Avatar Holdings Inc.
SCHEDULE 14A
(Rule 14a-101)
INFORMATION REQUIRED IN PROXY STATEMENT
SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION
Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the
Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 (Amendment No. )
Filed by the Registrant x
Filed by a Party other than the
Registrant o
Check the appropriate box:
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o Preliminary
Proxy Statement |
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o Confidential,
for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2))
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x Definitive Proxy
Statement |
o Definitive
Additional Materials |
o Soliciting
Material Pursuant to Rule 14a-11(c) or Rule 14a-12 |
AVATAR HOLDINGS INC.
(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):
o Fee computed on
table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11.
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(1) |
Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies: |
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(2) |
Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies: |
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(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): |
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(4) |
Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction: |
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Fee paid previously with preliminary materials: |
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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. |
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(1) |
Amount Previously Paid: |
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(2) |
Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.: |
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AVATAR
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HOLDINGS INC. |
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201 Alhambra Circle |
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Coral Gables, Florida 33134 |
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(305) 442-7000 |
NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
To Be Held On May 24, 2005
To the Stockholders of Avatar Holdings Inc.:
The Annual Meeting of Stockholders of Avatar Holdings Inc. will
be held at the Hyatt Regency Coral Gables, 50 Alhambra Plaza,
Coral Gables, Florida, on May 24, 2005, at 10:00 a.m.
local time, for the following purposes:
1. To elect eleven directors.
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2. |
To approve the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP, independent
registered public accounting firm, to act as auditors for Avatar
for the year ending December 31, 2005. |
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3. |
To approve the Avatar Holdings Inc. Amended and Restated 1997
Incentive and Capital Accumulation Plan (2005 Restatement). |
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4. |
To approve the Avatar Holdings Inc. 2005 Executive Incentive
Compensation Plan. |
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5. |
To transact such other business as properly may come before the
meeting, or any adjournment or adjournments thereof. |
The Board of Directors has fixed the close of business on
March 31, 2005 as the record date for the determination of
stockholders entitled to receive notice of, and to vote at, the
Annual Meeting or any adjournment or adjournments thereof.
Please mark your proxy if you wish to attend the Annual Meeting
in order that adequate preparations may be made. A meeting
attendance card will be mailed promptly to you to facilitate
your attendance.
WHETHER OR NOT YOU EXPECT TO BE PRESENT AT THE ANNUAL MEETING,
PLEASE COMPLETE, DATE, SIGN AND RETURN THE ENCLOSED PROXY
PROMPTLY IN THE
POSTAGE-PREPAID ENVELOPE PROVIDED FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE. IF YOU
ATTEND THE ANNUAL MEETING, YOU MAY REVOKE YOUR PROXY AND VOTE
YOUR SHARES IN PERSON IF YOU WISH.
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By Order of the Board of Directors, |
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Juanita I. Kerrigan |
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Vice President and Secretary |
Dated: April 22, 2005.
AVATAR HOLDINGS INC., 201 ALHAMBRA CIRCLE, CORAL GABLES, FLORIDA 33134 (305) 442-7000
PROXY STATEMENT FOR ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
To Be Held On May 24, 2005
This Proxy Statement and the enclosed form of proxy are
furnished to the stockholders of Avatar Holdings Inc., a
Delaware corporation (Avatar), in connection with
the solicitation of proxies by and on behalf of the Board of
Directors of Avatar for use at the Annual Meeting of
Stockholders to be held at the place and time and for the
purposes set forth in the annexed Notice of Annual Meeting of
Stockholders.
VOTING RIGHTS AND PROXY INFORMATION
Record Date; Voting Rights
Pursuant to the By-Laws of Avatar, the Board of Directors has
fixed the close of business on March 31, 2005 as the record
date for the determination of stockholders entitled to notice of
and to vote at the meeting or any adjournment or adjournments
thereof.
At the close of business on March 31, 2005, 8,058,129
shares of Common Stock, $1.00 par value, of Avatar (Common
Stock), which constitutes the only class of voting
securities of Avatar, were outstanding and entitled to vote. For
each share of Common Stock held of record as of the close of
business on March 31, 2005, stockholders are entitled to
one vote, except in regard to the election of directors, for
which there will be cumulative voting as described under the
heading Election of Directors. In accordance with
Avatars By-Laws, the holders of a majority of the
outstanding shares of Common Stock, present in person or
represented by proxy, will constitute a quorum for the
transaction of business at the Annual Meeting.
Proxies
When a proxy is received, properly executed, in time for the
Annual Meeting, the shares represented thereby will be voted at
the meeting as directed. If no such direction is specified, such
shares will be voted: (1) FOR the election as directors of
Avatar the eleven nominees named therein; (2) FOR approval
of the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP, independent
registered public accounting firm, as auditors of Avatar for the
year ending December 31, 2005; (3) FOR approval of the
Avatar Holdings Inc. Amended and Restated 1997 Incentive and
Capital Accumulation Plan (2005 Restatement) (the
Incentive Plan); (4) FOR approval of the Avatar
Holdings Inc. 2005 Executive Incentive Compensation Plan (the
2005 Executive Plan); and (5) in connection
with the transaction of such other business as properly may come
before the meeting in accordance with the judgment of the person
or persons voting the proxy. Generally, Avatar intends to award
to eligible persons stock-based incentives under the Incentive
Plan and cash-based incentives under the 2005 Executive Plan.
Any stockholder who executes a proxy may revoke it at any time
prior to its exercise by giving written notice of such
revocation to the Secretary of Avatar. In addition, a
stockholder who attends the meeting may vote in person, thereby
cancelling any proxy previously given by such stockholder.
Nominees for director will be elected by a plurality of the
votes cast (i.e., the highest number of votes cast) at
the Annual Meeting by the holders of Common Stock present in
person or by proxy and entitled to notice of, and to vote at,
the Annual Meeting. Consequently, only shares that are voted in
favor of a particular nominee will be counted toward such
nominees achievement of a plurality. Shares present at the
meeting that are not voted for a particular nominee or shares
present by proxy where the stockholder withheld authority to
vote for such nominee(s) (including broker non-votes) will not
be counted toward such nominees achievement of a plurality.
1
The affirmative vote of a majority of the shares of Common Stock
present in person or by proxy and entitled to notice of, and to
vote at, the Annual Meeting is necessary to ratify the
appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as auditors for the year
ending December 31, 2005, to approve the 2005 Restatement
of the Incentive Plan and to approve the 2005 Executive Plan.
Abstentions will have the same effect as votes against such
proposals because the shares are considered present at the
meeting but are not affirmative votes, and broker non-votes will
not be counted in respect of the proposals.
This proxy statement and the form of proxy enclosed herewith,
and the accompanying Annual Report of Avatar for the fiscal year
ended December 31, 2004, including financial statements,
are first being mailed to stockholders of record as of the close
of business on March 31, on or about April 22, 2005.
If you plan to attend the meeting, please mark the box provided
on your proxy card so that we may send you an attendance card.
Stockholders who have beneficial ownership of Common Stock that
is held by a bank or broker should bring account statements or
letters from their banks or brokers indicating that they owned
Avatar Common Stock as of March 31, 2005. Stockholders also
may obtain an attendance card by submitting a written request to
the Secretary of Avatar.
PRINCIPAL STOCKHOLDERS AND SECURITY
OWNERSHIP OF MANAGEMENT
Principal Stockholders
The following table sets forth, as of March 31, 2005,
information with respect to each person or entity known by the
Board of Directors to be the beneficial owner of more than 5% of
the outstanding Common Stock. Except as otherwise indicated, all
shares are owned directly.
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Amount and | |
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Nature of | |
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Beneficial | |
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Percent of | |
Name of Beneficial Owner |
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Address of Beneficial Owner |
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Ownership | |
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Class | |
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ODAV LLC
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280 Park Ave.
New York, NY 10017 |
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2,107,763 |
(1)(2) |
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26.16 |
% |
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Advisory Research, Inc.
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180 North Stetson St.,
Suite 5500
Chicago, IL 60601 |
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875,249 |
(3) |
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10.86 |
% |
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Private Capital
Management, L.P.
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8889 Pelican Bay Blvd. #500
Naples, FL 34108 |
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1,475,518 |
(4) |
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18.31 |
% |
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Sterling Capital
Management LLC
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Two Morrocroft Centre
4064 Colony Road, Suite 300
Charlotte, NC 28211 |
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601,860 |
(5) |
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7.47 |
% |
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The Estate of Leon Levy
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280 Park Ave.
New York, NY 10017 |
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706,426 |
(6) |
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8.77 |
% |
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Third Avenue Management LLC
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622 Third Avenue
New York, NY 10017 |
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744,915 |
(7) |
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9.24 |
% |
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(1) Does not include shares owned by Jack Nash, who is a
member of the Board of Directors of Avatar and is sole member of
Jack Nash LLC, a managing member of ODAV LLC, a Delaware limited
liability company (Odav), formed in September 2003
to hold the Avatar Common Stock owned by Odyssey Partners, L.P.
Jack Nash, the sole member of Jack Nash LLC, has the sole power
to vote, direct the voting of, dispose of and direct the
disposition of the shares of Common Stock beneficially owned by
Odav and, accordingly, may be deemed to own beneficially the
Common Stock owned by Odav. Each of Jack Nash and Joshua Nash,
sole member of Joshua Nash II LLC, a managing member of
Odav, has expressly disclaimed any such beneficial ownership
(within the meaning of Exchange Act Rule 13d-3(d)(1)) which
exceeds the proportionate interest in the Common Stock which he
may be deemed to own as a member of Odav. Avatar has been advised
2
that no other person exercises (or may be deemed to exercise)
any voting or investment control over the Common Stock owned by
Odav. Jack Nashs ownership of Common Stock is indicated in
the table included in Security Ownership of
Management.
(2) By virtue of its present Common Stock ownership, Odav
may be deemed to be a control person of Avatar
within the meaning of that term as defined in Rule 12b-2 under
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
(3) Based upon information set forth in Schedule 13G, filed
March 1, 2005, Advisory Research, Inc. (ARI) (a
registered investment adviser) is deemed to beneficially own
875,249 shares for which ARI has sole voting and dispositive
power.
(4) Based upon information set forth in Amendment
No. 4 to Schedule 13G, filed on February 14,
2005, by Private Capital Management, L.P. (Private
Capital) (a registered investment adviser), the aggregate
amount beneficially owned is 1,475,518 shares, of which
1,471,518 shares are held for the benefit of various clients;
the CEO and the President of Private Capital share voting and
dispositive power with respect to shares managed by Private
Capital; and beneficial ownership of such shares is disclaimed.
(5) Does not include shares owned by Eduardo A. Brea, who
is a Director of Avatar and is a Partner and Managing Director
of Sterling Capital Management LLC (Sterling
Capital). Mr. Breas ownership is indicated in
the table included in Security Ownership of
Management. The information as to shares of Common Stock
was furnished to Avatar by Sterling Capital (a registered
investment adviser), which disclaims beneficial ownership of
such shares. Based upon information set forth in Amendment
No. 5 to Schedule 13G, filed on January 6, 2005,
by Sterling Capital, its managing member, Sterling MGT, Inc.,
and its five individual controlling shareholders, such shares
are held for the benefit of various clients; and Sterling
Capital shares voting and dispositive power with its managing
member and controlling shareholders.
(6) Information as to shares beneficially owned is based
upon Amendment No. 1 to Schedule 13G, dated
February 3, 2004, filed by The Estate of Leon Levy.
(7) Based upon information set forth in Amendment
No. 8 to Schedule 13G, filed on February 16,
2005, Third Avenue Management LLC (TAM) (a
registered investment adviser) is deemed to beneficially own
744,915 shares on behalf of investment advisory clients. TAM has
sole voting power with respect to 742,115 shares and sole
dispositive power with respect to 744,915 shares.
Security Ownership of Management
The following table sets forth, as of March 31, 2005,
information with respect to the outstanding shares of Common
Stock owned beneficially by each present director, nominee for
director, each of the Named Executive Officers identified herein
under the caption Summary Compensation Table, and
all present directors and executive officers of Avatar as a
group. Except as otherwise indicated, all shares are owned
directly.
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Amount and Nature of | |
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Percent of | |
Name or Group |
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Beneficial Ownership(1)(2) | |
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Class(2) | |
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Eduardo A. Brea
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5,257 |
(3) |
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* |
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Milton Dresner
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3,644 |
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* |
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Gerald D. Kelfer
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5,113 |
(4) |
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* |
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Martin Meyerson
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2,347 |
(5) |
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* |
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Jack Nash
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2,108,205 |
(6) |
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26.16 |
% |
Joshua Nash
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2,107,763 |
(7) |
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26.16 |
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Kenneth T. Rosen
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1,000 |
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* |
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Joel M. Simon
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None |
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* |
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Fred Stanton Smith
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2,949 |
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* |
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William G. Spears
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39,498 |
(8) |
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* |
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Beth A. Stewart
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8,000 |
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* |
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Jonathan Fels
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52,672 |
(9) |
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* |
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Michael Levy
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57,015 |
(10) |
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* |
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Dennis J. Getman
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10,000 |
(11) |
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* |
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Charles L. McNairy
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None |
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* |
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All directors and executive officers as a group (consisting of
16 persons of whom 13 beneficially own shares of
Common Stock)
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2,295,700 |
(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11) |
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28.11 |
% |
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* Represents less than one percent.
(1) The information as to securities owned by directors,
officers and nominees was furnished to Avatar by such directors,
officers and nominees.
3
(2) Calculated pursuant to Rule 13d-3(d) of the
Exchange Act. Under Rule 13d-3(d), shares not outstanding
which are subject to options, warrants, rights or conversion
privileges exercisable within 60 days are deemed
outstanding for the purpose of calculating the number and
percentage of shares owned by such person, but are not deemed
outstanding for the purpose of calculating the percentage owned
by each other person listed. As of March 31, 2005, there
were 8,058,129 shares of Common Stock outstanding.
(3) Does not include 601,860 shares beneficially owned by
Sterling Capital Management LLC, of which Mr. Brea is a
Partner and Managing Director. See Note (5) to the
preceding table included in Principal Stockholders.
(4) Includes 2,000 shares owned by his children, over which
shares Mr. Kelfer shares voting and dispositive power.
(5) Does not include 847 shares owned by Mr.
Meyersons wife, as to which shares Mr. Meyerson
disclaims beneficial ownership.
(6) Includes 2,107,763 shares owned by Odav. Mr. Nash is
the sole member of Jack Nash LLC, a managing member of Odav, and
therefore may be deemed to own beneficially the shares of Common
Stock owned by Odav. See Notes (1) and (2) to the
preceding table included in Principal Stockholders.
(7) Represents shares owned by Odav. Mr. Nash is the
sole member of Joshua Nash II LLC, a managing member of Odav,
and therefore may be deemed to own beneficially the shares of
Common Stock owned by Odav. See Notes(1) and (2) to the
preceding table included in Principal Stockholders.
(8) Does not include 1,000 shares owned by the Estate
of Mr. Spears deceased wife, as to which shares
Mr. Spears disclaimed beneficial ownership. Includes
19,898 shares held by an individual profit sharing plan, a
charitable remainder trust and a family foundation, over which
shares Mr. Spears has either sole or shared voting and
investment power.
(9) Includes 50,000 shares issuable upon exercise of
options.
(10) Includes 50,000 shares issuable upon exercise of
options and 2,500 shares owned by his children, over which
shares Mr. Levy has sole voting and dispositive power.
(11) Represents 10,000 shares issuable upon exercise of
options.
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE AND CODES
OF BUSINESS CONDUCT AND ETHICS
Corporate Governance Guidelines and Principles
Avatars Board of Directors has adopted Corporate
Governance Guidelines and Principles as a component of the
flexible governance framework within which the Board, assisted
by its committees, directs Avatars affairs. The Corporate
Governance Guidelines and Principles, which define the role of
the Board of Directors, is available on Avatars website at
www.avatarholdings.com.
Director Independence
The Board of Directors has determined that all nominees for
election or reelection meet the independence criteria under the
rules and regulations of The Nasdaq Stock Market, Inc.
(Nasdaq) except for Jack Nash, Joshua Nash and
Gerald D. Kelfer, Vice Chairman of the Board, President, Chief
Executive Officer and Chairman of the Executive Committee. The
Board has further determined that all current members of the
Audit Committee meet the more stringent independence
requirements of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
(SEC) and Nasdaq for Audit Committee membership.
Code of Business Conduct and Ethics
The Board of Directors has adopted a Code of Business Conduct
and Ethics applicable to all directors, officers and employees
of Avatar and a Supplemental Code of Ethics for the CEO, CFO and
other Senior Financial Officers. These Codes of Business Conduct
and Ethics are available on Avatars website at
www.avatarholdings.com.
4
1. ELECTION OF DIRECTORS
Eleven directors are to be elected for the ensuing year and
until their respective successors are duly elected and
qualified. Stockholders have cumulative voting rights with
respect to election of directors. Under cumulative voting, each
stockholder is entitled to the same number of votes per share as
the number of directors to be elected (or, for purposes of this
election, eleven votes per share). A stockholder may cast all
such votes for a single nominee or distribute them among the
nominees, as such stockholder wishes, either by so marking his
ballot at the meeting or by specific voting instructions sent to
Avatar with a signed proxy. In connection with the solicitation
of proxies, discretionary authority to cumulate votes is being
solicited. Unless authority to vote for the nominees for
director is withheld, it is the intention of the persons named
in the accompanying proxy to vote the proxies in such manner as
will elect as directors the nominees named below.
All of the nominees were elected at the May 25, 2004 Annual
Meeting of Stockholders except Joshua Nash. The Board of
Directors met eight times during 2004, including the annual
meeting of directors held immediately following the 2004 Annual
Meeting of Stockholders.
The Board of Directors does not contemplate that any of the
persons named below will be unable, or will decline, to serve.
However, if any of such persons is unable or declines to serve,
the persons named in the accompanying proxy may vote for another
person or persons in their discretion.
The following table sets forth certain information with respect
to each nominee for director. Except as otherwise indicated,
each nominee has held his present occupation or occupations for
more than the past five years and has not been principally
employed by any subsidiary or affiliate of Avatar. There are no
family relationships between any nominee, director or executive
officer of Avatar except that Jack Nash and Joshua Nash are
father and son.
