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UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE 14A
Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 (Amendment No. )
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Filed by the Registrant R |
Filed by a Party other than the Registrant o |
Check the appropriate box: |
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Preliminary proxy statement |
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Confidential, for use of the Commission only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2)) |
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Definitive proxy statement |
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Definitive additional materials |
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Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-11(c) or Rule 14a-12 |
Travelzoo Inc.
(Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy statement, if Other Than the Registrant)
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Payment of filing fee (Check the appropriate box): |
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No fee required |
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Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11 |
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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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Per unit price or other underlying value of transaction computed pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 0-11: |
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Proposed maximum Aggregate value of transaction: |
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Total fee paid: |
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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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Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.: |
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Date Filed: |
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Travelzoo Inc. |
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590 Madison Avenue, 21st Floor |
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New York, NY 10022 |
April 28, 2006
Dear Stockholder:
You are cordially invited to attend the Annual Meeting of
Stockholders of Travelzoo Inc. on June 1, 2006. We will
hold the meeting at The Warwick Hotel, 65 West
54th Street, New York, New York 10019 at 10:00 a.m.
local time.
In connection with the meeting, we enclose a notice of the
meeting, a proxy statement and a proxy card. Detailed
information relating to Travelzoos activities and
operating performance is contained in our 2005 Annual Report on
Form 10-K, as
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which is also
enclosed.
Whether or not you plan to attend the Annual Meeting of
Stockholders, please vote your shares via mail with the enclosed
proxy card. Please note that you can attend the meeting and vote
in person, even if you have previously voted by proxy. If you
plan to attend the meeting in person, please provide advance
notice to Travelzoo by checking the box on your proxy card. In
addition, you may provide notice to Travelzoo that you plan to
attend in person by delivering written notice to
Travelzoos Corporate Secretary at 590 Madison Avenue,
21st Floor, New York, New York 10022.
If you hold your shares in street name through a bank, broker,
or other nominee, please bring identification and proof of
ownership, such as an account statement or letter from your bank
or broker, for admittance to the meeting. An admission list
containing the names of all of those planning to attend will be
placed at the registration desk at the entrance to the meeting.
You must check in to be admitted.
Travelzoo will make available an alphabetical list of
stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting for examination by
any stockholder during ordinary business hours at
Travelzoos principal executive offices, located at 590
Madison Avenue, 21st Floor, New York, New York 10022, from
May 8, 2006 until the meeting.
On behalf of the entire Board of Directors, we look forward to
seeing you at the meeting.
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Sincerely, |
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Ralph Bartel
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Chairman of the Board of Directors, President, |
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and Chief Executive Officer |
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TRAVELZOO INC.
590 Madison Avenue
21st Floor
New York, New York 10022
NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
To Be Held on June 1, 2006
April 28, 2006
To the Stockholders of Travelzoo Inc.:
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Annual Meeting of Stockholders
of Travelzoo Inc., a Delaware corporation, will be held on
Wednesday, June 1, 2006, at 10:00 a.m., local time, at
The Warwick Hotel, 65 West 54th Street, New York, New
York 10019, for the following purposes:
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1. To elect five directors for terms expiring in
2007; and |
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2. To transact such other business as may properly come
before the Meeting or any adjournment or postponement of the
Meeting. |
Only stockholders of record at the close of business on
April 24, 2006 may vote at the Meeting. Your vote is
important. Whether you plan to attend the Annual Meeting or not,
please cast your vote by completing, dating and signing the
enclosed proxy card and returning it via mail to the address
indicated. If you attend the meeting and prefer to vote in
person, you may do so even if you have previously voted by proxy.
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By Order of the Board of Directors, |
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Travelzoo Inc.
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Wayne Lee
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Corporate Secretary |
PROXY STATEMENT
FOR THE TRAVELZOO INC.
2006 ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
INFORMATION ABOUT THE ANNUAL MEETING
Why am I receiving these proxy materials?
Travelzoos Board of Directors is soliciting proxies to be
voted at the 2006 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. This proxy
statement includes information about the issues to be voted upon
at the meeting.
On April 28, 2006, we began mailing these proxy materials
to all stockholders of record at the close of business on
April 24, 2006. On the record date, there were
15,800,191 shares of our common stock outstanding.
Where and when is the Annual Meeting?
The Annual Meeting of Stockholders will take place on
June 1, 2006 at The Warwick Hotel, 65 West
54th Street, New York, New York 10019. The meeting will
begin at 10:00 a.m. local time.
What am I voting on?
We are asking our stockholders to elect five directors.
How many votes do I have?
You have one vote for each share of our common stock that you
owned at the close of business on April 24, 2006, the
record date. These shares include:
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Shares held directly in your name as the stockholder of
record, and |
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Shares held for you as the beneficial owner through a broker,
bank, or other nominee in street name. |
If I am a stockholder of record, how can I vote my shares?
You can vote by proxy or in person.
How do I vote by proxy?
If you are a stockholder of record, you may vote your proxy by
mail. If you receive a paper copy of the Proxy Statement, simply
mark the enclosed proxy card, date and sign it, and return it in
the postage paid envelope provided. If you receive the Proxy
Statement via e-mail,
please print the attached proxy card, date and sign it, and
return it via mail to Travelzoo Inc., Attention: Corporate
Secretary, 590 Madison Avenue, 21st Floor, New York, New
York 10022.
If you vote by proxy, the persons named on the card (your
proxies) will vote your shares in the manner you
indicate. You may specify whether your shares should be voted
for all, some or none of the nominees for director or any other
proposals properly brought before the Annual Meeting. If you
sign your proxy card and do not indicate specific choices, your
shares will be voted FOR the election of all
nominees for director. If any other matter is properly brought
before the meeting, your proxies will vote in accordance with
their best judgment. At the time of submitting this Proxy
Statement for printing, we knew of no matter that is required to
be acted on at the Annual Meeting other than those discussed in
this Proxy Statement.
If you wish to give a proxy to someone other than the persons
named on the enclosed proxy card, you may strike out the names
appearing on the card and write in the name of any other person,
sign the proxy, and deliver it to the person whose name has been
substituted.
May I revoke my proxy?
If you give a proxy, you may revoke it in any one of three ways:
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Submit a valid, later-dated proxy before the Annual Meeting, |
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Notify our Corporate Secretary in writing before the Annual
Meeting that you have revoked your proxy, or |
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Vote in person at the Annual Meeting. |
How do I vote in person?
