive officers received
only restricted stock, not options, during 2007. In part, this was in response
to the compensation practices of peers as reflected in the Survey Data and in
part it was the result of judgments about the most effective method of utilizing
the limited number of shares available for grants under our equity incentive
plans, as discussed below. Our compensation committee approves the individual
grants for each executive. Grants are generally made at the time of employment
and during March of each year in accordance with procedures established by our
compensation committee, which provide that awards are valued based upon the
market price on the date of grant. The amounts granted vary each year and are
based on management’s performance, the Survey Data and management’s total
compensation package. Previous awards and grants, whether vested or unvested,
may be considered by our compensation committee in establishing the current
year’s awards and grants but generally do not limit the size of the award that
may be received, as we do not wish to create any disincentive for an executive
to hold shares of our common stock.
Equity
Incentive Plans
We may
make awards to executives under our 2000 Long Term Incentive Plan (the “2000
Plan”) or our 2004 Long Term Incentive Plan (the “2004 Plan”). The 2000 Plan was
approved by our stockholders on October 25, 2000, and the 2004 Plan was approved
by our stockholders on April 8, 2004. On March 1, 2006, our stockholders
approved an amendment to our 2004 Plan in conjunction with our acquisition of
HWC that increased the number of shares available under it to 8,000,000. We
refer to the 2000 Plan and the 2004 Plan collectively as the
“Plans.”
Subject
to certain adjustments that may be required from time to time to prevent
dilution or enlargement of the rights of participants under the Plans, as of
December 31, 2007, approximately 1.0 million shares were available for new
grants under the Plans, and there were approximately 5.9 million shares subject
to outstanding awards under these and predecessor plans.
The Plans
facilitate the issuance of future long-term incentive awards as part of our
comprehensive compensation structure and are administered by a committee of
non-employee directors of our board of directors, currently our Compensation
Committee. The Plans permit the granting of awards in the form of options to
purchase our common stock, shares of restricted stock, as well as shares of
phantom stock that are settled in cash and cash bonuses. The grant of a cash
bonus does not reduce the number of shares of common stock with respect to which
awards may be granted pursuant to the Plans.
Our
Compensation Committee from time to time designates the employees and
consultants who are granted awards and the amount and type of such award. Our
Compensation Committee has full authority to administer the Plans, including
authority to interpret and construe any provision of Plans and the terms of any
awards issued under it and to adopt such rules and regulations for administering
the Plans as the Compensation Committee may deem necessary. Our Compensation
Committee may accelerate the date on which any option granted becomes
exercisable, extend the date on which any option granted ceases to be
exercisable, accelerate the vesting date or issue date of a restricted stock
grant, or waive any condition imposed under the Plans with respect to any share
of restricted stock granted under the Plans, and accelerate the vesting date or
waive any condition imposed under the Plan with respect to any share of phantom
stock granted under the Plan. No person is permitted to receive in any year
stock options for more than 1,000,000 shares. The 2004 Plan will expire and no
awards may be made after March 25, 2014. The 2000 Plan will expire and no awards
may be made after September 2, 2010. Awards outstanding under the Plans at the
time of termination of the Plans will remain outstanding until they expire under
the terms of the agreement governing the award, which is not longer than ten
years from the date of grant.
The
long-term incentive information related to the named executive officers during
fiscal year 2006 and 2007 is included in the Summary Compensation Table.
Additional information relating to long-term incentive awards is shown in the
Grants of Plan Based Awards Table and the Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal
Year-End Table.
Stock
Options
An
important objective of the long-term incentive program is to strengthen the
relationship between the long-term value of our stock price and the potential
financial gain for employees. Stock options provide executive management and key
employees with the opportunity to purchase our common stock at a price fixed on
the grant date regardless of future market price. A stock option becomes
valuable only if our common stock price increases above the option exercise
price and the holder of the option remains employed during the period required
for the option to vest, thus providing an incentive for an option holder to
remain employed by us. Stock options link a portion of the option holder’s
compensation to stockholders’ interests by providing an incentive to increase
the market price of our stock.
Option
grants to senior management are generally considered annually, at the same time
as grants are considered for the general eligible employee population, in March,
after our year-end results become publicly available. Our practice is that the
exercise price for each stock option is the market value on the date of grant,
which is normally the date that our Compensation Committee approves the award at
a meeting of the Compensation Committee. Generally, market value means the
closing price for a share of common stock on the day of grant or, if such date
is not a trading day, the last trading day preceding the day of the grant, as
reported by the American Stock Exchange. With respect to employees who are not
executive officers, the Compensation Committee may delegate its authority to
make such grants to our chief executive officer by specifying the total number
of shares that may be subject to grants and the circumstances under which grants
may be made. All proposed stock options to new-hire employees are required to be
approved by our Compensation Committee or chief executive officer pursuant to
delegated authority. The grant date in this instance is the later date between
the hire date and date of award.
The Plans
provide that stock options may be either incentive stock options (“ISOs”) or
nonqualified stock options (“NSOs”). We refer to NSOs and ISOs collectively as
“stock options.” The term of a stock option may not exceed 10 years. Consultants
are not entitled to receive ISOs. The exercise price of any NSO granted under
the Plans is not permitted to be less than 50% of the fair market value of a
share of common stock on the date on which such NSO is granted or the price
required by law, if higher. The exercise price of any ISO may not be less than
100% of the fair market value of a share of common stock on the date on which
such ISO is granted. Although the Plans permit otherwise, as a matter of
practice we grant NSO’s only at the fair market value of a share of common stock
on the date of grant.
