pure_def14.htm
UNITED
STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION
Washington, D.C.
20549
SCHEDULE 14A
INFORMATION
(AMENDMENT NO. 1)
Proxy
Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a)
of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934
Filed by the Registrant x
Filed by a Party
other than the Registrant o
Check the
appropriate box:
o |
Preliminary Proxy Statement |
o |
Confidential, For Use of the Commission Only
(as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2)) |
x |
Definitive Proxy Statement
|
o |
Definitive Additional Materials
|
o |
Soliciting Material Pursuant to
|
o |
Rule 14a-11 (c) or rule 14a-12
|
PURE
BIOSCIENCE |
(Name of
Registrant as Specified In Its Charter) |
(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if
Other Than the Registrant)
Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):
x No fee
required.
o Fee
computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11.
|
(1) |
Title of each class of securities to which
transaction applies: |
|
(2) |
Aggregate number of securities to which
transaction applies: |
|
(3) |
Per unit price or other underlying value of
transaction computed pursuant to Exchange Act Rule
0-11: |
|
(4) |
Proposed maximum aggregate value of
transaction: |
o |
Fee paid previously with preliminary
materials: |
o |
Check box if any part of the fee is offset as
provided by Exchange Act Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which
the offsetting fee was paid previously. Identify the previous filing by
registration statement number, or the form or schedule and the date of its
filing. |
|
(1) |
Amount previously paid:
|
|
(2) |
Form, Schedule or Registration Statement no.:
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The sole
purpose of this Amendment No. 1 is to provide additional quantitative and
clarifying information on pages 15 and 17.
PURE
BIOSCIENCE
1725
Gillespie Way
El Cajon,
California 92020
(619)
596-8600
PROXY
STATEMENT
NOTICE
OF ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
To Be
Held January 20, 2010
To
the Shareholders of PURE Bioscience:
Notice
Hereby Is Given that the Annual Meeting of Shareholders (the “Meeting”) of PURE
Bioscience, a California corporation (the "Company"), will be held at the
Doubletree Hotel Mission Valley, 7450 Hazard Center Drive, San Diego, California
92108 on January 20, 2010 at 2:00 p.m., Pacific Time, and at any and all
adjournments thereof, for the purpose of considering and acting upon the
following proposals:
Proposal
No. 1.
|
Election
of Directors
|
Proposal
No. 2.
|
Ratification
of Selection of Independent Registered Public Accounting
Firm
|
The
foregoing proposals are more fully described in the proxy statement accompanying
this notice. The shareholders will also act on any other business as
may properly come before the Meeting or any postponement or adjournment of the
Meeting.
The
Meeting is called as provided for by California law and the Company’s
Bylaws.
Only
holders of our common stock of record at the close of business on December 2,
2009 will be entitled to notice of and to vote at the Meeting or at any
adjournment or adjournments thereof. We are mailing these proxy
materials to shareholders beginning on or before December 18, 2009.
You
are cordially invited to attend the Meeting in person. Whether or not you expect
to attend the Meeting, please complete, date, sign and return the proxy
accompanying this notice or vote by telephone or on the Internet as instructed
in the proxy statement accompanying this notice, as promptly as possible in
order to ensure your representation at the Meeting. If you have received this
notice by mail, a return envelope (which is postage prepaid if mailed in the
United States) is enclosed for your convenience. Even if you have voted by
proxy, you may still vote in person if you attend the Meeting. Please note,
however, that if your shares are held of record by a broker, bank or other agent
and you wish to vote at the meeting, you must request and obtain a proxy issued
in your name from that record holder.
By
Order of the Board of Directors
Dennis
B. Atchley
Secretary
El Cajon,
California
November
24, 2009
HOW
DO I VOTE?
For the
election of directors, you may either vote "For" all nominees or you may
"Withhold" your vote for any nominee you specify. For any other matter to be
voted on, you may vote "For" or "Against" or abstain from voting. The procedures
for voting are as follows:
Shareholder
of Record: Shares Registered in Your Name
If you
are a shareholder of record, you may vote in person at the Meeting.
Alternatively, you may vote by proxy either by telephone or on the Internet or
by using the accompanying proxy card. Whether or not you plan to attend the
meeting, we urge you to vote by proxy to ensure your vote is counted. You may
still attend the meeting and vote in person if you have already voted by
proxy.
•
|
To
vote in person, come to the Meeting and we will give you a ballot when you
arrive.
|
•
|
To
vote by telephone, dial the toll free number 1-800-690-6903 using any
touch tone phone and follow the recorded instructions. You will be asked
to provide the company number and control number from the accompanying
proxy card. Your vote must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on
January 19, 2010 to be counted.
|
•
|
To
vote on the Internet, go to www.proxyvote.com to
complete an electronic proxy card. You will be asked to provide the
company number and control number from the accompanying proxy card. Your
vote must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on January 19, 2010 to be
counted.
|
•
|
To
vote using the proxy card, simply complete, sign and date the accompanying
proxy card and return it promptly in the envelope provided. If you return
your signed proxy card to us before the Meeting, we will vote your shares
as you direct.
|
Beneficial
Owner: Shares Registered in the Name of Broker, Bank or Other Agent
If you
are a beneficial owner of shares registered in the name of your broker, bank or
other agent, you should have received a proxy card and voting instructions with
these proxy materials from that organization rather than from us. Simply
complete and mail the proxy card to ensure that your vote is counted.
Alternatively, you may vote by telephone or on the Internet as instructed by
your broker, bank or other agent. To vote in person at the Meeting, you must
obtain a valid proxy from your broker, bank or other agent. Follow the
instructions from your broker, bank or other agent included with these proxy
materials, or contact your broker, bank or other agent to request a proxy
form.
PURE
BIOSCIENCE
1725
Gillespie Way
El Cajon,
California 92020
(619)
596-8600
General
Information
The
enclosed Proxy is solicited by and on behalf of the Board of Directors (the
“Board”) of PURE Bioscience, a California corporation (the "Company"), for use
at the Company's Annual Meeting of Shareholders (the “Meeting”) to be held at
the Doubletree Hotel Mission Valley, 7450 Hazard Center Drive, San Diego,
California 92108 on January 20, 2010, at 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time, and at any
adjournment thereof. It is anticipated that the Notice and Proxy Card will be
mailed to the Company's shareholders entitled to vote at the Meeting on or
before December 18, 2009.
Any
person signing and returning the enclosed proxy (the “Proxy”) may revoke it at
any time before it is voted by submitting a new proxy with a later date, or by
giving written notice of such revocation to the Company, or by voting in person
at the Meeting. The expense of soliciting proxies, including the cost of
preparing, assembling and mailing this proxy statement (this “Proxy Statement”)
to shareholders, will be borne by the Company. It is anticipated that
solicitations of proxies for the Meeting will be made only by use of the mail;
however, the Company may use the services of its directors, officers and
employees to solicit proxies personally or by telephone without additional
salary or compensation to them. Brokerage houses, custodians, nominees and
fiduciaries will be requested to forward the Proxy Statement to the beneficial
owners of the Company's shares held of record by such persons, and the Company
will reimburse such persons for reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by
them in that connection.
All
shares represented by valid proxies will be voted in accordance therewith at the
Meeting. Shares not voting as a result of a proxy marked to abstain will be
counted as part of total shares voting in order to determine whether or not a
quorum has been achieved at the Meeting.
Broker Non-Votes and
Abstentions
A broker
non-vote occurs when a broker submits a proxy card with respect to shares of
common stock held in a fiduciary capacity (typically referred to as being held
in “street name”), but declines to vote on a particular matter because the
broker has not received voting instructions from the beneficial owner. Under the
rules that govern brokers who are voting with respect to shares held in street
name, brokers have the discretion to vote such shares on routine matters, but
not on non-routine matters. Routine matters include the election of directors,
increases in authorized common stock for general corporate purposes and
ratification of auditors. Non-routine matters include approval of and amendments
to stock plans. Broker non-votes will be counted as part of the total shares
voting in order to determine whether or not a quorum has been achieved at the
Meeting. Abstentions and broker non-votes will not be considered in determining
whether director nominees have received the requisite number of affirmative
votes. With respect to the proposal to ratify the appointment of Mayer Hoffman
McCann P.C. as our independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal
year ending July 31, 2010, abstentions and broker non-votes will have the effect
of a vote neither “for” nor “against” such proposals.
Advice to Beneficial Owners
of Certain Shares
Shareholders
who do not hold their shares in their own name should note that only
shareholders whose names are registered as shareholders on the records of the
Company can submit the attached Proxy or be recognized and vote at the Meeting.
If a shareholder's shares are registered under the name of a broker, financial
institution or other agent, then these shares can only be voted by the holding
broker, financial institution or other agent. Such broker, financial institution
or other agent are provided with sufficient copies of this Proxy Statement and
the Annual Report to forward such materials to the shareholder as the beneficial
owner of such shares. The broker, financial institution or other agent should
provide the beneficial owner with instructions on how to submit the vote of
their shares. In the event a beneficial owner wishes to attend and vote their
shares at the Meeting, the beneficial owner must obtain a proxy from the broker,
financial institution or other agent.
Shares Outstanding and
Voting Rights
All
voting rights are vested exclusively in the holders of our common stock with
each common share entitled to one vote except as set forth below regarding
cumulative voting. Only shareholders of record at the close of business on
December 2, 2009 are entitled to notice of and to vote at the Meeting or any
adjournment thereof. On November 24, 2009, the Company had 34,126,148 shares of
its common stock outstanding, each of which is entitled to one vote on all
matters to be voted upon at the Meeting. No fractional shares are presently
outstanding. A majority of the Company's outstanding voting stock represented in
person or by proxy shall constitute a quorum at the Meeting. Provided that a
quorum is present at the Meeting, the affirmative vote of a plurality of the
votes cast is necessary to approve election of directors as described more fully
under the heading “Proposal No. 1” below and the affirmative vote of a majority
of the votes cast is necessary to approve the ratification of our registered
independent auditor as described more fully under the heading “Proposal No. 2”
below. As of November 24, 2009, the current directors and executive
officers of PURE Bioscience owned 2,038,033 shares (5.97% of shares outstanding)
and have not entered into any agreements as to how they intend to vote their
shares.