If you are a stockholder of record, you may cast your vote in
person at the Annual Meeting.
If I hold shares in street name, how can I vote my shares?
You can submit voting instructions to your broker or nominee. In
most instances, you will be able to do this over the Internet or
by mail. Please refer to the voting instruction card included in
these materials by your broker or nominee.
What vote is required to approve each proposal?
Each share of our common stock is entitled to one vote with
respect to each matter on which it is entitled to vote. Our
directors are elected by a plurality of votes, which means that
the nominees who receive the greatest number of votes will be
elected. Under our bylaws, a majority of the shares present at
the meeting in person or by proxy is required for approval of
all other items.
In order to have a valid stockholder vote, a stockholder quorum
must exist at the Annual Meeting. A quorum will exist when
stockholders holding a majority of the outstanding shares of our
stock are present at the meeting, either in person or by proxy.
If a broker indicates on its proxy that it does not have
authority to vote certain shares held in street name
on particular proposals, the shares not voted (broker
non-votes) will
not have any effect with respect to such proposals. Broker
non-votes occur when brokers do not have discretionary voting
authority on certain proposals and the beneficial owner has not
instructed the broker how to vote on these proposals.
Ralph Bartel holds an aggregate of 12,628,470 shares of our
common stock, representing approximately 80% of the outstanding
shares as of April 21, 2006. He has indicated that he
intends to vote in favor of all of the director nominees.
Who is paying the costs of soliciting these proxies?
We are paying the cost of preparing, printing, mailing and
otherwise distributing these proxy materials. We will reimburse
banks, brokerage firms, and others for their reasonable expenses
in forwarding proxy materials to beneficial owners and obtaining
their instructions. A few of our officers and employees may also
participate in the solicitation, without additional
compensation, by telephone,
e-mail, other
electronic means, or in person.
Where can I find the voting results of the meeting?
We intend to announce preliminary voting results at the meeting.
We will publish the final results in our Quarterly Report on
Form 10-Q for the
second quarter of 2006, which we intend to file on or before
August 14, 2006. You can obtain a copy of the
Form 10-Q by
logging on to Travelzoos investor relations Web site at
www.travelzoo.com/ir, by calling the Securities and
Exchange Commission at (800) SEC-0330 for the location of
the nearest public reference room, or through the EDGAR system
at www.sec.gov. Information on our Web site does not
constitute part of this proxy statement.
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ELECTION OF DIRECTORS (PROXY ITEM NO. 1)
Under Travelzoos certificate of incorporation, the number
of directors of Travelzoo is fixed, and may be increased or
decreased from time to time, by resolution of the Board of
Directors. Each director holds office for a term of one year,
until the annual meeting of stockholders next succeeding the
directors election and until a successor is elected and
qualified or until the earlier resignation or removal of the
director. Mr. Ralph Bartel, Mr. Holger Bartel,
Mr. Ehrlich, Mr. Neale-May, and Ms. Urso are
currently directors of Travelzoo.
Nominees for a One-Year Term That Will Expire in 2007:
The ages, principal occupations, directorships held and other
information as of April 30, 2006, with respect to our
nominees are shown below.
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Position |
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Ralph Bartel, Ph.D.(2)
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40 |
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Chairman of the Board of Directors, President, and Chief
Executive Officer |
Holger Bartel, Ph.D.
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39 |
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Director and Executive Vice President |
David J. Ehrlich(1)
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43 |
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Director |
Donovan Neale-May(1)(3)
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54 |
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Director |
Kelly M. Urso(1)(2)(3)
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40 |
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Director |
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Member of the Audit Committee |
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Member of the Compensation Committee |
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Member of the Disclosure Committee |
Each of the director nominees listed above was elected to be a
director at the Companys Annual Meeting of Stockholders
held on June 1, 2005. Our board of directors has determined
that each of Mr. Ehrlich, Mr. Neale-May, and
Ms. Urso meet the independence requirements of the listing
standards of the National Association of Securities Dealers (the
NASD).
Ralph Bartel, Ph.D., founded Travelzoo in 1998 and
has served as our Chairman of the Board of Directors, President,
Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer since
inception. Prior to his founding of Travelzoo, from 1996 to
1997, Mr. Bartel was a Managing Assistant at Gruner + Jahr
AG, the magazine division of Bertelsmann AG. Mr. Bartel
holds a Ph.D. in Communications from the University of Mainz,
Germany, a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of St. Gallen,
Switzerland, an MBA in Finance and Accounting from the
University of St. Gallen, Switzerland, and a Masters
degree in Journalism from the University of Eichstaett, Germany.
Holger Bartel, Ph.D., has served as a director since
June 2005 and was elected Executive Vice President in 2001 after
serving as Vice President of Sales and Marketing since 1999.
From 1995 to 1998, Mr. Bartel was an Engagement Manager at
McKinsey & Company in Los Angeles. From 1992 to 1994,
Mr. Bartel was a research fellow at Harvard Business
School. Mr. Bartel holds an MBA in Finance and Accounting
and a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of St. Gallen,
Switzerland. He is the brother of Ralph Bartel.
David J. Ehrlich has served as a director since 1999.
Since 2004, Mr. Ehrlich has been Senior Vice President,
Marketing and Chief Strategy Officer of NetIQ Corporation
(NetIQ), and from 2003 to 2004 he was Vice President
of Corporate Development of NetIQ. From 1998 to 2002,
Mr. Ehrlich was Vice President, Product Management and
Strategic Partnering for Visual Networks, Inc. Mr. Ehrlich
holds a bachelors degree in Sociology from Stanford
University, a Masters degree in Industrial Engineering
from Stanford University, and an MBA from Harvard Business
School.
Donovan Neale-May has served as a director since 1999.
Since 1987, Mr. Neale-May has been President of
Neale-May & Partners, an independent marketing and
communications firm with 60 full-time professionals in its
Silicon Valley and New York offices.
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Kelly M. Urso has served as a director since 1999. Since
2003, Ms. Urso has been a principal at K. M.
Urso & Company, LLC. From 2001 to 2003, Ms. Urso
was a tax attorney with Reynolds & Rowella LLP. From
1997 to 2001, Ms. Urso was the leader of the expatriate tax
group at General Electric International, Inc. Ms. Urso
holds a bachelors degree in business administration from
the University of Cincinnati and a Juris Doctor degree from the
Thomas M. Cooley Law School in Lansing, Michigan.
