Mr. Marc Benou is serving under an employment agreement commencing June 1, 1997 and ending May 31, 2002, which pursuant to its terms, renews for one-year terms until cancelled by either the Company or Mr. Benou. Mr.
Benou’s annual base salary as of July 31, 2011 was $260,200 ((a) actual 2011 salary drawn was $63,842, (b) $19,208 has been forgiven by Mr. Benou and he does not hold the Company liable for this amount, (c) $169,150 has been accrued for potential payment in the future). He receives annual increases of $6,000 on January 1st of each year. Mr. Benou is entitled to an annual bonus equal to 3% of the Company’s annual “income before income tax provision” as stated in its annual Form 10-K. The employment agreement also entitles Mr. Benou to the use of an automobile and to employee benefit plans, such as; life, health, pension, profit sharing and other plans. Under the employment agreement, employment is terminated upon death or disability of the employee and employee may be terminated by the Company for cause.
COMPENSATION OF DIRECTORS
No director of the Company receives any cash compensation for their services as such, but directors may receive stock options pursuant to the Company’s stock option plan and grants of the Company’s common stock. Currently, the Company has four directors who are not employees, Messrs. Michael Horn, Louis Massad, David Peison and Edward Rielly. No cash or stock compensation has been granted to any director during the year ended July 31, 2011.
RISK MANAGEMENT
The Company does not believe risks arising from its compensation policies and practices for its employees are reasonably likely to have a material adverse effect on the Company.
SECTION 16(A) BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP REPORTING COMPLIANCE
Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act, requires our directors and officers, and persons who own more than 10% of our Common Stock, to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission initial reports of beneficial ownership and reports of changes in beneficial ownership of our Common Stock and other equity securities. Our officers, directors and greater than 10% beneficial owners are required by SEC regulation to furnish us with copies of all Section 16(a) forms they file. To our knowledge, based solely on a review of the copies of such reports furnished to us and written representations that no other reports were required, during the fiscal year ended July 31, 2011, all Section 16(a) filing requirements applicable to our officers, directors and greater than 10% beneficial owners were complied with.
TRANSACTIONS WITH RELATED PERSONS, PROMOTERS AND CONTROL PERSONS
Related parties can include any of our directors or executive officers, certain of our stockholders and their immediate family members. A conflict of interest occurs when an individual’s private interest interferes, or appears to interfere, in any way with the interests of the company as a whole. Our code of ethics establishes requirements of our officers regarding conflicts of interest. Any violation of our code of ethics must be reported to the Company’s chief operating officer or any member of the Company’s Board of Directors.
PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT FEES AND SERVICES
Audit Fee
WSB billed the Company in the aggregate amount of $397,475 for professional services rendered for their audit of our annual financial statements for the fiscal year ended July 31, 2010, the restatement of the financial statements for fiscal year ended July 31, 2009, including the opening balances as of August 1, 2008 and restatement of unaudited quarterly financial statements for the fiscal year ended July 31, 2010 and 2009, also included was their review of the financial statements included in our Form 10-Q for the period ended October 31, 2010. Wolinetz billed the Company in the aggregate amount of $45,088 for professional services rendered for their audit of our annual financial statements for the fiscal year ended July 31, 2011 and their review of the financial statements included in our Forms 10-Q for the periods ended January 31, 2011 and April 30, 2011.
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Audit-Related Fees
No fees were billed during the years ended July 31, 2011 and 2010 for assurance and related services by either WSB or Wolinetz that are reasonably related to the performance of the audit or review of the Company’s financial statements and are not reported under the category Audit Fees described above.
Tax Fees
No fees were billed during the years ended July 31, 2011 and 2010 for tax compliance, tax advice, or tax planning services by either WSB or Wolinetz that are reasonably related to the performance of the audit or review of the Company’s financial statements and are not reported under the category Audit Fees described above.
All Other Fees
No fees were billed to the Company by WSB or Wolinetz during the years ended July 31, 2011 and 2010 for services not described above.
It is the policy of the Company’s Board of Directors that all services other than audit, review or attest services, must be pre-approved by the Board of Directors. All of the services described above were approved by the Board of Directors.
