Sincerely,
|
||
/s/
Carol Lau
|
||
Carol
Lau
|
||
Chairwoman
of the Board
|
By
Order of the Board of Directors
|
||
/s/
Carol Lau
|
||
Carol
Lau
|
||
Chairwoman
of the Board
|
Page
|
||
INFORMATION
ABOUT THE ANNUAL MEETING AND VOTING
|
5
|
|
Purpose
of the Annual Meeting
|
5
|
|
Outstanding
Securities and Voting Rights
|
5
|
|
Proxy
Voting
|
5
|
|
Attendance
and Voting at the Annual Meeting
|
6
|
|
Revocation
|
6
|
|
Vote
Required to Approve Each Proposal
|
6
|
|
MANAGEMENT
|
6
|
|
CORPORATE
GOVERNANCE AND RELATED MATTERS
|
7
|
|
Board
Committees and Meetings
|
7
|
|
Board
Committees
|
7
|
|
Director's
Compensation
|
9
|
|
INFORMATION
ABOUT THE EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
|
10
|
|
Executive
Compensation
|
10
|
|
Report
of the Executive Compensation/Stock Option Committee on Executive
Compensation
|
13
|
|
Security
Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management
|
15
|
|
Certain
Relationships and Related Transactions
|
15
|
|
Audit
Committee Report
|
17
|
|
DISCUSSION
OF PROPOSAL ITEMS RECOMMENDED BY THE BOARD
|
18
|
|
ITEM
1—ELECTION OF DIRECTORS
|
18
|
|
ITEM
2—RATIFICATION OF THE APPOINTMENT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS
|
19
|
|
ANNUAL
REPORT ON FORM 10-K
|
20
|
|
STOCKHOLDERS
SHARING THE SAME LAST NAME AND ADDRESS
|
20
|
|
INFORMATION
CONCERNING SHAREHOLDER PROPOSALS
|
20
|
|
PROXY
SOLICITATION COSTS
|
20
|
|
OTHER
MATTERS
|
20
|
Name
|
Age
|
Position
|
||
Anton
N. Handal
|
53
|
Chief
Executive Officer
|
||
Gary
Atkinson
|
27
|
Secretary,
General Counsel
|
||
Carol
Lau
|
59
|
Chairwoman,
Interim Chief Financial Officer
|
||
Harvey
Judkowitz
|
63
|
Director
|
||
Bernard
Appel
|
76
|
Director
|
||
Stewart
A. Merkin
|
65
|
Director
|
||
Peter
Hon
|
67
|
Director
|
||
Yat
Tung Lau
|
29
|
Director
|
·
|
high
personal and professional ethics and integrity;
|
·
|
the
ability to exercise sound judgment;
|
·
|
the
ability to make independent analytical inquiries;
|
·
|
a
willingness and ability to devote adequate time and resources to
diligently perform Board and committee duties; and
|
·
|
the
appropriate and relevant business experience and acumen.
|
·
|
whether
the person possesses specific industry expertise and familiarity
with
general issues affecting our business;
|
·
|
whether
the person's nomination and election would enable the Board to have
a
member that qualifies as an "audit committee financial expert" as
such
term is defined by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC")
in
Item 401 of Regulation S-K;
|
·
|
whether
the person would qualify as an "independent" director under the listing
standards of the American Stock Exchange;
|
·
|
the
importance of continuity of the existing composition of the Board
of
Directors to provide long term stability and experienced oversight;
and
|
·
|
the
importance of diversified Board membership, in terms of both the
individuals involved and their various experiences and areas of expertise.
|
· |
The
recommendation must be made in writing to the Corporate Secretary,
The
Singing Machine Company, Inc., 6601 Lyons Road, Bldg. A-7, Coconut
Creek,
Florida 33073.
|
·
|
The
recommendation must include the candidate's name, home and business
contact information, detailed biographical data and qualifications,
information regarding any relationships between the candidate and
the
Company within the last three years and evidence of the recommending
person's ownership of the Company's common stock.
|
·
|
The
recommendation shall also contain a statement from the recommending
shareholder in support of the candidate; professional references,
particularly within the context of those relevant to board membership,
including issues of character, judgment, diversity, age, independence,
expertise, corporate experience, length of service, other commitments
and
the like; and personal references.
|
·
|
A
statement from the shareholder nominee indicating that such nominee
wants
to serve on the Board and could be considered "independent" under
the
Rules and Regulations of the American Stock Exchange and the Securities
and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), as in effect at that time.
|
·
|
An
initial grant of 20,000 Singing Machine stock options with an exercise
price determined as the closing price on the day of joining the board.
