Filed by the Registrant x | Filed by a Party other than the Registrant o |
o |
Preliminary
Proxy Statement
|
o |
Confidential,
for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by
Rule 14a-6(e)(2))
|
x |
Definitive
Proxy Statement
|
o |
Definitive
Additional Materials
|
o |
Soliciting
Material Pursuant to §240.14a-12
|
x |
No
fee required.
|
o |
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:
|
o |
Fee
paid previously with preliminary
materials.
|
o |
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:
|
For
the Year Ended December 31,
|
|||||
|
2005
|
2004
|
2003
|
2002
|
2001
|
(Each
U.S. Dollar Purchases the Following Number of Canadian
dollars)
|
|||||
High
|
1.2703
|
1.3970
|
1.5750
|
1.6128
|
1.6023
|
Low
|
1.1507
|
1.1775
|
1.2923
|
1.5108
|
1.4933
|
Average
|
1.2083
|
1.2984
|
1.3916
|
1.5702
|
1.5519
|
Year
End
|
1.1656
|
1.2034
|
1.2923
|
1.5800
|
1.5925
|
Name
& Province/State
and
Country
|
Office
with
Corporation
|
Period
of Service
as
a Director
|
Number
of Common Shares
Beneficially
Owned or Over
Which
Control is Exercised
as
of March 31, 2006(1)
|
|
|
|
|
Michel
Bazinet
|
Director
(B)
|
Since
2004
|
35,000(2)
|
Quebec,
Canada
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jon
N. Bengtson
|
Director
(A)
|
Since
2003
|
85,000
(3)
|
Nevada,
U.S.A.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
James
Golla
|
Director
(B)
|
Since
1994
|
98,000
(4)
|
Ontario,
Canada
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Alan
J. Gotcher
Nevada,
U.S.A.
|
President,
Chief Executive Officer and Director
|
Since
2004
|
473,542(5)
|
|
|
|
|
George
Hartman
|
Director
(A)
|
Since
1997
|
70,800
(6)
|
Ontario,
Canada
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Christopher
E. Jones
|
Director
(A)
|
Since
2004
|
85,000(7)
|
California,
U.S.A.
|
|
|
|
(A)
Member of Audit Committee
|
|||
(B)
Member of Compensation, Corporate Governance and Nominations Committee
(the
“Compensation and Nominating
Committee”)
|
(1)
|
The
information as to Common Shares beneficially owned or over which
control
or direction is exercised is not within the knowledge of the Corporation
and has been furnished by the respective nominees individually. This
information includes all Common Shares issuable pursuant to the exercise
of options that are exercisable within 60 days of March 31, 2006.
Does not
include any Common Shares subject to options that are not exercisable
within 60 days of March 31, 2006 or subject to options that vest
only upon
the occurrence of events, such as a rise in the market price of the
Common
Shares, outside of the control of the optionee.
|
(2)
|
Includes
25,000 Common Shares subject to options granted to Mr. Bazinet pursuant
to
the Corporation’s 1998 Stock Option Plan (the “1998
Plan”).
|
(3)
|
Includes
75,000 Common Shares subject to options granted to Mr. Bengtson pursuant
to the 1998 Plan.
|
(4)
|
Includes
10,000 Common Shares subject to options granted to Mr. Golla pursuant
to
the Corporation’s 1996 Stock Option Plan (the “1996 Plan”) and 60,000
Common Shares subject to options granted to Mr. Golla pursuant to
the 1998
Plan.
|
(5)
|
Includes
300,000 Common Shares subject to options granted to Mr. Gotcher pursuant
to the 1998 Plan and 91,802 Common Shares subject to options granted
to
Mr. Gotcher pursuant to the Corporation’s 2005 Stock Incentive Plan (the
"2005 Plan”). Includes 2,140 Common Shares owned by his wife and 500
Common Shares owned by his adult stepson, with respect to which Mr.
