SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION
 
                  Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of
            the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (Amendment No.    )
 
    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))
    /X/  Definitive Proxy Statement
    / /  Definitive Additional Materials
    / /  Soliciting Material Pursuant to Section240.14a-11(c) or
         Section240.14a-12
 
                                 NORTECH SYSTEMS INCORPORATED
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                (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):
 
/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:
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     (2) Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies:
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     (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):
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     (4) Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction:
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     (5) Total fee paid:
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/ /  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:
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                          NORTECH SYSTEMS INCORPORATED
 
                                ---------------
 
                    NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
                            TO BE HELD MAY 19, 199827, 1999
 
                            ------------------------
 
TO THE SHAREHOLDERS OF NORTECH SYSTEMS INCORPORATED:
 
    The Annual Meeting of Shareholders of Nortech Systems Incorporated (the
"Company") will be held at the Wayzata Country Club, 200 West Wayzata Boulevard,
Wayzata, Minnesota, on May 19, 1998,27, 1999, at 4:00 p.m., for the following purposes:
 
    1.  To consider and act upon the Board of Directors' recommendation to fix
       the number of directors of the Company at four;
 
    2.  To elect a Board of Directors to serve for a one-year term and until
       their successors are elected and qualify;
 
    3.  To consider and vote upon a proposal to increase the number of shares of
       the Company available under the Company's 1992 Stock Option Plan;
 
    4.  To transact such other business as may properly come before the meeting
       or any adjournment thereof.
 
    Only shareholders of record at the close of business on April 6, 1998,15, 1999, will
be entitled to notice of and to vote at the meeting or any adjournment thereof.
 
    YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED TO ATTEND THE MEETING. WHETHER OR NOT YOU EXPECT
TO BE PRESENT AT THE MEETING, PLEASE COMPLETE, DATE AND SIGN THE ENCLOSED PROXY
AND RETURN IT PROMPTLY IN THE ENCLOSED ENVELOPE. IF YOU ATTEND THE MEETING, YOU
MAY REVOKE THE PROXY AND VOTE YOUR SHARES IN PERSON.
 
    Your attention is called to the accompanying Proxy Statement.
 
                                          By Order of the Board of Directors
                                          Quentin E. Finkelson
                                          SECRETARY
 
April 17, 199823, 1999

                          NORTECH SYSTEMS INCORPORATED
 
                                ---------------
 
                                PROXY STATEMENT
 
                            ------------------------
 
                  ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS, MAY 19, 199827, 1999
 
    This Proxy Statement is furnished to shareholders of NORTECH SYSTEMS
INCORPORATED, a Minnesota corporation (the "Company"), in connection with the
solicitation on behalf of the Company's Board of Directors of proxies for use at
the annual meeting of shareholders to be held on May 19, 1998,27, 1999, and at any
adjournment thereof, for the purposes set forth in the accompanying Notice of
Annual Meeting of Shareholders.
 
    The address of the principal executive office of the Company is 641 East
Lake Street, Suite 244, Wayzata, Minnesota 55391. This Proxy Statement and form
of Proxy are being mailed to shareholders of the Company on April 17, 1998.23, 1999.
 
                     SOLICITATION AND REVOCATION OF PROXIES
 
    The costs and expenses of solicitation of proxies will be paid by the
Company. In addition to the use of the mails, proxies may be solicited by
directors, officers and regular employees of the Company personally or by
telegraph, telephone or letter with extra compensation. The Company will
reimburse brokers and other custodians, nominees or fiduciaries for their
expenses in forwarding proxy material to principals and obtaining their proxies.
 
    Proxies in the form enclosed are solicited on behalf of the Board of
Directors. Any shareholder giving a proxy in such form may revoke it at any time
before it is exercised. Such proxies, if received in time for voting and not
revoked, will be voted at the annual meeting in accordance with the
specification indicated thereon.
 
