AEROCENTURY
CORP.
NOTICE
OF 2008 ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
TO
BE HELD ON MAY 1, 2008
TO OUR
STOCKHOLDERS:
You are
cordially invited to attend the 2008 Annual Meeting of Stockholders of
AeroCentury Corp. (the "Company"), which will be held at the Hiller Aviation
Museum, 601 Skyway Road, San Carlos, California at 5:30 p.m. on May 1, 2008, for
the following purposes:
1. To
elect two directors to the Board of Directors;
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2.
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To
consider and vote upon a proposal to ratify the selection of BDO Seidman,
LLP as independent registered public accounting firm for the Company for
the fiscal year ending December 31,
2008;
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3.
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To
approve an amendment to the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of
Incorporation for the purpose of increasing the authorized number of
shares of the Company’s Common Stock from 3,000,000 to 10,000,000;
and
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4.
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To
act upon such other business as may properly come before the meeting or
any adjournment or postponement
thereof.
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These
matters are more fully described in the Proxy Statement accompanying this
Notice.
The Board
of Directors has fixed the close of business on March 7, 2008 as the record date
for determining those stockholders who will be entitled to vote at the 2008
Annual Meeting of Stockholders. The stock transfer books will not be closed
between the record date and the date of the meeting.
A quorum
comprising the holders of the majority of the outstanding shares of Common Stock
of the Company on the record date must be present or represented by proxy for
the transaction of business at the Annual Meeting. Accordingly, it is important
that your shares be represented at the 2008 Annual Meeting of Stockholders.
WHETHER OR NOT YOU PLAN TO ATTEND THE MEETING, PLEASE COMPLETE, DATE AND SIGN
THE ENCLOSED PROXY CARD AND RETURN IT IN THE ENCLOSED ENVELOPE. Your proxy may
be revoked at any time prior to the time it is voted.
If you
plan to attend the meeting, please call the Company’s Investor Relations
Department at (650) 340-1888, so that your name can be placed on the guest list
at the Hiller Aviation Museum entrance.
Please
read the proxy material carefully. Your vote is important and the Company
appreciates your cooperation in considering and acting on the matters
presented.
Sincerely
yours,
Neal D.
Crispin
CHAIRMAN
OF THE BOARD
March 24,
2008
Burlingame,
California
PROXY
STATEMENT
FOR
2008
ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
OF
AEROCENTURY
CORP.
TO
BE HELD ON MAY 1, 2008
This
Proxy Statement is furnished in connection with the solicitation by the Board of
Directors (the “Board”) of AEROCENTURY CORP. (the "Company") of proxies to be
voted at the 2008 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the “2008 Annual Meeting” or
the “Annual Meeting”), which will be held at 5:30 p.m. on May 1, 2008, at the
Hiller Aviation Museum, 601 Skyway Road, San Carlos, California, or at any
adjournments or postponements thereof, for the purposes set forth in the
accompanying Notice of 2008 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. This Proxy Statement
and the proxy card were first mailed to stockholders on or about March 24, 2008.
The Company's 2007 Annual Report was mailed to stockholders concurrently with
this Proxy Statement. The 2007 Annual Report is not to be regarded as proxy
soliciting material or as a communication by means of which any solicitation of
proxies is to be made.
VOTING
RIGHTS AND SOLICITATION
The close
of business on March 7, 2008, was the record date for stockholders entitled to
notice of and to vote at the 2008 Annual Meeting. As of that date, the Company
had 1,543,257 shares of Common Stock, $0.001 par value (the "Common Stock"),
issued and outstanding. The presence at the Annual Meeting of a majority of the
issued and outstanding Common Stock, or 771,629 shares, either present in person
or represented by proxy, will constitute a quorum for the transaction of
business at the Annual Meeting. All of the shares of the Company's
Common Stock outstanding on the record date are entitled to vote at the 2008
Annual Meeting, and stockholders of record entitled to vote at the Annual
Meeting will have one vote for each share of Common Stock so held with regard to
each matter to be voted upon. Your proxy may be revoked at any time
prior to the time it is voted.
If your
shares are registered directly in your name with the Company’s transfer agent,
Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Co., you are considered, with respect to
those shares, the “stockholder of record” and these proxy materials are being
sent directly to you by the Company. As the stockholder of record,
you have the right to grant your voting proxy directly to the Company or to vote
in person at the Annual Meeting. The Company has enclosed a proxy
card for your use, which should be returned to the Company.
If your
shares are held in a stock brokerage account or by a bank or other nominee, you
are considered the “beneficial owner” of shares held “in street name” and these
proxy materials are being forwarded to you by your broker or nominee who is
considered, with respect to those shares, the stockholder of
record. As the beneficial owner, you have the right to direct your
broker on how to vote and are also invited to attend the Annual
Meeting. However, since you are not the stockholder of record, you
may not vote those shares in person at the Annual Meeting. Your
broker or nominee has enclosed a voting instruction card for your use, which
must be returned to your broker or nominee.
Shares of
the Company's Common Stock represented by proxies in the accompanying form that
are properly executed and returned to the Company will be voted at the 2008
Annual Meeting in accordance with the instructions of the stockholder of record
contained therein. In the absence of contrary instructions, shares represented
by such proxies will be voted FOR the election of each of the director nominees
as described herein under "Proposal 1: Election of Directors"; FOR ratification
of the selection of BDO Seidman, LLP as independent registered public accounting
firm as described herein under "Proposal 2: Ratification of Selection of
Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm"; and FOR the amendment of the
Certificate of Incorporation to increase the authorized number of shares of
Common Stock to 10,000,000 as described under “Proposal 3: Increase in
Authorized Number of Shares of Common Stock.” The Company does not know of any
matters to be presented at the Annual Meeting other than those set forth in this
Proxy Statement and in the Notice accompanying this Proxy Statement. If other
matters should properly come before the Annual Meeting, the proxy holders will
vote on such matters in accordance with their best judgment. Proxies
will confer upon the proxy holders discretionary authority to vote upon matters
that may properly be raised at the Annual Meeting, but which, as of the date
hereof, are unknown to the Company. In addition, the proxies confer
upon the proxy holders the authority to adjourn or postpone the Annual Meeting
in order to assure that all stockholders who wish to vote on the matters will be
able to cast their votes and to act upon the matters incident to the conduct of
the meeting. Any stockholder of record has the right to revoke his or
her proxy at any time before it is voted at the Annual Meeting.
Abstentions
and broker non-votes are each included in the determination of the number of
shares present for quorum purposes. For the purpose of determining whether the
stockholders have approved matters other than the election of directors,
abstentions are treated as shares present or represented and voting, so
abstentions have the same effect as negative votes. Broker non-votes
are not included in the tabulation of the voting results on the election of
directors or issues requiring approval of a majority of the shares present or
represented by proxy and entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting and, therefore,
do not have the same effect as votes in opposition to a specific
proposal. Broker non-votes are included in the tabulation of the
voting results on issues requiring approval of a majority of the outstanding
shares and, therefore, have the same effect as negative votes on such
matters. Neither abstentions nor broker non-votes are counted in the
tabulation of the votes for election of directors.
