¨
|
Preliminary Proxy Statement
|
¨
|
Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2))
|
þ
|
Definitive Proxy Statement
|
¨
|
Definitive Additional Materials
|
¨
|
Soliciting Material Pursuant to Section 240.14a-12
|
AIR INDUSTRIES GROUP
|
||
(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):
|
||
þ No fee required.
|
||
¨ Fee computed on the 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 (set forth the amount on which the filing fee is calculated and state how it was determined):
|
|
(4)
|
Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction:
|
|
(5)
|
Total fee paid:
|
|
¨ Fee paid previously with preliminary materials.
|
||
¨ 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.:
|
|
(3)
|
Filing Party:
|
|
(4)
|
Date Filed:
|
|
Sincerely,
|
|
Peter D. Rettaliata
|
|
President and Chief Executive Officer
|
|
Page
|
|||
Gen General Information; Frequently Asked Questions About the Annual Meeting and Voting
|
|
1
|
|
|
Proposal One — Election of Directors
|
|
4
|
|
|
Information Concerning the Board of Directors
|
|
6
|
|
|
Info Information Concerning Executive Officers
|
|
9
|
|
|
Sec Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management
|
|
13
|
|
|
Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance
|
|
14
|
|
|
Au Audit Committee Report
|
|
14
|
|
|
Pro Proposal Two — Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
|
|
15
|
|
|
StocStockholder Proposals
|
|
16
|
|
|
Oth Other Matters
|
|
16
|
|
|
AnnAnnual Report
|
|
17
|
|
|
Deli Delivery of Documents to Stockholders Sharing an Address
|
|
17
|
|
By order of the Board of Directors,
|
|
Peter D. Rettaliata
|
|
President and Chief Executive Officer
|
1.
|
Who is entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting?
|
2.
|
How many shares of Common Stock are “outstanding”?
|
3.
|
What is the difference between holding shares as a stockholder of record and as a beneficial owner?
|
4.
|
How do I vote?
|
5.
|
What can I do if I change my mind after I vote?
|
•
|
giving written notice to the Corporate Secretary of the Company;
|
•
|
delivering a valid, later-dated proxy, or a later-dated vote by telephone or on the Internet, in a timely manner; or
|
•
|
voting by ballot at the Annual Meeting.
|
6.
|
What is a broker non-vote?
|
7.
|
What is a quorum for the Annual Meeting?
|
8.
|
What are the voting requirements to elect the directors and to approve each of the proposals discussed in this Proxy Statement?
|
Proposal
|
|
Vote
Required
|
|
Broker
Discretionary
Voting
Allowed
|
Election of Directors
|
|
Plurality of
Votes Cast
|
|
No
|
Ratification of Rotenberg Meril Solomon Bertiger & Guttilla, P.C. as our independent registered public accounting firm
|
|
Majority of
Votes Cast
|
|
Yes
|
Directors are elected by a plurality of the votes cast at the Annual Meeting. This means that the seven persons receiving the highest number of affirmative "for" votes at the Annual Meeting will be elected. Abstentions and broker non-votes are not counted as votes “for” or “against” a director nominee.
|
9.
|
How will my shares be voted at the Annual Meeting?
|
•
|
FOR the election of each of the director nominees named in this Proxy Statement; and
|
•
|
FOR the ratification of the appointment of Rotenberg Meril Solomon Bertiger & Guttilla, P.C as our independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2014.
|
10.
|
Could other matters be decided at the Annual Meeting?
|
11.
|
Who will pay for the cost of the Annual Meeting and this proxy solicitation?
|
Nominee
|
Age
|
Director Since
|
||
Mic Michael N. Taglich
|
48
|
2008
|
||
Pete Peter D. Rettaliata
|
63
|
2005
|
||
Sey Seymour G. Siegel
|
71
|
2005
|
||
Rob Robert F. Taglich
|
47
|
2008
|
||
Dav David J. Buonanno
|
58
|
2008
|
||
Rob Robert C. Schroeder
|
47
|
2008
|
||
Michael Brand
|
54
|
May 2012
|
·
|
overseeing and monitoring the integrity of our consolidated financial statements, our compliance with legal and regulatory requirements as they relate to financial statements or accounting matters, and our internal accounting and financial controls;
|
·
|
preparing the report that SEC rules require be included in our annual proxy statement;
|
·
|
overseeing and monitoring our independent registered public accounting firm's qualifications, independence and performance;
|
·
|
providing the Board with the results of its monitoring and its recommendations; and
|
·
|
providing to the Board additional information and materials as it deems necessary to make the Board aware of significant financial matters that require the attention of the Board.
