UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, DC 20549

 

 

SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION

Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the

Securities Exchange Act of 1934

 

 

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¨   Soliciting Material Pursuant to Rule 14a-12

Virginia Commerce Bancorp, Inc.

(Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

 

(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)

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VIRGINIA COMMERCE BANCORP, INC.

5350 Lee Highway

Arlington, Virginia 22207

NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS

To be held April 24, 2013

To the Stockholders:

The Annual Meeting of Stockholders of Virginia Commerce Bancorp, Inc. (the “Company”) will be held at:

The Washington Golf and Country Club

3017 North Glebe Road

Arlington, Virginia 22207

on April 24, 2013, at 4:00 p.m. for the following purposes:

 

  (1) To elect as directors the nine (9) nominees named in the enclosed proxy statement to serve until their successors are duly elected and qualified;

 

  (2) To approve, in a non-binding advisory vote, the compensation of our executive officers;

 

  (3) To recommend, in a non-binding advisory vote, the frequency of future advisory votes on the compensation of our executive officers;

 

  (4) To ratify the appointment of Yount, Hyde & Barbour, P.C. as the Company’s independent registered public accountant for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2013; and

 

  (5) To transact such other business as may properly come before the meeting or any adjournment or postponement of the meeting.

Stockholders of record as of the close of business on March 8, 2013, are entitled to notice of and to vote at the meeting or any adjournment or postponement of the meeting.

As explained in more detail in the accompanying proxy statement, this annual meeting is being held solely for the purposes described above and does not include a vote on our proposed merger with United Bankshares, Inc.

 

By Order of the Board of Directors

/s/ Kenneth R. Lehman

Kenneth R. Lehman
Secretary

March 22, 2013

Please sign, date and return your proxy promptly, whether or not you plan to attend the meeting in person. No postage is required if mailed in the United States in the enclosed envelope. If you attend the meeting, you may, if you desire, revoke your proxy and vote in person (provided that, if you hold your shares through a bank, broker or other holder of record and you wish to vote in person, you must bring a legal proxy or broker’s proxy card to the meeting as proof of your authority to vote the shares).


VIRGINIA COMMERCE BANCORP, INC.

5350 Lee Highway

Arlington, Virginia 22207

 

 

ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS

Proxy Statement

 

 

INTRODUCTION

This proxy statement is being sent to stockholders of Virginia Commerce Bancorp, Inc., a Virginia corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the solicitation of proxies by the Board of Directors of the Company for use at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held at 4:00 p.m. on April 24, 2013, and at any adjournment or postponement of the meeting. The purposes of the meeting are:

 

  (1) To elect as directors the nine (9) nominees named in the enclosed proxy statement to serve until their successors are duly elected and qualified;

 

  (2) To approve, in a non-binding advisory vote, the compensation of our executive officers;

 

  (3) To recommend, in a non-binding advisory vote, the frequency of future advisory votes on the compensation of our executive officers;

 

  (4) To ratify the appointment of Yount, Hyde & Barbour, P.C. as the Company’s independent registered public accountant for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2013; and

 

  (5) To transact such other business as may properly come before the meeting or any adjournment or postponement of the meeting.

The meeting will be held at:

The Washington Golf and Country Club

3017 North Glebe Road

Arlington, Virginia 22207

This proxy statement and proxy card are being sent to stockholders of the Company on or about March 28, 2013. A copy of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012, which includes our audited financial statements, also accompanies this proxy statement.

This annual meeting is being held solely for the purposes described in the accompanying notice, and this proxy statement is a solicitation of proxies for these items only. The company’s proposed merger with United Bankshares, Inc. (“United”) is not an item of business for this annual meeting and, therefore, this proxy statement is not a solicitation by the board of directors with respect to our proposed merger with United.

To obtain directions to attend the meeting and vote in person, please contact Kate Carter at (703) 534-0700.

VOTING RIGHTS AND PROXIES

Voting Rights

Only stockholders of record at the close of business on March 8, 2013, will be entitled to notice of and to vote at the meeting or any adjournment or postponement of the meeting. On that date, there were 32,489,794 shares of our common stock, par value $1.00 per share, outstanding. At March 8, 2013, the outstanding common stock was held by

 

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approximately of 2,300 beneficial stockholders, including 498 stockholders of record. The common stock is the Company’s only class of stock with general voting rights of which shares are outstanding. Each share of common stock is entitled to one vote on all matters submitted to a vote of the stockholders. Stockholders do not have the right to cumulate votes in the election of directors. The presence at the meeting, in person or by proxy, of not less than a majority of the total number of outstanding shares of common stock is necessary to constitute a quorum.

Proxies

Properly executed proxies which are received by the Company in time to be voted at the meeting will be voted as specified by the stockholder giving the proxy. In the absence of specific instructions, proxies received will be voted FOR the election of the nine (9) nominees for election as directors in Proposal 1, FOR proposal 2 to provide the non-binding advisory approval of the compensation of our executive officers, for an EVERY YEAR frequency for the non binding advisory votes on the compensation of our named executive officers in Proposal 3, and FOR ratification of the appointment of Yount, Hyde & Barbour as the Company’s independent registered public accountant in Proposal 4.

Management does not know of any matters other than those described in this proxy statement that will be brought before the meeting. If other matters are properly brought before the meeting, the persons named in the proxy intend to vote the shares to which the proxies relate in accordance with their best judgment.

The judges of election appointed by the Board of Directors for the meeting will determine the presence of a quorum and will tabulate the votes cast at the meeting. Abstentions and votes withheld (including broker non-votes discussed below) will be treated as present for purposes of determining a quorum, but as unvoted for purposes of determining the approval of any matter submitted to the vote of stockholders.

Applicable rules determine whether proposals presented at stockholder meetings are routine or non-routine. If a proposal is routine, a broker or other entity holding shares for an owner in street name generally may vote on the proposal without receiving voting instructions from the owner. If a proposal is non-routine, the broker or other entity generally may vote on the proposal only if the owner has provided voting instructions. A “broker non-vote” occurs when a broker or other entity returns a signed proxy card but does not vote shares on a particular proposal because the proposal is not a routine matter and the broker or other entity has not received voting instructions from the beneficial owner of the shares. The ratification of Yount, Hyde & Barbour as the Company’s independent registered public accountant for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2013 is considered a routine matter, while the election of directors, the non-binding advisory vote to approve the compensation of the Company’s executive officers, and the non-binding advisory vote on the frequency of the advisory votes to approve the compensation of the Company’s executive officers are considered to be non-routine matters.

With regard to the election of directors, votes may be cast in favor or withheld. If a quorum is present, the nominees receiving the greatest number of affirmative votes cast in the election of directors, even though less than a majority, will be elected directors. Therefore, votes withheld and broker non-votes will have no effect.

With regard to the non-binding advisory vote on the frequency of the advisory votes on executive compensation, stockholders may vote for a frequency of every year, every two years or every three years, or stockholders may abstain from voting. If a quorum is present, the frequency that receives the highest number of votes in favor, even though less than a majority, will be the frequency that is recommended by the stockholders. Therefore, abstentions and broker non-votes will have no effect.

For all other proposals, votes may be cast in favor or against, or stockholders may abstain from voting. Approval of these other proposals (including the non-binding advisory vote to approve executive compensation and the ratification of the Company’s independent registered public accountant) requires an affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast on the matter. Thus, abstentions and broker non-votes are not counted for purposes of determining whether such a matter has been approved, and therefore, will have no effect.

It is important that you vote. If your shares are held in street name, except for the ratification of the Company’s independent registered public accountant, your bank or broker may not vote your shares unless you provide them with voting instructions.

 

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If you are a stockholder of record, please sign, date, mark and promptly return the enclosed proxy in the postage-paid envelope provided for this purpose in order to assure that your shares are voted. You may revoke your proxy at any time before it is voted at the meeting:

 

   

by submitting a later proxy with respect to the same shares; or

 

   

by sending written notice to Peter A. Converse, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company, at the address noted above, at any time prior to the proxy being voted; or

 

   

by voting in person at the meeting.

Attendance at the meeting will not, in itself, revoke a proxy.

If your shares are held in the name of your bank or broker, you will need additional documentation to vote in person at the meeting. Please see the voting form provided by your bank or broker for additional information regarding the voting of your shares. If your shares are held in the name of your bank or broker, please follow the instructions provided by your bank or broker to revoke your proxy or change your vote.

Many stockholders whose shares are held in an account at a brokerage firm or bank will have the option to submit their proxies or voting instructions electronically through the Internet or by telephone. Such stockholders should check the voting form or instructions provided by their bank or broker to see which options are available. Stockholders submitting proxies or voting instructions electronically should understand that there may be costs associated with electronic access, such as usage charges from Internet access providers and telephone companies, that would be borne by the stockholder. To revoke a proxy previously submitted electronically, a stockholder may simply submit a new proxy at a later date before the taking of the vote at the meeting, in which case, the later submitted proxy will be recorded and the earlier proxy will be revoked.

The enclosed proxy is being solicited on behalf of the Board of Directors of the Company. The cost of this proxy solicitation is being borne by the Company. In addition to the use of the mail, proxies may be solicited personally or by telephone, by officers, regular employees or directors of the Company, who will not be compensated for any such services. Brokerage firms, fiduciaries and other custodians who forward soliciting material to the beneficial owners of shares of common stock held of record by them will be reimbursed for their reasonable expenses incurred in forwarding such material. The Company has not retained a professional proxy solicitor or other firm to assist it, for compensation, with the solicitation of proxies, although it may do so if deemed appropriate. Any proxy solicitor would be paid customary fees and expenses.

Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for the Stockholder Meeting to be Held on April 24, 2013. This Proxy Statement, Notice of Annual Meeting of Stockholders, form of proxy and our Annual Report for the year ended December 31, 2012, are also available online at: http://www.snl.com/irweblinkx/GenPage.aspx?IID=4053565&GKP=205602 .

VOTING SECURITIES AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS

Securities Ownership of Directors and Officers

The following table sets forth certain information as of March 8, 2013, concerning the number and percentage of shares of the Company’s common stock beneficially owned by each director, nominee for director and executive officer named in the Summary Compensation Table in this proxy statement and by the Company’s directors and all executive officers as a group. In addition, the table includes information with respect to persons known to the Company who own or may be deemed to own more than five percent of the Company’s common stock as of March 8, 2013. Except as otherwise indicated, all shares are owned directly, the named person possesses sole voting and sole investment power with respect to all such shares, and none of such shares are pledged as security. The Company knows of no other person or persons, other than street name nominee owners, who, beneficially or of record, own in excess of five percent of the Company’s common stock.

 

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     Number of Shares
Beneficially Owned
    Percentage of Class
Beneficially Owned (1)
 

Directors and Nominees for Director:

    

Leonard Adler, Director

     1,010,951 (2)       3.09

Michael G. Anzilotti, Director

     138,489 (3)       0.43

Thomas A. Burdette, Director

     30,396 (4)       0.09

Peter A. Converse, Director, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Bank

     1,176,729 (5)       3.60

W. Douglas Fisher, Chairman of the Board of Directors

     738,753 (6)       2.27

David M. Guernsey, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors

     392,783 (7)       1.20

Kenneth R. Lehman, Director and Secretary

     1,441,441 (8)       4.44

Norris E. Mitchell, Director

8560 Georgetown Pike

McLean, Virginia 22102

     1,721,509 (9)       5.20

Todd A. Stottlemyer, Director

     15,280 (10)       0.05

Named Executive Officers Who Are Not Directors: (1 0 )

    

Mark S. Merrill, Executive Vice President, CFO

     12,692 (11)       0.04

Richard B. Anderson, Jr., Executive Vice President, CLO

     277,357 (1 2 )       0.85

Patricia M. Ostrander, Executive Vice President, CAO

     81,794 (1 3 )       0.25

Steven A. Reeder, Executive Vice President, CDO

     61,646 ( 1 4 )       0.19

Wilmer L. Tinley, Jr., Former Interim CFO

     —   ( 15)       —     

All directors and executive officers as a group (15 persons)

     7,118,665 (1 6 )       20.93

5% Stockholders Who Are Not Directors or Executive Officers

    

The Banc Funds Company. LLC

20 North Wacker Drive, Suite 3300

Chicago, Illinois 60606

     1,891,452 (1 7 )       5.82

 

(1) Based on 32,489,794 shares outstanding as of March 8, 2013, except with respect to individuals holding options or warrants to acquire common stock exercisable within sixty days of March 8, 2013 (presently exercisable options and warrants), in which event this column represents the percentage of shares issued and outstanding as of March 8, 2013, plus the number of such options and warrants held by such person, and in the case of all directors and the executive officers as a group, represents the percentage of shares outstanding as of March 8, 2013, plus the number of such options and warrants held by all such persons as a group. Certain shares beneficially owned by the Company’s directors and executive officers may be held in accounts with third party firms, where such shares may from time to time be subject to a security interest for margin credit provided in accordance with such firm’s policies.
(2) Includes presently exercisable options and warrants to acquire 267,225 shares of common stock, 198,133 shares held by Adler NN, LLC, over which shares Mr. Adler has sole voting power, and 4,080 shares of restricted stock over which Mr. Adler has sole voting power but which cannot be transferred prior to vesting.
(3) Includes presently exercisable options and warrants to acquire 94,330 shares of common stock, 38,594 shares held jointly by Mr. Anzilotti and his wife, over which they share voting and investment power, and 5,532 shares of restricted stock over which Mr. Anzilotti has sole voting power but which cannot be transferred prior to vesting.
(4) Includes 2,714 shares of restricted stock over which Mr. Burdette has sole voting power but which cannot be transferred prior to vesting.
(5) Includes presently exercisable options and warrants to acquire 154,221 shares of common stock, and 58,883 shares of restricted stock over which Mr. Converse has sole voting power but which cannot be transferred prior to vesting. Mr. Converse has pledged 482,339 shares of common stock as collateral.
(6) Includes presently exercisable options and warrants to acquire 87,225 shares of common stock, and 4,080 shares of restricted stock over which Mr. Fisher has sole voting power but which cannot be transferred prior to vesting. Mr. Fisher has pledged 30,000 shares of common stock as collateral and 1,254 held in a margin account.
(7) Includes presently exercisable options and warrants to acquire 117,225 shares of common stock, 10,265 shares held by Guernsey Office Products, Inc., of which Mr. Guernsey is Chief Executive Officer and principal shareowner and over which shares Mr. Guernsey has sole voting power, and 4,080 shares of restricted stock over which Mr. Guernsey has sole voting power but which cannot be transferred prior to vesting.
(8) Includes 978,312 shares held jointly by Mr. Lehman and his wife, over which they share voting and investment power, and 4,080 shares of restricted stock over which Mr. Lehman has sole voting power but which cannot be transferred prior to vesting. Mr. Lehman has pledged 341,000 shares of common stock as collateral.

 

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(9) Includes presently exercisable options and warrants to acquire 615,600 shares of common stock, and 4,080 shares of restricted stock over which Mr. Mitchell has sole voting power but which cannot be transferred prior to vesting. Mr. Mitchell’s options and warrants include 600,000 warrants owned by an LLC in which he has a 50% ownership interest. Mr. Mitchell disclaims beneficial ownership of 300,000 warrants attributable to the interests of other members of the LLC. Mr. Mitchell has pledged 150,000 shares of common stock as collateral.
(10) Includes 4,080 shares of restricted stock over which Mr. Stottlemyer has sole voting power but which cannot be transferred prior to vesting.
(11) Includes 3,600 shares held jointly by Mr. Merrill and his wife, over which they share voting and investment power and 9,092 shares of restricted stock over which Mr. Merrill had sole voting power but which cannot be transferred prior to vesting.
(12) Includes presently exercisable options and warrants to acquire 87,224 shares of common stock, 14,141 shares of restricted stock over which Mr. Anderson has sole voting power but which cannot be transferred prior to vesting and 145,805 shares held jointly by Mr. Anderson and his wife, over which they share voting and investment power.
(13) Includes 42,295 presently exercisable options, 28,775 shares held jointly by Ms. Ostrander and her husband, and 10,724 shares of restricted stock over which Ms. Ostrander has sole voting power but which cannot be transferred prior to vesting.
(14) Includes presently exercisable options to acquire 47,263 shares of common stock, 12,766 shares of restricted stock over which Mr. Reeder has sole voting power but which cannot be transferred prior to vesting and 1,000 shares held jointly by Mr. Reeder and his wife, over which they share voting and investment power.
(15) Mr. Tinley served as Interim Chief Financial Officer until February 20, 2012.
(16) Includes presently exercisable options and warrants to acquire 1,521,008 shares of common stock. Includes 2,000 presently exercisable options and 4,838 shares of restricted stock over which Mr. Ewing, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer has sole voting power but which cannot be transferred prior to vesting; and 1,000 shares, 6,400 presently exercisable options and 4,607 shares of restricted stock over which Mr. Coombe, Executive Vice President and Chief Credit Officer has sole voting power but which cannot be transferred prior to vesting.
(17) According to Schedule 13G/A filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 11, 2013. The amount shown consists of 275,376 shares owned by Banc Fund VI L.P., 572,045 shares owned by Banc Fund VII L.P., and 1,044,031 shares owned by Banc Fund VIII L.P. The Banc Funds Company, L.L.C. is the general partner of MidBanc VI L.P., MidBanc VII L.P., and MidBanc VIII L.P., which are the general partners of Banc Fund VI L.P., Banc Fund VII L.P. and Banc Fund VIII L.P., respectively. The principal shareholder of The Banc Funds Company, L.L.C. is Charles J. Moore. Mr. Moore is the manager of Banc Fund VI L.P., Banc Fund VII L.P. and Banc Fund VIII L.P. and has voting control and investment power over the shares of common stock owned by Banc Fund VI L.P., Banc Fund VII L.P. and Banc Fund VIII L.P.

PROPOSAL 1 - ELECTION OF DIRECTORS

Nine (9) directors will be elected at the meeting for a one-year period until the earlier of 2014 Annual Meeting of Stockholders or until their successors have been elected and qualified or until the effectiveness of the proposed merger with United. Unless authority is withheld, all proxies received in response to this solicitation will be voted for the election of the nominees listed below. Each nominee has indicated a willingness to serve if elected. However, if any nominee becomes unable to serve, the proxies received in response to this solicitation will be voted for a replacement nominee selected by the independent directors. Each of the nominees for election as director currently serves as a director.

The Board of Directors recommends that stockholders vote FOR each of the nominees listed below for election to the Board of Directors.