Each
shareholder may cumulate votes in the election of directors. Cumulative voting
rights entitle a shareholder to cast as many votes as is equal to the number of
directors to be elected multiplied by the number of shares owned by such
shareholder. A shareholder may cast all of such shareholder's votes as
calculated above for one candidate or may distribute the votes among two or more
candidates. However, you may not cumulate votes for a candidate unless that
candidate has been properly nominated prior to the voting and you have given
notice of your intention to cumulate your votes. You must express your intention
to cumulate votes at the meeting prior to the election or, if you choose to
cumulate your votes and are voting via proxy, you must submit a proxy card and
make an explicit statement of your intent to cumulate your votes, by so
indicating in writing on the proxy card. If you hold shares beneficially in
street name and wish to cumulate votes, you should contact your broker, trustee
or nominee.
If any
shareholder gives notice to cumulate his shares, all other shareholders shall be
allowed to cumulate their votes as well. We will provide an opportunity at the
meeting for any shareholder who desires to cumulate votes to announce his
intention to do so. We are soliciting, by your proxy, the
discretionary authority to vote proxies cumulatively. The six nominees receiving
the highest number of votes will be elected as directors. If you sign
your proxy card or voting instruction card with no further instructions, the
persons named in the proxy, or their successors, as proxy holders, may cumulate
and cast your votes in favor of the election of some or all of the applicable
nominees in their sole discretion, except that none of your votes will be cast
for any nominee as to whom you vote against or abstain from voting. Unless
otherwise instructed, the shares represented by proxies will be voted in the
discretion of the proxy holders so as to elect all or as many of the nominees as
possible.
Adjournments and
Postponements
Although
it is not expected, the annual meeting may be adjourned or postponed for the
purpose of soliciting additional proxies. Any adjournment or postponement may be
made without notice by an announcement at the annual meeting. Any signed
proxies, or proxies submitted over the Internet or by telephone, received by us
will be voted in favor of an adjournment or postponement in these circumstances.
Any adjournment or postponement of the annual meeting for the purpose of
soliciting additional proxies will allow our shareholders who have already sent
in their proxies to revoke them at any time prior to their use.
Important Notice Regarding
the Availability of Proxy Materials for the Meeting of Shareholders to be held
on January 20, 2010
Copies of
this proxy statement, our 2009 Annual Report and directions to the Meeting are
available online at www.proxyvote.com.
4
Proposal No. 1. Election of
Directors
The
number of directors of the Company has been fixed at six (6) by the Board. The
Board recommends the election of directors of the six (6) nominees listed below
to hold office until the next annual meeting of shareholders and until their
successors are elected and qualified or until their earlier death, resignation
or removal. The persons named as "proxies" in the enclosed Proxy, who have been
designated by the Company’s management, intend to vote for the six (6) nominees
for election as directors unless otherwise instructed in such Proxy. If at the
time of the Meeting, any of the nominees named below should be unable to serve,
the discretionary authority provided in the Proxy will be exercised to vote for
the remaining nominees, or for a substitute nominee or nominees, if any, as
shall be designated by the Board.
Nominees
The
following table sets forth the name and age of each nominee for director,
indicating all positions and offices with the Company presently held and the
period during which each has served as such:
Name
|
|
Age
|
|
Position
|
|
Year
First Elected
|
Gregory
H. Barnhill
|
|
56
|
|
Director
|
|
2001
|
Dennis
Brovarone
|
|
53
|
|
Director
|
|
1996
|
John
J. Carbone, MD
|
|
48
|
|
Director
|
|
2009
|
Michael
L. Krall
|
|
57
|
|
President,
CEO, Chairman, Director
|
|
1992
|
Paul
V. Maier
|
|
62
|
|
Director
|
|
2008
|
Donna
Singer
|
|
39
|
|
Executive
Vice President, Director
|
|
1999
|
Business
Experience of Nominees
GREGORY
H. BARNHILL Mr. Barnhill is a partner and a director of Brown
Advisory Securities, LLC. Previously, Mr. Barnhill served as Managing Director
of North American Equity Sales at Deutsche Banc Alex Brown Inc., an investment
services firm. He joined the firm in 1975, following his graduation from Brown
University with an AB degree in economics. Mr. Barnhill is on
the board of Osiris Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: OSIR), a biotechnology
company, and serves as a board member for a number of charitable
and philanthropic organizations.
DENNIS
BROVARONE Mr. Brovarone has been practicing corporate and
securities law since 1986 and as a sole practitioner since 1990. He was elected
to the Board in April 1996. Since January 2002, Mr. Brovarone has served as a
director of Shannon International, Inc., a technology, oil and gas
company.
JOHN J.
CARBONE, MD Dr. Carbone is a Board Certified Orthopedic Surgeon
and a Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. Since 2004, he has
served as the Director, Orthopedic Spine Services at Harbor Hospital in
Baltimore, MD. Dr. Carbone received a bachelor's degree
in engineering from The United States Merchant Marine Academy in 1983. He then
served as a marine engineer for Military Sealift Command until 1988, and as a
lieutenant in the United States Naval Reserve until 1993. He received his
medical degree from the University of Maryland School of Medicine in 1992, and
completed his orthopedic residency training and his reconstructive spinal
surgery fellowship at The Johns Hopkins Hospital.
MICHAEL
L. KRALL Mr. Krall is the President, CEO and Chairman of the
Board of PURE Bioscience, a position he has held since 1993.
PAUL V.
MAIER In November
2009, Mr. Maier was appointed interim Chief Financial Officer of Sequenom, Inc.,
a life sciences company based in San Diego. Previously, he served as
Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and became Senior Vice President, Chief
Financial Officer of Ligand Pharmaceutical Inc., a biotechnology company, from
1992 to 2007. Prior to Ligand Pharmaceutical, Mr. Maier served as
Vice President, Finance at DFS West, a division of DFS Group, L.P., a private
multinational retailer from October 1990 to October 1992. From February 1990 to
October 1990, Mr. Maier served as Vice President and Treasurer of ICN
Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a pharmaceutical and biotechnology research products
company. Mr. Maier held various positions in finance and administration at SPI
Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biotechnology company and a publicly held subsidiary of
ICN Pharmaceuticals Group, from 1984 to 1988, including Vice President, Finance
from February 1984 to February 1987. Mr. Maier received an M.B.A. from Harvard
Graduate School of Business and a B.S. from Pennsylvania State
University. Mr. Maier also serves on the boards of directors of
International Stem Cell Corp. and Hana Biosciences, Inc., both publicly-held
biotechnology companies.
DONNA
SINGER Ms. Singer is the Executive Vice President of PURE
Bioscience and has been a director since 1997. From 1996-1998, Ms. Singer served
as Vice President of Operations for the Company.
5
Independence
of the Board of Directors and its Committees
Since
April 2008, our common stock has been listed on the NASDAQ Capital Market under
the symbol “PURE.” As required under NASDAQ Stock Market listing
standards, a majority of the members of a listed company's board of directors
must qualify as "independent," as affirmatively determined by the Board. Our
Board consults with our counsel to ensure that the Board's determinations are
consistent with all relevant securities and other laws and regulations regarding
the definition of "independent," including those set forth in applicable NASDAQ
listing standards, as in effect from time to time.
Consistent
with these considerations, after review of all relevant transactions or
relationships between each director and PURE Bioscience, our senior management
and our independent auditors, our Board has affirmatively determined that each
of Mr. Barnhill, Mr. Brovarone, Dr. Carbone and Mr. Maier are independent
directors within the meaning of the applicable NASDAQ listing
standards.
As
required under applicable NASDAQ Stock Market listing standards, our independent
directors meet in regularly scheduled executive sessions at which only
independent directors are present. All of the committees of our Board
are comprised entirely of directors determined by the Board to be independent
within the meaning of the applicable NASDAQ listing standards.
Information
Regarding the Board of Directors and its Committees
In
February 2008, our Board established an audit committee (the “Audit Committee”)
and a compensation committee (the “Compensation Committee”). Each
committee operates pursuant to a written charter, copies of which can be found
on the corporate governance section of our web site, www.purebio.com. Each of our
Board committees is required to perform an annual self-performance evaluation,
which evaluation includes a comparison of the performance of the respective
committee in light of the requirements of its charter.
Audit
Committee
The Audit
Committee reviews our corporate accounting and financial reporting process on
behalf of the Board. The Audit Committee has the sole authority to appoint,
retain or terminate our independent auditors; approves in advance all audit and
permissible non-audit services to be provided to us by our independent auditors;
oversees the independence of our independent auditors; evaluates our independent
auditors' performance; oversees and evaluates management's assessment of the
effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of the end of each
fiscal year; oversees and evaluates our accounting and financial controls;
receives and considers our independent auditors' comments as to accounting and
financial controls; discusses with management and our independent auditors the
results of the annual audit and our annual financial statements; discusses with
management and our independent auditors, as applicable, the results of our
independent auditors' interim review of our quarterly financial statements, as
well as our earnings press releases; and reviews and approves all related-party
transactions that are required to be disclosed by applicable laws, rules or
regulation.
