Form 6-K
 
 
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, DC 20549
 
Form 6-K
REPORT OF FOREIGN PRIVATE ISSUER
PURSUANT TO RULE 13A-16 OR 15D-16 UNDER
THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
Date of Report: March 26, 2010
 
Commission File Number: 001-13425
Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers Incorporated
9500 Glenlyon Parkway
Burnaby, BC, Canada
V5J 0C6
(778) 331 5500
(Address of principal executive offices)
 
indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports under cover Form 20-F or Form 40-F
Form 20-F o Form 40-F þ
indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1): o
indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7): o
indicate by check mark whether by furnishing information contained in this Form, the registrant is also thereby furnishing the information to the Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Yes o No þ
If “Yes” is marked, indicate below the file number assigned to the registrant in connection with Rule 12g3-2(b): 82-           
 
 

 

 


 

This Form 6-K incorporates the Notice of Annual and Special Meeting of Shareholders, Information Circular and Form of Proxy distributed to the Company’s shareholders of record as of March 19, 2010. The Information Circular was provided to shareholders in connection with the Company’s annual and special meeting to be held on April 29, 2010.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
         
  Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers Incorporated
(Registrant)
 
 
Date: March 26, 2010  By:   /s/ Jeremy Black    
    Jeremy Black   
    Corporate Secretary   

 

 


 

RITCHIE BROS. AUCTIONEERS INCORPORATED
NOTICE OF ANNUAL AND SPECIAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
TO THE SHAREHOLDERS:
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that an Annual and Special Meeting (the “Meeting”) of the shareholders of RITCHIE BROS. AUCTIONEERS INCORPORATED (the “Company”) will be held at Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers’ offices at 9500 Glenlyon Parkway, Burnaby, British Columbia, V5J 0C6, on Thursday, April 29, 2010 at 11:00 a.m. (Vancouver time), for the following purposes:
  (1)   to receive the financial statements of the Company for the financial year ended December 31, 2009 and the report of the Auditors thereon;
 
  (2)   to elect the directors of the Company to hold office until their successors are elected at the next annual meeting of the Company;
 
  (3)   to appoint the Auditors of the Company to hold office until the next annual meeting of the Company and to authorize the directors to fix the remuneration to be paid to the Auditors;
 
  (4)   to consider and, if deemed advisable, to pass an ordinary resolution approving the reconfirmation of the Shareholder Rights Plan adopted in 2007 in accordance with a Shareholder Rights Plan Agreement dated as of February 22, 2007 between the Company and Computershare Investor Services Inc., the full text of which resolution is set out in Schedule “A” in the accompanying Information Circular; and
 
  (5)   to transact such other business as may properly be brought before the Meeting.
Further information regarding the matters to be considered at the Meeting is set out in the accompanying Information Circular.
The directors of the Company have fixed the close of business on March 19, 2010 as the record date for determining shareholders entitled to receive notice of and to vote at the Meeting. Only registered shareholders of the Company as of March 19, 2010 will be entitled to vote, in person or by proxy, at the Meeting.
Shareholders are requested to date, sign and return the accompanying form of proxy for use at the Meeting, whether or not they are able to attend personally. To be effective, forms of proxy must be received by Computershare Trust Company of Canada, Attention Proxy Department, 100 University Avenue, 9th Floor, Toronto, Ontario, M5J 2Y1, no later than 48 hours (excluding Saturdays, Sundays and holidays) before the time of the Meeting or any adjournment thereof.
All non-registered shareholders who receive these materials through a broker or other intermediary should complete and return the materials in accordance with the instructions provided to them by such broker or intermediary.
DATED at Vancouver, British Columbia, as of this 26th day of March, 2010.
By Order of the Board of Directors
-s- Jeremy Black
Jeremy Black
Corporate Secretary

 

 


 

RITCHIE BROS. AUCTIONEERS INCORPORATED
ANNUAL AND SPECIAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
INFORMATION CIRCULAR
Unless otherwise provided, the information herein is given as of March 2, 2010.
Solicitation of Proxies
This Information Circular is being furnished to the shareholders of the Company in connection with the solicitation of proxies for use at the Annual and Special Meeting to be held on April 29, 2010 (the “Meeting”) by management of the Company. The solicitation will be primarily by mail; however, proxies may also be solicited personally or by telephone by the directors, officers or employees of the Company. The Company may also pay brokers or other persons holding common shares of the Company (the “Common Shares”) in their own names or in the names of nominees for their reasonable expenses of sending proxies and proxy materials to beneficial shareholders for the purposes of obtaining their proxies. The costs of this solicitation are being borne by the Company.
PARTICULARS OF MATTERS TO BE ACTED UPON AT THE MEETING
PROPOSAL 1: Election of Directors
Under the Articles of Amalgamation of the Company, the number of directors of the Company is set at a minimum of three (3) and a maximum of ten (10) and the board of directors (the “Board”) is authorized to determine the actual number of directors within that range to be elected from time to time. The Company currently has seven (7) directors. Each director of the Company is elected annually and holds office until the next annual meeting of shareholders of the Company unless he or she sooner ceases to hold office. The Articles of the Company also provide that the Board has the power to increase the number of directors at any time between annual meetings of shareholders and appoint one or more additional directors, provided that the total number of directors so appointed shall not exceed one-third of the number of directors elected at the previous annual meeting. The Board of the Company has determined that the number of directors to be elected at the Meeting shall be seven (7).
The Company intends to nominate each of the persons listed below for election as a director of the Company. The persons proposed for nomination are, in the opinion of the Board and management, well qualified to act as directors for the ensuing year. The persons named in the enclosed form of proxy intend to vote for the election of such nominees.
The information presented in the table below has been provided by the respective nominee as of March 2, 2010. The number of Common Shares owned, controlled or directed includes Common Shares beneficially owned, directly or indirectly (other than stock options), or over which control or direction is exercised by the proposed nominee. See the table following for disclosure of stock option information.

 

1


 

     
ROBERT WAUGH MURDOCH
Residence: Salt Spring Island, B.C., Canada
Age: 68
Independent
Director since: February 20, 2006
Shares owned, controlled or directed: 15,219 (1)
  Mr. Murdoch is currently Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Company, a position he has held since 2008. Mr. Murdoch is a corporate director and spent most of his career with Lafarge Corporation and affiliates, starting in Vancouver in 1967 and retiring from the position of President and Chief Executive Officer of Lafarge North America Inc. (NYSE and TSX: “LAF”), North America’s largest diversified supplier of construction materials, in 1992. Mr. Murdoch was a member of the Board of Lafarge, S.A. (NYSE: “LR”; Paris Stock Exchange (Eurolist): “LG”), the Paris-based parent company of Lafarge Corporation, until 2005. Mr. Murdoch holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Toronto.
 
   
 
  Committees:
 
   
 
  Member of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee.
 
   
 
  Other directorships:
 
   
 
  Timberwest Forest Corp. (TSX: “TWF.un” — a public forestry company) — Director; Member of the Governance and Human Resources Committee; Member of the Audit Committee.
 
   
 
  Lafarge, S.A. — International Advisory Board member.
 
   
 
  Lallemand Inc. (a private company specializing in the development, production and marketing of yeasts and bacteria products) — Director.
 
   
 
  Weatherhaven Inc. (a private company supplying portable shelter systems) — Advisory Board Chair.
 
   
PETER JAMES BLAKE
Residence: Vancouver, B.C., Canada
Age: 48
Independent
Director since: December 12, 1997
Shares owned, controlled or directed: 143,380
  Mr. Blake is currently Chief Executive Officer of the Company, a position he has held since 2004. Prior to his appointment, Mr. Blake held various positions with the Company, including Chief Financial Officer (1997-2004), Vice President, Finance (1994 to 1997) and Controller (1991 to 1994). Mr. Blake joined the Company in 1991 and is a Chartered Accountant and has a bachelor of Commerce Degree from the University of Alberta.
 
   
 
  Committees:
 
   
 
  N/A
 
   
 
  Other directorships:
 
   
 
  British Columbia Institute of Technology Foundation (a not for profit) — Director.
 
   
 
  West Point Grey Academy (a not for profit) — Director.
 
   
CHRISTOPHER ZIMMERMAN
Residence: Exeter, NH, USA
Age: 50
Independent
Director since: April 11, 2008
Shares owned, controlled or directed: 2,820
  Mr. Zimmerman was appointed President of Easton Sports, Inc. in March 2010, a designer, developer and marketer of sports equipment and accessories. He resigned in 2009 from the position of President and Chief Executive Officer of Canucks Sports and Entertainment, a sports entertainment company in Vancouver, B.C. Before joining them, Mr. Zimmerman was the President and Chief Executive Officer of Nike Bauer Inc., a hockey equipment company. Prior to this appointment in March 2003, Mr. Zimmerman was General Manager of Nike Golf USA, in Beaverton, Oregon. He joined Nike Golf in 1998 after spending 16 years in a variety of senior advertising positions, including USA Advertising Director for the Nike Brand and Senior Vice President at Saatchi and Saatchi Advertising in New York. Mr. Zimmerman has an MBA from Babson College.
 
   
 
  Committees:
 
   
 
  Member of the Compensation Committee.

 

2


 

     
ERIC PATEL
Residence: Vancouver, B.C., Canada
Age: 53
Independent
Director since: April 16, 2004
Shares owned, controlled or directed: 15,410
  Mr. Patel is currently Chief Financial Officer of Pembrook Mining Corp., a private mining company he joined in 2007 (formerly called Paget Resources Corporation). Prior to joining Pembrook, Mr. Patel was the CFO of Crystal Decisions, Inc., a privately held software company. Mr. Patel joined Crystal Decisions in 1999 after holding executive level positions, including that of CFO, with University Games, Inc., a privately held manufacturer of educational toys and games. Before 1997, Mr. Patel worked for Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream as Director of Strategy, for Marakon Associates strategy consultants and for Chemical Bank. Mr. Patel holds an MBA degree from Stanford University.
 
   
 
  Committees:
 
   
 
  Chair of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee.
 
   
 
  Member of the Audit Committee.
 
   
 
  Other directorships:
 
   
 
  ACL Services Ltd. (a private software company) — Advisory Board member.
 
   
 
  B.C. Social Venture Partners (a not for profit) — Treasurer
 
   
EDWARD BALTAZAR PITONIAK
Residence: West Vancouver, B.C., Canada
Age: 54
Independent
Director since: July 28, 2006
Shares owned, controlled or directed: 3,085
  Mr. Pitoniak is currently a corporate director. Mr. Pitoniak retired in 2009 from the position of President and Chief Executive Officer and Director of bcIMC Hospitality Group, a hotel property and brand ownership entity (formerly a public income trust called Canadian Hotel Income Properties Real Estate Investment Trust (CHIP) — TSX: “HOT.un”), where he was employed since January 2004. Mr. Pitoniak was also a member of CHIP’s Board of Trustees before it went private. Prior to joining CHIP, Mr. Pitoniak was a Senior Vice-President at Intrawest Corporation (TSX: “ITW”; NYSE “IDR” — a ski and golf resort operator and developer) for nearly eight years. Before Intrawest, Mr. Pitoniak spent nine years with Times Mirror Magazines, where he served as editor-in-chief and advertising director with Ski Magazine. Mr. Pitoniak has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Amherst College.
 
   
 
  Committees:
 
   
 
  Chair of the Compensation Committee.
 
   
 
  Other directorships:
 
   
 
  Brentwood College School — Governor.
 
   
     
BEVERLEY ANNE BRISCOE
Residence: Vancouver, B.C., Canada
Age: 55
Independent
Director since: October 29, 2004
Shares owned, controlled or directed: 11,252
  Ms. Briscoe is currently owner and President, Briscoe Management Ltd., a consulting company that she has owned since 2004. From 2003 to 2007, Ms. Briscoe was also Chair of the Industry Training Authority for BC. Ms. Briscoe’s previous employment includes: from 1997 to 2004 she was President and owner of Hiway Refrigeration Limited; from 1994 to 1997 she was Vice President and General Manager of Wajax Industries Limited; from 1989 to 1994 she was CFO for the Rivtow Group of Companies; from 1983 to 1989 she held various executive positions with several operating divisions of The Jim Pattison Group; and from 1977 to 1983 she worked with a predecessor firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers. Ms. Briscoe is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants and has a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of British Columbia.
 
   
 
  Committees:
 
   
 
  Chair of the Audit Committee.
 
   
 
  Member of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee.

 

3


 

     
 
  Other directorships:
 
   
 
  Goldcorp Inc. (TSX: “G”; NYSE: “GG” — a public gold and precious metal company) — Director; Chair of the Audit Committee and a member of the Governance and Nominating Committee and the Environmental Health and Safety Committee.
 
   
 
  Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Vancouver (a not for profit) — Director.
 
   
 
  Forum of Women Entrepreneurs (a not for profit) — Director.
 
   
 
  BC Forest Safety Council (a not for profit) — Director; Interim Chair.
 
   
 
  Coast Opportunities Funds (a not for profit) — Director.
 
   
 
  Minerva Foundation (a not for profit) — Director.
 