Proposal 1. The
election of directors by stockholders shall be determined by a plurality of the
votes cast by the stockholders of record entitled to vote at the election
present in person or represented by proxy, and the two nominees receiving the
greatest number of affirmative votes of the shares present in person, or
represented by proxy, and entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting will be
elected, provided a quorum is present. Abstentions and broker non-votes will not
be counted toward a nominee’s total.
Proposal
2. Ratification of the Company’s selection of independent
registered public accounting firm will require the affirmative vote of a
majority of the shares present in person, or represented by proxy, and entitled
to vote at the Annual Meeting, provided a quorum is present. As a
result, abstentions will have the same effect as votes against the
proposal. Broker non-votes will have no effect on the outcome of this
vote.
Proposal
3. Approval of the amendment to increase the number of shares
of Common Stock authorized for issuance under the Certificate of Incorporation
by 7,000,000, for a total of 10,000,000 shares, will require the affirmative
vote of a majority of the outstanding shares. As a result,
abstentions and broker non-votes will have the same effect as votes against the
proposal.
The
entire cost of soliciting proxies will be borne by the Company. Proxies will be
solicited principally through the use of the mails, but, if deemed desirable,
may be solicited personally or by telephone, telegraph or special letter by
officers and Company employees for no additional
compensation. Arrangements may be made with brokerage houses and
other custodians, nominees and fiduciaries to send proxies and proxy material to
the beneficial owners of the Company's Common Stock, and such persons may be
reimbursed for their expenses.
HOUSEHOLDING
OF ANNUAL MEETING MATERIALS
Some
brokers and other nominee record holders may be participating in the practice of
“householding” proxy statements and annual reports. This means that
only one copy of the proxy statement and annual report may have been sent to
multiple stockholders sharing the same household. The Company will
promptly deliver a separate copy of either document to any stockholder who
contacts the Company’s Investor Relations Department at (650) 340-1888 or by
mail to 1440 Chapin Avenue, Suite 310, Burlingame, California 94010, requesting
such copies. If a stockholder is receiving multiple copies of the
proxy statement and annual report at the stockholder’s household and would like
to receive only a single copy of the proxy statement and annual report for a
stockholder’s household in the future, stockholders should contact their broker,
other nominee record holder, or the Company’s Investor Relations Department to
request mailing of a single copy of the proxy statement and annual
report.
PROPOSAL
1
ELECTION
OF DIRECTORS
Two of
the Company’s six directors will be elected at the 2008 Annual Meeting. The
nominees for the Board of Directors are set forth below. The proxy holders
intend to vote all proxies received by them in the accompanying form FOR the nominees for director
listed below, unless instructions to the contrary are marked on the proxy. In
the event that a nominee is unable or declines to serve as a director at the
time of the 2008 Annual Meeting, the proxies will be voted for any nominee who
shall be designated by the present Board of Directors to fill the vacancy. In
the event that additional persons are nominated for election as directors, the
proxy holders intend to vote all proxies received by them for the nominees
listed below. As of the date of this Proxy Statement, the Board of Directors is
not aware of any nominee who is unable or will decline to serve as a director.
The term of office of each person elected as a director at the Annual Meeting
will continue until the 2011 Annual Meeting of Stockholders or until the
director's resignation, removal or successor has been elected.
Nominees
To Board Of Directors
The
following directors have terms expiring at the Company’s 2008 Annual Stockholder
Meeting:
Mr. Roy E. Hahn, age
56. Mr. Hahn is a member of the Audit Committee of the Board of
Directors and has served on the Board since his appointment in
2007. Mr. Hahn is currently Managing Director of Marbridge Group,
LLC, an alternative investment management firm he founded in
2004. Prior to his founding of Marbridge Group, Inc, he was Managing
Director of Chenery Associates, an investment management firm. From
1994 to 2003, Mr. Hahn was a tax partner at Coopers & Lybrand, and a
Director of that firm from 1989 to 1993. Prior to Coopers &
Lybrand, he was a partner at Arthur Young & Co. His educational
background includes a Bachelor's Degree in Accounting from San Francisco State
University. Mr. Hahn, who is a certified public accountant, is a
member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the
California Society of Certified Public Accountants.
Ms. Toni M. Perazzo, age
61. Ms. Perazzo is a member of the Executive Committee of the Board
of Directors and has served on the Board since its inception in
1997. She is the Company’s Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer, Senior
Vice President-Finance and Secretary and has held these same positions with
JetFleet Management Corp ("JMC"), the management company for AeroCentury Corp.,
since 1994, and CMA Consolidated, Inc. ("CMA"), an investment management firm
which is no longer active, since 1990. Since 2005, she has also been
Senior Vice President-Finance at Structured Funding, Inc., an investment
management firm. Prior to joining CMA in 1990, she was Assistant Vice
President for a savings and loan, controller of an oil and gas syndicator and a
senior auditor with Arthur Young & Co., Certified Public
Accountants. Ms. Perazzo is the wife of Neal D. Crispin, a director
and officer of JMC and the Company. She received her Bachelor’s
Degree from the University of California at Berkeley, and her Master’s Degree in
Business Administration from the University of Southern
California. Ms. Perazzo, who is a certified public accountant, is a
member of the California Society of Certified Public Accountants and the
American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.
THE
BOARD OF DIRECTORS UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDS A VOTE "FOR" THE NOMINEES LISTED
ABOVE.
PROPOSAL
2
RATIFICATION
OF SELECTION OF
INDEPENDENT
REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
The firm
of BDO Seidman, LLP served as independent registered public accounting firm for
the Company for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007. The Board of Directors
desires the firm to continue in this capacity for the current fiscal year.
Accordingly, a proposal will be presented at the Annual Meeting to ratify the
selection of BDO Seidman, LLP by the Board of Directors as independent
registered public accounting firm to audit the accounts and records of the
Company for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2008, and to perform other
appropriate services. In the event that stockholders fail to ratify the
selection of BDO Seidman, LLP, the Board of Directors would reconsider such
selection.
A
representative of BDO Seidman, LLP will be present at the Annual Meeting, will
have the opportunity to make a statement if he or she so desires and will be
available to respond to appropriate questions.
THE
BOARD OF DIRECTORS UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDS A VOTE "FOR" THE RATIFICATION OF THE
SELECTION OF BDO SEIDMAN, LLP AS INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING
FIRM.
INFORMATION REGARDING
AUDITORS
Audit and Audit-Related Fees.
BDO Seidman, LLP (the "Auditor") was engaged as the Company's auditor on
October 10, 2006. The aggregate fees accrued by the Company as
payable to the Auditor for professional services rendered for the audit of the
Company's financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007, and
for the reviews of the financial statements included in the Company's Forms
10-QSB during the 2007 fiscal year was $243,000. The aggregate fees
accrued by the Company as payable to the Auditor for professional services
rendered for the audit of the Company's financial statements for the fiscal year
ended December 31, 2006, and for the review of the third quarter financial
statements included in the Company's Form 10-QSB during the 2006 fiscal year was
$137,000. The Company accrued $0 in fees payable to the Auditor
for audit-related services during the fiscal years ended December 31, 2007 and
2006 and $0 in fees related to Sarbanes-Oxley internal controls compliance
review for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007 and 2006.
