Levitt Corporation
SCHEDULE 14A
(Rule 14a-101)
INFORMATION REQUIRED IN PROXY STATEMENT
SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION
Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the
Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 (Amendment No. )
Filed by the Registrant x
Filed by a Party other than the
Registrant o
Check the appropriate box:
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o Preliminary
Proxy Statement |
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o Confidential,
for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2))
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x Definitive Proxy
Statement |
o Definitive
Additional Materials |
o Soliciting
Material Pursuant to Rule 14a-11(c) or Rule 14a-12 |
LEVITT CORPORATION
(Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)
(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the
Registrant)
Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):
o Fee computed on
table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11.
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(1) |
Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies: |
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Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies: |
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(3) |
Per unit price or other underlying value of transaction computed
pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 0-11 (set forth the amount on
which the filing fee is calculated and state how it was
determined): |
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(4) |
Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction: |
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Fee paid previously with preliminary materials: |
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Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by
Exchange Act Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which
the offsetting fee was paid previously. Identify the previous
filing by registration statement number, or the Form or Schedule
and the date of its filing. |
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(1) |
Amount Previously Paid: |
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Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.: |
LEVITT CORPORATION
1750 East Sunrise Boulevard
Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33304
April 19, 2005
Dear Shareholder:
You are cordially invited to attend the Annual Meeting of
Shareholders of Levitt Corporation, which will be held on
May 17, 2005 at 10:30 a.m., local time, at the Westin
Cypress Creek, 400 Cypress Creek Boulevard,
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33334.
Please read these materials so that you will know what we plan
to do at the meeting. Also, please sign and return the
accompanying proxy card in the postage-paid envelope. This way,
your shares will be voted as you direct even if you cannot
attend the meeting.
On behalf of your Board of Directors and our employees, I would
like to express our appreciation for your continued support.
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Sincerely, |
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Alan B. Levan |
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Chairman of the Board |
TABLE OF CONTENTS
LEVITT CORPORATION
1750 East Sunrise Boulevard
Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33304
NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
To Be Held on May 17, 2005
Notice is hereby given that the Annual Meeting of Shareholders
of Levitt Corporation (the Company) will be held at
the Westin Cypress Creek, 400 Cypress Creek Boulevard,
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33334 on May 17, 2005 commencing
at 10:30 a.m., local time, for the following purposes:
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1. To elect three directors to the Companys Board of
Directors to serve until the Annual Meeting in 2008. |
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2. To transact such other business as may properly be
brought before the Annual Meeting or any adjournment thereof. |
The matters listed above are more fully described in the Proxy
Statement that forms a part of this Notice.
Only shareholders of record at the close of business on
March 28, 2005 are entitled to notice of and to vote at the
Annual Meeting.
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Sincerely yours, |
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Alan B. Levan |
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Chairman of the Board |
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
April 19, 2005
IMPORTANT: THE PROMPT RETURN OF PROXIES WILL SAVE THE COMPANY
THE EXPENSE OF FURTHER REQUESTS FOR PROXIES; THEREFORE EVEN IF
YOU PLAN TO ATTEND THE ANNUAL MEETING, PLEASE COMPLETE, SIGN AND
RETURN THE ENCLOSED PROXY IN THE ENVELOPE PROVIDED. NO POSTAGE
IS REQUIRED IF MAILED IN THE UNITED STATES.
LEVITT CORPORATION
1750 East Sunrise Boulevard
Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33304
PROXY STATEMENT
The Board of Directors of Levitt Corporation (the
Company) is soliciting proxies to be used at the
Annual Meeting of Shareholders of the Company (the Annual
Meeting) to be held at the Westin Cypress Creek,
400 Cypress Creek Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale,
FL 33334 Cypress Creek on May 17, 2005 at
10:30 a.m., and at any and all postponements or
adjournments of the Annual Meeting, for the purposes set forth
in the accompanying Notice of Meeting.
This Proxy Statement, Notice of Meeting and accompanying proxy
card are being mailed to shareholders on or about April 19,
2005.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT THE PROXY MATERIALS
AND THE ANNUAL MEETING
What is the purpose of the meeting?
At our Annual Meeting, shareholders will act upon the matters
outlined in the notice of meeting on the cover page of this
Proxy Statement, including the election of directors as well as
any other matters which may properly be brought before the
meeting.
Who is entitled to vote at the meeting?
Record holders of the Companys Class A Common Stock
(Class A Stock) and record holders of the
Companys Class B Common Stock (Class B
Stock) at the close of business on March 28, 2005 may
vote at the meeting.
On March 28, 2005, 18,597,166 shares of Class A
Stock and 1,219,031 shares of Class B Stock were
outstanding and, thus, are eligible to vote at the meeting.
What are the voting rights of the holders of Class A
Stock and Class B Stock?
Holders of Class A Stock and the holder of Class B
Stock will vote as one class of common stock on the matters to
be voted upon at the Annual Meeting. Holders of Class A
Stock are entitled to one vote per share, with all holders of
Class A Stock having in the aggregate 53% of the general
voting power. The number of votes represented by each share of
Class B Stock, which represent in the aggregate 47% of the
general voting power, is calculated each year in accordance with
the Companys Amended and Restated Articles of
Incorporation. At this years Annual Meeting, each
outstanding share of Class B Stock will be entitled to
13.53 votes on each matter.
What constitutes a quorum?
The presence at the meeting, in person or by proxy, of the
holders of shares representing a majority of the aggregate
voting power (as described above) of the Companys common
stock outstanding on the record date will constitute a quorum,
permitting the conduct of business at the meeting.
What is the difference between a shareholder of record and a
street name holder?
If your shares are registered directly in your name with
American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, the
Companys stock transfer agent, you are considered the
shareholder of record with respect to those shares. If your
shares are held in a stock brokerage account or by a bank or
other nominee, you are considered the beneficial owner of these
shares but not the shareholder of record, and your shares are
held in street name.
How do I vote my shares?
If you are a shareholder of record, you can give a proxy to be
voted at the meeting by mailing in the enclosed proxy card.
If you hold your shares in street name, you must
vote your shares in the manner prescribed by your broker or
nominee. Your broker or nominee has enclosed or provided a
voting instruction card for you to use in directing the broker
or nominee how to vote your shares.
Can I vote my shares in person at the meeting?
Yes. If you are a shareholder of record, you may vote your
shares at the Annual Meeting by completing a ballot at the
meeting.
However, if you are a street name holder, you may
vote your shares in person only if you obtain a signed proxy
from your broker or nominee giving you the right to vote the
shares.
Even if you currently plan to attend the Annual Meeting, we
recommend that you also submit your vote by proxy or by giving
instructions to your broker or nominee as described above so
that your vote will be counted if you later decide not to attend
the Annual Meeting.
What are my choices when voting?
In the election of directors, you may vote for all nominees, or
your vote may be withheld with respect to one or more nominees.
The proposal related to the election of directors is described
in this Proxy Statement beginning at page 8.
What is the Boards recommendation?
The Board of Directors recommends a vote FOR all of the
nominees for director.
What if I do not specify how I want my shares voted?
If you do not specify on your proxy card (or when giving your
proxy by telephone or over the Internet) how you want to vote
your shares, we will vote them FOR all of the nominees for
director.
Can I change my vote?
Yes. You can revoke your proxy at any time before it is
exercised in any of three ways:
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by submitting written notice of revocation to the Companys
Secretary; |
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by submitting another proxy by mail that is dated later and is
properly signed; or |
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by voting in person at the Annual Meeting. |
What vote is required for a proposal to be approved?
For the election of directors, the affirmative vote of a
plurality of the votes cast at the Annual Meeting is required. A
properly executed proxy marked WITHHOLD AUTHORITY
with respect to the election of one or more directors will not
be voted with respect to the director or directors indicated,
although it will be counted for purposes of determining whether
there is a quorum.
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If you hold your shares in street name through a
broker or other nominee and you have not provided voting
instructions to the broker, whether the broker may vote your
shares in its discretion depends on the proposals before the
Annual Meeting. Under the rules of the New York Stock Exchange,
your broker may vote your shares in its discretion on
routine matters. The election of directors is a
routine matter on which brokers will be permitted to vote your
shares if no voting instructions are furnished.
Are there any other matters to be acted upon at the Annual
Meeting?
We do not know of any other matters to be presented or acted
upon at the Annual Meeting. If any other matter is presented at
the Annual Meeting on which a vote may properly be taken, the
shares represented by proxies will be voted in accordance with
the judgment of the person or persons voting those shares.
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
Pursuant to the Companys bylaws and the Florida Business
Corporation Act, the Companys business and affairs are
managed under the direction of the Board of Directors. Directors
are kept informed of the Companys business through
discussions with management, including the Chief Executive
Officer and other senior officers, by reviewing materials
provided to them and by participating in meetings of the Board
of Directors and its committees.
Determination of Director Independence
The Boards Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee
undertook a review of each of the directors independence
on February 28, 2005, and the full Board reviewed the
committees determinations concerning independence and the
facts underlying those determinations on February 28, 2005.
During these reviews, the Nominating/Corporate Governance
Committee and the Board considered transactions and
relationships between each director or any member of his
immediate family and the Company and its subsidiaries and
affiliates, including those reported below under
Certain Relationships and Related Transactions.