Stock
options generally vest and become exercisable in annual increments after the
original grant date. Our recent grants have included three year vesting periods.
Different vesting periods may be utilized depending on the magnitude of the
grant, the terms of the executives’ employment agreement, if any, the Survey
Data and our compensation objectives. Under certain circumstances stock options
may vest on an accelerated basis, such as in the event that we engage in a
transaction that effects a change in the control of our company. In this event,
all stock options held by the executive may automatically vest and become
exercisable in accordance with the terms outlined in the stock option award
agreement.
The
exercise prices of the stock options granted to the named executive officers
during fiscal year 2006 and 2007 are shown in the Grants of Plan-Based Awards
Table below. Additional information on these grants, including the number of
shares subject to each grant, also is shown in the Grants of Plan-Based Awards
Table.
Restricted
Stock Awards
Restricted
stock awards are shares of our common stock that are awarded with the
restriction that the executive remain with us through certain “vesting” dates.
Prior to the restrictions thereon lapsing, the executive may not sell, transfer,
pledge, assign or take any similar action with respect to the shares of
restricted stock which he owns. Once the restrictions lapse with respect to
shares of restricted stock, the executive owning such shares will hold
freely-transferable shares, subject only to any restrictions on transfer
contained in our certificate of incorporation, bylaws and insider trading
policies, as well as any applicable federal or state securities laws. Despite
the restrictions, each executive will have full voting rights and will receive
any dividends or other distributions, if any, with respect to the shares of
restricted stock which the executive owns.
Restricted
stock awards to senior management are generally considered annually, in March,
after our year-end results become available, and at the same time as grants to
the general eligible employee population are considered.
Restricted
stock awards provide the opportunity for capital accumulation and more
predictable long-term incentive value. The purpose of granting restricted stock
awards is to encourage ownership, encourage retention of our executive
management and to provide an incentive for business decisions that increase
value to our shareholders. Recognizing that our business is subject to
significant cyclical fluctuations that may cause the market value of our common
stock to fluctuate, we also intended the awards to provide an incentive for
executive management to remain with us throughout business cycles.
Restricted
stock awards generally vest one-fourth annually after the original award date.
As a consequence, the recipients do not become unconditionally entitled to
retain any of the shares of restricted stock until one year following the date
of grant, subject to certain exceptions related to acceleration of vesting in
the event we engage in a change-in-control transaction. Under this circumstance
all restricted stock awards held by the executive may automatically vest in
accordance with the terms of the restricted stock award agreement. Any unvested
restricted stock awards generally are forfeited if the executive terminates
employment with us.
Change
in Control Provisions
Upon the
occurrence of a change in control, all options under the Plans vest and the
restrictions on all shares of restricted stock outstanding on the date on which
the change in control occurs automatically terminate. This provision is intended
to ensure that executives are not unduly influenced by a potential loss of
unvested awards during evaluation and negotiation of a potential strategic
transaction.
For
purposes of the Plans, the term “change in control” means that term as it is
defined in the federal securities laws; or the occurrence of any of the
following events:
|
·
|
any
person becomes, after the effective date of the Plans the “beneficial
owner” (as defined in Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934), directly or indirectly, of 50.1% or more of the combined
voting power of our then outstanding securities; provided, that the
acquisition of additional voting securities, after the effective date of
the Plans, by any person who is, as of the effective date of the Plans,
the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of 50.1% or more of the
combined voting power of our then outstanding securities, will not
constitute a “change in control” for purposes of the
Plans;
|
|
·
|
a
majority of individuals who are nominated by our board of directors for
election to the board of directors on any date, fail to be elected to our
board of directors as a direct or indirect result of any proxy fight or
contested election for positions on the board of directors;
or
|
|
·
|
the
sale, lease, transfer or other disposition of all or substantially all of
our assets (other than to one of our wholly owned
subsidiaries).
|
The
acquisition of our common stock by Oil States Energy Services, Inc., and its
affiliates in connection with our acquisition of HWC in March 2006 did not
constitute a change in control and therefore did not trigger vesting of awards
outstanding at that time.
Retirement
Benefits
We do not
maintain a defined benefit pension plan or retiree medical program that covers
our executive officers. Retirement benefits to our executive officers are
currently provided through a tax-qualified profit sharing and 401(k) plan (our
“Savings Plan”), in which all eligible salaried employees may participate.
Pursuant to the Savings Plan, employees may elect to reduce their current annual
compensation up to the lesser of 15% or the statutorily prescribed limit of
$15,500 in calendar year 2007 ($15,500 in 2008), plus up to an additional $5,000
in the form of “catch-up” contributions for participants near retirement age,
and have the amount of any reduction contributed to the Savings Plan. Our
Savings Plan is intended to qualify under sections 401(a) and 401(k) of the
Internal Revenue Code, so that contributions by us or our employees to the
Savings Plan and income earned on contributions are not taxable to employees
until withdrawn from the Savings Plan and so that contributions will be
deductible by us when made. We match 50% of the initial 6% contributed by an
employee to the Savings Plan, subject to a 15% maximum based on the employee’s
compensation as defined in the Savings Plan. Executives participate in the
Savings Plan on the same basis as other employees.