Prior to
the Company's engagement of BDO Seidman, LLP, the Company's auditor was
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (the "Former Auditor"). In 2007, the
Company paid the Former Auditor $6,000 for a review of the Company’s Form 10-KSB
filing for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2006. In 2006, the
Company paid the Former Auditor $48,000 for professional services rendered in
connection with the review of the financial statements included in the Company's
Forms 10-QSB during the period of engagement in 2006. During 2007, no
fees for audit-related services were paid to the Former Auditor; however, the
Company paid $9,000 in fees to the Former Auditor for audit-related services
during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2006. No fees were paid to
the Former Auditor related to Sarbanes-Oxley internal controls compliance review
in either fiscal year ended December 31, 2007 and 2006.
Tax Fees. The Company
paid the Auditor $42,000 for tax-related services in the fiscal year ended
December 31, 2007 and $0 for such services in the fiscal year ended December 31,
2006. In 2007, the Company paid the Former Auditor $1,200 for tax-related
services, related to the fiscal year ended December 31, 2006.
All Other Fees. No other
fees were paid to the Auditor or Former Auditor in the fiscal years ended
December 31, 2006 and 2007.
Audit Committee
Approval. The retainer agreements between the Company and the
Auditors containing the terms and conditions and estimated fees to be paid to
the Auditors for audit and tax return preparation services were pre-approved by
the Audit Committee at the beginning of their respective engagements. The Audit Committee’s
policy is to pre-approve all audit and non-audit services provided by the
independent registered public accounting firm. These services may include audit
services, audit-related services, tax services and other services. Pre-approval
is generally provided for up to one year and any pre-approval is detailed as to
the particular service or category of services and is generally subject to a
specific budget. The Audit Committee has delegated pre-approval authority to its
Chair when expedition of services is necessary. One hundred percent
of the audit-related fees and tax fees paid in the fiscal years ended December
31, 2006, and 2007 were pre-approved by the Audit Committee. The
independent registered public accounting firm and management are required to
periodically report to the full Audit Committee regarding the extent of services
provided by the independent registered public accounting firm in accordance with
this pre-approval, and the fees for the services performed to
date. None of the services rendered by the independent registered
public accounting firm were rendered pursuant to the de minimis exception
established by the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Audit Committee
Charter. A copy of the Audit Committee Charter is
attached to this Proxy Statement as Appendix I.
AUDIT
COMMITTEE REPORT
Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary set forth in any of the Company’s previous filings
under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended, that might incorporate future filings, including this Proxy
Statement, in whole or in part, the following Report of the Audit Committee
shall not be deemed to be “soliciting material” or to be “filed” with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, nor shall such information be incorporated
by reference into any such filings under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,
or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
The Audit
Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company serves as the representative
of the Board for general oversight of the Company's financial accounting and
reporting process, internal controls, audit process and process for monitoring
compliance with laws and regulations. The Audit Committee is
responsible for the appointment, compensation and oversight of the work of the
Auditor. The members of the Audit Committee are independent (as
defined in Section 121(A) of the American Stock Exchange Company
Guide). The Company's management has primary responsibility for
preparing the Company's financial statements and the Company's financial
reporting process. The Company's Auditor, BDO Seidman, LLP, is responsible for
expressing an opinion on the fairness and conformity of the Company's audited
financial statements to generally accepted accounting principles. In
this context, the Audit Committee hereby reports as follows:
1. The
Audit Committee has reviewed and discussed the audited financial statements with
the Company's management.
2. The
Audit Committee has discussed with the Auditor the matters required to be
discussed by SAS 114 (The Auditor’s Communication With Those Charged With
Governance).
3. The
Audit Committee has received the written disclosures and the letter from the
independent accountants required by Independence Standards Board Standard No. 1
(Independence Standards Board Standards No. 1, Independence Discussions with
Audit Committees) and has discussed with the Auditor its
independence.
4. Based
on the review and discussion referred to in paragraphs (1) through (3) above,
the Audit Committee recommended to the Board of Directors of the Company, and
the Board has approved, that the audited financial statements be included in the
Company's Annual Report on Form 10-KSB for the fiscal year ended December 31,
2007, for filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
The Audit Committee held seven meetings
during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007.
Submitted
by the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors:
Thomas W.
Orr, Chair
Roy E.
Hahn
Evan M.
Wallach
PROPOSAL
3
INCREASE
IN AUTHORIZED NUMBER OF SHARES OF COMMON STOCK
Introduction. The
Company’s Certificate of Incorporation, as amended (the "Certificate of
Incorporation"), currently authorizes the issuance of 3,000,000 shares of Common
Stock and 2,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock, $.001 par value per share
("Preferred Stock"), of which 100,000 shares have been designated Series A
Preferred Stock. As of the Record Date, 1,543,257 shares of Common
Stock are outstanding and no shares of Preferred Stock are outstanding. In
addition, as of the Record Date, 171,473 shares of Common Stock are reserved for
issuance upon exercise of Warrants issued in connection with the Company’s
subordinated debt financing that occurred in April 2007 (the “Subordinated
Lender Warrants”). Therefore, the Company’s total Common Stock share
requirement for outstanding shares plus reserved but unissued shares, as of the
Record Date, is approximately 1,714,730 shares (the "Share
Requirement").
Description of the Proposed
Amendment. On February 14, 2008, the Board unanimously
approved an amendment to Article IV of the Certificate of Incorporation (the
"Amendment"), subject to stockholder approval, to increase the number of shares
of Common Stock authorized for issuance under the Certificate of Incorporation
by 7,000,000, for a total of 10,000,000 shares.
If the
Amendment is approved by the stockholders, the number of shares of Common Stock
available for issuance would increase by 7,000,000 shares. These additional
shares would be available for issuance from time to time for such purposes and
for such consideration as the Board may determine to be appropriate such as
capital raising, mergers or acquisitions of other businesses, stock splits, or
stock dividends. Except for those instances in which applicable law or stock
exchange rules require stockholder approval, the Board could use such available
shares without the stockholders’ prior consent. The additional shares of
authorized Common Stock, when issued, would have the same rights and privileges
as the shares of Common Stock currently issued and outstanding. If the proposal
is not approved by the stockholders, no Amendment will be filed, and the
increase in authorized shares would not occur.
Purposes
of the Proposed Amendment
The
primary purpose of the Amendment is to allow the Company to have available a
sufficient number of shares of Common Stock to enable the Board of Directors to
act expediently to take advantage of business opportunities such as capital
raising, mergers, acquisitions or to make distributions to its stockholders in
the form of stock dividends or stock splits.
As of the
Record Date, the Certificate of Incorporation authorizes 3,000,000 shares of
Common Stock and the Share Requirement is 1,714,730. This leaves only
1,285,270 shares available for issuance. After the amendment of the
Certificate of Incorporation, there will be 8,285,270 shares available for
issuance.