Director Qualifications

The following paragraphs provide information as of the date of this proxy statement about each nominee. The information presented includes information each director has given us about his age, all positions he holds, his principal occupation and business experience for the past five years, and the names of other publicly-held companies of which he currently serves as a director or has served as a director during the past five years. References to service as a director of the Company prior to 1999 refer to the year the individual joined the Board of Directors of the Bank, before the Bank’s reorganization into a holding company structure. In addition to the information presented below regarding each nominee’s specific experience, qualifications, attributes and skills that led our Board to the conclusion that he should serve as director, we also believe that all of our director nominees have a reputation for integrity, honesty and adherence to high ethical standards. They each have demonstrated business acumen and an ability to exercise sound judgment, as well as a commitment of service to the Company and our Board.

Nominees for Election as Directors

LEONARD ADLER, 77, Director since 1998

Mr. Adler is Chairman of the Board for Adler Financial Group (real estate and investments). Mr. Adler was principal owner of Total Crafts. Mr. Adler was a founding director of the Bank, serving until 1991. He rejoined the Bank Board in 1998 and has served on the Virginia Commerce Bancorp, Inc. Board since that time. We believe Mr. Adler’s principal qualifications to serve as a director include his extensive experience in real estate, acquisition, development and management.

 

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MICHAEL G. ANZILOTTI, 63, Director since 2004

Mr. Anzilotti served as President of the Company from 2004 until his retirement on July 1, 2010. Prior to that, Mr. Anzilotti was the President and CEO of First Virginia Bank from 1995 to 2004. Mr. Anzilotti has served and chaired numerous boards over the years, including the Virginia State Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Anzilotti has served on the Virginia Commerce Bancorp, Inc. Board since 2004. We believe his qualifications to serve as a director stem from his extensive business experience including over 40 years of bank management.

THOMAS E. BURDETTE, 62, Director since 2011

Mr. Burdette is a licensed certified public accountant and investment advisor. Mr. Burdette is the managing member of Burdette, Smith & Bish LLC, a firm providing certified public accounting and management consulting services since 1978. Mr. Burdette previously served as a director and chairman of the audit committee for a Northern Virginia bank and is active in several local civic organizations. Mr. Burdette serves as the Chairman of the Audit Committee. We believe his qualifications to serve as a director stem from his extensive accounting and investing advisor experience.

PETER A. CONVERSE, 62, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company and the Bank; Director since 1994

Mr. Converse joined the Bank in 1994. Prior to that, Mr. Converse was the Senior Vice President/Chief Lending Officer for Federal Capital Bank from March 1992 to December 1993; Senior Vice President of Bank of Maryland from October 1990 to March 1992; and Executive Vice President/Chief Lending Officer, Century National Bank from May 1986 to July 1990 and Senior Vice President/Chief Lending Officer, Central National Bank from July 1979 to April 1986. Mr. Converse has served on the Virginia Commerce Bancorp, Inc. Board since 1994. We believe his qualifications to serve as a director stem from his extensive banking experience of over 39 years.

W. DOUGLAS FISHER, 75, Chairman of the Board of Directors; Director since 1988

Mr. Fisher was a co-founder and Vice President of AZTECH Corporation, a local computer software and systems company specializing in technology for membership associations nationwide, from 1969 to 1990 and 1992 to 1997. Mr. Fisher was Vice President of Executive Systems, Inc., a software and systems company, from 1990 to 1992. He retired in 1997. He served on the Arlington Bank Board of Advisors from 1980 to 1986. He also served for 12 years on the board of the non-profit organization, American Running Association. Mr. Fisher has been a director of Virginia Commerce Bancorp, Inc. for 24 years and was a founding director of the Bank in 1988. He has served as Chairman since 1999. Prior to that he served as the Bank’s Vice Chairman and Chairman of the Audit Committee. We believe his qualifications to serve as a director stem from his extensive business experience in technology, banking, and finance and his service over the years on our Board.

DAVID M. GUERNSEY, 65, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors; Director since 1988

Mr. Guernsey is founder and CEO of Guernsey Office Products, Inc., one of the largest independent office products dealers in the United States. Additionally, Mr. Guernsey serves on the board of Comstock Homebuilding Cos. (CHCI), a public company trading on NASDAQ. Mr. Guernsey is on the national board of The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) serving as Chairman. NFIB is the nation’s largest member-based small business association. Mr. Guernsey has served on the Virginia Commerce Bancorp, Inc. Board since 1989, currently serving as Vice-Chairman. We believe Mr. Guernsey’s qualifications to serve as a director include his extensive experience with public companies, broad management and market expertise and his success as an entrepreneur.

KENNETH R. LEHMAN, 54, Secretary of the Board of Directors; Director since 2009

Mr. Lehman is a private investor, attorney and banking entrepreneur. Mr. Lehman was an attorney with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) from 1988 through 1992, and in 1993 he co-founded a nationally recognized law firm that specializes in securities, mergers and acquisitions, and banking. Mr. Lehman retired from the firm in 2002. Since 2003, he has co-founded three banks and, over the last five years, he has served as a director of several banks and bank holding companies including publicly traded First Capital Bancorp, Inc., where he has served as a director since November 2012, and Tower Bancorp, Inc., where he served as a director through February 2012. Mr. Lehman has served on the Virginia Commerce Bancorp, Inc. Board since 2009. We believe Mr. Lehman’s qualifications to serve as a director include his experience as an attorney representing private and public financial institutions, his knowledge of banking and securities laws and regulations, his understanding of the banking industry including bank valuations and mergers and acquisitions, and his service as a director of other banking institutions and public companies.

 

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NORRIS E. MITCHELL, 76, Director since 1988

Mr. Mitchell is the co-owner of Gardner Homes Realtors and is an active investor in real estate throughout the state of Virginia. Mr. Mitchell was a founding director and has served on the Board since 1988. We believe Mr. Mitchell’s qualifications to serve as a director include his extensive business and management background relating to real estate, property management and finance.

TODD A. STOTTLEMYER, 49, Director since 2010

Mr. Stottlemyer is the Chief Executive Officer at Acentia since January 2011. Prior to that, Mr. Stottlemyer was Executive Vice President and Chief Corporate Services Officer of the Inova Health System from 2009 through December 2010, President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Federation of Independent Business from 2006 through 2009, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Apogen Technologies, Inc., President of McGuireWoods Consulting, and Executive Vice President/Chief Financial and Administrative Officer of BTG, Inc., an information technology company from 1998 through 2000. Mr. Stottlemyer has served on the Board since 2010. We believe Mr. Stottlemyer’s qualifications to serve as a director include his corporate executive management experience, especially as chief financial officer of a publicly traded company, where he was responsible for investor relations and mergers and acquisitions, and his service as a director of other companies.

Committees, Meetings and Procedures of the Board of Directors

Meetings. The Board of Directors of the Company met twelve (12) times during 2012. All members of the Board of Directors attended at least 75% of the meetings held by the Board of Directors of the Company and by all committees on which such members served during the 2012 fiscal year or any portion thereof.

Board Leadership Structure and Risk Oversight . The Company has separated the positions of Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board as a result of its determination that it is preferable at this time for an independent director to serve as Chairman of the Board. The Chairman of the Board supervises the implementation of the policies adopted or approved by the Board of Directors and presides at all meetings of the Board. As directors continue to have more oversight responsibilities, especially in the area of risk management, the Company believes it is beneficial to have an independent Chairman of the Board whose sole focus is on leading the Board. With guidance from the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer is responsible for the day-to-day leadership and performance of the Company. The Company believes this structure provides strong leadership for the Board while positioning the Chief Executive Officer as the leader of the Company. The Company also recognizes, however, that no single leadership model is appropriate at all times and, as a result, the Board periodically reviews its leadership structure to determine whether changes are warranted.

The Company believes that its current leadership structure allows the directors to provide effective oversight of the Company’s risk management function by receiving and approving recommendations prepared by individuals responsible for risk management. The Audit Committee, comprised solely of independent directors, assists the Board in fulfilling its oversight responsibilities by periodically reviewing and making recommendations to the Board regarding the adequacy and effectiveness of the Company’s risk management and related programs and activities. Mr. Fisher, the Chairman of the Board, serves on the Audit Committee and is appropriately positioned to include risk management issues on the agenda for Board meetings as circumstances warrant. As appropriate, the Board members receive recommendations from the chairman of the Audit Committee regarding significant risks or exposures and the steps management has taken to minimize such risk to the Company. In addition, the Audit Committee also regularly communicates with the independent chairman of each Board committee regarding the risks within that committee’s areas of responsibility. The Company believes that this leadership structure promotes effective Board oversight of risk management because, while the Chief Executive Officer is ultimately accountable for the management of the Company’s risks, Board committees, each chaired by an independent director, actively monitor the Company’s risk management program, and are provided with the information necessary to evaluate the specific risks relevant to each committee’s areas of responsibility.

Independence. The Board of Directors has determined that each director who served during 2012 and each current director other than Mr. Converse and Mr. Anzilotti is an “independent director” as that term is defined in Listing Rule 5605(a)(2) of The NASDAQ Stock Market (“NASDAQ”). In making this determination, the Board of

 

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Directors was aware of and considered the loan and deposit relationships with directors and their related interests which the Company enters into in the ordinary course of its business and the arrangements which are disclosed under “Transactions with Management and Related Parties” and “Committees, Meetings and Procedures of the Board of Directors — Personnel and Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation” in this proxy statement.

Audit Committee. The Board of Directors has a standing Audit Committee, which is a joint committee of the Company and the Bank. The Audit Committee is responsible for the selection, review and oversight of the Company’s independent auditors, the approval of all audit, review and attest services provided by the independent auditors, the integrity of the Company’s reporting practices, the evaluation of the Company’s risk management and related programs and activities, and the evaluation of the Company’s internal controls and accounting procedures. It also periodically reviews audit reports with the Company’s independent auditors. The Audit Committee is currently comprised of Messrs. Burdette (Chairman), Fisher, Lehman and Mitchell. The same individuals served on the Audit Committee during 2012. Each of the current members of the Audit Committee is, and each member who served on the Audit Committee in 2012 was, independent as determined under the definition of independence adopted by NASDAQ for audit committee members in Listing Rule 5605(c)(2)(A). The Board of Directors has adopted a written charter for the Audit Committee. A copy of the charter is available on the Company’s website at www.vcbonline.com under “Investor Relations/Corporate Governance”. During the 2012 fiscal year, the Audit Committee met seven (7) times. The Board of Directors has determined that Mr. Burdette is an “audit committee financial expert” as defined under regulations of the SEC.

The Audit Committee is also responsible for the pre-approval of all non-audit services provided by the Company’s independent auditors. Non-audit services are only provided by the Company’s independent auditors to the extent permitted by law. Pre-approval is required unless a “de minimis” exception is met. To qualify for the “de minimis” exception, the aggregate amount of all such non-audit services provided to the Company must constitute not more than five percent of the total amount of revenues paid by the Company to its independent auditors during the fiscal year in which the non-audit services are provided; such services were not recognized by the Company at the time of the engagement to be non-audit services; and the non-audit services are promptly brought to the attention of the Audit Committee and approved prior to the completion of the audit by the Audit Committee or by one or more members of the Audit Committee to whom authority to grant such approval has been delegated by the Audit Committee.

Nominations. The Board of Directors does not have a standing Nominating Committee. It is the policy of the Board of Directors that all members of the Board of Directors who are independent within the meaning of NASDAQ Listing Rule 5605(a)(2) participate in the nomination of directors, in order that the broadest viewpoints and perspectives may be brought into the evaluation of sitting directors, the decision whether to seek new directors and the determination and evaluation of potential candidates for nomination as director. The Board of Directors has adopted a written charter addressing the nominations process. A copy of the charter is available on the Company’s website at www.vcbonline.com under “Investor Relations/Corporate Governance”. During the 2012 fiscal year, the independent directors performing the nominating function met one (1) time.

While there are no formal procedures for stockholders to submit recommendations of director candidates, the Board of Directors, or those independent directors performing the nominating function, will consider director candidates recommended by stockholders in writing during such times as the Board of Directors is actively considering adding new directors. Candidates recommended by stockholders will be evaluated based on the same criteria described below. Stockholders desiring to recommend a candidate for consideration should send a letter to the Company’s Secretary and include: (a) a statement that the writer is a stockholder (providing evidence if the person’s shares are held in street name) and is proposing a candidate for consideration; (b) the name and contact information for the candidate; (c) a statement of the candidate’s business and educational experience; (d) information regarding the candidate’s qualifications to be director, including but not limited to an evaluation of the factors discussed above which the Board would consider in evaluating a candidate; (e) information regarding any relationship or understanding between the proposing stockholder and the candidate; (f) information regarding potential conflicts of interest; and (g) a statement that the candidate is willing to be considered and willing to serve as director if nominated and elected. Because of the limited resources of the Company and the limited opportunity to seek additional directors, there is no assurance that all stockholder proposed candidates will be fully considered, that all candidates will be considered equally, or that the proponent of any candidate or the recommended candidate will be contacted by the Company or the Board, and no undertaking to do so is implied by the willingness to consider candidates recommended by stockholders. Any such recommendation must be received no later than January 1, 2014, if we hold an annual meeting in 2014, in order to be considered by the independent directors for the annual election of directors in 2014.

 

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In addition, in accordance with the Company’s bylaws, any stockholder entitled to vote in the election of directors generally may nominate one or more persons for election as director(s) at a meeting of stockholders if the stockholder gives written notice of his or her intent to make such nomination to the Secretary of the Company not later than (i) with respect to an election to be held at the annual meeting of stockholders, ninety days prior to the anniversary date of the immediately preceding annual meeting (January 24, 2014 for the 2014 annual meeting of stockholders, if we hold an annual meeting in 2014), and (ii) with respect to an election to be held at a special meeting of the stockholders for the election of directors, the close of business on the seventh day following the date on which notice of such meeting is first given to stockholders. In accordance with the Company’s bylaws, notice of a stockholder nomination must include: (a) the name and address of the stockholder who intends to make the nomination and of the person or persons to be nominated; (b) a representation that the stockholder is a holder of record of stock of the Company entitled to vote at such meeting and intends to appear in person or by proxy at the meeting to nominate the person or persons specified in the notice; (c) a description of all arrangements or understandings between the stockholder and each nominee and any other person or persons (naming such person or persons) pursuant to which the nomination or nominations are to be made by the stockholder; (d) such other information regarding each nominee proposed by such stockholder as would be required to be included in a proxy statement filed pursuant to the proxy rules of the SEC had the nominee been nominated, or intended to be nominated, by the Board of Directors, including a discussion of the specific experience, qualifications, attributes or skills that led to the conclusion that the nominee should serve as director; and (e) the consent of each nominee to serve as a director of the Company if so elected.

Criteria for Nominating Directors. To date, the operations and management of the Company have not required significant expansion of the Board of Directors, and as such, the Board has not developed a formal policy for the identification or evaluation of nominees. In general, if the Board determined that expansion of the Board or replacement of a director was necessary or appropriate, the Board expects that it would review through candidate interviews with members of the Board and management, consultation with the candidate’s associates and through other means, a candidate’s honesty, integrity, reputation in and commitment to the community, judgment, personality and thinking style, willingness to invest in the Company, residence, willingness to devote the necessary time, potential conflicts of interest, independence, understanding of financial statements and issues, willingness and ability to engage in meaningful and constructive discussion regarding Company issues, and personal qualities considered by the Company’s regulators. The Board believes it should include directors with diverse experience and business knowledge and reviews relevant business experience, taking into consideration such factors as a candidate’s special expertise, including expertise that qualifies a person as an audit committee financial expert, membership or influence in a particular geographic or business target market, service on an Advisory Board of the Bank, and the candidate’s record, if any, of past service as a director, to ensure an appropriately diverse set of viewpoints and perspectives that reflects the current needs of the Board at such time. In 2011, the Board amended the Company’s bylaws to implement a mandatory retirement age for directors. As amended, the bylaws provide that no person 80 years of age or older will be eligible for election, reelection or appointment to the Board, and no director may continue to serve on the Board beyond the date of the meeting of stockholders immediately following his or her 80 th birthday.

The Board has concluded that each director and director nominee possesses the personal traits described above. In considering the director nominees’ individual experience, qualifications, attributes and skills, the Board has concluded that the appropriate experience, qualifications, attributes and skills are represented for the Board as a whole and for each of the Board’s committees. In addition, each director and director nominee possesses characteristics that led the Board to conclude that such person should serve as a director. The specific experience, qualifications, attributes and skills that the Board believes each director and director nominee possesses are discussed under Proposal 1 in the section entitled “Nominees for Election as Directors”.

Personnel and Compensation Committee. The Personnel and Compensation Committee is comprised of Messrs. Fisher, Guernsey and Stottlemyer (Chairman), each of whom also served during 2012 and is independent within the meaning of NASDAQ Listing Rule 5605(a)(2). The Personnel and Compensation Committee is responsible for the adoption of the Company’s personnel policies and establishing salary and compensation guidelines and levels for all Company officers and personnel, as well as making recommendations to the Board of Directors regarding the salary and compensation of all executive officers. The Personnel and Compensation Committee is also responsible for annually

 

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recommending to the Board of Directors the officers of the Company, evaluating the performance thereof and recommending the grant of options and other equity awards, under the Company’s equity compensation plans. The Personnel and Compensation Committee makes recommendations to the Board of Directors on salary, bonus and other compensation matters for executive officers. During the 2012 fiscal year, the Personnel and Compensation Committee met ten (10) times. The Board of Directors has adopted a written charter for the Personnel and Compensation Committee. A copy of the charter is available on the Company’s website at www.vcbonline.com under “Investor Relations/Corporate Governance”. See further information on compensation below under “Executive Officer Compensation.”

Personnel and Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation. No member of the Personnel and Compensation Committee has served as one of our officers or employees at any time. None of our executive officers serve as a member of the compensation committee of any other company that has an executive officer serving as a member of our Board of Directors. None of our executive officers serve as a member of the board of directors of any other company that has an executive officer serving as a member of the Personnel and Compensation Committee. Except for loans and deposit transactions in the ordinary course of business made on substantially the same terms, including interest rates and collateral, as those for comparable transactions with parties not related to the Bank, and not presenting more than the normal risk of collectability or other unfavorable features, no member of the Personnel and Compensation Committee or any of their related interests has any material interest in any transaction involving more than $120,000 to which the Company or the Bank is a party, except for Mr. Guernsey.