                                 VOTING RIGHTS
 
    Only shareholders of record of the Company's 2,345,2622,416,411 shares of Common
Stock outstanding as of the close of business on April 6, 1998,15, 1999, will be
entitled to execute proxies or to vote. Each share of Common Stock is entitled
to one vote. A majority of the outstanding shares must be represented at the
meeting, in person or by proxy, to transact business.
 
                                       1

                             ELECTION OF DIRECTORS
 
    The bylaws of the Company provide for a Board of Directors consisting of one
or more members, and further provide that the shareholders at each annual
meeting shall determine the number of directors. The Company's Board of
Directors recommends that the number of directors be set at four and it is
intended that the proxies accompanying this statement will be voted at the 19981999
meeting to establish a Board of Directors consisting of four members. The BoardAll of Directors currently consiststhe
nominees are presently directors of three members, Quentin E. Finkelson, Myron
Kunin and Richard W. Perkins.the Company. Proxies solicited by the Board
of Directors will, unless otherwise directed, be voted for the election of the
following four nominees:
 
                                MICHAEL J. DEGEN
                              QUENTIN E. FINKELSON
                                  MYRON KUNIN
                               RICHARD W. PERKINS
 
    Following is information regarding the nominees:
 
NAME AGE POSITION - ------------------------ --- -------------------------------------------------------------- Michael J. Degen 53 Managing54 Director Worldwide Parts, The Toro Company Quentin E. Finkelson 6566 President and Chief Executive Officer, Secretary, and Chairman of the Board of Directors Myron Kunin 6970 Director Richard W. Perkins 6768 Director
Mr. Degen has beenis the Managing Director, Operations, of The Toro Company, a manufacturer of lawn mowers, snow throwers and other products. From 1995 to 1998, he was the Managing Director, Worldwide Parts, The Toro Company, since January, 1995. From May, 1991 through December, 1994, he was Managing Director of Operations, The Toro Company. He has been a director of the Company since May, 1998. Mr. Finkelson has been President and Chief Executive Officer, Secretary, and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Company since 1990. Mr. Kunin has served since 1983 as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Regis Corporation, since 1983.the world's largest owner, operator and franchisor of hair and retail hair product salons. He is alsohas been a director of The Cerplex Group, Inc.the Company since 1990. Mr. Perkins ishas served since 1985 as President, Chief Executive Officer and a director of Perkins Capital Management, Inc., Wayzata, Minnesota, where he has held those positions since 1985.a registered investment advisor. He is also a director of Bio-Vascular, Inc., Children's Broadcasting Corporation, CNS, Inc., Eagle Pacific Industries, Inc., Harmony Holdings, Inc., Lifecore Biomedical, Inc., Peerless Industrial Group, Inc., Quantech Ltd. and Vital Images, Inc. 2 He has been a director of the Company since 1993. DIRECTORS MEETINGS There were four meetingswas one meeting of the Board of Directors during the last fiscal year. All directors attended meetings of the Board and committees of the Board on which such director served. The Company does not have a standing nominating committee of the Board. The Compensation and Audit Committees consistCommittee consists of Messrs. Kunin and Perkins. All four present directors are members of the Audit Committee. 2 EXECUTIVE OFFICERS The Executive Officers of the Company are as follows:
NAME AGE POSITION - ------------------------ --- -------------------------------------------------------------- Quentin E. Finkelson 6566 President, Chief Executive Officer, Secretary and Chairman of the Board of Directors Gregory D. Tweed 4748 Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Garry M. Anderly 5152 Senior Vice President, Corporate Finance and Treasurer Peter L. Kucera 5253 Vice President, Corporate Quality Donald E. Horne 4950 Vice President, Corporate Procurement
