x
|
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 Under Rule 14a-12
|
x
|
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:
|
|
·
|
to
elect one Director to serve for a three-year term expiring in
2012;
|
|
·
|
to
amend our Fourth Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation to
increase the authorized shares of our capital stock from 65,000,000 to
95,000,000 shares and to increase the authorized shares of our common
stock from 60,000,000 to 90,000,000
shares;
|
|
·
|
to
ratify the appointment of Rothstein Kass & Company, P.C., as our
independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending
December 31, 2009; and
|
|
·
|
to
act upon such other matters as may properly come before the meeting or any
adjournment thereof.
|
By
Order of the Board of Directors
|
Ernest
A. Elgin III
|
President
and Chief Executive
Officer
|
|
(1)
|
FOR
the election of one Class II Director nominee identified
herein;
|
|
(2)
|
FOR
the approval of the amendment to our Fourth Amended and Restated
Certificate of Incorporation increasing the authorized shares of our
capital stock from 65,000,000 shares to 95,000,000 shares and increasing
the authorized shares of our common stock from 60,000,000 shares to
90,000,000 shares;
|
|
(3)
|
FOR
ratification of the appointment of Rothstein Kass & Company, P.C., as
our independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year
ending December 31, 2009; and
|
|
(4)
|
in
the discretion of the proxies with respect to any other matters properly
brought before the stockholders at the
meeting.
|
Name
|
Age
(as of
8/31/09)
|
Director Since
|
Business Experience For Last Five Years
|
|||
Paul
A. Mieyal
|
|
39
|
|
2007
|
|
Paul
A. Mieyal has served as a director of our company since September 2007.
Dr. Mieyal has been a Vice President of Wexford Capital LP since October
2006. From January 2000 through September 2006, he was
Vice President in charge of healthcare investments for Wechsler & Co.,
Inc., a private investment firm and registered
broker-dealer. Dr. Mieyal is also a director of Nile
Therapeutics, Inc. Dr. Mieyal received his Ph.D. in pharmacology
from New York Medical College, a B.A. in chemistry and psychology from
Case Western Reserve University, and is a Chartered Financial
Analyst.
|
Name and Address of Beneficial Owner
|
Amount and Nature of
Beneficial Ownership
|
Percentage of
class (1)
|
||||||
Lambda
Investors LLC (2)
|
21,572,432 |
44.5
|
% | |||||
Stagg Capital
Group LLC(3)
|
3,749,558 |
9.1
|
% | |||||
AFS
Holdings One LLC (4)
|
3,150,597 |
7.6
|
% | |||||
Arthur
H. Amron (5)
|
10,000 | * | ||||||
Lawrence
J. Centella (6)
|
63,410 | * | ||||||
Ernest
A. Elgin, III (7)
|
187,500 | * | ||||||
Gerald
J. Kochanski (8)
|
62,500 | * | ||||||
Paul
A. Mieyal (9)
|
10,000 | * | ||||||
James
S. Scibetta (10)
|
20,001 | * | ||||||
All
executive officers and directors as a group (6-10)
|
165,911 | * |
(1)
|
Percentages
are based on 41,340,017 shares of common stock issued and outstanding as
of August 31, 2009.
|
(2)
|
Based
in part on information provided in Schedule 13D filed on October 1, 2007.
The shares beneficially owned by Lambda Investors LLC may be deemed
beneficially owned by Wexford Capital LLC, which is the managing member of
Lambda Investors LLC, by Charles E. Davidson in his capacity as chairman
and managing member of Wexford Capital LLC and by Joseph M. Jacobs in his
capacity as president and managing member of Wexford Capital LLC. The
address of each of Lambda Investors LLC, Wexford Capital LLC, Mr. Davidson
and Mr. Jacobs is c/o Wexford Capital LLC, 411 West Putnam Avenue,
Greenwich, Connecticut 06830. Each of Wexford Capital LLC, Mr. Davidson
and Mr. Jacobs disclaims beneficial ownership of the shares of Common
Stock owned by Lambda Investors LLC except, in the case of Mr. Davidson
and Mr. Jacobs, to the extent of their respective interests in each member
of Lambda Investors LLC. Includes 7,190,811 shares issuable on or prior to
November 14, 2012 upon exercise of warrants held by Lambda Investors LLC
having an exercise price of $0.90 per
share.
