UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

SCHEDULE 14A

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  o

Check the appropriate box:

Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):

April 7, 2017March 19, 2020

To our Stockholders:

You are cordially invited to attend the 20172020 Annual Meeting of Stockholders of Turning Point Brands, Inc. on Wednesday, May 17, 2017.Tuesday, April 28, 2020. The meeting will be held at the offices of Frost Brown Todd LLC, 400 West Market Street, 32^nd Floor, Louisville, Kentucky 40202Milbank LLP, 55 Hudson Yards, New York, New York 10001 at 9:3011:00 a.m. eastern daylight time.

The official Notice of Annual Meeting, Proxy Statement and Proxy Card are enclosed with this letter.

Please take the time to read carefully each of the proposals for stockholder action described in the accompanying proxy materials. Whether or not you plan to attend, you can ensure that your shares are represented at the meeting by promptly completing, signing and dating your proxy card and returning it in the enclosed postage-paid envelope. Stockholders of record can also vote by touch-tone telephone from the United States, using the toll-free number on the proxy card, or by the Internet, using the instructions on the proxy card. If you attend the meeting, you may revoke your proxy and vote your shares in person.

Your interest and participation in the affairs of the Company are greatly appreciated. Thank you for your continued support.

TURNING POINT BRANDS, INC.

5201 Interchange Way

Louisville, Kentucky 40229

NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS

TO BE HELD MAY 17, 2017APRIL 28, 2020

To the Stockholders:

The Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the “Annual Meeting”) of Turning Point Brands, Inc. (the “Company”) will be held at the offices of Frost Brown Todd LLC, 400 West Market Street, 32^nd Floor, Louisville, Kentucky 40202Milbank LLP, 55 Hudson Yards, New York, New York 10001 on Wednesday, May 17, 2017Tuesday, April 28, 2020 at 9:3011:00 a.m. eastern daylight time.

At the Annual Meeting you will be asked to:

A Proxy Statement describing matters to be considered at the Annual Meeting is attached to this notice. Only stockholders of record at the close of business on March 31, 20176, 2020 are entitled to receive notice of and to vote at the meeting.

It is our current intention to hold an in-person meeting. However, we are continuing to monitor the spread of the recent coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak and are sensitive to the public health and travel concerns of our shareholders, as well as the protocols that federal, state and local governments are imposing in an effort to control this outbreak. As a result, in the event we determine it is not possible or advisable to hold our Annual Meeting in person, we will provide our shareholders with the ability to participate in our Annual Meeting via remote communication or to hold our Annual Meeting entirely via remote communication. If we determine that either of these alternatives is necessary or advisable, we will communicate this decision as early as possible. Please check our website (https://www.turningpointbrands.com/investor-relations) for updates and instructions.

Louisville, Kentucky
April 7, 2017
March 19, 2020

IMPORTANT

WHETHER OR NOT YOU EXPECT TO BE PRESENT AT THE MEETING, PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR VOTE USING ONE OF THE VOTING METHODS DESCRIBED IN THE ATTACHED MATERIALS. IF YOU ATTEND THE MEETING, YOU MAY REVOKE YOUR PROXY AND VOTE YOUR SHARES IN PERSON.

IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING THE AVAILABILITY OF PROXY MATERIALS FOR THE 20172020 ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS TO BE HELD ON MAY 17, 2017:APRIL 28, 2020: Our Proxy Statement related to our 20172020 Annual Meeting of Stockholders and our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended on December 31, 2016 and our Annual Report to Stockholders for the fiscal year ended on December 31, 20162019 are available on our website at www.turningpointbrands.com in the Investor Relations section.

Table of Contents

TURNING POINT BRANDS, INC.

5201 Interchange Way

Louisville, Kentucky 40229

PROXY STATEMENT

ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS

TO BE HELD MAY 17, 2017APRIL 28, 2020

This proxy statement and accompanying proxy card are being furnished in connection with the solicitation of proxies by the board of directors (the “Board”) of Turning Point Brands, Inc., a Delaware corporation, to be voted at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the “Annual Meeting”) and any adjournments thereof. In this proxy statement, references to the “Company,” “we,” “us” or “our” refer to Turning Point Brands, Inc. This proxy statement and accompanying proxy card are first being mailed to stockholders on or about April 7, 2017.March 19, 2020.

The Annual Meeting will be held at the offices of Frost Brown Todd LLC, 400 West Market Street, 32^nd Floor, Louisville, Kentucky 40202Milbank LLP, 55 Hudson Yards, New York, New York 10001 on Wednesday, May 17, 2017Tuesday, April 28, 2020 at 9:3011:00 a.m. eastern daylight time, for the purposes set forth in this proxy statement and the accompanying notice of Annual Meeting.

SUMMARY OF MATTERS REQUIRING STOCKHOLDER ACTION

Proposal 1—Election of Directors

The affirmative vote of a plurality of the votes entitled to be cast by the holders of the Company’s common stock present in person or represented by proxy is required to elect each nominee. Election by a plurality means that the director nominee with the most votes for the available slot is elected for that slot. You may vote “FOR” each nominee or you may “WITHHOLD AUTHORITY” to vote for each nominee. Unless you “WITHHOLD AUTHORITY” to vote for a nominee, your proxy will be voted “FOR” the election of the individuals nominated as directors.

The Board recommends that you vote “FOR” the nominees.

Proposal 2—Ratification of the Appointment of the Company’s Independent Auditors

The proposal to ratify the appointment of RSM US LLP as the Company’s independent auditors for the fiscal year ending December 31, 20172020 will be approved if more shares present (in person or by proxy) and entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting are voted “FOR” ratification than are voted “AGAINST” ratification. You may vote “FOR” or “AGAINST” ratification, or you may “ABSTAIN” from voting on this proposal. A vote to “ABSTAIN” will have no effect on the outcome of this proposal.

The Board recommends that you vote “FOR” this proposal.

