SCHEDULE 14A
(Rule 14a-101)
INFORMATION REQUIRED IN PROXY STATEMENT
SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION
Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(Amendment No. )
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 §240.14a-12 |
DIAL THRU INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION |
||||
(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 bal): | ||||
/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 (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: |
[LOGO]
February 28, 2002
Dear Dial Thru International Corporation Stockholder:
I am pleased to invite you to Dial Thru International Corporation's Annual Meeting of Stockholders. The meeting will be held at 10:00 a.m., Los Angeles time, on Monday, May 6, 2002 at the Hyatt Regency Los Angeles, 711 South Hope Street, Los Angeles, CA 90017.
At the meeting, you and the other stockholders will be asked to (1) elect five directors to our Board of Directors, (2) ratify the appointment of Arthur Andersen LLP as our independent auditors for the current fiscal year, and (3) transact such other business as may properly come before the meeting or any adjournment thereof. You will also have the opportunity to hear what has happened in our business in the past year and to ask questions. You will find other detailed information about us and our operations, including our audited financial statements, in the enclosed Annual Report.
We hope you can join us on May 6, 2002 and vote in person. Whether or not you can attend, please read the enclosed Proxy Statement. When you have done so, if you will not be able to attend the meeting, please mark your votes on the enclosed proxy, sign and date the proxy, and return it to us in the enclosed envelope. Your vote is important, so please return your proxy promptly.
Please note that your vote is very important to us. A minimum number of shares must be represented at the meeting, in person or by proxy, to obtain the requisite quorum and proceed with the meeting. Therefore we urge you to attend the annual meeting in person, but if you are not able to attend, we request that you complete the attached proxy and return it to us prior to the meeting. We value our stockholders and look forward to your participation.
Yours truly, | ||
/s/ JOHN JENKINS John Jenkins Chairman and Chief Executive Officer |
||
DIAL THRU INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
700 SOUTH FLOWER, SUITE 2950
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA 90017
NOTICE OF 2002 ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
TO BE HELD MAY 6, 2002
To the Stockholders of Dial Thru International Corporation:
NOTICE IS HEREBY given that the 2002 Annual Meeting of Stockholders of Dial Thru International Corporation will be held at the Hyatt Regency Los Angeles, 711 South Hope Street, Los Angeles, CA 90017 on Monday, May 6, 2002 at 10:00 a.m., Los Angeles time, for the following purposes:
The Board of Directors has fixed the close of business on March 28, 2002 as the record date for the determination of Stockholders entitled to notice of and to vote at the meeting or any adjournments thereof.
A list of our stockholders entitled to notice of and to vote at the meeting will be available for examination at the meeting and during ordinary business hours at our principal offices at the address set forth above for ten days prior to the meeting.
You are cordially invited to attend the meeting.
IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOUR SHARES BE REPRESENTED AT THE MEETING REGARDLESS OF THE NUMBER OF SHARES YOU HOLD. YOU ARE INVITED TO ATTEND THE MEETING IN PERSON, BUT IF YOU DO NOT PLAN TO ATTEND, PLEASE COMPLETE, DATE, SIGN AND RETURN THE ACCOMPANYING PROXY IN THE ENCLOSED ENVELOPE. IF YOU DO ATTEND THE MEETING, YOU MAY, IF YOU PREFER, REVOKE YOUR PROXY AND VOTE YOUR SHARES IN PERSON.
By Order of the Board of Directors, | ||
/s/ ALLEN SCIARILLO Allen Sciarillo SECRETARY |
||
February 28, 2002
DIAL THRU INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
700 SOUTH FLOWER, SUITE 2950
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA 90017
PROXY STATEMENT
2002 ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
TO BE HELD ON MONDAY MAY 6, 2002
SOLICITATION AND REVOCATION OF PROXIES
This Proxy Statement and the accompanying proxy are solicited on behalf of the Board of Directors of Dial Thru International Corporation, formerly known as ARDIS Telecom & Technologies, Inc., successor by merger to Canmax Inc. ("we" and the "Company"). The proxies will be voted at the 2002 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the "Annual Meeting") to be held on May 6, 2002, at the time and place and for the purposes set forth in the accompanying Notice of Annual Meeting of Stockholders and at any adjournment(s) of the Annual Meeting. This Proxy Statement, the accompanying proxy and our annual report to security holders for the year ended October 31, 2001 will first be sent to our stockholders on or about April 5, 2002.