|
(3)
|
Based
in part on information provided in Schedule 13/D filed with the SEC on
August 21, 2008. Stagg Capital Group, LLC (“Stagg Capital”) serves as the
investment advisor to an investment fund that holds the shares and Scott
A. Stagg is the managing member of Stagg Capital. By reason of
such relationships, Stagg Capital and Mr. Stagg may be deemed to be
indirect beneficial owners of the
shares.
|
(4)
|
Based
in part on information provided in Schedule 13G filed with the SEC on
January 8, 2009 by AFS Holdings One LLC. AFS reported that it
beneficially owns 3,150,597 shares of our common stock and has sole voting
and dispositive power with respect to those
shares.
|
(5)
|
Mr.
Amron’s address is c/o Wexford Capital LLC, 411 West Putnam Avenue,
Greenwich, Connecticut 06830. The shares identified as being beneficially
owned by Mr. Amron consist of 10,000 shares issuable upon exercise of
options granted under the 2004 Plan. Does not include 5,000 shares
issuable upon the exercise of options which have been granted under our
Stock Option Plans but will not vest within 60 days of August 31,
2009.
|
(6)
|
The
shares identified as being beneficially owned by Mr. Centella include
35,000 shares issuable upon exercise of options granted under the 2004
Plan.
|
(7)
|
The
shares identified as being beneficially owned by Mr. Elgin consist of
187,500 shares issuable upon exercise of options granted under the 2004
Plan. Does not include 562,500 shares issuable upon the
exercise of options which have been granted under the 2004 Plan but will
not vest within 60 days of August 31,
2009.
|
(8)
|
The
shares identified as being beneficially owned by Mr. Kochanski consist of
62,500 shares issuable upon exercise of options granted under the 2004
Plan. Does not include 212,500 shares issuable upon the
exercise of options which have been granted under the 2004 Plan but will
not vest within 60 days of August 31,
2009.
|
(9)
|
Mr.
Mieyal’s address is c/o Wexford Capital LLC, 411 West Putnam Avenue,
Greenwich, Connecticut 06830. The shares identified as being beneficially
owned by Mr. Mieyal consist of 10,000 shares issuable upon exercise of
options granted under the 2004 Plan. Does not include 5,000 shares
issuable upon the exercise of options which have been granted under the
2004 Plan but will not vest within 60 days of August 31,
2009.
|
(10)
|
The
shares identified as being beneficially owned by Mr. Scibetta consist of
20,001 shares issuable upon exercise of options granted under the 2004
Plan. Does not include 19,999 shares issuable upon the exercise of options
which have been granted under the 2004 Plan but will not vest within 60
days of August 31, 2009.
|
Name
|
Age
(as of
08/31/09)
|
Director Since
|
Business Experience For Last Five Years
|
|||
Arthur
H. Amron
|
52
|
2007
|
Arthur
H. Amron has served as a director of our company since September 2007. Mr.
Amron is a partner of Wexford Capital LP and serves as its General
Counsel. Mr. Amron also actively participates in various private equity
transactions, particularly in the bankruptcy and restructuring areas, and
has served on the boards and creditors’ committees of a number of public
and private companies in which Wexford has held investments. From 1991 to
1994, Mr. Amron was an Associate at Schulte Roth & Zabel LLP,
specializing in corporate and bankruptcy law, and from 1984 to 1991, Mr.
Amron was an Associate at Debevoise & Plimpton LLP specializing in
corporate litigation and bankruptcy law. Mr. Amron holds a JD from Harvard
University, a BA in political theory from Colgate University and is a
member of the New York Bar.
|
|||
James
S. Scibettta
|
44
|
2007
|
James
S. Scibetta has served as a director of our company since November 2007
and as Chairman of our Board since September 2008. Since August 2008, Mr.