They also examined transactions and relationships between
directors or their affiliates and members of the Companys
senior management or their affiliates. The purpose of these
reviews was to determine whether any such relationship or
transaction was inconsistent with a determination that the
director is independent under applicable laws and regulations
and the New York Stock Exchange listing standards. As permitted
by the listing standards of the New York Stock Exchange, the
Board has determined that the following categories of
relationships will not constitute material relationships that
impair a directors independence: (i) serving on third
party boards of directors with other members of the Board,
(ii) payments or charitable gifts by the Company to
entities with which a director is an executive officer or
employee where such payments or gifts do not exceed the greater
of $1 million or 2% of such companys or
charitys consolidated gross revenues, and
(iii) investments by directors in common with each other or
the Company, its affiliates or executive officers. As a result
of its review of the transactions and relationships of each of
the members of the Board, and considering these categorical
standards, and in accordance with the recommendations of the
Nominating/ Corporate Governance Committee, the Board has
affirmatively determined that a majority of the Companys
Board members, including James Blosser, S. Lawrence
Kahn, III, Alan Levy, Joel Levy, and William Nicholson, are
independent directors within the meaning of the listing
standards of the New York Stock Exchange and applicable law.
Committees of the Board of Directors and Meeting
Attendance
The Companys Board of Directors has established Audit,
Compensation and Nominating/Corporate Governance Committees. The
Board has adopted a written charter for each of these three
committees and Corporate Governance Guidelines that address
the make-up and functioning of the Board. The Board
has also adopted a Code of Business Conduct and Ethics that
applies to all of our directors, officers and employees. The
committee charters, Corporate Governance Guidelines and Code of
Business Conduct and Ethics are posted in the
Investor Relations section of our website at
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www.levittcorporation.com/investor/governance/index.php,
and each is available in print without charge to any shareholder.
The Board met 13 times during 2004. Each of the members of the
Board of Directors attended at least 75% of the meetings of the
Board and Committees on which he served, and other than
Mr. Scherer, all of the then-serving members of the Board
of Directors attended the Companys Annual Meeting in 2004,
although the Company has no formal policy requiring them to do
so.
The Audit Committee consists of Joel Levy, Chairman, William
Nicholson and S. Lawrence Kahn, III. Darwin Dornbush
served on the Audit Committee through October 2004. The Board
has determined that all current members of the Audit Committee
are financially literate and independent
within the meaning of the listing standards of the New York
Stock Exchange and applicable Securities and Exchange Commission
(SEC) regulations. Mr. Levy, the chair of this
committee, is qualified as an audit committee financial expert
within the meaning of SEC regulations, and the Board has
determined that he has accounting and related financial
management expertise within the meaning of the listing standards
of the New York Stock Exchange. The Audit Committee met 12 times
during 2004, and its members also held various informal
conference calls as a committee. The Audit Committee is directly
responsible for the appointment, compensation, retention and
oversight of the independent auditors. Additionally, the Audit
Committee assists Board oversight of: (i) the integrity of
the Companys financial statements, (ii) the
Companys compliance with legal and regulatory
requirements, (iii) the qualifications, performance and
independence of the Companys independent auditors, and
(iv) the performance of the Companys internal audit
function. In connection with these oversight functions, the
Audit Committee receives reports from the Companys
outsourced internal audit group, periodically meets with
management and the Companys independent auditors to
receive information concerning internal controls over financial
reporting and any deficiencies in such controls, and has adopted
a complaint monitoring procedure that enables confidential and
anonymous reporting to the Audit Committee of concerns regarding
questionable accounting or auditing matters. The Report from the
Audit Committee is included at page 19.
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The Compensation Committee |
The Compensation Committee consists of S. Lawrence
Kahn, III, Chairman, Alan Levy and William Nicholson. All
of the members of the Committee are independent within the
meaning of the listing standards of the New York Stock Exchange.
In addition, each committee member is a Non-Employee
Director as defined in Rule 16b-3 under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and an outside
director as defined for purposes of Section 162(m) of
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. The Compensation
Committee met five times during 2004. The Compensation Committee
provides assistance to the Board in fulfilling its
responsibilities relating to the compensation of the
Companys executive officers. It reviews and determines the
compensation of the Chief Executive Officer and determines or
makes recommendations with respect to the compensation of the
Companys other executive officers. It also assists the
Board in the administration of the Companys equity-based
and performance-based compensation plans.
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The Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee |
The Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee consists of James
Blosser, Chairman, Alan Levy and Joel Levy, each of whom has
been determined by the Board of Directors to meet the New York
Stock Exchanges standards for independence. The
Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee met two times during
2004. The Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee is
responsible for assisting the Board in identifying individuals
qualified to become directors, making recommendations of
candidates for directorships, developing and recommending to the
Board a set of corporate governance principles for the Company,
overseeing the evaluation of the Board and management,
overseeing the selection, composition and evaluation of Board
committees and overseeing the management continuity and
succession planning process.
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Generally, the Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee will
identify candidates through the business and other organization
networks of the directors and management. Candidates for
director will be selected on the basis of the contributions the
Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee believes that those
candidates can make to the Board and to management and on such
other qualifications and factors as the Nominating/Corporate
Governance Committee considers appropriate. In assessing
potential new directors, the Nominating/Corporate Governance
Committee will seek individuals from diverse professional
backgrounds who provide a broad range of experience and
expertise. Board candidates should have a reputation for honesty
and integrity, strength of character, mature judgment and
experience in positions with a high degree of responsibility. In
addition to reviewing a candidates background and
accomplishments, candidates for director nominees are reviewed
in the context of the current composition of the Board and the
evolving needs of the Company. The Company also requires that
its Board members be able to dedicate the time and resources
sufficient to ensure the diligent performance of their duties on
the Companys behalf, including attending Board and
applicable committee meetings. If the Nominating/ Corporate
Governance Committee believes a candidate would be a valuable
addition to the Board, it will recommend the candidates
election to the full Board.
Alan J. Levy was appointed to the Board of Directors by the
Board in January 2005 and is standing for election by the
Companys shareholders for the first time. Mr. Alan
Levy was identified as a potential Board member by the
Companys Chairman, Mr. Levan, and was recommended as
a director by the Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee.
Mr. Levy has been acquainted with Mr. Blosser, the
chairman of the Companys Nominating/Corporate Governance
Committee, for many years. After a set of interviews by the
Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee and review of his
credentials, Mr. Levy was recommended and appointed as a
director based upon, among other things, his business
experience, general knowledge of the real estate industry and
his active involvement in the community.
Under the Companys bylaws, nominations for directors may
be made only by or at the direction of the Board of Directors,
or by a shareholder entitled to vote who delivers written notice
(along with certain additional information specified in our
bylaws) not less than 90 or more than 120 days prior to the
first anniversary of the preceding years annual meeting.
For our 2006 Annual Meeting, we must receive this notice between
January 17 and February 16, 2006.
The Investment Committee was established by the Companys
Board of Directors by resolution in September 2003 and consists
of Alan B. Levan, John E. Abdo, William Nicholson and
two outside, non-voting advisory members. The Investment
Committee met 24 times in 2004. The Investment Committee assists
the Board in supervising and overseeing the management of the
Companys investments in real estate assets. Specifically,
subject to guidelines established by the Board, the Investment
Committee (i) reviews and approves all real property
transactions, (ii) authorizes new project and working
capital debt, and (iii) authorizes refinancing and other
modifications to existing project and other working capital debt.
Executive Sessions of Non-Management and Independent
Directors
In June 2004 the non-management directors of the Company met in
an executive session of the Board in which management directors
and other members of management did not participate. Darwin
Dornbush was the presiding director for this session. The
non-management directors will meet at semi-annual scheduled
meetings each year, and may schedule additional meetings without
management present as they determine to be necessary.
Compensation of Directors
The Companys Compensation Committee recommends director
compensation to the Board based on factors it considers
appropriate and based on the recommendations of management.
Non-employee directors of the Company each received fees based
upon an annual retainer of $36,000 in 2004, with no additional
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compensation for attendance at Board of Directors
meetings. Except for the Chairman of the Audit Committee who
received an additional $12,000 during 2004 for his service on
that committee, the other members of the Audit Committee
received an additional $8,000 during 2004 for their service on
that committee. Members of the Nominating/Corporate Governance
and Compensation Committees received an additional $3,000 during
2004 for service on each of those committees. Additionally,
Messrs. Blosser, Kahn, Levy and Nicholson each received $3,000
in connection with their services on a special committee
assignment of the Board of Directors. Non-employee directors
serving on the Companys Investment Committee receive
$500 per meeting with a maximum of $1,000 per month
for service on that committee. In addition, on January 2,
2004, all non-employee directors then serving received options
to acquire 7,500 shares of the Companys Class A
Stock under the Companys 2003 Stock Incentive Plan (the
Option Plan) at an exercise price of $20.15 per
share, the market value on the date of grant. All such options
vested and became exercisable immediately upon grant. Directors
who are also officers of the Company or its subsidiaries do not
receive additional compensation for their service as directors
or for attendance at Board of Directors meetings or
committee meetings.
Director and Management Indebtedness
The Company has not made any loans to its executive officers or
directors.