The Board
believes that it is in the Company’s best interest to increase the number of
authorized shares of Common Stock to 10,000,000 shares, to provide the Company
additional authorized but unissued shares available for issuance to meet
business needs as they arise without the expense or delay of a special meeting
of stockholders to approve an increase to the number of authorized shares at
such time. Such business needs may include future stock dividends or splits,
equity financings, mergers or acquisitions, and other proper corporate purposes
identified by the Company’s Board in the future. Any future issuance of the
Company’s Common Stock would remain subject to separate stockholder approval if
required by Delaware law or the rules of any national securities exchange on
which shares of the Company’s Common Stock are then listed.
Other
than as permitted or required under the Subordinated Lender Warrants issued in
connection with the subordinated debt financing, the Company has no immediate
understandings, agreements or commitments to issue additional shares of Common
Stock for any purposes. If the proposal is approved, the Amendment
would be filed immediately after the Stockholders’ Meeting, and would take
effect upon filing.
Vote
Required
The
affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding shares of Common Stock will be
required to approve the proposed Amendment to the Company’s Certificate of
Incorporation. Abstentions and broker non-votes are not affirmative votes and,
therefore, will have the same effect as a vote against the
proposal.
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS UNANIMOUSLY
RECOMMENDS A VOTE “FOR” THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE COMPANY’S CERTIFICATE OF
INCORPORATION.
INFORMATION REGARDING THE
COMPANY’S
DIRECTORS
AND OFFICERS
Current
Board Of Directors
The
following directors have terms expiring at the Company’s 2008 Annual Stockholder
Meeting: Toni M. Perazzo and Roy E. Hahn. They have been
nominated for re-election to the Board of Directors. For their
biographical information, see “PROPOSAL 1: ELECTION OF DIRECTORS,”
above.
The
following directors have terms expiring at the Company’s 2010 Annual Stockholder
Meeting:
Mr. Neal D. Crispin, age
62. Mr. Crispin is Chairman of the Board and President of the
Company. He is a member of the Executive Committee of the Board and
has served on the Board since its inception in 1997. He has also
serves as President and Chairman of the Board of JetFleet Management Corp.
("JMC"), the management company for AeroCentury Corp. since JMC’s founding in
1997. Since 1983, he has been President and Chairman of CMA
Consolidated, Inc. (“CMA”), an investment management firm that is no longer
active, since 2005, President of Structured Funding, Inc., an investment
management firm and since 2007, President of Passport Holding Corp., an
investment services firm. Prior to forming CMA in 1983, Mr. Crispin
spent two years as Vice President-Finance of an oil and gas
company. Previously, Mr. Crispin was a manager with Arthur Young
& Co., Certified Public Accountants. Prior to joining Arthur
Young & Co., Mr. Crispin served as a management consultant, specializing in
financial consulting. Mr. Crispin is the husband of Toni M. Perazzo,
a Director and Officer of JMC and the Company. He received a
Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from the University of California at Santa
Barbara and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration (specializing in
Finance) from the University of California at Berkeley. Mr. Crispin,
a certified public accountant, is a member of the American Institute of
Certified Public Accountants and the California Society of Certified Public
Accountants.
Mr. Evan M. Wallach, age
53. Mr. Wallach is a Managing Director at Guggenheim Capital Markets,
LLC, a securities broker/dealer. Prior to that he served as Managing
Director, Fixed Income Institutional Sales, at Piper Jaffray LLC from 2001 to
2005 and as Vice President, Finance of C-S Aviation, an aviation consulting firm
from 1998 to 2001. Mr. Wallach is a member of the Audit Committee and
has served on the Board since 1997. From 1996 to 1998, he was
President and Chief Executive Officer of Global Airfinance Corporation, an
aviation consulting firm. He has specialized in aircraft and airline
financing for over twenty years, having held senior level positions with The CIT
Group, Bankers Trust Company, Kendall Capital Partners, Drexel Burnham Lambert,
and American Express Aircraft Leasing. Mr. Wallach received a
Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from State University of New York at
Stony Brook and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from the University
of Michigan.
The
following directors have terms expiring at the Company’s 2009 Annual Stockholder
Meeting:
Mr. Marc J. Anderson, age
71. Mr. Anderson is a member of the Executive Committee of the Board
and has served on the Board since its inception in 1997. Mr. Anderson
is the Company’s Chief Operating Officer and Senior Vice
President. He holds the same officer positions with JetFleet
Management Corp. ("JMC"). Prior to joining JMC in 1994, Mr. Anderson
was an aviation consultant for three years and prior to that spent seven years
as Senior Vice President-Marketing for PLM International (“PLM”), a
transportation equipment leasing company where he was responsible for the
acquisition, modification, leasing and remarketing of all
aircraft. Prior to PLM, Mr. Anderson served as Director-Contracts for
Fairchild Aircraft Corp.; Director of Aircraft Sales for Fairchild SAAB Joint
Venture; and Vice President, Contracts for SHORTS Aircraft USA,
Inc. Prior to that, Mr. Anderson was employed with several airlines
in various roles of increasing responsibility beginning in 1959.
Mr. Thomas W. Orr, age
74. Mr. Orr has served on the Company’s Board of Directors since
1997, and was also, during that time, Chair of the Audit Committee of the Board
of Directors. Mr. Orr is currently a self-employed consultant on
accounting matters. From 1992 until 2002, he was a partner at the
accounting firm of Bregante + Company LLP. Prior to that, beginning
in 1986, Mr. Orr was Vice President, Finance, at Scripps League Newspapers,
Inc. Beginning in 1958, Mr. Orr was in the audit department of Arthur
Young & Co., Certified Public Accountants, where he retired as a partner in
1986. Mr. Orr received his Bachelor’s Degree in Business
Administration, with distinction (Accounting major), from the University of
Minnesota. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified
Public Accountants, the California Society of Certified Public Accountants, and
a former member of the California State Board of Accountancy.
Board
Meetings and Committees
The Board
of Directors of the Company held a total of eight meetings during the fiscal
year ended December 31, 2007. Each director attended every
meeting of the Board and every meeting held by all committees of the Board on
which the director served, with the exception of Mr. Orr who missed one meeting,
and a former director, Mr. Hiniker, who missed one meeting.
The
Company has an Audit Committee and an Executive Committee of the Board of
Directors. The Audit Committee operates under a Charter approved by the Board of
Directors. The Audit Committee meets with the Company's financial
management and its independent registered public accounting firm to review
internal financial information, audit plans and results, and financial reporting
procedures. This committee currently consists of Thomas W. Orr, Chair, Roy E.
Hahn, and Evan M. Wallach. The Board has determined that Mr.
Orr, Mr. Hahn and Mr. Wallach are independent within the meaning of
"independence" as set forth in the rules of the American Stock Exchange Company
Guide.
