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SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT , dated
this 11th day of April, 2008 (this “ Agreement
”), by and among Steel Partners II, L.P., Steel Partners II
GP LLC, Steel Partners II Master Fund L.P., Steel Partners LLC,
Warren G. Lichtenstein, James R. Henderson, John J. Quicke, Kevin
C. King, Don DeFosset and Delyle Bloomquist (the foregoing
individuals and entities being collectively referred to herein as
the “ Steel Partners Group ”), and EnPro
Industries, Inc., a North Carolina corporation (the “
Company ”). |
WHEREAS, the Steel Partners Group
(i) is engaged in a solicitation of proxies for the election
of an opposition slate of nominees (the “ Contested
Election ”) to the Company’s Board of Directors
(the “ Board ”) at the 2008 annual meeting of
shareholders of the Company (the “ 2008 Annual Meeting
”) and (ii) has taken certain actions in furtherance
thereof, including but not limited to filing a definitive proxy
statement with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission
(the “ SEC ”) on March 26, 2008 (the
“ Steel Partners Group Proxy Statement ”) and,
in the letter dated as of February 12, 2008 and other
communications related thereto, requesting to inspect certain of
the Company’s books and records pursuant to
Section 55-16-02 of the North Carolina Business Corporation
Act (such letter and related requests, the “ Demand
”); and
WHEREAS, the Company and the members
of the Steel Partners Group have determined that the interests of
the Company and its shareholders would be best served at this time
by, among other things, avoiding the Contested Election and the
substantial expense and disruption that may result therefrom.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of
the foregoing premises and the respective representations,
warranties and agreements hereinafter set forth, and, intending to
be legally bound hereby, the parties hereby agree as follows:
Section 1. Board Composition;
Charter Amendment; Recommendation; Revised Proxy Statement
.
(a) The
Company and the Steel Partners Group agree that there shall be 8
nominees to the Board for election at the 2008 Annual Meeting. Such
nominees shall be William R. Holland, Stephen E. Macadam, J.P.
Bolduc, Peter C. Browning, Joe T. Ford, Gordon D. Harnett, David L.
Hauser and Wilbur J. Prezzano, Jr. (the “ Nominees
”). If any of such individuals shall be unwilling or unable
to serve as directors, the Board may nominate such substitute
nominees as it deems appropriate in its sole discretion (any such
substitute nominee shall also be referred to as a Nominee for
purposes of this Agreement). The Board shall recommend at the 2008
Annual Meeting that the shareholders of the Company vote to elect
the Nominees as directors of the Company.
(b) The
Board has taken all action necessary to provide that, effective at
the close of business on the second business day following the
completion of the 2008 Annual Meeting (the “ Vacancy
Date ”), the size of the Board shall be reset from eight
(8) to nine (9) directors and, subject to
Section 3(b), Don DeFosset shall be appointed to fill the
vacancy created by such increase in the size of the Board. Other
than as provided in this Section 1(b), the Board will not
increase the size of the Board prior to the annual meeting of
Company shareholders in 2009 (the “ 2009 Annual
Meeting ”).
(c) The
Company shall submit a proposal (the “ Article 5
Proposal ”) to its shareholders at the 2008 Annual
Meeting to amend and restate Article 5(a) and 5(b) of the
Company’s Restated Articles of Incorporation as
follows:
“(a)
The number of the directors of the Corporation shall be not less
than five (5) nor more than eleven (11). The number of
directors of the Corporation may be increased or decreased, from
time to time, within the range above specified, by the Board of
Directors and by the shareholders by a majority of the votes then
entitled to be cast for the election of directors; provided,
however, that the tenure of office of a director shall not be
affected by any decrease in the number of directors so made by the
Board of Directors or the shareholders.
(b)
(i) Those persons who receive the highest number of votes at a
shareholders meeting at which a quorum is present shall be deemed
to have been elected.
(ii)
A director shall hold office until the annual meeting for the year
in which his or her term expires and until his or her successor
shall be elected and shall qualify, subject, however, to prior
death, resignation, retirement, disqualification or removal from
office.
