SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION
Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Filed by the Registrant
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)) | |
Definitive Proxy Statement | |
Definitive Additional Materials | |
Soliciting Material Pursuant to §240.14a-11(c) or §240.14a-12 |
DRYCLEAN USA, Inc.
(Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)
Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):
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: |
_________________
_________________
Miami, Florida
October 18, 2006
To the Stockholders of
DRYCLEAN USA, Inc.:
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the 2006 Annual Meeting of Stockholders of DRYCLEAN USA, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the Company), will be held on Friday, November 10, 2006, at 11:00 A.M., Eastern Standard Time, at the offices of the Company and the Companys subsidiary, Steiner-Atlantic Corp., 290 N.E. 68th Street, Miami, Florida, for the purpose of considering and acting upon the following matters:
(1) The election of seven (7) directors to serve until the next annual meeting of stockholders and until the election and qualification of their respective successors; and
(2) The transaction of such other business as may properly be brought before the meeting or any adjournments or postponements thereof.
The Board of Directors has fixed the close of business on September 29, 2006 as the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the meeting.
By Order of the Board of Directors, Lloyd Frank, Secretary |
The return of your signed proxy as promptly as possible will greatly facilitate arrangements for the meeting. No postage is required if the proxy is returned in the enclosed envelope and mailed in the United States.
_________________
_________________
This Proxy Statement, to be mailed to stockholders on or about October 18, 2006, is furnished in connection with the solicitation by the Board of Directors of DRYCLEAN USA, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the Company), of proxies in the accompanying form (the Proxy or Proxies) for use at the 2006 Annual Meeting of Stockholders of the Company (the Meeting) to be held on Friday, November 10, 2006, and at any adjournments or postponements thereof. The Meeting will be held at the place and time stated in the notice attached hereto.
All Proxies properly and timely received will be voted in accordance with the specifications made thereon or, in the absence of any specification, for the election of all of the nominees named herein to serve as directors. Any Proxy given pursuant to this solicitation may be revoked before it is voted by the person giving it by (i) notice in writing or by a later dated proxy received by the Company at 290 N.E. 68th Street, Miami, Florida 33138, Attention: President, or (ii) by voting in person at the Meeting.
Only holders of record of shares of the Companys Common Stock (the Common Stock) as of the close of business on September 29, 2006 (the Record Date) are entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the Meeting or any adjournments or postponements thereof for which a new record date is not fixed. As of the close of business on the Record Date, there were issued and outstanding 7,034,450 shares of Common Stock. Stockholders whose Common Stock is held in street name (that is, whose shares are held by, and registered in the name of, a broker or other nominee) will receive instructions from, or on behalf of, that institution describing the procedures for advising the institution how to vote those shares. Those stockholders whose shares are held in street name who wish to vote at the Meeting will need to obtain a proxy form from the institution that holds their shares.
The presence, in person or represented by proxy, of a majority of the outstanding shares of Common Stock will constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at the Meeting. Brokers that are members of the New York Stock Exchange have discretion to vote the shares of their clients that the broker holds in street name for its customers but as to which the broker has received no voting direction from the beneficial owner of the shares with respect to non-contested elections of directors and certain other matters. Brokers are, therefore, expected to vote such shares on the election of directors. If a broker, nominee or other fiduciary holding shares in street name votes some, but not all, of the shares held by it as record owned for one or more beneficial owner of shares on one or more matters, the shares not voted by it on a matter are called broker non-votes. Proxies submitted which contain abstentions or broker non-votes will be deemed present at the Meeting for determining the presence of a quorum.
Each share of Common Stock held as of the Record Date is entitled to one vote on each matter to be acted upon at the Meeting. A plurality of the votes (that is, the seven persons receiving the highest number of affirmative votes) of the shares present in person or represented by proxy at
the Meeting and entitled to vote on the election of directors will be required for the election of directors. Accordingly, shares as to which authority to vote is withheld from Proxies and broker non-votes will have no effect on the outcome of the vote on the election of directors. While the Company knows of no matters other than the election of directors to be brought before the Meeting (see Miscellaneous Other Matters), if any other matters are brought before the Meeting, under Delaware law approval thereof will require the affirmative vote of either (depending on the nature of the matter) a majority of the shares of Common Stock present in person or represented by proxy at the Meeting and entitled to vote on the subject matter or a majority of all outstanding shares of Common Stock. Abstentions will have the effect of a negative vote on all such matters. Broker non-votes will have no effect on the outcome of the vote on a matter requiring approval by a majority of those entitled to vote on the matter, but will have the effect of a negative vote on any matter requiring approval by a majority of all outstanding shares of Common Stock.