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Principal Occupation or |
Name |
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Age |
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Occupations and Directorships |
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Eduardo A. Brea
Director since
May 2002 |
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38 |
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Partner and Managing Director of Sterling Capital Management
LLC, a registered investment adviser, since 2000; formerly
Senior Vice President from 1995 to 2000; formerly Senior
Analyst, Wachovia Investment Management, from 1990 to 1995. |
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Milton Dresner
Director since
July 1995 |
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79 |
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Founding Partner, The Highland Companies, since 1960, a
diversified real estate development and management organization;
Director: BioTime, Inc., New Media Lottery Services, Inc. |
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Gerald D. Kelfer
Director since
October 1996 |
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59 |
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Vice Chairman of the Board of Avatar since December 1996, Chief
Executive Officer since July 31, 1997, President since
February 13, 1997 and Chairman of the Executive Committee
since May 27, 1999; formerly a principal in Odyssey
Partners, L.P., from July 1994 to February 1997; and Executive
Vice President, Senior General Counsel and Director of
Olympia & York Companies, from 1985 to 1994. |
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Martin Meyerson
Director since
May 1981 |
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82 |
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President Emeritus and Professor of Policy and Planning,
University of Pennsylvania, since February 1981, and President
thereof from 1970 to 1981; also, Chairman, Marconi International
Foundation; Director, Panasonic Foundation. |
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Jack Nash
Director since
June 2003 |
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76 |
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Chairman of the Board of Avatar from June 2003 to September
2004; sole member of Jack Nash, LLC, a managing member of ODAV
LLC, a private investment limited liability company, since its
formation in September 2003; General Partner, Odyssey Partners,
L.P., a private investment partnership, since its formation in
1982. |
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Principal Occupation or |
Name |
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Age |
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Occupations and Directorships |
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Joshua Nash
Director since
September 2004 |
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43 |
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Chairman of the Board of Avatar since September 29, 2004;
sole member of Joshua Nash II LLC, a managing member of
ODAV LLC, a private investment limited liability company, since
its formation in September 2003; General Partner, Ulysses
Management, L.L.C., a private investment firm, since 1997;
General Partner, Odyssey Partners, L.P., a private investment
partnership, since 1989. |
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Kenneth T. Rosen
Director since
September 1994 |
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56 |
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Professor of Business Administration, since 1979, and Chairman
of the Fisher Center for Real Estate and Urban Economics, since
1981, University of California, Berkeley; also Chairman, Rosen
Real Estate Securities, LLC, a real estate hedge fund; and
Chairman, Rosen Consulting Group, a real estate consulting
business; Director: Golden West Financial Corporation, The PMI
Group, Inc. |
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Joel M. Simon
Director since
May 2004 |
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59 |
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Partner and Principal, XRoads Solutions Group, LLC (f/k/a
Crossroads, LLC), a national financial advisory and consulting
firm, since July 2000; formerly Chief Executive Officer and
President, Starrett Corporation, from March 1998 to December
1998; Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer and
Director, Olympia & York Companies (U.S.A.), from 1985 to
1996; Senior Partner, Margolin, Winer & Evens, LLP, from
1976 to 1984; Director, Movie Star, Inc. |
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Fred Stanton Smith
Director since
September 1980 |
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76 |
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Vice Chairman of the Board, The Keyes Company, a real estate
brokerage, financing, management, insurance and development
firm, since January 1992; formerly President, The Keyes Company;
Director, Eagle National Bank. |
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William G. Spears
Director since
May 1999 |
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66 |
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Principal, Spears, Grisanti & Brown LLC, a registered
investment adviser, since July 1999; formerly Chairman of the
Board, from 1972 to June 1999, Spears, Benzak, Salomon &
Farrell, Inc., a registered investment adviser, which in April
1995 became a wholly-owned subsidiary of KeyCorp; also, Chairman
of the Board, Key Asset Management (a subsidiary of KeyCorp), a
registered investment adviser, from 1996 to 2000; Director,
United HealthGroup Incorporated. |
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Beth A. Stewart
Director since
May 2001 |
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48 |
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Chief Executive Officer since August 2001 and Co-Chairman since
October 1999, Storetrax.com, a real estate internet company;
President, Stewart Real Estate Capital, a real estate investment
and consulting firm, since January 1993; Adjunct Professor,
Columbia University Graduate School of Business, from 1994 to
1996; Director: General Growth Properties Inc., CarMax, Inc. |
6
INFORMATION REGARDING THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
AND ITS COMMITTEES
Certain Committees of the Board
To assist it in carrying out its duties, the Board of Directors
has established various committees. Current committees and
current members thereof are as follows:
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Nominating and Corporate | |
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Executive Committee | |
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Audit Committee | |
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Governance Committee | |
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Compensation Committee | |
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Gerald D. Kelfer (1)(2) Joshua Nash Fred Stanton Smith |
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Kenneth T. Rosen (1) Eduardo A. Brea Milton Dresner Joel M. Simon Beth A. Stewart |
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Martin Meyerson(1) Kenneth T. Rosen William G. Spears |
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William G. Spears(1) Milton Dresner Martin Meyerson Kenneth T. Rosen |
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(1) Chairman
(2) Officer of Avatar
Executive Committee
The Executive Committee of the Board of Directors has authority
to exercise most powers of the full Board of Directors in
connection with matters which arise during the intervals between
meetings of the Board of Directors. The Executive Committee did
not meet during 2004.
Audit Committee
The Audit Committee assists the Board of Directors in fulfilling
its responsibility to oversee management regarding: (i) the
conduct and integrity of Avatars financial reporting;
(ii) Avatars systems of internal accounting and
financial and disclosure controls; (iii) the
qualifications, engagement, compensation, independence and
performance of the independent auditors, their conduct of the
annual audit and their engagement for any other services;
(iv) Avatars legal and regulatory compliance;
(v) codes of ethics as established by management and the
Board; and (vi) the preparation of the audit committee
report for inclusion in the annual proxy statement. The Audit
Committee may also perform such other tasks as are assigned to
it from time to time by the Board of Directors. The Audit
Committee has the authority to obtain advice and assistance
from, and receive adequate resources and funding from Avatar
for, outside counsel, independent auditors or other advisors.
The Audit Committee met ten times during the fiscal year ended
December 31, 2004. The Audit Committee is governed by a
written charter approved by the Board of Directors. The charter
is available on Avatars website at www.avatarholdings.com.
All members of the Audit Committee have been determined to be
independent (see Director Independence). The Board
of Directors has also determined that all members of the Audit
Committee are financially literate under Nasdaqs listing
standards and Joel M. Simon is the Committees audit
committee financial expert, as defined in the rules of the
SEC and for purposes of Nasdaqs listing standards.
Audit Committee Report
The following is the report of Avatars Audit Committee
with respect to Avatars audited financial statements for
the fiscal year ended December 31, 2004:
The Committee has reviewed and discussed Avatars audited
financial statements with management.
The Committee has discussed with Ernst & Young LLP,
Avatars independent auditors, the matters required to be
discussed by SAS 61 (Communication with Audit Committees),
as amended,
7
regarding the auditors judgments about the quality of
Avatars accounting principles as applied in its financial
reporting.
The Committee has also received written disclosures within the
letter from Ernst & Young required by Independence Standards
Board Standard No. 1 (Independence Discussions with Audit
Committees) and has discussed with Ernst & Young their
independence.
Based on the review and discussions referred to above, the
Committee recommended to Avatars Board of Directors that
its audited financial statements be included in Avatars
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended
December 31, 2004 for filing with the Securities and
Exchange Commission.
March 3, 2005
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AUDIT COMMITTEE |
|
|
Kenneth T. Rosen, Chairman |
|
Eduardo A. Brea |
|
Milton Dresner |
|
Joel M. Simon |
|
Beth A. Stewart |
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee
The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee assists the
Board of Directors in: (i) identifying, screening and
reviewing individuals to serve as directors and recommending
candidates for nomination for election at the annual meeting of
stockholders or to fill Board vacancies; (ii) overseeing
Avatars policies and procedures for receipt of stockholder
suggestions regarding composition of the Board and
recommendations of candidates for nomination;
(iii) overseeing implementation of Avatars Corporate
Governance Guidelines and Principles; and (iv) reviewing
Avatars overall corporate governance and recommending
changes when necessary or desirable. The Committee may also
perform such additional tasks as assigned to it by the Board of
Directors. The Committee has the authority to obtain advice and
assistance from, and receive adequate resources and funding from
Avatar for, outside counsel, consultants and other advisors. The
Committee met three times during the fiscal year ended
December 31, 2004.
All members of the Committee have been determined to be
independent (see Director Independence). The
Committee is governed by a written charter approved by the Board
of Directors. The charter is available on Avatars website
at www.avatarholdings.com.
The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee assesses the
appropriate size of the board, evaluates the membership and
determines whether any vacancies are anticipated. The Committee
considers candidates for Board membership based upon various
criteria, including their business and professional skills and
experience, personal integrity and judgment, commitment to
representing the long-term interests of stockholders and
availability to participate in Board activities. The Committee
will consider candidates suggested by its members, other Board
members, management and stockholders, and may, if necessary or
appropriate, utilize the services of a professional search firm.
In order to be considered, a recommendation from a stockholder
must include the stockholders name and contact
information, the candidates name and contact information,
a brief description of the candidates background and
qualifications and a statement by the candidate that he or she
is willing and able to serve on the Board. The Committee may
also require candidates to provide such other information as it
may request.
Avatars By-Laws establish advance notice procedures with
respect to nominations for election for an annual meeting (see
Stockholders Proposals and Nominations of Board
Members).
Joshua Nash, who was elected to the Board on September 29,
2004, was recommended by Avatars former Chairman of the
Board, Jack Nash.
8
Compensation Committee
The Compensation Committee assists the Board of Directors in
overseeing management compensation policies and practices,
including (i) determination and approval of the
compensation of the Chief Executive Officer; (ii) review
and approval of compensation levels for Avatars other
executive officers; (iii) review and approval of management
incentive compensation policies and programs; (iv) review
and approval of equity compensation programs for employees and
the exercise of discretion in the administration of such
programs; and (v) preparation of an annual report on
executive compensation for inclusion in the proxy statement. The
Compensation Committee may perform such other tasks as assigned
to it by the Board of Directors. The Compensation Committee has
the authority to obtain advice and assistance from, and receive
adequate resources and funding from Avatar for, outside counsel,
compensation consultants and other advisors. The Compensation
Committee met five times during the fiscal year ended
December 31, 2004.
The Compensation Committee is governed by a written charter
approved by the Board of Directors. The charter is available on
Avatars website at www.avatarholdings.com.
Directors Compensation
Compensation of directors who are not salaried employees of
Avatar is $32,500 per annum. A member of the Executive Committee
who is not a salaried employee of Avatar receives a retainer of
$2,000 per annum. Members and the Chairman of the Audit
Committee receive additional compensation of $12,000 and $14,000
per annum, respectively. Members and the Chairman of the
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee receive additional
compensation of $4,000 and $7,000 per annum, respectively.
Members and the Chairman of the Compensation Committee receive
additional compensation of $4,000 and $5,000 per annum,
respectively. In connection with its current review of
Avatars non-employee director compensation, the Nominating
and Corporate Governance Committee is considering permitting
non-employee directors the ability to defer a portion of their
cash compensation into stock units. The committee is also
considering annual awards of restricted stock units to all
non-employee directors.
Directors Attendance
In fiscal year 2004 all of the incumbent directors attended 75%
or more of the aggregate of their respective Board and Committee
meetings, except Jack Nash whose absences were attributable to
illness.
Directors Attendance at Annual Meetings of Stockholders
The Board encourages each member of the Board to attend each
annual meeting of stockholders, but recognizes that unavoidable
circumstances may prevent attendance. All members of the Board
who were standing for election or reelection, except Jack Nash,
attended the 2004 Annual Meeting of Stockholders.
Communication with the Board of Directors
A stockholder who wishes to communicate with the Board, or
specific individual directors, may direct written communication
addressed to the Board or such director or directors in care of
the Corporate Secretary, Avatar Holdings Inc., 201 Alhambra
Circle, Coral Gables, Florida 33134.
9
EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION AND OTHER INFORMATION
Summary Compensation Table
The following table sets forth information with respect to
compensation of the Chief Executive Officer and the four other
highest paid executive officers of Avatar whose total salary and
accrued bonus was $100,000 or more for the year ended
December 31, 2004, hereinafter referred to as the
Named Executive Officers.
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Annual Compensation | |
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Long-Term Compensation Awards | |
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| |
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| |
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Other(1) | |
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Restricted | |
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Securities | |
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LTIP | |
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Annual | |
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Stock | |
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Underlying | |
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Payouts | |
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All Other | |
Name and Principal Position(s) |
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Year | |
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Salary | |
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Bonus | |
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Compensation | |
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Awards($) | |
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Options(#) | |
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($) | |
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Compensation(7) | |
| |
Gerald D. Kelfer
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|
|
2004 |
|
|
$ |
500,000 |
(2) |
|
$ |
500,000 |
(2) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
1,563,349 |
(5) |
|
$ |
2,783 |
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|
Chairman of the
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|
2003 |
|
|
|
500,000 |
(2) |
|
|
500,000 |
(2) |
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
3,162,500 |
(3) |
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|
|
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|
|
1,412,651 |
(6) |
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3,000 |
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Executive Committee, |
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|
2002 |
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|
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500,000 |
(2) |
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500,000 |
(2) |
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Chief Executive Officer and President |
|
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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|
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|
|
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|
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Jonathan Fels
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2004 |
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|
$ |
500,000 |
(2) |
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$ |
250,000 |
(2) |
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
1,858,667 |
(5) |
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$ |
2,783 |
|
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President, Avatar
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|
2003 |
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|
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500,000 |
(2) |
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|
250,000 |
(2) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
632,500 |
(4) |
|
|
60,000 |
|
|
|
1,059,488 |
(6) |
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|
3,000 |
|
|
Properties Inc.
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2002 |
|
|
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400,000 |
(2) |
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250,000 |
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|
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
0 |
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Michael Levy
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2004 |
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|
$ |
500,000 |
(2) |
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$ |
250,000 |
(2) |
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|
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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$ |
1,858,667 |
(5) |
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$ |
2,783 |
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Executive Vice
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2003 |
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500,000 |
(2) |
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250,000 |
(2) |
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|
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632,500 (4 |
) |
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|
60,000 |
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|
|
1,059,488 |
(6) |
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|
3,000 |
|
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President and
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2002 |
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|
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400,000 |
(2) |
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|
250,000 |
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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|
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0 |
|
|
Chief Operating Officer, Avatar Properties Inc. |
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Dennis J. Getman
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2004 |
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$ |
350,000 |
(2) |
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$ |
14,964 |
(2) |
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$ |
2,783 |
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Executive Vice
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2003 |
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350,000 |
(2) |
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76,021 |
(2) |
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500,004 (4 |
) |
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3,000 |
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President and |
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2002 |
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250,000 |
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217,368 |
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0 |
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General Counsel |
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Charles L. McNairy
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2004 |
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$ |
250,000 |
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$ |
25,000 |
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523,125 |
(4) |
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|
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$ |
2,783 |
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|
Executive Vice
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2003 |
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225,000 |
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25,000 |
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|
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|
|
|
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|
|
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|
|
|
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3,000 |
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President, |
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2002 |
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225,000 |
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5,000 |
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0 |
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|
Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer |
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(1) |
Each Named Executive Officer received an automobile allowance or
used a company-leased automobile. The aggregate value of this
benefit did not exceed the lesser of $50,000 or 10% of the total
annual salary and bonus reported for each of the Named Executive
Officers. Avatar also provides group life, health,
hospitalization and medical reimbursement plans which do not
discriminate in scope, terms or operation in favor of officers
and are available to all full-time employees. |
(2) |
For discussion of Avatars employment agreements with
Messrs. Kelfer, Fels, Levy and Getman, see Employment
and Other Agreements. |
(3) |
On March 27, 2003, fully vested options previously granted
to Mr. Kelfer were cancelled, and he was granted an
opportunity to receive an aggregate of 75,000 performance
conditioned restricted stock units. Also on March 27, 2003,
Mr. Kelfer was granted an opportunity to receive an
additional 50,000 performance conditioned restricted stock
units. See Employment and Other Agreements below.
The dollar amount reported in the table has been calculated by
multiplying the closing price of Avatar Common Stock on the date
of the awards by 125,000. Mr. Kelfer is not entitled to
receive dividends on the units. |
(4) |
The dollar amounts reported in the table were calculated by
multiplying the respective closing price of Avatar common stock
on the respective dates of the awards by 25,000 for each of
Mr. Fels and Mr. Levy, by 15,504 for Mr. Getman
and by 12,500 for Mr. McNairy. Messrs. Fels, Levy, Getman
and McNairy are not entitled to receive dividends on the units. |
(5) |
Represents $1,087,349, $1,477,667 and $1,477,667 paid or accrued
for the 2004 fiscal year to Mr. Kelfer, Mr. Fels and
Mr. Levy, respectively, under Cash Bonus Award Agreements
entered into on October 20, 2000; and $476,000, $381,000
and $381,000 accrued for the 2004 fiscal year to
Mr. Kelfer, Mr. Fels and Mr. Levy, respectively,
under Earnings Participation Award Agreements entered into on
March 27, 2003. See Employment and Other
Agreements below. |
(6) |
Represents amounts paid or accrued for the 2003 fiscal year to
Mr. Kelfer, Mr. Fels and Mr. Levy, respectively,
under Cash Bonus Award Agreements entered into on
October 20, 2000. See Employment and Other
Agreements below. |
(7) |
Reflects Avatars contribution to the 401(k) Plan. Avatar
did not have a matching contribution in effect for the year
ended December 31, 2002. |
10
Option/SAR Grants in 2004
No options or SARs were granted to any Named Executive Officer
during 2004.
Aggregated Option Exercises in 2004 and Option Values at
December 31, 2004
During 2004, no options were exercised by any Named Executive
Officer. Options held by Named Executive Officers were
in-the-money at December 31, 2004.
