How We Determine NEO Compensation
Role of the Compensation Committee
. All compensation for our named executive officers is reviewed and recommended to the Board by the Compensation Committee, which is composed only of independent directors. The Compensation Committee is responsible for reviewing the performance and establishing the total compensation of our named executive officers on an annual basis. The Compensation Committee discusses compensation matters as part of regularly scheduled meetings.
Role of our Chief Executive Officer
. Our Chief Executive Officer annually makes recommendations to the Compensation Committee regarding base salary,
non-equity
incentive plan compensation and equity awards for himself and the other named executive officers. Such recommendations are considered by the Compensation Committee; however, the Compensation Committee retains full discretion and authority over the final compensation decisions for the named executive officers, subject to approval by the Board.
Role of our Independent Compensation Consultant
. The Compensation Committee has the authority to engage independent compensation consultants. The Compensation Committee has in the past, and may in the future, directly commission compensation studies from such consultants to provide benchmark and other data to be used by the Compensation Committee in determining the compensation and benefits for the named executive officers.
During 2019 and 2020, the Compensation Committee engaged Pearl Meyer & Partners, or Pearl Meyer, an independent compensation consultant, for general executive compensation support. Pearl Meyer also assisted with benchmarking
non-employee
director compensation, planning for our stock pool refresh proposal, and developing and enhancing our proxy disclosures. In 2021, the Compensation Committee also engaged Kingsdale Shareholder Services, U.S., an independent consultant, for special advisory and proxy solicitation services.
Annual Bonus
(Non-Equity
Incentive Compensation)
Annually, the Compensation Committee establishes a
non-equity
incentive compensation plan as a tool to incentivize the named executive officers to achieve certain Company goals for the forthcoming fiscal year. In 2020 and 2021, the Compensation Committee established a
non-equity
incentive compensation plan for 2020, or the 2020 Plan, intended to incentivize the named executive officers to achieve corporate goals and targets. Under the 2020 Plan, upon the Company achieving
pre-determined
revenue and adjusted EBITDA targets, or the Targets, each named executive officer is entitled to receive the percentage of their target bonus amount, which is 50% based on the Targets and 50% based on personal performance targets for each named executive officer. The 2020 Plan allows bonus payments that can exceed 100% of each named executive officer’s target bonus amount if performance targets are exceeded by
pre-determined
amounts and in the discretion of the Compensation Committee and the Board.
The Compensation Committee allocated up to $262,500 for payment of bonuses in cash to the named executive officers other than the Chief Executive Officer, and up to $117,000 in cash for the Chief Executive Officer. The 2020 Plan also provides for the payment of up to $840,000 in performance-based bonuses to employees of the Company other than the named executive officers. Subject to certain conditions, including the Company maintaining a cash balance above an agreed-upon level, the bonus pool for executive and
non-executive
employees may be increased to $1.15 million, in the discretion of the Compensation Committee and the Board. In addition, the Board may exercise its discretion to reduce any amounts that might be payable to one or all officers.
In February 2021, the Compensation Committee reviewed the Company’s actual performance relative to the Targets, determined that the Targets had been met, and recommended to the Board the payment of bonuses under the 2020 Plan. In February 2021, Board approved the payment of bonuses as compensation for the year ended December 31, 2020, a portion of which was paid in cash and a portion paid in the form of stock options. Such bonuses, attributable to performance for the year ended December 31, 2020, were awarded as follows: Mr. Klein was awarded $117,000 in cash, with stock options to purchase up to 13,982 shares of common stock granted on February 15, 2021; Ms. Stevens was awarded $112,500 in cash, with stock options to purchase up to 4,481 shares of common stock granted on February 15, 2021; and Mr. Go was awarded $82,500 in cash, with stock options to purchase up to 3,286 shares of common stock granted on February 15, 2021. All options are subject to a 6 month vesting period from the grant date and were granted at an exercise price of $18.00 per share.