Gotcher disclaims beneficial ownership.
|
(6)
|
Includes
60,000 Common Shares subject to options granted to Mr. Hartman pursuant
to
the 1998 Plan.
|
(7)
|
Includes
75,000 Common Shares subject to options granted to Mr. Jones pursuant
to
the 1996 Plan.
|
Title
of Class
|
Name
and Address of Beneficial Owner
|
Amount
and Nature of
Beneficial
Ownership (1)
|
Percentage
of
Class
(2)
|
|
|
|
|
Common
|
Alan
J. Gotcher (President, Chief Executive Officer and
Director)
|
473,542(3)
|
*
|
|
930
Tahoe Blvd., #802-216
|
|
|
|
Incline
Village, Nevada 89451
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Common
|
Edward
H. Dickinson (Chief Financial Officer and Secretary)
|
408,692(4)
|
*
|
|
659
Caughlin Glen
|
|
|
|
Reno,
Nevada 89509
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Common
|
Douglas
K. Ellsworth (Senior Vice President)
|
149,392(5)
|
*
|
|
4310
Wild Eagle Terrace
|
|
|
|
Reno,
Nevada 89511
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Common
|
Roy
Graham (Senior Vice President)
|
29,961(6)
|
*
|
|
663
Tyner Way
|
|
|
|
Incline
Village, Nevada 89452
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Common
|
Bruce
J. Sabacky (Employee)
|
56,504(7)
|
*
|
|
8555
Council Lane
|
|
|
|
Reno,
Nevada 89511
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Common
|
Michel
Bazinet (Director)
|
35,000(8)
|
*
|
|
343
Brookfield Avenue
|
|
|
|
Mount-Royal,
Quebec H3P 2A7
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Common
|
Jon
N. Bengtson (Director)
|
85,000(9)
|
*
|
|
2370
Solari Drive
|
|
|
|
Reno,
Nevada 89509
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Common
|
James
I. Golla (Director)
|
98,000(10)
|
*
|
|
829
Terlin Boulevard
|
|
|
|
Mississauga,
Ontario L5H 1T1
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Common
|
George
Hartman (Director)
|
70,800(11)
|
*
|
|
136
Colborne
|
|
|
|
Fenelon
Falls, ON K0M 1N0
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Common
|
Christopher
Jones (Director)
|
85,000(12)
|
*
|
|
1140
Cuchara Drive
|
|
|
|
Del
Mar, California 92014
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Common
|
David
S. King (Director)
|
101,000(13)
|
*
|
|
123
Tenth St. SE
|
|
|
|
Washington,
D.C. 20003
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Common
|
All
Directors and Officers as a Group
|
1,592,891(14)
|
2.7%
|
|
(11
persons)
|
|
|
(1)
|
Includes
all Common Shares issuable pursuant to the exercise of options and
warrants that are exercisable within 60 days of March 31, 2006. Does
not
include any Common Shares subject to options that are not exercisable
within 60 days of March 31, 2006 or subject to options that vest
only upon
the occurrence of events, such as a rise in the market price of the
Common
Shares, outside of the control of the optionee.
|
(2)
|
Based
on 59,367,519 Common Shares outstanding as of March 31, 2006. Common
Shares underlying options, warrants or other convertible or exercisable
securities are, to the extent exercisable within 60 days of March
31,
2006, deemed to be outstanding for purposes of calculating the percentage
ownership of the owner of such convertible securities, but not for
purposes of calculating any other person’s percentage ownership.
|
(3)
|
Includes
300,000 Common Shares subject to options granted to Mr. Gotcher pursuant
to the 1998 Plan and 91,802 Common Shares subject to options granted
to
Mr. Gotcher pursuant to the 2005 Plan. Includes 2,140 Common Shares
owned
by his wife and 500 Common Shares owned by his adult stepson, with
respect
to which Mr. Gotcher disclaims beneficial ownership.
|
(4)
|
Includes
150,000 Common Shares subject to options granted to Mr. Dickinson
pursuant
to the 1996 Plan, 211,200 Common Shares subject to options granted
to Mr.