Mr. Guernsey is the founder and CEO of Guernsey Office Products, Inc., which is one of the Company’s suppliers of general office supplies and office furnishings. The Company paid $215,230 to Guernsey Office Products, Inc. during 2012 for office supplies and furnishings, and expects to continue purchasing such items from Guernsey Office Products, Inc. during 2013.

Stockholder Communications. Company stockholders who wish to communicate with the Board of Directors or an individual director can write to Virginia Commerce Bancorp, Inc., 5350 Lee Highway, Arlington, Virginia 22207, Attention: Kate Carter, Assistant to the President and Chief Executive Officer. Your letter should indicate that you are a stockholder, and whether you own your shares in street name. Depending on the subject matter, management will: (a) forward the communication to the director or directors to whom it is addressed; (b) handle the inquiry directly or delegate it to appropriate employees, such as where the communication is a request for information, a stock related matter, or a matter related to ordinary course matters in the conduct of the Company’s banking business; or (c) not forward the communication where it is primarily commercial or political in nature, or where it relates to an improper, frivolous or irrelevant topic. Communications which are not forwarded will be retained until the next Board meeting, where they will be available to all directors.

Director Attendance at the Annual Meeting. The Board believes it is important for all directors to attend the annual meeting of stockholders in order to show their support for the Company and to provide an opportunity for stockholders to communicate any concerns to them. Accordingly, it is the policy of the Company to encourage all directors to attend each annual meeting of stockholders unless they are unable to attend by reason of personal or family illness or pressing matters. All nine of the Company’s serving directors attended the 2012 annual meeting of stockholders.

Audit Committee Report

The Audit Committee has been appointed to assist the Board of Directors in fulfilling the Board’s oversight responsibilities by reviewing the financial information that will be provided to the stockholders and others, the systems of internal controls established by management and the Board and the independence and performance of the Company’s audit process.

The Audit Committee has:

(1) reviewed and discussed with management the audited financial statements included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012;

 

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(2) discussed with Yount, Hyde & Barbour, P.C. (“Yount, Hyde & Barbour”), the Company’s independent auditors, the matters required to be discussed by statement of Auditing Standards No. 61, Communications with Audit Committees , as amended, as adopted by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board in Rule 3200T; and

(3) received the written disclosures and letter from Yount, Hyde & Barbour, as required by applicable requirements of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board regarding the independent auditors’ communications with the Audit Committee concerning independence, and discussed with Yount, Hyde & Barbour, its independence.

Based on these reviews and discussions, the Audit Committee has recommended to the Board of Directors that the audited financial statements be included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012.

 

Members of the Audit Committee
Thomas E. Burdette, Chairman
W. Douglas Fisher
Kenneth R. Lehman
Norris E. Mitchell

 

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Director Compensation

The following table sets forth information regarding compensation paid to or earned by non-employee directors during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2012.

Director Compensation for 2012

 

Name (1)   

Fees Earned or

Paid in Cash (2)

     Stock
Awards (3)
     Option
Awards (4)
     Total  

Leonard Adler

   $ 54,000       $ 13,496         —         $ 67,496   

Michael G. Anzilotti

   $ 54,000       $ 13,496         —         $ 67,496   

Thomas E. Burdette

   $ 54,000       $ 13,496         —         $ 67,496   

W. Douglas Fisher

   $ 54,000       $ 13,496         —         $ 67,496   

David M. Guernsey

   $ 54,000       $ 13,496         —         $ 67,496   

Kenneth R. Lehman

   $ 54,000       $ 13,496         —         $ 67,496   

Norris E. Mitchell

   $ 54,000       $ 13,496         —         $ 67,496   

Todd A. Stottlemyer

   $ 54,000       $ 13,496         —         $ 67,496   

 

(1) Beginning in 2012, Mr. Converse no longer receives separate compensation for his service as a director and his 2012 base salary was increased by the amount of monthly director fees he would have received for 2012.
(2) Includes fees for service as a director of the Bank, as applicable.
(3) The amounts in this column reflect the aggregate grant date fair value of time-based restricted stock awards granted to the non-employee directors on February 22, 2012 (computed in accordance with FASB Accounting Standards Codification Topic 718 excluding the impact of estimated forfeitures), based on the closing price of the Company’s stock on the date of grant. In 2012, each director was granted 1,513 shares of restricted stock. At December 31, 2012, each non-employee director held 2,606 shares of unvested time-based restricted stock, with the exceptions of Mr. Anzilotti, who held 3,768 shares of unvested time-based restricted stock, and Mr. Burdette who held 1,513 shares of unvested time-based restricted stock.
(4) No options were granted to directors in 2012. At December 31, 2012, the non-employee directors had outstanding option awards, vested and unvested, of common stock as follows: Mr. Adler – 27,825 shares; Mr. Anzilotti – 65,423 shares; Mr. Burdette – 0 shares; Mr. Fisher – 27,825 shares; Mr. Guernsey – 27,825 shares; Mr. Lehman – 0 shares; Mr. Mitchell – 16,200 shares; and Mr. Stottlemyer – 0 shares.

The Personnel and Compensation Committee annually reviews and evaluates the compensation of the Board of Directors, including the appropriate mix of cash and equity compensation, and recommends adjustments to the Board of Directors when appropriate. Following a review that included a February 2012 analysis by ChaseCompGroup of director compensation paid by the peer group used for executive compensation decisions, the Personnel and Compensation Committee recommended and the Board approved a $500 increase in the monthly fee paid to directors for meeting attendance. During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2012, the directors each received a monthly fee of $4,500 to cover attendance at meetings of the Board of Directors of the Company and the Bank, subject to forfeiture if more than one Board meeting was missed during the year. The directors received no separate compensation for attendance at committee meetings. For 2013, directors will receive a fee of $4,500 per month to cover attendance at Company and Bank Board and committee meetings, subject to forfeiture if more than one Board meeting is missed during the year. Beginning in 2012, Mr. Converse does not receive separate fees for Board service.

Non-employee directors are entitled to defer all or a portion of their fees pursuant to the Company’s Deferred Compensation Plan discussed below. No director deferred any fees in 2012 under the plan. The Company does not maintain any non-equity incentive plans or compensation programs, or defined benefit retirement plans, for directors.

In addition to cash compensation for service as directors, non-employee directors are also eligible to receive options and other equity awards under the Company’s equity compensation plan. Equity awards to the non-employee directors are typically granted in January or February each year, in an amount determined by the Board of Directors, based on the recommendation of the Personnel and Compensation Committee. In February 2012, the Board of Directors, based on the recommendation of the Personnel and Compensation Committee, awarded each non-employee director 1,513 shares of restricted stock for their service during 2011. In determining the size of these awards, the Personnel and Compensation Committee and Board used the same approach that it used for determining the 2012 equity awards granted to the executive officers, of granting equity awards with a value equal to approximately 25% of the director’s cash compensation for 2012. The restricted stock vests over five years, subject to accelerated vesting upon a change in control and upon certain terminations of board service.

 

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Executive Officers Who Are Not Directors

The following information is provided with respect to the current executive officers of the Company who are not directors.

 

Name

   Age     

Position (1)

Richard B. Anderson, Jr.

     58       Executive Vice President and Chief Lending Officer

Dennis M. Coombe

     65       Executive Vice President and Chief Credit Officer

Christopher J. Ewing

     53       Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer

Mark S. Merrill

     36       Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Patricia M. Ostrander

     46       Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer

Steven A. Reeder

     46       Executive Vice President and Chief Deposit Officer

 

1) These are Bank-level titles. Mr. Merrill is also Chief Financial Officer of the Company.

Richard B. Anderson, Jr. - Mr. Anderson, Executive Vice President and Chief Lending Officer of the Bank, joined Virginia Commerce Bank in May 1996. Prior to joining the Bank, Mr. Anderson was a Senior Vice President and Senior Commercial Loan Officer at Allegiance Bank, N.A., Bethesda, Maryland, (March 1987 to April 1996). Mr. Anderson has over 36 years of managerial, administrative and operational lending experience.

Dennis M. Coombe - Mr. Coombe, Executive Vice President and Chief Credit Officer of the Bank, joined Virginia Commerce Bank in November 2009. Prior to joining the Bank, Mr. Coombe was Executive Vice President of United Bank, Vienna, Virginia (February 2000 to November 2009), serving as Chief Credit Officer, Market President and Senior Lending Officer. Mr. Coombe has over 44 years of management experience, including 41 years of bank lending and credit activities.

Christopher J. Ewing - Mr. Ewing, Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer of the Bank, joined Virginia Commerce Bank in November 2011 as Interim Head of Operations and IT. Prior to joining the Bank, Mr. Ewing was Senior Vice President of Retail Banking Operations and Support Services for Beneficial Bank, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (2010-2011). Mr. Ewing also served as Managing Vice President/Executive Vice President, Branch Distribution Support and Training for Capital One Bank, McLean, Virginia (2007-2009). Mr. Ewing also served in varying Senior Management roles while employed at Commerce (TD) Bank, Mount Laurel, New Jersey (1999-2007). In addition during his tenure, Mr. Ewing managed the operations team that opened 200 de novo branches over a two year period. Mr. Ewing has over 27 years of experience in the financial services industry.

Mark S. Merrill - Mr. Merrill, Chief Financial Officer of the Company and Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the Bank, joined the Company and the Bank in February 2012. Prior to joining the Company and the Bank, Mr. Merrill was Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Tower Bancorp, Inc., a publicly-traded bank holding company based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, serving in this role from March 2009 to February 2012. Mr. Merrill also served as Executive Vice President of Graystone Tower Bank, beginning in such role in March 2009, and served as Chief Financial Officer of Graystone Tower Bank from March 2009 to January 2011. Prior to the merger of Tower Bancorp, Inc. with Graystone Financial Corp., Mr. Merrill served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Graystone Financial Corp. and Graystone Bank from July 2008 to March 2009 (collectively, “Graystone”), and served as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer from July 2007 to June 2008. Mr. Merrill served as Chief Accounting and Risk Officer of Graystone Bank from May 2006 to June 2007. Mr. Merrill has over 9 years of banking experience, primarily in CFO and accounting roles.

Patricia M. Ostrander - Ms. Ostrander, Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer, joined the Bank in May 1994 as Loan Administration Officer. Prior to joining the Bank, Ms. Ostrander was a Loan Administration Officer at Tysons National Bank, McLean, Virginia (December 1992 to April 1994). Ms. Ostrander has over 24 years of managerial, administrative and operational lending experience in the banking industry.

 

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Steven A. Reeder - Mr. Reeder, Executive Vice President and Chief Deposit Officer, joined the Bank in June 2005. Prior to joining the Bank, Mr. Reeder served as Senior Vice President and Retail Banking Manager for BB&T’s branch network in Loudoun, Prince William, Stafford, and Spotsylvania counties. He served in a similar capacity with First Virginia Bank - Northern Virginia from 2001 until its merger with BB&T in 2003. Mr. Reeder has over 24 years of retail experience in the banking industry.

TRANSACTIONS WITH MANAGEMENT AND RELATED PARTIES

Some of the directors of the Company and Bank or companies with which they are associated, and some of the officers of the Company and Bank, were customers of, and had banking transactions with, the Bank during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2012. The Company maintains written policies and procedures to strictly control all loans to insiders in accordance with Federal law (Regulation O). Insiders include any executive officer, director, or principal stockholder and their affiliates and entities which such persons control. All loans and commitments to make loans to such persons by the Bank were made in the ordinary course of business on substantially the same terms, including interest rates and collateral, as those prevailing at the time for comparable transactions with persons not related to the Company or the Bank and do not involve more than a normal risk of collectability or present other unfavorable features. Loans to insiders require approval by the Board of Directors, with any interested director not participating. The Company also applies the same standards to any other transaction with an insider. The maximum aggregate amount of loans (including lines of credit) to officers, directors and affiliates of the Company during 2012 amounted to $46,212,530 representing approximately 18.8% of the Company’s total stockholders’ equity. The aggregate amount outstanding on such loans at December 31, 2012 was $34,881,977. None of these loans has ever been reported as nonaccrual, past due, restructured or potential problem loans, and all of such loans are current as to the payment of interest and principal. The Company’s Compliance Officer provides an annual report to the Audit Committee on compliance with Regulation O and the Company’s policies.

The Company has not adopted a formal policy that covers the review and approval of related person transactions by its Board of Directors that is separate from the Code of Ethics that applies to directors, officers and all employees of the Company. The Audit Committee reviews all proposed related party transactions for approval. During such a review, the Audit Committee will consider, among other things, the related person’s relationship to the Company, the facts and circumstances of the proposed transaction, the aggregate dollar amount of the transaction, the related person’s relationship to the transaction and any other material information. Those directors that are involved in a proposed related party transaction are excused from the Board and/or Audit Committee meeting during the discussion of and vote on the proposed transaction.

In September 2008, the Company entered into a Purchase Agreement pursuant to which it sold an aggregate of $25 million of 10.20% trust preferred securities, liquidation amount $1,000 per security (the “Preferred Securities”), through VCBI Capital Trust IV, a newly formed trust subsidiary organized under Delaware law (the “Trust”), on a private placement basis. In connection with the issuance of the Preferred Securities, the Company issued warrants to purchase an aggregate of 1.5 million shares of its common stock to the purchasers of the Preferred Securities (the “Warrants” and collectively with the Preferred Securities, the “Securities”). The Warrants have a term of five years from the date of issuance, and an exercise price of $6.83 per share, which is equal to 120% of the average closing price of the common stock for the five trading days prior to the closing of the sale of the Securities. No additional consideration was received for the issuance of the Warrants. The gross proceeds to the Company of the sale and issuance of the Securities was $25 million. The sale of the Securities was consummated on September 24, 2008.

All of the purchasers of the Securities were directors or executive officers of the Company and/or the Bank, or such person’s related parties. The directors and executive officers who served in such capacity at any time since January 1, 2012, or their related parties, purchased Securities as follows: Mr. Adler: $4,000,000 of Preferred Securities and 240,000 Warrants; Mr. Anderson: $250,000 of Preferred Securities and 15,000 Warrants; Mr. Anzilotti: $500,000 of Preferred Securities and 30,000 Warrants; Mr. Beauchesne, former CFO of the Bank,: $250,000 of Preferred Securities and 15,000 Warrants; Mr. Converse: $1,000,000 of Preferred Securities and 60,000 Warrants; Mr. Fisher: $1,000,000 of Preferred Securities and 60,000 Warrants; Mr. Guernsey: $1,500,000 of Preferred Securities and 90,000 Warrants; and Mr. Mitchell: $10,000,000 of Preferred Securities and 600,000 Warrants. In addition, former director Mr. Walters, who is a greater than 5% stockholder of the Company, purchased

 

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Securities as follows: $4,500,000 of Preferred Securities and 270,000 Warrants. The Company obtained a fairness opinion from an independent third party financial advisor with respect to the terms of the Securities. The Company believes that the terms of the Securities and the issuance of Securities are on substantially the same terms as those prevailing at the time for comparable transactions with unrelated persons.

During 2012, the Bank sold two loan participations to Mr. Adler with an aggregate principal balance of $7.0 million. Mr. Adler paid $7.0 million for the participated loan assets. This transaction has been accounted for as a secured borrowing due to priority cash flows provided to Mr. Adler as part of this transaction. Mr. Adler received $237,152 in interest during 2012 related to the two loan participations. The Audit Committee of the Company reviewed and approved this transaction in advance.

On March 21, 2011, the Company and Mr. Lehman entered into a securities purchase agreement, pursuant to which the Company agreed to sell to Mr. Lehman an aggregate of 426,000 shares of Common Stock together with Series A Warrants and Series B Warrants to purchase a total of 852,000 shares of Common Stock, for gross proceeds of approximately $2.5 million. Mr. Lehman received Series A Warrants to purchase up to 426,000 shares of Common Stock, and Series B Warrants to purchase up to 426,000 shares of Common Stock. The purchase price for each share of Common Stock and the related Series A Warrant and Series B Warrant was $5.87, and each warrant has an exercise price of $5.62. The Series A Warrants were exercisable for a period of seven-months following the closing date and were exercised in full before they expired. The Series B Warrants, also exercisable for a total of 426,000 shares of common stock, were exercisable for a period of twelve months following the closing date. As of December 31, 2011, no Series B Warrants had been exercised. In March 2012, Series B Warrants were exercised in full. The Audit Committee and the Board of Directors approved this transaction in advance, with Mr. Lehman not participating in the deliberations.

Mr. Guernsey’s relationship with the Company disclosed above under “Committees, Meetings and Procedures of the Board of Directors — Personnel and Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation” was approved by the Board of Directors in accordance with the policies and procedures described above.

EXECUTIVE OFFICER COMPENSATION

Compensation Discussion and Analysis

In this Compensation Discussion and Analysis (“CD&A”), we give an overview and analysis of our compensation program and policies, the material compensation decisions we have made under those programs and policies, and the material factors that we considered in making those decisions. Later in this proxy statement under the heading “Executive Compensation Tables,” you will find a series of tables containing specific information about the compensation earned or paid in 2012 to Mr. Converse, the Chief Executive Officer of the Company, Mr. Merrill, the Company’s Chief Financial Officer, who began serving in February 2012, Mr. Tinley, who served as the Company’s Interim Chief Financial Officer during part of 2012, and the three other most highly compensated executive officers of the Company (who are officers of the Bank) who received total compensation of $100,000 or more during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2012, referred to as our “named executive officers.”

Compensation Objectives

The primary objective of the Personnel and Compensation Committee with respect to executive compensation is to tie annual and long-term cash and equity incentives to the achievement of measurable Company and individual performance objectives, thereby aligning the executive’s incentive with maintaining and increasing stockholder value. We attempt to achieve these objectives through compensation plans that tie a substantial portion of our named executive officers’ overall compensation to our financial performance while limiting risk appropriately. Our compensation philosophy is to reward our executives with compensation at market competitive rates, while rewarding outstanding Bank performance with above-average total compensation.

 

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Process for Determining Executive Compensation

The Personnel and Compensation Committee generally recommends the compensation for our executive officers for approval by the full Board of Directors. When circumstances warrant immediate action, however, the Personnel and Compensation Committee has authority to make executive compensation decisions which are then ratified by the full Board of Directors. In making compensation decisions and recommendations regarding executive officers other than the Chief Executive Officer, the Personnel and Compensation Committee considers the recommendations of the Chief Executive Officer.

