UNITED
STATES
SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON,
D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE
14A INFORMATION
Proxy
Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the
Securities
Exchange Act of 1934
Filed
by the Registrant ☒
Filed
by a Party other than the Registrant ☐
Check
the appropriate box:
☐ |
Preliminary
Proxy Statement |
☐ |
CONFIDENTIAL,
FOR USE OF THE COMMISSION ONLY (AS PERMITTED BY RULE 14A-6(E)(2)) |
☒ |
Definitive
Proxy Statement |
☐ |
Definitive
Additional Materials |
☐ |
Soliciting
Material Pursuant to Section 240.14a-12 |
REGIONAL
HEALTH PROPERTIES, INC.
(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):
☐ |
Fee
paid previously with preliminary materials. |
☐ |
Fee
computed on table in exhibit required by Item 25(b) per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11. |
REGIONAL
HEALTH PROPERTIES, INC.
1050
Crown Pointe Parkway
Suite
720
Atlanta,
Georgia 30338
December
13, 2024
Dear
Regional Health Properties, Inc. Shareholders:
It
is my pleasure to invite you to attend the 2024 Annual Meeting of Shareholders (the “Annual Meeting”) of Regional Health
Properties, Inc., which will be held on Tuesday, January 14, 2025, at 1050 Crown Pointe Parkway, Atlanta, Georgia 30338, at 10:00 a.m.,
local time. We look forward to personally seeing as many of our shareholders as possible.
The
Notice of 2024 Annual Meeting of Shareholders and the accompanying proxy statement provide information concerning matters to be considered
and voted on at the Annual Meeting. At the Annual Meeting, we also will report on our business and other matters of current interest
to our shareholders and respond to appropriate questions.
Your
vote on the business to be considered at the Annual Meeting is important, regardless of the number of shares you own. Whether or not
you plan to attend the Annual Meeting, please vote your shares as soon as possible to ensure your shares are represented at the Annual
Meeting.
Thank
you for your continued interest in Regional Health Properties, Inc.
Sincerely,
/s/
Brent S. Morrison |
|
Brent
S. Morrison |
|
Chief
Executive Officer, President, Corporate Secretary and Chairman of the Board of Directors |
|
REGIONAL
HEALTH PROPERTIES, INC.
1050
Crown Pointe Parkway
Suite
720
Atlanta,
Georgia 30338
NOTICE
OF 2024 ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
DATE
AND TIME |
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Tuesday,
January 14, 2025, at 10:00 a.m., local time |
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PLACE |
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1050
Crown Pointe Parkway, Atlanta, Georgia 30338 |
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● |
To
elect the four director nominees named in the accompanying proxy statement (Proposal 1) by
the voting groups set forth below; |
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(a) |
Three directors to be elected by the holders of our common stock, no par value per share (the “common stock”), voting separately
as a single class; and |
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ITEMS
OF BUSINESS |
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(b) |
One director to be elected by the holders of our 12.5% Series B Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares, no par value per share (the “Series
B Preferred Stock”), voting separately as a single class. |
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● |
To
ratify the appointment of Cherry Bekaert, LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending December 31,
2024, by the holders of our common stock voting separately as a single class (Proposal 2); and |
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● |
To
transact such other business as may properly come before the 2024 Annual Meeting of Shareholders and any adjournments or postponements
thereof. |
RECORD
DATE |
|
December
2, 2024. Only shareholders of record of our common stock and our Series B Preferred Stock as of the close of business on the record
date are entitled to receive notice of, and to vote at, the 2024 Annual Meeting of Shareholders and any adjournments or postponements
thereof. |
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PROXY
MATERIALS AND ANNUAL REPORT |
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The
accompanying proxy statement and the enclosed proxy card are first being mailed to shareholders on or about December 16, 2024.
Our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023 accompanies the proxy statement. |
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Whether
or not you plan to attend the 2024 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, please read the accompanying proxy statement and the voting instructions
on the enclosed proxy card. Then please vote over the Internet or by completing, signing, dating and mailing the completed proxy
card to us. The instructions on your proxy card describe how to use these convenient services. |
Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for the 2024 Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be Held on Tuesday, December 31, 2024: Our 2024 proxy materials and Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023 are available free of charge at https://www.cstproxy.com/regionalhealthproperties/2024.
By
Order of the Board of Directors,
/s/
Brent S. Morrison |
|
Brent
S. Morrison |
|
Chief
Executive Officer, President, Corporate Secretary and Chairman of the Board of Directors |
|
Atlanta,
Georgia |
|
December
13, 2024 |
|
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
REGIONAL
HEALTH PROPERTIES, INC.
1050
Crown Pointe Parkway
Suite
720
Atlanta,
Georgia 30338
PROXY
STATEMENT
QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS ABOUT THE 2024 ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
Regional
Health Properties, Inc. (the “Company,” “we,” “us” and “our”) is furnishing this proxy
statement (this “Proxy Statement”) in connection with the solicitation by our Board of Directors (the “Board of Directors”
or the “Board”) of proxies for our 2024 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, and any adjournments or postponements thereof (the
“Annual Meeting”), for the purposes set forth in the accompanying Notice of 2024 Annual Meeting of Shareholders. The Annual
Meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 14, 2025, at 1050 Crown Pointe Parkway, Atlanta, Georgia 30338, at 10:00 a.m., local time.
This
Proxy Statement provides information regarding matters to be voted on at the Annual Meeting. Additionally, it contains certain information
that the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) requires us to provide annually to our shareholders. This Proxy Statement
is also used by the Board to solicit proxies to be used at the Annual Meeting so that all shareholders of record have an opportunity
to vote on the matters to be presented at the Annual Meeting, even if they cannot attend the meeting. The Board has designated Brent
Morrison, our Chief Executive Officer, President and Corporate Secretary, and Paul O’Sullivan, our Senior Vice President (together,
the “Proxy Holders”), to vote the shares represented by proxies at the Annual Meeting in the manner indicated by such proxies.
IMPORTANT
NOTICE REGARDING THE AVAILABILITY OF PROXY MATERIALS FOR THE
2024
ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS TO BE HELD ON JANUARY 14, 2025
This
Proxy Statement and our 2023 Annual Report to Shareholders are available at https://www.cstproxy.com/regionalhealthproperties/2024. This
Proxy Statement and the enclosed proxy card are first being mailed to shareholders of record of our common stock, no par value per share
(the “common stock”), and our 12.5% Series B Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares, no par value per share (the “Series
B Preferred Stock”), as of close of business on December 2, 2024 (the “record date”), on or about December 16,
2024. A copy of the 2023 Annual Report to Shareholders, including the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31,
2023 (the “2023 Annual Report”), as filed with the SEC, is being mailed with this Proxy Statement. You should read the entire
Proxy Statement carefully before voting.
If
you attend the Annual Meeting, then you may vote in person. If you are not present at the Annual Meeting, then your shares may be voted
only by a person to whom you have given a valid proxy.
Who
is entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting?
You
are entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting if you were a shareholder of the common stock or the Series B Preferred Stock as of the close
of business on December 2, 2024, the record date. Shareholders of record of the common stock are entitled to vote on Proposal 1(a) and
Proposal 2. Shareholders of record of the Series B Preferred Stock are entitled to vote on Proposal 1(b). Your shares can be voted at
the Annual Meeting only if you are present in person or represented by a valid proxy. For additional information, see “—
How do I vote?”
Holders
of our Series A Redeemable Preferred Shares, no par value per share (the “Series A Preferred Stock”), are not entitled to
receive notice of, or vote at, the Annual Meeting.
How
many votes am I entitled to for each share I hold?
Each
share of common stock is entitled to one vote on each of Proposal 1(a) and Proposal 2 at the Annual Meeting. Each share of Series B Preferred
Stock is entitled to one vote on Proposal 1(b) at the Annual Meeting.
What
constitutes a quorum for the Annual Meeting?
A
quorum is required to hold the Annual Meeting and conduct business. The presence at the Annual Meeting, in person or by proxy, of one-third
(1/3) of the votes entitled to be cast on a matter will constitute a quorum for action on that matter. As of the December 2, 2024 record
date, we had 1,879,249 shares of common stock outstanding and 2,252,272 shares of Series B Preferred Stock outstanding — meaning
that 626,417 shares of common stock and 750,758 shares of Series B Preferred Stock must be represented in person or by proxy at the Annual
Meeting to have a quorum. For purposes of determining whether a quorum exists, broker non-votes (as described below) and proxies received
but marked “ABSTAIN” will be counted.
If
a quorum is not present at the scheduled time of the Annual Meeting, then we may adjourn the Annual Meeting until a quorum is present.
Any adjournment of the Annual Meeting may be made from time to time by the holders of a majority of the voting shares represented in
person or by proxy at the Annual Meeting. Any adjournment of the Annual Meeting because of the absence of a quorum will be voted upon
by the Proxy Holders pursuant to the discretionary authority granted to them by the proxy card. The time and place of the adjourned Annual
Meeting will be announced at the time the adjournment is taken, and, unless such adjournment is for more than 120 days or the Board fixes
a new record date for the adjourned Annual Meeting, no other notice will be given. An adjournment will have no effect on the business
that may be conducted at the Annual Meeting.
What
matters will be voted on at the Annual Meeting?
Holders
of the common stock and the Series B Preferred Stock are being asked to vote on the following proposals:
● |
Election
of the four director nominees named in this Proxy Statement (“Proposal 1”) by the voting groups set forth below;
|
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|
(a) |
Three directors to be elected by the holders of our common stock, voting separately as a single class; and |
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(b) |
One director to be elected by the holders of our Series B Preferred Stock, voting separately as a single class; and |
● |
Ratification
of the appointment of Cherry Bekaert, LLP (“Cherry Bekaert”) as our independent registered public accounting firm for
the fiscal year ending December 31, 2024 (“Proposal 2”) by the holders of our common stock voting separately as a single
class. |
Your
proxy also will give the Proxy Holders the authority to vote in their discretion on any other business on which you are entitled to vote
and which properly comes before the Annual Meeting.
What
vote is required under Georgia law, and how will the votes be counted, to elect directors and to ratify the appointment of Cherry Bekaert?
Proposal |
|
Voting
Options |
|
Vote
Required to Elect
or
Approve (Assuming a
Quorum
Exists) |
|
Effect
of
Abstentions |
|
Effect
of Broker
Non-Votes |
Election
of Directors (Proposal 1) |
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Election
of Directors (Proposal 1(a)) |
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For
or Withhold |
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A
plurality of votes cast by shares of common stock entitled to vote in the election at the Annual Meeting |
|
No
effect |
|
No
effect |
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|
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Election
of Directors (Proposal 1(b)) |
|
For
or Withhold |
|
A
plurality of votes cast by shares of Series B Preferred Stock entitled to vote in the election at the Annual Meeting |
|
No
effect |
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No
effect |
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Ratification
of the Appointment of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm (Proposal 2) |
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For,
Against or Abstain |
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Votes
cast by shares of common stock entitled to vote favoring the action exceed the votes cast by shares of common stock entitled to vote
opposing the action |
|
No
effect |
|
Brokers
have discretion to vote |
How
does the Board recommend that I vote?
The
Board recommends that you vote:
● |
“FOR”
the election of the four director nominees named in this Proxy Statement (Proposal 1); |
| (a) | Three
directors to be elected by the holders of our common stock, voting separately as a single
class; and |
| (b) | One
director to be elected by the holders of our Series B Preferred Stock, voting separately
as a single class; and |
● |
“FOR”
the ratification of the appointment of Cherry Bekaert as our independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending
December 31, 2024 (Proposal 2). |
What
happens if a director nominee is unable to stand for election?
Subject
to any rights of the holders of the Series B Preferred Stock, if a director nominee is unable to stand for election, then the Board may,
by resolution, provide for a lesser number of directors or designate a substitute nominee. If the Board designates a substitute nominee,
then shares represented by proxies voted for the director nominee unable to stand for election will be voted for the substitute nominee.