Mr. Finkelson has been President and Chief Executive Officer, Secretary and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Company since 1990. Mr. Tweed has been Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the Company since May, 1996. From 1993 to May, 1996, he was Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Company. Mr. Anderly has been Senior Vice President, Corporate Finance and Treasurer of the Company since May 1996. He was Vice President of Finance and Administration from 1991 to May 1996. Mr. Kucera has been Vice President, Corporate Quality of the Company since 1991. Mr. Horne has been Vice President, Corporate Procurement of the Company, since December, 1997. From 1992 to November, 1997, he was Director of Materials, Bemidji operations. REPORT ON EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION The Compensation Committee is composed of the independent outside directors whose names appear following this report. The Committee considers a variety of issues in establishing compensation policies for executive officers, with the primary basis for compensation being the financial performance of the Company. Compensation for executive officers includes three elements: base salaries, bonuses, and options to acquire Common Stock. Salaries are based on factors such as the individual's level of responsibility and the amount of salary paid to executives with similar responsibilities in comparable companies. Stock options are designed to increase the incentive for an executive's interest in the Company's long term success as measured by the market value of its stock. The chief executive officer's compensation for 19971998 was based on the policies described above, with particular emphasis upon the Company's excellent financial performance. Further, it was determined that the compensation of the chief executive officer was comparable to compensation of chief executive officers 3 of comparable companies. The compensation of the other executive officers was set at the level necessary to attract and retain executives performing the functions being performed by such executives. Base salaries for executive officers are determined by evaluating the responsibilities of the position held and the experience and performance of the individual. Reference is also made to the competitive marketplace for executive talent. Myron Kunin Richard W. Perkins MEMBERS OF THE COMPENSATION COMMITTEE 43 SUMMARY COMPENSATION TABLE The following table shows, for the fiscal years ended December 31, 1998, 1997 1996 and 1995,1996, the cash compensation paid by the Company, as well as certain other compensation paid or accrued for those years, to the Company's chief executive officer, and each of the other two executive officers whose total annual compensation in 19971998 exceeded $100,000.
LONG-TERM COMPENSATION AWARDS ------------- NAME AND PRINCIPAL POSITION FISCAL YEAR SALARY($) BONUS($) OPTIONS(#) - -------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------- --------- --------------- ------------- Quentin E. Finkelson 1998 156,103 0 0 President/Chief Executive Officer 1997 146,550 0 50,000 President/Chief Executive OfficerSecretary, and Director 1996 130,707 0 0 Secretary, and Director 1995 130,707 0 50,000 Gregory D. Tweed 1998 124,200 0 0 Executive Vice President and 1997 116,600 0 20,000 Executive Vice President andChief Operating Officer 1996 104,000 0 0 Chief Operating Officer 1995 90,293Garry Anderly 1998 109,296 0 20,000 Garry Anderly0 Senior Vice President, 1997 102,608 0 20,000 Senior Vice President,Corporate Finance and Treasurer 1996 89,610 0 0 Corporate Finance and Treasurer 1995 84,427 0 10,000
STOCK OPTION GRANTS OPTION GRANTS IN LAST FISCAL YEAR The following table sets forth for each of the named executives theNo stock options were granted by the Company in fiscal 1997 and the potential value of these stock options determined pursuant1998 to Securities and Exchange Commission requirements.
POTENTIAL REALIZABLE INDIVIDUAL GRANTS VALUE AT ASSUMED ------------------------------ ANNUAL RATES OF STOCK % OF TOTAL PRICE APPRECIATION FOR OPTIONS OPTIONS GRANTED EXERCISE OR OPTION TERM GRANTED TO EMPLOYEES IN BASE PRICE EXPIRATION ---------------------- NAME (#) FISCAL YEAR ($/SH) DATE 5%($)(1) 10%($)(1) - -------------------------------------------- ----------- --------------- ------------- ----------- --------- ----------- Quentin E. Finkelson........................ 50,000 48% $ 5.00 2/19/07 157,225 398,425 Gregory D. Tweed............................ 20,000 19% $ 5.00 2/19/07 62,890 159,370 Garry Anderly............................... 20,000 19% $ 5.00 2/19/07 62,890 159,370
