def14a_042114.htm
SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION
                                                                                                                                                                                                      
 
Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
 
Filed by the Registrant [X]
 
Filed by a Party other than the Registrant [  ]
 
Check the appropriate box:
     
[   ]
Preliminary Proxy Statement
[   ]
Confidential, for use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2))
   
  [X]
Definitive Proxy Statement
     
  [   ]
Definitive Additional Materials
     
  [   ]
Soliciting Material Pursuant to Rule 14a-11(c) or Rule 14a-12
 
 
Ultralife Corporation
 
(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):
     
[X]
No fee required
     
[   ]
Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(4) and 0-11
     
  (1)
Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies: _____
  (2)
Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies: ______
  (3)
Per unit price or other underlying value of transaction computed pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 0-11:______
  (4)
Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction:______
  (5)
Total fee paid:_______
     
[   ]
Fee paid previously with preliminary materials.
     
[   ]
Check boxes if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identifies 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.
     
     
  (1)
Amount Previously Paid:
  (2)
Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.:
  (3)
Filing Party:
  (4)
Date Filed:
 
 
 

 
 


 
ULTRALIFE CORPORATION
2000 Technology Parkway
 
Newark, New York 14513
 
April 21, 2014
 
 
To Our Shareholders:
 
 
You are cordially invited to attend the 2014 Annual Meeting of Shareholders of Ultralife Corporation on Tuesday, June 3, 2014 at 9:00 A.M. local time at the Crystal City Marriott at Reagan National Airport, 1999 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, VA 22202-3526.
 
This year, we are again providing our proxy materials over the Internet.  Accordingly, we are mailing to many of our shareholders a Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials instead of a paper copy of our Proxy Statement and our 2013 Annual Report to Shareholders.  The Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials contains instructions about how to access those documents and vote online.  The Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials also contains instructions about how each of our shareholders can also receive a paper copy of our proxy materials, including the Proxy Statement, our 2013 Annual Report to Shareholders and a form of proxy card or voting instruction card.  By taking advantage of this distribution process, we will not only conserve natural resources, but we will also reduce our costs of printing and distributing proxy materials.
 
We look forward to a productive annual meeting.
 
 
Very truly yours,


Michael D. Popielec
President and Chief Executive Officer

 
 

 
ULTRALIFE CORPORATION
2000 Technology Parkway
Newark, New York 14513
 
NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
 
JUNE 3, 2014
 

Notice is hereby given that the 2014 Annual Meeting of Shareholders of Ultralife Corporation will be held on Tuesday, June 3, 2014 at 9:00 A.M. local time at the Crystal City Marriott at Reagan National Airport, 1999 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, VA 22202-3526 for the following purposes:
 
1.  
To elect six directors for a term of one year and until their successors are duly elected and qualified;
 
2.  
To ratify the selection of Bonadio & Co., LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2014;
 
3.  
To approve our new 2014 Long-Term Incentive Plan; and
 
4.  
To transact such other business as may properly come before the meeting and any adjournments thereof.
 
Only shareholders of record of our common stock, par value $.10 per share, at the close of business on April 11, 2014 are entitled to receive notice of, and to vote at and attend our Annual Meeting.  Your vote is important.  Whether or not you plan to attend our Annual Meeting, we hope that you will vote as soon as possible.  If you received only a Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials by mail, you may vote your shares at the Internet site address listed on your Notice of Internet Availability.  You may also request a paper copy of our proxy materials by visiting the Internet site address listed on your Notice of Internet Availability, by calling the toll-free number or by sending an e-mail to the e-mail address listed on your Notice of Internet Availability.  If you received a paper copy of the proxy materials by mail, you may vote your shares by proxy by doing any one of the following: vote at the Internet site address listed on your proxy or voting instruction card; call the toll-free number listed on your proxy or voting instruction card; or sign, date and return in the pre-addressed envelope provided the enclosed proxy or voting instruction card.
 

 
By Order of the Board of Directors
Bradford T. Whitmore
Chair of the Board of Directors
Dated:  April 21, 2014
 
 
 

 
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title
 
INFORMATION CONCERNING SOLICITATION AND VOTING
1
Quorum
2
Vote Required
2
Abstentions
3
Broker Voting
3
   
PROPOSAL 1 ELECTION OF DIRECTORS
4
   
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
7
General
7
Committees of the Board of Directors
7
Audit and Finance Committee
7
Corporate Development and Governance Committee
8
Compensation and Management Committee
8
Shareholder Recommendations and Standards for Director Nominations
9
Annual Meeting Attendance
9
Executive Sessions
9
Communicating with the Board of Directors
9
Code of Ethics
10
Related Party Transactions
10
Risk Management
10
   
DIRECTOR COMPENSATION
11
Director Cash Compensation
11
Directors’ Stock-Based Incentive Compensation
12
Director Compensation for 2013
13
Executive compensation
14
Compensation Overview
14
Retirement Benefits
20
Perquisites and Other Personal Benefits
20
Stock Ownership and Retention Guidelines
20
Deductibility of Executive Compensation
21
Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation
21
2013 Summary Compensation Table
21
Employment Arrangements
22
Mr. Popielec
22
Other Executive Officers
23
Outstanding Equity Awards at December 31, 2013
23
Proposal 2 Ratify the selection of our independent registered public accounting firm
26
Principal Accountant Fees and Services
26
Audit Fees
26
Audit-Related Fees
26
Tax Fees
26
All Other Fees
26
 
 
 

 
REPORT OF THE AUDIT AND FINANCE COMMITTEE
27
   
PROPOSAL 3 APPROVE THE NEW 2014 LTIP
28
Equity Compensation Plan Information
28
Summary of New LTIP
28
New Plan Benefits
32
Tax Status of New LTIP Awards
32
Stock Price
33
Required Vote and Board of Directors’ Recommendation
33
Other Matters
34
   
EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
34
   
SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS
35
   
SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF MANAGEMENT
36
   
SECTION 16(a) BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP REPORTING COMPLIANCE
37
   
SUBMISSION OF SHAREHOLDER PROPOSALS
37
 
 
 
 

 
IMPORTANT
 
REGARDLESS OF WHETHER YOU PLAN TO ATTEND THE MEETING, WE ENCOURAGE
YOU TO VOTE IN ANY OF THE MANNERS DESCRIBED IN THIS PROXY STATEMENT.
WE ALSO ENCOURAGE BENEFICIAL OWNERS TO FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS PROVIDED BY YOUR BROKER REGARDING HOW TO VOTE. YOUR BROKER CANNOT VOTE YOUR SHARES FOR DIRECTOR NOMINEES OR PROPOSALS 3 AND 4 UNLESS YOU PROVIDE YOUR BROKER WITH VOTING INSTRUCTIONS.  SEE “BROKER VOTING” FOR MORE INFORMATION.
 
 
ULTRALIFE CORPORATION
2000 Technology Parkway
Newark, New York 14513
(315) 332-7100
 
 
PROXY STATEMENT
 
ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
 
JUNE 3, 2014
 
INFORMATION CONCERNING SOLICITATION AND VOTING
 
We are furnishing this proxy statement to our shareholders in connection with our Board of Directors’ solicitation of proxies for use at our 2014 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, which we refer to in this proxy statement as the Meeting, to be held on Tuesday, June 3, 2014, at 9:00 A.M. local time and at any adjournments thereof.  The Meeting will be held at the Crystal City Marriott at Reagan National Airport, 1999 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, VA 22202-3526.
 
In accordance with rules and regulations adopted by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which we refer to in this proxy statement as the SEC, instead of mailing a printed copy of our proxy materials to each shareholder of record, we are now furnishing proxy materials to our shareholders on the Internet.  If you received only a Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials by mail, you will not receive a printed copy of the proxy materials unless you request a copy.  Instead, the Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials will instruct you how to access and review the proxy materials over the Internet.  The Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials will also instruct you as to how you may submit your proxy over the Internet.  If you received only a Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials by mail and would like to receive a printed copy of our proxy materials, please follow the instructions for requesting those materials included in the Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials.
 
The Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials is first being sent to our shareholders on or about April 21, 2014 and our proxy materials are first being made available to our shareholders on or about April 21, 2014.
 
You may vote by proxy or in person at the Meeting.  If you received only a Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials by mail, you may vote your shares online by proxy at the Internet site address listed on your Notice of Internet Availability.  You may also request a paper copy of our proxy materials by (i) visiting the Internet site address, (ii) calling the toll-free number or (iii) by sending an email to the email address listed on your Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials.  If you received a paper copy of the proxy materials by mail, you may vote your shares by proxy by doing any one of the following: vote at the Internet site address listed on your proxy or voting instruction card; call the toll-free number listed on your proxy or voting instruction card; or mail your signed and dated proxy or voting instruction card to our tabulator in the self-addressed envelope provided.  Even if you plan to attend the Meeting in person, we recommend that you vote by proxy prior to the Meeting.  You can always change your vote as described below.
 
 
 

 
When a proxy card is returned properly signed and dated, the shares represented thereby will be voted in accordance with the shareholder’s directions.  If the proxy is signed, dated and returned without choices having been specified, the shares will be voted FOR the election of each director-nominee named therein and FOR the other proposals identified therein.
 
You may receive more than one Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials or more than one paper copy of the proxy materials, including multiple paper copies of this proxy statement and multiple proxy or voting instruction cards, depending on how you hold your shares.  For example, if you hold your shares in more than one brokerage account, you may receive a separate Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials, a separate e-mail or a separate voting instruction card for each brokerage account in which you hold your shares.  If you are a shareholder of record and your shares are registered in more than one name, you may receive more than one Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials, more than one e-mail or more than one proxy card.  To vote all of your shares by proxy, you must vote at the Internet site address listed on your Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials, proxy or voting instruction card; call the toll-free number listed on your proxy or voting instruction card; or sign, date and return each proxy card and voting instruction card that you receive.
 
If for any reason any of the nominees for election as directors become unavailable for election, discretionary authority may be exercised by the proxies to vote for substitute nominees proposed by our Board of Directors.  A shareholder has the right to revoke a previously granted proxy at any time before it is voted by filing with our Corporate Secretary a written notice of revocation, or a duly executed later-dated proxy, or by requesting return of the proxy and voting in person at the Meeting.
 
We will bear the cost of soliciting proxies.  In addition to the solicitation of proxies by use of the mails, some of our officers, directors and regular employees, without extra remuneration, may solicit proxies personally or by telephone, email or similar transmission.  We have not engaged a proxy solicitation firm, but we may decide to retain the services of a proxy solicitation firm in the future if we believe it is appropriate under the circumstances.  In those situations where the beneficial owner of shares is not the record holder, we will reimburse record holders for reasonable expenses in forwarding proxies and proxy soliciting material to the beneficial owners of the shares.
 
Only shareholders of record at the close of business on April 11, 2014 are entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the Meeting.  As of April 11, 2014, there were 17,526,229 shares of our common stock, par value $.10 per share, issued and outstanding, each entitled to one vote per share at the Meeting.
 
 Quorum
 
A majority of the outstanding shares of our common stock, represented in person or by proxy at the Meeting, will constitute a quorum with respect to the voting of proposals submitted to the shareholders, as described in this proxy statement.  For purposes of determining whether a quorum is present, shareholders of record who are present at the Meeting in person or by proxy are considered to be present at the Meeting.
 
 Vote Required
 
The table below shows the vote required at the Meeting to approve each of the proposals described in this proxy statement, assuming the presence of a quorum:
 
 
2

 
Proposal
 
Vote Required
     
1.  Election of directors
 
Plurality of the shares present in person or by proxy at the Meeting and entitled to vote
     
2.  Ratification of the selection of Bonadio & Co., LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2014
 
Majority of the shares present in person or by proxy at the Meeting and entitled to vote*
     
3.  Approval of a new 2014 Long-Term Incentive Plan (“LTIP”)
 
Majority of the shares present in person or by proxy at the Meeting and entitled to vote
 
*
The selection of Bonadio & Co., LLP is being presented to our shareholders for ratification. The Audit and Finance Committee will consider the outcome of this vote when selecting our independent registered public accounting firm for subsequent fiscal years.
 
Abstentions
 
Shares that abstain from voting on one or more proposals to be acted on at the Meeting are considered to be present for the purpose of determining whether a quorum exists.  Abstentions will have no effect on the election of directors; however, abstentions will have the effect of voting against the other proposals set forth in this proxy statement, because abstentions are deemed to be present and entitled to vote but do not count toward the affirmative vote required to approve the proposal.
 
Broker Voting
 
If you own your shares through a broker and do not provide your broker with specific voting instructions, your broker will have the discretion under the rules governing brokers who have record ownership of shares that they hold in street name for their clients to vote your shares on routine matters but not otherwise.  The only proposal being submitted to the shareholders which is considered routine and as to which brokers may exercise discretion to vote is ratification of the selection of our independent registered public accounting firm.  Brokers will not be permitted to vote shares they hold as nominee in their discretion in the election of directors or in approving the LTIP. If you want your broker-owned shares to be counted in the election of directors, and in approving the LTIP, you must provide instructions to your broker on how to vote your shares.
 
A broker non-vote occurs when shares held by a broker are not voted on a non-routine proposal because the broker has not received voting instructions from the beneficial owner and the broker lacks discretionary authority to vote the shares in the absence of such instructions.  Shares subject to broker non-votes are considered to be present for the purpose of determining whether a quorum exists and thus count towards satisfying the quorum requirement but are not counted for purposes of determining the number of shares entitled to vote on non-routine matters.  A broker non-vote will have no effect on the election of directors or on the approval of the LTIP since, with respect to non-routine matters, broker non-votes will not be counted for purposes of determining the number of shares entitled to vote on such proposals.
 
 
3

 
PROPOSAL 1
ELECTION OF DIRECTORS
 
Our Board of Directors currently has six directors, six of whom have been nominated to serve for an additional one-year term.    If elected, each director standing for election shall serve until the next annual meeting of shareholders and until his or her successor shall have been elected and qualified.  The names of, and certain information with respect to, the persons nominated for election as directors are presented below.
 
Name
Age
Present Principal Occupation, Employment History and Expertise
     
Steven M. Anderson
57
Brigadier General (Ret.) Anderson has been a director since April 13, 2010.  General (Ret.) Anderson is currently Senior Vice President of Relyant, LLC, a service-disabled veteran-owned small business and global provider of solutions to complex projects.  Prior to joining Relyant, LLC in February 2011, General (Ret.) Anderson served as Chief Operating Officer for Synovision Solutions LLC, a service-disabled veteran-owned small business specializing in unique applications of emerging technology, many central to innovative energy solutions.  General (Ret.) Anderson, a career military officer who retired from active duty in November 2009, served for five years as a general officer in the US Army, including 15 months as the senior US and coalition logistician in Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.  From 2004 to 2006, General (Ret.) Anderson served as the senior US logistician in Korea (Deputy C-4 for the United Nations Command/Combined Forces Command and J4, United States Forces Korea) and spearheaded the development of Camp Humphreys, the combined and US headquarters facility in Central Korea.  He served in various command positions including Commander, Division Support Command, 2nd Infantry Division, Korea (2000-02), and Commander, 725th Main Support Battalion, 25th Infantry Division (Light), Schofield Barracks, Hawaii (1995-97).  In his final military assignment, he served for two years on the Army Staff in the Pentagon as the Director, Operations and Logistics Readiness, Office of the Army Deputy Chief of Staff, G4 (logistics).  General (Ret.) Anderson is a 1978 graduate of the US Military Academy at West Point and earned a Masters of Science degree in Operations Research and Systems Analysis Engineering at the Naval Postgraduate School in 1987.  General (Ret.) Anderson has been nominated for re-election to our Board of Directors because of his familiarity with the US military and knowledge of its procurement processes and policies, which is one of our important customer bases.
     
Michael D. Popielec
52
 
Mr. Popielec was appointed as our President and Chief Executive Officer and as a director effective December 30, 2010.  Mr. Popielec has 28 years experience in growing domestic and international industrial businesses.  Prior to joining us, Mr. Popielec operated his own management consulting business in 2009 to 2010 and was Group President, Applied Technologies in 2008 and 2009 and Group President, Diversified Components from 2005 to 2007 at Carlisle Companies, Inc., a $2.5 billion diversified global manufacturer.  Prior to that, from 2003 to 2005, he held various positions, including Chief Operating Officer, Americas, for Danka Business Systems, PLC.  From 1985 to 2002, Mr. Popielec held positions of increasing responsibility at General Electric Company, most recently as a GE corporate officer and President and Chief Executive Officer of GE Power Controls, the European arm of GE Industrial Systems.  Mr. Popielec has a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Michigan State University.  Mr. Popielec has been nominated for re-election to our Board of Directors because of his operations expertise and his experience in growing domestic and international industrial businesses.
     