Use of Compensation Consultant

In late 2010, the Personnel and Compensation Committee engaged the consultant services of Blanchard Chase to provide an updated executive compensation review for the Company’s top six executives and to recommend potential improvements regarding existing practices for implementation in 2011. The Personnel and Compensation Committee requested this review, from an objective third party, to summarize issues relative to topics such as competitive executive compensation and incentive practices with the intent to identify appropriate compensation levels. The review utilized 2009 compensation data from 2010 proxies for a custom peer group of 24 publicly-traded financial institutions, the selection of which was based upon similarities in asset size and geographic location. The review compared the total compensation (salary, annual cash bonus, long-term incentives, all other compensation and retirement benefits) of the Company’s top six executives to the 25 th and 50 th percentiles of the peer group. For cash compensation (salary and annual cash bonus) comparisons, a combination of industry survey data and the peer group was used.

In late 2011, the Personnel and Compensation Committee engaged the same compensation consultant, now of ChaseCompGroup (“Chase”), to perform a similar executive compensation review for the Company’s top six executives for use in executive compensation decisions for 2012. The review utilized 2010 compensation data from 2011 proxies for a custom peer group of 23 publicly-traded financial institutions 1 , the selection of which was based upon similarities in asset size (assets between $2 billion and $5 billion as of December 31, 2011) and geographic location (financial institutions located in major metropolitan areas in the Midatlantic or East Coast region). Nineteen of the institutions in this 2012 peer group were also in the Company’s peer group for 2011. For purposes of the review, Chase increased the executive compensation paid in 2010 for this peer group 6% (3% annually), to reflect general market movement in executive compensation from 2010 to 2012. The review compared the total compensation (salary, annual cash bonus, long-term incentives, all other compensation and retirement benefits) of the Company’s top six executives to the 25 th and 50 th percentiles of the peer group. For cash compensation (salary and annual cash bonus) comparisons, a combination of industry survey data and the peer group was used.

In prior years, the Personnel and Compensation Committee generally targeted the Company’s executive compensation to the 50 th percentile level of the peer group. For 2011, however, the Personnel and Compensation Committee recommended matching the 50 th percentile of this peer group for establishing the target bonus opportunity under the Executive Incentive Plan, but did not recommend basing salary or equity award decisions for 2011 on a particular percentile of the peer group. For 2012, the Personnel and Compensation Committee used the updated review from Chase to inform its executive compensation determinations for 2012, generally targeting the 50 th percentile of the peer group for establishing the target bonus opportunity under the Executive Incentive Plan, as well as for base salary and equity award decisions.

In July 2011, the Personnel and Compensation Committee had engaged Chase to research supplemental executive retirement plans and executive employment agreement provisions among the banks in the same peer group. Although the Personnel and Compensation Committee determined to defer any decisions regarding a supplemental executive retirement plan, the Personnel and Compensation Committee used Chase’s research of executive employment agreement provisions in connection with the preparation of the new executive employment agreements that were entered into March 1, 2012 with six of the Company’s executive officers.

 

1   S&T Bancorp, Inc. (STBA), Union First Market Bankshares Corp. (UBSH), TowneBank (TOWN), Carter Bank & Trust (CARE), Sandy Spring Bancorp, Inc. (SASR), Sun Bancorp, Inc. (SNBC), Tompkins Financial Corporation (TMP), The Bancorp, Inc. (TBBK), StellarOne Corporation (STEL), Hudson Valley Holding Corp. (HVB), Lakeland Bancorp, Inc. (LBAI), Bancorp, Inc. (TBBK), City Holding Company (CHCO), Sterling Bancorp (STL), First Community Bancshares, Inc. (FCBC), Metro Bancorp, Inc. (METR), Cardinal Financial Corporation (CFNL), Univest Corporation of Pennsylvania (UVSP), Eagle Bancorp, Inc. (EGBN), Independent Bank Corp. (INDB), Washington Trust Bancorp, Inc. (WASH), Century Bancorp, Inc. (CNBKA), Financial Institutions, Inc. (FISI) and BNC Bancorp (BNCN).

 

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During 2011, Chase also provided limited non-executive compensation advice to management in connection with an analysis and design of a salary structure for the Company’s non-executive officers. The Personnel and Compensation Committee was aware of management’s engagement of Chase for this project and concluded that it did not constitute a conflict of interest for Chase to provide this service to management. The total amount charged by Chase for this non-executive compensation project was $12,500. The project was completed in early 2012. During 2012, Chase did not provide any consulting services to the Company other than with respect to director and executive compensation, and it maintains no other economic relationship with the Company or the Bank. The Personnel and Compensation Committee has assessed the independence of Chase pursuant to SEC rules and has concluded that the advice it receives from Chase is objective and not influenced by other relationships that could be viewed as conflicts of interest.

Participation in Capital Purchase Program

On December 12, 2008, the Company sold a series of its preferred stock and warrants to purchase common stock to the United States Department of Treasury (the “Treasury”) under the Troubled Asset Relief Program (“TARP”) Capital Purchase Program (“CPP”) created under the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 (“EESA”). As a result of its participation in the CPP, the Company became subject to certain executive compensation requirements of the EESA. In connection with the Company’s participation in the CPP, on December 12, 2008, the Company’s senior executive officers at the time (the “SEOs”), who are the named executive officers in any year, executed waivers consenting to the restrictions and limitations required by the EESA.

On February 17, 2009, the President of the United States signed into law the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009 (“ARRA”). The ARRA amended, among other things, the EESA by directing the Treasury to issue regulations implementing additional restrictions and limitations on executive compensation paid or accrued by for participants in the CPP. The restrictions and limitations of the EESA, as amended by the ARRA, were implemented by interim final rules setting forth the TARP standards on corporate governance and executive compensation, published by the Treasury and effective on June 15, 2009, as updated by technical corrections and by further guidance from the Treasury (collectively, “TARP Standards”). The period which began on December 12, 2008, and ended on December 11, 2012, when the Company redeemed the preferred stock issued in the CPP transaction, is referred to as the “TARP Period.” The restrictions and limitations, as applicable to the Company during a portion or all of the TARP Period, include:

 

   

a prohibition on paying or accruing any bonus, retention award, or incentive compensation to the five most highly compensated employees of the Company (whether or not SEOs) during the period which began on June 15, 2009, and ended on December 11, 2012, other than certain awards of restricted stock or restricted stock units, certain commission compensation, or bonuses payable under existing written employment agreements in place as of February 11, 2009;

 

   

a prohibition, during the period which began on June 15, 2009, and ended on December 11, 2012, on making any payments to the named executive officers and the Company’s next five most highly compensated employees for departure from the Company or upon a change in control of the Company, other than compensation earned for services rendered or accrued benefits, and a prohibition on the acceleration of vesting due to a departure or a change in control with respect to the named executive officers and the next five most highly compensated employees;

 

   

subjecting bonus, incentive and retention payments made to the named executive officers during the TARP Period and to the Company’s next twenty most highly compensated employees during the period which began on June 15, 2009 and ended on December 11, 2012, to repayment (clawback) if based on financial statements or any other performance metric criteria that are later found to be materially inaccurate;

 

   

a prohibition on providing formal or informal tax gross-ups or other reimbursements for the payment of taxes to the named executive officers and the Company’s next twenty most highly compensated employees during the period which began on June 15, 2009, and ended on December 11, 2012;

 

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a limitation on the tax deductibility of the portion of a named executive officer’s annual compensation in excess of $500,000;

 

   

a prohibition during the period which began on June 15, 2009, and ended on December 11, 2012, on any compensation plan that would encourage manipulation of reported earnings, encourage behavior focused on short-term results rather than long-term value creation, or encourage the named executive officers to take unnecessary and excessive risks that could threaten the value of the Company;

 

   

a requirement to conduct semi-annual reviews of the named executive officer and employee compensation plans to ensure they do not contain such prohibited features;

 

   

maintenance of an independent Personnel and Compensation Committee;

 

   

establishment of and compliance with a company-wide policy regarding excessive or luxury expenditures, including entertainment or events, office and facility renovations, aviation or other transportation services and other activities or events that are not reasonable expenditures for staff development, reasonable performance incentives or similar measures in the ordinary course of business;

 

   

a requirement to include a “say-on-pay” proposal for a non-binding advisory vote of stockholders at annual meetings held during the TARP Period, whereby stockholders vote, on a non-binding advisory basis, to approve (or disapprove) the compensation of executives as disclosed pursuant to the executive compensation disclosures included in the proxy statement;

 

   

annual disclosure of certain perquisites and information regarding the Company’s compensation consultant;

 

   

a review by the Treasury of any bonus, retention awards or other compensation paid to the named executive officers and the next twenty most highly compensated employees prior to February 17, 2009, to determine if such payments were inappropriate and negotiate for the reimbursement of such excess payments; and

 

   

annual certifications by the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of compliance with the TARP Standards.

The restrictions and limitations of the TARP Standards required the Company to implement certain changes to its 2010, 2011 and 2012 executive compensation as noted in the following discussion.

Compensation Components

The key components of our executive compensation program consist of a base salary and performance-based compensation in the form of an annual cash bonus and equity grants. Base salary and bonus, or cash compensation, have comprised the substantial portion of total executive compensation.

2012 Say on Pay Vote

When recommending executive compensation and compensation policies, the Personnel and Compensation Committee took into account the results of the stockholders’ non-binding advisory vote on the compensation of our named executive officers that took place in April 2012. In that vote, our shareholders approved the executive compensation as disclosed in the proxy statement for the 2012 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. The Personnel and Compensation Committee believes that the result of this advisory vote (receiving approval of 98.7% of the votes cast on the proposal) is a strong expression of the stockholders’ general satisfaction with our current executive compensation programs. Therefore, the Personnel and Compensation Committee has continued to apply the same principles in determining the amounts and types of executive compensation.

 

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Base Salary

The Personnel and Compensation Committee believes that base salary for named executive officers should be targeted at market competitive levels while rewarding outstanding Bank performance with above-average total compensation. Base salaries are reviewed annually and adjusted from time to time, based on the Personnel and Compensation Committee’s review of the market data and assessment of Company and individual executive performance, with input from the Chief Executive Officer. Base salary increases for the named executive officers for 2011 had been limited to 3% in keeping with the Company’s decision to hold average salary increases for 2011 for non-executive officers to 3% in the aggregate. For 2012, following a year of improved performance by the Company, the Personnel and Compensation Committee returned its focus to moving base salaries closer to the 50 th percentile of the peer group. The Personnel and Compensation Committee also recommended that beginning in 2012, Mr. Converse no longer receive separate compensation for his service as a director, and instead added $54,000 (the amount of monthly director fees to be paid to non-employee directors in 2012) to Mr. Converse’s base salary. As a result, the Board approved an annual increase of 6.3% (not counting the $54,000 increase in lieu of director fees) for Mr. Converse, an annual increase of 16.0% for Mr. Anderson, an annual increase of 10.2% for Ms. Ostrander and an annual increase of 15.6% for Mr. Reeder, in each case effective as of January 1, 2012. Mr. Merrill did not receive a base salary increase in 2012 because he joined the Company and the Bank with an initial starting salary in February 2012. Mr. Tinley was serving in an interim capacity during 2012 and, therefore, did not receive a base salary increase.

Annual Bonus

In addition to base salary, the Company awards annual cash bonuses to the executive officers. In 2011, upon the recommendation of the Personnel and Compensation Committee, the Board of Directors approved a formal, annual cash bonus program for the executive officers, called the Virginia Commerce Bancorp, Inc. Executive Incentive Plan (the “Executive Incentive Plan”). The Executive Incentive Plan is a calendar-year plan that provides for the potential payment of annual cash bonus awards to designated executive officers of the Company and its subsidiaries (“Participants”) based on the achievement of corporate, department and/or individual performance goals established by the Board of Directors and a subjective assessment of each Participant’s individual performance by the Board of Directors each year. Cash bonus awards under this plan will be paid in February or March of each year, based on the achievement and assessment with respect to the preceding year, and subject to discretion of the Personnel and Compensation Committee and the Board of Directors.

The Board of Directors believes that the structure of the Executive Incentive Plan aligns the compensation of the Company’s executive officers with the interests of stockholders and creates value for the Company by rewarding achievement of important performance goals within an appropriate risk setting. In designing the Executive Incentive Plan, the Personnel and Compensation Committee and Board of Directors evaluated various measures and factors of performance, and determined that the primary corporate performance goal under the Executive Incentive Plan should be the Company’s budgeted amount of net income available to common stockholders for the plan year (the “NI Goal”). No bonus awards can be earned for a plan year unless the Company achieves a minimum percentage of the NI Goal for that plan year. The maximum bonus award that may be earned by a Participant under the Executive Incentive Plan for any plan year (consisting of Base Bonus plus any Add-on Bonus, as defined below) is 100% of the Participant’s Base Salary (as defined below).

With respect to the named executive officers, the Board of Directors selected Mr. Converse, Mr. Merrill, Mr. Anderson, Ms. Ostrander and Mr. Reeder to participate in the Executive Incentive Plan in 2012. Due to his status as one of the Company’s five most highly compensated employees in 2012 until the TARP Period ended on December 11, 2012, the Executive Incentive Plan provides that any bonus award earned by Mr. Converse is paid, to the extent required under the TARP Standards, in shares of restricted stock (or other equity award) that complies with the TARP Standards rather than in cash. Mr. Tinley was serving in an interim capacity in 2012 and, therefore, did not participate in the Executive Incentive Plan.

Participants are eligible to earn a cash bonus award consisting of a base bonus award (the “Base Bonus”) and an add-on bonus award. The targeted amount of the Base Bonus is equal to a percentage of the Participant’s annual base salary in effect on the date the bonus targets are established (the “Target Bonus” and such salary, the “Base Salary”), subject to increase or decrease based on the achievement of the corporate, department and/or individual performance goals established by the Board of Directors, as well as the Board of Directors’ subjective assessment of

 

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individual performance, in each case based upon the recommendation of the Personnel and Compensation Committee. A Participant’s “total potential assessment” for a plan year is 100% of the assessment criteria. The assessment criteria for the Chief Executive Officer’s Base Bonus for a plan year are as follows: achievement of corporate goals (80%) and subjective assessment of individual performance (20%). The assessment criteria for all other Participants’ Base Bonus are as follows: achievement of corporate goals (60%), achievement of individual/department goals (25%), and subjective assessment of individual performance (15%). The corporate goals for a plan year will be the same for all Participants other than the Chief Executive Officer, whose corporate goals may vary, and may relate to matters such as net income available to common stockholders, loan and deposit growth, net charge-offs, asset quality, return on equity, return on assets, margins, productivity, soundness or customer satisfaction. The NI Goal for a plan year represents 60% of the Chief Executive Officer’s total potential assessment, and 40% of all other Participants’ total potential assessment. The Board of Directors, in its sole discretion, may also increase or decrease the amount of any Base Bonus amount under the Executive Incentive Plan.

In addition to any Base Bonus amount earned, each Participant will be eligible to earn an add-on bonus if the Company exceeds the NI Goal for the year by a percentage selected by the Board of Directors (the “Excess NI Goal”). If the Company’s net income available to common stockholders for the year equals or exceeds the Excess NI Goal, the Participant will earn an add-on bonus amount (the “Add-on Bonus”) equal to the percentage by which the NI Goal is exceeded, multiplied by the Participant’s Base Salary. The Board of Directors, in its sole discretion, may increase or decrease the percentage of the Add-on Bonus on the same basis for all participants.

For 2012, the Board of Directors established Target Bonus amounts and various weightings among corporate and individual performance goals for each Participant in February 2012, based upon the recommendation of the Personnel and Compensation Committee. The percent of 2012 Base Salary used for the Target Bonus amount for each named executive officer was determined by reference to the percent of base salary earned as a bonus for the equivalent position at the 50 th percentile of the peer group. The Target Bonus amount for each Participant for 2012 is set forth in the table below.

 

Name

   Target Bonus (as percent of Base Salary)  

Peter A. Converse

     50

Mark S. Merrill

     26

Richard B. Anderson, Jr.

     35

Patricia M. Ostrander

     26

Steven A. Reeder

     35

Upon the recommendation of the Personnel and Compensation Committee, the Board of Directors established the Company’s budgeted 2012 net income available to common stockholders as the NI Goal for the 2012 plan year, and selected 95% as the minimum percentage achievement of the NI Goal for bonuses to be earned for 2012, and 110% as the Excess NI Goal that must be exceeded for Add-on Bonuses to be earned. The Board of Directors also established as corporate goals for 2012, the NI Goal and the Company’s 2012 budgeted amounts for net loan growth (or, for Mr. Converse only, net loan growth and net commercial and industrial loan growth), net deposit growth, ratio of non-performing assets to total assets, and ratio of total classified assets to regulatory capital.

The Board of Directors set individual or department goals for 2012 for the non-CEO Participants as follows:

 

   

for Mr. Merrill, the Company’s 2012 budgeted amounts for net interest margin, ratio of non-interest expense to average assets, ratio of total liquidity to total deposits, securities portfolio yield and securities portfolio average life;

 

   

for Mr. Anderson, the Company’s 2012 budgeted amounts for net loan growth, net commercial and industrial loan growth, gross loan fee income, ratio of non-performing assets to total assets, and ratio of total classified assets to regulatory capital;

 

   

for Ms. Ostrander, various administrative objectives including development of key department procedures, completion of the internal audit schedule, satisfactory risk management assessment, implementation and completion of training programs, and certain regulatory ratings; and

 

   

for Mr. Reeder, the Company’s 2012 budgeted amounts for net deposit growth, net demand deposit growth, and retail non-interest income, as well as goals for cross-selling ratio and customer service measures.

 

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The components of the total assessment percentage for each Participant are set forth in the table below.

 

          Assessment
Percentage
 

Peter A. Converse

  

Corporate Performance

(incl. NI Goal)

     80
   Subjective Evaluation      20
   Total      100
  

Corporate Performance

(incl. NI Goal)

     60

Mark S. Merrill

   Individual Performance      25
   Subjective Evaluation      15
   Total      100

Richard B. Anderson, Jr.

  

Corporate Performance

(incl. NI Goal)

     60
   Individual Performance      25
   Subjective Evaluation      15
   Total      100

Patricia M. Ostrander

  

Corporate Performance

(incl. NI Goal)

     60
   Individual Performance      25
   Subjective Evaluation      15
   Total      100

Steven A. Reeder

  

Corporate Performance

(incl. NI Goal)

     60
   Individual Performance      25
   Subjective Evaluation      15
   Total      100

In February 2013, upon the recommendation of the Personnel and Compensation Committee, which reviewed relevant performance evaluations from the Chief Executive Officer with respect to the non-CEO Participants, the Board of Directors reviewed performance against the corporate performance goals (including the NI Goal) and the individual performance goals and reviewed the subjective assessment of individual performance for each Participant. The corporate performance goals for 2012 and achievement with respect to those goals, as approved by the Board of Directors, is set forth in the table below.