OTHER MATTERS
The Board of Directors does not know of any matters other than those mentioned above to be presented to the meeting. If any other matters do come before the meeting, the persons named in the proxy will exercise their discretion in voting thereof.
SHAREHOLDER PROPOSALS
Proposals by any shareholders intended to be presented at the next Annual Meeting of Shareholders must be received by the Company for inclusion in material relating to such meeting not later than September 11, 2012.
Shareholders who wish to present proposals for inclusion in the Company’s proxy materials for the next Annual Meeting of Shareholders may do so by following the procedures prescribed in Rule 14a-8 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. To be eligible, the shareholder proposals must be received by our Secretary at our principal executive office on or before September 11, 2012. Under SEC rules, you must have continuously held for at least one year prior to the submission of the proposal (and continue to hold through the date of the meeting) at least $2,000 in market value, or 1%, of our outstanding stock in order to submit a proposal which you seek to have included in the Company’s proxy materials. We may, subject to SEC review and guidelines, decline to include any proposal in our proxy materials.
Shareholders who wish to make a proposal at the next Annual Meeting, other than one that will be included in our proxy materials, must notify us no later than September 11, 2012. If a shareholder who wishes to present a proposal fails to notify us by September 11, 2012, the proxies that management solicits for the meeting will confer discretionary authority to vote on the shareholder’s proposal if it is properly brought before the meeting.
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By Order of the Board of Directors, |
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/s/ Robert Benou | |
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Robert S. Benou | |
Chairman & Chief Executive Officer |
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APPENDIX A
CONOLOG CORPORATION
AUDIT COMMITTEE OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
CHARTER
I. Purpose
The primary function of the Audit Committee is to assist the Board of Directors in fulfilling its oversight responsibilities by reviewing: the financial reports and other financial information provided by the Corporation to any governmental body or the public; the Corporation’s systems of internal controls regarding finance, accounting, legal compliance and ethics that management and the Board have established; and the Corporation’s auditing, accounting and financial reporting process generally. Consistent with this function, the Audit Committee should encourage continuous improvement of and foster adherence to, the Corporation’s policies, procedures and practices at all levels. The Audit Committee’s primary duties and responsibilities are to:
1. Serve as an independent and objective party to monitor the Corporation’s financial reporting process and internal control system.
2. Review and appraise the audit efforts of the Corporation’s independent accountants.
3. Provide an open avenue of communication among the independent accountants, financial and senior management and the Board of Directors.
The Audit Committee will primarily fulfill these responsibilities by carrying out the activities enumerated in Section IV of this Charter.
II. Composition
The Audit Committee shall be comprised of three or more directors as determined by the Board, a majority of whom shall be independent directors. An independent director means a person other than an officer or other employee of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any other individual having a relationship which, in the opinion of the Company’s board of directors, would interfere with the exercise of independent judgment in carrying out the responsibilities of a director. A director shall not be considered independent if, among other things, he or she has:
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• | been employed by the Corporation or its affiliates in the current or past three years; |
• | accepted any compensation from the Corporation or its affiliates in excess of $60,000 during the previous fiscal year (except for board service, retirement plan benefits, or non-discretionary compensation); |
• | an immediate family member who is, or has been in the past three years, employed by the Corporation or its affiliates as an executive officer; |
• | been a partner, controlling shareholder or an executive officer of any for-profit business to which the Corporation made, or from which it received, payments (other than those which arise solely from investments in the corporation’s securities) that exceed five percent of the organization’s consolidated gross revenues for that year, or $200,000, whichever is more, in any of the past three years; or |
• | been employed as an executive of another entity where any of the Corporation’s executives serve on that entity’s compensation committee. |
All members of the Committee shall have a working familiarity with basic finance and accounting practices, and at least one member of the Committee shall have accounting or related financial management expertise.
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The members of the Committee shall be elected by the Board at the annual meeting of the Board or until their successors shall be duly elected and qualified. Unless a Chair is elected by the full Board, the members of the Committee may designate a Chair by majority vote of the full Committee membership.