 
 
4

 
Name
Age
Present Principal Occupation, Employment History and Expertise
     
Thomas L. Saeli
57
Mr. Saeli has been a director since March 5, 2010.  Since March 2011, Mr. Saeli has served as the Chief Executive Officer and, since October 2011, as a director of JRB Enterprises, Inc., a manufacturer of commercial and industrial roofing systems.  Prior to that, Mr. Saeli was a business consultant to international corporate clients on matters involving business development strategies, consolidations, acquisitions and operations.  He previously served as Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Board of Directors of Noble International, Ltd., an automotive supplier of engineered laser-welded steel blanks and roll-formed products, from March 2006 to April 13, 2009 when he resigned those positions.  Noble International, Ltd. filed for voluntary relief under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Eastern District of Michigan on April 15, 2009.  From 1998 through 2006, Mr. Saeli served as Vice President of Corporate Development for Lear Corporation, an automotive supplier of seating, electronics and interior products, where he also served as Vice President of Mergers and Acquisitions.  Mr. Saeli also serves on the Boards of Directors of Advance Capital Management, a mutual fund, and The Oakwood Hospital System in Dearborn, Michigan.  Mr. Saeli has been nominated for re-election to our Board of Directors because of his manufacturing, corporate development, mergers and acquisitions and finance experience.  Mr. Saeli also qualifies as an audit committee financial expert under applicable SEC rules.
     
Robert W. Shaw II
57
Mr. Shaw has been a director since June 8, 2010.  From 2010 to 2013 Mr. Shaw was the President of Hornblower Yachts, Inc., the largest dining and excursion boat operator in the United States, with over 50 vessels serving California and New York with the Hornblower, Alcatraz and Statue Cruises brands.  From 2007 to 2010, he was President of R.M. Thornton, Inc., a mechanical contracting company specializing in the Federal government and healthcare markets.  Prior to that, from 1995 to 2006, Mr. Shaw was Chief Executive Officer and Managing Partner at Odyssey Cruises/Premier Yachts, Inc., a leading U.S. dining and excursion boat operator, where he successfully led the company through a sale process to private equity firm ICV Capital Partners.  From 1989 to 1995, he served in Sodexho, S.A., one of the world’s largest contract services providers, as both President and Chief Executive Officer of Spirit Cruises, Inc., and Division President of The Seiler Corporation.  Mr. Shaw served in the US Marine Corps from 1978 to 1982 as an infantry Captain.  Mr. Shaw has consulted or served on a number of boards of advisors of various non-public organizations and he has been nominated for re-election to our Board of Directors because of his management expertise and experience as an executive officer.
     
 
 
5

 
Name
Age
Present Principal Occupation, Employment History and Expertise
     
Ranjit C. Singh
61
Mr. Singh has been a director since August 2000, and served as Chair of the Board of Directors from December 2001 to June 2007.  Mr. Singh is currently Chief Executive Officer of CSR Consulting Group, which provides business and technology consulting services.  He previously served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Aptara, Inc. (formerly known as Tech Books), a content outsourcing services company, from February 2003 until July 2008.  From February 2002 to February 2003, Mr. Singh served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Reliacast Inc., a video streaming software and services company.  Prior to that, he was President and Chief Operating Officer of ContentGuard, which develops and markets digital property rights software.  Before joining ContentGuard earlier in 2000, Mr. Singh worked for Xerox as a corporate Senior Vice President in various assignments related to software businesses.  Mr. Singh joined Xerox in 1997, having been employed by Citibank where he was Vice President of Global Distributed Computing.  Prior to that, he was a principal at two start-up companies and also held executive positions at Data General and Digital Equipment Corporation.  Mr. Singh has been nominated for re-election to our Board of Directors because of his experience as an executive of growing technology-based companies.
     
Bradford T. Whitmore
56
Mr. Whitmore has been a director since June 2007 and Chair of the Board of Directors since March 2010.  Since 1985, he has been the Managing Partner of Grace Brothers, Ltd., an investment firm which holds approximately 3% of the outstanding shares of our common stock.  Mr. Whitmore and Grace Brothers, Ltd. collectively hold slightly less than 30% of the outstanding shares of our common stock.  Within the past five years, Mr. Whitmore has served as a director of several non-public companies related to ownership of Grace Brothers, Ltd./affiliates investments as well as not-for-profit organizations.  Mr. Whitmore has been nominated for re-election to our Board of Directors because of his corporate development expertise.

Our Board of Directors has approved the above-named nominees for directors.  Our Board of Directors recommends a vote FOR all of these nominees. Unless otherwise directed on your proxy, your shares will be voted FOR the above-named nominees for directors.
 
 
6

 
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
 
General
 
Pursuant to the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, the state under which we were organized, and our By-laws, our business, property and affairs are managed by or under the direction of our Board of Directors.  Members of our Board of Directors are kept informed of Company business through regular discussions with our President and Chief Executive Officer and our Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, by reviewing materials provided to them by the Company’s management and by participating in meetings of the Board and its committees.
 
Our Board of Directors has determined that all of our directors (other than Michael D. Popielec, who serves as our President and Chief Executive Officer) are “independent” for purposes of NASDAQ listing standards.  Our Board of Directors has also determined that the Chair of the Board of Directors should be an independent director.  We believe that the segregation of the roles of Board Chair from that of the President and Chief Executive Officer ensures better overall governance of our Company and provides meaningful checks and balances regarding our overall performance.  This structure allows our President and Chief Executive Officer to focus on our business while the Board Chair leads our Board of Directors in establishing corporate policy and enhancing our governance structure and practices.
 
Our Board of Directors has three standing committees: an Audit and Finance Committee, a Corporate Development and Governance Committee and a Compensation and Management Committee.  During 2013, our Board of Directors held eight meetings and the committees of our Board of Directors held a total of twenty-five meetings.  During 2013, Bradford T. Whitmore served as our Board Chair.  As Board Chair, Mr. Whitmore served as a non-voting ex-officio member of all of our Board committees.  Each director attended at least 75% of the aggregate of: (1) the total number of meetings of the Board; and (2) the total number of meetings held by all committees of the Board on which he or she served.
 
Our Board of Directors has adopted a charter for each of the three standing committees that addresses the composition and function of each committee and has also adopted Corporate Governance Principles that address the composition and function of the Board of Directors.  These charters and Corporate Governance Principles are available on our website at http://investor.ultralifecorporation.com under the subheading “Corporate Governance.”  Pursuant to our Corporate Governance Principles, it is our policy that directors retire from service at the annual meeting following a director’s 70th birthday.
 
Our Board of Directors has determined that all of the directors who serve on these committees are “independent” for purposes of NASDAQ listing standards, and that the members of the Audit and Finance Committee are also “independent” for purposes of Section 10A(m)(3) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, which we refer to in this proxy statement as the Exchange Act.  Our Board of Directors based these determinations primarily on a review of the responses of the directors to questions regarding employment, compensation history, affiliations and family and other relationships, and on follow-up discussions.
 
Committees of the Board of Directors
 
The composition and the functions of our three standing committees of our Board of Directors are set forth below.  Our Board of Directors will meet after the Meeting to appoint members of the committees and designate Chairs of those committees from among those individuals elected at the Meeting to serve on our Board of Directors until the 2015 annual meeting of shareholders.
 
Audit and Finance Committee
 
The current members of the Audit and Finance Committee are Thomas L. Saeli (Chair), Steven M. Anderson and Robert W. Shaw II.  This committee selects our independent registered public accounting firm, subject to ratification of our full Board of Directors, and has oversight responsibility for reviewing the scope and results of the independent registered public accounting firm’s annual examination of our financial statements and the quality and integrity of those financial statements.  Further, the committee reviews the qualifications and independence of the independent registered public accounting firm, and meets with our Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer and the independent registered public accounting firm to review matters relating to internal accounting controls, our accounting practices and procedures and other matters relating to our financial condition.  The committee also reviews and monitors areas of financial risk that could have a material impact on our Company.  The Audit and Finance Committee met eleven times during 2013.
 
 
7

 
Our Board of Directors has determined that each of the members of the Audit and Finance Committee is “financially literate” in accordance with NASDAQ listing standards.  In addition, our Board of Directors has determined that Mr. Saeli qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert” as defined in Item 407(d)(5) of Regulation S-K.
 
Corporate Development and Governance Committee
 
The current members of the Corporate Development and Governance Committee are Robert W. Shaw II (Chair), Steven M. Anderson and Ranjit C. Singh.  This committee works with management to develop corporate strategy and to identify and evaluate acquisition opportunities, reviews the performance and compensation of our directors, makes recommendations to our Board of Directors for membership and committee assignments and for the compensation of our directors, and manages the annual evaluation of the performance of our President and Chief Executive Officer.  The Corporate Development and Governance Committee met five times during 2013.  The Corporate Development and Governance Committee was formed on June 4, 2013 by merging the pre-existing Strategy and Corporate Development Committee with the Governance Committee. Prior to the merger of committees on June 4, 2013, the Strategy and Corporate Development Committee met one time and the Governance Committee met three times in 2013.
 
The Corporate Development and Governance Committee identifies potential nominees for directors based on its own research for appropriate candidates as well as on recommendations received by directors or from shareholders as described below.  The Corporate Development and Governance Committee may retain an executive search firm to assist in the identification of potential director nominees.  The evaluation process and the factors considered in undertaking that evaluation are set forth under the caption “Shareholder Recommendations for Director Nominations” below.
 
The Corporate Development and Governance Committee also has overall responsibility for assessing and managing our exposure to risks associated with the conduct of our business.
 
Compensation and Management Committee
 
The current members of the Compensation and Management Committee are Ranjit C. Singh (Chair), Steven M. Anderson and Thomas L. Saeli.  The Compensation and Management Committee has ultimate responsibility for determining the compensation of officers elected by our Board of Directors, granting stock options and restricted stock awards and otherwise administering our equity compensation plans, and approving and administering any other compensation plans or agreements.  The Compensation and Management Committee has the authority to retain outside experts in making compensation determinations.   Our proposed 2014 Long-Term Incentive Plan (LTIP), is administered by the Compensation and Management Committee.  The Compensation and Management Committee met five times during 2013.
 
 
8

 
Shareholder Recommendations and Standards for Director Nominations
 
As noted above, the Corporate Development and Governance Committee considers and establishes procedures regarding recommendations for nomination to our Board of Directors, including nominations submitted by shareholders.  Such recommendations, if any, should be sent to Corporate Secretary, Ultralife Corporation, 2000 Technology Parkway, Newark, New York 14513.  Any recommendations submitted to the Corporate Secretary should be in writing and should include any material the shareholder considers appropriate in support of that recommendation, but must include the information that would be required under the rules of the SEC in a proxy statement soliciting proxies for the election of such candidate and a signed consent of the candidate to serve as a director, if elected.  The Corporate Development and Governance Committee evaluates all potential candidates in the same manner, regardless of the source of the recommendation.
 
Based on the information provided to the Corporate Development and Governance Committee with respect to director candidates, the Corporate Development and Governance Committee will make an initial determination whether to conduct a full evaluation of a candidate.  The Corporate Development and Governance Committee considers the composition and size of the existing Board of Directors, along with other factors, in making its determination to conduct a full evaluation of a candidate.  As part of the full evaluation process, the Corporate Development and Governance Committee may conduct interviews, obtain additional background information and conduct reference checks of candidates.  The Corporate Development and Governance Committee may also ask the candidate to meet with management and other members of our Board of Directors.  In evaluating a candidate, our Board of Directors, with the assistance of the Corporate Development and Governance Committee, takes into account a variety of factors as described in our Corporate Governance Principles, including the particular experience, attributes and skills that would qualify the candidate to serve as a director.  The criteria for selection to our Board of Directors include character and leadership skills; general business acumen and executive experience; knowledge of strategy, finance and relations between business and government; and internal business – all to ensure an active Board of Directors whose members work well together and possess the collective knowledge and expertise required.  Our Corporate Development and Governance Committee reviews the qualifications of director candidates with those of its current directors to augment and complement the skill sets of our current Board members.  We believe that it is important for our Board of Directors to be comprised of individuals with diverse backgrounds, skills and experiences.  Although we do not have a formal diversity policy and identify qualified potential candidates without regard to any particular classification, we believe that the breadth of experience and qualifications of our Board members promotes Board diversity.
 
Annual Meeting Attendance
 
Our policy is that all of the directors, absent special circumstances, should attend our Annual Meeting of Shareholders.  A regular meeting of the Board of Directors is typically scheduled in conjunction with the Annual Meeting of Shareholders.  All directors but one attended last year’s Annual Meeting of Shareholders.
 
Executive Sessions
 
Our Corporate Governance Principles require our independent directors to meet in executive session regularly by requiring them to have at least four regularly-scheduled meetings per year without management present.  Our independent directors met in executive session six times during 2014.  In addition, our standing committees meet in executive session on a regular basis.
 
Communicating with the Board of Directors
 
Shareholders interested in communicating directly with our Board of Directors as a group or individually may do so in writing to our Corporate Secretary, Ultralife Corporation, 2000 Technology Parkway, Newark, New York 14513.  The Corporate Secretary will review all such correspondence and forward to our Board of Directors a summary of that correspondence and copies of any correspondence that, in his opinion, deals with the functions of the Board of Directors or that he otherwise determines requires their attention.  Directors may at any time review a log of all correspondence received by us that is addressed to members of the Board of Directors and request copies of any such correspondence.  Any concerns relating to accounting, internal controls or auditing matters will be brought to the attention of the Audit and Finance Committee and handled in accordance with the procedures established by the Audit and Finance Committee with respect to such matters.
 
 
9

 
Code of Ethics
 
We have a Code of Ethics applicable to all employees, including our Principal Executive Officer and our Principal Financial Officer (who is also our Principal Accounting Officer) and all members of our Board of Directors.  Our Code of Ethics incorporates the elements of a code of ethics specified in Item 406 of Regulation S-K and also complies with NASDAQ requirements for a code of conduct. Shareholders can find a link to this Code of Ethics on our website at http://investor.ultralifecorporation.com under the subheading “Corporate Governance.”  We intend to post amendments to or waivers (whether express or implied) from the Code of Ethics (to the extent applicable to our Principal Executive Officer or Principal Financial Officer) at the same location on our website as the Code of Ethics.
 
Our Code of Ethics emphasizes our commitment to conducting business in a legal and ethical manner and encourages prompt and confidential reporting of any suspected violations of law or the Code of Ethics.  As part of our Code of Ethics, directors and employees are expected to make business decisions and to take actions based upon the best interests of our Company and not based upon personal relationships or benefits.  Any potential conflict of interest, and any transaction or relationship involving our officers or directors that could give rise to a conflict of interest, must be reviewed and resolved by our Corporate Development and Governance Committee.
 
Related Party Transactions
 
We have adopted written policies and procedures for the review and approval or ratification of any “related party transaction,” as defined by Regulation S-K, Item 404.  The policy provides that each related party transaction must be reviewed by our Audit and Finance Committee.   The Audit and Finance Committee reviews the relevant facts and circumstances of the transaction, including if the transaction is on terms comparable to those that could be obtained in arms-length dealings with an unrelated third party and the extent of the related party’s interest in the transaction, taking into account the conflicts of interest and corporate opportunity provisions of our Code of Ethics, and either recommends that the Board of Directors approve or disapprove the related party transaction.  We will disclose all related party transactions, as required, in our filings with the SEC.  To our knowledge, no reportable transaction existed during 2013, and there are currently no such proposed transactions.
 
Risk Management
 
Our management team is responsible for assisting the Corporate Development and Governance Committee in its assessment of our exposure to risks associated with the conduct of business.  We have an enterprise risk management process to identify, assess and manage the most significant risks facing our company.  Our Corporate Development and Governance Committee has overall responsibility to review management’s risk management process, including the policies and guidelines used by management to identify, assess and manage our exposure to risk.  Our Audit and Finance Committee has oversight responsibility for financial risks and other risks that could have a material impact on our Company.  Our management reviews these financial risks with our Audit and Finance Committee regularly and reviews the risk management process, as it affects financial risks, with our Audit and Finance Committee on an on-going basis.
 
 
10

 
DIRECTOR COMPENSATION
 
We use a combination of cash compensation and stock-based incentive compensation to attract and retain qualified candidates to serve on our Board of Directors.  Our practice is to resurvey our peer group companies every two to three years to ascertain whether our overall director compensation is appropriate and balanced.  If we perceive that there has been a major change in our Company or the market, we may conduct a more frequent survey.  In setting director compensation, we consider the amount of time that directors spend fulfilling their duties to us, the skill-level required by members of our Board of Directors, and, based on an independent review by our external compensation consultant and other publicly available director compensation data, the compensation paid to directors in similar sized organizations in our industry.  Our program is designed to deliver annual director compensation at the median levels of director compensation for companies in similar industries and of similar size.  As our directors are elected annually in June of each year, our annual director compensation period runs from July 1 to June 30.
 
Director Cash Compensation
 
Each non-employee director will receive an annual cash retainer of $20,000, except for the Board Chair, who will receive an annual cash retainer of $24,000 for the period July 1, 2013 through June 30, 2014. The annual cash retainers were identical to the year earlier period, except the annual cash retainer for the director compensation period ending June 30, 2013 for the Board Chair was $28,000.  In addition, each director who is a member of a Board committee receives an additional cash retainer for such committee service as summarized in the tables below.
 
