WRIGHT MEDICAL GROUP, INC. - FORM DEF 14A
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE 14A
(Rule 14a-101)
INFORMATION REQUIRED IN PROXY STATEMENT
SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION
Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (Amendment
No. )
Filed by the
Registrant x
Filed by a Party other than the
Registrant o
Check the appropriate box:
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Preliminary Proxy Statement |
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Confidential, For Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by
Rule 14a-6(e)(2)) |
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Definitive Proxy Statement |
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Definitive Additional Materials |
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Soliciting Material Pursuant to Rule 14a-12 |
WRIGHT MEDICAL GROUP, INC.
(Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
Not Applicable
(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if Other Than the
Registrant)
Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):
o Fee computed on
table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11.
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(1) |
Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies: |
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Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies: |
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(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): |
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Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction: |
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Total fee paid: |
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Fee paid previously with preliminary materials: |
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Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by
Exchange Act Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for
which the offsetting fee was paid previously. Identify the
previous filing by registration statement number, or the Form or
Schedule and the date of its filing. |
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(1) |
Amount previously paid: |
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(2) |
Form, Schedule or Registration Statement no.: |
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Filing party: |
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Date filed: |
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Wright Medical Group, Inc. |
5677 Airline Road, Arlington, Tennessee 38002 |
901-867-9971 |
www.wmt.com |
NOTICE OF
2005 ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
TO BE HELD ON MAY 12, 2005
To Our Stockholders:
The 2005 Annual Meeting of Stockholders of Wright Medical
Group, Inc. (the Company) will be held at the
Doubletree Hotel located at 5069 Sanderlin Avenue, Memphis,
Tennessee, on May 12, 2005, beginning at 3:30 p.m.
(central time). At the meeting, the Companys stockholders
will vote on the following proposals to:
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1. |
Elect eight directors to serve on the Board of Directors of the
Company for a term of one year; |
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2. |
Approve the amendment of the Companys Third Amended and
Restated 1999 Equity Incentive Plan to (a) increase by
1,500,000 the number of shares of common stock available for
awards thereunder and (b) make an administrative
clarification to the plan relating to the shares of common stock
issuable pursuant to incentive stock options; and |
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3. |
Ratify the selection of KPMG LLP as the Companys
independent auditor for 2005. |
Stockholders also will transact any other business that properly
comes before the meeting.
YOUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS THAT YOU VOTE FOR
ALL THE PROPOSALS.
Only stockholders of record at the close of business on
March 21, 2005, are entitled to receive notice of, and to
vote at, the meeting and any postponement or adjournment
thereof. A list of such stockholders will be available for
inspection by any stockholder at the office of the
Companys legal counsel, Baker Donelson Bearman
Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC, 165 Madison Avenue,
21st Floor, Memphis, Tennessee, during ordinary business
hours beginning May 2, 2005, as well as at the Doubletree
Hotel during the meeting on May 12, 2005.
YOUR VOTE IS IMPORTANT. REGARDLESS OF WHETHER YOU PLAN TO
ATTEND THE MEETING, PLEASE PROMPTLY VOTE BY TELEPHONE OR
COMPLETE, SIGN, DATE, AND RETURN THE ENCLOSED PROXY CARD IN THE
ACCOMPANYING POSTAGE-PAID ENVELOPE. NO ADDITIONAL POSTAGE IS
NECESSARY IF THE PROXY IS MAILED IN THE UNITED STATES OR CANADA.
YOU MAY REVOKE YOUR PROXY AT ANY TIME BEFORE IT IS VOTED AT THE
MEETING.
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By Order of the Board of Directors, |
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Jason P. Hood |
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Secretary |
April 15, 2005
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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A-1 |
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ii
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Wright Medical Group, Inc. |
5677 Airline Road, Arlington, Tennessee 38002 |
901-867-9971 |
www.wmt.com |
PROXY STATEMENT
FOR
2005 ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
TO BE HELD ON MAY 12, 2005
This Proxy Statement is being furnished in connection with the
solicitation of proxies by Wright Medical Group, Inc. (the
Company), on behalf of its Board of Directors, for
use at the 2005 Annual Meeting of Stockholders and any
postponement or adjournment thereof. The meeting will be held at
the Doubletree Hotel located at 5069 Sanderlin Avenue,
Memphis, Tennessee, on May 12, 2005, beginning at
3:30 p.m. (central time).
At the meeting, the Companys stockholders will be asked to
vote on proposals to (1) elect eight directors to serve on
the Board of Directors of the Company for a term of one year;
(2) approve the amendment of the Companys Third
Amended and Restated 1999 Equity Incentive Plan to
(a) increase by 1,500,000 the number of shares of common
stock available for awards thereunder and (b) make an
administrative clarification to the plan relating to the shares
of common stock issuable pursuant to incentive stock options;
and (3) ratify the selection of KPMG LLP as the
Companys independent auditor for 2005. The proposals are
set forth in the accompanying Notice of 2005 Annual Meeting of
Stockholders and are described in more detail in this Proxy
Statement. Stockholders also will transact any other business,
not known or determined at the time of this proxy solicitation,
that properly comes before the meeting, although the Board of
Directors knows of no such other business to be presented.
When you submit your proxy, by either voting by telephone or
executing and returning the enclosed proxy card, you will
authorize the proxy holders F. Barry Bays, the
Executive Chairman of the Board of the Company; John K.
Bakewell, the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial
Officer of the Company; and Jason P. Hood, the Vice President,
General Counsel, and Secretary of the Company to
represent you and vote your shares of the Companys common
stock on these proposals at the meeting in accordance with your
instructions. These persons also will have discretionary
authority to vote your shares on any other business that
properly comes before the meeting. They also may vote your
shares to adjourn the meeting and will be authorized to vote
your shares at any postponement or adjournment of the meeting.
The Companys 2004 Annual Report, which includes the
Companys audited consolidated financial statements,
accompanies this Proxy Statement. Although the 2004 Annual
Report is being distributed with this Proxy Statement, it does
not constitute a part of the proxy solicitation materials and is
not incorporated herein by reference.
The Company will provide, without charge, a copy of its annual
report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31,
2004, to any stockholder of the Company who so requests. All
stockholder requests should be sent to the Corporate Secretary,
Wright Medical Group, Inc., 5677 Airline Road,
Arlington, Tennessee 38002.
This Proxy Statement and the accompanying materials are first
being sent or given to the Companys stockholders on or
about April 15, 2005.
YOUR VOTE IS IMPORTANT. REGARDLESS OF WHETHER YOU PLAN TO
ATTEND THE MEETING, PLEASE PROMPTLY VOTE BY TELEPHONE OR
COMPLETE, SIGN, DATE, AND RETURN THE ENCLOSED PROXY CARD IN THE
ACCOMPANYING POSTAGE-PAID ENVELOPE.
INFORMATION ABOUT THE MEETING
What is the purpose of the meeting?
At the meeting, the Companys stockholders will vote on the
following proposals to:
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1. |
Elect eight directors to serve on the Board of Directors of the
Company for a term of one year; |
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2. |
Approve the amendment of the Companys Third Amended and
Restated 1999 Equity Incentive Plan to (a) increase by
1,500,000 the number of shares of common stock available for
awards thereunder, and (b) make an administrative
clarification to the plan relating to the shares of common stock
issuable pursuant to incentive stock options; and |
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3. |
Ratify the selection of KPMG LLP as the Companys
independent auditor for 2005. |
In addition, the Companys management will report on the
performance of the Company during 2004 and will respond to
appropriate questions from stockholders.
Who is entitled to vote?
The record date for the meeting is March 21, 2005. Only
stockholders of record at the close of business on
March 21, 2005, are entitled to receive notice of the
meeting and to vote at the meeting the shares of the
Companys common stock that they held on that date. Each
outstanding share of common stock entitles its holder to one
vote on each matter voted on at the meeting. At the close of
business on March 21, 2005, there were 33,897,701
outstanding shares of common stock.
Am I entitled to vote if my shares are held in street
name?
If you are the beneficial owner of shares held in street
name by a brokerage firm, bank, or other nominee, such
entity, as the record holder of the shares, is required to vote
the shares in accordance with your instructions. If you do not
give instructions to your nominee, it will nevertheless be
entitled to vote your shares on discretionary items
but will not be permitted to do so on
non-discretionary items. The Company has been
informed that Proposal 1 (election of directors) and
Proposal 3 (ratification of the selection of the
independent auditor) are discretionary items on which your
nominee will be entitled to vote your shares even in the absence
of instructions from you, but that Proposal 2 (approval of
the amendment of the Equity Incentive Plan) is a
non-discretionary item on which your nominee will not be
entitled to vote your shares unless you provide it with
instructions. In the case of non-discretionary items, any shares
not voted by your nominee will be considered broker
non-votes.
How many shares must be present to conduct business at the
meeting?
A quorum must be present at the meeting in order for any
business to be conducted. The presence at the meeting, in person
or by proxy, of the holders of a majority of the shares of the
Companys common stock outstanding on the record date of
March 21, 2005, will constitute a quorum. Abstentions and
broker non-votes will be included in the number of shares
considered present at the meeting for the purpose of determining
whether there is a quorum.
What happens if a quorum is not present at the meeting?
If a quorum is not present at the scheduled time of the meeting,
the holders of a majority of the shares present in person or
represented by proxy at the meeting may adjourn the meeting to
another place, date, or time until a quorum is present. The
place, date, and time of the adjourned meeting will be announced
when the adjournment is taken, and no other notice will be given.
2
How do I vote my shares?
If you are a registered stockholder, you may vote by
telephone. If you are a registered stockholder (i.e.,
your shares are held in your own name), you may vote by
telephone by following the instructions included on the proxy
card. You do not need to return your proxy card if you vote by
telephone.
If your shares are held in street name, you may
be eligible to provide voting instructions to your nominee by
telephone or on the Internet. If you are a beneficial owner
of shares held in street name (i.e., your
shares are held in the name of a brokerage firm, bank, or other
nominee), you may be eligible to provide voting instructions to
your nominee by telephone or on the Internet. A large number of
brokerage firms, banks, and other nominees participate in a
program provided through ADP Investor Communications Services
(ADP) that offers telephone and Internet voting
options. If your shares are held in street name by a
brokerage firm, bank, or other nominee that participates in the
ADP program, you may provide voting instructions to your nominee
by telephone or on the Internet by following the instructions
set forth on the voting instruction form provided to you. You do
not need to return your proxy card if you provide voting
instructions to your nominee by telephone or on the Internet.
You may vote by mail. If you are a registered
stockholder, you may vote by properly completing, signing,
dating, and returning the accompanying proxy card. The enclosed
postage-paid envelope requires no additional postage if it is
mailed in the United States or Canada. If you are a beneficial
owner of shares held in street name, you may provide
voting instructions to the brokerage firm, bank, or other
nominee that holds your shares by properly completing, signing,
dating, and returning the voting instruction form provided to
you by your nominee.
You may vote in person at the meeting. If you are a
registered stockholder and attend the meeting, you may deliver
your completed proxy card in person. In addition, the Company
will pass out written ballots to registered stockholders who
wish to vote in person at the meeting. If you are a beneficial
owner of shares held in street name and wish to vote
at the meeting, you will need to obtain a proxy form from the
brokerage firm, bank, or other nominee that holds your shares.
Can I change my vote after I submit my proxy?
Yes, you may revoke your proxy and change your vote at any time
before the polls are closed at the meeting in any of the
following ways: (1) by voting again by telephone, because
only your latest telephone vote will be counted; (2) by
properly completing, signing, dating, and returning another
proxy card with a later date; (3) if you are a registered
stockholder, by voting in person at the meeting; (4) if you
are a registered stockholder, by giving written notice of such
revocation to the Secretary of the Company prior to or at the
meeting; or (5) if you are a beneficial owner of shares
held in street name, by following the instructions
given by the brokerage firm, bank, or other nominee that holds
your shares. Your attendance at the meeting itself will not
revoke your proxy unless you give written notice of revocation
to the Secretary of the Company before the polls are closed.
Who will count the votes?
American Stock Transfer & Trust Company
(AST), the registrar and transfer agent for the
Companys common stock, will tabulate and certify the
stockholder votes submitted by proxy. A representative of AST
will serve as the inspector of election at the meeting.
How does the Board of Directors recommend that I vote on the
proposals?
Your Board of Directors recommends that you vote:
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1. |
FOR the election of the eight director nominees to serve on the
Board of Directors of the Company for a term of one year; |
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2. |
FOR the approval of the amendment of the Companys Third
Amended and Restated 1999 Equity Incentive Plan to
(a) increase by 1,500,000 the number of shares of common
stock available for |
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awards thereunder and (b) make an administrative
clarification to the plan relating to the shares issuable
pursuant to incentive stock options; and |
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3. |
FOR the ratification of the selection of KPMG LLP as the
Companys independent auditor for 2005. |
What happens if I do not specify how my shares are to be
voted?
If you submit a proxy but do not indicate any voting
instructions, your shares will be voted FOR each of the
proposals.
Will any other business be conducted at the meeting?
As of the date hereof, the Board of Directors knows of no
business that will be presented at the meeting other than the
proposals described in this Proxy Statement. However, if any
other Proposal properly comes before the stockholders for a
vote at the meeting, the proxy holders will vote your shares in
accordance with their best judgment.
How many votes are required for action to be taken on each
proposal?
Election of Directors. The eight director nominees will
be elected to serve on the Board of Directors for a term of one
year if they receive a plurality of the votes of the shares
present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting and
entitled to vote on the subject matter. This means that the
eight director nominees will be elected if they receive more
votes than any other person at the meeting. If you vote to
Withhold Authority with respect to the election of
one or more director nominees, your shares will not be voted
with respect to the person or persons indicated, although they
will be counted for the purpose of determining whether there is
a quorum at the meeting.
Approval of Amendment of Equity Incentive Plan. The
proposed amendment of the Companys Third Amended and
Restated 1999 Equity Incentive Plan to (a) increase by 1,500,000
the number of shares of common stock available for awards
thereunder and (b) make an administrative clarification to
the plan relating to the shares of common stock issuable
pursuant to incentive stock options will be approved if a
majority of the shares present in person or represented by proxy
at the meeting and entitled to vote on the subject matter are
voted in favor of the proposal.
Ratification of Selection of Independent Auditor. The
selection of KPMG LLP as the Companys independent auditor
for 2005 will be ratified if a majority of the shares present in
person or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to
vote on the subject matter are voted in favor of the proposal.
How will abstentions be treated?
You do not have the option of abstaining from voting on
Proposal 1 (election of directors), but you may abstain
from voting on Proposal 2 (approval of the amendment of the
Equity Incentive Plan) and Proposal 3 (ratification of the
selection of the independent auditor). With respect to
Proposal 1, because the directors are elected by a
plurality vote, an abstention will have no effect on the outcome
of the vote and, therefore, is not offered as a voting option on
the proposal. In the case of an abstention on Proposal 2 or
3, your shares would be included in the number of shares
considered present at the meeting for the purpose of determining
whether there is a quorum. Because your shares would be voted
but not in favor of Proposal 2 or 3, your abstention would
have the same effect as a negative vote in determining the
outcome of the vote on the proposal.
How will broker non-votes be treated?
A broker non-vote occurs when a brokerage firm,
bank, or other nominee does not vote shares that it holds in
street name on behalf of a beneficial owner, because
the beneficial owner has not provided voting instructions to the
nominee with respect to a non-discretionary item.
Proposal 2 (approval of the amendment of the Equity
Incentive Plan) is a non-discretionary item for which a nominee
will not have discretion to vote in the absence of voting
instructions from the beneficial owner. Proposal 1
(election of directors) and Proposal 3 (ratification of the
selection of the independent auditor), on the other hand, are
discretionary items
4
for which a nominee will have discretion to vote even without
voting instructions from the beneficial owner. Accordingly, it
is possible for there to be broker non-votes with respect to
Proposal 2, but there will not be broker non-votes with
regard to Proposals 1 and 3. In the case of a broker
non-vote, your shares would be included in the number of shares
considered present at the meeting for the purpose of determining
whether there is a quorum. A broker non-vote, being shares not
entitled to vote, would not have any effect on the outcome of
the vote on Proposal 2, the approval of which requires the
affirmative vote of a majority of the shares present in person
or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote on
the subject matter.
5
STOCK OWNERSHIP
Directors, Executive Officers, and Other Stockholders
The following table provides information about the beneficial
ownership of the Companys common stock as of
March 31, 2005, by each director of the Company, each
executive officer of the Company named in the Summary
Compensation Information table in this Proxy Statement,
all directors and executive officers of the Company as a group,
and each person known to management of the Company to be the
beneficial owner of more than 5% of the outstanding shares of
common stock.
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Percentage of | |
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Number of Shares | |
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Name of Beneficial Owner |
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Beneficially Owned(1,2) | |
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Outstanding(3) | |
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Directors and Executive Officers:
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F. Barry Bays
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858,523 |
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2.5 |
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Laurence Y. Fairey
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5,000 |
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* |
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John K. Bakewell
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182,999 |
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* |
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R. Glen Coleman
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109,477 |
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* |
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Brian T.
Ennis(4)
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101,250 |
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* |
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Jeffrey G. Roberts
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94,262 |
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* |
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Richard B.
Emmitt(5)
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271,723 |
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* |
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David D. Stevens
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5,000 |
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James E. Thomas
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143,502 |
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* |
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Thomas E. Timbie
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44,424 |
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* |
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James T.
Treace(6)
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402,838 |
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1.2 |
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Elizabeth H.
Weatherman(7)
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2,785,221 |
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8.2 |
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All directors and executive officers as a group
(15 persons)(4-7)
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5,112,773 |
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14.4 |
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Other Stockholders:
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Warburg, Pincus Equity Partners,
L.P.(8)
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2,785,221 |
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8.2 |
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466 Lexington Avenue
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New York, New York 10017
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FMR
Corp.(9)
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2,742,046 |
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8.1 |
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82 Devonshire Street
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Boston, Massachusetts 02109
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Westfield Capital Management Co.,
LLC(10)
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2,441,851 |
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7.2 |
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One Financial Center
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Boston, Massachusetts 02111
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Marisco Capital Management,
LLC(11)
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2,099,918 |
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6.2 |
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1200 17th Street, Suite 1600
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Denver, Colorado 80202
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Less than 1% of the outstanding shares of common stock. |
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(1) |
A persons beneficial ownership of common stock is
determined in accordance with the rules and regulations of the
Securities and Exchange Commission. Except as indicated
elsewhere in the footnotes to this table and subject to
applicable community property laws, the persons named in the
table have sole voting power and sole investment power with
respect to the shares of common stock that they beneficially own. |
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(2) |
The shares of common stock shown in the table include the
following numbers of shares that the indicated persons have the
right to acquire as of March 31, 2005, or within
60 days thereafter (i.e., May 30, 2005), upon
the exercise of options granted by the Company:
Mr. Bays 838,523 shares;
Mr. Fairey 5,000 shares;
Mr. Bakewell 137,841 shares; Mr.
Coleman 101,477 shares; Mr. Ennis
81,250 shares; Mr. Roberts 92,273 shares;
Mr. Stevens |
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5,000 shares;
Mr. Thomas 23,068 shares; Mr.
Timbie 37,613 shares; Mr. Treace
219,431 shares; and all directors and executive officers as a
group 1,646,642 shares.
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(3) |
The percentage of outstanding
shares of common stock beneficially owned by each person is
calculated based on the 33,898,252 outstanding shares of common
stock as of March 31, 2005, plus the shares of common stock
that such person has the right to acquire as of such date or
within 60 days thereafter (i.e., May 30, 2005)
upon the exercise of options granted by the Company.
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(4) |
Mr. Ennis relinquished his
position as the President International of the
Company and became an Assistant to the President on
April 1, 2005.
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(5) |
The shares of common stock
beneficially owned by Mr. Emmitt are owned by Vertical
Fund I, L.P., and Vertical Fund II, L.P. (the
Vertical Funds). Mr. Emmitt is a general
partner of The Vertical Group, L.P., which is the general
partner of the Vertical Funds. Mr. Emmitt does not own any
shares individually and disclaims beneficial ownership of the
shares owned by the Vertical Funds.
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(6) |
The shares of common stock
beneficially owned by Mr. Treace include 103,622 shares
owned by J&A Group, LLC, a private investment and consulting
company controlled by Mr. Treace and his wife, and 90
shares owned by his wife. Mr. Treace disclaims beneficial
ownership of the shares owned by his wife.
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(7) |
The shares of common stock
beneficially owned by Ms. Weatherman are owned by Warburg
Pincus. Ms. Weatherman is a general partner of WP, which is
the general partner of Warburg Pincus, and a Managing Director
and member of WPLLC, which manages Warburg Pincus. See footnote
(8) for more information concerning Warburg Pincus, WP and
WPLLC. Ms. Weatherman does not own any shares individually
and disclaims beneficial ownership of the shares owned by
Warburg Pincus.