All properly completed proxies received prior to the Annual Meeting and not revoked will be voted in accordance with your instructions. IF NO SUCH INSTRUCTIONS ARE MADE, THEN PROXIES WILL BE VOTED:
If any other matters come before the Annual Meeting, the persons named as proxies will vote upon such matters according to their judgment.
We encourage the personal attendance of our stockholders at the Annual Meeting. The execution of the accompanying proxy will not affect a stockholder's right to attend the Annual Meeting and to vote in person.
Proxies may be revoked if you:
In addition to the solicitation of proxies by use of the mail, officers, directors and regular employees, we may solicit the return of proxies by personal interview, mail, telephone, facsimile and/or through the Internet. These persons will not be additionally compensated, but will be reimbursed for out-of-pocket expenses. We will also request brokerage houses and other custodians, nominees and fiduciaries to forward solicitation material to the beneficial owners of shares. We will reimburse such persons and the transfer agent for their reasonable out-of- pocket expenses in forwarding such materials. We will bear the cost of the solicitation.
Our annual report to security holders covering our fiscal year ended October 31, 2001 (the "Annual Report"), including audited financial statements, is enclosed herewith. The Annual Report does not form any part of the materials for the solicitation of proxies.
Only stockholders of record at the close of business on March 28, 2002 will be entitled to notice of and to vote at the Annual Meeting. On February 22, 2002 we had issued and outstanding 13,808,494 shares of its common stock, $.001 par value per share (the "Common Stock"), which is the only class of its capital stock outstanding. Each share of Common Stock is entitled to one vote on each matter presented to the stockholders. The presence, in person or by proxy, of the holders of a majority of the issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock is necessary to constitute a quorum at the Annual Meeting.
Abstentions and broker non-votes are counted for the purposes of determining the presence or absence of a quorum for the transaction of business. Abstentions are counted in the tabulations of votes cast on proposals presented to the stockholders, while broker non-votes are not counted for purposes of determining whether a proposal has been approved. A broker non-vote occurs if a broker or other nominee does not have discretionary authority and has not received instructions with respect to a particular item. Assuming the presence of a quorum, the affirmative vote of the holders on the record date of a plurality of the shares of Common Stock outstanding, represented in person or by proxy at the Annual Meeting, is required to elect our directors. Stockholders may not cumulate their votes in the election of directors. All matters other than the election of directors submitted for a vote at the Annual Meeting will be decided by a majority of the votes cast on the matter, provided that a quorum exists, except as otherwise provided by law or in our Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws. Stockholders who fail to return a proxy or attend the Annual Meeting will not count towards determining any required plurality, majority or quorum.
PROPOSAL ONE: ELECTION OF DIRECTORS
Five directors are to be elected at the Meeting, to serve until our next annual meeting of stockholders and until their respective successors are elected and qualified, or until their earlier resignation or removal. Four of the nominees listed below currently serve as our directors and were elected to our Board of Directors at our 2001 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. Unless authority to vote for one or more nominees is withheld, the enclosed proxy will be voted FOR the election of all of the nominees listed below. Although the Board of Directors does not contemplate that any of the nominees will be unable to serve, if such a situation arises prior to the Meeting, the persons named in the enclosed proxy will vote for the election of such other person(s) as may be nominated by the Board of Directors.
The following table sets forth certain information regarding our existing executive officers and directors and persons who have been nominated to be our directors.
Name |
Age |
Position with the Company |
||
---|---|---|---|---|
John Jenkins | 40 | Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, President and Director | ||
Allen Sciarillo | 37 | Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Secretary, DirectorNominee | ||
Lawrence Vierra | 56 | Executive Vice President and Director | ||
Robert M. Fidler | 62 | Director | ||
Nick DeMare | 46 | Director |
JOHN JENKINS has served as our Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer since October 2001. Mr. Jenkins was our President and a director from December 1999 to October 2001. Mr. Jenkins has also served as the President of Dial Thru.com, Inc., one of our subsidiaries, since November 1999. In May of 1997, Mr. Jenkins founded Dial Thru International Corporation, a California corporation now known as DTI LIQ-CO, Inc. (subsequently dissolved in November 2000), and served as its President and Chief Executive Officer until joining us in November 1999. Prior to 1997, Mr. Jenkins served as the President and Chief Financial Officer for Golden Line Technology, a
2
French telecommunications company. Prior to entering the telecommunications industry, Mr. Jenkins owned and operated several software, technology and real estate companies. Mr. Jenkins holds degrees in physics and business/economics.