|
·
|
establishing the Company’s general compensation policy, in consultation with the Company’s senior management, and overseeing the development and implementation of compensation programs.
|
·
|
reviewing and approving corporate goals and objectives relevant to the compensation of the CEO, and evaluating the performance of the CEO at least annually in light of those goals and objectives and communicating the results of such evaluation to the CEO and the Board, and has the sole authority to determine the CEO’s compensation level based on this evaluation, subject to ratification by the independent directors on the Board. In determining the incentive component of CEO compensation, the Committee will consider, among other factors, the Company’s performance and relative stockholder return, the value of similar incentive awards to CEOs at comparable companies, the awards given to the CEO in past years, and such other factors as the Committee may determine to be appropriate.
|
·
|
reviewing and approving the compensation of all other executive officers of the Company, such other managers as may be directed by the Board, and the directors of the Company.
|
·
|
overseeing the Board’s benefit and equity compensation plans, overseeing the activities of the individuals and committees responsible for administering these plans, and discharging any responsibilities imposed on the Committee by any of these plans.
|
·
|
approving issuances under, or any material amendments to, any stock option or other similar plan pursuant to which a person not previously an employee or director of the Company, as an inducement material to the individual’s entering into employment with the Company, will acquire stock or options.
|
·
|
in consultation with management, overseeing regulatory compliance with respect to compensation matters, including overseeing the Company’s policies on structuring compensation programs to preserve related tax objectives.
|
·
|
reviewing and approving any severance or similar termination payments proposed to be made to any current or former officer of the Company.
|
·
|
preparing an annual report on executive compensation for inclusion in our proxy statement for the election of directors, if required under the applicable SEC rules.
|
•
|
forward the communication to the Director(s) to whom it is addressed;
|
|
•
|
forward the communication to the appropriate management personnel;
|
|
•
|
attempt to handle the inquiry directly, for example where it is a request for information about the Company, or it is a stock-related matter; or
|
|
•
|
not forward the communication if it is primarily commercial in nature or if it relates to an improper or irrelevant topic.
|
DIRECTOR COMPENSATION
|
|||||||||||||
Non-Equity
|
Non-Qualified
|
||||||||||||
Fees Earned
|
Stock
|
Option
|
Incentive Plan
|
Deferred
|
All Other
|
||||||||
or Paid in
|
Awards
|
Awards
|
Compensation
|
Compensation
|
Compensation
|
||||||||
Name
|
Cash ($)
|
($)
|
($)
|
($)
|
Earnings ($)
|
($)
|
Total ($)
|
||||||
Michael N. Taglich
|
57,500
|
-
|
3,301
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
60,801
|
||||||
Robert F. Taglich
|
57,500
|
-
|
3,301
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
60,801
|
||||||
Robert Schroeder
|
24,000
|
-
|
3,301
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
27,301
|
||||||
David J. Buonanno
|
24,000
|
-
|
3,301
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
27,301
|
||||||
Seymour G. Siegel
|
36,000
|
-
|
3,301
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
39,301
|
||||||
Michael Brand
|
33,750
|
-
|
3,301
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
37,051
|
Name
|
Age
|
Position
|
||
Pete Peter D. Rettaliata
|
63
|
|
Chief Executive Officer, President and a Director
|
|
Dari Dario Peragallo
|
51
|
|
President, Air Industries Machining, Corp
|
|
Gary Settoducato
|
53
|
|
President, Welding Metallurgy, Inc.