 

Corporate Performance Goal

   Goal      Performance
Achieved
 

Net Income Available to Common Stockholders (NI Goal)

   $ 22,941,524       $ 22,488,062   

Net Loan Growth (non-CEOs)

   $ 126,671,955       $ 17,315,000   

Net Loan Growth & Net C&I Growth (CEO only)

   $
$
126,671,955&
29,000,000
  
  
   $
$
17,315,000
8,625,000
  
  

Net Deposit Growth

   $ 86,441,706       $ (46,766,455

NPAs/Total Assets

     1.06% or less         1.78

Total Classified Assets to Regulatory Capital

     35% or less         52.4

 

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Although the Company achieved 98% of the NI Goal for 2012, which exceeded the 95% minimum percentage of NI Goal required to earn a bonus for 2012, the Personnel and Compensation Committee also considered the Company’s achievement of “operational” NI, which is NI excluding gains from sales of securities, as an important indicator of core Company performance. The Company’s operational NI for 2012 amounted to 77% of the NI Goal. As a result, the Personnel and Compensation Committee exercised its discretion to reduce the amount of the Base Bonus earned by each Participant under the Executive Incentive Plan formulas to reflect the amount that would have been earned if achievement of the NI Goal had only been 77% (except with respect to the minimum percentage of NI Goal required to earn any bonus under the plan). Because the Company did not exceed the NI Goal for 2012, upon the recommendation of the Personnel and Compensation Committee, the Board of Directors determined that no Add-on Bonuses were earned for 2012 under the Executive Incentive Plan.

After applying the assumed 77% achievement of NI Goal, the total achievement percentage for each Participant for 2012, as determined by the Board of Directors on the recommendation of the Personnel and Compensation Committee was for Mr. Converse, 61.2%, Mr. Merrill, 64.8%, Mr. Anderson, 47.8%, Ms. Ostrander, 59.8%, and Mr. Reeder, 60.8%. The awards for Mr. Merrill, Ms. Ostrander and Mr. Reeder were further adjusted based on the recommendation of the Chief Executive Officer to add back part of the reduction resulting from applying 77% achievement of the NI Goal rather than the 98% actually achieved, based on their individual contributions to the Company’s financial performance and operations during 2012.

In February 2013, based on the results and assessments described above, upon the recommendation of the Personnel and Compensation Committee, the Board of Directors approved bonus awards for Mr. Converse, Mr. Merrill, Mr. Anderson, Ms. Ostrander and Mr. Reeder under the Executive Incentive Plan of $144,222, $44,850, $46,330, $34,944 and $56,875, respectively, subject to the following. Even though the bonus awards were approved after the TARP Period had ended, Mr. Converse’s bonus award was paid in shares of restricted stock that complied with the TARP Standards, calculated using the closing price of the Company’s common stock on the date of grant, and limited to the maximum number of shares he could receive without exceeding the annual limit permitted under the TARP Standards because his award related to performance that occurred in 2012, while he was subject to the TARP Standards’ bonus limitation. After applying this limit, Mr. Converse’s bonus award was equivalent in value to $110,159.

Equity Awards

We believe that our long-term interests are best advanced by aligning the interests of our executives and key non-executive officers with the interests of our stockholders. Accordingly, we have granted options and restricted stock awards to our executives pursuant to our 1998 Stock Option Plan and 2010 Equity Plan. Options that have been granted under these plans are incentive stock options granted at fair market value at the date of grant.

Equity awards typically are recommended by the Personnel and Compensation Committee for approval by the Board in January or February each year, and periodically for certain key new officer hires during the year. The Personnel and Compensation Committee makes equity award recommendations, with input from the Chief Executive Officer (except in the case of awards to the Chief Executive Officer), based on a number of criteria, including the relative rank of the executive within the Company and the Personnel and Compensation Committee’s subjective evaluation of the individual’s specific contributions to the success of the Company during the prior year.

We believe that options and restricted stock awards serve to enhance stockholder value by aligning the interests of our executives with those of the stockholders and also by helping to retain our named executive officers through extended vesting periods. As with awards of annual cash bonuses discussed above, equity awards are approved by the Board based on the Personnel and Compensation Committee’s recommendation. The Personnel and Compensation Committee has discretion in making these recommendations, but is guided by ranges within tiers according to each officer’s position. For 2012, these guideline ranges were generally targeted to the average of the peer group executive officer positions at the 50 th percentile (other than the Chief Executive Officer) and rounded to 25% of base salary for the named executive officers, except for Mr. Merrill who received an award of 3,333 shares of restricted stock in connection with his hiring and Mr. Tinley who was serving in an interim capacity in 2012. In February 2012, the Personnel and Compensation Committee recommended and the Board approved restricted stock awards to each of the named executive officers, with the exception of Mr. Merrill and Mr. Tinley, determined by multiplying their 2012 salary by 25% and dividing the product by the closing price of the Company’s common stock on the date of grant. The awards granted to

 

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Mr. Converse, who was one of the Company’s five most highly compensated employees in 2012, and to Messrs. Merrill, Anderson and Reeder, who were considered candidates to be among the Company’s five most highly compensated employees in 2013, were made in restricted stock that complied with the TARP Standards.

Inter-Relationship of Elements of Total Compensation

The various elements of the executive compensation package are not interrelated. For example, if it does not appear that the target bonus award will be achieved, the number of options or restricted stock that will be granted will not be affected. There is no significant interplay of the various elements of total compensation between each other. If options that are granted in one year become underwater, the amount of the bonus award or base salary to be paid to the executive officer for the next year is not impacted. Similarly, if options or restricted stock becomes extremely valuable, the amount of base salary or bonus to be awarded for the next year is not affected.

401(k) Plan

Our 401(k) Plan allows substantially all full-time officers and employees of the Bank to defer a portion of their compensation, and provides for a discretionary match of up to 6% of their base salaries and bonus amounts, subject to certain IRS limitations. While the decision to match employee contributions is discretionary, in general, all employees receive the same percentage match. In 2012, 2011 and 2010, the Bank provided for a discretionary match of up to 3% of officer and employee base salaries for 2012, 2011 and 2010.

Perquisites

The Company believes that reasonable perquisites are necessary to attract and retain talented executives. For the named executive officers, these perquisites include payment of premiums on medical and dental insurance, and a long-term care policy, a car allowance or use of a company-owned car, and annual club dues for membership at a golf or social club so that the executive has an appropriate entertainment forum for customers and appropriate interaction within the community. In addition, in connection with his hiring, for the first 120 days of his employment, Mr. Merrill was eligible for reimbursement of his reasonable lodging and meal expenses, up to an aggregate of $3,000 per 30-day period, subject to the approval of the Bank’s Board of Directors. The Company believes these perquisites are not material to the overall compensation of the named executive officers and that providing such perquisites is necessary to attract and retain talented executives because many of the Company’s competitors offer similar benefits. All perquisites received by the named executive officers are reviewed annually by the Personnel and Compensation Committee.

Stock Ownership and Clawback Policy

We have not adopted formal stock ownership requirements for our executive officers and directors. We encourage our executive officers and directors to make investments in our Company stock as a long term investment, but do not have a policy related to any required or target levels of investment. All of the current executive officers and directors own common stock, restricted stock and most hold options to purchase common stock. Pursuant to the TARP Standards, the Company adopted a policy providing that any bonus, incentive or retention payment made to a named executive officer or any of the Company’s next twenty most highly compensated employees during the TARP Period will be subject to repayment if the payment is based on financial statements or any other performance metric criteria that are later found to be materially inaccurate. Although the TARP Period ended December 11 2012, this clawback policy remains in effect with respect to any such bonus, incentive or retention payment made during the TARP Period.

Employment Agreements; Severance/Change of Control Arrangements

On March 1, 2012, the Company and the Bank entered into employment agreements with the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer setting forth the terms and conditions of their employment (the “CEO Agreement” and “CFO Agreement,” respectively), and the Bank entered into similar employment agreements with each of the Chief Lending Officer, the Chief Deposit Officer and the Chief Administrative Officer (collectively, with the CEO Agreement and the CFO Agreement, the “Agreements”). Each Agreement was effective as of March 1, 2012, with an initial term that continues until February 28, 2014, and renews for successive one-year periods unless either party provides written notice of non-renewal.

 

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Payments and benefits under each Agreement are subject to certain bank regulatory requirements and, during the TARP Period, were also subject to compliance with the TARP standards. The Agreements provide for an initial annual base salary, subject to periodic review and adjustment by the Company’s Board of Directors or its designees for the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer, and by the Bank’s Board of Directors or its designees for the Chief Lending Officer, Chief Deposit Officer and Chief Administrative Officer. Each Agreement provides that the executive is eligible to receive equity awards in the discretion of the Personnel and Compensation Committee, in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Company’s 2010 Equity Plan (the “2010 Equity Plan”), and is eligible to participate in the Executive Incentive Plan, the Company’s annual bonus plan for executives. The CFO Agreement, which was entered into in connection with Mr. Merrill’s joining the Company and the Bank, also provided for payment of a $30,000 signing bonus, subject to repayment if the Chief Financial Officer’s employment had terminated under certain circumstances prior to December 31, 2012, and provided for an initial award to the Chief Financial Officer of 3,333 shares of restricted stock under the 2010 Equity Plan. In addition, each Agreement provides that the executive is eligible to participate in any employee benefit plans maintained by the Bank (or by the Company and the Bank for the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer) for the benefit of its senior executives, such as group medical, disability and life insurance, vacation and sick leave, and a retirement plan. Each Agreement also provides that the executive will be reimbursed for reasonable business expenses, and the CFO Agreement provided that for the first 120 days of the term, the Company would reimburse the Chief Financial Officer for his reasonable lodging and meal expenses, up to an aggregate of $3,000 per 30 day period, subject to approval by the Bank’s Board of Directors. The lodging and meal reimbursement was provided in consideration of Mr. Merrill’s relocation at the time of beginning employment with the Company and the Bank. The CEO Agreement also provides that the Company will pay or reimburse the Chief Executive Officer for country club fees and dues.

The CEO Agreement provides that the Company will provide the Chief Executive Officer with the use of a car during the term of the agreement and will pay all operational expenses, including taxes, insurance, gasoline, oil, maintenance and other similar expenses. Each Agreement other than the CEO Agreement provides that the executive will receive a monthly car allowance of $500 during the term of the Agreement.

Each Agreement provides that if the executive’s employment is terminated due to Incapacity (as defined in the Agreement), the executive is entitled to (1) any unpaid base salary for the time worked through the date of termination; (2) any incentive or bonus compensation due and owing pursuant to the terms of any incentive or bonus plan; and (3) any benefits due and owing pursuant to the terms of any other plans, policies or programs (the payments and benefits described in (1) through (3) are collectively referred to as the “Accrued Obligations”), and, if the termination occurs on or after October 1 of a calendar year but before the end of that year, the executive will be eligible to receive a portion of the annual bonus, if any, to which he or she would have been entitled under the Executive Incentive Plan for that year (the “Pro-Rata Bonus”). Each Agreement provides that if the executive’s employment is terminated due to death, his or her spouse or estate is entitled to the Accrued Obligations, the Pro-Rata Bonus, and the continued payment of the executive’s then-current salary for three months.

Each Agreement other than the CEO Agreement provides that if the executive’s employment is terminated without Cause (as defined in the Agreements) or if the executive terminates his or her employment for Good Reason (as defined in the Agreements), the executive is entitled to (1) the Accrued Obligations; and, if the executive delivers a general release to the Bank (or to the Company and the Bank for the Chief Financial Officer), he or she will be entitled to (2) the continued payment of his or her then-current salary for the remaining term of the agreement or for 12 months, whichever is greater; (3) the Pro-Rata Bonus; (4) up to 12 months of continued health care coverage for the executive and his or her spouse and dependents, subject to certain limitations; and (5) accelerated vesting of outstanding equity awards under the 2010 Equity Plan (the payments and benefits described in (1) through (5) are collectively referred to as the “Severance Benefits”). The CEO Agreement includes the same provisions (including the requirement that the Chief Executive Officer deliver a general release to the Company and the Bank in order to be entitled to the payments and benefits described in (2) through (5)), except that the Severance Benefits for the Chief Executive Officer will include up to 18 months of continued health care coverage for the Chief Executive Officer and his spouse and dependents, subject to certain limitations. Each Agreement provides that the Severance Benefits shall cease if the executive fails to comply with certain covenants following the termination of his or her employment. For the remaining term of the agreement or for 12 months after his or her employment ceases, whichever is greater, the

 

24


executive will not engage in Competition (as defined in the Agreements) with the Bank (or with the Company or the Bank for the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer) (the “Non-Competition Covenant”) and, during that same period, will not solicit, divert or do business with certain depositors or customers of the Bank if the purpose is to provide products or services that compete with the Bank (the “Non-Piracy Covenant”). In addition, for a period of 12 months after his or her employment ceases, the executive will not hire or solicit for hire or induce any person to cease his or her employment with the Bank (or with the Company or the Bank for the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer), if the purpose is to compete with the Company and/or the Bank (the “Non-Solicitation Covenant”). Finally, for a period of five years after his or her employment ceases, or for such longer period as may be required by law, the executive will not use or disclose the confidential information of the Bank (or of the Company or the Bank for the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer) except as described in the Agreement (the “Non-Disclosure Covenant”). In the event the executive violates the Non-Competition Covenant, the Non-Piracy Covenant, the Non-Solicitation Covenant or the Non-Disclosure Covenant, the Severance Benefits shall cease to be paid, provided that, in the event the Bank (or the Company and the Bank for the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer) is not permitted to pay the Severance Benefits as a result of bank regulatory requirements, the period of the Non-Competition Covenant and the Non-Piracy Covenant shall be reduced to six months from the date the executive’s employment ceases.

Each Agreement other than the CEO Agreement provides that if the executive’s employment is terminated without Cause within one year following a Change of Control (as defined in the Agreements) or if the executive terminates his or her employment for Good Reason within one year following a Change of Control, then, instead of the Severance Benefits described above, the executive is entitled to (1) the Accrued Obligations; and, if the executive delivers a general release to the Bank (or to the Company and the Bank for the Chief Financial Officer), he or she will be entitled to (2) an amount equal to two times his or her then-current salary, payable over 24 months; (3) the Pro-Rata Bonus; and (4) up to 24 months of continued health care coverage for the executive and his or her spouse and dependents, subject to certain limitations (the payments and benefits described in (1) through (4) are collectively referred to as the “Change of Control Benefits”). The CEO Agreement includes the same provisions (including the requirement that the Chief Executive Officer deliver a general release to the Company and the Bank in order to be entitled to the payments and benefits described in (2) through (4)), except that the Change of Control Benefits for the Chief Executive Officer will include 2.99 times his then-current salary and up to 36 months of continued health care coverage for the Chief Executive Officer and his spouse and dependents, subject to certain limitations. In the event the executive’s employment is terminated without Cause within one year following a Change of Control or if the executive terminates his or her employment for Good Reason within one year following a Change of Control, the executive will be obligated to comply with the Non-Competition Covenant, the Non-Piracy Covenant, the Non-Solicitation Covenant and the Non-Disclosure Covenant, provided that the period of the Non-Competition Covenant and the Non-Piracy Covenant shall be increased to 24 months from the date the executive’s employment ceases for such reason within one year following a Change of Control, and provided further that, in the event the Bank (or the Company and the Bank for the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer) is not permitted to pay the Change of Control Benefits as a result of bank regulatory requirements, the Non-Competition Covenant and the Non-Piracy Covenant shall be eliminated. In the event the executive violates the Non-Competition Covenant (if applicable and as extended to 24 months), the Non-Piracy Covenant (if applicable and as extended to 24 months), the Non-Solicitation Covenant or the Non-Disclosure Covenant, the Change of Control Benefits shall cease to be paid.

Each Agreement provides that it is intended that any payment made or benefit provided to the executive under the agreement shall not constitute an “excess parachute payment” within the meaning of Section 280G of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). If the Company’s auditors determine that any payment or benefit to be made or provided to the executive in connection with a Change of Control would be nondeductible by the Bank (or by the Company or the Bank for the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer) under Section 280G of the Code, then the amounts payable under the Agreement and all other agreements between the executive and the Bank (or between the executive and the Company and the Bank for the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer) will be reduced to one dollar less than the maximum amount which may be paid without causing such payment or benefit to be nondeductible. Each Agreement also provides that all of its provisions are to be construed so as to comply with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code or to comply with an exemption from the application of Section 409A of the Code.

Each Agreement provides that if the executive’s employment is terminated for Cause or if the executive terminates his or her employment other than for Good Reason, regardless whether the termination occurs within one

 

25


year following a Change of Control, the executive is entitled to the payment of any unpaid base salary for the time worked through the date of termination and the payment of any benefits due and owing pursuant to the terms of any plans, policies or programs.

Under the terms of the Company’s outstanding options and restricted stock, all unvested options and restricted stock, other than restricted stock that complies with the TARP Standards, fully vest upon a change of control and upon certain terminations of employment. For outstanding restricted stock that complies with the TARP Standards, unvested shares fully vest upon a change of control if the change of control occurs at least two years after the grant date of the restricted stock; if the change of control occurs less than two years after the grant date, the unvested shares fully vest only if the recipient’s employment is terminated due to the change of control.

Risk Considerations in our Compensation Program

In setting compensation, our Personnel and Compensation Committee also considers the risks to the Company’s stockholders and to the achievement of our goals that may be inherent in our compensation program. Although a significant portion of some employees’ compensation is performance-based and “at-risk,” we believe our compensation program, including our compensation policies and practices, is appropriately structured, does not encourage imprudent risk-taking behavior, is consistent with maintaining the organization’s safety and soundness, and does not involve risks that are reasonably likely to have a material adverse effect on the Company.

Together with the Company’s senior risk officer, and as described further below, the Personnel and Compensation Committee undertook assessments of our compensation program in light of the business risks present in our operations. We considered the following elements of our employee compensation policies and practices when evaluating whether our compensation program encourages our employees to take inappropriate risks:

 

   

The employee compensation plans are designed to align incentive compensation to the Company’s strategic long-term goals.

 

   

We set performance goals that we believe are reasonable in light of past performance and market conditions.

 

   

The time-based vesting over five years for our long-term incentive awards, even after achievement of any performance criteria, ensures that our employees’ interests align with those of our stockholders for the long-term performance of the Company.

