UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION

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MARINE PRODUCTS CORPORATION
(Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)
 
 
 
(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)
 

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(MARINE PRODUCTS CORPORATION LOGO)
 
MARINE PRODUCTS CORPORATION
NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
2801 Buford Highway NE, Suite 520, Atlanta, Georgia 30329
 
TO THE HOLDERS OF THE COMMON STOCK:
 
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the 2015 Annual Meeting of Stockholders of Marine Products Corporation, a Delaware corporation (“Marine Products” or the “Company”), will be held at 2170 Piedmont Road, NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30324, on Tuesday, April 28, 2015, at 12:00 Noon, or any adjournment thereof, for the following purposes:
 
 
1.
To elect the three Class II nominees identified in the attached proxy statement to the Board of Directors;
 
 
2.
To ratify the appointment of Grant Thornton LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2015; and
 
 
3.
To consider and act upon such other business as may properly come before the Annual Meeting or any adjournment of the meeting.
 
The Proxy Statement dated March 20, 2015 is attached.
 
The Board of Directors has fixed the close of business on March 2, 2015 as the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the Annual Meeting or any adjournment thereof.
 
Stockholders who do not expect to be present at the meeting are urged to complete, date, sign and return the enclosed proxy.  No postage is required if the enclosed envelope is mailed in the United States.
 
The Proxy Statement and 2014 Annual Report are available at http://www.astproxyportal.com/ast/26232/
     
  BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
     
 
/s/ Linda H. Graham  
     
  Linda H. Graham, Secretary  
     
Atlanta, Georgia
March 20, 2015
 
 
 

 

 
PROXY STATEMENT
 
This Proxy Statement and a form of proxy were first mailed to stockholders on or about March 20, 2015.  The following information concerning the enclosed proxy and the matters to be acted upon at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held on April 28, 2015, is submitted by the Company to the stockholders in connection with the solicitation of proxies on behalf of the Company’s Board of Directors.
 
SOLICITATION OF AND POWER TO REVOKE PROXY
 
A form of proxy is enclosed.  Each proxy submitted will be voted as directed, but if not otherwise specified, proxies solicited by the Board of Directors of the Company will be voted in favor of the candidates for election to the Board of Directors and in favor of the ratification of the appointment of Grant Thornton LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2015.
 
A stockholder executing and delivering a proxy has power to revoke the same and the authority thereby given at any time prior to the exercise of such authority, if he so elects, by contacting either proxy holder, by timely submitting a later dated proxy changing his vote, or by attending the meeting and voting in person.  However, a beneficial stockholder who holds his shares in street name must secure a proxy from his broker before he can attend the meeting and vote.
 
CAPITAL STOCK
 
The outstanding capital stock of the Company on March 2, 2015 consisted of 38,328,101 shares of Common Stock, par value $0.10 per share.  Holders of Common Stock are entitled to one vote (non-cumulative) for each share of such stock registered in their respective names at the close of business on March 2, 2015 the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the meeting or any adjournment thereof.
 
A majority of the outstanding shares will constitute a quorum at the Annual Meeting. Abstentions and broker non-votes will be counted for purposes of determining the presence or absence of a quorum for the transaction of business.  In accordance with the General Corporation Law of the state of Delaware, the election of the nominees named herein as Directors will require the affirmative vote of a plurality of the votes cast by the holders of shares of Company Common Stock entitled to vote in the election provided that a quorum is present at the Annual Meeting. In the case of a plurality vote requirement (as in the election of directors), where no particular percentage vote is required, the outcome is solely a matter of comparing the number of votes cast for each nominee, with those nominees receiving the most votes being elected, and hence only votes for director nominees (and not abstentions or broker non-votes) are relevant to the outcome.  In this case, the three nominees receiving the most votes will be elected.  The affirmative vote of a majority of a quorum of the Company’s outstanding shares of Common Stock present and entitled to vote at the meeting is required to approve the ratification of the appointment of the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for fiscal year 2015.  Abstentions will have the effect of a vote against the proposal and broker non-votes will have no effect on the proposal for the ratification of the appointment of the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm.  There are no rights of appraisal or similar dissenter’s rights with respect to any matter to be acted upon pursuant to this Proxy Statement. It is expected that shares held of record by officers and directors of the Company, which in the aggregate represent approximately 72.1 percent of the outstanding shares of Common Stock, will be voted for the nominees for directors and for the ratification of the appointment of the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm.
 
1
 

 

 
STOCK OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT
 
The executives named in the Summary Compensation Table, and the name and address of each stockholder (or “group” as that term is used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act) who owned beneficially five percent (5%) or more of the shares of Common Stock of the Company on March 2, 2015, together with the number of shares owned by each such person and the percentage of outstanding shares that ownership represents, and information as to Common Stock ownership of the directors and executive officers of the Company as a group (according to information received by the Company), are set out below:
               
Name and Address of Beneficial Owner
   
Amount Beneficially
Owned (1)
 
Percent of
Outstanding Shares
R. Randall Rollins
 
23,955,692
(2)
 
62.5
 
Chairman of the Board
           
2170 Piedmont Road, NE
           
Atlanta, Georgia
           
             
Gary W. Rollins
 
23,779,207
(3)
 
62.0
 
Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Rollins, Inc.
           
2170 Piedmont Road, NE
           
Atlanta, Georgia
           
             
Gamco Investors, Inc.
 
2,240,214
(4)
 
5.8
 
One Corporate center
           
Rye, NY 10580
           
             
Richard A. Hubbell
 
1,189,093
(5)
 
3.1
 
President and Chief Executive Officer
           
2801 Buford Highway NE, Suite 520
           
Atlanta, Georgia
           
             
James A. Lane, Jr.
 
416,917
(6)
 
1.1
 
Executive Vice President and President, Chaparral Boats, Inc.
           
2801 Buford Highway NE, Suite 520
           
Atlanta, Georgia
           
             
Ben M. Palmer
 
409,177
(7)
 
1.1
 
Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer
           
2801 Buford Highway NE, Suite 520
           
Atlanta, Georgia
           
             
Linda H. Graham
 
362,634
(8)
 
**
 
Vice President and Secretary
           
2170 Piedmont Road, NE
           
Atlanta, Georgia
           
             
All Directors and Executive Officers as a group
 
27,643,546
(9)
 
72.1
 
(10 persons)
           
 

**
Less than one percent
   
(1)
Except as otherwise noted, the nature of the beneficial ownership for all shares is sole voting and investment power.
   
(2)
Includes 104,004 shares of Company Common Stock held indirectly on account of his role as a corporate fiduciary.  Also includes 109,296 shares of Company Common Stock in two trusts of which he is Co-Trustee and as to which he shares voting and investment power. Also includes 22,654,279 shares of Company Common Stock held by RFPS Management Company III, L.P. of which RFA Management Company, LLC (“RFAM”), a Georgia limited liability company, is the general partner. The voting interests of RFAM are held by two revocable trusts, one of which each of Mr. Gary W. Rollins or Mr. R. Randall Rollins is the grantor and sole trustee.  LOR, Inc. is the manager of RFAM.  Mr. R. Randall Rollins and Mr. Gary W. Rollins have voting control of LOR, Inc.  Included herein are 139,000 shares of restricted stock awards for Company Common Stock. This also includes 31,497 shares of Company Common Stock held by his wife, as to which Mr. Rollins disclaims any beneficial interest. Mr. Rollins is part of a control group holding shares of the Company that includes Mr. Gary W. Rollins, as disclosed on a Schedule 13D on file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
 
2
 

 

 
   
(3)
Includes 104,004 shares of Company Common Stock held indirectly on account of his role as a corporate fiduciary. Includes 109,296 shares of Company Common Stock in two trusts of which he is Co-Trustee and as to which he shares voting and investment power.  Also includes 22,654,279 shares of Company Common Stock held by RFPS Management Company III, L.P. of which RFAM is the general partner. The voting interests of the RFAM are held by two revocable trusts, one of which each of Mr. Gary W. Rollins or Mr. R. Randall Rollins is the grantor and sole trustee.  LOR, Inc. is the manager of RFAM.  Mr. R. Randall Rollins and Mr. Gary W. Rollins have voting control of LOR, Inc.  Mr. Rollins is part of a control group holding shares of the Company that includes Mr. R. Randall Rollins, as disclosed on a Schedule 13D on file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
   
(4)
Based on Form 13F filed on February 5, 2015.
   
(5)
Includes 139,000 shares of restricted stock awards for Company Common Stock.
   
(6)
Includes 120,250 shares of restricted stock awards for Company Common Stock.
   
(7)
Includes 111,500 shares of restricted stock awards for Company Common Stock.
   
(8)
Includes 63,400 shares of restricted stock awards for Company Common Stock.
   
(9)
Shares held in trusts as to which more than one officer and/or director are Co-Trustees or entities in which there is common ownership have been included only once.  Includes 573,150 shares of restricted stock grants for Company Common Stock awarded and issued to five executive officers pursuant to the Company’s Stock Incentive Plans.
 
PROPOSAL 1: ELECTION OF DIRECTORS
 
At the Annual Meeting, Messrs. Gary W. Rollins, Richard A. Hubbell and Larry L. Prince will be nominated to serve as Class II directors.  The nominees for election at the 2015 Annual Meeting are all now directors of the Company. The directors in each class serve for a term of three years.  The director nominees will serve in their respective class until their successors are elected and qualified.  Six other individuals serve as directors but are not standing for re-election because their terms as directors extend past this Annual Meeting pursuant to provisions of the Company’s Bylaws that provide for the election of directors for staggered terms, with each director serving a term of three years.  Unless authority is withheld, the proxy holders will vote for the election of each nominee named below.  Although management does not contemplate the possibility, in the event any nominee is not a candidate or is unable to serve as a director at the time of the election, unless authority is withheld, the proxies will be voted for any nominee who shall be designated by the present Board of Directors and recommended by the Nominating and Governance Committee, to fill such vacancy.
 
Director Qualifications
 
The name and age of each of our directors and each of the nominees, his or her principal occupation, together with the number of shares of Common Stock beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by each and the percentage of outstanding shares that ownership represents, all as of the close of business on March 2, 2015 (according to information received by the Company), other board memberships and the period during which he or she has served us as a director are set forth as follows:
 
3
 

 

 
                       
Names of Directors
 
Principal Occupation (1)
 
Service as
Director
 
Age
 
Shares of
Common
Stock (2)
 
Percent of
Outstanding
Shares
                       
Names of Director Nominees
               
                 
Class I (Current Term Expires 2015, New Term Will Expire 2018)
               
                       
Gary W. Rollins (3)
 
Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Rollins, Inc. (consumer services).
 
2001 to date
 
70
 
23,779,207
(4)
 
62.0
                       
Richard A. Hubbell
 
President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company; President and Chief Executive Officer of RPC, Inc. (oil and gas services).
 