At the time this Proxy Statement was printed, the Board was unaware of any director nominee who is unable to stand for election.
How
will a proposal or other matter that was not included in this Proxy Statement be handled for voting purposes if it is raised at the Annual
Meeting?
If
any matter that is not described in this Proxy Statement should properly come before the Annual Meeting, then the Proxy Holders will
vote the shares represented by valid proxies in their discretion.
What
should I do if I receive more than one set of voting materials?
You
may receive more than one set of voting materials, including multiple copies of this Proxy Statement and multiple proxy cards or voting
instruction cards. For example, if you hold your shares of common stock or Series B Preferred Stock in more than one brokerage account,
then you will receive a separate Proxy Statement and proxy card or voting instruction card for each brokerage account in which you hold
shares of common stock or Series B Preferred Stock. Similarly, if you are a shareholder of record and hold shares of common stock or
Series B Preferred Stock in a brokerage account, then you will receive a proxy card for shares of common stock or Series B Preferred
Stock held in your name and a voting instruction card for shares of common stock or Series B Preferred Stock held in “street name.”
Please complete, sign, date and return each proxy card and voting instruction card that you receive to ensure that all your shares of
common stock and Series B Preferred Stock are voted.
What
is the difference between a shareholder of record and a shareholder who holds shares in “street name”?
If
your shares of common stock or Series B Preferred Stock are registered directly in your name with our transfer agent, Continental Stock
Transfer & Trust Company (“Continental Stock”), then you are considered a shareholder of record with respect to those
shares. The printed copies of the proxy materials, including any proxy cards, will be sent directly to you by Continental Stock at our
request. As the shareholder of record, you have the right to grant your voting proxy directly to us or to a third party, or to vote in
person at the Annual Meeting.
If
your shares of common stock or Series B Preferred Stock are held in a brokerage account, by a bank or by another nominee, then the nominee
is considered the record holder of those shares. You are considered the beneficial owner of those shares, and such shares are held in
“street name.” As the beneficial owner of those shares, you have the right to direct your broker, bank or nominee how to
vote and you also are invited to attend the Annual Meeting. However, because a beneficial owner is not the shareholder of record, you
may not vote those shares in person at the Annual Meeting unless you obtain a “legal proxy” from the broker, trustee or nominee
that holds your shares, giving you the right to vote the shares at the Annual Meeting. The printed copies of the proxy materials, including
voting instructions, will be forwarded to you by your nominee.
What
is a broker non-vote?
A
broker non-vote occurs when a broker holding shares for a beneficial owner does not vote on a particular proposal because the broker
does not have discretionary voting power with respect to that item and has not received voting instructions from the beneficial owner.
If you hold your shares of common stock in “street name”, then your broker has discretionary authority to vote your shares
only with respect to Proposal 2 (the ratification of the appointment of Cherry Bekaert as our independent registered public accounting
firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2024). In the absence of specific instructions from you, your broker does not have discretionary
authority to vote your shares of common stock or Series B Preferred Stock with respect to Proposal 1 (election of directors).
How
do I vote?
Instructions
regarding how you can vote are contained on the proxy card included in the printed copies of our proxy materials. If you are a shareholder
of record, then you may vote your shares of common stock and Series B Preferred Stock in person or by proxy. To vote in person, you must
attend the Annual Meeting and obtain and submit a ballot. The ballot will be provided at the Annual Meeting. To vote by proxy, you have
two ways to vote:
● |
Via
the Internet: You may vote your proxy over the Internet by visiting the website www.cstproxyvote.com. Have the proxy card that
has been provided to you in hand when you access the website and follow the instructions for Internet voting on that website. You
may also access the website using your mobile device and the instructions on the proxy card that has been provided to you; or |
● |
Via
Mail: You may vote by indicating on the proxy card(s) applicable to your shares of common stock and Series B Preferred Stock
how you want to vote and signing, dating and mailing your proxy card(s) in the enclosed pre-addressed postage-paid envelope as soon
as possible to ensure that it will be received in advance of the Annual Meeting. |
Please
refer to the specific instructions set forth in your proxy card for additional information on how to vote. When you vote via Internet
or mail, you will direct the Proxy Holders to vote your shares of common stock and Series B Preferred Stock at the Annual Meeting in
accordance with your instructions.
Your
proxy card will be valid only if you sign, date and return it before the Annual Meeting. Please note that Internet voting will close
at 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time, on January 13, 2025. If you complete all of the proxy card except for one or more of the voting instructions,
then the Proxy Holders will vote your shares “FOR” each proposal for which you provide no voting instructions. If
any other matters properly come before the Annual Meeting, then the Proxy Holders will vote your shares in accordance with their discretion.
The Board is not aware of any other matters that are likely to be brought before the Annual Meeting.
If
you hold your shares in “street name,” then your bank, broker or other nominee should provide to you a voting instruction
card along with our proxy solicitation materials. By completing the voting instruction card, you may direct your nominee how to vote
your shares. If you complete the voting instruction card except for one or more of the voting instructions, then your broker will be
unable to vote your shares with respect to the proposal as to which you provide no voting instructions, except that the broker has the
discretionary authority to vote your shares of common stock, if any, with respect to Proposal 2 (the ratification of the appointment
of Cherry Bekaert as our independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2024).
If
your shares of common stock or Series B Preferred Stock are held in “street name,” then your ability to vote over the Internet
depends on your broker’s voting process. You should follow the instructions on your voting instruction card.
Alternatively,
if you hold your shares in “street name” and you want to vote your shares in person at the Annual Meeting, then you must
contact your nominee directly in order to obtain a proxy issued to you by your nominee holder. Note that a broker letter that identifies
you as a shareholder is not the same as a nominee-issued proxy. If you fail to bring a nominee-issued proxy to the Annual Meeting,
then you will not be able to vote your nominee-held shares in person at the Annual Meeting.
Can
I vote my shares of common stock in person at the Annual Meeting?
Yes.
If you are a shareholder of record, then you may vote your shares of common stock and Series B Preferred Stock at the Annual Meeting
by completing a ballot at the Annual Meeting.
If
you hold your shares of common stock or Series B Preferred Stock in “street name,” then you may vote your shares at the Annual
Meeting only if you obtain a proxy issued by your bank, broker or other nominee giving you the right to vote the shares as discussed
above.
Even
if you currently plan to attend the Annual Meeting, we recommend that you also vote via Internet or return your proxy card or voting
instructions as described above so that your votes will be counted if you later decide not to attend the Annual Meeting or are unable
to attend.
What
if I do not specify how I want my shares of common stock or Series B Preferred Stock voted?
If
you are a record holder who returns a completed proxy card that does not specify how you want to vote your shares of common stock or
Series B Preferred Stock on one or more proposals, then the Proxy Holders will vote your shares for each proposal as to which you provide
no voting instructions, and such shares will be voted in the following manner:
● |
“FOR”
the election of the four director nominees named in this Proxy Statement (Proposal 1) by the voting groups set forth below; |
| (a) | Three
directors to be elected by the holders of our common stock, voting separately as a single
class; and |
| (b) | One
director to be elected by the holders of our Series B Preferred Stock, voting separately
as a single class; and |
● |
“FOR”
the ratification of the appointment of Cherry Bekaert as our independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending
December 31, 2024 (Proposal 2) by the holders of our common stock voting separately as a single class. |
If
you are a “street name” holder and do not provide voting instructions on one or more proposals, then your bank, broker or
other nominee will be unable to vote those shares on Proposal 1 (election of directors). The nominee will have discretion to vote on
Proposal 2 (the ratification of the appointment of Cherry Bekaert as our independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal
year ending December 31, 2024).
Can
I change my vote or revoke my proxy after submission?
Yes.
Regardless of the method used to cast a vote, if you are a shareholder of record, then you may change your vote or revoke your proxy
by:
● |
Delivering
to us, at any time before the Annual Meeting is called to order, a written notice of revocation addressed to Regional Health Properties,
Inc., 1050 Crown Pointe Parkway, Suite 720, Atlanta, Georgia 30338, Attention: Corporate Secretary; |
|
|
● |
Casting
a new vote over the Internet by visiting the website www.cstproxyvote.com and following the instructions in your proxy card before
the Internet voting deadline of 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time, on January 13, 2025; |
|
|
● |
Completing,
signing and returning a new proxy card with a later date than your original proxy card, if applicable, no later than the time the
Annual Meeting is called to order; or |
|
|
● |
Attending
the Annual Meeting and voting in person. Your attendance alone at the Annual Meeting will not revoke your proxy unless you give written
notice of revocation to the Corporate Secretary of the Company before the Annual Meeting is called to order. |
If
your shares of common stock or Series B Preferred Stock are held in “street name” and you desire to change any voting instructions
you have previously given to the record holder of the shares of which you are the beneficial owner, then you should contact the broker,
bank or other nominee holding your shares in “street name” in order to direct a change in the manner your shares will be
voted.
Who
will count the votes?
A
representative of Continental Stock will act as the inspector of election and count the votes.
What
do I need to do if I want to attend the Annual Meeting?
You
do not need to make a reservation to attend the Annual Meeting. Attendance at the Annual Meeting is limited to shareholders or their
designated representatives. If your shares of common stock or Series B Preferred Stock are held in “street name,” then you
must bring a statement from your bank, broker or other nominee evidencing your beneficial ownership as of the record date to gain admission
to the Annual Meeting. We reserve the right to limit the number of designated representatives who may attend the Annual Meeting.
Is
this Proxy Statement the only way proxies are being solicited?
In
addition to the solicitation of proxies by use of electronic and mail distribution, if deemed advisable, our directors, officers and
employees may solicit proxies personally or by telephone or other means of communication, without being paid additional compensation
for such services. This proxy solicitation is made by the Board, and all costs and expenses incurred in connection with the solicitation
are being borne by the Company. The Company will reimburse banks, brokerage houses and other custodians, nominees and fiduciaries for
their reasonable expense in forwarding our proxy materials to beneficial owners of the common stock and Series B Preferred Stock.
Does
the Company participate in householding?
A
single set of proxy materials, along with individual proxy cards, will be delivered in one envelope to multiple shareholders of record
having the same last name and address, unless contrary instructions have been received from an affected shareholder. This is referred
to as “householding.” We believe this procedure provides greater convenience to our shareholders and saves money by reducing
our printing and mailing costs and fees. If you would like to enroll in this service or receive individual copies of all documents, then
please contact Continental Stock by phone at (212) 509-4000, by e-mail at proxy@continentalstock.com or by mail at the following address:
1 State Street 30th Floor, New York, New York 10004. Alternatively, if you participate in householding and would like to revoke your
consent or otherwise would like to receive separate copies of our proxy materials, then please contact Continental Stock as described
above and we will promptly deliver them to you upon your written or oral request. A number of brokerage firms have instituted householding.
If you are a beneficial holder, then please contact your broker, bank or other nominee to request information about householding.
Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for the 2024 Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be Held on Tuesday, December 31, 2024: Our 2024 proxy materials and the 2023 Annual Report are available free of charge at https://www.cstproxy.com/regionalhealthproperties/2024.
PROPOSAL
1:
ELECTION
OF DIRECTORS
General
Our
Amended and Restated Bylaws, as amended (the “Bylaws”), provide that the number of directors shall be no less than three
and no greater than twelve and may be fixed by resolution of the Board from time to time. Our Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation
(the “Articles”), and Bylaws provide that each director shall be elected at each annual meeting of shareholders and shall
hold office until the next annual meeting of shareholders and until such director’s successor is elected and qualified, or until
such director’s earlier death, resignation or removal. We currently have three directors on the Board, each of whom were elected by the shareholders of the common
stock at the Company’s 2023 Annual Meeting of Shareholders.
Nominees
for Director
The
following directors are standing for re-election, having been elected at the 2023 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, and having been selected
by the Board, upon the recommendation of its Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee (the “Nominating Committee”):
Brent Morrison, Kenneth W. Taylor and David A. Tenwick. In addition, Steven L. Martin is standing for election for the first time since
his prior service on the Board, having been recommended to the Nominating Committee by himself and Mr. Charles L. Frischer and nominated
by the Nominating Committee to stand for election. Mr. Martin previously served on the Board from February 14, 2023 to November 16, 2023.
