|
£
|
Preliminary Proxy
Statement
|
|
£
|
Confidential, for Use of the
Commission Only (as permitted by Rule
14a-6(e)(2))
|
|
R
|
Definitive Proxy
Statement
|
|
£
|
Definitive Additional
Materials
|
|
£
|
Soliciting Material Pursuant to
§240.14a-12
|
|
R
|
No fee
required.
|
|
£
|
Fee computed on table below per
Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and
0-11.
|
|
(1)
|
Title of each class of securities
to which transaction
applies:
|
|
(2)
|
Aggregate number of securities to
which transaction applies:
|
|
(3)
|
Per unit price or other underlying
value of transaction computed pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 0-11
(set forth the amount
on which the filing fee is calculated and state how it was
determined):
|
|
(4)
|
Proposed maximum aggregate value
of transaction:
|
|
(5)
|
Total fee
paid:
|
|
£
|
Fee paid previously with
preliminary materials.
|
|
£
|
Check box if any part of the fee
is offset as provided by Exchange Act Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the
filing 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:
|

|
SOLICITATION OF
PROXIES
|
1
|
|
Cost of
Solicitation
|
1
|
|
Voting Your Shares of
Peerless
|
1
|
|
Revocability of
Proxies
|
1
|
|
VOTING RIGHTS AND OUTSTANDING
SHARES
|
2
|
|
Quorum and Required
Vote
|
2
|
|
Procedures for Stockholder
Nominations
|
3
|
|
PROPOSAL NO. 1 ELECTION OF
DIRECTORS
|
3
|
|
Director
Nominees
|
3
|
|
Independence of the
Board
|
5
|
|
Board Committees and
Meetings
|
5
|
|
Stockholder Communications with
the Board
|
8
|
|
DIRECTOR
COMPENSATION
|
8
|
|
COMPENSATION COMMITTEE INTERLOCKS
AND INSIDER PARTICIPATION
|
9
|
|
PROPOSAL NO. 2 RATIFICATION OF SELECTION OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC
ACCOUNTING FIRM
|
9
|
|
REPORT OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE OF
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
|
10
|
|
SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN
BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT
|
12
|
|
EXECUTIVE
OFFICERS
|
13
|
|
EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION AND OTHER
MATTERS
|
14
|
|
Summary Compensation
Table
|
14
|
|
Narrative to Summary Compensation
Table
|
15
|
|
Outstanding Equity Awards at
Fiscal Year-End
|
16
|
|
Option Exercises and Stock
Vested
|
17
|
|
Potential Payments Upon
Termination Or Change In Control
|
17
|
|
SECTION 16(A) BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP
REPORTING COMPLIANCE
|
19
|
|
CODE OF BUSINESS CONDUCT AND
ETHICS
|
19
|
|
CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED
TRANSACTIONS
|
20
|
|
Policy Regarding Related Person
Transactions
|
20
|
|
OTHER
MATTERS
|
20
|
|
INCORPORATION BY
REFERENCE
|
20
|
|
AVAILABLE
INFORMATION
|
21
|
|
•
|
The election of Messrs. Steven M. Bathgate,
Timothy E. Brog, Gregory Bylinsky, Jefferson Gramm and Jeffrey A. Hammer listed in
the proxy card to serve on our Board;
and
|
|
•
|
The ratification of the selection
of Ernst & Young LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal
year ending January 31,
2010.
|
|
•
|
filing with our Secretary, at or before the
voting at the Annual Meeting, a written notice of revocation bearing a
later date than the proxy;
or
|
|
•
|
duly executing a proxy with a
later date and delivering it to our Secretary before the voting at the
Annual Meeting;
or
|
|
•
|
attending the Annual Meeting and
voting in person, although attendance at the Annual Meeting will not by
itself constitute a revocation of a
proxy.
|
|
•
|
The election of Messrs. Steven M.
Bathgate, Timothy E. Brog, Gregory Bylinsky, Jefferson Gramm and Jeffrey A. Hammer listed on the proxy card to our
Board; and
|
|
•
|
The ratification of the selection
of Ernst & Young LLP as our independent registered public accounting
firm for the fiscal year ending January 31,
2010.
|
|
Name
(a)
|
Fees Earned
or Paid
in Cash
($)
(b)
|
Option Awards
($)(1)
(d)
|
All Other
Compensation
($)
(g)
|
Total
($)
(h)
|
||||||||||||
|
Timothy E.