Dickinson pursuant to the 1998 Plan and 40,992 Common Shares subject
to
options granted to Mr. Dickinson pursuant to the 2005
Plan.
|
(5)
|
Includes
127,200 Common Shares subject to options granted to Mr. Ellsworth
pursuant
to the 1998 Plan and 16,859 Common Shares subject to options granted
to
Mr. Ellsworth pursuant to the 2005
Plan.
|
(6)
|
Includes
20,000 Common Shares subject to options granted to Mr. Graham pursuant
to
the 1998 Plan and 9,961 Common Shares subject to options granted
to Mr.
Graham pursuant to the 2005 Plan.
|
(7)
|
Includes
25,000 Common Shares subject to options granted to Mr. Sabacky pursuant
to
the 1998 Plan and 31,504 Common Shares subject to options granted
to Mr.
Sabacky pursuant to the 2005 Plan.
|
(8)
|
Includes
25,000 Common Shares subject to options granted to Mr. Bazinet pursuant
to
the 1998 Plan.
|
(9)
|
Includes
75,000 Common Shares subject to options granted to Mr. Bengtson pursuant
to the 1998 Plan.
|
(10)
|
Includes
10,000 Common Shares subject to options granted to Mr. Golla pursuant
to
the 1996 Plan and 60,000 Common Shares subject to options granted
to Mr.
Golla pursuant to the 1998 Plan.
|
(11)
|
Includes
60,000 Common Shares subject to options granted to Mr. Hartman pursuant
to
the 1998 Plan.
|
(12)
|
Includes
75,000 Common Shares subject to options granted to Mr. Jones pursuant
to
the 1996 Plan.
|
(13)
|
Includes
75,000 Common Shares subject to options granted to Mr. King pursuant
to
the 1996 Plan.
|
(14)
|
Includes
310,000 Common Shares subject to options granted to officers and
directors
pursuant to the 1996 Plan, 903,400 Common Shares subject to options
granted to officers and directors pursuant to the 1998 Plan and 191,118
Common Shares subject to options granted to officers and directors
pursuant to the 2005 Plan.
|
(a) |
Compensation
of Officers
|
Name
and Title
|
Fiscal
Year
Ended
Dec. 31,
|
Annual
Compensation
|
Long
Term Compensation
|
|
||||
Salary
|
Bonus
(1)
|
Other
Annual Compensation
|
Restricted
Shares
or
Restricted
Share
Units
|
Securities
Under
Options
Granted
|
LTIP
Payouts
|
All
Other
Compensation
|
||
(U.S.$)
|
(U.S.
$)
|
(U.S.$)
|
(#)
|
(#)
|
(U.S.
$)
|
(U.S.
$)
|
||
Alan
J. Gotcher, President, Chief Executive Officer and
Director
|
2005
|
291,347
|
111,877
|
Nil
|
Nil
|
100,000
|
Nil
|
Nil
|
2004
|
100,481
|
Nil
|
Nil
|
Nil
|
350,000
|
Nil
|
Nil
|
|
2003
|
Nil
|
Nil
|
Nil
|
Nil
|
Nil
|
Nil
|
Nil
|
|
Edward
H. Dickinson, Chief Financial Officer
|
2005
|
121,731
|
37,250
|
Nil
|
Nil
|
26,500
|
Nil
|
Nil
|
2004
|
112,500
|
17,250
|
Nil
|
Nil
|
Nil
|
Nil
|
Nil
|
|
2003
|
85,000
|
25,000
|
Nil
|
Nil
|
110,000
|
Nil
|
Nil
|
|
Douglas
K. Ellsworth,
Sr.
Vice President
|
2005
|
129,808
|
19,861
|
Nil
|
Nil
|
27,200
|
Nil
|
Nil
|
2004
|
122,343
|
18,750
|
Nil
|
Nil
|
Nil
|
Nil
|
Nil
|
|
2003
|
105,774
|
40,000
|
Nil
|
Nil
|
110,000
|
Nil
|
Nil
|
|
Roy
Graham,
Sr.