For the Period July 1, 2012 to June 30, 2013
 
   
Annual Retainer for
Committee Members
   
Annual Retainer for
Committee Chair
 
Audit and Finance Committee
    $6,750       $16,750  
Compensation and Management Committee
    $5,250       $13,250  
Governance Committee
    $4,500       $9,500  
Strategy and Corporate Development Committee
    $5,250       $13,250  
 
For the Period July 1, 2013 to June 30, 2014

   
Annual Retainer for
Committee Members
   
Annual Retainer for
Committee Chair
 
Audit and Finance Committee
    $6,750       $16,750  
Compensation and Management Committee
    $5,250       $13,250  
Corporate Development and Governance Committee
    $6,750       $16,750  

Annual retainers for both committee members and committee chairs are paid quarterly in cash. For Board and committee service during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2013, we paid our directors an aggregate $230,268.
 
In addition, as described below, the Compensation and Management Committee approved that in lieu of  quarterly stock payments due directors on February 15, 2013 and May 15, 2013, we would pay our directors in cash rather than in shares of our common stock.  For each director other than the Board Chair, this would mean an additional $20,000 of cash compensation in lieu of shares of common stock valued at $20,000, and for the Board Chair an additional $33,000 of cash compensation in lieu of shares of common stock valued at $33,000.
 
 
11

 
Directors’ Stock-Based Incentive Compensation
 
Our equity compensation program for directors provides each director with an annual award of shares of our common stock without any restrictions.  The aggregate value of the award for each non-employee director is $40,000 and the aggregate value of the award for the Board Chair is $66,000.  Our directors are elected annually in June of each year.  Accordingly, these grants of common stock to our current directors were scheduled for four equal installments on August 15, 2013, November 15, 2013, February 15, 2014 and May 15, 2014.  In order to receive an installment of common stock, a director must be a current member of our Board of Directors on the scheduled installment payment date.  To determine the number of shares of common stock to award based on this valuation, the value of each quarterly award, which is $10,000 for each director other than the Board Chair and $16,500 for the Board Chair, is divided by the volume weighted average price (“VWAP”) of the common stock on the trading day prior to the grant date of the award.  On August 15, 2013, each incumbent non-employee director received 2,703 shares of common stock and the Board Chair received an additional 1,757 shares of common stock.  On November 15, 2013, each incumbent non-employee director received 2,772 shares of common stock and the Board Chair received an additional 1,801 shares of common stock.
 
During 2013, we discovered that we had inadvertently issued stock awards to our independent directors in excess of the 200,000-share limitation under our Amended and Restated 2004 Long Term Incentive Plan (the “Restated LTIP”) on the number of shares of our common stock that may be used for awards other than stock options or stock appreciation rights (the “Limitation’).  The issuances of shares of our common stock in excess of the Limitation (the “Excess Shares”) occurred during 2010 and after and were disclosed and were properly accounted for in our periodic reports and proxy statements filed with the SEC.  We issued a total of 179,512 Excess Shares to our independent directors in the form of outright stock grants or restricted stock awards as part of their annual retainers.  Since the Excess Shares were issued in excess of the Limitation, they were not issued pursuant to the Restated LTIP and hence the issuances of the Excess Shares were not registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) by our Form S-8 registration statement for the Restated LTIP.  Although the issuances of the Excess Shares were not registered under the Securities Act, the issuances of the Excess Shares qualified for an exemption under Section 4(2) of the Securities Act.  The issuances of the Excess Shares were exempt from registration under Section 4(2) of the Securities Act because those issuances did not involve a “public offering,” as defined in Section 4(2) of the Securities Act due to the small number of persons involved in the transaction, the size of the offering, the manner of the offering, the number of Excess Shares offered, the financial sophistication of our directors and their access to our financial information.  Because of the limitation, we chose not to issue any additional shares of our common stock to our non-employee directors and accordingly paid our non-employee directors cash on February 15, 2013 and on May 15, 2013.  This cash compensation is $10,000 per quarter for each director other than the Board Chair and $16,500 per quarter for the Board Chair.  We  submitted to our shareholders a proposal to amend our Restated LTIP to, among other things, increase the Limitation from 200,000 to 800,000 shares and a separate proposal to ratify the grant of the Excess Shares at our June 4, 2013 Annual Meeting.  Both of these proposals were approved by our shareholders at the 2013 Annual Meeting.
 
 
12

 
Our directors also have stock ownership guidelines which require them to hold 2,000 shares of the Company’s stock.  Directors have two years from election to achieve the required ownership.  Furthermore, until the required stock ownership guidelines are met, directors are required to hold at least 50% of all vested after-tax shares and 50% of shares received on exercise of stock options. Currently, all of our non-employee directors meet the stock ownership guidelines.
 
Director Compensation for 2013
 
The table below summarizes the compensation paid by us to our non-employee directors for their service during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2013.
 
Name (1)
 
Fees Earned or
Paid in Cash ($)
   
Stock Awards
($)(3)(4)
   
Total
($)
 
Steven M. Anderson
    55,753       20,002       75,755  
Patricia C. Barron (2)
    43,439       -       43,439  
James A. Croce (2)
    42,878       -       42,878  
Thomas L. Saeli
    61,440       20,002       81,442  
Robert W. Shaw II
    60,879       20,002       80,881  
Ranjit C. Singh
    58,879       20,002       78,881  
Bradford T. Whitmore
    60,000       32,951       92,951  

(1)
Michael D. Popielec is ineligible to receive compensation for his service as a director because he is also an employee, serving as our President and Chief Executive Officer.
 
(2)
Patricia C. Barron and James A. Croce ceased being directors of the Company on June 3, 2013.
 
(3)
The amounts set forth in this column reflect the aggregate grant date fair value of stock awards granted during 2013.  The Financial Accounting Standards Board’s Accounting Standards Codification Topic 718 (“ASC 718”) (formerly, Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 123R, Share-Based Payment), requires us to recognize compensation expense for stock options and other stock-related awards granted to our employees and directors based on the estimated fair value of the equity awards at the time of grant.  The compensation expense for such awards is expensed at the time of grant.  There was no stock option expense in 2013 for directors’ options since no stock options were granted to directors during 2013.  The assumptions used to determine the valuation of the awards are discussed in Note 7 to our audited consolidated financial statements included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013.
 
(4)
There were no non-employee director stock options outstanding at December 31, 2013.
 
Name
 
Stock Options
 
Steven M. Anderson
    -  
Thomas L. Saeli
    -  
Robert W. Shaw II
    -  
Ranjit C. Singh
    -  
Bradford T. Whitmore
    -  
 
 
13

 
EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
 
Compensation Overview
 
We are currently considered a “smaller reporting company” for purposes of the SEC’s executive compensation and other disclosures.  As such, we have opted to take advantage of the scaled disclosure requirements afforded to smaller reporting companies and, as a result, have provided more limited (or, in some cases, eliminated) disclosures that we have provided in prior years’ proxy statements.  The executive compensation disclosures that follow comply with the SEC’s executive compensation disclosure rules for smaller reporting companies and therefore are generally more narrow in scope than the executive compensation disclosures and Compensation Discussion and Analysis that we have included in prior proxy statements.
 
Introduction
 
This proxy statement provides information about the compensation programs for those individuals we have identified as our “Named Executive Officers” for 2013 in accordance with the executive compensation disclosure rules and regulations of the SEC for smaller reporting companies. This proxy includes our compensation philosophy and the objectives of our executive rewards program, descriptions of each of the key elements of our executive rewards program and the basis for the compensation decisions we made during 2013.
 
Our Named Executive Officers for 2013 are:
 
· Michael D. Popielec, President and Chief Executive Officer
 
· Philip A. Fain, Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Secretary
 
On June 4, 2013, the Company and Peter F. Comerford, Vice President of Administration, Secretary and General Counsel, executed a Retirement and Consulting Agreement, Release and Waiver of All Claims pursuant to which Mr. Comerford’s retirement became effective on May 28, 2013.
 
Compensation Overview
 
We engaged an independent executive compensation consulting firm, Grahall & Associates, to work with senior management and the Compensation and Management Committee (the “Compensation Committee”) to establish an executive total rewards strategy, which was implemented in 2012. Grahall & Associates looked at the competitiveness of our pay practices by making peer group comparisons.  They augmented the core peer group that we had used in the past with several additional organizations as some of the organizations in our original peer group had been lost to mergers and acquisitions.  In addition to the core peer group analysis, they also provided analysis on a large sample of general technology organizations.  Grahall & Associates presented several different potential reward strategies to the Compensation Committee for consideration.
 
The basic premise of Grahall & Associates proposal was that compensation must be tied to overall business strategy and must be amended to align with changes in business strategy over time.  The program that has been implemented more effectively allocates the scarce resources that we have across competing needs than did our previous program.  It recognizes that when resources are tight, resource allocation needs to be more precisely targeted.  This structure is designed to increase our ability to recruit for key competitive advantage positions, motivate core executives to reposition our company and promote the retention of high performers who can impact our business going forward.
 
 
14

 
Our executive rewards program was designed by our Compensation Committee to align the interests of our Named Executive Officers with those of our shareholders by rewarding performance that enhances the long-term objective of increasing shareholder value, significantly grows the business, and executes our business strategy.  Our executive rewards program is designed to motivate our executives, including our Named Executive Officers, to achieve strong financial, operational and strategic performance and to provide a link between the amounts earned by our executives and the creation of shareholder value.  The Committee establishes specific annual, long-term and strategic goals and rewards Named Executive Officers for performance that meets or exceeds those goals.  In addition, we expect our Named Executive Officers to work to these goals while maintaining the highest ethical standards.
 
The key components of our executive rewards program for our Named Executive Officers are base salary, annual short-term incentive plan (“STIP”) and long-term incentive plan (“LTIP”), combined with health and welfare benefits, retirement benefits, limited perquisites and other benefits.  We seek to ensure that total executive compensation is aligned with corporate performance and the creation of shareholder value by placing an appropriate portion of an executive’s total compensation at risk, based on financial and non-financial performance measures and subject to the achievement of corporate and individual performance goals.
 
Our executive rewards program is structured to attract, retain and motivate talented individuals, and to incentivize them to achieve our business strategy with strong financial, operational and strategic performance.  In particular:
 
 
·
Our goal for 2013 was to have our executive rewards program reflect the measure of responsibility associated with the position not only in the marketplace, but within the organization based on the ability of the executive to promote the success of our business strategy and leverage our future growth.  In reviewing market data, we looked not only at our peer group data but also at a broader group of technology-based organizations, recognizing that in order to attract and retain a skilled work force, we must remain competitive with the pay of other employers who compete with us for talent.
 
 
·
Our executive rewards program is also designed to support our pay-for-performance philosophy by aligning compensation with executing long-term business strategies (LTIP) and achieving near-term financial and operational targets (STIP).  We base compensation decisions on a combination of the criticality of the position in the achievement of our business strategy, individual performance and corporate performance.  Generally, as an individual’s level of responsibility increases, so does the amount of variable compensation that is at risk.
 
 
·
We administer our executive rewards program to foster the long-term focus required for success in our industry, but we also work to achieve an appropriate balance between short-term and long-term compensation in order to adequately motivate our executives.
 
To this end, the Compensation Committee reviews our executive total rewards program annually to assess if we are achieving our business strategy, if we are able to attract and retain talented executives, and to ensure that the total compensation paid to our executives, including our Named Executive Officers, is reasonable, competitive and appropriately performance-based.  The Compensation Committee also ensures that our total compensation is linked to the degree to which we meet our annual financial and non-financial goals and, longer term, to our success in improving shareholder return. Our President & CEO makes recommendations with respect to the awards of the other executive officer, and the Compensation Committee determines the actual awards of the executive officers, including the President & CEO.
 
Our fiscal 2012 financial performance, our 2013 annual operating plan, and the individual performance of our Named Executive Officers, served as key factors in making compensation decisions for 2013.
 
 
15

 
We continued the linkage between our Named Executive Officer STIP and achievement of annual corporate financial targets in 2013, reflecting our pay for performance philosophy.  As a result for 2013, corporate operating profit from continuing operations, and corporate revenue were the key metrics for our Named Executive Officer annual cash incentive awards under the STIP. Corporate operating profit of $6.8 million comprised 90% of the STIP weighting and corporate revenue of $117.3 million comprised the remaining 10% of the STIP weighting.  The threshold levels of performance with respect to each of these metrics were not met in 2013 and therefore, no short-term annual cash incentive awards were paid to our Named Executive Officers for 2013.
 
Long-term equity incentive compensation continued to make up a significant portion of the compensation for each of our Named Executive Officers.  Awards are determined individually and are based on the relative criticality of the position and the Named Executive Officer’s ability to implement changes designed to promote future growth.
 
 Base Salary
 
Our President & CEO reviews the performance of the other Named Executive Officer and then recommends base salary adjustments, if any, to the Compensation Committee.  In turn, the Compensation Committee reviews, adjusts where appropriate and approves the base salary adjustments, if any, based upon the determination of the Compensation Committee.  In our Board’s executive session, the Committee reviews and recommends to the full Board any base salary adjustment for our President & CEO.  If changes to base salaries are recommended and approved, the changes in base salary are made to  be effective for a period ranging from twelve to fifteen months from the date of the last increase based upon an executive’s performance.
 
The Compensation Committee typically reviews base salary levels from the core peer group and the technology peer group on an annual basis.  The Committee has endeavored to better align executive salaries with the market, moving them between the 25th and the 50th percentile of our peer group, since base salaries for our executive officers have traditionally been significantly below market norms for comparable companies.  In addition to looking at the peer group data, salaries for our Named Executive Officers are determined based upon the following factors:
 
 
·
Individual performance
 
 
·
Impact of position on achievement of the business strategy
 
 
·
Company performance
 
 
·
Job responsibilities, including any significant change in responsibilities
 
 
·
Experience
 
 
·
Retention
 
In March 2013, the Committee approved a base salary increase to Mr. Fain of 5.0% ($260,000 to $273,000).  The merit increase was approved by the Committee based on Company and individual performance and also in consideration of the fact that Mr. Fain was positioned well below the 50th percentile of our peer group.  Following his increase in base salary, Mr. Fain’s base salary still remains below the 50th percentile of our peer group.  Other than these adjustments, no changes were made to the base salaries of our Named Executive Officers during 2013.
 
 
16

 
 Short-Term Incentive Plan 2013
 
Typically, we establish a short-term incentive plan each fiscal year, which provides the Named Executive Officers an opportunity to receive an annual cash payment in addition to their base salaries.  The short-term incentive plan is designed to place “at risk” a significant portion of the annual total cash compensation of the Named Executive Officers by linking the amount of compensation that can be achieved under the plan with our financial performance.  We believe that the STIP is a key component of maintaining a competitive executive compensation program because it motivates our Named Executive Officers to achieve our short-term financial and strategic objectives while making progress toward our longer term growth.  Based on our total rewards strategy, those Named Executive Officers and other executives who, by virtue of their position in the Company, had the opportunity to make an immediate short term impact on the business and were instrumental in driving our operating results had more of their pay at risk in the STIP.   These individuals also were tasked with balancing short term results and decisions with creating long term value.
 
President & CEO
 
Mr. Popielec was eligible to receive an annual cash bonus in accordance with the 2013 Executive STIP if we exceeded certain performance metrics that were to be agreed upon no later than January 31, 2013.  In 2013, Mr. Popielec’s bonus was based on meeting pre-established 2013 operating profit and corporate revenue goals.  His target bonus amount was 75% of his base salary or $347,630.  The STIP was structured with 90% of the weighting of the bonus based on 2013 operating profit goal of $6.8 million and 10% of the weighting of the bonus based on 2013 corporate revenue goal of $117.3 million.  Achievement of less than 75% of the operating profit goal or corporate revenue goal resulted in no bonus being paid with respect to that metric.  Achievement of 75% to 100% of the operating profit goal or corporate revenue goal would result in a bonus range payout from 50% to 100% of the target bonus for the metric with respect to which the 75% to 100% performance was achieved.  Payout of 100% of the target bonus under the plan would be achieved by meeting the operating profit and corporate revenue goals.  Achievement of over 100% to 125% of operating profit or corporate revenue goals would result in a bonus payout ranging from 100% to 150% of the target bonus with respect to the metric for which such performance level had been achieved.  Mr. Popielec was eligible for a partial payment under the plan if one of the two metrics was achieved.  Payout under the plan is capped at 150% of the target bonus.   Due to our financial performance in 2013, no STIP bonus was paid to our President & CEO.
 
Other Named Executive Officers
 
Based on the recommendation from the President & CEO, the Compensation Committee establishes threshold, target and maximum bonus levels for each Named Executive Officer, which is expressed as a percentage of his base salary.  The percentages are determined by the position of the Named Executive Officer within the organization and based upon the review of peer data. In 2013, the target for Mr. Fain was 45% of base salary.  The threshold level for 2013 was the minimum level of performance required before any amount would be earned under the STIP, which is 75% of the Company performance targets of operating profit and corporate revenue.  The Compensation Committee also establishes a maximum bonus level under the STIP.  For 2013, that maximum bonus level was 150% of the target bonus level.
 
Generally, the Compensation Committee sets the target bonus level such that, assuming achievement of the corporate financial metrics, the combined base salary and annual STIP opportunity for our Named Executive Officers will be at or near the 50th percentile for comparable executives at the companies in our peer group.
 