Scibetta has been the Chief Financial Officer of Pacira Pharmaceuticals,
Inc. Prior to that, Mr. Scibetta was Chief Financial Officer of
Bioenvision, Inc. from December 2006 until its acquisition by Genzyme,
Inc. in October 2007. From September 2001 to November 2006, Mr. Scibetta
was Executive Vice President and CFO of Merrimack Pharmaceuticals, Inc.,
and he was a member of the Board of Directors of Merrimack from April 1998
to March 2004. Mr. Scibetta formerly served as a senior investment banker
at Shattuck Hammond Partners, LLC and PaineWebber Inc., providing capital
acquisition, mergers and acquisitions, and strategic advisory services to
healthcare companies. Mr. Scibetta holds a B.S. in Physics from Wake
Forest University, and an M.B.A. in Finance from the University of
Michigan. He completed executive education studies in the Harvard Business
School Leadership & Strategy in Pharmaceuticals and Biotechnology
program.
|
Name
|
Age
(as of 08/31/09)
|
Director Since
|
Business Experience For Last Five
Years
|
|||
Lawrence
J. Centella
|
68
|
2001
|
Lawrence
J. Centella has served as a
director of our company since January 2001. Mr. Centella serves
as president of Renal Patient Services, LLC, a company that owns and
operates dialysis centers, and has served in such capacity since June
1998. From 1997 to 1998, Mr. Centella served as executive vice
president and chief operating officer of Gambro Healthcare, Inc., an
integrated dialysis company that manufactured dialysis equipment, supplied
dialysis equipment and operated dialysis clinics. From 1993 to
1997, Mr. Centella served as president and chief executive officer of
Gambro Healthcare Patient Services, Inc. (formerly REN
Corporation). Prior to that, Mr. Centella served as president
of COBE Renal Care, Inc., Gambro Hospal, Inc., LADA International, Inc.
and Gambro, Inc. Mr. Centella is also the founder of LADA
International, Inc. Mr. Centella received a B.S. from DePaul
University.
|
|||
Ernest
A. Elgin, III
|
|
43
|
|
2009
|
|
Ernest
A. Elgin, III has served as our President and Chief Executive Officer
since September 2008 and as a director of our company since August 2009.
Prior to joining us, Mr. Elgin served as Vice President of Business
Development and Chief Operating Officer of Novaflux Technologies, Inc., a
medical technology company engaged in biofilm removal, among other things.
Prior to joining Novaflux in September 2004, Mr. Elgin spent four years as
Vice President, Healthcare for EHC Group, a New York based consulting
organization providing market and business development services for
healthcare related organizations. Mr. Elgin has also held product and
business development roles with Becton Dickinson, Olympus America, and
E-Z-EM, Inc. Mr. Elgin started his career as a Financial Analyst with
Salomon Brothers. He earned his B.A. from Queens College and
his M.B.A. from Long Island
University.
|
Name
|
Fees Earned or
Paid in Cash
|
Option
Awards(1)
(2)
|
Total
($)
|
|||||||||
Arthur
H, Amron
|
$ | 14,800 | $ | 3,088 | $ | 17,888 | ||||||
Lawrence
J. Centella
|
$ | 14,800 | - | $ | 14,800 | |||||||
Paul
A. Mieyal
|
$ | 14,800 | $ | 3,088 | $ | 17,888 | ||||||
Eric
A. Rose, M.D. (3)
|
$ | 14,800 | - | $ | 14,800 | |||||||
James
S. Scibetta
|
$ | 21,800 | $ | 3,088 | $ | 24,888 |
(1)
|
The
amounts in this column reflect the dollar amounts recognized for financial
statement reporting purposes with respect to the year ended December 31,
2008, in accordance with SFAS 123(R). The assumptions used in the
calculation of these amounts for 2008 are included in Note 2 to our
audited consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31,
2008, which are included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the
SEC on March 31, 2009.
|
(2)
|
Unless
otherwise indicated below, option awards included in this table vest in
three equal installments on each of the date of grant and the first and
second anniversaries thereof.
|
(3)
|
Eric
A. Rose, M.D., resigned as a director effective June 22,
2009.
|
Name
|
Age
(as of
08/31/09)
|
Position
with Nephros and Business Experience for
Last Five Years
|
||
Gerald
J. Kochanski
|
|
56
|
|
Gerald
J. Kochanski has served as our Chief Financial Officer since April
2008. Prior to joining us, Mr. Kochanski served as the
Financial Services Director of Lordi Consulting LLC, a national consulting
firm, from February 2007 through February 2008. From October 2004 until
December 2006, Mr. Kochanski was the Chief Financial Officer of American
Water Enterprises, Inc., a business unit of a privately owned company in
the water and wastewater treatment industry. From November 1998
through September 2004, Mr. Kochanski was the Chief Financial Officer of
Scanvec Amiable Ltd., a publicly traded provider of software to the
signmaking, digital printing and engraving industries. Mr.