The Board of Directors is not aware that any nominee named in
this Proxy Statement is unwilling or unable to serve as a
director. If, however, a nominee is unavailable for election,
your proxy authorizes the named designees to vote for a
replacement nominee if the Board of Directors names one.
YOUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE FOR
THESE NOMINEES.
Board Meetings and Committees
The Board of Directors has appointed an Audit Committee, a
Compensation Committee, and a Disclosure Committee. Below is a
table indicating the membership of each of the Audit Committee,
Compensation Committee, and Disclosure Committee and how many
times the Board of Directors and each such committee met in
fiscal year 2005. Each of Mr. Ralph Bartel, Mr. Holger
Bartel, Mr. Ehrlich, and Ms. Urso attended at least
75 percent of the total number of meetings of the Board of
Directors and of the committees on which he or she serves.
Mr. Neale-May
attended 50 percent of the total number of meetings of the
Board of Directors and of the committees on which he serves.
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Board |
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Audit |
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Compensation |
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Disclosure |
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Mr. Ralph Bartel
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Chair |
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Chair |
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Mr. Holger Bartel
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Member |
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Mr. Ehrlich
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Member |
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Chair |
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Mr. Neale-May
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Member |
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Member |
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Member |
Ms. Urso
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Member |
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Member |
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Member |
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Chair |
Number of 2005 Meetings
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4 |
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2 |
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4 |
The Company does not require that directors attend the Annual
Meeting. Ralph Bartel, our Chairman of the Board of Directors,
and Ms. Urso were the only directors who attended the 2005
Annual Meeting.
The Audit Committees primary responsibilities are to
oversee and monitor (i) the integrity of Travelzoos
financial statements, (ii) the qualifications and
independence of our independent auditor, (iii) the
performance of our independent auditor and internal audit staff,
and (iv) the compliance by Travelzoo with legal and
regulatory requirements. A complete description of the
committees responsibilities is set forth in its written
charter, a copy of which is attached as Appendix A. The
Audit Committee is responsible for appointing the auditors and
is directly responsible for the compensation and oversight of
the work of our independent auditors. The Audit Committee is
composed solely of independent directors as defined in the
listing standards of the National Association of Securities
Dealers and operates under a written charter adopted by the
entire Board of Directors. The Board has determined that
Mr. Neale-May qualifies as an audit committee financial
expert within the definition of SEC regulations.
The Compensation Committee reviews and approves the compensation
and benefits for the Companys executive officers and
directors, and makes recommendations to the Board of Directors
regarding such matters. The Report of the Compensation Committee
is included on page 11.
The Disclosure Committees primary responsibilities are
(i) to design, establish and evaluate controls and other
procedures that are designed to ensure the accuracy and timely
disclosure of information to the SEC and
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investment community and (ii) to review and supervise
preparation of all SEC filings, press releases and other broadly
disseminated correspondence.
Travelzoo does not have a nominating committee of the Board of
Directors. Since it is a Controlled Company under
Rule 4350(c)(5) of the NASD Manual, on account of the stock
ownership by Ralph Bartel, such a committee is not required.
Through his share ownership, Mr. Bartel is in a position to
control Travelzoo and to elect our entire board of directors.
Communications With Directors
The board has established a process to receive communications
from stockholders. Stockholders and other interested parties may
contact any member (or all members) of the board, or the
non-management
directors as a group, any board committee or any chair of any
such committee by mail. To communicate with the board of
directors, any individual directors or any group or committee of
directors, correspondence should be addressed to the board of
directors or any such individual directors or group or committee
of directors by either name or title. All such correspondence
should be sent c/o Corporate Secretary at
Travelzoo Inc., 590 Madison Avenue, 21st Floor, New
York, NY 10022.
All communications received as set forth in the preceding
paragraph will be opened by the Corporate Secretary for the sole
purpose of determining whether the contents represent a message
to our directors. Any contents that are not in the nature of
advertising, promotions of a product or service, patently
offensive material or matters deemed inappropriate for the board
of directors will be forwarded promptly to the addressee. In the
case of communications to the board or any group or committee of
directors, the Corporate Secretary will make the sufficient
copies of the contents to send to each director who is a member
of the group or committee to which the correspondence is
addressed.
Audit Committee Report
The Audit Committee oversees Travelzoos financial
reporting process on behalf of your Board of Directors.
Management is primarily responsible for the financial statements
and reporting processes including the systems of internal
controls, while the independent auditors are responsible for
performing an independent audit of Travelzoos consolidated
financial statements in accordance with auditing standards of
the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board
(PCAOB), and expressing an opinion on the conformity
of those financial statements with accounting principles
generally accepted in the United States.
In this context, the committee has met and held discussions with
management and the independent auditors. The committee discussed
with Travelzoos independent auditors the overall scope and
plan for their audit. The committee met, at least quarterly,
with the independent auditors, with and without management
present, and discussed the results of their examinations, their
evaluations of Travelzoos internal controls, and the
overall quality of Travelzoos financial reporting.
Management represented to the committee that Travelzoos
consolidated financial statements were prepared in accordance
with accounting principles generally accepted in the United
States. The committee has reviewed and discussed the
consolidated financial statements with management and the
independent auditors, including their judgments as to the
quality, not just the acceptability, of Travelzoos
accounting principles and such other matters as are required to
be discussed with the committee under auditing standards of the
PCAOB.
Travelzoos independent auditors also provided to the
committee the written disclosures required by the Independence
Standards Board Standard No. 1 (Independence Discussions
with Audit Committees), and the committee discussed with the
independent auditors that firms independence, including
those matters required to be discussed by Statement on Auditing
Standards No. 61.
In reliance on the reviews and discussions referred to above,
the committee recommended to the Board of Directors (and the
Board of Directors has approved) that the audited financial
statements be included in the
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Annual Report on
Form 10-K for the
fiscal year ended December 31, 2005 for filing with the
SEC. The committee has not yet selected Travelzoos
independent auditors for fiscal year 2006.
While the committee has the responsibilities and powers set
forth in its charter, it is not the duty of the committee to
plan or conduct audits or to determine that Travelzoos
financial statements are complete and accurate and are in
accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. This
is the responsibility of management and the independent auditor.