III. Meetings
The Committee shall meet at least four times annually, or more frequently as circumstances dictate. As part of its job to foster open communication, the Committee should meet at least annually with management and the independent accountants in separate executive sessions to discuss any matters that the Committee or each of these groups believe should be discussed privately. In addition, the Committee or at least its Chair should meet with the independent accountants and management quarterly to review the Corporation’s financials consistent with Section IV.3 below.
IV. Responsibilities
To fulfill its responsibilities and duties the Audit Committee shall:
Documents/Reports Review
1. Review and update this Charter periodically, at least annually, as conditions dictate.
2. Review the Corporation’s annual financial statements and any reports or other financial information submitted to any governmental body, or the public, including any certification, report, opinion, or review rendered by the independent accountants.
3. Review with financial management and the independent accountants the 10-QSB prior to its filing or prior to the release of earnings. The Chair of the Committee may represent the entire Committee for purposes of this review.
Independent Accountants
4. Recommend to the Board of Directors the selection of the independent accountants, considering independence and effectiveness and approve the fees and other compensation to be paid to the independent accountants. On an annual basis, the Committee should review and discuss with the accountants all significant relationships the accountants have with the Corporation to determine the accountants’ independence.
5. Review the performance of the independent accountants and approve any proposed discharge of the independent accountants when circumstances warrant.
6. Periodically consult with the independent accountants out of the presence of management about internal controls and the fullness and accuracy of the Corporation’s financial statements.
Financial Reporting Process
7. In consultation with the independent accountants, review the integrity of the Corporation’s financial reporting process, both internal and external.
8. Consider the independent accountant’s judgments about the quality and appropriateness of the Corporation’s accounting principles as applied to its financial reporting.
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9. Consider and approve, if appropriate, major changes to the Corporation’s accounting principles and practice as suggested by the independent accountants or management.
Process Improvement
10. Establish regular and separate systems of reporting to the Audit Committee by each of management and the independent accountants regarding any significant judgments made in management’s preparation of the financial statements and the view of each as to the appropriateness of such judgments.
11. Following completion of the annual audit, review separately with each of management and the independent accountants any significant difficulties encountered during the course of the audit, including any restrictions on the scope of work or access to required information.
12. Review any significant disagreement among management and the independent accountants in connection with the preparation of the financial statements.
13. Review with the independent accountants and management the extent to which changes or improvements in financial or accounting practices, as approved by the Audit Committee, have been implemented.
Ethical and Legal Compliance
14. Establish, review and update periodically a Code of Ethical Conduct and ensure that management has established a system to enforce this Ethical Code.
15. Review managements’ monitoring of the Corporation’s compliance with the Corporation’s Ethical Code, and ensure that management has the proper review system in place to ensure that the Corporation’s financial statements, reports and other financial information disseminated to governmental organizations, and the public satisfy legal requirements.
16. Review, with the Corporation’s counsel, legal compliance matters including corporate securities trading policies.
17. Review with the Corporation’s counsel, any legal matter that could have a significant impact on the Corporation’s financial statements.
18. Perform any other activities consistent with this Charter, the Corporation’s By-laws and governing law, as the Committee or Board deems necessary or appropriate.
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APPENDIX B
NOMINATING COMMITTEE CHARTER
of the Nominating Committee
of Conolog Corporation
This shall be the Nominating Committee Charter of Conolog Corporation (‘the Company’).
I. Purpose
The purpose of the Nominating Committee (the “Committee”) of the Board of Directors (the “Board of the Company”) is to assist the Board in discharging the Board’s responsibilities regarding:
(a) Reviewing the appropriate size, function and needs of the Board of Directors;
(b) developing the Board’s policy regarding tenure and retirement of directors;
(c) establishing criteria for evaluating and selecting new members of the Board, subject to Board approval thereof and
(d) identifying and recommending to the Board for approval individuals qualified to become members of the Board of Directors, consistent with criteria established by the Committee and the Board
In addition to the powers and responsibilities expressly delegated to the Committee in this Charter, the Committee may exercise any other powers and carry out any other responsibilities delegated to it by the Board from time to time consistent with the Company’s bylaws. The powers and responsibilities delegated by the Board to the Committee in this Charter or otherwise shall be exercised and carried out by the Committee as it deems appropriate without requirement of Board approval, and any decision made by the Committee (including any decision to exercise or refrain from exercising any of the powers delegated to the Committee hereunder) shall be at the Committee’s sole discretion. While acting within the scope of the powers and responsibilities delegated to it, the Committee shall have and may exercise all the powers and authority of the Board. To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Committee shall have the power to determine which matters are within the scope of the powers and responsibilities delegated to it.