Kochanski is a Certified Public Accountant and received his B.S. in
Accounting and his M.B.A. in Finance from La Salle University, where he
has also been an adjunct accounting department faculty member since
1986.
|
Name and Principal Position
|
Year
|
Salary($)
|
Bonus(1)($)
|
Option Awards(2)($)
|
All Other
Compensation(3)($)
|
Total
|
||||||||||||||||
Norman J. Barta(4)
|
2008
|
$ | 373,846 | $ | 18,000 | $ | 93,499 | $ | 37,212 | $ | 531,820 | |||||||||||
President
and Chief Executive Officer
|
2007
|
$ | 325,625 | $ | 128,500 | $ | 391,680 | $ | 37,991 | $ | 883,796 | |||||||||||
Ernest A. Elgin, III(5)
|
2008
|
$ | 70,000 | $ | 35,000 | $ | 14,424 | $ | 7,073 | $ | 126,497 | |||||||||||
President
and Chief Executive Officer
|
2007
|
- | - | - | - | - | ||||||||||||||||
Mark W. Lerner(6)
|
2008
|
$ | 113,750 | - | - | $ | 1,105 | $ | 114,855 | |||||||||||||
Chief
Financial Officer
|
2007
|
$ | 180,754 | - | $ | 45,563 | $ | 4,215 | $ | 230,532 | ||||||||||||
Gerald J. Kochanski(7)
|
2008
|
$ | 138,750 | $ | 18,000 | $ | 25,169 | $ | 19,553 | $ | 201,422 | |||||||||||
Chief
Financial Officer
|
2007
|
- | - | - | - | - |
|
(1)
|
The
amounts in this column reflect decisions approved by our Compensation
Committee and are based on an analysis of the executive’s contribution to
Nephros during fiscal 2008.
|
|
(2)
|
The
amounts in this column reflect the dollar amounts recognized for financial
statement reporting purposes with respect to the year ended December 31,
2008 and 2007, in accordance with SFAS 123(R). The assumptions used in the
calculation of these amounts for 2008 are included in Note 2 to our
audited consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31,
2008, which are included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the
SEC on March 31, 2009.
|
|
(3)
|
See
table below for details on Other
Compensation.
|
|
(4)
|
Mr. Barta
resigned as President and Chief Executive Officer and as a member of our
Board of Directors on September 15,
2008.
|
|
(5)
|
Mr.
Elgin became our President and Chief Executed Officer on September 15,
2008.
|
|
(6)
|
Mr.
Lerner resigned on April 28, 2008.
|
|
(7)
|
Mr.
Kochanski became our Chief Financial Officer as of April 1,
2008.
|
Name
|
Year
|
Matching 401K
Plan
Contribution
|
Health Insurance
Paid by
Company
|
Life Insurance
Paid by the
Company
|
Fees Paid As
Non-
Management
Directors
|
Company Paid
Transportation
Expense
|
Total Other
Compensation
|
|||||||||||||||||||
Norman
J. Barta
|
2008
|
$ | 8,050 | $ | 18,682 | $ | 8,434 | - | $ | 2,046 | $ | 37,212 | ||||||||||||||
2007
|
$ | 9,000 | $ | 17,688 | $ | 7,353 | - | $ | 3,950 | $ | 37,991 | |||||||||||||||
Ernest
A. Elgin, III
|
2008
|
- | $ | 6,620 | $ | 44 | - | $ | 409 | $ | 7,073 | |||||||||||||||
2007
|
- | - | - | - | - | - | ||||||||||||||||||||
Mark
W. Lerner
|
2008
|
- | - | $ | 82 | - | $ | 1,023 | $ | 1,105 | ||||||||||||||||
2007
|
- | - | $ | 390 | - | $ | 3,825 | $ | 4,215 | |||||||||||||||||
Gerald
J. Kochanski
|
2008
|
$ | 5,242 | $ | 14,011 | $ | 300 | - | - | $ | 19,553 | |||||||||||||||
2007
|
- | - | - | - | - | - |
Option Awards
|
||||||||||||||||
Name
|
Number of
Securities
Underlying
Unexercised
Options (#)
Exercisable
|
Number of
Securities
Underlying
Unexercised
Options (#)
Unexercisable
|
Option
Exercise Price
($)
|
Option Expiration
Date
|
||||||||||||
Ernest
A. Elgin, III
|
-
|
750,000
|
$
|
0.42
|
9/15/18
|
|||||||||||
Gerald
J. Kochanski
|
-
|
250,000
|
$
|
0.75
|
4/01/18
|
|||||||||||
Norman J. Barta(1)
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
||||||||||||
Mark W. Lerner(2)
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
(1)
|
Mr.