2001 to date
 
70
 
1,189,093
(5)
 
3.1
                       
Larry L. Prince
 
Retired Chairman of the Board of Directors of Genuine Parts Company (automotive parts distributor).
 
2009 to date
 
76
 
5,000
   
**
                       
Names of Directors Whose Terms Have Not Expired
         
               
Class III (Term Expires 2016)
             
                       
Linda H. Graham
 
Vice President and Secretary of the Company; Vice President and Secretary of RPC, Inc. (oil and gas services).
 
2001 to date
 
78
 
362,634
(6)
 
**
                       
Bill J. Dismuke
 
Retired President of Edwards Baking Company (manufacturer of pies and pie parts).
 
2005 to date
 
78
 
1,500
   
**
                       
James A. Lane, Jr.
 
Executive Vice President of the Company and President of Chaparral Boats, Inc.
 
2001 to date
 
72
 
416,917
(7)
 
1.1
                       
Class I (Current Term Expires 2017)
           
                       
R. Randall Rollins (3)
 
Chairman of the Board; Chairman of the Board of RPC, Inc. (oil and gas services); Chairman of the Board of Rollins, Inc. (consumer services).
 
2001 to date
 
83
 
23,955,692
(8)
 
62.5
                       
Henry B. Tippie
 
Presiding Director of the Company; Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Tippie Services, Inc. (management services); Chairman of the Board of Dover Downs Gaming & Entertainment, Inc. (operator of multi-purpose gaming and entertainment complex); Chairman of the Board of Dover Motorsports, Inc. (operator of motor racing tracks).
 
2001 to date
 
88
 
337,905
(9)  
**
 
4
 

 

 
                       
Names of Directors
 
Principal Occupation (1)
 
Service as
Director
 
Age
 
Shares of
Common
Stock (2)
 
Percent of
Outstanding
Shares
                       
James B. Williams
 
Retired Chairman of the Executive Committee, SunTrust Banks, Inc. (bank holding company).
 
2001 to date
 
81
 
54,000
   
**
 

**
Less than one percent
   
(1)
Unless otherwise noted, each of the directors has held the positions of responsibility set out in this column (but not necessarily his or her present title) for more than five years. In addition to the directorships listed in this column, the following individuals also serve on the Boards of Directors of the following companies: R. Randall Rollins: Dover Downs Gaming & Entertainment, Inc. and Dover Motorsports, Inc.; and Gary W. Rollins: Genuine Parts Company and Emory University. All of the directors named above, except Messrs. Hubbell and Lane and Ms. Graham are also directors of Rollins, Inc. and RPC, Inc. (“RPC”). Richard A. Hubbell, James A. Lane, Jr. and Linda H. Graham, are also directors of RPC. Larry L. Prince formerly served as a director of Crawford & Company, Equifax, Inc., SunTrust Banks, Inc. and Genuine Parts Company and James B. Williams formerly served as a director of The Coca-Cola Company.
   
(2)
Except as otherwise noted, the nature of the beneficial ownership for all shares is sole voting and investment power.
   
(3)
R. Randall Rollins and Gary W. Rollins are brothers.
   
(4)
See information contained in footnote (3) to the table appearing in Capital Stock section.
   
(5)
See information contained in footnote (5) to the table appearing in Capital Stock section.
   
(6)
See information contained in footnote (8) to the table appearing in Capital Stock section.
   
(7)
See information contained in footnote (6) to the table appearing in Capital Stock section.
   
(8)
See information contained in footnote (2) to the table appearing in Capital Stock section.
   
(9)
Includes shares held by a wholly owned corporation that owns 405 shares.
 
Key Attributes, Experience and Skills of Directors
 
R. Randall Rollins was elected a Director of Marine Products in 2001. Mr. Rollins has extensive knowledge of the Company’s business and industry serving over 24 years at the Company including the years that it was a subsidiary of RPC before it was spun-off in 2001. Mr. Rollins serves as Chairman of the Board of the Company. He is also Chairman of the Board of RPC, Inc. as well as Rollins, Inc. Mr. Rollins has been a Director of Dover Motorsports, Inc. since 1996 and a director of Dover Downs Gaming & Entertainment, Inc. since 2002. Mr. Rollins served as a Director of SunTrust Banks, Inc. from 1995 to 2004.
 
Richard A. Hubbell was elected a Director of Marine Products in 2001. Mr. Hubbell has extensive knowledge of the Company’s business and industry serving over 24 years at the Company including the years that it was a subsidiary of RPC before it was spun-off in 2001. He has served as the Chief Executive Officer and President of the Company since 2001. Mr. Hubbell is also the President, Chief Executive Officer and a Director of RPC, Inc.
 
Gary W. Rollins was elected a Director of Marine Products in 2001. Mr. Rollins has extensive knowledge of the Company’s business and industry. In addition, Mr. Rollins serves as the Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Rollins, Inc. Mr. Rollins has been serving as a director of RPC, Inc. since 1984 and as a director of Rollins, Inc. since 1981. Mr. Rollins has served on the Board of Directors of Genuine Parts Company since 2005.
 
Henry B. Tippie was elected a Director of Marine Products in 2001. Mr. Tippie brings extensive financial and management experience to our Board of Directors serving as Controller and Chief Financial Officer of Rollins, Inc. from 1953 to 1970. Mr. Tippie has over 64 years of experience including being involved with publicly traded companies during the past 54 years in various positions including founder, CFO, CEO, President, Vice-Chairman and Chairman of the Board. He is currently Chairman of the Board of Dover Downs Gaming & Entertainment, Inc. as well as Dover Motorsports, Inc. and is also a Director of RPC, Inc. and Rollins, Inc.
 
James B. Williams was elected a Director of Marine Products in 2001. Mr. Williams brings extensive financial and management experience to our Board of Directors serving over 28 years as a Director including the years that it was a subsidiary of RPC before it was spun-off in 2001. He retired in 1998 as Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of SunTrust Banks, Inc., a bank holding company, which positions he had held for more than five years. He is a Director of RPC, Inc. and Rollins, Inc. He also previously served as a Director of Genuine Parts Company, Georgia Pacific Corporation, and The Coca-Cola Company.
 
5
 

 

 
Bill J. Dismuke was elected a Director of Marine Products in 2005. Mr. Dismuke brings extensive financial, management and manufacturing experience to our Board of Directors. He served as a Senior Vice President of Rollins, Inc. for five years from 1979 until 1984. He retired as President of Edwards Baking Company in 1995. Mr. Dismuke has also been a Director of Rollins, Inc. since 1984 and RPC, Inc. since 2005.
 
Larry L. Prince was elected a Director of Marine Products in 2009. Mr. Prince brings extensive management experience to our Board of Directors. He served as the Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors of Genuine Parts Company until his retirement in 2011. He also served as Chairman of the Board of Genuine Parts Company from 1990 until 2005 and as Chief Executive Officer from 1989 until 2004. Mr. Prince is also a Director of Rollins, Inc. and RPC, Inc. Mr. Prince previously served as a Director of SunTrust Banks, Inc., Crawford & Company, Equifax, Inc. and John H. Harland Company.
 
James A. Lane, Jr. was elected a Director of Marine Products in 2001. Mr. Lane brings extensive financial, management and manufacturing experience to our Board of Directors. He has held the position of President of Chaparral Boats, Inc. (formerly a subsidiary of RPC) since 1976. Mr. Lane has been Executive Vice President and a Director of the Company since it was spun-off in 2001. Mr. Lane has been a Director of RPC, Inc. since 1987.
 
Linda H. Graham was elected a Director of Marine Products in 2001. Ms. Graham brings extensive management experience to our Board of Directors. She has been the Vice President and Secretary of RPC, Inc. since 1987. In addition, Ms. Graham serves as a Director of RPC, Inc.
 
Our Board of Directors recommends a vote “FOR” the nominees listed above.
 
PROPOSAL 2: RATIFICATION OF THE APPOINTMENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
 
The Audit Committee of the Board has appointed Grant Thornton LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2015. During fiscal year 2014, Grant Thornton LLP served as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm. Representatives of Grant Thornton LLP are expected to attend the annual meeting, where they will be available to respond to appropriate questions and, if they desire, to make a statement.
 
Although the Company is not required to seek ratification of this appointment, the Audit Committee and the Board of Directors believes that it is appropriate to do so.  If stockholders do not ratify the appointment of Grant Thornton LLP, the current appointment will stand, but the Audit Committee will consider the stockholder action in determining whether to retain Grant Thornton LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm.
 
Our Board of Directors recommends a vote “FOR” the ratification of the appointment of Grant Thornton
LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the 2015 fiscal year.
 
6
 

 

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS,
COMMITTEES AND MEETINGS
 
Board Meetings
 
The Board of Directors met five times during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2014. No director attended fewer than 75 percent of the aggregate of all Board meetings and meetings of committees on which he or she served during 2014. Board members are encouraged to attend the Company’s Annual Stockholder Meetings and a majority of the Board members were in attendance at last year’s meeting.
 
The Board of Directors has an Audit Committee, a Compensation Committee, a Diversity Committee and a Nominating and Governance Committee.
 
Below is a summary of our committee structure and membership information.
                     
               
Nominating &
   
   
Audit
 
Compensation
 
Diversity
 
Governance
 
Executive
Committee Member
 
Committee
 
Committee
 
Committee
 
Committee
 
Committee
R. Randall Rollins (1)
                 
Member
Henry B. Tippie (2)
 
Chair
 
Chair
 
Chair
 
Chair
   
Larry L. Prince (2)
 
Member
 
Member
 
Member
 
Member
   
James B. Williams (2)
 
Member
 
Member
 
Member
 
Member
   
Bill J. Dismuke (2)
 
Member
               
Gary W. Rollins
                 
Member
Richard A. Hubbell (3)
                 
Member
 

(1)
Chairman of the Board of Directors
   
(2)
Financial Expert
   
(3)
President and Chief Executive Officer
 
Audit Committee
 
The Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company consists of Henry B. Tippie (Chairman), James B. Williams, Bill J. Dismuke and Larry L. Prince, all of whom are independent, as discussed below. The Audit Committee held five meetings during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2014, including a meeting to review the Company’s Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013. The Board of Directors has determined that all of the Audit Committee members are independent as that term is defined by the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”). The Board of Directors has also determined that all of the Audit Committee members are “Audit Committee Financial Experts” as defined in the SEC rules. The Audit Committee meets with the Company’s independent registered public accountants, internal auditor, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer to review the scope and results of audits and recommendations made with respect to controls over financial reporting and specific accounting and financial reporting issues. The Audit Committee has the authority to obtain advice and assistance from, and receive appropriate funding from the Company for outside legal, accounting or other advisors as it deems necessary to carry out its duties. The Audit Committee charter is available on the Company’s website at www.marineproductscorp.com under the Governance section.
 