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|
|
Number of Securities | |
|
|
|
|
Underlying Unexercised | |
|
Value of Unexercised In-the-Money | |
|
|
Options at | |
|
Options at December 31, | |
|
|
December 31, 2004(#) | |
|
2004($)(1) | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
Name |
|
Exercisable | |
|
Unexercisable | |
|
Exercisable | |
|
Unexercisable | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
Gerald D. Kelfer
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
$ |
0 |
|
|
$ |
0 |
|
Jonathan Fels
|
|
|
50,000 |
|
|
|
60,000 |
|
|
|
1,155,000 |
|
|
|
1,386,000 |
|
Michael Levy
|
|
|
50,000 |
|
|
|
60,000 |
|
|
|
1,155,000 |
|
|
|
1,386,000 |
|
Dennis J. Getman
|
|
|
10,000 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
231,000 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
Charles L. McNairy
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
Represents the difference between the $48.10 closing price of
Avatar Common Stock on December 31, 2004 and the exercise
price of the options. |
Equity Compensation Plan Information
The following table summarizes information about the options,
warrants and rights and other equity compensation under
Avatars equity plans as of December 31, 2004.
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|
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Number of securities to | |
|
|
|
Number of securities remaining | |
|
|
be issued upon | |
|
Weighted-average exercise | |
|
available for future issuance | |
|
|
exercise | |
|
price of outstanding | |
|
under equity compensation | |
|
|
of outstanding options, | |
|
options, warrants and | |
|
plans (excluding securities | |
|
|
warrants and rights | |
|
rights | |
|
reflected in column (a)) | |
Plan Category |
|
(a) | |
|
(b) | |
|
(c) | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
Equity compensation plans approved by security holders
|
|
|
639,004 |
(1) |
|
$ |
25.00 |
(2) |
|
|
210,996 |
|
Equity compensation plans not approved by security holders
|
|
|
none |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
none |
|
|
Total
|
|
|
639,004 |
(1) |
|
$ |
25.00 |
(2) |
|
|
210,996 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
Includes 379,004 performance-conditioned restricted stock units,
the actual grant of which is conditioned on certain criteria but
which are not subject to payment of an exercise price. |
|
(2) |
Not applicable to restricted stock units. |
Employment and Other Agreements
On April 15, 2005, we conditionally entered into amended
and restated employment agreements and amended and restated
earnings participation award agreements with three of our
executives Messrs. Kelfer, Fels and Levy. On
the same day, we also conditionally entered into change in
control award agreements, 2008-2010 earnings participation award
agreements and restricted stock unit award agreements with each
of them. These agreements will not become effective unless
stockholders of Avatar approve the 2005 Restatement of the
Incentive Plan and the 2005 Executive Plan at the Annual Meeting
(but not later than June 30, 2005) and the executive is
employed by us on the date of stockholder approval. If these
agreements do not become effective, they will terminate, but
existing compensation agreements, including their existing
amended and restated employment agreements and earnings
participation award agreements, will continue in effect in
accordance with their terms. The following description of
employment and other agreements for Messrs. Kelfer, Fels
and Levy assumes that stockholder approvals are obtained at the
Annual Meeting and that the
11
agreements will become effective (however, if stockholder
approvals are not obtained, we refer you to our description of
the existing compensation and other agreements set forth in
Avatars proxy statement relating to last years
annual meeting of stockholders).
Agreements with Gerald Kelfer
|
|
|
Amended and Restated Employment Agreement |
As of March 27, 2003, Avatar entered into an amended and
restated employment agreement with Mr. Kelfer, President,
Chief Executive Officer, Chairman of the Executive Committee and
Vice Chairman of the Board, which was conditionally amended and
restated as of April 15, 2005. As amended, the employment
agreement expires on June 30, 2011. Pursuant to the
agreement, Mr. Kelfer continues to receive an annual base
salary of $500,000 and an annual bonus of $500,000.
If Mr. Kelfer resigns for good reason or is terminated
without cause, he is entitled to receive his base annual salary
and annual bonus through the earlier of June 30, 2011 and
the second anniversary of the date of termination, subject to
certain mitigation provisions. If Mr. Kelfers
employment terminates on June 30, 2011 or he is terminated
prior thereto without cause or resigns for good reason, he will
be entitled to annual payments of $250,000 for four years. If
his employment is terminated due to his death or disability or
he terminates his employment as a result of a change in control
(as defined in the employment agreement), Mr. Kelfer or his
estate shall be entitled to receive an annual payment for four
years equal to the amount derived by multiplying $250,000 by a
fraction, the numerator of which is the number of completed
whole months of employment from November 30, 2000 and the
denominator of which is 97 (the number of whole months until
December 31, 2008, the expiration date of the agreement
prior to the conditional April 15, 2005 amendment and
restatement). In addition, if Mr. Kelfer terminates his
employment as a result of a change in control, he is entitled to
receive his base salary and annual bonus through the earlier of
June 30, 2011 and the first anniversary of the date of
termination. If Mr. Kelfer resigns without good reason or
is terminated for cause, he is entitled to receive his base
salary and prorated bonus through the date of termination.
|
|
|
Cash Bonus Award Agreement |
On October 20, 2000, Avatar entered into a cash bonus award
agreement with Mr. Kelfer pursuant to which Mr. Kelfer
was granted an award relating to parcels 1, 8, 9 of
Avatars Harbor Islands community development project (the
Harbor Islands Project). The award entitles
Mr. Kelfer to receive quarterly cash bonus payments equal
to 8% of the cash flow of the Harbor Islands Project. In
determining cash flow, there is a deduction for a
cost of capital that Avatar would charge to the project to the
extent the project is funded by Avatar, such charge to be not
less than 10% per annum. Prior to the payment of any bonus,
Avatar must first receive cumulative cash flow equal to
$17 million (the approximate value of the land that Avatar
has contributed to the project), plus a 10% return thereon
compounded monthly (the Minimum Return).
Mr. Kelfer has been paid or accrued $1,087,349 and
$1,412,651 for 2004 and 2003, respectively, under the award and
is no longer entitled to receive any future payments under the
award.
The award also provides for repayment to Avatar by
Mr. Kelfer at the end of the project, on an after-tax
basis, of any excess payment, plus interest, should the
Compensation Committee determine that the aggregate amount of
bonus payments exceeds the aggregate amount that would have been
paid if the bonus payment had been made at the end of the
project.
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Amended and Restated Earnings Participation Award
Agreement |
As of March 27, 2003, Avatar entered into an earnings
participation award agreement with Mr. Kelfer, pursuant to
which he was granted a cash award and a stock award relating to
the achievement of performance goals. This agreement was
conditionally amended and restated as of April 15, 2005. As
amended, the cash award entitles Mr. Kelfer to a cash
payment with respect to
12
each fiscal year beginning 2003 and ending 2007 equal to two and
one-half percent of Avatars gross profit over
preestablished levels as determined by the Compensation
Committee. For purposes of the Amended and Restated Earnings
Participation Award Agreement and the Change in Control Award
Agreement (see below), gross profit generally means
Avatars net income, plus taxes and minus certain excluded
amounts. Under the provisions of the Executive Incentive
Compensation Plan, total awards are limited to a maximum of
$5,000,000 per individual. Therefore, Mr. Kelfer may
receive a maximum aggregate amount of $5,000,000 under the cash
bonus award relating to the Harbor Islands Project and the
amended and restated earnings participation award agreement.
Mr. Kelfer has been paid or accrued $476,000 pursuant to
the cash award for 2004. No cash award was paid or accrued for
2003.
The stock award entitles Mr. Kelfer to receive a number of
shares of Avatar Common Stock having a fair market value (as
defined) equal to two and one-half percent of the excess of
actual gross profit (as defined) from January 1, 2003
through December 31, 2007 over the established target gross
profit of approximately $187,000,000. Under the provisions of
the Amended and Restated 1997 Incentive and Capital Accumulation
Plan, as amended by the 2005 Restatement (the Incentive
Plan), the aggregate number of shares that may be granted
to any one individual would be 750,000. Mr. Kelfer would
not be eligible to receive any shares of Common Stock pursuant
to the amended and restated earnings participation award unless
the 2005 Restatement to the Incentive Plan is approved by the
Avatar stockholders.
If Mr. Kelfers employment is terminated for cause or
upon resignation for other than good reason, rights to future
cash payments or Common Stock issuances accruing after the date
of termination are forfeited. If Mr. Kelfers
employment is terminated other than for cause or upon
resignation for good reason, he will continue to receive future
cash payments and Common Stock issuances. If his termination is
due to his death or disability, he or his estate would receive a
prorated cash payment for the fiscal year in which his
employment was terminated and prorated Common Stock issuances
based upon the number of months actually employed during the
performance period. Upon the occurrence of a change in control
(as defined), Mr. Kelfer would receive a prorated cash
payment for the fiscal year in which the change in control
occurs and future cash awards and stock awards would be
cancelled. Under the Change in Control Award Agreement
conditionally entered into on April 15, 2005,
Mr. Kelfer would be entitled to a cash payment equal to two
and one-half percent of the excess of actual gross profit from
April 1, 2005 through the change in control date over the
established target gross profit of approximately $141,995,000.
The payment pursuant to the change in control award may not
exceed $3,750,000.
|
|
|
2008-2010 Earnings Participation Award Agreement |
As of April 15, 2005, Avatar conditionally entered into an
earnings participation award agreement with Mr. Kelfer,
pursuant to which he was granted an annual and cumulative cash
award relating to the achievement of performance goals during
the 2008-2010 fiscal years. The annual cash award entitles
Mr. Kelfer to a cash payment with respect to each fiscal
year beginning 2008 and ending 2010 equal to two and one-quarter
percent of Avatars gross profit over preestablished levels
as determined by the Compensation Committee. For purposes of the
2008-2010 Earnings Participation Award Agreement, gross profit
generally means Avatars net income, plus taxes and
incentive compensation paid to Messrs. Kelfer, Fels and
Levy under their respective 2008-2010 Earnings Participation
Award Agreements with Avatar and minus certain excluded amounts.
The payments pursuant to the annual cash award may not exceed
$1,800,000 for each of the first two fiscal years of the
performance period and up to $2,200,000 for the third fiscal
year of the performance period. However, the aggregate payments
pursuant to the annual cash award for the three years may not
exceed $5,400,000.
The cumulative cash award entitles Mr. Kelfer to receive a
cash payment equal to one and one-half percent of the excess of
actual gross profit (as defined) from January 1, 2008
through
13
December 31, 2010 over the established target gross profit
of $390,000,000. The payment pursuant to the cumulative cash
award may not exceed $1,200,000.
If Mr. Kelfers employment is terminated for cause or
upon resignation for other than good reason, rights to future
cash payments accruing after the date of termination are
forfeited. If Mr. Kelfers employment is terminated
other than for cause or upon resignation for good reason, he
will continue to receive future cash payments. If his
termination is due to his death or disability, he or his estate
would receive a prorated annual cash award for the fiscal year
in which his employment was terminated and a prorated cumulative
cash award, in each case based upon the number of months
actually employed during the performance period. Upon the
occurrence of a change in control (as defined), Mr. Kelfer
would receive a prorated annual cash award for the fiscal year
in which the change in control occurs and a cash payment not to
exceed $1,200,000 equal to one and one-half percent of the
excess of actual gross profit (as defined) from January 1,
2008 through the change in control date over the established
target gross profit of $390,000,000. Future cash awards would be
cancelled.
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|
|
Restricted Stock Unit Agreements |
Mr. Kelfer has been awarded over time the opportunity to
receive a total of 365,000 performance conditioned restricted
stock units, consisting of 100,000 units awarded on
December 7, 1998, 50,000 units awarded on
October 20, 2000, an aggregate of 125,000 units
awarded on March 27, 2003 and an aggregate of
90,000 units conditionally awarded on April 15, 2005.
Each of the restricted stock awards to Mr. Kelfer is
conditioned upon (i) the closing price of Avatar Common
Stock being at least equal to a specified hurdle price for 20
trading days out of 30 consecutive trading days during the
period beginning on the award date and ending on the vesting
date and (ii) the continued employment of Mr. Kelfer
at the time the foregoing condition is satisfied.
If Mr. Kelfers employment is terminated due to his
disability or death after a hurdle price condition is met,
Mr. Kelfer will receive the greater of a pro rata portion
based on the number of whole months which have elapsed from
January of the year in which Mr. Kelfer received the award
to the date of Mr. Kelfers disability or death or
one-half of the units. If Mr. Kelfers employment is
terminated other than for cause or upon resignation for good
reason, all units that satisfy the hurdle price condition shall
vest on the date of such termination or resignation and, with
respect to those units conditionally awarded on April 15,
2005, such units that satisfy the hurdle price condition on or
prior to June 30, 2011 shall vest on the date such
condition is satisfied. If Mr. Kelfer resigns without good
reason or is terminated for cause, all of the units will be
forfeited. Otherwise, units that have satisfied the hurdle price
condition immediately vest in full upon the vesting date or upon
a change in control, in each case so long as Mr. Kelfer is
employed by Avatar as of such date.
14
The table below sets forth the award date, number of units
awarded, hurdle price per share and vesting date for units
awarded to Mr. Kelfer.
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|
|
|
|
Award Date |
|
# RSUs | |
|
Hurdle Price(1) | |
|
Vesting Date(2) | |
| |
12/07/1998
(3)
|
|
|
100,000 |
|
|
$ |
25.00 |
|
|
|
12/31/2005 |
|
10/20/2000
|
|
|
50,000 |
|
|
$ |
25.00 |
|
|
|
12/31/2005 |
|
3/27/2003
|
|
|
50,000 |
|
|
$ |
34.00 |
|
|
|
12/31/2008 |
|
3/27/2003
(4)
|
|
|
23,700 |
|
|
$ |
38.00 |
|
|
|
12/31/2008 |
|
3/27/2003
(4)
|
|
|
20,000 |
|
|
$ |
42.00 |
|
|
|
12/31/2008 |
|
3/27/2003
(4)
|
|
|
15,000 |
|
|
$ |
46.00 |
|
|
|
12/31/2008 |
|
3/27/2003
(4)
|
|
|
16,300 |
|
|
$ |
50.00 |
|
|
|
12/31/2008 |
|
4/15/2005
(5)
|
|
|
30,000 |
|
|
$ |
65.00 |
|
|
|
6/30/2011 |
|
4/15/2005
(5)
|
|
|
30,000 |
|
|
$ |
72.50 |
|
|
|
6/30/2011 |
|
4/15/2005
(5)
|
|
|
30,000 |
|
|
$ |
80.00 |
|
|
|
6/30/2011 |
|
|
(1) Since being awarded, the performance condition for
258,700 of the units have been met (i.e., the $25, $34,
$38, $42 and $46 hurdle prices were satisfied on 5/25/2001,
12/29/2003, 2/6/2004, 9/13/2004, and 12/3/2004, respectively),
and such units have been granted subject to vesting.
(2) Subject to earlier vesting as described above.
(3) On December 7, 1998, Avatar entered into a
restricted stock unit agreement with Mr. Kelfer, which was
amended and restated as of October 20, 2000 and further
amended on March 27, 2003.
(4) On March 27, 2003, Mr. Kelfers fully
vested nonqualified stock options to
purchase 225,000 shares of Avatar Common Stock were
cancelled and Mr. Kelfer was granted an opportunity to
receive 75,000 performance-conditioned restricted stock units.
(5) See New Plan Benefits table below.
Agreements with Jonathan Fels and Michael Levy
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Amended and Restated Employment Agreement |
As of January 1, 2003, Avatar entered into amended and
restated employment agreements with Jonathan Fels, as President
of Avatar Properties Inc. (Properties), and Michael
Levy, as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of
Properties, which were conditionally amended and restated as of
April 15, 2005. Pursuant to their respective employment
agreements, as amended, the terms of employment for each of
Mr. Fels and Mr. Levy have been extended to
December 31, 2010. Each of Mr. Fels and Mr. Levy
receives an annual base salary of $500,000, subject to review
and increase by the Board, and effective as of January 1,
2005, a calendar year annual cash bonus of $400,000 (in 2003 and
2004 the bonus had been $250,000). If the employment of
Mr. Fels or Mr. Levy, as the case may be, is
terminated due to disability, death or resignation without good
reason or terminated by Avatar for cause, then he or his estate
(in the event of his death) will receive his accrued but unpaid
base salary through the date of termination. In the event of
termination due to death or disability, Mr. Fels or
Mr. Levy, or his respective estate, will also receive his
annual bonus prorated to the date of termination. If
Mr. Fels or Mr. Levy resigns for good reason or is
terminated without cause, he is entitled to receive his base
salary and annual bonus through the earlier of December 31,
2010 and the second anniversary of the date of termination,
subject to certain mitigation provisions.
In the event of a change in control of Avatar prior to
December 31, 2010, the term of employment for each of
Messrs. Fels and Levy shall be reduced or extended, as
applicable, depending on the date of the change in control, to
expire upon the earlier of June 30, 2011 and the first
anniversary of the change in control. For the period following a
change in control, Messrs. Fels and Levy shall cease to
receive their base salary and annual bonus and Avatar shall
deposit $1,800,000 (the Retention Amount) with
respect to each of Messrs. Fels and Levy (subject to
15
pro rata adjustment in the event of a change in control after
June 30, 2010) into a custodial account to be disbursed to
the executive upon expiration of the employment term if the
executive is continuously employed by Avatar (or its successor)
or any of its subsidiaries through such date. If the employment
of Mr. Fels or Mr. Levy, as the case may be, is
terminated due to death or disability, Mr. Fels or
Mr. Levy, or his respective estate, will receive a prorated
portion of the Retention Amount based on the number of days
between the change in control and the date of termination. If
Mr. Fels or Mr. Levy resigns for good reason or is
terminated without cause, he is entitled to receive the full
Retention Amount. If Mr. Fels or Mr. Levy resigns
without good reason or is terminated for cause, the right to
receive the Retention Amount will be forfeited and the Retention
Amount will be donated to one or more charitable not-for-profit
organizations designated by the board of Avatar.
