How to Vote
If you are the record holder of common shares, you or your duly authorized agent may vote by completing and returning the enclosed proxy card in the envelope provided. You may also vote by telephone or internet. Telephone and internet voting information is provided on your proxy card. A control number, located on the proxy card, is designed to verify your identity, allow you to vote your shares, and confirm that your voting instructions have been properly recorded. If you vote by telephone or internet, you need not return your proxy card. If your common shares are held by a bank, broker or any other nominee, you must follow the voting instructions provided to you by the bank, broker, or nominee. Although most banks and brokers offer voting by mail, telephone, and internet, availability and specific procedures will depend on their voting arrangements.
Unless revoked, common shares represented by a properly signed and returned proxy card (or other valid form of proxy), or as instructed via telephone or internet, received in time for voting will be voted as instructed. If your proxy card is signed and returned with no instructions given, the persons designated as proxy holders on the proxy card will vote as follows:
•FOR the election of each director nominee named herein (proposal 1);
•FOR the approval, on a non-binding advisory basis, of the compensation of our named executive officers (proposal 2); and
•FOR the ratification of the appointment of Grant Thornton LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm (proposal 3).
The Company knows of no other matters scheduled to come before the Annual Meeting. If any other business is properly brought before the Annual Meeting, your proxy gives discretionary authority to the proxy holders with respect to such business, and the proxy holders intend to vote the proxy as recommended by our board of directors with regard to any such business, or, if no such recommendation is given, the proxy holders will vote in their own discretion.
Revocability of Proxies
You may revoke or change your vote at any time before the final vote on the matter is taken at the Annual Meeting by submitting to our Secretary a notice of revocation or by timely delivery of a valid, later-dated, duly executed proxy by mail, telephone, or internet. If your shares are held by a bank, broker, or other nominee, you must contact the bank, broker, or nominee and follow their instructions for revoking or changing your vote.
Vote Required, Abstentions, and Broker Non-Votes
If a quorum is present at the Annual Meeting, the nominees named herein for election as directors in proposal 1 will be elected if they receive a greater number of votes “for” their election than votes “against” their election. Abstentions and broker non-votes will have no effect on the election of directors.
For each of proposal 2 (advisory vote on named executive officer compensation), and proposal 3 (ratification of independent registered public accounting firm), if a quorum is present at the Annual Meeting, the affirmative vote of the holders of shares representing a majority of the common shares present or represented by proxy and entitled to vote will be required to approve each proposal.
If you hold your shares in street name and do not give your broker or nominee instruction as to how to vote your shares, your broker or nominee will not have discretionary authority to vote your shares on proposals 1 or 2. Proposal 3 is considered a “routine proposal” on which your broker or nominee will have discretionary authority to vote your shares if you do not give voting instructions, and accordingly we do not expect any broker non-votes to result from proposal 3.
No Cumulative Voting
Under our certificate of incorporation, our stockholders do not have cumulative voting rights in the election of directors.