(Name
of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the
Registrant)
|
|
1.
|
To
elect five persons to the Board of Directors of the Company, each to serve
until the next annual meeting of stockholders of the Company or until such
person shall resign, be removed or otherwise leave
office;
|
|
2.
|
To
ratify the selection by the Audit Committee of Child, Van Wagoner &
Bradshaw PLLC as the Company’s independent registered public accounting
firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2010;
and
|
|
3.
|
To
transact such other business as may properly come before the Meeting or
any adjournment thereof.
|
Sincerely,
|
||
/s/ Thomas Graham, Jr.
|
||
Thomas
Graham, Jr.
|
||
Chairman
and Corporate Secretary
|
Name
|
Age
|
Position with the
Company
|
Term as Director of
Company
|
|||
Seth
Grae
|
47
|
President,
CEO and Director
|
April
2006 – Present
|
|||
Thomas
Graham, Jr.
|
76
|
Chairman
and Corporate Secretary
|
April
2006 – Present
|
|||
Victor
E. Alessi
|
70
|
Director
|
August
2006 – Present
|
|||
Jack.
D. Ladd
|
60
|
Director
|
October
2006 – Present
|
|||
Daniel
B. Magraw
|
63
|
Director
|
October
2006 – Present
|
|||
James
Guerra
|
57
|
Chief
Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer
|
-
|
|||
Andrey
Mushakov
|
33
|
Executive
Vice President – International Nuclear Operations
|
-
|
Name
|
Position with the Company and Principal Occupations
|
|
Seth
Grae
|
Mr.
Grae was named the Chief Executive Officer and President of the Company on
March 17, 2006, and effective April 2, 2006, became a director of the
Company. Mr. Grae was the President, the Chief Executive Officer and
a director of Thorium Power, Inc. prior to the merger with the Company.
Mr. Grae has played an active role in all business activities of Thorium
Power, Inc. since its inception in 1992. Mr. Grae led the efforts that
resulted in Thorium Power, Inc.’s project at the Kurchatov Institute
becoming one of the first grant recipients from the United States
Department of Energy (“DOE”) for nuclear non-proliferation-related work in
Russia. He is also a member of the Civil Nuclear Trade Advisory
Committee (CINTAC) at the US Department of Commerce and is a member
of the board of directors of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists and has
served as co-chair of the American Bar Association’s Committee on Arms
Control and Disarmament. As a former member of the board of directors of
the Lawyers Alliance for World Security, Mr. Grae helped advise on the
drafting of nuclear export control regulations in China and Belarus, and
he participated in consultations with the government of India on nuclear
issues. On a pro bono basis, he represented refuseniks, who were nuclear
scientists, in securing exit visas from the Soviet Union. Mr. Grae
obtained his B.A. from Brandeis University cum laude, J.D. from American
University, LL.M. in International Law with honors from Georgetown
University and M.B.A. from Georgetown University. He has been admitted to
the bars of New York, Connecticut, and Florida (all now
inactive).
|
|
Thomas
Graham, Jr.
|
Ambassador
Graham became a director of the Company on April 2, 2006, and chairman of
the board of directors on April 4, 2006. Ambassador Graham served
as a member of the board of directors of Thorium Power, Inc., from
1997 until the merger with the Company. Ambassador Graham is one of the
world’s leading experts in nuclear non-proliferation. He is Chairman of
the Board of the Cypress Fund for Peace and Security. Ambassador Graham
has served as a senior U.S. diplomat involved in the negotiation of every
major international arms control and non-proliferation agreement for the
past 35 years, including the Strategic Arms Limitations Talks (SALT),
Strategic Arms Reduction Talks (START Treaties), Anti-Ballistic Missile
(ABM) Treaty, Intermediate Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, Nuclear
Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE)
Treaty and Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT). In 1993, Ambassador
Graham served as the Acting Director of the U.S. Arms Control and
Disarmament Agency (ACDA), and for seven months in 1994 served as the
Acting Deputy Director. From 1994 through 1997, he served as the Special
Representative of the President of the United States for Arms Control,
Non-Proliferation and Disarmament, and in this capacity successfully led
U.S. government efforts to achieve the permanent extension of the NPT. He
also served for 15 years as the general counsel of ACDA. Ambassador Graham
worked on the negotiation of the Chemical Weapon Convention and the
Biological Weapons Convention. He drafted the implementing legislation for
the Biological Weapons Convention and managed the Senate approval of the
ratification of the Geneva Protocol banning the use in war of chemical and
biological weapons. In 2010, Mr. Graham was appointed as a member of
the International Advisory Board for the nuclear program of the United
Arab Emirates. He is also Chairman of the Board of Mexico Energy
Corporation, an oil and gas exploration company (NYSE Amex: MXC).