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(8) |
The shares of common stock
beneficially owned by Warburg, Pincus Equity Partners, L.P., are
owned by it and three affiliated funds (Warburg
Pincus). Warburg Pincus & Co. (WP) is the
general partner of Warburg Pincus, and Warburg Pincus LLC
(WPLLC) manages Warburg Pincus. As a result of these
relationships, WP and WPLLC are deemed to beneficially own the
shares owned by Warburg Pincus. Each of Warburg Pincus, WP and
WPLLC has shared voting power and shared investment power with
respect to the shares owned by Warburg Pincus.
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(9) |
The shares of common stock
beneficially owned by FMR Corp. (FMR) consist of the
following: 2,568,559 shares owned by various investment accounts
for which Fidelity Management & Research Company
(Fidelity), a wholly owned subsidiary of FMR, acts
as an investment adviser; 100,099 shares owned by various
institutional accounts for which Fidelity Management Trust
Company (Fidelity Trust), a wholly owned subsidiary
of FMR, serves as the investment manager; and 73,388 shares
owned by various investment companies and institutional
investors for which Fidelity International Limited
(Fidelity International), an affiliate of FMR,
provides investment advisory and management services. FMR,
through its control of Fidelity, has sole investment power, but
no voting power, with regard to the shares owned by the
investment accounts served by Fidelity. FMR, through its control
of Fidelity Trust, has sole voting power and sole investment
power with respect to the shares owned by the institutional
accounts served by Fidelity Trust. Fidelity International, which
is independent of but under common control with FMR, has sole
voting power and sole investment power with regard to the shares
owned by the investment companies and institutional investors
served by Fidelity International.
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(10) |
The shares of common stock beneficially owned by Westfield
Capital Management Co., LLC (Westfield) consist of
shares owned in various accounts for which Westfield serves as
the investment adviser. Westfield has sole voting power with
respect to 2,139,901 shares and sole investment power with
regard to 2,441,851 shares owned by the accounts served by
Westfield. |
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(11) |
The shares of common stock beneficially owned by Marisco Capital
Management, LLC (Marisco) consist of shares owned in
various accounts for which Marisco serves as the investment
adviser. Marisco has sole voting power with respect to 1,887,000
shares and sole investment power with regard to 2,099,918 shares
owned by the accounts served by Marisco. |
Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting
Compliance
Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
requires that the Companys directors and executive
officers and the beneficial owners of more than 10% of the
Companys registered equity securities (the reporting
persons) file with the Securities and Exchange Commission
(the SEC) initial reports of, and subsequent reports
of changes in, their beneficial ownership of the Companys
equity securities. The reporting persons are required to furnish
the Company with copies of all such Section 16(a) reports.
Based solely on the Companys review of the copies of such
Section 16(a) reports and written representations from
certain reporting persons furnished to the Company, the Company
believes that the reporting persons
7
complied with all applicable Section 16(a) filing
requirements during 2004 and prior years, except that each of
James E. Thomas, Thomas E. Timbie, and James T. Treace
inadvertently did not timely report his receipt of a stock
option granted under the Equity Incentive Plan on May 13,
2004. All of the reporting persons transactions subject to
Section 16(a) have now been accurately reported.
8
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
General
The Board of Directors of the Company consists of eight
directors. The Companys directors are F. Barry Bays,
Richard B. Emmitt, Laurence Y. Fairey, David D.
Stevens, James E. Thomas, Thomas E. Timbie,
James T. Treace, and Elizabeth H. Weatherman. The
directors are elected at each annual meeting of stockholders and
serve for a term of one year until the next annual meeting of
stockholders and until their respective successors are elected
and qualified, subject to their prior death, resignation,
retirement, disqualification, or removal from office.
Director Independence
It is the policy of the Board of Directors that a majority of
the directors be independent as defined in the listing standards
of the National Association of Securities Dealers (the
NASD). The Board of Directors has determined that
five directors Richard B. Emmitt, David D.
Stevens, James E. Thomas, Thomas E. Timbie, and
Elizabeth H. Weatherman are independent under
the NASDs listing standards.
Meetings Attended by Directors
The Board of Directors holds meetings on a quarterly basis and
on other occasions as necessary or appropriate. The Board of
Directors met seven times in 2004. The Board of Directors has
four standing committees the Executive Committee,
the Audit Committee, the Compensation Committee, and the
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. The Audit
Committee, the Compensation Committee, and the Nominating and
Corporate Governance Committee met eleven, six, and one times,
respectively, in 2004. The Executive Committee did not meet in
2004. Director attendance at Board of Directors and committee
meetings in 2004 was in excess of 99%. Each director attended at
least 86% of the total number of meetings of the Board of
Directors and its committees on which he or she served in 2004.
The independent directors of the Company have regularly
scheduled meetings at which only they are present. The
independent directors of the Company met two times in 2004.
The directors of the Company are encouraged to attend the
Companys annual meeting of stockholders absent exceptional
cause. In 2004, four directors attended the annual meeting of
stockholders.
Board of Directors Committees
The Board of Directors delegates certain of its functions to its
standing Executive Committee, Audit Committee, Compensation
Committee, and Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee.
Information regarding the responsibilities of these committees
and their members is provided below.
Executive Committee. The Executive Committee exercises
all the powers of the Board of Directors in the management of
the business and affairs of the Company during the intervals
between meetings of the Board of Directors, subject to such
restrictions or limitations as the Board of Directors may
specify from time to time or as otherwise limited by Delaware
law. The Executive Committee is composed of four directors who
are appointed by the Board of Directors. The members of the
Executive Committee are F. Barry Bays (chairman), Laurence
Y. Fairey, James T. Treace, and Elizabeth H.
Weatherman.
Audit Committee. The Audit Committee oversees the
Companys accounting and financial reporting processes and
the audits of its financial statements. In this role, the Audit
Committee monitors and oversees the integrity of the
Companys financial statements and related disclosures, the
qualifications, independence, and performance of the
Companys independent auditor, the performance of the
Companys internal auditing function, and the
Companys compliance with applicable legal requirements and
its business conduct policies. The Audit Committee has a written
charter which was last amended and restated by the Board of
Directors on February 11, 2004. A copy of the charter was
attached as Appendix A to the Companys Proxy
Statement for its 2004 annual meeting of stockholders. The Audit
Committee is composed of three directors who are appointed by
the Board of Directors. The members of the Audit Committee are
James E. Thomas
9
(chairman), Richard B. Emmitt, and Thomas E. Timbie, all of whom
are independent as defined in the NASDs listing standards
and meet the independence criteria set forth in the SECs
rules. The Board of Directors has determined that one member of
the Audit Committee, Thomas E. Timbie, is an audit committee
financial expert as defined in the SECs regulations. The
report of the Audit Committee appears beginning on page 12 of
this Proxy Statement.
Compensation Committee. The Compensation Committee
oversees the Companys general programs of compensation and
benefits for all employees and determines the compensation of
the Companys executive officers and directors. The
Compensation Committee is composed of three directors who are
appointed by the Board of Directors. The members of the
Compensation Committee are David D. Stevens (chairman), James E.
Thomas, and Elizabeth H. Weatherman, all of whom are independent
as defined in the NASDs listing standards. James T. Treace
was a member of the Compensation Committee and served as its
chairman until February 11, 2004, at which time he
relinquished these positions due to his lack of independence and
was replaced by Mr. Stevens. The report of the Compensation
Committee appears beginning on page 13 of this Proxy Statement.
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. The
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee oversees the
corporate governance processes of the Company. In this role, the
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee identifies and
recommends individuals qualified to become members of the Board
of Directors, makes recommendations regarding the establishment
and membership of the Board of Directors committees,
develops and reviews corporate governance principles applicable
to the Company, and leads the annual review of the performance
of the Board of Directors and its committees. The Nominating and
Corporate Governance Committee has a written charter which was
adopted by the Board of Directors on February 11, 2004. A
copy of the charter was attached as Appendix B to the
Companys Proxy Statement for its 2004 annual meeting of
stockholders. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee
is composed of three directors who are appointed by the Board of
Directors. The members of the Nominating and Corporate
Governance Committee are Elizabeth H. Weatherman (chairwoman),
Richard B. Emmitt, and Thomas E. Timbie, all of whom are
independent as defined in the NASDs listing standards.
Laurence Y. Fairey was a member of the Nominating and Corporate
Governance Committee until July 1, 2004, but he
relinquished this position due to a lack of independence upon
being elected the President and Chief Executive Officer of the
Company.
Director Nominations
The Board of Directors will consider all potential candidates
for nomination by the Board of Directors for election as
directors who are recommended by the Companys
stockholders, directors, officers, and employees. All director
recommendations must be made in accordance with the provisions
of Article II, Section 5 of the Companys bylaws,
which sets forth requirements concerning the information about
the candidate to be provided and the timing for the submission
of the recommendations. All director recommendations should be
sent to the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, c/o
Corporate Secretary, Wright Medical Group, Inc., 5677 Airline
Road, Arlington, Tennessee 38002. The Nominating and Corporate
Governance Committee will screen all potential director
candidates in the same manner, regardless of the source of their
recommendation. The Nominating and Corporate Governance
Committees review will typically be based on the written
materials provided with respect to a potential director
candidate. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee
will evaluate and determine whether a potential candidate meets
the Companys minimum qualifications and specific qualities
and skills for directors and whether requesting additional
information or an interview is appropriate.
The Board of Directors has adopted the following series of
minimum qualifications and specific qualities and skills for the
Companys directors, which will serve as the basis upon
which potential director candidates are evaluated by the
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee:
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Directors should possess the highest personal and professional
ethics, integrity, and values. |
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Directors should have an inquisitive and objective perspective,
practical wisdom, and mature judgment. |
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Directors should have expertise and experience at policy-making
levels in areas that are relevant to the Companys business. |
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Directors should have, or demonstrate an ability and willingness
to acquire in short order, a clear understanding of the
fundamental aspects of the Companys business. |
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Directors should be committed to representing the long-term
interests of the Companys stockholders. |
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Directors should be willing to devote sufficient time to carry
out their duties and responsibilities effectively and should be
committed to serving on the Board of Directors for an extended
period of time. |
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Directors, in the event of any significant change in their
personal circumstances (including a change in their principal
job responsibilities), should consider whether the change
materially diminishes their ability to fulfill their obligations
as a director and, if so, should offer their resignation as a
director to the Board of Directors. |
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Directors who also serve as the chief executive officer, chief
operating officer, or chief financial officer of another
enterprise should not serve on more than two boards of public
companies in addition to the Companys Board of Directors,
and other directors should not serve on more than four boards of
public companies in addition to the Companys Board of
Directors. |
In making its determinations regarding director nominees, the
Board of Directors will consider whether a potential candidate
has previously served as a director of the Company. The Board of
Directors does not believe, however, that directors should
expect to be automatically renominated on an annual basis.
Instead, the annual self-assessment of the performance of the
Board of Directors and its committees is an important
determinant of director tenure.
Director Compensation
The Company compensates its directors for their services with a
combination of annual retainers, committee meeting fees, and
stock options. The Company modified its director compensation
program, effective as of September 1, 2004, to change the
directors eligible for compensation, but not the types or
amounts of compensation provided to the eligible directors. The
principal change was to make the directors who represent a
significant stockholder of the Company (Richard B. Emmitt
and Elizabeth H. Weatherman) eligible to receive
compensation for their services as directors. Now only the
directors who are employees of the Company (F. Barry Bays
and Laurence Y. Fairey) are ineligible to receive director
compensation. In addition, the Company made other technical
changes in its director compensation program to take into
account the transition on July 1, 2004, in the Chairman of
the Board position from a non-employee (James T. Treace) to
an employee (F. Barry Bays). As modified, the
Companys director compensation program is as follows:
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Directors Eligible directors are paid an annual
retainer of $15,000. All directors are reimbursed for their
out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with attending
meetings of the Board of Directors and its committees. In
addition, eligible directors are granted a stock option to
purchase 20,000 shares of common stock upon their initial
election to the Board of Directors and a stock option to
purchase 5,000 shares of common stock upon each subsequent
re-election to the Board of Directors. These stock options are
granted pursuant to the Companys Third Amended and
Restated 1999 Equity Incentive Plan, have an exercise price
equal to the fair market value of the common stock on the date
of grant, and vest ratably over four years. |
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Executive Committee The members of the Executive
Committee are not paid any separate compensation in such
capacity. |
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Audit Committee Eligible members of the Audit
Committee are paid a supplemental annual retainer of $20,000 for
the chairman and $8,000 for the other members. |
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Compensation Committee Eligible members of the
Compensation Committee are paid a meeting fee of $500 for their
attendance at each committee meeting that is not associated with
a regularly scheduled meeting of the Board of Directors. |
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Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee
Eligible members of the Nominating and Corporate Governance
Committee are paid a meeting fee of $500 for their attendance at
each committee meeting that is not associated with a regularly
scheduled meeting of the Board of Directors. |
Corporate Governance Principles
In furtherance of its goal of providing effective governance of
the Companys business and affairs for the long-term
benefit of its stockholders, the Board of Directors approved and
adopted Corporate Governance Principles in 2004. The Corporate
Governance Principles are posted on the Companys website
at
www.wmt.com/corporate/corporategovernanceprinciples.pdf.
The information on the Companys website, however, is not
part of this Proxy Statement.
Stockholder Communications
Stockholders may communicate with the Board of Directors or any
individual director regarding any matter relating to the Company
that is within the responsibilities of the Board of Directors.
Stockholders, when acting solely in such capacity, should send
their communications to the Board of Directors or an individual
director c/o Corporate Secretary, Wright Medical Group, Inc.,
5677 Airline Road, Arlington, Tennessee 38002. The Corporate
Secretary will discuss with the Chairman of the Board or the
individual director whether the subject matter of a stockholder
communication is within the responsibilities of the Board of
Directors. The Corporate Secretary will forward a stockholder
communication to the Chairman of the Board or the individual
director if such person determines that the communication meets
this standard.
Audit Committee Report
Management is responsible for the Companys accounting and
financial reporting processes, including its internal control
over financial reporting, and for preparing the Companys
consolidated financial statements. KPMG LLP (KPMG),
the Companys independent auditor, is responsible for
performing an audit of the Companys consolidated financial
statements in accordance with the standards of the Public
Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) and for
expressing an opinion on the conformity of the Companys
audited consolidated financial statements to accounting
principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
In this context, the responsibility of the Audit Committee of
the Board of Directors is to oversee the Companys
accounting and financial reporting processes and the audits of
its consolidated financial statements.
In the performance of its oversight function, the Audit
Committee reviewed and discussed with management and KPMG the
Companys audited consolidated financial statements as of
and for the year ended December 31, 2004, and
managements assessment of the Companys internal
control over financial reporting. Management and KPMG
represented to the Audit Committee that the Companys
audited consolidated financial statements as of and for the year
ended December 31, 2004, were prepared in accordance with
accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of
America. Management and KPMG also represented to the Audit
Committee that the Companys internal control over
financial reporting was effective as of December 31, 2004.
The Audit Committee also discussed with KPMG the matters
required to be discussed by Statement on Auditing Standards
(SAS) Nos. 61, 89 and 90 issued by the Auditing
Standards Board of the American Institute of Certified Public
Accountants. SAS Nos. 61, 89 and 90 set forth requirements
pertaining to the independent auditors communications with
the Audit Committee regarding the conduct of the audit.
The Audit Committee received the written disclosures and the
letter from KPMG required by Independence Standards Board
(ISB) Standard No. 1, Independence
Discussions with Audit Committees, as amended. ISB Standard
No. 1 requires the independent auditor to disclose in
writing to the Audit
12
Committee all relationships between the auditor and the Company
that, in the auditors judgment, reasonably may be thought
to bear on independence and to discuss the auditors
independence with the Audit Committee. The Audit Committee
discussed with KPMG its independence and considered in advance
whether the provision of any non-audit services by KPMG is
compatible with maintaining their independence.
The members of the Audit Committee are not professionally
engaged in the practice of accounting or auditing and, as such,
rely without independent verification on the information
provided to them and on the representations made by management
and KPMG. Accordingly, the Audit Committees oversight does
not provide an independent basis to determine that management
has maintained appropriate accounting and financial reporting
processes or appropriate internal controls and procedures
designed to assure compliance with the accounting standards and
applicable laws and regulations. Furthermore, the Audit
Committees reviews and discussions referred to above do
not assure that the audit of the Companys financial
statements has been carried out in accordance with generally
accepted auditing standards, that the Companys audited
consolidated financial statements are presented in accordance
with generally accepted accounting principles, or that KPMG is
in fact independent.
Based on the reviews and discussions of the Audit Committee
described above, in reliance on the unqualified opinion of KPMG
dated February 21, 2005, regarding the Companys
audited consolidated financial statements as of and for the year
ended December 31, 2004, and subject to the limitations on
the responsibilities of the Audit Committee discussed above and
in the Audit Committees charter, the Audit Committee
recommended to the Board of Directors, and the Board of
Directors approved, that such financial statements be included
in the Companys annual report on Form 10-K for the
year ended December 31, 2004, to be filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission.
The foregoing report is provided by the undersigned members of
the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors.
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James E. Thomas (Chairman) |
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Richard B. Emmitt |
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Thomas E. Timbie |
Compensation Committee Report
Overview. The Compensation Committee of the Board of
Directors oversees the Companys general programs of
compensation and benefits for all employees and determines the
compensation of the Companys executive officers and
directors. In making its determinations regarding executive
compensation, the Compensation Committee has attempted to
implement a policy that serves the financial interests of the
Companys stockholders while providing appropriate
performance incentives to its executive officers.
Compensation Philosophy. The Companys executive
compensation program is designed to attract and retain high
caliber executives and motivate them to achieve superior
performance for the benefit of the Companys stockholders.
The Compensation Committee believes that a significant portion
of executive officers compensation potential on an annual
basis should be at risk based on the Companys performance.
If the Companys performance does not meet the criteria
established by the Compensation Committee, incentive
compensation will be adjusted accordingly.
Compensation Program. The compensation for executive
officers of the Company consists primarily of a base salary, a
performance incentive bonus opportunity, and long-term incentive
awards tied directly to the performance of the Company. The
total cash compensation (i.e., base salary plus
performance incentive bonus) paid to the Companys
executive officers is intended to be competitive with the total
cash compensation paid to executive officers in similar
positions at companies engaged primarily in the orthopaedic
medical device business with revenues similar to those of the
Company. These components of executive compensation are
discussed more fully below.
Base Salary. The Compensation Committee determines the
annual base salaries of the Chief Executive Officer and all
other executive officers of the Company. The Compensation
Committee considers the input of
13
the Chief Executive Officer with respect to the base salaries of
the other executive officers of the Company. In establishing the
base salaries, the Compensation Committee seeks relevant
compensation information such as (1) the executive
officers responsibilities, (2) the scope of the
executive officers position, (3) the executive
officers experience and length of service with the
Company, the industry and the community, (4) the executive
officers efforts and performance, (5) the executive
officers team building skills, (6) observance by the
executive officer of the Companys ethics and compliance
programs, (7) salaries paid by competitive companies to
officers in similar positions, and (8) base salaries paid
to the Companys other executive officers. Salaries are
reviewed annually, and increases are based primarily on merit
according to each executive officers achievement of
performance objectives.
Performance Incentive Bonus. The Company implemented a
management incentive plan for its management-level employees,
including executive officers, in 2004. The plan, which was
administered by the Compensation Committee, provided for the
discretionary payment by the Company of a performance incentive
bonus in the event, and to the extent, that the Company achieved
certain performance objectives. The objectives were based on the
Companys financial results, inventory position,
manufacturing efficiency, and other performance measures
established by the Compensation Committee. Each executive
officers performance incentive bonus was calculated as a
percentage of his or her base salary, with the percentage being
set by the Compensation Committee. The executive officers
target bonus percentages were in the range of 45-50%, and their
maximum bonus percentages were in the range of 90-100%, of their
base salaries, with the specific percentages depending on the
individuals job classification. As a result of the
Companys performance in 2004 relative to the plans
objectives, the executive officers received performance
incentive bonuses in the approximate range of 43-60% of their
base salaries. The total amount of performance incentive bonuses
paid to the executive officers in 2004 was $853,714.
The Company has adopted an executive performance incentive plan
for all its officers, including executive officers, for 2005 and
subsequent years. The plan, which is administered by the
Compensation Committee, provides that each year the Compensation
Committee will establish a method for determining the total
amount of performance incentive bonuses available to be paid to
all officers under the plan (the bonus pool). The
Compensation Committee is to establish the bonus pool based upon
specific measures of the Companys financial performance,
among them being the Companys sales, operating income,
pre-tax income, net income and earnings per share. For 2005, the
Compensation Committee has determined that the bonus pool will
be established based upon the Companys performance
relative to a specific operating income target, and that the
bonus pool will be established, and performance incentive bonus
awards will be paid, only if the Company meets this performance
measure. The plan also provides for the Compensation Committee
to establish individual performance goals, which include
financial and operational performance measures, for each officer
based upon his or her responsibility within the Company. Shortly
after the end of the year, the Compensation Committee is to
determine the amount of the performance incentive bonus award
for each officer by multiplying such officers percentage
achievement of his or her individual performance goals by such
officers allocable portion of the bonus pool. The amount
of the performance incentive bonus payable to an officer may
vary from zero to 200% of his or her annual base salary.