In establishing the 2013 total rewards strategy, the Compensation Committee approved the President & CEO’s recommendation that all Named Executive Officers would have their STIP based on our operating profit and corporate revenue goals.  The STIP potential for 2013 was based on a percentage of the Named Executive Officer’s salary.  The two metrics used for computation of the 2013 bonus for the other Named Executive Officers were company operating profit and corporate revenue, with 90% of the weighting of the bonus based on 2013 operating profit commitment of $6.8 million and 10% of the weighting of the bonus based on 2013 corporate revenue commitment of $117.3 million.
 
 
17

 
Achievement of less than 75% of the bonus plan metrics of operating profit goal or corporate revenue goal resulted in no bonus being paid for that metric.  Achievement of 75% to 100% of the bonus plan metrics of operating profit goal or corporate revenue goal would result in a bonus range payout from 50% to 100% of the target bonus for that metric.  Payout of 100% of the target bonus under the plan would be achieved by meeting the operating profit and corporate revenue goals.  Satisfaction of over 100% to 125% of the bonus plan metrics of operating profit or corporate revenue goals would result in a bonus range payout of 100% to 150% of the target bonus for that metric.  Named Executive Officers were eligible for a partial payment under the plan if one of the two metrics was achieved.  Payout under the plan is capped at 150% of the target bonus.  While the decisions to make STIP payouts as well as the amounts earned under the STIP are made at the sole discretion of the Compensation Committee, in making such determinations, the Compensation Committee considers the recommendations from our President & CEO for all other Named Executive Officers.  Due to our financial performance in 2013, no STIP bonus was paid to the other Named Executive Officer.
 
 Long-Term Incentive Compensation
 
Long-Term Equity Incentive Compensation – Named Executive Officers Other Than our President & CEO
 
We use equity awards to motivate our Named Executive Officers to increase the long-term value of our common stock and, thereby, align the interests of our Named Executive Officers with those of our shareholders.  Long-term equity incentive awards are intended to further our success by ensuring that sustainable value creation is a significant factor to the amount of total compensation which our Named Executive Officers may receive.  We believe that linking long-term compensation to sustained value creation helps retain executives over time.
 
Long-term equity incentive compensation may consist of equity such as awards of stock options, performance vested restricted shares and time vested restricted shares that vest over a multi-year period.  This design approach helps align the interests of our Named Executive Officers with those of our shareholders by linking the compensation of our Named Executive Officers to long-term increases in the value of equity instruments.  We use stock options as one of our long-term incentives because, in addition to providing our executive officers with the opportunity to develop a stock ownership stake in our company, they result in compensation only to the extent that the market price of our common stock increases over the term of the stock option.
 
The size and form of these equity awards for the other Named Executive Officers was determined by the Compensation Committee in consultation with the President & CEO.  In late 2011 and early 2012 the Compensation Committee, based on recommendation of the President & CEO, issued large equity awards for our other Named Executive Officers as they were focused on the growth of the Company and meeting the Company’s strategic plan.  Due to the size of these large equity awards issued in 2011 and 2012, no equity awards were recommended or approved for our other Named Executive Officers in 2013.
 
 
18

 
Long-Term Equity Incentive Compensation – President & CEO
 
Long-term equity incentive compensation is a significant component of the compensation package of our President & CEO.  Under his employment agreement, Mr. Popielec received the following options to purchase shares of our common stock:
 
Date of Grant
Number
of Shares
Exercise
Price
Vesting Schedule
       
December 30, 2010
50,000
$6.4218
Twenty five percent of the shares will vest on each of the four anniversaries of the date of grant.
       
January 3, 2011
50,000
$6.5820
Twenty five percent of the shares will vest on each of December 30, 2011, December 30, 2012, December 30, 2013 and December 30, 2014.
 
Mr. Popielec also received three additional stock option awards, each of which was conditioned upon shareholder approval of our Restated LTIP at our 2011 annual meeting.  This approval was obtained at our 2011 annual meeting.  As detailed below, most of these stock option awards were granted with an exercise price substantially above the grant date fair market value of our common stock.
 

Date of Grant
Number
of Shares
Exercise
Price
Vesting Schedule
       
December 30, 2010
250,000
$6.4218
Twenty five percent of the shares will vest on each of the four anniversaries of the date of grant.
       
December 30, 2010
200,000
$10.00
Vesting begins on the date our stock first reaches a closing price equal to the exercise price for 15 trading days in a 30 trading-day period, with such vesting in equal amounts over the four anniversary dates of that date.
       
December 30, 2010
200,000
$15.00
Vesting begins on the date the stock first reaches a closing price equal to the exercise price for 15 trading days in a 30 trading-day period, with such vesting in equal amounts over the four anniversary dates of that date.
 
On January 29, 2013, our Board of Directors, on recommendation of our Compensation Committee, granted 120,000 restricted stock units (RSU’s) to our President & Chief Executive Officer, Michael D. Popielec, which grant was approved by our shareholders at our June 4, 2013 Annual Meeting, which vest and will convert to shares of our common stock as follows:
 
 
(1)
30,000 shares of our common stock will be issued on the later of January 1, 2014 or the date when our common stock first reaches a closing price of $4.00 per share for 15 trading days in a 30 trading day period;
 
 
(2)
30,000 shares of our common stock will be issued on the later of January 1, 2014 or the date when our common stock first reaches a closing price of $5.00 per share for 15 trading days in a 30 trading day period;
 
 
(3)
30,000 shares of our common stock will be issued on the later of January 1, 2015 or the date when our common stock first reaches a closing price of $4.00 per share for 15 trading days in a 30 trading day period; and
 
 
19

 
 
(4)
30,000 shares of our common stock will be issued on the later of January 1, 2015 or the date when our common stock first reaches a closing price of $5.00 per share for 15 trading days in a 30 trading day period.
 
The 30,000 shares of the Company’s common stock were issued as described in (1) above on January 1, 2014.
 
Retirement Benefits
 
We provide to all active employees a tax-qualified 401(k) plan that provides for both employer and employee contributions.  Under this plan, employees may defer a portion of their base salary to the plan up to annual IRS limits.  We provide a company match of 50% of an employee’s deferrals, up to a maximum of 4% of the employee’s annual salary.
 
Perquisites and Other Personal Benefits
 
We provide our Named Executive Officers with perquisites and other personal benefits that we and the Compensation Committee believe are reasonable and consistent with the objectives of our overall compensation program to better enable us to attract and retain superior employees for key positions.  The Compensation Committee periodically reviews the levels of perquisites and other personal benefits provided to our Named Executive Officers to determine if they remain at appropriate levels.

The aggregate incremental costs of the personal benefits provided to our Named Executive Officers are included in the “All Other Compensation” column of the 2013 Summary Compensation Table.
 
Stock Ownership and Retention Guidelines
 
In order to better align the interests of executive officers and shareholders, the Compensation Committee implemented stock ownership and retention requirements for executive officers.  The stock ownership requirements for executive officers are as follows:
 
President & CEO
1.00 times salary
Chief Financial Officer
0.50 times salary
Other Executive Officers
0.33 times salary
 
For 2013, the Compensation Committee established the presumed share price which is to be used for purposes of determining the minimum number of shares to be owned by the executive officers.  This presumed price was $4.41 per share, which was based on the VWAP of our common stock for the two-year period ended December 31, 2012.  Each year the Compensation Committee will establish a new price per share to be used to determine the minimum number of share required to be held which price per share will be based on the VWAP of our common stock for the preceding two-year period.  Executive officers have three years to achieve the required holdings, which are based on the price per share as calculated above.  Additionally, there are shareholding requirements which require that until the share ownership guidelines are met, executive officers are prohibited  from disposing of more than 50% of vested shares received from restricted share grants (on an after tax basis) and 50% of shares received on exercise of stock options.  Shares owned by an executive, as well as shares underlying awards of stock options and restricted stock are treated as owned by the executive for purposes of determining whether required ownership has been achieved.  All Named Executive Officers have met their applicable stock ownership requirement.
 
 
20

 
Deductibility of Executive Compensation
 
As part of its responsibility, the Compensation Committee reviews and considers the deductibility of executive compensation under Section 162(m) of the Code which provides that unless we comply with certain shareholder approval procedures, we may not deduct compensation of more than $1,000,000 that is paid to certain individuals.  We believe that compensation paid under our executive compensation plans is fully deductible for federal income tax purposes.  However, the Compensation Committee may in the future approve compensation that will not meet these requirements in order to ensure competitive levels of total compensation for our executive officers.
 
Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation
 
Beginning on January 1, 2006, we began accounting for stock-based payments, including stock options and restricted stock awards, in accordance with the requirements of SFAS 123(R), now referred to as ASC 718.
 
 2013 Summary Compensation Table
 
The following table sets forth information concerning the compensation awarded to, paid to or earned by the Named Executive Officers for all services in all capacities to us and our subsidiaries during 2012 and 2013:
 
Name and
Principal Position
 
Year
 
Salary
($)
   
Bonus
($)(2)
   
Option Awards ($)(3)
   
All Other Compensation ($)(4)
   
Total
($)
 
                                   
Michael D. Popielec
 
2013
    463,507       0       -       36,487       499,994  
President and Chief
 
2012
    459,265       0       -       158,996       618,261  
Executive Officer
                                           
                                             
Philip A. Fain
 
2013
    267,500       10,000       -       21,686       299,186  
Chief Financial Officer,
 
2012
    256,801       0       37,418       10,892       305,111  
Treasurer and Secretary
                                           
                                             
Peter F. Comerford (1)
 
2013
    122,453       0       -       13,726       136,179  
Vice President of
 
2012
    236,535       0       -       8,064       244,599  
Administration, Secretary  and General Counsel
                                           

(1)
On June 4, 2013, the Company and Peter F. Comerford executed a Retirement and Consulting Agreement, Release and Waiver of All Claims pursuant to which Mr. Comerford retired effective May 28, 2013.  Under this agreement, the Company agreed to pay Mr. Comerford his salary through July 27, 2013 and to continue to pay his medical and dental coverage at the Company’s cost through December 31, 2013.  Consistent with the Company’s retirement policy, Mr. Comerford will have the stock options granted during his tenure continue to vest and  retains all vested unexpired stock options until the relevant option term has expired.

(2)
Mr. Fain was awarded a $10,000 bonus for 2013 which was recommended by the Compensation Committee and approved by the Board of Directors.

(3)
The amounts reported in the Option Awards column represent the grant date fair value of stock option awards granted pursuant to our shareholder-approved Restated LTIP calculated in accordance with ASC 718.  See Note 7 to our audited financial statements included in our Annual Reports on Form 10-K for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2012 and 2013 for the assumptions we used in valuing and expensing these stock options in accordance with ASC 718.
 
 
21

 
(4)
All Other Compensation for 2013 consists of the following:
 
 
   
401(k) Plan
Employer Match
($)
   
Other
Benefits (a)
($)
   
Total
($)
 
                   
Michael D. Popielec
    5,100       31,387       36,487  
Philip A. Fain
    5,100       16,586       21,686  
Peter F. Comerford
    1,802       11,924       13,726  

(a)  
The “Other Benefits” column of the above table includes premiums paid for group medical and dental coverage and long-term care insurance, reimbursement for tax preparation and certain financial planning expenses.
 
Employment Arrangements
 
Mr. Popielec
 
On December 6, 2010, in connection with entering into an employment agreement with Mr. Popielec, effective December 30, 2010 Mr. Popielec became our President and Chief Executive Officer.  We set Mr. Popielec’s annual base salary at $450,000.  Mr. Popielec is also eligible to receive an annual cash bonus under our short-term cash bonus incentive plan if we exceed certain quantitative and qualitative performance metrics to be agreed upon and approved by the Compensation Committee no later than January 31 of the year for which the bonus applies.  The bonus goals and payout ranges for 2013 are set forth on Page 17 for Mr. Popielec.
 
Mr. Popielec is also a participant in our Restated LTIP.  Pursuant to the terms of his employment agreement, Mr. Popielec was granted options to purchase shares of our common stock.  Certain of the options granted on December 30, 2010 were conditional and were subject to shareholder approval to increase the number of shares available under our Restated LTIP.  Shareholder approval was obtained in June 2011.
 
Mr. Popielec’s employment agreement also provided that he shall be entitled to the following relocation benefits: (i) rent in and commute transportation to the Rochester, New York area for up to nine months, as needed, during 2011 for a total actual expense not to exceed $50,000; (ii) payment of all actual reasonable relocation and moving expenses in an aggregate amount not to exceed $60,000; and (iii) payment of all actual reasonable current house sale/closing costs incurred in 2011 and 2012.
 
Mr. Popielec is also entitled to receive the retirement benefits, perquisites and other personal benefits described in this proxy statement under the sections entitled “Retirement Benefits” and “Perquisites and Other Personal Benefits”.
 
The employment agreement provides that Mr. Popielec’s employment is “at will.”  Mr. Popielec is entitled to certain severance benefits if we terminate his employment without Business Reasons or a Constructive Termination occurs (as those terms are defined in the employment agreement), including (i) salary continuation for a period of 12 months following the termination date; (ii) a pro rata amount (calculated on a per diem basis) of the full-year bonus which Mr. Popielec would have earned for the calendar year in which the termination of employment occurs; (iii) acceleration of vesting of all outstanding stock options and other equity awards, subject to the provision, however, that the acceleration shall not apply to the extent that the outstanding options and equity awards would otherwise have vested more than 18 months after the date of termination; (iv) continuation of health benefits for Mr. Popielec, his spouse and any dependent children for a period of 12 months after the termination date followed by 18 months of executive-paid COBRA eligibility.  In addition, if we terminate the employment of Mr. Popielec within 12 months following the occurrence of a Change in Control, without Business Reasons or if a Constructive Termination occurs (as those terms are defined in the employment agreement), then Mr. Popielec shall be entitled to receive a lump sum payment equal to (i) any earned but unpaid salary, any unpaid bonus from the prior year plus an amount equal to 18 months of his base salary as then in effect, payable immediately upon the termination date; (ii) one and one-half times his target bonus for the calendar year in which the termination date occurs; (iii) acceleration of vesting of all outstanding stock options, all such options to remain exercisable for 18 months following the termination date, or through the original expiration date of the stock options, if earlier; (iv) continuation of health benefits for Mr. Popielec, his spouse and any dependent children for a period of 24 months after the termination date.  To the extent the vesting and/or accelerated payment of outstanding stock options would subject Mr. Popielec to the imposition of tax and/or penalties under Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code (the “Code”), the vesting and/or payment of such stock options and other equity shall be delayed to the extent necessary to avoid the imposition of such tax and/or penalties.  The employment agreement also provides for the continuation of certain benefits in the event Mr. Popielec’s employment is terminated for Disability (as defined in the employment agreement) or by his death.  Mr. Popielec has also executed an Employee Confidentiality Non-Disclosure, Non-Compete, Non-Disparagement and Assignment Agreement in our standard form.
 
 
22

 
Other Executive Officers
 
We do not have an employment agreement with Mr. Fain.  Mr. Comerford, who did have an employment agreement, retired effective May 28, 2013, and his employment agreement was terminated by the Retirement and Consulting Agreement, Release and Waiver of All Claims which was executed on June 4, 2013.
 
Outstanding Equity Awards at December 31, 2013
 
The following table sets forth information concerning the number of shares underlying exercisable and non-exercisable options outstanding at December 31, 2013 for our Named Executive Officers.
 
   
Option Awards
Stock Awards
Name
 
Number of
Securities
Underlying
Unexercised
Options
(#)
Exercisable
Number of
Securities
Underlying
Unexercised
Options
(#)
Unexercisable
Option
Exercise
Price
($)
Option
Expiration
Date
Number of Shares or Units of Stock that Have Not Vested
 (#)
Market Value of Shares or Units of Stock that Have Not Vested ($)
Equity Incentive Plan Awards; Number of Unearned Shares, Units or Other Rights that Have Not Vested
(#)
Equity Incentive Plan Awards; Market or Payout Value of Unearned Shares, Units or Other Rights that Have Not Vested
($)
Michael D. Popielec
 
37,500
12,500 (1)
$6.4218
12/30/2017
30,000 (9)
106,500
60,000 (10)
213,000
   
187,500
62,500 (2)
6.4218
12/30/2017
       
   
37,500
12,500 (3)
6.5820
12/30/2017
       
   
0
200,000 (4)
10.0000
01/24/2019
       
   
0
200,000 (5)
15.0000
01/14/2020
       
                   
Philip A. Fain
 
10,000
0
11.4217
09/07/2014
       
   
50,000
0
12.7385
03/07/2015
       
   
7,976
0
12.1848
01/14/2016
       
   
33,000
0
3.9085
12/04/2016
       
   
25,000
0
6.9061
12/03/2017
       
   
33,333
16,667 (6)
4.4218
12/09/2018
       
   
6,667
13,333 (7)
3.9797
01/03/2019
       
                   
Peter F. Comerford
 
6,000
0
13.4338
12/07/2014
       
   
3,988
0
12.1848
01/14/2016
       
   
24,000
0
3.9085
12/04/2016
       
   
20,000
0
6.9061
12/03/2017
       
   
17,334
  8,666 (8)
4.4218
12/09/2018
       
 
 
23

 
(1)  
This stock option will vest with respect to 12,500 shares on December 30, 2014.
 
(2)  
This stock option will vest with respect to 62,500 shares on December 30, 2014.
 
(3)  
This stock option will vest with respect to 12,500 shares on December 30, 2014.
 