Communications with the Board of Directors and Non-Management
Directors
Shareholders who wish to communicate with the Board of
Directors, any individual director or the non-management
directors as a group, can write to the Corporate Secretary,
Levitt Corporation, 1750 East Sunrise Boulevard,
Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33304. The letter should include a
statement indicating that the sender is a shareholder of the
Company. Depending on the subject matter, an officer of the
Company will:
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forward the letter to the director or directors to whom it is
addressed; |
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attempt to handle the inquiry directly if it relates to routine
or ministerial matters, including requests for
information; or |
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not forward the letter if it is primarily commercial in nature
or if it is determined to relate to an improper or irrelevant
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A member of management will, at each meeting of the Board,
present a summary of all letters received from shareholders
since the last meeting that were not forwarded to the Board and
will make those letters available to the Board upon request.
Code of Ethics
The Company has a Code of Business Conduct and Ethics that
applies to all directors, officers and employees of the Company,
including its principal executive officer, principal financial
officer and principal accounting officer. The Code of Ethics is
available on the Companys website at
www.levittcorporation.com. The Company will post
amendments to or waivers from its Code of Ethics to the extent
applicable to the Companys principal executive officer,
principal financial officer or principal accounting officer on
its website. There were no such waivers from the Companys
Code of Ethics subsequent to its adoption in 2004. The Company
made ministerial amendments to its Code of Business Conduct and
Ethics in November 2004; the amended Code of Business Conduct
and Ethics has been posted on the Companys website.
Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider
Participation
The Board of Directors has designated Alan Levy, S. Lawrence
Kahn, III and William R. Nicholson, none of whom are
employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, to serve on
the Compensation Committee. The Companys Chairman, Vice
Chairman and Senior Executive Vice President are also executive
officers of BFC Financial Corporation, the Companys
controlling shareholder. In addition, the Companys
Chairman and Vice Chairman are also executive officers of
BankAtlantic Bancorp and of BankAtlantic, (BankAtlantic
Bancorps wholly owned subsidiary) and of Bluegreen
Corporation, each of
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which is an affiliate of the Company. Each of the Companys
Chairman and Vice Chairman also receives compensation from BFC
Financial Corporation and from BankAtlantic. The Companys
Senior Executive Vice President also receives compensation from
BFC Financial Corporation.
Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting
Compliance
Based solely upon a review of the copies of the forms furnished
to the Company and written representations that no other reports
were required, the Company believes that during the year ended
December 31, 2004, all filing requirements under
Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
applicable to its officers, directors and greater than 10%
beneficial owners were complied with on a timely basis, except
that one Form 4 filing due by January 5, 2004,
reporting William Scherers receipt of shares of the
Companys Class A Stock as a distribution in the
spin-off from BankAtlantic Bancorp, was filed on March 24,
2005 due to oversight.
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PROPOSAL TO BE CONSIDERED AT THE ANNUAL MEETING
1) PROPOSAL FOR ELECTION OF DIRECTORS
Nominees for Election as
Director
The Companys Board of Directors currently consists of nine
directors divided into three classes, each of which has a three
year term expiring in annual succession. The Companys
bylaws provide that the Board of Directors shall consist of no
less than three or more than twelve directors. The specific
number of directors is set from time to time by resolution of
the Board. A total of three directors will be elected at the
Annual Meeting, all of whom will be elected for the term
expiring in 2008.
Each of the nominees was recommended for nomination by the
Nominating/ Corporate Governance Committee and has consented to
serve the term indicated. If any of them should become
unavailable to serve as a director, the Board may designate a
substitute nominee. In that case, the persons named as proxies
will vote for the substitute nominee designated by the Board.
Except as otherwise indicated, the nominees and directors listed
below have had no change in principal occupation or employment
during the past five years.
The Directors Standing For Election Are:
TERMS ENDING IN 2008:
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JOHN E. ABDO |
Director since 1985 |
Mr. Abdo, age 61, is the Vice Chairman of the Board
and President. He was first elected as an officer of the Company
in 1985. Mr. Abdo also serves as a director, Vice Chairman,
Chairman of the Executive Committee of BankAtlantic, director
and Vice Chairman of BankAtlantic Bancorp, Chairman of the
Executive Committee of BankAtlantic Bancorp and serves as a
director and Vice Chairman of BFC Financial Corporation. BFC
Financial Corporation is the Companys controlling
shareholder. He is also a director of Benihana, Inc. (Nasdaq:
BNHN), a national restaurant chain in which BFC Financial
Corporation is a minority shareholder, and a director and Vice
Chairman of the Board of Bluegreen Corporation
(Bluegreen) (NYSE: BXG). Mr. Abdo is also the
President of the Broward Performing Arts Foundation.
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WILLIAM NICHOLSON |
Director since 2003 |
Mr. Nicholson, age 59, has been a principal with
Heritage Capital Group since 2003. Previously,
Mr. Nicholson served as Managing Director of Bank of
America Securities and Bank of America in the real estate
advisory group.
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ALAN J. LEVY |
Director since 2005 |
Mr. Levy, age 65, is the founder, President and Chief
Executive Officer of Great American Farms, Inc., an agricultural
company involved in the farming, marketing and distribution of a
variety of fruits, vegetables and meat products, since 1980.
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS THAT ALL OF THE NOMINEES BE
ELECTED AS DIRECTORS.
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The Directors Continuing in Office are:
TERMS ENDING IN 2006:
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JAMES BLOSSER |
Director since 2001 |
Mr. Blosser, age 67, has been an attorney with the law
firm of Blosser & Sayfie since 2001. Additionally, from
1999 to 2004 he was a partner with the governmental relations
firm of Poole, McKinley & Blosser. Prior to 1999, he
was an Executive Vice President for Huizenga Holdings, a sports,
investment and entertainment conglomerate in
Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
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DARWIN DORNBUSH |
Director since 2003 |
Mr. Dornbush, age 75, is a senior partner in the law
firm of Dornbush Schaeffer Strongin & Weinstein, LLP.
He has served as the Secretary of Benihana, Inc. and its
predecessor since 1983, and he has been a director of Benihana,
Inc. since 1995. Mr. Dornbush has served as Secretary and a
director of Benihana of Tokyo, the parent company of Benihana,
Inc., since 1980. BFC Financial Corporation, the Companys
controlling shareholder acquired a minority interest in
Benihana, Inc. in July 2004. Mr. Dornbush is also a
director and Secretary of Cantel Medical Corp., a healthcare
company.
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ALAN B. LEVAN |
Director since 1987 |
Mr. Levan, age 60, is a director, Chairman of the
Board and Chief Executive Officer. He was first elected as a
director of the Company in 1987. He also serves as Chairman of
the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer of BankAtlantic
Bancorp, the holding company for BankAtlantic, and President and
Chairman of the Board of BankAtlantic. He is also a director and
Chairman of the Board of Bluegreen. He formed the I.R.E. Group
(predecessor to BFC Financial Corporation) in 1972. Since 1978,
he has been the Chairman of the Board, President, and Chief
Executive Officer of BFC Financial Corporation (or its
predecessors), the Companys controlling shareholder.
TERMS ENDING IN 2007:
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WILLIAM SCHERER |
Director since 2001 |
Mr. Scherer, age 57, has been an attorney in the law
firm of Conrad & Scherer, P.A. since 1974.
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S. LAWRENCE KAHN, III |
Director since 2003 |
Mr. Kahn, age 58, has been the President and Chief
Executive Officer since 1986 of Lowell Homes, Inc., a Florida
corporation engaged in the business of home building.
|
|
JOEL LEVY |
Director since 2003 |
Mr. Levy, age 65, has been the Chief Operating Officer
and Vice Chairman of the Board of The Adler Group, Inc., a
commercial real estate company, since 1984.
Identification of Executive Officers and Significant
Employees
The following individuals are executive officers of the Company:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Name |
|
Age | |
|
Position |
|
|
| |
|
|
Alan B. Levan
|
|
|
60 |
|
|
Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer |
John E. Abdo
|
|
|
61 |
|
|
Vice Chairman and President of the Company |
Glen R. Gilbert
|
|
|
60 |
|
|
Senior Executive Vice President |
George P. Scanlon
|
|
|
47 |
|
|
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer |
Seth M. Wise
|
|
|
35 |
|
|
Executive Vice President |
9
All officers serve until they resign or are replaced or removed
by the Board of Directors.
The following additional information is provided for the
executive officers shown above who are not directors of the
Company:
Glen R. Gilbert has been the Companys Secretary
since 1997. He served as Executive Vice President and Chief
Financial Officer from 1997 through August 2004. He was
appointed Senior Executive Vice President in August 2004. He has
been Executive Vice President of BFC Financial Corporation since
July 1997. Prior to that date he served in the position of
Senior Vice President of BFC Financial Corporation. In May 1987,
he was appointed Chief Financial Officer and in October 1988 he
was appointed Secretary of BFC Financial Corporation. He joined
BFC Financial Corporation in November 1980 as Vice President and
Chief Accountant. He has been a certified public accountant
since 1970.
George P. Scanlon joined the Company in August 2004 and
was named Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer.
Mr. Scanlon was the chief financial officer of Datacore
Sofware Corporation from December 2001 to August 2004. Datacore
is a privately-owned independent software vendor specializing in
storage control, storage management and storage consolidation.
Prior to joining Datacore, Mr. Scanlon was the chief
financial officer at Seisint, Inc. from November 2000 to
September 2001. Seisint was a privately-owned technology company
specializing in providing data search and processing products.