Vice President
|
2005
|
154,462
|
16,682
|
Nil
|
Nil
|
100,000
|
Nil
|
Nil
|
2004
|
Nil
|
Nil
|
Nil
|
Nil
|
Nil
|
Nil
|
Nil
|
|
2003
|
Nil
|
Nil
|
Nil
|
Nil
|
Nil
|
Nil
|
Nil
|
|
Bruce
J. Sabacky,
Vice
President of Altair Nanomaterials, Inc.
|
2005
|
117,692
|
36,014
|
Nil
|
Nil
|
25,000
|
Nil
|
Nil
|
2004
|
113,481
|
12,938
|
Nil
|
Nil
|
Nil
|
Nil
|
Nil
|
|
2003
|
99,463
|
13,215
|
Nil
|
Nil
|
110,000
|
Nil
|
Nil
|
(1)
|
Represents
bonus earned with respect to indicated fiscal year. Bonuses are generally
paid in the subsequent fiscal year.
|
(b)
|
Option
Grants in 2005
|
Name
|
Securities
Under options Granted
|
Grant
Date
|
%
of Total
Options
Granted
to
Employees in
Financial
Year
|
Exercise
Price
per
Share
(US$)
|
Market
Value of Securities Underlying Options on the Date of Grant
(US$)
|
Expiration
Date
|
Potential
Realizable Value
at
Assumed Rates of Share
Price
Appreciation for
Option
Term (US$)
5%
10%
|
|
Alan
J. Gotcher,
President,
Chief Executive Officer and Director
|
100,000
|
04/08/05
|
16.9%
|
3.62
|
3.62
|
4/8/15
|
100,014
|
221,005
|
Edward
H. Dickinson,
Chief
Financial Officer
|
26,500
|
03/10/05
|
4.5%
|
4.07
|
4.07
|
3/10/15
|
29,798
|
65,847
|
Douglas
K. Ellsworth,
Sr.
Vice President
|
27,200
|
03/10/05
|
4.6%
|
4.07
|
4.07
|
3/10/15
|
30,585
|
67,586
|
Roy
Graham,
Sr.
Vice President
|
100,000
|
01/07/05
|
16.9%
|
2.25
|
2.25
|
1/7/10
|
62,163
|
137,365
|
Bruce
J. Sabacky,
Vice
President of Altair Nanomaterials, Inc.
|
25,000
|
03/10/05
|
4.2%
|
4.07
|
4.07
|
3/10/15
|
28,112
|
62,119
|
(c) |
Aggregated
Option Exercises and Year-end Option
Values
|
|
Securities
Acquired on Exercise
|
Aggregate
Value
Realized
|
Number
of Securities
Underlying
Unexercised
Options
at
December 31, 2005
|
Value
of Unexercised
In-the-Money
Options
at
December 31, 2005 (1)
|
||
|
Exercisable
|
Unexercisable
|
Exercisable
|
Unexercisable
|
||
Name
|
(#)
|
($)
|
(#)
|
(#)
|
($)
|
($)
|
Alan
J. Gotcher, Chief Executive
Officer
and Director
|
50,000
|
48,500
|
200,000
|
200,000
|
202,000
|
101,000
|
Edward
H. Dickinson, Chief
Financial
Officer
|
Nil
|
Nil
|
341,200
|
20,000
|
148,450
|
Nil
|
Douglas
K. Ellsworth, Sr. Vice
President
|
25,000
|
73,150
|
107,200
|
20,000
|
95,400
|
Nil
|
Roy
Graham, Sr. Vice
President
|
Nil
|
Nil
|
20,000
|
80,000
|
Nil
|
Nil
|
Bruce
J. Sabacky, Vice President
of
Altair Nanomaterials, Inc.