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Cash Bonus Award Agreements |
On October 20, 2000, Avatar entered into cash bonus award
agreements with Mr. Fels and Mr. Levy, pursuant to
which each was granted an award relating to the Harbor Islands
Project. The awards entitle each of Mr. Fels and
Mr. Levy to receive quarterly cash bonus payments equal to
6% of the cash flow of the Harbor Islands Project. In
determining cash flow, there is a deduction for a
cost of capital that Avatar would charge to the project to the
extent the project is funded by Avatar, such charge to be not
less than 10% per annum. Prior to the payment of any bonus,
Avatar must first receive the Minimum Return. Messrs. Fels and
Levy were each paid or accrued $1,477,667 and $1,059,488 for
2004 and 2003, respectively, pursuant to the awards.
The awards also provide for repayment at the end of the project,
on an after-tax basis, of any excess payment, plus interest,
should the Compensation Committee determine that the aggregate
amount of bonus payments exceeds the aggregate amount that would
have been paid if the bonus payments had been made at the end of
the project.
If either Mr. Fels or Mr. Levys employment
is terminated other than for cause or upon resignation for good
reason, he will continue to receive future bonus payments. If
either Mr. Fels or Mr. Levys termination
is due to his permanent disability or death, he or his estate
would continue to receive prorated bonus payments based upon the
number of months actually employed.
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Amended and Restated Earnings Participation Award
Agreements |
On March 6, 2003, Avatar entered into earnings
participation award agreements with Mr. Fels and
Mr. Levy, pursuant to which each was granted a cash award
and a stock award relating to the achievement of performance
goals under Avatars business plan. These agreements were
conditionally amended and restated as of April 15, 2005. As
amended, the cash awards entitle each of Mr. Fels and
Mr. Levy to a cash payment with respect to each fiscal year
beginning 2003 and ending 2007 equal to two percent of
Avatars gross profit over preestablished levels as
determined by the Compensation Committee. For purposes of the
Amended and Restated Earnings Participation Award Agreements and
the Change in Control Award Agreements (see below), gross profit
generally means Avatars net income, plus taxes and minus
certain excluded amounts. Under the provisions of the Executive
Incentive Compensation Plan, total cash awards are limited to a
maximum of $5,000,000 per individual. Therefore, each of
Mr. Fels and Mr. Levy may receive a maximum of
$5,000,000 under the cash bonus award relating to the Harbor
Islands Project and the earnings participation award agreement.
Each of Messrs. Fels and Levy have been paid or accrued $381,000
pursuant to the cash award for 2004. No cash awards were paid or
accrued for 2003.
The stock awards entitle each of Mr. Fels and Mr. Levy
to receive a number of shares of Avatar Common Stock having a
fair market value (as defined) equal to two percent of the
excess of actual gross profit (as defined) from January 1,
2003 through December 31, 2007 over the established target
gross profit of approximately $187,000,000.
If either Mr. Fels or Mr. Levys employment
is terminated for cause or upon resignation for other than good
reason, rights to future cash payments or Common Stock issuances
accruing after
16
the date of termination are forfeited. If either
Mr. Fels or Mr. Levys employment is
terminated other than for cause or upon resignation for good
reason, he will continue to receive future cash payments and
Common Stock issuances. If either Mr. Fels or
Mr. Levys termination is due to his permanent
disability or death, he or his estate would receive a prorated
cash payment for the fiscal year in which his employment was
terminated and prorated Common Stock issuances based upon the
number of months actually employed during the performance
period. Upon the occurrence of a change in control (as defined),
Mr. Fels and Mr. Levy would receive prorated cash
payments for the fiscal year in which the change in control
occurs and future cash awards and stock awards would be
cancelled. Under the Change in Control Award Agreement entered
into on April 15, 2005, each of Messrs. Fels and Levy
would be entitled to a cash payment equal to two percent of the
excess of actual gross profit from April 1, 2005 through
the change in control date over the established target gross
profit of approximately $141,995,000. The payment pursuant to
the change in control award may not exceed $3,000,000.
|
|
|
2008-2010 Earnings Participation Award Agreement |
As of April 15, 2005, Avatar conditionally entered into an
earnings participation award agreement with each of
Messrs. Fels and Levy, pursuant to which each was granted
an annual and cumulative cash award relating to the achievement
of performance goals. The annual cash award entitles the
executive to a cash payment with respect to each fiscal year
beginning 2008 and ending 2010 equal to two percent of
Avatars gross profit over preestablished levels as
determined by the Compensation Committee. For purposes of the
2008-2010 Earnings Participation Award Agreements, gross profit
generally means Avatars net income, plus taxes and
incentive compensation paid to Messrs. Kelfer, Fels and
Levy pursuant to their respective 2008-2010 Earnings
Participation Award Agreements with Avatar and minus certain
excluded amounts. The payments pursuant to the annual cash award
may not exceed $1,600,000 for each of the first two fiscal years
of the performance period and up to $2,000,000 for the third
fiscal year of the performance period. However, the aggregate
payments pursuant to the annual cash award may not exceed
$4,800,000.
The cumulative cash award entitles each of Messrs. Fels and
Levy to receive a cash payment equal to one and one-quarter
percent of the excess of actual gross profit (as defined) from
January 1, 2008 through December 31, 2010 over the
established target gross profit of $390,000,000. The payment
pursuant to the cumulative cash award may not exceed $900,000.
If either Mr. Fels or Mr. Levys employment
is terminated for cause or upon resignation for other than good
reason, rights to future cash payments accruing after the date
of termination are forfeited. If either Mr. Fels or
Mr. Levys employment is terminated other than for
cause or upon resignation for good reason, he will continue to
receive future cash payments. If either Mr. Fels or
Mr. Levys termination is due to his death or
disability, he or his estate would receive a prorated annual
cash award for the fiscal year in which his employment was
terminated and a prorated cumulative cash award, in each case
based upon the number of months actually employed during the
performance period. Upon the occurrence of a change in control
(as defined), each of Mr. Fels and Mr. Levy would
receive a prorated annual cash award for the fiscal year in
which the change in control occurs. In addition, a cash payment
not to exceed $900,000 equal to one and one-quarter percent of
the excess of actual gross profit (as defined) from
January 1, 2008 through the change in control date over the
established target gross profit of $390,000,000 would be
deposited in a custodial account on the date of the change in
control and would constitute and be disbursed as part of the
Retention Amount (as described above). Future cash awards would
be cancelled.
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|
|
Nonqualified Stock Option Agreements |
On February 19, 1999, Messrs. Fels and Levy were each
granted options to purchase 50,000 shares of Avatar
Common Stock under the Incentive Plan, at an exercise price of
$25.00 per share. The options granted to each of
Messrs. Fels and Levy were fully vested as of
February 19, 2002.
17
If the employment of Mr. Fels or Mr. Levy, as the case
may be, is terminated due to his disability or death, the
options will remain exercisable for one year following the date
of termination. If either Mr. Fels or Mr. Levy, as the
case may be, resigns without good reason or is terminated for
cause, any unexercised options become null and void upon such
termination. Otherwise, the options will remain exercisable
until February 19, 2009.
On March 13, 2003, Messrs. Fels and Levy were each
granted additional options to purchase 60,000 shares
of Avatar Common Stock under the Incentive Plan, at an exercise
price of $25.00 per share. The options vest and become
exercisable on December 31, 2007.
If the employment of Mr. Fels or Mr. Levy, as the case
may be, is terminated due to his disability or death, the
options will vest pro rata based on the amount of time elapsed
between January 1, 2003 and December 31, 2007, and
such options will become immediately exercisable and expire one
year following the date of termination. If either Mr. Fels
or Mr. Levy, as the case may be, resigns without good
reason or is terminated for cause, any unexercised options
become null and void upon such termination. Otherwise, the
options will remain exercisable until March 13, 2013.
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|
Restricted Stock Unit Agreements |
As of March 27, 2003, Avatar entered into restricted stock
unit agreements with each of Messrs. Fels and Levy,
pursuant to which each has been awarded an opportunity to
receive 25,000 performance conditioned restricted stock units
representing 25,000 shares of Avatar Common Stock. As of
April 15, 2005, Avatar conditionally entered into
restricted stock unit agreements with each of Messrs. Fels
and Levy, pursuant to which each has been awarded an opportunity
to receive 75,000 performance-conditioned restricted stock units
representing 75,000 shares of Avatar Common Stock.
Each of the restricted stock awards to Messrs. Fels and
Levy is conditioned upon (i) the closing price of Avatar
Common Stock being at least a specified hurdle price per share
for 20 trading days out of 30 consecutive trading days during
the period beginning on the award date and ending on the vesting
date, and (ii) the continued employment of Mr. Fels or
Mr. Levy, as the case may be, at the time the foregoing
condition is satisfied.
If Mr. Fels or Mr. Levys employment is
terminated due to his disability or death after a hurdle price
condition is met, Mr. Fels or Mr. Levy will receive
the greater of a pro rata portion of the units based on the
number of whole months which have elapsed from January 1,
2003 to the date of Mr. Fels or Mr. Levys
disability or death or half of the units. If Mr. Fels
or Mr. Levys employment is terminated other than for
cause or upon resignation for good reason, all units that
satisfy the performance condition shall vest on the date of such
termination or resignation and, with respect to those units
awarded on April 15, 2005, such units that satisfy the
hurdle price condition on or prior to December 31, 2010,
shall vest on the date such condition is satisfied. If either
Mr. Fels or Mr. Levy resigns without good reason or is
terminated for cause, all of the executives units will be
forfeited. Otherwise, the units granted to either Mr. Fels
or Mr. Levy immediately vest in full upon the vesting date
or upon a change in control, in each case so long as the
executive is employed by Avatar or any of its subsidiaries as of
such date.
The table below sets forth the award date, number of units
awarded, hurdle price and vesting date for units awarded to each
of Messrs. Fels and Levy.
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Award Date |
|
# RSUs | |
|
Hurdle Price | |
|
Vesting Date(1) | |
| |
3/27/2003
(2)
|
|
|
25,000 |
|
|
$ |
34.00 |
|
|
|
12/31/2007 |
|
4/15/2005
(3)
|
|
|
25,000 |
|
|
$ |
65.00 |
|
|
|
12/31/2010 |
|
4/15/2005
(3)
|
|
|
25,000 |
|
|
$ |
72.50 |
|
|
|
12/31/2010 |
|
4/15/2005
(3)
|
|
|
25,000 |
|
|
$ |
80.00 |
|
|
|
12/31/2010 |
|
|
18
(1) Subject to earlier vesting as described above.
(2) Since being awarded, the performance condition for
25,000 of the units has been met (i.e., the $34 hurdle
price was satisfied on 12/29/2003), and such units have been
granted subject to vesting.
(3) See New Plan Benefits table below.
Agreements with Dennis J. Getman
On September 11, 2003, Avatar entered into an Employment
Agreement with Dennis J. Getman, Executive Vice President and
General Counsel, effective as of January 1, 2003, for a
term of four years at an annual base salary of $350,000, subject
to review and increase by the Board, and additional compensation
of specified percentages of net sale proceeds on certain
designated asset sales. Over the term of the Agreement, maximum
aggregate additional compensation payable to Mr. Getman is
$1,600,000.
If Mr. Getmans employment is terminated due to his
disability or death, Mr. Getman or his estate will receive
his accrued but unpaid base salary and any additional
compensation to which he may be entitled. If Mr. Getman is
terminated without cause, he is entitled to receive his accrued
but unpaid base salary, any additional compensation to which he
may be entitled and a lump sum payment of $350,000 in lieu of
any other payments or benefits. If Mr. Getman is terminated
for cause or resigns, he is entitled to receive his accrued but
unpaid base salary.
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Nonqualified Stock Option Agreement |
On February 19, 1999, Mr. Getman was granted options
to purchase 10,000 shares of Avatar Common Stock under
the Incentive Plan, at an exercise price of $25.00 per
share. The options granted to Mr. Getman were fully vested
as of February 19, 2002.
If Mr. Getmans employment is terminated due to his
disability or death, the options will remain exercisable for one
year following the date of termination. If Mr. Getman
resigns without good reason or is terminated for cause, any
unexercised options become null and void upon such termination.
Otherwise, the options will remain exercisable until
February 19, 2009.
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Restricted Stock Unit Agreement |
As of September 11, 2003, Avatar entered into a restricted
stock unit agreement with Mr. Getman, pursuant to which he
has been granted 15,504 restricted stock units representing
15,504 shares of Avatar Common Stock. The units vest in
full on January 2, 2007, provided that Mr. Getman is
employed by Avatar on December 31, 2006.
If Mr. Getmans employment is terminated due to his
disability or death, Mr. Getman or his estate will be
entitled to receive 7,752 units. If his employment is
terminated for cause, all units will be forfeited. If he is
terminated without cause, Mr. Getman will be entitled to
receive all units granted to him.
Agreements with Charles L. McNairy
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|
|
Restricted Stock Unit Agreement |
On July 22 2004, Avatar entered into a restricted stock unit
agreement with Mr. McNairy pursuant to which
Mr. McNairy was awarded an opportunity to receive 12,500
performance conditioned restricted stock units representing
12,500 shares of Avatar Common Stock. The actual grant of
the units was conditional upon (i) the closing price of
Avatar Common Stock being at least $45.00 per share for 20
trading days out of 30 consecutive trading days during the
period beginning July 22, 2004 and ending December 31,
2008, and (ii) the continued employment of Mr. McNairy
at the time the foregoing condition is satisfied. This hurdle
price performance condition was satisfied on December 1,
2004.
19
If Mr. McNairys employment is terminated due to his
disability or death, Mr. McNairy will receive the greater
of a pro rata portion of the 12,500 units based on the
number of whole months which have elapsed from January 1,
2004 to the date of Mr. McNairys disability or death
or 6,250 units. If Mr. McNairy resigns without good
reason or is terminated for cause, all of the units will be
forfeited. Otherwise, the units granted to him immediately vest
in full upon termination of Mr. McNairys employment.
As of July 22, 2004, Avatar entered into a letter agreement
with Mr. McNairy which provides that upon the earlier of
his termination of employment and the conversion of the
above-referenced Restricted Stock Units (the Award)
into shares of Avatar Common Stock, Mr. McNairy will
receive the greater of the Award to the extent the fair market
value (as defined) of the Award is greater than the cash amounts
he is entitled to receive as severance (the Cash
Payments) or the Cash Payments.
Compensation Committee Report on Executive Compensation
The duties and responsibilities of the Compensation Committee of
the Board of Directors include determining the compensation of
Avatars CEO and certain other executive officers and
administering Avatars incentive compensation plans.
Avatars executive compensation is intended to reward,
retain and motivate management and to align the interests of
Avatars stockholders and management. The principal
components of Avatars executive compensation program are:
salaries, cash bonuses and performance-based cash and equity
awards.
In determining salary levels and bonuses for the executive
officers, primary consideration is given to each
executives level of responsibility and individual
performance, as well as compensation generally received by
executives of companies engaged in similar type activities. In
2004, certain executives (other than Avatars CEO) received
discretionary bonuses based on subjective factors.
The Committee made awards of performance-conditioned restricted
stock units to certain of Avatars executive officers in
2004 pursuant to a plan approved by stockholders. These awards
provide that if Avatars common stock attains a specified
market price per share (the hurdle price) for 20 trading days
out of 30 consecutive trading days, such executive will be
entitled to receive shares of Common Stock on a future date (the
vesting date) if the executive is then employed by Avatar
(subject to earlier vesting under certain circumstances).
Also in 2004, certain executive officers received cash payouts
from performance-based awards made in prior years by the
Committee, which were based on the cash flow of
Avatars Harbor Islands community development project and
Avatars gross profit over preestablished
levels.
CEO Compensation
In 2004 there were no changes in the compensation arrangements
of Gerald D. Kelfer, Avatars CEO, and therefore his
compensation reflected payments and awards established by the
Compensation Committee in prior years.
He was paid salary and cash bonus in accordance with his
employment agreement, which had been approved by the
Compensation Committee in 2003. The salary and bonus earned in
2004 under the employment agreement were not discretionary or
otherwise related to the financial performance of Avatar.
In 2004, Mr. Kelfer earned the right to receive payments
under the Harbor Islands cash bonus award (which was made by the
Committee in 2000) and the cash Earnings Participation Award
that covered the 2004 fiscal year (which was made by the
Committee in 2003). These awards were made pursuant to a plan
approved by stockholders. The amount of cash Mr. Kelfer
earned under the awards during 2004 was determined by a
preestablished formula and based on financial perform-
20
ance during 2004: the cash flow of Avatars
Harbor Islands community development project and Avatars
gross profit over preestablished levels.
In addition, during 2004, the hurdle price
performance conditions of an aggregate of 58,700 restricted
stock units previously awarded to Mr. Kelfer by the
Committee under a stockholder approved plan were satisfied.
These units are subject to continued vesting prior to being paid
out in shares of Avatar Common Stock.
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April 15, 2005 |
|
COMPENSATION COMMITTEE |
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William G. Spears, Chairman
Milton Dresner
Martin Meyerson
Kenneth T. Rosen |
Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation
The members of the Compensation Committee are Messrs. Dresner,
Meyerson, Rosen and Spears, none of whom are executive officers
of Avatar.
Performance Graph
The following graph provides a comparison of the cumulative
total returns based on an investment of $100 after the close of
the market on December 31, 1999 in Avatars Common
Stock, The Nasdaq Market Index and the Real Estate Development
and Residential Construction Indexes published by CoreData for
the periods indicated, in each case assuming reinvestment of any
dividends. The cumulative total returns for The Nasdaq Market
Index were prepared by CoreData.
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1999 | |
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2000 | |
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2001 | |
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2002 | |
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2003 | |
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2004 | |
| |
Avatar Holdings Inc.
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100.00 |
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|
116.55 |
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129.99 |
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126.90 |
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203.75 |
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265.38 |
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Nasdaq
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100.00 |
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62.85 |
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50.10 |
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34.95 |
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52.55 |
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56.97 |
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Real Estate Development Index
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100.00 |
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78.66 |
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90.52 |
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62.91 |
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105.00 |
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182.97 |
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Residential Construction Index
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100.00 |
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164.30 |
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228.66 |
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220.65 |
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389.93 |
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521.27 |
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21
Certain Relationships and Related Transactions
In connection with the underwritten public offering in 1998 of
Avatars 7% Notes, Avatar entered into a registration
rights agreement with Leon Levy, Avatars Chairman of the
Board from January 1981 to his death on April 6, 2003. The
Estate of Leon Levy is the successor to Leon Levy under the
registration rights agreement.