Prior to joining Seisint, Mr. Scanlon was employed at Ryder
System, Inc. from August 1982 to June 2000, serving in a variety
of financial positions, including as Senior Vice
President Planning and Controller. Ryder is a
publicly-traded Fortune 500 provider of transportation,
logistics and supply chain management services.
Seth M. Wise was named Executive Vice President of the
Company in September 2003. He became President of Levitt
Commercial in 2001. Previously, Mr. Wise was a Vice
President of Abdo Companies, Inc., a South-Florida-based private
real estate development company controlled by John E. Abdo, the
Companys Vice Chairman and President.
The following individuals are significant employees of our
wholly owned subsidiaries, Levitt and Sons, LLC, Core
Communities, LLC and Bowden Building Corporation:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Name |
|
Age | |
|
Position |
|
|
| |
|
|
Paul J. (Pete) Hegener
|
|
|
64 |
|
|
President, Core Communities, LLC |
Elliott Wiener
|
|
|
70 |
|
|
President, Levitt and Sons, LLC |
John Laguardia
|
|
|
67 |
|
|
Chairman, Bowden Building Corporation |
Jeffrey Sweeney
|
|
|
39 |
|
|
President, Bowden Building Corporation |
All significant employees serve until they resign or are
replaced or removed by the Managing Member of the relevant
entity.
Paul J. (Pete) Hegener joined Core
Communities in 1992 as its President.
Elliott Wiener joined Levitt and Sons in 1975 and became
its President in 1982.
John Laguardia joined Bowden Building Corporation in 2004
as its Chairman. Previously, he was the President and Chief
Executive Officer of ALH, II, the prior owner of Bowden
Building Corporation.
Jeffrey Sweeney joined Bowden Building Corporation in
1996 and became its President in 2000.
Certain Relationships and Related Transactions
Alan B. Levan, the Companys Chairman of the Board and
Chief Executive Officer, also serves as Chairman of the Board
and Chief Executive Officer of BankAtlantic Bancorp, of
BankAtlantic and of BFC Financial Corporation, the parent
company of both BankAtlantic Bancorp and the Company.
Mr. Levan is also Chairman of the Board of Bluegreen.
10
John E. Abdo, the Companys Vice Chairman of the Board and
President of the Company, also serves as Vice Chairman of the
Boards of BankAtlantic Bancorp, BankAtlantic, BFC Financial
Corporation, and Bluegreen.
Messrs Levan and Abdo may be deemed to control BFC Financial
Corporation through their direct and indirect interests in and
voting control of BFC Financial Corporation.
Glen R. Gilbert, Senior Executive Vice President and Secretary
of the Company, also serves as Executive Vice President, Chief
Financial Officer and Secretary of BFC Financial Corporation.
Since 2002, the Company has utilized certain services of
Conrad & Scherer, a law firm in which William R.
Scherer, a member of the Companys Board of Directors, is a
member. The Company paid fees of $110,000 to Conrad &
Scherer during the year ended December 31, 2004.
The Company paid fees to each of BankAtlantic Bancorp and
BankAtlantic in connection with its receipt of certain general
and administrative services from those companies. The Company
and BankAtlantic Bancorp are parties to a shared services
agreement and an employee matters agreement. They entered into
these agreements in connection with BankAtlantic Bancorps
spin-off of the Company to BankAtlantic Bancorps
shareholders in December 2003. The shared services agreement
requires that BankAtlantic Bancorp supply the Company with
various back-office services. The employee matters agreement
provides for the allocation of responsibility and liability
between the Company and BankAtlantic Bancorp with respect to the
welfare and benefit plans for the Companys employees.
Pursuant to these various agreements and arrangements,
BankAtlantic Bancorp provides the Company support in the
following areas: human resources, risk management, project
planning, systems support and investor and public relations. The
Company compensates BankAtlantic Bancorp for its cost incurred
in providing these services to the Company plus five percent.
BFC Financial Corporation received management fees in connection
with providing accounting, general and administrative services
to the Company. Additionally, the Company rents office space on
a month-to-month basis from, and pays rent to, BFC Financial
Corporation who, in turn rents the space from BankAtlantic.
The table below sets forth fees paid to related parties (in
thousands).
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year Ended December 31, | |
|
|
| |
|
|
2004 | |
|
2003 | |
|
2002 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
BFC Financial Corporation
|
|
$ |
311 |
|
|
|
213 |
|
|
|
170 |
|
BankAtlantic Bancorp
|
|
|
488 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
BankAtlantic
|
|
|
11 |
|
|
|
20 |
|
|
|
20 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total fees
|
|
$ |
810 |
|
|
|
233 |
|
|
|
190 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The amounts paid in connection with the services described above
may not be representative of the amounts that would be paid in
an arms-length transaction.
During 2004, the Company performed property development
consulting services for BankAtlantic Bancorp for which it
received a credit of $48,000 from BankAtlantic Bancorp against
payments due to BankAtlantic Bancorp under the shared services
agreement. Payment for these services was calculated on a
percentage of cost basis. Also, Bluegreen, in which the Company
owns an approximately 31% equity interest, performed risk
management services for the Company for which the Company paid
approximately $86,000.
In 2003, in connection with the Companys spin-off from
BankAtlantic Bancorp, BankAtlantic Bancorp converted a
$30.0 million demand note owed by the Company to
BankAtlantic Bancorp into a five year term note with interest
only payable monthly, initially at the prime rate and thereafter
at the prime rate plus increments of an additional .25% every
six months. Prior to the spin-off, the Company declared a
$8.0 million dividend to BankAtlantic Bancorp payable in
the form of a five year note with the same payment terms as the
$30.0 million note. The outstanding balance of these two
notes at December 31, 2004 was $38.0 million, and the
Company incurred $1.7 million in interest on these two
notes in 2004. Also prior to the spin-off,
11
BankAtlantic Bancorp transferred its interest in Bluegreen to
the Company in exchange for a $5.5 million note and
additional shares of the Companys common stock (which
additional shares were distributed as part of the spin-off
transaction). This note, which had a term of one year and an
interest rate equal to the prime rate, was repaid in May 2004.
On March 16, 2005, the Company repaid in the full the
$8.0 million note and repaid $14.0 million of the
$30.0 million note.
The Company had construction loans outstanding as of
December 31, 2004 in the amount of $8.6 million
payable to BankAtlantic, BankAtlantic Bancorps subsidiary,
for which the Company incurred $644,000 in interest in 2004.
These loans are secured by land and improvements.
The Company maintains deposit accounts at BankAtlantic. The
balance in those accounts at December 31, 2004 was
$37.5 million, and the Company earned $230,000 in interest
on those deposits in 2004. Additionally, at December 31,
2004, BankAtlantic held on deposit $374,000 in restricted cash
for the Company. Members of the Companys Board of
Directors and executive officers also have banking relationships
with BankAtlantic in the ordinary course of BankAtlantics
business.
Summary Compensation Table
The following table sets forth certain summary information
concerning compensation paid or accrued by the Company to or on
behalf of the Companys Chief Executive Officer
(CEO) and each of the four other highest paid
executive officers (determined as of December 31, 2004) for
the years ended December 31, 2004, 2003 and 2002. Officers
who serve as officers or directors of Company affiliates receive
compensation from those affiliates.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Long-Term Compensation | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Annual Compensation | |
|
Awards | |
|
Payouts | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Annual | |
|
Restricted | |
|
Securities | |
|
|
|
All Other | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Compen- | |
|
Stock | |
|
Underlying | |
|
LTIP | |
|
Compen- | |
Name and Principal Position |
|
Year | |
|
Salary | |
|
Bonus | |
|
sation | |
|
Award(s) | |
|
Options/SARs | |
|
Payouts | |
|
sation(a) | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
Alan B. Levan
|
|
|
2004 |
|
|
$ |
111,152 |
|
|
$ |
189,896 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
60,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Chairman of the Board |
|
|
2003 |
|
|
|
103,231 |
|
|
|
62,400 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Chief Executive Officer |
|
|
2002 |
|
|
|
80,769 |
|
|
|
62,500 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
John E. Abdo
|
|
|
2004 |
|
|
|
478,875 |
|
|
|
731,250 |
(b) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
90,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
291,244 |
(c) |
|
Vice Chairman of the Board |
|
|
2003 |
|
|
|
365,000 |
|
|
|
390,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
291,244 |
(c) |
|
President |
|
|
2002 |
|
|
|
258,077 |
|
|
|
425,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
291,000 |
(c) |
|
Glen R. Gilbert
|
|
|
2004 |
|
|
|
166,172 |
|
|
|
247,020 |
(d) |
|
$ |
8,200 |
(e) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
45,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Senior Executive |
|
|
2003 |
|
|
|
149,500 |
|
|
|
93,288 |
|
|
|
8,000 |
(e) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Vice President |
|
|
2002 |
|
|
|
123,464 |
|
|
|
97,192 |
|
|
|
3,748 |
(e) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
George P. Scanlon
|
|
|
2004 |
|
|
|
76,923 |
(f) |
|
|
225,000 |
(g) |
|
|
6,652 |
(e) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
25,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Executive Vice President |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Chief Financial Officer |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Seth M. Wise
|
|
|
2004 |
|
|
|
227,859 |
|
|
|
82,500 |
(h) |
|
|
9,646 |
(i) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
30,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Executive Vice President |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
8,200 |
(e) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
President Levitt Commercial |
|
|
2003 |
|
|
|
193,269 |
|
|
|
40,000 |
|
|
|
10,800 |
(i) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
6,807 |
(e) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2002 |
|
|
|
168,270 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
10,800 |
(i) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
5,331 |
(e) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(a) |
|
The Company provides the named executive officers with certain
group life, health, medical and other non-cash benefits
generally available to all salaried employees and not included
in this column pursuant to SEC rules. |
|
(b) |
|
Amounts paid under the 2004 Annual Performance-Based Incentive
Plan. In March 2004, the Compensation Committee approved a
performance bonus award of up to 150% of Mr. Abdos
salary provided the Company met certain net income targets. The
Company exceeded the established target, and Mr. Abdo
received the maximum bonus award. |
|
(c) |
|
The Abdo Companies, a company in which John E. Abdo is the
principal shareholder and Chief Executive Officer, receives from
the Company management fees in the amounts indicated. |
12
|
|
|
(d) |
|
Reflects $75,000 approved by the Compensation Committee as a
mid-year bonus and $172,020 paid under the Companys Annual
Incentive Program. |
|
(e) |
|
The Company provides matching funds under the Levitt Corporation
Security Plus Plan, the Companys 401(k) plan. Prior to the
Companys spin-off in 2003 and 2002, matching funds were
made under the BankAtlantic Security Plus Plan. |
|
(f) |
|
Mr. Scanlons 2004 annual base salary was $200,000.