The
options will vest in one year and expire in ten years while they
are board
members or 90 days once they are no longer board
members.
|
·
|
An
annual cash payment of $7,500 will be made for each completed full
year of
service or prorated for a partial year. The payment will be made
as of
March 31.
|
·
|
An
annual stock grant of stock equivalent in value to $2,500 for each
completed full year of service or prorated for a partial year. The
stock
price at grant will be determined at the closing price on the day
of the
Annual Shareholder Meeting. The actual grant will be made on or before
March 31.
|
·
|
An
annual grant of 20,000 Singing Machine stock options with an exercise
price determined as the closing price on the day of the Annual Shareholder
Meeting. If the Annual Meeting is held less than 6 months after the
board
member first joined the board he or she will not receive another
option
grant.
|
·
|
Independent
board members will receive a $500 fee for each board meeting and
annual
meeting they attend. Committee meetings and telephone board meetings
will
be compensated with a $200 fee.
|
·
|
All
expenses will be reimbursed for attending board, committee and annual
meetings or when their presence at a location away from home is
requested.
|
Name
|
Fees Earned or
Paid in Cash
|
Stock Awards
|
Option
|
Non-Equity
Incentive Plan
Compensation ($)
|
Change in
Pension Value
and
Nonqualified
Deferred
Compensation
Earnings
|
All Other
Compensation
|
Total
|
|||||||||||||||
Bernie
Appel
|
$
|
8,900
|
$
|
2,500
|
$
|
2,400
|
$
|
-
|
$
|
-
|
$
|
-
|
$
|
13,800
|
||||||||
Jay
Bauer (1)
|
$
|
8,000
|
$
|
1,959
|
$
|
-
|
$
|
-
|
$
|
-
|
$
|
-
|
$
|
9,959
|
||||||||
Peter
Hon
|
$
|
-
|
$
|
2,500
|
$
|
2,400
|
$
|
-
|
$
|
-
|
$
|
-
|
$
|
4,900
|
||||||||
Harvey
Judkowitz
|
$
|
9,100
|
$
|
2,500
|
$
|
2,400
|
$
|
-
|
$
|
-
|
$
|
-
|
$
|
14,000
|
||||||||
Carol
Lau
|
$
|
1,400
|
$
|
2,500
|
$
|
2,400
|
$
|
-
|
$
|
-
|
$
|
-
|
$
|
6,300
|
||||||||
Yat
Tung Lau
|
$
|
500
|
$
|
2,500
|
$
|
2,400
|
$
|
-
|
$
|
-
|
$
|
-
|
$
|
5,400
|
||||||||
Stewart
Merkin
|
$
|
9,100
|
$
|
2,500
|
$
|
2,400
|
$
|
-
|
$
|
-
|
$
|
-
|
$
|
14,000
|
Name and Principal Position
|
Year
|
Salary
|
Bonus
|
Stock
Awards
|
Option
Awards (1)
|
Non-Equity
incentive plan
compensation
|
Change in Pension
Value and Non-
Qualified Deferred
Compensation
Earnings
|
All other
compensation
(2)
|
Total Compensation
|
|||||||||||||||||||
Anton
Handal (3)
|
2008
|
$
|
0.00
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
||||||||||||||||||
Chief
Executive Officer
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Danny
Zheng (4)
|
2008
|
$
|
166,154.00
|
$
|
5,000.00
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
$
|
57,876.84
|
$
|
229,030.84
|
|||||||||||||||
Former
Chief Financial Officer
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Alicia
Haskamp (5)
|
2008
|
$
|
127,884.60
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
$
|
48,498.71
|
$
|
176,383.31
|
||||||||||||||||
Former
Senior Vice President of Sales and Product
Development
|
All Other Option
|
Exercise or
|
Grant Date
|
|||||||||||
Awards: Number of
|
Base Price of
|
Fair Value
|
|||||||||||
Securities
|
Option Awards
|
of Stock and
|
|||||||||||
Name and Principal Position
|
Grant Date
|
Underlying Options(#)
|
($/Sh) (1)
|
Option Awards (2)
|
|||||||||
N/A
(1)
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
Name and Principal Position
|
Number of Securities
Underlying Unexercised
Options (#) Exercisable
|
Number of Securities
Underlying