Ambassador Graham received an A.B. in 1955 from Princeton and a J.D. in
1961 from Harvard University. He is a member of the Kentucky, the District
of Columbia and the New York Bars and is a member of the Council on
Foreign Relations. He chaired the Committee on Arms Control and
Disarmament of the American Bar Association from 1986-1994. Ambassador
Graham received the Trainor Award for Distinction in Diplomacy from
Georgetown University in 1995 and the World Order Under Law award from the
International Law Section of the American Bar Association in
2007.
|
Victor
E. Alessi
|
Dr.
Alessi became a director of the Company on August 23, 2006. Dr. Victor E.
Alessi, who holds a Ph.D. in nuclear physics, is President Emeritus of the
United States Industry Coalition (“USIC”), an organization dedicated to
facilitating the commercialization of technologies of the New Independent
States (“NIS”) of the former Soviet Union through cooperation with its
members. He has held such position since August 1, 2006; prior to becoming
President Emeritus, Dr. Alessi held the positions of CEO and President of
USIC since 1999. Previously, he was President of DynMeridian, a subsidiary
of DynCorp, specializing in arms control, nonproliferation, and
international security affairs. Before joining DynMeridian in early 1996,
Dr. Alessi was the Executive Assistant to the Director, U.S. Arms Control
and Disarmament Agency (“ACDA”). At ACDA he resolved inter-bureau
disputes, and advised the Director on all arms control and
nonproliferation issues. Dr. Alessi served as Director of the Office of
Arms Control and Nonproliferation in the Department of Energy (“DOE”)
prior to his work at ACDA, overseeing all DOE arms control and
nonproliferation activities. As a senior DOE representative, Dr. Alessi
participated in U.S. efforts that led to successful conclusion of the
Intermediate Nuclear Forces (INF), Conventional Forces in Europe,
Threshold Test Ban, Peaceful Nuclear Explosions, Open Skies, Strategic
Arms Reductions Talks Treaties and the Chemical Weapons Convention. In
this role, he was instrumental in implementing the U.S. unilateral nuclear
initiative in 1991 and was a member of the U.S. delegation discussing
nuclear disarmament with Russia and other states of the former Soviet
Union. He was in charge of DOE’s support to the U.N. Special Commission on
Iraq, to the Nunn-Lugar Initiative, and represented DOE in discussions on
the Comprehensive Test Ban (“CTB”) with the other nuclear weapons states
before the CTB negotiations began in Geneva in 1994. Dr. Alessi has been
the U.S. board member to the International Science and Technology Center
in Moscow since its founding. He is also the U.S. board member to the
Science and Technology Center in Ukraine. Dr. Alessi is a 1963 graduate of
Fordham University, where he also earned a licentiate in Philosophy
(Ph.L.) in 1964. He studied nuclear physics at Georgetown University,
receiving his M.S. in 1968 and Ph.D. in 1969.
|
|
Jack
D. Ladd
|
Mr.