- ------------------------ (1) The hypothetical potential appreciation shown in these columns reflects the required calculations at annual rates of 5% and 10% set by the Securities and Exchange Commission, and therefore is not intended to represent either historical appreciation or anticipated future appreciation of the Company's Common Stock price. 5 any executive officers. STOCK OPTION EXERCISES AND OPTION VALUES AGGREGATED OPTION EXERCISES IN LAST FISCAL YEAR AND FISCAL YEAR-END OPTION VALUES The following table contains information concerning stock options exercised during 19971998 and stock options unexercised at the end of 19971998 with respect to each of the Named Executive Officers.
VALUE OF UNEXERCISED NUMBER OF IN-THE-MONEY UNEXERCISED UNEXERCISED IN-THE-MONEY OPTIONS/SARS AT OPTIONS/SARS AT FISCAL FISCAL YEAR-END(#) YEAR-END($YEAR-END YEAR-END (#) ($)(1) SHARES ----------------- -------------------------------- -------------- ACQUIRED ON VALUE EXERCISABLE/ EXERCISABLE/ NAME EXERCISE(#) REALIZED $REALIZED($) UNEXERCISABLE UNEXERCISABLE (A) (B) (C) (D) (E)(1) - ------------------------------------------ ------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------- ----------------- --------------- -------------- Quentin E. Finkelson...................... -- -- 43,000/82,000 58,750/2,500Finkelson.................................. 0 0 75,000/50,000 27,187/0 Gregory D. Tweed.......................... -- -- 15,500/32,000 23,428/Tweed...................................... 0 0 27,500/20,000 12,656/0 Garry Anderly............................. -- -- 9,000/26,000 15,625/Anderly......................................... 0 0 15,000/20,000 8,437/0
- ------------------------ (1) Value of unexercised in-the-money options is determined by multiplying the difference between the exercise price per share and $4.875,$3.4375, the closing price per share on December 31, 1997,1998, by the number of shares subject to such options. 4 DIRECTOR COMPENSATION Messrs. Kunin and Perkins,Mr. Degen, who areis not employeesan employee of the Company, each received an option to purchase 5,000 shares of the Company's common stockCommon Stock at an exercise price of $5.00 per share. SECTION 16(A)16(a) BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP REPORTING COMPLIANCE Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 requires the officers and directors of the Company, and persons who own more than 10% of a registered class of the Company's equity securities, to file reports of ownership and changes in ownership with the Commission. Such officers, directors and shareholders are required by the Commission's regulations to furnish the Company with copies of all reports. To the knowledge of the Company, based solely on a review of copies of reports filed with a Commission during the fiscal year ended December 31, 1997,1998, all applicable Section 16(a) filing requirements were complied with. APPROVAL OF INCREASE IN AVAILABLE SHARES UNDER THE COMPANY'S 1992 STOCK OPTION PLAN PURPOSE OF PLAN The purpose of the Company's 1992 Stock Option Plan (the "Plan") is to motivate key personnel to produce a superior return to the Shareholders of the Company by offering such persons an opportunity to realize stock appreciation, by facilitating stock ownership, and by rewarding them for achieving a high level of corporate performance. The Plan is also intended to facilitate recruiting and retaining key personnel of outstanding ability. 6 ADMINISTRATION The Plan is administered by the Board of Directors of the Company (the "Board"). The Board has the exclusive power to grant options under the Plan and to determine when and to whom options will be granted, and the form, amount and other terms and conditions of each grant, subject to the provisions of the Plan. The Board has the authority to interpret the Plan and any grant or agreement made under the Plan. ELIGIBILITY AND NUMBER OF SHARES All employees of the Company and its affiliates are eligible to receive grants under the Plan at the discretion of the Board. The total number of shares of Company common stock available for distribution under the Plan is 350,000, increased from 200,000 by the Board in September, 1997, subject to Shareholder approval. As of April 1, 1998, options were outstanding for 252,500 shares. The Board believes that to further the purpose of the Plan as the Company continues to grow, the authorized number of available shares should be increased to 350,000. TYPES OF GRANTS The Board has discretion to determine whether an option grant shall be an incentive stock option or a non-qualified