Long-Term Incentive Awards. The Company may grant
long-term, equity-based incentive awards to its executive
officers under the Companys Third Amended and Restated
1999 Equity Incentive Plan (the Equity Incentive
Plan). Under the Equity Incentive Plan, which is
administered by the Compensation Committee, the Company may
grant long-term, equity-based awards in the form of incentive
stock options, nonqualified stock options, stock appreciation
rights, restricted stock, phantom stock units, performance share
units, and stock bonuses. Based on an assessment of competitive
factors, the Compensation Committee determines an award that is
suitable for providing an adequate incentive for the performance
and retention of each executive officer. It is not intended that
such awards be granted on the basis of past corporate
performance or the size or amount of awards previously granted.
The Compensation Committees prevailing practice has been
to award stock options in order to closely align the interests
of the executive officers with those of the Companys
stockholders. In 2004, the Company granted stock options to
purchase a total of 950,000 shares of common stock to nine
executive officers. To encourage retention, the stock options
generally are granted with a vesting period over several years.
The stock
14
options granted to the executive officers in 2004 vest ratably
over four years. The Compensation Committee has taken the
position that stock options should be granted with an exercise
price that is equal to the fair market value of the common stock
on the date of grant, which is calculated as the average of the
high and low reported sale prices on the trading day immediately
prior to the grant date. The actual value of stock option
compensation, therefore, depends on the market value of the
common stock increasing after the date of grant.
Compensation of Chief Executive Officers. The Company had
two Chief Executive Officers in 2004, F. Barry Bays and
Laurence Y. Fairey. Mr. Bays served as the President and
Chief Executive Officer of the Company from January 1, 2004, to
June 30, 2004. Effective as of July 1, 2004,
Mr. Bays relinquished these positions and became the
Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors. At the same time,
Mr. Fairey, who initially had been elected a director of
the Company on January 26, 2004, succeeded Mr. Bays as
the President and Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Fairey
served in that capacity through December 31, 2004, and
remains the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company
as of the date of this Proxy Statement.
Mr. Bays had an employment agreement with the Company
covering his service as its President and Chief Executive
Officer.* Pursuant to the agreement, the Company paid
Mr. Bays a base salary of $135,000 during the first half of
2004. Mr. Bays also was eligible under the Companys
management incentive plan to receive a performance incentive
bonus calculated as a percentage of his base salary in the event
that the Company achieved certain performance objectives in
2004. Although his target bonus percentage was 50% of his base
salary, Mr. Bays actually received a performance incentive bonus
for the first half of 2004 in the amount of $79,650, or 59% of
his base salary for such period, due to the overachievement with
respect to certain of the performance criteria. In addition, on
March 25, 2004, the Company granted to Mr. Bays an
option to purchase 120,000 shares of common stock under the
Equity Incentive Plan. The exercise price of the option is
$30.11 per share, which was the market value of the common stock
on the date of grant. The option vests ratably over four years
and has a ten-year term. The Compensation Committee considers
the total compensation received by Mr. Bays for 2004 to be
reasonable and appropriate under the circumstances.
Similarly, Mr. Fairey has an employment agreement with the
Company covering his service as its President and Chief
Executive Officer. Pursuant to the agreement, the Company paid
Mr. Fairey a base salary of $175,000 during the second half
of 2004. Mr. Fairey also was eligible under the
Companys management incentive plan to receive a
performance incentive bonus calculated as a percentage of his
base salary in the event that the Company achieved certain
performance objectives in 2004. While his target bonus
percentage was 50% of his base salary, Mr. Fairey actually
received a performance incentive bonus for the second half of
2004 in the amount of $99,750, or 57% of his base salary for
such period, due to the overachievement with respect to certain
of the performance criteria. In addition, on July 1, 2004,
the Company granted to Mr. Fairey an option to purchase
580,000 shares of common stock under the Equity Incentive Plan.
The exercise price of the option is $35.68 per share, which was
the market value of the common stock on the date of grant. The
option vests ratably over four years and has a ten-year term.
The Compensation Committee considers the total compensation
received by Mr. Fairey for the second half of 2004 to be
reasonable and appropriate under the circumstances.
* * *
The foregoing report is provided by the undersigned members of
the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors.
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David D. Stevens (Chairman) |
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James E. Thomas |
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Elizabeth H. Weatherman |
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* |
This employment agreement was superseded as of July 1,
2004, by a new employment agreement with the Company relating to
Mr. Bays service as the Executive Chairman of the
Board of Directors. |
15
Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider
Participation
David D. Stevens, James E. Thomas, James T. Treace, and
Elizabeth H. Weatherman served as members of the Compensation
Committee of the Board of Directors in 2004. No member of the
Compensation Committee is or was an officer or employee of the
Company or any of its subsidiaries. In addition, no executive
officer of the Company served during 2004 as a director or a
member of the compensation committee of any entity that had an
executive officer serving as a director of the Company or a
member of the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors.
16
PROPOSAL 1 ELECTION OF DIRECTORS
Director Nominees
The Board of Directors proposes that the eight nominees listed
below be elected to serve as directors of the Company. Each
nominee is an incumbent director of the Company and has
consented to serve on the Board of Directors. The Board of
Directors does not know of any reason why any nominee would not
be able to serve as a director. However, if any nominee were to
become unable to serve as a director, the Board of Directors may
designate a substitute nominee, in which case the persons named
as proxies will vote for such substitute nominee.
F. Barry Bays. Mr. Bays, age 58, has been
a director of the Company since 2000 and its Executive Chairman
of the Board since July 2004. He was the President and Chief
Executive Officer of the Company from 2000 to June 2004.
Mr. Bays has 40 years of experience in the orthopaedic
medical device industry. He was the Senior Vice President and
Chief Operating Officer of Medtronic Xomed, Inc., and its
predecessor, Xomed Surgical Products, Inc., from 1996 to 2000.
Medtronic, Inc., acquired Xomed Surgical Products, Inc., a
leading manufacturer of surgical products used by ear, nose, and
throat (ENT) surgeons, in 1999 and thereafter
changed its name to Medtronic Xomed, Inc. Mr. Bays was a
director and the Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of
TreBay Medical Corp., a developer and manufacturer of ENT sinus
endoscopy products, from 1993 to 1996. He was the Executive Vice
President and Chief Operating Officer of Linvatec Corporation
from 1990 to 1993 and the Senior Vice President and Chief
Operating Officer of its predecessor, Concept, Inc., from 1981
to 1990. Bristol-Myers Squibb Company acquired Concept, Inc., a
leading manufacturer of orthopaedic arthroscopy products, in
1990 and thereafter changed its name to Linvatec Corporation.
Richard B. Emmitt. Mr. Emmitt, age 60, has been
a director of the Company since 1999. He has been a Managing
Director of The Vertical Group Inc., an investment management
and venture capital firm focused on the medical device industry,
since 1989. Mr. Emmitt is a director of American Medical
Systems Holdings, Inc. and Micro Therapeutics, Inc., both public
companies, as well as several privately held medical device
companies.
Laurence Y. Fairey. Mr. Fairey, age 54, has
been a director of the Company since January 2004 and its
President and Chief Executive Officer since July 2004. He is an
accomplished orthopaedic medical device executive with
28 years of service in the orthopaedic industry.
Mr. Fairey served in several executive capacities at
Medtronic Sofamor Danek, Inc., and its predecessor company,
Danek Group, Inc., from 1991 to his retirement in 2000,
including serving as the Executive Vice President and Chief
Financial Officer, the President of International, and, most
recently, the President of Neurologics. He held both financial
and operational executive positions with Smith & Nephew
Richards, Inc., and its predecessor, Richards Medical Company,
Inc., from 1973 to 1991.
David D. Stevens. Mr. Stevens, age 51, has been
a director of the Company since January 2004. He is the Chairman
of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Accredo Health,
Incorporated, a publicly held provider of specialized pharmacy
and related services to the biopharmaceutical industry. At
Accredo, Mr. Stevens has been its Chief Executive Officer
since 1996, a director since 1997, and the Chairman of the Board
since 1999. He also has held senior executive positions with
Nova Factor, Inc. and Southern Health Systems, Inc., both
subsidiaries of Accredo, since 1996 and 1983, respectively.
Mr. Stevens is a director of Thomas & Betts
Corporation, a public company.
James E. Thomas. Mr. Thomas, age 44, has been a
director of the Company since 1999. He has been a Managing
Partner of Thomas, McNerney & Partners, LLC, a private
equity investment partnership focused on the health care
industry, since 2001. Mr. Thomas was a member of Warburg
Pincus LLC, a private investment firm, from 1989 to 2000, where
he served as a Managing Director. He is a director of The
Medicines Company, Inc., a public company, as well as several
privately held companies.
Thomas E. Timbie. Mr. Timbie, age 47, has been
a director of the Company since 2000. He has been the interim
Chief Financial Officer of ev3 Inc., an endovascular
company, since January 2005. Mr. Timbie
17
also has been the President of Timbie & Company, LLC, a
financial consulting firm, since 2000. He was the interim Chief
Financial Officer of e-dr. Network, Inc., a business-to-business
exchange in the optical device market, during 2000. Mr. Timbie
was the Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Xomed
Surgical Products, Inc. from 1996 to 1999. He is a director of
American Medical Systems Holdings, Inc., a public company, as
well as one privately held medical device company. Warburg
Pincus, one of the Companys principal stockholders, is a
significant stockholder in these companies.
James T. Treace. Mr. Treace, age 59, has been a
director of the Company since 1999. He previously served as the
Chairman of the Board of the Company from 1999 to June 2004.
Mr. Treace has been the President of J&A Group, LLC, a
private investment and consulting company, since 2000. He was
the President of Medtronic Xomed, Inc., from 1999 to 2000 and
the Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, and
President of its predecessor, Xomed Surgical Products, Inc.,
from 1996 to 1999. Mr. Treace was the Chairman of the
Board, Chief Executive Officer, and President of TreBay Medical
Corp. from 1993 to 1996. He was the President of Linvatec
Corporation from 1990 to 1993 and the President and Chief
Executive Officer of its predecessor, Concept, Inc., from 1981
to 1990. Mr. Treace is the Chairman of the Board of Kyphon
Inc., a public company. He is the uncle of John T. Treace, the
Companys Vice President Biologics and
Extremity Marketing.
Elizabeth H. Weatherman. Ms. Weatherman,
age 45, has been a director of the Company since 1999. She
is a Managing Director and member of Warburg Pincus LLC where
she has been a member of the health care group since 1988.
Ms. Weatherman is responsible for Warburg Pincus LLCs
medical device investment activities. She is a director of
American Medical Systems Holdings, Inc., Kyphon Inc., and Micro
Therapeutics, Inc., all public companies, as well as several
privately held medical device companies.
Board of Directors Recommendation
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS THAT YOU VOTE FOR
EACH OF THE EIGHT NOMINEES FOR DIRECTOR LISTED ABOVE.
Each proxy solicited on behalf of the Board of Directors
will be voted FOR the election of the eight director
nominees unless the stockholder instructs otherwise in the proxy.
18
PROPOSAL 2 APPROVAL OF AMENDMENT OF EQUITY
INCENTIVE PLAN
Introduction
The Companys Third Amended and Restated 1999 Equity
Incentive Plan (the Equity Incentive Plan)
originally was adopted by the Board of Directors and approved by
the stockholders in 1999 and subsequently has been amended and
restated in 2001, 2003 and 2004. Under the Equity Incentive
Plan, the Company is authorized to grant equity-based awards in
the form of stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted
stock, phantom stock units, performance share units, and stock
bonuses to the employees (including executive officers),
directors, and consultants of the Company and its subsidiaries.
The purpose of the Equity Incentive Plan is to provide a means
for the Company to attract able persons to become and remain
employees and directors of and consultants to the Company and
its subsidiaries by providing them with long-term, equity-based
incentive compensation. The objectives of the Equity Incentive
Plan are to strengthen the commitment of employees, directors,
and consultants to the welfare of the Company and to promote an
identity of interest between them and the Companys
stockholders.
Summary of Proposed Amendment
The Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors has
reviewed the Equity Incentive Plan and has concluded that it
would be in the best interests of the Company and its
stockholders for the Equity Incentive Plan to be amended as
summarized below. The Compensation Committee has adopted an
amendment to the Equity Incentive Plan to effect these changes,
subject to approval by the Companys stockholders in a
manner that complies with applicable law, the rules and
regulations of the SEC, and the rules and regulations of the
Nasdaq Stock Market. If approved by the stockholders, the
amendment of the Equity Incentive Plan will become effective as
of May 12, 2005, the date of the meeting.
Increase in Shares Available. At present, the Company is
authorized to grant equity-based awards under the Equity
Incentive Plan for up to 8,267,051 shares of common stock. At
April 4, 2005, the Company had granted stock options and
stock bonuses to approximately 600 employees, consultants, and
directors. The Company thus far has not granted any stock
appreciation rights, restricted stock, phantom stock units, or
performance share units under the Equity Incentive Plan. At
April 4, 2005, the Company had issued 1,350,371 shares of
common stock pursuant to stock option exercises and 69,688
shares of common stock as stock bonuses, the Company had paid
cash in an amount equivalent to 52,356 shares of common stock to
offset the tax consequences of the stock bonuses, and there were
outstanding stock options to purchase 6,512,348 shares of common
stock. As a result, at April 4, 2005, there were 282,288
remaining shares of common stock available for future awards
under the Equity Incentive Plan.
Based on the Companys current compensation policies, the
Compensation Committee believes that in the near future there
will not be a sufficient number of shares of common stock
available for future awards under the Equity Incentive Plan in
order to enable the Company to continue to achieve its
objectives. Therefore, as contemplated in the amendment, the
maximum number of shares of common stock for which the Company
may grant awards under the Equity Incentive Plan will be
increased by 1,500,000 shares from 8,267,051 to 9,767,051
shares. The additional shares represent an 18.1% increase in the
number of authorized shares under the Equity Incentive Plan, but
constitute only 4.4% of the 33,898,252 shares of common stock
that were outstanding on April 4, 2005. The additional
1,500,000 shares, together with the existing 282,288 shares at
April 4, 2005, are expected to provide the Company with a
sufficient number of available shares of common stock to make
awards under the Equity Incentive Plan for the foreseeable
future.
Administrative Clarification. As contemplated in the
amendment, the Equity Incentive Plan also will be amended to
clarify that any and all shares of common stock that may be made
subject to awards under the Equity Incentive Plan may be issued
pursuant to incentive stock options. This change is intended to
comply with a recently issued regulation from the U.S.
Department of Treasury that requires equity incentive plans to
specify the number of shares of common stock that are eligible
to be issued pursuant to incentive stock options.
19
Summary of Equity Incentive Plan
The following is a summary of the detailed provisions of the
Equity Incentive Plan as proposed to be amended. The statements
contained herein are qualified in their entirety by reference to
the Fourth Amended and Restated 1999 Equity Incentive Plan which
sets forth the Equity Incentive Plan as so amended, a copy of
which is attached as Appendix A to this Proxy Statement.
General. The Equity Incentive Plan authorizes the Company
to grant to eligible persons the following types of equity-based
awards: options to purchase common stock that qualify as
incentive stock options within the meaning of
Section 422 of the Code; options to purchase common stock
that do not qualify as incentive stock options under the Code,
which also are referred to as nonqualified stock
options; stock appreciation rights, also known as
SARs; shares of restricted stock that are subject to
certain transferability and forfeiture restrictions that lapse
after specified restricted periods; phantom stock units;
performance share units; and stock bonuses.
Eligible Persons. Approximately 600 non-union employees,
consultants to and directors of the Company and its related
entities are eligible to receive equity-based awards under the
Equity Incentive Plan. Under present law, incentive stock
options may be granted only to employees.
Shares Available. As contemplated in the amendment, the
maximum number of shares of common stock subject to all awards
granted under the Equity Incentive Plan will be 9,767,051
shares. The maximum number of shares of common stock with
respect to which any one person may be granted options or SARs
during any one year is 600,000 shares. The awards granted under
the Equity Incentive Plan and the foregoing share limitations
are subject to equitable adjustment or substitution, as
determined by the Compensation Committee in its sole discretion,
in the event of certain changes in the Companys
outstanding shares of common stock or its capital structure
resulting from stock dividends, stock splits, reverse stock
splits, recapitalizations, reorganizations, mergers,
consolidations, combinations, exchanges, or other relevant
changes in capitalization. In the event that any option, SAR,
restricted stock, phantom stock unit, or performance share unit
expires or is surrendered, terminated, or forfeited, the shares
of common stock no longer subject to such award will be released
and thereafter available for new awards to be granted under the
Equity Incentive Plan.
Administration. The Compensation Committee of the Board
of Directors is authorized to administer the Equity Incentive
Plan. The Compensation Committee has the authority, subject to
the provisions of the Equity Incentive Plan, to establish,
adopt, or revise such rules and regulations and to make all such
determinations relating to the administration of the Equity
Incentive Plan as it may deem necessary or advisable. The
Compensation Committee has the power, subject to the provisions
of the Equity Incentive Plan, to select the eligible persons to
participate in the Equity Incentive Plan; determine the nature
and extent of the awards to be made to each participant;
determine the time when awards will be made to participants;
establish the performance goals and determine the period of time
within which performance is measured with respect to performance
share units; determine the period of time during which shares of
restricted stock are subject to restrictions; determine the
conditions for the payment of awards; and prescribe the forms of
agreements and documents evidencing the awards.
Types
of Equity-Based Awards
Stock Options. The Compensation Committee may
grant awards of stock options to eligible persons under the
Equity Incentive Plan. Nonqualified stock options may be granted
to all eligible persons, but incentive stock options may be
granted only to employees of the Company and its related
entities. The Compensation Committee may set the exercise price
of stock options, provided that the exercise price of incentive
stock options is not less than the fair market value of the
underlying common stock on the date of grant. Stock options will
vest and become exercisable in such a manner and on such date or
dates as are determined by the Compensation Committee. The stock
options will expire after a period not exceeding ten years from
the date of grant, as determined by the Compensation Committee,
subject to earlier termination in the event that the
participants employment or service with the Company or a
related entity ceases before the end of the option period. If an
incentive stock option is granted to a participant who owns or
is deemed to own
20
more than 10% of the combined voting power of all classes of the
Companys stock, the option period may not exceed five
years and the exercise price may not be less than 110% of the
fair market value of the underlying common stock on the date of
grant. Each stock option is to be evidenced by a stock option
agreement containing such provisions, consistent with the Equity
Incentive Plan, as are determined by the Compensation Committee.
Stock Appreciation Rights. The Compensation
Committee may grant awards of stock appreciation rights to
eligible persons, alone or in tandem with stock options,
pursuant to the Equity Incentive Plan. An SAR confers on the
participant the right to receive the value equal to the excess
of the fair market value of one share of common stock on the
date of exercise over the exercise price of the SAR. The Company
may pay an exercised SARs excess value in the form of
cash, shares of common stock, or a combination of both as
determined by the Compensation Committee. If, on the day that an
unexercised SAR is scheduled to expire, the fair market value of
the common stock exceeds the exercise price of the SAR, the SAR
will be deemed to have been exercised by the participant on such
last day, and the Company will make the appropriate payment
therefor. Each SAR is to be subject to such terms and conditions
as are imposed by the Compensation Committee and are not
inconsistent with the Equity Incentive Plan.
Restricted Stock. The Compensation Committee may
grant awards of restricted stock to eligible persons under the
Equity Incentive Plan. Upon the award of the restricted stock,
the Company issues a stock certificate evidencing the restricted
stock, which is registered in the participants name and
bears an appropriate legend, and either delivers it to the
participant or deposits it in escrow pending the expiration of
the restrictions. The participants rights to the
restricted stock are subject to certain transferability and
forfeiture restrictions during a restricted period which
commences on the date of grant of the restricted stock and
expires from time to time in accordance with a schedule
established by the Compensation Committee. While the
restrictions are in place, the participant generally has the
rights and privileges of a stockholder as to the restricted
stock, including the right to vote the restricted stock and to
receive dividends thereon. Upon the expiration of the restricted
period, the restrictions are of no further force or effect with
respect to the restricted stock, and any escrowed stock
certificate evidencing the restricted stock is delivered to the
participant. Each restricted stock award is to be evidenced by
an agreement between the Company and the participant setting
forth the applicable restrictions.