Mr. Maier
is the Chairman of the Audit Committee. Our Board has determined that Mr. Maier
qualifies as an "audit committee financial expert," as defined in applicable
rules promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission
(“SEC”). In general, an “audit committee financial expert” is an
individual member of the audit committee who understands Generally Accepted
Accounting Principles and financial statements; is able to assess the general
application of such principles in connection with accounting for estimates,
accruals and reserves; has experience preparing, auditing, analyzing or
evaluating financial statements comparable to the breadth and complexity to our
financial statements; understands internal controls over financial reporting;
and understands audit committee functions. The Board made
a qualitative assessment of Mr. Maier’s knowledge and experience based on a
number of factors, including his formal education and prior work
experience.
Each
Audit Committee member is independent as defined in applicable NASDAQ listing
standards and SEC regulations. Mr. Barnhill and Mr. Maier have been
members of the Audit Committee since its inception in February
2008. In March 2009, on his election to our Board, Dr. Carbone
replaced Murray Gross as the third member of the Audit Committee.
Compensation
Committee
The
Compensation Committee assists the Board in fulfilling its responsibilities in
connection with the compensation of our directors, officers, and
employees. It performs this function by establishing and overseeing
the administration of our compensation policies for our executives; reviewing
and approving strategies for attracting, developing and motivating management
and employees; recommending to the Board the approval of compensation plans and
programs, including various incentive compensation, retirement and other benefit
plans; and administering or overseeing approved compensation plans or
programs.
During
the fiscal year ended July 31, 2009 (“Fiscal 2009”), the Compensation Committee
retained Radford Surveys & Consulting, a division of Aon Consulting, as an
independent consultant to advise on matters related to executive and director
compensation and evaluating executive compensation programs. The consultant
reports to and acts at the direction of the Compensation Committee. The
Compensation Committee instructs the consultant with respect to its duties and,
other than subscription fees we pay for compensation, benefit and benchmark
surveys we purchase from them, the consultant receives no other compensation
from us outside its role as advisor to the Compensation
Committee. These duties include preparing competitive compensation
analyses and assisting the Compensation Committee with identifying and selecting
our group of peer companies listed in the Compensation Discussion and Analysis
section of this Proxy Statement below. Along with the consultant, our
Chief Executive Officer assists the Compensation Committee in reaching
compensation decisions with respect to the Named Executive Officers other than
himself.
In
consultation with the Board, the Compensation Committee conducts annual reviews
of the performance of our Chief Executive Officer and establishes his
compensation. The Compensation Committee also reviews and makes
recommendations to the full Board with respect to director compensation.
Additional information regarding the role the Compensation Committee plays in
establishing the compensation of our officers and directors can be found in the
Compensation Discussion and Analysis section of this Proxy Statement
below.
Mr. Maier
is the Chairman of the Compensation Committee. Mr. Brovarone and Mr.
Barnhill also serve on the Compensation Committee.
6
Director
Nominees
The Board
does not have a nominating committee. Director nominees are selected,
or recommended for the Board’s selection, by a majority of the independent
directors. The Board will consider candidates for directors proposed
by shareholders. Not less than 90 days prior to the next meeting of
the Board at which the slate of Board nominees is adopted, the Board accepts
written submissions that include the name, address and telephone number of the
proposed nominee, along with a brief statement of the candidate's qualifications
to serve as a director and a statement of why the shareholder submitting the
name of the proposed nominee believes that the nomination would be in the best
interests of shareholders. If the proposed nominee is not the shareholder
submitting the name of the candidate, a letter from the candidate agreeing to
the submission of his or her name for consideration should be provided at the
time of submission. The letter should be accompanied by a resume supporting the
nominee's qualifications to serve on the Board, as well as a list of
references.
The
director nominees are indentified through a combination of referrals, including
by management, existing directors and shareholders, where warranted. Once a
candidate has been identified, the Board reviews the individual's experience and
background, and may discuss the proposed nominee with the source of the
recommendation. If the Board believes it to be appropriate, one or more of our
directors may meet with the proposed nominee before making a final determination
whether to include the proposed nominee as a member of management's slate of
director nominees submitted to shareholders for election to the
Board.
Among the
factors that the Board considers when evaluating proposed nominees are their
experience in the bioscience, chemical and/or pharmaceutical industries,
knowledge of and experience with business matters, finance, capital markets and
mergers and acquisitions. The Board may request additional information from the
candidate prior to reaching a determination. The Board is under no obligation to
formally respond to all recommendations, although as a matter of practice, it
will endeavor to do so.
The Board
received no shareholder recommendations for nomination to the Board in
connection with the Meeting. There are six director nominees for the Meeting,
all of whom are incumbent directors standing for reelection.
Meetings
of the Board of Directors and Board and Committee Member Attendance
Our Board
met 8 times in Fiscal 2009, either telephonically or in person. Each
incumbent Board member attended seventy-five percent or more of the aggregate of
the meetings of the Board and of the committees on which he or she served that
were held during the period for which he or she served as a
director.
Shareholder
Communications with our Board of Directors
Our Board
adopted a Shareholder Communications with Directors Policy in February
2008. This policy is available in the Corporate Governance section of
our website, www.purebio.com.
Shareholders
may communicate appropriately with our directors by sending written
correspondence addressed to Donna Singer, Executive Vice President, PURE
Bioscience, 1725 Gillespie Way, El Cajon, CA 92020.
The
Executive Vice President will maintain a log of all correspondence so received
and will deliver as soon as practicable such correspondence to the identified
director addressee(s). The correspondence will not, however, be delivered if
there are safety, security, appropriateness or other concerns that mitigate
against delivery of the correspondence, as determined by the Executive Vice
President in consultation with legal counsel. The Board or individual directors
so addressed shall be advised of any correspondence withheld. The Board or
individual director, as applicable, will generate an appropriate response to all
validly received shareholder correspondence and will direct the Executive Vice
President to send the response to the particular shareholder.
Code
of Business Conduct and Ethics
We have
adopted a Code of Business Conduct and Ethics that applies to all of our
officers, directors and employees. The Code of Business Conduct and Ethics is
available in the Corporate Governance section of our website, www.purebio.com. The
Code of Business Conduct and Ethics contains general guidelines for conducting
the business of our company consistent with the highest standards of business
ethics, and is intended to qualify as a “code of ethics” within the meaning of
Section 406 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and Item 406 of
Regulation S-K.
Family
Relationships
There is
no family relationship between any director, executive or person nominated or
chosen by PURE Bioscience to become a director or executive
officer.
Director
Attendance at Annual Meeting
All of
our Board members then serving attended the annual meeting of shareholders held
on January 20, 2009.
The Board recommends a vote “FOR” each
nominee listed above. Proxies solicited by the Board will be so voted unless
shareholders specify otherwise on the accompanying proxy
card.
7
Proposal No.
2. Ratification of Selection of Independent Registered
Public Accounting Firm
The Audit
Committee has engaged Mayer Hoffman McCann P.C. as our independent registered
public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending July 31, 2010, and is seeking
ratification of such selection by our shareholders at the Meeting. Our Board
engaged Mayer Hoffman McCann P.C. in September 2007, and the firm has audited
our financial statements for the fiscal years ended July 31, 2009, 2008, and
2007. Representatives of Mayer Hoffman McCann P.C. are expected to be
present at the Meeting. They will have an opportunity to make a statement if
they so desire and will be available to respond to appropriate
questions.
Neither
our Bylaws nor other governing documents or law require shareholder ratification
of the selection of our independent registered public accounting firm. However,
the Audit Committee is submitting the selection of Mayer Hoffman McCann P.C. to
our shareholders for ratification as a matter of good corporate
practice. If our shareholders fail to ratify the selection, the Audit
Committee will reconsider whether or not to retain Mayer Hoffman McCann
P.C. Even if the selection is ratified, the Audit Committee in its
discretion may appoint a different independent registered public accounting firm
at any time during the year if our Audit Committee determines that such a change
would be in the best interests of our shareholders.
The
affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast at the meeting, at which a
quorum is present, either in person or by proxy, is required to ratify the
appointment of Mayer Hoffman McCann P.C.
Independent
Registered Public Accounting Firm's Fees and Services
The
following table provides information regarding the fees billed to us by Mayer
Hoffman McCann P.C. for Fiscal 2009 and 2008. All fees described
below were approved by the Board or the Audit Committee:
|
|
Fiscal
Year Ended
|
|
|
|
2009
|
|
|
2008
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Audit
Fees (1)
|
|
$ |
232,000 |
|
|
$ |
295,600 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Audit-Related
Fees (2)
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tax
Fees (3)
|
|
|
7,500 |
|
|
|
10,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
All
Other Fees (4)
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
Fees
|
|
$ |
239,500 |
|
|
$ |
305,600 |
|
(1)
|
Audit
Fees include fees for services rendered for the audit and/or review of our
financial statements, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K and our
periodic reports; the review of our internal controls over financial
reporting under Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002; and fees
for services rendered in connection with registration statements and other
documents filed with the SEC.
|
(2)
|
Audit
Related Fees consist of amounts billed for assurance and related services
that are reasonably related to the performance of the audit or review of
our financial statements. There were no such fees incurred in
Fiscal 2009 or Fiscal 2008.
|
(3)
|
Tax
Fees consist of amounts billed for services in connection with the
preparation of our federal and state tax
returns.
|
(4)
|
All
Other Fees consist of amounts billed for other permissible work by Mayer
Hoffman McCann P.C. that is not included in the above category
descriptions. There were no such fees incurred in Fiscal 2009 or Fiscal
2008.
|
Our Audit
Committee’s policy is to pre-approve all audit and permissible non-audit
services provided by our independent auditors. These services may include audit
services, audit-related services, tax services and other services. Pre-approval
is generally provided for up to one year and any pre-approval is detailed as to
the particular service or category of services. The independent auditor and
management are required to periodically report to the Audit Committee regarding
the extent of services provided by the independent auditor in accordance with
this pre-approval. All “Tax Fees” listed in the table above were approved by the
Audit Committee pursuant to its pre-approval policies and
procedures.