   
JAMES MICHAEL MICALI
Residence: Boston, MA, USA
Age: 62
Director since: April 25, 2008
Shares owned, controlled or directed: 2,390 (2)
  Mr. Micali is a senior advisor and limited partner of Azalea Fund III and Azalea Capital (a private equity fund) and was a consultant to Michelin North America until 2009. He is also counsel to Ogletree Deakins, a labour and employment law firm and was an adjunct professor of Furman University until 2009. Mr. Micali retired in 2008 from the position of Chairman and President of Michelin North America, where he had responsibility for Michelin’s operations in North America. He started his career with Michelin in 1977 and had responsibility for many of Michelin’s major business functions, including strategic planning, sales and marketing, customer service, mergers and acquisitions, finance, legal, information systems, human resources and external relations. Prior to joining Michelin, Mr. Micali practiced law in Providence, Rhode Island; he obtained his legal education from Boston College Law School and was admitted to the bars of Rhode Island and Massachusetts. Mr. Micali also served on the board of directors of Lafarge North America, a supplier of construction materials (NYSE and TSX: “LAF”) from 2003 until May 2006.
 
   
 
  Committees:
 
   
 
  Member of the Audit Committee.
 
   
 
  Member of the Compensation Committee.
 
   
 
  Other directorships:
 
   
 
  Sonoco Products Company (NYSE: “SON” — a global supplier of industrial and consumer packaging solutions) — Director; member of Compensation, Audit and Governance, and Executive Committees.
 
   
 
  SCANA Corporation (NYSE: “SCG” — an energy production and distribution company) — Director; member of Nuclear Oversight and Personnel Committees.
 
   
 
  American Tire Distributors Holdings, Inc. (a private tire wholesaler company) — Director.
 
   
 
  Sage Automotive Industries, Inc. (a private automotive supplier) — Director and Chair.
 
   
 
  Humphrey Companies, LLC (a private equity company) — Advisory Board member.
Notes:
     
(1)   In addition to the shares owned directly by Mr. Murdoch, his spouse also owns 2,100 Common Shares, which are included in the 15,219 shares.
 
(2)   These shares are held jointly by Mr. Micali and his spouse.

 

4


 

The Company is not aware that any of the above nominees will be unable or unwilling to serve as a director of the Company; however, should the Company become aware of such an occurrence before the election of directors takes place at the Meeting, if one of the persons named in the enclosed form of proxy is appointed as proxyholder, it is intended that the discretionary power granted under such proxy will be used to vote for any substitute nominee or nominees who the Board, in its discretion, may select.
In addition to the information presented above regarding Common Shares beneficially owned, controlled or directed, one director of the Company held the stock options set out in the following table as of March 2, 2010. None of the Company’s non-executive directors have been granted stock options since their appointment. The Company ceased granting options to non-executive directors in 2004, and will not grant them in the future, in accordance with its Policy Regarding the Granting of Equity-Based Compensation Awards. The options granted to Mr. Blake, the CEO of the Company, prior to 2009 vested one year from their respective grant dates and options granted to Mr. Blake on March 5, 2009 vest over a three (3) year period in equal amounts on the anniversary date of the grant. All options granted to Mr. Blake have expiry dates of ten years from each respective grant date, subject to early termination, as set out in the relevant option agreement.
                                         
            Number of                    
            Options     Exercise     Total     Total  
Nominee   Grant Date   Expiry Date   Granted     Price (U.S.$)     Exercised     Unexercised  
 
                                       
Peter Blake
  Mar. 5, 2009   Mar. 5, 2019     114,800     $ 14.50             114,800  
 
  Feb. 28, 2008   Feb. 28, 2018     39,900       24.39             39,900  
 
  Mar. 1, 2007   Mar. 1, 2017     51,000       18.67             51,000  
 
  Jan. 24, 2006   Jan. 24, 2016     72,000       14.70             72,000  
 
  Jan. 25, 2005   Jan. 25, 2015     62,400       10.80       61,000       1,400  
 
  Feb. 13, 2004   Feb. 13, 2014     67,200       8.82       67,200        
 
  Jan. 30, 2003   Jan. 30, 2013     90,000       5.18       90,000        
 
  Feb. 11, 2002   Feb. 11, 2012     25,800       4.35       25,800        
 
  Jan. 31, 2001   Jan. 31, 2011     48,000       3.89       48,000        
 
                                 
 
            571,100               292,000       279,100  
 
                                 
Mr. Murdoch is currently the Chairman of the Board and is an independent director and therefore, the Company’s Board has not appointed a Lead Director. Any shareholder wishing to contact the Chairman of the Board may do so by phoning 778-331-5300 or by sending an email to LeadDirector@rbauction.com.
Additional disclosure relating to the Company’s Audit Committee as required under Multilateral Instrument 52-110 is contained in the Company’s Annual Information Form under the heading “Audit Committee Information”. The Annual Information Form of the Company has been filed on SEDAR and is available on their website at www.sedar.com. A copy of the Company’s Annual Information Form may also be obtained by making a request to the Corporate Secretary of the Company.

 

5


 

Board and Committee Attendance
The following tables present information about Board of Directors and Committee meetings and attendance by directors at such meetings for the year ended December 31, 2009. The overall 2009 attendance record by directors at Board and Committee meetings was 98%.
Board and Committee Meetings Held
         
    Number of Meetings  
Board of Directors
    8  
Audit Committee
    4  
Compensation Committee
    4  
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee
    3  
Summary of Attendance of Directors
                 
                Nominating &
                Corporate
        Audit   Compensation   Governance
    Board   Committee   Committee   Committee
Director   Meetings   Meetings   Meetings   Meetings
Robert Murdoch
  8 of 8 (Chair)   N/A   N/A   3 of 3
Peter Blake
  8 of 8   N/A   N/A   N/A
Eric Patel
  8 of 8   4 of 4   N/A   3 of 3 (Chair)
Beverley Briscoe
  8 of 8   4 of 4 (Chair)   N/A   2 of 3
Edward Pitoniak
  8 of 8   N/A   4 of 4 (Chair)   N/A
Christopher Zimmerman
  7 of 8   N/A   4 of 4   N/A
James Micali
  8 of 8   4 of 4   4 of 4   N/A
Compensation of Directors
In addition to the reimbursement of reasonable travel and lodging expenses, non-executive directors of the Company received the following compensation in 2009:
         
    Amount of Fee  
Description of Fee   (U.S.$)  
Annual fee for Board Chairman (1)
  $ 200,000  
Annual fee for Board Membership (2)
    95,000  
Annual fee for Committee chairmanship (excluding Audit Committee)
    10,000  
Annual fee for Audit Committee chairmanship
    15,000  
Meeting fee (per minuted meeting in excess of 30 minutes)
    1,500  
Teleconference fee (minuted teleconference longer than 30 minutes)
    500  
Travel fee (3)
    1,000  
     
(1)   The annual fee was paid $120,000 in cash (less applicable source deductions) in four equal amounts on a quarterly basis and $80,000 (less applicable source deductions) was paid directly to the administrator under the Company’s Long Term Incentive Plan for Non-Executive Directors (see further discussion below).
 
(2)   The annual fee was paid $35,000 in cash (less applicable source deductions) in four equal amounts on a quarterly basis and $60,000 (less applicable source deductions) was paid directly to the administrator under the Company’s Long Term Incentive Plan for Non-Executive Directors (see further discussion below).
 
(3)   A travel fee was paid to non-executive Directors required to travel on a day other than the meeting date when scheduling does not permit travel on the day of the particular meeting. This fee is on top of reimbursement for travel expenses.

 

6


 

The total fees paid by the Company to the Board in 2009 were U.S.$801,000. There were no other arrangements under which non-executive directors were compensated during 2009. No non-executive directors earned any compensation during 2009 for consultancy or other services provided to the Company. No share-based awards, options, non-equity incentive compensation or pension were granted to non-executive directors in 2009. Employee directors do not receive additional compensation for their participation in Board or committee activities. Compensation by director for the year ended December 31, 2009 was as follows (all amounts in U.S. dollars):
                                         
    Board Fees /     Committee     Meeting     Travel          
Director   Board Chair Fees     Chair Fees     Fees     Fees     Total Fees  
Robert Murdoch
  $ 200,000 (1)     Nil       Nil     $ 4,000     $ 204,000  
Peter Blake
    Nil       Nil       Nil       Nil       Nil  
Eric Patel
    95,000 (2)   $ 10,000     $ 16,500       1,000       122,500  
Beverley Briscoe
    95,000 (2)     15,000       16,000       1,000       127,000  
Edward Pitoniak
    95,000 (2)     10,000       13,000       1,000       119,000  
Christopher Zimmerman
    95,000 (2)     Nil       12,500       3,000       110,500  
James Micali
    95,000 (2)     Nil       18,000       5,000       118,000  
                               
Total
  $ 675,000     $ 35,000     $ 76,000     $ 15,000     $ 801,000  
                               
     
(1)   $120,000 of the $200,000 was paid in cash to Mr. Murdoch (less applicable source deductions) and $80,000 (less applicable source deductions) was paid by the Company subsequent to year end to the administrator under the Long Term Incentive Plan for Non-Executive Directors (see description below) as contributions by Mr. Murdoch to the plan.
 
(2)   $35,000 of the $95,000 was paid in cash (less applicable source deductions) and $60,000 (less applicable source deductions) was paid by the Company subsequent to year end to the administrator under the Long Term Incentive Plan for Non-Executive Directors (see description below) as contributions by each of Mr. Patel, Ms. Briscoe, Mr. Pitoniak, Mr. Zimmerman and Mr. Micali to the plan.
For additional disclosure in relation to Board of Directors and Corporate Governance, please refer to the section “Report on Corporate Governance” on page 5.
PROPOSAL 2: Appointment of Auditors
The Company proposes that KPMG LLP, Chartered Accountants of Vancouver, British Columbia, be appointed as Auditors of the Company for the year ending December 31, 2010 and that the Audit Committee be authorized to fix their remuneration. KPMG LLP has been the Auditors of the Company and its predecessors since 1974. The Audit Committee is satisfied that KPMG LLP meets the relevant independence requirements and is free from conflicts of interest that could impair their objectivity in conducting the Company’s audit. The resolution appointing auditors must be passed by a majority of the votes cast by the shareholders who vote in respect of that resolution.
In addition to retaining KPMG LLP to audit the consolidated financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries for the year ended December 31, 2009, the Company retained KPMG LLP to provide various non-audit services in 2009. The Audit Committee is required to pre-approve all non-audit related services performed by KPMG LLP. The aggregate fees billed for professional services by KPMG LLP and its affiliates around the world during fiscal 2009 and 2008 were as follows:
                 
    Fiscal 2009     Fiscal 2008  
 
               
Audit Fees
  $ 1,254,600     $ 1,190,400  
Audit-Related Fees
    37,300       4,000  
Tax Fees
    494,200       527,700  
All Other Fees
           
 
           
Total Fees
  $ 1,768,100     $ 1,722,100  
 
           
The nature of each category of fees is as follows:
Audit Fees:
Audit fees were paid for professional services rendered by the auditors for the audit and interim reviews of the Company’s consolidated financial statements or services provided in connection with statutory and regulatory filings or engagements.

 

7


 

Audit-Related Fees:
Audit-related fees were paid for assurance and related services that are reasonably related to the performance of the audit or review of the Company’s financial statements and are not reported under the Audit Fees item above.
Tax Fees:
Tax fees were paid for tax compliance, tax advice and tax planning professional services. These services consisted of: tax compliance including the review of tax returns; assistance with questions regarding tax audits; assistance in completing routine tax schedules and calculations; and tax planning and advisory services relating to common forms of domestic and international taxation (i.e., income tax, capital tax, Goods and Services Tax and Value Added Tax).
The Audit Committee is responsible for the appointment, compensation and oversight of the work of the Company’s independent auditor and is required to pre-approve all non-audit related services performed by KPMG LLP. Accordingly, the Audit Committee has adopted a pre-approval policy. The policy outlines the procedures and the conditions pursuant to which permissible services proposed to be performed by KPMG LLP are pre-approved, provides a general pre-approval for certain permissible services and outlines a list of prohibited services.
PROPOSAL 2: Reconfirmation of the Shareholder Rights Plan
Effective February 22, 2007, the Board of Directors of the Company adopted a shareholder rights plan agreement, with Computershare Investor Services Inc. as rights agent (the “Rights Plan”). The adoption of the Rights Plan was approved by the Company’s shareholders at the Annual and Special Meeting of the Company in 2007. In accordance with Canadian securities law, the Rights Plan must be reconfirmed by the Company’s shareholders at every third annual meeting of shareholders of the Company.
The Rights Plan has the following main objectives:
    to provide the Board time to consider value-enhancing alternatives to a take-over bid and to allow competing bids to emerge;
 
    to ensure that shareholders of the Company are provided equal treatment under a take-over bid; and
 
    to give adequate time for shareholders to properly assess a take-over bid without undue pressure.
At the Meeting, shareholders will be asked to consider, and if thought fit, to pass an ordinary resolution to approve the reconfirmation of the Rights Plan, a copy of which is available upon request from the Corporate Secretary of the Company, or from the Company’s public disclosure documents found on SEDAR at www.sedar.com or on the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) EDGAR database at www.sec.gov.
The Board has considered the terms of a number of recently adopted or amended shareholder rights plans and the experience of other Canadian public companies in the context of an actual take-over bid where a shareholder rights agreement was in place, and has determined that it is in the best interests of the Company to reconfirm the Rights Plan. The Rights Plan is designed to maximize shareholder value and protect shareholders’ interests in the event of an acquisition that may result in a change of control. The Rights Plan is not intended to prevent take-over bids that treat shareholders fairly, and the Rights Plan has not been adopted in response to any proposal to acquire control of the Company.