Mr. Scanlon joined the Company on August 16, 2004. |
|
(g) |
|
Reflects $100,000 signing bonus paid in August 2004 when
Mr. Scanlon was retained as the Companys Chief
Financial Officer and $125,000 paid under the Companys
Annual Incentive Program. |
|
(h) |
|
Reflects $37,500 approved by the Compensation Committee as a
mid-year bonus and $45,000 paid under the Companys Annual
Incentive Program. |
|
(i) |
|
Reflects amounts paid as auto and phone allowance. |
Annual Incentive Program
Each of the executive officers named in the Summary Compensation
Table, above, was eligible for a bonus which is determined based
upon the achievement of certain specified individual and
corporate goals. These goals are established each year for each
such officer, and the Compensation Committee reviews the
performance of each officer against such goals each year. The
amounts set forth under Bonus in the Summary
Compensation Table, above, include the amount earned by each
officer named in the table under this bonus program with respect
to 2004.
Option Grants in 2004
The following table sets forth information concerning individual
grants of stock options to the named executives in the Summary
Compensation Table pursuant to the Companys Option Plan
during the year ended December 31, 2004. The Company has
not granted and does not currently grant stock appreciation
rights.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Individual Grants | |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
Potential Realizable Value at | |
|
|
Number of | |
|
% of Total | |
|
|
|
Assumed Annual Rates of | |
|
|
Securities | |
|
Options | |
|
Exercise | |
|
|
|
Stock Price Appreciation for | |
|
|
Underlying | |
|
Granted to | |
|
Price | |
|
|
|
Option Term(2) | |
|
|
Options | |
|
Employees in | |
|
Per | |
|
Expiration | |
|
| |
Name |
|
Granted(1) | |
|
Fiscal Year | |
|
Share | |
|
Date | |
|
5%($) | |
|
10%($) | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
Alan B. Levan
|
|
|
60,000 |
|
|
|
8.27 |
% |
|
$ |
20.15 |
|
|
|
01/02/2014 |
|
|
$ |
760,334 |
|
|
$ |
1,926,835 |
|
John E. Abdo
|
|
|
90,000 |
|
|
|
12.41 |
% |
|
$ |
20.15 |
|
|
|
01/02/2014 |
|
|
$ |
1,140,500 |
|
|
$ |
2,890,252 |
|
Glen R. Gilbert
|
|
|
45,000 |
|
|
|
6.20 |
% |
|
$ |
20.15 |
|
|
|
01/02/2014 |
|
|
$ |
570,250 |
|
|
$ |
1,445,126 |
|
Seth M. Wise
|
|
|
30,000 |
|
|
|
4.14 |
% |
|
$ |
20.15 |
|
|
|
01/02/2014 |
|
|
$ |
380,167 |
|
|
$ |
963,417 |
|
George P. Scanlon
|
|
|
25,000 |
|
|
|
3.45 |
% |
|
$ |
23.40 |
|
|
|
08/23/2014 |
|
|
$ |
367,903 |
|
|
$ |
932,339 |
|
|
|
|
(1) |
|
All option grants are in Class A Stock. All options vest in
2009. |
|
(2) |
|
Amounts for the named executive have been calculated by
multiplying the exercise price by the annual appreciation rate
shown (compounded for the remaining term of the options),
subtracting the exercise price per share and multiplying the
gain per share by the number of shares covered by the options.
The dollar amounts set forth in these columns are the result of
calculations based upon assumed rates of annual compounded stock
price appreciation specified by regulation and are not intended
to forecast actual future appreciation rates of the
Companys stock price. |
13
Aggregated Option Exercises in 2004 and Year-End Option
Values
The following table sets forth as to each of the named executive
officers information with respect to option exercises during
2004 and the status of their options on December 31, 2004:
(i) the number of shares of Class A Stock underlying
options exercised during 2004, (ii) the aggregate dollar
value realized upon the exercise of such options, (iii) the
total number of exercisable and non-exercisable stock options
held at December 31, 2004 and (iv) the aggregate
dollar value of in-the-money exercisable options on
December 31, 2004.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Number of Securities | |
|
|
|
|
Number of | |
|
Value | |
|
Underlying Unexercised | |
|
Value of Unexercised In-the- | |
|
|
Class A Shares | |
|
Realized | |
|
Options 12/31/04 | |
|
Money Options 12/31/04(1) | |
|
|
Acquired Upon | |
|
Upon | |
|
| |
|
| |
Name |
|
Exercise of Option | |
|
Exercise | |
|
Exercisable | |
|
Unexercisable | |
|
Exercisable | |
|
Unexercisable | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
Alan B. Levan
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
60,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
625,200 |
|
John E. Abdo
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
90,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
937,800 |
|
Glen R. Gilbert
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
45,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
468,900 |
|
Seth M. Wise
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
30,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
312,600 |
|
George P. Scanlon
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
25,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
179,250 |
|
|
|
|
(1) |
|
Based upon the closing price of $30.57 of the Class A Stock
at December 31, 2004 as reported on the New York Stock
Exchange. |
14
COMPENSATION COMMITTEE REPORT ON
EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
The following Report of the Compensation Committee and the
performance graph included elsewhere in this proxy statement do
not constitute soliciting material and should not be deemed
filed or incorporated by reference into any other Company filing
under the Securities Act of 1933 or the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934, except to the extent the Company specifically
incorporates this Report or the performance graphs by reference
therein.
Executive Officer Compensation
The Companys compensation program for executive officers
consists of three key elements: a base salary, an incentive
bonus and periodic grants of stock options. The Compensation
Committee believes that this approach best serves the interests
of shareholders by ensuring that executive officers are
compensated in a manner that advances both the short and long
term interests of the Company and its shareholders. Thus,
compensation for the Companys executive officers involves
a portion of pay which depends on incentive payments which are
generally earned based on an assessment of performance in
relation to corporate goals, and stock options, which directly
relate a significant portion of an executive officers long
term remuneration to stock price appreciation realized by the
Companys shareholders. In reaching its conclusions on
compensation for the Companys Chief Executive Officer and
its Chief Financial Officer, the Compensation Committee relied
on, among other factors, the results of a March 2004 Executive
Compensation Review and a May 2004 CFO Compensation Review
prepared by an independent consulting firm on the Companys
behalf.
Base Salary
The Company believes it offers competitive salaries based on a
review of market practices and the duties and responsibilities
of each officer. In setting base salaries, the Compensation
Committee periodically examines market compensation levels and
trends observed in the labor market. Market information is used
as an initial frame of reference for annual salary adjustments
and starting salary offers, but alone is not determinative of
salaries. Salary decisions are determined based on an annual
review by the Compensation Committee with input and
recommendations from the CEO and are based on, among other
things, competitive market salaries, the functional and decision
making responsibilities of each position, and the contribution,
experience and work performance of each executive officer.
Annual Incentive Programs
The Companys management incentive programs, which are
designed to motivate executives by recognizing and rewarding
performance, consist of an annual incentive program and the
shareholder approved 2004 Annual Performance-Based Incentive
Plan. The annual incentive program is a bonus plan used to
compensate executives which is based on the Companys
profitability and the achievement of individual performance
goals. Generally, a minimum corporate profitability threshold
must be achieved before any bonus will be paid. All bonuses
awarded in 2004 were discretionary and based upon such officers
contributions to the Companys long-term success and growth.
Each participants bonus is intended to take into account
corporate and individual components, which are weighted
according to the executives responsibilities. In 2004,
mid-year bonuses totaling $112,500 were awarded to
Messrs. Gilbert and Wise. Annual performance bonuses of
$531,916 were paid in March 2005 to the named executive officers
(other than Mr. Abdo who is discussed below) based on their
individual performances during 2004 as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
Alan B. Levan
|
|
$ |
189,896 |
|
Glen R. Gilbert
|
|
|
172,020 |
|
George P. Scanlon
|
|
|
125,000 |
|
Seth M. Wise
|
|
|
45,000 |
|
15
2004 Annual Performance-Based Incentive Plan
At the 2004 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, the Companys
shareholders approved the Companys 2004 Annual
Performance-Based Incentive Plan (Performance Plan).