The following table sets forth information, as at September 30, 2006, with respect to the shares of Common Stock that are beneficially owned by (i) any person (including any group, as that term is used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) who is known to the Company to be the beneficial owner of more than five percent of the Companys outstanding Common Stock, (ii) the executive officers of the Company named in the Summary Compensation Table under the caption Executive Compensation, below, (iii) each director and nominee to serve as a director of the Company and (iv) all executive officers and directors of the Company as a group:
Beneficial Owner | Amount and Nature of Beneficial Ownership (1) |
Percent of Class (2) | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
William K. Steiner |
2,049,097 |
29 |
.1%(3) | ||
290 N.E. 68th Street | |||||
Miami, FL 33138 | |||||
Michael S. Steiner | 2,019,197 |
28 |
.7%(3) | ||
290 N.E. 68th Street | |||||
Miami, FL 33138 | |||||
Cindy B. Greenstein | 482,760 |
(4) |
6 |
.9%(3) | |
1031 S.W. 156th Avenue | |||||
Pembroke Pines, FL 33027 | |||||
Venerando J. Indelicato | 304,937 |
(5) |
4 |
.3% | |
David Blyer | 10,000 |
(6) |
* | ||
Lloyd Frank | 34,119 |
(7) |
* | ||
Alan M. Grunspan | 12,500 |
(8) |
* | ||
Stuart Wagner | 15,000 |
(9) |
* | ||
Executive officers and directors as a | 4,927,610 |
(10) |
69 |
.9% | |
group (8 persons) |
___________________________
Footnotes appear on the following page.
-2-
(1) | Except as noted in the following footnotes, all beneficially owned shares are owned with sole voting and investment power. |
(2) | Asterisk indicates less than one percent. |
(3) | See Stockholders Agreement, below, for information regarding an Amended and Restated Stockholders Agreement entered into among William K. Steiner, Michael S. Steiner, Cindy B. Greenstein and Alan I. Greenstein pursuant to which they have agreed to vote an aggregate of 4,520,954 shares (64.3%) of the Companys outstanding Common Stock for the election as directors of the Company of those persons designated by the holders of a majority of the shares subject to the Stockholders Agreement that are presently owned by Michael S. Steiner and William K. Steiner. As a result, and giving effect to the 30,000 and 100 additional shares owned by William K. Steiner and Michael S. Steiner, respectively, that are not subject to the Stockholders Agreement and as to which they have sole voting power, Messrs. William K. Steiner, Michael S. Steiner and Cindy B. Greenstein may, under applicable Securities and Exchange Commission rules, be deemed to be the beneficial owners of 4,550,954 (64.7%), 4,521,054 (64.3%) and 4,520,954 (64.3%), respectively, of the Companys outstanding Common Stock with shared voting power as to 4,520,954 (64.3%) of the Companys outstanding Common Stock and sole voting power with respect to the balance of such shares owned by such person. Each has sole dispositive power with respect to all of the shares reflected as owned by such person in the above table. |
(4) | Cindy Greenstein is the wife of Alan I. Greenstein, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the Companys Steiner-Atlantic Corp. subsidiary. Under applicable Securities and Exchange Commission rules, Alan I. Greenstein may be deemed an executive officer of the Company. See Executive Compensation, below. Mr. Greenstein disclaims beneficial ownership of these shares. |
(5) | Includes (a) 163,718 shares (2.3% of the Companys outstanding Common Stock) owned by Mr. Indelicato and his wife as co-trustees under his living trust under which the sole lifetime beneficiary is Mr. Indelicato and (b) 141,219 shares (2.0% of the Companys outstanding Common Stock) owned by Mr. Indelicato and his wife as co-trustees under the living trust of Mr. Indelicatos wife under which the sole lifetime beneficiary is Mr. Indelicatos wife. Mr. Indelicato disclaims beneficial ownership of the shares owned by his wifes living trust. |
(6) | Represents shares which are not outstanding but which are subject to issuance upon the exercise of a stock option that is presently exercisable in full. |
(7) | Includes 21,494 shares owned by Mr. Franks wife, as to which Mr. Frank disclaims beneficial ownership. |
(8) | Includes 10,000 shares which are not outstanding but which are subject to issuance upon the exercise of a stock option that is presently exercisable in full. |
(9) | Includes 5,000 shares owned by Mr. Wagners wife, as to which Mr. Wagner disclaims beneficial ownership. |
(10) | Includes (a) 509,254 shares owned by spouses of executive officers and directors, as to which such executive officers and directors disclaim beneficial ownership, and (b) 20,000 shares which are not outstanding but which are subject to issuance upon the exercise of stock options that are presently exercisable in full. |
-3-