 

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Summary of the Principal Terms of the Rights Plan
The following is a summary of key terms of the Rights Plan. This summary is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Rights Plan, which is available upon request from the Corporate Secretary of the Company as indicated above or from the Company’s public disclosure documents found on SEDAR at www.sedar.com or on the SEC’s EDGAR database at www.sec.gov. Capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings ascribed thereto in the Rights Plan.
Issue of Rights
On February 22, 2007, the Company issued one right (a “Right”) in respect of each Common Share outstanding at the close of business on that date (the “Record Time”). The Company will issue Rights in respect of each Common Share issued after the Record Time but prior to the earliest of the Separation Time (as defined below) and the redemption of the Rights pursuant to the Rights Plan or termination of the Rights Plan as described below.
Rights Certificates, Trading and Transferability
Before the Separation Time, the Rights will be evidenced by the certificates representing Common Shares and will not be transferable separate from the Common Shares. Accordingly, the surrender for transfer of any certificate representing Common Shares will also constitute the surrender for transfer of the Rights associated with such Common Shares. From and after the Separation Time, the Rights will be evidenced by separate Rights certificates.
Acquiring Person
An Acquiring Person is a person that Beneficially Owns 20% or more of the outstanding Common Shares. An Acquiring Person does not, however, include the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, or any person that becomes the Beneficial Owner of 20% or more of the Common Shares as a result of certain exempt transactions. These exempt transactions include where any person becomes the Beneficial Owner of 20% or more of the Common Shares as a result of, among other things: (i) specified acquisitions of securities of the Company, (ii) acquisitions pursuant to a Permitted Bid or Competing Permitted Bid (as described below), (iii) specified distributions of securities of the Company, and (iv) certain other specified exempt acquisitions. An Acquiring Person also does not include any Person that owned 20% or more of the outstanding Common Shares at the Record Time unless that person increases its percentage interest in the Common Shares other than pursuant to one of the previously mentioned transactions.
Separation Time
Rights are not exercisable before the Separation Time. “Separation Time” means the close of business on the tenth trading day after the earliest of:
  (a)   the first date of public announcement that a person has become an Acquiring Person, as defined below (the “Stock Acquisition Date”);
 
  (b)   the date of the commencement of, or first public announcement of, the intent of any person (other than the Company or any of its subsidiaries) to commence a Take-over Bid, as defined in the Rights Plan (other than a Permitted Bid or a Competing Permitted Bid, as defined below), which is generally an offer for outstanding Common Shares that could result in the offeror becoming the beneficial owner of 20% or more of the Company’s outstanding Common Shares; and
 
  (c)   the date on which a Permitted Bid or Competing Permitted Bid ceases to be such;
or such later time as may be determined by the Board, in good faith, provided that if any bid referred to above expires or is cancelled, terminated or otherwise withdrawn prior to the Separation Time, such offer shall be deemed never to have been made.

 

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Exercising Rights at such time until the tenth trading day after the first public announcement of the occurrence of a “Flip-in Event” will entitle the holder to purchase one Common Share at the exercise price (the “Exercise Price”), which shall equal three times the market price per Common Share determined at the Separation Time, subject to subsequent adjustment in accordance with the Rights Plan.
Exercise of Rights
After the close of business on the tenth trading day after the first public announcement of the occurrence of a “Flip-in Event”, which is a transaction or event pursuant to which any person becomes an Acquiring Person, each Right will entitle the holder thereof to receive upon exercise of the Right that number of Common Shares equal to twice the Exercise Price. However, any Rights beneficially held by an Acquiring Person, including its affiliates, associates and joint actors, or the transferee of any such person, will become null and void. Accordingly, such persons will be unable to transfer or exercise any Rights.
Until a Right is exercised, the holder of the Right will have no rights as a Company shareholder solely with respect to that Right.
In lieu of the issuance of fractional shares upon the issuance of any Rights, the Company will make cash payments based on the market price of such shares in amounts exceeding U.S.$10.00.
Acquisitions that require shareholder approval or for which the Board has waived application of the Rights Plan as described below, or acquisitions pursuant to a Permitted Bid or a Competing Permitted Bid are among the transactions that do not constitute “Flip-in Events”.
Permitted Bids
Under the Rights Plan, those bids that meet certain requirements intended to protect the interests of all shareholders are deemed to be “Permitted Bids”. Permitted Bids are offers to acquire Common Shares made by way of a take-over circular and where the Common Shares subject to the offer (together with shares owned by the offeror and its affiliates, associates and joint actors) constitute 20% or more of the outstanding Common Shares, and which also comply with the following conditions:
  (a)   the bid is made to all registered holders of Common Shares (other than Common Shares owned by the offeror);
 
  (b)   the bid provides that no Common Shares will be taken up or paid for pursuant to the bid before the close of business on the date that is not less than 60 days following the date the take-over bid circular is sent to holders of Common Shares, and that no Common Shares will be taken up or paid for unless at such date more than 50% of the outstanding Common Shares held by shareholders other than the offeror and certain related parties have been deposited pursuant to the bid and not withdrawn;
 
  (c)   the bid provides that any Common Shares may be deposited to and withdrawn from the take-over bid at any time before such Common Shares are taken up and paid for; and
 
  (d)   the bid provides that, in the event that more than 50% of the outstanding Common Shares are deposited and not withdrawn as described in clause (b) above, the offeror will make a public announcement of that fact and the bid shall remain open for an additional ten business days from the date of such announcement for the deposit and tender of additional Common Shares.
A “Competing Permitted Bid” is a take-over bid that is made after a Permitted Bid or other Competing Permitted Bid has been made and prior to the expiration of such prior bid, and that satisfies the definition of “Permitted Bid” except that Common Shares under such bid may not be taken up or paid for until a date that is no earlier than the later of: (i) the earliest date that Common Shares may be taken up and paid for under any prior Permitted Bid or other Competing Permitted Bid outstanding on the date of commencement of such bid; and (ii) 35 days after the commencement of the Competing Permitted Bid.

 

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Protection Against Dilution
The Rights Plan contains detailed provisions regarding adjustments to the exercise price, the number and nature of the securities that may be purchased upon exercise of Rights and the number of Rights outstanding to prevent dilution in the event of certain declarations of dividends, subdivisions or consolidations of outstanding Common Shares, issuances of Common Shares (or other securities or rights) in respect of or in lieu of or in exchange for existing Common Shares or other changes in the Common Shares.
Redemption
At any time prior to the occurrence of a Flip-in Event, the Board may (subject to the prior consent of shareholders by a majority vote), at its option, elect to redeem all but not less than all of the then-outstanding Rights at a redemption price of $0.000001 per Right, subject to adjustment.
Waiver
The Board, acting in good faith, may waive application of the Rights Plan to any prospective Flip-In Event which would occur by reason of a take-over bid made by a take-over bid circular to all registered holders of Common Shares. However, if the Board waives the Rights Plan for a particular bid, it will be deemed to have waived the Rights Plan for any other take-over bid made by take-over bid circular to all registered holders of Common Shares before the expiry of the first bid. The Board may also waive the application of the Rights Plan for any Flip-In Event if it has determined that the Acquiring Person became an Acquiring Person through inadvertence, conditional upon such person reducing its beneficial ownership below 20% of the Company’s outstanding Common Shares, generally within 14 days of the Board making such determination.
Amendments
Except for minor amendments to correct any clerical or typographical errors and amendments to maintain the validity of the Rights Plan as a result of a change of law or regulatory requirements, majority shareholder approval is required for amendments to the Rights Plan before the Separation Time, after which the approval of holders of Rights is required.
Term
If the Rights Plan is not reconfirmed at the Meeting, it will automatically terminate and the Rights issued under it will become void. If the Rights Plan is reconfirmed at the Meeting, it will expire at the termination of the Company’s annual meeting in 2013 unless extended upon reconfirmation as described below. For the term of the Rights Plan to be extended, the Rights Plan must be reconfirmed by a resolution passed by a majority of the votes cast by all holders of Common Shares who vote in respect of such reconfirmation at every third annual meeting of shareholders of the Company.
Canadian Federal Income Tax Consequences
The following discussion generally summarizes certain Canadian federal income tax consequences of the issuance of Rights. This discussion is not intended to be, nor should it be construed to be, legal or tax advice. This summary is not exhaustive of all possible Canadian federal income tax consequences and does not anticipate any changes in law, whether by legislative, governmental or judicial action, nor does it take into account provincial, territorial or foreign income tax legislation or considerations. This summary is of a general nature only and holders of Common Shares should consult their own tax advisors with respect to their particular circumstances.
The Company has not received any income for Canadian federal income tax purposes as a result of the issuance of the Rights. Generally, the value of a right, if any, to acquire additional shares of a company is not a taxable benefit to a common shareholder of the Company under the Income Tax Act (Canada) (the “Act”) and is not subject to non-resident withholding tax under the Act if identical rights are conferred on all owners of Common Shares at that time. While the Rights are conferred on all owners of Common Shares, the Rights may become void in the hands of certain shareholders upon the occurrence of certain triggering events. Whether the issuance of the Rights to shareholders of the Company will be deemed to be a taxable benefit which is required to be included in computing their income or subject to non-resident withholding tax is not therefore free of doubt, but only the amount or value of such benefit must be included in computing income. The Company considers the Rights to have had no monetary value at their date of issue. Where Rights are disposed of (other than on the exercise thereof), either separately or by virtue of the disposition of the Common Shares to which they are attached, holders thereof may be subject to tax in respect of the proceeds, if any, allocable to such Rights.

 

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The foregoing does not address the Canadian income tax consequences of other events such as the separation of the Rights from the Common Shares, the occurrence of a Flip-in Event or the redemption of Rights. Shareholders are encouraged to consult their own tax advisors if they have questions with respect to such tax consequences and their personal circumstances.
United States Federal Income Tax Consequences
The following discussion generally summarizes certain United States federal income tax consequences of the issuance of Rights. This discussion is not intended to be, nor should it be construed to be, legal or tax advice. This summary is not exhaustive of all possible United States federal income tax consequences and does not anticipate any changes in law, whether by legislative, governmental or judicial action, nor does it take into account any state, local or foreign income tax considerations. This summary is of a general nature only and holders of Common Shares should consult their own tax advisors with respect to their particular circumstances.
Because the possibility of the Rights becoming exercisable is both remote and speculative, the adoption of the Rights Plan will not give rise to the realization of gross income by any holder of Common Shares for United States federal income tax purposes. Where Rights are disposed of (other than on the exercise thereof), either separately or by virtue of the disposition of the Common Shares to which they are attached, holders thereof may be subject to tax in respect of the proceeds, if any, allocable to such Rights.
The foregoing does not address the United States federal income tax consequences of other events, such as the separation of the Rights from the Common Shares, the occurrence of a Flip-in Event or the redemption of Rights. Shareholders may recognize gross income for United States federal income tax purposes in connection with these events. Shareholders are encouraged to consult their own tax advisors if they have questions with respect to such tax consequences and their personal circumstances.
Voting of Proxies and Recommendation of Board
It is intended that all proxies received by the Company will be voted in favour of the reconfirmation of the Rights Plan, unless a proxy contains express instructions to vote against the Rights Plan. The Rights Plan will continue in effect only if it is approved by greater than 50% of the votes cast by shareholders present in person or by proxy at the Meeting. The text of the resolution approving the Rights Plan is set forth in Schedule “B” hereto. If the Rights Plan is not reconfirmed by shareholders at the Meeting it will terminate and the Rights issued under it will be void.
The Board of Directors of the Company recommends that shareholders vote in favour of the resolution approving reconfirmation of the Rights Plan.
INTEREST OF CERTAIN PERSONS IN MATTERS TO BE ACTED UPON
None of the directors or senior officers of the Company, none of the persons who have been directors or senior officers of the Company and no associate or affiliate of any of the foregoing has any material interest, direct or indirect, by way of beneficial ownership of securities or otherwise, in any matter scheduled to be acted upon at the Meeting other than as disclosed elsewhere in this Information Circular.