The
Savings Plan provides for 14 different investment options, for which the
participant has sole discretion in determining how both the employer and
employee contributions are invested. The independent trustee of the Savings Plan
then invests the assets of the Savings Plan as directed by participants. The
Savings Plan does not provide our employees the option to invest directly in our
securities. The Savings Plan offers in-service withdrawals in the form of
after-tax account distributions and age 59.5 distributions.
We
believe that the Savings Plan supports the objectives of our compensation
structure, including the ability to attract and retain senior and experienced
mid- to late-career executives for critical positions within our
organization.
Perquisites
and Other Compensation
During
2006 and 2007, our chief financial officer received an automobile allowance for
the use of his personal vehicle while on company business. Our use of
reimbursements and perquisites as an element of compensation is limited and is
largely based on historical practices and, in the case of our chief financial
officer, because we require that he commute on a regular basis from his home in
Louisiana to our corporate headquarters in Houston, Texas. Our chief executive
officer received an automobile allowance for use of his personal vehicle while
on company business in 2006 and two months in 2007 when he agreed to terminate
his automobile allowance. We do not view these forms of compensation as a
significant element of our compensation structure but do believe that they can
be used in conjunction with executive compensation packages to motivate and
retain qualified individuals in a competitive environment. The compensation
committee annually reviews the reimbursements and perquisites provided to
determine if they are appropriate and if any adjustments are
warranted.
Employment
Contracts, Termination of Employment and Change-in-Control
Arrangements
On
October 1, 2003, we entered into an employment agreement with Jerry Winchester,
which was renewed October 1, 2006. Effective March 1, 2006, we entered into an
employment agreement with Gabriel Aldape, and on April 1, 2006, we entered into
an employment agreement with Dewitt Edwards. The employment agreement with Mr.
Aldape was negotiated in conjunction with our acquisition of HWC on March 3,
2006. Under certain circumstances, and particularly during periods when we are
engaged in transactions that may significantly alter the nature and composition
of our business, board of directors and stock ownership, we believe that
employment agreements and change of control arrangements may be useful in
allowing an executive to continue to focus his attention on our business
objectives without undue regard for the consequences the attainment of those
objectives may have on his individual compensation or role with our
company.
Term
of Employment Agreements
The
initial term of Mr. Winchester’s employment agreement was three years, with
automatic extensions of two years unless either party provides written notice
six months prior to expiration of the initial term or any extension. Mr.
Winchester’s employment was automatically extended for an additional two years
on October 1, 2006. Mr. Edwards’s employment agreement provides for an initial
term of two years, with automatic extensions of two years unless either party
provides written notice three months prior to expiration of the initial term or
any extension. Mr. Aldape’s employment agreement provides for an initial term of
one year, with automatic extensions of one year unless either party provides
written notice three months prior to expiration of the initial term or any
extension.
Compensation
and Benefits
The
salary payable to each of the named executives is the amount set forth under the
heading “2007 Base
Salary” in the table above. The salary of each executive is subject to
periodic review and may be increased from time to time by our compensation
committee. Each executive is eligible to receive grants of stock options,
restricted stock or other equity awards as determined in the discretion of our
compensation committee from time to time. Each executive is entitled to
participate in the APIP, to the extent that our compensation committee approves
an APIP, subject to the targets established by our compensation committee and
the award percentage established for each executive. Each of the executives is
also entitled to reimbursement for reasonable business expenses and to
participate in our medical, life, and disability insurance programs, and all
other employee benefit plans which we may, from time to time, make available.
Mr. Winchester’s agreement requires that we pay premiums on life insurance
coverage with a benefit of not less than $1,500,000.
In
conjunction with the initial execution of his employment agreement on October 1,
2003, Mr. Winchester received an option to purchase 500,000 shares of our common
stock at an exercise price of $1.20 per share which vested immediately upon
award on October 1, 2003. At that time Mr. Winchester also received a grant of
300,000 shares of restricted common stock, 60,000 shares of which were issued to
him upon his execution of the agreement and the remainder of which were issued
to him in four equal annual installments on each succeeding anniversary of the
agreement. These grants were made under the 2000 and 2004 Plans. Mr. Winchester
was not awarded any equity compensation during 2006. On March 1, 2007, our
compensation committee approved an award to Mr. Winchester of 145,632 shares of
restricted common stock under the 2004 Plan, the amount of shares approximately
equal to $300,000 of value as of the date of the award. The restricted stock
will vest in four equal installments on each one-year anniversary of the date of
grant, provided that Mr. Winchester has been continuously employed by us through
each such anniversary date.
In
conjunction with Mr. Edwards’s execution of his employment agreement on April 1,
2006, Mr. Edwards received an option to purchase 120,000 shares of our common
stock at an exercise price of $1.71 per share, vesting in three equal annual
installments. Mr. Edwards also holds an option to purchase 300,000 shares of
common stock at $1.13 per share, which he received in October 2005 as a
consequence of the services he performed on our behalf as a consultant. This
option vests as to 50% on the first anniversary of the grant date and as to 25%
on each of the two succeeding anniversaries of the grant date. These grants were
made under the 2004 Plan.
In
conjunction with Mr. Aldape’s execution of his employment agreement, on March 2,
2006, Mr. Aldape received an option to purchase 150,000 shares of our common
stock at an exercise price of $1.43 per share, vesting in three equal annual
installments. This grant was made under the 2004 Plan.