II. Membership
The Committee shall be composed of two directors, as determined by the Board, each of whom have never been employed by the Company and each of whom (a) satisfies the independence requirements of the NASDAQ, and (b) has experience, in the business judgment of the Board, that would be helpful in addressing the matters delegated to the Committee.
The members of the Committee, including the Chair of the Committee, shall be appointed by the Board. Committee members may be removed from the Committee, with or without cause, by the Board. Any action duly
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taken by the Committee shall be valid and effective, whether or not the members of the Committee at the time of such action are later determined not to have satisfied the requirements for membership provided herein.
III. Meetings and Procedures
The Chair (or in his or her absence, a member designated by the Chair) shall preside at each meeting of the Committee and set the agendas for Committee meetings. The Committee shall have the authority to establish its own rules and procedures for notice and conduct of its meetings so long as they are not inconsistent with the provisions of the Company’s bylaws that are applicable to the Committee.
The Committee shall meet on a regularly scheduled basis at least two times per year and more frequently as the Committee deems necessary or desirable.
All non-management directors that are not members of the Committee may attend and observe meetings of the Committee, but shall not participate in any discussion or deliberation unless invited to do so by the Committee, and in any event shall not be entitled to vote. The Committee may, at its discretion, include in its meetings members of the Company’s management, or any other person whose presence the Committee believes to be desirable and appropriate. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Committee may exclude from its meetings any person it deems appropriate, including but not limited to, any non-management director that is not a member of the Committee.
The Committee may retain any independent counsel, experts or advisors that the Committee believes to be desirable and appropriate. The Committee may also use the services of the Company’s regular legal counsel or other advisors to the Company. The Company shall provide for appropriate funding, as determined by the Committee, for payment of compensation to any such persons employed by the Committee and for ordinary administrative expenses of the Committee that are necessary or appropriate in carrying out its duties. The Committee shall have sole authority to retain and terminate any search firm to be used to identify director candidates, including sole authority to approve such search firm’s fees and other retention terms.
The Chair shall report to the Board regarding the activities of the Committee at appropriate times and as otherwise requested by the Chairman of the Board.
IV. Duties and Responsibilities
1. (a) At an appropriate time prior to each annual meeting of shareholders at which directors are to be elected or reelected, the Committee shall recommend to the Board for nomination by the Board such candidates as the Committee, in the exercise of its judgment, has found to be well qualified and willing and available to serve.
(b) At an appropriate time after a vacancy arises on the Board or a director advises the Board of his or her intention to resign, the Committee shall recommend to the Board for appointment by the Board to fill such vacancy, such prospective member of the Board as the Committee, in the exercise of its judgment, has found to be well qualified and willing and available to serve.
(c) For purposes of (a) and (b) above, the Committee may consider the following criteria, among others the Committee shall deem appropriate, in recommending candidates for election to the Board:
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| (i) | personal and professional integrity, ethics and values; |
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| (ii) | experience in corporate management, such as serving as an officer or former officer of a publicly held company; |
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| (iii) | experience in the Company’s industry and with relevant social policy concerns; |
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| (iv) | experience as a board member of another publicly held company; |
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| (v) | academic expertise in an area of the Company’s operations; and |
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| (vi) | practical and mature business judgment. |
2. The Committee shall, at least annually, review the performance of each current director and shall consider the results of such evaluation when determining whether or not to recommend the nomination of such director for an additional term.
3. In appropriate circumstances, the Committee, in its discretion, shall consider and may recommend the removal of a director for cause, in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Company’s certificate of incorporation and bylaws.
4. The Committee shall oversee the Board in the Board’s annual review of its performance (including its composition and organization), and will make appropriate recommendations to improve performance.