Compensation Committee
 
The Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company consists of Henry B. Tippie (Chairman), James B. Williams, and Larry L. Prince. It held three meetings during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2014. The function of the Compensation Committee is to review the base salary and cash based incentive compensation for all of the executive officers, and to administer the compensation of James A. Lane, Jr. in accordance with the Performance-Based Compensation Agreement. The Compensation Committee also administers the Company’s Stock Incentive Plans. The Compensation Committee does not have a formal charter, and is not required to have one under the “controlled company” exemption under the NYSE rules, as described in the section titled “Director Independence and NYSE Requirements.”
 
7
 

 

 
Diversity Committee
 
 The Diversity Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company consists of Henry B. Tippie (Chairman), James B. Williams, and Larry L. Prince. It held one meeting during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2014. The function of the Diversity Committee is to monitor compliance with applicable non-discrimination laws.
 
Nominating and Governance Committee
 
 The Nominating and Governance Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company consists of Henry B. Tippie (Chairman), James B. Williams, and Larry L. Prince, each of whom is independent, as discussed more fully in the section titled “Director Independence and NYSE Requirements.” The Committee was formed in 2002 pursuant to a resolution passed by the Board of Directors for the following purposes:
 
 ●
to recommend to the Board of Directors nominees for director and to consider any nominations properly made by a stockholder;
   
 ●
upon request of the Board of Directors, to review and report to the Board with regard to matters of corporate governance; and
   
 ●
to make recommendations to the Board of Directors regarding the agenda for Annual Stockholders’ Meetings and with respect to appropriate action to be taken in response to any stockholder proposals.
 
 The Nominating and Governance Committee held one meeting during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2014.
 
Director Nominations
 
 Under Delaware law, there are no statutory criteria or qualifications for directors. No criteria or qualifications have been prescribed by the Board at this time. The Nominating and Governance Committee does not have a charter or a formal policy with regard to the consideration of director candidates. As such, there is no formal policy relative to diversity, although as noted below, it is one of many factors that the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee has the discretion to factor into its decision making. This discretion would extend to how the Committee might define diversity in a particular instance – whether in terms of background, viewpoint, experience, education, race, gender, national origin or other considerations. The Committee acts under the guidance of the Corporate Governance Guidelines approved by the Board of Directors and posted on the Company’s website at www.marineproductscorp.com under the Governance section. The Board believes that it should preserve maximum flexibility in order to select directors with sound judgment and other desirable qualities. According to the Company’s Corporate Governance Guidelines, the Board of Directors will be responsible for selecting nominees for election to the Board of Directors. The Board delegates the screening process to the Nominating and Governance Committee. This Committee is responsible for determining the appropriate skills and characteristics required of Board members in the context of the then current makeup of the Board. This determination takes into account all factors which the Committee considers appropriate, such as independence, experience, strength of character, mature judgment, technical skills, diversity, age and the extent to which the individual would fill a present need on the Board. The Company’s Bylaws provide that nominations for the election of directors may be made by any stockholder entitled to vote for the election of directors. Nominations must comply with an advance notice procedure which generally requires, with respect to nominations for directors for election at an annual meeting, that written notice be addressed to: Secretary, Marine Products Corporation, 2170 Piedmont Road, NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30324, and received not less than ninety days prior to the anniversary of the prior year’s annual meeting and set forth among other requirements specified in the Company’s Bylaws, the name, age, business address and, if known, residence address of the nominee proposed in the notice, the principal occupation or employment of the nominee for the past five years, the nominee’s qualifications, the class or series and number of shares of capital stock of the Company which are owned beneficially or of record by the person and any other information relating to the person that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filings. Other requirements related to the notice are contained in the Company’s Bylaws and stockholders are advised to carefully review those requirements to ensure that nominations comply with the Bylaws. The Committee will consider nominations from stockholders that satisfy these requirements. The Committee is responsible for screening the nominees that are selected by the Board of Directors for nomination to the Board and for service on committees of the Board. To date, the Company has not received a recommendation for a director nominee from a stockholder. All of the nominees for directors being voted upon at the Annual Meeting to be held on April 28, 2015 are directors standing for re-election.
 
8
 

 

 
Board Leadership
 
The Company has had separate persons serving as its Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer since its inception in 2001. Mr. Randall Rollins is our Chairman and chairs our Board meetings. Mr. Richard Hubbell is our President and Chief Executive Officer. We believe that it represents the appropriate structure for us at this time; the Chairman of the Board provides general oversight and strategic planning for the Company while the President focuses on optimizing operational efficiencies.
 
Risk Oversight by Board
 
Our Board’s oversight of risk has not been delegated to any Board Committee. “Risk” is an extremely broad concept that extends to multiple functional areas and crosses multiple disciplines. As such, risk may be addressed from time to time by the full Board or by one or more of our Committees. Senior management is responsible for identifying and managing material risks that we face and provides the Board with a summary of insurance coverage annually and updates as deemed necessary. Liquidity risk and cash management are handled primarily by our finance department which regularly provides a financial report to both the Audit Committee and to the full Board. Operational, business, regulatory and political risks are handled primarily by senior executive management which regularly provides various operational reports to, among others, the full Board or to the Executive Committee.
 
Director Independence and NYSE Requirements
 
Controlled Company Exemption
 
The Company is not required by law or NYSE listing requirements to have a Nominating or Compensation Committee composed of independent directors, nor to have a Board of Directors, the majority of which are independent. Because the Company is a “controlled corporation,” as defined by NYSE Rule 303A.00, the Company is exempt from NYSE Rules 303A.01, 303A.04 and 303A.05 and does not undertake compliance with those provisions. The Company is a “controlled corporation” because a group that includes the Company’s Chairman of the Board, R. Randall Rollins, his brother, Gary W. Rollins, who is also a director and certain companies under their control, possesses in excess of fifty percent of the Company’s voting power.
 
The Company’s Audit Committee is composed of four “independent” directors as defined by the Company’s Corporate Governance Guidelines, the NYSE rules, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, SEC regulations thereunder, and the Company’s Audit Committee Charter. All of the members of the Compensation, Diversity and Nominating and Governance Committees are also independent directors. The independent directors of the Company are Henry B. Tippie, James B. Williams, Bill J. Dismuke and Larry L. Prince.
 
Independence Guidelines
 
Under NYSE listing standards, to be considered independent, a director must be determined to have no material relationship with the Company other than as a director. The NYSE standards set forth a nonexclusive list of relationships which are conclusively deemed material. The Company’s Independence Guidelines (Appendix A to the Company’s Corporate Governance Guidelines) are posted on the Company’s website at www.marineproductscorp.com under the Governance section.
 
Audit Committee Charter
 
Under the Company’s Audit Committee Charter, in accordance with NYSE listing requirements and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, all members of the Audit Committee must be independent of management and the Company. A member of the Audit Committee is considered independent as long as he or she (i) does not accept any consulting, advisory, or compensatory fee from the Company, other than as a director or committee member; (ii) is not an affiliated person of the Company or its subsidiaries; and (iii) otherwise meets the independence requirements of the NYSE and the Company’s Corporate Governance Guidelines.
 
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Nonmaterial Relationships
 
After reviewing all of the relationships between the members of the Audit Committee and the Company, the Board of Directors determined that none of the members of the Audit Committee had any relationships not included within the categorical standards set forth in the Independence Guidelines and disclosed above except as follows:
 
 
1.
Mr. Tippie was employed by Rollins from 1953 to 1970, and held several offices with that company during that time, including as Executive Vice President – Finance, Secretary, Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Dismuke was employed by Rollins from 1979 to 1984 and held various offices within that company including Senior Vice President. Messrs. Randall and Gary Rollins are directors and executive officers of Rollins and are part of a group that has voting control of Rollins.
 
 
2.
Mr. Tippie is Chairman of the Board of Directors of Dover Motorsports, Inc. and Dover Downs Gaming & Entertainment, Inc. Mr. Randall Rollins is also a director of these companies.
 
 
3.
Mr. Tippie is the trustee of the O. Wayne Rollins Foundation and of the Rollins Children’s Trust. O. Wayne Rollins is the father of Gary and Randall Rollins. The beneficiaries of the Rollins Children’s Trust include the immediate family members of Messrs. Randall and Gary Rollins.
 
 
4.
Each of Messrs. Dismuke, Prince, Tippie and Williams also serve on the Boards of Rollins and RPC, of which Messrs. Gary and Randall Rollins are directors, and voting control over which is held by a control group of which Messrs. Randall and Gary Rollins are a part; Mr. Randall Rollins is an executive officer of RPC.
 
As required by the Independence Guidelines, the Board of Directors unanimously concluded that the above-listed relationships would not affect the independent judgment of the independent directors, based on their experience, character and independent means, and therefore do not preclude an independence determination. All of the members of the Audit Committee are also independent under the heightened standards required for Audit Committee members.
 
In accordance with the NYSE corporate governance listing standards, Mr. Henry B. Tippie was elected as the Presiding Director. The Company’s non-management directors meet at regularly scheduled executive sessions without management. Mr. Tippie presides during these executive sessions.
 
Corporate Governance Guidelines
 
We have adopted Corporate Governance Guidelines to promote better understanding of our policies and procedures. At least annually, the Board reviews these guidelines. As required by the rules of the New York Stock Exchange, our Corporate Governance Guidelines require that our non-management directors meet in at least two regularly scheduled executive sessions per year without management.
 
At the Company’s website at www.marineproductscorp.com under the Governance section, you may access a copy of our Corporate Governance Guidelines, our Audit Committee Charter, our Code of Business Conduct and our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics for Directors and Executive Officers and Related Party Transactions Policy. Copies are also available in print, without charge, to any stockholder who requests one by writing to: The Secretary, Marine Products Corporation, 2170 Piedmont Road, NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30324.
 
Code of Business Conduct
 
The Company has adopted a Code of Business Conduct applicable to all directors, officers and employees generally, as well as a Code of Business Conduct and Ethics for Directors and Executive Officers and Related Party Transactions Policy applicable to the principal executive officer, principal financial officer, and directors. Both codes are available on the Company’s website at www.marineproductscorp.com under the Governance section.
 
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Director Communications
 
The Company also has a process for interested parties, including stockholders, to send communications to the Board of Directors, Presiding Director, any of the Board Committees or the non-management directors as a group. Such communications should be addressed as follows:
   
  Mr. Henry B. Tippie
  c/o Internal Audit Department
  Marine Products Corporation
  2801 Buford Highway NE, Suite 520
  Atlanta, Georgia 30329
 
The above instructions for communications with the directors are also posted on our website at www.marineproductscorp.com under the Governance section. All communications received from interested parties are forwarded to the Board of Directors. Any communication addressed solely to the Presiding Director or the non-management directors will be forwarded directly to the appropriate addressee(s).
 