Other Matters

As of the date of this proxy statement, the Board knows of no matters that will be presented for consideration at the Annual Meeting other than those matters discussed in this proxy statement. If any other matters should properly come before the Annual Meeting and call for a vote of stockholders, validly executed proxies in the enclosed form returned to us will be voted in accordance with the recommendation of the Board, or, in the absence of such a recommendation, in accordance with the judgment of the proxy holders. Any such additional matter will be approved if more shares present (in person or by proxy) and entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting are voted in favor of such mattersmatter than are voted against.

INFORMATION ABOUT PROXIES AND VOTING

Record Date and Voting Securities

The Board has fixed the record date (the “Record Date”) for the Annual Meeting as the close of business on March 31, 2017.6, 2020. Only stockholders of record at the close of business on the Record Date will be entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting and at any adjournment or postponement thereof. At the close of business on the Record Date, there were outstanding 18,823,93519,702,733 shares of common stock, each of which is entitled to one vote per share on all matters to be considered at the Annual Meeting.

The presence in person or by proxy of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of common stock will constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at the Annual Meeting. Shares of common stock represented by properly executed proxies received before the close of voting at the Annual Meeting will be voted as directed by such stockholders, unless revoked as described below.

Solicitation of Proxies

The cost of solicitation of proxies being solicited on behalf of the Board will be borne by us. In addition to solicitation by mail, proxies may be solicited personally, by telephone or other means by our directors, officers or employees, who receive no additional compensation for these solicitation activities. We will, upon request, reimburse brokerage houses and persons holding common stock in the names of their nominees for their reasonable out-of-pocket expenses in sending materials to their principals.

How to Vote

Stockholders of Record

If you are a stockholder and your shares are registered directly in your name with our stock transfer agent, Wells FargoEQ Shareowner Services, you are considered the “stockholder of record” of those shares. If you are a stockholder of record, you can give a proxy to be voted at the meeting:

» over the telephone by calling a toll-free number (1-800-690-6903);

» online (www.proxyvote.com); or

» by completing, signing, dating, and mailing the enclosed proxy card in the envelope provided.

Even if you plan to attend the meeting, we encourage you to submit a proxy. If you do give a proxy, we must receive it by 11:59 p.m., Central Daylight Time,eastern daylight time, on May 16, 2017,April 27, 2020, or your vote will not be recorded. If you prefer, you may instead vote in person at the meeting.

The telephone and online voting procedures have been set up for your convenience and are designed to authenticate your identity, enable you to give voting instructions, and confirm that those instructions are recorded properly. If you are a stockholder of record and you would like to vote by telephone or online, please refer to the instructions set forth on the enclosed proxy card.

By giving your proxy, you authorize the individuals named on the proxy card to vote your shares in accordance with your instructions. These individuals will also have the obligation and authority to vote your shares as they see fit on any other matter properly presented for a vote at the Annual Meeting. If for any reason a director nominee is not available to serve, the individuals named as proxy holders may vote your shares at the Annual Meeting for another nominee. The proxy holders for this year’s Annual Meeting are James Dobbins and Brian Wigginton.

If you are a stockholder of record and you sign and return your proxy card (or give your proxy by telephone or online) without specifying how you want your shares to be voted with respect to both proposals, our proxy holders will vote your shares “FOR” the election of each of the nominees to the Board, and “FOR” the ratification of the appointment of RSM US LLP as the Company’s independent auditors for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2017.2020. With respect to any other matter that properly comes before the Annual Meeting, the proxy holders will vote your shares as recommended by the Board or, if no recommendation is given, using their own discretion.

“Street Name” Stockholders

If your shares are held in a stock brokerage account or by a bank (known as holding shares in “street name”), you have the right to instruct your broker or bank how to vote your shares, and the broker or bank is required to vote in accordance with your instructions. To provide those instructions by mail, please complete, sign, date, and return your voting instruction card in the postage-paid envelope provided by your broker or bank. Alternatively, if the broker or bank that holds your shares offers online or telephone voting, you will receive information from your broker or bank about how to submit your voting instructions by those methods. Alternatively, you may vote in person at the meeting, but only if you obtain a “legal proxy” from the broker or bank that holds your shares.

If you are a street name stockholder and you do not instruct your broker or bank how to vote, your broker or bank is not permitted to vote your shares on the election of directors (known as a “broker non-vote”). Broker non-votes will have no effect on the outcome of the election of directors. Your broker will, however, have discretionary authority to vote your shares on the proposal regarding the ratification of the appointment of RSM US LLP as the Company’s independent auditors for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2017.2020.

Changing Your Vote

If you are a stockholder of record, you may change your vote by submitting another proxy by telephone or online, by mailing another properly signed proxy card bearing a later date than your original one, or by attending the Annual Meeting and casting your vote in person. You also may revoke a proxy that you previously provided by delivering timely written notice of revocation of your proxy to our Corporate Secretary at 5201 Interchange Way, Louisville, Kentucky 40229.

If you hold your shares in street name and you wish to change or revoke your voting instructions, you will need to follow the instructions in the materials your broker or bank provided to you.

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE AND OUR BOARD

Director Biographies

Thomas F. Helms, Jr.   Thomas F. Helms, Jr. has been a director of our company since 1997, serving as our Non-Executive Chairman since May 2016. Mr. Helms previously served as our Executive Chairman from May 2006 to May 2016. Before that, Mr. Helms served as Non-Executive Chairman of the Board from June 1997 to May 2006. Mr. Helms has also formerly served as our President. In 1988, Mr. Helms formed our predecessor to acquire certain loose leaf chewing tobacco assets of Lorillard, Inc. Mr. Helms served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Culbro Corporation’s smokeless tobacco division from 1983 until shortly before its sale to American Maize-Products Company in 1986. From 1979 to 1982, Mr. Helms was General Manager of the Etherea Cosmetics and Designer Fragrances Division of Revlon, Inc. From 1964 to 1979, Mr. Helms was employed in marketing and sales positions in various divisions of Revlon, Inc.

We believe Mr. Helms is well-qualified to serve as a director due to his many years of experience in the tobacco industry, and in particular with our company, as well as his role in forming our predecessor. This experience provides him with a deep knowledge of both our industry and our company, which provides valuable insight to our Board.