The
Board recommends a vote “FOR” the ratification of the appointment of Mayer
Hoffman McCann P.C. as our independent registered public accounting firm for the
fiscal year ending July 31, 2010.
8
Security Ownership of
Certain Beneficial Owners and Management
The
following table provides information regarding the beneficial ownership of our
common stock as of November 24, 2009 by: (i) each of our directors who have
served at any time since August 1, 2008, (ii) each of our Named Executive
Officers and (iii) all such directors and executive officers as a
group. We know of no other person or group of affiliated persons who
beneficially own more than five percent of our common stock. The table is based
upon information supplied by our officers, directors and principal shareholders
and a review of Schedules 13D and 13G, if any, filed with the SEC. Unless
otherwise indicated in the footnotes to the table and subject to community
property laws where applicable, we believe that each of the shareholders named
in the table has sole voting and investment power with respect to the shares
indicated as beneficially owned.
Applicable
percentages are based on 34,126,148 shares outstanding on November 24, 2009,
adjusted as required by rules promulgated by the SEC. These rules generally
attribute beneficial ownership of securities to persons who possess sole or
shared voting power or investment power with respect to those securities. In
addition, the rules include shares of our common stock issuable pursuant to the
exercise of stock options or warrants that are either immediately exercisable or
exercisable within 60 days of November 24, 2009. These shares are
deemed to be outstanding and beneficially owned by the person holding those
options or warrants for the purpose of computing the percentage ownership of
that person, but they are not treated as outstanding for the purpose of
computing the percentage ownership of any other person.
Name
of Beneficial Owner (1)
|
|
Title
|
|
Common
Stock Ownership (Shares)
|
|
%
of Shares Outstanding
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gregory
H. Barnhill
|
|
Director
|
|
1,166,100
|
(4)
|
3.37
|
Dennis
Brovarone
|
|
Director
|
|
876,141
|
(5)
|
2.52
|
Andrew
J. Buckland
|
|
Chief
Financial Officer
|
447,612
|
(6)
|
1.29
|
John
J. Carbone, MD
|
|
Director
|
|
-
|
|
-
|
Murray
H. Gross (2)
|
|
Director
|
|
2,500
|
|
0.01
|
Michael
L. Krall
|
|
President,
CEO & Chairman
|
2,145,300
|
(7)
|
6.06
|
Paul
V. Maier
|
|
Director
|
|
150,000
|
(8)
|
0.44
|
Donna
Singer
|
|
Executive
VP, Director
|
1,204,546
|
(9)
|
3.43
|
Tommy
G. Thompson (3)
|
Director
|
|
607,837
|
|
1.78
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Directors
and officers as a Group (9 individuals)
|
|
6,600,036
|
(10)
|
17.33
|
(1)
|
The
address for each person listed in the table is c/o PURE Bioscience, 1725
Gillespie Way, El Cajon, CA 92020.
|
(2)
|
In
February 2009, Mr. Gross resigned as a director of PURE
Bioscience.
|
(3)
|
In
August 2009, Secretary Thompson resigned as a director of PURE
Bioscience.
|
(4)
|
Includes
510,000 shares of Common Stock issuable within 60 days of November 24,
2009.
|
(5)
|
Includes
600,000 shares of Common Stock issuable within 60 days of November 24,
2009.
|
(6)
|
Includes
441,666 shares of Common Stock issuable within 60 days of November 24,
2009.
|
(7)
|
Includes
1,250,000 shares of Common Stock issuable within 60 days of November 24,
2009.
|
(8)
|
Includes
150,000 shares of Common Stock issuable within 60 days of November 24,
2009.
|
(9)
|
Includes
1,000,000 shares of Common Stock issuable within 60 days of November 24,
2009.
|
(10)
|
Includes
3,951,666 shares of Common Stock issuable within 60 days of November 24,
2009.
|
Section 16(A) Beneficial
Ownership Reporting Compliance
Section
16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”),
requires our directors and executive officers, and persons who own more than ten
percent of our common stock, to file with the SEC initial reports of ownership
and reports of changes in ownership of our common stock. We do not have any
shareholders that own greater than ten percent of our outstanding common
stock. Our officers and directors are required by SEC regulations 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
representations that no other reports were required during Fiscal 2009, our
officers and directors and greater than ten percent beneficial owners were in
compliance with all applicable Section 16(a) filing requirements.
9
Director
Compensation
The
following table sets forth in summary form information concerning the
compensation earned by the members of our Board who are not Named Executive
Officers during Fiscal 2009:
Name
(1)
|
|
Fees
Earned or Paid in Cash
($)
(4)
|
|
|
Stock
Awards
($)
(5)
|
|
|
Option
Awards
($)
(6) (7)
|
|
|
All
Other Compensation
($)
|
|
|
|
Total
Compensation
($)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gregory
H. Barnhill
|
|
|
17,250 |
|
|
|
10,579 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
27,829 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dennis
Brovarone
|
|
|
12,500 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
11,684 |
|
(8) |
|
|
50,000 |
|
(9) |
|
|
|
74,184 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
John
J. Carbone, MD
|
|
|
4,500 |
|
|
|
10,579 |
|
|
|
35,505 |
|
(10) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
50,584 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Murray
H. Gross (2)
|
|
|
15,250 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
15,250 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Paul
V. Maier
|
|
|
47,250 |
|
|
|
10,579 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
57,829 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tommy
G. Thompson (3)
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
10,579 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
10,579 |
|
(1)
|
Director
Michael L. Krall, our President and Chief Executive Officer, and Donna
Singer our Executive Vice President, are not included on this table as
they receive no compensation for being directors. The
compensation received by Mr. Krall and Ms. Singer as executives is shown
in the Summary Compensation Table elsewhere in this Proxy
Statement.
|
(2)
|
In
February 2009, Mr. Gross resigned as a director of Pure
Bioscience.
|
(3)
|
In
August 2009, Secretary Thompson resigned as a director of Pure
Bioscience.
|
(4)
|
Fees
earned or paid in cash during Fiscal 2009 relate to fees paid for service
on the Audit and/or Compensation Committees. Mr. Maier receives
fees as the Chairman of each of the committees. No cash fees
were paid to directors in their capacity as members of the
Board.
|
(5)
|
Each
amount in this column represents the aggregate dollar amount recognized
for financial statement reporting purposes with respect to restricted
stock units issued during Fiscal 2009, in accordance with SFAS
123(R). During Fiscal 2009, Mr. Barnhill, Mr. Carbone, Mr.
Maier, and Secretary Thompson elected to receive shares of our common
stock in lieu of options to purchase common stock with an approximately
equivalent value at the time of grant. These awards are being expensed
over a one year vesting period.
|
(6)
|
Amounts
reflect stock-based compensation expense recognized for financial
reporting purposes, in accordance with FAS 123(R). All
assumptions for these calculations are included in Note 10 of PURE
Bioscience's audited financial statements for Fiscal 2009, as reported in
the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for Fiscal
2009.
|
(7)
|
The
aggregate number of vested stock and stock option awards outstanding at
July 31, 2009 for each independent director was as follows: Mr. Barnhill
(510,000); Mr. Brovarone (600,000); Dr. Carbone (zero shares vested); Mr.
Maier (150,000); and Secretary Thompson
(zero).
|
(8)
|
Represents
the aggregate dollar amount recognized for financial statement reporting
purposes with respect to 30,000 non-qualified stock options with a term of
five years, issued to Mr. Brovarone during Fiscal 2009, in accordance with
SFAS 123 (R). This award is being expensed over a one year
vesting period.
|
(9)
|
Mr.
Brovarone received consulting fees for services to the Company as
securities counsel.
|
(10)
|
On
joining our Board, Dr. Carbone was granted a non-qualified option to
purchase 50,000 shares of common stock with an exercise price of $2.26
with a five-year term. This award is being expensed over a one
year vesting period.
|
Our
non-employee directors receive an option grant upon joining our
Board. During Fiscal 2009, we granted a non-qualified option to
purchase 50,000 shares of common stock with an exercise price of $2.26 and a
five-year term, vesting after one year, to Dr. Carbone upon his joining our
Board.
Each
year, our Board has historically approved, at its discretion, an annual option
or stock grant for directors. In each of the last three years, such
awards have been made in the second calendar quarter of the
year. Prior to the formation of our Compensation Committee in
February 2008, the Board as a whole acted as the administrative committee for
our stock option plans. Subsequent to the formation of the
Compensation Committee, our Compensation Committee makes recommendations to the
Board, which approves option and stock grants to directors.
During
Fiscal 2009, four of our directors elected to receive 21,700 shares of common
stock, restricted for one year, in lieu of 30,000 stock options. Based on the
terms of the options, and utilizing the Black-Scholes model, an option to
purchase 30,000 shares of common stock had an approximately equivalent fair
value to 21,700 shares of our common stock at the time of the Board’s approval
of the award. The exercise price for the options awarded in Fiscal
2009 was $2.34, which was greater than the closing price of our common stock on
the date of grant. All restricted stock and options issued to our
directors vest after one year. In addition, options issued to our directors in
lieu of stock carry a five-year term. Options issued to Mr. Krall and Ms. Singer
during Fiscal 2009 are shown in the Summary Compensation Table, elsewhere in
this Proxy Statement.
10
Executive
Compensation
Compensation
Discussion and Analysis
Overview
The
following compensation discussion and analysis provides information on the
compensation programs established for our Named Executive Officers during Fiscal
2009. All information provided herein should be read in conjunction
with the tables provided below.
The
Compensation Committee, which was formed in February 2008, is responsible
for establishing and administering compensation for all of our Named Executive
Officers, including our Chief Executive Officer. The Compensation
Committee also exercises oversight of our compensation practices for all
employees, including strategies for attracting, developing, motivating and
retaining employees.