All nominees have consented to being named in this Proxy Statement and to serve if elected.
Mr.
Martin was recommended to the Board by himself and Mr. Frischer pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Articles. Pursuant to the
Articles, because the Company failed to redeem, repurchase or otherwise acquire 800,000 shares of Series B Preferred Stock as of June
30, 2024, eligible holders of Series B Preferred Stock have the right to nominate a director to the Board pursuant to the terms and conditions
of the Articles. Mr. Martin is the only person with a substantial interest in his nomination to the Board.
If
elected, each director will serve until the 2025 Annual Meeting of Shareholders and until such director’s successor is elected
and qualified, or until such director’s earlier death, resignation or removal. Certain information about
each director nominee’s experience, qualifications and skills are set forth below. The noted age of each director is as of December
1, 2024.
Name |
|
Age |
|
Occupation |
|
Independent |
|
Director
Since |
|
Committee
Memberships |
Steven
L. Martin |
|
67 |
|
Private
Investor |
|
Yes |
|
N/A |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Brent
S. Morrison |
|
48 |
|
Chief
Executive Officer, President and Corporate Secretary of the Company, Chairman of the Board, and Managing Director of Zuma Capital
Management LLC |
|
No |
|
October
2014 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kenneth
W. Taylor*** |
|
64 |
|
Chief
Financial Officer and Chief Operations Officer of Pinnacle X-Ray Solutions Holdings, Inc. |
|
Yes* |
|
February
2018 |
|
Audit**
Compensation
Nominating** |
|
|
|
|
|
|
David
A. Tenwick |
|
87 |
|
Founder
of the Company and independent business consultant |
|
Yes |
|
August
1991 |
|
Audit
Compensation**
Nominating |
* |
Lead
Independent Director |
** |
Committee
Chair |
*** |
Audit
Committee Financial Expert |
For
additional information about the director nominees and their experience, qualifications and skills, see “Board of Directors —
Director Nominees.” For purposes of determining the independence of Mr. Martin, the Board considered the relationships described
under “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—Related Party Transactions.”
Approval
Requirement
Each
director will be elected by a plurality of the votes cast. With respect to Proposal 1(a), the three director nominees receiving the greatest
number of votes cast by the common stock will be elected to the Board. With respect to Proposal 1(b), the director nominee receiving
the greatest number of votes cast by the Series B Preferred Stock will be elected to the Board. Unless otherwise instructed, the Proxy
Holders will vote the proxies held by them “FOR” the election to the Board of the director nominees named above. Subject
to any rights of the holders of the Series B Preferred Stock, if any director nominee is unable to serve, then proxies may be voted for
a substitute nominee selected by the Board. The Board has no reason to believe that any director nominee will not be able to serve if
so elected.
The Board recommends a vote “FOR” the election to the Board of each of the director nominees named above (Proposal 1).
PROPOSAL
2:
RATIFICATION
OF THE APPOINTMENT OF
INDEPENDENT
REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
The
Audit Committee of the Board (the “Audit Committee”) has authority to retain and terminate the Company’s independent
registered public accounting firm. The Audit Committee appointed Cherry Bekaert as our independent registered public accounting firm
to audit our consolidated financial statements for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2024. The Audit Committee considered a number
of factors in determining to appoint Cherry Bekaert as our independent registered public accounting firm, including the firm’s
professional qualifications and resources, past performance, expertise in our industry, tenure and capability in handling the breadth
and complexity of our business.
Although
shareholder ratification of the appointment of Cherry Bekaert is not required, the Audit Committee and the Board are submitting the selection
of Cherry Bekaert for ratification to obtain the view of the shareholders with respect to this matter. If the shareholders do not ratify
the appointment of Cherry Bekaert, then the Audit Committee will evaluate whether to select a different independent auditor.
Representatives
of Cherry Bekaert are expected to be present at the Annual Meeting. The representatives will have an opportunity to make a statement
if they desire to do so and will be available to respond to appropriate shareholder questions.
Approval
Requirement
Approval
of the ratification of the appointment of Cherry Bekaert as our independent registered public accounting firm requires that the votes
cast by shares of common stock entitled to vote favoring Proposal 2 exceed the votes cast by shares of common stock entitled to vote
opposing Proposal 2. Unless otherwise instructed, the Proxy Holders will vote the proxies held by them “FOR” Proposal
2.
The Board recommends a vote “FOR” the ratification of Cherry Bekaert as our independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2024 (Proposal 2).
GOVERNANCE
Board
Structure
Our
Articles and Bylaws provide the Board with flexibility to select the appropriate leadership structure for the Company. The Board does
not have a policy as to whether the roles of Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer should be separate or combined, or whether
the Chairman of the Board should be a management or a non-management director. Currently, Mr. Morrison serves as the Chairman of the
Board.
Mr.
Taylor serves as the Lead Independent Director of the Board (the “Lead Independent Director”). Mr. Michael J. Fox served
as the Lead Independent Director until his resignation effective September 30, 2024. As the primary interface between management and
the Board, the Lead Independent Director serves as a key contact for the independent directors, thereby enhancing the Board’s independence
from management. In addition, the Lead Independent Director provides a valuable counterweight to a combined Chairman and Chief Executive
Officer role, when we have such a dual role as we currently have. The Lead Independent Director’s responsibilities include as applicable,
among other things:
● |
Consulting
with the Chairman of the Board (or the Chief Executive Officer, if there is no Chairman of the Board) regarding the agenda for Board
meetings; |
|
|
● |
Scheduling
and preparing agendas for meetings of non-management directors; |
|
|
● |
Presiding
over meetings of non-management directors and executive sessions of meetings of the Board from which employee directors are excluded;
|
|
|
● |
Acting
as principal liaison between non-management directors and the Chairman of the Board (or the Chief Executive Officer, if there is
no Chairman of the Board) on sensitive issues; and |
|
|
● |
Raising
issues with management on behalf of the non-management directors when appropriate. |
The
Board employs a number of corporate governance measures to provide an appropriate balance between the respective needs for the operational
and strategic leadership provided by management directors, on one hand, and the oversight and objectivity of independent directors, on
the other. These corporate governance measures include having a Lead Independent Director with the responsibilities described above,
having all of our standing Board committees consist entirely of independent directors, and having each independent director serve on
Board committees. Further: (i) all directors play an active role in overseeing the Company’s business both at the Board and committee
levels; (ii) directors have full and free access to members of management; and (iii) each of the Board committees has the authority to
retain independent financial, legal or other experts as it deems necessary. Also, the Lead Independent Director holds separate executive
sessions of non-management directors and independent directors as he deems necessary.
The
Board believes its leadership structure promotes strategy development and is optimal for effective corporate governance.
Independence
of Directors and Director Nominees
The
NYSE American listing standards require that at least a majority of the members of a listed company’s board of directors qualify
as “independent,” as defined under NYSE American rules and as affirmatively determined by the Board. After review of all
the relevant transactions and relationships between each director (and his family members) and the Company, senior management and our
independent registered public accounting firm, the Board affirmatively determined that each of Messrs. Martin, Taylor and Tenwick are
independent within the meaning of applicable NYSE American rules.
For
purposes of determining the independence of Mr. Martin, the Board considered the relationships described under “Certain Relationships
and Related Party Transactions—Related Party Transactions.”
Director
Nomination Process
With
respect to the director nomination process, the Nominating Committee’s responsibilities include reviewing the size and overall
composition of the Board and recommending changes to the Board; identifying and recommending to the Board qualified individuals to become
Board members; making recommendations to the Board with respect to retirement arrangements or policies for Board members; monitoring
and reviewing any issues relating to the independence of directors; considering director candidates recommended by shareholders; assisting
the Board in developing processes and procedures for evaluating Board nominees recommended by shareholders; and recommending to the Board
individuals qualified to fill vacancies.
The
Nominating Committee has not established specific minimum age, education, years of business experience or specific types of skills for
potential director candidates but, in general, expects qualified candidates will have ample experience and a proven record of business
success and leadership. Director candidates will be evaluated based on their financial literacy, business acumen and experience, independence
for purposes of compliance with SEC rules and the NYSE American listing standards and their willingness, ability and availability for
service, as well as other criteria established by the Nominating Committee. The Nominating Committee believes that continuity in leadership
maximizes the Board’s ability to exercise meaningful oversight. Because qualified incumbent directors are generally uniquely positioned
to provide shareholders the benefit of continuity of leadership and seasoned judgment gained through experience as a director, the Nominating
Committee will generally consider as potential candidates those incumbent directors interested in standing for re-election who they believe
have satisfied director performance expectations, including regular attendance at, preparation for and meaningful participation in meetings
of the Board and its committees.
The
Nominating Committee will consider the recommendations of shareholders regarding potential director candidates. Any shareholder who wishes
to have the Nominating Committee consider a candidate for election by the Board is required to give written notice of his or her intention
to make such a nomination. For a description of the procedures required to be followed for a shareholder to nominate a potential director
candidate, see “Additional Information — Procedures for Business Matters and Director Nominations for Consideration at the
2025 Annual Meeting.” A proposed nomination that does not comply with these procedures will not be considered by the Nominating
Committee. There are no differences in the manner in which the Nominating Committee considers or evaluates director candidates it identifies
and director candidates who are recommended by shareholders.
Board
Diversity
The
Nominating Committee has not adopted a formal policy with regard to the consideration of diversity in identifying director nominees.
In determining whether to recommend a director nominee, the members of the Nominating Committee will consider and discuss diversity,
among other factors, with a view toward the role and needs of the Board as a whole. When identifying and recommending director nominees,
the members of the Nominating Committee generally will view diversity expansively to include, without limitation, concepts such as race,
gender, national origin, differences of viewpoint and perspective, professional experience, education, skill and other qualities or attributes
that together contribute to the functioning of the Board. The Nominating Committee believes that the inclusion of diversity as one of
many factors considered in selecting director nominees is consistent with the goal of creating a Board that best serves the needs of
the Company and its shareholders.
Risk
Oversight
The
Board oversees an enterprise-wide approach to risk management, designed to support the achievement of organizational objectives, including
strategic objectives, to improve long-term organizational performance and enhance shareholder value. A fundamental part of risk management
is not only understanding the risks a company faces and what steps management is taking to manage those risks, but also understanding
what level of risk is appropriate for the Company. The involvement of the full Board in setting our business strategy is a key part of
the Board’s risk oversight and method for determining what constitutes an appropriate level of risk for us. Risk is assessed throughout
the business, focusing on three primary areas of risk: financial risk, legal/compliance risk and operational/strategic risk.
While
the Board has the ultimate oversight responsibility for the risk management process, various committees of the Board also have responsibility
for risk management. In particular, the Audit Committee focuses on financial risk, including internal controls, and receives an annual
risk assessment report from an outside consultant. The Nominating Committee’s risk oversight responsibilities include recommending
qualified nominees to be elected to the Board by our shareholders, reviewing and assessing periodically our policies and practices on
corporate governance, and overseeing an annual evaluation of the Board. In addition, in setting compensation, the Compensation Committee
strives to create a combination of short-term and longer-term incentives that encourage a level of risk-taking behavior consistent with
our business strategy.
Code
of Ethics
We
have adopted a written code of conduct, our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, which is applicable to all our directors, officers and
employees (including our principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer or controller, and any
person performing similar functions). Our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics is available in the corporate governance subsection of
the Investor Relations page of our website at www.regionalhealthproperties.com and also may be obtained, without charge, by contacting
the Corporate Secretary, Regional Health Properties, Inc., 1050 Crown Pointe Parkway, Suite 720, Atlanta, Georgia 30338.