Nor is it the duty of the committee to conduct investigations or
to assure compliance with laws and regulations and
Travelzoos business conduct policies.
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Audit Committee |
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David J. Ehrlich (Chairman) |
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Donovan Neale-May |
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Kelly M. Urso |
Director Compensation
During 2005, we compensated Mr. Ehrlich,
Mr. Neale-May, and Ms. Urso for their services to us.
Such compensation consisted of cash paid to each director as
shown in the table below.
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2005 | |
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Compensation | |
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Mr. Ralph Bartel
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N/A |
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Mr. Holger Bartel
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N/A |
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Mr. Ehrlich
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31,500 |
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Mr. Neale-May
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21,500 |
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Ms. Urso
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$ |
34,000 |
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Directors are compensated based on an hourly rate based upon
their attendance of meetings plus an annual retainer. The
chairman of the audit committee is paid an additional annual
retainer.
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Stock Ownership by Directors and Executive Officers
The following table shows the amount of our common stock
beneficially owned as of April 21, 2006, by each director
and each of the executive officers listed in the Summary
Compensation Table on page 9 of this proxy statement, and
all current directors and executive officers as a group. In
general, shares beneficially owned include those
shares a person has or shares the power to vote, or the power to
dispose of. The table also shows the number of options to
purchase shares of our common stock that are exercisable, either
immediately or by July 1, 2006:
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Amount of Common Stock Beneficially Owned | |
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% of Shares | |
Name |
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Shares(1) | |
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Options(2) | |
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Outstanding | |
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Holger Bartel
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126,924 |
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21,933 |
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148,857 |
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* |
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Ralph Bartel
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12,628,470 |
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2,171,416 |
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14,799,886 |
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94 |
% |
David J. Ehrlich
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Steven M. Ledwith
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16 |
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16 |
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Christopher Loughlin
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550 |
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550 |
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Donovan Neale-May
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Lisa Su
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Shirley Tafoya
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Kelly M. Urso
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17,725 |
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17,725 |
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* |
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Directors and executive officers as a group (9 persons)
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12,755,966 |
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2,211,074 |
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14,967,040 |
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* |
Represents less than 1% of the outstanding shares of common
stock. |
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(1) |
All shares are held directly, except for those held by Holger
Bartel and Ralph Bartel. Holger Bartel indirectly holds 1% of
TZOO Inc., which is the holder of 12,690,374 shares of
our stock, through HBT Corporation LLC. Ralph Bartel
indirectly holds 99% of TZOO Inc. through the Ralph Bartel
2005 Trust. |
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(2) |
Shares that could be acquired by exercising stock options
through July 1, 2006. The options held by Holger Bartel are
held indirectly through his indirect 1% ownership interest
in TZOO Inc. through his ownership of HBT Corporation LLC. The
options held by Ralph Bartel are held indirectly through his
indirect 99% ownership of TZOO Inc. through the Ralph Bartel
2005 Trust. |
Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners
The following table shows all persons or entities that we know
to beneficially own more than 5% of our stock as of
April 21, 2006:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Number of | |
|
Percent of | |
|
|
Shares of | |
|
Outstanding | |
Name and Address of Beneficial Owner |
|
Common Stock(1) | |
|
Common Stock | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
Ralph Bartel
|
|
|
14,799,886 |
|
|
|
94% |
|
590 Madison Avenue
21st Floor
New York, New York 10022 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
Includes 12,563,470 shares of common stock and
2,171,416 shares of common stock that could be acquired by
exercising stock options through July 1, 2006 held by TZOO
Inc. As described above, Ralph Bartel is the indirect owner of
99% of TZOO Inc., through the Ralph Bartel 2005 Trust. |
7
Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting
Compliance
Under Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
the Companys directors, executive officers and the
beneficial holders of more than 10% of the Companys common
stock are required to file reports of ownership and changes in
ownership with the Securities and Exchange Commission. During
2005 Ralph Bartel late filed one Form 4 relating to two
transactions, Holger Bartel late filed one Form 4 relating
to one transaction, Ralph Bartel 2005 Trust late filed one
Form 3 relating to one transaction, and TZOO Inc. late
filed one Form 3 relating to one transaction. Each of these
forms related to a series of transactions pursuant to which
Ralph Bartel established the Ralph Bartel 2005 Trust,
transferred shares of the Company to TZOO Inc., a newly formed
corporation controlled by the trust, and transferred a 1%
interest in the newly formed corporation to his brother, Holger
Bartel. Other than these late filings, the Company believes that
all applicable Section 16(a) filing requirements were met
during 2005.
Code of Ethics
We have adopted a code of ethics that applies to our Chief
Executive Officer, who is also our Chief Financial Officer, and
our Controller (Chief Accounting Officer). This code of ethics
is posted on our Web site located at
www.corporate.travelzoo.com/governance. We intend to
satisfy the disclosure requirement under Item 10 of
Form 8-K regarding
an amendment to, or waiver from, a provision of this code of
ethics by posting such information on our Web site, at the
address and location specified above.
Our Executive Officers
Executive officers are appointed annually by the Board and serve
at the discretion of the Board. Set forth below is information
regarding our executive officers as of May 1, 2006:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Name |
|
Age | |
|
Position |
|
|
| |
|
|
Ralph Bartel, Ph.D.
|
|
|
40 |
|
|
Chairman of the Board of Directors, President, Chief Executive
Officer and Chief Financial Officer |
Holger Bartel, Ph.D.
|
|
|
39 |
|
|
Director and Executive Vice President |
Steven M. Ledwith
|
|
|
48 |
|
|
Chief Technology Officer |
Christopher Loughlin
|
|
|
32 |
|
|
Senior Vice President and General Manager, Europe |
Lisa Su
|
|
|
31 |
|
|
Controller (Chief Accounting Officer) |
Shirley Tafoya
|
|
|
43 |
|
|
Senior Vice President of Sales |
Ralph Bartel, Ph.D., founded Travelzoo in 1998 and
has served as our Chairman of the Board of Directors, President,
Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer since
inception. Prior to his founding of Travelzoo, from 1996 to
1997, Mr. Bartel was a Managing Assistant at Gruner +
Jahr AG, the magazine division of Bertelsmann AG.
Mr. Bartel holds a Ph.D. in Communications from the
University of Mainz, Germany, a Ph.D. in Economics from the
University of St. Gallen, Switzerland, an MBA in Finance
and Accounting from the University of St. Gallen, Switzerland,
and a Masters degree in Journalism from the University of
Eichstaett, Germany.