Ladd became a director of the Company on October 23, 2006. Mr. Ladd
is the Dean of the School of Business of the University of Texas of the
Permian Basin (UTPB), having been appointed to that position in July,
2007. Mr. Ladd was previously the Director of the John Ben Shepperd
Leadership Institute of UTPB, having served as the head of that
institution beginning in September, 2004. Earlier in his career Mr. Ladd
was a practicing attorney with the law firm of Stubbeman, McRae, Sealy,
Laughlin & Browder, Inc., in Midland, Texas. Mr. Ladd was appointed to
the Texas State Securities Board in 2002 and two years later was
designated its Chairman. Mr. Ladd has almost three decades of experience
in public affairs, law, governance, and public service. As a practicing
attorney, he has served on numerous civic, educational, religious and
governmental boards and committees. He holds the Doctor of Jurisprudence
degree from The University of Texas in Austin and a B.A. from the
University of Texas in Austin.
|
Daniel
B. Magraw
|
Mr.
Magraw became a director of the Company on October 23, 2006. Mr. Magraw is
a leading expert on international environmental law and policy. Mr. Magraw
is President and CEO of the Center for International Environmental Law
(CIEL). He has held this position since 2001. From 1992-2001, he was
Director of the International Environmental Law Office of the US
Environmental Protection Agency. He is a member of the U.S. Department of
State Study Group on International Business Transactions and was Chair of
the 15,000-member Section of International Law and Practice of the
American Bar Association. He practiced international law, constitutional
law, and bankruptcy law at Covington & Burling in Washington, DC from
1978-1983. Mr. Magraw is a widely-published author in the field of
international environmental law. He is a graduate of Harvard University
and the University of California, Berkeley Law School. Since 1996, Mr.
Magraw has been a member of the board of directors of Thorium Power, Inc.,
which is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company.
|
|
James
Guerra
|
Mr.
Guerra became the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of the Company on
October 29, 2007, and the Chief Operating Officer on November 14,
2008. A seasoned financial executive, Mr. Guerra’s experience
encompasses domestic and international markets as well as a diverse range
of industries including nuclear energy. Most recently, he served as Vice
President of Finance and Chief Financial Officer of Exelon Business
Services Company from 2002 to 2007. Exelon Business Services Company is
the corporate services and operating company of Exelon, the largest
producer of nuclear energy in the United States. From 2000-2002, Mr.
Guerra served as Vice President of Business Operations and Controller of
Exelon Nuclear. Prior to joining Exelon, Mr. Guerra was Vice President of
Finance and Treasurer and Controller of Grupo Dina, the Mexico City-based
manufacturer of trucks and the largest producer of motor coaches and bus
spare parts in North America. Earlier in his career, Mr. Guerra served in
senior financial management positions with AT&T, Citigroup, and
Beatrice Companies. Mr. Guerra holds a B.A. in Economics from the
University of Notre Dame, an M.M. in Accounting/Finance from the Kellogg
School of Management of Northwestern University and is a licensed CPA in
the State of Illinois.
|
|
Andrey
Mushakov
|
Mr.
Mushakov became the Executive Vice President – International
Nuclear Operations of the Company on July 27, 2006. Mr. Mushakov
joined Thorium Power, Inc. in 2000 and has served in various positions of
increasing responsibility at the Company. He is the primary liaison
between the Company and the Russian nuclear organizations involved in
nuclear fuel technology development. In 2004, Mr. Mushakov led successful
negotiations with officials from the National Nuclear Security
Administration and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) that resulted in
signing of a government contract between ORNL and Kurchatov Institute for
work relating to the Company’s nuclear fuel development effort in Russia.
His prior experience includes finance-related work in the banking and
construction sectors. Mr. Mushakov has the following degrees: PhD in
Economics from St. Petersburg State University of Economics and Finance
(Russia), MS in Management with excellence (MBA equivalent) from Hult
International Business School (formerly the Arthur D. Little School of
Management), where he was enrolled as a recipient of the Russian
President's Scholarship, and BS in Banking and Finance with honors from
the Finance Academy of Russia.
|
·
|
The
Audit Committee oversees risks related to the Company’s financial
statements, the financial reporting process, accounting and legal matters.