Clawback
Policy
We
have adopted a Clawback Policy, which provides for the recoupment of certain incentive compensation pursuant to Section 954 of the Dodd-Frank
Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010, in the manner required by Section 10D of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
as amended (the “Exchange Act”), Rule 10D-1 promulgated thereunder, and Section 811 of the NYSE American Company Guide (collectively,
the “Dodd-Frank Rules”), and is administered by the Compensation Committee. Under this policy, if we are required to restate
our financial statements, we are generally required to recover reasonably promptly from any current or former executive officer any incentive-based
compensation that would not have been paid but for the incorrect financial statements. The recovery requirement applies to incentive-based
compensation received during the three fiscal years preceding the restatement. Incentive-based compensation is any compensation that
is granted, earned or vested, based on the achievement of a financial reporting measure. We filed our Clawback Policy as an exhibit to
our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023.
Insider
Trading Policy and Hedging
We
have adopted an Insider Trading Policy which, among other things, prohibits our officers, directors and employees from trading our securities
on a short-term basis, purchasing our securities on margin, engaging in short sales with respect to our securities, and buying or selling
puts or calls with respect to our securities. We have not otherwise adopted any practices or policies regarding the ability of our officers,
directors and employees to purchase financial instruments (including prepaid variable forward contracts, equity swaps, collars, and exchange
funds), or otherwise engage in transactions, that hedge or offset, or are designed to hedge or offset, any decrease in the market value
of our equity securities.
Communication
with the Board and its Committees
The
Board welcomes communications from shareholders and interested parties. Shareholders and interested parties may send communications to
the Board, any of its committees or one or more individual directors, in care of the Corporate Secretary, Regional Health Properties,
Inc., 1050 Crown Pointe Parkway, Suite 720, Atlanta, Georgia 30338. Any correspondence addressed to the Board, any of its committees
or to any one of our directors in care of our offices will be forwarded to the addressee without review by management.
BOARD
OF DIRECTORS
Directors
and Director Nominees
Set
forth below is, as of the date of this Proxy Statement, certain biographical information for each of our four director nominees, as well
as a description of the experiences, qualifications, attributes or skills that caused the Nominating Committee and the Board to determine
that each individual should serve as a director.
Steven
L. Martin. Mr. Martin, age 67, has been nominated to stand for election as a director for the first time, since his prior service
on the Board from February 14, 2023 to November 16, 2023, at the Annual Meeting. Mr. Martin has worked in the private sector since 2011
managing personal equity/debt accounts and those of friends and family, including public, private and restructurings. Prior to working
in the private sector, Mr. Martin worked for Kings Point Capital Management, LLC, a wealth management firm, from October 2015 to March
2016, as a Managing Partner for Slater Capital Management, LLC, from 1996 to 2010, and as a Partner and Retail/Consumer Analyst for Lafer
Equity Partners from 1994 to 1996. Mr. Martin is a seasoned investment professional with more than 30 years of experience, primarily
in equities, both public and private. Mr. Martin also serves as a board member and Treasurer of a New York City cooperative. Mr. Martin’s
expertise and background in the financial markets will provide experience that the Board considers valuable.
Brent
S. Morrison. Mr. Morrison, age 48, has served as the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and President since March 2019, Corporate
Secretary since December 2022, a director since October 2014 and Chairman of the Board since January 2023. He also served as the Company’s
Interim Chief Executive Officer and Interim President from October 2017 to March 2019. Mr. Morrison is currently the Managing Director
of Zuma Capital Management LLC, a position he has held since 2012. Prior thereto, Mr. Morrison was a Research Analyst for Wells Fargo
Advisors from 2012 to 2013, the Senior Research Analyst at the Strome Group, a private investment firm, from 2009 to 2012, a Research
Analyst at Clocktower Capital, LLC, a global long/short equity hedge fund based in Beverly Hills, California, from 2007 to 2009 and a
Vice President of Wilshire Associates, a financial consulting firm, from 1999 to 2007. Mr. Morrison also served on the board of directors
of iPass Inc., which provides global enterprises and telecommunications carriers with cloud-based mobility management and Wi-Fi connectivity
services, from May 2015 to June 2016. Mr. Morrison’s expertise and background in the long-term care industry as well as capital
markets provide experience that the Board considers valuable.
Kenneth
W. Taylor. Mr. Taylor, age 64, has served as a director since February 2018. Since February 2023 to present, Mr. Taylor has served
as the Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operations Officer of Pinnacle X-Ray Solutions Holding, Inc., an Altus Capital Partners portfolio
company and a leading manufacturer of industrial x-ray systems. Prior to that, Mr. Taylor was the Chief Financial Officer of Construction
Forms Inc., an H.I.G. Capital portfolio company and a leading supplier of concrete pumping and industrial processing, from February 2022
to February 2023. From March 2019 to January 2022, Mr. Taylor served as the Chief Financial Officer of H-E Parts International, a division
of Hitachi Ltd and a leading supplier of parts, re-manufactured components and equipment to the global mining, heavy construction and
energy industries. Previously, Mr. Taylor served as Chief Operations Officer and Chief Financial Officer for Cellairis, a leading supplier
of mobile device accessories and repair services through 500 domestic and international franchisee operated company-leased stores from
June 2012. In addition, Mr. Taylor served as Chief Operation Officer and Chief Financial Officer, for Anisa International, Inc., a leading
manufacturer of cosmetic brushes, from 2009 to 2012, as Chief Financial Officer for InComm Holdings, Inc., a leading supplier of prepaid
and gift cards products and networks, from 2004 to 2009, as Chief Financial Officer for The Edge Flooring, a private equity-backed flooring
startup manufacturer, from 2003 to 2004, Chief Financial Officer for Numerex Corporation, a leading supplier of IoT products and gateways,
from 2002 to 2003, as Chief Financial Officer for Rodenstock NA, Inc., a startup ophthalmic lens manufacturer, from 2001 to 2002, as
Corporate Controller for Scientific Games Corporation, a leading supplier of products and services to the global lottery industry, from
1987 to 2000. Since 2010, Mr. Taylor has also served as a director for Thanks Again, LLC, a leading supplier of loyalty and consumer
engagement services to global airports. Mr. Taylor’s business and principal financial officer experience provide experience that
the Board considers valuable.
David
A. Tenwick. Mr. Tenwick, age 87, is our founder and has served as a director since our organization was founded in August 1991. Mr.
Tenwick also served as Chairman of the Board from our founding until March 2015 and as the Company’s Interim Chief Executive Officer
and President from June 1, 2014 to November 1, 2014. Prior to our founding, Mr. Tenwick was an independent business consultant from 1982
to 1990. In this capacity, he has served as a director and an officer of several businesses, including Douglass Financial Corporation,
a surety company, and AmeriCare Health & Retirement, Inc., a long-term care management company. From 1967 until 1982, Mr. Tenwick
was a director and an officer of Nucorp Energy, Inc., a company which he co-founded. Nucorp Energy was a public company that invested
in oil and gas properties and commercial and residential real estate. Prior to founding Nucorp Energy, Mr. Tenwick was an enforcement
attorney for the SEC. Mr. Tenwick is a member of the Ohio State Bar Association and was a founding member of the Ohio Assisted Living
Association, an association that promotes high quality assisted living throughout the State of Ohio. Mr. Tenwick’s tenure with
the Company and legal and business background provide experience that the Board considers valuable.
Committees
of the Board
The
Board has three standing committees that assist it in carrying out its duties — the Audit Committee, the Compensation Committee
and the Nominating Committee.
Each
member of the Audit Committee, the Compensation Committee and the Nominating Committee is independent under the listing standards of
the NYSE American. The charters of the Audit Committee, the Compensation Committee and the Nominating Committee are available on the
Investor Relations page of our website at www.regionalhealthproperties.com and may also be obtained, without charge, by
contacting the Corporate Secretary, Regional Health Properties, Inc., 1050 Crown Pointe Parkway, Suite 720, Atlanta, Georgia 30338. The
following chart shows the membership of our standing committees, as of the date of this Proxy Statement.
Name |
|
Audit
Committee |
|
Compensation
Committee |
|
Nominating
Committee |
Steven
L. Martin |
|
— |
|
— |
|
— |
Brent
S. Morrison |
|
— |
|
— |
|
— |
Kenneth
W. Taylor |
|
Chair |
|
√ |
|
Chair |
David
A. Tenwick |
|
√ |
|
Chair |
|
√ |
Audit
Committee. The Audit Committee was established in accordance with Section 3(e)(58)(A) of the Exchange Act. The Audit Committee has
the responsibility of reviewing our financial statements, evaluating internal accounting controls, reviewing reports of regulatory authorities
and determining that all audits and examinations required by law are performed. The Audit Committee also approves the appointment of
the independent auditors for the next fiscal year, approves the services to be provided by the independent auditors and the fees for
such services, reviews and approves the auditor’s audit plans, reviews and reports upon various matters affecting the independence
of the independent auditors and reviews with the independent auditors the results of the audit and management’s responses. The
Board has determined that Mr. Taylor qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert” as that term is defined in Item 407(d)(5)
of Regulation S-K of the Exchange Act, and that he is independent for purposes of the NYSE American rules with respect to audit committee
members.
Compensation
Committee. The Compensation Committee is responsible for establishing our compensation plans. The Compensation Committee’s
duties include the development with management of benefit plans for our employees and the formulation of bonus plans and incentive compensation
packages. The Compensation Committee approves the compensation of each senior executive and recommends to the Board the compensation
arrangements of each member of the Board. In approving the compensation of each senior executive (other than the Chief Executive Officer),
the Compensation Committee may consider recommendations made by the Chief Executive Officer. The Compensation Committee is also charged
with the oversight of compensation plans and practices for all employees of the Company. The Compensation Committee relies upon data
made available for the purpose of providing information on organizations of similar or larger scale engaged in similar activities. The
purpose of the Compensation Committee’s activity is to assure that our resources are used appropriately to recruit and maintain
competent and talented executives and employees able to operate and grow the Company successfully.
Nominating
Committee. The Nominating Committee is responsible for evaluating and recommending to the Board qualified nominees for election as
directors and qualified directors for committee membership, establishing evaluation procedures and conducting an annual evaluation of
the performance of the Board, developing corporate governance principles, recommending those principles to the Board and considering
other matters pertaining to the size and composition of the Board.
Director
Attendance at Board, Committee and Annual Shareholder Meetings
During
2023, the Board held three meetings, the Audit Committee held four meetings, the Compensation Committee held one meeting and the Nominating
Committee held one meeting. During 2023, each incumbent director attended at least 75% of the aggregate number of meetings held by the
Board and by each of the committees on which he served during 2023. In addition, one of the six directors serving at that time attended
the Company’s 2023 Annual Meeting of Shareholders (the “2023 Annual Meeting”) in-person and two attended via phone.
Directors are expected to make reasonable efforts to attend the Company’s annual meeting of shareholders.
DIRECTOR
COMPENSATION
Director
Compensation and Reimbursement Arrangements
On
January 31, 2023, the Compensation Committee approved and, on February 8, 2023, the Board approved the Company’s director compensation
plan for the year ended December 31, 2023. Pursuant to this plan, 2023 director fees for all directors (excluding Mr. Morrison), were
set at $49,500 payable in cash in monthly payments of $4,125. The Lead Independent Director earns an extra $1,000 per month or $12,000
per year.
In
addition, each director (excluding Mr. Morrison) also received a payment of $1,000 in cash for each in-person Board meeting attended
during the year ended December 31, 2023. Directors are also reimbursed for travel and other out-of-pocket expenses in connection with
their duties as directors.
As
of the date of this filing, there have been no changes in the director compensation plan during 2024.
Director
Compensation Table
The
following table sets forth information regarding compensation paid to our non-employee directors for the year ended December 31, 2023.
Directors who are employed by us do not receive any compensation for their activities related to serving on the Board.