Jack Nash, Director and former Chairman of the Board, and Joshua
Nash, director and present Chairman of the Board, are father and
son.
Jack Nash received $100,000 per annum for serving as
Avatars Chairman of the Board from June 2003 through
September 2004.
Lynn Getman, wife of Named Executive Officer Dennis J. Getman,
is employed as a senior officer of a subsidiary of Avatar.
Ms. Getman was paid an aggregate salary and bonus of
$124,985 during 2004. On December 8, 2004, Ms. Getman
was granted 250 restricted stock units under the Incentive Plan
which vest on December 8, 2007.
2. APPOINTMENT OF AUDITORS
Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accounting
firm, audited the financial statements of Avatar for the fiscal
year ended December 31, 2004. Such audit services consisted
of the firms examination of and report on the annual
financial statements and assistance and consultation in
connection with filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission and other matters.
Representatives of Ernst & Young LLP are expected to attend
the Annual Meeting, will have the opportunity to make a
statement if they desire to do so and will be available to
respond to appropriate questions.
Subject to approval by the stockholders, the Audit Committee has
appointed Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public
accounting firm, as auditors of Avatar for the fiscal year
ending December 31, 2005. Approval by the stockholders will
require the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes present
at the meeting in person or by proxy and entitled to be cast.
The Board of Directors recommends that the accompanying proxy be
voted FOR such approval and it is intended that the proxies will
be voted in such manner unless otherwise directed.
Audit Fees
The following table sets forth the approximate amount of fees
paid, or estimated to be paid, to Ernst & Young LLP for
professional services during the fiscal years ended
December 31, 2004 and 2003:
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|
2004 | |
|
2003 | |
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| |
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| |
Audit services
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$ |
986,000 |
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$ |
400,000 |
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Audit-related services
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103,000 |
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73,000 |
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Tax services
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14,000 |
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5,000 |
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All other services
|
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|
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$ |
1,103,000 |
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$ |
478,000 |
|
Audit services generally include the audit of the annual
financial statements for Avatar and its consolidated
subsidiaries and review of quarterly financial statements. Audit
services for 2004 include $419,000 related to the audit of
internal controls over financial reporting as required by the
Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and $130,000 in connection with
registration of the 4.50% Convertible Senior Notes due 2024.
22
Audit-related services generally include audits of employee
benefit plans, review of cash awards under incentive
compensation plans and advisory services in connection with
implementation of certain procedures to comply with the
Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. Tax services, which are estimated,
generally relate to review of the consolidated tax return.
The Audit Committee adopted a policy requiring preapproval of
audit and non-audit services provided by the principal
independent accountants. The Audit Committee approved all audit
and non-audit services provided by Ernst & Young LLP during
the 2004 fiscal year.
3. APPROVAL OF AMENDED AND RESTATED 1997 INCENTIVE
AND CAPITAL ACCUMULATION PLAN (2005 RESTATEMENT)
Background
Avatars stockholders previously approved Avatars
Amended and Restated 1997 Incentive and Capital Accumulation
Plan and an amendment thereto. On April 15, 2005, the
Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors adopted,
subject to stockholder approval, amendments to the plan that are
reflected in the proposed 2005 Restatement of the Incentive
Plan. The principal amendments would:
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increase the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock that may
be subject to Benefits (as defined below) granted from
900,000 shares to 1,300,000 shares; |
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increase the aggregate number of shares that could be granted to
any individual over the term of the Incentive Plan from 500,000
to 750,000 shares; |
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permit non-employee directors of Avatar to be granted Benefits; |
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modify the list of performance-based criteria that may be used
in order to satisfy the performance-based
compensation exception in Section 162(m) of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986; and |
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extend the term of the Incentive Plan until April 15, 2015. |
Several other changes are reflected in the 2005 Restatement of
the Incentive Plan, a copy of which is annexed to this Proxy
Statement as Annex A and has been marked to indicate
changes to the Incentive Plan as currently in effect. The
locations of proposed deletions are indicated by carets
(^) and proposed additions are indicated as
underlined text.
As of April 15, 2005, of the 900,000 shares of Common
Stock authorized under the Incentive Plan, there remained
available (without giving effect to the proposed 2005
Restatement and restricted stock unit awards conditionally made
on April 15, 2005), 210,996 shares of Common Stock for
issuance. However, this amount does not reflect the number of
shares of Common Stock which may become issuable to each of
Messrs. Kelfer, Fels and Levy pursuant to stock awards made in
2003 under Earnings Participation Award Agreements. This amount
is not presently determinable, as the number is dependent upon
Avatars achievement of gross profit from
January 1, 2003 through December 31, 2007 in excess of
a target gross profit, and the market price of Avatar Common
Stock at the time of determination. See Employment and
Other Agreements.
Summary
The following summary describes the material features of the
2005 Restatement of the Incentive Plan but is not intended to be
complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to
Annex A to this Proxy Statement.
23
The Incentive Plan is intended to provide incentives which will
attract, retain and motivate highly competent persons as
directors, officers and employees of Avatar and its
subsidiaries, by providing them with opportunities to acquire
shares of stock or to receive monetary payments based on the
value of such shares pursuant to the Benefits described herein.
The Incentive Plan makes available for Benefits an aggregate of
1,300,000 shares of Avatar Common Stock, subject to certain
adjustments. During the term of the Incentive Plan, the maximum
number of shares of Avatar Common Stock with respect to which
Benefits may be granted (or measured) to any individual
participant may not exceed 750,000. Any shares of Common Stock
subject to a stock option or stock appreciation right which for
any reason is cancelled or terminated without having been
exercised and any shares subject to stock awards, performance
awards or stock units which are forfeited, any shares subject to
performance awards settled in cash, any shares delivered to
Avatar as part or full payment for the exercise of a stock
option or stock appreciation right, or any shares withheld to
satisfy tax withholding shall again be available for Benefits
under the Incentive Plan.
The Incentive Plan provides for administration by a committee or
committees of the Board of Directors or a subcommittee of a
committee of the Board (the Committee), which shall
be comprised, unless otherwise determined by the Board, solely
of not less than two members who shall be
(i) Non-Employee Directors within the meaning
of Rule 16b-3(b)(3) (or any successor rule) promulgated
under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and
(ii) outside directors within the meaning of
Treasury Regulation § 1.162-27(e)(3) under
Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended (the Code). The Committee is authorized,
subject to the provisions of the Incentive Plan, to make such
determinations and interpretations and to take such action in
connection with the Incentive Plan and any Benefits granted as
it deems necessary or advisable. Thus, among the
Committees powers are the authority to select the
directors, officers and employees of Avatar and its subsidiaries
to receive Benefits, and to determine the form, amount and other
terms and conditions of Benefits. The Committee also has the
power to modify or waive restrictions on Benefits, to amend
Benefits, to grant extensions and accelerations of Benefits, and
to determine the extent to which any Benefit under the Incentive
Plan is required to comply, or not comply, with
Section 409A of the Code. Benefits granted to non-employee
directors of Avatar will be made by the Nominating and Corporate
Governance Committee of the Board (or such other committee as
may be determined by the Board).
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Eligibility for Participation |
Directors, officers and employees of Avatar or any of its
subsidiaries are eligible to participate in the Incentive Plan.
The selection of participants from eligible directors, officers
and employees is within the discretion of the Committee. It is
expected that non-employee directors (currently, ten persons),
executive officers (currently, six persons) and certain other
employees (currently, forty-one persons) will be eligible to
participate.
The Incentive Plan provides for the grant of any or all of the
following types of benefits: (1) stock options, including
incentive stock options and non-qualified stock options;
(2) stock appreciation rights; (3) stock awards;
(4) performance awards; and (5) stock units
(collectively, Benefits). Benefits may be granted
singly or in combination as determined by the Committee.
24
Stock awards, performance awards and stock units may, as
determined by the Committee in its discretion, constitute
Performance-Based Awards, as described below.
Under the Incentive Plan, the Committee may grant awards in the
form of options to purchase shares of Avatar Common Stock.
Options may either be incentive stock options, qualifying for
special tax treatment, or non-qualified options. The Committee
will, with regard to each stock option, determine the number of
shares subject to the option, the manner and time of the
options exercise (but in no event later than ten years
after the date of grant) and vesting, and the exercise price per
share of stock subject to the option; however, the exercise
price shall not be less than 100% of the Fair Market
Value of the Avatar Common Stock on the date the stock
option is granted. For purposes of the Incentive Plan,
Fair Market Value means the closing price of
Avatars Common Stock on the date of calculation (or on the
last preceding trading date if Common Stock was not traded on
such date) if the Common Stock is readily tradeable on a
national securities exchange or other market system, and if the
Common Stock is not readily tradeable, Fair Market Value means
the amount determined in good faith by the Committee as the fair
market value of the Common Stock.
The Incentive Plan authorizes the Committee to grant stock
appreciation rights (SARs). An SAR is a right to
receive a payment, in cash, Avatar Common Stock, or a
combination thereof, equal to the excess of (x) the Fair
Market Value, or other specified valuation (which shall not be
greater than the Fair Market Value), of a specified number of
shares of Avatar Common Stock on the date the right is exercised
over (y) the fair market value, or other specified
valuation (which shall not be less than Fair Market Value), of
such shares of Avatar Common Stock on the date the right is
granted, all as determined by the Committee. Each SAR shall be
subject to such terms and conditions as that Committee shall
impose from time to time.
The Committee may, in its discretion, grant stock awards or
stock units to participants. Such grants may be subject to such
terms and conditions as the Committee determines appropriate.
The Committee, in its discretion, may grant performance awards
which may take the form of shares of Avatar Common Stock or
stock units, or any combination thereof, and which may
constitute Performance-Based Awards. Such performance awards
will be contingent upon the attainment over a period to be
determined by the Committee of certain performance targets. The
length of the performance period, the performance targets to be
achieved and the measure of whether and to what degree such
targets have been achieved will be determined by the Committee.
Certain Benefits granted under the Incentive Plan may be granted
in a manner such that the Benefit qualifies for the
performance-based compensation exemption to Section 162(m)
of the Code (Performance-Based Awards). As
determined by the Committee in its sole discretion, either the
granting or vesting of such Performance-Based Awards will be
based on achievement of hurdle rates, growth rates, and/or
reductions in one or more business criteria that apply to the
individual participant, one or more geographic or business
segments, or one or more business units of Avatar or Avatar as a
whole. The business criteria shall be as follows, individually
or in combination: net sales, pretax income before allocation of
corporate overhead and bonus, budget, earnings per share, net
income, division, group or corporate financial goals, return on
stockholders equity, return on assets, attainment of
strategic and operational initiatives, appreciation in and/or
maintenance of the price of the Common Stock or any other
publicly-traded securities of the Company, market share, gross
profits, earnings before interest and taxes, earnings before
interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, net income
before taxes, taxes, economic value-added models or reductions
in costs. In addition, Performance-Based Awards may include
comparisons to the performance of other companies or to market
indices, such performance to be measured by one or more of the
foregoing business criteria. Furthermore, the measurement of
performance against goals may exclude the impact of charges for
restructurings, discontinued operations, extraordinary items and
other unusual or non-recurring items, and the cumulative effects
of accounting changes,
25
each as defined by generally accepted accounting principles as
identified in the financial statements, notes to the financial
statements or managements discussion and analysis.
The Incentive Plan provides that Benefits shall not be
transferable other than by will or the laws of descent and
distribution. The Committee shall determine the treatment to be
afforded to a participant in the event of termination of
employment for any reason including death, disability or
retirement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, other than with
respect to incentive stock options, the Committee may permit the
transferability of an award by a participant to members of the
participants immediate family or trusts for the benefit of
such person or family partnerships.
Upon the grant of any Benefit under the Incentive Plan, the
Committee may, by way of an agreement with the participant,
establish such other terms, conditions, restrictions and/or
limitations covering the grant of the Benefit as are not
inconsistent with the Incentive Plan. No Benefit shall be
granted under the Incentive Plan after April 15, 2015. The
Committee reserves the right to amend, suspend or terminate the
Incentive Plan at any time, subject to the rights of
participants with respect to any outstanding Benefits. No
amendment of the plan may be made without approval of the
stockholders of Avatar if the amendment will: (i) increase
the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock which may be
issued under the plan; (ii) increase the maximum number of
shares with respect to Benefits that may be granted to any
individual under the plan; (iii) change the types of
business criteria on which Performance-Based Awards are to be
based under the plan; or (iv) modify the requirements as to
eligibility for participation in the plan.
The Incentive Plan contains provisions for equitable adjustment
of Benefits in the event of a merger, consolidation,
reorganization, recapitalization, stock dividend, stock spilt,
reverse stock split, split up, spinoff, combination of shares,
exchange of shares, dividend in kind or other like change in
capital structure or distribution or any extraordinary dividend
or distribution of cash or other assets (other than normal cash
dividends) to stockholders of Avatar. The Incentive Plan
contains provisions for the acceleration of exercisability or
vesting of Benefits in the event of a change in control of
Avatar, including the cash settlement of such Benefits.
Certain Federal Income Tax Consequences
The statements in the following paragraphs of the principal
federal income tax consequences of stock options under the
Incentive Plan are based on statutory authority and judicial and
administrative interpretations, as of the date of this Proxy
Statement, which are subject to change at any time (possibly
with retroactive effect). The law is technical and complex, and
the discussion below represents only a general summary.
Incentive Stock Options. Incentive stock options
(ISOs) granted under the Incentive Plan are intended
to meet the definitional requirements of Section 422(b) of
the Code for incentive stock options.
An employee who receives an ISO does not recognize any taxable
income upon the grant of such ISO. Similarly, the exercise of an
ISO generally does not give rise to federal income tax to the
employee, provided that (i) the federal alternative
minimum tax, which depends on the employees
particular tax situation, does not apply and (ii) the
employee is employed by Avatar from the date of grant of the
option until three months prior to the exercise thereof, except
where such employment terminates by reason of disability (where
the three month-period is extended to one year) or death (where
this requirement does not apply). If an employee exercises an
ISO, after these requisite periods, the ISO will be treated as
an NSO (as defined below) and will be subject to the rules set
forth below under the caption Non-Qualified Stock
Options.
Further, if after exercising an ISO, an employee disposes of the
Avatar Common Stock so acquired more than two years from the
date of grant and more than one year from the date of
26
transfer of the Avatar Common Stock pursuant to the exercise of
such ISO (the applicable holding period), the
employee will generally recognize a long-term capital gain or
loss equal to the difference, if any, between the amount
received for the shares and the exercise price. If, however, an
employee does not hold the shares so acquired for the applicable
holding period thereby making a disqualifying
disposition the employee would recognize
ordinary income equal to the excess of the fair market value of
the shares at the time the ISO was exercised over the exercise
price and the balance, if any, would be long-term capital gain
(provided the holding period for the shares exceeded one year
and the employee held such shares as a capital asset at such
time). If the disqualifying disposition is a sale or exchange
that would permit a loss to be recognized under the Code (were a
loss in fact to be realized), and the sales proceeds are less
than the fair market value of the shares on the date of
exercise, the employees ordinary income therefrom would be
limited to the gain (if any) realized on the sale.
Avatar will not be allowed a federal income tax deduction upon
the grant or exercise of an ISO or the disposition, after the
applicable holding period, of the Avatar Common Stock acquired
upon exercise of an ISO. In the event of a disqualifying
disposition, Avatar generally will be entitled to a deduction in
an amount equal to the ordinary income included by the employee.
Non-Qualified Stock Options. Non-qualified stock options
(NSOs) granted under the Incentive Plan are options
that do not qualify as ISOs. An employee who receives an NSO
will not recognize any taxable income upon the grant of such
NSO. However, the employee generally will recognize ordinary
income upon exercise of an NSO in an amount equal to the excess
of the fair market value of the shares of Avatar Common Stock at
the time of exercise over the exercise price.
The ordinary income recognized with respect to the receipt of
shares upon exercise of an NSO will be subject to both wage
withholding and other employment taxes.
A federal income tax deduction generally will be allowed to
Avatar in an amount equal to the ordinary income included by the
individual with respect to his or her NSO.
If the Committee permits an individual to transfer an NSO to a
member or members of the individuals immediate family or
to a trust for the benefit of such persons or other entity owned
by such persons and such individual makes such a transfer and
such transfer constitutes a completed gift for gift tax purposes
(which determination may depend on a variety of factors
including, without limitation, whether the NSO or a portion
thereof has vested), then such transfer will be subject to
federal gift tax except, generally, to the extent protected by
the individuals $10,000 per donee annual exclusion,
by his or her lifetime unified credit or by the marital
deduction. The amount of the individuals gift is the value
of the NSO at the time of the gift. If the transfer of the NSO
constitutes a completed gift and the individual retains no
interest in or power over the NSO after the transfer, the NSO
generally will not be included in his or her gross estate for
federal estate tax purposes. The transfer of the NSO will not
cause the transferee to recognize taxable income at the time of
the transfer. If the transferee exercises the NSO while the
transferor is alive, the transferor will recognize ordinary
income as described above as if the transferor had exercised the
NSO. If the transferee exercises the NSO after the death of the
transferor, it is uncertain whether the transferors estate
or the transferee will recognize ordinary income for federal
income tax purposes.
Certain Limitations on Deductibility of Executive
Compensation. Avatar believes that stock options granted
under the Incentive Plan should qualify for the
performance-based compensation exception to Section 162(m).
Change in Control. In general, if the total amount of
payments to an individual that are contingent upon a change of
control of Avatar (within the meaning of Section 280G of
the Code), including payments under the Incentive Plan that vest
upon a change in control, equals or exceeds three times the
individuals base amount (generally, such
individuals average annual compensation for the five
calendar years preceding the change of control), then, subject
to certain exceptions, the portion of such payments in excess of
the base amount may be treated as parachute
27
payments under the Code, in which case a portion of such
payments would be non-deductible to Avatar and the individual
would be subject to a 20% excise tax on such portion of the
payments.
Other Information
The closing price of a share of Avatar Common Stock on
April 15, 2005 was $47.54 per share.