|
|
ScotScott A. Glassman
|
37
|
|
Chief Accounting Officer
|
Non-equity
|
Nonqualified
|
||||||||||||||||||
Incentive
|
deferred
|
||||||||||||||||||
Stock
|
Option
|
Plan
|
compensation
|
All other
|
|||||||||||||||
Name and principal Position
|
Year
|
Salary
|
Bonus
|
awards
|
awards
|
Information
|
earnings
|
compensation
|
Total
|
||||||||||
($)
|
($)
|
($)
|
($)
|
($)
|
($)
|
($)
|
($)
|
||||||||||||
(a)
|
(b)
|
(c)
|
(d)
|
(e)
|
(f)
|
(g)
|
(h)
|
(i)
|
(j)
|
||||||||||
Peter D. Rettaliata
|
2013
|
237,203
|
12,000
|
-
|
13,968
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
263,171
|
||||||||||
CEO
|
2012
|
230,901
|
32,500
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
263,401
|
||||||||||
Dario A. Peragallo
|
2013
|
235,676
|
11,000
|
-
|
16,761
|
-
|
-
|
5,988
|
(1)
|
269,425
|
|||||||||
President of AIM
|
2012
|
228,236
|
32,500
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
5,988
|
(1)
|
266,724
|
|||||||||
Scott A. Glassman
|
2013
|
143,937
|
6,400
|
-
|
3,723
|
-
|
-
|
3,000
|
(1)
|
157,060
|
|||||||||
Chief Accounting Officer
|
2012
|
124,100
|
8,000
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
3,000
|
(1)
|
135,100
|
|||||||||
Gary Settoducato
|
2013
|
196,028
|
7,500
|
-
|
16,761
|
-
|
-
|
6,586
|
(1)
|
226,875
|
|||||||||
President of WMI
|
2012
|
178,365
|
35,000
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
6,348
|
(1)
|
219,713
|
GRANT OF PLAN-BASED AWARDS
|
|||
All Other Option
|
|||
Awards: Number of
|
Grant Date Fair Value
|
||
Securities Underlying
|
of Stock and Option
|
||
Name
|
Grant Date
|
Options (#)
|
Awards ($)
|
Peter D. Rettaliata
|
10/1/2013
|
18,750
|
13,968
|
Dario A. Peragallo
|
10/1/2013
|
22,500
|
16,761
|
Scott A. Glassman
|
10/1/2013
|
5,000
|
3,723
|
Gary Settoducato
|
10/1/2013
|
22,500
|
13,761
|
Option Awards
|
Stock Awards
|
||||||||||
Equity Incentive
|
Equity Incentive
Plan Awards:
|
||||||||||
Number of
|
Number of
|
Plan Awards:
|
Market or
|
||||||||
Securities
|
Securities
|
Number of
|
Payout Value of
|
||||||||
Underlying
|
Underlying
|
Unearned Shares
|
Unearned Shares,
|
||||||||
Unexercised
Options (#)
|
Unexercised
Options (#)
|
Option
Exercise
|
Option
Expiration
|
Units or Other Rights
That Have
|
Units or Other
Rights
|
||||||
Name
|
Exercisable
|
Unexercisable
|
Price
|
Date
|
Not Vested (#)
|
That Have Not Vested
|
|||||
Peter D. Rettaliata
|
375
|
-
|
88.00
|
9/26/2015
|
-
|
-
|
|||||
Peter D. Rettaliata
|
375
|
-
|
171.20
|
9/15/2015
|
-
|
-
|
|||||
Peter D. Rettaliata
|
375
|
-
|
190.80
|
9/15/2015
|
-
|
-
|
|||||
Peter D. Rettaliata
|
375
|
-
|
114.00
|
9/15/2015
|
-
|
-
|
|||||
Peter D. Rettaliata
|
1,500
|
-
|
90.00
|
9/15/2015
|
-
|
-
|
|||||
Peter D. Rettaliata
|
51,716
|
-
|
4.50
|
7/29/2015
|
-
|
-
|
|||||
Peter D. Rettaliata
|
-
|
18,750
|
6.60
|
9/30/2018
|
-
|
-
|
|||||
Dario Peragallo
|
375
|
-
|
88.00
|
9/26/2015
|
-
|
-
|
|||||
Dario Peragallo
|
375
|
-
|
171.20
|
9/15/2015
|
-
|
-
|
|||||
Dario Peragallo
|
375
|
-
|
190.80
|
9/15/2015
|
-
|
-
|
|||||
Dario Peragallo
|
375
|
-
|
114.00
|
9/15/2015
|
-
|
-
|
|||||
Dario Peragallo
|
1,500
|
90.00
|
9/15/2015
|
-
|
-
|
||||||
Dario Peragallo
|
51,716
|
-
|
4.50
|
7/29/2015
|
-
|
-
|
|||||
Dario Peragallo
|
-
|
22,500
|
6.60
|
9/30/2018
|
-
|
-
|
|||||
Scott Glassman
|
25
|
-
|
110.40
|
12/31/2015
|
-
|
-
|
|||||
Scott Glassman
|
12,168
|
-
|
4.50
|
7/29/2015
|
-
|
-
|
|||||
Scott Glassman
|
-
|
5,000
|
6.60
|
9/30/2018
|
-
|
-
|
|||||
Gary Settaducato
|
75
|
-
|
96.00
|
12/31/2015
|
-
|
-
|
|||||
Gary Settaducato
|
113
|
-
|
110.40
|
12/31/2015
|
-
|
-
|
|||||
Gary Settaducato
|
44,589
|
-
|
4.50
|
12/31/2015
|
-
|
-
|
|||||
Gary Settaducato
|
-
|
22,500
|
6.60
|
9/30/2018