The Audit Committee oversees the internal audit function and the Company’s
ethics programs, including the Codes of Business Conduct. The Audit
Committee members meet separately with representatives of the independent
auditing firm.
|
·
|
The
Compensation Committee evaluates the risks and rewards associated with the
Company’s compensation philosophy and programs. The Compensation Committee
reviews and approves compensation programs with features that mitigate
risk without diminishing the incentive nature of the compensation.
Management discusses with the Compensation Committee the procedures that
have been put in place to identify and mitigate potential risks in
compensation.
|
|
·
|
selecting
our independent auditors and pre-approving all auditing and non-auditing
services permitted to be performed by our independent
auditors;
|
|
·
|
reviewing
with our independent auditors any audit problems or difficulties and
management’s response;
|
|
·
|
reviewing
and approving all proposed related-party transactions, as defined in Item
404 of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended;
|
|
·
|
discussing
the annual audited financial statements with management and our
independent auditors;
|
|
·
|
reviewing
major issues as to the adequacy of our internal controls and any special
audit steps adopted in light of significant internal control
deficiencies;
|
|
·
|
annually
reviewing and reassessing the adequacy of our Audit Committee
charter;
|
|
·
|
meeting
separately and periodically with management and our internal and
independent auditors; and
|
|
·
|
reporting
regularly to the full board of directors;
and
|
|
·
|
such
other matters that are specifically delegated to our Audit Committee by
our board of directors from time to
time.
|
|
·
|
approving
and overseeing the compensation package for our executive
officers;
|
|
·
|
reviewing
and making recommendations to the board with respect to the compensation
of our directors;
|
|
·
|
reviewing
and approving corporate goals and objectives relevant to the compensation
of our chief executive officer, evaluating the performance of our chief
executive officer in light of those goals and objectives, and setting the
compensation level of our chief executive officer based on this
evaluation; and
|
|
·
|
reviewing
periodically and making recommendations to the board regarding any
long-term incentive compensation or equity plans, programs or similar
arrangements, annual bonuses, employee pension and welfare benefit
plans.
|
|
·
|
identifying
and recommending to the board nominees for election or re-election to the
board, or for appointment to fill any
vacancy;
|
|
·
|
reviewing
annually with the board the current composition of the board in light of
the characteristics of independence, age, skills, experience and
availability of service to us;
|
|
·
|
identifying
and recommending to the board the directors to serve as members of the
board’s committees; and
|
|
·
|
monitoring
compliance with our code of business conduct and
ethics.
|
Name and
Principal
Position
|
Year
|
Salary
($)
|
Bonus
($)
|
Stock
Awards
($)(1)
|
Option
Awards
($)(1)
|
All Other
Compensation
($)(2)
|
Total
($)
|
|||||||||||||||||||
Seth
Grae
|
2009
|
380,998 | 194,500 | 191,875 | 576,755 | 137,143 | 1,481,271 | |||||||||||||||||||
CEO,
President and Director
|
2008
|
341,000 | 170,500 | - | - | 64,137 | 575,637 | |||||||||||||||||||
Thomas
Graham, Jr.
|
2009
|
227,794 | - | 35,000 | - | 2,139 | 264,933 | |||||||||||||||||||
Chairman and
Corporate Secretary (3)
|
2008
|
222,600 | - | - | - | 2,679 | 225,279 | |||||||||||||||||||
James
Guerra
|
2009
|
262,000 | 26,200 | 160,800 | 168,334 | 33,619 | 650,953 | |||||||||||||||||||
CFO and COO (4)
|
2008
|
222,600 | 111,300 | - | - | 46,046 | 379,946 |
(1)
|
The
valuation of stock-based compensation is based in accordance with FASB
Accounting Standards Codification Topic 718 “Compensation- Stock
Compensation”, which requires the measurement of the cost of employee
services received in exchange for an award of an equity instrument on the
grant-date fair value of the award. Amounts shown for 2008, which
were previously reported under prior rules concerning valuation, have been
restated to reflect that no equity awards were granted to any of our named
executive officers in 2008.