(4)  
This stock option will vest on the date our common stock first reaches a closing price of $10 for 15 trading days in a 30-day trading period, with such vesting in equal amounts over the four anniversary dates of that date.
 
(5)  
This stock option will vest on the date our common stock first reaches a closing price of $15 for 15 trading days in a 30-day trading period, with such vesting in equal amounts over the four anniversary dates of that date.
 
(6)  
This stock option will vest with respect to 16,667 shares on December 9, 2014.
 
(7)
This stock option vested with respect to 6,667 shares on January 3, 2014 and will vest with respect to 6,666 shares on January 3, 2015.
 
(8)  
This stock option will vest with respect to 8,666 shares on December 9, 2014.
 
(9)  
30,000 of these RSUs will vest on January 1, 2015.
 
(10)  
If the closing price of our common stock is at or above $5.00 per share for a period of 15 trading days in any 30 day trading period, 30,000 of these RSUs will vest on the next business day. An additional 30,000 of these RSUs will vest on the later of January 1, 2015 or the first business day following a period of 15 trading days occurring in any 30 day trading period in which our common stock has closed at or above a price of $5.00 per share.
 
Retirement Benefits and Potential Payments upon Termination or Change in Control
 
The only arrangement that we maintain that provides for retirement benefits is our tax-qualified defined contribution 401(k) plan.  The material terms of our tax-qualified defined contribution 401(k) plan are summarized above under the heading “Retirement Benefits.”
 
 
24

 
All of the potential payments and benefits payable by us to those of our Named Executive Officer who were employed by us during 2013 in the event of various scenarios involving either a termination of employment and/or change in control are pursuant to the employment agreement with Mr. Popielec or the Restated LTIP.  The employment agreement with Mr. Popielec is summarized above under the heading “Employment Arrangements.”  We do not have an employment agreement with Mr. Fain, and Mr. Comerford retired in 2013.  Under the award agreements issued under the Restated LTIP, outstanding unvested stock options, shares of restricted stock and restricted stock units immediately vest upon the occurrence of a “Change in Control.”
 
 
25

 
PROPOSAL 2
RATIFY THE SELECTION OF OUR INDEPENDENT
REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
 
The firm of BDO USA, LLP, independent registered public accountants, served as our independent registered public accounting firm in connection with the audit of our financial statements for 2012 and Bonadio & Co., LLP served as our independent registered public accounting firm for 2013.
 
This selection of Bonadio & Co., LLP to serve as our independent registered public accountant will be presented to our shareholders for their ratification at the Meeting.  Our Board of Directors recommends a vote in favor of the proposal to ratify this selection, and the persons named in the enclosed proxy (unless otherwise instructed therein) will vote such proxies FOR this proposal.  If the shareholders do not ratify this selection, the Audit and Finance Committee will seek to identify and address the reason or reasons why the shareholders did not ratify the committee’s selection and will consider such reason or reasons in selecting an independent public accounting firm for 2014.
 
We have been advised by Bonadio & Co., LLP that they will have a representative present at the Meeting who will be available to respond to appropriate questions.  In addition, we intend to give such representatives an opportunity to make any statements if they should so desire.
 
Principal Accountant Fees and Services
 
Aggregate fees for professional services rendered for us by BDO USA, LLP and Bonadio, & Co., LLP for 2012 and 2013 were:
 
   
BDO USA, LLP
   
Bonadio & Co., LLP
 
   
2012
   
2013
   
2012
   
2013
 
Audit Fees
    $365,618       $49,929       $0       $172,878  
Audit – Related Fees
    0       0       0       8,250  
Tax Fees
    0       0       74,004       40,275  
All Other Fees
    0       0       84,370       0  
Total
    $365,618       $49,929       $158,374       $221,403  
 
Audit Fees
 
Audit fees for 2012 and 2013, respectively, were for professional services rendered for the audits of our consolidated financial statements, consents and assistance with review of documents filed with the SEC.
 
Audit-Related Fees
 
Audit-related fees in 2013 were for the audit of our 401(k) defined contribution plan for the year ended December 31, 2012.
 
Tax Fees
 
Tax fees relate to corporate and expatriate tax compliance, including the preparation of tax returns and claims for refund, tax planning, and tax advice.
 
All Other Fees
 
In 2012, other fees were for services in support of our internal audit, the audit of our 401(k) defined contribution plan for the year ended December 31, 2011 and to prepare our quarterly and annual income tax provisions.  All of the services were completed prior to the appointment of Bonadio & Co., LLP as principal auditor for 2013 and were subject to audit by BDO USA, LLP.
 
 
26

 
Our Audit and Finance Committee has not adopted pre-approval policies and procedures for audit and non-audit services.  Although no pre-approval policy was in effect, all audit, audit-related and permitted non-audit services for which BDO USA, LLP and Bonadio & Co., LLP were engaged were reviewed and approved prior to the commencement of the services by our Audit and Finance Committee in compliance with applicable SEC requirements.
 
REPORT OF THE AUDIT AND FINANCE COMMITTEE
 
The duties and responsibilities of the Audit and Finance Committee are set forth in our Audit and Finance Committee Charter, a copy of which is available on our website at http://investor.ultralifecorporation.com under the subheading “Corporate Governance.”  Among other things, the Audit and Finance Committee reviews the adequacy of our system of internal control regarding financial reporting, disclosure controls and procedures and preparing our consolidated financial statements.  In addition, the Audit and Finance Committee recommends to our Board of Directors that our audited financial statements be included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K, approves our quarterly filings on Form 10-Q and selects the independent registered public accounting firm to audit our books and records.
 
The Audit and Finance Committee has:
 
 
·
Reviewed and discussed our audited financial statements for 2013 with our management and with Bonadio & Co., LLP, our independent registered public accounting firm for 2013;
 
 
·
Discussed with Bonadio & Co., LLP, our independent registered public accounting firm, the matters required to be discussed by statement on Auditing Standards No. 61, as amended (AICPA, Professional Standards, Vol. 1. AU section 380), as adopted by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board in Rule 3200T; and
 
 
·
Received from Bonadio & Co., LLP the written disclosures and the letter from Bonadio & Co., LLP required by applicable requirements of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board regarding the independent registered public accounting firm’s communications with the Audit and Finance Committee concerning independence, and has discussed with Bonadio & Co., LLP their independence.
 
The Audit and Finance Committee met with our independent accountants with and without management present and discussed with them the results of their examinations, their evaluations of our internal control over financial reporting, our disclosure controls and procedures and the quality of our financial reporting.  Based on the review and discussions referred to above, the Audit and Finance Committee concluded that Bonadio & Co., LLP is independent and recommended to the Board of Directors that the audited financial statements be included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013 for filing with the SEC.
 
The Audit and Finance Committee:

Thomas L. Saeli, Chair
Steven M. Anderson
Robert W. Shaw II
 
 
27

 
PROPOSAL 3
APPROVE THE NEW 2014 LTIP
 
In order to provide adequate flexibility to meet future long-term compensation needs, our Board of Directors approved a new LTIP as the successor plan to the existing Restated LTIP which expires on June 10, 2014.  The new LTIP is substantially consistent with the Restated LTIP (as amended) which it replaces.
 
The description of the new LTIP set forth below is a summary, does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the provisions of the new LTIP itself.  The complete text of the new LTIP is attached as Appendix A to this proxy statement.  Unless otherwise defined in this summary, capitalized terms used in this summary have the meanings given such terms in the new LTIP.
 
The following table provides certain important information concerning our existing equity compensation plans of the Company as of December 31, 2013:
 
Equity Compensation Plan Information
 
Plan Category
Number of securities to be used upon exercise of outstanding options (a)
Weighted-average exercise price of outstanding options (b)
Number of securities remaining available for future issuance under equity compensation plans, excluding securities reflected in column (a) (c)
Equity Compensation Plans approved by security holders
2,079,622
$6.85
255,678
Equity compensation plans not approved by security holders
50,000(1)
$12.74
Total
2,391,000
$7.24
255,678

 
(1)
On March 7, 2008, in connection with his becoming employed by us, we granted Mr. Fain an option to purchase 50,000 shares of our Common Stock at $12.74 per share outside any of our equity-based compensation plans.  This fully vested option expires on March 7, 2015.
 
Summary of New LTIP
 
Purpose: The purpose of our new LTIP is to replace the Restated Plan and provide our Employees, Directors and Consultants who are in a position to contribute to our long-term success, with equity based incentive awards in accordance with the terms specified.    The incentive program which is available under the terms of the new LTIP will cause those persons to increase their interest in our welfare and aid in attracting and retaining Employees, Directors and Consultants of outstanding ability.
 
Term: The effective date of the new LTIP shall be the date of such approval by the Corporation’s stockholders which is scheduled for June 3, 2014, the date of our 2014 Annual Meeting of Shareholders.  Awards may not be granted under the new LTIP after June 2, 2024, but awards theretofore granted may extend beyond that date.
 
 
28

 
Administration:  The new LTIP is administered by our Compensation and Management Committee, or such other committee as may be designated by our Board of Directors (the “Committee”); provided, however, that the Committee shall consist of not less than two directors who are “non-employee directors,” within the meaning of Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act.
 
The Committee may allocate all or any portion of its responsibilities and powers under the Restated LTIP to any one or more of its members, our Chief Executive Officer or other senior members of management as the Committee deems appropriate; however, only the Committee may select and grant awards to participants who are subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act.
 
The Committee has broad authority in its administration of the new LTIP, including, but not limited to, the authority to interpret the plan; to establish rules and regulations for the operation and administration of the plan; to select the plan participants to receive awards; to determine the type, size, terms, conditions, limitations, and restrictions of awards, including, without limitation, terms regarding vesting, exercisability, assignability, expiration and the effect of certain events, such as a change of control in the Company or the participant’s death, disability, retirement or termination from the Company or breach of agreement by a participant; and to take all other action it deems necessary or advisable to administer the new LTIP.
 
Notwithstanding the Committee’s broad authority to administer the new LTIP and the awards issued under the new LTIP, the exercise price of any stock option or stock appreciation right granted pursuant to the new LTIP may not be subsequently “repriced” without shareholder approval.  The term “reprice” means: (1) the reduction, directly or indirectly, in the per-share exercise price of an outstanding stock option or stock appreciation right by amendment, cancellation or substitution; (2) the cancellation of a stock option or stock appreciation right when its exercise price exceeds the fair market value of the underlying Common Stock in exchange for another stock option, stock appreciation right or other equity security (unless the cancellation and exchange occurs in connection with a merger, acquisition, or similar transaction); or (3) the taking of any other action that is treated as a repricing under United States generally accepted accounting principles or by the rules or regulations of any stock exchange on which our securities are traded.  The term “reprice” shall not include adjustments made to awards by the Committee upon the occurrence of certain events (as described under “Adjustments Upon Certain Events’’ below).
 
To facilitate the granting of awards to participants who are employed or retained outside of the United States, the Committee will be authorized to modify and amend the terms and conditions of an award to accommodate differences in local law, policy or custom.
 
Eligibility:  All of our employees, directors and consultants are eligible to participate in the new LTIP; provided, however, only employees are eligible to receive incentive stock options.  Participants in the new LTIP will be selected by the Committee from those eligible persons who are in a position to have a material impact on our results of operations.  Participants may be selected and awards may be made at any time during the ten-year period following the effective date of the new LTIP.  As of December 31, 2013, approximately two executive officers, 80 other employees, and five outside directors were eligible to participate in the current LTIP.
 
The selection of those persons within a particular class who will receive awards is entirely within the discretion of the Committee.  The Committee has not yet determined how many persons are likely to participate in the new LTIP.  The Committee intends, however, to grant most of the new LTIP’s awards to those persons who are in a position to have a significant direct impact on our growth, profitability and success of the Company, which would include the participants in our Restated LTIP.
 
 
29

 
Shares Available:  A total of 1,750,000 shares of Common Stock will be available for grant of awards under the new LTIP. However, of the total number of shares of Common Stock available for awards under the new LTIP, no more than 800,000 shares of Common Stock may be used for awards other than stock options and stock appreciation rights.  The new LTIP authorizes the Committee to make equitable adjustments to the authorized number and class of securities to be issued under the new LTIP upon the occurrence of certain events, as described under “Adjustments Upon Certain Events’’ below.
 
Types of Awards:  Awards under the new LTIP may be in the form of stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, restricted stock units, unrestricted stock and other equity-based awards, or any combination thereof.   All awards granted to participants under the new LTIP shall be evidenced by an award agreement which specifies the type of award granted pursuant to the new LTIP, the number of shares of Common Stock underlying the award and all of the terms governing the award, including, without limitation, terms regarding the vesting, exercisability, forfeiture and expiration of the award.  The Committee has exclusive power and authority, consistent with the provisions of the new LTIP, to establish the terms and conditions of any award and to waive any such terms or conditions.
 
Award Limits.  The maximum number of shares with respect to which awards may be paid or granted during each calendar year to any given participant may not exceed 150,000 shares of Common Stock, except inducement grants to new executives and key employees in amounts not to exceed 700,000 shares are not subject to the 150,000 share annual limitation.  The new LTIP authorizes the Committee to make equitable adjustments to the number of shares with respect to which awards may be paid or granted during each calendar year to any given participant under the new LTIP upon the occurrence of certain events, as described under “Adjustments Upon Certain Events’’ below.
 
Stock Options and Stock Appreciation Rights.  The Committee may grant awards under the new LTIP in the form of stock options to purchase shares of Common Stock, which stock options may be non-qualified stock options or incentive stock options for federal income tax purposes.  Any stock option granted in the form of an incentive stock option must satisfy the requirements of Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code. Stock options shall be vested and exercisable at such times and upon such terms and conditions as may be determined by the Committee, but in no event shall a stock option be exercisable more than ten years (five years for incentive stock options issued to certain Control Persons) after the date it is granted.  The exercise price per share of Common Stock for any stock option awarded shall not be less than 100 percent (110 percent for incentive stock options issued to certain Control Persons) of the fair market value of a share of Common Stock on the day the stock option is granted, except for stock options granted in assumption or replacement of outstanding awards in connection with specified corporate transactions.
 
A stock option may be exercised by paying the exercise price in cash or its equivalent, or, to the extent permitted by the Committee, shares of Common Stock, a combination of cash and shares of Common Stock or through the delivery of irrevocable instruments to a broker to sell the shares of Common Stock obtained upon the exercise of the stock option and to deliver to us an amount equal to the exercise price.
 
The Committee may grant stock appreciation rights independent of (“Freestanding SARs”) or in conjunction with (“Tandem SARs”) a stock option.  The exercise price of a stock appreciation right shall be an amount determined by the Committee, but in no event shall such amount be less than the fair market value of the Common Stock on the date the stock appreciation right is granted or, in the case of Tandem SARs, the exercise price of the related stock option.  Each Freestanding SAR shall entitle the participant upon exercise to an amount equal to (i) the excess of (A) the fair market value on the exercise date of one share of Common Stock over (B) the exercise price, times (ii) the number of shares of Common Stock as to which the stock appreciation right is exercised.  Each Tandem SAR shall entitle the participant to surrender the related stock option and to receive an amount equal to (i) the excess of (A) the fair market value on the exercise date of one share of Common Stock over (B) the exercise price per share of Common Stock, times (ii) the number of shares of Common Stock covered by the related stock option which is surrendered.  Payment of the exercise price of a stock appreciation right may be made to us in shares of Common Stock or in cash or partly in shares of Common Stock and partly in cash, as determined by the Committee.
 
 
30

 
Stock-Based Awards and Restricted Stock Units:  The Committee, in its sole discretion, may grant stock awards (shares of restricted stock or unrestricted stock) or RSU’s and other awards that are valued in whole or in part by reference to, or are otherwise based on the fair market value of, the Common Stock.   Such stock-based awards shall be in such form, and dependent on such conditions, as the Committee shall determine, including, without limitation, the right to receive, or vest with respect to, one or more shares of Common Stock (or the equivalent cash value of such shares of Common Stock) upon the completion of a specified period of service, the occurrence of an event and/or the attainment of performance objectives.  The restricted period specified in respect of any stock award shall not be less than three years, except that the Committee may (i) provide for the restricted period to terminate at any time after one year upon the attainment of performance-based objectives, and (ii) grant stock awards of up to 30,000 shares of Common Stock without regard to this limitation. Furthermore, the Committee may not terminate the restrictions applicable to outstanding stock awards except in connection with a Change in Control. The Committee may grant an unrestricted stock award only if the Committee determines that such stock award is made in lieu of all or a portion of salary or cash bonus of comparable value.
 
Withholding:  We are entitled to deduct from any payment to a participant under the new LTIP the amount of all applicable income and employment taxes required by law to be withheld with respect to such payment or may require the participant to pay to us such tax prior to and as a condition of the making of such payment.  Subject to certain limitations, the Committee may allow a participant to pay the amount of taxes required by law to be withheld from an award by withholding shares of Common Stock to be paid under such award or by permitting the participant to deliver to us shares of Common Stock having a fair market value equal to the amount of such taxes.
 