|
-
|
-
|
Name
|
Number of Shares
|
Percent of Class
|
|||
Directors and Executive Officers:
|
Peter D. Rettaliata
|
56,961
|
(1
|
)
|
*
|
|||
Michael N. Taglich
|
456,663
|
(2
|
)
|
6.40%
|
|||
Seymour G. Siegel
|
10,789
|
(3
|
)
|
*
|
|||
David J. Buonanno
|
10,539
|
(3
|
)
|
*
|
|||
Robert F. Taglich
|
474,664
|
(2
|
)
|
6.65%
|
|||
Robert Schroeder
|
80,309
|
(4
|
)
|
*
|
|||
Michael Brand
|
9,750
|
(5
|
)
|
*
|
|||
Dario Peragallo
|
57,500
|
(1
|
)
|
*
|
|||
Gary Settoducato
|
44,796
|
(6
|
)
|
*
|
|||
Scott Glassman
|
12,205
|
(7
|
)
|
*
|
|||
All Directors and officers
|
1,109,510
|
(8
|
)
|
15.05%
|
|||
as a group (10 persons)
|
(1) Includes 54,416 shares we may issue upon exercise of options.
|
(2) Includes 58,726 shares owned by Taglich Brothers, Inc. and other entities controlled by Mr. Taglich, 36,190 shares we may issue upon exercise of warrants and 9,750 shares we may issue upon exercise of options.
|
(3) Includes 10,000 shares we may issue upon exercise of options.
|
(4) Includes 20,005 shares we may issue upon exercise of warrants and 9,750 shares we may issue upon exercise of options.
|
(5) Includes 9,750 shares we may issue upon exercise of options.
|
(6) Includes 44,777 shares we may issue upon exercise of options.
|
(7) Includes 12,193 shares we may issue upon exercise of options.
|
(8) Includes 56,195 shares we may issue upon exercise of warrants and 224,802 shares we may issue upon exercise of options.
|
Respectfully submitted,
|
THE AUDIT COMMITTEE
|
Seymour G. Siegel, Chairman
Robert C. Schroeder
David J. Buonanno
|
Year Ended December 31,
|
||||||||
2013
|
2012
|
|||||||
Audit Fees (1)
|
$
|
240,000
|
$
|
281,630
|
||||
Audit Related Fees (2)
|
49,602
|
41,411
|
||||||
Tax Fees (3)
|
43,149
|
47,295
|
||||||
$
|
332,751
|
$
|
370,336
|
By Order of the Board of Directors,
|
|
Pe Peter D. Rettaliata
Pre President and Chief Executive Officer
|
AIR INDUSTRIES GROUP
1479 North Clinton Avenue
Bay Shore, NY 11706
|
VOTE BY INTERNET - www.proxyvote.com
|
|||
Use the Internet to transmit your voting instructions and for electronic delivery of information up until 11:59 P.M. Eastern Time on August 4, 2014. Have your proxy card in hand when you access the web site and follow the instructions to obtain your records and to create an electronic voting instruction form.
|
||||
ELECTRONIC DELIVERY OF FUTURE PROXY MATERIALS
|
||||
If you would like to reduce the costs incurred by Air Industries Group in mailing proxy materials, you can consent to receiving all future proxy statements, proxy cards and annual reports electronically via e-mail or the Internet. To sign up for electronic delivery, please follow the instructions above to vote using the Internet and, when prompted, indicate that you agree to receive or access proxy materials electronically in future years.
|
||||
VOTE BY PHONE - 1-800-690-6903
|
||||
Use any touch-tone telephone to transmit your voting instructions up until 11:59 P.M. Eastern Time on August 4, 2014. Have your proxy card in hand when you call and then follow the instructions.
|
||||
VOTE BY MAIL
|
||||
Mark, sign and date your proxy card and return it in the postage-paid envelope we have provided or return it to Vote Processing, c/o Broadridge, 51 Mercedes Way, Edgewood, NY 11717.
|
AIR INDUSTRIES GROUP
1479 North Clinton Avenue
Bay Shore, NY 11706
|
VOTE BY INTERNET - www.proxyvote.com
|
|||
Use the Internet to transmit your voting instructions and for electronic delivery of information up until 11:59 P.M. Eastern Time on August 4, 2014. Have your proxy card in hand when you access the web site and follow the instructions to obtain your records and to create an electronic voting instruction form.