|
30,000
|
99,400
|
Nil
|
25,000
|
Nil
|
Nil
|
(d) |
Compensation
of Directors
|
Position
|
Additional
Compensation
|
Chairman
of the Board
|
$3,000
per quarter
|
Audit
or Compensation and Nominating Committee Chair
|
$1,000
per quarter
|
Audit
or Compensation and Nominating Committee Member
|
$1,000
per quarter
|
Other
Committee Chair or Member
|
Determined
upon formation of committee
|
(e) |
Employment
Contracts
|
(f)
|
Compensation
and Nominating Committee Interlocks and Insider
Participation
|
(g) |
Compensation
Committee Report on Executive
Compensation
|
(h)
|
Performance
Graph
|
12/31/00
|
12/31/01
|
12/31/02
|
12/31/03
|
12/31/04
|
12/31/05
|
|
Altair
Nanotechnologies Inc.
|
100
|
93
|
34
|
175
|
181
|
135
|
NASDAQ
Index
|
100
|
79
|
55
|
82
|
89
|
91
|
S&P
Specialty Chemicals Index
|
100
|
93
|
54
|
64
|
72
|
74
|
Plan
Category
|
Number
of securities to be
issued
upon exercise of
outstanding
options,
warrants
and rights
|
Weighted-average
exercise
price of
outstanding
options,
warrants
and rights
|
Number
of securities
remaining
available for
future
issuance under
equity
compensation plans
(excluding
securities
reflected
in column (a))
|
|
(a)
|
(b)
|
(c)
|
Equity
compensation plans approved by security holders
|
2,533,200
|
$2.69
|
3,568,000
|
Equity
compensation plans not approved by security
holders
|
None
|
N/A
|
None
|
Total
|
2,533,200
|
$2.69
|
3,568,000
|
1. |
The
Board of Directors
|
2. |
Board
Mandate
|
3. |
Position
Descriptions
|
4. |
Orientation
and Continuing Education
|
5. |
Ethical
Business Conduct
|
6. |
Nomination
of Directors
|
7. |
Compensation
|
8. |
Committees
|
9. |
Assessments
|
ALTAIR
NANOTECHNOLOGIES INC.
|
||
|
|
|
By: | /s/ Alan J. Gotcher | |
|
||
Alan
J. Gotcher, President and Chief Executive
Officer
|
·
|
Participating
in the selection, appointment, development, evaluation and compensation
of
the Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) and other senior officers directly and
through the Compensation and Nominating
Committee.
|
·
|
Promoting,
by the actions of the Board and its individual directors, a culture
of
integrity throughout the Company, consistent with the Company’s Code
of Conduct and
Code of Ethics.
By the Board’s oversight of senior officers, the Board will encourage the
CEO and other executive officers to act with integrity and to create
a
culture of integrity throughout the
Company.
|
·
|
Periodically
reviewing the Company’s Code
of Conduct and
Code of Ethics and making changes as
appropriate.
|
·
|
Overseeing
the reliability and integrity of the financial statements and other
publicly reported financial information, and of the disclosure principles
and practices followed by
management.
|
·
|
Overseeing
the integrity of the Company’s internal controls and management
information.
|
·
|
Reviewing
and approving an annual operating budget for the Company and its
subsidiaries on a consolidated basis and monitoring the Company’s
performance against such budget.
|
·
|
Reviewing
and approving quarterly financial statements and the release thereof
by
management.
|
·
|
Overseeing
the Company’s controls and procedures for the preparation and
dissemination of current reports and news releases in an effort to
ensure
that material information is disseminated in a timely and accurate
fashion.
|
·
|
Periodically
assessing the processes utilized by management with respect to risk
assessment and risk management, including the identification by management
of the principal risks of the business of the Company, and the
implementation by management of appropriate systems to deal with
such
risks.
|
·
|
Adopting
a strategic planning process pursuant to which management develops
and
proposes, and the Board reviews and approves, significant corporate
strategies and objectives, taking into account the opportunities
and risks
of the business.
|
·
|
Reviewing
and approving all major acquisitions, dispositions and investments
and all
significant financings and other significant matters outside the
ordinary
course of the Company’s business.