Lawrence S. Wexler.   Mr. Wexler has served as our President and CEO since June 2009 and as President and Chief Operating Officer of North Atlantic Trading Company, Inc. (“NATC”), our primary operating subsidiary, since June 2006. Before June 2006, Mr. Wexler had been the Chief Operating Officer of NATC since June 2005, and before that, the President and Chief Operating Officer of one of our other subsidiaries beginning December 2003. Mr. Wexler was a consultant to a number of emerging marketing, communication and financial companies, advising them on financial, marketing and strategic matters, at times in an operating role from 1998 to 2003. From 1977 to 1998, he was employed by Philip Morris, USA in various positions in the Sales, Marketing and Finance Departments. As Group Director, Discount Brands, his group introduced the Basic and Alpine brands. He served as Senior Vice President of Marketing from 1992 to 1993 and Senior Vice President Finance, Planning and Information Services from 1993 until his departure in 1998. Mr. Wexler holds a bachelor of science in administrative science from Yale and a master of business administration from Stanford.

We believe Mr. Wexler is well-qualified to serve as a director of our company because of his many years of experience at our company and his prior leadership positions at other companies, both within and outside of our industry. In addition, as Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Wexler provides valuable insight to the Board on our day-to-day operations.

Gregory H. A. Baxter.   Gregory H. A. Baxter has served as a director of our company since April 2006. In October 2015, Mr. Baxter was elected to serve on the board of directors of Special Diversified Opportunities, Inc. (“SDOI”). Mr. Baxter has been an independent corporate finance consultant primarily for middle-market corporations and closely held businesses since 2005. Previously, from 2003 to 2005, he was Managing Director and Head, Hedge Fund Sales and Marketing at Diaz & Altschul Capital Management, where his primary focus was bringing its investment products to prospective corporate and institutional clients. He was also a member of the Investment Committee. Immediately before joining Diaz & Altschul, he was Managing Director and Head of Generalist/Cross-Border Mergers & Acquisitions at SG Cowen Securities Corporation, the U.S. investment bank of French bank, Société Générale from 2000 to 2002. There, he re-established the cross-border effort and worked globally in industries such as food, retail, consumer products, transportation and oil and gas. He was also a member of the SG Cowen Fairness Opinion Review Committee. Before SG Cowen, he was at Rothschild Inc. for almost six years, from 1994 to 2000, where he specialized in advising on industrial/engineering companies, including automotive, domestic and cross-border mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. He was also a founding member of SW Capital, an M&A boutique that specialized in middle-market transactions for Fortune 500 companies. Before that, he was a Vice President of Irving Trust Company’s Corporate Financial Counseling Department, providing M&A and other corporate finance advice to the bank’s clients. Mr. Baxter holds a bachelor of arts from the University of Victoria in Canada and a master of business administration from the Ivey Business School in London.

We believe Mr. Baxter is well-qualified to serve as a director of our company because of his significant experience as a financial consultant and his experience with corporate investments, mergers and acquisitions.

H. C. Charles Diao.    H. C. Charles Diao has served as a director of our company since November 2012. Mr. Diao is Senior Vice President of Finance and Corporate Development and Corporate Treasurer of DXC

and capital markets, corporate development and M&A, pension plans and risk management/insurance. From 2008 to 2012, Mr. Diao was Managing Director and founder of Diao & Co., LLC, a firm that provided M&A and strategic advisory services to corporate clients, and the Chief Investment Officer of Diao Capital Management LLC, an affiliate that managed alternative investments on behalf of institutional family offices. Mr. Diao was formerly a Senior Managing Director at Bear Stearns where he was the Group Head for Special Situations Credit, a partner within the firm’s TMT investment banking practice and a member of the firm’s Investment Banking Committee and IPO Committee. Mr. Diao served as a member of the board of directors of Media General Inc., the successor via merger to New Young Broadcasting Holdings Inc., from August 2012 until January 2017. He was Chairman of its Nominating and Governance Committee and a member of its Audit and Finance Committee. He holds a B.S.E. from Princeton University and a Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School.

We believe Mr. Diao is well-qualified to serve as a director of our company because of his prior directorships and senior management experience, as well as his corporate leadership, financial and operational management experience.

Ashley Davis Frushone. Ashley Davis Frushone has served as a director of our company since September 2018. Ms. Davis is a founding partner of West Front Strategies LLC, established in January 2015. West Front Strategies LLC is a government relations firm that services clients in the education, financial services, transportation, tax, technology, international trade, energy, homeland security, healthcare, arts, and philanthropy sectors. From 2003 to 2014, Ms. Davis was the Managing Principal at Blank Rome Government Relations, a subsidiary of Blank Rome LLP, a government relations business. Prior to Blank Rome, Ms. Davis worked at the White House as Special Assistant to the Director of Homeland Security and as Deputy Director of Management and Administration from 2001 to 2003. From 1999 to 2000, Ms. Davis served in various roles during the Bush/Cheney presidential campaign. From 1997 to 2000, Ms. Davis was a Senior Associate at Greenelee Partners, a government affairs firm. Ms. Davis holds a Bachelor of Arts from Westminster College, where she also serves on the Board of Trustees, and a Master of International Business from Esade Business School in Spain, the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University, and Fundação Getulio Varga in Brazil.

We believe Ms. Davis is well-qualified to serve as a director of our company because of her extensive experience in government relations work, both in and outside of the industry.