 

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INTEREST OF INFORMED PERSONS IN MATERIAL TRANSACTIONS
Other than as set out herein, to the Company’s knowledge, no “informed person” (as defined under Multilateral Instrument 51-102) of the Company, any proposed director of the Company or any associate or affiliate of such persons, has had or has any material interest, direct or indirect, in any transaction since January 1, 2009 or in any proposed transaction which, in either case, has materially affected or is expected to materially affect the Company or any of its subsidiaries.
STATEMENT OF EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
COMPENSATION DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS
Composition of the Compensation Committee
The Compensation Committee of the Company currently consists of Messrs. Pitoniak, Zimmerman and Micali. The Board has determined that all three members of the Compensation Committee are independent directors (as defined under applicable securities legislation).
Compensation Discussion and Analysis
The Company’s policy with respect to the compensation of the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer and the Company’s three most highly compensated executive officers other than the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer (such officers are hereafter collectively called the “Named Executive Officers”) is based upon the principles that total compensation must: (1) be competitive in order to help attract and retain the talent needed to lead and grow the Company’s business; (2) provide a strong incentive for executives and key employees to work towards the achievement of the Company’s goals, including long-term earnings growth and return on invested capital goals; and (3) ensure that the interests of management and the Company’s shareholders are aligned and that the compensation packages are fair to senior management, employees, the shareholders and other stakeholders.
The Company’s strategy is to pay for performance, with the aim of paying total cash compensation at or above the median (50th percentile) for comparable companies, with top performers achieving total direct compensation above the 75th percentile when the Company over achieves its earnings targets. In addition, the Company believes in pay at risk for the Chief Executive Officer and the other Named Executive Officers, as well as all senior management of the Company. As any employee’s responsibility increases, so does the amount of pay at risk, which the Company believes is important for aligning executive compensation with shareholder interests. As employees move to higher levels of responsibility with more direct influence over the Company’s strategy and performance, their base salary as a percentage of total direct compensation decreases and they have a higher percentage of pay at risk.
In 2008, the Compensation Committee retained the services of Mercer Canada Ltd. (“Mercer”) to conduct a formal review of the Company’s executive compensation arrangements. The first step in the review was to define the group of comparable companies against which the Company’s compensation practices would be compared and evaluated. The Company has no direct peers in the industrial auction sector, so this step involved defining and developing the methodology for identifying comparable companies. Together with Mercer, the Committee cited net income and market capitalization as the key financial metrics that would define the comparable group of companies. Net income and market capitalization were chosen because they are the primary financial value produced for the Company’s shareholders, and because, in the Committee’s and Mercer’s view, neither of the Company’s key revenue-related metrics would yield meaningful comparisons. Gross auction proceeds would potentially overstate the Company’s financial scale, while the Company’s auction revenues would potentially understate the complexity and scale of the Company’s value creation process and its profitability. Using net income and market capitalization as the key financial metrics, Mercer developed a group of 315 comparable companies, located in both the United States and Canada and across diverse industries.

 

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Mercer concluded that the structure and philosophy of the Company’s compensation programs were in line with the identified comparable companies, as to the relative balance of base salary, and short-term and long-term incentive compensation. In general, Mercer found that most Named Executive Officers were receiving total cash compensation in line with market medians for comparable companies, with only the Company’s Chief Executive Officer notably below the median. The Compensation Committee and Board of Directors of the Company have since increased the Chief Executive Officer’s compensation to reduce this unintended gap.
Apart from Mercer’s findings, the Committee in making its determination on executive compensation also took into consideration other factors and information, including, but not limited to, various individual and overall corporate performance reviews and other relevant indicators. The Company paid total fees of U.S.$28,611 to Mercer in 2008 to complete this engagement. The Company also paid fees of U.S.$28,142 to Mercer in 2008 to complete a formal review of the Company’s compensation program for directors. Apart from the above, the Company did not engage Mercer for any other services in 2008 or 2009.
The total cash compensation paid to each of the Chief Executive Officer and the other Named Executive Officers of the Company consists primarily of base salary and an incentive bonus tied to the Company’s financial performance, together with amounts earned in accordance with the Company’s executive long term incentive plan (the “ELTIP”). All Named Executive Officers also receive annual stock option grants in accordance with the Company’s stock option plan (see “Option-based awards — Stock Option Plan” below). The imputed fair value of options granted using the Black-Scholes option pricing model is considered in the determination of total direct compensation, as is the value of benefits and any other perquisites received by a particular individual. The Company believes that the mix of base salary, performance-based bonus and participation in the ELTIP and stock option plan creates a balanced approach to executive compensation consistent with the compensation principles of the Company stated above.
The CEO’s total direct compensation was comprised of the following components in 2009, which are described in more detail in the discussion below:
                     
Component of CEO’s Direct Compensation   Amount (U.S.$)     Percentage     Metric
Base salary
  $ 486,000       33 %   Set by Committee.
Short term incentive bonus award
    320,000       21 %   Formula driven based on Company earnings performance compared to Board approved target (see below).
Executive long-term incentive plan award
    125,000       8 %   Maximum award (see below).
Stock options — fair value (earned in 2009; granted in 2010)
    570,000       38 %   100% of January 1, 2010 base salary (see below).
                 
Total direct compensation
  $ 1,501,000             82% of the 50th percentile for comparable companies.
                 
Apart from considering the salary levels of comparable executives with similar responsibilities and experience at comparable companies, in determining the base salary and other compensation received by the Chief Executive Officer, the Compensation Committee took into consideration the individual performance of the Chief Executive Officer and the Company’s overall performance for the year, and completed a detailed assessment of these factors for presentation to the Board. These considerations included the Company’s pre-tax earnings performance for the year measured against the earnings target set out below, the return on invested capital performance for the year, and the Chief Executive Officer’s achievement of strategic objectives as outlined in the Company’s strategic plan, as well as the achievement of various individual performance objectives. The Chair of the Compensation Committee also interviewed all officers of the Company who directly report to the Chief Executive Officer to provide a full 360-degree view of his performance.

 

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Base salary levels for the Named Executive Officers other than the Chief Executive Officer have been determined primarily on the basis of (i) the Compensation Committee’s review of the Chief Executive Officer’s assessment of each Named Executive Officer’s individual performance; (ii) the scope of each executive’s job responsibilities; and (iii) the Compensation Committee’s understanding of normal and appropriate salary levels for executives with responsibilities and experience comparable to those of the Named Executive Officers of the Company. In making such determination, external sources are consulted when deemed necessary by the Compensation Committee, including the Mercer review described above.
The aggregate executive short term incentive bonus pool amount is linked directly to a formula that provides for specified increases in the bonus pool amount as pre-tax earnings (adjusted to exclude amounts not considered part of the Company’s normal operations) approach the target level established by the Compensation Committee and approved by the Board of Directors at the beginning of the year, and for accelerated increases in the bonus pool if adjusted pre-tax earnings exceed the target level. Pre-tax earnings are chosen as the metric for executive incentive bonus because pre-tax earnings directly drive shareholder value through earnings per share and are an element over which executives of the Company can have the most direct influence by their performance. The pre-tax earnings target for purposes of the 2009 incentive bonus calculation was $132.3 million. At that level, the bonus pool available to the participants in the executive incentive bonus program (being vice-presidents and above) would have been equal to 50% of the combined base salaries of Vice Presidents and 60% of the combined base salaries of Senior Vice Presidents and above. The amount of such bonuses is not subject to any minimum amount but is subject to a maximum of 200% of the combined base salaries of the participants. The Company achieved adjusted pre-tax earnings of $134.4 million for 2009, or 101% of the earnings target, resulting in approximately 61% of the combined salaries of the participants being paid into the executive incentive bonus pool. The maximum incentive bonus pool would have been earned in 2009 if the Company had achieved 125% of its earnings target for the year.
The actual allocation of incentive bonus amounts to participants in the executive bonus pool is based on a process involving peer reviews and individual performance reviews of such executives by the Chief Executive Officer. A similar formula is used to calculate a portion of the Chief Executive Officer’s annual bonus award. The Compensation Committee undertook a formal evaluation process involving interviews with members of senior management and a review of performance targets and objectives of the Chief Executive Officer to determine the remainder of his bonus for 2009. This allocation approach involving peer reviews and performance reviews reflects the Company’s belief that overall success of the Company is driven by individual performance together with good teamwork.
The Chief Executive Officer and other Named Executive Officers also participate in the Company’s ELTIP. The fundamental purpose of the ELTIP is to facilitate senior management’s direct investment in and ownership of Common Shares. ELTIP entitlement is earned by reference to the Company’s pre-tax return on invested capital (“ROIC”) on a rolling three-year basis. Each participant’s ELTIP award is based on a straight-line calculation, with entitlement starting when 70% of the ROIC target is achieved; 100% of the ELTIP entitlement will be earned when the ROIC target is fully achieved. The ROIC target approved by the Board for 2009 to 2011 (inclusive) is 20% (before tax). No entitlement will be earned if the Company’s rolling three-year ROIC falls below 14%. The Company’s rolling three-year average ROIC as at December 31, 2009 was 23%.
The Named Executive Officers including the Chief Executive Officer but excluding the Chief Financial Officer are entitled to a maximum cash ELTIP award of U.S.$125,000, and this is paid by the Company when they contribute an equivalent amount to the ELTIP, to be invested by the administrator in Common Shares purchased on the New York Stock Exchange. The Chief Financial Officer is entitled to a maximum cash ELTIP award of U.S.$100,000. Awards may be carried forward for one year should a participant choose not to contribute to the ELTIP in a particular year. Please refer to the “Executive Long Term Incentive Plan” section below for further information. The Company believes that participation in the Company’s ELTIP, including the share ownership guidelines discussed below, and stock option plan aligns the interest of executives of the Company with those of the shareholders.

 

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Stock options are granted under the Company’s stock option plan in accordance with the Company’s Policy Regarding the Granting of Equity-Based Compensation Awards and the value, calculated in accordance with the Black Scholes option pricing model, of each award is set at a specified percentage of each executive’s base salary. For Named Executive Officers other than the Chief Executive Officer, President, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer the option award amount is 60% of their respective base salaries. The Chief Executive Officer, President and Chief Operating Officer are entitled to stock option grants of at least 80% of each of their base salaries, with increases beyond this percentage at the discretion of the Compensation Committee and Board. The Chief Financial Officer is entitled to stock option grants of 30% of his base salary.
The Committee regularly reviews the relative emphasis of each of the various components of compensation for senior executives referred to above to ensure that the structure of the Company’s executive compensation meets the desired results and objectives of the Company’s executive compensation philosophy and provides the appropriate level of reward for past performance and incentive for future work and development.
The Compensation Committee has reviewed and discussed this discussion and analysis with the Board of Directors and management and is satisfied that it fairly and completely represents the philosophy, intent, and actions of the Compensation Committee with regards to executive compensation.
Performance graph
The following graph compares the percentage change in the value of U.S.$100 invested in Common Shares of the Company with U.S.$100 invested in the S&P / TSX Composite Index and Russell 2000 Index from December 31, 2003 to December 31, 2009 (the Company’s most recent financial year end).
(PERFORMANCE GRAPH)
                                                 
    Dec. 31, 2004     Dec. 31, 2005     Dec. 31, 2006     Dec. 31, 2007     Dec. 31, 2008     Dec. 31, 2009  
 
                                               
Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers (RBA)
    100       130       164       253       197       207  
 
                                               
S&P / TSX Composite Index
    100       122       140       150       97       127  
 
                                               
Russell Global Index
    100       103       121       118       77       96  
 
                                               
CEO Cash Compensation
    100       134       149       169       152       167  

 

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Option-based awards
Stock Option Plan
The Company has a stock option plan that provides for the award of stock options to employees, directors and officers of the Company and to other persons approved by the Compensation Committee. The Company obtained shareholder and applicable regulatory approval to amend and restate the stock option plan in April 2007 (the amended and restated plan is referred to hereunder as the “stock option plan”).
As of the date of this Information Circular, the maximum number of Common Shares reserved for issuance from the effective date of the amendment and restatement of the stock option plan is 10,200,000 Common Shares, of which 1,350,420 Common Shares (being approximately 1% of total issued and outstanding shares) have been issued, 2,899,387 Common Shares are reserved for issuance upon exercise of options that have been granted (approximately 3% of total issued and outstanding shares) and 5,950,193 Common Shares (approximately 6% of total issued and outstanding shares) remain available for future options to be granted.
Stock options are granted at the closing market price of the Common Shares on the NYSE as of the grant date. Under the stock option plan, the maximum number of Common Shares issued and reserved for issuance to non-executive Directors of the Company upon exercise of options must not exceed 0.3% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares. The number of Common Shares issued to “Insiders” under the stock option plan, when combined with the Company’s other security-based compensation arrangements, within any one-year period cannot exceed 10% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares, and the number of Common Shares issuable to Insiders at any time cannot exceed 10% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares.
Options granted under the stock option plan are subject to vesting conditions imposed by the Compensation Committee as set out in the relevant option agreements. For options granted under the stock option plan before December 31, 2008, the Compensation Committee has generally provided in option agreements that options are subject to vesting one year from the grant date and are not transferable. Furthermore, for options granted before December 31, 2008, the Compensation Committee has generally provided in option agreements that the options will expire on the earlier of:
  (a)   10 years from the date of grant;
 
  (b)   30 days from the date on which the optionee ceases to be employed by, or provide services to, the Company;
 
  (c)   180 days from the date of death if the optionee’s employment or eligibility ceases by reason of his or her death or if the optionee dies prior to the expiration of the 30-day period described in clause (b) above; or,
 
  (d)   immediately upon termination if the termination of employment is with cause.
The stock option plan has provisions that take into account the Company’s policy with respect to making grants only during specific trading windows and if the expiry date of an option falls during a “Black Out Period”, the expiry date will be extended to the fifth business day following the expiry of such period.
On February 24, 2009 the Company’s Board of Directors approved certain amendments to the Company’s stock option grant practices. Unless otherwise determined by the Compensation Committee, options granted after this date to the Company’s Vice Presidents and above will generally vest equally over three years from the grant date. All options grated on or after this date have a term of 10 years from the date of grant subject to the following:
  (a)   in the case of termination without cause (excluding voluntary termination) - immediate vesting of all unvested options and the optionee will have 90 days from the date on which the optionee ceases to be employed by the Company to exercise all options;
  (b)   in the case of voluntary termination (other than retirement) — immediate cancellation of all unvested options and the optionee will have 90 days to exercise vested options;

 