5. The Committee shall develop and recommend to the Board a policy regarding the consideration of director candidates recommended by the Company’s security holders and procedures for submission by security holders of director nominee recommendations.
6. The Committee shall evaluate its own performance on an annual basis, including its compliance with this Charter, and provide the Board with any recommendations for changes in procedures or policies governing the Committee. The Committee shall conduct such evaluation and review in such manner as it deems appropriate.
7. The Committee shall periodically report to the Board on its findings and actions.
8. The Committee shall review and reassess this Charter at least annually and submit any recommended changes to the Board for its consideration.
V. Delegation of Duties
In fulfilling its responsibilities, the Committee shall be entitled to delegate any or all of its responsibilities to a subcommittee of the Committee, to the extent consistent with the Company’s certificate of incorporation, bylaws and applicable law and rules of markets in which the Company’s securities then trade.
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6 FOLD AND DETACH HERE AND READ THE REVERSE SIDE 6
ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS — JANUARY 24, 2012
The undersigned shareholder of Conolog Corporation (the “Company”) hereby appoints Robert S. Benou and Marc R. Benou and each of them as the attorney and proxy of the undersigned, with full power of substitution, to vote, as indicated herein, all the common shares of the Company standing in the name of the undersigned at the close of business on November 28, 2011 at the Annual Meeting of Shareholders of the Company to be held at the Main Conference Room of Conolog Corporation, 5 Columbia Road, Somerville, N.J. 08876, on the Tuesday, January 24, 2012, at 2:00 p.m., local time, and at any and all adjournments thereof, with all the powers the undersigned would possess if then and there personally present and especially (but without limiting the general authorization and power hereby given) to vote as indicated on the proposals, as more fully described in the Proxy Statement for the meeting on the following matters.
THIS PROXY IS SOLICITED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND WILL BE VOTED FOR THE PROPOSALS LISTED ON THE REVERSE SIDE UNLESS OTHERWISE INDICATED. THIS PROXY WILL BE VOTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SPECIFICATIONS MADE. BUT IF NO CHOICES ARE INDICATED. THIS PROXY WILL BE VOTED FOR THE PROPOSALS LISTED ON THE REVERSE SIDE.
(Continued, and to be marked, dated and signed, on the other side)
6 FOLD AND DETACH HERE AND READ THE REVERSE SIDE 6
PROXY
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THIS PROXY IS SOLICITED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND WILL BE VOTED FOR THE ELECTION OF THE PROPOSEDDIRECTORS AND FOR THE BELOW PROPOSALS UNLESS OTHERWISE INDICATED. THIS PROXY WILL BE VOTED INACCORDANCE WITH THE SPECIFICATIONS MADE. BUT IF NO CHOICES ARE INDICATED, THIS PROXY WILL BE VOTEDFOR THE ELECTION OF ALL NOMINEES AND FOR THE PROPOSALS LISTED BELOW.
| | Please mark boxes [•] or [X] In blue or black Ink | x |
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1. | Election of Directors | | FOR | | WITHHOLD AUTHORITY |
| (To withhold authority to vote for an individualnominee, strike through the nominee’s name below) | | o | | o |
| 01 02 | Robert S. Benou Marc R. Benou | 03 04 | Louis S. Massad Edward J. Rielly | 05 06 | David S. Peison Michael Horn |
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| | | FOR | | AGAINST | | ABSTAIN |
2. | Proposal to approve the selection of Wolinetz,Lafazan, C.P.A. as the Company’s independentauditors for the fiscal year ending July 31, 2012. | | o | | o | | o |
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| | | FOR | | AGAINST | | ABSTAIN |
3. | In their discretion, the Proxies are authorized to vote upon such other business as may properlycome before the meeting or any adjournmentor adjournments thereof. | | o | | o | | o |
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| COMPANY ID:
PROXY NUMBER:
ACCOUNT NUMBER: |
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Signature _____________________________________________________Signature _______________________________________________________ Date _____________, 2012. |
SIGNATURE(S) should be exactly as name or names appear on this Proxy. If stock is held jointly, each holder should sign. If signing is by attorney, executor, administrator, trustee or guardian, please give full title. |
[Sign, date and return the Proxy Card promptly using the enclosed envelope.] |