Peggy H. Hebard. Mr.Peggy H. Hebard has served as a director of our company since September 2018. Ms. Hebard holds the CFA and CPA designations, and is Senior Advisor to the Executive Officer at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, a role she has held since 2007. Before her employment at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Ms. Hebard was a Director, Corporate Ratings Analyst focusing primarily on gaming companies at Standard & Poor’s from 2002 to 2007. In 2000 and from 2001 to 2002, Ms. Hebard served as Interim Principal Executive Officer and Interim Chief Operating Officer of Enzon Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a position he heldan Associate in Investment Banking at Credit Suisse First Boston focusing on retail companies. Ms. Hebard spent two years from 1997 to 1999 as an employee from May 2012Associated in the Financial Services Investment Management Practice at PricewaterhouseCoopers Consulting. From 1995 to December 2013 and1997, Ms. Hebard was employed as a consultantSenior Associate, Business Assurance Financial Services Practice, at Coopers & Lybrand. Ms. Hebard holds a Bachelor of Science from January 2014 to March 2016. From September 2011 to April 2012, Mr. Hebard wasthe Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania and a Managing Director at Icahn Capital L.P.,Master of Business Administration – Finance from the entity through which Carl C. Icahn manages investment funds. Before joining Icahn Capital, from 2005 to 2011, Mr. Hebard served as a Managing Director at Blue Harbour Group, an investment firm in Greenwich, Connecticut. Before Blue Harbour Group, Mr. Hebard served as a Managing Director at Ranger Partners from 2002 to 2003, and before Ranger Partners, Mr. Hebard was an Associate at Icahn Associates Corp. from 1998 to 2002. Mr. Hebard was a directorYale School of Enzon Pharmaceuticals, Inc., from February 2012 to November 2013. He has a masters of business administration from INSEAD and an A.B. in Economics from Princeton University.Management.

We believe Mr.Ms. Hebard is well-qualified to serve as a director of our company because of hisher significant finance and management experience and his extensive experience with public equity investments, providing additional depth to the Board’s analysis of investment and acquisition opportunities.experience.

Arnold Zimmerman.Arnold Zimmerman has served as a director of our company since January 2013. Since 2007, he has been President of Catchers Mitt LLC, a marketing consulting company focused on personal care products. From 2002 to 2007, Mr. Zimmerman was the Chairman and CEO of 291 Digital LLC, a graphics imaging and printing company, and from 1999 to 2002 he was Chairman, President and CEO of AM Products Company. He has also held senior executive positions at Revlon-North America and the L’Oreal Retail Hair Products Division from 1967 to 1992. Mr. Zimmerman holds a bachelorBachelor of artsArts from the University of Miami. Mr. Zimmerman currently serves as a director of SDI.

We believe Mr. Zimmerman is well-qualified to serve as a director of our company because of his significant directorship experience and experiences leading a number of consumer product companies.

Meetings of the Board of Directors

The Board met on 11 occasions and its standing committees (Audit Committee, Compensation Committee, and Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee) met on 12nine occasions during our fiscal year ended December 31, 2016. Each2019, and each incumbent director attended at least 75% of the aggregate number of meetings of the Board and its committees on which such director served during histhe director’s period of service. In addition,Each member of the Board attended the Company’s 2019 annual meeting of stockholders, and the Company expects all members of the Board to attend the Annual Meeting. The Company did not hold an annual meeting

The Audit Committee and the Compensation Committee jointly perform an annual risk assessment of our compensation programs for all employees to determine whether these programs encourage unnecessary or excessive risk taking. In conducting this review, each of our compensation programs is evaluated on a number of criteria aimed at identifying any incentive programs that deviate from our risk management objectives. Based on

Our Audit Committee operates under a written charter that satisfies the applicable rules and regulations of the SEC and the NYSE. Our Audit Committee charter may be found at our website, www.turningpointbrands.com., in the “Investor Relations” section. The Audit Committee met sevenfour times during 2016.2019.

service on the Board, and all other information relating to such person as would be required to be disclosed in solicitations of proxies under Regulation 14A of the Exchange Act. A stockholder nominee will be requested to complete a detailed questionnaire in the form that current directors and officers complete.

Corporate Governance Guidelines

Our Board has adopted corporate governance guidelines that serve as a flexible framework within which our Board and its committees operate. These guidelines cover a number of areas including, the size and composition of the Board, Board membership criteria and director qualifications, director responsibilities, meetings of independent directors, committee responsibilities and assignments, Board member access to management and independent advisors, director communications with third parties, director compensation, director orientation and continuing education, evaluation of senior management and management succession planning. A copy of our corporate governance guidelines is available on our website at www.turningpointbrands.com under in the “Investor Relations” section.

SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT

The tabletables below setsset forth certain information regarding the beneficial ownership of our common stock and SDI’s common stock by:

Other than with respect to the common stock beneficially owned by Standard General, L.P., which is reported asbeneficial owners of March 21, 2017,more than 5% of our issued and outstanding common stock, the table below states beneficial ownership as of March 6, 2017.2020. The amounts and percentages of common stock beneficially owned are reported on the basis of the regulations of the SEC governing the determination of beneficial ownership of securities. Under these rules, a person is deemed to be a beneficial owner of a security if that person has or shares voting power, which includes the power to vote or to direct the voting of such security, or investment power, which includes the power to dispose of or to direct the disposition of such security. A person is also deemed to be a beneficial owner of any securities of which that person has a right to acquire beneficial ownership within 60 days. Under these rules, more than one person may be deemed to be a beneficial owner of the same securities. Included in the amount of common stock beneficially owned are shares of common stock subject to exercisable options or warrants or options or warrants that will become exercisable within 60 days of March 6, 2017.2020. The calculation of percent owned by each person assumes that all vested options held by such person have been exercised. The calculation of percent owned by all directors and executive officers as a group assumes that all vested options beneficially held by them and warrants have been exercised.

Turning Point Brands, Inc.

Standard General also has investment and voting control over 1,233,090 shares owned by Fort George Investments, LLC, for which Standard General acts as a sub-advisor.