option. Subject to certain restrictions applicable to incentive stock options, options will be exercisable by the recipients at such times as are determined by the Board, but in no event may the term of a non-qualified option be longer than 15 years after the date of grant (ten years with respect to an incentive option and five years with respect to an incentive option granted to an employee holding 10% or more of the Company's stock). Both incentive and non-qualified stock options may be granted to recipients at such exercise prices as the Board may determine, except that the exercise price of an incentive stock option shall not be less than 100% of the fair market value of the stock on the date of grant of such option (110% in the case of a grant to a 10% or greater Shareholder). The purchase price payable upon exercise of options may be paid in cash, by reducing the number of shares delivered to the holder or by delivering stock already owned by the holder (where the fair market value of the shares withheld or delivered on the date of exercise is equal to the option price of the stock being purchased), or in a combination of cash and such stock, unless otherwise provided in the related agreement. TRANSFERABILITY During the lifetime of an employee to whom an option has been granted, only such employee, or such employee's legal representative, may exercise an option. No options may be sold, assigned, transferred, exchanged, or otherwise encumbered except to a successor in the event of an option holder's death. AMENDMENT OR TERMINATION The Board may amend or discontinue the Plan at any time, but no amendment or termination shall be made that would impair the rights of any holder of any option granted before such amendment or termination. FEDERAL TAX CONSIDERATIONS The Company has been advised by its counsel that grants made under the Plan generally will result in the following tax events for United States citizens under current United States federal income tax laws. 7 INCENTIVE STOCK OPTIONS. A recipient will realize no taxable income, and the Company will not be entitled to any related deduction, at the time an incentive stock option is granted under the Plan. If certain statutory employment and holding period conditions are satisfied before the recipient disposes of shares acquired pursuant to the exercise of such an option, then no taxable income will result in the exercise of such option and the Company will not be entitled to any deduction in connection with such exercise. Upon disposition of the shares after expiration of the statutory holding periods, any gain or loss realized by recipient will be a capital gain or loss. The Company will not be entitled to a deduction with respect to a disposition of the shares by a recipient after the expiration of the statutory holding periods. Except in the event of death, if shares acquired by a recipient upon the exercise of an incentive stock option are disposed of by such recipient before the expiration of the statutory holding periods (a "disqualifying disposition"), such recipient will be considered to have realized, as compensation taxable as ordinary income in the year of disposition, an amount, not exceeding the gain realized on such disposition, equal to the difference between the exercise price and the fair market value of the shares on the date of exercise of the option. The Company will be entitled to a deduction at the same time and in the same amount as the recipient is deemed to have realized ordinary income. Any gain realized on the disposition in excess of the amount treated as compensation or any loss realized on the disposition will constitute capital gain or loss, respectively. If the recipient pays the option price with shares that were originally acquired pursuant to the exercise of an incentive stock option and the statutory holding periods for such shares have not been met, the recipient will be treated as having made a disqualifying disposition of such shares, and the tax consequences of such disqualifying disposition will be as described above. The foregoing discussion applies only for regular tax purposes. For alternative minimum tax purposes an incentive stock option will be treated as if it were a non-qualified stock option, the tax consequences of which are discussed below. NON-QUALIFIED STOCK OPTIONS. A recipient will realize no taxable income, and the Company will not be entitled to any related deduction, at the time a non-qualified stock option is granted under