On December 6, 2005, William K. Steiner, Michael S. Steiner, Cindy B. Greenstein and Alan I. Greenstein entered into an Amended and Restated Stockholders Agreement (the Stockholders Agreement) which covers an aggregate of 4,520,954 (64.3%) of the Companys outstanding shares of Common Stock (the Shares). The Stockholders Agreement provides that the 2,019,097 Shares owned of record by each of Michael S. Steiner and William K. Steiner (together with any transferees to whom either of them transfers Shares, to the extent of the Shares so transferred, collectively, the Steiner Family Stockholders) and the 482,760 Shares owned of record by Cindy B. Greenstein (together with any transferee to whom she transfers Shares, to the extent of the Shares so transferred, collectively, the Greenstein Stockholders) are, except to the extent otherwise agreed from time to time by each of (a) the holders of a majority of the Shares held by the Greenstein Stockholders and (b) the holders of a majority of the Shares held by the Steiner Family Stockholders, to be voted to elect as directors of the Company such designees as may be selected by the holders of a majority of the Shares held by the Steiner Family Stockholders. Should any designee of the Steiner Family Stockholders resign, determine not to seek re-election to the Companys Board of Directors (the Board), be removed from office, die, become incapacitated or otherwise cease to serve on the Board, and should such designee not be replaced by the Board with the a designee recommended to the Board by the Steiner Family Stockholders, the parties to the Stockholders Agreement are to take all such action as may be permitted under the Companys Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws and laws of its state of incorporation to promptly call a special or other meeting of stockholders of the Company and vote, or execute a written consent, to elect as the successor to such former director a person designated by the holders of a majority of the Shares held by the Steiner Family Stockholders. The Stockholders Agreement is to terminate on the earliest to occur of (i) the date agreed to in writing by the owners of record of a majority of the Shares and (ii) the liquidation of the Company or the Companys merger with, or sale of substantially all of its assets to, or another change in control transaction with, another entity that is approved by the Board, following which transaction or series of transactions the stockholders of the Company immediately prior to the first of such transactions do not own more than 50% of the outstanding voting power of the resulting entity at the effective date of the last of such transactions. The slate of nominees proposed in this Proxy Statement to serve as directors was approved by the Steiner Family Stockholders.
Unless otherwise directed, the persons named in the enclosed Proxy intend to cast all votes pursuant to Proxies received for the election of Messrs. Michael S. Steiner, William K. Steiner, Venerando J. Indelicato, David Blyer, Lloyd Frank, Alan M. Grunspan and Stuart Wagner (said persons being hereinafter referred to as the nominees) as directors upon their nomination at the Meeting. Directors elected at the Meeting will serve until the next Annual Meeting of Stockholders and until their respective successors are elected and qualified. All nominees were elected by stockholders at the Companys 2005 Annual Meeting of Stockholders.
In the event that any of the nominees should become unavailable to serve as a director for any reason, the holders of Proxies have discretionary authority to vote for one or more alternate nominees who may be designated by the Board of Directors. The Company believes that all of the nominees are available to serve as directors.
William K. Steiner, Michael S. Steiner and Cindy B. Greenstein, who are parties to a Stockholders Agreement relating the voting of 64.4% of the Companys Common Stock, have agreed to vote for the nominees named in this Proxy Statement. See Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management Stockholders Agreement, above.
-4-
Michael S. Steiner, 50, has been President, Chief Executive Officer and a director of the Company since November 1998 and President and Chief Executive Officer of Steiner-Atlantic Corp., a subsidiary of the Company (Steiner) since 1988.
William K. Steiner, 76, has been Chairman of the Board and a director of the Company since November 1998 and Chairman of the Board and a director of Steiner since he founded Steiner in 1960.
Venerando J. Indelicato, 73, was President of the Company from December 1967 until November 1998 and since that time has been Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer of the Company. Mr. Indelicato has been a director of the Company since 1967.
David Blyer, 46, has served as a director of the Company since November 1998. Mr. Blyer has been Co-Chairman of Profiles in Concrete, Inc., a manufacturer and installer of architectural cast stone for the residential and commercial construction markets, since January 2005. From July 2002 until January 2005, Mr. Blyer was an independent consultant. Mr. Blyer was Chief Executive Officer and President of Vento Software, Inc. (Vento), a developer of software for specialized business applications, from 1994, when he co-founded that company, until November 1999, when that company was acquired by SPSS Inc. (SPSS), a computer software company that develops and distributes technology for the analysis of data in decision-making. From November 1999 until December 2000, Mr. Blyer served as Vice President of Vento and, from January 2001 until July 2002, served as President of the Enabling Technology Division of SPSS.