Standard General serves as investment manager to each of Standard General Master Fund L.P., P Standard General Ltd. and Standard General Focus Fund L.P. (the “Funds”) and, in that capacity, exercises voting and investment control over the shares held by the Funds. Soohyung Kim is the Chief Executive Officer of Standard General and a director of the general partner of Standard General. By

Pursuant to a loan and voting agreement among Mr. Helms, Helms Management Corp. and Standard General, on November 19, 2012, Helms Management Corp. pledged 1.46 million shares of common stock to secure a loan from Standard General. On November 23, 2016, Standard General and Mr. Helms entered into an amendment to the loan and voting agreement, pursuant to which Standard General Master Fund agreed to loan an additional $300,000 to Mr. Helms. Mr. Helms has agreed, at the request of Standard General at any time in its sole discretion and within two business days of the request, to repay a portion of the amounts loaned with 150,000 shares of our common stock owned by him, which for such purpose shall be valued at the 30 calendar day trailing volume weighted average price of our common stock on the date of the request. In addition, Mr. Helms provided Standard General, for nine months from the date of the amendment to the loan agreement, authority to exercise investment discretion on his behalf with respect to 500,000 of the shares of our common stock owned by him that have been previously pledged as collateral under the loan agreement. On March 17, 2017, Mr. Helms and Standard General further amended the loan agreement in order to provide that Standard General would loan an additional $700,000 ($1,000,000 in the aggregate) to Mr. Helms and that Mr. Helms, at the request of Standard General at any time in its sole discretion and within two business days of the request, would repay a portion of the amounts loaned by Standard General by delivering an additional 250,000 shares (400,000 shares in the aggregate) of the Company common stock owned by him, which for such purpose will be valued at the 30 calendar day trailing volume weighted average price of the Company common stock on the date of the request. In addition, Mr. Helms agreed to continue to provide Standard General, for nine months from the date of the second amendment, authority to exercise investment discretion on his behalf with respect to 500,000 of the shares of the Turning Point Common Stock owned by him that had been previously pledged as collateral under the loan agreement. See “Certain Relationships and Transactions—Helms Promissory Notes and Loan and Voting Agreement with Standard General.”

Standard Diversified Inc.

Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance

Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act requires the Company’s directors and officers, and persons who beneficially own more than 10% of a registered class of the Company’s equity securities, to file with the SEC initial reports of stock ownership and reports of changes in stock ownership and to provide the Company with copies of all such filed forms. Based solely on its review of such copies or written representations from reporting persons, the Company believes that all reports were filed on a timely basis during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016, with the exception of the following: (i) Mark A. Stegeman filed a late Form 4 on August 29, 2016 to reflect both a grant of restricted stock to him on May 11, 2016 and a grant of stock options to him on August 10, 2016, and (ii) James M. Murray filed a late Form 4 on November 28, 2016 to report both a grant of restricted stock to him on May 11, 2016 and his exercise of a stock option on November 23, 2016.

EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

This section addresses our executive compensation program for our named executive officers. It includes a discussion of our compensation objectives and philosophy and the material elements of compensation earned by, or awarded or paid to, our “named executive officers,” which include our principal executive officer and our two other most highly compensated executive officers. This section also describes the compensation actions taken during 20162019 and is intended to provide a further understanding of the amounts displayed in the required tabular disclosures. The information set forth in this section is presented pursuant to the reduced disclosure rules applicable to Emerging Growth Companies.

Our named executive officers for 20162019 were:

Executive Compensation Objectives and Philosophy

One objective of our executive compensation program is to attract and retain qualified, energetic employees who are enthusiastic about our mission and culture. A further objective is to provide incentives and reward each senior executive for his or her contribution to our growth and operating and financial improvement. In addition, we strive to promote an ownership mentality among key leadership executives.

Our Compensation Committee is solely responsible for authorizing the compensation of our named executive officers. In doing so, the Compensation Committee may consult from time to time with the named executive officers. However, the Compensation Committee will at all times retain full responsibility for determining the compensation of our named executive officers, and no named executive officer will participate in the Compensation Committee’s approval of his or her compensation.

Summary Compensation Table

The following table shows information regarding the compensation of our named executive officers for services performed in the years ended December 31, 20162019 and December 31, 2015.2018.

receive one share of our senior executives were eligible to receive grantscommon stock upon satisfaction of non-qualified stock options and restricted stock under the 2006 Equity Incentive Plan. No stock options were granted tovesting requirements. PRSUs offer the named executive officers a financial interest in 2015. the Company and serve to retain the named executive officers as the awards vest upon satisfaction of a specific performance measure at a pre-determined time.

In connection with our IPO, we issued 1412019, Messrs. Wexler, Dobbins, and Lavan were granted options to purchase 35,500, 11,500, and 46,000 shares of restrictedour common stock, respectively, at an exercise price of $47.58; 34% of these options vested on January 1, 2020, and 33% will vest on each of January 1, 2021 and 2022. In 2018, Messrs. Wexler, Dobbins and Lavan were granted options to Mr. Stegeman,purchase 26,500, 9,000 and in August 2016,9,000 shares of our common stock, respectively, at an exercise price of $21.21; 34% of these options vested on January 1, 2019, 33% vested on January 1, 2020, and 33% will vest on January 1, 2021. In March 2018, in connection with his employment agreement, we grantedissued Mr. StegemanLavan options to purchase 53,99626,000 shares of our common stock at an exercise price of $9.26, 50%$21.49, 34% of which were vested immediately, 33% which vested on January 1, 2019 and 25% of which will vestthe remaining 33% vested on each of the first and second anniversaries of their grant date.January 1, 2020.

In 2017, the Company established a new performance-based equity incentive program, pursuant to which certain key employees, including our named executive officers,2019, Messrs. Wexler and Dobbins were granted performance-based restricted stock units under23,500 and 7,500 5-year PRSUs, respectively, which vest five years from the 2015 Plan. There awards are eligible to vest basedgrant date upon the Company’s achievement of certain levels of return on invested capital (“ROIC”); 50% will vest if ROIC is 12.5%, 75% will vest if ROIC is 15%, and 100% will vest if ROIC is 17.5%. In 2018, Messrs. Wexler, Dobbins and Lavan were granted 30,000, 11,500 and 8,500 5-year PRSUs, respectively, which vest five years from the grant date upon the Company’s achievement during a five-yearof certain levels of return on invested capital (“ROIC”); 50% will vest if ROIC is 12.5%, 75% will vest if ROIC is 15%, and 100% will vest if ROIC is 17.5%.

In 2019, Messrs. Wexler, Dobbins, and Lavan were granted 1,847, 421, and 566 1-year PRSUs, respectively, which did not vest as the performance period beginning in 2017.metrics were not met.

Equity-Based Compensation - 2006 Plan

As of March 6, 2017,2020, there remained outstanding 1,084,138273,247 unexercised stock options under our 2006 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2006 Plan”). No additional awards may be granted under the 2006 Plan.