Holger Bartel, Ph.D., has served as a director since
June 2005 and was elected Executive Vice President in 2001 after
serving as Vice President of Sales and Marketing since 1999.
From 1995 to 1998, Mr. Bartel was an Engagement Manager at
McKinsey & Company in Los Angeles. From 1992 to 1994,
Mr. Bartel was a research fellow at Harvard Business
School. Mr. Bartel holds an MBA in Finance and Accounting
and a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of St. Gallen,
Switzerland. He is the brother of Ralph Bartel.
Steven M. Ledwith has served as our Chief Technology
Officer since 2000. From 1998 to 2000, Mr. Ledwith worked
as Senior Mechanical Engineer at Radix Technologies, Inc.
Mr. Ledwith holds a bachelors degree in
Thermomechanical Engineering from University of Illinois at
Chicago Circle.
8
Christopher Loughlin was elected Senior Vice President
and General Manager, Europe, in 2005 after serving as Vice
President of Business Development since 2001. From 1999 to 2001,
he was Chief Operating Officer of Weekends.com.
Mr. Loughlin holds a BSc(Hons) in Technology Management
from Staffordshire University and an MBA from Columbia
University Graduate School of Business in New York City.
Lisa Su has served as Controller (Chief Accounting
Officer) since 2000. From 1999 to 2000, Ms. Su was a
Treasury Accountant for Webvan Group, Inc. Ms. Su holds a
bachelors degree in economics/ accounting from Claremont
McKenna College and an MBA in Finance from California State
University, Hayward.
Shirley Tafoya has served as Senior Vice President of
Sales since 2001. From 1999 to 2001, Ms. Tafoya was the
Director of Western Sales at Walt Disney Internet Group. From
1998 to 1999, Ms. Tafoya was a Sales Manager at IDG/
International Data Group. Ms. Tafoya holds a
bachelors degree in Business Administration from Notre
Dame de Namur University.
Executive Compensation
The following table sets forth summary information concerning
all compensation we paid our chief executive officer and each of
our executive officers during the years ended December 31,
2003, 2004 and 2005.
Summary Compensation Table
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Long Term | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Annual Compensation | |
|
Compensation | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Shares | |
|
|
|
|
Fiscal | |
|
|
|
Underlying | |
|
All Other | |
Name and Principal Position |
|
Year | |
|
Salary ($) | |
|
Bonus ($) | |
|
Options (#) | |
|
Compensation | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
Ralph Bartel
|
|
|
2005 |
|
|
$ |
280,373 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Chairman, President, and Chief
|
|
|
2004 |
|
|
$ |
225,001 |
|
|
|
15,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Executive Officer |
|
|
2003 |
|
|
$ |
196,002 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Lisa Su
|
|
|
2005 |
|
|
$ |
150,677 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Controller (Chief Accounting
|
|
|
2004 |
|
|
$ |
133,801 |
|
|
|
15,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Officer) |
|
|
2003 |
|
|
$ |
124,339 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Steven Ledwith
|
|
|
2005 |
|
|
$ |
181,250 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Chief Technology Officer
|
|
|
2004 |
|
|
$ |
162,215 |
|
|
|
15,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2003 |
|
|
$ |
147,126 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Holger Bartel
|
|
|
2005 |
|
|
$ |
298,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Executive Vice President |
|
|
2004 |
|
|
$ |
273,000 |
|
|
|
15,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2003 |
|
|
$ |
246,495 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Shirley Tafoya
|
|
|
2005 |
|
|
$ |
490,844 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Senior Vice President of Sales |
|
|
2004 |
|
|
$ |
386,512 |
|
|
|
15,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2003 |
|
|
$ |
294,275 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Christopher Loughlin
|
|
|
2005 |
|
|
$ |
225,785 |
|
|
|
26,423 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Senior Vice President and |
|
|
2004 |
|
|
$ |
249,500 |
|
|
|
15,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
General Manager, Europe |
|
|
2003 |
|
|
$ |
200,895 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Employment Agreements
Ralph Bartel has entered into an employment agreement with us.
His annual salary was increased to $350,000 as of July 1,
2005. We may terminate the agreement with or without cause by
delivering two weeks advance written notice to
Mr. Bartel. He may terminate his employment agreement with
or without cause by delivering two weeks advance written
notice to us.
Mr. Bartel has agreed not to compete with us, solicit our
suppliers or employees or reveal our confidential information
during the term of his employment agreement and for one year
thereafter. In addition, Mr. Bartel is bound by a
proprietary inventions agreement which prohibits him from, among
other things, disseminating or using confidential information
about our business or clients in any way that would be adverse
to us.
9
Certain Transactions
In connection with a registration statement related to the
re-sale of up to 750,000 shares by Ralph Bartel, our
Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, the Company
paid approximately $50,000 during 2004 which included accounting
fees and expenses, legal fees and expenses, and the SEC
registration fees. The Company did not pay any fees and expenses
of counsel for Mr. Bartel. Any commissions, discounts or
other fees payable to a broker, dealer, underwriter, agent or
market maker in connection with the sale of any of the shares
will be borne by Mr. Bartel.
Option Grants in Last Fiscal Year
No options were granted to our executive officers during fiscal
year 2005.
Option Exercises and Year-End Values
The following table contains information concerning options
exercised by our executive officers during fiscal year 2005 and
unexercised options held on December 31, 2005:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Number of Securities | |
|
Value of Unexercised | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Underlying Unexercised | |
|
In-The-Money Options/ | |
|
|
Shares Acquired | |
|
Value | |
|
Options/ SARS at FY-End(#) | |
|
SARs at FY-End($)(1) | |
Name |
|
on Exercise | |
|
Realized($) | |
|
Exercisable/Unexercisable | |
|
Exercisable/Unexercisable | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
Ralph Bartel
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2,171,416/0 |
|
|
$ |
45,712,135/$0 |
|
Holger Bartel
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
21,933/0 |
|
|
$ |
461,728/$0 |
|
|
|
(1) |
Calculated by (A) determining the difference between
(1) the average of the high and low trading prices per
share of Travelzoos common stock on December 31, 2005
and (2) the exercise price of the option and
(B) multiplying such difference by the total number of
shares under option, net of the aggregate value of all option
exercise proceeds. |
Stock Option Plan
We do not currently have any stock option plan or other equity
based compensation plans in effect.