Name | |
Fees earned or paid in cash | | |
Stock awards | | |
All other compensation | | |
Total | |
Michael J. Fox(1) | |
$ | 61,500 | | |
| — | | |
| — | | |
$ | 61,500 | |
Kenneth S. Grossman(2) | |
$ | 37,294 | | |
| — | | |
| — | | |
$ | 37,294 | |
Steve L. Martin(2) | |
$ | 37,294 | | |
| — | | |
| — | | |
$ | 37,294 | |
Kenneth W. Taylor | |
$ | 49,500 | | |
| — | | |
| — | | |
$ | 49,500 | |
David A. Tenwick | |
$ | 49,500 | | |
| — | | |
| — | | |
$ | 49,500 | |
(1) |
Includes
Lead Independent Director compensation. Mr. Fox resigned effective September 30, 2024. |
|
|
(2) |
Messrs.
Grossman and Martin did not stand for re-election at the 2023 Annual Meeting held on November 16, 2023. |
The
number of outstanding exercisable and unexercisable options and warrants, and the number of shares of unvested restricted stock, held
by each of our non-employee directors as of December 31, 2023, are shown below:
| |
As of December 31, 2023 | |
| |
Number of Shares Subject to Outstanding Options or Warrants | | |
Number of Shares of Unvested Restricted | |
Director | |
Exercisable | | |
Unexercisable | | |
Stock | |
Michael J. Fox(1) | |
| 4,323 | | |
| — | | |
| — | |
Kenneth W. Taylor | |
| — | | |
| — | | |
| — | |
David A. Tenwick | |
| — | | |
| — | | |
| — | |
(1) |
Represents
an option to purchase 4,323 shares of common stock, with an expiration date of December 17, 2024, at an exercise price of $46.80
per share. |
EXECUTIVE
COMPENSATION
Executive
Officers
The
following table sets forth certain information with respect to our current executive officers as of December 1, 2024. Our executive officers
serve at the discretion of the Board, subject to applicable employment arrangements. See “Executive Compensation — Compensation
Arrangements with Executive Officers.”
Name |
|
Age |
|
Position |
Brent
S. Morrison |
|
48 |
|
Chief
Executive Officer, President, Corporate Secretary and Chairman of the Board |
Paul
J. O’Sullivan |
|
46 |
|
Senior
Vice President |
Heather
L. Pittard |
|
49 |
|
Chief
Accounting Officer |
For
biographical information for Mr. Morrison, see “Board of Directors —Directors and Director Nominees.”
Paul
J. O’Sullivan. Mr. O’Sullivan, age 46, has served as Senior Vice President of the Company since January 2023. He served
as Vice President of the Company from December 2020 to January 2023. Prior thereto, Mr. O’Sullivan was Vice President of Asset
Management for Formation Development Group, LLC, a private equity real estate development firm that specializes in senior housing development
from February 2017 to June 2020. Prior to that, Mr. O’Sullivan was a Financial Analyst for CSG Advisors, a municipal bond advisory
firm, from 2014 to February 2017, and an Asset Manager for Formation Capital, a private equity firm focused on senior housing investments,
from 2008 to 2014. From 2001 to 2007, Mr. O’Sullivan held accounting positions with Jameson Inns, Home Depot, Aelera, and Spherion.
Heather
L. Pittard. Ms. Pittard age 49, has served as the Company’s Chief Accounting Officer since joining the Company on April 15,
2024. In this position, Ms. Pittard serves as the Company’s principal accounting officer. Prior to that, Ms. Pittard served as
a consultant from May 2019 to April 2024 providing manager-level accounting assistance to a variety of companies. From 2013 to 2019,
Ms. Pittard served as the Chief Accounting Officer and Controller at Presidio Property Trust, Inc., a real estate investment trust. From
2000 to 2009, Ms. Pittard served as Audit Manager for PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an accounting firm. Ms. Pittard is a graduate of the
University of Colorado at Boulder, where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Finance, as well as a Master’s
degree in Accounting.
Executive
Compensation Tables
Summary
Compensation Table. The following table sets forth the compensation paid to, earned by or accrued for our named executive officers:
Name and Principal Position* | |
Year | | |
Salary ($) | | |
Bonus ($) | | |
Stock Awards ($) | | |
Option Awards ($) | | |
Total ($) | |
Brent S. Morrison*** | |
| 2023 | | |
| 220,000 | | |
| — | | |
| — | | |
| 71,802 | (1) | |
| 291,802 | |
Chief Executive Officer, President, Corporate Secretary and Chairman (principal executive officer) | |
| 2022 | | |
| 220,000 | | |
| 150,000 | | |
| 108,240 | (2) | |
| — | | |
| 478,240 | |
Paul J. O’Sullivan** | |
| 2023 | | |
| 150,000 | | |
| — | | |
| 86,640 | (3) | |
| — | | |
| 236,640 | |
Senior Vice President | |
| 2022 | | |
| 150,000 | | |
| — | | |
| — | | |
| — | | |
| 150,000 | |
(principal financial officer)
(former principal accounting officer) | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | |
* |
Ms.
Pittard joined the Company, and commenced serving as the Company’s Chief Accounting Officer (and principal accounting officer),
on April 15, 2024. As a result, Ms. Pittard did not receive compensation for calendar years 2023 and 2022. |
|
|
** |
Mr.
Morrison, a director of the Company since October 2014, commenced serving as the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and President
(and principal executive officer) on March 25, 2019 (when he became an employee of the Company) and commenced serving as the Corporate
Secretary on December 30, 2022. Mr. Morrison previously served as the Company’s Interim Chief Executive Officer and Interim
President (and principal executive officer) from October 18, 2017 until March 24, 2019 (during which time he was a non-employee,
independent contractor to the Company). |
|
|
*** |
Mr.
O’Sullivan commenced serving as the Company’s principal financial officer on May 26, 2022 and commenced serving as the
Company’s Senior Vice President in January 2023. Mr. O’Sullivan served as the Company’s principal financial officer
from May 26, 2022 to April 15, 2024. |
(1) |
Represents
compensation paid to Mr. Morrison as an employee for the year ended December 31, 2023, in the form of a stock option grant of 24,000
shares of common stock, with a grant price of $3.32 per share, which vested immediately upon the grant date. The grant date fair
value was computed in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board, or FASB, Accounting Standards Codification, or ASC, Topic
718. See Note 11 to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023 for a discussion of the relevant assumptions
used to calculate the fair value pursuant to FASB ASC Topic 718. In addition, see “Compensation Arrangements with Executive
Officers” below. |
|
|
(2) |
Represents
compensation paid to Mr. Morrison as an employee for the year ended December 31, 2022, in the form of a restricted stock grant of
24,000 shares of common stock, with a grant price of $4.51 per share, which vests as to one half of the shares on January 1, 2023
and January 1, 2024. See “Compensation Arrangements with Executive Officers” below. |
|
|
(3) |
Represents
compensation paid to Mr. O’Sullivan as an employee for the year ended December 31, 2023, in the form of a restricted stock
grant of 24,000 shares of common stock, with a grant price of $3.61 per share, which vests as to one-third of the shares on January
20, 2024, January 20, 2025 and January 20, 2026. |
Outstanding
Equity Awards at Fiscal Year-End Table. The table below sets forth information regarding the outstanding equity awards held by our
named executive officers as of December 31, 2023:
| |
| |
OPTION AWARDS | | |
STOCK AWARDS | |
Name | |
Grant Date | |
Number of Securities Underlying Unexercised Options (#) Exercisable | | |
Number of Securities Underlying Unexercised Options (#) Unexercisable | | |
Option Exercise Price | | |
Option Expiration Date | | |
Equity Incentive Plan Award: Total Number of Unearned Shares, Units or Other Rights that have Not Vested | | |
Equity Incentive Plan Award: Market or Payout Value of Unearned Shares, Units or Other Rights that have Not Vested(7) | |
Brent S. Morrison | |
12/17/14 | |
| 4,323 | (1) | |
| — | | |
$ | 46.80 | | |
| 12/17/24 | | |
| — | | |
$ | — | |
| |
07/01/21 | |
| — | | |
| — | | |
$ | — | | |
| — | | |
| 8,000 | (2) | |
$ | 16,230 | |
| |
01/01/22 | |
| — | | |
| — | | |
$ | — | | |
| — | | |
| 12,000 | (3) | |
$ | 24,344 | |
| |
01/01/23 | |
| 24,000 | | |
| — | | |
$ | 3.32 | | |
| 01/01/33 | | |
| — | (4) | |
$ | — | |
Paul J. O’Sullivan | |
06/10/21 | |
| — | | |
| — | | |
$ | — | | |
| — | | |
| 5,000 | (5) | |
$ | 10,144 | |
| |
01/20/23 | |
| — | | |
| — | | |
$ | — | | |
| — | | |
| 24,000 | (6) | |
$ | 48,689 | |
(1) |
This
stock option award vested in three substantially equal installments on December 17, 2015, December 17, 2016 and December 17, 2017. |
|
|
(2) |
Represents
the remaining unvested restricted stock award portion that vests on January 1, 2024. |
|
|
(3) |
Represents
the remaining unvested restricted stock award portion that vests on January 1, 2024. |
|
|
(4) |
This
stock option award vested immediately upon the grant date. |
|
|
(5) |
Represents
the remaining unvested restricted stock award portion that vests on January 1, 2024. |
|
|
(6) |
This
restricted stock grant vests as to one-third of the shares on January 20, 2024, January 20, 2025 and January 20, 2026. |
|
|
(7) |
The
dollar amounts are determined by multiplying the number of RSAs by $2.0287, the closing price of the Company’s common stock
on December 29, 2023, the last trading day of the Company’s fiscal year. |
Pay
Versus Performance
Overview
As
required by Section 953(a) of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and Item 402(v) of Regulation S-K, we are
providing the following information about the relationships between executive compensation actually paid and certain measures of financial
performance of the Company.
The
Compensation Committee did not use the information displayed in the tables below, including the calculation of compensation actually
paid, as a basis for making compensation decisions.
Pay
Versus Performance Table
The
table below sets forth additional compensation information for our named executive officers (“NEOs”), calculated in accordance
with SEC regulations, for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022.