COMPENSATION COMMITTEE INTERLOCKS AND INSIDER PARTICIPATION
 
None of the directors named above who serve on the Company’s Compensation Committee are or have ever been an employee of the Company. There are no Compensation Committee interlocks requiring disclosure.
 
DIRECTOR COMPENSATION
 
The following table sets forth compensation of the Company’s directors for services rendered as a director for 2014. Four of the directors, Messrs. R. Randall Rollins, Richard A. Hubbell, James A. Lane, Jr., and Ms. Linda H. Graham are employees of the Company. Their compensation is set forth in the Summary Compensation Table below under Executive Compensation. The directors listed below have never been employed by the Company or paid salaries or bonuses by the Company, have never been granted any options or other stock-based awards, and do not participate in any Company sponsored retirement plans.
   
 
             
Name
 
Fees Earned or
Paid in Cash
($)
 
Stock
Awards (1)
($)
 
Option
Awards (1)
($)
 
Total
($)
 
Henry B. Tippie
  112,000   ––   ––   112,000  
James B. Williams
  60,000   ––   ––   60,000  
Bill J. Dismuke
  51,000   ––   ––   51,000  
Gary W. Rollins
  38,500   ––   ––   38,500  
Larry L. Prince
  60,000   ––   ––   60,000  
 

(1)
Directors are eligible for grants of stock awards under the Company’s Stock Incentive Plan (“SIP”). No stock awards have been granted to the non-management directors under the SIP.
 
Directors that are our employees do not receive additional compensation for services rendered as a director.
 
Under current compensation arrangements effective since January 1, 2015, non-management directors each receive an annual retainer fee of $40,000. In addition, the Chairman of the Audit Committee receives an annual retainer of $20,000, the Chairman of the Compensation Committee receives an annual retainer of $10,000, and the Chairman of each of the Nominating and Governance Committee and Diversity Committee receives an annual retainer of $6,000. A director that chairs more than one committee receives a retainer with respect to each committee he chairs. All of the retainers are paid on a quarterly basis. Per meeting fees for non-management directors are as follows:
 
 
For meetings of the Board of Directors, $2,500.
 
 
For meetings of the Compensation Committee, $2,000.
 
 
For meetings of the Diversity Committee and Nominating and Governance Committee, $1,500.
 
 
For meetings of the Audit Committee either in person or over the telephone, $2,500.
 
 
In addition, the Chairman of the Audit Committee receives an additional $2,500 for preparing to conduct each quarterly Board and Board Committee meetings.
 
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All non-management directors are also entitled to reimbursement of expenses for all services as a director, including committee participation or special assignments.
 
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in any of the Company’s previous filings under the Securities Act of 1933 or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, that might incorporate future filings, including the Proxy Statement, in whole or in part, the Report of the Audit Committee shall not be incorporated by reference into any such filings.
 
REPORT OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE
 
Management is responsible for the Company’s internal controls, assessing the effectiveness of these controls and the financial reporting process. The Company’s independent registered public accounting firm is responsible for performing independent audits of the Company’s consolidated financial statements and the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) and for issuing reports thereon. The Audit Committee’s responsibility is generally to monitor and oversee these processes, as described in the Audit Committee Charter. It is not the duty of the Audit Committee to plan or conduct audits or to determine that the Company’s financial statements are complete and accurate and in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles; that is the responsibility of management.
 
In fulfilling its oversight responsibilities with respect to the year ended December 31, 2014, the Audit Committee:
 
 
Approved the terms of engagement of Grant Thornton LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the year ended December 31, 2014;
 
 
Reviewed with management the interim financial information included in the Forms 10-Q prior to their being filed with the SEC. In addition, the Committee reviewed all earnings releases with management and the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm prior to their release;
 
 
Reviewed and discussed with the Company’s management and the independent registered public accounting firm the audited consolidated financial statements of the Company as of December 31, 2014 and 2013 and for the three years ended December 31, 2014;
 
 
Reviewed and discussed with the Company’s management and the independent registered public accounting firm, management’s assessment whether the Company maintained effective control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2014;
 
 
Discussed with the independent registered public accounting firm matters required to be discussed by Auditing Standard No. 16, “Communications with Audit Committees,” as adopted by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board; and
 
 
Received from the independent registered public accounting firm the written disclosures and the letter in accordance with the requirements of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board regarding the firm’s communications with the Committee concerning independence, and discussed with such firm its independence from the Company.
 
Based upon the review and discussions referred to above, the Committee recommended to the Board of Directors that the audited consolidated financial statements of the Company and subsidiaries as of December 31, 2014 and 2013 and for the three years ended December 31, 2014 be included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014 and for filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
 
In giving its recommendation to the Board of Directors, the Audit Committee has relied on (i) management’s representation that such financial statements have been prepared with integrity and objectivity and in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America and (ii) the report of the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm with respect to such financial statements.
 
Submitted by the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors.
   
  Henry B. Tippie, Chairman
  James B. Williams
  Bill J. Dismuke
  Larry L. Prince
 
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COMPENSATION DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS
 
Compensation Committee
 
During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2014, the members of our Compensation Committee held primary responsibility for determining executive compensation levels. The Committee is composed of three of our non-management directors who do not participate in the Company’s compensation plans. The Committee determines the compensation and administers the cash based incentives for our executive officers. In addition, the Committee also administers our Stock Incentive Plans for all the employees.
 
The members of our Compensation Committee have extensive and varied experience with various public and private corporations - as investors and stockholders, as senior executives, and as directors charged with the oversight of management and the setting of executive compensation levels. Henry B. Tippie, the Chairman of the Compensation Committee, has served on the board of directors of twelve different publicly traded companies and has been involved in setting executive compensation levels at all of these companies. Messrs. James B. Williams and Larry L. Prince have served on the board of directors of several different publicly traded companies and have similarly been involved in setting executive compensation levels at many of these companies.
 
The Compensation Committee has authority to engage attorneys, accountants and consultants, including executive compensation consultants, to solicit input from management concerning compensation matters, and to delegate any of its responsibilities to one or more directors or members of management where it deems such delegation appropriate and permitted under applicable law. The Committee has not used the services of any compensation consultants in determining or recommending the amount or form of executive compensation.
 
The Compensation Committee believes that determinations relative to executive compensation levels are best left to the discretion of the Committee. In addition to the extensive experience and expertise of the Committee’s members and their familiarity with the Company’s performance and the performance of our executive officers, the Committee is able to draw on the experience of other directors and on various legal and accounting executives employed by the Company, and the Committee has access to readily available public information relative to structuring executive compensation programs and setting appropriate compensation levels. The Committee also believes that the structure of our executive compensation programs should not become overly complicated or difficult to understand. The Committee solicits input from our Chairman with respect to the performance of our executive officers and their compensation levels.
 
The Role of Shareholder Say-on-Pay Votes
 
The Company provides its shareholders with the opportunity to cast an advisory vote on executive compensation (a “say-on-pay proposal”) once every three years. At the Company’s annual meeting of shareholders held in April 2014, a substantial majority of the votes cast on the say-on-pay proposal at that meeting were voted in favor of the proposal. The Compensation Committee believes this affirms shareholders’ support of the Company’s approach to executive compensation. The shareholders voted to hold a say-on-pay advisory vote on executive compensation every three years, and the Board resolved to accept the shareholders’ recommendation. As a result, the advisory vote on executive compensation will be held again at the 2017 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. The Compensation Committee will continue to consider the outcome of the Company’s say-on-pay votes when making future compensation decisions for its executive officers.
 
General Compensation Objectives and Guidelines
 
The Company is engaged in a highly competitive industry. The success of the Company depends on its ability to attract and retain highly qualified and motivated executives. In order to accomplish this objective, the Company structures the executive compensation in a fashion that takes into account the Company’s overall performance and the individual performance of the executive.
 
The Compensation Committee endorses the philosophy that executive compensation should reflect Company performance and the contribution of executive officers to that performance. The Company’s compensation policy is designed to achieve three fundamental objectives: (i) attract and retain qualified executives, (ii) motivate performance to achieve Company objectives, and (iii) align the interests of our executives with the long-term interests of the Company’s stockholders. The Committee recognizes that there are many intangibles involved in evaluating performance and in motivating performance, and that determining an appropriate compensation level is a highly subjective endeavor. The analysis of the Committee is not based upon a structured formula and the objectives referred to above are not weighted in any formal manner. During the year, none of the executive officers made recommendations or otherwise contributed input on their own compensation. However, the Compensation Committee may from time to time solicit input from the Chairman when reviewing executive compensation.
 
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The Company’s executive officers are also executive officers of RPC and receive compensation directly from RPC. The members of the Company’s Compensation Committee also constitute the Compensation Committee of RPC. In determining the compensation for the executive officers at the Company, the Committee considers these dual responsibilities and sources of compensation. The Company sets compensation of its executives at such levels so that the aggregate compensation received from both RPC and the Company is reasonable in light of their respective responsibilities and the performance of both companies and so that the compensation from the Company for services solely to the Company is reasonable. A discussion of the Company’s executive officers’ compensation at RPC is contained in its annual Proxy Statement filed with the SEC.
 
Pursuant to the Company’s compensation philosophy, the total annual compensation of its executive officers is primarily made up of base salary, cash based incentives and stock based incentive compensation. In addition, the Company provides retirement compensation plans, group welfare benefits and certain perquisites.
 
We believe a competitive base salary is important to attract, retain and motivate top executives. We believe a performance-based incentive cash compensation plan is valuable in recognizing and rewarding individual achievement. Finally, we believe stock based incentives make executives “think like owners” and, therefore, align their interests with those of our stockholders.
 
The Company does not have any formal stock ownership requirements for its executive officers but notes that its current directors and executive officers are stockholders of the Company, as is disclosed elsewhere in this Proxy Statement. The Company is mindful of the stock ownership of our directors and executive officers but does not believe that it is appropriate to provide a mechanism or formula to take stock ownership (or gains from prior option or stock awards) into account when setting compensation levels. The Company provides in its insider trading policies that directors and executive officers may not sell Company securities short and may not sell puts, calls or other derivative securities tied to our Common Stock.
 
The Company does not have a formal policy relative to the adjustment or recovery of incentives or awards in the event that the performance measures upon which incentives or awards were based are later restated or otherwise adjusted in a manner that would have reduced the size of an incentive or award. However, as all incentives and awards remain within the discretion of the Compensation Committee, the Committee retains the ability to take any such restatements or adjustments into account in subsequent years. In addition, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act requires in the case of accounting restatements that result from material non-compliance with SEC financial reporting requirements, that Chief Executive Officers and Chief Financial Officers must disgorge bonuses and other incentive-based compensation and profits on stock sales, if the non-compliance results from misconduct.
 