Report of the Compensation Committee on Executive
Compensation
The Compensation Committee consists of two directors, one of
whom is an independent director. Ralph Bartel does not
participate in the committees decision as to his specific
compensation package. The committee regularly reviews the
companys executive compensation polices and practices and
establishes the compensation of executive officers.
The fundamental objective of Travelzoos executive
compensation program is to attract, retain and motivate key
executives to enhance long-term profitability and shareholder
value. Travelzoos executive compensation program meets
this objective by:
|
|
|
|
|
providing for a level of compensation that is competitive with
other similarly sized publicly traded companies, with particular
emphasis on those in the Internet and media industries, and |
|
|
|
linking the compensation of executives to the operating and
financial performance of the company by reviewing the salary
regularly and making adjustments relative to the companys
overall performance. |
Travelzoo targets executives annual salaries to be
competitive with comparable companies in the Internet and media
industries with whom the company competes for management. It
considers the experience and performance of the individual
executive, the compensation of his or her peers in the industry,
the
10
responsibilities and change in responsibilities during the past
year of the individual executive, the overall performance of the
department under the executives control and the overall
performance of the entire company. The committee does not have a
formula for its determination and the committee considers all
factors in making its decision. Executive salaries are reviewed
annually by the committee.
Travelzoo did not compensate executives with stock or stock
options in 2005.
The CEOs compensation is determined in accordance with the
executive compensation principles established by the committee.
The committee considers overall performance, individual
performance, competitive compensation and targeted pay levels
when determining Mr. Bartels compensation.
Performance is measured in terms of financial results and
overall growth of the Company. Mr. Bartels annual
salary was increased to $350,000 from $250,000 as of
July 1, 2005.
|
|
|
Compensation Committee |
|
|
Ralph Bartel (Chairman) |
|
Kelly M. Urso |
Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider
Participation
During 2005, Ralph Bartel, the Chief Executive Officer of
Travelzoo, was a member of the Compensation Committee.
Mr. Bartel did not participate in the determination of his
compensation as an employee during 2005.
11
Performance Graph
The following graph compares, for the four year period ending
December 31, 2005, the cumulative total stockholder return
for Travelzoo, the NASDAQ Stock Market (U.S. companies)
Index (the NASDAQ Market Index), and the
Standard & Poors 500 Publishing Index (the
S&P 500 Publishing). Measurement points are the
last trading day of each of the Companys fiscal years
ended December 31, 2002, December 31, 2003,
December 31, 2004, and December 31, 2005. The graph
assumes that $100 was invested on December 31, 2002 in the
Common Stock of the Company, the NASDAQ Market Index and the
S&P 500 Publishing and assumes reinvestment of any
dividends. The stock price performance on the following graph is
not indicative of future stock price performance. Only four
years of cumulative total stockholder return is provided because
Travelzoos stock wasnt registered under
Section 12 of the Exchange Act prior to that date. Price
information is not given for periods prior to 2002 because the
shares of the Company were not publicly traded before 2002.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Measurement Point |
|
12/31/2002 | |
|
12/31/2003 | |
|
12/31/2004 | |
|
12/31/2005 | |
|
|
|
|
|
Travelzoo Inc. |
|
$ |
100.00 |
|
|
$ |
217.50 |
|
|
$ |
2,385.75 |
|
|
$ |
550.00 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
NASDAQ Market Index |
|
$ |
100.00 |
|
|
$ |
149.51 |
|
|
$ |
162.36 |
|
|
$ |
164.95 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
S&P 500 Publishing |
|
$ |
100.00 |
|
|
$ |
118.80 |
|
|
$ |
115.28 |
|
|
$ |
100.68 |
|
|
|
|
Independent Auditors
KPMG LLP served as Travelzoos principal independent
auditors for our 2005 fiscal year. KPMG LLP representatives are
not expected to be present at the Annual Meeting or to make a
formal statement. Consequently, representatives of KPMG LLP will
not be available to respond to questions at the meeting.
The Audit Committee has not yet selected our independent
auditors for our 2006 fiscal year. The Audit Committee annually
reviews the performance of our independent public accountants
and the fees charged for their services. This review has not yet
been completed. Based upon the results of this review, the Audit
Committee will determine which independent public accounting
firm to engage to perform our annual audit. Approval of our
accounting firm is not required by our bylaws or otherwise to be
submitted to the shareholders.
12
Principal Accountant Fees and Services
During fiscal year 2005, KPMG charged fees for services rendered
to Travelzoo as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Service |
|
2004 Fees | |
|
2005 Fees | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
Audit fees(1)
|
|
$ |
214,170 |
|
|
$ |
898,760 |
|
Audit-related fees(2)
|
|
$ |
67,309 |
|
|
|
|
|
Tax fees
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
All other fees
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
|
|
$ |
281,479 |
|
|
$ |
898,760 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
Audit fees consisted of fees for professional services rendered
for the annual audit of Companys consolidated financial
statements and review of the interim consolidated financial
statements included in quarterly reports. Our audit fees
increased in fiscal 2005 primarily because fiscal 2005 was the
first year in which KPMG conducted compliance testing pursuant
to Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, which
included: (1) the required audit of managements
assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over
financial reporting, and (2) KPMGs independent audit
of the Companys internal control over financial reporting. |
|
(2) |
Audit-related fees consisted of fees for services that are
normally provided by the independent registered public
accounting firm in connection with statutory and regulatory
filings or engagements. |
Voting
Under the Delaware General Corporation Law and our certificate
of incorporation and bylaws, the presence, in person or
represented by proxy, of the holders of a majority of the
outstanding shares of our stock is necessary to constitute a
quorum of stockholders to take action at the Annual Meeting.
Once a quorum of stockholders is established, the affirmative
vote of a plurality of the shares, which are present in person
or represented by proxy at the Annual Meeting, is required to
elect each director. The affirmative vote of a majority of the
shares entitled to vote and present in person or by proxy in
favor of any other matter properly brought before the Annual
Meeting is required to approve of such action.
Shares represented by proxies which are marked vote
withheld with respect to the election of any person to
serve on the Board of Directors will not be considered in
determining whether such a person has received the affirmative
vote of a plurality of the shares. Shares represented by proxies
that are marked abstain with respect to any other
proposal will not be considered in determining whether such
proposal has received the affirmative vote of a majority of the
shares and such proxies will not have the effect of a
no vote.