Welfare Benefits & Perquisites

We provide the named executive officers with health, dental and vision insurance plans, term life and disability insurance, and certain perquisites. Except with respect to specific perquisites, senior executives may generally elect to participate in these plans on the same basis and terms as all employees.

an executive’s benefits to the executive in a lump sum at any time so long as the payment results in the termination and liquidation of the executive’s entire account under the Restoration Plan and the payment does not exceed applicable dollar amounts under Code Section 402(g)(1)(B). Each of the named executive officers participates in the Restoration Plan.

Retirement Plan

We have a noncontributory, defined benefit retirement plan (the “Retirement Plan”), which originally covered all full-time employees, including officers, upon completing one year of service. Effective December 31, 2003, we froze the Retirement Plan for our salaried employees. Messrs. Helms andMr. Dobbins areis the only named executive officersofficer who participated in the Retirement Plan during 20162019 and 2015.2018.

A participant in the Retirement Plan becomes fully vested before normal retirement at age 65 upon the completion of five years of service. Based on years of service, Messrs. Helms andMr. Dobbins areis fully vested under the Retirement Plan. Benefits are also provided under the Retirement Plan in the event of early retirement at or after age 55 and the completion of at least ten years of service (or special early retirement after completion of 30 years of service) and in the event of retirement for disability after completion of five years of service. The amount of the contribution, payment or accrual with respect to a specified person is not and cannot readily be separately or individually calculated by the actuaries for the Retirement Plan. Benefits under the Retirement Plan are based upon application of a formula to the specified average compensation and years of credited service at normal retirement age. Compensation covered by the Retirement Plan consists of the average annual salary during any five consecutive calendar years in the last ten years of an employee’s service, which affords the highest salary, or, if employed for less than five years, the average annual salary for the years employed. The Retirement Plan benefits are not subject to any deduction for social security payments.

Prior Employment Agreements

Thomas F. Helms, Jr.

We and Mr. Helms were parties to an Amended and Restated Employment Agreement (the “2008 Agreement”), whereby Mr. Helms served as Executive Chairman of our Board. On December 4, 2015, we and Mr. Helms entered into an amendment to the 2008 Agreement (the “Amendment”). Pursuant to the Amendment, upon the closing of our IPO, Mr. Helms’ employment and the 2008 Agreement both terminated effective immediately. Following the termination of the 2008 Agreement, neither we nor Mr. Helms have any further rights, obligations or duties under the 2008 Agreement, except for certain rights Mr. Helms has to indemnification by us that survived the termination of the 2008 Agreement. In consideration of the Amendment, we paid Mr. Helms $298,312.50 following the closing of our IPO and an additional $298,312.50 on the three-month anniversary of the closing of the IPO.

Lawrence S. Wexler

Mr. Wexler’s 2016 Employment Agreement provides for an initial term of one year, subject to automatic extensions for successive one-year terms unless earlier terminated, or unless either party provides notice of non-renewal at least 60 days before the end of the applicable term. Pursuant to his 2016 Employment Agreement, Mr. Wexler is entitled to receive an annual base salary of $722,925, subject to adjustment by the Board. Mr. Wexler is eligible to receive an annual cash bonus award, with a target bonus opportunity equal to 100% of base salary. The annual bonus is payable upon the achievement of designated performance metrics pursuant to our annual bonus award program,Management Bonus Program, as determined by the Board.

James W. Dobbins

Mr. Dobbins’s 2016 Employment Agreement provides for an initial term of one year, subject to automatic extensions for successive one-year terms unless earlier terminated, or unless either party provides notice of non-renewal at least 60 days before the end of the applicable term. Pursuant to his 2016 Employment Agreement, Mr. Mr. Dobbins is entitled to receive an annual base salary of $365,271, subject to adjustment by the Board. Mr. Dobbins is eligible to receive an annual cash bonus award, with a target bonus opportunity equal to 50% of base salary. The annual bonus is payable upon the achievement of designated performance metrics pursuant to our annual bonus award program,Management Bonus Program, as determined by the Board.

Mark A. StegemanRobert M. Lavan

Mr. Stegeman’s 2016Lavan’s Employment Agreement provides for an initial term of one year, subject to automatic extensions for successive one-year terms unless earlier terminated, or unless either party provides notice of non-renewal at least 60 days prior to the end of the applicable term. Under his employment agreement, Mr. StegemanLavan is entitled to receive an annual base salary of $350,000, subject to adjustment by the Board. Mr. StegemanLavan is eligible to receive an annual cash bonus award, with a target bonus opportunity equal to 50% of his base salary.award. The annual bonus is payable upon the achievement of designated performance metrics pursuant to our annual bonus award program,Management Bonus Program, as determined by the Board. Pursuant to his 2016 Employment Agreement, during 2016, Mr. Stegeman was issued options to purchase 53,996 shares of Company stock at an exercise price of $9.26 per share.

Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal Year-End

The following table sets forth specified information concerning equity awards held by each of the named executive officers as of December 31, 2016.2019.

Equity Compensation Plan Information

The following table contains information about our equity compensation plans as of December 31, 2016:2019:

AUDIT COMMITTEE REPORT

The Audit Committee has met and reviewed and discussed the Company’s audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 20162019 with the Company’s management, which has the primary responsibility for the Company’s financial statements, as well as with the Company’s independent auditor, RSM US LLP, who is responsible for performing an independent audit of the Company’s consolidated financial statements in accordance with auditing standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board.Board (“PCAOB”). The Audit Committee is not providing any expert or special assurance as to the Company’s financial statements or providing any professional certification with respect to the independent auditor’s work product.

The Audit Committee has discussed with RSM US LLP the matters required to be discussed by Auditing Standard No. 16, “Communications With Audit Committees,” as adopted by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board.applicable requirements of the PCAOB and the SEC. The Audit Committee has received and reviewed the written disclosures and the letter from RSM US LLP required by the applicable requirements of the Public Company Accounting Oversight BoardPCAOB regarding RSM US LLP communications with the Audit Committee concerning independence and has discussed with RSM US LLP its independence. The Audit Committee also considered whether RSM US LLP non-audit services to the Company were compatible with the independence requirements and concluded their independence was not compromised by the provision of these services.