|
(2)
|
The
heading “All Other Compensation” includes life insurance, disability
insurance, medical and dental insurance, certain travel arrangements, and
retroactive salary increases to the prior year’s base salary. With respect
to Mr. Grae, "All Other Compensation" includes $99,739 for expenses in
connection with his temporary relocation in the first half of 2009 to Abu
Dhabi, UAE.
|
(3)
|
Though
his official title is Chairman of the Board of Directors, Mr. Graham is
considered to be an executive officer of the
Company.
|
(4)
|
Mr.
Guerra joined the Company as Chief Financial Officer on October 29, 2007.
On November, 14, 2008 Mr. Guerra was also appointed as the Company’s Chief
Operating Officer.
|
Option Awards
|
Stock Awards
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Name
|
Number of
Securities Underlying Unexercised Options (#) Exercisable |
Number of
Securities Underlying Unexercised Options (#) Unexercisable(1) |
Equity
Incentive Plan Awards: Number of Securities Underlying Unexercised Unearned Options (#) |
Option
Exercise Price ($) |
Option
Expiration Date |
Number
of Shares
or Units of Stock That Have Not Vested (#) |
Market
Value of Shares or Units of Stock That Have Not Vested ($) |
Equity
Incentive Plan Awards: Number of Unearned Shares, Units or Other Rights That Have Not Vested (#) |
Equity
Incentive Plan Awards: Market or Payout Value of Unearned Shares, Units or Other Rights That Have Not Vested ($) |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Seth
|
230,000 | 10,000 | — | $ | 23.85 |
02/14/16
|
— | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Grae,
|
128,139 | - | — | $ | 4.68 |
08/17/10
|
— | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||
President,
|
25,216 | 11,095 | — | $ | 10.50 |
12/05/17
|
— | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||
CEO
and
|
115,741 | 50,926 | — | $ | 13.50 |
12/05/15
|
— | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Director
|
- | 112,868 |
—
|
$ | 5.70 |
07/14/19
|
33,663 |
$
|
201,641– | – |
–
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
Thomas
|
50,000 |
–
|
— | $ | 14.70 |
07/27/16
|
— | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Graham,
|
6,677 | 2,937 | — | $ | 10.50 |
12/05/17
|
— | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Chairman
|
41,667 | 8,333 | — | $ | 8.10 |
07/05/17
|
5,402 | $ | 32,358 | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||
and
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Corporate
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Secretary
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
James
|
18,056 | 15,278 | — | $ | 7.05 |
10/29/17
|
8,334 | $ | 49,920 | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Guerra,
|
1,294 | 569 | — | $ | 10.50 |
12/05/17
|
— | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||
CFO,
|
— | 32,942 | — | $ | 5.70 |
07/14/19
|
9,825 | $ | 59,852 | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||
COO
|
Name
|
Fees Earned or
Paid in Cash
($)
|
Stock Awards
($)
|
Option Awards
($)
|
Total
($)
|
||||||||||||
Victor
Alessi
|
38,000 | 35,000 | - | 73,000 | ||||||||||||
Jack
Ladd
|
20,000 | 55,000 | - | 75,000 | ||||||||||||
Daniel
Magraw
|
19,000 | 54,000 | - | 73,000 |
|
(1)
|
Each
of Messrs. Alessi, Ladd and Magraw individually had an aggregate of 19,461
option awards outstanding as of December 31,
2009.