Lloyd Frank, 81, has been a director of the Company since 1977. Mr. Frank has been counsel to the law firm of Troutman Sanders LLP since April 2005. Prior thereto, Mr. Frank was a member of Jenkens & Gilchrist Parker Chapin LLP and its predecessor from 1977 until the end of 2003 and counsel to that firm from January 2004 until he joined Troutman Sanders LLP. The Company retained Troutman Sanders LLP during the Companys last fiscal year and is retaining Troutman Sanders LLP during the Companys current fiscal year. Mr. Frank is also a director of Park Electrochemical Corp. and Volt Information Sciences, Inc.
Alan M. Grunspan, 47, has served as a director of the Company since May 1999. Since December 2004, Mr. Grunspan has been a member of the law firm of Carlton Fields LLC. Mr. Grunspan was a member of the law firm of Kaufman Dickstein & Grunspan, P.A. from 1989 until he joined Carlton Fields LLC.
Stuart Wagner, 75, has served as a director of the Company since November 1998. Mr. Wagner has been retired since 2001. From 1975 to 1997, Mr. Wagner served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Wagner Products Corp., a manufacturer and distributor of products in the HVAC industry, a company which he founded, and served as a consultant to Diversified Corp., which acquired Wagner Products Corp., from 1997 until 2001.
Michael S. Steiner is the son of William K. Steiner. There are no other family relationships among any of the directors and executive officers of the Company. All directors serve until the next annual meeting of stockholders and until the election and qualification of their respective successors. All officers serve at the pleasure of the Board of Directors.
The Board of Directors has determined that David Blyer, Lloyd Frank, Alan Grunspan and Stuart Wagner (constituting a majority of the Board of Directors) are independent directors pursuant to Section 121A of the standards for listing of the American Stock Exchange LLC
-5-
(AMEX), on which the Companys Common Stock is listed. In reaching its conclusion, the Board determined that these individuals do not have a material relationship with the Company that would interfere with their exercise of independent judgment, and do not have any of the specific relationships set forth in that section that would disqualify them from being considered independent directors.
As a result of the Stockholders Agreement, Messrs. William K. Steiner, Michael S. Steiner and Cindy B. Greenstein are a group with shared voting power over an aggregate of 64.3% of the Companys Common Stock. See Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management Stockholders Agreement. They own an additional .4% of the Companys outstanding Common Stock which is not subject to the Stockholders Agreement. Accordingly, the Company is a controlled company under the listing standards of AMEX. Therefore, the Company is not subject to AMEXs rules otherwise requiring companies like the Company to have a Board of Directors consisting of at least 50% independent directors, governing the determination of executive compensation and governing the nomination of directors. The Company has, however, voluntarily complied with AMEXs minimum independent director and executive compensation determination rules.
During the Companys fiscal year ended June 30, 2006 its Board of Directors held five meetings. Each director attended at least 75% of the meetings of the Board of Directors and the committees on which he served that were held during that fiscal year.
It is the Companys policy that, absent extenuating circumstances, all members of the Board of Directors attend meetings of stockholders. All of the members of the Board attended the Companys 2005 Annual Meeting of Stockholders.
The Board of Directors has standing Audit and Compensation Committees. The Board does not have a standing Nominating Committee.
The Boards Audit Committee consists of Alan M. Grunspan (Chairman), David Blyer and Stuart Wagner. The Audit Committee provides assistance to the Companys Board of Directors in fulfilling the Boards oversight responsibilities with respect to accounting, auditing and financial reporting practices. The Audit Committee operates under a written charter adopted by the Board of Directors, which the Committee annually reviews, assesses and, with respect to which, if it deems it appropriate, recommends changes to the Board. A copy of the Audit Committees charter was attached to the Proxy Statement used in connection with the Companys 2004 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. Under its charter, the Audit Committee serves as an independent and objective party to monitor the Companys financial and accounting reporting process and internal control system; reviews and appraises the performance, qualifications and independence of the Companys independent auditor; and provides an open avenue of communication among the Companys independent auditor, financial and senior management and the Board. Among other things, the Audit Committee reviews the financial reports and other financial information provided by the Company to the Securities and Exchange Commission and the public; the Companys systems of internal control over financial reporting; and the Companys auditing, accounting and financial reporting processes generally. The Audit Committee also is responsible for the appointment and retention of, and oversees the work of, the Companys independent auditor, confirms the independence of the independent auditor and approves the fees and other compensation to be paid to the independent auditors. A report of the Audit Committee appears under the caption Audit
-6-
Committee Report," below. The Audit Committee held four meetings during the year ended June 30, 2006.
The Board of Directors has concluded that each of the members of the Audit Committee is an independent director under Section 121A of the standards for listing of the AMEX, as well as Rule 10A-3 promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and is able to read and understand fundamental financial statements, including a companys balance sheet, income statement and cash flow statement. The Board of Directors has concluded that Stuart Wagner, a member of the Audit Committee, is an audit committee financial expert, within the meaning of Item 401(h) of Regulation S-K promulgated by the SEC.