ALLEN SCIARILLO has been our Chief Financial Officer since July 2001. From January to March 2001, Mr. Sciarillo was the Chief Financial Officer of Star Telecommunications, Inc., a global facilities-based telecommunications carrier. Prior to that time, from July 1999 Mr. Sciarillo served as Chief Financial Officer of InterPacket Networks until its acquisition by American Tower Corporation in December 2000. From October 1997 to June 1999, he served as Chief Financial Officer of RSL Com USA, a division of RSL Com Ltd., a global facilities-based telecommunications carrier. Prior to joining RSL, Mr. Sciarillo was Vice President and Controller of Hospitality Worldwide Services, Inc. from July 1996 to October 1997. Mr. Sciarillo began his career at Deloitte & Touche and is a Certified Public Accountant.
LAWRENCE VIERRA has served as our Executive Vice President and a Director since January 2000. From 1995 through 1999, Mr. Vierra served as the Executive Vice President of RSL COM U.S.A., Inc., an international telecommunications company, where Mr. Vierra was primarily responsible for international sales. From 1987 through 1995, Mr. Vierra was a Vice President with GTE Corporation, a telecommunications company, with primary responsibilities for sales and marketing. Prior to 1987, Mr. Vierra held senior executive positions in international sales, marketing and business development with various companies such as ITC, Sprint Corporation and Charles Schwab. Mr. Vierra has also served on the board of directors and executive committees of various telecommunications companies. Mr. Vierra has extensive knowledge and experience in the international sales and marketing of telecommunications products and services. Mr. Vierra holds degrees in marketing and business administration.
ROBERT M. FIDLER has served as one of our directors since November 1994. Mr. Fidler joined Atlantic Richfield Company (ARCO) in 1960, was a member of ARCO's executive management team from 1976 to 1994 and was ARCO's manager of New Marketing Programs from 1985 until his retirement in 1994. Mr. Fidler has extensive knowledge and experience in managing retail petroleum operations.
NICK DEMARE has served as one of our directors since January 1991. Since May 1991, Mr. DeMare has been the President and Chief Financial Officer of Chase Management Ltd., where his overall responsibility includes providing a broad range of administrative, management and financial services to private and public companies with varied interests in mineral exploration and development, precious and base metals production, oil and gas, venture capital and computer software. Mr. DeMare has served and continues to serve on the boards of a number of Canadian public companies. Mr. DeMare also serves on the board of directors of North Lily Mining Co., a mining company, and LEK International, Inc., an oil and gas company. Mr. DeMare is a Chartered Accountant (Canada).
Meetings of the Board of Directors
The Board of Directors held one meeting during the fiscal year ended October 31, 2001. The Board of Directors has two standing committees: an Audit Committee and a Compensation Committee. There is no standing nominating committee. Each of the directors attended the meeting of the Board of Directors and all meetings of any committee on which such director served.
Committees of the Board of Directors
During our 2001 fiscal year, our Audit Committee consisted of Nick DeMare and Robert M. Fidler.
The Audit Committee makes recommendations to the Board of Directors or management concerning the engagement of our independent public accountants and matters relating to our financial statements,
3
our accounting principles and our system of internal accounting controls. The Audit Committee also reports its recommendations to the Board of Directors as to the approval of our financial statements. The Audit Committee held one meeting during the fiscal year ended October 31, 2001.
During our 2001 fiscal year, our Compensation Committee consisted of Nick DeMare and Robert M. Fidler. The Compensation Committee is responsible for considering and making recommendations to the Board of Directors regarding executive compensation and is also responsible for administration of our stock option and executive incentive compensation plans. The Compensation Committee held no meetings during the fiscal year ended October 31, 2001.
Compensation of Directors
Each director who is not one of our officers receives a fee of $1,500 for each Board meeting attended. Directors are not compensated for attending committee meetings. Further, all directors participate in our Stock Option Plan and are awarded non-qualified stock options for 5,000 shares of Common Stock annually for service on the Board of Directors. As of February 1, 2002 such shares have not yet been issued.
SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS, DIRECTORS AND MANAGEMENT
The following table sets forth certain information as of February 22, 2002, concerning those persons known to us, based on information obtained from such persons, our records and schedules required to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and delivered to us, with respect to the beneficial ownership of our Common Stock by (i) each stockholder known by us to own beneficially 5% or more of such outstanding Common Stock, (ii) each of our current directors and each nominee for election as a director, (iii) each Executive Officer listed in the Summary Compensation Table below (the "Named Executive Officers") and (iv) all of our executive officers and directors as a group. Except as otherwise indicated below, each of the entities or persons named in the table has sole voting and
4
investment power with respect to all shares of Common Stock beneficially owned. Effect has been given to shares reserved for issuance under outstanding stock options and warrants where indicated.
Name and address of Beneficial Owner |
Nature of Beneficial Ownership |
Percent of Class(1) |
|||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dodge Jones Foundation 400 Pine Street, Suite 900 Abilene, Texas 79601 |
1,000,000 | 7.24 | % | ||
Joseph E. Canon Dodge Jones Foundation P.O. Box 176 Abilene, Texas 79601 |
1,000,000 |
(2) |
7.24 |
% |
|
John Jenkins 700 South Flower, Suite 2950 Los Angeles, CA 90017 |
2,186,490 |
(3) |
15.83 |
% |
|
Lawrence Vierra 2353 Dolphin Court Henderson, NV 89014 |
335,000 |
(4) |
2.43 |
% |
|
Nick DeMare Chase Management 1090 West Georgia Street, Suite 1305 Vancouver, BC V6E 3V7 |
25,280 |
(5) |
0.18 |
% |
|
Robert M. Fidler 987 Laguna Road Pasadena, California 91105 |
44,000 |
(5) |
0.32 |
% |
|
Roger Bryant 815 Cambridge Manor Lane Coppell, Texas 75019 |
415,000 |
(6) |
3.01 |
% |
|
Allen Sciarillo 700 South Flower, Suite 2950 Los Angeles, CA 90017 |
25,000 |
(7) |
0.18 |
% |
|
All Executive Officers and Directors as a group (6 persons) |
3,015,770 |
21.77 |
% |
5
CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS
In connection with the acquisition of Dial Thru International Corporation on November 2, 1999, we assumed a related party note payable to John Jenkins of approximately $400,000. The note bore interest at 6% per annum, and was payable in quarterly installments. The balance due at October 31, 2000 was $346,000 and was included in our financial statements as a current liability. During the fiscal year ended October 31, 2001, we borrowed an additional $1,502,401 from Mr. Jenkins, and used a majority of the proceeds for its acquisition of certain assets and executory contracts of Rapid Link Incorporated. The total balance due in October 2001 was approximately $1,847,000, of which $1,745,958 was transferred to a long-term convertible note. The remaining balance of approximately $102,493 at October 31, 2001 is included in our financial statements under Notes Payable to Shareholder.
In October 2001, we executed 10% convertible notes (the "Notes") with three of our executives, which provided financing of $1,945,958. The Notes were issued to John Jenkins, Chief Executive Officer, in the principal amount of $1,745,958, Allen Sciarillo, Chief Financial Officer, in the principal amount of $100,000, and Larry Vierra, Executive Vice President, in the principal amount of $100,000. The maturity date of each Note is October 24, 2003. Each Note is secured by all of our assets. Each Note is convertible into our common stock at the option of the holder at each of the six, twelve, eighteen and twenty-four month anniversary of the date of issuance of that Note. The conversion price is equal to the closing bid price of our common stock on the last trading day immediately preceding the conversion. We also issued to the holders of the Notes warrants to acquire an aggregate of 1,945,958 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $0.78 per share, which expire on October 24, 2003.
Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation
None of our executive officers or directors serves as a member of the Board of Directors or Compensation Committee of any other entity which has one or more executive officers serving as a member of our Board of Directors. During our fiscal year 2001 Messrs. DeMare and Fidler each served as a member of the Compensation Committee of our Board of Directors.
6
The following table summarizes the compensation we paid and our subsidiaries paid during the years ended October 31, 2001, 2000, and 1999 for services in all capacities to each of our chief executive officer and our other executive officers of whose total annual salary and bonus exceeded $100,000 during fiscal 2001.
Name and Principal Position |
Year |
Salary($) |
Bonus($) |
Other Annual Compensation |
Securities Underlying Options/ Warrants(#) |
All Other Compensation |
|||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
John Jenkins Chairman, CEO and Director |
2001 2000 1999 |
108,833 175,950 |
|
|
700,000 |
1,599 |
(1) |
||||||
Larry Vierra Executive Vice President and Director |
2001 2000 1999 |
104,167 |
|
|
300,000 |
|
|||||||
Roger Bryant |
2001 2000 1999 |
126,571 200,750 200,000 |
82,066 |
(3) |
|
300,000 |
(4) |
4,115 5,860 |
(2) (5) |
The following table sets forth information with respect to the number of options held at fiscal year end and the aggregate value of in-the-money options held at fiscal year end by each of the Named Executive Officers.