To assist
the Compensation Committee with its responsibilities, it has retained Radford
Surveys & Consulting, an Aon Consulting Company, as an independent
compensation consulting firm that reports directly to the Compensation
Committee. The Compensation Committee receives briefing materials from its
consultant which are used as the basis for forming compensation strategies and
policies.
The
Compensation Committee reports to the Board on its actions and recommendations
and meets in executive sessions without members of management
present. Although the Board has discretion to review all executive
compensation, it has delegated authority with respect to our executive and
general employee compensation programs and practices to the Compensation
Committee. The Board annually reviews and approves our Chief
Executive Officer's compensation. The Compensation Committee has met
with the executive officers as part of its compensation review.
Role
of Executive Officers in Compensation Decisions
Our
Compensation Committee reviews and approves the non-equity compensation paid to
our Chief Executive Officer.
With
regard to the non-equity compensation paid to each executive officer other than
the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Executive Officer periodically reviews
with the Compensation Committee the compensation paid to each such executive
officer and makes recommendations regarding the compensation to be paid to such
persons. Our Chief Executive Officer takes into consideration
internal pay equity, relative contributions to corporate financial performance,
and compensation data for peer companies, when making his compensation
recommendations to our Compensation Committee. Following a review of
these recommendations and of compensation data for peer companies, the Committee
approves, as it deems appropriate, non-equity compensation for each executive
officer other than our Chief Executive Officer.
All
equity awards to executive officers are approved by the Board. Equity
awards made to the Chief Executive Officer, if any, are recommended to the Board
by the Compensation Committee. Equity awards to executive officers
other than the Chief Executive Officer are recommended to the Compensation
Committee by the Chief Executive Officer. Following a review of these
recommendations, such equity awards, if any, are recommended to the Board by the
Compensation Committee. In making these recommendations, the
practices and levels of awards made by peer companies are
considered. Our executive officers who are also members of our Board
do not vote on matters related to their own compensation or equity
awards.
Our Chief
Executive Officer plays a significant role in the compensation-setting process
for executive officers other than himself, by:
·
|
evaluating
employee performance;
|
·
|
recommending
business performance targets and establishing objectives;
and
|
·
|
recommending
salary levels, bonuses and equity-based
awards.
|
Our Chief
Executive Officer participates in most Compensation Committee meetings, other
than during executive session, at the Committee’s request, to
provide:
·
|
background
information regarding our strategic
objectives;
|
·
|
his
evaluation of the performance of the executive officers;
and
|
·
|
compensation
recommendations as to executive officers (other than
himself).
|
Our Chief
Financial Officer prepares meeting information and participates in most
Compensation Committee meetings, other than during executive session, at the
Committee’s request.
Compensation
Objectives and Philosophy
Our
overall compensation objective is to design and implement equitable and
cost-effective compensation programs that will: help us link corporate strategy
and short-term and long-term goals with compensation; enable us to recruit,
develop and retain a team able to build and lead a public company developing
novel technologies in diverse markets; and motivate employees to achieve our
strategic goals.
The
employment market in San Diego County is very competitive, due to the number of
biotechnology companies in the region with whom we compete to attract and retain
executive and other staff with the requisite skills and experience to carry out
our strategy and to maintain compliance with multiple federal and state
regulatory agencies. Our Compensation Committee and Board have
recognized that our compensation packages must be designed to attract and retain
highly talented individuals that are committed to our goals and
objectives. Our compensation structure provides for equity
compensation in the form of options to acquire our common stock, which the
Compensation Committee and Board believe motivates and encourages executives to
pursue strategic opportunities while managing the risks involved in our current
business stage, and aligns compensation incentives with value creation for our
shareholders. We have historically compensated executives via base
salary and long-term incentives in the form of stock options, and have not had a
formal cash bonus program.
11
As the
Company continues to grow and accelerate the commercialization of its products,
our goal is to target total cash compensation in closer alignment with that of
other similarly sized life science companies in our geographic
marketplace. In November 2008, the Compensation Committee approved
salary increases for the named executive officers in order to bring base
salaries closer to the 50th
percentile of comparable companies. In addition, in October 2009, the
Company entered into an amended and restated employment agreement with our
President and Chief Executive Officer, and the Company entered into employment
agreements with our other two Named Executive Officers. The
agreements define the conditions and terms of employment for the officers,
including base salary, annual cash incentives, long term equity incentives, and
other benefits; and provide a written agreement with our executive officers
comparable with peer companies in the life science industry. Such
agreements provide change of control protection for executive officers in the
event of a strategic transaction, and are intended, in part, to act as a
retention tool. The amendment of the CEO's existing agreement was
necessary, in part, to reflect terms of compensation consistent with peer
companies. For more information regarding these agreements, please see
“Employment Agreements and Arrangements” later in this Proxy
Statement.
In
addition to linking our compensation program with our corporate strategy and
goals, we also consider other factors when designing our compensation programs,
including compensation practices at appropriate benchmark companies, the
competitiveness of our programs to the market, and regulatory, tax and
accounting implications.
The
Compensation Committee has determined that executive compensation practices
should place a greater emphasis on corporate performance rather than individual
performance. Accordingly, our executive compensation is designed to motivate
executives by aligning a substantial portion of their compensation with value
creation for our shareholders. Performance goals that are considered in
determining executive compensation include financial goals, the achievement of
business development initiatives, internal controls and governance, commercial
goals, the development and protection of intellectual property, and the
enhancement of the Company’s technology.
Benchmarking
We
consider compensation practices at a peer group of companies when we design
executive compensation programs. During Fiscal 2009, in conjunction with Radford
Surveys & Consulting, our Compensation Committee compared our Executive
Officer compensation against the compensation provided to executives in
comparable positions at peer companies. While it is difficult to determine peer
companies given the multiple industries in which we operate with a platform
technology, the peer group examined by the Compensation Committee includes
companies that are comparable to us in size or business life-cycle
stage. These companies are listed below:
Achillion
Pharmaceuticals, New Haven, CT
|
|
CytRx,
Los Angeles, CA
|
|
Orexigen
Therapeutics, San Diego, CA
|
Anadys
Pharmaceuticals, San Diego, CA
|
|
Cytori
Therapeutics, San Diego, CA
|
|
Oxigen,
Waltham, MA
|
Avigen,
Alameda, CA
|
|
Cypress
Bioscience, San Diego, CA
|
|
RegeneRx,
Bethesda, MD
|
Bionovo,
Emeryville, CA
|
|
Javelin
Pharmaceuticals, Cambridge, MA
|
|
Somaxon
Pharmaceuticals, San Diego, CA
|
Cadence
Pharmaceuticals, San Diego, CA
|
|
Neurogesx,
San Mateo, CA
|
|
StemCells,
Palo Alto, CA
|
Cardium
Therapeutics, San Diego, CA
|
|
Novabay
Pharmaceuticals, Emeryville, CA
|
|
Titan
Pharmaceuticals, San Francisco, CA
|
Celsion,
Columbia, MD
|
|
Oculus
Innovative Sciences, Petaluma, CA
|
|
|
Corcept
Therapeutics, Menlo Park, CA
|
Optimer
Pharmaceuticals, San Diego, CA
|
|
We obtain
compensation data on our peer companies from the Compensation Committee's
independent consultants, public filings and privately published compensation
studies conducted by independent third parties which establishes our market
reference point. We position our compensation program such that each element of
compensation is paid at a level that places us in an approximate percentile of
our comparative companies, which we feel best helps us achieve our objectives.
For our Named Executive Officers, we target total compensation, including
salaries, benefits and equity compensation, such that they approach the 50th percentile of
our market reference point. We have targeted the 50th
percentile of our market reference point for benchmarking because we feel that
such percentile is most appropriate in allowing us to both manage our resources
and retain qualified executives to further our corporate goals and
objectives. Actual compensation may vary from these targets at the
Compensation Committee's discretion, as we believe benchmarking may not always
be appropriate as a stand-alone tool for setting compensation due to the aspects
of our business and objectives that may be unique to us. However,
based on our benchmarking data as provided by Radford Surveys & Consulting,
we believe that compensation currently provided to our executive officers is at
approximately the 50th
percentile of the range of compensation provided to comparable executives at our
peer companies.
Components
of Our Executive Compensation Program
Our
executive compensation program incorporates components we believe are necessary
in order for the Company to provide a competitive compensation package relative
to our peers and to provide an appropriate mix between short-term and long-term
cash and non-cash compensation. Elements of our executive
compensation are listed below:
·
|
Employment
agreements for our Named Executive Officers containing, among other items,
severance and change of control
provisions
|
·
|
Other
benefits and perquisites available to all
employees
|
·
|
Items
specific to our President and Chief Executive Officer per his employment
agreement
|
Base
Salary
Our
salary structure for employees and executives is based on skill set, knowledge
and responsibilities. Base salaries may be adjusted periodically to
reflect current market levels. Salaries for new personnel are
determined in part by experience and our need to fill a particular skill set
within our Company.
12
Stock
Awards
A portion
of compensation paid to our executives is equity based. We believe equity
compensation helps align the interests of our executives with the interests of
our shareholders, encourages sustained long-term performance and creates a
culture of ownership and entrepreneurship. Realization of income from
our executives’ equity compensation occurs only on the appreciation of the price
of our common stock. In addition, we believe stock awards provide
incentives to aid in the retention of key executives.
Stock
Option Grant Methodology
Each
year, our Board has historically approved, at its discretion, an annual option
or stock grant for Named Executive Officers and members of the
Board. In each of the last three calendar years, such awards have
been made in the second calendar quarter of the year.