Unexercised Options (#)
Unexercisable
|
Equity Incentive Plan
Awards: Number of
Securities Underlying
Unexercised Unearned
Options (#)
|
Option
Exercise Price
($)
|
Option
Expiration Date
|
|||||||||||
Danny
Zheng
|
9,600
|
2,400
|
N/A
|
1.05
|
4/26/2014
|
|||||||||||
Former
Chief Financial Officer
|
46,667
|
23,333
|
0.60
|
5/8/2015
|
||||||||||||
30,000
|
-
|
0.34
|
1/19/2011
|
|||||||||||||
100,000
|
0.33
|
4/9/2011
|
||||||||||||||
186,267
|
25,733
|
|||||||||||||||
Alicia
Haskamp
|
||||||||||||||||
Former
Senior VP of Sales & Product Development
|
18,000
|
-
|
N/A
|
9.00
|
10/31/2012
|
|||||||||||
30,000
|
-
|
5.60
|
3/7/2013
|
|||||||||||||
11,200
|
2,800
|
1.97
|
12/19/2013
|
|||||||||||||
10,600
|
-
|
1.97
|
12/19/2013
|
|||||||||||||
53,333
|
26,667
|
0.60
|
5/8/2015
|
|||||||||||||
50,000
|
50,000
|
0.33
|
4/9/2011
|
|||||||||||||
173,133
|
79,467
|
WEIGHTED-AVERAGE
|
NUMBER OF SECURITIES
|
|||||||||
NUMBER OF SECURITIES
|
EXERCISE PRICE OF
|
REMAINING AVAILABLE FOR EQUITY
|
||||||||
TO BE ISSUED UPON
|
OUTSTANDING
|
COMPENSATION PLANS
|
||||||||
EXERCISE OF OUTSTANDINGS
|
OPTIONS, WARRANTS
|
(EXCLUDING SECURITIES IN
|
||||||||
PLAN CATEGORY
|
OPTION, WARRANTS AND RIGHTS
|
AND RIGHTS
|
COLUMN (A))
|
|||||||
Equity
Compensation Plans approved by Security Holders
|
1,382,890
|
$
|
1.86
|
625,160
|
||||||
Equity
Compensation Plans Not approved by Security Holders
|
0
|
$
|
0
|
0
|
·
|
all
directors of the Singing Machine,
|
·
|
all
named executive officers of the Singing Machine;
and
|
·
|
persons
known to own more than 5% of our common stock.
|
Name and position of owner
|
Title of Class
|
Shares of
Common
Stock (1)
|
Percent of
Common
Stock
|
|||||||
Anton Handal
Chief Executive Officer
|
N/A |
0
|
*
|
|||||||
Danny Zheng
Former Chief Financial Officer
|
Common Stock |
186,267
|
*
|
|||||||
Alicia Haskamp
Former Sr. Vice President of Sales and Product Development
|
Common Stock |
52,000
|
*
|
|||||||
Joseph Bauer (2)
Director
|
Common Stock |
1,284,591
|
3.91
|
%
|
||||||
Bernard Appel
Director
|
Common Stock |
74,022
|
*
|
|||||||
Harvey Judkowitz
Director
|
Common Stock |
74,022
|
*
|
|||||||
Carol Lau
Chairwoman
|
Common Stock |
574
|
*
|
|||||||
Yat Tung Lau
Director
|
Common Stock |
574
|
*
|
|||||||
Peter Hon
Director
|
Common Stock |
574
|
*
|
|||||||
Stewart Merkin
Director
|
Common Stock |
51,675
|
*
|
|||||||
Koncept International Ltd (3)
Majority Shareholder
|
Common Stock |
17,875,536
|
54.38
|
%
|
||||||
Gentle Boss Investments Ltd
Shareholder
|
Common Stock |
2,100,000
|
6.39
|
%
|
||||||
All Directors and Executive Officers as a Group
|
Common Stock |
1,724,299
|
5.25
|
%
|
||||||
Total Shares of Common Stock @ 6/15/08
|
31,841,728
|
|||||||||
Stock Options Exercisable within 60 days of 6/15/08
|
1,029,296
|
|||||||||
Total
|
32,871,024
|
Fee Category
|
Fiscal 2008
|
Fiscal 2007
|
|||||
Audit
Fees
|
$
|
164,194
|
$
|
227,675
|
|||
Tax
Fees
|
15,000
|
15,000
|
|||||
All
Other Fees
|
1,600
|
1,150
|
|||||
Total
Fees
|
$
|
180,794
|
$
|
243,825
|
VOTING
BY MAIL
|
|
Simply
mark, sign and date your proxy card and return it in the postage-paid
envelope.
|
COMPANY
NUMBER
|
CONTROL
NUMBER
|
1.
|
Election
of Directors
|
FOR
|
WITHHOLD
|
|
Nominees:
|
||||
Bernard
Appel
|
¨
|
¨
|
||
Peter
Hon
|
¨
|
¨
|
||
Harvey
Judkowitz
|
¨
|
¨
|
||
Carol
Lau
|
¨
|
¨
|
||
Yat
Tung Lau
|
¨
|
¨
|
||
Stewart
Merkin
|
¨
|
¨
|
FOR
|
AGAINST
|
ABSTAIN
|
||||
2.
|
Proposal
to ratify Berkovits &
|
|||||
Company,
LLP as the Company’s independent
|
||||||
auditors
for fiscal year 2009
|
¨
|
¨
|
¨
|