Termination
Provisions and Severance Payments
We may
terminate each executive’s employment upon his death or disability, or for cause
or without cause. Cause is defined to mean generally that the executive has
engaged in gross negligence or willful misconduct in the performance of his
duties; has refused to perform his duties; has materially breached his
employment agreement; commits or is arrested or charged with any felony or crime
involving moral turpitude which would impair his ability to perform his duties
or impair our business reputation; or misappropriates any of our funds or
property. Each executive may terminate his employment based on uncured material
breaches of the material provisions of his employment agreement by us, a
substantial and material reduction in the scope of his office, duties or
responsibilities, or the assignment to him of duties or responsibilities that
are materially inconsistent with his office.
Additionally,
Messrs. Winchester and Aldape may each terminate employment within twelve months
following a change in control of our company, which is defined to include a
merger, consolidation or reorganization in which we are not the surviving entity
(other than a transaction involving our wholly-owned subsidiaries); any sale,
lease, exchange or other transfer of all or substantially all of our assets; our
dissolution or liquidation; or the acquisition of 30% or more of our voting
securities by any person or group (as contemplated in Section 13(d)(3) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934) or a contested election in which persons who
were directors prior to such election cease to constitute a majority of our
board of directors.
If the
employment of any of the executives is terminated by us for cause, such
executive is not entitled to any further pay or benefits from us.
If the
employment of any executive is terminated by us without cause or if we fail to
renew such employment agreement at the expiration of the initial term or any
renewal term, or if such executive terminates his employment with good reason or
following a change of control, such executive will be entitled to a lump sum
payment equal to the initial term of his agreement (i.e., two years for Mr.
Winchester, one year for Mr. Edwards and one year for Mr. Aldape) multiplied by
his then current base salary; a payment equal to any bonus which he would have
been eligible to receive in the year in which termination occurs, and the
continuation of his participation in our health insurance plans, at our expense,
for a time period per his agreement (i.e. twelve months for Mr. Winchester and
Mr. Edwards and six months for Mr. Aldape) or (if earlier) the date on which he
secures coverage under another plan providing comparable coverage. In addition,
Mr. Winchester and Mr. Aldape each is entitled to receive a payment equal to six
months of the automobile allowance provided under his employment
agreement.
Had each
of these executives terminated employment as set forth above as of December 31,
2007, they would have received payments totaling $670,000, $233,100 and
$173,250, respectively. In the event that we were to have terminated these
executives without cause on such date, each would have also been entitled to
receive the full amount of his payment under the APIP plan for
2007.
Each
employment agreement provides that for a period of one year after termination
the executive will not, directly or indirectly, solicit or induce our employees,
customers, or suppliers to terminate their relationships with us. Further, each
executive agrees not to directly or indirectly employ any person who was
employed by us during the two years preceding the date of termination and who
possesses or is reasonably likely to possess confidential information belonging
to us.
In our
view, having the change of control and severance protections helps to maintain
the named executive officer’s objectivity in decision-making and provides
another vehicle to align the interests of our named executive officer with the
interests of our stockholders.
Indemnification
Agreements
We have
entered into an indemnification agreement with each of our directors and senior
executives, including the named executive officers. These agreements provide for
us to, among other things, indemnify such persons against certain liabilities
that may arise by reason of their status or service as directors or officers, to
advance their expenses incurred as a result of a proceeding as to which they may
be indemnified and to cover such person under any directors’ and officers’
liability insurance policy we choose, in our discretion, to maintain. These
indemnification agreements are intended to provide indemnification rights to the
fullest extent permitted under applicable indemnification rights statutes in the
State of Delaware and are in addition to any other rights such person may have
under our Certificate of Incorporation, Bylaws and applicable law. We believe
these indemnification agreements enhance our ability to attract and retain
knowledgeable and experienced executives and independent, non-management
directors.
Tax
Deductibility
Section
162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code limits the deductibility of compensation in
excess of $1 million paid to our chief executive officer and our four other
highest-paid executive officers unless certain specific and detailed criteria
are satisfied. We believe that it is often desirable and in our best interests
to deduct compensation payable to our executive officers. However, we also
believe that there are circumstances where our interests are best served by
maintaining flexibility in the way compensation is provided, even if it might
result in the non-deductibility of certain compensation under the Code. In this
regard, we consider the anticipated tax treatment to our company and our
executive officers in the review and establishment of compensation programs and
payments; however, we may from time to time pay compensation to our executives
that may not be deductible, including discretionary bonuses or other types of
compensation outside of our plans. Our goal is for compensation paid to our
executive officers to be fully deductible under the code.
Although
equity awards may be deductible for tax purposes by us, the accounting rules
pursuant to FAS 123(R) require that the portion of the tax benefit in excess of
the financial compensation cost be recorded to paid-in-capital.
In the
period covered by this report, none of our executive officers served as a board
member or member of a compensation committee or similar body for another company
that had an executive officer serving as a member of our board of directors or
compensation committee.
Summary
Compensation Table
The
Summary Compensation Table below sets forth certain summary information
concerning the compensation earned by our named executive officers during the
year ended December 31, 2007 and 2006.