As of April 15, 2005, since inception of the Incentive Plan
in 1997, the following persons and groups have received the
number of options to purchase Common Stock under the plan
listed: Gerald Kelfer, Chief Executive Officer and President (0
options, excluding 225,000 options which were cancelled);
Jonathan Fels, President Avatar Properties Inc.
(110,000 options); Michael Levy, Executive Vice President and
Chief Operating Officer Avatar Properties Inc.
(110,000 options); Dennis Getman, Executive Vice President and
General Counsel (10,000 options); Charles McNairy, Executive
Vice President, Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer (0
options); current executive officers, as a group (230,000
options, excluding Mr. Kelfers 225,000 cancelled
options); current directors who are not executive officers, as a
group (0 options); each nominee for election as a director (0
options, excluding Mr. Kelfers 225,000 cancelled
options); each associate of any such directors, executive
officers or nominees (0 options); each other person who received
or is to receive five percent of such options (0 options); and
all employees (current or former), including all current
officers, as a group (310,000 options, excluding
Mr. Kelfers 225,000 cancelled options). Options to be
received in the future are not presently determinable.
The affirmative vote of a majority of the shares of Avatar
Common Stock present in person or by proxy and entitled to vote
at the Annual Meeting is required for approval of the 2005
Restatement of the Incentive Plan. See Voting Rights and
Proxy Information above. If the 2005 Restatement to the
Incentive Plan is not approved by the stockholders, (i) the
existing Amended and Restated 1997 Incentive and Capital
Accumulation Plan, as amended, will continue in effect without
giving effect to the changes the amendments proposed and
(ii) any Benefits granted subject to obtaining such
approval will not become effective and will be cancelled.
Board Recommendation
The Board of Directors believes that the 2005 Restatement to the
Incentive Plan is in the best interest of Avatar and its
stockholders and therefore recommends that the stockholders
vote FOR the approval of the Amended and Restated 1997
Incentive and Capital Accumulation Plan (2005 Restatement). It
is intended that the proxies will be voted in such manner unless
otherwise directed.
4. APPROVAL OF THE 2005 EXECUTIVE
INCENTIVE COMPENSATION PLAN
Background
The Board of Directors is proposing for stockholder approval the
2005 Executive Incentive Compensation Plan (the 2005
Executive Plan) in order to satisfy the
performance-based compensation exception of
Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended (the Code). Generally, Section 162(m)
denies a deduction to publicly held corporations for
compensation paid to certain executive officers in excess of
$1 million per executive per taxable year. An exception
applies to certain performance-based compensation provided that
such compensation has been approved by stockholders in a
separate vote and certain other requirements are met.
On April 15, 2005, the Compensation Committee of the Board
of Directors adopted the 2005 Executive Plan, subject to
stockholder approval. If approved by stockholders, Avatar
believes that
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awards granted under the plan should qualify for the
performance-based compensation exception to Section 162(m)
of the Code.
Summary
The following summary describes the material features of the
2005 Executive Plan but is not intended to be complete and is
qualified in its entirety by reference to the copy of the Plan
annexed to this Proxy Statement as Annex B.
The 2005 Executive Plan is intended to provide incentives which
will attract, retain and motivate certain executive employees of
Avatar and its subsidiaries, by providing them with
opportunities in the form of periodic cash bonus awards
(Awards), thereby motivating such executives to
attain performance goals.
The 2005 Executive Plan provides for administration by a
committee of the Board of Directors (the Committee),
which shall be comprised solely of not less than two members who
shall be outside directors within the meaning of
Treasury Regulation §1.162-27(e) (3) under
Section 162(m) of the Code. The Committee is authorized,
subject to the provisions of the Plan, to establish such rules
and regulations as it deems necessary for the proper
administration of the plan and to make such determinations and
interpretations and to take such action in connection with the
plan and any awards granted as it deems necessary or advisable.
Thus, among the Committees powers are the authority to
select the executives to be granted Awards, to determine the
size and terms and conditions of the Awards (subject to
limitations imposed by the plan), to modify certain terms and
conditions of any Award which has been granted, to determine the
time when Awards will be made and the performance period to
which they relate, to establish performance objectives, and to
certify that such performance objectives were attained.
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Eligibility for Participation |
Executives of Avatar or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates
are eligible to participate in the 2005 Executive Plan. The
selection of participants from eligible executives is within the
discretion of the Committee. Currently, six executives are
eligible to participate in the plan.
The terms and conditions of any Award shall be determined by the
Committee in its sole discretion. As determined by the Committee
in its sole discretion, either the granting or vesting of such
Awards will be based upon one or more of the following criteria:
net sales, pretax income before allocation of corporate overhead
and bonus, budget, earnings per share, net income, division,
group or corporate financial goals, return on stockholders
equity, return on assets, appreciation in and/or maintenance of
the price of the Avatar Common Stock or any other
publicly-traded securities of Avatar, market share, net profits,
gross profits, cash flow, earnings before interest and taxes,
earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization,
net income before taxes, taxes, economic value-added models and
comparisons with various stock market indices, reductions in
costs, containment of costs, or any combination of the
foregoing. The foregoing criteria may relate to the Company, one
or more of its subsidiaries or affiliates or one or more of its
divisions, units, projects, developments or real estate
communities, or any combination of the foregoing, and may be
applied on an absolute basis or be relative to one or more peer
group companies or indices, or any combination thereof, all as
the Committee shall determine. Furthermore, the measurement of
performance against goals may exclude the impact of charges for
restructurings, discontinued operations, extraordinary items and
other unusual or non-recurring
29
items, and the cumulative effects of accounting changes, each as
defined by generally accepted accounting principles as
identified in the financial statements, notes to the financial
statements or managements discussion and analysis.
With respect to Awards, the Committee shall establish in writing
(x) the performance goals applicable to a given period, and
such performance goals shall state, in terms of an objective
formula or standard, the method for computing the amount of
compensation payable to the participant if such performance
goals are obtained and (y) the individual participants to
which such performance-based goals apply no later than
90 days after the commencement of such period (but in no
event after 25% of such period has elapsed) and while the
outcome for that performance period is substantially uncertain.
The maximum amount which may be paid to any individual
participant under the 2005 Executive Plan may not exceed
$8 million. No Award shall be payable to, or vest with
respect to, as the case may be, any participant for a given
period until the Committee certifies in writing that the
objective performance goals (and any other material terms)
applicable to such period have been satisfied.
The 2005 Executive Plan provides that Awards shall not be
assigned, transferred, hypothecated or encumbered except as may
be required by law or approved by the Committee. The Committee
shall determine the treatment to be afforded to a participant,
in the event of termination of employment for any reason
including death, disability or retirement.
Upon the grant of any Award under the 2005 Executive Plan, the
Committee may, by way of an agreement with the participant,
establish such other terms, conditions, restrictions and/or
limitations covering the grant of the Award as are not
inconsistent with the plan. No Award shall be granted under the
plan after December 31, 2009. The Committee reserves the
right to amend, suspend or terminate the plan at any time,
subject to the rights of participants with respect to any
outstanding Awards. No amendment of the plan may be made without
approval of the stockholders of Avatar if the amendment will:
(i) increase the maximum amount which can be paid to any
participant under the plan, (ii) change the types of
criteria on which Awards are to be based, or (iii) modify
the requirements as to eligibility for participation in the plan.
Other Information
The affirmative vote of a majority of the shares of Avatar
Common Stock present in person or by proxy and entitled to vote
at the Annual Meeting is required for approval of the 2005
Executive Plan. See Voting Rights and Proxy
Information above. If the 2005 Executive Plan is not
approved by the stockholders, any Benefits granted subject to
obtaining such approval will not become effective and will be
cancelled.
Board Recommendation
The Board of Directors believes that the 2005 Executive Plan is
in the best interest of Avatar and its stockholders and
therefore recommends that the stockholders vote FOR the
approval of the plan. It is intended that the proxies will be
voted in such manner unless otherwise directed.
NEW PLAN BENEFITS
The following table sets forth awards that are currently
determinable under the 2005 Restatement of the Amended and
Restated 1997 Incentive and Capital Accumulation Plan and the
2005 Executive
30
Incentive Compensation Plan; however, none will be effective
unless stockholders approve the plans at this Annual Meeting.
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Amended and Restated 1997 Incentive | |
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2005 Executive | |
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and Capital Accumulation Plan | |
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Incentive | |
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(2005 Restatement) | |
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Compensation Plan | |
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Name and Position |
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Dollar Value($) | |
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Number of Units | |
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Dollar Value($) | |
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Gerald D. Kelfer
Chairman of the Executive
Committee, Chief Executive
Officer and President
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$ |
4,278,600 |
(1) |
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90,000 |
(1) |
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6,600,000 |
(2) |
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Jonathan Fels
President, Avatar Properties Inc.
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$ |
3,565,500 |
(1) |
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75,000 |
(1) |
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5,700,000 |
(2) |
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Michael Levy
Executive Vice President and
Chief Operating Officer,
Avatar Properties Inc.
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$ |
3,565,500 |
(1) |
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75,000 |
(1) |
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5,700,000 |
(2) |
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Dennis J. Getman
Executive Vice President
and General Counsel
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Charles L. McNairy
Executive Vice President,
Treasurer and Chief
Financial Officer
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Executive Officer Group
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$ |
11,409,600 |
(1) |
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240,000 |
(1) |
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18,000,000 |
(2) |
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Non-Executive Officer Director Group
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Non-Executive Officer Employee Group
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(1) On April 15, 2005, Avatar conditionally entered
into restricted stock unit agreements with Messrs. Kelfer, Fels
and Levy pursuant to which they were awarded an opportunity to
receive 90,000, 75,000 and 75,000 performance conditioned
restricted stock units, respectively, which are subject to
conditions of grant as well as vesting. See discussion of
Restricted Stock Unit Agreements under
Employment and Other Agreements above. The dollar
amount reported in the table has been calculated by multiplying
the closing price of Avatar Common Stock on the date of the
award by the number of units. The ultimate value of the
restricted stock units will depend on the number of units
granted and the future value of Avatars common stock on
the date of vesting, neither of which can be accurately
predicted.
(2) On April 15, 2005, Avatar conditionally entered
into earnings participation award agreements with Messrs.
Kelfer, Fels and Levy, pursuant to which each was granted cash
awards relating to achievement of performance goals. See
discussion of 2008-2010 Earnings Participation Award
Agreements under Employment and Other
Agreements above. The dollar amount reported in the table
represents the aggregate maximum expected payments under the
awards.
STOCKHOLDERS PROPOSALS AND NOMINATIONS OF BOARD MEMBERS
If a stockholder intends to present a proposal for action at the
2006 Annual Meeting and wishes to have such proposal considered
for inclusion in Avatars proxy materials in reliance on
Rule 14a-8 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
proposal must be submitted in writing and received by the
Secretary of Avatar by December 23, 2005. Such proposal
must also meet the other requirements of the rules of the
Securities and Exchange Commission relating to
stockholders proposals.
Avatars By-Laws establish an advance notice procedure with
regard to certain matters, including stockholder proposals and
nominations of individuals for election to the Board of
Directors. In general, notice of a stockholder proposal or a
director nomination for an annual meeting must be received by
Avatar not less than 60 days nor more than 90 days prior to the
anniversary date of the preceding annual meeting of stockholders
and must contain specified
31
information and conform to certain requirements, as set forth in
the By-Laws. If the chairman at any stockholders meeting
determines that a stockholder proposal or director nomination
was not made in accordance with the By-Laws, Avatar may
disregard such proposal or nomination.
In addition, if a stockholder submits a proposal outside of
Rule 14a-8 for the 2006 Annual Meeting, and the proposal
fails to comply with the advance notice procedure prescribed by
the By-Laws, then Avatars proxy may confer discretionary
authority on the persons being appointed as proxies on behalf of
the Board of Directors to vote on the proposal. Proposals and
nominations should be addressed to the Secretary of Avatar,
Juanita I. Kerrigan, Avatar Holdings Inc., 201 Alhambra
Circle, Coral Gables, Florida 33134.
SECTION 16(a)
BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP REPORTING COMPLIANCE
Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 requires
Avatars officers and directors, and any persons who own
more than ten percent of Avatars Common Stock, to file
reports of initial ownership of Avatars Common Stock and
subsequent changes in that ownership with the Securities and
Exchange Commission. Officers, directors and greater than
ten-percent beneficial owners are also required to furnish
Avatar with copies of all Section 16(a) forms they file.
Based solely upon a review of the copies of the forms furnished
to Avatar, or written representations from certain reporting
persons that no Forms 5 were required, Avatar believes that
all Section 16(a) filing requirements were complied with.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
All of the expenses involved in preparing, assembling and
mailing this Proxy Statement and the accompanying material will
be paid by Avatar. In addition to the solicitation of proxies by
mail, Avatar will request brokers and securities dealers to
obtain proxies from and send proxy material to their principals.
Expenses incurred in this connection will be reimbursed by
Avatar. Proxies may be solicited personally, by telephone or
telegraph, electronic mail or by other electronic means, by the
directors and officers of Avatar without additional
compensation. The Company will use the services of Georgeson
Shareholder Communications Inc. to assist in soliciting proxies
and expects to pay a fee of $10,000 for such services, plus
reasonable out-of-pocket expenses. The Board of Directors knows
of no business to come before the meeting other than as stated
in the Notice of Annual Meeting of Stockholders. Should any
business other than that set forth in such Notice properly come
before the meeting, or any adjournment or adjournments thereof,
it is the intention of the persons named in the accompanying
proxy to vote such proxy in accordance with their judgment on
such matters.
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By Order of the Board of Directors, |
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Juanita I. Kerrigan |
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Vice President and Secretary |
Dated: April 22, 2005.
32
ANNEX A
AVATAR HOLDINGS INC.
AMENDED AND RESTATED 1997 INCENTIVE AND CAPITAL ACCUMULATION PLAN
(2005 RESTATEMENT)
1. Purpose. The Avatar Holdings Inc. Amended and
Restated 1997 Incentive and Capital Accumulation Plan (2005
Restatement) (the Plan) is intended to provide
incentives which will attract, retain and motivate highly
competent persons as ^directors, officers or
employees of Avatar Holdings Inc. (the Company) and
of any subsidiary corporation now existing or hereafter formed
or acquired, by providing them opportunities to acquire shares
of the common stock, par value $1.00 per share, of the Company
(Common Stock) or to receive monetary payments based
on the value of such shares pursuant to the Benefits (as defined
below) described herein. Furthermore, the Plan is intended to
assist in aligning the interests of the Companys
^employees to those of its stockholders.
2. Administration.
(a) The Plan will be administered by a committee or
committees of the Board of Directors of the Company (the
Board) or a subcommittee of a committee of the
Board^, appointed by the Board from among its members (the
Committee), and shall be comprised, unless otherwise
determined by the Board, solely of not less than two members who
shall be (i) Non-Employee Directors within the
meaning of Rule 16b-3(b)(3) (or any successor rule)
promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended (the Exchange Act) and (ii) outside
directors within the meaning of Treasury
Regulation Section 1.162-27(e)(3) under
Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended (the Code). Benefits (as defined in
Section 4 hereof) granted hereunder to non-employee
directors of the Company shall be made by the Nominating and
Corporate Governance Committee of the Board (or such other
committee as may be determined by the Board). The Committee
is authorized, subject to the provisions of the Plan, to
establish such rules and regulations as it deems necessary for
the proper administration of the Plan and to make such
determinations and interpretations and to take such action in
connection with the Plan and any Benefits (as defined in
Section 4 hereof) granted hereunder as it deems necessary
or advisable, including the right to establish the terms and
conditions of Benefits, to accelerate the vesting or
exercisability of Benefits and to cancel Benefits. The Committee
may determine the extent to which any Benefit under the Plan is
required to comply, or not comply, with Section 409A of the
Code. All determinations and interpretations made by the
Committee shall be binding and conclusive on all participants
and their legal representatives. No member of the Board of
Directors, no member of the Committee and no employee of the
Company shall be liable for any act or failure to act hereunder,
except in circumstances involving his or her bad faith, gross
negligence or willful misconduct, or for any act or failure to
act hereunder by any other member or employee or by any agent to
whom duties in connection with the administration of this Plan
have been delegated. The Company shall indemnify members of the
Committee and any agent of the Committee who is an employee of
the Company or any of its subsidiaries, against any and all
liabilities or expenses to which they may be subjected by reason
of any act or failure to act with respect to their duties on
behalf of the Plan, except in circumstances involving such
persons bad faith, gross negligence or willful misconduct.
(b) The Committee may delegate to one or more of its
members, or to one or more agents, such administrative duties as
it may deem advisable, and the Committee, or any person to whom
it has delegated duties as aforesaid, may employ one or more
persons to render advice with respect to any responsibility the
Committee or such person may have under the Plan. The Committee
may employ such legal or other counsel, consultants and agents
as it may deem desirable for the administration of the Plan and
may rely upon any opinion or computation received from any such
counsel, consultant or agent. Expenses incurred by the Committee
in the engagement of such
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counsel, consultant or agent shall be paid by the Company, or
the subsidiary or affiliate whose employees have
^participated in the Plan, as determined by the
Committee.
3. Participants. Participants will consist of such
^directors, officers or employees of the Company and
any subsidiary corporation of the Company as the Committee in
its sole discretion determines to be in a position to impact the
success and future growth and profitability of the Company and
whom the Committee may designate from time to time to receive
Benefits under the Plan. Designation of a participant in any
year shall not require the Committee to designate such person to
receive a Benefit in any other year or, once designated, to
receive the same type or amount of Benefit as granted to the
participant in any other year. The Committee shall consider such
factors as it deems pertinent in selecting participants and in
determining the type and amount of their respective Benefits.
4. Type of Benefits. Benefits under the Plan may be
granted in any one or a combination of (a) Stock Options,
(b) Stock Appreciation Rights, (c) Stock Awards,
(d) Performance Awards, and (e) Stock Units (each as
described below, and collectively, the Benefits).
Stock Awards, Performance Awards, and Stock Units may, as
determined by the Committee in its discretion, constitute
Performance-Based Awards, as described in Section 11
hereof. Benefits shall be evidenced by agreements (which need
not be identical) in such forms as the Committee may from time
to time approve; provided, however, that in the event of
any conflict between the provisions of the Plan and any such
agreements, the provisions of the Plan shall prevail.