Shares represented by proxies which deny the proxy-holder
discretionary authority to vote on any other proposal will not
be considered in determining whether such proposal has received
the affirmative vote of a majority of the shares and such
proxies will not have the effect of a no vote.
We know of no matters to come before the Annual Meeting except
as described in this Proxy Statement. If any other matters
properly come before the Annual Meeting, the proxies solicited
hereby will be voted on such matters in accordance with the
judgment of the persons voting such proxies.
Stockholder Proposals for the 2007 Annual Meeting
Proposals of eligible stockholders intended to be presented at
the 2007 Annual Meeting, currently scheduled to be held on
June 1, 2007, must be received by us by January 2,
2007 for inclusion in our proxy statement and proxy relating to
that meeting. Upon receipt of any such proposal, we will
determine whether or not to include such proposal in the proxy
statement and proxy in accordance with regulations governing the
solicitation of proxies.
13
If a stockholder wishes to present a proposal at
Travelzoos Annual Meeting in the year 2007 or to nominate
one or more directors and the proposal is not intended to be
included in Travelzoos proxy statement relating to that
meeting, the stockholder must give advance written notice to
Travelzoo by March 15, 2007. These requirements are
separate from and in addition to the requirements a stockholder
must meet to have a proposal included in our proxy statement.
Any such notice must be given to our Corporate Secretary, at 590
Madison Avenue, 21st Floor, New York, New York 10022. Any
stockholder desiring a copy of our bylaws will be forwarded one
upon written request.
Householding
As permitted by applicable law, only one copy of this Proxy
Statement is being delivered to stockholders residing at the
same address, unless such stockholders have notified the Company
of their desire to receive multiple copies of the Proxy
Statement.
The Company will promptly deliver, upon oral or written request,
a separate copy of the Proxy Statement to any stockholder
residing at an address to which only one copy was mailed.
Requests for additional copies should be directed to Investor
Relations, Travelzoo Inc., 590 Madison Avenue, 21st Floor,
New York, New York 10022 or by telephone at (212) 521-4200.
Other
We will bear the cost of solicitation of proxies. Proxies will
be solicited by mail and also may be solicited by our executive
officers and other employees personally or by telephone, but
such persons will not be specifically compensated for such
services. It is contemplated that brokerage houses, custodians,
nominees and fiduciaries will be requested to forward the
soliciting material to the beneficial owners of stock held of
record by such persons and we will reimburse them for their
reasonable expenses incurred in connection therewith.
Even if you plan to attend the meeting in person, please sign,
date and return the enclosed proxy promptly in accordance with
the instructions shown on the enclosed proxy. You have the power
to revoke your proxy, at any time before it is exercised, by
giving written notice of revocation to our Corporate Secretary
or by duly executing and delivering a proxy bearing a later
date, or by attending the Annual Meeting and casting a contrary
vote. All shares represented by proxies received in time to be
counted at the Annual Meeting will be voted. Your cooperation in
giving this your immediate attention will be appreciated.
|
|
|
Ralph Bartel
|
|
Chairman of the Board of Directors, President,
and Chief Executive Officer |
590 Madison Avenue, 21st Floor
New York, New York 10022
14
Appendix A: Audit Committee Charter
The Audit Committee (the Committee) will assist the
Board of Directors (the Board) of Travelzoo Inc.
(the Company) in fulfilling the Boards
oversight responsibilities with regard to the Companys
financial reporting process. The duties of the Committee are
ones of oversight. It is not the duty of the Committee to plan
or conduct audits or to determine that the Companys
financial statements are complete and accurate and prepared in
accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. The
primary responsibility for the Companys financial
statements and internal controls rests with the Companys
management. Similarly, it is not the duty of the Committee to
conduct investigations or to assure compliance with laws and
regulations or to monitor the Companys legal compliance
programs. The primary responsibility for these matters also
rests with the Companys management. The Board recognizes
that the Committee necessarily will rely on the advice and
information it receives from the Companys management and
independent auditors. Recognizing these inherent limits on the
scope of the Committees review, however, the Board expects
the Committee to exercise independent judgment in assessing the
quality of the Companys financial reporting process and
its internal controls. The Board also expects that the Committee
will maintain free and open communication with the other
directors, the Companys independent auditors and the
financial management of the Company.
|
|
II. |
COMPOSITION OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE |
The Committee shall be comprised of at least three members of
the Board, with the number of members to be determined from time
to time by the Board. The members shall be designated by the
Board, and the composition of the Committee shall, in the
judgment of the Board, be such as to comply with
(i) Rule 4350(d)(2) of The NASDAQ Stock Market Rules,
or the applicable rule governing audit committees of such other
national market system or exchange on which the Companys
stock may be traded from time to time,
(ii) Sections 301 and 407 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of
2002 and any rules or regulations promulgated thereunder (the
Act), and (iii) any successor laws, rules or
regulations.
The Committee shall meet at least four times annually, or more
frequently as the Committee may from time to time determine may
be appropriate. At least quarterly, the Committee shall meet in
separate executive sessions with the Companys Chief
Financial Officer, the independent auditors and the Controller.
Unless the Board has previously designated the Chair, the
members of the Committee shall designate a Chair by majority
vote. Two or more committee members shall constitute a quorum.
At the invitation of the Chair of the Committee, the meetings
will be attended by the Chair of the Board, Chief Executive
Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Controller, representatives
from the independent audit firm, and/or other persons as are
appropriate to matters under consideration.