the Plan. At the time of exercise of a non-qualified stock option, the recipient will realize ordinary income, and the Company will be entitled to a deduction, equal to the excess of the fair market value of the stock on the date of exercise over the option price. Upon disposition of the shares, any additional gain or loss realized by the recipient will be taxed as a capital gain or loss. VOTING REQUIREMENTS; RECOMMENDATION The affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Company entitled to vote on this item and present in person or by proxy at the Annual Meeting is required for approval of the proposed amendment to the Plan. Proxies solicited by the Board will be voted for approval of the amendment, unless shareholders specify otherwise in their proxies. For this purpose, a shareholder voting through a proxy who abstains with respect to approval of the amendment is considered to be present and entitled to vote on the approval of the amendment at the Annual Meeting, and is in effect casting a negative vote, but a shareholder (including a broker) who does not give authority to a proxy to vote, or withholds authority to vote, on the approval of the amendment shall not be considered present and entitled to vote on the proposal. THE BOARD RECOMMENDS A VOTE FOR APPROVAL OF THE AMENDMENT TO INCREASE THE AVAILABLE SHARES UNDER THE 1992 STOCK OPTION PLAN. 8 COMPARATIVE STOCK PRICE PERFORMANCE The graph below compares total shareholder return on the Company's Common Stock for the last five fiscal years with the total return on Waters Instruments, Inc. (a peer issuer) and the NASDAQ Composite Index for the same periods. The graph assumes $100 invested on December 31, 1992.1993. NORTECH SYSTEMS INC.INCORPORATED COMPARATIVE STOCK PRICE PERFORMANCE EDGAR REPRESENTATION OF DATA POINTS USED IN PRINTED GRAPHIC
YEAR NORTECH WATERS INSTRUMENTS NASDAQ COMPOSITE 19921993 $100 $100 $100 1993 $240 $78 $115 1994 $180 $60 $111$75 $77 $97 1995 $423 $183 $155$176 $235 $135 1996 $280 $195 $191$117 $252 $166 1997 $260 $235 $232$108 $303 $202 1998 $76 $303 $334
1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- Nortech 100 240 180 423 280 26075 176 117 108 76 Waters Instruments 100 78 60 183 19577 235 252 303 303 NASDAQ Composite 100 115 111 155 191 23297 135 166 202 334
95 SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT The following table sets forth as of April 1, 1998,1999, the ownership of Common Stock of the Company by each shareholder who is known by the Company to own beneficially more than 5% of the outstanding shares of the Company, by each director and by each executive officer identified in the Summary Compensation Table, and by all executive officers and directors as a group. The parties listed in the table have the voting and investment powers with respect to the shares indicated.
NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY PERCENT OF NAME OF BENEFICIAL OWNER BENEFICIALLY OWNED(1) CLASS - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ -------------------- ------------- Myron Kunin ................................................................. 960,857 39.1%.................................................................... 1,087,145 42.4% 7201 Metro Boulevard Edina, MN 55439 Quentin E. Finkelson......................................................... 166,043 6.8%Finkelson............................................................ 192,643 7.5% Richard W. Perkins........................................................... 20,500Perkins.............................................................. 23,000 * Gregory D. Tweed............................................................. 19,500 *Tweed................................................................ 27,500 1.0% Garry M. Anderly............................................................. 13,000Anderly................................................................ 19,000 * Michael J. Degen............................................................. 0Degen................................................................ 2,500 * All executive officers and directors as a group (six(eight persons)................ 1,194,900(2) 48.6%................. 1,359,788(2) 53.0%