7
Option Grants in Last Fiscal Year
|
|
|
|
|
Potential Realizable Value at Assumed Annual Rates of Stock Price Appreciation For Option Term(1) |
|||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Number of Securities Underlying Options/ SAR's Granted(#) |
% of Total Options Granted to Employees in Fiscal Year |
|
|
||||||||
Name |
Exercise Price($) |
Expiration Date |
||||||||||
5%($) |
10%($) |
|||||||||||
John Jenkins | 700,000 | 36 | % | 0.42 | 8/20/2006 | 81,227 | 179,490 | |||||
Larry Vierra | | | | | | | ||||||
Roger Bryant | | | | | | |
The following table sets forth information with respect to the number of options held at fiscal year end and the aggregate value of in-the-money options held at fiscal year end by each of the Named Executive Officers.
Aggregated Option Exercises in Last Fiscal Year and Fiscal Year End Option Values
|
|
|
Number of Securities Underlying Unexercised Options at FY-END(#) |
Value of Unexercised in-the-money Options FY-END(1) |
||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Name |
Shares Acquired on Exercise(#) |
Value Realized($) |
||||||||||
Exercisable |
Unexercisable |
Exercisable($) |
Unexercisable($) |
|||||||||
John Jenkins | | | | 700,000 | | 196,000 | ||||||
Roger Bryant(2) | 39,000 | 52,588 | 455,000 | | 104,250 | | ||||||
Larry Vierra(3) | | | 200,000 | 100,000 | | |
Employment Agreements
We do not currently have employment agreements with any of our officers or employees.
COMPENSATION COMMITTEE REPORT ON EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
The Compensation Committee is responsible for implementing, overseeing and administering the Company's overall compensation policy. The basic objectives of that policy are to (a) provide compensation levels that are fair and competitive with peer companies, (b) align pay with performance
8
and (c) where appropriate, provide incentives which link executive and stockholder interests and long-term corporate objectives through the use of equity-based incentives. Overall, the compensation program is designed to attract, retain and motivate high quality and experienced employees at all levels. The principal elements of executive officer compensation are base pay, bonus and stock options, together with health benefits. The various aspects of the compensation program, as applied to the Company's Name Executive Officers, are outlined below.
Executive officer compensation is, in large part, determined by the individual officer's ability to achieve his or her performance objectives. Each of to the Company's Name Executive Officers participates in the development of an annual business strategy from which individual objectives are established and performance goals are measured periodically. Initially, the objectives are proposed by the particular officer involved. Those objectives are then determined by the Chief Executive Officer or, in the case of Mr. Jenkins's objectives, by the Board of Directors.
Base Pay
Initially, base pay was established at levels that were considered to be sufficient to attract experienced personnel but which would not exhaust available resources. As the Company grows, the compensation focus continues to emphasize other areas of compensation. Executive officers understand that their principal opportunities for substantial compensation lay not in enhanced base salary, but rather through appreciation in the value of previously granted stock options. Thus, base pay has not represented the most critical element of executive officer compensation.
Mr. Jenkins is currently negotiating an employment contract with the Company. Given Mr. Jenkins equity ownership in the Company, the Compensation Committee recognizes that the Chief Executive Officer's principal financial incentives are more directly related to the market price of the Company's Common Stock than to the dollar amount of cash compensation paid to him.
Mr. Jenkins, the Company's President and Chief Operating Officer through September 2001, was promoted to the position of CEO in October 2001. Mr. Jenkins base pay for fiscal 2001 was established at an amount considered below market in comparison to executive compensation levels for companies of similar size and maturity. The Compensation Committee established, and Mr. Jenkins accepted, below market compensation at the beginning of fiscal 2001, based on a variety of factors, including the performance of the Company, the ability of the Company to obtain funding to support its operational cash flow requirements, and a desire to save the Company the expense of compensation at market levels. The Compensation Committee set Mr. Jenkins salary at $100,000 per annum for fiscal 2001, compared to $175,950 for fiscal 2000.