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IV. |
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE |
The duties and responsibilities of the Committee shall include
the following:
A. Independent Auditors
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1. Receive the written disclosures and letter from the
Companys independent auditors contemplated by Independence
Standards Board Standard No. 1, Independence Discussions
with Audit Committees, as the same may be modified or
supplemented, and discuss with the independent auditors any
issues required to be discussed regarding their objectivity and
independence. Receive the disclosures, as the same may be
modified or supplemented, required by Section 204 of the
Act, and discuss with the independent auditors any issues
disclosed therein. Approve, in advance, the retention of the
independent auditors for any non-audit service permissible under
Sections 201 and 202 of the Act and the fee for such
service. Consider any significant non-audit assignments awarded
to the independent auditors and |
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determine whether or not these have any impact on the
independence of the independent auditors in the performance of
the annual audit. |
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2. Annually evaluate the qualifications, the quality
control procedures and prior performance of the Companys
current independent auditors, which shall be ultimately
accountable to the Board and this Committee, as representatives
of the shareholders. Based on the representations regarding
independence and the results of such evaluation, determine
whether to recommend to the Board that the independent auditors
be reappointed or replaced and whether it is appropriate to
adopt a policy of rotating on a regular basis; provided that the
independent auditors must be replaced if the lead audit partner,
or the audit partner responsible for reviewing the audit, has
performed audit services for the Company in each of the five
(5) previous fiscal years. If a determination is made to
recommend that the current independent auditors be replaced,
recommend to the Board such replacement. |
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3. Meet with the independent auditors and financial
management of the Company in advance of the annual audit to
review its proposed scope, the proposed scope of the quarterly
reviews, and the procedures to be followed in conducting the
audit and the reviews. |
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4. Review and approve the independent auditors annual
engagement letter, and the compensation of the independent
auditors. |
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5. Review with the independent auditors any matters
required to be discussed by Statement of Auditing Standards
No. 61, as the same may be modified or supplemented. |
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6. Review and discuss, prior to filing, the Companys
financial statements proposed to be included in the
Companys Annual Report on
Form 10-K with the
Companys financial management and independent auditors,
including major issues regarding accounting and auditing
principles and practices as well as the adequacy of internal
controls that could significantly affect the Companys
financial statements. If deemed appropriate after such review
and discussion, recommend to the Board that the financial
statements be included in the Annual Report on
Form 10-K. |
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7. Review and discuss, prior to issuance or filing, the
Companys financial statements proposed to be included in
the Companys public earnings reports and the
Companys Quarterly Reports on
Form 10-Q with the
Companys financial management and independent auditors,
including the results of the independent auditors quarterly
reviews. The Chair of the Committee may represent the entire
Committee for purposes of the
Form 10-Q review. |
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8. Discuss at least annually with the Companys
independent auditors the following: the adequacy and
effectiveness of the Companys internal financial controls;
the management letter issued by the independent auditors and
managements response thereto; actions management has taken
or progress it has made in addressing issues raised by the
independent auditors; any difficulties encountered in the course
of the audit work, including any restrictions on the scope of
activities or access to required information; any disagreements
with management; and major areas of financial risk. |
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9. Review with management and the independent auditors any
comments or inquiries from the Securities and Exchange
Commission relating to the Companys financial statements
or other financial matters included in the Companys
filings with the Commission. |
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10. Obtain reports from management that the Companys
subsidiary(ies) are in conformity with applicable legal
requirements, including disclosures of insider and affiliated
party transactions. |
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11. Review major changes to the Companys auditing and
accounting principles and practices as suggested by the
independent auditors or management. |
B. Management
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1. Discuss at least annually with the Companys
management and outside counsel the effectiveness of the
Companys legal compliance programs, any legal matters that
may have a material impact on the Companys financial
statements and any material reports or inquiries received from
regulators or government agencies. |
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2. Review all related party transactions and potential
conflict of interest situations involving the Companys
principal shareholders or members of the Board or senior
management. |
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3. Authorize and oversee investigations deemed appropriate
by the Committee into any matters within the Committees
scope of responsibility as described in this Charter or as may
subsequently be delegated to the Committee by the Board, with
the power to retain independent counsel, accountants and other
advisors and experts to assist the Committee if deemed
appropriate and to determine appropriate compensation for such
advisors. |
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4. Prepare the disclosure required of this Committee by S-K
Item 306 of the Securities and Exchange Commission
regulations to be included in the Companys annual proxy
statement. |
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5. Review this Charter on an annual basis and make
recommendations to the Board concerning any changes deemed
appropriate; ensure that this Charter is filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, as required. |
C. Other Matters
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1. Establish procedures for (i) the receipt, retention
and treatment of complaints receive by the Company regarding
accounting, internal accounting controls or auditing matters;
and (ii) the confidential, anonymous submission by
employees of the Company of concerns regarding questionable
accounting or auditing matters. |
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2. Report actions of the Committee periodically to the
Board with such recommendations for action as the Committee
deems appropriate. |
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3. Maintain minutes or other records, either separately or
within the minutes of the Board, of meetings and activities of
the Committee. |
A-3
TRAVELZOO INC.
ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
THIS PROXY IS SOLICITED ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The undersigned hereby appoints Ralph Bartel as his/her Proxy, with full power of substitution, to
represent him/her at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders of Travelzoo Inc. (the Company) on June
1, 2006, or any adjournments or postponements thereof. If you do not indicate how you wish to vote,
the Proxy will vote for all nominees to the Board of Directors, and as he may determine, in his
discretion, with regard to any other matter properly presented at the meeting.
(Continued, and to be marked, dated and signed, on the other side)
TRAVELZOO INC.
Mailing Instructions
If you receive this proxy card via mail, please date and sign it, and return it in the postage paid
envelope provided.
If you receive this proxy card via e-mail, please print the proxy card, date and sign it, and
return it to:
Travelzoo Inc.
Attention: Corporate Secretary
590 Madison Avenue
21st Floor
New York, NY 10022
âDETACH PROXY CARD HERE:â
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1. ELECTION OF DIRECTORS
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o FOR all nominees listed below
(except as marked to the contrary, if any, below)
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o WITHHOLD AUTHORITY
to vote for all nominees listed below |
Nominees: 01 Ralph Bartel, 02 Holger Bartel, 03 David Ehrlich, 04 Donovan Neale-May, 05 Kelly Urso.
(To withhold authority to vote for an individual write that nominees name in the space provided
below.)
2. SUCH OTHER BUSINESS AS MAY PROPERLY COME BEFORE SAID MEETING AND ANY POSTPONEMENT OR ADJOURNMENT
THEREOF
The undersigned hereby acknowledges receipt of the Proxy Statement and
2005 Annual Report of Travelzoo Inc.
Date_________________________, 2006
_________________________________
(signature)
_________________________________
(signature, if jointly held)
Please sign exactly as name appears at left. If stock is jointly held each owner
should sign. Executors, Administrators, Trustees, Guardians and Corporate
Officers should indicate their fiduciary capacity or full title when signing.
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o
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MARK HERE IF YOU
INTEND TO ATTEND
THE MEETING |