 

   

Assuming achievement of at least a minimum level of performance, payouts under our performance-based plans result in some compensation at levels below full target achievement, rather than an “all-or-nothing” approach.

 

   

The performance-based plans include several performance measures rather than placing undue reliance on a single performance measure, to ensure that the plans reward behavior in accordance with the Company’s overall strategic goals.

 

   

Many employee compensation plans provide for reductions in the amount of incentive compensation in certain circumstances, which reduces the focus on short-term results.

 

   

The Personnel and Compensation Committee generally retains discretion over incentive payments made under our compensation program and does not approve payments that reward inappropriate risk-taking behavior.

 

   

The Company has implemented controls and monitoring systems to ensure that incentive payments are appropriately calculated, approved and verified.

 

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Personnel and Compensation Committee Report

The Personnel and Compensation Committee has reviewed and discussed the foregoing Compensation Discussion and Analysis with management and, based on such review and discussions, the Personnel and Compensation Committee recommended to the Board of Directors that the Compensation Discussion and Analysis be included in this proxy statement.

At least twice a year during the TARP Period, the senior risk officer, with input from senior management, was required to conduct a risk assessment of the Company’s senior executive officer (“SEO”) compensation plans and employee compensation plans and to present the analysis and conclusions to the Personnel and Compensation Committee. The Personnel and Compensation Committee certifies that, during the first six months of 2012:

 

  (1) It has reviewed with the senior risk officer the SEO compensation plans and has made all reasonable efforts to ensure that these plans do not encourage SEOs to take unnecessary and excessive risks that threaten the value of the Company;

 

  (2) It has reviewed with the senior risk officer the employee compensation plans and has made all reasonable efforts to limit any unnecessary risks these plans pose to the Company; and

 

  (3) It has reviewed the employee compensation plans to eliminate any features of these plans that would encourage the manipulation of reported earnings of the Company to enhance the compensation of any employee.

The risk assessment that was required for the second six months of 2012 was completed after the applicable deadline provided in the TARP Standards.

In addition to their salaries, the Company’s SEOs are eligible to receive performance-based compensation in the form of cash and/or equity awards. On March 1, 2012, the Company and the Bank entered into employment agreements with each of Mr. Converse and Mr. Merrill, and the Bank entered into employment agreements with each of Mr. Anderson, Mr. Reeder and Ms. Ostrander. Payments and benefits under each of these employment agreements are subject to compliance with certain bank regulatory requirements, and, during the TARP Period, were also subject to compliance with the TARP Standards. Among other things, the employment agreements provide that these SEOs are eligible to receive equity awards under the 2010 Equity Plan and are eligible to participate in the Executive Incentive Plan. The Personnel and Compensation Committee considered the potential risks involved in providing these SEOs with performance-based compensation and determined that the employment agreements encourage and reward only behavior that is consistent with the Company’s long-term strategic goals. The employment agreements provide for a reasonable level of base salary so that no SEO is encouraged to take unnecessary and excessive risks. Equity awards under the 2010 Equity Plan (and outstanding stock options under the 1998 Stock Option Plan) generally vest over five years, which provides an appropriate focus on long-term value creation rather than short-term results. The Executive Incentive Plan appropriately emphasizes Company-level goals and includes a variety of goals which reward several different types of beneficial behavior within an appropriate risk setting. Finally, the Company retains significant discretion in the granting of any cash bonuses and equity awards to the SEOs and does not approve the payment of performance-based compensation that would reward unnecessary or excessive risk-taking. In addition, the SEO compensation plans are subject to a provision requiring the SEOs to return to the Company any bonus, incentive compensation or retention award based on materially inaccurate financial statements or any other materially inaccurate performance metric criteria. The Personnel and Compensation Committee has determined that the SEO compensation plans do not encourage the SEOs to take unnecessary and excessive risks that threaten the value of the Company.

As is typical for companies in the banking industry, the Company offers incentive compensation programs for its business development officers, branch managers, residential mortgage lenders, commercial and real estate loan officers and certain wealth management officers. Certain employees other than the SEOs also participate in various annual bonus plans and are eligible to receive equity awards under the 2010 Equity Plan, and others are eligible for a discretionary bonus as determined by the Personnel and Compensation Committee. The Personnel and Compensation Committee maintains discretion over participation in all of these plans and does not approve incentive payments that reward behavior that unnecessarily exposes the Company to risk. In addition, performance-based bonus plans provide

 

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payouts at various levels of achievement and reflect a variety of financial and non-financial performance measures. In addition, many of these plans take into account the quality of the results achieved by employees and provide for reductions in the amount of incentive compensation in certain circumstances. In addition, the compensation plans applicable to the twenty most highly compensated employees after the SEOs are subject to a provision requiring the return to the Company of any bonus, incentive compensation or retention award paid during the TARP Period that was based on materially inaccurate financial statements or any other materially inaccurate performance metric criteria. Further, the employee compensation plans are generally subject to a system of controls within the Company to ensure that inappropriate incentive payments are not made. The Personnel and Compensation Committee has determined that the employee compensation plans do not unnecessarily expose the Company to risks or encourage the manipulation of reported earnings of the Company.

 

Members of the Personnel and Compensation Committee
  Todd A. Stottlemyer, Chairman
  W. Douglas Fisher
  David M. Guernsey

This report shall not be deemed to be incorporated by reference by any general statement incorporating by reference this proxy statement into any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and shall not otherwise be deemed filed under such acts.

 

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Executive Compensation Tables

The following table sets forth a comprehensive overview of the compensation for Mr. Converse, the Chief Executive Officer of the Company, Mr. Merrill, the Company’s Chief Financial Officer, Mr. Tinley, who served as Interim Chief Financial Officer during part of 2012 and the three other most highly compensated executive officers of the Company (including officers of the Bank) who received total compensation of $100,000 or more during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2012.

Summary Compensation Table for 2012

 

Name and Principal Position

  Year     Salary     Bonus (1)     Stock
Awards (2)
    Option
Awards ( 3 )
    Non-Equity
Incentive Plan
Compensation (4)
    All Other
Compensation
    Total  

Peter A. Converse, President and Chief

    2012      $ 471,292      $ —        $ 117,824      $ —        $ 110,159      $ 41,974 (6)     $ 741,249   

    Executive Officer – Company;

    2011      $ 440,430 ( 5 )     $ —        $ 65,721      $ —        $ 140,990      $ 35,070 ( 7 )     $ 682,211   

    President and Chief Executive Officer – Bank

    2010      $ 429,000 ( 5 )     $ —          —        $ —        $ —        $ 35,137 (8)     $ 464,137   

Mark S. Merrill, Chief Financial Officer – Company; Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer – Bank (9)

    2012      $ 215,064      $ 30,000 (10)     $ 29,730      $ —        $ 44,850      $ 42,700 ( 11 )     $ 362,344   

Richard B. Anderson, Jr., Executive Vice President and Chief Lending Officer – Bank

    2012      $ 276,925      $ —        $ 69,228      $ —        $ 46,330      $ 29,861 (1 2 )     $ 422,344   
    2011      $ 238,754      $ —          —        $ 48,081      $ 38,439      $ 32,855 ( 13 )     $ 358,129   
    2010      $ 231,750      $ —          —        $ —        $ —        $ 30,363 (1 4 )     $ 262,113   

Patricia M. Ostrander, Executive Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer – Bank

    2012      $ 210,000      $ —        $ 52,503      $ —        $ 34,944      $ 28,323 (1 5 )     $ 325,770   
    2011      $ 190,550      $ —          —        $ 38,341      $ 42,188      $ 25,605 (1 6 )     $ 296,684   
    2010      $ 167,500      $ 25,000        —        $ —        $ —        $ 22,828 (1 7 )     $ 215,328   

Steven A. Reeder, Executive Vice President – Chief Deposit Officer – Bank

    2012      $ 250,000      $ —        $ 62,502      $ —        $ 56,875      $ 33,566 (1 8 )     $ 402,943   
    2011      $ 216,300      $ —          —        $ 43,523      $ 58,293      $ 31,419 (1 9 )     $ 349,535   
    2010      $ 192,500      $ 35,000        —        $ —        $ —        $ 27,889 ( 20 )     $ 255,389   

Wilmer L. Tinley, Jr., Former Interim Chief Financial Officer (21 )

    2012      $ 35,129      $ —          —        $ —        $ —        $ —   (2 2 )     $ 35,129   
    2011      $ 128,527      $ —          —        $ —        $ —        $ —   (2 2 )     $ 128,527   

 

(1) Bonuses for 2012, which were paid on March 15, 2013, and bonuses for 2011, which were paid on February 29, 2012, are reported in the “Non-Equity Incentive Plan Compensation” column. Cash bonuses for the Chief Deposit Officer and Chief Administrative Officer for 2010 were paid on April 15, 2011.
(2) Represents the aggregate grant date fair value of restricted stock granted to the named executive officers in 2012 and 2011 under the 2010 Equity Plan, calculated in accordance with ASC Topic 718. Please refer to note 12 to the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements for the year ended December 31, 2012, for a discussion on the assumptions used in calculating the grant date fair value. No restricted stock awards were granted to the named executive officers during 2010.
(3) Represents the aggregate grant date fair value of options granted to the named executive officers in 2011 under the 2010 Equity Plan, calculated in accordance with ASC Topic 718. Please refer to note 12 to the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements for the year ended December 31, 2012, for a discussion on the assumptions used in calculating the grant date fair value. No options were granted to the named executive officers during 2012 or 2010.
(4) The amounts in this column for 2012 and 2011 reflect the annual cash bonus awards earned under the Executive Incentive Plan and paid in February or March of the following year. Pursuant to the TARP Standards, the bonus awards reported for Mr. Converse were paid in shares of TARP-compliant restricted stock, based on the closing market price of the Company’s common stock on February 27, 2013 and February 22, 2012, respectively, and were limited to the maximum number of shares he could receive without exceeding the annual limit permitted under the TARP Standards. In each of 2012 and 2011, even though the Board of Directors determined that Mr. Converse had earned a larger bonus award under the Executive Incentive Plan, the amount reported in this column reflects the reduced bonus award Mr. Converse received after applying the annual limits imposed under the TARP Standards.
(5) Includes $48,000 of director fees paid by the Company/Bank.
(6) Represents $7,500 of 401(k) matching contribution, $10,087 in club memberships, $12,194 in medical and dental insurance premiums, $233 in premiums paid on long-term care policy and $11,960 for personal use of a Company-owned car. The aggregate incremental cost of Mr. Converse’s personal use of a Company-owned car is calculated based on the annual cost to the Company to own and operate the vehicle (taking into account any depreciation, fees, insurance, taxes, repairs, maintenance and fuel) multiplied by the percentage that Mr. Converse used the car for personal rather than business use.
(7) Represents $7,350 of 401(k) matching contribution, $14,168 in club memberships, $10,979 in medical and dental insurance premiums, $233 in premiums paid on long-term care policy and $2,340 for personal use of a Company-owned car. The aggregate incremental cost of Mr. Converse’s personal use of a Company-owned car is calculated based on the fair market value of the car and mileage attributable to personal use.

 

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(8) Represents $7,350 of 401(k) matching contribution, $15,135 in club memberships, $9,779 in medical and dental insurance premiums, $233 in premiums paid on long-term care policy and $2,640 for personal use of a company-owned car.
(9) Mr. Merrill joined the Company as chief Financial Officer and the Bank as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer in February 2012.
(10) Mr. Merrill’s signing bonus was paid on March 15, 2012 in connection with his entry into an employment agreement with Company and the Bank.
(11) Represents $7,414 of 401(k) matching contribution, $5,000 car allowance, $18,286 in medical, dental and long-term care insurance premiums and $12,000 in reimbursements for lodging and meal expenses in consideration of Mr. Merrill’s relocation to begin employment with the Bank and Company.
(12) Represents $7,500 of 401(k) matching contribution, $6,000 car allowance, $16,179 in medical and dental insurance premiums and $182 in premiums paid on long-term care policy.
(13) Represents $7,343 of 401(k) matching contribution, $6,000 car allowance, $19,330 in medical and dental insurance premiums and $182 in premiums paid on long-term care policy.
(14) Represents $7,133 of 401(k) matching contribution, $6,000 car allowance and $17,048 in medical and dental insurance premiums and $182 in premiums paid on long-term care policy.
(15) Represents $7,500 of 401(k) matching contribution, $6,000 car allowance, $14,720 in medical and dental insurance premiums and $103 in premiums paid on long-term care policy.
(16) Represents $6,646 of 401(k) matching contribution, $6,000 car allowance, $12,856 in medical and dental insurance premiums and $103 in premiums paid on long-term care policy.
(17) Represents $5,205 of 401(k) matching contribution, $6,000 car allowance, $11,520 in medical and dental insurance premiums and $103 in premiums paid on long-term care policy.
(18) Represents $7,500 of 401(k) matching contribution, $6,000 car allowance, $19,958 in medical and dental insurance premiums and $108 in premiums paid on long-term care policy.
(19) Represents $7,350 of 401(k) matching contribution, $6,000 car allowance, $17,961 in medical and dental insurance premiums and $108 in premiums paid on long-term care policy.
(20) Represents $5,955 of 401(k) matching contribution, $6,000 car allowance, $15,826 in medical and dental insurance premiums and $108 in premiums paid on long-term care policy.
(21) Mr. Tinley served as Interim Chief Financial Officer until February 20, 2012.
(22) Mr. Tinley received no perks in 2012 or 2011.

The Company does not maintain (i) any equity-based incentive plans or (ii) any defined benefit retirement plans. No named executive officer has deferred any amounts under the deferred compensation plan.

The following table provides information with respect to equity awards granted to the named executive officers during 2012, as well as possible payouts for the named executive officers under the Company’s Executive Incentive Plan, reflecting the amounts that could have been paid under the plan based on performance during 2012.

Grants of Plan-Based Awards for 2012

 

Name

   Grant
Date
     Estimated Possible Payouts Under Non-
Equity Incentive Plan Awards (1)
     All Other
Stock
Awards:
Number of
Shares of
Stock or
Units (2)
     All Other
Option
Awards:
Number of
Securities
Underlying
Options
     Exercise or
Base Price
of Option
Awards

($/Share)
     Grant Date
Fair Value
of Stock
and Option
Awards (3)
 
      Threshold      Target      Maximum              

Peter A. Converse

      $ 134,318       $ 235,646       $ 471,292         —           —           —           —     
     2/22/12         —           —           —           13,209         —           —         $ 117,824   

Mark S. Merrill

      $ 24,700       $ 65,000       $ 250,000         —           —           —           —     
     2/22/12         —           —           —           3,333         —           —         $ 29,730   

Richard B. Anderson, Jr.

      $ 36,831       $ 96,924       $ 276,925         —           —           —           —     
     2/22/12         —           —           —           7,761         —           —         $ 69,228   

Patricia M. Ostrander

      $ 20,748       $ 54,600       $ 210,000         —           —           —           —     
     2/22/12         —           —           —           5,886         —           —         $ 52,503   

Steven A. Reeder

      $ 33,250       $ 87,500       $ 250,000         —           —           —           —     
     2/22/12         —           —           —           7,007         —           —         $ 62,502   

Wilmer L. Tinley, Jr.

     —           —           —           —           —           —           —           —     

 

(1)

The amounts shown in the threshold column reflect the minimum cash bonus award payable under the Executive Incentive Plan for 2012

 

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  performance, absent the exercise of discretion to reduce the awards. The target amount for each named executive officer represents 50%, 26%, 35%, 26% and 35% of 2012 base salary, respectively. The amounts shown in the maximum column are 100% of the named executive officer’s 2012 base salary. If threshold goals are not met, no annual cash bonus award is paid under the plan. Mr. Tinley did not participate in the Executive Incentive Plan during 2012. Please refer to the “Non-Equity Incentive Plan Compensation” column of the Summary Compensation Table to see the amount of the annual cash bonus award each named executive officer actually earned (or received, in Mr. Converse’s case) for 2012 performance under the Executive Incentive Plan.
(2) Reflects the number of shares of restricted stock granted under the 2010 Equity Plan.
(3) Reflects the grant date fair value of the restricted stock granted to the named executive officer on February 22, 2012 (computed in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718).

For more information regarding the Company’s equity plans, see “Equity Compensation Plans” below. The Company’s general practice is that other than equity awards made to new hires, all equity awards to employees are made by the Board, upon recommendation of the Personnel and Compensation Committee, at its regularly scheduled meeting in January or February each year. As a public company, our equity award process is independent of any consideration of the timing of the release of material nonpublic information, including with respect to the determination of grant dates or stock option exercise prices. Similarly, we expect that the release of material nonpublic information will not be timed with the purpose or intent to affect the value of executive compensation. Under the Company’s 1998 Stock Option Plan and 2010 Equity Plan, the exercise price of any option granted may not be less than 100% of the fair market value of the common stock on the date of grant. For purposes of the 1998 Stock Option Plan, fair market value was determined by reference to the average of the highest and lowest selling price on any exchange (including NASDAQ) on which the common stock was traded on such date, or if there were no sales on such date, then the exercise price would be not less than the mean between the bid and asked price on such date. As a result of this provision of the plan, the exercise price of an option granted under the 1998 Stock Option Plan may be higher or lower than the closing price on the date of grant. Under the 2010 Equity Plan, fair market value is determined by reference to the closing price on any exchange (including NASDAQ) on which the common stock was traded on such date.

 

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Outstanding Equity Awards at 2012 Fiscal Year-End

The following table sets forth information concerning all outstanding option awards and unvested restricted stock awards held by named executive officers at December 31, 2012. All options were granted at 100% of fair market value as determined in accordance with the applicable option plan. The number of shares subject to each award and the exercise price have been adjusted to reflect all stock dividends, stock splits and capital restructurings effected after the date of such award, but have not otherwise been modified, except for the acceleration of vesting discussed below.

 

     Option Awards      Stock Awards  

Name

   Number of
Securities
Underlying
Unexercised
Options

Exercisable
     Number of
Securities
Underlying
Unexercised
Options

Unexercisable
     Option Exercise
Price
     Option Expiration
Date
     Number of
Shares or
Units of
Stock That
Have Not
Vested
    Market Value of
Shares or Units of
Stock That Have
Not  Vested
 

Peter A. Converse

     28,358         —         $ 4.32         01/11/2013         10,845 (1)     $ 97,063 (3)  
     17,014         —         $ 11.09         01/10/2014         13,209 (2)     $ 118,221 ( 3 )  
     14,745         —         $ 12.78         01/18/2015         15,806 (2)     $ 141,464 ( 3 )  
     11,797         —         $ 16.76         01/11/2016         —          —     
     13,915         —         $ 15.99         01/16/2017         —          —     
     21,560         5,390       $ 10.67         01/30/2018         —          —     
     7,350         4,900       $ 4.31         01/28/2019         —          —     

Mark S. Merrill

     —           —           —           —           3,333 (2)     $ 29,830 ( 3 )  

Richard B. Anderson, Jr.