Name
and Principal Position
|
|
Year
|
|
|
Salary
($)
|
|
|
Bonus
(1)($)
|
|
|
Stock
Awards (2)($)
|
|
|
Option
Awards (2)($)
|
|
|
Non-Equity
Incentive Plan Compensation Earnings (3)($)
|
|
Change
in Pension Value and Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Earnings
($)
|
|
All
Other Compensation (4)($)
|
|
|
Total
(%)($)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jerry
Winchester
President
and Chief Executive Officer
|
|
|
2007
2006
|
|
|
|
335,000
250,000
|
|
|
|
49,731
0
|
|
|
|
300,000
0
|
|
|
|
0
0
|
|
|
|
0
275,000
|
|
|
|
|
4,690
25,135
|
|
|
|
689,421
550,135
|
|
Dewitt
Edwards
Executive
Vice President
|
|
|
2007
2006
|
|
|
|
233,100
216,250
|
|
|
|
28,837
0
|
|
|
|
45,777
0
|
|
|
|
76,476
171,323
|
|
|
|
0
222,000
|
|
|
|
|
8,492
6,668
|
|
|
|
392,682
616,241
|
|
Gabriel
Aldape
Chief
Financial Officer
|
|
|
2007
2006
|
|
|
|
173,250
137,769
|
(5) |
|
|
21,433
0
|
|
|
|
45,777
0
|
|
|
|
30,317
126,127
|
|
|
|
0
165,000
|
|
|
|
|
29,083
16,977
|
|
|
|
299,860
445,873
|
|
Don
Cobb
Executive
Vice President (6)
|
|
|
2007
2006
|
|
|
|
158,692
151,439
|
(5) |
|
|
0
0
|
|
|
|
45,777
0
|
|
|
|
73,768
252,253
|
|
|
|
0
180,000
|
|
|
|
|
16,231
21,245
|
(7)
(7)
|
|
|
294,468
604,937
|
|
(1)
|
For
a discussion of the bonus compensation awarded to the named executive
officers see “Compensation Discussion and Analysis – Annual Cash
Incentives”.
|
(2)
|
Please
see the discussion of the assumptions made in the valuation of these
awards in the financial statements and footnotes to the financial
statements. We adopted the fair value recognition provisions of
SFAS No. 123(R) effective January 1, 2006. Under the SFAS No. 123(R), we
recorded compensation expense in our Audited Consolidated Financial
Statements for the year ended December 31, 2007 with respect to the awards
included in this table. See “Note B Summary of Significant Accounting
Policies" in the financial statements for further discussion of the
accounting treatment for these
options.
|
(3)
|
These
amounts represent cash payments under the annual incentive performance
plan (APIP).
|
(4)
|
Includes
car allowances, life insurance premiums, moving expense and matching
contributions to 401(k)plans.
|
(5)
|
Mr.
Aldape and Mr., Cobb joined the company on March 3, 2006, and the salary
amounts represent pro rata service.
|
(6)
|
Mr.
Cobb resigned in September 2007.
|
(7)
|
Includes
$9,608 and $9,798 in Algerian payroll taxes in 2007 and 2006,
respectively.
|
Grants
of Plan Based Awards
The table
below sets forth information regarding grants of plan-based awards made to our
named executive officers during 2007.
|
|
|
|
Estimated Future Payouts Under Equity Incentive
Plan Awards
|
|
All
Other Stock Awards: Number of Shares of Stock or Units (#)
|
|
All
Other Option Awards: Number of Securities Underlying Options
(#)
|
|
Exercise
or Base Price of Option Awards
($
/ Sh)
|
|
Grant
Date Fair Value of Stock and Option Awards
(1)($)
|
|
Name
|
|
Grant
Date
|
|
Threshold
(#)
|
|
Target
(#)
|
|
Maxi-mum
(#)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jerry
Winchester (2)
|
|
3/01/07
|
|
|
|
|
145,632 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
300,000 |
|
Dewitt
Edwards (3)
|
|
5/03/07
|
|
|
|
|
22,222 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
45,777 |
|
Gabriel
Aldape (4)
|
|
5/03/07
|
|
|
|
|
22,222 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
45,777 |
|
Don
Cobb (5)
|
|
5/03/07
|
|
|
|
|
22,222 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
45,777 |
|
(1)
|
We
adopted the fair value recognition provisions of SFAS No. 123(R) effective
January 1, 2006. Accordingly, the grant date fair value for awards made in
2007 are calculated in accordance with SFAS
123(R).
|
(2)
|
Effective
March 1, 2007 Mr. Winchester received an award of 145,632 restricted
shares, pursuant to the 2004 Long Term Incentive Plan, vesting over four
years, 25% on each grant anniversary date in each of 2008, 2009, 2010 and
2011.
|
(3)
|
Effective
May 3, 2007 Mr. Edwards received an award of 22,222 restricted shares,
pursuant to the 2004 Long Term Incentive Plan, vesting over four years,
25% on each grant anniversary date in each of 2008, 2009, 2010 and
2011.
|
(4)
|
Effective
May 3, 2007 Mr. Aldape received an award of 22,222 restricted shares,
pursuant to the 2004 Long Term Incentive Plan, vesting over four years,
25% on each grant anniversary date in each of 2008, 2009, 2010 and
2011.
|
(5)
|
Effective
May 3, 2007 Mr. Cobb received an award of 22,222 restricted shares,
pursuant to the 2004 Long Term Incentive Plan, vesting over four years,
25% on each grant anniversary date in each of 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011.