Taking all of these reviews and discussions into account, the Audit Committee recommended to the Board that the Company’s audited financial statements be included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 20162019 for filing with the SEC.

All members of the Audit Committee of the Company listed below submit the foregoing report.

AUDIT COMMITTEE:

Gregory H. A. Baxter (Chair)
H. C. Charles Diao
George W. Hebard III

CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND TRANSACTIONS

Policies Regarding Related Party Transactions

Our Board has adopted a written statement of policy regarding transactions with related persons, which we refer to as our “related person policy.” Our related person policy requires that a “related person” (as defined as in paragraph (a) of Item 404 of Regulation S-K) must promptly disclose to our senior legal officer any “related person transaction” (defined as any transaction that is anticipated would be reportable by us under Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K in which we were or are to be a participant and the amount involved exceeds $120,000 and in which any related person had or will have a direct or indirect material interest) and all material facts with respect thereto. The senior legal officer will then promptly communicate that information to the Audit Committee of our Board. Following our IPO, noNo related person transaction may be executed without the approval or ratification of the Audit Committee. In general, the Audit Committee will approve or ratify only related person transactions that we believe are at least as favorable to us as those we would obtain from an unrelated party. Except as indicated otherwise, all of the relationships and transactions disclosed under this item “Certain Relationships and Transactions,” occurred before our IPO and the implementationof our related person policy.

Helms Promissory Notes and Loan and Voting Agreement withGeneral Wireless Operations, Inc.

In December 2018, the Company acquired a minority ownership position in General Wireless Operations, Inc. (d/b/a RadioShack; “RadioShack”) from an affiliate of Standard GeneralGeneral. The Company paid $0.2 million in consulting fees in 2019.

SDI Reorganization

On November 19, 2012, Thomas Helms, Jr., Helms Management Corp. and Standard General entered into18, 2019, the Company’s parent company, SDI, announced plans to pursue a Loan and Voting Agreement. Mr. Helms pledged approximately 1.46 million sharescorporate reorganization with the Company. SDI has indicated that the reorganization is expected to consist of hisa statutory merger implemented via Delaware law pursuant to which SDI would be merged with a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company stock to Standard Generalwith the Company as collateral for the loan.survivor of the merger. Pursuant to the Loan and Voting Agreement, Standard General holdsmerger, which would be designed to constitute a first priority lien on the pledged shares. In connection with the IPO, the parties amended the Loan and Voting Agreement to remove the provisions related to Board size and the provisions requiring eachtax-free “downstream reorganization” for U.S. federal income tax purposes, holders of SDI common stock would receive, in turn, for their SDI common stock, shares of the parties to vote for the other parties Board designee.

Issuance of Non-Voting Stock to Standard General; Conversion of Non-Voting Stock

At the request of Standard General, on September 25, 2015, we exchanged 938,857 shares of our common stock for 938,857 shares of non-votingCompany’s common stock. The exchange was madeCompany has formed a committee to engage in connectiondiscussions with the restructuring of the funds through whichSDI, but no decisions have been made. There can be no assurance that any definitive agreement will be executed or that any transaction will be approved or consummated. Following this transaction, Standard General maintains(through its interest in us. In June 2016, our Board elected to convert each outstanding share of our non-voting common stock into one share of our voting common stock, and effective as of June 28, 2016, we issued to Standard General 938,857 shares of our voting common stock in exchange for an equivalent number of shares of our non-voting common stock. As ofaffiliated funds) would be the date of this proxy statement, there are no issued and outstanding shares of our non-voting common stock.

IPO Proceeds

7% Senior Notes and Intrepid Warrants

In November 2013, we issued to certain of our stockholders that qualified as “accredited investors” as defined in Rule 501 under the Securities Act rights to purchase their proportionate share of units consisting of our 7% Senior Notes and warrants to purchase membership units of our subsidiary Intrepid Brands. In connection with the rights offering we entered into a backstop agreement with Standard General pursuant to which Standard General agreed to purchase, immediately following consummation of the rights offering, all units that were not subscribed for and purchased by our stockholders. The rights offering expired in January 2014, and we issued a total of $11,000,000 aggregate principal of our 7% Senior Notes and warrants to purchase 11,000,000 membership units of Intrepid Brands upon exercise of the rights issued in the rights offering. In addition to Standard General, Lawrence Wexler, James Dobbins and Helms Management Corp. exercised the rights they received in the rights offering. Standard General, Lawrence Wexler, James Dobbins and Helms Management Corp exchanged an aggregate of $11.2 million (including unpaid interest) of our 7% Senior Notes for 1,124,193 shares of our common stock in the IPO. We also redeemed all of the Intrepid warrants. In connection with the exchange of the 7% Senior Notes and the redemption of the Intrepid Warrants, Standard General, Lawrence Wexler, James Dobbins and Helms Management Corp. received 869,794 shares, 21,106 shares, 587 shares and 232,706 shares of our common stock, respectively, and $2,290,901, $90,000, $2,500 and $992,299, respectively.

PIK Toggle Notes

In January 2014 we issued to Standard General PIK Toggle Notes in an aggregate principal amount of $45 million. The PIK Toggle Note bore interest at a rate equal to LIBOR in effect at that time (not less than 1.25%), plus 13.75%, reset quarterly, and were scheduled to mature in January 2021.

PRESENTATION OF PROPOSALS

Proposal 1 – Election of Directors

The Company’s by-laws provide that the number of directors on our Board will be determined from time to time by a vote of the Board. Our Board currently consists of seven (7) directors. At the Annual Meeting, we are electing seven (7) directors forto hold office until the Company’s annual meeting of stockholders in 2021 and until a term of one year each.successor is elected and qualified.

Nominees for Election as a Director

Set forth below are the Board members who will stand for re-electionelection at the Annual Meeting, together with their age, all Company positions and offices they currently hold, and the year in which they joined the Board. Although it is not anticipated that any of the nominees listed below will decline or be unable to serve, if that should occur, the proxy holders may, in their discretion, vote for a substitute nominee.