Brog
|
78,913
|
63,152
|
25,000
|
167,065
|
||||||||||||
|
Steven J. Pully(2)
|
80,000
|
8,468
|
25,000
|
113,468
|
||||||||||||
|
Steven M.
Bathgate
|
46,500
|
1,275
|
—
|
47,775
|
||||||||||||
|
Jeffrey A.
Hammer
|
34,413
|
3,249
|
—
|
37,662
|
||||||||||||
|
Simon P. James(2)
|
30,413
|
3,249
|
—
|
33,662
|
||||||||||||
|
R.
Rimmy Malhotra(2)
|
32,049
|
3,249
|
—
|
35,298
|
||||||||||||
|
Louis C. Cole
(3)
|
36,891
|
6,223
|
25,000
|
68,114
|
||||||||||||
|
William B. Patton, Jr. (4)
|
86,832
|
3,311
|
92,500
|
182,143
|
||||||||||||
|
John C. Reece
(4)
|
65,615
|
2,942
|
92,500
|
160,558
|
||||||||||||
|
John Thomas Zender
(4)
|
78,380
|
2,717
|
25,000
|
106,097
|
||||||||||||
|
Name and Address of Beneficial
Owner
|
Shares of
Common
Stock
|
Right to
Acquire
Beneficial
Ownership
Within 60
Days
|
Total
|
Percent of
Total
|
||||||||||||
|
Directors, Nominees
and
|
||||||||||||||||
|
Named Executive
Officers
|
||||||||||||||||
|
Steven M.
Bathgate(1)
|
411,502
|
8,125
|
419,627
|
2.5
|
%
|
|||||||||||
|
Timothy E.
Brog
|
163,782
|
64,999
|
228,156
|
1.4
|
%
|
|||||||||||
|
Gregory Bylinsky(3)
|
3,599,320
|
—
|
3,599,320
|
21.4
|
%
|
|||||||||||
|
Edward M.
Gaughan
|
—
|
111,000
|
111,000
|
*
|
||||||||||||
|
Jefferson Gramm(3)
|
3,599,320
|
—
|
3,599,320
|
21.4
|
%
|
|||||||||||
|
Jeffrey A.
Hammer
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
*
|
||||||||||||
|
Simon P. James (2)
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
*
|
||||||||||||
|
R. Rimmy
Malhotra(2)
|
67,250
|
—
|
67,250
|
*
|
||||||||||||
|
William R.
Neil
|
—
|
263,175
|
263,175
|
1.5
|
%
|
|||||||||||
|
Steven J. Pully(2)
|
11,165
|
10,000
|
21,165
|
*
|
||||||||||||
|
All directors, nominees and executive officers as a
group(7)
(8 persons)(7)
|
4,253,019
|
457,299
|
4,710,318
|
27.2
|
%
|
|||||||||||
|
Former Directors and Executive
Officers from Last
Fiscal Year
|
||||||||||||||||
|
Louis C.
Cole
|
—
|
46,109
|
46,109
|
*
|
||||||||||||
|
William B. Patton, Jr.
|
—
|
30,000
|
30,000
|
*
|
||||||||||||
|
John C.
Reece
|
—
|
30,000
|
30,000
|
*
|
||||||||||||
|
John V. Rigali
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
*
|
||||||||||||
|
Richard L.
Roll
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
*
|
||||||||||||
|
Robert
Westervelt
|
875
|
109,188
|
110,063
|
*
|
||||||||||||
|
John Thomas
Zender
|
—
|
30,000
|
30,000
|
*
|
||||||||||||
|
5% Beneficial
Holders
|
||||||||||||||||
|
Bandera Partners
(3)
26 Broadway, Suite
1607
New York, New
York 10004
|
3,599,320
|
—
|
3,599,320
|
21.4
|
%
|
|||||||||||
|
State of Wisconsin Investment
Board(4)
PO Box 7842
Madison,
WI 53707
|
1,734,975
|
—
|
1,734,975
|
10.3
|
%
|
|||||||||||
|
Boston Avenue Capital,
LLC(5)
415 South Boston, 9th
Floor
Tulsa,
Oklahoma 74103
|
1,195,982
|
—
|
1,195,982
|
7.1
|
%
|
|||||||||||
|
Renaissance Technologies, LLC
(6)
800 Third
Avenue
New York, NY
10022
|
889,000
|
—
|
889,000
|
5.3
|
%
|
|||||||||||
|
Name
|
Position
|
|||
|
William R. Neil
|
58
|
Chief Financial Officer and Acting
Chief Executive Officer
|
||
|
Edward M.