The members of the Compensation Committee are David Blyer, Lloyd Frank and Stuart Wagner, each of whom is an independent director under Section 121A of the AMEX listing standards for purposes of sitting on the Companys Compensation Committee. This Committee determines the compensation of all executive officers, administers the Companys employee stock option plans (including granting options), approves changes in the Companys Section 401(k) profit sharing plan and reviews the Companys other employee benefit arrangements. The Companys Chief Executive Officer is not permitted to be present during the deliberations or voting on his compensation. The Compensation Committee did not meet during the year ended June 30, 2006, but met on one occasion following fiscal 2006 year end to consider salaries and bonuses for executive officers.
As a controlled company under AMEXs listing standards, the Company is not required to cause nominees for director to be selected or recommended to the Board by either a nominating committee comprised solely of independent directors or by a majority of the Companys independent directors. The Board of Directors has determined not to form a nominating committee because it is a controlled company, with more than a majority of the Companys Common Stock owned by three stockholders who have agreed to vote together in the election of directors and can, therefore, elect all directors (see Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management Stockholders Agreement and Controlled Company, above) and because there has historically been few vacancies on the Board.
Instead, the full Board of Directors, a majority of whom meet the independent director criteria under the AMEX listing standards, participates in the consideration of director nominees. The Board does not have a charter governing its nomination process.
While the Board will consider nominees recommended by stockholders, it has not actively solicited recommendations from stockholders. Although the Board has not established specific minimum qualifications, or specific qualities or skills for prospective nominees, the Board will consider, among other things, a potential nominees financial and business experience, educational background, understanding of the Companys business and industry, skills that would complement rather than duplicate skills of existing Board members, demonstrated ability in his or her professional field, integrity and reputation, willingness to work productively with other members of the Board and represent the interests of stockholders as a whole, and time availability to perform the duties of a director, as well as the then current size and composition of the Board. No weight is assigned to any of the factors and the Board may change its emphasis on certain of these factors from time to time in light of the needs of the Company at the time. The Board will evaluate nominees of stockholders using the same criteria as it uses in evaluating other nominees to the Board.
A stockholder seeking to recommend a prospective nominee should submit the recommendation to the Board in the manner described under Stockholder Communications with
-7-
Directors," below, and within the time frame described in the second sentence under the caption Miscellaneous Stockholder Proposals, below. The recommendation should include, in addition to the name and business or residence address of the nominee, the written consent of the person being recommended to being named in the Companys proxy statement relating to the stockholder vote on his or her election and to serving as a director if elected. The recommendation must also include all information that would be required to be disclosed concerning such nominee in solicitations of proxies for the election of directors pursuant to Regulation 14A under the Exchange Act, including, but not limited to, the information required by Items 401, 403 and 404 of Regulation S-B of the SEC. In addition, the stockholder recommending the proposed nominee must provide the recommending stockholders name, address and number of shares of the Companys Common Stock owned by such stockholder as they appear on the Companys stockholder records and the length of time the shares have been owned by the recommending stockholder (or, if held in street name, a written statement from the record holder of the shares confirming the information concerning such stock ownership of the recommending stockholder) and whether the recommendation is being made with or on behalf of one or more other stockholders (and, if so, similar information with respect to each other stockholder with or on behalf of whom the recommendation is being made).
Stockholders may communicate directly with the Board or one or more specific directors by sending a written communication to: Board of Directors or a specific director, c/o the Companys President, 290 N.E. 68th Street, Miami, Florida 33138. The Companys President will forward the communication to the director or directors to whom it is addressed, except for communications that are (1) advertisements or promotional communications, (2) related solely to complaints by users of the Companys products or services that are ordinary course of business customer service and satisfaction issues or (3) clearly unrelated to the Companys business, industry, management, Board or committee matters. The President will make all communications not specifically addressed to any one director available to each member of the Board at the Boards next regularly scheduled meeting.
The Company has adopted a Code of Business Conduct and Ethics that applies to all of its directors, officers and employees, which is supplemented by a Senior Financial Officer Code of Conduct that additionally applies to its Chief Executive Officer and senior financial officers. Copies of these codes are available on the Companys website at www.drycleanusa.com by clicking on Investors.