Adjustments Upon Certain Events:   In the event of any reclassification, recapitalization, merger, consolidation, reorganization, issuance of warrants, rights or debentures, stock dividend, stock split or reverse stock split, cash dividend, property dividend, combination or exchange of shares, repurchase of shares or any other change in corporate structure which in the judgment of the Committee materially affects the value of the Common Stock, the Committee may determine the substitutions or adjustments to the maximum number of shares available for the grant or issuance of awards under the new LTIP, the maximum award payable under the new LTIP, the number and class of shares and the exercise price per share set forth in any award theretofore granted, or any other affected terms of an award or the new LTIP as the Committee deems equitable or appropriate.
 
Effect of Certain Events:  The Committee will have the authority to promulgate rules and regulations to determine the treatment of a participant’s award in the event of the participant’s death, disability or termination.  In addition, the Committee shall have the right to extend the period for exercise of any stock option or stock appreciation right, provided such extension does not result in an exercise period for any such stock option or Tandem SAR, which exceeds ten years from the date of grant.
 
Unless otherwise decided by the Committee and provided in an award agreement, upon a participant’s death or disability prior to the complete exercise of the stock options or stock appreciation rights granted to him or her under the new LTIP, any such remaining stock options or stock appreciation rights may be exercised within one year after the date of the participant’s death or disability and prior to the expiration of the term thereof, to the extent exercisable on the date of the participant’s death or disability.
 
Unless otherwise decided by the Committee and provided in an award agreement, upon a participant’s termination for any reason other than death or disability prior to the complete exercise of the stock options or stock appreciation rights granted to him or her under the new LTIP, any such remaining stock options or stock appreciation rights may be exercised within three months after the date of the participant’s termination and prior to the expiration of the term thereof, to the extent exercisable on the date of the participant’s termination.
 
 
31

 
Amendment and Termination.: The Board of Directors may, at any time, alter, amend, suspend, discontinue or terminate the new LTIP; provided, however, that no such action shall adversely affect the rights of participants to awards previously granted hereunder and, provided further, however, that any shareholder approval necessary or desirable in order to comply with tax, securities, or other applicable laws or regulations, including, but not limited to, the listing requirements of the stock exchanges on which our securities are listed, shall be obtained in the manner required therein.  In addition, the Board of Directors may, at any time and for any reason, with or without prior notice, amend the new LTIP in any manner, but may not without shareholder approval, adopt any amendment which would: (1) increase the number of shares available under the new LTIP; (2) expand the types of awards available; (3) expand the class of persons eligible to participate; (4) extend the term of the new LTIP; (5) materially amend the new LTIP, including, but not limited to, changing the method of determining the exercise price of options issued under the new LTIP; (6) allow for repricing of options or SARs; or (vii) terminate restrictions applicable to awards (except in connection with a grantee’s death, disability or termination of employment or connection with a change in control).
 
New Plan Benefits
 
Because the benefits conveyed under the new LTIP will largely be at the discretion of the Committee, it is not possible to determine what benefits participants will receive under the new LTIP.
 
Tax Status of New LTIP Awards
 
Introduction:  The following discussion of the United States federal income tax consequences of awards under the new LTIP, as proposed, is based on present federal tax laws and regulations and does not purport to be a complete description of the federal income tax laws.  Participants may also be subject to certain foreign, state and local taxes which are not described below.
 
Incentive Stock Options:  Pursuant to the requirements of Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code, only employees are eligible to receive incentive stock options.  If a stock option is an incentive stock option, no income is realized by the employee upon grant or exercise of the incentive stock option (except possibly for alternative minimum tax), and no deduction is available to us at such times.  If the Common Stock purchased upon the exercise of an incentive stock option is held by the employee for at least two years from the date of the grant of such incentive stock option and for at least one year after exercise, any resulting gain is taxed at long-term capital gains rates.  Any amount realized by the employee in excess of the fair market value of the Common Stock at the time of exercise is taxed at capital gains rates. If the Common Stock purchased pursuant to the incentive stock option is disposed of before the expiration of that period, any gain on the disposition, up to the difference between the fair market value of the Common Stock at the time of exercise and the exercise price of the incentive stock option, is taxed at ordinary rates as compensation paid to the employee, and we are entitled to a deduction for an equivalent amount.
 
Non-Qualified Options:  If a stock option is a non-qualified option, no income is realized by the participant at the time of grant of the non-qualified stock option, and no deduction is available to us at such time.  At the time of exercise (other than by delivery of previously-owned shares of Common Stock to us), ordinary income is realized by the participant in an amount equal to the difference between the exercise price and the fair market value of the shares on the date of exercise, and the Company receives an income tax deduction for the same amount.  If a non-qualified stock option is exercised by delivering previously-owned shares of Common Stock to us, the number of shares received by the participant equal to the number of shares so delivered are received tax-free and have a tax basis and holding period equal to the shares so delivered.  The fair market value of the additional shares received by the participant is taxable to the participant as ordinary income, and the participant’s tax basis in such shares is their fair market value on the date of exercise.  Upon disposition, any appreciation or depreciation of the Common Stock after the date of exercise may be treated as capital gain or loss depending on how long the shares have been held.
 
 
32

 
Stock Appreciation Rights:   No income is realized by a participant at the time a stock appreciation right is granted, and no deduction is available to us at such time.  When the stock appreciation right is exercised, ordinary income is realized in the amount of the cash or the fair market value at such time of the shares of Common Stock received by the participant, and we are entitled to a deduction of equivalent value.
 
Unrestricted Stock and Unrestricted Stock-Based Awards:  Upon the grant of an award of shares of unrestricted stock or another stock-based award which is not restricted, a participant realizes taxable income equal to the cash and fair market value at such time of the shares of Common Stock received by the participant under such award (less the purchase price, if any), and we are entitled to a corresponding tax deduction at that time.
 
Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units and Restricted Stock-Based Awards:  Upon the grant of an award of shares of restricted stock, restricted stock units or another stock-based award which is restricted, no income is realized by a participant (unless a participant timely makes an election under Section 83(b) of the Internal Revenue Code to accelerate the recognition of the income under any such award to the date of grant), and we are not allowed a deduction at that time.  When the award vests and is no longer subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture for income tax purposes, the participant realizes taxable ordinary income in an amount equal to the cash and the fair market value at the time of vesting of the shares of Common Stock received by the participant under such award (less the purchase price therefor, if any), and we are entitled to a corresponding deduction at such time.  If a participant makes an election, as permitted under Section 83(b) of the Internal Revenue Code, within 30 days after the date of the transfer by us to the participant of the shares of restricted stock, then the participant recognizes taxable ordinary income in an amount equal to the cash and the fair market value at the time of grant of the shares of Common Stock to be received by the participant under such award (less the purchase price therefor, if any), and we are entitled to a corresponding deduction at such time.
 
Stock Price
 
The closing price of our Common Stock reported on the Nasdaq Stock Market on April 11, 2014, was $3.61 per share.
 
Required Vote and Board of Directors’ Recommendation
 
We believe that our best interests will be served by the approval of Proposal 3.  The new LTIP will enable us to grant stock and other new forms of long-term incentive awards to employees, directors and consultants which will enhance our ability to retain and compete for new talent.
 
Approval of Proposal 3 requires the affirmative vote of a majority of shares of the Common Stock represented at the Meeting.
 
Our Board of Directors recommends a vote in favor of the proposal to approve the new LTIP, and the persons named in the enclosed proxy (unless otherwise indicated therein) will vote such proxies FOR this proposal.
 
 
33

 
OTHER MATTERS
 
Our Board of Directors does not intend to present, and has not been informed that any other person intends to present, any matters for action at the Meeting other than those specifically referred to in this proxy statement.  If any other matters properly come before the Meeting, it is intended that the holders of the proxies will act in respect thereof in accordance with their best judgment.
 
EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
 
Other than Mr. Popielec, whose information is set forth with the other directors standing for election, the names of, and certain information with respect to, our executive officers are presented below.
 
Name
Age
Present Principal Occupation and Employment History
     
Philip A. Fain
59
Mr. Fain was named Chief Financial Officer in November 2009,  Treasurer in December 2009 and Corporate Secretary in April 2013.  He previously served as Vice President of Business Development, having joined us in February 2008. Prior to joining us, he was Managing Partner of CXO on the GO, LLC, a management-consulting firm, which he co-founded in November 2003 and which we retained in connection with our acquisition activity. Prior to founding CXO on the GO, LLC, Mr. Fain served as Vice President of Finance - RayBan Sunoptics for Luxottica, SpA.  Prior to the acquisition of Bausch & Lomb’s global eyewear business by Luxottica, Mr. Fain served as Bausch & Lomb’s Senior Vice President Finance - Global Eyewear from 1997 to 1999 and as Vice President and Controller for the US Sunglass business from 1993 to 1996.  In these roles, he led the process to acquire some of the World’s most sought after sunglass companies and brands for Bausch & Lomb.  From 1983 to 1993, Mr. Fain served in various positions with Bausch & Lomb including executive positions in corporate accounting, finance and audit. Mr. Fain began his career as a CPA and consultant with Arthur Andersen & Co. in 1977. He received his B.A. in Economics from the University of Rochester and an MBA from the William E. Simon Graduate School of Business Administration of the University of Rochester.
     
Peter F. Comerford
56
Mr. Comerford retired effective May 28, 2013.  He was named Vice President of Administration and General Counsel on July 1, 1999 and was elected Corporate Secretary in December 2000.  He joined us in May 1997 as Senior Corporate Counsel and was appointed Director of Administration and General Counsel in December of that year.  Prior to joining us, Mr. Comerford was a practicing attorney for approximately fourteen years having worked primarily in municipal law departments including the City of Niagara Falls, New York where he served as the Corporation Counsel.  Mr. Comerford has a B.A. from the State University of New York at Buffalo, an MBA from Canisius College and a J.D. from the University of San Diego School of Law.
 
 
34

 
SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS
 
The table below shows certain information regarding the beneficial ownership of shares of our common stock as of April 11, 2014 by each person known by us to beneficially own more than five percent of the outstanding shares of our common stock, with percentages based on 17,526,229 shares issued and outstanding.
 
Name and Address of Beneficial Owner
 
Number of Shares Beneficially Owned
 
Percent of Class
Beneficially Owned
         
Bradford T. Whitmore (1)
 
5,156,034
 
29.4%
1560 Sherman Avenue, Suite 900
       
Evanston, IL 60201
       
         
NGP Energy Technology Partners II, L.P. (2)
 
950,721
 
5.4%
1700 K Street NW, Suite 750
       
Washington, D.C. 20006
       
 
_______________________
 
 (1)
This information as to the beneficial ownership of shares of our common stock is based on the Form 4 dated February 18, 2014 filed with the SEC by Grace Brothers, Ltd., an Illinois limited partnership, Bradford T. Whitmore individually and as general partner of Grace Brothers, Ltd. and as manager and sole voting member of Sunray I, LLC, Spurgeon Corporation, as general partner of Grace Brothers, Ltd. and Sunray I, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company that reports beneficial ownership of 5,156,034 shares of our common stock.  In the Schedule 13D/A dated February 17, 2014, Mr. Whitmore reports sole voting and dispositive power with respect to 4,637,418 of such shares, of which 4,452,283 shares are held in the name of Sunray I, LLC.  Grace Brothers, Ltd., Mr. Whitmore and Spurgeon Corporation report shared voting and dispositive power with respect to 518,616 of such shares.
 
 (2)
This information as to the beneficial ownership of shares of our common stock is based on Amendment No. 2 to Schedule 13G dated February 14, 2013 filed with the SEC by NGP Energy Technology Partners II, L.P. (a Delaware limited partnership which owns the reported securities), NGP ETP II, L.L.C., the general partner of NGP Energy Technology Partners II, L.P, Energy Technology Partners, L.L.C., the sole manager of NGP ETP II, L.L.C., and Philip J. Deutch, the sole member and manager of Energy Technology Partners, L.L.C. and the manager of NGP ETP II, L.L.C.  Mr. Deutch is also a member of the investment committee of NGP ETP II, L.L.C.  NGP Energy Technology Partners II, L.P. reports sole voting and dispositive power with respect to all 950,721 shares.  By virtue of the relationships between and among the reporting persons, NGP ETP II, L.L.C., Energy Technology Partners, L.L.C. and Mr. Deutch may be deemed to have the power to direct the voting and disposition of the shares of common stock beneficially owned by NGP Energy Technology Partners II, L.P.  NGP ETP II, L.L.C., Energy Technology Partners, L.L.C. and Mr. Deutch disclaim beneficial ownership of the reported securities except to the extent of their pecuniary interest therein.
 
 
35

 
SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF MANAGEMENT
 
The table below shows certain information regarding the beneficial ownership of shares of our common stock as of April 12, 2014 by (1) each of our directors, (2) each of our Named Executive Officers (as defined under the heading “Executive Compensation”), and (3) all of our directors and executive officers as a group.
 
Name of Beneficial Owner (1)
 
Number of Shares Beneficially Owned (1)
   
Percent of Class
Beneficially Owned (2)
 
             
Steven M. Anderson
    32,938       *  
                 
Michael D. Popielec
    466,280 (3)     1.2 % (7)
                 
Thomas L. Saeli
    42,188       *  
                 
Robert W. Shaw II
    34,563       *  
                 
Ranjit C. Singh
    74,284       *  
                 
Bradford T. Whitmore
    5,156,034 (4)     29.4 %
                 
Philip A. Fain
    227,262 (5)     *  
                 
All Directors and Executive Officers as a group (7 persons)
    6,038,549 (6)     32.0 % (7)
___________________________
*Less than 1%
 
(1)  
Except as otherwise indicated, the shareholders named in this table have sole voting and investment power with respect to the shares of our common stock beneficially owned by them.  The information provided in this table is based upon information provided to us by such shareholders.  The table reports beneficial ownership for our directors and executive officers in accordance with Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act.  This means all our securities over which directors and executive officers directly or indirectly have or share voting or investment power are listed as beneficially owned.  The amounts also include shares that may be acquired by exercise of stock options prior to June 11, 2014, which shares are referred to in the footnotes to this table as “shares subject to options that may be exercised.”
 
(2)  
Based on 17,526,229 shares issued and outstanding.
 
(3)  
The amount shown includes 262,500 shares subject to options that may be exercised by Mr. Popielec prior to June 11, 2014.
 
(4)  
The amount shown includes 518,616 shares beneficially owned by Grace Brothers, Ltd., an Illinois limited partnership, held in a margin account, and Spurgeon Corporation, which is a general partner of Grace Brothers, Ltd.  Mr. Whitmore is a general partner of Grace Brothers, Ltd.  See “Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners” above for more information about Grace Brothers, Ltd.
 
 
36

 
(5)  
The amount shown includes 165,976 shares subject to options that may be exercised by Mr. Fain.
 
(6)  
The amount shown includes 433,476 shares subject to options that may be exercised by Directors and Executive Officers.
 
(7)  
Percentages exclude shares subject to options that may be exercised by Directors and Executive Officers.
 
SECTION 16(a) BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP REPORTING COMPLIANCE
 
Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act requires our directors, executive officers and persons who own more than 10% of our common stock to file with the SEC initial reports of beneficial ownership and reports of changes in beneficial ownership of our common stock and our other equity securities.  To our knowledge, based solely on the written representations of our directors and executive officers and the copies of such reports filed with the SEC during 2013, all Section 16(a) filings applicable to our officers, directors and more than 10% beneficial owners were filed in a timely manner.
 
SUBMISSION OF SHAREHOLDER PROPOSALS
 
Under Rule 14a-8 of the Exchange Act, shareholder proposals intended for inclusion in the proxy statement for our 2015 Annual Meeting of Shareholders must be submitted in writing to us to our Corporate Secretary at 2000 Technology Parkway, Newark, New York 14513, and must have been received by December 22, 2014.
 
Any shareholder proposal submitted for consideration at our 2014 Annual Meeting of Shareholders but not submitted for inclusion in the proxy statement for that meeting that is received by us after December, 2014 will not be considered filed on a timely basis with us under Rule 14a-4(c)(1) of the Exchange Act.  For such proposals that are not timely filed, we retain discretion to vote proxies we receive.  For such proposals that are timely filed, we retain discretion to vote proxies we receive provided that we include in our proxy statement advice on the nature of the proposal and how we intend to exercise our voting discretion and the proponent of any such proposal does not issue its own proxy statement.
 
Our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013, as filed with the SEC, is included in the 2013 Annual Report to Shareholders which accompanies this proxy statement.
 
April 21, 2014
By Order of the Board of Directors
Bradford T. Whitmore
Chair of the Board of Directors
 
 
 
37

 
APPENDIX A
 
ULTRALIFE CORPORATION
2014 LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN

 
Section l.  Purpose.

Effective June 10, 2004, Ultralife Corporation (hereinafter the “Corporation”) adopted a long term incentive plan known as 2004 Long Term Incentive Plan (the “Predecessor Plan”).  The Predecessor Plan will expire by its terms on June 10, 2014.  All awards granted pursuant to the terms of the Predecessor Plan shall continue in full force and effect according to their respective terms.  The Ultralife 2014 Long Term Incentive Plan (hereinafter the “Plan”) replaces the Predecessor Plan and provides the Corporation a vehicle which will enable it to provide Employees, Directors and Consultants of the Corporation and its Subsidiaries, who are in a position to contribute to the long-term success of the Corporation, with equity based incentive awards in accordance with the terms specified herein.    The Corporation believes that the incentive program which is available to the Corporation under the terms of the Plan will cause those persons to increase their interest in the Corporation’s welfare and aid in attracting and retaining Employees, Directors and Consultants of outstanding ability.