The purpose of the Performance Plan is to advance the interests
of the Company and its shareholders by providing certain of its
key executives with annual incentive compensation which is tied
to the achievement of pre-established and objective performance
goals. The Performance Plan is intended to provide participants
with annual incentive compensation which is not subject to the
deduction limitation rules prescribed under Section 162(m)
of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the
Internal Revenue Code). During 2004 Mr. Abdo,
the Companys Vice Chairman and President, was eligible for
a maximum of 150% of his base salary payable as a bonus under
the Performance Plan provided that the Company achieved targeted
amounts of net income. On February 28, 2005, the
Compensation Committee certified that the objective criteria had
been met, and the committee approved a cash payment of $731,250
to Mr. Abdo under the Performance Plan.
Stock Options
Executive officers of the Company were granted stock options to
purchase Class A Stock during 2004. All of the stock
options were granted with an exercise price equal to at least
100% of the market value of the Class A Stock on the date
of grant and vest on the fifth anniversary of the date of grant.
The higher the trading price of the Class A Stock, the
higher the value of the stock options. The granting of options
is totally discretionary and options are awarded based on an
assessment of an executive officers contribution to the
success and growth of the Company. Grants of stock options to
executive officers, including the named executive officers
(other than the CEO), are generally made upon the recommendation
of the CEO based on the level of an executives position
with the Company, an evaluation of the executives past and
expected performance, the number of outstanding and previously
granted options and discussions with the executive. The Board of
Directors believes that providing executives with opportunities
to acquire an interest in the growth and prosperity of the
Company through the grant of stock options enables the Company
to attract and retain qualified and experienced executive
officers and offer additional long term incentives. The Board of
Directors believes that utilization of stock options more
closely aligns the executives interests with those of the
Companys shareholders, since the ultimate value of such
compensation is directly dependent on the stock price.
Compensation of the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
As previously indicated, the Compensation Committee believes
that the Companys total compensation program is
appropriately based upon business performance, market
compensation levels and personal performance. The Compensation
Committee reviews and fixes the base salary of the CEO based on
those factors described above for other executive officers as
well as the Compensation Committees assessment of
Mr. Levans past performance as CEO and its
expectation as to his future contributions. In 2005, the
Compensation Committee took note of the fact that
Mr. Levans base salary during 2004 was $108,160 and,
in partial reliance on the consultant study referenced above,
increased Mr. Levans base salary to $500,000,
reflecting his contributions to the Companys results in
2004 and anticipated contributions in 2005.
The Compensation Committee also took note of
Mr. Levans leadership during 2004. Specifically, it
acknowledged the successful transition of the Company from a
wholly-owned subsidiary of BankAtlantic Bancorp to a separate
public company and his efforts to increase the visibility of,
and institutional interest in, the Company, the success of the
Companys underwritten sale of stock in April 2004 and the
Companys record earnings in 2004. The Committee believes
that the Companys 2004 results (net earnings of
$57.4 million, an increase of $30.6 million, or 114%
over the prior year) were due, in part, to his efforts and
awarded him an aggregate bonus of $189,896. Future salary
increases and bonuses will continue to reflect the amounts paid
to chief executive officers at other public companies, as well
as the Companys financial condition, operating results and
attainment of strategic objectives.
16
Internal Revenue Code Limits on Deductibility of
Compensation
Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code generally
disallows a tax deduction to public corporations for
compensation over $1,000,000 paid for any fiscal year to the
corporations chief executive officer and four other most
highly compensated executive officers as of the end of any
fiscal year. However, the statute exempts qualifying
performance-based compensation from the deduction limit if
certain requirements are met.
The Compensation Committee believes that it is generally in the
Companys best interest to attempt to structure
performance-based compensation, including stock option grants or
performance-based restricted stock or restricted stock unit
awards and annual bonuses, to executive officers who may be
subject to Section 162(m) in a manner that satisfies the
statutes requirements. However, the Committee also
recognizes the need to retain flexibility to make compensation
decisions that may not meet Section 162(m) standards when
necessary to enable the Company to meet its overall objectives,
even if the Company may not deduct all of the compensation.
Accordingly, the Compensation Committee may in the future
approve compensation arrangements for certain officers that are
not fully deductible. Further, because of ambiguities and
uncertainties as to the application and interpretation of
Section 162(m) and the regulations issued thereunder, no
assurance can be given, notwithstanding the Companys
efforts, that compensation intended by the Company to satisfy
the requirements for deductibility under Section 162(m)
will in fact do so.
Submitted by the Members of the Compensation Committee:
|
|
|
S. Lawrence Kahn, III, Chairman
Alan Levy
William Nicholson |
17
Shareholder Return Performance Graph
Set forth below is a graph comparing the cumulative total
returns (assuming reinvestment of dividends) for the
Class A Stock, the Russell 2000 Index and the Dow Jones
U.S. Total Home Construction Index and assumes $100 was
invested on January 2, 2004, the first day on which the
Companys Class A Stock was available for two-way
trading on the New York Stock Exchange.
Comparison of One Year Cumulative Total Return
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Symbol |
|
|
01/02/2004 |
|
|
12/31/2004 |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
Levitt Corporation Class A Stock
|
|
|
|
LEV |
|
|
|
$ |
100.00 |
|
|
|
$ |
152.00 |
|
|
Dow Jones U.S. Total Home Construction Index
|
|
|
|
DJUHSB |
|
|
|
|
100.00 |
|
|
|
|
140.43 |
|
|
Russell 2000 Index
|
|
|
|
RTY |
|
|
|
|
100.00 |
|
|
|
|
117.60 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
18
AUDIT COMMITTEE REPORT
The following Report of the Audit Committee does not
constitute soliciting material and should not be deemed filed or
incorporated by reference into any other Company filing under
the Securities Act of 1933 or the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, except to the extent the Company specifically incorporates
this Report by reference therein.
The Audit Committee held 12 meetings during 2004. The Audit
Committees meetings were designed, among other things, to
facilitate and encourage communication among the Audit
Committee, management, the internal auditors and the
Companys independent registered certified public
accounting firm for 2004, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
(PWC), and to monitor compliance matters. The
Committee discussed with PWC and the Companys internal
auditing firm the overall scope and plans for their respective
audits and met with the internal auditors and PWC, with and
without management present, to discuss the results of their
examinations and their evaluations of the Companys
internal controls. On April 5, 2005 the Committee approved
the continued engagement of PWC as the Companys
independent registered certified public accounting firm.
The Audit Committee reviewed and discussed the audited
consolidated financial statements for the year ended
December 31, 2004 with management, internal auditors and
PWC.
Management has primary responsibility for the Companys
financial statements and the overall reporting process,
including the Companys system of internal controls. PWC
audits the annual financial statements prepared by management,
expresses an opinion as to whether those financial statements
present fairly, in all material respects, the financial
position, results of operations and cash flows of the Company in
conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the
United States of America and discusses with the Audit Committee
their independence and any other matters that they are required
to discuss with the Audit Committee or that they believe should
be raised with it. The Audit Committee oversees these processes,
although it must rely on information provided to it and on the
representations made by management and PWC.
The Audit Committee also discussed with PWC matters required to
be discussed with audit committees under generally accepted
auditing standards, including, among other things, matters
related to the conduct of the audit of the Companys
consolidated financial statements and the matters required to be
discussed by Statement on Auditing Standards No. 61,
Communication with Audit Committees.
The Audit Committee also received from PWC the written
disclosures and the letter required by Independence Standards
Board Standard No. 1, Independence Discussions with
Audit Committees, and the Audit Committee discussed with PWC
its independence from the Company. When considering PWCs
independence, the Audit Committee considered whether PWCs
provision of services to the Company beyond those rendered in
connection with their audit and review of the Companys
consolidated financial statements was compatible with
maintaining PWCs independence. The Audit Committee also
reviewed, among other things, the amount of fees paid to PWC for
audit and non-audit services.
Based on these reviews and meetings, discussions and reports,
the Audit Committee recommended to the Board of Directors that
the Companys audited consolidated financial statements for
the year ended December 31, 2004 be included in the
Companys Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year
ended December 31, 2004.