Year | |
Summary Compensation Table Total for
PEO(1) | | |
Compensation Actually Paid to
PEO(2) | | |
Average Summary Compensation Table Total for Non-PEO NEOs(3)(4) | | |
Average Compensation Actually Paid to Non-PEO NEOs(2)(3) | | |
Value of Initial Fixed $100 Investment Based on Total Shareholder Return(5) | | |
Net Loss(6) | |
| |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| |
2023 | |
$ | 291,802 | | |
$ | 265,976 | | |
$ | 236,640 | | |
$ | 161,241 | | |
$ | 44.99 | | |
$ | (1,182,000, | ) |
2022 | |
$ | 478,240 | | |
$ | 430,640 | | |
$ | 134,395 | | |
$ | 117,555 | | |
$ | 73.61 | | |
$ | (6,867,000 | ) |
(1) |
Represents
the “Total” compensation for our principal executive officer (“PEO”), Mr. Morrison, as set forth in “Executive
Compensation — Executive Compensation Tables — Summary of Executive Compensation Table.” |
|
|
(2) |
Compensation
actually paid to our PEO and the average of all non-PEO NEOs is calculated in accordance with Item 402(v) of Regulation S-K. The
dollar amounts do not reflect the actual amount of compensation earned by or paid to our PEO and our non-PEO NEOs during the applicable
year. In accordance with the requirements of Item 402(v) of Regulation S-K, the following adjustments were made to total compensation
for each year to determine the compensation actually paid: |
Compensation
Actually Paid to PEO
Year | |
Reported Summary Compensation Table Total for PEO | | |
Less: Reported Value of Stock and/or Option Awards | | |
Plus: Year End Fair Value of Equity Awards Granted and Unvested During Applicable Year | | |
Plus: Change in Fair Value as of Year End of Any Prior Year Awards that Remain Unvested as of Year End | | |
Add: Awards that are Granted and Vest in the Same Year, the Fair Value as of the Vesting Date | | |
Compensation Actually Paid to PEO | |
| |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| |
2023 | |
$ | 291,802 | | |
$ | (71,802 | ) | |
$ | — | | |
$ | (25,826 | ) | |
$ | 71,802 | | |
$ | 265,976 | |
| |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | |
2022 | |
$ | 478,240 | | |
$ | (108,240 | ) | |
$ | 79,680 | | |
$ | (19,040 | ) | |
$ | — | | |
$ | 430,640 | |
Average
Compensation Actually Paid to Non-PEO NEOs
Year | |
Reported Summary Compensation Table Total for Non-PEO NEOs | | |
Less: Reported Value of Stock and/or Option Awards | | |
Plus: Year End Fair Value of Equity Awards Granted and Unvested During Applicable Year | | |
Plus: Change in Fair Value as of Year End of Any Prior Year Awards that Remain Unvested as of Year End | | |
Less: Fair Value as of Prior Fiscal Year End of Awards Granted in Prior Fiscal Years that Failed to Meet Applicable Vesting Conditions During Fiscal Year | | |
Compensation Actually Paid to Non-PEO NEOs | |
| |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| |
2023 | |
$ | 236,640 | | |
$ | (86,640 | ) | |
$ | 48,689 | | |
$ | (37,448 | ) | |
$ | — | | |
$ | 161,241 | |
| |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | |
2022 | |
$ | 134,395 | | |
$ | — | | |
$ | — | | |
$ | (9,520 | ) | |
$ | (7,320 | ) | |
$ | 117,555 | |
(3) |
For
2023, our non-PEO NEO was Mr. O’Sullivan. For 2022, our non-PEO NEOs were Messrs. O’Sullivan and Waites. |
|
|
(4) |
Represents
the average total compensation for our non-PEO NEOs, derived from the “Total” as set forth in “Executive Compensation
— Executive Compensation Tables — Summary of Executive Compensation Table.” Mr. Waites 2022 reported summary
compensation table information may be found in the Company’s 2023 Proxy Statement filed with the SEC on October 4, 2023 (the
“2023 Proxy Statement”). |
|
|
(5) |
For
the relevant fiscal year, represents the cumulative total shareholder return (“TSR”) of the Company through December
31 of the applicable fiscal year, assuming $100 was invested on December 31, 2021. |
|
|
(6) |
Reflects
Net Loss in the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Operations included in the Company’s Annual Reports on Form 10-K
for each of the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022. |
Relationship
Between Compensation Actually Paid and Financial Measures
Compensation
Arrangements with Executive Officers
Mr.
Morrison. Mr. Morrison, a director of the Company since October 2014, commenced serving as the Company’s Chief Executive Officer
and President (and principal executive officer) on March 25, 2019 and Corporate Secretary on December 30, 2022, and served as Interim
Chief Executive Officer and Interim President (and principal executive officer) from October 18, 2017 to March 24, 2019.
On
July 1, 2021, the Company entered into an employment agreement with Brent Morrison (the “Morrison Employment Agreement”),
pursuant to which, among other things: (i) the Company agreed to pay Mr. Morrison $220,000 per year, subject to increase by the Compensation
Committee; (ii) Mr. Morrison is eligible to earn an annual bonus based on achievement of performance goals established by the Compensation
Committee of up to 125% of his base salary; and (iii) the Company provides Mr. Morrison with such other benefits as other senior executives
of the Company receive. Pursuant to the Morrison Employment Agreement, the Company agreed to employ Mr. Morrison for an initial term
of three years.
Pursuant
to the Morrison Employment Agreement, the Company granted to Mr. Morrison, subject to the Regional Health Properties, Inc. 2020 Equity
Incentive Plan (the “2020 Plan”) or the Regional Health Properties, Inc. 2023 Omnibus Incentive Compensation Plan (the “2023
Plan”), as applicable: (i) on July 1, 2021, a restricted stock award of 24,000 shares of common stock, which vests in three equal
installments on January 1, 2022, January 1, 2023 and January 1, 2024; (ii) on January 1, 2022, a restricted stock award of 24,000 shares
of common stock, which vests in two equal installments on January 1, 2023 and January 1, 2024; (iii) on January 1, 2023, an option to
purchase 24,000 shares of common stock, which vested immediately on the grant date; and (iv) on January 1, 2024, an option to purchase
24,000 shares of common stock, of which 11,250 shares underlying this stock option vested immediately on the grant date and the remaining
12,750 shares underlying the stock option will vest on January 1, 2025.. The exercise price per share for the common stock subject to
each option shall equal the Fair Market Value (as defined in the 2020 Plan or the 2023 Plan, as applicable) of a share of common stock
on the respective dates of grant, unless the 2020 Plan or the 2023 Plan, as applicable, requires a higher exercise price.
Pursuant
to the Morrison Employment Agreement, upon termination of Mr. Morrison’s employment for any reason, the Company will pay Mr. Morrison:
(i) unpaid salary earned through his termination date; (ii) any vacation time earned but not used as of his termination date in accordance
with the Company’s policies as then in effect; (iii) reimbursement, in accordance with the Company’s policies and procedures,
for business expenses incurred but not yet paid as of his termination date; (iv) except in the case of termination for cause, any annual
bonus for any completed fiscal year to the extent not yet paid and earned; and (v) all other payments, benefits or fringe benefits to
which he is entitled under the terms of the applicable arrangements and/or under applicable law (all of the foregoing clauses (i) through
(v), the “Accrued Obligations”). If Mr. Morrison is terminated for cause, then the awards that were granted to but not yet
vested or exercisable as of his termination date will be automatically forfeited.
If
Mr. Morrison is terminated without cause, then (i) Mr. Morrison will be entitled to (a) the Accrued Obligations and (b) a severance payment
equal to six months salary plus a bonus of 100% of Mr. Morrison’s salary for any completed fiscal year to the extent earned but
not paid, (ii) to the extent Mr. Morrison participates in Company health programs, the Company will pay Mr. Morrison an amount in cash,
on a monthly basis, equal to the Company’s portion of the premiums for Mr. Morrison’s health plan benefits for Mr. Morrison
and any eligible dependents for a period of 12 months from his termination date, and (iii) equity awards shall automatically accelerate
and become fully vested and exercisable as of his termination date. If Mr. Morrison is terminated without cause within one year following
a change in control, the severance will be increased from six months salary to twelve months salary.
Mr.
O’Sullivan. Mr. O’Sullivan commenced serving as the Company’s principal financial officer on May 26, 2022 and commenced
serving as the Company’s Senior Vice President in January 2023. Mr. O’Sullivan served previously as the Company’s principal
accounting officer from May 26, 2022 to April 15, 2024. We have not entered into an employment agreement with Mr. O’Sullivan. As
compensation for his service as Senior Vice President, Mr. O’Sullivan is paid an annual salary in the amount of $150,000 and is
eligible for benefits customarily available to the Company’s employees.
Ms.
Pittard. Ms. Pittard commenced serving as the Company’s Chief Accounting Officer and principal accounting officer on April
15, 2024. We have not entered into an employment agreement with Ms. Pittard. As compensation for her service as Chief Accounting Officer,
Ms. Pittard is paid an annual base salary of $180,000 and is eligible for benefits customarily available to the Company’s employees.
Equity
Compensation Plan Information
The
Board believes that stock-based incentive awards can play an important role in our success by encouraging and enabling our employees,
directors and consultants upon whose judgment, initiative and efforts we largely depend for the successful conduct of our business to
acquire a proprietary interest in us. The Board believes that providing such persons with a direct stake in us assures a closer identification
of the interests of such individuals with ours and our shareholders, thereby stimulating their efforts on our behalf and strengthening
their desire to remain with us.
On
September 21, 2023, the Board adopted, subject to shareholder approval, the 2023 Plan. On November 16, 2023, at the Company’s 2023
Annual Meeting of Shareholders, the Company’s shareholders approved the 2023 Plan. The 2023 Plan is designed to enhance the flexibility
to grant equity awards to our employees, consultants and non-employee directors and to ensure that we can continue to grant equity awards
to eligible recipients at levels determined to be appropriate by the Compensation Committee.
A
description of the material terms of the 2023 Plan is set forth under “Proposal 2: Approval of the Regional Health Properties,
Inc. 2023 Omnibus Incentive Compensation Plan” in the 2023 Proxy Statement, which description is incorporated herein by reference.
The
following table sets forth additional information as of December 31, 2023, with respect to shares of the common stock that may be issued
upon the exercise of options and other rights under our existing equity compensation plans and arrangements, divided between plans approved
by our shareholders and plans or arrangements not submitted to the shareholders for approval. The information includes the number of
shares covered by and the weighted average exercise price of outstanding options and warrants and the number of shares remaining available
for future grants, excluding the shares to be issued upon exercise of outstanding options, warrants, and other rights.
Plan Category | |
Number of Securities to be Issued Upon Exercise of Outstanding Options, Warrants | | |
Weighted -Average Exercise Price of Outstanding Options, Warrants | | |
Number of Securities Remaining Available for Future Issuance Under Equity Compensation Plans (Excluding Securities Reflected in
Column(1)) | |
Equity compensation plans approved by security holders | |
| 32,646 | (2) | |
$ | 14.84 | | |
| 225,000 | |
Equity compensation plans not approved by security holders | |
| 31,945 | (3) | |
$ | 52.50 | | |
| — | |
Total | |
| 64,591 | | |
$ | 33.47 | | |
| 225,000 | |
(1)
Represents shares available for future issuance under the 2023 Plan, which was approved by the Company’s shareholders on
November 16, 2023 at the 2023 Annual Meeting of Shareholders of the Company.
(2)
Represents options issued pursuant to the Company’s 2011 Stock Incentive Plan and the Company’s 2020 Plan, which were
approved by our shareholders.
(3)
Represents warrants issued outside of our shareholder approved plan as described below.
● |
On
October 10, 2014, we issued to William McBride III, as an inducement to become our Chief Executive Officer, a ten-year warrant to
purchase 25,000 shares of common stock, of which 8,333 shares were forfeited on April 17, 2017 upon his separation from the Company,
at an exercise price per share of $53.88. The balance of such warrant is fully vested and may be exercised for cash or on a cashless
basis. |
|
|
● |
On
April 1, 2015, we issued to Allan J. Rimland, as an incentive to become our then President and Chief Financial Officer, a ten-year
warrant to purchase 22,917 shares of common stock, of which 7,639 shares were forfeited on October 17, 2017 upon his resignation
from the Company, at an exercise price per share equal to $51.00. The balance of such warrant is fully vested and may be exercised
for cash or on a cashless exercise basis. |
Retirement
Programs
The
Company does not provide any retirement plans or programs.
AUDIT
COMMITTEE MATTERS
Audit
Committee Report
The
Audit Committee reports as follows with respect to the audit of the Company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended
December 31, 2023:
The
Audit Committee’s responsibility is to monitor and oversee the Company’s financial reporting, internal controls and audit
functions, and it operates under a written charter adopted by the Board. The Audit Committee reviewed and discussed the consolidated
financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2023, with management and Cherry Bekaert, the Company’s independent registered
public accounting firm. Management is responsible for the presentation and integrity of the Company’s consolidated financial statements;
selecting accounting and financial reporting principles; establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined
in Rule 13a-15(e) under the Exchange Act); establishing and maintaining internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule
13a-15(f) under the Exchange Act); evaluating the effectiveness of disclosure controls and procedures; evaluating the effectiveness of
internal control over financial reporting for the year ended December 31, 2023; and evaluating any change in internal control over financial
reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, internal control over financial reporting.
Cherry
Bekaert was responsible for performing an independent audit of the consolidated financial statements and expressing an opinion on the
conformity of those financial statements with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. The Audit Committee reviewed Cherry Bekaert’s
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm included in the 2023 Annual Report related to Cherry Bekaert’s audit of
the consolidated financial statements of the Company for the year ended December 31, 2023.