Bonus
The Compensation Committee has determined that a cash incentive plan will be implemented when the Company is able to achieve positive operating results.
Stock Options
The Compensation Committee believes that a stock option plan provides capital accumulation opportunities to participants in a manner that fosters the alignment of the participants' interests and risks with the interests and risks of public stockholders. The Compensation Committee further believes that stock options can function to assure the continuing retention and loyalty of employees. Options that have been granted to the Name Executive Officers typically carry three-year vesting schedules. If these officers leave the Company's employ before their options are fully vested, they will lose a portion of the benefits that they might otherwise receive if they remain in the Company's employ for the entire vesting period. Stock option grants have been based upon amounts deemed necessary to attract qualified employees and amounts deemed necessary to retain such employees and to equitably reward
9
high performance employees for their contributions to our development. For most of the Company's executive officers, stock options generally constitute the most substantial portion of the Company's compensation program.
The Compensation Committee believes that an appropriate compensation program can help in fostering competitive operations if the program reflects a suitable balance between providing appropriate awards to key employees while at the same time effectively controlling compensation costs, principally by establishing cash compensation at competitive levels and emphasizing supplemental compensation that correlates the performance of individuals, the Company and its Common Stock.
This report has been furnished by the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors.
Nick
DeMare, Chairman
Robert M. Fidler
Audit Committee Charter
The Board has adopted an Audit Committee Charter which is attached to this Proxy Statement as Appendix A.
Independence of Audit Committee Members
The Common Stock is quoted on the OTC Bulletin Board and is governed by the standards applicable thereto. All members of the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors have been determined to be "independent directors" pursuant to the definition contained in Rule 4200(a)(15) of the National Association of Securities Dealers' Marketplace rules.
In connection with the preparation and filing of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended October 31, 2001:
By: The Audit Committee of the Board of Directors | ||
Nick DeMare, Chairman Robert Fidler |
10
Changes in Certifying Accountant
(a) Previous independent accountants
On November 2, 2001, we dismissed King Griffin & Adamson P.C. as our independent accountant.
The audit reports of King Griffin & Adamson P.C. on our consolidated financial statements as of and for the years ended October 31, 2000 and 1999, the two most recent fiscal years audited by King Griffin and Adamson P.C., did not contain any adverse opinion or disclaimer of opinion, nor were they qualified or modified as to uncertainty, audit scope or accounting principles, except that King Griffin and Adamson P.C.'s report on our financial statements for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2000 contained a modification as to the uncertainty of our ability to continue as a going concern.
Our Audit Committee participated in and approved the decision to change independent accountants.
In connection with the audits for the two years ended October 31, 2000, and through November 2, 2001, there were no disagreements with King Griffin & Adamson P.C. on any matter of accounting principle or practice, financial statement disclosure, or auditing scope or procedure, which disagreements if not resolved to the satisfaction of King Griffin & Adamson P.C. would have caused them to make reference to them in their report on the financial statements for those years.
During the two fiscal years ended October, 31, 2000, and through November 2, 2001, there were no reportable events (as defined in Item 304(a)(1)(v) of Regulation S-K under the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934).
We requested that King Griffin & Adamson P.C. furnish a letter stating whether or not it agrees with the above statements. A copy of this letter dated November 5, 2001 is attached hereto as Appendix B and is incorporated herein by reference.
(b) New independent accountants
We engaged Arthur Andersen LLP as our new independent accountants as of November 2, 2001. During the two fiscal years ended October 31, 2000, and through November 2, 2001, we did not consult with Arthur Andersen LLP regarding the following:
Audit Fees
For the year ended October 31, 2001, our current independent public accounts Arthur Andersen LLP, billed us an aggregate of $125,000, and King, Griffin & Adamson P.C., our former independent public accountants, billed us an aggregate of $38,069 for professional services rendered for the audit of our financial statements for such period and the reviews of the financial statements included in our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q during such period.
11
Financial Information Systems Design and Implementation Fees.
There were no financial information systems design and implementation services rendered for the year ended October 31, 2001.
All Other Fees
We were billed $20,979 for non-audit services (other than the non-audit services described above) rendered by King, Griffin & Adamson P.C. during the year ended October 31, 2001.
Stock Performance Graph
The following graph compares the percentage change in the cumulative total shareholder return on our Common Stock with the cumulative total return of the Nasdaq Stock Market (U.S.) Composite Index and the Nasdaq Stock Market Telecommunications Index (IXTC-O) for the five year period ended October 31, 2001. For purposes of the graph, it is assumed that the value of the investment in our Common Stock and each index was $100 on October 31, 1996 and that all dividends were reinvested.
