UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT PURSUANT
TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
Date of report (Date of earliest event reported): June 15, 2016
EQUITY COMMONWEALTH
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
Maryland
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)
1-9317 |
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04-6558834 |
(Commission File Number) |
|
(IRS Employer Identification No.) |
|
|
|
Two North Riverside Plaza, |
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60606 |
(Address of Principal Executive Offices) |
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(Zip Code) |
(312) 646-2800
(Registrants Telephone Number, Including Area Code)
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
o Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
o Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
Item 5.07. Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.
On June 15, 2016, Equity Commonwealth (the Company) held its 2016 annual meeting of shareholders (the Annual Meeting). At the Annual Meeting, the Companys shareholders (i) elected 11 trustees to the Board of Trustees of the Company (the Board) for one-year terms, (ii) approved, on a non-binding advisory basis, the compensation of the named executive officers, and (iii) ratified the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as the Companys independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2016. The proposals are described in the Companys Proxy Statement. The final voting results for each proposal are set forth below.
Proposal 1: Election of Trustees
At the Annual Meeting, shareholders elected eleven trustees to the Board to serve until the 2017 annual meeting of shareholders and until their respective successors have been duly elected and qualified. The table below sets forth the voting results for each trustee nominee:
Nominee |
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Votes For |
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Votes Withheld |
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Broker Non-Votes |
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Sam Zell |
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94,440,509 |
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5,774,172 |
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11,813,219 |
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James S. Corl |
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99,593,582 |
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621,099 |
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11,813,219 |
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Martin L. Edelman |
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98,404,879 |
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1,809,802 |
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11,813,219 |
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Edward A. Glickman |
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97,777,857 |
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2,436,824 |
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11,813,219 |
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David Helfand |
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97,788,673 |
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2,426,008 |
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11,813,219 |
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Peter Linneman |
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84,742,800 |
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15,471,881 |
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11,813,219 |
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James L. Lozier, Jr. |
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99,495,644 |
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719,037 |
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11,813,219 |
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Mary Jane Robertson |
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99,598,634 |
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616,047 |
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11,813,219 |
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Kenneth Shea |
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97,685,967 |
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2,528,714 |
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11,813,219 |
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Gerald A. Spector |
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99,500,448 |
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714,233 |
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11,813,219 |
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James A. Star |
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97,784,294 |
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2,430,387 |
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11,813,219 |
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Proposal 2: Advisory Vote on Executive Compensation
At the Annual Meeting, the Companys shareholders voted affirmatively on a non-binding resolution to approve the compensation of the Companys named executive officers. The table below sets forth the voting results for this proposal:
Votes For |
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Votes Against |
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Abstentions |
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Broker Non-Votes |
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95,391,870 |
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3,894,325 |
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928,486 |
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11,813,219 |
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Proposal 3: Ratification of the Appointment of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
At the Annual Meeting, the Companys shareholders ratified the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP to serve as the Companys independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2016. The table below sets forth the voting results for this proposal:
Votes For |
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Votes Against |
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Abstentions |
|
|
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110,671,855 |
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546,221 |
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809,824 |
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|
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Item 8.01. Other Events.
Annual Trustee Compensation
On June 15, 2016, the Compensation Committee of the Board approved the grant of restricted common shares of the Company to each independent Trustee of the Company pursuant to the Companys annual compensation plan for independent Trustees. The restricted common shares were awarded pursuant to a new form of Restricted Stock Agreement to be used for grants of restricted common shares to independent members of the Board (the Trustee Form Restricted Stock Agreement) under the Equity Commonwealth 2015 Equity Incentive Plan. The Trustee Form Restricted Stock Agreement provides the grantee with an amount of restricted common shares based on a time-based vesting formula.
The foregoing description of the Trustee Form Restricted Stock Agreement is not intended to be complete and is subject to and qualified in its entirety by reference to the Trustee Form Restricted Stock Agreement, which is attached hereto as Exhibit 10.1 and is incorporated in this Item 8.01 by reference.
Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(d) Exhibits
Exhibit Number |
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Description |
10.1 |
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Form of Restricted Stock Agreement for Trustees under Equity Commonwealth 2015 Equity Incentive Plan |
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
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EQUITY COMMONWEALTH | |
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By: |
/s/ Orrin S. Shifrin |
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Name: |
Orrin S. Shifrin |
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Title: |
Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary |
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Date: June 15, 2016 |
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