The
Audit Committee has discussed with Cherry Bekaert the matters required to be discussed by the applicable requirements of the Public Company
Accounting Oversight Board (“PCAOB”). In addition, Cherry Bekaert has provided the Audit Committee with the written
disclosures and the letter required by the applicable requirements of the PCAOB regarding the independent registered public accounting
firm’s communications with the Audit Committee concerning independence and the Audit Committee has discussed with Cherry Bekaert
the firm’s independence.
Based
on the foregoing discussions with and reports of management and the independent registered accounting firm of the Company and the Audit
Committee’s review of the representations of management, the Audit Committee recommended to the Board that the audited consolidated
financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2023, be included in the 2023 Annual Report for filing with the SEC.
Submitted by the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors,
Kenneth W. Taylor, Chair David A. Tenwick
Fees
and Services of Our Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
Pursuant
to appointment by the Audit Committee, Cherry Bekaert has audited the financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries for the
years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022.
The
following table sets forth the aggregate fees that Cherry Bekaert billed to the Company for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022.
All of the fees were approved by the Audit Committee in accordance with its policies and procedures.
| |
December 31, | |
(Amounts in 000’s) | |
2023 | | |
2022 | |
Audit fees (total)(1) | |
$ | 244 | | |
$ | 232 | |
Audit-related fees (total)(2) | |
| 51 | | |
| 70 | |
Tax fees | |
| — | | |
| — | |
All other fees | |
| — | | |
| — | |
| |
| | | |
| | |
Total fees | |
$ | 295 | | |
$ | 302 | |
(1) |
Audit
fees include fees associated with professional services rendered for the audit of the Company’s annual financial statements
and review of financial statements included in the Company’s quarterly reports on Form 10-Q during the twelve months ended
December 31, 2023 and 2022. |
|
|
(2) |
Audit-related
fees include fees for additional services related to acquisitions, registration statements and other regulatory filings. |
Pre-Approval
Policy
The
Audit Committee is required to pre-approve all auditing services and permitted non-audit services (including the fees and terms thereof)
to be performed by our independent registered public accounting firm, subject to the de minimis exceptions for non-audit services
described in Section 10A(i)(1)(B) of the Exchange Act that are approved by the Audit Committee prior to completion of the audit.
CERTAIN
RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
Related
Party Transactions
Mr.
Martin is affiliated with holders of the Company’s Series B Preferred Stock. The Board, upon the recommendation of the Nominating
Committee, nominated Mr. Martin, who was a director nominee recommended by certain of the holders of the Series B Preferred Stock, to
stand for election at the Annual Meeting. Mr. Martin was previously elected to the Board at the 2022 Annual Meeting of Shareholders held
on February 14, 2023 and served on the Board until November 16, 2023, at which time he did not stand for re-election at the Company’s
2023 Annual Meeting of Shareholders. The Company previously negotiated with certain of the holders of the Series A Preferred Stock, including
affiliates of Mr. Martin, the terms of the Company’s exchange offer that closed on June 30, 2023.
Mr. Morrison owns $70,000 aggregate
principal amount of the City of Springfield Ohio, First Mortgage Revenue Bonds (Eaglewood Property Holdings, LLC Project) Series 2012A
(the “Series 2012A Bonds”) personally and $140,000 aggregate principal amount of the Series 2012A Bonds through the ZCM Opportunities
Fund, LP, a private fund over which Mr. Morrison exercises discretion. The 2012A Bonds are secured by the Eaglewood Village facility.
Approval
of Related Party Transactions
The
foregoing transaction was approved by the independent members of the Board without the related party having input with respect to the
discussion of such approval. In addition, the Board believes that the foregoing transaction was necessary for the Company’s business
and is on terms no less favorable to the Company than could be obtained from independent third parties. The Company’s policy requiring
that independent directors approve any related party transaction is not documented in writing but has been the Company’s consistent
practice.
STOCK
OWNERSHIP
Common
Stock Beneficial Ownership Table
The
following table furnishes information, as of the record date, as to shares of the common stock beneficially owned by: (i) each person
or entity known to us to be the beneficial owner of more than 5% of the common stock; (ii) each of our director nominees, directors and
our named executive officers; and (iii) our directors and executive officers as a group. As of the record date, there were 1,879,249
shares of the common stock outstanding.
Name of Beneficial Owner(1) | |
Number of Shares of Common Stock Beneficially Owned(2) | | |
Percent of Outstanding Common Stock(3) | |
Directors and Named Executive Officers: | |
| | | |
| | |
Steven L. Martin | |
| 15,165 | (4) | |
| * | |
Brent S. Morrison | |
| 139,642 | (5) | |
| 7.23 | % |
Paul J. O’Sullivan | |
| 120,630 | (6) | |
| 6.42 | % |
Heather L. Pittard | |
| — | | |
| * | |
Kenneth W. Taylor | |
| 9,562 | (7) | |
| * | |
David A. Tenwick | |
| 27,985 | (8) | |
| 1.49 | % |
All Directors and Executive Officers as a Group: | |
| 312,984 | | |
| 16.20 | % |
* |
Less
than one percent. |
|
|
(1) |
The
address of each of our directors, director nominees and executive officers is c/o Regional Health Properties, Inc., 1050 Crown Pointe
Parkway, Suite 720, Atlanta, Georgia 30338. |
|
|
(2) |
Except
as otherwise specified, each individual has sole and direct beneficial voting and dispositive power with respect to shares of the
common stock indicated. |
|
|
(3) |
Percentage
is calculated based on 1,879,249 shares of common stock outstanding as of December 2, 2024 plus any stock options exercisable
as of December 2, 2024 and any stock options exercisable within 60 days of December 2, 2024. |
|
|
(4) |
Represents
(i) 500 shares of common stock held directly by Mr. Steven Martin; (ii) 6,865 shares of common stock held in an individual retirement
account; (iii) 1,900 shares of common stock held by his spouse; and (iv) 5,900 shares of common stock held by his spouse in an individual
retirement account. |
|
|
(5) |
Represents:
(i) 85,047 shares of common stock held directly by Mr. Morrison; (ii) 2,272 shares of common stock held in an individual retirement
account; (iii) options exercisable to purchase 4,323 shares of common stock held by Mr. Morrison at an exercise price of $46.80 per
share; (iv) options exercisable to purchase 24,000 shares of common stock held by Mr. Morrison at an exercise price of $3.32 per
share; (v) options exercisable to purchase 11,250 shares of common stock held by Mr. Morrison at an exercise price
of $2.03 per share; and (vi) options exercisable to purchase 12,750 shares of common stock held by Mr. Morrison at an exercise price
of $2.03 within 60 days of December 2, 2024. |
(6) |
Represents:
(i) 51,130 shares of common stock held by Mr. O’Sullivan; (ii) 56,000 unvested shares of restricted stock over which the holder
has sole voting but no investment power; and (iii) 13,500 shares of common stock held in an individual retirement account. |
|
|
(7) |
Represents
9,562 shares of common stock held by Mr. Taylor. |
|
|
(8) |
Represents
27,985 shares of common stock held by Mr. Tenwick. |
Series
A Preferred Stock Beneficial Ownership Table
The
following table furnishes information, as of the record date, as to shares of the Series A Preferred Stock beneficially owned by: (i)
each of our director nominees, directors and our named executive officers; and (ii) our directors and executive officers as a group.
As of the record date, there were 559,263 shares of the Series A Preferred Stock outstanding.
Name of Beneficial Owner(1) | |
Number of Shares of Series A Preferred Stock Beneficially Owned | | |
Percent of Outstanding Series A Preferred Stock | |
Directors, Director Nominees and Named Executive Officers: | |
| | | |
| | |
Steven L. Martin | |
| — | | |
| * | |
Brent S. Morrison | |
| — | | |
| * | |
Paul J. O’Sullivan | |
| — | | |
| * | |
Heather L. Pittard | |
| — | | |
| * | |
Kenneth W. Taylor | |
| — | | |
| * | |
David A. Tenwick | |
| — | | |
| * | |
All Directors, Director Nominees and Executive Officers as a Group: | |
| — | | |
| * | |
* |
Less
than one percent. |
|
|
(1) |
The
address of each of our directors, director nominees and executive officers is c/o Regional Health Properties, Inc., 1050 Crown Pointe
Parkway, Suite 720, Atlanta, Georgia 30338. |
Series
B Preferred Stock Beneficial Ownership Table
The
following table furnishes information, as of the record date, as to shares of the Series B Preferred Stock beneficially owned by: (i)
each person or entity known to us to be the beneficial owner of more than 5% of the Series B Preferred Stock; (ii) each of our director
nominees, directors and our named executive officers; and (iii) our directors and executive officers as a group. As of the record date,
there were 2,252,272 shares of the Series B Preferred Stock outstanding.
Name of Beneficial Owner(1) | |
Number of Shares of Series B Preferred Stock Beneficially Owned | | |
Percent of Outstanding Series B Preferred Stock | |
Greater than 5% Stockholder: | |
| | | |
| | |
Charles L. Frischer | |
| 479,673 | (2) | |
| 21.30 | % |
Kenneth S. Grossman | |
| 143,118 | (3) | |
| 6.35 | % |
Directors, Director Nominees and Named Executive Officers: | |
| | | |
| | |
Steven L. Martin | |
| 97,657 | (4) | |
| 4.34 | % |
Brent S. Morrison | |
| — | | |
| * | |
Paul J. O’Sullivan | |
| — | | |
| * | |
Heather L. Pittard | |
| — | | |
| * | |
Kenneth W. Taylor | |
| — | | |
| * | |
David A. Tenwick | |
| — | | |
| * | |
All Directors, Director Nominees and Executive Officers as a Group: | |
| 97,657 | | |
| 4.34 | % |
* |
Less
than one percent. |
|
|
(1) |
The
address of each of our directors, director nominees and executive officers is c/o Regional Health Properties, Inc., 1050 Crown Pointe
Parkway, Suite 720, Atlanta, Georgia 30338. |
|
|
(2) |
Information
obtained from the Schedule 13D/A filed by Charles L. Frischer and the Libby Frischer Family Partnership (“LFFP”),
an entity that Mr. Frischer is the general partner of, with the SEC on June 20, 2023. Of the shares of Series A Preferred Stock reported
in such Schedule 13D/A, Charles L. Frischer reports having sole voting power and sole dispositive power with respect to 468,673 shares
of Series A Preferred Stock, and LFFP reports having sole voting power and sole dispositive power with respect to 11,000 shares of
Series A Preferred Stock. The address for this beneficial owner, as set forth in such Schedule 13D/A, is 3156 East Laurelhurst Drive,
Seattle, Washington 98105. On June 30, 2023, the 479,673 shares of the Series A Preferred Stock reported were retired and exchanged
for Series B Preferred Stock in connection with the Exchange Offer as proposed by the Company as filed SEC on May 23, 2023 |
|
|
(3) |
Per
Form 3 filed by Mr. Kenneth S. Grossman on February 24, 2023. Represents 143,118 shares of Series B preferred stock held by Mr. Kenneth
Grossman in an individual retirement account and excludes 10,472 shares of Series B preferred stock held by a partnership which Mr.
Kenneth Grossman disclaims any beneficial ownership. |
|
|
(4) |
Represents
(i) 41,371 shares of series B preferred stock held directly by Mr. Steven Martin; (ii) 26,999 shares of Series B preferred stock
held in an individual retirement account; (iii) 23,487 shares of Series B preferred stock held by spouse; (iv) 5,800 shares of Series
B preferred stock held by spouse in an individual retirement account; and excludes 4,000 shares of Series B preferred stock held
by two children of Mr. Steven Martin in individual trust accounts which Mr. Steven Martin disclaims any beneficial ownership. |
Delinquent
Section 16(a) Reports
Section
16(a) of the Exchange Act requires executive officers and directors and persons who beneficially own more than 10% of our common stock
and Series A Preferred Stock (the “Reporting Persons”) to file initial reports of ownership and reports of changes in ownership
with the SEC. Based solely on a review of reports filed with the SEC, the Company believes that during 2023 fiscal year the Reporting
Persons complied with all Section 16(a) filing requirements except that Mr. Morrison made a single late filing reporting the grant of
one equity award and Mr. Martin made a single late filing reporting initial ownership.
ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION
Other
Business for Presentation at the Annual Meeting
The
Board and management do not currently intend to bring before the Annual Meeting any matters other than those discussed in this Proxy
Statement, nor are they aware of any business which other persons intend to present at the Annual Meeting. Should any other matter or
business requiring a vote of shareholders properly come before the Annual Meeting, the Proxy Holders intend to exercise the discretionary
authority conferred by the proxies and vote the shares represented thereby in respect of any such other matter or business in accordance
with their discretion.
2023
Annual Report
Our
audited consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2023, are included in the 2023 Annual Report, a copy of which
accompanies the proxy statement.
Shareholder
Proposals for Inclusion in the 2025 Proxy Statement
If
any shareholder intends to present a proposal for inclusion in the Company’s proxy materials for the 2025 Annual Meeting, then
such proposal must be received by the Company a reasonable time before the Company begins to print and send its proxy materials, for
inclusion, pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act, in the Company’s proxy statement for such meeting. Such proposal also
will need to comply with SEC regulations regarding the inclusion of shareholder proposals in Company-sponsored proxy materials. In order
to allow the Company to identify the proposal as being subject to Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act and to respond in a timely manner,
shareholder proposals pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act are required to be submitted to the Company’s Corporate Secretary
at our principal executive offices, located at 1050 Crown Pointe Parkway, Suite 720, Atlanta, Georgia 30338.
Procedures
for Business Matters and Director Nominations for Consideration at the 2025 Annual Meeting
Section
2.15 of our Bylaws sets forth the procedures that a shareholder must follow in order to submit a proposal of business for a shareholder
vote or to nominate a person for election to the Board at an annual or special meeting of shareholders. Set forth below is a summary
of these procedures, including notice deadlines for the 2025 Annual Meeting.
Notice
Requirements for Shareholder Proposals (Excluding Director Nominations). Section 2.15(a) of our Bylaws provides that no proposal
for a shareholder vote (other than director nominations which are described below) shall be submitted by a shareholder (a “Shareholder
Proposal”) to the Company’s shareholders unless the shareholder submitting such proposal (the “Proponent”) shall
have filed a written notice which includes, among other things:
(i) |
the
name and business address of the Proponent (including each beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the Shareholder Proposal is
being made) and all Persons (as defined in Section 2.15(a) of our Bylaws) acting in concert with the Proponent (or such beneficial
owner), and the name and address of all of the foregoing as they appear on the Company’s books (if they so appear); |
(ii) |
the
class and number of shares of the Company that are owned beneficially and of record by the Proponent (including each beneficial owner,
if any, on whose behalf the Shareholder Proposal is being made) and the other Persons identified in clause (i); |
(iii) |
a
description of the Shareholder Proposal containing all material information relating thereto, including the information identified
in Section 2.15(a)(iv) of our Bylaws; |
(iv) |
a
description of any agreement, arrangement or understanding with respect to the Shareholder Proposal between or among the Proponent
and each beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the Shareholder Proposal is being made, any of their respective affiliates or
associates, and any others acting in concert with any of the foregoing; |
(v) |
a
description of any agreement, arrangement or understanding (including any derivative or short positions, profit interests, options,
warrants, convertible securities, stock appreciation or similar rights, hedging transactions, and borrowed or loaned shares) that
has been entered into as of the date of such written notice by, or on behalf of, the Proponent and each beneficial owner, if any,
on whose behalf the Shareholder Proposal is being made, the effect or intent of which is to mitigate loss to, manage risk or benefit
of share price changes for, or increase or decrease the voting power of, the Proponent or such beneficial owner, with respect to
the Company’s securities; |
(vi) |
a
representation that the Proponent is a holder of record of the capital stock of the Company entitled to vote at the meeting, will
so remain at the time of the meeting, and intends to appear in person or by proxy at the meeting to propose such business; |
(vii) |
a
representation whether the Proponent or any beneficial owner on whose behalf the Shareholder Proposal is being made intends or is
part of a group which intends (a) to deliver a proxy statement and/or form of proxy to holders of at least the percentage of the
Company’s outstanding capital stock required to approve or adopt the Shareholder Proposal or (b) otherwise to solicit proxies
from shareholders in support of such Shareholder Proposal; and |
(viii) |
any
other information relating to the Proponent and such beneficial owner, if any, required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other
filing in connection with solicitations of proxies for the Shareholder Proposal under Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act. |
The
notice shall also include such other information as the Board reasonably determines is necessary or appropriate to enable it and the
shareholders of the Company to consider the Shareholder Proposal. The information required by clauses (ii), (iv) and (v) above must be
updated by the Proponent and each beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the Shareholder Proposal is being submitted not later than
ten days following the record date for the meeting to disclose such information as of the record date.
The
presiding officer at any shareholders’ meeting may determine that any Shareholder Proposal was not made in accordance with procedures
prescribed by our Bylaws or otherwise is not in accordance with law, and if it is so determined, such officer will declare so at the
meeting and the Shareholder Proposal will be disregarded. No provision of our Bylaws shall affect any rights of a shareholder to request
inclusion of proposals in the Company’s proxy statement pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act.
Notice
Requirements for Director Nominations. Subject to any rights of the holders of the Series B Preferred Stock, Section 2.15(b) of our
Bylaws provides that only persons who are selected and recommended by the Board or the committee of the Board designated to make nominations,
or who are nominated by shareholders in accordance with the procedures set forth in such section, shall be eligible for election, or
qualified to serve, as directors. Nominations of individuals for election to the Board at any annual meeting or any special meeting of
shareholders at which directors are to be elected may be made by any shareholder of the Company entitled to vote for the election of
directors at that meeting by compliance with the procedures set forth in Section 2.15(b) of our Bylaws.
Nominations
by shareholders shall be made by written notice (a “Nomination Notice”), which, as to each individual nominated, shall set
forth, among other things: (i) the name, date of birth, business address and residence address of such individual; (ii) the educational
background and the business experience during the past five years of such nominee, including the information identified in Section 2.15(b)
of our Bylaws; (iii) whether the nominee is or has ever been at any time a director, officer or owner of 5% or more of any class of capital
stock, partnership interests or other equity interest of any corporation, partnership or other entity; (iv) any directorships held by
such nominee in any public reporting company or any company registered as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940;
(v) whether such nominee has ever been convicted in a criminal proceeding or has ever been subject to a judgment, order, finding or decree
in the proceedings described in Section 2.15(b) of our Bylaws; (vi) information regarding whether such nominee is subject to any disqualifications
described in Rule 506(d)(1)(i) to (vii) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended; (vii) any other information relating to such nominee
that is required to be disclosed in solicitations of proxies for election of directors in an election contest, or is otherwise required,
in each case pursuant to Regulation 14A under the Exchange Act; (viii) a written statement from the shareholder making the recommendation
stating why such recommended candidate meets the criteria and would be able to fulfill the duties of a director; and (ix) a written representation
and agreement that (a) such nominee is not and will not become a party to (1) any agreement, arrangement or understanding with, and has
not given any commitment or assurance to, any person or entity as to how such nominee, if elected as a director of the Company, will
act or vote on any issue or question (a “Voting Commitment”) that has not been disclosed to the Company or (2) any Voting
Commitment that could limit or interfere with such nominee’s ability to comply, if elected as a director of the Company, with such
nominee’s fiduciary duties under applicable law, (b) such nominee is not and will not become a party to any agreement, arrangement
or understanding with any person or entity other than the Company with respect to any direct or indirect compensation, reimbursement
or indemnification in connection with service or action as a director that has not been disclosed therein, and (c) such nominee, in such
nominee’s individual capacity and on behalf of any person or entity on whose behalf the nomination is being made, would be in compliance,
if elected as a director of the Company, and will comply, with all applicable corporate governance, conflict of interest, confidentiality
and stock ownership and trading policies and guidelines of the Company.
In
addition, the Nomination Notice shall set forth, as to the Person submitting the Nomination Notice, each beneficial owner, if any, on
whose behalf the nomination is made and any Person acting in concert with such Persons, among other things: (i) the name and business
address of such Person; (ii) the name and address of each such Person as he or she appears on the Company’s books (if he or she
so appears); (iii) the class and number of shares of the Company that are owned beneficially and of record by each such Person; (iv)
a description of any agreement, arrangement or understanding with respect to the nomination between or among such Persons, any of their
respective affiliates or associates, and any others acting in concert with any of the foregoing; (v) a description of any agreement,
arrangement or understanding (including any derivative or short positions, profit interests, options, warrants, convertible securities,
stock appreciation or similar rights, hedging transactions, and borrowed or loaned shares) that has been entered into as of the date
of such written notice by, or on behalf of, each such Person, the effect or intent of which is to mitigate loss to, manage risk or benefit
of share price changes for, or increase or decrease the voting power of, each such Person, with respect to securities of the Company;
(vi) a representation that the Person submitting the Nomination Notice is a holder of record of stock of the Company entitled to vote
at such meeting, will so remain at the time of such meeting, and intends to appear in person or by proxy at the meeting to make such
nomination; (vii) a representation whether any such Person intends or is part of a group which intends (a) to deliver a proxy statement
and/or form of proxy to holders of at least the percentage of the Company’s outstanding capital stock required to elect each nominee
or (b) otherwise to solicit proxies from shareholders in support of such nomination; and (viii) any other information relating to such
shareholder and such beneficial owner, if any, required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filings required to be made in
connection with solicitations of proxies for the election of directors in an election contest pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Exchange
Act.
The
information required by clauses (iii), (iv) and (v) above shall be updated by the Person delivering such Nomination Notice and each beneficial
owner, if any, on whose behalf the Nomination Notice is being submitted not later than ten days after the record date for the meeting
to disclose such information as of the record date. The Company may require any proposed nominee to furnish such other information as
it may reasonably require to determine the eligibility or qualification of such proposed nominee to serve as a director of the Company.
A written consent to being named in a proxy statement as a nominee, and to serve as a director if elected, signed by each nominee, shall
be filed with any Nomination Notice.
If
the presiding officer at any shareholders’ meeting determines that a nomination was not made in accordance with the procedures
prescribed by our Bylaws, the presiding officer will so declare to the meeting and the defective nomination will be disregarded.
Notice
Deadlines. Subject to any rights of the holders of the Series B Preferred Stock, Nomination Notices and Shareholder Proposals in
connection with an annual meeting shall be delivered to the Company’s Corporate Secretary at our principal executive office not
less than 90 nor more than 120 calendar days before the first anniversary of the date of the Company’s notice of annual meeting
sent to shareholders in connection with the previous year’s annual meeting; provided that if no annual meeting was held in the
previous year, or the date of the annual meeting has been established to be more than 30 calendar days earlier than, or 60 calendar days
after, the anniversary of the previous year’s annual meeting, notice by a shareholder, to be timely, must be so received not later
than: (i) the 90th day prior to the annual meeting; or (ii) if later, the close of business on the 10th day following the day on which
public announcement is first made of the date of the annual meeting. Nomination Notices in connection with a special meeting at which
directors are to be elected shall be delivered to the Company’s Secretary at our principal executive office not later than the
close of business on: (i) the 90th day prior to such special meeting; or (ii) if later, the 10th day following the day on which public
announcement is first made of the date of the special meeting and of the fact that directors are to be elected at such meeting.
Subject
to any rights of the holders of the Series B Preferred Stock, in order to submit a proposal of business for a shareholder vote or to
nominate a person for election to the Board at the 2025 Annual Meeting, Shareholder Proposals and Nomination Notices in connection with
such meeting must be delivered to the Company’s Corporate Secretary at our principal executive offices, located at 1050 Crown Pointe
Parkway, Suite 720, Atlanta, Georgia 30338 not later than (i) the 90th day prior to the annual meeting or (ii) if later, the close of
business on the 10th day following the day on which public announcement is first made of the date of the annual meeting.
Regional Health Properties (AMEX:RHE-B)
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