5. Common Stock Available Under the Plan.^
Subject to the provisions of this Section 5 and any
adjustments made in accordance with Section 12 hereof,
the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock that may be
subject to Benefits^ granted under this Plan shall be
^1,300,000 shares of Common Stock, which may be
authorized and unissued or treasury shares^. The maximum
number of shares of Common Stock with respect to which Benefits
may be granted or measured to any individual participant under
the Plan during the term of the Plan shall not exceed
^750,000, subject to adjustments made in accordance
with Section 12 hereof). Any shares of Common Stock subject
to a Stock Option or Stock Appreciation Right which for any
reason is cancelled or terminated without having been exercised,
any shares subject to Stock Awards, Performance Awards or Stock
Units which are forfeited, any shares subject to Performance
Awards settled in cash or any shares delivered to the Company as
part or full payment for the exercise of a Stock Option or Stock
Appreciation Right, and any shares withheld by the Company to
satisfy tax withholding with respect to Benefits shall again
be available for Benefits under the Plan. The preceding sentence
shall apply only for purposes of determining the aggregate
number of shares of Common Stock subject to Benefits under
the Plan but shall not apply for purposes of determining the
maximum number of shares of Common Stock with respect to which
Benefits (including the maximum number of shares of Common Stock
subject to Stock Options and Stock Appreciation Rights) that may
be granted to any individual participant under the Plan.
6. Stock Options. Stock Options will consist of
awards from the Company that will enable the holder to purchase
a number of shares of Common Stock, at set terms. Stock Options
may be incentive stock options (Incentive
Stock Options), within the meaning of Section 422 of
the Code, or Stock Options which do not constitute Incentive
Stock Options (Nonqualified Stock Options). The
Committee will have the authority to grant to any participant
one or more Incentive Stock Options, Nonqualified Stock Options,
or both types of Stock Options (in each case with or without
Stock Appreciation Rights). Each Stock Option shall be subject
to such terms and conditions consistent with the Plan as the
Committee may impose from time to time, subject to the following
limitations:
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(a) Exercise Price. Each Stock Option granted
hereunder shall have such per-share exercise price as the
Committee may determine at the date of grant; provided,
however, ^that the per-share exercise price shall
not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value (as defined
below) of the Common Stock on the date the Stock Option is
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(b) Payment of Exercise Price. The option exercise
price may be paid in cash or, in the discretion of the
Committee^, by the delivery of shares of Common Stock of the
Company then owned by the participant, by the withholding of
shares of Common Stock for which a Stock Option is exercisable,
^or by a combination of these methods, on such terms
and conditions as the Committee shall determine in its sole
discretion^. In the discretion of the Committee, payment may
also be made by delivering a properly executed exercise notice
to the Company together with a copy of irrevocable instructions
to a broker to deliver promptly to the Company the amount of
sale or loan proceeds to pay the exercise price. To facilitate
the foregoing, the Company may enter into agreements for
coordinated procedures with one or more brokerage firms. The
Committee may prescribe any other method of paying the exercise
price that it determines to be consistent with applicable law
and the purpose of the Plan, including, without limitation, in
lieu of the exercise of a Stock Option by delivery of shares of
Common Stock of the Company then owned by a participant,
providing the Company with a notarized statement attesting to
the number of shares owned, where, upon verification by the
Company, the Company would issue to the participant only the
number of incremental shares to which the participant is
entitled upon exercise of the Stock Option. In determining which
methods a participant may utilize to pay the exercise price, the
Committee may consider such factors as it determines are
appropriate. |
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(c) Exercise Period. Stock Options granted under the
Plan shall be exercisable at such time or times and subject to
such terms and conditions as shall be determined by the
Committee; provided, however, that no Stock Option shall
be exercisable later than ten years after the date it is granted
except in the event of a participants death, in which
case, the exercise period of such participants Stock
Options may be extended beyond such period but no later than one
year after the participants death. All Stock Options shall
terminate at such earlier times and upon such conditions or
circumstances as the Committee shall in its discretion set forth
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(d) Limitations on Incentive Stock Options.
Incentive Stock Options may be granted only to participants
who are employees of the Company or subsidiary corporation of
the Company at the date of grant. The aggregate Fair Market
Value (determined as of the time the Stock Option is granted) of
the Common Stock with respect to which Incentive Stock Options
are exercisable for the first time by a participant during any
calendar year (under all option plans of the Company) shall not
exceed $100,000. For purposes of the preceding sentence,
Incentive Stock Options will be taken into account in the order
in which they are granted. The per share exercise price of an
Incentive Stock Option shall not be less than 100% of the Fair
Market Value of the Common Stock on the date of grant, and no
Incentive Stock Option may be exercised later than ten years
after the date it is granted; provided,
however, Incentive Stock Options may not be granted to
any participant who, at the time of grant, owns stock possessing
(after the application of the attribution rules of
Section 424(d) of the Code) more than 10% of the total
combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or
any subsidiary corporation of the Company, unless the exercise
price is fixed at not less than 110% of the Fair Market Value of
the Common Stock on the date of grant and the exercise of such
option is prohibited by its terms after the expiration of five
years from the date of grant of such option. In addition, no
Incentive Stock Option may be issued to a participant in tandem
with a Nonqualified Stock Option. |
7. Stock Appreciation Rights. The Committee may, in
its discretion, grant Stock Appreciation Rights to the holders
of any Stock Options granted hereunder. In addition, Stock
Appreciation Rights may be granted independently of, and without
relation to, options. A Stock Appreciation Right means a right
to receive a payment, in cash, Common Stock or a combination
thereof, in an amount equal to the excess of (x) the Fair
Market Value, or other specified valuation, of a specified
number of shares of Common Stock on the date the right is
exercised over (y) the Fair Market Value, or other
specified valuation (which shall be no less than the Fair Market
Value), of such shares of
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Common Stock on the date the right is granted, all as determined
by the Committee; provided, however, that if a Stock
Appreciation Right is granted in tandem with or in substitution
for a Stock Option, the designated Fair Market Value in the
award agreement may be the Fair Market Value on the date such
Stock Option was granted. Each Stock Appreciation Right shall be
subject to such terms and conditions as the Committee shall
impose from time to time.
8. Stock Awards. The Committee may, in its
discretion, grant Stock Awards (which may include mandatory
payment of bonus incentive compensation in stock) consisting of
Common Stock issued or transferred to participants with or
without other payments therefor. Stock Awards may be subject to
such terms and conditions as the Committee determines
appropriate, including, without limitation, restrictions on the
sale or other disposition of such shares, the right of the
Company to reacquire such shares for no consideration upon
termination of the participants ^service within
specified periods, and may constitute Performance-Based Awards,
as described in Section 11 hereof. The Committee may
require the participant to deliver a duly signed stock power,
endorsed in blank, relating to the Common Stock covered by such
an ^award. The Committee may also require that the
stock certificates evidencing such shares be held in custody or
bear restrictive legends until the restrictions thereon shall
have lapsed. The Stock Award shall specify whether the
participant shall have, with respect to the shares of Common
Stock subject to a Stock Award, all of the rights of a holder of
shares of Common Stock of the Company, including the right to
receive dividends and to vote the shares.
9. Performance Awards.
(a) Performance Awards may be granted to participants at
any time and from time to time, as shall be determined by the
Committee. Performance Awards may constitute Performance-Based
Awards, as described in Section 11 hereof. The Committee
shall have complete discretion in determining the number, amount
and timing of awards granted to each participant. Such
Performance Awards may be in the form of shares of Common Stock
or Stock Units. Performance Awards may be awarded as short-term
or long-term incentives. Performance targets may be based upon,
without limitation, Company-wide, divisional and/or individual
performance.
(b) With respect to those Performance Awards that are not
intended to constitute Performance-Based Awards, the Committee
shall have the authority at any time to make adjustments to
performance targets for any outstanding Performance Awards which
the Committee deems necessary or desirable unless at the time of
establishment of such targets the Committee shall have precluded
its authority to make such adjustments.
(c) Payment of earned Performance Awards shall be made in
accordance with terms and conditions prescribed or authorized by
the Committee. The participant may elect to defer, or the
Committee may require or permit the deferral of, the receipt of
Performance Awards upon such terms as the Committee deems
appropriate.
10. Stock Units.
(a) The Committee may, in its discretion, grant Stock Units
to participants hereunder. The Committee shall determine the
criteria for the vesting of Stock Units. Stock Units may
constitute Performance-Based Awards as described in
Section 11 hereof. A Stock Unit granted by the Committee
shall provide payment in shares of Common Stock at such time as
the award agreement shall specify. Shares of Common Stock issued
pursuant to this Section 10 may be issued with or without
other payments therefor as may be required by applicable law or
such other consideration as may be determined by the Committee.
The Committee shall determine whether a participant granted a
Stock Unit shall be entitled to a Dividend Equivalent Right (as
defined below).
(b) Upon vesting of a Stock Unit, unless the Committee has
determined to defer payment with respect to such unit or a
participant has elected to defer payment under subsection
(c) below, shares of Common Stock representing the Stock
Units shall be distributed to the participant unless the
Committee, with the consent of the participant, provides for the
payment of the Stock Units in
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cash or partly in cash and partly in shares of Common Stock
equal to the value of the shares of Common Stock which would
otherwise be distributed to the participant.
(c) ^The Committee may permit a participant to
elect not to receive Common Stock upon the vesting of such Stock
Unit and for the Company to continue to maintain the Stock Unit
on its books of account. In such event, the value of a Stock
Unit shall be payable in shares of Common Stock pursuant to the
agreement of deferral.
(d) A Stock Unit means a notional account
representing one share of Common Stock. A Dividend
Equivalent Right means the right to receive the amount of
any dividend paid on the share of Common Stock underlying a
Stock Unit, which shall be payable in cash or in the form of
additional Stock Units.
11. Performance-Based Awards. Certain Benefits
granted under the Plan may be granted in a manner such that the
Benefits qualify for the performance-based compensation
exemption of Section 162(m) of the Code
(Performance-Based Awards). As determined by the
Committee in its sole discretion, either the granting or vesting
of such Performance-Based Awards ^shall be based
^ on achievement of amounts, hurdle rates, growth rates,
and/or reductions in one or more business criteria that apply to
the individual participant, one or more geographic or business
segments, one or more business units of the Company or the
Company as a whole. The business criteria shall be as follows,
individually or in combination: net sales, pretax income
before allocation of corporate overhead and bonus, budget,
earnings per share, net income, division, group or corporate
financial goals, return on stockholders equity, return on
assets, attainment of strategic and operational initiatives,
appreciation in and/or maintenance of the price of the Common
Stock or any other publicly-traded securities of the Company,
market share, gross profits, earnings before interest and taxes,
earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization,
net income before taxes, taxes, economic value-added
models ^ or reductions in costs. In addition,
Performance-Based Awards may include comparisons to the
performance of other companies or to market indices, such
performance to be measured by one or more of the foregoing
business criteria. Furthermore, the measurement of performance
against goals may exclude the impact of charges for
restructurings, discontinued operations, extraordinary items and
other unusual or non-recurring items, and the cumulative effects
of accounting changes, each as defined by generally accepted
accounting principles as identified in the financial statements,
notes to the financial statements or managements
discussion and analysis. With respect to Performance-Based
Awards, (i) the Committee shall establish in writing
(x) the performance goals applicable to a given period, and
such performance goals shall state, in terms of an objective
formula or standard, the method for computing the amount of
compensation payable to the participant if such performance
goals are obtained and (y) the individual employees or
class of employees to which such performance^ goals apply no
later than 90 days after the commencement of such period
(but in no event after 25% of such period has elapsed) and
(ii) no Performance-Based Awards shall be payable to or
vest with respect to, as the case may be, any participant for a
given period until the Committee certifies in writing that the
objective performance goals (and any other material terms)
applicable to such period have been satisfied. With respect to
any Benefits intended to qualify as Performance-Based Awards,
after establishment of a performance goal, the Committee shall
not revise such performance goal or increase the amount of
compensation payable thereunder (as determined in accordance
with Section 162(m) of the Code) upon the attainment of
such performance goal. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence,
the Committee may reduce or eliminate the number of shares of
Common Stock or cash granted or the number of shares of Common
Stock vested upon the attainment of such performance goal.
12. Adjustment Provisions; Change in Control.
(a) If there shall be any change in the Common Stock of the
Company, through merger, consolidation, reorganization,
recapitalization, stock dividend, stock split, reverse stock
split, split up, spinoff, combination of shares, exchange of
shares, dividend in kind or other like change in
A-5
capital structure or distribution (other than normal cash
dividends) to stockholders of the Company, an adjustment shall
be made to each outstanding Stock Option and Stock Appreciation
Right such that each such Stock Option and Stock Appreciation
Right shall thereafter be exercisable for such securities, cash
and/or other property as would have been received in respect of
the Common Stock subject to such Stock Option or Stock
Appreciation Right had such Stock Option or Stock Appreciation
Right been exercised in full immediately prior to such change or
distribution, and such an adjustment shall be made successively
each time any such change shall occur. In addition, in the event
of any such change or distribution or any extraordinary
dividend or distribution of cash or other assets, in order
to prevent dilution or enlargement of participants rights
under the Plan, the Committee will have authority to adjust, in
an equitable manner, the number and kind of shares that may be
issued under the Plan, the number and kind of shares subject to
outstanding Benefits, the exercise price applicable to
outstanding Benefits, and the Fair Market Value of the Common
Stock and other value determinations applicable to outstanding
Benefits. Appropriate adjustments may also be made by the
Committee in the terms of any Benefits under the Plan to reflect
such changes or distributions (and any extraordinary dividend
or distribution of cash or other assets) and to modify any
other terms of outstanding Benefits on an equitable basis,
including modifications of performance targets and changes in
the length of performance periods. In addition, other than with
respect to Stock Options, Stock Appreciation Rights and other
awards intended to constitute Performance-Based Awards, the
Committee is authorized to make adjustments to the terms and
conditions of, and the criteria included in, Benefits in
recognition of unusual or nonrecurring events affecting the
Company or the financial statements of the Company, or in
response to changes in applicable laws, regulations, or
accounting principles.^
(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Plan, in
the event of a Change in Control (as defined below), the
Committee, in its discretion, may take such actions as it deems
appropriate with respect to outstanding Benefits, including,
without limitation, accelerating the exercisability or vesting
of such Benefits, or such other actions provided in an
agreement approved by the Board in connection with a Change in
Control and such Benefits shall be subject to the terms of such
agreement as the Committee, in its discretion, shall
determine. The Committee, in its discretion, may determine
that, upon the occurrence of a Change in Control of the Company,
each Stock Option and Stock Appreciation Right outstanding
hereunder shall terminate within a specified number of days
after notice to the holder, and such holder shall receive, with
respect to each share of Common Stock subject to such Stock
Option or Stock Appreciation Right, an amount equal to the
excess of the Fair Market Value of such shares of Common Stock
immediately prior to the occurrence of such Change in Control
over the exercise price per share of such Stock Option or Stock
Appreciation Right; such amount to be payable in cash, in one or
more kinds of property (including the property, if any, payable
in the transaction) or in a combination thereof, as the
Committee, in its discretion, shall determine.
For purposes of this Section 12(b), a Change in
Control of the Company shall be deemed to have occurred
upon any of the following events:
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(A) A person or entity or group of persons or entities,
acting in concert, shall become the direct or indirect
beneficial owner (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 of the
Exchange Act) of securities of the Company representing
fifty-one percent (51%) or more of the combined voting power of
the issued and outstanding common stock of the Company (a
Significant Owner), unless such shares are
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(B) The majority of the Companys Board of Directors
is no longer comprised of the incumbent directors who constitute
the Board of Directors on the Effective Date (as defined in
Section 22(a) hereof) and any other individual(s) who
becomes a director subsequent to the Effective Date whose
initial election or nomination for election as a director, as
the case may be, was approved by at least a majority of the
directors who comprised the incumbent directors as of the date
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(C) A sale of all or substantially all of the assets of the
Company; or |
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(D) The Board of Directors shall approve any merger,
consolidation, or like business combination or reorganization of
the Company, the consummation of which would result in the
occurrence of any event described in clause (C) above, and
such transaction shall have been consummated. |
13. Nontransferability. Each Benefit granted under
the Plan to a participant shall not be transferable otherwise
than by will or the laws of descent and distribution, and shall
be exercisable, during the participants lifetime, only by
the participant. In the event of the death of a participant,
each Stock Option or Stock Appreciation Right theretofore
granted to him or her shall be exercisable during such period
after his or her death as the Committee shall in its discretion
set forth in such option or right at the date of grant and then
only by the executor or administrator of the estate of the
deceased participant or the person or persons to whom the
deceased participants rights under the Stock Option or
Stock Appreciation Right shall pass by will or the laws of
descent and distribution. Notwithstanding the foregoing, at the
discretion of the Committee, an award of a Benefit other than an
Incentive Stock Option may permit the transferability of a
Benefit by a participant solely to the participants
spouse, siblings, parents, children and grandchildren or trusts
for the benefit of such persons or partnerships, corporations,
limited liability companies or other entities owned solely by
such persons, including trusts for such persons, subject to any
restriction included in the award of the Benefit.
14. Other Provisions. The award of any Benefit under
the Plan may also be subject to such other provisions (whether
or not applicable to the Benefit awarded to any other
participant) as the Committee determines appropriate, including,
without limitation, for the installment purchase of Common Stock
under Stock Options, for the installment exercise of Stock
Appreciation Rights, ^for the forfeiture of, or restrictions
on resale or other disposition of, Common Stock acquired under
any form of Benefit, for the acceleration of exercisability or
vesting of Benefits in the event of a change of control of the
Company (whether or not a Change in Control), for the payment of
the value of Benefits to participants in the event of a change
of control of the Company (whether or not a Change in Control),
or to comply with federal and state securities laws, or
understandings or conditions as to the participants
employment or service in addition to those specifically
provided for under the Plan.