The comparison in the graph below is based solely on historical data and is not intended to forecast the possible future performance of our Common Stock.
COMPARISON OF FIVE YEAR
CUMULATIVE TOTAL RETURN AMONG DIAL THRU INTERNATIONAL CORP.,
THE NASDAQ STOCK MARKET (U.S.) COMPOSITE INDEX AND THE NASDAQ STOCK MARKET
CUMULATIVE TOTAL RETURN |
October 31, 1996 |
October 31, 1997 |
October 31, 1998 |
October 31, 1999 |
October 31, 2000 |
October 31, 2001 |
||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dial Thru International Corporation | $ | 100.0 | $ | 87.1 | $ | 16.1 | $ | 45.2 | $ | 79.0 | $ | 36.1 | ||||||
Nasdaq 100 | $ | 100.0 | $ | 135.6 | $ | 186.2 | $ | 350.7 | $ | 436.5 | $ | 181.5 | ||||||
Nasdaq Telecom | $ | 100.0 | $ | 141.4 | $ | 191.2 | $ | 356.0 | $ | 299.6 | $ | 101.5 |
12
COMPLIANCE WITH SECTION 16(A) OF THE EXCHANGE ACT
Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, requires our directors and executive officers and persons who own more than 10% of our common stock to file with the SEC initial reports of ownership and reports of changes in ownership of our common stock and other equity securities. Officers, directors and greater than 10% stockholders are required by SEC regulations to furnish us with copies of all Section 16(a) reports they file. To our knowledge, based solely on the review of the copies of such reports filed during the fiscal year ended October 31, 2000, all Section 16(a) filing requirements applicable to its officers, directors and greater than 10% beneficial owners were complied with, except that the Form 5 Annual Statement of Beneficial Ownership of Securities Reports to have been filed by John Jenkins, Allen Sciarillo and Larry Vierra by December 15, 2001 were filed on February 13, 2002.
PROPOSAL TWO: RATIFICATION OF SELECTION OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS
Our Board of Directors has approved Arthur Andersen LLP to serve as our independent auditors for the fiscal year ending October 31, 2002, and recommends ratification by the stockholders of such appointment. Such ratification requires the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of our Common Stock entitled to vote on this matter and represented in person or by proxy at the Meeting. Abstentions on this proposal will have the same legal effect as a vote against this proposal. Broker non-votes will have no effect on the outcome of the vote on this proposal. In the event the appointment is not ratified, our Board of Directors will consider the appointment of other independent auditors. Our Board of Directors may terminate the appointment of Arthur Andersen LLP as our independent auditors without the approval of our stockholders if our Board of Directors deems such termination necessary or appropriate.
A representative of Arthur Andersen LLP is expected to be present at the Annual Meeting and will have an opportunity to make a statement if he or she so desires. The representative is expected to be available to respond to appropriate questions from stockholders.
Any stockholder who wishes to submit a proposal for inclusion in our proxy materials and for presentation at our 2003 Annual Meeting of Stockholders must forward such proposal to our Secretary at the address indicated on the first page of this proxy statement, in the form required by the rules and regulations promulgated by the SEC, so that the Secretary receives it no later than December 6, 2002.
Advance Notice Requirements
Our bylaws require that stockholder proposals and director nominations by stockholders be made in compliance with certain advance notice requirements set forth in our bylaws. For business to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a stockholder, the stockholder must deliver a written notice to our Secretary no later than 90 days prior to the date of the scheduled meeting; however, if less than 100 days' notice or prior public disclosure of the date of the scheduled meeting is given, notice by the stockholder must be given no later than the close of business on the tenth day following our public disclosure or mailing of a notice setting forth the date of the annual meeting. A stockholder's notice to the Secretary with regard to an annual meeting shall be in the form required by our bylaws.
The Chairman of the meeting may refuse to bring any business before the meeting that is not properly brought before the meeting in accordance with our bylaws. Copies of our bylaws are available upon written request to our Secretary. The advance notice requirements for our annual meetings do not supersede the requirements or conditions established by the Securities and Exchange Commission for stockholder proposals to be included in our proxy materials for a meeting of stockholders.