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  (c)   in the case of retirement — all unvested options will continue to vest after retirement in accordance with the existing vesting schedule for those particular options and all options will expire on the earlier of three years from the date of retirement and the option 10-year expiry date;
  (d)   in the case of death — all unvested options will vest immediately and the optionee’s legal representative will have 365 days from the date of death to exercise the options if the optionee’s employment or eligibility ceases by reason of his or her death or if the optionee dies prior to the expiration of the periods described in clauses (a), (b) and (c) above; or,
  (e)   in the case of termination with cause — all options with expire immediately upon termination.
Options granted to non-executive employees on or after February 24, 2009 will generally continue to be subject to vesting one year from the grant date and will also be subject to the new termination provisions described above. Furthermore, stock option agreements for options granted on or after February 24, 2009 generally provide that the Compensation Committee may shorten the vesting period if the Compensation Committee considers doing so would be in the best interest of the Company.
The stock option plan also provides that the Compensation Committee has the right to suspend, amend or terminate the stock option plan without approval of optionees or shareholders (provided that no such suspension, amendment or termination will materially prejudice the rights of any optionee under any previously granted option without the consent or deemed consent of such optionee), including, without limitation:
  (a)   to avoid any additional tax on optionees under Section 409A of the United States Internal Revenue Code or other applicable tax legislation;
  (b)   to change the eligibility for and limitations on participation in the stock option plan (other than participation by non-executive Directors in the stock option plan);
  (c)   to make any addition to, deletion from or alteration of the provisions of the stock option plan that are necessary to comply with applicable law or the requirements of any regulatory authority or stock exchange;
  (d)   to make any amendment of a typographical, grammatical, administrative or clerical nature, or clarification correcting or rectifying any ambiguity, defective provision, error or omission in the stock option plan; and
  (e)   to change the provisions relating to the administration of the stock option plan or the manner of exercise of the options, including:
  (i)   changing or adding any form of financial assistance provided by the Company to the participants that would facilitate purchase of Common Shares under the stock option plan; and
  (ii)   adding provisions relating to a cashless exercise (which will provide for a full deduction of the underlying Common Shares from the maximum number reserved under the stock option plan for issuance).
However, the following amendments to the stock option plan can only be made with shareholder approval:
  (a)   any increase in the maximum number of Common Shares that may be issued pursuant to the exercise of options granted under the stock option plan;
  (b)   any reduction in exercise price or cancellation and reissue of options;
  (c)   any amendment that extends the term of an option beyond the original 10 year expiry date;
  (d)   any amendment to “Eligible Participants” that may permit the introduction or reintroduction of non-executive Directors on a discretionary basis, if at any time, the stock option plan is further amended to exclude participation by non-executive Directors;
  (e)   any amendment that increases limits previously imposed on non-executive director participation;

 

18


 

  (f)   any amendment that would permit equity based awards granted under the stock option plan to be transferable or assignable other than for normal estate settlement purposes;
  (g)   any amendment to increase the maximum limit of the number of securities that may be issued to insiders of the Company within any one year period or issuable to insiders of the Company at any time under the stock option plan, or when combined with all of the Company’s other security based compensation arrangements, which could exceed 10% of the total issued and outstanding Common Shares of the Company;
  (h)   any addition of provisions relating to a cashless exercise (other than a surrender of options for cash) that does not provide for a full deduction of the underlying Common Shares from the maximum number reserved for issuance under the stock option plan; and
  (i)   any amendment to the amending provisions of the stock option plan.
The following table sets out the number of securities authorized for issuance under the Company’s stock option plan as of December 31, 2009:
                 
        Weighted-   Number of Securities
        Average   Remaining Available for
    Number of Securities to be   Exercise Price of   Future Issuance under
    Issued upon Exercise of   Outstanding   Equity Compensation Plans
    Outstanding Options (A)   Options   (Excluding (A))
Equity compensation plans approved by security holders — stock option plan
  2,922,587 (3% of total issued and outstanding shares)   $   15.13   5,950,193 (6% of total issued and outstanding shares)
Equity-based Compensation Awards Grant Policy
The Company’s Board of Directors has adopted a Policy Regarding the Granting of Equity-Based Compensation Awards (the “Policy”), the terms of which establish guidelines for the granting of options to purchase Common Shares to the Named Executive Officers and other employees of the Company. Under the provisions of the Policy, only the Compensation Committee of the Company’s Board of Directors can authorize the granting of stock options to the Named Executive Officers and other executives of the Company.
The Policy establishes an annual date for the granting of stock options, which falls on the fifth business day following the release of the Company’s results for the most recently completed fiscal year. The Policy prohibits the granting of stock options during black out periods, as defined in the Company’s Policy Regarding Securities Trades by Company Personnel. The Compensation Committee has delegated to the Chief Executive Officer the authority to grant options to purchase up to 150,000 Common Shares of the Company per year to Company employees, provided no one individual is granted options to acquire more than 45,000 Common Shares and provided options are not granted to employees at the Vice-President and above level. Option grants by the Chief Executive Officer must fall within the Company’s established trading windows. All stock options granted in accordance with the Policy must have an exercise price equal to the closing price of the Company’s Common Shares on the New York Stock Exchange on the date of grant.
The Policy is subject to changes and amendments as deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors from time to time.

 

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SUMMARY COMPENSATION TABLE
The following table provides a summary of the compensation earned during each of the last three fiscal years by the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer and the three other Named Executive Officers of the Company.
Summary Compensation Table
(all amounts in U.S. dollars)
                                                                 
                    Share-     Option-     Non-equity incentive plan
compensation ($)
             
                    based     based     Annual     Long-term     All other     Total  
            Salary (2)     awards     awards (3)     incentive     incentive     compensation     compensation  
Name and Principal Position (1)   Year     ($)     ($)     ($)     plans (4)     plans (5)     ($)     ($)  
Peter J. Blake
    2009       486,000     Nil       429,352       321,000       125,000       34,500       1,395,852  
Chief Executive Officer
    2008       504,000     Nil       210,273       247,700       100,000       30,500       1,092,473  
 
    2007       422,800     Nil       225,930       445,000       100,000       9,657       1,203,387  
 
Robert A. McLeod (6)
    2009       197,000     Nil       41,888       133,500       100,000       20,500       492,888  
Chief Financial Officer
    2008       158,400     Nil       23,715       63,700       50,000       14,700       312,515  
 
    2007       124,500     Nil       15,948       41,900     Nil       6,022       188,370  
 
Robert S. Armstrong (7)
    2009       306,000     Nil       185,504       193,500       125,000       27,000       837,004  
Chief Operating Officer
    2008       281,000     Nil       98,022       128,300       100,000       24,100       631,422  
 
    2007       235,900     Nil       57,147       225,000       100,000       11,313       629,360  
 
Guylain Turgeon (8)
    2009       390,000     Nil       129,778       205,000       125,000       115,000       964,778  
Senior Vice President, Managing
    2008       409,400     Nil       98,222       155,000       100,000       123,000       885,622  
Director — Europe, Middle East, Asia
    2007       328,500     Nil       104,991       257,000       100,000       77,663       868,154  
 
Robert K. Mackay (9)
    2009       350,000     Nil       247,588       233,500       125,000       17,500       973,588  
President
    2008       375,000     Nil       139,128       188,300       100,000       12,900       815,328  
 
    2007       317,000     Nil       150,177       302,000       100,000       12,226       881,403  
 
Steven C. Simpson (10)
    2009       280,000     Nil       139,128       188,500       125,000       36,000       768,628  
Senior Vice-President,
    2008       270,000     Nil       69,564       193,500       100,000       30,300       663,364  
U.S.A. West
    2007       225,000     Nil       57,147       307,000       100,000       19,175       708,322  
     
(1)   All Named Executive Officers are employed by wholly-owned subsidiaries of the Company.
 
(2)   The salary and annual incentive amounts for certain Named Executive Officers were paid in currencies other than the U.S. dollar in 2009 (primarily the Canadian dollar and Euro) and are translated into U.S. dollars for the purposes of the table at the average U.S. dollar exchange rate for the year. The exchange rate used for Canadian dollars was US$0.876 to $1 Canadian dollar and the exchange rate used for Euros was US$1.3895 for €1.
 
(3)   The dollar value of option-based awards is the grant date fair market value of options granted during the respective year using the Black-Scholes option pricing model with the assumptions detailed in the Company’s consolidated financial statements for the applicable year.
 
(4)   The annual incentive plan awards represent bonuses earned by the Named Executive Officers in the fiscal year noted but paid subsequent to the end of the applicable year.
 
(5)   Long-term incentive plan awards represent payments made subsequent to the applicable year end in accordance with the Company’s Executive Long Term Incentive Plan adopted in 2004 and amended in 2009 (please see discussion below under “Executive Long Term Incentive Plan”). The amount was used to purchase Common Shares in the open market and those shares are held by an administrator on behalf of the Named Executive Officer, only to be released pursuant to the terms of the Plan.
 
(6)   Robert McLeod was appointed Chief Financial Officer effective April 25, 2008. Prior to that he was Director, Global Accounting for the Company.
 
(7)   Robert Armstrong was appointed Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer effective January 1, 2008, and became Chief Operating Officer on April 25, 2008. He served previously as the Company’s Vice-President Finance, Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Secretary.
 
(8)   Guylain Turgeon was appointed Senior Vice-President, Managing Director — Europe, Middle East and Asia effective January 1, 2008, having served previously as the Company’s Senior Vice-President, Managing Director — European Operations.
 
(9)   Robert Mackay was appointed President effective January 1, 2008, having previously held the position President — USA, Asia and Australia.
 
(10)   Steven Simpson was appointed Senior Vice-President, U.S.A. West effective January 1, 2008, having served previously as the Company’s Vice-President, Southwest U.S.A.

 

20


 

INCENTIVE PLAN AWARDS
Outstanding share-based awards and option-based awards
The following table summarizes all awards outstanding under the Company’s stock option plan at December 31, 2009. The Company had no share-based awards outstanding.
                                 
    Option-based Awards  
    Number of securities                      
    underlying     Option exercise             Value of unexercised  
    unexercised options     price     Option expiration     in-the-money options  
Name   (#)     (U.S. $)     date     (U.S. $)  
Peter J. Blake
    114,800     $ 14.50     Mar. 5, 2019   $ 910,364  
 
    39,900       24.39     Feb. 28, 2018     N/A  
 
    51,000       18.67     Mar. 1, 2017     191,760  
 
    72,000       14.70     Jan. 24, 2016     556,800  
 
    1,400       10.80     Jan. 25, 2015     16,277  
 
Robert A. McLeod
    11,200     $ 14.50     Mar. 5, 2019   $ 88,816  
 
    4,500       24.39     Feb. 28, 2018     N/A  
 
    3,600       18.67     Mar. 1, 2017     13,536  
 
    5,250       14.70     Jan. 24, 2016     40,600  
 
    2,000       4.12     Dec. 6, 2011     36,617  
 
Robert S. Armstrong
    49,600     $ 14.50     Mar. 5, 2019   $ 393,328  
 
    18,600       24.39     Feb. 28, 2018     N/A  
 
    12,900       18.67     Mar. 1, 2017     48,504  
 
    15,000       14.70     Jan. 24, 2016     116,000  
 
    11,100       10.80     Jan. 25, 2015     129,056  
 
    12,000       8.82     Feb. 13, 2014     163,320  
 
    15,000       5.18     Jan. 30, 2013     258,825  
 
Guylain Turgeon
    34,700     $ 14.50     Mar. 5, 2019   $ 275,171  
 
    18,600       24.39     Feb. 28, 2018     N/A  
 
    23,700       18.67     Mar. 1, 2017     89,112  
 
    33,600       14.70     Jan. 24, 2016     259,840  
 
    19,200       8.82     Jan. 24, 2016     223,232  
 
Robert K. Mackay
    66,200     $ 14.50     Mar. 5, 2019   $ 524,966  
 
    26,400       24.39     Feb. 28, 2018     N/A  
 
    33,900       18.67     Mar. 1, 2017     127,464  
 
    48,000       14.70     Jan. 24, 2016     371,200  
 
Steven C. Simpson
    37,200     $ 14.50     Mar. 5, 2019   $ 294,996  
 
    13,200       24.39     Feb. 28, 2018     N/A  
 
    12,900       18.67     Mar. 1, 2017     48,504  
 
    15,600       14.70     Jan. 24, 2016     120,640  
     
NOTE:   All of the options listed in the table above, except those with expiry dates of March 6, 2019, had vested and were exercisable as of December 31, 2009.

 

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Incentive plan awards — value vested or earned during 2008
                         
                    Non-equity incentive plan  
    Option-based awards -     Share-based awards -     compensation - Value  
    Value vested during the     Value vested during the     earned during the  
    year(1)     year     year(2)  
Name   ($)     ($)     ($)  
Peter J. Blake
    N/A     Nil     $ 321,000  
Robert A. McLeod
    N/A     Nil       133,500  
Robert S. Armstrong
    N/A     Nil       193,500  
Guylain Turgeon
    N/A     Nil       205,000  
Robert K. Mackay
    N/A     Nil       233,500  
Steven C. Simpson
    N/A     Nil       188,500  
     
(1)   Awards were granted in accordance with the Company’s stock option plan in 2008, however exercise prices for options that vested in the year were greater than the Company’s stock price on the date of vesting.
 