In May
2009, our Board approved the issuance of an option to purchase 200,000 shares of
our common stock to our President and Chief Executive Officer, Michael
Krall. Additionally, our Board approved the issuance of options to
purchase 80,000 shares of our common stock to each of our Chief Financial
Officer, Andrew Buckland, and our Executive Vice President, Donna
Singer. The exercise price for the options awarded was $2.34, which
was greater than the closing price of our common stock on the date of
grant. Each option was a non-qualified stock option with a term of
five years, which vests in equal increments over a period of four
years.
Newly-hired
executive officers, and newly-hired eligible employees, receive an option grant
on their date of employment, or at the Board’s discretion and depending on the
position, after a probationary period. However, we have not hired any
new executive officers since July of 2005. We grant stock options as
a recruitment incentive and so that employees are motivated as
owners. During Fiscal 2009, we made stock option awards to all
eligible employees, in addition to new hire awards. As part of its
comprehensive review of our executive compensation program design, in
conjunction with Radford Surveys & Consulting, our Compensation Committee
has developed a matrix defining the number of stock options that are awarded to
new hires and annually to eligible employees, dependent of the level of the
employee’s position in the Company.
Discretionary
Bonuses
We have
periodically paid cash bonuses to Named Executive Officers at the discretion of
the Board, based on the Board’s evaluation of performance against various
corporate goals and objectives. Since February 2008 the evaluation
and approval of such bonuses, if any, has been performed by the Compensation
Committee. Such evaluation is conducted at the end of the applicable
performance period and is based on corporate goals and objectives deemed
relevant at the time of such evaluation in light of the Company’s business and
prospects. No discretionary bonuses were paid in, or approved in relation to,
Fiscal 2009. Amounts paid during our fiscal year ended July 31, 2008
(“Fiscal 2008”) are detailed in the tables below.
On
October 12, 2009, the Company entered into an amended and restated employment
agreement with our President and Chief Executive Officer, and the Company
entered into employment agreements with our two other Named Executive
Officers. Among other provisions, the agreements provide, as
applicable, for annual bonus targets equal to 50% of the executive’s then
applicable base salary for Mr. Krall, and 35% of the executive’s then applicable
base salary for each of Mr. Buckland and Ms. Singer, in each case to be awarded
at the sole discretion of the Compensation Committee.
Other
Benefits and Perquisites
Our Named
Executive Officers and all employees are eligible to receive health, vision and
dental insurance, and life insurance benefits. All of our employees are
co-employed by a Professional Employer Organization, Administaff, on whose
health, vision and dental plans the Company’s employees are included. The
Company incurs the cost of health, vision and dental insurance for employees
only, though immediate family members may participate in the plans at their own
expense. We believe that our current benefit package is competitive
with other similar companies in our region.
All of
our employees, including our Named Executive Officers, have the option in
certain circumstances to receive cash compensation if they do not take all of
their paid vacation days. All cash compensation paid to our Named Executive
Officers in Fiscal 2009 in lieu of accrued vacation is disclosed in the Summary
Compensation Table below and is accompanied by an explanatory footnote to that
table.
We pay
the premiums for term life insurance offered to our Named Executive Officers as
part of the benefit package we offer. Such life insurance is
nondiscriminatory group life insurance which is available to all
employees.
Tax
Considerations
Section
162(m) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code (the “Code”) generally disallows a tax
deduction to public companies for compensation in excess of $1 million paid to
the Chief Executive Officer or any of the four most highly compensated officers.
Performance-based compensation arrangements may qualify for an exemption from
the deduction limit if they satisfy various requirements under Section
162(m). Although we consider the impact of this rule when developing
and implementing our executive compensation programs, we believe it is important
to preserve flexibility in designing compensation programs. Accordingly, we have
not adopted a policy that all compensation must qualify as deductible under
Section 162(m) of the Code. While our stock options are intended to
qualify as "performance-based compensation" (as defined by the Code), amounts
paid under our other compensation programs may not qualify.
13
Report of the Compensation
Committee of the Board of Directors on Executive
Compensation
PURE
Bioscience’s Compensation Committee has reviewed and discussed the Compensation
Discussion and Analysis with members of management and, based on that review and
discussion, the Compensation Committee recommended to the Board that the
Compensation Discussion and Analysis be included in this Proxy Statement, which
is also incorporated by reference into the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K
for the fiscal year ended July 31, 2009.
The
Compensation Committee:
Paul V.
Maier, Chairman
Gregory
Barnhill
Dennis
Brovarone
Certain
Relationships and Related Transactions
Since the
beginning of Fiscal 2008, there has not been, nor is there currently proposed,
any transaction or series of similar transactions to which we were or are a
party in which the amount involved exceeds $120,000 and in which any director,
executive officer or beneficial holder of more than 5% of any class of our
voting securities or members of such person’s immediate family had or will have
a direct or indirect material interest.
Procedures
for Approval of Related Party Transactions
Pursuant
to the charter of our Audit Committee, all transactions between us and any of
our directors, executive officers or related parties are subject to review by
our Audit Committee.
Summary
Compensation Table
The
following table contains information with respect to compensation earned for
Fiscal 2009, Fiscal 2008 and Fiscal 2007, by our Chief Executive Officer, our
Chief Financial Officer and our Executive Vice President (our “Named Executive
Officers”):
Summary
Compensation Table for the Fiscal Years Ended July 31, 2009, 2008 and
2007
Name
and Principal Position
|
|
Fiscal
Year
|
|
Salary
($)
(1)
|
|
|
Bonus
($)
(2)
|
|
|
Stock
Option Awards
($)
(3)
|
|
|
All
Other Compensation
($)
(4)
|
|
|
|
Total
Compensation
($)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Michael
Krall
|
|
2009 |
|
265,400 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
21,247 |
|
|
|
32,721 |
|
|
(5),
(6) |
|
|
319,368 |
|
President
and Chief
|
|
2008 |
|
200,000 |
|
|
|
3,846 |
|
|
|
164,640 |
|
|
|
13,738 |
|
|
(5) |
|
|
382,224 |
|
Executive
Officer
|
|
2007 |
|
200,000 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
78,033 |
|
|
|
21,973 |
|
|
(5),
(6) |
|
|
300,006 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Andrew
Buckland
|
|
2009 |
|
207,700 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
8,499 |
|
|
|
599 |
|
|
|
|
|
216,798 |
|
Chief
Financial Officer
|
|
2008 |
|
175,000 |
|
|
|
3,365 |
|
|
|
164,640 |
|
|
|
4,765 |
|
|
|
|
|
347,770 |
|
|
|
2007 |
|
175,000 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
78,033 |
|
|
|
4,105 |
|
|
|
|
|
257,138 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Donna
Singer
|
|
2009 |
|
182,700 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
8,499 |
|
|
|
7,869 |
|
|
(7) |
|
|
199,068 |
|
Executive
Vice President
|
|
2008 |
|
150,000 |
|
|
|
2,885 |
|
|
|
164,640 |
|
|
|
5,806 |
|
|
|
|
|
323,331 |
|
|
|
2007 |
|
150,000 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
78,033 |
|
|
|
3,611 |
|
|
|
|
|
231,644 |
|
(1)
|
Represents
actual salary earned during the respective fiscal years. In
November 2008, the Compensation Committee approved base salary increases
for Mr. Krall, Mr. Buckland and Ms. Singer to $300,000, $225,000 and
$200,000, respectively, effective December 1,
2008.
|
(2)
|
Amounts
reflect bonuses earned for the respective fiscal
years.
|
(3)
|
Each
amount in this column represents the aggregate dollar amount expensed for
financial statement reporting purposes with respect to stock options, in
accordance with SFAS 123(R). All assumptions for these
calculations are included in Note 10 to PURE Bioscience's audited
financial statements for Fiscal 2009 and 2008, as reported in the
Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for Fiscal
2009.
|
(4)
|
Amount
includes the cost of benefits paid by the Company on behalf of each
executive officer for health, dental, vision and life
insurance.
|
(5)
|
Total
includes a $6,000 vehicle allowance for each fiscal year, based on the
terms of Mr. Krall’s employment
agreement.
|
(6)
|
In
addition to the amounts described in footnotes 4 and 5 above, included in
"all other compensation" for Mr. Krall in Fiscal 2009 is $19,450, and in
Fiscal 2007 is $9,615, respectively, representing compensation received in
lieu of accrued vacation.
|
(7)
|
In
addition to the amounts described in footnote 4 above, included in "all
other compensation" for Ms. Singer in Fiscal 2009 is $4,248 representing
compensation received in lieu of accrued
vacation.
|
14
Employment
Agreements and Arrangements
In April
1996, we entered into a five-year employment agreement for Michael Krall, our
President and Chief Executive Officer. The Board extended Mr. Krall’s employment
agreement each year subsequent to the original term. Pursuant to the agreement,
as extended, Mr. Krall was to receive a salary that is determined from time to
time by the Board plus an amount equal to 3% of our net income before taxes, if
any, plus other benefits, including a car allowance of $500 per month. In May
2005, the Board approved a salary of $200,000 per year for Mr. Krall. In
November 2008, the Board increased Mr. Krall’s base salary to $300,000,
effective December 1, 2008.
On
October 12, 2009, the Company entered into an amended and restated employment
agreement with Michael L. Krall, our Chief Executive Officer, which agreement
amends and restates in its entirety the employment agreement the Company
previously entered into with Mr. Krall effective as of April 17,
1996. In addition, on October 12, 2009, the Company entered into
employment agreements with Andrew Buckland, our Chief Financial Officer, and
Donna Singer, our Executive Vice President. The agreements were
approved by the Board upon the recommendation of the Company’s Compensation
Committee, and are filed as exhibits to our report on Form 10-K for Fiscal
2009.
Pursuant
to the agreements, as applicable, Mr. Krall is entitled to a base salary of
$300,000 per year, Mr. Buckland is entitled to a base salary of $225,000 per
year, and Ms. Singer is entitled to a base salary of $200,000 per
year. In each case, the executive’s base salary may be increased, but
not decreased, from such amounts by the Board or the Compensation Committee in
its discretion.