This award was forfeited as a consequence of his resignation in September
2007.
|
Outstanding
Equity Awards at Fiscal Year-End
The
following table summarizes the number of securities underlying outstanding plan
awards for each named executive officer as of December 31, 2007.
|
|
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 of Units of Stock That Have Not Vested
(#)
|
|
|
Market
Value of Shares or Units of Stock That Have Not Vested
($)
|
|
Equity
Incentive Plan Awards: Number of Unearned Shares, Units or Other Rights
That Have Not Vested
(#)
|
|
Equity
Incentive Plan Awards: Market or Payout Value of Unearned Shares, Units or
Other Rights That Have Not Vested
($)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jerry
Winchester
|
|
|
500,000
37,500
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1.20
3.00
|
|
10/01/13
02/15/10
|
|
|
145,632 |
(1) |
|
|
237,380 |
(2) |
|
|
|
Dewitt
Edwards
|
|
|
225,000
40,000
|
|
|
|
75,000
80,000
|
(3)
(5)
|
|
|
|
1.13
1.71
|
|
10/12/11
05/22/12
|
|
|
22,222 |
(4) |
|
|
36,222 |
(2) |
|
|
|
Gabriel
Aldape
|
|
|
100,000 |
|
|
|
50,000 |
(6) |
|
|
|
1.43 |
|
03/03/12
|
|
|
22,222 |
(7) |
|
|
36,222 |
(2) |
|
|
|
Don
Cobb
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
|
(1)
|
Effective
March 1, 2007 Mr. Winchester received a restricted stock award of 145,632
shares of common stock, pursuant to the 2004 Long Term Incentive Plan, of
which 25% vest on each grant anniversary date in each of 2008, 2009, 2010
and 2011.
|
(2)
|
Market
value calculation is the number of shares times the closing market value
on the last trading day of 2007, which was
$1.63.
|
(3)
|
Will
vest as to 75,000 shares on October 12,
2008.
|
(4)
|
Effective
May 3, 2007 Mr. Edwards received an award of 22,222 restricted shares,
pursuant to the 2004 Long Term Incentive Plan, vesting over four years,
25% on each grant anniversary date in each of 2008, 2009, 2010 and
2011.
|
(5)
|
Will
vest as to 40,000 shares on May 22, 2008 and as to 40,000 shares on May
22, 2009.
|
(6)
|
Will
vest as to 50,000 shares on March 2,
2008.
|
(7)
|
Effective
May 3, 2007 Mr. Aldape received an award of 22,222 restricted shares,
pursuant to the 2004 Long Term Incentive Plan, vesting over four years,
25% on each grant anniversary date in each of 2008, 2009, 2010 and
2011.
|
Option
Exercises And Stock Vested
There
were no options exercised by our named executive officers in 2007.
|
|
Stock
Awards
|
|
Name |
|
Number
of Shares
Acquired
on Vesting
(#)
|
|
|
Value
Realized
on
Vesting
(1)($)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jerry
Winchester
|
|
|
60,000
|
|
|
|
83,400
|
|
Dewitt
Edwards
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
Gabriel
Aldape
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
Don
Cobb
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
(1)
|
Value
realized calculation is the number of shares times the closing market
value on the date of vesting.
|
The
compensation committee of the Company has reviewed and discussed the
Compensation Discussion and Analysis required by Item 402(b) of Regulation S-K
with management and, based on such review and discussions, the Compensation
Committee recommended to the Board that the Compensation Discussion and Analysis
be included in this Proxy Statement.
|
Respectfully
submitted,
|
|
|
|
THE
COMPENSATION COMMITTEE
|
|
|
|
W.
Richard Anderson
|
|
E.
J. DiPaolo
|
|
Robert
S. Herlin, Chairman
|
2007
Director Compensation
The table
below sets forth certain information concerning the compensation earned in 2007
by our non-employee directors who served in 2007.
|
|
Fees
Earned
or
Paid
in
Cash
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Non-Equity
Incentive
Plan
Compensation
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Douglas
Swanson(1)
|
|
$ |
46,925 |
|
|
$ |
8,571 |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
$ |
55,496 |
|
Cindy
Taylor(2)
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
Robert
Croyle
|
|
$ |
48,500 |
|
|
$ |
30,000 |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
$ |
78,500 |
|
K.
Kirk Krist
|
|
$ |
48,000 |
|
|
$ |
30,000 |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
$ |
78,000 |
|
Richard
Anderson
|
|
$ |
63,000 |
|
|
$ |
30,000 |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
$ |
93,000 |
|
Robert
Herlin
|
|
$ |
58,000 |
|
|
$ |
30,000 |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
$ |
88,000 |
|
E.J.
DiPaolo
|
|
$ |
52,000 |
|
|
$ |
30,000 |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
$ |
82,000 |
|
(1)
|
Mr.
Swanson declined to receive payment for services on the board until May 1,
2007. He elected
|
to
begin receiving compensation for his board services commencing May 1, 2007
after his retirement from Oil
States.
|
(2)
|
Mrs.
Taylor declined to receive payment for service on the board during 2007
and resigned from the board on December 3,
2007.
|
Compensation
of Directors
On May
31, 2006, the Board of Directors approved a compensation plan for outside
directors that compensates each non-employee director with an annual retainer of
$20,000, plus $30,000 of our common stock awarded annually under the
Non-Employee Director stock incentive plan, $5,000 for each board meeting
attended and $1,000 for each special board meeting and committee meeting
attended. In addition, the Chairman of the Board receives an additional $25,000
annual fee, the Chairman of the Audit Committee will receive an additional
$10,000 annual fee, and the Chairman of the Compensation Committee and the
Chairman of the Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee will each
receive an additional $5,000 annual fee. Mr. Swanson elected not to receive
compensation for his board service prior to May 1, 2007. He elected to begin
receiving compensation for his board service commencing May 1, 2007 after his
retirement from Oil States. Mrs. Taylor elected not to receive compensation for
her board service for 2007.