15. Fair Market Value. For purposes of this Plan and
any Benefits awarded hereunder, Fair Market Value shall be the
closing price of the Companys Common Stock on the date of
calculation (or on the last preceding trading date if Common
Stock was not traded on such date) if the Companys Common
Stock is readily tradeable on a national securities exchange or
other market system, and if the Companys Common Stock is
not readily tradeable, Fair Market Value shall mean the amount
determined in good faith by the Committee as the fair market
value of the Common Stock of the Company.
16. Withholding. All payments or distributions of
Benefits made pursuant to the Plan shall be net of any amounts
required to be withheld pursuant to applicable federal, state
and local tax withholding requirements at the minimum
statutory withholding rates. If the Company proposes or is
required to distribute Common Stock pursuant to the Plan, it may
require the recipient to remit to it or to the corporation that
employs such recipient an amount sufficient to satisfy such tax
withholding requirements prior to the delivery of any
certificates for such Common Stock. In lieu thereof, the Company
or the employing corporation shall have the right to withhold
the amount of such taxes from any other sums due or to become
due from such corporation to the recipient as the Committee
shall prescribe. The Committee may, in its discretion and
subject to such rules as it may adopt (including any as may be
required to satisfy applicable tax and/or non-tax regulatory
requirements), permit an optionee or award or right holder to
pay all or a portion of the federal, state and local withholding
taxes arising in connection with any Benefit consisting of
shares of Common Stock by electing to have the Company withhold
shares of Common Stock (or by electing to pay with
A-7
already owned shares) having a Fair Market Value equal to
the amount of tax to be withheld, such tax calculated at
minimum statutory withholding rates^.
17. Tenure. A participants right, if any, to
continue to serve the Company or any of its subsidiaries or
affiliates as a director, officer, employee^ or otherwise,
shall not be enlarged or otherwise affected by his or her
designation as a participant under the Plan.
18. Unfunded Plan. Participants shall have no right,
title, or interest whatsoever in or to any investments which the
Company may make to aid it in meeting its obligations under the
Plan. Nothing contained in the Plan, and no action taken
pursuant to its provisions, shall create or be construed to
create a trust of any kind, or a fiduciary relationship between
the Company and any participant, beneficiary, legal
representative or any other person. To the extent that any
person acquires a right to receive payments from the Company
under the Plan, such right shall be no greater than the right of
an unsecured general creditor of the Company. All payments to be
made hereunder shall be paid from the general funds of the
Company and no special or separate fund shall be established and
no segregation of assets shall be made to assure payment of such
amounts except as expressly set forth in the Plan. The Plan is
not intended to be subject to the Employee Retirement Income
Security Act of 1974, as amended.
19. No Fractional Shares. No fractional shares of
Common Stock shall be issued or delivered pursuant to the Plan
or any Benefit. The Committee shall determine whether cash, or
Benefits, or other property shall be issued or paid in lieu of
fractional shares or whether such fractional shares or any
rights thereto shall be forfeited or otherwise eliminated.
20. Duration, Amendment and Termination. No Benefit
shall be granted more than ten years after the Effective Date.
The Committee may amend the Plan from time to time or suspend or
terminate the Plan at any time. However, no action authorized by
this Section 20 shall reduce the amount of any existing
Benefit or change the terms and conditions thereof without the
participants consent. No amendment of the Plan may be made
without approval of the stockholders of the Company if the
amendment will: (i)^ increase the ^aggregate
number of shares of Common Stock which may be issued
under the Plan; (^ii) increase the maximum number of
shares with respect to ^Benefits that may be granted to any
individual under the Plan; (^iii) change the types of
^business criteria on which Performance-Based Awards
are to be based under the Plan; or (^iv) modify the
requirements as to eligibility for participation in the Plan.
21. Governing Law. This Plan, Benefits granted
hereunder and actions taken in connection herewith shall be
governed and construed in accordance with the laws of the State
of Delaware (regardless of the law that might otherwise govern
under applicable Delaware principles of conflict of laws).
22. Effective Date. (a) The Plan shall be
effective as of ^April 15, 2005, the date on
which the Plan was adopted by the Committee (the Effective
Date), provided that the Plan is approved by the
stockholders of the Company at an annual meeting or any special
meeting of stockholders of the Company within 12 months of
the Effective Date, and such approval of stockholders shall be a
condition to the right of each participant to receive any
Benefits hereunder. Any Benefits granted under the Plan prior to
such approval of stockholders shall be effective as of the date
of grant (unless, with respect to any Benefit, the Committee
specifies otherwise at the time of grant), but no such Benefit
may be exercised or settled and no restrictions relating to any
Benefit may lapse prior to such stockholder approval, and if
stockholders fail to approve the Plan as specified hereunder,
any such Benefit shall be cancelled.
(b) This Plan shall terminate on ^April 15,
2015 (unless sooner terminated by the Committee).
A-8
ANNEX B
AVATAR HOLDINGS INC.
2005 EXECUTIVE INCENTIVE COMPENSATION PLAN
1. Purpose.
The Avatar Holdings Inc. 2005 Executive Incentive Compensation
Plan (the Plan) is intended to provide incentives
which will attract, retain and motivate certain executive
employees of Avatar Holdings Inc. (the Company) and
of any subsidiary corporation now existing or hereafter formed
or acquired, by providing them opportunities in the form of
periodic cash bonus awards (Awards), thereby
motivating such executives to attain performance goals
articulated under the Plan.
2. Administration.
(a) The Plan shall be administered by a committee (the
Committee) of the Companys Board of Directors
(the Board) and shall be comprised solely of not
less than two members who shall be outside directors
within the meaning of Treasury
Regulation Section 1.162-27(e)(3) under
Section 162(m) of the United States Internal Revenue Code
of 1986, as amended (the Code).
(b) The Committee shall have the exclusive authority to
select the executives to be granted Awards under the Plan, to
determine the size and terms and conditions of the Awards
(subject to the limitations imposed on Awards in Section 4
below) including any restrictions or conditions on payment of
Awards, to modify the terms and conditions of any Award that has
been granted (except for any modification that would increase
the amount of the Award payable to an executive), to determine
the time when Awards will be made and the performance period to
which they relate, to establish performance objectives in
respect of such performance periods, and to certify that such
performance objectives were attained. The Committee is
authorized to interpret the Plan, to establish, amend and
rescind any rules and regulations relating to the Plan, and to
make any other determinations that it deems necessary or
desirable for the administration of the Plan. The Committee may
correct any defect or supply any omission or reconcile any
inconsistency in the Plan in the manner and to the extent that
the Committee deems necessary or desirable. All determinations
and interpretations made by the Committee shall be binding and
conclusive on all Participants (as defined herein) and their
legal representatives. No member of the Committee and no
employee of the Company shall be liable for any act or failure
to act hereunder, except in circumstances involving his or her
bad faith, gross negligence or willful misconduct, or for any
act or failure to act hereunder by any other member or employee
or by any agent to whom duties in connection with the
administration of this Plan have been delegated. The Company
shall indemnify members of the Committee and any agent of the
Committee who is an employee of the Company or any of its
subsidiaries, against any and all liabilities or expenses to
which they may be subjected by reason of any act or failure to
act with respect to their duties on behalf of the Plan, except
in circumstances involving such persons bad faith, gross
negligence or willful misconduct. The costs and expenses of
administering the Plan shall be borne by the Company.
(c) The Committee may delegate to one or more of its
members, or to one or more agents, such administrative duties as
it may deem advisable, and the Committee, or any person to whom
it has delegated duties as aforesaid, may employ one or more
persons to render advice with respect to any responsibility the
Committee or such person may have under the Plan; provided,
however, that no delegation shall be made regarding the
selection of executives who shall be granted Awards under the
Plan, the amount and timing thereof, or the objectives and
conditions relating thereto. The Committee may employ such legal
or other counsel, consultants, advisors and agents as it may
deem desirable for the administration of the Plan and may rely
upon any opinion or computation
B-1
received from such counsel, consultant, advisor or agent.
Expenses incurred by the Committee in the engagement of such
counsel, consultant, advisor or agent shall be paid by the
Company, or the subsidiary or affiliate whose employees have
participated in the Plan, as determined by the Committee.
3. Participants.
Awards may be granted to executives of the Company or its
subsidiaries or affiliates. An executive to whom an Award is
granted shall be a Participant. Designation of a
Participant with respect to any Award shall not require the
Committee to designate such person to receive any additional
Awards. The Committee shall consider such factors as it deems
pertinent in selecting Participants and in determining the type
and amount of their respective Awards.
4. Awards.
(a) The terms and conditions of any Award shall be
determined by the Committee in its sole discretion. As
determined by the Committee in its sole discretion, either the
granting or vesting of such Awards is to be based upon one or
more of the following criteria: net sales, pretax income before
allocation of corporate overhead and bonus, budget, earnings per
share, net income, division, group or corporate financial goals,
return on stockholders equity, return on assets,
appreciation in and/or maintenance of the price of common stock
of the Company or any other publicly-traded securities of the
Company, market share, net profits, gross profits, cash flow,
earnings before interest and taxes, earnings before interest,
taxes, depreciation and amortization, net income before taxes,
taxes, economic value-added models and comparisons with various
stock market indices, reductions in costs, containment of costs
or any combination of the foregoing. The foregoing criteria may
relate to the Company, one or more of its subsidiaries or
affiliates or one or more of its divisions, units, projects,
developments or real estate communities, or any combination of
the foregoing, and may be applied on an absolute basis or be
relative to one or more peer group companies or indices, or any
combination thereof, all as the Committee shall determine.
Furthermore, as the Committee shall determine, the measurement
of performance against goals may exclude the impact of charges
for restructurings, discontinued operations, extraordinary items
and other unusual or non-recurring items, and the cumulative
effects of accounting changes, each as defined by generally
accepted accounting principles as identified in the financial
statements, notes to the financial statements or
managements discussion and analysis. With respect to a
Participants Award, (i) the Committee shall establish
in writing (x) the performance goals applicable to a given
period, and such performance goals shall state, in terms of an
objective formula or standard, the method for computing the
amount of compensation payable to the Participant if such
performance goals are obtained and (y) the individual
Participants to which such performance-based goals apply, no
later than ninety (90) days after the commencement of such
period (but in no event after 25% of such period has elapsed)
and while the outcome for that performance period is
substantially uncertain. The maximum amount which may be paid to
any individual Participant under the Plan shall not exceed
$8 million.
(b) The Committee shall determine whether the performance
goals have been met with respect to any Participant and, if they
have, so certify and ascertain the amount of the applicable
Award. No Awards shall be payable to or vest with respect to, as
the case may be, any Participant for a given period until the
Committee certifies in writing that the objective performance
goals (and any other material terms) applicable to such period
have been satisfied. After the establishment of a performance
goal, the Committee shall not revise such performance goal or
increase the amount of compensation payable thereunder (as
determined in accordance with Section 162(m) of the Code)
upon the attainment of such performance goal. The amount of the
Award actually paid to any Participant (or, if such Participant
is deceased, the Participants estate) may be less than the
amount determined by the applicable performance goal formula, at
the discretion of the Committee. The amount of the Award
determined by the Committee for a performance period shall be
paid to
B-2
the Participant within seventy-five (75) days after the end
of that performance period or as otherwise determined by the
Committee. Awards shall be payable in cash.
5. Amendment and Termination.
The Committee may, at any time or from time to time, suspend or
terminate the Plan in whole or in part or amend it in such
respects as the Committee may deem appropriate. However, no
action authorized by this Section 5 shall reduce the amount
of any existing Award or change the terms and conditions thereof
without the affected Participants consent. No amendment of
the Plan may be made without the approval of the stockholders of
the Company if the amendment will: (i) increase the maximum
amount which can be paid to any Participant under the Plan;
(ii) change the types of criteria on which Awards are to be
based under the Plan; or (iii) modify the requirements as
to eligibility for participation in the Plan.
6. Miscellaneous.
(a) Determinations made by the Committee under the Plan
need not be uniform and may be made selectively among eligible
individuals under the Plan, whether or not such eligible
individuals are similarly situated. A Participants right,
if any, to continue to serve the Company or any of its
subsidiaries or affiliates as a director, officer, employee or
otherwise, shall not be enlarged or otherwise affected by his or
her designation as a Participant under the Plan and the right to
terminate the employment of or performance of services by any
Participant at any time and for any reason or no reason is
specifically reserved to the Company and its subsidiaries and
affiliates.
(b) No Award shall be considered as compensation under any
employee benefit plan of the Company or any subsidiary or
affiliate, except as otherwise may be provided in such employee
benefit plan. No reference in the Plan to any other plan or
program maintained by the Company shall be deemed to give any
Participant or other person a right to benefits under such other
plan or program.
(c) Except as otherwise may be required by law or approved
by the Committee, a Participants rights and interest under
the Plan may not be assigned or transferred, hypothecated or
encumbered in whole or in part either directly or by operation
of law or otherwise (except in the event of a Participants
death) including, without limitation, execution, levy,
garnishment, sale, transfer, attachment, pledge, bankruptcy or
in any other manner; provided, however, that, subject to
applicable law, any amounts payable to any Participant hereunder
are subject to reduction to satisfy any liabilities owed by the
Participant to the Company or any of its subsidiaries or
affiliates.
(d) All payments and distributions of Awards made pursuant
to the Plan shall be net of any amounts required to be withheld
pursuant to applicable federal, state, local and foreign tax
withholding requirements.
(e) Participants have no right, title, or interest
whatsoever in or to any investments which the Company may make
to aid it in meeting its obligations under the Plan. Nothing
contained in the Plan, and no action taken pursuant to its
provisions, shall create or be construed to create a trust of
any kind, or a fiduciary relationship between the Company and
any Participant, beneficiary, legal representative or any other
person. To the extent that any person acquires a right to
receive payments from the Company under the Plan, such right
shall be no greater than the right of an unsecured general
creditor of the Company. All payments to be made hereunder shall
be paid from the general funds of the Company and no special or
separate fund shall be established and no segregation of assets
shall be made to assure payment of such amounts except as
expressly set forth in the Plan. The Plan is not intended to be
subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974,
as amended.
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(f) The Plan, Awards granted hereunder and actions taken in
connection herewith shall be governed and construed in
accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware (regardless of
the law that might otherwise govern under the applicable
Delaware principles of conflict of laws).
(g) The Plan shall be effective as of April 15, 2005,
the date on which the Plan was adopted by the Committee,
provided that the Plan is approved by the stockholders of the
Company at an annual meeting or any special meeting of
stockholders of the Company prior to the date any compensation
is first paid with respect to any Award hereunder, and such
approval of stockholders shall be a condition to the right of
each Participant to receive any benefits hereunder. Any Awards
granted under the Plan prior to such approval of stockholders
shall be effective as of the date of grant (unless, with respect
to any Award, the Committee specifies otherwise at the time of
grant), but no such Award may be paid out prior to such
stockholder approval, and if stockholders fail to approve the
Plan as specified hereunder, any such Award shall be cancelled.
(h) No Awards shall be granted under the Plan after
December 31, 2009.
B-4
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Notice of 2005 Annual Meeting and Proxy Statement |
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This proxy when properly executed will be voted in the manner directed herein by the undersigned stockholder.
If no direction is made, this proxy will be voted FOR Items 1, 2, 3 and 4.
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Mark Here
for Address
Change or
Comments
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PLEASE SEE REVERSE SIDE |
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Item 1
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ELECTION OF ELEVEN DIRECTORS
Nominees: 01 E.A. Brea, 02 M. Dresner,
03 G.D. Kelfer, 04 M. Meyerson,
05 Jack Nash, 06 Joshua Nash,
07 K.T. Rosen, 08 J.M. Simon,
09 F.S. Smith, 10 W.G. Spears,
11 B.A. Stewart
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FOR all nominees
listed at left (except
as marked to the
contrary below).
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WITHHOLD
AUTHORITY
to vote for all
nominees listed.
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(Instruction: To withhold authority to vote for any individual nominee write that nominees name in
the space
provided below.)
(Instruction: To cumulate votes as to a particular nominee(s) as explained in the Proxy
Statement, indicate
the name(s) and the number of votes to be given to such nominee(s) in the space provided below.)
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ABSTAIN |
Item 2
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APPROVAL OF THE APPOINTMENT OF ERNST &
YOUNG, LLP, INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC
ACCOUNTING FIRM, AS AUDITORS OF AVATAR
HOLDINGS INC. FOR 2005.
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FOR
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Item 3
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APPROVAL OF THE AVATAR HOLDINGS INC.
AMENDED AND RESTATED 1997 INCENTIVE AND
CAPITAL ACCUMULATION PLAN (2005 RESTATEMENT).
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FOR
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Item 4
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APPROVAL OF THE AVATAR HOLDINGS INC.
2005 EXECUTIVE INCENTIVE COMPENSATION PLAN.
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Item 5 |
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In their discretion the proxies are authorized to
vote upon such other business as may properly
come before the meeting. |
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PLEASE CHECK IF YOU PLAN TO ATTEND
THE ANNUAL STOCKHOLDERS MEETING
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Please sign exactly as name appears. When shares are held by joint tenants, both should sign.
When signing as attorney, executor, administrator, trustee, or guardian, please give full title as
such. If a corporation, please sign in full
corporate name by President or other authorized officer. If a partnership, please sign in
partnership name by authorized person.
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PROXY
AVATAR HOLDINGS INC.
201 Alhambra Circle
Coral Gables, Florida 33134
This Proxy is Solicited on Behalf of the Board of Directors
The undersigned hereby appoints Gerald D. Kelfer and Juanita I. Kerrigan as Proxies, each with the
power to appoint his or her substitute; and hereby authorizes them to represent and vote, as
designated on
the reverse side, all the shares of Common Stock of Avatar Holdings Inc. held of record by the
undersigned
at the close of business on March 31, 2005 at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held on
May 24, 2005, or any adjournment or adjournments thereof.
If any other business may properly come before the meeting, or if cumulative voting is required,
the
proxies are authorized to vote in their discretion, provided that they will not vote in the
election of directors
for any nominee(s) for whom authority to vote has been withheld.
THIS PROXY IS CONTINUED ON THE REVERSE SIDE.
PLEASE MARK, SIGN, DATE AND RETURN THIS PROXY PROMPTLY USING THE ENCLOSED ENVELOPE.
(continued on next page)
Address Change/Comments (Mark the corresponding box on the reverse side)
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