Gaughan
|
40
|
President
|
|
Name and
Principal Position
(a)
|
Salary
($)
(c) (2)
|
Bonus
($)
(d) (4)
|
Stock
Awards
($)(1)
(e)
|
Option
Awards
($)(1)
(f)
|
Non-Equity
Incentive
Plan
Compensation
($)
(g)
|
Change in
Pension
Value and
Nonqualified
Deferred
Compensation
Earnings
($)
(h)
|
All Other
Compen-
sation
($)(3)(5)
(i)
|
Total ($)
(j)
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
William R. Neil
|
2009
|
117,404
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
9,815
|
127,219
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Chief Financial Officer and Acting
Chief Executive Officer
|
2008
|
25,000
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
25,000
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Edward M. Gaughan
|
2009
|
200,000
|
105,000
|
—
|
19,649
|
—
|
—
|
85,596
|
410,245
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
President and Vice President,
Sales
|
2008
|
200,000
|
24,500
|
—
|
22,494
|
—
|
—
|
73,232
|
320,226
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Richard L. Roll
|
2009
|
482,769
|
476,840
|
428,000
|
280,844
|
—
|
—
|
365
|
1,668,818
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Former President and Chief
Executive Officer
|
2008
|
340,000
|
80,490
|
50,179
|
400,175
|
—
|
—
|
2,365
|
873,210
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
John V. Rigali
|
2009
|
198,722
|
127,027
|
—
|
9,955
|
—
|
—
|
27,344
|
363,037
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Former Chief Financial Officer and
Vice President of Finance
|
2008
|
178,308
|
35,981
|
—
|
34,252
|
—
|
1,446
|
249,987
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Robert
Westervelt
|
2009
|
260,227
|
106,280
|
—
|
20,844
|
—
|
—
|
24,102
|
411,452
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Former Vice President, Engineering
and Chief Technology Officer
|
2008
|
188,183
|
24,830
|
—
|
36,740
|
—
|
—
|
2,216
|
257,969
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Year
|
Mr. Neil
|
Mr.
Gaughan
|
Mr. Roll
|
Mr.
Westervelt
|
||||||||||||||
|
Employer 401K
Contribution
|
2009
|
—
|
—
|
365
|
1,625
|
|||||||||||||
|
2008
|
—
|
—
|
2,365
|
2,216
|
||||||||||||||
|
Commissions
|
2009
|
—
|
85,596
|
—
|
—
|
|||||||||||||
|
2008
|
—
|
73,232
|
—
|
—
|
||||||||||||||
|
Paid
Vacation
|
2009
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
22,477
|
|||||||||||||
|
2008
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
||||||||||||||
|
Commuting
Expense
|
2009
|
9,815
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
|||||||||||||
|
2008
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
||||||||||||||
|
Total
|
2009
|
9,815
|
85,596
|
365
|
24,102
|
|||||||||||||
|
2008
|
—
|
73,232
|
2,365
|
2,216
|
||||||||||||||
|
Option Awards
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
Name
|
Number of Securities Underlying
Unexercised Options (#) Exercisable
|
Number of Securities Underlying
Options (#) Unexercisable
|
Equity Incentive Plan Awards:
Number of Securities Underlying Unexercised Unearned Options
(#)
|
Option Exercise Price
($)
|
Option Expiration Date | |||||||||||||||
|
William R. Neil
|
6,625
100,000
3,750
57,800
20,000
75,000
|
—
—
—
—
—
—
|
—
—
—
—
—
—
|
12.625
1.625
1.344
0.60
1.22
1.33
|
8/2/2009
8/4/2010
8/22/2010
4/11/2011
3/20/2012
9/30/2014
|
|||||||||||||||
|
Edward M. Gaughan (2)
|
86,000
7,500
17,500
|
—
7,500
17,500
|
—
7,500
17,500
|
1.28
2.43
2.34
|
6/1/2014
2/12/2017
4/9/2017
|
|||||||||||||||
|
Richard L. Roll
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
|||||||||||||||
|
John V. Rigali
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
|||||||||||||||
|
Robert Westervelt
(1)
|
7,000
20,000
938
5,000
3,750
15,000
37,500
3,750
6,250
|
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
11,250
18,750
|
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
11,250
18,750
|
6.625
1.21
1.15
1.29
1.63
1.33
3.59
2.43
2.34
|
4/12/2009
7/22/2012
8/27/2012
11/25/2012
8/4/2010
9/30/2014
7/20/2015
2/12/2017
4/9/2017
|
|||||||||||||||
|
(1)
|
Mr. Westervelt’s options have been extended under
a consulting agreement with the
Company.