Non-Employee Director Stock
Incentive Plan. In 2006, our board of directors adopted and our
shareholders approved the amended Non-Employee Director Stock Incentive Plan
(the "Directors' Plan"). The purpose of the Directors' Plan is to encourage the
continued service of outside directors and to provide them with additional
incentive to assist us in achieving our growth objectives. Shares of restricted
stock are granted on an annual basis and vest in full on the first anniversary
of issuance. As indicated above, our current compensation plans for non-employee
directors utilizes annual restricted stock awards. Through December 31, 2007,
there were 21,126 shares of restricted stock outstanding under the Directors
Plan.
The
Directors’ Plan also permits us to issue stock options. Options issued under the
Director’s Plan may be exercised over a five-year period with the initial right
to exercise starting one year from the date of the grant, provided the director
has not resigned or been removed for cause by the board of directors prior to
such date. After one year from the date of the grant, options outstanding under
the Directors' Plan may be exercised regardless of whether the individual
continues to serve as a director. Options granted under the Directors' Plan are
not transferable except by will or by operation of law. Through December 31,
2007, there were 311,250 shares underlying options outstanding under the plan
and 739,472 shares remaining available for issuance under the plan.
SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND
MANAGEMENT
The
following table sets forth, as of March 12, 2008 information regarding the
ownership of our common stock owned by (i) each person (or "group" within the
meaning of Section 13(d)(3) of the Security Exchange Act of 1934) known by us to
own beneficially more than 5% of common stock; (ii) each or our directors, (iii)
each of our named executive officers and (iv) all of our executive officers and
directors of the Company as a group.
Name
and Address of
Beneficial
Owner (1)
|
|
Amount
and Nature of Beneficial Ownership
|
|
|
Percent
of Class
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Oil
States Energy Services, Inc.
333
Clay Street, Suite 4620
Houston,
Texas 77002
|
|
|
11,512,137 |
(2) |
|
|
15.2 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Officers
and Directors:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Douglas
E. Swanson
|
|
|
21,126 |
(3) |
|
|
* |
|
Jerry
L. Winchester
|
|
|
983,132 |
(4) |
|
|
1.3 |
% |
W.
Richard Anderson
|
|
|
176,912 |
(5) |
|
|
* |
|
E.
J. DiPaolo
|
|
|
134,109 |
(6) |
|
|
* |
|
Robert
S. Herlin
|
|
|
134,109 |
(6) |
|
|
* |
|
K.
Kirk Krist
|
|
|
67,859 |
(7) |
|
|
* |
|
Robert
G. Croyle
|
|
|
18,216 |
|
|
|
* |
|
Gabriel
Aldape
|
|
|
172,222 |
(8) |
|
|
* |
|
Dewitt
H. Edwards
|
|
|
327,222 |
(9) |
|
|
* |
|
All
executive officers and directors as a group (nine people)
|
|
|
2,034,907 |
(10) |
|
|
2.6 |
% |
(1)
|
Unless
otherwise noted, the business address for purposes hereof for each person
listed is 7908 N. Sam Houston Parkway W., 5th
Floor, Houston, Texas 77064. Beneficial owners have sole voting and
investment power with respect to the shares unless otherwise
noted.
|
(2)
|
Oil
States Energy Services Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Oil States
International, Inc., which may be deemed to have shared voting and
investment power over such shares.
|
(3)
|
Consists
of restricted stock.
|
(4)
|
Includes
options to purchase 537,500 shares of common stock exercisable within 60
days and 109,224 shares of restricted
stock.
|
(5)
|
Includes
options to purchase 141,250 shares of common stock exercisable within 60
days
|
(6)
|
Includes
options to purchase 103,750 shares of common stock exercisable within 60
days
|
(7)
|
Includes
options to purchase 37,500 shares of common stock exercisable within 60
days
|
(8)
|
Consists
of options to purchase 150,000 shares of common stock exercisable within
60 days and 22,222 shares of restricted
stock..
|
(9)
|
Consists
of options to purchase 305,000 shares of common stock exercisable within
60 days and 22,222 shares of restricted
stock.
|
(10)
|
Includes
options to purchase 1,378,750 shares of common stock exercisable within 60
days and 174,794 shares of restricted common
stock.
|
The
following graph compares our total stockholder return on an investment of $100
in our common stock at December 31, 2002 for the years ended December 31, 2003,
2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007 as compared to the Standard & Poors' 500, the Dow
Jones Wilshire MicroCap, the PHLX Oil Service Sector and the DJ Wilshire
MicroCap Oil Equipment & Services indices over the same period.
