CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS
BioHitech Realty LLC
BioHiTech currently rents its corporate headquarters, and since 2015, its warehousing space from BioHitech Realty LLC, a company partially owned by Frank E. Celli, our Chief Executive Officer and Chairman, and another employee and Shareholder. The lease, which expired on October 31, 2014, was replaced by new leases executed in July 2015, which expire in 2020, with a renewal option for an additional five-year period. Rent expense under the leases for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016 amounted to $97,066 and $95,430, respectively.
BioHiTech International
The Company has an Exclusive License and Distribution Agreement (the “License Agreement”) with BioHiTech International (“BHT-I”) (a company owned by Chun-Il Koh, a Company stockholder) Chun-Il Koh, Joyce Taeya Koh and Bong Soon Hwang. The License Agreement, originally executed on May 2, 2007 and as amended most recently on August 30, 2013, provides the Company exclusive rights to sell, lease, use, distribute and manufacture the Eco-Safe Digester products through December 31, 2023 (unless extended by mutual agreement), including:
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The exclusive right and license to sell, lease, license, import, distribute, market, advertise and the Eco-Safe Digester products on a worldwide basis; and
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The exclusive right of first refusal and license to manufacture or to have manufactured all products related to the Eco-Safe Digester, after the existing inventory of BHT-I has been exhausted; and
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The exclusive worldwide right to have made, use, off to sell, sell and import products, systems, methods and accessories covered by BHT-I patents, trademarks and service marks; and
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The exclusive worldwide right and license to have manufactured, sell, lease, license, import, distribute, market, advertise and otherwise promote any future new related technologies developed by BHT-I.
Acquisition of digesters and parts, as well as expenses under the distribution agreement amounted to $222,240 and $878,439 for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively.
Other
BioHiTech has also entered into various notes and advances from related parties that are disclosed in the Company’s financial statements.
PROPOSAL 2
RATIFICATION OF
INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS
FOR 2018 FISCAL YEAR
The Audit Committee of the Board of Directors has appointed Marcum LLP to continue to serve as our independent registered public accounting firm for the 2018 fiscal year. Marcum has served as our independent registered public accounting firm since October 26, 2015.
On October 26, 2015, the Company’s Board of Directors engaged Marcum LLP (“Marcum”) as the Company’s new independent registered public accounting firm to act as the principal accountant to audit the Company’s financial statements. Prior to Marcum’s appointment, neither the Company, nor anyone acting on its behalf, consulted with Marcum regarding the application of accounting principles to a specific completed or proposed transaction or the type of audit opinion that might be rendered on the Company’s financial statements, and no written report or oral advice was provided that Marcum concluded was an important factor considered by the Company in reaching a decision as to any such accounting, auditing or financial reporting issue.