Phantom Stock Units. The Compensation Committee
may grant awards of phantom stock units to eligible persons
pursuant to the Equity Incentive Plan. A phantom stock unit is a
hypothetical investment equal to one share of common stock. The
Company does not issue any shares of common stock when a phantom
stock unit award is made, and the participant is not considered
a stockholder of the Company; however, the participant is
entitled to receive an amount of cash equal to the cash dividend
that the Company pays on a share of common stock for each
phantom stock unit then credited to the participants
account. The participants rights with respect to the
phantom stock units are subject to certain forfeiture provisions
during a restricted period which commences as of the date of
grant of the phantom stock units and expires from time to time
in accordance with a schedule established by the Compensation
Committee. Upon the expiration of the restricted period, the
Company delivers to the participant one share of common stock
for each phantom stock unit for which the restrictions have
expired and cash equal to any dividend equivalents credited with
respect to each such phantom stock unit. The terms and
conditions of each grant of phantom stock units are to be
reflected in a written award agreement.
Performance Share Units. The Compensation
Committee is authorized to establish performance share programs
and may grant awards of performance share units to eligible
persons in accordance with such programs under the Equity
Incentive Plan. The Compensation Committee determines the number
of performance share units to be granted to each eligible person
who is selected to receive such an award. At the beginning of
each performance measurement period, referred to in the Equity
Incentive Plan as an award period, the Compensation
Committee establishes written performance goals based on the
Companys financial objectives for such award period and a
schedule correlating the accomplishment of the performance goals
to the performance share units to be earned by the participants.
The performance goals may include absolute or relative growth in
earnings per share or rate of return on stockholders
equity or any other measurement of corporate performance and may
be determined on an individual basis or by categories of
21
participants. The Compensation Committee may adjust the
performance goals during the award period to account for certain
events affecting the Company. At the completion of the award
period, the Compensation Committee calculates the number of
shares of common stock earned with respect to each
participants performance share unit award by multiplying
the number of performance share units granted to the participant
by a performance factor representing the degree of attainment of
the performance goals. Payment of earned performance share units
is made in the form of shares of common stock or, at the
Compensation Committees discretion, cash if requested by
the participant.
Stock Bonuses. The Compensation Committee may
issue unrestricted shares of common stock to eligible persons
pursuant to the Equity Incentive Plan. The Compensation
Committee may grant the stock awards as or in payment of a bonus
to the participant, to provide incentives for the participant,
or to recognize the participants special achievements or
contributions.
Transferability. A participants interest in and
rights under the Equity Incentive Plan, including amounts
receivable on account of the equity-based awards granted
thereunder, may not be sold, assigned, donated, transferred, or
otherwise disposed of, and may not be mortgaged, pledged or
encumbered, except in the event of a participants death to
a designated beneficiary to the extent permitted in the Equity
Incentive Plan, or by will or the laws of descent and
distribution in the absence of any such designation. The
Compensation Committee, however, may allow for the transfer of
awards other than incentive stock options to other persons or
entities.
Change of Control Provisions. Under the Companys
standard stock option agreement for executive officers, if the
Company experiences a change of control, all the then unvested
options will automatically vest and be fully exercisable and
will remain so exercisable in accordance with the terms of the
option agreement. For purposes of the option agreements, a
change of control is defined as any of the following
events:
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the acquisition by any individual, entity, or group of
beneficial ownership of 50% or more (on a fully diluted basis)
of either (1) the then outstanding shares of the
Companys common stock, taking into account certain share
equivalents, or (2) the combined voting power of the
Companys then outstanding voting securities that are
entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, unless
the acquisition (a) is pursuant to an initial public
offering by the Company or (b) is effected by the Company,
any affiliate of the Company, or any employee benefit plan (or
related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Company or any of
its affiliates; |
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the consummation of a reorganization, merger, consolidation, or
sale or other disposition of all or substantially all the assets
of the Company, unless, following the transaction, (1) all
or substantially all the individuals and entities who were the
beneficial owners, respectively, of the then outstanding shares
of the Companys common stock, taking into account certain
share equivalents, and the Companys then outstanding
voting securities that are entitled to vote generally in the
election of directors immediately prior to the transaction
continue to beneficially own more than 60%, respectively, of the
then outstanding shares of common stock and the combined voting
power of the then outstanding voting securities that are
entitled to vote generally in the election of directors of the
corporation resulting from the transaction (the new
entity) in substantially the same ownership proportions as
prior to the transaction; (2) no unrelated party
beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, (a) 50% or more
(on a fully diluted basis) of the then outstanding shares of
common stock of the new entity, taking into account certain
share equivalents, or (b) 50% or more of the combined
voting power of the outstanding voting securities of the new
entity, except in each case to the extent that such ownership
existed prior to the transaction; (3) at least a majority
of the members of the board of directors of the new entity were
incumbent members of the Board of Directors of the Company at
the time of the execution of the initial agreement providing for
the transaction; and (4) immediately following the
transaction, the executive officer has the same position in the
ultimate parent entity of the new entity, or if there is no such
parent entity, the new entity; |
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the sale of at least 80% of the Companys assets to an
unrelated party or the completion of a transaction having a
similar effect; |
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the approval by the Companys stockholders of a complete
liquidation or dissolution of the Company; or |
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the individuals who constitute the Board of Directors of the
Company on the date of the stock option agreement, and any other
individual who becomes a member of the Board of Directors after
the date of the agreement and whose election or nomination was
approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of the Companys
then current directors, thereafter cease to constitute at least
a majority of the Board of Directors. |
Amendment and Termination. The Board of Directors may
terminate the Equity Incentive Plan at any time. The Board of
Directors or the Compensation Committee may suspend and, if
suspended, reinstate the Equity Incentive Plan in whole or in
part at any time and from time to time. Any amendment of the
Equity Incentive Plan must be approved by the Companys
stockholders to the extent that such approval is required by the
Equity Incentive Plan, applicable law, the rules and regulations
of the securities and Exchange Commission, or the rules and
regulations of any national securities exchange on which the
common stock is then listed or the Nasdaq Stock Market or any
other automated quotation system on which the common stock is
then quoted.
Federal Income Tax Consequences
The following is a summary of the material anticipated United
States federal income tax consequences of the Equity Incentive
Plan to the Company and the participants. The summary is based
on current federal income tax law, which is subject to change,
and does not address state, local, or foreign tax consequences
or considerations.
Stock Options. The grant of a stock option that does not
have a readily ascertainable value will not result in taxable
income at the time of the grant for either the Company or the
optionee. Upon exercising an incentive stock option, the
optionee will have no taxable income (except that the
alternative minimum tax may apply) and the Company will receive
no deduction. Upon exercising a nonqualified stock option, the
optionee will recognize ordinary income in the amount by which
the fair market value of the common stock at the time of
exercise exceeds the option exercise price, and the Company will
be entitled to a deduction for the same amount. The
optionees income is subject to withholding tax as wages.
The tax treatment of the optionee upon a disposition of shares
of common stock acquired through the exercise of a stock option
is dependent upon the length of time that the shares have been
held and on whether such shares were acquired by exercising an
incentive stock option or a nonqualified stock option. If an
employee exercises an incentive stock option and holds the
shares for two years from the date of grant and one year after
exercise, then any gain or loss realized based on the exercise
price of the option will be treated as long-term capital gain or
loss. Shares obtained upon exercise of an incentive stock option
that are sold without satisfying these holding periods will be
treated as shares received from the exercise of a nonqualified
stock option. Generally, upon the sale of shares obtained by
exercising a nonqualified stock option, the optionee will treat
the gain realized on the sale as a capital gain. Generally,
there will be no tax consequence to the Company in connection
with the disposition of shares of common stock acquired under an
option, except that the Company may be entitled to a deduction
in the case of a disposition of shares acquired upon exercise of
an incentive stock option before the applicable holding periods
have been satisfied.
Stock Appreciation Rights. The grant of an SAR will not
result in taxable income to the participant at the time of
grant. Upon exercising the SAR, the participant will recognize
ordinary income in the amount by which the fair market value of
the common stock or the amount of cash, as the case may be,
exceeds the SAR exercise price, if any. The participants
income is subject to withholding tax as wages. The Company will
be entitled to a deduction for the same amount. Upon a
disposition of shares of common stock acquired through the
exercise of the SAR, the participant may recognize capital gain
or loss, the character of which is dependent upon the length of
time that the shares have been held. Generally, there will be no
tax consequence to the Company in connection with the
disposition of shares of common stock acquired under an SAR.
Restricted Stock. An award of shares of common stock that
is limited in terms of transferability and is subject to a
substantial risk of forfeiture i.e.,
restricted stock will not result in taxable income
to the participant at the time of grant. Prior to the lapse of
either of the restrictions on the restricted stock, any
dividends received on such shares will be treated as ordinary
compensation income to the participant. Upon
23
the lapse of either of the restrictions, the participant will
recognize ordinary income in the amount of the fair market value
of the shares of common stock at the time that the restriction
lapses.
Alternatively, within 30 days after receipt of the
restricted stock, a participant may make an election under
Section 83(b) of the Code, which would allow the
participant to include in income in the year that the restricted
common stock is awarded an amount equal to the fair market value
of the restricted stock on the date of such award determined as
if the restricted common stock were not subject to restrictions.
If the Section 83(b) election is made, the participant will
not recognize income at the time that the restrictions actually
lapse. For purposes of determining the period of time that the
participant holds the restricted stock, the holding period
begins on the award date when a participant makes a
Section 83(b) election. Further, any dividends received
after the Section 83(b) election is made will constitute
ordinary income. If the restricted stock subject to the
Section 83(b) election is subsequently forfeited, however,
the participant is not entitled to a deduction or tax refund.
The Company will be entitled to a deduction for the year in
which the participant recognizes ordinary income with respect to
the restricted stock in an amount equal to such income.
Phantom Stock Units. The grant of a phantom stock unit
will not result in taxable income to the participant at the time
of grant. Further, the participant will have no taxable income
upon lapse of the restrictions. At the time that the Company
makes payment with respect to the phantom stock unit, the
participant will recognize ordinary income in an amount equal to
the fair market value of the shares of common stock received or
in the amount of the cash received, as the case may be. The
Company will be entitled to a deduction at the time of payment
in an amount equal to such income.
Performance Share Units. The grant of a performance share
unit will not result in taxable income to the participant at the
time of grant. At the time that the Company makes payment with
respect to the performance share units, the participant will
recognize ordinary income in an amount equal to the fair market
value of the shares of common stock received or in the amount of
the cash received, as the case may be. The Company will be
entitled to a deduction at the time of payment in an amount
equal to such income.
Stock Bonuses. A participant who receives a stock bonus
will recognize ordinary income upon receipt of the stock in an
amount equal to the fair market value of the stock on the date
of grant. The Company will be entitled to a deduction at the
time of grant in an amount equal to such income.
Effect of Section 162(m) of the Code.
Section 162(m) of the Code limits to $1 million per
person the annual amount that the Company may deduct for
compensation paid to any of its most highly compensated
employees. Compensation payable as a result of the attainment of
performance goals is excluded from this limit. To qualify as
performance-based compensation, the Equity Incentive Plan and
the awards made thereunder must meet certain requirements. For
example, stock options and SARs granted with an exercise price
not less than the fair market value of the underlying shares of
common stock are considered performance-based compensation, so
long as the Equity Incentive Plan and the stock option or SAR
meet certain requirements, because the amount of compensation is
attributable to an increase in the price of the common stock.
Restricted stock awards may or may not qualify as
performance-based compensation, depending on whether the vesting
of the restricted stock is based on the attainment of
performance-based goals. The Companys policy is to grant
awards meeting the requirements of Section 162(m) and
applicable regulations to its most highly compensated employees.
Common Stock Price
The last sale price of the Companys common stock on
April 4, 2005, as reported by the Nasdaq Stock Market, was
$23.27 per share.
Award Grants
Past Award Grants. The table below sets forth information
regarding the number of equity-based awards, all of which are
stock options, that have been made under the Equity Incentive
Plan as of April 4, 2005, to (1) each of the
Companys executive officers who are named in the
Summary Compensation Information table, (2) all
current executive officers as a group, (3) all current
directors who are not
24
executive officers as a group, and (4) all employees who
are not executive officers as a group. There is no separate
disclosure with respect to director nominees, because all of
them currently are directors of the Company whose information is
already shown in the table. There is no applicable disclosure to
be made with regard to any associate of the Companys
current directors, director nominees, and executive officers or
any other recipient of 5% or more of the stock options.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Number of Shares of Common | |
Name or Category |
|
Stock Underlying Options | |
|
|
| |
F. Barry Bays
|
|
|
972,273 |
|
|
Executive Chairman of the Board and former President and
Chief Executive Officer |
|
|
|
|
Laurence Y. Fairey
|
|
|
600,000 |
|
|
President and Chief Executive Officer |
|
|
|
|
John K. Bakewell
|
|
|
264,091 |
|
|
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer |
|
|
|
|
R. Glen Coleman
|
|
|
237,727 |
|
|
President U.S. Sales and Marketing |
|
|
|
|
Brian T. Ennis
|
|
|
135,000 |
|
|
Former President International |
|
|
|
|
Jeffrey G. Roberts
|
|
|
197,273 |
|
|
Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer |
|
|
|
|
All current executive officers as a group
|
|
|
2,657,986 |
|
All current directors who are not executive officers as a group
|
|
|
321,362 |
|
All employees who are not executive officers as a group
|
|
|
6,286,855 |
|
Future Award Grants. The granting of equity-based awards
under the Equity Incentive Plan is at the discretion of the
Compensation Committee. The Compensation Committee has not yet
determined any awards that will be granted under the Equity
Incentive Plan, as it is proposed to be amended, to the persons
and groups of persons identified in the preceding table. In
addition, if the Equity Incentive Plan, as so amended, had been
in effect in 2004, such persons and groups of persons would not
have received awards that were any different in type or amount
than those that they actually received in 2004. See
Executive Officers and Executive Compensation
Stock Option Grants in 2004 for information regarding the
stock options granted in 2004 to the Companys executive
officers named in the Summary Compensation
Information table.
Board of Directors Recommendation
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS THAT YOU VOTE FOR
THE APPROVAL OF THE AMENDMENT OF THE EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN
TO (A) INCREASE BY 1,500,000 THE NUMBER OF SHARES OF COMMON
STOCK AVAILABLE FOR AWARDS THEREUNDER AND (B) MAKE AN
ADMINISTRATIVE CLARIFICATION TO THE PLAN RELATING TO THE SHARES
OF COMMON STOCK ISSUABLE PURSUANT TO INCENTIVE STOCK OPTIONS.
Each proxy solicited on behalf of the Board of Directors
will be voted FOR the approval of the amendment of the Equity
Incentive Plan unless the stockholder instructs otherwise in the
proxy.
25
PROPOSAL 3 RATIFICATION OF SELECTION OF
INDEPENDENT AUDITOR
General
The Audit Committee of the Board of Directors has selected KPMG
LLP (KPMG) as the independent auditor to perform the
audit of the Companys consolidated financial statements
for 2005. KPMG has audited the Companys consolidated
financial statements since 2002. KPMG is a registered public
accounting firm.
The Board of Directors is asking the stockholders to ratify the
selection of KPMG as the Companys independent auditor for
2005. Although not required by law, the NASDs listing
standards, or the Companys bylaws, the Board of Directors
is submitting the selection of KPMG to the stockholders for
ratification as a matter of good corporate practice. Even if the
selection is ratified, the Audit Committee in its discretion may
select a different registered public accounting firm at any time
during the year if it determines that such a change would be in
the best interests of the Company and its stockholders.
Representatives of KPMG are expected to be present at the
meeting. They will have an opportunity to make a statement if
they so desire and will be available to respond to appropriate
questions from the Companys stockholders.
Board of Directors Recommendation
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS THAT YOU VOTE FOR
THE RATIFICATION OF THE SELECTION OF KPMG AS THE
COMPANYS INDEPENDENT AUDITOR FOR 2005. Each proxy
solicited on behalf of the Board of Directors will be voted
FOR the ratification of the selection of KPMG as the
Companys independent auditor for 2005 unless the
stockholder instructs otherwise in the proxy. If the
stockholders do not ratify the selection, the matter will be
reconsidered by the Audit Committee and the Board of Directors.
Audit and Non-Audit Services
The Audit Committee is directly responsible for the appointment,
compensation, and oversight of the Companys independent
auditor. In addition to retaining KPMG to audit the
Companys consolidated financial statements for 2004, the
Audit Committee retained KPMG to provide other auditing and
advisory services in 2004. The Audit Committee understands the
need for KPMG to maintain objectivity and independence in its
audits of the Companys financial statements. The Audit
Committee has reviewed all non-audit services provided by KPMG
in 2004 and has concluded that the provision of such services
was compatible with maintaining KPMGs independence in the
conduct of its auditing functions.
To help ensure the independence of the independent auditor, the
Audit Committee has adopted a policy for the pre-approval of all
audit and non-audit services to be performed for the Company by
its independent auditor. Pursuant to this policy, all audit and
non-audit services to be performed by the independent auditor
must be approved in advance by the Audit Committee. The Audit
Committee may delegate to one or more of its members the
authority to grant the required approvals, provided that any
exercise of such authority is presented to the full Audit
Committee at its next regularly scheduled meeting.
26
The table below sets forth the aggregate fees billed by KPMG for
audit and non-audit services provided to the Company in 2004 and
2003.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fees |
|
2004 | |
|
2003 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
Audit Fees
|
|
$ |
1,227,101 |
|
|
$ |
582,000 |
|
Audit-Related Fees
|
|
|
442,682 |
|
|
|
103,000 |
|
Tax Fees:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tax Compliance Fees
|
|
|
62,936 |
|
|
|
31,050 |
|
|
All Other Tax Fees
|
|
|
89,650 |
|
|
|
177,732 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total Tax Fees
|
|
|
152,586 |
|
|
|
208,782 |
|
All Other Fees
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
|
|
$ |
1,822,369 |
|
|
$ |
893,782 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
In the above table, in accordance with the SECs
definitions and rules, audit fees are fees for
professional services for the audit of a companys
financial statements included in the annual report on
Form 10-K, for the review of a companys financial
statements included in the quarterly reports on Form 10-Q,
and for services that are normally provided by the accountant in
connection with statutory and regulatory filings or engagements;
audit-related fees are fees for assurance and
related services that are reasonably related to the performance
of the audit or review of a companys financial statements;
tax fees are fees for tax compliance, tax advice and
tax planning; and all other fees are fees for any
services not included in the first three categories. In 2004,
the Company incurred incremental audit fees and audit-related
fees to comply with the requirements of Section 404 of the
Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
Other Independence Measures
The Company has taken additional steps to ensure the
independence of its independent auditor. The Audit Committee
requires that the lead and concurring partners assigned to the
audit of the Companys consolidated financial statements
are rotated off the independent auditors audit engagement
at least every five years. The Board of Directors, upon the
recommendation of the Audit Committee, also has adopted a policy
restricting the hiring of employees or former employees of the
independent auditor who participated in any capacity in the
audit of the Companys consolidated financial statements.
27
EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
Executive Officers and Other Senior Management
The table below sets forth certain information concerning the
executive officers and other senior management of the Company.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Name |
|
Age | |
|
Position(s) |
|
|
| |
|
|
F. Barry Bays
|
|
|
58 |
|
|
Executive Chairman of the Board |
Laurence Y. Fairey
|
|
|
54 |
|
|
President and Chief Executive Officer |
John K. Bakewell
|
|
|
43 |
|
|
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer |
R. Glen Coleman
|
|
|
50 |
|
|
President U.S. Sales and Marketing |
Jeffrey G. Roberts
|
|
|
46 |
|
|
Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer |
William J. Flannery
|
|
|
51 |
|
|
Vice President Logistics and Materials |
Kyle M. Joines
|
|
|
37 |
|
|
Vice President Manufacturing |
Jason P. Hood
|
|
|
40 |
|
|
Vice President, General Counsel, and Secretary |
Lance A. Berry
|
|
|
32 |
|
|
Vice President and Corporate Controller |
Aldo M. Denti
|
|
|
37 |
|
|
Vice President and General Manager OrthoRecon |
Karen L. Harris
|
|
|
43 |
|
|
Vice President International Sales and Distribution |
Joyce B. Jones
|
|
|
52 |
|
|
Vice President and Treasurer |
Steven A. Kahn
|
|
|
47 |
|
|
Vice President Regulatory Affairs and
Quality Systems |
William F. Scott
|
|
|
59 |
|
|
Vice President and General Manager Sales and
Marketing Services |
Michael B. Sheldon
|
|
|
54 |
|
|
Vice President International Marketing |
Joseph J. Sinkovich
|
|
|
36 |
|
|
Vice President U.S. Sales |
John T. Treace
|
|
|
33 |
|
|
Vice President and General Manager Biologics and
Extremities |
Stephen E. White
|
|
|
40 |
|
|
Vice President Development OrthoRecon |
F. Barry Bays has been a director of the Company since 2000
and its Executive Chairman of the Board since July 2004. He was
the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company from
2000 to June 2004. Mr. Bays has 40 years of experience
in the orthopaedic medical device industry. He was the Senior
Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Medtronic Xomed,
Inc., and its predecessor, Xomed Surgical Products, Inc., from
1996 to 2000. Mr. Bays was a director and the Vice
President and Chief Operating Officer of TreBay Medical Corp., a
developer and manufacturer of ENT sinus endoscopy products, from
1993 to 1996. He was the Executive Vice President and Chief
Operating Officer of Linvatec Corporation from 1990 to 1993 and
the Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of its
predecessor, Concept, Inc., from 1981 to 1990.