(2)   The non-equity incentive plan compensation relates to amounts earned in 2009 and paid in 2010 in accordance with the Company’s executive short term incentive plan, as described above in the Compensation Discussion and Analysis.
Executive Long Term Incentive Plan
The Company’s ELTIP encourages senior employees and officers of the Company to use performance bonus payments to purchase and hold Common Shares through the administrator of the plan. The ELTIP does not involve any issuance of Common Shares from the Company, and the Common Shares so purchased are held in trust by the administrator on behalf of the participant.
ELTIP entitlement is earned by reference to the Company’s pre-tax return on invested capital (“ROIC”) on a rolling three-year basis. Each participant’s ELTIP award is based on a straight-line calculation, with entitlement starting when 70% of the ROIC target is achieved; 100% of the ELTIP entitlement will be earned when the ROIC target is fully achieved. The ROIC target approved by the Board for 2009 to 2011 (inclusive) is 20% (before tax). No entitlement will be earned if the Company’s rolling three-year ROIC falls below 14%. The Company’s rolling three-year average ROIC as at December 31, 2009 was 23%. Participants are entitled to a maximum cash ELTIP award of U.S.$125,000 for participants who are Senior Vice Presidents and above and U.S.$100,000 for participants who are Vice Presidents, and these award amounts are paid by the Company when the participants contribute an equivalent amount of their own funds to the ELTIP.
Funds contributed by participants to the ELTIP are used by the plan administrator to acquire Common Shares in open market purchases on the NYSE during a specific period within the first trading window of the relevant fiscal year, as provided for under the Company’s Policy Regarding Securities Trades by Company Personnel. ELTIP participants agree not to withdraw any Common Shares so held by the administrator unless a certain event occurs or certain conditions are satisfied (e.g. the termination, retirement or resignation of the participant). Participants in the ELTIP are subject to share ownership guideline requirements depending on their level of seniority with the Company. Under such guidelines, participants are required to accumulate ownership of Common Shares held under the ELTIP with a minimum share value equal to a specified multiple of such person’s relevant base salary. The specified multiple for senior officers who are members of the Executive Council is three times the participant’s base salary; two times for participants who are Vice-Presidents (or equivalent) but not members of the Executive Council; and one times base salary for participants who are Divisional Managers (or equivalent).
The ELTIP was amended in 2009 to decouple the ELTIP from the Company’s incentive bonus plan, meaning that participants in the ELTIP are allowed to contribute their own funds to the ELTIP in the event their incentive bonus is not sufficient to achieve the full Company matching amount under the ELTIP. This means that ELTIP participants will receive the maximum payment in each year that the rolling three-year ROIC target of 20% is exceeded regardless of their actual bonus. In addition, ELTIP entitlement carries forward for one year — if a participant chooses not to participate in one year, they may use that entitlement the following year, together with the entitlement earned in that year. Any unused entitlement expires automatically after one year.

 

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Commencing in 2009, 25% of the ELTIP funds are invested by the administrator in investment options other than Common Shares. The purpose of this change was to diversify the ELTIP participants’ investment portfolios while still maintaining alignment of their interests with Company shareholders.
The Company has also adopted share ownership guidelines, pursuant to which participants in the ELTIP are required to hold Common Shares with a value at least equal to a certain multiple of their base salary. The multiple of the base salary that is required of participants in the ELTIP depends on the participant’s seniority with the Company, and ranges from one time salary to three times salary.
The Company believes that the ELTIP, together with the Share Ownership Guidelines adopted by the Company, will facilitate the alignment of the interests of the senior employees and officers of the Company with those of the Company’s shareholders by promoting ownership of Common Shares by senior employees and officers and rewarding the creation of shareholder value over the long term.
Long Term Incentive Plan for Non-Executive Directors
The Company adopted a long-term incentive plan for non-executive directors in 2009 (the “Non-Executive Director LTIP”). Under this plan, all non-executive directors use part of their annual retainer to purchase and hold Common Shares through the administrator of the plan. The Non-Executive Director LTIP involves open market purchases rather than issuances of Common Shares from the Company, and the Common Shares so purchased are held by the administrator on behalf of the participant.
Under the Non-Executive Director LTIP, the administrator uses such contributions to acquire Common Shares in open market purchases on the NYSE during a specific period within the first trading window of the relevant fiscal year, as provided for under the Company’s Policy Regarding Securities Trades by Company Personnel. Participants also agree not to withdraw any Common Shares so held by the administrator unless a certain event occurs or certain conditions are satisfied (e.g. the termination, retirement or resignation of the participant as a director of the Company). The Company believes that the Non-Executive LTIP will further facilitate the alignment of the interests of the directors with those of the shareholders of the Company.
TERMINATION AND CHANGE OF CONTROL BENEFITS
Termination of Employment, Changes in Responsibility and Employment Contracts
The Company, through wholly-owned operating subsidiaries, has an employment agreement with each of the Named Executive Officers. All such employment agreements may be terminated with eight weeks notice (or less in certain circumstances) or payment in lieu thereof. In March 2010 the Company implemented a change of control policy applicable to the Named Executive Officers and certain other Board appointed officers of the Company (the “Policy”). The implementation of the Policy was not in response to any known or likely change of control situation.
The main features of the Policy are as follows:
     
Trigger
  Double trigger: (i) change of control; and (ii) termination for other than just cause or constructive dismissal.
 
   
Change of control definition
  A person or group of persons acquiring or accumulating beneficial ownership of more than 50% of the Common Shares; a person or group of persons holding at least 25% of the Common Shares and being able to change the composition of the Board by having their nominees elected as a majority of the Board; or the arm’s length sale, transfer, liquidation or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company, over a period of one year or less.
 
   
Timing
  Two years following a completed change of control for termination for other than just cause and one year following a completed change of control for constructive dismissal.

 

23


 

     
Payment amount:
  Multiplier:
 
   
Annual base salary
  Two times annual base salary.
 
   
Short-term incentive plan
  One and one-half times target bonus (as outlined in the Compensation Discussion and Analysis above), plus one time pro rata target bonus for the year of termination.
 
   
Long-term incentive plan
  One and one-half times maximum award under the Company’s Long Term Incentive Plan (as outlined in the Compensation Discussion and Analysis above).
 
   
Stock option plan
  One and one-half times target award amount (based on Black Scholes value option entitlement as a percentage of the Named Executives base salary) for the year in which the termination occurs.
 
   
Benefits
  Two times annual premium cost for all health, dental and life insurance benefits in effect at termination.
 
   
Stock option vesting
  Immediate vesting of all unvested stock options.
 
   
Stock option termination
  All stock options terminate in accordance with the provisions for termination without cause outlined above.
As the policy was not in effect on December 31, 2009 the Company has not estimated the incremental payments to the Named Executive Officers assuming the triggering event took place at that time.
Directors and Senior Executives Liability Insurance and Indemnity Agreements
The Company maintains directors and senior executives liability insurance which, subject to the provisions contained in the policy, protects the directors and senior executives, as such, against certain claims made against them during their term of office. Such insurance provides for an aggregate of U.S.$15 million annual protection against liability (less a deductible of U.S.$750,000 for securities claims and U.S.$250,000 for other claims) and U.S.$20 million of excess coverage for directors only. The annual premium paid by the Company in 2009 for this insurance was U.S.$288,250. The Company also has entered into indemnity agreements with directors and senior officers of the Company to provide certain indemnification to such directors and senior officers, as permitted by the Canada Business Corporation Act.
REPORT ON CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
The Board of Directors and the Company believe that good corporate governance practices are essential for the effective and prudent operation of the Company and for enhancing shareholder value. The Board’s Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee is responsible for reviewing and, if deemed necessary, recommending changes to the Company’s corporate governance practices.
In June 2005, National Instrument 58-101 — Disclosure of Corporate Governance Practices (the “Instrument”), and a related National Policy 58-201, Corporate Governance Guidelines (the “Guidelines”) established by the Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA), came into effect. The table below sets out disclosure requirements of Form 58 101F1 (as amended) under the Instrument and the Company’s corresponding corporate governance disclosure.

 

24


 

In addition, any foreign private issuer listed on the NYSE is required to report any significant ways in which its corporate governance practices differ from those required for United States companies under NYSE listing standards. The Company is in conformance with the NYSE corporate governance requirements (the “NYSE Rules”) applicable to United States companies.
Additional information about the Company’s corporate governance practices, including copies of the charters of the committees of the Company’s Board of Directors, can be found on the Company’s website at www.rbauction.com.
     
Disclosure Requirements under 58-101F1   Company Disclosure
1. Board of Directors
  Directors during 2009:
 
(a) Disclose the identity of directors who are independent.

(b) Disclose the identity of directors who are not independent, and describe the basis for that determination.

(c) Disclose whether or not a majority of directors are independent. If a majority of directors are not independent, describe what the board of directors (the board) does to facilitate its exercise of independent judgement in carrying out its responsibilities.

(d) If a director is presently a director of any other issuer that is a reporting issuer (or the equivalent) in a jurisdiction or a foreign jurisdiction, identify both the director and the other issuer.
 
     Robert W. Murdoch – Chair – independent;

     Edward B. Pitoniak – independent;

     Eric Patel – independent;

     Beverley A. Briscoe – independent;

     Christopher Zimmerman – independent;

     James M. Micali – independent; and

     Peter J. Blake – non-independent – Mr. Blake is the Chief Executive Officer of the Company.
 
 
  The Board determined the independence of the foregoing directors in accordance with applicable NYSE listing standards and corporate governance rules and, with respect to the Audit Committee, SEC independence standards. The directors who are noted as “independent” above also satisfy the independence requirements under the Instrument and the Guidelines.
 
   
 
  The Board is responsible for determining whether or not each director is an independent director. To do this, the Board analyzes all material relationships of the directors with the Company and its subsidiaries.
 
   
 
  The Board considers Mr. Murdoch, Mr. Patel, Ms. Briscoe, Mr. Pitoniak, Mr. Micali and Mr. Zimmerman to be independent as none of them has any material relationship with the Company. Mr. Blake is not independent as a result of his employment with the Company as CEO. A majority of the directors is independent.
 
   
 
  None of the independent directors works in the day-to-day operations of the Company, is party to any material contracts with the Company, receive, directly or indirectly, any fees or compensation from the Company other than as directors, or has any other material relationships with the Company (either directly or as a partner, shareholder or officer of an organization that has a relationship with the Company). For directorships of the directors of the Company in other reporting issuers (or equivalent), please refer to the disclosure starting on page 2.
 
(e) Disclose whether or not the independent directors hold regularly scheduled meetings at which non-independent directors and members of management are not in attendance. If the independent directors hold such meetings, disclose the number of meetings held since the beginning of the issuer’s most recently completed financial year. If the independent directors do not hold such meetings, describe what the board does to facilitate open and candid discussion among its independent directors.
  The independent directors held eight meetings and several informal sessions in 2009 without management present. These meetings were chaired by Mr. Murdoch. Such meetings are scheduled regularly during the year, usually immediately after the Board’s quarterly meetings.

 

25


 

     
Disclosure Requirements under 58-101F1   Company Disclosure
(f) Disclose whether or not the chair of the board is an independent director. If the board has a chair or lead director who is an independent director, disclose the identity of the independent chair or lead director, and describe his or her role and responsibilities. If the board has neither a chair that is independent nor a lead director that is independent, describe what the board does to provide leadership for its independent directors.
  The Company no longer has a Lead Director because the Chair, Mr. Murdoch, is an independent director. Mr. Murdoch is responsible for the management, development and effective performance of the Board, taking all reasonable measures to ensure that the Board fully executes its mandate.
 
   
(g) Disclose the attendance record of each director for all board meetings held since the beginning of the issuer’s most recently completed financial year.
  Please refer to disclosure on page 6 for Board and Committee meeting attendance. The Board achieved an attendance record of 98% in 2009. Agenda and materials in relation to Board and Committee meetings are usually circulated to directors for their review in advance of the meetings.
 
   
2. Board Mandate

Disclose the text of the board’s written mandate. If the board does not have a written mandate, describe how the board delineates its role and responsibilities.
  The Board mandate is available on the Company’s website (www.rbauction.com). The mandate of the Board is to supervise management of the Company and to act in the best interests of the Company. The Board acts in accordance with:
 
 
 
     the Canadian Business Corporations Act;
 
 
 
     the Company’s Articles of Amalgamation and By-laws;
 
 
 
     the Company’s Code of Business Conduct and Ethics;
 
 
 
     the charters of the Board committees, including the Audit Committee, the Compensation Committee and the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee;
 
 
 
     the Company’s Corporate Governance Guidelines; and
 
 
 
     other applicable laws and Company policies.
 
   
 
  The Board or designated Board Committees approve significant decisions that affect the Company and its subsidiaries before they are implemented. The Board or a designated committee oversees the implementation of such decisions and reviews the results. Copies of the Company’s Code of Business Conduct and Ethics and charters of the Board committees can be found on the Company’s website.
 
   
 
  The Board meets with the CEO and other executive officers of the Company from time to time to discuss and review internal measures and systems adopted by the management to ensure a culture of integrity throughout the organization.
 
   
 
  The Board is involved in the Company’s strategic planning process. The Board is responsible for reviewing and approving strategic initiatives, taking into account the risks and opportunities of the business. Management updates the Board on the Company’s performance in relation to strategic initiatives at least quarterly. Management undertakes an annual strategic planning process, with regular Board involvement in the process and review and approval of the resulting Strategic Plan. During fiscal 2009, there were eight meetings of the Board. The frequency of meetings and the nature of agenda items change depending upon the state of the Company’s affairs.
 