Recommendation

THE BOARD RECOMMENDS THAT STOCKHOLDERS VOTE “FOR” THE ELECTION OF THE NOMINEES FOR THE DIRECTORS OF THE COMPANY SET FORTH ABOVE FOR ONE YEAR EACH.ABOVE.

Proposal 2 – Ratification of Independent Auditors

As more particularly described in this proxy statement, the Audit Committee is directly responsible for managing the Company’s independent auditors, which includes, without limitation, (i) pre-approving all audit and permitted non-audit services provided by our independent auditors, and (ii) the appointment, compensation, retention and oversight of the Company’s independent auditors. In connection with the same and pursuant to its charter, the Audit Committee has appointed the firm of RSM US LLP to serve as the independent auditors to audit the consolidated financial statements and the internal control over financial reporting of the Company for the fiscal year which ends on December 31, 2017.2020. The Board and the Audit Committee jointly agree that the continued retention of RSM US LLP is in the best interest of the Company and its stockholders. Accordingly, a resolution will be presented at the Annual Meeting to ratify the appointment of RSM US LLP. If the stockholders fail to ratify the appointment of RSM US LLP, the Audit Committee will take this result into account when appointing an independent auditor for fiscal year 2017.2021. Even if the appointment is ratified, the Audit Committee in its discretion may direct the appointment of a different independent registered public accounting firm as the Company’s independent auditors at any time during the year if the Audit Committee believes that such a change would be in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders. One or more representatives of RSM US LLP are expected to be present at the Annual Meeting, will have the opportunity to make a statement if they desire to do so and will be available to respond to appropriate questions.

Fees Paid to the Independent Auditors

We paid the following fees to RSM US LLP for fiscal years 20162019 and 2015:2018:

STOCKHOLDER PROPOSALS

In order for stockholder proposals submitted pursuant to Rule 14a-8 of the Exchange Act to be presented at the Company’s 20182021 annual meeting of stockholders and included in the Company’s proxy statement and form of proxy relating to such meeting, such proposals must be submitted to the Corporate Secretary of the Company at the Company’s principal executive offices no later than December 7, 2017.November 19, 2020. Stockholder proposals should be submitted to the Corporate Secretary of the Company at 5201 Interchange Way, Louisville, Kentucky 40229. Such proposals must also comply with the additional requirements of Rule 14a-8 of the Exchange Act (or any successor rule) to be eligible for inclusion in the proxy statement for the 20182021 annual meeting. The rules of the SEC set forth standards for what stockholder proposals the Company is required to include in a proxy statement for an annual meeting of stockholders.

In addition, the Company’s by-laws, a copy of which is available upon request, provide that only such business which is properly brought before a stockholder meeting will be conducted. For business to be properly brought before a meeting or nominations of persons for election to the Board to be properly made at a meeting by a stockholder, notice must be received by the Corporate Secretary of the Company at the Company’s offices not less than 45 or more than 75 days before the one-year anniversary of the date on which the Company first mailed proxy materials for the preceding year’s annual meeting of stockholders; provided, however, if the meeting is convened more than 30 days before or delayed by more than 30 days after the anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting, or if no annual meeting was held in the preceding year, to be timely, notice must be recivedreceived not later than the close of business on the later of (i) the 90^th day before such annual meeting, or (ii) the 10^th day following the day on which public announcement of the date of such meeting is made. To be in proper written form, a stockholder’s notice to the Company’s Corporate Secretary must, among other things, set forth as to each matter such stockholder proposes to bring before the annual meeting (i) a brief description of the business proposed to be brought before the annual meeting and the reasons for conducting such business at the annual meeting, (ii) the name and record address of such stockholder, (iii) the class or series and number of shares of the Company’s capital stock which are owned beneficially or of record by such stockholder, and (iv) any other information relating to such stockholder and beneficial owner, if any, that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filings required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies for, as applicable, the proposal and/or for the election of directors in a contested election pursuant to Section 14 of the Exchange Act.

Accordingly, a stockholder who intends to raise a proposal to be acted upon at the 2018 Annual Meeting,2021 annual meeting, but who does not desire to include the proposal in the Company’s 20182021 proxy statement, must inform the Company by sending written notice to the Company’s Corporate Secretary at 5201 Interchange Way, Louisville, Kentucky 40229, no earlier than January 21, 20183, 2021 nor later than February 20, 2018.2, 2021. The persons named as proxies in the Company’s proxy for the 20182021 annual meeting may exercise their discretionary authority to act upon any proposal which is properly brought before a stockholder meeting.

STOCKHOLDERS’ COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE BOARD

Stockholders that want toand other interested parties may communicate in writing with the Company’s Board, including the Chairman or specificthe independent directors individually, may send proposedas a group, by sending written communications to the Company’s Corporate Secretary at 5201 Interchange Way, Louisville, Kentucky 40229. Written communications should include the interested party’s name and address and should indicate whether such person is a stockholder of the Company. The proposed communication will be reviewed by Mr. Dobbins and by the Audit Committee. If the communication is appropriate, and serves to advance or improve the Company or its performance, it will be forwarded to the Board or the appropriate director.

FORM 10-K

The Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016,2019, accompanies this proxy statement. The Company’s Annual Report does not form any part of the material for solicitation of proxies.

Any stockholder who wishes to obtain, without charge, a copy of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016,2019, which includes financial statements, and is required to be filed with the SEC, may access it at www.turningpointbrands.com in the Investor Relations section or may send a written request to James Dobbins, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, Turning Point Brands, Inc., 5201 Interchange Way, Louisville, Kentucky 40229.

OTHER BUSINESS

The Board is not aware of any other matters to be presented at the Annual Meeting other than those set forth herein and routine matters incident to the conduct of the meeting. If any other matters should properly come before the Annual Meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof, the persons named in the proxy, or their substitutes, intend to vote on such matters in accordance with their best judgment.

Louisville, Kentucky

April 7, 2017March 19, 2020

Please vote your shares through any of the methods described on the proxy card as promptly as possible, whether or not you plan to attend the Annual Meeting in person. If you do attend the Annual Meeting, you may still vote in person, since the proxy may be revoked at any time before its exercise by delivering a written revocation of the proxy to the Company’s Corporate Secretary.