Laurence Y. Fairey has been a director of the Company since
January 2004 and its President and Chief Executive Officer since
July 2004. He is an accomplished orthopaedic medical device
executive with 28 years of service in the orthopaedic
industry. Mr. Fairey served in several executive capacities
at Medtronic Sofamor Danek, Inc., and its predecessor company,
Danek Group, Inc., from 1991 to his retirement in 2000,
including serving as the Executive Vice President and Chief
Financial Officer, the President of International, and, most
recently, the President of Neurologics. He held both financial
and operational executive positions with Smith & Nephew
Richards, Inc., and its predecessor, Richards Medical Company,
Inc., from 1973 to 1991.
John K. Bakewell has been the Executive Vice President and Chief
Financial Officer of the Company since 2000. He was the Vice
President of Finance and Administration and Chief Financial
Officer of Altra Energy Technologies, Inc., a software and
e-commerce solutions provider to the energy industry, from 1998
to 2000. Mr. Bakewell was the Vice President of Finance and
Administration and Chief Financial Officer of
28
Cyberonics, Inc., a publicly held manufacturer of medical
devices for the treatment of epilepsy and other neurological
disorders, from 1993 to 1998. He was the Chief Financial Officer
of ZEOS International Ltd., a publicly held manufacturer and
direct marketer of personal computers and related products, from
1990 to 1993.
R. Glen Coleman has been the President U.S. Sales
and Marketing of the Company since November 2004. He previously
served the Company as the Senior Vice President U.S.
Sales and Marketing from 2003 to November 2004 and as the Senior
Vice President Marketing from 2001 to 2003.
Mr. Coleman was the Vice President of Marketing for
Medtronic Xomed, Inc., and its predecessor, Xomed Surgical
Products, Inc., from 1996 to 2000. He held several management
positions at Linvatec Corporation and its predecessor, Concept,
Inc., from 1983 to 1996, including service as the Vice President
of Global Marketing in 1996, the Vice President of Sales from
1993 to 1996, the Vice President and General Manager of the
Concept Division from 1991 to 1993, and the Vice President of
Research and Development from 1989 to 1991.
Jeffrey G. Roberts has been the Senior Vice President and Chief
Technical Officer of the Company since November 2004. He
previously served the Company as the Vice President
Research and Development from 2000 to November 2004 and the Vice
President Product Development during 2000.
Mr. Roberts has 21 years of experience in the
orthopaedic medical device industry and has been involved in the
design, development, and manufacture of many orthopaedic
devices, implants, and instruments for both total joint and
arthroscopic applications. He was employed by Aquarius Medical
Corporation, a development-stage medical device company, in
various technical positions from 1996 to 2000, most recently as
the Vice President of Research and Development and the Vice
President of Clinical Affairs. Mr. Roberts was the
President of Arthrotek, Inc., a subsidiary of Biomet Inc., from
1994 to 1996. He held various technical positions, including
Vice President of Research and Development, with Linvatec
Corporation and its predecessor, Concept, Inc., from 1988 to
1994.
William J. Flannery has been the Vice President
Logistics and Materials of the Company since September 2004. He
previously served the Company as the Senior Director
Materials and Purchasing from 1994 to September 2004. Mr.
Flannery has 27 years of experience in the orthopaedic
medical device industry. He was employed by United States
Surgical Corporation, a manufacturer of products used to perform
minimally invasive surgical procedures, in various operational
positions from 1978 to 1994, where he ultimately served as the
Senior Director of Materials.
Kyle M. Joines has been the Vice President
Manufacturing of the Company since September 2004. He previously
served the Company as the Senior Director
Manufacturing from 2001 to September 2004 and the
Director Manufacturing from 1998 to 2001 and has
held various other production positions with the Company since
1993. Mr. Joines was employed by Precision Castparts Corp.,
a global manufacturer of complex metal components and products,
from 1990 to 1992, where he ultimately served as the Foundry
Coordinator.
Jason P. Hood has been a Vice President of the Company since
2002 and its General Counsel and Secretary since 1998. He
previously served the Company as Corporate Counsel in 1998.
Mr. Hood was an attorney with Sedgwick Noble Lowndes, an
international employee benefits consulting firm, from 1997 to
1998. He was an associate with the law firm of Glankler Brown,
PLLC, from 1994 to 1997, where he concentrated his practice in
employment law and general civil litigation. Mr. Hood is
licensed to practice law in the State of Tennessee.
Lance A. Berry has been a Vice President of the Company since
April 2004 and its Corporate Controller since 2002. He was an
accountant in the auditing division of Arthur Andersen, LLP,
from 1995 to 2002, where he held various positions of increasing
responsibility, most recently as Audit Manager, and his clients
consisted primarily of multinational and public companies.
Mr. Berry is a certified public accountant.
Aldo M. Denti has been the Vice President and General
Manager OrthoRecon of the Company since November
2004. He previously served the Company as the Senior
Director Large Joints from April 2004 to November
2004. Mr. Denti has 15 years of experience in the
orthopaedic medical device industry. He was employed by
Medtronic Sofamor Danek, Inc., in various marketing positions
from 1999 to April 2004, most
29
recently serving as the Vice President of Marketing for the
Minimally Invasive Spinal Technologies division. Mr. Denti
was employed by Howmedica Inc., a subsidiary of Styker
Corporation, in various marketing positions from 1991 to 1999,
where he ultimately served as the Group Manager for the External
Fixation Trauma line.
Karen L. Harris has been the Vice President
International Sales and Distribution of the Company since 1998.
She previously served the Company as the Vice
President European Business Development from 1997 to
1998. Ms. Harris was employed by MicroAire Surgical Instruments,
Inc., in various sales and marketing positions from 1990 to
1997, most recently serving as the Director of International
Sales and Marketing.
Joyce B. Jones has been the Vice President and Treasurer of the
Company since 2002. She previously served the Company as the
Vice President Finance and Controller from 1998 to
2002 and has held various other finance and accounting positions
with the Company since 1989. Ms. Jones was the Corporate
Controller of Insituform Technologies, Inc., a provider of
specialized pipeline rehabilitation technologies and services,
from 1986 to 1989.
Steven A. Kahn has been the Vice President
Regulatory Affairs and Quality Systems of the Company since
January 2005. He was employed by DePuy Orthopaedics, Inc., a
subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, in various regulatory and
quality positions from 1991 to 2004, where he ultimately served
as a Regulatory Affairs Director. Mr. Kahn was employed by
Bayer HealthCare, a pharmaceutical and medical device company,
in various quality control positions from 1981 to 1991.
William F. Scott has been the Vice President and General
Manager Sales and Marketing Services of the Company
since November 2004. He previously served the Company as the
Vice President U.S. Sales from 2003 to November
2004, the Senior Director Sales Administration from
2001 to 2003, and the Senior Director Regional Sales
in 2001. Mr. Scott was the Vice President of Domestic Sales
of Medtronic Xomed, Inc., from 1999 to 2001 and the Director of
Sales Administration of its predecessor, Xomed Surgical
Products, Inc., from 1997 to 1999. He was the Director of Sales
of Interpore International, Inc., an orthopaedic medical device
company, from 1996 to 1997. Mr. Scott was employed by Smith
& Nephew Richards, Inc., and its predecessor, Richards
Medical Company, Inc., in various sales and marketing positions
from 1966 to 1996, most recently serving as the Vice President
of International Sales of ENT.
Michael B. Sheldon has been the Vice President
International Marketing of the Company since March 2005. He
previously served the Company as the Senior Director
International Marketing from 2002 to March 2005.
Mr. Sheldon was employed by Howmedica Osteonics Corp., a
subsidiary of Stryker Corporation, in various marketing
positions from 1986 to 2001, where he ultimately served as the
Program Manager for the Knee Team Business Unit.
Joseph J. Sinkovich has been the Vice President U.S.
Sales of the Company since November 2004. He previously served
the Company as the Senior Director U.S. Sales from
March 2004 to November 2004 and the Senior Director
Domestic Biologics Sales from 2003 to March 2004 and has held
various other sales and marketing positions with the Company
since 2000. Mr. Sinkovich served as the Area Manager of
Medtronic Xomed, Inc., and its predecessor, Xomed Surgical
Products, Inc., from 1995 to 2000.
John T. Treace has been the Vice President and General
Manager Biologics and Extremity Marketing of the
Company since 2003. He previously served the Company as the
Senior Director Biologics Marketing from 2001 to
2003. Mr. Treace was the Director of Marketing of Medtronic
Xomed, Inc., and its predecessor, Xomed Surgical Products, Inc.,
from 1996 to 2000. He was the Director of Marketing of TreBay
Medical Corp. from 1994 to 1996. Mr. Treace is the nephew
of James T. Treace, a director of the Company.
Stephen E. White has been the Vice President
Development OrthoRecon of the Company since November
2004. He previously served the Company as the Senior
Director Regional Sales from April 2004 to November
2004 and as the Senior Director Marketing for Large
Joint Reconstruction products from 2000 to March 2004 and has
held various other research and development positions with the
Company since 1995. Mr. White was the Research Director of
Biomechanical Research Lab, an orthopaedic research laboratory,
from 1989 to 1995.
30
Code of Business Conduct
The Company has adopted a Code of Business Conduct which applies
to all directors, officers, employees and agents of the Company
and its subsidiaries. The Code of Business Conduct satisfies the
SECs requirements for a code of ethics and the
NASDs requirements for a code of conduct. The
Code of Business Conduct is posted on the Companys website
at www.wmt.com/corporate/codeofconduct.pdf; however, the
information on the Companys website is not a part of this
Proxy Statement. The Code of Business Conduct may be waived for
any director or officer only by the Board of Directors upon the
recommendation of both its Nominating and Corporate Governance
Committee and the Companys Ethics Officer. The Board of
Directors has no present intention to permit any waiver of the
Code of Business Conduct for any director or officer.
31
Summary Compensation Information
The table below sets forth summary compensation information for
the Companys two Chief Executive Officers in 2004 and for
each of the four other most highly compensated executive
officers of the Company who were serving in such capacities on
December 31, 2004.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Long-Term | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Compensation | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Annual Compensation | |
|
Shares of | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
Common Stock | |
|
All Other | |
Name and Principal Positions |
|
Year | |
|
Salary | |
|
Bonus | |
|
Other(1) | |
|
Underlying Options | |
|
Compensation(2) | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
F. Barry
Bays(3)
|
|
|
2004 |
|
|
$ |
185,000 |
|
|
$ |
108,150 |
|
|
$ |
11,255 |
|
|
|
120,000 |
|
|
$ |
5,550 |
|
|
Executive Chairman of |
|
|
2003 |
|
|
|
270,000 |
|
|
|
202,500 |
|
|
|
10,200 |
|
|
|
50,000 |
|
|
|
5,100 |
|
|
the Board and former |
|
|
2002 |
|
|
|
270,000 |
|
|
|
156,708 |
|
|
|
10,200 |
|
|
|
75,000 |
|
|
|
5,100 |
|
|
President and Chief Executive Officer |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Laurence Y.
Fairey(4)
|
|
|
2004 |
|
|
|
175,000 |
|
|
|
99,750 |
|
|
|
7,361 |
|
|
|
600,000 |
|
|
|
5,250 |
|
|
President and Chief |
|
|
2003 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Executive Officer |
|
|
2002 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
John K. Bakewell
|
|
|
2004 |
|
|
|
214,375 |
|
|
|
124,311 |
|
|
|
10,460 |
|
|
|
45,000 |
|
|
|
6,150 |
|
|
Executive Vice |
|
|
2003 |
|
|
|
204,275 |
|
|
|
153,206 |
|
|
|
11,400 |
|
|
|
20,000 |
|
|
|
5,100 |
|
|
President and Chief |
|
|
2002 |
|
|
|
195,700 |
|
|
|
113,570 |
|
|
|
12,900 |
|
|
|
10,000 |
|
|
|
5,100 |
|
|
Financial Officer |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
R. Glen Coleman
|
|
|
2004 |
|
|
|
223,000 |
|
|
|
96,888 |
|
|
|
8,732 |
|
|
|
30,000 |
|
|
|
6,150 |
|
|
President U.S. Sales |
|
|
2003 |
|
|
|
199,937 |
|
|
|
125,153 |
|
|
|
7,200 |
|
|
|
45,000 |
|
|
|
5,100 |
|
|
and Marketing |
|
|
2002 |
|
|
|
187,250 |
|
|
|
49,628 |
|
|
|
7,788 |
|
|
|
10,000 |
|
|
|
5,100 |
|
|
Brian T. Ennis
(5)
|
|
|
2004 |
|
|
|
222,275 |
|
|
|
111,983 |
|
|
|
19,951 |
|
|
|
30,000 |
|
|
|
6,150 |
|
|
Former President |
|
|
2003 |
|
|
|
212,925 |
|
|
|
143,724 |
|
|
|
18,300 |
|
|
|
20,000 |
|
|
|
94,557 |
(6) |
|
International |
|
|
2002 |
|
|
|
205,025 |
|
|
|
102,385 |
|
|
|
15,300 |
|
|
|
10,000 |
|
|
|
5,100 |
|
|
Jeffrey G. Roberts
|
|
|
2004 |
|
|
|
202,825 |
|
|
|
98,458 |
|
|
|
4,982 |
|
|
|
40,000 |
|
|
|
6,085 |
|
|
Senior Vice President |
|
|
2003 |
|
|
|
187,375 |
|
|
|
126,478 |
|
|
|
4,500 |
|
|
|
20,000 |
|
|
|
5,100 |
|
|
and Chief Technology |
|
|
2002 |
|
|
|
176,750 |
|
|
|
90,507 |
|
|
|
6,575 |
|
|
|
10,000 |
|
|
|
5,100 |
|
|
Officer |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
The other annual compensation paid to the Companys
executive officers consists of perquisites and other personal
benefits in the nature of car allowances, life insurance
policies, and other nominal benefits. |
|
|
(2) |
Except as otherwise noted, the other compensation paid to the
Companys executive officers consists of matching
contributions under the Companys 401(k) plan. |
|
|
(3) |
Mr. Bays relinquished his position as the President and
Chief Executive Officer of the Company and became its Executive
Chairman of the Board on July 1, 2004. |
|
|
(4) |
Mr. Fairey became the President and Chief Executive Officer
of the Company on July 1, 2004. |
|
|
(5) |
Mr. Ennis relinquished his position as the
President International of the Company and became an
Assistant to the President on April 1, 2005. |
|
|
(6) |
Mr. Ennis other compensation for 2003 consisted of
$89,457 in reimbursement of his relocation expenses and
associated tax gross-up and $5,100 in matching contributions
under the Companys 401(k) plan. |
32
Stock Option Grants in 2004
The table below sets forth information concerning the stock
options grants in 2004 to the executive officers named in the
Summary Compensation Information table and the
potential realizable value of such stock options at assumed
annual rates of stock price appreciation for the ten-year terms
thereof.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Potential Realizable | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Value at Assumed | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Annual Rates of Stock | |
|
|
|
|
Percentage of All | |
|
|
|
|
|
Price Appreciation | |
|
|
Number of Stock | |
|
Stock Options | |
|
Exercise | |
|
|
|
for Option Term(2) | |
|
|
Options Granted | |
|
Granted to | |
|
Price Per | |
|
Expiration | |
|
| |
Name |
|
in 2004 | |
|
Employees in 2004 | |
|
Share(1) | |
|
Date | |
|
5% | |
|
10% | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
F. Barry Bays
|
|
|
120,000 |
|
|
|
4.96 |
% |
|
$ |
30.11 |
|
|
|
3/25/2014 |
|
|
$ |
2,272,322 |
|
|
$ |
5,758,510 |
|
Laurence Y. Fairey
|
|
|
20,000 |
|
|
|
0.83 |
|
|
|
30.33 |
|
|
|
1/26/2014 |
|
|
|
381,487 |
|
|
|
966,764 |
|
|
|
|
580,000 |
|
|
|
23.99 |
|
|
|
35.68 |
|
|
|
7/1/2014 |
|
|
|
13,014,597 |
|
|
|
32,981,544 |
|
John K. Bakewell
|
|
|
45,000 |
|
|
|
1.86 |
|
|
|
30.11 |
|
|
|
3/25/2014 |
|
|
|
852,121 |
|
|
|
2,159,441 |
|
R. Glen Coleman
|
|
|
20,000 |
|
|
|
0.83 |
|
|
|
30.11 |
|
|
|
3/25/2014 |
|
|
|
378,720 |
|
|
|
959,752 |
|
|
|
|
10,000 |
|
|
|
0.41 |
|
|
|
25.66 |
|
|
|
11/1/2014 |
|
|
|
161,374 |
|
|
|
408,954 |
|
Brian T. Ennis
|
|
|
30,000 |
|
|
|
1.24 |
|
|
|
30.11 |
|
|
|
3/25/2014 |
|
|
|
568,081 |
|
|
|
1,439,628 |
|
Jeffrey G. Roberts
|
|
|
30,000 |
|
|
|
1.24 |
|
|
|
30.11 |
|
|
|
3/25/2014 |
|
|
|
568,081 |
|
|
|
1,439,628 |
|
|
|
|
10,000 |
|
|
|
0.41 |
|
|
|
25.66 |
|
|
|
11/1/2014 |
|
|
|
161,374 |
|
|
|
408,954 |
|
|
|
(1) |
The exercise price of each stock option granted to the named
executive officers is equal to the fair market value, within the
meaning of the Equity Incentive Plan, of the underlying shares
of common stock on the date of grant. |
|
(2) |
In accordance with the SECs regulations, these dollar
figures represent hypothetical gains that could be achieved for
the respective stock options if they were exercised at the end
of the option term. The gains are based on assumed annual rates
of stock price appreciation of 5% and 10% compounded annually
from the date that the respective stock options were granted to
their expiration date. They do not reflect the Companys
estimates or projections of future prices of the common stock.
The gains are net of the stock option exercise price, but do not
include deductions for taxes or other expenses associated with
the exercise. The actual gains, if any, realized upon stock
option exercises will depend upon the future performance of the
common stock, the executives continued employment with the
Company or its subsidiaries, and the dates on which the stock
options are exercised. The hypothetical gains shown in the table
might not be achieved. |
All the stock options granted to the named executive officers
were granted under the Companys Third Amended and Restated
1999 Equity Incentive Plan (the Equity Incentive
Plan). The Compensation Committee, which administers the
Equity Incentive Plan, has general authority to accelerate,
extend, or otherwise modify the benefits under the stock options
in certain circumstances within overall plan and other
limitations. The Compensation Committee has no present intention
to exercise that authority with respect to these stock options.