|
|
|
12/02 |
|
|
|
12/03 |
|
|
|
12/04 |
|
|
|
12/05 |
|
|
|
12/06 |
|
|
|
12/07 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Boots
& Coots International Well Control
|
|
|
100.00 |
|
|
|
196.88 |
|
|
|
142.19 |
|
|
|
162.50 |
|
|
|
350.00 |
|
|
|
254.69 |
|
S&P
500
|
|
|
100.00 |
|
|
|
128.68 |
|
|
|
142.69 |
|
|
|
149.70 |
|
|
|
173.34 |
|
|
|
182.87 |
|
Dow
Jones Wilshire MicroCap
|
|
|
100.00 |
|
|
|
183.20 |
|
|
|
214.67 |
|
|
|
217.28 |
|
|
|
249.62 |
|
|
|
228.34 |
|
PHLX
Oil Service Sector
|
|
|
100.00 |
|
|
|
116.44 |
|
|
|
157.54 |
|
|
|
236.42 |
|
|
|
267.49 |
|
|
|
395.88 |
|
DJ
Wilshire MicroCap Oil Equipment & Services
|
|
|
100.00 |
|
|
|
141.76 |
|
|
|
192.04 |
|
|
|
291.25 |
|
|
|
296.76 |
|
|
|
337.06 |
|
Stockholders
who wish to present proposals for action at the next annual meeting of
stockholders should submit their proposals in writing to our Secretary at the
address set forth on the first page of this proxy statement. We must receive
proposals no later than December 11, 2008 for inclusion in the items considered
at the annual meeting.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
We have
provided without charge to each person whose proxy is solicited hereby a copy of
the 2007 Annual Report of the Company, which includes our annual report on Form
10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007 (including the consolidated
financial statements) filed with the SEC.
Our SEC
filings are available to the public over the Internet at the SEC's website at
www.sec.gov. You may
also read and copy any document we file at the SEC's public reference rooms
located at 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at
1-800-SEC-0330 for further information on the public reference rooms and their
copy charges. In addition, through our website, www.boots-coots.com, you can
access electronic copies of documents we file with the SEC, including our annual
reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, and current reports on
Form 8-K and any amendments to those reports. Information on our website is not
incorporated by reference in this proxy statement. Access to those electronic
filings is available as soon as practical after filing with the SEC. You may
also request a copy of those filings, excluding exhibits, at no cost by writing,
emailing or telephoning Jennifer Tweeton, Director of Investor Relations and
Communications, at our principal executive office, which is:
|
Boots
& Coots International Well Control, Inc.
|
|
7908
N. Sam Houston Parkway West, 5th
Floor
|
|
Houston,
Texas 77064
|
|
Phone
(281) 931-8884
|
|
investorrelations@boots-coots.com
|
Our board
of directors knows of no other business matters to be acted upon at the annual
meeting other than those referred to in this proxy statement. If any other
matters properly come before the annual meeting, it is the intention of the
persons named in the enclosed proxy to vote the shares they represent as the
board may recommend.
[Proxy
Card]
BOOTS
& COOTS INTERNATIONAL WELL CONTROL, INC.
This
Proxy Is Solicited On Behalf Of The Board Of Directors
I have
received the Notice of Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held on May 21, 2008
(the "Annual Meeting"), and a Proxy Statement furnished by the Board of
Directors of Boots & Coots International Well Control, Inc. (the "Company")
for the Annual Meeting. I appoint Douglas Swanson and Jerry Winchester, and each
of them, as proxies with power of substitution in each, to represent me and to
vote all the shares of common stock of the Company that I am entitled to vote at
the Annual Meeting in the manner shown on this form as to the following matters
and in their discretion on any other matters that come before the
meeting.
1. Election of
two Class II directors for a term of three years or until their earlier death,
resignation or removal.
FOR
all nominees listed
below
with no exceptions:
|
FOR
all nominees with
exceptions
noted below:
|
WITHHOLD
authority for
all
nominees listed below:
|
£
|
£
|
£
|
|
Nominees:
|
|
E.J.
DiPaolo
|
|
|
|
|
Jerry
Winchester
|
|
(INSTRUCTION: To withhold
authority to vote for one or more of the nominee(s), write the nominee(s) name
for which you wish to withhold authority to vote for in the space provided below
entitled "Exceptions.").
2. In the
discretion of the proxies named herein, the proxies are authorized to vote upon
other matters as are properly brought before the Annual Meeting.
The
Company's Board of Directors recommends a vote FOR election of both
Nominees in proposal 1.
|
(PLEASE
READ INSTRUCTIONS ON THE REVERSE SIDE AND EXECUTE)
[Reverse
of Proxy Card]
THE
PROXY HOLDERS CANNOT VOTE YOUR SHARES UNLESS YOU SIGN AND RETURN THIS CARD. IF
THIS PROXY IS SIGNED AND RETURNED, IT WILL BE VOTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH YOUR
INSTRUCTIONS. YOU ARE ENCOURAGED TO SPECIFY YOUR CHOICES BY MARKING THE
APPROPRIATE BOXES ON THE REVERSE SIDE, BUT IF YOU DO NOT SPECIFY HOW THE PROXY
SHOULD BE VOTED, IT WILL BE VOTED "FOR" ELECTION OF BOTH NOMINEES IN PROPOSAL
1.
I hereby
revoke any proxy or proxies previously given to represent or vote the shares of
common stock of the Company that I am entitled to vote, and I ratify and confirm
all actions that the proxies, their substitutes, or any of them, may lawfully
take in accordance with the terms of this proxy card.
|
Dated:
|
|
,
2008
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Signature:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Signature:
|
|
|
|
|
(if
held jointly)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Please
sign this proxy as your name(s) appears above. Joint owners should both
sign. If signed as attorney, executor, guardian, trustee or in some other
representative capacity, or as officer of a corporation, please indicate
your capacity or title.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Please
complete, date and sign this proxy and return it promptly in the enclosed
envelope.
|
33