Base Salary
 
The salary of each executive officer is determined by the Compensation Committee. In making its determinations, the Committee gives consideration to the recent financial performance of the Company, the magnitude of responsibilities, the scope of the position, individual performance and compensation paid by RPC. The Committee solicits input from our Chairman with respect to the performance of our executive officers and their compensation levels. There were no changes to the officers’ base salary in 2014 or in 2015 through the date of this proxy statement. Effective August 1, 2009, Mr. Jim Lane’s base salary was increased to $250,000 per year, with corresponding reductions in potential future bonus payments, payable after August 1, 2009. Under these modifications, the Company reduced future bonuses under the performance-based compensation agreement which may otherwise be payable to Mr. Lane by the cumulative amount of the increase in base salary paid to Mr. Lane.
 
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Cash Based Incentives
 
The annual cash based incentive compensation for the executive officers, is based upon broad performance objectives. The executive officers, with the exception of Mr. Lane, participate in a variety of individualized performance bonus programs designed by the Committee. These plans all have payouts subjectively based on net sales, net income, budget objectives, and other individual performance objectives. The individual performance objectives relate to each executive officer improving the contribution of his functional area of responsibility to further enhance the operating results of the Company. Bonuses are not made subject to any plan or program, written or unwritten, that is communicated in advance to the executive officers. No specific performance criteria are established in advance, and no specific ranges for bonuses are established in advance. Bonuses for a particular fiscal year are generally determined during the first quarter of the following fiscal year and paid at the discretion of the Compensation Committee. Discretionary bonuses were paid in early 2015 to our executive officers for performance during fiscal year 2014 in the following amounts: Mr. Richard A. Hubbell: $100,000; Mr. Ben M. Palmer: $50,000; Mr. R. Randall Rollins: $80,000; and Ms. Linda H. Graham: $30,000. Performance based incentive paid to Mr. James A. Lane, Jr. is discussed below.
 
Mr. James A. Lane, Jr. has a performance-based compensation agreement that was approved by the stockholders under which he receives an incentive bonus equal to 10 percent of pre-tax profits of Chaparral Boats, Inc. as defined, monthly, determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. The plan was approved by the stockholders in 2014 to qualify for the performance-related compensation exemption from the prohibition on the Company of an income tax deduction for compensation exceeding $1,000,000. Pursuant to this plan, Mr. Lane earned $1,862,405 for his performance during fiscal year 2014 which reflects a reduction for the previously discussed increase in base salary payments totaling $182,159. This incentive payment was approximately 88 percent of the total cash compensation paid to this executive in 2014.
 
Stock Based Incentive Plans
 
Our Stock Incentive Plan allows for a wide variety of stock based awards such as stock options and restricted stock awards. We last issued stock options to the executive officers in 2003 and have no current plans to issue additional stock options. We have never issued any stock appreciation rights. Partially in response to changes relative to the manner in which stock options are accounted for under generally accepted accounting principles, we have modified the structure and composition of the long-term equity based component of our executive compensation. In recent years, we have awarded time-based restricted stock in lieu of granting stock options. The terms and conditions of these awards are described in more detail below.
 
Awards under the Company’s Stock Incentive Plans are purely discretionary, are not based upon any specific formula and may or may not be granted in any given fiscal year. For the past three years, we have granted time-based restricted stock to various employees, including our executive officers, in January during our regularly scheduled meetings of the Compensation Committee during which the Committee reviews executive compensation. Consistent with this practice, we granted restricted stock awards to our executive officers in January 2015 and 2013. In 2014, all of the executive officers with the exception of Messrs. Hubbell and Rollins were granted restricted stock awards in January 2014. Messrs. Hubbell and Rollins were granted shares in April 2014 after the stockholder approval of the stock incentive plan. The shares granted in each of the years are as follows:
             
Name
 
2015
 
2014
 
2013
Richard A. Hubbell
 
30,000
 
30,000
 
40,000
Ben M. Palmer
 
26,250
 
26,250
 
30,000
R. Randall Rollins
 
30,000
 
30,000
 
40,000
James A. Lane, Jr.
 
30,000
 
26,250
 
35,000
Linda H. Graham
 
15,000
 
15,000
 
20,000
 
When considering the grant of stock based awards, the Committee gives consideration to the overall performance and the performance of individual employees. The amount of each grant to our executive officers is influenced in part by the Committee’s subjective assessment of each individual’s respective contributions to achievement of the Company’s long-term goals and objectives. In evaluating individual performance for these purposes, the Committee considers the overall contributions of executive management as a group and the Committee’s subjective assessment of each individual’s relative contribution to that performance rather than specific aspects of each individual’s performance over a short-term period. We expect to continue yearly grants of restricted stock awards although we reserve the right to modify or discontinue this or any of the other compensation practices at any time.
 
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All of our restricted stock awards granted since 2004 have had the same features. The shares vest one-fifth per year beginning on the second anniversary of the grant date. Restricted shares have full voting and dividend rights. However, until the shares vest, they cannot be sold, transferred or pledged. Should the executive leave our employment for any reason prior to the vesting dates (other than due to disability, or retirement on or after age 65), the unvested shares will be forfeited. In the event of death or “change in control” as determined by the Board of Directors, all unvested restricted shares shall vest immediately.
 
Grants are made under our Stock Incentive Plan and the plan is administered pursuant to Rule 16b-3 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
 
Employment Agreements
 
There are no agreements or understandings between the Company and any executive officer which guarantee continued employment or guarantee any level of compensation, including incentive or bonus payments, to the executive officer.
 
Retirement Plans
 
The Company maintains a defined benefit pension plan (called the Retirement Income Plan) for all our eligible employees, a non-qualified supplemental retirement plan for our executives and certain other highly compensated employees and a 401(k) Plan for the benefit of all regular full time employees. Messrs. Richard A. Hubbell, Ben M. Palmer, R. Randall Rollins and Ms. Linda H. Graham are not eligible to participate in the Company’s Retirement Income Plan and 401(k) Plan because they participate in the corresponding plans at RPC. In 2002, the Company’s Board of Directors approved a resolution to cease all future benefit accruals under the Retirement Income Plan effective March 31, 2002. During 2002, the Company began permitting selected highly compensated employees to defer a portion of their compensation into the Company’s non-qualified Supplemental Retirement Plan (“SRP”). The SRP is described in more detail under the caption “Nonqualified Deferred Compensation” below.
 
Other Compensation
 
Mr. Lane participates in regular employee benefit programs, including the 401(k) Plan with Company match, group life insurance, group medical and dental coverage and other group benefit plans at Chaparral Boats, Inc. Messrs. Rollins, Hubbell, Palmer and Ms. Graham participate in similar employee benefit programs at RPC.
 
Mr. Lane is entitled to the use of a Company owned automobile. The Company pays to insure and maintain the automobile. The Company also pays all fuel expenses.
 
The following Compensation Committee Report shall not be incorporated by reference by any general statement incorporating by reference this Proxy Statement into any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), except to the extent that the Company specifically incorporates this information by reference, and shall not otherwise be deemed filed under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act.
 
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COMPENSATION COMMITTEE REPORT
 
We have reviewed and discussed the above “Compensation Discussion and Analysis” with management.
 
Based upon this review and discussion, we have recommended to the Board of Directors that the “Compensation Discussion and Analysis” be included in this Proxy Statement.
 
Submitted by the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors.
 
  Henry B. Tippie, Chairman
  James B. Williams
 
Larry L. Prince
 
SECTION 16(a) BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP REPORTING COMPLIANCE
 
The Company has completed a review of Forms 3, 4, and 5 and amendments thereto furnished to the Company by all directors, officers and greater than 10 percent stockholders subject to the provisions of Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. In addition, the Company has a written representation from all directors, officers and greater than 10 percent stockholders from whom no Form 5 was received indicating that no Form 5 filing was required. Based solely on this review, the Company believes that filing requirements of such persons under Section 16 for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2014 have been satisfied.
 
EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
 
Shown below is information concerning the annual and long-term compensation for services in all capacities to the Company for the calendar years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012 of those persons who were at December 31, 2014,
 
 
our Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer; and
     
 
our three other executive officers:
 
SUMMARY COMPENSATION TABLE
                                               
Name and Principal Position
 
Year
 

Salary
($)
   

Bonus
($) (1)
   
Stock
Awards
($) (2)
   
Non-Equity
Incentive
Plan
Compensation
($) (1)
   
Change in
Pension Value
and
Nonqualified
Deferred
Compensation
Earnings
($) (3)
   


All Other
Compensation
($) (4)
   

Total
($)
 
Richard A. Hubbell
  2014   350,000     100,000     231,900                 681,900  
President and
  2013   350,000         256,000                 606,000  
Chief Executive Officer
  2012   350,000         223,600                 573,600  
                                               
Ben M. Palmer
  2014   175,000     50,000     208,688                 433,688  
Vice President,
  2013   175,000         192,000                 367,000  
Chief Financial Officer
  2012   175,000         167,700                 342,700  
and Treasurer
                                             
                                               
R. Randall Rollins
  2014   300,000     80,000     231,900                 611,900  
Chairman of the Board
  2013   300,000         256,000                 556,000  
    2012   300,000         223,600                 523,600  
                                               
James A. Lane, Jr.
  2014   250,000         208,688     1,862,405     97,515     8,880     2,427,488  
Executive Vice President,
  2013   250,000         224,000     1,528,466         9,168     2,011,634  
and President, Chaparral
  2012   250,000         167,700     1,397,235     39,488     13,630     1,868,053  
Boats, Inc.
                                             
                                               
Linda H. Graham
  2014   115,000     30,000     119,250                 264,250  
Vice President and
  2013   115,000         128,000                 243,000  
Secretary
  2012   115,000         83,850                 198,850  
 

(1) Bonuses are determined and paid during the first quarter of the following fiscal year earned at the discretion of the Compensation Committee. In addition, Mr. James A. Lane, Jr. is paid monthly in accordance with his performance-based compensation agreement with a subsidiary of the Company.
 
17
 

 

 
(2) Represents the fair value of the award at the date of grant computed in accordance with ASC Topic 718. Please refer to Note 10 to our Financial Statements contained in our Form 10-K for the period ended December 31, 2014 for a discussion of the assumptions used in these computations. For this computation, we do not include an assumption for estimated forfeitures. Our Form 10-K has been included in our Annual Report and provided to our stockholders.
   
(3) Change represents the impact of changes in discount rate only as no additional benefits are being accrued.
   
(4)
All other compensation for 2014 includes the following items for:
 
Mr. James A. Lane, Jr.: Use of Company provided automobile and related vehicle costs, the cost of club dues, and 401(k) Plan Company match of $1,450.