33
Stock Option Exercises and Values for 2004
The table below sets forth information concerning the number of
stock options exercised in 2004 and the value realized upon
their exercise by the executive officers named in the
Summary Compensation Information table and the
number and value of their unexercised stock options at
December 31, 2004.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Value of Unexercised | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Number of Unexercised | |
|
In-the-Money | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Stock Options at | |
|
Stock Options at | |
|
|
Shares | |
|
|
|
December 31, 2004 | |
|
December 31, 2004* | |
|
|
Acquired | |
|
Value |
|
| |
|
| |
Name |
|
on Exercise | |
|
Realized |
|
Exercisable | |
|
Unexercisable | |
|
Exercisable | |
|
Unexercisable | |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
F. Barry Bays
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
|
|
|
|
750,000 |
|
|
|
222,273 |
|
|
$ |
17,090,936 |
|
|
$ |
1,357,403 |
|
Laurence Y. Fairey
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
600,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
John K. Bakewell
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
119,091 |
|
|
|
65,000 |
|
|
|
2,741,483 |
|
|
|
226,450 |
|
R. Glen Coleman
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
70,794 |
|
|
|
86,933 |
|
|
|
1,373,627 |
|
|
|
683,313 |
|
Brian T. Ennis
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
66,250 |
|
|
|
68,750 |
|
|
|
1,246,413 |
|
|
|
606,138 |
|
Jeffrey G. Roberts
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
72,727 |
|
|
|
64,546 |
|
|
|
1,568,840 |
|
|
|
346,907 |
|
|
|
* |
In accordance with the SECs regulations, an option is
in-the-money if the fair market value of the
underlying security exceeds the exercise price of the option. In
the table, the values of the unexercised in-the-money stock
options are calculated by multiplying the number of underlying
shares of the Companys common stock by the difference
between the fair market value of the shares and the exercise
prices of the stock options. For the purposes of the table, the
fair market value of the Companys common stock on
December 31, 2004, is deemed to have been $28.50 per share,
which is the closing sale price of the common stock reported for
transactions effected on the Nasdaq National Market on such date. |
Equity Compensation Plan Information
The table below sets forth information regarding the shares of
common stock to be issued upon the exercise of the outstanding
options granted under the Companys equity compensation
plans and the shares of common stock remaining available for
future issuance under the Companys equity compensation
plans as of December 31, 2004. The Company does not have
any outstanding warrants or other rights to purchase shares of
common stock.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Shares of Common | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Stock Remaining | |
|
|
Shares of Common Stock | |
|
Weighted-Average | |
|
Available for Future | |
|
|
to be Issued upon Exercise | |
|
Exercise Price of | |
|
Issuance under Equity | |
Plan Category |
|
of Outstanding Options | |
|
Outstanding Options | |
|
Compensation Plans | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
Equity compensation plans approved by security holders
|
|
|
5,807,942 |
|
|
$ |
19.62 |
|
|
|
1,207,493 |
|
Equity compensation plans not approved by security holders
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
|
|
|
5,807,942 |
|
|
$ |
19.62 |
|
|
|
1,207,493 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Companys stockholders have approved the Equity
Incentive Plan and the Companys 2002 Employee Stock
Purchase Plan (the Stock Purchase Plan).
As described above, the Company is authorized under the Equity
Incentive Plan to grant equity-based awards in the form of stock
options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, phantom
stock units, performance share units, and stock bonuses to the
employees (including executive officers), directors, and
consultants of the Company and its subsidiaries. The Company is
authorized to grant awards under the Equity Incentive Plan for
up to 8,267,051 shares of common stock, which amount will
be increased by 1,500,000 shares to 9,767,051 shares
in the event that the proposed amendment becomes effective. The
Company thus far has granted only stock options and stock
bonuses under the Equity Incentive Plan. At December 31,
2004, the Company had issued 1,302,321 shares of common
stock pursuant to stock option exercises and 69,688 shares
of common stock as stock bonuses, the Company had paid cash in
an amount
34
equivalent to 52,356 shares of common stock to offset the
tax consequences of the stock bonuses, and there were
outstanding stock options to purchase 5,807,942 shares of
common stock. As a result, at December 31, 2004, there were
1,034,744 remaining shares of common stock available for
future awards under the Equity Incentive Plan.
The Stock Purchase Plan authorizes the Company to issue shares
of common stock to its eligible employees. The Stock Purchase
Plan divides the calendar year into two six-month plan periods,
one beginning on January 1 and ending on June 30 and the
other beginning on July 1 and ending on December 31. Under
the Stock Purchase Plan, a participant can choose each plan
period to have up to 5% of his or her annual base earnings up to
$5,000 withheld to purchase shares of common stock. The purchase
price of the common stock is equal to 85% of the lower of its
beginning-of-period or end-of-period market price. The Company
is authorized to issue up to 200,000 shares of common stock
under the Stock Purchase Plan. At December 31, 2004, the
Company had issued 27,251 shares of common stock to employees,
leaving 172,749 shares of common stock available for future
issuance under the Stock Purchase Plan.
Employment Agreements
The Company has employment agreements with Messrs. Bays,
Fairey, and Ennis. The principal terms and conditions of their
employment agreements are summarized below. Effective as of
April 4, 2005, the Company amended Mr. Faireys
employment agreement, and the amended provisions of his
agreement are reflected in the following summary. The Company
also had employment agreements with Messrs. Bakewell,
Coleman, and Roberts which expired on April 1, 2005. The
Company expects to enter into new employment agreements with
these executive officers in the near future.
Term. The agreements were entered into and expire on the
dates shown below.
|
|
|
|
|
Name |
|
Starting Date |
|
Ending Date |
|
|
|
|
|
F. Barry Bays
|
|
July 1, 2004 |
|
June 30, 2006 |
Laurence Y. Fairey
|
|
July 1, 2004 |
|
June 30, 2008 |
Brian T. Ennis
|
|
February 8, 2005 |
|
April 1, 2006 |
Base Salary. Each agreement establishes the initial
annual base salary of the executive officer and provides that
the Compensation Committee will review his compensation at least
once per year and will make such increases in his base salary as
are merited based on the executive officers performance
and are consistent with the Companys compensation
policies. The current base salaries of the executive officers
are set forth below.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Current | |
Name |
|
Base Salary | |
|
|
| |
F. Barry Bays
|
|
$ |
100,000 |
|
Laurence Y. Fairey
|
|
|
350,000 |
|
Brian T. Ennis
|
|
|
224,700 |
|
Performance Incentive Bonus. The agreements provide that
the executive officers are eligible to receive an annual
performance incentive bonus based on the attainment of
performance objectives established by the Compensation
Committee. The performance incentive bonuses paid to the
executive officers with respect to 2004 and prior years are set
forth in the Bonus column of the Summary
Compensation Information table.
Long-Term Incentive Awards. Pursuant to the agreements,
the executive officers are eligible to receive long-term,
equity-based incentive awards granted under the Equity Incentive
Plan and any other plan administered by the Compensation
Committee. The Compensation Committees prevailing practice
has been to award stock options to the executive officers in
order to closely align their interests with those of the
Companys stockholders. Information with respect to the
stock options granted to the executive officers in 2004 is set
forth in the Stock Option Grants in 2004 table.
Fringe Benefits. The agreements provide that the
executive officers are eligible to participate in the fringe
benefit programs, including those for medical insurance and
retirement benefits, that the Company
35
generally furnishes to its executive officers from time to time.
The executive officers are required to make any generally
applicable employee contributions that are required under such
fringe benefit programs.
Restrictive Covenants. The agreements impose on the
executive officers customary restrictive covenants prohibiting
their disclosure of confidential information relating to the
Company, requiring them to assign to the Company any
intellectual property developed in connection with their
employment, and prohibiting them from competing and interfering
with the Companys business.
Termination. The agreements allow the Company to
terminate the employment of the executive officers in the event
of their disability, for cause (as defined), and without cause.
In the event of termination due to disability, the executive
officers would be entitled to receive, for varying periods after
the date of termination depending on the individual involved,
their base salary reduced by any amount received under any
disability insurance policy or pursuant to Social Security. In
the case of termination for cause, Messrs. Bays and Ennis would
not be entitled to receive any post-employment pay or benefits,
whereas Mr. Fairey would be entitled to receive
post-employment pay and benefits with respect to up to
24 months after termination, as determined by the Company
in its discretion, as consideration for his covenants not to
compete or interfere with the Companys business. In the
event of termination without cause, Messrs. Bays and Ennis
would be entitled to receive post-employment pay and health and
life insurance benefits for 12 months after termination,
whereas Mr. Fairey would be entitled to receive
post-employment pay and health and life insurance benefits with
respect to between 12 and 24 months after termination, as
determined by the Company in its discretion, as consideration
for his covenants not to compete or interfere with the
Companys business.
Change in Control. With respect to Mr. Fairey only,
in the event that a transaction resulting in a change in
control (as defined in the agreement) of the Company
occurs on or before March 31, 2007, in which the market
value of the consideration received by the Companys
stockholders is less than or equal to $44.00 per share,
Mr. Fairey would be entitled to receive from the Company
(or the surviving entity) a CIC payment in an amount
equal to:
|
|
|
|
|
a minimum of $3,000,000 and a maximum of $6,000,000, depending
on the amount of the consideration per share received by the
Companys stockholders in the change-in-control
transaction; plus |
|
|
|
the sum of all taxes assessed against Mr. Fairey as a
result of his receipt of the CIC payment; minus |
|
|
|
the intrinsic value of Mr. Faireys stock options,
which is the difference between the aggregate market value of
the consideration received upon the exercise or deemed exercise
of the stock options minus the aggregate exercise price of the
stock options. |
The Company is obligated to make the CIC payment to
Mr. Fairey in a single lump sum within 15 days after
the date of the change-in-control transaction.
36
Comparison of Total Stockholder Returns
The graph below compares the cumulative total stockholder
returns for the period from July 13, 2001 (when trading in
the Companys common stock commenced on the Nasdaq National
Market following the Companys initial public offering) to
December 31, 2004, for the Companys common stock, an
index composed of United States companies whose stock is listed
on the Nasdaq Stock Market (the Nasdaq U.S. Companies
Index), and an index consisting of Nasdaq-listed companies
in the surgical, medical, and dental instruments and supplies
industry (the Nasdaq Medical Equipment Companies
Index). The graph assumes that $100.00 was invested on
July 13, 2001, in the Companys common stock, the
Nasdaq U.S. Companies Index, and the Nasdaq Medical Equipment
Companies Index, and that all dividends were reinvested. Total
returns for the two Nasdaq indices are weighted based on the
market capitalization of the companies included therein.
Historic stock price performance is not indicative of future
stock price performance. The Company does not make or endorse
any prediction as to future stock price performance.
Cumulative Total Stockholder Returns
Based on Reinvestment of $100.00 Beginning on July 13,
2001
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
7/13/2001 | |
|
12/31/2001 | |
|
12/31/2002 | |
|
12/31/2003 | |
|
12/31/2004 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
Wright Medical Group, Inc.
|
|
$ |
100.00 |
|
|
$ |
114.70 |
|
|
$ |
111.80 |
|
|
$ |
194.70 |
|
|
$ |
182.60 |
|
Nasdaq U.S. Companies Index
|
|
|
100.00 |
|
|
|
93.50 |
|
|
|
64.60 |
|
|
|
96.60 |
|
|
|
105.20 |
|
Nasdaq Medical Equipment Companies Index
|
|
|
100.00 |
|
|
|
104.10 |
|
|
|
85.20 |
|
|
|
124.40 |
|
|
|
145.40 |
|
Source: Center for Research in Security Prices, University of
Chicago Graduate School of Business
37
OTHER MATTERS
As of the date hereof, the Board of Directors knows of no
business that will be presented at the meeting other than the
proposals described in this Proxy Statement. If any other
proposal properly comes before the stockholders for a vote at
the meeting, the proxy holders will vote the shares of common
stock represented by proxies that are submitted to the Company
in accordance with their best judgment.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Solicitation of Proxies
The Company will solicit proxies on behalf of the Board of
Directors by mail, telephone, facsimile or other electronic
means or in person. The Company will pay the proxy solicitation
costs. The Company has engaged MacKenzie Partners, Inc., to
assist in soliciting proxies for a fee not to exceed $12,500
plus the reimbursement of its reasonable out-of-pocket expenses.
The Company will supply copies of the proxy solicitation
materials to brokerage firms, banks, and other nominees for the
purpose of soliciting proxies from the beneficial owners of the
shares of common stock held of record by such nominees. The
Company requests that such brokerage firms, banks, and other
nominees forward the proxy solicitation materials to the
beneficial owners and will reimburse them for their reasonable
expenses.
Mailing Address of Principal Executive Office
The mailing address of the Companys principal executive
office is Wright Medical Group, Inc., 5677 Airline Road,
Arlington, Tennessee 38002.
Stockholder Proposals for Inclusion in Proxy Statement for
2006 Annual Meeting of Stockholders
To be considered for inclusion in the Companys proxy
statement for the 2006 annual meeting of stockholders, a
stockholder proposal must be received by the Company no later
than the close of business on December 11, 2005.
Stockholder proposals must be sent to Corporate Secretary,
Wright Medical Group, Inc., 5677 Airline Road, Arlington,
Tennessee 38002. The Company will not be required to include in
its proxy statement any stockholder proposal that does not meet
all the requirements for such inclusion established by the
SECs proxy rules and Delaware corporate law.
Other Stockholder Proposals for Presentation at 2006 Annual
Meeting of Stockholders
For any proposal that is not submitted for inclusion in the
Companys proxy statement for the 2006 Annual Meeting of
Stockholders, but is instead sought to be presented directly at
the meeting, the SECs rules permit management to vote
proxies in its discretion if: (1) the Company receives
notice of the proposal before the close of business on
February 24, 2006, and advises stockholders in the proxy
statement about the nature of the matter and how management
intends to vote on such matter; or (2) the Company does not
receive notice of the proposal prior to the close of business on
February 24, 2006. Notices of intention to present
proposals at the 2006 annual meeting of stockholders should be
sent to Corporate Secretary, Wright Medical Group, Inc., 5677
Airline Road, Arlington, Tennessee 38002.
|
|
|
By Order of the Board of Directors, |
|
|
|
|
Jason P. Hood |
|
Secretary |
Arlington, Tennessee
April 15, 2005
38
APPENDIX A
WRIGHT MEDICAL GROUP, INC.
FOURTH AMENDED AND RESTATED
1999 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN
WHEREAS, the Company adopted, effective as of December 7,
1999, the Wright Acquisition Holdings, Inc. 1999 Equity
Incentive Plan (the Plan), which allows for the
grant of equity-based awards in the form of stock options, stock
appreciation rights, restricted stock, and other incentive
compensation arrangements to employees, directors and
consultants of the Company and its subsidiaries in order to
provide them with incentives and align their interests with
those of the stockholders of the Company;
WHEREAS, the Company amended and restated the Plan effective as
of July 6, 2001, May 13, 2003, and May 13, 2004;
WHEREAS, Section 15 of the Plan provides that the Plan may
be amended at any time, in whole or in part, by action of the
Companys Board of Directors or its Compensation Committee;
and
WHEREAS, it is now desired to amend and restate the Plan in its
entirety to reflect such further amendments to the Plan as have
been approved by the Compensation Committee.
NOW, THEREFORE, pursuant to the authority granted by the
Compensation Committee, the Plan is hereby amended and restated,
effective as of May 12, 2005, as follows:
1. Purpose.
(a) The purpose of the Plan is to provide a means through
which the Company may attract able persons to become and remain
directors of the Company or any Related Entity and enter and
remain in the employ of the Company or any Related Entity and to
provide a means whereby employees, directors and consultants of
the Company and any Related Entity can acquire and maintain
Stock ownership, or be paid incentive compensation measured by
reference to the value of Stock, thereby strengthening their
commitment to the welfare of the Company and promoting an
identity of interest between stockholders and these employees,
directors and consultants.
(b) So that the appropriate incentive can be provided, the
Plan provides for granting Incentive Stock Options, Nonqualified
Stock Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Stock
Awards, Phantom Stock Unit Awards, Performance Share Unit Awards
and Stock Bonus Awards, or any combination of the foregoing.
2. Definitions. The
following definitions shall be applicable throughout the Plan:
(a) Award means, individually or collectively,
any Incentive Stock Option, Nonqualified Stock Option, Stock
Appreciation Right, Restricted Stock Award, Phantom Stock Unit
Award, Performance Share Unit Award or Stock Bonus Award.
(b) Award Period means a period of time within
which performance is measured for the purpose of determining
whether an Award of Performance Share Units has been earned.
(c) Board means the Board of Directors of the
Company.
(d) Cause means the Company or a Related Entity
having cause to terminate a Participants employment or
service in accordance with the provisions of any existing
employment, consulting or any other agreement between the
Participant and the Company or a Related Entity or, in the
absence of such an employment, consulting or other agreement,
upon (i) the determination by the Committee that the
Participant has ceased to perform his duties to the Company or a
Related Entity (other than as a result of his incapacity due to
physical or mental illness or injury), which failure amounts to
intentional and extended neglect of his duties, (ii) the
Committees determination that the Participant has engaged
or is about to engage in conduct injurious to the Company or a
Related Entity, or (iii) the Participant having plead no
contest to a charge of a felony or having been convicted of a
felony.
A-1
(e) Code means the Internal Revenue Code of
1986, as amended. Reference in the Plan to any section of the
Code shall be deemed to include any amendments or successor
provisions to such section and any regulations under such
section.
(f) Committee means the full Board, the
Compensation Committee of the Board or such other committee as
the Board may appoint to administer the Plan.
(g) Common Stock means the common stock, par
value $0.01 per share, of the Company.
(h) Company means Wright Medical Group, Inc., a
Delaware corporation, and any successor thereto.
(i) Date of Grant means the date on which the
granting of an Award is authorized, or such other date as may be
specified in such authorization.
(j) Disability means the complete and permanent
inability by reason of illness or accident to perform the duties
of the occupation at which a Participant was employed or served
when such disability commenced or, if the Participant was
retired when such disability commenced, the inability to engage
in any substantial gainful activity, in either case as
determined by the Committee based upon medical evidence
acceptable to it.
(k) Eligible Person means any (i) person
regularly employed by the Company or any Related Entity;
provided, however, that no such employee covered by a collective
bargaining agreement shall be an Eligible Person unless and to
the extent that such eligibility is set forth in such collective
bargaining agreement or in an agreement or instrument relating
thereto; (ii) director of the Company or any Related
Entity; or (iii) consultant to the Company or any Related
Entity.
(1) Exchange Act means the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934.
(m) Fair Market Value on a given date means
(i) if the Stock is listed on a national securities
exchange, the mean between the highest and lowest sale prices
reported as having occurred on the primary exchange with which
the Stock is listed and traded on the date prior to such date,
or, if there is no such sale on that date, then on the last
preceding date on which such a sale was reported; (ii) if
the Stock is not listed on any national securities exchange but
is quoted on the Nasdaq Stock Market, the mean between the
highest and lowest sale prices reported on the date prior to
such date, or, if there is no such sale on that date, then on
the last preceding date on which a sale was reported;
(iii) if the Stock is not listed on a national securities
exchange nor quoted on the Nasdaq Stock Market, the amount
determined by the Committee to be the fair market value based
upon a good faith attempt to value the Stock accurately; or
(iv) notwithstanding clauses (i)-(iii) above, with respect
to Awards granted as of the consummation of an IPO, the price at
which Stock is sold to the public in the IPO.
(n) Holder means a Participant who has been
granted an Award.
(o) Incentive Stock Option means an Option
granted by the Committee to a Participant under the Plan which
is designated by the Committee as an Incentive Stock Option
pursuant to Section 422 of the Code.
(p) IPO means the initial offering of Common
Stock to the public through an effective registration statement.
(q) Non-Employee Director means a
non-employee director within the meaning of
Rule 16b-3 of the Exchange Act or any successor rule or
regulation.
(r) Nonqualified Stock Option means an Option
granted under the Plan which is not designated as an Incentive
Stock Option.
A-2
(s) Normal Termination means termination of
employment or service with the Company or any Related Entity:
(i) upon retirement pursuant to the retirement plan of the
Company or any Related Entity, as may be applicable at the time
to the Participant in question;
(ii) on account of Disability;
(iii) with the written approval of the Committee; or
(iv) by the Company or any Related Entity without Cause.
(t) Option means an Award granted under
Section 7 of the Plan.
(u) Option Period means the period described in
Section 7(c).
(v) Option Price means the exercise price set
for an Option described in Section 7(a).
(w) Participant means an Eligible Person who
has been selected by the Committee to participate in the Plan
and to receive an Award.
(x) Performance Goals means the performance
objectives of the Company or a Related Entity during an Award
Period or Restricted Period established for the purpose of
determining whether, and to what extent, Awards will be earned
for an Award Period or Restricted Period.
(y) Performance Share Unit means a hypothetical
investment equivalent equal to one share of Stock granted in
connection with an Award made under Section 9 of the Plan.
(z) Phantom Stock Unit means a hypothetical
investment equivalent equal to one share of Stock granted in
connection with an Award made under Section 10 of the Plan.
(aa) Plan means the Wright Medical Group, Inc.
1999 Equity Incentive Plan, as may be amended and/or restated
from time to time.
(bb) Qualified Committee means a committee
composed of at least two Qualified Directors.
(cc) Qualified Director means a person who is
(i) an Non-Employee Director and (ii) an outside
director within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the
Code.
(dd) Related Entity means, when referring to a
subsidiary, any business entity (other than the Company) which,
at the time of the granting of an Award, is in an unbroken chain
of entities ending with the Company, if stock or voting
interests possessing 50% or more of the total combined voting
power of all classes of stock or other ownership interests of
each of the entities other than the Company is owned by one of
the other entities in such chain and, when referring to a parent
entity, the term Related Entity shall mean any
entity in an unbroken chain of entities ending with the Company
if, at the time of the granting of the Award, each of the
entities other than the Company owns stock or other ownership
interests possessing 50% or more of the total combined voting
power of all classes of stock (or other ownership interests) in
one of the other entities in such chain. In addition, with
respect to an Incentive Stock Option, the definition of
Related Entity as used in this Plan shall apply by
only considering entities that are corporations.
(ee) Restricted Period means, with respect to
any share of Restricted Stock or any Phantom Stock Unit, the
period of time determined by the Committee during which such
Award is subject to the restrictions set forth in
Section 11.