The Board
of Directors has determined that at least two members of the Audit Committee,
Messrs. Orr and Hahn, are “financial experts” within the meaning of Item
401(e)(1) of Regulation S-B of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended
(the “Exchange Act”). Each of Messrs. Orr and Hahn is also “independent” within
the meaning of Item 7(d)(3)(iv) of Schedule 14A of the Exchange
Act. Mr. Orr is a self-employed accounting consultant and
former partner of the accounting firms Bregante + Co. LLP and Arthur Young &
Co., Certified Public Accountants. Mr. Hahn is a founder of Marbridge
Group LLC, an alternative investment management firm, and prior to that was a
tax partner in the accounting firm of Cooper & Lybrand. In the
course of their respective careers, each of Mr. Orr and Mr. Hahn acquired (i) an
understanding of generally accepted accounting principles and financial
statements, (ii) the ability to assess the general application of such
principles in connection with the accounting for estimates, accruals and
reserves, (iii) experience preparing, auditing, analyzing or evaluating
financial statements that present a breadth and level of complexity of
accounting issues that are generally comparable to the breadth and complexity of
issues that can reasonably be expected to be raised by the Company’s financial
statements, (iv) an understanding of internal control over financial reporting,
and (v) an understanding of audit committee functions.
The Audit
Committee held seven meetings during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007,
and has held two meetings during the fiscal year ending December 31, 2008 to
date.
The
Executive Committee has the authority to acquire, dispose of and finance
investments for the Company and execute contracts and agreements, including
those related to the borrowing of money by the Company, and generally exercises
all other powers of the Board of Directors except for those which require action
by all of the directors or the independent directors under the Certificate of
Incorporation or the Bylaws of the Company, or under applicable law. The
Executive Committee currently consists of three directors, Neal D. Crispin,
Chairman, Toni M. Perazzo and Marc J. Anderson.
The
Company does not have a formal Nominating Committee. The independent directors
separately consider and make recommendations to the full Board of Directors
regarding any candidate being considered to serve on the Board of
Directors. The full Board of Directors reviews potential candidates
for the Board of Directors. While the Board of Directors does not have a
specific policy for considering nominees recommended by stockholders, this does
not mean that a recommendation would not be considered if received from a
stockholder. The Board has not yet considered a procedure for
considering nominees recommended by stockholders in addition to the procedures
already set forth in the Bylaws of the Company. It believes that the
current informal consideration process has been adequate in light of the
historical absence of stockholder proposals. In any event, there
would be no difference between the manner in which the Board would evaluate a
nominee for director whether recommended by a stockholder or recommended by a
member of the Board or one of the Company’s executive officers. The
Company does not pay any third party to identify or assist in identifying or
evaluating potential nominees.
In
reviewing potential candidates for the Board, the Board of Directors considers
the individual's experience in the Company's industry, the general business or
other experience of the candidate, the needs of the Company for an additional or
replacement director, the personality of the candidate, the candidate's interest
in the business of the Company, as well as numerous other subjective
criteria. Of greatest importance is the individual's integrity,
willingness to actively participate and ability to bring to the Company his or
her experience and knowledge in areas that are most beneficial to the
Company. The Board intends to continue to evaluate candidates for
election to the Board on the basis of the foregoing criteria.
Since the
Company receives management services from JMC, the Company has no employees and
does not pay any compensation to its officers. As a result, the
Company has no compensation committee.
Communication
between Stockholders and Directors
The
Company’s Board of Directors currently does not have a formal process for
stockholders to send communications to the Board of Directors and does not
believe such procedures are necessary at this time because it believes that
informal communications are sufficient to communicate questions, comments and
observations that could be useful to the Board.
Director
Attendance at Annual Meeting
It is the
policy of the Company and Board of Directors that directors attend the Annual
Meeting of Stockholders and be available for questions from the
stockholders. Two sitting directors nominated for election were in
attendance at the 2007 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. It is anticipated that
both directors nominated for election at the 2008 Annual Meeting also will be in
attendance at that meeting.
Board
Independence
If all of
the nominees to the Board of Directors are elected, “independent directors,” as
that term is used in the American Stock Exchange Company Guide, will constitute
50% of the entire Board of Directors of the Company, consisting of Messrs. Hahn,
Orr and Wallach.
Involvement
in Legal Proceedings
No
director or associate of a director is involved in a material proceeding as a
party adverse to the Company or any of its subsidiaries or with a material
interest adverse to the Company or any of its subsidiaries.
Director
Compensation
In 2008,
non-employee members of the Board will be paid an annual fee of $20,000 and are
reimbursed for all reasonable out-of-pocket costs incurred in connection with
their attendance at such meetings. Non-employee members also receive $1,000
annually for each committee membership, and the audit committee chair receives
an additional $3,000. Board members who are officers of the Company
do not receive any compensation for Board or committee membership.
The table below provides the compensation of the
Company’s directors for the fiscal year ended December 31,
2007
FISCAL YEAR 2007 DIRECTOR
COMPENSATION
Name
|
Fees Earned or
Paid in Cash
($) (3)
|
Stock Awards
($)
|
Option Awards
($)
|
Non-Equity
Incentive Plan
Compensation
($)
|
Change
in Pension
Value and
Nonqualified
Deferred
Compensation
Earnings
($)
|
All
Other
Compensation
($)
|
Thomas G. Hiniker (1)
|
20,000
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
Thomas W. Orr
|
24,000
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
Evan M. Wallach
|
21,000
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
Roy E. Hahn (2)
|
5,250
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
(1)
|
Mr. Hiniker resigned effective November 19,
2007
|
(2)
|
Mr. Hahn joined the Board of Directors on October
26, 2007
|
(3)
|
Messrs. Anderson and Crispin and Ms. Perazzo are
also officers of the Company and, therefore, did not receive any
compensation for Board or committee membership. Mr. Hiniker
earned $20,000 as a non-employee member of the Board. Mr. Orr
earned $20,000 as a non-employee member of the Board, an additional $1,000
for his membership on the Audit Committee and an additional $3,000 for
chairing the Audit Committee. Mr. Wallach earned $20,000 as a
non-employee member of the Board and an additional $1,000 for his
membership on the Audit Committee. Mr. Hahn earned $5,000 as a
non-employee member of the Board and an additional $250 for his membership
on the Audit Committee. Outside
director fees were increased to the levels set forth in the preceding
paragraph for the 2007 fiscal
year.
|
Officers
And Key Employees
For
biographies of Neal D. Crispin, President & Chairman of the Board, Marc J.
Anderson, Chief Operating Officer & Senior Vice President, and
Toni M. Perazzo, Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer, Senior Vice President -
Finance, & Secretary, see “Board of Directors” above.
Listed
below are the other officers of the Company who are also key officers and
employees of JetFleet Management Corp. ("JMC"), the Company’s management
company, and are responsible for the management of various aspects of the
Company’s business:
Mr. Brian J. Ginna, Vice President,
Corporate Development, age 39. Mr. Ginna is responsible for all corporate
communications, investor relations and public relations of the Company and
JMC. Mr. Ginna joined the Company and JMC in 2001 and he is also
Controller for CMA, which he joined in 1991 and where he has held various
positions of increasing responsibility. Mr. Ginna received a
Bachelor’s Degree in Finance from Babson College.