13
Our Board of Directors is not aware of any other matters that are to be presented for action at the Annual Meeting. However, if any other matters properly come before the Annual Meeting or any adjournment(s) thereof, it is intended that the enclosed proxy will be voted in accordance with the judgment of the persons voting the proxy.
By Order of the Board of Directors | ||
/s/ ALLEN SCIARILLO Allen Sciarillo Secretary |
14
DIAL THRU INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
AUDIT COMMITTEE CHARTER
The Audit Committee is appointed by the Board to assist the Board in monitoring (1) the integrity of the financial statements of the Company, (2) the compliance by the Company with legal and regulatory requirements and (3) the independence and performance of the Company's internal and external auditors.
The members of the Audit Committee shall meet the independence and experience requirements of the National Association of Security Dealers, Inc. and The Nasdaq Stock Market, Inc. The members of the Audit Committee shall be appointed by the Board.
The Audit Committee shall have the authority to retain special legal, accounting or other consultants to advise the Committee. The Audit Committee may request any officer or employee of the Company or the Company's outside counsel or independent auditor to attend a meeting of the Committee or to meet with any members of, or consultants to, the Committee.
The Audit Committee shall make regular reports to the Board.
The Audit Committee shall:
15
While the Audit Committee has the responsibilities and powers set forth in this Charter, it is not the duty of the Audit Committee to plan or conduct audits or to determine that the Company's financial statements are complete and accurate and are in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. This is the responsibility of management and the independent auditor; nor is it the duty of the Audit Committee to conduct investigations, to resolve disagreements, if any, between management and the independent auditor.
16
LETTER FROM KING GRIFFIN & ADAMSON P.C. DATED NOVEMBER 5, 2001
November 5, 2001
Securities
and Exchange Commission
450 5th Street N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20549
RE: DIAL-THRU INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
We have read the statements that we understand Dial-Thru International Corporation will include under Item 4 of the Form 8-K report it will file regarding the recent change in auditors. We agree with such statements made regarding our firm. We have no basis to agree or disagree with other statements made under Item 4.
Very truly yours,
/s/ KING GRIFFIN & ADAMSON P.C.
KING GRIFFIN & ADAMSON P.C.
17
DIAL THRU INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
MAY 6, 2002
THIS PROXY IS SOLICITED ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The undersigned hereby constitutes and appoints Allen Sciarillo and John Jenkins, or either of them, as the true and lawful attorneys and proxies of the undersigned, with full power of substitution, to represent the undersigned and to vote all of the shares of Common Stock of Dial Thru International Corporation (the "Company"), that the undersigned is entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders of the Company to be held on May 6, 2002 (the "Meeting") and at any adjournments thereof.
1. | Election of Directors: |
/ / | FOR ALL nominees named below (except as marked to the contrary) |
/ / | WITHHOLD AUTHORITY to vote for all nominees named below |
John Jenkins, Nick DeMare, Robert M. Fidler, Lawrence Vierra, Allen Sciarillo
(INSTRUCTION: To withhold authority to vote for any individual nominee, write the nominee's name on the line below.)
2. To ratify the selection of Arthur Andersen LLP to serve as independent public accountants for the Company for the 2002 fiscal year.
/ / |
FOR |
/ / |
AGAINST |
/ / |
ABSTAIN |
In their discretion, to vote upon such other business as may properly come before the meeting or any adjournments thereof.
(Continued and to be signed on Reverse Side)
(Continued from Other Side)
THIS PROXY WILL BE VOTED AS SPECIFIED. IF NO SPECIFIC DIRECTIONS ARE GIVEN, THIS PROXY WILL BE VOTED FOR THE ELECTION OF DIRECTORS, FOR EACH OTHER PROPOSAL SET FORTH HEREIN AND IN THE DISCRETION OF THE PROXY HOLDERS ON ALL OTHER MATTERS THAT MAY PROPERLY COME BEFORE THE MEETING.
All proxies to vote at the Meeting or any adjournment thereof previously given by the undersigned are hereby revoked.
[INSERT MAILING LABEL]
Signature of Shareholder |
Dated |
||||||
Signature (if jointly owned) Please sign exactly as the name appears on the certificate or certificates representing shares to be voted by the proxy. When signing as executor, administrator, attorney trustee or guardian, please give full title as such. If a corporation, please sign in full corporate name by president or other authorized person. If a partnership, please sign in partnership name by authorized person.
PLEASE MARK, SIGN, DATE AND RETURN THIS PROXY PROMPTLY USING THE ENCLOSED ENVELOPE.