   
 
  The Board is responsible for overseeing the identification of the principal risks of the Company and ensuring that risk management systems are implemented. The principal risks of the Company include those related to the Company’s underwritten business, ability to sustain and manage growth, reputation and industry. The Audit Committee meets regularly to review reports from management of the Company and discuss significant risk areas with management and the external auditors. The Board ensures that the Company adopts appropriate risk management practices, including a comprehensive enterprise risk management program.
 
   
 
  The Board is responsible for choosing the CEO, appointing the Executive Officers and for monitoring their performance. The Compensation Committee is responsible for developing guidelines and procedures for selection and long-range succession planning for the CEO, and the Committee also ensures that processes are in place to recruit qualified senior managers, and to train, develop and retain them. The Board encourages senior management to participate in professional and personal development activities, courses and programs. The Board supports management’s commitment to training and developing all employees.

 

26


 

     
Disclosure Requirements under 58-101F1   Company Disclosure
 
  The Board reviews all the Company’s major communications, including annual and quarterly reports. The Company communicates with its stakeholders through a number of channels including its web site. The Board oversees the Company’s disclosure policy, which requires, among other things, the accurate and timely communication of all material information as required by applicable law. Shareholders can provide feedback to the Company in a number of ways, including via e-mail (ir@rbauction.com) or calling a toll-free telephone number (1.800.663.8457). Shareholders are also able to contact directly the Chairman via email or telephone as described on page 5 of this Information Circular. The Company has implemented procedures for the receipt, retention and treatment of complaints received by the Company regarding accounting, internal accounting controls or auditing matters, and for the confidential, anonymous submission by employees of concerns regarding questionable accounting or auditing matters or reports of wrongdoing or violations of the Company’s Code of Business Conduct and Ethics.
 
   
 
  The Board, through the Audit Committee, oversees the effectiveness and integrity of the Company’s internal control processes and management information systems. The Company’s Disclosure Committee reports to the Audit Committee on a quarterly basis on the quality of the Company’s internal control processes. The Company has also adopted a disclosure policy.
 
   
 
  The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee is responsible for reviewing the governance principles of the Company, recommending any changes to these principles, and monitoring their disclosure. This committee is responsible for the report on corporate governance included in the Company’s Information Circular. The committee monitors best practices among major Canadian and U.S. companies to ensure the Company continues to carry out high standards of corporate governance. The Board has adopted corporate governance guidelines, which are available on the Company’s website.
 
   
3. Position Descriptions

(a) Disclose whether or not the board has developed written position descriptions for the chair and the chair of each board committee. If the board has not developed written position descriptions for the chair and/or the chair of each board committee, briefly describe how the board delineates the role and responsibilities of each such position.
  The entire Board is responsible for the overall governance of the Company. Any responsibility that is not delegated to senior management or a Board committee remains with the entire Board. The Board has adopted position descriptions for the CEO and the Chairman. The charters of the Committees of the Board of Directors are considered to be position descriptions for the chairs of the committees. The CEO has overall responsibility for all Company operations.
 
(b) Disclose whether or not the board and CEO have developed a written position description for the CEO. If the board and CEO have not developed such a position description, briefly describe how the board delineates the role and responsibilities of the CEO.
  The Board reviews and approves the corporate objectives for which the CEO is responsible and such corporate objectives form a key reference point for the review and assessment of the CEO’s performance.

The Board has defined the limits to management’s authority. The Board expects management, among other things, to:
 
 
 
     set the appropriate “tone at the top” for all employees of the Company;
 
 
 
     review the Company’s strategies and their implementation in all key areas of the Company’s activities, provide relevant reports to the Board related thereto and integrate the Board’s input into management’s strategic planning for the Company;
 
 
 
     carry out a comprehensive planning process and monitor the Company’s financial performance against the annual plan approved by the Board; and
 
 
 
     identify opportunities and risks affecting the Company’s business, develop and provide relevant reports to the Board related thereto and, in consultation of the Board, implement appropriate mitigation strategies.
 
   
4. Orientation and Continuing Education

(a) Briefly describe what measures the board takes to orient new directors regarding

(i) the role of the board, its committees and its directors, and

(ii) the nature and operation of the issuer’s business.
  All new directors receive an orientation binder, which includes a record of historical public information about the Company, a copy of the Company’s Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, the mandate of the Board and the charters of the Board committees, and other relevant corporate and business information and securities filings. In addition, the Company’s orientation for directors involves meeting with the Chairman, as well as with senior management of the Company for an interactive introductory discussion about the Company, providing the directors with an opportunity to ask questions. New directors are also expected to attend a Company auction shortly after their appointment and to attend as an observer at least one meeting of each Board committee during their first year. All directors are also encouraged to meet with management informally, visit auction sites and attend at least one auction per year.

 

27


 

     
Disclosure Requirements under 58-101F1   Company Disclosure
(b) Briefly describe what measures, if any, the board takes to provide continuing education for its directors. If the board does not provide continuing education, describe how the board ensures that its directors maintain the skill and knowledge necessary to meet their obligations as directors.
  Senior management makes regular presentations to the Board on the main areas of the Company’s business and updates the Board quarterly on the Company’s financial and operating performance. Periodically, directors tour the Company’s various facilities and are expected to attend Company auctions.

Directors are encouraged to take relevant professional development courses at the Company’s expense and at times, the Company also recommends appropriate courses and conferences and encourage directors to attend. For example, a number of directors have attended the NACD Director Professionalism Course at the expense of the Company. The Company also canvases the directors on an annual basis to determine what courses or training each of them has attended during the past year, and the Chair reviews the results with individual directors.
 
   
5. Ethical Business Conduct

(a) Disclose whether or not the board has adopted a written code for the directors, officers and employees. If the board has adopted a written code:

(i)   disclose how a person or company may obtain a copy of the code.

(ii)  describe how the board monitors compliance with its code, or if the board does not monitor compliance, explain whether and how the board satisfies itself regarding compliance with its code; and
  The Board has adopted a Code of Business Conduct and Ethics that can be found on the Company’s website and on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

The Board and management review and discuss from time to time the effectiveness of the Company’s Code of Business Conduct and Ethics and any areas or systems that may be further improved. The Company performs a Code of Business Conduct and Ethics compliance review on an annual basis, and seeks confirmation of understanding of and adherence to the Code from all employees throughout the Company and from directors.

There has been no material change report that has been filed that pertains to any conduct of a director or executive officer that constitutes a departure from the Code.
 
(iii) provide a cross-reference to any material change report filed since the beginning of the issuer’s most recently completed financial year that pertains to any conduct of a director or executive officer that constitutes a departure from the code.
   
 
   
(b) Describe any steps the board takes to ensure directors exercise independent judgement in considering transactions and agreements in respect of which a director or executive officer has a material interest.
  The Company complies with the relevant provisions under the Canada Business Corporations Act that deal with conflict of interest in the approval of agreements or transactions and the Company’s Code of Business Conduct and Ethics sets out additional guidelines in relation to conflict of interest situations. The Company, through directors’ and officers’ questionnaires and other systems, also gathers and monitors relevant information in relation to potential conflicts of interest that a director or officer may have.
 
   
(c) Describe any other steps the board takes to encourage and promote a culture of ethical business conduct.
  The Company was founded on, and the business continues to be successful largely as a result of, a commitment to ethical conduct and doing what is right. Employees are regularly reminded about their obligations in this regard and senior management demonstrates a culture of integrity and monitors employees by being in attendance at most of the Company’s industrial auctions. This culture is clearly articulated in the Company’s strategy document, which was approved by the Board. A summary of the Company’s strategy document was presented to all employees of the Company in 2009.
 
   
6. Nomination of Directors

(a) Describe the process by which the board identifies new candidates for board nomination.
  The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee reviews the competencies and skills of the Board from time to time and identifies any areas where additional strength may be needed. When considering and identifying potential candidates for new directors, the Committee considers those areas where additional strength may be needed. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee also has adopted an annual assessment process for the Board and Committees.
 
   
 
  The Board reviews its composition and size on a regular basis. The Board feels that the size of six to eight members is reasonable given the current size and complexity of the Company. The Company believes that the directors that have been added to the Board in recent years have brought additional experience to the Board and have allowed the Board to increase the number of unrelated and independent directors, while still permitting it to operate in an efficient manner.
 
   
(b) Disclose whether or not the board has a nominating committee composed entirely of independent directors. If the board does not have a nominating committee composed entirely of independent directors, describe what steps the board takes to encourage an objective nomination process.
  The Company currently has a Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, composed entirely of independent directors. The Committee has three members:

Chair: Eric Patel

Members: Robert W. Murdoch and Beverley A. Briscoe

The Committee is responsible for proposing new nominees to the Board, in accordance with the guidelines articulated in the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee’s charter, which is available on the Company’s website.

 

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Disclosure Requirements under 58-101F1   Company Disclosure
(c) If the board has a nominating committee, describe the responsibilities, powers and operation of the nominating committee.
  The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee has the responsibility for overseeing the evaluation of the effectiveness of the Board as a whole, as well as the committees of the Board and the contribution of individual directors, by virtue of its charter.

The charter of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee can be found on the Company’s website.
 
   
7. Compensation

(a) Describe the process by which the board determines the compensation for issuer’s directors and officers.
  Please refer to the discussion included in the Compensation Discussion and Analysis commencing on page 13 and to the discussion of director compensation commencing on page 6.
 
   
(b) Disclose whether or not the board has a compensation committee composed entirely of independent directors. If the board does not have a compensation committee composed entirely of independent directors, describe what steps the board takes to ensure an objective process for determining such compensation.
  The Board has appointed a compensation committee. This Committee has three members:

Chair: Edward B. Pitoniak

Members: James M. Micali and Christopher Zimmerman
The NYSE rules for United States companies require that all of the members of a Compensation Committee be independent. The Board determined that the Company has been in compliance with this requirement since August 2005. This Committee met four times in 2009 and all members attended all meetings. The charter of the Compensation Committee can be found on the Company’s website.
 
   
(c) If the board has a compensation committee, describe the responsibilities, powers and operation of the compensation committee.
  The responsibilities, powers and operation of the Compensation Committee are as described in its charter, a copy of which can be found on the Company’s website.
 
   
(d) If a compensation consultant or advisor has, at any time since the beginning of the issuer’s most recently completed financial year, been retained to assist in determining compensation for any of the issuer’s directors and officers, disclose the identity of the consultant or advisor and briefly summarize the mandate for which they have been retained. If the consultant or advisor has been retained to perform any other work for the issuer, state that fact and briefly describe the nature of the work.
  Until 2008, the Compensation Committee reviewed directors’ and executive officers’ compensation on a regular basis and regularly engaged outside advisors to assist with its review. Starting in 2008, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee took over responsibility for the review of directors’ compensation. The Board implemented certain changes to director’s compensation that took effect in 2009. To make its recommendation on directors’ compensation, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee took into account the types of compensation and the amounts paid to directors of other comparable companies and used the services of an outside advisor (Mercer). The Compensation Committee also engaged Mercer in 2008 to review and provide recommendations for executive officer compensation. Please see the Compensation Discussion and Analysis commencing on page 13 for further details.

Please see Compensation of Directors commencing on page 6 for information about the compensation received by the directors in 2009.
 
   
8. Other Board Committees
  The Board has no other standing committees.
 
If the board has standing committees other than the audit, compensation and nominating committees, identify the committees and describe their function.
   
 
   
9. Assessments

Disclose whether or not the board, its committees and individual directors are regularly assessed with respect to their effectiveness and contribution. If assessments are regularly conducted, describe the process used for the assessments. If assessments are not regularly conducted, describe how the board satisfies itself that the board, its committees, and its individual directors are performing effectively.
  The Board has an annual assessment process for the Board and its committees, including an individual board member evaluation process. The process is administered by the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. The process considers Board and Committee performance relative to the Board mandate or relevant Committee charters, as appropriate, and provides a mechanism for all directors to assess and provide comments on Board, Committee and Director performance. The results of the annual assessment are shared with all Board members.
INDEBTEDNESS OF DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND SENIOR OFFICERS
No director, executive officer or senior officer of the Company, no proposed nominee for election as a director of the Company, and no associate of any such director, officer or proposed nominee, at any time during the most recently completed financial year has been indebted to the Company or any of its subsidiaries or had indebtedness to another entity which is, or has been, the subject of a guarantee, support agreement, letter of credit or other similar arrangement or understanding provided by the Company or any of its subsidiaries.

