If you have already voted and do not submit a new proxy card, your previously submitted proxy will be voted at the Annual Meeting with respect to all other proposals, but it will not be voted on the Say-on-Frequency Proposal. PLEASE NOTE THAT IF YOU SUBMIT AN AMENDED PROXY CARD IT WILL REVOKE AND REPLACE ALL PRIOR PROXY CARDS, SO IT IS IMPORTANT TO INDICATE YOUR VOTE ON EACH OF THE THREE PROPOSALS ON THE AMENDED PROXY CARD, VOTE THROUGH THE INTERNET OR BY TELEPHONE, OR ATTEND THE ANNUAL MEETING AND VOTE IN PERSON.
Except for the addition of Proposal 3, this Supplement does not modify, amend, supplement or otherwise affect any matter presented for consideration in the Proxy Statement.
PROPOSAL 3: NON-BINDING ADVISORY VOTE ON THE FREQUENCY OF HOLDING THE NON-BINDING ADVISORY VOTE ON EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
At our 2017 annual meeting of shareholders, our shareholders voted, on an advisory basis, to hold the non-binding advisory vote to approve the company’s executive compensation annually. Since that time, we have held an advisory shareholder vote on our executive compensation at each year’s annual meeting. The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and the related rules of the SEC provide that shareholders again be given the opportunity to vote at the Annual Meeting, on a non-binding advisory basis, for their preference as to how frequently we should hold future non-binding advisory votes on the compensation of our named executive officers as disclosed in our proxy statements. Under this proposal, shareholders may indicate whether they would prefer that we hold our future non-binding advisory votes on executive compensation once every one, two, or three years. Shareholders also may, if they wish, abstain from voting on this proposal.
Our board of directors and compensation committee believe that an annual vote – i.e., the 1 Year frequency option – is consistent with the company’s efforts to engage in an ongoing dialogue with our shareholders on executive compensation and corporate governance matters. The board and committee have determined that an annual vote will best provide for a meaningful understanding of our shareholders’ view on whether they perceive our approach to executive compensation as creating an effective pay-for-performance culture. Further, an annual vote will allow our shareholders to provide timely, direct input on our executive compensation as disclosed in the proxy statement each year. However, shareholders should note that, because the vote on executive compensation occurs well after the beginning of the compensation year, and because the different components of our executive compensation program are designed to operate in an integrated manner and to complement one another, in many cases it may not be appropriate or feasible to change our executive compensation program in consideration of any one year’s vote on executive compensation by the time of the following year’s annual meeting of shareholders.
This frequency vote is advisory and not binding on the company or our board of directors or compensation committee. The board and committee will take into account the results of the vote, however, in considering the frequency of holding future non-binding advisory votes on executive compensation.
Shareholders may cast a vote on their preferred frequency for our holding a non-binding advisory vote on executive compensation by selecting the option of one year, two years, or three years, or by abstaining from the vote. Our board and the compensation committee unanimously recommend that all shareholders vote for holding an annual non-binding advisory vote on our executive compensation – i.e., the 1 Year frequency option.
The affirmative vote of a majority of the shares entitled to vote, and present, either in person or represented by proxy, is required to approve this proposal. Abstentions have the effect of a vote against all three frequency options, but broker non-votes are not counted.