|
||||
ELECTRONIC DELIVERY OF FUTURE PROXY MATERIALS
|
||||
If you would like to reduce the costs incurred by Air Industries Group in mailing proxy materials, you can consent to receiving all future proxy statements, proxy cards and annual reports electronically via e-mail or the Internet. To sign up for electronic delivery, please follow the instructions above to vote using the Internet and, when prompted, indicate that you agree to receive or access proxy materials electronically in future years.
|
||||
VOTE BY PHONE - 1-800-690-6903
|
||||
Use any touch-tone telephone to transmit your voting instructions up until 11:59 P.M. Eastern Time on August 4, 2014. Have your proxy card in hand when you call and then follow the instructions.
|
||||
VOTE BY MAIL
|
||||
Mark, sign and date your proxy card and return it in the postage-paid envelope we have provided or return it to Vote Processing, c/o Broadridge, 51 Mercedes Way, Edgewood, NY 11717.
|
TO VOTE, MARK BLOCKS BELOW IN BLUE OR BLACK INK AS FOLLOWS:
|
|
M46399-P18838 KEEP THIS PORTION FOR YOUR RECORDS
|
|
DETACH AND RETURN THIS PORTION ONLY
|
|
THIS PROXY CARD IS VALID ONLY WHEN SIGNED AND DATED.
|
AIR INDUSTRIES GROUP
The Board of Directors recommends you vote
FOR the following:
|
For
All
|
Withhold
All
|
For All
Except
|
To withhold authority to vote for any individual nominee(s), mark “For All Except” and write the number(s) of the nominee(s) on the line below.
|
||||||||||||||||||
1. Election of Directors
|
¨
|
¨
|
¨
|
|
||||||||||||||||||
Nominees:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
01)
|
Michael N. Taglich
|
06) Robert C. Schroeder.
|
||||||||||||||||||||
02)
|
Peter D. Rettaliata
|
07) Michael Brand
|
||||||||||||||||||||
03)
|
Seymour G. Siegel
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||
04)
|
David J. Buonanno
|
.
|
||||||||||||||||||||
05)
|
Robert F. Taglich
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
The Board of Directors recommends you vote FOR proposal 2:
|
For
|
Against
|
Abstain
|
|||||||||||||||||||
2.
|
Ratification of the appointment of Rotenberg Meril Solomon Bertiger & Guttilla, P.C as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2014.
|
¨
|
¨
|
¨
|
||||||||||||||||||
NOTE: The shares represented by this proxy when properly executed will be voted in the manner directed herein by the undersigned Stockholder(s) and, in the discretion of the proxies, upon such other business as may properly come before the meeting. If no direction is made, this proxy will be voted FOR the nominees for the Board of Directors listed in item 1, and FOR item 2.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
Please indicate if you plan to attend this meeting.
|
Yes
¨
|
No
¨
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Please sign exactly as your name(s) appear(s) hereon. When signing as attorney, executor, administrator, or other fiduciary, please give full title as such. Joint owners should each sign personally. All holders must sign. If a corporation or partnership, please sign in full corporate or partnership name, by authorized officer.
|
Signature [PLEASE SIGN WITHIN BOX]
|
Date
|
Signature (Joint Owners)
|
Date
|
AIR INDUSTRIES GROUP
Annual Meeting of Stockholders
August 5, 2014
This Proxy is Solicited on Behalf of the Board of Directors
The stockholder(s) hereby appoint(s) Peter D. Rettaliata and Scott A. Glassman, and each of them, as proxies, each with the power of substitution, and hereby authorize(s) them to represent and to vote, as designated on the reverse side of this ballot, all of the shares of Common Stock of Air Industries Group (the “Company”) that the stockholder(s) is/are entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held at 1:00 P.M., Eastern Time, on August 5, 2014, at the offices of the Company, 1460 5th Avenue, Bay Shore, New York 11706, and at any adjournment or postponement thereof.
THIS PROXY, WHEN PROPERLY EXECUTED, WILL BE VOTED AS DIRECTED BY THE STOCKHOLDER(S). IF NO SUCH DIRECTIONS ARE MADE, THIS PROXY WILL BE VOTED FOR THE ELECTION OF THE NOMINEES FOR THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS LISTED ON THE REVERSE SIDE, AND FOR PROPOSAL 2.
PLEASE MARK, SIGN, DATE AND RETURN THIS PROXY CARD PROMPTLY USING THE ENCLOSED REPLY ENVELOPE.
Continued and to be signed on reverse side
|
|