Mr. Jack Humphreys, Vice President,
Maintenance, age 60. Mr. Humphreys is responsible for portfolio
aircraft maintenance and acts as
a liaison with manufacturers and the technical departments of
lessees. Mr. Humphreys has over thirty-five years of experience in
aviation and has been with the Company and JMC since July 2002. He
has held several positions in the industry in the areas of aviation maintenance
management, quality assurance, aviation safety and training development. Before
joining the Company, Mr. Humphreys was an Aviation Quality Control Manager for
Raytheon-Range Systems Engineering-Raytheon Corporation from 1992 to 2002, where
he was responsible for maintaining airworthiness for a fleet of airplanes and
helicopters. Mr. Humphreys holds a degree in Professional Aeronautics
from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, a Bachelor’s Degree in Business
Management from Columbia College, and an FAA Airframe and Powerplant
certification.
Mr. Byron Hurey, Vice President,
Aircraft Acquisitions,
age 60. Mr. Hurey is responsible for identifying, recommending
and completing aircraft acquisition and lease opportunities. Mr.
Hurey joined the Company and JMC in February 2007. From 2001 to 2007,
Mr. Hurey was a self-employed consultant specializing in equipment
leasing. Mr. Hurey is a former naval aviator and has held significant
marketing and sales positions in the aerospace and financial community over the
past thirty years. Among his past responsibilities were positions at Gates
Learjet, PLM International, ATEL Financial Corporation and Sansome Street
Holdings. Mr. Hurey is a graduate of Cornell University with a degree
in Business Administration.
Mr. Harold M. Lyons, Vice President,
Finance, age 49. Mr. Lyons is responsible for overseeing tax
accounting and tax analysis as well as Sarbanes-Oxley internal controls
compliance review. Mr. Lyons joined the Company and JMC in October
2003. Mr. Lyons is also Senior Vice President of Structured Funding,
Inc. (since 2005) and CMA, (since 1992). Before joining CMA in 1992,
Mr. Lyons was a Manager in the Tax Department of Coopers & Lybrand,
Certified Public Accountants and, before that, Mr. Lyons was a Manager in the
Tax Department of Arthur Young & Co., Certified Public
Accountants. He received a Bachelors Degree in Business
Administration (specializing in Accounting and Applied Economics) and a Masters
Degree in Business Administration (specializing in finance and management
science) from the University of California, Berkeley. Mr. Lyons is a certified
public accountant, and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public
Accountants (and a member of the Tax Section) and of the California Society of
Public Accountants.
Mr. John S. Myers, Senior Vice
President, age 62. Mr. Myers is responsible for the
administration of aircraft leases, marketing agreements and vendor agreements
for the Company and JMC. Mr. Myers joined the Company and JMC in
March 2001. From 1991 to 2001, Mr. Myers was Vice President of
Raytheon Aircraft Credit Corporation, where he was responsible for the
management of a $1.3 billion commuter airline portfolio, customer financing
transactions, credit risk analysis, and structuring, negotiating, and
documentation of aircraft financing transactions. From 1976 until
1991, he was Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Air Midwest,
Inc., a regional airline. Mr. Myers received a Bachelor’s Degree in
Business Administration from Wichita State University.
Mr. Glenn Roberts, Vice President,
Controller, age 43. Mr. Roberts is responsible for financial
accounting and analysis. Mr. Roberts joined JMC in 1994 and the
Company in 1997. He has been employed by affiliates of the Company
for seventeen years in various capacities of increasing
responsibility.
Mr. Christopher B. Tigno,
General Counsel, age
46. Mr. Tigno is responsible for all legal matters of the Company and
JMC and its related companies, including supervision of outside counsel,
documentation of aircraft asset acquisition transactions and corporate and
securities matters. He has also served as General Counsel of
Structured Funding, Inc. since 2005 and of CMA since
1996. He joined the Company in 1997 and joined JMC and
CMA in 1996. He was also Senior Counsel with the law firm of
Wilson, Ryan & Campilongo from 1992 to 1996, and prior to that was
associated with the law firm of Fenwick & West from 1988 to 1992 and the law
firm of Morrison & Foerster from 1986 to 1988. Mr. Tigno received his Juris
Doctor Degree from the University of California at Berkeley, Boalt Hall School
of Law, and was admitted to the California Bar in 1986. He also holds a
Bachelor's Degree in Chemical Engineering from Stanford University.
Mr. Steven H. Wallace, Vice
President, Aircraft Remarketing, age 62. Mr. Wallace is
responsible for remarketing of the Company's portfolio of aircraft
assets. Prior to joining the Company and JMC in June 2002, Mr.
Wallace was an aviation consultant from June 2000 to June 2002, and prior to
that was Aviation Services Manager for Raytheon Aircraft Services from January
1995 to June 2000. Prior to his tenure at Raytheon Aircraft Services, Mr.
Wallace served in the U.S. Army, where he attained the rank of
Major. Mr. Wallace graduated from Troy State University with a
Bachelor's Degree in 1971, and received a Master’s Degree in Business
Administration from Pepperdine University in 1975.
Employee
Compensation
Since the
Company receives management services from JMC, the Company has no employees and
does not pay any compensation to its officers. The cash compensation
received from JMC in 2007 by the executive officers of JMC was as follows (i)
Mr. Crispin, President and Chairman, received $1, including bonuses; (ii) Marc
J. Anderson, Senior Vice President & Chief Operating Officer, received
$257,875, including bonuses; and (iii) Toni M. Perazzo, Senior Vice President,
Finance, CFO, Treasurer and Secretary, received $241,300, including
bonuses. The cash compensation expected to be received from JMC in
2008 by those same officers is as follows: (i) Mr. Crispin is expected to
receive $1, including bonuses; (ii) Mr. Anderson is expected to receive
$272,000, including bonuses; and (iii) Ms. Perazzo is expected to
receive $192,000, including bonuses.
Compensation
Committee Interlocks And Insider Participation
Neal D.
Crispin and Toni M. Perazzo are executive officers and directors of both the
Company and JMC. Marc J. Anderson is an executive officer and
director of the Company and an executive officer of JMC. As described
above under “Employee Compensation,” the Company has no employees and does not
pay any compensation to its executive officers. No executive officers of the
Company currently serve on the compensation committee (or any other committee of
the board of directors performing similar functions) of another
entity.
SECURITY
OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT
The
following table sets forth information regarding the beneficial ownership of the
Company's Common Stock as of March 7, 2008, by: (i) each person or entity that
is known to the Company to own beneficially more than five percent of the
outstanding shares of the Company's Common Stock; (ii) each director; and (iii)
all directors and executive officers as a group.
Percentage of
Ownership of
No.
Common
Name,
Position, &
Address of
Shares
(1) Stock
(2)
Neal D.
Crispin 337,00 21.84%
Chairman
of the Board,
President
and Principal
Stockholder
(3)(4)
Toni M.
Perazzo 337,005 21.84%
Director,
Senior Vice President - Finance,
Secretary
and Principal
Stockholder
(3)(5)
Marc J.
Anderson 4,600 *
Director,
Senior Vice President
and Chief
Operating Officer (3)
Thomas W.
Orr
1,700 *
Director
(3)
Evan M.