     22,687         —         $ 4.32         01/11/2013         7,761 (2)     $ 69,461 ( 3 )  
     12,760         —         $ 11.09         01/10/2014         —          —     
     11,343         —         $ 12.78         01/18/2015         —          —     
     9,075         —         $ 16.76         01/11/2016         —          —     
     8,772         —         $ 15.99         01/16/2017         —          —     
     13,112         3,278       $ 10.67         01/30/2018         —          —     
     4,470         2,980       $ 4.31         01/28/2019         —          —     
     3,962         15,848       $ 6.06         01/28/2021         —          —     
                 —          —     

Patricia M. Ostrander

     8,506         —         $ 4.32         01/11/2013         5,886 (2)     $ 52,680 ( 3 )  
     5,670         —         $ 11.09         01/10/2014         —          —     
     6,805         —         $ 12.78         01/18/2015         —          —     
     5,445         —         $ 16.76         01/11/2016         —          —     
     5,142         —         $ 15.99         01/16/2017         —          —     
     7,576         1,895       $ 10.67         01/30/2018         —          —     
     2,583         1,722       $ 4.31         01/28/2019         —          —     
     3,159         12,638       $ 6.06         01/28/2021         —          —     

Steven A. Reeder

     11,797         —         $ 13.77         06/16/2015         7,007 (2)     $ 62,713 ( 3 )  
     6,352         —         $ 16.76         01/11/2016         —          —     
     6,050         —         $ 15.99         01/16/2017         —          —     
     9,323         2,331       $ 10.67         01/30/2018         —          —     
     3,178         2,120       $ 4.31         01/28/2019         —          —     
     3,586         14,346       $ 6.06         01/28/2021         —          —     

Wilmer L. Tinley, Jr.

     —           —           —           —           —          —     

 

(1) Reflects the number of shares of restricted stock granted on January 28, 2011 pursuant to the 2010 Equity Plan. The shares vest in equal installments on the first five anniversaries of the grant date, subject to certain restrictions under the TARP Standards, which generally remain in effect as described in the respective award agreement even though the TARP Period ended December 11, 2012.
(2) Reflects the number of shares of restricted stock granted on February 22, 2012 pursuant to the 2010 Equity Plan. The shares vest in equal installments on the first five anniversaries of the grant date, subject to certain restrictions under the TARP Standards, which generally remain in effect as described in the respective award agreement even though the TARP Period ended December 11, 2012.
(3) The market value is the number of reported shares multiplied by the closing market price of the Company’s common stock on December 30, 2012, the last business day of 2012, which was $8.95 per share.

Prior to 2010, all stock options were granted under the 1998 Stock Option Plan. All stock options issued after April 28, 2010, were granted under the 2010 Equity Plan. None of the awards are subject to performance conditions or other vesting requirements other than continued employment. Awards made after 2002 (i.e., those awards expiring in 2013 and after) vest in five equal annual installments commencing on the first anniversary of the date of grant. In December 2005, in connection with the implementation of a new accounting standard regarding the recognition of compensation expense with respect to option awards, the Board of Directors accelerated the vesting of all options that were unvested as of December 15, 2005, resulting in the avoidance of future option expense with respect to such awards.

 

32


Option Exercises and Stock Vested in 2012

The following table sets forth information regarding stock options exercised and restricted stock that vested during 2012 for each of the named executive officers:

 

     Option Awards      Stock Awards  

Name

  

Number of Shares
Acquired

on Exercise

    

Value Realized

on Exercise (1)

    

Number of Shares
Acquired

on Vesting

    

Value Realized
on Vesting ( 2 )

 

Peter A. Converse

     53,171       $ 253,328         —           —     

Mark S. Merrill

     —           —           —           —     

Richard B. Anderson, Jr.

     28,358       $ 130,288         —           —     

Patricia M. Ostrander

     7,088       $ 32,707         —           —     

Steven A. Reeder

     —           —           —           —     

Wilmer L. Tinley, Jr.

     —           —           —           —     

 

(1) The value realized on exercise is the difference between the exercise price of the option and the closing price of the Company’s common stock on the date of exercise, multiplied by the number of shares subject to the exercise.
(2) None of the named executive officers held restricted stock that vested during 2012.

The Company does not have any pension or defined benefit plans.

Potential Payments Upon Termination or Change of Control

As noted above, as of December 31, 2012, each of the named executive officers employed as of such date had an employment agreement providing for payments or benefits upon certain terminations of their employment or in connection with a change of control of the Company. In addition, under the terms of the Company’s outstanding options and restricted stock, all unvested options and restricted stock (other than restricted stock that complies with the TARP Standards) fully vests upon a change of control and upon certain terminations of employment. For outstanding restricted stock that complies with the TARP Standards, unvested shares fully vest upon a change of control if the change of control occurs at least two years after the grant date of the restricted stock; if the change of control occurs less than two years after the grant date, the unvested shares fully vest only if the recipient’s employment is terminated due to the change of control.

The following table shows estimates of payments or benefits our named executive officers would receive under existing employment agreements, plans or arrangements for various events involving a change of control or termination of employment of each of our named executive officers, assuming a December 31, 2012 termination date, and, where applicable, using the closing price of our common stock of $8.95 at December 31, 2012.

Mr. Tinley served as Interim Chief Financial Officer until February 20, 2012 and as Temporary Finance Support Officer until April, 2012. He did not receive any payments or benefits in connection with his termination of employment in 2012. Therefore, he is not included in the table below.

 

33


Name

  

Incremental Compensation and Benefits
Payments

  

Death

   

Disability

    

Non-CIC
Termination by
Company without
Cause or by
Executive for Good
Reason under
Employment
Agreement

   

CIC Termination
by Company
Without Cause or
by Executive for
Good Reason
under
Employment
Agreement (1)

 

Peter A. Converse

  

Severance

   $ 117,823 (2)       —         $ 568,664 (3)(4)(5)     $ 1,446,809 (3)(6)(7)  
  

Stock Options – Accelerated Vesting (8)

   $ 22,736      $ 22,736         —        $ 22,736   
  

Restricted Stock – Accelerated Vesting (9)

     —          —           —        $ 356,748   
     

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 
  

Totals

   $ 140,559      $ 22,736       $ 568,664      $ 1,826,293   

Mark S. Merrill

  

Severance

   $ 62,500 (2)       —         $ 314,407 (3)(4)(10)     $ 544,880 (3)(11)(12)  
  

Stock Options – Accelerated Vesting (8)

     —          —           —          —     
  

Restricted Stock – Accelerated Vesting (9)

     —          —           —        $ 29,830   
     

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 
  

Totals

   $ 62,500        —         $ 314,407      $ 574,710   

Richard B. Anderson, Jr.

  

Severance

   $ 69,231 (2)       —         $ 338,676 (3)(4)(10)     $ 585,047 (3)(11)(12)  
  

Stock Options – Accelerated Vesting (8)

   $ 59,628      $ 59,628         —        $ 59,628   
  

Restricted Stock – Accelerated Vesting (9)

     —          —           —        $ 69,461   
     

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 
  

Totals

   $ 128,859      $ 59,628       $ 338,676      $ 714,136   

Patricia M. Ostrander

  

Severance

   $ 52,500 (2)       —         $ 260,598 (3)(4)(10)     $ 451,197 (3)(11)(12)  
  

Stock Options – Accelerated Vesting (8)

   $ 44,514      $ 44,514         —        $ 44,514   
  

Restricted Stock – Accelerated Vesting (9)

   $ 52,680      $ 52,680       $ 52,680 (13)     $ 52,680   
     

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 
  

Totals

   $ 149,694      $ 97,194       $ 313,278      $ 548,391   

Steven A. Reeder

  

Severance

   $ 62,500 (2)       —         $ 312,206 (3)(4)(10)     $ 541,077 (3)(11)(12)  
  

Stock Options – Accelerated Vesting (8)

   $ 51,292      $ 51,292         —        $ 51,292   
  

Restricted Stock – Accelerated Vesting (9)

     —          —           —        $ 62,713   
     

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 
  

Totals

   $ 113,792      $ 51,292       $ 312,206      $ 655,082   

 

(1) These amounts may be reduced in order to avoid excess parachute payments under Section 280G of the Internal Revenue Code, in accordance with the named executive officer’s employment agreement.
(2) The continuation of monthly salary payments for three months is reflected as a lump sum amount.
(3) The named executive officer must deliver a general release to the Bank (and, in the case of Mr. Converse and Mr. Merrill, also to the Company) in order to be entitled to receive these amounts. Continued receipt of these amounts is conditioned on the named executive officer’s compliance with certain non-competition, non-piracy, non-solicitation, and non-disclosure covenants contained in the officer’s employment agreement.
(4) Includes continuation of monthly salary payments for the remaining term of the named executive officer’s employment agreement (as of December 31, 2012, 14 months) or 12 months, whichever is greater. These continued monthly salary payments are reflected as a lump sum amount for this table.
(5) Includes estimated cost of continuation of health care coverage for the named executive officer and his spouse and dependents for up to 18 months, subject to certain limitations and based on current monthly cost.
(6) Includes an amount equal to 2.99 times the named executive officer’s salary, payable semi-monthly over 24 months. For the purposes of this table, this amount is reflected as a lump sum amount.
(7) Includes estimated cost of continuation of health care coverage for the named executive officer and his spouse and dependents for up to 36 months, subject to certain limitations and based on current monthly cost.
(8) The value of stock options is based on the spread between the closing market price of $8.95 per share as of December 31, 2012 and the applicable exercise price for each option.
(9) The value of the restricted stock upon vesting is based on the closing market price of $8.95 per share as of December 31, 2012.
(10) Includes estimated cost of continuation of health care coverage for the named executive officer and his or her spouse and dependents for up to 12 months, subject to certain limitations and based on current monthly cost.
(11) Includes an amount equal to two times the named executive officer’s salary, payable semi-monthly over 24 months. For the purposes of this table, this amount is reflected as a lump sum amount.
(12) Includes estimated cost of continuation of health care coverage for the named executive officer and his or her spouse and dependents for up to 24 months, subject to certain limitations and based on current monthly cost.
(13) Ms. Ostrander only receives this amount in the event her employment is terminated by the Company without cause.

 

34


Employee Benefit Plans

The Company provides all officers and full-time employees with group life and medical and dental insurance coverage. With the exception of all of the executive officers, all employees pay a portion of the premium costs of medical and dental insurance.

401(k) Plan. The Bank maintains a 401(k) defined contribution plan (the “Plan”). Employees who are at least 21 years of age, have completed at least ninety days of continuous service with the Bank and have completed at least 1,000 hours of work during any Plan year are eligible to participate in the Plan. Under the Plan, a participant may contribute up to 15% of his or her compensation for the year, subject to certain limitations. The Bank may also make, but is not required to make, a discretionary contribution for each participant. The amount of such contribution, if any, is determined on an annual basis by the Board of Directors. Contributions by the Bank totaled $410,676 for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2011 and $474,010 for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2012.

Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Plan . On November 22, 2006, the Board of Directors of the Bank approved the adoption of the Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Plan for directors and key management employees of the Company, the Bank and their affiliates. Participation in the plan is available to members of the Board of Directors and a select group of management or highly compensated employees of the Company, the Bank and their affiliates, including each named executive officer disclosed in this proxy statement. Under the plan, participants who are directors may defer on a pre-tax basis up to 100% of their director fees, and participants who are employees may defer on a pre-tax basis up to 80% of their base compensation and 80% of bonus or commissions. Under the plan, the Bank has no obligation to make contributions for the benefit of participants, although it has discretion to make contributions for the benefit of one or more participants. No named executive officers have deferred any amounts under the plan.

The deferred compensation accounts are fully vested to the extent they consist of amounts attributable to deferrals by the participants, but may be subject to a vesting schedule to the extent that they consist of amounts, if any, attributable to discretionary contributions by the Bank. The deferred compensation accounts are credited with earnings or losses based upon investment elections that the participants make from among various measurement funds designated by the Bank. The plan is unfunded and the deferred compensation account balances are general obligations of the Bank.

At the time deferral elections are made, participants may choose when the amounts they defer will be paid to them. Distributions of amounts deferred under the plan upon a participant’s retirement are payable in installments or in a lump sum, at the participant’s option; distributions for reasons other than retirement are generally payable in a lump sum. Elections may be changed, subject to the provisions of the plan, and, in limited circumstances such as unforeseeable financial emergency, distributions may be made early.

Equity Compensation Plans.

The 2010 Equity Plan was approved by the Board of Directors and the stockholders, and became effective March 2, 2010. The purposes of the 2010 Equity Plan are to (a) promote the long-term success of the Company and to increase stockholder value by providing employees and directors with incentives to contribute to the long-term growth and profitability of the Company and (b) assist the Company in attracting, retaining and motivating highly qualified employees.

Prior to adoption of the 2010 Equity Plan, the Company maintained the 1998 Stock Option Plan, which was originally approved by stockholders of the Bank in 1998, was assumed by the Company in connection with the reorganization into the holding company structure in 1999 and amended in 2007. In connection with stockholder approval of the 2010 Equity Plan, no new awards can be granted under the 1998 Stock Option Plan after March 2, 2010. Awards previously granted under the 1998 Stock Option Plan remain outstanding in accordance with their terms, but none of the remaining shares of common stock authorized under the 1998 Stock Option Plan were transferred to the 2010 Equity Plan. In addition, awards under the 1998 Stock Option Plan that are forfeited or expire without being exercised will not be available for awards under the 2010 Equity Plan.

As of March 8, 2013, there were options to purchase an aggregate of 999,176 (as adjusted for stock dividends) shares of common stock outstanding under the 1998 Stock Option Plan, at exercise prices ranging from $3.07 to $18.33

 

35


per share, expiring no later than January 2020. As of March 8, 2013, there were options to purchase an aggregate of 234,064 shares of common stock outstanding under the 2010 Equity Plan, at exercise prices ranging from $5.12 to $8.62 per share, expiring no later than January 2023. There were also 219,396 shares of restricted stock outstanding under the 2010 Equity Plan.

In February 2012, 65,106 shares of restricted stock were granted to nine officers and the eight outside directors. In February 2013, 97,975 shares of restricted stock were granted to fifty-eight officers, seven executive officers and the eight outside directors under the 2010 Equity Plan.

1998 Stock Option Plan

Options under the 1998 Stock Option Plan could be either incentive stock options (“ISOs”) as defined in Section 422 of the Code or options that are not ISOs (“Non-ISOs”). Awards to non-employee directors could consist only of Non-ISOs. The 1998 Stock Option Plan is administered by the Personnel and Compensation Committee.

Prior to March 2, 2010, the Personnel and Compensation Committee had the authority to select the recipients of stock options and to establish the terms of option awards, subject to the provisions of the 1998 Stock Option Plan. Generally the term of an option granted under the plan would not exceed ten years from the date of grant and the exercise price would be no lower than the fair market value of a share of the Company’s common stock on the date of grant. Options granted under the 1998 Stock Option Plan may be exercised in whole or in part and generally are not transferable except upon the death of a participant or in connection with a “qualified domestic relations order” within the meaning of Section 414(p) of the Code. Outstanding and unexercised options held by a participant at his death are immediately exercisable by the participant’s transferee under the terms of such options up to the earlier of 24 months after death or the expiration of the option. In the event of any merger, consolidation, recapitalization, reorganization, reclassification, stock dividend, stock split, combination or subdivision of shares, or similar event in which the number or kind of shares is changed without receipt or payment of consideration by the Company, the Personnel and Compensation Committee will adjust both the number and kind of shares of stock as to which options may be awarded under the 1998 Stock Option Plan, the affected terms (including exercise price) of all outstanding options and the aggregate number of shares of common stock remaining available for grant under the 1998 Stock Option Plan.

In the absence of Personnel and Compensation Committee action to the contrary: (A) an otherwise unexpired ISO, or a Non-ISO granted to an employee, shall cease to be exercisable upon (i) an employee’s termination of employment for “just cause” (as defined in the 1998 Stock Option Plan), (ii) the date three months after an employee terminates service for a reason other than just cause, death, or disability, or (iii) the date one year after an employee terminates service due to disability, or two years after termination of such service due to his death; (B) an unexpired Non-ISO granted to a non-employee director shall be exercisable at any time (but not later than the date on which the Non-ISO would otherwise expire). Notwithstanding the provisions of any option which provide for its exercise in installments as designated by the Personnel and Compensation Committee, such option shall become immediately exercisable upon the optionee’s death or permanent and total disability. Notwithstanding the provisions of any award which provides for its exercise or vesting in installments, on the date of a change in control, all options issued under the 1998 Stock Option Plan shall be immediately exercisable and fully vested. At the time of a change in control, the optionee shall, at the discretion of the Personnel and Compensation Committee, be entitled to receive cash in an amount equal to the excess of the fair market value of the common stock subject to such option over the exercise price of such shares, in exchange for the cancellation of such options by the optionee.

For purposes of the 1998 Stock Option Plan, “change in control” means any one of the following events: (1) the acquisition of ownership of, holding or power to vote more than 51% of the Company’s voting stock; (2) the acquisition of the power to control the election of a majority of the Company’s directors; (3) the exercise of a controlling influence over the management or policies of the Company by any person or by persons acting as a group within the meaning of Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act; or (4) the failure during any period of two consecutive years, of individuals who at the beginning of such period constitute the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Continuing Directors”) for any reason to constitute at least two-thirds thereof, provided that any individual whose election or nomination for election as a member of the Board was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of the Continuing Directors then in office shall be considered a Continuing Director. For purposes of defining “change in control,” the term “person” refers to an individual or a corporation, partnership, trust, association, joint venture, pool, syndicate, sole proprietorship, unincorporated organization or any other form of entity not specifically listed. The decision of the Personnel and Compensation Committee as to whether a change in control has occurred shall be conclusive and binding.