Section 2.  Definitions.

Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the following terms, when used in the Plan, shall have the meanings set forth in this Section 2:

(a)              Award” shall mean any Option, SAR, Stock Award, Restricted  Stock Units or other incentive award granted under the Plan, whether singly, in combination,  or in tandem,  to a Grantee by the Committee pursuant to such terms, conditions, restrictions and/or limitations,  if any, as the Committee may establish by the Award Agreement or otherwise.

(b)              Award Agreement” shall mean the document establishing the terms, conditions, restrictions and limitations of an Award in addition to those established by the Plan and by the Committee’s exercise of its administrative powers.

(c)              Board” shall mean the Board of Directors of the Corporation.

(d)             CEO” shall mean the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation.

(e)             Change in Control” shall mean the occurrence of any of the following:  (i) any “person” (as such term is used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act (hereinafter a “Person”)) is or becomes a “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rule l3d-3 under the Exchange Act (hereinafter a “Beneficial Owner”), directly or indirectly, of securities of the Corporation representing more than fifty percent (50%) of the voting power of the then outstanding securities of the Corporation; and (ii) the consummation of (A) a merger or consolidation of the Corporation with another corporation where the stockholders of such corporation, immediately after the merger or
 
 
 

 
consolidation, own shares entitling such stockholders to more than fifty percent (50%) of all votes (without consideration of the rights of any class of stock to elect Directors by separate class vote) to which all stockholders of the corporation issuing cash or securities in the merger or consolidation would be entitled in the election of directors or where the members of the board of directors of such corporation, immediately after the merger or consolidation, constitute a majority of the board of directors of the corporation issuing cash or securities in the merger or consolidation, or (B) the sale or other disposition of all or substantially all the assets of the Corporation, or a liquidation, dissolution or statutory exchange of the Corporation.

(f)              “Code” shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 as it may be amended from time to time.

(g)             Committee” shall mean the Compensation and Management Committee of the Board, or such other Board committee as may be designated by the Board to administer the Plan; provided that the Committee shall consist of not less than two Directors who are “Non-Employee Directors,” as that term is defined and interpreted pursuant to Rule l6b-3 under the Exchange Act.  The Committee shall be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the Board.

(h)             Consultant” shall mean any consultant, advisor or independent contractor retained by the Corporation or its Subsidiaries.

(i)              Control Person” shall mean any person who, as of the date of grant of an Option, owns (within the meaning of Section 422A(b)(6) of the Code) stock possessing more than l0% of the total combined voting power or value of all classes of stock of the Corporation or of any Parent or Subsidiary.

(j)               Corporation” shall mean Ultralife Corporation, a Delaware corporation.

(k)              Director” shall mean any member of the Board.

(1)              “Disability” shall mean permanent and total disability as defined by Section 22(e)(3) of the Code.

(m)             “Employee” shall mean any person employed by the Corporation or its Subsidiaries on a full or part-time basis, including Directors who are otherwise employed by the Corporation or its Subsidiaries.

(n)              Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 as it may be amended from time to time, including the rules thereunder and any successor provisions and the rules thereto.

(o)              Fair Market Value” shall mean for any day (i) if the Corporation is a registrant under Section 12 of the Exchange Act, the volume weighted average price (“VWAP”) of the Stock in the over-the-counter  market, as determined  in accordance  with the trading rules of the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation System or, if the Stock is listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, the VWAP as determined  in accordance  with the trading rules on such exchange or, (ii) if the Corporation is not a registrant under Section 12 of the Exchange Act, the price of the Stock will be determined by the Board on the date of grant but will
 
 
2

 
not be less than the par value of such Stock.

(p)              Grantee” shall mean an Employee, Director or Consultant granted an Award under the Plan.

(q)              Immediate Family Member” shall mean the transferor and his or her spouse, children or grandchildren, whether natural, step or adopted children or grandchildren.

(r)              ISO” shall mean an Option granted pursuant to the Plan to purchase shares of Stock and intended to qualify as an incentive stock option under Section 422 of the Code, as now or hereafter constituted.

(s)             “NQSO” shall mean an Option granted pursuant to the Plan to purchase shares of the Stock that is not an ISO.

(t)              “Non-Employee Director” shall mean a “non-employee director” within the meaning of Rule l6b-3 under the Exchange Act.

(u)             Options” shall refer collectively to NQSOs and ISOs subject to the Plan.

(v)             Parent” shall mean any parent (as defined in Section 425 of the Code) of the Corporation.

(w)            Plan” shall mean the Ultralife Corporation 2014 Long-Term Incentive Plan as set forth herein and as amended from time to time.

(x)             SAR” shall mean a stock appreciation right granted pursuant to Section 8 hereof; a stock appreciation right shall entitle the Grantee to receive a payment equal to the appreciation in a stated number of shares of Stock from the exercise price for that stock appreciation right to the Fair Market Value of the stated number of shares of Stock on the date of exercise.

(y)             Securities Act” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933 as it may be amended from time to time, including the rules thereunder and any successor provisions and the rules thereto.

(z)              Stock” shall mean shares of the Common Stock, par value $.10 per share, of the Corporation.

(aa)           “Stock Award” shall mean an award of shares of Stock or restricted shares of Stock granted pursuant to Section 9 hereof.

(bb)           “Subsidiary” shall mean any subsidiary (as defined in Section 425 of the Code) of the Corporation.
 
Section 3.  Shares of Stock Subject to the Plan.
 
(a)            In General.  The maximum number of shares of Stock which shall be available for the grant or issuance of Awards under the Plan (including ISOs) during its term shall be equal to 1,750,000, which shares shall also be available for the grant or issuance of Awards under the Plan);
 
 
3

 
provided, however, that no more than 800,000 shares of Stock may be used for Awards other than Options or SARs.  Such amounts shall be subject to adjustment as provided in Section 3(c) hereof.  Any shares of Stock related to Awards which terminate by expiration, forfeiture, cancellation or otherwise without the issuance of such shares, are settled in cash in lieu of Stock, or are exchanged with the Committee’s permission for Awards not involving Stock, shall be available again for grant under the Plan.  Moreover, if the exercise price of any Award granted under the Plan or the tax withholding requirements with respect to any Award granted under the Plan are satisfied by tendering shares of Stock to the Corporation (by either actual delivery or by attestation), only the number of shares of Stock issued net of the shares of Stock tendered will be deemed delivered for purposes of determining the maximum number of shares of Stock available for delivery under the Plan.  The shares of Stock available for issuance under the Plan may be authorized and unissued shares or treasury shares, including shares purchased in open market or private transactions.  For the purpose of computing the total number of shares of Stock granted under the Plan, where one or more types of Awards, both of which are payable in shares of Stock, are granted in tandem with each other, such that the exercise of one type of Award with respect to a number of shares cancels an equal number of shares of the other, the number of shares granted under both Awards shall be deemed to be equivalent to the number of shares under one of the Awards.

(b)            Maximum Awards Payable.  Subject to Section 3(c) hereof, and notwithstanding any provision contained in the Plan to the contrary, the maximum Award payable (or granted, if applicable) to any one Grantee under the Plan for a calendar year shall be 150,000 shares of Stock; provided, however, that the 150,000 share limitation shall not apply to inducement grants to Grantees who are new executives or key employees that do not exceed 700,000 shares of Stock.

(c)             Adjustment Upon Changes in Capitalization.  In the event of any  reclassification, recapitalization, merger, consolidation, reorganization, issuance of warrants, rights or debentures, stock dividend, stock split or reverse stock split, cash dividend, property dividend, combination or exchange of shares, repurchase of shares or any other change in corporate structure which in the judgment of the Committee materially affects the value of shares, then the Committee may determine the substitutions or adjustments to the maximum number of shares available for the grant or issuance of Awards under the Plan pursuant to Section 3(a) hereof, the maximum Award payable under Section 3(b) hereof, the number and class of shares and the exercise price per share set forth in any Award theretofore granted, or any other affected terms of an Award or the Plan as the Committee, in its sole discretion and without liability to any person, deems equitable or appropriate; provided, however, that no such adjustments shall be made to any ISO without the Grantee’s consent, if such adjustment would cause such ISO to fail to qualify as such.
 
Section 4.  Administration of the Plan.
 
(a)              In General.  The Committee shall have total and exclusive responsibility to control, operate, manage and administer the Plan in accordance with its terms.  The Committee may act only by a majority of its members.  Any determination of the Committee may be made, without a meeting, by a writing or writings signed by all of the members of the Committee.  The decisions of the Committee and its actions with respect to the Plan shall be final, binding and conclusive upon all persons having or claiming to have any right or interest in or under the Plan.
 
(b)             Authority.  The Committee shall have all the authority that may be necessary or helpful to enable it to discharge its responsibilities with respect to the Plan.  Without limiting the
 
 
4

 
generality of the preceding sentence, the Committee shall have the exclusive right to:
 
(i)       determine eligibility for participation in the Plan;
 
(ii)      select the Grantees and determine the type of Awards to be made to Grantees, the number of shares of Stock subject to Awards and the terms, conditions, restrictions and limitations of the Awards, including, but not by way of limitation, restrictions on the transferability of Awards and conditions with respect to continued employment or performance criteria;

(iii)     interpret the Plan or any Award Agreement;

(iv)     construe any ambiguous provision, correct any default, supply any omission, and reconcile any inconsistency of the Plan or an Award Agreement;

(v)      issue administrative guidelines as an aid to administer the Plan and make changes  in such guidelines as it from time to time deems proper;

(vi)     promulgate regulations for carrying out the Plan and make changes in such regulations  as it from time to time deems proper;

(vii)    to the extent permitted under the Plan, grant waivers of Plan terms, conditions, restrictions, and limitations;

(viii)   promulgate rules and regulations regarding treatment of Awards of a Grantee under the Plan in the event of such Grantee’s death, disability, retirement, termination from the Corporation or breach of agreement by the Grantee, or in the event of a Change in Control  of the Corporation;

(ix)      to the extent permitted under the Plan, accelerate the vesting, exercise, or payment of an Award when such action or actions would be in the best interest of the Corporation;

(x)      subject to Section 4(d) hereof, grant Awards in replacement  of Awards previously granted under the Plan or any other executive compensation  plan of the Corporation;

(xi)     determine the terms and provisions of any Award Agreements  entered into hereunder, including, a provision  in an Award Agreement that requires, upon the occurrence of a Change in Control  specified  in Section  2(e)(iii) hereof, the cancellation for cash of outstanding Awards or the issuance of comparable replacement Awards granted by the successor  entity in such event;

(xii)    take any and all other action it deems necessary or advisable for the proper operation or administration of the Plan; and

(xiii)   make all other determinations it deems necessary or advisable for the administration of the Plan, including factual determinations.
 
 
5

 
(c)              Delegation.  The Committee may allocate all or any portion of its responsibilities and powers under the Plan to any one or more of its members, the CEO or other senior members of management as the Committee deems appropriate and may delegate all or any part of its responsibilities  and powers to any such person or persons, provided that any such allocation or delegation be in writing; provided,  however, that only the Committee, or other committee consisting of two or more Non-Employee  Directors may select and grant Awards to Grantees who are subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act.  The Committee may revoke any such allocation or delegation at any time for any reason with or without prior notice.
 
(d)             Repricing.  Except for adjustments pursuant to Section 3(c) hereof, the Committee shall not reprice any Options or SARs unless such action is approved by the stockholders of the Corporation.  For purposes of the Plan, the term “reprice” shall mean:  (i) the reduction, directly or indirectly,  in the per-share exercise price of an outstanding Option or SAR by amendment, cancellation or substitution; (ii) any action that is treated as a repricing under United States generally accepted accounting principles; (iii) canceling an Option or SAR when its exercise price exceeds the fair market value of the underlying  Stock in exchange  for another Option, SAR or other equity security (unless the cancellation and exchange occurs in connection with a merger, acquisition, or similar transaction); and (iv) any other action that is treated as a repricing by the rules or regulations of any stock exchange on which the securities of the Corporation are traded.  Any amendment or repeal of this provision shall require the affirmative vote of a majority of shares of voting capital stock present at a stockholders  meeting  in person or by proxy and entitled to vote thereon.
 
Section 5.  Awards.

(a)              Eligibility.  Subject to Section 4 hereof, all Employees, Directors and Consultants are eligible to participate in the Plan; provided, however, only Employees are eligible to receive ISOs. The Committee shall determine and designate from time to time those Employees, Directors and Consultants who are to be granted Awards, the nature of each Award granted and the number of shares of Stock subject to each such Award.

(b)              In General.  Awards may, at the Committee’s sole discretion, be paid in the form of Options pursuant to Section 6 hereof, SARs pursuant to Section 7 hereof, Stock Awards or Restricted Stock Units pursuant to Section 8 hereof, or a combination thereof.  Each Award shall be subject to the terms, conditions, restrictions and limitations of the Plan and the Award Agreement for such Award.  Awards under a particular Section of the Plan need not be uniform and Awards under two or more Sections may be combined into a single Award Agreement.  Any combination of Awards may be granted at one time and on more than one occasion to the same Grantee.

(c)              Foreign Jurisdictions.  With respect to Grantees who reside or work outside of the United States, the Committee may, in its sole and absolute discretion, amend the terms of the Plan or Awards with respect to such Grantees in order to conform such terms with the provisions of local law and practice or otherwise as deemed necessary or desirable by the Committee.

Section 6.  Stock Options.

(a)              In General.  Awards may be granted in the form of Options.  Options granted under
 
 
6

 
the Plan may be of two types:  ISOs and NQSOs.  The Committee shall have the authority and discretion to grant to an eligible Employee either ISOs, NQSOs, or both, but shall clearly designate the nature of each Option at the time of grant.  Consultants and Directors shall only receive NQSOs.

(b)             Terms of Options.  An Option shall be exercisable in accordance with such terms and conditions and at such times and during such periods as may be determined by the Committee.  In addition to any such terms and conditions, the following terms and conditions shall apply to all Options granted under the Plan:
 
(i)       The exercise price per share of Stock subject to an Option shall be not less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of a share of the Stock on the date such Option is granted, except for Options granted in assumption of or substitution for outstanding awards previously granted by the Corporation or its affiliates or an entity that the Corporation acquires or with which the Corporation combines, in any case in a transaction contemplated by Section 3(c); provided, however, that the exercise price for any ISO granted to a Control Person shall not be less than 110% of such Fair Market Value.

(ii)      The term of each Option shall be determined by the Committee, provided that no Option shall be exercisable more than ten years from the date such Option is granted, and provided further that no ISO granted to a Control Person shall be exercisable more than five years from the date of Option grant.

(iii)     Notwithstanding any other provisions hereof, the aggregate Fair Market Value (determined at the time the ISO is granted) of the Stock with respect to which ISOs are exercisable for the first time by any Employee during any calendar year under all plans of the Corporation and any Parent or Subsidiary corporation shall not exceed $100,000.  In the event that the aggregate Fair Market Value (determined at the time of grant of an ISO) of the Stock with respect to which ISOs are exercisable for the first time by an Employee for any calendar year under all plans of the corporation and any Parent or Subsidiary corporation exceeds $100,000.00, then to the extent that the aggregate Fair Market Value of the Stock with respect to ISOs exercisable for the first time by an Employee in such a calendar year exceeds $100,000.00, the ISOs providing for the purchase of such Stock shall automatically be converted into and shall be deemed to be NQSOs.
 
(c)              Exercise of Options.  Except as provided in Section 10 hereof, no Option granted to an Employee or Consultant shall be exercised unless at the time of such exercise the Grantee is then an Employee or Consultant.  Upon exercise, the exercise price of an Option may be paid in cash, or, to the extent permitted by the Committee, by tendering, by either actual delivery of shares or by attestation, shares of Stock, a combination of the foregoing, or such other consideration as the Committee may deem appropriate.  The Committee shall establish appropriate methods for accepting Stock, whether restricted or unrestricted, and may impose such conditions as it deems appropriate on the use of such Stock to exercise an Option.  Options awarded under the Plan may also be exercised by way of a broker-assisted stock option exercise program, if any, provided such program is available at the time of the Grantee’s exercise.  Notwithstanding the foregoing or the provision of any Award Agreement, a Grantee may not pay the exercise price of an Option using shares of Stock if, in the opinion of counsel to the Corporation, (i) the Grantee is, or within the six months preceding such exercise was, subject to reporting under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act, (ii) there is a substantial likelihood that the use of such form of payment or the timing of such form of payment would subject the Grantee to a substantial risk of liability under Section 16 of the
 
 
7

 
Exchange Act, or (iii) there is a substantial likelihood that the use of such form of payment would result in accounting  treatment  to the Corporation under generally accepted accounting principles that the Committee reasonably determines is adverse to the Corporation.
 
Section 7.  Stock Appreciation Rights.

(a)              In General.  Awards may be granted in the form of SARs.  SARs granted under the Plan may be of two types:  an SAR granted in tandem with all or a portion of a related Option under the Plan (“Tandem SARs”) or granted separately (“Freestanding SARs”).  A Tandem SAR may be granted either at the time of the grant of the related Option or at any time thereafter during the term of the Option.