(ff) Restricted Stock means shares of Stock
issued or transferred to a Participant subject to forfeiture and
the other restrictions set forth in Section 11.
(gg) Restricted Stock Award means an Award of
Restricted Stock granted under Section 11 of the Plan.
(hh) Securities Act means the Securities Act of
1933, as amended.
A-3
(ii) Stock means the Common Stock or such other
authorized shares of stock of the Company as from time to time
may be authorized for use under the Plan.
(jj) Stock Appreciation Right or
SAR means an Award granted under Section 8 of
the Plan.
(kk) Stock Bonus means an Award granted under
Section 11 of the Plan.
(ll) Stock Option Agreement means the agreement
between the Company and a Participant who has been granted an
Option pursuant to Section 7 which defines the rights and
obligations of the parties as required in Section 7(d).
(mm) Vested Unit shall have the meaning
ascribed thereto in Section 10(e).
3. Effective Date, Duration and
Shareholder Approval. The Plan originally was adopted
effective as of December 7, 1999, and subsequently was
amended and restated effective as of July 6, 2001,
May 13, 2003, and May 13, 2004. This amended and
restated Plan shall be effective as of May 12, 2005. The
effectiveness of this amended and restated Plan and the validity
of any and all Awards granted hereunder is contingent upon
approval of thereof by the stockholders of the Company in a
manner which complies with (i) Section 422(b)(1) and, to
the extent provided in Section 16 herein,
Section 162(m) of the Code and (ii) the requirements
of the primary national securities exchange with which the Stock
is listed, if so listed, and/or the Nasdaq Stock Market, if the
Stock is quoted thereon. Unless and until the stockholders
approve this amended and restated Plan in compliance with the
applicable requirements, the existing Plan shall remain in
effect and no Award granted hereunder shall be effective. The
expiration date of the Plan, after which no Awards may be
granted hereunder, shall be December 7, 2009; provided,
however, that the administration of the Plan shall continue in
effect until all matters relating to the payment of Awards
previously granted have been settled.
4. Administration. The
Committee shall administer the Plan; provided, however, that as
of and after the date the Company first becomes subject to
Section 16 of the Exchange Act, the Plan shall be
administered by the full Board or a committee of the Board
composed of at least two persons, each member of which, at the
time he takes any action with respect to an Award under the
Plan, shall be a Non-Employee Director; and further provided,
that to the extent that the Company determines that an Award is
intended to comply with Section 162(m) of the Code, the
Plan shall be administered by a Qualified Committee. The
majority of the members of the Committee shall constitute a
quorum. The acts of a majority of the members present at any
meeting at which a quorum is present or acts approved in writing
by a majority of the Committee shall be deemed the acts of the
Committee. Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Committee
shall have exclusive power to:
(a) select the Eligible Persons to participate in the Plan;
(b) determine the nature and extent of the Awards to be
made to each Participant;
(c) determine the time or times when Awards will be made to
Participants;
(d) determine the duration of each Award Period and
Restricted Period;
(e) determine the conditions to which the payment of Awards
may be subject;
(f) establish the Performance Goals for each Award Period;
(g) prescribe the form of Stock Option Agreement or other
form or forms evidencing Awards; and
(h) cause records to be established in which there shall be
entered, from time to time as Awards are made to Participants,
the date of each Award, the number of Incentive Stock Options,
Nonqualified Stock Options, SARs, Phantom Stock Units,
Performance Share Units, shares of Restricted Stock and Stock
Bonuses awarded by the Committee to each Participant, the
expiration date, the Award Period and the duration of any
applicable Restricted Period.
The Committee shall have the authority, subject to the
provisions of the Plan, to establish, adopt, or revise such
rules and regulations and to make all such determinations
relating to the Plan as it may deem necessary or advisable for
the administration of the Plan. The Committees
interpretation of the Plan or any
A-4
documents evidencing Awards granted pursuant thereto and all
decisions and determinations by the Committee with respect to
the Plan shall be final, binding, and conclusive on all parties
unless otherwise determined by the Board.
5. Grant of Awards; Shares
Subject to the Plan. The Committee may, from time to time,
grant Awards of Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted
Stock, Phantom Stock Units, Performance Share Units and/or Stock
Bonuses to one or more Eligible Persons; provided, however, that:
(a) Subject to Section 13, the aggregate number of
shares of Stock made subject to all Awards may not exceed
9,767,051 shares of Common Stock. Any and all shares of Stock
that may be made subject to Awards are authorized to be issued
pursuant to Incentive Stock Options;
(b) Such shares shall be deemed to have been used in
payment of Awards whether they are actually delivered or the
Fair Market Value equivalent of such shares is paid in cash. In
the event any Option, SAR not attached to an Option, Restricted
Stock Award, Phantom Stock Unit or Performance Share Unit shall
be surrendered, terminate, expire, or be forfeited, the number
of shares of Stock no longer subject thereto shall thereupon be
released and shall thereafter be available for new Awards under
the Plan;
(c) Stock delivered by the Company in settlement of Awards
under the Plan may be authorized and unissued Stock or Stock
held in the treasury of the Company or may be purchased on the
open market or by private purchase;
(d) No Participant may receive Options or SARs under the
Plan with respect to more than 600,000 shares of Stock in any
one year; and
(e) The Committee may, in its sole discretion, require a
Participant to pay consideration for an Award in an amount and
in a manner as the Committee deems appropriate.
6. Eligibility.
Participation shall be limited to Eligible Persons who have
received written notification from the Committee, or from a
person designated by the Committee, that they have been selected
to participate in the Plan.
7. Discretionary Grant of Stock
Options. The Committee is authorized to grant one or more
Incentive Stock Options or Nonqualified Stock Options to any
Eligible Person; provided, however, that no Incentive Stock
Options shall be granted to any Eligible Person who is not an
employee of the Company or a Related Entity. Each Option so
granted shall be subject to the following conditions, or to such
other conditions as may be reflected in the applicable Stock
Option Agreement:
(a) Option Price. The exercise price (Option
Price) per share of Stock for each Option shall be set by
the Committee at the time of grant; provided, however, that no
Incentive Stock Option shall be granted with a per share
exercise price that is less than the Fair Market Value of a
share of Stock at the Date of Grant.
(b) Manner of Exercise and Form of Payment. Options
which have become exercisable may be exercised by delivery of
written notice of exercise to the Committee accompanied by
payment of the Option Price. The Option Price shall be payable
in cash and/or shares of Stock valued at the Fair Market Value
at the time the Option is exercised or, in the discretion of the
Committee, either (i) in other property having a fair
market value on the date of exercise equal to the Option Price,
or (ii) by delivering to the Committee a copy of
irrevocable instructions to a stockbroker to deliver promptly to
the Company an amount of sale or loan proceeds sufficient to pay
the Option Price.
(c) Option Period and Expiration. Options shall vest
and become exercisable in such manner and on such date or dates
determined by the Committee and shall expire after such period,
not to exceed ten years from the Date of Grant, as may be
determined by the Committee (the Option Period);
provided, however, that notwithstanding any vesting dates set by
the Committee, the Committee may in its sole discretion
accelerate the exercisability of any Option, which acceleration
shall not affect the terms and conditions of any such Option
other than with respect to exercisability. If an Option is
exercisable in installments, such installments or portions
thereof which become exercisable shall remain exercisable until
the Option expires.
A-5
Unless otherwise stated in the applicable Option Agreement, the
Option shall expire earlier than the end of the Option Period in
the following circumstances:
(i) If prior to the end of the Option Period, the Holder
shall undergo a Normal Termination, the Option shall expire on
the earlier of the last day of the Option Period or the date
that is thirty days after the date of such Normal Termination.
In such event, the Option shall remain exercisable by the Holder
until its expiration, only to the extent the Option was
exercisable at the time of such Normal Termination.
(ii) If the Holder dies prior to the end of the Option
Period and while still in the employ or service of the Company
or any Related Entity or within thirty days of Normal
Termination, the Option shall expire on the earlier of the last
day of the Option Period or the date that is thirty days after
the date of death of the Holder. In such event, the Option shall
remain exercisable by the person or persons to whom the
Holders rights under the Option pass by will or the
applicable laws of descent and distribution until its
expiration, only to the extent the Option was exercisable by the
Holder at the time of death.
(iii) If the Holder ceases employment or service with the
Company or any Related Entity for reasons other than Normal
Termination or death, the Option shall expire immediately upon
such cessation of employment or service.
(d) Stock Option Agreement Other Terms and
Conditions. Each Option granted under the Plan shall be
evidenced by a Stock Option Agreement, which shall contain such
provisions as may be determined by the Committee and, except as
may be specifically stated otherwise in such Stock Option
Agreement, which shall be subject to the following terms and
conditions:
(i) Each Option issued pursuant to this Section 7 or
portion thereof that is exercisable shall be exercisable for the
full amount or for any part thereof.
(ii) Each share of Stock purchased through the exercise of
an Option issued pursuant to this Section 7 shall be paid
for in full at the time of the exercise. Each Option shall cease
to be exercisable, as to any share of Stock, when the Holder
purchases the share or exercises a related SAR or when the
Option expires.
(iii) Subject to Section 12(k), Options issued
pursuant to this Section 7 shall not be transferable by the
Holder except by will or the laws of descent and distribution
and shall be exercisable during the Holders lifetime only
by such Holder.
(iv) Each Option issued pursuant to this Section 7
shall vest and become exercisable by the Holder in accordance
with the vesting schedule established by the Committee and set
forth in the Stock Option Agreement.
(v) Each Stock Option Agreement may contain a provision
that, upon demand by the Committee for such a representation,
the Holder shall deliver to the Committee at the time of any
exercise of an Option issued pursuant to this Section 7 a
written representation that the shares to be acquired upon such
exercise are to be acquired for investment and not for resale or
with a view to the distribution thereof. Upon such demand,
delivery of such representation prior to the delivery of any
shares issued upon exercise of an Option issued pursuant to this
Section 7 shall be a condition precedent to the right of
the Holder or such other person to purchase any shares. In the
event certificates for Stock are delivered under the Plan with
respect to which such investment representation has been
obtained, the Committee may cause a legend or legends to be
placed on such certificates to make appropriate reference to
such representation and to restrict transfer in the absence of
compliance with applicable federal or state securities laws.
(vi) Each Incentive Stock Option Agreement shall contain a
provision requiring the Holder to notify the Company in writing
immediately after the Holder makes a disqualifying disposition
of any Stock acquired pursuant to the exercise of such Incentive
Stock Option. A disqualifying disposition is any disposition
(including any sale) of such Stock before the later of
(a) two years after the Date of Grant of the Incentive
Stock Option or (b) one year after the date the Holder
acquired the Stock by exercising the Incentive Stock Option.
A-6
(e) Incentive Stock Option Grants to 10%
Stockholders. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in
this Section 7, if an Incentive Stock Option is granted to
a Holder who owns stock representing more than ten percent of
the voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or of a
Related Entity, the Option Period shall not exceed five years
from the Date of Grant of such Option and the Option Price shall
be at least 110 percent of the Fair Market Value (on the
Date of Grant) of the Stock subject to the Option.
(f) $100,000 Per Year Limitation for Incentive Stock
Options. To the extent the aggregate Fair Market Value
(determined as of the Date of Grant) of Stock for which
Incentive Stock Options are exercisable for the first time by
any Participant during any calendar year (under all plans of the
Company and its Subsidiaries) exceeds $100,000, such excess
Incentive Stock Options shall be treated as Nonqualified Stock
Options.
(g) Prohibition on Option Repricing. Subject to
Section 13, without the prior approval of the
Companys stockholders, the Company shall not, and the
Committee shall not authorize the Company to, (i) amend any
outstanding Nonqualified Stock Option to reduce its Option Price
or (ii) grant any new Option in replacement and
cancellation of any outstanding Nonqualified Stock Option with a
higher Option Price. This prohibition on Option repricing shall
not be construed to prohibit the adjustments for extraordinary
changes in the Companys capital structure that are
otherwise permitted under Section 13 of this Plan.
8. Stock Appreciation
Rights. Any Option granted under the Plan may include SARs,
either at the Date of Grant or, except in the case of an
Incentive Stock Option, by subsequent amendment. The Committee
also may award SARs independent of any Option. An SAR shall
confer on the Holder thereof the right to receive in shares of
Stock, cash or a combination thereof the value equal to the
excess of the Fair Market Value of one share of Stock on the
date of exercise over the exercise price for the SAR, with
respect to every share of Stock for which the SAR is granted. An
SAR shall be subject to such terms and conditions not
inconsistent with the Plan as the Committee shall impose,
including, but not limited to, the following:
(a) Vesting. SARs granted in connection with an
Option shall become exercisable, be transferable and shall
expire according to the same vesting schedule, transferability
rules and expiration provisions as the corresponding Option. An
SAR granted independent of an Option shall become exercisable,
be transferable and shall expire in accordance with a vesting
schedule, transferability rules and expiration provisions as
established by the Committee and reflected in an Award agreement.
(b) Automatic Exercise. If on the last day of the
Option Period (or in the case of an SAR independent of an
Option, the period established by the Committee after which the
SAR shall expire), the Fair Market Value of the Stock exceeds
the Option Price (or in the case of an SAR granted independent
of an Option, the Fair Market Value of the Stock on the Date of
Grant), the Holder has not exercised the SAR or the
corresponding Option, and neither the SAR nor the corresponding
Option has expired, such SAR shall be deemed to have been
exercised by the Holder on such last day and the Company shall
make the appropriate payment therefor.
(c) Payment. Upon the exercise of an SAR, the
Company shall pay to the Holder an amount equal to the number of
shares subject to the SAR multiplied by the excess, if any, of
the Fair Market Value of one share of Stock on the exercise date
over the Option Price, in the case of an SAR granted in
connection with an Option, or the Fair Market Value of one share
of Stock on the Date of Grant, in the case of an SAR granted
independent of an Option. The Company shall pay such excess in
cash, in shares of Stock valued at Fair Market Value, or any
combination thereof, as determined by the Committee. Fractional
shares shall be settled in cash.
(d) Method of Exercise. A Holder may exercise an SAR
after such time as the SAR vests by filing an irrevocable
written notice with the Committee or its designee, specifying
the number of SARs to be exercised, and the date on which such
SARs were awarded.
(e) Expiration. Each SAR shall cease to be
exercisable, as to any share of Stock, when the Holder exercises
the SAR or exercises a related Option, with respect to such
share of Stock. Except as otherwise provided, in the case of
SARs granted in connection with Options, an SAR shall expire on
a date designated by the Committee which is not later than seven
years after the Date of Grant of the SAR.
A-7
9. Performance Shares.
(a) Award Grants. The Committee is authorized to
establish Performance Share programs to be effective over
designated Award Periods determined by the Committee. The
Committee may grant Awards of Performance Share Units to
Eligible Persons in accordance with such Performance Share
programs. At the beginning of each Award Period, the Committee
will establish written Performance Goals based upon financial
objectives for the Company for such Award Period and a schedule
relating the accomplishment of the Performance Goals to the
Awards to be earned by Participants. Performance Goals may
include absolute or relative growth in earnings per share or
rate of return on stockholders equity or other measurement
of corporate performance and may be determined on an individual
basis or by categories of Participants. The Committee shall
determine the number of Performance Share Units to be awarded,
if any, to each Eligible Person who is selected to receive such
an Award. The Committee may add new Participants to a
Performance Share program after its commencement by making pro
rata grants.
(b) Determination of Award. At the completion of a
Performance Share Award Period, or at other times as specified
by the Committee, the Committee shall calculate the number of
shares of Stock earned with respect to each Participants
Performance Share Unit Award by multiplying the number of
Performance Share Units granted to the Participant by a
performance factor representing the degree of attainment of the
Performance Goals.
(c) Partial Awards. A Participant for less than a
full Award Period, whether by reason of commencement or
termination of employment or otherwise, shall receive such
portion of an Award, if any, for that Award Period as the
Committee shall determine.
(d) Payment of Performance Share Unit Awards.
Performance Share Unit Awards shall be payable in that number of
shares of Stock determined in accordance with Section 9(b);
provided, however, that, at its discretion, the Committee may
make payment to any Participant in the form of cash upon the
specific request of such Participant. The amount of any payment
made in cash shall be based upon the Fair Market Value of the
Stock on the day prior to payment Payments of Performance Share
Unit Awards shall be made as soon as practicable after the
completion of an Award Period.
(e) Adjustment of Performance Goals. The Committee
may, during the Award Period, make such adjustments to
Performance Goals as it may deem appropriate, to compensate for,
or reflect, (i) extraordinary or non-recurring events
experienced during an Award Period by the Company or by any
Related Entity whose performance is relevant to the
determination of whether Performance Goals have been attained;
(ii) any significant changes that may have occurred during
such Award Period in applicable accounting rules or principles
or changes in the Companys method of accounting or in that
of any Related Entity whose performance is relevant to the
determination of whether an Award has been earned or
(iii) any significant changes that may have occurred during
such Award Period in tax laws or other laws or regulations that
alter or affect the computation of the measures of Performance
Goals used for the calculation of Awards; provided, however,
that with respect to Performance Share Unit Awards intended to
qualify as performance-based compensation under
Section 162(m) of the Code, such adjustments shall be made
only to the extent that the Committee determines that such
adjustments may be made without a loss of deductibility of the
compensation includible with respect to such Award under
Section 162(m) of the Code.
10. Restricted Stock Awards and
Phantom Stock Units.
(a) Award of Restricted Stock and Phantom Stock
Units.
(i) The Committee shall have the authority (A) to
grant Restricted Stock and Phantom Stock Unit Awards,
(B) to issue or transfer Restricted Stock to Eligible
Persons, and (C) to establish terms, conditions and
restrictions applicable to such Restricted Stock and Phantom
Stock Units, including the Restricted Period, which may differ
with respect to each grantee, the time or times at which
Restricted Stock or Phantom Stock Units shall be granted or
become vested and the number of shares or units to be covered by
each grant.
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(ii) The Holder of a Restricted Stock Award shall execute
and deliver to the Company an Award agreement with respect to
the Restricted Stock setting forth the restrictions applicable
to such Restricted Stock. If the Committee determines that the
Restricted Stock shall be held in escrow rather than delivered
to the Holder pending the release of the applicable
restrictions, the Holder additionally shall execute and deliver
to the Company (A) an escrow agreement satisfactory to the
Committee, and (B) the appropriate blank stock powers with
respect to the Restricted Stock covered by such agreements. If a
Holder shall fail to execute a Restricted Stock agreement and,
if applicable, an escrow agreement and stock powers, the Award
shall be null and void. Subject to the restrictions set forth in
Section 10(b), the Holder shall generally have the rights
and privileges of a stockholder as to such Restricted Stock,
including the right to vote such Restricted Stock. At the
discretion of the Committee, cash dividends and stock dividends
with respect to the Restricted Stock may be either currently
paid to the Holder or withheld by the Company for the
Holders account, and interest may be paid on the amount of
cash dividends withheld at a rate and subject to such terms as
determined by the Committee. Cash dividends or stock dividends
so withheld by the Committee shall not be subject to forfeiture.
(iii) Upon the Award of Restricted Stock, the Committee
shall cause a stock certificate registered in the name of the
Holder to be issued and, if it so determines, deposited together
with the stock powers with an escrow agent designated by the
Committee. If an escrow arrangement is used, the Committee shall
cause the escrow agent to issue to the Holder a receipt
evidencing any stock certificate held by it registered in the
name of the Holder.
(iv) The terms and conditions of a grant of Phantom Stock
Units shall be reflected in a written Award agreement. No shares
of Stock shall be issued at the time a Phantom Stock Unit Award
is made, and the Company will not be required to set aside a
fund for the payment of any such Award. Holders of Phantom Stock
Units shall receive an amount equal to the cash dividends paid
by the Company upon one share of Stock for each Phantom Stock
Unit then credited to such Holders account (Dividend
Equivalents). The Committee shall, in its sole discretion,
determine whether to credit to the account of, or to currently
pay to, each Holder of an Award of Phantom Stock Units such
Dividend Equivalents. Dividend Equivalents credited to a
Holders account shall be subject to forfeiture on the same
basis as the related Phantom Stock Units, and may bear interest
at a rate and subject to such terms as are determined by the
Committee.
(b) Restrictions.
(i) Restricted Stock awarded to a Participant shall be
subject to the following restrictions until the expiration of
the Restricted Period, and to such other terms and conditions as
may be set forth in the applicable Award agreement: (A) if
an escrow arrangement is used, the Holder shall not be entitled
to delivery of the stock certificate; (B) the shares shall
be subject to the restrictions on transferability set forth in
the Award agreement; and (C) the shares shall be subject to
forfeiture to the extent provided in subparagraph (d) and
the Award Agreement and, to the extent such shares are
forfeited, the stock certificates shall be returned to the
Company, and all rights of the Holder to such shares and as a
shareholder shall terminate without further obligation on the
part of the Company.