 

29


 

VOTING SHARES AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS THEREOF
The Company is currently authorized to issue an unlimited number of Common Shares, an unlimited number of junior preferred shares without par value and an unlimited number of senior preferred shares without par value. As at March 2, 2010, according to the records of Computershare Trust Company of Canada, the registrar and transfer agent of the Company, there were 105,401,820 Common Shares and no preferred shares of the Company issued and outstanding. Holders of Common Shares are entitled to one vote for each Common Share held. Holders of Common Shares of record at the close of business on March 19, 2009 are entitled to receive notice of and to vote at the Meeting. The directors of the Company have fixed the close of business on March 19, 2009 as the record date for determining shareholders entitled to receive notice of and to vote at the Meeting.
To the knowledge of the directors and senior officers of the Company, there are no shareholders who beneficially own, directly or indirectly, or control or direct Common Shares carrying more than 10% of the voting rights attached to all voting shares of the Company, other than certain institutional shareholders who have filed Schedule 13Gs with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.
GENERAL PROXY INFORMATION
Appointment and Revocation of Proxies
The persons named in the enclosed form of proxy for use at the Meeting are directors of the Company.
A shareholder has the right to appoint a person to attend and act as proxyholder on the shareholder’s behalf at the Meeting other than the persons named in the enclosed form of proxy. If a shareholder does not wish to appoint either person so named, the shareholder should insert in the blank space provided the name and address of the person whom the shareholder wishes to appoint as proxyholder. That person need not be a shareholder of the Company.
A shareholder who has given a proxy may revoke it by: (a) signing a proxy bearing a later date and depositing it as provided under “Deposit of Proxy” below; (b) signing and dating a written notice of revocation (in the same manner as required for the enclosed form of proxy to be executed, as set out under “Validity of Proxy” below) and delivering such notice to the registered office of the Company at any time up to and including the last business day preceding the day of the Meeting or to the Chairman of the Meeting on the day of the Meeting; (c) attending the Meeting in person and registering with the scrutineer thereat as a shareholder present in person and signing and dating a written notice of revocation; or (d) any other manner permitted at law. Any such revocation will have effect only in respect of those matters upon which a vote has not already been cast pursuant to the authority conferred by a previously deposited proxy.
Voting of Shares Represented by Proxy
A proxy in the form of the enclosed form of proxy will confer discretionary authority upon the proxyholder named therein with respect to the matters identified in the enclosed Notice of Meeting and in the form of proxy for which no choice is specified (and with respect to amendments and variations thereto and any other matter that may properly be brought before the Meeting).
If the instructions as to voting indicated on a proxy in the enclosed form and deposited as provided for herein are certain, all of the shares represented by such proxy will be voted or withheld from voting in accordance with the instructions of the shareholder on any ballot that may be called for. If the shareholder specifies a choice in the proxy as to how such shareholder’s shares are to be voted with respect to any matter to be acted upon, the shares will be voted accordingly.
If no choice is specified by a shareholder in a proxy in the form of the enclosed form of proxy and one of the persons named in the enclosed form of proxy is appointed as proxyholder, the shares represented by the proxy will be voted “FOR” each of the director candidates nominated by the Board and “FOR” each of the other matters identified therein.

 

30


 

Amendments or Variations and Other Matters
Management of the Company is not not aware of any amendments to or variations of any of the matters identified in the enclosed Notice of Meeting nor of any other matter which may be brought before the Meeting. However, a proxy in the form of the enclosed form will confer discretionary authority upon a proxyholder named therein to vote on any amendments to or variations of any of the matters identified in the enclosed Notice of Meeting and on any other matter which may properly be brought before the Meeting in respect of which such proxy has been granted.
Validity of Proxy
A form of proxy will not be valid unless it is dated and signed by the shareholder or by the shareholder’s attorney duly authorized in writing. If the proxy is not dated, it will be deemed to bear the date on which it is mailed by the management of the Company to the shareholders. In the case of a shareholder that is a corporation, a proxy will not be valid unless it is executed under its seal or by a duly authorized officer or agent of, or attorney for, such corporate shareholder. If a proxy is executed by an attorney or agent for an individual shareholder, or by an officer, attorney, agent or authorized representative of a corporate shareholder, the instrument empowering the officer, attorney, agent or representative, as the case may be, or a notarial copy thereof, must be deposited along with the proxy. If the shares are registered in the name of more than one owner (for example, joint ownership, trustees, executors, etc), then all those registered should sign the proxy. The form of proxy should be signed in the exact manner as the name appears on the proxy.
A vote cast in accordance with the terms of a proxy will be valid notwithstanding the previous death, incapacity or bankruptcy of the shareholder or intermediary on whose behalf the proxy was given or the revocation of the appointment, unless written notice of such death, incapacity, bankruptcy or revocation is received by the Chairman of the Meeting at any time before the vote is cast.
Deposit of Proxy
In order to be valid and effective, an instrument appointing a proxy holder must be deposited with Computershare Trust Company of Canada, Proxy Department, 100 University Avenue, 9th Floor, Toronto, Ontario, M5J 2Y1, no later than 48 hours (excluding Saturdays, Sundays and holidays) before the time of the Meeting or any adjournment thereof.
Non-registered Shareholders
Non-registered shareholders whose shares may be registered in the name of a third party, such as a broker or trust company, may exercise voting rights attached to shares beneficially owned by them. Applicable securities laws require intermediaries to seek voting instructions from non-registered shareholders. Accordingly, unless a non-registered shareholder has previously instructed their intermediaries that they do not wish to receive materials relating to shareholders’ meetings, non-registered shareholders should receive or have already received from their intermediary either a request for voting instructions or a proxy form. Intermediaries have their own mailing procedures and provide their own instructions. These procedures may allow voting by telephone, on the Internet, by mail or by fax. If non-registered shareholders wish to attend and vote the shares owned by them directly at the Meeting, such non-registered holders should follow the procedures in the directions and instructions provided by or on behalf of the intermediary. For example, these non-registered shareholders can insert their name in the space provided on the request for voting Instructions or proxy form or request a form of proxy which will grant the non-registered holder the right to attend the meeting and vote in person. Non-registered shareholders should carefully follow the directions and instructions of their intermediary, including those regarding when and where the completed request for voting instructions or form of proxy is to be delivered.
Only registered shareholders as of the close of business on March 19, 2010 (the record date for voting at the Meeting) have the right to vote in person at the Meeting or to execute, deliver or revoke a proxy with the Company in respect of voting at the Meeting.

 

31


 

The Company has not sent any proxy-related materials that solicit votes or voting instructions directly to any non-registered shareholders. Non-registered shareholders who wish to vote or change their vote must, in sufficient time in advance of the Meeting, arrange for their intermediaries to make necessary voting arrangements, change the vote and, if necessary, revoke the relevant proxy.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
The Company will provide to any person or company, upon request made to the Corporate Secretary of the Company, a copy of: the Company’s current Annual Information Form together with a copy of any document, or the pertinent pages of any document, incorporated therein by reference; the Company’s consolidated comparative financial statements for its most recently completed fiscal year together with the accompanying report of the auditor and management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations (“MD&A”); any interim financial statements of the Company subsequent to the financial statements of the Company’s most recently completed fiscal year that have been filed together with the relevant MD&A; and the Company’s information circular in respect of its most recent annual meeting of shareholders. The Company may require the payment of a reasonable charge if a person who is not a shareholder of the Company makes the request for information. Additional information relating to the Company, including financial information provided in the Company’s comparative financial statements and MD&A for the most recently completed financial year, is available on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com.
SHAREHOLDERS PROPOSALS
Shareholder proposals to be considered at the 2011 Annual Meeting of shareholders of the Company must be received at the principal office of the Company no later than December 15, 2010 to be included in the information circular and form of proxy for such Annual Meeting.
APPROVAL OF CIRCULAR
The contents and sending of this Information Circular have been approved by the Board of Directors of the Company.
Dated at Richmond, British Columbia, this 2nd day of March, 2010.
By Order of the Board of Directors
-s- Jeremy Black
Jeremy Black
Corporate Secretary

 

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SCHEDULE A
RE-CONFIRMATION OF RIGHTS PLAN RESOLUTION OF SHAREHOLDERS
OF RITCHIE BROS. AUCTIONEERS INCORPORATED (the “Company”)
Re-Confirmation of Shareholder Rights Plan Agreement
BE IT RESOLVED AS AN ORDINARY RESOLUTION THAT:
  1.   The shareholder rights plan agreement made between the Company and Computershare Investor Services Inc. as rights agent dated February 22, 2007 (the “Rights Plan”), as more particularly described in the Information Circular of the Company dated March 2, 2010, be and the same is hereby re-confirmed.
 
  2.   Any one or more of the directors or officers of the Company be and are hereby authorized and directed, for and on behalf of the Company, to execute or cause to be executed, under the seal of the Company or otherwise, and to deliver or to cause to be delivered, all such other documents and to do or to cause to be done all such other acts and things as in such person’s or persons’ opinion may be necessary or desirable in order to carry out the intent of the foregoing resolutions and to give effect to the re-confirmation of the Rights Plan, such determination to be conclusively evidenced by the execution and delivery of such document or the doing of such act or thing by such person or persons.

 

 


 

(RB RITCHEBROS LOGO)   (COMPUTERSHARE LOGO)
 
    9th Floor, 100 University Avenue
    Toronto, Ontario M5J 2Y1
    www.computershare.com
Security Class
Holder Account Number
         
 
      Fold
 
       
Form of Proxy - Annual and Special Meeting to be held on April 29, 2010    
 
       
This Form of Proxy is solicited by and on behalf of Management.    
 
       
Notes to proxy    
 
       
1.
  Every holder has the right to appoint some other person or company of their choice, who need not be a holder, to attend and act on their behalf at the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof. If you wish to appoint a person or company other than the persons whose names are printed herein, please insert the name of your chosen proxyholder in the space provided (see reverse).    
 
       
2.
  If the securities are registered in the name of more than one owner (for example, joint ownership, trustees, executors, etc.), then all those registered should sign this proxy. If you are voting on behalf of a corporation or another individual you must sign this proxy with signing capacity stated, and you may be required to provide documentation evidencing your power to sign this proxy.    
 
       
3.
  This proxy should be signed in the exact manner as the name(s) appear(s) on the proxy.    
 
       
4.
  If this proxy is not dated, it will be deemed to bear the date on which it is mailed by Management to the holder.    
 
       
5.
  The securities represented by this proxy will be voted as directed by the holder, however, if such a direction is not made in respect of any matter, this proxy will be voted as recommended by Management.    
 
       
6.
  The securities represented by this proxy will be voted in favour or withheld from voting or voted against each of the matters described herein, as applicable, in accordance with the instructions of the holder, on any ballot that may be called for and, if the holder has specified a choice with respect to any matter to be acted on, the securities will be voted accordingly.    
 
       
7.
  This proxy confers discretionary authority in respect of amendments or variations to matters identified in the Notice of Meeting or other matters that may properly come before the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof.    
      Fold
 
       
8.
  This proxy should be read in conjunction with the accompanying documentation provided by Management.    
Proxies submitted must be received by 2:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on Tuesday, April 27, 2010.
ELECTRONIC DELIVERY OF SECURITYHOLDER COMMUNICATIONS
We are implementing a voluntary program for delivery to securityholders of company documents by electronic means. This will result in increased convenience to securityholders, benefits to our environment and reduced costs. This new initiative will give securityholders the ability to electronically access important company documents easily and quickly.
(IMAGE)
  You can enroll to receive future securityholder
communications electronically by visiting
www.computershare.com/eDelivery and clicking on
“eDelivery Signup”.

 


 

     
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Appointment of Proxyholder
                 
The undersigned “Registered Shareholder” of Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers Incorporated (the “Company”) hereby appoints: Robert Waugh Murdoch, or failing this person, Peter James Blake,
  OR   Print the name of the person you are appointing if this person is someone other than the Chairman of the Meeting.  
 

   
as my/our proxyholder with full power of substitution and to attend, act and to vote for and on behalf of the shareholder in accordance with the following direction (or if no directions have been given, as the proxyholder sees fit) and all other matters that may properly come before the Annual and Special Meeting of shareholders of Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers Incorporated to be held at 9500 Glenlyon Parkway, Burnaby, B.C. V5J 0C6, on April 29, 2010 at 11:00 a.m. (Pacific Time) and at any adjournment or postponement thereof.
VOTING RECOMMENDATIONS ARE INDICATED BY HIGHLIGHTED TEXT OVER THE BOXES.
1. Election of Directors
                                     
 
  For   Withhold       For   Withhold       For   Withhold    
 
                                   
01. Robert Waugh Murdoch
 
o
 
o
  02. Peter James Blake  
o
 
o
  03. Eric Patel  
o
 
o
   
 
                                   
04. Beverley Anne Briscoe
 
o
 
o
  05. Edward Baltazar Pitoniak  
o
 
o
  06. Christopher Zimmerman  
o
 
o
  Fold
 
                                   
07. James Michael Micali
 
o
 
o
                           
 
                          For   Withhold    
 
                                   
2. Appointment of Auditors                  
o
 
o
   
 
                                   
Appointment of KPMG LLP as Auditors of the Company for the ensuing year and authorizing the Directors to fix their remuneration.            
 
                          For   Against    
 
                                   
3. Shareholder Rights Plan                  
o
 
o
   
     
Approval of the reconfirmation of the Shareholder Rights Plan in accordance with the Shareholder Rights Plan Agreement dated as of February 27, 2007 between the Company and Computershare Investor Services Inc., the full text of which resolution is set out in Schedule “A” to the Information Circular of the Company dated March 2, 2010.
   
   
  Fold
                     
Authorized Signature(s) - This section must be completed for your instructions to be executed.
  Signature(s)   Date            
 
                   
I/We authorize you to act in accordance with my/our instructions set out above. I/We hereby revoke any proxy previously given with respect to the Meeting. If no voting instructions are indicated above, this Proxy will be voted as recommended by Management.
 
 

  DD / MM / YY  
                   
             
Interim Financial Statements - Mark this box if you would like to receive interim financial statements and accompanying Management’s Discussion and Analysis by mail.
 
o
 
Annual Financial Statements - Mark this box if you would NOT like to receive the Annual Financial Statements and accompanying Management’s Discussion and Analysis by mail.
 
o
If you are not mailing back your proxy, you may register online to receive the above financial report(s) by mail at www.computershare.com/mailinglist.
                 
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