(b)             Tandem SARs.  A Tandem SAR shall be exercisable to the extent, and only to the extent, that the related Option is exercisable, and the “exercise price” of such a SAR (the base from which the value of the SAR is measured at its exercise) shall be the exercise price under the related Option.  However, at no time shall a Tandem SAR be issued if the exercise price of its related Option is less than the Fair Market Value of the Stock, as determined by the Committee, on the date that the Tandem SAR is granted.  If a related Option is exercised as to some or all of the shares covered by the Award, the related Tandem SAR, if any, shall be canceled automatically to the extent of the number of shares covered by the Option exercise. Upon exercise of a Tandem SAR as to some or all of the shares covered by the Award, the related Option shall be canceled automatically to the extent of the number of shares covered by such exercise.  All Tandem SARs shall expire not later than ten years from the date of the grant of the SAR.

(c)              Freestanding SARs.  Freestanding SARs shall be exercisable or automatically mature in accordance with such terms and conditions and at such times and during such periods as may be determined by the Committee.  The exercise price of a Freestanding SAR shall be defined in the Award Agreement for that SAR and shall be not less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of a share of Stock on the date of the grant of the Freestanding SAR.  All Freestanding SARs shall expire not later than ten years from the date of grant of the SAR.

(d)             Exercise of SARs.   Except as provided in Section 10 hereof, no SAR granted to an Employee or Consultant shall be exercised unless at the time of such exercise the Grantee is then an Employee or Consultant.  The Committee may provide that an SAR shall be deemed to be exercised at the close of business on the scheduled expiration date of such SAR if at such time the SAR by its terms remains exercisable and, if so exercised, would result in a payment to the holder of such SAR.  Unless otherwise provided in an Award Agreement, an SAR may be paid in cash, shares of Stock or any combination thereof, as determined by the Committee, in its sole and absolute discretion, at the time that the SAR is exercised.

 
8

 
 
Section 8.  Stock Awards and Restricted Stock Units.

(a)              In General.  Awards may be granted in the form of Stock Awards or Restricted Stock Units.  Stock Awards and Restricted Stock Units shall be awarded in such numbers and at such times during the term of the Plan as the Committee shall determine.  “Restricted Stock Unit” means an Award that is valued by reference to Stock, which value may be paid to the Grantee by delivery of such property as the Committee shall determine, including, without limitation, cash or Stock, or any combination thereof, and that has such restrictions as the Committee, in its sole discretion, may impose.

(b)             Restrictions.  The Committee may condition, restrict or limit the grant of a Stock Award or Restricted Stock Units on the achievement of enumerated performance objectives or, with respect to Stock Awards or Restricted Stock Units issued to an Employee or a Consultant, on such Employee’s or Consultant’s continued employment or service to the Corporation through a specified period of time.  The restricted period specified in respect of any Stock Award or Restricted Stock Unit shall not be less than three years, except that the Committee may (i) provide for the restricted period to terminate at any time after one year upon the attainment of performance-based objectives, and (ii) grant Stock Awards or Restricted Stock Units of up to 30,000 shares of Stock without regard to this limitation.  Furthermore, the Committee may not terminate the restrictions applicable to outstanding Stock Awards or Restricted Stock Units except in connection with a Change in Control.  The Committee may grant an unrestricted Stock Award or Restricted Stock Units only if the Committee determines that such Stock Award is made in lieu of all or a portion of salary or cash bonus of comparable value.

(c)              Rights of Holders of Restricted Stock.  During the period in which any shares of Stock received pursuant to a Stock Award are subject to any restrictions, the Committee may, in its sole and absolute discretion, deny the Grantee to whom such shares have been awarded all or any of the rights of a stockholder with respect to such shares, including, but not by way of limitation, limiting the right to vote such shares or the right to receive dividends on such shares.

(d)              Rights of Holders of Restricted Stock Units.  A Grantee receiving an Award of Restricted Stock Units shall not possess voting rights, nor the right to receive cash dividends with respect to such Award, unless a right to Dividend Equivalents is included in the Award Agreement for such Award of Restricted Stock Units.  If a right to Dividend Equivalents is included  in the Award Agreement for an Award of Restricted Stock Units, then any Stock or any other property distributed as a dividend or otherwise with respect to the Stock underlying such Award as to which the restrictions  have not yet lapsed shall be subject to the same restrictions as such Award of Restricted  Stock Units, and may either be automatically deemed invested in additional Restricted  Stock Units or held by the Company  in escrow for the Grantee, and shall be paid to the Grantee at the same time as the Restricted Stock Units.  “Dividend Equivalents” means an amount credited under a Grantee’s Restricted Stock Unit, which amount is equal to the dividends paid on the Stock, if any, determined as if the Restricted Stock Unit was shares of Stock on the record date of any such dividend.”
 
Section 9.  Payment of Awards.
 
(a)             In General.  Absent a Plan or Award Agreement provision to the contrary, payment of Awards may, at the discretion of the Committee, be made in cash, Stock, a combination of cash
 
 
9

 
and Stock, or any other form of property as the Committee shall determine. In addition, payment of Awards may include such terms, conditions, restrictions and/or limitations, if any, as the Committee  deems appropriate,  including, in the case of Awards paid in the form of Stock, restrictions on transfer and forfeiture provisions; provided, however, such terms, conditions, restrictions and/or limitations are not inconsistent with the Plan.
 
(b)              Withholding.  The Corporation  shall be entitled to deduct from any payment  under the Plan, regardless of the form of such payment, the amount of all applicable  income and employment taxes required by law to be withheld with respect to such payment or may require the Grantee to pay to the Corporation such tax prior to and as a condition of the making of such payment.  In accordance with any applicable administrative guidelines it establishes, the Committee may allow a Grantee to pay the amount of taxes required by law to be withheld from an Award by withholding from any payment of shares of Stock due as a result of such Award, or by permitting the Grantee to deliver to the Corporation, shares of Stock having a Fair Market Value equal to the minimum amount of such required withholding taxes.  Notwithstanding the foregoing or the provision of any Award Agreement, a Grantee may not pay the amount of taxes required by law to be withheld using shares of Stock if, in the opinion  of counsel to the Corporation, (i) the Grantee is, or within the six months preceding such exercise was, subject to reporting  under Section 16(a) of the Exchange  Act, (ii) there is a substantial  likelihood  that the use of such form of payment or the timing of such form of payment would subject the Grantee to a substantial risk of liability  under Section 16 of the Exchange  Act, or (iii) there is a substantial likelihood  that the use of such form of payment would result in accounting  treatment to the Corporation  under generally  accepted accounting  principles that the Committee reasonably determines is adverse to the Corporation.

Section 10.  Effect of Termination of Relationship with the Corporation.
 
(a)              Committee Rules.  The Committee shall have the authority to promulgate rules and regulations to determine the treatment of a Grantee’s Awards under the Plan in the event of such Grantee’s death, Disability, and termination.  In addition, notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 10, the terms of an Award Agreement or the rules and regulations promulgated by the Committee and in effect from time to time, the Committee shall have the right to extend the period for exercise of any Option or SAR, provided such extension does not exceed the term of such Option or SAR.

(b)              Death.  Unless otherwise decided by the Committee and provided in an Award Agreement, upon a Grantee’s death prior to the complete exercise of the Options or SARs granted to him or her under the Plan, any remaining Options or SARs may be exercised in whole or in part within one year after the date of the Grantee’s death and then only:
 
(i)        by the beneficiary designated by the Grantee in a writing submitted to the Corporation prior to the Grantee’s death, or in the absence of same, by the Grantee’s estate or by or on behalf of such person or persons to whom the Grantee’s rights pass under his or her will or the laws of descent and distribution,
 
(ii)        to the extent that the Grantee would have been entitled to exercise the Option or SAR at the date of his or her death and subject to all of the conditions on exercise imposed by the Plan and the Award Agreement,  and
 
(iii)        prior to the expiration of the term of the Option or SAR.
 
 
10

 
(c)              Disability.  Unless otherwise decided by the Committee and provided in an Award Agreement, upon a Grantee’s Disability prior to the complete exercise of the Options or SARs granted to him or her under the Plan, any remaining Options or SARs may be exercised  in whole  or in part within one year after the date of the Grantee’s Disability and then only:
 
(i)         by the Grantee or his or her legal representative,
 
(ii)        to the extent that the Grantee would have been entitled to exercise the Option or SAR on the date of his or her Disability, subject to all of the conditions on exercise imposed by the Plan and the Award Agreement, and
 
(iii)        prior to the expiration of the term of the Option or SAR.

(d)              Other Termination.  Unless otherwise decided by the Committee and provided in an Award Agreement, the termination of a Grantee’s employment, consulting relationship or term of directorship with the Corporation for a reason other than the Grantee’s death or Disability and prior to the complete exercise of the Options or SARs granted to him or her under the Plan, any remaining Options or SARs may be exercised  in whole or in part within three months after the date of the Grantee’s termination and then only:

(i)         by the Grantee or his or her legal representative,
 
(ii)         to the extent that the Grantee would have been entitled to exercise the Option or SAR on the date of his or her termination, subject to all of the conditions on exercise imposed by the Plan and the Award Agreement, and
 
(iii)        prior to the expiration of the term of the Option or SAR.

(e)              Treatment of Intra-Corporation Transfers.  In the case of an Employee or Consultant, the transfer between the Corporation and any Subsidiary shall not be deemed to be a termination of employment or consulting relationship, and a change from the status of an Employee to a Consultant or from a Consultant to an Employee shall not be deemed to be a termination of employment or consulting relationship.

Section 11.  General Provisions.

(a)              Award Agreement.  Each Award grant shall be evidenced by a written Award Agreement containing such terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the Plan, as the Committee shall approve.  The terms and provisions of Award Agreements may vary among Grantees and among different Awards granted to the same Grantee.  Any Stock Award granted under the Plan may be evidenced in such manner as the Committee deems appropriate, including, without limitation, book-entry registration or issuance of a stock certificate or certificates, with such restrictive legends and/or stop transfer instructions as the Committee deems appropriate.
 
(b)              No Right to Further Awards or Continued Service. The grant of an Award in any year shall not give the Grantee any right to similar grants in future years or any right to continue such Grantee’s employment or consultant relationship with the Corporation or its Subsidiaries.  All Grantees shall remain subject to discharge to the same extent as if the Plan were not in effect.
 
 
11

 
(c)               No Right, Title, or Interest in Corporation Assets.  No Grantee shall have any rights as a stockholder as a result of participation in the Plan until the date of issuance of a stock certificate in his or her name, and, in the case of restricted shares of Stock, such rights are granted to the Grantee under the Plan.  To the extent any person acquires a right to receive payments from the Corporation under the Plan, such rights shall be no greater than the rights of an unsecured creditor of the Corporation and the Grantee shall not have any rights in or against any specific assets of the Corporation.  All of the Awards granted under the Plan shall be unfunded and the Corporation shall not be required to establish any fund or make any other segregation of assets to assure the payment of any Award.
 
(d)              Nonassignability.
 
(i)        Except as otherwise determined by the Committee or as otherwise provided  in Section 11(d)(ii) hereof, no Award or other right under the Plan shall be subject to anticipation, sale, assignment, pledge, encumbrance, or charge except by will or the laws of descent and distribution, and an Award shall be exercisable  during the Grantee’s lifetime only by the Grantee.
 
(ii)       The Committee  shall have the discretionary authority to grant NQSOs or amend outstanding NQSOs to provide that they be transferable, subject to such terms and
conditions as the Committee shall establish.  In addition to any such terms and conditions, the following  terms and conditions shall apply to all transfers of NQSOs:

(A)          Except as otherwise permitted by the Committee, in its sole and absolute discretion, only Directors and corporate officers of the Corporation shall be permitted to transfer their NQSOs, and such individuals must be a Director or a corporate officer on the date of transfer.

(B)           Transfers shall only be permitted to:  (1) the transferor’s Immediate Family Members; (2) a trust or trusts for the exclusive benefit of the transferor’s Immediate Family Members; or (3) a family partnership or family limited partnership in which each partner is, at the time of transfer and all time subsequent thereto, either an Immediate Family Member or a trust for the exclusive benefit of one or more Immediate Family Members.

(C)           All transfers shall be made for no consideration.

(D)           Once a NQSO is transferred, any subsequent transfer of such transferred NQSO shall, notwithstanding Section 11(d)(i) hereof to the contrary, be permitted; provided, however, such subsequent transfer complies with all of the terms and conditions of this Section 11(d)(ii), with the exception of Section 11(d)(ii)(A) hereof.

(E)            In order for a transfer to be effective, the Committee’s designated transfer agent must be used to effectuate the transfer.  The costs of such transfer agent shall be borne solely by the transferor.

(F)            In order for a transfer in accordance with Section 11(d)(ii) to be effective, the transferor must agree in writing prior to the transfer on a form provided
 
 
12

 
by the Corporation to pay any and all payroll and withholding taxes due upon exercise of the transferred NQSO.  In addition, prior to the exercise of the transferred NQSO by the transferee, arrangements must be made by the Grantee with the Corporation for the payment of any and all payroll and withholding taxes.

(G)           Upon transfer, a NQSO continues to be governed by and subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan.  A transferee of a NQSO is entitled to the same rights as the Grantee to whom such NQSO was originally granted, as if no transfer had taken place.  Accordingly, the rights of the transferee are subject to the terms and conditions of the original grant of the NQSO, including provisions relating to expiration date, exercisability, exercise price and forfeiture.

(H)           The Corporation shall be under no obligation to provide a transferee with any notice regarding the transferred NQSO held by the transferee upon forfeiture or any other circumstance.

(e)           Regulatory Approvals and Listings.  Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan or Award Agreements made pursuant thereto, the Corporation shall not be required to issue or deliver any certificate or certificates for shares of Stock under the Plan prior to fulfillment of all of the following conditions:

(i)        The listing, or approval for listing upon notice of issuance, of such shares on any securities exchange on which the Stock may then be traded;

(ii)       Any registration or other qualification of such shares under any state or federal law or regulation, or other qualification which the Board shall, in its absolute discretion  and upon the advice of counsel, deem necessary or advisable;

(iii)      The obtaining of any other consent approval or permit from any state or federal government agency which the Board shall, in its absolute discretion and upon the advice of counsel, determine to be necessary or advisable; and

(iv)      The execution by the Grantee (or the Grantee’s legal representative)  of such written representation  that the Committee may in its sole discretion deem necessary or advisable to the effect that the shares then being purchased are being purchased for investment with no present intention of reselling or otherwise disposing of such shares in any manner which may result in a violation of the Securities Act and the placement upon certificates for such shares of an appropriate  legend in connection  therewith.

(f)            In the case of a grant of an Option to any Employee or Consultant of a Subsidiary, the Corporation may, if the Committee so directs, issue or transfer the shares covered by the Option to the Subsidiary, for such lawful consideration as the Committee may specify, upon the condition or understanding that the Subsidiary will transfer the shares to the Employee or Consultant in accordance with the terms of the Plan and the Award Agreement relating to such Option.

(g)              Governing Law.  The Plan shall be governed by and construed  in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, except as superseded by applicable federal law, without giving effect to its conflicts of law provisions.

 
13

 
(h)              No Guarantee of Tax Consequences.  No person connected with the Plan in any capacity, including, but not limited to, the Corporation and its directors, officers, agents and employees, makes any representation, commitment, or guarantee that any tax treatment, including, but not limited to, federal, state and local income, estate and gift tax treatment, will be applicable with respect to the tax treatment of any Award, or that such tax treatment will apply to or be available to a Grantee on account of participation in the Plan.

(i)               Amendment or Termination.  The Board may, at any time and for any reason, with or without prior notice, suspend, discontinue or terminate the Plan; provided, however, that no such action shall adversely affect the rights of Grantees to Awards previously granted hereunder. In addition, the Board may, at any time and for any reason, with or without prior notice, amend the Plan in any manner, but may not without stockholder approval, adopt any amendment which would:  (i) increase the number of shares available under the Plan; (ii) expand the types of Awards available under the Plan; (iii) expand the class of persons eligible to participate in the Plan; (iv) extend the term of the Plan; (v) be a material amendment to the Plan, including, but not limited to, a change in the method of determining the exercise price of Options issued under the Plan; (vi) allow for repricing of Options or SARs issued under the Plan; (vii) terminate restrictions applicable to Awards (except in connection with a Grantee’s death, Disability or termination of employment or in connection with a Change in Control); or (viii) require the vote of the stockholders if such approval is necessary or desirable in order to comply with tax, securities, or other applicable laws or regulations, including, but not limited to, the listing requirements of the stock exchanges on which the securities of Corporation are listed.

(j)               Effective Date and Duration of Plan.  The adoption of the Plan was approved by the Board of Directors on March 27, 2014, subject, however, to approval by the stockholders of the Corporation by a majority of the votes cast in person or by proxy at the 2014 annual meeting of the Corporation’s stockholders including any adjournment thereof.  The effective date of the Plan shall be the date of such approval by the Corporation’s stockholders.  Awards may not be granted under the Plan after June 2, 2024, but Awards theretofore granted may extend beyond that date.
 
 
 
 
 
 
14