|
Name
and Address of
Beneficial
Owner(1)
|
Amount
and Nature of
Beneficial
Ownership(1)
(2)
|
Percent
of
Common
Stock(3)
|
||||||
Seth
Grae (4)
|
1,091,479 | 9.81 | % | |||||
Thomas
Graham, Jr.
|
175,479 | 1.68 | % | |||||
Andrey
Mushakov
|
180,104 | 1.73 | % | |||||
James
Guerra
|
89,196 | * | ||||||
Dan
Magraw
|
50,762 | * | ||||||
Victor
Alessi
|
25,407 | * | ||||||
Jack
Ladd
|
34,480 | * | ||||||
Directors
and Officers as a Group (seven people)
|
1,646,907 | 14.32 | % |
(1)
|
The
number of shares beneficially owned is determined under SEC rules, and the
information is not necessarily indicative of beneficial ownership for any
other purpose. Under those rules, beneficial ownership includes
any shares as to which the individual has sole or shared voting power or
investment power, and also any shares which the individual has the right
to acquire within 60 days of the Record Date, through the exercise or
conversion of any stock option, convertible security, warrant or other
right (a “Presently Exercisable” security). Including those
shares in the table does not, however, constitute an admission that the
named shareholder is a direct or indirect beneficial owner of those
shares.
|
(2)
|
Unless
otherwise indicated, each person or entity named in the table has sole
voting power and investment power (or shares that power with that person’s
spouse) with respect to all shares of common stock listed as owned by that
person or entity.
|
(3)
|
A
total of 11,504,301 shares of the Company’s common stock are considered to
be outstanding pursuant to Rule 13d-3(d)(1) under the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934. For each beneficial owner above, any options exercisable
within 60 days have been included in the denominator.
|
(4) | Included in the shares for Mr. Grae are 414,787 shares of the Company's common stock underlying options which are currently out-of-the-money. |
Name
|
Age
|
Position with the
Company
|
Term as Director of
Company
|
|||
Seth
Grae
|
47
|
President,
CEO and Director
|
April
2006 – Present
|
|||
Thomas
Graham, Jr.
|
76
|
Chairman
and Corporate Secretary
|
April
2006 – Present
|
|||
Victor
E. Alessi
|
70
|
Director
|
August
2006 – Present
|
|||
Jack.
D. Ladd
|
60
|
Director
|
October
2006 – Present
|
|||
Daniel
B. Magraw
|
63
|
Director
|
October
2006 –
Present
|
2009
|
2008
|
|||||||
Audit
Fees
|
$ | 39,000 | $ | 39,506 | ||||
Audit
Related Fees
|
3,373 | - | ||||||
Tax
Fees
|
- | - | ||||||
All
Other Fees
|
14,500 | 4,000 | ||||||
Total
|
$ | 56,873 | $ | 43,506 |
March
29, 2010
|
By
Order of the Board of Directors
|
/s/ Thomas Graham
|
|
Thomas
Graham, Jr.
|
|
Chairman
and Corporate Secretary
|
/s/ The Audit Committee
|
Jack
D. Ladd
|
Victor
E. Alessi
|
Daniel
B. Magraw
|
1.
|
Elect
as Directors the nominees listed below: o
|
2.
|
Approve
the ratification of Child, Van Wagoner & Bradshaw PLLC as the
Company’s accountant for fiscal year
2010.
|
3.
|
In
their discretion, the proxies are authorized to vote upon such other
business as may properly come before the Meeting, and any adjournment or
adjournments thereof.
|
Name
__________________________________
|
|
Name
(if
joint)
|
|
_______________________________________ | |
Date
_____________, 2010
|
|
Please
sign your name exactly as it appears hereon. When signing as
attorney, executor, administrator, trustee or guardian, please give your
full title as it appears hereon. When signing as joint tenants,
all parties in the joint tenancy must sign. When a proxy is
given by a corporation, it should be signed by an authorized officer and
the corporate seal affixed. No postage is required if returned
in the enclosed
envelope.
|