GRANTS OF PLAN-BASED AWARDS
                       
       
Estimated Future Payouts
   
All Other
   
Grant Date
 
       
Under Non-Equity
   
Stock Awards:
   
Fair Value
 
       
Incentive Plan Awards (1)
   
Number of Shares
   
of Stock and
 
   
Grant
 
Threshold
   
Target
   
Maximum
   
of Stock or Units
   
Option Awards
 
Name
 
Date
 
($)
   
($)
   
($)
    (#) (2)    
($) (2)
 
Mr. Richard A. Hubbell
 
4/22/2014
                30,000     231,900  
Mr. Ben M. Palmer
 
1/28/2014
                26,250     208,688  
Mr. R. Randall Rollins
 
4/22/2014
                30,000     231,900  
Mr. James A. Lane, Jr.
 
1/28/2014
        1,862,405         26,250     208,688  
Ms. Linda H. Graham
 
1/28/2014
                15,000     119,250  
 

(1) Amounts determined monthly in accordance with the performance-based compensation agreement between Mr. James A. Lane, Jr. and a subsidiary of the Company.
   
(2)
These amounts represent aggregate grant date fair value for grants of restricted shares of Common Stock awarded in fiscal year 2014 under our Stock Incentive Plan computed in accordance with ASC Topic 718. Please refer to Note 10 to our Financial Statements contained in our Form 10-K for the period ended December 31, 2014 for a discussion of assumptions used in this computation. We do not include an estimate of forfeitures as one of our assumptions. Our Form 10-K has been included in our Annual Report and provided to our stockholders.
 
 The table above reflects grants of restricted shares of Common Stock under the Stock Incentive Plan awarded in fiscal year 2014. All grants of restricted shares of Common Stock vest one-fifth per year beginning on the second anniversary of the grant date. Restricted shares have full voting and dividend rights. However, until the shares vest, they cannot be sold, transferred or pledged. Should the executive leave our employment for any reason prior to the vesting dates (other than due to death, disability, change in control or retirement on or after age 65), the unvested shares will be forfeited. We have not issued any stock options since 2003 to the executive officers and have no immediate plans to issue additional stock options.
 
 The Company’s employment contracts with its Chief Executive Officer and the Company’s other executive officers are oral, at will arrangements. The Compensation Committee’s compensation decisions are based upon broad performance and other objectives. The executive officers are eligible to receive shares of Company Common Stock subject to options and restricted stock awards for Company Common Stock under the Company’s Stock Incentive Plans, in such amounts and with such terms and conditions as determined by the Compensation Committee at the time of grant. All of the executive officers are eligible to participate in the Company’s Supplemental Retirement Plan. Mr. Lane participates in a performance-based compensation plan and the regular benefit programs, including the 401(k) Plan with Company match, group life insurance, group medical and dental coverage, vision and other group benefit plans at Chaparral Boats, Inc. Mr. Lane is also eligible for the Retirement Income Plan that was frozen in 2002. Messrs. Hubbell, Palmer, Rollins and Ms. Graham are eligible to participate in similar employee benefit programs at RPC. For more information on these plans, see “Compensation Discussion and Analysis” at page 13, and “Benefit Plans” at page 20.
 
18
 

 

 
OUTSTANDING EQUITY AWARDS AT FISCAL YEAR-END
 
The Company does not have any outstanding option awards made in prior years to the executives named in our Summary Compensation Table. The table below sets forth the total number of restricted shares of Common Stock that were granted in prior years to the executives named in our Summary Compensation Table but which have not yet vested, together with the market value of these unvested shares based on the $8.44 closing price of our Common Stock on December 31, 2014.
 
      Option Awards    
Stock Awards
 
   
Number of
   
Number of
               
Number of
   
Market Value
 
   
Securities
   
Securities
               
Shares or
   
of Shares or
 
   
Underlying
   
Underlying
               
Units of
   
Units of
 
   
Unexercised
   
Unexercised
   
Option
         
Stock That
   
Stock That
 
   
Options
   
Options
   
Exercise
   
Option
   
Have Not
   
Have Not
 
    (#)     (#)    
Price
   
Expiration
   
Vested
   
Vested
 
Name
 
Exercisable
   
Un-exercisable
   
($)
   
Date
    (#)    
($)
 
Richard A. Hubbell
                  149,000 (1)   1,257,560  
Ben M. Palmer
                  114.250 (1)   964,270  
R. Randall Rollins
                  149,000 (1)   1,257,560  
James A. Lane, Jr.
                  123,250 (1)   1,040,230  
Linda H. Graham
                  63,800 (1)   538,470  
 

(1) The Company has granted employees time lapse restricted shares that vest one-fifth per year beginning on the second anniversary of the grant date. Shares of restricted stock granted to the executive officers that have not vested as of December 31, 2014 are summarized in the table that follows:
 
               
Date fully
 
Name
 
Number of shares
 
Grant date
 
vested
 
Richard A. Hubbell
  9,000    
1/27/2009
 
1/27/2015
      14,000    
1/26/2010
 
1/26/2016
      24,000    
1/25/2011
 
1/25/2017
      32,000    
1/24/2012
 
1/24/2018
      40,000    
1/22/2013
 
1/22/2019
      30,000    
4/22/2014
 
4/22/2020
                 
 
Ben M. Palmer
  6,000    
1/27/2009
 
1/27/2015
      10,000    
1/26/2010
 
1/26/2016
      18,000    
1/25/2011
 
1/25/2017
      24,000    
1/24/2012
 
1/24/2018
      30,000    
1/22/2013
 
1/22/2019
      26,250    
1/28/2014
 
1/28/2020
                 
 
R. Randall Rollins
  9,000    
1/27/2009
 
1/27/2015
      14,000    
1/26/2010
 
1/26/2016
      24,000    
1/25/2011
 
1/25/2017
      32,000    
1/24/2012
 
1/24/2018
      40,000    
1/22/2013
 
1/22/2019
      30,000    
4/22/2014
 
4/22/2020
                 
 
James A. Lane, Jr.
  8,000    
1/27/2009
 
1/27/2015
      12,000    
1/26/2010
 
1/26/2016
      18,000    
1/25/2011
 
1/25/2017
      24,000    
1/24/2012
 
1/24/2018
      35,000    
1/22/2013
 
1/22/2019
      26,250    
1/28/2014
 
1/28/2020
                 
 
Linda H. Graham
  3,000    
1/27/2009
 
1/27/2015
      4,800    
1/26/2010
 
1/26/2016
      9,000    
1/25/2011
 
1/25/2017
      12,000    
1/24/2012
 
1/24/2018
      20,000    
1/22/2013
 
1/22/2019
      15,000    
1/28/2014
 
1/28/2020
 
19
 

 

 
OPTION EXERCISES AND STOCK VESTED
 
The following table sets forth:
 
the number of shares of Common Stock acquired by the executives named in the Summary Compensation Table upon the exercise of stock options during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2014;
   
the aggregate dollar amount realized on the exercise date for such options computed by multiplying the number of shares acquired by the difference between the market value of the shares on the exercise date and the exercise price of the options;
   
the number of restricted shares of Common Stock acquired by the executives named in the Summary Compensation Table upon the vesting of shares during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2014; and
   
the aggregate dollar amount realized on the vesting date for such restricted stock computed by multiplying the number of shares which vested by the market value of the shares on the vesting date.
 
   
Option Awards
   
Stock Awards
   
Number of
         
Number of
     
   
Shares
   
Value
   
Shares
   
Value
   
Acquired
   
Realized on
   
Acquired
   
Realized on
   
on Exercise
   
Exercise
   
on Vesting
   
Vesting
Name
  (#)    
($)
    (#)    
($)
Richard A. Hubbell
          38,000     324,650
Ben M. Palmer
          26,000     221,810
R. Randall Rollins
          38,000     324,650
James A. Lane, Jr.
          30,000     255,520
Linda H. Graham
          13,400     114,540
 
BENEFIT PLANS
 
The table below shows the present value of accumulated benefits payable to each of the named executive officers, including the number of years of service credited to each such named executive officer, under the Retirement Income Plan determined using interest rate and mortality rate assumptions consistent with those used in the Company’s financial statements. Information regarding the Retirement Income Plan can be found in Note 10 to our Financial Statements contained in our Form 10-K for the period ended December 31, 2014.
 
Pension Benefits
                       
             
Present
       
       
Number of
   
Value of
   
Payments
 
       
Years Credited
   
Accumulated
   
During Last
 
       
Service
   
Benefit
   
Fiscal Year
 
Name
 
Plan Name
  (#) (1)    
($)
   
($)
 
Mr. Richard A. Hubbell
 
Retirement Income Plan
           
Mr. Ben M. Palmer
 
Retirement Income Plan
           
Mr. R. Randall Rollins
 
Retirement Income Plan
           
Mr. James A. Lane, Jr.
 
Retirement Income Plan
  14     596,487     34,014  
Ms. Linda H. Graham
 
Retirement Income Plan
           
 

(1)
 All of the executive officers with the exception of Mr. James A. Lane, Jr., are eligible to receive benefits under the RPC Retirement Income Plan and do not participate in the Company’s Retirement Income Plan. The difference in years of credited and actual service for Mr. Lane is due to the freezing of benefit accruals in 2002. See discussion below for further details.
 
 The Company’s Retirement Income Plan, a trusteed defined benefit pension plan, provides monthly benefits upon retirement at age 65 to eligible employees. In 2002, the Company’s Board of Directors approved a resolution to cease all future benefit accruals under the Retirement Income Plan effective March 31, 2002. Retirement Income Plan benefits are based on the average of the employee’s compensation from the Company for the five consecutive complete calendar years of highest compensation during the last ten consecutive complete calendar years (“final average compensation”) immediately preceding March 31, 2002. The benefits are computed as the product of 1.5 percent of final average compensation multiplied by years of credited service (up to 30 years) reduced by an adjustment for benefits drawn from social security. Adjustments have been made for age and IRS mandated compensation limitation. The final average compensation for Mr. James A. Lane, Jr. is $209,612.
 
20
 

 

 
 The annual benefit payable at the later of retirement or age 65 for Mr. Lane is $48,400. Mr. Lane is voluntarily receiving distributions from the plan even though he has not retired from the Company. The Plan also provides reduced early retirement benefits at age 55 or older with 15 or more years of service.
 
401(k) Plan
 
 Effective July 1, 1984, the Company adopted a qualified retirement plan designed to meet the requirements of Section 401(k) of the Code. The Company makes matching contributions of fifty cents ($0.50) for each dollar ($1.00) of a participant’s contribution to the 401(k) Plan that does not exceed six percent of his or her annual compensation. The only form of benefit payment under the 401(k) Plan is a single lump-sum payment equal to the vested balance in the participant’s account on the date the distribution is processed. Under the 401(k) Plan, the full amount of a participant’s vested accrued benefit is payable upon his termination of employment, retirement, total and permanent disability, or death. Also under the 401(k) Plan, a participant may withdraw his or her pre-tax contributions to the extent of certain specified instances of financial hardship and may withdraw any amount from his or her pre-tax contribution account for any reason after attaining age 59 1/2. In addition, a participant may withdraw any amount from his or her rollover account for any reason. Amounts contributed by the Company to the accounts of the named executive officers under this plan are reported in the “All Other Compensation” column of the Summary Compensation Table on page 17.
 