Submitted by the Members of the Audit Committee:
|
|
|
Joel Levy, Chairman |
|
S. Lawrence Kahn, III |
|
William R. Nicholson |
19
Fees to Independent Registered Certified Public Accounting
Firm for Fiscal 2004 and 2003
The following table presents fees for professional services
rendered by PWC for the audit of the Companys annual
consolidated financial statements for fiscal 2004 and 2003 and
fees billed for audit-related services, tax services and all
other services rendered by PWC for 2004 and 2003.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fiscal 2004 | |
|
Fiscal 2003 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
(In thousands) | |
(1) Audit fees(a)
|
|
$ |
973 |
|
|
$ |
180 |
|
(2) Audit-related fees(b)
|
|
|
75 |
|
|
|
42 |
|
(3) Tax fees(c)
|
|
|
8 |
|
|
|
43 |
|
(4) All other fees
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(a) |
|
In 2004, includes amounts billed and estimates for unbilled
amounts related to annual financial statement audits and
Sarbanes-Oxley Section 404 internal controls attestation. |
|
(b) |
|
Represents estimated audit fees for stand-alone reports of
subsidiaries. |
|
(c) |
|
Work related to tax compliance services, tax advice, tax
planning and tax examination assistance. |
All audit related services, tax services and other services were
pre-approved by the Audit Committee, which concluded that the
provision of such services by PWC was compatible with the
maintenance of that firms independence in the conduct of
its auditing functions. Under its charter, the Audit Committee
must review and pre-approve both audit and permitted non-audit
services provided by the independent registered certified public
accounting firm and shall not engage the independent registered
certified public accounting firm to perform any non-audit
services prohibited by law or regulation. Each year, the
independent registered certified public accounting firms
retention to audit the Companys financial statements,
including the associated fee, is approved by the Audit
Committee. Under its current practices, the Audit Committee does
not regularly evaluate potential engagements of the independent
registered certified public accounting firm and approve or
reject such potential engagements. At each Audit Committee
meeting, the Audit Committee receives updates on the services
actually provided by the independent registered certified public
accounting firm, and management may present additional services
for pre-approval. The Audit Committee may delegate to the
Chairman of the Audit Committee the authority to evaluate and
approve engagements on behalf of the Audit Committee in the
event that a need arises for pre-approval between regular Audit
Committee meetings. If the Chairman so approves any such
engagements, he will report that approval to the full Audit
Committee at the next Audit Committee meeting. The Audit
Committee adopted an Audit and Non-Audit Services Pre-Approval
Policy in 2004.
The Audit Committee has determined that the provision of the
services other than audit services, as described above, are
compatible with maintaining the principal independent registered
certified public accounting firms independence.
20
SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND
MANAGEMENT
Principal Shareholders of the Company
The following table sets forth, as of March 28, 2005,
certain information as to Class A Stock and Class B
Stock beneficially owned by persons owning in excess of 5% of
the outstanding shares of such stock. Management knows of no
person, except as listed below, who beneficially owned more than
5% of the Companys outstanding Class A Stock or
Class B Stock as of March 28, 2005. Except as
otherwise indicated, the information provided in the following
table was obtained from filings with the SEC and with the
Company pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
Addresses provided are those listed in the filings as the
address of the person authorized to receive notices and
communications. For purposes of the table below and the table
set forth under Security Ownership of Management, in
accordance with Rule 13d-3 under the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, a person is deemed to be the beneficial owner of
any shares of common stock (1) over which he or she has or
shares, directly or indirectly, voting or investment power, or
(2) of which he or she has the right to acquire beneficial
ownership at any time within 60 days after March 28,
2005. As used herein, voting power is the power to
vote, or direct the voting of, shares and investment
power includes the power to dispose, or direct the
disposition of, such shares. Unless otherwise noted, each
beneficial owner has sole voting and sole investment power over
the shares beneficially owned.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Amount and Nature of | |
|
|
Title of Class |
|
Name and Address of Beneficial Owner | |
|
Beneficial Ownership | |
|
Percent of Class | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
Class A Stock
|
|
|
BFC Financial Corporation |
|
|
|
2,074,244 |
(1) |
|
|
11.15 |
% |
|
|
|
1750 E. Sunrise Blvd. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33304 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Class A Stock
|
|
|
Putnam Investment Management, |
|
|
|
961,248 |
(2) |
|
|
5.17 |
% |
|
|
|
LLC and Putnam Advisory |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Company, LLC |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
One Post Office Square |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Boston, Massachusetts 02109 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Class B Stock
|
|
|
BFC Financial Corporation |
|
|
|
1,219,031 |
(1) |
|
|
100 |
% |
|
|
|
1750 E. Sunrise Blvd. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ft. Lauderdale, Florida 33304 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
BFC Financial Corporation has sole voting and dispositive power
over all shares listed. BFC Financial Corporation may be deemed
to be controlled by Alan B. Levan and John E. Abdo, who
collectively may be deemed to have an aggregate beneficial
ownership of 65.2% of the outstanding common stock of BFC
Financial Corporation. Mr. Alan B. Levan serves as Chairman
and Chief Executive Officer of the Company and Chairman,
President and Chief Executive Officer of BFC Financial
Corporation, and Mr. John E. Abdo serves as Vice Chairman
and President of the Company and Vice Chairman of BFC Financial
Corporation. |
|
(2) |
Putnam Investment Management, LLC (PIM) and Putnam
Advisory Company, LLC (PAC) are each investment
advisors to the Putnam family of funds. PIM and PAC disclosed
they have shared voting and dispositive power over all shares
listed. |
Security Ownership of Management
Listed in the table below are the outstanding securities
beneficially owned as of December 31, 2004 by (i) all
directors, (ii) named executive officers identified in the
Summary Compensation Table included
21
elsewhere herein and (iii) directors and executive officers
as a group. The address of all parties listed below is 1750 East
Sunrise Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33304.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Class A | |
|
Class B | |
|
Percent of | |
|
Percent of | |
|
|
Common Stock | |
|
Common Stock | |
|
Class A | |
|
Class B | |
|
|
Ownership | |
|
Ownership | |
|
Common Stock | |
|
Common Stock | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
BFC Financial Corporation(a)
|
|
|
2,074,244 |
|
|
|
1,219,031 |
|
|
|
11.15 |
% |
|
|
100 |
% |
Alan B. Levan(a)(b)(c)
|
|
|
16,135 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
* |
|
|
|
0.0 |
% |
John E. Abdo(a)(c)(d)
|
|
|
13,096 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
* |
|
|
|
0.0 |
% |
Glen R. Gilbert(c)
|
|
|
109 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
* |
|
|
|
0.0 |
% |
Seth M. Wise(c)
|
|
|
198 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
* |
|
|
|
0.0 |
% |
James Blosser(e)
|
|
|
7,500 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
* |
|
|
|
0.0 |
% |
Darwin Dornbush(e)
|
|
|
7,625 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
* |
|
|
|
0.0 |
% |
S. Lawrence Kahn, III(e)
|
|
|
8,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
* |
|
|
|
0.0 |
% |
Joel Levy(e)
|
|
|
7,500 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
* |
|
|
|
0.0 |
% |
William Nicholson(e)
|
|
|
11,600 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
* |
|
|
|
0.0 |
% |
William Scherer(e)
|
|
|
8,145 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
* |
|
|
|
0.0 |
% |
All directors and executive officers of the Company as a group
(10 persons, including the individuals identified above)(f)
|
|
|
2,154,152 |
|
|
|
1,219,031 |
|
|
|
11.58 |
% |
|
|
100 |
% |
|
|
|
* |
|
Less than one percent of class. |
|
(a) |
|
BFC Financial Corporation may be deemed to be controlled by Alan
B. Levan and John E. Abdo, who collectively may be deemed to
have an aggregate beneficial ownership of 65.2% of the
outstanding common stock of BFC Financial Corporation. Alan B.
Levan serves as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the
Company and Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of
BFC Financial Corporation. John E. Abdo serves as Vice Chairman
and President of the Company and Vice Chairman of BFC Financial
Corporation. |
|
(b) |
|
Includes beneficial ownership of 92 shares of the
Companys Class A Stock held indirectly. |
|
(c) |
|
Includes beneficial ownership of shares of the Companys
Class A Stock held in the BankAtlantic Security Plus Plan
(BankAtlantics 401(k) plan) as a result of the spin-off of
Levitt Corporation on December 31, 2003 as follows: Alan B.
Levan 2,288 shares; John E. Abdo
8,044 shares; Glen R. Gilbert 78 shares;
Seth M. Wise 74 shares. |
|
(d) |
|
Includes beneficial ownership of 5,052 shares of the
Companys Class A Stock held indirectly. |
|
(e) |
|
Includes beneficial ownership of the following shares of the
Companys Class A Stock which may be acquired within
60 days pursuant to stock options: Darwin C.
Dornbush 7,500 shares; Joel I. Levy
7,500 shares; James J. Blosser
7,500 shares; William R. Nicholson
7,500 shares; William R. Scherer
7,500 shares; S. Lawrence Kahn, III
7,500 shares. |
|
(f) |
|
Includes beneficial ownership of 45,000 shares of the
Companys Class A Stock, which may be acquired by
directors within 60 days pursuant to stock options held by
them. |
Other Matters
As of the date of this Proxy Statement, the Board of Directors
is not aware of any matters, other than those referred to in the
accompanying Notice of Meeting that may be brought before the
Annual Meeting.
22
INDEPENDENT REGISTERED CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PWC) served as the
Companys independent registered certified public
accounting firm for each of the years ended December 31,
2004, 2003 and 2002. A representative of PWC is expected to be
present at the Annual Meeting, will have the opportunity to make
a statement if he or she desires to do so, and will be available
to respond to appropriate questions from shareholders.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Householding of Proxy Material. The SEC has
adopted rules that permit companies and intermediaries such as
brokers to satisfy delivery requirements for Proxy Statements
with respect to two or more shareholders sharing the same
address by delivering a single Proxy Statement addressed to
those shareholders. This process, which is commonly referred to
as householding, potentially provides extra
convenience for shareholders and cost savings for companies. The
Company and some brokers household proxy materials, delivering a
single Proxy Statement to multiple shareholders sharing an
address unless contrary instructions have been received from the
affected shareholders. Once you have received notice from your
broker or our transfer agent, American Stock Transfer &
Trust Company (AST) that they or we will be
householding materials to your address, householding will
continue until you are notified otherwise or until you revoke
your consent. However, the Company will deliver promptly upon
written or oral request a separate copy of this Proxy Statement
to a shareholder at a shared address to which a single Proxy
Statement was delivered. If, at any time, you no longer wish to
participate in householding and would prefer to receive a
separate Proxy Statement, or if you are receiving multiple Proxy
Statements and would like to request delivery of a single Proxy
Statement, please notify your broker if your shares are held in
a brokerage account or AST if you hold registered shares. You
can notify AST by calling 800-937-5449 or by sending a written
request to American Stock Transfer & Trust Company,
59 Maiden Lane Plaza Level, New York, NY 10038,
attention Karen A. Trachtenberg, Vice President.
