18.          Unsolicited Bid and Shareholder Demand:

On July 15, 2019, the Company received a letter from Shepherd Kaplan Krochuk, LLC (“SKK”) and North & Webster SSG, LLC (“N&W”) announcing an unsolicited bid to acquire the Company for $14.37 per share (the “July 15 Proposal”), which reflected an approximate 32.8% premium over the Company’s adjusted closing stock price on July 12, 2019, one trading day earlier. The July 15 Proposal was subject to a number of contingencies, including the need for SKK and N&W to secure financing to complete a transaction. On August 23, 2019, the Company received another unsolicited offer from SKK and N&W, proposing to acquire the Company for $16.38 per share (the “August 23 Proposal”), which reflected an approximate 18.1% premium over the Company’s closing stock price one day earlier, and requesting members of the Board and management to enter into voting and support agreements in connection with the execution of a definitive merger agreement. The August 23 Proposal, similar to the July 15 Proposal, was subject to a number of contingencies, including the need for SKK and N&W to secure financing to complete a transaction.

On November 27, 2019, SKK, N&W, and Messrs. Shepherd, Kaplan, Krochuk and Kidston (collectively, the “SKK 13D Group”) entered into a Joint Filing Agreement and filed a Schedule 13D with the SEC, disclosing an aggregate 5.8% ownership stake in the Company. Also on November 27, 2019, Mr. Nynens entered into an agreement with SKK and N&W (the “November 27 Agreement”), granting SKK an irrevocable proxy to vote his shares of Common Stock (i) in favor of any acquisition proposal by SKK, (ii) against any third-party acquisition, and (iii) as directed by SKK with respect to the election of directors nominated by persons other than the Company. The November 27 Agreement also provides that, upon the consummation of the acquisition by an SKK-controlled entity of up to 100% of the outstanding capital stock of the Company, Nynens be appointed as Executive Chairman of the Company at an annual base salary of $250,000 in addition to stock option grants or comparable equity awards representing three percent (3%) of the outstanding equity of the Company, and for a minimum term of three (3) years.

On December 20, 2019, Mr. Nynens delivered a nomination notice to the Company regarding his intent to nominate Kim J. McCauley, Delynn Copley, Dennis M. Crowley, III and Nilesh Shah at the Meeting (the “Nomination Notice”).

On December 23, 2019, the SKK 13D Group filed Amendment No. 2 to its Schedule 13D disclosing the Nomination Letter and stating that it sought to engage in discussions with the Company’s management and Board about its composition, the Company’s financial position and other means of enhancing stockholder value, including the potential sale of the Company. Mr. Nynens filed Amendment No. 3 to his Schedule 13D, disclosing and stating the same.

On January 22, 2020, the Company received a letter from one of its stockholders demanding that the Board investigate and bring an action against Mr. Nynens for breaches of certain restrictive covenants contained in his Separation and Release Agreement, dated May 11, 2018 (the “Nynens Separation Agreement”), including his covenant not to seek future employment with the Company (the “Shareholder Derivative Demand”).

On February 11, 2020, after considering the proposals with its financial advisers, the Board responded to SKK and N&W that the expired proposal received on December 10, 2019 would not have been in the best interests of the Company’s stockholders because it undervalues the Company, and did not serve as a basis for further diligence or discussion.

On February 14, 2020, after conducting an investigation, and in response to the Shareholder Derivative Demand, the Company filed a lawsuit (the “Lawsuit”) against Mr. Nynens, SKK, and N&W in the Superior Court of New Jersey Monmouth County, asserting claims against Mr. Nynens for alleged breaches of the Nynens Separation Agreement, including for violating his covenant not to seek future employment with the Company, and claims for tortious interference against SKK and N&W for inducing Mr. Nynens to commit these breaches. In connection with its claims, the Company sought monetary damages, injunctive relief and a declaratory judgment.

On April 16, 2020 (the “Effective Date”), the Company entered into a Settlement Agreement (the “Settlement Agreement”) with Mr. Nynens, SKK, N&W, and each of Dennis Crowley, David Shepherd, David Kaplan, Timothy Krochuk and Samuel Kidston (collectively with SKK and N&W, the “SKK Parties”). Pursuant to the Settlement Agreement, the Company agreed to voluntarily dismiss the Lawsuit with prejudice, and it did so on April 21, 2020. The Company also agreed to purchase all of Mr. Nynens’ 261,631 shares of the Common Stock owned, of record or beneficially, as of the Effective Date, at a price set by calculating the volume-weighted average price of such shares trading on the NASDAQ Global Market for the ten trading days ending on the close of the trading day immediately preceding the Effective Date, and with each party paying for its own fees and expenses. As of the Effective Date, Mr. Nynens and the SKK Parties agreed to terminate November 27 Agreement and did so on April 16, 2020. Further, the SKK Parties agreed to terminate the Joint Filing Agreement, dated November 27, 2019, by and between Mr. Nynens and the SKK Parties, and did so on April 16, 2020. Additionally, as of the Effective Date, Mr. Nynens agreed to withdraw the notice of intent to nominate director candidates for election at the 2020 annual meeting of stockholders of the Company, submitted by Mr. Nynens on December 20, 2019, and to cease all solicitation of proxies and other activities in connection with such annual meeting, and Mr. Nynens did so on April 16, 2020. 

On April 23, 2020, the Company purchased all of Nynens’ 261,631 shares of Common Stock at $13.19 per share pursuant to the Settlement Agreement, representing approximately 5.8% of the issued and outstanding Common Stock of the Company, for an aggregate purchase price of $3.5 million.