Wallach
100 *
Director
(3)
JetFleet
Holding
Corp. 198,067 12.83%
Principal
Stockholder (6)
All
directors and
executive 343,405 22.25%
officers
as a group (6 persons)
----------------------------------------------------
* Less
than 1%
Footnotes
to Security Ownership:
(1)Except as indicated in the footnotes to
this table, the stockholders named in the table are known to the Company to have
sole voting and investment power with respect to all shares of Common Stock
shown as beneficially owned by them, subject to community property laws where
applicable.
(2) For
purposes of calculating percentages, total outstanding shares consists of
1,543,257 shares of outstanding Common Stock, which excludes shares held by the
Company as treasury stock.
(3) The
mailing address is c/o AeroCentury Corp., 1440 Chapin Avenue Suite 310,
Burlingame, California 94010.
(4) Includes
198,067 shares owned by JetFleet Holding Corp. of which Mr. Crispin is an
officer, director and/or principal shareholder and 99,100 shares of a trust of
which Mr. Crispin is a beneficial owner.
(5) Includes
198,067 shares owned by JetFleet Holding Corp., of which Ms. Perazzo is an
officer, director and/or principal shareholder and 99,100 shares of a trust of
which Ms. Perazzo is a beneficial owner.
(6) Consists
of 109,767 shares owned directly and 88,300 shares owned by a wholly-owned
subsidiary.
RELATED
PARTY TRANSACTIONS
Management Agreement. JMC acts
as the management company for the Company under the Management Agreement, dated
December 31, 1997, as amended on February 3, 1998, between JMC and the
Company. The officers of the Company are also officers of JMC and two
members of JMC’s Board of Directors are on the Board of Directors of the
Company.
Under the
Management Agreement, the Company pays a monthly management fee to JMC equal to
0.25% of the net book value of the Company’s assets as of the end of the month
for which the fee is due. In addition, JMC may receive an acquisition
fee for locating assets for the Company, provided that the aggregate purchase
price including chargeable acquisition costs and any acquisition fee does not
exceed the fair market value of the asset based on appraisal, and a remarketing
fee in connection with the sale or re-lease of the Company’s
assets. The management fees, acquisition fees and remarketing fees
may not exceed the customary and usual fees that would be paid to an
unaffiliated party for such services. During 2007 and 2006, the
Company recognized as expense $3,017,000 and $2,743,000, respectively, of
management fees payable to JMC. In connection with aircraft
purchases during 2007 and 2006, the Company paid JMC a total of $1,068,000 and
$198,000, respectively, in acquisition fees, which are included in the
capitalized cost of the aircraft. Remarketing fees accrued to JMC
were $0 in 2007 and $44,000 in 2006.
Office Space. The
Company maintains its principal office at the offices of JMC at 1440 Chapin
Avenue, Suite 310, Burlingame, California, 94010, without reimbursement to
JMC.
COMPLIANCE
WITH SECTION 16(A) OF THE
SECURITIES
EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
Section
16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, requires the Company's
directors and executive officers and persons who own more than ten percent of a
registered class of the Company's equity securities, to file with the Securities
and Exchange Commission initial reports of ownership and reports of changes in
ownership of Common Stock and other equity securities of the Company. Officers,
directors and greater than ten percent stockholders are required by Securities
and Exchange Commission regulation to furnish the Company with copies of all
Section 16(a) reports they file.
Based
solely upon review of the copies of such reports furnished to the Company and
written representations that no other reports were required, the Company
believes that there was compliance for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007
with all Section 16(a) filing requirements applicable to the Company's officers,
directors and greater than ten percent beneficial owners.
STOCKHOLDER
PROPOSALS
Requirements for Stockholder
Proposals to be Brought Before 2009 Annual Meeting of Stockholders
(“2009 Annual
Meeting”). For
stockholder proposals to be considered properly brought before an annual meeting
by a stockholder, the stockholder must have given timely notice thereof in
writing to the Secretary of the Company. For the 2009 Annual Meeting,
to be timely, notice of stockholder proposals must be delivered to, or mailed
and received by, the Secretary of the Company at the principal executive offices
of the Company between January 6, 2009 and February 5, 2009. A
stockholder's notice to the Secretary must set forth as to each matter the
stockholder proposes to bring before the annual meeting (i) a brief description
of the business desired to be brought before the Annual Meeting and the reasons
for conducting such business at the Annual Meeting, (ii) the name and record
address of the stockholder proposing such business, (iii) the number of shares
of the Company’s Common Stock which are beneficially owned by the stockholder,
and (iv) any material interest of the stockholder in such business.
Requirements for Stockholder
Proposals to be Considered for Inclusion in the Company's Proxy
Materials. Stockholder proposals submitted pursuant to Rule
14a-8 under the Exchange Act and intended to be presented at the Company's 2009
Annual Meeting must be received by the Company not later than November 24,
2008 in order to be considered for inclusion in the Company's proxy
materials for that meeting.
ANNUAL
REPORT ON FORM 10-KSB
A
copy of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-KSB for the fiscal year ended
December 31, 2007 is available without charge to each person solicited by this
Proxy upon the written request of such person to Investor Relations, AeroCentury
Corp., 1440 Chapin Avenue, Suite 310, Burlingame, California 94010.
OTHER
MATTERS
Management
does not know of any matters to be presented at this Annual Meeting other than
those set forth herein and in the Notice accompanying this Proxy
Statement.
It is
important that your shares be represented at the Annual Meeting, regardless of
the number of shares that you hold. YOU ARE, THEREFORE, URGED TO EXECUTE
PROMPTLY AND RETURN THE ACCOMPANYING PROXY IN THE ENVELOPE THAT HAS BEEN
ENCLOSED FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE. Stockholders who are present at the Annual
Meeting may revoke their proxies and vote in person or, if they prefer, may
abstain from voting in person and allow their proxies to be voted.
By Order
of the Board of Directors,
Neal D.
Crispin, President
March 24,
2008
Burlingame,
California
Appendix
I
AEROCENTURY
CORP.
AUDIT
COMMITTEE
CHARTER
Revised
October 2007
I.
ORGANIZATION
The Audit Committee shall be comprised
of two or more directors, as determined by the Corporation's Board of Directors
(the "Board"). The Audit Committee members shall be designated by the
Board and shall serve at the discretion of the Board.
Each
member of the Audit Committee shall be an independent director. For
purposes hereof, an "independent director" shall be one:
·
|
who
accepts no consulting, advisory or other compensatory fee from the
Corporation other than in his or her capacity as a member of the
Committee, the Board or any other committee of the Board or is not
otherwise an affiliated person of the Corporation,
and
|
·
|
who
is free from any relationship that, in the opinion of the Board, would
interfere with the exercise of his or her independent judgment in carrying
out the responsibilities of a
director.
|
Each
member of the Audit Committee shall be able to read and understand fundamental
financial statements in accordance with the rules of the American Stock Exchange
(the "AMEX") audit committee requirements. At least one member shall
have past employment experience in finance or accounting, a professional
certification in accounting or other comparable experience or background that
results in the individual's possessing the requisite financial sophistication,
including a current or past position as a chief executive or financial officer
or other senior officer with financial oversight responsibilities.
II.