(iii)
Notwithstanding the foregoing, whenever the holders of any one or
more classes or series of preferred shares issued by the
Corporation shall have the right, voting separately by class or
series, to elect directors at an annual or special meeting of
shareholders, the election, term of office, filling of vacancies
and other features of such directorships shall be governed by the
terms of these Articles of Incorporation or the resolution or
resolutions adopted by the Board of Directors pursuant to Article
2(b) of these Articles of Incorporation applicable
thereto.”
The
Board shall recommend in its Revised Proxy Statement (as
hereinafter defined in Section 1(e)) and at the 2008 Annual Meeting
that the shareholders of the Company vote to approve the
Article 5 Proposal.
(d) The
Company shall set a new record date of April 24, 2008 (the
“ Record Date ”) and meeting date of
June 9, 2008 (the “ Meeting Date ”) for the
2008 Annual Meeting; provided, however, that if the Company has not
received the requisite number of votes necessary to approve the
Article 5 Proposal by June 9, 2008, the Meeting Date will
be adjourned (by keeping the polls open but for no other purpose)
as reasonably necessary for up to thirty (30) days to allow
the Company to solicit the additional votes necessary to approve
the Article 5 Proposal.
(e) As
promptly as practicable following the date hereof, the Company
shall prepare and file with the SEC a revised proxy statement (the
“ Revised Proxy Statement ”) that will replace
the Company’s definitive proxy statement, dated as of
March 25, 2008 (the “ Existing Proxy Statement
”). The Revised Proxy Statement will give effect to the
foregoing items (a), (c) and (d) of this Section 1
and the Company shall mail the Revised Proxy Statement concurrently
therewith as soon as practicable following the Record Date to the
Company’s shareholders. Thereafter, the Company shall
(i) solicit proxies in accordance with the Revised Proxy
Statement, (ii) recommend that the shareholders of the Company
vote all proxies pursuant to the Revised Proxy Statement and in
accordance with the instructions specified in the related proxy
card, (iii) use all reasonable efforts to obtain shareholder
approval for all of the proposals submitted for shareholder action,
including, but not limited to, employing the services of MacKenzie
Partners, Inc. to assist in the solicitation of proxies and
requesting the New York Stock Exchange (“ NYSE
”) to designate the Article 5 Proposal a
“routine” proposal for purposes of NYSE Rule
- 2 -
452, and
(iv) use all reasonable efforts to cause the current members
of the Board and their “Affiliates” and
“Associates” (as such terms are defined in
Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended
(the “ Exchange Act ”), and including Persons
who become Affiliates or Associates subsequent to the date hereof)
to vote all shares of the Voting Securities (as hereinafter defined
in Section 7) which they are entitled to vote at the 2008
Annual Meeting in favor of all of the proposals submitted for
shareholder action. The Company agrees that the Revised Proxy
Statement and any other solicitation materials to be delivered to
shareholders in connection with the 2008 Annual Meeting shall be
prepared in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. The
proposals in the Existing Proxy Statement and the Article 5
Proposal shall be the only proposals included in the Revised Proxy
Statement and submitted to shareholders at the 2008 Annual
Meeting.
Section 2. Contested
Election; Voting; Steel Partners Group Schedule 13D; Proxy
Statement and Demand Withdrawal .
(a) The
Steel Partners Group shall promptly cease, and shall cause all of
their Affiliates and Associates to cease, any and all efforts with
respect to the Contested Election, except as hereinafter provided
in this Section 2.
(b) The
Steel Partners Group hereby irrevocably withdraws the nominations
of James R. Henderson, John J. Quicke, Kevin C. King, Don DeFosset
and Delyle Bloomquist and the related advance notice submitted to
the Company on January 30, 2008.
(c) The
Steel Partners Group and their Affiliates and Associates shall not
make any objection to the election of each of the Nominees at the
2008 Annual Meeting or any other public statement inconsistent with
the provisions of this Agreement. The Steel Partners Group and
their Affiliates and Associates shall vote all shares of the Voting
Securities which they are entitled to vote at the 2008 Annual
Meeting (1) in favor of
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