|
·
|
Overseeing
the development, implementation and operation of the Company’s corporate
governance initiatives.
|
·
|
Taking
appropriate steps to remain informed about the Board’s duties and
responsibilities and about the business and operations of the
Company.
|
·
|
Ensuring
that the Board receives from senior officers the information and
input
required to enable the Board to effectively perform its
duties.
|
·
|
Assessing
the performance of the Chairman of the Board, the Chairperson of
each
committee of the Board and each
director.
|
Canada
|
1-12497
|
33-1084375
|
(State
or other jurisdiction of
|
(Commission
|
(IRS
Employer
|
incorporation
or organization)
|
File
Number)
|
Identification
No.)
|
204
Edison Way
|
|
Reno,
NV
|
89502
|
(Address
of Principal Executive Offices)
|
(Zip
Code)
|
16.1 |
Letter
from Deloitte & Touche dated August 23, 2005.
|
Altair
Nanotechnologies Inc.
|
||
|
|
|
Dated: August 24, 2005 | By: | /s/ Alan Gotcher |
|
||
Alan
Gotcher
Chief
Executive Officer
|
Canada
|
1-12497
|
33-1084375
|
(State
or other jurisdiction of
|
(Commission
|
(IRS
Employer
|
incorporation
or organization)
|
File
Number)
|
Identification
No.)
|
204
Edison Way
|
|
Reno,
NV
|
89502
|
(Address
of Principal Executive Offices)
|
(Zip
Code)
|
99.1 |
Press
Release issued by the Company dated September 28, 2005.
|
Altair
Nanotechnologies Inc.
|
||
|
|
|
Dated: September 30, 2005 | By: | /s/ Alan Gotcher |
|
||
Alan
Gotcher
Chief
Executive Officer
|
(1)
|
ELECTION
OF DIRECTORS, each to serve until the next annual meeting of shareholders
of the Corporation or until their respective successor shall have
been
duly elected, unless earlier terminated in accordance with the bylaws
of
the Corporation, and shall qualify:
|
Michel
Bazinet
|
Jon
N. Bengtson
|
James
I. Golla
|
George
E. Hartman
|
Christopher
E. Jones
|
Alan
J. Gotcher
|
(2)
|
Proposal
to appoint Perry-Smith LLP as independent auditors of the Corporation
for
the fiscal year ending December 31, 2006 and to authorize the Audit
Committee of the Board of Directors to fix their
remuneration.
|
|
o FOR o
WITHHOLD
|
(3)
|
At
the nominee's discretion upon any amendments or variations to matters
specified in the notice of the Meeting, matters incident to the conduct
of
the Meeting, and upon any other matters as may properly come before
the
Meeting or any adjournments thereof about which the Corporation did
not
have notice as of the date 45 days before the date on which the
Corporation first mailed proxy materials to shareholders.
|
(1)
|
This
proxy must be signed by the shareholder or his attorney duly authorized
in
writing, or if the shareholder is a corporation, by the proper officers
or
directors under its corporate seal, or by an officer or attorney
thereof
duly authorized.
|
(2)
|
A
person appointed as nominee to represent a shareholder need not be
a
shareholder of the Corporation.
|
(3)
|
If
not dated, this proxy is deemed to bear the date on which it was
mailed on
behalf of the management of the
Corporation.
|
(4)
|
Each
shareholder who is unable to attend the Meeting is respectfully requested
to date and sign this form of proxy and return it using the self-addressed
envelope provided.
|
(1)
|
To
receive the audited financial statements of the Corporation for the
twelve
months ended December 31, 2005, together with the report of the
auditors thereon;
|
(2)
|
To
elect directors;
|
(3)
|
To
authorize the appointment of the auditors and to authorize the
Audit
Committee of the Board of Directors
to
fix their remuneration; and
|
(4)
|
To
transact such further or other business as may properly come before
the
Meeting or any adjournment or adjournments
thereof.
|