Management has the primary responsibility for the Companys financial reporting process, including its consolidated financial statements, while the Board is responsible for overseeing the Companys accounting, auditing and financial reporting practices and the Companys independent public accountants have the responsibility for the examination of the Companys annual consolidated financial statements, expressing an opinion on the conformity of those financial statements with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States and issuing a report thereon. The responsibilities of the Audit Committee are described under the caption Election of Directors Committees of the Board. In assisting the Board in fulfilling its oversight responsibility with respect to the Companys consolidated financial statements for the year ended June 30, 2006, the Audit Committee:
| Reviewed and discussed the audited consolidated financial statements for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2006 with management and Morrison, Brown, Argiz & Farra, LLP (Morrison, Brown), the Companys independent public accountants; |
-8-
| Discussed with Morrison, Brown the matters required to be discussed by Statement on Auditing Standards No. 61 relating to the conduct of the audit; and |
| Received the written disclosures and the letter from Morrison, Brown regarding its independence as required by Independence Standards Board Standard No. 1, Independence Discussions with Audit Committees. The Audit Committee also discussed Morrison, Browns independence with Morrison, Brown and considered whether the provision of non-audit services rendered by Morrison, Brown was compatible with maintaining its independence under SEC rules governing the independence of a companys outside auditors (see Miscellaneous Auditors). |
Based on the foregoing review and discussions, the Audit Committee recommended to the Board that the Companys audited consolidated financial statements for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2006 be included in the Companys Annual Report on Form 10-KSB filed with the SEC for that year.
Respectfully, David Blyer Alan M. Grunspan Stuart Wagner |
The following table sets forth information concerning the compensation of the only persons who may be deemed executive officers of the Company under applicable Securities and Exchange Commission rules and whose cash compensation exceeded $100,000 during the Companys fiscal year ended June 30, 2006 (the Named Executive Officers) for services in all capacities to the Company during the Companys 2006, 2005 and 2004 fiscal years:
Annual Compensation | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Name and Principal Position |
Year | Salary | Bonus | All Other Compensation | |||||
Michael S. Steiner, |
2006 |
$250,000 |
$50,000 |
$1,542 |
(1) | ||||
President and Chief | 2005 | 250,000 | -- | 1,166 | |||||
Executive Officer | 2004 | 250,000 | -- | 1,082 | |||||
Alan I. Greenstein, | 2006 | $125,000 |
$25,000 |
-- | |||||
Executive Vice President | 2005 | 125,000 | -- | -- | |||||
and Chief Operating Officer | 2004 | 12,019 | -- | -- | |||||
William K. Steiner | 2006 | $75,000 |
$50,000 |
-- | |||||
Chairman of the | 2005 | 75,000 | -- | -- | |||||
Board of Directors | 2004 | 75,000 | -- | -- |
_________________
(1) | All Other Compensation for fiscal 2006 represents the Companys matching contribution in fiscal 2006 for Michael S. Steiner under the Companys Profit Sharing Plan pursuant to Section 401(k) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. |
(2) | Mr. Greenstein joined the Company in May 2004. |
-9-
No options were granted to, or exercised by, any of the Named Executive Officers during the Companys fiscal year ended June 30, 2006 nor were any options held by Named Executive Officers at June 30, 2006.
Each non-employee director receives a fee of $5,000 per annum. The Chairman of the Audit Committee (Alan M. Grunspan) receives an additional fee of $5,000 per annum for services in that capacity. Directors are also reimbursed for out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with performing their duties. In the event that the Board of Directors holds more than four meetings during a fiscal year in addition to its annual meeting held on the date of the Annual Meeting of Stockholders, each director receives $750 for each such additional meeting such director attends.
The Companys 1994 Non-Employee Director Stock Option Plan expired as to future grants on August 23, 2004. Prior to its expiration, each non-employee director of the Company serving on August 24, 1994 was then granted, and each person who subsequently became a non-employee director for the first time was granted at the time of election to the Board, an option to purchase 10,000 shares of the Companys Common Stock at an exercise price equal to 100% of the fair market value of the Companys Common Stock on the date of grant. Each option is for a term of ten years and vests over a four-year period commencing one year after the date of grant (with vesting credit given for any service on the Board of Directors prior to the date of grant). In May 2006, Stuart Wagner, a director of the Company, exercised an option granted to him in November 1998 pursuant to this plan to purchase 10,000 shares of the Companys Common Stock at $.91 per share.
The Company leases 27,000 square feet of warehouse and office space from William K. Steiner, a principal stockholder, Chairman of the Board of Directors and a director of the Company. On September 9, 2005, the Company and Mr. Steiner entered into a new lease for this space for a three-year period beginning November 1, 2005 at an annual rental of $94,500, with annual increases commencing November 1, 2006 of 3% over the rent in the prior year. The Company is also to bear real estate taxes, utilities, maintenance, non-structural repairs and insurance. The new lease contains two three-year renewal options in favor of the Company. The rent (exclusive of real estate taxes, utilities, maintenance, repairs and insurance borne by the Company) under the former lease, which expired by its terms on October 31, 2005, was $83,200 for the year ended June 30, 2005. The Company believes that the terms of the new lease are, and the old lease were, comparable to terms that would be obtained from an unaffiliated third party for similar property in a similar locale.