Advance Notice Procedures
Under our bylaws, no business may be brought before an annual
meeting unless it is specified in the notice of the Annual
Meeting or is otherwise brought before the Annual Meeting by or
at the direction of the Board of Directors or by a shareholder
entitled to vote who has delivered written notice to the
Companys Secretary (containing certain information
specified in the bylaws about the shareholder and the proposed
action) not less than 90 or more than 120 days prior to the
first anniversary of the preceding years Annual
Meeting that is, with respect to the Annual Meeting
of shareholders in 2006, between January 17, 2006 and
February 16, 2006. In addition, any shareholder who wishes
to submit a nomination to the Board of Directors must deliver
written notice of the nomination within this time period and
comply with the information requirements in the bylaws relating
to shareholder nominations. These requirements are separate from
and in addition to the SECs requirements that a
shareholder must meet in order to have a shareholder proposal
included in the Companys Proxy Statement.
Shareholder Proposals for the 2006 Annual Meeting.
Shareholders interested in submitting a proposal for inclusion
in the proxy materials for the annual meeting of shareholders in
2006 may do so by following the procedures prescribed in SEC
Rule l4a-8. To be eligible for inclusion, shareholder proposals
must be received by the Companys Secretary no later than
December 13, 2005 at the Companys main offices,
1750 East Sunrise Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
33304. If such proposal or proposals are in compliance with
applicable rules and regulations, they will be included in the
Companys Proxy Statement and form of proxy for that
meeting.
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Proxy Solicitation Costs. The enclosed Proxy Statement is
solicited on behalf of the Companys Board of Directors.
The Company will bear the expense of soliciting proxies and of
reimbursing brokers, banks and nominees for the out-of-pocket
and clerical expenses of transmitting copies of the proxy
materials to the beneficial owners of shares held of record by
such persons. The Company does not currently intend to solicit
proxies other than by use of the mail, but certain directors,
officers and regular employees of the Company, without
additional compensation, may solicit proxies personally or by
telephone, fax, special letter or otherwise.
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BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS |
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Alan B. Levan |
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Chairman |
April 19, 2005
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CONFIDENTIAL VOTING INSTRUCTION CARD
NAME:
ALLOCATED SHARES/UNITS:
I, the undersigned, understand that the Trustee is the holder of
record and custodian of all shares of Levitt Corporation (the
Company) Class A Common Stock allocated to my
account under the Companys 401(k) Plan. Further, I
understand that my voting directions are solicited on behalf of
the Trustee for the Annual Meeting of Shareholders on
May 17, 2005. As a named fiduciary with respect to the
Company Class A Common Stock allocated to me, I direct you
to vote all such Company Class A Common Stock as follows:
1. The election of three directors for terms of three years
each, as listed below:
John E. Abdo, Alan Levy, William Nicholson
FOR ALL NOMINEES (EXCEPT AS INDICATED
BELOW) o
VOTE WITHHELD AS TO ALL
NOMINEES o
INSTRUCTION: To withhold your vote for any individual
nominee, write that nominees name in the space provided:
2. In the discretion of the Trustee, as to any other matter
or proposal to be voted on by the Companys shareholders at
the Annual Meeting of Shareholders. THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
RECOMMENDS A VOTE FOR ALL THE NOMINEES IN THE LISTED
PROPOSAL.
Continued and to be signed on the reverse side
The Trustee is hereby directed to vote any shares allocated to
me. I understand that if I sign this form without indicating
specific instructions, shares attributable to me will be voted
FOR all nominees.
By signing below, I acknowledge receipt of a copy of the Proxy
Statement that was furnished to shareholders of the Company in
connection with the Annual Meeting of Shareholders and the
accompanying letter from the Committee appointed to administer
the 401(k) Plan.
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Dated: , 2005
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PRINT NAME OF 401(k) ACCOUNT HOLDER |
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SIGNATURE OF 401(k) ACCOUNT HOLDER |
PLEASE DATE, SIGN AND RETURN THIS FORM IN THE ENCLOSED ENVELOPE
TO BE RECEIVED NO LATER THAN MAY 9, 2005.
CONFIDENTIAL VOTING INSTRUCTION CARD
NAME:
ALLOCATED SHARES/UNITS:
I, the undersigned, understand that the Trustee is the holder of
record and custodian of all shares of Levitt Corporation (the
Company) Class A Common Stock allocated to my
account under the BankAtlantic Security Plus Plan, the 401(k)
Plan. Further, I understand that my voting directions are
solicited on behalf of the Trustee for the Companys Annual
Meeting of Shareholders on May 17, 2005. As a named
fiduciary with respect to the Company Class A Common Stock
allocated to me, I direct you to vote all such Company
Class A Common Stock as follows:
1. The election of three directors for terms of three years
each, as listed below:
John E. Abdo, Alan Levy, William Nicholson
FOR ALL NOMINEES (EXCEPT AS INDICATED
BELOW) o
VOTE WITHHELD AS TO ALL
NOMINEES o
INSTRUCTION: To withhold your vote for any individual
nominee, write that nominees name in the space provided:
2. In the discretion of the Trustee, as to any other matter
or proposal to be voted on by the Companys shareholders at
the Annual Meeting of Shareholders. THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
RECOMMENDS A VOTE FOR ALL THE NOMINEES IN THE LISTED
PROPOSAL.
Continued and to be signed on the reverse side
The Trustee is hereby directed to vote any shares allocated to
me. I understand that if I sign this form without indicating
specific instructions, shares attributable to me will be voted
FOR all nominees.
By signing below, I acknowledge receipt of a copy of the
Companys Proxy Statement that was furnished to
shareholders of the Company in connection with the Annual
Meeting of Shareholders and the accompanying letter from the
Committee appointed by BankAtlantic to administer the 401(k)
Plan.
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Dated: , 2005
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PRINT NAME OF 401(k) ACCOUNT HOLDER |
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SIGNATURE OF 401(k) ACCOUNT HOLDER |
PLEASE DATE, SIGN AND RETURN THIS FORM IN THE ENCLOSED ENVELOPE
TO BE RECEIVED NO LATER THAN MAY 9, 2005.
LEVITT CORPORATION
1750 E. SUNRISE BOULEVARD
FT. LAUDERDALE, FL 33304
This Proxy is Solicited on Behalf of the Board of
Directors.
The undersigned hereby appoints Glen R. Gilbert and Claudia F.
Haines, and each of them, acting alone, with the power to
appoint his or her substitute, proxy to represent the
undersigned and vote as designated on the reverse all of the
shares of Class A Common Stock of Levitt Corporation held
of record by the undersigned on March 28, 2005, at the
Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be held on May 17, 2005
and at any adjournment or postponement thereof.
ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS OF
LEVITT CORPORATION
MAY 17, 2005
Please date, sign and mail your proxy card in the envelope
provided as soon as possible.
Please detach along the perforated line and mail in the
envelope provided.
PLEASE SIGN, DATE AND RETURN PROMPTLY IN THE ENCLOSED ENVELOPE.
PLEASE MARK YOUR VOTE IN BLUE OR BLACK INK AS SHOWN
HERE þ
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1. |
Election of three directors, each for a term of three years. |
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NOMINEES: John E. Abdo |
Alan Levy |
William Nicholson |
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FOR ALL NOMINEES |
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WITHHOLD AUTHORITY FOR ALL NOMINEES |
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FOR ALL EXCEPT (See instructions below) |
INSTRUCTION: To withhold authority to vote for any individual
nominee(s), mark FOR ALL EXCEPT and write the
nominees name(s) below.
To change the address on your account, please check the box at
right and indicate your new address in the address space above.
Please note that changes to the registered name(s) on the
account may not be submitted via this
method. o
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2. |
In his or her discretion, the proxy is authorized to vote upon
such other matters as may properly come before the meeting. |
(Continued and to be signed on the reverse side)
THIS PROXY WHEN PROPERLY EXECUTED WILL BE VOTED IN THE MANNER
DIRECTED HEREIN BY THE UNDERSIGNED SHAREHOLDER. IF NO DIRECTION
IS MADE, THIS PROXY WILL BE VOTED FOR THE ELECTION
OF THE DIRECTORS NAMED IN PROPOSAL 1.
PLEASE MARK, SIGN, DATE AND RETURN THE PROXY CARD PROMPTLY USING
THE ENCLOSED ENVELOPE.
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Signature of Shareholder |
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Date: |
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Signature of Shareholder |
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Date: |
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NOTE: Please sign exactly as your name or names appear on this
Proxy. When shares are held jointly, each holder should sign.
When signing as executor, administrator, attorney, trustee or
guardian, please give full title as such. If the signer is a
corporation, please sign full corporate name by duly authorized
officer, giving full title as such. If signer is a partnership,
please sign in partnership name by authorized person. |