NONQUALIFIED DEFERRED COMPENSATION
 
The SRP has been established as a non-qualified plan that is designed to comply with the provisions of the American Jobs Creation Act of 2004 (including Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code) for the cash contributions made to certain longer serviced employees in lieu of freezing of benefit accruals effective in 2002; this plan also has a compensation deferral option for eligible employees. The contributions and deferrals to the SRP are invested in funds held in a rabbi trust.
                               
   
Executive
   
Registrant
   
Aggregate
   
Aggregate
   
Aggregate
 
   
Contributions in
   
contributions in
   
earnings in
   
withdrawals/
   
balance at
 
Name
 
last FY ($) (1)
   
last FY ($)
   
last FY ($)
   
distributions ($)
   
last FYE ($)
 
Richard A. Hubbell
                   
Ben M. Palmer
                   
R. Randall Rollins
                   
James A. Lane, Jr.
                  1,109,326  
Linda H. Graham
  28,750         20,217         470,142  
 

(1)
Represents amounts related to the base salary paid in 2014 which have been deferred by the executive officer that are included in the Summary Compensation Table on page 17.
 
 The deferral option provides that participants may defer up to 50 percent of their base salary and up to 100 percent of their annual bonus with respect to any given plan year, subject to a $2,000 per plan year minimum. All of the salary and bonus deferrals are fully vested. Accounts are credited with hypothetical earnings, and/or debited with hypothetical losses, based on the performance of certain “Measurement Funds.” Account values are calculated as if the funds from deferrals and contributions had been converted into shares or other ownership units of selected Measurement Funds by purchasing (or selling, where relevant) such shares or units at the current purchase price of the relevant Measurement Fund at the time of the participant’s selection. The benefits are unsecured general obligations of the Company to the participants, and these obligations rank in parity with the Company’s other unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness. To the extent that the Company’s obligations under the SRP exceed assets available under the trust, the Company may be required to seek additional funding sources to fund its liability under the SRP.
 
Generally, the SRP provides for distributions of any deferred amounts upon the earliest to occur of a participant’s death, disability, retirement or other termination of employment (a “Termination Event”). However, for any deferrals of salary and bonus (but not Company contributions), participants would be entitled to designate a distribution date which is prior to a Termination Event. The SRP allows a participant to elect to receive distributions in installments or lump-sum payments.
 
21
 

 

 
POTENTIAL PAYMENTS UPON TERMINATION OR CHANGE-IN-CONTROL
 
The following table describes the potential payments and benefits under the Company’s compensation and benefit plans and arrangements to which the named executive officers would be entitled upon termination of employment. There are no other agreements, arrangements or plans that entitle executive officers to severance, perquisites, or other enhanced benefits upon termination of their employment except as described below. Additional payments or benefits to a terminating executive officer would be at the discretion of the Compensation Committee.
 
In accordance with the terms of the defined benefit plan, the executive officers are not entitled to additional benefits at death or disability. The amounts payable at retirement are described in the “Benefit Plans” section on page 20. The executive officers can choose to receive the amounts accumulated in the SRP either as a lump-sum or in installments at retirement, death or disability. The table below reflects the incremental restricted shares that would become vested as of December 31, 2014 using the closing market price of $8.44 per share for our Common Stock, as of that date, in the case of retirement, disability, death or change in control.
 
      Stock Awards
Name
 
Number of shares underlying
unvested stock (#)
 
Unrealized value of
unvested stock ($)
Richard A. Hubbell
       
Retirement
 
36,667
 
309,470
Disability 
 
53,722
 
453,410
Death
 
149,000
 
1,257,560
Change in control
 
149,000
 
1,257,560
Ben M. Palmer
       
Retirement
 
 
Disability
 
40,828
 
344,590
Death 
 
114,250
 
964,270
Change in control
 
114,250
 
964,270
R. Randall Rollins
       
Retirement
 
36,667
 
309,470
Disability 
 
53,722
 
453,410
Death
 
149,000
 
1,257,560
Change in control
 
149,000
 
1,257,560
James A. Lane, Jr.
       
Retirement
 
30,250
 
255,310
Disability
 
45,384
 
383,040
Death  
 
123,250
 
1,040,230
Change in control
 
123,250
 
1,040,230
Linda H. Graham
       
Retirement
 
14,117
 
119,150
Disability 
 
22,190
 
187,280
Death
 
63,800
 
538,470
Change in control
 
63,800
 
538,470
 
22
 

 

 
Accrued Pay and Regular Retirement Benefits
 
The amounts shown in the table above do not include the following since they are provided on a non-discriminatory basis to salaried employees generally upon termination of employment. These include:
 
 
Accrued salary and vacation pay.
 
Distributions of plan balances under the 401(k) Plan.
 
Pension Benefit and Deferred Compensation
 
The Retirement Income Plan does not provide for lump sum payments for a participant including executive officers for instances other than retirement. The Retirement Income Plan is described above. Upon termination, the executive officers will receive a distribution of the balance in their SRP account.
 
Severance. The Company does not have any severance arrangements for its executives.
 
CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
 
Effective with the spin-off in 2001, RPC began providing certain administrative services to the Company. The service agreements between RPC and the Company provide for the provision of services on a cost reimbursement basis and are terminable on six months’ notice. The services covered by these agreements include administration of certain employee benefit programs and other administrative services. Charges from RPC (or from corporations that are subsidiaries of RPC) for such services aggregated approximately $663,000 in 2014.
 
During the year ended December 31, 2014, the Company purchased 100,000 shares from one of its directors who is also an executive officer, for total consideration of $775,000. The purchase was completed under the stock buyback program approved by the Board of Directors that is currently in effect.
 
During the year ended December 31, 2014, RPC and Marine Products entered into a joint venture creating a limited liability company called 255 RC, LLC, that is owned 50 percent each for the purchase and ownership of a corporate aircraft. 255 RC, LLC was funded with a contribution of approximately $2,554,000 each from RPC and Marine Products. The purchase of the aircraft was completed in January 2015 and each of RPC and Marine Products have entered into an operating lease agreement with 255 RC, LLC for a period of five years.
 
A group that includes the Company’s Chairman of the Board, R. Randall Rollins, his brother, Gary W. Rollins, who is also a director and certain companies under their control, possesses in excess of fifty percent of the Company’s voting power. Please refer to the discussion above under the heading, “Corporate Governance and Board of Directors Committees and Meetings, Director Independence and NYSE Requirements, Controlled Company Exemption.” The group discussed above also controls in excess of fifty percent of RPC’s voting power.
 
Our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics for Directors and Executive Officers and Related Party Transactions Policy provides that related party transactions, as defined in Regulation S-K, Item 404(a) must be reviewed, approved and/or ratified by our Nominating and Governance Committee. As set forth in our Code, our Nominating and Governance Committee has the responsibility to ensure that it only approve or ratify related party transactions that are in compliance with applicable law, consistent with the Company’s corporate governance policies (including those relative to conflicts of interest and usurpation of corporate opportunities) and on terms that are deemed to be fair to the Company. The Committee has the authority to hire legal, accounting, financial or other advisors as it may deem necessary or desirable and/or to delegate responsibilities to executive officers of the Company in connection with discharging its duties. A copy of the Code is available on our website at www.marineproductscorp.com under the Governance section. All related party transactions for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2014 were reviewed, approved and/or ratified by the Nominating and Governance Committee in accordance with the Code.
 
23
 

 

 
INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS
 
Principal Auditor
 
Grant Thornton LLP (“Grant Thornton”) served as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013.
 
The Audit Committee has appointed Grant Thornton as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2015. Grant Thornton has served as the Company’s independent auditors for many years and is considered by management to be well qualified. Representatives of Grant Thornton are expected to be present at the Annual Meeting and will have an opportunity to make a statement if they so desire and will be available to respond to appropriate questions.
 
Aggregate fees billed by the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm are set forth below:
 
   
2014
   
2013
Audit fees and quarterly reviews (1)
  $ 712,180     $ 671,030
Audit related fees  
    ––       ––
Tax fees      
    ––       ––
All other fees 
    ––       ––
 

(1)
Audit fees include fees for audit or review services in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards, such as statutory audits and services rendered for compliance with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.
 
Pre-approval of Services
 
All of the services described above were pre-approved by the Company’s Audit Committee. The Audit Committee has determined that the payments made to its independent registered public accounting firm for these services are compatible with maintaining such auditors’ independence. A majority of the hours expended on the principal accountant’s engagement to audit the financial statements of the Company for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2014 was attributable to work performed by full-time, permanent employees of the principal accountant.
 
The Audit Committee is directly responsible for the appointment and termination (subject, if applicable, to shareholder ratification), compensation, and oversight of the work of the independent registered public accounting firm, including resolution of disagreements between management and the independent registered public accounting firm regarding financial reporting. The Audit Committee is responsible for pre-approving all audit and non-audit services provided by the independent registered public accounting firm and ensuring that they are not engaged to perform the specific non-audit services proscribed by law or regulation. The Audit Committee has delegated pre-approval authority to its Chairman with the stipulation that his decision is to be presented to the full Committee at its next scheduled meeting. The Audit Committee has no other pre-approval policies.
 
STOCKHOLDER PROPOSALS
 
Appropriate proposals of stockholders intended to be presented at the Company’s 2016 Annual Meeting of the Stockholders must be received by the Company by November 21, 2015, in order to be included, pursuant to Rule 14a-8 promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, in the proxy statement and form of proxy relating to that meeting. With regard to such stockholder proposals, if the date of the next annual meeting of the stockholders is advanced or delayed more than 30 calendar days from April 28, 2016, the Company will, in a timely manner, inform its stockholders of the change and of the date by which such proposals must be received. Stockholders desiring to present business at the 2016 Annual Meeting of Stockholders outside of the stockholder proposal rules of Rule 14a-8 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and instead pursuant to Article Twenty-Seventh of the Company’s by-laws must prepare a written notice regarding such proposal addressed to Secretary, Marine Products Corporation, 2170 Piedmont Road, NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30324, and deliver to or mailed and received no later than January 29, 2016 and no earlier than December 20, 2015. Stockholders should consult the by-laws for other specific requirements related to such notice and proposed business.
 