 

36


2010 Equity Plan

The 2010 Equity Plan provides for the grant of awards in the form of stock options (ISOs or Non-ISOs), stock appreciation rights, restricted and unrestricted stock, performance units and other awards to directors and employees, except that ISOs may only be granted to employees. The Company’s Personnel and Compensation Committee administers the 2010 Equity Plan and has the authority to determine the terms and conditions of each award thereunder , but as a matter of practice recommends all awards to the Board of Directors for approval.

Generally the term of an option granted under the plan will not exceed ten years from the date of grant and the exercise price will be no lower than the fair market value of a share of the Company’s common stock on the date of grant. To date, options granted under the 2010 Equity Plan vest over five years and expire ten years from the grant date, and restricted stock granted under the 2010 Equity Plan vests over five years, subject to certain limitations required under the TARP Standards, which generally remain in effect as described in the respective award agreement even though the TARP Period ended December 31, 2012.

Unless the Personnel and Compensation Committee or the Board determines otherwise, no award granted under the 2010 Equity Plan will be transferable for any reason other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution. During the lifetime of the participant, a stock option, stock appreciation right or similar-type of award will be exercisable only by the participant or by a permitted transferee to whom such stock option, stock appreciation right or other award has been transferred by will or by the laws of descent and distribution.

The 2010 Equity Plan provides that if a participant’s employment is terminated for cause (as defined in the plan), all vested but unexercised and earned but unpaid awards will terminate, be forfeited and revert to the 2010 Equity Plan. If a participant ceases to be an employee of the Company for reasons other than cause, the participant’s award may be exercised to the extent the award is vested within the period of time specified in the award document or, if no time is specified, within three months following the termination. If a participant ceases to be an employee because of disability or death, the participant’s award becomes fully vested, may be exercised within the period of time specified in the award document or, if no time is specified, within twelve months. If the participant does not exercise the vested portion of the award within the required period of time, the vested shares will be forfeited and revert to the 2010 Equity Plan. If on the date of termination, any portion of an award is not earned or not vested, that portion of the award will be forfeited and revert to the 2010 Equity Plan.

The 2010 Equity Plan provides that upon a change in control of the Company (as defined in the plan), a participant will fully vest in and have the right to exercise any stock option and stock appreciation right as to all of the common stock under the award, including shares as to which the participant would not otherwise be vested or exercisable, and all restrictions and conditions, including any vesting requirements, of any stock award and restricted stock held by a participant will lapse. Except as otherwise specified in the applicable award document, in the event of a change in control, the Personnel and Compensation Committee or the Board may, in its discretion, provide for (i) all performance units and any other awards held by a participant to be deemed fully earned, (ii) the settlement of any award by the Company for an amount of cash equal to the amount which could have been obtained upon the exercise of the award or realization of a participant’s rights had the award been currently exercisable or payable, (iii) cause any award then outstanding to be assumed, or substituted, by the acquiring or surviving corporation in such change in control, or (iv) make such adjustment to any award then outstanding as the Personnel and Compensation Committee or the Board deems appropriate. Where an award being changed is an ISO or is subject to Section 409A of the Code, no changes will be made that would negatively impact the tax status of the award.

To date, options granted under the 2010 Equity Plan provide for accelerated vesting of the unvested portion of the option upon a change in control of the Company or upon cessation of employment because of death or disability. Restricted stock granted under the 2010 Equity Plan, other than restricted stock that is limited to comply with the TARP Standards, provides for accelerated vesting of the unvested shares upon a change in control of the Company, upon the cessation of employment or Board service because of death or disability, upon retirement with the consent of the Board at or after age 65 and five years of service, upon termination of employment by the Company, not for cause, after five years of employment or termination of Board service with the consent of the Board after five years of service.

 

37


For purposes of the 2010 Equity Plan, unless otherwise defined in the award document, “cause” is defined as the termination of the participant’s employment as a result of: (i) an act dishonesty undertaken and intended to result in gain or personal enrichment, (ii) persistent failure to perform duties and obligations that is not remedied in a reasonable period of time after receipt of written notice, (iii) violation of confidentiality or proprietary information obligations to or agreements, (iv) use, sale or distribution of illegal drugs on the employer’s premises, (v) threatening, intimidating or coercing or harassing fellow employees, or (vi) the conviction of a felony.

For purpose of the 2010 Equity Plan, “change in control” is defined as a (i) business combination, (ii) the acquisition by a beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of 50% or more of the combined voting power of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company’s then outstanding securities with respect to the election of the directors, or (iii) during any period of three consecutive years, individuals who, at the beginning of such period, constitute the Board of Directors (the “Incumbent Board”) cease to constitute at least a majority of the Board of Directors, provided that any person becoming a director subsequent to March 2, 2010 whose election, or a nomination for election by the Company’s stockholders, was approved by the vote of at least a majority of the directors then comprising the Incumbent Board (other than an election or nomination of any individual whose initial assumption of office is in connection with an actual or threatened election contest relating to the election of the directors) shall be, for these purposes, considered as though such person were a member of the Incumbent Board.

If the outstanding shares of common stock are increased or decreased or changed into or exchanged for a different number or kind of shares or other securities of the Company by reason of any stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization, reorganization, merger, consolidation, extraordinary dividend, split-up, spin-off, combination, exchange of shares, or similar event, an appropriate and proportionate adjustment will be made by the Personnel and Compensation Committee to the number and kind of shares authorized for issuance under the 2010 Equity Plan, including the maximum number of shares available under the special limits provided for in the 2010 Equity Plan, as well as to the number and class of shares of common stock subject to each outstanding award, and the exercise price of any outstanding award, in order to retain the economic value or opportunity of such award. Where an award being adjusted is an ISO or is subject to Section 409A of the Code, no changes will be made that would negatively impact the tax status of the award.

PROPOSAL 2 - NON-BINDING ADVISORY VOTE TO APPROVE EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

As part of implementing the “say-on-pay” requirements of Section 14A of the Exchange Act, the SEC requires a non-binding advisory stockholder vote at the meeting to approve the Company’s compensation of the named executive officers as disclosed in this proxy statement pursuant to the compensation disclosure rules of the SEC. Such a proposal, commonly known as a “say-on-pay” proposal, gives stockholders the opportunity to endorse or not to endorse the Company’s executive pay program. Accordingly, in this Proposal 2 our stockholders are given the opportunity to cast an advisory vote on the Company’s executive compensation as described above in this proxy statement.

Because this vote is advisory, it will not be binding upon the Board of Directors. However, the Personnel and Compensation Committee and Board of Directors will take into account the outcome of the vote when considering future executive compensation arrangements.

Stockholders are encouraged to read the section of this proxy statement entitled “Compensation Discussion and Analysis” as well as the tabular disclosures regarding named executive officer compensation, together with the accompanying narrative disclosure.

The Company believes that its executive compensation is competitive, is focused on pay for performance principles, is strongly aligned with the long-term interests of our stockholders and is necessary to attract and retain experienced, highly qualified executives critical to the Company’s success and the enhancement of stockholder value.

The Board of Directors believes the Company’s executive compensation achieves these objectives, and, therefore, recommends that stockholders vote FOR approval of this proposal.

 

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PROPOSAL 3 – NON-BINDING ADVISORY VOTE ON THE FREQUENCY OF THE ADVISORY VOTE ON EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

Section 14A of the Exchange Act also requires that the Company’s stockholders have the opportunity to recommend how frequently stockholder advisory votes should be held to approve the compensation of the named executive officers. This Proposal 3, commonly known as a “say-when-on-pay” or a “say-on-frequency” vote, gives stockholders the opportunity to vote on how frequently stockholders should be given an opportunity to cast a “say-on-pay” vote in the Company’s future annual stockholder meetings (or any special stockholder meetings for which the Company must include executive compensation information in the proxy statement). Under this Proposal 3, stockholders have the following choices regarding how often the Company holds the say-on-pay vote: every year, every two years or every three years, or stockholders may choose to abstain.

The Personnel and Compensation Committee and the Board of Directors recognize the importance of receiving regular input from stockholders on important issues such as executive compensation. The Personnel and Compensation Committee and the Board of Directors also believe a well structured compensation program should include features that drive the creation of stockholder value over the long term, as well as the short term. The Personnel and Compensation Committee and the Board of Directors believe the Company should receive advisory input annually from stockholders because such frequency provides the highest level of accountability and communication by having the stockholder vote correspond with the most recent compensation information presented in the proxy statement for the Company’s annual meetings. As a result, the Board of Directors recommends a non-binding advisory say-on-pay vote every year.

As stated above, this vote is advisory, meaning it will serve as a recommendation to the Board of Directors but will not be binding. Stockholders are not voting to approve or disapprove the recommendation of the Board of Directors. The alternative receiving the greatest number of votes – every year, every two years, or every three years – will be the frequency that stockholders recommend. The Board of Directors will take into account the outcome of the vote when considering how frequently to provide an advisory vote on executive compensation in the future. However, the Board of Directors may decide that it is in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders to select a frequency of advisory vote on executive compensation that differs from the alternative that receives the highest number of votes from stockholders.

The Board of Directors recommends that stockholders vote for a frequency of EVERY YEAR for future votes on executive compensation.

SECTION 16(a) BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP REPORTING COMPLIANCE

Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act requires the Company’s directors and executive officers, and persons who own more than ten percent of the Company’s common stock, to file reports of ownership and changes in ownership on Forms 3, 4 and 5 with the SEC, and to provide the Company with copies of all Forms 3, 4, and 5 they file.

Based solely upon the Company’s review of the copies of the forms which it has received and written representations from the Company’s directors and executive officers, the Company is not aware of any failure of any such person to comply with the requirements of Section 16(a) for 2012 that has not previously been disclosed, except that a Form 4 reporting one transaction for Mr. Adler during 2012 was not filed in a timely manner.

PROPOSAL 4 - RATIFICATION OF APPOINTMENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED

PUBLIC ACCOUNTANT

The Audit Committee has appointed the independent registered public accounting firm of Yount, Hyde & Barbour to audit the accounts of the Company for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2013. Yount, Hyde & Barbour also audited the Company’s financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2012. Representatives of Yount, Hyde & Barbour are expected to be present at the meeting and available to respond to appropriate questions. The representatives also will be provided with an opportunity to make a statement, if they desire. In the event that the appointment of Yount, Hyde & Barbour is not ratified by stockholders, the Audit Committee will consider making a change in the independent registered public accountant in the future.

 

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The Board of Directors recommends that stockholders vote FOR ratification of the appointment of Yount, Hyde & Barbour as the Company’s independent registered public accountant for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2013.

PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT FEES

Audit Fees. The aggregate amount of fees billed to the Company by Yount, Hyde & Barbour for 2012 for services rendered by it for the audit of the Company’s financial statements and review of financial statements included in the Company’s reports on Form 10-K and 10-Q, and for services normally provided in connection with statutory and regulatory filings, was $155,075. Yount, Hyde & Barbour billed $201,440 for such services for 2011. This category includes fees for services necessary to perform the audit in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, and things such as consents and assistance with and review of documents filed with the SEC, and the audit of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

Audit–Related Fees. During 2012, the aggregate amount of fees billed to the Company by Yount, Hyde & Barbour for assurance and related services reasonably related to the performance of the audit services rendered by it, and for consultation, was $21,050. In 2011, Yount, Hyde & Barbour billed $20,255 for such services. For both 2012 and 2011 this category included an employee benefit plan audit.

Tax Fees. During 2012, the aggregate amount of fees billed to the Company by Yount, Hyde & Barbour for tax advice, compliance and planning services was $10,350. In 2011, Yount, Hyde & Barbour billed $10,050 for such services. For both years fees were limited to the preparation of federal and state tax returns for the Company and its subsidiary trusts.

All Other Fees. During 2012 and 2011, there were no other fees billed to the Company by Yount, Hyde & Barbour.

The engagements of Yount, Hyde & Barbour to provide services other than audit services were not made pursuant to the de minimis exception to the pre-approval requirement contained in the rules of the SEC and the Company’s Audit Committee charter, and the Audit Committee concluded that such engagements were compatible with the maintenance of Yount, Hyde & Barbour’s independence in the conduct of its auditing functions.

FORM 10-K ANNUAL REPORT

The Company will provide to any stockholder solicited hereby, without charge, a copy of its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012 filed with the SEC, upon written request. Requests should be directed to Jennifer Manning, Senior Vice President, Controller, Virginia Commerce Bank, 14201 Sullyfield Circle, Suite 500, Chantilly, Virginia 20151.

OTHER MATTERS

Management is not aware of any matters to be presented for action by stockholders at the meeting other than Proposals 1, 2, 3 and 4 referred to above. If, however, any other matters not now known are properly brought before the meeting or any adjournment thereof, the persons named in the accompanying proxy will vote such proxy in accordance with their best judgment on such matters.

STOCKHOLDER PROPOSALS

The Company will hold its 2014 Annual Meeting of Stockholders only if the proposed merger with United has not yet been completed and the Company reasonably expects that the proposed merger with United will not be completed. All proposals of stockholders to be presented for consideration at the next annual meeting (in the event this meeting is held) and included in the Company’s proxy materials must be received by the Company no later than

 

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November 28, 2013, if we hold an annual meeting 2014. Any such proposals must meet the requirements of Rule 14a-8 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The Company must receive written notice of any other matter (other than a director nomination) to be acted upon at the next annual meeting (in the event this meeting is held), for which inclusion in the Company’s proxy materials is not sought, by February 11, 2014, if we hold an annual meeting 2014. The Company must receive written notice of any director nomination to be acted upon at the next annual meeting by January 24, 2014, if we hold an annual meeting in 2014, and such notice must also comply with the Company’s bylaws.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSED MERGER AND WHERE TO FIND IT

This proxy statement does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities or a solicitation of any vote or approval with respect to the proposed merger.

In connection with the proposed merger, United will file with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-4 that will include a proxy statement of the Company and a proxy statement and prospectus of United, as well as other relevant documents concerning the proposed transaction. Stockholders are urged to read the registration statement and the prospectus and joint proxy statement regarding the proposed merger when it becomes available and any other relevant documents filed with the SEC, as well as any amendments or supplements to those documents, because they will contain important information. You will be able to obtain a free copy of the prospectus and joint proxy statement, as well as other filings containing information about the Company and United at the SEC’s Internet site (http://www.sec.gov). You will also be able to obtain these documents, free of charge, from the Company by accessing the Company’s website at www.vcbonline.com under the tab “About VCB,” then under the heading “Investor Relations.” You will also be able to obtain these documents, free of charge, from United’s website at www.ubsi-inc.com under the tab “Investor Relations.”

United, the Company and their respective directors, executive officers, and certain other members of management and employees of United, the Company and their respective subsidiaries may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from stockholders of the Company in connection with the proposed merger. Information about the directors and executive officers of United is set forth in United’s proxy statement filed with the SEC on March 22, 2013. Information about the directors and executive officers of the Company is set forth in this proxy statement. Additional information regarding the interests of such participants will be included in the prospectus and joint proxy statement and the other relevant documents filed with the SEC when they become available.

The information on United’s and the Company’s websites is not, and shall not be deemed to be, a part of this proxy statement or incorporated into the filings either company makes with the SEC.

 

By Order of the Board of Directors
VIRGINIA COMMERCE BANCORP, INC.
Kenneth R. Lehman, Secretary

March 22, 2013

 

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x       PLEASE MARK VOTES AS IN THIS EXAMPLE

      

 

                  REVOCABLE PROXY

VIRGINIA COMMERCE BANCORP, INC.

       

This proxy is solicited on behalf of the Board of Directors.

 

The undersigned hereby makes, constitutes and appoints W. Douglas Fisher and David M. Guernsey, and each of them (with the power of substitution), proxies for the undersigned to represent and to vote, as designated below, all shares of common stock of Virginia Commerce Bancorp, Inc. (the “Company”) which the undersigned would be entitled to vote if personally present at the Company’s Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held on April 24, 2013 and at any adjournment or postponement thereof.      1.      

Election of Directors.

 

¨        FOR all nominees listed below (except as noted to the contrary below)

 

¨        WITHHOLD AUTHORITY to vote for all nominees listed below

 

Nominees:   Leonard Adler; Michael G. Anzilotti; Thomas E. Burdette; Peter A. Converse; W. Douglas Fisher; David M. Guernsey; Kenneth R. Lehman; Norris E. Mitchell; and Todd A. Stottlemyer

 

(Instructions: To withhold authority to vote for any individual nominee, write that nominee’s name in the space provided below.)

 

       2.      

The non-binding, advisory approval of the compensation of the Company’s executive officers.

 

¨      FOR     ¨      AGAINST     ¨      ABSTAIN

 

       3.      

The non-binding, advisory recommendation of the frequency of future advisory votes on the compensation of the Company’s executive officers

 

¨      EVERY YEAR     ¨      EVERY 2 YEARS    

¨      EVERY 3 YEARS     ¨      ABSTAIN

 

       4.      

The ratification of the appointment of Yount, Hyde & Barbour, P.C. as the Company’s independent registered public accountant for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2013.

 

¨      FOR     ¨      AGAINST     ¨      ABSTAIN

        This proxy, when properly executed, will be voted in the manner directed herein by the undersigned stockholder. If no direction is made, this proxy will be voted FOR all of the nominees listed above, FOR the proposal to approve the compensation of the Company’s executive officers, for an EVERY YEAR frequency of future advisory votes on executive compensation, and FOR the proposal to ratify the appointment of Yount, Hyde & Barbour, P.C. as the Company’s independent registered public accountant. In addition, this proxy will be voted at the discretion of the proxy holder(s) in accordance with their best judgment upon any other matter which may properly come before the meeting or any adjournment or postponement of the meeting.
        Important: Please date and sign your name as addressed, and return this proxy in the enclosed envelope. When signing as executor, administrator, trustee, guardian, etc., please give full title as such. If the stockholder is a corporation, the proxy should be signed in the full corporate name by a duly authorized officer whose title is stated.
        Please check box if you plan to attend the Annual Meeting.   ¨
       

Please be sure to sign and date
this proxy in the box below.

 

Date

  

  

 

Stockholder sign above (Co-holder, if any, sign above)

  

  

Detach above card, sign, date and mail in postage paid envelope provided.

VIRGINIA COMMERCE BANCORP, INC.

 

PLEASE COMPLETE, DATE, SIGN AND MAIL THIS PROXY PROMPTLY

IN THE ENCLOSED POSTAGE-PAID ENVELOPE.

IF YOUR ADDRESS HAS CHANGED, PLEASE CORRECT THE ADDRESS IN THE SPACE PROVIDED BELOW AND RETURN THIS PORTION WITH THE PROXY IN THE ENVELOPE PROVIDED.

 

 

 

 

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