|
|
Option
Awards
|
Stock
Awards
|
|||||||||||||||
|
Name
|
Number of Shares
Acquired on Exercise
(#)
|
Value
Realized on
Exercise ($)
|
Number of Shares
Acquired on Vesting
(#)
|
Value
Realized on
Vesting ($)
|
||||||||||||
|
William R. Neil
|
12,200
|
16,836
|
—
|
—
|
||||||||||||
|
Edward M. Gaughan
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
||||||||||||
|
Richard L. Roll
|
—
|
—
|
200,000
|
428,000
|
||||||||||||
|
John V. Rigali
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
||||||||||||
|
Robert
Westervelt
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
||||||||||||
|
Name
|
Termination
With Cause
(1) ($)
|
Termination
Without
Cause
(1) ($)
|
Change in
Control
($)
|
Death
(1) ($)
|
Disability
(1) ($)
|
|||||||||||||||
|
William R.
Neil
|
10,962
|
67,138
|
67,138
|
67,138
|
67,138
|
|||||||||||||||
|
Edward M. Gaughan
|
70,978
|
220,978
|
70,978
|
220,978
|
70,978
|
|||||||||||||||
|
Name
|
Aggregate
Vested Value
($)
|
Aggregate
Accelerated
Unvested Value
(Change in
Control)
($)
|
||||||
|
William R. Neil
|
180,060
|
—
|
||||||
|
Edward M. Gaughan
|
52,000
|
|||||||
|
Name
|
Base
Salary
($)
|
Bonus
($)
|
Vacation Payout
($)
|
Other
($)
|
Medical Benefits
Continuation
(a) ($)
|
|||||||||||||||
|
William R. Neil
|
3,462
|
—
|
7,500
|
—
|
67,741
|
|||||||||||||||
|
Edward M. Gaughan
|
3,846
|
—
|
67,132
|
—
|
12,243
|
|||||||||||||||
|
By Order of the Board of
Directors
|
|
![]() |
|
|
William R. Neil
|
|
|
Chief Financial Officer and Acting
Chief Executive Officer
|
|
|
May 15,
2009
|
|
1.
|
Election of
directors:
|
01 Steven M. Bathgate
02 Timothy E.
Brog
03 Gregory
Bylinsky
|
04 Jefferson
Gramm
05 Jeffrey A.
Hammer
|
£
|
Vote FOR all
nominees
(except as
marked)
|
£
|
Vote WITHHELD
from all
nominees
|
|
(Instructions: To withhold
authority to vote for any indicated nominee,
|
||||||||
|
write the number(s)
of the nominee(s) in the box provided to the
right.)
|
||||||||
|
2.
|
Ratification of selection of Ernst
& Young LLP as independent registered public accounting
firm
|
£
|
For
|
£
|
Against
|
£
|
Abstain
|
|
|
3.
|
To transact such other business as
properly may come before the meeting or any adjournment or postponement
thereof
|
£
|
For
|
£
|
Against
|
£
|
Abstain
|
|
|
Date
|
||
|
Signature(s) in
Box
|
||
|
Please sign exactly as your
name(s) appear on Proxy. If held in joint tenancy, all
persons must sign.
Trustees,
administrators, etc., should include title and authority. Corporations should provide full
name of corporation and title of authorized officer signing the
proxy.
|
||