(ii) Phantom Stock Units awarded to any Participant shall
be subject to (A) forfeiture until the expiration of the
Restricted Period, to the extent provided in subparagraph
(d) and the Award agreement, and to the extent such Awards
are forfeited, all rights of the Holder to such Awards shall
terminate without further obligation on the part of the Company,
and (B) such other terms and conditions as may be set forth
in the applicable Award agreement.
(iii) The Committee shall have the authority to remove any
or all of the restrictions on the Restricted Stock and Phantom
Stock Units whenever it may determine that, by reason of changes
in applicable laws or other changes in circumstances arising
after the date of the Restricted Stock Award or Phantom Stock
Award, such action is appropriate.
(c) Restricted Period. The Restricted Period of
Restricted Stock and Phantom Stock Units shall commence on the
Date of Grant and shall expire from time to time as to that part
of the Restricted Stock and
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Phantom Stock Units indicated in a schedule established by the
Committee and set forth in a written Award agreement.
(d) Forfeiture Provisions. Except to the extent
determined by the Committee and reflected in the underlying
Award agreement, in the event a Holder terminates employment
with the Company and all Related Entities during a Restricted
Period for any reason, that portion of the Award with respect to
which restrictions have not expired shall be completely
forfeited to the Company.
(e) Delivery of Restricted Stock and Settlement of
Phantom Stock Units. Upon the expiration of the Restricted
Period with respect to any shares of Stock covered by a
Restricted Stock Award, the restrictions set forth in
Section 10(b) and the Award agreement shall be of no
further force or effect with respect to shares of Restricted
Stock which have not then been forfeited. If an escrow
arrangement is used, upon such expiration, the Company shall
deliver to the Holder, or his beneficiary, without charge, the
stock certificate evidencing the shares of Restricted Stock
which have not then been forfeited and with respect to which the
Restricted Period has expired (to the nearest full share) and
any cash dividends or stock dividends credited to the
Holders account with respect to such Restricted Stock and
the interest thereon, if any.
Upon the expiration of the Restricted Period with respect to any
Phantom Stock Units covered by a Phantom Stock Unit Award, the
Company shall deliver to the Holder, or his beneficiary, without
charge, one share of Stock for each Phantom Stock Unit which has
not then been forfeited and with respect to which the Restricted
Period has expired (Vested Unit) and cash equal to
any Dividend Equivalents credited with respect to each such
Vested Unit and the interest thereon, if any; provided, however,
that, if so noted in the applicable Award agreement, the
Committee may, in its sole discretion, elect to pay cash or part
cash and part Stock in lieu of delivering only Stock for Vested
Units. If cash payment is made in lieu of delivering Stock, the
amount of such payment shall be equal to the Fair Market Value
of the Stock as of the date on which the Restricted Period
lapsed with respect to such Vested Unit.
(f) Stock Restrictions. Each certificate
representing Restricted Stock awarded under the Plan shall bear
the following legend until the end of the Restricted Period with
respect to such Stock:
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Transfer of this certificate and the shares represented
hereby is restricted pursuant to the terms of a Restricted Stock
Agreement, dated as of
between Wright Medical Group, Inc., and
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A copy of such Agreement is on file at the offices of the
Company at 5677 Airline Road, Arlington, Tennessee 38002. |
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Stop transfer orders shall be entered with the Companys
transfer agent and registrar against the transfer of legended
securities.
11. Stock Bonus Awards. The
Committee may issue unrestricted Stock under the Plan to
Eligible Persons, alone or in tandem with other Awards, in such
amounts and subject to such terms and conditions as the
Committee shall from time to time in its sole discretion
determine. Stock Bonus Awards under the Plan shall be granted as
or in payment of a bonus, to provide incentives, or to recognize
special achievements or contributions.
12. General.
(a) Additional Provisions of an Award. Awards under
the Plan also may be subject to such other provisions (whether
or not applicable to the benefit awarded to any other
Participant) as the Committee determines appropriate including,
without limitation, provisions to assist the Participant in
financing the purchase of Stock upon the exercise of Options,
provisions for the forfeiture of or restrictions on resale or
other disposition of shares of Stock acquired under any Award,
provisions giving the Company the right to repurchase shares of
Stock acquired under any Award in the event the Participant
elects to dispose of such shares, and provisions to comply with
Federal and state securities laws and Federal and state tax
withholding requirements. Any such provisions shall be reflected
in the applicable Award agreement.
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(b) Privileges of Stock Ownership. Except as
otherwise specifically provided in the Plan, no person shall be
entitled to the privileges of stock ownership in respect of
shares of Stock which are subject to Awards hereunder until such
shares have been issued to that person.
(c) Government and Other Regulations. The obligation
of the Company to make payment of Awards in Stock or otherwise
shall be subject to all applicable laws, rules, and regulations,
and to such approvals by governmental agencies as may be
required. Notwithstanding any terms or conditions of any Award
to the contrary, the Company shall be under no obligation to
offer to sell or to sell and shall be prohibited from offering
to sell or selling any shares of Stock pursuant to an Award
unless such shares have been properly registered for sale
pursuant to the Securities Act with the Securities and Exchange
Commission or unless the Company has received an opinion of
counsel, satisfactory to the Company, that such shares may be
offered or sold without such registration pursuant to an
available exemption therefrom and the terms and conditions of
such exemption have been fully complied with. Company shall be
under no obligation to register for sale under the Securities
Act any of the shares of Stock to be offered or sold under the
Plan. If the shares of Stock offered for sale or sold under the
Plan are offered or sold pursuant to an exemption from
registration under the Securities Act, the Company may restrict
the transfer of such shares and may legend the Stock
certificates representing such shares in such manner as it deems
advisable to ensure the availability of any such exemption.
(d) Tax Withholding. Notwithstanding any other
provision of the Plan, the Company or any Related Entity, as
appropriate, shall have the right to deduct from all Awards cash
and/or Stock, valued at Fair Market Value on the date of
payment, in an amount necessary to satisfy all Federal, state or
local taxes as required by law to be withheld with respect to
such Awards and, in the case of Awards paid in Stock, the Holder
or other person receiving such Stock may be required to pay
prior to delivery of such Stock, the amount of any such taxes
which are required to be withheld, if any, with respect to such
Stock. Subject in particular cases to the disapproval of the
Committee, shares of Stock of equivalent Fair Market Value in
payment of such withholding tax obligations may be accepted if
the Holder of the Award elects to make payment in such manner.
(e) Claim to Awards and Employment Rights. No
employee or other person shall have any claim or right to be
granted an Award under the Plan or, having been selected for the
grant of an Award, to be selected for a grant of any other
Award. Neither the Plan nor any action taken hereunder shall be
construed as giving any Participant any right to be retained in
the employ or service of the Company or any Related Entity.
(f) Designation and Change of Beneficiary. Each
Participant may file with the Committee a written designation of
one or more persons as the beneficiary who shall be entitled to
receive the rights or amounts payable with respect to an Award
due under the Plan upon his death. A Participant may, from time
to time, revoke or change his beneficiary designation without
the consent of any prior beneficiary by filing a new designation
with the Committee. The last such designation received by the
Committee shall be controlling; provided, however, that no
designation, or change or revocation thereof, shall be effective
unless received by the Committee prior to the Participants
death, and in no event shall it be effective as of a date prior
to such receipt. If no beneficiary designation is filed by the
Participant, the beneficiary shall be deemed to be his or her
spouse or, if the Participant is unmarried at the time of death,
his or her estate.
(g) Payments to Persons Other Than Participants. If
the Committee shall find that any person to whom any amount is
payable under the Plan is unable to care for his affairs because
of illness or accident, or is a minor, or has died, then any
payment due to such person or his estate (unless a prior claim
therefor has been made by a duly appointed legal representative)
may, if the Committee so directs, be paid to his spouse, child,
relative, an institution maintaining or having custody of such
person, or any other person deemed by the Committee to be a
proper recipient on behalf of such person otherwise entitled to
payment. Any such payment shall be a complete discharge of the
liability of the Committee and the Company therefor.
(h) No Liability of Committee Members. No member of
the Committee shall be personally liable by reason of any
contract or other instrument executed by such member or on his
behalf in his capacity as a member of the Committee nor for any
mistake of judgment made in good faith, and the Company shall
indemnify and hold harmless each member of the Committee and
each other employee, officer or director of
A-11
the Company to whom any duty or power relating to the
administration or interpretation of the Plan may be allocated or
delegated, against any cost or expense (including counsel fees)
or liability (including any sum paid in settlement of a claim)
arising out of any act or omission to act in connection with the
Plan unless arising out of such persons own fraud or
willful bad faith; provided, however, that approval of the Board
shall be required for the payment of any amount in settlement of
a claim against any such person. The foregoing right of
indemnification shall not be exclusive of any other rights of
indemnification to which such persons may be entitled under the
Companys certificate of incorporation or bylaws, as a
matter of law, or otherwise, or any power that the Company may
have to indemnify them or hold them harmless.
(i) Governing Law. The Plan shall be governed by and
construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of
Delaware without regard to the principles of conflicts of law
thereof.
(j) Funding. No provision of the Plan shall require
the Company, for the purpose of satisfying any obligations under
the Plan, to purchase assets or place any assets in a trust or
other entity to which contributions are made or otherwise to
segregate any assets, nor shall the Company maintain separate
bank accounts, books, records or other evidence of the existence
of a segregated or separately maintained or administered fund
for such purposes. Holders shall have no rights under the Plan
other than as unsecured general creditors of the Company, except
that insofar as they may have become entitled to payment of
additional compensation by performance of services, they shall
have the same rights as other employees under general law.
(k) Nontransferability. A persons rights and
interest under the Plan, including amounts payable, may not be
sold, assigned, donated, or transferred or otherwise disposed
of, mortgaged, pledged or encumbered except, in the event of a
Holders death, to a designated beneficiary to the extent
permitted by the Plan, or in the absence of such designation, by
will or the laws of descent and distribution; provided, however,
the Committee may, in its sole discretion, allow for transfer of
Awards other than Incentive Stock Options to other persons or
entities.
(1) Reliance on Reports. Each member of the
Committee and each member of the Board shall be fully justified
in relying, acting or failing to act, and shall not be liable
for having so relied, acted or failed to act in good faith, upon
any report made by the independent public accountant of the
Company and any Related Entity and upon any other information
furnished in connection with the Plan by any person or persons
other than himself.
(m) Relationship to Other Benefits. No payment under
the Plan shall be taken into account in determining any benefits
under any pension, retirement, profit sharing, group insurance
or other benefit plan of the Company except as otherwise
specifically provided in such other plan.
(n) Expenses. The expenses of administering the Plan
shall be borne by the Company.
(o) Pronouns. Masculine pronouns and other words of
masculine gender shall refer to both men and women.
(p) Titles and Headings. The titles and headings of
the sections in the Plan are for convenience of reference only,
and in the event of any conflict, the text of the Plan, rather
than such titles or headings shall control.
13. Changes in Capital
Structure. Awards granted under the Plan and any agreements
evidencing such Awards, the maximum number of shares of Stock
subject to all Awards, and the maximum number of shares of Stock
with respect to which any one person may be granted Options or
SARs during any year, if applicable, shall be subject to
equitable adjustment or substitution, as determined by the
Committee in its sole discretion, as to the number, price or
kind of a share of Stock or other consideration subject to such
Awards (a) in the event of changes in the outstanding Stock
or in the capital structure of the Company by reason of stock
dividends, stock splits, reverse stock splits,
recapitalizations, reorganizations, mergers, consolidations,
combinations, exchanges, or other relevant changes in
capitalization occurring after the Date of Grant of any such
Award or (b) in the event of any change in applicable laws
or any change in circumstances which results in or would result
in any substantial dilution or enlargement of the rights granted
to, or available for,
A-12
Participants in the Plan, or which otherwise warrants equitable
adjustment because it interferes with the intended operation of
the Plan. In addition, in the event of any such adjustment or
substitution, the aggregate number of shares of Stock available
under the Plan shall be appropriately adjusted by the Committee,
whose determination shall be conclusive. With respect to Awards
intended to qualify as performance-based
compensation under Section 162(m) of the Code, such
adjustments or substitutions shall be made only to the extent
that the Committee determines that such adjustments or
substitutions may be made without a loss of deductibility for
such Awards under Section 162(m) of the Code. The Company
shall give each Participant notice of an adjustment hereunder
and, upon notice, such adjustment shall be conclusive and
binding for all purposes.
Notwithstanding the above, in the event of any of the following:
(a) the Company is merged or consolidated with another
corporation or entity and, in connection therewith,
consideration is received by shareholders of the Company in a
form other than stock or other equity interests of the surviving
entity; (b) all or substantially all of the assets of the
Company are acquired by another person; (c) the
reorganization or liquidation of the Company; or (d) the
Company shall enter into a written agreement to undergo an event
described in clauses (a), (b) or (c) above; then the
Committee may, in its discretion and upon at least 10 days
advance notice to the affected persons, cancel any outstanding
Awards and pay to the Holders thereof, in cash, the value of
such Awards based upon the price per share of Stock received or
to be received by other shareholders of the Company in the
event. The terms of this Section 13 may be varied by the
Committee in any particular Award agreement.
14. Nonexclusivity of the
Plan. Neither the adoption of this Plan by the Board nor the
submission of this Plan to the stockholders of the Company for
approval shall be construed as creating any limitations on the
power of the Board to adopt such other incentive arrangements as
it may deem desirable, including, without limitation, the
granting of stock options otherwise than under this Plan, and
such arrangements may be either applicable generally or only in
specific cases.
15. Amendments and
Termination. The Board may at any time terminate the Plan.
Subject to Sections 7(g) and 13, with the express written
consent of an individual Participant, the Board or the Committee
may cancel or reduce or otherwise alter outstanding Awards if,
in its judgment, the tax, accounting, or other effects of the
Plan or potential payouts thereunder would not be in the best
interest of the Company. The Board or the Committee may, at any
time, or from time to time, amend or suspend and, if suspended,
reinstate, the Plan in whole or in part; provided, however, that
any amendment of the Plan shall require the approval of the
Companys stockholders to the extent that such approval is
then required by the Plan, applicable law, the rules and
regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the
rules and regulations of any national securities exchange on
which the Stock is then listed or the Nasdaq Stock Market or any
other automated quotation system on which the Stock is then
quoted.
16. Effect of
Section 162(m) of the Code. The Plan, and all Awards
issued thereunder, are intended to be exempt from the
application of Section 162(m) of the Code, which restricts
under certain circumstances the Federal income tax deduction for
compensation paid by a public company to named executives in
excess of $1 million per year. The Committee may, without
shareholder approval, amend the Plan retroactively and/or
prospectively to the extent it determines necessary in order to
comply with any subsequent clarification of Section 162(m)
of the Code required to preserve the Companys Federal
income tax deduction for compensation paid pursuant to the Plan.
To the extent that the Committee determines as of the Date of
Grant of an Award that the Award is intended to comply with
Section 162(m) of the Code, such Award shall not be
effective until any stockholder approval required under
Section 162(m) of the Code to provide a full Federal income
tax deduction has been obtained.
A-13
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this amended and
restated Plan to be executed on behalf of the Company as of
May 12, 2005.
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WRIGHT MEDICAL GROUP, INC. |
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By: |
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Laurence Y. Fairey |
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President and Chief
Executive Officer |
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Wright Medical Group, Inc. |
5677 Airline Road, Arlington, Tennessee 38002 |
901-867-9971 |
www.wmt.com April 15, 2005 |
Dear Stockholder:
It is a great pleasure to have this opportunity to provide you
with our 2004 Annual Report and the Proxy Statement for our 2005
Annual Meeting of Stockholders. The Annual Report discusses our
performance in 2004 as well as our business strategy for the
future. The Proxy Statement provides you with information
relating to the business to be conducted at our annual meeting
on May 12, 2005.
YOUR VOTE IS IMPORTANT!
You can submit your proxy in one of two ways:
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1. |
Call toll-free 1-800-PROXIES (1-800-776-9437) on a touch-tone
telephone at any time and follow the instructions on the reverse
side; or |
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2. |
Complete, sign, date, and return your proxy card in the
accompanying envelope. |
Thank you for your continued interest in, and ownership of,
Wright Medical Group, Inc.
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Sincerely, |
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Laurence Y. Fairey |
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President and Chief Executive Officer |
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PROXY W
RIGHT MEDICAL GROUP, INC. PROXY
2005 ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
TO BE HELD ON MAY 12, 2005
THIS PROXY IS SOLICITED ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF
DIRECTORS
The
2005 Annual Meeting of Stockholders of Wright Medical Group,
Inc. (the Company) will be held at the Doubletree
Hotel located at 5069 Sanderlin Avenue, Memphis, Tennessee, on
May 12, 2005, beginning at 3:30 p.m. (central time). The
undersigned hereby acknowledges receipt of the combined Notice
of 2005 Annual Meeting of Stockholders and Proxy Statement dated
April 15, 2005, accompanying this proxy, to which reference
is hereby made for further information regarding the meeting and
the matters to be considered and voted on by the stockholders at
the meeting.
The
undersigned hereby appoints F. Barry Bays, John K. Bakewell, and
Jason P. Hood, and each of them, attorneys and agents, with
full power of substitution, to vote, as the undersigneds
proxy, all the shares of common stock of the Company owned of
record by the undersigned as of the record date and otherwise to
act on behalf of the undersigned at the meeting and any
postponement or adjournment thereof, in accordance with the
instructions set forth herein and with discretionary authority
with respect to any other business, not known or determined at
the time of the solicitation of this proxy, that properly comes
before such meeting or any postponement or adjournment thereof.
The
undersigned hereby revokes any proxy heretofore given and
directs said attorneys and agents to vote or act as indicated on
the reverse side hereof.
(Continued and to be signed on the reverse side)
2005 ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
OF
WRIGHT MEDICAL GROUP, INC.
May 12, 2005
PROXY VOTING INSTRUCTIONS
TELEPHONE Please call toll-free
1-800-PROXIES (1-800-776-9437) from any touch-tone
telephone and follow the instructions. Have your control number
and proxy card available when you call.
-OR -
MAIL Sign, date and mail your proxy
card in the envelope provided as soon as possible.
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COMPANY NUMBER
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ACCOUNT NUMBER
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You may enter your voting instructions as 1-800-PROXIES up until
11:59 p.m. (eastern time) the day before the meeting date.
l Please detach along
perforated line and mail in the envelope provided IF you
are not voting via telephone. l
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THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS THAT YOU VOTE
FOR THE PROPOSALS.
PLEASE SIGN, DATE AND RETURN PROMPTLY IN THE ENCLOSED
ENVELOPE.
PLEASE MARK YOUR VOTE IN BLUE OR BLACK INK AS SHOWN
HERE. x
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1. |
To elect eight directors to serve on the Board of Directors of
the Company for a term of one year. |
o FOR
ALL NOMINEES
o WITHHOLD
AUTHORITY FOR ALL NOMINEES
o FOR
ALL NOMINEES EXCEPT (See instructions below)
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NOMINEES:
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O F. Barry Bays
O Richard B. Emmitt
O Laurence Y. Fairey
O David D. Stevens |
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O James E. Thomas
O Thomas E. Timbie
O James T. Treace
O Elizabeth H. Weatherman |
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INSTRUCTION: To withhold authority to vote for any
individual nominee(s), mark FOR ALL NOMINEES EXCEPT
and fill in the circle next to each nominee from whom you wish
to withhold your vote as shown here: O |
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2. |
To approve the amendment of the Companys Third Amended and
Restated 1999 Equity Incentive Plan as described in the Proxy
Statement. |
o FOR o AGAINST o ABSTAIN
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3. |
To ratify the selection of KPMG LLP as the Companys
independent auditor for 2005. |
o FOR o AGAINST o ABSTAIN
With respect to any other item of business that properly comes
before the meeting, the proxy holders are authorized to vote the
undersigneds shares in accordance with their best judgment.
THIS PROXY IS SOLICITED ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
OF THE COMPANY AND WILL BE VOTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE
UNDERSIGNEDS INSTRUCTIONS SET FORTH HEREIN. IF NO
INSTRUCTIONS ARE PROVIDED, THIS PROXY WILL BE VOTED
FOR EACH OF THE PROPOSALS DESCRIBED ABOVE.
To change the address on your account, please check the box at
right and indicate your new address in the address space
provided above. Please note that changes to the registered
name(s) on the account may not be submitted via this method.
o
Note: Please sign exactly as your name or names appear on
this proxy. If the shares are held jointly, each holder should
sign. If signing as executor, administrator, attorney, trustee
or guardian, please indicate your full title as such. If the
shares are held by a corporation, partnership or limited
liability company, please sign the full name of the entity by
the duly authorized officer, partner or member, respectively.