24
 

 

 
With respect to stockholder nomination of directors, the Company’s by-laws provide that nominations for the election of directors may be made by any stockholder entitled to vote for the election of directors. Nominations must comply with an advance notice procedure which generally requires with respect to nominations for directors for election at an annual meeting, that written notice be addressed to: Secretary, Marine Products Corporation, 2170 Piedmont Road, N.E., Atlanta, Georgia 30324, and be received not less than 90 nor more than 130 days prior to the anniversary of the prior year’s annual meeting and set forth among other things specified in the by-laws, the name, age, business address and, if known, residence address of the nominee proposed in the notice, the principal occupation or employment of the nominee for the past five years, the nominee’s qualifications, the class or series and number of shares of capital stock of the Company which are owned beneficially or of record by the person and any other information relating to the person that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filings. Other specific requirements related to such notice, including required disclosures concerning the stockholder intending to present the nomination, are set forth in the Company’s by-laws. Notices of nominations must be received by the Secretary of the Company no later than January 29, 2016 and no earlier than December 20, 2015 with respect to directors to be elected at the 2016 Annual Meeting of Stockholders.
 
EXPENSES OF SOLICITATION
 
Marine Products will bear the cost of soliciting proxies. Upon request, we will reimburse brokers, dealers and banks, or their nominees, for reasonable expenses incurred in forwarding copies of the proxy material to their beneficial stockholders of record. Solicitation of proxies will be made principally by mail. Proxies also may be solicited in person or by telephone, facsimile or other means by our directors, officers and regular employees. These individuals will receive no additional compensation for these services. The Company has retained Georgeson Shareholder Communications, Inc. to conduct a broker search and to send proxies by mail for an estimated fee of approximately $43,000 including shipping expenses.
 
MISCELLANEOUS
 
The Company’s Annual Report to Stockholders, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2014, without exhibits, is being mailed to stockholders with this Proxy Statement.
 
Upon the written request of any record or beneficial owner of the Company’s Common Stock whose proxy was solicited in connection with the 2015 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, the Company will furnish such owner, without charge, a copy of its Annual Report on Form 10-K, including the financial statements and the financial statement schedules (but without exhibits), for its fiscal year ended December 31, 2014. Requests for a copy of such Annual Report on Form 10-K should be addressed to Ms. Linda H. Graham, Secretary, Marine Products Corporation, 2170 Piedmont Road, NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30324.
 
Management knows of no business other than the matters set forth herein that will be presented at the Annual Meeting. Inasmuch as matters not known at this time may come before the Annual Meeting, the enclosed proxy confers discretionary authority with respect to such matters as may properly come before the Annual Meeting and it is the intention of the persons named in the proxy to vote in accordance with their best judgment on such matters.
 
 
BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
   
 
/s/  Linda H. Graham
   
  Linda H. Graham, Secretary
   
Atlanta, Georgia
 
March 20, 2015
 
 
25
 

 

 
ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS OF
 
MARINE PRODUCTS CORPORATION
 
Tuesday, April 28, 2015, 12:00 Noon
 
PROXY VOTING INSTRUCTIONS
  
INTERNET - Access “www.voteproxy.com” and follow the on-screen instructions or scan the QR code with your smartphone. Have your proxy card available when you access the web page.
 
TELEPHONE - Call toll-free 1-800-PROXIES (1-800-776-9437) in the United States or 1-718-921-8500 from foreign countries from any touch-tone telephone and follow the instructions. Have your proxy card available when you call.

  (graphic)  
Vote online/phone until 11:59 PM EST the day before the meeting.  
COMPANY NUMBER
 
 
MAIL - Sign, date and mail your proxy card in the envelope provided as soon as possible.
 
IN PERSON - You may vote your shares in person by attending the Annual Meeting.
 
GO GREEN - e-Consent makes it easy to go paperless. With e-Consent, you can quickly access your proxy material, statements and other eligible documents online, while reducing costs, clutter and paper waste. Enroll today via www.amstock.com to enjoy online access.
   
   
 
ACCOUNT NUMBER
 
   
   
 
CONTROL NUMBER
 
   
   
     
 
SHARES
 
     
     
NOTICE OF INTERNET AVAILABILITY OF PROXY MATERIAL
The Proxy Statement and 2014 Annual Report
are available at http://www.astproxyportal.com/ast/26232/
 
(graphic)  Please detach along perforated line and mail in the envelope provided IF you are not voting via telephone or the Internet.(graphic)
 
 
    20330000000000000000     9
042815
 
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE “FOR” ALL
THE NOMINEES LISTED ON PROPOSAL 1 AND “FOR” PROPOSAL 2.
PLEASE SIGN, DATE AND RETURN PROMPTLY IN THE ENCLOSED ENVELOPE. PLEASE MARK YOUR VOTE IN BLUE OR BLACK INK AS SHOWN HERE ☒
                                   
1.
To elect the three Class II nominees identified in the attached proxy statement to the Board of Directors;
                   
FOR
AGAINST
ABSTAIN
   
2.
To ratify the appointment of Grant Thornton LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2015;
 
   
NOMINEES:
           
FOR ALL NOMINEES
O
GARY W. ROLLINS
           
   
O
RICHARD A. HUBBELL
             
WITHHOLD AUTHORITY
O
LARRY L. PRINCE
       
 
 
 
 
FOR ALL NOMINEES
     
3.
To consider and act upon such other business as may properly come before the Annual Meeting or any adjournment of the meeting.
 
FOR ALL EXCEPT
                     
 
 
 
 
(See instructions below)
     
ALL PROXIES SIGNED AND RETURNED WILL BE VOTED OR NOT VOTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH YOUR INSTRUCTIONS, BUT THOSE WITH NO CHOICE INDICATED WILL BE VOTED FOR THE ABOVE-NAMED NOMINEES FOR DIRECTOR AND FOR THE RATIFICATION OF THE APPOINTMENT OF GRANT THORNTON LLP AS OUR INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM. THIS PROXY IS SOLICITED ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE COMPANY.

NO POSTAGE REQUIRED IF THIS PROXY IS RETURNED IN THE ENCLOSED ENVELOPE AND MAILED IN THE UNITED STATES.
                                 
INSTRUCTIONS: To withhold authority to vote for any individual nominee(s), mark “FOR ALL EXCEPT” and fill in the circle next to each nominee you wish to withhold, as shown here:  
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
To change the address on your account, please check the box at right and indicate your new address in the address space above. Please note that changes to the registered name(s) on the account may not be submitted via this method.  
 
 
 
               
Signature of Stockholder  
 
 Date: 
 
  Signature of Stockholder  
 
 Date: 
 
 
  Note: 
Please sign exactly as your name or names appear on this Proxy. When shares are held jointly, each holder should sign. When signing as executor, administrator, attorney, trustee or guardian, please give full title as such. If the signer is a corporation, please sign full corporate name by duly authorized officer, giving full title as such. If signer is a partnership, please sign in partnership name by authorized person.
 
               
     
 
 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
MARINE PRODUCTS CORPORATION
 
Proxy for Annual Meeting of Stockholders on Tuesday, April 28, 2015, 12:00 Noon
 
Solicited on Behalf of the Board of Directors
 
The undersigned hereby constitutes and appoints GARY W. ROLLINS and R. RANDALL ROLLINS, and each of them, jointly and severally, proxies, with full power of substitution, to vote all shares of Common Stock which the undersigned is entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held on April 28, 2015, at 12:00 Noon at 2170 Piedmont Road, NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30324, or any adjournment of the meeting.
 
The undersigned acknowledges receipt of Notice of Annual Meeting of Stockholders and Proxy Statement, each dated March 20, 2015, grants authority to said proxies, or either of them, or their substitutes, to act in the absence of others, with all the powers which the undersigned would possess if personally present at such meeting and hereby ratifies and confirms all that said proxies or their substitutes may lawfully do in the undersigned’s name, place and stead. The undersigned instructs said proxies, or either of them, to vote as stated on the reverse side.
 
(Continued and to be signed on the reverse side.)
 
           1.1
14475     
     
 
 
 

 

 
ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS OF
 
MARINE PRODUCTS CORPORATION
 
Tuesday, April 28, 2015, 12:00 Noon
 
 
GO GREEN
e-Consent makes it easy to go paperless. With e-Consent, you can quickly access your proxy material, statements and other eligible documents online, while reducing costs, clutter and paper waste. Enroll today via www.amstock.com to enjoy online access.
 
 
NOTICE OF INTERNET AVAILABILITY OF PROXY MATERIAL:
The Proxy Statement and 2014 Annual Report
are available at http://www.astproxyportal.com/ast/26232/
 
Please sign, date and mail
your proxy card in the
envelope provided as soon
as possible.
 
(graphic)   Please detach along perforated line and mail in the envelope provided. (graphic)
 
 
       20330000000000000000    9
042815
 
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE “FOR” ALL
THE NOMINEES LISTED ON PROPOSAL 1 AND “FOR” PROPOSAL 2.
PLEASE SIGN, DATE AND RETURN PROMPTLY IN THE ENCLOSED ENVELOPE.  PLEASE MARK YOUR VOTE IN BLUE OR BLACK INK AS SHOWN HERE ☒
                                   
1.
To elect the three Class II nominees identified in the attached proxy statement to the Board of Directors;
                   
FOR
AGAINST
ABSTAIN
   
2.
To ratify the appointment of Grant Thornton LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2015;
 
                 
   
NOMINEES:
           
FOR ALL NOMINEES
O
GARY W. ROLLINS
             
   
O
RICHARD A. HUBBELL
  3. To consider and act upon such other business as may properly come before the Annual Meeting or any adjournment of the meeting.
WITHHOLD AUTHORITY
FOR ALL NOMINEES
O
LARRY L. PRINCE
 
 
 
FOR ALL EXCEPT
(See instructions below)
     
ALL PROXIES SIGNED AND RETURNED WILL BE VOTED OR NOT VOTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH YOUR INSTRUCTIONS, BUT THOSE WITH NO CHOICE INDICATED WILL BE VOTED FOR THE ABOVE-NAMED NOMINEES FOR DIRECTOR AND FOR THE RATIFICATION OF THE APPOINTMENT OF GRANT THORNTON LLP AS OUR INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM. THIS PROXY IS SOLICITED ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE COMPANY.
                                 
INSTRUCTIONS: To withhold authority to vote for any individual nominee(s), mark “FOR ALL EXCEPT” and fill in the circle next to each nominee you wish to withhold, as shown here:  
 
NO POSTAGE REQUIRED IF THIS PROXY IS RETURNED IN THE ENCLOSED ENVELOPE AND MAILED IN THE UNITED STATES.
     
   
 
 
 
 
 
To change the address on your account, please check the box at right and indicate your new address in the address space above. Please note that changes to the registered name(s) on the account may not be submitted via this method.
   
                                 
               
Signature of Stockholder  
 
 Date: 
 
 Signature of Stockholder 
 
 Date: 
 
 
  Note: 
Please sign exactly as your name or names appear on this Proxy. When shares are held jointly, each holder should sign. When signing as executor, administrator, attorney, trustee or guardian, please give full title as such. If the signer is a corporation, please sign full corporate name by duly authorized officer, giving full title as such. If signer is a partnership, please sign in partnership name by authorized person.