STATEMENT OF POLICY
The Audit Committee is appointed by the
Board to oversee the accounting and financial reporting processes of the
Corporation and audits of the financial statements of the Corporation and to
have the sole responsibility for the appointment, compensation, oversight and
termination of the Corporation's independent auditors
("Auditors"). The Audit Committee shall further provide assistance
and expertise to the full corporate board of directors in fulfilling their
responsibility to the shareholders, potential shareholders, and investment
community relating to corporate accounting, reporting practices of the
corporation, and the quality and integrity of the financial reports of the
corporation. In so doing, it is the responsibility of the Audit
Committee to maintain free and open means of communication between the
directors, the Auditors, and the financial management of the
Corporation. In addition, the Audit Committee shall review the
policies and procedures adopted by the Corporation to fulfill its
responsibilities regarding the fair and accurate presentation of financial
statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and
applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and
the AMEX audit committee requirements.
III.
POWERS
The Audit
Committee shall have the power to conduct or authorize investigations into any
matters within the Committee's scope of responsibilities. The
Committee shall be empowered to engage independent counsel and other advisers,
as it determines necessary to carry out its duties. While the
Committee has the responsibilities and powers set forth in this Charter, it is
not the duty of the Committee to plan or conduct audits or to determine that the
Corporation's financial statements are complete and accurate and are in
accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. Those tasks
are the responsibility of management and the independent auditor. The
Board and the Committee are in place to represent the Corporation's
stockholders. Accordingly, the independent auditor is ultimately
accountable to the Board and the Committee.
IV.
RESPONSIBILITIES
The Audit Committee shall undertake
those specific duties and responsibilities listed below and such other duties as
the Board shall from time to time prescribe. All powers of the
Committee are subject to the restrictions designated in the Corporation's Bylaws
and applicable law. In carrying out its responsibilities, the Audit
Committee believes its policies and procedures should remain flexible, in order
to best react to changing conditions and to ensure to the directors and
shareholders that the corporate accounting and reporting practices of the
Corporation are in accordance with all requirements and are of the highest
quality.
The Audit Committee's responsibilities
shall be as follows:
1.
|
Review
and reassess the adequacy of this Charter
annually.
|
2.
|
With
respect to the Corporation's
Auditors:
|
a.
|
The
Committee is responsible for the appointment, compensation and oversight
of the work of the Corporation's Auditors. The Committee shall
preapprove all auditing services (including the provision of comfort
letters) and non-audit services provided by the Auditors to the
Corporation, other than as may be allowed by applicable
law. The Committee may delegate to one or more designated
Committee members the authority to grant preapprovals required by the
foregoing sentence. The decisions of any Committee member to
whom authority is delegated hereunder shall be presented to the Committee
at each of its scheduled meetings. The Auditors shall be
ultimately accountable to the Board and to the Committee as
representatives of the Corporation's
stockholders.
|
b.
|
Review
the independence of the Auditors, including a review of management
consulting services, and related fees, provided by the
Auditors. The Committee shall request that the Auditors at
least annually provide a formal written statement delineating all
relationships between the Auditors and the Corporation consistent with the
AMEX audit committee requirements and request information from the
Auditors and management to determine the presence or absence of a conflict
of interest. The Committee shall actively engage the Auditors
in a dialogue with respect to any disclosed relationships or services that
may impact the objectivity and independence of the
Auditors. The Committee shall take, or recommend that the full
Board take, appropriate action to oversee the independence of the
Auditors.
|
3.
|
Review
and discuss with management, before release, the audited financial
statements and the Management's Discussion and Analysis proposed to be
included in the Corporation's Annual Report on Form
10-KSB. Make a recommendation to the Board whether or not the
audited financial statements should be included in the Corporation's
Annual Report on Form 10-KSB.
|
4.
|
In
consultation with the Auditors and management, consider and review at the
completion of the annual examinations and such other times as the
Committee may deem appropriate:
|
a.
|
The
Corporation's annual financial statements and related
notes.
|
b.
|
The
Auditors' audit of the financial statements and their report
thereon.
|
c.
|
The
Auditors' reports regarding critical accounting policies, alternative
treatments of financial information and other material written
communications between the Auditors and
management.
|
d.
|
Any
deficiency in, or suggested improvement to, the procedures or practices
employed by the Corporation as reported by the Auditors in their annual
management letter.
|
5.
|
Periodically
and to the extent appropriate under the circumstances, it may be advisable
for the Committee, with the assistance of the Auditors and/or management,
to consider and review the
following:
|
a.
|
Any
significant changes required in the Auditors' audit
plan.
|
b.
|
Any
difficulties or disputes with management encountered during the course of
the audit.
|
c.
|
The
adequacy of the Corporation's system of internal financial
controls.
|
d.
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The
effect or potential effect of any regulatory regime, accounting
initiatives or off-balance sheet structures on the Corporation's financial
statements.
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e.
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Any
correspondence with regulators or governmental agencies and any employee
complaints or published reports that raise material issues regarding the
Corporation's financial statements or accounting
policies.
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f.
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Other
matters related to the conduct of the audit, which are to be communicated
to the Committee under generally accepted auditing
standards.
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6.
|
Discuss
with the Auditors the matters required to be discussed by Statement on
Auditing Standards No. 114, as modified or
supplemented.
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7.
|
Obtain
from the Auditor assurance that it has complied with Section 10A of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
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8.
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Establish
procedures for (a) the receipt, retention and treatment of complaints
received by the Corporation regarding accounting, internal accounting
controls or auditing matters and (b) the confidential, anonymous
submission by the Corporation's employees of concerns regarding
questionable accounting or auditing
matters.
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9.
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Prepare
a report in the Corporation's proxy statement in accordance with SEC
requirements.
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10.
|
Discuss
guidelines and policies governing the process by which senior management
of the Company and the relevant departments of the Company assess and
manage the Company’s exposure to risk, and to discuss the Company’s major
financial risk exposures and the steps management has taken to monitor and
control such exposures;
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11.
|
Review
accounting and financial human resources and succession planning with the
Corporation
|
12.
|
Submit
the minutes of all meetings of the Audit Committee to, or discuss the
matters discussed at each Committee meeting with, the
Board.
|
13.
|
Investigate
any matter brought to its attention within the scope of its duties, with
the power to retain separate outside counsel, solely representing and
reporting to the Audit Committee, for this purpose if, in its judgment,
that is appropriate.
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V. MEETINGS
Periodic meetings of the Audit
Committee should be regularly scheduled, and should include at least the
following meetings:
1. Prior to the annual
audit;
2. After completion of the
annual audit and before financial statements are issued;
3. Before the annual meeting
of shareholders, which would include the preparation of the Audit Committee's
report to the entire Board.
Meetings should provide the opportunity
not only to review the Corporation's quarterly and annual financial results but
also perform a preliminary review of annual and quarterly financial reports of
the Corporation, and review filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission. The Audit Committee should set its own agenda and should
be able to secure whatever information it may feel it needs to be well informed
as to the issues before it.
Special meetings of the Committee may
be called by any member of the Audit Committee or at the request of the
Auditor.
VI. MINUTES
Minutes shall be kept of each meeting
of the Committee and will be provided to each member of the
Board. Any action of the Committee shall be subject to revision,
modification or rescission by the Board.