Barta resigned on September 15,
2008.
|
|
(2)
|
Mr.
Lerner resigned on April 28, 2008.
|
Submitted
by:
|
The
Audit Committee
|
James
S. Scibetta, Chairperson
|
|
Lawrence
J. Centella
|
|
(i)
|
90,000,000
shares of Common Stock, $.001 par value per share (the “Common
Stock”);
|
|
(ii)
|
5,000,000
shares of preferred stock, $.001 par value per share (collectively, the
“Undesignated Preferred Stock”). Subject to any limitations set
forth elsewhere in this Certificate of Incorporation, the shares of
Undesignated Preferred Stock may be issued from time to time in one or
more series. Subject to any limitations set forth elsewhere in
this Certificate of Incorporation, the Board of Directors is hereby
authorized, by adopting appropriate resolutions and causing one or more
certificates of amendment to be signed, verified and delivered in
accordance with the DGCL, to establish from time to time the number of
shares to be included in such series, and to fix the powers, preferences
and rights of, and the qualifications, limitations and restrictions
granted to and imposed upon such Undesignated Preferred
Stock. Such powers, preferences and rights of, and the
qualifications, limitations and restrictions granted to and imposed upon
such Undesignated Preferred Stock may include, but are not limited to, the
fixing or alteration of the dividend rights, dividend rate, conversion
rights, exchange rights, voting rights, rights and terms of redemption
(including sinking fund provisions), the redemption price or prices, and
the liquidation preferences of any wholly unissued series of shares of
Undesignated Preferred Stock, or any of them. In accordance
with the authority hereby granted, the Board may increase or decrease the
number of shares of any series of preferred stock, whether or not such
preferred stock then constitutes Undesignated Preferred Stock, subsequent
to the issuance of shares of that series; provided that any such increase
shall be no greater than the total number of authorized shares of
Undesignated Preferred Stock at such time, and no such decrease shall
result in the number of authorized shares of such series being fewer than
the number then outstanding. In case the number of shares of any series of
preferred stock, other than Undesignated Preferred Stock, shall be so
decreased, the shares constituting such decrease shall become Additional
Undesignated Preferred Stock. Any shares of a series of preferred stock,
which is designated pursuant to this clause (ii), that were issued but,
thereafter, are no longer outstanding shall not resume the status of
authorized and unissued shares of such series, but shall instead become
authorized and unissued shares of Additional Undesignated Preferred Stock.
Except as may otherwise be required by law or this Certificate of
Incorporation, the terms of any series of Undesignated Preferred Stock may
be amended without the consent of the holders of any other series of the
Corporation’s preferred stock, or Common
Stock.”
|
1.
|
The
Board of Directors recommends a vote FOR the listed
nominee.
|
FOR
|
WITHHOLD
|
|||
01
– Paul A. Mieyal
|
¨
|
¨
|
2.
|
Proposal
to amend our Fourth Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation to
increase the authorized shares of our capital stock from 65,000,000 to
95,000,000 shares and to increase the authorized shares of our common
stock from 60,000,000 to 90,000,000
shares.
|
3.
|
Proposal
to ratify the appointment of Rothstein Kass & Company, P.C., as our
independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending December
31, 2009.
|
Dated:__________________________________ , 2009
|
|
Signature:
|
|
Signature:
|
|