- ------------------------ (1) Includes 53,000, 19,500, 13,000, 8,50075,000, 27,500, 19,000, 11,000, 5,000 and 2,500 shares subject to presentlyoptions exercisable optionswithin sixty (60) days granted to Messrs. Finkelson, Tweed, Anderly, Perkins, Kunin and Kunin,Degan, respectively, pursuant to the Company's stock option plan. (2) Includes 111,500148,000 shares subject to presently exercisable options.options within sixty (60) days. * Less than one percent.percent (1%). The Company will mail its annual report for the year 19971998 on or about April 17, 1998,23, 1999, to all shareholders of the Company of record on April 6, 1998.15, 1999. INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS The Board of Directors has appointed Larson, Allen, Weishair & Co., LLP, as independent accountants of the Company for 1998.1999. Larson, Allen, Weishair & Co., LLP, has performed this function for the Company since 1991. Members of the firm will be available at the annual meeting of shareholders to answer questions and to make a statement if they desire to do so. QUORUM AND VOTE REQUIRED The presence in person or by proxy of the holders of a majority of the voting power of the shares of common stockCommon Stock issued, outstanding and entitled to vote at a meeting for the transaction of business is required to constitute a quorum. The election of each director will be decided by plurality votes. As a result, any shares not voted for director (whether by withholding authority, broker non-vote or otherwise) have no impact on the election of directors except to the extent the failure to vote for an individual results in another individual receiving a larger number of votes. 10 SHAREHOLDER PROPOSALS Any proposal by a shareholder for the annual shareholders' meeting in May, 1999,2000, must be received by the secretary of the Company at 641 East Lake Street, Suite 244, Wayzata, Minnesota 55391, not later than the close of business on November 20, 1998.1999. 6 Proposals received by that date will be included in the 19992000 proxy statement if the proposals are proper for consideration at an annual meeting and are required for inclusion in the proxy statement by, and conform to, the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission. OTHER BUSINESS The management does not know of any business other than the hereinbefore set forth that may be presented for action at the annual meeting of shareholders. If any other matters are properly presented at the meeting for action, the persons named in the accompanying proxy will vote upon them in accordance with their best judgment. By Order of the Board of Directors QUENTIN E. FINKELSON SECRETARY Minneapolis, Minnesota April 17, 1998 11 NORTECH SYSTEMS INCORPORATED PROXY FOR ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS, MAY 19, 1998 The undersigned hereby appoints Quentin E. Finkelson and Garry Anderly and either of them, proxies for the undersigned, with full power of substitution, to represent the undersigned and to vote all of the shares of the Common Stock of Nortech Systems Incorporated (the Company) which the undersigned is entitled to vote at the annual meeting of shareholders of the Company to be held on May 19, 1998, and at any and all adjournments thereof. 1. To fix the number of directors of the Company at four. / / FOR / / AGAINST / / ABSTAIN 2. Election of directors. NOMINEES: Michael J. Degen, Quentin E. Finkelson, Myron Kunin, Richard W. Perkins. / / FOR all nominees above, / / WITHHOLD AUTHORITY to vote except vote withheld from for all above. individual nominees nominees listed TO WITHHOLD AUTHORITY TO VOTE FOR ANY INDIVIDUAL NOMINEE STRIKE A LINE THROUGH THE NOMINEE'S NAME IN THE LIST ABOVE. 3. To act upon a proposal to increase the number of shares of the Company available under the Company's 1991 Stock Option Plan. / / FOR / / AGAINST / / ABSTAIN THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE "FOR" THIS PROPOSAL. 4. In their discretion, on such other matters as may properly come before the meeting. THIS PROXY IS SOLICITED ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS and will be voted as directed herein. If no direction is given, this proxy will be voted FOR all the nominees listed in paragraph 2 and FOR the proposal in paragraph 3. (CONTINUED, AND TO BE COMPLETED AND SIGNED ON THE REVERSE SIDE) DATED _____________________ , 1998 __________________________________ (SIGNATURE OF SHAREHOLDERS) __________________________________ (SIGNATURE OF SHAREHOLDERS) WHERE STOCK IS REGISTERED JOINTLY IN THE NAMES OF TWO OR MORE PERSONS ALL SHOULD SIGN. SIGNATURE(S) SHOULD CORRESPOND EXACTLY WITH THE NAME(S) AS SHOWN ABOVE. PLEASE SIGN AND DATE AND RETURN PROMPTLY IN THE ENCLOSED ENVELOPE. NO POSTAGE NEED BE AFFIXED IF MAILED IN THE UNITED STATES.23, 1999 7