Each
agreement continues until termination by either the Company or the
executive. The agreements provide, as applicable, for annual bonus
targets equal to 50% of the executive’s then applicable base salary for Mr.
Krall and 35% of the executive’s then applicable base salary for each of Mr.
Buckland and Ms. Singer, in each case to be awarded at the sole discretion of
the Compensation Committee. Each agreement also provides that the executive will
be eligible for equity compensation grants to be awarded at the discretion of
the Compensation Committee. In each case, if the employment agreement
is terminated without Cause by the Company or terminated by the executive for
Good Reason, the executive, upon signing a release in favor of the Company, will
be entitled to severance pay in the form of a single lump sum cash
payment. In the case of Mr. Krall, such severance payment equals 150%
of his then current Annual Base Compensation plus eighteen months of health and
dental insurance in accordance with COBRA, for Mr. Krall and his eligible
dependents. In the case of Ms. Singer, such severance payment equals
100% of her then current Annual Base Compensation, plus twelve months of health
and dental insurance in accordance with COBRA, for Ms. Singer and her eligible
dependents. In the case of Mr. Buckland, such severance payment equals 75% of
his then current Annual Base Compensation, plus nine months of health and dental
insurance in accordance with COBRA, for Mr. Buckland and his eligible
dependents. In addition, in the event of a termination for any reason
other than by the Company for Cause, each agreement provides that all
outstanding vested stock options held by the executive at the date of such
termination would continue to be exercisable for a period of up to 120 days
following such termination, but in no event beyond the maximum permitted
expiration date.
The
agreements provide that, in the event either the executive’s employment is
terminated by the Company without Cause within twelve months following a Change
in Control, or the executive resigns for Good Reason within such period, the
executive will be entitled to additional severance pay in excess of the amounts
described in the preceding paragraph, in each case in an amount equal to a
single lump sum payment equal to 100% of the executive’s then current Annual
Base Compensation, plus the average annual bonus awarded to the executive for
the preceding two fiscal years. In addition, in such event, the
vesting of all outstanding stock options then held by each executive would
automatically accelerate and all stock options would continue to be exercisable
for 12 months, but in no event beyond the maximum permitted expiration
date.
Grants of Plan-Based Awards in Fiscal
2009
The
following table shows information regarding grants of plan-based awards made to
our Named Executive Officers during Fiscal 2009:
Name
and Principal Position
|
|
Grant
Date
|
|
All
Other Option Awards: Number of Securities Underlying Stock
Options
(#)
(1)
|
|
|
Exercise
or Base Price of Option Awards
($/Sh)
(2)
|
|
|
Grant
Date Fair Value of Stock and Option Awards
($)
(3)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Michael
Krall
|
|
5/14/2009
|
|
|
200,000 |
|
|
|
2.34 |
|
|
|
407,945 |
|
President
and Chief
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Executive
Officer
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Andrew
Buckland
|
|
5/14/2009
|
|
|
80,000 |
|
|
|
2.34 |
|
|
|
163,178 |
|
Chief
Financial Officer
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Donna
Singer
|
|
5/14/2009
|
|
|
80,000 |
|
|
|
2.34 |
|
|
|
163,178 |
|
Executive
Vice President
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1)
|
Option
awards granted during Fiscal 2009 to our Named Executive Officers vest
annually over a four year period with a five year term. The
options were issued under the Company’s 2007 Equity Incentive Plan, which
was approved by our shareholders during Fiscal
2007.
|
(2)
|
The
exercise price of the stock option awards was greater than the fair market
value of the stock on the grant
date.
|
(3)
|
Amounts
reflect the total stock-based compensation expense to be recognized for
financial reporting purposes, in accordance with FAS
123(R). Due to vesting, only a portion of the grant date fair
value was recognized for financial reporting purposes during Fiscal 2009,
as referenced in footnote three of the Summary Compensation Table. All
assumptions for these calculations are included in Note 9 of PURE
Bioscience's audited financial statements for Fiscal 2009, as reported in
the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for Fiscal
2009.
|
15
Outstanding Equity
Awards at Fiscal Year-End
The
following table shows information regarding unexercised stock options held by
our Named Executive Officers as of July 31, 2009. There are no
outstanding unvested shares of restricted stock held by our Named Executive
Officers as of July 31, 2009.
Name
|
|
Number
of Securities Underlying Unexercised Options
(#
Exercisable) (1)
|
|
|
Number
of Securities Underlying Unexercised Options
(#
Unexercisable)
|
|
|
|
Option
Exercise Price
($)
|
|
Option
Expiration Date
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Michael
Krall
|
|
|
350,000 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
|
$0.53 |
|
12/20/09
|
|
|
|
150,000 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
|
$0.53 |
|
01/07/11
|
|
|
|
550,000 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
|
$1.65 |
|
04/21/11
|
|
|
|
50,000 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
|
$3.00 |
|
05/23/12
|
|
|
|
50,000 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
|
$5.70 |
|
04/09/13
|
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
200,000 |
|
(2) |
|
|
$2.34 |
|
05/14/14
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Andrew
Buckland
|
|
|
141,666 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
|
$0.85 |
|
11/01/10
|
|
|
|
200,000 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
|
$1.65 |
|
04/21/11
|
|
|
|
50,000 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
|
$3.00 |
|
05/23/12
|
|
|
|
50,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$5.70 |
|
04/09/13
|
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
80,000 |
|
(2) |
|
|
$2.34 |
|
05/14/14
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Donna
Singer
|
|
|
250,000 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
|
$0.53 |
|
12/20/09
|
|
|
|
150,000 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
|
$0.53 |
|
01/07/11
|
|
|
|
500,000 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
|
$1.65 |
|
04/21/11
|
|
|
|
50,000 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
|
$3.00 |
|
05/23/12
|
|
|
|
50,000 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
|
$5.70 |
|
04/09/13
|
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
80,000 |
|
(2) |
|
|
$2.34 |
|
05/14/14
|
(1)
|
All
stock options for our Named Executive Officers issued prior to Fiscal 2009
were fully vested as of July 31,
2009.
|
(2)
|
During
Fiscal 2009, the Compensation Committee granted 200,000 options to Mr.
Krall, 80,000 options to Mr. Buckland, and 80,000 options to Ms. Singer.
The grant date fair value is reported on the Grants of Plan-Based Awards
Table above and further detailed in Note 9 to the consolidated financial
statements reported in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for Fiscal
2009.
|
Option
Exercises and Stock Vested
The
following table shows information regarding options exercised by our Named
Executive Officers during Fiscal 2009. None of our Named Executive
Officers had shares of restricted stock vest in Fiscal 2009.
|
|
Option
Awards
|
|
Name
|
|
Number
of Shares Acquired on Exercise (#)
|
|
|
Value
Realized on Exercise
($)
(3)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Michael
Krall
|
|
|
298,262 |
|
|
|
(1) |
|
|
|
945,622 |
|
Andrew
Buckland
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
- |
|
Donna
Singer
|
|
|
101,321 |
|
|
|
(2) |
|
|
|
308,347 |
|
(1)
|
270,762
of the shares acquired by Mr. Krall were acquired pursuant to a net
exercise of an option to purchase 323,917 shares of common stock, which
was to expire and which was granted under the Company’s 1998 Directors and
Officers Stock Option Plan. All other exercises by Mr. Krall
were of options granted under the Company’s1998 Directors and Officers
Stock Option Plan.
|
(2)
|
100,821
of the shares acquired by Ms. Singer were acquired pursuant to a net
exercise of an option to purchase 120,614 shares of common stock, which
was to expire and which was granted under the Company’s 1998 Directors and
Officers Stock Option Plan. All other exercises by Ms. Singer were of
options granted under the Company’s1998 Directors and Officers Stock
Option Plan.
|
(3)
|
Computed
by multiplying the number of shares by the closing market price of our
common stock on the date of exercise less the exercise price per
share.
|
16
Pension
Benefits
We have
no pension plans.
Potential
Payments upon Termination or Change in Control
On
October 12, 2009, the Company entered into an amended and restated employment
agreement with Michael L. Krall, our Chief Executive Officer, which agreement
amends and restates in its entirety the employment agreement the Company
previously entered into with Mr. Krall effective as of April 17,
1996. In addition, on October 12, 2009, the Company entered into
employment agreements with Andrew Buckland, our Chief Financial Officer, and
Donna Singer, our Executive Vice President.
In each
case, the agreements provide for compensation if the employment agreement is
terminated without Cause by the Company or terminated by the executive for Good
Reason. In summary, “Cause” is defined as the commission by the
executive of an act of fraud or another felony, or gross misconduct resulting in
a material adverse effect on the Company; refusal by the executive to perform
their duties under the agreement or to otherwise breach the agreement, or the
executive’s breach of other key agreements with the Company. “Good Reason” is
defined as a material reduction of the executive’s base salary or target bonus
percentage; a material reduction by the Company of the executive’s authority,
duties or responsibilities; a relocation of the Company’s offices that requires
an increase in the executive’s one-way driving distance of more than fifty (50)
miles; a material diminution in the authorities, duties or responsibilities of
the supervisor to whom the executive is required to report (or, in the case of
Mr. Krall, a requirement that Mr. Krall report to another person other than the
Board); a material breach of the agreement by the Company; or a
material diminution in the budget over which the executive retains
authority.