The 2006 Annual Report to Stockholders of the Company, including financial statements and report thereon of Morrison, Brown, Argiz & Farra, LLP (Morrison, Brown), accompanies this Proxy Statement but is not incorporated in and is not to be deemed a part of this Proxy Statement.
The Companys Audit Committee has selected Morrison, Brown to act as independent auditors for the Company during the year ending June 30, 2007. The Audit Committee nevertheless retains the discretion to select different auditors should it then deem it in the Companys interests.
-10-
Representatives of Morrison, Brown are expected to be present at the Meeting with the opportunity to make a statement if they desire to do so and are expected to be available to respond to appropriate questions addressed by stockholders.
On June 30, 2005, the Audit Committee dismissed BDO Seidman LLP (BDO Seidman) as the Companys registered public accountants and retained Morrison, Brown as the Companys new independent public accountants. BDO Seidmans reports on the Companys financial statements for the years ended June 30, 2003 and 2004 did not contain any adverse opinion or disclaimer of opinion and was not qualified or modified as to uncertainty, audit scope or accounting principles. There were no disagreements with BDO Seidman, whether or not resolved, on any matter of accounting principles or practices, financial statements disclosure, or auditing scope or procedure which, if not resolved to BDO Seidmans satisfaction, would have caused BDO Seidman to make reference to the subject matter of the disagreement in connection with its report. No such disagreement was discussed with the Board of Directors or any committee of the Board of Directors of the Company. BDO Seidman did not advise the Company of the existence of any matter described in Item 304(a)(1)(iv)(B) of SEC Regulation S-B. The Company authorized BDO Seidman to respond fully to the inquiries of Morrison, Brown. On July 6, 2005, BDO Seidman issued a letter to the SEC agreeing with the foregoing statements made by the Company insofar as they related to BDO Seidman.
Prior to the engagement of Morrison, Brown, neither the Company nor anyone on behalf of the Company consulted Morrison, Brown regarding (a) either the application of accounting principles to a specified transaction, either completed or proposed, or the type of audit opinion that might be rendered on the financial statements of the Company, and no written or oral advice of Morrison, Brown was provided with respect to any accounting, auditing, or financial reporting issue or (b) any matter that was either the subject of a disagreement or any event described in Item 304(a)(1)(iv)(B) of SEC Regulation S-B. The Company also provided Morrison, Brown with a copy of its Report on Form 8-K with respect to the change in registered public accountants and provided Morrison, Brown with the opportunity to furnish the Company with a letter addressed to the SEC containing any new information, clarification of the Companys expression of its views or the respects in which Morrison, Brown did not agree with the disclosures made in the Report. Morrison, Brown did not issue a letter to the SEC.
The following is a summary of the fees paid by the Company to Morrison, Brown for audit services rendered for the Companys fiscal years ended June 30, 2006 and June 30, 2005 and the fees for other services rendered that were billed by Morrison, Brown to the Company in those periods:
Fee Category | Fiscal 2006 Fees | Fiscal 2005 Fees | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Audit Fees | $64,800 | $58,000 | |||
Audit-related fees | -- | -- | |||
Tax fees | 10,300 | -- | |||
All other fees | -- | -- | |||
Total Fees | $75,100 | $58,000 |
Audit Fees. These fees were for services rendered by Morrison, Brown for its audit of the Companys annual consolidated financial statements, audit of a subsidiarys financial statements required for inclusion in a subsidiarys Uniform Franchise Offering Circular and review of the Companys quarterly interim financial statements.
-11-
Audit-Related Fees. Morrison, Brown did not render any audit-related services to the Company during either fiscal 2006 or 2005.
Tax Fees. These fees were for the preparation of the Company's federal, state and local tax returns for fiscal 2005.
All Other Fees. Morrison, Brown did not provide any other services to the Company during either fiscal 2006 or 2005.
In connection with the standards for independence of a companys independent public auditors, the Audit Committee has considered whether the provision of such services is compatible with maintaining the independence of Morrison, Brown.
It is the policy of the Audit Committee that all audit, audit-related, tax and other permissible non-audit services provided by the Companys independent auditor be pre-approved. It is expected that pre-approval will be for periods up to one year and be set forth in an engagement letter approved by the Audit Committee of the Board that is detailed as to the particular services or category of services to be provided and subject to a specific budget. The policy also requires additional approval of any engagements that was previously approved but is anticipated to exceed the pre-approved fee budget level. The policy permits the Chair of the Audit Committee to pre-approve the Companys principal independent auditors services where the Company deems it necessary or advisable that such services commence prior to the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Audit Committee provided that the Audit Committee Chair is required to report to the full Audit Committee on any pre-approval determinations made in this manner.
Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 requires the Companys executive officers and directors, and persons who beneficially own more than 10% of the Companys Common Stock, to file initial reports of ownership, and reports of changes of ownership, of the Companys equity securities with the SEC and furnish copies of those reports to the Company. Based solely on a review of the copies of the reports furnished to the Company to date and written representations that no other reports were required, the Company believes that all reports required to be filed by such persons with respect to the Companys fiscal year ended June 30, 2006 were timely filed, except that William K. Steiner filed a report of one charitable gift late and Stuart Wagner filed a report of the exercise of one stock option late.
From time to time stockholders may present proposals for consideration at a meeting of stockholders which may be proper subjects for inclusion in the Companys proxy statement and form of proxy relating to that meeting. Stockholder proposals intended to be included in the Companys proxy statement and form of proxy relating to the Companys 2007 Annual Meeting of Stockholders presently scheduled to be held in November 2007 must be received by the Company at its principal executive offices, 290 N.E. 68th Street, Miami, Florida 33138, by June 20, 2007. Any such proposals, as well as any questions relating thereto, should be directed to the President of the Company. As to any proposals intended to be presented by a stockholder without inclusion in the Companys proxy statement and form of proxy for the Companys next Annual Meeting of Stockholders, the proxies named in the Companys form of proxy for that meeting will be entitled to exercise discretionary authority on that proposal unless the Company receives notice of the matter on or before September 3, 2007. However, even if such notice is timely received, such proxies may
-12-
nevertheless be entitled to exercise discretionary authority on that matter to the extent permitted by SEC regulations.
The cost of solicitation of Proxies, including the cost of reimbursing banks and brokers for forwarding proxy soliciting material to their principals, will be borne by the Company. Proxies may be solicited without extra compensation by certain officers and regular employees of the Company by mail and, if determined to be necessary, by telephone, telecopy, telegraph or personal interviews.
The Board of Directors does not intend to bring before the Meeting any matters other than those specifically described above and knows of no matters other than the foregoing to come before the Meeting. If any other matters or motions properly come before the Meeting, it is the intention of the persons named in the accompanying form of Proxy to vote such Proxy in accordance with their judgment on such matters or motions, including any matters dealing with the conduct of the Meeting.
By Order of the Board of Directors, Lloyd Frank, Secretary |
Dated: October 18, 2006
-13-
PLEASE MARK VOTES AS IN THIS EXAMPLE |
Election of Directors: | For | Withhold | For All Except | |||
PROXY FOR ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS November 10, 2006 |
|||||||
This proxy is solicited on behalf of the Board of Directors |
The undersigned hereby appoints Michael S. Steiner,
Venerando J.
Indelicato and Lloyd Frank, and each of them, proxies, with full power of
substitution, to vote at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders of DRYCLEAN USA, Inc. to be held on Friday, November 10, 2006 (including any
adjournments or postponements thereof) according to the number of votes the undersigned might cast and with all powers the undersigned
would possess if personally present, upon the matter specified hereon, as more fully described in the accompanying Notice of such meeting
and Proxy Statement, receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, and with discretionary power upon such other business as may come before the
meeting, hereby revoking any proxies heretofore given. Please be sure to sign and date Date this Proxy in the box below _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ Stockholder sign above Co-holder (if any) sign above |
MICHAEL S. STEINER, WILLIAM K. STEINER, VENERANDO J. INDELICATO, DAVID BLYER, LLOYD FRANK, ALAN M. GRUNSPAN AND STUART WAGNER INSTRUCTION: To withhold authority to vote for any individual nominee, mark "For All Except" and write that nominee's name in the space provided below. ____________________________________________________________ Each properly executed proxy will be voted in accordance with the specifications made above. If no specifications are made, the shares represented by this proxy will be voted "FOR" all listed nominees. Please sign your name or names exactly as set forth hereon. When stock is in the name of more than one person, each such person should sign the proxy. When signing as attorney, executor, administrator, trustee or guardian, please indicate the capacity in which you are acting. Proxies executed by corporations should be signed by a duly authorized officer. Stockholders who desire to have stock voted at the meeting are requested to fill in, date, sign and return this proxy. No postage is required if returned in the enclosed envelope and mailed in the United States. |
IF YOUR ADDRESS HAS CHANGED, PLEASE CORRECT THE ADDRESS IN THE SPACE PROVIDED BELOW AND RETURN THIS PORTION WITH THE PROXY IN THE ENVELOPE PROVIDED.
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________