Upon such
event(s), the executive would be entitled to severance pay in the form of a
single lump sum cash payment. In the case of Mr. Krall, such
severance payment equals 150% of his then current base salary plus eighteen
months of health and dental insurance in accordance with COBRA, for Mr. Krall
and his eligible dependents. In the case of Ms. Singer, such severance payment
equals 100% of her then current base salary, plus twelve months of health and
dental insurance in accordance with COBRA, for Ms. Singer and her eligible
dependents. In the case of Mr. Buckland, such severance payment
equals 75% of his then current base salary, plus nine months of health and
dental insurance in accordance with COBRA, for Mr. Buckland and his eligible
dependents. In addition, in the event of a termination for any reason
other than by the Company for Cause, each agreement provides that all
outstanding vested stock options held by the executive at the date of such
termination would continue to be exercisable for a period of up to 120 days
following such termination, but in no event beyond the maximum permitted
expiration date.
The
agreements also provide for compensation if the executive’s employment is
terminated by the Company without Cause within twelve months following a Change
in Control, or the executive resigns for Good Reason within such period. A
“Change in Control” is defined as the closing of the sale, transfer or other
disposition of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets or the exclusive
license of substantially all of the intellectual property of the Company; the
consummation of a merger or consolidation of the Company with or into another
entity; the closing of the acquisition of beneficial ownership of 30% or more of
the outstanding voting stock of the Company; or if individuals who, on the
effective date of the agreement are members of the Board, or are nominees of
such Board members, cease to constitute at least a majority of the members of
the Board.
Upon such
event, the executive will be entitled to additional severance pay, in each case
in an amount equal to a single lump sum payment equal to 100% of the executive’s
then current annual base compensation, plus the average annual bonus awarded to
the executive for the preceding two fiscal years. In addition, in
such event, the vesting of all outstanding stock options then held by each
executive would automatically accelerate and all stock options would continue to
be exercisable for 12 months, but in no event beyond the maximum permitted
expiration date.
If Mr.
Krall had been terminated on July 31, 2009 without Cause, he would have received
the following benefits under his employment agreement: (i) a lump sum payment of
$450,000, (ii) the accelerated vesting of his unvested stock options with an
aggregate intrinsic value of $0 based on the closing price of our common stock
on July 31, 2009, and (iii) continued participation by Mr. Krall in
our group health insurance benefits on the same terms as during his employment
until eighteen months following his termination, at a cost to us of
$7,914. Additionally, if Mr. Krall was terminated without Cause or
resigned for Good Reason within twelve months following a Change in Control, he
would have received the same benefits plus (i) an additional lump sum payment of
$300,000, and (ii) a bonus payment of $1,923.
If Mr.
Buckland had been terminated on July 31, 2009 without Cause, he would have
received the following benefits under his employment agreement: (i) a lump sum
payment of $168,750, (ii) the accelerated vesting of his unvested stock options
with an aggregate intrinsic value of $0 based on the closing price of our common
stock on July 31, 2009, and (iii) continued participation by Mr.
Buckland in our group health insurance benefits on the same terms as during his
employment until nine months following his termination, at a cost to us of
$1,181. Additionally, if Mr. Buckland was terminated without Cause or
resigned for Good Reason within twelve months following a Change in Control, he
would have received the same benefits plus (i) an additional lump sum payment of
$225,000, and (ii) a bonus payment of $1,683.
If Ms.
Singer had been terminated on July 31, 2009 without Cause, she would have
received the following benefits under her employment agreement: (i) a lump sum
payment of $200,000, (ii) the accelerated vesting of her unvested stock options
with an aggregate intrinsic value of $0 based on the closing price of our common
stock on July 31, 2009, and (iii) continued participation by Ms.
Singer in our group health insurance benefits on the same terms as during her
employment until twelve months following her termination, at a cost to us of
$13,789. Additionally, if Ms. Singer was terminated without Cause or
resigned for Good Reason within twelve months following a Change in Control, she
would have received the same benefits plus (i) an additional lump sum payment of
$200,000, and (ii) a bonus payment of $1,443.
17
Report of the Audit
Committee of the Board of Directors
The Audit
Committee reviews our corporate accounting and financial reporting process on
behalf of the Board. The Audit Committee is comprised solely of independent
directors as defined in applicable NASDAQ and SEC regulations, and operates
under a written charter approved by the Board. This charter is available on the
corporate governance section of our website, www.purebio.com.
Management
is responsible for the financial statements, the corporate accounting and
financial reporting processes, for maintaining effective internal control over
financial reporting, and for assessing the effectiveness of internal control
over financial reporting. Our independent registered public accounting firm is
responsible for planning and performing an independent audit of our financial
statements in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in the
United States. Our independent auditors are also responsible for expressing an
opinion on the conformity of our audited financial statements with accounting
principles generally accepted in the United States, and on the effectiveness of
our internal controls.
The Audit
Committee has met and held discussions with management and our independent
registered public accounting firm. Management represented to the Audit Committee
that our consolidated financial statements were prepared in accordance with
accounting principles generally accepted in the United States, and the Audit
Committee has reviewed and discussed with management and our independent
registered public accounting firm the audited financial statements for Fiscal
2009, including the appropriateness of the accounting principles applied, the
reasonableness of significant judgments, the clarity and completeness of
disclosure in the financial statements, and management's assessment of the
effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting at July 31,
2009.
The Audit
Committee and our independent registered public accounting firm discussed the
auditors' independence from PURE Bioscience and its management, and matters
required to be discussed by Statement on Auditing Standards No. 61, as amended
(Codification of Statements on Auditing Standards, AU § 380). The
Audit Committee also discussed with our independent registered public accounting
firm the overall scope and plans for its audit. The Audit Committee meets with
our independent registered public accounting firm, with and without management
present, to discuss the results of its examinations, the evaluations of our
internal control over financial reporting, and the overall quality of our
financial reporting. The Audit Committee met five times during Fiscal
2009.
In
reliance on the reviews and discussions referred to above, the Audit Committee
recommended to the Board that our audited financial statements be included in
our Annual Report on Form 10-K for Fiscal 2009, for filing with the
SEC.
The Audit
Committee:
Paul V.
Maier, Chairman
Gregory
Barnhill
John J.
Carbone MD
Compensation
Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation
None of
the members of the Compensation Committee has ever been an officer or employee
of ours or had a relationship requiring disclosure under applicable SEC
regulations. None of our executive officers currently serves, or
served during Fiscal 2009, on the compensation committee or board of directors
of any other entity that has one or more executive officers serving as a member
of our Board or Compensation Committee.
Householding
of Proxy Materials
The SEC
has adopted rules that permit companies and intermediaries (e.g., brokers)
to satisfy the delivery requirements for proxy statements and annual reports
with respect to two or more shareholders sharing the same address by delivering
a single proxy statement addressed to those shareholders. This process, which is
commonly referred to as “householding,” potentially means extra convenience for
shareholders and cost savings for companies.
This
year, a number of brokers with account holders who are the Company’s
shareholders will be “householding” our proxy materials. A single
proxy statement will be delivered to multiple shareholders sharing an address
unless contrary instructions have been received from the affected
shareholders. Once you have received notice from your broker that
they will be “householding” communications to your address, “householding” will
continue until you are notified otherwise or until you revoke your
consent. If, at any time, you no longer wish to participate in
“householding” and would prefer to receive a separate proxy statement and annual
report, please notify your broker or direct your written request to PURE
Bioscience, 1725 Gillespie Way, El Cajon, California 92020. Shareholders who
currently receive multiple copies of the proxy statement at their address and
would like to request “householding” of their communications should contact
their brokers.
Request
for More Information
We
maintain a website at www.purebio.com. We make our
periodic and current reports available free of charge on our website.
Information contained on, or accessible through, our website is not part of this
report or our other filings with the SEC. You can also read and copy any
materials we file with the SEC at the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 100 F
Street, NE, Washington, DC 20549. You can obtain additional information about
the operation of the Public Reference Room by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330.
In addition, the SEC maintains an Internet site (www.sec.gov) that contains
reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding
issuers that file electronically with the SEC, including us.
18
Date
for Receipt of Shareholder Proposals
Pursuant
to Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act, shareholders may present proper proposals
for inclusion in the Company’s proxy statement and for consideration at the next
annual meeting of its shareholders (the “2011 Meeting”) by submitting proposals
to the Company in a timely manner. In order to be so included for the
2011 Meeting, shareholder proposals must be received by the Company no later
than September 23, 2010 and must otherwise comply with the requirements of Rule
14a-8. If the date of the 2011 Meeting is more than 30 days earlier
or more than 60 days later than the date of the 2010 Meeting, notice must be
received no earlier than the 120th day
prior to such 2011 Meeting and not later than the close of business on the later
of the 90th day
prior to such 2011 Meeting or the 10th day
following the day on which public announcement of the date of such 2011 Meeting
is first made. If a shareholder who has notified the Company of his
intention to present a proposal at the 2011 Meeting does not appear or send a
qualified representative to present his proposal at the 2011 Meeting, the
Company need not present the proposal for a vote at the 2011
Meeting. All notices of proposals by shareholders should be sent to
the office of the Company, 1725 Gillespie Way, El Cajon, California
92020.
Annual
Report
Our
Annual Report for Fiscal 2009 will be made available online at www.proxyvote.com to
shareholders of record as of December 2, 2009. Our Annual Report does not
constitute, and should not be considered, a part of this Proxy
Statement. A copy of our Annual Report on Form 10-K will be furnished
without charge upon receipt of a written request of any person who was a
beneficial owner of our common stock on December 2, 2009. Requests
should be directed to PURE Bioscience, 1725 Gillespie Way, El Cajon, CA 92020;
Attention: Investor Relations.
Other
Matters
We know
of no other matters to be submitted at the Meeting. If any other
matter properly comes before the Meeting, it is the intention of the persons
named in the enclosed Proxy to vote the shares they represent as our Board may
recommend.
All
shareholders are urged to complete, sign, date and return the accompanying proxy
in the enclosed envelope or to vote by telephone or on the
Internet.
♦ ♦
♦
1725
Gillespie Way El Cajon,
CA 92020 (619) 596-8600
telephone (619) 596-8790 facsimile